Brother Blood was watching the news on one of the many televisions he had installed on the wall. One of the Titans had been missing for several months and he had tried to use the Titan's new weakness to his advantage. But had been defeated by Beastboy of all people. They were on the television again, this time asking, once again, if anyone has seen Starfire please contact the tower, Toll Free. The commercial always ran with a picture of the girl on the screen while they talked.
The telephone rang and Blood picked it up.
Blood: "We are the Hive. Hello Mr. Slade how can the Hive be of service. Training? Of course. Against one person I usually send one of my weaker students. Whom are we engaging? Her? That certainly explains the commercials. Yes, commercials. You must not have been paying attention to the television. I have seen her fighting techniques firsthand and will send a student to the address you specify. You want more than one? My best team against one Titan? I think it's overkill, but if it's my best students you want, you will have the best. Send the time and location to my secure email account, and forward twice the usual amount to my usual account. Yes, twice our usual sum, for my best team. Fine, three times, but only if they are victorious against your one Titan. Else my student's time will be free. But rest assured, you can just send the money now."
Brother Blood put down the telephone and pressed a button on the hive-wide communication system. He spoke with a tense voice. "Strike Team Alpha report to my office immediately"
Starfire flew to a warehouse on the edge of the city. This building was extremely old, but extremely well built with the warehouse on top of a vast parking complex. Starfire examined the building for a moment before entering through the roof window, which was open like she had been told it would be. There was a long drop to the open room below. Starfire knew this had to be some kind of a trap, but she couldn't see anyone in the large open room, just a few usual warehouse vehicles and a connex on one side of the large room. The connex was supposed to hold the reason for her trip, she had been ordered to bring the contents of the box (which was not supposed to be illegal) and she was to crush anyone who tried to interfere. She flew down, circled the connex once, upon seeing nothing threatening, she landed in front of the large box to opened it.
Whether it was the fact that she had been expecting a trap, or her recent training was paying off, she had heard a noise behind her and she launched herself out of the path of a blast that came from a large laser fired by Gizmo. Apparently he had mastered some type of camouflage to cover himself and his friends, so she had not noticed them before. Gizmo and Jinx both seemed surprised who their quarry was. "it really is you" Gizmo said and chuckled. Mammoth was with them as usual, but he made no sound, just picked up a forklift which was nearby, and launched it at her while Gizmo yelled "Attack Pattern Alpha".
While Starfire dodged the thrown forklift the trio went into action, Gizmo's wings sprang out and he launched himself to his left, Jinx went to the right while Mammoth ran straight toward Starfire, his arms wide open preparing to try to grab the girl should she get within arms range. Starfire's training kicked in and she let her experience and instinct take over. Without thinking she took flight, charging straight for Mammoth while throwing starbolts at the other two to keep them at bay.
Jink and Gizmo tried returning fire when not dodging her starbolts, but Starfire was more accurate than normal, so it was all they could do just to keep from being struck. Gizmo flew higher trying to get some dodging room and trying to get behind Starfire while Jinx jumped and flipped while being forced farther away from her friends. Mammoth saw Starfire charging directly toward him. He smiled and prepared to try to grab her in a crushing bearhug as she went by, planting his feet so he could jump at her as she tried to fly over his head like she always does.
Starfire never deviated, gaining speed as she charged toward Mammoth. She had stopped throwing starbots for a moment and pulled her arms in as she approached the big man. He had been prepared for a flyby, so he momentarily paused, but he still prepared to grab the girl in a crushing hug. His arms were wide and ready to grab at her. She flew right at Mammoth and at the last moment let out a cry, using all her momentum and strength she swung both her legs forward in a fierce kick, which caught the big man in the chest. Mammoth's shock was evident on his face as he was thrown backward by the attack. Starfire didn't pause though, hitting him with a blast from her eyes, which lifted him farther off the ground and sped up his flight. She then pursued the flying man and gathered speed. Mammoth's flight backward came to at end when he hit one of the main support beams of the building. The entire building shook with the force of the impact. A moment later Mammoth's eye came wide open as Starfire, flying full speed, buried her fist into his chest. He made a loud sound as the air was forced from his lungs, and a crack could be heard. The nearby windows shattered outward and even the steel beam at his back gave from the force of the impact by bending some. Starfire pulled back her hand and Mammoth slid down the beam to his feet, dropped to his knees, and then slumped over onto his side. She turned to face his comrades.
"Mammoth!" Jinx and Gizmo yelled in unison and charged toward Mammoth and Starfire, both firing their projectiles at her. Starfire took off flying an erratic patter to evade their firepower. Gizmo followed her but Jinx could not keep up with their speed. "Gizmo don't split up" she yelled toward him. To Jinx something didn't seem right with this fight, but Gizmo didn't hear her. He wanted to hurt Starfire like she had hurt his friend. He was firing at her from a large laser protruding from the pack that is always on his back. One of his erratic shots actually struck the girl, burning a line across her back as she looped around a pillar. She dropped to the ground while he followed her laughing. She got up looking completely unhurt and fired starbolts at him, striking one of his wings and bringing him to the ground.
Jinx tried to get to where Gizmo was fighting Starfire, but their flight had taken them to the other side of the large building and now there was debris in the way and some holes in the floor leading to the parking lot below.
Gizmo dropped to the ground immediately bringing forth the large metallic legs which made him look like a 4-legged spider. He knew he couldn't outrun her, so he charged toward her with his laser blasting. Starfire sidestepped his shot and ran toward him, hitting one of his legs with a starbolt. As Gizmo toppled toward the damaged leg he saw her get in range of his other legs and stabbed at her with one while he fell.
Starfire grabbed the leg and simply ripped it from his pack. As she tossed it away he swung his laser to fire at her. Another starbolt destroyed it before it could fire. Starfire stepped closer. She gripped Gizmo with one hand and her other hand held onto his backpack. Gizmo went hysterical and shrieked. "NO! Don't do that, It's connected to my…."
With a single motion Starfire ripped the pack from his back. Gizmo screamed as the fibreoptic wiring which connected him to his pack were ripped from his spine and he crumpled to the ground. Starfire crushed the pack and dropped it. She turned and looked at Jinx who had just got close enough to watch what happened.
Jinx watched in shock as Starfire assaulted her friend and rage took over. The instant Starfire stepped away from Gizmo, Jinx went all out. She channeled more energy than she had ever tried, just wanting to hurt this girl like she had hurt her friends while dodging the bolts Starfire fired back at her. She concentrated and found a new power in herself. She threw purple energy toward Starfire while channeling her power toward the nearby ceiling unseen. She flipped and dodged while Starfire flew toward her throwing starbolts. Suddenly when Starfire was near enough, Jinx finished her plan and brought the ceiling from the high, thick roof down. Starfire looked up at the last instant as the roof crashed down creating a huge hole above and making a pile of debris on the floor taller than Jinx.
Jinx stood there breathing heavily and watched the debris for any movement. When it was silent for a second she turned to move toward Gizmo. The floor underneath Jinx exploded upward with green energy, throwing her into the air. As Jinx was thrown upward she sought to regain her balance and control her fall. She saw a starbolt coming at her from the hole Starfire had just made. She couldn't get out of the way so she threw up her arms to try to block it. The starbolt exploded against her, disintegrating cloth and charring skin underneath. The blast stunned Jinx and she flew backward hitting the wall hard and sliding down. Before her feet could touch the ground Starfire held her up with one hand around her neck. Jinx looked at the alien whos eyes glowed dangerously bright and thought to escape. She kicked Starfire and the girl didn't even notice. She channeled her energy into her hands turning them purple. Starfire tightened her grip on Jinx neck and channeled green energy into her other hand, her eyes glowing brighter. With a grip stronger than steel, even if Jinx did blast Starfire away, she would take her along, neck first, probably killing her. Jinx, either from this realization or from fear or lack of oxygen, stopped channeling the power and her hands turned normal and tried to escape by pulling on the arm and hand around her neck.
"Starfire" A voice rang out clearly. Starfire turned her head expectantly around snapping out of her almost trance-like fighting state. The voice wasn't one of her friends though, it was Gizmo. He stood there looking pale and sick, barely able to stand. "Starfire " he said weaker than before "Look, you've won. Please don't hurt her."
Jinx still struggled weakly, but was starting to black out from lack of breathing. Starfire turned back to look at her and their eyes met. She saw the terror in Jinx eyes as they started to tear up.
Slade's voice rang out in her ear: "You've won apprentice, very good. Your training is complete. Come back now."
Starfire placed Jinx feet on the ground let go and stepped back, the glow in her hand and eyes fading. Jinx dropped to her knees coughing as she regained her breath. As Starfire flew off she saw Gizmo help her to her feet, and watched thru the window as they helped Mammoth sit up as he coughed up blood. She flew to a roof where nobody could see. She then took off the headset and wept.