Chapter 14
I won't soar, I won't climb
"How the hell could you do this!? What the hell were you thinking!? We trusted you and you handed her over like she was nothing!" yelled robin as he paced the Batcave. Batgirl looked at the floor in shame.
The rest of the titans stood there, glaring at the young girl. "She was our teammate! An ally! And you just turned her over to the enemy!? That's why you didn't have a problem with her coming to her! She was your bargaining chip!"
Batgirl bowed her head further. Batgirl raised her head. "I didn't know what else to do. I needed to help Bruce. They said they were looking for her and I knew where she was."
Robin was seething. "You handed her over to one of the most dangerous alien races in the world! You just signed her death sentence!" He screamed at her. "Dick, enough." Said Batman, as Alfred tended to his wounds.
He turned to look at Batman. "What do you expect me to do Bruce!? She handed her on a silver platter! You guys don't understand what those aliens will do to her!" Batman stood up and walked over to his former partner.
"Barbara didn't know what else to do. And besides she's more equipped to deal with these invaders." Robin glared at him. "Just because she's an alien too!? Did it ever occur to you that these aliens are a danger to her as well!?" Batman sighed.
"Look, she was wanted by this race for committing a crime. Maybe she should have gone back to them. This isn't my area of expertise." He said calmly. Robin was shaking with anger. "You don't know what she went through with them! And how dare you blame Starfire for any of this!" He started to storm out of the cave.
"Where are you going?" asked Batman. "I'm going to go and get my teammate. And bring her home where she belongs." The titans followed closely behind him. "You can't go against them without back up. You are going to wind up getting killed." Said Batman.
Robin stopped and looked at him and Batgirl. "I don't want your help. I don't trust either one of you. I don't trust that you will have my back in the field. I need to be in the field with people that I know have my back. I don't trust either of you."
"We didn't do anything to make you not trust us! Yes, I panicked but I have never given you a reason to not trust me in the past. Neither has Bruce." Robin gritted his teeth. "You handed her over to the ones that have tried to kill her and almost succeeded. And Bruce went behind my back and convinced her to go back to her planet."
Batgirl took a step forward. "Do you think that Starfire belongs here? She is not from this world! She is an alien! And she has brought so much danger to not only your team, but to your city. Maybe it is better that she has returned to space."
Robin stormed out of the cave, not saying a word. The titans looked at Batgirl. "You act like Starfire is such a bad person. Yeah, she has brought her captors to Earth, but she isn't the only one that has brought enemies into our back yard. Believe me there are worse things that have happened to this team and to our city. Maybe you should learn about the hell that others have gone through or experienced and then pass judgement." Said Raven.
Robin walked through the streets of Gotham. "What's the plan Rob?" asked Cyborg. Robin sighed. "See if you can locate Starfire through her communicator. We have to hope that they haven't left Earth yet." Cyborg nodded.
Blood covered the floor of a steel cell. Chains hung from the ceiling. There laid Starfire, laying in her own blood on her side. Bruised. Bloody. Broken. Bruises covered every inch of skin from the constant beatings that she took. A bruise swelled her eyes shut. Chains were locked on her wrists.
She whimpered in her sleep. She had never felt so injured in so long. She had hoped that this was behind her. That this pain was no more in her life. "Robin." She whimpered in her sleep. "Okay, Starfire still has her communicator on her. They are still here in Gotham." Said Cyborg.
Robin nodded. "Let's get her out of there before she gets killed." He said, walking toward the direction that Cyborg pointed. The door boomed open. Starfire picked her broken body and she sat up, looking at Akeldama.
"How are you feeling little Troq? Any pain?" she asked with a cruel smile. "Why are we still here on Earth?" she asked, her voice barely there. "Well, I made a decision. Why should I just punish you? Your little friends are responsible for my husband's demise just as much as you are. I need to kill them all first. Then I'll kill you. Then his death will be avenged."
Starfire sat up on her knees. "You can't do this! They are innocent! They had nothing to do with it!" She yelled. Akeldama smiled and looed at her. "Killing them is really me killing you. They are your family. They are the only thing that you fight for. I saw your reaction when I shot that boy. You looked terrified. You love that pathetic human."
Starfire shook her head. "Please, don't do this. I will take any punishment that you want. You can do whatever you want to me. But don't hurt them! Please!" she begged. Akeldama laughed. "Don't worry, right after I kill them, you will be a treat for my soldiers. Just like you were all those years ago." Starfire felt bile raise in her throat.
"You are going to stay here in this cell while I destroy everything you love." She walked away. Starfire pulled against the chains. "Please! Don't do this! You can't! They are innocent! PLEASE!" Starfire yelled as she tried to get free.
Robin and the others stopped as the ship landed. "What the hell is this?" asked Raven. "They can't just be releasing Starfire to us, can they?" asked Beast Boy. The door opened and armor clad gordanians came out. "Nope, didn't think so." He said.
"Titans of Earth, you are charged with the murder of Skotadius. By decree of Lady Akeldama you are hereby sentenced to death." Robin took his bo staff out. "Where is Starfire?" asked Robin, venom lacing his voice.
"Oh, the Troq?" asked Akeldama, walking out of the ship. "She's a little out of commission right now. She couldn't fight even if she wanted to. She's too broken." She said with a cruel smile. "Now come, I want to hurry out and kill you, so my soldiers can celebrate." Robin knew what she meant by celebrate. He wasn't going to let his love go through that hell again. He aimed his staff at her.
"Bring it." Akeldama smiled. "Kill them." The gordanians ran at them. Cyborg shot at them. Raven trapped them in her magic. Beast Boy turned into a gorilla to throw them, a ram to ram them, along with other animals.
Robin used every weapon that he had on these enemies. He needed to get to Starfire. "Star! Can you hear me!?" he yelled as he got closer to the ship. "She can't hear you. She's so close to death, I wouldn't be surprised if she's even registered your voice."
"Starfire! Come back to me! Stay with me!" he yelled. Starfire laid on the floor, blood flowing from a head wound. Akeldama had hit her in the head before she attacked the Titans. "Come on Star! Come back to me!" Robin begged. The Gordanians overpowered them all. They were all forced to their knees.
Robin fought against the gordanians as he was restrained. Akeldama smiled and she nodded to the guard. He walked back to the ship and came back, dragging a very bloody and bruised Starfire. He threw her onto the ground. Robin struggled more as he tried to get to her.
Akeldama kneeled onto her knees and she grabbed Robin's chin, causing him to look at her. "You really love this piece of garbage, don't you? You love this thing. This Troq that killed my husband because he wanted was rightfully his."
Robin wrenched his chin from her hand, her claws cutting his face. "Starfire is no one's property. She is a living breathing person. She is property of no one!" he spit out. She smiled. "Well, I have changed my mind, I want her to witness as I kill each one of you. Starting with you, boy."
A guard picked up Starfire and slapped her hard across the face. Her eyes fluttered open slightly. "Starfire! Thank god." Starfire looked over at her captured friends. She struggled to free herself. "Please, don't do this! Leave them be!" she begged.
Akeldama took a sword out and she aimed it at Robin's heart. "Time for you to die." She said with an evil smile. "No!" yelled Starfire. The other Titans struggled to free themselves. Akeldama raised her hand. The sword pierced through Robin's chest. Robin cried out in pain.
He fell back. Starfire looked in shock as her boyfriend fell to the ground. "NOOOOOOO!" Yelled Starfire, her body becoming encompassed in green energy. The whole ground started to shake as the Tamaranian girl stayed enveloped in green energy.
Akeldama looked at her with a smile. "Oh, is the Troq angry because I killed your little pet? What a shame." Tears fell from her glowing green eyes. "AAAAGGGHHH!" She yelled, green energy blowing all the gordanians away. Starfire faced Akeldama she flew at full force, taking Akeldama in the sky, flying away from everyone.
Cyborg raced over to Robin. "Oh god, come on Rob, you have to stay with us." They heard someone land. They turned around, weapons aimed. It was Batman and Batgirl. Batman raced over to Robin. "What happened!" He yelled. "That alien that you gave Starfire to, came after us to kill us. And he killed Robin first, so Starfire would feel pain."
Batman kneeled in front of Robin and pulled his uniform back. "Smart kid." He said. They all looked down and saw a Kevlar vest across his chest. "The Kevlar held, but it probably just knocked the wind out of him. He will still be bruised."
"So, he's alive?" asked Beast Boy. Batman nodded. "Yeah, he's fine." He reached into his belt and took out a smelling salt. He took it and put in under Robin's nose. Robin woke up and sat up. He looked at Batman.
"What are you doing here? Isn't this not your area of expertise? It's aliens." He sneered. Batman sighed. "Perhaps I am too judgmental. We have quite a few people that are aliens that fight for good." Robin nodded.
Cyborg helped him up. "What the hell happened here? Where's Starfire?" asked Robin. Suddenly there was a giant explosion. They ran over and there in the park was a giant crater. Above the crater was Starfire, still enveloped in the energy.
"Oh no, her powers are out of control." Said Robin. "She went into that state after you died. It's like her anger took over." Said Cyborg. Robin nodded. "Her powers are connected to her emotions. We have to calm her down before she does something she regrets." They all nodded.
"Starfire!" She focused on a bloody Akeldama. "Starfire! You must calm down! Please. Just calm down." Said Raven. She shook her head. "No, she killed Robin. She killed the man I love, and she deserves to die."
She lowered, and she landed to the ground. She grabbed Akeldama. "I told you that you could do whatever to me." Punch. "I told you that your soldiers could have me. I told you that you could punish me any way you wanted." Punch.
"I told you that you kill me anyway that you wanted. But no you had to go and kill the man that I love! An innocent! He had so much more to offer this world!" Another punch. "And then you were going to kill my friends! The only family that I know!" Another punch.
She went to punch again, and Raven jumped in front of her. "This isn't you! You are not a killer! You are not one that kills your enemies." Starfire struggled against Raven's magic. "I killed Skotadius. I am a killer. After all I am nothing but an alien. A Troq."
Raven shook her head. "Yes, you did kill Skotadius. But you killed him in self-defense. He had done so much to you. But killing your enemies is not the answer." Starfire struggled still. "I don't have anything else to live for."
"There are so many people, heroes included that think that I don't belong here. Maybe they are right. Maybe I don't belong here. But at least this monster won't be around to hurt or kill anyone else." Raven shook her head.
"Starfire, don't do this." She strained at Starfire's strength. "I have noting more to live for." She said, tears falling from her eyes. "Yes, you do. You have the team, the city." Starfire turned quickly, and she spotted Robin.
"And you have me. You have so many things to fight for, now don't do this. Be stronger and let your enemy live." Starfire looked down at Akeldama, blood flowing from her nose. She looked at Raven and she dropped Akeldama.
The green energy dissipated. She turned to look at Robin. She could feel her wounds that she was ignoring, and she took a limped step. Robin rushed over to her. He hugged her and sat her down gently as she dropped.
She put her hand on his face. "You're alive. You're here. Is this a dream?" Robin shook his head. "No, I really am here Star, I'm here." Starfire's eyes closed slowly. "I love you." She whispered as her world went black.
Hey guys! I am sorry about the long wait. I had super bad writer's block and long working days. Well leave me a review and let me know what you guys think. I hope the wait was worth this chapter.