CH. 5
Events unheard:
A petite scaly fist slammed into the metal arm rest on the royal chair. The queen was extremely unhappy. Pissed would be a more accurate word.
"How did three humans break in, spring two others, defeat a small battalion, and then escape in one of our Sweepers?! You call yourselves warrior!?" The five of the six generals were there looking ashamed and embarrassed. Zeng had survived his fall with barely any damage. What was left of his armor had protected him most of the way. His left arm was in a sling and he was given time off. He was the sixth general. The queen glared at the generals.
"I should have you all put to death! This is uncalled for! We are the finest in the universe, we've killed and wiped out entire races and civilization and my army cannot take care of five young adolescence humans!! Be gone from my sight before I change my mind about your death sentence. Wait… better yet. As soon as Zeng recovers, you five and he will each take a large battalion in the Dividers and sweep the entire earth. Do not leave a single stone un-cindered. Do not leave a single bit of rubble unchecked. The one leader of the battalion who brings me the four corpses and Raven alive will not be executed. The other four shall be destroyed. Zeng is not on punishment because he at least tried to stop them. Go now. Zeng's healing shall be complete in a matter of two weeks. But for now…… send out the dogs," The generals left, eyeing each other. The queen had just made a mistake. Each of the generals would slice the other's throat as soon as let him win. Zeng included.
Beast Boy:
He awoke to sun streaming into the small room. They had landed somewhere and he wasn't sure where. He slowly and softly pried himself from Raven's iron grip and made to the porthole window. Outside, water rolled against the rocks. No birds or seagulls were cawing however. And yet… the view was somehow familiar. Then it hit him. They were on top of Titan's Tower! A gigantic grin broke across his face and he tore from the Sweeper. But instead of the shiny city he had been expecting, a dull, gray ghost town greeted him. The windows all seemed dark and foreboding; like deep bags under a person's eyes. The once shiny metal was eaten away and corroding with rust. The sun didn't seem to reach into the now thick forest of red and gray. It fell into shadow. His grin turned to a depressed guilty look. Had he been here when Jump City needed him… he could have prevented this from happening. He could have saved his city. The others came out, yawning. Then they to all stopped in their tracks to stare at what had once been their shiny, happy city. The City looked as sad as they did in all honesty. Beast Boy had the distinct impression it was giving them the cold shoulder for denying it help in its hour of need. With its gray and red back to them, it was hunched in sadness.
"Our… home," Starfire said, tears coming to her green eyes.
"It looks so… sad… so betrayed," Robin said, his own back slouched and eyes downcast. They stared for a few more minutes, drinking in the city's emo like state of depression, then one by one, they walked into their home; their dust filled, gray, gloomy, out of date, dark, home. When Raven finally walked inside, she noticed the others heading to their rooms to check the damage. The aliens had obviously not spared the Tower when they swept through Jump City. Large holes from floor to ceiling in the walls appeared when she walked down them to her room, sending drafts under her cloak. Moss, damp, and mold covered the once obsessively clean carpet. She walked to her room and opened the door. The doors were so worn from the elements that it only opened enough for her to squeeze sideways through. She saw instantly that the entire back wall of her room was gone. Her bed was also gone with a bit of floor, showing bits of the pitch black room below.
"Terrible," Beast Boy said beside her. He had been with her the whole time… quiet as a mouse. She walked stiff legged to her meditation mirror. It was still intact, not showing any forms of elemental or alien damage. She looked to her small little library and great tears of sadness and rage immediately poured down her cheeks. They had been waiting to come down, now they were free. Her books… some over two thousand years old were destroyed. Only paper resided here and there. The only thing that showed, besides the paper, that books resided here was the bookshelf and a large pile of ash at the foot of it. Raven fell to her knees, eyes empty, tears rolling and dropping onto the already mold ridden and damp carpet.
"My… books," she managed. Beast Boy drew her into his strong arms. She fell into him, turning away from the horrible sight and placing her head on his chest, sobbing away and heaving the tears out. Beast Boy sat there on the floor with her in his lap patting her back and rocking back and forth.
"Shhh, it's ok. I'm here," he said it over and over again until it was like a chant. She finally quieted down and Beast Boy helped her to her feet.
"Let's go check on the others," Beast Boy said quietly, forcing the door open all the way where it stuck. He walked down past his door to Robin's.
"What about your room?" Raven sniffled. Beast Boy laughed darkly. He backtracked, opened his door and stepped aside to show it to her.
"What room?" he asked. His room was gone. Along with a good chunk of the Tower. The door closed and they continued to Robin's room. When they opened the door, they saw him running his hand over what was left of his cape. He didn't even look up, but he heard them.
"They destroyed everything," he said sadly, a lone tear falling to the ground. Dark clouds began to close in from the ocean outside his window. The lighting was diminishing fast. With the clouds was pitch black night. The city looked more menacing than usual in the darkening sky and heavy thunder clouds.
"My pictures, my uniforms, my masks, even the little memories I once had are gone," he said. He threw the pieces of cape away with bitter disgust and glared up at them.
"How many did we kill? Tell me we dealt them a terrible blow," he demanded fiercely. Beast Boy looked at him sadly as the light slowly disappeared. Robin was barely seeable.
"We barely even scratched them," he commented. As the light completely disappeared, Robin stood up. A long, hungry howl ripped the air in the distance. They had no idea where the tower was damaged. They had no idea what holes held monsters and what holes held safety. They had no idea if this Tower even had a speck of energy left for the infirmary if someone got hurt.
"What's the matter?" came Robin's sneering voice. They didn't know if he was talking to them or the monster who howled. They heard him withdraw his daggers, "Afraid of the dark?"
Robin:
His prized possessions, however few there may have been, were now dust. Those aliens had a lot to answer for. To much if you asked him. Cyborg and Starfire came running into the room, bumping into Raven and Beast Boy. Starfire's fist lit up, lighting the room in a dim greenish glow.
"Did ya'll hear that?" Cyborg asked in a shaky voice.
"Yes. And that kind of noise can only bode ill for us all," Robin said, "Here's what's going on. We don't know how many ways there are inside this Tower. We don't know who our enemies are, we don't know how many there are, and we don't know what they are. This new enemy obviously is more primal and less intelligent. We will all stay in the same room. No talking. One person takes shifts every three hours. We should make it through the night if we do this the correct way. I will take the first shift, then Cyborg, then Beast Boy, then Starfire, and then Raven. Good night," he looked at them all as they lay upon his floor. His room was practically the most intact. The only thing that kept it different was that it had all four walls, a ceiling, and a floor. No broken window either. Just destroyed on the inside. He sat on the bed as one by one, his friends and comrade in arms fell asleep.
The howling had stopped right after it had started. Maybe it was an actual wolf and he was paranoid. But he didn't think so. Five years in this war had taught him not to underestimate and to go with his instincts. His instincts said primal enemy alert. He looked down at where his daggers resided in his grip. He sheathed them on his waist and pulled his AK-47 from his back. It was still in working order. Amazing. He had to be high on luck. Five years in this war, the same gun completely intact and working order, and fighting aliens. He had to be running low by now. He sat there listening to the even and slow breathing of his friends. His last possessions on this deserted rock third from the sun. If they had died, especially Starfire, he'd kill himself after he was through with the aliens. A faint noise, made him jerk his head up and stare at the closed door. It was a padded scuffling sound. Like the person wore large furry boots.
Then there was the small sniffing sound. The sniffing and scuffing got louder as it neared the door. Robin's hands tightened on the barrel of his gun. His finger twitched ever so slightly. He couldn't see, but his hearing would do just fine. The sniffing and scuffling stopped, not a sound was made. He lightly woke up the others and covered their mouths to signal silence. Everyone was rapt with attention. Their hearts banging like bass drums in their ears… the sound of sharp and small intakes of breath beside each other. Eyes wide and straining with all their strength to see. Hands on their weapons they waited. Then, they all jumped out of their skins when there was a creak from the ceiling. The smallest of creaks that drew their heads up. Then a small crack. With a loud crunching sound that sounded more like thunder, the floor was pulled from their feet. Everyone backed up in time; all except Beast Boy. He gave a small gasp of shock and surprise before he plummeted. He landed on something soft and growling. His eyes widened as he rolled. The growling thing must have struck, because there was the sound of ripping carpet. Sharp claws running across the floor.
"Oh I'm so dead," Beast Boy moaned as he held his sword steady. There was a swish from his left. He brought the sword up and he heard it clang on something solid. Sparks flew, and in the two seconds that sparks ignited, he saw his opponent. Standing ten feet tall, nails as thick as corks and six inches long; the eyes were mere slits and flashing white in the light, no pupils to speak of. The ears were laid back, but were positioned on the very top of a head and spiked like a wolf's. His snout was a good foot long and filled to the back of the throat with razor sharp, gigantic yellow teeth. Filthy, dirt, bug infested, matted dark brown hair covered his entire human shaped muscular body. It looked like a werewolf, except for one difference. Its back was full of sharp green spikes that were standing on end. His wolfish tail had a long spike at the tip like a stinger. Whatever this thing was called, it was not from earth.
He heard a snarl and another swish. He blocked his calf from behind and brought his gun up. Hopefully he didn't need silver bullets or they'd have to retreat. He fired, the gun exploding in his hand. A high pitched keening pierced the air as he twirled to face the second. Robin and the others had their hands full as well. Robin had backed them out of the door they had blown through with his gun. Through the flashes of light from his gun, they were able to see what these creatures were. They looked like werewolves, but they definitely didn't die by silver alone. He had killed three before they had retreated, snarling and drooling. He let Cyborg and Starfire watch the door as he briskly jogged to the hole. Before he got three steps a clawed fist crashed through the ceiling, grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him up. His gun clattered to the ground, balancing itself on the edge of the hole where Beast Boy was battling three of the monsters alone.
"Robin!" Starfire screamed in fear as he disappeared through the ceiling. While Cyborg's and Starfire's attention was drawn, the creatures decided to come through the door in full force, barreling over the two titans. Raven became enraged rather quickly after that and rushed the first one she saw. She thrust upward with her machete. The creature howled in pain as a lot of warm liquid pooled on her head and arms. She yanked it out with a scream, teeth bared. Robin was thrown against a wall and crumpled to the floor. Judging by the snarling and growling, he was facing four of them without his gun. He gripped the handles of his daggers. Fine, they wanted head on, he'd give 'em head on. He wrenched them out of their holsters and charged, yelling his war cry. All four attacked as one.
They collided just as lightning struck, seeming to freeze their images for an instant for Robin. He sliced sideways as he flew past two of them. Two throats spewed blood all over Robin's face. He then plunged his daggers forward into the third monster, who sliced Robin's chest wide open. Robin fell on top of the dead beast and jumped up, whirling around to meet the last one. It circled him, snarling and giving a small grunt every now and then. Robin glanced at his chest as lightning flashed once more. It was deep. They had to finish fast or he'd faint from loss of blood, and then die. Thunder rolled and rain pounded on his back. There obviously wasn't a window. An idea suddenly struck him. When the open window was once again to his back, he crouched, faking a spring ready stance. The wolf leaped, not giving him a chance. He twirled, side stepping the wolf. It sailed, claws outstretched through the window. It howled as it disappeared from sight. Then the howling was cut short as a loud and wet thud sounded. Robin staggered as blood loss began to get to him. The room spun wildly as he fell to his knees and then to the ground, his eyes shutting.
"Help," he managed to whisper. Unconsciousness claimed him.
Cyborg:
Cyborg was slamming his fists into the creatures, crushing faces and sending blood flying. He shot one in the stomach, sending him flying back and out Robin's unbroken window. Glass followed as he fell, howling all the way. The remaining creatures retreated. The Titans had won, but not without damages. Raven flew down to where Beast Boy was. At first she couldn't even sense his aura. Then lightning flashed and she saw and felt him at the same time. He was leaning against the wall blade plunged into the floor clutching his hand. Raven walked over and quickly healed his crushed hand. When everyone was back upstairs, they could not find Robin. Starfire flew to the room above, Raven following. There he lay in a pool of his own blood.
"Oh great Gods above, no," Starfire whispered, tears immediately flowing down her face. Raven flew over and checked his pulse.
"He's alive, but barely. She began to heal him. As soon as his wounds had closed up, Cyborg picked him up and brought him back downstairs. When they had him laid out, everyone made nervous and scared glances at one another.
"He's alive, but he lost too much blood. We don't know where the infirmary is right now, or even if it still exists. And even if it did we'd still be out of luck on account that the blood we have in the fridge will have gone bad," Cyborg said, "The situation is not looking good for Robin right now." Starfire looked to grim for tears. Her gaze never wavered from Robin's pale one.
"What do we do?" Raven asked, "What can we do?"
"It's too much blood. He has maybe two hours. Then I guess we can bury him under the Tower…." Cyborg's voice carried away as Starfire glared fiercely at him.
"Boyfriend Robin will not die! He will not be buried!" She raged. Cyborg took a step back with his hands raised.
"I will allow him my blood," she said turning her gaze back to Robin. Everyone stared at her with wide eyes.
"Star, that's not possible, he needs the same blood type. You're and alien," Beast Boy said softly.
"We have to try! We can't just give up so easily!" she screamed.
"Fine, on your own head so be it," Cyborg mumbled. He took some tools from his breast pocket and set to work. With Starfire lying next to the still unconscious Robin, her blood began to flow through a tube into Robin. His body immediately started to buck and convulse. Beast Boy held him down as his eyes shot open; white and literally glowing in the night. His mouth wide open as if in pain. Then he screamed, loud and long in Beast Boy's face. He breathed in and gave three more short but loud shouts. Then he began swearing like a sailor and calling for his parents. Finally, he lay down panting, the IV no longer in either of their arms. Starfire placed her hand over her wound and looked at Robin's sweaty face. He gazed back, eyes shaking slightly. Then he gasped, looking around as if he expected something to attack him.
"Robin, what's wrong?" Cyborg asked.
"Everything is weird. Oh great mother of God Cyborg, your skin is freakin blue!" he screamed as he pointed, "What's happened to me?" he asked in a shaky whisper.
"You are seeing through a Tameranian's eyes. I have given you my blood," Starfire replied. "You will not have our strength or powers, but you will be able to see easily in the dark and move much faster." Robin settled down and Cyborg grabbed him under the armpits, lifting him to his feet. Robin wiped himself off and looked at his friends.
"We won… but they could be back. We know what they look like and that they aren't immortal. Bad news is, they have no organization skills. They attack in great numbers and move like a river. They just run us over. We have to get to the sky," He saw their faces fall in sadness.
"I know, I don't want to leave either… but there is nothing to salvage and the Tower is practically non existent. What's the use of staying here?" Cyborg ran this through his mind. Robin had a point. His room was nothing but rust. He had taken one step inside and fallen through. Nothing would have worked. And since most of the Tower was made of only metal, he was beginning to see Robin's point about "non existent". They had nothing to pack. No clothes were found, so they had to use their still filthy clothes they had always worn. The two appliances the Sweeper didn't have were a washer and drier. No entertainment devices untouched by the elements were found either. They trooped through the dark Tower, led by Robin and Beast Boy. After getting onto the top of the Tower, they could once again hear the sound of waves crashing to the shore. Then the most unlikely thing happened. A small sound could be heard over the distant waters. Beast Boy was the only one who heard it.
"Guys… hang on," he stated. They stopped; ears wide open. A tiny cry for help coming from the beach.
"In the Sweeper!" Robin shouted. They piled in and shot off, combing the rapidly moving surf. Then they saw her. A petite black female holding on for dear life to a piece of drift wood. She was losing against the fierce tide. Then her fearful eyes met the Sweeper. She screamed as they came level. She paddled as fast as she could away until the door opened. She saw Cyborg reach out and lift her as if she were only paper. She felt herself hit the floor with a wet splat. The door closed and the ship took off again.
"Who are you?" Cyborg asked gently as he draped a towel over her shoulders.
"R-R-R-Renee," she replied through chattering teeth. She had a small afro that was soaked and lying flat against her head. Her eyes were not brown, but yellow. She wore something that resembled camo pants, but they were so frayed and discolored, no one was sure. Her shirt thankfully covered her, except for a long gash on the back. It was quite obvious that she had no bra. Her feet were also bare and a samurai sword hung on her back, strapped with a belt across her chest and side. She looked no older than nineteen.
"Renee," Cyborg said, his eyebrows narrowing. She looked up at him and then amongst the others. Her eyes widened.
"The Five," she whispered in amazement.
"Pardon?" Raven asked politely.
"The Five. The great and powerful leaders of the great armies of the world," she proclaimed as if she were nothing but a mere fan girl. Robin scoffed sarcastically. Renee frowned at him.
"If we're so great, how come we're the only ones left? Now including you," he said. Renee lowered her head.
"I was in your group Robin," she stated. Robin's eyes widened, "I was fourteen when I joined at the beginning. I was illegal, but you needed all the help you could get." Beast Boy and Starfire moved closer to her, sensing a battle story coming on.
"So… how are you still alive?" Beast Boy asked. Raven flicked on auto pilot and she and Robin also scooted closer. Renee smiled nervously.
"It's a long and boring story," she stated scratching the back of her head.
"We've got forever," Raven stated, rolling her eyes. Renee took a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh.
"Okay," she said. She cleared her throat and began her story.
Renee's story
Renee was a simple high school student, just beginning ninth grade with promising grades and a loving family. Then the Great War came. No one knew what to do. It started in the dead of night. She was roused from her sleep by her mother, gasping and pleading with her to wake up.
"Come on darlin, get up! Oh for the Love all that is holy please child, awaken!" Renee awoke with a start.
"What mum? What is it?" She asked fearfully. Flashes came from her window and distant booms. It sounded much like World War II that she had seen in movies and in documentaries.
They're here child. They're attacking everyone and are moving here fast. We have to get to the bomb shelter quick! Leave everything, throw on your clothes and run with her sister Julia. Your father is waiting downstairs. Go!" Renee wasted no time as she thudded down the carpet stairs. She had always had feelings when something bad or good was going to happen. A sixth sense had told her to go to bed in her clothes that night. She reached the bottom and heard her father softly tell her older sister Julia to get to the bomb shelter. Her father was a giant of a man full of muscle and skin as black as night. His eyes landed on her and she saw what he held. A double barreled shotgun and a long samurai sword. His deep voice, deeper than thunder reverberated from his vocal cords.
"Renee, get to the bomb shelter. Julia is scared. Be quick about it darlin," he said. He pointed the gun at the door. She ran outside and stopped in her tracks with a loud high pitched gasp of fear and surprise. The wind was howling and the sky cloudy. Day break was just over the horizon. And there, in the distance were jets and bombers zooming around other ships that fired green lights. She heard a boom like thunder as one blew up in mid air, fire reaching in all directions as the pieces of plane and shrapnel twirled to the ground. Leaves blew over her bare feet and her skirt billowed in the wind. The humans were losing, and fast. Then a much larger ship appeared. It looked like the flying saucers in fictional stories: flat, sleek and shiny, and yet deadly all in one.
"Renee!" Julia shouted. Renee was brought back to herself and dragged forcefully inside the bomb shelter. The wind was muffled as the door slammed shut. Julia, Renee's older sister drew her in a tight hug. It was then that Renee felt herself shaking with fear. There was a faint shout and they both opened the door. Renee's mother was carrying her six-year-old sister close to her chest and running as fast as she could to the underground bomb shelter. Her father was right behind them, holding the gun and sword tight. When they were all in, her father slammed the thick metal door closed and bolted it. He sat down on a barrel and looked at his family. Safe, all safe. An explosion that made their eardrums ring and shook the earth with enough force to send them all to the floor. The women shrieked, the toddler cried, tears streaming from her face, and the father grunted a he hit the floor, sword sliding under a bunk bed and gun rolling under another.
Then all was silent until they heard something soft, like roaring water… but it got closer and closer. Finally, the entire roof shook with so much force, they were all sure that it would be ripped off. They heard crashes; car alarms blare, then get cut short and die with a whine. The sisters and parents were scared stiff, to afraid to cry, to afraid to move. Then silence was all they heard once again. No distant booms of flaming jets and dieing men and women. Her father grabbed the gun and sword once again.
"Rick… what was that?" Renee's mother asked.
"No idea Lauren," he replied in his deep voice. Renee had a horrible feeling. Her sixth sense was going insane. There was a rumble coming from the ceiling. It creaked loudly as if something heavy had settled on it. Renee slipped away from her family and hid under the bed. She found a small trap door. She was about to signal her family to follow when the three foot thick metal door crumpled like aluminum. There stood three alien snake men. They held their weapons steady. Her father reacted without thinking. He yelled and fired his two bullets. Two aliens screeched and fell back. The third saw him draw his sword and run head first at him. The alien fired once. Her dad faltered as blood splattered the ground from his chest. But he didn't stop.
The monster fired again, and again, and again. Finally, just as her dad reached the alien, he was no longer running, but stumbling. He lifted the sword shakily and the alien put the gun against his head and fired. Renee had watched all of this. She looked away as her family screamed in her ears. They were slaughtered and Renee never looked up. She was shaking worse than ever as the screaming stopped and another body slumped on the ground. The hissing and clicking continued until they left. Renee lifted her tear soaked face to see her mother's lifeless eyes staring at her. Her mouth barely open. Her six year old sister still clutching her mother in a death grip. She turned her head and vomited. She stopped by sheer will power in case they came back… but it did not happen. She stayed there, not moving for days. She soiled herself many times, to pained and petrified to move from her curled ball. Then after five days in the same place, they came. Humans… loyal Americans looking for survivors. Her parents had begun to rot and the smell she had gotten used to.
"Poor basterd," she heard one say to her father.
"Died defending what he loved most," said another as he saw the blade, clenched in her father's iron grip. She didn't register them. She just heard them. One peeked under.
"Dear God I don't believe it!" he shouted, "Get a medic! STAT! Then his voice calm and soothing.
"It's ok darlin, it's ok," he cooed as he dragged her tense body from under the bed. Tears sprang to her face again. He was saying what her father used to say whenever she was sick. Another voice talked as he covered her with a blanket.
"Did they just leave her here?" he asked.
"No, but she needs a bath and some clean clothes. Let's go," said the voice. She wasn't there. She was still under that bed. Her body went with them. Her eyes stared ahead for weeks after that incident. The woman who had cleaned and healed her was an old black woman who was very grandmotherly and fussed over her day and night. Finally, she talked after three months. To Jack. Her savior. The one who had dragged her from the bed and had adopted her like a little sister. He was only nineteen. They were inseparable. They went everywhere together and she clung to him for all her life. He was a tall white American boy with spiked blonde hair and bright baby blue eyes. His smile was always lopsided and just barely flashed his even white teeth. She enlisted with his help and became his partner in every mission.
She killed countless aliens when Robin ordered her large group. She was known as Blade to her foes and Renee the blade plague to her friends. She moved fast and swift like a plague and woe betide any enemy that got in the way. She showed no mercy, her eyes always flashing with enraged hatred when she so much as saw a picture of an alien. She and Jack climbed through the ranks together until they were both colonels at the tender ages of seventeen and twenty two. They were losing men and reinforcements fast. Finally, in the last battle, Jack was hit. As the humans fired behind sand bags and other items, Renee tearfully held Jack in her arms. He looked up at her and gave her his lopsided grin one last time.
"Renee, I know this will sound corny, but before I go, I just want to say one thing," Renee's tears fell faster.
"No no, don't say it. You'll be ok," she said, trying to keep her voice level. He laughed and then groaned as pain shot through his body.
"I am dieing Renee." All around her, her fellow soldiers and friends yelled and fell to the ground. Someone yelled to retreat and as they all grabbed their guns and ran, Renee never left Jack's side. He reached up and pulled her face to his.
"I love you," he whispered and planted a sweet kiss on her lips. Her first kiss with her dieing love.
"Now go. Go!" He said, pushing her away. She didn't follow her troops. Her sixth sense told her they'd never make it. She jumped inside a dumpster and as the aliens ran past after the humans, a large alien with a crude sword at his waist walked up to Jack, who was still breathing. He looked into the alien's eyes with hatred.
"Rot in hell," he rasped. The alien withdrew his sword and slammed it deep into Jack's heart. He gave a loud gasp as his eyes flew wide open. Then he slowly turned his head to stare at Renee. Her eyes were filled with tears. His eyes turned glassy and he exhaled slowly. Jack, her protector, friend, and love, was now dead. She looked away from his blank gaze and heard the alien with a crude sword run off as fast as he could. She waited a few minutes before climbing out. Then she slowly tip toed to Jack's side. She got onto her knees and lightly nudged him.
"Jack," she whispered. She knew he was dead… it was the human instinct of a lost loved one that pushed her to shake him, to try and wake him; to see his grin again, to hear his voice, to feel his warm embrace. But his gaze never wavered from the dumpster that she hidden in. His fingers never twitched to hold hers. She picked up her gloc and holstered it. She stood up and gave Jack one last fleeting glance. It was so hard to leave him. No one was dragging her away this time like he had. She was leaving on her own steam. She turned tail and ran, knowing that if she looked back, she'd never be able to leave.
Cyborg:
They all stared at her wide eyed.
"I ran out of ammo for the gloc long ago. I've been hiding out in Jump City for these last two years. Picking off all aliens stupid enough to return. Finally, they've decided to just leave the place alone, calling it cursed. I've killed many small armies alone. Using metal poles with glass attached as arrows and a small bit of wood for a bow. But since there are no more aliens there, I tried sailing off to the other side. I called for help out of reflex." Beast Boy leaned in with amazement.
"How did you stand the sadness?" He asked, "I'd have died if Raven was killed."
"I kept alive because I wanted to kill all the aliens. Then I'd join Jack and my family above," she said with a frown. Cyborg couldn't take his eyes off of her. He loved BumbleBee, but both of them had lost their love. Who else was there? He mentally slapped himself. Getting emotionally involved with this girl was wrong. It was using her to make himself feel wanted. He had to write off his feelings of attraction. He had to in order to not hurt her or himself.
Starfire:
Starfire stared as Renee conversed with her friends. Did none of them wonder why she had such beautiful eyes? Or why they were yellow? They had to have noticed. She finally got to curious and decided to ask.
"Excuse me, friend Renee? Why are your eyes yellow?" Starfire asked as politely as possible. Renee looked over at her confusedly for a few seconds, then seemed to catch on.
"Oh that. Those are contacts. After we lost so many men, I didn't think I was going to the eye doctor any time soon, so I kept these ones in as good condition as possible," she replied. Starfire had no idea what contacts were, but she decided not to press matters. Obviously she was saying her eyes were not real. And her history was so sad. So much grief. How did she survive it all? Starfire got up and walked to Raven, who had gone back to piloting the Sweeper.
"Friend Raven… what is going to happen to us? How are we going to survive all this?" Raven glanced at her for a brief moment.
"I have no idea Star. None at all. We could all die any second now," she said. They were out of the dark clouds below and up where the sun was shining fiercely. The sky was still quite blue but the blaring sun made it impossible to see. Starfire stared out the window for a few minutes before voicing her next question.
"Where are we going?" she asked. Raven looked over at her and frowned.
"I'm not sure. I'm just flying around, hoping to see more survivors. I mean if she survived what if others did?" Renee piped up from the back.
"No. There are no other settlements or humans alive. Trust me. I was apart of Robin's last battalion. There are no more humans in America. I highly doubt that there are anymore in any other country either," she said. Raven scowled at the windshield as they flew through the clouds. She had been hoping to rouse an army with her friend's help and march unexpectedly on the alien's own mother ship. But it seemed they had only gotten ahold of only one new recruit. She steered the Sweeper downward into the dark clouds that were pounding rain and flashing thunder. Starfire still stood by Raven, watching through the windshield. This new world had been her home for many years. Now it was becoming abandoned and dead. A dead world with nothing but vegetation and small mammals.
No humans; only microorganisms and plants galore. No one to make her mustard or pizza with mint frosting. No home to raise the family she wished to raise with Robin. These aliens marched into her home and ripped it apart and left it in shambles. Would they torch the entire planet next, steal their water and moister so that it became as dry as the desert? A cracked rock in the middle of space, third from the sun? No water or plants or shade? And very soon no animals? Or would those be rounded up to be used as food? Most likely. These barbaric aliens with no name. How dare they?
"Star?" Came a soft voice. Starfire whirled her head to look at Raven. One look told her that Raven had been thinking the exact same thing.
"What do we do? We're the last six people on earth. One alien, one dimensional alien, one green human, one black mechanical human, and two ordinary humans. How do we make a comeback even if we destroy the aliens? With just six beings left on one large colorful rock? How?" Starfire thought hard. That was a good question.
"I guess, Friend Raven, we hold onto our beliefs and loves. Then try and repopulate… somehow." Starfire felt herself go red at her last statement. Raven avoided eye contact and also looked ahead with a beat red face and neck.
"But… how? I mean… it would take decades, maybe even centuries to reach an actual city like status of population. We aren't Adam and Eve," Raven stated.
"Adam and Eve?" Starfire asked with her head cocked to one side.
"Nevermind," Raven grumbled while rolling her eyes. They finally broke through the thick clouds and into the storm filled air below. They had been traveling for miles. This cloud was much too big. Starfire even knew this.
"Robin," Raven said in an unsure voice, "We have a problem."
Events unheard:
The queen was sitting in her chair gazing upon her subjects. They never faltered unless they were ordered to rest. Guards walked up and down the rows with hands firmly on their guns. Then the hiss of doors sounded. The queen waited for the person to make themselves known but it never came.
"Who dare enters without giving their name?" the queen asked in a snarl. Then Zeng came into view, fists on his hips.
"I never have and never will your highness," he replied. The queen was shocked for the first time in her life.
"You still need time to heal," she said.
"I'm fit. I feel perfectly fine," he replied. The queen stood from her chair. No one had ever really seen her do anything but sit. It was a first for everyone, even Zeng.
"You feel better ahead of the schedule I was expecting?" she asked sternly.
"Yes my queen, I am," he replied. The queen grinned.
"Take the other Generals and everyone take a Divider holding a large battalion. You mission is to kill everyone you find except Raven. Now go. Do not return here unless you have done as I have demanded." She sat back down and waved her hand, dismissing Zeng. He left, feeling prideful. He couldn't wait to take that Beast Boy out. He would feel such glee in piercing his sword through his soft human skin and feel his warm blood on his scaled fingers. Oh yes, he would have fun that day.
Raven:
Robin walked up and looked out the windshield. Then he looked to Raven.
"What exactly am I looking at here?" He asked as all he saw was rain and trees.
"This rain has been going on far too long," Raven remarked. Robin shrugged.
"So?" he asked. Raven sighed in exasperation.
"The aliens are flooding the planet. They are somehow controlling the weather and making it rain relentlessly."
"How did you come to this conclusion?" Robin asked. Raven pointed out the window. There in the clouds was what looked like an eye to the storm, but instead, it showed the clouds circling and moving as if coming from it.
"They seem to be inserting more clouds somehow. They probably plan on covering the entire world to drown us out," she said, rage suddenly spiking high. They were going to destroy their home. Kill everything in order to get to them.
"We have to stop them," Robin said. Then he saddened, "But how?"
"We won't survive another attack like the one we tried. Plus they'll be a bit more prepared next time anyway." Cyborg mentioned as he came up with the others in tow.
"Well we can't stop the weather or control it like they do. At the rate this is going, the whole world will be flooded in a week and a half," Robin stated.
"Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we have other things to worry about," Renee's voice said fearfully from the side window. Robin turned around to face her. As he jogged to her side, Raven followed after switching to auto pilot. They saw outside of the porthole, a large sleek and shiny ship. It was shaped much like the fiction alien ships. Flat, circular, dangerous; but there were three differences. Coming out at an angle were two very large guns on the top. On the bottom was another. They were all aimed at them. A warning shot glanced off the shielding. Those guns would pulverize their shielding and then blow them to fiery bits. Robin was still staring out the window when he swallowed loudly. A thin sheet of sweat was beginning to form.
"Raven?" he asked calmly. Raven slowly looked to him.
"Y-y-yes?" she asked in fear.
"How fast can this heap go?" he asked. Raven didn't need any more prodding. She flew to the controls and was fingering a few switches and pulling knobs. The entire ship turned off and the engine could be heard whining to a stop.
"Raven?" Robin growled in a warning voice as they all strapped into seats.
"Hold on to your panties," Raven said. Then with an explosion that threw them all back into their seats, they shot forward with impressive speed. Raven was also thrown back as they shot off. The alien ship was soon in hot pursuit. It was much larger than the Sweeper by far. The sweeper could be put inside and not looked out of place as a small sports car in a mansion garage. There was a large explosion that rocked the entire Sweeper. Robin and everyone else were thrown forward in their seats and back again. Everyone was consciously gripping their arm rests.
"Aren't there any weapons in this heap?!" Robin shouted in fear. Raven's hands were flying over the controls. The shield was down to 80 capacity already. They had maybe five hits minimum; then they wouldn't be worrying about the human race anymore. Another hit made the floor vibrate and alarms go off with flashing red lights above their heads.
"Shit!" Raven screamed, "That one was charged, it took out most of our shielding!"
"What's it at now?" Cyborg asked.
"Fuckin 25!" Raven seethed as she tried to bring the shielding back up somehow. Cyborg un-clicked his strap holding him down and ran to a box on the wall near the driver's seat. He threw open the small door and his two pointer fingers changed to help him fix it. He fiddled a bit and growled in annoyance.
"Can't you fix it?" Beast Boy shouted as Raven dodged a laser shot at their left. He slammed it shut with a smirk.
"There," he declared with self satisfaction, "fixed." Indeed it was. Raven watched as the shield bar rose rapidly.
"Yes!" she cried. Before Cyborg could walk back to his seat, an explosion larger than all the others rocked the ship. He was thrown back into the box where sparks flew. He fell to the ground unconscious. The shields plummeted straight to zero.
"Cyborg!" Robin cried. Raven was wrestling with the controls.
"Dammit!" she screamed and smashed the buttons and flicked the switches with more ferocity. Then, one last fire smashed and ripped through their side. A gigantic chuck was shredded from the left, sucking Cyborg from the ship and propelling him into the air.
"No Cyborg!" Starfire yelled. She wrenched her restraints off and dived out after him.
"Starfire!" Robin yelled. He couldn't follow. They had begun to dip downward.
"No! Stay with me you piece of junk!" Raven yelled. The lights were flickering everywhere as power tried to stay on. Raven slapped it once and it all died. Everything was quiet except for the wind whipping their hair and clothes.
"Slick move," Beast Boy commented. They began to fall faster, their stomachs going into their throats. Then, with an almighty jerk, they stopped. Beast Boy's restraints snapped and he fell from his chair. They were hanging nose first pointing to the ground. Beast Boy slammed into the back of Robin's chair and rolled off to land next to Raven, halfway out of the Sweeper on her control panel.
"Beast Boy!" she yelled. He didn't answer. He was lying with his left arm and leg hanging out and swinging. The rain pelted his unconscious body and blood ran down his forehead and onto the controls. Raven reached for him, but there was a jerk as they rose upward and Beast Boy fell out toward the muddy hard earth below.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Beast Boooooooooooooooy!" Raven yelled with her arm still outstretched for him. He fell through the darkness. Then, the rain stopped and metallic grinding could be heard. They were inside the ship and held captive. Cyborg was probably dead if Starfire hadn't caught him and Beast Boy was most certainly dead. As their ship was boarded and they were roughly shoved to the back, Raven's eyes were full of tears. She was shoved into a cell and as she curled up in despair, she sadly moaned one thing:
"Beast Boy."
Once again I'm so sorry for the long wait. I just graduated high school and I had a lot of things to do and go to. I hope you liked this chapter a lot. I really enjoyed making it. Please review and tell me ur every thought. I love ur reviews. Thnx. ta