Finally the dry spell is over and I am back to writing good ol' fashioned vintage Teen Titans. YES! I'm sorry for stopping for this long. In fact it's been so long that it might be a good idea to read the first act. I'm gonna write summaries for all the seasons so far. That is if anyone's still interested. But thank you to everyone who reviewed last act; Guardian of Azarath, Merchantfan, Linzheart92, Skyler-A-Teloiv, Samanthe2121, Golfprincess, Realfanficts, RoseXxxXThorn
Quid Pro Quo
Act II
Talus rose to his feet, straightening his garments with an irritable look as he went. He peeked out through the window to make sure his visitors were gone. Talus sat down before a communicator where upon was the disgruntled face of a Citadel guard.
"State your business merchant worm."
"Tell your Lord Trogaar to summon his finest bounty hunter." He glanced down at a 'WANTED' poster bearing each of the Titan's photos. "I have something that may interest him."
As the Titans walked away from Talus' shop Cyborg shot a quick glance behind them then trotted up beside Robin.
"You know he's gonna knife us in the back the first chance he gets right?"
"Probably but that just means we'll have to stay one step ahead of him," said Robin. "How far away is the Calamerain System?" The others regarded him strangely. "Anyone?" he asked again impatiently.
"You're not suggesting we just pop in on Garan and ask him for the information," said Raven. "Because I highly doubt he'll cooperate."
"As big a fan as he is," added Beast Boy. "We may have to just steal it."
"We'll leave that option open only as a last resort," said Robin now finally having reached the T-Ship and hopping up inside his pod. "Besides, like you said….he's a fan." At Robin's confident smirk Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy joined him and off they went in search of the Ninth Circuit coordinator.
TITANS TOWER……………
Starfire had once again awoken in sickbay, this time under the restraint of wrist and ankle bands, a light sedative, and the quarantine protocol enacted. With sickbay locked down Herald opened a portal for Argent, Red Star, and Kole to pass through. They slowly walked up to Starfire's bedside.
"How are you feeling?" asked Red Star.
"Groggy…"
"Yes that's probably the sedative that's being given to you intravenously," answered Argent. "I'm sorry Starfire, but you really gave us no choice." Starfire shook her head.
"Do not….apologize for your actions." They lowered their heads regardless. "You should have confined and restrained me before then."
Kole assured her, "No one was sure it would get that far that quickly, this was nobody's fault."
"No…..I knew it was possible I simply…did not wish to be confined. My selfishness could have destroyed you all."
"Starfire," muttered Argent. The poor alien gasped out a pitiful whimper and leaked out a few tears.
"The next time it happens it is going to kill me."
"No it v'on't, we v'on't let it!" Declared Red Star. Still crying she shut her eyes and began falling asleep.
"Ohhhh….I wish Robin were here..." Kole smiled and brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face.
"Don't you worry, he's on his way."
THE CALAMERAIN SYSTEM……………….
Garan turned his seat with an incredulous and almost insulted expression on his face.
"I'm having difficulty seeing how your request could be anything short of jocularity." Robin and Cyborg exchanged looks. "That is….you cannot be serious can you?"
Raven sighed, "Trust me, he's serious." Garan darted his eyes about to each of the Titans. He seemed somewhat short of breath as he rose from his chair and paced about behind his desk.
"The victory you and your team achieved has attracted a great deal more appeal to the race and I can say with no ego that none appreciate that more than I. But you must understand how ludicrously impossible your request is. I cannot simply hand over our most closely guarded secrets."
"Starfire is dying," said Robin through a hushed whisper. "Please, help us." Garan looked sideways about his office as though afraid that they were being overheard. He then stepped closer to Robin so as not to take any chances.
"The last time we met you saved my life." Robin detected a hint that Garan might give in, but it was difficult to tell. "If you can do something for me I will give you the information you need." Robin rubbed his forehead forebodingly.
"Well do you want?"
"A relative of mine, Laden, is being held in Gordanian custody. If you could free him it would certainly mean a lot to me."
"Whoa whoa you didn't just say the Gordanians did you?" He nodded sadly. "Yeah well sorry but that's a road I don't think we should go down, we've got enough problems with the Psions."
"Isn't there anything else?" asked Raven as toneless as ever. Garan of course kept his grave face.
"I am sorry, but that is my condition." Robin, feeling sick to his stomach, turned away from Garan and joined his friends in a huddle.
"I know it sounds crazy guys but-"
"Rob there's two kinds of crazy; there's what he's asking for and then there's what you'll do for Star." Beast Boy and Raven exchanged somewhat amused glances. "You wanna go after Garan's friend so he'll give us the insider information so Talus will give us Star's cure." Robin paused, darting his eyes about to Beast Boy and Raven.
"Yeah."
"What're we waiting for?" asked Beast Boy slapping an arm over both Raven and Robin's shoulders. He backed away when two pairs of eyes sent him dark looks. "Yeah I'm gonna stand over there." Robin noticed Garan watching them rather apprehensively.
"We'll split up, maybe going after this thing from two directions will cause more confusion; Cyborg you and Beast Boy will choose a route at random while Raven and I will go another." Raven drew her attention to her belt where from her communicator began emitting its call. She opened it and found it was a text message update on Starfire's condition, as she had instructed the doctor to do before they left.
"What's up Raven?" asked Cyborg.
"Starfire had another anger spell," reported the Azarathian. "They're keeping her confined and mildly sedated."
"But that's not going to hold her is it?" said Robin grimly. Raven didn't answer though her hangdog look said it all; the next time Starfire would go berserk would be a terrible sight to behold. Robin returned to a talking posture before Garan. "Alright, we'll help this relative of yours. But we're not doing anything with your race in mind, this is all for Starfire."
"I…understand," Stuttered Garan. "I will provide you with the necessary coordinates." Robin gestured to Cyborg who at the moment was already downloading everything they needed. As they left Garan's presence the alien lowered his head in sorrowful regret.
----------
Soon enough the Titans found themselves once again going deeper into space in search of something that seemed not only lofty but another stepping stone to the much desired cure for their friend. The thick silence that dominated the atmosphere of the T-Ship seemed quite unconquerable at the moment, apparently they were all still a little surprised by the task they had just agreed to undertake. Finally however Cyborg managed to break the stiff silence.
"So we're really doing this then; we're gonna go after a Gordanian slave ship, bust in, and then bust out with one of their prisoners."
"The plan hasn't changed in the last hour," deadpanned Raven. "While I think this is a very bad idea it seems to be the only way to get what we need." Beast Boy practically banged his head against the control console before him.
"OH Mannnn! I hate those space iguanas! Why do we always have to go up against the baddest bad guys in the whole universe?"
"They're not the worst," muttered Robin. That effectively cut a hole in Beast Boy's rant. For even he knew their newest enemy, the Psions, were not a threat to ignored in the slightest. The flight toward the Gordanian ship was mostly a dodge and hide flight. The fact that the ship was deep within Gordanian space didn't make the task any easier. As they flew onward they were completely unaware that another ship, under the shroud of a cloaking device, followed closely behind. At long last Raven spotted something on her forward scope and tapped her earpiece.
"I have the slave ship, approximately a thousand yards dead ahead." Robin brought the image on his own screen and then magnified for a closer look. As he expected the gargantuan hostile was armed to the teeth and escorted by several smaller craft. Beast Boy's left eye twitched and he suddenly grabbed hold of his throttle.
"Oh well we tried." Suddenly his pod went dark as the controls were shut down in an instant. He looked over to find that Cyborg had been the one who cut off his power. "Hee hee….just kidding." Robin's determined face never left the sight of ship, constantly thinking of possible ways he could get in.
"Raven."
"Mind reading aside, are you thinking what I hope you're not thinking?"
"You bet." Raven groaned and took off her headset. "Pick me up on your way out." Cyborg and Beast Boy, who at that moment were completely out of the loop, began shouting over their mics.
"Hang on what's going on?!"
"Pick him up?"
"Are you going somewhere?"
"QUIET!" bellowed Raven and Robin in unison. They still didn't answer the befuddled teens as Raven formed a dark shield around herself and phased outside of the T-Ship and into the vacuum of space. Much to the bug-eyed surprise of Cyborg and Beast Boy, Raven covered Robin's pod within her dark energy and pulled him out with her. It was clear that the strain of maintaining an atmosphere within her energy bubble was getting difficult for her to ignore. At Robin's signal Cyborg took command of the ship and piloted it to a safe distance. Raven meanwhile wasted no time in making her way towards the Gordanian slave ship with no regard for stops along the way. Beast Boy watched them grow farther and farther away with much apprehension.
"Can't they be detected or something?"
"Not necessarily," said Cyborg looking just as concerned. "Its not likely they could pick up on anything like Raven's powers, plus they're so small compared to everything else out there….."
"And that's all supposed to reassure me?" asked the changeling.
"Yeah, I didn't buy it either."
----------
It seemed like an eternity to Raven when they finally reached the hull and slowly phased through into the dark bowels of the ship. Once they were within the safe atmosphere Raven dropped the shield and fell to her knees. Robin bent down and taking her shoulders guided her back to her feet.
"You okay?"
"Not-Not really," she breathed. "Just promise we won't do that again." He shrugged.
"Can do my best." He cast a look both ways down the corridor they were in then and drew forth his communicator. "According to Garan, Laden is being held within the minimum security level……that's four decks up."
"Super," muttered Raven. She took his arm and again they began moving upward through the solid mass of the ship. Every time they passed through a new deck they narrowly avoided being seen by passing guards or other personnel. On one floor Raven had to actually back up from fear of being caught by the quickly approaching footsteps of a unit on patrol. Four decks later Raven finally stopped pulling them up and they settled back down to the floor. The two moved about like two stealthy shadows. They both came to a steady halt at a corner where upon Robin produced an extending mirror and carefully used it to peer around the corner.
"That's strange."
"What is it?" asked Raven.
"One of the cell doors ahead had got to Laden's."
"But….?"
Robin brought the mirror back and turned to Raven. "But no guards."
"Then it's probably a trap." Robin didn't dismiss Raven's logic but he could not shake the rationale for being their in the first place. They needed this guy so they could get the insider info so they can in turn get Starfire's cure.
"We'll have to risk it."
"Robin wait-!" Robin was already making his way around the corner. Rolling her eyes Raven followed after him. Examining the rooms within Robin finally found one occupant within the third cell.
"That's him……come on." Robin took Raven's hand and she pulled the both of them through the solid metal door. Once her dark energy cleared they approached an alien of Garan's species. "Laden?" He did not look up at them and said nothing. "Are you Laden?" Raven then grabbed Robin's arm.
"Robin! I'm no sensing any emotions from him."
"He's a hologram-it's a trap!" As soon as he said this a figure, once veiled in the shroud of a personal cloaking device, rippled into view. The figure was completely clad in black armor and it was obvious he was armed to the teeth.
In a strange computerized voice he said, "I am claiming the both of you for the price you fetch."
"Bounty Hunter eh?" said Robin. "I'm flattered."
"Replace that feeling with fear." Raising his arm the hunter armed a cannon on his gauntlet. Raven encased them within her powers just as he fired and forced them back through the door out onto the cell block. The shield quickly dropped as they toppled about on the floor. Their pursuer stepped out of the cell with his arm cannon and now one his shoulder ready.
"MOVE!" A single blue pulse from the hunter's shoulder forced the two Titans to spring apart. Robin came out of a sideways and somewhat awkward roll then threw a number of explosive disks. All of them hit their mark but they soon saw the Bounty Hunter was protected by a personal shield. "OH ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!" He felt Raven grab his shoulder and pull him away just as another shot from their foe came their way. The only amount of cover that was to be found was another open cell. They made their quick skip into the cell although not really fancying returning to prison after escaping it. Both gasped for quick breaths of air.
"He has a shield-"
"I saw that Raven!" barked Robin. Looking cross, the Azarathian folded her arms.
"Now what fearless leader?" The boy wonder unfurled a bird-a-rang. The slow steady footsteps of the hunter could be felt on the floor beneath them. Taking a quick look Robin flung the weapon around the corner. The bladed shuriken struck the lights above and in essence transformed them into a strobe light. With their enemy temporarily blinded Robin turned back to Raven.
"I'll go left, you go right." So saying both sprang out from their cell and darted in their directions. As soon as they were out their foe let loose a plethora of energy blasts and pulses from his shoulder cannon. For about three seconds his shoulder weapon gathered a charge then fired the enriched projectile at Raven. The jaded Azarathian forced two beams from under the floor to rise up and take the brunt of the blast. She then had them strike the hunter like two enormous baseball bats. He hit the opposite wall and was quickly bombarded by a good amount of Robin's arsenal. He barely recovered when a charging Robin came into view. The hunter engaged his cloaking device and disappeared before the point of Robin's staff jabbed into the empty wall. He straightened up and peered about with narrowed eyes. Raven closed her eyes and focused her energy.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" From Raven a blanket of dark energy spread forth and proceeded to cloak the entire room. Robin remained at the ready, his likeness darkened by the mantle of Raven's powers. For a long agonizing moment there was neither a stir nor a sound. The bounty seemed to grasp the depth of Raven's abilities. Robin took a small step to his right resulting in the emanation of several tiny ripples from his feet. Raven turned her head slightly in his direction, realizing it was only him. Robin's grip on his weapon tightened. So far their enemy refused to show himself. Raven then detected the slightest of steps in a far corner.
"THERE!" Robin raced in the direction and swung his staff about. The weapon collided with the hunter's shield making it vibrate in Robin's hands. He spun around with another swing but this time when his staff hit it merely broke at the fault line. The bounty hunter took a swing at him, which he dodged and returned with a punch of his own. However Robin punched not the supposedly brittle armor but the shield and drew his pained hand back.
"Ahhhow!" The hunter grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him into the wall behind him. Robin collapsed at his feet and the bounty hunter's attention was back to Raven.
"You can disappear huh?" said Raven moving about. "Two can play at that game." So saying she disappeared beneath the floor. The hunter stopped in his tracks. From within the view of his full head helmet an infrared view of the room flashed before her. Unfortunately the only heat signatures came from Robin and what flaming debris lay scattered about. Above the bounty hunter's head Raven moved somewhat out of the ceiling and peered down at him. Unbeknownst to Raven he prepared a device on his other arm. Making her eyes darken Raven leapt down from her perch with the intent to strike. The Bounty Hunter wheeled around, fired an expanding energy net from his arm and pinned Raven to the wall. Several powerful shocks followed Raven's entrapment rending her inert.
Robin carefully watched the entire scene and slowly reached for a bird-a-rang. He had only let it unfurl when a foot stamped down on his wrist. He grunted and winced from the shock and trained his eyes upward. The bounty hunter stared down at him, shoulder cannon armed and ready.
"Drop your weapon…resistance is futile." Robin stole a quick glance up at Raven then let the shuriken fall from his hand. "My sister will be disappointed." Robin frowned up at him.
"What?" The last thing Robin saw before blacking out was a bright purple blast. The hunter lowered his hand and with the other reached up to a tiny panel of controls on his neck. A series of metallic clicks followed with the helmet retracting around the user's head. Once it had completely retreated to a compartment on her back, Blackfire let her long dark hair fall free.
"You're both a long way from home. You're about to get a lot farther." Tapping a panel on her wrist Blackfire, Robin, and Raven were suddenly encased in a bright light and beamed away.
Out in space, Cyborg and Beast Boy still waited for Robin and Raven's signal that the job was done. They remained in orbit around a nearby moon hoping the noticeable gravitational field would render them undetectable, that is Cyborg did anyway. The half teen half machine raised a hand to his comm. link.
"Yo Rob, you got the package yet?" All he received for an answer was static.
"Something went wrong," said Beast Boy despondently.
"You don't know that."
"Oh come on Cyborg! There's like a universal 'things-are-going-swell' time limit. Anyone with Raven should be able to schlep on up the length of that ship and back down in no time."
"Hang on; I'm picking up a small craft leaving the Gordanian ship." Just as Cyborg said a snip, tiny in comparison to the former, departed. "I'm detecting three life signs aboard; one human, one Azarathian……and one Tamaranian." Quickly the ship entered hyperspace and they were gone.
Beast Boy slumped down in his seat. "And things were going…oh so swell."
BACK ON EARTH……………..
The Titans North finally heeded Starfire's warnings and fully restrained her. An I.V. kept a fair amount of sedative to keep her explosive temper docile. She lay within an isolation chamber within sickbay. At the moment only Argent and Red Star were within the tower, the others had to contend with the occasional robbery or grand theft auto. Argent stared at her from behind four inches of glass. The tower's doctor stepped up beside her taking notes on a PDA.
"How is she?" asked Argent.
"Just as Starfire predicted her vital organs are beginning to shut down. Four of nine stomachs have also ceased activity." Argent held her arms from an imaginary frost and shook her head.
"There's nothing you can do? Can't you give her something to ease the pain?!"
"I have done everything I can to slow the bacterium's progress but the fact is we are relying solely on Robin and the others."
"So that's that then?" She said somewhat angrily. "We're just going to have a sit down and watch Starfire get worse." He nodded gravely.
"I am sorry, but that is precisely what we are going to do. Seeing how….its all we can do." He turned back to his workstation. From out of nowhere in her sedated stupor Starfire's eyes snapped open. Argent gulped.
"Uhhh…doctor." The alien looked about then tried to raise her arms only to find they were only allowed a certain amount of distance. With a ferocious growl she tugged harder and harder at her bindings until one finally came free. "Red Star get up here to sickbay!" Starfire yanked the I.V. out of her arm and blasted the rest of her bindings away. A fierce glow quickly came to life in Starfire's eyes and stuck her fingers straight through the thick glass. With little effort she pulled the entire pane out of its place and heaved it in their direction. Argent dove out of the way but the doctor remained in place as it merely passed through him. Argent stood up and looked back frantically.
"RED STAR!-" A quick and merciless green blast from Starfire's eyes knocked Argent against the wall beside the door. It opened and in ran Red Star.
"V'what is this?!" Starfire stepped out of the chamber, crumbling a piece of the wall as she went. "Oh…hello Starfire. G-Going for a stroll?" Starfire's present glare only twisted into something more terrible.
REJOINING ROBIN AND RAVEN………………
The two Titans sat beside one another within Blackfire's ship, which at this moment was streaking effortlessly through hyperspace. Robin sat wide awake and staring dismally at Blackfire, who piloted the ship with her back to them. He long realized that all of his tools and lock picks were gone, as was to be expected. Raven slowly came to, groaning and picking her head up off of his shoulder.
"You okay?" asked the boy wonder. She tried to reach up to her head but soon found that her hands, as well as her feet, were tightly bound. She scrunched her eyes shut for a moment.
"My head, it's like…….something is buzzing..."
"That would be the effects of a rather ingenious implant developed by yours truly." They looked forward as Blackfire slowly spun around in her chair. Much of her battle armor sat in the seat beside her, although she still retained her arm cannon. "You'll find those annoying powers of yours to be quite useless."
"Why Blackfire? After everything you've been through with the Etens and after what Starfire did for you-"
"No! I'm not going to be beguiled by my sister's persisting lack of memory. She seems to constantly forget why she and I never exchange mail."
"That never mattered to her," said Raven. "You're still her sister and as far as Starfire is concerned that's all that matters." Blackfire scoffed and began turning back to her console. "You have to let us go."
"I'm almost certain that I don't. I was hoping that Cyborg and Beast Boy would be close by but I'm sure the two of you will fetch a hefty price."
Robin ground his teeth. "Starfire is dying!" Blackfire paused. She faced him again though her posture remained quite casual. They stared each other directly in the eye.
"Is she now?"
"She has the rage." Blackfire let her eyes wander. "We've been looking for a cure, more specifically the illegal one." Star's sister cocked an eyebrow. "We won't have time to get her the legit one."
"And that's why I should let you go?" Robin and Raven gawked at one another.
"What?! Yes! And now's not the time to be sore about loosing the crown to her." Blackfire tilted her head at him. She then rose up from her chair and slowly approached Robin. She knelt down to his level and extended a hand to his face. Raven shot her eyes between the two. The resolute boy wonder didn't break their stare.
"You think that the only thing that I am envious of Starfire is the crown?" He narrowed his eyes. "You know when we first met all those years ago I had a, what is it you humans call it? A crush on you."
"Charming," deadpanned Raven.
"Shut up witch!" snapped Blackfire. She returned her attention to Robin. "When I saw you again on Tamaran I decided I would extend you my hand." Robin actually curved his mouth into a sneer.
"Yeah sure."
Blackfire's hand lingered on his cheek still. "I am serious. At the time I could think of no greater torment for Starfire than to taken away by that slime ball and then see you and I made as one. I would surely have invited her to our wedding."
"I'll pass." Blackfire chuckled derisively.
"You misunderstood me; I said I would have offered you then. Now….now I don't believe there would be a worse fate for Starfire to have her last moments be nothing but mindless fury and rage." Robin yanked at his bindings in a mad attempt to clasp his hands around Blackfire's throat. She finally stood up and retreated back to the control stick.
"You owe her," said Raven, her voice shaky.
"I owe her nothing. Were it not for her I would never have needed to warn my people and in turn would not have been sent to Eten hell!"
"And if it weren't for Starfire you'd still BE THERE!" Blackfire jumped up and grabbed Robin by the throat. Heaving him up, she brought her deep purple eyes to life. Raven tried with all her might to summon her powers but Blackfire's implant denied her. The dark haired Tamaranian slowly lowered him closer to her.
"I think you should keep conversation down to a minimal." She then let him fall back down beside Raven. The purple hue in her eyes faded. "We'll be arriving in Gordanian space within the hour, and I can't wait to see the look on Trogaar's face when I hand him two Teen Titans." Still seething, Robin scowled back at her while Raven sat herself flat against the wall.
"YOU SET US UP!!" Garan flew against the wall from Cyborg's powerful arms. The towering teen robot quickly stalked up to the alien and pinned him where he stood. "The whole thing was a trap and now Robin and Raven are gone!"
"I had no idea!" declared Garan.
"Now why should I believe you?" asked Cyborg, getting angrier by the second.
"I cannot answer your questions under the threat of disfigurement-tell him please," he pleaded to Beast Boy. The changeling put up his hands and backed away.
"I am staying so far out of this I might as well be back at Titans Tower. You're one your own dude." Cyborg rammed him back against the wall.
"I'm gonna give you exactly to the count of three and if you still don't sing there will a g-IANT threat of disfigurement!"
"You wouldn't!"
"ONE!"
"He so would," chuckled Beast Boy. "Maybe you should've whacked the idea around a little more before you screwed them over. I'm especially missing Raven's funny jokes right now."
"TWO!"
"I-I-I can't! I….I'm constantly under watch-if Trogaar finds out I said anything-"
"THREE! BRING ON THE DISFIGUREMENT!"
"OKAY! OKAY! Please don't!" Cyborg slowly lowered his curled fist. Beast Boy stepped closer to the cringing Circuit Promoter with crossed arms and an expression to match. "I was approached by a bounty hunter, a Tamaranian I think. She told me I was to send you after a captured relative-someone I valued. It was there that she intended to take all of you prisoner."
Beast Boy drew closer and supported himself off the wall with one arm. "This Tamaranian bounty hunter; she happen to have long black hair, narrow purple eyes, and an ego the size of Australia?" Garan thought a split second then nodded rapidly.
"A crude description….but yes, that's her." Cyborg and Beast Boy looked at each and in unison they said;
"Blackfire."
"I assume her destination would be the Gordanian homeworld."
"She's already on her way," said Beast Boy. "Blackfire's got a huge head start."
"We'll gun the engines for they've got," said Cyborg. He then looked back down at Garan and smirked. "Now you my friend, I would like you to be somewhere I could find you. You know, in case things go bad and I need something to…'disfigure'."
"I promise I will not leave this place."
"Yeah well I'm not really the trusting type so," he grabbed Garan by the shoulders and pulled him toward a closet. "I think I'll just stick ya right in here."
"No! Cyborg! Cyborg unhand me! You can't make me a prisoner in my own-"
SLAM
Cyborg snapped the closet door shut and sealed it with a pass of his mini-torch. He then blew it out with a short puff from his mouth. "I think I just did. Come on." Garan's muffled cries and please for released drifted through the door as Cyborg and Beast Boy took their leave.
MEANWHILE, aboard Blackfire's ship………………
As Blackfire insisted, both Robin and Raven said nothing since their first conversation. The tip since then had been a dead silent one. At that moment however they heard the familiar beeping sound of one the Titan's communicators. Quickly irritated by the sound Blackfire snatched it up and opened it. She giggled and tossed the tiny device down at Robin's feet.
"It's for you." Both Robin and Raven hunched over to get a look at the screen. They saw Kole in the foreground and behind her sparks issued from many damaged sections of the towers.
"Kole?" She said nothing nor made any distinction that she heard them. "She probably can't see or hear or us."
"Starfire has escaped, we did everything we could to stop her but…..her latest anger spell has put her in a frenzy beyond anything we can control." Robin and Raven exchanged distraught looks. "I repeat Starfire has escaped the tower and is now loose in the city. We'll do what we can to bring her back, but it doesn't look good…..for either of us." With that the signal died and Robin's comm. link went dark.
"Sounds like things aren't going so well," sneered Blackfire.
"We've gotten through worse," said Robin. Again Blackfire merely snickered.
"Of course you have." She returned fully to her piloting. Robin carefully pulled the Titan communicator closer and then out of sight. Suddenly the entire ship shook tremendously. Using her momentum alone, Raven righted herself.
"What was that?!" she asked.
"As if it was any of your concern, some sort tacteon beam has been fire in our vicinity-its disrupting my ability to maintain a stable passage through hyperspace." Just as Blackfire suggested, a moment later an unexpected window popped up and they emerged from hyperspace. Immediately they were met with a much larger ship closing in on them and what appeared to be bringing them into its hangar. "X'hal be-damn them!"
"Buddies of yours?" asked Raven with the straightest face she could muster.
"Trogaar's personal guard, he would have them intercept me like this-the nerve!" She donned her armor but left her helmet stowed away. "Just stay here and keep quiet." Blackfire then disappeared through a sliding door leading out.
-----
Two Gordanian soldiers met Blackfire as she stepped out of her ship. They of course had their weapons charged and ready.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"We are taking possession of this ship along with what spoils you may be carrying." Blackfire placed her hands on her hips and smirked.
"You will have my ship when you pry the command codes from my limp fingers."
"An offer we will be more than happy to accept, now stand aside whelp!" They aimed their staffs at her. Blackfire, still smiling of course, merely stood in place.
"Go ahead, take your best shot." That they did. Both guards opened fire on the Tamaranian only to have their blasts impact her shield. Despite the obvious futility of their attacks they kept on firing. Blackfire finally grew bored with this and expanded her shield in a quick pulse. Both guards were taken off their feet and stunned. She giggled hauntingly, obviously quite proud of herself. It was clear that she didn't detect the presence behind her for she was taken completely off guard by a device that attached itself to her back. Shocked she tensed up as the device encased her in an energy field, after which her shield flickered then died completely.
"Not so arrogant…" She whirled around. "..When your only advantages are drained." Another Gordanian, donning a red cape of higher rank, walked up to her. He held his staff with one hand and fired a single shot. Blackfire fell to the floor gasping for breath. "I was not aware that the former Grand Ruler of Tamaran could be taken off guard so easily." Blackfire looked up in time to see his foot make contact with stomach. The force exerted sent her sliding all the way across the floor and into a number of crates. They tumbled over her like metallic avalanche.
"And to think I considered taking your ship and then leaving you on the nearest habitable planet." Blackfire felt herself being hoisted off the floor and held high above his head. "Now I feel destroying you will be far more gratifying."
The Gordanian captain then heard a short whistle behind him. Before he could turn around to see which of his men had made the noise a steel toe boot knocked him one good. Blackfire fell to the ground gasping for air. Once the captain regained his bearings he saw Robin holding two ready bird-a-rangs. Raven soon levitated out of the side of Blackfire's ship and tossed the discarded implant to the floor.
"That's all gonna be put on hold," said the Titan leader.
"Don't think I have forgotten your value. Lord Trogaar will acknowledge me with high honors for your capture." He looked back down at Blackfire with disdain. "Something far more precious then a paltry bounty." He reared the sharp end of his staff and with a roar moved to impale it upon Blackfire. He didn't take two steps before the weapon was pulled out of his hands and then he himself was thrown high into the air by Raven. He hit a large hanging light and both fell the floor with a thunderous crash. Groaning, he tried to shove the wreckage off himself but fell into unconsciousness. Blackfire regarded her saviors strangely.
"Why did you save me?"
"A simple 'thank you' would've been fine," said Raven. Blackfire pulled herself into a sitting position and Robin knelt down beside her.
"Are you going to sit there and tell me you don't feel the slightest bond between you and Star?"
"Why do you care about her so much?"
"Come on, after all this time is that really a smart question?"
"ROBIN!" At Raven's call he swiveled in place. Their downed foe had gotten to his feet and was out of his mind. Out of seemingly nowhere a blue sonic blast struck him in the side and he flew head first into the nearest wall, his head remained stuck in place while the rest of his body hung limply from the hole. Cyborg and Beast Boy stepped in the light.
Cyborg blew a cloud a steam from his cannon and reformed his hand. "Hope they don't mind, we let ourselves in."
"The timing is good," said Robin with a smile. "One liners could use some work."
"Yeah you'd know," retorted Beast Boy. Cyborg took a knee next to Robin and stared down at Blackfire in earnest.
"This would be the third time we've saved your spoiled little butt. I think we've earned some points by now." Blackfire uttered a short 'tsk'. Robin then reached out and gripped Blackfire's shoulders.
"Starfire would do the same for you, and that's something I know you're sure of. That's the kind of person Starfire is, help us…..please." Blackfire let her eyes fall to the floor. She rose to her feet, staggering a bit, and disappeared into her ship. For a second the Titans all assumed she would simply take off and leave them. However a moment later she reemerged carrying a small canister filled with completely clear blue liquid. She handed it to Cyborg and crossed her arms.
"The radical vaccine has unique properties that will cure the Rage at any stage, however, it is because of those 'unique properties' that the vaccine also has unpredictable random side effects." Robin tore it from Cyborg's hands.
"Wait a second; you've had it with you the whole time?"
"You think you and Raven were the only things on list to sell? You of all people now should see the vaccine for the commodity that it is." Robin eyed her suspiciously. Blackfire rolled her eyes and began pilfering the downed guards for valuables. "Have Cyborg scan it if you don't believe me. But more Gordanian ships will be showing up soon so if I were you I would count my blessings and go." Robin jerked his head toward the T-Ship thus Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy headed towards it.
"Thank you."
"I believe I am the one who now deserves the points," stated Blackfire. Robin smirked and began walking backwards.
"We'll see, stay out of trouble." He then disappeared to join his friends. Blackfire smile a conniving one and looked down at a guard she had yet to search.
"Trouble, such an annoying companion."
EARTH……………
As the Titans made their final approach over their home planet Cyborg began trying to make contact with Titans North.
"Red Star, Argent….are there any Titans within a ten mile radius of Jump City?" They breached the clouds in a slow and steady descent. Robin made ever watchful scans with his eyes. The tired and worn voice of Red Star soon answered back on the comm. link.
"Cyborg…is that you?"
"You got it, what's your status?"
----------
Red Star ducked around a street corner, several scratches adorned his face. He gripped his Titan Communicator and covered his face from a nearby explosion.
"Regrettably-
BOOM!!
"Regrettably Starfire is unable to stop herself! V'e are doing v'hat we can but it will not suffice."
----------
Robin considered his options. "Cyborg, get me low enough for a drop. Red Star find some way to lure Starfire into the air towards me."
"V'hat are you going to do?" Robin unbuckled his restraints and slipped on his R-Glider helmet.
"Something crazy."
"Go figure," muttered Beast Boy.
Back down below Starfire used her eyes to ignite a passing car. The driver barely escaped the burning vehicle before it exploded and began rolling down the hill. A passing crowd froze at the sight that was hurtling toward. Kole stretched her arms and legs out in an X formation and turned crystalline. Gnarrk promptly took her in hand and rolled down the road like a disjointed wheel. With great timing on Gnarrk's part Kole intercepted the wreckage and took the full force of the hit.
Starfire had abandoned all forms of speech and merely roared with insatiable fury. Everywhere the slightest sight or movement offended her in some way and it was soon dealt with accordingly. She stepped by a charred mailbox and paused at the sound of a short squeal. She turned and saw a little girl cringing in fear. The energy in Starfire's hands lit up.
"P-Please…y-you're my favorite Titan. Why are you doing this?" Starfire's movements faltered. She felt weak at the knees and staggered to the ground. Her admirer began moving forward.
"Stay back!" Starfire's words were sudden and harsh. The girl froze. Starfire looked at her with still burning green eyes but were now riddled with tears. "I-I-I am not…well. I am sick…" Starfire's fan remained rooted. The alien felt something hit her on the back and with a low growl turned to see Argent wielding a large baseball bat made of her energy. Starfire immediately forgot about the girl and gritting her teeth soared into the air after her fellow Titan. Argent took off as fast as she could all the while knowing that she couldn't out fly Starfire for long.
"That's right," she whispered while looking back. "Just follow Argent."
The T-Ship grew ever closer to the ocean surface. Finally Argent and Starfire came into view. Robin fixed the last of his gear to readiness and gave Cyborg a nod. The Titan leader then allowed himself to be released from his pod via a bottom hatch. The wings on his R-Glider unfurled and he soared toward the two Titans. In a maneuver as simple as tag team Argent and Robin passed each other at tremendous speeds. Starfire's eyes caught sight of Robin. He sped past her and her thoughts instantly shifted from Argent to the boy wonder. He circled around the uppermost spire of the nearest building and readied the antidote, now equipped with a syringe. He took a deep breath and engaged the jet pack on his back. He began flying however into a flurry of starbolts being sent his way. Taken off guard Robin threw his hands up and the vaccine was knocked out of his hands. He gazed down at its shrinking likeness with a horrified gawk. Before he knew it Starfire had caught up to him. She drove her fiery stare into him like a stake.
"Starfire-"
"HA!" Her hands exploded, sending Robin soaring backwards.
Down below the syringe hurtled ever closer to the ground. A portal then appeared on the ground and out popped Herald. His extended hand caught the vaccine and he leapt out of the portal. Not a second later he blew his horn to create another aperture and threw the precious cargo into it.
Robin, seeing the world as nothing but a spinning blur, once again made out the image of his uncontrollably furious girlfriend coming straight at him. He frowned slightly when he also saw a portal open behind her and from it emerged the vaccine. It spun past her like a boomerang but she took no notice. Robin caught it with no time to spare for he and Starfire collided in mid air and began to sink down towards the earth. On a nearby rooftop their teammates and Titans North gathered. Raven formed a platform beneath them which doubled as a slide into the ocean. The redhead and spike haired young man toppled into the water with a splash. They bobbed motionlessly on the water's surface.
"Come on," ordered Cyborg. He quickly made his way down to his friends where he saw both were unconscious. The vaccine was still held within Robin's slackened grip but there was one distinct difference;
It was empty
The doors to the common room swished open, well they opened partly. Beast Boy slipped his hands through and forced them open the rest of the way.
"I'm glad we got most of our humble little hut here fixed up but there's still a couple of kinks." Raven looked up from a magazine.
"The job is all yours if it bothers you that much."
"Sure it's all easy for you; you just zip on through anything. But for poor sweet salient guys like me it's a little tougher. And what are you reading? Don't you usually have a book glued to your nose?" Without looking up this time Raven replied.
"Out of books, need to order more."
"Ah, right." He took a short leap over the couch and sat on the other end. "So! How's Star doing this morning?"
"Fine, of course as fine as one can be without knowing what time of day it is."
"Still can't see huh?"
"Blackfire did say the side effects would be unpredictable. At least we have the benefit of knowing its only temporary."
Beast boy nodded and picked up the remote, flipping it up in the air as he went. "Right, after all it's better to be blind than to see a stupid world." Raven trained her eyes from her catalogue and stared at Beast Boy with an entirely straight face.
"What are you talking about?"
"I don't know." Beast Boy was then saved by Robin and Starfire entering the common room. Just as Beast Boy had done Robin had to force the door open. He stepped in and looked back at Starfire. She followed after him staring straight ahead, though of course she saw nothing.
"You okay Star?"
"I am, I am sure the first step toward the sofa is right here." Unfortunately the poor blinded alien overshot it and she began toppling forward. Needless to say Robin was there to catch her and catch her he did. She took in a deep breath. "Oh, thank you Robin."
"No problem." Starfire reached a hand out and eventually found the couch. Using it as a guide she found the edge without a problem and sat down. Beast Boy shifted his attention between her and his show.
"So…" She turned her head toward him. "You're okay with seeing…..nothing."
"Yes Beast Boy, temporary blindness is a small price to pay for survival." He exchanged an awkward glance with Raven.
"Right." Robin hopped over the coach beside Starfire and handed her a letter.
"This came for you this morning."
'Oh, thank you Robin." She took the envelope but both of them quickly remembered she couldn't read it. Robin beat his forehead and gently took it from her.
"Sorry." Using a single blade on one of his bird-a-rangs he sliced open the envelope and removed its contents. "Well its looks like someone sent you a 'Get-Well' card." Starfire smiled and drew closer to Robin in excitement. He opened the card, which had been hand decorated with her likeness in crayon. "To my favorite Titan from your biggest fan. I'm glad you're not that sick anymore." Both he and Starfire chuckled. "Doesn't have a name anywhere here." Starfire looped an arm around his and settled back on the sofa.
"It is okay, I know who sent it."
THE END
You have my word the next episode will be out soon. Hopefully I won't get into another slump. I just hope it hasn't been so long that you've all lost interest. Anywho, hoped it was adequate. Laters!