Hello. readers! It's been a while, right? I apologize for the long wait, and I really thank you for your patience

So here's the new chapter. Let's not waste anytime!

I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS!


The T-ship soared out of the atmosphere and was pulled into the orbit of the Earth, where the T-ship encircled the planet from afar. "Alright, everyone. Say goodbye to Earth. We won't be seeing it for a while." Cyborg yelled as he pressed a few buttons, which activated the engine of the T-ship and flew the ship out of orbit, shooting far away and leaving Earth far behind.

The ship soared through empty space, and once it was on a specific path, Cyborg clicked on the antigravity field and sat back. "Alright, I've done some research and have predicted some general locations where I think we can start looking for ships." Cyborg explained as he loaded up a large scale map for all the Titans to see. On the map was multiple red dots, marking the locations that Cyborg specified. He pointed to the closest one. "This is the location we will try first, and if it comes up with nothing, we'll try another." He stretched his metal shoulders and sighed. "Alright, auto pilot is on. We'll reach our destination in about an hour. If you guys need to walk around, the gravity field has been activated." Cyborg explained and left his pod, heading to the living room. Beastboy yawned and transformed into a cat, running into the kitchen to grab a snack to eat. Raven slid her headpiece off and made her way to her own room. Robin rested the back of his neck on his chair. He watched the stars zoom by as the ship flew through space. He tried to count them, but failed after reaching 100 when he found the ship was soaring too fast. He sighed and left his pod, heading down into his cabin and fell onto his bed. As much as his body pleaded for him to sleep, his mind kept him wide-awake. He rolled onto his back and stared emptily up at the ceiling.

He felt himself falling. This falling wasn't like usual falling, the one that he experienced every time he soared through the air, felt the wind wrap around him as he neared the ground. This falling wasn't like the one he experienced every time he was with Starfire. It was different, darker, a more frightening feeling. The feeling was overwhelming, dragging him down into the depths of something worse than the insufferable pain of isolation and fear. It was like falling off a cliff, but not knowing when you would hit the ground, nor where. He descended only into an unknowing darkness, one that warped around his body with a cold, lifeless grip. It numbed him deep within his core and soul, and its icy grasp continued to seep into his body. He shook with fraught, fearful of the moment when the numbness may soon reach his heart, and kill him. Or even worse, seep its venomous grip into his heart and turn it into nothing.

"Robin?" He heard Raven's voice appear from his doorway. He turned his head toward her and sighed. "What do you need, Raven?" He mumbled. "Cyborg asked me to bring you into Headquarters. We're about to reach the first location on his map." She explained. "Alright. I'm coming." Robin stated. Raven nodded, and before she left, she turned her head over her shoulder. "Robin…do you need to talk about it?" Raven asked hesitantly. Robin frowned and shook his head. He knew she could sense what he was going through right now. But, as much as he appreciated her care, he didn't want to talk. "No, I'm fine. Let's go." He ordered and hurried out of his room, Raven following right after him.

"Well, everyone, we're about to enter the first general location. We'll check around, and wait for a little bit before moving on to the next location." Cyborg explained as he buckled himself in and steadily slowed the ship to a halt. He maneuvered the ship around to the center of the location and pulled the ship to a complete stop. Once they were halted, he flicked on his headset and spoke into the mic. "Alright, Titans. We need to search the area. By each of your seats, there is a lever. This lever ejects a space drone, one that I invented and loaded into the ship before we left. These will help us investigate each location." Cyborg informed. "Great work, Cy. Alright, Titans. Eject your drones!" Robin ordered as he pulled his lever and allowed a little robot to fly out. Each Titan did the same, and 4 drones appeared underneath the ship. A small screen appeared in front of each pod, each having its own camera attached to each drone. "We'll be searching in a grid pattern for evidence of any ship activity. Each drone has been equipped with sensors that will indicate any alien material found." Cyborg informed as he activated his drone, blue lights shining from within the main frame of the machine. "We'll work in pairs. Cyborg and I will take the northern side of the grid, Raven and Beastboy will take the southern side. Spread out and make sure to check everywhere." Robin ordered, activating his own drone with a bright gold light. Raven and Beastboy activated their own drones with dark violet and green lights, separating away from Cyborg and Robin and headed south. Cyborg and Robin approached each other and both flew together to the northern side of the grid. "I've initiated partner chat now. If Raven and Beastboy find something, they'll reconnect to us. But for now, we can only hear each other." Cyborg stated. "Alright. Let's get to work." Robin ordered and drove his drone forward and started investigating the area.

"So, we're supposed to look for anything suspicious, right?" Beastboy asked. "Yes. Anything you suspect as alien." Raven answered plainly. As the two sideswiped the area with their drones, Beastboy yawned. "How much sleep have you gotten since this all started?" He asked tiredly. "Not much. What about you?" Raven inquired. "I think I have slept a total of 5 hours. Maybe 6." He answered. "If we come up with nothing for this area, it'll take us some time before we can reach the next location. We should get some rest while we have the chance." Raven suggested. "Yeah, you're right. Do you think Robin will get any sleep?" Beastboy asked. "I don't know if he will. But from his emotions, I assume he won't get much rest for a long time…" Raven stated sadly. Beastboy sighed. "I almost forgot that you can feel our emotions…" Raven nodded and sighed. "All the emotions I sense now are always coming from him." Raven replied. "Well, I know I might feel the same thing, especially if the same situation happened for the 2 of us." Beastboy stated. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be flattered by that or not." Beastboy chuckled lightly. "I'm not sure I would be flattered by it, either. Man, I can say some stupid stuff!" He berated himself. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Gar. You're a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for." She assured with a rare smile. He smiled and grinned, blushing slightly. "Thanks, Rae. Now I really like this compliment system. It inflates my ego quite a bit!" He laughed. Even though she couldn't see him, he could feel her glare pierce the back of his neck. He grinned and chuckled sheepishly. "We should probably get back to the job at hand, right?" She smirked. "Yes, Gar. Let's get back to it." She stated, allowing the two of them to continue their mission.

"So, this may take a few minutes. Would you like to talk?" Cyborg spoke into his mic after a few moments of silence. "About what?" Robin replied plainly. "Well, do you need to talk about…what's happened…?" Cyborg asked hesitantly. "There's nothing to talk about." Robin growled slightly. "Robin, we both know how this is affecting you. Maybe if you talk it out, it'll help you-"Cyborg suggested but Robin cut him off. "No, I'm fine! Let's just keep our focus on the search, alright?" Robin barked, silencing Cyborg. After another few minutes of silence, Robin sighed. "I'm sorry...it's just..." He trailed off Cyborg nodded. "It's alright. You've been going through a lot lately, and I shouldn't harass you into talking about it." Cyborg elucidated. "No…you're right, though. I guess talking could help. But right now, I just…I can't focus on that right now." Robin explained sadly. "Yeah, I understand. How about after this search, we'll get some rest and clear our minds a little. We all need some." Cyborg suggested. Robin sighed. "Yeah, we should…Thanks, Cy." Robin added. "No problem, Rob. Now let's get back to it!" Robin nodded and the two of them silently continued to search the area.

After an hour of searching, Beastboy groaned. "Hey Rae, I think this place is empty. We've come up with nothing, and we're just about done with the southern area." Raven sighed and nodded. "I think you're right. We should head back to the ship. Let's just hope Cyborg and Robin didn't come up empty like we did." Raven suggested as she reversed her drone and started to make her way back toward the ship, Beastboy following right behind her. Once they made it back, they reconnected communication with Cyborg and Robin. "Did you guys find anything?" Raven asked. "No, nothing. Northern section is empty. What about you?" Cyborg asked. "We've come up empty, Cy. So, this location is a dud then?" Beastboy suggested. Cyborg sighed. "I guess so. Go ahead and deactivate your drones. We'll wait here for any signs of ship activity, then we'll move on. I'll go ahead and start projecting our next course and location." Cyborg explained as he switched off his headset and started planning the next location to search. Beastboy yawned and sighed. "Well, I'm going to take a cat nap. If anyone needs me, I'll be in my cabin." He stated as he too switched his mic off. Before she turned her microphone off, Raven spoke one last time. "We should get some rest too, Robin. For now, it's all we can do." She said.

Once she left, Robin was the last one remaining. He sighed and slid his headphones off, exiting his pod and stumbling towards his room. He softly shut his door behind him and tumbled onto his bed. As if she was there, he could hear Starfire whisper in his head. "Please, you need rest, Robin." He sighed sadly and crawled under his covers. "Alright, Star…I'll try…" He whispered to himself, closing his eyes and tumbled into his sleep.

Starfire peeked her eyes open and yawned, stretching her sore limbs out. She had just come back from a long day of slave work, and now she rested until the time when she needed to attend her interrogation session with the Breaker. She fell off her metal bed and stretched her legs out. As she tried to move, she made a horrible discovery. As she tried to hover in the air, she tumbled back down to the ground, planting on her back. Her eyes widened as she stared at herself in disbelief. "My powers are fading…" She whispered. She almost felt her heart shatter as she heard her words. Due to the lack of energy and emotional distress, her powers were disappearing. Even though she barely flew anymore, it still broke her spirit to lose such a huge part of her life. Her powers were directed from her emotions, and had always been a big piece of her. Without them, it not only felt like she was losing another part of herself to The Citadel, but she also felt herself losing another part of the world she left behind. The world of Earth, the Teen Titans, and her friends. The one she felt was disappearing from her memory as each day passed.

Even though she had only been imprisoned for a week, she could barely remember what real food tasted like. The food she was fed was the trash and waste, the discards that had been left out and served on dirty metal plates, looking like mush. Each day had the same meal; a sliver of half-eaten meat, a mold-encrusted Gordanian fruit that tasted like the apple fruit of Earth, and a rotten piece of some unknown vegetable, one that looked like a combination of a zorkaberry and a carrot from Earth. The tray was always slid underneath her door, and usually at around the same time. Because of the small portions and the lack of anything else to eat, she devoured every part of the meal, no matter how grotesque it looked. It almost always tasted revolting, and the first time she ate the meal she threw up. But that was a luxury she couldn't afford, and she had to eat. The food she consumed here only made her miss the wonderful delicacies of Earth. She especially missed the mustard condiment, the one she would always drink, and the candy of cotton, a sweet dessert that always disappeared in her mouth. She would give anything to have those foods again.

Besides the terrible food, the sanitation of her cell always disturbed her. The walls were always wet from the water that leaked in from the ceiling and were even tinted a shade of green, due to the mold and fungus that grew between the cracks. The only light she ever truly received was from the cracks that lined one of the walls, where the ultra-white light of the halls provided her only source of energy. Being the only energy she received, it was a wonder her powers lasted for so long. The corner of her room was reserved as her restroom, and only after a week did her senses get used to the smell, which filled her entire room. Overall, her living situation was downright awful, but she had to endure.

And with everything, she was always under close observation. With a camera installed in the corner of her room, it always glowed red as it silently watched her. She sometimes found herself staring up at it, and the longer she stared at it, the harder she knew it was going to escape. But even with the camera rolling, she knew she had to get out. She couldn't give up, she had to escape.

She stood up and stretched her shoulders back, peering back to the camera and looking away quickly. She took off her silver gauntlets and held them gently in her hands. It was one of the last part of her apparel that remained. The Citadel had taken her boots, neck band, and armband, but left her gauntlets. She touched the cool silver and closed her eyes, holding them to her chest and remembering all the memories that came with them. Memories of her home and family on Tamaran flooded her mind. She remembered her K'norfka, her brother, and her parents. As the memories flooded her mind, she knew Tamaran's fate now rested in her hands. Her capture could be devastating for the planet, if she was to reveal anything about her home. She tightened her grip on her gauntlets as tears formed within her eyes. Truly, she did not know all of the answers to the Citadel's questions, but some of them she did. Every time she was asked those questions, she would say nothing, or say she knew nothing. But soon, she would have to make a choice to either save her planet or even be killed. Was she really willing to die for Tamaran? And what about Earth? Can she really protect both worlds, or will she have to sacrifice one or the other? She knew it would kill her inside if she had to sacrifice her home planet, but Earth had become her home after she escaped the Gordanians. Could she really choose between the two? Those thoughts always combined with the perplexing reason as to why they even needed her anyway. With Blackfire as their ally, couldn't she provide all of the information The Citadel needed? Why did they question her even when they could gather the information from her sister? Was the Citadel's intention really just revenge? Or was their plan more complicated than that? Did they honestly need more intelligence about Tamaran, information that even Blackfire couldn't provide? Or was it something else?

Starfire rubbed her temples with frustration, and slipped her gauntlets back on. This whole situation didn't seem to make any sense for the young princess. But her confusion didn't seem to matter to her. The only way to save both Earth and Tamaran was to escape, and she had to come up with a plan quickly, before it was too late.

There was a loud click and her door was swung open as the Gordanians marched in and motioned for her to stand. She complied reluctantly and allowed them to place handcuffs around her chaffed wrists and lead her out to the bright hallway. Once they reached the interrogation chambers, the soldiers pushed her through and quickly threw her into the chair, where she and the mercenaries waited patiently for the Breaker to arrive. After a few silent moments, he strode in and smiled, turning towards the guards and yelling a command in Gordanian, which caused them to march out of the room and lock the door behind them. He smirked and approached Starfire, holding a small metallic box in one arm. "Hello, Koriand'r." He greeted as he approached the table and rested the small box next to his other "toys". "Hello, Breaker…" She replied reluctantly. He sighed happily and smiled. "It appears I have the honor of acquiring new tools from my superiors. They have thoroughly enjoyed my work so far, and they hope these will prove more useful in our next visits." He motioned towards the small box. Starfire paled slightly with the fear of what could be in that box. It could be anything, from poison to a new knife. Whatever it was, it undoubtedly would cause her more pain. Most likely the most she had ever experienced in this dreaded chamber. The Breaker unlocked the small container and watched it open up and reveal its contents to him. He examined its contents one-by-one, pulling each item out carefully. "First, we have a new chemical poison, which will be interesting to test out." He grinned devilishly. "Then, we have a new tool to sharpen my knives with. That was desperately needed, indeed. And we also have this." He pulled out a small, pistol-like weapon that was colored silver. He pressed a button and the weapon started to pulsate with red light, almost like he was awakening an animal from its slumber. He grinned again and placed the weapon behind him. "We will test that little device in a little bit. But for now, let us discuss what is to change." He rested his back against the wall and crossed his arms. "So far, you have provided little to no information of your planet, which is frustrating. But my superiors are optimistic, and they are positive this next device will start to show the results they so crucially need." He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "However, I am not as positive. So, we will try my own way, before we get try the new tool." Breaker explained as he walked behind her and opened a small latch that revealed a molting hot container. He unlocked a case of metal pieces, each having been formed with specific patterns, and he placed them gently in the container. As he waited for those to heat up, he approached her and whispered. "I will ask you a few questions, now. How many members have joined the Teen Titans since its founding?" The Breaker asked plainly.

She felt the color drain from her face, and her heart dropped into her stomach. If Starfire was scared for Earth before this, it was nothing compared to what she felt now. She felt like she could scream and cry at the same time. She didn't want to breathe, lest the Breaker catch her giving away any information about her friends. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she tried to come up with something to say. Her mind screamed as its fears were being realized. "What do the Teen Titans have anything to do with Tamaran? You have no right to that information!" She growled, although the fear was plain in her eyes. The Breaker smiled inwardly, seeing her terror and with a scaly finger he lifted her chin up towards his face. "As you know, my darling, I hate these questions just as much as you. They bore me beyond belief. But, my superiors want answers and I must give it to them. So, answer my question" He explained. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to calm her shaking body. "You have not answered my own question! You may be following orders, but it does not give you the right to know anything!" The Breaker narrowed his eyes slightly. He examined her body language and expression, realizing he would have to use another tactic to get information out of her. He sighed and shook his head. "Are you refusing to answer my question, Koriand'r?" He asked quietly. She narrowed her eyes, her silence answering her question. He smiled slightly and walked calmly behind her, picking through and took out one of the metal iron pieces, now bright red with heat. He clicked another button on his controller, which activated the restraints on the chair to tighten. Starfire strained and tried to pull her arms free, to no avail. Slowly, he approached her with the hot metal piece. He looked deep into her terrified eyes as he closed the distance between the hot metal and her side.

Searing pain. Blinding pain. Starfire could feel nothing else. As the metal made contact with her skin, she screamed in agony as it burned its mark into her frail skin. The Breaker pulled the metal away and examined the burn. He grinned with pleasure as he dropped the metal piece back into its container. "You should openly refuse to answer my questions more frequently, my dear. It is much more pleasurable to watch you suffer." He laughed. Starfire groaned softly, her tears feeling hot on her cheeks. He chuckled and pointed to her burn. "I know you will recognize those words. I shaped that piece of metal just for use on Tamaranians." He whistled and the guards rushed in, ignoring Starfire's pain and pulled her up from the chair. Before she was carried away, The Breaker stared at her and smiled. His smile almost fooled Starfire into believing he had some actual kindness in him. But his words revealed that to be false. "I hope you enjoy being branded for what you really are. See you soon, Koriand'r." He chuckled maliciously as the guards dragged her back to her cell. As she was being dragged away, she could have sworn she heard him whistle the Tamaranian lullaby again. "X'hal calls to you, my sleeping child. She is always watching you. Honor her, my sleeping child. And she shall wait for you, forever."

The guards threw her into her cell and slammed the door shut, leaving her to address her wound. Although it was small, it throbbed with pain, as the black words of seared skin engraved her body with the word. The word her people had been labeled by for longer than she could remember. "Troq." Starfire clenched her fists and crawled to a sitting position, moving very slowly due to the pain. Tears continued to stream down her face in defeat. The Citadel had officially branded her. It may have been caused by her own refusal to abide by their rules, but now they have finally branded her for what they believed her to be. Nothing. To them, she was nothing in the grand scheme. To them, she and her people were worthless barbarians.

She hugged her legs to her chest, not even trying to wipe away her tears. This wasn't just to teach her a lesson. This burn now showed the Breaker and The Citadel that she could be broken. It was a symbol to her, that no matter what she did now, she would forever bare the name "Troq." Even if she tried, there was nothing she could do to escape her torture and imprisonment. She could do nothing, and now, they branded her as nothing.


I hope you have enjoyed! This is the longest chapter I have written for Caged so far. (By the way, I would like to see if you all would like me to continue writing longer chapters, or if you prefer shorter chapters. If you don't mind, I would really appreciate the feedback. You can post a review or you can message me.)

This chapter is supposed to be a little darker and it shows the more harsher sides to The Citadel. And, even though this story is about the torture and imprisonment of one of the Titans, I haven't touched on all of the details of the horrible conditions until up to this point. I hope you don't mind content like that, and if you do mind, let me know so I don't continue that darker theme for the remainder of the story. And do not fret! I'm going to keep the rating clear in mind. The branding part, while bad, will most likely be the worst I will offer in terms of violence and adult themes, at least for this story. I hope you don't mind that.

Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews and I hope you had an awesome Christmas!

And before I forget, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

N. Wolf