Author's Note: For everyone who enjoys romance in my novels: Yes, there hasn't been that much romance, no I still will include some. In fact, in these next few chapters coming up there will be much more romance than there has been, starting with this next chapter. STARFIRE WILL BE IN IT THIS TIME.

Also, I hope everyone had a nice holiday, and will have a wonderful new year. Awkward moment when I'm typing violent scenes on a peaceful, joyous Christmas Day.

~0~0~0~

The smell of Glorthar's blood still lingered in Robin's nostrils. No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't get the image of the vicious and completely unnecessary murder of someone he had barely even known. It also set the tone for how Gordanians handled punishments.

Robin tried to memorize the hallways which Trogaar led him down. Who knew? Perhaps the knowledge could eventually come in handy during a last minute escape. However as hard as he tried to photograph the different paths in his mind, the labyrinth was much too confusing to focus on, especially when he was also thinking of a certain Tamaranian. However he did make note of a containment unit which held several different pods as well as chambers.

Was she safe? She had to be right? Trogaar wouldn't let anything happen to her. Just look at what happened to Glorthar. Then again had Trogaar himself done anything to her? If he laid a finger on Starfire, Robin would just have to-

"Enter, Wing of Bird," the alien commander ordered, giving the Boy Wonder a not so friendly push towards the door in front of them. Robin looked up. The door-like many others on the craft-was made of some type of steel. It had a strange writing engraved on the front which he only assumed was in Gordanian. Without another moment of hesitation he reached his hand out and gave the structure a hearty push. It gave way easier than he had presumed, and opened to reveal the room inside.

What he came upon was nothing short of a palace. The room was massive with various sorts of expensive looking furniture. Some looked like they had been taken right out of the Titans' East Tower. Others Robin recognized from his first trip to Tamaran, when Starfire was to be betrothed to Glirdleskletchhh. It was a trip that he didn't really want to remember.

"Trogaar, is that you?" he heard a voice call, and the very sound of it filled him with so much relief and happiness that it even shocked him a little.

"Koriand'r," Trogaar responded to her call, stepping out from behind Robin. "Appear before me. I have a visitor."

Starfire snorted then flew into view. "It had best not be another one of your guards. I have told you countless times that I do not wish to-" she paused as her eyes lay on Robin, taking in his form for the first time in what felt like days.

"Robin," she breathed a smile immediately spreading across her lips.

It had been so hard to stay in a dark chamber and wonder if he would ever get the chance to see that smile again, that in that one moment; he forgot who was watching and where he was. He reached out a hand as if to caress her face, but he never got that close.

A ripple of pain travelled through his body. He cried out and immediately fell to his knees. He could hear Starfire cry out in anger and then suddenly the pain ceased. Robin glanced up weakly to find Starfire floating up in the air, her hair tinged with fire, and her eyes glowing a harsh green. What surprised him the most was that Trogaar actually looked intimidated.

"You will not hurt him," she growled scathingly. "You will allow me to touch him, and you will keep your distance. Or else, I will tell your 'Grand Ruler' that you have broken the one rule that they have bestowed upon you!"

"I have kept my word Troq," Trogaar retorted, his eyes flashing. "I have not touched you in any shape or form."

"However you have not particularly kept your distance either."

Trogaar paused for a moment and his eyes narrowed. He seemed to be fighting a battle in his mind on what to do, however when his shoulders sagged slightly Robin knew which reason had won over. "Very well, continue."

Starfire was at his side in an instant, her arms around him. His brain was still a little fuzzy from the unpleasant shock he had received from Trogaar's glaive, so by the time he had finally registered that Starfire was there and actually holding him she had already slipped out of his arms.

"Friend, are you undamaged?" she asked, her green eyes wide with nothing but worry for his wellbeing.

He nodded a little numbly, and then attempted a shaky smile. "It's good to see you again, Star," he said softly.

"And it is pleasant to be by your side once more. Have you and the others fared well?"

"I wouldn't really know," he replied bitterly. "I can barely ever talk to the girls, and they've got us competing in some sort of arena. It's sick," he said the last part softly, casting a wary glance Trogaar's way.

Starfire cocked her head to the side as if she didn't comprehend the slang, but before Robin could explain it to her, she piped up with another question. "You have already been initiated, yes? What rank do you hold?"

Robin scratched his head, trying to remember the alien term Glorthar had ranked him as. "I think it sounds something like Qitik…or maybe Quatic…or…?"

"Qitecc," Starfire said nodding. She didn't seem surprised in the slightest.

Trogaar took this opportunity to pipe in. "Glorthar mentioned how you recommended this Earthling to this fighting level. You are aware of our ways, and how Qitecc holds the most highly trained warriors. What makes you think he can survive let alone stand a chance?"

Starfire raised an eyebrow. "So you know of Glorthar and how he persists on visiting me?"

"Visited," Trogaar corrected. "He is with Zorg, now."

"X'hal," she muttered before glancing up hastily to answer his previous question. "Robin will thrive in this rank because he is the strongest person I know, and not in the ways you perceive," she added, when Trogaar snorted. "He will stand a chance and," she narrowed her eyes. "You know as well as anyone that a tribute that surpasses any rank will have the prize of a female from a harem. This is common knowledge. However certainly you are aware that anyone who surpasses Qitecc wins freedom."

Robin's head snapped up. How come he wasn't informed of this?

"Starfire," he spoke up, an idea suddenly rushing into his mind. It suddenly became the most important thing in the world. "I need to talk to you." He lowered his voice in a way that informed her that he needed to speak with her privately.

She gave a half-nod to show that she understood and then turned to Trogaar. "Leave us."

"Do not be foolish," he snapped. "I am not so dim-witted as not to see that you will not try and escape. It is my duty to see you are transferred to the Citadel."

"Zess genfort muug refnar loznif," she told him sternly in Gordanian.

Trogaar suddenly surveyed him from head to toe before turning back to her and answering with, "Gelf din?"

Starfire shook her head. "I will explain to the Grand Ruler the."

Trogaar grunted angrily at this. "I will be back soon," he rasped before slamming the door to the chamber behind him.

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Uh…what did you say to him, exactly?"

Starfire avoided his gaze and a rosy blush came across her cheeks. "Uh…whatever do you mean, friend Robin?"

He shook his head, deciding it wasn't too important. What he had to focus on, was much more complex. "I think I know how to get us home."

Starfire's eyes flashed with hope for a second before fading back to a dull glow. "Robin, you are the smartest and most cunning person I know. But not even you can escape the Citadel. It is impossible."

"Not if we play by their rules," he argued. "Think about it Star, you said it yourself. Anyone who surpasses a rank will win someone from the harem. That would be Raven, or Jinx, or Bumblebee….or you."

She shook her head. "They would not offer me as a prize. I am much too valuable to them for that."

"Okay…well, say each of us moves up a rank and…wins someone from the harem. What happens then?"

Starfire was looking anywhere but at him. "Well…uh…I am not sure that I should describe-"

"Star, please," he asked desperately, gripping her shoulders. "You need to tell me everything."

She looked into his eyes for a moment then let out a sigh of defeat. "They would most likely retire to a chamber for…physical pleasure."

"Uh…right…and where are those chambers?"

She shrugged. "Anywhere the winner decides to reside."

Robin smiled. "That's just what I was counting on."

Starfire frowned. "Robin you are not making the sense. Why would any of this matter?"

"Because there are some escape pods in the same containment unit as the chambers."

Starfire's mouth dropped. "You do not mean…?"

He nodded eagerly. "This could be it."

"But what about your escape? You would have to win Qitecc."

"You thought I could," he reminded her.

"Yes but-"

"We need more time to figure this out. Is there any way I could meet you again? Remember we still have to figure out how we're going to get you by the Lizard King back there."

She paused then looked both ways as if she were suddenly afraid that they were being watched. "There is one way…but it requires the same excuse that I have given Trogaar this time."

"Which is…?"

She blushed again. "I will do the explaining later. Now is not the time. You must return to your quarters now, before Trogaar suspects anything." She bent down slightly and looked into his mask for a moment before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Please do be careful," she whispered, ignoring the blush that rose up in his cheeks.

Suddenly the sounds of footsteps could be heard getting closer and closer to the chamber. Starfire gave Robin a hesitant push toward the door, and he quickly took her cue. Just as he approached the door it opened to reveal none other than Trogaar. He surveyed the two Titans for a moment warily then muttered something under his breath along the lines of, "pathetic Earthling," before shoving the Boy Wonder roughly out of the room and in the direction of his own chamber. Robin glanced back only once to secure a memory of Starfire's face before the door slammed shut behind him.

~0~0~0~

"This is ridiculous. I don't understand why he have to wear these stupid stripper's outfits anyway. Do you think I want Kid Flash seeing me like this? It's so degrading!"

"Honestly, I don't think he minds that much."

"Watch it, Bumble-butt!"

"Will you two knock it off already?" Raven complained, rubbing her head. "It's hard enough trying to concentrate without you two bickering."

Bumblebee raised her eyebrows. "Why do you need to concentrate anyway? I thought we couldn't use our powers with these stupid collars on."

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Raven explained. "If I use just enough of my energy outside of my body, then maybe I can figure out how to use them without getting shocked. Maybe I could even figure out how to break them."

"Well when you do figure it out, please let me know," Jinx stressed, clutching her neck. "These things are really difficult to breathe in."

"You will adjust to them soon enough," a new voice spoke up.

All three girls turned around and their faces lit up as they came face to face with Starfire, adorned in her…even scantier attire.

"Oh, jeez Star, we haven't seen you in days! We were beginning to wonder if old Lizard Lips was storing you away for himself," Bumblebee said softly, her voice betraying how relieved she felt to see her friend unharmed.

Starfire attempted a half-smile. "Although I have seen much of the other areas of the craft for quite some time, I can assure you all is well physically." Her voice softened to a whisper as she added, "I have been seeing Robin over the course of our journey."

Raven and Bumblebee's eyes widened while Jinx let out a soft gasp. "No way!" she whispered as best she could. "How did you get that by you-know-who?"

The Tamaranian Princess shrugged. "In truth, I did not. He knows perfectly well that he visits my room frequently. It is not an unheard of privilege since he has been ranked as Qitecc."

"So…he didn't freak?" Bumblebee questioned.

"He did not do the freaking out, no."

"You're lying," Raven said immediately, causing the other girls to glance at her in disbelief. She glanced back at them unfazed. "Or you're not telling us the whole truth. I can still sense that on your aura. You told him something in order to see Robin…didn't you?"

Starfire opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again. She hung her head in defeat. "Yes, I…I may have told Trogaar a…unimportant lie that enables me to see Robin whenever I wish." She glanced up hoping that this would suffice. It did not.

"Bitch, please," Bee pursed her lips. "Just spill already girl!"

"Very well," she glanced guiltily at the floor. "I may have told him that I require Robin from time to time for…certain pleasantries."

"Oh."

"I see."

"Bitch, puh-lease!"

"But we are not engaging in any such behavior," Starfire rushed in, her cheeks already aflame. "We are-" she lowered her voice here. "discussing the means of escaping."

The door to the girls' chamber suddenly flew open startling them all. It was a Gordanian guard who the three girls recognized as one of Glorthar's murderers. He hadn't apparently heard the conversation, and if he did not show it. He cleared his throat and clutched his glaive tightly before a smug smile graced his frothing lips.

"We have arrived at the Citadel."

Author's Note: Bitch please, it has been about time! Anyways remember to read and review please!