Hey everybody! Hope you're ready for yet more Teen Titans fanfiction from me, because here comes yet another chapter of my work! In this new chapter, the battle for Gordania has come. Who shall prevail? Read on and find out ladies and gentlemen!

A/N: But first, I'd best remind you that, with the exception of the Umbrosians, I own NONE of the elements in here that are Teen Titans-based or DC-based. Get that? Got that? Good. Onward with the fic people!

Chapter 10:

The Battle for Gordania

The very next day, all five of the titans were watching the Gordanian night sky from a balcony of the palace, eyes open for any signs of Umbrosian invaders. So far, the sky was empty. But the titans knew all to well that this could yet change.

Beast Boy glanced down at the mass gathering of Tamaraneans and Gordanians, as well as their respective ships, that was present on the ground in front of the palace. "They certainly look prepared."

Robin looked to Starfire. "You sure this is the night?"

Starfire nodded. "I am certain. The Gordanians are convinced in the accuracy of what their instincts tell them, and their instincts say that Blackfire and the Umbrosian council will have their forces attack Gordania tonight. Since they are now working alongside us as our allies in combat for the first time in centuries, it would only be polite and respectful to trust them and their instincts for this battle."

"Let's just hope that they truly do prove trustworthy in this battle," Cyborg grumbled.

"I hear you dude," said Beast Boy. He directed a side glance at Starfire's skirt pocket. "Not to mention that it doesn't prove necessary for you to use that doodad you have in there to call upon Lord Lightshow and his goons."

Starfire sighed, placed her hand in her pocket, and stroked the summoning marble with her fingertips. "I hope just as much as you that I won't need his direct aid in this battle."

"That certainly sounds reassuring," said Raven.

At the sound of footsteps behind them, the titans turned their heads in time to see none other than Greerak and Galfore approaching them. At the sight of the five teens hurrying to stand at attention, Greerak held his hand up in a 'stop' gesture. "At ease."

The titans relaxed. "Is there something you want to tell us?" Robin asked.

Greerak looked to Galfore, who nodded. The Gordanian king looked back at the titans.

"Kodiand'r," said Greerak. "Your old caretaker and I have had a talk, and we've come to a decision on what might prove a useful surprise for us to use in the coming battle."

The titans looked to each other, and then back at the two rulers. "We're listening," said Starfire.

"Knowing how arrogant Blackfire is," Galfore began, "it is logical for us to believe that she now assumes you, your friends, and your. . ." He took a deep breath. "Consort as King Greerak so delightfully put it." The teenage Gordanian grinned cheekily. "Are dead."

"Indeed." Starfire nodded. "No doubt, she will be most surprised when our ship is sighted fighting alongside everyone else in the fray."

"Well that's the thing," said Greerak. "You won't be using your ship, not in this fight. Or at least, not if you agree to this proposed surprise anyway."

Starfire raised her eyebrow. "Do explain."

"Due to how past observed Umbrosian tactics would indicate that the entirety of the first half of this battle will be fought via space ship armadas, Galfore and I believe it would be an ideal time to play along with your sister's delusions for a while and have you fight in a way that wouldn't make it obvious that you and your friends are in fact still alive."

The titans all raised their eyebrows. "Wouldn't the fact that there are Tamaranean ships fighting alongside the Gordanians ships be enough to give our survival away?" Robin asked.

"Not necessarily." Greerak folded his arms across his chest. "From what I've been told about Komand'r's firm belief in her own superiority, it is likely that she'll believe that the damage she and her forces caused to us during her attack last week would have been enough to demoralize my kin to the point that we'd have begged for and been granted assistance from the Tamaraneans."

"But if she believes that your people killed us," Cyborg began.

"Last time I checked," Greerak interrupted. "My people aren't the only inhabitants of this planet that would have potentially been responsible for such an event. For one, there are plenty of native animals and plants that could have easily done the deed themselves. Furthermore, considering just where the royal starship was struck during the Umbrosian attack against you two days ago, it is also reasonable to believe that it may have blown up not too long after landing, taking out you and your ship alongside everyone onboard the royal starship. Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable that she'll assume that one of those two fates befell you, which would in turn explain why her kind would still be willing to provide aid for my people despite your supposed deaths on our planet."

"I'll admit, a surprisingly clever explanation," said Raven.

"My thoughts exactly."

"Alright," said Robin. "Consider us interested. But if we say yes to this idea of yours, just what exactly would we be doing?"

Galfore pointed towards the combined fleet of ships. "Enough of my forces allowed themselves to be assigned to ground troop duty to allow for a single spare ship amongst the Tamaranean portion of the fleet. Greerak and I believe this ship would prove a wise choice of alternate vessel for you to use during your initial participation in this battle."

"Once the battle has gone on long enough for Komand'r and the Umbrosians to start deploying ground troops, that will be your cue to withdraw," said Greerak. "Just long enough to prepare yourselves for the moment that you proudly join up with us in the fighting. But again, this is only going to be done if you truly wish to do so. If you don't feel like you'd be up to the task, we'll gladly let you attack alongside us in your preferred spaceship."

The titans looked each other in the eyes. What were they to say?

"I don't know," said Starfire. "I'm not sure if I was ever given the chance to fly one of my people's spaceships."

"I say we give it a shot," said Cyborg. "I'll be the main pilot."

"You're absolutely sure of this?"

"Of course I am Rob. You've got my usual mastery of all manner of tech, my small grasp of Tamaranean from Starfire's own teachings, and Starfire herself around to translate for anything that I haven't yet had the chance to learn. How hard could it be?"

. . . . .

Blackfire gazed intently into the large crystal ball-like orb, her purple eyes narrowed in concentration as she watched the video feed being broadcast by the cameras affixed to the Umbrosian ships making their way towards Gordania for the coming attack. "Today is the day," she thought to herself. "Gordania will fall, and I shall watch it burn as my allies destroy it."

Nolfavrel similarly couldn't help but 'grin'. "As much as I still doubt that your sister and her friends are truly dead, I will admit, the possibility of us being allowed to destroy this one permissible planet from your home system leaves me feeling very happy indeed."

Cometbolt nodded his head, clutching a long Tamaranean spear in the process. "I will admit, while I would have loved to slaughter all those hideous clorbags myself, it will nonetheless be satisfying to see them all die today."

Blackfire chuckled. "That's the spirit. Today they shall indeed die. All of them."

"Yes they shall," said Nolfavrel, "as long as everything goes well. And if that clumsy fool Phantrath values his life, he'd better hope that everything goes well in this battle."

"Indeed," said Blackfire. "You know Cometbolt, do you perhaps feel like placing a bet on how long it will take for Gordania to fall under our might?"

"Why make a gamble out of it?"

"Why not make a gamble out of it? It's seeming quite clear to me that it's going to be more of a matter of 'when' rather then 'if'. We might as well get further enjoyment out of the whole spectacle by betting just how long it will take before the inevitable conclusion. Besides, I proved myself quite the skilled gambler during my time visiting the casinos on Yaggadosk." She let a wolf-like grin come on her face. "And let's just say that I'm feeling very lucky today."

Cometbolt thought to himself. "Well when you put it like that . . ."

"Quiet," Nolfavrel hissed. "Our forces are approaching Gordania."

. . . . .

Karras of Tamaran narrowed his eyes as he saw what looked like ominous tiny black specks on the horizon. He initiated a transmission. "Lieutenant Taryia, the enemy approaches. Are you ready?"

"I am my lo. . . sir."

"Good." He returned his attention to the incoming enemy vessels. "Stand by for further orders."

"Yes sir," said Taryia, the rest of the Tamaranean vessel fighters responding in kind not too long after her.

Meanwhile, amongst the Gordanian fleet, Yarboth narrowed his own orange eyes at the approaching enemy fighters. "General Garzvohg," he hissed. "His Majesty's instincts were indeed correct. The enemy is approaching. Are you ready?"

"Yes," his fellow general responded.

"Good, tell the rest of the men to stand by for further orders."

Garzvohg did so, and the other Gordanian vessel fighters responded appropriately in unison.

After what felt like an hour, the specks in the sky came close enough for the Tamaraneans and Gordanians to discern their actual shapes, and thus prove without a doubt that they truly were Umbrosian warships.

This was all the lead soldiers needed to see. "The enemy has come upon us," Karras and Yarboth yelled in unison. "The time has come for battle! Forward troops! Attack!"

The entirety of the two fleets activated their ships, took to the sky, and rocketed towards the incoming Umbrosian fleet, mercilessly firing away with their blasters. Within minutes, the sky was both dark with the various spaceships and alight with the storm of blaster fire the respective fleets fired at each other and the explosions that ensued with every successful strike. So focused were all the vessel fighters on the battle at hand that absolutely no one noticed the single Tamaranean warship located in an out of the way cluster of ruins that, despite how the battle had now well and truly begun, still hadn't yet taken off to join the rest of the fleet.

. . . . .

Robin narrowed his eyes from where he sat within the titans' temporary new ship. "I thought you said you could fly this thing."

"What I said," Cyborg grumbled irritably as he continued pressing buttons on the control panel, "was 'how hard could it be?' Apparently, the answer was 'harder than I thought'!"

"Did you not press the giant circular button?" Starfire asked.

"I'm pressing it right now as we speak!" Cyborg yelled, slamming his fist against that very button.

Beast Boy glared. "Why don't you try saying please?"

"This is no time for joking BB!"

Cyborg placed his hands on the back of his head, wringing non-existent hair. "Gah! I never should have said yes to this!" He slammed his hands on the control panel, palms open. His left hand, miraculously enough, landed right on the giant circular button. Hilariously enough, the ship activated.

The titans were understandably shocked by this.

"What the?" Cyborg asked. "How come it worked this time?"

"It would appear," said Starfire. "That the activation button requires contact exclusively from a palm, not from a fist or finger."

"Well that's stupid," said Cyborg.

"Don't start complaining now," said Beast Boy. "At least the ship's working."

"Yeah, yeah, now how to handle this. . ."

"Press the square button to activate the thrusters," said Starfire.

Cyborg did so. "Got it. Next?"

"Use the joystick to go up and down," Starfire explained, "and use the wheel to steer and turn around."

Cyborg lightly pressed the joystick forward. Sure enough the ship slowly started rising. "Alright!" Cyborg said. "That's what I'm talking about!"

"Joy," Raven droned.

"Alright Cyborg. Let's get moving."

"Will do," said Cyborg.

The ship continued to rise, and Cyborg started turning it around to face the exit to the ruins; one of the wings slicing into and toppling over multiple columns.

Beast Boy noticed this, and glared at Cyborg. "I think you missed a column."

"Shut up."

Cyborg managed to get the ship just high enough off the ground, and he sent it flying off to join the battle. The manner in which this deed got carried out, however, was far from graceful.

Beast Boy raised his eyebrow at the sight of three waiting ground-based Gordanians and 4 ground-based Tamaraneans hurrying to avoid getting hit by the swinging and flailing wings of the ship. "You missed a pedestrian," he grumbled. "Want to go back and hit him?"

"Quiet," said Cyborg. "I've got this."

The ship continued flying, proceeding to just barely avoid crashing into any Tamaranean or Gordanian ships. Several Umbrosian ships, however, were not so lucky. At least one building, plus an active rooftop laser turret, also fell victim to getting damaged as they were accidentally sliced and smashed by one of the wings of the titans' ship.

Cyborg lifted his finger right as Robin directed a glare at him. "Not a word."

They heard large objects swooping behind them, and they turned their heads in time to see five Umbrosian ships flying after them.

"Now they're following us," said Beast Boy.

Cyborg held his tongue, and flew the ship helter-skelter trying to avoid the pursuers. The pursuers, not to be deterred, started firing their blasters at the errant ship. Several lucky blasts managed to strike the ship, miraculously only dealing minor damages.

"Now they're firing at us," Beast Boy yelled.

"Yeah! Thank you for the commentary BB!" Cyborg hollered back. "It's not at all distracting!"

"Boys," Raven droned.

Starfire gulped, now feeling quite nervous. "I can't look," she said, placing her hands over her eyes.

The ship managed to fly dangerously close to a giant statue of a very regal looking Gordanian king. The word 'Zrorak' was engraved at the base in the Gordanian alphabet. While Cyborg managed to hurriedly move the ship aside in time to avoid a direct collision, that one ever so destructive wing sliced through the statue's neck, sending its head plummeting down to the ground, crushing one of the pursuing Umbrosian ships on the way down.

"Well done," said Beast Boy. "You just decapitated Greerak's grandfather."

Cyborg grumbled, fighting with all his willpower to avoid blowing up in anger.

"Maybe you should let Starfire have a try," said Robin.

"You know what? Sure. Can't get any worse then with me at the helm."

Starfire gulped, but nonetheless swooped over to the pilot's seat after Cyborg got up. She took a deep breath. "X'hal help me," she thought to herself.

She pressed the brake button, and the ship lurched to a stop. While the rest of the titans worked to get their bearings back, Starfire took several deep breaths. "Remain calm," she thought to herself. "You can do this. Which one's the forward button? Which one's the forward button? Oh right, this one." She pressed the button in question.

With a unified shriek from the titans, the ship suddenly rocketed backwards. The Umbrosians in one of the pursuing ships had just enough time for their eyes to widen in surprise before the errant Tamaranean ship smashed into them and blew them up, continuing to fly backwards for a brief moment afterwards. The remaining three pursuing Umbrosian ships calmly stopped and turned around to face the titans' ship.

"Sorry," said Starfire, directing an apologetic look at her friends as they lay sprawled out against their chairs and the ship's floor. "It would appear that was actually the reverse button, not the forward button."

"What gave it away?" Raven asked sarcastically.

"Again, I am sorry." Starfire looked back at the control panel, hovered her finger over the button next to the reverse button, and then pressed it. The ship began to move forward. She sighed in relief. "Thank X'hal. Ok, now the blasters . . . blasters . . . here they are." She started firing the blasters. The three Umbrosian ships, caught completely off guard at the sudden blaster fire, were blown to bits.

The other titans watched through the windows as Starfire panted and gasped in relief. "Keep at it Star," said Robin. "You're doing great."

"Yeah," Starfire managed to say, still gasping. "I daresay I am."

"Well let's hope you can keep it up," said Cyborg. He pointed in the direction of the larger battle. "Because it's high time we actually make ourselves useful in this battle."

Starfire narrowed her eyes in the direction Cyborg was pointing. "Yes. I daresay you're right." She gunned the thrusters, sending the ship rocketing forward to join in amongst the chaos unfolding in the Gordanian sky.

. . . . .

Blackfire narrowed her eyes. An hour had now passed since the battle had begun, and she was currently not liking what she was seeing. "Why is this taking so long?" she snarled.

Cometbolt was similarly displeased. "I must agree with Komand'r. This battle should have been a hundred times over by now."

Nolfavrel made a 'tsk, tsk' noise. "It would appear that someone amongst us may have miscalculated."

Blackfire glared at the Umbrosian. "I resent what you appear to be implying, and I will not take any disrespect from you, subtle or otherwise."

Nolfavrel narrowed his own eyes. "I could say the same to you Komand'r."

Cometbolt stepped between his partner and the Umbrosian councilman. "Enough," he said. "Senselessly arguing won't improve our situation. But I do have an idea of something that could help in its place." He placed his hand on his chest, standing to attention in the process while gazing at Nolfavrel. "Send me down there to join them."

"No," said Nolfavrel. "You are too valuable an asset to waste this early on. We need you alive so that your reveal can demoralize Tamaran when we move to conquer it later." He redirected his gaze towards the video feed. "For now, we continue to allow exclusively my own kin to do the fighting. But fear not, I will allow reinforcements." He raised his left hand to his head, initiating telepathic communication with one of his fellow councilmen. "Sound the order to deploy the ground troops."

. . . . .

From their vantage point on the palace balcony, Galfore and Greerak narrowed their eyes at the sight of shadowy portals materializing on the ground several miles in front of where the fleet had originally been parked. The sight of countless shadowy cloak-like figures swooping out onto Gordanian land from those portals only confirmed their suspicions.

"They've reached their tipping point," said Galfore. "The ground troops are being deployed."

Greerak slammed his trident upon his left palm, hissing in anticipation. "High time they did so."

Galfore nodded in agreement, and the two rulers looked each other in the eyes. Now that the Umbrosians had deployed their ground troops, the ones for the Gordania-Tamaran alliance would soon follow suit. With that in mind, it was now not only time for the titans to retreat and prepare for their reveal, but also for Greerak and Galfore themselves to prepare for when they entered the battle as well alongside their respective honor guardsmen.

"It is time," said Greerak.

"Indeed." Galfore pointed in the direction of the interior door to the room behind them. "I shall remain here just long enough to make sure Koriand'r is aware that the time has come for our ruse to end. I shall join you and our honor guard immediately after that." He interlocked his fingers, stretching his hands and arms forward in the process. "It has been a long time since I've ever fought directly in combat. My ax thirsts for blood."

"As does my trident," Greerak hissed in agreement, lifting his weapon and slamming its blunt end on the floor thrice to prove his point.

Galfore drew out his communicator he reserved for communicating with Starfire and started entering the necessary calling code. Greerak turned around, flapped his wings, and flew off to where his honor guard was waiting.

. . . . .

Blackfire narrowed her eyes. A quarter of an hour had passed since both sides had deployed their ground troops, and now she felt curious as to why she'd just caught sight of one of the Tamaranean battleships turning around and retreating from the battle. "What in X'hal's name is going on?" she thought to herself.

At the sound of clashing weapons and screaming warriors, her attention was drawn away from this confusing detail to watch the dueling ground troops. As she watched, she couldn't help but let brief smiles come on her face every time one of the Tamaraneans or Gordanians fell to the attacks of the Umbrosian soldiers. Unfortunately, the Umbrosian soldier casualties, of which there were considerably more, were enough to leave her literally glowing eyed with rage every time one of her own soldiers was either cut down by a Tamaranean spear or blasted to ash by a Gordanian trident.

Nolfavrel, while not angry, nevertheless raised his 'eyebrow' in concern. "At this rate, your sister and her friends won't even need to miraculously turn out to be alive for our forces to be defeated."

"Hey now," said Cometbolt. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Things could yet improve. Besides, regardless of whether our lot improves, how much worse could things possibly get?"

At the sight of a sudden giant burst of green light from the video feed, the three 'higher ups' turned their heads back to the battle in surprise just in time to see a massive ball of what looked like green flames strike a squadron of Umbrosians and explode in a brilliant flash of green light. The trio continued to remain stunned even as the video feed managed to shift closer and closer towards the area from which this unexpected attack appeared to have come from.

Cometbolt managed to get his voice back, and he directed a side glance at Blackfire. "I am starting to get the feeling that I will soon regret asking that question."

Blackfire glowered at Cometbolt, an acerbic response seconds away from leaving her mouth. But then she caught sight of what looked like five disturbingly familiar-looking silhouettes walking forward from within a large cave entrance beneath the Gordanian palace, and she directed her glance back to the video feed, her eyes narrowing. "It can't be," she thought to herself half in shock and half in rage. "By X'hal, tell me that's not. . ."

The five figures stepped out of the cave and fully into view. Upon sight of them, her eyes widened for a split second in shock. But then she snarled, her eyes glowed, and she slammed her fists on the plinth that the video feed was positioned upon.

"NO!" she howled in fury.

. . . . .

"Titans, go!" yelled Starfire.

In a flash, she, Robin, and Cyborg lunged off to battle the Umbrosians. Within moments, the already suffering Umbrosian side found itself even more hilariously outgunned as countless numbers of them were blasted to dust by Starfire's star bolts and eye beams, Robin's flame and electricity disks, and Cyborg's sonic cannon.

Robin ran every which way he could through the dueling alien soldiers, throwing disk after disk like there was no tomorrow. "Don't be so gloomy," Robin yelled. "Lighten up!"

"Booyah!" Cyborg yelled gleefully as he mowed down Umbrosians with his sonic cannon.

Starfire, meanwhile, threw star bolt and star bolt, with the occasional beam fired from her eyes every now and then, grunting with effort as she did so.

Eventually, the Umbrosians appeared to start getting wise to all this, and they all started to gang up into one large group that would hopefully be big enough to overwhelm the three teenage heroes.

Fortunately for their friends, Raven and Beast Boy had hung back and waited precisely for this very possibility. In the week that had followed the Valentine's Day incidents, they had worked together to form their very own special combo attacks so as to help keep their friendship and ability to work together in combat strong no matter how awkward things got between them.

"You ready Beast Boy?"

The changeling nodded, and transformed into a spinosaurus.

Raven levitated up, placed her glowing hands on the dinosaur's back, and sent her distinctive black energy pouring into him. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"

With a crackling hum, Beast Boy the spinosaurus started crackling with black energy. Then the sail on his back started to glow as it appeared to absorb beams of moonlight. The dinosaur turned its head to stare directly at the mass horde of Umbrosians about to try to overwhelm Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg, its jaws starting to glow with white light. Its mouth opened, and with a roar of relieved tension, a giant beam of white light erupted from its open jaws straight at the mass Umbrosian onslaught.

The effect on the enemy forces was instantaneous as the gigantic blast of white light proceeded to obliterate not only the mass group about to try to rush against the other titans, but also a sizable number of the Umbrosians that were still busy battling the Tamaranean and Gordanian ground troops.

The Umbrosians soon found more reason for worry when, while Beast Boy and Raven were still firing off their devastating combo attack, they heard what sounded like harsh primal shouting coming from the very cave that the titans had exited from, and then turned their heads in time to see a combined squadron of Gordanian and Tamaranean warriors charging out of the cave with their weapons at the ready. But what really made the Umbrosians terrified to see this particular squadron was the very unique armor that the majority of its members wore in comparison to that worn by the all the other foot soldiers, and also the two evident leading figures at the helm of the squadron.

"The enemy will feel our fury tonight!" Galfore bellowed as he waved his ax furiously through the air.

"Die shadow scum!" Greerak roared, his trident aimed straight at a far off Umbrosian squadron and glowing with green energy.

With screams of rage, the two rulers and their respective honor guardsmen entered the fray, the Tamaraneans bellowing like animals while hacking Umbrosians with their axes and the Gordanians blasting mercilessly with their tridents. All while the titans, regular ground troopers, and spaceships continued their own respective assaults against the enemy.

. . . . .

"NO!"

Blackfire slammed her fists on the plinth where the video feed orb was positioned again and again. "NO, NO, NO, NO! Ahz'rogha curse you, NO!"

Cometbolt winced. "I will admit, I am now feeling very glad that we didn't make any bets on how long it would take for us to win this battle."

Blackfire turned her head, a savage death glare on her face directed at her countryman.

Nolfavrel shook his head. "It would appear that my instincts, and your countryman's hopes were correct. Contrary to you and Phantrath's naïve assumptions, your sister, her friends, and the other Tamaraneans they were accompanying are not only still alive, but are actively fighting with your planet's military alongside the Gordanians."

He lifted his hand to his head, ready to initiate telepathic contact with the rest of the Umbrosian council. "The end result is seeming to be quite clear now. I shall recall our forces immediately."

"NO!"

Nolfavrel and Cometbolt directed annoyed glances at Blackfire.

"Komand'r," said the Umbrosian councilman. "Be reasonable. At this current rate, it is clear that victory will not be ours; and we are already losing far too many men as is. As much as death may only be a temporary inconvenience for my kin, that doesn't mean we enjoy dying any more than any other species. We need to call retreat now, so that we can have enough to properly enact our initial plans for Tamaran with more sufficiently prepared troops."

"We can still win this battle," Blackfire hissed, desperate to get some sort of worthy end result out of this current effort. "I'm sure we can. We're just suffering a few setbacks, that's all."

Cometbolt pointed meaningfully at what was unfolding on the video feed. "You call this 'suffering a few setbacks'? We're being massacred!"

Blackfire growled, and hung her head in indecision. She looked back at the video feed, and spent what felt like an hour watching the ensuing chaos as what appeared to be thousands of Umbrosian soldiers and ships falling to the combined might of the Tamaraneans, Gordanians, and titans all attacking together. Blackfire tensed herself, her teeth gritting, and eyes closed. She did not want to back down. She so desperately didn't want to back down. But as she continued to watch more and more of her borrowed soldiers getting vanquished by the might of the hopelessly large army that was fighting alongside her sister and the other titans, she found herself realizing more and more just how clearly even the tiniest of hope for her achieving victory in this battle would be delusional at this point.

Letting out a mixture between a sob and a snarl, she slammed her fists on the video feed pedestal one more time. "OH ALRIGHT FINE!" she snapped. She turned around, raising her hand dismissively in Nolfavrel's direction. "Call for them to retreat," she hissed bitterly.

The Umbrosian councilman nodded. "I knew you would see reason soon enough." He lifted his hands to his head, beginning the necessary telepathic transmission.

. . . . .

Karras was understandably stunned when the attacking Umbrosian ships seemed to suddenly lose interest and fly hurriedly away from the combat.

"What in X'hal's name?" he thought to himself.

"General," said Taryia's voice from his commlink. "The enemy. . . they're. . ."

"I see it darl. . . Lieutenant."

Yarboth and most of the other Gordanians were similarly surprised at this sight, as well as the sight of the ground troops similarly working to detach themselves from the combat and retreat. "They're abandoning the battle," Yarboth hissed in confusion. "Why?"

Garzvohg snarled, clearly not caring about that matter. "Does it matter?" He prepared his ship's blasters for another round of fire. "I for one, am certainly not gonna allow them to leave with any incentive to return here in a hurry!"

With an inarticulate roar, Garzvohg began to open fire at the fleeing Umbrosians. Acting purely on instinct, the rest of the Gordanian fighter pilots promptly followed suit, as did the Gordanian ground troops.

Karras soon saw the tactical sense in this move. "Keep firing men," yelled Karras. "Make sure they feel no reason to come back!"

"You heard the General!" Taryia yelled, clearly more than willing to support her husband and commanding officer. "Keep firing!"

The Tamaranean fighter pilots instantly obeyed their commander's orders, sending a storm of their own blaster fire to join the continued Gordanian blaster onslaught.

The only combatants not to add attacks of their own into the onslaught were the titans. Beast Boy raised his saurian eyebrow, and then reverted back to human form. "Um . . . should we keep attacking?"

The other titans all looked to Starfire, who shook her head. "No. There will be no need." She directed her gaze towards the combined Tamaranean and Gordanian army, a warm look of pride on her face. "The efforts of our army, King Greerak, and my K'norfka will be more than enough to finish driving them out." She turned around to face her friends, her smile widened and eyes agleam with joy. "We have won."

And just like that, the battle for Gordania is over, and the combined army of titans, Tamaraneans, and Gordanians is victorious (at least for this battle anyway)! All that said, I hope very much that you enjoyed this chapter, read it, and leave plenty of feedback (after all, I do require an exact minimum (I repeat; MINIMUM) of 2 reviews for this chapter before I will allow the next chapter to be posted). All in all, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to seeing more ^_^

Coming up next: The titans and the combined forces of Tamaran and Gordania celebrate their success in the battle for Gordania, complete with Greerak granting Starfire a particularly generous surprise ceremonial favor. However, near the celebration's end, is there perhaps something in the area that could bring about a dark cloud over the celebratory mood? Find out next time!