Robin stirred, groaning heavily.
"Star? What's- ooohhh what's-" he slurred.
"Shh, Robin. You were injured."
He didn't like the tone of her voice, but he didn't have much time to analyze it before the shockwave of pain assaulted his entire body.
"Oh God-"
He started to thrash but Starfire held him in her iron grip. His legs kicked and squirmed frantically, the incredible pain unbearable. She whispered to him, trying to calm him and get him to quiet. His mind struggled to overcome the severe amount of agony he was in as he grasped her arm tightly with his left hand, his breaths wheezing.
After the initial jolt, it waned into a constant throbbing sting. He sluggishly tried to roll himself over, but Starfire's hands stilled his body again.
"Do not move. You have lost a lot of blood. Your wounds are struggling to heal; by you shifting you will agitate them."
Robin groaned and flopped his head back into her lap, panting heavily.
"The Gordanians?" he gasped out.
"They are gone, at present."
"Blackfire?"
"She is gone too."
"Then… where are we?"
Starfire didn't answer.
"Star?"
"We are on our way to the Citadel."
Robin's eyes widened. "What?!" He glanced at his surroundings.
Starfire said nothing, but he noticed that she was breathing heavily and rather erratically.
"Starfire, how…?"
"I am sorry, Robin," she said, her voice tight. "This was not supposed to happen."
"What are we going to do? There has to be a way to get out of here," Robin said, surveying for any means of possible escape, despite the fact his vision kept blurring.
Starfire's breath increased again. "There is not!" she said shrilly. "This was not supposed to happen!" She pressed her hands against her face.
"What do you mean?"
"I came here… Robin I came here with the intent to get captured."
Robin's mouth dropped open. "What?! Why?!"
"You were not supposed to come with me! You were supposed to stay home, safe in the tower!" she exclaimed frantically.
Robin sat up with extreme effort, gripping his right arm with his left hand. He noted grimly that fire ripped through his back when he tried to move his right limb. He guessed there was at least something broken in there. "Why would you come here to get captured?!"
"So the Intergalactic Police force could apprehend my sister on a charge of abducting a member of royalty," she said, her eyes glazing over.
"Starfire, calm down, breath slower. You're going pale."
She was hyperventilating, her irises slipping into solid green.
Robin shook her slightly, rubbed her hands with his left. Her eyes came back into focus.
"Why would you do such a stupid and reckless thing?" he asked evenly.
She went shifty, her eyes darting everywhere.
"I did not think they had this form of containment; it was illegal!"
"What do you mean?" Robin asked, trying his best to calm her down.
"I could escape from their regular cells! This is impossible, there is no way out of here unless someone releases us!"
"What are we in? Why is this illegal?"
"This is a special sort of containment cell. It is illegal because it is powered by xenothium."
Robin felt his mouth form a shocked "o".
"Shit," he muttered.
"Yes. The red haze you see covering the door is the xenothium. It is impossible to escape! We are as you say the 'screwed'!" she shrieked, her eyes wild.
"Starfire!" Robin said shortly. He grabbed her and shook her shoulder.
She rounded on him. "You were not supposed to come. You were supposed to stay at the tower. Robin I cannot deal with the guilt if you are handed over to the Citadel because of me, you were not supposed to come!"
"Stop it," he snapped. "I'm glad I came. I can't believe you were going to just let yourself get captured. Of all the stupid, idiotic, brain dead ideas-"
"Shh!!" she hissed.
Blackfire was sashaying down the corridor.
The door swung away but the red barrier remained over the opening. Blackfire stood in the doorway beyond the crimson haze. Robin noted that the effect made her look very demonic.
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist a little gloating. Sooo, how are we doing?" Blackfire taunted.
"Zukto kyshta dostano," Starfire spat.
Blackfire shook her head, a wide smirk on her lips and her hands smugly on her hips. "Tsk tsk sister dear. A princess of Tamaran shouldn't say something so vulgar. You always did have a mouth on you though, didn't you?"
"What did you say to her?" Robin whispered.
Starfire glared coldly up at her sister, her fierce eyes completely green and glowing. "I told her to go do the fucking of herself."
Robin's mouth dropped open and his eyebrows rose.
Blackfire seemed unaffected. She grinned viciously at her two captives. "I can't wait to see the look on Korthar's face when he sees you." She snorted before her voice went sugary and condescending as she leaned over and placed her hands on her knees. "I bet you just can't wait to see home sweet home, can you Kori? Oh and Robin! He'll have so much fun too. His weak little body won't even last one day. I bet he'll be dead after two seconds of foltur excrucio."
Robin's face went completely white. "Isn't that… what they did.. to…"
Starfire nodded, biting her bottom lip as her face looked strained, her eyes glazed.
"But… I'm male… how would they…perform foltur excrucio on me?" he strangled out.
Starfire closed her eyes painfully, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked like she was going to be sick. "Robin, please," she moaned, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Don't worry Robin, they have a version for you too," Blackfire purred. "I've heard, that once your pain threshold snaps, it's actually quite the euphoric experience. Isn't that right, Kori?"
Robin glanced at Starfire, who was leaning over her knees in an attempt not to faint.
"Don't listen to her Star, she's just trying to get us worked up," Robin said, trying to convince himself as much as her even though his insides had turned to jelly, and not in the good tingly way.
Starfire gazed at the floor with haunted eyes, still doubled over. "What she has mentioned is mild compared to what awaits me there," she whispered. "Robin… I do not know… how this will end, but she is right. You will not survive for very long. Be grateful your body will die before you have to go through their entire… facility. I am sorry Robin, I am so sorry," she whimpered. "I never meant to put you in any danger."
"Starfire," he breathed, hugging her close. She looked like something inside of her had snapped. Her eyes were wide and glazed over, and sweat trickled down her temple, but her cheeks remained dry of tears.
"I find comfort in the knowledge that it would not be long before I would join you. They will not leave me alive this time."
"Don't talk like that! It's not going to happen, don't talk like that."
She shook her head. "Robin, once this ship lands in the Citadel, we can consider ourselves dead."
"Oh how touching. You two should enjoy your last moments together. Maybe, Robin, instead of killing you right away they'll be merciful and let you watch while they have their fun with Kori. What she experienced last time was just a warm up for the main event." Blackfire's grin went truly evil. "She's all grown up now, isn't she?"
Robin's stomach retched and he had to swallow the bile that had risen in his throat. Starfire slumped over on the floor.
"Star, Starfire," Robin said, shaking her. He did his best to get her head between her knees.
She came to, groaning.
He laid her on the floor, grimacing as the throbbing in his back escalated to a sharp pain.
Blackfire snickered. "You two are pathetic."
"Shut up!" Robin yelled, cradling Starfire's head. "Why her?! Why?! Why are you doing this?!"
Blackfire's face twisted into a snarl. "Because she was born."
"That doesn't fucking make sense!" Robin exclaimed.
"I was the first princess born in over a hundred years. It should have been me! The throne, the way everyone treats her like she's fucking X'hal's gift to Tamaran," she spat. "Our people are fickle and stupid. Just because I look different and couldn't fly, they gave the right to the throne to her. Because she's little miss perfect. She's a 'true' Tamaranian princess, the way a princess should look, and should act." Her lips curled up in an evil smile. "And that's why the Citadel wants her instead of me. They want to break her and everything she symbolizes. And I want to watch it happen."
"You turned your back on your own people," Starfire cried, speaking up. "You only did that to yourself!"
"No! That is not how it happened! They turned their backs on me first!" Blackfire snarled. "Don't tell me how history happened when you weren't there!"
"But!-"
"Shut the fuck up, Kori! They didn't accept me! They shunned me, they averted their eyes when they passed me, they whispered about me behind my back. Fuck them all Kori, fuck them all!" Blackfire roared, jabbing her index finger at her sister.
"But not me, Kom! I never treated you that way. Never!"
"Oooh, well aren't you just an angel. Perfect in every way, aren't you? You're everything they wanted in me. Everything they had wanted me to be."
Blackfire screamed in frustration and slammed her fist into the wall.
"I loathe everything that you are Kori! So when I watch the Citadel break you, it's like I'm watching the Citadel break them. I can't wait until I hand you over. It will be so fulfilling. And in exchange for you, I get to rule over everything, like I was supposed to! I'll run Tamaran into the ground. The stupid Citadel won't know what hit them, and then I will take control of everything. I will have won. I have won! I've won!!"
Blackfire began laughing. And laughing. It escalated into a screaming fit; she doubled over completely giddy, her delight bubbling from her throat.
Starfire stared in complete horror, and Robin's mouth hung open.
"She's completely insane. She's fucking bonkers," he said, stupefied.
Blackfire was sitting on the floor now, tears streaming from her eyes, her laughter unceasing. Finally she reduced to giggles as she floated upright.
"Oh, ha ha, oh Kori," Blackfire said, wiping her cheeks. "I've got to go tell Korthar the good news. It won't be too long. I'm so happy!"
The door slammed shut, and they could still hear her laughing as she disappeared down the hall.
Starfire was smoldering. She growled low in her throat, before yelling in a fit of rage and launching herself at the door.
"Starfire stop!" Robin called.
"Arrrgh!! Arrrrrrggh!!"
She pounded at the door, screaming with each impact, the barrier sizzling and popping with every punch and kick.
"Starfire, ahhh!" Robin tried to move, but his back flared with pain and he hissed. "You're burning yourself, Starfire stop!"
One last kick and a wail before Starfire's spark died, and she collapsed in front of the door.
"Star," Robin said mournfully.
--
"How much longer."
"Was that a question or a demand?"
"This is no time for sarcastic quips. They're in extreme danger. If you can't handle getting us there any faster I demand that I take over control."
"Don't get your briefs in a bunch, we're already traveling as fast as we possibly can. I would say we have at least seven hours before we intercept them."
"And how long do they have before they reach their destination?"
"Judging by their position and velocity, they have at least twenty four hours before they reach the Citadel."
"J'onn."
J'onn inclined his head.
"Where are Robin and Starfire right now?"
J'onn's red eyes slid over to the window.
"They are still in the holding cell. They are frightened."
"They should be. Galfore, is it?"
"Yes," Galfore said gruffly.
"Have you established a damage control plan? How many have we got to back us up?"
"We have eight confirmed so far."
"We're going to need more than that if we're going to get them to back down."
"Zhal Ryand'r is working on it. He is in contact with Omiricon as we speak."
"Good. Titans."
Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy snapped to attention.
"Raven, I'm going to need you to find Robin and Starfire upon arrival, and heal whatever injuries they've sustained. Beast Boy and Cyborg, I will need you both to help find Blackfire."
"Got it," Cyborg said, his face grim.
"IGP is about two hours behind us. They had red tape to go through and needed time to assemble a team of officers. Raven, how long will it take you to heal Robin and Starfire?"
"It depends on how severe the wounds are. If Robin has broken bones, that will take considerably longer than just tissue damage."
"All right…they aren't going to willingly allow us into their ship. Here's how we are going to board…"
--
It was several hours past, and Starfire was slumped on the floor, staring blankly at the other wall. She refused to speak; the only thing she had whispered before she fell into a long silence was "I cannot go back there."
Robin's back was hurting worse instead of getting better. He grimaced every once in awhile, but didn't move. Starfire was too out of it to cauterize his wounds closed. The back of his pants was drenched in blood and he was extremely uncomfortable, the hard metal floor making his bones ache to the marrow. His breath was short and his skin was cold and clammy. He could feel his pulse was racing, but it was weak. The tips of his fingers were like ice. He grimly noted these symptoms as he pressed his head against the hard metallic wall, carefully leaning only his left shoulder against the frigid unforgiving surface.
It was looking bleak; both of them sat silently and the eerie dread that had plagued them on their way to the Gordanian ship now assaulted them full force. Starfire's eyes were dead; the old memories had taken over. A sheen of water would film over her eyes sporadically, but it never spilled down her cheek.
Robin would hunch his shoulders every time she jumped and gasped, her paranoid eyes darting around in wonder, like she didn't realize she had been trapped in the tiny barren cell the whole time. Her mind had been somewhere else, a horrific somewhere else he didn't ever want her to experience again.
She had started from her reveries with another choked cry and he was wondering how many hours had truly passed. Starfire was completely lost inside herself, and he just couldn't snap her out of it, no matter how hard he coaxed. He was wondering how long it would take before his body gave out. He was so weak he could barely sit up, and he was cradling his arm against his torso tightly. His clothes were becoming stiff with dried blood, yet he could still feel more trickling down his skin.
Starfire's face was sunken in, her eyes vapid pools of hunter green.
Robin was feeling the grayness pull at his consciousness. He could feel his body shutting down; his mind was struggling between the will to stay afloat and the biological need to drift away. He had only felt this way once before, but the sense of peace escaped him. If he let go now, there was no one to protect Starfire from the Citadel. Even though he felt so weak he could hardly lift a finger, his basic instinct told himself to defend her at all costs. He could barely shiver.
Starfire was pale and lifeless, slumped over on the floor. Her eyes stared so vacantly that it made Robin shudder to look at her. He couldn't believe it was going to end like this. All her effort to free herself from her past, and she was going to lose. They would do more than just break her body… they would completely destroy her spirit.
It was so hard to breathe. Panic was nipping at his consciousness, firing between his nerves. Robin knew that he did not have much time left. An hour at most, minutes at the least.
The cold was seeping into every fiber of his being, and the already dim cell was growing dimmer by the minute. His heavy eyelids were beginning to close.
It was in this darkest hour that a black shape rose up through the floor.
Starfire started to life again and pressed up against the wall, her eyes glazed with fear and a scream rasped from her throat. Robin stared numbly, unwilling to believe it, thinking that his delirious mind must be playing tricks on his eyes.
The black shape materialized into a blue hooded figure.
Starfire's eyes widened in recognition and she flew so fast that she nearly knocked the figure over.
"Oh Raven!" she cried, instantly tears were streaming down her face as she clamped onto salvation with every ounce of strength she had, kissing her firmly on the cheeks. "I never thought you would make it! Oh thank X'hal!!"
For once Raven didn't mind the strength of Starfire's hug, and she squeezed Starfire back as tightly as she could.
"Of course we'd make it, Starfire," she whispered, attempting to keep her own tears at bay.
Starfire was sobbing and clutching at the empath, her relief releasing in a flood down her cheeks.
Raven had to physically pull away and disentangle herself from Starfire. She held Starfire at arms length and examined her body.
"Where are you hurt? Your arm and leg?"
Starfire wiped at her face, her eyes still draining, and turned to Robin.
"I have sustained a few deep cuts but Robin is in need of you first."
Raven glided over to Robin, who was unable to move and was still sitting on the floor.
"Raven, God I've never been more happy to see you… both," he grinned weakly. She blurred before him, two of her swimming in his vision.
"You're still joking around, that has to at least be a good sign," she said dryly. She leaned down and hugged him tightly, careful of his back. Robin gave her a solid kiss on her cheek too.
"Turn around now so I can heal you."
"Please do, this is killing me... literally…"
Raven untied his shirt and gaped at what she saw.
"Oh Azar Robin. You're lucky I got here when I did, you're losing blood."
"I know."
Raven peered at his face. "You're pale."
"Yeah," Robin said with a pained chuckle. "I'm rivaling you, I'm sure."
Raven picked up his hand in hers. "Robin, you're going into shock."
"I know."
Starfire's eyes looked stricken.
"Starfire, I'm going to need you," Raven beckoned.
She knelt down next to Raven and Robin.
"Can you use low wattage power and rub his hands and arms with your hands?"
"I can."
Starfire's hands glowed, and she picked up Robin's in hers.
"Warm up his chest too. But not too much, we don't want to go from one extreme to the other. It could cause nerve damage."
"Understood."
Raven placed her hands over Robin's back. Blue light mixed with green.
"You've got a couple broken ribs, and your shoulder blade is cracked. I bet you can feel that."
"Yep," Robin clipped.
"You are extremely lucky she didn't puncture your lung. I can heal your bones and your wounds but I can't replace blood loss. You're body is in shock and I really can't fix that either. I can only rejuvenate you to some level, but you will still be very weak. You were on the brink of death. You shouldn't fight after this."
"I don't know if that's going to be possible."
"Make it possible. You could easily faint."
"You forget who I was trained by."
Raven shook her head. "You forget that your body has limitations that even training cannot overcome."
Robin's face twisted; he grunted and hissed in pain.
"I'm sorry, but it is pretty bad."
"It's a good pain," he said tightly.
"I guess. It's basically fast-forwarding weeks of healing into a span of minutes. Though this one might take me awhile. Healing bones takes a lot of strength and time."
After an hour, the holes finally began to close over, his reddened skin returning to normal. After she was completely done Robin attempted to stand up, but he staggered against the wall as he blacked out momentarily. His cramped and shaky muscles protested.
"Careful!" Raven exclaimed, catching him. "I told you so."
Robin held out his palm. "I'll be fine. Shake it off."
"You can't shake off a pint and a half of blood loss."
Robin stretched out his back, circling his arms. He scrunched his nose when his skin was sticky with dried blood. His shirt was worse, torn and stiff with blood, but it was all he had. He stuck out his tongue as he pulled it back on.
"It feels great, thanks Rae." He hugged her fully then, pulling her into a tight embrace and giving her another peck on the cheek.
"You're welcome," she sighed. He was ignoring her advice.
She turned to Starfire then, healing the cuts on her upper arm and thigh.
After she was done, she pulled out her communicator.
"Report," said the voice on the other end of the line.
Robin and Starfire's mouths dropped open.
"Batman, I have reached Robin and Starfire. They are healed and we're awaiting your instruction."
"We will begin boarding the ship now. The Gordanians have seen through our cloaking and it might not be long before things get hostile. Wait until I call you before you portal Robin and Starfire out. Then I want you to hide until IGP gets here, and you can board their ship."
"Got it," Raven nodded, flicking the comm closed. Starfire frowned at the instructions.
"You called Batman," Robin said, his voice hesitant.
"We did, sorry. But we figured we needed all the help we could get."
"How did he get here so fast?"
"Cyborg contacted Herald."
"Ahh."
"He ported Batman, Superman, J'onn, and all of us to IGP. We met up with Galfore and Ryand'r. They're all stationed on a pod just outside."
"They are all here?" Starfire said wistfully.
"Yes Starfire, we all came," Raven said quietly.
Tears sprang to Starfire's eyes again.
Just then they heard a massive explosion and the ship pitched violently, tossing all three to the floor.
"What the hell was that?!" Robin exclaimed as he bumped into a wall.
Raven's comm chirped.
She flicked it open after she finished rolling.
"Raven. The Gordanians have opened fire on us, and we have returned fire. We are almost to the hangar. Get Robin and Starfire out of there now."
"Will do," she responded with a nod. The screen went blank. She turned to her teammates.
"Group hug," Raven droned.
Robin snorted as Raven placed her hands on his and Starfire's shoulders. They swirled into her cloak and appeared on the outside of the cell.
Starfire immediately headed down the corridor with purpose.
"Starfire, where are you going?!" Robin called.
"I am going to find my sister," she said, determined.
"Starfire, wait! You can't do that!"
Raven and Robin followed along hurriedly.
"She will not be stopped unless I stop her."
"Batman said we should go back to IGP when they get here, where you'll be safe. You don't have to fight anymore," Raven insisted. "Let Batman, Superman, and J'onn deal with it."
"No," she said sharply. "This is not their fight."
Robin and Raven looked at each other. Both began to protest.
"I will not be swayed. I am going to find my sister. You can go back to IGP, where you will be safe. This is what I came out here to do, and I will not suffer the guilt if anyone else is harmed by my sister."
Her eyes were cold as ice and her tone booked no argument.
"Then we're going with you," Robin said firmly. Raven nodded.
"I really wish you would not."
"Well it's not your say. As a Titan, I am your leader and I say the Titans are going to work together," Robin stated, pulling rank.
Starfire looked ready to challenge and she opened her mouth.
"Starfire," Robin said sharply. She looked shocked and closed her mouth. Robin felt it was finally time to grow a pair and stop letting her push him around.
"I'm your leader. It's time you listen to me."
She kept her mouth pressed tightly shut and watched him with intense eyes.
"We're going through this together, whether you want it or not."
"You are all I have and I do not wish for anything to happen to you. I would feel better if you and Raven go back to the IGP ship."
"And you're all I've got. Do you remember what I said? While we were on the pod?"
Starfire cast her eyes down.
"If you wish to come with, then I leave it as your choice." She looked up at Raven. "I would rather you return to the other ship where you will be safe, but if you wish to come with us…"
"I'm coming with, Starfire," Raven said firmly.
Starfire nodded. "Then it is settled. We have exited the cellblock. Raven, where is my sister?"
Raven's eyes went white as she scanned the ship. "So many signatures," she said, her voice echoing. She was still. "There. She is on the bridge." Raven's eyes returned to normal.
"Thank you," Starfire nodded.
She led them down the corridor.
--
"Really, did you have to navigate too? I'm perfectly capable of flying a pod, Bats."
"You know me. If you want something done right you've got to do it yourself."
"Thanks," Superman said dryly, who was demoted to the co-pilot chair. "I appreciate the confidence you place in others."
"Bickering will not serve to strengthen our camaraderie. I suggest we stop the petty remarks and focus on the mission at hand," J'onn interjected wisely.
"Yeah, listen to the Martian Gandhi and get your team morale in shape," Superman shot at Batman.
"And you wonder why I like working solo," Batman muttered.
"It is always inspiring to see one's advice being taken seriously," J'onn deadpanned.
Beast Boy and Cyborg watched this interchange with bemused expressions. The Justice League members were squabbling like Teen Titans. And the Titans weren't teens anymore.
They all rocked in their seats as Batman avoided several projectiles that were flinging toward them, shooting some down with the pod's limited but powerful artillery.
"We have to settle this thing before they blow us apart." Batman gritted his teeth as he completed another tricky maneuver. "I'm gaining on the portside hangar. Reading shows 300 feet."
The entire crew in the pod watched intensely as the meter blipped every measurement closer. When it read 100 feet Batman fired at the hangar doors, blasting through them. When the hole was wide enough, he quickly navigated the pod into the opening. He had just made it inside as an emergency shield cut them off from space. The doors into the main hangar opened once the seal was secure. Batman guided the ship just inside. Gordanians were already headed toward them, ready to attack.
"This is it, boys," Superman said with a set face.
"Stick to the plan," Batman said quickly as he popped the pod open. J'onn phased directly through the pod's wall and began fighting the guards.
The rest of them spilled out and began combating an opponent. The lethal spears glanced off Cyborg's armor. One tried to shock him, but he just wiggled and socked the guard in the face.
"That tickles," he said to the prone alien on the floor. He plowed through many guards, his powerful punches dropping them like flies, his sonic cannon proving very effective.
Galfore proved how fearsome a warrior he was, using his own Tamaranian spear to combat the Gordanians skillfully.
J'onn was stealthy, confusing his enemies as he dipped in and out of the walls, one minute in front of a Gordanian and the next behind it, bringing the guard down with a strike.
Ryand'r tackled his own group, using his strong hands to his advantage.
Beast Boy utilized several of his powerhouse animals, becoming a bear and swinging mighty paws at Gordanians, turning into a tyrannosaurus next and taking out a whole group with his tail, a tiger slashing with razor sharp claws.
Batman multi-tasked; he threw batarangs at three henchmen and engaged two in combat. He launched his grappling hook at an overhead duct and propelled himself, bowling over four guards.
Soon all of the opposition was incapacitated.
"J'onn," Batman said. The Martian nodded.
"Where is Blackfire?"
J'onn stood still for a moment. "The Tamaranian is located on the bridge. Koriand'r is also headed for the bridge, along with Robin and Raven."
Batman frowned. "I told them to wait for IGP."
"Koriand'r is determined to defeat her sister and nothing will stop her. Robin and Raven disapprove but they cannot deter her, so they are following for support," J'onn said.
"Let's go immediately. If she's going to be foolish and still fight, she is going to need all the support she can get."
--
"I don't get it," Raven whispered. "Two minutes ago she was an extremely frightened little girl and now she's Xena the Warrior Princess. I'm getting confidence radiating off her in waves. Was she drastically shifting emotions like this the whole time?"
"Yeah," Robin whispered back. "First she told Blackfire to go fuck herself and then she fainted."
Raven's eyebrows nearly rose off her forehead. "She told Blackfire to what?"
"Yep," Robin nodded.
"I didn't think she had it in her," Raven said.
"Apparently, half of all those Tamaranian words we don't know are swear words. Starfire admitted that the closet translation to English for the word 'chlorbag' was 'ass clown' and 'gremplork' straight up meant 'dirty whore.' Yeah. That's the face I made too."
"Starfire called Beast Boy a 'chlorbag' once," Raven snorted. "How fitting."
Robin snorted a laugh too. "Anyway…" He looked sadly at Starfire's back. "I think she has to convince herself that she can do anything, right now."
Raven sobered too. "At least we're here now. Even if she doesn't want any help, she's going to get it."
Starfire turned around with eyes that could melt a glacier.
Raven looked guilty. "Do you think she heard us?" she said to Robin out the side of her mouth.
Robin gulped. "God I hope not."
"This way to the bridge," Starfire pointed, her voice frigid enough to refreeze the melted glacier.
"She so heard us."
--
Strangely, they encountered only a few Gordanians that were quickly dispatched on their way to Blackfire's location.
Raven's comm clicked as they were trying to find an elevator that went to the bridge deck.
She flicked it open. It was a message from Batman that IGP was on track, and it was a half an hour away, portside.
"IGP will be here in half an hour," Raven told the others.
"Good," Robin said.
Starfire listened but didn't even incline her head. She was intent on finding a shaft that went all the way to the bridge. Two elevators only went as far as the main deck.
Four Gordanians sprinted around the corner, their spears crackling.
Raven's eyes went white and her inky powers snaked out and wrenched all the weapons away from their adversaries.
The four stopped up short, staring at their empty hands in surprise. Starfire flew in with a side kick, propelling one Gordanian into the wall. She spun in the air and cleanly round-housed another.
Robin punched and jabbed one, and Raven used her powers to toss the last opponent into the wall with a crunch.
"Let us go. If I am remembering correctly, there should be another elevator shaft that hits the bridge a couple of sections down."
Starfire flew down the corridor, Raven following and Robin on foot.
Oooh goodness. Yeah it's been awhile, like always. Once again, I apologize for that. I guess I can tell that people don't look at my author's page all that much. I'm totally not blaming any one person at all, but I have noticed that every once in awhile I get a message that isn't very polite, demanding me to update. It really frustrates me, because I know I've said it before, but there are a lot of things happening in my life. My marriage had a rough start, I had a lot of crap to deal with, and now my position at work was eliminated and I was forced to take a demotion. I wish I had more time to work on this story, I reeeeally do. It makes me sad and upset when someone demands me to update and wonders why I haven't been around. Please take into consideration that people are sometimes dealing with life. This story will get finished, one way or another, I promise. It just might take me a few years to do it…
But seriously, to all of you who are so supportive and encouraging, I love you all. I read every single review and I appreciate everyone who takes the time to drop me a line and I am so sorry I'm so rude myself and can't always reply. You guys are all awesome.
Next up: race to the bridge