Starfire's POV:
I do not believe we could have received worse news. Slade was coming for me, and while I was not overly concerned, Robin was not taking the knowledge well.
"We're going to the safehouses on 7th. Cyborg, I want round the clock surveillance. No one gets within ten feet of that building without us knowing about it," Robin said, punching his fist into the palm of his other hand.o
"Robin, you cannot keep me locked away from the world just because you believe there is danger." I winced as his shoulders went rigid. Of course he would try to be overprotective. I would have to be a fool not to have seen the signs of his struggle all morning. That Slade was involved meant that all of his worst fears were coming to the forefront of his mind, as well as his worst traits.
"Starfire, I'm not-"
"Perhaps this could be the opportunity we have been waiting for," I interrupted. In the past, Slade has always done the slipping through our fingers because we were unprepared to face him. Perhaps now we have sufficient time to lay a trap."
"Out of the question," said Robin at once. Even Cyborg looked grim.
"Maybe if we were dealing with someone else, Starfire, but Slade can give Bàtman a run for his money in the strategy department. I don't like the idea of using you as bait. I mean, he's only ever toyed with us before, but he straight up just announced that he's coming to kill you. I get what you're trying to do, but I don't like the alternative if we can't stop him in time." Cyborg gave me an apologetic smile while Robin sent him a quick nod of gratitude for doing the siding with him.
"Starfire's right," said Raven unexpectedly. "He's coming for her whether we like it or not. When is another opportunity like this going to come again?"
"Slade will be expecting us to try and catch him. Why else would he leave a warning?" Robin pointed out. "He is a world class assassin. In some corners of the world they even call him Deathstroke because he always gets his target."
"Robin, you are letting fear get the better of you again," I chided. "Were you not also convinced that the Titans could not take on the Joker, and yet he is currently imprisoned in Arkham Asylum."
"And it took Babs getting paralyzed to put him there," he countered with deadly seriousness. "He's locked in the highest security cell in the country and still he managed to get a message to Slade of all people to come after you."
"This is not the first time I have faced such a threat. My life has been in danger since the moment I was born. As heir to the throne I have always been the target of assassins, yet I have survived."
"Robin, Slade expects us to keep Starfire close," said Beast Boy hesitantly. "No one's saying we have to send her off by herself." Robin threw him a threatening glare and Beast Boy wilted at once. Still, I could see the wheels in Robin's head turning despite his best intentions.
"So how do you propose we capture him then?" He said begrudgingly. Hope soared in my heart but I dared not let too much of it show through or Robin would try to deny me again.
"We continue rebuilding the Tower as planned. The island is easily defensible and Slade must come to us instead of having the advantage." I had not had sufficient time to consider the details, but tactically I was safer on the island where Slade would have fewer places to hide. "We will have to relay the framework for new security measures and it will be harder for Slade to plan around our defenses if he has had no opportunity to study them. For all we know he could have found our safehouses and laid traps for us there. He knows you, Robin. He will expect you to try to move me somewhere safe. He will not expect me to continue on as if there is nothing out of the ordinary."
Robin was clenching and unclenching his fists, but his eyes were fixed on my face with serious consideration in their depths. Slowly his desire to keep me safe was giving way to his need to defeat Slade.
"The only way on or off the island is by boat or the tunnel. It would be easy enough to set up motion detectors to let us know if someone is coming," Cyborg conceded. He still looked unconvinced. "But he's gotten by our security measures before. Remember that time he slipped that mask into the basement?"
"There are wards that can be used to detect any unwanted visitors," said Raven. Beast Boy's head snapped around to stare at her.
"And you're only just telling us now? Why didn't you say something the first time the Tower was built?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Because those wards are extremely dangerous and I did not have the control over my emotions then as I do now. If done incorrectly these protection wards might kill the next delivery boy who comes out to deliver a pizza." Beast Boy gulped.
"Oh. Okay yea...that's not good."
"And you think you can safely lay them down now?" Robin asked seriously. "There won't be a problem the next time Titans East come for a visit."
Raven rolled her eyes. "The spell that I'm talking about is a form of demon magic. Only those who are granted permission will be able to enter."
"You mean like how vampires can't come in unless you invite them?" Said Beast Boy, doing the perking up again. Raven sighed.
"Sure."
"So what happens to the people who aren't inited?" Cyborg asked.
"That depends. Originally the spell is supposed to put up a barrier and anyone that crosses it dies, but I can modify the effects."
"You're sure?" Robin narrowed his eyes. He would not be willing to risk hurting anyone even accidentally. Raven sent him a look of frostiness.
"I wouldn't suggest it if I wasn't sure."
Robin looked around the circle.
"You're all on board with this?"
"Not really," Cyborg admitted, " but what other choice do we have? It's not like we can hide Star away forever. Raven's right. No matter what we do Slade is coming for her."
Robin scowled, weighing our position against his. Finally, he pointed a finger at me.
"You don't go anywhere alone until this is over with. I mean it. No morning flights, no people-watching in the park. If you have to go you make sure someone knows where you are at all times."
I resented the order, or perhaps it was the tone in which it was given. I was not a child. I understood what was at stake. It took extra reserves of patience to bite back a remark about his pushiness. That could wait until later when we were alone. Instead, I lifted my chin and gave him a downward slash of agreement. He read me well enough to knowI was displeased. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something more, but he glanced at the others and changed his mind.
"Alright, it looks like we're going to camp out here tonight. Raven, you and Beast Boy go into town and buy us some supplies: blankets, pillows, some food. Starfire, Cyborg and I will set things up here."
"Actually," Raven said, "we can use my room."
We exchanged puzzled looks and she shrugged.
"I put several spells in place to keep Beast Boy from sneaking in and I guess it prevented any of the damage from getting in either." She pointed to a large rectangular box. The outside was as blackened as everything else on the island. Curious, I flew over to inspect it and found the keypad located on the opposite side. Ignoring it, I prided the door open with my hands and was surprised to find her room completely unharmed. Although the box was tilted sideways from the way it had fallen to the earth, everything inside remained perfectly level, as if it was all bolted in place.
"Perhaps we should put you in charge of security measures from now on, Raven," I said with a giggle. She rolled her eyes and hunched her shoulders beneath her cape. "Like I said, I've been doing some research. Someone has made it necessary." She sent Beast Boy a pointed look. He squawked.
"Hey, I stopped snooping a long time ago!"
"You mean the day the Tower went down?" she asked dryly.
"You should be thanking me if I'm the reason you've figured out all these fancy new spells."
"Yes, thank you for invading my privacy to the point where I had to consult demon magic to keep you out." She rolled her eyes.
"At least this keeps us out of the elements for a night or two. I'm going to call in Kid Flash to see if he can't help speed the build up. We'll still need sleeping bags." He gave them a list of items to purchase from the store. I wanted to accompany them, but I knew it would not be allowed. I must remain on the island at all times, at least until Slade did the making of his move. I only hoped that his attack would come soon. It troubled me how quickly the citizens of Jump had turned against us. Surely if we could spend some time among them as we used to they would see that we have not changed and that they are still able to do the trusting of us.
I had seen the depictions of us done with the spraying paint. I wanted to ask if it was customary on Earth for the defeated to be ridiculed in such a fashion in the wake of their loss. On Tamaran we told stories and jokes about our enemies weaknesses in battle. I could not understand why the male anatomy played such a prominent role in the human version of scorning the defeated, but it was a question I knew Robin was not in the mood to answer.
"What would you have me do, Robin?" I asked after Raven and Beast Boy flew away to run their errands. I kept my tone cool so that he would know I was still displeased with the way he had spoken to me. He blinked, glanced at Cyborg, and then swept his hand around at the rubble.
"If we want to rebuild we have to clear all of this out of the way first. Unfortunately without Raven, you're the only one strong enough to lift most of this." He attempted a rueful smile, but I stuck my nose in the air and would not be charmed by it, no matter how it made my heart flutter.
"Very well then. As I am not to leave the island I presume you have a plan for where I should relocate it to." Faltering at my refusal to be taken in by his smile, he grew somber.
"Down by the beach. Tomorrow I'll arrange to get a barge out here to start clearing it away."
"Understood." I flew away before he could do the saying of anything else. Behind me I heard Cyborg give a low whistle.
"Looks like someone's in the doghouse tonight." I did not understand the phrase. We did not have a dog, apart from Beast Boy when he chose that form, and certainly did not have a dwelling specifically for a canine. I pushed the term to the back of my mind and went in search of the heaviest piece of concrete aI could find. At least the manual labor would relieve some of my frustration, and if it made Robin feel inadequate watching me lift solid steel and slabs of metal, all the better. Perhaps he needed reminding which members of the team were weak and which of us were not.