I do NOT own Teen Titans
Notes and reply to reviews:
Yeah. It's very easy to overuse Shade and/or Trigon as the main evil guy for a story. But then again, they're very interesting villains. At least Trigon is.
Given she's a kid who was forced to try to kill by genocidal aliens, I think the only way she would need to redeem herself is by knowing what she did was wrong, and saying sorry; to learn from what happened. Or course she might still have a further role to play, but it will be a matter of her choosing to do good rather than evil. Not something necessary for redemption.
It would be scary how much power an adult of Aeopie's race would have. A single person could strike undetected across thousands of miles. Destroying a world would be child's play for them.
The Joker's DNA. Beast Boy might use it, yet not use it. Depends on the direction the story takes. Given the other things he's learned how to do I don't think people realize just what power that gives him. It's on par with an adult of Aeopie's race.
I tend not to write stories that deal with historical or present events. I write the stories for fun, and involving the real world like that would be depressing. There might be hints of it at times, but a story wouldn't be based on it.
I wouldn't write a story that demonized Raven too much. There might be some drama where she needs to learn to control her emotions, but I wouldn't make her someone who actually liked to hurt.
Well, someone is a mind reader. That's exactly what happens. :)
Time: The next morning.
A Late Night,... A Brutal Battle,... Starfire,... Beast Boy Arrives Home,...
Beast Boy heard the slight whisper that was the stocking feet of a slight nine-year old walking by his door. Next came the sound of a yawn, followed by the rustling of cloth against a door. Outside something sank to the floor, and then very faintly started to snore.
The shape shifter sighed, and snuggled down beneath the covers, wondering if just for one day he should sleep in. Little girl, cold floor. His irritating sense of responsibility reminded him. Warm covers, and a very late night. His sleepy side noted with a great deal of truth. Standing, he went sprawling across the floor as he tripped over his own feet. Knew that would happen eventually. He muttered, standing back up.
The night before, knowing the fuel would be delayed as the Tamaranians struggled to grow enough algae before their oceans fully died, he'd stayed to watch, wanting to learn as much as he could about Starfire's people. He'd learned a few new things. For one, the reason females outnumbered males four to one was that during the destruction of their world they'd chosen that ratio. Only a woman could bear children, therefore priority had been given to them. That explained her willingness to share Raven with Robin. It'd become the norm for her culture, being simply a matter of either share, or do without.
When Burningfire, the dark-haired woman who'd led the assault against him, had approached him later that night he'd accepted her invitation. At the time he hadn't known that offer included the cute green-eyed blonde with her. It'd been a very pleasurable, and a very late night.
He'd returned to find Aeopie curled up against the airlock, sound asleep. He'd pushed aside the feeling of guilt. While she might be nine, she knew the ship better than he did. She also knew what was safe and what wasn't, having learned it directly from the minds of her people. It was okay to leave her by herself some of the time. He'd tucked her in, and then quickly fallen asleep himself.
Rapping his knuckles beside her ear, he woke her up for breakfast. Just what am I going to do with her when I get back to earth? He pondered as she clung to his hand, sleepily grinning up at him. The question nagged at him, and he only knew there had to a be a solution that kept her safe and happy. Anything else was unacceptable.
For the first time in ages the nagging sensation persisted in the back of her mind. Given it was likely she would soon die, the violet-haired girl really didn't see the point of answering it. But she'd learned her lesson. If she ever tended to forget it the blurriness of her vision reminded her. Sitting, she peered into a mirror.
The land of Nevermore appeared below her, looking nothing like it once had. The weathered forest that'd once been Happy's domain had degraded even further, starting to sink into a massive swamp. The stone labyrinth of Timid was touching the boggy land, tilting where the ground had given way beneath it. It's not healing. The suddenly frightened girl realized. But then again, what does it matter? What are the odds any of us will live through the day? Levitating, she headed towards Knowledge.
"Hello." Raven said, as she landed on the slopping surface of the labyrinth.
"You came this time." Knowledge spoke, as if surprised. Her yellow cloak was stained with the mud of the swamp, and the emoticlone herself didn't look well. She pushed a pair of broken spectacles up on her nose.
"I learned my lesson." The violet-eyed girl sat down.
Surprisingly the yellow-clad emoticlone smile a little. "I see." She looked out across the swamp. "It looks bad doesn't it."
"It does." Raven agreed, cringing as she stared out across the ruined land. Even with her blurry vision it was heart breaking.
"But it's not as bad as it seems." Knowledge shrugged. "Everyone has horrible things happen to them, and they heal. However, things have been hectic since then, and you haven't had a chance."
"You mean Happy will be back, and her forest will grow again? And Timid will leave her labyrinth?"
"That's what I mean. But you're starting to falter. Remember what I told you?"
"To keep marching forward."
The emoticlone nodded. "Exactly." She said. "But you've stopped. You believe you will die today. That's not marching forward."
"The chances aren't good." The girl pointed out.
"Maybe not. But my advice is to take a shower. You stink as bad as the swamp." The emoticlone held her nose.
"It's only been one day." Raven pointed out, mildly insulted.
"Whatever. Listen to it or not, that's my advice. Take a shower and eat a good meal, relax. You have enough time before the team gathers. Then fight your best."
"A shower." The violet-haired girl shook her head in disbelief. "And if I'd come last time what would your advice have been."
"A shower." Knowledge smiled, and for a brief instant a twinkle returned to her eyes.
"A shower?" Raven repeated, eyebrows raised.
"Think about what would've happened if you've taken a shower back them rather than going to the meeting." The emoticlone instructed.
"Hrm." She sat back to considered it, closing her eyes as they started to ache. "Things might've gone differently, but I'm not sure how that would've helped."
"BB and Robin would still have fought." Came the reply. "But you wouldn't have been there to continue the fight. He would've called for help, and then fled before Cyborg entered the room, meaning they wouldn't have fought. Starfire would've arrived to see the fight over with, and her boyfriend safe. Rather than nearly dying as he had to fight the whole team, Beast Boy would've left with minor injuries, and fences could've been mended. As it was things were catastrophically wrecked."
"A very different path." Raven mused.
"Very." Knowledge agreed.
"I think I could use a shower." The violet-haired girl replied.
"It's the end of the world, and you're late." Cyborg said, looking at her with a grim smile. "And you even cut your hair?" He noted.
"It's not the end of the world." The violet-eyed girl said, realizing the cybernetic teen was amused at her, not angry. "Things may get bad for a long time, but the world will still continue, and so will humanity. Despots don't last forever." She'd taken Knowledge's advice. A long shower with plenty of soap and a change of clothing. Then she'd tried to trim her hair. Given her eyes it was probably a mess, but the simple activity had calmed her. Breakfast had consisted of an egg sandwich with a cup of herbal tea. Her outlook on the day had changed. They might die, but then again, they might not.
"Have you located point zero?" Robin asked, glancing at Raven but directing the question to Cyborg.
"I have." The now deadly serious Titan said. "They were constructing a new office building on North Street. They'd only just dug the basement when the silver minions started messing things up. It's perfect. The design included five levels of parking with two for storage beneath the ground. It's deep, over ninety feet."
"Perfect." Raven agreed. "How did the evacuation go?"
"According to plan. I hacked into what's left of the media and instructed everyone to leave the area, saying it was to be the Titan's new base of operations. Most of them left. Whoever is behind the silver minions must've been listening in because five of the androids have taken up residence around the area. The others are scattered across the city."
"Five? I'd hoped all ten would converge on the area." Robin said with a slight frown.
"Sorry. We only got five." Cyborg sounded apologetic.
"Which is better than the zero we might've got." Raven said. "Excellent work Cyborg. If you hadn't been able to take over the media that area would still be covered in people, and none of those infernal machines would be there."
"True." Robin agreed. "Excellent work. That brings us to step two. Raven try to sense if anyone is still in the area. Cyborg, use your sonic analyzer to do the same. I'll go to step three and try to lure one of the other androids to the area. When you're finished do the same."
Raven and Cyborg nodded.
Raven levitated, and stared down at the city blocks that surrounded the planned construction site. Reaching out with her senses she tried to locate people. To her relief the area was empty. It seemed that weeks of looters and gang violence had made the people wary, and they'd followed orders to leave without hesitation.
Moving on the step three she soared across the city, levitating herself through the air.
Hovering fifty feet above the silver machine the violet-eyed girl dropped a truck on it. Immediately the sonic vibrations that'd caused so much damage started as it prepared to fight. She raced away from it just fast enough to let it follow her, always keeping a hundred feet ahead. Coming upon another of their ruthless foes she did the same. With the two of them following her, she turned and sped towards what they called point zero, the place where the fight would take place.
It seemed the cybernetic creatures had been upgraded again as their sonic waves were focused into deadly pulses directed at the violet-haired girl. One she dodged, the other she blocked with a black barrier that immediately shattered. It held just long enough to block most of the impact. The remnants of the attack that got through her shield caused her bones to vibrate painfully, and agony racked her body. Then it faded. The following two pulses she evaded. More of the attacks came at her, and she gulped, twisting to the side. It seemed it wouldn't be as easy to lure their enemies to their doom as they'd hoped. Before the silver minions had just soaked up punishment without responding, but now ...
This is going to slow me down. Raven thought as another pulse came at her. Six miles to point zero. Around an hour and half if I keep to this pace. Had planned for an hour. She frowned, twisting to the left. One of the pulses just missed her while another hit a black shield she'd only just managed to raise in time. It shattered and once again she was engulfed in pain as the sound waves affected every cell in her body. Any closer and I would've died. She gulped, pushing herself to keep moving. And if I die then the plan won't work. The violet-haired girl told herself. Therefore I can't die.
She opened the range a little, and rather than raising barriers to block the pulses that came at her she levitated a truck. The increased range helped, while the truck seemed to be able to absorb the attacks better. Every bit of glass in it shattered, but it didn't just crumble like her barriers did. When the deadly foes got close, she dropped the truck on them and rapidly sped away. Then she slowed to grab another vehicle to use as a barrier as they closed on her once again.
Bone weary she reached point zero. She'd had to use hundreds of trucks as barriers, and she'd still been hit, thankfully not up close, by dozens of the pulses. Every part of her ached, and bruises were appearing all over her body where cells had died from the attacks, having burst from the sonic blasts. Still, I'm here. She silently moaned, needing to rest. Just a little bit more.
In front of her three of the silver minion who'd been guarding the place they believed to be the Titan's new headquarters appeared and sent pulses at her. The violet-eyed girl quickly rose to a higher altitude, grateful she no longer needed to endure that. She opened her communicator, nearly dropping it with her painfully bruised fingers. "Here." She simply said.
"Are you okay?" Cyborg asked, sounding concerned.
"Drop them in the construction site." Robin ordered.
"I'm okay." Raven intoned. I am. She reassured herself. In a short while I can enter a healing trance. Pushing the pain to one side, she dropped lower to carry out step four of the plan. There were, she noted, nine of the enemy. One by one she picked them up, resisting the sense of slipperiness that encompassed each of the cybernetic minions, and dropped them in the pit where the office building was to be built. As she dropped the last one she flung herself away from the site.
A fireball erupted into the heavens, shaking the earth in its fury. Every building around the construction site was flattened as the inferno struck them. Ones beyond that took different amounts of damage, with many collapsing. As Cyborg had once noted, any single attack capable of wiping out the nearly indestructible foes would wipe out whole city blocks. The pit had contained it somewhat, but the damage was still beyond anything they would've considered acceptable before.
Raven collapsed to the ground, barely managing to stay conscious as Cyborg and Robin both rushed to her.
"Rae." Cyborg gasped, looking at her. Scanning her, he frowned. "You're really beat up." The expression on his face was grim. "Knew you shouldn't have tried to lure in two at the same time."
"Raven?" Robin asked, obviously concerned.
"Guess it doesn't look too good." The violet-eyed girl said, keeping her eyes closed. "But it's basically just my skin. It absorbed enough of the attacks to keep my insides okay. Just a flesh wound." She didn't try to move. "Still one left?"
Cyborg nodded. "Yeah. One left." He said, realizing she couldn't see him. "But we can take time to recuperate before handling it. There's only so much it can do in a few hours so use that healing trance of yours."
"We'll get you somewhere safe." Robin added. "And then track the last one, making sure everything in its path is evacuated. When you're ready we'll deal with it."
The girl nodded. "Okay because ..." Something warned her of danger, and she surrounded the three of them in a barrier that was immediately shattered.
Cyborg grabbed her and ran, evading the pulses of sound that reached out for them. Robin also rolled away, dodging the attacks that came his way.
"Where did they come from?" Robin yelled.
"The construction site." Cyborg yelled back. "Seems three of them survived."
"They're damaged." Robin yelled. "You're right, they got to be from the construction site."
"Pretty badly too." The cybernetic teen replied. "They're close to self-destructing."
Raven pulled herself out of her friend's grip and took to the air. Grabbing a truck she slammed it into one of the three foes. "Kill them." She tried to scream, though the sound that came out was low and barely audible.
Cyborg turned and started to blast the same android with his sonic cannon. It was moving slow, and couldn't evade the weapon. It struck back, but it was obvious wounded and the pulses it emitted were considerably weaker than they had been. Robin flung explosive discs two at a time. In less than a minute it started beeping and then melted away. The second one died after a single attack from Raven. The third took longer, ten minutes, but it still died with ease.
"Any more survive?" Robin asked, peering around, obviously on guard.
"Don't think so. Can't detect any." The cybernetic Titan replied, scanning the area with his sonic analyzer.
"Good." Raven intoned, and then collapsed.
The violet-eyed girl awoke three hours later, having used a healing trance for two, and then requiring another to regain some energy. Robin and Starfire's place. She realized, looking around. She was in a bed, minus cloak. Blushing she rose and searched around, grateful when she found the garment lying beside the bed on a chair. Whatever their history, she was no longer comfortable using their bed, and preferred to be fully dressed when her ex-boyfriend was around. Which he wasn't.
Checking her communicator she saw a message. 'Call when you wake up. Cy.'
There was an immediate reply as both Cyborg and Robin answered her call. "What's the situation?" Raven asked, only to be met with a long silence.
"Not good." Robin finally replied. "Nine more have appeared to make up for the ones we destroyed."
"So we got ten to deal with again." She stated with a sigh, closing her eyes.
"Yeah." Cyborg added. "But they're tearing the city apart. And they sent a message. Follow orders to reduce population by nightfall, or they will consider the city lost and will destroy it."
"Oh." She gulped.
"They're targeting the schools and other places with children." Robin told her. "Most weren't occupied due to the trouble they've already caused, but some are. We're organizing an evacuation, but it's not going well. Too many lines of communication have been cut so we can't even use the phones."
"We're tracking the silver minions." Cyborg told her. "And then running for the schools they're headed for. We've enlisted people to get the message to the others."
"What can I do?"
"There's a school on Wilson Street." Robin replied. "Make sure it's empty, then report."
"Okay." Raven closed the communicator and left Robin's and Starfire's apartment. Just Robin's now. She reminded herself. Focusing, she took to the air.
The school was large, having facilities for two thousand students. It was also occupied. Due to the gangs roaming the area children left alone weren't safe. The school had hired security and parents could rest knowing their children were safe for at least a few hours a day. Nearly a thousand parents were helping the hired professionals patrol the place. No gang would've dared attack the campus; unfortunately what was coming wasn't a gang.
Three thousand people to evacuate. Raven sighed, cringing at the thought. And there's a silver minion just minutes away. She did the only thing she could. According to the school administration at least an hour would be required to make sure the campus was empty, so she went out to slow the mindless killer down. At first she'd thought it would be easy; toss a few cars at it and lure it away. Unfortunately while it sent pulse after pulse of sonic destruction her way it didn't alter its course. To make matters worse it turned into the main road for the school, blocking their path. Three minutes and it'll be at the school. What do I do? The violet-eyed girl struggled to find an answer.
Allowing children to die would be inexcusable for a Titan. She decided, and dropped down on the road in front of it. Standing there, she grabbed everything she could and flung it at her foe, knocking it backwards a little with each impact. Relentlessly it always regained its feet, and continued its march. The attacks it sent her way undid the repairs her two hours of meditation had done, causing her skin to bruise, and in place start to bleed. Blood filled her mouth as her teeth vibrated and started to come loose.
Still she held her ground, striking back. Then the silver minion managed a direct strike on her, sending her flying. Bones broken, bleeding from numerous locations, she struggled to her feet, knowing she wouldn't have time to recover before she died. The machine aimed and sent a blast of sound at her. To her surprise, a barrier of light rose to surround her, deflecting the attack.
"It is I, Doctor Light. And I am here to Light up the night." Exclaimed an oldish looking man in a futuristic looking suit, who stood just a few yards from her.
Raven blinked, taking the brief opportunity to recover her equilibrium. "Since when do you fight on the side of good?" She intoned.
"Good or evil, how can I, Doctor Light, light up the night if those foul creatures destroy the world?" The man asked, tossing bolts of bright energy at the machine. They seemed to have more slightly more affect that Raven's own dark magic.
"Good point." She admitted to the villain, unable to fault his impeccable logic.
"You're hurt, girl of darkness." There was worry in his voice.
It surprised Raven, but then she remembered this villain had never tried to kill anyone. He captured them in bubbles of light; even her, the half demon that reeked of darkness. Touched by his concern she just shrugged. "There's a school not too far away that's more important than me. If you wish to light up people's hopes, and not just the night, then help them."
"You will..." The man who feared the dark above all else couldn't finish the statement.
"I'll be okay." She lied, feeling her body on the verge of breaking down with its last reserves gone.
"A child of darkness, yet one whose inner light brightens the whole world." The old man solemnly said. "I, Doctor Light, am honored to have met you." Using the power of his suit he levitated and flew in the direction of the school.
Interesting. Raven mused. Imagine him being the last person I see alive, and him being on the side of good for once. She focused on the silver minion and slowly drained the last of her energy smashing car after car into it.
"Glorious day friend Raven."
A jubilant voice from above spoke to her. She didn''t need to look up to know who it was. She no longer sounds defeated. Raven mused, as she struggled to stay on her feet. "Glorious maybe, but not happy." The battered and bruised girl replied, feeling dizziness almost claim her as she slammed a truck into her foe. "What brings you back? I thought Tamaran needed you."
"At the last minute there was a miracle. Tamaran is given new hope. So I am back to fight alongside my friends."
"Go back and help your people Starfire. Soon Jump City will soon be no more." Tears flowed down the violet-haired girl's face at the though. And that means he won't return. That I won't get to say sorry. Trembling she felt herself start to sink to the ground.
"Look up friend Raven." Her friend commanded.
Raven looked up to see Starfire wasn't alone. Around her there were twenty more Tamaranians. Then as she just stared, a hurricane of starbolts rained down, slamming the silver minion to the ground. When it tried to rise, more stuck it, refusing the hate foe a chance to regain its feet. The onslaught didn't diminish, but rather increased in fury, and the violet-eyed girl looked up to see more of the orange-skinned aliens descending from the sky, all raining forth starbolt after starbolt as fast as they could. Around her the ground shook, and a cloud of dust rose in the air.
"You're injured, friend Raven." Starfire was suddenly beside her, now looking more serious. Her orange complexion paled as she studied her wounded friend. "How bad?" She asked, no longer sounding so jubilant.
Raven gave her a small smile. "Bad enough that if you'd arrived a minute later the fight would've been over. She didn't bother to tell her friend how the battle would've ended, that was obvious.
Starfire took the injured girl in her arms and flew above the expanding cloud of dust. As they rose Raven looked around. As bad as her vision was, she was sure there weren't just dozens of the aliens present, there were hundreds.
"How many?" She asked.
"Four hundred." Starfire replied. "As to the why. We're a race long used to being looked down upon by others. Someone reminded us there was one world where once a frightened girl was welcomed and sheltered. We pay our debts. There will be more, for we have much to repay. Our world would now be dead if not for him."
"Oh. Raven struggled to stay conscious.
"Raven." Her communicate spoke, sounding like Cyborg. There was worry in his voice.
"Friend Raven has been hurt. I am taking her to my place to heal." Starfire spoke into the device.
"Starfire." Robin's excitement was obvious.
"How bad?" Cyborg asked.
"I believe she shall recover given enough time." The orange-skin alien replied. "Glorious day, friend Robin." She added.
"My place." Raven murmured, unable to speak loudly.
"By friend Robin's and my place is much brighter and cheerful." Starfire replied. "It will be a better place to heal."
"My place." The violet-eyed girl insisted before entering a healing trance.
Healing just enough of her wounds so that her life was no longer in danger, the violet-eyed girl awoke to find herself in her own apartment that was very crowded with Cyborg and Robin present, along with Starfire and another Tamaranian.
"How are you feeling friend Raven?" Starfire immediately asked.
"A bit better, but in no condition to fight" She admitted.
"No need. The silver minions have stopped their assault." The vibrant redhead informed her. "We destroyed more than fifty before they ceased."
"Fifty?"
"They kept sending more, ten at a time, so we destroyed them. With forty Tamaranians to focus on each they fell pretty easy." Starfire smiled. "It helped that we had the schematics for them. It was something given to us before we left for earth."
"How?"
"Friend Beast Boy." The alien literally floated from her seat and bounced around the room. "He showed up yesterday in a stolen Gordanian warship asking for fuel. We gladly gave him some and he gladly saved our world. We owe much to him, and to earth."
"Beast Boy?" Raven was now sitting up, ignoring her still painful wounds.
"He saw a ship land in Spark City, and decided to make it his."
"Wait. How many Gordanians did this ship have?" Robin asked.
"It was a cruiser, so two hundred." Starfire replied.
"How?"
Starfire shrugged. "Does it matter? Friend Beast Boy is okay, you're all okay. Tamaran is no longer dying, and the silver minion are no longer in Jump City." She floating off her chair again and bumped into the ceiling before returning to her seat. "Friend Raven. You need higher ceilings." The girl added.
"How could he manage to defeat two hundred Gordanians?" Robin asked, obviously sensing something wrong.
The redheaded girl smiled. "I don't know, but he did defeat twenty of Tamaran's best soldiers." She turned to look at Burningfire who'd been appointed by the grand ruler to follow her to earth as her bodyguard.
"I would be more insulted if I'd been alone. As it was I have to share the shame with nineteen others." The dark-haired woman shrugged.
"He has changed much." Starfire said.
"Was he okay?" Raven asked.
"He was." Starfire peered at Burningfire. "And I am sure during his stay he was made very welcome."
"We did our best." The woman blushed. "Who knew humans had such endurance." She smiled. "Both Violetfire and I were more than satisfied." The smile turned in a grin as she recalled the previous night.
"Oh." Raven blushed as well when she realized what the woman meant.
"You should meditate more, friend Raven. You will want to look your best when he gets here."
As if it will matter. The girl mused, jealous but happy. However I do need to heal. So long as things are good then I should take the chance. He will return, and the city is still here for when he does.
Beast Boy had Aeopie give him a crash course on how to operate the ship. Much as he was mechanically inept, not knowing how to even read the fuel gage had led to trouble. It'd been embarrassing to show up on Starfire's doorstep like that, needing to beg for something so obvious. That things had worked themselves out was due only to luck. While he had no hope of matching the skill of the telepath, who had taken the knowledge directly from the minds of the crew, he figured he could learn a few things. It was nice that the vessel was made to be idiot proof, and that everything could be controlled by simple commands. He figured they had a fifty/fifty chance of surviving if he need to personally operate the vessel.
With the fuel delivered they had set course for earth. While the distance wasn't far it would still take time, so he practiced what Aeopie had taught him and chatted with her. Mostly she talked of her home world. obviously feeling lonely and missing it.
Approaching earth the shape shifter frowned. Aeopie had taught him how to read the scanners, and it claimed there were a number of Gordanians ships cloaked around his home world. "Explain it." He asked, pointing to the readout.
The girl peered at it. "There're sixteen ships. Ten are destroyer class, carrying around a hundred people each. The other six are more or less scouts that carry twenty people. There's usually four cargo ships but they would be travelling back and forth bringing the robots and supplies. There were twenty-one but you took the biggest ship." She grinned up at him. "The one I was on. This one." She took his hand, clearly recalling how he'd saved her.
"There's a destroyer moving towards Jump City." He noted, frowning as he gave her hand a small, comforting, squeeze.
Aeopie looked at the screen, and then turned away from it. Her eyes blazed a dark orange. "They're going to destroy the city. The crew are exited they get to kill Tamaranians." The dark orange disappeared from her eyes, and she turned pale.
Beast Boy frowned. "Go to your cabin." He ordered.
"Why?" The girl looked up at him confused.
"For me. Okay?" He smiled as if everything was okay.
She nodded. "Okay." And left, still looking confused.
She has enough guilt to deal with. The shape shifter thought, staring at the display. "Ship. Arm primary weapon."
"Arming." Came the mechanical reply.
Incoming transmissions came form the ships around earth, but he had no idea how to answer them, and he wasn't bringing Aeopie back. There's no way I'm making her party to an act of mass killing. Beast Boy silently mused, staring at the screen. The other ships seemed confused by his presence, which was good. At least it was better than open hostility. Guess the word they lost a ship hasn't gotten around.
"Primary weapon charged." The ship mechanically intoned.
Beast Boy leaned over a console and tap the ship over Jump City twice. "Fire on target." He commanded, flinching at the death he was about to deal out.
"Weapon fired." The ship replied.
On the screen the particle beam of the cruiser ripped into the destroyer. For ten seconds a bright beam of light connected the two ships, then it faded.
"Ship. Arm primary weapon." The shape shifter ordered, hoping it wouldn't be needed.
"Arming." Came the reply.
The ship he'd fired on was marked with a dark green, indicating it was damaged. It's course changed, and it slid into the bay. Second time for that. Beast Boy noted. That bay isn't a lucky spot for Gordanians.
"Ship. Estimate casualties."
"Estimate. Zero. Weapons discharge struck primary generator. Ship was abandoned before impact with water environment."
The shape shifter trembled, and sat back in the chair. He hadn't killed after all. "Ship. Send Message. All vessels avoid this area or be destroyed."
"Message sent." The vessel replied.
He watched as no ships came near, obviously taking the warning seriously. He called Aeopie back. The girl was frowning, but no longer seemed puzzled about why he'd sent her away.
She's smart. Beast Boy commented to himself. "I'm going to let some Tamaranians run the ship. You're coming to earth with me." Immediately her whole attitude changed.
"Really? I can go there and they won't try to kill me?" Eagerness lit up her eyes.
"Right. Just don't spy on people's minds okay. Most people here can't do that, and it would be considered rude. Only use your telepathy if someone threatens you." He handed her a cloak. "Wear this so it hides your race. It's probably not needed, but better safe than sorry."
The girl donned the cloak. A short time later several orange-skinned aliens knocked on an airlock and he let them in. Then he and the girl rode a cargo craft to Jump City.
End of Chapter.
Many thanks to those who read and review.
