I do NOT own Teen Titans
Notes and replies to comments:
Some of Beast Boy's actions in this chapter might seem a bit overprotective. But despite the short time he does see the girl as a little sister.
There won't be anything too explicit. However, that Beast Boy and Raven are a couple will be clearly shown.
One common word for Starfire's people is Troq, meaning nothing. Her race being looked down upon is part of Teen Titan lore and not just something I added to the story.
Raven has learned what having the girl in her mind is like, so she wouldn't have been able to give her a 'push' without her knowing it. Starfire is the one who gave her the push, warning her to move before it's too late.
Beast Boy is totally immune to the mind reading part of Aeopie's gifts. She can't be cheating at checkers that way.
Time: Morning.
Waking Up,... A Reunion,... The Ultimatum and an Overprotective Beast Boy,... The Fleet,...
A single green eye opened and peered around, noting that Aeopie was still buried beneath a ton of blankets in her chair. Sensitive ears told the shape shifter the girl was sound asleep. For once her presence was mildly irritating as it meant any plans he might've had for the owner of the arms and legs that were wrapped around him had to be discarded. To say he felt good would be an understatement. Their brief tryst in the shower had been incredible. His face broke out in a smile. The violet-eyed girl was clasped around him as tightly as was humanly possible, and it was having a certain affect on him. He had a ton of responsibilities, but for the moment he let them slide and just enjoyed the moment.
Beast Boy studied one of the arms. Whereas once he would've described it as slim it could now only be called skinny; Raven had lost a bit of weight. So long as she doesn't see this as just a one night stand that can be fixed. He decided. A full breakfast every morning, just like she used to have back at the tower. The leg wrapped around him shifted and a small moan escaped his lips. She needs her sleep. He quietly sighed with frustration. She was in a healing trance twice yesterday to heal major wounds, and then she spent the whole night, along with a large part of the morning, rounding up criminals. So I should just remain still and enjoy just being here like this. With a small moan of contentment the shape shifter let his head settle back on the pillow. After all, who would complain about being in paradise?
Sleepily, she struggled to awareness. The bed was warmer, and far more comfortable than she was used to. Then the events of the previous day rushed back to her. He'd returned. The violet-haired girl let her eyes remain shut as she reached out with her senses. There was the girl in the chair, contentedly sleeping. Then there was him, Beast Boy. She stifled a grin as she realized he was far more than merely content. And what more, he was exactly where she wished him to be; wrapped in her arms. Her boldness the night before had had her heart racing with fear, but he'd accepted her offer. She'd read between the lines of what Starfire had said about Burningfire. Move now, or lose your chance. The violet-eyed girl told herself, repeating the unspoken message. And so she had, and now ... She smiled and snuggled closer.
I need a bigger apartment. She realized, as she peered at the sleeping girl who rendered all her plans for the shape shifter futile. Maybe the shower again?
"Morning." Beast Boy greeted her.
"Morning." She replied, soaking up the mixture of emotions she read from him. Starfire had been right; he had changed a lot. The affection he had for her was a strong, steady, flame. She could feel the way he thought about her and it was all she'd ever wished for; clear and pure. There was also concern. Not just for her, but for the girl as well. He'd always had a strong sense of responsibility, thought he'd rarely shown it. Raven smiled. There was also an intense, barely controlled lust that flowed through him; it matched her own. The shower again. She pondered, peering at the sleeping girl.
"Is she comfortable sleeping like that?" Raven wondered out loud, even though what discomfort flowed from the telepath seemed to have nothing to do with the chair.
"She always sleeps curled up." Beast Boy replied. "Should still find a better arrangement for her though."
"Hmmm. Yeah." So long as it doesn't involved you disappearing again. She snuggled closer until the full length of her body was pressed against his. It'd never been like this with Robin. She wanted much more than that now. "Shower?" She quietly whispered in his ear.
"Hmm." He gave the sleeping girl a glance. "Would love one." The shape shifter honestly replied with overwhelming enthusiasm.
Raven couldn't help but giggle.
An hour later she was sitting down with a plateful of pancakes and eggs in front of her. It was the sort of meal she might've eaten back in Titan's Tower. Unfortunately she couldn't cook even if her life depended on it. The one time she'd tried she'd nearly poisoned the rest of her teammates, with the sole exception of Starfire who could eat everything.
"Is that healthy for her?" Raven asked, looking at Aeopie was who munching on two large slices of cake.
"Doubt it." Beast Boy replied. "But it's the best I can do for now. The food they had on the ship for her is starting to run low."
"It's not." The orange-eyed telepath admitted. "Though it's closer than that." She pointed at the empath's own breakfast.
"What sort of food do you usually eat?" Raven inquired.
"Cake." Came the mumbled response.
"Don't talk with your mouth full." Beast Boy immediately said. Raven turned to look at him and he turned red. He definitely wasn't one to lecture others on manners.
"Aeopie continued. "Mostly cake anyway. We require more sugar in our food than other races do." She explained. "And the cakes my people make are enriched with everything we need. This has the sugar, but it doesn't have the rest of the stuff I need added to it."
"She's very smart." The shape shifter commented with a smile.
"I imagine being telepathic must help her learn pretty fast." The violet-haired girl replied. "No need to explain something, just show her the experience." Seeing a raised eyebrow, she wondered how to explain better. "She would know not to touch a hot stove not because she was warned it was dangerous, but because someone would've projected an experience of what being burned was like directly into her mind."
"Oh. Interesting." He looked at Aeopie who nodded.
"Our teachers just project a lesson into our minds, and then we're expected to use it." The girl munched down on a piece of cake.
Raven's communicator flickered and she answered it. "What is it?" She mumbled, her own mouth full of pancakes.
"You're mumbling." Cyborg's voice came from the device. "You mean you're actually eating something without me having to force you?"
She swallowed. "Beast Boy cooked me breakfast." She explained.
"Oh." There was a long pause. "He's there?"
"He is." Happiness escaped her attempt at control.
"We need to discuss the city and were planning to met at your place."
"Okay. So long as you don't mind small cramped spaces." She wondered if Beast Boy and Aeopie would stay for the meeting.
"We'll be there in ten or so."
"Okay." She turned the device off. "You staying?" She immediately asked, sounding worried.
"If you don't mind." Beast Boy replied.
"I don't." The violet-eyed girl smiled, heart racing. She most definitely didn't mind.
At first it was awkward with Robin and Cyborg offering repeated apologies. Beast Boy tried saying he wasn't angry several times, and attempted to explaining why without giving Aeopie away. It wasn't easy, but he thought the least number of people who knew about her the better. Eventually they got down to business.
"Jump City isn't as bad off as one might've expected." The cybernetic teen explain. "Safety standards were always a bit high, so the buildings aren't going to just collapse yet. That problem will need to be handled eventually, but it can be put off for a while. The nuclear plants weren't touched so unlike a lot of other places we got plenty of power. The streets are safe again, meaning the city workers can work on repairing the power lines without fear." He shrugged and smiled. "And while the gangs were a big menace they caused people to group together and show some true Jump City spirit. In all we're pretty well off."
"Good." Raven intoned with a slight smile. She and Beast Boy were sitting on her bed, speaking through the open door. Aeopie was once again beneath a pile of blankets in her chair. Robin and Cyborg were sitting at the table using its chairs. Lacking a place to sit, Starfire was hovering in the air radiating happiness. The apartment was small, and the six of them made it seem even smaller.
"The Tamaranians really cleaned up the silver minion." Robin grinned at Starfire who beamed back. "Those ships still hanging around are making me nervous though. If they'd given up they would've left. Any ideas on what they're planning?" He looked around.
"The ship we're currently occupying has been scanned several times." Starfire replied. "A number of Gordanians have attempted to land. It would seem they're looking for something. Given their interest in the vessel Beast Boy captured it's probably something from it."
The shape shifter gulped as a number of faces turned his way. Raven and Aeopie were the only exceptions. "I should've realized that." He replied with a sigh.
Aeopie struggled out from under her blanket pile and sat down between him and Raven. "They think I'm dead." She whispered in his ear. "The oxygen content on the ship got pretty low, but they still want to make sure. They're scared."
"Oh." Beast Boy frowned.
"Who's she?" Robin asked.
"Not human or Tamaranian." Cyborg added, scanning her.
"Turn that scanner off." Beast Boy warned with a growl. If the Gordanians can still hack our systems and they see that scan ... "And delete it now." He added. His arm rose to surround the girl. Should've known they wouldn't let someone like her go so easily.
Raven picked up on his mild panic, and used it to decide what had him scared. "Delete it." She ordered as well. Feeling the girl's sudden fear, her own arm rose to surround her.
"Done." Cyborg replied, puzzled."
"Don't they look a family." Starfire suddenly spoke, watching the three of them. A man and a woman with their arms held protectively around a young girl. She turned to look at Robin with a certain speculative light in her eyes.
"I don't think now's the time to discuss that Star." Boy Wonder replied.
"Soon then?" Asked a hopeful alien.
"Hrm. Ten to twenty years maybe. Perhaps thirty."
"Oh." The orange-skinned Titan floated down to the floor.
"How's Tamaran doing?" Beast Boy asked, not wanting the topic to return to Aeopie.
"Well." She smiled and bounced back in the air.
Cyborg paused and stared into space for a few seconds. "There was a message from the Gordanians." The cybernetic teen finally said with his gaze returning to Aeopie.
"What is it?" Robin demanded.
Holding up his wrist the half-titanium Titan played a video showing an oldish looking Gordanian speaking.
"Citizens of earth. Our fleet will withdraw when our property is returned. You have in your possession a girl who would appear to be nine earth years old. Be warned, she is dangerous and will destroy your world if you keep her. If she is not returned we will have no choice but to repeat what we did with Tamaran. Dead or alive, we demand her return. You have twenty-four hours to reply." An image that was clearly Aeopie was displayed, though the orange of her eyes was omitted.
If they let any race know they dealt with her kind it probably wouldn't go too well for them. Beast Boy mused with a frown as all eyes turned towards the girl.
"Who is she?" Robin repeated.
"A prisoner I found on their ship." The shape shifter admitted.
"Why's she so dangerous?" Boy Wonder was in interrogation mode.
"None of your business." Beast Boy replied, not blinking.
"I'm the leader and you will ..."
"I'm not a Titan." The shape shifter bluntly said.
"I will not allow a threat to Jump City to walk around free." Robin stated, trying to stare the ex-Titan down.
"She's not a threat. The Gordanians are." He kept his arm protectively around the girl.
Robin stepped forward to emphasise his next remark. What it was to be no one ever knew. The second he moved Beast Boy reacted faster, making a split second transition to what he called a Land Squid and back. To the people in the room it looked as if the shape shifter hadn't moved, while a black mist appeared out of nowhere and engulfed the fearless leader. Everyone froze, prepared to jump into action, but the fight was already over.
"What did you do to friend Robin?" Starfire asked with her hands raised to throw starbolts..
"A useful shape I picked up on a world not far from here." Beast Boy explained. "Like a squid, but with twenty arms instead of eight. Its ink is aerosolized, creating a cloud in the air that blocks sight and acts as a glue." He stared at the infuriated leader who was coated in a black goo that rendered him unable to move. "You will not decide Aeopie's future on a whim." He stated to his foe who could no longer respond.
Boy Wonder thrashed back and forth, with just his nose and eyes free of the sticky substance.
"You've got to know we would never harm the girl, or hand her over to the Gordanians." Cyborg cautiously stated.
"I would never allow that to happen." Raven said, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Hurting children isn't our way."
"No Tamaranian would ever harm a child." Starfire stated plainly.
"Maybe. But he's stubborn and when he gets an idea in his head ..." The shape shifter shrugged. "Sorry. Maybe I overreacted. The form comes from a pretty dry world, and simple water will dissolve the ink."
Twenty minutes later, after Starfire had dragged Boy Wonder to the washroom and given him a thorough cleaning, they resumed the talk.
"So what are you willing to say about her?" An infuriated, yet humbled Robin asked.
"She's an innocent who's been used by them for crimes that makes it impossible for her to return home." Beast Boy replied.
"Why would the Gordanians want a child?" Cyborg asked. "She's no Tamaranian so she doesn't even have super strength."
"I wonder what would happen if the other races found out they had you?" Beast Boy asked, knowing the team needed an answer.
"They would assume I was on any Gordanian ship that approached them, and would automatically try to destroy it." Aeopie replied. "It's a risky game they're playing, and it has them terrified."
"And if they found you were on earth?" Raven wondered.
"Any earth ship would be destroyed on sight." Came the simply reply. "It would've been best if no one had found out about me." The girl turned to look at Beast Boy. "We should've just wandered in space, approaching no world."
"Wait." Cyborg said, looking puzzled. "You mean if anyone saw a ship they thought you was aboard they would just shoot at it."
"Yes." Aeopie stated. "They would."
"Why?"
"Ships and weapons can be guarded against. My people cannot." She explained. "So others fear us."
"Talyn." Starfire whispered, eyes going wide as she backed away in fear.
"Don't worry. I'm a kid. I can't do much yet." Aeopie tried to reassure the terrified girl.
Cyborg and Robin turned to see the orange-skinned Titan was pale, and obviously frightened.
"The people of Talyn." The girl whispered, staring at the child. "Weaker than the weakest of children, with the power to cleanse a world with a single thought. Able to play with other races as a child plays with a doll. Be warned least the infection spreads; destroy any ship tainted with their touch."
"What?" Robin asked, puzzled that someone like Starfire would be afraid of such a small girl.
"Physically weak, with no weapons, races have seen them as easy conquests in the past." She explained, eyes not moving from the girl. "Those worlds paid with the price of their lives. Entire races cast into extinction as though at the whim of a child."
"Whole races? Extinction?" Cyborg gulped, turning to look at the girl who flinched.
"It's said they can ..."
"Okay! SHUTUP!" Beast Boy shouted. "Enough with the fear mongering." He glared at Starfire. "You of all people should know better than to spread such rumors."
"We've seen the worlds that perished." She replied bluntly.
"Whatever. That was nearly twenty thousand years ago, and they were responding to an attack." He fumed, staring until she looked away. He turned to face the others. "So now you know. If you give her to the Gordanians then they'll use her as a weapon. That isn't an option."
"At least it explains our actions." The Tamaranian said. "And you must know that friend Beast Boy. She tried to kill you."
He shrugged. "No. The Gordanians tried to kill me. She was just the weapon they used. Unless you're keen on killing a kid forget about that and focus on what to do about the threat to turn earth into another Tamaran."
"If her kind can kill a whole world, she can just make the Gordanians go away." Starfire stated.
"She's a kid." Beast Boy pointed out. "And there's just one of her. How do you expect her to control a whole race. You're strong, but could you defeat all of Gordania?"
"No." She admitted.
In the end Beast Boy explained the whole situation. While he was sure they wouldn't hurt her, or turn her over to the Gordanians, he cringed with each word he spoke. He could see the way they thought about her change with each word. Beside him she trembled with her hand clutching his. When he talked of how her race had simply commanded another to die they all gulped, turning white, and stared at the poor girl who closed her eyes, being unable to stand the stares. He held her, and gratefully noted Raven had her own hand on the child's shoulder.
"Dangerous." Robin admitted. "But then many of the metahumans could destroy the earth if they went out of control, yet we tolerate them."
Beast Boy relaxed.
"Most of us could." Raven agreed. "Superman could do it easily. I know I could even without releasing Trigon."
"I'm not in that league." Cyborg admitted. "But I could still wreck some damage."
"Poor child." Starfire said, practically crying. "Perhaps she would like some Tamaranian cooking. Earth food not might give her all the vitamins she needs.:
Everyone in the room, including Aeopie, shuddered at the comment. For all her intelligence, the orange-skinned alien had yet to realize what the others thought of her cooking.
"I wonder how long before the malls of shopping will be opened?" Cyborg mentioned casually as a way to distract the woman. It worked.
"Soon, I hope." The orange-skinned Titan exclaimed, voice filled with excitement.
The shape shifter smiled. "I'm sorry." He said for the second time that day. "I nearly killed her, not realizing they might have someone in the brig. When I saw a little kid and she wasn't moving ..." He shrugged, unable to express the horror and guilt he'd felt. "And she's grown on me. She's like a little sister to me now, and I'm not allowing anyone to hurt her. Sorry that thought you would."
Starfire smiled. "We understand. I feel the same way about my little brother Wildfire. I miss him and would protect him with my life."
"A sister of yours is a sister of mine." Cyborg simply said with honest feeling.
"Protecting children might be the main reason I became Robin in the first place." Boy Wonder said. "Sorry I went into interrogation mode and became so obsessed."
"I like her." Raven intoned with the hint of a smile. "I would be proud to have a kid like her." Her hand remained on the girl's shoulder.
"I'm dangerous." Aeopie dared to say.
"Only if you're bad." Starfire said, kneeling down beside her. "And you're not bad are you?"
The orange-eyed girl looked up at Beast Boy fearfully.
"She's just an ordinary kid with a few gifts." He replied, smiling at her. The girl sighed in relief.
Robin knelt beside her as well and held out his hands showing they were empty. Reaching behind her ear he pulled out a new, unwrinkled, crisp, hundred-dollar bill. 'Maybe when Starfire goes to the shopping mall she'll take you with her and you can buy something." He suggested.
The girl took the offered gift, staring wide-eyed.
The leader stood up and took his seat again. "There's no way we're turning her over to the Gordanians." He reassured Beast Boy. "But that still leaves us with the question of what do we do?"
"Starfire might be the best one to ask about that." The shape shifter said.
"They used antimatter to wreck the havoc they did on Tamaran." She started. "As powerful as it is the amount needed is still huge, and the ships slow since violent moments could cause an accident. We would see them from a ways off with the captured ship's sensors. And we would be able to intercept it. However, to stop such a ship we would need to attack it directly, and one of my people would die in the resulting explosion. Even Gordanians fear to pilot them and use robots instead."
"If I were older." Aeopie said with a sigh.
"Not acceptable." Beast Boy said. "No one is dying."
"Agreed." Robin stated. "No one is dying."
"They have fourteen ships in orbit." The shape shifter pondered aloud. "How about we focus on handling those and then use them as defense when the heavy artillery arrives?"
"We can handle them." Starfire stated with a slight frown.
"If I recall correctly, you said some of your people would get hurt, or even die." He replied. "That's not acceptable. How many would you need to get inside to take the ships with no one getting hurt?"
"Ten." She instantly replied. "The people who came with me are the best."
He nodded. "So that's what we do." He looked towards Robin. "We need the T-ship."
"Hijack one of their cargo ships, and use it as a way to infiltrate some of their warships?" The leader mused, immediately understanding what the plan was. "I like it."
Beast Boy nodded.
Three hours later they were ready.
"Mayday! Mayday! This is the Xvinftctain fast freighter Jin. Need immediate assistance." The T-ship sent the message out on a loop, repeating it over and over.
Soon the Gordanian cargo ship appeared on the T-ship's sensors. It carried only minor weapons that would be useless in a real fight, but they would be more than enough to handle what they believed to be a simple freighter that had none. Raven paled as she sensed the enemy's crew's sick and twisted lust at the expected slaughter. The alien vessel turned towards the Titan's ship, and demanded an immediate surrender. They gave it.
When the cargo ship came near Raven teleported onto the Gordanian ship with twenty Tamaranians that had been crammed inside the T-ship. The enemy crew which consisted of three Gordanians immediately surrendered without even getting off a message.
"Phase one complete." Beast Boy said, pleased no one had got hurt. An hour later they picked up a hundred and twenty of Starfire's people.
Back in the solar system they approached the first of the Gordanian destroyers claiming they had cargo to transfer. Once again Raven teleported twenty Tamaranian soldiers onto the ship's bridge. The crew had no time to send off a warning, and in less than a minute the Titans had another vessel to call their own.
They repeated the process, leaving behind ten Tamaranians to keep control of each ship. Soon they captured the eighth, and last destroyer, without a single one of Starfire's people getting hurt. In all it'd taken twelve hours given they had to wait long enough between each ship to make it appear they really were off-loading cargo. Keeping the crews of the untaken ships unsuspicious for that long was the worst task the Tamaranians had to deal with. The process caused many of the race, all of which had iron-clad stomaches, to throw up violently and repeatedly. To learn the enemy's language they had to kiss them, and the results weren't pretty. To be cautious they placed the crews in the brigs with shackles and cleaned up the mess themselves, though many wished to make their hated foes do it.
That done they turned their attention to the scouts. They claimed three before the remainder caught on and boosted from the system for all they were worth. The destroyers weren't fast enough to caught the small ships, and so long as the ships were leaving there was no need to risk lives taking them anyway.
Not only were the silver minion now gone, but the alien fleet above as well. There was still the matter of the antimatter ships that might come, and plans would have to be made to handle them, but for now they celebrated a victory and their new fleet.
"You okay?" Beast Boy asked a pale faced Raven a few hours later.
The violet-eyed girl nodded. "Just being so close to them was disturbing. It's a wonder Aeopie managed it for so long without going crazy." She looked at the girl who was curled up in her chair again. She'd been on the mission, but only to give warning if the plan was about to fail.
"I just toned them out." She replied. "And the device they had on me helped block most of it." Her eyes were closed, and she was once again beneath a pile of blankets.
Raven gasped when the shape shifter started rubbing her shoulders, and was soon purring. She closed her eyes and let a small smile cross her lips. If there wasn't a kid around ... She moaned contentedly. Need a bigger apartment. She thought with some frustration.
This one is plenty big enough. I like the chair. A voice not her own echoed in her mind.
Eavesdropper. The violet-eyed girl placed the thought her mind so the girl would see it.
Nay. You're projecting your thoughts again. Came the amused reply.
Stop listening. Raven insisted.
My kind need positive feelings to grow normally. The orange-eyed girl replied. I could block out their thought on the ship for the most part, but there's something in cheerful thoughts that helps regulate our brain chemistry. I was really near death when Beast Boy showed up. I can't read his mind, but I can feel his concern and love for me. His love for you too. I'm not starving anymore.
Oh. Raven didn't know what to say. Still you can't just listen in like that.
Don't worry. I don't. The girl reassured her. I'm going to nap now.
Raven waited, and sensed the girl fall asleep. "I need a shower." She said. "All that teleporting was a bit of a strain and I need to relax." She didn't need to ask him whether he wanted to join her. He actually opened the washroom door for her with a silly grin on his face. Probably matches the grin on my face. She mused.
End of Chapter.
A very interesting foe might appear in the next chapter.
Many thanks to those who read and review.
