A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry that took so long. Life has been hectic this past month. School just let out this week so now i got plenty of time to write! Feels good to be back! I plan on writing a chapter every week if not more than once a week. I hope thats ok with you guys but the past month has giving me plenty of time to think about where this story can go! Stoked to see where it ends up! Hope you enjoy!
Nightwing was entranced by the infinite darkness in front of him. With his forearms placed behind his head as cushion for comfort he found himself tensed up. He kept asking himself how he got here. What lead to this moment? Why was he chasing a ship that carried someone he care for as a prisoner?Memories flashed in front of him as if taking from in the dark abyss, each one leading to the next until he reached the present. With each memory passing he would grit his teeth and his fists would clench behind his head. They took control of his mind to the point he blocked out everything else around him.
"So who is she?" A robotic voice echoed across the small ship. But there was no response. He slightly turn his head towards his temporary companion to see if he was being ignored but from the expression on the face he observed... He didn't think that was the case.
Nightwing just didn't hear him. He was still stuck in a trance staring into the nothingness. So X tried to snap him out of it...
"C'mon kid," he said with an annoyed tone, "I know you can hear me."
Nightwing's face animated with life as if he was just woken from a deep sleep and he turned to face his rival to see if he had imagined that. When he saw the pilot's head tilted in his direction he knew he hadn't imagined anything...
"What?" Nightwing asked full of confusion. He just hadn't heard him. Or at least... it just didn't register to him.
"Who. Is. She?" X said with a passive aggressive tone.
"Who?" Nightwing said with an eyebrow raised trying to figure out who he was talking about.
"Who do ya think?" X shot back thinking it was obvious, "the chick who stole Starfire," he returned his sights to the dead space in from his ship, "who is she?"
Nightwing's face turned to sheer panic and he sat up straight, nervously putting his hands in his lap almost as if moving into a stance to defend himself. He took a defensive position not because he was in danger but because he was worried that his secret could get out...
Red-x picked up on that sense of panic just from the air around the two of them growing so tense and decided to probe further.
"I know you know her," he said with confidence, "you called her by name..."
Nightwing's heart began pound. A rare feeling for him. The anxiety of this conversation was starting to toll on him. He knew in situations like this its best not to say anything so he kept his mouth shut.
X waited patiently for an answer and he when he didn't get one he chuckled softly like he knew the answer already, "I see... So she's that kind of chick..." He chuckled again.
Nightwing knew this was bait and not to take it... So he continued to remain silent. But that's not what bothered him at this point. At this point whether it was a bluff or if X really knew, it terrified him.
"Does Star know?" X continued to tease as if he knew the entire story now.
Obviously Nightwing's silence was giving away a lot more than he thought. He looked down at his hands in his lap and thought really hard about what to say in response but everything he thought of always seemed to lead to the same ending... And it wasn't good.
"Bad news doesn't get better with time, kid," X finally said with all the confidence in the world, "eventually she's going to find out... So would you want her to hear it from you..." he paused and turned his head towards Nightwing who looked back at him as their eyes deadlocked on one another, "or from me?"
The deadlocked eye contact could have sparked flames from the intensity of their collision and for a long moment they sat in silence waiting for the other to make the next move.
--
Starfire sit on the cold floor of her cell. The force field around her showed no flaws or any kind of weakness. If there's one thing her enemy gizmo was good at... It was building incredibly advanced tech. Escape really was impossible.
She sat with her knees up together as she wrapped her arms around the front of her shins with her head down in the nook between her knees. She wanted to cry but she refused to let her sister have that kind of victory over her. But as she thought about what she had lost up to this point the idea of holding back tears grew harder and harder. She missed her friends. She missed her home. She missed Richard. She wished so much for him to be there. To hold her. To comfort her. His warm touch with the rough skin of his hands covered in calluses from excessive training for years. A feeling most girls would scoff at, but she loved it. To her a man with that kind of drive was a delicacy.
The memory of being taken was becoming clearer with each passing minute. That night played over and over in her mind. Hearing all her friends battling for her safety. The terrifying tone in Richard's voice as he spoke to Kitten. The woman standing on the pier who turned out to be the same woman who took her hostage before at the restaurant...
Who is she?
Starfire thought to herself. As she continued to fight back her emotions. And like a faint dream you try to remember after you wake up it rang out in her mind...
"Roooooossssse!"
That was Richard's voice. She thought to herself as she opened her eyes staring blankly into her lap, her mind began to race with endless questions... but only one mattered to her... does he know this girl?
--
The Titans walked down a wide and dimly lit hallway behind Galfor towards the war room. As they approached the doors they could hear murmuring, muffled conversations and whispers behind the massive door that stood twice as tall as Galfor. With his mighty strength he used one hand to push both doors open and silence fell over the room as all eyes turned to meet them.
A long and oval shaped table sat in the center of the room with small groups of well dressed Tamarans standing casually around it. Large and heavy chairs surrounded the massive table yet none of them were occupied as if everyone present were waiting on someone before sitting down.
Each Taraman had some kind of armor on. Not heavily fortified but well kept and stylish as if a decorated solider were wearing a uniform proudly. As they all began to realize that their Grand Ruler had entered one Tamaran called the room to attention as if their military general entered the room. Everyone in the room stood up straight and slammed their right fist across their chest before taking a slight bow towards their ruler.
Galfor looked around the room from each Tamaran to the next until he confirmed that everyone was present and accounted for.
"Be seated," Galfor ordered. Every Tamaran then stood up straight and sat down in their respective chairs around the long and impressive table.
Galfor took his seat at the head of the table where the Titans were granted 4 seats at his right hand side just adjacent to him.
"My brothers and sisters, the day we feared had finally arrived," Galfor said with caution, "the princess Starfire has been captured yet again. We can only assume who is behind this..."
The Titans all looked at each other confused as if they were the only ones not aware of what seemed to be the most obvious thing.
"We all know what ended the great war not so long ago," Galfor continued, "at the time we saw no end to the bloodshed and saw no other way to save our people." He closed his eyes and bowed his head in shame as the room was giving him their undivided attention, "fools we were!" He shouted angrily before looking back up at the room, "we thought that no war would come to us as long as we kept to ourselves! We were peaceful. With no army. And it left us defenseless to an attack like the one we faced!" He stood up agressively trying to emphasize his next statement, "but not anymore! We have been training for this very moment for years now! For our chance to take the fight to them and send a message to the galaxy, that we will not be pushed around and made a mockery of!"
The Titans eyes went wide. They were beginning to realize what was happening. An ongoing war of some kind. From what it sounded like... it was a very one sided war. One that gave the Tamaranians the short end of the stick.
"The Princess did everything she could to buy us time, but now we have to act quickly to save her! To save our savior!" Galfor sounded like a picture perfect general. Someone who was born to lead a nation, "we may not have started this war, BUT WE WILL END IT!" He threw a fist in the air and as if on command every Tamaran in the room shot to their feet throwing a fist in the air with a deafening war cry.
"Wait, what?!" Cyborg shout in an alarmed tone.
He looked down at Beastboy who had he jaw dropped at what he heard. Terra's eyes were wide in panic as They all looked to Raven for clarification.
The Titans did not share the same enthusiasm as the of the rest of the room. As much as they wanted to get their friend and leader back, they didn't want to be part of a war. But if thats what it took to get her back then they wouldn't hesitate to fight.
As they continued to look at each other with confused expressions Raven decided to ask the one question they all had on their minds...
She removed her hood and looked up at Galfor who had turned his gaze to her after seeing her remove her hood, "w-who took Starfire?" She stuttered as she asked as calmly as she could. She then swallowed the knot in her tongue and worked up her courage as her legs and hands began to shake... and with trembling lips she asked the big question, "w-who... Who are we going to war with?"
