Our Time In Reverse- What it Takes –

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Chapter 23: Confessio

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The heroes were corralled in a line through the doors of the space ship; the Centauri ( sounds cooler) moons were a place that was both dangerous, forbidden of any crafts to enter without proper licensing and inspection. Starfire had never been to the Centauri moons, yet her sister had traveled far across the galaxy. She wished weren't so, she was still royal to her people. To the knowledge of those who still respected Tamaran.

"The Troq twins are playing the cute an' innocent act, chief." The robotic suits came off to reveal aliens as they spoke in the language Kori could understand. "There must be some mistake. My sister and I were never near that planet-

"Sources say otherwise." The guard duo in the high tech interrogations room had a good and bad cop . The one cop was from the arrest, while Starfire talked to the older other, the bad cop Blackfire presumed by his extra stars. "You're not just two innocent Tamaranean natives, you have higher pedigree-

"That is false, untrue. We were both cast out." Blackfire defended, feeling stupid enough to have been captured while taking the heat for her traumatized younger sibling. Just like before, when they were better to one another.

"Should we run a background check? Take some blood samples, sir?" The younger cop questioned, while the older cop's silvery eyes narrowed in his own vision of what was about to happen. "Takes too long, and we have something they want. You got friends on that inferior water- planet, ladies?"

"Not Really.. Sighed Blackfire. "We were just passing through, right, sister dear?" Blackfire smiled at Kori while she recalled their plans and her rejection of her big sister's want for power. "No, I was there. It is my home. I am a hero of it – a Titan. You may ask any one of my friends. They are—

" Quiet, troq."

"Do not call my sister that, vorthblik!"

"Or what?" Grinned the dirty older cop. "You'll zap me with those pretty eyes, troq -

Blackfire did more than that, she pulled at her cuffs that encased her whole wrists and lower arms. She met the pressure with her eyes to them. Starfire yipped in her seat as the cop from the ship got out a baton. Starfire gasped as Blackfire kicked up a leg into the guard's shin under their invisible table. "I don't need my powers to show you what Troqie is capable of." She sneered as he stepped back. The baton was whirring with energy as Blackfire's eyes effectively hit the light source. She pulled Kori; hands still cuffed together, and raised her elbow hard in to the now deactivated locks.

" Sister! Stop –

"AFTER THEM!"

Alarms blared, the two gathering their wits and started running. No flight allowed, until Blackfire turned a corner. She'd made a promise to that earth villain…She wasn't going to test his gall on what he had promised her. True or not, he was her way to get rid of the competition.

She dodged a swath of them, lasers on her back as Kori's cuffs were tugged off. "The Citadel has nothing on us." She smirked to Kori. "You…you are used to running from the law??" Starfire gawked at her sibling. "You swore to never –

"Well, I actually didn't-

She opened up a shut door before dropping the retort. Thankfully, inside were her sister's friends. Cy was pushing through, breaking Raven's bonds. Bb got to Robin's cuffs with little resistance. "Are these future tech?" Bb panted as a beaver, then reverted back while his teeth still clattered from the strong alloys.

"Move aside, posers," Blackfire jumped in and unlocked each cuff with something she'd wiped from the guard during the blackout.

"You're an actual criminal." Robin responded, a bit downcast at how she didn't act like it mattered yet. "Why are you helping us?"

"I still have something to do back on earth –

"YOU, are not bringing your kinda attitude back until y'all tell us what's really goin' on here??" Cy got in the other sister's face while Kori was near to tears on what was happening. "We can decide later. This is a bad time for fights aboard a moving space ship."

"We, are in space???" Gar guffawed. "No flippin, duh!"

Bb ranted in the background with Robin in deep thought, while Raven tried to see if she could teleport them with any remnants of magic that she had. She was still an intermediate in the arts of her birth. It might work, but there was chances could trap them in between voids if that failed…

"We have to bust out. Starfire. You need to choose."

"No, you don't have to be like your sister, Star." Robin reached over as Cy saw how she wanted to reach out buttoned not. "But, what we are doing….she has gotten worse in my ab –

"You aren't responsible for me!" Laughed the evil twin and exiled princess. "I could be the next grand ruler and it would be because of my bloodline that they could not touch me. You, on the other hand…should, just count yourselves lucky."

"I shall do no such thing!" Starfire exclaimed back in protest. "You made my friends enemies of the Galactic law and the order, you deliberately tried to switch places and steal my life from me…you were going to do something terrible. I know who you are, what you wanted for us even when I told you that same answer to your question. I shall not rule beside an anarchist." Starfire pulled away. "I, want nothing to do with you…any –

"I don't care. You're all accessories and I don't want to lose what I'm supposed to get for doing my half of the job –

"Blackfire, you could change. Why are you doing any of this?" Robin begged the question, demanding it firmly, " If it means getting others into danger, like Starfire said." Robin moved along as the dark future empress exchanged glances. "Why would you risk that much to get hurt yourself. What job? Who…"

Cy raised a hand. "Time to move. The guard squadron is still outside the door and Bb smelled explosives."

"You locked us in??? Are you crazy, mama??!" Bb shouted as Blackfire winced at the backlash. "Raven, your Chakra. There is a way to activate a vortex if you let me tell you the incantation."

"How do you know about dark magic…?" Raven raised her hood at the smirk that princess gave, cockily she shrugged. "A lonely girl out here in deep space? Oh, she needs a lot of tricks to keep herself from getting thrown behind bars. You don't all know me as well as Starfire always did. She and I were inseparable once –

"That was too long to matter, the now." Starfire huffed. "If you knowing a way back to earth, please do so in sending my sister far away from that same, trajectory. She is no longer welcome inside of our home."

"Star, it's not up to one of us ta decide that." Cy reprimanded the huffy red headed teen.

"Got it, so just all of you…" Raven growled. "Be. QUIET ."

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"Alright, Raven!" Blackfire cheered, the vortex was spinning like, a swirl for them to pop along through.. " See? I told you that I was…well…" Blackfire sheepishly smiled and rolled her eyes to the side with another shrug of her hunched form. "What about if they chase us back there? We don't want a dog fight in an unfamiliar territory."

"It won't happen." Raven started to chant as a hole in the floor opened up. "Get in. No time to talk." Starfire was reluctant, yet Robin coaxed her to follow. She clung to his arm, her own fingers faintly shaking as Blackfire vaguely nodded for the boy wonder to take notice.

The guards started as they had feared, to mobilize, and in their turning point the scouts that had attacked at the pier showed up to block the ship. While the heroes got back to earth, and the guard chief had a signal pop in from a man in an iron mask.

~ At Ease. I am only checking in as promised. Did it all go as I'd detailed it to? ~

"For an earthing, you are quite brilliant to have intercepted what the girl would do in our holding cell. One fellow mercenary to another, we made sure to send them packing with the right Intel. They now know about the princess, the one who hired her…..and we'll have her back after this is done? Correct?"

~ The probes have a lock. When she returns to your airspace again, they'll subdue and you'll have your criminal.~

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They hurtled together into the water, Sputtering up a storm as Starfire didn't try to take back her word. She used her starbolts to keep Blackfire from leaving the bay. Her hair and clothing fully soaked as he tried to shoot by her eyes and throw her younger sister a bone.

"YOU MAY NOT BE PERMITTED BACK. GO AWAY NOW PLEASE!"

"What th –

"STOP! This is too dangerous. That's exactly why you have to change. Look at what –

"I don't CARE!" Blackfire lit up as a dark crystal after dark. Night had fallen and the heroes saw her frustrated enough to level entire neighborhoods. " Have your perfect life! I did my part." She sniffed. :And don't ever come back to Tameran! Anyone that stays with these earth bottom feeders is…is a criminal as well! I'm gone…see ya, sister dear…" She waved off the others, Robin dragging himself out of the water as he went over to Kori to offer out a gloved hand. "I, wish to not be here. I am sorry…" She fled off up into the air, the one the troopers wanted was coming right to them. Her DNA, her sister. Gone free.

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Slade sat and watched the Titans confront the real Starfire as she opened up about how Blackfire had caused the fall of her family and that she was also guilty for not knowing the truth. Robin did as he was told. He only got close enough until she put her arms around the boy.

By that night at bedtime, lights out, the boy clocked in. Slade masked his displeasure. Sloppy. All of it, he'd at least get to whip the brat back into working order off the radar.

~ Cinched it, and well done, apprentice. ~

The boy didn't have to wait as Slade's beaming eye looked a bit less irritated to him, being it not the case at all. Robin was ready to say his part, until that ball dropped.

~ You're to meet me tonight, for a debriefing and to decide on your punishment. ~

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So, Slade worked with the police.