Return to Tamaran Ch. 01

"So this is where you've been hiding?"

"What do you mean? I was not aware I was hiding. Tell me strange visitor, what do you think I am hiding from?"

"Very funny."

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Robin had prepared the Titans for battle as soon as the unidentified space craft appeared on their sensors, assuming the ships lack of response to the tower's radio hails as a sign of hostility. The longer the young alien went without throwing a punch or drawing a weapon the more Robin begin to feel like he may have jumped the gun.

"Why didn't you answer us? We repeated tried to contact you while you were descending!" Robin asked definitely.

"You must be mistaken. I didn't receive any transmissions."

"Ah come on man," Cyborg retorted in disbelief, "I was there. We tried radioing you at least a dozen times."

"Radio? You mean as in radio wave communication? You actually communicate via radio? If it's true that you still use radio communication then I apologize. I received your messages and simply assumed it was background radiation. I guess I should have known better since even from space there didn't appear to be any spaceports, tachyon communication arrays, or power supplies of significance."

"I do not wish to be 'the rude' but I must interrupt." Starfire said to draw the alien's attention back to her, "You spoke as if you know me but I do not recognize you. Have we met?"

"No, we have never met in person but I've spent a lot time on Tamaran lately. Your sister's descriptions of you are vivid and detailed."

"You've spoken with Blackfire? Please tell... how is she? I was nervous since I have not seen or heard from her in so long!" Starfire gleefully asked.

"You can catch up on gossip later Star, right now we still have work to do." Robin scolded his energetic companion before turning his attention back to the alien, "If this place is so primitive in your opinion, then why are you here? I'll tell you right now if you're thinking you can conquer Earth just because your weapons are more advanced..."

"Conquer?" The alien said with a sigh, "If that's what you are afraid of then I will put your mind at ease. If I were here to conquer your planet I would not have come alone. As a matter of fact, I am simply here on vacation."

"Let me get this straight... you have your own starship that you use to go anywhere in the galaxy, tons of super cool futuristic gadgets and weapons, and knowledge regarding super hot alien babes and you're choosing to spend your vacation HERE!?" Beast boy asked.

"Pick your jaw up off the ground beast boy and get your mind out of the gutter." Raven criticized him in her usual cold manner, "He never said anything about 'hot alien babes'."

"She's right my little green friend. Still, your girlfriend looks like the forgiving type so I'm sure she'll overlook your little fantasy."

Fire filled Raven's eyes as the words 'your girlfriend' echoed over and over in her mind.

"So, since we now know our new friend is not a threat and all the important questions have been answered, would it be alright if I engage in the gossip?"

"I am not his girlfriend!" Raven screamed.

"Tell me truthfully, how long has it been since you've heard from anyone back home?"

"I'm not certain, but it feels like at least six months. It is strange that I have not heard anything from anyone."

"Actually it's not and I apologize. It was wrong of my to assume you were hiding out of fear. I simply assumed you were... well... like your sister I guess."

"I am most confused but I believe you are insulting me and my family. I hope I am mistaken."

"You are not mistaken, please don't get mad though as I do not wish to fight on my vacation. I don't mean to insult you."

"But you do mean to insult my sister?"

"Calling that bitch a coward isn't an insult, it's the truth!"

"I will make you take back your hateful words!" Starfire shouted as her eyes began to glow with rage.

"If you've really been out of contact with your people for so long you may wish to reserve judgment until you've heard my little history lesson."

"Fine, I will listen and then I will pummel you into the ground."

"I'm not certain if I should show you my proof before or after my speech so I think I show it to my green friend and see what he thinks I should do." The alien said with a smile as he handed beast boy a small photograph.

"Holy cow!" Was all Beast Boy said before passing out.

"Does holy cow mean before or after? Which do you think Starfire?"

Starfire snatched the photo out of Beast Boys unconscious hands and began to stare at it. The glow in her eyes began to die off as the image began to fill her mind.

Seated in the Tamaranian throne was an alien man of the same species as the visitor though clearly a different person. Kneeling before him was her sister, Blackfire, looking up at him with devoted eyes. His eyes didn't share Blackfire's devotion; in fact they barely showed any concern for her at all. He looked on her with a sense of mild boredom even as she displayed her naked form to him.

"Our tacticians stumbled upon Tamaran approximately two years ago and our spies have carefully watched it ever since. Seven months ago the time was deemed right to begin organizing our war machine. Somehow word of our plans leaked to Blackfire..."

She just sat there with her ample breasts exposed. She made no attempt to cover them or otherwise hide them from his gaze. She wanted him to see them. No, Starfire realized as she recognized the look in her sister's eyes, she didn't want him to see them. She wanted him to touch them... to touch her.

"Normally news of a secret offensive being leaked to the opposition would have caused strategic problems but surprisingly we found we wouldn't need the element of surprise after all..."

Blackfire made no effort to hide her mound from him either. She wanted it to be seen. She had even gone to the effort of shaving her pubic hair into a design; the same symbol her uninterested onlooker wore on his uniform.

"Blackfire knew her world was outmatched. Even with our intentions discovered in time there was no way the Tamaranian defenses would hold out against our superior military power. But, as I'm sure you know, Blackfire is a very pragmatic woman..."

As Star gazed closer she noticed markings around her sister's wrists and ankles. Her own experience told her they were the byproduct of chains and shackles. How odd, Starfire thought, that a man who seemed so disinterested in her sister would go to such barbaric extremes to restrain her.

"She knew that when we arrived and inevitably won her world that she would be deposed and likely killed. So instead she contacted us. She offered to leave her planet's defenses down and provided us with critical information..."

If it had been anyone else in the picture Starfire wouldn't have noticed but she knew her sister too well. Blackfire had always been so meticulous about her appearance when they were growing up that she knew that the very slight bulge in her stomach could only be due to one thing. Even while under such duress she would not have allowed herself to put on any weight unless she was pregnant. She was early though, early enough that Star wondered if her sister's captor was even aware of it.

"I'm sure she assumed we would reward her for betraying her people to us. I guess in way we did, though personally I would have rather died a hero then end up a traitor and slavegirl."

"I must go home. I must return to Tamaran." Starfire thought out loud, still not removing her eyes from the picture.

"You can't be serious? Didn't you just hear what this guy said? Your world has been taken over by some foreign super power. You can't face off against a whole army by yourself." Cyborg protested.

"Your friend is right. As long as you stay on Earth you're save but if you return to your home world you'll either be killed on sight or captured and forced into submission like your sister." The alien stated, clearly taken aback by Starfire's blind determination.

"I must return even though I know one person can not defeat an army."

"Maybe not, but you won't be by yourself. You're part of team so if you go to Tamaran then we're going with you!" Robin declared.

"What's going on now?" Beast boy asked as he slowly regained consciousness.

"We're gong to travel halfway a crossed the galaxy to fight a hopeless battle." Raven told him in a deathly serious tone.

"Oh! I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning."