The Night Star (ABANDONED)

Chapter 7

  "Is everything alright?" Dick asked, growing concerned.

"We'll explain when you get here," Tim said before hanging up.

   Dick sighed, hanging up as well. "That was Tim," he told his daughter. "Apparently, we are needed at the manor."

"What for?" Mar'i asked curiously.

  "Not sure, but it seems important. Are you ready to go?"

She nodded yes and the two left the apartment and made their way to Dick's car.

   Upon arriving, Alfred was there, opening the door for them.

"Master Dick, Miss Mar'i," he greeted. "Master Bruce is in his study waiting for you."

   "Thanks, Al," Dick said with a nod, entering the manor, Mar'i tailing behind him. They reached Bruce's study and Dick knocked on the door. It was promptly opened by Bruce.

They stepped inside the room and saw not only Bruce, but Clark Kent in his Superman attire.

   "Dick, Mar'i," Bruce greeted. "Thank you for coming. Mar'i, this is Superman. He's been helping us locate your mother."

"Mar'i," Superman held out his hand. "I've heard all about you. Nice to finally meet you."

Mar'i remembered her mother telling her about some of the heroes from Earth. Superman was one of them. He was the Kryptonian man.

When Krypton still existed, it was a neighboring planet to Tamaran when it was in its glory days. They weren't enemies per se, but the Tamaraneans and Kryptonians weren't necessarily fond of each other. And neither were Starfire and Superman.

But, nevertheless, Mar'i shook the Kryptonian's hand and nodded politely.

   "We've been trying to locate your mother, as you know, and I've asked Superman to venture to Tamaran to—"

"Pardon my interruption, Bruce, but perhaps I'd better tell them," Superman suggested.

"Tell us what?" Dick asked, getting a very unsettling feeling.

He sighed heavily. "We've been searching for Starfire, but I found something else instead..."

Dick raised an eyebrow, hoping that he would continue.

"Mar'i, I'm very sorry... Tamaran has been destroyed."

   Mar'i gasped. She felt nauseous, as if she'd been punched in the gut, and heartbroken all in one. Her vision started to cloud as tears formed in her eyes.

"Destroyed?" Dick said in disbelief. "What about Kori? Do you know where she could be?"

  Superman let out another sigh. "I've searched every nearby planet and even the next solar system over. But no luck. I'm so sorry, Dick. We're going to have to mark her as 'Deceased'."

"No!" Mar'i suddenly cried out, as the ends of her hair caught on fire. All heads turned their attention to her.

  "Please, no! She can't be dead, she can't! She's out there somewhere, you have to keep looking! Please!" Tears had begun sliding down her cheeks.

  "I'm very sorry, Mar'i, but there's not much left we can do. Tamaran has been destroyed and Starfire is no where to be found; all signs seem to point to—"