Starfire: Return to Tamaran

Scene 17: Spreading the Word

"Excellent," said Trogaar gleefully. "Tell them to start later this afternoon." He looked back at Blackfire and said, "Komand'r if you would be so kind to remove your sister from this premises."

Blackfire nodded shoved her sister out the door. If only she had looked through the open window close to the throne. If she had, she would've seen a figure clad in blue and black vanish from sight.

***

Overall, Gormileaux was pleased with how things were turning out. Once again, Koriand'r was a prisoner soon to be executed. Things were now starting to go in the direction he wanted to go.

"This simplifies matters in our favor," he was now telling his men back at the Psion lab. "All we have to do now is wait for Koriand'r to be executed. Then we can finally move in on Komand'r and finish her off once and for all. Only then can we purify the Citadel."

At these words, their team's lead scientist stepped forward. He was beaming more brightly than ever. "Commander, I have good news. We have run dozens of simulations for the main project you assigned us, and they're all saying the same thing."

"Which is?"

"Which is that it will be not only possible, but probable that a super powered Tamaranian can indeed be imprisoned. Even better, my team can get started on it immediately and have it done in a matter of days."

"Very good," said Gormlieaux, turning to his men. "Come now, boys. We have an execution to attend. It would not do us any good to be late."

***

When he had looked back to see Starfire being wrapped in chains, Nightwing had been tempted to go back and save her. He couldn't let her die, but he knew deep down there was nothing he could do for her at the present. He would have to find some other way.

So he had followed them, and when they had gone inside the palace, Nightwing had asked Oracle to scan back the databanks of the Citadel ship he had taken on Kraitoria and see if the palace schematics were there. The good news was they were; the bad news was Oracle informed him he had a lot of climbing ahead of him.

Fortunately, with her help, he had been able to use the palace schematics to locate a window overlooking the throne room. From here, he found out Starfire was still alive, Galfore and Krissand'r were prisoners, and Jennifer was dying of poisoned stab. Worst of all, he had found out that Starfire was scheduled to be executed.

"Just great," Oracle muttered, "so now your new girlfriend is deciding to play Damsel in Distress. Just perfect. After everything she's fought for, she had to get herself captured.

"Focus, please," Nightwing had retorted. "This is serious. She's not going to be executed until tomorrow afternoon. We still have some time. We also know the Citadel will have the Tamaranians gathered this afternoon to announce Starfire's capture. This gives us some time to form a plan."

"I've got one already set up, if you're open to it," said Oracle. "All you need are a set of stereos."

***

The climb up to the top of the dungeon's tower was not pleasant. When they had reached the first flight of stairs, some of the guards broke off and took Galfore and Krissand'r down to the lower levels. It didn't matter how far they would go, because Starfire knew she would never see them again.

Eventually, they reached the top of the stairs, where Blackfire had one of the Citadel guards open the door to the top cell. Jennifer was thrown inside, but prior to being thrown in herself, the guards removed the chains around Starfire. Sadly, she had no thoughts of escape in her mind. Not without Jennifer.