A New Year of Terror
Dec 29, 2014 0:56:58 GMT -6
Post by Elenaphant on Dec 29, 2014 0:56:58 GMT -6
New Year's Eve! A whole calendar year gone by and celebrated across many nations that followed it, Starfire had felt the pulse of energy that had carried from the holidays, into this the last day of the year. Jump City was crowded in the city square as food trucks made their sales and people hung about in their hats. Some children were perched on the shoulders of their parents, holding little plastic instruments and making noises with them. Police were stationed along the parameters and news vans with familiar stations advertised on the hood parked just opposite of them. This was going to be the biggest outdoor event and everyone, including the Titans, wanted to make sure that it remained festive and safe.
She stood with a celebratory jar of mustard in her hand. The climate in Jump City suited her, but it was 53°F and some people had light jackets with some hats beneath their festive headbands. Starfire had her standard uniform on but she did have a blinking headband that helped her blend somewhat into the crowd, she hoped! Her friends were scattered, each helping their own way or enjoying themselves in their own fashion. Cyborg was talking to the tech people behind the scenes, and she waved to him as she caught a glimpse of him, and he glanced up to offer a wave with his charming grin before his eyes were drawn back to the clipboard being shown to him. As Starfire walked further into the crowds, looking around for any of her friends, she caught sight of a couple being adorably affectionate with each other. She wondered if her friends Speedy and Raven would partake in the traditional count down kiss. The thought had her raising her hand to her mouth and giggling to herself.
Her giggling was cut off by a hit to her shoulder. It was to be expected in this crowd, but she turned around to apologize. “I am sorry for being in your way!” she said, and the man glanced behind her. His brows furrowed a moment but the woman was tugging him forward. As she did, something metallic caught Starfire's eye. She was naturally predisposed to notice sudden movements, but as the bracelet around the wrist swayed it did so as if in slow motion. Starfire's smile slowly fell as she watched it carefully, the small silver accessory looked like a mere rectangular plate, but it's sheen was peculiar--as it hit the light certain colours and the barest hint of numbers glimmered, indiscernible to the human eye but not to Starfire's. She'd seen that sort of thing before.
Her heart started to race a bit as she watched them disappear into the crowd. She pulled off her blinking headband and wordlessly handed both it and the jar of mustard to a random stranger. The short man looked at both confused, but Starfire was walking ahead before he could quite gather his wits to question her. As they moved, her pace picked up to follow them. They headed out from the crowd to the streets, then turned to head into an unfrequented alleyway. Starfire pressed herself against the wall and peeked over. The two were standing, facing each other. The woman held up her wrist and spoke into the bracelet in a language unrecognizable to human beings. It projected a hologram upon which the other's bracelet synced up and information was transferred.
Starfire hadn't been cold all night, but in that moment she felt a chill go through her. She had recognized that piece of alien technology. She remembered working on it as a girl, stamping the metallic shapes as the foreman walked back and forth along the production lines. She could still smell the metal in her nose as he came behind her, and smacked the side of her head as he told her to align the pieces better. She had heard from the others what they were for even if she was never told for herself. Those bracelets went on scouts. Scouts collected information on planets that the Citadel meant to take over.
The man began sniffing the air as a breeze entered the alleyway. We are being watched,” he informed the woman, who stopped what she was doing.
“We can destroy it. The city has a high crime coefficient. It won't be out of the ordinary...” she suggested cooly.
“No...” the man took another sniff, his eyes turning toward the opening of the alleyway. “This is not a human... It's the scent of a Tamaranean. It must be--”
“Your end, if you do not tell me right now why Citadel scouts are here on Earth!”Starfire had stepped from her position from the wall, and faced the two with glowing eyes. Her fist was out toward them with ut toward them with power radiating from it.
The woman grinned as her and the man's beside her disguises were shed, revealing two much taller figures with navy blue skin and bumps along their scalps instead of hair. “You ought to know why, being an escaped slave.”
Starfire's eyes widened at the confirmation. They couldn't... they couldn't be! Her heart hammered in her chest and her blood boiled with a fire that hadn't been stoked in a long time. The female alien scout raised her bracelet and asked for an access point. Starfire wasn't about to let it happen. She fired starbolts in succession, and the two began to fly. Starfire was in hot pursuit.
In the square, people were unaware that anything was amiss. The live entertainment played on stage, the people gathered in the square and chatted, blew horns, ate food, and tried their best to catch a glimpse of the singers either on the stage or on the large screens. However, the exciting moment finally came about. Whatever anyone was doing stopped when the time was announced. The countdown to midnight began. “10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! HAPPY--”
The cheers turned to screams when something shot into the large screen, fireworks blasting just as electric sparks flew out from it in bursts. The screen crashed down on the stage beneath it. The crowd began to scramble as a shaking impact tore up the street next to it. Three emerged from the fiery crash, looking bruised and breathing heavy. Immediately without paying any attention to the chaos she caused, Starfire charged at the other two. A three way fight engaged as the Titan tried to take both down at once, not letting one or the other get away from her. She succeeded in damaging the females leg, and as she cried out and crawled to the pavement the other two fought more earnestly.
“Pathetic! You were trained by the Warlords of Okaaras, weren't you?” he asked, dodging her blows and delivering brutal ones. Though Starfire had super-strength, it seemed so did the alien she fought against, making her stagger back with each impact. “Come on! Show me what a Troq who escaped the mighty Citadel can do!”
Those were his last words as he was engulled in a blast that disintergrated him, and tore a large hole in the building behind it. The shriek of the beam covered the sound of collapsing rubble and people within as it crashed, but only for a moment. When it disappeared into smoke the city once filled with the sound of live music and jovial people turned to terrified screams.
The female scout stared, terrified that her partner had been destroyed before her eyes. She scrambled, attempting to fly though low on energy—her people not used to flight in the way Tamaraneans were, but Starfire grabbed her bad leg and threw her violently into the road, breaking the pavement again. The Tamaranean princess, former exile and slave, now angry Titan in ways Jump City hadn't seen her before, was charging up for another blast that could destroy her in one hit. Her shaky wrist came up to the device that had given her away and doomed her partner. "Requesting access point!" she said shakily, managing to stand to her two feet in spite of one being mangled, and backing up while she could. “Requesting an access point damn you!” Even in an otherworldly language, the shrill note of terror was universal.
Starfire raised her hand, ignoring the police sirens behind her and a call to stand down. In mere moments, she was about to unleash that same devastating power, and she would tear this city asunder before she let this one get away.
She stood with a celebratory jar of mustard in her hand. The climate in Jump City suited her, but it was 53°F and some people had light jackets with some hats beneath their festive headbands. Starfire had her standard uniform on but she did have a blinking headband that helped her blend somewhat into the crowd, she hoped! Her friends were scattered, each helping their own way or enjoying themselves in their own fashion. Cyborg was talking to the tech people behind the scenes, and she waved to him as she caught a glimpse of him, and he glanced up to offer a wave with his charming grin before his eyes were drawn back to the clipboard being shown to him. As Starfire walked further into the crowds, looking around for any of her friends, she caught sight of a couple being adorably affectionate with each other. She wondered if her friends Speedy and Raven would partake in the traditional count down kiss. The thought had her raising her hand to her mouth and giggling to herself.
Her giggling was cut off by a hit to her shoulder. It was to be expected in this crowd, but she turned around to apologize. “I am sorry for being in your way!” she said, and the man glanced behind her. His brows furrowed a moment but the woman was tugging him forward. As she did, something metallic caught Starfire's eye. She was naturally predisposed to notice sudden movements, but as the bracelet around the wrist swayed it did so as if in slow motion. Starfire's smile slowly fell as she watched it carefully, the small silver accessory looked like a mere rectangular plate, but it's sheen was peculiar--as it hit the light certain colours and the barest hint of numbers glimmered, indiscernible to the human eye but not to Starfire's. She'd seen that sort of thing before.
Her heart started to race a bit as she watched them disappear into the crowd. She pulled off her blinking headband and wordlessly handed both it and the jar of mustard to a random stranger. The short man looked at both confused, but Starfire was walking ahead before he could quite gather his wits to question her. As they moved, her pace picked up to follow them. They headed out from the crowd to the streets, then turned to head into an unfrequented alleyway. Starfire pressed herself against the wall and peeked over. The two were standing, facing each other. The woman held up her wrist and spoke into the bracelet in a language unrecognizable to human beings. It projected a hologram upon which the other's bracelet synced up and information was transferred.
Starfire hadn't been cold all night, but in that moment she felt a chill go through her. She had recognized that piece of alien technology. She remembered working on it as a girl, stamping the metallic shapes as the foreman walked back and forth along the production lines. She could still smell the metal in her nose as he came behind her, and smacked the side of her head as he told her to align the pieces better. She had heard from the others what they were for even if she was never told for herself. Those bracelets went on scouts. Scouts collected information on planets that the Citadel meant to take over.
The man began sniffing the air as a breeze entered the alleyway. We are being watched,” he informed the woman, who stopped what she was doing.
“We can destroy it. The city has a high crime coefficient. It won't be out of the ordinary...” she suggested cooly.
“No...” the man took another sniff, his eyes turning toward the opening of the alleyway. “This is not a human... It's the scent of a Tamaranean. It must be--”
“Your end, if you do not tell me right now why Citadel scouts are here on Earth!”Starfire had stepped from her position from the wall, and faced the two with glowing eyes. Her fist was out toward them with ut toward them with power radiating from it.
The woman grinned as her and the man's beside her disguises were shed, revealing two much taller figures with navy blue skin and bumps along their scalps instead of hair. “You ought to know why, being an escaped slave.”
Starfire's eyes widened at the confirmation. They couldn't... they couldn't be! Her heart hammered in her chest and her blood boiled with a fire that hadn't been stoked in a long time. The female alien scout raised her bracelet and asked for an access point. Starfire wasn't about to let it happen. She fired starbolts in succession, and the two began to fly. Starfire was in hot pursuit.
In the square, people were unaware that anything was amiss. The live entertainment played on stage, the people gathered in the square and chatted, blew horns, ate food, and tried their best to catch a glimpse of the singers either on the stage or on the large screens. However, the exciting moment finally came about. Whatever anyone was doing stopped when the time was announced. The countdown to midnight began. “10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! HAPPY--”
The cheers turned to screams when something shot into the large screen, fireworks blasting just as electric sparks flew out from it in bursts. The screen crashed down on the stage beneath it. The crowd began to scramble as a shaking impact tore up the street next to it. Three emerged from the fiery crash, looking bruised and breathing heavy. Immediately without paying any attention to the chaos she caused, Starfire charged at the other two. A three way fight engaged as the Titan tried to take both down at once, not letting one or the other get away from her. She succeeded in damaging the females leg, and as she cried out and crawled to the pavement the other two fought more earnestly.
“Pathetic! You were trained by the Warlords of Okaaras, weren't you?” he asked, dodging her blows and delivering brutal ones. Though Starfire had super-strength, it seemed so did the alien she fought against, making her stagger back with each impact. “Come on! Show me what a Troq who escaped the mighty Citadel can do!”
Those were his last words as he was engulled in a blast that disintergrated him, and tore a large hole in the building behind it. The shriek of the beam covered the sound of collapsing rubble and people within as it crashed, but only for a moment. When it disappeared into smoke the city once filled with the sound of live music and jovial people turned to terrified screams.
The female scout stared, terrified that her partner had been destroyed before her eyes. She scrambled, attempting to fly though low on energy—her people not used to flight in the way Tamaraneans were, but Starfire grabbed her bad leg and threw her violently into the road, breaking the pavement again. The Tamaranean princess, former exile and slave, now angry Titan in ways Jump City hadn't seen her before, was charging up for another blast that could destroy her in one hit. Her shaky wrist came up to the device that had given her away and doomed her partner. "Requesting access point!" she said shakily, managing to stand to her two feet in spite of one being mangled, and backing up while she could. “Requesting an access point damn you!” Even in an otherworldly language, the shrill note of terror was universal.
Starfire raised her hand, ignoring the police sirens behind her and a call to stand down. In mere moments, she was about to unleash that same devastating power, and she would tear this city asunder before she let this one get away.