Titans: Resistance Issue #4

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Titans: The Resistance
Part 4 (of 6)
Written by: Jay McIntyre
Cover by: Craig Cermak and Ramon Villalobos
Edited by: Brian Burchette

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The sea is the only home I've ever known.

The land is a place to raid and plunder, not to live. Oh, to be sure, we have island holdings, and there are ports that are friendly to us. But the sea—and this ship—are my home.

The sea is my hiding place. Wild and untamed, it is a place that no law can reach. Try as they might, no nation can rule the sea. Not even we do; we simply respect it and take advantage of it.

The Markovians? Feh. The Markovians are just the latest empire to come along. They will rule for a time, and then they will fall, like all others before them. Such is the way of the world.

Which is not to say they aren't a threat to me and mine. Indeed, they are our favorite targets, which puts us on their hit list. But the sea is a place that, for all their fleets and armadas, they can never rule. They can't even understand it. Markovia was not even much of a seafaring nation in the old days. But as I said, the sea is my home.

My mom was a Madam Courtesan of the first order. My dad found her during one of his raids in the Far East. It was not much of a change for her or her "girls". Their clientele was just narrowed down, that's all.

I loved my dad...and I hated him. I loved the life he gave me, the training he gave me, the fleet he gave me as his heir. I love being the master of this pirate fleet. I love the orange and blue mantle I inherited from him. I don't even mind my missing eye. That was not his fault. I loved many things about him.

But daddy showed me no affection, no kindness. There was no love, only 'The Life', as he called it. "This is the only thing I can give you," he said to me once. "Be proud it it and use it well. Live up to my legacy." Gee thanks, dad.

So I prowl the seas, as he did before me. I wreak havoc on every nation, as he did. The pirates follow me as they did him. I love this life, and I live it without regret.

But I swear that on the day when I have a child, that I will love that child in a way my father never loved me.

My name is Rose Wilson. I am the Ravager, daughter of Deathstroke, greatest pirate ever to sail the ocean. And woe betide those that cross me.

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Kai-Al yanked Green Lantern's arm up and away, and his blast flew skywards. "Surely you've had enough misunderstandings today?"

He glared at her. "You don't understand. This is a Markovian. One of the invaders."

"Invaders, oppressors, and destroyers," Terra agreed sadly. The blast had missed cleanly, but she had ducked all the same.

He stared at her. "You don't deny it?"

She shook her head. "I already went through that with him." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder, indicating Robin. "So let me sum up the relevant points. Yes, I am a member of the Imperial Family. Yes, I know the entire history. I am an outcast and renegade. No, I don't expect you to believe me."

Green Lantern absorbed this warily, but was looking at Robin. "Waitaminute.....are you.....are you the Bat's lieutenant?"

Robin actually laughed. It seemed like the first time in a long time. "Is that how the rest of the world sees us?"

Green Lantern shrugged. "It's the way my teacher described you guys to me."

"Yeah," Robin said. "I know they met a few times." The thought briefly crossed his mind of mentioning that he was himself only recently "promoted" to being that "lieutenant", but his training was too strong for that. "Are you the other Green Lantern's lieutenant in the same way, or are you the new Green Lantern?"

Green Lantern shrugged. "Both, kinda, I guess. What are you doing with Miss Markovia here?"

Terra rolled her eyes at that.

Robin answered, "As she said, she claimed to be a renegade trying to recruit a group to fight her country. That's what she told me, anyway."

"Can I speak to you for a moment, in private?" Green Lantern asked.

Robin shrugged. "Sure."

Green Lantern extended an emerald pathway with his ring. Robin stepped off Terra's rock and onto it, and walked over to him.

"Excuse us, for a moment, ladies," Green Lantern said with mock politeness, and enclosed himself and Robin in a globe that muted sound.

Terra sighed and looked at Kai-Al. "So what's your story?"

Kai-Al smirked. "Would you believe, I'm what you would call an alien?"

"As in, not from this planet?"

Kai-Al nodded.

Terra smiled. "How fascinating."

Kai-Al smiled back.

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"Don't tell me you trust her, seriously?" Green Lantern asked Robin inside the bubble.

Robin shrugged. "Her cover story hasn't slipped up so far. And if we just let her go, who knows what she'll do then?"

"You're waiting for her to make a mistake."

Robin nodded. "Yes." But in his heart, doubt had begun to grow. And the worst part of it was, he actually liked Terra. Not that he would tell Green Lantern that.

"She could be leading you into a trap, you know," the Lantern pointed out.

"The thought had occurred. I don't see what else to do."

"We could call our mentors," Green Lantern mused.

"I doubt mine will want to answer unless she's actually setting up an invasion," Robin said, skirting the issue.

"And mine is already in Europe by now fomenting resistance," Green Lantern said thoughtfully. "I guess we have to play it through."

"And the girl in black?"

"Kryptonian. An alien race who are heavy into science. She says she's just here to observe."

"Do you believe her?" Robin asked.

Green Lantern shrugged. "I don't know what to believe."

"Me either."

"Maybe were both nuts," Lantern suggested, and they both chuckled a little. "So you wanna keep playing along with this?"

Robin shrugged. "For now, yeah. Let's see where it goes."

There came a knocking on the outside of the bubble. With a curse, Lantern dismissed it, leaving only a disc supporting him and Robin. "What is it?"

"We have company," said Kai-Al. "Another fleet of ships. But they fly a different flag."

"Not Markovian," Terra hastened to add.

"I know those colors," Robin breathed. "Batman told me about them. The Deathstroke fleet."

"The Pirate Lord?" Green Lantern was thunderstruck. "I heard he was dead."

"Are you kids done playing costumed soap opera up there?" A voice shouted.

Terra raised an eyebrow. Green Lantern and Robin exchanged a glance. Not the sort of greeting they had expected.

"Shall we?" Terra said.

"Why not," Green Lantern agreed, and Kai-Al nodded.

They floated down to the lead ship, where a woman not much older than themselves waited on deck, flanked by grim, dangerous men.

"It is the Deathstroke fleet," Green Lantern breathed. "I heard the old man was dead."

"He is," the woman agreed. "But his legacy lives on in me. I am the Ravager."

"Family ties?" Robin asked.

Ravager shrugged. "Like father, like daughter."

"Deathstroke had a kid? Oh, freakin great," Green Lantern rolled his eyes.

Ravager narrowed her eye—the only one she had, the other covered in a white silk eye patch. She looked such a stereotypical pirate that it was funny, but none of them felt like laughing. "You have a problem, ring-slinger?" she sneered.

"Given that my teacher and---" and my Uncle, Lantern almost said, and stopped himself at the last moment, "—others crossed paths with your daddy dearest more than once, yeah!"

"Haven't you had enough fighting for one day?" Kai-Al asked him pointedly.

Green Lantern stared at her. Ravager laughed, and even Terra smirked a little.

"Perhaps you can explain what we can do for you," Robin put in, trying to play diplomat.

"That depends on what you and your motley crew are trying to do," Ravager countered. "You may be of use to me, and I may be of use to you. Let's hear it."

Robin looked at Terra. "Let me do the talking, hmm?"

"Talk for yourselves if you want," Kai-Al interrupted. "I have yet to speak. I will do so now."

Ravager smiled. "I like your spirit. Speak on."

Green Lantern fumed but kept quiet. Robin shrugged. Terra nodded.

"I came to this world seeking only knowledge. It is of interest to me that I have gained new and unusual powers under this yellow star of yours. But I find this world is full of strife. As I understand it, the girl Terra," she indicated her, "wants to lead a group of powered folk against her own people, who the Lantern indicates to me are the main aggressors on this planet. Lantern, wanting to keep his planet safe, agreed with that overall agenda if uncertain of its specifics."

"And wary of its author," Green Lantern put in.

"Yes," said Kai-Al a trifle impatiently. "It is clear that any knowledge I will gain will have to factor in this....Markovian presence, no matter what I might feel. Therefore, it would suit my purposes to assist them against this threat."

Robin and Terra exchanged a glance, wondering what color star Kai-Al had grown up under.

After Kai-Al was done speaking, Ravager stared at Terra for a long time. She made no blustering accusations as Green Lantern had, nor did she attack physically as Robin had.

She just......stared at her, with her one ice-blue eye.

Terra looked back, uncomfortable but uncertain what to say.

"Are you prepared to fight your own people, Markovian?" Ravager asked.

"I already have," Terra said.

"So you say. I didn't see ya do it, and neither did the others, from what I can tell."

The other three nodded.

"Right." Ravager went on. "You'll have to fight them openly, with others seeing ya do it, before anybody even begins to trust you."

Terra nodded. "I expected no different."

Ravager nodded and gave a grim smile. There was a degree of recognition there, of understanding; like Terra, she was heir to a bitter legacy. She embraced it, while Terra rejected hers, but there was a bit of kinship there, all the same.

"So, what do we call you?" Ravager asked, turning to Kai-Al.

"I am Kai, of the House of Al," she said proudly.

Ravager whistled. "That's a mouthful. Do you mind if we call you something simpler?"

Kai-Al shrugged. "If it would expedite matters."

Ravager stared at the silver, loopy S on Kai-Al's otherwise black costume. "That looks like an S.....maybe we should call you Supergirl, what with your powers n stuff."

"Supergirl," Kai-Al rolled the word around in her mouth experimentally. "As you will."

"Okay. Now, all of you are agreed on taking the fight to the Markovians, right?"

All four of them nodded.

"Three of ya can fly. One of ya can't. And I do believe I saw ya fighting the US Military, yah?"

"That was not my intention," said Supergirl.

"Nor mine," Green Lantern added emphatically.

"I'm sure. I've avoided em often enough, myself. The point is, they detected ya. I'm sure that—um, Terra, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Right. Terra will tell you, if yer gonna fight the Markovians, they'd spot ya the same way."

"That is inevitable," Terra said.

"But you'd at least like the element of surprise, no? Get the drop on em?"

"Typical pirate hit and run tactics," Green Lantern said.

"Useful tactics, Lantern," Ravager snapped.

Lantern shrugged.

"Anyway, I'll take ya across to Europe....for a price."

"I no longer have access to my family's wealth, for obvious reasons," said Terra.

"No money," Green Lantern shrugged helplessly.

"I don't even know what form of economic exchange you people use," Supergirl said.

Robin had access to money, of course, but did not think he could break radio silence with his mentors just yet, so he simply shook his head.

Ravager nodded, as though she was expecting this. "There are other ways you can pay me."

"Such as?" Robin asked.

Ravager smiled thinly, eye gleaming. "You guys wanna hit the Markovians. Markovians are my favorite targets—the most booty, so we can work together. There is a Markovian fortress on the Spanish coast....cuts down on my business considerably, I can tell you. I want you guys to take it out. Me and my ships will help ye, of course. But I want you to lead the charge. Surprise attack, like I said before."

"Certainly," Terra said. "I will have to fight my people sooner or later, as you say. This is as good a starting point as any."

"Suits my purposes." Robin agreed.

Supergirl shrugged.

"I don't mind hurting the Markovians," Green Lantern said, with a gleam in his eye. "Not at all. But it seems to me we're trading one evil for another."

Ravager stepped up to him and glared. "I've fought Markovians all my life. Probably did more good than you and your precious ring ever could!"

"You have no idea," Lantern seethed, clenching his fists.

"Markovia is the main threat here," Robin pointed out.

Lantern and Ravager remained nose-to-nose for a moment longer, glaring at each other. Then Lantern reluctantly stepped back. "I still don't like it."

"We have to start somewhere," Terra pointed out.

"I don't trust you yet, either, princess," Lantern sneered.

Terra sighed. "Yes, you've made that very clear. For the record, I don't blame you."

Green Lantern turned away, muttering to himself.

"It's settled, then," Ravager said, smiling at Robin in a way that Terra, for all her earlier feelings of kinship, did not like in the least. "Wintergreen!" Ravager shouted. "Signal all ships. We're turning around!"

"Aye aye," said Wintergreen. "But, if I may, Rose," he added in a softer voice, as they stepped away from the others, "This is a terrible risk."

Ravager shrugged. "Risks are our life, Wintergreen. I know you learned that one under my dad. I just seized the moment."

Wintergreen nodded. "Just keep your guard up."

"Always," Ravager said, smiling.

[starlord]

They were all below deck. They were given their own quarters on board, but Green Lantern paced outside Robin's room anxiously, angrily. Robin stood against the doorway, arms folded.

"I don't trust them, any of them," Lantern said.

Robin shrugged. "What's the alternative? Let them go their own way, with no one watching them?"

Lantern waved his hands agitatedly. "I know, I know. It's a cumulative thing, to me; the Markovian princess and the alien and the pirate who is openly using us. Three threats for the price of one. Something's bound to break sooner or later. At least one of em has to be ready to backstab us."

Robin understood Lantern's paranoia; in their world it was a matter of survival. But he wondered if, given that all three of the people Lantern was worried about were girls, if there wasn't an element of chauvinism there as well.

But he did not say so aloud. Instead, he said, "We have to see it through. If one of them does mean to turn on us...we'll just have to be ready for it. And besides, whether she means it honestly or not, Terra is right."

Lantern stopped and stared at him. "About what?"

"About needing to stand up to her family."

Lantern nodded slowly. "My mentor and some of his old friends are trying to stir up trouble in Markovian territory, but that's not the same thing as taking them head-on."

"Right. The Markovians have had their own way too long. All these long years, no one has ever challenged them directly. The time has come."

Lantern nodded, thinking of his Uncle Guy dying in an explosion while his ring was depowered. "Yeah," he clenched his jaw. "One other thing."

Robin blinked. "What?"

"I think the Ravager likes you."

Robin groaned and buried his face in his hands. As Lantern laughed, he thought to himself, And she's not the only one. Dear God, what have I got myself into?

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Supergirl sat alone in her room. She was not yet tired; she would need to sleep eventually, but not as much as the humans would.

She stared out the porthole at the deepening night and wondered to herself if she really wanted to explore the internecine conflicts of this world. She was atypical of her kind in many ways, but she was still a scientist at heart.

For now, she finally decided. For now.

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Terra was happy to get ready for bed. It had been a long day for her. But as she turned down the bunk's bedspread, there came a sharp knocking at the door.

"Yes?"

Ravager came in and looked at her.

Terra sighed. "Come to question my motives further?"

Ravager didn't answer but averted her gaze, shutting the door with her back. She was silent for a moment. Then she looked up, and said, "I believe you want to hurt your family. I'm not sure it's for freedom or justice." Ravager's tone indicated she herself had no belief in such things. "Revenge, maybe. Want to get back at em for not giving you power soon enough."

Terra couldn't answer that, but Ravager read the horrified disgust on her face.

Ravager softened a little. "You really an idealist, kid?"

Terra sighed. "You don't have to be an idealist to think my people have gone too far."

Ravager grunted. "Perhaps. Anyway, like I said, I'm sure you can fight your people. But when some of em fall....when some of em die....don't let your nerve break."

Terra nodded sadly.

Ravager wanted to say more....but the idea of the two of them arguing over Robin, at least at this stage, was ridiculous, even for her.

"Goodnight," she finally said, and walked out, shutting the door behind her.

Terra sighed and lay down. She could hurt her family and her people, oh yes. She could. She felt that she must.

But that was not to say that she liked it.

She cried herself softly to sleep.

[starlord]

The next day dawned in Markovia. The Empress rose from her bedchamber and demanded an update from her spies in America, but none was yet forthcoming. This annoyed her more than somewhat.

The American President, Badnarik, slept still, as the sun had not yet rose on his side of the Atlantic. But his dreams were uneasy, filled with nightmares of Markovian invasion.

Ravager's fleet parked itself of the Spanish coast, just outside radar range. Ravager stood at the prow of her flagship, the other four standing in a row behind her. They had eaten a hurried breakfast, save Supergirl, who said she wasn't hungry. Now they stood, waiting. The sun was up, but it was not yet high. The Spanish coast was visible in the distance, soft and blurry.

Ravager let the silence spin out until it became awkward. Then she said, "The fortress is directly ahead of us. You'll want to loop around to the north or south, to avoid detection. I recommend the north; the south, near Gibraltar, is an easier approach, and they guard against it."

"That figures," Terra agreed softly.

"Mm. We'll wait for you to start the attack, then, once they're focused on you, we'll join you; all guns blazing." Ravager smiled grimly. "Make sure not to get caught in the crossfire."

"Went through that yesterday," said Green Lantern.

"Indeed," said Supergirl.

Ravager turned to face them. "I'd wish you luck, but we make our own. So make some for yourselves."

"We'll do our best," Robin said.

"I'm sure you will," Ravager agreed.

No one said anything else. This was it.

With Green Lantern carrying Robin in his energy field, the four of them took off on a looping course to the north.

"Do you think they'll make it?" Wintergreen asked, stepping up to Ravager.

"Oh, they'll make it," Ravager said. "The question is; how good will they do once they get there?"

Wintergreen had no answer to that. Ravager took out her spyglass and did what was, for her, the hardest thing; she waited.

[starlord]

Terra did not know the specifics of the Spanish and Portuguese coastal defenses, but agreed with Ravager's overall assessment. They looped into the former Portugal's airspace for a short time before turning back.

They saw tanks below, and soldiers, but no fighting aircraft. Terra was not reassured; it might mean there was an airbase connected to the fortress. That would complicate things.

At length, they saw it; a roughly triangular stone-and-metal construction, a large orange-and-black Markovian flag flying high. All the soldiers were looking out to sea, occasionally scanning the coast to the north or south. None thought to look behind them.

"I don't see any kind of airbase," Green Lantern said, "But they probably have a helicopter or two."

"Armed with long-range missiles," Terra added. "Mother likes incendiaries."

"Wonderful," Green Lantern murmured.

"I don't think of any further way to prepare," said Robin.

"Nor I," Supergirl agreed.

"Then let's do it," Terra said.

"Yeah, princess," Green Lantern agreed. "You lead the charge."

"As you will." Terra shot ahead, and the others followed behind.

This is it, Terra thought to herself as she got closer and closer. This is war.

She used her powers to call an impressive, lumpy rock to her from the sea bed. Gritting her teeth, she threw it.....

[starlord]

Ravager smiled as she saw the battle begin through her spyglass. "They've started. Signal to all ships; we attack!"

The fleet moved forward. As they approached the sound of weapons firing could be heard, then a thunderous explosion.

"We're in range," said Wintergreen.

"Fire," said Ravager.

The guns of her ships boomed.....

[starlord]

To Be Continued[/b]