Teen Titans West #5: "And Away We Go"

The battle between the Thanagarians and the Rannians was still in full mode, even though the two masterminds behind the plan had left. In their wake they had not only left the beginnings of an intergalactic war, but on a smaller scale, had caused a family reunion that was more than a shock to Katar Hol, known also as Hawkman.

“This Earth child is my brother?!” Katar asked, not comprehending the rudimentary idea.

Golden Eagle clenched his fist. “Say that again and this Earth brother is going to kick your ass!”

“He sounds Thanagarian to me,” Cyborg said.

“They got away,” Speedy shouted in frustration.

Shayera’s eyes turned cold. “Not yet, they haven’t. If we hurry we can still catch them.”

“Nobody is going anywhere until you fill us in on what exactly is going on here!” Roy demanded.

The High Priestess turned her gaze upon him. “Very well then, I shall stand here and tell you the long, long story of how this foolish old woman has been manipulated by the man known as Kanjar Ro. When I finish it, then I can let you know that they did get away while you demanded an explanation. In the meantime, your planet will continue to be decimated by a war that your people should not be involved in.”

“She’s got a point,” Bumblebee whispered in Speedy’s ear as her tiny body landed on his shoulder.

Hawkman continued to stare at his newfound brother. “I demand to know what this is all about.”

“He is your half-brother, Katar. It’s another long story. Please, I am not a woman who believes in begging, but three worlds depend on what we do in the next few seconds.”

“Dammit,” Roy muttered, taking off his hat and wiping his brow. “Alright, what do you need us to do?”

“We can still track them. We must retrieve the Absorbacron, return it to Rann, capture Kanjar Ro and Byth and get them to reveal to both my people and the Ranns their plot to create a war while using the machine to their own end.”

“Well that sounds easy enough,” Risk commented.

“Hold it a second, lady. We’re just supposed to leave this mess going on?” Cyborg asked, indicating the battle between the warships, still battling in the skies over the city.

“No, we cannot,” the High Priestess agreed. “Two battleships are at this moment circling Earth. I can get you on the Thanagarian ship easily enough; perhaps you can convince the captain to halt the attack until we return. Unfortunately, I do not have a way round the shields of the Rann battleship.”

“I think I might be able to help with that,” Aqualad said, still wavering on his feet. “I might be able to get the shields to drop for a couple of seconds.”

“If you could, I could get you on the ship,” Shayera stated simply.

“I’ve totally lost control,” Roy said, throwing his arms up in the air.

Cyborg stepped up. “Then we split up. Starfire and I will go to the Thanagarian ship. Aqualad, Omen, and Hawk will go to the Rann ship, while...”

“No!” Hawk shouted, still cradling the body of his deceased brother. “I’m going after Kanjar Ro!”

There was sort of a silent talk as all of them looked at each other. Speedy was finally the one who spoke, “He goes with me then.”

Cyborg nodded. “Alright then; Speedy takes Golden Eagle, Bumblebee, Hawkman, Hawk and Risk with Shayera. You two going to be okay?” he asked Garth.

Omen stepped up with a grim look. “We will do our best, Victor.”

“Alright then,” Cyborg stated with finality. He looked around at the mix of teenage heroes standing before him. “Congrats, you’ve all just become Teen Titans.”

Hawk spat on the ground. “I’m not a Titan. I’m a brother who wants my revenge!”

Nobody noticed that Roy had stepped away from the group as they were quickly discussing the strategy. He casually hit a small switch on his inner glove before joining back up with them.

“Let’s roll people, times a wasting.”



Bumblebee stared out of the porthole of the small Thanagarian ship as it circled the globe. The concept of being in space was overwhelming and she actually feared that her brain was going to shut down on her. It was all happening so fast.

“Are you ready?” the High Priestess asked Aqualad as he stood looking at the Rannian ship just above and in front of them.

Garth nodded slowly. “I hope so,” he muttered. “I’m about to try something completely new, and being up here in space is the proverbial fish out of water scenario.” He took a deep breath, the pupils of his eyes disappearing, leaving only a faint violet glow in his sockets. He stretched out his arms, a green glow surrounding his hands. They began to grow as he focused his energy, his attention on nothing but the Rannian battleship.

Beads of sweat appeared on his face, the strain apparent, but he continued his spell. Finally when everyone around him began to fear he would pass out, he whispered through gritted teeth, “Now!”

Shayera nodded to the transporter chief, who worked the controls with a fluid motion; watching as Aqualad and Omen vanished.

“X’Hal be with them,” Starfire murmured before turning to her teammate. “Are you ready, Victor?”

“Nope, but when has that ever stopped us.” He turned to Speedy, suddenly grabbing him in a bear hug. “Watch your back, buddy,” he said loudly enough for all around to hear, but then leaned in and whispered, “Whatever your real motivation is, you damn well better bring everyone back safe or I’ll hunt you down.” He slapped Roy on the back in a brotherly gesture before stepping on the transport pad with Kory.

Roy watched them vanish, his face as red as his costume; whether it was from anger or embarrassment though, he wasn’t sure himself. He turned to Hawkman’s mother. “Let’s go.”

She motioned to the pilot and the small spacecraft veered out of the Earth’s outer orbit and past the moon. They would have to clear the solar system before they could jump to light speed.

Towards the back of the ship, Hawk sat watching his planet fade from view; the body of his brother now in the hands of the San Francisco Police Department. He felt someone standing over him, but refused to acknowledge them. He wasn’t in the mood.

“I know we don’t really know each other very well, but I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for your loss,” Bumblebee said. Silence followed so she continued, “I can’t think of a more noble way to die than saving the life of another human being. It isn’t much, but it is something to hold on to.”

“Leave,” was all he said.

Karen shifted uncomfortably. “Alright, but if you need to talk to someone, I’m a pretty good listener.

“Now.”

Quietly, she turned around and walked away. She passed a heated conversation going on amid ship and hurried along so as not to be accused of eavesdropping.

“I demand you tell me how this Earthman could be my half brother!” Katar Hol hissed at his mother.

“Yeah, I’m not really feeling that brotherly love at the moment, pal,” Charlie retorted as he sat with his arms folded, watching the other two with disdain.

Shayera’s face showed conflicting of emotions. Although she needed to explain how Golden Eagle was a member of their family, now was not the time. Instead, she raised her head high. “You have forgotten your place! An explanation you may deserve, but you do not demand anything from me!”

Although his face still showed the anger, Katar backed away, his head dropping in submission. “Forgive me.”

Golden Eagle busted out in laughter. “The great Hawkman is a momma’s boy? I would never have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself.”

Katar looked at Shayera again. “Yes mother, please forgive me... for doing this.” He turned swiftly to his right, his fist clenched, landing a solid punch on Charlie’s mouth. His “brother” went flipping backward out of his chair.

It took the younger man less than a second to jump back up, his mouth filling with blood. He spat out a tooth, his face contorted in anger. At that moment, the resemblance between himself and Katar Hol was unmistakable. He said nothing, but charged at Hawkman, tackling him at the waist; both of them went flying back into the hull of the ship.

“Stop this! I command you both to stop this!” Shayera shouted as Speedy and two of the High Priestess’ guards came running up to pull the men apart.

“Both of you stop this! This isn’t the time or the place,” Roy shouted.

“Don’t yell at me,” Charlie retorted. “Mamma’s boy here seems to have some jealousy issues since he found out he isn’t an only child.”

“When this is over, I am going to teach you how to handle being insulted... the Thanagarian way,” Katar growled as he struggled to break free of the two guards that held his arms.

“High Priestess, we’ve located Kanjar Ro’s ship,” the pilot’s voice came over the intercom.

The sudden stillness in the ship, as they all registered this latest information, was broken by the door at the rear of the cabin flying open as Hank Hall came barreling through, followed closely by Bumblebee. He pushed past all of them as he headed towards the bridge of the ship.

This broke the moment for the others and they all followed hurriedly. When they reached the bridge, right on the heels of their two teammates, they were greeted by the sight of a Thanagarian-designed ship; but a design that even Hawkman had never seen before.

“What kind of ship is that?” Katar asked.

Shayera shook her head sadly. “It is of a design unknown to all of us. This is the monument to my gullibility. I believed Kanjar Ro when he spoke of making Thanagar the Empire it once was. He manipulated me,” she admitted then looked at the odd-shaped ship. “And he will pay.”

Although the files that Checkmate had on Thanagar were minimal at best, Roy knew it had to take a lot for this proud woman to admit what she just had.

“How are we getting in there?” Roy demanded.

Hawkman’s mother nearly smiled as she explained, “He still had to use our technology, so we’ve been able to figure out the frequency to his shield modulation. We’re going right on to the bridge.”

“We need to find the Rannian technology as well. It’s the whole reason we’re in this mess,” Karen reminded them.

“We will be back soon, Mother,” Katar stated, turning to find his mother placing a pair of the Nth Metal wings and armor on. “What are you doing?”

“If I am to reclaim our House’s honor, I must confront them both as well.”

“You will not!” Hawkman said. “You will stay out of harm’s way. I am your son. You are the High Priestess. It is my responsibility now. We will be back soon,” he stated dismissively.

Shayera’s face became rage personified as she leapt at Hawkman, slamming him up against the wall, her arm pinning his throat and head. “And I am still a Thanagarian first! It is my battle as much as yours and you will remember your place as the dutiful son. Is this understood?” Spittle of rage flew from her lips as she shouted at him.

Though his eyes still held an edge of defiance, he nodded as best he could. “Forgive me my impudence,” he murmured.

“Wow, and I thought my mom was strict,” Risk said under his breath. “Kinda cool to see Hawkman get knocked down some, though.”

Without another word they crossed to the transporter platform and were gone.



They appeared on the massive bridge of the ship, surprising Kanjar Ro, Byth and several of their personal guards. It was instant chaos as Byth was the first to recover; shouting for the guards to fire their weapons at the intruders.

Risk instantly leapt from the pack, tackling one of the guards and knocking him to the floor, as Bumblebee shrunk down to the point where she was lost in the general confusion. Both Hawkman and his mother took to the air, their weapons at the ready; striking guards to the left and right of them. Speedy, already crouched and ready for action, shot two arrows; one at the remaining guard who had just fired at them, and the other at Byth who was running for a transport tube.

Byth was hit, but staggered forward into the tube, striking his palm on the switch that would carry him away from the bridge of the ship.

Speedy cursed. “I’m going to get him,” he shouted.

“Where has Kanjar Ro gone?” Hawk cried out as he picked up the half-beaten guard he had attacked. “Where did he disappear to?”

The guard sneered at him through a broken, bloody mouth. “I will never tell!”

Hank cried out in rage, lifting the man over his head to hurl him into the bulkhead, but Golden Eagle grabbed his arm. “Don’t! It’ll kill him.”

“That was the idea,” Hawk stated coldly.

“But it’s not what Dove would have wanted you to do,” Eagle replied softly.

Turning to his friend, Hawk’s dead eyes looked at him. “That’s not fair.” But he dropped the guard.

“This way!” Shayera called out, flying out of a door that led to a hallway. All but Speedy followed after her. He had gone after Byth.

They turned a corner to see a door shutting in front of them. With Shayera, Hawkman, and Hawk leading the way, they headed down the hall.

Tearing through the door as if it were papier-mâché, Hawk went barreling through – the others following right behind, only to find what seemed like a large cargo hold. It sat empty.

The voice of Kanjar Ro appeared to them as a secondary door closed where Hawk had just shredded the first one. “Fools, all of you! There was no way you were ever going to stop me. After I dispense of all of you, I will turn the Absorbacron into the ultimate weapon; while Thanagar and Rann battle each other and the Earth in search of the item. By the time they discover it missing, it will be too late.”

“YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!” Hawk screamed in rage, turning to the new door that had just closed behind them.

“Too bad,” Kanjar Ro stated coldly.

As Hawk began to raise his fist at the door, determined to tear it down as well, the sound of a large bay door could be heard at the far end of the cargo hold. They all felt the room begin to depressurize, as well as their bodies suddenly being sucked out of the ship along with the air.

“Any ideas, now would be the time,” Risk called out to Shayera as he clutched at the floor, trying to stop the inevitable.

Golden Eagle turned to look at both his mother and his brother, but the grim looks on their faces, as they fought for their lives, told him that there was no way out.

With a look of defiance that rivaled his mother’s, Golden Eagle began to fight against the vacuum, grabbing Hawk as he did so. Hank helped by clutching at the floor with his nails, helping to pull the two of them towards the door.

Their battle against the odds succeeded as they reached their goal. In one fluid motion, Hawk brought down the new door. Another shift in air pressure gave them the added seconds they needed to brace themselves against several metal poles that supported the cargo hold.

Charlie, still holding onto Hawk, used every last ounce of his strength to push Hawk out of the door. Still, he wondered to himself, other than prolong the inevitable, what had they really done.

At that moment the cargo bay door began to close again. They all looked at each other in confusion as the pressure in the cabin began to stabilize. As they collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, Speedy came around the corner, a grin on his face.

“What would you guys do without me?”

Hawkman ignored the comment. “Did you see Hawk?”

“No, where is he?”

“Come on,” Golden Eagle shouted as they ignored the exhaustion running through their bodies.

The team entered another corridor only to hear screams of both pain and rage from the door at the far end. They broke into the room only to find Kanjar Ro up against the wall; Hawk had broken the alien’s arms and legs. Hawk’s face seemed almost unnatural, contorted into a visage that seemed less than human.

“Don’t!” Golden Eagle cried out. Though he, like the others, refused to move; in fear that what bit of sanity Hank had left, might disappear if they went towards him.

“He killed my brother. An eye for an eye. Balance must be maintained,” Hawk said through gritted teeth.

“Not like this. We need to know where the Absorbacron is. Byth got away in a shuttle. He’s our only chance,” Speedy explained hurriedly.

“Let me live and I’ll tell you,” Kanjar Ro pleaded to his captors. He looked at the rest of the party. “Stop him, please!”

Seconds seem to drag on before Hank set him down hard, Kanjar screaming in pain as his broken bones slammed to the floor. The voice in the back of Hank’s head – the one that had been whispering MONARCH - screamed in silent rage.

“Where is it?” Speedy demanded, walking up to their prisoner.

Kanjar Ro sneered, knowing he was now safe for the moment. “You will never find it.”

“You mean this?” Bumblebee asked as she entered the room with the small machine no larger than the size of a notebook.

“How... how did you...?” Kanjar sputtered.

“Easy and quick when you can shrink yourself down to the size of a bee and crawl through any air duct.”

“Let’s get home and finish this mess,” Speedy said impatiently.



All were surprised when they reentered Earth’s atmosphere an hour later to find that the fighting had already stopped. When they landed in Golden Gate Park, they found Aqualad, Omen, Cyborg, and Starfire waiting for them with the commanders of both armies.

“How did you do that?” Speedy asked.

“With some major help from her,” Garth replied, motioning to Lilith.

“I just showed them the truth,” she replied softly.

The Rann Commander stepped forward. “Do you have it?”

Speedy nodded, handing the item over to the head of the Rann fleet.

Looking it over, the commander nodded. “Thank you. On behalf of Rann and its people, we humbly apologize for our actions. We were too rash in our assumptions.”

Shayera nodded in agreement. “As were the people of Thanagar. Please be assured that Kanjar Ro will be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of our laws.”

Risk leaned over to Starfire. “What does that mean, exactly?”

Kory looked at him. “They will sentence him to death,” she stated simply.

“Both commanders have offered their services in rebuilding the parts of the city that they destroyed,” Aqualad stated.

“That’s real kind of them,” Cyborg replied smartly. He looked at the ragtag team of heroes around him. “You guys all did a great job. You know, the Teen Titans could use another team here on the West Coast. What do you guys say?”

Hawk was the first to answer. “No. I don’t want to belong on any team but Hawk and Dove.” His voice was nearly strangled with emotion. “I just want to go to my brother’s side and grieve.” With that he flew away.

“His pain and his anger run deep,” Omen stated sadly.

Bumblebee cleared her throat. “I think it would be a great idea. I’m in.”

“As am I,” Omen replied.

They turned to Aqualad whose face showed conflicted thoughts. Finally he sighed and shook his head. “I can’t. My place, at the moment, is with my King. But if you guys ever need me, just call.”

“Well I’m not turning down a good thing,” Risk blurted out. “What about you, Eagle?”

Charlie looked over where his mother and Hawkman were quietly talking at the edge of the park. “Yeah, why not, I don’t really have anywhere else to go.”

“That leaves... you,” Karen said to Roy Harper.

“He’s already in a team,” Victor Stone said coldly. “I’m sorry... an organization.”

Roy stared at all of them, their faces focused on him. He let out a heavy sigh before turning to walk away from them. “I’ll get back to ya,” he shouted behind them.

“Well, it’s a start,” Bumblebee said, looking at the remaining Titans.



“Who is my father?” Charlie demanded as Shayera began to board her ship home. Katar had already left with a goodbye to his mother, but barely a grunt to his newfound brother.

“My final shame I suppose I must own up to,” she said, her hand touching his cheek. “I’m sorry, my beautiful boy, but I do not know.”

“WHAT?!”

“The last time I had come to Earth looking for Carter Hall, I found myself in the Earth city known as Gotham. I had believed that Carter had been seen there; and that a party of some of this world’s wealthiest men would be bidding on items that I knew Carter had unearthed. I went there in hopes that he would appear; it did not come to pass. Then, in my moment of weakness, I succumbed to the charms of a young man. He seemed to be of importance, for people with cameras and video equipment were following him everywhere. We fell into conversation easily, then into each other’s arms for one night. As for the rest, I have already told you. I am so proud of you, Son. And do not worry, your brother has sworn his secrecy about the fact that you reside on this planet. It is the best way, for now.

Charlie nodded, dumbfounded at the revelation, unable to speak. He waved goodbye to his mother as the ship took off. It wasn’t until it was way out of sight that it hit him.

“Wait a moment! What did he look like?!”

There was only the answer of a private jet flying over him...



Hank Hall slammed his fist into the morgue wall. “What did you say?”

The doctor in the basement office was frantic. “This has never happened to us before. We’ve never had a body stolen.”

Hawk stared at him in confusion. Who had taken his brother’s body...?

The Beginning?

Follow Hawk and Dove’s adventure starting in the pages of this year’s New Outsiders Annual!


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