Disclaimer: I dont own the Titans. DC Comics does. or maybe Cartoon network. or both. Not really sure about the current affiliations, so had those who were in the Hive in season 1 back in it.

Focus on a TV Screen, the Teen Titans are shown and a news reporter is talking:

Reporter: "And the Titans have done it again, saving the city from yet another menace. Saving countless lives and city dollars. Lets talk with the Titans and ask them how they did it."

Reporter: "So, Tell us how you defeated Control Freak"

Robin looking comfortable in front of all the cameras: "It is teamwork. Our team can take on any individual threat."

Cyborg looking mad: "Yeah, we had to take him down. He was converting all the machines in the city to monsters. Just look at what he did to the T-Car." Then his voice gets softer as he inspects the T-Car closer "just look at what he did to my baby…"

Reporter: "So, what was your key to Victory today?" holding the microphone at Raven.

Raven: "…….."

Beastboy jumps in: "Control Freak thought he knew ALL the movies where machines took over the world, but he forgot one. He never saw Maximum Overdrive part 3, the Toaster's Revenge. I used this vital information…."

Robin: "WE used this vital information to put together a plan….."

Starfire talking to Raven while pointing at the camera: "And why are we explaining all of this to this person again? Have we done something not right?"

Cyborg: "Star, this is a reporter, we talk to her and the whole city will hear what we are saying. We can watch it later on the news"

Starfire: "Oh, is this the same "news" that you say is boring and always turn off to play your "video games"? "

Cyborg and Beastboy usher Starfire away from the reporter with a slight blush : "lets not mention that right now…" and Raven took this opportunity to disappear as well.

As the focus zooms out a little the Television screen shows Robin talking to the reporter again saying something about pulling together and then the TV is turned off, zooming out to show it had been Slade who was watching it.

Slade: "Enjoy your moment, apprentice. You will soon enough be working for me, when I find that one weakness that makes you change. That one thing that will turn you, as it did me…"

Slade sat down at a desk. He turned on a computer while looking at pictures of the 5 core members of the Teen Titans in deep thought.

Slade thoughts were driven: there must be something in one of your past that can be used to break up this little team and leave my apprentice at my mercy. As long as he has his precious friends he is worthless to me.

Slade held up a picture of Robin first thinking: You will be my apprentice. All that is known about you before the Titans is your protégé, and the Batman is not someone I would choose to deal with unless I have to. He put the picture down picking up Raven.

Slade picked up Raven's picture. I know enough about your lineage to know it is of no use to me. He placed the picture down, remembering his ordeals with Trigon. He picked up Beastboy.

Slade still in thought: I know about some of your past dealings, but I don't want to involve myself with those idiots in the Doom Patrol. The thought of dealing with a mind reader would be unappealing. He put the picture down picking up Starfire.

Slade knew only of the trouble she caused on her arrival but other than that, Starfire seem to be an enigma. Robin seems to have endeared himself to her though. Slade thought a second: If I can learn more about you then maybe you can be the stake to drive a wedge in this little team and give me my apprentice. He stared at the picture and turned to the computer.

Slade: "Computer, I want information about the Teen Titan member Starfire"

Computer: "Starfire: affiliation, Teen Titans. Home planet, Tamaran..."

Slade cut it off: "information on Tamaran"

A voice came out of the speakers, a playback of Starfire on another news report

Starfire: "oh, yes I do enjoy the Earth. It is much different than my home planet Tamaran, you have this spice called mustard which I really…." She kept talking, Slade cut the voice off by speaking.

Slade: "Computer, any other information on this Starfire?"

Computer: "Starfire, affiliation, Teen Titans. Home Planet, Tamaran. Known relatives: Sister, Blackfire" Slade waited this time, being patient enough to avoid listening to the whole thing a third time by cutting it off "pet: a mutant silkworm named Silkie. No further information found"

Slade: "any information on her sister, Blackfire?"

Computer: "Blackfire, sister to Starfire. She had a confrontation with the Teen Titans and she was escorted off planet by other aliens. No further information."

Slade thought a few minutes. Anything he wanted to learn about Starfire was not going to be gleaned on Earth. Why was this alien here? How can he use her to drive Robin out of the Titans?

Slade: "I think I will pay this Tamaran a visit" he thought for a minute. Very little was known about the alien planet except Starfire mentions it sometimes. He checked the computer screen. No useful information was mentioned by the alien during any of her interviews. Only the alien herself probably knew how to get there. And maybe her friends. Didn't they have a time when they said they traveled to her planet to explain an absence from the city? Slade thought, yes. They did. And now I will have my answer.

Brother Blood was sitting at his desk reviewing pictures of his students training when the telephone rang "Slade, you have need of my students once again? Just one? Hold on, I will get him" he put down the phone and pushed a button.

Brother Blood: "Gizmo, report to the head office immediately." He let go of the button and talked back into the phone "of course you know the cost of my students is not cheap. Even if it is merely by telephone. Of course. The usual account" there was a knock on the door and Brother Blood put the phone down.

Brother Blood: "Come in"

Gizmo "You wanted to see me sir?" Gizmo was usually sarcastic, but Brother Blood was one of the very few for whom he used a tone of respect.

Brother Blood: "Mr. Slade requires your assistance" he held out the telephone.

Gizmo took the phone. "Yes ? yes, I remember when we took over their stupid tower, yeah I helped that jerk Cyborg when he got hacked by that virus. Of course I hacked their system. A copy? Of course. I have a copy in my backpack (referring to the metal do-it-all on his back) but that won't help. They changed all their security codes after they took it back. You want it? Of course I got their whole system and all their data. Every last bit of it. Ok, I will send it." With that he put down the phone and looked at Brother Blood who held out an ISB cable. Gizmo plugged it in and typed on a keyboard.

Brother Blood picked up the phone "ready on this end. Merely waiting for your part" he was watching his bank account status on one window with the "send data" text on another window on the computer screen. The account status changed. Brother Blood then clicked Send and smiled.

Brother Blood: "I hope this transaction has been satisfactory. As always, when dealing with the Hive, you are dealing with the best" he hung up before Slade could say anything.

Slade spent the next few hours sorting through the data. He was very satisfied. Gizmo may have been a punk, but he knew about hacking. Slade could have, of course, hacked into the Titans system himself, but this saved him hours and, even more importantly, possible detection (he knew Cyborg was as good as Gizmo, maybe better). He reviewed the Tower specs. He reviewed the specs on the T-Car, the T-boat and then he saw the ship they had used to go into space. "Computer, review the specifications of this ship for extended space travel. Recommend possible upgrades. Change the specifications of the current design to two personnel and one storage compartment" he said this while outlining the specifications on the ship. After a while he finally came across the ship recorder data that showed him the route they had used to travel to Tamaran when she had went there. Also he got the date about her other space travels

Slade thought: it seems the alien can survive in space without a ship. With all of space at her command what secret keeps her locked on earth. And how can I use it to drive a wedge in the Titans?

He would only learn this in space, starting with Tamaran. Slade looked at the computer screen showing the ship with recommended upgrades and picked up the telephone.

Slade: "I need a ship built. Yes, the regular fee. Sending the specifications now" he clicked send and sat back. He would have his apprentice, or at least learn enough to drive the Titans apart.