Authors Note: First fanfiction posted on the site. Let me know if I should continue. This is based on moments I wished would have different outcomes during the series and some of the comic ideas, though I haven't read them since they were fairly new. Rated T for what may happen later. And even though the title is based on Galvatron, the story will continue to focus equally, if not more, on Autobots.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Transformers. Even the Original Decepticons that will show up in this later are my friend's creations, not mine. I was quite happy with what they gave me.
Power is Everything, Defeat is Absurd
"So it seems you were right about the Decepticons, Prime," Ultra Magnus fired on the attacking Decepticons."
"I really wish I hadn't been," they ducked as Galvatron's beam hit the ground. It had barely been enough to blast a whole in the ground.
"Well, it was good to have a quiet month," Hot Rod underestimated a bit. It had been almost two months since their pairing with the Nebulons and the rebirth of Cybertron's Golden Age. "At least they are still having the same energon problems; I doubt that shot would cause any real damage."
"Hopefully we won't have to find out," Ultra Magnus almost pleaded to the young Autobot.
"You know, this reminds me of the time I went to Charr to spy on them, when you'd been kidnapped from the Games, and oh Primus I sound like Kup."
"Please, finish your story," Optimus Prime encouraged, "I wasn't there, and any insight into this situation would be helpful."
"There isn't too much to tell. I went to Charr to find the Decepticons so low on energy that I almost felt bad for them. This was until they found me out, and since they didn't have any energon left to fire their guns they simply just beat me with them. I almost died, tried to pass the Matrix to Springer, yadda yadda yadda." Optimus looked surprised at Hot Rod's relaxed way of story telling.
"It seems they have enough energy to shoot at us, so they're definitely better off this time." Ultra Magnus led the next range of firing, this time primarily at the Sweeps.
"I'm going to go see how the others are doing," Hot Rod transformed and drove into the open battlefield to Arcee, Springer, and Kup.
"Reckless fool," Ultra Magnus complained.
"Strength in numbers might not be such a bad idea," Optimus disagreed. "I'll go join Jazz, you follow Hot Rod." They transformed and went their seprate ways.
"So, hell of a time to give up on target masters and headmasters, right guys?" Hot Rod transformed and started shooting again.
"I don't need a Nebulon to help me hit the broad side of a Decepticon, lad." Kup grumbled.
"And not having Daniel to worry about is a good thing," Arcee clipped the wing of a Sweep.
"A very good thing, if you ask me. There was a nerve wrenching week," Springer agreed.
"He saved my life, Springer," Arcee grew irritated. Obviously anyone but her was not entitled any negativity towards Daniel.
"Concentrate on the battle you two. It hasn't presented us with any significant problems yet, but that doesn't mean the Decepticons can't surprise us," Hot Rod ordered. The firing continued.
"How long must this diversion continue?" Scourge complained.
"Long enough for Master Galvatron to find the time machine," Cyclonus explained.
"Yes, because those have worked so well for us in the past," Dead End argued.
"This time we try something new, we go back to a time where we know neither us or the Autobots could have had a hand in swaying the outcome."
"And when would that be?" Astrotrain laughed.
"In the first battle with Unicron," Cyclonus finally revealed.
"Fools, time has already shown us we weren't there. You try that and you may create an anomaly," Motormaster stopped shooting.
"Look at the position we're in, would an anomaly make our lives too much worse? Swindle argued. The argument stopped.
"Receiving transmission," Soundwave announced. "Mission complete, everyone return to Charr at once… and make your exit believable. Galvatron out."
"You heard him, Dead End, go get shot," Scourge ordered.
"You're kidding," Dead End's tone stayed even.
"Dead End, you either get out there and get shot or I'll shoot you myself. You heard Galvatron," Cyclonus commanded.
"Fine," he stood up as to get a better shot, and Ultra Magnus quickly grabbed the shot.
"Autobots, we'll finish this another time! Decepticons, retreat!" Cyclonus and the other's flew away.
"See Hot Rod, nothing to worry about," Springer got up from his cover.
"I don't know about that Springer, one injured Decepticon usually isn't enough for them to retreat," Hot Rod answered back.
"Hot Rod is right. Jazz, Ultra Magnus, search the area and see if they had an ulterior motive. The rest of you, go back to base and look for anything out of the ordinary that may have happened on Cybertron today," Optimus Prime ordered.
"Prime," Hot Rod interrupted. "I don't mean to question your orders, but Cybertron is a complete wreck, half our surveillance cameras aren't even up. Don't you think we should look for the Decepticons' new base? I mean, maybe they've returned to Charr since then." Everyone waited for a response, it wasn't often someone questioned Prime.
"Maybe you're right, but let's see if the initial investigation pans out before planning another one. Autobots, let's get to work." Optimus transformed and followed Jazz and Ultra Magnus.
"I thought you didn't want to be leader, lad," Kup criticized.
"Sometimes I don't know when to keep my mouth shut I guess."
"He's right though," Arcee added, "We don't even know where to start."
"Yeah, I mean we have no leads, so which path do we choose to follow blindly?" Springer supported his friend.
"The only hint we have is that they took off that way," Arcee pointed to the direction they flew off.
"Then that's the path we should follow. Are you two up for it?" Hot Rod turned to Arcee and Springer.
"You realize that we'd be obeying Prime's direct order," Arcee stated hesitantly.
"You disobeyed mine all the time, it's only fair," Hot Rod answered back.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's call back to base to get them to monitor and grab the first shuttle off to Decepti-Land," Springer said.
"Wait just a minute!" Kup interjected. "There's no way I'm going to be left to explain this mess." The three of them looked at the present wrench in their plan. "…besides, you three may need me if you get into any trouble." Relief washed over the three of them.
"Alright, let's go," Hot Rod and the others went into a shuttle.
"I trust the Autobots don't suspect a thing," Galvatron greeted Cyclonus.
"If they do, they'll be far too late to stop us."
"Excellent. The time machine is almost set up, are the troops ready?"
"Not exactly Mighty Galvatron, you still haven't requested troops."
"Do I have to do everything around here? Cylonus, Scourge, the Sweeps, and myself will go. Now, are the troops ready?"
Cyclonus and Scourge were very good at hiding any reaction they had to Galvatron's unusual logic. "Yes, we are ready."
"Constructicons, is the time machine ready?"
"Yes, Lord Galvatron. Just step on the platform." Galvatron and his minions stepped on the platform and vanished into a glowing ball of white light."
"What was that?" Springer asked as they noticed an explosion of white light coming from a large asteroid.
"Let's go find out," Hot Rod took the shuttle down.
"Shouldn't we scan first?" Arcee cautioned.
"Usually explosions of that kind mean we don't have the time," Kup explained.
They landed far away from the source of the light as a precaution. "That way," Rodimus pointed. The four Autobots walked onto the asteroids surface and walked towards the source of the light. They finally got to a cliff and looked down. There, in the valley was a machine surrounded by Decepticons. Galvatron, Cyclonus, Scourge, and the Sweeps were nowhere in sight. "There Arcee, now scan," Hot Rod whispered.
"Okay," she lowered a set of pink glasses over her eyes, "the machine, it's one of ours … a time machine about 2000 years old."
"Not bad, it should be in excellent condition. I remember back in…"
"Kup!" Hot Rod and Springer interrupted. "What else Arcee?" Hot Rod asked.
"It's already been used, but I guess you could guess that from the light. They went to… Primus, help us." Arcee stopped.
"Arcee, what is it?" Springer urged.
"I can't figure out the exact date, but it looks like they went back to Summer 2005, Earth time. The only significant day I can think of would be…"
"…When Prime died." Kup said remorsefully.
"Or, more importantly in Decepticon History, the day they lost Cybertron," Springer corrected.
"But it doesn't make any sense, Galvatron was formed by Unicron, not time travel, and I never remember seeing two Galvatrons there. Did any of you?" Hot Rod asked, they all shook their heads no.
"That's because they were never there." Kup stated the obvious.
"But why would they do that? Messing with time like that may cause an anomaly. I mean, even when we were meant to go back in time and help Alpha Trion it still created a problem in time. But this…"
"This could destroy the universe," Hot Rod finished her sentence.
"It makes sense," Springer stated. Everyone looked confused. "I mean, what else do the Decepticons have to lose? Change time or end it, it's still the best chance they have of defeating us."
"Seems like a shallow victory," Arcee frowned.
"When have the Decepticons not been shallow?" Springer asked.
"Never. We have to stop them," Hot Rod asked.
"How do you suggest we do that? We go down there guns blazing and we stand the risk of damaging the machine," Springer once again provided a voice of reason.
"Then let's bring the fight over here," Hot Rod said.
"We can't fight them all," Kup argued, "We need help."
"We don't have time," Hot Rod contradicted. "Who knows what they're up to."
"Open, damn it, open," Ultra Magnus said while trying to pull apart the Matrix.
"Is he dead yet?" Scourge whispered, he and the other Decepticons hiding behind a trash heap.
"Not yet," Cyclonus answered.
"How much longer?" Scourge asked.
"About…"
"Quiet! Do you two want to blow our cover?" Galvatron hissed. They heard an explosion.
"There, now let's intercept them," Scourge jumped up, Cyclonus caught him.
"Not here, we strike a conversation here and those other Autobots will run into us."
"So, we can take them."
"We don't want to take them, we want to destroy them," Galvatron explained.
"What's the difference?"
"The difference is that we kill them now, we kill a group of Autobots; we get them later, we pound their whole race out of existence. There, they are flying away. Decepticons, take off!"
"What do we say when we get there, Mighty Galvatron?" Cyclonus asked.
"The truth," Galvatron smiled. They caught up to their 2005 versions and Galvatron blew open the door to his former ship.
"Galvatron!" The older Galvatron and his forces walked in.
"Who demands…," 2005 Galvatron froze, "What kind of trickery is this?"
"No trickery, I assure you."
"You're me, but that can't be, and your voice."
"An accident. That's not important. What is important is your plan to destroy Unicron. I'm here to tell you it won't work."
"How do you know that?"
"Because it failed me once too. We Decepticons had Cybertron until our confrontation with Unicron. You see, Decepticons can't harness the power of the Matrix, but an Autobot can, more specifically Hot Rod."
2005 Galvatron laughed, "You can't be serious! How is some meek member of a dying race going to destroy us? Is this some Autobot trick? Did Unicron send you to scare me?"
"I wish, but no. You see, when you confront Unicron the Matrix doesn't open and he… swallows us." 2005 Galvatron glared in disbelief, but stayed quiet. "Then this runt of an Autobot gets the Matrix from you as your fighting. He opens it and that alone kills Unicron and sends you flying through space damaged and unconscious. Although our forces fight gallantly, we never recover from this injury. In my time the Autobots rule Cybertron, Optimus Prime is reborn, and the Decepticons are banished from their desolate scrap of a planet they used after Cybertron. Our numbers are few. Due to our treachery Unicron destroyed most of the Decepticon population on Cybertron."
"Not under my rule, you can't be me!"
"Sadly, I'm not. You see, in the merging with Unicron, he linked our strength to him. With Unicron dead we lose half our power. We return to the original amount of power we had as Megatron."
"Still, even that should be enough …" The Galvatron from the future grabbed 2005 Galvatron by the neck, shoved him into the wall, and stared directly into his eyes.
"Not when we are outnumbered and relocated!" 2005 Galvatron was shocked, remaining silent. "The only way for the Decepticons to retain their strength is to work with Unicron, and stop Hot Rod at any cost. Do you understand?"
"No, this is some trick, what you say makes no sense."
"See it for yourself!" Galvatron deployed a screen and showed 2005 Galvatron his recorded banks scheduled to happen in 2 hours. Now do you understand?" 2005 Galvatron nodded. "Good, so now we need a plan."
