Be sure to read the notes at the end, I have a little vote for the readers regarding Galvatronus.
The Birth of Flamewar
Airachnid narrowed her optics, observing the medical chambers closely. Shockwave had been called away, leaving her alone, with two Insecticon guards. 'An unfortunate thing for the Decepticons.' She thought, grinning as she prepared to summon her legions.
"Heed my call, my loyal Insecticons." She muttered, waiting for the two guards to come to her aid. Seconds passed before she realised something was wrong, they didn't heed her words. "What is blocking my ability to command?" She questioned, struggling in her restraints.
The two guards turned suddenly, bowing before the doors. Airachnid focused her attention towards them, optics going wide as they opened. A sense of fear washed over her as she realised who was entering. She struggled harder and harder, much to his amusement.
"It has been a while since our last encounter, as I recall, you left me to die." Galvatronus spoke, crimson optics flaming with amusement. "Do not bother tyring to struggle, your time in the universe is quite limited."
Airachnid narrowed her gaze, to her knowledge, Galvatronus had no way of controlling the Insecticons through mental domination. "How are you blocking my command over the hives?" She hissed, optics narrowed with hatred.
Galvatronus chuckled, his servos parting as he revealed something held within them. "With this, you power to dominate the minds of the Insecticons is non-existent." He taunted, ground fangs grinning as a groundbridge flashed into existence.
"Just on time as well." He commented, turning to greet Kickback. "Take this to Scorponok, he will know what to do." He reached out, dropping the component into the awaiting servos of the Insecticons top scout.
"Understood, Commander, commander, commander." He spoke, the final word repeating in an almost psychotic manner.
Galvatronus turned his attention back to Airachnid, the groundbridge vanishing as he did so. "Now, you will experience exactly what Starscream experienced for every attempted succession of the Decepticon throne."
Airachnid squirmed in fear as the towering Decepticon commander approached her, the two guards quickly made their exit, only for Soundwave to enter, followed by Megatron. "Just in time for the show, I see." Megatron observed, coming to a stop alongside Soundwave. "Is that fear in your optics Airachnid?"
Airachnid hissed, lashing out as she felt the restraints move, releasing her from her prison. Galvatronus was fast, grasping her spidery limbs with a single servo. "Do not think for a second that I have forgotten that it was you who left me to die in the wreckage of my citadel."
The former third in command of the Legions of Tesarus struggled to get free, only to feel pain. Falling to the ground, she screamed in agony as Energon fell from her spidery limbs, turning, her violet optics went wide at the sight, Galvatronus held her extra limbs in a single Servo, torn from her back.
"I want to hear your screams, for you to feel what your victims have felt." Galvatronus growled, chucking the limbs aside, crimson optics narrowed upon his former third in command. "Only when I am satisfied, will I end your miserable life."
Airachnid crawled backwards in a desperate attempt to escape Galvatronus' wrath, only for Megatron's twin to grasp her by the legs. "They is no escape from what is to come."
Airachnid could barely stand after her beating, her energon had collected into a puddle below, her frame damaged from Galvatronus' wrath. One of her optics had been damaged in her punishment, her left arm had been torn from its place, and now sat among the pile of parts Galvatronus had torn from her.
The pain had been excruciatingly painful, Galvatronus had left her alone, two Insecticons guarding her. 'Not that I'd do much in this damaged state.' She thought painfully, observing her guards closely.
One of them turned, nodding at the other. She watched, only for one to grasp her tightly around her remaining arm. "Move it traitor, the commander has requested your presence." The warrior snarled, pulling her towards a nearby groundbridge.
Galvatronus stood tall, eyeing the Insecticon that rested upon the berth. The once bulky warrior had been cut down into a more female frame, the plating now curved opposed to the rough edges of the others.
What made his new warrior stand out was the fiery patten upon her chest plates, the orange flames surrounded the Decepticon symbol strongly, the purple and red plating helped break apart the overall black armour.
The largest change to his new warrior was the helm, while it held traces of the original Insecticon helm, it now feature a new design inspired by Arcee. The warrior was currently in stasis, awaiting to be woken from her slumber. "It appears the my new assassin is ready, you work quickly Scorponok."
The Insecticon scorpion turned. "I am efficient in my work, you assassin took top priority to my other projects, now that she is complete, I shall return to the completion of the cloning bays."
Galvatronus smirked, optics focused upon the warrior. "Bring her online, so that I may begin my work anew." He commanded, stepping back as Scorponok nodded.
The Insecticon female twitched before surging forward, her crimson visor locked upon Galvatronus. "You!" She hissed, leaping towards him, clawed servos clenched tightly. Megatron's twin stepped to the side, watching the warrior slam into the ground.
"Out of stasis with a new body, and already you're trying to offline me." He observed, shifting himself. "You should be glad I didn't kill you like I have others."
The female Insecticon released a scream, charging Galvatronus once more. Instead of standing to the side, Galvatronus delivered a powerful uppercut to her, sending her to the ground. "I have brought you back from your 'apparent' demise for a reason."
"What, to serve Megatron?"
Galvatronus growled, stepping towards her. "Let me tell you exactly why I didn't kill you when I had the chance." Leaning forward, he began to whisper into her audio receptors, only pulling back when he felt satisfied his point had gotten across. "Do you see why now? If that isn't enough to convince you of my intentions, then perhaps the gift I have will."
A groundbridge flashed to life as two Insecticons emerged, dragging the heavily injured Airachnid with them. The former third in command fell to the ground, only glancing up to see the new Insecticon warrior. Her remaining optic went wide as her gaze fell upon the new warrior's helm.
"Arcee."
Galvatronus smirked, stepping forward. "She goes by a new designation now." He informed, glancing at the female Insecticon. "I have had my satisfaction with Airachnid, now I give her to her, to do as you please with."
The female Insecticon stepped forward, what Galvatronus had told her rang within her processors, yet she wasn't sure if she could betray everything she'd fought for, just to turn traitor and join the Cons, Galvatronus had all but told her that he was using Megatron and the Decepticons to achieve a far greater goal, one that would result in peace and equality for all Cybertronians.
Airachnid had caused her great pain and suffering in the past, she now had the chance to end her rival once and for all. Her servos tightened, her lips parted as she debated her options. She was in the heart of an Insecticon hive, with so many warriors around her, it was a wonder Airachnid hadn't called them to her aid yet.
Then again, with Shockwave among the Decepticon ranks, he may've blocked her ability to command them. Eyeing her rival closely, she noticed the damaged on her frame, the energon that continued to leak form her wounds. Galvatronus had done a number on Airachnid.
"If the Autobots won, Cybertron would go back to the way it was before the war, back to the caste system, the very system that brought about this war, is it really worth it, to go back in time, only to know that war is going to come because of the injustice suffered by those below?" Galvatronus whispered into her audio receptors.
Her processors flashed through many memories, of her own past, she herself had been from the low caste, a manual labourer who worked hard at an Energon refinery. It wasn't the best life, yet she considered it better then those that worked in the mines.
The sad reality was, that many of her former co-workers had joined the Decepticons, whilst many that benefited from the caste system became Autobots. They'd push for the caste system to be reinstated, only this time, they'd make sure that the lower caste never rose up again.
"How long do you think it'll take for the Autobots to convince Optimus that the caste system was best for Cybertron? How many more have to suffer for the injustice acts committed by the high council? In the end, you know I'm right."
And it was true, Galvatronus was right, the Autobots would indeed reinstate the caste system, they'd be back going back in time. She'd suffered much during her time before the war, she'd been on the verge of loosing her job at the refinery, and loosing a job for those of the lower caste was a death sentence, you became either a beggar, or a gladiator.
But the war went into full swing before she could, and she was among the very few that joined the Autobots, blinded by the principles of freedom when in reality, said freedom was for the higher caste. She felt her right forearm shift, a sharpened blade forming. Stepping forward, she watched as Airachnid struggled to get away.
"You wouldn't betray your Autobot ideals for revenge? Would you Arcee?"
Arcee growled, bringing her blade down. "My designation is Flamewar!" She cried, separating Airachnid's helm form her frame. It would be difficult, adjusting to her new life, but in the end, she knew it would be worth it, for freedom could never be attained until the believers of the caste system had been cut from the equation.
I never had any intention of killing Arcee permanently, as for her backstory before the war, we never really got much information on what she was before the war. And yes, Arcee is capable of mentally commanding the Insecticons, she has yet to discover this. Oh, and now for a little vote, who shall be the first to discover the origins behind Galvatronus- Arcee or Silas
Next chapter, we start to see the events of Beast Hunters, with several minor changes to events that occur.
Galvatronus has a single goal in mind, one that Megatron is unaware of, one that Arcee/Flamewar is now aware off.