5.
Starfire and Beast boy worked hastily for hours trying to complete Excelsior. Starfire had to fight hard to keep from crying. Three of the Titans were now gone, lost among the fabric of time for the rest of eternity. The only way they could ever have any hope of rebuilding the Titans was to follow Robin's plan. Unfortunately, the loss of their friends did not help the rate of production.
"All is lost." Star said sadly while she attempted to use her power to weld two pieces of metal together. "Without Robin, Cyborg, and Raven we can no longer be a functional team." She looked up at the green ram that was using its horns to push a heavy plate over to where Star was working. It quickly transformed into a sorrowful Beast boy, who tried to give an encouraging smile. "C'mon Star you're not usually so negative." His grin widened "You sound like Raven." He winced as Star broke into a giant sob.
"Will 'the face' cheer you up?" Beast boy asked transforming in to a tiny kitten and jumping into Star's arms. Starfire gave a glimmer of a smile, till she fell back into a sulk. "We cannot even be assured that Slade has kept their former selves alive." She bit her lip. "How can we save someone who is no longer there?" Beast boy was unsure of what to do. Though the most pessimistic, Raven was almost always the most levelheaded of the team. There was no way he could be a leader like Robin, he just didn't have it in him. And of course Cyborg was the muscle of the team. Beast boy sulked, placing his head in his hands. "I'm just the comic relief!" he thought to himself. He looked at the crying Starfire. "We just can't give up!" he cried. Beast boy stood up and began to work furiously at the barely completed Excelsior. "Robin always said that it was the team that made the Titans great, not each person." He said through gritted teeth trying profusely to put a large metal piece into place, which would keep falling down right after he let go of it. "We're still the Teen Titans, whether its five members or two." Star seemed to stair at him for a moment before she nodded in agreement. "You are correct." She smiled "We will save Robin, Cyborg, and Raven." Beast boy suddenly looked puzzled. "There's one thing I don't get thought." He scratched his head in thought. "Why haven't we started to disappear yet?" Starfire looked lost in thought for a moment, till a smile came over her face. "Perhaps they have been unable to verify our past beings' locations." Beast boy's eyes widened "They must have arrived to early!" He smiled widely. "They haven't caught us yet!" Jumping up and down in joy Beast boy transformed into a small green spider monkey and began to do a little dance around Starfire. He jumped into Star's arms and then changed back, causing the two to collapse to the floor. "This means that all we need to do is find where Slade is holding Robin, Raven and Cyborg, bust them loose and then make sure they meet our past selves!" He said rubbing his head and then fixing the band-aids plastered all over the center of his face. Beast boy began working on Excelsior again, then paused and turned to Starfire. "How are we going to find them any way?" he asked sounding worried once again. "Even back then, the city was huge." Starfire began to shuffle through the schematics for the time machine. "The handheld feature provides an alternate time warp tracing device." She smiled and held up the design paper. "You mean this baby can track other trails of time travel?" he said, green eyes aglow. "That's extremely convenient!" he chuckled. Finally Starfire and Beast boy began work on Excelsior once again. "This shall be completed in no time." Starfire smiled not looking up from where she was working. "Get ready baby." Beast boy yelled, "The Titans are ready to go!"
**** Meanwhile, five years ago in a dark cavern Robin hung shackled to a wall. "How does it finally feel to be helpless?" Slade's frozen voice asked as he stood in front of the boy wonder. "Look, I don't know who your are." Robin made a vain attempt to loosen himself from the chains. "But someone is going to stop you!" Slade moved from Robin to a table across from him. There the sleeping Raven lay, her hands across her chest. On her head was a metallic helmet, from which a small humming sound was emitted. "This helmet will prevent her from using any of her powers." He pointed to the corner where Cyborg lay in a heap. "And no power cell for the robot, means no robot at all." Slade slowly turned his attention to Robin once again. "You see there is no one to stop me, the Teen Titans." he stopped himself and began to chuckle. "But you wouldn't know anything about them would you?" Robin lowered his head. "Someone will stop you." He muttered. Slade crossed his arms in amusement. "Actually, I am expecting a visit from some of your ex-future allies very soon." Slade backed away, stroking Robin's utility belt, which lay on a table near by. "But I doubt they have an chance of stopping me." Slade snapped his fingers and Mammoth came forth out of the darkness. "I do not have time to stand around and chat for now." Slade mused as if engaged in regular conversation with a best friend. "Please make yourself at home till I return." He turned to Mammoth who stood at attention. "Watch them very closely." He commanded. Slade began to walk towards the door, before he stopped and turned around again. "Oh, and Mammoth, don't do any thing to the little red birdie." He held his finger up at Robin, and looked at Mammoth. "I will take care of him and his friends when I get back." Mammoth's eyes narrowed as his lips began to curl, revealing his white pointy teeth. Robin's eyes widened in fear "Where is the Justice League when you need them?"