Author's note: I do not own Beast Wars, Transformers, its characters or anything else. Everything is property of their respective creators.
Fallen Comrades
Morning came upon the planet of the Beast Wars. Beyond the atmosphere the Maximals' stasis pods still orbited the planet along with the debris from the space battle. One of the stasis pods collided with some debris and started to fall to the planet. It entered the atmosphere heading for the northern pole. Its descent was observed by a white tiger in the frozen wastelands. The tiger leapt to investigate the falling object from the sky.
Alarms began blaring in the Maximal base as the computer picked up the stasis pod. Rhinox hurried up to the main console and brought the display up on the main screen.
"Incoming stasis pod," he reported, "Orbit has decayed over the northern sector."
"Heads up 'bots!" warned Optimus, "Get ready to move!"
"Impact in five kliks, four, three, two, impact!" reported Rhinox.
Inside the Predacon base, Terrorsaur had been observing the pod's descent and reported it to Megatron.
"Impact! Coordinates are 6, 1, 7 by 8, 8, 5. 120 kilometers north!" reported Terrorsaur, "Shall we go after it?"
"No, not yet. The Maximals are sure to dispense their only flier to reach the pod first, yes," said Megatron, "Let us insure that he encounters, turbulence."
Cheetor leapt up onto the holo-table as Optimus armed himself for his journey.
"I gotta tell you Big Bot," said Cheetor, "It doesn't seem like such a hot move; splitting up."
"We've got no choice. We're talking about over 100 clicks over rough territory," said Optimus, "Megatron is sure to launch his own fliers! I have to get there first!" Before Optimus could get to the roof hatch controls, Dinobot stepped up in front of him.
"I am not normally an advocate of caution Optimus Primal," said Dinobot, "But I must register my concern. Megatron does not always behave as one might expect."
"He'll want to reach the pod first, same as us," said Optimus, "It's a race, pure and simple!" Optimus transformed and started the controls for the lift instead of the roof hatch.
"Nonetheless, you will do me the honor of permitting me to exit first," said Dinobot, "I have suspicions."
"All right," said Optimus, "But hurry!" Dinobot quickly transformed and stepped into the lift. Dinobot dropped the lift down, but stopped it before it could descend completely. He crouched down and observed the landscape around the base. He detected nothing, and started the lift back into the ship.
"My scanners detect no hostiles, but something feels amiss," reported Dinobot, "Permit me to lead a scouting patrol."
"There isn't time! One of my comrades is out there somewhere," argued Optimus, "And every second counts!"
"Your emotion chips are overriding your caution circuits," said Dinobot, "I insist on a scouting patrol."
"I am in command here!" said Optimus, "Now stand aside!" He shoved Dinobot into the lift and descended with both of them to the ground below.
"Prime jets, on!" shouted Optimus. He fired his rockets and ascended out from under the ship.
"Have a ground unit follow me as quickly as possible!" ordered Optimus, "We have to…" Before Optimus could finish his orders, a missile struck him in the side. A couple more shots came by before another hit Optimus.
"Ambush! As I suspected!" roared Dinobot. Another shot hit his rotary blade and knocked it from his hand, damaged. Waspinator and Terrorsaur ducked behind the boulder they were using as cover and laughed.
"Wazzpinator got him!" said Waspinator congratulating himself.
"Ha! Watch this!" said Terrorsaur, arming his shoulder cannons. He fired at Optimus knocking him to the ground and into stasis. Dinobot growled and fired his optic beams at a loose boulder on the cliff side. The blast loosened the boulder enough that it fell and crushed Waspinator flat.
"Yes!" cheered Dinobot. Terrorsaur quickly blasted the rock to pebbles and freed his friend. Waspinator's Energon dampers were damaged and he began to short out.
"Oh no, Wazzpinator in trouble!" he whined.
"We've done our job, let's get out of here!" said Terrorsaur. He grabbed Waspinator's hand and flew off back towards the Predacon base.
"Cowards! Come back and fight!" roared Dinobot. He fired his optic beams at the retreating Predacons until they were out of his range. He did not notice Cheetor drop to the ground and transform. He ran over to the damaged Optimus Primal.
"Big Bot! Oh man, can you hear me?" said Cheetor.
"Fear not Optimus Primal," said Dinobot as he approached them, "I shall be sure your funeral is a glorious one that befits a warrior who died in battle!" Optimus groaned and sat up.
"I'm afraid I'll have to miss it Dinobot," said Optimus as sparks began to crackle from his damaged torso, "I'm not scrap yet."
"Are you certain?" asked Dinobot anxiously, "It would be a noble passage."
"Would you knock it off?" growled Cheetor, "We gotta get you in the CR Chamber Big Bot."
"No, the stasis pod…" argued Optimus.
"We'll get it!" said Cheetor, "For now let's worry about you! Give me a hand here!" Dinobot growled and placed his sword back into his subspace and reached down for Optimus.
"All right," said Dinobot as he gripped Optimus and lifted him to his feet.
"So, Optimus Primal was not destroyed," said Megatron upon hearing Terrorsaur's report, "You disappoint me Terrorsaur, yes."
"But we knocked him half to scrap," said Terrorsaur, "No way he'll be flying anywhere!"
"Yes, we will beat them to the stasis pod eazzy!" said Waspinator.
"Yes, but they will still make an attempt," said Megatron, "Most definitely a land party, yes. Leaving only Optimus and possibly one other to guard the base." Waspinator and Terrorsaur snapped to attention as Megatron quickly became serious.
"Waspinator, Terrorsaur, you will proceed immediately to the location of the stasis pod," instructed Megatron, "Insure that the protoform robot inside is reprogrammed as a Predacon. Go!" Both fliers saluted and departed for the stasis pod.
"As for the rest of you, you shall not be idle, no," said Megatron, "For with the Maximal base almost unguarded, now is the perfect time to strike, yes. Follow me!"
With Optimus down, Rhinox, Rattrap and Cheetor ran towards the northern poles of the planet towards the stasis pod.
"I just don't think it's a slick plan," said Cheetor, "Leaving Optimus back at base."
"Yea, especially with ol' Chopperface as babysitter," said Rattrap.
"Had to do it, Dinobot's weapons were damaged in battle. He has to recuperate as much as Optimus, "And we need to run. If that pod was cracked in the crash, the protoform inside will be exposed to the planet's Energon fields."
The stasis pod came to rest near a large trench in the snow. Its red-hot passing had melted some of the snow away and let the pod rest against the frozen rock. The hatch on the pod opened as the protoform robot inside tried to let itself free. With no shielding, it immediately began to short out. Quickly, the robot slammed the door to its pod.
The three Maximals quickly ran through a blizzard towards a small natural bridge over a large canyon. It was the only way across the canyon for over 300 meters in both directions. Terrorsaur and Waspinator noticed the Maximals through the blizzard below heading towards the bridge.
"Say, look down there," said Terrorsaur, "Looks like we have some competition for the stasis pod Waspinator."
"Ooh hoo hoo, Wazzpinator not think so," buzzed Waspinator.
"Let's Terrorize!" squawked Terrorsaur, transforming in mid-air. Waspinator quickly followed suit and swooped down towards the Maximals. Rattrap was the first to notice the Predacons.
"Incoming!" he shouted. Rhinox came to a complete halt, flinging Rattrap off of his back into the snow. Terrorsaur and Waspinator started firing their weapons in a strafing run.
"Shred those lousy fliers!" shouted Rattrap. The three Maximals transformed and began to fire their weapons at the passing fliers. Waspinator and Terrorsaur were too fast, avoiding all of the Maximals' fire. Banking around, the Predacons returned fire. Rattrap and Cheetor ducked fire and rolled away. Cheetor's quasar cannon slipped from his grip and fell into the canyon.
"Ah slag," he cursed. The two fliers swooped back around and fired at the bridge.
"Oh no, no the bridge!" shouted Rattrap as the missiles exploded and caused the snowy bridge to collapse. Without his weapon, Cheetor was unable to try and ward them off. Laughing, Waspinator and Terrorsaur turned away from the Maximals and continued on their way to the stasis pod.
"That; was some cold slag," said Rhinox. Rattrap sighed and pressed the button on his comlink.
"Way to drop your gun kitty cat," snapped Rattrap.
"Hey shut up," said Cheetor, "It got slick from the snow."
"Knock it off," said Rhinox, "We've got bigger problems."
"Yea, besides, I carry a spare now," said Cheetor drawing his secondary quasar rifle, "Just call the base."
"Maximal base, this is Rattrap," he said.
The computer beeped as Rattrap's voice came through the comm.
"Hello! You readin' me Chopperface! We got problems!" came Rattrap's voice, slightly annoyed. Dinobot pressed the button opening his side of the comlink.
"Speak, vermin," said Dinobot.
"The Preds scrapped the bridge. We're gonna have to take the scenic route," reported Rattrap, "Not a snowball's chance in Hell of beatin' them now."
"No excuses, you pathetic vermin!" growled Dinobot, "Keep moving! Dinobot, out."
"Hey! You can just kiss my pink hairless…." came Rattrap's response before Dinobot closed his end of the comlink and stepped back from the console. Dinobot tapped his chin and thought for a moment.
"Computer, activate and access Optimus Primal's core consciousness," said Dinobot.
"Acknowledged," replied the computer. The CR Chamber began to blow blue as the lights in the bridge dimmed. A holographic display of Optimus in the CR Chamber appeared over the table.
"Core consciousness activated," reported the computer.
"On screen," instructed Dinobot. The holographic display faded and an image of Optimus' beast mode face appeared before Dinobot.
"Don't tell me, let me guess," said Optimus, "Problems already?"
"Indeed, the others have been inevitably delayed," reported Dinobot, "The Predacons will reach the pod first. Have you any thoughts?"
"Is there any way we can contact the pod?" asked Optimus.
"The Energon fields are too strong," answered Dinobot, "Our comlinks can barely reach our comrades in the field."
"How about laser pulse?"
"Impossible, we would need line of sight transmission,"
"Isn't there anything we could bounce it off of? A mountain? Clouds? Anything?" Dinobot pondered for a minute and turned towards the comm station.
"Perhaps there is,"
Megatron peeked out from behind a large stone pillar near the Maximal base.
"Ah, as I sumised, yes. The Maximal left on guard is our own traitorous turncoat," said Megatron, "We shall not waste this opportunity, no." Megatron waved his small arms signaling to Tarantulas and Scorponok to flank the base. Dinobot was atop the Axalon adjusting a satellite dish, aiming it at the planet's secondary moon.
"Ah Dinobot, yes," said Megatron. Dinobot's optics widened as he heard Megatron's voice. Turning around, he quickly transformed. He roared in challenge.
"Oh no, no, no. Calmness please," said Megatron, "I came only to talk, yes. After all, you are alone and in command of the Maximal base. An excellent opportunity, is it not?" Megatron approached the base, stepping out of the shadows.
"After all, you were a Predacon once, become one again! Turn the base over to me and the Beast Wars will be over!" shouted Megatron, "We Predacons shall rule the galaxy and you shall be my second-in-command. What do you say?" Dinobot sat still for a moment, before finally coming to his decision. He chuckled to himself.
"Eat SLAG!" roared Dinobot. He blasted Megatron with his Cybertronic beams and knocked him back. Megatron groaned as he stood up.
"Vaporize him!" roared Megatron. Dinobot turned around to see Tarantulas and Scorponok behind him with their weapons ready. They both fired and knocked Dinobot off the top of the Axalon to the ground below. Dinobot groaned, unable to stand.
"Finish him!" ordered Megatron. Dinobot weakly lifted his head and saw the two Predacons peering over the edge at him. They fired, but Dinobot was able to roll out of the way of the missiles. The momentum from the blast knocked him back and into the lift struts.
"Auto-guns, on-line," groaned Dinobot weakly. On the top of the ship, the auto-guns activated, arming themselves and targeting the Predacons. Tarantulas and Scorponok turned to the auto-guns and paused. Curious to see how sensitive the weapons were, Tarantulas took a step. The clang of his metal foot on the roof of the ship drew the attention of the auto-guns. They quickly targeted Tarantulas and fired. The Predacon was blasted off of the top of the ship and into the rocks far from the base. Scorponok stood perfectly still. The auto-guns remained fixed on the spot that Tarantulas once occupied not moving. He began to shake nervously. Eventually his exoskeletal armor began to clatter as he shook more and more. His teeth began to chatter and his pincers began to twitch as he became even more nervous waiting for the guns. Finally the noise attracted the attention of the auto-guns. The guns blasted Scorponok off of the roof just as they did to Tarantulas. Scorponok landed in a heap near Tarantulas far from the base. With nothing in close proximity, all of the auto-gun emplacements targeted Megatron and began firing at him. Though the blasts weren't terribly damaging, he was unable to withstand them.
"Fall back, fall back!" he ordered. Obeying, the Predacons returned to beast mode and retreated. Retreating from the Axalon Megatron turned to his troops.
"Forget the Maximal base!" shouted Megatron, "Secure the pod!"
Dinobot weakly stepped out of the lift once it had ascended into the bridge.
"Optimus, laser ready," groaned the badly damaged Dinobot.
"Computer, uploading instructions now!" instructed Optimus. The satellite fired the laser pulse at the moon closest to the planet. The pulse bounced off the moon and ricocheted back to the planet. The laser pulse hit the stasis pod and instructed it on how to activate its DNA scanners. The white tiger had approached the stasis pod with interest but stepped back as the laser pulse hit the pod. The scanning probe extended from the stasis pod and activated its scanning beam, scanning the tiger.
The Maximals saw the laser pulse bounce off the moon towards the stasis pod.
"Whoa! What the hell was that?" asked Rattrap.
"Whatever it is, it's too little too late!" informed Cheetor, he optics turned red as he activated his binocular vision, "The Preds are gonna beat us to the pod!"
The white tiger was joined with another at the stasis pod. Together they growled each other inspecting each other for anything odd. They turned as the roared of the flying Predacons drew their attention from overhead.
"Oooh, Wazzpinator sees the pod! Only a few cycles away!" buzzed Waspinator, "Megatron will reward Wazzpinator!"
"Not if I get it first!" challenged Terrorsaur.
Megatron ran as fast as he could into the frozen tundra following the trail of the Maximals.
"To think that I could trust those fliers to reach the pod alone!" growled Megatron.
Optimus placed Dinobot into the CR Chamber as he prepared to depart from the Axalon.
"Don't worry Dinobot, we'll have you restored before you know it," said Optimus, "But for now, I've gotta fly." Dinobot nodded as the door to the CR Chamber closed. Optimus quickly transformed and readied the roof hatch.
"Computer, deactivate auto-guns and reactivate in thirty kliks," said Optimus.
"Acknowledged," replied the computer. Optimus fired his boosters and rocketed away from the base towards the tundra.
The two white tigers observed the Predacons attempting to break into the stasis pod. Waspinator was attempting to open the stasis pod with his optic beams.
"Hold it right there!" warned Cheetor.
"Yeah, you're messin' with Maximal property you stinkin' Preds," said Rattrap.
"We've got a friend in there," said Rhinox, "And we won't let you turn him into a Predacon."
"You won't stop us Maximals," challenged Terrorsaur. Thunderous footsteps drew the attention of the Maximals and Predacons. Megatron appeared over the edge of the hill and landed near the pod.
"They certainly will not," growled Megatron as he transformed. The Maximals fixed their weapons on Megatron.
"The stasis pod is ours Maximals," said Megatron, "For I know your weaknesses." Megatron turned and fired his plasma cannon at the tigers standing on the edge of a small trench. The two tigers fell into the trench, unharmed but trapped. Smirking, Megatron armed his cannon and aimed at the tigers. They growled in challenge at their assailant. Megatron just laughed.
"Let them go," said Rhinox, "They're not part of this."
"That's right, just innocent creatures," said Megatron, "So surrender yourselves and this pod, or they shall be terminated." Reluctantly Cheetor, Rhinox and Rattrap lowered their weapons.
"You win, you depraved wad of stinkin' slag," said Rattrap.
"Cultivated as always, even in defeat," said Megatron, "Now witness my moment of triumph as I reprogram the protoform robot in the pod into a Predacon, yes." Megatron stepped up to the pod and nodded to Waspinator.
"Open it, now!" he ordered. Waspinator nodded and continued firing his optic lasers on the pod. Finally the pod opened with a hiss. Terrorsaur looked in a shrieked. The stasis pod was empty.
"What?" shouted Megatron, "It's empty. Where is the protoform Maximal?"
"Right here," answered a soft but strong voice. The Maximals and Predacons turned to the direction of the voice. The larger of the two white tigers had stepped out of the trench and approached the Predacons.
"Tigatron, Maximize!" he roared. The tiger transformed into its green armored robot mode, very similar to Cheetor's, only larger. He fired a blast from his quasar cannon and knocked Megatron back.
"All right!" cheered Rattrap.
"Let's do it!" shouted Cheetor. The Maximals opened fire on the Predacons now that the tigers were no longer in danger. Optimus approached from the air noticing the firefight. He armed his shoulder cannons and fired his own missiles. Megatron ducked back as the rockets exploded against the ground.
"Beast modes! Retreat, retreat!" ordered Megatron. Quickly reverting to beast mode, the three Predacons took off over the horizon back to their base. Not wasting a beat, Tigatron armed his wrist mounted rockets and fired. The rocket tracked Megatron as he ran over the hill. The rocket hit him on the far side out of sight, but his yell echoed through the wasteland.
"Damn it all!" he roared. Tigatron just smiled. He turned back to the Maximals as Optimus descended from the sky and returned to beast mode.
"Greetings, Tigatron? I'm Optimus Primal; Maximal Commander," said Optimus introducing himself, "You had us worried for a while. We didn't think you'd made it."
"I almost didn't. The crash damaged my memory circuits, I didn't know who I was, or which side I was on," answered Tigatron, "Until I saw you, willing to risk your lives to save us." "Well, we're just glad you pulled through, we could use another member of the Maximal force," said Optimus, "Our ship, or what's left of it, is south about 100 kliks."
"No, no, I'm sorry, but no," answered Tigatron, "I am still more tiger than Maximal. Until my identity circuits repair themselves I feel my place is here, with my kind." He gestured to the female tiger that was standing nearby, but careful not to get too close to the other Maximals.
"But you may count on my loyalty," said Tigatron.
"Sounds good to me," said Rhinox.
"Yea, we could use a scout up here," said Rattrap, "In case the Preds get up to something."
"Then it's settled, for now," said Optimus, "I have a feeling we'll meet again, and soon." Optimus saluted Tigatron and turned to join his friends on their way back to the base. Tigatron nodded to his new friends as they departed.
"Let the trails lead where they may," said Tigatron, "I will follow." He turned and joined the female tiger heading into the tundra.
The End
Author's Note: The introduction of Tigatron. It's about time this story came around. I always felt he wasn't featured in the early episodes after his introduction. He will definitely be in some of the original stories. I hope you're enjoying. There is still more to come.
