Naturally, there had been quite a lot to fill Dinobot in on. And Nightscream as well.

Like himself, none of the other Maximals could recall an event since they'd been on their way to Cybertron, when the Beast Wars had been ended. Yet somehow, they'd arrived. Only on a Cybertron ruled by Megatron, overrun by Vehicons. The virus had affected them all as well, making any plans of fighting back impossible. Gone too, were their transmetal bodies... so they were as helpless as Dinobot had been, unable to do anything but run and pray for a swift end. Primus had been merciful, however.

The Oracle had contacted Optimus Primal, guided them to it's sanctuary deep beneath the layers of Cyberopolis. There, they'd been reformatted... reborn as techno-organic. Neither robot nor animal, but still transformer. Transformation was a more difficult process now, however. They'd had to learn the process anew. With some, like Nightscream, it came with frightening ease. Others, most notably Rattrap, still having yet to master the technique.

Unfortunately, Dinobot too was among this number.

Both raptor and rat were thus confined to less dangerous duties. Watching over Optimus. Guarding their temporary base. Scavenging for energon. Dinobot was almost insulted, but recognized the decision on Cheetor's part as a way to keep them out of danger. But it burned inside of him. A need to try and find the way to transform so he could again join his comrades in battle.

Rattrap was much the same way, and had been in a most depressing state ever since he'd been given his techno-organic body. Relieved that one other Maximal couldn't change either, he was somewhat mollified, but still mopey. He would rarely respond to Dinobot's quips anymore. Not that Dinobot gave many these days.

The situation was grim enough as it was.

Vehicons hunting them. Megatron in control of the planet. Rhinox and Silverbolt lost to them. They'd discovered the means to hide... staying in beast mode allowed them to remain undetected by Vehicon sensors. But not yet the means to fight back. Nor did it appear they had any allies they could rely on. Megatron held all the cards tightly to his torso-plate.

The situation was, unfortunately, about to get a whole lot more grim.

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Betrayal.

Before leaving Cybertron on Megatron's grand crusade to conquer the universe, Dinobot had known the world, but never thought he would apply it to himself or his commander. He'd been ambitious back then. Bored. Wanting a challenge for his warrior skills. So he'd jumped at the chance to join Megatron's merry Predacon crew and go hijacking a transport, stealing away the golden disc and a Predacon warship. Betrayal he'd expected from the other Predacons. Insidious Tarantulas. Envious Terrorsaur. Scatter-brained Waspinator.

But never himself.

And yet he had been the first one to betray Megatron. Or at least, that was how some saw it. To his mind, Megatron betrayed him first, and he simply returned the favor.

He knew much of betrayal during his time fighting the Beast Wars. He betrayed the Predacons. He betrayed the Maximals. He fought for both sides, he fought for his own honor and future. The war was ended because of his final betrayal of Megatron. The Maximals praised him as a hero.

Dinobot himself was not so sure.

But he had his honor. And that was enough.

In the days to come, he would know more of betrayal. See more treachery. Both among the Maximals and the Vehicons.

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"Still think you gotta cover for me! Still wanna cut me loose!"

The formerly meek mouse was decked out in an impressive combat suit and armed to the whiskers, launching all manner of death at his former comrades. A keen observer would not he was driving them back, not aiming to blow them to scrap... but it was a narrow margin he gave them. His attacks were filled with anger. As was his voice. Rattrap had been driven to the brink. His self-loathing at his seemingly weak beastmode was driving him to take out his frustrations on his former comrades. To become everything he'd ever despised.

And Cheetor, Black Arachnia, and Nightscream weren't sure they could stop him.

"You guys never believed in me. Any of you!" Rattrap cried angrily.

"I believed in you..." came a soft, commanding voice, cutting through the chaos of the situation. All eyes turned to see Optimus laboring his way into the light, obviously still weak but determined not to show it. Behind and slightly to his side marched Dinobot. Optimus' gaze was full of understanding... forgiveness. Dinobot's expression was guarded, and his distaste was evident.

"What do you mean by firing at your friends?" asked Optimus, though his tone was not of anger, but of patience. He seemed honestly interested in Rattraps answer. But Rattrap didn't have one. This wasn't how things were supposed to have happened.

"He's right. Optimus is the one you want. He's the one who lied to you," came Megatron's voice. It whispered from the shadows and in the darkness, speaking to Rattrap's darker programming, urging him to give in to his anger and hatred. "He's the one who kept making promises he never intended to keep. He made you weak, Rattrap."

Yeah, thought Rattrap bitterly, leveling one of his armed rifles at the great ape. At this range, he'd blow him to pieces. But his targeting view became obstructed as the great velociraptor slipped into his field of view, shielding Optimus Primal with his own body.

"Is this where you stand, vermin?" he hissed darkly.

"Look inside yourself Rattrap," implored Optimus. "You don't need his weapons. You're stronger than you know..." he commended. Then, more harshly, he turned to the three Maximals who had judged him. "Stronger than any of you know."

Rattrap's finger tightened on the trigger of the weapon aimed at Dinobot and Optimus. But he hesitated... these were his friends. That meant more to him than strength and power. That was the Predacon way... that was...

"Well?" demanded Megatron angrily, floating up to Rattrap's shoulder, whispering into his ear. "What are you waiting for? Destroy them!"

"Have we revised our policy on attacking unarmed opponents?" demanded Rattrap, swiveling the torso of his battle-armor and bringing his guns to bear on Megatron himself.

"It was never my policy," replied Megatron haughtily, but with an undercurrent of fear. "Choose carefully, Rattrap... destroy me, and seal your own fate as well."

Rattrap chuckled breathlessly at that. "Not according to my chronometer," he replied, turning once more and indicating the far horizon beyond Megatron's citadel. In the far distance, the sky was lit by the faintest hint of bright light. The long night was over. Day was here.

The solar cycle was completed.

"... and not a Maximal touched you," Rattrap added smugly.

Dinobot grinned. His vermin foil had his faults, but he was a devious little thing when he wanted to be. He'd upheld his bargain -and- neatly turned on Megatron.

"I kept my end of the deal! Now... are you gonna keep yours... and let me walk away?"

The roar of a motor and the whoosh of jets indicated they were not alone. The Vehicon generals had joined up behind Megatron, armed to the teeth and itching for payback. One word from Megatron, and they'd be unleashed upon the Maximals, still weak from battle. Dinobot growled, crouching low, ready to move the instant such was required... he would likely have to get Optimus to safety first, leaving the others to fight.

Megatron hesitated a long moment, no doubt pondering the possible outcomes in his mind. Dinobot watched him warily. Whatever the decision was, it would be to Megatron's benefit. That was how his mind worked.

Finally, a decision was reached.

"Delete them."

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Laser fire split the air, and nearly as one the Maximals gave their battle cry and, like that, were transformed. However, they were at a considerable disadvantage. Three of them were tired from their bout with Rattrap, and Optimus was still exhausted from his reformatting. That only left Rattrap and Dinobot to carry the weight of the battle. And Dinobot still was unable to transform.

Rattrap's mini-tank swiveled, but Megatron only stretched out a hand, and triggered the suit's auto-shutdown sequence. Rattrap managed a weak chuckle, realizing he was now helpless, and then quickly vaulted out of the seats moments before Tankor, Thrust, and Jetstorm blew his fancy wheels off. He skidded to a halt besides Optimus and Dinobot.

"Oh jeez..."

"Rattrap, Dinobot!" shouted Cheetor. "We need to retreat, get Optimus out of here, we'll cover you!"

Rattrap moved to obey, but Dinobot growled and took a menacing step forward.

"I am through retreating," he hissed darkly.

Drawing a deep breath, Dinobot closed his eyes, feeling the surge of energon filtering through his entire system. He could feel it. The instinctive need to transform. It had been with him since he'd been upgraded. But the key to truly mastering it had eluded him. And irritated him to no end. But he had to transform now, or they would all be blown into scrap within seconds by the Vehicon Generals.

A memory file opened, when Rattrap had finally mastered transforming. Dinobot had grilled him on learning the secret, since they had shared the misery of being locked in beast forms. And then his vermin friend had realized the secret.

"For once, I wasn't thinking about myself... I was only focused on saving you guys."

If that was the secret... if that was the key...

"I..." A glow surrounded Dinobot, a cerulean-green glow. "... Am...!" Flesh and organic-steel slid away to reveal metal underneath. "... TRANSFORMED!"

Dinobot the velociraptor had vanished, and in his place was Dinobot the transformer. His new form was much akin to his old, a tall, broad-shouldered, armored warrior. His under-plates were a mixture of blue-green, and his techno-organic skin had formed his new armor, most prominently the face of the velociraptor becoming his chestplate. His tail became his sword, as it had for the original Dinobot, but instead of rotating, it was a single-edged, serrated blade. Dinobot blinked his emerald eyes, and flexed his sharp talons around his sword, testing his grip.

A wicked grin stretched across his features, revealing wicked sharp teeth.

The Vehicon Generals, as one, did not like the look in his eye... and took a step back.

"Payback time," he rasped out, raising up his sword.

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"Oh man that was awesome!" said Nightscream.

"Way to go, Dinobot!" exclaimed Cheetor.

"Not bad," conceded Black Arachnia.

Dinobot nodded, taking it all in stride. Not purely out of arrogance, though he did have a smug satisfaction twisting off Thrust's left arm and beating him silly with it... but because he had rarely felt so good. The thrill of battle... Primus above he had missed it.

But it had been a long solar cycle, and the Maximals needed downtime. As one, they started to flitter off, until they were down to Optimus and Dinobot. Now back in velociraptor form, the former Predacon had agreed to keep watch on Optimus. Rattrap was keeping watch on the main entrance to their hidey-hole... as sort of a penance for his behavior.

"You've done well, Dinobot..." remarked Optimus. "Mastered the beast within. I'm impressed."

Dinobot's smug smirk turned to a frown. "Indeed... but there is more to this than meets the eye," he remarked.

"Dinobot?"

"This... reformatting... it did something to me. Something else."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I... I remember... everything. With crystal clarity. I remembered the life of the old Dinobot when Rampage was destroyed... but it was vague memories... like it was another 'bot's life I was watching. Now..."

"Now you remember them as if they were your own," surmised Optimus.

"Correct."

Optimus knuckled his way over to him, resting a hand on Dinobot's shoulder. "The Matrix... it did not just change your body... it changed your spark. Likely now all that was Rampage is gone... and all that was Dinobot is back."

"Another instance in which I seem to have cheated death," remarked Dinobot. "I should be dead now… twice over, if not more… yet I live and function still. Why?"

"Whatever the case," he said with a smile. "We couldn't be happier to have you back."

Dinobot nodded, still thinking to himself. He had much to ponder on.

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Author's Notes:

Weak Component was one of the worst episodes of Beast Machines... not just because of Rattrap's troubles (his personality was intact, but it's sad when I remember how he used to shoot and blow stuff up) but because of Megatron. He was totally unlike himself. Next time: The truth is unveiled, and the mission of the Maximals becomes more apparent. But where does Dinobot fit into the grand scheme of things?

Stone-Man85: Dinobot's techno-organic form is largely modeled after his original one, and is largely guesswork on my part. I do hope you enjoy, however.

MerlockVonBaron: Rhinox' ultimate fate as a Vehicon general was a fitting one… we've seen he has the capacity for evil. However, if I ever do finish this story, maybe I can do something.