AN: Before we begin, I think I should tell you a little bit about Paleotrex and Vertebreak, two of the characters in this story. For those who don't know, they are both toy-original Predacons to be released in the Kingdom portion of the War for Cybertron Trilogy. Both transform into dinosaur fossils, with Paleotrex transforming into a fossil of a Tyrannosaurus rex, and Vertebreak transforming into a fossil of a Dracorex. Paleotrex is also a fossilizer, a type of robot who can come apart and form armor and weapons for other characters. I thought I'd write a story about these characters because it sounded like an interesting idea to write about Transformers characters who were made into toys, but didn't appear in any major form of media. Anywho, without further ado, I give you: my first Transformers story for the Beast Era.
One day on prehistoric Earth, one of the Maximal's stasis pods had fallen out of Earth's orbit, and Tigatron and Airazor had arrived on the scene in beast mode.
"Tigatron, maximize", Tigatron said.
"Airazor, maximize", Airazor said.
Tigatron transformed from white tiger mode to robot mode, Airazor transformed from falcon mode to robot mode, and the two Maximals walked over to the pod, with Airazor radioing to Optimus Primal.
"Airazor to Optimus", Airazor said, "Tigatron and I have located the first stasis pod."
Optimus was flying through the air in robot mode using his jetpack, on his way to the site of a second crashed stasis pod.
"Good work, Airazor", Optimus said, "I'm on my way to the second one."
"Copy that", Airazor said, "Tigatron and I will protect ours from the Predacons and bring it to the base."
"Excellent", Optimus said.
Optimus ended the call and continued flying towards where the second stasis pod was located.
"I just can't believe that two stasis pods fell from space at once", Optimus said, "we can't let the Predacons get their hands on both, or even just one of the pods."
Tigatron and Airazor had lifted the stasis pod up together and were carrying it away to the Maximal base.
"It'll be nice once this protoform awakens, and one of our Maximal brethren emerges from the pod", Tigatron said.
"You said it", Airazor said, "I just hope we can get it to the base in one piece."
Then, they heard the sound of a twig snapping and stopped.
"What was that", Airazor asked.
"I don't know", Tigatron said.
Something was watching the two Maximals from behind some bushes.
"But I don't think we're alone", Tigatron said.
And he was right, because at that moment, Inferno jumped out of the bushes in his fire ant mode.
"Stop right there", Inferno said.
Tigatron and Airazor were caught off guard by the Predacon's sudden appearance.
"Inferno, terrorize", Inferno said.
Inferno transformed into robot mode and aimed his blaster at the two Maximals.
"That stasis pod is property of the royalty", Inferno said.
"No it isn't", Tigatron said, "this pod rightfully belongs to the Maximals."
"And we're not going to let you lay a mandible on it", Airazor said.
"Oh, I think you will", Inferno said.
Inferno flew into the air using the hyper-drive ion thrusters in his abdomen, and he proceeded to fire on Tigatron and Airazor, prompting them to dodge his attacks.
"We can't let him steal the pod", Tigatron said.
"I'll handle this", Airazor said, "beast mode!"
Airazor transformed into her falcon mode and began flying around Inferno, distracting him while Tigatron tried to escape with the pod.
"Annoying bird", Inferno said.
Inferno fired at Airazor using the flamethrower setting on his blaster, causing her to fall to the ground, which alerted Tigatron's attention.
"Airazor", Tigatron said.
Tigatron ran towards Airazor, and Inferno fired a shot at him, causing him to fly backwards into a tree.
"Good", Inferno said, "now that the enemies are dealt with, I shall take my prize and bring it to the royalty."
Inferno picked up the stasis pod and flew away, and Tigatron weakly crawled over to Airazor, who had converted to robot mode as she fell to the ground.
"Are you okay", Tigatron asked.
"I'm fine", Airazor said, "but that stupid ant got away with the stasis pod."
"Let's hope Optimus managed to save the other one", Tigatron said.
Speaking of Optimus, he had managed to retrieve the stasis pod, but he was being pursued in the air by Waspinator and Terrorsaur.
"Give it up, Primal", Terrorsaur said, "that stasis pod is ours!"
"Never", Optimus said, "I won't let you reprogram this innocent Maximal into a Predacon!"
Waspinator managed to fly ahead of Optimus and pulled out his gun.
"Waszzpinator take care of Monkey-Bot", Waspinator said.
Waspinator fired his blaster at Optimus, but the Maximal leader dodged his shots, and Terrorsaur deployed his shoulder-mounted cannons.
"Let me handle him", Terrorsaur said.
Terrorsaur fired at Optimus, and the latter dropped the stasis pod, causing it to fall down to the ground.
"The pod", Optimus said.
Waspinator noticed the falling stasis pod and quickly began flying down towards it.
"Waszzpinator save stasis pod", Waspinator said.
Optimus saw Waspinator flying towards the pod and quickly shot at him using his forearm-mounted blasters, hitting the Predacon in the wings and causing him to fall to the ground, the stasis pod landing on top of him.
"Well, maybe Waspinator broke the pod's fall", Optimus said.
Optimus flew down towards the pod, but Terrorsaur swooped by in his Pteranodon mode and grabbed it with his feet.
"Well well, it looks like the Predacons win again", Terrorsaur said, "until next time, Optimus Primal!"
Terrorsaur let out a screech as he flew away, and the wing-deprived Waspinator ran after him.
"Hey", Waspinator said, "wait for Waszzpinator!"
"I can't let the Predacons get away with that pod", Optimus said.
Optimus tried to take off and chase after Terrorsaur, but he began suffering the effects of energon buildup.
"I better transform before I go into stasis lock", Optimus said, "beast mode!"
Optimus transformed into his gorilla mode and watched as Terrorsaur flew away with the stolen stasis pod.
"Well, that's just prime", Optimus said.
At the Predacon base, Tarantulas was working on reprograming the Maximal protoforms in the stasis pods into Predacons.
"Almost done", Tarantulas said, "all that's left is to scan for local lifeforms for our new comrades to take on."
"You'd better not make either one of them a spider", Megatron said, "I've got enough treacherous arachnids on my team with you and Blackarachnia."
"Er, of course not, Megatron", Tarantulas said, "what type of creatures would satisfy your desires?"
"How about ones that are, shall we say, Jurassic", Megatron said.
"Of course", Tarantulas said, "scanning for suitable life forms right now."
Tarantulas deployed the base's DNA scanner, and it detected the bones of a Tyrannosaurus rex and a Dracorex in some rocks, but as the two stasis pods processed the information, something went wrong.
"Error", one of the pods' computers said, "unable to complete replication process."
"What", Megatron asked.
The other pod's computer relayed the same message.
"What do they mean 'unable to complete replication process'", Megatron asked.
"It means that the new Predacons' beast modes won't quite be like the creatures that have been selected for them", Tarantulas said, "the pods must've taken some damage when they crashed."
This made Megatron growl in frustration.
"But worry not", Tarantulas said, "for this may work out well with something I've been working on."
"I see", Megatron said, "and what, may I ask, might that be?"
"You'll see", Tarantulas said.
Tarantulas walked over to one of the stasis pods and inserted a chip into it.
"There", Tarantulas said, "and now, I present to you all, the latest additions to the Predacon ranks."
The other Predacons gathered around, and out from the stasis pods emerged a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton and a Dracorex skeleton.
"Seriously", Terrorsaur asked, "those are the new Predacons?"
"They're just a couple of piles of bones", Scorponok said.
"That may be", Tarantulas said, "but they are more than meets the eye."
"Is that right", Megatron asked.
"Of course", Tarantulas said, "new Predacons, transform for your master."
"Paleotrex, terrorize", the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton said.
"Vertebreak, terrorize", the Dracorex skeleton said.
Paleotrex transformed from his skeletal Tyrannosaurus rex mode to his robot mode, while Vertebreak transformed from her skeletal Dracorex form to her robot mode, and the other Predacons observed.
"So they can transform, big deal", Blackarachnia said, "we can do that too."
"Then perhaps, Blackarachnia, you'd be interested in learning what Paleotrex is capable of doing", Tarantulas said.
"Me", Blackarachnia asked.
"Of course", Tarantulas said, "come on over here."
Blackarachnia walked up to Paleotrex.
"Okay, Paleotrex", Tarantulas said, "do it."
"Paleotrex, fossilize", Paleotrex said.
Paleotrex's body split into various parts, and then they bonded with Blackarachnia, with his beast mode legs and head forming armor for her, and his beast mode tail becoming an axe for her to wield, much to the impression of her and the other Predacons.
"Wow", Blackarachnia said, "I've never seen a robot with the ability to do something like this before."
"The reason Paleotrex can do this is because I installed a chip infused with primordial energy into his stasis pod that granted him the ability to break apart and weaponize us when necessary", Tarantulas said, "I call it the Fossilized Osteo-Skeletal Shield Integration Loadout Technology, or for short, the F.O.S.S.I.L. Technology."
"Very impressive", Megatron said, "I believe this should give us just the upper hand we need, yesss."
Back at the Maximal base, Optimus had returned, and Tigatron and Airazor were there as well to be treated of their injuries, and needless to say, none of them were happy about their failure to keep the stasis pods from falling into the Predacons' hands.
"I just can't believe we lost", Optimus said, "and now the Predacons' ranks will increase."
"We tried to stop Inferno, but it was no use", Tigatron said.
"He managed to overpower us", Airazor said.
"Hey, cool it, will ya", Rattrap asked, "there's always next time, right?"
"Rattrap, this is serious", Optimus said, "we need to rescue as many stasis pods as we can, or Megatron will turn them all into Predacons and have us outnumbered."
"And once that happens, he'll win the Beast Wars in the blink of an optical sensor", Rhinox said.
"Yeesh, don't get your circuits in a twist", Rattrap said, "I was just saying that maybe we'll have better luck next time."
It was at that moment that Cheetor detected something on the radar.
"Hey, Big Bot", Cheetor said, "we got Preds incoming."
Optimus walked over and saw the Predacon energy signatures on the screen.
"They must be coming here to show off their newest members", Optimus said, "well, we'll teach them a lesson for making them out of our fellow Maximals."
Optimus left the base with Cheetor, Rattrap, and Dinobot to confront the Predacons, and the four Maximals arrived in beast mode at the area where Megatron, Waspinator, Blackarachnia, Paleotrex, and Vertebreak were waiting for them, also in beast mode.
"Optimus Primal", Megatron said, "so glad you could make it, I've been looking forward to introducing you to our newest recruits."
"Spare me the small talk, Megatron", Optimus said, "what have you corrupted those protoforms into this time?"
"I'm glad you asked", Megatron said, "Paleotrex, Vertebreak, introduce yourselves."
"Paleotrex, terrorize", Paleotrex said.
"Vertebreak, terrorize", Vertebreak said.
The two Predacons transformed from their skeletal beast modes to their robot modes, much to she surprise of the Maximals.
"Did you see that", Rattrap asked, "them bones just transformed into robots."
"Brilliant observation, rodent", Dinobot said, "but how is it possible for those Predacons to have 'them bones' as their beast modes?"
"Just a little malfunction with the pods, but Tarantulas was able to turn that around and find a way to make it work for us", Megatron said, "and it will be because of him that you Maximals meet your doom!"
"Not if we have anything to say about it", Optimus said, "Optimus, maximize!"
"Rattrap, maximize", Rattrap said.
"Cheetor, maximize", Cheetor said.
"Dinobot, maximize", Dinobot said.
Optimus transformed from gorilla mode to robot mode, Rattrap transformed from rat mode to robot mode, Cheetor transformed from cheetah mode to robot mode, and Dinobot transformed from Velociraptor mode to robot mode, prompting Megatron and the other Predacons who hadn't yet transformed into robot mode to do so.
"Megatron, terrorize", Megatron said.
"Waszzpinator, terrorize", Waspinator said.
"Blackarachnia, terrorize", Blackarachnia said.
Megatron transformed from Tyrannosaurus rex mode to robot mode, Waspinator transformed from wasp mode to robot mode, and Blackarachnia transformed from black widow spider mode to robot mode.
"Attack", Megatron said.
The Predacons opened fire on the Maximals, and the latter side took evasive maneuvers.
"Maximals, return fire", Optimus said.
The Maximals proceeded to attack, and the battle was soon underway, during which Cheetor was trying to shoot Waspinator, but the latter somehow managed to dodge his shots from the air, and it wasn't until Dinobot shot him with his eye beams that the Predacon came crashing to the ground.
"Thanks for the assist, Dinobot", Cheetor said.
"Don't mention it", Dinobot said.
Dinobot suddenly found himself getting hit from behind, and turned around to find Vertebreak holding her beast mode tail, which also functioned as a sword for her to wield.
"So, you're the famous traitor Dinobot", Vertebreak said, "I've heard you're quite the fighter."
"Indeed I am", Dinobot said, "but I don't fight against amateurs because a victory against an inexperienced warrior would not be a very honorable one."
"I may me new, Dinobot, but I'm more skilled than you perceive me to be", Vertebreak said, "perhaps this whole 'honor' thing you've got going on is just an excuse so that you won't have to risk getting beaten by a girl."
Vertebreak's words were enough to make Dinobot pull out his cyber-slash tail weapon and sword.
"Very well, then", Dinobot said, "if it's a duel you want, then you shall have it."
"That's more like it", Vertebreak said.
Dinobot ran towards Vertebreak with his cyber-slash tail weapon, but she managed to duck down and trip him using her leg, causing him to fall over and drop his weapon.
"Not bad for a beginner", Dinobot said.
"I may be a new recruit", Vertebreak said, "but I've got all the skills I need."
"Then perhaps your defeat will not be as dishonorable as I originally thought it might", Dinobot said.
Dinobot and Vertebreak charged towards one another, their swords clashing together, and as the two dueled, Rattrap was engaged in a battle with Blackarachnia.
"Hold still, ya spider witch", Rattrap said, "I'm trying to slag ya!"
Rattrap was shooting at Blackarachnia using his fusion blaster, but she managed to dodge all his shots, though she was beginning to feel bored.
"This is getting tiring", Blackarachnia said, "Paleotrex, help me exterminate this pest!"
"On it", Paleotrex said, "Paleotrex, fossilize!"
Paleotrex ran over to Blackarachnia, split his body apart, and bonded with Blackarachnia like he did previously, after which she ran over to Rattrap and knocked him aside using her axe fashioned from Paleotrex's tail.
"Dang", Rattrap said, "those are some bones."
"Indeed they are", Blackarachnia said, "and now, I'm going to use them to terminate you."
Blackarachnia was about to deliver the finishing blow, when she got hit by a shot fired by Cheetor.
"What", Blackarachnia asked.
Cheetor fired some more shots at Blackarachnia using his blaster, until eventually, Paleotrex separated from her and reverted back to robot mode.
"Why, you", Blackarachnia said, "I'll..."
"Paleotrex, over here", Megatron shouted.
Everyone on the scene turned to see Megatron doing battle with Optimus, which, needless to say, was a battle he (Megatron) was loosing.
"Weaponize me so that I can destroy Optimus Primal", Megatron said.
"Will do, boss", Paleotrex said, "Paleotrex, fossilize!"
Paleotrex ran towards Megatron and split apart, ready to weaponize his master, but Cheetor had other plans.
"Oh no you don't", Cheetor said.
Cheetor ran and jumped into the air, and Paleotrex ended up accidentally bonding with him instead of Megatron, much to the Predacon leader's shock.
"What", Megatron asked.
Optimus was also surprised to see Paleotrex attach to Cheetor in such a manner.
"That must be how Tarantulas made the stasis pods' malfunction work out for the Predacons", Optimus said.
Cheetor ran up towards the two leaders, who had paused their duel to observe the weaponized Cheetor, and the young Maximal whacked Megatron with the tail-fashioned axe, knocking him aside.
"That ought clean your clock", Cheetor said.
"No", Megatron said, "it's not possible!"
Cheetor then noticed Dinobot still dueling with Vertebreak, but he was now beginning to grow tired.
"Looks like Dinobot could use a hand", Cheetor said, "and I've got just what I need to give him one."
Over at that battle, Dinobot tried to maintain his ground against Vertebreak, but the latter knocked his sword out of his hand, and cornered him up against a rock.
"Any last words", Vertebreak asked.
Dinobot looked and noticed Cheetor sneaking up behind Verterbreak.
"Yes", Dinobot said, "you forgot all about my comrades."
"Huh", Vertebreak asked.
Vertebreak heard screaming, and turned around in horror to see Cheetor running towards her, and he proceeded to knock her aside using the axe.
"Hope you don't mind", Cheetor said, "you looked like you could use a little hand."
"I didn't require any assistance", Dinobot said, "but, thank you."
"Hey, what are comrades for", Cheetor asked.
Megatron shook his hand and stood up, and Vertebreak landed right next to him.
"That Maximal has turned our new weapon against us", Megatron said, "Predacons, retreat!"
Megatron ran away from the battlefield, followed by Blackarachnia and Vertebreak, and Waspinator, who had been knocked unconscious by Dinobot's eye blast, awoke.
"Waszzpinator's alright", Waspinator said, "and ready for battle!"
But before he could do any battling, Waspinator found himself getting hit by Cheetor with the axe like a baseball getting hit by a bat, and he flew into the distance screaming.
"Aw yeah", Cheetor said, "home run!"
Cheetor then proceeded to drop the axe and remove his armor, and they reverted back into Paleotrex, who found himself at gunpoint by Optimus.
"Go", Optimus said, "run back to your Predacon allies."
"Okay, okay, I'm going", Paleotrex said.
Paleotrex stood up and ran away, and Optimus walked over to Cheetor and put his hand on the latter's shoulder.
"Well done, Cheetor", Optimus said, "you really came through for us back there."
"Aw, thanks, Big Bot", Cheetor said.
"Yeah, that was a pretty smart move, jumping in so that bonehead's parts would attach to you instead of Megatron", Rattrap said.
"What made you so certain that Paleotrex would weaponize you like he did the Predacons", Dinobot asked.
"Honestly, I wasn't sure if it would work or not", Cheetor said, "but, I figured it might be worth a try."
"Well, sure or not, you won the battle for us", Optimus said, "now, we better head back to the base."
Optimus transformed into beast mode, followed by Cheetor, Rattrap, and Dinobot, and together, they began making their way back to the Maximal base.
"If we manage to rescue the next stasis pod that falls from space, I hope another one of those skeleton robots comes out", Rattrap said.
"Me too", Cheetor said, "Paleotrex's armor and weapons were so cool, it'd be nice to have someone like him on our team."
Only time will tell if the Autobots ever get a fossilizer on their team.