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I was a huge fan of Beast Wars when it came out and ended, always thought it was the best
TF series around and still do. When I first heard about Beast Machines in a magazine before I found out about the online community I was estatic. However, while the series had neat new concepts and writing, most of the series let me down. From unrealistic Maximal transformations to character, I missed how Rattrap used to say "We're all going to die" and Primal and his "Isn't that just Prime?"
Thus leading to my rewrite, I hope it'll be enjoyable. I haven't written a fan fic in awhile so all comments and crits help. Thanks!
Season 1#
Episode 1: Homecoming
A golden shuttle shook as it traveled through transwarp space. The ancient onboard computer flickered for a nano-click but held on course. The crew rested at ease, minds off the time lost war they had just won. It would only be a matter of cycles before their ship entered normal space and back to their home, Cybertron.
Rattrap pulled back and kicked his feet up on a large cargo container and chuckled. His comrade in arms Cheetor sitting next to him put away his blaster, it was something he wouldn’t need back on Cybertron. “Oh man the wait is killing me! I can already see my hole now! Kid, when we get back to Cybertron I’ll show you that hole I call home,” exclaimed Rattrap with a grin on his face.
The shuttle shook once slightly and then again with more magnitude. “I’m afraid that’s going to have to wait Rattrap. Cheetor I need you at the helm to ease through this turbulence,” commanded Rhinox gripping the control panel to prepare for the rough ride ahead of them.
“Right,” nodded Cheetor getting up from his work quickly. Optimus Primal got out of the secondary control chair for their pilot to grab a seat. Primal gave a quick nod of approval to Cheetor for the go ahead. “Thanks big bot, let’s hope the number one pilot of the academy still has his skills after all this time!”
“We’ve got confidence in you Cheetor, let’s get to work. Engaging secondary thrusters,” retorted Rhinox turning his head towards Optimus just as the Autobot shuttle rattled. The shaking got worse and the two Maximals did their best to stabilize the craft for a smooth path through the transwarp tunnel.
Turbulence picked up and began to toss its crew in random directions. Silverbolt shielded Blackarachnia with his wing and put on a reassuring face. Pound and ripping could be heard above them. He then turned to Optimus who finally got himself standing upright again.
“What’s going on? Having trouble steering?” commented Rattrap shaking around on the bench as the belt buckle held him in place.
Optimus reached for a switch above them and checked out the monitor next to it for the status of their prisoner. The monitor flickered on with static. After a few clicks a visual of a red transformer pulled loose of the energon bond from his right hand. “It’s Megatron! He’s trying to break free!”
“Well it’s not like we can do anything to save him now…” said Blackarachnia watching on. The temporal tunnel surrounding them was unstable and began to crackle with electricity. Megatron pulled his arm free and tried to grab on. “What in the pit is he trying to do? Slag himself?”
Electricity sparked and struck the arms of the maniacal tyrant. The helpless Megatron fell as a bolt struck him in the abdomen and sent him flying into the other end of the temporal tunnel. Rattrap snickered, “Well that’s the end of him.”
“Don’t celebrate yet!” growled Rhinox pulling up the controls of the ship, stretching the capacity of the shuttle’s secondary thrusters. The ancient shuttle could only do so much before its limit was reached and unfortunately it gave out.
“Oh no… we’re all going to die…” sighed Rattrap preparing for the worst. He pulled himself to the bench of the shuttle and strapped himself in along with Silverbolt and Blackarachnia.
Cheetor grit his teeth trying to make up for the secondary thrusters’ failure. “Not… if I can help it!” The determined Maximal brought the shuttle to a stable flight level and increased speed.
“Nice work. Both of you,” commented Optimus thanking Rhinox and Cheetor for their work.
The shuttle pulled out of transwarp space. It approached the home world of the Maximals and Predacons, Cybertron. “We did it! We’re outta transwarp space!” exclaimed Cheetor with joy releasing his grip from the shuttle’s controls.
Rattrap looked relieved. “What’s even better Spots, that’s Cybertron! We’re home!”
Without a moment’s notice, the planet’s orbital defense mechanisms activated and opened fire on the shuttle. Rhinox panicked and piloted the shuttle out of the opening shots. “What in the name of the Matrix is the meaning of this?”
Silverbolt unbuckled himself from the bench and watched on. “Perhaps it’s a misunderstanding. We are in an Autobot shuttle after all. Try sending in the Axalon’s docking code.”
“Negative,” responded Rhinox. More shots whizzed by, even though Rhinox avoided most of them the sheer number of planetary defenses hit the shuttle. “I’ve already tried that, even if they wanted to confirm our authenticity they would’ve checked our transwarp signature.”
More blasts came and pummeled the Autobot craft. The damage caused all systems to fail and the ship headed for a crash landing into Cybertron’s surface. Cheetor grabbed onto the controls, “Cross your fingers bots, I’m going to do my best but I’m not promising anything!”
The thin Cybertronian atmosphere barely slowed down the out of control shuttle as entry progressed. Most of the navigating and auxiliary controls were offline; the Maximals were headed for a rough landing. In a matter of cycles the shuttle rammed straight on into several silver skyscrapers before coming to a halt.
The light was dim and flickering. Most would not survive from this sort of impact, but Rattrap was one with luck. He tried to move from the wreckage but his foot was trapped between a fallen beam and the floor of the shuttle. “Beast mode!” The transmetal rat crawled his way out of the trap to find Optimus and Rhinox collapsed. The space was tight, a transformation would not be ideal. “Yo boss monkey! Big green! You guys hear me? Are you guys damaged?”
Rattrap’s old friend Rhinox groaned. The large rhinoceros had been at the front of the shuttle but now at the back from the forceful impact. “Ugh… my processor tells me I’m still functional, but cranial shell says otherwise…” He got onto his feet, a bit disoriented but operational. Rhinox squeezed through the crushed metal and tapped Optimus Primal on the shoulder.
Primal’s optics flashed online. The large Maximals easily pushed his way up against the fallen shuttle roof and made space for the trio to stand up in robot mode. He scanned the ruins of the Autobot shuttle. “Where’s Cheetor, Silverbolt and Blackarachnia? Are they alright?”
A sudden impact struck the broken shuttle. The three fell over from the sheer force. Rhinox recovered from the fall first. He glanced through the crevice through the ship’s steel plating that was created from the crash. “Don’t look now, but we’ve got company!”
The two other Maximals took a look at the sight. “What in the pit?” Rattrap pointed at dozens of unfamiliar tanks. Rattrap stepped back in disbelief, “Those aren’t our guys…”
Blue and silver tanks lined the perimeter. They charged up their plasma cannons and released another wave of shots. Optimus pulled out his blast shields and forced his way out of the ship. “Well… isn’t that just Prime? They’re not wearing Maximal brands or giving off Maximal signatures, let’s rock and roll Maximals!”
Rhinox pulled out his chain guns and held them up at the tanks. He let loose a barrage of bullets at the enemy. “Argh!!! Take this you slagging tanks!”
“Optimus Primal! Flight mode!” The gigantic Maximal commander converted to aerial attack mode and blasted at the tanks that could not reach him from the ground.
Then a screeching sound could be heard in the air. At first it was quiet but quickly, it could be sensed that a fleet had arrived. Rattrap peered up from the sheltered plates of ruin. He activated his chest communicator. “Well ain’t that a kick in the bearings? Optimus we got fliers!”
The Maximal commander received the message and avoided the initial bursts. Primal increased his scan radius and picked up twenty more airborne targets. “They just don’t get it do they?” Optimus’ transmetal form easily out powered the tanks and the air drones.
Rattrap stepped out and finished off a few tank drones with his pistol. He revolved and put it back onto his waist hitch. “And that’s why you always keep your weapon with you. Any sight of the others up there boss monkey?”
“Negative Rattrap,” responded Optimus Primal landing. “The ship has been completely torn into two pieces. Estimated approximately seven or so clicks that direction.”
Rhinox breathed out sadness and put down his chain gun. He looked up at his towering leader, “Well we’re sitting ducks here. If anymore of those things come back, we might not have the energon to fight them off consistently. I’m not detecting any signatures here; they might have been in the other half of the ship.”
“Right,” nodded Optimus in approval. He converted to ground vehicle mode and indicated for his comrades to climb onto him. “We’ll check out the site for survivors. And hopefully on the way we can identify which city we’re in.”
The trio rumbled down across the silent streets of Cybertron. It was night; the luminous silver moon cast long shadows of the hundreds of skyscrapers. Rattrap and Rhinox kept alert for any attacks.
“Something don’t seem right…” Rattrap kept his sensors on full alert. He pointed to all the functioning neon lights. “This is most definitely Cybertropolis without a doubt. But as the capital city of the planet, don’t you think it’s weird for it to be… well… you know quiet?”
“Well empty at that,” responded Rhinox loading up his chain gun. He gave Rattrap a worrisome look just as an ominous shadow passed by him. “Something most definitely is wrong…”
Optimus was travelling a full speed, his wheels churned a consistent low beat. It became odd that a high screeching sound of rubber tires filled the air. It was not a welcome sound, the trio knew it was a threat. Every sound was a threat since their crash. The high pitched buzzing increased in volume until lights surrounded the three Maximals.
“Optimize your sensors Maximals, we’ve got company!” announced Optimus Primal. Rhinox and Rattrap jumped off bearing their weapons looking for their targets. Optimus transformed at the command and targeted the darkness that wrapped around them.
A canister flew into the centre of the light. Rattrap reacted and prepared to fire, but it released itself as an ominous green gas vented out at frightening speed. Rattrap was the first to come in contact, he braced for some sort of protection but it was no use. His face cringed for a couple nano-clicks but then he opened his optics, it had no affect.
Rhinox was the second to come in contact; unfortunately to his surprise it did have effect. An unwelcome but familiar sensation intruded his systems and converted him to beast mode. “Wha? What? Rhinox! MAXIMIZE!” To no avail the Maximal’s command code did no good.
Optimus acted quick, his sensors were able to pick up several targets and he began to dispose of them without wasting time. “Rattrap tend to Rhinox, I’ll take care of these guys.”
With the initial attack, the enemy appeared. A few at first but then more and more filled the darkness around them. They were smaller than the tanks and the fliers, but they were more agile and lightweight than the two. Red covered their bodies and they stood on a wheel. It was obvious that these enemies transformed into cycles of some sort.
Primal was more than a match, clearly the canister that they had ejected into the battlefield was mostly useless to the most powerful of the group. The virus that was to stop them from transforming did little to stop Optimus as he physically thrashed through the cycle bots and reduced them to scrap metal.
The battle was won once again, Optimus walked over to his comrades. Rattrap knelt at his buddy’s side. “Its no good, he can’t transform. Early scans most likely indicate that it’s degenerative, if he doesn’t get an antivirus soon his core processor will probably shut down. Permanently.”
Optimus converted to aerial assault mode and lifted Rattrap and Rhinox onto his back. He ascended quickly and continued in the direction of the other half of the ship. “We’ll have to make sure the others are alright. If we really are in Cybertropolis, we’ll head to the citadel of the Maximal elders to seek answers and find an antidote for Rhinox.”
Blue jets emerged from the darkness of the streets like sharks. They came in packs of three and began to open fire. Their cockpits lit a single red optic that consistently toggled in all directions scanning for targets. The jets were in vehicle mode and moved quickly, they were definitely a threat to them.
Rattrap locked and loaded his pistol and began sharp shooting. “Slag it all the way to the pit! They just keep coming, is there no end to this?”
Optimus did his best to out manoeuvre the blue jets, but their firepower was amazing in numbers and he couldn’t keep them off his tail without jeopardizing Rhinox and Rattrap. “Hold on tight! I’m going for the sky scrapper ahead, hopefully Cheetor and the others are on the other side!”
The attack jets followed, but Rattrap’s cover fire was good and reduced their numbers. “Yee ha!! We’ve found them!” exclaimed Rattrap with joy as shots came from the ground into the sky.
Cheetor and Blackarachnia launched a mediocre assault from the ground, but it sufficed to cover Optimus as he landed with the injured Rhinox. “Big bot! You’re alright!” shouted Cheetor watching Primal unload and transform to finish off the remaining jets.
“These things been giving you a hard time too Spots?” chuckled Rattrap. Blackarachnia and Cheetor walked over to join up with the rest of the team. He noticed a missing member, “Hey… Where’s the bird dog?”
Blackarachnia held back but spoke up. “He… he was taken by them…”
“By who?” demanded Optimus Primal stepping forward. He was enraged by the loss, ever since they hit Cybertron they’ve been chased without reason. Any attempt to negotiate had been replied to with missile fire.
Cheetor knew the pain Blackarachnia couldn’t speak anymore. “Those things that attacked us took him. There were too many of them… They fired a canister that was supposed to harm us, but it neutralized Silverbolt completely. I guess our transmetal bodies provided protection against the virus agent. We couldn’t get him to safety, they swarmed us and we were powerless…”
“I see…” muttered Optimus Primal as his rage intensified. He lifted Rhinox onto his shoulder and chose the best path of action. “We’ll have to head to the Maximal elders, they’ll know what’s going on. We’ll save Silverbolt once we can get Rhinox operational again. He was hit by the same virus I suppose.”
“Hold on big cheese! We should avoid taking the surface route; we’ll be exposed to attack. Allow me to introduce you to my best friend, the sewer,” replied Rattrap removing a large plate on the ground.
Blackarachnia shook in disgust. “You can’t possibly be suggesting we trudge through sewage… It might be ok for you but some of us…”
“Rattrap is right. We have injuries to account for. Until we know what we’re up against, we should try to avoid any combat. Down Maximals, we’ll trek to the citadel through the sewers. Rattrap, lead the way.” Optimus watched as his crew followed in as he fell in and closed the plate.
The crew of five headed out through the dark sewers, a few low energon consuming LED lights lit the path way. Cheetor sprang forward to Rattrap at the front of the line. “Say Rattrap, how do you know this place so well?”
Rattrap smiled in his beast form while his vehicle mode carried him on the surprisingly dry sewer floor. “I come from Cybertropolis, it’s been my home for as long as I can remember. I know it like the back of my paw.”
Far above the sewers a platoon of jets gathered and followed the Maximals. The onboard computer of the lead jet reported, “Five Maximal signatures detected.” The lead jet prepared to engage but stopped and resumed following. It was as though it had been instructed to see where the Maximals were headed to.
Blackarachnia followed upside down from the roof of the sewer. Though her sensors couldn’t detect any enemies, her transmetal 2 intuition told her something was up. She eyed Primal long enough for him to know that they were being followed. They would probably engage in combat the second they got to the citadel, but Primal had to hope that the citadel defences wouldn’t let them down.
The crew came to a stop when Rattrap began to sniff around. He transformed and nodded. The rat climbed the staircase and checked around. There was no sight of any threat, he climbed out and helped the others up. “As I promised, here we are the seat of the Maximal Imperia!”
“Good job,” replied Primal setting Rhinox down, as he checked out the massive door of the citadel. He tried to access the panel but it was too small for his large hands. “Rattrap gimme a hand will ya? Cheetor make sure Rhinox is still ok. I’m expecting an attack soon…”
“No problemo fearless leader!” acknowledged Rattrap getting to work.
Blackarachnia’s intuition sparked wildly, she could mentally see the two attack vectors of the jets from the sky that was out of reach by sensors. “Sorry to prove you wrong Optimus, but we’ve got company coming in fast and they’re not using the guest door!”
“Optimus Primal, Maximize!” He soared into the sky blasting wildly at the enemies. Bits of scrap rained down on the Maximals but Primal didn’t want to waste anymore time than he had to.
“Oh man… I hate this, we’re cornered like rats!” pointed out Rattrap with the sudden boom of heavy tread movement. Tanks began to move in from the front entrance to the citadel.
Cheetor evaluated the situation; evasive measures had to be taken. “Split up, we’ll confuse them.” The feline transformers to his feral beast mode and pounced across the tanks drawing their fire away from the others.
“And leave big green alone? I don’t think so pussycat!” shouted Rattrap sending his own shots out.
Blackarachnia followed Cheetor but in the opposite direction. “Suit yourself, but don’t blame us if something goes wrong garbage breath!” The nimble black widow travelled across the tanks effectively crisscrossing the tank’s path of fire.
The tanks released their plasma cannons and annihilated each other; Cheetor’s optics widened in response of the friendly fire. “They shot their own? That definitely scrambled.”
“Saves work for us kittycat,” replied Blackarachnia with a sinister tone. She transformed and finish off the remaining two tank enemies with her metal claws. Blackarachnia smiled, “Too easy…”
Optimus Primal landed and cleaned off his hands surveying the battle wreckage in the process, “Well that ends that, any luck opening the gate Rattrap?”
“Nada, it’s not working. Our access codes don’t register with it,” answered Rattrap. With that response the gate opened slightly. The rat turned around and looked surprised. “Well what do you know? Maybe I’ve got the magic touch.”
Optimus opened the door and led the rest of his crew into the citadel.
Blackarachnia transformed and helped lift Rhinox from the ground. “I wouldn’t bet on it Rattrap. Now c’mon let’s go, we’ve gotta figure out what’s going on this hunk of steel and find Silverbolt!”
The group made their way through the citadel hallway. Only a few lights illuminated the pathway along the floor. Optimus led the way and made his way to the central chamber. He looked around in the pitch darkness. “This… isn’t possible, what’s happened to the central chamber of the council of elders?” questioned Optimus trying to make out the figures in the dark.
Blinding light filled the chamber, the Maximals shielded their optics from the piercing light. Optimus Primal looked up at the circular cavity in the ceiling of the chamber. A massive chain of steel wires and metal tubing lowered itself from the cavity. A long shadow gave the Maximals some relief from the light. A figure emerged from the cavity linked to the mass. “Ahh Primal… So you’ve finally arrived at long last. Looking for something? Or rather someone?” The voice filled the chamber as a motionless shell rose into the air on a sheet of metal.
Blackarachnia instantly recognized the familiar shell. She maximized the visual of the shell and noticed its disfigured beast form. Her optics shook and cringed slightly. “By the Matrix its Silverbolt! We’ve got to save him!” shouted Blackarchnia in distress running forward to save her love.
“Not so fast my eager traitor… You will not succeed so easily… no…” hissed the voice as it erected a force field and reflected Blackarachnia away. At the motion of a three fingered hand, the gates around the chamber revealed dozens of cycle enemies ready to attack. “Now who’s trapped like rats, vermin…”
Something was familiar about this speaker. Not only in voice but the entity was also familiar in the way of speech. Optimus’ optics widened at the familiar voice and speech pattern of the entity. His face grimaced and clenched his fists. His teeth barred at the crimes that had just been done to him from the beginning of the Beast Wars to this point. “Megatron…”
Rattrap and Cheetor moved back in disbelief of their leader’s statement. Rattrap shuddered, “No… It can’t be… Megabutt? Didn’t you die? It can’t possibly be, you must have died the nano-click you fell off the shuttle and fell out of the temporal tunnel. This has to be a joke!”
Panels flew out from the ground and formed a visual of the Predacon’s face. It was the old stylized face of the enemy the Maximals had known since the start of the Beast Wars. Except now a metal helmet encased the cranial shell of Megatron. A meshed grill provided a mouth plate while discoloured metal flaps hid Megatron’s body. He chuckled with pure evil in his voice. “So you remember Primal… Welcome home Maximals…”
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Thanks Shane, means a lot
They will get reformatted, the story won't be rewritten completely. A lot of original plotlines will be incorporated, I plan for some original stuff to be put in as well that I hope people will like.
And for the count I will try to do updates every other week, hard to keep up sometimes with school work but in exchange I will put up some art here, whether that is a good or bad thing, it remains to be seen but here it goes:
Name: Optimus Primal
Function: Maximal Commander
Bio: Returning from the Beast Wars, Optimus Primal led his crew onto a deserted Cybertron only to be attacked by a new race of Transformers, the evil Vehicons. Megatron has taken the planet, stripped Optimus Primal and his Maximals of old friends and his Optimal rank and body. Stumbling across the ancient Autobot computer, the Oracle, Optimus Primal and his crew were reformatted and given a chance to save Cybertron. To find the balance, tame the beast without and unleash the warrior within, Optimus Primal has only begun to accept the gifts the Oracle has endowed him with.
