A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. As always your support is what keeps me writing.

Disclaimer: see chapter one

"I don't know what to do, Ausk. These brothers...something about them is familiar, and not because of the dreams either," Michelangelo said.

Ausk hummed in thought as he listened to his leader's voice over the com-unit. It was clear that Michelangelo was in distress, but there was little Ausk could do from his current position in a cave located in the middle of a harsh desert world.

"What was Zai thinking?" Michelangelo continued. "The people of this world scream and run in fright if they see me. And the only warriors I can see being worthy to fight for the council are the turtle brothers."

"So, why not recruit them?" Ausk asked.

There was a hesitant pause. "Something...doesn't feel right," Michelangelo eventually answered. "They've already lost so much. How can I ask them to fight a war that's not theirs to fight? In fact, how can any of us ask people to fight our war? We don't have to drag them into our mess."

"Have you been sleeping well?" Ausk asked, changing the subject.

"Not really," Michelangelo replied. "I can't sleep knowing that I'm going to have to make the call and have the brothers shipped off to fight a war."

"I'm sure if you asked they would be more than happy to help you out," Ausk said.

At that moment, he heard the sound of claws scraping across rock. He slipped the com-unit into his back pocket and went to investigate. Ausk turned a corner and was struck in the chest by something hard.

"Ausk? You there?" Michelangelo asked.

"Give me a minute," Ausk grunted as he fought against a strange creature that was trying to drive a spear through his throat.

The creature hissed. "You will not have anymore of us."

Ausk yelled and swung his fist, connecting with the side of the creature's head and knocking it to the ground. Ausk got to his feet as the creature shook its head.

"I'd say I was sorry, but then I would be lying," Ausk said. "You're going to have to do better than that to kill me."

The creature got to its feet and picked the spear up. It hissed again and lunged forward. Ausk grabbed the spear and spun around, throwing the creature into the wall. He pinned the creature to the wall, feeling slick scales against his palm.

"What are you?" Ausk asked.

"As if you don't know, abductor," the creature seethed.

"If you don't want to tell me, then I can just beat it out of you," Ausk threatened.

The creature scoffed. "It will be no worse than what you did to my people. Taking them from their beds, leaving their loved ones to mourn their passing."

Ausk slammed his fist into the wall beside the creature's head. "Stop talking in riddles," he growled.

"We are the sand swimmers."

"Snakes," Ausk realized. He grinned. "Zian's going to love you."

The snake creature hissed a laugh. "So you have come to take more of us. Go ahead, beast, try as you might, we will not go quietly."

"I know you won't tell me where the others of your kind are hiding. But, you will do just fine," Ausk said. He took out his com-unit. "I'm sorry, my friend, but I have to cut our talk short. I will see you back on Xarus."

Michelangelo sighed. "Alright," he said before the line went dead.

Ausk punched in the coordinates in his com-unit and a portal opened up a second later. "See you on the other side," he said to the snake before throwing him through the portal.

The portal closed and another one opened up behind Ausk. He stepped through the portal and walked out into the portal chamber. Zai and Zian were waiting for him.

"Two down, two to go," Zai said.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to get more warriors, High Councilman," Ausk apologized.

Zai waved a hand. "As long as you got one, that's all that matters," he said.

"Have you heard from Michelangelo?" Zian asked.

"He's still working on finding warriors," Ausk told her. "Have faith. He will return when he is ready."

Michelangelo walked into the garage to find Donatello with his head in the front end of the Battle Shell. Michelangelo made his way around the van. Donatello was tinkering with the Battle Shell's engine.

"What's ya workin' on?" Michelangelo asked.

Donatello yelped and jumped, hitting his head off the hood of the van. Michelangelo winced as Donatello rubbed his head.

"Sorry," Michelangelo apologized.

"It's okay. Wasn't expecting company," Donatello said. "And to answer your question: I'm upgrading the remote control sensors."

Michelangelo frowned in confusion. "The what?"

"Highly sophisticated sensors that allow the Battle Shell to respond to a remote control signal," Donatello explained. "Basically, I push a button on a remote and the Battle Shell comes to me."

"That's handy," Michelangelo commented.

Donatello turned back to the engine. "It's also dangerous," he said. "The first time I installed the sensors my Mikey pressed the button on the remote and the Battle Shell went on a rampage through the lair."

"So you're upgrading them in the lair now because...?" Michelangelo asked.

"Everyone knows better than to touch a work in progress," Donatello answered with a hint of a warning in his voice.

Michelangelo nodded in understanding. "Right," he said. He gazed around the garage and noticed a device designed like a turtle shell lying on a workbench. "What's that?" Michelangelo asked.

"What's what?" Donatello asked back.

Michelangelo walked over to the workbench and picked the device up. "This thing," he said, holding it up.

Donatello glanced up briefly before turning back to the engine. "That's a shell cell."

"A what?" Michelangelo questioned, looking down at the device.

"A communication device that me and my brothers use to keep in touch when we're out of the lair on patrol," Donatello explained.

Michelangelo frowned slightly and he reached into his pocket to pull out his com-unit. Though they were different shapes, they looked almost identical. Michelangelo had often wondered where Orion got the inspiration to build the com-units. He shook his head. There was no way Orion could have known about the shell cells; it wasn't possible. Michelangelo placed the shell cell back on the workbench and tossed his com-unit in the air before catching it again.

"Do you build all the vehicles and gadgets?" he asked.

"That's what I do," Donatello answered. "I've been fixing and building things since I was a kid. It's my contribution to the team."

"Contribution?" Michelangelo repeated.

Donatello was silent for a moment. "We each bring something different to the table. Leo's the level-headed leader who comes up with strategies for important missions. Raph's the muscle and the one who does most of the heavy lifting. And I'm the inventor; coming up with new gear to help with missions," he explained.

"That kinda sounds like my team," Michelangelo commented. "You remind me of Orion. He's an inventor, too. He built my team's com-units, which are similar to your shell cells."

"Sounds like we'd get along," Donatello said. "I would like to meet him."

Michelangelo grew silent at the comment. "Yeah," he mumbled. You just might get your wish, he thought afterwards regretfully.

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