Chapter Six

Trust Issues

"... no major injuries out here," Optimus tried to assure Ratchet.

He sighed and grumbled, "But the computer exploded… it… Exploded!" he yelled over the screen.

"Yes… well…," Optimus ran his hand down his faceplate, "Still not sure… why it did that… but we're trying. Hopefully with our new… 'friend'... we'll be able to figure out what's going on."

"Yeah… our new friend," Ratchet still didn't like the situation, "Are we sure we can trust this new organic?"

"I… I don't know," he confessed, "She hasn't done anything that would make me leery… it's just…," he recalled the articles that the AllSpark key had brought up, "if she really is this hacker... Pyrus… then she might be the best person to look into what's happening to you, Bumblebee and Bulkhead..."

"She's an Earth computer expert, not a Cybertronian medic," Ratchet huffed, "And from the articles that you sent me… well… I'm not about to let her go poking around in our processors… she could be… a danger to us..."

"I don't blame you for thinking that," he admitted, "Some of those articles… the things that she's done… if she is Pyrus…"

"Sounds like you're not too sure… or maybe…," Ratchet sighed, "you don't want her to be."

"... I… I don't know what would be worse to be honest," Optimus released his own sigh.

"... I guess we don't have much of a choice…," Ratchet leaned back, "I've exhausted all my medical knowledge… We've never seen anything like this… not even during the war… Prime," Ratchet looked away, "If she can't help us… I don't know if we're going to…"

"Don't worry Ratchet," Optimus promised, "We'll beat this."

Ratchet smirked, "Typical young optimistic bots. Can I ask one thing?" he looked to Optimus.

"Of course Ratchet," he nodded his head.

"Why is this organic helping us?" Ratchet asked.

"Well," Optimus laughed nervously, "She's curious."

She was curious.

That seemed to be her only reason that she wanted to help them. She wanted to understand why her program that she had given to Sari made the computer explode. From what she indicated, that was an extremely rare occurrence. The circumstances for her antiviral program to do that were very particular and extreme. She could only do so much without her equipment. Which Optimus hoped that Prowl would return soon with. He wanted answers to what was happening to his crew, but he was a bit more concerned about the young woman's well being. She was unsteady on her feet and had to lean against the computer several times as she poured over the available data. Something about her glucose levels being low and needing sugar. Optimus didn't understand. Organic's biology was beyond him. Sari wasn't quite sure either other than she knew it had to do something with a medical condition. Luckily she had some juice to give the young woman which seemed to help her. She at least now was able to stand a bit straighter and didn't have to lean as often. However, as she said, she wasn't out of the woods yet.

"Hopefully your companion returns soon," she looked at the gadget on her wrist, "I'm better than I was, but I don't like being far for my medical equipment when my levels are too extreme…," she looked down at Sari, "... I appreciate you getting me that juice box, but," she sighed, "could you please not stare at me? It's rude."

Sari just continued to stare up at her with mouth agape, "... you're really tall… like freakishly tall…"

Optimis could hear the stranger gritting her teeth and muttering under her breath that Sari was only a child.

Clenching her fists and letting out a deep breath, she came down to Sari's level, "I am not 'freakishly' tall. I am above average height for a female. Besides," she stood straight up, "aren't you used to having to look up? I mean you're like three foot nothing. The only people shorter than you would be Kindergartners and babies," she pondered.

Sari seemed to snap out of her daze, "What?! Well… at least I don't have to worry about getting a nose bleed every time I stand up," Sari shot back with a smirk.

The young woman just snorted, "That hasn't happened since I was a kid… but it was due to other reasons," a snarky smile formed on her face, "at least with my 'freakish' height, as you put it, I don't have to worry about drowning in a puddle every time it rains."

"Why you!" Sari started to roll up her sleeves.

The sounds of grunts and scuffling filled the air.

"I better go and see what that's all about," Optimus moaned, "I don't need this right now," he grumbled as he stepped away from the console.

"Good luck Prime," Ratchet understood how he was feeling.

Optimus walked over to where he had left Sari and the female organic. Sari was swinging her arms wildly at the young woman. She wasn't landing any hits as she was being pushed back quite easily.

"You take that back!" she yelled as she whipped around her arms.

"You first kid," the stranger was starting to struggle holding Sari back, "You insulted me first."

"I was just saying that you're really tall," Sari continued to try and hit the young woman, "That's not an insult! That's the truth!"

The stranger gave Sari one good push, "You said I was freakishly tall. It's one thing to say that I'm Really tall, but you didn't have to add Freakishly."

"Well it's true," Sari snorted as she crossed her arms, "Miss Grouchy Pants," she growled.

"I am only going to ask this one more time," she took in a deep breath, "Please don't call me that. Pyrus is just fine. I'm trying to keep this… experience... as stress free as possible. I was brought here against my will by rather large sentient alien robots," she explained, "My glucose is low. I don't have my medications or equipment. I'm trying to look into what is affecting your friends with no expectation of compensation or benefits. So please forgive me if I am a little grouchy. I'm not having the best of nights."

Sari didn't put much thought into her response, "We aren't exactly having a great night either."

Once again the young woman took in another deep breath and released all while muttering that Sari was only a child, "If you don't leave me to my analysis, then I can't figure out what is wrong with your friends… Not that I'm finding much anyway," she grumbled as she looked up at the screen, "This just doesn't make sense," she let out a frustrated sigh.

"What do you mean?" Optimus asked.

She turned back to the computer and began to type, "I've been digging through the data you have and factoring in what you've told me. A few things are becoming apparent and I've been able to eliminate some others, but there are serious holes in the data," she sighed, "I can't do much without my computers… or a proper explanation of how you transferred my antivirus program to the now terminated computer," she looked to Sari.

"I told you that I transfer it. What else would you need to know," Sari was hiding the fact that it was the AllSpark key that had led them to Pyrus.

"I checked the computer that 'you'," she formed quotes with her fingers, "or someone or something contacted me through. Other than some questionable downloads, there is no trace on my antivirus."

"Well duh," Sari rolled her eyes, "I told you that I transferred it."

Optimus could tell that the young woman was about to lose it, "Why would it matter how Sari transferred it to the affected computer Miss Pyrus?"

"Just Pyrus," she was able to settle herself, "I need to know because of how I built the antiviral program. Not only does it hunt down and destroy malware and intruders, but it leaves a trail for me to follow. I usually let it rove the internet. On a leash of course," she added.

"On a leash?" Sari raised her brow, "What does that mean?"

"I made my program a little to… how should I put it?" Pyrus thought for a moment, "Aggressive. I did that so I wouldn't have to bother with every little intrusion or piece of malware that came across my radar," she explained, "Unfortunately that aggression comes with a price," she looked at the remains of the computer, "Cerberus can usually isolate and retrieve any malware that it comes across or that attacks it."

"Cerberus?" Sari scrunched her brows in thought, "Oh. Like that three headed dog that guarded the gates of…"

"Hades," she was quick to interrupt Sari, "Yes. Cerberus is a multifunctional program that is more than just a mere piece of antiviral software," she smiled, "One of, if not my best creation. Although," she thought, "I will have to adjust after your intrusion. Or whoever's intrusion it was. Anyway," Pyrus realized she had gotten off track, "Where was I?"

"You were talking about your program… Cerberus' aggression," Optimus reminded her.

"Right," she remembered, "Because I programmed Cerberus to behave so aggressive, it sometimes gets carried away with its attacking protocols. An unexpected side effect, if you will," she walked towards the charred remains, "When Cerberus comes into contact with a piece of malicious malware that it can not contain or out right destroy, it will do everything in its power to remove all traces of the malware. Which usually means," she sighed, "Destroying the hardware. I've been on the wrong end of that a few times," she pulled up her sleeve to reveal a mess of scars on her flesh.

"Eww," Sari winced, "Isn't that a bit extreme?"

"After the first time it happened, I did modify Cerberus to not cause explosions," she explained, "But it couldn't contain everything that it ran across and I was interrupted so much and could barely get any work done or sleep. I figured that it was easier to replace a computer or parts than have to get up at all hours just to assess malware that might not even be a threat," she shrugged her shoulders, "Its aggression is useful."

"So Cerberus came across something in our system that it couldn't contain or destroy," Optimus started to understand, "It had no other choice but to destroy the computer."

"The ultimate containment protocol," Pyrus confirmed.

"So if we figure out what it was trying to contain or destroy, we'll find out what's affecting Bee and the others?" Sari felt a glimmer of hope.

"One problem," Pyrus held up her finger, "well… a few actually," she sighed, "This pile of parts and melted plastic can't tell us much. Nothing is intact enough for me to scan," she kicked a few parts, "And since I can't find any trace of Cerberus in your systems, I don't know what happened. That's why I need to know how you transferred my program," she looked down at Sari, "It may provide answers… especially why Cerberus behaved the way it did."

"Was it not supposed to do what it did?" Sari asked.

"No. I put some heavy duty protocols on it that would have inhibited most of the aggressive tenancies," she thought for a moment, "It should have alerted me and I would have gone in myself to see what it was."

"You would have gone into our systems?" Optimis asked, "How?"

Pyrus smiled, "You really don't understand what I am, do you?" she gave a small snicker, "As a hacker I can get into any system I want. Cerberus makes it easier because he makes a back door for me. Admittedly," she confessed, "It was supposed to do that with your systems when I gave Sari a heavily modified version."

"You were going to spy on us!" Sari put it together.

"I was ensuring my safety," she snorted, "I didn't know who you were and how someone was able to infiltrate my systems. I was… nervous to say the lease," she admitted, "No one has ever penetrated my security before."

"There's a first time for everything," Sari shot her a snarky grin.

"Don't get cocky," Pyrus snarled back, "You weren't the one that hacked me. Whoever did it wasn't… human… it was an AI… a very intelligent AI… something that learns very organically and quickly," she signed, "An AI that only seemed interested in what I do and not overtaking my systems… It was curious."

"An AI?" Optimus looked down at the key that hung around Sari's neck.

"It matters, but it doesn't matter," she huffed, "The more important thing is that I find the trail that Cerberus left. Within that trail there should be enough data for me to eliminate more possibilities and draw closer to a concrete conclusion. Whatever was used to transfer my program probably still has an imprint on it," she huffed once more, "So that is why I need to see it. It is VERY important."

Sari and Optimus looked to one another. There was no way they were going to let a notorious hacker know about the AllSpark key. It was bad enough that the Decepticons were after the Key for it's tremendous power. Optimus shuttered internally at the thought of the damage someone like Pyrus could do with that kind of power. She was behind so much destruction.

She noticed their looks, "... I get that you don't trust me. I don't trust you either. It's a two way street," Pyrus sighed, "I'm not asking you to completely trust me. I'm only asking you to trust me enough to give me all the information you can. Any missing piece could mean the difference between your friends surviving and shutting down permanently. I just need you to show me…"

With those words, the AllSpark key pulsed to life. It flew towards Pyrus all while dragging a surprised Sari behind it. Pyrus couldn't react fast enough to avoid. It only stopped once it came into contact with Pyrus' hand. A bright blue light surrounded the pair as they seemed to go into a trace. They just stood there not moving an inch.

"SARI!" Optimus knelt down besides them.

He went to touch Sari, but a spark of energy arched to his finger. He drew back in pain and surprise. He stepped back; not sure what to do.

"Sari… Pyrus… can you hear me? SARI?!" he yelled,

But neither of them could hear him.