Note: Big Thanks to Tyroth Darkstorm for his ideas for this chapter!
Chapter Sixty-Three
Ship of Horrors
A couple of days past without any incidents, and Fowler had finally arranged a day for Tyroth and Sephie to meet with his superiors like he did with Leonardo and Monalisa.
Tyroth and Sephie arranged to meet Fowler along with Optimus at a dark alleyway so they could be ground-bridged to the base.
The Dragon and Gecko stood in the wide alleyway looking around to make sure no-one was watching, then stood by a large trash bin.
Tyroth frowned and sniffed the air then looked down at Sephie who looked rather nervous.
"You okay sweetheart?" he asked.
"I think so." Sephie said "Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous."
"I understand hun." He said, "I'm nervous too, meeting humans who are connected to the government, but after Leonardo and Monalisa's meeting with them, I'm hoping it goes well, if they say they'll give us protection as well as a liaison with the Autobots."
"Oh I do hope so!" Sephie agreed "Then we can inform the others that we're safe and never have to worry that Diablo's antics will expose us, nor anyone else for that matter, whether it be the Foot or any other Underground Crime gang that discover us!"
"That's the other concern I have." Tyroth admitted "How the others are going to react after keeping secrets."
"I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there." Sephie suggested "Though I am curious to how Freya, Loki and Sonia are going to react to how Pandora and Kemeko have had a few escapades with the Autobots."
Tyroth was about to speak when a whooshing sound was heard, and he looked over to see the swirling vortex of the Ground-Bridge appear then Optimus's Truck form appear.
"Whoa!" Sephie cried as she saw Optimus appear then Fowler leaned out of the window.
"Yo! Dragon man! Gecko Girl!" the agent called out "You ready to come to base?"
"Sure thing Agent Fowler!" Tyroth called up and he and Sephie ran to the other side of Optimus's truck from and climbed into the passenger side.
Sephie got in first and Tyroth followed behind before settling back comfortably.
"Thanks for meeting us here." He spoke.
"You're welcome." Fowler and Optimus said in unison which made Fowler jump slightly that he and the Prime had spoken in stereo.
"Anyway, let's get back to the base and we'll discuss the next step." He suggested to which the Dragon and Gecko nodded, and Optimus did a few movements to turn around then drove back through the Ground-Bridge.
When they arrived at the Base, the Hamato Clan were doing their training as usual in the middle of the silo with Bulkhead, Ironhide, Arcee and Bumblebee watching, with the exception of Ratchet who was still at the screens monitoring them and working at the controls.
As Optimus drove in, he stopped just before the centre of the Silo and after letting Tyroth, Sephie and Fowler out, transformed into his bipedal form.
No sooner did their guests arrive than Splinter tapped his stick saying they were done with training and after bowing to their sensei, the turtles, Monalisa, Pandora and Kemeko ran over to greet them.
"Aunt Sephie! Uncle T!" the two girls cried in unison.
"Hey girls!" Tyroth grinned and Sephie embraced Monalisa who ran up to her.
"Good to see you both again." Splinter said, "Though from what I have been told, Agent Fowler has arranged for you to meet with his superiors."
"That I have." Fowler said, "And I got a couple of suits for you both to wear, so you'll look presentable."
"Suits?" Tyroth asked in surprise and Sephie also cocked and eyebrow.
Pandora and Michelangelo chuckled a little as they looked at Tyroth and imagined him in a suit.
"Well one has to look their best when they're presented before some important people right?" Donatello asked, "Leo and Mona looked good enough!"
"That is true Donatello." Splinter agreed as they followed Fowler up the steps to the raised platform.
"Were you able to find a suit that would fit our Dragon friend?" Bulkhead asked, Bumblebee bleeped and whirred in agreement.
"I have yeah!" Fowler said as he held up a sports bag and handed it to Sephie who along with Tyroth went behind the elevator to change.
Tyroth looked a little disgruntled, but he decided to just go along with it if he was to impress Fowler's superiors.
As they went behind the elevator, the other mutants and Autobots waited patiently.
"I'm curious to see how your dragon friend looks in a suit." Arcee said.
"It'll be interesting." Ironhide agreed.
"Not to mention something we haven't see before." Michelangelo said "Well, we've seen him in clothes at Christmas and Halloween, but never a suit!"
"I think we're all in agreement." Monalisa said "If Fowler managed to find the right sizes for me and Leo, despite the modifications I had to make for my tail, who's to say the same won't be said for Big T and Sephie?"
"True that!" Leonardo agreed "The suit fitted well over my shell!"
"The big guy will need to make more adjustments though." Donatello mused "Given his wings and tail."
"Yeah!" Michelangelo agreed "How many places do modifications for wings and tails?"
"Don't you worry." Fowler said in a confident tone, "I made sure to get him the largest size possible. It will fit him."
Yet no sooner did the Agent say that, than an angry voice was heard behind the back of the elevator.
"FOWLER!"
Agent Fowler almost jumped a foot in the air and everyone else, even the Autobot's jumped in surprise.
Everyone looked to see Tyroth walking out from behind the elevator holding the suit in his paw, Sephie behind him dressed in a black tailored jumpsuit and belt and silver buckle like the one Monalisa wore and looking rather worried.
"Is something wrong?" Fowler asked, looking a little pale.
"Wrong?" Tyroth yelled "Is this a joke?! Small?! Not only do I have to wear a suit, but you couldn't even get me the correct size!? There's no chance this will fit!"
Everyone looked at the suit in the dragon's paw and they saw just how small it was compared to him and Pandora and Kemeko started laughing.
"Got it wrong Fowler!" Pandora cried.
"Don't think they have dragon size William..." Raphael grunted.
"Looks like it!" Bulkhead agreed then looked to the other Autobots "Rather funny to see him get yelled at for a change, right?" he asked.
Bumblebee whirred and bleeped as he agreed, Arcee chuckled and Ironhide nodded.
"Darn tootin'! He knows how it feels for a change!"
"Hate to say this!" Sephie said "But he could barely get the thing over his shoulders or past his feet!"
Fowler looked sheepish and scratched the back of his head.
"Oops." He muttered "There must have been a mix-up."
"Who provides those suits anyway?" Leonardo asked.
"We got a system of quartermasters that handle requisitions." Fowler explained "Clearly someone got something wrong with my order."
"Clearly!" Tyroth shot back "As it is, the only thing here that I can wear is the tie, and I DON'T wear ties!"
"Maybe he doesn't need to wear a suit?" Michelangelo suggested "He looks fine as he is!"
"I don't really think we have the time to get him another one anyway. Right?" Sephie added.
Fowler looked at the Dragon and Gecko and sighed, disappointed as well as a little worried that Tyroth didn't have the appropriate look for meeting his superiors, and he would need to speak to those who had supplied the suits about getting the order wrong as he knew it was too late to put a new order in and he didn't know when his superiors would meet with him and Tyroth and Sephie so he decided to just go ahead with it.
"No. No, we don't." he sighed regarding the suits "I just hope my superiors will understand."
"I'm sure they will." Monalisa said "At least I hope so..."
Leonardo bit his lip as he remembered how General Bryce was, yet looking at Tyroth and how intimating he looked, he would have thought anyone would know better than to mess with a dragon.
Fowler sighed again.
"Looks like we may have to just take things as they are." He said "Sorry Tyroth." He grovelled then gestured to the elevator, "If you'd follow me, I'll fly us in my Jet to the base."
Sephie nodded.
"Very well Agent Fowler." She said, "We're ready."
"Likewise." Tyroth said bowing to the agent.
"Good luck guys!" Leonardo said.
"Be safe!" Monalisa agreed.
"We'll be back soon." Fowler promised then lead Tyroth and Sephie into the elevator and they soon disappeared and went topside.
No sooner did Fowler, Tyroth and Sephie leave than everyone stood still for a moment.
"Now what?" Michelangelo asked.
"Guess we just wait." Donatello said.
"Just like before." Pandora said.
"And hopefully not have a repeat like before?" Bulkhead asked.
"I can agree with that!" Arcee commented.
"Oh, have no fear guys!" Michelangelo said, "If the Decepticons try anything, Tyroth will give them a big surprise!"
"Yeah!" Pandor agreed and the rest of the Hamato Clan agreed.
Just then Ratchet's voice was heard from the screens.
"Optimus! You're not going to believe this!"
Everyone looked over to see Ratchet pointing at his screens and Optimus went to inspect.
"I just pinpointed the location of the Decepticon Warship!"
"You what?" Ironhide cried.
"What did you say?" Donatello asked and the rest of the Hamato Clan ran to the side of the platform to see the screens to see a world map and a target located just above China.
"Wow! Cool!" Pandora exclaimed.
"How did you penetrate their cloaking technology?" Optimus asked.
"I didn't!" Ratchet replied "I was experimenting with variable frequency wavelengths when I stumbled upon it.
"Even still, their ship must be experiencing some kind of electromagnetic breach."
Arcee smirked.
"With Megatron deceased and the Element of Surprise?"
"We could cause of serious damage!" Bulkhead added.
"I'll say that's a good plan!" Raphael agreed.
"For sure!" Pandora piped up.
"Also on the same frequency." Ratchet spoke up "An autoboot emergency beacon."
"What?" Michelangelo cried.
"More Autobots?" Kemeko cried hopefully "Cool!"
"The Decepticons can wait." Optimus said, "There may be autobots in distress."
"A very wise move Optimus Prime." Splinter said, "Putting the needs of your kind who need your help, before engaging the enemy."
Optimus looked at the old Rat and nodded.
"Thank you, Master Splinter." He replied then turned to Ironhide and Ratchet.
"Ironhide, with me!" he said then turned to Ratchet "Ratchet, bring your medical Kit!"
"Good luck guys!" Donatello said.
"If you do find any other Autobots alive, then we can use all the help we can get!" Bulkhead said.
Bumblebee bleeped and the Hamato Clan agreed.
'We'll be back soon!" Ironhide promised as Ratchet readied the ground-bridge which sprung to life and him, Optimus and Ratchet walked through it.
"Good luck!" Leonardo shouted after them before they disappeared into the vortex.
Kemeko walked up to her father.
"Do you think they'll find anyone dad?" she asked.
"I hope so Lotus." Leonardo said, "if it means more help again fighting the Decepticons, I'm game."
"Likewise Leo!" Raphael said as he patted his brother's shell.
Meanwhile, the three Autobots exited the Ground bridge that brought them to a vast desert area and before them, they saw an airship all broken and rusted and half buried in the ground.
"A crash landing, buried here for centuries!" Optimus spoke as he looked at the wreckage.
The Three autobots approached it then Ironhide used a laser light to cut into the side so they could enter it.
"If they travelled in stasis mode, there may be survivors!" Ratchet said in a hopeful voice as he pushed the broken metal forward so they could get in.
"Let's hope so." Ironhide said as he led the way yet as he did the ship rocked a little against their weight.
"Whoa! Steady!" he cried "Better tread carefully!"
The three Autobots walked through the darkened ship with their torches lit so they could find the way and they soon came to a door that lead to the command room.
Optimus wasted no time in using his strength to prise it open and they walked in.
Yet as they did, they were met with a gruesome sight!
Laying there on the ground were several corpses of cybertronians, all rusted and leaking energon.
The three Autobots were appalled at the sight, yet they kept their composure as they looked around trying to find some indication of anyone alive.
"Optimus!" Ratchet cried as he scanned one of the bodies.
"These Autobots didn't perish in the crash, they're displaying the effects of a virus!" he reported.
"A virus!?" Ironhide cried in worry.
"This is a plague ship!" Optimus said gravely as he observed the bodies scattered around them.
"Don't touch anything!" Ratchet warned placing a servo in front of his leader to stop him going any further.
"Both of you! The Virus could still be active!"
Yet as Ratchet spoke the ship rocked and the three Autobots stumbled.
Optimus fell against the wall and as he looked up, a corpse hung above him leaking infected energon that dripped over him!
Optimus groaned and tried to shake it off, but Ratchet felt his energon run cold as he watched.
"No..." he breathed.
"Optimus!" Ironhide cried as he saw Optimus stumble and Ratchet grabbed him and pulled him out of the way of the corpse before it fell on top of him.
"Ironhide! Ground-Bridge! Now!" Ratchet barked as he took Optimus and tried to pull him to his feet yet the Prime stumbled as he felt the virus do its work.
"Ratchet..."
"It's alright Optimus!" Ratchet comforted "I got you!"
"ironhide to Base!" Ironhide shouted "Ground-Bridge to our co-ordinates, now!"
Fowler has taken Tyroth and Sephie to be interviewed and at the same time, Ratchet, Optimus and Ironhide have gone to inspect a crashed ship which turned out to be infected with a virus, now it appears Optimus has been infected! Not good!
Tune in to see how things go from here!