I'll try to keep this brief, here it goes. Splinter was missing. We searched for him. We found him inside the TCRI building. TCRI, by the way, are the same letters on the canister of ooze that turned us into mutants.

Anyway, before we could rescue Splinter, we got zapped to the other side of the galaxy, to the planet D'Hoonnib. Awesome technology, bad timing.

Fire!

We met up with this robot, only he wasn't really a robot, he was a scientist whose brain accidentally fused with a robot's body. Professor Honeycutt, now the Fugitoid, has developed the technology for a teleportal device, which sounds like it would be our ticket home. Except he refuses to build it 'cause these two warring alien races, the Federation and the Triceraton Republic, each wanna use the device as their ultimate weapon to rule the universe.

So, we're all on the run, lots of stuff blows up, lots of really incredible technology is used to either restrain us, hurt us, or transport us across the galaxy, and the Triceratons capture us, and throw us in this gladiator arena to try to convince Honeycutt to build his teleportal device. We managed to break free and grab the Triceraton Prime Leader as a hostage. So, now all we need is a brilliant plan of escape. Suggestions, anyone?

"For those of you just joining us, you're witnessing the greatest upset in Tri-Sports history!"

"That's right, Raz. Five off-worlders have just taken our beloved Prime Leader Zanramon hostage," said Zed.

Raph held one of his sai up to Zanramon's throat and threatened the soldiers pointing their guns at him and his brothers, "Drop the hardware, or your Prime Leader's lizard cutlets!"

"Do…do as he says," shuddered Zanramon.

The soldiers obeyed and the ninjas grabbed the guns.

"You know, it's not every day five off-worlders can bring the glorious Triceraton empire straight to its knees. You've really got to admire their spunk! So, what do you think, Zed? Will they call for a timeout and make demands? Or go straight for the win with a hostile overthrow of the regime?"

"So what do we do now, fearless leader," Raph asked Leo.

"I don't know. I'm trying to think through all that racket overhead."

"Well, you know, Raz, this is clutch time. The deciding moment…"

"SHUT UP!" Dante shouted as he fired at the commentator's box, scaring Raz and Zed into silence. "Better, Leo?"

"Actually, yes. Okay, let's try this. Professor Honeycutt, take us to your lab. Prime Leader, you're coming with us. Everyone else stay put and don't move a muscle."

"The group moved back, their weapons trained on the guards who advance. As the group entered a long corridor, the Triceraton guards picked up their remaining weapons and started firing. Raph pointed his laser weapon at Zanramon. "Call of your goons now!"

He shoved Zanramon out in front of the corridor they just left, keeping his weapon pointed at the Prime Leader's head. "Hold your fire and pull back!" The guards obeyed him. Raph grabbed his collar and yanked him back.

"Which way to the lab?" Leo asked Honeycutt.

"Well, there are actually several routes. The Triceraton Homeworld with its interconnected network of asteroid cities is a bit of a maze really."

Raph poked the gun into Zanramon's back and snarled, "Show us the fastest way, Spike, now!"

"As you wish." Zanramon took them to a wall and pressed a button which opened a doorway. A vortex spun and sucked them inside a vacuum chute, which then carried them straight into the lab. They dropped from the opening in the ceiling onto the floor. "You wanted fast, didn't you?" Zanramon asked sarcastically.

Raph pointed the gun at him and shouted, "I got your fast right here!"

"Raph, we need him alive," Dante reminded him.

Leo gave his orders, "Mikey, give me a hand welding the doors and hatches shut. Don, help Professor Honeycutt gather up everything he needs to construct his teleportal."

"You got it," said Mikey.

"Uh-huh," said Donny.

"Raph, Dante, you've got guard duty."

"On it," said Dante.

"Whatever," said Raph.

Honeycutt said with concern, "Excuse me, Leonardo. You don't actually intend for me to build the teleportal, do you?"

"But if I'm captured, the knowledge will surely fall into the wrong hands."

As he spoke, Leo welded the door shut with the laser rifle. "You can use it to transport yourself and the device somewhere the Federation and Triceratons can't follow. Like Earth, for instance."

"If you don't build the teleportal, we'll never get home to rescue Master Splinter," said Donny.

"You mean, he could stay with us," asked Dante hopefully.

"Why not. It'd be nice to have a fellow brainiac living with us."

"Living with one is bad enough," said Mikey.

"Yes, by all means, help your friends. Build the teleportal," said Zanramon with a smirk, only to stop when he felt Raph press the gun into his back again and say, "You keep out of this."

"The danger will always exist, whether or not you build the teleportal," Leo said to the Fugitoid.

"What's to stop them from ripping apart your robot body and downloading all the data from your brain," Donny asked.

Dante shouted, "Don't give the alien dictator any ideas!"

Too late. Zanramon heard him. "Slag! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Good one, Don," Mikey said sarcastically.

"Sorry," Donny said sheepishly. Me and my big mouth, he thought.

Honeycutt thought it over and said, "Yes, I see." Then suddenly, he snatched the gun right out of Raph's hands and pointed it at himself, shockig everyone in the room. "I'm afraid the only sensible solution is to blast me into scrap metal right now."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," exclaimed Dante. "You don't have to do that! Just put the gun down!"

"It is the only way."

"Wait! Professor, I was just saying… I didn't mean…" Donny didn't know what to say at that point.

"Please, you're our only hope," Leo said.

Honeycutt thought it over, then exhaled in concede as he allowed Raph to take the gun from him. "All right. But you must promise me one thing. If all goes wrong, if it looks like we are to be captured, then you must destroy me so that my knowledge will never be used for evil and destruction."

"It won't come to that."

"But if it does come to that, will you swear on your honor to destroy me?"

The ninjas glanced at each other. They knew that they would destroy their only chance of getting home, but they also knew he was right. "We swear," they said.

"Where's the fastest ship out of here?" Leo asked Zanramon.

"Hmm, now let me think. You five aliens and Professor Honeycutt will have to make your escape in my personal cruiser. It's in my private space dock hangar."

What the ninjas didn't know was that Zanramon had secretly turned on the PA system, and Commander Mozar and his team heard him. "You heard the Prime Leader," Mozar ordered his troops. "Get the strike team in position now! We'll be waiting for them."

The giant door to the space dock hangar slid open to admit the hover flatbed piloted by the Fugitoid. Still holding the Prime Leader as their hostage, the ninjas kept watch. "My ship is in the next bay."

The sound of something clattering made Dante turn his head and he saw Mozar's group hiding behind some barrels. "AMBUSH!" Dante shouted.

The soldiers opened fire. Leo drew his katanas while Dante grabbed his chakrams and leaped at them. Leo took two of them down while Dante blocked the shots with his chakrams.

"Mikey, fire overhead," shouted Donny. He and Mikey shot into the ceiling above the soldiers, causing debris to land on top of some of them, but others continued to fire on the ninjas. Leo and Dante raced back to the flatbed. Raphael shoved his blaster into Zanramon's back and growled, "Order your troops to stand down now!"

"Stand down! I order you…" Suddenly, a blast hit the side of the flatbed where he is standing. The blast tore a chunk out of the flatbed and Zanramon fell. One of the soldiers reprimanded them, "You fools! You hit the Prime Leader!"

"Well, there goes our bargaining chip," said Dante.

"Forget him," said Leo. "We have to go now!"

Honeycutt piloted the flatbed down, while soldiers ran to check on Zanramon. "Prime Leader, are you all right? Please, forgive us!"

Zanramon swatted them aside and shouted, "Slag brains! Stop them! Don't let them take my cruiser!"

The flatbed lowered into the opening atop Zanramon's cruiser and the ninjas and Fugitoid race into the bridge. Mikey into a seat and imitated Captain Kirk, "Mr. Sulu! Ahead, warp factor—"

Raph slapped him silent. "Knock it off, Mikey."

Honeycutt took a seat at the navigation station and used a tool from his robot body to activate the engines. "Isn't it fortuitous that my robot body comes equipped with a piloting program?"

"Uh, you do know how to fly this thing, right," Dante asked nervously.

"Of course I do," the professor confirmed. The cruiser shot forward so quickly, the ninjas had to hold on to their seats. "Yes, well, perhaps a few upgrades would be in order."

"And maybe a driver's license, too," Dante shouted.

They flew out of the Homeworld and into space, with three jetpack-wearing Triceratons chasing after them.

"Looks like someone doesn't want us to leave," said Raph.

"Ah, yes, let's see," said Honeycutt as he pressed a few buttons. "Evasive maneuver subdirectory. Accessing files now. Hang on, my friends!"

The cruiser took evasive maneuvers, flying up, over and around docking ports. One of the Triceratons couldn't pull up in time and crashed. "Yahoo! Strike one," cheered Mikey. The cruiser flew around a docking port and into the docking station, causing another of the Triceratons to crash. "Strike two!" The cruiser few out of the station with the last Triceraton right on its tail. The Fugitoid piloted the ship straight up, and then rolled back, coming straight at the Triceraton. The cruiser smashed right into him, destroying the flying harness. "Strike three! You're outta there!"

Dante gagged a little. "Professor, slow down, please. I think I'm going to puke."

"No worries," said Honeycutt. "We're flying far away from the Triceraton Homeworld. It should be smooth sailing ahead." Suddenly, he gasped when he saw on the monitor a bunch of Triceraton Motherships blocking their path. "Unless, of course, we happen to run into the entire Triceraton Space Fleet."

On the command deck, Commander Mozar opened a communications channel. "Attention Professor Honeycutt. This is Commander Mozar. Return at once to the Triceraton Homeworld, or face the wrath of the Republic's fiercest warriors."

"Can't say I'm happy with our choices," said Leo.

"So, what now," said Dante.

"Full speed ahead!" Leo pushed a lever all the way forward and the cruiser accelerated.

The cruiser zoomed forward, much to Mozar's shock. "What? They're blasting straight for us!" The cruiser sped into the midst of the fighters and passed them. "They must be insane. After them!"

"Master Splinter always says, there is no greater weapon than the unexpected," said Leo.

"Hmm, I really must meet this Master Splinter someday."

Something hit the cruiser and it shook violently. Raph and Mikey ran to the weapon's stations on opposite sides of the cruiser. "We ain't out of the woods yet!" said the former.

Meanwhile, Leo vacated his seat so that Donny can take over at the controls. "Better get the shields up and running."

Dante looked at the monitors. "We got bogeys coming right for us!"

Raph and Mikey took aim with the cruiser's laser canons and opened fire on the pursuing fighter ships. One of the fighters crashed into an asteroid.

"Oh, yeah," Raph shouted.

"Don't get cocky, kid," Mikey imitated Han Solo.

"Feeling confident in your piloting skills?" Leo asked Honeycutt.

"Oh, yes, rather."

"Good. Let's try to lose them in that asteroid field."

The fighter ships continued to fire on the cruiser, and the Fugitoid zigzagged through the asteroid field. One of the fighters crashed into an asteroid. More fighters hit asteroids and soon there were no more pursuers.

"Well, gentlemen, I'd say the difficult part is over."

"Professor, don't jinx us," said Dante.

"Why do you say that?" Suddenly a wormhole opened in space in front of them and the Federation armada came through. "Oh, my."

"That's why." Live footage of an old friend appeared on the monitor. "General Blanque," Dante growled.

"Hello, Professor Honeycutt. I believe you have something that belongs to me. Or should I say, you are something that belongs to me! Did you really think the Federation would give up its most valuable scientific mind without a fight?"

"They want a fight? Let's show 'em where they can find one!"

"Now you're speaking my and Raph's language, Leo," said Dante.

In his command deck, General Blanque gave the order, "I want that Fugitoid alive! Do you hear me? Alive!"

"Yes, General," said Lonae.

The Fugitoid piloted the cruiser back into the asteroid field. As they approached a Triceraton Mothership, it opened fire. The turtles and Fugitoid were rocked by near hits.

"Hey, Leo," said Dante. "I got an idea. Why not let the Triceratons and the Federation be reacquainted, giving us the chance to escape? The old enemy of my enemy tactic?"

"Yeah. That'll work. Professor, make them attack each other!"

The cruiser turned sharply upwards and the two enemy fleets commenced fighting each other.

Mozar appeared on Blanque's viewing portal and Blanque shouted, "Mozar! What are your troops doing in this neutral sector?"

"I could ask you the same question, General!"

The fighting escalated and the stolen cruiser dodged the bombardments.

"We can't avoid them forever," said Donny.

"We don't need forever," said Leo. "Just enough time for you and Professor Honeycutt to build that teleportal."

"Hmm, that planetoid should provide an ideal spot to construct the teleportal device," Honeycutt said, pointing at the monitor.

Back with Blanque and Mozar, they were still arguing.

"You wouldn't be hunting down a certain Fugitoid who recently escaped from your Homeworld, would you?"

"How did you know Honeycutt escaped?"

"You think we don't get Triceraton Gladiators on D'Hoonnib? It's our number one rated show." Suddenly, Blanque realized something. "Wait! How did you know the Fugitoid is Honeycutt?"

Mozar smirked and said, "Why don't you ask your trusted aide?"

"Lonae? Lonae!" Lonae's heart jumped and she broke out in a cold sweat when she felt Blanque's angry gaze fix on her. Without thinking, she made a break for it. "SEIZE HER!" Blanque shouted. She didn't get far; soldiers pointed their guns at her. She was going to be courtmartialed and imprisoned for treason for sure.

"You fellows will need atmosphere suits to work outside the ship," said Honeycutt. "Fortunately, the Prime Leader's cruiser is stocked with special form-fitting suits that can configure to a multitude of alien anatomies."

Raph, Donny, Leo, and Dante pressed a button on their suits' wrists, and the suits changed to fit their size and the tail extensions sucked into the suits. Mikey came in, wearing a space suit too big for him. "Unfortunately, there's only four of them," he grumbled, much to his brothers' amusement.

"Commander Mozar, I order you to cease this unprovoked act of Triceraton aggression at once," Blanque shouted as the battle waged on.

"I don't take orders from Federation slime, General Blanque!"

Suddenly, a Triceraton soldier came in and said, "Commander, we have traced the warp vector pattern of the Fugitoid's cruiser to the Agaram Sector. Troops are on their way to apprehend him now!" Mozar growled at him for saying that out loud with Blanque, who smiled upon hearing that, listening in.

"Thank you, Commander Mozar, for your assistance in this matter. The Federation will handle it from here."

"Not if the Triceratons get there first!"

On the planetoid, Raph, Donny, and Professor Honeycutt were making progress on building the teleportal device. Dante, Mikey and Leo remained behind in the cruiser. Mikey called out, "Guys, I'm picking up massive energy signals on the scanner! Looks like the Federation and Triceraton fighters are headed our way!"

"And they look really ticked off," shouted Dante.

"We need more time," Honeycutt shouted back.

"You'll have to stall them," said Donny.

"How," asked Mikey.

"Just keep them talking. Anything to stall them from attacking."

Mikey typed on the keyboard and contacted both Blanque and Mozar's ships. "Hope this thing has three-way calling," he said. There is a beep as communications opened and Mikey gave Leo a thumbs up. He sat the command chair and contacted the two warring generals. "General Blanque! Commander Mozar!" Their images appeared on the screen. "I am Leonardo of the planet Earth. I demand an immediate cease fire."

"And why should we agree to your demand, Earthling?" asked Mozar.

"Because if you blow us up, you'll blow up Professor Honeycutt along with us. Then nobody gets the teleportal. However, we'll give up the Fugitoid for a price."

"We will?"

"Mikey, shh," hissed Dante. "He's stalling."

"Gotcha," Mikey whispered back.

"But first, we'll, uh, need to broker a truce between the Federation and the Triceratons," continued Leo as he paced back and forth with his arms behind his back. "We want assurances that neither side will use the teleportal technology for destructive purposes."

To his, Mikey and Dante's surprise, both leaders said, "Agreed."

"Wait, you really-" Dante tried to say.

"Wait! Don't you guys want to, like, argue about it some more?" asked Mikey.

"No. The Triceraton Republic is eager to settle this matter peacefully," said Mozar. He whispered to someone nearby, "Once we have the teleportal, we hit the Federation with everything we've got."

"The Federation is equally eager to avoid unnecessary conflict," said Blanque. He whispered to someone nearby, "Once we have the teleportal, we hit the Triceratons with everything we've got."

Then both leaders shouted, "Now bring us the Fugitoid!"

Leo glanced through the windscreen and saw Raphael signaling for more time. "Uh, okay, but first we'll need to finalize your agreement," he said. "In writing of course. That is, once we can determine a neutral meeting place mutually acceptable to both sides."

"Naturally, the Federation will require assurances of non-aggression from the Triceratons," said Blanque before whispering, "Prepare to attack."

"We Triceratons have always honored our treaties," said Mozar before whispering, "Prepare to attack." Then he said out loud, "It is the Federation who must provide assurances of non-aggression."

"Are you accusing us of treachery, lizard?"

"You Federation slime didn't force a hundred and fifty planets under your rule by acting honorably!"

"Well, maybe if you Triceraton buffoons hadn't managed to blow up your own Homeworld, you wouldn't be living on a bunch of floating rock fragments!"

"Hairless ape!"

"Overgrown lizard!"

Leo, Mikey, and Dante smiled. "This is better than a daytime talk show," said Mikey.

"I know. They just couldn't resist fighting with each other," said Dante.

Leo called out, "How are we doing out there, Professor? Did we buy you enough time?"

"I'm gonna say… No," said Raph as two fighers zipped by.

More fighters flew over Raph, Donny, and Honeycutt and then open fire. The cruiser was rocked and the two turtles and one boy on board lost their balance. "What are those idiots doing," Dante shouted. "They're blasting each other even though the Professor is still here! Good grief, they're so fixated on fighting each other that they don't care! Mikey, Leo, man the turrets! Take down those fighters before their squabbling blasts us to smithereens!"

"On it, captain," said Mikey as he and Leo took their seats and aimed the turrets.

"Fed fighters at twelve o'clock," said Leo, firing at the Federation.

"This is an outrage! It just goes to prove the Federation can't be trusted!"

"Tri-fighters at twelve o'clock," said Mikey, firing at the Triceratons.

"It seems the Triceratons aren't to be trusted either!"

"Unbelievable," grunted Dante. "Those two are still arguing?"

"Look on the bright side," said Mikey. "At least we got 'em to agree on something."

Dante looked out the window and his eyes widened. "Ah, shell, they're landing!"

Federation fighters landed on the planetoid and the pilots disembarked. Triceraton fighters landed as well, and their pilots climbed out, weapons in hand.

"Victory!"

"Get the Fugitoid!"

The combatants all raced towardsthe teleportal device and the Fugitoid. Leo, Dante and Mikey, carrying laser weapons, left the cruiser and ran to the others. "Please tell me you're ready, Don!" Leo asked frantically.

"We're ready," confirmed Donny.

"But it hasn't been tested yet," pointed out Honeycutt.

The sound of lasers made Dante shout, "Well, consider us your first Guinea pigs!"

"What's a Guinea pig?"

Everybody raced into the teleportal and closed its door just as the Federation and Triceratons surrounded them. Professor Honeycutt pressed a button and the lights flickered on...only for them to flicker off.

"I'm guessing it's not supposed to do that," said Mikey.

"Gee, you think," snarked Raph.

A Triceraton Mothership took up position above them. "Everyone, back to the ship," shouted Leo. The ninjas and Fugitoid ran out of the teleportal device but before they could reach the cruiser, the Mothership blew it up with its lasers. "Back inside!" They re-entered the teleportal. The glass dome was hit several times and began to crack.

"The capsule won't hold much longer," shouted Donny.

"Oh, dear," said Honeycutt.

The dome shattered and everyone ducked as the shards rained down on them. "What are we going to do," Dante whimpered. "We're surrounded and the teleportal's busted!"

Honeycutt sighed. "I'm afraid there's only one thing to do."

"Wait. You don't mean..."

"I'm afraid we have no choice now. You fellows must destroy me and the knowledge I possess."

"But...Prof..."

The Fugitoid reached into his chest compartment and pulled out a grenade-like device. "This is an EMP failsafe control. It will overload all my circuitry and wipe out my entire memory core." He handed it to Leo and said, "If you don't destroy me now, a weapon of ultimate destruction will fall into the hands of lunatics who will not hesitate to use it."

"I...I can't-"

"You swore on your honor."

"But..." Dante couldn't finish his sentence. The Federation and Triceraton fighters drew closer. Leo began to sweat, but the Fugitoid nodded his head. Leonardo's thumb hovers over the button on the EMP control. His brothers looked on and Leo closed his eyes. As he lowered his thumb, the group was hit by a glowing light.

"But how can this be," asked a confused Honeycutt. "My teleportal didn't work!"

"Well, somebody's did," said Leo.

"The light expanded outwards and the Federation and Triceraton troops were engulfed in it as well. Suddenly everyone's atoms started to scatter.

"This feels kinda familiar," said Raphael.

"What do you mean," asked Dante.

"Back at the TCRI building," said Donny.

"Yeah, and I didn't like it the first time," said Mikey.

And then all Dante saw next was white. Yep. Definitely felt familiar.

To be continued...