Chapter Eighteen
Storming the Ship
Back with Optimus, Ratchet, and Ironhide, they kept battling the Cybertronian Undead, not stopping for a moment.
Whenever they took down members of Megatron's army, more swarmed around them.
They were nowhere close to getting nearer to Megatron himself.
Before long, there was more undead closing in on them and the trio stood covering each other's blind spots.
It was suffocating, and everywhere they turned, there was an undead Cybertronian ancestor. There was no way out.
"Optimus, this prolonged exposure to Dark Energon is sapping our strength." Ratchet observed, he was feeling rather tired due to all the fighting and Ironhide agreed as he kept jabbing his drill at the advancing Undead as well as shoot with his rifle.
"We cannot falter now." Optimus proclaimed as he raced ahead still continuing to shoot and slash and stab, yet as he did undead Cybertronians had surrounded him faster than he could take them down.
Before long, they piled onto Optimus, pinning him to the ground and Ratchet and Ironhide both notice immediately.
"OPTIMUS!" They cried in concern and tried to get to him, but they too were surrounded and pounced on by the undead Cybertronians and before long they too were pinned down just like Prime.
Watching above, Megatron watched in delight as his army brought down his enemies.
He chuckled as he believed it wouldn't be long before all three Autobots were killed and part of his army.
But, he was stood corrected when Optimus managed to free himself from the pile with both his blaster and his blade with a determined yell, as did Ironhide using his own blaster and drill.
"It'll take more than you undead spawns of Unicron to hold me down!" the red autobot shouted "Hoo-yah!"
They turned and saw Ratchet being pounced on by the other undead and they instantly ran to help, Optimus shooting his blasters at some that continued to swarm the medic whilst Ironhide stabbed his drill into those closest to him.
As soon as they were in range, Optimus grabbed one possessed Cybertronian in each of his hands and simply tossed them aside like scrap metal, after smashing the two together and turning them into scrap metal.
Ironhide stabbed two undead cybertronians with his drill as they both ran up to his left side then threw them aside.
Once they were taken care of, Optimus helped Ratchet to his feet whilst Ironhide continued to fire at any other Undead that came over.
All the while Megatron watched them continue to fight despite them showing signs of becoming exhausted.
"After all these years, Optimus, still at the top of your game?" Megatron called down mockingly as Ratchet, Ironhide and Optimus Prime prepared for another attack.
"My legion, FINISH THEM!" he bellowed.
Back at the Decepticon Warship, the three Vehicons who had captured Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, Pandora and Kemeko walked down the long foreboding hallways with their hostages in their servos.
"We'll take them to the brig!" the first one who was holding Donatello spoke "Commander Starscream is keeping the Human and those two freaks there."
Hearing that, the mutants and Kemeko's eyes widened.
"Mum!" Pandora cried.
"Dad!" Kemeko exclaimed.
Raphael struggled more in his captive's grip, yet as he did, he felt himself get squeezed.
Michelangelo and Donatello did the same.
"Where's Bulkhead!" Michelangelo asked, "Where is he?!"
"Better yet!" Donatello said "Arcee and Bumblebee?"
As the mutants were wondering if all hope was lost, there was a reviving of engines, then as the guards turned a corner, a flash of yellow appeared and it skidded over bowling the guards down like pins at the bowling alley!
As that happened, the turtles, Pandora and Kemeko were thrown into the air!
They all screamed but were soon caught in the servos of none other than Arcee and Bumblebee!
Arcee had grabbed Raphael and Pandora whilst Bumblebee caught Donatello, Kemeko and Michelangelo before setting them gently on the ground.
As soon as the mutants recovered from their shock than they looked over at the two autobots.
"Guys! You're here!" Pandora cried happily.
"Man, are we glad to see you!" Michelangelo cheered relieved.
Bumblebee whirred and bleeped in agreement.
"We appreciate you clearing the front door for us!" Arcee said.
"Umm...you're welcome?" Donatello replied.
"But storming the Decepticon Warship was not on the activities list!" Arcee stated.
"Activities list?!" Raphael cried "But, my mate, brother and Fowler are in here!"
"Yeah!" Pandora agreed "We gotta save them!"
Arcee was about to speak when she heard footsteps, and everyone looked to the corner where the femme leapt ahead to strike down whoever was going to attack them.
She quickly turned the corner and she soon found herself face to face with Bulkhead.
"Friendly!" she cried.
"Hello!" Bulkhead yelled at the same time.
No sooner did they meet than Arcee frowned.
"Brought the Earthlings huh?" she asked dryly.
"You try getting them to stay behind!" Bulkhead shot back, "They insisted on following me to get their loved ones and Fowler back!"
"Then we have to find them and get everyone out of here!" Arcee said.
"They're in the brig!" The Hamato Clan said together.
"Then lets go!" Arcee said narrowing her eyes.
Meanwhile in the brig, Fowler continued to hang from his chains bruised and suffering some burns from the prod, whilst Monalisa and Leonardo were held by one of the guards.
Starscream stood before the agent glaring at him and the prod still in his clawed servo.
"My dear Agent Fowler." He said making the battered agent look up at him.
"You do realise that the Autobots have abandoned you!"
"Liar!" Monalisa spat "You'll say anything!"
She then gasped painfully as she felt herself get squeezed.
"Shut up green fleshling!" the guard growled to which Leonardo looked at the guard and he started to fiddle with his belt trying to find something to break him free of the guard's grip.
Starscream chuckled evilly at Monalisa then turned to Fowler.
"I am the only one you can rely upon now, so tell me, what I want to know! Or..." he held up the prod again.
"Please...no more..." Fowler panted "They're in a secret government base..."
Leonardo went pale as he heard Fowler say that.
"No! No! No!" he pleaded under his breath "Don't say it! Don't do it!"
"Go on!" Starscream hissed as he leaned in to listen, yet he paused as he heard gunshots outside the door.
At the same time, Monalisa, Leonardo and Fowler heard them too and hope rose within them.
"They're here!" Leonardo mouthed to Monalisa who looked relieved then they looked at Fowler who was smirking slightly.
Starscream meanwhile turned back to Fowler hoping to get answers out of him before whoever was shooting outside came to the brig.
"Yes?" he demanded.
"In the old Steel mill." Fowler said, "Or was it under that carnival funhouse?" he added, his smirk getting wider.
Starscream glared then shoved the prod into Fowler again making him scream.
He smirked seeing the pain is caused then turned to the guards by the door.
"Someone find out what is going on out there!" he ordered to which the guards did so and ran out the doors whilst Starscream turned back to Fowler.
"If using the prod won't make you speak, then maybe I should try something else!" he looked over to the guard holding Monalisa and Leonardo and smirked.
As he did, Leonardo and Monalisa realised what he was going to do.
"Oh shell!" Leonardo cried and Monalisa paled.
Starscream smirked as he saw the fear on the mutants faces and looked back at Fowler who looked furious.
"Tell me the location of the Autobot Base!" Starscream snarled "Or these two weird fleshlings will be crushed!"
Meanwhile outside, Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee had taken care of the guards who had tried to attack them whilst the Hamato Clan tried to keep clear of the battle, and soon they made it to the main control room.
They took down the guards within and soon found themselves clear of any other enemies so they could decide their next move.
"Clear!" Arcee stated then after putting away their weapons, they looked down at the Hamato Clan.
"Okay." She said, "You should be safe in here, whilst we find Fowler, Monalisa and Leonardo."
"What?" Raphael cried "No way! I'm coming as well!"
"Me too!" Pandora agreed.
"Raph! Pandora!" Donatello cried in worry.
Arcee frowned.
"But you're easy targets!" she said.
"I'm not taking no for an answer!" Raphael argued as he looked up at Arcee "Despite our size, we can help!"
Bulkhead looked at Arcee with the look of 'I told you so' about how it was difficult to get them to stay put.
Arcee glowered.
"How?" she asked looking at Raphael "Optimus told us to keep you safe, and how can we if we let you come with us?"
"Because we can help slip away the prisoners whilst you fight the big guys!" Pandora called up "We might be small, but we are fast and can stick to the shadows to get the hostages away!"
Raphael nodded in agreement winking at his daughter.
Arcee glared but she thought it through and looked at them both.
"Okay." She said, "But what I say goes alright?" she said to which Raphael and Pandora nodded in agreement.
"Right!" Arcee said.
Raphael then turned to Donatello, Michelangelo and Kemeko.
"You three stay put!" he said.
"What?" the other three protested.
"We'll be back soon, okay?" Raphael said, "I'd rather you guys stay safe whilst Pandora and I save Leo, Mona and Fowler, and we got the guys here to back us up!"
"Please save my dad!" Kemeko pleaded to which Pandora hugged her.
'We will Kem!" she promised "We swear on our lives!"
Raphael placed his palm against his fist and bowed to his brothers before taking Pandora's hand and they along with Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead left the room leaving the two turtles and Kemeko behind the doors as they closed.
"Whoa man..." Michelangelo cried "That was intense!"
"Tell me about it!" Donatello agreed.
Kemeko meanwhile sat down and hugged her knees as tears formed in her eyes.
"Oh shell, oh man!" she wept as the stress started to get to her.
"Turtle Child?" Donatello asked in concern and Michelangelo instantly wrapped his arms around his niece.
"Shh, shhh, there there," he soothed "It's okay."
"Raph, Pandora, Arcee, Bumblebee, Arcee and Bulkhead will return with your dad, Monalisa and Fowler!" Donatello said in a positive voice "You see if they don't!"
Kemeko sobbed more as she felt her two uncles hold her close.
"It's alright, don't cry Lotus." Donatello comforted and stroked his niece's hair and shoulders "It's going to be okay!"
He looked up for a moment and it was then he noticed the large computer screens before them.
"What the shell?" he pondered as he saw them and the cybertronian equations flashing before him, if there was anything the purple masked turtle was drawn to, it was anything to do with science and math, even if it was of Earth or Alien and this was something that drew him to it, like a bee to the honey.
Michelangelo noticed and looked up.
"Donnie?" he asked, "What is it?"
Donatello didn't answer but he pointed to the screens.
"If I didn't know any better bro." he said, "But this seems really important!" he took out his shell cell and took a few pictures as well as looked in the pouches on his belt "I know math when I see it, and this is a serious equation!"
"For what?" Michelangelo asked and Kemeko at the same time stopped crying and looked up at the screens.
"I don't know." Donatello said as he walked closer to the screens still searching the pouches in his belt.
"But I'm gonna see if I can find a way to download it and bring it to Optimus and Ratchet!"
Back in the brig, Starscream stood before Fowler along with the Decepticon Guard who held Monalisa and Leonardo up before him.
Fowler was panting both in pain and he spluttered out mucus and blood.
Starscream had shocked him again with the prod giving him one more chance to speak but it had knocked him out.
"Wake up! You Pathetic lump of flesh!" Starscream shouted then Fowler looked up, a delirious look on his face.
"Grandma?" he slurred "Is it cookie time?"
Starscream snarled then turned to the guard who started to squeeze Leonardo and Monalisa.
"Last chance!" he snapped "Tell me the location of the autoboot base or..."
He didn't finish the sentence before the doors opened and a guard was revealed to them.
Starscream turned to face him and glowered.
"Well!?" he barked.
But the guard soon fell to the floor and Bulkhead was revealed to be standing on the other side with his gun pointed at them!
Starscream and the guard were alarmed but they hardly have time to react before Bulkhead shot at the guard and he fell, letting go of Leonardo and Monalisa at the same time!
Bumblebee appeared as well, and prepared his guns but Starscream grabbed Monalisa in his servo as well as pointed his gun at Fowler!
Leonardo was able to land on his feet on top of the downed guard and looked up at Monalisa in Starscream's grasp.
"Mona!" he cried in fear,
Starscream glowered.
"Not so fast!" he threatened holding Monalisa up before him and tightening his grip around her!
"Mum!"
"Babe!"
Raphael and Pandora's voices were heard below as they too appeared and saw everything.
Starscream smirked as he believed he had a hold over everyone, that was until he felt something tap him on the head and he looked up to see Arcee above him pointing her gun at him!
"I wouldn't!" she threatened.
"Oh but I might!" Starscream snarled as he glared up at the femme.
Pandora glared up at Starscream as she saw red and narrowed her eyes.
"Coward!" she hissed as she gripped Mr Swinger and held the sharp dart "Using my mother and Fowler against us!"
She then ran towards the Decepticon commander and swung the sharp end of her weapon.
Raphael saw her run and his eyes widened.
"Pandora!" he screamed but Pandora didn't listen, and she swung Mr Swinger a few times before throwing the dart end at the exposed parts of Starscream's ankle!
The dart flew through the air, before it hit its target and embedded into the wires!
As that happened, Starscream yelled in pain, and he dropped Monalisa as well as his guard, and it was then the autobots started firing at him!
Starscream squealed and hopped around before realising he had no chance against the three autobots and he transformed into his jet form and blasted his way out of the brig almost taking Bulkhead's head off yet the large autobot ducked as he did so!
"Whoa!" Bulkhead cried as he watched the Decepticon take off!
"Coward!" Arcee cried and jumped down from her hiding spot before trying to untangle Fowler from the chains.
"Hang in there Fowler!" she said "We got you!" she gave sheepish chuckle at the slight pun.
"Thank goodness you got here!" Leonardo cried as he saw his brother who ran over to him and Monalisa.
"You guys okay?" Bulkhead asked.
"I think so..." Monalisa said "How did you find us?"
"It's thanks to Donnie!" Raphael said as he hugged his mate and patted Leonardo's shoulder "We'll explain later..."
He looked over to find Pandora then saw Bumblebee kneeling on the ground next to the hybrid who lay on the ground knocked out cold and her body smoking slightly.
"What the...?" he cried in alarm "Geisha!?"
"Pandora!" Monalisa screamed.
The Autobots have located Fowler, Monalisa and Leonardo and saved them, yet Pandora's injured! And I think a lot of you can guess what happened when she attacked Starscream!
Meanwhile Donatello, Michelangelo and Kemeko have spotted something important on the screens in the main control room of the ship!
Those of you who've seen the show might know what it is!