This is a short story associated with,Return to Planet of the Apes; Alternate Worlds. It takes place a few years after the end of that story.
Historical Context
The survivors of the last great conflict had seen their share of bloodshed. It ripped through the North American continent like a virus. The Imperiam Monarch that previously occupied the western portions of the old United States pushed its vast war machine eastward with a single goal in mind; to utterly crush the technologically inferior nation-states that inhabited ancient Canada and the eastern areas of the former USA. Once conquered, the Dictatorship would expand and exploit the region for much needed food, water, and slave labor. Anything and everything would be absorbed into the Empire.
In the east, the formerly warring Human Coalition and the Ape Territorial Nation formed an uneasy Alliance, to contest their newly emerged, common enemy. They also allied with the simian nation, to the north. Together, the three countries narrowly secured victory; however, the cost devastated the North America Continent. The Human Coalition was forced to launch all of the defensive armaments from the orbital network they'd taken possession of. They exploited the ancient technology using the satellite interfaces, housed in what had once been the US capital, Washington, DC.
Nearly, everything in the region was obliterated, including part of old Washington. However, the bombardment nullified the superior military might of the Imperiam Monarch. This left the land, cities and food storages decimated. Ultimately the winds of war shifted to those of survival. Human and ape were forced to focus on the basics; Food, water, and shelter. The uneasy Alliance wasn't a total bliss, but it held together long enough for the remnants of the three nations to work towards a common goal. Yet as it always was, there were segregated groups resistant to any kind of change. Old habits had a way of resurfacing.
New Washington – Several years later
The three explosions went off in rapid sequence. The roaring boom echoed throughout the city and surrounding area. Startled Police and First-Response teams frantically scrambled to deal with the wounded, dead, and crumbled infrastructure. Thick clouds of dust made the task all the more difficult. The city had been caught with its pants down, but in all fairness, it wasn't at war and thus not expecting the attack.
The rockets had, intentionally, targeted the densely populated regions. Businesses, markets, and food courts, occupied much of the space. The city was mostly human, but due to the commerce that existed between the Alliance, several hundred simians were also in the vicinity when the armaments struck. And they were all just as dead, or wounded, as the men and women who lived and worked in that corner of the metropolis.
Approximately fifteen miles away a large group of Ape dissenters systematically worked their way through the dense vegetation and up to the city limits. They wore contemporary clothing and to any spectator looked as if they fit in naturally. They all carried ruck sacks and bags, filled with weapons; but masked to appear as nothing more than standard sacks of commercial goods.
The rockets were a diversionary tactic intended to pull the human forces away from their key military structures so they could be more easily raided.
After the war with the Imperiam Monarch, a majority of the surviving men and apes had come together to rebuild what was left of their societies. Yet, groups of hardliners consisting of both ape and human had formed. They'd been dubbed; Separatists, due to their uncompromising nonconformity. Packs of humans had detached from the newly evolving social order, as well as, their ape counterparts. The humans were smaller in number, just a few hundred. But the simians numbered in the thousands and were completely radical in their thoughts and methodologies.
The Human Coalition, the Ape Territorial Nation, and the Ape Settled Territories to the north had been slowly merging together. There were established trade routes, integrated ape and human settlements, and even talks of forming a single unified nation between the three. Neither the human or ape protestors wanted anything to do with that.
The human Separatists had moved east near the old city of New York and were content to simply be left alone. But the ape Separatists were zealots, bent on killing every human on the planet and any ape that had the audacity to consort with them.
The apes were also much more organized and militant in purpose. A half a year earlier they'd lured the humans into the old subways under the city ruins and collapsed the tunnels once they'd entered. That had a demonstrative effect on both the morale and the physical leadership. Nearly all of the human Separatist soldiers had died in the ambush and the surviving remnant simply gave up. Eventually the human separatist movement disbanded into a few scattered nomadic bands.
That only empowered the apes more. With their human opposites gone they decided to fish for a bigger catch. They didn't possess the numbers to take on the Alliance directly, but if they had the right weapons they thought they might just wear them down. If they could disband the Separatist men, why couldn't they do the same to the three nations that were keeping them from sterilizing this planet? Divide and conquer and then pick off the leftovers, one by one.
Barabbas had natural charisma and had proven himself as a successful leader. And he'd also established himself as someone who was quite resourceful. He alone acquired the three heavy rockets and it was his plan to use those as a diversion.
The gorilla looked at the young orangutan to his side and said, "Ok, you've been scouting these buildings for weeks, lead us in"
The simian gave a nod, pointed to his right, and then motioned for the group to follow him. They slipped between buildings, ducked behind the astatic foliage and eventually stopped at a large brick structure. Just beyond it sat the military complex. The big gates to its front opened as a few military vehicles sped towards the opposite end of the city. However, the post had gone on alert. Several armed human soldiers were patrolling the areas along the fence line. A couple of men, most likely officers, were pointing and directing others who were carrying various sorts of equipment. But it was apparent they weren't expecting any kind of genuine attack. A few soldiers were walking nonchalantly, back and forth. They smoked cigars and held casual conversations as they did what their superiors ordered. Their weapons were slung over their shoulders and they showed no real signs of concern.
Just another day in paradise, Barabbas thought to himself.
The post itself looked relatively small, consisting of just a few structures inside a fenced off area. Other than the soldiers, it looked more like a warehouse than a military compound. That was intentional. A majority of the complex was a good hundred meters below the ground.
"Alright Boss, your call" the orangutan whispered. "I told you I could I.D. the facility, but I also warned you that they'd be buzzing around like bees once the city was hit."
Barabbas smiled and key'd this radio three times in rapid succession. An additional, three rapid clicks, softly replied about ten seconds later. That was followed by a small ball of fire at the far rear of the base, accompanied by what sounded like automatic gun fire.
"Gasoline and fire crackers" Barabbas answered before the question was even asked. "Ok, we do this just as we planned. Once they shift their forces from the left of the main gate we move up."
He pointed at dense spot near some trees and went on. "We bound over the fence, right there, and head for the first building. That should give ample concealment. Use knives only until we've lost the element of surprise. With any luck we'll have it until we're well underground. Our objective is the third building". He pointed again, singling it out for the group.
"Zaius", he added once again addressing the orangutan who'd led them in. "You know what to do if there's trouble."
"Yes," the ape replied. "I have everything I need right here." The ape unlatched the strap and set the RPG on the ground next to him. "We move south to the residential housing and cause another distraction."
"Alright," Barabbas whispered, as he motioned the group towards the compound. "Galen, you stay with Zaius. The rest of you … let's go".
*** Inside the Complex
"Something isn't right" a human Staff Sergeant stated. He reached down and picked up some of the burnt scraps of paper at his feet. Fireworks, his brain interpreted. Not gun fire
He stepped back suddenly as the wind shifted and the flames from the burning crates came surprisingly close. The heat singed his cheeks a little. But his nose picked up the distinct smell of petrol.
"Easy Sergeant" the young Lieutenant indicated as he steadied the NCO. The officer was over six feet tall and well-muscled. He'd only been their Platoon leader for a few months, but he was competent and seemed to have a good head on his shoulder. The man was a former Imperiam soldier. He was one of the many who'd been granted amnesty, if they laid down their arms and agreed to work with the Alliance.
He'd come to the same conclusion as the Non-Com had just before the blaze of fire had captured his attention.
"I'm ok, Sir" the man replied. "Thanks for the helping hand. Lieutenant, this was deliberate. Someone wanted us to rush back here."
As if it were meant to confirm the NCO's comments, two gunshots echoed in the air.
The officer grabbed the small radio from his belt. "Statin, this is Greggs, what's going on up there - over?"
Static
"Statin?" he repeated
He glanced over at the Staff Sergeant who suggested he try to reach the tactical officer on duty. He then repeated his last message.
"Captain Hayes, this is Greggs, 2nd Platoon – Over"
Again Static
"Anyone on this channel, do you copy – over? He said as he added a shrug of the shoulders.
"Nothing. That just doesn't make sense." He put the device away and added. "We need to get back to the main gate right now!"
The Lieutenant then ordered a few of the men to remain behind and deal with the fire. The rest he took forward.
Even at a quick pace, it took a few minutes to reach their destination. When they arrived, no one was alive. Several soldiers were lying about, bloody and still. They'd been knifed or bayoneted. Off in the distance was a decapitated chimpanzee. Half of his head was missing from the two bullets that had separated it from the rest of him. To his front there was another dead ape.
As the officer began to speak, a moan followed by an unsteady voice, interrupted him in mid-sentence. A bloody arm grabbed his ankle. "Baa - - b-building Bravo … They went tt-to …"
That was all that came out. The man's head turned sideways, his arm dropped, and he went off to meet his Maker.
"Sir, we need to sound the base alarm." Sergeant Gerhardt stated. "We have no idea who we're dealing with or how many there are and they've either managed to jam communications or they're deep within the complex. For all we know this could be tied to the explosions in the city. There may be more to this than some random act of terrorism. Bravo will get them right into the main compound"
The Lieutenant paused as he looked around at the carnage. He nodded and then stated, "This is definitely tied to the bombings. And we just sent a third of our forces off the base and to the far side of the city. We need to get to Building B; whoever came through here must have some inside knowledge. They have to be going for the armory. It's where all our high-tech equipment is kept. With just a few of those relics, they could take down half the city".
They were about to head out when the sound of crashing metal caught their attention. "Over there, Sir" one of the soldiers shouted, pointing at two apes. They'd just flung the body of a human combatant into some metal trashcans along the side of the fence line. Without hesitation the group of men fired on the gorillas killing them where they stood.
"Corporal, you take the squad & see if you can ID who those simians are", Lieutenant Greggs ordered. He then looked at Gerhardt and tilted his head, "Come on Sergeant, we need to get underground. The CO and the others need to be warned …or helped out." The NCO nodded and the two ran off towards the structure.
*** Beneath Building B
The noise from the explosion shook the foundation and the smoke from the blast filled the narrow corridor leading below. Barabbas didn't wait for the smoldering mist to clear. With a wave of his arm he motioned the group forward. The apes followed, bounding down the narrow passageway, in rapid succession.
They were about ten feet from the main entrance when the doors flung open and a squad of armed human militia spilled out. The lead soldiers fired hitting a few of the advancing apes. But unlike humans, they didn't fall as easily.
Barabbas felt something sting as several of the projectiles smashed into his shoulder, chest, and arm. The chimpanzee next to him hadn't been so lucky. He'd taken a hit to the neck and went right to the ground, in a pool of blood. Barabbas flinched slightly but mustered enough energy to push forward. He drove himself forward grabbing at the closest one available. It was a human woman. He never did understand why the humans allowed their weak, frail females to assume positions in their military. She gagged as the ape gripped her throat and quickly squeezed the life out of her.
The rest of the simians had followed in lockstep. Some used their brute strength while others unsheathed knives or thrusted forward using their bayonets. The men fought back, but eventually the advancing apes slew most of the attacking forces. Knowing he was about to die, a young human Private pulled the pin on a grenade.
"Grenade", a gorilla shouted. In a split second several possible actions filled his mind. As if it were instinct, he picked up the closest body he could find. He tossed the limp bloody flesh forward, knocking the human male off kilter. But the small explosive had already left his hand and was rolling forward. Before the gorilla could react a second time, it detonated a foot to his front.
Though he took the brunt of the blast, the shrapnel and explosive discharge stopped the advancing apes in their tracks. Most were dead or soon would be. Others had lost limbs. Barabbas was dazed. The ape couldn't hear a thing except a continual buzzing. He tried to stand only to discover that he'd lost part of his left leg, just below the knee.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed but the last thing he remembered was being dragged away by humans, on a stretcher.
*** Forty-Five Minutes Later
The base commander, Major Tom March walked around the outside of the compound looking at the dead bodies and damage. He was accompanied by, Lieutenant Greggs and his executive officer Captain Jon Hayes. Greggs was filling the CO in on the details and events he'd witnessed.
"They're obviously Separatists, Major. And this was well planned too, Sir", the LT stated. "They used fireworks and gasoline bombs as a distraction and then bound over the fence…right there." He pointed to a spot just east of them. "They knew where to go too. Right to bravo, where our entire high-tech R&D is kept."
"Damn stupid, Tom" Captain Hayes added. "A dozen apes against a garrison … even one this small."
"I'm sure they were counting on us focusing on city explosions." March guessed. "That and maybe an element of luck or surprise. I'd never suspect a rag-tag band of Separatists misfits could get within 10 meters of this complex, let alone inside a secure structure."
"They killed over twenty men and women, Major" Lieutenant Greggs added as he filled the base commander in on the wounded and the other specifics he'd been part of. He was just about to conclude when Hayes broke in.
"Lieutenant, forgive me for the interruption. Sir, I think you should hear this." he said, tilting his head slightly as he put two fingers to his earpiece. "It's G-2. The ape we took prisoner was carrying a radio. It was destroyed by the grenade, but they retrieved the frequency. Sergeant Rica tuned that to one of our devices and sent out a bogus signal. The Ape isn't talking, but he did give his name. They used it when they transmitted." He paused for a second and then went on. "Someone answered."
"What?" March replied. "Did they get a fix?"
"They did Sir." Hayes said as he nodded. "They also sent out a heat-ping. We have two bodies approximately 70 meters to the southwest of the main gate. And they're on the move"
"Get a squad out there ASAP. I want them found and brought in … alive" March ordered. "They may be planning to hit us again. I think I'll have a talk with our guest"
*** Infirmary; Building Alpha, a few minutes later
"Wake him", The Base CO ordered.
The physician prepared a syringe and injected the stimulant into Barabbas's bandaged arm. The gorilla flinched and slowly regained consciousness. He instinctively struggled to sit up but was firmly strapped down. The pain from his wounds reminded him of that fact long before the restraints did.
"You're a popular little monkey Barabbas" March stated. "You've had quite the colorful life; a former, Territorial Nation, Staff Sergeant."
The man paused a second as he scrolled down the e-pad. "Hmmm – Captured during the fall of Caesarea by General St James, a key figure in the protest rally shortly after the ceasefire, arrested during the strike riots and a known member of the Separatist movement. And now this foolhardy stunt"
Barabbas showed no surprise, nor was there a change in his demeanor. He tilted his head forward and replied with, "Foolhardy stunt? We hit your capital, killed hundreds, we infiltrated this base and there's more of this on the way. The damage is done Major. The other two nations will think twice before they travel here to barter"
"Is all of that worth you being a cripple the rest of your life"? The Major replied. But he continued, not waiting for the answer
"More on the way, huh? Oh, you mean the rag-tag apes we picked up just outside the parameter? They're not going anywhere and they've been a lot more, loosed-tongue, than you." March lied. "They've told us plenty and are happy to sell you out to make a deal for themselves."
Hayes glanced over at Lieutenant Greggs, trying to hide a smirk and not give away the deception with any overt facial expressions. Greggs simply remained stoic. He had the perfect poker face. But the officer did use the natural pause in the conversation to give his two cents on the matter.
"We ought to just kill him, Sir". The man said with no manifested emotion. "We don't need anything further from him. Why waste the medical supplies on …this thing"?
Greggs had been raised under the boot of the Imperiam Monarch. And in that society treasonous acts such as this deserved torture & death. There wasn't room for debate or mercy. At times, that mentality was in conflict with the ideals of his newly adopted surroundings.
In a large way both Hayes and March agreed with Greggs. The ape prisoner was a zealot and he'd rained down fire and destruction on both human and ape. And though March didn't have the specific details on the missile attack, he was certain that women and children were among the dead and wounded.
"Johnny," March said looking at his XO. "You and Greggs make sure the base is secure and that no more, tourists, are lurking about. Keep us at high-alert until you're certain."
The man nodded, motioned to Greggs, and the two left the room.
*** Outside the compound
The Chimpanzee and his Orangutan companion watched as several dozen humans filled the outside of the compound. The apes were both barely out of their teens and we're only Separatists because their parents were part of its founding. Neither of them had any field experience nor had they had much contact with humans. But they were smart enough to know that Barabbas' plans had obviously gone sideways.
The radio at Galen's side went off; it's Barabbas, are you there?
Naively, the chimp replied, "Uhh, Barabbas?"
No reply – just dead air
"Well that is certainly odd." Galen mumbled as he scratched at his head.
"Come on, Galen," Zaius stated, "That was obviously the signal. Pick up the gear and let's move away from here. We know what we need to do."
"Do we Zaius?" The chimp questioned as he pondered their next move. "We're supposed to fire this thing into the living quarters of civilians?"
"They're humans, Galen. Not civilians" Zaius sneered back. "They'd skin and gut you without a thought, if things were reversed. Now I don't have time for a philosophical debate. Get off your butt and move it".
Galen shook his head and then nodded. "Ok, let's go before they find us"
"Follow me," the Orangutan whispered, "I've scouted this route so many times, and I could get there in my sleep, if necessary."
*** The city of Nixa, 20 minutes later.
The men had been following the apes ever since they'd pinpointed their location from the radio transmission. The simians were moving rapidly towards the dense housing settlement just outside of New Washington. And though they were carrying some heavy equipment, their pursuers were having difficulty keeping pace. Because of that they'd compromised some of their stealth. Galen had spotted one of the soldiers just before the two apes entered the civilian district.
A human corporal pointed to the south of his position and said, "That way Sarge; I have their bio-signatures locked, fifty, maybe, sixty meters, in that direction. It looks like they've finally stopped"
"Ok everyone, be smart" the husky gray headed NCO stated, catching his breath. "This isn't a war zone, it's residential. We don't need the locals freaking out because a crazed squad of armed soldiers are going up, and down, their streets with weapons hot."
"Gomez and Arcadian, you flank to the left and right, circle wide and come up on their six. Brooks, you go straight in at twelve o'clock, while Turner and I take ten and two." The Sergeant ordered. "It shouldn't be hard to spot a couple monkeys and don't shoot any friendlies. I don't want to hang because we massacred our own people. Use the tranq-guns we were issued. Now move out."
No sooner had he given the order when a loud hiss ripped through the air. That was followed by a large fireball rising in the sky.
"Son of a $# !" The Non-Com shouted. "They struck. Belay that last order; Standard sweeping formation. Screw the tranquilizers. We're taking them out."
"Sarge, I lost tracking …" the corporal stated.
The NCO shook his head in frustration. "I have a pretty good idea where they are, you idiot."
On a rooftop, several paces away Galen peered through his binoculars. "They're huddled together and talking."
The chimp exhaled and looked over at his companion. "Listen, Zaius, you want to be a, martyr for the cause, you go for it. I'm heading back to the encampment. A wise ape once said, he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day"
"Yeah, what wise ape said that"? He asked. Galen grinned and pointed to himself.
The orangutan began to dispute but contemplated the situation in his head. They had one rocket launcher, a radio pack, and a pistol with nine bullets. He held the firearm in his paw and then looked up at Galen. "Ok, wise old ape, just how do we, run away, from a mess like this? They obviously have our heat bios locked. We move anywhere and they'll eventually nab us."
"Not necessarily", Galen replied. "We can mask the human's sensing array with a signal overload. I've seen it done before. We launch this thing into that group of trees, there. We also, dump the equipment and fix the radio set to transmit continually on a rotating frequency. Between its signal and the RPG blast, we'll have time to bound to those buildings there and work our way out of the city. With any luck, they'll merge towards the explosion and ignore us"
He handed Zaius the binoculars as he flipped a few dials on the radio pack. He then grabbed the RPG as Zaius asked; "Do you think it'll work?"
"The heat from the blast will cover any bio signatures for several minutes." Galen explained. "They'll then look for radio signals to zone in on. That will eventually lead them here, but we'll be long gone by then".
"Hey they're on the move …" Zaius began to say, but his statement was drowned out by the rocket propelled grenade that had just left its home and obliterated the oak trees several paces away.
"Come on, my friend. No turning back now." Galen said, pulling at Zaius. The two young simians jumped with finesse, from rooftop to rooftop. Neither looked back as the adrenaline in their systems spiked.
It had taken the better part of two days to sort out the damage and secure the area. Barabbas and three other apes had been captured. The casings from the missiles were recovered; however, the terrorists who'd launched the rockets had managed to disappear.
Major March and his XO were meeting with the Human Coalition local leadership. For almost two centuries the military had been the ultimate authority. But with the established of the ceasefire and the reconstruction, mayors, governors, and other civilian committees had assumed positions of leadership. And to the Major it was now causing his blood pressure to rise.
"Let them go?" March shouted. "Did I hear that right? You want us to simply release them."
The New Washington Governor wasn't used to such a blunt confrontation, but he was a polished debater. "No, I never said that. This Barabbas, will be tried, and then hung, once he's found guilty. The others can go back to that band of misfits and let them know their attempted ploy failed."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing." March exclaimed. "General Childs cannot be onboard with this? Here are the numbers Governor, right from your staff, none the less; two hundred and fourteen known dead, eighty-six missing and presumed dead, three hundred wounded, twenty-seven buildings destroyed, along with ninety-two vehicles … And you want to let the few we captured just leave?"
One of the Governor's staff tried to neutralize the building pressure-pot before it burst. "Major, I'm thirty-three. I was born into a world where war was an everyday occurrence. Apes killed my mother and my two sisters before I was nine. I then witnessed the confrontation with the Empire and almost died when the Orbital Defense Network flattened everything and everyone. I saw my father go up into a ball of flames as he pushed me into the underground shelter. People are tired of war…"
Jon Hayes had a reputation for not knowing when to stay quiet, but every fiber within him was clawing to explode. "Does two hundred and fourteen dead, sound like peace to you? We need to execute those three apes and send a battalion, armed to the teeth, into the Separatist base. Ape City is only two days march from here. You want peace; you snuff them out once and for all."
"General Childs has given me sole authority until his return from Kawaka." Governor Ross Park stated firmly. The ape is to be sent to the N.W. Military Penal facility to await trial."
A few more verbal exchanges took place, but March finally gave up. Childs wasn't due back from his trip north for two months and the apes up there hadn't perfected their communications network as well as their cousins in the south had. He quickly realized he'd lost this one.
The following day Barabbas was transferred to a secure facility in the New Washington area. March had instructed his XO to take the two remaining apes, put them on horseback, and send them on their way.
The man nodded and mumbled something about taking care of it.
He and a squad of armed men led the prisoners to a dusty military truck. The two apes were placed in the bed of the vehicle and driven several miles to the outskirts of town. There, two horses sat. They were donned with saddles containing water and rations.
"You want to unshackle us human" One of the apes grinned.
A human soldier began to raise the butt of his weapon, but Hayes waved him off. "We have our orders, Corporal. Cut 'em loose but leave the ankle clamps on."
He looked up at the ape and snidely added, "Something to remember me by."
The apes were set free and began the long journey back to Ape City. Captain Hayes sent the squad of soldiers back to the vehicle, stating he was going to remain behind to make sure they'd actually left.
He stood there for a good twenty minutes puffing on a cigar. The man took one last hit and then dropped it on the ground. As he rubbed the butt of the object with the toe of his boot, he simultaneously reached into his pocket. The man drew out a small device and entered a digital code. Off in the distance he watched as the small ball of orange dust and fire rose high and eventually dissipate.
John Hayes was both a technological mastermind and an explosives expert. He'd built the volatile device into the leg-irons left on the simians. Orders or not, he wasn't letting two mass murderers simply waltz away. But he also wanted to protect his CO, so he'd orchestrated the entire plot himself.
"This is how you keep the peace, Governor", the man mumbled as he lit another cigar and walked back to the vehicle.
*** Ape City, several weeks later
The setback the Separatists experienced sparked internal chaos. Some saw the actions of Barabbas as heroic. He'd killed hundreds of their enemy. He'd penetrated a military compound and caused serious destruction. Yet others saw it as overly aggressive, accomplishing little in the big-picture, other than wasting the few resources they'd managed to amass.
"Urko, your brother is dead. And with him everyone except Galen and Zaius" an ape argued. "We lost weapons, equipment, and accomplished nothing."
Urko huffed. "I agree, Barabbas was too impulsive. His quest for a quick-fix caused an untimely and foolhardy death. But it was educational. The Alliance is tired of fighting. And to my surprise they're showing signs of stupidity. The humans didn't even retaliate. Besides, I think it's time for a fresh approach"
"A fresh approach?" Zaius asked.
"Yes," the gorilla replied, putting his paw on the orangutan's shoulder. "If we're patient, we can eventually obtain the power to deliver a crippling blow to the Alliance as a whole. We need to stop the raids and one-off ambushes. We lay low, like our dead human counterparts tried to. But only in appearance. We need technology, we need numbers, and we need to strike at all three of them at once."
"And I suppose you'll be the one leading us, eh Urko" A sarcastic voice blurted out.
"No, like my brother, I'm a soldier. I have no passion for politics." The ape stated. "But young Zaius here; he'd fit that role well."
"Me?!" the ape questioned. "I'm barely twenty years old, surely there are more qualified simians than me"
That only caused more rambling amongst the group. But whether he realized it or not he'd been a key voice in motivating the Separatists for months. Barabbas had spotted the potential long before Urko had. And though it would be several years before the Orangutan actually sat at the head of their council, he did possess a natural skill for politics.
In the years and month that followed, the apes kept a low profile as they amassed as much modern technology as possible. Urko formed a militia and Zaius went off to study the sciences. Galen, often pondered his own role in all of this. He had no love for humans, but he didn't really despise them as his peers did. The Chimpanzee initially wanted to study archaeology, but soon discovered he had a knack for technology. His interests soon turned from old dusty ruins to anything with a microprocessor.
The Alliance grew stronger over the years and the eventually unified under a single banner. But that is another story for another day.