Chapter 13
Cobra Command Station was truly a marvel of engineering and were it not for the ability of Cobra General (then Commander) to instill fanatical political ideals in the minds of even the most brillant scientist then it might not have happened. Credit also went to the internet and the open publication of scientiffic secrets in the era of free information. The device cut across every single functioning frequency on the planet as it decloaked from space and begin it's death descent towards the United States of America's capital.
General Hawk who was only able to stand tall, proud, and regal despite the limits of human endurance he was testing by the knowledge his leadership was needed watched the appearence of the most foul creature he had ever known come onto the screen. Cobra Commander aka Snakes was once again dressed in the blue mask that hid all but his vile eyes. His uniform was covered in dozens of medals for more military action and valor than any man could earn in a lifetime, even if Cobra medals were worth the tin they were minted from. Clayton Albernathy only hoped that the people of the world were still intelligent enough to know that it was the man who made the rank not the rank itself, image could win nations.
"People of Planet Earth, I have returned. Two decades ago I waged a fierce war upon the corrupt and purile institutions that I saw had infested the planet like the rats that carried the Black Death. Today I declare this long running struggle at an end in my complete victory!" Cobra Commander could hardly keep himself from bursting out into maniacal laughter of triumph. General Hawk who only thrown up once in his life after a particularly wild victory celebration actually felt nauseous from the near-truth of his words.
"You slimy piece of...." Duke slammed his fist into his hands as he felt his face, he'd just got off from a three hour call with his wife and children who were in the process of evacuating to the United States's safe areas.
"Your military infrastructures are in ruins! Your leadership has been felled! Even your precacious October Guard, G.I. Joe, and Action Force is exterminated! Half the world has already seen the benefits of surrender to our most illustrious reign and it is now time for the rest of the planet to see simalarily so. Since the precision strikes of Jupiter's thunder have not been enough to convince you of the absolute futility of resistance in the face of Cobra domination...it is time to show you truly what the Cobra man is capable of!" Cobra Commander clenched his fist in front of the camera and a chill ran up the spine of every man in military command.
"I can't imagine what they've got now to throw at us," Duke said as he tried to get his mind off Scarlet. He loved his wife and family but he had never thought that he wouldn't be able to go to her and be with her anymore, he expected she'd outlive him. He hoped there was a cold dark pit in hell for Cobra Commander and his second in command for what they'd done to her. His other friends and his very nation were like wounds whose pain was drowned out by the magnitude of that one.
"Despite being a scientist and doctor of many diverse fields, as well as a scholar and professor....I will not bore you with the minor details of what is about to occur to the planet. Suffice to say..." Cobra Commander turned and pointed to a large map of the United States with extendable pointer as he gestured to the original states of the Union. "That this entire region will be rendered uninhabitable by the dropping of Jupiter's Thunder ontop of the city of Washington D.C. as its highly volatile power core is set to detonate at that exact moment thus releasing an explosion of immeasurable power that will cause the oceans to burn in flames, the air to become an accelerant, along with triggering a variety of natural disasters that will be felt all over the world. Furthermore the radiation cloud that will be spread by this quite deliberate operation will kill any beings unfortunate to be in it's path by slow incurable poisoning of the cells,"
"Jesus Christ, no minor details my..." Mainframe was the only man who could sputter anything out at the demonic plan.
"You could attempt to destroy the station before it lands but our defenses are quite capable of shooting down anything that you might throw at us which would mean merely merely dumping more radiation over your precacious civilization, though given the results I suppose you have nothing to lose by it. This action by the way is non-negiotiable and is a punishment for the hubris that the Americas have always displayed towards Cobra power. With this demonstration I hope sincerely that all resistance will end. We will sacrafice any number of lives to achieve our victoy and we have no thought to our own. Cobra Commander out," Cobra Commander said as the signal turned off.
"General is their any chance of evacuating..." Duke began before General Hawk cut him off.
"None whatsoever," Clayton Albernathy sat down in his chair and put his hands to his head. There was simply too much to deal with and not enough firepower, men, or honor left among those under his command to deal with the mammoth threat that broken the will of the planet. He hadn't wanted to acknowledge the truth but now he couldn't help it, Cobra was on the verge of winning and America was going to die for the world's weakness before evil.
Duke placed his hand on Hawk's shoulder and embraced his stepfather. He wasn't going to give the man he admired most on the Earth platitudes about how they were going to win this battle because they were right, even though Conrad Hauser believed that in his heart that somehow the Snakes would be defeated. "We won't give up hope General. Even if Cobra does destroy everything we've known, we will die on our feet rather than on our knees. Perhaps that will give men an example to live by and eventually win the war we couldn't,"
General Hawk nodded his head and rose up one last time for command as he took Duke by the hand and shook it firmly "Thank you, I needed that General," he said with proud look in his face.
***
Falcon listened to the radio broadcast as he took a moment to look at the remains of the battle-field. For every ten soldiers that the younger Albernathy had led into battle, one man had lived to the end of the battle and he wasn't sure how many of them would pull through given many had suffered severe wounds. Cobra's army had fought to the last man and not a single man or woman had surrendered, forcing the United States military to utterly annihiliate them. Now the announcement by Cobra Commander meant that this was the most pointless victory that the USA had won since Andrew Jackson had won the battle of New Orleans.
"Well isn't this a hurricane in the Bermuda Triangle in a leaky wooden sailboat," Ship wreck said as he smoked a cigarette and leaned back on the boat that he had driven into the battle, cool as a cucumber. Falcon who would probably never play the piano again, not that he had since he was six, wondered just how many screws were loose in Delgado that made him able to deal with stress like this. Probably the mission where Cobra had royally messed with his head using synthoids.
"You have a way with words Ship wreck," Falcon said even as he looked at the Sergeant's body and wished he had a good stiff drink. The old soldier had fought tooth and nail and gone down with about twenty Cobra soldiers trying to take him with him. If Falcon had thought about counting the laser burns on his body he'd probably come up with about ten. Slaughter had been the man who'd taught Falcon a great deal about respecting what being a G.I. Joe meant. He had been a good soldier, a great one to wear the green beret but without Slaughter he never would have known whether or not he was a member of the best team in the world on his own merits.
"Well my glib tongue ain't going to do much to save the United States I can tell you that," Ship wreck muttered even as he petted his parrot who was probably the only one who had gotten through the battle without a scratch.
"Yeah," Falcon said, not really having anything else to say. His father and brother were in Washington D.C. which meant at any moment he might lose them forever. There was worse running through his mind including the little kids of Scarlet, Flint, and Lady Jaye up in New England and what his kids would do living under a flag that bore the Cobra hood. He smacked his head and slammed himself against the side of the boat Ship wreck was next too, too much introspection destroyed the brain.
"What you need sailor is a good stiff drink and a woman that's what I've got to say," Ship Wreck slapped Falcon over the shoulder and gave him a big grin.
"All the good places are likely to be evacuated Ship wreck....oh yeah and I'm married," Falcon added as an after thought as he stole one of Delgado's cigarettes.
"Oh yeah, Snake Eyes would kill you if you did anything behind Jinx's back too," Ship wreck chuckled, a bit of gallows humor for an awful occasion.
"No, SHE'D kill me. Snake Eyes would just mutiliate the body," Falcon sighed and bit into the wrapping on his hand.
"Well there's alot of men out there Vincent who need someone to talk to them. They need to know that Cobra about to blow up the planet or not that what they've done here matters. It's a damn small group of people who ever expected to see fighting on U.S. soil, let alone fighting like this. We may not be able to do anything about old Raghead's flying bomb in the air but it didn't seem like we could much about them taking over television either. It all worked out in the end and the fact is that after today they're are a helluv lot snakes left in the world. Were we in Ireland and this Saint Patrick's day then I'd say it was prophetic," Ship Wreck gave the most meaningful speach of his life that moment, which was kind of sad.
"I'll tell them that Ship wreck. Thanks," Falcon said looking at the men and knowing just how much was required of following in the footsteps of his family's heritage.
"No problem Colonel. Just make sure my combat pay is especially generous," the sailor said, adjusting his cap.
***
Destro watched causally as Scarlet disabled the guards in the prison control center and then promptly tied them up. It was profoundly messy business and the Scottish arms dealer was very glad that he had given up leading the Iron Grenadiers, it was just no longer his idea of a good time. He was furthermore glad that Cobra Commander had the i.q. somewhere between seven and nine for leading the majority of Cobra's military structure down below to the Earth, it made their job immensley easier.
"You heard the announcement of Cobra Commander, we need to get a move on," Scarlet said as she searched the nearby computer for word on where the G.I. Team that had been captured earlier was being held. If they were going to do something to save the world's leaders and the United States they were going to need help doing it.
"I am aware of the magnitude of our current predicament Miss O'Hara. I furthermore am anxious to advert this disaster myself. With the sheer volume of life at stake it is quite possible that not only shall I emerge from this with my freedom but perhaps even the mantle of hero," Destro chuckled to himself at the ironic image of himself shaking hands with the President of the United States and perhaps going 'legitamate'.
"My God that is all you think about isn't it, what's in it for you?" Scarlet said even as she got the code for the team's location. Cobra Command Station had a hell of a lot of cells for being little more than a giant laser attached to a generator.
"When I was only a boy Scarlet, I was made aware of my father's business in a most rude way. My grandfather had to explain that the British government had ordered his murder. He had supplied weapons to the Nazi regime out of desire to see Scotland freed of the British yolk and the Soviets destroyed for some vague connection to the Russian monarchy. When the full depths of his allies depravity had become known to my father, he turned over all the information he had on them and our manufacturing plants operating under Hitler's supervision abroad. It was insturmental in winning the war for the side of the Allies. However the business was still a potential threat and many hated him for all he'd done. I knew on that day that the only thing I would have done differently in that situation was not have allowed my conscience to interfere with business," Destro said upfront as he clenched his gauntlets tightly and thought about the revenge he had wanted to inflict upon the rest of the planet that had never been fufilled. All his efforts had merely left his family holdings bankrupt and the hole in his stomach from his father's death as bitter as ever.
"I'm sorry I asked," Scarlet muttered as they began their walk down the anti-septic stainless steel corridors of the dungeon level.
"Please do not mock my pain," Destro said with a slight growl to his voice.
"I'm sorry Destro that your father was killed. I really am. However I'm not going to pretend that somehow gives you the license to engage in human experimentation, appeasing evil subterrainian entities, selling weapons to every man on the planet, and advising the most evil man in the world to get into the position he currently is in. Everyone in Cobra has a sob story that somehow makes them more pitable than someone to hate and I know more than anyone what it's like to want think it makes everything better but it doesn't," Scarlet shook her head with a sigh and finally reached the site of the G.I. Joe team. They looked like they were playing cards.
"What the hell took you guys so long?" Demolition Derby looked up with a devlish grin.
"Shut up. we've got a station to destroy," Scarlet smiled and opened the door as she turned to Destro. Surprisingly the Scottish royal had taken the time to dissapear.
Cobra Command Station was truly a marvel of engineering and were it not for the ability of Cobra General (then Commander) to instill fanatical political ideals in the minds of even the most brillant scientist then it might not have happened. Credit also went to the internet and the open publication of scientiffic secrets in the era of free information. The device cut across every single functioning frequency on the planet as it decloaked from space and begin it's death descent towards the United States of America's capital.
General Hawk who was only able to stand tall, proud, and regal despite the limits of human endurance he was testing by the knowledge his leadership was needed watched the appearence of the most foul creature he had ever known come onto the screen. Cobra Commander aka Snakes was once again dressed in the blue mask that hid all but his vile eyes. His uniform was covered in dozens of medals for more military action and valor than any man could earn in a lifetime, even if Cobra medals were worth the tin they were minted from. Clayton Albernathy only hoped that the people of the world were still intelligent enough to know that it was the man who made the rank not the rank itself, image could win nations.
"People of Planet Earth, I have returned. Two decades ago I waged a fierce war upon the corrupt and purile institutions that I saw had infested the planet like the rats that carried the Black Death. Today I declare this long running struggle at an end in my complete victory!" Cobra Commander could hardly keep himself from bursting out into maniacal laughter of triumph. General Hawk who only thrown up once in his life after a particularly wild victory celebration actually felt nauseous from the near-truth of his words.
"You slimy piece of...." Duke slammed his fist into his hands as he felt his face, he'd just got off from a three hour call with his wife and children who were in the process of evacuating to the United States's safe areas.
"Your military infrastructures are in ruins! Your leadership has been felled! Even your precacious October Guard, G.I. Joe, and Action Force is exterminated! Half the world has already seen the benefits of surrender to our most illustrious reign and it is now time for the rest of the planet to see simalarily so. Since the precision strikes of Jupiter's thunder have not been enough to convince you of the absolute futility of resistance in the face of Cobra domination...it is time to show you truly what the Cobra man is capable of!" Cobra Commander clenched his fist in front of the camera and a chill ran up the spine of every man in military command.
"I can't imagine what they've got now to throw at us," Duke said as he tried to get his mind off Scarlet. He loved his wife and family but he had never thought that he wouldn't be able to go to her and be with her anymore, he expected she'd outlive him. He hoped there was a cold dark pit in hell for Cobra Commander and his second in command for what they'd done to her. His other friends and his very nation were like wounds whose pain was drowned out by the magnitude of that one.
"Despite being a scientist and doctor of many diverse fields, as well as a scholar and professor....I will not bore you with the minor details of what is about to occur to the planet. Suffice to say..." Cobra Commander turned and pointed to a large map of the United States with extendable pointer as he gestured to the original states of the Union. "That this entire region will be rendered uninhabitable by the dropping of Jupiter's Thunder ontop of the city of Washington D.C. as its highly volatile power core is set to detonate at that exact moment thus releasing an explosion of immeasurable power that will cause the oceans to burn in flames, the air to become an accelerant, along with triggering a variety of natural disasters that will be felt all over the world. Furthermore the radiation cloud that will be spread by this quite deliberate operation will kill any beings unfortunate to be in it's path by slow incurable poisoning of the cells,"
"Jesus Christ, no minor details my..." Mainframe was the only man who could sputter anything out at the demonic plan.
"You could attempt to destroy the station before it lands but our defenses are quite capable of shooting down anything that you might throw at us which would mean merely merely dumping more radiation over your precacious civilization, though given the results I suppose you have nothing to lose by it. This action by the way is non-negiotiable and is a punishment for the hubris that the Americas have always displayed towards Cobra power. With this demonstration I hope sincerely that all resistance will end. We will sacrafice any number of lives to achieve our victoy and we have no thought to our own. Cobra Commander out," Cobra Commander said as the signal turned off.
"General is their any chance of evacuating..." Duke began before General Hawk cut him off.
"None whatsoever," Clayton Albernathy sat down in his chair and put his hands to his head. There was simply too much to deal with and not enough firepower, men, or honor left among those under his command to deal with the mammoth threat that broken the will of the planet. He hadn't wanted to acknowledge the truth but now he couldn't help it, Cobra was on the verge of winning and America was going to die for the world's weakness before evil.
Duke placed his hand on Hawk's shoulder and embraced his stepfather. He wasn't going to give the man he admired most on the Earth platitudes about how they were going to win this battle because they were right, even though Conrad Hauser believed that in his heart that somehow the Snakes would be defeated. "We won't give up hope General. Even if Cobra does destroy everything we've known, we will die on our feet rather than on our knees. Perhaps that will give men an example to live by and eventually win the war we couldn't,"
General Hawk nodded his head and rose up one last time for command as he took Duke by the hand and shook it firmly "Thank you, I needed that General," he said with proud look in his face.
***
Falcon listened to the radio broadcast as he took a moment to look at the remains of the battle-field. For every ten soldiers that the younger Albernathy had led into battle, one man had lived to the end of the battle and he wasn't sure how many of them would pull through given many had suffered severe wounds. Cobra's army had fought to the last man and not a single man or woman had surrendered, forcing the United States military to utterly annihiliate them. Now the announcement by Cobra Commander meant that this was the most pointless victory that the USA had won since Andrew Jackson had won the battle of New Orleans.
"Well isn't this a hurricane in the Bermuda Triangle in a leaky wooden sailboat," Ship wreck said as he smoked a cigarette and leaned back on the boat that he had driven into the battle, cool as a cucumber. Falcon who would probably never play the piano again, not that he had since he was six, wondered just how many screws were loose in Delgado that made him able to deal with stress like this. Probably the mission where Cobra had royally messed with his head using synthoids.
"You have a way with words Ship wreck," Falcon said even as he looked at the Sergeant's body and wished he had a good stiff drink. The old soldier had fought tooth and nail and gone down with about twenty Cobra soldiers trying to take him with him. If Falcon had thought about counting the laser burns on his body he'd probably come up with about ten. Slaughter had been the man who'd taught Falcon a great deal about respecting what being a G.I. Joe meant. He had been a good soldier, a great one to wear the green beret but without Slaughter he never would have known whether or not he was a member of the best team in the world on his own merits.
"Well my glib tongue ain't going to do much to save the United States I can tell you that," Ship wreck muttered even as he petted his parrot who was probably the only one who had gotten through the battle without a scratch.
"Yeah," Falcon said, not really having anything else to say. His father and brother were in Washington D.C. which meant at any moment he might lose them forever. There was worse running through his mind including the little kids of Scarlet, Flint, and Lady Jaye up in New England and what his kids would do living under a flag that bore the Cobra hood. He smacked his head and slammed himself against the side of the boat Ship wreck was next too, too much introspection destroyed the brain.
"What you need sailor is a good stiff drink and a woman that's what I've got to say," Ship Wreck slapped Falcon over the shoulder and gave him a big grin.
"All the good places are likely to be evacuated Ship wreck....oh yeah and I'm married," Falcon added as an after thought as he stole one of Delgado's cigarettes.
"Oh yeah, Snake Eyes would kill you if you did anything behind Jinx's back too," Ship wreck chuckled, a bit of gallows humor for an awful occasion.
"No, SHE'D kill me. Snake Eyes would just mutiliate the body," Falcon sighed and bit into the wrapping on his hand.
"Well there's alot of men out there Vincent who need someone to talk to them. They need to know that Cobra about to blow up the planet or not that what they've done here matters. It's a damn small group of people who ever expected to see fighting on U.S. soil, let alone fighting like this. We may not be able to do anything about old Raghead's flying bomb in the air but it didn't seem like we could much about them taking over television either. It all worked out in the end and the fact is that after today they're are a helluv lot snakes left in the world. Were we in Ireland and this Saint Patrick's day then I'd say it was prophetic," Ship Wreck gave the most meaningful speach of his life that moment, which was kind of sad.
"I'll tell them that Ship wreck. Thanks," Falcon said looking at the men and knowing just how much was required of following in the footsteps of his family's heritage.
"No problem Colonel. Just make sure my combat pay is especially generous," the sailor said, adjusting his cap.
***
Destro watched causally as Scarlet disabled the guards in the prison control center and then promptly tied them up. It was profoundly messy business and the Scottish arms dealer was very glad that he had given up leading the Iron Grenadiers, it was just no longer his idea of a good time. He was furthermore glad that Cobra Commander had the i.q. somewhere between seven and nine for leading the majority of Cobra's military structure down below to the Earth, it made their job immensley easier.
"You heard the announcement of Cobra Commander, we need to get a move on," Scarlet said as she searched the nearby computer for word on where the G.I. Team that had been captured earlier was being held. If they were going to do something to save the world's leaders and the United States they were going to need help doing it.
"I am aware of the magnitude of our current predicament Miss O'Hara. I furthermore am anxious to advert this disaster myself. With the sheer volume of life at stake it is quite possible that not only shall I emerge from this with my freedom but perhaps even the mantle of hero," Destro chuckled to himself at the ironic image of himself shaking hands with the President of the United States and perhaps going 'legitamate'.
"My God that is all you think about isn't it, what's in it for you?" Scarlet said even as she got the code for the team's location. Cobra Command Station had a hell of a lot of cells for being little more than a giant laser attached to a generator.
"When I was only a boy Scarlet, I was made aware of my father's business in a most rude way. My grandfather had to explain that the British government had ordered his murder. He had supplied weapons to the Nazi regime out of desire to see Scotland freed of the British yolk and the Soviets destroyed for some vague connection to the Russian monarchy. When the full depths of his allies depravity had become known to my father, he turned over all the information he had on them and our manufacturing plants operating under Hitler's supervision abroad. It was insturmental in winning the war for the side of the Allies. However the business was still a potential threat and many hated him for all he'd done. I knew on that day that the only thing I would have done differently in that situation was not have allowed my conscience to interfere with business," Destro said upfront as he clenched his gauntlets tightly and thought about the revenge he had wanted to inflict upon the rest of the planet that had never been fufilled. All his efforts had merely left his family holdings bankrupt and the hole in his stomach from his father's death as bitter as ever.
"I'm sorry I asked," Scarlet muttered as they began their walk down the anti-septic stainless steel corridors of the dungeon level.
"Please do not mock my pain," Destro said with a slight growl to his voice.
"I'm sorry Destro that your father was killed. I really am. However I'm not going to pretend that somehow gives you the license to engage in human experimentation, appeasing evil subterrainian entities, selling weapons to every man on the planet, and advising the most evil man in the world to get into the position he currently is in. Everyone in Cobra has a sob story that somehow makes them more pitable than someone to hate and I know more than anyone what it's like to want think it makes everything better but it doesn't," Scarlet shook her head with a sigh and finally reached the site of the G.I. Joe team. They looked like they were playing cards.
"What the hell took you guys so long?" Demolition Derby looked up with a devlish grin.
"Shut up. we've got a station to destroy," Scarlet smiled and opened the door as she turned to Destro. Surprisingly the Scottish royal had taken the time to dissapear.