And The Struggle Continues.
Author Chick's Notes: History time! I got bored and decided to inject a little fun into the chapter. ^^ Not to mention some quality education. Disclaimers in Chapter 1.
And The Struggle Continues.
It had been several days since the group from the west coast had arrived at the Baroness' mansion in D.C. Mainframe showed Chaz, Sci-Fi, and Tripwire the computers they had discovered and stood back and laughed as the three cracked the system in no time flat. Something the Baroness had said made sense to Mainframe, after Chaz took a look at the file names that had been retrieved and figured out what each one meant.
Destro had apparently programmed the master files into the CRAY's. Before his execution he had enjoyed a hobby surrounding historical figures, his particular favourites were despots and tyrannical rulers. Chaz immediately recognized several file names as things and people associated with Shaka, the great king of the Zulu people in the early eighteen hundreds.
"They got 'mfecane' right." The young Boer growled as he reorganized the files.
"Em fa kah nee?" Mainframe asked, tripping over the African word a little.
"It means 'the crushing' in Zulu. It's how Shaka reorganized the African nations as he conquered them." Chaz explained. "It's basic history in school in South Africa, and my Nan made sure I knew all of it." He added. Chaz pulled up one of the files in the computer and laughed. "Looks like tin head was going to overthrow the head snake after all."
When asked to explain, Chaz went on to tell them that a file named for Shaka's brother was actually plans for overthrowing Cobra Commander and seizing complete control of the empire.
"Like the old saying goes." Sci-Fi drawled. "No honour among thieves."
"Well this file was aptly named. Dingane assassinated Shaka, and then his co conspirators before he too was assassinated." Chaz laughed. "I guess history repeats itself after all." It took Chaz a little over three hours to translate what had stumped Mainframe for almost four months.
"Hell. If I knew it was going to be this easy, I'd have asked for you to show up months ago." Mainframe snorted while the trio reorganized and renamed the files.
"Not entirely." Tripwire spoke up. "On the west coast, they were using the history of the Han dynasty, particularly Wu Di as their code."
"I knew I should have paid more attention in history class." Mainframe joked.
Chaz made a comment under his breath that the elder man didn't miss. As they were wrapping up, Sci-Fi programmed a new access code and password into the system. "Still on the history kick?" Chaz asked when he saw what Sci-Fi had entered.
"Yup." Sci-Fi smirked.
"So what is so important about the third of July?" Chaz asked.
Mainframe saw what Sci-Fi had typed in and laughed. "What was that about ignorance is bliss?" He teased Chaz.
Sci-Fi smirked before enlightening Chaz as to what the significance of the numbers he'd punched in, meant. "First off, this is the States. If that was a date it would read March seventh, not July third. Secondly, it ain't a date."
"No, but it does scream you." Mainframe laughed.
"Okay then. What does it mean?" Chaz asked again.
"Let's just say if you saw three, seven, seventy seven painted on your front door or the sign of your business, you had three hours, seven minutes and seventy seven seconds to get as far away as possible." Sci-Fi smirked.
"Or…?"
"Or you'd find yourself in a hole, three feet wide, seven feet long and seventy seven inches deep…and you'd be dead when the vigilance committee lowered you into it." Sci-Fi then explained the vigilante movement during the gold rush days of the old west and that the number was especially significant when it came to his home state of Montana. "Hell, it's so ingrained into the Montanan mindset that the highway patrol had it in its emblem." He added.
"It might also explain why the militia movement was so popular in Montana before the snakes took over." Mainframe laughed.
"Oh go play with a computer or something you sun baked lizard." Sci-Fi huffed.
Chaz stared between the two as they began to tease each other in earnest, Tripwire just rolled his eyes and copied some information they had retrieved before shutting the system off. Chaz heard Tripwire cough under his breath and turned towards his friend. A second cough got no response from the other two so Tripwire frowned, Chaz recognized the look and smirked.
"If the children are quite done arguing!" Tripwire started, grabbing Mainframe and Sci-Fi's complete and undivided attention. "Let's start putting this to good use, shall we?" He suggested, holding up the disc he'd just copied. Tripwire turned to leave and Chaz followed.
Mainframe glanced to Sci-Fi then towards the door. "You're the wife aren't you?" He asked.
"Now how did you guess that?" Sci-Fi groaned as they also left the room.
Steeler looked up when he heard the door open. Tripwire came in holding the disc he'd copied and smiled. "This is what you wanted right?" He asked.
Steeler took the disc and after placing it into the computer, started pulling up the data. Tripwire explained that they had renamed the files and changed the access codes. Steeler read the file they had named 'Stashed stuff' and began reading. Tripwire had already been filled in about the lieutenant's dark mood and said nothing as Steeler went over the information. "Mt Graham?" Steeler asked when he saw one of the locals listed as a storehouse.
"COBRA got their hands on that?" Tripwire asked as he stepped behind the desk to read over Steeler's shoulder.
"Apparently. Why?"
Tripwire groaned and wondered what else COBRA had gotten access too while they were in control of the world. "Graham is the site of a top secret military command post. They had access to all the nukes."
"Like Cheyenne in Colorado?" Steeler asked. Tripwire explained about the base they were looking at and Steeler figured that in this reality, the government had used Arizona instead of Colorado as the site for their top-secret air defense system.
"No. This wasn't air defense. Mt Graham was where the majority of the nuclear arms access was." Tripwire explained. "They were ready for incoming strikes from the Soviets but their main purpose was attack."
Steeler shook his head and accepted what he'd been told. This was after all a different reality from what he knew and he was always learning something new about this world. "Okay then, so tell me about Graham and why it was so important to COBRA…besides being able to nuke the place if they wanted."
Tripwire smirked. "It is the site of the largest man-made cave in the US. Plenty of room to warehouse stolen supplies."
"Hmm." Steeler punched up a communications link. "Anna? Mt Graham?" He asked when the Baroness answered his hail.
"What about it?" She listened as Steeler explained what Tripwire had just told him and smacked her hand to her forehead. "That's why it always took a few days for large supply shipments to arrive! It was out west."
Steeler and Tripwire listened in as she explained that she would send a recon out to the area to investigate. Cutting the transmission Steeler looked up at Tripwire. "Where's yer other half by the way?"
Tripwire glanced behind him and saw that his beloved was nowhere to be found. Frowning he turned back to Steeler. "Probably still arguing over who had the best vigilantes in the old west with Mainframe." At Steeler's raised eyebrow, Tripwire explained. "Let's just say history paid out for us and they got a little carried away."
"I'll take your word for it." Steeler offered.
In an auditorium in the mansion, Imani listened in as the daily reports were being read out. Imani and Dusty were taking a few days to get acquainted with the methods of the new armed forces before adding their muscle to the movement. Dusty had asked Imani to listen in for him as he caught up on the weaponry side of things. After the briefing ended, the group dispersed. Imani rose from her seat and went towards the front of the auditorium to speak with the presenter of the briefing.
Standing on her tiptoes, she leaned forward on the podium and watched as Torpedo put his notes away. Sensing he was being watched, the SEAL turned and smiled. "Aloha little anuinui." He greeted. Imani smirked up at the nickname he'd given her during the overthrow attempt before returning his greeting.
"Although I still have never seen one." She added, referring to what 'anuinui' meant.
"Dat's 'cause dey don't have rainbows in da desert." He laughed. Torpedo folded his arms and leaned forward to give her a kiss on her forehead. "I thought dat was you in da back dere." He added.
Imani smirked again before noticing the dog tags hanging from his neck. She recognized the name on one of them as she took them in her hand. "You truly cared for him didn't you?" She asked, thumbing Deep Six's tag.
Torpedo traced a finger over the embossed lettering for a moment. "He was my best friend. Hell, da closest thing I wen have to a brother." Torpedo explained. Imani understood his loss and nodded. After a few silent moments, Torpedo grinned at his guest. "I take it you want for do more den just reminisce?"
"Yes." Imani answered. "Dusty and I are here to help with snakes after all."
"I so wanted for hear you say dat." Torpedo laughed.
As the two talked another man entered the auditorium. "G'day guppy." He greeted Torpedo. "Kin?" He added referring to Imani.
Torpedo laughed. "You remember Dusty right?" At the man's 'yes', Torpedo continued. "Dis is Mrs Dusty." He grinned jerking his thumb at Imani.
The man's eyes shot wide open as he was introduced to Imani. "Cor, he likes em young doesn't he?"
"I am a little older then I look." Imani offered.
"Barely." Torpedo snorted.
"I did say 'little'." Imani retorted.
"Dan, dis is Imani Tadur. Imani, dis is Dan Bennet of da SAS. He spent his time during da occupation keeping COBRA out of da Outback." Torpedo said as he introduced the two. "Dan goes by Skymate sometimes." He added.
After the introductions were concluded, Skymate looked to Torpedo. "Zandar's back. They found it."
"For real, Cuz?"
Skymate nodded. "Yeah they found it. Zandar's the only one who got out alive though." Torpedo and Imani both shared a look of shock as Skymate explained that Zandar was going over his information with the Baroness at that moment. "We might as well hang out here, because they'll be giving a briefing in a few." Skymate added.
The trio remained silent for a moment before Skymate snapped his fingers. "Wait a sec, this is the kid you said was the lethal shot?" He asked Torpedo, referring to Imani.
"Don't let dat sweet angelic face fool you…she's mean." Torpedo smirked as he nodded his head 'yes'.
"Well then. I look forward to blasting the hell out of shite with you, Love." Skymate bowed dramatically.
"I like him." Imani grinned.
"Yeah, just don't piss her off 'mate'." Dusty's voice chimed in from the back of the room. "She has no qualms about putting people in their place."
"Let me guess." Skymate smirked as Dusty stepped behind Imani. "She has a firm grip on the tackle."
Imani leaned against her husband as he snorted a laugh. "Oh yeah. I'm surprised she hasn't ripped anything off yet." Dusty said as he hugged his petite wife. Imani rolled her eyes at the three men before they all heard a commotion coming from the back of the auditorium.
"Looks like dey ready for debriefing." Torpedo muttered as he rose from his leaning position on the podium.
TBC…