Frontline News.
Slightly a.u.
Six days later, Cobra Commander, Destro, and Scrap Iron are overseeing a test of a humanoid robot against a S.N.A.K.E. robot. "Begin." The Commander ordered, and the two machines start walking towards each other. The shorter one, armed with a standard machine gun is able to get some hits, but they bounce off, and is grabbed by the older model.
"Your new robot is hardly what i would call a thing "not to trifle with", Destro; considering what you based it off of." Scrap Iron commented.
But the arms dealer scoffs. "The Gamesmaster's "soldiers" may have been no more effective than the ones from his Funhouse-" He replied, pointing to the Commander. "But it is nothing compared to my android; see?" He says next, pointing out that the S.N.A.K.E.'s right arm has been severed, and it is now being lifted off the ground and tossed forward.
A captured machinegun P.A.C./R.A.T. is sent in next, only for the android to use it's predecessor as cover. "Unlike the S.N.A.K.E., which can only use pre-programed maps to lumber about like a wrecking ball...the Battle Android Trooper relies on mobility and G.P.S. to out-perform it's opponents." Destro added.
"I'll, uh, I'll give you that." Scrap Iron replied, seeing the Android tear off one of the gun barrels and bash it apart. "Whew, far out."
"It iss, issn't it; you have permissssion to commencce production on them, Destro." Coba Commander says, only for the three to turn when they hear the door open.
"Commander, one of the Crimson Twins is here, he said something about a plan involving the Alaska pipeline." Lt. Clay Moore reported.
"Again?; Very well, letss see what they have in mind." Once in his office, he is informed of what that is. "Buying a whole portion of the United Ssstates?!; None of us have the fundsss for that, and even if we did, there's nothing there of any value except the pipeline!" The Commander says aloud.
But Tomax wagged a finger. "Nothing that we would want...But the Soviet's would; we could acquire the territory and offer it to them in exchange for their allegiance."
"Hmm, that would reversse the current losssses for both of us, wouldn't it?" The Commander says, then points his cane at him. "But you ssstill haven't explained how to pull it off?" He asked, and is shown a photo of a heavyset man with a comb-over. "And thiss isss?"
"His name is Georgi Potemkin. We can arrange for him to invoke the Alaska Purchase with a replica of the great seal." Tomax explained as he placed a container on the desk, and opened it to remove a goblet with gemstones on it. The Commander examined the object before asking when would be the best time to head to Moscow to meet Mr. Potemkin, only to be told that he was living in New Jersey.
"What, why there?"
"The thing is, Mr. Potemkin isn't a politician; he's an...entrepreneur of repurposed automo-"
"Get out; you must think i wasss hatc...born yesssterday if you think a dead beat ussed car sssalesman can accomplissh anything!" The Commander shouted.
"But Commander...think of the advantage this could give us; if we set him up as the new governor, the Soviets could have a foothold and the American's full attention."
"...You do have a point, they would likely divert the paccific fleet to keep watch on their Soviet counterpart, but what of the Joes...I'll allow thiss, but you'll only have one company of our forcesss; now go before i change my mind!"
"You won't regret it, Commander." Tomax says, and leaves with the replica seal.
Two and a half days later, Duke is setting up his tent when he hears Frostbite on his left with his rifle drawn telling him not to move.
"Him too...When did he get compromised?" He thinks to himself as he reaches for his pistol. The other Joe fires a shot, and Duke rolls to return fire when he hears the brush snapping behind him. "Huh?"
"Bear; it was poking about for a good 7 minutes." Frostbite says, then helps him up as the other three Joes run up.
"Duke, are you alright?" Scarlett asks him, and sighs when he nods.
"Yeah, thanks to Frostbite." Duke says, and wonders if that could have been the same bear from the aurora mission.
In the Oktober Guard camp, Col. Brekhov, Daina, Horrorshow, and the other troops are being led to sleighs with cages on them.
"Hey, should not push; no pushing, Cossack!" Horrorshow shouts.
"Why you be like that, you worry will smother Kamchatka if rolling over?" One guard asks, making the others laugh.
"Will smother you, imperialist pig shit!" Horrorshow replied, earning a jab to his back.
The Colonel and Daina scowl and struggle before the former sees one of the locals picking up one of their weapons.
"You put that back, is too different!" The Col. yelled to him.
The old leader of the Romanov soldiers walks over to the younger one and takes it before coming back. "How is motherlander's rifle different; explain please?" He asks as he turns it over.
"It is AK-74, a multi-round assault rifle." The Colonel tells him.
"Multi-round...assault...like lever action?" The leader asks. The Colonel says nothing, so he turns toward one of the helicopters and pulls the trigger, but nothing happens. "Must be frozen." He says under his breath, unaware of the invention of the safety mechanism, before walking back to the Col. "What more can you tell, why does hairless boar speak as if you are not from empire?"
Col. Brekhov takes a breath before explaining. "We are from political entity called Soviet Union, you would not know because was formed over 40 years ago after revolution in 1917."
"Revolution?"
"Yes; there was colossal war started in 1914, Tsar at time was Nicholas II, who was incapable of leading."
"Why colossal, was all Europe involved?"
"Europe, Asia, Middle east; even America, eventually."
The leader held a hand up and spoke to his men before returning. "A world war; must have been horrible."
"It was; despite of then latest technologies, machine gun, airplane, tank...or perhaps because of them, death toll was in millions."
The news shocked the men, the great country they had heard and dreamt of their whole lives was gone.
"I see; what of this, uh, union of your's?"
"Oh, is much better, but only if you are model citizen; if you buy western items, you are arrested. If you watch or listen to western media, you are arrested. If you speak ill of government outside or in home, you are arrested. Is sounding good, yes?"
A minute later, the three are in the lead sleigh. "I answer all questions; why do we get arrested?"
Daina glares at him while Horrorshow scoots aside. "Colonel...Shut up!"
While the attack is going on, the Baroness has broken the case holding the seal, only for Lukrov to aim a flintlock at her. "Stop, seal is ours."
"Bravery is respected, but seal is property of Cobra now!" She says while ducking behind a pew and drawing a pistol.
"You are from motherland, too; how can you do this?" Lukrov asked her.
She laughs in response. "It means nothing, i am not the first to wrong my fellow Russian." She tells him, and stands. He hesitates for a second before firing, only to miss, allowing her to hit him in the leg. "And i will not be the last." She is about to shoot again when she hears a window shatter on her right.
"Yo Joe!" Green-shirt Nash shouts as he charges.
She ducks behind another pew and gets her walky talky. "I need covery fire!" She yells, and the H.I.S.S. responds.
"Whoa...You ok there, Mr.?" Nash shouts to Lukrov.
"Have been better, thank you burnt one; but seal?"
"Burnt one?...Oh; this ain't soot, I'm an African-American; Sgt. Nash." Nash explained.
"My apologies, Sgt.; to you and to one called Roadblock." Lukrov says to him after rubbing his eyes, but he waves it off.
"Eh, no big deal, we just got to get that seal of your's back."
Chapter nineteen. Read and review.
