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Slightly A.U.

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"Ripcord's dead." Lady-Jaye tells him. "His Skystriker and the rest were taken out by this big black and grey jet that was with the Rattlers."

The Joes behind Col. Sharp all share a look of shock and uncertainty at the idea. Losing a Green-shirt was one thing, but none of them knew how to react to hearing that a Joe is dead since it had been a long time since Shooter was K.I.A.

Grand Slam and Klaxon didn't count.

"No way; the damn scaly's actually killed one of us?"/"Has this ever happened before?"/"The only Joe ever intentionally killed was Shooter." Recondo, Iceberg, and Short-Fuze say to each other.

"That must be the same aircraft Top Notch's people discovered." Col. Sharp thinks. "Can you confirm that he's dead?" He then requests, and Duke steps forward and shows a fragment of flight-helmet with half of an "o" and an "rd" on it.

"The Alacrity's divers found it after she helped drive off the Cobra fighters, sir."

After slowly nodding, Col. Sharp speaks again. "Hmm; that would explain Airborne's actions a while ago." He and the Joes behind him look down in mourning. Once they look back up, he explains that Airborne entered his office to say that he saw an image of Ripcord making a blocking motion for a split-second.

Some of the ones behind Duke however didn't take it as well. "What, that asshole knew and didn't warn us?!"/"Alpine, at ease; that's an order!"/"He only sees things as they happen, not before."/"Shut up, i don't give a shit!"/"Bazooka, Roadblock; get him into the brig to cool off." Alpine, Adm. Ledger, Flash (from stateside), and Duke all say before the latter looks back.

"Sorry about that, sir."

"Nothing to apologize for, Duke. We'll notify his family and turn over his personal effects. Other than that, what happened to Mullaney and Shipwreck?" The Colonel asks.

Duke steps back for Lady-Jaye. "Mullaney disappeared after we were attacked by a Firebat. There were no remains that we could see; so if he is alive, god help him."

"...Did you find out anything else from him, Lady-Jaye?"

"Yes sir, he says the last ingredient is being kept at Temple Alpha."

Hearing those last two words, Col. Sharp thinks back to the time after Shipwreck and Gung-Ho's rescue of Dr. Renault.

Flashback.

He and Gen. Abernathy were watching Breaker, Mainframe, and Morelli go over the database of "Sandcastle", the codename of the "fortress" they found. "Is there anything in there about this structure?" He asked.

Mainframe looked back at him before pointing a thumb to Morelli. "We got plenty after Luigi here broke into their systems."

"Luigi?!"

Gen. Abernathy rolled his eyes before speaking. "Nevermind that; what is this place called?"

"According to this, we're in Frontier Drome 23. It's one of a series of forts with something called the Terror Drome as the main one, but that one's location isn't on here." Mainframe explained, pointing to the word REDACTED.

"Keep digging, it's in there somewhere. Anything else?" Col. Sharp asked next.

"I saw a list of locations in Cobra Commander's personal files, but i got shut out before i could click on them; seems he's been coming and going from a place called Temple Alpha; like after that mess with the giant produce... when he replaced some of the Brass... a few days before he drew himself on the moon... and before that robot sea monster appeared." Breaker tells him.

"Terror Drome... Temple Alpha... Are they the same site?" Col. Sharp asked himself.

End flashback.

The Colonel then asked her about Shipwreck. "He ended up getting trapped in the S.H.A.R.C. when the Rattlers and that other jet attacked just after i reached the flattop. The canopy must have been damaged, because it sank a little too quickly. It was too dark to tell; but it's possible he's also alive because his transponder is still moving, so one of their Riptides must have taken him."

"I see; we'll have the Delgado's informed as well. Ledger, hold position. Duke, leave the search to those of us here."

"You don't want us back?"

"Negative; Cobra may already have half of Mullaney's secret, so I'd rather not risk having the rest of it be intercepted. Go down with the ship if you have to, Lady-Jaye, but keep that password from being used. Col. Sharp out."


At Joe H.Q.

While Col. Sharp is informing Gen. Abernathy of Ripcord's death, Ace, Airborne, Wild Bill, and Green-shirt Sikorski are in the hanger.

"Who would have thought Rip' would be the second of us to go." Airborne says first, only for Sikorski to cut in.

"No offense, but don't you mean third?"

"When Shooter and Grand Slam died?; Sure, but the latter doesn't count, he died from a snafu back when the Mauler was still in the testing phase." Airborne tells him.

"Oh; got it."

"As way were sayin', uh flightdeck ain't naw place fahwar uh pilot tuh meet his maker." Wild Bill adds.

While they start reminiscing, Col. Sharp calls Sikorski to his office. Once there, he is asked to take a seat. "Before we begin, i wish to offer an apology for interrupting your discussion just now."

"Thank you sir." Sikorski replies, and watches The Colonel lean forward.

"Now as for why i called you here; due to the losses we were dealt, we will need a replacement for Ripcord." He explained.

"Me, sir?"

"Yes; The General offered someone under his command, but the severity of this situation means we can't wait for him to arrive."

"Is Shipwreck getting one too?"

"Because his status is merely M.I.A., i see no need unless his body is found. Getting back to the matter at hand, your codename will be Lift-Ticket. Welcome to the team, and head to the quartermaster for your new uniform."

"...Yes sir, thank you sir."

"Dismissed."


The next day, Jesse is in music class practicing a Lute when his teacher walks over to him. "Yes, Mr. Reynolds?"

"Jesse, the principal just called; he says to head to the office."

"How come?" Jesse asks him.

"Haha, you're in trouble." Another student says aloud.

"Nicholas, be quiet. Jesse, he mentioned that it's about an uncle of you-Jesse?!" 'Mr. Reynolds' says, and steps back when Jesse runs off.

He reaches the office to find the principal speaking with a man in army clothes he doesn't recognize. The principal notices him and speaks first. "He's here, Sgt."

"Who's this, Mr. Grant?" Jesse asks, but the stranger answers instead.

"Mah name's Beachhead, young man. Ahm hare cuz thayure's been an accident involvin' chur Uncle Shipwreck."

"Beachhead? You're a G.I. Joe like he is?" Jesse asks him.

"Yayus i am; fowerth in command uh them." He's told.

"Wow. Uncle He-i mean, Uncle Shipwreck's not hurt or anything, is he?" Jesse asks as his eyes start watering.

Beachhead knelt down next to him. "Ahm frayed way don't know at present; he's missin' in action, an' ah ain't authorized tuh say anymore then thet." He said, not about to admit he's partly reminded of his own son back home, and patted Jesse's back. "Don't fret; we got our best lookin' fahwar him even as ah speak."

"Ok. Thank you, Mr. Beachhead, sir."

"...Anytime; now git back tuh whichever class yawl wuz in."


Chapter Twenty-six.