Many of you have heard rumors of giant robots that turn into vehicles and other objects. You may also have heard that they had a big part in our loseing Milleville. This just isn't true. This is what really happened.

written by Dwayne Marshall

Dr. Biggles-Jones had been captured by COBRA. They wanted her prototype of a new weapon, the Rail Gun. Scarlett was ordered to infiltrate COBRA by pretending to be a traitor to the Joe team. For her initiation she was ordered to kill Hawk. When she shot at him, the jeep he was in exploded.This was actually a ruse. Both Hawk and Stalker had been tipped off and had planned it. Scarlett dosen't know that they are alive. The G.I. Joe ninjas, Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes kept a rondevous with Destro at the Silent Castle. Destro and The Baroness had been held prisoner by Cobra Commander but had managed to escape. They kept themselves from being found by hiding in the secret passages of the castle. Just as Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes were about to extract them from the top of the castle, Scarlett and Dr Biggles-Jones came up the stairs and cornered them. Dr Biggles-Jones yelled for Scarlett to shoot them. Before she could, Snake Eyes stabbed her through the chest with his sword. She fell to the ground as the Joes flew off with Destro and the Baroness.
As we return to our story, Dr. Biggles-Jones is kneeling on the roof cradleing Scarlett in her lap. Slice and Dice are standing over them. Cobra Commander comes charging through the shattered door and screams, "What is going on here? Who's taking the blame for this fiasco?"
"Destro escaped with the help of the G.I. Joe ninjas",exclaimed Dr. Biggles-Jones. "Scarlett took a sword thrust next to her heart ! Why would they do that if she were a double agent?"
Slice replied, "Snake Eyes is a master swordsman and this was too easy a cut to miss! Lets let her bleed out and see how the Joes react to it!"
"I like the devious twists to your slimy mind, Slice!", Cobra Commander stated. "But I have other plans for her! Let's let the COBRA medics patch her up and then we'll see!"
The Commander was about to leave when Zarana and a small squad of vipers arrived.
"You there!", he said pointing to the viper in the rear. "Have them send a Medi-Viper up here on the double. The rest of you spread out and make sure that there are no more of those vermin infesting my castle! Move it!"
The vipers scurried off as fast as they could. It wasn't wise to be around the Commander when he was angry.
"Zarana, Dr. Biggles-Jones follow me. We have some unfinished business to take care of. "
He stormed out the door and down the stairs with Zarana and the Dr. following fast on his heels.
The Medi-viper arrived quickly and began to examine Scarlett.
"Well Medi-Viper...Can you save her miserable life ?", asked Slice. "Or should you concentrate your efforts on helping real COBRAs?"
The Medi-Viper was kneeling, examining Scarlett with some concern. "Scarlett has a severe puncture trauma, Slice. She needs a surgeon immediatly."
"Fine,you lead the way! I'll carry her down to the operating room!"
He bent down and lifted Scarlett up in his arms.
" Wh--Why are you going to save me,when moments ago,y--you were willing to let me bleed to death?"
"I want to keep you alive, so I can find out what your real plans are!"

Inerior Silent Castle, the garage. Dr. Biggles-Jones, Cobra Commander, and Zarana are standing near the Rail gun prototype. Assorted vipers are working and milling around. Cobra Commander is talking.
"...have not debugged it completely yet. We need to run a few more tests. Get it ready Dr. Biggles-Jones! Techno-Viper get the remote controled HISS tanks ready for another test of the Rail gun. I want the test to begin as soon as possible. Come along now Zarana we don't want to get in the good Dr.'s way now do we?"

High above the atlantic the Joes' C-130 is being refueled.
"..Your topped off Wild Bill ! Prepare to disengage!"
"Thanks much, Pard..", Wild Bill replied as the two planes seperated. "Next time we'll get an oil change! Listen up Joes. We still have another 4 hours to our destination. Anybody who's hungry can help themselves from the box of MRE's."
Snake Eyes sat brooding, and methodically cleaning the blade of his sword. Destro walked up to him.
"That was a very dangerous thing you did Snake Eyes. But it was really the only way to save her. I understand that your stabbing Scarlett had to be the hardest thing you ever did and I want you to know..... I want you to know.... I was simply trying to ....."
Snake Eyes stared hard at Destro, got up, and walked away.
"I know what you were trying to do Destro."said Storm Shadow. "But you can just forget it."
"Do you understand Storm Shadow?"
"Snake Eyes only understands one thing.", he said scowling. "If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have had to go in there in the first place!"

Back at the Silent Castle in the medical facilities.
"Well?", Slice asked the Medi-Viper by Scarlett's bed.
"She's going to make it . This cut was made with near surgical precision. You can hardly call it a wound trauma."
"See? It is parallel to the muscle striation!" explained Slice. "Very slight damage. Its a clean cut, too. No ragged edges,no major arteries severed."
"One in a million chance," the Medi-Viper said.
"More than likely an extremely skillful cut, executed by a master!" Slice exclaimed as he pointed a finger in Scarlett's face.
"Still doubting her Slice?" Dr. Biggles-Jones asked as she walked in the door. "What does it take to convince you?"
"A Lot."

The Joes along with Destro and the Baroness rondevous with Zartan on Cobra Island. There Destro learns that all most all of the important machinery had been removed when Cobra Commander left. Dr. Mindbender's cloning vat had been taken,and the burried freighter had been set on fire.

The Silent Castle. The garage doos swung open slowly and out rolled the HISS tank with the Rail gun prototype mounted on board.
A voice came over the speaker system. "Roll out the radio controlled HISS tanks!... HISS tanks deployed and tracking target!... Fire controll preset mark!... Main gun at 1500 meters. Hit probability: 0.83, Preforation probability :0.85, Lethality probability :0.85, Reliability probability :0.99... 59% Kill probability at this range. Hold fire until my mark... Fire!!!"
The driver of the HISS fired the Rail gun when the target HISS tanks were within 30 meters of his position. All three were blown to bits instantly.
"Bravo!!!" yelled Dr. Biggles-Jones.
"Way to go!" cried Zarana.
"Splendid! " exclaimed Cobra Commander. "You are to be commended Dr. Your Rail gun exceeds all my expectations! I'd say this calls for a celebration. With this weapon of yours, we will be unstopable! But first we should check on our experiment in the basement. He might be ready to wake up."

Milleville,COBRA processing station inside the factory. The COBRA tech on duty is talking with an Alley Viper.

" Thats the 12th one this week thats broken free of the conditioning. Its up from 5 last week. This is begining to become a problem. We are going to have to contact the Commander about this. If it keeps happening at this rate we're going to loose someone,and its going to be our hides."

"Your right. We had better get some more experienced people here on the double. We need to call the Commander. Lets go."

They left the processing station and headed towards the nearest com unit.

Interior Silent castle,night,dining hall.

The party was in full swing. Cobra Commander was sitting at the main table,Dr. Biggles-Jones on his left,Zarana on his right. All around them there was loud music,dancing,and drinking.

Dr. Biggles-Jones was suprised that she was enjoying herself. She hadn't really had this much fun being stuck in that lab all the time. The waiter brought her over another drink.

Cobra Commander leaned over to her. " Aaahhh... I see your enjoying yourself Dr.."

"Yes, I am Commander,very much."

"Splendid, It isn't often we get the chance to just relax and have fun."

Just then one of the Alley-vipers came up to them and asked Dr. Biggles-Jones to dance.

"Go ahead Dr. ,enjoy yourself. This is a time for celebration, is it not ? "

Dr. Biggles-Jones got up and left with the young man.

Cobra Commander took a drink,leaned back in his chair and thought, 'Excellent......Things couldn't be going any better.'

"Commander!",a Tele-Viper said as she walked up to the table. "Urget message for you form our base in Milleville. He stood up and headed for the com unit.

"Report," he said.

"Sir, its getting worse. The conditioning is wearing off quicker all the time. We need someone here that really knows how to operate the equipment. Ever since Mindbender died...."

The Commander cut him off. "I'm aware of that. Do I have to take care of everything myself ? Prepare for my arrival shortly!" He cut off the transmission abruptly and headed back to the party.

" You there,Techno-Vipers. Prepare Mindbender for transport. Get the copters ready leave shortly. One of you tell the Medi-Vipers to have Scarlett ready to go. Move it!!!!! "

" Yes sir!!",they all said and scurried off.

Cobra Commander entered the dining hall,walked over to the band and told then to stop playing.

He turned around to face everyone.

"Attention!!!!!!!! The party is over!! Prepare to move out! We leave in an hour! Viper units Delta and Gamma,and Techno-Viper unit Alpha are to man the castle till we return. Get Moving!!!"

Everyone scattered. Dr. Biggles-Jones walked over to the Commander.

" What's going on Commander ? Why did you stop the party ? Why are we leaving ?"

Cobra Commander looked at her and said,in a tone of voice that left no room for arguement,"We have some business to attend to in the states Dr. You had better get ready to leave."

The wind was picking up as everyone loaded the transport copters. Dr. Biggles-Jones was supervising the loading of the Rail gun. One of the vipers stumbbled and almost caused it to fall.

"Watch out you clumsy idiot!!! ",she screamed. "If there is any damage to it ,I'll have it taken out of your hide ! "

"S-sorry Dr."

"Nevermind just get it loaded."

" Dr. Biggles-Jones Your to ride with me in the Command Helicopter."Cobra Commander ordered. "Alright, lets get moving."

Later the next night,over the United States.

The helicopters started their decent. A sign comes into view.

The streets appear deserted as the copters come in for a landing.

"Its not possible. There can't be a whole town in the middle of the United States thats deserted!",exclaimed Dr. Biggles-Jones as they came in for a landing. "And even if this is a ghost town,isn't it dangerous to land an entire COBRA task force out in the open like this? "

"Don't worry yourself Dr. This is no ordinary town..."Cobra Commander said as he pushed a button on the control he was holding. " Nor is it deserted!!!!!"

Doors along the street opened as he yelled," Fall out!!! I need these helicopters unloaded IMMEDIATELY!!!!!" People started filing out of the buildings. They appeared to be in some sort of trance.

"we hear and obey",they all chouroused.

" The citizens of this town are all brainwashed zombies!",exclaimed Dr. Biggles-Jones.

" EXACTLY!!! All of them reduced to obedient vegtables by Dr. Mindbender's brainwave scanner!"Cobra Commander stated as they began to unload the copters. " Magnificent, isn't it?"

" If your impressed by mindlessness."she said.

Over at the helicopters the vipers and townspeople were unloading Scarlett and Dr. Mindbender.

" Carefull with this one! She is recovering form a stab wound!"a viper said as he lowered Scarlett down from the helicopter. The vipers, carring Mindbender off ,replied. "This one is recovering from being dead!!" "Buried alive under the volcano on COBRA Island, he was! "

"How long have these people been subjugated this way ? ",Dr. Biggles-Jones asked.

" OH Spare me the Cacophemisms,Dr. Biggles-Jones!"Cobra Commander exclaimed. "They have been liberated from their irrational animal behavior patterns! There is no crime here! No stress ! No Rap music..."

He was interrupted by one of the citizens coming to. "Huh? What am I doing here?!! I was mixing up a batch of blueberry muffins,and..."

An Alley-Viper grabbed his arm. " The conditioning has worn off on this one! "

" Hey who are you creeps?!! Get your hands off me!! Help! POLICE!!"

" He needs a booster zap from the scanner!"another Alley-Viper said as he tried to fit it down over the mans head.

"GET THT THING OFF ME! I REMEMBER!! I REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID ! ......And your not going to get away with it!!!" he screamed as he shook them off. One of the Alley-Vipers was knocked backwards into the Vipers that were carring Mindbender.

"Watch out!" one of them yelled as the Alley-Viper crashed into him.

The Vipers lost their grip on the pod containing The Dr. It crashed to the ground and broke apart.

"UH-OH!"another Viper exclaimed.

The man pulled the brainwave scanner off his head and slammed it to the ground. "Put radiation beams through our heads! Bombarded our skulls with rays from Uranus! You can't make me into a pod-person!!! "

Sparks flew from the shattered helmet and sent electricity flowing through Mindbender's body.

" I got rights! I got..."

Bonk! Road Pig's fist slammed into the back of the man's head and he fell listless to the ground.

" Duh..You got a right all right... The right to remain SILENT! "

"Haul him off to the main brainwave scanner down at city hall and give him an extra-heavy dose!"Cobra Commander yelled. "Oh and get somebody to mop up Dr. Mindbender and repickle him before he starts to turn again and...."

He was interrupted by a rasping voice. "You did this to me...?"

" Mindbender! He's ALIVE!!!"

" You can hardly call it that.." Mindbender said as he started to rise from the ground. "You should try it sometime.. Its an altogether UNIQUE experience!"

" Yes ! I had you brought back to life!" Cobra Commander said as an eagle was flying overhead.

" I am man enough to admit that I made a rather hasty move when I had you buried alive a few years back along with everybody else I thought was against me... But Reviving you is just the first step I have planned in making it up to you, old FRIEND!"

" Amazing, You have more GALL than EVER!"

The eagle flys off towards the outskirts of town. A voice calls out. "Here Freedom!"

The eagle lands on Spirit's outstreatched arm. " What news do you bring me,brother of the wind? "he asks.

" They're here." Spirit says.

" I don't suppose he gave you a head count ?"Mutt asks,while leaning against a tree.

" No, should I ask ? "

" Your kidding ,right ? No.. don't answer that. It would mess my head up to find out that you had a sense of humor all this time......"

He radios hawk on the walkie talkie. "Hawk,this is Mutt in the north woods.. Spirit just got the word from his pet eagle. The tip we got was right on the money ! COBRA is in town!"

Hawk replies,standing outside the command tent, "And I thought this was a wild goose chase ! Some other security agency has got a pipeline into COBRA and we're getting crumbs tossed to us from D.O.D.! Staking out Milleville was a deductive gamble. But it paid off !"

"Dial-Tone get me Road-Block on the command net this mission is a go!"

" I hear ya Hawk !" Road-Block said.

" Lets move out . " he says as they move into the sewers. " I'll take point,Rock N' Roll backs me up. Tunnel Rat comes next and Airtight is tail-gunner!"

They get farther into the sewers under the town. Tunnel Rat says "Better let me take point! This is my turf ! "

Road-Block tells everyone to hold up. " Time to get a compass bearing and check our position against the map!" "This tunnel should take us to the center of town. Move it ! Keep your intervals!"

The Joe Ninja Force has managed to sneak into town on top of an A.R.B. co truck. They jump off it as it passes into the warehouse. They make their way across the rooftops till they get to the hospital. They make their way down the side of the building until they find Scarlett's room. Inside they see Dr. Biggles-Jones, a nurse,and a couple Medi-Vipers. Dr. Biggles-Jones is talking.

"Everyone leave the room. I need to talk to Scarlett in private." Everyone else leaves the room. Dr. Biggles-Jones walks over to Scarlett's bed,leans over her and says ,"We have to talk. I know that you're a double-agent and that you are still loyal to G.I. JOE!"

Over in Mindbender's room. The Dr. is sitting in a tub filled with ice. He is flipping through the pages of old newspapers using a microfiche viewer from the town's library.

" Might as well catch up on what has transpired in the world since I've been dead! ... Quite an inconvenience this having to pack myself in ice until my metabolism stabilizes...."

" What? A democrat in the White House? Cheers got cancelled? What happened to Michael Jackson's face? The world is more unhinged than ever! All the better for my plans!" -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming Plans

Cobra Command's handbook section will receive more images soon. Planned are Snowserpent, HISS II, FANG II, and assorted others.

Rod has put together a plan for a online wargame, based on the Cobra Civil war of Cobra Island. Images of units have been done, and a map is half completed. If you are interested in helping develop the games rules and game play, then contact him at rwh@ihug.co.nz

The G.I. Joe re-releases are in stores now. What are your thoughts on the new colors, the Cobra Command pack, the Viper with Trouble Bubble and the Rage with Alley Viper? Pass your thoughts on to us at tele_vipers@hotmail.com

Thats all for this issue of Inside Cobra. Expect the next issue to be bigger with more articles. The deadline for articles to be included in the next issue is January 20th unless other arrangements are made with us in advance. We wish to thank everyone for taking the time to read and enjoy our efforts. Please feel free to send us your comments ,suggestions ,and articles. We are hopeing to start a letters page to post your comments. We need a name for this section and would love to hear your suggestions.

ALL MEMBERS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEWSLETTER OR TO THE WEBSITE WILL BE REWARDED.

From myself and the staff here at Inside Cobra, we would like to wish you all the best in this holiday season.

COBRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!