Russia Rising Chapter 1a: Boris

Russian Forward Base Novosk, Northern Siberia

The officer who greeted Dasha nodded as she made her request as to Boris’ location, turning on his heel and leading her through the base. “He just came back from patrol. Took a team out to check the sensor arrays we set up, fought off a polar bear with his bare hands.. We’re going to miss him when he leaves.” Dasha rolled her eyes. “Bare hands… he has gun.. He should learn to use it. Was he hurt?” The officer shook his head. “Few scratches, medic checked out, nothing serious. He went back on duty.”

While the duo made their way through the base, Boris sat in his tent, in front of a table which contained the multiple pieces of his AK-47 assault rifle as the large man carefully went about the process of cleaning and defrosting the rifle. He was just starting the process of reassembling his rifle when he heard an all too familiar voice shouting out through the wind. “BORIS!!!!” His head darted up and he half stood, half leapt to his head as his deep baritone voice boomed back. “DA Dasha, Boris is here!!” before sticking his head out of the tent and waving to Dasha who was being led by one of the officers at the makeshift base camp. As the duo reached him, Boris raised an eyebrow. “What brings Dasha out to middle of Siberia?” Dasha looked at him. “This isn’t the middle of Siberia, idiot, it’s the northern edge of Siberia.. Any closer and we’d be on North pole. Better question is why didn’t you shoot bear?” Boris gestured to his rifle on the table. “Rifle froze. So Boris used head.. Just like you always tell him.” Dasha gave him a deadpan look as she figured out exactly what he meant by that and her eventual reply was nothing more than a sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just pack your things you dumb ox. We have mission.”

Boris heard this and his face lit up with the excitement of a school boy. “We get to work together again?! But you said that would only happen when Hell froze over… has hell frozen over?” Dasha nodded. “Apparently it has.” Boris nodded and began to gather his things. “What is mission exactly?” Dasha glanced at the officer who led her here who took the hint and excused himself, leaving as Dasha walked into the tent. “We are going to America. There are concerns the American President has forgotten that he owes his political success to us and we are to remind him who he works for. One part of our cover will be professional fighters.” She narrows her eyes. “And you can drop the idiot act, Boris.” Boris smirked a bit as he took a knee and shrugged. “It works. People expect me to be a big dumb idiot.. And while they think that.. They aren’t careful about what they say and do around me.” Dasha nods. “Exactly.. Which is why you are a perfect partner.. And why I expect you to resume the dotard act when people are around. Now, we have a fight already scheduled. We are Team Russia taking on Team USA represented by Valora Salinas and Huckleberry, an American dotard who likes to fight alligators. We know Valora. Her we can gameplan for. I need you to put this Huckleberry idiot through the mat. Can you do that?”

Boris continued to work on his rifle as he smirked and nodded. “Da. Boris can do.” Dasha walked over and looked at his rifle. “Hmm. froze?” Boris nodded. “Da. Frozen.” Dasha nods. “They aren’t supposed to freeze.” Boris nods. “I believe manufacturer did not plan on rifle traveling this far north.” Dasha smirked. “Probably right… did you actually headbutt the damn bear?” Boris nodded. “Twice. Had to keep up act. I punched it. It slapped me. I punched it again, grabbed it and headbut, then headbutt, then Sambo toss.. I broke one of his limbs.. Tomorrow morning soldiers will go out and if bear is still alive, they should be able to finish it off. Scientists are safe though, that is important.

Dasha laughed a bit and shook her head. Boris turned to her. “If you know my act, why do you keep calling me idiot all the time?” Dasha shrugged. “Compared to me, everyone is idiot, Boris. Also, me insulting you helps your act. Our enemies will also see an opening where there isn’t one. They will want to help poor mistreated Boris.. They will think they can drive a wedge between us.. They do not know we are united.”

Boris thought about that for a second as he went about his work and finished putting his rifle back together. “Makes sense. Speaking of weak points.. Our opponents?” Dasha smirked and nodded. “I read file on the flight over here. Valora used to be Franchise Champion. Huckleberry is now Franchise Champion, largely due to interference in a four way match. So Valora wants her title back and likely does not consider Huckleberry to be true champion.. Even if she does, they will not be on same page. This gives us much to work with.” Boris finished the last few pieces of his rifle assembly and stood up, gathering the rest of his belongings and quickly packing them into his packs as he nodded. “Sounds good. We keep them separated and then I take Huckleberry and-”

Dasha interjected by saying. “You break him.”

Boris gave her a smirk and nodded. “Da, Dasha… Boris break him.”

Dasha gave one satisfied nod as the pair left Boris’ tent and made their way back to the plane. Boris was ecstatic to be working with Dasha again. She was his favorite partner by a mile. In fact she was the very ideal of a Russian woman to Boris. She was strong, she was smart, she was independent and she was determined. When she set a goal, she achieved it, no matter what. Boris looked over at her and raised an eyebrow as a thought occurred to him. “I was just thinking.”

Dasha pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “That was your first mistake, Boris. I do the thinking.” Boris continued, ignoring the insult as if it had been something completely different or not even taken place at all. “You are friends with Valora, da? You sure you want me to break her?” Dasha cracked her knuckles. “Valora is professional. She will know this is business. Not personal. But don’t worry, you can’t break her. Many have tried and no one has done so yet. You deal with American fool, I will handle Valora.” Boris nodded. “And if Boris and Valora are in ring at same time?” Dasha shrugged. “Then fight her. Do not swing wildly though.. She is much faster and much more agile.. If you swing and miss, she will make you pay. Attack only when you are sure you will hit her or at least disrupt her attack.” Boris nodded as he heard the strategy Dasha laid out. It made sense to him. After all, Dasha was more often than not right on the money and her planning had led the team through success in war, in peace, in combat in both MMA and pro wrestling and in just about anything else the duo had done over their long partnership. He was sure this would be no different. Thus, all he had to do was what he did best.

When Dasha gave him a target, he would ‘break’ it.