Gibraltar Rock, December, 1938,

Ruiz is a little chilly, but not at all anything described as freezing, or cold. The south of Spain has never been characterized as anything remotely cold. It makes a very nice vacation spot, when it's not in the middle of a civil war. Which it is, currently. Although, come to think of it, Ruiz didn't really think it was gonna go on for much longer; the Carlists had just coup d'tat-ed the Monarchist government, the armies of the monarchy were continually retreating and ceding land on the attack, and, well, the Worker's Front owned the Gibraltar Rock, now. Ruiz was currently on watch duty, making sure no monarchist ships or planes were coming back. Although he knew it wouldn't be gliders, at least. Never gliders, actually. Maybe not ever again.

While some of his friends and squadmates attempted to figure out how to work this undamaged naval gun, and still others wheeled in flak cannons and artillery, Ruiz watched as a bunch of Barbary Macaques made their way across the battlements, stealing ammo, food, and people's hats. Ruiz sent his hand to his head just in time to grab his hat as a Macaque made a grab for it. A brief tug of war ensued, which Ruiz managed to pull out of when it occurred to him to toss a bit of fruit he had in his pocket away, distracting the primate long enough for him to stuff his hat into his inside coat pocket. Unfortunately, another monkey jumped on his back, slipped a hand inside his jacket, and made off with the cap before he could even let his cigarette fall from his mouth in surprise.

Ruiz scratched his bare head. He looked out across the macaques intermingling with the battlements, the new AA and artillery, and the old casemates and tunnels. He watched one standing on the wall. It occurs to Ruiz, here, that the Barbary Macaque is quite the symbol of Gibraltar. He didn't know why, these little shits were annoying as fuck. But, he supposed, so were Syndicalists in the eyes of the world. He shared a certain aggravating kinship with these monkeys.

Ruiz had an idea, and this time, it would be going beyond Gorilla war.