An Interview with Marco Rossi
By: Soldier of the Future
Greetings! After the completion of Metal Slugopedia, another idea was on my mind as I drafted the character profiles for that story. The idea of this fic, discussed with MegaAuthor, was to focus on the later details of Marco Rossi's life after he ended the Future Rebellion Army War (a conflict that takes place sometime after Metal Slug 7/XX) and is a retired General with two kids.
This story takes place approximately 40 years after the events of Metal Slug 7/XX. I will not mention the ages of the characters due to potential timeline conflicts and confusions. Use your imagination for that!
Metal Slug will be 20 years old this coming summer. I wrote this a year before the two-decade anniversary since the ideas were still fresh on my mind when I published this.
Elements from my own and MegaAuthor's creations will show up here. I will try to find a fair balance between the two so one does not get more special treatment over the other, and vice versa. Should you require more information, consult the Metal Slugopedia, or drop either of us a PM!
Disclaimers:
Metal Slug and Marco Rossi belong to SNK Playmore.
Nicole Rossi and Germi Rossi belong to MegaAuthor.
Larissa Kusanagi, Leon Chan, and the anonymous reporter belong to me.
As he stood outside the estate, the reporter, no older than the age of twenty-five, gulped slightly as he studied the residence of the legendary High General of the Regular Army, beads of sweat materializing on his forehead. He knew the man was possibly the most famous human live for his contributions in the past, but he didn't expect his home to be a heavily guarded fortress in spite of its general pristine and well-built features. Guards were constantly seen patrolling each and every corner and pathway in the courtyard, cameras were positioned in strategic spots, and the gate that led into the inner sanctums of the mansion was reinforced enough to total a vehicle that was foolish enough to slam into it...he wanted to turn away and leave, but he had a job to do. There was no turning back.
"I hope they're friendly to visitors...," he whispered beneath his breath, realizing just how strict some of their soldiers can be. As an employee for the local radio station that was known to host talk shows frequently, he wanted to acquire this opportunity to boost their popularity. Though at the same time, he felt slightly intimidated of receiving the honor of talking to some of the most well-known humans of their time.
Feeling nervous about the events ahead, he regained his composure and pressed the doorbell on the front gate. It only seemed like an eternity until a mechanized walker that towered over the relatively thin reporter answered the door - it was a Mechanized Exoskeleton Cybersuit manned by a single Cyborg Commando. "These soldiers are critically wounded combatants that were given a second opportunity by the United Nations Special Operations Command," the media employee recited mentally. "This particular one must've served with him for a while if it acts as a front-door sentry..."
The MEC soldier, identified to be a female of Japanese descent with a rather emotionless-looking face and shoulder-length brown hair cascading down the sides of her head, studied the young man that might as well have been petrified by the greeting. "Hold it right there. What is your order of business here?" she asked with a feminine-sounding and partly emotionless cybernetic voice that might as well have been some kind of direct order.
"I...," the reporter began shakily before he retained an upright posture. "I'm here for the scheduled interview with General Marco Rossi of the Regular Army." He hoped his honest and straightforward answer would be suitable enough for the Cyborg Commando.
"Is that so. Very well. I will ask the General himself. You will stay here and await further instructions." She was just about to turn away in order to deliver that exact order when another approaching soldier, a Marine dressed in desert camouflage fatigues, as identified by the insignia worn on the left chest section of his uniform and the semi-automatic shotgun slung across his back, approached the gate to see what the commotion was all about.
"Corporal Leon Chan," the mechanized soldier greeted. "It seems there is a visitor requesting for an appointment with General Rossi. Perhaps you should deliver the order to our supreme commander himself before I allow our guest here onto our premises."
The relatively young Marine, possessing short black hair and a relatively young-looking face, shook his head. "Marco already knows there is an interview today. I'll handle things from here, Lieutenant Larissa Kusanagi."
The female cyborg generated a single nod before moving to the sidelines, but kept her cybernetically-enhanced eye on the reporter. Leon moved forward and greeted the reporter with a friendly handshake before performing a conversation that would serve as a way to make the journalist feel at home, as first impressions likely made him think that he was about to enter a maximum-security penitentiary.
"Sorry if she scared ya, but Larissa is a rather emotionless soldier that is protective of those she cares about. For one thing, she doesn't like paparazzi trying to drop in on Marco and his kids...," the Corporal-ranked soldier began before changing the direction of the conversation. "So you must be the reporter that was sent for an interview with the General himself?"
"Uh, yes. Here's my identification if you need it," the youthful reporter answered with a quick nod before displaying his ID card from his shirt pocket. "Hopefully I'm not in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Oh no, you aren't," Leon reassured with a convincing smile. He gave the reporter's ID a quick view before handing it back to its owner. "Yep, you're clear. Also, I'm not surprised in the least that you're intimidated, as you are the only non-combatant on the property at the moment. Please follow me. I will personally lead you to Marco Rossi's living room, where he will have the interview with you."
As Leon made his way towards the main courtyard, the reporter hurriedly kept close to him - he didn't want to lose his escort and get mistaken by the other guards that might treat him as a hostile trespasser. Behind him was Larissa Kusanagi's mechanized footsteps echoing behind them, the rhythmic noises of the machinery that allowed locomotion of the battle suit mixed in with her paces. It didn't help that she was carrying a massive Railgun in her right arm that further added to the reporter's anxiety, but the reporter trusted in his escort's words that he would not come to any harm. It was also understandable that security would be so tight at this location, as assassination attempts against the one man that led the Regular Army to victory in the last war wasn't unheard of...
"Wait, I forgot to ask. What's your name?" the reporter piqued with interest.
"Leon Chan, Corporal of the United States Marines," his guide responded. "My true rank is actually classified, but since I've been a Corporal for quite some time...it's more or less a part of my name now." He finished his statement with a rather stifled laugh.
After passing through the courtyard that consisted of a mixture of gardens, firing ranges, and obstacle courses (probably as an area of relaxation and training for the guards and any other soldiers that lived with Marco and his family), they found themselves standing at the primary entrance that led into the mansion. As Leon opened the ornate doors composed of wood and fancy engravings, a massive hallway that was large enough for a MEC trooper to fit through was opened. Composing of a decorated hall of fame that consisted of family portraits of the Rossi family, photographs of all the soldiers that Marco and Fio have served and fought with together, along with all the medals, ribbons, and achievements that were attained over the decades were neatly arranged on the walls. There were several other doors that led to other chambers, but only those who lived on the property knew where they led to.
Although the reporter wanted to start snapping pictures with his trusty camera, he knew that this was a place of respect. It was better off if he personally asked the General if he was allowed to take snapshots...
"Wait here. Larissa will keep you company for a second or two," Leon instructed before he disappeared into the entrance that led to the living room, leaving the guest with the MEC trooper that was assigned to watch over him. Although the reporter wanted to ask the mechanized warrior a few questions, he knew she wasn't the talkative type and decided to remain quiet unless he was spoken to. Silence drifted over the duo for a minute or two until the reporter was greeted with the reprise of the Marine sentry emerging back into the hallway and signaled the journalist to follow him. As the two humans departed, the cybernetic soldier then took the opportunity to position herself to the side of the entrance that led to the living room, the recognizable sounds of heavy machinery fading as the armored mech suit powered itself down.
"What was that about?" the reporter inquisitively questioned upon noticing the Cyborg Commando enter a state that might as well make her a decorative statue. "Did she just shut herself down?"
Leon glanced briefly at the civilian. "Yes and No. She's just going into a dormant state. Remaining constantly active in a MEC while not performing any heavy labor can cause fatigue. Though if you perform any kind of gesture to her, you'll get her attention. If you don't have any further questions, please follow me."
Hoping to make the best out of the interview via a presentable first impression, the reporter quietly followed his escort without uttering a single word.
The Corporal-ranked Marine led the reporter into a rather large-sized living room, where a few comfortable sofas were set up alongside a coffee table, with the furniture set up directly in front of a large-sized flat screen television set. Not far from the living area was a small kitchen where snacks and drinks were prepared, and a door that led out to the balcony that oversaw the terrace outside was located. The man of interest, General Marchrius Dennis Rossi, was seated on one of the three couches and was expecting the arrival of his visitor. Dressed in a traditional Regular Army General's military outfit and decorated with several stars, stripes, and other types of commemorations for his duty in the UN-based military force, the grizzled veteran released a small grin of welcoming to the reporter. Aside from his slightly wrinkled face and aged appearance, his physique was the exact same as it was from a picture taken of him that was used to document his first victory over the Rebellion Army.
Leon paced over to the General before greeting with a salute and delivering his announcement. "Here is the visitor you've been expecting, General. I escorted him here just as you instructed me to do so."
Marco rose to his feet before placing a hand on his shoulder. "Lose the formalities, Corporal Leon. You're not exactly on duty right now, so you should treat me as a friend, not a superior. That's an order. Understood?" he advised with a tone that resembled friendly humor and strict authority at the same time.
"Well, I am technically on duty. It is my job to act as your personal bodyguard for the majority of the day, sir," the Marine replied curtly, but soon had to laugh a bit - he had to admit that he sort of overreacted there. Though he felt he was a proficient guardian and a faithfully loyal one at that, he often tried too hard to impress those who were above him. "Yeah, now that was just a bad attempt at trying to look decent...damn, it's hard to change at times."
"That's the Marine I know," Marco complimented with a low chuckle. He proceeded to turn his attention to the reporter, who was still standing by the entrance and was (likely) too intimidated to move any further. "So, aren't you going to take a seat, kid?"
The reporter blinked rapidly before regaining control of his senses - he was too busy surveying the environment in the living room, particularly the photographs and portraits of the Rossi family. With the pictures being displayed everywhere, it was obvious that Marco's family meant a lot to the aged military commander. Another item that caught his attention was the ages-old AR-10 Automatic Rifle that was displayed in a special glass case - it was likely the very same assault rifle that Marco himself utilized during the first war against the Rebellion Army. "Oh, sorry. I was just, well..."
As the youthful journalist trailed off on his words, Marco held up his right hand. "No need to feel like a stranger. Since you're still quite young by your age, this is probably your first time meeting with someone this well-known, right?"
"Uh, yes," the young man replied instantly, followed up with a quick nod.
"Please take a seat," Marco directed as he gestured the reporter to join them at the coffee table. "And Corporal, can you serve us some refreshments please? This interview might take longer than I initially expected, and I want our guest to feel at home. It's your call if you want to include alcoholic beverages."
Leon nodded and without saying a word, headed over to the miniature kitchen and bar and started fixing up some light drinks and snacks for both them and their guest in question. As the Marine carefully prepared the food, the reporter joined his interviewee at the couches, greeting the General of the Regular Army with a friendly handshake before he made himself comfortable. Rays of warm sunlight bathed the living room, which made the reporter feel slightly less nervous as he prepared to begin the interview. "Well, let's see...should I introduce myself before we begin? Um, sorry. This is my first major interview, as I'm a student fresh out of university in the field of journalism."
Marco shook his head. "It's okay. I've been interviewed so many times that names don't matter to me, unless I get heckled or criticized harshly. But that's not the case, and I think I've already had enough run-ins with the bad end of the media...oh, sorta got sidetracked there. Although I may still be an important voice in the Regular Army, I'm getting old...so please do not look at me the wrong way if I snap at you."
"I perfectly understand the reason for that, General," the reporter politely replied as he tried to sound as respectful as he could. He was quite surprised that Marco had quite the patience despite his age and the burdens of his past carried upon his shoulders and mind. "So, may we begin?"
The blonde and partially white-haired aged man nodded. "Whenever you are ready."
The reporter reached into his pocket and pulled out his smartphone before activating the recording software installed within the electronic device. Placing it on the neatly-polished table, he produced a notepad and a pen in his hands before starting the interview. "At this hour, I am currently in the residence of Regular Army General Marco Rossi. He is the very same man that led the highly-successful commando team, known as the SV-001 Commando Unit, to a series of victories against the feared Rebellion Army led by the now-deceased General Donald Morden. Today is the day where I will learn the details of his life, trade, and adventures-" He wasn't able to finish his statement before Marco interrupted him.
"Sorry if I may seem a bit rude here with the sudden interruption, but what's your age?" he asked.
"Oh, my age?" Stuttering slightly due to the fact he was caught off guard mid-sentence, the rookie journalist answered with, "I am...twenty-two, sir."
Marco leaned back on the sofa and sighed. "So you were born exactly two years after the Future Rebellion Army first established their presence in our world..." The mere mention of the futuristic variation of the revolutionary military was enough to darken his face with a mixture of hate and shock. "This means you've never experienced General Morden's first invasion, the arrival of the first extraterrestrial lifeforms, and the White Baby Crisis? I'm probably missing some other events, but the details can be filled in later."
"Yes, I haven't. But I've seen the horrors of war my own way," the reporter answered. "I lived in a region that was under the constant protection of SPARROWS operatives since the Rebellion Army used my hometown as a staging point for their operations. Of course, food was also hard to come by and was mostly in the form of military rations. As I lost my entire family in the so-called Future Rebellion War, I lived with my old neighbors. I've experienced the horrors of warfare my way, not to sound too arrogant about it." He finished his sentence with a small breath released between his lips.
"I see. So you've lived the same kind of life just like my kids and Corporal Leon over there," Marco commented before rapidly glancing at the Marine bodyguard, who was almost finished preparing the refreshments. "Sorry for the sudden interruption - go ahead, ask me anything. I'll do my best to answer your questions unless they are classified or too sensitive for me to do so."
"Very well," the reporter breathed deeply as he began. "Let's go back to where it all began...General Morden's first insurrection against the world. How did it all began? The history books only speak so much, after all."
The aged soldier placed both his hands on his chin as he did his best to recall the exact details behind the one event that started it all. "If my memory serves me well, it all began during the new millennium. The world was in a rather shambolic state - the ever-growing threats of terrorism and political conflicts all over the world had destabilized governments all over. The Russian/Ukrainian tensions, the overthrowing of the Iraqi government, Israel and Palestine constantly besieging each other, civil wars in Africa, revolutionaries constantly plaguing South America...all I can say was that the world was fortunate that it didn't annihilate itself in a full-blown war like it did back in 1914 and 1939." Even though Marco was still relatively young when all the above incidents happened (with the exception for the World Wars), he could remember them all by heart. Though he was never a fan of politics, he kept himself informed of major world events.
His interviewer was rapidly scribbling notes down. "Yes, please go on."
"Things changed with the Central Park Bombing carried out by anti-US extremists. Their goals were not clear, but I can assume it had something to do with the country constantly interfering with the affairs of other nations. I'm sure you know that General Donald Morden used to be a Regular Army General just like myself, right?" It was obvious that Marco felt extremely bitter for comparing himself to the likeness of the very same madman he despised with every essence of his life force.
The reporter looked up from his notepad with the most puzzled emotion he could make on his face. "Wait...General Morden was an ex-Regular Army official?"
"Ha, surprising isn't it? To know that someone that might as well be Hitler, Stalin, and Hussein all reincarnated into a megalomaniac being a commander of the United Nations-directed military unit...but yes. This is where it all began," Marco continued as his gaze drifted towards the window and into the sunny afternoon sky. "The Central Park Bombing not only destroyed half the park itself, but it also killed his son and left a permanent scar on his right eye. The thing was, the terrorist attack could have easily been prevented. But the Regular Army was infamous for the corruption, ineptness, and general lack of experienced commanders that plagued its chain of command...I can guess Morden was downright enraged by this, and he had to pay the price for it in the form of his son's life. Taking a good number of soldiers loyal to him, including that bastard of a Rebellion Army commando Allen O'Neil, he deserted the Regular Army and disappeared from public view for a good while." He paused his story as he noticed the youthful man interviewing him furiously jotting notes down akin to a typewriter. "Can I continue?"
"Yes, of course. Please go on," the reporter urged, interested to learn and garner more content from the history lesson.
The old General cleared his throat before he continued his story. "About a year later, he resurfaced with a military force that dwarfed the size of the Regular Army in troop numbers. Sure, their technology was primitive in contrast to ours, but they had their vast legions to make up for it. It was only a few weeks that Morden himself nearly carried out his plan of revenge...until the Regular Army finally decided to pull their heads out of their asses and get something useful done for once: development of the renowned SV-001 Metal Slug Super Vehicles. Morden learned about them and nearly succeeded in shutting down their deployment...at least until I intervened with some survivors I managed to rally. We eventually managed to win the war after my unit personally apprehended Morden at his HQ in the Mediterranean, but at the cost of everyone on my team save for Tarmicle Roving the Third." Just as he finished his brief tale of how the First Rebellion War, his face transformed to a darkened state.
"Tarma Roving...yes, I remember him. He was the man that singlehandedly saved the US President when the Rebellion Army were literally at the doorsteps of the White House. Where is he now?" the journalist piqued after taking down an entire page of notes.
"I will explain later when the time is right," the battle-scarred man answered bluntly. "The First Rebellion War did not end just like that. General Morden wouldn't simply give up after one defeat, even if it was a crushing and humiliating one..."
But just as Marco was about to resume his interview, Leon returned to the table carrying a silver tray that contained an assorted mixture of refreshments. From pretzels to spring rolls, the food was complemented with a serving of various alcoholic drinks, ranging from a bottle of orange-flavored cooler to several shots of vodka. Placing the tray on the table, the Marine bodyguard stood to the side of his superior before retaining a motionless posture. To the reporter, it seemed like that this peculiar soldier was no different from Larissa Kusanagi, even though Marco's personal bodyguard was fully human without any kind of artificial enhancements whatsoever...
"Please help yourself," Marco suggested before making eye contact with Leon. "And Corporal, you're free to sit down and join us in this conversation. Nicole and Germi will be arriving soon, and you'll just look awkward standing there like a LV Armor on display."
The Marine that was approximately in his thirties nodded before withdrawing the shotgun from his back and sitting down on the couch himself. Placing his weapon to the side, he poured himself a glass of the orange-flavored cooler and took a quick bite from a small-sized carrot.
"He sure doesn't talk a lot...well, at least after he escorted me in here," the reporter commented, somewhat disturbed by his actions that might as well be directed by a computer program of some sort.
"It's just my work ethic and my personality as a soldier," Leon spoke up as he placed the glass on the table. "Though if you ask me anything, I'll answer to the best of my abilities."
Marco poured himself two glasses of vodka before handing one of them to the young journalist, hoping that the drink would assist in calming down the young man who was still clearly intimidated. "Here, have some. It won't kill you, but it'll give you a feel of just how we celebrated at times whenever we completed an operation. That and I'm sure this will bring back the good old times that you probably experienced at the parties back in university..."
The general taste of the vodka beverage was certainly unpleasant, especially when served without mixing it with another beverage such as orange juice. To compensate, the young reporter tried to dilute the taste with some of the snacks that were present on the table. Though the alcoholic drink made his mouth, nose, and throat feel like they were being engulfed with napalm, the Russian-famous beverage soon tasted quite pleasing to his taste buds. That and although he wasn't drunk to the point of being completely knocked out, he finally got the courage to speak more often.
"So about the second conflict," the reporter asked. "Can you provide more details on that? It was also the first mission where two operatives from the SPARROWS intelligence agency were assigned to your team."
Marco took a small sip from his glass and continued his documentary of the war. "The second war was a result of General Morden somehow escaping from the maximum security prison that he was confined in. The mission's nature was rather sensitive as the world was undergoing a recovery phase - the last thing we need was widespread panic of that psycho being on the loose again. So the Regular Army brought in the government intelligence agency known as the SPARROWS, an organization that composes primarily of female agents. I guess they thought we needed the extra firepower somehow." He took another sip from his shot-glass before pouring himself another one and taking a small piece of marble cheese. "But there was another reason they brought the SPARROWS in, aside from the fact they wanted Tarma and I to train two of their newest soldiers attached to our squad," he mentioned as he took a bite from the food item.
Taking another sip from his own glass, the reporter nodded. "Yes, go on."
"Aside from petty factions springing up and pledging their allegiance with the Regular Army, the higher-ups believed that we were not alone in the universe," Marco placed his glass down on the table, sighing for a moment or two before resuming his detailed past. "And we were correct; after fighting through the Rebellion troops that survived the first conflict, we arrived at our final destination of the new Rebellion Army headquarters in Skagway, Alaska. The hypothesis was true: an organization of aliens were aiding General Morden, but before we knew it...they decided to turn against him and initiated an invasion of some sorts. We had no choice but to form a temporary ad-hoc alliance with the rebels. With our combined efforts, we drove them from our world, but I knew it wasn't going to be the last time that we saw those ugly yet cute bastards." His deep gaze drifted towards the window, as if he was looking for something in the skies above. "My theory was proven to be the solid truth a year later."
The young journalist proceeded to jot down all the important points given by Marco in regards to the second war before making eye contact with the General again. "The third war involved the return of the Martians, but with a full invasion force correct?"
The General of the Regular Army grinned in acknowledgement of his interviewer's wisdom. "You catch on fast, kid. But I wouldn't be too surprised, as the Martian invasion was leaked to the world within an hour of it occurring at Cape Canaveral in Florida, of all places..."
His gaze, clearly resembling a thousand-yard stare, turned to Leon - who was quietly listening to the interview without any gestures, save for taking periodic sips from his glass of orange-flavored cooler beverage. Focusing his stare out towards the window again, he prepared for another detailed elaboration of the third conflict.
"This operation was not a war per se, but rather a counteroffensive that the Regular Army wanted us to carry out. They didn't want the Rebellion army to regain their losses after the first two wars, and satellite reconnaissance made it clear that they were rebuilding their military infrastructures on multiple fronts all across the world. They also wanted us to investigate abnormalities that were taking place all across the planet...ranging from supposed claims of Martian sightings to zombies attacking populaces. Right from the get-go, we were pitted against foes that no common human would want to put up against...from colossal, tank-sized crustaceans to killer Venus fly-traps that can snap up a fully-grown man in one bite." He paused slightly as a grim-looking expression drifted across his wrinkled face. "But none of the things I just mentioned could have compared to what would occur at the Rebellion Army-controlled Cape Canaveral Space Launch Facilities. Want to hear it? As much as I hate bringing it up, it was a significant event that changed my life forever."
The reporter responded to his request with a single nod before picking up his glass and taking another sip from the alcoholic beverage contained within.
"General Morden - cleverly disguised by a Martian - captured both Tarma and I as we learned the horrible truth: the Rebellion Army was being duped all this time by a doppelganger of their leader. We were dragged into the depths of their mothership and hooked up to a cloning vat where we were submerged in some kind of foul liquid...after that, the world just fell dark upon me. That was, until Eri and Fiolina rescued us and dragged my sorry behind to safety. Though I was downright drained of all my energy, Fio pulled me out of there, constantly urging me to stay awake via light conversations and constant eye-contact. This eventually culminated with the destruction of the Martian command center and supposed demise of their leader." He sighed before placing his palms in his face, as if he was recalling a traumatic memory. Silence drifted over the living room, save for the rhythmic ticking of a clock that hung over the fireplace being the only source of noise. Marco sat up moments later and finished the story with, "The third conflict proved just how close we were to each other, and it eventually led to my arranged marriage with Fio, and Tarma with Eri." He huffed a bit from the memory of his then-future wife carrying him to safety while continuously reminding him to stay conscious under all circumstances.
"That's very impressive, judging from your family portraits, you must be one big happy family!" the reporter complimented, but then remembered two more events that the General did not cover yet. "But that wasn't the case, I can assume. There was the problem with the rise of the Amadeus Syndicate and the insurrections launched by the enigmatic Ptolemaic Army. Can you tell me more about them?"
Marco chuckled lightly at the journalist that was fresh from his post-secondary education studies. "You're an impatient one, huh? Alright, I suppose I can spare a few tales from two wars that are classified..." He poured himself another glass of vodka, and promptly continued the interview without delay.
"The conflict waged with the Amadeus Syndicate, a private military organization that hired ex-Rebellion Army grunts and a few trigger-happy mercenaries of their own, was duly noted as the White Baby Crisis. The reason for this was the fact that they deployed a computer virus capable of massive devastation of all military and government software on a global scale. Hell, I studied an inert sample of it and all I can say that only the best computer security experts can devise a cure for it...after at least two weeks of sleepless research and development." He had to chuckle a bit, as the memories of having to spend three full days without sleep while trying to crack the codes for the virus felt like it all happened yesterday. "Two of my colleagues, Eri Kasamoto and Tarma Roving, were assigned to provide intelligence and security support for the labcoats that were developing a cure in conjunction with Kanegawa Military Industries."
Looking up from his notepad, the reporter took the opportunity to clarify the details. "Is Kanegawa Military Industries the primary supplier of weaponry to the Regular Army alongside the military organization's Corps of Engineers?" The only response he got was a single nod from Marco before the aged veteran carried on with his tale.
"The Regular Army turned to the United Nations Special Operations Command, a specialized force of reservist agents that acted on behalf of the United Nations, and sent us two new operatives: Trevor Spacey and Nadia Cassel. I had the pleasure of working with Fio, but things felt really different when Eri and Tarma were not around. But I warmed up to our new teammates in no time, especially when Trevor admired my technical skills with computers..." Marco elaborated with a tiresome grunt, but refreshed himself with another drink. What amazed the reporter the most was just how he was able to drink that much alcohol without passing out.
Just as he was about to continue the story, Leon rose from his sitting posture as he tapped his earpiece due to an incoming transmission. Nodding a few times, he leaned over to his superior's ear and murmured something that the reporter couldn't seem to decipher. The decorated General nodded once and gestured his faithful bodyguard to sit back down, which he did without saying a single word.
"Are you busy? It's okay if we cut this interview short...," the reporter suggested, even though he would be disappointed if that was truly the case.
"No, not at all," Marco answered with a rather calm tone. "It seems like my kids will be visiting too, as they caught wind of my interview." He was positive that it was all but guaranteed that his daughter had something to do with it. "You'll probably receive the honor of meeting them firsthand, so I'll do my best to cover the last few conflicts before they arrive."
The reporter checked his smartphone to see how much content was recorded up to this point: half an hour of audio already kept. "I would appreciate it," he spoke.
Marco finished yet another shot of vodka before deciding to try the orange-flavored cooler instead. Revering the delightful and mild taste of the drink, he explained, "The war with the Amadeus Syndicate was pretty much everything we've saw in the last three wars. Rebellion grunts, intense urban warfare, battles with gigantic vehicles, zombie encounters, you name it. Only when we made our way into Amadeus's personal bunker in Kazakhstan did we realize what that wacko was brewing down there in his little crib: chemical weapons, his private elite guard, an even more potent version of the White Baby Virus, and the worst thing I had expected...cybernetic soldiers."
Dropping his attention from the notepad and staring at the General with wide eyes, he interrupted with, "You mean those cybernetic soldiers that were used by a futuristic variation of the Rebellion Army? Oh, pardon me for the sudden interference, but I've always had an interest for that kind of stuff," he admitted with a nervous smile as he scratched the back of his head.
"It's okay," Marco spoke in a sincere voice. "But like I was saying, Amadeus had built his own cyborgs - both mechanical and biomechanical - as pawns to be used by his organization. I don't need to explain just how durable they were, considering they were still operational even after a full magazine from my trusty AR-10...that day was a terrible omen that humankind had perfected cybernetic technology for all the wrong reasons." Marco's austere expression remain unchanged as he went through his accounts of experience. "Such advancements could be beneficial, but as history and time have proven over and over again, it's often abused by all the wrong folks. The SV-001 Metal Slug project and KMI's contribution of top-notch military hardware are the only two noteworthy examples that I can think up of. They were both used to fight an enemy instead of simply making a profit, which is what most defense contractors go for at the very start."
Hoping to learn more about the Ptolemaic Army, the reporter took the courage to instantly bring up the military faction and their significance. "Which brings us to my next question: the origins of the Ptolemaic Army and the reasoning behind their role in the massive theft of both the Regular Army and KMI's military applications."
This instantly created an expression of neutrality from Marco. "There is very little known in regards to the Ptolemaic Army, since they are more of a secret society than an organized military unit. Aside from some cult-like and shamanic organization of command in their general structure, there's very little information I can provide you with - especially when we haven't captured any of their commanders. Make no mistake though, they possess a good number of soldiers that are deadly in their trades - their Special Forces operatives, the gas-masked hooligans, make the Rebellion Army's Fanatics look like child's play." He took another drink from his cooler before emptying the bottle into the shot-glass, which inclined Leon to head to the small kitchen to get more. "Their infantry are pretty standard. Just Guerrillas, Special Forces, Cultists...but their vehicles? Aside from the reverse-engineered Rebellion Army units that they fielded, they managed to bring a few of their own creations to battle. They were usually in the form of mechanized walkers and customized SV-001 Metal Slug tanks. The pinnacle of their engineering has got to be the dreaded Black Hound - it's not given that name without a good reason - and the mammoth-sized Metal Rear. They wanted to flex their superiority, and they meant it. They wanted to wage war against us."
The reporter's mouth gaped in amazement upon hearing the mention of the Black Hound Metal Slug, one of the most successful main battle tanks to have ever entered service - at least for the Ptolemaic Army. "Yes, the Black Hound was easily one of the most infamous battle vehicles fielded, was it not?"
"Indeed it was," Marco particularized before going into further details. "The Black Hound was AI-directed, and was armed with a slew of weapons that was years ahead of our own. However, the tank itself was flawed, and it eliminated the entire testing crew that was responsible for overseeing its prototypical dry runs - saved us a few rounds, if anything. We destroyed it and all researches that concerned this monstrosity - it cannot be replicated under any circumstances." He chose to keep the truth behind the tank a secret - the commandos had kept some working models that were ultimately used to reverse their inevitable defeat against the Future Rebellion Army.
The old General took a bite from a pretzel piece and cheese before wrapping up his coverage of the Ptolemaic Army with, "But we did it. We managed to thin their ranks, reclaim our stolen assets, and brought an end to the paramilitary organization. Our victory over them allowed us to refine our military technology and led to the eventual deployment of even better weapons. Though we haven't heard from them in roughly over four decades, it's safe to assume that they've finally decided to call it quits...but I'm not resting on my laurels. They can resurface quickly, and we have to react fast. Another mistake such as our failure to stop them before it all happened must not be repeated."
As Leon returned to the couches and coffee table with two more bottles of coolers, the reporter gulped down one more shot of vodka as he decided to wrap up the last two wars that Marco was involved in when he was still an active soldier on the battlefield. "Then less than a year later, you were called back into action due to the Rebellion Army coming back yet again, correct?"
"I see that the vodka is working its magic of making you ask more questions," Marco joked, noticing the ever-increasing eagerness of his interviewer. Not waiting for a reply, he went on and outlined the events of the sixth conflict. "Yes. But their activity was minor, and it was only after we met up with Morden again did we learn another horrific truth that we had no knowledge of: the Plutonians. They were a race of savage and carnivorous extraterrestrials that targeted Martians as their primary prey, but didn't hesitate to feast on humans if the opportunity presented itself. They were everywhere across our world at once. From San Fransisco to Sydney, they surfaced from their hiding spots and terrorized the planet into submission with their biological tactics, ranging from acidic attacks to parasitic mind control. But we managed to counterattack and reclaim our territories with every decisive victory. With the help of Ralf Jones and Clark Still from the Ikari Warriors, we eventually located their hideout deep beneath the rocky dunes of the Australian Desert and eliminated them with one decisive strike. Of course, I had to be rescued again before victory could be claimed...by Fio no less."
The reporter glanced at him after flipping to a fresh page on his notepad. "Rescued? By what? You seem like someone that doesn't even need rescuing, given your degree of experience and skill!"
Marco leaned back on the couch and chuckled at the reporter's flattery of him. "Just because I'm a veteran of more battles than you can count with both your fingers and toes combined doesn't mean I'm invincible. I'm still a human being. The Plutonians managed to snag me with one of their neural parasites, and they forced me to fight Fio. She overpowered me and freed me from their manipulation. Because of the injuries sustained during this unavoidable duel, the job of destroying the Plutonian Queen was up to the rest of the unit. But they did it, and another threat to humanity and possibly the entire universe itself was eradicated...but it was far from over."
"The Garbage Island incident, I assume?" the journalist asked. He wanted to cover all the notable events before Marco's children arrived.
"You got it dead-on, kid. The destruction of the Plutonians meant that General Morden managed to slip away again, as we had to form another temporary alliance of combating this threat. We eventually tracked him to a waste disposal site in the South Pacific, where he was once again building up the Rebellion Army. Content on not allowing him to receive another opportunity to cause more calamity to our planet, the team fought their way to his HQ, but we were a bit too late. His plan all this time was to bring the Future Rebellion Army to our world. Though we managed to halt his operations and send him into a retreat again, we knew this was the start of a war that would last until the ends of time, even after the death of General Morden," Marco elaborated.
"How was the Rebellion Army General finally put to rest?" the reporter queried.
Marco's face descended back into a state of darkness, as while it was a victory for the world, it was anything but that for him on a personal level. "General Morden was tracked to an island in the Pacific where he planned to flee into space. Where two...well, I have no idea, but such a reality could not be allowed. This assault happened shortly after Tarma and I got married to Eri and Fio respectively, and the latter two were expecting their first children within a matter of two months."
Blinking, the reporter could feel the emotional pain that was welling up within the aged commander. "That must've been really depressing on your parts. To have to be sent to war when you're about to be a father..."
"Yes, but a job is a job. We had to get Morden - it was now or never. An entire strike force consisting of Regular Army personnel, SPARROWS agents, United States Marines, and UNSOC operatives was deployed with a full complement of naval and air support. The fight was certainly one I will never forget as long as I live - the most notable events were the cloning vats and railguns that the Rebellion Army deployed at the launching facilities. Those godforsaken facilities constantly pumped out Rebellion Army soldiers at immeasurable numbers and speeds while the advanced artillery cannons shot down our airstrikes with impunity...but it didn't stop us. My team was reduced to just Tarma and I as we infiltrated Morden's shuttle. We managed to gut that bastard for good, but..." Marco placed his palms on his face as a tear flowed from the edge of his right eye. "A price had to be paid for it. Tarma sacrificed himself to save me, and to ensure Morden would remain dead."
Knowing that the General was undergoing some heavy duress due to the emotions involved, Leon placed a hand on his shoulder to sympathize with the old man but didn't say anything.
Meanwhile, the reporter remained absolute silent. He didn't know what to say either, as he didn't want to upset his interviewee in any manner. "So that explains why he didn't mention Tarma Roving's fate earlier..."
Marco's hands soon retreated from his face after a minute or so before he displayed a small grin. "The event is still very sensitive to me. I lost a friend that was dear to me...that and I had to confront Eri regarding the news of her newly wed husband's passing." The reporter didn't say anything about that also, though he scribbled down some notes - in particular, the details behind General Morden's last stand and eventual demise. Though the atmosphere eventually changed once the childish laughter of a young girl echoed from the outside, followed up with the complained bickering of an equally young male.
"Oh boy," Leon mumbled as the laughter sent chills down his spine. "This will get interesting."
General Marco Rossi's somber expression instantly transformed to one of a loving and proud father the moment his two children, Nicole Rossi and Germi Rossi, both twins with opposite genders, entered the living room. As he stood up to greet them, Leon did the same - the latter knew he was going to receive some form of greeting from the youths that were of equal age as him, as the Marine bodyguard was more like a family member to them than a fellow soldier and/or subordinate. It was also the norm for the soldier of the Corporal rank to show them the same type of respect as he would towards his superior. The reporter, on the other hand, was rather confused as he was not expecting more guests.
Germi Rossi, Marco's daughter, was a female that was in her late twenties at most. Aside from her red hair and the lack of glasses, she proved to be an almost exact replica of her mother in every aspect - right from her uniform to her childish and playful personality. Donning a tan-colored patrol cap, a flak jacket, white tank top, military boots, and a pair of shorts, her equipment was further supplemented with knee and elbow pads. Her hair was also tied back into a ponytail that bore a great resemblance to Fio's hairstyle.
Nicole Rossi was Marco's son, and resembling a young man that was also in his late twenties, was dressed in the gear of a traditional Peregrine Falcons commando: a green flak jacket, white T-shirt, grey combats, black military boots, and a pair of fingerless gloves. His hair possessed a shade of dark blonde and it was styled in a slightly less messy manner in contrast to his father's, and he lacked the trademark bandanna that Marco was easily identified with.
"Daddy!" Germi squealed with a rather childish personality as she bounced over to her father and wrapped him in a loving hug.
Marco laughed slightly as he returned the gesture with a hug of his own - if there was anything that could cheer him up during his gloomiest days, it was the presence of his daughter's cheerful and hyperactive personality. "Hey Germi. I hope you didn't force Nicole to come here against his will!" he joked. Obviously, his son did not take the joke well, given his dark glare that he generated towards his father. Of course, Marco was too busy embracing his daughter in his arms to pay any attention.
"Of course I did! He didn't want to come here, but it's an important interview he can't miss!" Germi finally decided to let go and focused on her next object of affection and teasing: Corporal Leon Chan. She moved over to him and greeted him loudly with, "Hello, China-Boy!"
Rolling his eyes, Leon groaned slightly - he was stuck with that pet name ever since he met Germi on their first tours against the FRA, but nevertheless greeted back in a friendly manner. "Hello Germi. We were expecting ya, as your father wished for you and Nicole to be a part of the interview," he announced in the same respectful tone of formality that he would use with Marco.
"Wonderful! I arrived just on time for that...oh wait, where are my manners? I forgot to give you a hug too!" She wrapped her arms around her father's devoted bodyguard and treated him to another loving hug as if Leon happened to be her personal teddy bear. Unbeknownst to the reporter, that was sort of the case.
Meanwhile, Nicole eyed his father in a rather emotionless manner. "Hey father," he greeted without any sense of enthusiasm. "Sorry we were late, but we just finished our training sessions. That, and Germi didn't let us change out of our combat uniforms, so don't mind us if we happen to smell a bit funny."
"I understand," was Marco's plain and straightforward reply. "Though it's good that you still made it with time to spare."
The reporter, however, was quite befuddled at how the General's two children resembled their parents in terms of physical appearance. If it wasn't for the fact that Germi didn't wear glasses and had reddish hair, he would've easily mistaken her for Fio. On the other hand, Nicole was much more unique as he sported a less muscular build in contrast to his father, but he was still well-toned and physically fit for a soldier. It was at this moment that he noticed the mother of the family was missing; wishing to stay informed and to collect as much information as possible, he took the liberty to ask them about her. "Hmm, where is Fiolina Germi?"
Almost immediately, silence drifted over the group as the faces of the entire Rossi family and Leon descended into a state of gloom. Nobody said a word - and for a good reason too, as none of the quartet wanted to be reminded that Fio was no longer with them.
"Uh...did I do something wrong?" the journalist questioned.
"My wife passed away years ago," Marco grimly replied as he clenched his fists; it didn't help that he lost two compatriots that were extremely close to him. "Though I will not release any details about her passing aside from the fact; it still aches my heart even to this day." Germi and Leon didn't say anything either, save for a small breath of distress that was released from the Marine bodyguard's lips. Nicole stared out the window and towards the terrace that spanned into the wilderness from the backyard of their house.
Almost immediately, the reporter instantly had to mentally slap himself for bringing down the spirit of the family gathering. "My apologies...I really didn't it...I was just curious, that's all." He felt like he had just insulted Marco with the question...
Marco's grim expression faded away as his signature grin returned, albeit faintly. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean it - I can see the honesty in your eyes. You're just inquisitively curious by nature, and you want to know more about me. I won't blame you for that, but there is information that I cannot release, either for classified and personal reasons. Anyways, not to sidetrack from the interview, these two are my children." He turned to Germi, the latter smiling brightly back at her father in return. "This is Germi Rossi, and the one by the window is Nicole Rossi. Please say hello."
"Hello! It's a pleasure to be your acquaintance!" Germi greeted as she extended her hand towards the reporter, the latter shaking it apprehensively with his right hand as he smiled back, albeit nervously.
Meanwhile, Nicole temporarily moved from his position from the window and mimicked his sister's actions, minus the positive attitude she was famous for displaying constantly. "Likewise," he simply uttered in a rather low and disinterested voice.
Feeling more comfortable now due to the friendliness of the Rossi family and their personal guardian (and possibly from the aftereffects of the vodka too), the reporter decided to resume the interview - there were still a few more questions he wanted to ask before he decided to wrap things up. "I respect your decision to not disclose the details of Fiolina Germi, but what was she like? You've served with her since the second war and eventually took her hand in marriage, so I would like to know more. That is, if you're comfortable with telling me about it."
Marco returned to his seat on the sofa, while Germi and Leon sat down across from him; Nicole chose not to join the group as he maintained his posture by the window. Smiling, the old General began with, "Fiolina was one of the finest soldiers that I had the honor of serving with, as her unwavering loyalty, kindness, and courage has helped sustain my own emotions and mentality on the battlefield in a stable manner. It's not everyday that you encounter both a combat medic and a heavy suppressor in a soldier that happened to be the only daughter of a billionaire," he reminisced in a happy and relaxed state. "And as a wife, she was everything to me. The fact she managed to give birth to two adorable kids that eventually followed our footsteps as soldiers is only standing evidence of why I'm such a proud father. Then, she was also my bodyguard's mentor...so that's a bonus. Although she is no longer at my side, I will constantly remind myself that Nicole, Germi, and Leon are the reasons why I should always look forward to the future - to build a world where our descendants can live in happiness and peace."
The reporter eyed him as he tapped his pen on his notepad. "She was your bodyguard's teacher figure?"
Marco generated a single nod in reply. "Yes. Although I was responsible for training him after we pulled him from some...troubles, my role as a high-ranking officer in the Regular Army meant that I was unable to fulfill this role most of the time. Therefore, she trained him - as she was busy raising Nicole and Germi, she had to retire from front-line duty. All I can say is that I can't be any prouder for what he's done for both me and my kids." His smile returned once more when he noticed his daughter blush slightly.
Leon sighed quietly as he kept his eyes leveled to the coffee table. While Marco and his children had treated him as a member of their family, he was just plain different in almost every aspect - a troubled soldier with a rather difficult past that involved constantly risking himself to a court martial, discharge from the armed forces, and a mess of run-ins with the wrong side of the law. Only did a fateful encounter with Ralf Jones did he finally turn his life around for the better good, though it involved being beaten into a coma and stuck in an infirmary for almost a whole month. Decades after that incident, he played the pivotal role of a personal guardian for one of the most important humans in the world - did fate have something to do with it? He then remembered L-X8's words that were spoken to him during a desperate defense against the Future Rebellion Army's onslaught: "Appreciate what you have, and don't be dissuaded by your failures."
"Why the long face?" Germi asked with a rather worried tone as she tilted her head towards the Corporal-ranked combatant.
"Huh?" Leon shook his head slightly, trying not to concern Marco's daughter in any way. "Oh, nothing. It's just a reminder of how the years have passed...it felt like yesterday when the rogue US Military forces, the US Army and the Experimental Forces led by the corrupt General Amelia, declared the Regular Army to be history and attempted to make her own military the new global defense force." It was at this sentence when he realized he just spoke too much. "Oh...I shouldn't have blurted that out loud."
The youthful journalist immediately perked up upon hearing the Marine's statement - it was one of the most infamous events to happen during the interwar years after the death of General Morden and during the war with the Future Rebellion Army. "Ah, yes. General Amelia was the Supreme Commander of the US Army and an Experimental Forces Division, right?"
Nicole simply scoffed under his breath from his current position from the window. "This guy is definitely biting a lot more than he can chew, but I won't judge him," he thought in his analytic mind. An answer to such a question was usually off-limits, but he knew his father, his sister, or their somewhat adopted sibling was going to let loose with their big mouths regardless.
Germi nodded before explaining what she knew, as she was all too familiar with the three-pronged war between the rogue US Army and Experimental Forces, the Regular Army, and the Future Rebellion Army. "That's correct. Although she did not openly declare war against the world, General Amelia was prepared to resort to openly violent confrontations to carry out her plot of dissolving the Regular Army and all of its affiliated factions. We were initially hesitant at first, as we were already diverting our resources towards fighting the Future Rebellion Army - I'll try to elaborate more on them later."
"It was the reason why I was discharged from the US Army," Leon added, recalling his morally correct character that opposed the corruption that was rampant in his former employers. "I spoke out against them, but when that didn't work, you can say things got unfriendly with my superiors."
"Wow, I didn't know such a level of crookedness existed within one of the strongest militaries on this planet...," the reporter commented.
"You'd be surprised. But I thought General Amelia's threat directed at the Regular Army was more of a request for a challenge than an actual warning that I had to take seriously," Marco took another sip from his glass before loosing a chuckle. "You may think I'm insane for reacting in such a manner, but that's just how it is. I love a good challenge, and I always mused the notion of having to fight the most powerful, numerous, and technologically advanced military in the world..."
"So did you actually take the fight to her head-on?" the reporter asked for clarification.
"Yes and no. Although I got the chance to fight some of the most corrupt and zealous American soldiers, my age was preventing me from doing so, but I did lead a few assaults personally. The rest was eventually left to my children and a few other soldiers that followed my teachings; Leon Chan, Flynn 'Mack' Taggart, Walter Ryan, Tyra Elson, Princess Elizabeth, and Bella Heart are some of the members that were directly responsible for fighting the enemy on two fronts." He paused for a moment as memories of the soldiers he mentioned came racing back into his heart; a quick glance at Nicole made him acknowledge that the mere mention of Princess Elizabeth made him tremble slightly. "We had to divert our resources accordingly to fight both the corrupt US Military Forces and the Future Rebellion Army...but we did it somehow. The odds were definitely stacked against us, though it did help that the US and FRA disliked and jockeyed for power over each other," he finished.
The journalist smiled slightly; this was a wealth of information that would prove to be useful in the radio report. He turned to Leon before querying, "You claimed that you are a former US Army soldier. Were you really willing to potentially open fire on your former comrades?"
The Marine shrugged his shoulders. "They were the ones who turned their backs on me, so yes. More than willing to do so. I was initially hesitant, but after hearing that an old mentor of mines - the man known as Flynn Taggart - was on the front lines and leading the scattered Marines in a struggle against their corrupt figureheads, I had to help out somehow as he was an old friend of my father. It was also the reason why I chose to transfer back to the Marines after things settled down, at least until I was granted the role of being General Marco's personal bodyguard. Flynn's an old man, but I still view the man with the same kind of respect as Marco," he detailed. Saying all of that was certainly a mouthful to him, even though it was nothing more than a brief executive summary.
"What about the Future Rebellion Army?" the reporter suggested, jumping to the next topic that roused his interests. "We've mentioned a lot about them throughout the interview, but I would like to know some of the details behind the paramilitary organization."
Marco frowned slightly, as the topic was still very classified - and sensitive - to him on various levels. "Most of the details behind the FRA is highly classified and restricted from the general public, but a quick summary can be provided. Nicole, Germi, and Leon will help you with that, as all three of them have more experience of dealing with them firsthand than I do."
Nicole sighed. This was going to be one heck of an interrogation session on his part...
Although unwilling to share the deeper and more extensive details, Nicole was more than satisfied to provide some general information regarding the Neo-Rebellion Army. He left his position and sat next to the reporter as he prepared to contribute his part in the interview along with Germi and Leon, especially the information that concerned the Prototype, Assassin, and Commando series of cybernetic soldiers. As he did not exactly get along very well with his father for a handful of reasons, Marco's son did not maintain any sort of eye contact with his parental figure. "What you are about to hear is information that many, aside from veterans of the war against the Future Rebellion Army are aware of. Should you be careless with what I am going to reveal to you, we have every right to silence you in more ways than one," he announced with a gravely tone.
"Uhm...okay...?" the reporter stuttered back.
"Nicole!" Germi scolded her brother as she crossed her arms across her chest. "That's not how you should treat someone like that!"
The male wasn't exactly sure of what to make of his sister's personality at times. "If you were paying attention back at the SPARROWS Training Academy, this is just how standard Regular Army protocols work," he returned with a rather plain voice. Meanwhile, Marco and Leon didn't say anything - they knew what to expect from the squad leader of the new commando unit. He was the opposite of his father in almost every aspect of personality.
"Without any further interruptions, I will begin the details behind that godforsaken war." Nicole took the opportunity to pour himself a cooler before initiating his contribution. "The Rebellion Army remained dormant for quite a few years after the final showdown with the remnants of their experimental division in the Pacific - said assault took place sometime after Germi and I were born. It was one of the bloodiest battles in history, as while the Rebellion Army was virtually driven to annihilation, both Regular Army and US Military Forces sustained irreplaceable casualties. It is also speculated this was why General Amelia wished to make the Regular Army defunct, as the US follows the jurisdictions of the officials in the Regular Army - and the latter failed miserably over the years, given the high casualties and costs sustained from the wars. Obviously, General Amelia was not happy about that, as she believed her Army and Experimental Forces branch could do a better job. Or so she thinks." Nicole scoffed a bit at his last sentence, given the corruption that was rampant within the forces under her command.
The reporter nodded before taking a small drink from his glass as he allowed the taste of the beverage to lighten his tastebuds. "Interesting. So how exactly did the Future Rebellion Army come to be?"
Nicole shook his head slightly as he sipped his alcoholic beverage. "Their origins are not clear. They could have opened another time portal in a decrepit location on the Earth, but we have presumptions that their base is not on our planet at all. Given their technology, well...should that prove to be surprising to you one bit?"
The only response that the interviewing journalist could elicit was a rather blank-looking expression directed at Nicole. "You're claiming that the FRA is not from our world..."
"Maybe, maybe not. That's classified information," was the vague response from Marco's son. He continued with, "But the Future Rebellion Army decided to strike back years after Morden's death with everything that the Rebellion Army possessed while inheriting none of their weaknesses. They were a technologically superior enemy in contrast to what the Regular Army had. But the most fearsome aspect of their forces was not their troop numbers or improved counterparts of capital weapons that my father and his allies neutralized in the past - it was the cyborgs of their military that nearly drove us into inevitable defeat. I'm sure you've heard of them, right?" He sipped his cooler again as memories from approximately fifteen years ago, when the first Cyborg Prototypes marched into humanity's cities and razed everything in sight with their chainguns and miniaturized nuclear explosives. "How fast time must roll by..."
"Sort of. The media didn't really cover them all that much," the reporter admitted.
"For a good reason, as it would only serve to increase further public disorder. The FRA's cybernetic soldier program drastically improved their abilities to fight us directly. The Prototypes were bad news, as they carried enough weaponry and armor to neutralize just about every ground threat they might encounter. Then came the Assassins. Specialized killing machines that could cloak themselves and carry out assassination operations...we lost quite a few of our commanders from them. And finally, the dreaded Commandos...," he could not continue his sentence as he hung his head low for a second or two before raising it back up again. "Leon can fill you in on that. He is rather...experienced with his encounters with them."
Leon turned to Marco. "Should I?" he asked as a way of requesting authorization to speak. The aged General replied with a silent nod, and his bodyguard began his explanation to the reporter.
"The Cyborg Commando is arguably, the most dangerous type of enemy that the Regular Army had to deal with in its entire history since its inception," he spoke, his tone mixed with fear, anxiety, and seriousness at the same time. "Though there were a few in active service during our war against the Future Rebellion Army, the one that remained at the forefront of the FRA's operations is a subject that goes by the name of Victor. He possesses more firepower than five Black Hound Metal Slug tanks combined and has the ability to destroy an entire country on his own. According to information that we retrieved from his profile, he has an unbelievable kill count of over 1,900,000 targets eliminated," he briefly paused his sentence as he felt a lump in his throat - though he managed to survive his onslaught, it was just a reminder of how close they came to virtual annihilation...
"That's terrifying...," the journalist commented, scribbling something down in his notepad before folding over to a new page. "So was he the only active Cyborg Commando in service?"
The Marine bodyguard shook his head once before regaining his composure to continue the interview. "Negative. There were two more; if my memory serves me right, one is called John Kane and the other goes by the designation of L-X8. I am not authorized to release any details of them, but L-X8 fought for us. According to Marco, their origins are not from our world. How they managed to gain access to our dimension is something that baffles me even to this day. That's all we know about them for now," He then quietly thought about the truth behind the two other killing machines - though John Kane's details were still unclear to them all, he knew that L-X8 was reprogrammed from an assassin to a protector. Originally designed to terminate Fiolina Germi from another dimension, he was instead captured and had his software altered on the orders of the former SPARROWS agent. "If only he was able to prevent her death in our world...then she might be still with us today, and Marco would be able to sleep peacefully at night."
Marco's thoughts were immediately embroiled in a sea of thoughts. Though he was well aware that such cyborgs existed, he knew so little about them - was it just him getting old?
Though he knew it was a sensitive subject for all four of his interviewees, the reporter wanted to ask one last question about the enigmatic Cyborg Commandos. "What is Victor's status as of today?"
"Status is unconfirmed as of his last appearance," Germi answered. "We were last treated to him fleeing through a dimensional gate, and since the gateway was already incurring heavy damage...we were unable to give pursuit. But I have a feeling that he will be back one day. Just like the Plutonians."
"Pardon me? But weren't the Plutonians driven to extinction after the sixth war?" the young man asked with a rather confused tone.
Marco placed his cup down before explaining, "Just because we destroyed the Plutonian Queen in the sixth conflict doesn't mean they're truly defeated for good. Their presence on Earth is still strong as they have concealed themselves in locations that none of us can survive in. While I am concerned of their eventual return, I do not allow it to bother me one bit. As usual, the status regarding them cannot be provided, so that's all I have to say about that matter." Hoping to change the mood of the interview, his face brightened up slightly. "Since you're here anyways, I suppose we should all give you a little treat - a view into the gear that we used in the past and now. As you've already seen my old AR-10 Automatic Rifle on display, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to show you more of the equipment and firepower that we used in previous wars."
The reporter scratched his head in a mixture of both excitement and nervousness. "Oh, well, I'm not too sure about that..."
Marco didn't bother to answer him as he, along with his children and bodyguard, left the room to gather their standard-issue gear. Left by himself, the interviewer could do nothing but wait for their eventual return as Larissa Kusanagi once kept a watchful eye over him once again.
It felt like an eternity before Nicole, Germi, and Leon came back into the living room, donning their full set of gear that they fielded on the battlefield. Marco carried a worn-out cardboard box that contained some of his aged weaponry, as he possessed none of the advanced combat hardware due to his retirement from frontline duty. Setting the box down, Marco turned to the reporter. "Feel free to take pictures. This will definitely make a good highlight in the reports that you'll publish for your supervisors!"
The reporter quickly picked up his smartphone and activated the camera function. He turned to Nicole, who shortly began his description of what he carried with him.
"My gear is pretty unconventional for a commando, as my strategy usually does not involve direct confrontations - I'm more of an infiltrator and computer expert," Marco's son began before he pulled the pistol - a Murder .50AE Handgun, the standard sidearm provided to male soldiers of the Regular Army. "This is the .50 caliber Murder handgun. Not much has changed, except my variation is fine-tuned to shoot modified ammunition." He tucked the handgun back into his holster before bringing forth a futuristic assault rifle. "And this is the MAR-10 Super Rifle. A specialized firearm only provided to certain operatives, this weapon is adopted to change what kinds of firepower it employs directly on the battlefield. From standard 7.62mm bullets to high-explosive pulse rounds, this little beauty has it all! Overall though, I prefer to rely on my trusty Murder handgun, Combat Knife, standard Kevlar Body Armor, and wits for survival - the MAR-10 is only for serious combat situations," he spoke with a proud tone before slinging the weapon over his shoulder. The reporter didn't say a word as he snapped a picture and quickly moved over to Germi.
Smiling happily, Marco's daughter clutched a massive minigun in her arms - instead of the traditional ones which carried a black/silver paint scheme, it was colored pink and had a variety of stickers plastered all over it. "Say hello to Love Letter, my primary firearm! It has the ability of pouring out 200 rounds of high explosive rounds in a second while revved up at max power." She then directed to the Murder Model-1915 .38 Revolver and a nightstick made with a special alloy that was carried in the holster positioned on her right hip. "That's my sidearm and backup melee weapon, both standard weapons provided to female SPARROWS operatives such as myself. The nightstick is custom-made, and I call it Nighty-Night!" she giggled a bit before concluding with, "Overall, I modeled my setup with inspiration from my mother, as I have continued her legacy by fulfilling her original role - being a heavy suppressor and combat medic!" She explained before pointing to her personal medical kit that was carried on her back. As usual, the reporter snapped another picture and proceeded to focus his attention to Marco's personal bodyguard.
"As a Marine, my gear is vastly different from the other two. For starters, I don't have the fancy high-tech gear like Marco's kids but the Marines is a conventional fighting force. The tradition has not changed even after half a century - what you see here is the primary loadout that an United States Marines soldier carries into battle," he elaborated before bringing forth his primary weapon - the M16 Mk. IV Assault Rifle. Unlike its predecessor, this weapon was much more bulky and resembled a heavy machine gun instead of a conventional assault rifle. "What you see here is the M16 Mk. IV Assault Rifle. It is the successor to the highly praised M16 Mk. II that served the United States Armed Forces up until the Garbage Island incident. This version carries 100 rounds and has an integrated grenade launcher, along with a laser-dot scope and a simplistic user interface module installed here," he said before pointing to an electronic number counter on the top of the firearm. "For backup, I carry a Benelli M4 Shotgun that is used for patrols and corridor-based combat and as a sidearm, my trusty Glock 19 Handgun fits the bill. Last but not least, I have a Combat Knife and Marine-grade Kevlar Body Armor," he finished. The reporter, impressed with what he had seen, took another picture.
Realizing that his successors finished their session of showcasing their equipment, Marco took the liberty to give the reporter a little presentation of his own. "Now that you've seen what the youths are capable of, perhaps I can show you what I used back in my days. Though the stuff here is outdated, I'm sure you'll recognize them!"
The reporter paid close attention as the aged General rummaged through the box and pulled out his own Murder .50AE Handgun. While Nicole's variation was polished and free of any kind of blemishes, his father's variation was old, worn out, and scratched in many areas. In spite of its dilapidated condition, it was a true relic in every aspect - it was the premier handgun that accompanied Marco throughout his tours almost half a century ago. "Does it still work?" the reporter asked inquisitively.
"Of course," Marco answered proudly. "I still keep this with me at all times. You never know when you'll need it, even when escorted by your kids and a highly devoted protector." He placed the handgun on the table before pulling some more items out - an old assault rifle magazine built in the STANAG configuration. "What you see here is the conventional ammunition magazine for all automatic Regular Army weapons before we started using fancier models like the ones that Nicole and Leon are carrying." He gave it to the reporter, who studied it for a few moments before it joined the handgun on the surface of the table.
Marco then retrieved a twelve-inch Combat Knife that was exactly the same as the ones that Nicole and Leon showed earlier. "Now this is my trusty Combat Knife. I've probably gutted more Rebellion troops than I can count with this little monster. It's also saved my skin countless times from those godforsaken Fanatics!"
Then the old veteran pulled out a boxing glove - an odd item to belong in the assortment of military souvenirs, but the General had a story for it. "This is an improvised weapon. I kept this in the backpack - with the click of a button, it springs out and gives unsuspecting foes a fist in the face. It's crude and unconventional, but it's certainly a nice backup when you can't use your knife."
"Wow." The reporter was awed to say the least. He could just imagine the comedic moments that Marco had with this weapon. "What about these?" he asked as he directed his finger towards an odd missile that was shaped like a remote controlled car.
"This?" the old man laughed as he lifted the object - an Iron Lizard warhead - from the box. "It's the Iron Lizard. An anti-personnel weapon designed to explode behind cover so it can eliminate targets behind cover. The Regular Army no longer uses them, but it's too memorable of a weapon to simply fade into obscurity. So I took the privilege of preserving a few of these for keepsake."
There were a few other items in the box, such as an empty Medical Kit, shotgun shells, and the helmet of a Ptolemaic Special Forces soldier. As the reporter asked for clarification of said items, Marco took his time to explain each and every one of them to him in exquisite detail - this only provided more content for the former to record in his trusty notepad.
After all was said and done, the reporter felt that it was time to conclude the interview. He had interviewed the Rossi family and their guardian for almost two hours, so he decided to end with some philosophical questions on his mind.
"General Rossi, what are your plans for the future that is ahead of you?"
Marco placed the box aside as his kids and bodyguard returned to their sitting postures on the couches. "I've never really thought about the future before. At least before I became a General of the Regular Army. I lived my days to their fullest and fought my hardest when the time called for it. But ever since I've receded from my position as a front-line commando and allowed my kids and other newer recruits take my spot...the verdict is all but clear. The battles of the future will be fought by the new generation. I've done my part, and now, it's your turn." To add support to his statement, Nicole, Germi, and Leon all nodded without saying a word.
The veteran General turned his face towards the early evening sky outside for a few moments before he resumed his speech.
"I've done my best to prepare the future generations for a new type of warfare. All the training, experience, and tactics that I've accumulated during my time on the front lines has been utilized as teaching methods for future soldiers of the Regular Army. I've closed my chapter on it years ago, so my role in combat is all but history. Peace is a fragile privilege, and whenever it exists, the prospect of war looms on the horizon to threaten it. This is especially the case for the Future Rebellion Army. They nearly drove us to the point of capitulation and have already destroyed other worlds with ease...and I have a damned feeling they'll return one day to finish what they started," he finished his statement with a small frown, knowing that a future invasion by the FRA was all but an inevitable prospect.
"Do you have any concerns of their potential return, or the surfacing of any new factions for that matter?" the reporter asked as his next closing question of the interview.
"Dead positive," Marco answered instantly without hesitation. "The world is in turmoil ever since the last war against those bastards - pardon my language, but that's just how it is. Rebuilding a war-torn world is a lot more difficult than ruining it in its original state. And while I can give them a fight that they'll never forget, I can only do so much. I am only a human after all - an old man that wants to simply retire happily and hope the future generations remember and build upon my contributions. But as long as we remain persistent and vigilant even in the greatest form of evil...we will prevail. In the end, planet Earth is our home, and if we don't stand up to protect it from invasions, then no one will." He retrieved his glass before gulping down the vodka that remained in the cup.
"What about you three? Do you have anything to add to General Rossi's points?" the reporter turned to Nicole, Germi, and Leon.
Nicole began his final points with, "The Future Rebellion Army and the Plutonians will be back. They've already gotten a first-hand taste of their devastating violence they can inflict with their capabilities for war and while we were successful in defeating them...they will come back with a vengeance. Though I will constantly remain vigilant for that day..."
"As long as we stay positive and upbeat, we can defeat anything!" Germi added cheerily before clutching Leon's left arm and dragging him close to her. "If not, then my Love Letter and adorable China-Boy here will give the baddies a beating they'll relish to the ends of time!"
The reporter tried not to laugh; he had to admit, Marco's daughter had a thing for displaying both affection and teasing of the Chinese-American soldier, though he was not going to ask if it was just a show of general friendliness or something deeper than that, but he knew that the SPARROWS agent was more than just a friend and a compatriot-in-arms to Leon. "It's probably far too private to go into details..."
Groaning slightly, Leon blushed a bit from the sudden gesture of adoration. "Well, that aside, all I can say is that one should never live their lives in fear. Fighting back and dying is always a better option than being enslaved by a higher power of brutality. That, and one's inspiration to protect a loved one is a force that should never be underestimated." His thoughts turned to Marco and Germi, as he vowed to be there for them under any circumstance. Though Nicole wasn't as close to him since he wasn't a sociable one and he didn't get to know him much until recently, they were still brothers-in-arms in every aspect.
Just as the reporter delivered his final words of gratitude, Nicole tapped his earpiece as an incoming transmission caught his attention. Moments later, he edged over to his father's ear and whispered something that the young journalist couldn't seem to decipher. Nodding, Marco stood up. "I'm afraid this interview has to come to an end. New orders from the Regular Army High Command that these three here must attend to."
"It's okay, sir. I was about to end the interview anyways," he stood up and placed his smartphone back into his pocket. "It was an honor interviewing you, your kids, and your personal aide. I will ensure that your stories will be a prime feature in our future programs." He extended his hand out to Marco.
The Regular Army General took his hand and shook it, his smile brighter than ever. "You're welcome kid. I hope to hear from you more in the future, and good luck with your endeavors."
The reporter quickly left the living room as he was escorted to the exit by two Regular Army soldiers and Larissa Kusanagi - the moment he was out the door, Marco turned to Nicole, Germi, and Leon before delivering his newest orders: "The Ptolemaic Army has resurfaced in the hearts of the Amazonian Jungle and has openly declared war against the Regular Army. This mission has been entrusted to you three and Second Lieutenant Larissa, and you will be joined up with more recruits once you enter the zone of operations. Move out!"
"Affirmative," Nicole acknowledged.
"Yes sir!" Germi cheerfully remarked with a salute.
"Let's lock and load," Leon added.
As all three of his descendants left the premises and headed to their designated stations at a military base not far from his mansion, Marco quietly turned towards the window and focused his view on the green fields that ran for miles. It only seemed like yesterday when he launched his first counteroffensive against General Morden and his new world order military in the Villeneuve Mountain System in the Cambodian Jungles. Sure, he had witnessed many horrors of warfare, but he also learned and saw things that a regular human being would never be able to experience in their lifetime. He did not regret anything in his life; as a successful General and a proud father with two kids and an adopted child, he could not ask for anything more.
It was truly an adventure he would never forget!
This ends the fic! Please forgive me if there are some inaccuracies (this is especially directed to MegaAuthor) as my writing skills are very rusty at the moment. Also, I didn't expect the fic to be completed so quickly. But that's what happens when you want to get things done as a tough work schedule draws extremely close.
The 'relationship' between Germi and Leon...well, it's open to speculation. MegaAuthor has been constantly teasing the two, and I have just decided to leave it unanswered to avoid any potential conflicts. This series is about war and heavy machine guns, not badly written romance (and frankly, I'm horrible at the latter)! Once again, your imagination is your best friend. There are no right or wrong answers - both characters were originally planned to be comedic relief in many aspects.
Peace forever my fellow Metal Slug fans, and keep the series alive!
-Soldier of the Future