This story is entirely fictional, and any resemblances to real life events and persons are entirely coincidental. The issues and opinions presented in this story do not neccessarily represent or reflect the views or opinions of the author.

I do not own any of these characters nor do i own any part of the Metal Gear, or Metal Gear Solid series, with the exception of C.O.R.P.S.E. and Red Nova they are entirely all from my noggin'.

METAL GEAR SOLID: The Ghosts of the Past
CHAPTER 1: Red Nova
"Snake do you remember 8 months ago when President Dawes went to the United Nations asking for funds to build a global missile defense system dubbed Project: Saber?"
"Who could forget, when the UN turned down his resolution he cut off diplomatic relations with every nation in the world and anti-American sentiment grew to an all time high." Snake said in response. Five minutes to lift-off. A voice said over the control tower speaker at Cape Kennedy. Begin Data Tests.
"The international community was rocked by the world's biggest fear come to reality 2 months later. A nuclear bomb launched from an unknown Middle Eastern nation made it's way to the frigid plains of Murmansk, Russia. Project Saber was unanimously passed and funds from every nation in the world were sent post haste to the designated build location the Australian desert. The project was rushed so quickly that 6 months later they were ready to launch the new Space Station to defend against any new nuclear threats."
"Otacon, you don't have to explain every to me, I can remember the Space launch seeing as how it was two weeks ago." Snake replied.

T minus 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1 BLAST OFF!
Fire from the rocket's burners immediately lit up as though something had exploded under it the rocket began to lift-off and begin it's voyage just outside of Earth's atmosphere. The rocket began to climb until it reached the clouds, and then into the dark skies of Earth's atmosphere where just ahead a gigantic Space Station was floating as if held up by some sort of invisible wire coming from the endless infinity of space.
"Snake just sit back, the first few seconds of weightlessness is a little nauseating." Otacon told Snake over the long distance radio courtesy of the Pentagon.
"Otacon I'm fine, the nerve stimulants you gave kicked in long ago." Snake said.
"Now it's time to get into the deep stuff Snake. The enemy this time around is a terrorist group known as C.O.R.P.S.E., a mostly Russian Terrorist group who somehow stumbled on board the Space Station."
The Rocket was still flying fast and the Space Station was getting closer by the second.
"The bad news is that they have lot's and lot's of C4 wired to the walls of the space station and they're gonna blow it if their demands aren't met."
"What are their demands anyway?" Snake asked.
"They want to meet with you Snake. That's the only demand they have."
"You're joking right?" Snake said in disbelief.
"No, they for some reason asked specifically for THE Solid Snake."
"Where did all of this come from?" Snake asked Otacon.
"From our superiors..." Otacon replied.
"Superiors? We work alone for Philanthropy now who exactly are you getting this stuff from?" Snake asked Otacon.
"Well ya see Snake, I received an e-mail on my private address, the one no one knows about, well except you and they asked me to wait at a pay phone where I received a message from a source who identified himself as Deep Throat."
"You mean...?"
"NO! Not that Deepthroat, they later told me to forget the name and he identified himself as MR. X.."
"The same MR. X from...?"
"Not that Mr. X either. Then he said his name was Vertigo."
"Vertigo?" Snake asked. "Anyway who does Vertigo work for?"
"Well he said he had deep ties to the Pentagon and that the terrorists requested you come to the negotiation table. The president didn't want you there Snake, he thinks you're a criminal and technically you're still a wanted fugitive remember? The Big Shell incident? And the destruction of Arsenal Gear?"
"Oh yeah, that was over a year ago." Snake replied. The rocket came closer and closer to the Space Station and lights in the rocket started to flash.
"Just relax Snake, the computers and auto-pilots will do all the work you just sit tight and wait for the restraints to release you." Said Otacon.
"So lemme guess, as a part of Philanthropy we sneak in without them knowing to stop the terrorists from blowing the world's defense system against rogue nations and their secret nuclear arsenals." Snake said.
"Bingo! Was it hard for you to get aboard the rocket?" Otacon asked.
"No, those Astronauts never saw it coming, by the way the weightlessness of space did something to the Stealth Camouflage because when I tried to turn it back on the whole thing went haywire."
"No snake you weren't suppose to use it in space, the combination of no gravity and the speed you were going at messed it up! Now you'll have to sneak your way around the station!" Otacon stressfully replied.
"Wait I thought they wanted me to negotiate with them?" Snake asked. "Well I am not sure they know you're coming, I mean after all even the Pentagon doesn't know that." Otacon replied.
"By the way who is in charge anyway?" Snake asked.
"Well the leader of C.O.R.P.S.E. is Specter, a Russian mercenary expelled from Sergei Gurlukovich's ranks for excessive cruelty while he was in Hungary squashing their civil unrest and protest of Russia's communist regime."
"Excessive cruelty?" Snake asked.
"Specter is an expert Sniper and has an extremely unnatural way of moving. He walks on walls and flips off ceilings. It's almost creepy.
"Next is Banshee, she seems to be Specter's significant other of some sort. She has an unusual air about her. Seems she can hypnotize enemies and stop them in their tracks with some sort of mind powers. She comes from Latvia and organized a freedom force to fight against Russian troops stationed in Latvia. Specter helped her organize after Russia humiliated him. We also have Ghoul, a close friend of Banshee, she excels at assassinations and is very sneaky, excellent at hiding in the shadows.
"We also have Wraith a close friend of Specter, Wraith is a technological genius, who has built every thing from heat seeking bullets to anti-heat belts designed to hide himself from heat-vision and thermal goggles. We also have Reaper a reckless Ukrainian explosives maniac. He specializes in C4, Semtex, Missile Launching Artillery, and anything you can imagine. Be warned Snake, this is an odd crowd, they dress in dark clothing and their skin is pale white like egg shells and their eyes match their skin. They usually have dark, black as night hair, they go all out and they specialize in fear tactics."
"Snake you're about to board the docking bay, our Codec will cut off soon. My Frequency is 141.90 call if you need me anytime in the next half- hour, but after that you'll have to see me in person."
"In person? what are you talking about-"
"See later Snake!" Otacon said as his transmission cut off. Snake let out a groan as he saw the docking bay open up. He knew this would be another long and complicated mission, but he prepared to enter hoping this time it wouldn't be nearly as complicated as they'd been in the past. He had no idea what he was getting into.