Note: Please R&R!


Chapter 3 – Preparings

Otacon began to speak. He had a formal voice and Snake could tell that Otacon just gave him the information displayed on his

screen.

"Snake. I think you never heard about the "Virtuosus Mission", did you?"

Snakes' mind was working hard. He knew that he heard about something like that before, but he had no clue where that had

been.

"Nope, never..."

"Okay, Snake. I'll fill you in. Do you remember the founding period of FOX? Your father and a Major called Zero founded this

unit specialised in infiltration. You were once a member in it, too. Okay, onto the subject again: During the Cold War there

was a major crisis: The Cuba Missile Crisis! The world was on the brink of a new world war. Thanks to President Kennedys'

politics the situation calmed down. Chruschtow, former leader of the UdSSR, drew back from Cuba and the United States drew

back from Turkey. You got that?"

"I know. There was also the gossip that the draw-back from Turkey was a set-up made for the public. Right?"

"Excatly! The whole story was faked. The missiles in Turkey had no tactical worth for the States and Cuba was much more

important to Russia than the minimal threat spelled out by the missiles in Turkey."

"But why the hell Russia accepted the demands?"

"There was something much more important. A few months before that, a Russian weapon scientist called Sokolov defected and

went over the fence into the West. He worked on the Soviets' rockets and in weapon research. He even led his own research

facility. He was even more important to Russia than the position in Cuba. The deal was that the Russians would drew back from

Cuba and in return, the Americans would give them Sokolov back. It happened right this way."

"And? What's the big news?"

"Two months after the action - which was also conducted by Major Zero - US secret service digged up some information about

Sokolov. He had returned to his research facility and was forced to work on his newest invention. He contacted the CIA a few

days before the projects' completion. Due to an official report he warned that this would be the last chance to save him and

to prevent the projects completion. The CIA hadn't much information about it, but we knew that it was some kind of nuclear

device on which he was working on. The government had to decide quickly. So they sent in your father to rescue Sokolov. The

mission was conducted by FOX. Your father had also a few advisors via radio: His mentor The Boss, a medic with the codename

Para-Medic and a weapon expert called Sigint. They all together helped Snake ... sorry, I mean your father, to conduct the

mission. Everything went fine. Your father rescued Sokolov and he told him about his project: Sokolov was apparently working

on a new battle tank with nuclear capability - the Shagohod. You could actually compare it with the Metal Gears we had to

face so far. So, just as I told you, everything was fine. But during their escape something unexpected happened: His former

mentor The Boss appeared on the stage! She defeated your father in battle and defected to the Soviet Union. As a gift for her

new hosts, she gave them two nuclear warheads and Sokolov. According to the files, a GRU Colonel named Volgin - who was in

opposition to Chruschtow and planned his own revolution - used one of these nuclear missiles to destroy the research

facility. The Russian government thought that the missile was fired by the American gunship, which brought your father to

Russia. So they demanded that our government should prove their innocence by killing The Boss and Colonel Volgin on their

own. The killing of the great American hero should actually prove innocence..."

"Otacon. What about this hero-thing? Who was she?"

"The Boss was the mother of the American special forces. During World War II, she conducted several missions - all

infiltrating missions - which led our troops to victory. With her men, the Cobra-unit, she founded our own special forces

including FOX. There she taught your father as her apprentice. Together with him, she developed also the CQC your are using

today!"

"CQC? You mean Close Quarters Combat?"

"Right. So, back to history lesson, okay? After your father was cured, he was sent back to the jungle. The "Operation Snake

Eater" had the goal to kill The Boss and Volgin, to destroy the nuclear device called the Shagohod and to rescue Sokolov.

Your father returned to Tselinoyarsk and made his way through the jungle. He defeated all Cobras - The Bosses' men - and

conducted the mission successfully: He destroyed the Shagohod, killed Volgin and The Boss. He also got the plans for the real

Metal Gear by an Russian scientist and brought them back to the States. All in all, the mission was quite a success and your

father prevented the breakout of the third World War."

"And?"

"And what? Isn't that enough, Snake?"

"Huh, you're going on my nerves! Why the hell WE are going there?"

"Oh, right! The reason. I forgot to tell you the reason. Okay, here we go: First of all, the place is important, because it

was the first time that a battle tank like Metal Gear faced the world. Finally, your father was there and Ocelot, too!"

"What? Say that again!"

"That's right, Snake! Ocelot met your father and they battled each other in the jungle. So you and Ocelot are linked to that

place. And the link is YOUR father. This is interesting, very interesting. And we have to know Ocelots' reason for going

there. Probably, it's nothing for good."

"You could be right..."

"Sorry, Snake, I'll have to quit off. Mei's gonna call me in a few minutes. So I'll contact you when your are on the ground."

"Okay. See ya."

Snake ended the call by tipping on his ear. He looked up. He was in the cargo space of a UN aircraft. The planes' engines roared. On the other side sat Yuki Omura, the girl from the UN. He still couldn't believe that he was working for the United Nations now. Why did he trust them? And why did Otacon? Yuki stood up and came towards him. As she reached him, she lowered her head until she was on the same level with him.

"Snake, how are you? Afraid?"

Snake shook his head. "No."

"We should go through the plan once more. Right?"

Snake nodded. "Yeah."

Yuki looked a bit nervous. "Just like I expect a living legend to be: Not very talky."

Snake turned his head and looked pass her. "I'm not a living legend. Legends come and go, everyone tells them and everyone passes them. All heros I know are dead or in prison. But go ahead. You mentioned the plan...?"

Yuki looked a bit upset, but she spoke in a professional way. She controlled her temper.

"Fine then. The plan. Just like your father, you'll do an HALO-Jump. Actually, your father made the first HALO-Jump in history. Did you know that?"

"A bad try to get my attention..." Snake looked bored. "So, what are we going to do?"

Yukis' face went red. She knew it had been a bad try. She was a bit embarressed, because of Snakes' remark.

"So, yo'll jump from this plane. At the moment, we are 30,000 feet above the surface and it's quite a way down. You'll fall at a maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour. So don't get too cocky. When you reach the surface, your mission will commence. Remember: HALO stand for High Altitude, Low Opening. You'll have to open your parachute as late as possible! This is a sneaking mission, your presence musn't be detected by the "enemy". Actually, there is no enemy. In the area shouldn't be any soldiers, because of the pollution. But this is not an official UN mission and Russian government isn't involved. Okay?"

"Understood!"

"Okay, we have now 20 minutes to drop-off. Please stand by. I'll go to the cockpit."

"Okay."

Yuki went a few steps away, then turned her head. "Snake... Watch yourself. Conctact me, if anything happens."

Snake saw the sad smile on her face and he wondered why she was so sad. "Thanks. I'll come back."

Yuki smiled a bit wider. "Promise?"

"Promise!"

Then, Yuki turned around and left the room. A voice via onboard-radio came in.

"20 minutes to drop-off. Opening rear hatch. Stand by!"

The planes' rear hatch slowly opened and revealed the sky. It was a fine morning, only a few clouds. Excellent view. And the sun was shining into the plane.

"Sunrise!", sounded the voice.

Snake prepared himself for the jump...


End Note: Again, I hope you liked it. Next chapter is coming soon. Please R&R.