She slipped in and out of consciousness all she could see was doctors working on her. They were dressed in Diamond dogs uniforms, she was back at Mother base despite her attempt to leave. The people that worked on her were the ones who she knew well as they worked on her in the past. Code Talker was there as well informing them on the progression of her dying body. But all the time she noticed that young man in the window watching over her, she didn't know him but that lingering familiar feeling was always there. He stood just like the boss, had the arm just like the boss and petted D-Dog just like the boss. But there was no way it could be him, it just couldn't.
But there was an air about him, something that troubled her. It was as if something happened that she didn't know about but her mind didn't allow her to think. It was too painful to think making her to slip back into unconsciousness. But soon she awoke feeling better however her body still refused to listen to her, her mind and eyes still listened to her.
"Hey you ok?" A voice then asked.
She turned to see the young man sitting next to her holding her hand in his robotic one. The movement satisfied him and he smiled.
"This may seem odd to you but there's a lot to tell you. I'm Venom Snake, I'm the Boss who you worked with."
With that Quiet's mind buzzed with activity, but she didn't have time to think as he spoke again.
"But that's not the main reason I'm here, the world we both knew is gone, Russia and America went at it with nukes. Most of the world is gone, we're trying to find out what happened but we cannot until R&D develop something for the radiation. But they say that our area is safe for now, but your staying here until it gets better up there. Remember the outbreak on the Quarantine platform? We're avoiding a similar situation. We'll make you better I swear." he said before leaning in and kissing her on the cheek before walking.
If she could blush she'd be the deepest shade of red there was.
OOOOO
Despite the attack Diamond dogs still worked as nothing happened but there was still the air about that felt like something happened. Eyes told all, they were windows to the soul after all. Each one knew what they had to do, and they had to do it quick if they were to find out what happened to the world. The R&D team was working tirelessly to make the anti radiation equipment the Boss needed. They communicated with the other FOB's and had the genuineness come to the main Mother base so that their minds could pick each other apart to find out a good way to resist radiation.
Lead plating would be the best, but it was heavy and they needed some kind of cloth for the under part of the armour. A challenge any engineer would take to with ease and they did. Like it or not they were still Diamond dogs, a family and one that deserved to live. Other then their Jobs no one talked about what had happened but they all knew what had happened. Some of them took some time to get their priorities in order and either cried or prayed whatever they could to settle their feelings.
Given what had happened the rules were relaxed for a few weeks to allow for people to do what they needed to do before getting back to work. Miller being removed from command was not much of a surprise. He wasn't in his right mind and taking him off duty was the best idea. The boss was the boss in their mind and his word was law.
In the main support platform command room one of the soldiers was working overtime about the resources they had. The moon was high in the sky as she worked on the maths of the whole thing, how many people their were, the space, the food, water. Looking at the results she sighed and removed her glasses. Mei wasn't used to this work but she knew it had to be done. There was not enough resources to go around on Mother base and the FOB's. Even with a farming platform there wasn't enough room.
As much as she hated to say it but there was just no way they could survive on the bases. Placing them back on she looked at the results again to see if there was a way to get out of this mess. But soon she fell asleep on the table. Early in the morning the commander of the platform entered the room to find Mei on the table sleeping. He walked up to her and shook her shoulder waking her from her deep sleep.
"A, shénme? Jǐ diǎnle?" she said startled.
"Mei you ok?" the commander asked making the young Chinese woman look to him.
"Oh sir, yes I'm 'yawn' fine. Just a little tired," she said as she stood and took up all of the papers she had wrote. "Where's the Boss and commander Ocelot?"
"Command platform, they're talking about operations into Moscow and Washington,"
"Ok thanks," she said before leaving.
OOOOO
The beefing room was filled with the higher ups of Diamond dogs to hear about what was happening. So far they were just talking about planning operations into the two capitols of the east and west. But the problem was that they were bombed the hardest and had the highest radiation levels then anywhere else in the world. Reading about this the boss just sighed and placed it down on the table.
"Is there a way round this?" he asked.
Sin Na-Rae the head of R&D shook her head. "Not much I'm afraid, we still need time to make the materials we need for the radiation suits. We need even more time to make the suits themselves. Without the industry outside to aid us it's going to be difficult if not impossible to get what we need." she said.
"That's unfortunate," Ocelot said. "But not unexpected."
At that moment there was a knock on the door. "Come in, this is an open briefing," Kosaryov said and Mei entered with a salute.
"Sargent Mei-Ling Zhou R&D division," she said before relaxing. "I'm sorry to intrude but we have a problem, I did the numbers and we don't have enough resources to keep everyone on the bases," she said as she handed the nearest commander her papers.
It went around them all each of them reading carefully before it landed in the Bosses hands. After read he placed it down and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Any ideas? Anyone?" he asked.
No one said anything as the news was just bad even with what they were talking about. He shook his head and he just looked down at the papers in front of him. He moved the papers around before noticing the files about the island chain he had sent people to. Looking up after the long pause he spoke.
"What about the islands?" he asked. "What has been found about them?"
The others began to look thought their papers for the intel officer found it.
"Here, testing is still going on but the main island but there seems to be other islands near it and testing has begun on them. But initial checks seem to point that the soil is fertile, animals are on the island among other things." he said.
"Is it possible to move the refugees there?" the boss asked but the intel officer just shrugged.
"Not sure, these are just initial reports. After the bombs fell the ones on the islands took some time off to gather their thoughts before continuing. So what we have is little."
"Given the situation I'm not that surprised." Boss said before turning to Mei. "Mei, since you found this for us, I'm ordering you to find a solution."
"Sir." Mei saluted before turning and walking out.
OOOOO
On the combat platform several people from a cargo freighter where brought on brought and were being served food and drink. After the bombs dropped plenty of people where coming to the bases and being helped out. Due to extensive measures the ships were investigated and a few where found to be smugglers, but only a few were placed into the brig while others where going to have an eye on them.
The medical bay had a few people who were being trafficked to other places as slaves or prostitutes and the smugglers for that were thrown into the big. But for stuff like drugs and food they where for the most part ignored as the drugs were sent to RnD and the medical platforms for research. People were worried and confused about what had happened but Diamond dogs told them as such as they knew but that didn't help matters. Questions, there was always questions and they answered what they could but they just like the people they were helping didn't know.
The fact that no one knew terrified them as much as anyone. In return for their help Diamond dogs did inventory to see what they could use from the ships and took it as payment as an agreement. A few of the Captains of the ships however were in a briefing room with the lieutenant of the combat platform.
"So you all want to help, but not be part of Diamond dogs right?" she asked.
"Yeah." said a man with a clear South African accent. "Given what's happened I think it would be the best idea. I mean we don't mind following your chain of command and everything but we just don't want to be apart of your organisation."
"Understandable, and these are exceptional circumstances. I need to send this to the Boss, as long as you keep out of combat I think he'll agree." she said.
OOOOO 2 weeks latter.
Code talker was in his lab looking over the new species of plants trying to find out their properties. For the most part they looked like common flowers across the world but were subtly different when compared to the others. Several of his assistants were also looking at them. These plants were fascination and their structure seemed familiar to him, but what he could not place it. But the medicinal probities of it, the possibilities of it. The botanists took their time with the experiments so as not to make any mistakes or get too excited.
The situation they were already is was no laughing matter. This time, time was on their side if it some things were a little urgent. Music was being played over the speaks to boost the morale of the men but in light of the situation it didn't boost morale by much. Code talker was old enough to know this and he wanted to help but he didn't know how to. The best he could offer was a big buffet feast but that would eat up most of their food resources. At this point they could not afford that. As he examined a rose like flower the boss entered into the lab.
"Code talker." he said getting to old native American's attention.
"Ahhh boss, welcome. I suppose that you are here to see our progress." he said.
"Indeed I am, as much as I would like to get operations back up there are some things that we need to sort out first. RnD is still working on the radiation suits but it's going to take some time. Even the Captains of the ships who have arrived are interested in helping. I've had good and bad news today, and I still cannot sleep."
Code talker just smiled. "So you seek the opinion of an old man."
"Kinda, like I said here for an update. Good news if you please."
"Something that I do not believe I can give. We are still weeks away from a proper report, these plants, they're unique. They are something I have never seen before, what they may possess… I cannot fathom."
"Well as long…." the Boss started to say but one of the lab assistants spoke.
"Tha…that cannot be right." she said as she moved away to look at her notes.
"Is there a problem Amanda?" Code talker asked as he moved up next to her.
"Yeah, take a look at this." she said moving to one side allowing for Code talker to stand with help from the Boss and Amanda.
He took a look down the microscope before looking at his assistants notes then looked at his assistant.
"This… this is impossible." he said.
"What?" the Boss asked.
"We may have just found a true cure for the vocal cord parasites."