Venom spent the journey back to Mother Base talking with Code Talker about what exactly he needed to cure the infection.
"There are two ways to treat the parasites," Code Talker explained. "A radiation treatment, like I told Skullface after he was infected, or a bacterium, nothing a soldier would have heard of, no matter how legendary, that effectively sterilises the parasites, prevent them reproducing and let them die out before they can kill the host. Or just avoid the language that triggers them."
Venom let the soldier comment pass.
Even if word had got out to Code Talker that he wasn't the original Snake, he would have no way of knowing of his past as a medic.
But…
"Skullface was infected?"
"He was threatening to release the Navajo variant in my homeland. Leave them no way to survive without abandoning our language. I wasn't going to let-"
Whatever Code Talker was going to say was interrupted by Pequod taking sudden evasive manoeuvres.
A glance through the windows as Venom turned to speak with the pilot revealed what was happening.
A cloud of metallic particles was forming ahead of and around them.
"Metallic Archaea," he heard a horrified whisper from Code Talker behind him. "This too…"
A weapon from Skullface then.
They couldn't get clear in time, Pequod was going down.
Likely into an ambush, but they needed to survive the crash first.
Code Talker hadn't gone into the details on either treatment, they needed him to survive above all else (even if he had fully described the radiation treatment they needed, he wasn't a fan of the idea of exposing anyone, especially the children, to radiation, not after it had sterilised Naked Snake {wait, had the hospital made him sterile, or did they just assume he wouldn't end up in a situation where he could have a child? He'd have to check later, but not important right now}).
So, centenarian in a chopper about to crash, and they needed him alive.
Venom took the last moments before the crash to brace Code Talker, to minimise the impact against him.
And then they hit.
]
Snake blinked his eyes, trying to recall what was going on.
It was dark, foggy, he was outside somewhere uncomfortable.
He could hear a fire burning, had there been an accident? A crash?
Another few seconds and it came back to him, Venom shooting forward to see the wreckage of Pequod around him, a jolt of pain shooting through him.
"Everfight," he muttered, trying to heal himself before he looked for Code Talker.
Only to nearly collapse, exhaustion falling upon him.
He shook it off, stumbling to his feet and looking round properly.
Code Talker hadn't been thrown too far from him by the crash, and looked to still be alive, but was dazed, not moving to get up.
Possible concussion, his training supplied.
Still, Code Talker was still here, and there was no sign of-
Venom froze.
Code Talker knowing what had been used to take down Pequod indicated this was an attack from Skullface, an attempt to prevent him saving Mother Base, and this fog…
He checked his gear, but it failed to suddenly include any weaponry fit for the Skull unit.
And he didn't have the energy to use his Powers or Titans.
He retreated towards Code Talker, opening his iDroid.
"Mother Base, need pickup urgently. Pequod has been shot down, am expecting Skull unit to engage."
"..."
Static was his only answer.
"Mother Base, please respond."
"..."
He glanced down, to see the communication device hadn't survived the crash.
Right, they were on their own until Mother Base realised there was a problem.
Hopefully that wouldn't take long, if there was some constant carrier signal between the iDroid and Mother Base they would detect the loss, send out another chopper back along the same route he should have been taking.
A chopper that wouldn't be ready for the Skulls.
And he hadn't warned them about the zombie Quiets.
Two options.
One: eliminate the Skulls and wait for rescue.
Risks include the unknown time until rescue and only Quiet being able to fight the Skulls.
Two: get Code Talker clear and find a radio with which to contact Mother Base.
Risks being that the Skulls didn't typically give a chance to escape from them and the usual dangers of transporting an injured man.
On the other hand, he didn't have any useful weapons right now, so that wasn't much of a cost.
The sound of a gun rang out, and Venom glanced up to see the shambling figures of Skulls approaching.
"Time to go," he muttered, stepping forward and picking up up Code Talker as gently as he could.
Strictly speaking he should have checked the state of his injuries before moving him, rather than risk making them worse, but there wasn't the time, not with the Skulls already there.
He picked a direction the Skulls weren't covering and started moving.
]
"What's the latest on Snake?"
"He had Code Talker and Pequod picked them up," the comms officer reported, leaving Ocelot less than reassured, an uneasy feeling persisting.
"Have you tried contacting him?"
Snake wasn't exactly overdue yet, but he would have expected something about the parasite cure by now.
He had tried to avoid anything to reinforce Venom Snakes memories or identity as a medic, maybe going a little far on trying to hide the 'Everheal' and 'Everfight' powers from him, but right now those instincts were what they needed.
And from what he could remember of the medic assigned to Morpho, there was no way he would have waited until they got back to Mother Base to pass on the cure for the parasites.
"No response."
Something of a problem, given that the helicopters of the Diamond Dogs had been deliberately built without any automated tracking systems like gps, for reasons of security.
"Send Queequeg back along the route they would have taken," Ocelot decided. "Leave enough space for the four of them, but fill the rest of the spaces with combat forces. Mix of snipers and heavy weapons."
"Orders confirmed sir, passing them along now."
Ocelot nodded, stepping out to find somewhere more private.
While word may have started to get out about Snake being an imposter, right now it was little more than a rumour.
No need to confirm anything.
"Snake, we have a problem."
]
Venom managed to get clear of the Skull unit fog somehow, securing himself and Code Talker in one of the ruined villages that seemed to litter Afghanistan.
There was no sign of Quiet, but he trusted her to make it out.
He had to.
Time to evaluate what he had to hand.
His tranquiliser pistol (silenced), his rubber rifle, some cardboard boxes, his phantom cigars and a range of non-lethal grenades.
His iDroid was scrap, taking his radio and maps with it, the fultons were useless without a helicopter to pick up the extractions and right now he had no access to his Seeker abilities due to lack of energy.
A good rest on a full stomach, then, and he would have access to Mara, Freelancer and the Sand Snakes, plus his healing and combat powers.
And the contents of the storage power.
A water pistol, his spare ammo, maybe an older model of iDroid.
So, he needed food and water for him and Code Talker before night, and come the morning he would be able to contact Mother Base for rescue.
Oh, and Quiet would need water too, when she found them.
Venom hesitated, before making his medical checks on Code Talker in preparation for hunting for supplies.
He wouldn't be able to take the old man with him after all.
AN: As promised, I'm back to finish the story, hopefully within the month but no promises.