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Shadow Moses Mission Briefing

SHADOW MOSES MISSION BRIEFING
LOCATION: USS Discovery, coordinates CLASSIFIED
SUBJECTS: Roy Campbell (CMB), Naomi Hunter (HTR), Solid Snake (SNK)
DURATION: 23 minutes 57 seconds

CMB: It's been a long time Snake.

SNK: I should've known you were behind this, Colonel.

CMB: That's no way to greet an old war buddy Snake.

SNK: What do you want from me?

CMB: I just invited you here so we could have a talk.

SNK: Invited?! That's what you call sending armed soldiers after me?

CMB: Sorry if they were a little rough with you. But we've got a serious situation here. Only you can get us out of it.

SNK: I'm retired from FOX-HOUND. You're not my commander anymore, and I don't have to take orders from you or anyone else.

CMB: You will take these orders. I know it.

HTR: Excuse me.

SNK: Who's this?

CMB: Dr. Naomi Hunter. She's chief of FOX-HOUND's medical staff and an expert in gene therapy.

SNK: Are you military?

HTR: No, civilian. I've been sent here from ATGC. Pleasure to meet you Snake. Don't worry this injection won't hurt a bit.

SNK: What's the shot for?

HTR: What's wrong? You don't like shots?

CMB: Snake listen up. It all went down five hours ago. Heavily armed soliders occupied Shadow Moses Island, a remote island off the coast of Alaska.

SNK: What soldiers?

CMB: Next-Generation Special Forces led by members of unit FOX-HOUND. They've presented Washington with a single demand, and they say that if it isn't met, they'll launch a nuclear weapon.

SNK: A nuclear weapon?

CMB: I'm afraid so. You see, the island is the site of a secret nuclear weapons disposal facility.

SNK: FOX-HOUND hijacking a nuclear weapon?

CMB: Now you understand how serious the situation is. You'll have two mission objectives. First, you're to rescue the DARPA Chief, Donald Anderson, and the president of ArmsTech, Kenneth Baker. They're both being held as hostages.

SNK: Those are some heavy duty hostages.

CMB: Secondly, you're to investigate whether or not the terrorists have the ability to launch a nuclear strike, and stop them if they do. Any questions, Snake?

SNK: Questions? I haven't even said whether I'd accept this mission.

CMB: Well you can make up your mind after you hear more about the situation.

SNK: Tell me about the nuclear weapons disposal facility.

CMB: The disposal facility includes a hardened underground base. Even with our most advanced intelligence gathering equipment, we can't tell what's happening inside.

SNK: So someone needs to penetrate, gather intelligence, and report back....sounds like a spy movie. What's the insertion method?

CMB: Well an air insertion is impossible.

SNK: Not with this storm going on.

CMB: We'll approach the disposal facility by sub.

SNK: Approach?

CMB: Yes, within a few miles of it. The facility is equipped with sonar detection capability. They'd be able to hear our engine or propeller noise.

SNK: And then?

CMB: We'll launch a one-man SDV.

SNK: Launch?

CMB: Same as a torpedo. Only this has no propulsion device of its own. After the SDV gets as close as it can, dispose of it. From there on you'll have to swim.

SNK: You want me to swim in sub-zero Alaskan water?

CMB: Don't worry. That suit represents the latest advances in poly-thermal technology. The nuclear weapons disposal facility covers the whole island. I'll contact you by Codec after you reach your target.

SNK: Anyone going with me?

CMB: As usual, this is a one-man inflitration mission.

SNK: Weapons and equipment OSP?

CMB: Yes. This a top-secret black op. Don't expect any official support.

SNK: The Chief of DARPA and the president of an arms manufacturing company...what business did they have at a nuclear weapons disposal facility?

CMB: The truth is that secret exercises were being conducted at the time the terrorist group attacked.

SNK: Must be extremely important exercises if those two were directly involved. Were they testing some kind of new advanced weapon?

CMB: I'm not privy to that information.

SNK: Do we know exactly where they're being held?

HTR: The DARPA chief has also been injected with a mini-transmitter. As you get closer you should be able to pick up his location on your radar.

SNK: Do they really have the ability to launch a nuclear missile?

CMB: They say they do. They even gave us the serial number of the warhead they plan to use.

SNK: Was the number confirmed?

CMB: I'm afraid so. At the very least, they've got their hands on a real nuclear warhead.

SNK: Isn't there some kind of safety device to prevent this kind of terrorism?

CMB: Yes. Every missile and warhead in our arsenal is equipped with a PAL, which uses a discreet detonation code.

SNK: PAL?

CMB: Permissive Action Link. A safety control system built into all nuclear weapons systems. But even so, we can't rest easy.

SNK: Why not?

CMB: Because the DARPA Chief knows the detonation code.

SNK: But even if they have a nuclear warhead, it must've been removed from its missile. All the missiles on these disposal sites are supposed to be dismantled. It's not that easy to get your hands on an ICBM.

CMB: That used to be true, but since the end of the Cold War you can get anything if you have enough money and the right connections.

SNK: So what exactly are they demanding?

CMB: A person's remains.

SNK: Remains?

CMB: That's right. To be more accurate, cell specimens which contain the individual's genomic information.

SNK: Cell specimens? Why would they want that?

CMB: The terrorists need them. You see these Next-Generation Special Forces have been strengthened through gene therapy.

SNK: Strengthened?

CMB: You've heard of the Human Genome Project. They've been mapping the human genome, and they're nearly finished. Following up on this research, the military has been working towards identifiying those genes which are responsible for making effective soldiers.

SNK: There are genes that do that?

CMB: Yes, and using gene therapy they're able to transplant those genes into regular soldiers.

SNK: Gene therapy?

HTR: I'll explain this part. With gene therapy, we can remove those genes which we know may lead to sickness or disease, and that the same time, splice in genes with beneficial effects such as resistance to cancer for example.

CMB: In other words, we can overcome all sorts of genetic diseases and at the same time add genetic characteristics as desired.

SNK: Okay, and so if you knew what genes were responsible for making the perfect soldier, you could implant them in the same way, right?

HTR: Yes we could.

CMB: But it all depends on being able to isolate and identify those soldier genes.

HTR: And in order to do that, it's helpful to study the genomic information of one of the greatest soldiers ever.

SNK: One of the greatest soldiers ever?

HTR: The man they call the greatest warrior of the twentieth century.

SNK: You don't mean Big Boss?!

HTR:That's right. We've been working feverishly to identify the genes responsible for his incredible combat skill. So far we've discovered about sixty of the so-called soldier genes.

SNK: So his body was recovered after all.

CMB: Yes, and his cells have remained frozen in cryo-chamber. His genomic information is a priceless treasure to mankind.

SNK: Priceless to the military perhaps.

HTR: His body was burned severely, but it was possible to restore his DNA profile from just a single strand of his hair.

SNK: You people are amazing. And then you're going to transplant those genes into soldiers?

HTR: Yes. We'll use a process that I discovered called gene targeting. The strongest soldiers don't become what they are by acquiring their skills through training or experience, we now know that hereditary factors are far more crucial for creating superior soldiers.

CMB: Snake, we can't give them his body. It's potentially more dangerous than all the warheads on that island put together.

HTR: I hear the terrorists are calling themselves the Sons of Big Boss.

SNK: The Sons of Big Boss.

SNK: What's the time limit?

CMB: Twenty-four hours. They say they'll launch after twenty-four hours.

SNK: Did they say what the target will be?

CMB: So far they haven't mentioned a target.

SNK: When did the countdown start?

CMB: Five hours ago.

SNK: Colonel, who are you speaking for?

CMB: Naturally, I'm representing the US government.

SNK: So who's in supervisory control of this operation?

CMB: The President of the United States.

SNK: Which means that the President must be meeting with his top aides in the map room about now, huh?

CMB: No at this point they're still video conferencing with each other.

SNK: If that's a real nuclear warhead, shouldn't they issue a COG?

CMB: Not yet. The Secretary of Defense has operational control and is fully aware of the situation. After you infiltrate, if you determine they possess nuclear launch capabilities a COG will be issued.

SNK: Well if they haven't relocated to nuclear shelter under Mount Washingtion, I suppose there isn't that much reason to worry yet. Is the National Security Agency in on this?

CMB: Yes. So is the DIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency.

SNK: The DIA? I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.

CMB: They'll be sending us some support.

SNK: We don't need desk jockies. We need a nuclear weapons specialist.

CMB: Of course. A nuclear weapons specialist has already been assigned to us.

SNK: We need backup from a specialist. I'm just an amateur when it comes to nuclear weapons.

CMB: I know. That's why I've requested the assistance of a military analyst named Nastasha Romanenko. She'll be providing you backup by Codec.

SNK: A female analyst?

CMB: She's built up an impressive record as an advisor to the Nuclear Emergency Search Team. Contact her if you have any questions. She's also an expert on hi-tech weapons.

SNK: Where's she working from?

CMB: At her home in Los Angeles.

SNK: California. Seems like a million miles away.

SNK: How well-armed are these terrorists? I know there was an exercise going on at the time they revolted.

CMB: They're heavily armed I'm afraid.

SNK: What about they're battle experience.

CMB: The six members of FOX-HOUND in charge are all hardened veterans. They're tough enough to eat nails and ask for seconds.

SNK: I wouldn't expect anything less from FOX-HOUND.

CMB: The others are Next-Generation Special Forces. They're not your average grunts either.

SNK: Tell me about these Next-Generation Special Forces.

CMB: They started out as an anti-terrorist special ops unit made up of members from former biochem units, technical escort units, and the Nuclear Emergency Search Team. Their purpose was to respond to threats involving next-generation weapons of mass destruction, including NBC weapons.

HTR: Until they were added that is.

SNK: Who's they?

CMB: These guys didn't start out as regular army.

SNK: Looks like a pretty international group. Mercenaries?

CMB: Yeah. And it gets worse. Most of them were from a merc agency that I think you're familiar with. They were part of Big Boss' private guard. And after Big Boss went down, the military just bought out all their contracts.

SNK: Outer Heaven.

CMB: After that they were merged with our own VR unit, Force 21, and re-trained. If you ask me, these so-called Next-Generation Special Forces should to be called simulated soldiers. They have no real battle experience.

SNK: Video game players, huh?

HTR: Don't forget they've all been strengthened with gene therapy. They carry genes which make them excellent soldiers. Don't get careless just because they don't have much experience.

SNK: I thought using genetically modified soldiers was prohibited by international law.

HTR: Yes, but those are just declarations not actual treaties.

CMP: The interesting thing is that nearly every member of the unit conspired in this attack.

SNK: How could an entire unit be subverted to rebellion?

HTR: They're calling it a revolution.

CMB: Since they all went through the same gene therapy, they probably felt closer than brothers. They see the unit as their only family.

SNK: The Sons of Big Boss. But if they were regular army, they must've been interviewed periodically by army counsellers.

CMB: According to their files, they all got straight A's on their psychological tests. They all seemed like fine, upstanding patriotic soldiers.

SNK: But they all took part in the uprising?

CMB: No. Several people didn't show up on the day of the exercise. That's why there was a resupply of troops.

SNK: Was there any sign recently that something might be wrong?

CMB: There was a report a month ago that they were acting strangely.

HTR: Apparently they consulted classified information about the soldier genes and performed their own gene therapy experiments.

SNK: They can do that even without you?

HTR: Well our gene therapy process is almost completely automated. And besides that they're all geniuses with IQs over 180.

CMB: Even the existence of this genome army is a national secret of the highest order. We'd been hoping to investigate this quietly and deal with it behind closed doors.

CMB: Hi-tech special forces unit FOX-HOUND. Your former unit, and one that I was a commander of. An elite group combining firepower and expertise. They're every bit as good as when I was commanding them.

SNK: So they're still around.

CMB: There are six members of FOX-HOUND involved in this terrorist activity. Psycho Mantis, with his powerful psychic abilities. Sniper Wolf, the beautiful and deadly sharpshooter. Decoy Octopus, master of disguise. Vulcan Raven, giant and shaman. And Revolver Ocelot, specialist in interrogation and a formidable gunfighter.

SNK: Looks like a lovely bunch of folks. Too bad we'll be meeting under these circumstances.

CMB: And finally, in charge of them, FOX-HOUND's squad leader Liquid Snake.

SNK: Liquid Snake?!

CMB: Yes and you're the only person who can stand against him.

SNK: Liquid Snake.

CMB: Liquid Snake. The man with the same codename as you.

SNK: Tell me what you know.

CMB: He fought in the Gulf War as a teenager, the youngest person in the SAS. His job was to track down and destroy mobile SCUD missile launching platforms. You were there too I believe. Didn't you infiltrate western Iraq with a platoon of Green Berets?

SNK: I was just a kid myself back then.

CMB: The details are classified, but it seems that originally he penetrated the the Middle East as a sleeper for the SIS.

SNK: He was a spy for the British Secret Intelligence Service?

CMB: But he never once showed his face in Century House. He was taken prisoner in Iraq, and after that there was no trace of him for several years. After you retired, he was rescued and became a member of FOX-HOUND.

SNK: I thought that by the time I left they were no longer using codenames.

CMB: I don't know his real name. That information is so highly classified that even I can't look at it. Here's a photo of him. [pause] Pretty shocking, huh? His skin tone is a different but otherwise you two are exact duplicates.

SNK: I have a twin?

CMB: I don't know the details, but it seems so. That's why we really need you for this mission.

HTR: You're the only one who can beat him. Now that I've met you, I know. You've got something he doesn't. I can see it in your eyes.

SNK: Why don't I find that thought more comforting? [pause] Colonel, I don't work for the government anymore. Let me go back to Twin Lakes.

CMB: Why Snake? Is your life in Alaska all that great?

SNK: There's a dogsled race this week. Next Saturday I have to be in Anchorage.

CMB: The Iditarod? The longest sled race in the world? When did you become a dog musher?

SNK: Right now my fifty huskies are my only family. I've got to take care of them.

CMB: Don't worry about your dogs.

SNK: What do you mean?

CMB: I'm sorry Snake but this vessel is headed for the Bering Sea. There's no room for debate.

SNK: I told you, even if I do owe you I don't anything to this army or this country!

CMB: You will accept this assignment!

SNK: Why should I be stupid enough to do that? I'm no patriot.

CMB: Snake, there's enough dirt in your file from your days as an agent to keep you in the stockade until you're a very old man.

SNK: Oh I see. Blackmail.

CMB: No Snake. I prefer to look at it as helping you to come to a decision more easily. But anyway, I know you better than that. You'd take this assignment even without the threat.

SNK: Why do you say that?

CMB: You're a natural born soldier. You're not the grow old gracefully type. Same for all of us who've seen real action. The only place we can feel truly alive is on the battlefield. I'm a solider too. I know those feelings of powerlessness, frustration that you feel everyday. You've tried to play the boy scout out there in Alaska, but you can't race dogs in the snow forever. Why don't you come back to us and be a soldier again.

SNK: You think my life is some kind of joke?

CMB: Snake, I just want to you back your purpose in life.

SNK: Colonel, you're retired. Why are you involved in this?

CMB: Becaue there aren't many people who know FOX-HOUND as well as I do.

SNK: Is that really the only reason?

CMB: I've been soldiering for a long time, I don't know anything else. I guess even though I'm getting a little old, I still love to be in the field.

SNK: Colonel, you're a lousy liar. Tell me the real reason.

CMB: Okay Snake. Sorry. I'll be frank. A person very dear to me is being held hostage.

SNK: Who is it?

CMB: My neice. Meryl.

SNK: What was your niece doing here?

CMB: Several soldiers were reported missing the day of the revolt. And my niece was one of those called in as an emergency replacement.

SNK: She looks like you.

CMB: She's my little brother's girl. He died in the Gulf War. Since then I've been watching after her.

SNK: A personal motive, Colonel. That's not very soldierly.

CMB: I'm retired. I'm just an old man now. And I'm your friend.

SNK: Since when are we friends?

CMB: I've thought of us as friends since the fall of Zanzibar.

SNK: With my personality I don't have too many friends.

CMB: That's what I trust about you. It's what makes you human. Please Snake. Save my niece Meryl.

SNK: All right, but I have two conditions.

CMB: Name them.

SNK: One, no more secrets between us. I want complete disclosure at all times and two, I'll only accept orders from you, Colonel. No cutoffs involved okay?

CMB: Agreed. That's why I was called. But one thing.

SNK: What?

CMB: I'm not a colonel anymore. Just a retired old warhorse.

SNK: I understand Colonel.

SNK: That doctor. Is she part of this operation too?

CMB: She was in charge of FOX-HOUND's gene therapy. She knows more about those men than anyone else.

SNK: You mean you've seen them naked?

HTR: Make no mistake. I'm not a nurse. I'm a scientist.

SNK: By the way, what was that injection for?

HTR: It's a combination of and nanomachines and an anti-freezing peptide so that your blood and other bodily fluids don't freeze, even at sub-arctic temperatures.

SNK: Nanomachines?

HTR: Not just one kind either. There are different types which will replenish the supply of adrenaline, nutrition and sugar in your bloodstream.

SNK: Now I don't have to worry about food.

HTR: I also put some nootropics in there.

SNK: Say what?

HTR: Nootropics. It's a class of drugs which wil help improve your mental functioning.

SNK: It'll make smarter huh? Anything else?

HTR: Benzedrine. It's a type of stimulant. It'll keep you alert and responsive for twelve straight hours.

SNK: That was quite a cocktail. Anything else in there?

HTR: Those nanomachines will also keep your Codec's batteries charged up.

SNK: I guess I can call you when I'm ready to go on a diet.

HTR: You're welcome.

SNK: I need to borrow your scissors.

HTR: What are you going to do?

SNK: Don't worry. Just going to clean myself up a little.

HTR: Huh?

SNK: I don't want to be mistaken for the leader of the terrorists.