So both Mei Ling and Nastasha noticed the Colonel acting strangely before telling Snake. Well done to Sir-Dark-Haze who got the binary reference from last week’s chapter. It’s surprising how many never realised it converts to text… and if you work out what the text is, you might just be able to foresee a future chapter. This week we see the return of Gray Fox, and remember last time we saw him he was crying? The name of this chapter is a nod back to the last time we saw him.
Disclaimer: This story contains violent scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Many chapters contain detailed scenes of gore and peril. If you haven’t played the Metal Gear series, there will be spoilers in this story. If you haven’t read the previous chapters, just click ‘All Chapters’ above.
A Robot’s Sacrifice
As Otacon and Snake walked downwards into the bowels of the island, Snake couldn’t help but think of who was left to support him. Nastasha was dead. Mei Ling wasn’t responding, the Colonel “isn’t the Colonel”, and Naomi… should be fine. So should the rest of the crew manning the submarine. It was nothing to worry about. If there was something wrong on their end, there were enough people to deal with it. They’re fine.
“Snake. Are you taking me to REX? You know that’s the direction we’re headed, right?”
“That’s exactly where we’re going. There’s an open exit out of the back of that hanger.”
“But what about Meryl?”
“We’ll find her.”
“Metal Gear… I spent years designing REX.”
“I thought it only took you twelve months?”
“How would you know?”
The two looked at each other and continued forward.
“You know Snake, you’re going to have to do something about your…”
The door slid open, and the two were received with a burst of warmth from the furnace below. Otacon’s forehead broke into an immediate sweat, while Snake leant against the door frame, breathing in memories of a never-ending corridoor. Otacon had stopped as he looked forwards. He rubbed his glasses as they misted up, and the image in front of him was confirmed.
Gray Fox.
“Fox” David stated.
“You are forgiven, my friend. I knew you would attack me, for you were as lost as I. Remember it well that I may save you once more, so that the honourable Saint may rise against glory, and stand for what is truly right.”
Otacon looked confused and scared at the same time. He remained behind Snake.
The robot knelt on one knee and removed his blade from its holster. He held his arm to the ground and looked back towards the two men. The cracked red light on his exoskeleton skull flickered slightly and he raised the blade in the air. Otacon leant backwards.
Fox looked back at his arm and appeared to breath heavily before slamming the blade down on his metal ligament, severing his upper arm from his shoulder. The man cried out in unbelievable pain. Gone were the scratchy screams of robotic static from eariler, and in its place left the dire screech of agony of a man suffering from his own dismemberment. The chunk of metal covering Frank’s head kicked up and down under the pain as his raw flesh bled itself dry. With his other hand, he took hold of his left arm, and pulled of the remaining natural tendons connecting his arm to his body. He collapsed into a pool of blood, murmuring in his own self pity. His shoulder stopped bleeding. His heart’s functions were automated to another area of his body.
The noise stopped. Instantly. No minor sobbing or humming came from his head. His voice was detained from expressing his emotion. He stood up, trembling, quiet, and walked towards Snake.
David ducked a little as Fox grabbed his arm and held it against the wall.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
Frank brought the blade carefully to Snake’s left-hand wrist, and slit the skin open.
Nothing. Snake felt nothing. Frank pushed the blade through until Snake’s hand fell to the steaming floor below. After everything that hand had been through, it was almost a relief to have it rid of him, although the temporary relief came from being allowed to keep his elbow. The blood had clearly clotted at the wrist, and only a few drops of blood leaked from the whitened skin. Frank moved towards his own robotic arm on the floor. Snake looked at him in a fragmented sense of respect.
Sure enough, Frank came back to Snake and disconnected the metallic hand from its arm counterpart. Rusted fingers jabbed deep into the end of David’s left arm. He felt it. Searing pain climbed up the back of his arm and through his collar bone, cramping his breathing temporarily. Frank un-clotted the wound, causing pulsing blood to burst out of Snake’s wrist. Otacon watched on in horror and gagged as his stomach churned. Snake turned pale and looked upwards in a dysfunctional manner. The robot knelt down with the soldier as he fell to the floor. Snake hadn’t feinted. His nano-machines were rushing around his body searching for the first thing to fix. The ninja fiddled at the end of Snake’s arm. It’s half-arm wiggled about mid-air while the other clicked pieces into place and redirected wires. The blood returned to the skin. The nano-machines were compatible.
Moments later, Snake was up, staring at his new robotic hand. The fingers moved but he felt no movement. He clenched a digital fist and stretched out each finger. His wrist was sore, but his hand felt nothing.
“Again, my friend.” Fox spoke before picking up Snake’s old hand, backflipping off the railing and crawling through an open air duct high up on the wall adjacent.
Snake looked at Otacon. Otacon looked back.
