This is a little Prequel to the original Metal Gear games that I have been working set before Solid Snake even infiltrated Outer Heaven.

Chapter 1: Code Name

Big Boss looked at the man who sat in front of him with an unsure sense of pride. This man, who had passed every rigorous physical and mental exam FOX-HOUND had thrown at him, was almost ready to join the ranks. This man was a success. But, it didn’t make sense. His brother should have been the one. The Les Enfants Terrible project should have guaranteed…

Never mind, never mind about that. Leaning closer to the table, Big Boss examined the dossier in front of him silently while the man, David, stared at him in equal silence. He got the feeling he was being measured up.

The boy has confidence, he thought. But his eyes…they aren’t the eyes of a true soldier. Not yet…

Breaking the silence, Big Boss spoke. “It says here you enjoyed a stint with the Green Berets.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think that has adequately prepared you for what you are going to face here?”

“Yes sir.”

“Not a chance.”

Big Boss could see the anxiety his retort caused on the young soldier. The young ones were always so eager to prove themselves, so ambitious. But they have no idea the life that they are getting into.

And he really is very green.

“You seriously think I’m wrong? It says here you are twenty-three years old. Do you really think you have seen anything in those twenty-three years that prepares you for this? Do you think you saw anything in the Green Berets that hundreds of soldiers before you have not already experienced?”

The soldier’s silence persisted, so Big Boss continued.

“FOX-HOUND is the best of the best. We are called on only for the most challenging and disturbing assignments. The things I have seen in my career you cannot imagine in your darkest nightmares.”
The man stared down at the table as Big Boss looked across at him. His one good eye was unblinking.

“Can you honestly give me one reason why you feel you are prepared for this unit?”

The man looked up at him again. The frustration was obvious, but there was also resolve. He was keeping his cool.

“No. But you aren’t going to let me make that decision, are you? You either want me or you don’t.”

Big Boss couldn’t suppress a smile and glanced back at the dossier. “You’re fluent in six languages; you’ve broken the records on several of our training exercises…diverse training exercises. I’ve never seen someone excel so greatly at sharp-shooting, urban infiltration and CQC all at once. You’ve got the military history, and you’ve obviously got the drive. Let’s face it you are a solid candidate for FOX-HOUND. Perhaps more solid than most.”

David sat up straighter, filling with pride. They always like it when you point out their strong points.

“I’m willing to take you on for one final field exam, if you are willing to continue.”

“Yes sir.”

“The exam will pair you up with a FOX-HOUND operative on a short, minimum-risk assignment.” Big Boss paused for a minute, deciding to clarify. “Keep in mind, in FOX-HOUND, ‘minimum-risk’ does not mean your life is not in danger. You will be required to follow the direction of the operative you are paired with, as well as show some innovation on your own part to complete the assignment. In the end, the success of the mission, the scope of your actions, as well as the report from your partner will determine whether or not you may join this unit. Is this acceptable?”

“Yes sir.”

“First thing’s first. If you are going to be interacting with members of FOX-HOUND, you will need a code name. All unit members are known by their code names only.”

“What’s wrong with my real name?”

“Surely you’re familiar with the code name system used by the Special Forces? The numeric system they use in S.O.G. and whatnot? The code names protect the identities of unit members so that they personally cannot be held responsible for any…unfortunate occurrences during a mission.”

“Unfortunate occurrences?”

“Let me be frank. FOX-HOUND does not officially exist. Therefore, the missions we undertake also do not officially exist, do you understand? You will be an invisible operative from a non-existent organization. So, in case you are captured by the enemy, the less they find out about you, the less they will find out about us, and the more effectively we can complete yours and future missions.”
Thinking out loud, Big Boss began to contemplate what to call this new operative.”

“The code name always reflects an operative’s area of strength and relative skill level, by combining an adjective with an animal.”

“And what’s the code name for the highest level of skill?”

Big Boss smirked at him again. “Fox. Only one man currently holds that title.”

David nodded knowingly.

“You know about him, don’t you?” Big Boss asked.

“Of course. Gray Fox is a legend. Anyone who’s heard of FOX-HOUND has heard the stories about him.”

“And you think that you deserve that kind of recognition too?”
The man didn’t say anything, but Big Boss knew it was true. David didn’t want to compare himself to Fox, but he really didn’t believe he was inferior to anyone. Such arrogance…

“Don’t get me wrong, you are a strong candidate but you have just failed that test horribly.” The soldier looked up at him confused. “You don’t deserve the Fox title for the sole reason that you think you do deserve it. Confidence is good but conceit can get you and others killed.”

Suddenly the idea hit him. The animal that defined this man was so incredibly obvious, such a perfect fit, that Big Boss couldn’t believe it had taken him this long to think of it. After all, given their situation, it would only be right to finally pass on this code name.

“Your adjective will be chosen for your all-around ability and potential to handle a wide range of assignments. The adjective assigned to you is ‘solid.’

David seemed to accept this, so Big Boss continued.

“The animal name…well it isn’t ‘fox,’ but it still implies extraordinary skill. It is a name that has great meaning for me.”

“Why?”

“That isn’t a discussion for today. Your animal name is ‘snake.’”
David contemplated this for a second, and seemed reasonably satisfied with the choice. He didn’t protest like some of the cocky young recruits. Big Boss was relieved at his maturity, and marked the code name choice down in the dossier. He still remembered the ordeal he’d had with Blade Wallaby…

Big Boss then stood up and held out his hand. The other man took it and shook, standing up as well. They looked each other straight in the eye.

“Welcome to the unit, Solid Snake.”

“Thanks. So who’s going to be my mentor on this field exam?”
Big Boss smiled again, clapping Snake on the back and leading him from the room. “You wanted to know what it takes to earn the code name ‘fox.’ I’ll show you. Let me introduce you to Gray Fox.”

Chapter 2: The Value of the Fox Title

Big Boss strode down a side hallway of the FOX-HOUND Command Center with the newly designated Solid Snake at his side. The latter was getting a bit anxious. It’s true that Snake had a great deal of confidence in his own skills. That hadn’t been shattered by Big Boss’s interrogation and warnings. It’s also true that he was hoping to be granted the top rank of “fox,” particularly after breaking the training records on several of the entrance exams. Wasn’t he good enough?

The immediate assignment of code names put a lot of faith in the commander’s first impressions. While promotions were possible in FOX-HOUND, they were rare and often went uncelebrated. Most often, the name you were granted at your admission is the one you would make your reputation under.

Snake could see no immediate issue with his own name, besides the obvious sexual innuendo. He had opted not to voice his concern over that after Big Boss had confided in him that “snake” was a title he held to be very personal. He wondered why it meant that much. He also wondered that, if it was so important, what he had done to deserve it. But, the commander had refused to discuss it.

Turning a corner, Snake spoke up.

“Sir, I was wondering if I could ask a question about Gray Fox.”

“Go ahead.”

“You know that story about him? Baghdad, in 1991?”

“Of course,” Big Boss mused. “I remember that operation well.”

“…so it’s true then?”

“Which part?”

“The thirty-five soldiers he killed.”

Big Boss laughed. “Yes, he did do that.”

“And he was armed only with a Beretta and a combat knife?”

“Yes. You seem surprised.”

Snake was taken back. “It…it just always seemed farfetched.”

Passing a sign that directed to the “Training Center,” Big Boss turned his head enough for his good eye to catch a look at Snake. “Fox doesn’t think so,” he said. “He always considered it to be a ‘decent challenge.’ He’s done better.”

Better? Snake thought to himself. Maybe the fox title is more serious than I’d thought. It’s not that he was losing confidence in himself, but if that legend and more about Gray Fox were true, then the limits on what he believed an operative capable of were being pushed. “If he’s so good how come all the entrance exam records aren’t set by him?”

Big Boss scoffed at Snake, knowing what he was hinting at. “If you don’t learn to release these small grudges you’re going to get yourself in trouble. Your code name is “Solid Snake,” because it suits you. If you do deserve “fox” we can discuss it when and if you find yourself capable of competing with Gray Fox. For now, drop it.”

An embarrassed silence persisted for a moment while Snake deeply wished he’d kept that to himself. Then, Big Boss more directly answered the question.

“The truth is that Gray Fox never took the entrance exams. In his case, it was never necessary.”
“You knew him before he joined, then?”

Big Boss nodded slowly. “I wish FOX-HOUND could take credit for his training, but it would be a lie. As long as I’ve known that man, he has been a uniquely gifted soldier. You’ll see.”

The two had just reached the Training Center and made their way into the Rifle Range. FOX-HOUND’s HQ was full of useful training scenarios and practice areas. Snake had been down here once already for his own entrance exam. The Rifle Range, though, was fairly standard. He’d expected to find Fox doing something more high level and “unique,” as Big Boss had put it.
And, once inside the Rifle Range, he would not be disappointed.

There was no one standing at the counter. No one was there with a firearm. No one was there to practice. For a moment, Snake thought that Big Boss had made a mistake and that Fox would certainly be elsewhere. But, when he chanced a look out onto the range, he knew that he was wrong.

There was the silhouette of a man, standing very still, in the middle of the dimly lit range. Snake knew from experience that, in normal firing ranges, it was illegal for anyone to cross the counter and go out there for training, but nobody stopped this man. Big Boss just leaned against the back wall, crossing his arms, and watched. Snake followed suit and stared out into the range.
This range was set up to launch a series of cardboard targets up off the floor for a short period of time. The idea is that the shooter can put a bullet into each target before it goes back down. The situation perplexed Snake, as he didn’t understand what benefit Fox would get by standing in the middle of it all. The advantage of such a training exercise was to improve accuracy at range. But, as the system started up, the meaning became apparent.

The lights flashed on brightly, and Snake could see the soldier’s back was to them. His hands shot up and out from his sides, the light glinting off the objects in them. On closer inspection, Snake could see he was holding two large machete knives. Then, the man dropped to a squatting position with one leg straight out to his side.

The first target stood up on Fox’s left and his contracted leg kicked out instantly. In a flash, he had crossed past the target and the top flew off, severed at chest level. Fox brought himself to an instant halt once the cut was complete. A second target popped up across the range and, guided by the sound of it, the soldier pushed himself into a handspring. Never losing his grip on his blades and never sparing a glance at the target, Fox closed the distance and brought his “assailant” down at the neck.

Snake, awestruck, watched this dance continue for eighteen more targets. Each strike was as clean and precise as the last and, had the cardboard cutouts actually been human, each one would have pierced at least one vital organ. The fluidity in his movements was inhuman.
Snake had gravely overestimated his own abilities it appeared. Given a gun, he could probably have hit every target in the chest area before losing it, but the level of detail that went into each of Fox’s kills far surpassed anything he was capable of. This was on top of his ability to catch each target at an arm’s length before it was retracted. Before he knew it, the twenty targets were lying in forty pieces on the floor with Fox standing once again in the middle of the room, arms at his sides. This time, he faced them.

“You did more last time,” Big Boss shouted out to him.

“I haven’t eaten supper yet,” came the reply from the range. Closing the distance between them, Fox re-sheathed his machetes and hopped the counter, standing face to face with Solid Snake for the first time.

His build was tall and muscular, and his skin was pale as bone. His hair was bright silver. Snake wondered if this was the reason he was called “gray,” or if there was some deeper meaning to that. However, the most striking feature he noticed were the smooth patches of skin over the areas around his nose and ears. The nose looked partially reconstructed, but the ears simply weren’t there.

“That’s quite a wound,” Snake said, more thinking out loud than anything. “Where did you get it?”

Fox pinned Snake in his gaze, unblinkingly and uncomfortably. Eyeing him as he would a helpless rodent, Fox asked Big Boss, “Who is this?”

“Gray Fox, meet Solid Snake. If it’s alright with you, you’ll be taking him out on assignment tomorrow. Show him the ropes.”

Finally peeling his eyes away from Snake, Fox looked at Big Boss and smirked.

“…Snake?” Big Boss nodded and, still grinning, Fox looked back to the new recruit. “Quite the name to live up to, Solid Snake.”

The two shook hands tightly, Snake still not quite sure why his code name was so important.

“Thanks.”

Staring into him once more, Fox answered the previous question.

“My wounds are my own business. We’ll have much to talk about before I take you into battle, but that is a personal question.”

Big Boss took a step backwards, toward the door.

“Well,” he said, “you two have quite a bit to discuss, then, before tomorrow, so I take my leave. I’ll see you both for briefing at 0600. And Fox…” the two looked at each other in a moment of sincerity. “…keep an eye on him.”

Fox gave a sharp nod and Big Boss left the soldiers alone in the room. Looking back at Snake and pulled the machete out of his right sheath. Holding it out, handle first, his mouth lifted up into a smirk once more.

“Care to try?” he asked.

Chapter 3: Professional Relationship

Entering FOX-HOUND’s small dining room, Solid Snake and Gray Fox got themselves a serving of the evening meal and sat down at a vacant table. Snake wasn’t too surprised at the low quality of the food being served. It seemed that regardless of how high you rose in the military, the dining never improved much.

“I would suggest,” Fox told the newcomer, “if you are serious about this business, you find yourself a sturdy combat knife. You can usually take one out on an assignment as long as it doesn’t have any markings or labels connecting it to the military.”

Snake had turned down Fox’s offer to practice with the machete. Blades, as he told his mentor, were not a weapon of choice for him.

“Why do you put so much stock in edged weapons?”

“A knife can be more deadly than a gun at close range. Sometimes, it’s beneficial to switch quickly between the two. The boss knows a stance that maximizes your potential to do that. He could show you if you asked.”

Snake nodded, taking a bite of his meal. This quickly reaffirmed his concern over how bad the food actually was. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“What turned you off to blades?” Fox asked him, beginning an attempt at his own dish.

Snake laughed. “No. You tell me how you scarred your face, then I’ll tell you that story.”
Smirking at his plate, Fox thought about this. “We’re both entitled to our secrets,” he answered.

“Well if we’re both keeping secrets, what are we going to talk about?”

“Only the job, Snake. You get to know too much about a man and it becomes harder to work with him.” Fox mused for a few moments in silence while the two continued to eat. Snake was unsure of how to progress the conversation any further. Fox seemed reluctant to talk about his personal life and he certainly was not going to volunteer details about himself that weren’t welcome.

Fox eventually broke the silence with a thoughtful whisper.

“Snake…”

“Hm?”

“Nothing. It’s just interesting the boss finally decided to give someone that name.”

Getting a bit fed up, Snake decided to ask the question that had been on his mind for hours.

“What is it about the snake title that’s so significant? It’s not just a rank, is it?”

Fox shook his head. “Big Boss didn’t tell you?”

“No.”

Fox looked at Snake, contemplating for a second. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt for you to know. He’s never tried to keep it secret or anything and you’re bound to find out anyway.” Seeing the curiosity in Snake’s expression, Fox smiled again and told him.

“‘Snake’ used to be the boss’s code name.”

“The boss’s code name?!”

“Yeah.”

“Why would he give it to me?”

“Hell if I know. He must see something in you,” Fox answered. “More than me, anyway,” he added lightly, sipping his drink.

The humor was lost on Snake who no longer held any resentment for the title given to him. His confusion, though, doubled. Big Boss must have known something more than he let on. Their interview wasn’t so in depth that Snake saw himself becoming the commander’s protégé. He hadn’t even gotten the impression that Big Boss liked him very much. This turn of events was very unexpected.

“You see why I’ve been sitting here pondering this?” Fox interjected.

“Yeah I do. What do you make of it?”

“I really don’t know. You seem like a good guy Snake, and you’re probably an exceptional soldier, but the boss is in a league of his own.”

“A league of his own? What about you?”

“Me? Heh. I know my limits, and I can say without embarrassment that they are behind his.”

What IS this place? Snake wondered to himself. Could it even be possible that the old man was a better fighter than the swordsman sitting in front of him? How could that even be feasible? The more time Snake spent around FOX-HOUND, the more he doubted that there even were limits on human potential. And why would he deserve Big Boss’s code name?

Questions without answers. Snake only hoped that time spent in the unit would bring those answers to him. However, that would only be possible if he could succeed tomorrow…he would have to focus first and wonder later. Snake collected his thoughts.

“What is this field exam I’ve gotta go through tomorrow?” he asked.

Fox shook his head. “We’re being dispatched to South Africa. That’s all I know right now. We both will get filled in at briefing tomorrow.”

With that, Fox stood up and looked Snake square in the eye. “Forgive me for being serious for a moment, but it is important that you realize something. Tomorrow really is not an exam. Both of our lives will be invested in the success of the mission. Depending on the circumstances, they might be relying on your actions.”

Snake kept silent, feeling the impact of Gray Fox’s words.

“This is very normal in FOX-HOUND and I don’t suppose it should be an issue for you. However, I don’t know you well enough yet to trust you fully with my life. Like I said, you seem like a good guy and a decent soldier, but you’re obviously green.”

Snake felt a slight contempt rise in his chest, but opted not to lash out at his mentor just then. He let him finish.

“Tomorrow you do exactly what I say, when I say it. Here I may be your friend, but on the battlefield I am your superior and this is my operation. If you can keep up with me I will have no problem ensuring that you make it into FOX-HOUND. If you get in my way, snake or not, I will have you out of this unit before debriefing. Is that clear?”

“Clear,” Snake muttered, restraining himself. And he’d thought this relationship was going so well.

Just then, Fox lost his serious demeanor and that smirk came back to his face. He clapped Snake on the shoulder. “Good,” he said. “No worries, you’ll do fine. If there’s nothing else, I’m retiring for the night. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at briefing.”

Snake nodded and watched Fox leave the room, the remains of his meal still on the table. Fox’s professionalism was striking. Snake realized he’d meant no offense, but he was very blunt. It seemed that nothing came between the fox and his prey…

Snake felt that his mentor had been wrong about one thing though. Regardless of what happened tomorrow, Fox would come out of it alright. Snake would not be able to do anything to risk that man’s life. He was too serious about this work. He would, however, need to watch his own back. FOX-HOUND was indeed more intense than he could ever have imagined. If he was going to survive in this unit, Snake would have to raise himself to a level of skill he had not felt possible before.

Draining his glass, Solid Snake stood up as well. Starting tomorrow, he would begin to hone himself. He would live up to the title he was given. He would not disappoint Big Boss and Gray Fox. He would succeed in this first mission.

Snake left the dining hall and headed for the registrar. He’d find his living arrangement there, and he dearly needed to get some sleep.