This article is a list of optional radio conversations in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, some of which are humorous, or contain additional information that is not revealed during normal gameplay.
ARPA[]
Sigint: You know, Snake, the reason I decided to help you on this one is because I hear this new weapon uses rocket technology.. I kind of felt like it was...fate or something.
Snake: Fate?
Sigint: You know I'm working at ARPA, right? Well, do you know the story of how ARPA was founded?
Snake: No, not exactly.
Sigint: In 1957, the Soviet Union succeeded in launching the Sputnik satellite. The Pentagon feared we were trailing behind in space technology. So the next year they founded ARPA as a research institute to compete with the Soviets. So when I heard they used rocket technology in this new weapon, I knew I had to be here--for the good of the country and all.
Snake: I see...
Sigint: I wonder what kind of weapon it is. Capabilities, control systems--design specs, too. Man, I can't stop thinking about it.
Snake: (You just want to see the new toy, don't you...?)
Sigint: Hm? You say something?
Snake: Nope... Good to have you on board.
Sigint's advice on recruitment[]
Sigint: Bust your ass, complete the mission and get home by New Years and I bet even your most hated rivals may join your ranks...
Snake's special person[]
Roy Campbell: Snake, do you have... you know, someone special?
Snake: A woman...? I dunno. I guess there is someone I'd kind of like to see...
Roy Campbell: Aha. That means there must be somebody. OK, I'll give you my secret recipe for getting the girl of your dreams.
Snake: Uh... no thanks, I'm fine.
Roy Campbell: Don't be shy. See, in psychology there's a principle called Bossard's Law. It says that the closer you live to somebody, the more likely the two of you will work out as a couple.
Snake: ...Law?
Roy Campbell: In other words, if you want to get in with this girl, you need to see her as often as possible.
Snake: ...I can't see her.
Roy Campbell: Huh?
Snake: She disappeared years ago, and I don't know where she is now. I tried looking for her, but I couldn't find a trace. I don't even know whether she's still alive.
Roy Campbell: ...I'm sorry to hear that.
Snake: ...
Roy Campbell: You feeling down, Snake?
Snake: Nah...
Roy Campbell: Ah... I just remembered. There's another principle in psychology called the Romeo and Juliet Effect. It says that the tougher the conditions faced by two lovers, the stronger their bonds of affection become. So don't give up yet, Snake. As long as she's not like some agent from an enemy country who's on the run because she screwed up her last mission, I'm sure you two will find each other somehow. Uh... Snake?
Snake: Do me a favor. Just leave me alone for a while...
Dirty Harry[]
Para-Medic: Snake, have you ever used a .44 Magnum?
Snake: .44 Magnum? You mean the M29?
Para-Medic: Right. I think that's the name.
Snake: Nope, never used one myself... Hey, since when did you become a gun nut, anyway?
Para-Medic: I saw a detective using one in San Francisco. It really packed a punch.
Snake: A detective? Packing an M29 in the city? But it's a hunting handgun...
Para-Medic: Well, he sure knew how to handle it.
Snake: Knew how to handle a revolver, huh... But wait... If he shot a suspect with a gun like that, he'd end up killing the guy. And the recoil and discharge sounds are too big. Doesn't sound very practical to me.
Para-Medic: Well... Yeah, I guess. But you don't have to take it so seriously. It was a movie.
Snake: A movie?
Para-Medic: A detective drama called "Dirty Harry." It just came out this year. You should go see it when you get back to the States.
Snake: ...IF I get back to the States.
Snake's change in equipment[]
The change in equipment that Snake is talking about is in reference to the PlayStation Portable.
Sigint: Yo Snake. It's been a while since you've been out in the field... Starting to get the ol' killer instinct back? The place where you are now has a lot of common with the location of your last mission. So your earlier experience should come in handy this time around, don't you think?
Snake: Yeah... the experience will help, I guess. But I'm still not used to the change in equipment.
Sigint: "Change in equipment"? Huh, I don't think there's anything especially new out there. What exactly is it that's different?
Snake: Let's see... First of all, I feel like everything's gotten lighter and more compact overall.
Sigint: Hmm... A lot of military rifles lately are using lighter, more compact 5.56mm x 45 and 9mm rounds instead heavier, bulkier 7.62mm x 51 or 45 caliber.
Snake: And it seems like the controls are different, too.
Sigint: Yeah, well, the layout has changed a little bit.
Snake: ...But I do like how you can carry and use it outside.
Sigint: What good is military equipment if you can't use it outdoors...? I don't know what you're talking about, Snake, but good luck, man.
Snake lectures Campbell on fear[]
Roy Campbell: Snake, there's something I've been meaning to ask you...
Snake: What's that?
Roy Campbell: Do you ever feel...afraid in battle?
Snake: Of course I do.
Roy Campbell: No kidding... I didn't even think you knew the meaning of the word "fear."
Snake: Being afraid in battle isn't a bad thing. The right amount of fear, if properly controlled, can sharpen the senses and improve muscle performance. It's also important to maintain a healthy level of tension because it helps you detect danger ahead in time.
Roy Campbell: Really... So a little cowardice can be a good thing. I'll have to remember that.
Snake: Yeah, well, it doesn't do you any good if you're too scared to do anything.
Roy Campbell: Being a chicken... is a good thing... Got it.
Snake: Hey... Campbell... Did you hear what I just said?
El Dorado[]
Para-Medic: Snake, have you heard of "El Dorado?"
Snake: Nope. What's that?
Para-Medic: It's a city of gold that's rumored to exist somewhere deep in the Andes. They say the people there cover themselves in gold, the streets are filled with gold and silver treasures--there's even a lake full of gold.
Snake: A lake full of gold? Is this place real?
Para-Medic: No. For almost 300 years starting in the 16th century, explorers searched for El Dorado, but in the end they never found anything.
Snake: Huh. Just a legend.
Para-Medic: Well, it's not entirely made up, either. This place really was rich with gold...at one time. A lot of treasures have been dug up from the ancient ruins, and they say some of the natives in the remote areas of Colombia still use golden combs and knives to this day.
Snake: Golden knives, huh...
Para-Medic: Intriguing, isn't it?
Snake: Yeah, I could use it to distract the enemy while I nail them with CQC.
Para-Medic: That's NOT what I meant...
Don't care about hunting[]
Para-Medic: Snake, I know it's been a while since you last saw combat. Do you still remember how to manage your physical condition?
Snake: Yeah, I think it's starting to come back to me...
Para-Medic: Really? That's great. Then I've got some good news for you.
Snake: Good news?
Para-Medic: Yep. First of all, Colombia is a country of diverse climate and terrain. It stretches hundreds of miles from north to south, straddling the Equator, and the terrain varies from the 15,000-foot high Andes to the Amazon rain forest to the desert.
Snake: Okay...
Para-Medic: So it's home to a lot of rare plants and animals. Over 3,000 different species of mammals, birds, and reptiles have been identified so far, which gives Colombia the highest species density of any country in the world.
Snake: ...Yeah, and?
Para-Medic: What, that doesn't make you happy?
Snake: How exactly does this constitute good news?
Para-Medic: Well, it means there's lots of rare species of animals that no one's ever eaten before. So there's plenty of food out there to hunt. You enjoy that, don't you?
Snake: No... Sorry, but we've got enough food this time around. I can survive just fine without having to catch and eat wild animals.
Para-Medic: Oh... That's too bad.
Snake: ...(Too bad?)
Metabolic Dominance Project[]
Sigint: Hey Snake, we've been doing some groundbreaking new research over at ARPA lately.
Snake: Groundbreaking research?
Sigint: Yeah, it's a project called Metabolic Dominance. Still highly classified, but it's going to enable a soldier to keep fighting for five days without eating a single meal.
Snake: What? It lets you function for five days without eating?
Sigint: More or less. It's tough to find some time during a mission to eat, and sometimes you can't even find food to begin with. But if this project goes as planned, soldiers will be able to stay in peak condition throughout the mission without the need for food. No more heavy, nasty-tasting rations to lug around. No more hunting around for wild animals to catch and eat. Pretty amazing stuff, eh?
Snake: ...That's the worst idea I've ever heard.
Sigint: Huh?
Snake: On the battlefield, eating is a soldier's only pleasure. Take that away, and he loses his will to fight. He's won't even care about the mission. And now that I think about it, catching wild animals and eating them wasn't such a bad experience. I actually liked eating snakes and frogs.
Sigint: Oh... OK. I'll let the research team know about that. Actually...we have another project going--making soldiers able to fight without sleeping.
Snake: Enough already!
How Para-Medic first met Big Boss[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Para-Medic as someone other than Naked Snake.
Para-Medic: This is Para-Medic. Got a question for me? You want to know about my relationship with Snake? Well... I guess you could call us old war buddies. I respect him as a brilliant agent. And I'm sure he thinks of me as a beautiful, clever, dependable, wonderful woman. The first time I met him, he was in the hospital, badly wounded. He was unconscious at the time, completely naked, all wrapped up in bandages with tubes sticking out. During the mission, I supported him the entire time over the radio. The terrible things he had to do in that mission... Escaping from a prison cell naked, wandering around naked in the sewers, stripping a GRU major naked and stuffing him in a locker... D...don't read too much into that, OK? Those were simply the first scenes that came to mind. Really, that's all. Huh? Is "Naked" Snake always living up to his name? Yeah, that must be it. That's why...
Megatherium[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Sigint as someone other than Naked Snake.
Sigint: Hey, you ever heard of the "Megatherium?" It's a giant sloth, a close relative of the ones that used to inhabit North and South America. It grew anywhere from 20 to 25 feet long and weighed up to 3 tons. It's said to have died out over 10,000 years ago, but UMA researchers believe it survived at least until the 19th century, and quite a few argue that it still exists even to this day. And stories of the giant sloth are passed down in tradition among the native tribes of South America. If there are still giant sloths around, they must be deep in the heart of South America. If you could get some proof that they still exist, it'd be a major discovery on a global scale. Exciting, isn't it? I mean, if you're going to send a special ops agent like Snake in, you may as well have him look while he's there... Of course, if he did find a rare giant sloth, he'd probably end up eating it for lunch...
Sigint asks Snake a favor[]
Sigint: Hey, Snake...
Snake: What?
Sigint: By now, you've probably been all over the peninsula. Did you see any rare animals?
Snake: Rare animals? Now that you mention it, there are an awful lot of colorful birds and reptiles around here. I hear that's a sign that those species are highly poisonous...
Sigint: No, that's not what I meant. When I say rare animals, I mean like the De Loys' Ape or the Jersey Devil or giant sloths that might have survived the Ice Age. You know, UMAs.
Snake: I know I've heard that word before... Come to think of it, Para-Medic was saying something about that... Doesn't it stand for "unidentified mysterious animals?"
Sigint: You got it. You may not know it, but South America is a UMA-lover's paradise.
Snake: Now I remember... You started some "UMA Finders Club at the CIA and made yourself vice president.
Sigint: That's right. So if you see any UMAs, be sure to catch them and bring them back. I'm sure UMA Club's president, Major Zero, would be thrilled.
Snake: Right...
Sigint: Oh, but watch out. Some of those suckers are like 20 feet long and can rip you in half.
Snake: .....
Night of the Living Dead[]
Para-Medic: Snake, do you know "Night of the Living Dead?"
Snake: Nope, never heard of it.
Para-Medic: So this satellite explodes and showers the Earth with radiation from outer space, bringing the dead back to life. These reanimated dead start attacking living humans and eating their brains. The main characters are holed up in an old house while a hungry pack of living corpses tries to force their way in. I've never seen anything so scary.
Snake: Again with the movies.
Para-Medic: Yeah, well, it's not totally unrelated to you.
Snake: What are you talking about?
Para-Medic: These corpses that come back to life are called zombies. In the Voodoo religion, the word "zombie" means "snake."
Snake: Come again...?
Para-Medic: And zombies really do exist. Not in the sense of actually bring the dead back to life, but I hear you can use stimulants like scopolamine to take away a living person's memory and willpower and control them.
Snake: Scopolamine? That's a truth serum.
Para-Medic: The plant from which scopolamine is produced grows in the wild in Colombia. They say criminals use it to commit robbery and other crimes.
Snake: Interesting... I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that.
What Snake did after Operation Snake Eater[]
Para-Medic: What's up, Snake?
Snake: Para-Medic, there's something I've been wanting to tell you since the last time we met.
Para-Medic: Ooh. What's that?
Snake: Congrats on launching the paramedic corps. Looks like all your hard work finally paid off.
Para-Medic: ...Thank you, Snake. But we've still got a long way to go. Just establishing a unit isn't enough. We have to get out there and start saving lives.
Snake: Yeah... Good point.
Para-Medic: Speaking of which, what about you, Snake?
Snake: Eh?
Para-Medic: What have you been doing since that mission? I heard you quit the FOX Unit... What'd you do after that?
Snake: Nothing.
Para-Medic: Nothing?
Snake: That's right. I thought maybe I'd make a peaceful living as an instructor or a hunting guide, but somehow I ended up getting dragged back onto the battlefield. Nothing's changed since the last time I saw you.
Para-Medic: So it seems... But you know, some things are better off not changing.
Snake: Better off not changing?
Para-Medic: Well, for instance...your skills and conditioning. It must have been pretty tough to keep yourself at that level for all those years, huh?
Snake: Not really, I just had to keep up my normal training regimen.
Para-Medic: Seriously?
Snake: Yeah. But now that you mention it, you're starting...
Para-Medic: Starting to what?
Snake: Nothing... Never mind.
Para-Medic: Liar. You were about to say something. Let me guess... I'm starting to look a little old. Is that what you were gonna say?
Snake: N-no... That's not what I was thinking at all.
Para-Medic: Yeah. And you'd better not start. Got it?
Snake: ......
Snake tells Campbell about The Boss[]
Roy Campbell: Snake, can you tell me a little about your old mentor, The Boss?
Snake: The Boss, huh...
Roy Campbell: All I know about her is that she's called the "mother of Special Forces." That she's the hero who led the legendary Cobra Unit and brought the Second World War to an end.
Snake: Yeah. Everything I know, I learned from her--how to shoot, how to fight, survival techniques...and my fate as a soldier. She was the greatest warrior I ever knew.
Roy Campbell: But you defeated her, right?
Snake: That was my mission.
Roy Campbell: Yeah, I know. I heard she betrayed the U.S., stole a nuke, and defected to the Russians.
Snake: You heard wrong.
Roy Campbell: Huh?
Snake: It wasn't like that, Campbell. She wasn't a traitor. The Boss was a true patriot.
Roy Campbell: I see. Well, if you say so, then it must be true. I believe you, Snake.
Snake: Yeah...
Campbell gives Snake advice on getting soldiers to follow orders/pick up chicks[]
Roy Campbell: Hey Snake! Wanna know how to get your subordinates to follow tall orders?
Snake: A technique to get subordinates to do difficult tasks, huh? I'm all ears.
Roy Campbell: OK, Listen up. It's something I learned from studying Psychology. I've gone ahead and gave it a scientific name -- the "Foot in the Door" technique.
Snake: ...Uh huh.
Roy Campbell: Basically, it works on the psychological principle that every time a person follows an order, it makes it easier for them to follow the next one... Even if they don't want to.
Snake: Sounds like a pain in the ass.
Roy Campbell: Not at all. OK, so you start by asking a simple question, like, "Do you like movies?" or something to that effect.
Snake: ...And then?
Roy Campbell: Then, if the person answers "Yes," you've got them. Now you say, "Let's go see one this Friday," and the person already said they like movies, so it's hard for them to say no. It really improves your chances of picking up boss chicks.
Snake: Chicks...? I thought this was a technique for getting subordinates to follow orders.
Roy Campbell: Uh... yeah, well, it has its uses for commanders as well.
Snake: ...
Sigint warns about looking at girls[]
To get this conversation, contact Sigint while playing as someone other than Snake.
Sigint: This is Sigint. What's up? Got a problem? Unless you've got some kind of problem, you should get back to the mission. Oh, but watch out when you're moving around out there. Don't let yourself get distracted by all those pretty girls. You know Colombia, Chile, and Costa Rica are known as the three C's, and they're famous for their fine-looking women. I hear looking at pretty girls instead of the road is one of the leading causes of car crashes. People in this region tend to be a mix of a lot of different races. I think that's probably a good thing. It means there isn't much racial discrimination to speak of. It's the kind of country where a man like me could find a nice place to do his research in peace... But hey, I'm gonna keep doing my part to make sure we head in the right direction, little by little. One day, my research is going to connect the world together...using computers.
Sigint advises on leveling up the Medical and Technical teams[]
To get this conversation, contact Sigint while playing as someone other than Snake.
Sigint: If you're trying to build up your Medical and Technical levels, you're gonna have to be a hard ass commander and discharge some of your weaker comrades. By the time you see your 200th recruit, I wonder if HE will join us...
Planet of the Apes[]
To get this conversation, contact Para-Medic while playing as someone other than Snake.
Para-Medic: Hey, have you ever heard of "Planet of the Apes?" It's a movie. You've never seen it? These astronauts crash land on an unknown planet where humans are ruled by talking apes. The apes put collars on humans and treat them like cattle. So the main characters make friends with a smart chimpanzee and escape, but at the end, they come face to face with an unbelievable reality. I can still remember the shock of seeing that last scene. The author of the original novel, Pierre Boulle, was taken prisoner by the Japanese Army during World War II. Some say he based his book on that experience. If we humans keep waging war with one another, one day our civilization really might collapse, and we'll become lower than apes. I hear there are monkeys living in Colombia. Watch out or they might take you prisoner.
Fantastic Voyage[]
To initiate this conversation, call Para-Medic while playing as someone other than Snake.
Para-Medic: Hey, have you ever heard of "Fantastic Voyage?" It's a movie. You've never seen it? So this big shot guy has a brain hemorrhage, and to save his live, they use a shrink ray to send a team of doctors in a submarine into his body. I love the special effects they used to portray the inside of the body. They get caught up in the bloodstream, get lost in the veins and are attacked by white blood cells, stuff like that. But it kind of left me with mixed feelings as a doctor. Think of all the people we could save if technology like that really existed. Still... Even if we did have shrink ray technology, it'd be pretty dangerous to go inside the human body. I know! We could send in an agent like Snake. That'd solve the problem real quick.
Para-Medic diagnoses some soldiers[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Para-Medic while playing as someone other than Snake.
Para-Medic: This is Para-Medic. How are you feeling? Not so good, huh? You're experiencing headaches, dizziness, nausea, and a lack of appetite? But you don't have a fever? Any other symptoms? Mm hmm. I see... Sounds like a classic case of altitude sickness. Any soldier, no matter how hard they train, can experience symptoms of hypoxia at high altitudes in mountainous areas. In severe cases, these symptoms can even develop into pulmonary or cerebral edema. If possible it's best to move down to a lower altitude, but as long as you take it easy and watch out for fatigue, it should get better. That's funny, though... I know there are cities in Colombia with elevations over 6000 feet, but you're not up that high, are you...? Wait, don't tell me... You had too much to drink last night, didn't you? Oh, for Pete's sake... It's just a hangover! It's easier to get drunk at high altitudes, so try to go easy on the booze.
Para-Medic attempts to teach cooking[]
To initiate this conversation, call Para-Medic while playing as someone other than Snake.
Para-Medic: This is Para-Medic. Do you need something? Oh, you want to know how to cook? Mm hmm. So you need some recipes to spicen up the food you're getting there, huh? No problem. I actually came prepared for such an occasion. After all, the first rule of survival is to make the most of the food you have. OK, so what kind of food are we talking about here? Frog? Scorpion? Squirrel? Bat? Or is it...snake? Wha? Not that kind of food? You want to know how to cook South American yams and corn? But I never looked up how to cook regular food... No, it's not like that. I just thought that since you were with Snake and all, you were going to eat wild animals and stuff. It's not like I'm a master of gruesome cuisine or anything. Come on, say something! It was just a big misunderstanding! Really! What's that? I'm just as weird as Snake said? Now just a minute! What's that supposed to mean? I said it was all a misunderstanding... (grumble grumble)
Para-Medic talks about Coffee[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Para-Medic while playing as someone other than Snake.
Para-Medic: ...... Oh, sorry. This is Para-Medic. I was pouring some coffee, so I couldn't respond right away. It's important to keep yourself refreshed in battle. That's what they used coffee for when it was first discovered--as a drug to stay alert. Caffeine gets rid of drowsiness and fatigue and improves concentration. It's also been found to act on the central nervous system to increase breathing and muscle performance. It guards against arteriosclerosis by lowering blood cholesterol, and some believe that it even helps protect against cancer. Colombian coffee is a mild, high-quality variety with a perfect balance of acidity, body, flavor, and aroma. Some sport players drink coffee before a game to improve their concentration and endurance. I'll bet it can do the same for a solider, too. Just don't ever mention coffee in front of Major Zero. I can't count the number of times he's yelled at me and said "Don't drink that mud in front of me"... (sigh)...
Orgy of the Dead[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Para-Medic while playing as someone other than Snake.
Para-Medic: Hey, have you ever heard of "Orgy of the Dead?" It's a movie. You've never seen it? It's about how this horror writer goes to a graveyard for inspiration and ends up getting sucked into a banquet of dead spirits. It's basically a series of dead naked women dancing one after another... What's so scary about it...? ...... I'd say the scariest thing is the fact that it was made in the first place.
Campbell gives advice to the soldiers about dating[]
To initiate this conversation contact Campbell while playing as someone other than Snake.
Roy Campbell: This is Campbell. What do you need? Ah, I see. You're having trouble figuring out how much distance to keep between you and the target. That's a pretty tough question. Here's the deal. Human beings have what is called personal space. It's the physical space you put between you and the person you're communicating with, and it varies depending on how close you are emotionally to the person. Get up too close and personal with someone you don't know well, and they'll give you a warning and spoil the mood. You need to develop a good relationship with the person first, and gradually get closer to them over time. But when there are other guys in the area, it's a different story. Try to get the person alone with you and strike up a conversation. This creates a kind of private space around the two of you, called the territory effect. It makes it harder for others to approach the target. ...What? You weren't taking about how to chat up the ladies? You wanted to know how close you can get to the enemy without them noticing you? Don't ask me. Just play it by ear or something!
The whole reason why Campbell's Green Berets unit was going to conduct surveillance on the San Hieronymo Peninsula[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Campbell while playing as someone other than Snake.
Roy Campbell: This is Campbell. Something on your mind? Oh, you want to know why we Green Berets were sent to conduct surveillance on San Hieronymo Peninsula. Truth is, the Pentagon suspected the Soviets might have a base here on the peninsula even before the FOX Unit went rogue. FARC is an insurgent group inspired by the Cuban Revolution, and they're rumored to receive aid from the Soviet Union. When the Soviets gave up on building a missile base in the Carribean after the Cuban Missile Crisis in '62, chances were very good they'd look to San Hieronymo as their next target. The CIA probably knew what was going on even before that, but it seems they kept the information to themselves so they could use it in an under-the-table deal with the Soviets later on. If only they'd let us know, we might have been able to prevent FOX from going rogue... Ah, forget it. We don't have time to argue about politics right now.
Roy's advice on unexpected encounters[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Campbell while playing as someone other than Snake.
Roy Campbell: This is Campbell. What's going on? Hmm. You want to know what to do if you ever suddenly make contact with a target in an unexpected location? I see. You did the right thing in coming to me for advice. Now listen close. There's a concept in psychology called the primacy effect. It describes how the first information a person is given affects his or her judgement later on. In other words, first impressions are everything. If you can manage to say something charming the first time you meet someone, it makes it that much easier to chat them up later on. Another strategy that works is to ask your buddies to say nice things about you beforehand. ...What? You weren't talking about how to chat up the opposite sex? You wanted to know how to respond if you suddenly encounter an enemy during a mission? Don't ask me. You've got a brain. Use it.
Campbell rants[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Roy Campbell as someone other than Snake.
Roy Campbell: This is command. What's going on? Something wrong? "Nothing in particular"? ...Look, buddy, the batteries on these radios don't last forever, you know. Quit making pointless calls. Sheesh... ... ... ...I mean, really, stop for a minute and think about how I feel. I'm stuck in this cramped truck, in this weather. It's like a friggin oven in here! Not even a fan to keep me cool. Or a cold beer, for that matter. And I have to sit here and sweat and keep an eye out for the enemy. So you'll understand if I'm not in the mood for a friendly chat. ... ...What's that? Really? There's a nice, cool breeze outside? Huh. ...Really? That sounds pretty good... ... Remind me, what were you doing out there again? Nevermind. Whatever it is, wrap it up and get back here ASAP. Keep fooling around over there and sooner or later the enemy's going to find you. Get to it.
Roy Campbell gives advice on recruiting[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Roy Campbell with someone other than Snake.
Roy Campbell: Hey, can you hear me? There's something I want to share with you, something that will make your job easier in the future... Actually, it's a proposition that our survival depends on. We need more allies. With the enemy besieging us on all sides, we need every last man we can get. It's a matter of life and death... understand? And to do that... You see, I have to take the enemies you guys capture and somehow persuade them to join us. Be patient, stare them square in the eye and set them straight, even the ones that want to throttle me. Sometimes I get them weeping with stories about their families, or dazzle them with lofty speeches about the state of the world. Other times I'll threaten them where they're most vulnerable, or stroke their ego a bit... I'm sure you can imagine what backbreaking work it can be. ... When faced with a tough job like that, you need...you know, something to keep you motivated, something to keep you focused. ... ...Ahem. To give an example, if you're going to put a flower in a vase, it's better to have a lily than a Venus fly trap... Or if you're going to play with a dog, better play with a collie than with a bulldog. You know, that kind of thing. ...You see what I'm getting at, don't you? You're a man, too, right? We're all depending on your efforts to survive. So don't let us down.
FOX Unit[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Campbell while playing as someone other than Snake.
Roy Campbell: This is Campbell. What's on your mind? You want information on the FOX Unit? Ah, I get it. Snake never told you anything about FOX, did he? Well, to be honest, I don't exactly know much about FOX myself. FOX may be Special Forces like my unit, the Green Berets, but they're a whole different ball of wax. The Green Berets are the Special Forces of the U.S. Army. Each Green Beret has his own special skills and techniques. They carry out special missions like hostage rescues and serve as military advisors to local units in zones of conflict. Out of every 100 people that want to become Green Berets, only a few ever make the cut. I don't want to toot my horn, but we are pretty much the creme de la creme of soldiers. FOX, on the other hand, answers to the CIA. I don't know much about the details, but you could say they're a specialized combat unit like the SAS or the Green Berets that also functions as a covert intelligence unit... FOX members supposedly sneak into enemy territory alone and unarmed, and carry out their mission without leaving a trace. No ordinary human being could do stuff like that. That's why I always thought it was just a rumor... until I saw Snake. I'm starting to think maybe the rumors were true. Oh, and they say the members of FOX are all a bunch of weirdos... Whoops. Don't tell Snake I said that, OK?
On-Site Procurement[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Campbell while playing as someone other than Snake.
Roy Campbell: This is Campbell. You've got a problem? You don't have enough weapons? Ammo, too? Hmm... that is a problem. Didn't Snake give you any instructions? He said to procure them on site? Yeah... That sounds like something a former FOX would say. Well, you see, FOX members are apparently ordered to sneak into territory alone and unarmed. They have to procure all of their weapons and equipment on site. Snake probably just hasn't gotten out of the old habit. There's no other way to do it. You'll just have to follow Snake's orders. ...Clothes? You're asking whether FOX members sneak into enemy territory in their birthday suits? I think that's a little extreme even for them. I mean, even procurement on site has its limits... Wait... you know, come to think of it, Snake's official code name is "Naked Snake"... I wonder if they really did send Snake stark naked into enemy terrritory. Ah, of course! ...That's why he had to operate without being detected by the enemy. What's that? You feel motivated now? Compared to going in naked, going in without weapons seems like a piece of cake? I see. That's great. Right, good luck.
Campbell's reasons for joining the Green Berets[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Campbell while playing as someone other than Snake.
Roy Campbell: This is Campbell. Yep, everything's fine on my end for now. Don't worry about the truck. I learned a thing or two about machinery in Special Forces training. I've been driving beat-up old trucks since back when I was in the Marines. Yeah. I was in the Marines before I joined the Green Berets. Why'd I join the Green Berets? No big reason, really. Let's just say I wanted to rebuild myself from the ground up in an unforgiving environment. It was a woman that finally caused me to sign up. See, I have a younger brother who's a soldier, too. And as fate would have it, we ended up falling in love with the same woman. I stepped aside for my brother's sake, and joining the Green Berets was a convenient excuse. And I wanted to serve my country anyway. Just so we're clear, I stepped aside on my own volition, all right? She didn't dump me, if that's what you're thinking. No, seriously, I'm telling you she didn't dump me!
De Loys' Ape[]
to initiate this conversation, contact Sigint while playing as someone other than Snake.
Sigint: Say, have you ever heard of the "De Loys' Ape?" It's what you'd call a UMA. They're half-beast, half-men and live around the border between Venezuela and Colombia. They're said to be aggressive towards humans. In the early 1900's, the Swiss geographer Francois de Loys was attacked by two of them and shot one dead. Apparently, he also took some pictures. More recently, there have been accounts of British hunters being attacked by them as well. Some people say that they're a variety of spider monkeys that live in South America, but I'm convinced they're a new type of highly intelligent beast-men. In fact, there are a lot of reports of beast-men sightings throughout Central and South America, including Colombia. So you be careful out there, or those apes'll getcha!
Stealth Aircraft[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Sigint while playing as someone other than Snake.
Sigint: Oh... This is Sigint. Sorry, but I'm in the middle of reading a really interesting paper here. Unless it's important, can you call back later? Hmm? Oh, the paper I'm reading was published in 1966 by a Soviet engineer... It says he's a radar expert. He wrote about how to calculate the radar-reflecting surface area of an aircraft. What's so interesting about that? Come on, man... Don't tell me you don't see the implications! Well, I suppose since the paper was made public, the Soviet government didn't realize how important it was either. All right, let me explain. Using this formula, you can concentrate radar waves hitting an aircraft into a certain narrow angle when they bounce off. Naturally, that makes it so you can't get an accurate image of the aircraft on radar. In other words, you could make a combat aircraft that doesn't show up on enemy radar--a stealth fighter. I think it oculd be worth looking into. Satisfied? Then would you mind leaving me alone for a while? See ya later.
ARPANET[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Sigint while playing as someone other than Snake.
Sigint: This is Sigint... Oh, you want to know about ARPANET, huh? ARPANET is a new network system that connects computers together. Up until now, the U.S. had been using ordinary phone lines for its defense communications. But when those three telephone relay stations blew up in Utah back in 1961, it temporarily paralyzed the whole system. So they needed to develop a new communications system that could withstand a nuclear attack--ARPANET is what they came up with. ARPANET doesn't have a single computer functioning as its core. Instead, processing is dispersed over multiple computers connected together. So even if one part of the network comes under attack, we can maintain our ability to transmit information by going around the damaged nodes. But that's not all ARPANET can do. Right now, it's still limited to a maximum of 256 computers, but one day every computer in every country across the globe is going to be on the network. We'll all be living in a global village--literally. And not only that, if we could make the terminals compact enough to fit inside a human body, and if we could connect freely to the network using radio signals instead of wires, I think it's fair to say we humans would enter a whole new stage of evolution. But I hate to think what could happen if someone used the network for evil...
Current ARPA projects[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Sigint while playing as someone other than Snake.
Sigint: This is Sigint. Whoa, for a minute there I thought you were Snake. Ah, so you're interested in the research ARPA is doing, huh? Let me think, They're still at the conceptual phase, but I can give you a few examples. It's all revolutionary, world-changing stuff. First of all, there's the global positioning system. It can tell you your exact location anywhere in the world using radio signals received from over 20 manmade satellites in orbit. Just think of all the military and civilian applications. And then there's the research on unmanned aerial vehicles. They can perform recon, tracing, and even attack missions without requiring a human pilot. If we can make it viable, we can run sorties without worrying about losing the pilot if the aircraft gets shot down. What do you think? Sounds pretty cool, huh? But that's just the beginning. Now here's the real kicker. Human cannons. No, really, it's a cannon that shoots human beings. No, no, no. It's not for executions. You'd use it to quickly get a Special Forces soldier onto the roof of a building. What? It sounds dumb? Damn it. Why doesn't anybody seem to understand how brilliant these ideas are? OK, then, how about this? An aircraft that flies according to the same principle as a UFO... Hey... You still there? Helloooo...
Medical Level[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Para-Medic while playing as someone other than Snake after destroying Metal Gear RAXA.
Para-Medic: How's your Medical Level coming along? I'm not jealous or anything like that, but I bet that if you get it over LV 80, one of her... ...personalities, may join your side.
Ghost warns about Tatyana[]
Ghost: You know, Snake, I just remembered something...
Snake: What's that?
Ghost: Do you remember Tatyana?
Snake: (startled) ...Tatyana?
Ghost: The female spy sent by Khrushchev. She infiltrated Groznyj Grad posing as Volgin's lover.
Snake: Yeah... I remember. What about her?
Ghost: I thought I'd share a word of warning about her.
Snake: "Warning"?
Ghost: Yes. I thought you might have a soft spot for that kind of woman.
Snake: ...
Ghost: Heed my advice. Stay away from women like that. I speak from decades of experience as a man of science. She's too much for a man like you. You may think you have her, but in the end she wll betray you and run away.
Snake: Uhh... OK there, Ghost. (Maybe all the fiumes [sic] in the lab have finally gotten to him...?)
ICBMG[]
Snake: Ghost, just what kind of weapon is the ICBMG?
Ghost: An excellent question... Let me begin by explaining the rocket used in the ICBMG. Most ordinary ballistic missiles employ a solid fuel rocket suitable for long-term storage. But due to the weight of the ICBMG, such as a rocket would not provide enough propulsive force. So it was decided to employ both a liquid and a solid fuel engine. However, the difficulty with liquid fuel is that they must be kept at a constant temperature. Therefore, instead of the normal kerosene and liquid oxygen, we----
Snake: Hold on there, Ghost. Sorry to interrupt the science lecture, but I don't need to know the technical details. Keep it nice and simple.
Ghost: Really, Snake, it wouldn't kill you to learn a bit more about this. The ICBMG is a weapon based on a completely new approach to battle. The CIA seems to think of it as nothing more than an alternative to MIRVs, but in reality it is nothing of the sort. I'm sure you know there are two types of strategic missile weapons - ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
Snake: Right.
Ghost: Ballistic missiles pass outside the atmosphere and travel at very high speeds, making them extremely difficult to intercept. On the other hand, their targeting accuracy is low, so unless armed with nukes or other weapons of mass destruction they are, quite simply, not worth the cost. Cruise missiles, by contrast, were designed to enable precision strikes on military targets only. But they travel slowly and are easily intercepted. The ICBMG combines the best aspects of both types of missile. It can infiltrate an enemy country without being intercepted and selectively destroy all political and military targets with pinpoint accuracy, at the leisure of whomever wields it. Do you realize what this means?
Snake: Hmm... It could take an entire enemy country hostage?
Ghost: Precisely! Furthermore, as a walking tank protected by tough armor plating, it can operate without support. It also functions as a mobile platform--similar to a nuclear submarine--making it difficult to destroy.
Snake: Sounds like it's got everything going for it. I see now why you're helping me destroy this thing. If we wait for somebody to actually demonstrate its power, it will be too late. We have to stop it now, while it's still a prototype.
Ghost: Indeed. I'm counting on you, Snake.
Bride of the Monster[]
Ghost: Snake, have you heard of Dr. Eric Vornoff?
Snake: Dr. Vornoff? Nope, never heard of him. He's a friend of yours, Ghost?
Ghost: Not exactly. He's a scientist who appears in the movie "Bride of the Monster."
Snake: ...Not this again.
Ghost: Eh? Is something the matter, Snake?
Snake: No... I just never figured you for a movie buff. So? What about this Dr. Vornoff?
Ghost: Oh, yes. He is a scientist from Eastern Europe who was exiled from his country for conducting experiments using radiation to create a superman.
Snake: Hmm... (sounds like a certain scientist I know)
Ghost: Swearing revenge, he begins kidnapping people. Using radiation, he even creates a giant octopus...
Snake: An octopus? What would he want with a giant octopus?
Ghost: I don't really know. In the end, the doctor must fight with his own creation... Anyway, we do not yet fully understand the effects of radiation on living creatures. If the ICBMG is launched, we have no idea what effect it could have on the ecosystem. So what I am trying to say is, we must prevent its launch at all costs.
Snake: You're right about that. I don't want to be fighting any giant octopuses.
ICBMG's weakpoint[]
Snake: Ghost, does Metal Gear have a weak point?
Ghost: No.
Snake: Hey... aren't you even going to think it over for a minute?
Ghost: What's to think about? Once it is launched, the ICBMG is invincible. It passes outside the atmosphere and then penetrates the enemy territory at high speed. There is no way to intercept it. No tank can keep up with it on the move, and no infantryman is a match for it. Even scrambling fighter(planes) would not be suffice--by the time they arrived, Metal Gear's attack would be over. If you were to destroy Metal Gear, you would have to do it before it was activated.
Snake: Of course. no matter how powerful a weapon it is, until it's activated it's just a big hunk of metal.
Ghost: Indeed. The problem, however, lies with the booster rocket used to launch Metal Gear. A booster rocket is more or less one big tank of fuel. It is full of highly flammable kerosene, liquid hydrogen, and liquid oxygen. A booster rocket is over 90% fuel by weight.
Snake: ...Are you serious? Tell me, Ghost, if that booster should happen to explode...
Ghost: It would take out the launch base and the entire surrounding area with it.
Snake: Sweet Jesus...
Ghost: So when you do destroy it, don't forget to find a safe place to take cover.
The ICBMG's missile silo[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost while playing as someone other than Snake.
Ghost: I am here. You have an inquiry? Hmm. Curious about the silo they are using to launch Metal Gear, are you? I had heard that the missile launch silos in this base are still under construction, and that only one has yet been completed. Ordinarily, the booster rocket used to launch Metal Gear would not be suitable for this silo, but it would appear the design was secretly altered. Yes, exactly. Gene must have conducted an intelligence operation beforehand. The silo is buried underground, making it difficult to identify by spy plane or satellite imaging. Not even I know its precise location. And even if you did know its location, the silo itself is designed to withstand a near-direct nuclear attack. It cannot be destroyed from outside. Once Metal Gear is in place and enters launch mode, there is nothing we can do to stop it. Our only option is to infiltrate the fortress somehow and stop the launch from the control room.
Rocket history from Ghost[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost while playing as someone other than Snake.
Ghost: Oh... I thought you were Snake. But you aren't, are you? No matter. I was getting rather bored anyway. Allow me to tell you a little about rocketry... The history of rocket weapons is surprisingly long. Records from the 13th century tell us that Chinese soldiers used arrow like weapons propelled by gunpowder against the Mongol horde. The Mongols improved upon this weapon and used it in their invasion of Europe. So rocket weapons came to us from the East. Then in the 19th century, a new weapon called the Congreve rocket was developed and used in the War of 1812 between the U.S. and Britain. Why, even the American national anthem includes a line about "the rocket's red glare." The Americans must truly have taken the threat of rocket weapons to heart. And even today, rockets are used for purposes of war. It saddens me just to think about it.
Ghost wonders why Gene chose San Hieronymo[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost while playing as someone other than Snake.
Ghost: Actually, there is something about Metal Gear that troubles me. Why did Gene choose this base as the staging point for his rebellion? It is true, the morale of the soldiers at this base was already low. And its nuclear storage facilities and missile silos were largely abandoned. But with his abilities, he could have taken over a better-equipped nuclear missile base within the United States. If he truly intends to launch a nuclear missile at the Soviet Union, considering the difficulties of transporting and equipping Metal Gear, it should have been easier to do it from America... Or perhaps there was a reason Gene chose this base... A trivial matter, I suppose, but troubling, nonetheless...
Godzilla: King of the Monsters[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost while playing as someone other than Snake.
Ghost: Have you ever heard of Dr. Serizawa? He is a character in the Japanese movie. "Godzilla: King of the Monsters." Godzilla is a creature turned into a giant monster by a hydrogen bomb test. As such, he cannot be harmed by any of mankind's weapons. In the end, the only thing that can stop Godzilla is a new "Oxygen Destroyer" technology developed by Dr. Serizawa. However, Dr. Serizawa fears that his new technology is too powerful, and that it will be used as a weapon of mass destruction like the hydrogen bomb. So he hesitates to use it. As a fellow scientist, I know exactly how he feels. Metal Gear may not be a giant mutated beast, but it is a monster spawned by the hand of mankind. In that sense, perhaps it is not so different from Godzilla.
Herbert West: Reanimator[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost while playing as someone other than Snake.
Ghost: Have you ever heard of Dr. Herbert West? He is a character in H.P. Lovecraft's novel "Herbert West: Reanimator." West is a brilliant doctor who is possessed by a desire to bring the dead back to life. At first glance he is a gentle, well-mannered young man, but he repeatedly robs graves for fresh corpses, reanimates them, and then kills the monsters that result. At last, his madness drives him to enlist in the army as a surgeon during World War I in order to collect corpses, where he continues his experiments on soldiers' bodies. His life falls apart and even though he creates only monsters, he cannot bring himself to cease his research. As a scientist, I understand exactly how he feels. Of course, I am not such a cruel, cold-blooded man as he. But I am like him in my gentle and well-mannered appearance. What, you don't believe me? Look here, in my younger days I was quite the... Bah! Enough!
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost while playing as someone besides Snake.
Ghost: Have you ever heard of Dr. Strangelove? He is a character in the film "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb." You don't know it...? It is the name of a comedic film. Dr. Strangelove is a scientific advisor to the President who secretly creates a "doomsday device" that will automatically retaliate to a nuclear strike with more nuclear strikes. Even as top government officials panic in the face of full-scale nuclear war, he continues to rant and rave like an eccentric crackpot. It is a fine film, one that portrays an unsettling reality while still making us laugh. Eh? No, I am not the model for the character. That is not what I meant. Besides, there is nothing at all eccentric about me. I am not weird like you and Snake and the rest. I am normal. However, if we fail to stop the launch of ICBMG, we may all find ourselves in the doctor's position--ranting and raving to doomsday.
RAXA's weak point[]
To initiate these conversations, contact Ghost while fighting RAXA. This comes in three parts.
RAXA's weak point: Part 1[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost immediately at the start of the battle.
Ghost: Metal Gear's weak point? Are you fighting Metal Gear now? ...I see. Very well, then. That weapon must be destroyed. I will do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal. It is my duty. I will help you.
RAXA's weak point: Part 2[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost after getting Part 1.
Ghost: Metal Gear's weak point is its feet. Plant mines or other explosives at its feet. Or shoot them with the RPG-7.
RAXA's weak point: Part 3[]
To initiate this conversation, contact Ghost after taking out RAXA's legs.
Ghost: Good. Now, do you see the missile launch port? Fire the RPG-7 at that port. The explosion should cause damage to the engine chamber.
Paramedic recruitment, Part 1[]
To get this conversation, head to the communications base after getting the malaria drugs.
Snake: Para-Medic, can you hear me?
Para-Medic: Snake? Thank goodness... You’re all right!
Snake: Yeah. For now, anyway. We got the malaria drugs, thanks to your advice.
Para-Medic: Don’t mention it. So, what’s on your mind? I know you didn’t sneak back into the communications base just to call me and say “thanks.”
Snake: You got me. I need to ask you another favor. You once told me about a plan you had to set up a unit of medics that could parachute into the front lines of battle where they’re needed most.
Para-Medic: You mean the paramedic corps? They’re already seeing action on the battlefield...
Snake: So I’ve heard. That’s actually the favor I wanted to ask you about. Think you could send a few of your paramedics out our way?
Para-Medic: Out your way... You mean to San Hieronymo?
Snake: Right. We’re expanding our ranks bit by bit with new recruits from the enemy, but that means more comrades getting hurt in battle. Some of the soldiers here have medical training, but we can’t always get them to join us. And even if we do, some of them don’t have the proper skills. If we had even one real medic we could count on, it’d be a big help...
Para-Medic: Snake... I know you’re in a tough situation, but... Almost all of the paramedic corps is deployed in Vietnam. There’s no one here left to help you. And I don’t have the authority to dispatch them myself to begin with.
Snake: Damn...
Para-Medic: But don’t worry. I know one person here you can count on.
Snake: A friend of yours?
Para-Medic: You could say that. She’s the greatest doctor I know. She’s smart, kind--and cute, too. And to top it all off, she even knows how to handle a parachute. After all, she is the founder of the paramedic corps.
Snake: Wait a minute... Para-Medic, what are you getting at? Don’t tell me it’s...
Para-Medic: Me, of course. Who else?
Snake: Don’t even think about it, Para-Medic. It’s too dangerous. You can’t----
Para-Medic: It’ll take me a little while to get there, but I’ll try to touch down someplace where I’ll be easy to find. See you when I get there.
Snake: Para-Medic...!
Paramedic recruitment, Part 2[]
To get this conversation, simply arrive at the room where Para-Medic is at when doing the recruiting mission to get her.
Campbell: Did you meet up with Para-Medic? Good. Put her on. Para-Medic? This is Roy Campbell. I’m working with Snake.
Para-Medic: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Campbell.
Campbell: Heh, the pleasure’s all mine. You’ve got a beautiful voice.
Para-Medic: Why, thank you. You’ve got a nice voice, yourself.
Campbell: Heh heh. Much obliged. Anyways, there’ll be time for pleasantries later. For now, can you get to our truck? The guy there can tell you the way.
Para-Medic: OK, then. The truck it is!
Sigint recruitment, Part 1[]
Snake: Sigint, come in.
Sigint: I read you, Snake. Trouble in paradise?
Snake: Yeah... Actually, I’ve got a problem here and it’s a real pain in the ass. We’ve been able to persuade some of the enemy to join us, and now there’s a chronic shortage of gear. Some of my men are forced to handle weapons they are holding for the first time.
Sigint: Yeah, no big surprise there. Not everybody’s trained in all kinds of equipment like you, you know. But I know what you mean. It’s tough to fight like that. I’m guessing they can’t even inspect and maintain their gear properly...
Snake: That’s exactly the problem. Got any bright ideas, Sigint?
Sigint: Look, man, there’s only so much I can tell you over the radio. It would help a lot if you could get an experienced instructor to come out there and teach them… But it’d have to be somebody who knows a lot about Soviet equipment--and how to use it. And this guy would have to be able to get to San Hieronymo without the CIA and the Pentagon brass noticing... Hey, that sounds like yours truly.
Snake: Sigint... Are you saying you’ll come...?
Sigint: What, you think I can’t handle it? I’m not just an expert in cutting-edge technology, I know EVERYTHING--guns, gear, old, new, American, Soviet--you name it.
Snake: Wait... I’d love to have you out here and all, but... it’s pretty hairy down here.
Sigint: Hey, it’s not like I have a choice, right? Desperate times and all of that. Besides, I’d like to get a look at the CIA’s new weapon for myself.
Snake: ...Uh huh. So THAT’S the reason.
Sigint: Ha ha. I’ll figure out some way of getting over there. All you gotta do is come and pick me up, Snake.
Sigint recruitment, Part 2[]
Roy Campbell: Did you make contact with Sigint? Excellent. Put him on. Sigint, this is Roy Campbell. Thanks for coming to meet us. Are you okay?
Sigint: I’m just fine. So you’re working with Snake?
Roy Campbell: That’s right. And he tells me you’re the most brilliant engineer he’s ever met. We’re glad to have you on board, Sigint.
Sigint: Ha ha ha. Good old Snake... Knows what he’s talking about. Yeah, you can count on me, man. It’s an honor to be working with you guys.
Roy Campbell: Glad to hear it. Now, we need you to come to the truck we’re using as a base. If you need directions, ask Snake.
Sigint: Will do. See you then.
Raikov recruitment[]
Roy Campbell: Major Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov, I presume?
Raikov: You are… American? What are you doing here?
Roy Campbell: Heh heh. You first. Why’s a Soviet officer like you being held prisoner in a place like this?
Raikov: I… Well…
Roy Campbell: I heard all kinds of stories about you before I got here. How you used to abuse your rank and beat up your men for sheer sport. You’re a real piece of work. And now, it’s come back to haunt you. The moment Gene incited the soldiers to rebel, your “comrades” turned the tables and took you prisoner. How the mighty have fallen.
Raikov: …
Roy Campbell: Kind of weird, though, don’t you think? A major and former GRU, in a backwater place like this.
Raikov: …
Roy Campbell: What’d you do, go with the losing side in one of the army’s internal squabbles? Let me guess… with your patron Volgin dead, there’s no one to protect you. You fell from grace and got shuffled off to this God-forsaken outpost.
Raikov: …Bastard! How could you know!? Wait, I get it… you’re an agent of the man they call Snake. The Yankee who killed the Colonel at Groznyj Grad! And you came all this way to gloat over me…!
Roy Campbell: Nope. We’re here to rescue you.
Raikov: …Come again?
Roy Campbell: Gene is planning to attack Russia using the nukes stored in this base and a new type of weapon he stole from the Americans.
Raikov: …
Roy Campbell: …And we’re here to stop him. We’d like you to help us--if you can. As an officer, your knowledge and skills could be invaluable to our mission.
Raikov: …You want me… to join the villain who killed the Colonel? Not a chance…
Roy Campbell: I’m simply proposing that we call a truce--form a unified front. Think about what’s in it for you. Defeating the mastermind behind the rebellion and preventing a nuclear attack on the motherland… You’ll be a hero. The army will welcome you back into the fold, and a promotion won’t be far behind.
Raikov: …
Roy Campbell: Wouldn’t you like to see those bastards pay for what they did to you? Of course, if you’d rather sit out here as a prisoner--humiliated--by all means, be my guest.
Raikov: …Wait. All right. I’ll cooperate with you.
Saturn V Blueprints[]
Ghost: Snake, can you read me?
Snake: Ghost! What’s going on? Have you got some new information?
Ghost: Ah, well… not exactly. I mean, yes. I have new information.
Snake: …Ghost?
Ghost: Regarding Metal Gear… It can be launched directly into enemy territory along a ballistic trajectory, just like an ICBM.
Snake: Yeah… we already knew that.
Ghost: Er, no, I mean… you see, in order to launch a weapon as massive as Metal Gear, you need a powerful booster, more powerful than an ICBM. More powerful even than a Soyuz rocket!
Snake: …So?
Ghost: Y…you see, what I’m trying to say is, Metal Gear will be launched using a modified Saturn V rocket.
Snake: Saturn V…? The one they used for the Apollo Lunar Module?
Ghost: Precisely. It is the largest multi-stage rocket currently known to man. The rockets themselves are American made, but the missile silos in this base have been modified to accommodate them based on Saturn V blueprints stolen from NASA by a Soviet spy.
Snake: Uh huh.
Ghost: The blueprints they used should still be on this peninsula somewhere.
Snake: …And?
Ghost: Do… do you think you could get them for me?
Snake: …Why?
Ghost: Why… What do you mean, why?
Snake: Getting those blueprints back now isn’t going to help us stop Metal Gear. So why do you need them?
Ghost: Yes, but… I simply thought, you know… They might be useful for something…
Snake: Interested in rocket design, Ghost? I never would have guessed. A rocket scientist--like Sokolov--now that I could understand…
Ghost: N-no… It’s not like that. I’m not asking out of personal interest. I simply thought that if we’re to stop Metal Gear from being launched, the more we know the better.
Snake: Uh huh… well, if you say so. Sure. I can’t make any promises, but I’ll have a look around if I’ve got time to spare. Fair enough?
Ghost: Y-yes, of course. Thank you.
Sokolov recruitment[]
Roy Campbell: You’re Sokolov?
Sokolov: Er, yes.
Roy Campbell: Here’s the Saturn V rocket blueprints you wanted…
Sokolov: Ah, so you did get them for me.
Roy Campbell: Let me ask you something, Sokolov. Why do you need this, anyway? You were involved in developing the ICBMG. You must have had any number of chances to look at the blueprints for the Saturn V.
Sokolov: …These aren’t the blueprints for the Saturn V. They only look that way… These are the schematics for the booster rocket used in the ICBMG. I wouldn’t call them absolutely essential, but they do help speed the preparation process along.
Roy Campbell: What? So what you’re saying is, if Snake hadn’t gotten these plans, the ICBMG might have been launched much sooner. Why didn’t you tell us sooner?
Sokolov: If you’d looked at the documents closely, you’d have seen my name listed among the designers. And then… then...
Roy Campbell: Snake would find out you helped develop Metal Gear?
Sokolov: Yes… I didn’t want anyone to know that I was still dirtying my hands in weapons development at all, much less in developing a weapon based on the blueprints that Granin left behind… I wanted to steal the schematics myself… But I lacked the…guts. That’s why I assumed the identity of Ghost and used Snake...
Roy Campbell: I see, it all makes sense now.
Sokolov: …
Roy Campbell: In your own way, you were trying to prevent the launch of Metal Gear yourself.
Sokolov: Eh?
Roy Campbell: We owe you one. That’s a fact. Glad to have you on board.
EVA recruitment part 1[]
???: это татьяна. С кем я разговариваю?
Snake: …EVA? Is that you?
EVA: …Who’s that!? I know that voice… Snake? How did you…!?
Snake: Never thought I’d hear your voice in a place like this…
EVA: No kidding. You really gave me a shock… Maybe she was right.
Snake: Who was right?
EVA: “We’re all inhabitants of a little planet called Earth… There’s no Cold War, no line between East and West…”
Snake: The Boss used to say that…
EVA: I’m sorry… I guess maybe the world really is smaller than we think. But tell me Snake. How did you get this frequency? It’s too weird to be a coincidence.
Snake: I, uh… It’s a long story. Kind of hard to explain.
EVA: I see…
Snake: What is that noise…?
EVA: Oh, sorry. That was the cargo plane’s engine.
Snake: …Cargo plane?
EVAYep. She’s mine. You know how good I am at flying, right? Well, right now I’m working as a freelance pilot.
Snake: Freelance pilot? What happened to your employer…?
EVA: PLA intelligence? I was… fired.
Snake: Let me guess. They were about to execute you and you got away. Because the CIA gave you a phony microfilm…
EVA: It’s none of your concern, Snake… We were both playing each other. If anything, I’d say I still owe you one.
Snake: …
EVA: But enough of that. Where are you now?
Snake: South America… A place called the San Hieronymo Peninsula.
EVA: San Hieronymo… “La peninsula de los muertos?”
Snake: You’ve heard of it?
EVA: Yeah. I’ve made a few deliveries there.
Snake: Ah… so that’s where the frequency on back of that locker door came from…
EVA: Snake, what are you doing there?
Snake: It’s complicated. Another long story.
EVA: Got caught up in another mess, did we?
Snake: Something like that. It’s no cocktail party, that’s for sure.
EVA: Need a hand?
Snake: Well… Yeah, that’d be nice, but… Wait, what were you thinking, EVA?
EVA: I’m thinking about you. I’m coming to see you.
Snake: Hey…
EVA: I said I owed you one, didn’t I? And besides, if we don’t meet now, we might not have another chance… Or is it that you don’t want to see me?
Snake: No… That’s not it.
EVA: I’ll bring you some ammo as a present. Be at the airport control room “in one week’s time and help me land.
Snake: EVA…
EVA recruitment part 2[]
Snake: This is Snake. EVA, do you read me?
EVA: I read you loud and clear, Snake… but I don’t think that’s going to be the case much longer.
Snake: What are you talking about? EVA, what’s going on?
EVA: Well, I just got hit by a surface-to-air missile. I tried my best to shake it, but it was too late. The right engine’s in flames—looks like it’s about to fall off.
Snake: Damn it! EVA, you’ve got to keep it together. We’ve got the airport secured.
EVA: I’m trying, but it doesn’t look good… I’m losing altitude pretty fast…
Snake: Hold on, EVA! Just keep it in the air until you get it to the airport!
EVA: No… It’s no use. I can’t get the nose up…
Snake: EVA… EVA! Come in, EVA!!
EVA recruitment part 3[]
Campbell: You got EVA out there safely? Sounds like she’s in pretty bad shape. Hurry and get back to the truck!
Ocelot call[]
???: A little early for your scheduled call-in, aren’t you? What’s could be so important that you had to call me on this circuit, hmm?
Snake: That voice… It can’t be… Ocelot!?
Ocelot: Heh. Well, well… So nice to hear from you again, Snake.
Snake: (But Ocelot is supposed to be a Spetsnaz… What’s he doing conducting intel ops on San Hieronymo?) (Is the GRU getting involved? Is Ocelot working against Gene? Or is he…?)
Ocelot: So who told you about this frequency, Snake? Don’t tell me you’re out snooping around again.
Snake: No… Must’ve dialed the wrong number. I’m on vacation, in fact. I was just thinking of ordering a cigar…
Ocelot: Heh heh. A cigar… South American, perhaps?
Snake: …
Ocelot: What’s the matter, Snake? You’re out of breath… almost sounds like you’re still in battle.
Snake: Like I said, I’m still on vacation--not a mission. It’s a little resort in the Carribean. Nice and hot. The scenery… Well, I can’t complain. I’m keeping busy, though--care to join me?
Ocelot: Hmm. Sounds tempting. Let me think it over…