Viktor Topov

## Commander Viktor Topov

Commander **Viktor Topov** **(Виктор Топов)**, codename **Hydro** is a character in Mortal Kombat Retold. Always the aficionado for technology and cybernetics, Topov was always the first to volunteer for the "future soldier" programs of the USSR, developing a sense of "empathy" for the machines and an interest in becoming one with a machine. However, after an incident with his comrades he discovered how the Chinese Lin Kuei's high tech projects had even more promise, so he joined the clan, where he was dubbed **Hydro** for his learnt ability to control and become formless like water.

## Early life

Viktor Topov was born in February 14th, 1940 to the prestigious Topov military family in the northern Soviet Union. His father was a well-known general of the army and his mother was a combat medic. Thus, Viktor grew up greatly interested in military technology and military science, developing and drawing outlandish prototypes for cybernetics during his teenage years. He joined GRU in 1959.

## Spetsnaz GRU

Topov was one of the most efficient members of the GRU (the Soviet Union's foreign military-intelligence agency), greatly excelling in all tests, thus he was mobilized into various covert missions in Mauritania, Czechoslovakia, Vietnam, Afghanistan among others.

His notoriety quickly grew as he became the top Spetsnaz GRU operator, receiving numerous orders, condecorations and medals for his acts in conflicts such as the Vietnam War. He was always volunteering for future soldier, cybernetics and bio-science programs under the USSR. So much so, that in October 1979, he was implanted with biological metallic enhancements under the top-secret Kiparis Cybernetic Program of the Soviet Union, the largest future soldier project of the country yet. These enhancements were said to enhance any properly conditioned human's strength, vigor, lifespan and resilience to damage exponentially also being able to reduce their need for nutrients.

## The Kabul Incident

His first fielding with Kiparis enhancements was Operation Storm-333, where his Spetsnaz team was tasked with storming the Tajbeg Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan to kill extremist Hafizullah Amin. After the assassination was carried through, Topov was pinned down holding a nearby shack against enemy fire. A grenade was thrown at his position, whose explosion knocked him away, making him fall into the mountains.

Due to the Kiparis augmentations, he resisted a 35 meter fall. His team had left before rescuing him, so Topov was stranded in the freezing mountains, where he persisted for 10 days with little to no food or water. He could not return to the Kabul base easily by foot because of the canyon into which he dropped blocked an easy way back. Mostly due to his augmentations and severe training, he managed to survive. His radio broke, so to contact KGB command, he had to single-handedly wipe the village of Zaiwalat of mujahideen and use their radio to establish a connection with the Chairman of the KGB directly. Soon, he was rescued by helicopter.

Returning to the main Soviet Kabul base, a conflict broke out amongst Topov and his team over them having left him to die. Amidst the chaos, broke out a fight and in this fit of rage, Topov knocked out 3 of his comrades. Topov was dishonorably discharged along with many of his squadmates for disorderly conduct. Disappointed in seeing the country which he fought for so much banish and try to hunt him for classified information, he fled to the Maghreb and became a wandering mercenary.

## Lin Kuei

One day in 1981 while seeking contracts in Western Morocco, Topov was contracted by a group called "Lin Kuei" for a simple assassination contract. Topov executed the job successfully utilizing his cybernetic powers and news of it got around. He was contacted by one of these Lin Kuei in Settat, Morocco who suggested he join the clan, explaining a cybernetics program beginning its early stages in a few years, which won Topov over. Promptly, he joined the clan.

The Lin Kuei training to awaken a superhuman power was rigorous as he never trained his Qi before, but it worked. Topov awakened a power to control water and become formless like it. He was given the codename Hydro for such an ability. Hydro was very interested in the Cyber Initiative, the Lin Kuei cybernetics program. Noticing this, the Grandmaster Oniro prioritized assigning Hydro to operations related to it, mostly invading titanium mines in South Africa and Angola for materials and stealing high-tech bioscience projects from European secret labs.

## Luanda

In July 1985, Hydro was called to lead a team into Luanda, Angola in order to capture ex-Black Dragon bioscientist Dr. Nikodem Busch, who was forced to work under the Red Dragon after being kidnapped. The mission is successful and Busch is put to work on the Cyber Initiative, which is completed in 1991. In February 1991, Hydro is one of the first members of the Lin Kuei to become a cyborg, a form he says to be a perfect one.

He was the first one to survive a full cyberization process, but it was far from perfect. His body started to reject the parts and he often got brain dead for hours, but in moments of clarity he begged that the Lin Kuei didn't give up on him. This went on for 3 years until Hydro was strong enough to get out of the bed, and his recovery lasted more 2 years.