Morocco

Morocco (Arabic:المغرب‎, literal translation: place the sun sets; the west'; French: Maroc) officially the Kingdom of Morocco (Arabic: المغربية‎ المملكة, translation: al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyah, literal translation: 'The Western Kingdom; French: Royaume du Maroc), is a country and primary location in the award-winning video game The Operative: No One Lives Forever. As well as providing the setting for the game's first mission, it is also frequently mentioned and alluded to in other missions and intelligence items.

Geography
Encompassing a size of about 711,000 km2 and a population of about 13 million in the late 1960s, Morocco is a constitutional monarchy located on the north-west coast of Africa. The Atlantic ocean is located on the west coast, while it borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north. Some of its territory is covered by the Sahara Desert.

Recent History and In-Game Context
Having been a Protectorate of France from 1912-1956, French is still a widely spoken language in Morocco, which is reflected in the names of its hotels, signs and maps. King Hassan II (r.1961-1999) dissolved parliament and ruled directly following political upheavals in 1965 and continued to do so until 1970 when a constitution was drafted.

Due to its warm climate, rich history and exotic architecture, Morocco has become a popular tourist destination for Europeans and Americans, which is reflected in the game.

Misfortune in Morocco
UNITY's intelligence confirms that the international terrorist organization H.A.R.M. is planning to assassinate the American Ambassador to West Germany, Morris Monroe, who is currently on vacation in Marrakech. UNITY field operatives Bruno Lawrie and Cate Archer are tasked with the ambassador's protection. However, the mission goes badly wrong when Dmitrij Volkov shoots Lawrie and kills the ambassador on his way to the airport.

There is a UNITY Safe House in Fez. It used by Archer to interrogate one of Volkov's men (optional) whom she finds sitting near the city gate in Scene 3.

Archer escapes the country via a ship docked at a "Smugglers' Den" somewhere along the coast. Its exact location is not revealed.

Tangier Base
H.A.R.M. operates a base (identified by various H.A.R.M. memos and "World Domination" maps as Facility 4524) on the northern coast of Morocco near Algeria, possibly in or near Tangier.

Martha and Clark
Among the many tourists in Marrakech, was the American couple, Martha and Clark. The couple can be found standing in the hotel lounge in Scene 2. Martha, claims that she "wanted to go to France, but Clark insisted on coming to Morocco". An intelligence item in their hotel room reveals that Clark is in fact a Soviet spy and will be leaving Martha to return home to the U.S.S.R. during their holiday.

Some letters found in Chapter 12 of the game's sequel reveal that Clark contacted Martha again in the hopes of winning her back. Martha expresses how distraught she was over this betrayal and provides a detailed account of how she wandered the desert until she was found by Berber nomads near Merzouga. She decided to stay there and turns Clark down.

Clark may have decided to join H.A.R.M. following Martha's refusal (which would explain why these letters were found in H.A.R.M.'s underwater facility). Then again it could be an Easter egg left by the game's developers for the players to find.

Significant Locations

 * Azrou - Described by tour guide as being "quiet and less touristy than Fez"
 * Casablanca - Largest city in Morocco (also the title of an award-winning Hollywood Classic starring Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart)
 * Fez - Known location of a UNITY Safe House
 * Rabat - Capital City
 * Marrakech - Setting for Misfortune in Morocco, Scenes 1-3
 * Merzouga - Small village near the Algerian border
 * Sahara Desert
 * Smugglers' Den - Somewhere along the north-western coast. Exact location unknown (but near Tangier)
 * Tangier - A port city in Morocco

External link
Morocco on Wikipedia