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Woot, time to post my crappy story.

The wall of text located below is actually five chapters, I just don't know if we're allowed to double post for new chapters here or not.

I'm not good with teh descriptions, but I'm working on it...

This fic has been rated PG-13 for language and violence.

Metroid Dread

By Ultimate Ridley

Chapter One: Gruesome Hunt

The X Parasite has been terminated. The Metroid population is supposedly zero. All Phazon has been drained from the universe. The Space Pirates are missing from the picture. The most dangerous hunter is under the captivity of the Galactic Federation. However, even after nearly everything has been taken care of, the Federation still had their angry eyes focused on one woman.

Samus Aran.


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Daiban’s civilians never have heard a word of Samus since the BSL Station imploded a few days ago. The Federation never spoke of her, and as such, the civilians blamed the Space Pirates, typically. But as the people who lived on the bustling mechanical planet gathered around the podium with Chairman Vorgle at the stands, they did not know what he was going to announce. Perhaps that a new threat was discovered? Unlikely. The men and women in the city square were hoping for another golden age of prosperity, one that they had before the Space Pirates interrupted it.

Chairman Vorgle tapped at the microphone in front of him nervously, testing to see if it worked. Slowly, he spoke into it.

“Men and women of Daiban, I’ve gathered you here today to announce that we are about to be finished with all of the threats that infect our galaxy. A new golden age of prosperity is imminent. Be patient,” he announced to the extremely large crowd of humans and alienoids that sat in front of him. This was how he would start his speech. And the speech wouldn’t last very long.

Up in the mechanical buildings above, Galactic Federation elite troopers were standing on the balconies of buildings, patrolling the street for any brave alien or human with the guts to pop out and snipe the Chairman. They were as prepared as they were going to get. But even that wasn’t enough to handle what was coming.

The biggest prison on Daiban coincidentally was in the same city as the speech was taking place. On the large television screen the police were watching, they saw Vorgle voice his speech about the future of their galaxy. In a nearby cell sat an old nemesis to the Galactic Federation. This creature was listening in on the speech. The prisoner heard words spoken, but in truth, all he heard was lies. The prisoner knew who destroyed the BSL Station, and he knew the Federation was in for it when they went to hunt Samus. Samus was strong, very strong. She could take down a gargantuan lizard for goodness sake, let alone a seventeen foot tall dragon with an army at hand. What made the Federation any stronger than those losers who have tried again and again, and never prevailed? They were weak. They had no power, they had no advantages. They had nothing without Samus. And if Samus is now their enemy, how do they expect to defeat her? The prisoner pondered this for a very long while, until he heard a few words that had angered him.

“Every prisoner in the GFA prison will be executed, to help decrease the chances of another threat arising – from the dead, or from the dawn.”

This was unacceptable. And the prisoner would not take it well. The creature jumped up, and slammed the cell forcefield that separated isolation from freedom. He roared as he did so. The officers knew immediately that he was angry at what Chairman Vorgle had just voiced.

“Tch, calm it, Sylux,” one officer said.

“I’m kind of glad Vorgle’s doing this, just look at that savage!” another officer added sarcastically, and that remark made the other officers let out a chuckle. Sylux spat at them, and sat back down, pondering what he could do to escape. He hadn’t been imprisoned for long – perhaps five weeks or so. He was caught raiding a lone energy plant on a barren moon, not too far from Daiban. He had since then thought of many ways he could possibly escape.

Then it came to him. The execution. He could bust out when they were whisking him away from his cell to electricute him. He stood back up, and called out to the officers.

“Why don’t you just kill me now?” he said through the cell. The officers turned their head slowly towards Sylux’s cell, with that look on their face that expressed ‘do you think I’m stupid?’

“Can it,” a cop told Sylux. “The Chairman is talking.”

Sylux hissed at the officers, and punched the forcefield, this time more casually. The cops were mumbling to each other, possibly about Sylux. Sylux did not know how to escape. It would take a miracle.

As Chairman Vorgle made his speech, many people cheered out at the end of many sentences. He truly was a charismatic being. It was almost as if he were the president of Daiban.

And the figure waited on a rooftop, camouflaged. He held his weapon pointed directly at Vorgle’s head, and concentrated. The figure waited for a cheer that was loud enough to drown out the noise of his weapon. His weapon would reveal himself, and he would have to run as soon as he shot. And so, he waited.

Congressman Keaton looked up in the rooftops as he listened to Vorgle’s speech. The crowd was starting to cheer loudly. He jumped when he saw a peculiar change in coloring of the white sky of Daiban, a reddish color. When he saw the figure perform a movement only sentient life was known to do, he cried out.

“Get down!” he yelled, and pulled Vorgle down. Just then, a red stream of an unknown substance shot across the area, and the Federation elites turned their weapons to the supposed source. Standing on a rooftop was a Kriken soldier, with an Imperialist installed on its arm.

“Take him out!” the commander of the group yelled. They started shooting at the Kriken with their lasers. The Kriken jumped down onto the street, which was going insane with pandemonium. If the troops shot now, they’d be risking a civilian’s life.

“Damn,” the commander swore. He looked at his men. “If there is a Kriken here, that means there are more coming. Get ready.”

The troops singly nodded, and started running down and out into the streets. They called out for the civilians to clear them a path. No response. The people of Daiban were too overwhelmed with fear. The Kriken stood behind a staircase, camouflaged.

“These people are pathetic,” the Kriken whispered to himself. “I knew this would be an easy planet to invade.”

Sylux heard the screaming of the people out on the streets through the television in the nearby lounge. The police jumped and ran out, with one left.

“We have to go,” he said to the prisoners. “Don’t try anything funny.”

Sylux ignored the man, as he ran out the passage. He heard the man trip on a wire, and then heard him hurry out the door. The forcefield of Sylux’s cell was disabled. Oddly enough, only his was. The man had tripped on the main wire to his cell.

The other cells weren’t forcefields. They were bars made out of a tough metal that was virtually indestructible. As Sylux just about ran out the passage, he heard someone call out.

“Hey, you bastard, what about us?” a deep voice said. Sylux turned around.

“Yeah, why should we have to suffer execution when you get away?” a higher-pitched voice squealed. Sylux sighed, and ran back into the lounge. He shoved his arm into the television, causing it to short circuit. He then fired a stream of electricity that busted all of the cells’ security systems, causing the bars to open. All the criminals ran out of their cells, cheering. Sylux shook his head, and walked slowly behind the mob.

Sylux walked out into the streets, until he bumped into something as he wasn’t paying attention. In front of him, the Kriken took color and became visible. It turned around, and blankly stared at Sylux. Sylux didn’t look very thrilled, either.

“Sylux?” the Kriken asked. Its eye was getting a darker red, signaling that the Kriken was getting angry.

“Good gracious, I thought you were dead, Trace,” Sylux replied. He looked around at the screaming crowd of civilians. “Good work.”

“No thanks to you,” Trace retorted. “What are you doing here?”

Sylux fixed his gaze back at Trace, and simply said: “Hunting.”


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Samus sat in her ship, all alone. She sighed. Well, she couldn’t stay the good guy for too long. She didn’t mean to force the BSL Station to implode, she didn’t mean to kill many GF troops in the process, and above all, she didn’t mean to reintroduce the Metroids to the galaxy. That was the big secret the Galactic Federation was hiding from the public: the Metroids aren’t gone. Where they are specifically isn’t known, but hopefully far enough to where the Federation can claim that an age of prosperity is imminent. The Space Pirates went missing; Samus was quite relieved that Ridley was trapped in the BSL Station when it imploded, as he was a frozen subject in a cryogenic chamber on the said station.

But that didn’t stop him from coming back before, Samus thought to herself, reminiscing on the multiple times she managed to put his life to an end, yet he kept coming back – supposedly. Maybe he has a little secret to how he comes back, Samus will never know. What she does know is that with Ridley supposedly dead, and the Space Pirates missing, she was numero uno on the GF’s hitlist. She had to keep running, but for now, she would rest.


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Trace blankly glared at Sylux with his seemingly emotionless eye, and Sylux glared back – with no eyes. They had been trying to fight for a long time now, but years of isolation have done the exact opposite.

“I’m sure you’re as pissed as me at how the ‘Ultimate Power’ was just a cry for help,” Sylux started. “But at least I didn’t lose everything.”

“You just walked out of a prison,” Trace replied. “That says something.”

“Better than being dishonored amongst your race, no?” Sylux said casually. Trace screeched, and swung his arm at Sylux. Sylux pushed the arm to the side with one of his own. “No need to be rude.”

“There he is!” a voice from the crowd exclaimed. The two hunters turned their heads to look at the crowd, only to see an entire army og GF troops pointing weapons at them. Sylux quickly looked back at Trace.

“Look, if you want to get out of this pickle, I suggest we work this out. Then, we can fight later,” Sylux suggested. Trace agreed, and they ran the opposite direction, with Trace leading. They would go to his ship. They ran through many alleys, with troops following them. Soon, Trace got to the outskirts of the city, with Sylux close behind. Trace opened the door to his rather small hunter ship, and Sylux came in with. As they were flying off, Sylux kept the door open to show his final gesture towards the Galactic Federation for now: shooting the bird. After he did so, he shut the door, and Trace’s ship blasted out of the atmosphere. The troops sighed.

“I suppose we could just say they’re dead now,” the commander told his men. “After all, how much damage can two hunters cause?”

The question was stupid, as Samus was a hunter, and seemed to be capable of taking anything down. Though still…the conflict was not over between Trace and Sylux.

Sylux stroked the awkward controls of the ship gently. It was then that he grabbed a handlebar, and pushed the airlock button. The door at the back of the ship opened, and sucked Trace out. He swore at Sylux as he flew out of the ship. Sylux responded by waving goodbye tauntingly. Sylux shut the door, grabbed the controls of the ship, and flew off at a high speed. Trace held his breath – or however his race respires – and waited for a rescue. It was then that he was picked up by a Kriken flagship, just before he burst from the lack of an atmosphere. Krikens knew when he was in danger, for they were monitoring him. And if you think that the deed Sylux did was cruel, Trace was no different; he was going to forcibly tie Sylux up and feed him to the Krikis back on Trace’s home planet, if Sylux didn’t do what he did. Nonetheless, he was still alive. And that was all that mattered as for now.


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It was dark in the slaughter room of the Mothership. Space Pirates who could not fulfill their duties correctly were sent there, and were restricted from all decomposers. They had waited. Ridley had waited.

Weavel walked into the dark room with other Pirates carrying the dead body of their leader, Ridley. Ridley’s soul was still awake, but his body was dead; he could not move a muscle. Weavel made preparations for the revival ritual, where Ridley would be revived. Weavel threw the dead body into the slaughter room, and walked out of the room into another that had a window that allowed Weavel to see the ritual. Weavel lifted a microphone and spoke into it.

“You are here,” he said. His voice echoed over the intercom in the slaughter room. “Now, you may feast.”

The lights dimmed more in the room, and Ridley’s dead body released an eerie light. The light formed the shape of an unknown creature, and had a mouth with sharp, jagged teeth. The ghost-like figure started to rip and tear at the flesh of the dead Space Pirate soldiers within the room. It stripped the bodies of flesh until there was nothing but bone. It ate about ten bodies, then finished off by eating its own dead body. It was then that the creature grew dark gray-ish black skin, and a new body. The body had been like Ridley’s others; dark gray and black skin, large wings with orange and red lobes, red eyes, etc. Ridley had been reborn from the ashes. The Space Pirates behind the window clapped, and the lights in the slaughter room brightened. Ridley opened the door, and held his arms out. A few Space Pirates cleaned him and searched him for diseases. With none found, they proceeded into the room to remove the now-useless corpses and leaving behind the ones that still had uneaten flesh on them.

Ridley walked into the purple halls of the Space Pirate Mothership, and took his new body’s first sigh. Weavel walked out into the hall as well.

“Good to have you back, sir,” Weavel said.

“Simply smashing to be back, good man,” Ridley replied. He felt good as new.

Ridley walked into the control deck of the Mothership as Weavel was telling him the things that had happened since his most recent death.

“Sylux escaped, sir,” he finished. Ridley stared at Weavel, somewhat proudly.

“Excellent,” he stated. “And his current status, if you may?”

“On Trace’s hunter ship. He stole it, and is using it to continue his life of crime,” Weavel replied.

“As expected,” Ridley said. “I trust Samus is gone?”

Weavel frowned under his mask. Ridley could see it with his hyper-advanced eyes.

“Of course,” Ridley said. “No matter. This time, she is not the worst that could happen.”

“What’s the plan, sir?” Weavel asked. Ridley chuckled.

“None, yet,” he replied. Weavel looked confused. “On your way, Weavel.”

“Y-yes sir,” Weavel answered nervously. He walked out of the room, and Ridley sat in his seat. He sighed, then laughed. It was going to work this time – he was sure of it.[hr]
Chapter Two: Dead or Alive

Sylux flew along the glittering constellations of the galaxy, heading for…somewhere. In truth, he had never planned to get this far. Three hours ago, he had done so much. He escaped the clutches of the Galactic Federation, met with Trace, escaped with Trace, and to top it all off, he threw Trace out of his own ship. Of all the cruel things Trace might have done had he not opened that airlock, very few if not none of them could have matched the cruelty of such an evil deed. Sylux sighed.

Where to now? he wondered. He looked on the radar of Trace’s ship, and checked for anything he could attack and steal from. He found nothing. He looked closer at the radar, and realized that it was not a radar, but a DNA analyzer. Sylux felt stupid. There was no radar on Trace’s ship. How could he possibly find anything without one?


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Samus was sleeping in the peaceful ship she owned, unaware of the nearby vessel. The stream on her radar zipped across an apparently unknown object, and the buzzing sound it made woke Samus. She quickly, yet clumbsily, pushed a button under her radar. A screen appeared, and it showed the unidentified vessel. She took a closer look, and saw it to be a Kriken hunter ship. It was simply drifting in space like her ship was. She commanded the ship to scan for any signs of life on the ship. The ship responded in a robotic and boring tone:

“LIFE HAS BEEN DETECTED ON THE VESSEL. THE STATS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

CELLULAR STRUCTURE: SAPIEN. THIS CREATURE IS A BIPEDAL HUMANOID.

CURRENT STATUS: SIMPLY RELAXING. POSSIBLY PONDERING SOMETHING.

ORGANISM IDENTIFICATION: UNDEFINED.

THREAT LEVEL: CRITICAL.

SUGGESTED ACTION: ERADICATE THE VESSEL IMMEDIATELY. HAVE A NICE DAY.”


Samus quickly turned her ship to face the Kriken hunter ship, and readied her ship’s missiles. Whatever this thing was, it was apparently deadly. Samus tried to remember if she had ever come into contact with any Krikens. She pondered the thought. She encountered a few rebellious Krikens when she was on a mission to hunt a typical galactic criminal. They were a very nice bunch, as they believed all of their race’s beliefs were wrong. They even helped Samus.

She also remembered a few in a criminal meeting she ended up stopping. But how could she forget, the skilled sniper, Trace. The worst of all Krikens. Maybe Trace was in this ship, because he was a hunter. He was one of the six hunters that tried to get the Ultimate Power, which was a lie to get help. He wielded a deadly sniper called the Imperialist, and killed everything he landed a headshot on. She had first met him on Arcterra, when he was trying to snipe Noxus, the Vhozon.

Samus shot at the ship with her missiles. The homing weapons propelled theirself through the empty blankness that was outer space.

I have you now, Kriken, she thought.


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Sylux took quick action. He saw the missiles coming straight at him almost immediately, and realized that he must have been tracked down by Trace and the other Krikens. He directed the ship to slide out of the way; however, even an action like this hadn’t saved him. The missiles banged the red metal of the ship he was in with harsh force, causing Sylux to fall over, out of his seat. The ship started blaring sirens and flashing lights, indicating for him to evacuate the ship immediately. He couldn’t. He wasn’t in a planet’s atmosphere. He would have to fight back.

Sylux quickly regained control of the ship, and pulled a lever. A red beam shot out and smacked the opposing ship with a direct hit. The opposing ship started to smoke. He took a close look at the enemy, and gathered that it was purple. He shot again, just clipping the ship this time. The sirens continuously blared, and eventually, the ship started talking a language he could not understand. Sylux powered his translator, and heard these words:

“HULL INTEGRITY DAMAGE CRITICAL. SHIP CANNOT WITHSTAND THE INJURIES. EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY.”

He ignored the ship’s demands, and continued to shoot at the bogey. He got hit again with missiles, and the ship exploded. With him in it. Sylux was hit hard with the undying flames of the exploded ship, destroyed by an enemy who was too strong for him. He closed his eyes, and waited to burst.

Sylux regained sight in a lit up room. He lifted his head up, and quickly scanned the area. There was a tinned window on a wall, and a door on the wall next to it. He was being watched. Sylux tried to get up, but was being held down by tough straps around his wrists and ankles. He was stuck. Breathing heavily, he heard a voice being spoken through an intercom.

“Calm down. You’re safe now,” the voice said. Sylux started to go insane with rage.

“Let go of me, you Galactic Bastards!” Sylux yelled. He started to try to get the straps off, until he heard a wire extend. He turned his head to try and see his back. He was connected to something. A super-computer? Sylux didn’t know.

“You’re connected to the main CPU. Data is being downloaded into your memory banks, including pictures of what happened,” the voice spoke. Sylux stopped shaking.

“What the hell are you doing to me?” he called out. Suddenly, the door opened, and a large, almost black dragon walked in. He leaned over Sylux, and examined him. He then started to speak.

“We’re doing you a favor,” the creature said. Sylux waited for more. “You were shot down, by Samus. You encountered her on your stolen ship.”

Sylux glared. “Samus did this?” he asked, looking at his armor. He had just realized that his armor was damaged heavily, leaving many open areas, sparking with electricity.

“It would appear so, would it not?” the creature replied. It examined Sylux further. “Oh, my. She did bash you up pretty badly, hm? Well, it’s a good thing we’re helping you, isn’t it?”

“Who are you?” Sylux asked softly. The creature grabbed Sylux’s hand and shook it.

“The name is Ridley,” it said. Sylux shook off Ridley’s claw and spat at him. Ridley frowned. “As mother always said, don’t bite the hand that feeds you, because it will bite back.”

Sylux glared at Ridley. “What am I doing here?” he asked, with a hint of anger. Ridley inhaled, and spoke.

“I want you to see someone you probably remember well,” Ridley said to Sylux. He waved his hand, and Weavel walked into the doorway. “I’m sure you remember Weavel, don’t you?”

“Oh, hell yes,” Sylux said, getting angrier. “What a drag.”

“Ahem,” Weavel voiced. “I save your ass, and in return, you simply try to end my life. Hmph. You haven’t changed one bit.”

“No, I haven’t, and I don’t plan on it either,” Sylux snarled.

“If you two can’t get along, I will have to feed you both to Kraid,” Ridley interrupted. Sylux gained a somewhat confused look.

“Kraid? Who is Kraid?”

“My pet,” Ridley responded simply. There was a loud beeping noise, and Ridley slashed the straps off of Sylux. As expected, Sylux jumped and started to run out the door, up until Ridley gripped his neck. “What’s the rush? Aren’t you going to have dinner with us?” Ridley had a wicked smile on his face. Common sense showed he was being sarcastic. “I might just have to leash this one; he’s a savage,” Ridley added. Sylux struggled to break free of the tight grip that which he was being held. He tried to fire his Shock Coil, however, the weapon had seemingly been removed. He simply relaxed, and Ridley let go of him. “Now, behave.”

The three of them walked down the halls of the Mothership, Ridley in the front, Weavel in the back, and Sylux in between the two. He was surrounded. His stare met with the eyes of many different Space Pirates, who glared at him.

“I thought your species was as gone as the Metroids,” Sylux said to Ridley. Ridley snickered.

“If that’s true, then we are still abundant,” Ridley replied. Sylux looked confused. “What, did you not know that they are still alive?”

“No. I thought the last one was killed by Mother Brain on Zebes. It was big in the news a few years ago,” Sylux said. Ridley snickered again.

“Common misconception,” Ridley said simply. He looked behind himself while walking, and gathered that Weavel was also confused. “Weavel, tell me you remember Settlement Zero.”

“No sir, Settlement Zero is just a myth, isn’t it?” Weavel asked.

“Incorrect. Who told you such lies?”

“The entire Space Pirate Empire believe that,” Weavel replied. “It was a rumor, but it soon became a myth.”

“No, no, no. Good gracious, technology is deteriorating the use of oral communication between generations nowadays, is it not?” Ridley asked rhetorically. “Settlement Zero. The first Space Pirate settlement built outside of Zebes. It is located on the outer rim of the galaxy, on a freezing subzero planet. We built a base there so the Galactic Federation was restricted to reach us, for it was nearly outside the galaxy. We built labs, hm…not as advanced as we do to this day, but we used them to perform tests on the Metroids. It was also the first Metroid testing laboratory.”

“You tested on Metroids? Are you mad? Did you not get injured?” Sylux asked.

“Well, of course we did. Why else would we abandon a still-good settlement?” Ridley replied. “They got out of hand. A few screw ups in the testing made some of them mature faster than normal, making Omega Metroids only two weeks after they were born from an egg. We could not handle the situation, so, we decided to risk getting arrested by the Federation and move in closer to the center of the galaxy. Not a smart move, considering I am the reason my enemy exists.”

“What do you mean?” Sylux wondered.

“I’m why Samus is such an overpowered hunter. If I hadn’t raided her planet, or killed her mother, she would only know me by the news. She wouldn’t be raised by the Chozo, so she wouldn’t be superhuman. Etcetera, etcetera…”

“Samus was raised by the Chozo?” Sylux wondered.

“Oh, yes. She has their blood.”

“Aren’t they dead?”

“Well, of course, thanks to me and a little traitor of theirs. The Zebesian Chozos anyway. The Tallonians and such left for other reasons,” Ridley explained.

The trio walked into a room with pistons and other gears working. The Pirates were apparently doing a few mechanical tests.

“So, what do you want from me?” Sylux asked Ridley. Ridley stopped, and turned to Sylux.

“Your help,” Ridley said.

“With what?” Sylux asked. Ridley poked a button on a nearby machine, and a hologram of the galaxy popped up. He poked a system on the hologram, and it showed Samus flying her ship.

“I need you to bring me her,” Ridley said. Sylux grew angry.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because, if you want the Galactic Federation gone, you will listen to me,” Ridley replied.

“Do you want her dead, or alive?” Sylux asked.

“She must be alive. Dead is not acceptable,” Ridley replied. Sylux started to walk out of the room.

“Where are you going?” Weavel shouted.

“I won’t do it,” he said. “It’s hard enough to bring her back dead, but this is too much.”

Ridley flew around Sylux and landed in front of him with a loud thump. He grabbed Sylux by the neck, and pushed him against the wall.

“You listen to me,” Ridley said, angered. “The Galactic Federation believes the galaxy is nearing another age of peace. This leaves them vulnerable to attack. We left their sight for a reason, and that was to make them believe they were safe. When they reach a state of comfort, they will forget all about us Space Pirates, and that will be our golden chance to attack. They won’t be prepared for us. And I have a plan to stop them. And in order for that plan to work, I need you to get me Samus Aran. Do I make myself clear?”

Sylux growled. “Why can’t you just do it yourself?” Ridley glared at Sylux, and threw him over. Sylux stared at the angered Ridley.

“Bring back Samus, and I won’t kill you for what’s left of you,” he said, and stomped off. Weavel lent a hand to get Sylux up, and Sylux stood up.

“He can sometimes be like that,” Weavel said. “But he isn’t kidding.”

“Better get me a ship,” Sylux mumbled.

“Already done,” Weavel said, and escorted him to the dock hangars.


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Order had been returned to Daiban, but their guard was increased. Trace had really stirred up a riot. They had to be prepared for future attacks.

Keaton spoke into an intercom next to a door, and it replied: “Come in.”

Keaton walked into the office in the building that stood tall over the capital of Daiban. At the desk was Chairman Vorgle.

“Telling the civilians that we killed the Kriken worked,” Keaton said.

“Of course,” Vorgle replied. “They’ll believe anything these days.”

“That they will,” Keaton replied. Vorgle looked up at Keaton.

“Have a seat,” he said. Keaton walked over to the desk and sat down.

“Samus was spotted again, just recently,” the Chairman said. “She was found shooting down a Kriken vessel.”

“Better a Kriken vessel than one of ours, eh?” Keaton responded. Vorgle stared at Keaton with a serious look.

“This is serious, congressman. We can’t lie to our planet’s people much longer. We can’t handle everything at once, we—“

“We need Samus,” Keaton said. Vorgle looked at Keaton with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

“Yes, we do,” he replied. “But how can we have Samus do anything else for us if she is the one we’re hunting?”

“It’s not only her,” Keaton said. “The Krikens are out there, and Sylux escaped his cell. We could be looking at the successor to the Space Pirates here.”

If the Space Pirates are actually gone,” Vorgle added. “They might just be hiding, waiting to pounce.”

“That’s entirely possible as well,” Keaton said. “What do you suppose we do?”

“We need to rid of Samus. If we do that, we will have the biggest threat out of the way,” he replied. “Tell your men to search the galaxy for her. I want her dead. We may need her, but the fact that she betrayed us…considering her power, she needs to be rid of.”

“Yes, sir,” Keaton nodded in agreement. He stood up, saluted, and walked out the room. He signaled to a squadron of Federation troops to search for her and kill her. They boarded their ship, and took off.


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Trace appeared before the Emporer Kriken. He fell on his knees as he was thrown.

“You failed again, Trace. That is the third time,” the Emporer said. Trace bowed to the Emporer.

“I would have got him, had I not met Sylux,” Trace defended.

“No excuses,” the Emporer replied. “I ought to feed you to the Krikis. It has not had a nice feast in ages. I’m sure you would make a tasty meal.”

Trace prayed the Emporer would add on.

“But…I won’t. You have one more chance, understand? One more,” the Emporer said. “Find our colony a nice planet for us to invade, and you will be spared.”

“Yes, your highness,” Trace replied, and walked out of the area.

“You’d better not screw up again,” a Kriken guard told Trace. Trace flicked the guard off, and continued walking. The guard looked at the other guards. “What an asshole.”

Trace walked into his new ship that had just been finished, and fired up the engine. He set a path, and took off. Only this time, he’d be following Sylux.

Chapter Three: Crash Landing

After knocking out the Kriken’s ship, Samus took off in an entirely different direction. She didn’t know where she would go, but she had to go somewhere. She could leave the galaxy. No, she couldn’t do that. After all, she grew up in this galaxy, and then she’d leave the Space Pirates to swallow it whole—if they were still around, she thought. The Galactic Federation may be hunting her as an outlaw now, but she couldn’t let them die a slow and painful death. But then she would just keep running. It was hard to decide. Maybe she could find some way to sort this whole misunderstanding out, but it would take tremendous effort. She waited for a chance. That’s all she needed.


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Ridley walked into the dark room, where very few lights were powered on. Many Space Pirates were culturing bacteria of all kinds, trying to create something. Inside this room was Weavel, who was carefully preparing a cure for Miteralis. Ridley stepped over to him.

“How is the cure coming along?” Ridley asked. Weavel looked back at Ridley, then went back to culturing.

“Not even close. More of our soldiers will die of Miteralis,” Weavel replied, concentrating. “There just doesn’t seem to be a way to establish a vaccine.”

“We quarantine those affected, yet soldiers still catch it. Has anyone learned why?” Ridley asked.

“I’m not sure. You might have to consult Phantoon on the matter,” Weavel replied.

“Alright. Carry on,” Ridley said, and walked off. When he was walking down the hall, a screen followed him, and turned on. Ridley turned his head to see who it was. It was Sylux.

“Ridley, I hope you’re not busy,” Sylux said on the screen.

“Heavens no. I was just going to speak to Phantoon about Miteralis, but your mission is far more important in the current situation. So, tell me, how is finding Samus coming along?” Ridley asked.

“Perfect,” Sylux said. “I’m following her now. One problem, though. She has friends.”

“Friends?” Ridley looked confused, then realized Sylux meant the Galactic Federation had found her as well. “Ah.”

“Yeah. It’s just a little squadron, though. Samus could finish these guys off in a matter of thirty minutes,” Sylux said.

“Excellent,” Ridley replied. “Well, I wouldn’t want to hinder you in your efforts. Carry on.”

Sylux nodded, and the screen turned off. It retreated back into the ceiling. Ridley continued down the hall. He entered a large room, with nothing in it but two torches. Ridley clapped twice.

“Come on out,” Ridley said. The bulbous, one-eyed creature appeared within the room.

“What?” Phantoon asked. He could be as rude as he wanted to Ridley, as he was a Space Pirate Hierarch.

“Weavel told me that you might know why Miteralis is spreading, even though we are putting all soldiers infected in quarantine,” Ridley explained. Phantoon sighed, and rubbed his eye.

“Ugh..remind me to bash his skull in later,” Phantoon said. Ridley nodded, though he knew Phantoon was being sarcastic. Phantoon went in the back of the room, and retrieved a dusty microchip. He blew the dust off, and put it in the super computer that sat on the wall.

“I know when you mean something else,” Phantoon said, eyeing Ridley. Ridley smiled, looking at the super computer.

“Good. It means I have succeeded in my efforts to make you top rank material,” Ridley replied.

The computer screen played a video of the Galactic Federation advertisement, the advertisement they had used on televisions universally before the Space Pirates formed and caused chaos. Ridley watched it closely. The trailer was very corny, and Ridley was relieved when it ended. After the advertisement, it showed an extra clip that was cut out of the commercial due to violence. The GF originally planned to incorporate it in a paid programming to give people an idea of their struggles, however, early on, it was considered too violent to be shown in the public. Phantoon managed to get his hands on one of them. Soon, a man started to speak on the screen. He was a general of the GF, probably deceased by now.

“Hello, and thank you for watching our video. I’m here to tell you about the Galactic Federation and their struggles these days. Nearly seven centuries ago, the humans had a problem with terrorism. But that wasn’t their only threat around. Amongst the wars between their own race, they were subsequently attacked by an unknown alien race by the year 2027. The discovery led to a tremendous breakthrough for many scientists. They had discovered that there actually was life out there, and that was all they needed to create space ships capable of flying out of Earth’s orbit. Over time, quite quickly at that, they had established many bases on other planets within their system. What had happened to the unknown race that attacked them remains undefined, but what we do know is that there might still be more. Soon, the humans met with other aliens, who happened to be at constant war as well. They joined forces, and called theirself the Federation Alliance. Over time, that name changed to Galactic Federation. The humans played a major role in the military forces of the Galactic Federation, and the aliens were mainly those in office, governing the Federation. For a time, this organization was unstoppable. They had a nice age of peace, and no crime tried to erupt from nowhere to try and stop it. We had no enemies for a long time, up until the Space Pirates rose. They took the Metroids from our grasp, and they are still amidst the space to this day. They have been establishing many bases across the galaxy, practically any planet. One mistake they made, however, was to create a settlement on Bilium. We had tried our hardest to stop them, and this was one of our first fights. On the planet, we saw that both of our races were being infected with an unknown disease, that made anything the carrier touch die. Eventually, the carrier would have internal bleeding, and overflow with blood. And the only way to cure it was to die. We put the infected in quarantine, and left the Space Pirates twitching on the planet. Whether they were done the same or not is unknown. We…”

Ridley stopped the video.

“Of course!” he shouted. Phantoon stared at him, as if he were crazy. “We left a few Pirates there!”

“So…you abandoned them?” Phantoon asked, confused.

“No, I couldn’t risk it. A few soldiers must have contracted it and managed to get back here. Maybe we left ships as well…” Ridley replied.

“Then wouldn’t the disease camp on the ships?” Phantoon suggested. Ridley stared at Phantoon wide-eyed.

“That’s probably it,” he said, and walked out.

“A little thank you would be nice!” Phantoon shouted. Ridley flicked Phantoon off as he left the room. “Oho, I see how it is!” Phantoon knew Ridley was joking.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sylux had his ship’s invisibility on. Samus could still track him down, but shooting him would be a pain. Sylux liked the Space Pirate hunter ship more than the Kriken one—this was more like a luxury. He couldn’t wait much longer; the Galactic Federation wasn’t too far behind. He fired the turbo of his ship, following Samus close behind. Sylux punched the connector button, and a metal pipe wide enough to send Sylux through safely extended from the bottom of his ship. It connected to Samus’s ship, allowing him to enter.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samus heard a crash on her ship, and checked the radar. She had just realized that it was buzzing. She looked up what the bogey was, and saw nothing. Suddenly, the door into her ship opened, and a figure popped through it. She turned around, and gasped.

“Not you,” she said. Sylux surged electricity through his arm.

“Yes, me,” he said calmly. “Come quietly, and you won’t be hurt.”

“Hell no,” Samus replied. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

“No,” Sylux said. “But if you don’t come, I’ll have to call you stupid.”

“Why?” Samus asked. Soon, an even louder crash sounded. Sirens started blaring in Samus’s ship. “I’m hit!”

“Of course you are,” Sylux shouted. “Because you didn’t listen!”

Underneath her helmet, Samus glared at Sylux.

“This is some sort of trick, isn’t it?” she asked. “I bet you were sent out to try and get me to come with you so I can fall into a trap. It won’t work.”

Sylux felt like he had been caught. Ridley never clarified what exactly he wanted to do with Samus, let alone why he didn’t bother to do it himself. But he couldn’t remain on this ship.

“Would you rather be shot down, or do you want to live?” Sylux asked. Samus shook her head no, and Sylux backed away. He escaped back into his ship, which remained undamaged because of the invisibility camouflage. The connector detached from the smoking ship, and Sylux watched as the Galactic Federation had, as expected, shot continuously at Samus. They caught her off guard. She couldn’t last much longer. And on top of that, she didn’t want to kill the Galactic Federation.

One final blow bashed into Samus’s ship’s engine, causing it to go out of whack. She soon found herself rocketing downward towards an unknown planet. She had entered its atmosphere. Sylux watched the ship go down, and subsequently followed it. The Galactic Federation followed, unaware of the invisible ship ahead.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samus woke on the crashed ship. She had barely survived the impact. She got up, and bashed a window open. A frosty wind blew over her helmet, and ice crystals blocked her vision. She stepped out of her ship, and started walking. Soon, she slipped. She fell on her back, and struggled to stand back up. She cleared the crystals from her helmet, and scanned the area. She was in an icy pit, with a dead tree to the right, and a door on the other side. Looking above, she gathered that she was about twenty feet under the surface. Suddenly, she heard the whooshing sounds of ships zipping above her. She was lucky not to be found.

She entered the door, and scanned the passage that followed. It was highly mechanical. Rusted, but still functional. She walked down the mechanical path, and entered the next door. Within the next room was a large mechanical base that sat in a snowy valley.

Phendrana Drifts? she thought. Suddenly, she heard a voice shout “there she is!” and she saw an entire squadron of Federation troops dashing towards her. They started shooting at her, and she started shooting back. She soon noticed that her beams didn’t work. Her missiles caused them to flinch, but nothing more. It was then that a large blue creature busted through a mechanical wall, screeched, and pounced on the far away troops. It started ripping and tearing at their flesh, and killed many of them. A few troops retreated, as Samus had, and the creature stomped off out of the valley.

Metroids? Here? Samus thought. She had just seen an Omega Metroid rip at a squadron of Federation troops. Behind the mechanical wall was a path of torn and shredded wires. Samus took a run for it, and the Federation troops only clipped her with laser shots if anything. She ran into the passage, and fell down a pit of torn technology. At the end was another hole. She entered, and saw a large hangar room that was entirely mechanical. It had a form of fungus and mold crawling along the walls, and eggs. Lots of eggs. Inside the eggs were little bulbous creatures with fangs. Samus soon knew that she was inside a Metroid’s hive.

Samus examined the eggs closely with her Scan Visor, and could clearly tell that they were Metroids. But then, large Omega Metroids started to ram at her, smashing her against a wall. They had caught her off guard. She looked around, and saw a Metroid Queen walk slowly towards her. It had its drooling mouth slightly open, ready to feast. Samus eyed a nearby elevator, and took a run for it. She entered it, and was relieved that it still functioned properly. She went up the elevator, and heard a loud smash. An Omega Metroid had smashed the elevator, making it impossible to go down. That meant that she only had one way to go: wherever this elevator took her.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sylux ran into the base, and clicked the communicator on. On the screen, Ridley appeared.

“Hm?” Ridley asked. Sylux backed the camera back, giving Ridley a view of where he was. When Ridley saw, he spat out the sip of a drink he was slurping down. He wiped his mouth, and gasped. “What are you doing at Settlement Zero?!”

Sylux simply answered: “Hunting.”[hr]
Thread title: 
...
Didn't read it yet, but boy, is it long.  At least it's not as long as IUniverse's MPH theories, though.
Edit history:
ryu: 2008-11-29 03:41:49 pm
Now you've pulled an iUniverse on us. ~

(Sorry btw. Couldn't resist this shitty post, since merely opening this thread made me fall off my chair due its iUniversity)
One shall stand, one shall ball.
IUni Uni IUniverse IUn?

IUniveeeerrrrse!

IUni? IUNIVERSE!!

This forum in a nutshell.

Way to encourage Ultimate Ridley guys!

Quote:
“Simply smashing to be back, good man,” Ridley replied


This is awesome.
Yo.
Thank you, tomatobob. Exactly the kind of response I was going to go for after I was finished reading. Above posters get a facepalm from me.


Meh, this story made me go d'oh!, but that's okay, since I go d'oh! whenever I read a fanfic anyways. Couple of things:

1. You might've actually wanted to quintuple post. It cut off in the middle of chapter 4~ ='(
2. Yikes. I guess from the writer's point of view that it's easier to make everyone talk, but, for me, at least, it kinda kills the realism in a Metroid fic. At least Samus coulda been silent. *grumble grumble*
3. Couple of details in there are off, like the fact that they use a system of time we can actually relate to, and some corny bits of writing. Also kills the realism =P

Overall, though, this was a pretty good read. I'd love to see more. (ESPECIALLY THE REST OF CHAPTER 4 AND CHAPTER 5 Mad)

ArrowArrowArrowArrow
One shall stand, one shall ball.
Why should Samus be silent? She speaks in Fusion. More than once even.
Yo.
'Tis true. But can Fusion really be called a Metroid game? =P

Seriously, though, the point, at least in the video games, is to keep Samus silent mainly so that it gives the player more of a sense of being Samus (this is a common line of thought when compared to the Prime series.) I'd think it would transfer well into a Metroid fanfic.
Shifty Leader
That M2k2 guy
At least it's a fan-fiction in the right section as opposed to a lengthy synopsis in the gaming section.

Personally, I don't hate fan-fic exactly, I just hate reading. I've read some good books, but I still hate reading. :^\
One shall stand, one shall ball.
Quote from Zhs2:
'Tis true. But can Fusion really be called a Metroid game? =P

Seriously, though, the point, at least in the video games, is to keep Samus silent mainly so that it gives the player more of a sense of being Samus (this is a common line of thought when compared to the Prime series.) I'd think it would transfer well into a Metroid fanfic.


Yes, it can.

And silent protagonists work a lot better in games than in text, games being much more interactive and all.
I EAT YOR cookies
Aw hell. It cut off.

So, I cut out the severed chapter four, making it stop at the end of three. Thanks for the crits and IUniverse accusations. :P (yes I know you were joking)

I will continue.

Chapter Four: Settlement Zero

Trace followed Sylux’s ship to the icy planet. He landed right next to the big ship the Pirates assigned Sylux, and shot it with his ship’s Imperialist. He then pressed land, and opened his ship. He set his foot on the icy cold surface of the unknown planet, and gained a feeling that which he knew this planet. Trace pondered which icy planets he has been to. Arcterra? No. Phendrana? Definitely not. Trace scanned the area with his infrared sight, and saw no signs of red, which meant no heat, which, of course, meant no life.

“I wonder why he came here,” Trace whispered to himself. He jumped off a small cliff, and entered the nearest door. He was in the large valley with the busted hole. Trace opened his scanner, and sought heat signals. His scanner went insane with beeping. He commanded his scanner to identify the organisms, and how long ago they were here.

Organism A: Homo sapien,” the computer said. “There were about thirty of them. Two hours ago. They were dressed in hyper-advanced suits. All wearing the same suit. Possible explanation: they are of an organization.”

Trace knew the description well. Those damned Galactic Federation came here as well, likely hunting Sylux. He proceeded the scanner.

Organism B: Mature life-draining reptilian insectoid,” the computer stated. “Genus unknown. Male. Deceased as of half and hour ago. This creature supposedly belongs to a species once thought to be extinct as of six years ago. Possible explanation: Omega Metroid, killed by increased cold temperatures combined with a genetic mutation forcing the creature to age faster. The creature has eaten two of the homo sapiens mentioned.”

Trace sighed. So the Metroids aren’t dead, after all. Perhaps. He just follows what the scanner says.

Organism C: Unknown. Resembles a homo sapien, but also carries the blood of avianis sapien,” the computer explained. “The organism not only carries foreign blood, but is also equipped with a Chozo Varia Suit, or parts of one. It also has Metroid DNA incorporated into its own. Possible explanation: Samus Aran.”

Trace gasped. Samus Aran? That ***** bounty hunter who screwed his chances of obtaining the Ultimate Power? Perhaps the grudge was merely partial; after all, the Ultimate Power was simply a desperate cry for help. But the hatred Trace held towards Samus still stood sturdy.

Wonderful, Trace thought. Now I can eradicate Sylux and Samus from existence.

--

Samus entered a large corridor with mechanical walls that were partially frozen. No machinery seemed to work within these walls, as most of it was frozen solid. It seemed, however, that a few doors would operate correctly, at the least. The corridor was large, and there was a big hole in the left wall. Icy winds gushed into the room at a constant rate. At least now Samus could understand why the place was frozen, but she couldn’t help but wonder what could have popped the walls open. Couldn’t have been Metroids, could it? After all, Metroids were weak to ice. Then again, Metroids were never known to be bright, either. Whatever caused the large holes, either got frozen solid, or is lurking in the labs now; the creature could have come from the outside. Samus jumped down into the lower floor of the corridor, and entered a door. Beyond the door was a large and long hallway that had some machinery working. There were also stasis tanks, containing dead Metroids, some of them shriveled up. Halfway down the hall, she saw two broken stasis tanks. For a second, Samus panicked, but then remembered that her suit should protect her against Metroid attacks. But that didn’t stop the Omega Metroids and their queen from trying to swallow her. Either way, she had to be careful. She entered another door, and heard voices from above in the next room. She looked up, and saw through a metal grate four Galactic Federation troops hanging around. One of them was communicating with their squadron. Samus soon gained the impression that the Federation scattered their troops around the base. She sneaked below the troops, trying her best not to create noise. Soon, she heard a loud crash in the room. The Federation troops started to shout, and then gunshots were heard. Samus watched the fight from below. She tried to make out what attacked them, and soon saw it to be an Alpha Metroid. Soon, the gunshots and shouting stopped. She broke the grate at the far end of the room, and climbed up. Out of surprise, the Alpha Metroid was dead on the ground. No wounds. Just dead. Samus panicked. The Federation troops won the fight. Now they were going to attack her, since she made a sound. The troops turned around.

“Take her out!” one troop shouted, and they started to fire at Samus. Samus side-rolled out of the way, and started to run to the nearest door. She opened it, and ran down another mechanical hall, this one with no signs of being frozen. She stopped to take a breather. The troops opened the door, and started to run down the hall. Samus, worried, rolled into Morph Ball and entered a nearby hole that was torn from something as well. The Fed troops passed her without noticing her, and kept running. Samus decided not to follow them, and rather follow this small hole. She rolled down the hole into a large network of operational pistons and saws. She exited Morph Ball and carefully weaved her way around the obstacles, soon to reach another small hole. She entered it, and fell out onto a mechanical floor. She exited Morph Ball again, and saw a large support beam in the middle of the room. The support beam had fluids and other materials flowing through it. Was this, perhaps, the central dynamo? She soon took note that there were eight Fed troops in the room, starting to shoot at her. Samus entered Morph Ball and hid behind a crate. The Feds started searching the room for her. She left Morph Ball and stayed in a crouched position. Then, she heard another large crash, and heard more gunshots and shouting. She stood up, and saw another Omega Metroid attacking the troops after busting another hole through the wall. The troops shot at the Omega Metroid, and all shots did not do any visible damage. The Omega Metroid spat on the troops, causing them to disintegrate. Soon, all troops but one were gone, and the Omega Metroid ended up stepping on it. Samus emerged from behind the crate, and approached it. Oddly enough, the Omega Metroid readied to spit at Samus. Samus quickly rolled to the side to avoid the attack. The large Metroid soon started to walk towards Samus, about looking hungry for more. She started questioning why it would do this to her. Why was any Metroid this aggressive towards her when she was infused with a Metroid’s DNA? Samus decided now was not the time for questions, and started to hit the Metroid with Missiles in the stomach. The Metroid simply pushed the explosives to the side before it impacted. Soon, another Omega Metroid busted a locked door open, leaving another gaping hole in the wall. It started to lunge at the other Metroid. Now Samus was really confused. Why were they fighting? To compete over food? That would be most logical, but it was not the answer. The Omega Metroid that had just busted through the wall avoided a claw swipe from the other, and pushed the other Metroid into the support beam. The corridor shook a little, but the beam held. The Omega Metroid then went in and bit the stunned Metroid on the neck, and started to swallow its energy. The stunned Metroid soon just lay there, with bite marks on its throat. Now Samus had a logical explanation for why the Metroids were attacking her. It wasn’t competition, it wasn’t territory, but rather the Metroids are cannibals.

She wasn’t done here. The second Omega Metroid sniffed the area, and smelled Samus’s presence. It started to search the room for her, in which caused Samus to dash towards the door without a second thought. Just as she caught onto Speed Booster, the Omega Metroid jumped right in front of her, and roared. Samus took a small jump, and then flew forward with her shoulder pointing out. In shinespark, she caught the Metroid on its belly, and as such, used it to bust the door down. Samus continued to shinespark forward, pushing the now slightly helpless Omega Metroid ahead of her, as if it were a shield. Soon enough, they flew out a wall, bashing into a thick glacier. The glacier cracked. The Metroid fell to the icy ground, with Samus following it. Samus hit the ground with a hearty thud! and struggled to get herself back up. She felt cold, all of a sudden. It was odd. She had the Varia Suit, so she should be protected. But even so, she felt her energy drain. With a sudden jump, she looked around to see if that feeling was being caused by the Omega Metroid that came with her. She stood up completely, and saw the Omega Metroid struggling as well. But after a few seconds, the large Metroid froze right before Samus’s eyes. The cold was too much for it. Samus sighed in relief, until the cold feeling grew stronger. Samus started to shiver, even. Sure, around her, there was a blizzard, but she should be fine. Yet, she wasn’t. She slowly crouched to try and get warmth, until a large reptilian creature stomped past her, and picked the frozen Omega Metroid off the ground. Samus took out her Scan Visor to see what it could be, but her suit’s functions started to freeze. She looked up herself. Samus was astonished. She could have sworn what had picked up the Omega Metroid was another Metroid, only different. Then again, she could be wrong. A large herd of the mysterious reptilians started stampeding through the valley Samus found herself in. Startled, Samus started to run back towards the large mechanical compound she was in previously. Quickly, she shinesparked upward, bashing her skull on a metallic structure. Samus fell, and quickly grabbed a ledge. She lifted herself up, and entered the nearest door. Shortly after, she heard her suit malfunction. The words appeared on her visor.

SCREW ATTACK MALFUNCTION. ICE MISSILE MALFUNCTION. SEVERE BEAM MALFUNCTION. SPACE JUMP MALFUNCTION. SUPER MISSILE MALFUNCTION. POWER BOMB MALFUNCTION. THE POWER-UPS LISTED HAVE BEEN FROZEN SEVERELY. THEY CANNOT BE USED UNTIL SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES ARE MET. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS REMAIN INTACT AND UNFROZEN: SPEED BOOSTER, MORPH BALL, VARIA SUIT, GRAVITY SUIT, ICE BEAM, SCAN VISOR, MISSILES, DIFFUSION MISSILES, MORPH BALL BOMBS, X-FUSION SUIT, HI-JUMP BOOTS, AND JUMPBALL. EXTRA ENERGY TANKS HAVE ALSO BEEN FROZEN AND ARE NOW OBSOLETE. MOST MISSILES HAVE ALSO BEEN FROZEN, EXCEPT FOR A FEW. SINCE THESE ITEMS ARE NOW OBSOLETE, IT IS ADVISED THAT YOU REMOVE THEM FROM YOUR PERSON.”

Samus did as the computer said. She removed all frozen items as well as Energy Tanks and excessive Missile Expansions. And once again, Samus found herself with only a few items left over. At least it wasn’t as bad as it was before; when the Galactic Federation surgically removed Samus’s Chozo Varia Suit, she had literally lost everything except for her beam. But this was still pretty serious.

The room she had entered was, as expected, icy. Not as cold as outside, because the Varia Suit could handle this temperature. It was about as large as the first corridor she had went through in this place, only it lacked a hole, and everything was literally frozen solid, no exceptions. Samus examined the area, and saw mechanoids. They were all frozen in their place. Samus scanned them, and gathered that they were worker robots, who unless their creators were frozen here as well, were obviously abandoned. She stepped past them into the next room, which was a very high and wide hall that had busted glass on the dome ceiling. She checked her map, and learned the name of this hall: Combat Drone Hangar. So, it wasn’t a hall. On the side, she saw three frozen mechanoids sitting in a curve in the wall, seemingly dedicated to them. Must have been the hangars. She scanned the first one.

SP-M #0-70, a.k.a. ‘Protos’. Protos was the first drone built in Project 7, a program only administered within this facility. When the Space Pirates designed it and it turned out successful, they held parties and celebrations, as it was a very useful piece of work. It was built primarily for defense, however it does have an offensive instrument built into its cranial area. The Pirates seemed to have planned to create more of this model, however, they stopped trying when they realized it was useless against cold temperatures. It had frozen within two weeks after completion, and became obsolete. Project 7 was suspended due to the failure of this drone.”

Samus stared at the box-shaped drone, that which had its arms retracted, and powered off. Icicles hung from its body in all sorts of places. And overall, it was tiny. Samus pondered how the Space Pirates could even think this robot would have been useful in the first place. She even wondered: was she in an old Space Pirate facility? Samus tried not to worry, and reverted her attention to the second drone. She scanned it.

SP-M #0-71, a.k.a. ‘Pinaclus’. Pinaclus was the second drone built under Project 7, and took years to finalize, as the Pirates tested it privately in every way possible until they were sure it would work. And just like Protos, it did, at first. The drone was originally made for combat, and held AI that commanded it to behave precisely like a Space Pirate. The Pirates developed a wire extension device, which they had installed into the neck of the drone. This extension device revolutionized Space Pirate technology, and enabled larger and more capable drones. In Pinaclus’s case, this device enabled it to be larger than Protos, and even allowed an artificial Space Pirate claw to be installed. The device also regulated heat throughout the drone, making it less susceptible to the freezing temperatures that surrounded Settlement Zero. However, even with this, the drone froze within six months after completion, and, just as Protos, became obsolete. Project 7 was suspended yet again, this time even longer.”

Samus looked at the drone. It did resemble a Space Pirate, somewhat. Though it seemed that its right claw was improvised heavily, whereas its left was the same old lobster claw Space Pirates had. She continued walking, and scanned the third drone.

SP-M #0-72, a.k.a. ‘Novap’. Novap was the third drone built under Project 7 after its long time of being suspended. Novap’s name derives from nova, however the ‘p’ at the end of it is an abbreviation of the word ’pirate’, or, more specifically, Space Pirates. The large drone has two wire extension devices installed into its neck, enabling an even more massive body structure and two hyper-advanced Pirate claws to be installed. The drone has also come with a laser that causes concussive impacts installed into its back. With a final cheer, the Pirates were satisfied that the drone was lasting. A second Novap was in the making, when this one became frozen and obsolete within two years after completion. The Pirates, infuriated, destroyed the Novap in the making, and cancelled Project 7 altogether. Since then, even mentioning the failed Project 7 among the Space Pirates could cost you your life.”

Samus saw the large drone. It resembled an elite Space Pirate, or something of that sort. She ignored what was no more, and walked on. However, as she passed Novap, she heard a buzz. She looked at Novap, and saw that its eyes were glowing. Suddenly, the robot stood up tall, and the icicles on its body melted off. Novap roared at Samus and started shooting at her. Samus quickly side-stepped out of the way.

“THREAT DETECTED,” Novap spat. “BACKUP SYSTEMS ONLINE.”

Samus freaked. The thing had a backup system? What next? She scanned it quickly for thermal status.

Thermal Status: Operational. Temperature: 51 degrees Fahrenheit. The wire extension devices are heating Novap enough to last it for a short while.”

“Damn,” Samus swore. Novap opened its claws, and shot a heated plasma shot the Pirates commonly used. Samus quickly sidestepped, and shot at Novap with a missile. She started to charge a missile, readying the diffusion effect. Novap attempted to stop her by opening the secondary laser that the scanner mentioned. Samus was ready to dodge, however, the laser zipped through the air at a ridiculous rate, and slammed her directly in the stomach. Samus flew back and hit the wall, hoping another Omega Metroid would save her one last time. Novap continued to step closer to Samus, and it readied its concussive laser once more. Just then, a loud crash surged through the room, and Samus was relieved. Yet another Omega Metroid. Only, Samus was wrong. This time, there was the static sound of electricity latching onto Novap. It started to moan mechanically, and fell over. Ahead of the machine, Samus saw her savior. Sylux said nothing, and ran through the other door. Samus stood up.

Bzzt! Sa..I..you..nee..to..pa..rob..Bzt!” a random transmission occurred. Samus tried to clear out the signal.

“Grah! Samus! You must act quickly! They are approaching!” the computer continued. “Hurry! Step over Novap and obtain an item crucial to your survival!”

Samus recognized the voice from anywhere. She was a bit surprised as well.

“Adam?! Are you okay? I thought you were gone when my ship crash landed!” she said.

“Negative. While that may be true, remember that my mind continued to exist in the Galactic Federation database. They kept a backup disk for if something happened,” Adam explained.

“Well, how are you managing to speak to me from here?” Samus asked.

“Barely. The area you’re in blocks much signal. But otherwise, I came through your Scan Visor, when you were scanning Novap. I did so by hacking into the data files of the database and found you scanning. When you scan something, not only does it come from Chozo intelligence, but some also comes from the Galactic Federation database, respectively. When you scan something, the Galactic Federation can pinpoint your location and track you down, which is why I want you to hurry. They are tracking you as we speak. However, when I found data being extracted, I quickly implanted myself into the transfer and came with Novap’s data. To be accurate, I am now a logbook entry in your suit. And as such, you can now speak to me anytime, even where there is no signal. I was going to inform the Galactic Federation about the SA-X’s deeds and why you stopped their plans of attempting to harness the X for the good of society. But the Federation is a hard bunch to please. I decided I’d rather be here, so I could watch you,” Adam explained. “From my knowledge of how fast the Federation works, I would suggest immediate evacuation of this planet.”

“But I can’t, Adam,” Samus said. “My ship crash landed, remember? I have no method of transportation!”

“Hm. I do see. Most unfortunate. All I have to say about this is find civilization as quickly as possible, and see if they can supply you with a ship,” Adam said.

“I would if I could,” Samus replied. “But the only way to anything outside from here is too cold. Not even my Varia Suit can withstand it!”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense. Your Varia Suit upgrade was meant entirely to protect you from extreme temperatures,” Adam said. “And last time I reviewed on it, it was made for any temperature.”

“Which did you look at? The Chozo Varia Suit, or the Federation’s model?” Samus asked.

“Ah. I see where you are coming from. I’m guessing the Chozo Varia Suit was capable of such, but as expected, the Federation could not mimic the Chozo intelligence,” Adam explained. “The Varia Suit you are equipped with now, apparently, cannot withstand temperatures beyond too extreme.”

“So what do you suppose I do?” Samus asked, stressed.

“Simple. Stay around wherever you are, and try to find something that will protect you. That’s all I can say on the matter, unfortunately…” Adam said. “In the meantime, Novap has left something that will help you with ice that obstructs your path. I suggest that you grab it.”

Samus nodded. This was starting to get a little confusing. But she tried to isolate that thought, and stepped onto Novap’s now-useless structure. Suddenly, she felt her gun upgrade. Her arm felt slightly heated, and she shot it to test. A large stream of plasma shot from her Arm Cannon, and shortly after, her suit notified her.

--Plasma Beam upgrade acquired. Melt ice and other weak obstructions.--

So Samus got the Plasma Beam back, very soon. Only it wasn’t the one she was used to. She was used to a powerful beam that could pierce enemies, and when put together with the Wave Beam, made it a deadly equation. The one she had just obtained was the same as the beam she had gotten way back when she visited Tallon IV, and she also obtained it from the robotic bounty hunter Ghor on Elysia. Nevertheless, she felt warmer. At least it was a start. Suddenly, Adam popped up on her visor.

“Samus, the Federation is starting to infiltrate this section of the settlement. Start running. Now,” Adam said. Samus nodded, and quickly ran through the same door Sylux left through.

-

Ridley sat in his large chair, with the usual screens in front of him. He used one to monitor Sylux. But recently, the signal was static-y. When the signal came back online, Ridley pulled open the communicator.

“Everything fine? The signal blacked out for a while,” Ridley said.

“Yes, it’s all good. I killed Novap so Samus could get the Plasma Beam,” Sylux replied. “I didn’t say a word, as instructed. Just left. Now, mind me asking the cause of the sudden change in plans?”

“You aren’t required to understand that aspect at the moment. Be patient,” Ridley responded.

Sylux nodded, and closed the communicator. He continued to walk through Settlement Zero.

“He doesn’t know what’s coming,” Weavel said, behind Ridley. “He’s in for a rude awakening.”

“Correct, Weavel,” Ridley replied to the comment. “Now, prepare for landing. We are approaching the planet as we speak.”

“Yes sir,” Weavel responded, and left the room silently. Ridley laid back in his chair.

“Oh, this is working perfectly,” he said to himself. “I doubt even Samus will stand in the way this time around.”

Chapter Five: Cure for the Cold

“Metroid squadron, move out,” Ridley told the Space Pirates as the mothership landed. “And as for the rest of you, stay. We need guards, especially if Samus is here.”

The other Pirates nodded, and retreated back into the ship. A bunch of sick-looking, greenish Space Pirates trudged out, moaning. They had been infected with a Metroid’s DNA, only difference is that they were infected from the beginning. They have been to Settlement Zero before. But this time, they were actually on duty.

Weavel walked up to Ridley.

“Sir, I have news on the ‘once mythological’ Project 7,” he said. Ridley paused, and looked at Weavel.

“Well then. What is it?” he asked.

“Protos is frozen solid, and so is Pinaclus…”

“I know. And Novap was killed by Sylux to help Samus progress. What about the last one?”

“…Last one, sir?” Weavel replied. Ridley’s heartbeat rose a bit.

“Er…no. Silly me, eheheh,” Ridley said. “Novap was clearly the last of them. I must have drunk too much…”

Weavel rolled his eyes.

“Okay…then how about telling me and everyone else exactly why you let Samus progress?”

“Not a chance in hell. Just follow your orders,” Ridley barked.

“Yes, sir…” Weavel mumbled.

--

“Samus, you remember me informing you that you must avoid scanning to protect yourself from the Federation?” Adam asked. Samus sighed.

“Yes…but then how can I understand anything? I have to scan in order to learn what I’m up against,” Samus replied.

“So true…which is precisely why I have created the Safe Scan program. It will protect you from the Federation. Thus, however, it would also cut off some information entering your logbook…so I have uplinked it to the Pirate’s database. The Space Pirates have plentiful information you may find useful,” Adam said. Samus frowned from within her helmet.

“So you linked it to the enemy’s database? Smooth, Adam,” she replied.

“Correct. But if the Pirates track you, would you care? You would kill them anyway, yet you would refrain from hurting a Federation soldier,” Adam responded.

“Good point,” Samus said. Ahead of her was a door, blocked by crystals. Samus attempted to melt the crystals with the Plasma Beam, but in turn, nothing happened. Confused, Samus scanned the crystals.

Scans indicate the presence of Vhozon Crystals. None of your weapons will have any effect,” the scanner said. Samus’s eyes widened.

Vhozon…Crystals? she thought. As soon as she heard the word ‘Vhozon’ she thought of a hunter she first met on planet Arcterra. The hunter went by the name of Noxus. He was found fighting the Kriken hunter, Trace. Noxus utilized a weapon called the Judicator, which was a beam composed of ice and bounced off walls. Samus then realized what planet she must have been on: Vho. Settlement Zero was on Vho, ironically at the outer rim of the galaxy. The Space Pirates must have used this to their advantage to keep the Federation unaware of their plans.

After she thought for a moment, she turned and entered an alternate door.

“So where would I download this ‘Safe Scan’ program?” Samus asked Adam.

“Simple. Locate and find a downloading station, and then look me up in the logbook so I can upload the program from your Scan Visor,” Adam replied. “Until then, try to refrain from scanning.”

Samus nodded. She would be able to gather data safely this way. Now, where to find a downloading room? Samus then had an idea.

“Adam, might you possess the skill to hack a map room data file and upload the program then? I’d imagine doing so would allow me to obtain this program instead of getting map data,” Samus asked.

“I’m sure it could work, but a map could be a big help to you. Map rooms can only be used once. If you recall on your other missions, once you download a map you cannot access the map file a second time. Thus, you could only get one or the other. Perhaps, a missile recharge station?” Adam responded. Samus agreed.

She walked out into a cavern-like environment that was still connected to the machinery of Settlement Zero, however the walls were lined with Vhozon Crystals, and below was a pit to depths unknown.

Perhaps I should return when I get a proper item…? she thought to herself. She turned back, only to be welcomed by Galactic Federation soldiers.

“Samus Aran! We have you surrounded! Surrender or we will arrest you by force!” a Federation marine said. Panicked, Samus quickly charged her missile launcher and blasted the ground. It was her first instinct. There were so many of them, she assumed the diffusion effect of the missile would freeze them so she could escape. But, then she remembered: no Ice Missile upgrade. But the diffusion effect was still intact. When the missile impacted on the rusted metal beneath her, the explosion spread across the room and flew threw the marines. Most fell over dead, while others crouched and started to whimper in pain. As for Samus, the rusted floor beneath her broke open, and she fell through a hole. Little did she know, this hole would lead her somewhere.

Samus landed on a platform below. She was now in a tall cylinder-shaped corridor, with Vhozon Crystals left and right. The room was a bright purplish blue. At the base was a large frozen pond. With Vhozon Crystals blocking the nearest door, Samus melted the ice at the base, and fell into the water. With Gravity Suit still intact, she didn’t have any problems moving freely in the water. A small path led her to a door, which she entered through. She was now in a corridor larger than any she’s seen on this planet so far. The water didn’t submerge the entire room, but most of it. Samus spotted three odd creatures in the water, so she scanned them, despite that she would be tracked even further.

A new [Creatures] entry has been entered into your logbook. Morphology: Oculbyss. A one-eyed species that belongs to the Oculus family. These creatures have a long, serpentine tail extending behind them, and two fins that can act as claws. The creature’s mouth is found on its stomach. The Oculbyss is the aquatic derivative of the Oculus. It has adapted to the environment, making it invulnerable to cold. It is much larger than an Oculus, and is confirmed to be carnivorous. As expected, the Oculbyss has one weak point, and that is its eye when it is open.”

Samus jumped down and shot an uncharged missile into one of the Oculbyss’ eye. The eye exploded, and the Oculbyss went crazy as blood slowly oozed out the wound. Soon, the creature halted, and floated to the top of the water. Samus did the same to the other two Oculbyss. After all of them were killed, an alarm went off.

“WARNING. METROID EXPERIMENTATION TEST SUBJECTS HAVE BEEN TERMINATED. INITIATE LOCK-DOWN. ERADICATE THE THREAT.”

Turrets dropped down from the ceiling and started to shoot at Samus. They were turrets, but they weren’t ordinary turrets. They were HUGE compared to the ones Samus fought in Space Pirate establishments in the past. As the shots hit Samus, her energy was depleting dramatically. Without scanning, Samus quickly used a diffusion missile. The machines showed signs of taking damage, but were not completely destroyed by the widespread explosion that followed the missile’s impact. Since Samus was low on missiles now, she charged and fired a Plasma Beam shot at each of the turrets. The turrets exploded, and the metal debris hit the ground. The doors in the room seemed to start working. Samus quickly entered one, and found herself in a water-submerged hall. She moved to the other side, and quickly entered the door. Now, she was in a Recharge Room. With a sigh of relief, she restored her energy and missiles, and then pulled Adam’s file up.

“Samus, what were you thinking? Yet again, you scanned a creature,” Adam said.

“Whatever. Look, I’m in a Recharge Room. Now do your magic,” she replied.

“Fine, fine…” Adam said. Samus opened Scan Visor and locked onto the recharge station. With a quick short circuit, Samus’s Scan Visor cancelled.

-------------------SAFE SCAN PROGRAM ACQUIRED. SCAN WITHOUT FEDERATION TRACKING. -------------------

Samus sighed. Now, she could scan safely without being tracked by the Feds. Rather, the Space Pirates would find her instead, but she could care less about them. After a short pause, she turned around and left the room.

In the hall she was in previously, Samus heard a crash from above. On the other side of the hall, a large chunk of metal blocked the door way. This left an opening in the ceiling. Samus climbed up the debris into a small spherical corridor. On the ground, Samus saw Federation troopers eaten away at by acid, something that must have been done by Metroids. Ironically, two Zeta Metroids were chowing down at the carcass of Federation troops. They saw Samus, but ignored her, as they were busy eating. Samus sneaked past the Zeta Metroids and entered a door on the other side of the room.

Past this door was a large room the size of a space ship hangar. Samus saw the hangar doors, frozen shut by more Vhozon Crystals. She jumped off a ledge onto the floor below, and started to hear gunshots. More Federation troopers. Samus quickly ran and hid behind some crates, which was useless considering the Feds were watching her as they were shooting. She rolled into a ball. Suddenly, the crates exploded, and a crab-like claw picked Samus up while in Morph Ball form. She then noticed herself being thrown, and then hit something. Samus unmorphed in order to see what she hit. As it turns out, she was thrown and hit a Federation marine in the helmet. Now, the marine was on the ground, likely unconscious. She turned around, and saw a group of Space Pirates roaring. She pointed her weapon at the creatures, but felt herself get shot by a Federation marine.

“I have you now,” the marine said. “Don’t move.”

Samus fell onto her knees and felt the marine hold her down and pointing a gun to her head. He signaled for other troops to come and take her away. However, Samus saw the Space Pirates open their claws. Streams of wavy green energy left the claws and hit the Fed trooper holding Samus down in the head. The troop fell over. Samus stood up and started to shoot at the Pirates, however the Pirates dodged and did not shoot back. They shot the other marines.

“Stay still, you vile monsters!” Samus cried. “I am going to end your plans again, as I always do!”

When all the Fed marines were dead, the Pirates stopped shooting, and held a claw up to Samus.

“Understand our role in this plan that which you speak of,” one of the Pirates stated. “We are merely escorts. Come.”

“Nice try, but I won’t fall for it. I’m not that stupid,” Samus responded. She held her gun up and readied a diffusion missile.

“Ah. We can easily tell you are not bluffing, however you must understand that we are not here to harm you, but rather to help you. If you accept our help, you will have allies on your side as you fight those who try to kill you. Wouldn’t you rather that than being caught in between us and the Feds, with no safety assured?” the Pirate said back.

“Samus, don’t do it. You know better,” Adam said.

“I know, Adam,” she replied. She looked back at the Space Pirates and said acidly: “I don’t need anyone’s help.”

“Suit yourself,” the Pirate said, with a brief shrug. With a quick signal, the Pirates started shooting at Samus. Samus let her diffusion missile go. As it hit a Pirate, the Pirate whom received the missile went flying, and bashed its head on a hard rail. The others were affected by the shockwave that followed. Some were launched off the surface as well, and others took the hit and continued combat. Samus fired a charged Plasma Beam shot and melted a few of the surviving Pirates. She then started to run. She bashed into the remaining Space Pirate with Speed Booster. However, before Samus stopped, she quickly crouched, and shinesparked upward. She hit the ceiling hard, and then fell onto a metal ledge. She entered the nearest door, and was welcomed warmly by more Federation troopers.

Don’t they ever give up? Samus thought to herself. She speed boosted past them, as there was a catwalk to start the room off, and crashed through some damaged metal. She continued to run, and the Federation followed as fast as they could. Samus then hit a door, thus halting Speed Booster. She entered the door, and ran down another hall. She entered the door at this hall, and stopped in a dark room with very dim lights blinking on the wall and across wires that covered the ground like kudzu. She took a breather, as it would take the Feds minutes to finally catch up. She then went to the other side of the room, and noticed the door was locked. She turned back and walked forward, only to bump into an unknown object. She assumed it was a pillar, considering how large it was. She then heard thumping nearby at the wall, and a one-eyed creature busted a hole and jumped through. Just then, the blizzard outside started to gush into the area. The Feds came in and started shooting at Samus. She ignored them, and scanned the creature. It was called an Oculand, which was the land-walking derivative of the Oculus. It had two large legs that made it resemble a Sidehopper from Zebes. She quickly shot a diffusion missile into the beast’s eye, causing it to go on a rampage. The Fed troopers started to shoot at the Oculand. The creature busted a power node, and suddenly, the wires that covered the floor started up. They offered power to the room, and the lights turned on. Samus looked at what she thought was a pillar, and pointed a gun at it. It was a tall robot with many mechanical parts attached to the main body. Wires connected to this robot, and soon, its eyes turned yellow, and some organic matter in the right leg and left arm started pulsing. The robot detached the wires from its leg.

“MULTIPLE THREATS DETECTED. ERADICATE ALL THREATS IMMEDIATELY,” the robot spoke. Suddenly, a large missile launcher emerged from the creature’s back, and then extended outward. Missiles fired out of the launcher and each homed in on a target. The Federation marines got shot, and so did the Oculand. Samus, however, did a sideways flip to dodge, then threw a heated missile. The homing missile followed it and shot it instead. “One threat remaining. Samus Aran, prepare for elimination. You will enjoy it.”

Samus scanned the robot as quick as she could.

A new [Creatures] entry has been added to your logbook. Mechanism: SP-M #0-73, a.k.a. ‘Dynamus’. Dynamus is the latest model of Project 7. After Novap’s failure, the Space Pirates went ahead and told the public that Project 7 has been cancelled due to constant failure. What the public did not realize was that Ridley and his top scientists and engineers were privately working on the ultimate machine even after they claimed Project 7 was cancelled. Dynamus was only half-way complete physically when Settlement Zero was abandoned after Project Dread went out of control. However, Dynamus remains better than all three of its predecessors combined. It is armed with a blade that is powered with pure energy; this blade soon became an installment to the cybernetic squadron’s weapon system. It is also armed with heat-seeking missiles that are fired from a top-notch missile launcher that is installed into the mechanism’s back. Dynamus has three wire extension devices. Despite being AI driven, Dynamus is organically enhanced as well, acting as a backup system. The organic matter on Dynamus is made from Metroids, however was injected with the Subzero Serum so the parts would not freeze. If Dynamus’s mechanical system fails, it will then rely on its organic system, which is complete with a diaphragm used for breathing.”

Samus quickly used Scan Visor to pick apart weak points, but was too busy dodging Dynamus’s attacks.

“Samus, the creature’s scalp is its central CPU. Perhaps if you impair it, you can then finish off its organic system and win this fight,” Adam said. Samus nodded, and shot a charged missile at Dynamus’s scalp. The robot took the hit, and stepped back. It then opened its missile launcher and started to shoot missiles rapidly at Samus.

“Fight fire with fire,” Dynamus said. Five missiles came at Samus, and she quickly destroyed all but one before impact. A missile hit her torso hard, and she flew back and hit the wall. She could hear Dynamus laugh. Just then, Samus stood up, and shot a charged Plasma Beam shot into the robot’s scalp. This time, the circuitry started to go haywire (no pun intended) and the robot started to squawk error codes. “Error code: 746583647836. Memory could not be ‘read’ at line 87. Now scanning for viruses…no viruses found. External threat detected, must eradicate Samus Aran, bounty hunter..hshgydhajgduyfajjjj\\CC\hd7tehjsoa\Documents\Aran, Samus\error FILE CORRUPT. WARNING. THE SYSTEM IS NOW WIPING THE C DRIVE TO RID OF ANY DIGITAL AILMENTS. WE ARE SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE…BZZTZT!!!!!!

Suddenly, Dynamus shut down. Samus then tried to sneak around it and enter the door on the other side, but much to her misfortune, it was still locked. Dynamus’s eyes started to blink, and it then started to speak again.

“Organic systems online. Backup system rebooting. The following files have been backed up:…”

Dynamus listed the files that were retained from after the wiping of the c drive. One of the files Samus heard was one that was dedicated to eradicating her.

“External threat detected. Eradication is required,” Dynamus said. “You’re screwed, Samus.”

Dynamus lit its blade and swung at Samus, who took the hit. She fell over, and got back up in a flash. Dynamus stopped for a second, and the plating that covered its chest shifted outward, revealing the diaphragm scans were explaining about. Without further ado, Samus lodged three missiles into the diaphragm, causing Dynamus to stop breathing. Dynamus seemed to show signs of suffocation, and fell over. The right leg stopped pulsing as well as the left arm. Dynamus remained on its belly, and started to chase Samus at a slow pace. Samus stepped back and dodged the attempted slash from the energy blade.

What to do now? I’ve done everything, she thought. Then she saw the blizzard winds gushing into the room and remembered Protos. How did it fail? It froze because it had no wire extension devices.

“What are you planning?” Adam asked.

“I’m going to freeze Dynamus over, by destroying its wire extension devices. One of its predecessors failed because it froze due to no wire extension devices. The secondary purpose of said device is to keep the droid warm, and Dynamus has three of them.”

“And with the blizzard outside, destroying the devices would cause it to freeze over?” Adam wondered.

“It should work like a charm,” Samus replied. Dynamus opened the missile launcher and shot multiple missiles at Samus. Due to Samus’s short conversation with Adam, all missiles hit Samus hard. She read how much energy she had, and panicked. She only had twenty-one energy left, and her suit was going off trying to warn her of it. Quickly, Samus shot a diffusion missile at Dynamus’s neck, where the extension devices were, and the explosion destroyed all three. Dynamus started squawking more error codes, just when it started to freeze over on the spot. Dynamus then lay on the rusted floor, covered in ice as if he were an ice sculpture. He would not move again, as he is now obsolete. Suddenly, an Energy Tank shot out of Dynamus’s frozen body, likely from its energy reserves Samus would’ve had to deplete if she hadn’t thought of freezing him. Samus grabbed the Energy Tank, and her energy restored fully with one extra tank.

---------------ENERGY TANK ACQUIRED. MAXIMUM ENERGY CAPACITY RISES BY 100. ---------------

Samus then looked at the door, which was now unlocked. She entered the door, and saw a pedestal with an item on it. Out of instinct, Samus grabbed the item. Suddenly, she started to absorb energy, and her suit flashed, ending with a new color. The suit was mainly white with a tinge of gray, and the secondary color was black. Her helmet turned a lighter shade of blue, and her visor turned slightly pink. She then received a notice:

----------SUBZERO SUIT ACQUIRED. SURVIVE EVEN THE MOST EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES. ----------
                                                      
Samus took a good long look at her new suit, which looked like her Fusion Suit, only what was orange is now white and what was yellow is now black, and her helmet changed colors. To experiment, Samus entered the room with Dynamus in it, and walked outside. This time, she didn’t feel her energy being drained. No, to her, the temperature was comfortable. Now, she could withstand this environment. Now, she can leave this forsaken planet.

Author's Note: I credit Zyborggian for the Vhozon Crystals/Safe Scan program concepts. Thanks to him, the story avoided two plot holes that would keep bothering those who read this fic.

EDIT: I made a sprite of the Subzero Suit, then just imagine Samus wearing it in Prime.

Yo.
You know what, forget the d'oh! for right now. This story keeps getting better and better.

ArrowArrowArrowArrowExclamation

The first three chapters were quite corny, but this I like.

LOL Adam =P
One shall stand, one shall ball.
I request that Adam be brutally destroyed. Just because.
I EAT YOR cookies
Oh, I know what's going to happen to Adam, and it won't be quick and brutal.
I EAT YOR cookies
Guess what's back? Back again? Dread is back! Tell a friend!

Chapter Six: Blackout

Ridley paced on the rusted metal floor. He was wondering what exactly he could do to bring Samus here. Apparently, sending escorts didn’t work, and such a result was one expected.

“Weavel,” Ridley said.

“Sir?” Weavel replied.

“Might you have any suggestions on how to bring Samus to me?”

“How about trying the direct approach?” Weavel suggested.

“No. We would have to catch her off guard, and likely, she’s prepared for anything at the moment. So, we have to make her not expect the unexpected,” Ridley responded. “Try again.”

“Oh hush it,” said a voice, and Phantoon materialized nearby. “You really need to understand your soldiers better, damn it.”

“Well…what is your idea?” Ridley asked. Rather than speaking to answer, Phantoon waved a tentacle at Weavel, whom fell over.

“Think about it,” Phantoon said.

“Ah…” Ridley replied, knowing what Phantoon was thinking. “Brilliant plan.”

--

Trace climbed into a broken passage in the metallic wall, and into an elevator shaft. Outside was dark, as the sun stopped shining a few hours ago. Trace examined the room with his infrared scanner. No recent life signs; if any, the red in his sight was weak and faded. Trace huffed, and left the room.

--

As Samus was admiring the comfortable temperature, she noticed a pathway down a hill, surrounded by large and thick walls of ice. She started walking down the hill.

“Ugh,” Samus said.

“What’s wrong?” Adam asked.

“The blizzard is still clogging my visor with snow and ice,” Samus replied.

“Well, there’s no way to fix it now. Perhaps a later upgrade,” Adam responded. “Anyway, I looked at your recent scans, and saw these words: Project Dread. Do you have any idea what this might be?”

“Not a clue,” Samus said. “Most I know of it is that I have a scan mentioning it somewhere else as well. I think I got the scan from the Pirate Homeworld when I was trying to remove Phazon from the galaxy.”

“Very odd…can you, perhaps, identify how old the file is?” Adam wondered.

“Unless you can, just forget about it,” Samus said. She walked down the path to find a door, after blindly bumping into walls of thick ice. She opened the door, and swiped her visor with two fingers to rid of the ice. She was back in the base again, only a different section. She saw an elevator ahead, and walked to it. Samus scanned a nearby power conduit, which restored power to the elevator.

Access to the Ocul Breeding Sector granted. Please step into the elevator,” the scanner said. Samus stepped into the elevator, which started moving upward steadily.

“The Pirates seem to take a liking in this ‘Ocul’ family,” Adam spoke. “I wonder what purpose they serve in the midst of their plans?”

“I’ve seen a branch of their species before,” Samus said. “Can’t quite place my finger on their name, but I remember that they were on Tallon IV, particularly the Chozo Ruins. They tended to annoy the hell out of me as I tried to Spider Ball up a track to get a Chozo Artifact. I met them again after I got a different Chozo Artifact, and I was distracted enough to get the Wavebuster. Oddly enough, those creatures, which were very small, were resistant to Super Missiles and my other weapons, whereas the Oculbyss died in one missile to the eye, let alone the missile wasn’t of the Super brand.”

“I’ll have to guess, though, that they are the perfect test subjects for Metroid predation. That could be why the Pirates breed them to adapt to the environments: to observe a Metroid’s natural limitations. From what I can tell, the Ocul family naturally adapts to their environment faster than almost any living creature in the galaxy. If this were true, it would save the Pirates the search for a creature from every environment possible, and then they could simply take an Ocul creature and force them to adapt to a particular environment, so three or four generations later, the creature has fully adapted,” Adam explained.

“That makes sense,” Samus replied. Adam almost replied back, but he stopped himself from talking when the elevator stopped moving, and the lights went out.

“Eh?” Adam wondered.

“Aw hell,” Samus said. “The station must have blacked out. If I had a penny for how many times this sort of thing has happened, I would no longer need to be a bounty hunter to get money.”

“Ah, yes indeed it blacked out. Well, looks like you’re going to have to find an…”

“Alternate path to my target, I know, I know. I’ve heard this multiple times before. Wait…what is my target, anyway?” Samus asked.

“That’s just it: you don’t have one. Be creative,” Adam responded. Samus frowned at the remark, but she listened. Up above, Samus could see small sparks falling, however, they stopped soon enough. She climbed the wall by using ledges and wires. However, she was at a stopping point. She hit her head on a ceiling, and fell. She quickly grabbed a ledge, and held tight. “Samus, it appears there is an alternate door on the ledge above you. Since you cannot crawl through solid objects, may I suggest wall jumping?” Adam said.

Ah, wall jumping. Samus’s favorite trick to perform. She used it many times before to get to unreachable places that could not be reached without the help of certain items. Without a second thought, she jumped off the wall she was on, started to somersault in mid-air, and as soon as her feet touched the opposite wall, she pushed against it, and flew back. Samus grabbed onto another ledge, and found herself where she needed to be. However, the door was frozen shut. Samus took out the Plasma Beam and melted the ice, and the door remained in place. It was only half-way open when it got frozen. Samus rolled into a ball and barely slipped through the opening on the door.

Down a few emergency passages, and Samus found herself in the Ocul Breeding Sector of Settlement Zero. The hall she was currently in was lined with stasis tanks and Ocul variants sleeping within them, except a few broken ones. Samus entered another door, and found many different environments that were used for testing the Oculs. Most, if not all of the environments, were frozen over. She found Oculands sleeping in the environments. Since the power went out, the environments much have lost heat. She continued. A door was blocked off, so her first instinct was to find an alternate exit before Adam told her those exact words yet again. As soon as she stepped onto the frozen cold ground of the breeding environments, the Oculands woke and roared. They had spotted her.

Samus quickly shot a missile into one of their eyes, and it died. The others closed their eyes and aimlessly tried to ram Samus. More and more stormed into the room, trying to rid of her. They sensed her as a Metroid.

Luckily for Samus, it was just then when a few Metroid larvae flew in and saved the day. They latched onto the skulls of the Oculands, and scared the rest away. But the Metroids were still hungry. They turned to Samus, who sighed in response. She froze one and shot a diffusion missile, making it explode. The other Metroids, angered, called for help. Just then, four Alpha Metroids staggered in with a Gamma Metroid following them. Samus was officially surrounded.

“Samus, they outnumber us by too far. Simply run,” Adam said. Samus nodded, and started running past them to the nearest door. The Gamma followed Samus quickly and whipped her with the electric whip Gamma Metroids sport. She shot a missile, which caused the Gamma to recoil. Just then, multiple sets of fangs hopped up out of the frosty ground and started tearing at the Gamma Metroid. The fangs busted the core membrane, causing the core itself to fall out. The Gamma Metroid lay there, dead. Samus was puzzled. How could that have killed the Gamma Metroid? Suddenly, the other Metroids left, seemingly afraid. Samus looked around, and saw little tracks and something moving under the ice. Just then, a little creature popped out the ground, and screeched, similar to that of a Metroid. It was pure white, and had a body protecting its core. It was a little fellow, with one eye and three fangs. Samus pulled out her Scan Visor and scanned it.

A new [Creatures] entry has been added to your logbook. Morphology: Ice Metroid. A Metroid that is genetically mutated beyond imagination. The Ice Metroids are very different in appearance from normal Metroid larvae, and are unable to float. Rather, they burrow. They are invulnerable to the cold, making them solely weak to explosives delivered by your Morph Ball system. They are unable to latch onto you, but rather they rip and tear with their fangs. Ice Metroids originated when a Metroid larva accidentally injected itself with the Subzero Serum that which mutated their genetic appearance and abilities dramatically over several generations. They are so genetically different from a regular Metroid that they can be considered a different species rather than a simple mutation of the parent species. Use caution when handling Ice Metroids.”

Ice…Metroids? Samus thought.

“Samus, do you think this might be what ‘Project Dread’ is based around?” Adam asked.

“No…” Samus replied. “The logbook states ‘accidentally injected’. The Metroids did this to themselves.”

“Well, take the logbook’s advice and punish them with Bombs,” Adam suggested. Samus agreed, and laid Bombs among the Ice Metroids. They subsequently exploded.

“Well…that was…simple,” Samus said.

“I wouldn’t expect their later metamorphic stages to be as simple,” Adam said. “Be careful.”

---

Ridley sat atop a tower in Settlement Zero. The tower was nearby an elevator Ridley hoped to find Samus taking. Weavel walked to Ridley.

“Sir…aren’t you cold?” Weavel asked.

“Not at all,” Ridley replied.

“Do you need anything?”

“Hm…by any chance, do you know how to send scan data to Samus, helping her find her destination?” Ridley asked.

“I could try,” Weavel replied.

“Good,” Ridley said. “Oh, and how is the Miteralis cure coming along?”

If he could, Weavel would have cracked a smile as he said these words:

“It’s solved.”

---

Samus entered through multiple rooms of the same thing: stasis tank after stasis tank. She wondered when the monotony would end. And it was then that she found something peculiar above a door. She scanned it quick.

Bioscan complete. The creature is a Pyrocul, the inferno variant of the Ocul family. The creature is in hibernation. Threat level: critical. Do not disturb.

Samus ignored the creature, and entered the next room, which had an elevator. Finally! A way out of the dull repetition of that breeding sector! The only interesting find in there was the Ice Metroids. Though, since the power was out, the elevator didn’t work. Samus sighed, and decided to climb the shaft. But just then, power flickered on, and the elevator was operational. Samus stepped on the panel, which took her upward. She heard a voice whispering to her.

Funny how options and desperation work, isn’t it? When one has no options left, they turn to desperation. And when they turn to desperation, they choose the option they wouldn’t have chosen when they were thinking normally. I find it very interesting to see this happen, and I will see it soon…

Samus was clueless of who the voice could have belonged to.

“Who is this?” she asked. She knew it wasn’t Adam.

Who am I? Who are you? You are the Hunter, the biggest threat to the galaxy. As soon as your team realized this, they turned against you, and you refuse to hurt the organization that proved to you in their desperation that they are corrupt and untrustworthy. As soon as they understood you were capable of ruling this galaxy with just you and your willpower, they did their best to destroy you by keeping you isolated in a space station infested with deadly parasites. They knew you would try to destroy the parasites they were interested in…so they threatened to take these parasites away to test and do good for the galaxy…because they knew you would try to stop them. They knew you would destroy the station and rid of the X, and they hoped it would take your life with it. They had never expected you to destroy the source of the X with the station. Yet you did, and you survived as well. Now, they have no intentions of stopping at anything to get rid of you. Your friend says ‘one of them will understand. One of them must’. How foolish. The Galactic Federation will get to you, Samus, and they will dismember you until they are sure that you are dead. And with this knowledge, you know you have no options, therefore, you turn to desperation. And in your desperation, you will choose the option you would not have chosen if you came to your senses. This, I assure you, will come true. Because desperation is a funny little thing that no sentient being has ever managed to overcome…

Samus heard every word, and spat at the thought. They were powerful words, but Samus hoped that the voice was wrong.

“Adam, track the source of the voice,” Samus said.

“It’s coming from somewhere on the opposite side of Settlement Zero…” Adam said. “Shall I pinpoint the coordinates?”

Samus nodded. Her map opened, and Adam quickly searched for the source. He then found it, and pointed at the room.

“How odd. It’s in an elevator room,” Adam said.

“Not a problem,” Samus replied. “Now how to get there?”

“You should be able to reach it through the rooms between this elevator and that one,” Adam said. “I know this should be fairly easy for you.”

The elevator halted, and Samus stepped through the opened door. Right inside was a dead Federation trooper, whose body fell over when she opened it. This was definitely not a good sign. She scanned for life signs and cause of death.

Bioscan complete. This Federation trooper has multiple burns across its armor and body, implying that it may have been incinerated. Life signs do remain, however, as weak brainwaves pulse from the corpse. Its heart does not beat, however. Final estimate is that the trooper has only died less than six hours ago.

Samus knew that the brain lives on for a few more hours after an organism dies provided the death was not caused by or involved with a severe cranial injury that ruptured the brain. She scanned the area for more corpses, and tried to do it before the power short circuited again. To her surprise, the floor had piles of dead Federation troops. Was this, perhaps, their rendezvous point?

“Samus, I detect Space Pirates approaching the vicinity. I suggest you move quickly,” Adam said. Samus nodded, and walked on through the large room. Ahead of her were two doors, but she did not know which to take. Suddenly, the power shut off again, and the doors stopped working. “Damn! Just our luck. Samus, try to reconnect power to the doors. I am receiving odd transmissions from nearby emergency power nodes.”

Samus scanned for any form of auxiliary power transmitters in the area, and found two.

“Based on your current map data, the door straight in front of you is the correct path to your target. Try to reconnect power to that one,” Adam told Samus. Samus scanned the nearest transmitter, and the door to her right was powered on. “Incorrect transmitter, it seems. Try the other.”

Samus scanned the other transmitter. A bit of electrical power shot through the wire behind the terminal, but then the electricity stopped as a bunch of small sparks shot out into the air.

“Most unfortunate…it seems the wire that supplies the door with electricity has been severed. Ah, well. We must persevere and try the one on your right,” Adam said. Samus entered the powered door into an icy hallway. On the other side of the corridor, a glowing red creature hung from the ceiling. Samus walked a bit closer, which made the creature jump down. The ice around it slowly started to melt into water. Samus pulled out her scanner.

A new [Creatures] entry has been added to your logbook. Morphology: Pyrocul. The inferno variant of the Ocul family. Pyroculs are deadly compared to their cousins. They radiate heat from their body at a constant rate, and are unable to be cold save for their eye. Pyroculs sport insect-like legs, and thus are capable of climbing any surface. They also spit a fluid that is only slightly colder than magma. It is also said that this fluid can melt Vhozon Crystals.”

Another Pyrocul, eh? Samus thought. Before Adam made any comment on how Samus’s safety is vital, she approached the Pyrocul. Its mouth started to foam the red liquid. She switched to Ice Beam and fired a charged shot into the beast’s eye. After getting hit with a direct hit, the Pyrocul winced in pain and staggered backwards, busting the door behind it open with its tremendous girth. Samus followed it, and entered a large dome-shaped room. In the center lied an item Samus had the feeling was something her Power Suit could absorb and use. She quickly jumped down onto the lower level, and started to walk towards the item. The Pyrocul, having recovered from its pain, spat at the floor Samus was walking on. All around Samus, gargantuan tanks full of gasoline and afloraltite exploded, and caused the floor to collapse from beneath her. She fell into the icy cold blizzard outside. Samus landed in the snow face first, and then stood up. Out of the blizzard, a large white creature ran in and started shredding at Samus. She scanned the creature before anything else.

A new [Creatures] entry has been added to your logbook. Morphology: Alpha Ice Metroid. Much like the Ice Metroid larvae, this creature burrows rather than floats. It also utilizes its tusks and claws more often than its life-draining capabilities. It also retains the same weaknesses as the larva stage, only, as expected, requiring more brutal force.

Samus counteracted by rolling into Morph Ball mode and lying three bombs at once under the creature’s belly. The core membrane broke after the explosions, and the creature fell over. Power to a nearby device was restored, and so Samus’s first instinct was to try it. After stepping into the panel, the ground beneath her shone. Then, she was lifted into the air. Well, well, it was an elevator! The elevator lifted her into the glass tube protecting the item she had seen earlier, and she obtained it.

----------------------ARMOR SUIT UPGRADE ACQUIRED. POWER BOMB SYSTEM ONLINE. ----------------------

Well, this was a surprise. What were Power Bombs doing at a Space Pirate facility? Stuck in the tube, Samus immediately assumed it was made of some isotope of Benzium and laid a Power Bomb. The tube, as expected, busted open.

“Another ability crucial to your progression has been recovered. But what was a Power Bomb system doing here?” Adam wondered.

“I don’t know,” Samus said. She scanned the room and conveniently found a Pirate Data log entry. She scanned it.

Pirate data decoded and translated. Data entry title: Power Bombs. The entry is as follows: ‘Many times we’ve attempted to mimic those damned birds, and every time we have failed. That is, we have failed up until now. We have stolen a Power Bomb and a spare, just in case, and reverse engineered it to the point that which we have successfully constructed a Power Bomb system of our own. While not nearly as powerful as the Chozos’, nor as massive of a range, we have managed to successfully invent a Power Bomb system that cannot run out of ammunition, and still retain the effect of brutally annihilating objects made of Benzium or any lesser metal. We have impressed Master Ridley with this, and have been awarded commander rank for it. We are truly honored.’

Samus was now puzzled and somewhat relieved at the same time. A Power Bomb system with unlimited ammunition? Sounded pretty sick.

She Hi-Jumped onto a ledge and returned to the large room with the severed wire, since she had no other way to go. She inspected the room for any alternate exits to her target, but had no luck in finding any.

“Samus, I have a suggestion. Perhaps you should try dropping a Power Bomb next to the powerless door?”

Samus liked that idea, and gave it a shot. She dropped a Power Bomb next to the door, and the door busted open. Samus walked through the opened doorway, into an even larger corridor. She started to hear footsteps. Suddenly, the lights flickered on and off extremely fast, and a Space Pirate appeared right in front of her, roaring. She quickly shoved a charged Plasma shot into the creature’s chest, and it fell over, disintegrating. All around the room, Space Pirates popped out of nowhere. They started chasing after Samus, trying to grab her arms and legs, as if trying to pick her up. She dodged every attempt, and soon enough, GF troopers waltzed in and started letting their weapons loose. The Pirates turned around and shot back. There were about twenty of each side in here, making this a fairly large fight for an only somewhat large corridor. GF troopers came through and tried to shoot Samus, but she was saved again by the same unexpected savior: Sylux. Sylux came in and shocked all the troopers, and dragged Samus into a corner.

“See? This is precisely what happens when you do not take up an opportunity given by someone who hates you,” Sylux said.

“I was afraid it would be a trap,” Samus replied angrily. “I’m not stupid.”

“But you were stupid by not listening to me. See all this effort you put in to get through this hellhole? You could have easily saved yourself the trouble by coming with me in the first place,” Sylux responded.

“Why do you work for the Pirates, anyway?” Samus asked. Sylux looked behind him.

“I was convinced,” he replied. “Now, the offer is still available. Will you come with me, or not?” Samus immediately shook her head. “Very well, then,” Sylux said. “Then I will force you to.”

All of a sudden, Sylux sent a shock through Samus’s Power Suit, and knocked her out. He picked her up and started to walk out into the heat of the fight. He walked past the Pirates and the troopers, who all stopped battling to watch Sylux carry an unconscious Samus Aran.

“Do not follow me,” he told the crowd. “In fact, I shouldn’t have to tell you to.”

He opened the door, stepped into the doorway, then pulled out a grenade. He pulled the pin, and quickly jumped through the doorway after dropping the grenade. The door shut, and as soon as the grenade exploded, large pieces of rubble blocked the doorway, so no one could follow.

He carried Samus through a large hallway with security turrets that viewed Sylux as an ‘ally with cargo’ until he entered the elevator room.

---

“She’s out cold,” a voice said. Samus’s eyes opened to a squint, and she looked around her.

“She’s awake!” Sylux shouted, spotting Samus sit up. She held her hand to her helmet.

“What happened…and where am I?” she asked.

“You’re in Settlement Zero, still. As of now, we are examining you for any irregularities in a decrepit laboratory I managed to repair,” the other voice said. “So far, we found but one: the Metroid DNA within your bloodstream. Tell us, how did you obtain it?”

A further look after her blurry vision cleared up, and she recognized the other voice as none other than Weavel.

“Why should I tell you?” Samus asked snidely.

“We wish to…help,” Weavel responded.

“Help? HELP?! You’re all filthy scumbags who kill and steal for money and fame! I don’t want your help!” Samus yelled. She then heard Weavel chuckle.

“Now, now, Samus. You and I both know that my kind dislikes theft. It’s a tad ironic, considering we’re Space Pirates, but it’s the truth,” Weavel calmly replied.

“He’s right on that, Samus. It’s in your databanks; after scanning some sort of crate, it gave you that exact information,” Adam said.

“It doesn’t matter,” Samus said. “Why are you keeping me here?”

“I’m not authorized to tell you, but if you really must know…you can speak to this raid’s commander,” Weavel replied.

“And who might that be?” Samus asked. Just then, the door opened, and Ridley walked in.

“Good evening, Samus,” Ridley said. “I overheard that you are curious as to why we are holding you here currently.”

Samus started to run at Ridley angrily, but she had a shock go through her body again, but this time with weaker voltage. She fell onto her knees and became dizzy. She felt Sylux pick her up and put her back on the table she was laying on.

“Strap her in,” Ridley said to Weavel. Weavel gave Ridley a nod, and pressed a button on the nearby control terminal. Tough metallic straps rose and wrapped around Samus’s arms and legs. When she recovered control of her body from the shock, she yanked at the straps, but to her misfortune, they would not budge. Ridley turned to Sylux. “Excellent work, Sylux.”

“Let me out!” Samus screamed.

“We will,” Ridley said calmly. “If you listen.”

Samus stopped yanking.

“To what?”

“Our little proposition,” Ridley replied. He walked over to Samus and looked over her so that she could look into his eyes. “See, we know already that you despise us. Me, especially, because I killed your mommy. But now, we must share with you the truth.”

Ridley could see the anger in Samus’s eyes, but he could tell she was listening.

“First of all, we are simply astonished that you still try not to kill the same people that lied to you, over and over again. Everything they’ve done to you, everything they plan to do to you now…and yet you still side with the Federation. That just doesn’t make any sense to me. Those backstabbing liars need to grow up and give power to who truly deserves it,” Ridley explained.

“That can’t be you,” Samus said quietly yet in an angry tone.

“I never said it was. I was going to say the Chozo. They deserve to rule this galaxy, and as I recall, the Federation drove them away. I presume you already know the Federation’s darkest secret?” Ridley assumed. Samus shook her head. “Well, then. It all started about five centuries or so ago. Before this, Chozo, Luminoth, Bryyonians…they all were the unsung rulers of the galaxy, and they were the true peace keepers. A group of humans and other foreign alien species joined together to form an organization called simply ‘The Alliance’. These people were also true peace keepers. They helped lead this galaxy to a golden age of peace and prosperity. And it stayed this way until the rebels came. The rebels were horrible people. They were undercover, disguised as members of the Alliance. What did these rebels do? When the Alliance was not expecting it, they overthrew the leader of the Alliance and destroyed all faithful member of it, and did it so quickly and quietly that public galactic civilization did not notice. The new leader came to them, and told them that he was appointed new leader of the Alliance because the other had died. The sad part is, everyone believed it. They also changed to a new name, and everyone only suspected it as a mere name change for whatever reason. Do you know what their new name was?”

“The Space Pirates,” Samus spat.

“No. Their new name was the Galactic Federation, believe it or not. And they were no better than us, aside from that they were afraid to show their true colors. They told galactic civilization exactly what it wanted to hear, and then they performed deadly experiments behind their backs. See, I was not stupid. I could tell from the look in Vogl’s ancestor’s eyes that they were up to no good. So what did I do? On Zebes, after my race’s little war with the Chozo, I met the large lizard you know to be Kraid. Together, we stole metals from the Chozo to make a spaceship. We succeeded, and flew to other planets to salvage metals and other materials. We made bigger spaceships that could house more organisms, and soon, we created what you know as the Space Pirates. We got many troops and returned to Zebes and attempted to shove the Chozo off one last time, but yet again, they refused. We accepted defeat, and simply stayed under Zebes’s surface. Our first few outings were on other planets in the Ooromine system. We soon became so big, that the Federation did not like us. So, they attempted to kill us. What did we do? We discovered the Metroids, and wished to vanquish our enemies with these monsters. So, we built the first non-Zebesian settlement here, on Vho. On the outer rim of the galaxy, where, at the time, the Federation was restricted to enforce justice because it was out of their limits. We bred Metroids and built other weapons to conflict the Federation here. Our first official battle happened on Bilium, the quarantined planet in Ooromine. After that, we conflicted with the Federation since, attempting to rid of them so the galaxy could return to its previous state,” Ridley explained.

“Liar!” Samus shouted. Ridley sighed.

“No, Samus. We are not the liars, but rather, the Federation is. They’ve lied to you countless times, and we lied to you not even once.”

“That’s a lie in itself!”

“Oh, but is it really? When have we truly lied to you, Samus? Sarcasm not included, of course. Hm, let’s see. When I promised that I would try and kill you, I tried to, did I not? When I told everyone we were going to go raid some planet, we did, did we not? We have never lied to you once, yet your anger prevents you from believing us,” Ridley told Samus. “Samus, heed those words. If you consider everything I have just said, along with that we have never lied to you, then whatever I say about the Galactic Federation and their secrets,” Ridley stuck out a claw and patted Samus’s hand. “You know I’m telling the truth.”

Ridley could see Samus crying, likely from anger, or from remembering her mother. In any case, Ridley hoped she had listened.

“Now, since you have heard the truth, I have but one last question for you: is it worth it? Is it worth it to take sides with the people who are trying to kill you now, while running from both them, and from the people who are doing nothing but trying to help you? Sounds a bit silly to me,” Ridley said. He gave the signal to Weavel, and Weavel unlatched the straps holding Samus down.

Samus was astonished. Adam had not said one word. She whispered to him, “Is all of this true?”

Adam responded, “Yes, Samus. Unfortunately, every word spoken is the truth…”

“Were you trying to kill me this whole time?” Samus said, sobbing.

“I believed the Federation was wrong for all of this, but I knew that if I told you, you would run away from me. You can trust me, Samus, and only me. I was one of the few noble troopers there. I hope you understand…” Adam replied.

“Who is she whispering to?” Ridley asked Weavel.

“It appears to be a computer file with someone’s brain uploaded to it. It seems to be speaking to her from within her helmet,” Weavel responded.

“Adam…” Sylux mumbled. He overheard her whispering. Ridley turned to Sylux.

“Did you once know this person, Sylux?” Ridley asked. Sylux did nothing, but merely nodded.

“Whatever happened to ‘One of them will understand. One of them must.’, Adam?” Samus sobbed.

“That someone…was me,” Adam replied. Samus looked at Ridley.

“What is your proposition?”

“Oh, it’s simple. Join the Space Pirates, Samus,” Ridley replied. Samus’s eyes widened. She was desperate, and she felt like accepting the offer. That voice she heard in the elevator…could it have been? Ridley?

“Was it you who spoke to me on the elevator, Ridley?” Samus asked. Ridley looked puzzled.

“What on Zebes are you blabbing about?” Ridley asked. Samus forgot about her question, and thought more about her decision. She thought about accepting, in fact, she knew she was going to say it. But the only words that escaped her lips were “No.”

“Pardon?” Ridley asked. Samus continued.

“I-I don’t n-need your h-help to survive in th-this galaxy…” she said. She was confused now. She knew she was going to accept the offer, but for some reason or another, she was denying it. All of a sudden, she felt herself run out of the room into the elevator room. Ridley’s eyes narrowed.

“She doesn’t mean what she says,” he said. “Either she is afraid, or something is making her like this.”

“It’s the computer, sir,” Weavel said. “This ‘Adam’ character is making her do all of this. I found no irregularities in her brainwave patterns, sir.”

“Very well, then,” Ridley replied. “Phantoon, shut her system down for a moment so we can make her a new one.”

Phantoon appeared in the room.

“Sure thing,” he replied.

“Screw this,” Sylux said, standing up. “I’m going to kill her!” Sylux ran out the room into the elevator room. After a quick glance of Sylux running out, Ridley sighed.

“Him too,” he said.

“Got it,” Phantoon replied.
I'm not a lawyer, so technically I can't give you legal advice and stuff, but a few words of wisdom:

The following statement is something you should put on all of your writings, so that your stories don't get stolen.

This story is copyright (c) [insert year] [your name]

Example: This story is copyright (c) 2007-2008 John Doe

You should add the next statement so you don't get sued by Nintendo for using their names.

All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders.

Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to put those on each page.
red chamber dream
That doesn't actually copyright anything, but there's really no reason to worry in this case anyway.
Yo.
ArrowArrowArrowArrow

Summarily creepy, in it's own right. One thing, though... You might wanna steal some parentheses from TJF588 and put references to the games themselves in those. Even if we all already know, it makes the story flow better sometimes IMO... Unfortunately, I can't find the part I'm complaining about ATM. =(
Edit history:
Gamma_Metroid: 2009-01-14 09:09:56 pm
Yeah, I noticed a couple of kinks with the storyline.  Somewhere in there you said something about Ridley going down with the station in that frozen room.  But remember, Samus fought him later on, when the X infected him?  So you could work that out by saying that Ridley's DNA was preserved in the X Samus absorbed or something.

But I like the whole Settlement Zero idea.  Great job so far.  Keep it up.

Arrow Arrow Arrow Arrow Exclamation
Quote from arkarian:
That doesn't actually copyright anything, but there's really no reason to worry in this case anyway.


Quote:
When is my work protected?
Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.


This is regardless of any additional symbols or registration. Of course this only refers to people / works created in the U.S. and countries that have signed copyright agreements with the U.S. (all major ones).

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html

I have no clue how fan-fictions work in regards to characters created and registered to other companies. I'd assume fair use and really what are the chances that Nintendo is going to waste their time in a lawsuit over something this small.
I EAT YOR cookies
Chapter Seven: Mission Commence

Samus ran into the elevator room, and stopped.

“What are you doing?” Samus cried out.

“What is necessary…” Adam responded. Samus gripped her helmet, and fell to her knees. Just then, Sylux stepped into the room, and sent a current of electricity through his arms.

“Adam…your time has come! Quit coming back to ruin my life again!” he shouted. Samus was wide-eyed.

“Adam…do you know who Sylux is?” Samus asked. Adam sighed.

“Not specifically, no,” Adam said.

“Well hell, if Ridley can tell the truth, so can I,” Sylux said. “It’s been a mystery why I hate you and the Federation, and many people have developed different theories as to why, but none are correct. My true name is Robert Malkovich. I am Adam’s brother, or, rather, I was. I was the older of us, yet Adam was more successful. He became a higher-up in this corrupt government, while I became a pathetic mining engineer. I was falsely accused for treason, and so, I was kicked out of the Federation without much notice or say in the matter. Before I was fired, I worked in a squadron with a peculiar man by the name of Rodney Aran. Your father, Samus. And I must say, old Rodney was the definition of ‘son of a bitch’. He bossed us around when he wasn’t commander of our squad, he accused many people of being liars, myself included…your father got me kicked out of the Federation, and with that, I vowed to despise any later generation of the Aran family. That includes you. As to why I hate the Federation as a whole, I was the first to learn about their corruption. As soon as I figured this out, I became a bounty hunter with the sole mission of taking down the Federation. I haven’t had much luck since then. In fact, I was trapped in a horrible explosion while trying to rob the Federation of its core data files. They knew I was coming, and even set up decoy files to amuse me. That explosion left me crippled with multiple deep wounds along my body. How I remained alive, I am unsure…but I did. And someone came to rescue me. He hooked me up with wires to replace my veins and arteries, then supplied me with this armor…and I became notorious among the galaxy. With this, I could feel pain, emotion…but I could not feel death…”

“R-Robert?” Adam stuttered. It was pointless, considering he could not speak outside Samus’s helmet.

“Adam…I never knew,” Samus said.

“Neither did I, Samus,” Adam responded. Suddenly, Sylux fell over. Phantoon materialized nearby him.

“If you choose to disobey orders, it will cost you dearly,” he said. Samus raised her arm cannon at Phantoon, who subsequently disappeared and reappeared nearby her, waving a tentacle near her head. But Samus did not fall over as Phantoon expected. “The hell?”

Samus looked puzzled.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Damn Chozos and their advanced machinery,” Phantoon mumbled. “I’m trying to shut you down!”

“What? How can you do that?”

“Fool! My body is made entirely from electrically charged particles! Thus, I can destroy power, and restore it as well!” Phantoon roared. “Remember that blackout? It was all me, Sammy. I did it to bring you in, and I spoke to you in the other elevator to make sure you were heading our way by giving you a target to aim for.”

Samus’s eyes widened. That’s how he destroyed the Wrecked Ship’s power on Zebes, she thought.

“Sylux went down with ease, but you…you need to endure an alternative method of shutting down. I will have to finish you manually,” Phantoon said. He raised a tentacle, and disappeared. Samus lifted her arm cannon, ready to fight.

“Wonderful,” she said.

“Samus, Phantoon is a tad different now. His weak point remains the same as last time…but he won’t open his eye unless you force it open,” Adam told Samus.

“And how do you suppose I will do that?” Samus asked. She heard Adam mumbling to himself, and then she heard “I got it!”

“Phantoon’s mouth on the bottom of his body is weak to moderate strength explosives. Does that sound doable?” Adam said. Samus nodded, and rolled into a ball. She waited for Phantoon to materialize, and she rolled under and laid a Power Bomb underneath his body. Phantoon roared, and spun around. Samus unmorphed, and looked at Phantoon’s eye, which was red and seemingly in pain. Samus unleashed a diffusion missile into the monster’s eye. Phantoon roared even louder, and the machinery around the elevator flickered on and off within split seconds. When the power circuits stopped, the elevator shot upward. It shot up so fast that Samus fell over and clung onto the metal surface. When Phantoon’s pain ended, he disappeared again.

“You bitch! I will end you!” he roared. “I will make sure your life will end as slowly as mine did!”

Samus struggled to stand up, and then the elevator slowed down. Rubble and debris fell from the walls, some of them falling onto Samus. She dodged most of the debris, and then the elevator halted. Navy fireballs with eyes staring at Samus as they bounced on the rusted metal surface appeared out of nowhere. She shot them after they bounced once, the same way she had done it on Zebes. Many of these fireballs shot out at once in a circle. Samus decided simply to avoid them with that large of a swarm. Soon, a large blue shockwave was unleashed across the floor, and hit Samus. She fell over on one knee with fire coursing across her suit. The fire itself didn’t hurt too badly, considering the Gravity Suit could withstand magma. But the impact damaged her systems pretty bad. Phantoon appeared in the center of the shockwave, and floated close to Samus.

“Done yet?” Phantoon taunted. “I will knock you out like a crudely constructed power plant!”

“Enough!” a voice called. Phantoon paused, and stared where the voice came from. Samus followed suit. They watched as the edge of the elevator was bent, and a black claw pushed through. A few seconds later, Ridley climbed through the hole he made. “I never told you to kill her.”

“But she deserves to die!” Phantoon roared at Ridley. “She is the Hunter!”

“And we need her,” Ridley said defensively. “You cannot disobey authority.”

“You are not my master,” Phantoon angrily spat. “I will not take orders from the likes of you!”

“Then you may die for good,” Ridley responded. “I’ve given you life after you were dead, and you repay me through betrayal?” Ridley pulled out a device with a button on it, and pressed the button. Just then, Phantoon started to fade away.

“NOOO!” Phantoon cried. “You bastard! I will not stand for this!” Phantoon finished disintegrating, and power was restored to the whole elevator. As an instinct in the elevator’s programming, it shot upward at normal speed, ending slightly above on the surface. Here, the blizzard was not raging. It was just slightly cold. A normal human would freeze on contact with the atmosphere, but Samus would not require the Subzero Suit to walk in this area. Samus stared at Ridley.

“Why did you save me?” Samus asked. Ridley sighed.

“Phantoon was never my favorite of the bunch. He was always the most rebellious, and disobeyed orders to begin with,” Ridley replied. “I do hope you decide to join us, Samus. Without you, our operation will be hopeless.”

“Phantoon was once alive?” Samus asked.

“Yes, he was. But the Federation took him down and experimented on him. He died from their methods of examination, and…when we attacked that base, I figured he would be a useful psychologist for the Space Pirates. So…I revived him. I took his mind and uploaded it to this microchip,” Ridley said, and walked over to where Phantoon died. He picked up a burnt out microchip and held it up to where Samus could see it. “I then programmed the chip to both absorb and give out electricity upon the mind’s will. I gave the chip an electric current to form a body with, and it formed its former self. And now, only five hundred years later, I disrupted his electric current and burned the chip out.”

There was a pause. Samus held her arm cannon up to Ridley. Ridley squinted.

“Who’s doing that? You, or your little electronic buddy?” he said. Samus used her hand to push her arm cannon down.

“I…despise you to no end, Ridley…” Samus said. “But…we sometimes have to do what’s necessary…to keep the peace…”

Ridley smiled. “Good,” he responded. “So you will join us?”

“Y-yes,” Samus said.

“Hold on!” Adam cried out. Ridley flinched and subsequently looked around.

“Who was that?” he asked.

“I am Adam Malkovich! I was once Samus’s CO when she was in training and in police duty,” Adam replied. Samus was puzzled.

“Adam, how are you speaking out like that?” she wondered.

“I always could, I just chose not to,” he answered.

“So…you must be that computer that was forcing her to run from us,” Ridley said. “What do you want?”

“If you all are the true good guys, why did you attack galactic civilization with peace ruining things like Metroids and Phazon?”

“Metroids were to attack galactic civilization directly, and Phazon was used to enhance our weaponry for attack,” Ridley responded. “We never meant any harm.”

“Then why did you harm so many different civilizations and ruin multiple sections of the galaxy?”

“That is the price to pay with our master plan in taking the Federation down. Besides, the Galactic Federation almost ruined the entire galaxy with the X Parasite,” Ridley replied. “And you helped them.”

“I could not think straight! My personality was not fully uploaded to the server!” Adam responded in defense.

“Don’t give me that bull,” Ridley barked.

“Stop arguing!” Samus cried.

“You want me to stop, Samus? Fine. Just let me kill him!” Adam yelled. He forced Samus’s arm cannon up to point between Ridley’s eyes, and opened the missile hatch. Ridley just sat there, looking unimpressed.

“Tsk tsk. You know I cannot die that simply, Malkovich,” Ridley said quietly.

“I know,” Adam replied. “But I can freeze you like we did on B.S.L.”

“Hm…You could,” Ridley said. “But then I bid your life farewell, for the Federation will finish you off sooner or later without us.”

“How did you survive the X infection, anyway?” Adam wondered.

“That body you had was not me…but a clone of myself. A stupider, weaker clone of myself,” Ridley responded. “It’s a tad ironic. You died for Samus’s life, and now you’re throwing her life in grave danger. Perhaps you cannot be trusted?”

“I can,” Adam angrily replied. “But no one else can.”

“You say this, yet you are pointing Samus’s arm cannon between my eyes, as if you plot to blow my head clean off my shoulders,” Ridley said calmly. “Not very trustworthy, now is it?”

Adam lowered the arm cannon, and allowed Samus to regain control over her Power Suit. “What’s the plan?” he asked. Ridley smiled.

“The Galactic Federation, as we know, is strong in multiple fields. They assign different species to these fields. And if we take out the key species to the Galactic Federation’s vulnerability, they will eventually be easier to take out themselves,” Ridley replied. “The point? Our scanners indicate that one of these key civilizations conveniently reside on this very planet. As far as we can tell, this species handles all of the Federation’s air supply, and also helps keep the political branch of the Federation stable and organized. My hypothesis is that if we remove the leader of this civilization, the Federation will be scarce on oxygen and also fail a bit in their stocks and policies. It will not end them for good, but it will be a severe blow to their stability.”

“And where exactly will we find this civilization?” Adam asked.

“We will have to do a search of the planet,” Ridley said. “I could send a squadron with you, and…”

“Not if I take this planet first,” a voice said. Ridley turned around, and saw a heat signature on a small protrusion on a nearby wall.

“Don’t hide,” Ridley said. “We won’t bite.”

“I’m not hiding!” the voice yelled. A red beam shot through Ridley’s wing lobe, and Samus ran to take cover. Ridley ignored Samus running, and jumped up onto the protrusion to pick the creature up by the abdomen.

“What is this? A Kriken? Wielding an Imperialist?” Ridley said. “Not bad, but you’ll have to be better.” Ridley raised a claw to strike the Kriken in the skull, but was interrupted.

“Let him go,” a voice behind Ridley said. He looked behind himself, and saw Sylux, staggering to stand upright. “He’s my kill.”

“Very well,” Ridley replied, and dropped the Kriken to the ground, nearly twenty-five feet below. Sylux approached the creature after it endured a hard fall, and as soon as he got close to it, the creature said these words:

“I finally have you,” it said. The Kriken jumped up, and pointed its cannon at Sylux’s head. “And I’m not afraid of blowing your head off in front of your boss.”

“How are you still alive? I shoved you out an airlock,” Sylux whispered.

“I was rescued by my people,” Trace responded.

“But you are in exile,” Sylux retorted. And on that remark, Trace burst out laughing. After about ten seconds of laughter, he replied to Sylux.

“Hahaha…what gave you that idea? I’m not in exile! I’m already a commanding officer and a hero among my people, for introducing to them the Alimbic system,” Trace said. “I just have to continue this duty of finding planets to invade.” After that statement, Trace aimed the Imperialist back at Sylux’s head.

“Go ahead,” Sylux said. “I want you to do it.”

“Pardon?” Trace replied. “After all you’ve done to attempt to remove the Federation from existence, you will just accept death here?”

“I’m already in hell,” Sylux responded. “With my burnt flesh, having to rely on wires to survive…”

“I’m in no state to have sympathy for you,” Trace said. “I’m in a state to kill you.” Just then, Trace fell over. Behind him was Ridley, carrying a large metal pole.

“If he ever cracks something like that again, I’m going to have a little word with his emperor,” Ridley said.

“Why did you save me?” Sylux asked.

“You know, you are the second person to ask me that within the past seven minutes,” Ridley said without an answer. “And yes, I did just avert the question.” Samus stepped out, and Sylux roared at her on sight, with sparking arms. Ridley held his arm out to stop Sylux. “She’s on our side now.”

Sylux huffed, and walked over to sit down.

“I think I’ve heard the plan,” Sylux said. “But how will we execute it?”

“I believe we would need to split up in multiple directions, and have one of us stagger behind to cover our tracks,” Ridley told both of them. He turned to Samus. “Considering you don’t like working in large groups, would you please cover our tracks for us?”

Samus nodded in response. Ridley smiled. “Good,” he said. “Now, let us start.”

Samus ran and jumped off the side of a cliff. Ridley turned to Sylux.

“We have another duty for you,” he said. “Please, follow me.”

--

Samus fell down another pit nearby where she landed from the other cliff. As soon as she fell, she felt herself hit a frosted plant of some sort. She stood up, and the twig snapped. She landed next to a smoking ship. Samus knew who it belonged to immediately: herself. This is where she crash landed before.

“Looks like it took a hard beating…” Adam said.

“You were there with me,” Samus replied. “The Federation attacked us, remember?”

“Vaguely,” Adam responded. “It might be due to the fact that the sudden impact shut off all of my memory beyond a certain point.”

“It’s possible,” Samus said. There was a pause. “Well, I made a large circle. Where to now?”

Suddenly, a creature jumped down and hit the tree, causing it to catch fire. Samus quickly reacted by pointing her gun at the creature, which felt nice now that she was controlling herself and Adam wasn’t. It was another Pyrocul, or perhaps the same one she met before, seeking revenge for its injuries. The creature lashed at Samus with its dagger like leg, and hit her on the spot. It then screeched. Samus got back up, and fired a charged Ice Beam shot into its eye, and it roared. It started wincing in pain, and then caught on fire. The ice surrounding the Pyrocul melted into a puddle. Samus shot a few single Ice Beam shots into the Pyrocul’s eye as it was forced open by the previous blow. The Pyrocul quickly reacted with its ultra-hot spit. The spit missed Samus, as expected, since its eye was covered in ice, and caused the nearby crystal to melt. It set itself on fire again, and forced the ice on its eye to melt off. The water resulting made the Pyrocul’s eye sizzle while red hot. It quickly tried to ram Samus, who dodged the blow. The Pyrocul, instead of bashing into the wall head first, started to climb it. Samus started to shoot at it from below, but soon learned that she could only stun it in this position. The Pyrocul then tried to crush Samus from above, and succeeded. Samus lied underneath the large body of the insect, and started to feel her flesh incinerate. The Pyrocul had set itself on fire again. Samus could not lift the creature off of her. Suddenly, a large laser net swallowed the Pyrocul whole, and it flew back into Samus’s destroyed ship. Samus stood up, and turned around, to see Weavel with his gun focused on the creature. Behind Samus, her ship exploded, an expected outcome of a fire-generating beast meeting gasoline.

“Ridley gave me strict orders to stick close to you,” Weavel said. “So let’s not screw around.”

Samus frowned. “My sensors indicate an upgrade of some sort behind us,” Adam said, ignoring the current situation. Samus turned around, and saw an upgrade floating where the Pyrocul was. She walked over and picked it up.

-------------PLASMA BEAM UPGRADE ACQUIRED. LEVEL TWO ONLINE. -------------

Samus was confused. Level two? she thought.

“This upgrade seems to derive from the Pyrocul’s ultra-heated saliva,” Adam suggested. “And that means Vhozon Crystals should no longer be much of an issue.”

Samus turned to Weavel. “Ridley told me to search for our target alone,” Samus told Weavel.

“I know,” Weavel responded. “I never truly said we were going to be side by side. Rather, in touch via radio. However, we shall not be more than two miles apart. Are we clear?”

Samus nodded, but wasn’t too sure. Weavel walked up to her, and placed a radio transmitter on the side of her helmet.

“That should do it,” Weavel said. “Now, would you like to go first?” Samus nodded again, and walked through the door.

Mission commence.

Author's Note: Credit to Zyborggian for the multi-level Plasma Beam idea.
I EAT YOR cookies
WARNING: Although this chapter contains no swearing whatsoever, it has slightly more graphically described violence than usual. Not enough to warrant an R rating, but I'm just warning those who are grossed out easily by blood and insect-frog-lizard-thingy guts.

Chapter Eight: The Hive

Samus and Weavel walked into the hallway Samus travelled down before after she crashed. Weavel was walking about ten feet ahead. He opened the door at the end of the hall, and quickly stuck to the wall to sidle. Samus quickly followed suit.

“Troopers up ahead,” Weavel whispered. “We need to work around them.”

“How many are there?” Samus asked. “If there are only about ten, we can run through them safely.”

Weavel stuck his head around the doorway and looked through. Federation troopers were walking around casually, and a few were standing, as if guarding something.

“There are only a few,” Weavel said. “But the hole into the hive is sealed.”

“Must we go to the hive?” Samus asked.

“Yes,” Weavel replied. “It is the only way out of here, as the other passage seems to have experienced an avalanche.”

“Well?” Adam said. “What do you propose we do?”

Weavel didn’t reply. He just picked up a flat object from the leg on his armor, and held it up to Samus between his index and middle finger. Samus immediately guessed what it was.

“A bomb?” Samus asked. Weavel nodded.

“We are going to need a distraction,” Weavel said. “Two heavy armor troopers guard the door.”

“I can do it,” Samus suggested. “I know the armor suit anatomy of that brand of Federation trooper, and they only send those in for backup. If I remove the regular troopers from the premises, I would lure the heavy armors to me. I won’t be able to take them down, but I can short circuit them, causing a temporary armor suit lockdown. That’ll be your time to bomb the door back open into the hive.”

“Brilliant,” Weavel agreed. “Now get going. We have no time to lose.”

Samus nodded, and ran out into the open. She broke into Speed Booster and shinesparked a trooper. The result was that the trooper flew back at a high speed and cracked his spine on the tough ice wall behind him. The heavy armor troopers watched the fight, and waited to see if the regulars could handle it themselves. After that move Samus made, about ten troopers started to unload their clips onto Samus. Quickly, she took cover. She turned around and looked at the heavy armors, who returned a glance. She waved and then flipped them off. One of the heavy armors replied to that gesture by pointing at the location she was in. The regular troopers started to move in.

“Was that really the brightest idea?” Adam asked. Samus didn’t answer. The troops moved around the corner, and started firing. Samus unleashed a charged diffusion missile and brutally destroyed the troops. She finished the rest off with a couple Plasma Beam shots. Finally, the heavy armors moved in and thwapped Samus on the back with their weapon. Samus fell over, and then rolled over with her arm cannon pointing at them. She shot a few of her heavy duty weapons at the two armor troops, but it had no effect. Samus held two fingers up high, and Weavel started sneaking around the walls of the outdoor corridor. He climbed the ledge, and jumped back down. The heavy armor troops heard the noise and took off after Weavel. Panicking, Weavel whipped out his energy sword. As one of the troops approached, he stabbed it in the stomach. The sword drove through the armor all the way out the troop’s back. With blood slowly pouring out the troop’s armor, Weavel was satisfied that this one was down and soon to be out. He pulled the sword out, and the body dropped to the ground. The other heavy armor troop started to run towards Weavel, whom Weavel quickly grabbed and pushed back. He held the troop against the sealed wall that was targeted to be blown up, and Samus quickly ripped out some wiring from the back of the troop’s armor. The troop fell to his knees and started to shake, as his armor started to malfunction. Weavel ran back and stood next to Samus, and shot a net at the troop. The net held the heavy armor troop to the sealed door, and Weavel ran up to the shaking body. He pulled out his bomb, and stuck it to the troop’s head.

“Bon voyage,” Weavel said. He armed the bomb, and turned to Samus. “Take cover!”

Samus quickly hid behind a large rock, and Weavel did the same. Within ten seconds, there was a ridiculous explosion that shot through the entire area. Weavel and Samus quickly held onto their rock. After the explosion subsided, a heavy armor troop’s helmet bounced across the ground and slid across the ice. Weavel stood up and checked the hole.

“It’s wide open,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Samus walked towards the hole and jumped down the same vertical passageway she travelled the first time she came through here. She remembered that the elevator would not work, but she came prepared this time. Weavel followed her down the hole. As Samus walked out into the green, moldy section of Settlement Zero, she was surprised to not see even one Omega Metroid. She got a closer look at the room she had been in before, and soon learned that this was once the barracks for the Space Pirate army.

“I can see why they took the barracks,” Adam said. “Every planet is hotter towards its core, and this sector still has a functional heat generator, likely so the army would not freeze during bitter cold nights.”

“The Metroids are very typical,” Weavel said.

“Natural instinct can be a very predictable virtue,” Adam replied. Samus noticed the Queen she had seen earlier was not here. That must have meant that the Queen was possibly hunting during that time. She also noticed a large hole next to a non-operational door. Next to the door was a large sign that said “EXIT THIS WAY”.

“There’s our exit,” Samus said as she pointed at the hole.

“Are you insane, woman?” Weavel barked. “That way only leads deeper into the Metroid hive!”

“Yes it does,” Samus replied. “But the elevator is obsolete, and there is no other path down here.”

Weavel sighed. “Fine. But if we meet a Queen, I am going to leave it to you,” he told Samus.

“Fair enough,” she said. “It’s my fault we’re down here, anyway.”

Samus walked across the room and through the hole, as Weavel slowly tagged along. In the next corridor were many eggs scattered across the ground. Obviously, this must have been the infant care center for Metroids. It also was obvious that the Queen was somewhere near.

“How do you slay a Metroid?” Weavel asked. Adam made a computerized sigh.

“Metroid larvae are peculiar creatures. They have a flexible membrane that cannot be destroyed at all because of how flexible it is. However, the membrane can be frozen. When the membrane is frozen, it is no longer flexible, and is subject to being shattered. Thus, you can break the membrane with brute force, preferably explosives. You can also force the entire creature to explode before freezing it if you have the correct weaponry,” Adam explained.

“Thank you, computer man, for that wonderful anatomy lesson,” Weavel said sarcastically. Adam didn’t seem to detect the sarcasm and replied.

“You’re welcome, cyborg,” Adam said sincerely, while at the same time returning the blow for Weavel calling him ‘computer man’.

“Neh,” Weavel retorted. Samus and Weavel carefully sneaked past the eggs and through into the next corridor. The corridor was humongous. Samus assumed it was the biggest section of living quarters. Metroids were sleeping all throughout the room. Samus turned to Weavel.

“Don’t panic and they won’t wake,” Samus told Weavel quietly. Weavel looked and saw the large population of Metroids flooding the area. He started to panic, but then held it in. Samus climbed down the crippled ladder to the floor, and snuck past a bunch of sleeping Zeta Metroids. Weavel did the same. Samus spotted the door and travelled to it. When she touched the wall, it fell over and made a loud BANG! All the Metroids popped up, and started to swarm towards Samus. Quickly, she jumped off the edge behind the wall she knocked down, and landed in a bowl shaped room. The bowl shaped curve was lined with some sort of gooey substance that was still solid enough to stand on. Weavel pushed and shoved through the crowd of Metroids and watched as they attacked Samus. He would’ve done something had there been only a few. An Omega Metroid went down and picked Samus up, and roared. Samus tried to shoot at the Omega Metroid, but her arm cannon was being held down tight by the creature’s grip. The Omega Metroid opened its mouth and started to slowly bring Samus’s head in closer to its jaws. She squirmed to get free, but failed. Just before the Omega Metroid closed its teeth in on Samus’s head, a loud roar echoed across the room. The Omega Metroid dropped Samus and ran back up to the edge. The other Metroids followed suit. Samus heard stomping footsteps, and looked around with blurred vision from the drop. As her vision evened out, she saw what she feared she would run into. The Queen Metroid walked through a hole in the bowl and walked up to Samus. It roared again, and picked Samus up with its jaws. After flinging Samus around, the Queen Metroid threw her at a wall up high. Samus felt pain serge through her body, and she fell face flat onto the gooey terrain. She quickly picked herself up onto her knee, and looked up at the Queen Metroid.

“It…didn’t…kill me?” Samus stuttered, confused.

“No. It wants to fight you, female to female,” Adam said. “See, every Metroid is male, save for one in about ten thousand. That one female becomes the Queen Metroid. The Queen Metroid’s lifetime is three times longer than a male Metroid’s. This is so it has time to birth another female Metroid to take up its mantle. However, Queen Metroids of a separate Metroid population can lead another by challenging the Queen of the other population. With Metroids being territorial, and that you happen to be a female with Metroid DNA infused with your own, your being here is a signal to this Queen that you wish to challenge her for dominance over this particular Metroid population.”

“Well, what do you know? The one time I get treated like a queen is when I’m challenged to a fight to the death with a gargantuan cannibalistic killer Metroid queen,” Samus said.

“Irony is a wonderful thing, is it not?” Adam said. The Queen Metroid huffed and stomped, then clawed at the ground as a gesture of a fight being commenced. Samus sighed.

“I guess it’s time to finish this,” Samus said. She pointed her arm cannon at the Queen Metroid, whom replied with an eardrum-shattering roar. The Queen ran towards Samus with its jaws wide open, ready to split Samus in two. She responded with a hearty charged Ice Beam shot down the creature’s throat. The Queen Metroid screeched, and stumbled over. It started squirming as if it were a turtle flipped on its shell, and Samus ran over and jumped on its belly. She started pelting the core membrane with Ice Beam shots. The Queen quickly flipped over and crushed Samus. After hearing a crack, the Queen roared as though it was victorious. Suddenly, an explosion took place under the Queen Metroid’s belly. The Queen Metroid flew back about twenty feet and slid across the goo floor. Where the Queen once was lie Samus in Morph Ball form. She unmorphed, and walked towards the Queen. The Queen stumbled back to balance, and spat acid at Samus. The acid landed a direct hit on Samus, and started to burn away at her energy. Quickly, she ran to the side and attempted to get it off. The acid’s effects wore off, and Samus stepped back into the fight. She had realized in her HUD that she only had thirty-seven energy left! She engaged combat as brutally as possible, but before her initial attack, something clonked her on the head. She picked the item up and realized it was a Repair Pack, something the Power Troopers of the Space Pirates used on Tallon IV to repair their suit. She looked up at Weavel, who saluted. Subsequently, an Omega Metroid thwapped Weavel on the back, and Weavel flicked the Omega Metroid off. Samus applied the Repair Pack to her suit, and it healed her all the way to full.

“Samus, the quickest way to end this fight would be to lay a Power Bomb into the Queen’s stomach. Such an explosion within her would cause her core to spill out,” Adam suggested. “But you will have to be quick. Being in the Queen’s stomach will damage you severely.”

Samus agreed. She pointed her arm cannon at the Queen. The Queen dashed after Samus. Samus quickly froze the Queen’s four feet to the ground, and ran after the roaring monster. As Samus ran, she froze the Queen’s neck in place, and when she was close, Samus jumped. In mid-air, Samus morphed into ball form and swiftly landed on the Queen’s bottom jaw. She rolled down the Queen’s throat quickly before the Queen closed its jaws. Just as Samus entered the Queen’s stomach, she laid a Power Bomb to get the job done quick and easy. The Power Bomb forced the membrane to split open, and split open it did. Samus fell out the stomach as well as the Queen’s internal organs. She unmorphed and fell to her knees.

“That hurt a little too much…” Samus said, exhausted from the depleted energy. The Queen went on rampage from the gutting Samus performed. Within fifteen seconds, the lack of vital organs caused the Queen to die down slowly yet quietly. Samus took a step, and slipped on the clear fluid that spilled out the core of the Queen. Samus slipped and hit the Queen’s spilt pre-digestional acid. A small bit of acid slid into Samus’s arm cannon, and as Samus stood up, she felt her arm cannon shake as an aura surrounded it. Suddenly, her arm cannon ejected brown acid.

------------------------------ACID BEAM ACQUIRED. MELT CERTAIN METAL ALLOYS AND ANATOMICALLY TARGET AN ENEMY FOR DIFFERENT RESULTS. ------------------------------

Samus was a tad confused. How was it any different from the Plasma Beam? Without asking, Adam answered that question.

“The Acid Beam is used to melt particular alloys that are otherwise totally indestructible. It also allows you to target different parts of an enemy’s body for a different outcome. For instance, target an enemy’s legs, and their mobility will be undermined. Aim at an enemy’s arm or weapon, and they will be disarmed. If their weapon was not a part of their armor structure or anatomic make-up, however, they can pick the weapon up again. Aim for the body, and they will disintegrate. Aim for the head, and their head will melt as the rest of the body falls over. Of course, larger enemies would only be damaged if you use Acid Beam on them,” Adam explained. “It also infuses an extra Metroid gene into your DNA: the ability to drain energy from the enemy. Your suit no longer accepts Energy Tanks anymore, as you are now equipped with a single large health bar that depletes significantly slower than your normal energy reserves when damaged. You can thank the Queen for all of this, Samus.”

Samus was astounded. A different kind of energy reserve…with the ability to drain energy from foes. This could be a blessing or a curse, or both. But now Samus felt stronger than ever before. The cannibalistic Metroids hopped down and surrounded Samus. Weavel stuck behind the crowd. The Omega Metroids kneeled and roared. The other Metroids made their funky sounds. The crowd cleared a way for Weavel to walk through to Samus. At the same time, they tried to kill Weavel. Samus quickly silenced the Metroids before Weavel was dinner.

“What do you know? You’re slowly becoming one of them,” Weavel said sarcastically. Samus ignored Weavel. She figured the Metroids would not understand English, so she signaled for them to move away and stay. The Metroids did exactly as follows. Samus and Weavel then left the bowl shaped room out the side they never touched. Down an emergency exit, and the two were outside again, out in the bitter cold.

--

Sylux and Ridley walked down the halls of the mother ship, still docked on Vho.

“Why am I here and not removing the evil race like Samus and Weavel?” Sylux asked Ridley.

“Because, good fellow. You are of other importance to us…” Ridley replied. Ridley opened a door into a room with a testing table. “Lie down.”

“No,” Sylux retorted. “I will not be tested on.”

“Don’t think of it that way. Think of it more like…a dream,” Ridley said.

“A dream?” Sylux didn’t sound impressed. Suddenly, a large object hit Sylux square on the helmet’s scalp, and Sylux’s machinery entered lockdown. Subsequently, Sylux fell over, as if he was unconscious.

“Whoever fixed up his armor programmed the realism in very nicely,” Ridley said. He turned to a Pirate scientist holding a thick metal pipe. “Strap him down.”

The scientist nodded, and threw the metal pipe to the side. It left the room and entered the one next door, which was visible from the first room through a soundproof window. The scientist pressed a button as Ridley placed the unconscious Sylux on the table. The button triggered a few metal straps to rise and wrap around Sylux’s mechanical limbs to hold him down.

“Send a concentrated serge to make him remain in lockdown for twelve hours,” Ridley told the scientist. The scientist nodded again, and pressed another button, which sent an electric current through Sylux’s body. “Now let’s cut this baby open.”
Edit history:
Gamma_Metroid: 2009-03-11 09:38:45 pm
Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
With blood slowly pouring out the troop’s armor,


There should be an "of" in there.

Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
Weavel and Samus quickly held onto their rock.


That adverb doesn't sound quite right.

Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
Samus felt pain serge through her body, and she fell face flat onto the gooey terrain.


I believe it's spelled "surge".

Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
The Queen stumbled back to balance, and spat acid at Samus.


That doesn't sound quite right.

Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
Subsequently, an Omega Metroid thwapped Weavel on the back, and Weavel flicked the Omega Metroid off.


I think you mean "flipped".

Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
“Samus, the quickest way to end this fight would be to lay a Power Bomb into the Queen’s stomach.


"Into" isn't the right word.  It implies that the Power Bomb is gotten into the Queen's stomach without actually being in the stomach yourself.

Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
The Metroids did exactly as follows.


That doesn't sound right.

Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
The scientist nodded, and threw the metal pipe to the side. It left the room and entered the one next door, which was visible from the first room through a soundproof window.


It sounds like the pipe is the subject in the second sentence.

Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
“Send a concentrated serge to make him remain in lockdown for twelve hours,” Ridley told the scientist.


Again with the serge/surge thing.
Quote from Gamma_Metroid:
Quote from Ultimate Ridley:
With blood slowly pouring out the troop’s armor,


There should be an "out" in there.

you mean "of".
I EAT YOR cookies
Sorry about the revival, it just took me so darn long to get this done. But remember, kids, procrastination makes perfect!

Chapter Nine: The Frostbitten Wasteland

“What is this?” Ridley called for the Space Pirate scientist. The scientist left the monitor room and entered the surgical room. He walked up to Ridley, who responded with a scalpel covered in some form of ooze.

“I’ll take it to the testing labs right away, sir,” the scientist said.

“Good. If my hypothesis is correct, and that ooze is exactly what I think it is…then we have our key to administering our cure for Miteralis,” Ridley replied. “It’s about damn time that virus goes away.”

The scientist left, and Ridley continued to dissect Sylux’s anatomy. Suddenly, Ridley heard the running footsteps of a Pirate behind him.

“Sir Ridley! Sir Ridley! Come, quickly!” the Pirate called. Ridley turned around and glared at the Pirate.

“What is it?” Ridley asked.

“Down at the vaccination labs…a Pirate is cornering two of his friends…the catch? He’s infected,” the Pirate panted. Ridley’s eyes widened.

“Dear Lord! I must stop him!” Ridley yelled. Ridley ran out into the wide hall and started flying towards the vaccination labs. Ridley took a few turns, and busted through a large double-door that led into the testing labs. He flew right over the hangar-sized corridor and through another double-door. He took one more right turn and stopped. The incident was taking place fifty feet in front of him. “Stop, you menace! You must be treated!”

The infected Pirate was very muscular, more than an average Pirate should be. He turned his torso around to look at Ridley with blank white eyes. The Pirate was drooling.

“Oh my,” Ridley whispered. “He’s near the final stage of Miteralis.”

The infected Pirate turned back to face the two cornered victims, and roared.

“Why are you doing this?” one of the victims asked. He got no reply. Finally, the Pirate jumped in and bashed the victims’ skulls into the metal wall. The victims fell to the ground with large dents in their head. The infected Pirate roared, and then suddenly seemed to realize what he had just done. Ridley began to see tears slowly leak out the infected Pirate’s eyes. Suddenly, he pushed the barrel of his claw gun against his head, and fired. Ridley looked away as soon as he realized what the infected Pirate was about to do. After the bang noise that the gun made, Ridley looked at the infected carcass. It lay on the floor, with a gaping hole burnt through its head. The wall to the Pirate’s left was a mess due to what he did to himself.

A few Space Pirate scientists ran in and stood next to Ridley.

“What happened?” a scientist asked, panting. Ridley stared at the carcass.

“Misery happened, good fellow. And this poor Pirate wanted to get out of it,” Ridley replied.

“Was it Miteralis again?” another scientist asked. Ridley only nodded. “Augh! I’ve had enough of your secrets! We must chart Miteralis and its effects immediately so we can warn the civilians. Then, we will have no more annoying questions!”

“Alright,” Ridley responded. “I suppose it’s time for you all to know.”

Ridley led the scientists into a conference room with a large computer monitor in the back. He signaled for them to take a seat, and they did so. As for Ridley, he stood up in front of the monitor.

“What do all of you know about Miteralis?” Ridley asked aloud.

“Uh, its name?” an aggravated scientist responded, being a smart aleck.

“That it’s fatal,” a less aggravated scientist said.

“Very good. Yes, indeed, folks, Miteralis is fatal and you will die from it. We are currently investigating how to apply a cure. Until then, we must quarantine those in the early stages,” Ridley said.

“What are the symptoms?” a scientist asked.

“It starts with a gradual increase in strength. This symptom remains constant throughout the entire duration of the pathogen’s effects. If you wake up one morning, and seem stronger than usual whilst knowing you have not done any sort of physical activity to set you in that shape, you must see a local doctor immediately. It likely means you have been infected. There is no pain in the beginning, however, making it harder to detect without a scan for abnormal viral activity,” Ridley explained.

“And how is this strength a bad thing?” the aggravated scientist wondered.

“The key phrase is ‘gradual increase’. It doesn’t stop. Your muscles continue to expand and grow, and your tendons eventually have no time to catch up with them in this growth. Thus, your tendons will, eventually, detach from your bones, making you a flabby organism. With the muscles detached, you cannot move that part of your body. But your muscles continue to grow even after that, as the bacteria inside grows within them. Soon enough, your skin will split open due to oversized muscles grown without time for your body to adjust. The virus will detect the external atmosphere, and leave the muscles to find another host to breed in. In this process, there is much pain, and multiple other effects to be noted,” Ridley said.

“Why is it nicknamed the Global Exterminator Virus?” a scientist asked.

“It gets part of its nickname from the other effects it causes. First to be noted, the eyes of the host go blank white. The host tends to salivate more than usual, and it also gains a peculiar mentality that which makes it want to kill everything in sight. The truly scary thing here is that a host in the stage before when the tendons detached is stronger than almost every organism in its environment, making it entirely possible to slay even the most resourceful and amazingly well-trained soldier with the swing of its arm.”

The scientists gasped, and then there was a pause. They engaged in a private conversation Ridley could not hear. He sighed and waited for them to stop. After a few minutes of quiet whispering, the scientists turned to Ridley.

“Where did this disease originate from?” one asked. Ridley stood up straight, as if he just woke from a bored sleep.

“Bilium,” Ridley said.

“Is the pathogen just floating about in the atmosphere of the planet, making it deadly to touch, or is it from another cause?”

“It does inhabit the atmosphere of Bilium, however, we also believe that the mites that almost dominate the planet carry the virus, hence why we gave it the name Miteralis,” Ridley replied. “Our men have been bitten by the mites during our first battle with the Federation, and someone brought a culture of the virus here.”

Suddenly, the scientist who was helping Ridley with dissecting Sylux barged in.

“Ridley, come quick!” it said. “It’s Kraid.”

Ridley hopped up, and started dashing to the lowest chamber of the mother ship, where Kraid resides.

“Wait!” the scientist called out. “You may wish to keep a safe distance. Contacting him would be the best idea.”

Ridley nodded. He dashed into the contact room of the mother ship and contacted Kraid. A small screen descended from the ceiling and turned to face Ridley. After a short pause with static, Kraid appeared on the screen, slightly giggling.

“What the hell are you giggling about?” Ridley called. Then he thought about what he just asked. “On second thought, just answer this. Why did a scientist have to interrupt a meeting to get me to contact you?”

Kraid looked at the screen.

“Oh hey Ridley,” Kraid said somewhat happily. “I just made some new friends here, and when I showed them to this one dude, he freaked out.”

Ridley’s eyes widened.

“Put your new ‘friends’ on screen. Now. I demand it,” Ridley told Kraid.

“Well uh…okay,” Kraid said. Kraid reached out with his gargantuan, two-fingered claw and turned the screen down to his enlarged belly with his stomach spikes loaded, as if ready to fight. Ridley saw a couple blue-yellow-red-green bugs crawling about Kraid’s enormous body as if it were their habitat.

“These dudes are pretty cool,” Kraid said with his booming voice, the voice of a giant. “I don’t know why that guy freaked out when he saw them. Eh, I guess he’s afraid of bugs or something like that.”

“Kraid…” Ridley said, his voice trembling slightly. “Those are bugs you need to be afraid of, too.”

“Why? I mean, they are-“

“Kill them all. Now,” Ridley demanded.

“No way, man. I’m not gonna kill a few innocent bugs,” Kraid replied.

“Innocent? My ass! Do you even know what those bugs are?! They are Bilius rali, a.k.a. ralis mites. They carry the pathogen you and I know as Miteralis!” Ridley yelled. “Kill them all now!”

“I don’t think they’re Biliukerakitura…whatevers, dude. They don’t seem to harm me at all,” Kraid replied.

Ridley roared with anger and a hint of fear.

“Then that might make you a carrier!” he yelled. “And if you’re a carrier, we will kill you, Kraid. There is no doubt about that! We don’t care if you are almost my rank in hierarchy, if you are the last cause of Miteralis, we will kill you! Understood?”

Kraid yelped, and replied.

“Yes sir,” he said.

“Good,” Ridley replied. “Now kill them all before they make you sick or a carrier, provided you’re not one already.”

--

Samus and Weavel stepped out into the frozen wasteland of Vho. With the Subzero Suit, Samus’s suit’s functions could not be frozen, and thus, she could check the temperature.

“Negative twenty-six thousand, eight hundred seventy-three degrees,” Samus read aloud. She said it through the Radio Visor so Weavel could directly hear it. Otherwise, the loud blizzard would drown out her speech. “That’s ridiculous.”

“But true,” Adam said. “The lowest temperature this area of Vho has ever experienced is about negative three thousand degrees. This right now is barely a discernable fraction of how much colder it can get.”

“Well, now I understand why Ridley gave me some ‘Subzero Serum’ shot before we came here,” Weavel said.

Samus turned to Weavel.

“Do you know what Project Dread is?” Samus asked.

“What?” Weavel asked. Both of them started to walk forward. The outdoor area they were in had a major blizzard whooshing about, and the nearest door was on a wall at the far end of the colosseum-shaped area they were in.

“I said, do you know what-“

“I heard you,” Weavel said. “I just don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Enough of these lies!” Adam called through the Radio Visor. “You are conspiring against us and you know it!”

“No we aren’t,” Weavel said, assuring. “I have no clue what this ‘Project Dread’ is, or what it could be.”

“I’m sure Ridley does,” Adam said in a sour tone.

“Yeah, you know what? He probably does. But does that mean you have to know about it as well? We offer Samus help and protection, and we ensure that’s what we deliver. And for you, a former Galactic Federation general to butt in to our business just shows how corrupted even the most trustworthy Federation general can be,” Weavel told Adam off. “So, just shut the hell up, and focus on matters at hand. For one, how the hell we get out of here.”

Adam kept quiet about Project Dread after that, no matter how much he wanted to ask about it.

“Fine, then,” he said. “I will ask again, however, when I feel the time is right.”

“You go right ahead, asshole,” Weavel swore. “I really don’t give a damn what you do.”

Samus sighed as though she saw this sort of conflict coming. But she got over it. They passed through an arch-shaped structure and found two paths around a gigantic iceberg grounded on the frozen ice. Weavel turned to Samus.

“I know you rather work alone. I get that. Here’s a good place to start,” he said. “Just keep your Radio Visor on when either of us needs to talk.”

Samus nodded, and looked to her right.

“I’ll go that way,” she said, and without warning, walked that way. Weavel turned and walked down the path to his left.

Samus entered a large field of frozen ice. She looked in all directions, and could not see a thing except for what was below her.

“Well, we will just have to cope with this difficult vision problem until we find something that will help,” Adam said. “I’m sure that this frostbitten wasteland here holds many surprises, no matter which direction you go.”

Samus nodded, and went straight ahead. After walking about fifty feet, she bumped into a wall.

“There’s the first surprise,” she said. She turned to her left and walked. She found a cave opening in the wall, and entered it, hoping she would find a way through. Samus stepped into the dank, dark cave and set up a source of illumination. No life could be detected above sea level. But suddenly, a creature the size of Samus dug out a hole it made in the ice. Her bio-detector pinged now, telling her that one bioform is walking about. She had never seen such a creature before, yet, it looked so familiar. She switched to Scan Visor and scanned the creature.

A new [Creatures] entry has been recorded to your logbook. Morphology: Zeta Ice Metroid. A young Ice Metroid with its first teeth and claws. Zeta Ice Metroids are typically larger than Zeta Metroids of the species Patrycist familiaris. They are also more aggressive, and, like other Ice Metroid forms, burrow rather than trudge around on the surface. Beware of them; they do not die easily.”

Samus lifted her arm cannon and felt the kick of her shot at the Zeta Ice Metroid. The Zeta Ice Metroid refrained from recoiling, and dashed after her. Samus quickly stepped out of the way to avoid damage. The young Ice Metroid pathetically roared in anger, and took a dash at Samus again. She turned into Morph Ball and laid a Power Bomb. She felt the sharp claws scrape away at her, and she rolled back. She unmorphed, and saw the Power Bomb. She observed the reactions of the creature, and gathered that the Power Bomb was harming it. The fight wasn’t over, though. The Zeta Ice Metroid dashed at Samus again, despite the pain it was clearly enduring at the moment.

“I suggest you continue bombing it,” Adam said. “It would make the most logical sense.”

“I suppose…” Samus replied. She rolled into a ball and laid another Power Bomb, this time rolling out of the way fast enough to avoid another deadly blow from the predator. This time, the core membrane of the Zeta Ice Metroid spilt out. The body lay, seemingly deceased. Samus walked over to the creature’s body, and recorded a short clip of the creature as it lay dead. She then sent the video over to Weavel through the Radio Visor.

“What’s this?” Weavel asked.

“Just stay away from them,” Samus simply answered. “How are things working for you?”

“Fine,” Weavel responded. “Nothing for me to fear quite yet. How are you?”

“I think that creature’s body is enough of an explanation,” Samus said. Suddenly, the carcass of the Zeta Ice Metroid hopped up, and roared at Samus. It had its clear colored guts pouring out, and some disgusting green tissue hanging from where its core used to be. “Holy crap.”

“I see it,” Weavel said. “It isn’t pretty, that’s for sure.”

“Hold on,” Samus said. She lifted her arm cannon, and shot a few globs of acid from her Acid Beam. The acid hit the Zeta Ice Metroid, and it went berserk as steam unnoticeably rose into the heavy snow flurry. The monster unpredictably ran at Samus and started to shred at her suit. She felt the claws shredding at her suit, her external skin. The attack was so quick and unpredictable; Samus did nothing to stop it for some time. But then, she pushed it off with strong force. She quickly aimed her arm cannon at the spot where she shot her Acid Beam, and a stream of brown fluid connected her with the wound. Soon, she felt her energy replenishing. After a few seconds, the Zeta Ice Metroid shrieked one last time before it shattered into ash.

“Owned,” Weavel let out. “There’s no way that mofo is coming back.”

“I think that’s what it feels like to drain a creature of its energy,” Samus said.

“Quite,” Adam spoke.

The blizzard seemed to have died down a bit. Samus could see her path easier than before. She followed a natural hallway surrounded by ice. Soon, however, she ran into another wall.

“Crap,” Samus spat. “This is getting annoying.”

“Remind me why Ridley didn’t offer you a ship?” Adam asked.

“Because, computer man, Ridley knows Samus and her traveling alone needs. Plus, the blizzard probably couldn’t let the ship stay airborne for long,” Weavel answered.

“Right,” Adam said in a very sarcastic tone. “Anyhow, have you found anything yet, cyborg?”

“Nope, nada, zip, zilch,” Weavel replied. “Unless you count pure white snow gushing across the area as ‘something’.”

Samus stepped into a shallow valley. It seemed as though the blizzard died down a bit, so now she could have less worries of bumping into another wall of ice. She walked down onto a large, circular piece of ice, and Samus noticed that it was a dead end. She turned around to leave the area, until the ice underneath her cracked.

“Um, Adam?” Samus asked.

“Yes?” Adam responded.

“Are we on an ice lake?” Samus wondered.

“I’d say so,” Adam answered. “It appears that you aimlessly waltzed onto a large frozen lake. The ice must be very thin here. No worries, though. The Subzero Suit should protect you from the frigid water.”

“That’s not my worry, Adam,” Samus said. She pointed downward at the ice at her feet, and then looked down so Adam could get a decent view of the lake. A silhouette depicting a gargantuan monster shook, and then roared so loud that it could be heard from out of the valley.

“What the hell is that?” Weavel wondered.

“An indigenous species of sorts, perhaps?” Adam suggested.

“No effing duh, computer man,” Weavel retorted.

“Well excuse me for answering your question,” Adam huffed.

“A better answer would be more helpful, you know,” Weavel spat.

“Well, sir, I may be a computer that is constantly fed useful Intel, but that does not imply that everything computes with my CPU,” Adam said back.

Samus broke the argument up and pointed at the crack that became even larger. She looked straight at it so Weavel and Adam could see it. Suddenly, one final roar was let out, and a giant arm that looked as though it belonged to an insect busted a giant hole in the ice lake. The arm slammed down onto the flat ice surface and seemed to pull the rest of its body up. The monster broke an even bigger hole in the already-split ice, and showed its face to Samus. Samus made sure the rest of the group could see it. She quickly held her arm cannon to point at the beast, ready for attack. The creature kneeled down as its feet seemed to plant their selves into the ice. In terms of size, the monster stood well over forty feet tall, and if it were to stand on a pair of its four legs, it would probably reach to be a total height of one hundred feet. It had many spiky, monstrous details that looked as though they could be used for stabbing its prey. The creature seemed to have the ability to execute coordination between its head and the hinges of its legs, as the monster’s head rotated in synchronization with its leg hinges, each moving in the opposite direction of the other. The beast stopped rotating, and finally planted its feet into the ice. It then kneeled closer to Samus, and opened its one eye.

“I should have known,” Weavel said, staring at the monster through the static-y Radio Visor in terror. “It’s another fucking Ocul.”

“Am I the only one to see this coming?” Adam rhetorically asked. Since the question was clearly rhetorical, no one answered him. “It seems you Space Pirates have taken advantage of the Oculs’ incredible ability to evolve into a different species that is far better adapted to the environment within only a few generations. Given how quickly they reproduce, there must be over one hundred different variations and species of them by now.”

“Closer to over five hundred,” Weavel corrected Adam. “Ridley is much older than you think.”

The constant conversation going on seemed to anger the Ocul, so it roared again before its head dove for Samus. Samus quickly rolled out of the way, and switched to her Scan Visor. She scanned the new Ocul species.

A new [Creatures] entry has been recorded to your logbook. Morphology: Frezocul. An Ocul that easily withstands subzero temperatures with no issues, and is extremely well-adapted to surviving under and above frozen bodies of water. Frezoculs have wonderful head-leg coordination, allowing it to rotate in a synchronized fashion. The Frezocul towers above many creatures in height, and has adapted to feed on hydrogen oxide. It obtains its nutrients from the bacteria that survive in the frigid water, and as such, lacks a decent mouth. Rather, Frezoculs have a tiny ‘vent’ of pores on its underside that allows it to roar as a defense mechanism against competition. It also has spikes across its body and legs to scare away any competition. Frezoculs are very territorial, and have a long life span that can extend to about two centuries. They have hooks on the base of each leg that enables the creature to hang on to ice or even perhaps any solid surface. The monster, however, obtains its nutrients through the base of each leg. It is also known to starve at a drastic rate. It must feed on the vital nutrients constantly. This means if it were to fall over and have all four legs detached from the ice and water where which it obtains its nutrients, then the Frezocul would die of starvation within a time frame of ten seconds.”

“How very peculiar,” Adam said. “Should we preserve this specimen and allow it to survive?”

“Honestly, Adam, I don’t think it’ll let me stay alive!” Samus called. The Frezocul swung a single leg at Samus. Samus was knocked over onto her back on the thin ice. She was surprised when she didn’t fall through. “Since the ice is so thin, why doesn’t the monster fall through it?”

“Its legs must have some sort of a weight stabilizer on these ‘hooks’,” Adam suggested. “That would explain things quite nicely.”

“So despite the fact that it is heavy, it doesn’t fall through thin ice,” Weavel restated the fact, and shrugged. “Go figure. Sounds like something Ridley came up with in a spur of the moment.”

“Samus, if the creature won’t let you leave this small valley, I’m afraid that you’re only option is to—“

“Seek an alternate route?” Samus made a smart remark.

“I was going to say to slay the beast, but if you could find an alternate route, things might turn out to be better in the end,” Adam responded. He completely ignored the fact that Samus was being a smart aleck on her most recent remark.

“Well alright then,” Samus said. “I’d better get to killing.”

--

Trace stood up. He had felt a sore pain both on the back of his head and on his back itself. He rubbed the sore spot, and shook it off.

“Damn,” he swore. “Sylux escaped again.”

The Kriken pulled out a telecommunicator and phoned his Homeworld. An eerie voice picked up.

“What is it, Trace?” the voice hissed.

“Emperor Gyrion,” Trace said clearly into the telecommunicator. “I think I’ve found a decent planet to take control of.”

“What are the coordinates?” Emperor Gyrion asked Trace.

“You’ll find it in the outermost system of the galaxy,” Trace spoke. “The specific planet is white.”

“I hope this had better not be another screw-up, Trace,” Emperor Gyrion said.

“That makes two of us, sir,” Trace replied. The emperor terminated the signal, and Trace put his telecommunicator back into one of his pockets in his armor. He walked to the edge of the roof of one part of Settlement Zero, and jumped across to the snow over a steep gap. He landed gracefully on the top of an ice wall, and started walking towards where his instincts told him to go.
Annoying
It's a cute story, but unfortunitally some admin will shut this down. There was a guy who got banned for repetitively posting a 'metroid database' topic about Hunters. Arkanian thought was a fanfic.