Chronicles of a Traitor
By Zane Qlster
////Chapter 1- Prologue\\\\
My name is Tabrell Kibishi, and I am a Space Pirate. Before you pass judgment on me, know you this: I am no longer connected with the militant horde that fights Samus Aran known as the Combine. No. Instead, my allegiance belongs to a cadre of escapees called the Legion: former "units" that live and operate outside the system. We are hated by the Combine and feared by the Federation. Our mission, if it could be called as such, is similar to the Federation's, in that we both see the Combine as a threat, but we have no intention of becoming leaders.
I am a Space Pirate, and this is my story.
--N--
Many, many cycles ago, the Scripts tell us that the first Space Pirate was created as part of a genetic experiment by the Federation. However, things didn't go according to plan, as many things associated with the Combine are wont to do. The First, as it came to be called, went berserk, killing its creators and anything else that drew breath on Zebes. Finally its rage ended, and it was alone. Seizing the Federation's equipment, The First crafted the first Spawning Pod, the devices from which Space Pirates are grown. Cycles passed, and The First grew an army and declared itself leader. The early Combine launched its first successful attack during cycle 23986 against the neighboring planet of Thryaxxis. There, they stole the Mother Brain for use in their base as a supercomputer. One centicycle later, in 24986, The First died, leaving the Combine leaderless.
--A--
During this time, the Mother Brain came up with a scheme to create the ultimate leader. Taking samples from the most vicious species across the fledgling empire, the Mother Brain directed Space Pirate scientists in the creation of the being now known as Lord Ridley. To ensure his continued well-being, the scientists created a special Spawning Pod dedicated to Lord Ridley's genetic code that would activate upon the unlikely occasion of his death. To power this device, an energy transformer was created that would draw power from the black hole in the center of the galaxy. Unfortunately, the creation of all these devices exhausted the Combine's supply of Federation technology, and so they turned their attention outwards.
--R--
At least, this is what we are told. As a Pirate is grown, it has the basic knowledge of all it needs to know implanted into its brain along with unquestioning loyalty to the Combine and its objective of total conquest. In the Combine, any who would question their programming is silenced. However, one decacycle ago, a handful of Pirates began to reject their coding and were able to escape the Combine's grasp. The first of these had no names, instead removing their designations in order to remain anonymous. Now, however, we have adopted the practice of naming ourselves. For example, I used to be known by the designation AE-21586-λ. I was created on Aether during the mining expedition there, and, as all Pirates were at the time, I was given Phazon as part of my embryonic fluid mixture. However, for reasons unknown, my body filtered out the toxic element. I was deemed a failure, and was thrown into the ranks of the Militia. Luckily, I never actually had to fight Samus Aran, for I most definitely would have been killed. Because my body did not accept the Phazon, my ability to use Pirate-based weapons is impaired severely, but my mental capacity is considerably larger than those whose minds have been stunted by the toxin. In any case, after the destruction of the Ing, we were sent in individual crafts to our next assignment: a planet named Bryyo, apparently of some importance to the Federation. However, I was able to hijack my ship's nav system and break from its automated course. Alone and weaponless, I became a drifter, moving from planet to planet to escape both the Combine, to whom I was a traitor, and the Federation, to whom I was an enemy.
--P--
It was during one of these cross-planetary hops that I first encountered the Legion. I happened to cross paths with Nanyaki Boj'kar, one of the recruitment officers, at a bar on Kessel. I was informed of the Legion's existence and that it was comprised of others like me; Pirates who didn't accept their birth-coding for one reason or another. Intrigued, I followed the Pirate into hyperspace, despite the fact that it seemed too good to be true. Sure enough, as soon as we exited on the other side, I was tagged with a tracer by one of their scouts lying in wait. I was then given a choice: join the Legion and leave my ship and identity behind, or return to my life as a drifter, albeit with a beacon broadcasting my location twice a second. As I wished to remain alive for as long as possible, I accepted Nanyaki's offer. I was then led to one of the moons of Pokanto 4, where I was loaded into a teleport and beamed to the Legion's base of operations.
It was there I found my calling, and it was then that my story really began.
--A--
