Graduated high school, sorted a few more things out, and I'm ready to dig back into this. The Black Storm will remain on hiatus for the time being while I review it for a re-drafting. So, while I keep The Black Storm on the forecast back burner, I'm gearing up on a few writing fronts for college. In the meantime, I give you this prelude.

But before I do, here's the obligatory disclaimer: The following is a non-profit, fan-based crossover intended for the sole purpose of entertainment and the practice of writing. I do not own any rights to Metroid, Alien, Predator, Alien vs. Predator, nor any other subsequent titles and/or for-profit spin-offs, and all of the aforementioned titles belong to their respective creators and copyright holders. The only concepts of which I have any entitlement to are the plot of this story and any plot devices and/or character designs (not including allusions to any plot elements within any of the aforementioned franchises) that do not appear within the aforementioned franchises as of posting this.

Receiving an unidentified distress signal coming from a quadrant of unknown space. No information on vessel nor situation is being relayed. Estimated time to intercept at top available speed is 0400 hours.

Recommendation: investigate, but proceed with caution.

Sharp blue eyes flicked back and forth, scanning the green text of the readout. An armor-clad female shifted in her pilot chair and lightly tapped her index fingertip against the top of her helmet, which rested in her lap.

Samus Aran was deep in thought over her next course of action. Everything about the information on the small HUD screen smelled of a trap to the experienced hunter. Conversely, something about this particular distress signal made her bristle as if she were being challenged, something that began to get her blood going in a way that she had grown both to love and hate. There was a lingering familiarity between this distress signal and the one that she had encountered that led her to the Space Pirate science frigate Orpheon, as if a warning sense of premonition were attempting to inform her of what she was about to get herself into if she so chose.

She raised her left hand and rested her forehead against her fingers, recalling the series of events of her last mission in the Biologic Space Laboratories. The mental fatigue of fighting the SA-X and the Omega Metroid still wore against her mind, not to mention the fact that she was still uncertain about whether or not the Galactic Federation might pursue her if they weren't already. It wasn't as if she cared too much about the fate of the Biologic Space Laboratories facility. There wasn't much else that she could have done to destroy the entirety of the X-parasite population on board the vessel, but despite the doubts that she had on her conscience, the computer.. no, Adam, had done well to put a large majority of her worries to rest. At least one person from the Federation had to come to understand her motive for grounding the B.S.L. station and destroying it, along with the Metroids' and X's homeworld of SR388.

That's right. The computer was programmed with her former CO's personality. Adam was still with her, and he respected her enough when he gave her an order. He wasn't even giving her an order, merely a recommendation. She still held a deep mutual respect for Adam that had been made anew upon the revelation of the computer's identity. That, combined with her itching in her suit to get out of her ship, was enough to get her to come to a decision.

She tapped a series of commands into the on-board console, and she spoke aloud, "Why not, Adam? Let's go see what this might bring."

Her eyes narrowed again as her violet craft adjusted its course in the midst of the infinite darkness of space, and she lowered her voice as she began to close in on the origin of the signal.

"I have a bad feeling about this..."

Thank you for taking the time to read this new prelude. I plan to have another chapter out soon, so be sure not to miss an update by following the story and/or my Tumblr (a link to which can be found on my profile). R&R, and good tidings.