"Before I go, I…"
Light raindrops kissed my face, as if the planet Zebes itself was bidding farewell. The mechanical drone of the Federation Spaceship stirred the rocks beneath my feet, making it hard for short legs to hold still.
The old Chozo smiled down at me, his beak brittle and jaundiced with age.
"Little one, you know our ways…" he said softly, patting me on the head as if I was his pet. "There is a life far beyond our mortal one, and if we don't meet in this life again, we will most certainly meet there."
I shook my head petulantly, droplets of rainwater leaping from my hair like tiny Grenchlers. Old Bird had told me stories about them; that they lived on a planet on the other side of the system. Perhaps now, I'd finally be able to go there…although if the stories were true, I'd rather stay on Zebes.
"But I'm not a Chozo, Beaky."
"Beaky" had always been my nickname for Old Bird. I called him "Beaky" when I first learned to speak, as I'd read a great deal about bird species in my childhood. Master was far too formal for someone of another species, and father? Well, that one hit too close to home.
"What if I don't go to the same place you do when I die?" I cried.
The Old Bird grunted benevolently, wrapping his dulled talons around the base of my skull. I felt strands of my hair get caught in the cracks.
"Whether we're the same species or not, we're all going to the same place. It's a matter of how long," he rasped, emitting a watery cough.
I frowned, knowing that Old Bird's time was certainly closer than mine. Perhaps he knew as well. Though his eyes were misty, melancholic, he was at peace. He knew his time was coming, and he was ready for it.
I eyed the Federation Spaceship once again, its drab surface no more exciting than the gray clouds that shrouded the sky. Tiny lights in the windows flickered like firefleas in the night, the occasional shadow of a Federation soldier moving by them. A dozen teenaged Chozo boys marched up the entrance ramp of the Spaceship, clenching their talons into fists and bumping them with each other, as they received their badges and uniforms from the soldiers at the ramp's apex.
Perhaps they shared the same dream I had. More than likely, I thought pessimistically, they were doing it for glorious self-interest.
"Samus, wait," said a lispy voice, a positive distraction from my cantankerous thoughts. I spun around to see my half-brother Dryn, who would be completing his Trials in the coming cycle, limping towards us.
"You're late," Old Bird scolded.
"Sorry, my leg is still killing me from training yesterday…" he said, bending down and massaging it. "You know, you have to be careful not to jinx me whenever you say 'break a leg'."
I smiled, in spite of Old Bird's disapproving glare. I'd always found my half-brother's complaints amusing. He was nowhere near the physical specimen that I was; his strength was his mind. Even though he'd wanted a warrior for a son, Old Bird had raised him patiently, and despite his constant gripes, he was proud of him.
"You are filled with excuses as usual, young one. You must have a great excuse planned for missing your Trial in the next cycle."
Dryn embraced me in a feathery hug, ignoring the criticisms of his adopted father.
"Congrats, bro," he said, his benevolent eyes mired by thick tears.
"Thanks, bro," I smiled back, delivering a light punch to his shoulder. He winced and stood beside Old Bird. In Chozo language, there were no gender exclusive words, so we called each other "bro."
"Beaky," I said, staring at the yellow label on the underside of the massive ship that read G.F.S Ragnarok. "Yes, my child," came the feeble response.
"Can I make the world a better place with the Galactic Federation?"
He laid a cracked talon on my shoulder.
"What do you think?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but could think of nothing to say.
"There is no shame in being selfish, little one."
I raised an eyebrow and looked up at the old Chozo. He'd never given me that kind of advice before.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my features twisted in bewilderment.
"Ah, the look on your face," he smiled, as Dryn stifled a laugh. "I should've known this day would come."
He leaned down until his eyes met mine.
"You have a tremendous opportunity many other Chozo would dream of, child. You get to travel the galaxy, and bear witness to the many wondrous worlds that lay beyond the gaze of Qil-Modo…" He cocked his head towards the statue of the ancient Chozo God of Zebes, towering over the valleys of Crateria in the distance.
"You are leaving the protective span of my wings little one. I cannot make decisions for you anymore. Nobody can." He tucked his head, dropping another watery cough more uncomfortable than the first. "You are your own judge, jury, and executioner. From this day forward, every decision you make shall be your own. You must trust your instincts, and go where your heart and mind tells you."
Another coughing fit, and Dryn and I exchanged nervous glances.
"If I can offer one final piece of advice, however, it's this: don't let one speak louder than the other."
He stood up and nodded towards the ship.
"It is time, little one. Go forth and find your destiny."
I took a few steps towards the massive ship, feeling the jagged surface of the planet beneath my feet for what I thought would be the final time, before turning around and jumping into Old Bird's arms. He laughed a jolly old laugh, one I had never heard before. Tears formed in my eyes as I felt my brother's wings flank me as well.
"You have the heart of a true Chozo warrior," Old Bird said, setting me down. "Remember your training, remember your friends, but most importantly, remember your family." My eyes watered. I knew the veiled meaning behind that last statement.
"Go, go," he said one final time. The engines of the gray monolith sputtered to life. I panicked and ran to the entrance ramp. Before I could greet the soldier at the top, I made sure to give one more thumbs up to my family, as the disappeared behind the closing ramp.
Eight Years Later
A pink aura hung low over the surface of Daiban like cotton candy, as the orange dot on the horizon prepared to nestle itself in its protective shell. Spacecars, tiny War Wasps, floated about the city in the methodical bustle of rush hour, swarming the high-rising hives of human men that jutted out of the ground.
It was here I stood for a moment, the white noise of the city intoxicating my ear drums, so much so that I didn't hear the approach of my commanding officer.
"Wait," said the cold voice of Adam Malkovich. I did not turn to face him. "Samus, reconsider."
It was not a request, but a command.
"I have. I've considered this for a long time, Adam."
The sky grew darker as the sun finally dipped below the skyline. The streetlight above me made a queer sputtering sound, before kicking to life and bathing me in an amber aura. The light needed replacing.
"If you had, you wouldn't be leaving."
I took a step forward, out of the daze of the streetlight.
"How can you live with yourself, Adam?" I asked, emotionless.
"Did you really think it was that easy of a choice?"
Images of the Lusitania swam into my consciousness, much like they had every night since the incident, causing me to wake up in a cold sweat.
"Between your brother and a single battleship? The choice seems pretty clear, if you think about it."
Hundreds of streetlights flickered on simultaneously in the urban jungle below. On lonely nights following my training sessions, I would count the silver and amber lights in my head. If there were more silver lights, I'd go straight home. More amber, I'd stop at Sylvanious' Iced Drink Bar and get a Sheegoth shake.
I can't remember when I started doing this. There had always been some kind of beauty in the imperfection of the amber lights, something to break the monotony of Police training.
Tonight was not a counting night.
"You know as well as I that if we'd stayed connected, we would've perished too."
"Do you know that?" I responded.
"I do, Lady."
I whirled around to face him, fire prickling at the inside of my skin.
"How dare you…" I paused, noticing the flicker of sadness in his eyes.
"He knew the risks when he registered," he said, blinking in an attempt to disguise the moment of weakness.
"You FORCED him to register," I countered. "He told me himself. He wanted to work in R&D, not on the front lines. But God forbid he embarrass you."
"It's true that I would've preferred a brother who'd rather stick his neck out than sit at home and play with his chemistry set…but I loved him just the same."
Adam took a few steps forward, and I reached for my paralyzer. A couple of browning leaves playfully circled us, propelled by the late August gust. My now ex-CO smiled derisively at this final act of insubordination.
"You always did hate orders," he said quietly. I said nothing, slowly pulling my hand away and back to my side.
"This isn't about him. This is about you."
"What about me?" I asked. Adam smirked.
"You really think you have what it takes to be a bounty hunter?"
I said nothing.
"You asked me a moment ago how I lived with myself. I could ask you the same thing."
The streetlight dimmed, the ground beneath it browning in its glare like the swirling leaves, which were now scraping the ground as the wind petered out.
"My conscience is clear," I answered simply.
"Is it?" he asked immediately. I said nothing, plugging my nostrils as the smell of jet car fuel wafted up from the streets below. Even from a hundred feet up, one couldn't escape that horrible smell.
"You told me the day you arrived here that you wanted to change the galaxy, and eliminate the Space Pirates once and for all. How can you say that when you're so willing to trade away your vow to protect the citizens of this galaxy just for better pay?"
"Do you really think I'm doing this just for the money?" I said after a moment's silence. "To answer your question, Adam, my dream is still alive. I haven't forgotten what they did to my family."
The gleeful face of the Space Pirate General Ridley, as he strangled the life out of my father and spiked my mother with his tail, had also appeared in my dreams on many a sleepless night.
"I'm done taking orders and fighting proxy wars with those monsters. I'm done with litigation, and orders, and protocols. Mark my words, Adam Malkovich; my dream lives, but only I can make it come true."
"By yourself?" he added, a hint of that trademark snark mingled with his voice.
"By myself."
"And there's no way I can convince you to come back to my side?"
Silence.
"I see…"
He gazed off at the horizon, as the sun finally sank from view, the sky engulfed in hazy blue darkness. The streetlight nearest him buzzed to life, encasing him in a silver cocoon.
"I have to do this Adam. My way. Any objections?"
He stared me down once more.
"No, I have no objections."
I felt the corners of my mouth edge towards my cheek, wanting so badly to smile, but I remained stoic.
"Then we have nothing more to say."
With that, I turned and walked down the sidewalk into the housing district. The only sounds were the rustling wind and Adam's retreating footsteps, as the buzzing streetlamp finally quit and left the scene in darkness.