METROID: SHADOWS OF THE PAST

PROLOGUE

Hunter Log 3836
The explosion was so bright as I left the doomed Zebes for the second time...

The creatures I encountered and the things I experienced back on that planet are something that I wouldn't wish on anyone.

I am thankful, however, for the few kind lifeforms that I did meet. In my haste to escape from Tourian, I heard a high pitched noise over the dull rumble of the collapsing planet. I faintly recognized the sound, and I rushed to check it out, fully knowing the possible consequences of my curiosity. As I entered the chamber, three small green creatures and an ostrich-like bird rushed to me and seemed to be pleading for an escape through a wall.

With all but my last ounce of energy, I pointed my hyper beam at the wall and blasted through. The creatures rushed through quickly and disappeared into the darkness and dust inside the narrow tunnel.

I quickly rushed back to the surface where, despite the cataclysm about to take place, the acid rain continued to fall. The chemical composition of the rain made my ship incredibly slippery, and I could not keep a grip on the rungs that would allow me to enter my ship. I crouched down and leaped toward the top. Even the enhanced abilities of my suit could not stop the basic physics of slippery metal on slippery metal as I immediately lost footing, landing on the top hatch of my ship. When I regained composition, I realized that I lost my footing not because of the acid film on my ship, but because the ship was actually beginning to tilt...as well as the planet itself!

I quickly brought myself around and opened the hatch, entering my ship. It immediately responded, detecting my suit inside and began to initiate the take-off sequence.

Even as I was lifting off, bright lights mixed with plasma and flame alike began to shoot out through cracks in the Crateria...but now...silence.

Ceres Station has been destroyed, and my target on Zebes has been eliminated. Now what? Back to the combine.
End Log
Samus inputted the coordinates of the Bounty Hunter Combine and relaxed in her seat. It had been a VERY long day. As she disengaged her helmet, the compressed air hissed, leaking out into the artificial atmosphere of her ship. With a flip of her wrist, she released the gun attachment on her arm. She placed it in a compartment to her left and sighed. She reached up behind her head with both hands and let her hair down. The golden locks fell around her as she laid her head back and closed her eyes.

"Ship."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Prepare for cryo-sleep sequence."

"Preparing... Cryo-sleep sequence ready for initiation on your command."

"Initiate cryo-sleep."

"Initiating..."

Samus felt a cooling sensation around her, then everything went dark.

"Good night, ma'am."

+

The ship AI was very advanced. It was purchased after only a few missions after Samus got her ship. Due to constant modifications, ship AI's were very expensive to most everyone...except for bounty hunters. Samus is an up-and-coming bounty hunter, swiftly climbing the ranks of the Confederation's bounty hunter list. Many of the higher-ups ignored her, but those hunters that were closer to her rank saw her as a legitimate threat. When a bounty hunter is threatened, he (more often than she) becomes very dangerous, especially to the direct threat. Samus knew this...but she always welcomes a challenge.

Out of the darkness, a faint light emerges...after a time, it grows brighter. The illumination begins to move slowly, but erratically in random circular patterns. While growing in intensity, it also grows in size. After a few more moments, the ghost-like flame begins to take shape.

"What is that..."

A pair of spindly legs drops down from the main light, accompanied by twin branches reaching to each side. In seconds, the ghastly image is clear...

"A Chozo?"

The Chozo ghost seemingly acknowledges and begins to speak in its native tongue.

"I...don't understand..." Samus said, confused.

The once white apparition shifted to a red hue and increased in magnitude. A thunderous, threatening tone was taken by the figure...then shrunk down and disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared.

"Approaching Bounty Hunter Combine...Good Morning, Samus."

"Wha...so strange..."

Samus awoke and sat bewildered in her chair for several minutes as the docking procedure completed. The hatch above her head opened as intense brightness filled the interior of her ship. She looked up and a figure interfered with the bright white light.

"Welcome back, Samus! You're needed immediately in the conference room. Oh, and dress appropriately, ma'am, the President of the Confederation is here today.