"Full speed ahead, Mr. Sulu," Captain James T. Kirk said, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Full speed ahead, sir," Hikaru Sulu said, adjusting a few knobs on the control panel in front of him. The Enterprise and her crew were off to another uncharted part of the galaxy, scheduled for photographing the sector and finding planets suitable for life.

The only thing that could go wrong, in Kirk's eyes, would be if the engines gave out.

He smiled to himself, picturing his top engineer, Scotty, saying, 'I need more, time, sir. I dinna think that this here kit n' caboodle was as badly damaged as it was.' This had happened on more than one occasion.

"Captain, we should be reaching the uncharted sector in 4.29 minuets if we stay at this current speed."

Kirk turned to see his Science Officer, Spock, standing beside him. Spock cocked a slanted eyebrow. "Is something the matter, Captain?"

"No, Spock, just thinking." Kirk sighed. "I wonder if we'll find anything worth investigating out here."

"If my suspicions are correct, Captain, then we will."

"Really? Like what? What could be living out here in deep space?"

"Time will only answer your questions, Captain,"

XxXxXxXx

Meanwhile, further in the star sector, just off of the Enterprises' scanners, a Klingon ship hovered in space. Aboard the ship, many crew members lay dead, killed by some sort of alien…

The Klingon captain, Korr, had his back pressed against his quarter's doors, keeping it from opening to the aliens. He pressed a small nearby button, saying clearly, "If anyone…anyone at all…can hear my message, get somewhere safe. These things can't be killed like other life forms. Our best strategy is to take shelter and wait."

A loud screech came from behind the closed quarter's doors, chilling Korr to the bone. He knew his crew was dead and he knew the mysterious aliens would find a way into the doors eventually.

Then why did he delay his death? He wished he knew.

XxXxXxXx

As impossible as it was, Samus Aran knew it was true. Metroids had taken refuge on a spacecraft and were probably now feasting on the inhabitants' power. Just how they had managed to get onto the ship, she had no idea. She would have to locate survivors and question them…if there still were any survivors.

She pulled her spacecraft up to the side of what looked to be a striking resemblance to a predatory bird. "Bird of prey." She thought, locking her ship over an emergency evacuation hatch. A few blasts with her ice beam and she had an entrance. She climbed into the ship and looked around, activating her Power Suit as she did so.

You could never be too careful around Metroids. She began making her way down the hall. A body lay near a door, covered in something that confirmed Samus' worst fears. Metroids were aboard. She quickened her pace, finding a map of the ship. Locating the bridge, she set out.

XxXxXxXx

"Checkmate," Kirk smiled.

Spock took a few seconds to observe the board, finally saying, "I regret to admit that you are correct, captain."

Kirk snickered. "You are a worthy opponent, Spock."

"Thank you, Captain. I must say-" Spock was cut off by a sharp whistle of an incoming message from the bridge.

"Captain, we're approaching a spacecraft. All hailing frequencies are open, but they are not responding." Lieutenant Uhura informed. "Sulu thinks its Klingons."

"I'll be right there." Kirk quickly left the recreational room, Spock close behind.

They stepped into an elevator and sped upwards towards the bridge, nearly running into the chief engineer as they stepped hurriedly out.

"Sorry, sir." Scott muttered.

"It's fine, Scotty." Kirk headed for the command chair. "Do we have visual?"

"Yes, sir, we just came within range." Uhura said.

"On screen."

The gray-green color of the Klingon bird-of-prey warship swam into view in the darkness of space. It was just sitting there, as though it had lost all power. "Open a channel, Lieutenant." Kirk said.

Uhura flicked a few switches and said, "Go ahead, captain. Channels open."

"This is the USS Enterprise. I'm Captain Kirk. Please state your business in this sector."

Silence greeted him.

"Captain, there appears to be a small orange craft of some kind on the lift side of the cruiser," Spock said, examining the image at the science station. "I'm beginning to suspect they've been ambushed."

"An entire crew of Klingons overrun by the crew of that ship?" Kirk sighed. "That is very well a possibility. Uhura, open a channel directly to their bridge. I want visual as well."

The visual came. Kirk stood in shock along with most of the other bridge personnel. At almost every station on the Klingon bridge, a body lay slumped over the controls as if they had been killed on duty. A white-ish residue covered the deceased.

"Vhat happened?" Chekov demanded to no one in particular. "How did vat happen?"

"I don't know, but we're going to find out. Chekov, you have the Conn. Sulu, Spock…get Dr. McCoy up here along with five security officers. We're going to get to the bottom of this," Kirk turned to head to the elevator. "meet me in the transportation room."

XxXxXxXx

Samus narrowly avoided an ambush. From around the corner came at least five of them…Metroids. Five well-aimed freeze blasts sent them crashing to the ground and five well-aimed missiles took care of them once and for all. She continued down the hall, hoping to come to the bridge soon. An automatic door slid open and she reached her destination.

Dead. Slumped over their control stations as though taken completely by surprise and at once. She had to push one of them out of the way to get at some of the controls.

A ship…nearby?

Samus read the scanner readings again. How did the other ship get here so silently? And if they got aboard this ship…there's no telling what trouble they could get into. They didn't know how to destroy the Metroids.

"Hey, you! Vite there! Identify yourself!"

Samus spun around in alarm to find the viewing screen mounted at the front of the bridge. A face filled it now, one that demanded she answer his questions. Samus lowered the opaque shielding in front of her eyes so he could see that she was human. The look of surprise on his face was genuine.

"I'm Samus Aran," Samus started. "I'm here to eliminate what has destroyed this ship's crew. I advise you not to send anyone over. I can take care of this myself."

"The captain alveady left," The man said. "he should be on ze ship vite now."

"Then he is in danger!" Samus turned, reactivating the shielding to her face, and hurried off the bridge.

"Vait!" The man shouted behind her, but there was no time for waiting. The Captain's life could be in danger.

XxXxXxXx

The party materialized in what appeared to be an abandoned room.

"Transporters are inoperative on this end, Captain." Spock said, taking TriCorder readings. "We should have materialized in their transporter room."

"That factor doesn't effect us very much at the moment, Mr. Spock. Let's move out." Kirk gripped the phaser he was holding tightly and glanced out of the automatic door down the hallway. Once he realized it was clear, the party moved out.

"Captain, TriCorder readings are off the chart," Sulu informed. "whatever possesses that amount of power…it's headed for us. Over there!" he pointed in the direction of the power source.

"Phasers on stun." Kirk commanded. The group warily faced down the hallway, waiting for whatever was there to show itself.

Seconds turned to minuets until Sulu said, "Captain…whatever it was…it's gone."

"All right. Doctor, and you three…this way." Kirk motioned for three of the five security officers to come with him and McCoy. "The rest of you, go with Spock. Try to find anything that could solve this mystery of why this crew is dead."

"Understood, Captain," Spock pointed down the hall, and his group began to make their way down it. Kirk and his went the opposite direction.

"Jim…do you have any theories on what could have done this?" McCoy asked.

"No, Bones, as far as we know…we just discovered a whole new race of killing creatures," Kirk's face was grim. "be on guard."

"If possible, I would like to examine one of the corpses. After all, you dragged me out here for that reason, right? I'm a doctor…I'm suppost to stay on the ship unless needed. You know how much I hate that transporter."

"Yes, Bones. I know." Kirk pointed to a small map mounted on the wall. "The bridge is just up ahead."

"Captain!" One of the security officers shouted. "There's someone…or something… heading directly towards us!"

Kirk raised his phaser at the door in front of him, the others doing the same. The door whooshed open and a robot-like figure darted out, weapon raised in place of a right arm. The Enterprise crew didn't move as the robot lowered the weapon and de-activated some sort of screening over its eyes.

Kirk blinked hard. The newcomer wasn't a robot…she was simply someone suited in a specially designed uniform for dealing with the unknown.

"My name is Samus Aran." She said. "I take it you are from the other ship?"

"Yes, we are." Kirk replied.

"You're in danger here." Samus said. "I can deal with the creatures that killed this crew…but you don't have suitable weapons. Return to your ship at once."

"Ms. Aran, we are as qualified to identify this threat and stop it as you are." Kirk interjected.

Samus cast him a glance. "You don't understand. The only thing that can kill Metroids are freeze guns and missiles, two weapons I have at my disposal. Your handheld weapons won't have any effect on them."

"The things that did this to the crew…they're called Metroids?" McCoy asked.

"Yes. They drain you of your power and use it for their own, killing you in the process. They were thought to be extinct…but then they somehow got here." Samus growled.

"We'll have to worry about that later. Right now, I think we should re-unite with the others again," Kirk turned to his crew. "be on guard."

"You can't go alone." Samus said. "I will come with you."

"Then let's go."

XxXxXxXx

"Mr. Spock, in there!" Sulu said, pointing with his TriCorder at a nearby door. "Someone's in there…a Klingon!"

Spock knocked loudly. "Can you hear me? I'm First Officer Spock of the starship Enterprise. We're here to rescue you."

The door opened slowly to reveal typical Klingon facial features. "How did you survive?" he asked shakily.

"What do you mean?" Spock asked.

"They attacked us…I'm the only one left," The Klingon sighed in loss. "I'm Captain Korr. If I were you I would save myself. Contact your ship and get out of here!"

"But why?" Spock asked.

"Because I can assure you they're planning to destroy you too." Korr stepped nervously out of the room. "We must leave at once!"

"My Captain is still on board," Spock said firmly. "and until we find him and his party we're not leaving."

"Sacrifices must be made!" Korr shouted. "We must evacuate!"

Spock pulled out his communicator. "Spock to Captain."

"Kirk here. What is it, Spock?"

"We'll meet you on the bridge. Captain, we found a survivor."

"All right. Kirk out."

"Spock, look there!" Sulu exclaimed.

Spock wheeled around to see what appeared to be a floating brain with four claws hanging underneath it. The brain-like tissue was surrounded by a clear, jellylike substance, protecting it. Spock pulled his phaser out slowly.

"That's one of them! They killed my crew!" Korr screamed.

XxXxXxXx