Zebes, the second planet from the sun FS-176, was most definitely a harsher world than K-2L. Cracked and dry, the Chozo homeworld was a golden speck far away from the little colony, but a safe haven nonetheless. Canyons miles deep cut through the ground, cliffs furrowing along all sides. Arid deserts blew sand through the gorges and pillars of stone naturally formed up through the wasteland.
Near an immense stone structure, the Chozo shuttle touched down on a dust-strewn landing pad and the two occupants quickly departed. Gray Voice ran over to the greeting party that formed at the entrance to the building while Old Bird carefully held the tiny Samus in his arms, Pyonchi running at his heels.
A healer broke from the group and quickly rushed up to Old Bird. The old Chozo sighed in relief as he passed the child over to the medic. "Treat this little one quickly!" he commanded. "She is suffering from severe dehydration and burns."
"A few lacerations too," the medic added as he observed the cuts on Samus' face. "We'll put her in a neutral stasis tank right away."
The other Chozo turned to go, but not before Samus coughed, "Old Bird…"
"Shhh, little one," Old Bird shushed, his kindly face hovering above her. "Don't try to talk. We're going to help you now."
"M-My…mama…" the girl whispered, tears forming at her eyes again.
Old Bird shut his eyes regretfully. "I'm so sorry, Samus." He didn't need to say anything else to assuage her. The child was perceptive enough to know what had happened to her parents, but now that last hope, that final lingering spark, had been firmly extinguished.
"We have to move now, Old Bird," the medic urged, shifting from one foot to the next as Samus began to cry in his arms.
"Yes, of course," the Chozo nodded. "Do as you must. Just help her."
As he watched tiny Samus get taken away into the towering structure, Old Bird, followed by Gray Voice, slowly trudged up the dusty steps and into the facility. The blue hatch closed and locked behind them, keeping the warm temperature of Zebes out while allowing the occupants to remain cool in the dry air of the temple.
As Old Bird retired to a nearby bench, Gray Voice scowled as he brushed off the dust from his robes. "Why did you do it, Old Bird?" he asked insistently.
Groaning, the elderly Chozo adjusted himself on the bench and tapped the ground firmly with his walking stick. "I'm afraid that you're going to have to be a bit more specific, Gray Voice."
The younger Chozo blanched before he spoke again. "Why did you bring the child with us? Why is she here, on Zebes?"
Old Bird frowned and he leaned forward, wrapping both hands around the end of his stick. "Am I correct in assuming that you would rather have left her back on that torched world to die? Is that what you are suggesting to me?"
"Of course not!" Gray Voice exclaimed, aghast. "It's just that…why did we bring her to Zebes when we could have brought the girl to a Federation controlled world? A place with…her own kind. Zebes isn't a safe place for humans, Old Bird. The planet's environment is not suitable for any other species. She is only going to die if you keep her here."
"And she would have died if we had dropped her off at the nearest Federation world anyway. She would most likely have to relive another invasion from the Pirates, or she would have been shuttled off to an orphanage, where she would waste away in grief. The girl is strong, Gray Voice, and we have the capability to nurture her. There is something about her that is unique, I can't quite express it. She's not like any other human. She has the will to live as well as the heart of a warrior."
"Warrior or not," Gray Voice sighed, "she is still too vulnerable to adapt to Zebes' environment properly. The weather, the wildlife, all are deadly to humans, especially a child like her."
"Gray Voice does indeed have valid points," a harsh electronic tone warbled from above. Both Chozo looked up to see a silver sphere, no bigger than their heads, hover down from a nearby duct to their eye level. The metal comprising the sphere was a flat gray, shining only from the skylight above, but in the middle was a black lens with a vertical lid that mimicked the appearance of an artificial eye. "The safest areas of Zebes that can be available to the child are only Brinstar and Crateria. Even then, those sectors possess significant dangers to the human. Naturally occurring acid pools, aggressive animal behaviors, magma conduits, and acid rain are all causes for concern. In its current state, the human's movements will have to be heavily restricted and monitored."
"Mother Brain," Old Bird acknowledged gravely.
"The current situation is unfavorable for her survival," the sphere continued, "and her young age will only increase the risk that she will be in danger. She is too weak to remain here."
Mother Brain, usually referred to as Mother for short, was a meld of organic and cybernetic components that formed one of the most advanced artificial intelligences in the galaxy. An overseer of sorts, Mother's mainframe was housed in the Tourian sector and "she" was essentially connected to the entire planet. A Chozo creation, Mother was an invaluable part of facilitating her creators and their wishes, becoming a significant entity that strived for knowledge eternally.
Old Bird never really had much trust reserved for Mother. He had always been put off by the intelligence's cold, calculating attitude and its tendency to be blunt when offering alternatives to complicated problems as if her creators themselves were children. Deep down, he knew that Mother was significantly more intelligent than all of the Chozo combined but he had hoped that it would drop its condescending tone soon, otherwise he would have to be fearful of how much knowledge that the intelligence had actually gained. Still, the intelligence had proved to be an invaluable asset for years and only served with the interests of the Chozo collective in mind. Perhaps he still had a certain resistance to change engrained in his mind.
"And is that your official opinion, Mother?" Old Bird glared.
"Unquestionably. Her small stature and wounds will only hamper her survival. I predict that it will only be a matter of days until she expires-"
"Enough!" Old Bird barked, causing the monitor drone to jump back a foot. "You may see Samus as weak, Mother, but I see something far greater within."
"With respect, Old Bird," Mother intoned, "the damage the child has sustained…"
"…is only cosmetic," Old Bird finished. "Samus is young, but she will grow stronger here. Our choices have been made, Mother. Samus has to stay here, under our tutelage because she has nowhere else to go. She is our responsibility now and that means that you are also responsible for her well-being. Just like you are responsible for looking after all of us."
The logic hung in the air for a few seconds but the words only took a few nanoseconds for Mother to process. The unsaid commands were sound and, encased in her biomechanical form, a new line of code was written to encompass Samus under the care of Mother, created in the heat of the moment. It only took but a fleeting moment to route all central commands and link them to this particular line of code she now lumped with her prime directives. She would be duty bound to the child, just like the Chozo from here on out.
"Very well," Mother said smoothly, her monitor hovering back down to emulate thought. "If there is no other alternative, then the child shall remain here. But there is still the issue of her acclimation to the new planet. She may now live here, but the conditions as previously stated are too unforgiving for her to handle. However, there is a solution. I would recommend that she undergo a biotic evolution in order to maintain her survival. It would be the only way for her to live here."
"A biotic evolution?" Gray Voice whispered. "Is that even a safe procedure to use on humans? Especially one so young?"
"There is no other choice," Mother said forcefully. "The child must adapt or die to the changes presented. If she does not undergo to evolutionary procedure, then she will perish within a week. Altering her biologic makeup is the only way that her survival will be guaranteed."
"Then we will do it," Old Bird nodded. "Relay to the medics that Samus will be held in stasis for an extended period of time."
"Already done, Old Bird."
Gray Voice glanced from the other Chozo to the silver sphere, flustered by all of the information presented in such a short time. "Wait…hold on a second! We're talking about altering a human child here! Do any of you think that this will be a change that she would want to let happen? What right do we have to force this on her?"
"We are her guardians now, Gray Voice," Old Bird said regretfully. "We are doing this for her well-being. Samus will understand the sacrifices that we had to make so that she could still remain alive. She would know that we did it to save her."
"Sacrifices? Samus will no longer be a human anymore after this procedure! She will be a hybrid…a freak! An outcast among her kind! Do you really think she will be able to put herself in our place and justify making such a choice?"
Now Mother floated closer to Gray Voice. "Outwardly, the child will resemble a human. The only changes will be internal, out of sight. Her humanity will be lost, yes, but in spirit only. The Chozo blood that will flow through her veins will ensure that she will be able to adapt to the comparatively harsh environment of Zebes. It will grant her abilities beyond the capabilities of a regular human. The ends will justify the means."
The Chozo faltered for a moment. "A-Abilities? Just what exactly are we talking about here? I thought we were talking about a simple transplant, now you're bringing up genetic mutations?"
"Calm down, Gray Voice," Mother said smoothly. "As stated previously, the child will not be physically different. Rather, her body systems will react to the Chozo DNA implemented into her by adjusting themselves organically. It is likely that she will exhibit enhanced strength and agility due to the inclination of the Chozo being used to a heavier gravity than humans, although species specific traits such as your 'mental guard' which prohibits violent actions will not be transferred over. Any other changes are speculative at this point in time, but they are merely side effects, not significant risks."
Gray Voice didn't speak but instead lowered his gaze to the ground, obviously frustrated. But the Chozo kept silent. Old Bird gave another grave nod and turned to Mother, who shuttered the monitor's lens in anticipation of a command. "Give the medics the order to take a blood sample from the archives. Tell them to initiate a-"
"No," Gray Voice spoke softly, his eyes shut for a moment. Old Bird and Mother looked at him expectedly, waiting for an explanation. Gray Voice breathed out before he straightened himself, a determined look in his eye. "No," he reiterated. "You and I both know that a fresh DNA sample has a less probability of rejection due to the slight decay of the chromosomes. The blood in the archives is no good to Samus and Old Bird, frankly, you're too elderly to donate such a significant amount to the child."
Old Bird eyed him thoughtfully. "And what are you suggesting?"
Gray Voice ruffled his robes. "Use my blood. Give it to Samus."
"Hmm," Old Bird mused. "Mother?"
"One moment. Obtaining samples from historical records," the intelligence offered. "Analysis complete. Gray Voice and Samus share a 38% similarity in chromosome structures, more than adequate for plasma transfer. Less genetic sequencing can be utilized which can eliminate greater numbers of junk nucleotides and result in a more seamless match for the human. Despite the differences in nucleobases, the child should be able to take the offering."
"Excellent," Old Bird said with a knowing glance at the determined Gray Voice. "We shall proceed immediately with the evolutionary process." He and Gray Voice turned to leave before Old Bird stopped, one last thing on his mind. "Oh, and Mother?"
"Yes, Old Bird?"
"Samus may be able to adapt to the environment, but the varied species around here will still take aggression to her. It would be prudent to see that she will have some means of defending herself in the near future."
"I will begin preparations at once."
"Thank you. We are not going to squander her chances for a life anytime soon. Her training begins now."
11 Years Later
An explosion rocked the Zebesian gorge, creating a miniature landslide of small boulders down to the valley floor. Gray Voice resisted the urge to cover his face out of embarrassment and Old Bird simply sat on top of the amphitheater wall, his face expressionless.
"It's only her second day with the drones," Old Bird defended as he saw the look on Gray Voice's face. "Surely you can expect her skills to not be completely developed?" Next to the old Chozo, Pyonchi chittered helpfully, but his stance was noticeably more wary than usual.
"Yeah, maybe," Gray Voice grunted, "but the test just started and her first shot looked like it was a mile above the target. Look, even now she's freezing up." He pointed down at the lone figure that stood against five walking riot units, the mechanical movements of the robots slow and clunky. Standing a meter and a half tall, the squat machines looked akin to a walking riot shield, hence the nickname. The stubby legs of the units meant that they could move slowly but they were also quite hardy in terms of punishment they could take. Easy targets for a beginner, in theoy.
"Perhaps she's still trying to figure out how to operate the suit?" Old Bird suggested.
"She's had the damn thing for a month now. I don't understand how…" Trailing off, Gray Voice sighed explosively before he yelled, "Fire, Samus! Don't just stand there while the enemy is advancing! Fire!"
One of the riot units stopped in place before the flamethrower on its head ignited. Producing a long gout of flame, the attack raced toward the armored person standing feet away at point-blank range. The warrior stutter stepped, as if they were unsure about what to do before they finally dived to the right. However, they were too slow on the uptake and the flames licked at the side of the armor, causing the occupant to grunt in discomfort.
The suit itself was a bright yellow, with a red chest plate and helmet. The visor of the helmet was blue, in a slight V shape. The suit wrapped around the occupant, its curves smooth yet angular in some places, a foreign shape. It completely covered every inch of the person inside and it did not make a sound when it moved, aside from the heavy footfalls as the boots embedded themselves in the dirt. But perhaps the suit's most notable feature was the attachment fastened from the right elbow down. Whereas the left arm looked like a normal gauntleted arm, the right one was significantly longer from the bulky arm cannon. Capable of firing bolts of focused energy, the arm cannon looked rather awkward on the suit of armor but the power it wielded more than made up for the lack of continuous fluidity.
The suit itself had a biologic connection to its host, which meant that it was augmented by the person's actions. Instead of being a hindrance to movement, it amplified speed and power immensely. However, this also meant that the occupant could feel a small amount of pain when it registered damage, an unforeseeable outcome that arose during development. But it was helpful in the fact that the user would definitely detect any hits, thereby causing an endorphin reaction to evade the pain.
Right now, Samus was still smarting from the blow she had taken from the riot unit. A display on top of her helmet told her that the suit's current energy levels had dipped to 85. She had remembered that Gray Voice told her to not let the levels drop to 0 otherwise the suit would fail, leaving her exposed.
Gray Voice crossed his arms as he sourly watched the spectacle. "The enemy is advancing and she's still lying on the ground."
"Give her time," Old Bird admonished.
Samus tried to sit herself up with her right arm, but she had forgotten that the arm cannon blocked the way of her hand. Awkwardly trying to get to her feet, she pushed off but the cannon slipped on the gravelly ground and she fell down on her chest. As she impacted, her right fist clenched and a ball of bright energy erupted from the arm cannon and sheared through a pillar carved a quarter of a mile away. Samus sat dumbstruck as she watched the structure slowly fall to the ground, the shattered pillar sending a cloud of dust up with a poof. But her distraction had been a costly mistake and when she finally got her bearings back, Samus found herself surrounded by the riot units.
"All right," Gray Voice scowled. "That's it. I'm canceling the test." He touched a control on his arm and the riot units several feet below slumped, their power cut. The two Chozo began to make their way down the steps while Samus panted on the ground.
With a flash of light, Samus was enveloped in a glowing outline for a split second before it abruptly faded, the armor shed off of the teenage girl. The Power Suit's energy-to-matter reaction gave it the ability to appear and disappear on the user, able to be called into place by the user's mental connection. The very thought of shedding the suit, or from the instant when the user's thoughts were distracted, the Power Suit would dissipate and expose the wearer.
For Samus, the whole thing had proved to be nothing but trouble.
Pyonchi ran up to Samus and nuzzled her leg, imparting his attention on her. The girl had grown significantly taller in the past eleven years. Standing almost six feet tall, the human had changed quite a bit, her short hair now longer, blond and brown streaked with a pair of locks beginning to drape down the sides of her face. Samus sighed in frustration as she scratched the head of the rabbilis, blinking her ice-blue eyes. Her head ached something fierce, her clothes clung to her body, and she craved a drink, at least something to wash out the bitter disappointment radiating from her.
Samus sighed out loud. She was still getting used to the suit, but now it felt like she had to relearn everything she had ever trained for. All of her marksmanship practices, her drone sparring, and physical training was all out of balance in the suit. It was not weighing her down but it was significantly bulkier than her muscular frame that she was still overcompensating with her movements, almost exaggerating them to a comedic level.
With a whirring noise, Samus gave a flat look at Mother's monitor as it floated down, presumably to berate her. "Your motions inside the Power Suit appear to be restricted somewhat," the intelligence said bluntly. "It may be that you are trying too hard to form a neural connection with it. Perhaps you should stop anticipating the suit's actions and let yourself do all the movement, causing the suit to react to your reflex thoughts."
Samus made a face at the same time she gave a half-hearted swipe at the spherical drone. Mother scooted upward to avoid the blow and Samus scowled. "You're not the one wearing the damn thing, Mother. I'd like to see you put this thing on and not walk around like an oaf."
"Your sarcasm is noted," Mother droned in annoyance, "and I will not indulge you by trying to warp the logic from your statement. I'll let others take it from here, then."
As Mother flew off, Samus looked over to see Gray Voice, Old Bird behind him, walk up to her. Gray looked just as disappointed as her but Old Bird still let his face remain neutral. Samus sighed, already knowing that she would be subject to a lecture. With Gray Voice, it was always about lectures, always about her destiny.
"Samus…" the Chozo began, "…are you feeling all right?"
"I think you know the answer to that question," Samus huffed, wishing that the Chozo would get on with it.
Gray Voice flinched slightly at her tone but soon settled himself. "I'm only asking because you seem…distracted. I know that you and Mother share some animosity, but she does make some valid points with the-"
"-with the suit?" Samus finished. "Yeah, I know, Gray. But with Mother, she could work on softening the blow somewhat, right? I mean, it's only been my second trial with the thing but she acts like I just failed a crucial test."
"Mother is only relaying our highest expectations, Samus," Gray Voice said gently. "The Power Suit is an extraordinary tool that she created for your use. But, in order for you to reach your potential, you need to master the suit as though as if it is an extension of your own body. You need to focus your mind through the suit so that you and your motions will move together as one."
"I know, Gray," Samus said again, more bitterly this time. "I know that I have a duty, that you've been training me to be a Protector, but I don't see how my lack of progress so early is any indication that I'm a failure!"
Samus wished that Old Bird would say something, that the wizened Chozo would come to her defense, but he merely stayed silent. Pyonchi began pawing at her jaw and Gray Voice sighed at the girl's petulance.
"Samus, we are running short on time. Every moment we waste only hastens calamity on the galaxy. We have a responsibility to ensuring that such an event does not happen, which means that you have to shoulder your part of the burden as well. The Federation cannot save this galaxy, but we can. But in order to do that, we have to do things quickly, so that you can become the soldier we've envisioned you to be. Do you think your parents would have wanted anything less for you?"
Samus gave Gray Voice a dark look, the silence obnoxious in the still air. Of course she knew her parents would have wanted her to do this! It was a noble cause, a worthy cause. Every day she relived the last moment she shared with her and many nights she would be scared awake by the laughing of a dragon and her own wailing cry for her mother. What other direction could she go after that? This was what she wanted!
So why was it hard for her to succeed now?
"No…" she mumbled, angered that she had been so easily guilted. "They wouldn't have."
Gray Voice nodded, satisfied that he had gotten through to the girl, but as he opened his mouth to comfort her and address his own brusqueness, Samus abruptly shot to her feet and began sprinting out of the canyon.
"What…" Gray gaped. "Samus, come back! You haven't finished your train-"
But it was too late. Samus hopped over a five meter cliff with ease and took off down the slope, Pyonchi hot on her heels. Gray Voice stared, dumbstruck at the place that Samus had just occupied seconds before.
"-ing," he finished before wilting in disgust. "You sure she's ready for this?" he now glanced at Old Bird.
"Absolutely," the elder Chozo nodded. "You saw how her physical strength has improved, how she can run at high bursts of speeds and leap taller than any human. There is no better time for her."
"Her attitude could use some work, though."
"She's young. She'll grow out of her rebellious phase soon enough. Just give her time."
"I am," Gray Voice scowled. "I can assure you that I am."
Samus had run for what seemed like hours, but she was hardly winded by the time she had chosen to stop. Mainly it was for Pyonchi's sake, who had dutifully followed her the whole way, that she decided to stop running and rest a bit (the rabbilis had actually stopped running long before from exhaustion and Samus simply carried him on her back the rest of the way).
There was a nice little cliff overlooking a field of grass, which looked perfect for her needs. Samus sat down and dangled her feet over the edge, watching the evening sky steadily grow darker as dusk approached. She sighed and Pyonchi chittered in confusion.
"Yeah, yeah," she smiled at the rabbilis, beginning to scratch his head. "We'll go back soon, Pyonchi. I just needed to take a break."
The words seemed to relax Pyonchi and his eyes drooped as he stretched himself out on Samus' lap. But, as she looked down, she noticed that Pyonchi widened his eyes again. Something must have caught his attention.
She turned in place and immediately saw what had gotten the rabbilis all worked up. Floating a couple centimeters off the ground was a pure white creature with a small body but with six wings that made it appear as large as Mother's drone. One long antenna jutted out from its head and its six tiny appendages wiggled as it floated in place.
"Huh," Samus breathed as she watched the creature envelop itself in a ball of white light. It began to rise up where she could see that it was joining more of the pinpricks in the sky. She had to admit, the creatures looked rather cute.
She got to her feet and slowly followed the direction the creatures were headed. She kept her gaze concentrated on the lights in the sky and began to pick up the pace once she saw them descend to the ground again. She jogged to the lip of another cliff and stared in wonder at the sight below.
Samus could only smile as she saw the flock of creatures mingle amongst a sea of white flowers. The petals looked so fragile and the critters were nibbling on them like they were a delicacy. Samus desperately wanted to get down into the valley for a closer look but the cliff face was a bit too high for her to traverse. If she had more time, she would have made a greater effort to explore more.
Feeling better that she had discovered such a calming place for her to relax, Samus was smiling broadly as she walked back to where she was sitting previously. However, she found that her spot was now occupied by one of the white creatures, as it was hovering over the spot, its eyes closed as it rested.
"Iono Feria," a dusty voice uttered from behind. Samus spun around in shock but quickly warmed as she saw Old Bird gazing up into the sky. He could always sneak up on her in any way imaginable, despite her keen senses. Pyonchi immediately bounded over to him, wanting more scratches. The Chozo complied and continued to stare at the creatures above. "They absorb what little moisture in the air there is, naturally ionize it, and use the energy to fly. Almost similar to the way insects have a bioluminescent ability, actually."
"I've never seen them before," Samus said, wanting a closer look at the Iono Feria.
"They tend not to go near civilized areas," Old Bird clarified. "They can be quite the pests to our agriculture and they've learned not to come near us. It's unfortunate, for they are quite relaxing creatures."
Samus nodded and slowly trudged over to the rock Old Bird was sitting on. With a sigh, she sat next to the Chozo and stretched out, trying to get comfortable. Both continued to look at the passing Iono Feria for a silent minute, the two sharing the peace together.
"Is Gray still mad at me?" she finally asked, her voice tender.
Old Bird chuckled at that. "No, little one. I believe that he completely understands the position you are in, but he feels he must push you in spite of your hardships. He's always been the one to make you keep going in your studies, after all."
"Yeah," Samus agreed. "He can be hard sometimes, but I know that he's always meant well. Now I feel even worse. I disrespected both of you by running off like that. I should have… I'm sorry, Old Bird. I just want you to know that I'm sorry. And…and I'll apologize to Gray when I see him next, I promise. It's…the suit's caused me more trouble than I thought and I got frustrated. I'm sorry for today. I'm sorry for giving up."
"Apologizing before you were ever prompted, Samus?" Old Bird mischievously replied. "You certainly are maturing."
Samus laughed at that. "I was taught by the best." She flashed a smile at the old Chozo before she sighed. "It's just this 'duty' that I can't seem to get out of my head. I know I'm supposed to do something with my life, but I have no idea of the direction I will head in. It makes me uneasy…distracted."
"It is natural for you to be concerned about the future," Old Bird assuaged. "But it is not something we deliberately wished to instill in you. You are going to have to create your own path one day, Samus. But that must be a choice that you are confident in and that you wish to pursue. We cannot force that unto you, but we can guide you."
"I understand, Old Bird," Samus sighed. "I just would like to know what I'm supposed to do."
Old Bird patted the human's back gently, paternally. "You have many years ahead of you, Samus. If you could relay to me a clear course of what you wanted to do and where you wanted to go at your age, I would be completely surprised."
Zebes – Tourian Sector
One hour later
The conference hall was large enough that the gathered crowd could still find plenty of room to spread out comfortably, but Old Bird still felt cramped. In spite of the fact that there were only ten Chozo in the room, plus him, it had to be the central tank that made him feel uneasy.
Gray Voice sat next to him and Old Bird could spot an old colleague, Platinum Chest, sit next to the central column. The column itself was comprised of a clear zebetite shield and inside it housed a dark form surrounded by a frothy liquid. Spiraled wires extended from the pillar like veins and a smell of ozone emitted from the mechanism's cooling tank. Old Bird didn't need to use his imagination to visualize the biomechanical components that made up Mother's structure from behind the clear shield. This was essentially the heart of the intelligence, what was the true form of Mother: a grotesque combination of artificial and natural processes given form.
The gathered elders had all settled by now and Old Bird glanced up to the faithful drone scouring the airway above. "Mother, would you give us the SR-388 report?" he requested.
"Certainly," the intelligence said, its voice a tad deeper in the cavernous room. "After months of careful adjustments to the facilitation of the project, Metroid's implementation onto SR-388 has finally resulted in a self-sustaining population…three years late."
The Chozo began to grumble at the news. Platinum Chest looked downtrodden and Gray Voice leaned forward in concern.
Seemingly disappointed yet undeterred, Mother continued in her briefing. "Without Chozo guidance, we can expect an appropriate population level in approximately twelve years. That is, at best, an average rate of progression from what was initially calculated."
Cries of annoyance erupted around the chamber and Old Bird rapped his stick against the ground. "Please, please!" he urged. "My friends, we cannot do anything more to help the progression of Metroid. We have wasted too much time trying to cultivate it. We all knew that it was a gamble to try and place our hopes that Metroid would be mature enough to dispose of the X, but it seems that our faith was misplaced. Let us instead not focus on trying to improve the Metroid project even more, but try and cultivate them, encourage their natural progression, so that they will be able to act when they are ready. Our children need all the guidance they can get and it is our duty to foster them along."
The other Chozo nodded sagely, but Mother's drone tilted in a careful expression of confusion. "Old Bird," the intelligence clarified, "are you referring to the Metroids as your 'children?'"
"No," Old Bird shook his head. "I'm referring to both Metroid and Samus, Mother."
"The human?" the monitor's shutter clacked in alarm.
"This concerns you?"
"No, Old Bird," Mother said after a moment, but a moment was infinitesimally long for an intelligence of her degree. "No, it does not."
Gray Voice mulled the topic of the meeting over in his head as he departed Tourian. The progress of Metroid was agonizingly slow and all the effort put into it was practically worthless. His spirits were down and he was a little on edge.
It was true what everyone was saying. Time was not their ally.
He stepped off the lift and walked through the Brinstar archives, passing through rows and rows of databanks, precious knowledge collected over eons. It was all here, everything one could imagine. All of the known data in the galaxy at their fingertips. If the Federation even knew how much they had accumulated, then they would immediately be under scrutiny for possession of such information. As if they needed more problems to begin with.
Gray Voice looked down a row and coincidentally saw Samus at the other end, standing in front of a data console. He arched an eyebrow as he checked his chronometer. He had never known Samus to be particularly studious at night so this kind of behavior was a bit abnormal. Curiosity eating at him, he walked over to find out what she was doing.
He coughed softly to announce his presence. "Samus…"
The human turned, a small smile on her face. "Oh, hello, Gray!"
"Listen," the Chozo began, "about earlier today…I'm sorry I pushed you so hard on the course. It wasn't fair of me to expect so much of you when you were still learning to use the Power Suit and I don't want you to think of me like I'm berating you all the time."
"You don't have to be sorry," the girl assured, which startled Gray Voice. "It was my fault for ending my training so early. If I had stayed, I probably would have improved in mastering the suit."
Gray Voice didn't know what to say as he was quite confused, despite the earnest look on the girl's face. With a laugh, he shook his head. "You're not making apologizing easy for me either, you know."
"I'm sorry for that too," Samus replied with a sheepish grin. "But I just needed time to think over my actions. You were right, Gray. I did need more practice. You're kind of like the protective dad in my life; you can be overbearing but you mean well."
The very mention of the word "dad" caused Gray Voice to stiffen somewhat, but Samus didn't catch it. Rather, he maneuvered around so that he could look at the data console that she was using. "Might I ask what you're looking up, Samus?" he inquired, trying to change the uncomfortable subject.
"I saw this flower in a field about an hour ago," Samus scrunched her face up as she sorted through a few images. "I didn't get a good look at it initially so I wanted to find out more about them."
"A flower, eh? It's rare for Zebes to possess such varied plant life, so I'd bet that the sight was nostalgic for you. What color was it?"
"White. It also had five petals. Could it be…this?" she indicated an image and the picture enhanced to full size, the clarity of the flower threatening to burst from the screen.
Gray Voice peered only for a second at the screen before he took a sharp breath. "Samus, are you sure that this is the flower that you saw?"
"Positive, why?"
"Samus," he said gravely, "you didn't touch it, did you?"
"No. Why do you ask, Gray?"
With a shaking finger, Gray Voice pointed at the screen. "That is a badger clover, Samus. It's an invasive species from a distant planet. It's also poisonous."
Samus' eyes widened. With a swallow, she said meekly, "How poisonous?"
"Extremely," Gray Voice said. "One brush of skin on the petals is enough to put someone like you in a coma. You need to show me where you saw this flower, Samus. We need to eradicate it before it potentially grows out of hand."
"Eradicate…you mean…?"
"Destroy," Gray Voice nodded sadly. "I'm sorry, Samus. I understand they must be important to you, but we have to contain-"
"No apologizing," Samus said stiffly. "I understand what you're going to do…and why you're doing it."
"I'm sorry," Gray Voice said again, despite Samus' wishes. "Do you want to stay here while the situation is taken care of? I can take a contingent by myself and-"
"No," Samus interrupted with a sigh. "I want to go. I want to see this for myself."
The flamethrowers on top of the riot units whooshed, causing flames to wash over every inch of the valley. Standing atop the cliff, Samus, flanked by Old Bird and Gray Voice, watched the scene impassively. Samus rubbed at her arms uncomfortably, finding the heat to be intruding, the columns of smoke stifling. She watched the petals of the clover blacken and turn to ash, quickly becoming roasted in the dry air.
Gray Voice watched Samus hard face, shamed that he had to subject the girl to this. He deeply wished that she had never found that field, so that she could have a happy memory like that extinguished so abruptly. He felt he was only making her detest him more.
"Mother," he spoke out loud through his shut eyes, "can you provide an estimate from where the clovers originated from?"
"An estimation is unnecessary," Mother replied as she hovered from the flame ranks. "Overhead drones have spotted the remains of a frigate hidden by rubble over the next ridge. Decayed bodies have been spotted from the wreckage. They appear to be Space Pirates."
"What?" Samus and Gray Voice said at the same time. "What were Space Pirates doing on Zebes?" Samus asked in horror, her heart pounding at the dreaded words.
"A long time ago," Gray Voice sighed, "the influence of the Pirates once stretched here, to Zebes. They made it this far. But only once."
"Only once…" Samus repeated softly, the remnants of an inferno in her mind, not unlike the one raging below her.
"You may call me Ridley, for it will be the last thing you remember before you die!"
Samus jumped at her mental demon, but the others did not notice. Gray Voice was already speaking to Mother, trying to analyze the situation further. "Do we have definite proof that the Pirates were responsible for the clovers?"
"Analyzation complete," Mother said. "Clover seeds detected on board Pirate vessel. The remains of the dead still carry traces of alkaloids on them. It appears that they were indeed the source."
"Burn them too," Gray Voice ordered. "Leave no trace of that vessel standing."
"Addendum," Mother blared. "Traces of alkaloid detected on moving signatures five hundred meters southeast. Ten contacts reported."
"Contacts? Elaborate."
"Toxin signatures appear to be mobile in the surrounding area. Carriers of the alkaloids appear to be Iono Feria. It appears that they were inadvertently helping to spread the clovers across the planet."
Gray Voice almost kicked the ground in frustration as he spotted the tiny white creatures skirting the edges of the cliffs beyond. "Damn it all. They must have accidentally been infected from the Pirate ship, but we can't do anything for them now. Order the riot units to concentrate on the Iono Feria, Mother. We need to focus on the mobile carriers before we concentrate on the Pirate vessel. All crews, isolate and exterminate them now!"
Samus froze in place, certain that she had misheard Gray Voice. "You're going to kill the Iono Feria?" she gasped in horror. The very thought that those creatures could be so carelessly thrown away sickened her to her core. Why would something so cute deserve such a horrible fate?
"What would you recommend, Samus?" Gray Voice spun around. "Protection of the ecosystem is the highest priority at the moment and the Iono Feria are the most direct threat to the ecosystem. Cleansing the infected creatures is the most direct solution to the problem at hand."
"The most direct, maybe, but it isn't the right one!" Samus yelled. "You talk about protecting all forms of life to me and yet now you're choosing to take the lives of these Iono Feria without so much as considering your own actions! Did you think that they wanted to be infected? Do you think that they had a choice?"
Gray Voice was silent, his face full of disappointment and Samus knew that she had overstepped her bounds. With a sorrowful sigh, Gray Voice shook his head. "Sometimes, Samus, we have to make choices to protect the people that are important to us. In this case, the choice is made easier by having our sentience on the other side of the equation. One day, you might have to make such a choice, but I pray that the opportunity never comes to you."
"Then what choice should I make in that situation, Gray?" Samus pressed, her eyes starting to fill with tears.
Gray Voice's own eyes were filled with sadness, but were strengthened with steel. "You have to make what you believe is the right choice, Samus. You will know if the time comes, that I promise you."
Without waiting for a reply, Gray Voice walked down the path, closer to the cliff edge as he monitored the status of the riot units. Helpless, Samus clenched her fists as she forlornly watched the Chozo move away from her, furious at her inability to do anything.
On the ground, the riot units were having a tough time dealing with the Iono Feria. The flying creatures constantly skirted out of the way of the flamethrowers, causing the machines to swivel about in frustration, trying to get a bead on a target. Gray Voice grumbled in disgust, watching the units make a hash out the situation as they tried to contain the creatures. Any more time wasted and the Iono Feria would simply fly away to spread the deadly seeds. Somehow, this had to be dealt with now.
A clunking sound drew the Chozo's gaze down a dozen meters to the valley floor. The closest riot unit was spinning around uselessly, trying to scorch one of the Iono Feria. The creature simply looped around the bulky droid, as if it was toying with it. Gray Voice sighed but quickly became alarmed as the machine's legs stumbled on a rock, causing it to start to tip backwards. The flamethrower was still engaged and as the riot unit fell, the long gout flared up into the sky and to the right, directly into the path of Gray Voice.
It had all happened so fast that Gray Voice could only think of throwing up his arm in defense, the thought instantly coming to him that he would not be protected from the fire. As he steeled himself for the blasting heat, something hard impacted with his side and he felt a hard arm wrap around his waist, pulling him away and sending him flying through the sky. With a grunt, he skidded along the ground, dust being kicked up from his movements. When his trajectory finally halted, he looked up and saw a tall figure standing over him, the side of its armor blackened where it had taken the blast for him.
"S-Samus?" Gray Voice gaped, amazed.
"Get somewhere safe, Gray," the girl's voice spoke through the mask, her stance already lowered in a fearsome pose. With a leap, she propelled herself into the air and landed several meters down onto the valley floor, the suit taking all of the force with ease.
She surveyed the debacle in front of her before she opened a comm line. "Mother, order the units to stand down. I'll take care of things from here!"
"As you wish, Samus," Mother said, thankfully not trying to argue.
The intelligence made good on her promise as all of the flamethrowers shut down immediately. The Iono Feria clustered around the middle, confused as to why they were no longer being attacked. This was exactly what Samus had been hoping for. Within her arm cannon, her thumb brushed a control and a tiny icon changed on the right corner of her visor. Checking to see that she had made the correct selection, she carefully lifted her arm up, while she used her left hand to stable the cannon, and fired a small burst at a straggler.
The tiny ball of energy caught the Iono Feria directly in the chest. Samus smiled happily as she watched the tiny creature crumple gently to the ground, knocked out. The stun burst would only last for fifteen minutes, but she only needed two to get the job done.
Her breathing felt much less labored than usual and Samus slowly adjusted her aim and picked each Iono Feria out of the sky, one by one. A few times, she would miss but would always recover quickly and hit the next creature in seconds. In just over a minute and a half, the tiny bodies of ten Iono Feria lay in a pile in the middle of the ground, breathing a bit more heavily, but alive.
"There…" Samus panted in between victorious chuckles. "I did it…" She began to walk over to the bodies of the creatures, her gait slow and gentle, in contrast the intimidating warrior look that her armor gave off. "We're going to help you guys," she spoke softly to the Iono Feria. "We're going to save you all. No one will ever hurt you aga-"
Before her very eyes, a wall of flame rushed out in front of her, causing Samus to flinch backward. She reflexively lifted a hand to protect her from the glare, despite the visor automatically adjusting to the increased light. Her mouth fell open in horror as she realized that the spiraling fire had washed over the unconscious Iono Feria, consuming them in the blaze. A roasting sound crackled through the broiling mass and Samus felt sick, on the verge of throwing up.
Slowly, deliberately, Samus turned in shame and spotted the five riot units assembled in formation, their flamethrowers emitting distorted waves of heat as they cooled. Mother's monitor hovered between them. "All targets eliminated," the intelligence announced smugly. "We will now proceed with cleanup in the area." The lens of the monitor dipped, as if it knew the effect of the words it was about to utter. "Thank you for your help, Samus. We will be able to take things from here."
The result was electrifying. It felt like, to Samus, that her whole body was shaking in rage. Her vision narrowed and turned red, her heart threatening to beat itself out of her chest. She didn't even know that she was clenching her fist so tight that it was making the suit creak in protest.
Unconsciously, her thumb tweaked a control on her cannon, and the next move was made so quickly, so deliberately, that it seemed like she had only just thought about the action when she moved of her own accord.
Samus did not even steady her arm cannon as it fired the energy bolt. It flew, straight and true, until it impacted on the middle riot unit, shattering it in a mess of broken metal. The machine barely had enough time to fall when Samus whipped her aim to the left and loosed two shots in quick succession. The two bolts sheared through the riot units and they collapsed too, splintering as molten metal dripped around them.
She waved her arm in an arc and unleashed the last two energy projections of the night. They too found their targets and soon all five riot units lay around her in pieces. Hesitant, Mother's monitor slowly drifted over to Samus, who had lowered her weapon at this time. Hidden inside her helmet, a single tear ran down Samus' cheek. "You didn't even give them a chance…" she mumbled, her voice hoarse.
"That is where you're wrong, Samus," Mother said, indifferent. "They were all doomed from the start." Before Samus could turn her rage onto the monitor, it abruptly turned around and zoomed out of range, knowing that destruction would follow if it lingered any further.
Old Bird ascended the stone steps, knowing that he would find the girl here. He took them slowly, using his walking stick to help him up. The early morning sun streamed through the windows as he climbed, casting everything in a warm, yellow light. The effort from climbing the stairs still tired him, but he had to talk to Samus this time. For her own sake, she needed someone.
He finally reached the top and walked over to the alcove, looking at the miserable Samus, who covered her head with her arms and legs. Pyonchi was by her side, providing the girl comfort from his mere presence. Old Bird smiled at the rabbilis, finding a kinship between them. He stared at Samus a bit more, not sure if she even knew that he was a few feet behind her.
"Samus," he began softly.
She immediately raised her head up at the sound of his voice. "Old Bird…" she whispered, her voice husky from crying.
He motioned for her to remain sitting and he grabbed a chair as he walked over so that he could be closer as he talked. He gazed serenely off into the distance, noting that Samus had picked quite a lovely spot to be by herself. From her vantage point, she could see the mist covered peaks of the mountain range rise up like daggers in the distance. Clouds dotted the pristine sky and the cool breeze ruffled his expansive robes. He had always liked it up here and was happy that Samus thought so too.
"My child," he smiled at her, "what you did out there today…I cannot express how proud I am of you."
"Proud?" Samus said in surprise before her face fell drastically. "I didn't do a damn thing out there, Old Bird. All those Iono Feria are dead because of me."
"No, not because of you!" Old Bird assured. "You fought to save their lives out there after saving Gray Voice's! You became the Protector we always envisioned you to be. Samus…you were exemplary!"
"I sure don't feel exemplary," Samus sighed, lowering her head. "I did what I thought was right and I still failed anyway."
"Gray Voice might say differently, my child. Do not attribute Mother's actions as where you failed, Samus. What you did, alone, showed everyone your true self and how you fought to preserve life despite the odds."
"Yeah, well, it's not like I can do anything about that here," Samus grumbled as she edged a pebble off of the balcony. "I can't protect everyone, Old Bird. I can't make a difference to the galaxy if I just have Mother hovering about, trying to interfere with me. Old Bird…why couldn't I save them?"
Samus bit her lip to stop herself from breaking down in front of the Chozo, but Old Bird leaned down to gently pat the girl on the back. "There, there, Samus. You are young and full of potential. Today was an important lesson for you, but there will be more opportunities for you in the future. Samus…based on what was witnessed last night, we think that you are finally ready."
The human's mouth trembled and finally fell open as she processed his words. "Ready? You mean…ready to leave?"
Old Bird nodded sadly. "Samus, you have proved that you have taken what we have taught you to heart. You have our teachings, our equipment, and even our power. For you to linger here would be unfair to what you were meant to be. To fulfil your true purpose in life."
"And what would my true purpose be?"
"To be a Protector, Samus," Old Bird said gently. "We have given you everything we knew in regards to your training. We only wanted to make you the best possible person in this galaxy, but we can't keep guiding you the whole way." The Chozo gave a knowing smile. "The only person who can complete your growth, your training, is you."
Samus didn't blink. Rather, she stared back out at the distant mountain range for a long time, admiring the snow covered caps and the haze that shrouded them. Pyonchi curled up in her lap and she began to pet the creature reflexively. "And…you're sure that I'm ready for this, Old Bird?"
"We are," the Chozo said. "But you shouldn't need our voice to decide where you feel your path must go. You can still decide not to walk it, if you choose."
"You won't have to worry, Old Bird," Samus said as she slowly got to her feet. Her legs were steady and she turned her face into the wind, letting her hair billow behind her. The sun finally peeked out from behind the clouds and cast the entire structure into its glow. Samus did not flinch, but stepped into the warmth as if it were an old friend, a comforting embrace. "I want to become a Protector of the galaxy."
"And you shall, my child. And you shall."
Close by, but hidden in the shadows of the corner, the lens of Mother's monitor whirred on the interchange between the Chozo and the human. The drone itself was incapable of projecting emotion, but it seemed to hover in place, as if it was horrified by what it was seeing.
Before it could be noticed, the monitor quickly turned and headed down the staircase, the intelligence controlling it gravely concerned by what it had just heard. In the chamber where the biosynthetic processor that controlled the monitor was housed, the liquid in the central tank frothed fiercely, the being within deep in thought.
For once, Mother was at a loss for words.
A/N: So far, general reactions seem to be pretty enthusiastic. Hopefully I can keep that streak going!
For most people who have read the manga, this chapter in particular was one that grated on a lot of hard-core Metroid fans, so I decided to change the parts that were considered the most offensive to Metroid lore. For one, in the manga, Samus' attitude is akin to a very "girly" girl, for lack of a better descriptor, a trait that is not touched on again. In that medium, she appears to me to be a bit of a ditz, which seems rather insulting for such a strong female character. I think I sufficiently stamped out that characterization in this adaptation, though.
Another thing that people hated was that the Iono Feria creatures possessed weaponry from the Space Pirates in the manga, some calling the entire ordeal "butterflies with guns." It was a silly plot device used in the manga so that was another scene that I altered extensively so that I couldn't roll my eyes at its stupidity. Tell me if you like these changes, it will give me an idea for what I'm doing right.
And now, to address some reviews:
LawrenceSnake: Yeah, I know that I took out that crucial Ridley line from the manga. It's just that the translation always grated on me because I didn't exactly think it was the most eloquent response he could have given. Plus, the delivery was a bit too abrupt which wouldn't have made it well in any adaptation. That's more of a translation issue in that sense, actually, but I was fully aware of what I was doing at the time.
TheBarbarianKing: The entire Metroid series is prone to several continuity errors, leading to some retcons here or there. While it may have been stated in one piece of media that the Metroids were planted before Samus was born, the manga specifically states otherwise. And since this is an adaptation after all, I'm going to adhere to the manga in this case. No idea why the creators didn't have any attention to detail when going over this, but this is where I'm at now. You'd think the writers would have thought it obvious to look at the fine details throughout the writing process...*glances at Other M*
Insomniac By Choice: Well, I'm glad that so far I've managed to avoid the pitfalls that you just listed. Make no mistake, I hope you continue to enjoy the story.
