Adam's office. She had already been there a couple of times, mostly to be scolded because she got into a fight. Not this time, however.

She looked at his bookshelf, waiting for him. Books from millenia ago and even some scarce sheet music – she knew he liked to play the viola, and that was one of his most well-guarded secrets. She didn't understand any of that. He was like some odd enigma.
He was practically the oposite of his brother- taking aside the physical resemblance and the way they both treated her. At least how they used to treat her.

Adam entered the room. The air became heavier. Everything had changed since the Lusitannia incident. Samus was now as stubborn as one can be. Walking the corridors, she now freely threw cuss words to who might dare be a little closer to her – that is, not nailed to the walls.
He tried to remediate the situation, without sucess.

They both took their seats and stared at each other. The silence was frightening.

"Samus, I... I wanted..."
His throat couldn't let any words pass.

The silence continued. Samus suddenly interrupted:

"There isn't anything to talk about. You left a man behind."

"I did what I had to do. There was no alternative."

"You could have given me a chance."

"You wouldn't be able to make it."

"And how did you know that?"

"...You have too much self-confidence, Samus."

"The Federation seemed to trust me enough."

"Didn't the Chozo teach you humility?"

"Don't drag them into this."

"Did they?"

"It doesn't matter what they taught me. What matters is that all that tragedy could've been averted."

"You would've been blown to bits by now. And you still don't understand. You're still too childish, Samus.", he said, slightly nerved.

She turned red.

"Childish? What about you, Mr. Viola?"

"Point made", he thought. "Do you think I'd be reckless enough to order you to die? Samus, you have to understand. Some must die in order for some to live.
Especially you. You're special for all of us. The men here fear you, but they also respect and admire you. You're their ice queen and their fair warrior. My fair warrior too. You have always been a good friend to me, to Anthony, to Ian.
And yet you'd simply ignore all of this and choose death. My decision must have been incorrect then."

Her mind took a while processing the info dump. Perhaps that was too much for the blond teenager.

"Your... fair warrior?"

"The Chozo gave you a mission, Samus. You can't just neglect all they teached you and live by your own rules. And I know you've only talked with me about your past. After all my years here, all the wars, the pirate raids, all I can say is that I trust you, I have to. I'm only human, but you..."
He stood up from his chair and walked towards her. He held the shocked girl's hands.
"Besides, and I don't know how to say this... Ever since you trusted me, since I knew your story, I couldn't see you the same way. You weren't the disobedient recruit anymore."

She had noticed that – and that had also changed the way she saw him. But she couldn't exactly tell what that feeling was. Paternal, brotherly, or even affectionate? She couldn't even tell what she thought about Adam. A mixture of hate, respect, friendship, even kinship, in that tense, confuse moment, the touch of her cold hands with his.

Her mind was too full right now.

She let go of his hands and ran.

The other day, he found a note in his office. Handwritten, something rare for the epoch.

"Malkovich,

I've thought about everything you said yesterday and decided that I can't stay here anymore.

I can't follow orders forever. I can't submit to what I don't agree with.

I can't neglect my true duty.

…

I can't let all these emotions hinder me.

I don't know if we're ever going to meet again.

S. "

He held the paper firmly and stared through the window.

A sad expression slowly took his face.

Hey! More 'soap opera in space!' I hope you liked it (or not...)

This chapter was very interesting to write, seeing how it's mostly dialogue. Still, I fear that there may be some inconsistent characterization throughout (or even maybe I'm being to laconic or concise, ommiting infos presuming everyone has them).

I didn't like the beginning of the chapter very much. It's not really saying anything.

This also ended up a bit too short. Guess I can't write much.

Well, in the end, I had some fun writing this. I plan on doing just one more chapter, wrapping up the story.