I rode the lift into the depths of the ocean, the light diminishing. My Dark Suit did nothing to alleviate the situation, fully embracing the absence of phosphorescence. The Thermal Visor highlighted a power disruption somehow caused by GFS Wilshire, up on the surface. Taking into account the nearby Space Pirate facility just above, it would not surprise me if my battle against the Sand Demon played a part in this disruption. The flora in the ocean relied on artificial light to survive; their faded light was barely enough to show me the path ahead. Given the lack of research of what lived deep beneath the surface, it was reasonable to assume that the Federation Troopers crashed mere days before my arrival. Had they visited Twin Tabula for longer, before their demise, the intelligence they left behind would have been far more valuable.
As I stepped off the elevator platform, the thought occurred to me as to whether I should have stolen the Light Suit and Light Beam from SA-X back in the emergency ward. Perhaps the glow of her white armour and Arm Cannon would aid the flora within range to shine as luminous as they once did. Requiring use of the infrared spectrum, visible through the Thermal Visor, I was cautious not to make a wrong turn. Though the Federation Troopers did not fully explore this region of Twin Tabula, it was clear from the Scan Data I read that they had interest in a satellite off in the distance.
Before I knew it, I entered a labyrinth of tall, achromatic algae, which hindered my natural walking speed. While walking along the five-hundred metre-long stretch of seaweed, my eyes remained peeled to the infrared power lines along the ocean floor, in search of a Power Conduit. I thought of my clone again, wondering if I truly saw her up on those cliffs. If I did, why did she act so strange? Where did she go after that? My questions ended abruptly, when I came across the carcasses of Pirates and Troopers laying awkwardly along the ocean floor, their heads disconnected and their eyes missing. Yet another battlefield where two forces fought over who would get to investigate the parasitic core of Twin Tabula. Scanning each individual Space Pirate and GF Trooper, I attempted to extract every bit of data to complete the jigsaw puzzle they left behind.
Terminology such as "blood-sucking demons," "Mount Osiris," and "the Ancient Ones," stood out above the rest of the data I compiled. Furthermore, my map expanded with each corpse I scanned. The Power Conduit lay hidden within the core of Mount Osiris, several kilometres beyond where I now stood. Although I first believed the Space Pirates to be the monolithic force who ended my comrades' lives, and vice-versa, I now wondered if the "blood-sucking demons" they mentioned played a role in this fight. Embarking down the path of algae toward the coveted Mount Osiris, my hope was that I would soon encounter a Landing Site. It would preferable not to backtrack such a long distance, if I were, in fact, in desperate need of the Light Suit and Light Beam.
When I finally made it to the opposite end of the achromatic path, the oceanic walls widened to form a circle with paths leading straight ahead, to my left, and to my right. The earth dipped at the center, similar to the arena where I fought Draygon. I had no information about the paths to the north and south. Both the Pirates and the Federation were keen on visiting Mount Osiris to the east. In any case, barriers covered the northern and southern paths. Frigidite, the icy material commonly used by Space Pirates, closed off any means to travel in those directions.
The number in fauna increased, when I entered the convex lakebed hub. Again, I wondered if those "blood-sucking demons" restricted other carnivores from devouring the human cattle camouflaged within the algae. Additionally, this brought about the question as to where they were, and what they were. Thinking put me at a disadvantage: the aggravating creatures of the ocean were in constant need of attention. Bloggs would charge toward me, Jelzap would reel me in with magnetic force and disable my Visors, and Aqua Reapers would grab me with their tentacle bodies. After dealing with them, using my assortment of Beam weapons, I tried looking toward the surface, wondering if this large, circular space acted as a submerged Landing Site.
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH – NIGHT
Samus steps foot into the eastern labyrinth of algae, when she notices a disembodied leg in front of her. She tries to pick it up, but finds difficulty. Soon, she realizes a BLONZAK tugging on the opposite end. Samus is in disgust, standing before a black, slimy, asymmetrical mess. One eye is larger than the other is, and its shark-like teeth form an under bite. Samus looks over her shoulder, and discovers TWO MORE BLONZAK behind her. She gets into a defensive position.
The Blonzak were four-legged beasts that were somehow capable of walking along the ocean floor. Their morphed heads were disproportionate, in comparison to the size of their torsos. Each time a demon hound would lunge its front legs forward, its stomps would shake the earth. No weapon I had would weaken them. According to Scan Data, I would require either a strong source of Light energy or a powerful explosion. Understanding that I stood no chance against the four-legged vampires, my only course of action was to run. My heart raced, and I could hear the weight of my own breath.
Given the lack of power in the trench, and the Frigidite barricades to the north and south, embracing the obstructive algae was the only option I had. Space Jumping over the eastern bed of seaweed, I began somersaulting in mid-air for roughly thirty metres. As I expected, the Blonzak chased after me; even in mid-air, I could feel the tremors they unleashed with each gallop. Once I could no longer Screw Attack, I plummeted like a cannonball back onto the lakebed. A trio of hellish mouths tried to break open my armour in spherical form. Gnawing on metal with the sharpest set of teeth I had ever seen, each of the three demons had a chance to bite into my armour. In response, I fed them each a Morph Ball bomb.
When stunning the Blonzak for a few moments, I escaped Morph Ball mode, and climbed onto one of their backs. Due to the tall, withering algae slowing me down and preventing me from jumping, I needed to rely on these frightening fiends in order to reach the opposite end of the trench. This in turn made me panic even more. Utilizing my Screw Attack ability from atop the stunned demon, I somersaulted over another thirty metres of seaweed. The four-legged vampires trailed right behind me, still hungry. Immediately boosting away, I tried to venture as far as I could, but the algae kept slowing me down. With each stomp that catapulted me, I released a Morph Ball bomb to stun them for a nanosecond or two, but they still managed to catch up to me.
Stunning them yet again, I raced away from the Blonzak with my Screw Attack ability before they could recover.
"Warning: Damage to Dark Suit critical. Automatic shutdown imminent."
"Oh, no, no, no! Not now! Not now!"
When I landed, I kept a close eye both on the trio of demons and on the Threat Assessment gauge on my Visor. The thought of being at the bottom of an alien ocean in just my Zero Suit frightened me, especially alongside such monsters. Without even engaging the enemy, my energy levels steadily declined; the Blonzak's teeth already punctured my armour. Mount Osiris was within reach, awaiting my Arm Cannon to power the dynamo. However, as I approached the first Arm Cannon slot, power already returned to that portion of the mountain. Holding off my thoughts until I was safe, I simply accepted whatever just occurred, and ran up the spiral.
Again, when I reached the second slot, the next portion of the spiral unlocked. Grappling across each platform as fast as possible, I tried to keep my distance from the monstrous Blonzak before it was too late. When I entered the dynamo through a Morph Ball slot, I released a brief smile; for a moment, I was safe from those demons. Catching me off guard, I swore I saw SA-X exit through the Morph Ball slot opposite the one I just entered. Anxious to see if it was she, I boosted straight after her, and bomb jumped out to the third spiral. For once, I had a break from the demonic beasts, using both my Screw Attack and Spider Ball abilities to cross the proceeding chasm. Oddly, I did not see SA-X anywhere, making me wonder if this was all in my head. An internal, robotic countdown initiated within my suit. Then, nearly giving me a heart attack, the blood-sucking demons flew toward me.
"They can fly?"
I ran and ran, racing for the summit of Mount Osiris, praying that either SA-X, the silhouette, or whatever was wrong with me would power the final energy slot and save me from disaster.
EXT. MOUNT OSIRIS – NIGHT
Samus panics, mere seconds away from automatic shutdown of her Dark Suit. She Screw Attacks onto the platform that holds the final Arm Cannon slot. Ready to use her Power Beam to energize the remaining portion of Mount Osiris, the final spiral activates for her. Samus races for the summit of the ancient mountain, while a Blonzak bites into her leg. Her Dark Suit disables just as she reaches the top.
EXT. MOUNT OSIRIS: SUMMIT – NIGHT
SA-X stands on the peak of Mount Osiris, her charged Arm Cannon pointed at the spiral. Samus collapses onto her knees, directly in front of her clone. SA-X finishes off the demonic Blonzak with a super-powerful Sunburst onslaught.
SAMUS
(panting)
What happened to lying in bed, so that you can be healthy again?
SA-X steps off the tallest peak of Mount Osiris, noticing the Power Bomb attachment encased in a glass cylinder directly beside Samus. Samus looks over, noticing that she is within arm's reach of acquiring one of the most dangerous weapons in existence. She stretches her arm, desperate to grab the cylinder. Just when she is about to touch the glass with her finger, SA-X steps on her hand with her boot. The Light energy continuing to flow through her armour passes through to Samus' veins. The powerless bounty hunter shouts in agony. SA-X kicks open the cylinder, shards of glass cutting through Samus' flesh. SA-X picks up the Power Bomb upgrade, and adds the attachment to her suit.
INT. SA-X'S COMBAT VISOR – NIGHT
'Power Bomb online' appears on-screen.
EXT. MOUNT OSIRIS: SUMMIT – NIGHT
SA-X helps Samus up.
SAMUS
T-Thanks-!
Samus abruptly runs to the edge of the summit, and vomits blood into the ocean. She groans in displeasure, and wipes her lips with her spandex-covered thumb. She turns back around to face SA-X.
SAMUS
What's gotten into you-?
However, SA-X is no longer there. The summit of Mount Osiris opens, splitting into thirds, with the kinetic orb cannon activating. She notices that the cannon is targeting an island resting above Twin Tabula Trench. A Federation Helicarrier catches Samus off-guard, landing on the water. Gusts of wind cause her hair to fly. She watches as a FLEET ADMIRAL and two GF TROOPERS ride a bridge, which extends from the Helicarrier to the summit of Mount Osiris. She also notices her Gunship aboard the space vessel, alongside multiple military aircraft. She gulps, and tries to stand tall.
FLEET ADMIRAL
Samus Aran, your efforts to purge this virus have caused nothing but pain and anguish for the Federation.
SAMUS
What are you talking about?
FLEET ADMIRAL
Please, do not argue with me. I despise having to do this, given your remarkable portfolio, but-
SAMUS
But what, Admiral? Please, explain to me whatever it is you're talking about.
FLEET ADMIRAL
Your... friends, would you call them?
SAMUS
(enunciating)
Their names are Tyson and Sam.
FLEET ADMIRAL
And now that we have both delinquents, all we require is you.
Silence.
FLEET ADMIRAL
Miss Aran, the Federation refuses to negotiate with you any further. You are-
SAMUS
I am not under arrest! And I am not coming with you!
FLEET ADMIRAL
Do you think I came to this planet to relax
on one of these islands and enjoy a martini?
SAMUS
(mumbling)
Fuck you.
FLEET ADMIRAL
Excuse me?
SAMUS
(walking over to the kinetic orb cannon)
Fuck you!
The Fleet Admiral nods at the soldier to his left. The GF Trooper brings out an electroshock weapon to induce neuromuscular incapacitation. Samus stumbles forward, fainting. The other GF Trooper reaches toward her to catch her.
FADE TO:
INT. GF HELICARRIER: SAMUS' CELL – NIGHT
Samus groans, awaking from her forced slumber. She lifts the blanket to sit on the front-facing side of the prison bed. Someone removed even her Zero Suit, dressing her in her matching carrot orange sports bra and gym shorts. Samus sits hunched, her mind full of thought.
It somehow never occurred to me that I would end up in a prison cell. Never in my years of bounty hunting did I think I would be a prisoner, talked down to and degraded by snarky men and women. Feeling a bit of turbulence, my best guess was that we were on a return trip to Federation HQ. Not a single window was within reach; the guards locked me up in complete darkness. I could hardly see my pale skin or the colour of the clothes I wore. The thought occurred to me as to whether one of the guards went into the closet of my Gunship, searching for something that had no built-in Chozo technology. In fairness, I had few of the sort, not being much for clothes shopping. None of my casual wear were designer brands per se; I tended to spend that money toward things that I felt were more important.
As I stood up from my uncomfortable bed, the aches and pains from SA-X and the Blonzak returned. I rubbed my skin all over, feeling the bumps and popped veins, as well as the cuts and scars given to me by SA-X. The zap of electricity from earlier did nothing of benefit to my health, which was now even worse than ever before. Excessive coughing ensued, with large concentrations of phlegm to boot. My eyes and lips were dry, and the cold floor sent goosebumps up my legs. Strangely, the guards went even so far as to remove my socks. Although I tried to warm them up in bed, the thin, contorted blanket hardly did the trick. The pillows even failed to keep my head afloat. Stuffed blankets and big, fluffy pillows were key to a good night's rest, and the Federation would even deny me that.
The lack of a clock forced me to question how late or early it was; I could only guess it was the middle of the night, based on when I arrived on Mount Osiris.
"Where are they holding Tyson and Sam?"
Given the power of the Light Suit, it was impossible to tell what the Intensive Care Unit and the suit itself did to modify SA-X. Thinking back to our brief time together on Mount Osiris, there was certainly something different about her. There was an abrasiveness to SA-X: a side that only existed in her infancy, when she was in search of her self-identity. That moment on Mount Osiris reminded me of our time on the mountaintops of Phendrana Drifts, where we had our first battle. The lack of developed intelligence made me question whether she was already without her secondary brain.
I was desperate to see the both of them, Tyson and SA-X. I could not live another moment in this wretched prison cell. The silence, the darkness, and the confined space was torture to me. My anxiety was at its peak, making me scratch the itchy bumps infesting my arms and legs. Although the floor was like ice, I felt the need to keep moving. The awful bed was not for me, hardly even fitting my height; the blanket only went down to my shins. I tried peeking out through the metal bars, praying that a kind soul would set me free and let me return to my ship, but not a single person was in sight. The cells across from me were so dark; there was no way to tell if there were any other prisoners nearby
The sudden urge to urinate caught me off-guard, causing me to scramble around the cell for a toilet. I held out my hands in all directions, hoping to find a receptacle that I could use to relieve my bladder. Despite my cautiousness, my search resulted in me stubbing my toe against a paint bucket, causing it to fall onto its side. If anything, the combined sound of my exclamation and the canister falling over should have attracted someone's attention. When adjusting the paint bucket, I slid down my shorts, and crouched overtop of it. My eyes tearing up as I released a big yawn, it appeared my midnight weariness finally kicked in. Although I despised the bed in this room, I tried to reach the most desperate need for sleep possible; I wanted to be tired enough that it made no difference where I slept, just that I would fall asleep instantaneously. Once I finished hovering over the paint bucket, I exhaustingly fluffed my pillows and blanket, and then collapsed into bed.
Freedom was not a word that really existed in my vocabulary. Brief spasms of consciousness, likely a result of the anesthesia, allowed me to witness segments of the fiendish Federation treating me with disrespect and arrogance, as though I did not belong in this world. Somehow, despite the earlier operation, I managed to escape and locate my sister on Twin Tabula, but lacked the intelligence to communicate and display the emotions I felt sincerely. The freedom that I longed for no longer existed, due to this abhorred, quarantined imprisonment. There was no escape for me.
The most grueling portion of my indictment was when I awoke in an exam bed naked, my flesh only partially redeveloping, with several surgeons debating how they could kill me. Treating my body as a toy, they questioned not how to quarantine me, but how to dispose of me. The Federation now had a fully functional Tyson in their possession again; I was useless to them. Now inside of a stasis tank, the thought of death lingered within my toxic skull. Imagery of how the Galactic Federation might terminate me was haunting.
The nightmare of the Federation dismantling my Light Suit kept playing in my head. Soon, they would find out that, when I was still had control, I could have killed every one of those bastards. At no point, did I regret such a thought. Death consumed me, fantasizing about filling the corridor with every evil heart and intestine aboard this ship and painting the walls with crimson. Nothing would put me more at ease than creating art with the flesh and blood of those inferior human soldiers. Soon, they would see just how mad and toxic I truly was. Never would I give up my attempts in escaping this godforsaken stasis tank; it was only a matter of time before they would see me next, and I would make sure that they regretted ever attempting to toy with me.
The tingling sensation spreading from my wrists and ankles was excruciating; the X-figure they put me in was even worse. I tried to calculate an escape route. My twin had to be facing just as much torment as I did. The Federation would keep her imprisoned for as long as they liked, and that was not something I could allow.
My first objective was to detach myself from these digital handcuffs. I tugged and tugged, using as much force as possible. I even tried to push the stasis tank onto its side with my body. Kicking and elbowing the glass was difficult to accomplish, but I attempted it nonetheless. My efforts continued for what felt like hours. Suddenly, a pool of fiery phlegm entered through the metal bars that made sure I remained sealed. This fluid was elastic, somehow capable of reforming and reshaping itself into something more human. When witnessing the structuring of a familiar demonic face, I realized what I saw. The phlegm of Oormine II, the piping hot parasitic lava that spewed from the mouths of carved pumpkins, was my blood. The Plasma Demon that formed was representative of a form that I failed to take.
The demon standing before me had all the opportunity to replace the Federation's death toll unto me. I waited for the foul beast to shatter the glass; the crystalline shards cut my parasitic body all over. This moment was my penitence for how I treated my twin back on Mount Osiris, though I anticipated she would retaliate shortly. The Plasma Demon grabbed my limbs one by one, and freed me with cruel, painful force. There was no way I could fight until the oxygen and parasitic blood refueled my strength. As I learned from the Spark Demon on Mount Pluto, I followed my instincts to guide me where to dodge each of the beast's attacks.
Once my limbs finally recovered, a sudden surge of energy fueled my blood stream. I could feel the adrenaline begin to pump through my veins, my singular brain regaining control. Bashing the Plasma Demon's face against the wall, I rejoiced in my deliverance of pain toward this beast. For as long as his jaw was within my grasp, it would be possible for me to absorb a percentage of his parasitic blood to maintain a consistent flow of adrenaline. Kneeing him in the stomach, cutting open his flesh with shards of glass, or even twisting his wrists when he tried to attack me, there was no way I could allow this fiend to stand in the way of my escape.
The more I interacted with the Plasma Demon, the more he began to look like me in my weakest state, and the more I began to tower over him. The parasitic blood that flowed within us was a monstrous enhancement of strength, endurance, and dominance. The vampire before me was entirely capable of continuing the torture initiated by the Galactic Federation. I received a variety of devastating attacks from my foe, ranging from the breaking of my bones to suffocation. The utilization of instincts became much less reliable, as my power increased. Although the pain I felt was mighty, the pain I delivered was tenfold. The longer our battle dwelled, and the more his blood transferred into my veins, my gruesome plot could begin to unfold.
Breaking through the metal bars by throwing his body, I released the inferior demon into the wild. I wondered if the Federation might mistake me for the Plasma Demon and vice-versa. Rampaging through every corridor, my hunt for Samus and her robotic companion ensued. As much as I enjoyed toying with the vampire back in my cell, I had even more fun slaughtering the dozens of Federation Troopers that came after me. The visualization that made my mood increase could finally come to fruition. Their toxic organs were mine to hunt, and their blood was mine to drink. Their meat filled my stomach with the nutrition that I desperately needed. Human eyes were perfect, as they were small yet plentiful. I lost count as to how many eyeballs I ate.
Samus had to be somewhere aboard this ship; there was no way she already escaped. While incapacitating as much of the militia as possible, I shouted and screamed in my monstrous, guttural language, hoping to get the attention of my sister. The Federation was on high alert, ready to kill or tranquilize me however necessary. In addition, I could feel the adrenaline within slowly beginning to decrease. Given this was the third time now that the Federation captured me and allowed me to escape, the most logical that my demise would be here. For this reason, it was my duty to free Samus and Tyson, and act as a wall to allow their freedom.
INT. GF HELICARRIER: SAMUS' CELL – NIGHT
Samus awakes to the monstrous sounds coming from outside her cell. She flips open her blanket, and rushes over to the metal bars.
SAMUS
The hell is going on out here?
INT. GF HELICARRIER: CELLBLOCK C – NIGHT
SA-X, the tall, bulky parasite monster hears this, and rips out the metal bars to free her twin. Samus runs to the smaller, more familiar parasite monster, who was about to surprise attack SA-X from behind. Samus grabs the Plasma Demon, thinking it to be her clone, and pins him against the wall.
SAMUS
Sam! Sam, what are you doing right-?
She notices the wings, horns, and tail.
SAMUS
You're not...
She looks over, and stares in horror at the terrifying brute killing the remaining GF Troopers from preventing their escape.
SAMUS
Sam...?
SA-X picks up Samus with her claw, brings her up to her face, and roars happily.
SAMUS
(nervous)
Yeah, yeah, I'm happy to see you, too...!
SA-X transfers funnelled blood into Samus' cardiovascular system. In the process, SA-X gradually shrinks in height and weight, while the veins, cuts, and scars on Samus' body diminish.
SAMUS
You're saving me...?
SA-X growls in delight.
SAMUS
...Thanks.
SA-X puts Samus back down. The bounty hunter barely dodges an attack from the Plasma Demon. Samus, feeling stronger, utilizes martial arts to defeat the inferior parasite, ultimately killing him by twisting his neck.
Eerie silence follows.
Samus looks around at all of the dead people in the corridor, and at the collapsed, normal-sized SA-X on the ground. She takes a deep breath, grabs an electroshock weapon from one of the soldiers, and heads off to find Tyson and the Light Suit.
As I stepped deeper into this expansive airship, terror filled my head. I could not believe that my clone killed, dissected, and devoured so many of the Federation troops that guarded this place. Remaining soldiers had to be on the lookout for her and me. I began to question why I left SA-X there, collapsed alongside the dozens of soldiers that made the corridor look like dead fish washed ashore. I anticipated a Trooper would surprise me around the next corner, grabbing me tight by the wrists and placing me somewhere I could not escape. I made sure my footsteps were quiet, such that it would be less likely for them to hear me. Crouching and hiding, the red floodlights consuming this Helicarrier, my mission was to retrieve my belongings as stealthily as possible.
Time passed so slowly on this spacecraft. Perhaps our arrival at Federation HQ would be at sunrise. Reminded of the blood transfusion provided by SA-X, the fact that she was still aware of me surprised me. After our incident on Mount Osiris, I was certain she was a lost cause; I presumed the lack of an intelligent brain would bring forth pure chaos, but in truth, there was still heart somewhere deep inside of her. I hoped we could communicate again like before; it would be pitiful if SA-X were like this forever.
Caution and precision were key to securing our escape. I could not allow any approaching Troopers to reach my clone. She needed a moment to recover, so that we could return to my Gunship and backtrack to Twin Tabula. Eventually, I entered the operations deck. Dozens of engineers and flight controllers were aboard to ensure safe travel from one galaxy to another. The thought occurred to me whether the Federation placed Tyson as co-pilot of this airship, as it would be the most complex location for me to reach. Accepting such a challenge, I attempted to sneak by every operator of the Helicarrier in the hopes of reuniting with my robot companion.
The anticipation grew, as I neared the cockpit. Sweat began to drip from my face: the possibility of someone catching me was frightening. I tried to avoid using the electroshock weapon, as someone would inevitably notice the reaction a crewmember would make. With enough luck, I came across a set of escalators. Riding them down led me to a three-way intersection: Cockpit, Storage, and ICU. I entered the helm of the ship, and identified the back of a human head with gray hair to my left and the back of a robot head to my right. Silently, I held out my electroshock weapon, and incapacitated the pilot from his balding head. To secure a successful suppression, I firmly gripped his upper jaw, covering his mouth to muffle the pilot's words of anguish, and then placed him on the ground to sleep.
INT. GF HELICARRIER: COCKPIT – NIGHT
TYSON
(shocked)
Ma'am?
Samus lunges forward to silence him.
SAMUS
(whispering)
I'm so glad you're okay.
FLIGHT CONTROLLER
(V.O.)
Sir, we have a bit of an issue here.
Samus nods, telling Tyson to reply. She seats herself in the pilot seat.
TYSON
Yes, sir! What appears to be the problem?
FLIGHT CONTROLLER
(V.O.)
Several Space Pirate ATCs attempting to breach the vessel.
SAMUS
Oh, what in god's name do they want now...?
Awkward silence.
FLIGHT CONTROLLER
(V.O.)
Tyson?
TYSON
Yes, sir?
FLIGHT CONTROLLER
(V.O.)
Who is sitting in the cockpit with you?
TYSON
Why, the pilot, of course.
FLIGHT CONTROLLER
(V.O.)
Whose voice did I hear just now?
TYSON
(slowly)
Voice, sir?
FLIGHT CONTROLLER
(V.O.)
The Admiral is not going to be too happy with you, Tyson. Do you want to upset him?
INT. GF HELICARRIER: OPERATIONS DECK – NIGHT
The flight controller speaking with Tyson awaits a response.
SAMUS
(V.O.)
Upset him? (laughs) As if he isn't upset already. I just walked down each one of those cellblocks. Do you know how many soldiers I saw that were still alive? Go ahead. Guess.
The flight controller gulps.
SAMUS
(V.O.)
Correct. None. Now, I'm going to head over to Storage, get my stuff, and I'm going to kill every last one of those godforsaken Pirates. Are we clear?
Pause.
FLIGHT CONTROLLER
(nervous)
Yes, ma'am.
SAMUS
(V.O.)
And when I leave on my Gunship, I am taking Tyson and my sister with me. And you are not going to chase after me.
FLIGHT CONTROLLER
Of course.
Static follows.
INT. GF HELICARRIER: COCKPIT – NIGHT
Samus disables the communication line. She then gets up to exit through the automatic door.
SAMUS
You stay here and keep me posted on those Space Pirates.
Tyson stares, nervous.
SAMUS
I'll get you out of here soon. I promise.
Tyson nods.
Samus exits.
FADE TO:
INT. GF HELICARRIER: STORAGE – NIGHT
Samus discovers two pairs of Zero Suits, a dismantled Dark Suit, and a dismantled Light Suit. She removes her bra and shorts, and switches into her Maya and Catalina blue, spandex body suit.
FADE TO:
INT. GF HELICARRIER: CELLBLOCK C – NIGHT
Samus walks over to SA-X, holding a Denim and San Marino Zero Suit. The parasite girl is only slowly beginning to awake from her slumber.
SAMUS
Sam? Sam, I'm gonna need you to wake up.
SA-X growls.
SAMUS
I know, but we have Space Pirates coming, and I'm gonna need your full attention to take them out. Can you do that for me?
Another growl.
SAMUS
Here, let me get this on for you.
Samus goes to dress SA-X in her Zero Suit, only for the parasite girl to snarl loudly and push Samus away. She then tackles Samus onto the ground. The bounty hunter quickly puts the Light Suit online.
INT. SAMUS' COMBAT VISOR – NIGHT
SA-X goes to punch Samus in the face. She blocks the attack.
SAMUS
What are you doing?
TYSON
(V.O.)
Ma'am, you might want to hurry up!
SAMUS
(simultaneously)
We can't fight right now! Get off me!
SA-X growls.
TYSON
(V.O.)
Ma'am, do you copy?
SAMUS
(aggravated)
Yes, Tyson, what's the matter?
Samus tries to fight SA-X while chatting with Tyson.
TYSON
(V.O.)
There is a large army of Space Pirates about to-
SAMUS
My clone is a psychotic mess right now! I'm trying to deal with her so that she can help us!
TYSON
(V.O.)
You put too much faith in her...
SAMUS
What was that?
TYSON
(nervous, V.O.)
Nothing... ma'am.
Continuing her rampage, it was evident that my clone had no plans on stopping anytime soon. While taking on the brute, I noticed the size and amount of those black, slimy splotches on her body increased quite dramatically. This made me wonder if the blood transfusion she gave me had a negative effect on her, further enriching the black symbiotic toxins to spread. As I alternated utilization of the Light Beam, and Purge Beam and Radiation Shield, my concern for her well-being increased; only the autumn mucus reacted to my weaponry. Pausing for a moment, memories of our battle back on the FS-176 space station flooded my head. The ooze aboard the station turned dark, evolving into its molasses-like state. This viscous substance granted SA-X a second layer of parasite. Perhaps this fight was the return of Dark Samus-X.
There was no point in idling by, when my clone needed to come to her senses. Dozens of Space Pirates were about to intervene our battle, and I needed her on my side. I continually put the weight of my armour to use, punching, kicking, and throwing her against the walls. There were just as many Pirates as there were people aboard this airship; it would be impossible for me to save every single person. My Light Beam-Purge Beam and Radiation Shield technique did not work as smoothly as I knew it could. The constant mobility and physical contact made this battle much more arduous and energetic. I tried hard to retain a certain level of dominance, needing enough force to switch my clone's focus onto the true enemies. I wondered if I could lure her outside somehow, if seeing our foes land would get her attention.
"Tyson, mark the nearest exit on my radar for me! I have a plan!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Does this airship have any weapons?"
"Of course!"
"Destroy as many of those bloody ships as you can target!"
"Understood!"
I eagerly awaited the yellow blip on my radar to appear, while taking on my belligerent clone. I continued to alternate Beam weapons, wanting to prevent the autumn mucus all over her body from re-growing. Updating my goal partway through, I made it so that she could activate the Dark Suit from her Zero Suit and use the power of the baking chocolate sludge to kill the Pirates approaching the Helicarrier.
Once the icon popped up on my Visor, I began luring SA-X outside. After seeing how many Federation Troops she killed in the cellblock corridors, I knew she was more than capable of annihilating a few dozen Space Pirates. The sound of heavy artillery greeted my clone and I, as we exited the ship. SA-X was ready to push the two of us outside with extreme force. Both of us collapsing onto the deck of the Helicarrier, two major events welcomed us: the explosions of multiple Space Pirate ATCs and the descent into Earth's atmosphere. Already, enough time passed that our space travel from Twin Tabula was nearly complete. At such an inopportune time, I recalled the reaction to my last incident on Federation Island; of how frightened the people were when they witnessed my actions toward the Federation militia, and how frightened they would be when they discovered multiple spacecrafts headed toward the planet. Wanting to ensure the safety of the people on the surface, I had yet another call to make.
"Tyson?"
"Yes, Miss Aran?"
"I need you to do me a really big favour."
"What would that be, ma'am?"
"Send this giant ship into the Pacific. The three of us will make our escape, once the Pirates are all dead. Tell Headquarters that the crew is gonna need emergency evac."
"But ma'am—!"
"Do it!"
"...Yes... Miss Aran..."
As I expected, the arrival of Space Pirates caught SA-X's attention. Her brutality toward me weakened. I wondered if some part of her remembered that her birth was thanks to the Space Pirates. I knew to leave the parasite in her brain alone, as extracting the toxicity in her skull would likely lead to death. For the remainder of our battle, I continued my method of combining Light Beam, Purge Beam and Radiation Shield, and martial arts. This method was the only means of getting SA-X inside of the Dark Suit, which I presumed would more so soothe her toxicity than asphyxiate it. Thoughts slowly began to form about how I might install a new intelligent brain inside her head. However, this was not the time for ideas; I needed to focus on battle.
Although Tyson managed to destroy many ATCs with turrets, plenty of Pirates already figured out how to board the spacecraft. SA-X now capable of activating her Zero and Dark Suits, the two of us turned our focus toward our true foes. Recalling that I wielded Power Bombs, I began strategizing where and when I could unleash the mighty explosive across a wide enough radius that would vanquish as many Pirates as possible. In the meantime, my powerful Light Beam was capable of taking down most of the smaller Pirates, while using Super Missiles worked best on the larger ones. Tyson destroyed as many of the ATCs that attempted to board, while Dark Samus-X did wonders to kill the Space Pirate brutes, and even protected my Gunship. It astounded me how many Space Pirates wanted to start a war. I could not help but wonder what they felt they needed.
Space Pirates of all sorts came to fight: Aerotroopers, Pirate Grenadiers, Elite Pirates, Shadow Pirates, and Trooper Pirates. Dark Samus-X and I sent the airborne villains flying with projectile weapons of our own. To those that wielded grenade launchers, we used our Dark and Light Beams. We fired missiles and blasts of Light to the Elite Pirates, while also using our Purge Beams and Radiation Shields. Requiring our Thermal Visors to see the Shadow Pirates, my clone and I took out each of them with brute force. The Trooper Pirates, meanwhile, received charge Beam blasts correlating with the colour of their armour. Given the amount of Elite Pirates aboard the Helicarrier, I wondered how much of the virus was already in the Pirates' possession. Perhaps they mined large concentrations of the parasitic matter, and decided to use them on their subordinates, like what they did with Phazon.
The majority of the smaller Pirates were simple to take out, only needing a few charged shots or missiles to kill them. However, the amount of Elite Pirates increased in numbers. I knew it was time to put the Power Bombs to use. Switching to Morph Ball mode, I tried to lure my foes to a sizable area on the deck. Once the tall, menacing beasts were in my trap, I unleashed a magnificent explosion. Encasing us in a large hemisphere of orange, the damage of the Power Bomb was likely identifiable from a large distance. The smoke slowly beginning to dissipate, I rejoined Dark Samus-X in killing the remaining Space Pirates attempting to hijack the Helicarrier. Peering over at our destination, the horizon of blue began to fill my peripheral vision. The Pacific Ocean was within reach.
EXT. GF HELICARRIER: DECK – DAY
Samus walks over to her Gunship, powering it remotely from her Arm Cannon.
SAMUS
All right, Tyson! I believe we're clear!
TYSON
(V.O.)
I'm on my way, Miss Aran!
INT. GF HELICARRIER: COCKPIT – DAY
After initiating an autopilot landing sequence, Tyson gets up from the pilot seat, and walks over to the automatic door, only for a severely wounded Fleet Admiral to greet him.
TYSON
Sir! You're still alive!
FLEET ADMIRAL
Burial at sea, is it?
Silence.
FLEET ADMIRAL
You set the ship to autopilot, didn't you?
TYSON
Yes, sir. Is that a problem?
FLEET ADMIRAL
Out of my way!
The Fleet Admiral pushes Tyson aside, and walks over to the pilot seat.
FLEET ADMIRAL
You best head off with your partner. The water will kill you.
Tyson begins to leave.
FLEET ADMIRAL
Tyson!
Tyson stops at the door, turning his head toward the Fleet Admiral.
FLEET ADMIRAL
Take care of yourself. (beat) And that brat! God knows she needs help.
Tyson nods and exits.
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: COCKPIT – DAY
Samus prepares for lift off. Tyson enters. He seats himself in the co-pilot seat, and helps. They begin lifting off.
TYSON
Uh, ma'am? Where's-?
SAMUS
Don't worry about her. Let's go!
EXT. GF HELICARRIER – DAY
Samus, Tyson, and SA-X begin their flight out of Earth's atmosphere.
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: COCKPIT – DAY
Samus and Tyson pilot the ship.
TYSON
Start-up into warp speed commencing...
SAMUS
Velocity rising... (beat) Velocity reached.
TYSON
Warp speed engaged.
EXT. SOLAR SYSTEM – DAY
Samus, Tyson, and SA-X zoom toward the FS-176 star system.
FADE TO:
INT. GF HEADQUARTERS: AURORA CHAMBER – DAY
The Fleet Admiral, speaking with Aurora Unit 149, gulps.
AURORA UNIT 149
May I ask why you let them escape?
FLEET ADMIRAL
Tyson's data would have been useless.
AURORA UNIT 149
Useless?
FLEET ADMIRAL
Yes.
AURORA UNIT 149
Why?
FLEET ADMIRAL
The ocean would have-
AURORA UNIT 149
Nonsense! You let her escape! (beat) Do you really think going back and chasing after her would be wise?
FLEET ADMIRAL
Why not-?
AURORA UNIT 149
Report to me in twenty-four hours with a foolproof plan to apprehend Miss Aran. I will not allow her to investigate Twin Tabula or purge the virus any longer.
FLEET ADMIRAL
Yes, of course.
The Fleet Admiral bows solemnly, and begins to exit. Unit 149 stops him, briefly.
AURORA UNIT 149
And make sure you kill the parasite girl this time.
Before the Fleet Admiral can even reply, Unit 149 returns to sleep mode, the glass of her stasis tank turning mosaic.
FADE TO:
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: COCKPIT – DAY
Samus, now in her Zero Suit, gets out of the pilot seat. She stretches, and then begins to explore the rest of her home.
With the recent events caused by the Galactic Federation, my Gunship was a mess yet again. My needing to subdue Dark Samus-X for lift-off, I had to put off cleaning my home until we were free from harm. The Federation was keen on finding out if I hid any secret information or artifacts anywhere. I hoped they did not confiscate any of my belongings, like my savings or my childhood photo album. Searching room by room, I checked each of my possessions to see if everything was still in its place. To my surprise, the Federation left most of my things intact; everything I hid were still where they belonged. However, they fooled around with the technology in my observatory, left my kitchen cupboards open, and made a mess of my bedroom, so it was clear they were after something.
Cleaning up my bedroom closet, I began by re-sorting my digital vinyl by artist and year of release. My holo-novels were also in disarray, some fallen over and some on the floor. The amount of clutter all over the Gunship was absurd, and I predicted that I would be busy doing it for a while. As such, I flipped through my digital vinyl until I found a suitable album that would not wake up my clone. I double-tapped the record, and sent the music to my surround sound speakers in the living room. Immediately, I had to turn the volume down, forgetting that I had it somewhat loud the last time to hear SA-X over the phone while the dishwasher ran.
Our Zero Suits and underwear were all sweaty. I expected to work up even more of a sweat from all the cleaning. Undressing, and bringing our clothes to the laundry room, I concluded that our frequent outfits could use a good wash. Applying the necessary settings wirelessly through my holo-phone, I let the washer-dryer do its thing, while I tended to the mess throughout my spaceship. The sight of my clothes being in such disarray was upsetting. Having just cleaned my closet not too long ago, the need to do it again made me a little angry. Similarly, the pantry in the kitchen was no longer as organized as I once had it. At the least, it was in better shape than when a group of Space Pirates broke in to steal Tyson.
Much as when I checked up on my belongings, I cleaned the Gunship room by room, section by section. Simultaneously, the vacuum and sweeper-mop droids made sure the carpet, rugs, and floor were immaculate. This whole process was time-consuming; we passed planet after planet by the minute, it felt. Once everything was finally proper, I could head to the gym to work out. I tended to follow the same routine, focusing on the muscles I used most. From the lat pulldown to the cable press, from chin-ups to bench-pressing, there were certain parts of my body that required the superb physique to accomplish the tasks I faced. There was quite the assortment of equipment in my gym, allowing me to develop the muscles across all over my body. I interchanged these machines throughout my sets and repetitions. My workout lasted quite some time; before I knew it, I already completed several rounds on the multiple machines. Grabbing a towel to wipe my sweat, I logged my session into my workout journal, and then headed to the bathroom for a necessary shower.
For no particular reason, I was in the mood for a lukewarm shower. After setting the water the way I liked it through my phone, I stared at my naked body through the mirror. The odd blood transfusion given to me by SA-X somehow alleviated the corruption initiated by the Dark Cronalian back at HQ. Moreover, my cuts and scars were practically nonexistent; the rapid healing process caught me by surprise. I felt so much better now than when I last examined my body. Though I appreciated what she did for me, I grew worried how much of a burden my clone might become. Freeing my hair from its ponytail, I hopped into the shower.
Switching the showerhead to spray soapy water all over me, I twirled around repeatedly until bubbles covered my arms, torso, and legs. Massaging each part of my body, I slowly made my rounds, scrubbing myself all over with a washcloth until satisfied; at which point, I would have the showerhead spray just water to rinse. In addition to washing myself, another decision of mine was to utilize this private moment to relax in an alternate way. Pleasure was not something I commonly experienced, as missions kept my hands busy so frequently. However, thanks to these spare moments, I had the opportunity to unwind and take a break. Although I much preferred doing it in my bed, Dark Samus-X slept there, thus making the shower my second option. As such, I took this calm, relaxing moment to place my hand between my legs, and fantasized.
Feeling completely relaxed for the first time in a while, I let the wall-to-wall electric body and hair dryer evaporate the water off my skin. The clothes in the laundry room were now clean and dry. Unlike during my previous, lonesome space travels, I could waltz around my Gunship in the nude as I pleased, but now, I risked the possibility of people seeing me. It surprised me that Tyson never caught me during my naked cleaning of the Gunship. Perhaps he preferred the cockpit to the other rooms in my home. Additionally, when I returned the other Zero Suit to Dark Samus-X, she was still sound asleep. To be fair, I intentionally gave her a large enough dosage of anesthesia to keep her from terrorizing Tyson and I on our way back to Twin Tabula.
With my kitchen now in order, I could make dinner hassle-free. The freezer still had a variety of meats, all of which I examined thoroughly. The pantry also caught my eye, contemplating if it might be more preferable to make pasta. I thought about making spaghetti and meatballs, but recalled how recently I made hamburgers, and that I ate the leftover burger and fries the day before. Fettuccini Alfredo came to mind. Without hesitation, I extracted the necessary ingredients and utensils to make it. Deciding servings was difficult, as I was unsure if my clone would eat while she was ill. After much contemplation, I argued making two helpings would be better, as I could eat the rest the next day, should there be any left over.
While waiting for the water to boil, I turned on the holo-vision, expecting the news to be covering the recent Helicarrier incident. To my surprise, a press event took place at Federation HQ, with the Fleet Admiral leading the event.
"—matter to us more than you could ever imagine. We take planetary protection seriously, and we aim to secure the lives of each and every citizen, not just on Earth, but on other planets as well."
"Why is the Federation so secretive about what exists in outer space?"
"Before we can even begin to communicate with intelligent life, we have to ensure their safety, so that they understood who their enemies are and who their allies are. Next question—"
"Admiral, yes or no, are we in danger—?"
"How did you manage to let that orange spacecraft get away—?"
"One question at a time, please. First, yes, to put it bluntly, we are in danger. We have men and women making sure that you all stay safe. Do not—"
"How did the Federation even allow this morning's incident to happen—?"
"I would appreciate it if everyone waited their turn."
The water now boiling, I gently inserted the noodles, and gave them the occasional stir. In the meantime, my concoction of the cheese sauce would begin, wanting the particular flavour and texture to make the pasta pop. Tyson surprised me with a visit, the scent of cooking and the sound of the holo-vision likely getting his attention.
"Hi, Tyson!"
"Hello, ma'am! Fettuccini Alfredo?"
"Mm-hmm! Sorry you can't eat any of my cooking. I'm sure living with a metal stomach is one of the worst parts of being a robot."
"Indeed."
"Yes, we have a major threat out there," the Fleet Admiral continued, his voice resonating from the surround sound speakers. "We have been fighting a particular species for decades now, but they continue to outnumber us. They threaten not just our star system, but some of the more distant ones as well. Our main duty, as it has been since we founded the Galactic Federation, is to protect our people."
"Is there any way I can help around the ship?" Tyson asked.
"Actually, there is something you could do. Could you fetch the logbook entry about you?"
"About me?"
"About your brain, specifically."
"What for?"
I gave him a long glare. He knew deep down what my intentions were. Tyson gulped, in response.
More of the Fleet Admiral's speech filled the brief silence, "What makes it so difficult to do is how capable they are. My crew intended to arrive safe and sound this morning, but this species got the best of us."
"Would you need assistance in constructing it?" Tyson wondered.
"Sure! Just watch out about your vendetta against her."
"I have no vendetta against her, ma'am."
"Fine. Your jealousy."
"I have no jealousy, either."
"Tyson, I care for you just the same. Okay? On equal terms."
"I'll get started on the construction."
"Thank you, Tyson."
While arguing with the cheese sauce over what the consistency should be, I turned my attention back to the event on the holo-vision. However, I only caught the tail end of it, the familiar chief correspondent reacting to the story with his panel.
"All right and welcome back. Joining me this afternoon, my wonderful panel, Sylvia, Rich, and Janice. Let's just jump right into it: the Galactic Federation finally answers the big question we asked them last time, 'Are we in danger?' Rich, we'll start with you. Your thoughts."
"Immediately, I have a question to ask this guy, and I know how much he loves answering questions: why now? Why is the Federation only beginning to talk about this interplanetary threat now? We now know that there is, in fact, intelligent life outside of Earth, but they're essentially planetary terrorists!"
"Well, let's not forget that he alluded to there being other life that are in danger because of these 'terrorists'."
"Right, he mentioned how we wanted allies, not enemies."
"What excites me in particular is his brash, forward thinking attitude. He knows what's coming. I blame PR for all the secrecy, not him."
"All right, let's not get too ahead of ourselves."
"Janice, we almost faced a catastrophe this morning! Thank god, that Helicarrier went into the Pacific Ocean; otherwise, we'd be screwed!"
"What about that ally of theirs? That orange spaceship looked different from the other aircraft the Federation has. I mean, look at some of the pictures circulating online. Who lives in that spaceship? That's what I wanna know."
Once settled on the proper thickness for Fettuccini Alfredo, I drained the water from the noodles, put the pasta back in the pot, and stirred in the cheese sauce. My eagerness to eat got the best of me. Grabbing a plate and fork, I brought my dinner with me to the Weapons Repair room, where Tyson was. Pure joy filled his face, eager to show me his accomplishments thus far.
"Miss Aran, look! The replica is nearly complete! I read these logbook entries at least a thousand times! I didn't want you to scold me for making a mistake!"
"I wouldn't have scolded you, Tyson."
"Oh, and look, we had all the necessary components to make a perfect duplicate! Even the blue light that allows her skin to appear translucent!"
"No wonder you haven't said a word all this time."
"I did not want to disappoint, ma'am."
Sitting next to Tyson at the table, I ate my dinner.
"Is she still asleep...?"
"I'm not sure," I replied. "She's been just as quiet as you. Maybe she woke up to the smell of my—
Tyson looked over at me, hearing the sound of my chewing.
"You're eating in here?"
"Is that a problem?"
"You don't eat in the Weapons Repair room!"
"Says who? This is my ship!"
"You're going to dirty up the replica, ma'am!"
"I won't! Don't worry about it! God, you sound just like Sam, when I made her French toast."
"I remember."
"So, what's it like, being in someone else's body?"
"I would rather not talk about it, ma'am. You eat your food. I'll continue with the replica."
"Okay..."
Awkward silence followed.
Greeting me once again was the most comfortable bed I ever experienced. A slight pain in my upper arm, likely from an injection, made me wonder just how long I was asleep. Attempting to stand, the black slime clung to the pillowcases, blanket cover, and sheets. Detaching myself from the bed was far more difficult than I anticipated. Through the window, there were no distinguishable planets to my naked eye; the Federation star ahead was about the size of a marble. Perhaps we were somewhere between star systems. The scent of food caught my attention. Stumbling in my walk, needing to remember how it functioned, I arduously made my way to the kitchen.
A peculiar dish in an oval-shaped bowl awaited. Wondering what sort of meal my twin created, I heavily inspected my dinner, unsure if it was edible. The plastic wrapping was extremely difficult to remove with my fingers, forcing me to poke holes and rip it off. My dinner already cool, I wondered if there might be some way to heat it. Bewildered by the numerous appliances, it took me long to examine every major apparatus in the kitchen, until I eventually came across a box that had the words 'Reheat' and 'Dinner' written on it. Growling in glee, I opened the hatch, and placed the oval-shaped bowl inside. The appliance did not take long to warm my dinner.
When discovering the cutlery, I found surprising difficulty in holding a fork. My attempts at holding a spoon were not so successful, either. No matter how many times I tried, I eventually concluded that dexterity was impossible in my current state. However, hidden in a slot above the main columns of cutlery rested pairs of wooden sticks, which conjoined on one side. Picking one of them up with the dexterity I apparently had, I managed to hold one of these utensils instantaneously. Not letting go, wanting to be able to eat my dinner with these twigs of wood, I retrieved my food from the appliance box, held my oval-shaped bowl at the base, and began consuming the peculiar dish while sitting on one of the stools.
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: KITCHEN – DAY
Dark Samus-X is busy eating Fettuccini Alfredo with chopsticks. Samus walks over with her dishes, wanting to put them in the dishwasher.
SAMUS
Sam?
Dark Samus-X grumbles with her mouth full.
Samus gets closer.
SAMUS
Are you... eating pasta with chopsticks?
Dark Samus-X replies with another grumble.
SAMUS
Why?
Dark Samus-X enjoys her dinner too much to answer. Samus puts the intelligence replica on the counter, and then empties the dishwasher to insert new dirty dishes. Dark Samus-X's eyes widen. She takes the brain, and examines it. Samus looks over, after a while.
SAMUS
You wanna finish your dinner first?
Dark Samus-X roars. She gets up, and takes the brain with her to the bathroom.
SAMUS
Sam!
Samus chases after her.
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: BATHROOM – DAY
Dark Samus-X tries to use the mirror to find the hole in her head. Samus barges in.
SAMUS
Sam? Give me the brain. I'll put it in for you.
Dark Samus-X growls.
SAMUS
The pain will be too intense for you! It'll feel like you're giving yourself brain surgery! Do you want that?
Another roar.
SAMUS
Sam, please, work with me here.
Samus tries to take the brain away from her clone. The two wrestle over it.
SAMUS
Give... it... here...!
Dark Samus-X snarls.
SAMUS
Come on... Sam...! Just let me-
Samus yanks the brain away from Dark Samus-X.
SAMUS
(cont'd)
-do it! Thank you!
EXT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: BATHROOM – DAY
Samus attempts to install Dark Samus-X's new brain. The parasite girl growls in pain.
SAMUS
(O.S.)
I told you this was a bad idea! I wouldn't have put you under for long! You'd be asleep for four, maybe five, minutes. (beat) Sam? Sam! You're choking me!
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: BATHROOM – DAY
Samus attempts to install Dark Samus-X's new brain. The parasite girl strangles her twin.
SAMUS
(cont'd)
Can you please let go? You can hold my shoulders or my waist, but please don't strangle me!
Dark Samus-X stops, and roars apologetically.
SAMUS
Thank you. (beat) I know it hurts, but it'll be all over soon, okay?
The parasite girl tries to nod.
SAMUS
Okay, don't move so much.
Dark Samus-X snarls.
SAMUS
Is my chest comfy enough for you?
Dark Samus-X growls again.
Samus finishes moments later.
SAMUS
I know, I know. You're lucky you're not human! I probably would've killed you by now!
Dark Samus-X releases her head from Samus' chest.
SAMUS
You okay?
The parasite girl hugs Samus.
SAMUS
(awkward)
Welcome back.
DARK SAMUS-X
Is Tyson-?
SAMUS
No. We made another one just for you.
Suddenly, the regular lights switch off, and the red emergency lights switch on. Samus and her clone gasp.
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP – DAY
Samus and Dark Samus-X leave the bathroom, venturing for the cockpit. All of the emergency lights are on.
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: COCKPIT – DAY
Tyson is in the co-pilot seat, trying to manoeuvre around the massive, colliding space rocks. Samus and her clone enter, their eyes widening at the sight of the asteroids just outside the windshield.
SAMUS
How the hell are we gonna get around them?
TYSON
I'm not sure, ma'am. The Zebesian asteroids are behaving rather unusually today.
DARK SAMUS-X
Hand me the Plasma Beam you just got.
SAMUS
When did I get the Plasma Beam?
DARK SAMUS-X
Hurry!
Samus picks up her Arm Cannon, and opens it.
SAMUS
I'm telling you right now, I don't have the- I have the Plasma Beam.
DARK SAMUS-X
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!
Samus removes the half-red, half-transparent cylinder from the Arm Cannon, and gives it to her clone.
DARK SAMUS-X
(exiting)
Great. Thanks.
SAMUS
W- Sam!
DARK SAMUS-X
(O.S.)
I'll take care of it! Don't worry!
SAMUS
Always in a hurry, that one...
TYSON
(to himself)
Speak for yourself, ma'am...
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: WEAPONS REPAIR ROOM – DAY
Dark Samus-X walks around, looking for the machine that deploys Ship Missiles.
DARK SAMUS-X
Ship Missiles, Ship Missiles... Ah!
She gets on her hands and knees, looking for a Charge Combo attachment. Eventually, she finds it, and inserts the half-red, half-transparent cylinder into its proper slot.
DARK SAMUS-X
The Chozo did half the work in building this ship, and yet she doesn't even know what it can do!
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: COCKPIT – DAY
Samus, sitting in the pilot seat next to Tyson, attempts to avoid the looming asteroid field. However, within a few seconds, 'Ship Flamethrower online' appears on the Ship Visor.
SAMUS
Son of a bitch...
TYSON
Shall I activate the Ship Flamethrower, ma'am?
SAMUS
(defeated)
Do it...
Samus and Tyson watch as one of the asteroids chars and explodes into chunks of a much more reasonable size. The two pilots take care of the smaller chunks with Ship Missiles, and then resume flying at warp speed.
FADE TO:
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH: LANDING SITE – DAY
The cyan colours illuminating Twin Tabula, Samus and her crew make their descent onto the planet.
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: COCKPIT – DAY
Samus and Tyson proceed with the necessary landing procedures, with Dark Samus-X watching over their shoulders.
TYSON
Activating the legs...
SAMUS
Velocity steadily decreasing... Nearly at zero...
TYSON
Landing in three... two...
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH: LANDING SITE – DAY
Samus and Tyson successfully land the ship.
INT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP: COCKPIT - DAY
Samus gets up and stretches. She powers on her Light Suit, and equips her Arm Cannon.
SAMUS
All right, let's go purge that virus!
Dark Samus-X does the same, enabling her Dark Suit.
DARK SAMUS-X
Yeah, maybe those "Ancient Ones" can answer where it came from in the first place.
Samus leads the way out of the Gunship.
INT/EXT. SAMUS' GUNSHIP – DAY
Samus rides the exit hatch outside. She begins walking toward the southern edge of the island. Dark Samus-X descends onto the island.
SAMUS
Good thing we powered Mount Osiris. The trench looks nice and bright now.
Dark Samus-X looks over. Samus destroys the Frigidite barrier blocking the southern sector with her new Plasma Beam, and then plunges into the ocean.
DARK SAMUS-X
Wait-!
Dark Samus-X groans, and then follows.
FADE TO:
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH: SOUTH – DAY
Samus and her clone stare at the magnificent trio of Cronalian statues.
DARK SAMUS-X
Is this their... graveyard?
Samus scans the statues.
SAMUS
Pluto, Osiris, and Orcus. (beat) Did you ever see a third mountain peak?
DARK SAMUS-X
No. Why...?
The Power Conduit suddenly disables. The algae grow tall and thick, making it difficult for both Samus and her clone to walk. The statues begin to glow, their eyes an angry red.
DARK SAMUS-X
(nervous)
You fought one of these guys before, right...?
SAMUS
(nervous)
Uh-huh...!
Three sculptures of an ancient reptilian race awoke, their bodies forged by the minerals of the ocean floor. Although my clone and I tried to gain more ground, the trio did not give us much ground to cover. I began firing my Ice Beam at their fiery eyes. Dark Samus-X joined in, only for lasers to beam at us from their eyes. The long strands of red came right for us, the Cronalian Statues attempting to liquefy our armour. Immediately, my response was to combine my Ice Beam with missiles to utilize the Charge Combo, the Ice Spreader.
I watched as the Ice flew from my Arm Cannon at a far more rapid rate, leaving an even stronger impact on the leftmost Cronalian's eyes. Instantly, I knew to lasso my Grapple Swing around his foot and wrench the reptilian guardian onto the lakebed. Dark Samus-X promptly caught wind of my idea, following suit with the rightmost ocean mineral beast. The rocky reptilian in the center was the only outlier, and, in response, attempted to intervene in our collapsing of his brethren. The only one without a pink Beam wrapped around one of his legs, the third Cronalian Statue put my clone and I at significant risk. If the laser eyes were to hit us while we yanked the legs of the outermost reptilians, not only would our armour melt, but the active statues could also fall on top of us and kill us. Dark Samus-X and I combined our strengths, attempting to prevent any catastrophe from occurring.
Struggling to lock onto the eyes of the third Cronalian Statue, my clone and I grew increasingly worrisome for our inevitable fates. The statues we lassoed with our Grapple Swings were so incredibly heavy, making us wonder what the Ancient Ones guarded so firmly. Reminded of the war between the Galactic Federation and the Space Pirates that ensued throughout Twin Tabula, it amazed me just how close either of those parties were to finding the tomb of the pre-Chozo race. Through the logbook entries that Dark Samus-X discovered, I learned that the Cronalian were to the Chozo what the Chozo were to me. It perturbed me somewhat to bother the tomb of my surrogate grandparents, but I knew they had answers to many of the questions I pondered for years.
Right at the last moment, mere nanoseconds away from our possible demise, Dark Samus-X managed to deflect both laser eyes from hitting us. Shortly thereafter, the two of us were able to give the outermost Cronalian Statues a final tug, the magnificent force knocking even the third reptilian onto his belly. With barely enough space, my clone and I managed to avoid one of their heads from hitting us. The final rocky reptilians continued their attempts in liquefying our armour until they were without power completely. This, however, was not the end: the lakebed materials that formed their statues began to crack open like a bird's egg. The statues only functioning as shells, it appeared that Dark Samus-X and I had much more battling to do.
I presumed the Cronalian Ghosts were impossible for just about anyone else to defeat, as the two of us were one of the few that wielded Dark and Light. My clone and I predicted the Sunburst and Darkburst combos would be necessary components in annihilating these Cronalian defensive measures. Our most powerful Charge Combos yet had the ability to send any immune foe into oblivion. Much like with the statues, I kept my focus on the leftmost phantom, while Dark Samus-X dealt with the rightmost one. Additionally, we needed to alternate our main line of attack with firing our Ice Beam combos at their laser eyes. Once the Cronalian Ghosts were weak enough, it would be possible for us to use the Grapple Swing to end their levitation.
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH: SOUTH – DAY
Samus and Dark Samus-X pull on the legs of the outermost Cronalian Ghosts, while the center-most Cronalian Ghost attempts to stop them with his laser eyes. Samus and her clone turn to each other, and nod. Combining their Sunburst and Darkburst, respectively, they unleash the most devastating Charge Combo yet: the Sonic Boom. The blast is so terrifying that it causes not only for the defensive measures to go offline, but also for the earth to tear and rip apart.
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH – DAY
The tears and rips of all four compass sectors conjoin at the center of the trench, the convex earth collapsing to create a massive whirlpool and tunnel into the mantle of Twin Tabula.
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH: SOUTH – DAY
Samus and Dark Samus-X hold on tight to each other, the strong current pulling them toward the whirlpool.
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH – DAY
Samus and her clone enter the whirlpool. They try to escape with every bit of energy they have left, but the current is so powerful that all they can do ride the spiralling vortex down into the mantle of the planet.
INT. SAMUS' COMBAT VISOR – DAY
Samus attempts to escape at first, when static replaces the usual display.
EXT. TWIN TABULA TRENCH – DAY
Samus and her clone descend into the mantle of Twin Tabula.
FADE OUT.
