Dawn once again came on a bleak planet surface, reflecting eerily off the decaying buildings and strange creatures that roamed the surface, constantly hunting one another. It was in this dawn light that hope ceased to exist...for hope cannot be found where death had recently passed by. A caped figure, animal in appearance, but humanoid in stance and speech, Koragor towered over his kill and laughed. Nothing could ruin this day, his most hated enemy lay dead and their lover was defenseless. Turning to that lover, he raised his visor for a clearer look on the last pained expression they would possess before he pierced a hole through their body. Drawing back, he plunged forward.

Hours had barely passed since Shade and Samus had crashlanded, rather faster than intended, onto the surface. Both were bruised mentally and physcially, the last kiss they had shared may have scarred both of them if they could have comprehended anything but the most painful of their wounds. Samus stumbled to a stop and lay down, Shade drawing to the ground near her. She looked up at his hurt face, his labored breathing kept time with hers. Starring at the horizon, her only thoughts were these: Why did I kiss him? If I had not, we may have been able to evade and land safely...why do I love him? It was so sudden, like a dam bursting with an overful of lust, security and trust. Glancing back up at his face, she had only one more thought before passing out. Does he truely love me...or is it just an act?

Shade sat up and took stock of his surrondings. Samus was on his right, ruins to his left and a bleak future ahead of him. He cradled his head in his hands. Tormented memories of his bumbling speech and ackward nature bombared his mind. His life had been one mishap after another, even when he was a child. He seriously had hoped that it had been over, since his last mistake almost 12 years ago...he looked down on samus once again then back up at the rising sun. What would they do now? Emotions created barriers and problems arose when they were included on a mission. Koragor didn't look to be beatable at the moment...unless the two could put aside all their differences and unite. HA!, he thought, like that will ever happen. Turning over, he activated a slightly bruised, but undamaged shield barrier and went to sleep.

Evening found the two sitting behind a blue, sparkling bubble with a small fire going, though it couldn't drive off any of the cold that penetrated their souls. Shade glanced up again at Samus who was staring moodily at the fire and sighed aloud. She looked up, knowing that that sigh could be anything, from a confession to an argument of epic proportions. Shade sat eye level with Samus and began to speak. "We need a plan...I know you've already considered this and probably believe I'll be more of a burden then a asset here, but you need to get your prioities in order and wake up! We have minimal weaponry, little protection and maybe a day before Koragor figures out we survived and we become the hunted. So, what do you think?".

Samus averted her eyes for but a moment, then replied: "We need communication...dont say anything, (stopping Shade from voicing his thoughts), and I dont mean with the outside world. There's no way we can contact anyone and this mission is secret to all but out employer. I need to talk to you Shade. Tell me...and dont you (fing) darn lie, do you actually love me?".

Shade starred in disbelief at Samus. They were in a crisis and she wanted to know if he loved her?!? Switching to an angrier tone, he said: "That doesn't matter right now Samus! WE CANT HAVE EMOTIONS, WE DEAL IN BLOOD! LOVE DOESN'T EXIST!". Checking himself, Shade glanced up to find Samus starring with hatred at him, a few rebellious tears trickling down her face. She merely said: "If love doesn't exist, it will be impossible for us to ever love each other. I think I want to leave now...lower the shield". Shade tried to cast a line of hope: "Please Samus, I didn't mean it like that, dont leave!" "LOWER THE SHIELD!" she screamed. Shade grabbed her arm and wrestled her to the ground, saying: "No...I'm not letting you go...ever" Struggle as she may, Samus couldn't escape, then she realized what Shade said and stopped, looking up at his face. A calm, dark nature shrouded it. She searched his eyes for truth and found the love he said was imaginary. She leaned up and kissed him quickly.

Samus was so close to his face, there was almost no air to breath. He couldn't think, his pure lust for her was overpowering every other emotion in his body. Captured by her deep blue eyes, he swallowed as they kissed again and drew her closer than should have been appropriate. They starred at each other for the longest minute, then he lowered her back to the ground, resting her back against the tattered remains of their shared supply bag. Reaching down, he slowly began to remove her boots.

Late evening still encased everything in an inky void, the only light shining from a blue bubble that was difficult to see from any distance, so well hidden was the location. Yet one did find it. He stalked closer and saw the two forms snuggling together in each other's arms, their faces a picture of peace and happiness. Smiling madly, Koragor advanced and after another moment of starring, he tapped lightly on the shield. An immediate warning system began flashing and an electric shock coursed through his body. Reeling backwards, he swore, seeing the two awaken far sooner than he had wanted. Charging forward, he threw his weight into the shield, dropping his energy supply a good measure. Backing up once more, he took one another glance as he charged to find the two grabbing whatever weapon or armor was closest to try to fight him off. Smashing once again into the shield, it deactivated, searing off a small section of his weaker arm. Ignoring the pain, he marched forward to the female, who attempted to hold him off with a simple stun pistol. Brushing the weapon aside and ignoring the shouts of the male, he gripped the woman by the neck and lifted into the reach of his improvised laser sword. Drawing back his sword, he plunged the blade deep into their body, and tossed the soon-to-be corpse to the side. Turning towards Shade, Koragor raised his visor and ran to kill the human the same way.

Shade looked up as Koragor charged, took one glance at Samus, drew his arm level with the beast and fired a single shot of super-heated plasma, straight from the core of Koragor's homeworld, straight in his face. The effect was immediate. Koragor reared up in pain, clawing at his flesh even as it was burned off of him. The liquid dripped down inside his mouth and within seconds, it was over. Koragor lay dead, slowly disinegrating into a pile of ash. Shade drew a deep breath and went to look at Samus. He closed his eyes when he drew near; she was bleeding badly, and there seemed little he could do to stop it. Sitting down beside her, he began to cry. His tears dripped down her arm, almost creepily drawn towards her heart where they sank into her skin, awaking a long dormant Chozo power. She coughed once and said: "Shade, if you're crying, I'm dead and right now, I hope to hell I'm not". Shade jumped back, watching as Chozo magic, aka very advanced science, kicked in, producing cellular regeneration in all injured body parts while creating lost blood for the body. The two watched in wonder as the ability healed Samus, then stopped as Shade's tears stopped flowing.

Samus said in a hushed breath: "That probably activated because my body was in shock and didn't know I was dying. Your tears told that Chozo mechanism that I was...interesting huh?" She turned back to him, and received a full on kiss in response. Despite the fact that they were standing completely unprotected on an alien world, despite the fact that they had just defeated a threat greater than any space pirate, despite the fact that they were both basically nude, they shared a kiss in a double sunrise, and thought that new hope was dawning on the universe. Two etecoons passed by and remarked: "You see, this is why humans shouldn't be running the universe! They get distracted so easily!"

FIN