Different Galaxies Same Fighting Hearts

by BeeSamusnChief

After loosing Cortana and gaining, his team back. Master Chief would have never thought of himself to become a father figure. Sent to investigate an unkown alien planet, the Covenant have invaded. Chief and the rest of Blue Team are put in a situation they've never been through in spartan history. Link to the full cover /art/Different-Galaxies-Same-Fighting-Hearts-Cover-569152729

17. Doomed Universe

To the readers who have been looking forward to me redoing this story's first few badly written chapters, I have redone the first three chapters for now. I will finish redoing the rest of the terribly written chapters, but with Halo's release date fast approaching I will be focusing on writing new chapters for a while.

Hello everyone I know the last few chapters have probably been boring chapters. This is going to be an extra long chapter. With Infinite right around the corner, it's always a bit more time consuming for me to write chapters about Halo's Campaign, but I hope to get this last filler chapter out before writing any significant details about Halo Infinite's campaign with spoilers and what not.

---

"Readings indicate Samus is repressing her Metroid instincts. Instead of learning to control it through the gift Quiet Robe bestowed upon her. The repression is possibly causing our young bounty hunter to become ill." Adam's voice came over Blue Team's comlink.

"Okay, not exactly sure what a Quiet Robe is, is that some sort of muscle relaxant armour?" Kelly shrugged at the AI's information.

"We did say we would help Samus adapt to her new powers. And while the UNSC attempts to pull a plan out of their ass, we're in hiatus. I think we should focus on assisting Samus." Fred mentioned to his team.

"Well I guess we've got a lot of training to do with little Miss Sammy." Kelly sighed hearing a muffled ouch come from the examination room.

"Before we put anything into action Blue Team, we need to report to Captain Lasky. We need to stay up to date on our current situation." John reminded his teammates of their highest priority.

Fred nodded in understanding. "We can report in after Samus is done."

"Doctor Smith said it was alright for Samus to stay if we get called out. We can go now." John mentioned to his hesitant team.

"There's no rush at the moment John. And Samus is very much a part of our team. Unless we're called into the bridge, I think we can wait." Linda said to her leader who wasn't exactly impressed with her reply.

Samus eagerly exited the examination room, positioning herself in between Chief and Kelly.

"That was quick, how's she doing Doctor?" Kelly laughed at their teen.

Doctor Smith smiled with a sigh, reading off her data pad. "She's doing well, everything has healed up nicely as expected. Samus played shy, I didn't get much talking out of her when I asked if she was having any other symptoms."

"Samus has been getting really..." Kelly stopped speaking when she felt their foundling tug on her arm.

Samus shook her head at the speed runner.

The brunet Spartan sighed. "Thank you for the report Doctor, but we must be going. We've got to report to the bridge."

"Okay, feel free to come by if any issues arise." Catherine Smith called after the leaving team.

Kelly exchanged gazes with her leader while the teen walked in between them. "Why'd you stop me from explaining that you keep getting..."

"Because it would've just made more issues. I don't need doctors to poke and prod at me to figure out an issue they know nothing about." Samus replied with a groan.

"That is an issue we are going to help you with Samus. But for now we're going to report to the Captain, and Commander." The Spartan leader told the young teen as they approached the bridge entrance.

"Blue Team." Lasky greeted the four Spartan team. "I'm sure you're here to report for duty. Unfortunately at this time I have no tasks or missions for you to complete. Commander, do you have anything for Blue Team?" Captain Lasky turned to the Spartan Commander who was currently reviewing a data pad.

"I have no assignments for you, Spartans." Palmer replied, approaching the team looking puzzled. "Aran, I'm very confused by this report you handed in." Sarah stood next to the teen, showing Samus the report that she had handed in earlier. "It starts off great, then the intel you put in makes no sense in certain places. You have misspellings, improper grammar, and oddly placed words. I can't follow any of the information you've given."

Samus visibly shrunk out of embarrassment as the Commander pointed out her reports flaws. "I'm sorry... I can redo it..."

"Commander, english is not a well known language to Samus." Fred spoke up seeing their young teen's embarrassment.

"The UNSC is multilingual, why didn't you assist her by converting the reports format to her language for easy accessibility?" Sarah turned to the Spartans.

"Because the language does not exist in the UNSC database, Commander." John replied to the Commander's question.

Sarah cocked an eyebrow at the teen before mentally kicking herself for forgetting the young girl was raised by aliens. "I apologize Aran, I had forgotten you originate from an alien planet."

Samus blinked in surprise, shocked that the Commander actually apologized to her. "It's alright..."

"Blue Team, in this hiatus I suggest you assist your kid with our language. I want this report to be redone." Palmer firmly commanded the Spartan team.

"Yes Commander, we will work on it right away." John accepted the task for his team.

"Excellent Blue Team, you're dismissed."

Samus followed her family out of the Command bridge. She felt ashamed for failing to properly fill out the report. Thinking that her Spartan family was probably pretty disappointed in her.

"Linda, do you mind grabbing those tutorial data pads off my desk?" John turned his head to the sharpshooter. "Then meet us in the memorial park."

"On it." Linda parted ways with the team as they continued to the atrium.

Samus took in the beautiful memorial park under the artificial skydome, there were garden plots, and passive activities to join all around the park. She had little memories of the park, but she did remember playing a game of tag with the Spartans.

Master Chief led them all to a large metal table that had benches attached to it. "Sit, Linda will be here soon." He gestured for Samus to sit.

"Can't we walk around while we wait? It's so pretty here." Samus asked, refusing to sit.

"We can go for a walk after you study, Samus." Chief denied his teen's request to explore the memorial park. "Linda is here anyway."

"Ugh... fine..." Samus reluctantly sat at the table resting her head on her arms.

"Oh yeah, this is going to be fun..." Kelly sarcastically remarked on their foundling's reluctant attitude.

"So the first thing you should learn is the alphabet." Chief said taking one of the data pads the sharpshooter handed him, placing it in front of his adopted daughter.

"I already know the alpabet." Samus claimed as she mispronounced the word.

"Alphabet." Fred corrected, sitting across from the teen.

"Just start with the first exercises, and if you get stuck ask us for help." John set the data pad down in front of the teen.

"But I already speak english, why do I have to study it?"

"Christ, this might be our hardest mission yet." Kelly groaned holding her head in frustration. "This is exactly why they had Dèjà teaching us."

John gave an equally annoyed sigh, he was determined to help his teen understand the language aboard the Infinity. But Samus's reluctant behaviour was proving to make the lessons difficult.

"She's a teenager John, they know everything remember." Linda whispered to her frustrated leader.

"Samus, complete the first three exercises. Then we can move onto something else." Chief tried compromise with the girl.

"Fine..." Samus reluctantly begun doing the tutorial exercises. The girl stared at the data pad with great confusion. "Take the scrambled letters, and from them into words?" she quietly read the first set of instructions aloud.

"Form, them, into words. See how the R is after the O, like the word or." John pointed out to his teen.

"Okay." Samus sighed trying to get a word completed.

Kelly grabbed John's arm pulling him away from the teen. "Do you really think this is going to teach her anything?"

"I'm assuming you think this is all ridiculous?" John replied to the whispering Spartan.

"Pretty much. Samus isn't going to learn anything from this preschool shit." The speedy Spartan scoffed.

"I'm in agreement with Kelly." Linda added.

"Weren't you the one that suggested this?" Kelly cocked her head at the sharpshooter.

Samus was only getting frustrated with the mixed up letters, causing her learning drive to dwindle. "Ugh, why do I have to learn this? Why don't you learn how to speak Chozo?"

"Samus..."

"That's actually not a bad idea." Linda thought aloud, confusing the rest of the team.

"I'm smart, but I don't know if I have time to learn a whole new language." Kelly said making Fred chuckle.

"I think it would be wise for Samus to tell us some words in Chozo, then we could translate them into the proper english words if Samus is unsure what the english translations are." The sharpshooter explained to her teammates.

"Sounds good to me, because this is making me wanna power bomb these data pads." Samus gestured to the tutorials displayed on the data pad.

"No power bombs, Samus. We can give Linda's suggestion a shot." Chief took the data pad from his sassy daughter.

"Start with something simple Samus. Like, my DNA is dangerous." Kelly said to the teen.

Samus cocked an eyebrow at the odd sentence Kelly wanted her to say. "Anamah'ar dim sen abe..." looking away as she translated the almost insulting sentence into Chozo.

"Why'd you ask her to say that?" Fred leaned over to Kelly.

"I don't know, it's true isn't it?" Kelly shrugged.

"Spartans, go to the training arena. Samus and I will meet you there later." Chief politely dismissed his team from hitting anymore of their teen's nerves.

Samus rested her head on her arms, watching the three Spartans exit the park.

"Samus, let's continue..."

"Chief, why can't you just keep correcting me when I mess up, that has worked so far." Samus turned her head in the direction of the Spartan leader.

"You're obviously reluctant to learn, as you believe you are fluent enough. I will continue to correct you when you make a mistakes, but I would like you to let me review your reports before you send them out." Chief agreed that his teen would not learn anything from these lessons.

"I will. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you earlier." The blonde girl apologized to her favourite Spartan.

"It's alright. The Commander wasn't too harsh about your mistakes, this time."

"Yeah, I was surprised that she didn't go for the kill and full on try to humiliate me." Samus laughed making Chief smile behind his golden visor.

"The Commander likes you Samus. You're just young, and full of attitude. That's why Commander Palmer is so hard on you." John smiled, patting his adopted daughter on the back.

Samus rolled her eyes with a smirk, she couldn't deny the truth in her adopted father's words.

"You know, I wouldn't mind learning a little bit of your language for myself." John said surprising his daughter.

"Really?" Samus's smile grew at the mention of Chief's interest in the Chozo native tongue.

"Little bits here, and there. I don't think it would be a language I could become fluent in. But I should put more effort into adapting to your needs. You have adapted yourself to our ways for almost six years. I think it's about time we did the same for you." John replied with a nod, secretly smiling at his adopted daughter's excitement.

"Adaption is a necessary survival technique. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's adapting to new things." Samus replied.

"Except for language tutorials." Chief sarcastically remarked.

"Hey, I adapted english back into my vocabulary after I realized you guys spoke it. I think I was pretty good considering the last time I truly spoke english was when I was three." The teen retorted.

"We could tell, you spoke like a toddler when we found you. You still do on occasion." John teased his teen, earning himself a playful punch from the teenager.

"You think you're funny huh? The most I do now is trip over my words." Samus chuckled dryly while rolling her eyes.

"I'm just teasing, I know you try your best." John exhaled heavily. "Why don't we redo that report. Then after you can teach me a Chozo word."

The teen almost groaned at the thought of doing another report. "Can we walk around the park after the report?"

"Yes, Samus." John replied, remembering he did say they could walk around after her studies.

Once again Chief filled in most of the report before handing the data pad to his teen, allowing her to fill in the blank areas. Once Samus had finished she handed the report back to her adopted father allowing him to correct the mistakes she had made in the report.

"You did well, just a few misspellings, and odd word placements. But I corrected them." John proudly praised the young teen for not complaining about having to redo her mission report. "Now did you want to walk around the park?"

"You don't wanna get back to the team?" The teen asked.

"The team will be fine, they're running training exercises. We can meet them in a bit." Chief gestured for the girl to follow him.

Getting up from the bench Samus followed the green Spartan around the memorial park. Wondering how such a pretty piece of scenery could be in a battle ship.

"How has your chest been feeling?"

"A little sore, but the Doctor said I was fully healed." The young teen replied watching the artificial waterfall.

John watched the waterfall as well, it was relaxing in a sense. "Samus, we're going to do our best to help you with your new powers."

Samus closed her eyes momentarily before replying. "Please don't worry about me, you've got a lot of stress on your plate already."

"Samus..."

"I have handle on it Chief, don't worry." The teen tried to reassure her Spartan.

Chief cupped a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Repressing your powers is making you sick, I think we should find a solution to your powers instead of repressing them."

"How do you know I'm... Adam..." Samus groaned, turning away from the golden visor.

"Samus, Adam is just trying to help us understand what you're going through."

"But he doesn't know, Adam knows why I am sick, sure. But he doesn't understand that I am repressing my powers because I am risking everyone's life just by simply just standing around you." Samus hissed in reply, taking Raven Beak's warning seriously.

"I'm sure that's not true Samus." Chief tried to comfort his reluctant daughter.

"You're wrong..." Samus shook her head walking over to the nearby observation window.

John silently followed, stopping behind his young teen.

"The existence of Metroids as a bioweapon was a threat to the galaxy, especially in the wrong hands. I was warned that my existence as the last Metroid is a grave danger to the galaxies. I didn't want to believe him, but I know those words are correct." The teen explained, barely looking over her shoulder to see her father figure standing behind her.

"But your Metroid DNA is not in the wrong hands. The fate of the galaxy is not in danger due to your new prowess." Chief stepped next to his worried daughter. "You haven't ravaged yourself across the ship, siphoning the life out of everyone in sight..."

"Because I've been repressing everything." Samus groaned as Chief took a hold of her shoulders.

"I was told that you have to unlock your knowledge of control. Repressing is just a temporary fix, eventually your yearning for energy is going to take over you." The Spartan leader warned his reluctant foundling.

"I will try to unlock my control. But it's not going to be easy." Samus replied reluctantly giving in.

"All I want you to do is try." Chief gave a gentle squeeze to his teen's shoulder.

"We should catch up with the team." Samus sighed gazing over at the park exit.

John followed the girl into the busy corridor, bumping into the teen as she stopped dead in front of him.

"Should we drop off this report first?" Samus asked looking over her shoulder at the Spartan.

"Yes." John nodded, leading the teen through the hallway. He had almost forgotten about the report they had redone.

Walking through the busy corridors without her armour on made Samus feel incredibly uncomfortable. It wasn't unusual for her to get a lot of stares and glares from strangers, most of them were curious, others just plain creepy.

Chief definitely took note of the gawking onlookers. He didn't mind most of the gazes, Samus's zero suit was very bright and eye catching compared to the mostly earthy tones everyone aboard wore. Most of the staring was innocent curiosity. But the perverted glares did not go unnoticed by the Spartan leader.

Samus nearly tripped over herself as Chief took her by the shoulders, positioning her in between the wall and him.

Samus was a very attractive young teen, Chief knew with his adopted daughter just entering the beginning stages of becoming a beautiful young woman, he would have to protect her from more than just the usual dangers of war. Knowing there were disturbing humans hidden everywhere in the universe, that had no self control when it came to making stupid comments. He dread to think of one them going beyond making stupid comments, and putting actions to their perverted words.

"Ow, Chief!" Samus winced as the hand on her shoulder tightened.

"Sorry." John released his grip, his thoughts had made him unconsciously fiercely protective.

"Master Chief, and Samus Aran, I will assume you got that report done?" Sarah greeted the two that entered the command bridge.

"Yes, ma'am." Samus took the data pad from Chief, handing it to the Commander.

"Excellent, I will give it a look in a while, thank you. You two are dismissed..."

"I actually had a few questions, Commander." Samus said as Chief turned to leave.

Sarah was behind in her own reports, but she would indulge herself in the teen's query for the moment. "Yes, what is it Aran?"

"I'm just wondering if there's another hostile group, other than Cortana's faction?" Samus replied confusing the Commander.

"Cortana is our main concern, she's already taken out major parts of the galaxy. I don't understand what you're talking about?" Palmer looked up at the green Spartan for a clearer answer though his stance read that he was equally confused.

"Like what Arbiter was talking about, Covenment rebels." Samus replied making the Commander's eyes soften at her mispronunciation.

"Covenant." John corrected, even though he was positive the Commander understood what his teen was attempting to say.

"Yes, there have been rumours of a faction that broke off from the Covenant. But right now we are more concerned with the massive threat of Cortana weighing our heads down." Commander replied to the teen's question.

"Is there any other data besides rumours, I believe that that rebellion faction is a major threat to humanity." Samus had a feeling that alien faction was where that plague ship originated from.

"We haven't looked into it yet. Come back later, we might have something for you kid. Now I've got to get back to my work." Palmer blew off the question as she had to return to her overwhelming work load.

Samus didn't want to wait, but she had no choice. Reluctantly following Chief out into the corridor.

"Why are you so interested in that rebellion faction?" John curiously asked.

"I'm interested in it because I wanna know where the X originated from." Samus replied.

"Those parasites. Aren't they extinct now that you destroyed both planets and the frigate?" Chief asked as they entered the training arena.

"You'd think!" The teen laughed sarcastically. "But having them appear like that out of the blue, on a UNSC vessel makes me fear they exist elsewhere in the universe."

Kelly looked up from her teammate she had pinned on the floor. "Oh, Samus is here."

"Gee, how could you tell?!" Fred sarcastically scoffed kicking Kelly off of him.

"We'll get to the bottom of it Samus. But right now you need to lay low like the rest of us. You're just as much of target to Cortana as we are." John reassured his teen, knowing Samus was possibly even a bigger target out of jealousy with his former AI.

"Patience isn't my strong suit." Samus grumbled as they approached the team.

"Being a bounty hunter searching for jobs, you don't you would hit a hiatus every once in a while?" Fred questioned the teen.

"Not exactly, I go searching for action, plus I've made a pretty big reputation for myself." Samus replied to the other male Spartan.

"We get it, you're a popular bounty hunter to hire." Kelly teased the young hunter.

"I've got a reputation, I wouldn't exactly say I'm a popular hire. I'm what you'd call a reluctant hire." The teenager scoffed with a sigh. "In the beginning I was absolutely hired because of my unwavering skills and abilities. Now I'm what my employers call overbearing, or too powerful. I'm now scarier than the suicidal jobs they hire me for. So they usually attempt to hire other hunters that end up failing, then they reluctantly hire me to get a job done."

The brunet Spartan snorted with an approving chuckle. "Good to know you've developed a healthy ego."

"It's not ego! I have confidence, but I'm not egotistical. I've noticed a reluctant hiring pattern from my most popular employer, and I'm just telling you the truth." Samus shook her head in disagreement. "Like I said before, most of my jobs I just stumble upon. Distress calls from human colonies, exploring alien worlds that need assistance in fighting wars. Those are all jobs I do just to help, it's not about the payout for me, it's about creating peace in the galaxy, and protecting others from harm."

Chief nodded proudly at his adopted daughter, he sometimes wondered about freelancing, helping those in need without having to contact Command and ask permission to assist.

"I always know there's someone out there who needs help. That's why I am not very patient, and hate sitting around." The blonde teen admitted to the speed runner.

"Hey, as long as you don't throw any more temper tantrum's because we're not going on missions. I think you can handle trying your patience." Kelly commented making the girl roll her eyes.

"Very funny. You wanna race, Kelly?" Samus challenged, changing the subject.

"Sure Sammy, but you know I'm going to win." Kelly replied full of herself.

"We'll see." Samus scoffed following the speed runner to the track.

"Well, how'd everything go after we left?" Fredrick was the first to ask their leader.

"It was fine, Samus wrote the report, I corrected her mistakes and we handed it in." John replied simply.

"I think it was a mistake for me to mention teaching her proper language skills. How often is Samus going to be speaking our human languages when she's constantly solitary?" Linda sighed, watching the teen run ahead of Kelly.

"Samus is stubborn. Your idea wasn't a mistake, Linda. Samus would most likely benefit from some sort of speech therapy, she's pronouncing her words a bit oddly since her voice returned." John reassured the regretful sharpshooter.

"Samus speaks with a slight lisp, John. She didn't speak for about a year, that's to be expected after losing your vocal cords traumatically." Linda reminded her leader and brother. "We should get Samus's vocals checked out every now and again, especially since her vocals painfully flares up every now and again."

"I mean English isn't her strongest language either so that definitely doesn't help. But the kid only talks to us anyway, unless she's mouthing off her opinion at someone." Fred laughed as the teen lapped their fastest Spartan.

John was astonished to see his teen putting up a good challenge to their fastest Spartan. "We should help Samus with her powers. She believes she's a danger to everyone around her, that why she's been repressing her power, and making herself ill."

"And how exactly are we going to do that? We don't exactly have victims for her life siphoning powers to clutch." Fred scoffed as Kelly finally caught up to the girl.

"I don't know yet. But we need to help her." Chief sighed as the two racers rejoined the group.

"Where the hell did you find all those extra strides!?" The brunet Spartan panted, very impressed with how quick their youngling had gotten. "It's like you've got speed boosters or something."

"Only when I have my armour on." Samus replied with a smirk. "You're the one that taught me how to run Kelly."

"Too well apparently." Kelly snorted as a man in a UNSC security uniform approached with a data pad.

"Samus Aran?" The man called grabbing the whole team's attention.

"Hi?" Samus gave a small wave to the man.

"The Commander is requesting your identification numbers, and confirmation that your records are clear." The security officer said, handing the girl the data pad.

Samus was reluctant to take the data pad as she knew her records for insubordination weren't going to be cleared by Galactic Federation. Her defiance, and the destruction of their research station was going to be on her record forever.

"Sure..." taking the data pad that was being handed to her. Samus's hand lit up with a magenta glow, eagerly siphoning the energy from the given data pad. "Shit fuck fuck!" Samus quickly dropped the data pad causing it to crack the screen.

"Whoa!" The man jumped back in surprise.

"I'm sorry!" Samus apologized in a panic kneeling down to pick up the data pad.

"It's alright I should've asked if you had it before letting go." The man replied picking up the data pad before the girl could. "Huh, I will have to get a new one, this one is completely drained of energy. Odd these things are usually more resilient than that." The security officer scoffed as he examined the cracked screen.

Samus sheepishly laughed. "I'm so sorry, should I just report to the Commander instead of you grabbing another data pad?" The girl asked holding her glowing arm behind her back.

"Commander Palmer is busy. But it's no trouble, I will be back in a moment." The man very nicely refused the teen's offer as he exited the arena.

"Samus, what was that about?" Fred asked as Chief got Samus to stop hiding her glowing arm.

"Is that a suit glitch?" Kelly inquired about the teen's glowing arm.

"No..." Samus shamefully replied closing her fist to restrict her starving power. Causing her body to immediately reject her decision with vicious nausea and vomiting.

"Shit!" Kelly gasped as Samus vomited on the floor.

Most of the marines and Spartan Fours training in the arena halted their workouts to observe the ill young girl.

John placed a comforting hand on his ill daughter's back. "Come'on let's get you back to our personal quarters." He gently guided his teen over to the two female Spartans. "Kelly, Linda, take Samus back to my room. Fred, and I, will make sure this mess is dealt with."

"Come'on kid, let's get you some water." Kelly cooed as Linda escorted the girl out with her.

"I can't believe I did that..." Samus muttered trying to fight off the raging nausea inside her.

"Your getting sicker each time Samus." Linda said as they entered Chief's room. "There's canteen of water on her berth."

"You mean this empty canteen on her soaking wet berth?" Kelly remarked picking up the empty canteen that had leaked all over the girl's berth.

"Crap... I was damn idiot and forgot to close it earlier..." Samus sighed defeatedly glaring at the puddle of water on her berth.

"It's not a big deal Sammy, we're in a dry stagnant ship, it'll dry quickly." Kelly tried to reassure as Samus defeatedly sat on the dry end of the berth.

"Kelly's right, you also weren't feeling good last night Samus." Linda reassuringly rubbed the nauseous teen's back.

"I'll refill your canteen. Maybe get Fred, or John, to take the bedding to the laundry room." Kelly said exiting the room with the canteen, passing by the two male Spartans.

"Is everything alright in here?" Fred asked with concern.

"Everything's alright Fred, did you get everything dealt with?" Linda asked as John took over comforting their teen.

"Yeah, someone called in the maintenance crew. It's being dealt with properly." Fredrick replied to his sister.

John looked over at the spill on the berth furrowing his brow behind his visor. "What happened Samus..."

"It's water, I was stupid and forgot to cap the canteen you gave me." Samus groaned.

"It was a mistake Samus, you're not stupid. We've all failed to cap a canteen at least once." Chief reassured his critical teen.

"I can take her sheets to the laundry room, I'll throw them in the dryer." Fred volunteered.

"Thank you Fred." John thanked his brother as Linda stripped the sheets from the soaked mattress.

Samus wriggled out of Chief's caring hold, retreating into the lavatory to vomit once again.

John shook his head with a sigh. "What's going to happen if she doesn't gain proper control over this?" It was a rhetorical question of course, but he was dreading the answer.

"She's going to keep losing control like she did earlier." Kelly replied, entering with the full canteen in hand.

"I won't let that happen..."

A knock on the door interrupted the Spartan leader.

"Master Chief, I'm here to deliver that data pad Aran has to fill out." The same security officer from earlier greeted the green Spartan.

"Thank you, we will deliver it to the Commander soon." Chief replied taking the data pad, he closed the door.

"Chief..."

"Yes Samus?"

"Will the UNSC still let me aid you if my records aren't clear?" Samus asked, clearly winded from vomiting.

"You lied about your records being cleared?" John questioned, placing the data pad on his desk.

"Yes, and no... the Federation kind of brushed off when I deliberate... disobeyed their orders. Said I was too young, and too big of an asset to punish. But I don't believe a word they say to me..." Samus replied.

"Deliberately." John corrected his teen's mispronounced word. "It doesn't sound like they cleared anything. Sounds like they're keeping tabs on you to be honest."

"The Galactic Federation sounds shady as hell." Kelly commented.

"Will the Commander bitch me out, and tell Lasky to throw me off the ship?" The teen questioned as her nausea finally subsided.

"We're working in desperate times, Cortana's well on her way to taking over the universe. I don't think it will really matter at this point." Fred mentioned to their girl. "Plus Lasky likes having you around, even if Palmer kicks up a fuss. I don't think you'll be booted off the ship any time soon."

"Fred has a point Samus. In our desperation, the UNSC cannot pass up the opportunity to grow in strength." Chief agreed with his Spartan brother.

"So do you think you can do this quick report, without sucking the life out of the data pad?" Kelly retorted picking up the data pad.

"I think so." The blonde teen replied unsure.

"Here take this one in your hand first." Linda handed their teen the language tutorials.

Samus held it for a moment getting no reaction from her powers. "I'm good for now."

"Good, Kelly, give Samus the data pad." Linda grumbled at the nosey Spartan reading the data pad.

"Looks like Palmer is making you a personal record in the UNSC. John might need to help you a bit on this one." Kelly said handing over the data pad.

"I'm going to the shooting range, I will return later to say good night Samus." Linda said as she made her way to the exit.

"Hey, I will join you Linda. We'll be back Sammy." Kelly quickly followed the sharpshooter.

"And I will get these in the dryer." Fred took the water drenched bed sheets out of the room.

Samus began to fill out the data pad, sitting down on Chief's berth.

Master Chief kept quiet while his daughter focused on her personal report. Half an hour went by Chief had opened his personal data pad to make sure there were no new reports or assignments he had to do.

"Well that was simple enough." Samus shrugged placing the report on Chief's desk.

"Do you mind if I look?" Chief placed his data pad down.

"Go ahead, I do know how to spell my own name though." The girl joked.

John smirked behind his visor, reviewing his teen's personal data. "Samus, you didn't fill in your medical history."

Samus shrugged at the Spartan. "I don't really have anything to note that hasn't already been mended."

"You don't think your PTSD, vomiting, and your maimed vocal cords that occasionally make you mute, aren't worth noting?" John questioned listing off a few of his daughter's most apparent medical issues.

Samus rolled her eyes with an annoyed groan. "Not really. Do you note every mental and physical condition you have?"

"Most of it is all on record, yes." Chief replied calmly, filling in his daughter's missing medical information.

"Whatever, it's fine being blank for now. I'm sure the med bay has most of my history anyway." Samus brushed off the question.

John shook his head continuing to review his teen's personal records correcting a few minor spelling mistakes. "Samus, you didn't list your first, and second languages."

"I left it because I didn't know whether to list Chozodian or English first or second. Since technically my first language is English." Samus shrugged.

"Your main spoken language is Chozo, I would list that as your first language. With English as your second, and note that you're not completely fluent in it." Chief replied as he typed in what he said.

"You don't consider me fluent in english? I speak it quite well don't you think?" The teen snorted with a smirk.

"You speak english, but there's a lot you still don't understand."

"I understand I have a translator." The girl argued.

Chief rolled his eyes with a deep sigh. "You are not always in your armour."

"Whatever..." The blonde girl sighed cocking an eyebrow at her Spartan. "... You filled out my medical history didn't you?"

"I did, it's mandatory." Chief replied, handing Samus back her report. "Did you want to go hand that in by yourself?"

"Okay, I will be right back." Samus eagerly took the data pad, shocked that Chief was allowing her to go by herself.

It took Samus a while to get to the command bridge, the corridors were overpopulated with UNSC personnel. But she eventually found her way into the busy command bridge. Samus scanned the area with her turquoise eyes, unable to spot the Commander's white Spartan armour.

"Samus." A familiar voice called the lost teen.

"Captain, I am here to submit a personal report to Commander Palmer." Samus approached the kind Captain.

"I can take the report." Lasky replied taking the data pad that was handed to him. "I will make sure it gets to the Commander."

Samus nodded hesitant to turn and leave.

"We are in a hiatus for the moment, Samus. Cortana has taken over part an important UNSC sector in the galaxy. Her forces are spreading like wildfire across the universe, and yet another threat potentially lies in limbo. We will be calling upon you soon enough." The Captain said as if reading the young warrior's thoughts.

The teen smiled with a nod before exiting the bridge. Walking through the corridors she could feel all eyes on her as she passed by the many different UNSC personnel. Some of them whispering rude comments while others commented on her physique. Reminding her of her sociopathic ways, and why she hated being a part of the military organization.

Fred was returning to his leader's room with the folded sheets under his arm. He could see Samus way down the corridor walking towards him, though it did not seem like she had noticed him. The Spartan observed his foundling from a far, Samus had her arms folded tightly across her chest, her fast paced strides made the Spartan Two realize his foundling was incredibly uncomfortable.

"Samus, I'll walk with you."

Fredrick's voice immediately made the girl look up with relief as the familiar Spartan offered to walk with her.

"Are you alright kid?" Fred asked walking next to his foundling teen.

"I'm alright, it's been a while since I've been in a crowded ship. I was just handing in that report." Samus replied relaxing herself as she followed Fredrick into Chief's room.

"What took you so long?" Chief immediately questioned why it took so long for his usually speedy teen to deliver a simple report.

Samus shrugged helping Fred place the dry sheets on her berth. "The Commander wasn't there, so I gave the report to Lasky. The hallway's were stupidly crowded, so it took a bit to get there and back."

"I can concur with that. The corridors were crowded, but that blue suit sure sticks out in the UNSC crowd." Fred playfully rubbed the teen on the head.

"I'm sure my glowing Chozo armour sticks out even more." Samus joked, fixing her hair after Fred messed it up.

Fred allowed Samus to make the rest of her bed while he pulled John off to the side. "I saw Samus walking on her own, very uncomfortable with all the hungry eyes on her."

"I noticed that earlier as well when I was walking with her earlier." John said.

"She's a decent sized kid, and I fear a lot of the crew aboard the Infinity are mistaking Samus for an adult." Fredrick raised his concern to his brother.

"I agree, we will have to talk to Kelly and Linda about that as well. I am trusting that Samus is able to defend herself." Chief sighed as Samus's hand lit up with an intense magenta glow.

"Dammit... go away..." Samus hissed at her glowing arm.

"Samus, why don't we go train, and work on your focus and control. That way you don't get ill." Master Chief suggested to his clearly irritated daughter.

"Ugh... I just want it to stop..." Samus groaned as Kelly and Linda entered.

"You got to adjust and let your body adapt to it with training, Samus. We've had to do that before, after our augmentations. We're all very familiar with what you're going through." Linda mentioned to the glowing teen.

Samus exhaled in defeat. "Then how do I deal with this?"

"You can't ignore your power, that much is clear. We need to learn your triggers, and what helps you control your uncontrollable urges. From what we've studied, we know that the Metroids are vicious predators that act on instinct alone." Chief said as he examined his daughter's glowing arm.

"Your denial of your power is causing a predatory instinct reaction. Or some sort of mode." Kelly thought aloud. "You're craving victims, and energy, so your power is starting to seek it out. Whether you want it to or not."

"This is sounding more and more complicated." Samus groaned at her Spartans.

"It's a tough one Samus, you're a DNA cocktail, an alien hybrid. As much as we've been raising you for almost six years, you're still unknown territory to us, Sammy." Kelly admitted to their defeated foundling. "And even when we think we finally understand you, something switches, and you're alien to us and everyone around you."

"I know, I'm sorry..." the girl closed her fist refusing her power once more, making her way to the lavatory to deal with her usual reaction to her denial of power.

"Adam believes she can control it. I do too." Chief mentioned to his teammates. "Let's put together what her triggers are, and go from there."

"Well definitely when she's being threatened." Kelly said.

"Anger seems to bring it out, that could seems to be a major trigger." Fred added.

"Fear seems to ignite her powers in a defensive mode." John thought aloud.

"But now her power seems to hunger for any source of energy. I don't think those triggers really matter at this point." Linda expressed her concern to the team.

"Samus has denied it for too long. Either that or there's a lot of triggering factors aboard the Infinity. I mean Christ, our little solitary bounty hunter is more antisocial than we are." Kelly scoffed folding her arms.

"That's really saying something there, you might have a point Kelly." Linda said to her sister. "Samus strives to escape any sort of collaborative effort. It's almost as if she fears teamwork."

Master Chief knew Linda was correct, Samus had even mentioned to him years ago, the reason why she feared working along side those she was close with. "Whatever the matter, we cannot allow Samus to become a threat. The UNSC will undoubtedly put an end to her if she threatens the Infinity." John warned his Spartans of the growing danger for their teen.

"We know that. Nobody but us knows about Samus's power. We should keep it that way." Kelly said in a low voice.

"It can't be hidden forever. But we can certainly try to keep it quiet while Samus continues to deny her control." Chief sighed as Samus came back out.

"Don't stop talking about how stupid I'm being, just because I walked in." Samus sarcastically scoffed.

"That's not what we were talking about." John replied as an idea popped in his head. "We were just planing on going to the training simulator for a simulated battle."

"We were?" The brunet questioned getting elbowed by Linda. "Ow, what the fuck Linda?"

"Can we go now?" The teen asked heading to the door.

"Yes." John nodded gesturing for the girl to go on ahead.

"So what's the plan here, are we versing each other, or going against the sims?" Fred whispered as the team followed the teen.

"I'm going to verse the simulators with Samus. I need one of you to control the difficulty." Chief replied.

"So two of us are utterly just there for looks?" The female Spartan with the oversized visor scoffed.

The Spartan leader halted in front of the simulation controls while Samus armoured up. "I need two of you to monitor what reactions Samus has to the certain scenarios that will be thrown at her."

"Fine I guess you can have all the fun." Kelly sarcastically replied.

Samus stepped into the simulator with her Spartan. "I thought we were doing paint, what is this?"

"It's the same simulation that you did a few years back." Chief replied as he entered the open room with his daughter. "You are going to fight whatever it throws at you..."

"Mere child's play..." Samus thought to herself as the simulation set up began.

"You and I are going to go against it. As a team."

Chief's last words made Samus rethink her cocky thoughts. She could easily destroy the entire simulator in a matter of seconds. But with a teammate to think of, the challenge would be a bit different. Her solitary lifestyle made her not so much naive to a team situation, but more reluctant to function as a team member. Even though she had attempted working with teams in the past, she still lacked the experience.

"They are simulation bullets, they still sting enough to slow you down. But with our armour it shouldn't be too bad." The green Spartan informed as he loaded his weapon.

"So I can use my cannon?" Samus asked totting her arm cannon.

Since the simulator targets disintegrated after being damaged enough Chief would allow the teen's weaponry. "Yes, just no missiles, power bombs, or weaponry that can cause damage to the room."

The violet armoured teen groaned with a sigh. "So all the fun stuff." She was joking of course, knowing there were many other useful abilities in her arsenal. "Is there an objective?"

"We work together to destroy all thirty targets." The whir of the simulation systems, and the large holographic countdown told the Spartan their test was about to begin.

"So don't move unless you say so?" Samus questioned reluctant to work as a team.

"No, I just want communication from you Samus." Chief sighed holding his gun in a ready position as walls and barriers lifted from the ground

Samus switched the settings on her arm cannon, downgrading it to the power beam. "I will follow your lead."

"This isn't going to go well..." Fred sighed activating the simulator.

"You're positive." Kelly sarcastically replied.

"I'm being realistic, those bullets hurt like hell if they hit you in the right spot. And cooperation with Samus is like trying to tell a mountain to move. Do you not remember our missions with her?" Spartan 104 replied as their leader and foundling began moving through the course.

"Of course I remember those missions, she was a defiant kid, and still is." The speed runner laughed watching the two take out the first three targets. "Sammy is a bit stubborn sure, but she loves John, and would do anything to keep him safe..."

"That's all true Kelly." Linda said pushing a button on the control panel, greatly increasing the simulation difficulty.

"They just began Linda, why are you raising the level that high?" Fred asked moving to lower the difficulty back down.

Linda placed a hand on her concerned brother's hand. "Remember this is an exercise to help Samus. John isn't going to be playing the hero in this situation."

"That sounds unlikely Linda, John won't allow Samus to get hurt." Kelly sighed leaning against the wall.

"That may be, but John is going to help Samus through her reluctance." The sharpshooter said watching as Samus got separated from their leader.

The teen fired her cannon taking down two simulated Covenant targets. "How the hell did I lose you?" Samus groaned over the comlink, complaining to herself mostly.

"Samus I'm out of ammo, pinned down on the west side!" John replied to his teen's frustration. He knew that he could easily get himself out of the predicament, but he wanted Samus to engage the power she continued to deny.

"What is he doing?" Fred quirked an eyebrow behind his visor.

"Come'on John, you can easily get out of there!" Kelly scoffed shaking her head.

"Do you two listen to a word I say?" Linda groaned as Samus went to aid their leader.

Samus leapt over a barricade using screw attack to take out a whole row of aliens. Upon landing her hand lit up with a magenta glow as a simulated Brute charged her. The teen immediately dodged the initial attack, clutching her hand onto the sims head siphoning the energy out of it until it disintegrated into pixels. Chief was still pinned down, with a deep breath she could no longer withdraw her power, using her Metroid powers to rid of all the simulated aliens surrounding her adopted father.

"Finally, should we kick it into the highest level, get her even more engaged?" Kelly said as they observed their foundling destroy each alien.

Linda shook her head in disagreement with her female Spartan counterpart. "I think we should not overwhelm..."

"Sure, I guess so she's nearly murdered everything in there." Fred replied to Kelly's question by raising the difficulty level.

Master Chief stood up from his cover, thrilled his teen was finally accepting her devastating power. Knowing they had reached the end of the simulation he approached his killer daughter as she finished off the last aliens. The sound of a gun shifting caught his attention quickly realizing his Spartans had started another round on intense. Jumping next to his teen to shield her from the horrible sting of the simulation bullets. "Fred, disengage the training session!" He ordered after the storm of bullets depleting his shields.

Fred hit the emergency stop quickly rushing into the arena with Kelly and Linda.

"Do I really speak that softly, or do you two ignore me on purpose?!" Linda hissed as they approached the teen and leader.

"We thought you wanted us to raise the intensity." Fred replied.

Linda shook her head. "Are you two alright, were you hit?"

"I'm fine, some idiot caught those bullets for me." Samus replied teasing her adopted father.

Each Spartan instantly smiled at the Samus's comment, reminding them all of a memory with their fallen brother.

Samus placed her glowing hand on her adopted father, replenishing Chief's depleted shields while sacrificing a few of her own energy tanks. "But seriously are you alright?"

"I'm alright, it only depleted a small amount of my shields." John replied after his shields were regenerated by Samus.

"You weren't really out of ammo were you?" The teen raised an eyebrow behind her visor.

"I was not. But the whole point of this exercise was to prove that you are capable of controlling your power." Chief told his young teen.

Samus shook her head with a sigh. "That wasn't exactly what I would consider control. It engaged involuntarily, when I was attacking those sims. I was doing just fine without my Metroid power kicking in. I just gave into the craving and unleashed my power, guided by nothing but Metroid instincts."

"We all run on instincts Samus. It's how we survive." Fred mentioned to their foundling.

"If we keep practicing at this, you'll eventually be able to use your power only when you want to summon it." John tried to reassure Samus.

Samus shrugged following the Spartans into the corridor. Closing her fist to relinquish the glowing hungry power. Once back in Chief's room the team parted ways going to their designated rooms to sleep.

Chief walked over to the canteen sitting upright on the teen's berth, checking the cap to make sure it was sealed properly to prevent spills if it were to tip again.

"I won't be making that mistake again, don't worry." Samus chuckled as her armour dematerialized. "Although it was pretty funny."

"Keep it on the floor next to your bed to be safe." The green Spartan suggested, placing the canteen on the ground.

"Sure, I will try my best to not kick it over and scare the hell out of you in the middle of the night." The teen laughed taking a seat on her berth.

"Samus?"

Samus answered silently, locking her eyes onto the golden visor.

Chief sat down in the chair at his desk, turning it to face his teen's direction. "I was wondering what woke you last night?"

"Does it really matter at this point?" Samus replied emotionlessly.

"You always matter Samus."

Samus groaned with a sigh, walking towards the door. "That's sweet, but you really don't need to hear about my nightmares. You've been hearing about them for too many years."

"Where are you going?" Chief asked following his daughter with his eyes.

"For a walk." Samus pointed at the door.

John got up from his seat. "I'm not so sure about you walking on your own, where are you going exactly?"

"I don't know, to the park, or the observation deck." The blue suited teen shrugged stepping out the door.

Chief stood in the door frame as Samus exited the room. "It's a large ship Samus, I don't want you to get lost. Take Kelly with you."

"Kinda want to have a peaceful quiet walk." The teen retorted.

"Take Linda."

Samus laughed. "I've explored entire planets alone, they were way bigger than the Infinity, Chief. I think I can handle it." She sighed walking down the semi empty corridor.

Master Chief gave an equally heavy sigh, watching his daughter disappear down the corridor. Going back into his room, for the next half hour he stared at his door, waiting for Samus to return. He didn't like his foundling wondering around by herself, there were strangers that would love to indulge themselves in the company of a mysterious young teen. Samus's powerful state was also still considered out of the clutches of control. It worried him she might cause an unwanted scene, or run into an issue with the UNSC personnel aboard the ship. A wrap on the door brought him out of his thoughts.

"Enter." Chief said thinking it was odd that Samus would knock.

"John, I don't know if you've received or responded to this request from Commander Palmer." To Chief's dismay Fred entered.

John grabbed his data pad off the desk and found the request file his brother was talking about. "Training session with other Spartan fire teams?"

"I'm sure the Commander just wants to run a few exercises, and see if we can all function as a capable team." Fred shrugged approaching his leader.

Chief shook his head sending his agreement and acceptance of the said request. "I'm sure it's more of test to see Samus's full capabilities, especially testing her ability to take commands from superiors, and function with a team successfully."

"I'm fully aware, that's why I'm referring to Samus when I said function as a team. I know we're all capable, it's just the kid." The steel blue Spartan replied, noting that their foundling was missing from the room. "Speaking of the kid, where is she?"

Chief placed his data pad down. "She's on a walk." He replied emotionless.

"I just spoke with Kelly, and Linda. Samus is by herself?" Fred asked a little surprised his leader would allow their teen to wonder.

"Yes, she is..."

Samus was quietly sitting on the floor in front of a massive observation window in the memorial park. Not a soul in sight except for her own. The lights suddenly flickered before become dim and dark. Figuring the park was shutting down for the night, the girl got to her feet exiting the park into the brightly lit corridor.

Dread filled the bounty hunter's body as a flash memory from her nightmare filled her vision. The corridors went dark, the only light coming from the approaching monstrous X parasite that had corrupted Master Chief.

"Excuse me?"

The horrific vision suddenly dissolved around her as the corridors became empty and brightly lit. Hyperventilating Samus turned in the direction the of the unfamiliar voice.

"Are you alright?" A tall man in a black jumpsuit asked the disoriented teen.

"I'm fine... thanks..." Samus gave a small nod before continuing forward.

The man didn't respond to Samus, staring at her with menacing eyes as she walked away from him.

Halfway down the hallway Samus gazed over her shoulder to see the man still staring at her, not in a concerned manner. But in a way that made her skin crawl entirely.

John now paced his room impatiently with his brother, both of them worried about their foundling. "She's been gone for an hour, I'm going to look for her."

"I'll wait here just in case Samus returns." Fred replied even though he wanted to join his leader in his search.

As Samus took a flight of stairs to barracks she paused on the last set of stairs hearing the door she entered through open, creaking shut slowly. Hearing a few quiet footsteps the teen suspiciously gazed up the stairwell, spotting the creepy man from before, staring at her from over one of the railings. "Weird..." The girl furrowed her brow with a head shake, hastily exiting the stairs into the crew quarters deck. Walking only a few minutes down the corridor Samus heard the stairwell door open behind her, looking over her shoulder to see that same creepy man. The situation was getting weirder, walking on the crew deck, perhaps she was going in the same direction as that creep?

Continuing on down the corridor the man seemed to quicken his pace every few steps, inching closer and closer to the young teen. Samus kept an eye on the man as she quickened her own pace, her hand lighting with a magenta glow, as she begun to see the man as a threat. The girl continued to speed up, not wanting to engage in an unnecessary conflict, eventually running straight into what felt like a brick wall.

"Samus?" Chief held his daughter out in front of him after she bounced off of him.

Samus exhaled with relief after realizing her Spartan was with her. Gazing over her shoulder to see the man now halted farther down the corridor, she quickly stepped forward tripping into the green Spartan once more.

"Samus, what's the matter, is your vision alright?" John once again caught Samus, steadying her on her feet.

"Yes, I'm just uh... tired..." She lied keeping an eye on the man. "Can we go back to your room now..."

Taking note of his daughter's shaky tone the Spartan leader nodded. "Let's get you to bed." He replied, gently guiding his distracted teen down the hallway.

The entire time Chief was guiding Samus she kept gazing back clearly paranoid. Looking over his shoulder he saw nothing but a brightly lit empty corridor. Wondering if something had spooked his teen on her jaunt, he would question her once he knew she felt safe in his quarters.

Samus was surprised to see Fred waiting for them in Chief's room.

"You found her." Fred greeted the two that entered the room.

"I wasn't missing." Samus quirked an eyebrow at the steel blue Spartan.

"You were missing for an hour." The Spartan replied.

The teen rolled her eyes at the Fred. "I went for a walk, Fred."

"Shouldn't be walking around when it's past your bedtime." Fred teased the girl as he made his way to the door.

"Ha ha, good night Freddy..." Samus shook her head with a smirk.

"We'll meet the Commander in the war games arena tomorrow morning." John said following his brother to the door.

Fred nodded in understanding as the door shut behind him.

With a heavy sigh John took off his armour, he had questions for his teenager. But he knew all too well that Samus would be reluctant to answer them.

"So what are we doing tomorrow morning?" Samus questioned the Spartan leader.

"Commander Palmer wants to run Spartan team training exercises tomorrow morning." Chief mentioned sitting next to his daughter on her berth.

"Oh, do you want me to stay here?" The blonde teen sighed backing herself against the wall.

"No, you'll be joining us." He replied to Samus's surprise.

"Really, you think I should work with other Spartans?" Samus questioned.

"You worked in unison with fire team Osiris in order to save us. I think you can handle it." John smiled.

The teen tilted her head curiously at the new english word. Wondering if the word was related to the word united. "I probably wouldn't say we were in union..."

"Unison."

"Whatever, it was mostly me arguing, and forcing myself upon them in order to save you guys." The girl replied with an eye roll.

"I think that's just your style Samus, we're used to you being that way." Chief said, getting a pointed glare from the girl. "Tomorrow you'll be working with Blue Team most likely anyway."

"Sure..." Samus shrugged starting to fidget with her hands knowing Chief was going to question her about her sleepless nights.

"Samus, if you don't want to talk about your nightmare, that is fine." John pivoted slightly to face his daughter. "But I want to know why you were so paranoid when I was bringing you back here? Did something happen to you on your walk?" He placed a gentle hand on Samus's shoulder.

Samus turned her head shamefully, running her hand along the smooth silk sheets. As someone who constantly stared death in the eyes and laughs at it. She was ashamed to admit she was a bit frightened by an odd human stalker. "I'm seeing parts of my nightmare while I'm awake. It scared me." She partially lied.

"Can you tell me a little bit about it?" Chief almost sucked back his question, knowing Samus would most likely refuse to respond with a small description.

The young teen visibly shrunk, wanting nothing more than to pull the covers over her head and hide. "It was about you... and the X..."

"Thank you for telling me, Samus." John gave his adopted daughter's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before releasing his hold. "I won't ask you to describe anything else, unless you want to."

The blonde nodded, her exhaust eyes heavy with sleep. She did not wish to proceed with the details of her nightmare. Nor did she want to bring up her odd encounter.

The Spartan could read his adopted child's exhaustion, with a soft insignificant smile he gestured for Samus to lay down. "Lie down, get some rest. We've got training to do early tomorrow morning." Getting off the teen's berth as she obeyed his gesture.

Laying down facing the direction of the door, Samus wondered if that strange man knew she was staying in this room.

As the night went on the Spartan leader actually got the much needed rest, waking only a couple times hearing his teen stirring restlessly in her berth.

"H'adar sen olmen."

The haunting Chozodian words woke the hybrid teen as she just drifted to sleep. "Nim sen ulu!"

Hearing the strange alien words Chief shifted in his berth half awake, wondering if his daughter was awake, or just talking in her sleep. He laid still waiting to hear if Samus truly was active.

Samus laid in her berth like a statue after hearing Chief shifting in his berth, reminding the alien speaking warrior that there was another being trying to rest.

After a few silent moments Chief fell back asleep, while Samus attempted to do the same.

Hours of silence went by, Samus groaned, too many uncomfortable thoughts swarming through her mind. Giving up on resting she decided to just stay up. Tuning into her heightened senses, hearing the quiet snores from her adopted father. She could even hear Fred's snoring from across the room on the other side of wall. Also hearing Linda snoring on the other side of the wall behind her. Another hour of silence went by. Suddenly hearing footsteps coming down the corridor caused Samus to almost jump out of bed.

"Good, you're awake. You seem alert and ready for the day." Chief commented.

Samus spun around to see her father figure sitting on his berth putting armour on. "I didn't hear you wake up."

"Really, I find that hard to believe." John said getting up from his berth. "Were you mumbling in your sleep last night?"

"No, I was awake, I didn't exactly sleep." The teen replied unconsciously.

John softened his eyes turning to face his teen's direction. "I couldn't exactly understand what you were saying, but I am here if you want to talk about it."

Samus snorted with a soft chuckle. "Probably because I was grumbling in Chozo."

"I see." Chief nodded in understanding before putting on his helmet. "Are you feeling alright enough to do the training exercises today?"

"I'm fine Chief." The girl replied clearing a small amount of irritation in her throat.

Walking towards the door Chied turned to Samus. "Can you go wake the rest of the team, I will meet you all in the war games arena."

"Okay, sure Chief." Samus shrugged figuring her adopted father was going to go check in with the Commander.

"Uuuugh... keep banging on my door, you won't live to see the next day!" Kelly groaned getting up from her berth.

"It's time to wake up Kelly." Samus entered the dark room illuminating the room briefly with the light from the hallway.

"I gathered as much... why don't you go wake Fred while I suit up." Kelly sighed flipping the light on.

"I will." Samus replied running into the next room.

John walked fully armoured down the moderately busy hallways, concern over taking his mind as he made his way to the Command bridge. "Adam?"

"Yes, Spartan 117?" The robotic voice eagerly replied.

Approaching the bridge John halted "What are the odds of Samus doing team training exercises successfully?"

"As long as Lady does not lose control of her extraordinary powers, I do believe she will excel in the training exercises." Adam replied, trying to reassure the Spartan leader of Samus's capabilities.

"That might be easier said than done..." Chief sighed, entering the bridge.

"Master Chief, you didn't have to report here first." Commander Palmer greeted the approaching Spartan.

John kept silent, surprised to see Doctor Halsey in the Commander's presence.

"Just ready your team, and we'll meet in the war games arena." Palmer said as she walked away further into the bridge.

Chief almost went to shrug but declined the reflex. Glancing at the particularly familiar information on the data pad Halsey was reading. Noting that it was the personal information Samus had given the UNSC. Looking beyond the data pad she held, the Spartan leader could read the disappointment emanating from the Doctor, clearly she was expecting some sort of information on his teen's unique armour.

Samus easily flipped both Fred and Kelly onto the floor with a heavy thud. "Told ya I could flip you both."

"Christ, kid." Fred scoffed with a laugh as he picked himself up off the ground.

"You're a little powerhouse, I haven't seen you this agile, and fluent before." Kelly commented also getting off the floor.

Samus shrugged. "I've always been agile, and acrobabic..."

"Acrobatic." Linda corrected.

"My original power suit was always a bit bulky, and more restricting. But believe me I could still move in it, I just wasn't as agile in it. But my Metroid DNA changed me, and my armour, so now this is my full powered suit of armour." The young teen explained to the Spartans.

"It's quite organic in nature, very alien of course. Lots of vulnerable spots." Linda gave her analysis of their teen's violet bioluminescent armour.

Samus looked over her armour with a sigh as Linda gestured to the vulnerable wires imitating muscles. "I know, they are still a protective layer but definitely more vulnerable to damage. It just means I have to be extra careful in combat. It's just what I got to do to survive" Samus explained as a couple of Spartan teams entered the arena. One of the teams was recognized to be Osiris.

"Huh, figured John would've gotten here before the other teams." Kelly thought aloud as they observed the other Spartans.

"Interesting, why is there an odd number of fireteams?" Linda thought aloud, only seeing Spartan teams Osiris, and Majestic.

"There's Chief!" Samus pointed out their green Spartan leader walking in behind the other teams, with Commander Palmer, and Doctor Halsey.

Kelly smiled behind her oversized visor as Samus cheerfully jogged over to their leader. "It's not that odd, Linda, we've done a three team verses before."

Fred cocked his helm curiously after noticing Doctor Halsey. "Interesting that Halsey is once again joining Palmer."

"It's Halsey, you know she doesn't miss an opportunity to study something that peaks her interest." Linda replied to her Spartan brother.

"And what would be her interest, it's certainly not the Spartan fours." The brunet snorted with a laugh.

"It's most likely our newest, well, reunited young teammate that has sparked Halsey's interest." The sharpshooter gestured to the alien armoured teen that happily greeted John before he could join them across the arena.

"You're probably right, Halsey is probably silently screaming with excitement because she's finally going to see Samus in action." The female Spartan with the oversized visor scoffed, following her teammates over to the gathering Spartan teams.

"Good morning Spartans." Sarah greeted the lined up fireteams. "We're going to be running a few different exercises today. All three squads will go against each other simultaneously. We will start with a timed course with multiple flags scattered around the course, whichever team collects the most flags is the victor. If you get hit you're out for one minute before returning to the course. Then we will move onto a simulation battle, if you're hit, you're down and eliminated, whoever's the last one standing wins it for their team. Then we will finish with capture the flag. One flag will be placed in the centre of the chosen map, it will be your team's job to cooperate and come up with a strategic plan in order to capture your target successfully. If you're hit, you get a three minute timeout, after three minutes you can rejoin your team. Simulation ammunition only."

Samus cringed behind her visor wondering if powering her power beam to the lowest strength would be acceptable. At it's training setting, it would barely make a mark on a boulder. It still stung, but it wouldn't harm any of the Spartans. Basically it was simulation ammunition in her opinion.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why Doctor Halsey is here. She will be observing you with me today. This is an assessment." Sarah Palmer's voice brought the teen out of her thoughts.

"Assessment?" Samus thought as the Commander locked her eyes onto her.

"As a hired asset, you are going to be assessed by me today, Bounty Hunter." The Commander stood in front of the alien hybrid. "You will be working with a different fireteam each round, to test if you're truly capable of working with other members of the UNSC. You will take commands from each squad leader. Prove to us that you're truly a worthy asset."

"Fuck!" Samus mentally cursed she had zero interest in mingling with the different squads, but she did understand the gravity of the simulation tests.

"Are there any questions?"

"Can I use my arm cannon on the it's training setting, it's similar to simulation ammunition." Samus asked almost earning an eye roll from the Commander.

"Granted, but one complaint from the Spartans, and it will be banned from use." Palmer reluctantly agreed to allow the arm cannon.

"Can I use my abilities?" The teen questioned.

"No..."

"Yes!" Halsey answered over the Commander.

Palmer glared at the doctor for speaking over her. "Her abilities are too..."

"Her abilities are going to be put into use on battlefield, I think withholding her abilities during this assessment will not give us clear results." Halsey spoke logic to the Commander, even though she was saying it for the benefit of study.

The Commander sighed reluctantly. "Fine, just nothing that will seriously injure, or kill your opponents."

"Understood." Samus nodded in agreement with the Commander, some of her abilities were so deadly it took little to no effort to cause major damage. She did not wish to cause harm to anyone.

"Alright let's begin, Osiris, you get the kid first round." Palmer said as she walked over to the warzone controls.

"Play nice, don't be afraid to get competitive, remember you're going against two other Spartan teams." Fred patted Samus on the shoulder plate before following Kelly and Linda to the start point.

Samus stood hesitant as the teams took their starting positions. A strong cupped hand on her shoulder making her visibly jump.

"Work with your team, and you'll do just fine Samus. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something." John gave a reassuring squeeze to his daughter's shoulder plate.

"I will, I just..." Samus sighed looking at her left hand.

Spartan 117 put both hands on Samus's shoulders, bending slightly to be level with the teen. "If you feel your power overtaking your control, don't be afraid to excuse yourself from the simulations."

"How long is he going to mother the damn kid? We've got tests to run..." Palmer complained as Halsey observed her favourite Spartan with great interest. "Master Chief, coddle the kid after the simulation tests. Let's move, double time!"

Both Chief and Samus jogged over to the starting point. Samus of course forgetting that she was assigned a new Spartan team to work with.

"Aran, over here, you're on our team this round." A red Spartan waved the teen over.

Samus visibly shrunk, silently admitting her mistake as she quickly slunk over to fireteam Osiris.

"Okay, now that were all here, we've got 30 seconds before the start, take a good look at the course Spartans." Locke told his teammates.

Samus scanned the course with her turquoise eyes, multiple small sized banners scattered around the map. The goal was to collect as many as possible without getting shot by the opposing teams. If you got hit, it was a one minute time out before you could return, but she didn't plan on getting hit by a stray bullet.

"This is a speed runners game. How fast can you run kid?" Buck turned to the violet armoured teen.

"I'm fast." Samus replied quiet. The question was relative to her, she was fast all on her own, but her armour's added abilities made her dangerously fast.

"The kid is fast Buck, don't you remember we could barely keep track of her movements on the field." Tanaka scoffed to the former ODST.

"Vale, Aran, you're our fastest runners. You'll go for the flags, Tanaka and I will run defence, while Buck draws any unwanted attention away from you two." Locke explained to the team.

"Got it." All Spartans replied as they positioned themselves as the timer counted down.

The alien hybrid teen readied herself, knowing that her real competition was Kelly in this situation. This war game was Kelly's to win. But Samus was ready to give her a good challenge.

The buzzer rang and they were off, Samus tried to calculate a route that would be less appealing to the other runners, making her less of a target. Capturing the first two flags was easy, then the shooting began. The teen knew she was a fluorescent moving target, and an especially easy target for Blue Team's sharpshooter Linda. Contorting into her morph ball was the wisest choice to evade the sniper for the moment.

A blue armoured Spartan rounded the corner to see a large ball rolling around the opposite corner. "The hell... are we using drones, or power drains?"

"None of those items have been permitted Hoya." Thorne replied to his teammate.

"I just saw a ball rolling around in front of me Thorne, something is being used." Hoya replied rounding the corner he saw the ball go around.

"Remember Osiris has an alien hybrid on their team, it may very well be the kid rolling around." Grant replied over their com channel.

"In a ball?" Hoya scoffed his gun aimed as he stepped around the corner.

"Just shoot it the next time you see it, Hoya." Thorne sighed.

Samus stood up on a ledge just above the unsuspecting Spartan, her cannon aimed she fired at the blue Spartan who whirled around to return fire.

"Dammit!" Hoya cursed as his armour locked up from being hit.

"Extraordinary." Halsey thought aloud after watching the teen trick the Spartan after contorting into ball.

"Eccentric is more like it, you won't catch any Spartan contorting into a small ball like that." Sarah commented as she watched the teen flash over to two more flags. "What the hell was that, Christ I should've had the damn brat list all her armour abilities, I can't keep track of her?"

"I will get the list of abilities from her after the assessment." Halsey eagerly replied, watching the alien armour unknowingly running towards a flag Kelly was heading for.

As soon as Samus had the flag in sight Kelly opened fire on her, jumping over the first spray of bullets, using her flash shift the teen grabbed the flag just as Kelly's fingers grazed it's fabric. Contorting into her morph ball upon landing as Kelly angrily fired her rifle at her.

"You fucking brat!" Kelly cursed chasing after the sphere.

"Sorry, not sorry, Kelly!" Samus laughed as she rolled into a small pipe.

"Stay focused Kelly, only a few flags left." Fred reminded his teammate to stay on task.

Chief hid his smirk behind his visor after watching the whole scene. Standing on the other side of the pipe Samus appeared in front of him.

"Shit!" Samus leapt out of the way as Chief opened fire on her, transforming back into a morph ball she used rolled around a corner knowing Chief was right on her ass, she activated her phantom cloak.

John aimed his gun scanning the ground and surrounding area for any signs of teen's violet armour. Hearing a blast come from a dark corner, his armour suddenly locked, his teen had eluded him successfully.

Jumping over the next few platforms that led Samus to the other side of the map, she could hear gunfire ahead. Peaking over a ledge the teen locked her sights on the red Spartan that seemed to be pinned in a corner fighting off two members from the Majestic squad, while the other members dodged bullets from Linda and Fred. Narrowing her eyes she tried to quickly strategize a way to get her assigned teammate out of trouble. Running the length of the platform Samus charged her shinespark before dropping down next to Vale.

"Kid, what the hell!?" Vale gasped as Samus shot the two Spartans that had her pinned.

"Run run run!" Samus pointed Vale in the opposite direction of the approaching Blue Team members.

Vale didn't have time to ask questions as she was shoved around the corner by the glowing violet teen.

Hearing triggers being pulled behind her Samus used her shinespark to jump back onto the platform above narrowly missing the bullets coming from Fred and Linda. Samus could hear gunfire happening on the other side of the wall as Majestic, Osiris, and the rest of Blue Team fought.

"Shit!" Vale gasped as the bioluminescent armoured teen dropped next to her.

"Where's the checkpoint? There's no more flags on the course." Samus said to her surprised teammate.

"Near the control centre, on the other side of that firefight." The red female Spartan pointed.

Samus could see there was no clear path to the safe zone. They would have to create an interesting diversion. "Radio in the team, tell them to surround Team Majestic, and Blue Team."

Vale nodded doing as the teen asked. They watched as Locke, Tanaka, and Buck slowly began to surround the two teams. "Now what, they're still in the way. And Kelly is already in the safe zone."

"It doesn't matter who gets there first, what matters is the quantity of flags captured, meaning the capturers all need to get to safe zone before time runs out." The girl replied watching as the only female Spartan on team Majestic made it to the safe zone.

"There's a minute left on the timer." Vale gestured to the giant holographic timer above the arena.

"One minute is all we need." Samus said stepping towards the battle. "When I go, you make a run for the safe zone." The teen once again contorted into a ball rolling into the middle of the battle.

"What the hell?!" Hoya's attention along with a few other Spartans, was immediately drawn to the large ball rolling between them all.

"She's freaking nuts." Vale sprinted for the safe zone stepping into the checkpoint with little effort.

Samus's morph ball glowed a bright ice blue whirring as she charged her boost ball.

Linda didn't hesitate to use the distraction to shoot the Majestic team members, while Chief aimed at the ball.

Just as the trigger was pulled Samus zoomed away off a ramp flying into the safe zone, nearly taking out all Spartans as she did so.

"Move Blue Team!" Chief ordered realizing 15 seconds was left on the timer.

"Double time Osiris, go go go!" Locke ordered his team, in pursuit of Blue Team.

Linda whirled around firing one round she hit Buck freezing him in place as his armour seized, while all Blue Team members reached the checkpoint.

"Round over Spartans!" Sarah announced as the buzzer sounded. "Anyone not in the safe zone, their flags don't count." She said as she took the lift into the arena.

"Roland?" Sarah called out the AI's name to hear the scores.

"Fireteam Majestic, 45 flags captured, three penalties." The AI announced. "Blue Team, 84 flags captured, one penalty."

John nodded proudly at his team, while Samus reluctantly stood with Spartan team Osiris.

"And finally, Fireteam Osiris. 86 flags captured, one penalty."

"Great effort Spartans. Excellent victory, Osiris." Palmer praised all the Spartans.

All the Osiris members congratulated each other while Samus stood off to the side quietly observing.

"Excellent work Spartans. Vale, Aran, you two did amazing." Locke praised his team.

"The kid got most of the flags. And helped me out of a few tight predicaments. Can we have her on our team for every round?" Vale said with a cheerful chuckle.

Samus stood emotionless as the Spartan fours joked about keeping her on their team. She agreed to cooperate with the other Spartans, but her permanent team position would always remain on Blue Team.

"Well, let's move on to the last round Spartans. Elimination." Commander announced confusing the Spartans.

"Last round?"

"Yes, I am cutting out capture the objective. We can do two different rounds of elimination. First round you get hit once and you're eliminated, than the second round you get five lives until your eliminated. Whoever has a full team, or most of their team at the end of the five minute round wins that round." Sarah Palmer announced the the new plan to the Spartans.

"Okay, what are the teams Commander?" Buck asked curiously.

Palmer sighed glaring at the alien armour. "First round the kid is on Majestic, second round she's on Blue Team."

"Great, come'on over kid." Thorne waved the teen over.

Samus rolled her eyes behind her visor, the Spartan leader was too enthusiastic about her joining for her liking. Walking over to the team of blue armoured Spartans.

"Alright one last thing before we start. Anyone who was hit by Aran's weapon are you feeling burning, or any different compared to the simulation ammunition?" The Commander questioned, making sure the teen's weapons weren't causing damage.

"It stings a little more, but it's not unbearable." Hoya shrugged.

"Alright, five minute round, eliminate your opponents as fast as possible, but don't forget to protect your teammates, cooperation is imperative." Commander reminded the teams as they took their positions.

"What's the plan of attack here Thorne?" Grant asked her leader.

"Well, I was thinking maybe we let the kid take the lead on this one." Thorne gestured to the silent girl beside him.

"I have a name..." Samus replied with little emotion.

"Sorry, Aran. Would you like to take the lead on this?" Thorne quickly apologized to the young warrior.

Samus knew she could use almost every one of her power ups and easily eliminate each opposing team within seconds. "Well this is a team exercise, so it's probably best you take the lead on this one."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Madsen questioned the teen's words.

"... I just mean if the whole team needs to eliminate targets in order to gain points, or whatever, I don't want to be the only one taking down the opposing teams..."

"Egotistical aren't we?" Hoya commented sarcastically.

Samus waved her arms with a head shake. "It's not ego! I just know my abilities..."

"Easy team, let's not start infighting." Thorne interrupted the two. "Aran, if you're confident in your abilities, you can take point. We'll cover you, but you need to be able to pay attention to your teammates as well."

"Fine..." Samus sighed as the map darkened, the green highlights on her armour glowing brightly in the dark.

"You sure we want a glow stick on point, Thorne?" Grant questioned as the ten second countdown began to beep.

"If Aran says she's as good as she claims, being a large target shouldn't be an issue." The team leader replied.

Samus groaned walking forward after the timer went off. Her main concern was Linda in this situation, her first priority was to seek out the sharpshooter and eliminate her.

"What the hell are we doing?" Madsen questioned as the team followed the teen onto an awkwardly high platform.

"Evading." Samus replied secretly wishing she wasn't placed on a team.

"There's Osiris, we should light them up." Hoya pointed out to the faint highlights illuminating off the Osiris Spartans armour.

"Jump down and go for it, but you'll be sniped by Linda before you can even squeeze your trigger." Samus hissed at the Spartan.

"Thorne, this is crazy, we should be..."

Just as the Spartan was about to complain sniper shots rang through the air as two of the Spartans from Osiris were eliminated.

Samus tuned into her sensitive hearing listening for the direction the precision shots were emanating from.

"Aran, you take out the sniper, we're going to eliminate the remaining Osiris Spartans." Thorne turned to the teen who was already moving to do as she was asked.

Samus switched on her very draining phantom cloak, her footsteps completely undetectable by the sniper. Locating the sharpshooter Samus stood against the left side of the wall rolling into her morph ball she laid a small bomb a foot away from Linda before leaping onto the other side of the arch the red head was hidden under.

Linda rolled backwards out of the arch, her rifle pointing at the left wall she heard the noise come from. Swinging her rifle around and firing at the shimmering invisible being behind her.

Samus dropped her shoulder just in time to miss Linda's round, her cloak disengaging, firing back at the sharpshooter she hit the Spartan square in the chest eliminating one of the Blue Team members.

Samus was taken by surprise as Fred grabbed her from behind wrestling her to the ground. Fred fired his pistol at the girl who in turn rolled left and right dodging his bullets. Curling her legs under the Spartan they sprung out, launching the Spartan a few feet back, enough for her to leap to her feet and return fire. Fred returned fire as the teen leapt with a flash of blue light she vanished within the blink of his eye.

Landing behind Fredrick, Samus shot the Spartan in the back, eliminating yet another one of Blue Team's members. Seeing flashes in the distance she could hear the other teams in a heated firefight. Running across the top platforms Samus located a couple of the Majestic team Spartans.

"What's our status?" The teen asked landing next to her firing teammate.

"Grant, and Madsen are eliminated. Only Locke, and Blue Team remain." Thorne replied dodging the incoming spray of bullets.

"Two members of Blue Team are eliminated, two more remain." Samus reported firing her cannon at the last remaining Spartan from Osiris.

"Hoya, and I, can hold our position here, do what you need to do to take out our remaining enemies. We'll cover you." Majestic leader gestured for the teen to move forward.

With a nod Samus left the two Spartans. Contorting into her morph ball Samus charged up her boost ball, zooming down the centre isle she knocked Locke off his feet, leaving him vulnerable.

"Shit!" Locke cursed as Hoya shot and eliminated him.

"Samus is on the hunt Kelly, watch yourself." Chief warned his teammate.

"I got it... fuck!" Kelly cursed as Samus obviously eliminated her.

Chief sighed heavily, keeping his gun aimed as he fired back at the two Spartans across the way, eliminating Hoya. It was now between him Thorne, and Samus.

Samus mentally slapped herself for not dialling in her com channels with her new teammates, rolling over to Thorne she transformed making the Spartan leader visibly jump.

"Okay, what's the plan kid?" Thorne turned to the suddenly appearing teen.

"Chief will be expecting me to get him, I say we give him the unexpected. Just make sure you have accurate aim and take the shot when it's available." Samus replied before climbing into the rafters.

Thorne smirked behind his visor with a shrug. "Alright, let's do this."

"What the hell is that kid doing? She's like a god damned monkey, all she's been doing is scaling the map." Sarah scoffed watching as the teen cloaked herself above the green Spartan.

"Her armour's design makes her extraordinarily agile." Halsey commented.

"Yeah, more like extraordinarily dangerous, remember your assessment Doc." Palmer retorted as Samus tackled Chief to the ground.

John rolled, grabbing his attacker throwing his teen into a wall.

Samus shook off the collision against the wall using her flashshift to deceive her adopted father. Randomly shooting at his feet to make him involuntarily move backwards.

Chief returned fire to no avail as the girl continued to overwhelm him with quick flash movements. Stepping into the middle isle he tried to shoot the alien hybrid after thinking that he had figured out her dodging pattern.

Samus wanted Chief to get used to a certain pattern so she could easily pull something he wasn't expecting. Leaping up instead of to the side, Samus flash shifted over Chief just as Thorne landed a shot on her adopted father, ending the round.

"Well... another win for the team the kid joined, and that's against your precious Spartan twos. Seems whatever team the kid is thrown on, wins the battle." Sarah noted as she switched the map.

"Indeed, those are excellent results for the bounty hunter, especially to have her as an asset. But further assessment is required to get a full potential profile of this girl's power. Let's start this last round, and see if Samus proves your theory correct, Commander." Halsey said tapping away at the keys on her data pad.

"Alright, fireteam Majestic congratulations on your win. But you lose the kid now." Sarah spoke over the intercom speakers.

"Aw, do we have to give her up?" The Majestic team whined playfully.

"Yes, Blue Team, the kid is all yours again." Palmer said as Samus eagerly lined up with her Spartan family. "Last round Spartans. Elimination, five lives each, if someone is hit, do not shoot them four more times, wait for their minute timeout to be finished. Last man, or team wins it"

"Oh Sammy, I could've beat your ass. What the hell are all those new moves you're breaking out?" Kelly hissed playfully at their foundling.

"Some of those moves are new to you guys I suppose, but I'm sorry Kelly." Samus apologized for angering the Spartan.

Kelly snorted with a laugh. "Don't apologize Sammy. You're kicking our asses, it gives us some admiration, it gives us a challenge that we've never had before."

"30 seconds." Fred announced loading his weapon.

"What's the plan?" Linda asked loading her rifle.

"Linda, we should get you high." Samus said making every Spartan glare at her.

"Now that's something I would pay to see." Kelly attempted to contain her laughter as the two male Spartans shook their heads.

Samus cocked her head confused. "What's so funny? I think Linda should be higher then her last positions." She pointed up into the rafters.

"It was the way you worded it Samus." Linda cupped a hand on the teen's shoulder plate. "But as much as I agree with you, that's one hell of a climb up there. And once my position is compromised from up there it's a long fall."

"I can help you." The teen replied as the timer counted down from 10.

"Why don't you get up there and shoot from there since you can cloak yourself if you get into trouble. I will shoot from nearby." The sharpshooter said gesturing to the hidden spot she was going to snipe from.

Samus shrugged, she hadn't exactly done precision shooting from a sniping position but she would give it a try. "Okay, I will cover you guys." climbing into the rafters as the timer sounded off.

Kelly jogged in between John and Fred down the centre line. "You know that will be short lived."

"Yes, Samus will get distracted and bored, she will eventually jump down and fight up close." Fred agreed with the speed runner.

"When she does, we use it as an opportunity to strike. Samus is a large distraction that will draw all gunfire her way." Chief said as they rounded the corner to find Osiris. Opening fire they immediately took out Vale, Buck, and Tanaka.

Samus fired her cannon from above standing on a narrow metal beam she took out the entire Majestic team. While Linda fired taking down Locke.

"Move around Samus, you can't stay in one spot for long." Linda advised the teen that was above her.

Samus did just that, jumping to the next narrow beam nearly slipping off in the process. She regained her balance as half of Osiris team came out from their timed penalty. Firing her cannon she could here the team cursing up a storm as they dodged her cannon fire, while getting hit by Linda's rifle shots. Moving down the beam Samus scanned for the Majestic team Spartans. Watching as Kelly ran down one of the alleyways gunfire hot on her heels cutting around a corner to Fred and Chief who easily took out the pursuing Spartans.

Looking straight down the teen could see Locke sneaking up on Chief, Samus's hand flared magenta as she lifted her cannon to fire at the approaching Spartan.

"H'adar sen olmen."

Samus struggled to pull the trigger on her cannon as that voice in her mind taking over her focus. Hearing a gun shot ring through the air she dropped her gaze to see Locke had been taken down by Linda.

"Samus, you had a clear shot, are you staying focused?" Linda questioned over the com channel.

"Ana man es." Samus replied in Chozo greatly confusing the sharpshooter.

"Samus, can you repeat, I didn't copy that." Linda replied, confused by the unknown language.

Giving her head a shake Samus replied in english. "Sorry, I am now." She opened fire on Vale, taking her out along with Buck.

Tanaka whirled around aiming her gun to the rafters she fired up at the teen, making Samus stumble out of the way of the spray of bullets.

Cloaking herself to escape the Spartan's aim, dropping down to the floor level as Linda shot the firing Spartan. "How many times is that now?" Samus asked Linda.

"Tanaka was taken down by Majestic a few times, that was her last chance she's eliminated now." Linda replied, keeping her scope focused on the teen as she made her way over to the rest of the team. Using her flashshift to dash behind Majestic, eliminating the blue armoured Spartan team that was firing at Chief.

"Who's left?" Kelly asked following her teammates around the corner.

"Locke, and Vale, I believe." Fred replied as Samus caught up to them. "Linda, do you have a visual?"

"Negative."

Both Fred and Chief were tackled from above by the two Spartans they spoke of. Kelly being closest to Fred helped him wrestle the red Spartan off to get a clear shot. While Samus aided her adopted father with Locke.

Samus's left hand ignited with a magenta glow as she grabbed the black and blue Spartan four. Unintentionally siphoning the energy from the man's armour.

Locke yelped in shock as his suit was completely drained of his shields, his armour malfunctioning in the process, completely depleted of energy and power. "Stop!"

"Samus, stop!" Chief quickly rolled onto his feet yanking his teenage daughter off the malfunctioning Spartan.

The Commander hit the emergency sequence stop, ending the session as she rushed down to the arena with Halsey in tow.

"Locke, are you alright?" Fred asked helping the Spartan four off the ground.

"My armour is malfunctioning, there's no power to it." Locke groaned as he stood stiffly.

"What's going on?!" Sarah questioned rushing over to the potentially injured Spartan.

"Suit malfunction, was that an EMP?" Locke looked over at the teen who's hand was still glowing.

Samus looked away, unsure about how to reply to that question. "Not exactly..."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The Commander hissed as medical personnel took Locke away.

As the other teams gathered around Samus's hand glowed more intensely. "It was a mistake Commander, Samus got carried away, but she didn't cause any medical harm." Chief said although the Commander wasn't exactly looking to hear excuses come from him.

Samus could see the anger and frustration building inside the Commander as no straight answers were being delivered. Closing her hand to stem the intense hunger for energy and power, Samus would've returned the energy to Spartan Locke if medical staff hadn't taken him for an examination.

Waving her arms the Commander shook her head. "Alright, training assessment is over. Aran, go with Doctor Halsey for a background check, we need to know more about your combat history."

Samus visibly shrunk as Halsey gestured for her to follow. "Chief..."

"Samus may not fully understand some of the questions or philosophy you will be using. I will join you to translate." Chief volunteered.

"I have dealt with children before John, I will translate for her if she doesn't fully understand." Halsey reassured, leading Samus out of the arena.

"Child?" Samus scoffed mentally, she figured by now she was far from being called a child.

"In other words you don't have to be an acting lawyer for the kid. We need truthful answers, and your presence will certainly help her lie to us easier." Palmer said to the Spartan leader as they watched the teen exit with the Doctor.

Master Chief narrowed his eyes behind his visor, gesturing for his team to follow him to the exit.

"There's really nothing we can do now, John. Finding out about her power was inevitable." Kelly mentioned as they strolled down the hallway with a purpose.

"Unfortunate it was exposed in a negative manner. It will be difficult for Samus to explain her lack of control." Fredrick mentioned with a heavy sigh.

"Where are we going anyway John?" Kelly asked as they approached the bridge.

"I'm going to the bridge, to stand by for Samus." John replied as they approached the bridge entrance.

"They're not going to let you in the room, you know that right?" Linda said as they entered the bridge.

"I don't care, I will wait outside of the room for her. Samus is going to feel vulnerable here, if she knows we're nearby her Metroid power may stay at bay instead of flaring out of instinct." Chief said as a few security officers came up to them.

"Sir, the room is in use at the moment, you cannot enter." One of the men said.

"I understand, can you enter and let the young lady know we're just outside the door waiting for her." Chief replied calmly to the officer.

The security officer was about to deny the Spartan's request but the Captain who overheard the conversation interrupted.

"I will do that for you Chief." Lasky smiled with a nod before entering the room.

Samus was now without her armour as it would've been awkward to sit in the seat with her suit on. "Why am I here?"

"I'm sure you're curious about the assessment." Halsey replied, data pad in hand.

"Not really." Samus folded her arms.

Halsey ignored the teenager sass. "I am not going to bore you with a hundred questions, we've seen you in action. You're exceptional working with other teams."

"I'm not here to play against anyone, you enlisted my help. I intend to do everything I can to assist you all." The girl replied her body tense and defensive.

"We can see you're dedicated to aiding us, Samus. We just want to know your potential, what are your capabilities." The Doctor said placing her data pad on the table.

"You just said you saw what I was capable of." The blonde teen retorted, her eyes locking on the door for an escape.

"We want to know your accomplishments, what have you done in your bounty hunting career?"

Samus furrowed her eyebrows. "I already told you most of my accomplishments when we were on Sangheilios."

"Remind us with a short list." Halsey replied, with the Captain standing by, as Commander Palmer entered the room.

"I will give you the list of what I've accomplished during my bounty hunting." Samus now stood up from her seat, her stance confident, and grim.

All three humans stood anxiously waiting to hear the girl's accomplishments. The Doctor was more curious than concerned, whereas the Commander and Captain warily listened for the girl to answer.

"I've singlehandedly saved numerous space stations, alien species, and planets. Infiltrated and blown up both ships, and space stations. Blown up four planets, destroying them to nothing but dust. Wiped out two alien species..." Samus listed off, though she feared the X parasite may not exactly be extinct. She could tell her list was not easing the scepticism in the room. But Samus didn't worry too much, knowing that Chief had accomplished blowing up Halo rings, ships, and space stations. His accomplished destruction was not far off her mark. "I've eradicated entire armies of Space Pirates..." The teen's vision drifted from the almost frightened expressions, to the exit from the room.

"Your Spartans are outside waiting for you Samus. Perhaps it would be easier if you just sent us video logs of what you considered to be your most difficult encounters on your bounty missions. We just want to know when to send in Spartans, and when to send you." Captain Lasky said to the young lady in front of them. Easing the dreadful tension in the room.

"Sure, I'll get my AI to organize a file for you." Samus shrugged easing her tense body after hearing that her Spartan family was waiting for her. "And regardening when to send me in instead of Spartans..."

"Regarding." Halsey quietly translated the teen's mistake for the Captain.

Samus sighed in frustration activating her armour to assist her translations. "Adam, make a video log file of my most difficult enemy encounters."

"Of course, the files are sent, Lady." Adam replied as Halsey's data pad lit up.

"Thank you, I will review these shortly." Halsey thanked the teen for the sent file.

Samus nodded, making her way to the door. "Regarding when to send me in. If you know there's a high risk of losing good Spartans on suicide missions, send me in. I'm expendable, they're not. Don't spend lives wastefully if you know I possibly have a higher chance of accomplishing a mission."

Lasky gave a quick smile and nod in acknowledgement. "We'll take that into consideration. But your life is just as important, young Aran."

Samus kept quiet, exiting the room she felt as if her life was expendable. Every bounty mission she went on she was prepared to give her life for the sake of saving others in the galaxy.

"That was quick." Kelly said as the teen approached them.

Palmer glared at the alien armoured teen, as she passed by exiting the room Samus had just left.

"So what did they..."

"They didn't ask me about what happened. Can we just go to the med bay please..." Samus sighed walking out of the bridge.

All Blue Team members exchanged looks as they followed their foundling out of the bridge.

"Why, are you not feeling well?" Fred asked with concern.

Samus shook her head no. "I want to apologize to Locke."

"Oh, Sammy..." Kelly bit her lip awkwardly behind her oversized visor. "It might be best to skip the apology."

"Why?" The teen looked over her shoulder.

"If they don't know about your Metroid abilities, it might be best to just leave things be." Fred thought aloud.

"Locke is a big boy, he doesn't need an apology. Plus you didn't injure him, you only drained his armour." The speed runner scoffed, wondering if Samus was capable of draining their suits by accident. "So wait, you don't have to latch onto an enemies head to drain their life?"

"With most technology and machines it doesn't matter what I touch. But you guys aren't machines, so I don't understand why I was able to do that." Samus replied, halting in front of the med bay.

"You didn't fight any enemies that had powered armour, before meeting up with us again?" Linda questioned.

Samus shook her head uncertainly. "The only one was Ashkar Behek. And he didn't seem to care until I latched onto his head. But he did fight, and shake me off every time I had my hand grasping his arm..."

"Who are you talking about Samus?" Chief was certain his adopted daughter was talking about her encounter with Raven Beak, but the alien name threw him off.

"Ashkar Behek... sorry, Raven Beak." Samus corrected herself, before entering the med bay.

"She's still going through with this." Kelly groaned as Samus found her way to the Spartan four.

"To be honest Kelly, they are going to pull up the surveillance from last night's training session with John. They're going to know about her powers fairly soon." Linda defeatedly told the speed runner.

Samus watched as a team of specialists tried to rejuvenate Locke's armour. With an eye roll she approached the Spartan four. "Hi Locke..."

"Aran." Locke greeted the teen with his monotone voice.

"I don't know Locke, we might just have to find you a new set of armour, nothing's working." A very frustrated man with a data pad sighed.

Samus sighed as her hand ignited with a magenta glow. Placing her hand on the Spartans chest plate she began to restore power to his suit of armour.

"What are you doing?!" Both the Spartan and medical officers gasped.

"Making things right." Samus replied after fully replenishing the Spartan. "I'm sorry I got carried away in the arena."

"It's alright I wasn't injured." Locke replied looking over his now powered armour. "So what happened, did you reverse the EMP some how?"

"It wasn't an EMP. It's just something I can't explain, but all you need to know is on most things I can reverse it's effects." The teen replied, keeping her gaze on the astonished medical personnel. Before Locke could reply Samus left the med bay, leaving the Blue Team Spartans behind.

"You're under a microscope, Lady." Adam noted to the zoned teen.

"I'm aware. Between dealing with the UNSC, and the Galactic Federation, it's a game of survival at this point. I really can't trust anyone but myself." Samus sighed, walking through the moderately busy corridor.

"Do you worry that you are not the only one trying to siphon power?" The AI's words confused the girl.

Samus furrowed her brow in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about, Adam?"

"The creator of the Spartans has always shown a great sense of curiosity towards you when you are in her presence. You don't believe they requested those files, and gave you assessment exercises, to study you as a specimen for new weaponizing?"

"Of course I believe that's why they did it. The powers they have equipped to their Spartans already resemble my own, just on a lower scale. The UNSC can't achieve the full potential of my weapons, and abilities, without the knowledge, and power, of the Chozo. They just don't have the technology, and even if they did, it took me years to master the Chozo warrior art. They're not just powers you can absorb into your armour and hope for the best." Samus scoffed not even noticing her Spartan family standing next to her listening to her every word. "They wouldn't even begin to understand the intensity of absorbing these ancient abilities. It's physically, and mentally demanding, and it hurts with every new power up. It's like slamming a text book of knowledge against your brain, while piloting an out of control ship through an astroid belt."

"You get the time to practice adapting to your new abilities during your bounty missions?" Kelly questioned making Samus jump.

Spinning around the teen shook her head no. "Of course not, I only have mere seconds, or minutes to adapt, but that's my exact point right there. The first half of my training was dealing with the intense mental anguish my body and mind had to go through as an adaptable Chozo warrior. Everything about their armoury has a psychic connection."

Kelly blinked behind her visor, as their foundling passionately explained why it would be impossible for the UNSC to achieve Chozo technology.

"Do you think I press a button every time I need to use my flash shift, phantom cloak, or screw attack?"

"Your what?"

"No, of course I don't! Every single piece of my equipment is controlled with my mind, except for pulling the trigger on my cannon." Samus hissed as Chief led them down the hallway.

"That's fairly similar to ours. A lot of our armour functions are connected through a psychic link." Kelly mentioned with Linda. "Maybe not to your extent but..." Kelly said to the teen.

"You activate all your gear with your mind?" Samus replied curiously.

"Not all of it, but most of it yes, some of it is an automatic response if you do the right manoeuvre. We don't have time to be pressing buttons on our armour either." the brunet shrugged beginning to lose the teen's interest. "Okay, I get your point, you have a lot more to control than we do. But we do have a symbiotic connection to our armour. Not to mention adding an AI to our neuro port, it gets pretty complicated."

"I'm not saying you don't have a symbiotic connection to your armour. If you didn't it would be pretty useless. I'm just saying your armour does not share the same adaptive capabilities as mine." Samus sighed as a dizzy spell washed over her.

"What brought on this rant, kiddo?" Fred finally asked what the team was thinking.

"Halsey isn't going to try to clone me is she?" Samus asked holding the wall for balance.

The Spartans chuckled at their foundling's question. "Most likely not Samus, with everything that's going on, Halsey doesn't have the time for a side project." Fred replied.

"But she does have time to find the ultimate weapon to go against Cortana." Chief mentioned wondering if Samus would be a candidate for the job.

"You really believe Halsey, would consider Samus? She's already got a plan brewing, why would she waste time with a side project?" Fred questioned.

Linda narrowed her eyes behind her visor. "Whatever her original plan is, on top of Halsey's interest in Samus, it could all be put into one big plan."

"Well, that's what I'm here for I suppose." Samus shrugged, pushing off the wall.

"Samus, you're not an experiment." Chief said.

Samus cocked her head at the Spartan leader. "I wasn't implaying that I was."

"Implying."

"Chief, I am here to assist. I am in no way an experiment, but if I'm part of the plan so be it." The teen replied, continuing down the hallway with the Spartans.

"You've been reviewing the video files for over an hour now Halsey. What's your verdict?" Sarah impatiently asked, with the Captain standing by.

"It's unbelievable, like nothing I've ever seen before. My Spartans could match her for the most part, but her unique combat abilities trump them in the long run." Halsey said astonished. "The most simple functions in her suit's abilities are closely related to the upgrades we've given our Spartans, except her's are exceptionally better."

"Can we take her down if we have to?"

"Let's not rush into conclusions Sarah. Doctor, the better question is, will Samus be a benefit going against our newfound enemies?" Lasky waved off the Commander's question, asking if the teen was an added hope in their fight against the Created.

"To answer both your questions... That young, genetic, cocktail, you've invited aboard our ship. Has the abilities and the strength behind her, to annihilate worlds, and wipeout species, alone." Doctor Halsey replied displaying some of the video footage that was sent to her from the teen's AI. "Our Spartans would be our best option to go against her, if such an occasion presented itself. But I pray that it never does, because... and I can't believe I'm admitting this. Samus's abilities are far more superior than even my Spartans."

"Christ... she's not invincible Doctor. You're putting her up on a pedestal. Put at least four teams of Spartans against her, and the kid will meet her match. What about breaking her armour, that would leave her defenceless?" Sarah questioned, watching the teen battle some monstrous building size robot in a mysteriously dark world.

"It would take a lot to break that armour, most of our weapons would do minimum damage to it. Even if her armour was gone, would Samus really be that defenceless?" Halsey questioned.

Sarah shook her head with a scoff. "Under that powerhouse armour, is a delicate little girl that can easily be broken. She has now power outside of her armour."

Halsey looked away in disagreement, in the past some foolish soldiers had made the poor choice to underestimate her Spartans when out of armour, and paid the price for their ignorance. Samus was no different in her opinion, though Halsey was certain Samus was immensely weaker without her suit of armour. She did not believe that the girl would be powerless without it. "I think you're wrong Commander."

"You and I disagree on a lot, lol Doctor. That armour is run by that kid's mind, all you have to do is break her from the inside to expose her core." The Commander folded her arms.

"Sarah, we don't need to be planning an annihilation on a young girl that is dedicating herself to aiding us in this dire situation." Captain Lasky finally came back into the conversation.

"Tom, at this point it's more dangerous to have the kid wondering our corridors, rather than the Created trying to take us down." Palmer retorted.

"Samus is not a threat to us, I won't hear anymore about it, Commander." Lasky warned the Palmer. "Doctor Halsey, if you believe Samus is a true asset to our Spartans, please inform her of anything you need assistance with."

"I will Captain." Halsey nodded, leaving the bridge with the annoyed Commander.

"Has everyone forgotten that that lethal alien child is exactly what the Covenant was looking to weaponize against us?" Palmer complained gesturing to the alien hybrid teen walking towards them with Blue Team.

"Was it's not John, and his team that rescued the girl, and raised her to be like us?" Halsey questioned while tapping away on her data pad as Blue Team passed by with Samus in tow.

The Commander scoffed glaring at Blue Team as they walked by. "They were tasked to watch and contain the little brat to make sure she didn't fall into the Covenant's hands. We deployed Samus on the battlefield with them just to see what she was capable of. And a few years later we realized how strong she was getting, becoming an overwhelming threat. So when she volunteered to set out on her own as a solitary bounty hunter. We all supported her because we wanted to push her the hell off the Infinity. She caused enough grief her first day on the Infinity, we should've exiled her right then and there."

Following her Spartans, Samus over heard everything the Commander told Doctor Halsey. The teen had wondered herself why Capitan Lasky and the rest on the UNSC personnel were so supportive of her going off on her own. Because after spending years aboard the ship under UNSC care, and supervision, she continued her training with the Spartans. At that point she was basically UNSC personnel, Blue Team even wanted her to officially become a member of their team. But the UNSC pushed her away willfully after learning of her growing strength, hoping that fate would end her elsewhere in the universe. Unbeknownst to the UNSC, part of her training with the Chozo was that second place was not an option, she always had to stay on top, becoming the apex predator in the universe, in order to successfully protect the galaxies.

"Sammy?!" Kelly hissed after the girl bumped into her after they stopped.

"Sorry Kelly." Samus apologized taking a step back.

"Fred and I are going to spar, did you want to join us?" Kelly changed the subject.

"I'm going to the shooting range." Linda replied, parting ways with the team.

"I'm going to skip for now Kelly." Samus said turning to Chief. "I think we should do some training in the open arena."

"We did a lot of exercises this morning, perhaps you should rest." Chief replied to his teen.

"Nuh uh. I haven't seen you use your grapple hook once, you need to know how to use it." Samus said leading Chief to the arena that was set up with many obstacles.

"Samus, I appreciate your enthusiasm. But it's a climbing aid, not a weapon for battle, there's not much training behind it." The green Spartan leader sighed with a shrug.

Samus rolled her eyes behind her visor, handing Chief a loaded paint rifle. "Try to shoot me." She said standing a few feet away from her adopted father.

With a sigh, John barely lifted the rifle to aim. "What does this have to do..."

"Just do it dad... Chief!" Samus groaned sheepishly, hoping Chief didn't notice her slip up.

Of course the Spartan heard the teen's adopted title for him, but he didn't let it go to his head. "Fine..." he sighed as his finger began to squeeze the trigger.

Samus fired her grapple beam at Chief, ripping the gun right out of his hand, based on his astonished reaction the Spartan wasn't expecting that. The teen quickly fired again at Chief's feet her grapple latching onto his shin plate, as she yanked him off of his feet.

John fell flat on his back with a hard thud, pushing himself up onto his feet to look at his sassy teen who stood there with her cannon glowing blue.

"Don't underestimate simple tools, anything can become a weapon if you use it right." Samus glared at Chief.

Chief exhaled heavily, looking at his teen. "Okay you're right. I will practice later though, I need to do a few things. Why don't you go practice training with Kelly and Fred." The green Spartan said as he made his way out of the training facility.

Making his way down the hallway Master Chief contacted the bounty hunter's AI. "Adam?"

"Yes Spartan 117?" The AI replied through the Spartan's internal helmet speakers.

"What is a Chozo word that is easy to pronounce, and that would be meaningful to Samus?"

"Certainly, this one is meaningful, especially coming from you." The AI sent a word to display on the Spartans HUD.

Samus followed Chief's path to the door with a sigh, turning to look at the two Spartans sparring on the mats. The teen exited the facility, turning in the opposite direction of her adopted father.

"You can't use your weapons in here." Linda said, hearing the teen approaching her from behind.

With a flash Samus's armour vanished. "I wasn't going to use my weapons. I wanna use yours."

Linda lowered her rifle's sights. "You want to snipe?"

Samus nodded confirming the sharpshooter's question.

"Why, you have no means of carrying around a rifle, you have a large cannon, and you surely can't put it under your armour." Linda scoffed, reloading her sniper rifle.

"I know how to use more than just my cannon, I would be useless if I didn't. There could be a moment when I lose my armour for a period of time because it's too badly damaged. Using alternative weapons is a useful skill to have don't you think?" Samus replied picking up a nearby sniper.

"Okay kid, fine." Linda groaned taking the sniper out of the teen's hands. "You start with a DMR first, work your way up to the big guns."

Samus examined the smaller gun in her hands. Taking aim she fired at each of the moving targets in front of them, easily taking them down perfectly.

Linda smirked with a chuckle. "Okay, so you do know your stuff. Where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

"You guys taught me a bit." Samus replied reloading the gun.

"We didn't exactly focus on your human grade weapon skills. There's no way you learned all that from us." The sharpshooter replied handing Samus the sniper rifle.

"The UNSC is not the only military that wanted me. After leaving here I made myself a great reputation going after Space Pirates, and saving unknown worlds. I got noticed by the Federation, they wanted my skills in their military forces. So they tried to enlist me in their ranks. Besides you guys teaching me, I learned how to fire human grade weapons there. But I didn't fit in well with them, and I broke off from them. They agreed to keep me as a hired bounty hunter." Samus explained with a heavy sigh. "The Galactic Federation is usually reluctant to enlist my help, they use me as an absolute last resort. Especially after I flat out defied them. I guess unlike the UNSC, the GF likes to keep their enemies closer then their allies."

"What do you mean they keep their enemies closer to them then the UNSC?" The red head questioned the teen.

"I overheard the Commander talking to Halsey. When I was throwing around the idea of being an independent bounty hunter, the UNSC wanted me gone, they took that idea and encouraged me to leave, they wanted me to go. Because they were afraid of my growing power, just like the Galactic Federation." Samus explained to Linda.

"Oh Samus, I don't doubt what you say is true." Linda placed her hands on the teen's shoulders. "You know that Blue Team didn't know about that? We would never push you away, even knowing you're more powerful then us."

"Why does everyone keep saying I'm incredibly powerful?!" Samus hissed shaking off the sharpshooter. "You guys could all kick my ass if you really wanted too!"

"It's because you are Samus. No Spartan could possibly go into the battles you've fought, the poisonous worlds you've trekked through, and face the parasites you've gone against. And somehow still come out on top and alive." Linda firmly told the upset young warrior.

"I think it's my armour and weapons that scare people into believing I'm this invincible being." Samus scoffed shaking her head.

"It's your skills, and power behind them that scare us Samus. You're powerful without your armour, your unique training, and genetics allow you to be that." Linda placed a hand on the teen's back. "But that's not the first thing we see in you Samus, you know that."

"I know, but come'on it's the same for you guys isn't it. Aren't people scared of you because you're bigger, stronger, and more skilled?" The girl sighed.

"The Covenant maybe. Perhaps a few people here fear us, but it's different..." Linda quickly shut herself up, knowing her next words were not going to help the teen. "Look Samus, I will be honest with you. People fear the unknown, and everything about you screams the unknown. You're always mutating, getting stronger, and gaining different abilities. Nothing slows you down, and if something does, it's not for long."

"But you do the same, nothing gets in your way! Except orders from a superior officer." Samus replied almost sarcastically.

The redhead gave a dry chuckle. "Alright, come'on, let's focus on shooting." The female Spartan helped the teen hold the sniper rifle properly.

Samus knew Linda was blowing off the subject, and rightfully so, Samus was getting annoyed with the unrealistically high up position everyone was putting her in.

"Now I'm not sure if you've ever fired a rifle, but this is no ordinary gun. It takes a certain technique to master this skillful art." The redhead expressed as she positioned the teen just right. "Breath in, lock on target. Breath out, squeeze the trigger. Your energy is what pushes that bullet out of the barrel. You can't panic, you'd miss your shot, always focus on your breathing, over the gunfire in battle. Remember as a sniper you're always watching over your family, you're their protector. They count on you to provide cover for them. You can't..."

"You can't afford to lose focus. Second place isn't an option." Samus repeated what the Chozo had drilled into her during her training with them. The teen exhaled pulling the trigger she destroyed a target, hitting it perfectly in the head between the eyes.

"Excellent shot Samus." Linda praised the girl for the great aim. "I think it's time to go now though." She patted the girl's shoulder.

"What, we just started?" Samus whined following the sharpshooter.

Linda looked over her shoulder to make sure her foundling was following. "I know, but I don't think you're focused enough to continue."

"What?! It was a perfect shot, you said it yourself!" The teen continued to complain.

"You're absolutely right, I always like to leave it on a good note. I know you're not focused today, you lost your focus in that assessment today, and you seem to have many other thoughts that are plaguing your mind." The brown and beige Spartan halted in front of Chief's quarters. "I think you should take some time to filter out your thoughts." Linda knocked on the door before activating it.

"Linda, Samus?" Chief looked up from his desk to see his sister, and their foundling grumpily standing in the doorway.

"Go on." Linda gestured for Samus to move further into the room.

Samus groaned plopping herself onto her berth.

"Why are you putting her in here, did she get into something?" John asked, approaching his sister in the doorway.

"Samus is fine, we were at the range, she did great." Linda sighed looking past her leader.

"Then what's wrong?" Chief asked confused, feeling like there was another reason for the sudden drop off.

"Somethings off, she's been in and out of speaking Chozo, it's like she's in an odd trance." Linda took a step back into the hallway, having Chief follow her allowing the door to shut behind him. "Samus overheard the Commander speaking with Halsey. She knows the UNSC fears her power, I'm sure she already realized that assessment we did earlier was to attempt to find a weakness in her."

"They only ended up opening a can of worms..." Chief thought aloud. "But Samus is aware of the UNSC's wariness of her."

"Yes, and I am sure Samus knows she has the ability to kill us all if she wanted to." Kelly scoffed as her and Fred joined the conversation.

"Kelly!" John gasped through a hiss.

"What, there's reasons behind their wariness. It's true Samus could kill us all. It wouldn't take much effort from her to do so." Kelly replied with a shrug.

"We can murder and kill effortlessly all the same, I'm sure the UNSC has a protocol for taking down a rampant Spartan. So their precaution with Samus is no different really." Fred added to Kelly's point.

"That's a good point Fred, but what exactly would be their protocol with Samus? Abandon ship, and do a self destruct sequence and hope she doesn't escape?" The speed runner scoffed. "She's never done numerous escapes from exploding planets before." She sarcastically said as Fred shook his helmet at her.

Fred rolled his eyes behind his visor. "Okay tone down the sarcasm Kelly, you might blow a hole in your helmet. Look, I'm sure Commander Palmer is already planing a protocol to take down Samus if the occasion occurs."

"The occasion will never happen." John said firmly to his team.

Both female Spartans exchanged concerned gazes with Fredrick. "John, you know it's a possibility. Especially with her out of control Metroid instincts."

Chief shook his head at his teammates. "It's not going to happen, Samus is learning to control it." Entering his quarters he exited the stressful conversation with his team. Leaving them with their concerning thoughts.

Samus could tell by her adopted father's body language he was clearly upset. She kept her gaze away from the golden visor, knowing it was her presence that was bringing him stress. "...I'm sorry..." the girl whispered, she wanted to disappear, but knew she couldn't abandon the ship while the UNSC was in need.

"Samus, you're going to hear a lot..."

"A lot of shit from everyone on this ship, I know. I've already heard some of it. I'm used to it, I just haven't heard it in a while. Or at least to this scale." Samus finished the Spartan's sentence with a sigh.

John walked over to his teen wondering what she was talking about. "What are you talking about Samus, before you left as a bounty hunter?"

"Kind of, but it doesn't matter." The girl shook her head. "I'm going to stay here no matter how much Commander bitch tries to plan my death."

Chief blinked with a heavy sigh. "Samus, the Commander is not trying to murder you."

"Uh, right sorry, she's trying to crush me from the inside." Samus corrected herself, she was positive Chief was rolling her eyes as she said that.

"Linda was concerned about you earlier. She said you've been distracted by something." John mentioned changing the subject.

"I suppose I am..." The teen shrugged gazing beyond her Spartan.

"What has been bothering you?" Chief asked pulling his chair next to the girl's berth.

"I think it's just my own wondering thoughts throwing random elisions into my mind." The blonde shrugged her eyes locking onto the door. "I probably just need to clear my head. I'm going to go for a walk." Samus said hopping off her berth.

Master Chief nodded in acknowledgement, moving himself back to his desk, he looked over his shoulder to see his foundling hesitant to exit the room.

Samus stood in front of the door, it was daytime now but she still couldn't get that creepy stalker from last night out of her head. Giving her head a shake the teen exited the room. "Just get to the observation deck..." she thought to herself as she made her way through the busy corridors, getting all sorts of comments, some were comments on her young age, that was nothing new to her as she heard those everywhere she went. But some were new, and a little odd.

"Hey little girl, you lost?"

"Spartan daycare is on the lower B deck!"

"She doesn't look that tough."

"Hey kid wanna verse each other and lose to me?"

"Damn, if you were ten years older girl! I wish half the ladies on this ship looked as good."

Disgusted with the ongoing comments, Samus instantly regretted not reactivating her armour. She couldn't do it now, it was too late, she'd get even more stupid comments from the passing Spartans and marines. She wanted to go to the memorial park, but decided against it, knowing her presence brought on too much unwanted attention. Finally reaching the massive observation window, the girl stood watching the glowing stars pass by.

A magenta glow in the reflection of the glass drew the teen's attention to her arm. Narrowing her eyes Samus shook her head. Something moving in the reflection of the window made her look up in a surprise. Seeing the sickly X infected corpse of Quiet Robe.

"Ana man balame ata..."

"Why is he counting on me. I finished the fight with Raven Beak?" Samus blinked in confusion she didn't understand what Quiet Robe wanted her to complete.

"Ladarha..."

Hearing the Chozo words come from a familiar voice that shouldn't even know the word returned her focus back to the her own lonely expression. "Chief?" Samus turned around to see the green Spartan standing a few feet behind her.

"Did I pronounce it wrong?" Chief replied walking over to his adopted daughter.

Samus gave a flattered smile with a warm chuckle. "No, you got it right."

Chief nodded his gaze fixing on the beautiful twinkling stars in front of them.

"How do you know how to say that?" The girl questioned her adopted father's knowledge of the Chozo language.

"I asked Adam to send me a word in Chozo that would be meaningful to you. What does it mean?" The Spartan glanced over at his blonde teen standing next to him, feeling a bit foolish for not asking the AI what the word meant before he said it to Samus.

"Daughter." Samus sheepishly smiled, keeping her gaze straight ahead.

The Spartan leader kept silent, it was a fitting word. The AI was definitely correct, it was a very meaningful word to the both of them. The girl over the past few weeks had slipped, calling him a name other than his given rank. A name he never would've thought to be bestowed upon him during his lifetime. In a way it was a title that made a more intimate connection between him and his adopted daughter. Just like his Spartan brother, and sisters addressing him by his first name. Being called Chief by Samus was something she did out of respect mostly. Perhaps she thought calling him by his first name was awkward, maybe in her eyes his first name was only reserved for the adults. Chief chuckled at that thought, making the teen gaze up at him.

"I'm sorry, Adam was probably just trying to be funny." Samus apologized. "I'm sorry for earlier, I didn't mean to disrespect you..."

Chief turned to face the smaller being next to him. "Samus, don't apologize. It's alright."

"I just know it's a bit demeaning to you, and your reputation, for me to straight out be calling you by that..." Samus looked away in shame.

"I don't care to have opinions on my reputation. You're mature enough to know when to address me by my rank, and when to address me as your father." John was understanding, he knew how the young teen saw him. She had been with them since she was quite young, he was surprised at how reserved she kept her views of him. Perhaps he was wrong about his silly theory of her thinking his first name was reserved for the adults. Perhaps she restrained herself from attempting to call him by a fatherly title, out of fear.

The teen turned her awkward gaze to the floor, she felt stupid for having a glimmer of excitement in her heart. She was excited to be able to call someone her father. No one could ever replace her biological father Rodney Aran, with what little memory she had of her birth father. But it was a gift to have Chief fully acknowledge his father role to her.

"I won't expect you to. I know it's a bit awkward, and that's okay." The green Spartan said breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Samus turned gazing up into the golden visor, continuing to keep quiet, her gaze allowing Chief to acknowledge that she was listening to him.

"I'm sorry, What I'm trying to say is, call me whatever you're comfortable with, Samus." John sighed, feeling a bit foolish for even bringing the subject up.

"I will." Samus smiled.

"There you two are, we were wondering where the hell you went." Kelly's voice made both Spartan and hunter turn to see three Spartans approaching them.

"You could've tried contacting me through the com channel Kelly." Chief replied to the speed runner.

"That's what I said to her." Fred sighed rolling his eyes behind his visor.

"Yeah, and I said let's search for them, you could use the exercise." Kelly retorted immediately receiving a pointed glare from the steel blue Spartan.

Ignoring the two bickering Spartans, John turned his attention to the sharpshooter.

"Halsey was looking for you Samus." Linda told the young warrior.

"Of course she was." Samus rolled her eyes, as Chief broke up the bickering Spartans.

"Come'on, I'm sure she's got a hundred more questions for you to ignore." Kelly gestured for the teen to follow the team to the stairs.

Fred and John led the team down into the stairwell, surprisingly it was empty, not a single marine occupied a step. Samus hung back with the two female Spartans, the memories of the creepy stalker man flooding her mind.

The teen looked over her shoulder looking up at the flight of stairs behind them. They were empty, no creepy man staring over the railing at her.

"Jesus kid!" Kelly gasped grabbing Samus after she lost balance after missing a step.

"Thanks Kelly..." Samus sheepishly laughed after the Spartan steadied her.

"You gotta watch where you're going, what the hell were you trying to look at?" the white and grey Spartan gazed up at the stairs above them.

Samus looked down at the two male Spartans who paused to make sure everything was alright. "Ummm..."

"She's fine, let's keep moving." Linda gestured for the men to keep moving forward.

John and Fred both hesitated to go forward, but did continue on after a brief nod from Samus.

"Sammy?"

"Umm..." Samus once again looked over her shoulder out of habit, causing both female Spartans to do the same. "Is there a weird guy that follows you around if you're up too late at night?"

"A weird guy following us?" Linda and Kelly exchanged gazes.

"Yeah, creepy, always around the corner from you. Like when they stare at you it feels like they're grabbing you?" Samus replied.

Both females could see both male Spartans look over their shoulders hearing their foundling's explanation.

Kelly gave an insignificant head shake and hand gesture to both male Spartans, signalling for them to keep quiet. "Who was this?"

"I'm not sure who it was." The girl shrugged.

"When did this happen?" Linda asked.

"Last night when I went for a walk by myself." Samus replied, instantly knowing that privilege was probably gone now.

"Next time that happens, please call one of us immediately, okay?" Fred firmly told their foundling.

"Why Freddy?" Samus questioned clearly naive to what the creepy man was doing to her.

"Never mind why, you're not walking by yourself at night anymore." Chief sternly told his adopted daughter.

"No, not never mind, John." Linda glared at their leader. "Samus, that guy was stalking you. I'm not sure what his intentions were, but I would assume that it was nothing appropriate."

"Appropriate?" Samus tilted her head curiously as they entered the corridors.

"Samus, from a distance you look a bit older than what you actually are. You're a very pretty young lady, and I'm sure you've gotten quite a few inappropriate stares and comments from passing soldiers." Kelly explained hoping to ease the girl's confusion.

"Someone said they wished I was ten years older, is that what you mean by appropriate?" Samus mentioned to her Spartan family.

"Inappropriate. That was an inappropriate comment that shouldn't have been said to you Samus." Chief replied with an agitated tone.

"Spartans, Samus, glad you found your way to me. Samus, as I am sure you can guess I have a bunch of questions for you." Doctor Halsey greeted the team, changing the course of subjects.

"Okay... can Chief come with this time." Samus replied not wanting to be away from her Spartans.

"Of course, I'm here to observe you, the questioning can come later. Go about your business like I'm not here." Cathrine replied sticking her nose in her data pad as Blue Team continued on towards the training arena.

"That's going to be impossible to do." Kelly joked that it would be unlikely that the Doctor would go unnoticed.

Entering the training facilities in the evening was usually quiet, minimal amounts of soldiers occupied the arena. "It's later now, can we practice your grapple hooking skills now?" Samus cocked her head at the Spartan leader.

"I saw Samus down your ass earlier John, I'd take the opportunity." The speed runner of course didn't miss the opportunity to poke fun at her brother.

Chief shook his head with a sigh. "Ugh, yes Samus, let's go practice with the grapple hook." He almost groaned guiding his teen to the open arena. "You don't have to join us." He glared at his following teammates.

"Oh we want a front row seat." Kelly brushed off John's comment.

Samus giggled earning a glare from her adopted father. "Alright you stand in the middle, I'm gonna fly on by, and you try to get me with your grapple."

"Fly by, you have flight capabilities?" Chief queried as the teen immersed herself in her armour while climbing onto to an upper ledge.

"Kinda, I have space jump." Samus replied surely getting odd glares from the team.

"Space jump?" Chief repeated.

"Catch me if you can!" Samus said leaping off the ledge, stunning the team by continuously summersaulting through the air until she reached the platform across the arena.

"How the hell did you do that?" Fred asked as Samus landed.

"Boosters, Chief you didn't even try to get me." The teen glared at her stunned leader.

"Sorry, I was just more curious to see what a space jump was." Chief apologized getting ready to grapple this time.

Samus rolled her eyes, leaping off the platform to go back to the one near the team.

John shot the grapple hook at the twirling girl in the air, missing her each time.

"It takes a little getting used to. Time my jumps." Samus said as she reached the other side

"Try aiming..." Linda grumbled loud enough for Chief to hear.

Samus leapt off the platform once more bouncing through the air.

John followed the girl's movements, aiming slightly ahead of the teen he fired his grapple as Samus lowered for a moment. The grapple hooked onto the teen's armour, yanking her back towards the Spartan.

Samus gasped as she was suddenly ripped from the air and pulled into the Spartan leader's arms. "You got me!"

"I did." John replied almost playfully, catching Halsey's attention. "What's next, chief?" He teased the girl as he placed Samus back on her feet.

"Ha ha very funny. Kelly, Freddy, and Linda, I need you guys with your weapons drawn." Samus waved the three over.

"Can I use my knife instead of a gun?" Fred asked pulling his knife out from the sheath.

"Yeah, that's even better!" The girl eagerly nodded.

"What's this exercise?" John questioned his adopted daughter.

"It's the same thing I did to you earlier, I want you to disarm them." Samus said pushing a small empty crate into the vicinity.

"What's the crate for?"

"Fun, later on. Just disarm them first." Samus gestured to the three Spartans. "Now it's easier to disarm someone with a gun, Fred is gonna be a bit difficult, but we'll see if you can figure it out. Okay, go!"

John immediately disarmed Kelly. Trying to disarm Linda while she fired distraction rounds, was proving to be difficult. Especially as Fred charged at him with a knife. Chief attempted to grapple the knife from Fred, as Kelly charged at him as well. Overwhelming, Kelly was able to tackle Chief as Fred came up to pin him to the ground.

"Alright, I'm going to tell you right now you should've used the weapon you took from Kelly, to defend yourself against Linda." Samus shooed the two Spartans off of Chief. "I'm going to show you what you could've done. Samus aimed herself at the three reset Spartans.

Kelly and Linda fired their weapons. Samus used her grapple beam to take the weapon from Kelly's hands. The teen grabbed the gun in her left hand and threw it at Linda making her duck, Samus ripped the rifle from the sharpshooter as Fred and Kelly charged her. Samus leapt to the right, grappling crate she yanked it throwing it into the speed runner who tripped into the charging steel blue Spartan, causing them to both tumble.

"See, you don't try to disarm the knife, it's too small. I mean, it can be done but it's a really precise action." Samus explained to the Spartan leader. "Use your environment as well, that's why I put the crate there."

"I will try to practice that next time." John sighed as his team got up from the ground.

"You're really strong, so you can pretty much grapple anything, warthogs, Brutes, anything becomes a weapon with a grapple." The teen shrugged.

"Understood, it is something we should consider equipping every Spartan with." Chief said looking over at Halsey.

"It has been in the works for some time, but with Samus's help we've been able to make working prototypes." Halsey replied looking up from her data pad.

"Sorry for throwing the crate at you, I hope I didn't hurt you guys." Samus apologized to the two Spartans getting off the ground.

"Although it wasn't pleasant, it takes a lot to hurt us kiddo, nice take down though." Kelly replied with a compliment.

"Hey, let's have a race!" Samus said lining up next to her adopted father.

"No, I'm not as fast as you." John shook his head in reply.

"Oh come'on, I didn't mean running, I meant grappling to the end of the arena. You haven't done any self propelled grappling yet, that's the most important move." The girl replied.

John exhaled with uncertainty. "Alright, let's have a race then." Lifting his arm to aim at the beam he was going to swing from.

"Ready, go!" Samus immediately took the lead as John grappled and swung from the first beam.

Landing on a higher platform John looked for the next grapple point, the feeling of flying through the air was exhilarating to the Spartan leader.

As much as it was a race, Samus waited for her adopted father to catch up. "It's fun isn't it?" She asked as the green Spartan landed next to her.

"It's different that's for sure." Chief replied.

"You'll get used to it, I'm still going to win though!" Samus said, easily swinging to the next three platforms.

John rolled his eyes behind his visor, using his grapple hook to catch up to the teen. "You're that sure of yourself?"

"Nope, I'm just that good!" The teen taunted landing on the last platform.

Chief scoffed with a laugh finally getting to the last platform. "I see you've been taking confidence lessons from Kelly."

"Nope, that's just me." Samus replied playfully shoving the Spartan leader.

"I see, you're just being cocky." John replied with a smile.

"The only ones I can be cocky around is you guys. I may show a lot of confidence going into battle, but I try not to underestimate my enemies." The teen replied, leaping off the tall platform.

Chief used his grapple hook to swing down off the platform landing next to his team.

"That looked like a lot of fun, I can't wait to get a hold of one of those." Kelly excitedly said to her leader.

"Imagine how fast you can run with the added momentum from the grapple, Kelly!" Samus added to the female Spartan's excitement.

"I didn't think about that, imagine the combat moves you can pull while swinging." Kelly thought aloud.

Halsey tapped away in her data pad as she examined John's armour, lifting the Spartan's arms up she circled him, getting a full scale view of her Spartan's physique.

Master Chief followed Halsey's movements with his head, wondering what inventions were swarming her mind. "Is there something I can assist you with?"

"Something needs to change here." Halsey said to herself as she turned to Samus, doing the same examination that she did on Chief. "During my observation of your little exercise you were impeded by your armour. Compared to the agile nimble movements of Samus."

"Too be fair, I think their armour alone, probably weighs more than me and my armour altogether." Samus retorted. "I used to have clunky heavy armour, until mutations changed me from the inside out. It was a bit more difficult to do grapple movements, but not impossible. I will say it's a lot easier to move now." The teen mentioned following the Doctor with her eyes.

"Indeed, it's very organic in design, your armour is nearly an adaptation of your own skin. Ultra thin plating, ultra light design, yet resistant in battle. Extraordinary." Halsey admired the teen's alien armour as she took notes. The Doctor knew that she would most likely never accomplish such an ultra thin design for her Mjolnir armour. But the she had her new designs for third generation Mjolnir. With examples from the alien hybrid teen, the Materials Group would be ready to present the Spartan armour that would be suited for the purpose of combating the Created. Hopefully by the time Operation Wolfe was ready to be put into action.

"I'm not that lightweight... Hey!" Samus gasped as Chief lifted her up off the ground with incredible ease. The strong swing as she was lifted above the Spartan's head causing her to emit a giggle.

"I would say you're pretty lightweight." Chief sarcastically thought aloud, hearing the satisfying giggle from his teen.

"Chief, put me down!" Samus laughed wriggling in the Spartan's strong arms. Knowing she could easily escape the Spartan's grasp, but her giggling betrayed her own will to escape.

"What do you think Fred?" John easily tossed the teen to his brother who caught Samus easily.

"I think you're right John, I can barely feel her in my arms." Fred now teased the teen by flipping her upside down.

"Freddy, let go!" Samus laughed through a couple coughs, she knew deep down her immature enjoyment of this little game was going to show weakness to others around them.

"It's been a while since we played toss the kid. I think it'd be easier if you were in your morph ball Samus." Kelly teased, enjoying the playful moment between her brothers and their foundling.

Halsey was quite amused by the little game her Spartans were playing with the teenager. It was incredibly out of character for both male Spartans to be acting so immaturely, it was interesting to see the presence of the girl bringing out the personality in her Spartans.

John walked up behind the hanging teen, giving his brother a nod to release the girl.

"Okay, I'm going to let you go." Fred said as his grip loosened.

"No wait!" Samus cringed as she prepared herself to hit the ground as the Spartan released her.

John caught the girl, gently flipping her upright, placing Samus back on her feet.

Samus immediately punched Master Chief in the abdomen sending him stumbling back a few steps. Shocking Halsey in the process.

"I suppose I deserved that." John gave a dry chuckle. His adopted daughter had one hell of a playful punch if she could send him stumbling backwards.

"You think?" Samus coughed folding her arms while glaring at Fred who took a sheepish step back.

Kelly and Linda both laughed at their brothers for teasing the girl and getting what they deserved. "That's our girl."

"Doctor Halsey, is there anything you need before Samus turns in for the night?" Chief asked, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder plate.

Samus deflated defeatedly, knowing Chief was trying to get her to go to bed. "I'm not..."

"No, I suppose not. But I will be observing you again tomorrow, Samus." Halsey replied before Samus could complain about getting ready for bed.

The teen sighed following the Spartans down the corridor. "Why does she have to observe me?"

"You're an interesting study case." Kelly replied as they stopped at Chief's room.

"I'm a what?"

"Honestly Samus, Halsey probably won't even be observing you tomorrow. She's got more important things to focus on." Fred told the young teen as Chief led her into the room.

The three bid the teen goodnight before parting ways. Leaving to return to their own quarters.

"I don't have to make a report for today do I?" Samus asked, watching Chief check the data pad on his desk.

"No Samus. Doctor Halsey, and Commander Palmer do." John replied, placing the data pad back down.

"Great..." Samus groaned, disengaging her armour before flopping onto her berth.

"Doctor Halsey's report will trump the Commander's criticism. I wouldn't be too concerned during these dire times. Unless you somehow become a bigger threat than Cortana." Chief reassured his groaning teen.

Samus sighed heavily from where she laid, staring up at the ceiling. Wondering why the Chozo had been practically haunting her today.

"Ana man balame ata..." The dependent words of Quiet Robe echoed in the teen's mind.

"Why... what do you want me to complete now?"

Chief cocked his helmet curiously at his mumbling adopted daughter. "What's the matter, Samus?"

The teen rolled over laying on her stomach hanging an arm over the edge of her berth. "You had Cortana speak to you in visions on our last mission, right?"

Taking off his helmet, John took a moment before replying. "I did..." staring at his helmet's golden visor he wondered if a piece of the AI was somehow still connected to his armour. "Why do you ask?"

"I've been hearing, and seeing, H'ekin Maradis... ugh... sorry. Quiet Robe, and Raven Beak." The blonde teen kept her gaze on the floor.

"What are they trying to communicate to you?" Chief asked curiously, sitting at the end of the teen's berth.

"I don't really know. Ashkar... Raven Beak, just keeps saying power is everything." Samus rolled back over, sitting up to face her adopted father. "Meanwhile Quiet Robe, keeps telling me he's counting on me. Which is exactly what he said to me just before he was murdered in front of me."

"Counting on you to do what exactly?" Chief questioned his daughter.

"I don't know, it was his response when I told him I would put an end to the X parasite, Raven Beak's madness. Which I did!" Samus replied with a defeated shrug.

"Perhaps your quest isn't truly complete. You should review your final moments on that planet, maybe you missed something important?" The Spartan replied, he didn't exactly have a good answer to his daughter's confusion but he hoped maybe his advice would help her.

Samus thought about it for a moment, she couldn't remember everything prior to her final battle with Raven Beak, but she would do her best to remember her final moments on ZDR. "You're right, I probably missed something important. I was so full of determination, Metroid instincts, and rage, that I could barely pay attention to everything around me."

"Sleep on it, surely it will come to you." Chief said getting off the teen's berth. "As for Raven Beak's advice, I would not follow his path Samus."

"I might have his blood flowing through me, but there's no way I will ever follow Raven Beak's path." Samus replied with a scoff.

John removed the rest of his armour before getting in his own berth. Hearing his restless teen, shifting around in her berth. "You are going to sleep tonight, right?"

"Yes..." Samus laid back down, closing her turquoise eyes before her haunting thoughts prevented her from sleeping.

A light illuminating from the desk caught John's attention, sitting up he grabbed his data pad off of the desk. A message from Linda.

(How is Samus?)

(She's resting, without argument.)

(Did Samus tell you why she was so out of focus today?)

(She's been having hallucinations about her nightmares and her last mission.)

(What's going on with her? Did you settle her mind at least?)

(Yes, she's sleeping now.)

(John, don't give me the short answer.)

(Samus was worried her mission wasn't complete, so I told her to review it, and discover why she believes her last mission was incomplete.)

(Interesting, fill me in on it tomorrow.)

John sighed, putting his data pad back on the desk. His thoughts wondered into his own recent series of missions. A sense of failure weighed heavy on his conscious. And worse, he put others in danger because of his failures. After a few hours of stressful thinking, sleep took over the Spartan's stress.

Samus ran on the stormy outer regions of Hanubia, nearing the transport to Raven Beak's fortress. Passing by the ship docking bays. Chozo spacecrafts illuminated by lightening, showing there engines idling. The girl entered the next room to find an intimidating golden Chozo warrior waiting for a challenge. The bounty hunter battled the X infected warrior until it revealed its mutated parasitic form. Dodging the sharp spear the girl had zero time to evade the black bile spewing from the creature. Engulfed in the deadly black sludge, the entire environment began to tremble as the sludge washed off the now green mutated armoured teen. The Chozo mutant had vanished, the world crumbled in a fiery quake. Samus quickly realized she was now in her Metroid armour trying to escape the self destructing planet. The teen spun around rushing through the door she had just entered through. Lightening flashed illuminating the docking bays, causing the teen to pause her course. Samus turned to the now empty docking bays.

"No!" Samus screamed shooting up in her berth.

John immediately leapt out of his berth in a panic.

"No no no!"

The Spartan leader exhaled deeply after realizing it was his adopted daughter who had woken him from his slumber. Taking a moment to slow his pounding heart, he walked over to his distressed teenager. "Samus you had a nightmare, you're alright..."

"No it's not alright, this is the nightmare!" Samus hissed, completely disappointed in herself.

"Samus..."

"I fucked up!" The teen cried holding her head.

"Explain to me why you think that Samus?" John placed a comforting hand on his upset daughter's back.

"My nightmare showed me what I had failed to notice on my mission." Samus took a deep breath. "I released the X parasite into the universe."

"I don't believe that Samus." John replied, sitting next to the girl.

"There were idling ships docked before I battled Raven Beak. But when I was escaping the destructing planet, the ships were gone!"

Chief was unsure about what his teen was trying to tell him. "I'm not following?"

"Only the Chozo Warriors could have flown those ships. They were all infected!" The teen once again raised her voice out of fear.

John's heart sank into dread. Blue Team had gotten a small taste of the parasites power on the ambushed UNSC vessel. Samus truly believed that they were a threat to everything in the universe. What would the universe come to if they infected the Created, or the UNSC?

"Do you think they have a set course?" Chief asked breaking the stressful silence.

"Yeah, first would be wherever the most powerful hosts are. But it doesn't matter at this point..." Samus was at a loss. She couldn't just aimlessly fly around hoping to find the parasites it could take years for her to hunt them down. Everyone in the universe was now at risk. Doomed to be exact.

"Are you certain the ships took flight?" The Spartan's question brought the girl out of her doomed thoughts.

"No, but the docks were not damaged. I think the parasite is out there." Samus answered, the UNSC vessel proved their existence beyond ZDR, and SR388.

"What can we do?" John knew his query was empty, but he was trying to gage his daughter's paranoia.

"Not much, the parasite can mimic and come off as a normal being, just like you saw with that marine. It could take months or years for us to track them down. Right now they're looking for victims, and hosts. The Chozo were a well travelled race, they could go anywhere. Possibly to planets I've already explored but didn't destroy. But my main concern is they already found the UNSC through those Brutes." Samus replied, concern thick in her tone. "I'm the only one immune to the X. I will be spreading myself thin, trying to protect those who are vulnerable. There's going to be a lot of death and lose. But I will not be defeated so easily. I will fight, I won't give up."

Master Chief didn't know how to react to this situation. The whole universe was in a nightmare state, Cortana's overwhelming power of the created has doomed them, and new enemies keep appearing. The UNSC was dwindling, holding onto the small amount of power they had left, while Cortana took over various UNSC galactic sections. Now the threat of a very dangerous and deadly parasite was now part of that major threat. It was as if another form of the flood was released, except this time there was someone who was completely immune to them. Their apex predator was a necessity in this hellish war. The Spartan knew they were losing the growing war, but there was always a solution, a hope to over come and defeat the overpowering evil. Like his adopted daughter, he would not give up the fight to bring the universe to peace.

---

I know this was a very long filler chapter. I was going to include the mission from Shadows Of Reach. But I will only mention it in the next chapter as Infinite's release has finally come.