Chapter III - Praedo Loci
Mors voluntaria unum necat, sed bellum multum necat.
Sentient aggressor species. That is how they are referred to by scientists, men who prefer descriptive names over popular, slang-like terms. If one were to call them that in casual conversation, however, he would find the other person both confused and concerned, the latter for the speaker's sanity. Space Pirate is the term of choice. However, they neither live in space, nor are really 'pirates,' by the strictest meaning of the word. Rather, they are brutal conquerers, murderers, and warfarers--aggressors, if you will.
The 'sentient' part comes from the idea that all living, thinking creatures have a mindset known as the 'conscience.' The Space Pirates, however, do not, as far as observations can decipher. They are killing machines, much like the powerful robots used in modern-day warfare. Thus, they require the term 'sentient' to accompany 'aggressive,' since they are the only intelligent species lacking morality and restraint in the case of killing.
These creatures were the reason for the Galaxy Federation's establishment, and specifically the assault on K-2L, its first establishment beyond Earth. Three men, two women, and one child survived this attack--six out of seven hundred thousand. Two of the men died shortly after being rescued from inhaled poison, and one woman lost a child within her womb after a week. The surviving child was not counted on the survivors' list by the Federation; this child was Samus Aran, whom the Chozo saved while the Space Pirates were still assaulting the planet.
K-2L was only the first in a long chain of Space Pirate attacks. The Fedaration created a core group, known as the Galaxy Federal Police, who scouted the galaxy in search of the sentient aggressors. They defended planets throughout the galaxy as best they could, and held back the pirates from a large number of their targets. The Space Pirates eventually receded into their already-conquered systems, continuing to plan future assaults, researching new techonologies and creatures. The Federation, being full of big-headed human aristocrats, decided that the galaxy was at peace, and would be for a very long time. They were wrong; very wrong.
Luckily they didn't immediately disband the police. Doing so would have left too many people unemployed, hence creating chaos throughout the galaxy. They slowly removed divisions, until only a few remained. The council decided to keep these core few, because they realized that their prediction of peace may be incorrect. Samus Aran was at the time working for one of those divisions. She didn't like being under command of a higher-ranking officer, but she eventually began to like Adam Malkovich. She had only been working a week for him when the call came for her to investigate Zebes and the Metroid outbreak. This was her first reunion with the Space Pirates.
She did not, at first, realize why she recognized the creatures, but she knew that she did. Even before she scanned them, random images of them in varying attack positions came into her mind. As well, she knew exactly how to handle them, and disposed of them quickly. Adam told her what he knew of her past, of the Chozo and the K-2L incident, once Mother Brain was destroyed. Samus remembered the Chozo vividly, but had to stretch her memory to envision K-2L, and her parents... and the Space Pirates.
They had killed her parents. They had slaughtered her people. Heartless, merciless killers, guided by weapons and armor before thought and morality.
They were going to pay.
Samus sighed as her thoughts of malice against the pirates turned into thoughts concerning Adam. "With him I was not alone," she said to the view-screen. "Does it make a difference?" She waited patiently for an answer, and when none came, and she realized that she was alone, she shook her head. Seeing her reflection give a negative response somehow soothed her mind. "You're right, it doesn't." She adjusted a few buttons on the panel before her. "I can't do anything about it, anyway."
The blurred stars began to become more clearer, and then they were again the more familiar dots. Ahead of Samus's ship was a star system. She was nearest the fourth planet, around which orbited a station recognizable as one of the federation's. Her ship approached the station as she called in for permission to land.
No one was there to greet her this time. "Pity," Samus thought. "I'd have liked a welcome party." She strapped on her helmet and climbed out of her ship. The SR chief greeted her as she stepped through the de-pressurizing chamber into the station's main hall.
"Miss Aran," he said, nodding. She nodded back, recognizing him but choosing not to say anything, nor to even look at him. After a moment, he continued. "We have been expecting you."
"I'm glad. I sent notice, so I figured you would be." She paused, still not looking at the chief. "Why--do you--is there a reason that a station is orbiting around 388?" She looked at him as she finished her sentence.
The chief didn't seem surprised by the question. "We don't know why, but we do know who. The Space Pirates came in and built that station, fully cloaked the entire time. We've had many unsuccessful assaults on the place; we just can't break through their defenses."
Samus pulled up her arm-cannon and held it in her left hand. "Let me guess," she said, casually examining the green weapon with her eyes: "you think I can."
The chief nodded.
"I'll require some rest then. I take it you've set up a room for me?"
"Yes, of course." The chief smiled. "A nice room fit for a lady."
Samus activated her plasma beam, changing her solid green arm cannon to a more intimidating one with lines resembling active lava. The chief got the clue.
"I'm sorry," he stuttered. "That was out of place."
The hunter nodded, switching back to the normal power beam. "I'd like to see my room now."
A brisk spring day, trees all around. Children playing in these woods with their pet. The large rabbit leaps about in joy on its hind feet while the children chase it about. This young ecstasy falters when a massive explosion is heard coming from a far way off, near the village. The youngest child turns and gapes in awe, but the other one, older and more curious, runs back in the direction of the sound. The smaller child continues to stand, finger in mouth, staring at the unknown phenomenon.
Dark purple ships fly through the atmosphere at incredible speeds, towards the village. A struggle can be seen, strange creatures with incisor-like hands slaughtering the humans. The child continues to stare. There is a bright flash; when it fades, the village is in flames. Everyone is dead.
The woods are instantly cleared. Sparks leap from the ground, which is now covered with charred wood. A massive, dragon-like creature lets out a roar as the child turns to face it. This child doesn't move, but instead observes the creature with simple curiosity.
Ridley fires a beam from deep within his throat at Samus, but her mother steps in and blocks the attack.
"A dream," Samus thought as she woke. She saw her mother disintegrate into ashes from the blast, and snapped her eyes tightly closed. Then she shook her head. Opening her eyes, now filled with tears, she whispered, "No. It was real."
She wiped her tears and closed her eyes once again, concentrating on nothingness. After several minutes of this, she decided that she would never get back to sleep, and decided it would be good to get some exercise.
"Oh, this won't do," she thought as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The suit was rather comfortable, no doubt, but limited her muscle contractions enough that it made a difference while exercising. She quickly changed into her more comfortable shorts-and-tee-shirt outfit. They were both light orange, a bright and fashionable color at the time. The color served an extra, personal function for Samus: it reminded her of her beloved Power Suit that she would never see again.
The hunter made sure that she had her air-boots on before leaving the room. They removed any noise from stepping by way of special air-release pistons that almost made the wearer levitate, for split-seconds at a time. It wasn't legal for anyone to leave their room after the night hour, so Samus was thankful to have the special boots. She was very cautious as she exited her room, and was neither seen nor heard.
The jog was a great feeling for Samus; it was the first exercise she had had without the limitation of her Fusion Suit or Power Suit since before the metroid eradication on SR388. That had been less than two years before, but it had felt like a lifetime to Samus. It indeed was another life; one that she knew she would live for the rest of her existence.
Samus tinkered with her ship for some time, improving it where she could, since it was rather obviously an ancient model, and it was convenient for her to stop by at the time.
Her return jog, however, was not quite as relaxing...