Next chapter is up! I know it's short, deal with it. I'm not sure why, but I'm not as pleased with this chapter. We'll see what you say about it. :D
Pixiegirl- The power suit is the thing that Samus wears in all of her games. It protects her and can be used as a weapon. And yes, Caern's still around: You'll see.
Shiekan-Fire- That was honest criticism. I agree, but, like you said, I'm not sure how I could fix it. I suppose I could go back and add little snippets of thoughts here and there, and that might alleviate it a bit, but other than that, I think it'll just have to do as-is. Thanks!
I know that the action has been rather fleeting in this fic: In a couple of chapters, that's all going to change! evil grin
Loyalty
"Excuse me, Master, but what about me?" Caern asked the old chozo whilst Samus was trying out her suit's functions by herself.
"Why, what do you mean?" Master Yurh said quizzically.
"Do you have anything that I could use to help find Samus' father?" Caern asked him. Samus overheard him.
"You can't come with me Caern! You could get killed!" She exclaimed, taking off her helmet.
"No, Samus. You've helped me escape from the space pirates. Now it's my turn to help you. I'm coming with you," Caern stated. Samus was shocked by his bluntness. This was a side of Caern she had never seen before.
"I can't let you risk your life for me," Samus explained, "You'll have to stay here."
"Samus, you're going to need all the help you can get in there. I know it's crazy, and I'm sure we'll both get killed in the process, but there's no way you can stop me from coming along," Caern's decision was final. Nothing could change his mind. He turned to face Master Yurh again. "Excuse me, Master, sir, is there anything I could use to help Samus?"
Master Yurh looked at him gravely. "Perhaps. But you know, Samus has been trained by our finest teachers: She will be much safer in the pirates' base than you will. You must be absolutely certain that this is what you want to do, as this excursion could easily claim your life."
"I know. I must help Samus. I could not live with myself if I let her go alone anyway, knowing how much she has already done for me," Caern murmured. Master Yurh nodded.
"Very well. I believe we have a Galactic Federation Marine suit somewhere. It is not nearly as versatile as Samus' chozo suit, but it is still very effective, and is used by all of the Galactic Federations' marines," Master Yurh explained. Caern nodded.
Master Yurh again led the two humans down a series of corridors and passageways to yet another room, this one more like a storage closet than anything else. From it, the wise old chozo extracted a silver, human shaped suit with a blue visor. It was a good deal heavier and less flexible than Samus' chozo-built suit, but it was still powerful enough for this mission.
Handing Caern a Galactic Federation Marine-Class blaster, Master Yurh explained, "This suit is fairly self-explanatory. The helmet displays your vital signs at all times. You must be careful, as the shields in your suit will not last too long." Caern gulped, nodding. He began to wonder if he was truly making the right decision.
"Both of you are about to enter a very dangerous region. I implore both of you to be cautious. Do not rush forward into any situation: Take your time to accurately evaluate and assess every situation. It may mean the difference between life and death."
-X-
The two humans carefully approached the entrance to the Brinstar mines. Last time, they had been helpless and trying to get out; this time they were armed to the nines and trying to get in. Both humans had kept the wrist-blades they had stolen from the pirates at the beginning of their journeys, and wore them on their left hands. Caern had his blaster in his right hand, and Samus' right hand was hidden inside her arm cannon.
Samus opened the door and immediately swung her arm cannon around, ready to fire at any surprised pirates beyond. The room was empty, and they decided to move on. They found an elevator that would take them deeper into Brinstar. After Samus scanned the area for traps, they took it down.
For the first few hours, the journey was fairly uneventful. There were a few small native creatures that would have seemed menacing before, but they were easily disposed of with the humans' new weapons. Caern seemed to be adjusting to the marine suit well, having little trouble moving around with relative agility. He was much less afraid of the caves as he was before: The armor he wore, not to mention his powerful blaster, gave him a secure feeling.
After a while, the two humans made their way to an elevator labeled, "To Tourian." They looked at each other, remembering the words Master Yurh had spoken back at the assembly: "It is also believed that the pirates have positioned themselves in a series of caves to the West of Brinstar called Tourian."
Without hesitation, the two stepped onto the platform and started down.