Ok, this one I promise to be good. I've had a lot to work on, recently, so sorry if I've taken a bit getting the next chapter online. But it's done, and I'm happy. I even have fans, kinda, this is amazing. Mungo, you seem to be especially happy this is going on. And Kitana? Don't worry, I think you'll like how it plays out. :) Now, without further ado...

Chapter 3:(yawn)... That was a good nap. Now where the hell am I!

Sir, shields are at 50 and holding...shit, out of ammo!...hehe, Johnny's got air sick...so, do you have a name?...painkillers...Brioni, hold the damn line!...Rick...Rick

The last voice pulled a trigger in my head, and my mind awakened. I was still half asleep, I felt weightless and stupid. Memories, rough tatters of recent events were a puzzle where all the pieces didn't fit, or just weren't there at all. Nothing made sense, I couldn't sift through the rush of memory all at once.

Eventually I began to actually comprehend my memories. I could recall everything with great clarity; the pursuit of a Space Pirate vessel gone awry, the ship hitting a massive storm and losing all contact whatsoever. Our choice to try and land, get intel with a little ground recon. The base setup was smooth, our extermination of the Splinter hive quick, easy work.

Then we met the Dark Splinters.

Our group could barely hold them off, they were taking them one by one. I was one of the last to fall, Johnson ran away and went AWOL. I had no idea how far he could've gotten before the Splinters most likely caught up with him.

I was alone.

No, wait a second, there was that woman who had saved my life. She carried me, brought me into her ship and then...and then what? All I could remember was a vague mention of Painkillers. Hey, that accounted for the numbness, she must've pumped me full of Novacain. But through armor?

I eventually realized that it was I, not my helmet, that was malfunctioning, as my senses began to return. I could feel my limbs, bereft of the heavy armor I had grown accustomed to. This means my helmet was gone as well, probably removed my the woman. My sight was only mere variations of black and white, light and darkness, and all I could hear was my own breathing. Only it was a bit louder than it should've, and it sounded like I was breathing through some kind of oriface...

I moved my seemingly weightless arms to my mouth, only to feel a mask-like device hooked up to some kind of long tube. I struggled to get it off, my legs flailing and hitting some kind of curved, smooth surface with my feet. So, she had put me into a Cryo tube, an advanced healing device that could heal the most grievous wounds in mere days. I must be in some kind of ship or base, then, as a Cryo tube required a large computer to regulate the flow of oxigen and to monitor the subject's condition. Normally, he or she only woke up after all wounds were completely healed, but I could still feel a small twinge of pain above my eye as the anesthetic began to wear off.

"Ahh, I see the you are awake". The voice was that of a male human, about 34, mechanical. A computer. I spoke back, knowing that a radio was implanted inside the breathing apparatus. "Yeah, nice observation. Now drain this damn tank so I can leave." The voice chuckled. "Oh, you cannot leave yet. Your wounds are not fully healed." By this time I was good and pissed. "Drain the tank, or I'll drain it myself." The voice laughed. "Oh, you could try but I doubt you'd get far. The glass itself is some of the hardest material known to man, and even if you managed to free yourself the security systems would make short work of you."

I suspected the sentient was right. Even if I didn't, I couldn't risk it. And besides, the woman had obviously ment to keep me alive, and she had saved my life earlier. So instead of atempt to escape, I decided to try and gather intel on my situation.

"If you must know, it was I who administered the anesthetic." So, the computer was trying to make amends, however small. "Gee, comforting. Now who are you, and where the hell am I?"

The computer chuckled to itself. "Well, you certainly like to get to the point, don't you? I am AI Program 0234-751, issued to master at Stardate 7-5-45 upon completion of Military School Installation 259, codename "Argent Dawn". If you wish, you may call me Sirius, although my mistress prefers to call me a host of other names, the least of are which 'Annoying', 'Idiot', 'Stupid', 'Piece of Junk' (I rather don't like that one)..."

As Sirius recited a host of "names" that his obviously quick-tempered owner, I tried to make sense of the data he had just told me. The first thing that I focused on was the name of that planet. Argent Dawn? Wait a second, Argent Dawn was the homeworld of the Marine Military Academy back before the we moved it to Sunrunner. So, she was once a Marine. That would explain why she saved my life, at least partially. Although knowing she was a former female Marine helped thin the ranks of possible identities substantially, I still needed more info.

That date, when the computer was issued, that would tell me when she graduated. And that would narrow it down even more. Lets see now...July 5th, '45...that was the year after I graduated. And there was only three marines in that class who were female. One was dead, one was in prison for going AWOL, and one was missing...but could she be alive?

"...oh, and she also prefers 'son of a bi-excuse me, but are you listening?" The words came slowly from my mouth, for some reason almost afraid to say them. I didn't know why, I barely knew her. "Umm, Sirius, excuse me, but this mistress of yours, what is her name?" Sirius, a little peeved my my lack of attention to his previous tangent, replied in a somewhat annoyed voice, "My mistress? Her name is Samus Aran."

So, the legendary Samus Aran was alive and well. She was the top of her class in just about everything, if I can remember, an Academy record. I was there to witness her final test, if I can recall, sitting by the sidelines as she took out hologram after hologram. She had exceptional skill in just about everything, and a cool temperament I actually kinda liked. And...god, I would hate it if she was reading this now...I admit she had a pretty face. Very pretty, in fact, not that of a Marine but that of royalty, of a highschool princess that I'm sure was popular all through college.

But for unknown reasons, she went AWOL about a year after graduating, and was never seen again. The only evidence of her whereabouts was the registration of a Hunter class Gunship to her name, bought and retrofitted with alien technology, around three years after going AWOL. So, that must be where I was. Just as I was going to ask the sentient being another question, the top hatch opened with a hiss, the depressurization mechanism unlocking countless manual locking systems while an equal amount of electronic locks, with a short buzz followed by the whirr of the servos, also turned off. Security systems disengaged, the four mounted turrets returning to their inactive positions.

The small elevator, not four feet wide and powered by a hydraulic pump, also hissed as it lowered, the Hunter herself standing like some ancient statue of a past age. Intricate, stoic and somewhat intimidating. She walked over to the Cyro tank, stopping about a fot away and staring at me.

I had expected her to say something, perhaps a sarcastic remark, a quick greeting. But she only stood there, looking my half-naked body up and down. I knew that she was only checking for any remaining injuries or scars left on my body after the battle, but it made me slightly uneasy all the same.

"Hey, do you mind?" She stayed there only for a few more seconds, then she began to talk to the computer, interrogating it about my behavior. "I must say, Miss Aran, that this human has been quite bothersome. Asking all sorts of questions about where he is, who you are, who I am, and why he is here." I interjected. "Hey, I know why I'm here, you conceited pile of-" Samus raised a hand for silence. The computer, after clearing it's "throat", continued. "Hmhrm, thank you, Miss Aran. Now where was I? Ah, I remember. And not only that, but he also interrupted my replys numerous times, asking for..."

So, Exeter had been gathering Intel, and thus had pissed off Sirius considerably. But then again, he was a Marine. After listening to Sirius rant one more time, I told him to drain Cryo and release Exeter from the tank.

A grated hole on the bottom of the tank opened, and the fluid began to twist and spiral, pulling the helpless Exeter into it's vortex. After the tank was flushed, it was lifted up by a small magnetic crane-arm I had installed myself, freeing the choking Exeter, who was now lying on the ground con his knees and palms, gagging and struggling not to regurgitate. I would have to fix the drainage system later, make it cause less spinning.

I offered him my hand, which he took, gladly. After getting up, we just stared at eachother for a bit. It had been a few years since interacting with another human, let alone a Marine, and I was just a bit nervous. He spoke first. "So, not the talkative type, I see. Should I start?" Well, at least he had a sense of humor. "I'm Captain Exeter, 456th Marine division. But I'm sure you already knew that. And I know that you're Samus Aran, your little pet told me that. Oh, and thatnks ffor the nap, needed that. Now then, would you mind telling me where the hell am I!"