CHAPTER 8

HUNTER LOG 3859
I wish it had not come to this. Out of all the places I had to seek refuge, it had to be here...with them. All of the memories came flooding back in a barrage of resentment courtesy of Alan. Now HE is the definition of a soldier. He lives his life as a pawn of the government, and because of that, he's stuck here on this god-forsaken chunk of ice. That's his reward for being loyal to his precious military. A commanding position over snow and ice and a handful of troops. Even if I told him that Adam wanted me to be a bounty hunter, he wouldn't believe me. If I were him, I wouldn't want to either.

Samus out...
"Ah, so you've decided to come out? Excellent, I've been needing to 'go' for quite a while!" Lita said.

"Help yourself," Samus replied, "but don't take too long, I want to get out of here at the first chance we get."

Lita yelled through the bathroom door.

"Do you hate them that badly?"

"I don't hate them..." Samus returned.

"But they aren't too keen on you," Lita said back.

"Well, when everyone sees that you and your commanding officer go in, and only you come out, then become a bounty hunter..." Samus stopped.

"I see," Lita said over a flush.

"Are you set to leave?" Samus asked.

"Close enough, but do we know that it's safe to leave?" Lita asked.

"That's what we're about to find out," Samus said, walking out of the room.

As soon as she broke into the hallway, she halted.

"I've been waiting for you, Samus," Alan said.

"I'm honored," Samus said smugly.

"I should have you tossed in a cell for that stunt earlier, what would you think about that?" Alan asked, leaning over Samus.

"Personally, I think you'd be asking for seconds, but then again, it doesn't really matter what I think, does it?" Samus snapped back.

"Not really. Not when I'm the one in command here," Alan remarked.

"Oh, not when you're in command, eh? So I should be kissing your feet and thanking you for your benevolence for not tossing I disagree in a cell and letting me rot? Oh, thank you, thank you, oh merciful commander. Let me be your anodyne reinforcement and remind you at every waking moment that everything will be okay while I rub your shoulders," Samus sparked.

"You ungrateful bag...if you spent half of your time being loyal and faithful as you do on your verbal ripostes, then you might have made something of yourself under the commander," Alan retorted.

"You know nothing of loyalty and faithfulness. While you believe I'm disgracing Adam's memory, I believe I am not. I don't think there's anything that's going to change that," Samus scathed.

"No, I don't believe there is. I will hate you until the day I die, Samus," Alan said, full of undistinguishable emotion.

"I can live with that. Now, can you move so I can check on my departure clearance?" Samus responded.

"There's no need. Airspace has been locked due to an unidentified starship just outside orbit. Nobody's going anywhere as long as that thing is up there," Alan said.

"What kind of ship is it?" Samus asked.

"It looks like a modified Federation flagship. I've never seen anything like it. It looks like it's sustained some damage to its front, but other than that, it looks to have all destructive forces available," Alan explained.

Samus turned away and swore under her breath. She knew the ship would follow them, but she didn't know it would arrive so soon.

"So it's here?" Lita chimed in.

Alan stepped forward.

"Wait, you knew about this!" Adam erupted, "You led this ship here? Are you nuts! This is a top secret installation! How could you bring them here?"

"Look, we tried to get away..." Lita started, but was interrupted by Samus' arm.

"We attempted an escape from their pursuit. They were able to track us even though we were cloaked, so we managed to get them to fire their forward weapons while in hyperspace. That is why there is damage on the front of the ship. That ship might be tough, but its crew isn't entirely the brightest bunch of stars..." Samus said.

Lights suddenly began flashing in the hallway, and a tone sounded through the speakers.

"Alan, wherever you are, get to the control room NOW!" said a voice.

Alan traded a look with Samus and took off down the hall.

"Come on," Samus said to Lita as she gave chase to Alan.

They zoomed through corridors and open rooms full of lounging soldiers until they reached an expansive room with monitors and control consoles everywhere. When Samus and Lita reached the room, they saw Alan already engaged in a discussion with a woman.

"This was the video taken a few moments ago," the woman said pointing at a monitor.

The footage displayed the flagship firing a MAC round into a satellite.

"Oh God..." Alan said in response.

"That was one of the climate satellites..." Samus started.

"So you're saying that it's about to get warmer around here?" Lita asked.

"You have no idea, little girl. Those satellites are the only things making this place inhabitable! This was originally a big molten mess, but those satellites solidified and froze all of the active lava. Without those satellites, we'll be sitting on a big fireball," Alan explained.

"First of all, I'm NOT a little girl, and second..."

"Not now, Lita," Samus interrupted, "this is not the time and place for this. They know we're here, and they're willing to take down the entire planet to get us, so we might as well take the fight to them."

"Well if that's your plan, then I suppose we need to find a way to get you out of here," Alan said.

"It's too late..." the woman said, "dropships are on approach! We didn't even pick them up on the scanners until a moment ago! Prepare for intruders!"

Alan turned to Samus.

"Look, get your crap together and get to your ship. We need to get you out of here," Alan ordered.

"But what about you? You aren't just going to stay here and burn?" Samus asked with a hint of a flashback.

"This is our home, Samus. Nobody's going to make us leave! Now go!" Alan said.

"Alan...okay...but you won't be alone..." Samus said as she turned.

Just as Samus and Lita reached the control room exit, an explosion rocked the opposite side. Through the hole sprang a battalion of the black creatures from Orpheus. Guns blazed and plasma bursts flew through the room.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Alan shouted over his shots.

Samus let a tear roll down her cheek inside her helmet, then left the control room.

She and Lita dashed through the hallways to get to the landing pad. The hallways were deserted. Whereas the feeling before was that of order, the aura was now that of suspicion.

"They didn't order an evacuation, did they?" Lita asked.

"You're catching on. No, there was no evacuation order that I heard," Samus responded.

"So we're probably not going to have a quiet exit?" Lita asked again.

"I doubt it," Samus said as she halted.

"This way, ma'am," a soldier said from down the hall, "your ship is ready."

Samus figured that this was the "something wrong" she'd anticipated. The soldier was bandaged on his side, and had a pack on his back that was not standard issue.

"What's your injury, soldier?" Samus asked.

"Aww, caught a plasma pistol shot in the side. I was lucky I had armor on, or it would have burned right through me!" said the soldier.

"Understood. Very good, soldier. Carry on," Samus said officially as she and Lita walked past.

As soon as the two passed him, Samus twirled around and aimed her arm cannon...where the soldier should have been...

"Where did he go?" Lita asked.

"Get that plasma pistol ready," Samus responded.

In an instant, Samus was tackled from behind. She skidded across the floor with her assailant on her back.

"It's one of those THINGS!" Lita yelled as she fired a shot at the beast.

It anticipated the blast and did a back somersault over it. After it landed, the monster turned toward Lita and dove at her.

She fell to the ground and shielded herself with her arm.

"Not on my watch!" Samus said as she intercepted the beast with an elbow to the jaw.

The beast recoiled and slashed at Samus, who dodged backward. Before she could react again, the creature had leapt upon Samus, wrapping its legs around her abdomen and its arms around her torso.

She fell to the floor from the sudden addition of weight as the being began to squeeze the life out of her.

Lita fired blasts, but the creature simply absorbed them into its back, screaming. The impact of the shots actually made the beast squeeze more intensely.

"NO! Lita! Stop shooting!" Samus yelled as she began to see dizzy spots in her vision.

Samus looked down and saw the wound on the creature's side. That was her only chance.

She shimmied an arm free and dug her fingers into the open flesh. The beast howled in agony as it released its hold on Samus. It staggered backwards, clutching its side and covering its face. After moments the primal roars died down to more of a human tone. The animal reached a hand towards its back and pressed something. The reaction that followed baffled Samus and Lita.

Its stature lessened and its color changed to a peach colored flesh tone. The extensions on its head shrunk and sprouted into locks of hair. Its fangs flattened and formed human incisors and molars. The creature became the soldier from before, except for this time, he was coughing blood profusely into a puddle in the floor.

"You...will...die..." the soldier coughed as he forced his last words through his bloody teeth.

"Uh, Samus..." Lita said, pointing.

Samus turned to see three more beasts, simply standing in the hallway a few feet away. The one in the center, the largest of the three, was the silent one from Orpheus. Samus immediately recognized it. Its eyes were a deeper color than the rest, and it was larger in size.

It threw a man's body on the floor at Samus' feet.

"I believe this belongs to you..." the beast said.

"Alan..." Samus muttered.

"Shut up...Samus...that's all...I...need is your pity..." Adam choked.

He looked up at Samus with claw marks across his face before passing out.

"What do you want?" Samus asked the creature.

"Freedom. I want freedom," the monster replied.

"Who...what are you?" Samus inquired.

"Maybe I should show you..." the beast responded as it reached over its shoulder.

Within moments, its stature had lessened like the soldier before, but this time, it revealed a different visage.

"No..." is all Samus could manage.

"Samus, you look like you've seen a ghost. Whatever could be the problem? I mean, imagine MY surprise seeing you after the combine was ripping apart," the man said.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance," said Lita from behind Samus.

Samus briefly glanced back, then looked directly at the man in front of her...the former President of the Confederation.

"Marcusson...you bastard...why?" Samus asked.

"Like I said before, for freedom! Sure, I had a lot of power and sway as the President, but still, I was restricted by the shackles of politics and ethics. I could do a lot as the President, but I can do more as one of THESE!" Marcusson said as he motioned to the beasts standing next to him.

"What ARE those, what have you become?" Samus replied.

"These are nothing but my personal militants equipped with zoomorphic units derived from metroid genetic matter," Marcusson responded with a smirk.

"The fall of Orpheus...it was YOU..." Lita said.

"Quite an astute young lady you have with you, Samus. Who is she? An understudy perhaps? I didn't peg you to be the teaching type, I figured you're more of a loner," Marcusson bit back.

"I don't take on students...but while we're at the question game, what is she talking about?" Samus probed.

"You should know the history well enough. During the research of the virus at Orpheus, the samples were released, infecting the entire installation. This came after the head researchers refused to use their knowledge of the metroids for military technology. During the next few weeks, the department of defense and I coerced some of the lower scientists to defect. Those scientists helped set up the release of the virus and the stealing of the metroid data and samples. From that, we conducted our own experiments and developed this kind of technology. It increases the senses and physical abilities of any normal human being. The side effect is the bestial appearance, but other than that, it's a boon to anyone who uses it. The powers that be didn't agree with the use of the technology when I wanted to implement it in the military, so I used what influence I DID have to make my 'escape' from the government, and here I stand today, a free man," Marcusson explained.

"And I had you figured for a shallow man..." Samus snapped, "I assume you aren't going to let us leave."

"You're quite right, and I..." Marcusson started.

"Not while...I'm in command..." Alan struggled as he raised two old sawed-off shotguns and blasted the beasts in their torsos.

The two creatures flopped onto the floor lifeless as Marcusson took several steps back.

"Kinda evens up the odds. Now let's play nice," Samus said.

"I'll let you play, but I'll have my leave from this doomed planet. Have fun, Samus," Marcusson said as he tossed a flash grenade to the floor.

By the time Samus had regained her sight, Marcusson was gone.

"Alan, we've got to get out of here. You know he's going to melt the whole place," Samus said.

"No...I'm not going anywhere. If my men fight to protect this place and die, that's what I'm going to do, too," Alan said.

"You can't do that, Alan. This place is going to go up in flames. There will be nothing left, and I won't let a soldier like you die like that in a place like this," Samus replied.

"Who are you to decide what I do? What gives you the right to decide my cough fate? This is my place to die, Samus, and you're not going to steal me from it!" Alan yelled.

"Dn it, Alan!" Samus screamed.

She knew this situation. She'd been here before. It was the same with Adam. The fierce emotions that raged inside her were almost too much to bear. Adam was the hero, the respected commander. He held rank over Samus and should have been the one to survive the meltdown, but he shed his protocol and forced Samus to go. He forced her to live in a life where she was looked down upon because of the way his sacrifice looked. She was portrayed as selfish and disobedient, especially after respecting Adam's wish of becoming a bounty hunter.

He was honored as a hero, and she carried the stigma as a deserter. She didn't want that to happen again.

"I'm not about to be labeled as a deserter again, Alan! I'm taking you with me," Samus said as she reached for Alan's arms.

"You'll keep your distance, Samus," Alan replied as he aimed a shotgun at her head, "you're going to turn around and leave me here, cough just like I told you before."

"If I'm leaving you, I'm going to leave you with the truth. I didn't desert Adam. The escape pod had a malfunction and could only be ejected remotely. He ordered me aboard the pod and released it. He pulled rank to be the one to stay behind. I just wanted you to know that I left upon his order," Samus explained.

"But he...but what about becoming a bounty hunter, cough why?" Alan asked confused.

"That was his last request. He couldn't see me in a restricted military for the rest of my life. I'm no soldier," Samus said.

"You've got that right. I wouldn't have you in my company. cough I don't like competition in my ranks," Alan struggled.

"What? Alan, you know you were the better soldier," Samus began.

"I may have been the better soldier, cough but you were the favorite. You were better at everything else. People like me, we just couldn't compete cough with the likes of you," Alan interrupted, "now go, get out of here."

"Do you still hate me?" Samus asked.

"I don't like you, Samus. I don't like you because you won't freaking listen... cough Now get the hell out of here!" Alan fell over.

Samus stepped back as Lita took her arm and pulled her.

Finally resigning, Samus turned and fled.

Outside, lava had already consumed half of the landing area.

Lita quickly hopped on top of the ship and entered it. Samus hopped on top and turned to look down to the bottom of the stairs, hoping she'd see Alan walking out to catch up.

Lita tugged on Samus and pulled her inside as the hatch closed.

"Grady, take us into the orbit over SR-388," Lita said.

Samus sat silent.