Welcome to the sixth chapter of my Metroid fanfiction.
In this chapter, Ridley hunts down and eats ten Space Pirate mutineers.
As always, I only own Dr. Anna Ripley, Ridley's adoptive mother, and Lieutenant Jacob Kain, the Federation Marine who defended him. Ridley and the Space Pirates are owned by Nintendo, Saturo Okada, Gunpei Yokoi, Hiroji Kiyotake and Yoshio Sakamoto.
Without further ado, please enjoy chapter 6 of The Cunning God of Death Rises.
The Hunt of the Ten Mutineers
The mutineer ran desperately from the hangar bay as he tried to escape Ridley, aiming to reach the escape pods before he could be eaten by the Space Dragon. Unfortunately, all of the corridors on the mother-ship looked exactly the same. Same silver walls, same bright white lighting. The mutineer saw nothing but an endless maze of hopelessness and dread. For hours, he ran through corridor after corridor, only to find himself exactly where he started.
By some miracle, he managed to find two of his comrades that were somehow still alive. For a moment, the three rogue Space Pirates stayed in each other's company, relieved that they had managed to stay out of Ridley's murderous clutches, when suddenly, their surroundings were consumed by darkness and the air started to grow thin.
"Wh-what's happened to the lights?! What's going on?!" one mutineer asked, frantically looking around for any sign of danger. "Dammit, that spoiled reptile must have accessed the power controls! Come on, let's get moving before...!" another said before he screamed in agony as a spear-like tail burst through his chest. "...before he finds you. Is that what you were going to say, traitor?" Ridley asked mockingly from his perch on the ceiling above as he raised his terrified prey to eye-level.
"When did you...? How did you...?" the mutineer asked weakly. Ridley chuckled darkly, deciding to toy with the insectoid being in his final moments. "Oh, I may have made a little five minute detour to the power systems on this ship and transferred all life-support functions to the hangar bay. Just a small gift for those who lay down their lives to provide me with a meal." he said casually as the mutineer impaled on his tail breathed his last.
Seconds later, the Space Dragon whipped his tail and flung the corpse of the mutineer back down onto the cold, steel floor before dropping down in front of his kill. The other two insectoids could only watch in horror as Ridley ravenously consumed their fallen comrade. Licking the warm, green blood of the rogue Space Pirate from his jaws, Ridley set his sights on the two mutineers cowering before him.
"Now then, which one of you two would like to be next?" he asked, curiously, as the two insects screamed in terror and fled down the corridor, not caring where they ended up. As long as they could get away from the ravenous Space Dragon, anywhere would be good. Even the brig sounded like heaven compared to their present situation.
Unfortunately, Ridley was much quicker and more agile then his former care-givers and he quickly caught up with them. Leaping forward, he soon had his intended victims pinned to the ground just as another group of six came creeping around a corner, freezing to the spot in fear of the sight before them. "Help us!" one of the mutineers below Ridley pleaded desperately before the Space Dragon grasped by both of his victims' necks in his clawed hands and clenched them into two tight fists, killing his prey before feast upon them as the petrified army of six watched on helplessly before fleeing. "What an excellent starter. Now time for the main course." Ridley said wickedly out loud to himself.
Elsewhere in the ship, the six mutineers stuck together as they walked down another dark and foreboding corridor, every one of the insectoids trying in vain to calm their breathing in order to preserve what little oxygen they had left. After a while, two members of the minuscule army started to feel their hopes of escape fading as they heard the sounds of the Space Dragon all around them. His sinister, cruel laugh, his whip-like tail casually swishing through the thin air and the creaking of the bulk-heads supporting his weight.
Suddenly, they heard a scream from one of their comrades and they swiftly turned around to find that he had disappeared from their sight. Another scream followed. Then a second. Than a third. It was not until a fourth member of their party disappeared that the two terrified mutineers finally braved a glance upwards. Unfortunately for them, their fates had already been sealed. The two insectoids cried out painfully in unison as the spear-like end of Ridley's long tail pierced through their exo-skeletons and they were hoisted up to their murder's eye-level before they too were consumed.
Not too far away from the bloodbath, a lone mutineer rushed to the escape pods with renewed hope in his mind. He had heard the screams of his comrades as they fell victim to the Space Dragon and he was now more determined then ever not to share their fates. If he could get to an escape pod now and end Ridley's murderous hunt, he could then lay low until it was safe to re-emerge. As he had first started fleeing, the rogue Space Pirate had considered allying himself with the Galactic Federation but now, when he was so close to freedom, he could not stomach depending on a system more corrupt then his own.
Just then, an almighty thud shook the mutineer from his thoughts as Ridley suddenly dropped down between him and the escape pods. No, the mutineer thought. He had been so close to freedom. So close he could almost feel the warmth of one of the life saving transports. Now all that lay before him was death.
"H-hello, Ridley." he greeted nervously, slowly backing away. "Hello, dessert." Ridley said wickedly as he advanced on the last of his prey. "Please, Ridley! I swear that mutiny was not my idea! I'm loyal to the Captain, honest! Please don't kill me!" the mutineer begged desperately. Unfortunately, the adolescent Space Dragon was neither interested nor amused by the insect's pleas for mercy. "Enough with your pitiful whining! I have eaten creatures on Zebes that did not wail as pathetically as you do!" Ridley growled irritably as he grabbed the insectoid, pinning the rogue Space Pirate's arms to his sides. "B-b-but..." the mutineer sputtered weakly as he struggled in the Space Dragon's grasp.
A cruel smile graced Ridley's lips as he watched his prey writhe in a futile bid to escape, clearly enjoying the insect's last moments of suffering. "With your death, my hunt ends. All that is left for me to do before you die is to thank you for providing me with a most satisfying meal so that you may pass my gratitude on to your fellow traitors in the afterlife. Thank you and goodbye." Ridley said darkly as he opened his jaws. "No, please wait...!" was all the mutineer could say before he was eaten.
Licking the blood of the final mutineer from his lips, Ridley quickly returned to the power controls and restored lighting and life-support systems to the entire ship as he contemplated his next move. With the mutiny and the threats to his life eliminated, he could begin to plot the next phase of his plan for revenge and galactic domination. "Once I take command of this ship and the moronic insects on it, those foolish humans will be next." he said menacingly out loud to himself as he headed back to the hangar bay.
Just what is Ridley planning? What will it mean for the Galactic Federation?
As always, I only own Dr. Anna Ripley and Lieutenant Jacob Kain. I do not own Ridley or the Space Pirates.
I hope you have enjoyed reading this chapter and I hope to have the next chapter posted as soon as possible.