Chapter 10: Hunter

We travel to Sector 6, tossing out ideas for where the robot might be.

"It's probably not on the map," we state. Samus agrees, and we decide to just go on instinct. We enter a few rooms and find one we've never been in before. Samus drops a Power Bomb and destroys a back wall, revealing a hatch, followed by another room, down, right and through the floor. The room we're in has a pool of water in the center and a quick bomb reveals a long ladder on top.

"Look familiar?" We ask

"Yes, I assume this is the place."We travel through a few more rooms and come up to a gate. An alarm starts to sound.

"No Entry Without Authorization… No Entry Without Authorization…"

"We hear an explosion and race back to the supposed battle arena. The water is now electrified from the robot's damaged components. Samus latches onto the ladder and we dive in, charging up electricity before joining Samus. The robot now has a new trick: when it pops up its turret it fires seeker missiles instead of the old fire bombs. This actually makes it a lot easier because Samus just shoots the missiles with Plasma while we fire bolts of electricity into the robot, overloading it. After a lot less time than our first encounter, it is destroyed and turnes into a Super Core-X. Samus destroys it and regains her Wave Beam. We go through the gate that needs authorization using the Wave Beam to open it from the wrong side.

"Restricted Lab," Samus reads off of a sign on the wall, "What would they need a restricted lab for… Oh, those stupid… idiotic…" Samus struggles to find a proper insult before we spit out an especially vile Klingon curse.

"Metroids," we confirm, walking into a chamber filled with tanks containing the infamous little green floating brains. We start to hear a sort of humming, though we don't know where it comes from. "Why don't they seem interested in you, Samus?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe they see me as part Metroid since the Vaccine, so that may be part of it. And if you're really not alive in the traditional sense, that would explain why they aren't interested in you," Samus thinks, "Have to look into that once I get back to the Federation."

We enter the next room and see more containment chambers. One has a larger Larval Metroid. Another has one where two nuclei have disappeared, a carapace has grown on top, two eyes are visible, and four small limbs and a horn can be seen, an Alpha Metroid. Another tank has one where the eyes have divided into two groups of three, the limbs are much more pronounced, and the horn is larger, a Gamma Metroid. The next Metroid is bipedal, with clawed hands, a leech-like mouth, and a tail, the Zeta Metroid. In a separate room we see a very large Metroid, similar in appearance to the Zeta. It's about three times the size of a human, the Omega Metroid. As soon as it sees us it begins to thrash violently. At the same time we hear an explosion and decide that leaving is a good idea.

As soon as we enter, we see the SA-X attacking the Infant Metroids. It's already broken open the tanks and several shattered piles of ice litter the floor. Within a few seconds it's overwhelmed and destroyed by several dozen vengeful Metroids.

"Warning: One Minute to Separation… Warning: One Minute to Separation…"

"Let's go," we say in response to the siren. We easily dodge bits of falling debris and escape out of an upper escape hatch. Behind us, the Restricted Lab ejects into space and explodes. We enter a navigation room next to the escape corridor.

"Convenient how this is right here," we comment.

"Yes, that's what worries me," Samus confirms.

"You shouldn't have done that," the AI starts, "You disobeyed your orders." Samus simply glares at the AI, refusing to respond, "As you've noticed, the Federation had created a Metroid Breeding Program – for peaceful purposes only of course – but perhaps you already knew this. You must have had your suspicions when you saw Sector 1. Such a faithful recreation of SR388. Perfect for breeding any stage of Metroid, up to Omega and possibly even Queen. But hurry, you must get to your ship. The SA-X has sensed its natural predator and prey and one is coming to destroy you."

Samus breaks her silence, "ONE? How can there be more than one?"

"The X reproduce asexually. There are at least ten SA-X on the station right now." The AI states, "Now return to the ship. Stop only at Navigation rooms." It disconnects, leaving us staring at each other.

"The elevator won't put us anywhere familiar," we state, "We should split up to cover more ground. Keep our locations and map data synced."

"Sounds good. We're both strong enough to take care of ourselves," Samus nods and taps a control on her Arm Cannon. A new icon appears on the map in our HUD next to our location, showing Samus's location. We nod, transmit our own location, and race up the elevator, which deposits us in Sector 1 in a maintenance corridor. At about this point we notice that the background hum we heard in the Restricted Lab has disappeared.

We travel through several areas we've never seen before, eventually entering a nearly empty room. The only content is a single egg on the ground. As we approach, it starts to crack open, and the top falls off. An InfantMetroid pops out, squealing at us. Instantly our mind is filled with unconditional love for the little creature, and we hold out a hand for a moment before realizing that it's not our love we're feeling. It's the Metroid sending it to us telepathically.

It needs a parent, we think. We start to speak, both to it telepathically and audibly, knowing it won't understand either, "Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad… Oy'an. I know name as my child, Hunter." Oy'an's response is to send a sense of confusion. We respond with acceptance, and receive happiness.

The Metroid starts to happily fly around us, squealing with delight. We send a sense of excitement and say "Oya! Let's hunt!" We start to move out, Oy'an following happily behind. One of the brown turtle-like creatures floats towards us. Hunter starts to fly forward, but we hold out our hand, freezing him in place. He makes a confused chirp, and we respond with patience. After a moment we send approval and release him with a cry of "k'slanar! Go!" Hunter squeals and latches onto the target, draining its life energy. It doesn't even leave an X when it dissolves. "Kandosii! Very good!"

The two of us spend an hour or so exploring the sector. We spend a lot of that time teaching Hunter the two languages we use, English and Mando'a. He's a fast learner and is conversational within that hour. We can't help but think about the tragedy that the Metroids were exterminated before the residents of this dimension were able to truly make first contact. While we haven't told him, we've also started designing cybernetic implants so that he can more easily coexist with humans by speaking and using electricity as energy instead of life force.

"I never thought that vibrations could be used to communicate" Hunter says to us telepathically.

"It's how most species we know communicate," we respond audibly. He's learned to interpret the vibrations through his jelly.

"That's weird. They're weird."

"It really is, it's a slow method, not much security of transmission, easy to misinterpret…" We go on like this for several minutes, discussing the merrits of several different alternative methods of communication.

"I like the idea of a combination of normal light and lasers. Gives the option of both group and tight-beam conversation."

"And how many times have lasers been developed by evolution?"

"Just a thought…" Hunter says disappointedly.

"No, it's a good idea, it just wouldn't happen naturally. Heck, humans can record vibrations on certain surfaces to get the sound," we reassure. "Now, where is Samus?"

"Don't you know?" Hunter asked curiously.

"Yes, it's a human thing. They often ask questions to which they already know the answer." We check our map, quickly locating Samus. She's rapidly jumping around in a single room, obviously battling something powerful. "And it looks like she may be in trouble. Let's go!"

"Oya!" Hunter squeals happily as we start to move toward Samus's location. We quickly find her just after she stops moving, presumably because she's defeated her target.

The chamber she's in opens and she flies out, encased in a blowing energy field. She quickly assesses the situation and opens her Missile Launcher, charging for a diffusion ice shot and she yells, "Composite! Metroid behind you!"

"Oy'an! K'norac!" We shout, adding a telepathic jolt of alarm. "Hunter gives a terrified screech and disappears around a corner, "Samus, he's with me."

"With…? Oh," Samus almost immediately understands what we mean. Her missile launcher closes, cutting off the charge. "… Hopefully your kid will end better than mine did…" Her visor opens and she wipes a tear from her eye.

We decide to change the subject and gesture to the door Samus left, "So, who was that?"

"Ridley. One of the easiest fights I've had with him. Not to mention one of his smaller incarnations. At least I got my Screw Attack back. You saw the field, and it lets me kill enemies by hitting them," Samus doesn't smile, but we know she's in a good mood.

"Hey Hunter, it's okay now, you can come back," we poke our head around the corner.

"The hybrid won't freeze me?" The nervous Metroid asks.

"No, Samus won't shoot you. We explained the situation."

"Okay…" Hunter edges around the corner before darting out and hiding behind our head.

"Samus, meet our son Hunter."

"Huh, didn't know Metroids have genders," Samus says.

Hunter complains telepathically, "He says he doesn't, it's just his choice," We shrug, "And we're not going to argue."

"How are you talking to him?" Samus asks, curious.

"We're a half-telepath, so we use that to communicate with other telepathic species like Metroids. He's a fast learner. He actually learned to hear on his own…" We listen to a telepathic comment, "And he says he wishes that one of his species could have learned that skill earlier. Maybe if they had there'd still be a species."

We draw our blades, "We've been meaning to do this for a while," Our blades flash with green-white energy, vibrating at a high frequency that greatly increases their cutting potential, "Maybe this will stand in for our Screw Attack."

"Maybe," Samus agrees, "Let's get back to the navigation room. I'm sure the AI has something to say about my unauthorized recovery of the Screw Attack."

"Shouldn't be far. It's right this way," Samus gestures and we set off.

As soon as we step into the Navigation room, the doors lock. We connect, Samus in front, us slightly behind, and Hunter hovering behind our right shoulder.

"You have a Metroid with you," the AI says.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Hunter complains.

"Yes," we start, "We do, and he says that he noticed the fact."

"Samus, I must order that you destroy it."

"No. It imprinted on Composite, like the Baby did with me. I will not take that from them," Samus refuses.

"I'm ordering you—"

"There are very few orders I will disobey from you. This is one of them." Samus stands firm on her decision.

"…Okay. Samus, I'm ordering you to return to your ship. The Galactic Federation will be arriving shortly to take command of the situation. You must leave," the AI starts.

"And that's the other one. I won't leave this station until the X are destroyed."

"I'm sorry Samus, I have my orders." The AI disconnects and the doors remain locked.

"The idiots!" Samus cries, "They'll just get infected and bring the X to the rest of the galaxy! Galactic civilization will end!"

"Whoever thought up that plan…" we think for a moment, "Kaysh mirsh solus."

"And that means?" Samus prompts.

"His – or her – brain cell's lonely."

Samus chuckles, "That's good, I'll have to remember that one."

"Replace kaysh with gar to use it directly," we suggest.

"Thanks, now, let's see if we can convince our friend here," she gestures toward the display, and by extension the AI, "To open up."

"I told you to stay put," the AI says when we connect, "You can't make me open the doors."

"If I set off the self-destruct, it'll destroy the X before the Federation can get here. Adam, if I don't do this The X will be released and destroy life as we know it," Samus seems to be unaware of her tongue slip.

"… Adam?" The AI asks, almost confused seeming.

"An old friend," Samus backpedals, "Someone who died to save me. You wouldn't understand."

"…I believe… that your friend made the wrong choice," the AI says. Samus doesn't, but we notice a shift in the AI's speech.

"You! Don't you dare insult Adam's sacrifice like that!" Samus shouts.

"What I do understand is that you're not thinking this through fully. If you simply destroy the station, the X on SR388 will survive, and the Federation will take their samples anyway," the navigation room doors unlock. Samus's eyes widen in shock, "But if you set the station to collide with the planet, the explosion will destroy all of the X. This is your most important mission. Any objections, Lady?"

"No objections… Adam," Samus gives a determined nod and races out of the room. We follow her up the elevator, our destination, the Operations Deck.

Sorry about any strange numbering you omay have noticed in the last couple of chapters. I actually merged Sectors 5 and 6 due to their being quite short and forgot to update the next chapter's number. I've corrected that problem.

And oh boy have I been looking forward to introducing Hunter for a while.