Chapter 3: Errors in communication

Samus Aran's POV

I suddenly awoke and opened my eyes to scan my surroundings. I was caged in a large tent. I instantly put my left arm on my right to charge my cannon only to realize it was gone! What the hell? I held my right arm in front of my face to see only the blue skin of the zero suit covering my hand. I quickly felt the rest of my body and came to the strange discovery that the rest of my powersuit was still attached. I peered around my surroundings in an attempt to figure out what was going on. I tried to recall what had happened prior. The memories flooded back instantly, as soon as one of the humanoids walked in. I watched him like a hawk. He noticed my gaze and quickly left the tent. How could creatures I considered lesser to human intelligence remove equipment far beyond their current advancement and weapons. Perhaps I wrongly underestimated their ability. I looked at my cannon-less arm. I obviously underestimated them. How could I be so stupid? If they looked and acted human of course they should be close to human intelligence. What reasons did I have before to think otherwise?

I watched as the princess entered the tent. She caught my gaze and nodded before grabbing a chair and pulling it up to my cage. I held her gaze and refused to blink in an attempt to stare her down. She sat in the chair and did not seem the least bit bothered by it. She held a strange object in her hand. It was cube-like and she opened it by one end. It seemed to contain several layers. She looked down at it and began speaking. What was she doing? Was she requesting a voice command from the object? I watched apprehensively but nothing happened. She finished speaking and slid the object to me, through the bars. I opened the cube and looked at it's insides. Strange symbols covered it.

"This is your language?" I asked pointing to the symbols. She said nothing but looked back at me with a calculating expression. What was going through her mind?

Princess Zelda's POV

The knight seemed to be questioning the book I had handed her. I motioned for her to flip through it. She didn't seem to understand. Perhaps this foreign knight was used to scrolls or other such forms of manuscript rather than leather bound books.

"The book you hold in your hand is a translation key to all the languages of Hyrule. You speak moblin from what I have witnessed. Perhaps you can roughly translate?" I said to her half in Hylian and half in the moblin language. She tilted her head to the side and grimaced. She then motioned for her helmet. She mimicked putting it on and suddenly being able to read and speak. I shook my head.

"Knight, I do not question your intelligence. You are clearly quite bright and should be able to learn without the aid of an enchanted helmet," I said. She rolled her eyes, still oblivious to what I was saying, "Yes, I discovered your helmet is enchanted. I am able to learn things quite quickly. I was blessed by the goddesses with that specific gift. That is how I was able to remove your emerald arm cannon." I concluded and pointed to her bare arm. Her eyes narrowed and she motioned angrily from her arm to me and I nodded. "It is, how you say in your language, "removed". I will return it to you after I have determined your role, Samus Aran." She seemed confused that I knew some of her language. A little surprised even. Then she let loose a stream of cursing. Or at least I assumed so, for the words sounded short, sharp, and salty.

"But perhaps for the time being, I give you your enchanted helmet so that you may understand my intentions and I yours." I sighed, "Though I find it disturbing talking to a hidden face." I proceeded to leave the tent and returned with her helmet. Her expression brightened and she had an eager look upon her face as soon as she saw it.

Samus Aran's POV

The princess finally returned my helmet to me. I quickly put it on and began scanning the layers of the open cube. The data took a few moments to process, but soon I had a fairly basic download of the language. I was surprised at how much I would be able to translate from my language to theirs. Now I felt I could finally communicate with these beings. However I made a mental note to study the language closely so that I may have hopes of speaking it without my helmet, seeing as I may not always have it. The princess soon confirmed this suspicion.

"Do not get accustom to using your helmet for speech. I will expect you to learn our language without the use of it, so that we make speak freely and not hidden behind masks." She said while folding her hands neatly and placing them on her lap.

"How did you disable my cannon?" I demanded firmly, "What advanced technologies are you so cleverly hiding?" She frowned at my questioning.

"I hide nothing."

"I find that hard to believe. Your planet was reported as a barren land in an empty galaxy. Ridley is here and yet no one will show where he's hiding. I can't even pick up a trace on him. And you," I said staring her down, "-have technology clearly advanced enough to disable my powersuit, no doubt a gift from Ridley, but you hide it in this little facade you've put on." I spat, "Tell me why fellow humans such as yourselves would make a pact with a space pirate like Ridley? He's not too friendly with them as I last recalled." The bitter memories flooded me and I grew too angry to concentrate. The princess patiently waited till my anger subsided enough for me to recompose myself.

"I know little of what you speak of knight. You seem quite bitter and bent on revenge," She stood up and paced slowly, "I'm afraid I cannot answer all of your questions but I shall try my best to explain." I snorted and looked away, "Whatever kingdom you serve has clearly given you false tales of this land. I find this odd because Hyrule has had no quarrel with any neighboring kingdom of which we know of." She stopped pacing and stood directly in front of me, "As for your enchanted armor, we have nothing that would match it. Only I was able to remove parts of it, for as I said before, it is the gift the goddesses bestowed upon me." I was about to open my mouth and retort but she continued, "We have made no pact with your god Ridley. He descended upon my kingdom but a fortnight ago. He has killed more than I dare imagine and destroyed much." She said as she held my gaze. Her eyes glinted and she spoke with pride and authority, "My people and I are no pirates, nor are we this race of which you call humans. We are Hylian, a proud and noble race blessed by the goddesses. We have such long ears so as to hear our goddesses. Recently, however, we have only heard the screech of the wretched Ridley you speak of." She paused for a moment.

"Perhaps this is why your race has such small and rounded ears. So that you can bare the screech of your horrible god." She said as if questioning.

Princess Zelda's POV

"Ridley is no god of my people." She said fiercely. The words came from her mouth almost as if they were fire, "Never address him as a god to my people. The only thing he was to them was a murderer."

"Then tell me knight-" I began but she interrupted me.

"Samus." She corrected. I nodded briefly.

"My apologies," I said and sat down again, "So tell me, Samus, what is this Ridley creature to you? Why is he here? And why are you here? What are your intentions?" She considered me for a moment.

"Ridley is the bane of my existences and the reason I am here. I do not know why he is here but I assume he wants materials and a new pirate planet. A place where he can hide and build an army. My intentions are to kill Ridley and leave as soon as possible."

"And what of your kingdom and mine afterwords?" I asked, for this was a serious matter and mustn't be overlooked, "Shall your kingdom hold us in your debt for the slaying of Ridley? Perhaps we are to become allies? Or even yet, shall you return to who you serve and declare my kingdom weak and proclaim war?" She remained silent for a long while. Either she had not thought of this or was deciding the fate of the kingdoms right then and there.

Samus Aran's POV

I'll admit I hadn't thought of it yet. What would I do after I killed Ridley hopefully for the final time? Would I go back to the Galactic Federation and demand answers to the obvious cover up of this planet? Would I maybe take a different approach and simply state that the report was wrong and I discovered an inhabited planet with humanoid life? A planet capable of sustaining human life? This place could be a new and much needed Earth colony. The Hylians would obviously be brought in and taught the workings of the Galactic Federation. However, it hasn't been determined whether these beings can be trusted. Then again the princess said she was the only one able to disable my powersuit so these people shouldn't prove to difficult to control or destroy.

"Your answer knight?" The princess interrupted. I figured the princess wouldn't take kindly to my current ideas so I chose my words carefully.

"If it would please you, our kingdoms could meet." I said cleverly. That way, if she chose yes, she would have to resume all responsibilities of her choice and I wouldn't necessarily be tricking her.

"I shall not run into any hasty decisions. I will judge the honor of your kingdom and ones you serve by your actions. Be cautious knight, for you now carry the representation of your people. Be certain to do them justice."

"As you please," I replied cooly. She was a smart one alright, "Now perhaps you'd like to tell me your intentions? Like why I am in a cage and when I can have my cannon back? My people would not consider this hospitable."

"Neither would my people when you shot fire and lightning at them, as well as at their princess." She said wryly.