"So, what exactly is the price of my fusion suit's modifications?" Samus
asked Veaning as the two of them made their way to the bottom of the
Sheltering Tree.
"There is no price, Samus." The Chozo said quickly, immediately disregarding the very idea of charging for a service to the legendary Warrior.
"Yeah?" The bounty hunter replied. "Sharp had been hinting at some sort of compensation in return for modifying my suit and my DNA."
Veaning was silent for a second. "I am just an ignorant fledgling." She said finally. "If the elders had decided on a price, I would not know what it is, nor why they would want you to pay." She leaped off the main trunk and flapped her arms to change direction and grab a branch. She waited patiently for Samus and helped the human when she had trouble climbing. It was slow going for the Chozo, who could easily jump down three stories before grabbing a handhold, letting gravity do most of the work. At the bottom of the Sheltering Tree, the two of them followed a dirt path which twisted around the roots until it led them a short distance from the Tree's shadow.
"Sister, do you know why you are being summoned to the mountains?" Veaning asked as she pushed aside a branch in her way.
"Your guess is as good as mine. The elders were pretty secretive about the details." Samus shrugged. "I hate it when they keep me in the dark. They're usually so open. You know that there's bad news when they get all tight- lipped." The two of them emerged from the shadows of the forest and put their hands to their eyes, squinting in the sudden splash of light.
A docking bay was built at the end of the path, nestled in the leaves. The metal and trappings of the bay contrasted sharply with the growth and nature surrounding it. It was always interesting to see how the Chozo mix the natural and technological, and sometimes confusing to tell which they preferred. But here, it was clear that they're a technologically advanced race, one that made every other civilization look primitive in comparison. Each of the numerous ships docked here were unique in design, sleek and powerful. The materials used to construct them ranged from synthesized plastics to alloys so strong and light that they must be a rare substance, if not for the fact that entire ships were made out of them. Some of the crafts were connected to roots and umbilicals, and it took Samus a second look before she realized that these ships were being grown.
The bounty hunter gave a low whistle and tucked her hair behind an ear, though it fell right back to her face again. How she would love to own one of those beauties for herself. She took in the sight of the ships hungrily, and felt proud that her heritage was part Chozo. Samus caught sight of her own ship parked in the docking bay, and felt vaguely embarrassed, it being so drab and clumsy among such enchanting machines.
Veaning led the two of them to an open-air shuttle where a Chozo pilot was waiting for them. He nodded his head slightly, acknowledging Samus and Veaning's presence, and let them board. The pilot was able to fly the machine by simply placing his hand on a featureless interface pad and subtly moving his fingers. The shuttle functioned more smoothly than anything Samus had ever been in, except, of course, for her power suit. The craft lifted vertically into the sky without the slightest recoil from taking off. It hovered in midair for a moment, silent, as if it possessed no engine, then sped off over the treetops. Samus gripped the sides of the craft tighter for fear of tumbling out, then found herself exhilarating in the shuttle's fluid motion. She squinted her eyes. The gale winds and the shuttle's speed whipped the bounty hunter's hair about her face. Leaves kicked up by the shuttle became tangled in those golden strands. She smiled fiercely, thrilled with the sensation of speed. It was one thing to fly at hyper speeds in space, with the nearest solid object light-years away, and it was something else altogether to race many times slower, but so close over a planet's surface.
Their destination was a Chozo habitat not among the trees, but within the mountains, much like the cavernous dwellings of Zebes. It was a bustling and beautiful industrial area decorated with statues, reliefs, and various light-producing machines. Any artistic, scientific, or technological creations having to do with minerals were created here, where metals and elements were extracted from the rock.
The pilot settled his craft on a landing pad and handed his passengers over to a Chozo assigned to be a guide. The guide led Veaning and Samus deep into the heart of the mountain, where more and more their eyes depended upon artificial light. In what felt like the innermost region of the mountain, they finally reached an antechamber where Sharp and several other Chozo were waiting.
"Welcome, Warrior. Welcome, Daughter of Wind." Sharp smiled as Veaning and Samus drew closer to the flock of Chozo the elder was standing amongst. All the other individuals were wearing flowing robes and ceremonial crowns depicting their rank. Besides Sharp, there was one other planetary leader hailing from a far away colony. There were sixteen lesser-ranking elders of cities, including Wind Elder. And there was a whole gaggle of biologists, technicians, archivists and other specialists.
"Samus Aran, our Defender, our Hatchling." Sharp introduced in a loud enough voice for all her colleagues to hear. "The Warrior to whom we all belong, and who belongs to all of us." Several Chozo lowered their heads in respect of the bounty hunter.
"Thank you, elder Sharp." Samus said as she bowed in return, privately wondering if Sharp enjoyed displaying her in front of so many important people. But despite inner thoughts, her face was a neutral mask, often worn when something makes her uncomfortable. "I don't want to take up too much of your time, or the time of all these elders, so I'll be blunt. How is the progress on my suit going? I know you summoned me here because there is some news on it."
Sharp sighed as if weary, her head sinking on her thin, elegant neck. "The truth is, progress on your suit has been slow. It is stubborn in its genetic structure, such that any changes we make will immediately be rejected and it would revert back to its original state." She rotated her shoulders, making her artificial wings flutter. She seemed uncomfortable about what she was about to say next. "We believe that in order to alter the power suit, we will have to adjust your own DNA first. Then the suit will change on its own according to your new genetic makeup."
"That's fine with me." The bounty hunter replied. There was a pause. Samus frowned. "So...what's the problem?"
"We shall have to put you in a biosac in order to implement the changes." Sharp hesitated, her beak clicking. "Do you accept this?"
The word 'biosac' did not register in Samus's mind immediately. Then she paled, only for a brief moment, when she suddenly recalled the memory. She swallowed, regained her composure and replied, "Why shouldn't I? I'll do whatever it takes to get me back to normal." Her memory of her time within a biosac was not pleasant, and it seemed as if all the Chozo already knew this from the stories they told of her. "Hell. The sooner we get this over with, the better." Samus said with unnecessary force. Sharp saw through the bounty hunter's facade very clearly, but she expected no other response from the legendary Defender. The elder nodded mutely and led her and the other Chozo into the next chamber.
It was a large chamber, stadium-sized, but somehow managed to feel very cramped at the same time. There were no windows. Most of the space was occupied by several spherical, transparent structures, balloon-like sacs filled with a liquid substance. Mechanical veins and roots wrapped around the top and bottom of the spheres, connecting them to computers and energy sources. They emmitted a faint blue glow which dyed the entire chamber with its illumination. These were the biosacs, Chozo-made machines built to perform all biological adjustments, healings, growths and regrowths. There was a male Chozo in one of the sacs in the process of having his broken leg mended. The fusion suit was in the center another sac, floating, hooked up to countless, hair-thin wires.
Samus stared up at the biosacs towering over her, their transparent sides beaded heavily with condensation, although it was actually warm to her touch. She was surprised to find her hand trembling. Was she really that scared? Logically, she knew she had nothing to be afraid of; the biosac was a machine of healing. But that knowledge did nothing against the nightmares that would still sometimes resurface during the dark, lonely nights on faraway planets. Her fear was a child's fear, a terror from her past.
"Are you ready?" Veaning asked. She placed her beak against Samus's face, trying to comfort the human. "You know you don't have to do this now."
The bounty hunter shrugged her off. "I'm ready." She said. If her fear was known, then so was her determination.
The head biologist clicked his talons on an interface, making the entrance to the sac iris open. Samus undressed herself and handed her clothes to Veaning before stepping into the entrance chamber. The door sealed itself shut with a click, cutting off the rest of the world. The bounty hunter experienced a moment of claustrophobic terror which she had to consciously surpress. She hugged her naked arms against herself, feeling cold and vulnerable. She took a slow breath, then another. She may not have the chance to breathe again for a while. The little room began to fill with the blue liquid of the biosac. Its consistency was thicker than water, and felt warm to her feet. Soon, everything below Samus's waist was submerged. The room was almost half-full when a sudden change in pressure sucked all the liquid, and Samus included, down a tube which eventually expelled her up into the main sphere.
An eerie world of silence greeted the bounty hunter; all sound was blocked out by the liquid. Samus opened her eyes and brushed away the webs of her own hair, which drifted around her face like seaweed. She exhaled and watched in morbid facination as the bubbles of air left her body, floating towards what must be the upwards direction, although she couldn't tell for certain. Then she breathed in. Her whole body convulsed violently, suddenly, as the viscous liquid filled her lungs. Her limbs flailed instinctivly in panic, trying in vain to bring her to the surface. There was no air; she was going to drown! She screamed, soundlessly, losing more of her precious air. She swallowed some of the liquid, choking on its corrosive taste.
For what seemed like hours, but was only minutes, the woman huntress writhed in agony, fighting against nothing. Eventually, she exhausted herself and felt her body relax, drifting limp like a corpse in the middle of an ocean. A more lucid portion of her mind resurfaced where her panic once overwhelmed. Obviously the liquid had enough oxygen content to supply her blood, otherwise she wouldn't be alive by now. It felt so heavy and uncomfortable inside her; humans simply weren't designed to breathe liquid. She wondered if the other Chozo were watching. She twisted her body for a better view and saw the elders watching her, as well as the flock of technicians and biologists who controlled the biosacs. They seemed relieved now that she had finally stopped struggling. Everything out there looked blue and distorted from the liquid, as if it were they and not her who was immersed in water.
A thin wire snaked through the fluid and poked a needle into Samus's hand. She mouthed the words "Ow." even though it didn't hurt. The needle was much too delicate to even register on her pain receptors; it simply felt like an insect leg landing on her skin. Hundreds of the wires came from the top and bottom of the biosac, piercing through every surface of her body. The technicians and biologists went to work, examining the data the wires sent to them and sending back information which would alter Samus's genetic makeup, forever changing her material existance.
A version of anesthetic was sent through one of the wires to help Samus relax. She felt its effects almost immediately and vaguely wondered why she was getting so sleepy. Her eyes drooped and her shoulders slumped. She curled up her legs against her chest and wrapped her arms around them, like a child in the womb, and fell asleep.
************
How do I even begin to describe this... this sudden metamorphosis of my body. It was nothing like my previous biological transformation, when the Chozo blood was first introduced to my system so many years ago. Those changes had been slow and subtle, carefully overseen by my adoptive parents, and the results predictable. The transformation engineered by the Federation scientists was crude, sudden and painful in comparison.
I stared at the mechanical skin of my hand, now inexplicably more organic than technological in appearance. Well, my suit had always been biomechanical to some degree, but in the span of a few hours, the balance had shifted dramatically towards the biological. Very strange, and deeply disturbing. The sensation of waking in a foreign body was still fresh in my mind: the initial disbelief, then denial, and finally helpless acceptance. There was nothing that could be done now; I should be grateful that I even survived the X infection.
I clenched my hand into a fist. Interesting how the suit's new 'skin' was almost as responsive as the skin I was born in. I ran a finger along the top of my leg. The leg actually shuddered, ticklish. Every inch of the suit's exterior surface could experience sensation, with the exception of my helmet and arm cannon. I guess with the loss of old abilities, new ones could emerge. In some poetic sense, my rebirth could be compared to the evolutionary metamorphosis of some creatures. Like, for example... the butterfly... or the amphibian.
...Or the metroid.
Hatchling saved my life, again. But despite what I owe, I'll never be able to repay my debt to my poor metroid. I sighed deeply, and put a hand to my visored head. I felt tired. Why am I suddenly thinking about the past? There's no use dwelling on these sort of things. Perhaps I'll feel more like myself once I'm out of my fusion suit. I haven't taken it off since the surgery. There hadn't been time. But God, what I would give for a shower right now.
I leaned back on the commander's chair, trying to relax, if only for a moment, and failing. The chair was uncomfortable, not 'broken in' from long usage. And the ship's computer unnerved me. It's bad enough that the machine was my new CO for this mission (for I hated taking orders), but it had unseen eyes watching every corner of this ship, and later, the research station. I value my solitude, and even more, my privacy. I didn't particularly appreciate the unprecedented degree of surveillance the Galactic Federation had me under. I thought I aided the GF long enough for them to understand my preference for working alone.
Oh, I complained, of course, but for them, the dilemma I had was very simple: take the mission and the ship, or nothing at all. And they were unnecessarily shrill and insistent about my taking this particular ship, with the computerized Commanding Officer. It was strange. Perhaps I shouldn't have agreed so impetuously, both to the ship and the mission. But for all its irregularities, I didn't find the Federation's behavior too unusual, perhaps just a bit eccentric. I needed a ship, and they were willing to provide me one.
"We'll soon be arriving at the B.S.L. research station. I must prepare for docking."
The computer's artificial voice cut through my wandering thoughts, bringing me back to reality. I experienced a twinge of frustration and annoyance when I heard the computer's clipped, monotone statements. I suspected the feeling would mature into a simmering anger once the CO started barking orders at me. And yet, the feeling brought back nostalgic memories of someone else I once served under. Another CO, a human I had known, long ago. I allowed myself a low chuckle at the memory and gazed out the front window.
The B.S.L. research station grew steadily to fill my range of vision. It was big enough to be an oblong asteroid of sorts, slicing silently along SR388's orbit like another moon. I haven't actually set foot aboard the station, there was no reason to, but I've seen it several times from a distance. Sometimes I saw it while cruising on my previous ship, and sometimes during the clear nights on the surface of SR388. It was built not too long ago, after the extinction of the metroids by my own hand. None of those creatures would ever see this new satellite circling their home planet. But if they did see it, I mused if they would feel a stab of apprehension, of confusion, or even wonder at the sight of this foreign object in their night sky. But I guess we'll never know.
The gravity aboard the ship shifted, my suit adjusted to compensate, and the engines silenced themselves upon landing. Everything was still for a brief moment, until I interfaced with the computer. The mechanics of the ship and my beam cannon whirred in unison as the station's basic map was downloaded into my suit, appearing on my visor.
"There's been an explosion in the Quarantine Bay." The computer informed me in both voice and text. "The bay currently stores capsules containing recent samples from SR388 as well as parts of your suit infected by the X parasites." This much I already knew. My first suspicion was that bandits were after the pieces of my suit in hopes of acquiring some of the Chozo technology. My heart jumped at the prospect that they might even be Space Pirates! I wondered if they've missed me after all these years. I've certainly missed them.
My CO continued. "The cause of the explosion is as yet unclear. Investigate. The Quarantine Bay is here." A small target appeared in the corner of my map screen. "Move quickly and quietly... You are still unable to use most of your latent abilities. Don't forget that, Samus. Stop at the Navigation Room on the way. Uplink from there."
I did what the computer said without question. I'm sure it wasn't interested in hearing my opinion anyways.
The B.S.L. laboratory seemed a clean and sterile place, to the point of lifelessness. At least this section of it did; the other sectors were breeding enviroments, supposedly housing a myriad of species from one of six ecosystems. This deck was supposed to be the living quarters for the B.S.L. scientists. So why wasn't anyone here? There's been radio silence from the station ever since the report about the explosion came in. I readied the sleeker gun of my fusion suit and walked ahead at a steady pace. I was uneasy, on the account of my degraded suit and the unknown journey into potential danger. But heck, I ate that sort of uneasy for breakfast.
I arrived at the Quarantine Bay without incident, but that hardly put me at ease. I saw nothing out of place, that is, until I neared the bay's entrance. A ruin of twisted metal and dislodged rubble greeted me there, completely out of place compared to the rest of the stark main deck. I dropped to one knee and put a hand on the blackened structural alloy. It was warm to the touch. So the damage here was recent. I was mildly surprised to actually feel the heat at the fusion suit's fingertips, instead of having the data coded to words for my visor to report.
Another possible explanation for the explosion occurred to me: perhaps the B.S.L. scientists stashed some hazardous material here, which, once activated, knocked out everyone by the concussion of the blast or the release of some substance into the air. I dismissed both theories quickly. My sensors detected no gases or dangerous microorganisms in the air, aside from the ones normally found in a human-suitable atmosphere. And the explosion, though violent in it's own respect, was not enough to damage any other part of the station. It only had the power of, say, one of my power bombs. It certainly resembled a power bomb blast, and I could even detect trace materials found in the explosives I often used.
The computer had informed me earlier of biosigns within the bay. I entered cautiously, stepping gingerly over the debris, trying to be as quiet as possible. The inside of the bay was even more damaged than the outside. Pieces of shattered containment tubes and broken transport boxes were everywhere, littering the floors. All the containers were emptied of their contents. I climbed over several boxes when I heard something move. I froze, listening. It sounded like the slapping of large feet, something which I've heard before on the SR388 surface. Sure enough, it was the sound of a hornoad, a species indigenous to the planet.
"What are you doing here?" I inquired of the frog-like beast. It snapped its jaws at me and coughed out corrosive a liquid, some of which landed on my foot. "Ow! Damn!" My energy meter dropped a bit to repair the damage, and I glared accusingly at the hornoad. It stared back, seeming to smile with the mouth that took up almost half its body. This creature was hardly dangerous enough to be the cause of the explosion, but it was enough of a hazard for humans on the main deck. I unleashed two shots into its oversized maw, killing it quickly.
And then I experienced a strange feeling of deja vu. Time seemed to slow down as my memory flashed back to my last encounter with a hornoad. Too late did I remember that it was the X which burst out from the creature's innards that infected me, mutated my suit, and nearly took my life. I stared at the gelantinous parasite I had released, mesmerized by its pulsing, formless dance, horrified at what I had done. The X flew around haphazardly, and as I turned to run, it collided with my left shoulder.
"Agh!" I fell to my knees and tried in vain to scrape the infection off with my right gun hand. Shit! I'll need to rush back to HQ if I was to get treatment in time. I couldn't afford to lose any more of my suit's abilities... The X parasite seeped into my skin, and penetrated my flesh... and, and...
...And it felt nice.
I inhaled deeply and slowly, delighting in the unexpected pleasure. Who knew X infection could feel this good? It felt like some of the small joys I had experienced in my life: delicious meals, occasional sunset walks along crystal beaches, my first Space Pirate kill. It was the taste of chocolate ice cream, a peck on the cheek, and a hot shower after weeks within my power suit. Did it feel this good the first time I was infected? I blinked, confused. I noticed my suit's energy had been replenished back to maximum. Perhaps one of the fusion suit's new features included the sensation of pleasure every time I gained energy. But why would I gain energy when I absorb an X...? Could this be some sort of trick?
The pleasant feeling faded, leaving a tingling sensation where it first entered my body. I stood up, sobered and suspicious. Was the X chewing at my nervous system right now, without my knowledge? But why the pleasure, why the energy gain? This didn't happen last time. It was possible that my suit had adapted an immunity to the X since my last infection. Or perhaps the real cause of this was stranger than I realized. I should talk to the computer, see if it had any answers for me. I rushed to the nearest Navigation Room.
"There is no price, Samus." The Chozo said quickly, immediately disregarding the very idea of charging for a service to the legendary Warrior.
"Yeah?" The bounty hunter replied. "Sharp had been hinting at some sort of compensation in return for modifying my suit and my DNA."
Veaning was silent for a second. "I am just an ignorant fledgling." She said finally. "If the elders had decided on a price, I would not know what it is, nor why they would want you to pay." She leaped off the main trunk and flapped her arms to change direction and grab a branch. She waited patiently for Samus and helped the human when she had trouble climbing. It was slow going for the Chozo, who could easily jump down three stories before grabbing a handhold, letting gravity do most of the work. At the bottom of the Sheltering Tree, the two of them followed a dirt path which twisted around the roots until it led them a short distance from the Tree's shadow.
"Sister, do you know why you are being summoned to the mountains?" Veaning asked as she pushed aside a branch in her way.
"Your guess is as good as mine. The elders were pretty secretive about the details." Samus shrugged. "I hate it when they keep me in the dark. They're usually so open. You know that there's bad news when they get all tight- lipped." The two of them emerged from the shadows of the forest and put their hands to their eyes, squinting in the sudden splash of light.
A docking bay was built at the end of the path, nestled in the leaves. The metal and trappings of the bay contrasted sharply with the growth and nature surrounding it. It was always interesting to see how the Chozo mix the natural and technological, and sometimes confusing to tell which they preferred. But here, it was clear that they're a technologically advanced race, one that made every other civilization look primitive in comparison. Each of the numerous ships docked here were unique in design, sleek and powerful. The materials used to construct them ranged from synthesized plastics to alloys so strong and light that they must be a rare substance, if not for the fact that entire ships were made out of them. Some of the crafts were connected to roots and umbilicals, and it took Samus a second look before she realized that these ships were being grown.
The bounty hunter gave a low whistle and tucked her hair behind an ear, though it fell right back to her face again. How she would love to own one of those beauties for herself. She took in the sight of the ships hungrily, and felt proud that her heritage was part Chozo. Samus caught sight of her own ship parked in the docking bay, and felt vaguely embarrassed, it being so drab and clumsy among such enchanting machines.
Veaning led the two of them to an open-air shuttle where a Chozo pilot was waiting for them. He nodded his head slightly, acknowledging Samus and Veaning's presence, and let them board. The pilot was able to fly the machine by simply placing his hand on a featureless interface pad and subtly moving his fingers. The shuttle functioned more smoothly than anything Samus had ever been in, except, of course, for her power suit. The craft lifted vertically into the sky without the slightest recoil from taking off. It hovered in midair for a moment, silent, as if it possessed no engine, then sped off over the treetops. Samus gripped the sides of the craft tighter for fear of tumbling out, then found herself exhilarating in the shuttle's fluid motion. She squinted her eyes. The gale winds and the shuttle's speed whipped the bounty hunter's hair about her face. Leaves kicked up by the shuttle became tangled in those golden strands. She smiled fiercely, thrilled with the sensation of speed. It was one thing to fly at hyper speeds in space, with the nearest solid object light-years away, and it was something else altogether to race many times slower, but so close over a planet's surface.
Their destination was a Chozo habitat not among the trees, but within the mountains, much like the cavernous dwellings of Zebes. It was a bustling and beautiful industrial area decorated with statues, reliefs, and various light-producing machines. Any artistic, scientific, or technological creations having to do with minerals were created here, where metals and elements were extracted from the rock.
The pilot settled his craft on a landing pad and handed his passengers over to a Chozo assigned to be a guide. The guide led Veaning and Samus deep into the heart of the mountain, where more and more their eyes depended upon artificial light. In what felt like the innermost region of the mountain, they finally reached an antechamber where Sharp and several other Chozo were waiting.
"Welcome, Warrior. Welcome, Daughter of Wind." Sharp smiled as Veaning and Samus drew closer to the flock of Chozo the elder was standing amongst. All the other individuals were wearing flowing robes and ceremonial crowns depicting their rank. Besides Sharp, there was one other planetary leader hailing from a far away colony. There were sixteen lesser-ranking elders of cities, including Wind Elder. And there was a whole gaggle of biologists, technicians, archivists and other specialists.
"Samus Aran, our Defender, our Hatchling." Sharp introduced in a loud enough voice for all her colleagues to hear. "The Warrior to whom we all belong, and who belongs to all of us." Several Chozo lowered their heads in respect of the bounty hunter.
"Thank you, elder Sharp." Samus said as she bowed in return, privately wondering if Sharp enjoyed displaying her in front of so many important people. But despite inner thoughts, her face was a neutral mask, often worn when something makes her uncomfortable. "I don't want to take up too much of your time, or the time of all these elders, so I'll be blunt. How is the progress on my suit going? I know you summoned me here because there is some news on it."
Sharp sighed as if weary, her head sinking on her thin, elegant neck. "The truth is, progress on your suit has been slow. It is stubborn in its genetic structure, such that any changes we make will immediately be rejected and it would revert back to its original state." She rotated her shoulders, making her artificial wings flutter. She seemed uncomfortable about what she was about to say next. "We believe that in order to alter the power suit, we will have to adjust your own DNA first. Then the suit will change on its own according to your new genetic makeup."
"That's fine with me." The bounty hunter replied. There was a pause. Samus frowned. "So...what's the problem?"
"We shall have to put you in a biosac in order to implement the changes." Sharp hesitated, her beak clicking. "Do you accept this?"
The word 'biosac' did not register in Samus's mind immediately. Then she paled, only for a brief moment, when she suddenly recalled the memory. She swallowed, regained her composure and replied, "Why shouldn't I? I'll do whatever it takes to get me back to normal." Her memory of her time within a biosac was not pleasant, and it seemed as if all the Chozo already knew this from the stories they told of her. "Hell. The sooner we get this over with, the better." Samus said with unnecessary force. Sharp saw through the bounty hunter's facade very clearly, but she expected no other response from the legendary Defender. The elder nodded mutely and led her and the other Chozo into the next chamber.
It was a large chamber, stadium-sized, but somehow managed to feel very cramped at the same time. There were no windows. Most of the space was occupied by several spherical, transparent structures, balloon-like sacs filled with a liquid substance. Mechanical veins and roots wrapped around the top and bottom of the spheres, connecting them to computers and energy sources. They emmitted a faint blue glow which dyed the entire chamber with its illumination. These were the biosacs, Chozo-made machines built to perform all biological adjustments, healings, growths and regrowths. There was a male Chozo in one of the sacs in the process of having his broken leg mended. The fusion suit was in the center another sac, floating, hooked up to countless, hair-thin wires.
Samus stared up at the biosacs towering over her, their transparent sides beaded heavily with condensation, although it was actually warm to her touch. She was surprised to find her hand trembling. Was she really that scared? Logically, she knew she had nothing to be afraid of; the biosac was a machine of healing. But that knowledge did nothing against the nightmares that would still sometimes resurface during the dark, lonely nights on faraway planets. Her fear was a child's fear, a terror from her past.
"Are you ready?" Veaning asked. She placed her beak against Samus's face, trying to comfort the human. "You know you don't have to do this now."
The bounty hunter shrugged her off. "I'm ready." She said. If her fear was known, then so was her determination.
The head biologist clicked his talons on an interface, making the entrance to the sac iris open. Samus undressed herself and handed her clothes to Veaning before stepping into the entrance chamber. The door sealed itself shut with a click, cutting off the rest of the world. The bounty hunter experienced a moment of claustrophobic terror which she had to consciously surpress. She hugged her naked arms against herself, feeling cold and vulnerable. She took a slow breath, then another. She may not have the chance to breathe again for a while. The little room began to fill with the blue liquid of the biosac. Its consistency was thicker than water, and felt warm to her feet. Soon, everything below Samus's waist was submerged. The room was almost half-full when a sudden change in pressure sucked all the liquid, and Samus included, down a tube which eventually expelled her up into the main sphere.
An eerie world of silence greeted the bounty hunter; all sound was blocked out by the liquid. Samus opened her eyes and brushed away the webs of her own hair, which drifted around her face like seaweed. She exhaled and watched in morbid facination as the bubbles of air left her body, floating towards what must be the upwards direction, although she couldn't tell for certain. Then she breathed in. Her whole body convulsed violently, suddenly, as the viscous liquid filled her lungs. Her limbs flailed instinctivly in panic, trying in vain to bring her to the surface. There was no air; she was going to drown! She screamed, soundlessly, losing more of her precious air. She swallowed some of the liquid, choking on its corrosive taste.
For what seemed like hours, but was only minutes, the woman huntress writhed in agony, fighting against nothing. Eventually, she exhausted herself and felt her body relax, drifting limp like a corpse in the middle of an ocean. A more lucid portion of her mind resurfaced where her panic once overwhelmed. Obviously the liquid had enough oxygen content to supply her blood, otherwise she wouldn't be alive by now. It felt so heavy and uncomfortable inside her; humans simply weren't designed to breathe liquid. She wondered if the other Chozo were watching. She twisted her body for a better view and saw the elders watching her, as well as the flock of technicians and biologists who controlled the biosacs. They seemed relieved now that she had finally stopped struggling. Everything out there looked blue and distorted from the liquid, as if it were they and not her who was immersed in water.
A thin wire snaked through the fluid and poked a needle into Samus's hand. She mouthed the words "Ow." even though it didn't hurt. The needle was much too delicate to even register on her pain receptors; it simply felt like an insect leg landing on her skin. Hundreds of the wires came from the top and bottom of the biosac, piercing through every surface of her body. The technicians and biologists went to work, examining the data the wires sent to them and sending back information which would alter Samus's genetic makeup, forever changing her material existance.
A version of anesthetic was sent through one of the wires to help Samus relax. She felt its effects almost immediately and vaguely wondered why she was getting so sleepy. Her eyes drooped and her shoulders slumped. She curled up her legs against her chest and wrapped her arms around them, like a child in the womb, and fell asleep.
************
How do I even begin to describe this... this sudden metamorphosis of my body. It was nothing like my previous biological transformation, when the Chozo blood was first introduced to my system so many years ago. Those changes had been slow and subtle, carefully overseen by my adoptive parents, and the results predictable. The transformation engineered by the Federation scientists was crude, sudden and painful in comparison.
I stared at the mechanical skin of my hand, now inexplicably more organic than technological in appearance. Well, my suit had always been biomechanical to some degree, but in the span of a few hours, the balance had shifted dramatically towards the biological. Very strange, and deeply disturbing. The sensation of waking in a foreign body was still fresh in my mind: the initial disbelief, then denial, and finally helpless acceptance. There was nothing that could be done now; I should be grateful that I even survived the X infection.
I clenched my hand into a fist. Interesting how the suit's new 'skin' was almost as responsive as the skin I was born in. I ran a finger along the top of my leg. The leg actually shuddered, ticklish. Every inch of the suit's exterior surface could experience sensation, with the exception of my helmet and arm cannon. I guess with the loss of old abilities, new ones could emerge. In some poetic sense, my rebirth could be compared to the evolutionary metamorphosis of some creatures. Like, for example... the butterfly... or the amphibian.
...Or the metroid.
Hatchling saved my life, again. But despite what I owe, I'll never be able to repay my debt to my poor metroid. I sighed deeply, and put a hand to my visored head. I felt tired. Why am I suddenly thinking about the past? There's no use dwelling on these sort of things. Perhaps I'll feel more like myself once I'm out of my fusion suit. I haven't taken it off since the surgery. There hadn't been time. But God, what I would give for a shower right now.
I leaned back on the commander's chair, trying to relax, if only for a moment, and failing. The chair was uncomfortable, not 'broken in' from long usage. And the ship's computer unnerved me. It's bad enough that the machine was my new CO for this mission (for I hated taking orders), but it had unseen eyes watching every corner of this ship, and later, the research station. I value my solitude, and even more, my privacy. I didn't particularly appreciate the unprecedented degree of surveillance the Galactic Federation had me under. I thought I aided the GF long enough for them to understand my preference for working alone.
Oh, I complained, of course, but for them, the dilemma I had was very simple: take the mission and the ship, or nothing at all. And they were unnecessarily shrill and insistent about my taking this particular ship, with the computerized Commanding Officer. It was strange. Perhaps I shouldn't have agreed so impetuously, both to the ship and the mission. But for all its irregularities, I didn't find the Federation's behavior too unusual, perhaps just a bit eccentric. I needed a ship, and they were willing to provide me one.
"We'll soon be arriving at the B.S.L. research station. I must prepare for docking."
The computer's artificial voice cut through my wandering thoughts, bringing me back to reality. I experienced a twinge of frustration and annoyance when I heard the computer's clipped, monotone statements. I suspected the feeling would mature into a simmering anger once the CO started barking orders at me. And yet, the feeling brought back nostalgic memories of someone else I once served under. Another CO, a human I had known, long ago. I allowed myself a low chuckle at the memory and gazed out the front window.
The B.S.L. research station grew steadily to fill my range of vision. It was big enough to be an oblong asteroid of sorts, slicing silently along SR388's orbit like another moon. I haven't actually set foot aboard the station, there was no reason to, but I've seen it several times from a distance. Sometimes I saw it while cruising on my previous ship, and sometimes during the clear nights on the surface of SR388. It was built not too long ago, after the extinction of the metroids by my own hand. None of those creatures would ever see this new satellite circling their home planet. But if they did see it, I mused if they would feel a stab of apprehension, of confusion, or even wonder at the sight of this foreign object in their night sky. But I guess we'll never know.
The gravity aboard the ship shifted, my suit adjusted to compensate, and the engines silenced themselves upon landing. Everything was still for a brief moment, until I interfaced with the computer. The mechanics of the ship and my beam cannon whirred in unison as the station's basic map was downloaded into my suit, appearing on my visor.
"There's been an explosion in the Quarantine Bay." The computer informed me in both voice and text. "The bay currently stores capsules containing recent samples from SR388 as well as parts of your suit infected by the X parasites." This much I already knew. My first suspicion was that bandits were after the pieces of my suit in hopes of acquiring some of the Chozo technology. My heart jumped at the prospect that they might even be Space Pirates! I wondered if they've missed me after all these years. I've certainly missed them.
My CO continued. "The cause of the explosion is as yet unclear. Investigate. The Quarantine Bay is here." A small target appeared in the corner of my map screen. "Move quickly and quietly... You are still unable to use most of your latent abilities. Don't forget that, Samus. Stop at the Navigation Room on the way. Uplink from there."
I did what the computer said without question. I'm sure it wasn't interested in hearing my opinion anyways.
The B.S.L. laboratory seemed a clean and sterile place, to the point of lifelessness. At least this section of it did; the other sectors were breeding enviroments, supposedly housing a myriad of species from one of six ecosystems. This deck was supposed to be the living quarters for the B.S.L. scientists. So why wasn't anyone here? There's been radio silence from the station ever since the report about the explosion came in. I readied the sleeker gun of my fusion suit and walked ahead at a steady pace. I was uneasy, on the account of my degraded suit and the unknown journey into potential danger. But heck, I ate that sort of uneasy for breakfast.
I arrived at the Quarantine Bay without incident, but that hardly put me at ease. I saw nothing out of place, that is, until I neared the bay's entrance. A ruin of twisted metal and dislodged rubble greeted me there, completely out of place compared to the rest of the stark main deck. I dropped to one knee and put a hand on the blackened structural alloy. It was warm to the touch. So the damage here was recent. I was mildly surprised to actually feel the heat at the fusion suit's fingertips, instead of having the data coded to words for my visor to report.
Another possible explanation for the explosion occurred to me: perhaps the B.S.L. scientists stashed some hazardous material here, which, once activated, knocked out everyone by the concussion of the blast or the release of some substance into the air. I dismissed both theories quickly. My sensors detected no gases or dangerous microorganisms in the air, aside from the ones normally found in a human-suitable atmosphere. And the explosion, though violent in it's own respect, was not enough to damage any other part of the station. It only had the power of, say, one of my power bombs. It certainly resembled a power bomb blast, and I could even detect trace materials found in the explosives I often used.
The computer had informed me earlier of biosigns within the bay. I entered cautiously, stepping gingerly over the debris, trying to be as quiet as possible. The inside of the bay was even more damaged than the outside. Pieces of shattered containment tubes and broken transport boxes were everywhere, littering the floors. All the containers were emptied of their contents. I climbed over several boxes when I heard something move. I froze, listening. It sounded like the slapping of large feet, something which I've heard before on the SR388 surface. Sure enough, it was the sound of a hornoad, a species indigenous to the planet.
"What are you doing here?" I inquired of the frog-like beast. It snapped its jaws at me and coughed out corrosive a liquid, some of which landed on my foot. "Ow! Damn!" My energy meter dropped a bit to repair the damage, and I glared accusingly at the hornoad. It stared back, seeming to smile with the mouth that took up almost half its body. This creature was hardly dangerous enough to be the cause of the explosion, but it was enough of a hazard for humans on the main deck. I unleashed two shots into its oversized maw, killing it quickly.
And then I experienced a strange feeling of deja vu. Time seemed to slow down as my memory flashed back to my last encounter with a hornoad. Too late did I remember that it was the X which burst out from the creature's innards that infected me, mutated my suit, and nearly took my life. I stared at the gelantinous parasite I had released, mesmerized by its pulsing, formless dance, horrified at what I had done. The X flew around haphazardly, and as I turned to run, it collided with my left shoulder.
"Agh!" I fell to my knees and tried in vain to scrape the infection off with my right gun hand. Shit! I'll need to rush back to HQ if I was to get treatment in time. I couldn't afford to lose any more of my suit's abilities... The X parasite seeped into my skin, and penetrated my flesh... and, and...
...And it felt nice.
I inhaled deeply and slowly, delighting in the unexpected pleasure. Who knew X infection could feel this good? It felt like some of the small joys I had experienced in my life: delicious meals, occasional sunset walks along crystal beaches, my first Space Pirate kill. It was the taste of chocolate ice cream, a peck on the cheek, and a hot shower after weeks within my power suit. Did it feel this good the first time I was infected? I blinked, confused. I noticed my suit's energy had been replenished back to maximum. Perhaps one of the fusion suit's new features included the sensation of pleasure every time I gained energy. But why would I gain energy when I absorb an X...? Could this be some sort of trick?
The pleasant feeling faded, leaving a tingling sensation where it first entered my body. I stood up, sobered and suspicious. Was the X chewing at my nervous system right now, without my knowledge? But why the pleasure, why the energy gain? This didn't happen last time. It was possible that my suit had adapted an immunity to the X since my last infection. Or perhaps the real cause of this was stranger than I realized. I should talk to the computer, see if it had any answers for me. I rushed to the nearest Navigation Room.