To anybody who actually reads this. Sorry if this chapter is stupid or something. I wasn't really sure where to go with the story at this point. I don't quite remember what I was thinking when I wrote this chapter. Maybe if the chapter is stupid that'll get me some negative reviews. Actually, I'd be happy with any reviews, positive or negative. Oh, and I'd like to thank the two people who have been nice enough to review this. They are named phazon and alleycat1312. I hereby congratulate them with the ranks of Review Master and Great Grammatical Helper respectively. If it wasn't for them I would have given up on this story long ago.
Samus again looked at the time displayed on her visor. They were three minutes late. Samus had called and agreed to join the beta squad. It sounded kind of interesting and it would be nice to have the federation off her back. Samus shifted her weight to the other leg and continued staring around her. She was standing next to a table in the middle of a restaurant named, "Squalak's Bar and Grill". She saw some armored people enter the restaurant. When she waved they ignored her. They were the wrong people.
Samus sighed inside her helmet then she saw another group enter through the revolving door. She recognized Mambosa.
"I'm over here.", shouted Samus. The group walked over and sat down at the table. Samus could see several of them looking at her with curiosity.
"So, you are the Samus, the new recruit?", asked one being through a pair of mandibles.
"Yes I am. Hurry up before I change my mind."
"Yes, well, you've made a good choice. From what I've heard you don't need any training so we should be able to get started right away.", said an old man, picking at a mole. Samus didn't reply. There was an awkward silence and then a waitress came to their table. The old man offered to pay for everyone and they ordered their food.
"So how is it that you came to be in so much trouble with the federation?", asked the old man, "I have not been told."
"They just wanted my suit that badly.", answered Samus.
Several of the people at the table shook their heads when they heard this.
"I am sorry to hear this", replied the old man.
"Yes, the federation did a similar thing to me, said a tall being wearing a gas mask, "The federation conquered my planet in a war. They gave me the choices of joining their special forces or death. This called for craftiness. Sure, I joined, but one day I will make sure that the men behind this will get what they deserve."
Samus was surprised, "You're allowed to say things like that?", asked Samus.
"Yes", said the old man, "what happens in the beta squad stays with the beta squad. Most of us, including myself have been scorned by the federation government. We merely put up with the federation until the day comes we will be able to pay them back." Samus began to think these people weren't so bad. They were actually like her in a way.
"Well, this isn't what I expected. I was thinking all of you would hate me.", said Samus.
"We understand how you feel, my name's James", said the old man, extending his hand. Samus shook it. She then shook the hands of the others who introduced themselves as Gothan, Tamluk-xan, Adam, Balag, and Shamaz. Mambosa did not introduce himself as he had already met Samus. He simply said hi. James, Adam, Mambosa, and Shamaz were humans. Tamluk-xan was the cloaked being wearing a gas mask. Gothan was an insectoid being and Balag resembled a sasquatch with a mechanical arm. The waitress arrived with their food and smiled.
"Well, you folks look like you're up to something."
"What if we are?", grunted Tamluk-xan.
"Just don't break anything."
"He's just joking. We're simply here to discuss some important manners.", explained James.
The waitress nodded, "Well, I'll leave you alone, call if you need refills or anything.", before walking away. Everyone at the table began eating except for Tamluk-xan who, strangely, absorbed the food through his hands. This made Samus stare but she decided it was a topic best avoided.
They all went about eating their food and talked about various things until they were done. James stood up, implying that it was time to leave.
"Yo, we can't leave yet! We haven't properly initiated Samus.", observed Mambosa. The others who were still sitting rambled in agreement. Samus's eyes widened. She didn't like the sound of this.
James sat back down in his chair, complaining, "Why must you people always do this?" Balag looked over to Samus and saw the nervous look on her face. She had taken off her helmet to eat.
"Do not worry, it's not that bad. You'll live.", said Balag, in a mocking voice.
"Is this initiation some kind of ritual?" asked Samus, curiously. Everyone excluding James laughed.
"Yeah, something like that.", said Balag.
"Hey.. uh.. Melissa!" shouted Shamaz to the waitress, reading her name tag.
She walked over. "Yes."
"Can you get us a big bottle of that Telrusian ale?, the hard stuff, We don't want it watered down."
"Are you sure?", asked Melissa, "That stuff''s pretty strong I hear."
"We're sure."
"If you say so."
Samus glanced at the grinning faces of her new comrades. Well, the ones with faces she could see.
"This Telrusia ale sounds alcoholic." She had never had alcohol before. The chozo never drank anything alcoholic. They didn't have anything against it. Alcohol was just never popular with them.
"Oho, it's alcoholic alright. It's a special alcohol made from war wasp honey. Illegal on 35 planets.", said Shamaz, making wide gestures with his arms. Samus gulped.
"It's not dangerous, is it?"
"Don't worry, you'll live, you'll just regret it in the morning." Samus wasn't so sure about this. She had seen the effects of alcohol on some people she had killed in a bar once.
The waitress arrived carrying a large, dark bottle, bigger than her head, "Here you go. Be responsible." She quickly walked away.
Everyone at the table began to chant, "Drink, drink, drink!", staring at Samus. Tamluk-xan popped the top off of the bottle and poured some out into a glass. Samus saw the strange green color of the liguid pouring into the glass. It was the most bubbly drink she had ever seen. Tamluk scooted the drink in front of Samus.
"I'm not sure about this.", protested Samus.
"Go on, you can do it!", shouted Shamaz. Similar encouragements were heard from the others. Samus reluctantly lifted the glass to her lips. The bubbles tickled. She took a small sip and immediately sprayed it out on the spectators. They seemed to expect this. It was horrifically bitter. This was the most disgusting tasting thing Samus had ever tasted, but then it wasn't made for its taste. People from several other tables had joined to watch. Upon hearing the spectators cheer again Samus raised the glass and took another sip.
She managed to keep from spitting it out and swallowed it. The liquid hit her stomach like a rock and Samus leaned forward a bit. Several people clapped and then began a new chant, "Chug it, chug it." Samus slowly emptied more of the drink into her mouth. What was this? Her vision began to blur and she felt tired.
"What, I can't see, ugh, where's the cup, yeah, there it is.", thought Samus to herself. She missed her mouth and spilled some of the ale on her face. She got it right a second time. She finished almost the entire glass and then fell over in her chair and dropped it. She gripped the edge of the table and pulled herself back up, grinning. Everyone cheered.
"You've done it, you've really done it. You're an official member.", congratulated Balag.
"Thash good right. I can have the cake now?", asked Samus with a glazed look in her eyes. Her face then went pale and she barfed right on the table before passing out on the floor.
Shamaz shook his head, "Oh, that's not attractive at all." The waitress glared at them and then walked off into the kitchen.
8 hours later
Samus's eyes opened and she looked at the ceiling and then her surroundings. She was laying in a cot on some kind of ship. She was still wearing her power suit without her helmet. Her helmet was sitting on a small table across the room next to several books and a pistol. Oh, she had such a horrible headache.
"I am never doing that again.", she mumbled to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose. Adam stepped into the room, "She's awake." Soon the rest of the beta squad entered as well.
"Ugh, where am I?", asked Samus in a drowsy, disgusted voice.
"You're in our ship. We had to carry your heavy self down here. That armor didn't help.", explained Shamaz in an irritated voice.
"Sorry. I'm never getting drunk again."
"Oh, but it was amazing! I've never seen anyone drink that much of the stuff."
"No."
"Well, there's no doubt you're one of us now.", said Adam. Balag and James said some things but Samus ignored them.
"Please just let me sleep a little longer." They understood how she felt and left her in peace. She fell asleep thinking about how this probably wasn't what Sobimoruu had in mind when he said she would fulfill a prophecy.