After she felt that she had put sufficient distance between herself and the pirate facility, Samus collapsed to the ground, exhausted.
Zebes…it had been destroyed. She had watched it explode into millions of tiny fragments, and watched those fragments disintegrate. And yet, like so many other things that she blew up, it had inexplicably returned.
How could that be?
In addition, Zebes' surface was supposed to be almost completely barren…yet here she was in a prosperous jungle. Could Ridley have been lying?
What reason would he have to lie, though?
Samus sighed in frustration. So many questions, and she wasn't anywhere near close to finding the answers. She lay on her back, staring at the sky as if it would provide her with them. But the fading light did nothing to alleviate her thoughts.
-=-=-
When Samus woke, she was staring up at a gray metal ceiling.
She instantly sprang upwards. She had fallen asleep...she cursed her stupidity. Now the Space Pirates had captured her, and her Power Suit was gone. Panicking, she searched for an exit. She spotted a door that lay slightly ajar, much to her confusion. Perhaps the pirates didn't consider her a threat without her suit?
With an apprehensive feeling of dread, Samus tiptoed over to the door and peaked out.
Nobody was there, but her Power Suit lay against the wall, each individual piece intact and…polished?
Now Samus was even more confused. Maybe it was a trap…that could explain it. But why not just keep her locked up?
Just in case, though, she ignored her Power Suit and continued down the hall. Voices floated from the opposite door, which, like the previous one, lay slightly ajar. Samus, with some hesitation, opened it.
She caught a brief glimpse of two birdlike figures before a floating machine with an eye in the center came up to her face, blocking her view.
"Hm. The Hatchling is awake," it declared, then flew off.
Samus was greeted with the sight of two of the Chozo.
Samus could only stare, her mouth agape.
"Samus," one of them greeted, "it's good to see you again."
Samus tried to find the words to express herself. "I…I thought you were all gone!" she exclaimed.
"Most of us are," conceded the Chozo. "But a few of us decided to stay here, to help you when you needed it. And, well…here you are." He gave a slight smile.
"Did Old Bird stay behind?" Samus asked eagerly, remembering her surrogate father with fondness.
The Chozo's smile faded. "No, I'm afraid not. He told me to tell you that he'll miss you dearly, though."
Samus felt a slight sense of disappointment, but she realized that she should be grateful to these two.
"What are your names?" she asked them.
The Chozo's smile returned. "I'm Ashen Feather," he said. "And that," he continued, turning to his companion, "is White Voice. He's the son of Gray Voice – you've met Gray Voice, I recall." White gave a distracted wave.
Ashen Feather turned back to Samus. "He's mute," he explained to her, "but he's still invaluable to us. For whatever reason, he's the only one Mother Brain will still take orders from."
"Mother Brain's still here?" Samus demanded, recalling her thoughts earlier that nothing she blew up ever stayed blown up.
Ashen nodded. "We needed to reconstruct her to keep control of Zebes. We think we've eliminated all the errors that caused her to become rogue, but she has a few bugs as a result. Only taking orders from White is one of them, but it's a small price to pay for keeping Zebes from becoming a wasteland again."
"Speaking of Zebes," Samus said, "I blew it up. How is it back?"
Ashen Feather grinned. "The Chozo who decided to move on have powers beyond our understanding. They brought this place back for a specific reason."
"What was the reason?" Samus asked, her curiosity piqued. Ashen shrugged. "Who knows? Right now, though, there are bigger problems. Specifically, that," he said, pointing to her hand.
"How did you get infected with Metroid DNA?" Ashen Feather questioned. Samus frowned at his choice of words. "Infected"...
"The Federation infused me with it. Sure, they might be corrupt, but it was the only way to save me."
"Save you from what?" asked Ashen.
"The X Parasites," responded Samus.
Samus expected Ashen Feather to have a greater reaction, but he seemed nonplussed by the fact that Samus had been infected by an X Parasite. "Out of the furnace and into the fire," he murmured. Samus frowned again.
"Well, it's a good thing the infection hasn't spread too far. With luck, we can remove the Metroid DNA from your body before it -"
"Remove it?" Samus interrupted. "Why would we want to remove it? Without it, I would be dead right now!"
Ashen began to get agitated. "Being dead is better than what that DNA will do to you! Besides, you have no need of it!"
"The Metroid DNA is the only way I can withstand the X Parasites!"
"The X Parasites are all dead! We detected the destruction of SR388!"
"One of them survived and it's on this very planet!"
Ashen suddenly became still.
"There's…one here?"
He instantly turned to White Voice. "White Voice, order Mother Brain to do a scan for X Parasite DNA."
"That won't be necessary," the floating machine with the eye said, returning. "I detected the presence of an X two days ago."
"What?!" Ashen Feather exclaimed, turning to it. "Why didn't you tell me or White Voice until now?"
"The X was in a state of dormancy," it explained. "It wasn't a threat at the time."
Ashen narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, 'at the time'?
"The X was released a matter of hours ago. It has already reproduced and has begun taking over the ecosystem. At the current rate, the X will have infected the entire planet within a month, not taking account potential complications."
"A month," Ashen Feather repeated in disbelief. He turned to Samus. "You wouldn't consider transferring your infection to me so that I may keep you safe, would you?" he asked. Samus shook her head, and Ashen sighed. "I expected as much. At the very least, though, allow Mother Brain to analyze the infection."
"That should be fine," Samus responded, and the floating machine led the way to Mother Brain's chamber.
Extra #5: The Space Pirates
The Space Pirates were formed shortly after the formation of the Galactic Federation. Ruthless, cunning, and powerful, they have a single goal - complete galactic conquest.
To this end, they use everything at their disposal. When they encounter anything useful, they will do their best to replicate it for use with their own troops. They are not above cloning and genetic engineering, either; in fact, no one really knows what the Space Pirates looked like before they began experimenting on themselves. The Pirates call few species allies; only the KiHunters and Ridley's own race before near-extinction were close to them.
The Space Pirates are ruled by High Command, a council of five Space Pirate leaders. Oddly enough, only three of the five are of the real Space Pirate race. Ridley is one member of High Command, and Mother Brain was another before she was destroyed by Samus Aran.
High Command is incredibly important to the Space Pirates, to the point that their minds are actually backed up on a computer system. If a member dies, they are either replaced by a clone or a genetically engineered specimen. Their minds are then re-uploaded to the new body.
The main stronghold of the Space Pirates is currently unknown. It was once thought to be Urtragia, their homeworld, but extensive searching of the planet yielded no signs of High Command.
As Samus walked through the halls of Tourian, the floating machine leading the way, memories of her times on Zebes came flowing back to her. She recalled, from her time growing up on Zebes, that the floating machine she now followed was a device used to allow Mother Brain to communicate with the rest of the denizens of the planet without them having to come to her. The first time she had come down this hall, it had been to be infused with Chozo DNA.
The second and third times, she had come to destroy the Mother Brain.
She wondered, with an ironic smile, if she'd have to do it again later on.
"We're here," the floating machine announced. The door hatch opened, and Samus entered Mother Brain's chamber.
When under attack, the bridges leading to Mother Brain retracted, and Rinka projectors and turrets constantly attacked the intruder. In addition, lava would rise up from below. None of this was present now; the only recognizable sign that this was the same chamber that Samus had visited in the past were the Zebetites, regenerative capsules that supplied nutrients to Mother Brain, along with acting as barriers. Samus looked at her floating companion questioningly, wondering how she was supposed to get through them. As if on cue, the Zebetites were disabled.
As Samus walked through the spaces they had been earlier, they resumed their activity. It made Samus feel as if she was being trapped.
At last, Samus came to the enormous glass tank holding Mother Brain. She looked similar to a normal human brain, but spikes protruded from all over her. A single lidded eye opened up in the center of the brain to survey Samus.
"Hatchling," it greeted, mimicking the speech of the Chozo. It didn't feel right, though; when the Chozo said it, it felt loving. When the Mother Brain said it, it felt like a mockery.
Samus hated the Mother Brain. She had hated it since she was a child, she hated it as an adult, and even now, when it was on her side, she still hated it.
"Let's just get this over with," Samus said. "I don't want this to last any longer than it has to."
"As you wish, Hatchling," responded the Mother Brain. "Please, step into this containment pod." To Samus's left, a pod opened, containing all sorts of strange machinery. She complied, walking into it.
The pod doors closed. "Beginning scan."
-=-=-
"You will be under the command of General Arvo," Rodriguez said to Wesley as they walked down the hall. "For this mission, we're using a new ship. I think you'll agree that it's the best choice."
As they rounded the corner into the docking bay, the ship came into view. Wesley's eyes widened as he gazed upon it.
The ship was even bigger than an Olympus-class battleship. It was loaded for bear, as well; weapons almost completely covered the ship's hull. "Ice-powered weaponry," Rodriguez said, gesturing to the two cannons on either side of the ship. "Her Varia Suit may protect her from the cold, but it's still very potent against her."
General Arvo wheeled toward them, his eyes glinting. "So, Wesley…I see that you'll still be with me." Wesley nodded. "Fine. But whether or not Aran is threatening your life…don't try to deceive me. Believe me, whatever fate she would have in mind for you is much kinder than what I'll do to you if I find out that you're lying to me." Glaring at him once more, he headed up into the ship.
"Pleasant, isn't he?" Rodriguez remarked dryly. "Well, you'd best get going. Good luck!"
-=-=-
"Odd," commented the Mother Brain. "Very odd."
"What's odd?" asked Samus as she stepped out of the pod.
"A number of things. First, are you aware that the Galactic Federation can pinpoint your exact location at any time?"
"What?" Samus said.
"It's true. They're in possession of your former shipboard computer, and it's still connected to you."
"Adam…" Samus murmured. She had forgotten to disconnect her suit from him. She'd have to do that the first time she got the chance.
"Second," Mother Brain continued, "the Metroid DNA within you is reacting with the Chozo DNA. Normally, I'd be able to tell you exactly what will happen to you, but this is unprecedented. I'll have to run some simulations to find out the results. I should have them within a few hours.
"Finally, your mind is slowly changing. Normally, such a thing would drive you to insanity, but something is different with you. I would, however, expect that you will soon feel distinctly more…how should I say this…vicious."
Samus nodded. "To be honest, I've already been feeling that way, a bit."
"Hm. Well, there's one more thing you should know: most of the Space Pirates have been infected by the X Parasites. However, a number of them have moved underground to prevent infection, since the X haven't discovered the underground caverns yet. All of them are in Brinstar. I would recommend that you wait a while before confronting them, though. If I'm correct, the Metroid DNA should grant you more powers, which would be invaluable in facing them."
"All right," Samus conceded. "I'll wait." She walked off. The single eye of Mother Brain watched her.
-=-=-
"No doubt about it," Arvo declared. "That's Zebes. It's back."
The ship entered the planet's atmosphere. As it did, Arvo turned to his crew. "We're going to land near the entrance to the planet's underground. Unless I'm mistaken, Aran should be down there somewhere. Be on guard; there's no telling what we'll find, especially considering that the planet's supposed to have exploded."
Wesley wasn't paying much attention. He was too busy worrying about Samus. He had betrayed her…what if she focused completely on killing him? His mind was filled with bloody images of the various ways he could die.
They landed.
The squad of fifteen all exited the ship. "Fly around this area," Arvo ordered the pilot. "Keep an eye out for Aran. If you see her, fire at will."
The pilot saluted and lifted off.
Arvo led his squad through the area. Eventually, they reached an elevator.
Wesley arched an eyebrow. "How are we all supposed to fit on that tiny thing?" he asked.
"We'll take turns," Arvo replied.
Fifteen minutes and one huge inconvenience later, all of them were down there. Plant life choked the caverns, giving them a distinctly jungle-like appearance.
Arvo boldly stepped ahead, then froze as he saw something.
"Ridley," he gasped audibly. At this, the space dragon glanced upward and spotted him.
"ARVO!" he roared.
"RUN!" yelled Arvo.
However, before they could run, an immense being crashed through the ceiling, blocking off all their paths.
This was not going as well as they had hoped.
Wesley and several others gaped up at the immense monstrosity that towered before them. The remainder of the squad were busy worrying about the space dragon on the other side.
"What the hell is that thing?" Wesley whispered.
"A Kraid," responded one of the soldiers, his face pale. "I read about them a few years back…they're supposed to be extinct, but I guess they're not…"
In the meantime, Arvo's mind was filled with plans for escape. He doubted that he'd survive this encounter…confined to a wheelchair, there was no chance. "Listen," he whispered to a nearby soldier, "when someone – anyone – attacks first, whether it's us or them, I want all the best troops focused on Ridley – the dragon," he added, sensing the soldier's confusion at the names.
"Shouldn't we focus our attacks on the big thing, though?"
"Kraid isn't much of a threat, despite his size. He's powerful, yes, but not nearly as powerful as Ridley."
The Space Pirate leader was, during this time, surveying the situation with the calculating eye of a military leader. He always assessed the situation before attacking…and besides, it wasn't as if this ragtag group would dare to strike first.
He also wanted to savor the moments before finally killing the traitor to the Space Pirates.
Satisfied that there were no hidden threats, Ridley let loose a fireball at the crippled traitor. He grinned at Arvo's screams as he was burned. Turning his attention to the rest, he signaled for Kraid to begin attacking.
With a monstrous roar, the massive lizard began his assault, with Ridley providing aid. General Arvo's plan quickly fell to pieces; the ensuing chaos didn't allow anyone to concentrate on one thing at a time. A spike from Kraid pinned one soldier to the wall, while another was slashed by Ridley's spiked tail.
"Did that thing just shoot spikes out of its belly button?!" one soldier asked in disbelief.
"One of its- " Another soldier was about to correct him when he fell prey to Ridley's fiery breath.
Amidst all this chaos, Wesley stood huddled in the shadows, cowering at the slaughter and praying that he wouldn't be seen. He hid his face in his hands.
"What are you doing?" hissed someone next to him. He started and reached for his gun, but saw that it was an ally.
"General Arvo!" he gasped. "That fireball didn't kill you?"
The general, his wheelchair having been destroyed, had managed to crawl over to Wesley. "I've been through worse," Arvo replied hoarsely. "But why are you here when your comrades are out there risking their lives? Surely you aren't that cowardly?"
Wesley looked at the ground guiltily. "I want to live," he mumbled, repeating his mantra from earlier.
Arvo looked at him in disgust. "You'll die eventually," the Space Pirate pointed out. "While I don't fault you for wanting to live longer, you're sacrificing others' lives for your own selfish reasons! They could use your help!"
"I want to live," responded Wesley dumbly.
Arvo sighed. "Listen," he said, "I have an idea that will help them and will almost guarantee your survival. Kraid's back, unlike his front, is completely vulnerable. Just sneak around him, and fire at will. With him distracted, it shouldn't be too difficult."
"But what about Ridley?"
Arvo smirked. "Let me worry about Ridley. You just do as I instructed."
Although he was hesitant, Tarus Wesley still respected General Arvo, and trusted his orders. Keeping to the shadows, he edged around Kraid, wincing whenever one of his allies was harmed. At one point, some blood splattered on him. His face grew visibly paler.
Wesley soon found himself behind Kraid. Despite the lack of the imposing face, the beast was still as fearsome as ever from the back. Wesley took out his gun and searched for a suitable spot to fire at…the neck seemed like a good choice.
He took a deep breath, and fired.
The first shot seemed to have no effect. The second shot stunned Kraid for a moment. The third shot caused him to roar in agony. By the fifth shot, he was dead.
"…Wow," commented Wesley. "That was easier than I thought."
His cheerfulness only lasted a moment; Kraid's corpse fell over, crushing one of his comrades. Wesley grew pale again. Of the original fifteen soldiers assigned to the mission, only seven remained, including him.
At that moment, Ridley let out another roar. This one was not a battle cry, however; it was a roar of pain.
General Arvo had shot Ridley's eyes out.
Arvo collapsed to the ground, fatigued by the effort it took to reach Ridley and shoot his eye sockets without being noticed. He grinned slightly.
"Let it be known that, on this day, Space Pirate Unit 1337, a.k.a., Arvo, fulfilled his vow to his former squad after his betrayal to blind a member of High Command," he said tiredly.
Despite being blinded, Ridley's hearing was still as sharp as ever. He turned in the direction of Arvo's voice. "And let it be known," Ridley responded with venomous hatred, "that on this day, Space Pirate Unit 1337, a.k.a., Arvo, was rightfully killed by the very squad leader he disgraced on the day of his betrayal. We won't be missing you," the space dragon snarled, and, with a swipe of his spiked tail, slit Arvo's throat.
Ridley grabbed the dying body and flew off, although he bumped into several walls along the way.
-=-=-
For the first time since her childhood, Samus was genuinely happy.
She enjoyed her profession as a bounty hunter, but it wasn't the same as being happy. Here, amongst Ashen Feather and White Voice, she felt at home. There was the looming danger of the Space Pirates and the X Parasites, of course, but she'd be damned if she'd let that ruin her time with the first Chozo she had seen since she was just a girl.
Mother Brain, however, had no reservations about reminding her of what needed to be done. She was talking with Ashen Feather when the floating avatar of Mother Brain approached.
"I have uncovered some new data I think you'd like to know," the machine said. "Federation troopers landed on the planet an hour ago. They recently did battle with Ridley and Kraid. Kraid was killed, and Ridley was blinded. Seven of them remain out of the sixteen that came."
"Why would Federation troopers be here?" Ashen Feather wondered.
Samus sighed. "It's my fault. I disobeyed their orders and destroyed some of their experiments, so now they've declared me a criminal. They probably sent the troopers after me to capture me or kill me."
"Quite likely," Mother Brain agreed. Samus glared at it with such intensity that even the machine recoiled a bit. It flew away, muttering something about having data to analyze.
"So, what were we talking about again?" Samus asked Ashen. The Chozo frowned.
"Samus, Mother Brain has a point. We should be focusing on how we can end all these threats."
Samus frowned back, and was about to respond when Ashen cut her off.
"I know it's been a long time since you've been among us, and I know that you want to spend time with us. That's fine, but there'll be plenty of time for such things after we've gotten rid of the threats." He smiled at her gently.
Samus was unable to come up with a sufficient counter-argument, so she merely grunted in reply.
"White Voice," Ashen Feather called, "would you kindly order Mother Brain to open the training chamber?"
"What for?" questioned Samus.
"To train you, of course," laughed Ashen Feather. "While the Metroid DNA may have terrifying effects, it has some useful ones, as well. We're going to try to draw the useful ones out more quickly. Come on!"