Chapter 3

Samus found herself in a glass tube overlooking a huge expanse covered in lava, much like Norfair or the Magmoor Caverns, except it was more outdoorsy. Suddenly a huge creature leapt out of the lava and shattered the tube, nearly catching Samus in it's huge jaws. "That was close," she said. Running down to ground level, she leapt across the lava fields with care. Then, without warning, the huge creature, some kind of lava whale, hurled itself toward her, it's massive jaws opened wide. Samus dodged it just in time. The thing continued to lunge for her, even smashing thru rock to get at her. Samus avoided it and ran thru the door at the end, panting. Cursing under her breath, she swore an oath that she would kill that thing when she was strong enough.

She was in a small room that looked like an armory. Various firearms were stacked up, but chief among them were many freeze guns identical to the ones that Adam and the others used. Grabbing one of them, she stripped it down and absorbed it's basic components into her arm cannon to create the Ice Beam.

Suddenly several Space Pirates dropped from the ceiling. Samus froze them with her new toy, then shattered them with a missile. "Looks like your Ice Beam is pretty effective," said Adam. Samus grinned.

As she neared her objective, Samus came across a lava crater. As she climbed it, without warning the lava started rising. As she ran to escape it, a huge hand came out of the lava and tried to grab her. She dodged it and was able to make it to the top in time. When she did, a huge monster with a long neck and arms came out and attacked: Goyagma.

Samus froze the creature's neck with the Ice Beam and shattered it with a missile. Goyagma screamed and swiped at her with it's limbs. Samus jumped over them easily. The thing slammed it's hands into the ground, trying to hit her, but she avoided them. On it's last try, the thing paused for a moment with it's hand on the ground. That was a mistake. Samus fired a charged shot, encasing Goyagma's whole arm in ice. Running up the frozen limb, Samus jumped on it's head, charged the Ice Beam, and blew it's head clean off.

With the monster's death, the lava lowered, and Samus continued on. Going past the elevator to the Main Deck, she came to a room with a large lake and no platforms. Looking up, she saw a viable attach point for the Grapple Beam. Samus cursed herself for not having the foresight to bring it with her. "Okay Samus," said Adam, "head to Sector 2. There's a high probability of survivors hiding there. We'll have to take care of that freak of nature later." Samus went back to the elevator and took it up to the Main Deck, then took the lift to Sector 2: the Cryosphere. As the elevator went down, the mechanical voice spoke again. "This elevator is bound for Sector 2. A level 4 warning is now in effect in Sector 2. An irregularity in the climate control systems of Sector 2 has been confirmed. Please be sure to wear protective equipment and use extreme care when moving around this floor." Samus snorted with contempt.

Sector 2 was a vast, arctic environment, much like the Phendrana Drifts in Tallon IV. A great deal of pleasant nostalgia went thru Samus's mind as she traveled across sparkling snowy landscapes tempered by the occasional indoor room or corridor. In one such corridor, a large one with big fans blowing cold air, Samus found a dead antler beast lying beneath a broken fan. Curious, Samus scanned the lifeless body. What her Scan Visor told her sent subzero temperatures piercing every fiber of her being.

The creature's corpse showed signs of what looked like Metroidpridation, making my mind race: Metroids?! Here?! Impossible! Metroids can't tolerate cold temperatures. They'd be too sluggish to even move in this environment. Besides, they're extinct. The baby was the last of it's kind.

Samus soon came to a solid wall of ice. "The most efficient way thru here should be delivering high shoulder impacts with your Speed Booster, so I'm authorizing it's use." Samus nodded and ran thru the wall, smashing it to pieces. Continuing on, she came to a large snowy area with a large building. As she neared the entrance, Samus saw a limp form lying in the snow. It was one of her comrades. He looked as though he had been hit in the face with a freeze attack. "Maurice," she said.

Suddenly, she noticed a blond-haired girl staring at her from a window. After a moment, she ran off. Samus entered the building and pursued her. The building they were in turned out to be a materials storehouse, with large crates piled up. The girl was obviously frightened. "Don't come near me!" she screamed. "I know why you're here!" "No, you don't understand. I'm here to rescue you." "You're lying!" she said. "I know the Federation wants to silence everyone who knows about our work here!" "That may well be," said Samus. "But-" "How can I trust you when your troops are willing to kill each other?!"

Samus staggered back, a wave of disbelief rising off of her like steam. My god…

Suddenly, the sound of a machine starting up issued from behind a wall of crates. The wall was pushed aside, and a huge construction vehicle picked up one of the crates and threw it at them. The woman ran off, and as the door to the cab closed, Samus caught a glimpse of someone in a GF uniform at the controls.

Samus froze one of the vehicle's limbs with the Ice Beam and blasted it off with a missile. The other one followed suit, after which Samus froze it's treads to the floor, leaped up on the roof, and destroyed the exposed power core with a charged shot. The bulldozer spun out of control, slamming into the wall, where it short-circuited and shut down. Before Samus could make a move, the driver leapt out and scrambled to safety. Samus pounded the floor in frustration.

The woman believed the Federation had been sent to the Bottle Ship to keep those in the know from leaking information about the project. And no wonder: she'd been attacked by someone in a Federation uniform, and she implied that Maurice had been killed by another soldier. Considering the mortal danger we'd survived together, I had to agree with her: there was a traitor among us.

"Samus, the wavelength of that monster's cry is driving the other creatures into a frenzy," said Adam. "It's hiding in Sector 3 now. Follow it. If you run into that thing, show no mercy. You've got to take it down."

Before heading to Sector 3, Samus plundered the storehouse and found many useful items. Using these materials, she was able to fashion the Grapple Beam and Super Missile upgrades. After leaving the storehouse, Samus eventually encountered several Space Pirates. After killing them, she noticed that one of them had an unusual weapon on him. Examining it, she was able to strip it down and manufacture the Wave Beam.

After using the Morph Ball to get past a steep snowy incline, Samus found herself in a small glass room with another one facing it. In that room, a switch could be seen. Samus used the Wave Beam to penetrate the glass and hit the switch, which activated a huge elevator platform. Samus made her way to the platform and took it to the top. It reminded her of the cargo freight lift to Deck Gamma on the Orpheon.

Suddenly a huge flying crustacean appeared. It fired missiles at Samus, apparently from an integrated launcher. Landing on the elevator, it swung it's arms, which were a bit more like tentacles, at her. Samus dodged and fired a missile at it's face. The creature lifted itself up, revealing a glowing red spot. Samus fired a missile at it, stunning him. Running underneath it, Samus unleashed a charged Wave Beam right in it's belly at point blank range. The creature screamed in pain. Taking to the air, it gave one venomous look at Samus and fled.

Samus took the elevator to the Main Deck. While waiting, she pondered all that had occurred.

With those creatures crafted into killers running free, the Bottle Ship had been turned into a nightmare replica of Zebes. At this rate, the plan the Federation wanted to keep so secret would be revealed. So they send in an assassin, someone to wipe out any survivors as well as anyone who learned about the secret project. KG, James, Anthony, and… Adam. Could one of them really be a traitor? Until I found out who it was, I decided to call him the Deleter.

Samus took the elevator to Sector 3. The automated voice spoke again. "This elevator is bound for Sector 3. A level 4 warning is now in effect in Sector 3. An irregularity has been confirmed in the geothermal power plant and the experimental simulated desert area. All staff members are asked to please evacuate immediately."

Samus headed toward the geothermal power plant. When she entered the next room, she heard a familiar sound. The creature she had fought on the elevator was standing on the floor above, holding Anthony in the air above the lava, as if to drop him in. "Samus, quick! Get to Anthony and cover him!" said Adam.

Samus fired the Grapple Beam from her left hand and jumped up on the ledge to tackle the creature. "Leave my friend alone, you freak!" she screamed. This time, she fired a Super Missile at him. Once again, the monster fled. Samus swore to kill him before her job was done.

"Whew! Thanks Samus," said Anthony. "So, you get called out here too?" "Called?" said Samus. "The commander gave us a new directive to move as a unit," he said. "Our gather point was a navigation booth near here, but when no one showed, I thought I'd just take a look around. That's when I got jumped by that thing."

"What's your unit directive?" Samus asked. "I'm tracking lizard boy." "We were heading to the geothermal power plant to open the magma eruption port," said Anthony. "It seemed a little excessive to send the whole unit to do it, but he's the commander. He musta had a reason." Samus nodded. "So Samus," he said, "How you feelin' about the commander, huh?"

"Ian, don't let your guard down," said Adam. "There were 300 people on board. Their lives are in your hands."

The team had come in response to a distress call from a ship whose power core was overloaded. Ian's job was to shut down the reactor, thus preventing catastrophic meltdown. Even though she'd been in situations like this before, Samus couldn't help feeling a bit nervous. Although she did not, as many in her regiment believed, harbor any special feelings for Ian, he was Adam's brother, so she was concerned for his safety.

A few minutes later, alarms started going off. "Commander! The drive unit is overheating beyond our estimates!" said one of the crew. "It's going to explode!" "Ian!" Samus cried. "It's going critical! What do we do?!" Adam hesitated. "Prepare to disengage the drive unit immediately." "But… Ian's still inside!" said the pilot.

Samus grabbed his hand. "Adam, I can reach him! Give me the order please!" "Disengage the drive unit," he said. "Adam, wait!" Samus yelled." "Please let me go, I mean… that's Ian! That's your little brother out there!" "We're out of time, sir!" another crew member said. "Just give me a chance! Adam please, you have to trust me! Just give me a chance!"

For a moment, he did not respond. Then finally, he spoke. "Disengage the drive unit immediately," he said. "That's an order."

Adam was right. If we had waited any longer it would've been not only the end of those we'd come to rescue, but the end of us as well. I knew that, but…

"At the very least," said Anthony, "you wouldn't be standing here right now. That's what the commander was worried about."

With a choked sob, Samus spat a four letter word.

"I was such a stupid bitch. No one should have to make the choice that Adam did, and yet all I could do was question his authority and make things more difficult." "Hey, you were just a pup then, and the commander knows it," Anthony said. "Look, best just forget about it." He started to walk away, then paused. "Man… did something like that happen now? Huh. Best just forget about it. Let's go."

I knew the question Anthony was suppressing, and I knew the answer: if something like that happened again, I would hold fast to that one glimmer of hope and try for redemption. It's who I am.

In a large room filled with lava, Samus found the lava whale that had pissed her off. It roared, revealing a grapple point hidden in it's mouth. Samus used the Grapple Beam to pull him on the rock she was standing on, then fired at it's pink belly while it floundered.

After repeating this several times, the whale Vorash spat out the grapple point. Samus could no longer use it. Fortunately, the creature made the mistake of jumping onto the platform and trying to scoop her in his jaws. Samus rolled her eyes. Clearly, Vorash was not the brains of the outfit. With contemptuous ease, she dodged the gaping maw and fired a Super Missile at the pink belly, instantly killing Vorash.

With the lava whale dead, the lava lowered and Samus continued on her way.

Samus traveled to the geothermal power plant. In one room, she saw the lizard. It was tied to the wall with some sort of webbing, ripped open from neck to tail. Samus could see it's ribs clearly. That thing evolved again? What does it look like now? She would have a terrible answer soon enough.

In the plant, it was pitch black. Samus looked for anything that resembled a switch. Suddenly she saw a targeting laser. It moved across the room and centered on her. She could just make out someone in a GF suit aiming it at her.

"Samus, get out of the way!" said Anthony. Samus sighed with relief and moved. A dark shape flew overhead. It was too dark to make out, but she did glimpse a dark, angled head and pointed tail that seemed very familiar.

A cold pit formed in Samus's stomach. It can't be.

"Man, I can't see a thing in here," said Anthony. "Where's the exit at?" "Over there," Samus pointed. No sooner were the words out of her mouth than the bridge blew up. "Huh, only one thing to do then," Anthony said. "Let's tear this thing up." "Wait," she said. "Leave this one to me. Don't waste your plasma."

"Samus, blast the eruption port to get the magma flowing," said Adam. "Use your super missiles." Samus destroyed the door. Molten liquid poured into the room, lighting everything up. Then a dark shape rose up and landed on the platform, screaming it's challenge in Samus's face. In the brilliant light of the fire below, the creature's adult form was revealed. Dropping to her knees, in a voice taut with shock and disbelief, a stunned Samus breathed a single word.

"Ridley?!"

It shook her, and she staggered into memory.

Trapped in a shattered house with a huge dragon staring down at her. Watching helplessly as it ripped her baby brother in half and gutted her mother while a Space Pirate shot her father. Slamming the durasteel bar into Ridley's chest and turning her head from the fiery, flaring, explosive consequences. Pride and joy at her revenge complete at last. Grieving her family one final time.

Ridley's claws closed around Samus. Lifting her in the air, he slammed her against the wall.

"LET HER GO!" screamed Anthony. He fired a green plasma beam that struck him in the chest. Ridley dropped Samus, and she fell onto the platform stunned. "Hey! Hey punk! Don't you know how to treat a lady?!" the enraged soldier yelled. "Man, you got no style! I think I gotta teach you a lesson about subtlety! Come on!"

"Anthony!" Samus cried. "Don't do it!" Anthony dodged a swipe of Ridley's claws, but there was no way he could avoid his tail. With a whack, he was flying off the platform and down into the magma below. Samus leaped up to catch him, but Ridley landed in front of her. It was too late.

"You will pay… for all the lives you have stolen today! Motherf #$%&!"

And the battle began.

This new Ridley was powerful. Claws that could pierce steel, teeth that could sever the neck of a wild ox with a single bite, a tail that could puncture durasteel, and fire that could melt it. But the reason the real Ridley had been so hard to kill was none of these. He'd had the best armor, shields, and weapons the Pirates could give him. This new Ridley did not. While it's natural armor and weapons were substantial, they were not enough to stand against the Newborn. This Ridley clone was simply too inexperienced. Too raw. It's organic chitinous hide was no match for her super missiles. The battle raged for several minutes, for even so, the creature was still a powerful opponent. But in the end, Samus would not be denied. Super missile after super missile ripped his tough skin to shreds, and at last with a loud scream, he fell. After a moment, he leapt up and flew at Samus.

Samus did not jump away. She had been waiting for this. She fired another super missile at his already shattered chest. Screaming, Ridley faltered in mid-flight, then smashed thru the opposite wall and was gone.

I wondered if Anthony was conscious as he hit bottom. Unbearable thoughts welled up within me, making me want to get as far away as I could. I regretted not being able to protect him. And I regretted thinking, even for a moment, that he was the Deleter. Or would fail to come to my aid at the expense of his own safety.

After using Anthony's primitive plasma cannon to manufacture a new Plasma Beam, Samus left Sector 3.

Something was gnawing at me. Communication with Adam had ceased. From the Deleter's point of view, Adam would represent the biggest threat. But he was Adam Malkovich: he wouldn't go down easily. And Adam would already know about the Deleter, so there's no way he would let his guard down. If that was the case, then why couldn't I reach him?

Samus stepped out of the main elevator. Suddenly, she saw the Deleter walking toward the door to Sector 1.

Samus wanted nothing more than to obliterate him, but she decided that she should follow him to see what he was up to. After chasing him through half the sector, she saw him go into a large room with a bridge. She entered just in time to so him retract the bridge on the opposite side and enter the room beyond. Samus turned around. The Deleter had wrecked the controls on her side.

Samus walked to the edge of the retracted bridge. "Any objections, Adam?" she said.

Samus used the Space Jump and Screw Attack to cross to the other side. In the next room, she saw an elevator and took it down to the Bioweapon Research Center.

After walking through a narrow corridor, Samus found herself in a fairly large room with a computer mainframe. Suddenly a side door opened and the blond girl she had saved came out. Upon noticing Samus, she bolted into the room she had come and locked the door.

"Oh for crap sake!" said Samus. "If I wanted you dead, I could've looked the other way while that Tonka bulldozer smashed you into chu jelly! Now will you open the damn door?!" After a short pause, the door opened. "Thank you. I'm Samus Aran. What's your name?"

The girl was silent for a long time. Finally she spoke. "Madeline… Bergman."

"I thought so," said Samus.