Metroid: Mission Alpha

Episode 15: The Search for the Eternal Orbs

While Samus and Alpha had managed to keep Master Greblai and Master Silhouite from taking Foreterna's Eternal Orb, the two villains still had the other four Eternal Orbs in their possession. It was now Samus and Alpha's mission to track down and take back those Eternal Orbs.

The Gunship landed on Lavolca, outside the large cave. "Master Greblai and Master Silhouite have definitely returned to Lavolca," Michael's voice said, "I'm not picking up any energy readings from the Eternal Orbs, though-they may have already been drained. Also, it appears the volcanoes are still active."

"We're on it," Samus, in her newly repaired Power Suit, replied. Her Snacanid ally, Alpha, looked up at her in waiting for the next command. Samus turned her Power Suit into the Gravity Suit. "It's time for us to find what we were unable to save," she said. She left the Gunship as Alpha followed, activating his Fire ability.

The Lavolcian cave had not changed since the duo's last visit. It was empty of life at the entrance but full of lava, which they were able to pass through. The other rooms were the same up to the settlement Samus and Alpha had encountered before. All was quiet there, but the two felt that they were not alone. They stopped and looked around, Alpha's ears twitching at a sound nearby. "Did you hear that?" Samus said softly. Alpha nodded slowly. "Keep an eye out," Samus carefully moved ahead, with Alpha following.

After only a few steps, A Greblai, seemingly out of nowhere, pounced at Alpha. The Snacanid fell to the ground, struggling against the Greblai. Samus could not attack the evil creature without harming Alpha as well, so she instead grabbed onto him with her Grappling Beam. "Alpha, now is your chance!" she called out, and Alpha rolled out of the way of the Greblai; then he got up and ran over to Samus. His armored ally let go of the Greblai and immediately fired at him. The Greblai dodged the attacks and fled.

Seeing that Alpha was all right, Samus quickly led him out of the settlement. Both of them looked inside Master Greblai's lair cautiously, but only one Greblai guard was there. "Master Greblai and Master Silhouite must be watching the Eternal Orbs somewhere else," Samus said once they were away from the lair.

Soon, the two of them came to an area they didn't recognize. On every wall of the first room was a door, and the rooms ahead contained yet more doors. For a moment all was silent, but then an alarm sounded and the light of the room turned red. "Intruder alert! Lock down all doors!" a mechanical voice said. Samus and Alpha ran, making it through several doors before they closed and diving under another just in time. But in the next room, the doors had already closed.

"Stand back!" Samus warned Alpha, and then she launched a Super Missile, destroying one of the doors. Alpha and she ran through the new opening.

After that point, it seemed as though Greblai and Silhouites were everywhere. They ran through the rooms and tried to attack, but Samus and Alpha ran right by them. They soon were becoming a problem, however, so Samus said, "We're going to need a burst of speed." Taking Alpha in her arms, she activated the Speed Booster and dashed at high speed through the next several rooms. All the Greblai and Silhouites jumped out of the way.

When the swarm of creatures cleared, Samus stopped and Alpha jumped back onto the ground. They could see that the next room was the lab, only more brightly lit than before. Inside, Master Greblai and Master Silhouite were watching the Eternal Orbs. "There they are!" Samus said softly. As quietly as possible, Alpha and she entered the lab. Then she launched a missile, which broke the glass of the capsule containing the orbs.

The two villains swiftly turned around, but Samus was already at the capsule, grabbing the Eternal Orbs. Master Silhouite tried to stop her with his tentacles, but she dodged. "So you're the cause of the emergency lockdown!" Master Greblai said, "I should have known!" Alpha ran at him, but he created a bright flash of light. Briefly blinded, Alpha stepped back. But Samus's visor protected her eyes, so she launched a Wave Beam.

Master Greblai and Master Silhouite dodged the beam, and the latter lengthened his tentacles. Samus ran for the exit, but one tentacle managed to grip her arm cannon. She tried to get away, but it was no use. Alpha pounced upon Master Silhouite, but the shadowy villain grabbed the Eternal Orbs from Samus, let go of her, and then immediately teleported. Alpha fell to the ground, and Samus noticed that Master Greblai had left. "It looks like we'll have to find Master Silhouite if we want the Eternal Orbs," she said.

Samus and Alpha left the lab and, after making sure no one else was around, Samus took out her speaker. "Michael, Master Silhouite got away! Can you see where he is?"

"Well, I do see a remote life form moving around an area to your left. It's probably him," came the reply a moment later.

"We'll look there first," Samus replied, and put her speaker away. Then she moved to her left with Alpha. First, the two of them passed through the long hall and the room with the cell where they had been before. Then they came to a room blocked by a large pool of lava, which appeared deserted like the previous rooms. Samus went into the lava pool and jumped out onto the other side, and Alpha swam across the surface.

After that room was another settlement. This one looked slightly different from the other, and a Silhouite could be seen in the distance. "I have a feeling that other settlement is the Greblai settlement, and this is the Silhouite settlement," Samus said, "Master Silhouite's lair is probably nearby." So Alpha and she moved on and soon came to a large room filled with Silhouites. In the center of the room was Master Silhouite, still holding the Eternal Orbs, communing with his workers in a language neither Samus nor Alpha understood.

This was Master Silhouite's lair, and there was only one way to get the Eternal Orbs back. Samus and Alpha ran into the room, and Samus fired an Ice Beam. All the Silhouites dodged it just in time. "So, you've managed to find me," Master Silhouite said slyly.

"Give up the Eternal Orbs, now!" Samus insisted.

"That I will not do," Master Silhouite gripped the orbs tightly and flew at Samus, but she jumped out of the way. She launched a Charge Beam that hit Master Silhouite, but the villain was not finished yet. He lengthened his tentacles, which Samus and Alpha were able to avoid.

Alpha had an idea. He used his Wind ability, stepped in front of Samus, and blew. The smaller Silhouites were blown through the air by the gust. Master Silhouite struggled against the force, but soon he was also blown away. This caused him to drop the Eternal Orbs, which Samus grabbed as soon as Alpha stopped blowing. Then Alpha and she swiftly raced out of the lair and through the cave. Master Silhouite chased them, but they managed to escape the cave. Just in time, they boarded the Gunship and flew off.

Once away from Lavolca, Samus told Michael through the CM, "The Eternal Orbs have successfully been found."

"Great work, both of you. Could you bring them here? I have something important to tell you."

Samus and Alpha returned to HQ. Once inside, they went over to Michael. "I've managed to pinpoint the locations where the Eternal Orbs should go," he said, "I'm going to give one of them to four of the other bounty hunters and have each of them put that one where it belongs. The reason I'm sending them to take care of this is because I just recently received an urgent distress signal from the planet Noctre. It's very important that we check it out, and you are the most suited for the job."

"We understand," Samus answered, handing over the Eternal Orbs, "We'll move on right away. Ready to go, Alpha?" Alpha barked in agreement, and so Samus and he headed back to the Gunship, ready to set off on their next adventure.

(Original story from February 2017)