Hello everyone it's been a freaking long time since I have updated this story, I know, and I do apologize. I started writing this story when I was a young teenager, without a care for grammar, or proof reading. But you should notice my writing has changed in these new chapters.
So how excited is everyone for Metroid Dread, and Halo Infinite!? I am going to be doing filler for the time being in this chapter especially. While we wait for each game to come out. But since Dread releases before Infinite, I will be writing quite a bit of the story from Samus's point of view, but again with my fan created version of Samus. When those chapters come I will put spoiler warnings for those who haven't finished Dread or Infinite. Blue team will still be a part of the chapters just maybe not as much, we shall see. I am hoping to link up Dread with Infinite in some sort of way. I think I have an idea of how and what I am going to do just based on the small bits of Infinite's story.
And a warning to those who are not a fan of Master Chief, or any of the Spartans showing emotions such as, compassion, empathy, hurt, and comfort. This may not be the story for you. It is a family relationship I have between Blue Team and Samus. With Master Chief being the biggest parental role to Samus, who is younger than what she actually is in the Metroid games. I tend to fill most of my stories with comfort and emotional crap haha. So if you are not a fan of that, this may not be the story for you.
But thank you to all who have been following this story. Thank you for being patient with me and putting up with my shitty teenage grammar and writing skills in the past chapters, hopefully I will go back and fix those ones at some point!
Anyway enjoy!
"You were in the middle of telling us what a Gray Voice is." Kelly refreshed the teen's confused mind.
"Right, uuuh, I forgot to... ummm... to do something..." Samus changed the subject, briskly walking away from the teams of Spartans.
"Avoidance seems to be one of her strongest tactics." Linda noted.
"Indeed." Chief exhaled deeply in agreement with the sharp shooter. But he also played the same game on occasion. He only wished he could understand the sudden disinclination from the teen. "Kelly, go ask Arbiter if there's a training grounds we can use. It might be something that can occupy us all."
"Sure John." Kelly obliged, making her way to the Arbiter's tent, while Chief followed the orange armor.
Hearing the familiar footfalls of the Spartan leader, the teen knew he was coming over to see if she was okay. And no doubt to try and talk her out of leaving the planet by herself. "Why is it so hard for everyone to understand that I have explored almost every planet I've been to, alone?" Samus didn't even turn around to face the green Spartan.
"Because you're a part of our team. And you're not the only one on this planet. This isn't an evacuated, or abandoned planet, holding as a criminal alien outpost, with zero law systems." Chief blatantly replied. "We are guests here, awaiting orders. Now, do you want to tell me why you're so restless?"
Samus visibly shrunk, sighing deeply. "I'm not in the mood to talk about the past. It's in the past, end of story."
"You may not be, but I will listen when you're ready." John simply replied, standing next to the smaller armour.
Samus turned to her father figure. "So let me get this straight. You, mister stoic Spartan leader who barely speaks or opens up about his past. Wants to lecture me about opening up and talking about past trauma?"
"I can see you're alright enough to keep your nuclear level of sarcasm at full capacity." Chief commented back with a minimal amount of sarcasm.
"I think sarcasm is one of your more obvious traits. It definitely needs some work though. Or do you just reserve all your sarcasm for me?" Samus continued to talk back.
"That's enough Samus." Master Chief firmly told the teen.
Samus groaned fed up with the attempted conversation. "Ugh, Chief, I don't want to talk about what happened in the past. I'm not ready now, maybe not ever."
"Then tell me about your future." John said with little emotion twisting the subject.
Samus blinked behind her acid green visor. "My future?" She scoffed making sure she heard Master Chief correctly.
"Yes, tell me." John replied, as still as stone.
"How the hell am I supposed to tell the future? I'm barely holding onto the reality in front of me!" Samus hissed storming past Kelly, into her violet ship.
"I know Samus is a moody teenager, but wow she seems quite cagey." Kelly commented as she approached her team leader. "By the way, Arbiter said we can use the sand pits down that hill."
Master Chief nodded with uncertainty. "I wish I could understand why Samus is so on edge."
"We're all on edge right now." Kelly sighed walking up to her leader. "Give it time John. She already explained the brunt of her insane, frustrating missions. If Samus eventually wishes to go deeper into detail, so be it. But for now, we've all been through a lot. Let Samus be the stubborn, moody, teen that she is, and hide her feelings. We need to focus on Cortana's motivations."
John focused his gaze on the violet ship. He didn't like Samus hiding in her starship, his gut feeling told him it was highly plausible that she could take off and leave.
"John, leave her be, she won't run off." Kelly coaxed her leader to follow her back to the others.
Master Chief reluctantly followed Kelly, but knew those were famous last words.
"Lady, I have received a transmission from Spartan 117." The ship's computer mentioned.
Samus groaned rolling her eyes. "Of course..."
"Would you like to review?" Adam asked.
"Just read it Adam." The teen replied short, staring out the cockpit window watching Kelly lead Chief back to the camp.
"Spartan 117, mentions that the team is heading to the sand pits for training exercises. You are permitted to join, if you wish." Adam's robotic voice read the message aloud.
The young teen shrugged her shoulders, exiting her ship. "Well at least they won't harass me too much if we're running exercises." Walking through the camp alone was incredibly awkward. All eyes from the Swords Of Sangheilios Sangheili, Unggoy, and UNSC personal observed her as she made her way through.
"Youngling." A deep voice called from one of the Sangheili groups.
Samus slightly turned her helmet in the direction of the voice, hesitantly halting wondering if the voice was trying to get her attention?
Arbiter was indeed calling the young teen. "Come youngling." He beckoned for the young armour to approach him.
"Yes, sir..." Samus cautiously approached, unsure of how to address Chief's alien friend.
"You have received clearance from the other colonies across the planet. Though they refused to organize escort squads for you, as they feel it is senseless to risk themselves for your ancestors relics while we're facing a greater challenge from the AI. I apologize." Arbiter explained, clearly showing disappointment in his tone.
"No need to apologize sir. I am capable of retrieving the relics on my own." Samus replied.
The Kaidon gave a nod in acknowledgement, sending the girl the precise locations of said Chozo artifacts. "Here is the precise locations of the artifacts, to make your journey easier for you."
"Thank you, I will see you all in a while." Samus bowed her helmet gratefully, before exiting the camp through the canyon. "Adam, which location is the closest?"
"There are three in this region, I will pilot the ship to follow your course." The AI replied.
"Aren't you afraid that she may just leave the planet once she retrieves all her artifacts?"Buck questioned his Commander watching as the ship disappeared.
"A bit. Unfortunately the brat is right, I can't do anything if she does run off. We've got more important matters to worry about than run away teen bounty hunters." Commander Palmer replied to the former ODST.
"So you're saying if she collects what she needs, Samus is allowed to leave?" Vale questioned.
"Unfortunately, though I would gladly imprison her if I could. But if the military she was hired by allows bounty hunters to work with them, we have no say in it." Sarah's tone had hidden frustration the more she realized she could do nothing about the bounty hunter.
"Isn't that Federation looking for her, why not just contact them and have them deal with it?" Buck suggested.
"I can't do that, we know nothing about their military. They could be a threat to us, and we have enough on our plate." The Commander scoffed shaking her head. She was desperately trying to figure out why the Infinity disappeared, and how to gain a ship to find the lost Infinity. She was not concerned about the teen at this time.
"Linda, you have been cleaning your suit for two hours now." Fred complained to the sharpshooter.
"I'm getting sand out of it, I don't want it to seize my armour, after all I'm the one that covers you on the battlefield." Linda replied to the impatient spartan.
A few hours had passed by, Blue Team had been sparring for quite a while. Master Chief had been staring in the direction of camp, wondering if the teen would eventually appear on the hill.
"John, would you like to go check on Samus?" Kelly exhaled with a groan, as the team had waited long enough for their leader to join them in sparring.
John didn't hesitate, leading his team back into camp. Scanning the camp with his eyes he saw no bright blue zero suit, or orange and white armour.
"Well she's not terrorizing the camp, Samus must be in her ship still." Fred commented on the calm camp.
Terror struck John's heart when his eyes found no violet ship docked on the edge of the camp. "Commander Palmer, where's Samus?!" He quickly turned to the white armoured Spartan.
"I couldn't answer that Master Chief, she left hours ago, that kid could be anywhere." Palmer replied, not easing the panic building in the Spartan Two.
"She just up and left, without saying anything?" Kelly asked in disbelief.
"No, the youngling is retrieving her relics. The other regions granted access to the hunter, without escorts." Arbiter explained to the confused Blue Team.
"Without escorts, Samus is alone? She couldn't have alerted our team that she needed some backup?" Fred thought aloud.
"At ease Blue Team, Samus is not a member of our team. And from what I've heard, that creature of a bounty hunter can handle herself." Sarah said after hearing Fred's concerned tone.
Samus piloted her ship around the ridge of the canyon, parking her aircraft a few feet away from its original parking spot. "Ugh, I'm telling you Adam, I hate when I have to work in the water."
"Good thing you have gravity features to make it easier for you." The AI commented, making Samus snort with a laugh. "You have collected the necessary artifacts for your ship's upgrades. You collected them ahead of schedule. I believe that is what matters, Lady." Adam replied to his master's complaining.
Samus rolled her eyes with a shrug. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." Gazing out the windshield of her ship, she could see Blue Team communicating with Arbiter and the Commander. "I'm going to go thank Arbiter for allowing me to gain these artifacts. Keep the ship locked, and please don't allow others in unless I permit it." The teen said, exiting her starship.
"Most of the relics were not on sacred grounds, and laid on the more treacherous regions of our planet. That is why the other Keeps refused to escort." Arbiter explained to Blue Team.
"Excuse me, Arbiter?" Samus called from behind the massive alien. "I just wanted to thank you for allowing me to retrieve my ship's components."
"You're most welcome youngling." Arbiter respectfully bowed his armoured head.
"Hey, I wouldn't be shot down if I decided to leave the planet right?" Samus asked informally of course.
"No, unless you become a threat. The Sangheili cannot keep you grounded." Arbiter replied to the questioning teen.
"Okay, good." Samus nodded in understanding.
"Samus, why didn't you tell us you were going to retrieve those artifacts?" John questioned his adopted daughter.
"Because I knew it would be quicker if I went by myself. I didn't want to interrupt your sparring." Samus shrugged her shoulders.
"We thought you left us you brat." Kelly hissed at the teen.
"Not yet." Samus replied to which she was positive Chief was glaring at her through his visor.
"What do you mean, not yet?" Palmer questioned.
"Well, I have to update my ship first, then I will be out of your hair." Samus replied to the skeptical Commander.
"Well, don't let us stop you from repairing your ship." Sarah replied, leaving the conversation.
"Funny how fast she can go from I'm going to arrest you, to get the fuck out of my sight..." Samus shrugged pivoting in the direction of her ship. Hearing a team of footfalls behind her, she figured Blue Team was in tow of her.
"So you're really just going to update your ship and leave?" Kelly asked Samus as they all stopped next to the violet ship.
Samus was getting really tired of everyone questioning her while she was getting ready to leave. "What do you want me to do?"
"I'm sorry?" Kelly replied confused.
"You all question my choices, what I do, what you think I shouldn't do. If you know all the answers to how I should be running my life, then please tell me what's best for me so I can ignore you and do what's best for the universe." Samus sarcastically answered, shocking the team of Spartans.
"Samus, you're being a bit unfair, there's no need to be so defensive. We're just concerned about you..." Fred tried to explain before John could.
"I'm not though. I don't wait for trouble to find me, I don't wait for dangerous situations to land in my lap and give me commands. I seek it out, I locate distress signals and heed their calls." The teen scoffed before abruptly leaving the conversation by entering her ship.
"There's a Spartan attempting to enter your ship. Shall I continue to deny access to others?" Adam notified the young teen.
"Show me." Samus looked at the screen that appeared on the windscreen showing the green Spartan. "Let him in, but only him."
"Right away." The AI replied, allowing the green Spartan to access the ship.
"Are you here to continue to lecture me?" The teen challenged her father figure.
"No." Chief replied emotionless. "Are you wondering around, locating danger, and responding to distress calls because you're afraid?"
"Afraid?" Samus replied trying to hide her true answer behind a nervous laugh.
"Samus." John said waiting for the truth. "When your home planet was invaded..."
Samus closed her eyes mournfully, interrupting Master Chief. "It was a mining colony, nothing special. The Federation didn't respond to the distress call until hours, maybe even days, after the Chozo rescued me. Same happened with Zebes, when the Covenant invaded. The Federation didn't care to tend to Zebes until Mother Brain began to raise hell."
"You've vowed to respond to every distress call you encounter, so that others may not suffer the losses you had." Chief thought aloud. "You do that instead of taking revenge on the Galactic Federation."
"I don't want revenge, I don't have a vendetta against the Federation. They've always been questionable, and seeing the shit that they've done in my last missions, proves that they are twisted. I wish for them to become more sensible." The girl replied with a scoff. "Do I think something should be done about them? Only if they push me off the edge and present themselves as fully corrupted."
Chief watched as Samus placed her canon into a conduit that lit up, siphoning the information from her suite. "Samus, you can't save everyone. You're going to respond to a distress call, and it will be too late."
The teen shook her head. "You don't think I already regretfully met that situation?"
"Look, we've all noticed you've become incredibly closed off and defensive since coming back from your bounty adventures." Master Chief spoke honestly about his observations.
"Can I ask you a question?" Samus replied with a query.
Chief nodded hesitantly in reply.
"After your years of training, and time spent in the battlefield, have you not become bitter, and numb?"
John thought for a moment, numb probably wasn't the right word to describe what he was. He was numb to certain situations, yes. But was he bitter? "I haven't. I am not overly engaging socially, but I focus on the task at hand. Perhaps I have become numb to certain situations but I do not believe I am bitter."
"You're not bitter about my lifestyle, and choices? You weren't bitter, and frustrated, when you engaged Locke in a scrap?" The teen challenged the Spartan.
"Samus, you should not be fuelled by the rage and hurt you're suppressing..."
Samus leapt up stopping the Spartan's words. "You don't get it!" her suit flared flickering off for just a moment. "My first solo mission taught me to be more wary of the strangers I meet, it pushed me to become stronger. The missions and contracts I have done taught me to keep my trust circle small. The devastation I've seen matured my mind, it made me realize how much loss can happen. But I keep pushing forward."
"Samus..." John placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.
"I have to go, if I don't I'm going to be endangering everyone around me." The young teen replied softly. "There's no need to have the UNSC cross paths with the Galactic Federation."
"It may happen eventually Samus, we cannot predict the future." Chief mentioned.
"That may be true, but I'm still leaving once this ship is calibrated and adapted to its new components." Samus reminded her Spartan as he followed her out of the ship.
"How long will that be?" John asked curiously.
"Adam?" Samus called out for an answer to that question.
"Estimated time of completion is twelve hours, Lady." Adam responded through Samus's helmet speakers.
"Simple GF starship, I have been slowly making you better." The teen cursed.
"So Sammy, you're certain that you're okay on your own?" Kelly said to the teen with concern.
"I've made it this far. And I'm not too alone, I've got Adam." The teen shrugged in reply.
"I would be careful with your AI friend Samus. He's a part of the Federation you were talking about, plus what about Cortana's manipulations?" Fred warned the alien teenager.
Samus was well aware that her AI could possibly set a trap for her. "I'm good at taking down AI's if the moment arises. But I trust that Adam has my back, the GF would deactivate him for treason anyway." The teen followed Blue Team back into camp.
"Hey kid!?" Palmer called out to the mutated suit of armour.
"Commander?" Samus turned her acid green visor in the direction of the calling Spartan.
"Do you have long range communications on your ship?" Sarah asked.
"In my ship, and suit, yes." Samus nodded. "Why?"
"Can we use it to attempt to contact the Infinity?" The Commander asked the young girl. "We've been trying to with what we have. With the Sangheili's aid. But haven't gotten anywhere."
Samus cringed behind her visor, Sarah didn't like her, and she sure as hell didn't like the Commander. Most importantly her ship was currently updating it would come off as a very odd signal, but she supposed if the Infinity was in peril it would respond. "Uh, sure... follow me." The young female warrior lead the Spartans into her ship.
"Here go for it." Samus gestured to the communication controls only.
Sarah Palmer stared at the alien text in confusion. "I thought you said this was a human grade starship?"
"I did some work to it, also currently updating it to my standards. But here, I will get rid of the Chozo script, and translate it back to english." The teen sighed switching the Chozo text to english.
"Why do you prefer bird language, over your native language?" Kelly questioned the orange armoured teen.
"Yes it's not the first language I learned. But I know how to read, write, and speak in the language of the Chozo. They taught me english as well, since that was what I spoke before they brought me to Zebes." Samus turned to the questioning Spartan, while Sarah attempted to contact the Infinity. "I was three, I had limited speech then. But the Chozo also had a super computer helping them raise me, so I did learn quite a bit. But to be honest I let my suit and Adam translate most of the Space Pirate, or unknown crap I come across."
"You know both, yet you still choose the bird talk?" Kelly raised an eyebrow behind her visor.
"It's just what I grew up with. I find it easier to work with." The teen replied as Kelly glared at the Chozo text on the screens around them.
"Hey at least you're not squawking, Sammy." The speed runner chuckled giving Samus a pat, as Sarah defeatedly ended her transmission.
"Ha ha, anymore bird jokes and I'll be plucking you off this planet, and leaving you floating in deep space like a piece of space junk." Samus hissed at the joking Spartan.
"Damn, I'm not getting anything from the Infinity. Thank you for your assistance kid, I am going to continue to try contact through Arbiter's communication grid." The Commander defeatedly thanked the teenager.
Samus nodded in acknowledgement, leading the Spartans off her ship.
Watching the Commander make her way back over to camp, Chief's gaze everted to his teen, who was surprisingly approaching the doctor. Who sat with a tablet in hand.
"Never thought I'd see the day that girl would voluntarily approach a doctor." Kelly snorted with a laugh.
John's expression turned from confused, to worry. It had been a while since he had seen his usually shy, solitary teen, interact with those who were strangers to her. But he supposed as a bounty hunter she had to interact with many upon receiving contracts.
"Halsey will no doubt take advantage of the voluntary interaction and ask more questions." Fred thought aloud with a sigh.
With that being said to Chief, Samus had been quite on edge about almost everything. He was curious to see how she would handle Doctor Halsey.
On her approach Samus flashed her armour off, to give her mind a rest, while also giving her a break from the constant small updates Adam sent her. "Hi..." she greeted the doctor.
"Hello Samus." Cathrine greeted the young teen with a smile. "What brings your young mind to me?"
"I'm just wondering if there's any updates on Cortana, a location, or an idea, of what the hell she's doing?" Samus replied.
Halsey sighed, shaking her head no. "I have no new information. Cortana is capable of finding what she wants, no matter what's in her way. She could appear here if she wanted to. But the Sangheili say there are rumours of a dangerous rebellion group stirring up trouble."
The young woman went into deep thought, wondering if she should truly stick around to aid the Spartans with the evil AI's universal threat.
Cathrine could read the teen's wondering expression, wondering what her next move should be, and what the next mission to accomplish was. The Doctor kept quiet, watching as her favoured Spartan approached the teen from behind.
Samus blinked in surprise at the large hands that gently cupped her shoulders. Leaning her head back resting the top of it on John's chest plate. She gave a quick playfully smiled at the cracked golden visor staring down at her. Before looking back at the Doctor.
The Doctor observed the Spartan and alien hybrid teen's interaction. Secretly wondering if this out of character nurturing personality was a result of pairing John with Cortana years ago. "Don't think too hard about it young Samus." Halsey commented.
The girl raised an eyebrow at Doctor Halsey. "What are you talking about?"
Halsey scoffed with a grin. "Don't be coy, I've seen that exact same wondering expression on John, too many times to count. I know you're overthinking your next move."
"Your brain would be on fire too, if you wanted to assist those who are reluctant to accept your aid because of what you are. While also being judged, possibly even being hunted to be arrested, by those who do not understand the dangers I prevented them from getting into." Samus retorted folding her arms while glaring at the Commander.
Sarah overheard the girl's comments, knowing the first half was about her refusing to allow a bounty hunter in their ranks. With a sigh she walked over to the girl and Spartan leader. "Look kid, the UNSC doesn't hire bounty hunters, there's no need for it when we have many spartans available to us."
"I don't want to be hired, I want to help, you know how many jobs I've done for free, you..." Samus bit her tongue, refraining from calling Palmer and Osiris Team sad Spartan imitations compared to the Blue Team Spartans. "Outside help can be an ally, just like the Swords Of Sangheilios is. And as far as I can see, the only humans here are you, me, Halsey, and two Spartan teams."
Palmer scoffed with a laugh. "After your explanation of what you are, you are far from human. Don't make me laugh kid."
"I'm a Chozo warrior first, and bounty hunter second. What flows through my veins is not your business." Samus hissed, pulling out of Chief's hold.
"Listen, a bounty hunter aiding us we can probably let that slide. But a dangerous bioweapon aiding us, it's just out of the question." Sarah glared at the angry teen.
Samus's heart sank, she knew that she was a bioweapon. Mother Brain screamed it in her face. The teen was also well aware that the Galactic Federation was worried that she was growing into an overpowering, unstoppable force, with a mind that could, and has, defied their orders.
John quickly cupped his hands on his adopted daughter's shoulders once more, turning around, escorting Samus away from the escalating situation. "Don't listen to her Samus, you know that you're more than just a bioweapon. You know that, and I know that." He sighed as they joined back up with Blue Team.
"Once we get in contact with Infinity we can brush of Commander bitch, and ask Lasky if you can assist us." Kelly scoffed.
"That's not how it works Kelly." John sighed at the feisty Spartan.
"It might though, Lasky does have a soft spot for Samus." Fred shrugged optimistically.
Samus gave a small smile, it was nice to know her Spartan family truly missed having her around. "That's really nice of you all to want to include me..."
"I can here that reluctant edge in your voice." Kelly furrowed her brow behind her large visor. "What the hell is wrong with you, why do you all of a sudden not want to join us? You used to fight us for a spot on our team during missions."
Samus lowered her head submissively, softening her turquoise blue eyes. "I was nearing the end of my Chozo training before you found me. Getting experience in the battlefield was exciting to me back then. My life's duty is to keep the peace in the galaxies. I know there will always be conflict somewhere, and where there's conflict, I will be there to help those in need." She looked up seeing the entire team focused on her. "But at this point in my bounty hunting career I'm going to look for more than just trouble in the universe."
"But we need your help on this mission, Cortana has the same idea to create galactic peace. But she's trying to enforce it, violently, she's costing more lives than saving. And you don't seem to be as affected by her power, as we are." Kelly countered back.
"Cortana knows the ins and outs of both the UNSC, and you Spartans. She knows nothing but the bare minimum about the Chozo race, and absolutely nothing about me, except the filtered records she pulls from a quick scan. Of course Cortana is unable to infiltrate and attack me in certain ways." Samus replied to the desperate female spartan. "I keep repeating myself, how many times do I have to say the Galactic Federation is searching for me. Either to arrest, or attempt to terminate me. I don't think the Federation is a good thing to add to your laundry list of enemies and issues."
"I'm not usually one to agree with Kelly, but... with Cortana having the ability to send her Guardians policing galaxies, there is a high possibility that the Galactic Federation you speak of, may eventually meet up with the UNSC in this universal conflict. Both governments police a cluster of galaxies, it's a big universe but odds are they were bound to meet up eventually." Linda thought aloud.
"I'm surprised we didn't cross paths with them when we rescued Samus years ago." Fred added.
"Fine!" The sleek teen groaned with a sigh. The three Spartans were continuing to prove good points, only further obligating Samus to stay and help them. "I will stay a couple more nights..." The teen's tone wasn't very convincing as she spoke through her teeth. "But I have to leave."
"That still sounds like you're just going to get up and go as soon as your ship is done upgrading." Kelly commented.
"Take it, or leave it. And if you bitch about it even more, I will revert to my original plan, and leave when the upgrades are completed." Samus hissed at the argumentative Spartan female.
Kelly rolled her eyes behind her visor. "Fine, whatever, sounds like a plan." She sarcastically replied.
John placed a hand on the teen's back gesturing for her to join him for a walk. "Let's take a break. Blue Team I want you to assist anyone in camp who needs assistance. We will be back."
The team of Spartans took their leader's hint, and let the duo be. Leaving Chief with their adopted alien hybrid child.
Samus reluctantly followed her father figure up the ridge, to the top of the canyon over looking camp, and the state of Vadam. At this point in time the sun was setting, the valley slowly being overtaken by darkness.
Samus's curious eyes glowed brightly in the sunset, John admired the youthful sense of wonder that emitted in that curious gaze.
Samus cleared her throat with a small cough. "So beautiful, I don't remember the last time I saw a sunset."
"I've seen many in my time." Chief thought aloud.
"Sunsets you can actually watch and enjoy, or the sun setting while you we're getting shot at? Because it's usually the second one for me." Samus said, with a smirk.
Chief smiled behind his visor. "You mentioned that you were searching for more than just trouble throughout the galaxies."
"Yeah..." Samus replied feeling like what she was searching for was probably ridiculous in the eyes of others. She sat down with a sigh, hugging her knees.
The green Spartan tilted his helmet thoughtfully at the girl. "Samus, what are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for... ugh, you'll probably think it's dumb..." The teen groaned turning her head back towards camp.
John sat himself next to his adopted daughter. "Samus, I am not Kelly. I won't tell you what you seek is stupid. I may have opposing thoughts if I find what you are searching for is obscene, but I would never call it stupid."
Samus sighed closing her eyes, before turning her head back to face Chief. "I want to find myself."
Master Chief kept silent, waiting for Samus to continue on about her search.
The girl groan almost embarrassed for mentioning her quest. "Chief, do you remember your life before the spartan program?"
John stared at the valley below them, he remembered very little, but he did remember most of his past, if he dug deep enough. "I do remember most of it."
"Like what?" Samus asked curiously.
Looking out into the sunset Chief exhaled. "Well, I don't remember too much. I remember I lived near a beach, I played on that beach quite often. I remember my room, I think I had too many toys if I remember my full room correctly. My parents were kind, and structural. I had a good friend I used to talk to her for hours. In school I was a bit of a bully on the playground, I played a bit too roughly and would often get scolded for that. The only one who didn't scold me was Doctor Halsey, I suppose that was when she was studying me as a candidate for her program." He was shocked he remembered that much of his past, he remembered more than he thought. Though no one ever really asked him about his past memories.
Samus thought it was neat that Chief remembered most of his past before becoming a Spartan. She kind of wished that she could remember her past with her parents.
Chief could see his teen's curious gaze turn to a wondering solemn expression. "Do you remember your past before the Chozo?"
Samus shook her head no. "I don't remember, I mostly remember that day the space pirates invaded. I remember the Chozo visiting just before the invasion. Then the attack..." she quickly tried to shake the horrid memories of her parents death, and the rotting, burning, flesh of the citizens of K-2L from rising to the surface. Feeling a large comforting hand on her back eased back the horrid thoughts.
"Do you remember your parents?" John pulled Samus closer to his side.
The teen shook her head again. "No, I only remember what they look like, and the sound of their voices. My dad was a Captain, or a Commander of something, I don't remember, I was so little I don't think I understood too much of anything back then."
The green spartan nodded his helmet in understanding. "You were three Samus, you wouldn't remember much. You were just beginning to understand the world. But what are you searching for the files to your parents information?"
Samus almost giggled at that question. "No, they wouldn't have many, if any, files on my parents. The Federation was shocked to hear that I was the sole survivor from K-2L."
"Okay?" Chief shrugged, waiting for the real answer.
"My parents are gone, I watched them perish in front of my own eyes. But the Chozo, I know many of them died off. But most, mysteriously disappeared, believed to be extinct. The only remains of them are the artifacts, and technology left behind on planets they visited throughout the different galaxies in the universe."
"You're going to search for an extinct alien race?" Chief questioned the teen.
Samus was almost offended by that comment. "The Chozo are my family, I have their blood flowing my veins. I don't know the human side of my history. But I remember the Chozo."
Master Chief was both curious, and confused by the teen's words. "You remember the Chozo history, I thought you said they were an ancient alien race?"
Samus rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Yes they are. But you don't think that I was told stories by the ones who raised me? I found their history lore throughout my adventures. Almost every planet I went to, the Chozo had visited in the past. I want to know what happened to my people, where did they go, and why they suddenly disappeared?"
"Sounds like you've already been searching." John commented.
"In a way I suppose I always have been. But my missions always had priority over my search. Which is fine since the galaxies would be in term oil if I didn't." The young teen sighed, beginning to feel like her search was hopeless.
"Samus, the Chozo home world was attacked by the Covenant. And you said that you destroyed the planet..."
"I didn't destroy the planet! When I defeated Mother Brain she set off a planet wide self destruction sequence!" Samus spat she knew she was a part of Zebes's destruction but wasn't entirely too be blamed. "I lost Gray Voice, and Old Bird when the Covenant attacked. The Chozo disappeared sometime in between that, and the destruction of Zebes."
"I apologize Samus, I didn't understand that the planet was set off by another entity. But don't you believe all that destruction, and prior chaos from the Covenant, kind of confirms the Chozo's disappearance?" Chief tried to get the girl to understand that the ancient race had probably perished. "Weren't those two attacked by the Covenant before we arrived to evacuate you from the planet?"
"No, because there were hologram messages left behind by them, for me! They must've survived the Covenant attack, because the Covenant left the planet shortly after you rescued me. They were after the Chozo technology, but the environments were too harsh for them to gain access, and Mother Brain defended herself with Zebes's defences." Samus explained, though she cursed the super computer for only protecting the planet after the Spartans rescued her from the planet. "The Chozo emerged after that attack, only for Mother Brain to take over the planet years later with the space pirates. Which eventually I put a stop too. But in that time the Chozo disappeared."
"What was the message the Chozo left for you?" Chief asked curiously hoping his question wasn't going to stir up too many emotions.
Samus shrugged as the messages didn't say too much that Chief would understand. "Not much, just that I was their hatchling, and that they were sorry we didn't have a proper goodbye. Saying that I was their successor, and that my job was to protect the galaxies."
"That confirms your belief that the Chozo are alive?" Chief replied to the vague explanation Samus gave him.
"Of course, I scoured Zebes for any signs of them when I was there to put a stop to Mother Brain's madness. Not a trace of the Chozo was left. And before you say it, I know you're probably thinking maybe they were vaporized. Maybe, it's a possibility, but I don't believe it." Samus replied to her adopted father.
Master Chief smiled behind his visor at his teen's optimism. "If that's what you believe, then I completely support your search."
"You don't think I'm crazy?" The girl turned her gaze up at the the golden visor.
"No..." Chief scoffed with a laugh, playfully pulling Samus into his side. "I do think you're crazy, for very different reasons Samus."
"Hey!" Samus giggled leaning into the playful embrace.
Chief kept his smile, as his foundling once again made his human side burst from the depths inside of him. Before Samus came into his life, those actions were certainly out of the ordinary for him. But it was Samus who was the only one to pry him out of his overly serious personality.
Back at camp Linda and Kelly were strolling around camp after trying to assist the Arbiter with dealing with the Commander. Both of them took note of Doctor Halsey staring up at the ridge watching Chief interact with the teenager.
"Want to use Linda's sniper scope for a better look?" Kelly teased making the Doctor jump out of her trance.
"Very funny Kelly." Halsey sighed keeping her gaze up at the ridge.
"Why are you watching them?" Linda asked curiously.
"I'm observing John's behaviour. It's intriguing the level of nurturing instincts in him are higher than I've ever seen." Cathrine replied excitedly. "I constantly cursed myself believing that I demolished the human side of you Spartans. It's ground breaking to see this kind of progress."
Linda and Kelly exchanged glances, knowing there were times they forgot their human side, some Spartans more than others. But there were usually moments in time that made them remember they're only human.
"Seems normal moments like that are always amazing to people who believe we're emotionless. We're human guys, we share emotions just to let you know!" Kelly announced receiving odd glares from the camp.
"It's a stigma, Kelly. We're well aware of our human side, ma'am. We may not show as much emotion as say another soldier. But we feel anger, pain, fear, sorrow, and compassion, just as others do." Linda said to the Doctor.
"We feel all that shit, but we were taught to push all that crap aside, and focus on the task at hand. That is why it looks like we've abandoned our human side." Kelly added.
"You two are absolutely right. I just wish others could recognize that." Cathrine thought aloud gazing back up at the teen and Petty Officer.
Linda smiled behind her visor watching John playfully pull the teen into his side. "When we show normal emotions it's like a bomb went off, or it's assumed that something must be wrong with us. That is how most others see us."
"Looks like you should've paired him with a kid, not an AI." Kelly jokingly scoffed, before walking off with Linda.
Cathrine glanced up at the two peacefully watching what was left of the red sunset, before heading back to the tent as the light began to fade over the horizon. It must've been devastating when Cortana sacrificed herself to save Chief in the first place. It was another blow to the Spartan's state of mind when Cortana unveiled her evil turn. But this young teen seemed to be keeping the devastation at bay, possibly slowly mending the holes blown by Cortana's betrayal.
John could felt the teen's exhausted body go limp over twenty minutes ago, he didn't dare to disturb Samus's nap, as this was the first real rest she had gotten since being reunited with them. Though he knew that the girl had gone without rest long before they were reunited.
Feeling the cold air hit the skin on her face Samus stirred awake, opening her tired eyes to see the sun had completely vanished and had been replaced with very large glowing moons. She leaned her head back against Chief's chest plate, her bright turquoise eyes staring into the damaged golden visor. "Did I fall asleep?"
"You did." Chief replied with little emotion in his tone.
Pushing off her adopted father, she sat up next to him once more. "Sorry Chief, I didn't mean to... I know we were in the middle of a conversation, I..." Samus began to apologize, while Chief got up to his feet.
"Samus." John called quieting the teen. "Let's go back to the tent so you can get some real rest." He helped the teen off the ground.
Following her father figure down to the camp passing by her ship. Samus hesitated wanting to hide in her ship for the duration of the night so she did not disrupt the camp again with her night terrors.
John turned around to see his uncertain teen standing by her ship. "Are you coming?"
"I uh, I don't want to wake the whole camp again..." The blonde teen shamefully responded.
Master Chief gave a sympathetic gaze behind his visor, calmly approaching the girl, he gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders escorting her to Blue Team's tent. "Come'on, we would much rather have you wake us, instead of you having an attack, with no one to aid you."
"Seriously you guys need the rest more than I do." Samus looked back at her ship.
"I won't get any rest if I am worrying about you all alone in your ship." John replied as they entered the tent.
"I was fine being alone in my ship for almost two years..." Samus grumbled while Chief escorted her to her cot.
"Trust me kid, he didn't get any rest during that time either." Fred scoffed as his leader passed by.
"We were all worried sick about you. Especially after that first run in you had, after you parted ways with us." Linda added.
Samus narrowed her eyes turning her head away. "Well that was a battle I won, believe it or not. Plus the one who maimed me is dealt with anyway..."
"Huh, you didn't tell us that Sammy." Kelly chimed in to the conversation.
Samus rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Well there were more important matters to explain than bounty hunter rivalries"
"Alright we won't press any further. We're just thrilled to have you stay with us." Kelly said to Samus's dismay.
The teen put her hand up to stop the happy fact that she was hanging around a bit longer. "Okay, I just want to be clear that I am of assistance while I can be. If I get any sort of transmission that is about an urgent situation, like the parasites I disposed of is still living, and need eradicating for good. I have to jump on top of that over your situation, as it would be dire to your cause if the parasite came into your pathway."
Kelly cocked her helm a bit confused. "It still sounds like you have an alternate agenda. Are you seriously just going to ditch us after saying you would help us?"
"Yes, I already told you that. Because the parasites I speak of devour everything, and everyone, mimicking you, and your powers. I wouldn't ever dream of seeing the day it got to the Prometheans or Cortana's systems." Samus tried to explain the nightmare that could happen if she didn't attend to her duties. "That, or if the Federation wants to arrest me I gotta leave so they don't target you."
"Valid. I just hate thinking about missing you again." The speed runner replied to the young teen.
Samus gave a small warm smile. "I know, I don't like it either. But if I complete my mission and you still need help, I will just show up like last time."
"Just don't crash on top of us this time." Fred joked remembering Samus almost crashing her ship into them.
"Well, I will do my best, but no promises." Samus teased the Spartan.
"I can't believe we haven't come into contact with Infinity yet." Kelly thought aloud, putting her armour next to her cot.
"Just a thought, maybe Cortana found the Infinity. Maybe she was able to take over it and crashed it somewhere. Or maybe they tried to shake her off of them, going off the radar so they can't be found by her again." Samus suggested, gaining the team's attention.
"Both of those theories are wildly possible." Cathrine agreed with the girl's morbid but truthful theories. "Either way we will find it eventually."
Samus nodded. "But we're mostly sitting ducks here, we shouldn't just sit here and wait for a signal."
"Oh great, here we go again." Kelly facepalmed, knowing Samus's urge to search for the Infinity was a spark to ignite another argument.
"Samus, we don't have any means of getting off this planet, until Arbiter clears us to take one of his ships." Chief told the eager teen.
"Who are we betting on?" Kelly leaned over to Fred.
"I'm not betting on anyone winning this argument, go away." Fred scoffed pushing Kelly away from him.
"But." John gained everybody's attention. "If you do part ways with us, in your travels, can you please keep your eyes open for the Infinity's whereabouts."
The young teen tiredly smiled with a nod. "Of course I will. Even if I complete my mission I will immediately come back to aid you guys."
"That's real pretty Sammy. But we do understand that you've been travelling through different galaxies, fighting your own battles, while winning battles for the less fortunate. We know you want to help us, but we will survive if you're here or not. This is our job, and we know your job is vital to protect the universe, or whatever." Kelly told the tired teen, while staring down John, making sure her leader understood that the team was able to loosen their grip on the recently reunited Samus.
John reluctantly took the hit, he was being much more lenient than before, with his adopted daughter. But part of him just didn't want to let go of her.
"I know Kelly. You guys are the capable Spartans, I'm not worried." Samus replied with a smirk scooting to the back of her cot, resting her back against the rock wall the cot was framed in.
"Hey, I heard that!" Buck hissed, as he passed by Blue Team's tent.
"Oops." Samus giggled with a shrug, making the rest of the team chuckle at her teasing Osiris.
"Alright, time to settle down Blue Team. We need to rest while we can, Infinity, or the UNSC could contact us at any given moment." Master Chief quickly settled his team, who obeyed him, laying down in their cots.
To Samus's surprise, Doctor Halsey was actually tired, and crawled into her cot before Chief told his Spartans to.
The young teen was fidgety, running her hand nervously along the smooth L shaped rock her cot was held by. Trying to think of an excuse not to sleep.
Placing his helmet with the rest of his armour, Chief could see his young teen nervously stalling her rest.
Samus stared at the tent flaps that exited to the outside, she was contemplating leaving to her ship. Her train of thought was lost when a large hand gently grasped her nervously fidgety hand. "Chief?"
John sat next to Samus on her cot, giving her hand a gentle squeeze to ease the teen's nerves. "Easy, take a deep breath. If you want to talk about why you're fearful of sleep, you can. But do not feel obligated to do so."
Samus had a million thoughts swarming through her mind, what happened when she closed her eyes would probably be alien to Chief. Or maybe he would understand her horrors? "It's a lot to talk about, I don't think I have the energy to talk about it all..."
Master Chief gave a small nod in acknowledgement. "Whenever you're ready, I'll listen."
"Honestly I just think my body is still healing from the X parasite, and my body's adjustment to the Metroid..." The girl knew her body hadn't been the same since her last mission that almost killed her numerous times. But she was also trying to avoid talking about her nightmares of reliving all her missions in her sleep.
The words Metroid and the X were completely alien to Chief. He understood the X a bit, as the teen had vaguely explained her encounter with the dangerous parasite, but she kept mentioning the word Metroid, Metroid, Metroid.
"Can you explain to me what a Metroid is? Maybe you told me already, but refresh me if you have." Chief asked sitting against the same rock frame Samus was.
"Ugh... fine..." Samus groaned resting her head on the Chief's shoulder, tired of going into long details to explain the things she's encountered in her adventures. "I'll tell you the boring origins of the Metroid."
Boring was what Chief was counting on, so that the teen may put herself to sleep.
"Love the enthusiasm." Kelly sarcastically remarked from where she laid on her own cot.
"The Metroids were created by the Chozo to rid of the X parasite, which worked until... never mind. Anyway they are basically floating jelly creatures with teeth, and the ability to absorb certain powers, and siphon the life from you until you're nothing but a lifeless, brittle husk. Metroids are basically indestructible unless you are using cold based weaponry, and missiles, super missiles get the job done better. But hey, it depends on the breed, or the evolution of Metroid to be honest. And they multiply quickly if exposed to beta rays. They've been experimented on too many times and get more powerful each time. But they're all dead now, hopefully... and so are the X parasites... again, hopefully..."
"So you're telling me that your peace keeping Chozo parents found the X, and thought why not fight fire with fire, and create a powerful parasite to conquer the deadly parasite. And then caused more chaos by creating a mindless creature to take on another mindless parasite that just wants to devour and destroy everything?" Kelly scoffed rolling over to face the two across from her.
"No, they're not mindless!"
Chief mentally groaned as Samus got excited rather than sleepy, now that his teammates were riling her up.
"The X can mimic you exactly, with your memories, to get what they want, but they're heartless. And the Metroids... are prey driven and deadly, sure. But they were able to be controlled by the Chozo... I had one..." Samus explained that the parasites were both deadly, but they weren't mindless.
"You had a Metroid, like as a pet when you were little? Is that the preferred pet for the Chozo?" Fred questioned, wondering if that's what passed for a pet in the Chozo culture.
Samus cocked an eyebrow at Fred. "Yes Fred, the Chozo gave me a dangerous bioweapon as a pet." She rolled her eyes as she watched Fred's curiosity turn into confusion. "Ugh, of course not! I found it on my mission to eradicate the Metroids."
"So you found and kept a dangerous bioweapon, that you were supposed to destroy?" Kelly pressed on receiving a head shake from Chief.
"Yes, highly immoral, and illegal. But I watched the baby hatch, it took to me like I was it's Mother. It was the last Metroid I had to kill. The baby Metroid saved me more than once. The baby's DNA is what saved my life from the X. But before that, it sacrificed it's life to save me. I should've been dead a long time ago. But I'm still alive because of that Metroid." Samus explained, the feeling of sorrow building up inside her as she remembered her baby Metroid.
John could hear the grief in the teen's tone, she truly must've loved that Metroid.
"Your mission was to kill all Metroids why didn't you just kill it in the first place?" Kelly didn't understand why Samus would spare such a horrible creature.
"Don't you think I was drilled enough by the Galactic Federation for not following my mission through?! I just saw it as a reflection of myself..." Samus did her best to hide her watery eyes. "I learned from my mistakes!" The girl curled up on her cot turning her back to Chief so she could face the tent wall at the end of her cot.
"Dammit Kelly..." John mouthed to the argumentative speed runner.
"What?" Kelly shrugged as John tried to regain Samus's attention.
"Idiot, he was trying to keep her calm, so she would rest." Linda hissed through a whisper.
"Hey I was just asking questions so that I knew if I had to give Samus a lesson on her immaturity for being too soft." The brunet spartan scoffed.
"Samus..." Chief gently pulled the teen closer to him, turning her so that she could sit next to him. "I understand you saw yourself in that hatchling, a defenceless infant that was the soul survivor of their home world."
Samus silently shed a few tears as Chief had her rest her head against his muscular chest.
"The baby may be gone now, but it flows through you, you're a part of that Metroid. The baby Metroid will always be a part of you." Chief did his best to hold, and comfort the teen while she sobbed.
"Doesn't that make her the last Metroid then?" Kelly thought aloud earning glares from Linda and Fred.
Samus's eyes went wide, she hadn't thought of that. Would she truly be considered the last of the Metroids? Was she part Chozo, part Metroid, and part X if traces of the parasite were still in her body?
"Kelly, shut up!" Both Spartans whispered for their teammate to be quiet.
"I'm sorry I brought that memory up, I apologize that it upset you." Chief apologized for making the teen reminisce the memories of losing her beloved baby Metroid. Looking at Fred who looked like he was about to begin bickering with Kelly, sparked a funny memory in his mind. "Samus, do you remember when Fred used to try and tire you out before bed times?" He changed the subject.
Samus blinked her watery exhausted eyes, looking up at Chief. "No?"
"Well, it never worked, but Fred was determined that you would fall asleep." John continued, getting an eye roll from Fred.
"Oh God, are you really going to bring that up?" Fredrick groaned as Kelly and Linda smirked.
"Well Samus, Fred used to think that if he ran around being the tickle monster that you would fall asleep quickly after an energetic play." Kelly started off with a laugh.
"But the only one who fell asleep afterwards was Fred." John added, making Samus give a soft giggle.
"At least it worked on one of you, haha!" Kelly and Linda chuckled.
"Oh, come'on!" Fred groaned, it's not like you two helped me.
"You're right we didn't, because we were smart enough not to rile her up." Linda scoffed.
Samus smiled weakly, while her head became heavier as her exhaustion took over.
John could feel the teen in his arms was going limp, her sobbing earlier had taken a toll on her exhaustion.
"I stopped doing it after I realized it didn't work." Fred scoffed rolling over to face away from the others.
"You mean after John said telling stories would put Samus to sleep. Rather than hyping her up with play." Kelly continued to tease Fred.
"Exactly." Linda gestured to the teen's cot, where Chief was laying Samus down, before returning to his own cot.
"Kelly, next time keep your opinions to yourself." Chief glared at the brunet as he sat on his cot.
Kelly rolled her eyes with a scoff. "Whatever, I know it's not uncommon for Samus to go against protocols. But to keep, and conceal a dangerous bioweapon because it was cute, and innocent. You wouldn't have even given a second thought to destroying it."
"Kelly, we all do not know or understand any of what Samus had explained. We're not familiar with the creatures, and evil she's dealt with and faced. So to blindly say she chose wrongly in her missions, is quite ignorant, unless you've personally dealt with those bioweapons." John countered back adding to the argument.
"I'm just worried that girl has gained more enemies than allies." The brunet replied worried.
"What makes you say that?" Chief was curious, though he felt the same.
"From the vague explanations she's given us about her bounty missions. It sounds like the Federation would've been fucked a long time ago if it weren't for Samus's efforts. But she's also done a few things that are against their wishes, and broke major protocols. And since they have to view that as a threat, because she's got a conscience to choose right from wrong. The Federation took an interest in that X parasite version of Samus. It certainly sounds like they want their own Chozo warrior machine but under their complete control. And phase Samus out of the picture. Because if you haven't noticed, that girl is a walking arsenal of power ups and deadly weapons, too powerful for almost every opponent she goes against. I'd be scared of her, and worried for the choices she makes too, if we didn't raise the damn kid." Kelly explained her concerns about the ever growing power that was Samus Aran.
Chief hadn't thought too much about that, he knew the Federation was obviously looking for Samus after what she had done to their facility. But he hadn't considered that others saw that his teen was overpowering, and a possible threat to the universe. "You think she's in grave danger?"
"It depends on whether they consult her like a human, or treat her like the bioweapon she is."
John shook his head, jumping up from where he sat. "Samus is human, she's not just a bioweapon. She has compassion, empathy, and a fight that burns deep within. She has responded to, and accomplished many missions that the Federation didn't care too, or couldn't accomplish. Samus is powerful, yes. But she's a human girl first, a Chozo warrior second, and a bounty hunter third."
"Passionate as that is John. You've got a lot of heads in the universe to convince that is the case with our little bounty hunter." Linda sighed knowing the truth to the matter.
"Honestly sorry to say, but I'm with Samus in this matter. We have our own issues to attend too. We have Cortana and the Prometheans she's controlling trying to take over the universe. And Samus has her own challenges to face." Fred sighed sitting up in his cot.
"What the hell are you talking about Fredrick. Cortana is everyone's issue. And what bounty hunt is Samus going to go on, is she going to hunt herself?" Kelly snorted.
"Samus is just a kid she needs guidance." John said gaining everyone's attention.
"John. She's nearly sixteen, Samus left the nest a year and a half ago. She may need guidance at times, but you've been the one saying you're not holding her hostage if she has an urgent reason to leave. You're right, she's just a kid. But so were we many years ago, she's a lot more independent though. So good luck trying to advise her on anything."
"Why don't you ask her why she wants to live that life?" Linda asked.
"What do you mean Linda?" John sat back down on his cot.
"Ask Samus why she wants to live as a solitary bounty hunter, that never knows what's going to be around the corner, how its going to make her feel, with the dread of whether she's going to survive or not." The red headed Spartan explained to her leader. "Her lifestyle is unorganized, and dreadful at every moment. But if you all remember correctly this is Samus's preferred way of life, she fought us the entire time she trained with our team. She preferred to go out on missions alone."
"Because she was afraid to lose one of us, she'd blame herself if one of us died on a mission with her!" Kelly replied as to why Samus was that way.
"Shh!" Master Chief shushed his Spartans while glancing over to see if Samus was still sleeping. "You're going to wake her up. We can discuss this tomorrow, end of discussion."
"The girl must be tired, because you all have woken me multiple times in the last while." Halsey mentioned to Blue Team. Reminding her Spartan twos that she was in the tent with them.
"Apologies, we will be quiet now ma'am." John politely replied to the Doctor. Gesturing for his Spartans to rest, before doing the same.
A few silent hours had passed by, all Spartans were getting as much sleep as possible. Except for the lone bounty hunter, who was beginning to stir in her slumber.
The terrifying scream of the baby Metroid pierced the air, with a flash Commander Adam Malkovich left Samus through a locking door, the sound of the facility he entered disconnected from the bottle ship, with the explosion of the facility another flash came. The X parasite jumped into view covering Samus's vision before another flash of the SA-X holding Samus hostage by the neck. The wicked doppelgänger glared with it's bare white eyes with no pupils, burning into the teen's helpless turquoise eyes.
Samus gasped shooting up in her cot, causing her to cough, she quickly exited the tent before she woke the whole team up. Her throat continued to become aggravated, causing the teen to cough more harshly.
Arbiter noticed the young hunter struggling for oxygen in her panicked state. Taking the concoction handed to him by a rare Sangheili medical officer. He calmly approached the girl. "Youngling, take this. It will ease your cough, and soothe your pain." He held out the stone cup to the young teen.
Samus reluctantly took the medicinal serum from the Kaidon. Remembering how awful it tasted when she was given it the last time.
John woke immediately after hearing muffled raspy coughs. Sitting up in his cot he turned to see that Samus was not in her cot. He jumped out of bed, exiting the tent to find his adopted daughter reluctantly sipping what he assumed was the medicinal serum Arbiter gave him the other day.
Arbiter respectfully bowed his head at the Master Chief before leaving him to deal with the young teen.
"Samus, are you okay? I didn't hear you get up." The Spartan leader carefully placed a hand on the teen's back.
Samus scrunched her face in disgust as she gulped down the rest of the awful serum. "I didn't want to wake you." She spoke through small coughs.
"Samus you don't have to worry about that." Chief sighed bringing his teen back into the tent.
"Pfft, yeah sure, you're the one who said you needed rest while you can. Plus who knows how long you all stayed up talking about me after I fell asleep." Samus scoffed in a whisper trying not to wake the others in the tent.
"How did you know we were talking about you after you fell asleep? You weren't really asleep then?" John asked curiously as Samus sat down on her cot.
The athletic built teen smirked at her adopted father. "I was asleep, so I didn't know. But thanks for proving my theory correct. You should go back to sleep though."
Master Chief gave a deep sigh almost rolling his eyes in the process. "Are you going to tell me what woke you this time?" He changed the subject.
The blonde teen gave a small whine of reluctance, pulling her legs up onto the cot, hugging her knees tightly. Shaking her head no before resting her forehead on her knees, hiding her face from Chief.
Chief calmly sat next to his uncommunicative daughter. "You might feel a little relief if you just communicate what you're going through. You know I won't judge you for what's going on."
Samus found it hard to believe that Chief wouldn't judge her for what's happened. But the waking nightmare she had had, was not one he could very well judge. "It was just a nightmare Chief. You've had them, I get them constantly, and I'm sure the others have had them as well. Do we really need to talk about this?"
"We can just walk then."
Samus lifted her head staring at Chief with confusion. "A walk?"
"Come'on." Chief took Samus's hand, guiding her out of the tent.
Samus stopped outside of their tent when Chief held a hand up to halt her.
"Wait here." John walked over to the Kaidon standing outside his own tent.
"Spartan?" Arbiter greeted the approaching man.
Master Chief made sure to keep an eye on his waiting adopted daughter, as he spoke to the Arbiter. "Arbiter, I am going to walk the perimeter of the camp..."
"Mmm... in attempt to exhaust the youngling?" The massive Sangheili thought aloud.
"If it's possible. I am just trying to clear her overwhelmed mind." John replied.
Arbiter nodded in understanding. "I will tell the guard of your jaunt."
"Thank you." The Spartan thanked the Kaidon.
Samus kicked a small amount of dust up in front of the tent while she waited for her father figure to come back. Seeing Chief's boots on the ground in front of her own confirmed that he had returned. "Lead the way." She said looking into the man's deep blue tired eyes.
John led with a calm brisk walk, Samus kept pace following alongside him with ease. A slight smile crept on John's face, watching Samus easily keep up with him. Two years later and he hadn't forgotten the moment his foundling was finally able to keep up with his large stride when they were on the infinity.
Samus raised an eyebrow catching the insignificant smile on her adopted father's aging face. "What are you smiling at?"
"You've gotten taller." Chief casually replied.
"I was gone for two years, I grew a little bit. But I think I'm done growing now. You're just a bit shorter out of your armour." The muscular teen replied with a shrug.
"I'm not that much shorter, I'm still seven inches taller than you out of armour." Chief replied.
"Why, how tall are you?" The teen was actually enjoying having a causal subject to converse about, rather the usual deep dark subjects of war.
"Six, ten. Out of armour. Seven in armour. You look about..."
"Six, three, out of armour. Probably about your height now, in my armour. I don't gain a lot of height in my new armour though, so knock a couple inches off of that." Samus thought aloud as they passed by a much larger Sangheili guard.
John nodded in understanding. "Your armour is very much a part of you Samus, it is more than just a suit of armour."
"It's an exoskeleton, I know... my armour is everything to me as a person. It makes me who I am." The girl replied with a sigh as they rounded the corner to her ship's docking space.
Master Chief thought for a moment, he hadn't exactly thought about his armour being anything other than armour that had gone through hell and back with him. In a sense his armour was also a part of him, not to the psychic extent of his teenager's armour, but still very special. "Samus, I have been meaning to ask you something. And the others are worried about you."
Samus stopped in front of her ship. "What's everyone worrying about now?" She almost groaned.
"Are you sure you want to continue on as a bounty hunter, after all your run ins and near death experiences with no one but yourself?" John asked sincerely.
"Of course I'm sure. This is the lifestyle I chose. I can fulfill the Chozo's wishes by protecting the galaxies, without the anchor of an army faction holding me back from doing so." Samus replied firmly, she was a dedicated bounty hunter, yes it took a toll on her most of the time, but she would always come out of her suicide missions a lot stronger.
The Master Chief was surprised Samus didn't bat an eye at his question. "You enjoy the isolation, and dread, always worrying what's around the corner, and if you'll survive?"
"Enjoy is a strong word, and not the one I would use to describe bounty hunting." Samus almost laughed, checking over the outer hull of her ship. "Am I good at bounty hunting? Yes. Do I feel dread on my missions, of course I do, nothing I run into on my missions are at a normal level. Do I worry that I won't survive? Of course I do. Every bounty job, distress call, or random transmission I respond to is a challenge to my strength. Do I get traumatized by most of my past missions, no doubt. My past traumas haunt me sure, but I know it's just a part of me. I lived through a lot, but I know for the sake of the mission I have to suppress whatever feelings are shutting me down, and push forward. Or else I wouldn't get anywhere. But it's not like my missions are completely horrid and terrifying compared to yours. You've done missions by yourself I'm sure. We're all fighting our own battles."
"I've learned over the years it's not healthy to bottle all that up. One day you're going to snap Samus." John shook his head, Samus was sounding like him, all business, pushing aside emotions and traumas for the sake of a mission.
"Just like you snapped when Cortana was declining, going rampant, and then calling her to you while she caused chaos to numerous colonies?" The teen replied unknowingly striking the Spartan hard with her words.
Chief sighed heavily turning his head away. "I suppose it was a snapping point for me. I never thought of it that way. It was a moment of lost control I realize that now. But having my team with me to check in on me, and question me, brought me back, but I still put my back up against the UNSC in that moment."
"See going rogue isn't that bad." Samus joked with her adopted father.
"Going rogue, and choosing to be solitary bounty hunter are two different things Samus. Besides that moment, I usually had a team, the UNSC army, or Cortana with me always. Yes Cortana was an AI, but she still made a solo mission feel less isolating." Chief replied. He knew Samus was right to some degree. He had done missions by himself with no team to back him, only Cortana's voice. Dealing with the flood was the most horrendous and disturbing situation to go through. "I'm worried that you've become numb to the fact that no one is coming to help you if you run into an extreme dire situation."
"You're absolutely right, I have had no help when running into grave situations. I have pushed on in my missions while being poisoned slowly by a deadly substance, with each encounter putting me closer to death as the poison spread through my body. But again I defeated the poison on my own. And out of luck, when I have been saved from the brink of death, it was by the baby Metroid I had spared. The only time the Federation came to my aid was when I was infected by the X parasite. And that was only because I was right next to them when I passed out. All the other times I was expected to prosper and excel on my suicidal missions, and if I died it meant impending doom to the ones who asked for my help in saving their worlds, or the ones who hired me to do a mission no human could." The teen explained running a hand down her ship's armoured plating.
"So then you've excepted that your purpose is to be a weapon?" The Master Chief asked confused.
Samus gave a deep sigh, before turning her head to face the Chief's direction. "I think I just have to except the fact that the Chozo raised me to be a bioweapon, and that's why I am like this, and that's how others see me today. But I know to the Chozo, I was much more than just a bioweapon. I was their hatchling, They were the ones who protected the peace in the galaxies, and I continue to fulfill their wishes. I am their successor, and their legacy lives through me."
Chief was silent, nodding in understanding. He could not comment on the Chozo, as it was a completely unknown race to him, the only reason he knew about them was because of Samus.
"Did that come off as egotistical?" Samus thought aloud. Making Chief chuckle.
Chief chuckled softly as he approached the young woman. "No, you're confident in who you are are Samus."
"I wish I was..." The teen sighed, entering her ship.
Chief wasn't far behind the teen, following her to the living quarters of the small starship. "Why do you say that Samus?"
"I just find the further I plunge into my bounty hunting, the further I get away from who I am. I'm just that intergalactic bounty hunter that has saved galaxies. No one knows me, or cares to know me, I'm aware that I am very powerful, and because of that I guess I scare those people. To them I am a bioweapon with no emotions." Samus replied sitting on her berth. "They only see my power, and the fact that I have the will to disobey them if I see that they're making a terrible mistake. And that terrifies them the most, because they didn't except me to have a conscience I suppose."
"Hmm, you're referring to your last mission, when you blew up the Galactic Federation research station, and that planet?" Chief wondered making sure he was on the same page as his teen.
"Yeah. I did that, and now they're going to want to take me down. There will be trails no doubt, but in the end I think the Federation knows they can't stop me by force." Samus replied honestly as she gestured for Chief to take a seat in the chair next to her berth.
John sat down almost groaning at Samus's words. "You're not going to fight the Federation are you?"
"No of course not. I will be civil of course, but if things take a turn I will defend myself, that's all." The girl simply explained to the worried Spartan.
The Master Chief understood where the girl was coming from. Many times has he been called a robot, or a cyborg, little did they know he was fully human inside that armour. But to think of Samus defending herself from a military government. He wondered what happens to independent bounty hunters that commit treason?
"I'm keeping you up, you should head back to the tent for some rest." The teen broke the leader's train of thought.
"You're going to stay here?" John asked, to which Samus nodded in reply. "You're not going to take off and leave are you?"
Samus rolled her eyes with a groan. "No Chief."
"I can stay with you if you want." The spartan offered, clearly not trusting the girl's words.
"I'm not leaving. But if I am being honest, if there's no action by tomorrow, meaning no contact from Infinity, or the UNSC, and no game plan going into action. I will take my own actions, and locate a signal from Infinity, or whatever comes my way. I'm sorry, I can't just lay low while I know I am missing distress calls, and planets that need saving." Samus warned her adopted father she could stay no longer.
The tall muscular man reluctantly nodded in understanding. "Then you should go Samus. You're right we can't keep you here while there's others who need you more. We appreciate everything you did to help us get this far during this Guardian chaos. And I know you will return to us when you can."
Samus stood up looking at the door to the cockpit. "Thank you for understanding Chief."
"I know you feel like you're endangering us just sitting around waiting for the Galactic Federation to find you. You don't need the added stress to the amount you're already feeling. I only ask that you keep in contact with me." The tall man followed the teen to the cockpit of the ship.
"I will Chief." Samus replied with a smile, before reaching into a small hatch and pulling out a data pad and a small device. "Here give this to Halsey. I know I didn't answer most of her questions about my armour. But I have found that this has helped me greatly in all my adventures, maybe it can help you as well."
John curiously gazed at the device that the girl gifted him, he hoped that Samus didn't expect a Chozo artifact to adapt to his own armour. "I'm not sure it'll work..."
"It's not Chozo based, this one is by GF standards, or human grade. It'll work with your armour, and help you a lot." Samus chuckled seeing the questions brewing in Chief's mind.
"Thank you Samus, I will make sure to put this to use." Master Chief thanked the girl with a small smile.
Samus nodded, commanding her AI to start the ship's engines. "Adam, you can start the ship now." Before turning to tightly hug her father figure.
Chief didn't return the hug right away, Samus had been so cagey lately, he had forgotten the young teen was usually an affectionate person. "I'll miss you too." He returned the embrace, reluctant to let Samus go.
"Me too Chief." Samus replied trying to pull out of the embrace. "Chief, I got to go." The girl sighed with a laugh.
"I know, I'm sorry." John released his grip, allowing the teen to step back. In a flash the muscular teen was replaced with the brightly coloured orange and white alien armour.
"Please tell the others that I am sorry I left so abruptly again. But I will see you guys soon." Samus told the man as he stepped onto the exit hatch of the ship.
"I will do my best Samus. Please do not push yourself too far off the edge." Chief replied, his insignificant smile wishing his teen luck on her journey. But his disheartened eyes wished that his foundling could've stayed with the team.
"I'll miss you." Samus tried to hide her sadness behind a warm smile.
"Just return to us in one piece." John sighed as the hatch began to drop.
"I will Chief." Samus sighed, watching Chief step off the hatch platform, allowing the hatch to return, sealing the ship closed.
Master Chief watched as the violet ship hovered for a moment, before taking off into the night sky. A small fiery glow wrapped around the violet ship as it burst through the planet's atmosphere before disappearing for good.
Arbiter stepped next to his battle brother, watching the bounty hunter's ship disappear. "You will cross paths with her again. The Hunter's fire burns brightly, you will never lose sight of her soul."
Master Chief nodded in understanding. Though he was more concerned about the people and threats Samus would encounter on her unknown journey.
Soooo... this wasn't the greatest chapter as it was just filler, especially with a terrible ending haha. But since this chapters release is so close to the release date of Dread I will be most likely writing about that. And I will put many spoiler warnings of course! But until next time!