Welcome to the seventh of Metroid fanfiction.
In this chapter, Ridley learns the truth of his origins, the destruction of his species and the deaths of his parents and his adoptive mother, Dr. Anna Ripley.
As always, I only own Dr. Anna Ripley, Ridley's adoptive mother, Lieutenant Jacob Kain, the Federation Marine who defended him, Sergeant Albert Burke, another Federation Marine and Ridley's parents. Ridley and the Space Pirates are owned by Nintendo, Saturo Okada, Gunpei Yokoi, Hiroji Kiyotake and Yoshio Sakamoto.
Without further ado, please enjoy chapter 7 of The Cunning God of Death Rises.
Ridley learns the truth
It had been a few months since the execution of the mutineers by Ridley's claws and everything was well on the Space Pirate mother-ship. All every one of the insectoids aboard has fallen in line, too terrified of their gigantic charge to attempt to overthrow their captain.
Ridley now had free range of the mother-ship and was a regular sight in the hanger bay, flapping his evergrowing wings in preparation for the day he would finally take flight for the first time. As he grew, the Space Dragon explored more of his home, making new discoveries every day and caring very little for what he found until the day he wondered to the ship's science labs.
For many years, Ridley had kept his distance from his former living quarters due the memories he had of growing up in complete isolation, only being visited occasionally by the Space Pirates assigned to him so they could unceremoniously throw in his meals to him without a word. He had never had any inclination to visit until recently. He needed to know the truth of his origins. His insectoid guardians had been far too vague about it.
Cautiously entering the large laboratories, Ridley crept over to one of the computer terminals and meticulously searched through the mother-ship's data-base until he found a file titled with his name. Clicking on the file, the adolescent Space Dragon found several other files, each marked with a different dates but all with the same code-name; 'Geoform 187'.
Looking through each file, Ridley found charts monitoring the condition of his egg prior to his birth and his growth during his first few weeks of life as well as comments on his physical and mental development. He also read what he could have sworn were words of affection. He had always assumed from what he had been told that the scientist who had hatched him only did so in order to research his species. The words he was reading sounded more like words that would be used by a mother. His mother.
Attached to some of the files, Ridley found several videos. As he watched them, Ridley saw his adoptive mother caring for his infant self and playing with him, even referring to him as her 'baby boy' and referring to herself as his 'Mommy'. Then he saw the videos that showed him the deaths of both of his mothers.
One of the last videos he found was in the final file on himself which showed his adoptive mother hurrying to record his first word and happily telling him how their time on the space station was almost over. He could hear the excitement building in her voice as she told him how she could not wait to introduce him to the rest of his new family and how much they were all going to love
Then he heard a door suddenly opening in the background and footsteps approaching. For a brief second, he saw a look of fear appearing on his adoptive mother's face before she swiftly turned around. "So, this is your little secret project, huh? Dr. Ripley, you do realise that the Space Dragons are supposed to be extinct, don't you? Even allowing just one to be born on this station is an act of treason." a male voice said sternly.
"Sergeant Burke, please. He's just a baby. The Space Dragons aren't as vicious and monstrous as you think. I've been caring for this one for only five weeks and he's shown me that if they're raised properly, they can be the sweetest, most affectionate creatures in the galaxy. They just need to be given a chance." Dr. Ripley pleaded persuasively, hoping to convince the sergeant not to kill her adoptive son.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Ripley, but freaks like that don't get chances. As for traitors like you, the only penalty is death." Sergeant Burke said, walking over to the control panel in front of Ridley's enclosure, where the older Space Dragon could see the force-field disappear and his creamy-white younger self sleepily stepping out in confusion then becoming startled when the sergeant pointed his gun at him.
"This creature dies first then you." he told Ripley's adoptive mother, his finger on the trigger as the infant Ridley screeched to his mother in fear. "No! Nooo!" Dr. Ripley screamed in terror as she rushed over to the enclosure just as the sergeant fired, crying out in pain as the shot hit her abdomen before she fell to the ground. From the angle of the camera, the adolescent Ridley could see his younger self jump down to his adoptive mother, giving sad and concerned chirps.
"Looks like that thing has gotten into your head. I'm gonna have to change my plans. Goodbye, Doctor. You don't have to worry about your little pet anymore. We'll take good care of him." Sergeant Burke said patronisingly as he shot Dr. Ripley in the chest before leaving the laboratory and locking the door behind him, leaving the woman mortally wounded with only the frightened baby Space Dragon to remain by her side during her final moments.
The room went dark as soon as the door closed so the only thing that Ridley could hear before the video ended was his mournful cries and his adoptive mother's shaking voice as she tried to calm him one last time. "Shh, it's... it's okay, Ridley. It's okay, honey. M...Mommy's fine." she said soothingly to his infant self over and over again under the room became silent.
The final video was titled 'Body cam footage – Operation Homewrecker – Sergeant A. Burke'. Playing the video, Ridley first saw the mouth of the cave he had explored as a baby on Zebes, this time filled with several large purple eggs. From the shaky breathing he could hear and the torchlight in front of the camera, Ridley immediately concluded that he was watching the footage from Sergeant Burke's perspective and, more pleasingly, that the Sergeant was fearful of his kind.
Just then, the Space Dragon heard the human on the footage speaking. "Alpha to base, we have located the final nesting site. Seems the information handed to us by the Space Pirate Mother-Ship was accurate. Proceeding with the nest's destruction." Burke reported to what Ridley could only assume was whoever was in command on the space station.
Just then, a huge purple Space Dragon with orange wings and eyes landed with an planet-shaking thud in front of the Federation Marines. "We're under attack from one of the adults! From the information we have, it looks to be one of the males, possibly the father of the eggs!" Burke yelled as the Space Dragon in front of him attacked. "Open fire! Shoot to kill! I repeat, shoot to kill!" he ordered the men behind him as he started firing his own weapon at the creature in front of him.
Ridley watched with fascination in his eyes as he saw his father use his tail to impale the marines just as he had done to the mutineers just a few months ago. Then the adolescent Space Dragon witnessed something he thought was astounding. His father took flight above the marines, circling them before grabbing one of the marines and dragging him along the ground until he died.
As Ridley's father circled the remaining marines, a strange light appeared from his mouth and before Ridley could even blink, his father shot a beam of light towards the soldiers. "All units take cover!" Burke ordered as he dived away from the attacking beam. Taking aim as the Space Dragon landed in front of him and towered over him at full height, Burke saw his only opportunity and fired a shot. Ridley's father screeched and backed away as the shot hit him directly in the chest. Immediately, the other marines took the opening they had and fired upon the wounded Space Dragon until the creature fell to the ground dead.
"Let's take care of this nest then get back to base. If the mother shows up, our orders are to eliminate her too." Burke told the surviving members of his squad as he started firing upon the eggs, destroying each one with a single shot.
Suddenly, just as the marines had almost completed the destruction of the nest, a monstrous roar was heard above them and another adult Space Dragon landed in the middle of the small army, looking very angry. This Space Dragon had pitch black scales, red wings and eyes and was a little smaller and sleeker than the one they had killed just moments ago. Standing protectively over the nest, Ridley's birth mother glared at the marines, daring any of them to take another shot.
"Alpha to base, we have eyes on the mother. Proceeding to engage." Burke said as he fired upon the Space Dragon, who whipped it's tail back and forth by stayed in place, refusing to leave the last remaining egg that lay beneath her. The marines fired upon Ridley's birth mother relentlessly for hours until finally, she gave one final, mournful screech before falling onto the nest and breathed her last.
Taking several calming breaths, Burke activated his radio one final time. "Alpha to base, target has been eliminated and the final nesting site has been destroyed. We're heading back." he said before turning to his squad. "Alright, men. Our work here is done. Let's start making tracks." he ordered as he walked away from the destroyed nest.
"But, sir, shouldn't we check the nest first? I was sure there was one last egg underneath that female." one marine said cautiously. "Do you know how big Space Dragons are, Private? Any egg under that freak would have been crushed on impact as soon as she died. There's no need to check anywhere. We just head back to base and let the scientists do their job. Now move." Burke ordered as he pushed the private aside, shaking his head at the man's naivety as he walked away, turning his body cam off as he did.
For a while, Ridley sat staring at the screen in angered disbelief. He considered himself a fool for trusting in the Space Pirates for the entire time they had been raising him. Now he discovers that they had betrayed him before he had even been born. They had probably been celebrating their betrayal behind his back, reveling in the fact that they had made a descendant of their former masters into their pet. It then occurred to the adolescent Space Dragon that, perhaps, a change in leadership was in order.
A few hours later...
The Space Pirate Captain stretched as he headed towards his personal quarters. Since Ridley had dealt with the mutineers, the rest of the crew had fallen into line. No one dared to question his leadership again and, if they did, they would face becoming his reptilian friend's next meal.
Finally arriving at the door to his quarters, the captain pressed the panel to open it and stepped inside to find the room in total darkness. Stepping carefully into the room, he could hear a familiar breathing above him.
"Ridley, my boy, what are you doing here? More importantly, how did you get in here?" he said, chuckling a little at the Space Dragon's action. He had always thought that Ridley could be a little too smart at times. "You gave me full run of the ship after I disposed of your little problem, remember?" Ridley reminded coldly, glaring at the insect below him.
"Oh yes, I'd forgotten about that little gift. To what do I owe this surprise visit?" the captain enquired as he turned on the light and looked curiously up at the Space Dragon above him. "I've just been watching the video files in the laboratories. It appears you have forgotten something else. Mainly, your betrayal of my kind that lead to the murder of both of my parents and the human woman who rescued me from Zebes." Ridley revealed, circling around his intended prey with menace in his eyes. "I-I see. Well, if you just let me explain, I think..." the captain started when he was suddenly caught by the throat in Ridley's grasp.
"Interesting proposition, sir. However, I believe we are beyond explanation. I would allow you to live but I'm afraid that would be out of the question. You see, I think that I would, unfortunately, be correct in my assumption that, should I spare your life, you would inform your allies in the Galactic Federation of my existence on this ship and that they would send dear Sergeant Burke and his troops to our location to complete their genocide before I could even leave the ship. Therefore, I'm afraid this is where we part ways. Goodbye, Captain." Ridley said coolly as the captain struggled in his claws. The captain screamed as the Space Dragon ate him, licking his blood off of his lips before leaving the room.
The next morning, the crew were surprised to see Ridley coming onto the bridge. "Um, Ridley, wh-where's the captain?" one nervous Space Pirate asked nervously. "I'm afraid our dear captain is in dispose indefinitely. As of now, I am taking command. Unless.. some of you object." Ridley replied smoothly, a threatening glint in his eye as he surveyed the bridge. "N-no sir." the space pirate said as he looked away, trying to hide his fear.
"Good, good. Now, set a course for Nostromos III." Ridley ordered, his eyes set on the horizon. "For our home planet? W-why?" the Space Pirate asked in a mixture of fear and confusion. "I think it is time for me to visit the home planet of my... saviours." Ridley replied slyly as the insect reluctantly set the co-ordinates for the Space Pirate home world, having a feeling in his gut that nothing good was going to come of the Space Dragon's visit.
What lies in store once Ridley and the Space Pirates arrive at Nostromos III?
As always, I only Dr. Anna Ripley, Lieutenant Jacob Kain, Sergeant Albert Burke and Ridley's parents. I do not own Ridley or the Space Pirates.
Apologies for the long wait. I hope to be posting more regularly in the future.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to have the next chapter posted as soon as possible.