[Log File #014 – Agon Wastes, Aether] Stepping back onto the surface of Aether created quite a feeling of relief as the portal powered down behind me. Taking a moment to make sure the Space Pirates hadn't returned, I noticed a door was now open that I wasn't able to open before going to Dark Aether. Going through it I was fortunate to find another missile expansion. More firepower to work with is never a bad thing, especially when dealing with the Pirates.
After more exploring and collecting an energy tank plus more missile expansions I went back to the chamber where I first fought the Space Pirates. My reacquired Space Jump Boots allowed me to reach a small alcove that I wasn't able to access before. I activated a control panel nearby and the connecting gate opened up a new area. I made sure my weapons were fully armed, then entered the new doorway.
The first thing I heard upon passing through the door was conversation in a dialect I couldn't understand, but that I knew all too well. The language of the Space Pirates. I slowly made my way forward and saw two of them looking at a small storage crate of phazon. Ever since my encounter with them on Tallon IV, the Pirates have been obsessed with phazon as both an energy source and an experimental weapon enhancer. This would likely explain their presence here on Aether, and who knew what plans they were working on.
Since the pair had yet to see me, I decided to open fire. As I charged up my Power Beam I realized that if I didn't kill them both at the same time, one of them would put out an alert to any others in a nearby area; I had to take them both out at the same time. Then I remembered that phazon was volatile when stored in containers. Changing the angle of my shot I aimed directly at the phazon crate and fired. The charged shot did the trick, and Pirates disintegrated before they even knew what happened. Satisfied with the results I moved on, believing I was still undetected...
[End Log File]_