Old Friends
Samus awakens later than normal. She grumbles to herself as she sits up in bed, her internal clock thrown off by the week's excitement. Introducing Adam to the crew ended up being more of an event than she expected, and she's spent much of their extended shore leave talking with him. Still, she intends to put on her best face for the crew now that they're getting back to business. Nothing less will suffice.
A quick shower, then hair, makeup, and her uniform. She mentally lists how she wants the morning to proceed, starting with a brief on their heading. Nothing too long-winded, just a confirmation of their next destination. Then she'll set the crew on their daily tasks and eat something. She plucks a datapad off her desk and opens her door.
She nearly drops it as she runs headfirst into Adam, waiting just outside. "Samus, I have a few items for you to consider."
Samus takes a breath to calm herself. It's too early for this. She's still getting used to seeing that face again. "And you had to wait outside my quarters to bring them to my attention?"
"These are things we should deal with before we lift off today. I know you planned to leave Saleni Beta shortly after waking up."
She tucks her datapad under her arm as she moves around him toward the bridge; little point in using it now that he's here. Adam falls in line behind her. "Go ahead then. What's so important you had to give me a heart attack first thing in the morning?"
He gets right into it. "While you were resting, I took the liberty of running diagnostics on the Crosshair. Our guns have enough cells for four-hundred and thirty-five shots. We should restock."
"We don't get into many space battles. Four-hundred should be plenty." They cross into the bridge. Adrian is already at her station. She stands up from her seat as Samus enters. Samus waves her at-ease.
Adam objects. "Respectfully Samus, I disagree. If multiple bogeys ambushed us at once, four hundred would put us at risk of being unable to sustain an extended conflict. I've referenced a map of the city; there is an outfitter that we can restock at."
Nice to see that some things don't change. Still giving unsolicited advice. "I appreciate you being proactive now that you have more freedom to move about the ship, but I'm sure we're fine."
Adrian adds her voice to the conversation. "Actually, Captain, there are a few other things I think we could use. With Adam aboard now we should see about picking up a backup charging cell for him, in case the ship loses power. I was also thinking about picking up an update for my gauntlet computer."
Samus cocks an eyebrow at her. "You've had six days to take care of personal equipment. You haven't already done that?"
Adrian looks down sheepishly. "I was hoping we could use the expenditure account. I couldn't get a hold of you most days."
That's fair. Samus has been spending most of their shore leave exploring the city alone. "For future reference, you don't need my permission to use that. Let's get this done now. I want to be in the air by noon."
Samus, Adrian, and Adam group up and move toward the cargo bay. As they cross through the crew area, Arrande walks up the steps from the lounge, a half-finished sandwich clutched in his hand. "What's going on? I thought we were lifting off today?"
"Quick grocery run," Adrian answers, "Then we'll be right back."
Arrande quickly shoves down the rest of the sandwich, talking with a full mouth. "I was thinking about picking up a new rifle. May as well join you."
The group and their task are getting bigger than Samus expected. Every person joining adds more time to this errand. "Fine, but let's keep it brief."
Kaia calls from the catwalk outside her room. "If that is the case, I may as well join your merry little band."
Samus is getting exasperated. "What do you need to buy?"
"Oh, nothing. I would simply prefer not to be cooped up all alone on the ship on such a fine morning." She's already on her way down the steps to join them, her patterned floral sari flowing behind her.
Samus gets the sneaking suspicion that Kaia just wants to tag along to watch the crew interact. This is going to slow them down considerably. But Samus can leverage this. Adam needs more time to integrate with the crew in his new body.
As the growing entourage enters the cargo bay, Samus spies Chowa in the corner, tending to their armored vest. The noise the group makes together draws their attention. "Captain Aran, are you and the crew leaving together? I was under the impression we were taking off early today."
"We have to pick something up first. Watch the ship." For a moment Samus thinks they intend to join as well, then remembers who she's talking to. Chowa hasn't left the ship once since they started their shore leave. They affirm her order and go back to their work.
And then Dr. Jha gets involved. As the rest of the crew moves down the loading ramp, she approaches the tall, ebony alien with pursed lips and folded hands. Seeing this, Samus slows down, watching and waiting at the top of the ramp.
Kaia places a gentle hand on Chowa's work bench. "You know, Adam is a bit unused to having a body. I think he's having some trouble adjusting."
Chowa looks concerned. "Is that so?"
"Oh yes. This will be his first time in a crowded place. I think it may help to have the entire crew lend their support."
Chowa contemplates this, glancing at the assembled crew. "Hm. Then I should lend my support as well. May I, Captain Aran?"
Samus shoots a look at Kaia; the old schemer simply smiles back. She doesn't want to move around in a large group like this, but if this is what it takes to get Chowa off the ship…
"… yes. You may."
They rise slowly and join the parade.
Samus glowers at Dr. Jha. "This is going to take all day now."
"Indeed. You should savor it then." She beams at Samus. "Well then. Shall we be off?"
000
The bustling streets of Ophidia are alive with a vibrant mix of alien species, their colorful garbs creating a rich tapestry against the backdrop of towering skyscrapers. Passing vehicles drive along the streets and float above, navigating the complex grid of the cityscape.
Samus has some trouble moving through the crowded sidewalks here. On a planet without a human majority, the presence she wields without conscious effort doesn't seem to matter much. Normally, strangers would part around her; here, she's just one more alien face in the crowd.
The entourage she's brought along certainly doesn't lend itself to swift travel, either. Every member of the crew follows behind her, their matching uniforms at odds with a casual stroll through the city. She stays ahead of the group by a few paces, letting them get absorbed in their newfound focus on Adam.
Adam. Every time she looks at him, a swirl of complex feelings swells inside her. Three days ago, he was a disembodied head. Now he stands as a testament to Vernon Haught's engineering acumen, and perhaps her own arrogance and instability. He walks with a natural stride, seamlessly blending into the diverse mix of beings populating the city. His movements are somewhat awkward, almost too symmetric and perfect, a sign of his adjustment to his new android body. Samus, observing him from the corner of her eye, can't help but marvel at the transformation he's undergone in two short days.
Arrande regards the android with levity. "Finally breaking in those fresh new legs, eh? What's it like getting to breathe in all that crisp city smog?"
Adam responds with authority over Arrande's flippant attitude. "I don't detect any smog in the surrounding air, Arrande. Saleni Beta's air pollution laws are very thorough. And my legs have been working fine this entire time, probably better than yours; you could stand to add some endurance running to your training regiment. Maybe I'll make that suggestion to Samus once we get back."
"Whoa, message received, commander."
Gone is the rigid monotony of Adam's voice and mannerisms, replaced by a subtle shift in cadence and inflection that echoes a touch of humanity. Despite the clear synthetic elements of his voice, Samus no longer hears the AI when he speaks. She hears her former commander. That artificial drone of his made for an excellent wall between her memory of Adam Malkovich and the simulacrum with his name. Now the difference is hazy.
Adrian spots a roadside cafe built into one of the passing buildings. "I wish we had time to eat at a local place. This is the first day we've all gone out together."
Without breaking his perfect forward stride, Adam's head turns to face her. The uncanny coordination he displays is subtly unnatural. "We're already spending a lot on equipment today. Eating in the city would be an unnecessary cost. The Crosshair's fabricator works fine."
"Oh… yeah, that's true…" Adrian mutters.
Samus senses a lingering unease in Adam's exchanges with the crew. He still grapples with the nuances of human interaction, and the wide variance in their temperaments has been a lot to adapt to. Even in life, he wasn't the friendliest sort. Regardless of the mind the AI is based on, he's spent little time of his brief existence conversing with others. Admittedly, she hasn't been the best teacher in that regard.
Tucked away amidst the massive towers and soaring highways, a short, wide warehouse building, notably more utilitarian in design, punches a hole in the utopian scene. Plain, functional lettering along the top of the building spells out the name of the business; Wholesale Military Surplus and Tactical Outfitter. It's exactly the kind of store Samus acquired the team's armor from, as well as some of their weapons. Mostly, Samus let the crew arm themselves, but there are some things they wouldn't just have lying around.
Inside, shelves upon shelves of sterling weapons and tactical gear beg to be explored. The owner has set up the most expensive goods they want to move with displays of their own, well lit and accessible to any who pass it. Stands of full armor sets and space-worthy suits line the rear wall. The owner keeps the most dangerous equipment behind locked shelves and doors, out of sight.
For an average bounty hunter, it's the equivalent of a toy store. To Samus herself… mostly meaningless, a way to entertain herself. The crew scatters as they're each drawn in different directions.
The gear shop hums with the indistinct murmur of negotiations and the occasional clink of metal on metal as customers inspect the merchandise. Samus, her eyes scanning the array of advanced weaponry and sleek armor, gets drawn to a display showcasing a blaster just recently approved for public sale. She runs a gloved hand over the polished barrel, taking in its details. The advertised features are still leagues beneath what her suit is capable of, but it's still fairly impressive.
From across two other aisles, Arrande watches her. These past several days have been strange to him. He had grown so used to enduring the brunt of Samus' irritation, used to her sharp looks and terse, one-word replies. But ever since she tailed him to his mother's house, she's been noticeably different. Maybe not to the others, but he picks up on the subtle differences in how she talks to each individual crewmate.
And with him… she's softened. In fact, she now has trouble looking him in the eye. She's replaced her pointed glares with furtive glances, or at least her stoic equivalent of it. She makes fewer demands of him and more… firm requests. In his private moments, he reflects on things he promised her he wouldn't think about.
However, they haven't had a moment alone to talk since then. A question burns in his mind, its fire growing more and more with each passing day. Now, he finally sees the opportunity to ask it.
He picks up a communicator several years older than the one the crew already employs and turns it around in his hands, pretending to inspect it while approaching her. Once he closes the distance, he clears his throat softly, catching her attention. "Impressive piece, isn't it?" he remarks, his tone lighter than usual.
Samus spares him a sidelong glance, her lips quirking in a subtle smile. "It is," she concedes. She doesn't turn to face him. There's a warmth in her glance that wasn't there before, a familiarity that betrays her aloof façade.
He points to the display, face screwed up in faux-analysis of the potential buy. "Doesn't seem like your type, though."
She cocks an eyebrow. "Oh? You know my type, then?"
"You like your paralyzer. I've always thought that was odd; why a nonlethal sidearm?" He watches her reaction with interest.
She frowns slightly, eyes distant. "I don't want to kill if I don't have to. I always have a lethal option available if I really need it. Besides, you'd be surprised what I can stop with it."
He glances down the aisle and points to something behind the counter; a long, black, .50 caliber rifle with a thick barrel. "Personally, I'm looking at that."
She glances at it, then turns to him, smiling in disbelief. "The M2X80? You know that uses combustion-based rounds, right? Big ones. It could shatter your shoulder."
Arrande shrugs. "I've got my favorite too, but it can't pierce heavy armor. You never know." He gives her a knowing grin.
Samus shakes her head and smirks, side-eying him coyly. "Buy something like that and people will think you're compensating for something."
"Ha, if anyone here knows I'm not compensating for anything, it's you." His smile falls as he realizes his misstep. They lock eyes with each other. Samus looks serious.
But she doesn't reprimand him.
She clears her throat and steps away from the display, moving down the aisle. He just broke their golden rule, but she didn't do a thing about it. Now he knows something has changed.
Arrande logically understands he shouldn't do what's running through his head. But his logic isn't in charge right now. "Samus!" She stops mid-stride and looks over her shoulder at him. "Would you like to-"
"Don't." She turns to face him directly.
Her interruption throws him off balance. "… but I-"
"Arrande. No. Things between us are better now… but don't finish that sentence."
"… yes Ma'am."
Samus leaves the aisle before she's tempted further. Arrande's shoulders slump. That was a stupid, risky move.
Yet he feels like he'd make it again if given the chance.
000
The shopkeeper is a Taundilian, a species with large, hard shells on their backs, and long, rodent-like faces. His clawed paws pick up and examine the helmet on his counter for any imperfections. Needs to make sure the stock is in good condition before he sells it. He glances up at its buyer; Chowa looks down with silent expectation. The shop keep puts the helmet down. "Dere's some neck platin' dat pairs wid' dis. Good for you long-necked types. You wan' me to grab it for yeh?"
Chowa nods happily. "Please do. I have another item I am searching for. Do you have a Korizeen magnum pistol? Also, do you do custom adonization?"
The shop keep raises their equivalent of an eyebrow. "Whadda I look like, a tailuh? And dat gun is restricted material. Yeh got a military ID or hunter registration?"
Chowa produces a handipad from their vest, revealing their hunter ID.
The shop keep checks it, then nods. "Awright. Yeh wait here."
So far, Chowa's fears have gone unfulfilled. They were concerned about how they might be viewed, nosing around a weapons store on their own, but the staff has been helpful and the other customers seem unconcerned. A spark of warm hope kindles in their chest. Perhaps their life here need not be so lonely.
Another bounty hunter in a sleek, chrome teal suit of combat armor waits behind Chowa for the shopkeeper to return. She taps her foot, arms crossed, letting out heavy sighs and brusque exhalations occasionally, as though every second that passes is unbearable. To pass the time, she strikes up a conversation with the mysterious Vorminian ahead of her in line. Her voice comes through a helmet-rigged speaker system, not dissimilar to Samus'. "Hey. Big guy. Saw you flash that ID. You working a job?"
Chowa turns to face the stranger. "Oh… are you speaking to me?"
She glances past them and over her shoulder. "You see anyone else?"
Chowa thinks to themself for a moment. "… apologies. I believe you are the first stranger to willingly initiate a conversation with me in Federation space."
She shrugs. "Other people are probably just intimidated. So, what's your bounty?"
They shake their head. "None, currently. My crew and I are here to procure new equipment before we leave port."
She tilts her head curiously. "Part of a crew? Wouldn't have figured there'd be an Egenoid bounty team in Federation space."
"You misunderstand. The rest of my crew is human."
"Huh! Call me cynical, but I'll believe that when I see it."
Chowa notes the rest of the crew, gathered up with their various purchases, approaching from behind the woman. Chowa points them out. "Then you shall believe."
The woman turns around and freezes. "Samus? Hey! What are you doing out here?"
Samus tries to place the voice, her expression searching. Then it registers with her, and to the crew's shock, she smiles openly. "Brinna?"
The woman removes her helmet, revealing a tucked bun of black hair, a black-freckled, paper-white complexion, and eyes so bright green Samus can make out their color from several paces away. While one might initially confuse her for a human with the armor on, her appearance reveals her to be Avadush. In an even more shocking turn, she openly approaches Samus and the two hug. The crew stares in abject amazement; seeing their captain acting so friendly and open feels almost wrong.
Without releasing each other's arms, they pull back from one another, smiling and laughing. However, the tone suddenly shifts when Brinna leans in toward Samus' face.
Samus immediately pulls away, tucking her chin to avoid the other woman's lips. Brinna looks confused, then notes the staring entourage. She lets go of Samus and steps back, smiling again. "Sorry, didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your friends. Forgot you're not a fan of PDA."
Samus shakes her head. "That's not… nevermind. How are you? The armor's new." She smiles, trying to play off what just happened.
Brinna grins wide and shows it off, doing a twirl for effect. Several booster jets dot the chest, back, thigh, leg, and arm plates. "Oh yeah, came out last year, one of those new Velocity models from Alteron. You should see the things I can- hey! Wait a minute!" She turns and points at Chowa, then back to Samus. "This is your crew! You have a crew!"
Samus nods, smiling. "It is. I do."
While the two hunters catch up, Kaia leans in toward Adam to whisper. "A friend of hers?"
"I don't know. I've never met her," he answers.
"Hm." Kaia glances at Arrande. He looks glum.
He doesn't take his eyes off the interaction, his curiosity piqued by her uncharacteristic openness toward the woman. If the failed kiss wasn't enough of a sign, he can see the undercurrent of history between them, a silent language spoken through shared glances and subtle gestures. Arm touches, hair tucks, small motions that speak volumes.
"You gonna introduce me to everyone?" Brinna asks, hands on her hips.
Samus gestures to Chowa. "Chowa, our infiltration specialist." They give a shallow bow. Samus motions behind her. "Dr. Jha, crew therapist, Adrian, my second, and… Adam. My AI support."
Brinna takes special note of him. She knows the name. "Not touching that one…" she mumbles under her breath. "What about you, sourpuss?" she asks, looking at Arrande.
"Arrande. Sniper. Former GFA," he grumbles, trying to sound tough.
She tilts her head. "Aww, that's cute. GFMC infantry."
"Tch. Of course you are," he mutters.
Brinna disregards him and refocuses on Samus. "Something's different about you," she notes, squinting at her old friend.
Samus inclines her head slightly, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Times change, Brinna. We adapt," she replies cryptically, her blue eyes betraying none of her innermost thoughts.
"Hm. Still broody and mysterious, so I guess not too much has changed. So hey, I'm working a bounty right now. Just small stuff, you know, paying for ship upkeep and all that. Picking up some gear I left for maintenance right now, but then I'm back on the trail. Since you're in the area, feel like tagging along? I could cut you in on the reward!" She frames her offer tantalizingly, her voice lilting up at the end.
However, Samus is resistant. "I don't think I can. We're lifting off today-"
"You should go," Arrande interrupts. Samus looks back at him, perplexed. "We'll manage just fine. Catch up with your friend."
She tries to get a read on him, but his expression is inscrutable. "But Adam-"
"I'm in good company," Adam counters. "We've worked together for years, Samus. I can manage being apart from you for a few hours."
"… I'll have to drop by the ship so I can change-"
Brinna brushes the objection off and grabs Samus' hand. "Nah, don't worry about it. You can just take these off on the transport. I know you hate ruining your outfits."
As Samus is pulled away from the crew, she tries to subdue Brinna's whirlwind energy. "What about your gear?"
"Don't need it! I have you now. I'll pick it up later."
Samus shoots a last order over her shoulder as she's dragged out the door. "Adrian! You're in charge! Keep an eye on Adam and be ready to lift off when I get back!"
"Yes, Captain!" Adrian calls back.
Arrande's shoulders fall, his gaze dropping to the ground. He runs his tongue over his teeth and sighs. A kind hand on his shoulder brings his attention to Kaia, who gives him a knowing smile. He glowers at her. "You never stop, do you?"
"It is very hard to ignore reinforced habits. Something I am sure you understand."
He pulls free from her touch as the shop keep comes back with Chowa's gear. He tries to distract himself from the pit forming in his stomach. "Hey, I was interested in that M2X80 you have on the back shelf."
000
It's been years since Samus last saw Brinna. They first met shortly after Samus' mission on Zebes. A hunters den out in the Fornean Veil, a lawless region of neighboring space where the Federation's influence was much more subtle. They were attempting to bring the rule of law to bear by utilizing bounty hunters as deputies of a sort. Brinna was among those braving the frontier, though her motivations weren't as altruistic as the Federation's. After serving a single assignment with the Federation Marine Corps, she wanted adventure and excitement on her terms.
At first, Samus found her abrasive and irritating; the idea of bounty hunting for the thrill of it was abhorrent to her. She still saw the galaxy as an organism desperately in need of defense and order. But she witnessed the camaraderie Brinna expressed with her peers, and the infectious positivity she led her life with. It reminded Samus so much of… Ian. His death was still a fresh pain for her then.
A month into Samus' stay in the region, they got assigned to a stakeout together. It was cold that night, and Samus didn't enjoy sleeping in her armor. They got… close. One thing led to another… and another… and another.
Both of them insisted on keeping things casual. They knew the job wouldn't last much longer, and other missions would call them elsewhere. Over the years, they occasionally crossed paths or reached out to each other, and spent a few passionate evenings together. Worked out the stresses of the job. Always professional. Distant. Exactly how Samus preferred to keep things. She can't even claim Brinna was the only one.
It was so easy to slip into that dynamic with her. So why is it that when Samus looks across the private transport at her fellow huntress now, she feels an aversion?
"Why're you staring at me like that?"
Brinna's voice brings Samus out of her melancholy, snapping her back to the moment. "Sorry. Just thinking to myself."
"Oooh," Brinna feigns in amazement. "The legendary bounty hunter is deep in thought! What epic qualms does she struggle with? What dire consequences haunt her so?" She clasps her hands together melodramatically.
Samus rolls her eyes, smiling despite herself. "Cut it out."
Brinna settles in her seat, grinning. "You cut it out. All that moody, broody self-isolation. Talk to me, for real. Your chaperones aren't here now."
Samus shakes her head. "We can chat after this job. Speaking of which, you haven't told me anything about your target."
"Oh, fine. If you're gonna be all business, I guess we can just skip to the point." Brinna holds her gauntlet up and presses a few buttons on it. A small holographic projector displays an image of a man with long, unkempt hair, almost hiding his eyes. "Name's Obek Caltro. He's been hopping core Federation worlds on his way out of Baladoth."
"Out in the Kepler Verge? So he's-"
"Bingo. A bona fide Child of Rannah. One of the few who can pass for an ordinary person. He's modified himself to remove the obvious tells, but we should assume he's still got some major hardware under the hood. That's why the Federation put out the call." Brinna lowers her gauntlet, and the hologram vanishes. "The Children of Rannah are happy to make people into monsters, but not so willing to let their members turn back. Given the way he looks now, the assumption is he's on the run from his former cult. He's not the first, but right now he's the only one still breathing."
The Children of Rannah. Samus had the displeasure of dealing with the cult recently. Their attempt to hijack the Izanagi while she was aboard resulted in the capture of their ghastly church head, Chimera. "So with their leadership broken, some of their members have gotten antsy enough to flee. Makes sense. The Federation wants him alive, don't they?"
Brinna points affirmatively. "Sharp as ever. He'd be an expert witness in the upcoming trial against one of their figureheads. The Federation doesn't just want to punish the ones they captured, they want evidence that will give them the excuse they need to move on the entire church, not just the outspoken splinter groups."
In other cases, Samus might find the idea of the Federation cracking down on a religious order to be an overstep of government authority. Not for this one. "You tracked him here?"
"Yep. Even on a core planet, it's not impossible to pass through illegally. I've been following a trail of parts he's sold off his own body to pay for every jump. This time, I've got him." She stretches, bridging her hands behind her head and reclining casually. "Especially with you on my side."
"Mm," Samus mumbles. The mission sounds easy. Depending on the modifications, one cyborg shouldn't be a problem for Brinna alone. Cutting Samus in on the deal is obviously unneeded.
"We're almost there. You going to slip into something more comfortable?"
Samus snaps out of her thoughts. "… I suppose I should."
As Samus strips down, Brinna occasionally steals glances at her. Samus notices.
"You're enjoying this."
Brinna lifts a finger to her lips. "Shhh shh sh. Just take it nice and slow."
Samus rolls her eyes and yanks off her shirt.
000
Obek Caltro has made it this far. He's so close, so, so close. Weeks of enduring cramped cargo containers, fake names, and the indignity of having to sell his own parts to scum-sucking back alley leeches. One more ship and he'll be out of Federation space, then it'll be easy to disappear.
He moves through the throngs of busy dockworkers, toward a shipping vessel being loaded with freight. A member of its crew reads off a datapad, checking and double checking their cargo. He sees Obek coming and immediately shouts at him, "Hey! You need to get out of here! This is a loadin' zone!"
Obek nods his head over and over, muttering to himself. "Yes yes, I know. Very dangerous. But not the most dangerous thing, no." He hurries to the crewman's side, speaking in hushed tones. "A friend told me you transport out-of-season fruit?"
The man glances around, then nods, his demeanor shifting. "Yeah. If it's ripe enough." He holds out an open palm.
Obek passes him a handful of untagged credit chits.
The man pockets them with cautious discretion and nods again. "The crew will be out for dinner in three hours. Meet me here then; I've got a crate with textiles in it that has some space. Don't make noise in the crate, don't leave nothin' behind, and go to the bathroom ahead of the trip. Now beat it."
Obek hurries away. Finally, finally.
He can finally vanish.
000
As the sun dips below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the bustling shipping dockyard, Samus and Brinna find a hidden vantage point to begin their stakeout. They crouch high in the strut work of a cargo crane, the cool sea breeze passing over their fully armored forms. It's a wide open, rectangular area stacked with massive crates and containers in distinct piles, forming lanes for traffic between them. Some shipping vessels have already grounded, awaiting further stock or the return of their crews.
Brinna double-checks her weapon; a modified military-issue automatic single-arm energy rifle, a holdover from her GFMC days. Without a powered suit, it's useless and heavy. With one, there are few mass-produced infantry weapons that can compete. She attaches a custom module to its top rail and links it back up to her helmet's HUD.
Always one for casual chatter in tense situations, she turns to Samus with a mischievous glint in her eye. "You know, I still can't believe you run a crew now. Never thought I'd see the day when Samus Aran played captain."
Samus absorbs the chatter as background noise, her gaze fixed on the activity below. "I'm not playing, Brinna. This is serious to me." She shifts slightly, adjusting her position for better visibility.
Brinna chuckles under her breath. "Man, that was such a you answer. But I prefer flying solo. Less room for complications, more room to do whatever I want, whenever I want." Her tone turns coquettish as she continues, "Speaking of which, after this, wanna go hit the city? Maybe after you can give me a tour of your new ship. And maaaybe after that… a tour of your quarters?" She walks her fingers up Samus' arm as she speaks.
Samus sighs, her shoulders dropping. "Brinna, as much as I'd like that, I can't."
Brinna cocks an eyebrow behind her helmet. "Hey, is something going on? You've never been like this with me. You're usually more 'Don't speak, clothes off,'" she says, doing a stony impression of her.
Samus turns her attention back to their task, trying to brush it off. "No."
The other woman swings through the metalwork to position herself in front of Samus and tilts her head, squinting. Samus avoids looking directly back, but Brinna always had a good intuition. Samus catches the faintest twinge of disappointment behind her visor before she's all smiles again.
"No way, you're seeing someone! Never figured you for a settler." There's amusement in her tone. "Who is it? Oh, someone on the crew, I bet. Risk always turned you on. Naughty. I bet it's the lean one. What did you say she was? Your 'second?'"
"No. Stop asking," Samus sternly demands.
Brinna pauses. "… wait… it's not… Mr. GFA?"
Samus doesn't respond.
"Oh. I thought… I mean, I always figured you were…" Brinna's excitement drains from her voice.
Samus feared that this would come up. But she doesn't feel like justifying anything, certainly not right now. "I said nothing about my preferences. You never asked."
Brinna straightens up and clears her throat. "Know what? Doesn't matter. You and me were always more casual, anyway. It's not like it would have changed anything if it were one of the others." She swings back behind Samus.
This is the reason Samus prefers meeting with her outside work hours. She knows Brinna is a competent hunter, but she also knows how easily distracted she is, and how much she enjoys invading her personal bubble. This is not the time for… whatever this discussion is. Not on the job.
Fortunately, the needless conversation dies at that point. Samus spends the next hour watching the port in blissful silence.
At least it should be pleasant. But the specter of guilt hovers over her, pressing on her back. She tells herself she needs to stay on task or they'll miss their mark. It's reasonable to want to focus on what they came to do, to shut out unnecessary distractions.
So why does she still feel bad?
Thankfully, it doesn't last. Ironically, Samus's thoughts distract her from Caltro's arrival. Brinna points him out, her tone aloof and even. "There he is."
Obek's movements give away his paranoia. He dashes from one point of cover to the next, checking behind every crate and container he sees. He makes the same mistake most do; never looks up.
A sound catches Samus' attention further into the loading area. She glances across the port at one ship. She thought she saw its crew leave earlier, but someone is still there. An indistinct silhouette opens the ship's cargo bay and stands there, waiting and watching Obek as he inches closer. "That's his ride. You see any weapons?"
Brinna's response is terse. "We're too far. Need to get closer before my visor can be sure." She's starting to sound like Samus.
They jump down, Brinna taking a little more time as she leaps between different levels of the crane's struts.
000
"Frickin' hell, would you get over here?" the corrupt shipper yells, annoyed by how neurotic his latest client is. "There's no one else here! Get your ass over here before someone shows up!"
"You think no one is there, but you can't be sure! You can't know!" Obek sees vipers in every slithering shadow, claws tearing at the edges of the light's reach. Searching for him, waiting for him to think he's safe. Metal, bone, and blood, metal, bone, and blood. He staggers forward, head swiveling. Nonono, something is wrong. If he's this close, there has to be someone, something, hiding and waiting to drag him back into the dark, waiting to crunch and grind and-
"Obek Caltro!"
Obek screams and goes rigid. Samus and Brinna drop between him and the loader, weapons drawn.
While Samus holds up Obek with her cannon, Brinna pushes the shipper up against the cargo vessel and shoves her rifle in his chest. "You behave and I won't have to tell the Federation you're smuggling people on the side."
He holds up his hands in surrender. "You're off base, lady. This guy's a friend of mine!"
Samus ignores him. "Obek Caltro. You are wanted by the Galactic Federation. Surrender peacefully and no one has to get hurt."
He's anything but calm. He claws at his face, eyes wide with panic, muttering and moaning. "No, no, nonononono! You can't, you can't, I was so close! I was so close! They'll find me now, they'll find me and tear me to pieces!"
Seeing his state, Samus reevaluates her approach. She gently lowers her arm cannon. "Who? The Children of Rannah?" He takes some shaking steps back as she mentions them by name. "It's okay. We work with the Federation. We can bring you into protective custody. You'll be safe."
He doesn't believe her. "Safe? No, no, there is no safe. Not from them. Hungry eyes, gleaming in the dark. Metal teeth ripping and shredding-"
Brinna glances back, observing the interaction. Inside her helmet she hears an alarm, and her visor highlights Obek's entire form. "Samus, his body-!"
Obek's eyelids pull back so far they completely expose his white, bloodshot eyes. "Samus?! Nonono! You killed so many of them! You defeated the High Mother!" His tattered jacket shreds to pieces as his arms splay apart, false flesh tearing as the metal underneath strains to be free. Two arms become six, connected by a net of wires, cables, and strings of skin. And at the end of each, the glowing tip of a plasma blaster. His torso glows orange as the power source inside energizes. His voice becomes an electric, crackling scream, "You brought them here!"
By the time he opens fire, the hunters are already on the move. The blasters unleash a barrage of hi-temp plasma shots, peppering the side of the ship they were standing in front of. In the span of a second, the boosters on Brinna's suit fire in rapid succession as she grabs the shipper, dashes aside, then up into the cargo bay of the ship. Samus leaps over him, drawing Obek's fire as he follows her, and she quickly rolls into her morph ball and dashes for cover among the shipping crates.
Inside the cargo vessel, the shipper groans in pain. Brinna checks him over; at most, he's a little bruised. "Yeah, it's no fun when I take someone on the ride with me. You'll live though." She gives him two gentle, conciliatory slaps on the cheek. "Don't break the law again and stuff like this won't happen, 'kay?"
Out in the shipyard, Samus leaps up onto a stack of shipping containers. Obek is close on her tail, skittering up the crates with spider-like movement while screaming incoherent delusions. She drops off the side of the pile; at this angle, any missed shots will sail into the city. She needs to draw his aim elsewhere, even if it means giving him the high ground.
She looks up behind her just as he crests the edge of the containers, watching as he charges another volley.
Brinna dashes into the fray and tosses a grenade up at him before he can fire. The shiny metal sphere glows with yellow light before collapsing and releasing a blast of electricity. The shock briefly incapacitates Obek, making his voice stutter and screech with interference. She capitalizes on her chance, aiming for him and firing from the custom module atop her rifle; a spinning bolo rockets toward Obek and ties around his legs, knocking him to the ground.
She jets over to Samus, coming to a skidding halt and watching alongside her, hoping that's the end. However, he recovers from the electric blast in mere seconds. One of his arms flips out a blade with a hot, glowing edge, and he cuts the titanium cable binding his legs.
"Shit, I was really hoping that would work," she comments.
"Cover, now!"
Brinna grabs Samus' arm and rockets up into the air, over and behind one of the other crate stacks. Obek roars and opens fire behind them, grazing them both in his cannonade.
The two women duck and dash around a few of the piles, using the darkness to obscure their movements and buy some time. They come to a crouch behind a stack, trying to hatch a strategy. "Tell me you've got some fancy power-up for just this situation," Brinna begs.
Samus evaluates her options. "Those arms are spindly. I could break them with a charged shot. But he's moving too erratically. I might kill him if I miss. Everything else I have is probably too lethal or ineffective."
They can hear sirens in the distance. "Better hurry, or the GFP will decide for us!"
Samus thinks hard. "… your grenades worked for a second."
Brinna holds up another in her free hand. "I have more, but it didn't look like they worked too well the first time." Obek screams in the background, occasionally firing blindly into shadows.
"I have something that might do the trick. But it's going to put me at risk. Can I count on you to protect me?"
They study each other for a poignant moment, motionless.
Brinna nods. "Of course."
Swirling in a cage of psychosis, Obek fires into the writhing shadows of the shipyard blindly, shrieking nonsensically. "I know you're there! Don't you come near me! I won't let you grind me up!"
"Caltro!"
He whips around as Samus charges him head-on, arms braced in front of herself. He howls and opens fire, dozens of shots connecting. Samus grits her teeth and pushes through, closing the distance and catapulting herself into the air, somersaulting over him.
As she passes above, she drops her suit and pulls her paralyzer from her hip. Before she even touches the ground, she swings forward, and her paralyzer releases a whip of condensed electricity. It coils around Obek and sends mind-numbing voltage coursing through his techno-organic body. She lands with practiced grace, holding the trigger down to keep the juice pumping.
She can feel him pull against her grip. Without her suit bolstering her strength, his raw cybernetic power will overcome her. Stripped down to her Zero Suit, she's vulnerable to a reprisal.
Fortunately, Brinna is quick on the follow-up. Her velocity suit's jets blast her forward, and she skids along the concrete toward the fight. She pulls the paralyzer from Samus' hands and turns her trajectory to wrap the voltaic cable around their quarry once more for good measure.
Samus quickly resummons her Varia Suit and closes the distance. With razor-keen focus, she hones in on the restrained limbs and, one by one, breaks them with a well-placed charge shot.
As the limbs fall, the paralyzer's line goes slack enough that Obek pulls free. The cable retracts, and as Obek screams, his mouth unhinges, revealing another blaster and pointing it directly in Samus' face.
CRACK
Brinna's booster-propelled punch meets his jaw, and the delicate mechanics of the blaster break. He falls to the ground, weeping computerized noise, but still alive.
000
At night, Ophidia gleams like a gem-encrusted crown against a backdrop of black velvet. Even the downtown GFP precinct is artfully designed. Brinna stares out at the busy city beneath her from atop a balcony along the precinct's street-facing side, despondent. Having let her long, ebony hair down, it dangles and sways in the breeze, framing her melancholy face.
Samus has been watching her for a few minutes now. After the police took their statements, Brinna excused herself to the overlook. Samus could tell what was on her mind. She didn't want to discuss personal matters during a mission… but now, she still hesitates. She's never been good about confronting people when they're vulnerable like this.
Samus steels herself and forces her feet forward. "Hey."
"Hey." Brinna had a feeling she was standing there. She was even hoping she'd come talk to her. Now that the moment's here, she doesn't know what to say.
Samus approaches Brinna slowly, the faint hum of the city below providing a backdrop to their impending conversation. The air feels charged with unspoken tension, a palpable weight hanging between them. As she stands beside Brinna, both women gaze out at the sprawling cityscape, shimmering under the luminescent glow of Ophidia's artificial lights.
Silence lingers for a beat, thick with unresolved emotions and lingering regrets. Samus shifts uncomfortably, grappling with the words she knows are poised on the tip of her tongue. She clears her throat, fortifying herself.
"Brinna, about earlier..." Samus starts tentatively. She searches for Brinna's gaze, but the other woman remains resolutely focused on the glittering expanse before them.
Brinna stiffens imperceptibly at the mention of their earlier encounter. Her shoulders tense. "… yeah?"
"Why were you so upset that I might be seeing someone?"
Brinna huffs. "Oh, I'm upset, am I?"
"Don't be childish."
She pushes off of the guardrail and scowls. "Childish? Sorry we can't all be Ms. All-Business all the time! Sorry I don't act like a fucking robot that only thinks about getting the job done!"
Samus glares. "I'm trying to talk to you-"
"Yeah, well, you're shitty at it. Maybe I'm upset because every time I try to get a human response out of you, you act like it's such a goddamn waste of your time!"
Samus' voice uncharacteristically rises. "Really? Because it actually sounds like you're angry that I'm interested in a man-"
"It's not that!" Brinna objects. She leans over the balcony's edge, suddenly sullen. "I… I don't know. I guess I am upset. Just… I guess part of the reason I'm still doing this job is because I was waiting for you."
Still incensed, Samus doesn't pick up on what Brinna hints toward. "Waiting? Why? What does that mean?"
"Come on, don't make me say it." Brinna looks away in embarrassment.
Samus carefully takes in Brinna's body language. The way she furtively glances between her and the ground, the way she curls in her lower lip, the way she hugs herself as she waits there in silence for some kind of reassurance. Slowly, Samus' frustration ebbs away. She understands what Brinna's holding back. It all reads loud and clear. "Brinna…"
The younger woman stares down into the twinkling lights of moving vehicles beneath them, forlorn. "All this time, I kept things simple between us because I figured you didn't have time for anyone else. Too dedicated to the job and all that. And I thought eventually you'd get tired of saving the world or whatever and retire and then… I dunno, maybe be more… emotionally available. And we could be less of a casual thing and more of a… thing thing."
"… you love me?"
Brinna pushes herself up from the ledge, grimacing. "Aw c'mon, don't just go and say it!" She leans forward again, burying her face in her arms.
Samus sighs and smiles, then drapes her arm around the other woman. "I wish you had said something sooner."
Brinna's voice is steady, but Samus catches a tear escaping her eye just before she turns her head away. "Would it have mattered?"
Samus pauses. "… I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not. My work has been my life. It probably would have been the wrong time."
"And I wasn't there at the right time, apparently."
"That's how things worked out, yes. I still care about you. Did you want to join the crew? Maybe…" Samus trails off.
Brinna shakes her head. "Nah… for all my talk about settling down, this is the life I love. I'm not much of a follower. Guess it's the wrong time for me, too."
She chews her lip, feeling her anguish rising to the point she has trouble containing it.
Her voice cracks. "This really fuckin' sucks!" She suddenly turns to Samus, their faces inches away from each other. "How much do you like him? Is it love?"
"Well… we're not actually together yet…"
Brinna looks offended. "Excuse me? You're turning me down for someone you're not even with?" She huffs irritably, blowing away some hair in her face. "You must really like him then…"
Samus sighs. "It's complicated. He's a subordinate."
Brinna seems unimpressed with that excuse. "So?"
"He doesn't really know me. Not really. Just as his boss."
Brianna peers through Samus. "Have you given him the chance to know you?"
"My therapist says-"
"Fuck your goddamn therapist." Brinna presses a finger into Samus' chest. "I know you. You don't really give a shit what anyone has to say about how you live. Do you. Like him?"
"… yes."
"Then tell him. Now. The jobs we have are too dangerous to wait for tomorrows and maybe-laters. Grab what you can when you can." Brinna stares into the fleeting lights below, watching the transient motions of the city. "I wish I had."
"You have a point… maybe I will."
"That doesn't sound as certain as the Samus I know," Brinna states, sniffling. "Well, if he fucks it up badly enough, call me. I'll come halfway across the galaxy and make out with you right in front of him just to stick it to him. I mean it, I'll make a production out of it, I'll hand out fucking flyers!"
Samus chuckles. "I bet you would." She gently presses her head to Brinna's, and the two close their eyes, one peaceful, the other resigned. "You'll always be important to me."
"Oh shut up," Brinna sniffles.
000
The Crosshair's loading ramp is down when Samus gets back. She climbs up into the cargo bay. Chowa looks over their shoulder from their workstation. "Good evening, Captain Aran. Was your mission successful?"
"It was, Chowa. How's everyone else?"
"We arrived several hours ago. I have been attending to my new equipment since." They hold up a heavy pistol. Samus is fairly certain if she tried to use it, her wrist would break.
"Looks good, Chowa. I'll leave you to it." She whips out her handipad and contacts the bridge. "Adrian? I'm back. Take us up."
"Yes, Captain," the lieutenant confirms. The cargo bay fills with noise as the engines prime and the bay door closes.
000
In the orbit above Saleni Beta, Brinna's sleek, chrome-teal gunship hums with latent power as she checks the readouts on her control panel. The cockpit glows with a soft blue light, reflecting off the smooth surfaces of the controls. Brinna's fingers dance over the holographic inputs, scrolling through listings of different bounties.
This adventure was full of unexpected surprises and a rather unsatisfying ending. She floats in a state of discontent. She needs something to beat on.
She scrolls through available bounties. "Bail jumper, gangster, bail jumper… unpaid parking tickets? Whoa… how do you even rack up that much? Still boring." One catches her eye. "Hm. Wanted: Armed individual eludes local police. Witnessed piloting a… Space Pirate Trilobyte?! Whoa, that's something. Better seal the deal before someone else gets to it!"
Brinna sets course and primes her FTL engines. She knows she's just trying to distract herself from her lachrymose mood right now. But that's exactly what she needs.
000
Samus' mind operates in a haze for the next few hours. She goes through the motions of charting their next course, activating FTL, and tending to the list of tasks she's had to put off since morning. Her encounter with Brinna shook her.
Love. Brinna loves her.
She can't help but fixate on that. Samus stands in stark observation of her own past. She used to pretend it was a matter of the job, that she didn't have time to give to anyone else more of herself. But in truth, she just didn't want to be close to anyone. Didn't want to risk losing someone again. She used to see it so pragmatically… used to justify it. But now?
The image of Brinna crying on the balcony sticks in her mind. How hurt she was. She did that to her.
The mental fog makes it impossible to focus on work. Samus wanders into the crew quarters, then down the stairs down into the common area.
Arrande is there sitting and watching something on the screen set into the far wall. He glances over his shoulder as she enters. His expression sours, and he turns back around without a word.
He's so like Brinna. In fact, the comparison is more apt than Samus would like to admit. How long has she treated people the way she did the two of them? Using them for her base physical need, then… discarding them? Treating them like their feelings didn't matter.
She watches Arrande, her thoughts mixing and churning inside. Recent conversations echo in her memory, jumbling up, tugging her in opposite directions.
I'm terrified. I can feel myself getting closer to Arrande and I just keep wondering, how close do I have to get before it's his turn next? And how bad is it going to be this time?
The jobs we have are too dangerous to wait for tomorrows and maybe-laters. Grab what you can when you can.
What if loving me is a curse?
You do not have to make an impulsive decision right away, like the first time you two met.
Fuck your goddamn therapist.
There is a reason the military frowns upon fraternization. It has a habit of clouding one's better judgment.
Do you. Like him?
… yes.
She takes a deep breath to steady herself. She walks up behind him and waits, hovering on the edge of an undefinable cliff. Arrande can feel her there, and apprehensively glances up at her. "… captain?"
Samus bends down and kisses his cheek.
Arrande freezes in his seat, wide eyed. "What the hell was that? Why did you do that?"
"… you've changed." He hasn't. The way she sees him has. But she can't find the words to explain herself further.
They hold their gaze, watching with cautious appraisal, inches from each other's face. Samus draws forward further. Arrande doesn't budge. His thoughts crash into one another, unable to decide if this is a trick, if he wants this, or if he should even care. He can feel her breath on his lips…
Her fingers run through his hair as she presses her lips to his. The smell of his aftershave still lingers… she'd forgotten how much she likes his choice in scents.
He extends his neck, pushing into it, silencing his worries and just flowing with the moment. It's a pleasant relief from the constant stresses of their missions. Her touch is every bit as hungry as he remembers.
A mere second into the kiss, a call from above interrupts them. "Captain! We're receiving a distress signal!"
Samus breaks away, her heart thumping hard. That was selfish and shortsighted. She doesn't look back at Arrande as she marches up the stairwell.
The moment she sets foot on the bridge, she shifts into cold, professional assessment. "What's the nature of the signal and where's it coming from?"
Adrian looks back at her from her seat. "It's a little garbled, but I think it's a baby's cry, Ma'am. Open channel. There's an ID attached… Lirahad Station."
Samus freezes in her tracks. Her breath catches in her chest. A foreboding anxiety presses down on her. It shouldn't mean anything at all… but just hearing the name of that place makes her uneasy. "… set a course. We should find out what's happening."
As she turns to go change in her quarters, she sees Arrande standing in the threshold and stops. The way he's looking at her makes her uncomfortable, somewhere between judgment and concern. "I'd better double check our gear then," he comments, turning back around.
She admonishes herself internally. The moment she makes a stupid, risky move, things get complicated.
She should have known better.
00000
If you have a moment, please consider answering one or both of these questions for me in a comment!
1. Do you feel like Samus' motivations in this chapter are true to her representation?
2. Do you feel like her dynamic with her romantic interests is justified and well-written?