Metroid

CHAPTER ONE: METROIDS

It was dark. Rain was blowing heavily. This was the planet of Zebes. The air was thick, too thick to even breathe. But the Metroids could take it. Inside one of the buildings nearby were two Metroid soldiers talking. The Metroids had a rustling noise for a language. But they had distinct words that anyone could learn quickly. Of course, anyone who wasn't a Metroid immediately got killed on sight if he got even a mile close to them. Well, that's the person's problem. But, anyway, the two Metroid soldiers were discussing the next move on the Rebel outposts. Inside another building the leader, Ridley, was discussing that one move also, only in more detail. Ridley was a powerful Metroid. Although he was the leader then, he wasn't a few years before. Mother Brain was the leader of the Metroid Empire (or more commonly known as the Metroid Pirates or Space Pirates).

The rain stopped. The Zebesian moon came out from the clouds in the sky. Believe it or not, it was midday on Zebes. At night there is nothing in the sky, except the stars themselves. Sirens blurted out as the Metroids set out to destroy the Rebel outposts. Spacecrafts flew off into space while some just stood on the take-off runway, probably because they got battered up from the last battle or they were too old. The last battle took place in the Dawrees system (one of the Rebel outposts was there). It was a blood-shed war that only lasted five days. Of course the Metroids lost. But they never give up. When will they learn they can never win against the Rebels? It's not that the Rebels are more powerful than the Metroids. It's that the Rebels don't want their homelands taken over by these pirates. The war that will end all of this will probably never come. But all of the Rebels wish that it would all be over.

It has been at least 2 hours now. The Metroids were nearing the center of the Rebel's headquarters. They were planning a sneak attack. That was their plan and that was exactly what they were going to do.

CHAPTER TWO: THE WAR OF 29290

"Houston, come here."

"What is it?"

"The news came in a few minutes ago. People along the border have heard stories about Metroids coming directly to the center of the Defender Command Center."

"Well, you know how paranoid those people are. They hear a little thing and make a big thing out of it. What are you thinking Samus?"

"Well, even if they do make false interpretations, I think we should look into this one."

"If it is true, why would they attack central command? They usually take out one outpost at a time. If you ask me, they're extremely stupid. But, wait a minute. If they do attack...." The man thought for a few seconds.

"You don't even have to tell me. We have to warn everyone. Let's go," the woman said.

Samus Aran was here name. She was a bounty hunter ready for action. Samus was a woman in her 30's and with soft-purplish hair, she had to be born on Vegos. That planet was destroyed by the Metroid Pirates long ago. Her friend's name, the man she was speaking to, was Armstrong Houston. Armstrong's parents saved Samus from Vegos before it was destroyed. Unfortunately her parents had to fight against the Metroids. In their attempt, though, they died. The Houstons raised Samus until she was old enough to understand what happened to her parents. Samus' hate against the Metroid Pirates was used to destroy them at one point. The Commander of the Defender Command Center (DCC) ordered her tow times before to destroy the Metroid population by going right to Zebes. But, next time she goes, it will be by choice. Not because she hates them any less, though.

It's because she doesn't want someone else running her life for her. She wants to make her own decisions. She was a bounty hunter, not a soldier.

"Okay, here we are," said Samus. Samus and Houston (Samus calls him by his last name) were riding a vehicle up a hill. Just over the top of the hill, they saw DCC. It was massive. One could not miss it. It was built with solid marble and had a very futuristic look to it. Samus and Houston got out of the vehicle and ran into the building. Inside the DCC, the walls were also made entirely of blocks of marble. It was a breath-taking experience. Samus and Houston quickly ran to one of the lifts. It was almost impossible to get on because of all the people. But they managed.

The lift was slow. When they got up to the fifth floor, they pushed everyone to get out the door. They ran to the main command area. Houston peered around. There were lots of people in the room. Lots of blinking lights and computers. But none of the people were using them. Instead, they were all talking and taking "coffee breaks". It was disappointing to see that at the core of Defenders' space was a bunch of lazy men who have nothing better to do than just talk and have coffee and a couple of donuts. Commander Grater was bent over, talking to one of the men. Samus coughed. The commander looked up and straightened.

"Samus Aran. What brings you here?" asked Grater.

"I heard news from a few of the outposts that Metroids are attacking."

"And what do you want me to do? Send out twenty ships to counter-attack? Sorry, Samus. Can't do it. Not now."

"Even when the Metroids are coming straight here?" asked Houston. Samus heard someone drop a cup of coffee behind her.

Grater began to go into a cold sweat. "Here?" The word almost didn't come out. He turned around and then back at Samus. "They're only rumors."

"You should still take it seriously," said Samus.

Grater thought it over in his head. "Okay. Let's do it." He looked around at his men, who were still on "break". "I said, let's do it!" he exclaimed to his men. All at once, his men dropped what they were doing and ran around the room. They were certainly not relaxed anymore. Grater turned back to face Samus and Houston. "We have to be ready for them. I want you to fight too, Samus. We need someone like you."

"Sorry, I can't. I'm not a soldier."

"No, you're not. But we still need you...for a special mission."

"What is it?" asked Samus.

"I'll have the papers for you in one hour. Take a rest, get some sleep. You'll need it."

Samus woke up sixty minutes later and was handed her orders. Samus, Houston, and five others have orders to invade Zebes, the Metroids' base for operations. Samus requested that they should use her ship. It's been through a lot. And it's still here. Her request was granted. The ship was made of a bronze alloy and had enough room for at least ten people. In addition to her orders, Samus and the others were ordered to lead the Intercept Squadron, which has orders to stop the Metroids from entering Defenders' space at any cost. Since Samus and Houston are not military officers, Grater let them both think it over before making a decision. Samus decided to go. So did Houston.

Samus' crew has been at the border for at least five to ten minutes. They were in formation, ready to strike. But the Metroids never came. Unlike the commanders of the other two ships, which were alongside hers, Samus wanted to wait an extra ten minutes.

Ten minutes have passed. No alien ships had entered their space.

"Is there anything out there," asked Samus.

"Nothing. Do you think the news was only rumors after all," asked Houston.

"I don't know." She took a deep breath and looked at her viewer screen. She thought she saw something on the screen, but wasn't sure. Then there was a flash of light. "What was that?!"

"Sir, I have something on the scanner. I think it's a Metroid signiture," said a crew member.

"Put on the alert!" Red lights flashed around the room. "Metroids are incoming. How far?"

"One thousand kilometers and closing," stated the crew member. Samus thought for a few seconds. "What are my orders?" asked the crew member.

"I don't...."

"They're firing."

"Where?!"

"Steward's ship."

"3-D model on-screen, now!" On the screen appeared a model representation of the present battle. As everyone saw on the screen, the ship was destroyed. "Where are they...." But before she could finish her question, the screen shut off, showing nothing but static.

Samus heard a rumbling noise. "What is that?"

"I'm not sure. Wait. It's...an energy displacement wave. And it's from Commander Steward's ship. The Metroids must have not only destroyed the ship, but detonated it too. Impact in ten seconds."

"Prepare for impact!" Samus shouted.

But before Samus could keep herself still, she was flung toward the ceiling and was dropped on top of one of the computer consoles. Sparks flew from one side of the ship to the other. Houstan was on the ground, hurt no doubt. The other crewmembers were scattered around the room. Some were bleeding, some were not. The 3-D viewer was still engulfed in static, while the lights in the room were dimming.

Samus got back into the commander chair and ordered the crewman who reported the energy wave to fire back at the Metroids. He did so. Unfortunately, without the use of their viewer, they had no idea if they had destroyed any of the enemy ships.

"Crewman," said Samus.

"Yes?" He turned around.

"Take us to the new destination."

"Yes, sir."

Suddenly Samus' ship turned to go to a new destination. At that moment, the viewer came back on. It showed two Metroid ships following them.

"Destroy those two ships, now," said Samus.

The crewman did and then everything was quiet. The only sound was the ship, moving at light speed toward the new destination: the planet Zebes.

CHAPTER THREE: ZEBES

"How long until we enter Metroid space?" asked Samus.

The crewman in front of her turned around. "We're entering their space as we speak. We'll be in orbit around Zebes in," he checked his information panel, "five minutes."

"Put up a deflecter grid on all sides of the ship. We don't want to be detected."

"Yes, sir."

The five minutes passed very slowly. Everyone was very alert, looking at every angle for Metroid ships. There were none.

"We're in orbit, now," said the crewman.

"Take us down."

"Yes, sir."

The ship rocked back and forth, as it hit and moved through the Zebesian atmosphere. The fiery atmosphere sent vibrations through the ship. Unfortunately, when the ship got to the lower end of the upper atmosphere, it lost its visual scanners. In other words, the ship was blind as a bat and was out of control.

The ship kept on rocking back and forth. It gave the crew headaches. But that wasn't what troubled them. In their minds, they were going to die. But suddenly the ship hit something. There was a distinct sound of moving trees and leaves. The ship had finally hit ground level.

Shaken up by the landing, the crew just sat where they were and didn't move for a couple of seconds. Afterwards, they stood up and all walked toward a metal door with a flashing red light above it. On the door, there were some stenciled words: TERRESTRIAL LIFT. Samus opened the door. What was revealed was a lift that was in pretty good shape, considering what they've been through.

Samus got up on the lift and it lifted her up onto the top of the ship. There she could get a better look of where they were. To what she could see, they were in the middle of a tropical jungle that looked as if it stretched out for kilometers. She stepped off the lift and sent it back down. One by one, the crew exited the ship.

Samus looked around at the ship. It was a total wreck, but could be fixed. "It looks like we're stuck here. But, I can see some mountains. Maybe four or five kilometers away."

"Do you think we should set camp here?" asked the crewman, named Pete Thomson. He was a family man. He had two sons and a daughter. He was a tall man with long black hair and a black beard. Although he sometimes gets in trouble, he's a descent man to know.

"Yes, let's do that," Samus answered.

It took nearly four hours to set up camp. At the end of their "work", they prepared supper. Samus was out looking around the perimeter of the camp site, while the others were already setting up a campfire. When she came back, she had a pile of large leaves in her arms. She used the non-poisonous plants as a seasoning in their dinner, which was some kind of meat from the food rations.

To everyone's amazement, the food was very good. "Samus," Houston said, "I didn't know you were such a cook."

"Thanks. I never got a chance to try it out for you. Anyway, I can't get these plants anywhere else but here."

And after their supper, it was time to get some sleep.

"Okay, everyone to bed," said Samus. "Pete."

"Yes?"

"You can stay up for look-out, okay?"

"Fine," Pete said.

As everyone went to sleep, Pete stayed up for look-out. He had been sitting in one position for at least an hour, so he got up and walked around a bit. He looked out at the Zebesian landscape, which was covered mostly by trees, and then he looked back at the camp. The campfire had still not gone out, but was weaker than it had been before. He made several circles around the camp and looked at his watch. In another three hours, he would ask another person to stay up for look-out. He thought to himself how silly the whole idea was. They should have put up some kind of deflector grid around the camp. That way...

A bush moved.

"What the heck?" Pete took a light from one of the maintenance units that the crew was using on the ship and slowly walked towards the bush. The bush moved again. Pete gasped and stopped. After a moment, he continued. He flashed the light everywhere around the bush and found nothing. There was nothing there.

"Must have been the wind," he said to himself. He turned back towards the camp and circled around it several times more. He began to get quite tired, so he sat down just to take a break.

A wind blew over him, just before he accidently went to sleep. He jumped at the sight of trees moving around the camp. This wasn't the wind. He got up and walked toward the trees, picking up his gun as he did so. "Who's there?" He heard a rustling sound and then nothing.

"Just leaves," he thought to himself. The rustling sound started once more and also became much louder. Then it stopped.

"Not leaves." He went back to the camp to get his suit on. If he ever got himself into a sticky situation, the suit's protective shielding could help him out in a big way. After putting on the suit, he ran to the perimeter of the forest.

"Okay, you little rat, where are you?" he said as he rummaged through the trees and bushes.

It seemed like he had been out in the forest for hours, looking for the thing that was rustling the trees. He turned back to look at the camp. He couldn't even see it! It was too far away. He was chasing wind. That must have been what it was. He felt a little foolish about it all. He chased wind through the forest until he got lost. He headed back towards the camp.

As he walked, though, he heard a distinct second set of feet hitting the ground. The rustling noise began again. He wasn't alone. There was something out in the forest with him. He began to walk a bit faster. The feet hitting the ground seemed to match Pete's speed and the rustling noise seemed to get louder and louder. As Pete's walk turned into a run, he dropped his light in the underbrush. He stopped to look for it and then found it. As he got up, the rustling stopped.

He froze and didn't make any noises. All that could be heard was his shallow breaths. The rustling was still not there. He waited another minute. There was no noise what-so-ever. He took one step and then another. At that moment, he could see the campfire of the camp. He was almost there. He began to walk faster, but then stopped. He heard the rustling again. This time it was very close. Cautiously, he turned around, flashing his light on trees as he did it. "Oh my..."

He didn't get a good look at it. It was just a blur in front of his light. It jumped on him and slashed him across his chest. Pete grabbed his gun and tried to take a shot at him, but couldn't. It knocked the gun into the black darkness of the forest. "No, you don't." He dropped the light and tried to push it off of him, but he couldn't because its nails were embedded in Pete's chest. "Ahhhh", Pete screamed out in pain. It was a short scream because the creature had slashed his neck, severing his vocal cords. The creature kept slashing and slashing. There seemed to be no stop to it. But then the creature moved away from Pete and ran back into the forest, leaving a trail of blood behind it.

The next morning, Samus and the others couldn't find Pete Thomson. Samus feared the worst for him, so she organized a small search party to check around the camp. After ten minutes, Houston found him. He was dead. There were slashing marks all over him. Samus was sure that it had been a Metroid. About a half an hour later, they buried him near the campsite.

The crew feared the Metroids now, more than ever. Samus and everyone else had to be careful when they begin their journey. Very careful.