So I decided to write a different kind of Metroid fic this time. Enough with retellings and crazy impossible backstories. Here’s something a bit more normal, but hopefully still interesting. Um, as usual, there’s a bit of blood and such, so if you’re really queasy, turn back, or something.
Chapter 1: Promotion
A loud screeching sound preceeded an announcement from the rather poorly maintained P.A. system. “Unit 32168, please report to the bridge immediately,” the speakers barked. Another scratchy noise, and the system went offline.
Unit 32168, codename Canthus, shuddered. Armored from head to toe in a modified exoskeleton, and bearing a multitude of weapons mounted on his arms, there was very little capable of scaring the grizzled Space Pirate veteran, but a conference with Command was definitely one of them. He turned toward the closest thing he had to a friend and waved him over. “Gisald, can you take my shift? I’ve been summoned.” It was, of course, a rhetorical question. Canthus gulped and headed down the long corridor to the elevator as Gisald reloaded his weapons and resumed his friend’s duty of guarding the prisoners.
Canthus fired off a low-power shot to disengage the shielding over the door to the bridge, and entered cautiously. The massive holographic figure of High Commander Zeta filled the entire starboard wall. “Three-two. You’re here.”
The pirate warrior nodded and disengaged his weapons systems. “What do you require from me, Exalted One?”
“As you no doubt know, our facilities on Zebes were eradicated. We lost all of our energy sources, save one. And while it is indeed a powerful one, we need more–it’s very … unstable. Hard to contain, hard to manage.”
Canthus’s multifaceted, glowing eyes widened in fear. “No… with all due respect, sir, you can’t possibly be thinking of–”
“I know. They’re far too dangerous. That’s why we called you here. High Commander Delta detected an element with extraordinarily high energy output on a planet in the Tallon system… and we want you to lead the expedition.”
The holograph went offline before Canthus had a chance to protest. He simply stared blankly at the wall where it previously stood. “…Me?”
The Vol Paragom’s engines shifted and sputtered as the frigate readjusted its trajectory. The newly promoted Captain Canthus gave off a few quick orders regarding landing procedures over the P.A. before returning to the prison bay. He quickly stepped through the dull grey metallic halls, his chitonous feet banging loudly against the floor. Approaching his destination, he disengaged the bay door’s shield and entered. “Gisald.”
Gisald turned his head and glared at his superior. “Bastard,” he spat venomously.
Canthus cocked his head and stepped back in surprise. “What’s with that greeting? Even if we weren’t close acquaintances, I’m also your commander now. I will not tolerate that kind of treatment.”
Chuckling, the lesser pirate lowered his head. “So it worked. I didn’t think High Command would be so stupid.”
“What are you talking about? What worked?”
“Your plan. I knew you were plotting to take us over… and I won’t stand for it. Just because you’re an obsequious suckup doesn’t mean that some of us don’t see your true motives!” He punctuated this accusation by swinging his left arm forth, causing the wrist-mounted scythe to swivel into attack position.
Canthus stepped back again and re-activated his weapons systems. “Gisald, what are you doing? What are you saying? I have no pla–”
Before he could finish his sentence, the scythe blade was rushing at him. He raised his own and stopped the affront, then swiveled and delivered a mighty kick with his clawed foot to Gisald’s midsection. Green-hued blood gushed forth from the small puncture wound in his carapace, but he ignored it and blindly slashed again. Canthus tilted to the side just in time to evade the blow, and extended his own scythe straight into the turncoat’s back. The sickening sound of shredded chitin filled the room as the blade, by now covered in greenish goop, sliced cleanly through Gisald’s right shoulder. The wounded warrior screeched and clutched the stump, holding back the flow of juices. He fell to his knees and moaned in pain.
Captain Canthus glared and wiped off his scythe. “I have no plans to take over anything. I’m doing as my orders dictate. I don’t know what put these crazy ideas into your head; I don’t know what turned you against me. But I will not stand for it.” He raised his galvanic accelerator cannon and leveled it towards Gisald’s head. “Asshole.” And with that, he pulled the trigger.
Suddenly, the P.A. barked again. “Now approaching the fourth planet in the Tallon system. Initiating landing procedures.”
“Just in time,” mused Canthus somberly as he turned and exited the gory bay…
Chapter 2: Predators
Canthus leapt off the top of the landing ramp and landed with a heavy thud in the snowy terrain. “This looks like as good of a place as any to set up a base camp.” He motioned for his attendants to come forth, and he headed over to a nearby cliff. “Construct a scaffold there, and drill into that cliff wall right about there.” He pointed to an indentation near the top of the wall. “Sensors indicate that there’s a vast cave network up there. We’ll construct our laboratories within.” He leapt up to the wall, clutched his clawed hands and feet into the rock, and scaled his way up the cliff. “Yes… right about here.” The pirate etched an outline in the cliff with his scythe, and dropped back down to the ground level with a grunt.
One of his attendants nodded and entered something into his portable computer. “I’ll take the specs back to the construction team, then. How tall do you want the scaffold?”
Canthus shielded his eyes against the glaring sun with one hand, and looked up from the base of the cliff to the center of the valley the Vol Paragom had landed in. He traced a path from the etched outline of the entrance to the other side, and approximated a height for the central tower. “Scratch that. Build a tower. Make it reach up to about there,” he mused as he scampered back up the cliff and drew a line, “and put some platforms around it for the purposes of climbing the tower. This will be the only way of getting up to the lab entrance… and none of the local predators can jump well enough to pose a threat…” He dropped back down to the surface. “How’s that look?”
“It’ll take time, but it can be done. Any defensive installations?”
“Yeah, let’s put a few auto-turrets near the entrance…”
Private Ergol grunted and strained as he tried to lift the heavy stasis tube off the ship. “What’s in these things, anyway?”
Another pirate strolled over and helped him hoist the tube. “Careful with that.”
“Why? What’s in it?”
“You don’t want to know.” He chuckled softly. “Here, let me get it. I know how to handle these.” Cautiously taking the tube in both hands, he effortlessly carried it over to the construction site in the center of the valley. “Captain, if I may?”
Canthus turned towards the private and nodded. “What is it?”
“Why are we setting up base camp here? The energy source was only detected in a remote region–the impact site of a meteor.”
“I’m aware of that, soldier, but the metroids are weakened by cold weather. The temperature of this zone is perfect for keeping them docile enough to control, yet still active enough to produce energy. It’s not convenient, but it’s safe.”
The pirate nodded and set down the tube. “Speaking of metroids, where should we put these?”
Several days passed, and with each passing revolution of the planet, the tower grew ever taller. The agile pirates, wasting no time, had also begun construction of the main facility thanks to the wall-climbing abilities of some of their architects. Canthus, however, was growing anxious.
“Ergol, I’m putting you in charge for now. I’m going to explore and find the quickest route from here to the impact crater.”
Ergol nodded. “Yes, sir. I will do my best.” He rushed over to the frigate to oversee the unloading processes further as Canthus leapt over the river and headed for the crater.
With massive, golden multifaceted eyes, the voracious creature stared eerily at the small humanoids who labored below her. They were terraforming her valley, and she was not happy. For years, no, decades, the entire mountain range–valleys included–had been the territory of one beast, who hunted anything within it at her leisure… and now, it was suddenly invaded, reshaped, and desecrated.
She snorted indignantly. Soon enough it would be night, and she could strike.
Private Ergol rushed towards the tower. “Night approaches. Men, call off construction for now. Let’s head back to the ship and get some rest.”
The workers complied, and began scaling down the cliffs, packing up their tools, and heading for the Vol Paragom’s sleeping quarters. Sadly, many would not make it.
The beast shifted her position so as to catch the sun’s final rays on her glistening back. The ice shards planted there from birth on shimmered brightly as they absorbed their last bits of solar energy for the day. Now was the perfect time to strike.
She dashed down the steep incline of the cliff, silent aside from the pounding noise made by her massive clawed feet impacting against the rock face. She dashed towards a pirate and leapt towards him, extending Raptor-like claws from her feet. The pirate barely managed a scream before the talons shredded his head from his body. His killer sniffed the corpse briefly. It didn’t smell appetizing, but her thirst for revenge led her to continue slaughtering others of his kind. She rushed another pirate, and drew upon the solar energy she had absorbed. A massive blast of frigid air emanated from her maw, freezing the insectoid warrior where he stood. She shattered him with a headbutt and whirled. By now, other pirates had equipped their weapons and were opening fire on the beast. Small bolts of red energy zapped into her leathery blue skin, but it mattered not to the durable hunter. She slashed another pirate’s chest, and the snowy landscape soon ran green with the blood of the invaders.
Ergol extended his scythe and ran at the brute. “Cannons aren’t working! Stop wasting energy!” He slashed downwards at the creature’s back, and shards of ice flew in every direction. Shielding his eyes from the shrapnel, he sliced again, then opened fire on the weakened shell. The monster roared in agony and whirled, and expelled another blast of freezing air. Ergol sidestepped deftly and leapt over the beast, firing downwards at its shell. “Break the ice! Blast the skin underneath! That’s the ticket!” The creature roared again and froze two pirates together mid-slash. Their momentum carried them forward, and they shattered against each other. Ergol swore under his breath and fired again as the beast lunged at its next target. The pirate tried to roll out of the way, but was crushed under its massive weight. No one could seem to hit the thing’s shell directly, and it was showing no signs of taking further damage. Another pirate ran at her and leapt. She fired a blast of ice breath, but barely grazed his toe-claws as he spun and landed on her back. He jammed his scythe down and shredded her shell. “Got it!” She whirled and thrashed about, sending him flying off and landing in a crumpled heap. Another blast of ice stopped him cold, and the monster turned her attention towards Ergol. “Oh… shit.”
She charged, claws extended, with a ferocity unlike any she had shown before. Crimson blood trailed behind her from her wounded back, but she was undeterred. Ergol raised his scythe in a futile last effort. The beast was closing in…
Suddenly, she stopped, howled in pain, and fell over, revealing a furious Canthus standing before Ergol, red-stained scythe extended. “What the hell happened here…?”
He looked around and surveyed the carnage. Dead pirates in various states of dismemberment laid prostate across the ground, bloodstains of all colors marred the pristine wintery landscape, and the tower had suffered a bit of collateral damage.
Canthus stared angrily at Ergol. “That’s the last time I leave you in charge…”
