Author's Note: It's been a while - I know. I've been busy, and I ended up re-writing this chapter entirely. Until next time.

Obligatory: I do not own any of the characters or settings in this story. That was all Nintendo.

Chapter 3

Contact

Just the same. It had been several years, but it hadn't changed in the slightest. Every crevice, every contour, every blemish; the very same. She recognized it as if it were a face, now; a face of an old adversary, reconciled in her reluctance to press forward. It smirked at her, and she took it upon herself to savour the gesture as if some delicate feature of humanity could be harvested; as if sentient thoughts had granted it malice.

Samus' ship moved sluggishly, propelled only by the residual momentum from its now-disengaged engines. It had reached its destination, and was awaiting further input. Samus found herself incapable of providing the console with such commands. She was lost in the familiar sights which she had expected to be permanently buried as memories. How it stared back at her now, how it seemed to mock her with its relentlessly simple expression, offensively oppressing its immediate visual space.

SR-388. The planet which in its apparent complacency managed to spawn a galactic crisis of immeasurable devastation. What had happened since her previous visit that could be hidden under such visual stealth? Surely, her actions must have tempted some sort of response from the ecosystem. Had it seen a shift of balance? Had some new monstrosity taken advantage of its sudden superiority?

No, she thought to herself. Whatever had happened, whatever massive turn of events occurred in her absence, there was no change in this regard. One species remained stubbornly superior.

Samus swallowed a lump of apprehension which had lodged itself in her throat since she had entered hyperspace. She could not land here, she knew that much. She wasn't strong enough yet. Perhaps she was tempting fate; her ship alerted her that she had entered the direct gravitational influence of the planet. She was slowly being pulled inwards. Though Samus knew she could not bring herself to land, she struggled to logically justify exiting the vicinity of the planet. As she continued to hesitate, her ship automatically adjusted itself to the slow descent towards the decrepit planet. Electronic gauges and meters appeared on the console, displaying various types of information related to changes in atmospheric measurements. The engines roared to life and eased forwards in preparation for the landing sequence. Every system was ready, they just required initiation.

Not yet, not now. Samus took in a shaky breath of air and cancelled the landing process. She reached upwards and pulled down a second command console, this one meant for manual control. Samus took hold of two levers and pulled upwards. The ship responded in turn, accelerating away from the planet in a perpendicular fashion. She knew she was acting childish; there was much to be gained through further exploration of SR-388, not only regarding her current mission. She would give in to her fears for now, though, and exhaust every possibility before returning.

"Well, there's that settled..." Samus muttered to herself, inwardly embarrassed.

What other possibilities were there? Infinitely many, but none nearly as likely as SR-388. Samus bit her lower lip and continued forwards, as if the mere act of feigning preparation could conjure some form of explorative strategy in her mind. Her ship's navigation systems were of no use among the system; for no federation cartographers had ever attempted an expedition into it. Why this was so, Samus was not certain. Generally the federation was quick to chart planets which they deemed significant. Though, perhaps this particular body was not worth the risk of proximity.

Samus slowed her pace as she distanced herself from SR-388. Her eyes pried the scene in front of her, desperately searching for something, anything. The visual search yielded nothing, though. Samus sighed gently and rose from her chair. She stretched her legs in turn and turned towards the rear of her gunship. Wherever she ended up going, she would arrive eventually, she rationalized. Letting out a large yawn, she pulled a string in the middle of the cabin, revealing a staircase that led to the living quarters. Samus climbed the steps lazily, and made her way towards her bedroom. She was far from tired, though she felt the room may provide a temporary escape from her troubled thoughts.

The ship continued its course onwards, unguided by Samus' hands, and under no influence of automatic control. She watched her ceiling with apparent vigilance. It's gunmetal grey finish soothed her somehow. Despite her alertness, Samus felt her eyelids drooping. She didn't dare let them close, though. Not here. Riding the brink of unconsciousness, she began to recall specific details of her mission. She still struggled to decide what she thought she would face. It was important for her, though, to prepare herself for what might be found. Be it a massacre or a mishap. Every scenario Samus managed to conjure in her mind was still wrought with questions. One query loomed large amongst all others, however. Why did the ship come here? Even if she wasn't familiar with its horrors, Samus would need quite a convincing incentive to visit the system. She couldn't imagine a reason for the carrier to be this far from federation space. Perhaps, she thought, the federation officials had lost control of the ship, and whoever gained control was looking for a means of escape from surveillance. Perhaps this entity had no intentions of landing within SR-388's system, but rather intended to avert the federation's grasping tendrils of influence. Samus roughly traced the borders of the Galactic Federation's territory in her mind, and quickly realized what a convenient exit the derelict system was. SR-388's sun existed in a three-dimensional pocket of space which was deemed inhospitable to humans as a result of previous research in the area; and indeed, Samus' prior visit. It was one of two currently-restricted zones as authorized by federal mandate. The other was a small weapon's testing operation located several light years from her position.

Yes, this must be this case. Samus nodded determinedly to herself, and concluded that in some fashion, federation soldiers had lost control of the situation on the carrier. She started to rise from the comfort of her bedspread, only to pause in the action. Again, the uncertainty of where her search could begin loomed over her. Nothing seemed to suggest a specific landing site. She completed her ascent to sitting position with uncertainty, resting her elbows on her knees when she had reached a vertical position. A steady beeping from the ship's proximity sensors relieved her of her logical quarrel. Samus furrowed her brow and started towards the ship's command deck, unsure of what may have triggered the warning.

When Samus reached her pilot's seat, the apparent obstruction was no clearer to her. As far as she could tell, nothing was in her current trajectory. The ship had stayed within the proximity of SR-388 but Samus could no longer see the planet due either to distance or orientation. The ship's viewport had dimmed, however, as the system's sun was encapsulated within its presented visual field. Samus checked the proximity sensor itself. The infrared scanners revealed nothing directly endangering the hull. As a last resort, Samus squinted and scanned the distance manually, expecting nothing. She allowed her gaze to rest briefly on the star which occupied her viewport. It was unremarkable, really. Physically there was very little difference between it and the suns of habitable planets which she had become accustomed to visiting. What defined this star was the unfortunate bodies it adorned.

Suddenly Samus' eyes picked up a subtle flicker, as if the light of the sun had faltered. As she stared, she saw the distortion clearer. A tiny speck of darkness against the star's unrelenting light. An asteroid, perhaps. After all, there was a belt of these obstructions which she had not crossed. Samus did not expect to see signs of it from her position, though. If the anomaly happened to be an asteroid, it must have been immense. The tiniest speck was all she needed. Samus' curiosity had been piqued. She located the body within her frontal scanners, and set a course for the object. Her ship was not capable of mapping an accurate depiction of her course, but as she started the ship's engines she felt convinced that this was her first lead.

Eighty-one percent nitrogen. Fifteen percent oxygen. Three percent noble gases. Point three percent carbon dioxide.

"Hm..." Samus allowed herself some cautious optimism. It was vaguely livable, considering the higher air pressure. For humans, at least. From her vantage point she could clearly see that the local flora had been left to thrive. Regardless, she had resigned to this option. There was nothing else for her to do.

The unidentified celestial body was exactly what she had predicted. A planet just outside the reaches of the system's asteroid belt. She had sent a probe towards the surface to measure the atmospheric composition and temperature, both of which occupied modest respective ranges. It had served its purpose, and had returned hopeful data points. She watched as her interface with the probe slowly faded, and her remote monitoring console became dark. The planet seemed to beckon her onwards with its promise. It seemed an ideal landing zone for a carrier with distressed cargo.

Samus didn't waste any time with preparations. With a simple combination of button presses, her descent had begun. At last, Samus allowed herself to consider the specifics of her operation. She would seek out an acceptable landing site, and explore the area on foot. She didn't expect to find anything, perhaps not for several weeks, but she felt the need to become familiar with the environment first. First? She questioned herself silently. And what would follow?

Samus' vision was abruptly obscured. Her ship had moved into a thick layer of cloud. She waited in patient silence as her ship continued downwards, watching as water condensed and ran off of the viewport. The ship's life support sensors confirmed what she already knew: This planet was perfectly habitable. It would continue to sustain consistent internal conditions until her commands contradicted such measures, however. The cloud thinned. Glimpses of land became visible through the relentless grey. Gradually, her ship emerged into the clear; perhaps the strangest precipitation the planet had seen. Of course, Samus hoped this wasn't true.

As she approached solid ground, Samus reinstated manual control. She gently descended until the peak of a particularly tall conifer grazed the hull of her ship. She then skimmed the green canopy in search of an acceptable landing site. It didn't take her long to spot an inconsistency amongst the woods. A completely bare patch lied suspect several seconds in front of her, as if the space had been clear-cut. Samus' heart leapt. Could it be?

Disappointment set in as she reached the glade. There was no evidence of human activity, nor any remnants of trees to suggest the area had been logged. Regardless, Samus decided to land. Her ship let out a soft hiss as pneumatic shocks pressed solid ground. Metal creaked and groaned as it adjusted to the semblances of gravity. Samus hesitated before exiting the ship. Evidently the planet's surface was perfectly livable, though she didn't want to take unnecessary risks. After all, the lower oxygen concentration could potentially affect her physical capabilities. As arguments from her logical consciousness accumulated, Samus concurred and initiated the formation of her suit. Her body was surrounded in a milky glow that was quickly replaced with a contrary grunge. Her suit's repair cycle was in progress following her combat on Norion, but it still hadn't regained its entire functionality. The visor was present once again, though, which meant that she didn't need to expose herself to the foreign planet's elements.

No sooner than the metal had formed about her did Samus set foot upon the grass. It looked lush and soft, and its colour was so vibrant that it nearly took her breath away. She reached out her tentative hand to explore its nuances, before remembering her cold metal shell. Still, she continued to run her hand through the growth, her expression of awe transforming into an inquisitive frown. The grass here had been flattened, as if something had rested upon it for some time. She pried the narrow landscape for any evidence of movement, before spotting another flattened patch of grass nearby. Two creatures had been waiting here. Recently. For what could they possibly wait, Samus thought. The beings had rested anomalously amongst a canvas of what was otherwise impossible abstraction.

Samus returned to a standing position and scanned the undergrowth of the forest. A flying insect rested upon the glossy surface of her visor, briefly throwing it out of focus. Samus took a moment to examine the specimen. It was unextraordinary, as far as she could tell. Much like any bug that existed upon Norion or elsewhere. It suddenly took flight, as if it had only just realized by her eye movements that Samus was another organism. Her visor regained its clarity, and in the sensible portion of her mind she realized the folly of exploration in her suit's current state. Logic was of no use to her at this point, however. Her curiosity had been aroused. The very suggestion of sentient life warranted further investigation. So she pressed onwards.

Sweat trickled down her forehead and gathered as beady annoyances amongst her eyebrows. Samus squinted her eyes in an attempt to stem the relentless irritation. The unidentified planet's sun, SR-388's sun, had reached its zenith, and the ecosystem rapidly distinguished itself from the temperate regions of Norion that Samus had grown accustomed to. Her suit's life support systems returned thirty-eight degrees centigrade. The unforgiving heat was accentuated by the sheer stillness that seemed to possess the forest. No wind rustled amongst the undergrowth. No living creatures betrayed their presence in the endless foliage. Samus travelled several paces further before stopping completely. According to her suit, she was roughly one-hundred metres from her ship. She briefly considered continuing her search, though this possibility quickly vanished to her. Both the uncomfortable heat and unfamiliarity with the area proved to be considerable obstacles; each issue could be solved in time. Satisfied with her rare show of decisiveness, Samus turned on her heel and made her way towards the gunship.

As she traced her prior route through the woods, Samus became painfully aware of an unyielding tension which plagued the territory. It was as if the forest was waiting for some provocation; some indication from the visitor that its intentions were significant. As if frozen in time, the infinite appendages and growths cast equal alarmingly placid shadows. Was the whole forest like this? Was such mass serenity even possible? The forest possessed an uncanny homogenous inactivity; the very notion of productivity seemed foreign. And perhaps, amongst the endless green, this was what was most natural.

Samus paused in her tracks as a concerned frown crossed her face. She wondered how long she had been walking. Surely, she hadn't initially travelled this far into the woods. Samus checked her navigations software, which was thankfully functional. Much to her chagrin, Samus had veered sharply off course. She squinted her eyes at the holograms presented to her by the visor, as if she distrusted the undeniable results. As a precaution, Samus continued back towards her ship through the guidance of her visor rather than her surroundings. Strangely enough, the course lead her off the trail of broken undergrowth, suggesting she had reached her previous destination through different means. Samus continued onwards more slowly; her breaths became hoarse and shallow, complimenting her increasing apprehension.

Had she noticed it before? That eerie, distant wailing. Perhaps it was the ringing in her ears.

Samus forced her eyes to follow her location upon the suit's holographic map. Again, she noticed the sweat collecting upon her brow, despite the chill that had crept its way into her muscles. She listened closely to the sounds of her own footsteps. Each inevitable crunch of the leaf litter beneath was proof of her progress, Samus told herself. Just thirty more metres. Now twenty. Ten.

As she noticed the shadows of overhead foliage began to disperse, Samus allowed herself to inspect the way ahead. The clearing had shown itself at last. Her ship was there, just as she had left it. Somewhat childishly, she had begun to suspect that it may have been a different clearing; that her suit had somehow misguided her. The gunship's presence disproved this. Samus' thoughts remained troubled, though they were no longer fraught with a sense of immediate peril. Almost eight metres from her ship, Samus noticed movement. Concealed from her immediate sight, Samus could see a creature beside her ship. She crouched instinctively, leaning forward upon one knee in an attempt to acquire a visual. The creature moved with dreamlike slowness. It's top half remained obscured behind one of her ship's appendages, though Samus could now tell it was a human female. Its dress floated sluggishly in the gentle breeze, offering brief glimpses of a pair of frail ankles. The woman worked her way around the hull of Samus' ship, steadily increasing her distance from the owner, who still concealed herself amongst the dense bracken. Samus allotted several minutes for the mysterious individual to reconsider their proximity. As her patience drained, Samus found herself counting backwards. She whispered the numbers softly under her breath, as to retain the ignorance of her visitor. Just thirty more seconds. Now twenty...

Samus shook her head and a determined frown crossed her face. With a sudden burst of annoyance, she stepped out of hiding. A steady, authoritative march carried her around the ship. The visitor had noticed her presence. She had stopped dead in her tracks, and Samus could almost hear her wavering breaths falter. Samus stepped around the ship's landing gear and found herself face-to-face with a young woman; very young. Perhaps even a girl. These were mere semantics, however, and Samus did not break her stride. The pitiful creature gasped sharply, and her eyes widened in terror as they focused upon Samus in her hulking metal shell. Samus did not slow. With her left arm she pushed the woman roughly against the landing gear, and in one swift motion lifted her foot to place it on her captive's throat. The woman's eyes widened further as her instinctual consciousness took over, and realized the immediate danger she was in. Samus squinted her eyes and leaned towards the creature, as if inspecting her prey.

Beads of sweat had begun to form on her forehead, and with her delicate fingers she made feeble attempts to remove Samus' firmly planted boot. Samus waited until the woman's eyelids began to droop before easing some of her weight onto her other leg. The woman gasped a desperate gulp of air as her eyes managed to focus once again upon Samus' visor.

"What... What are..."

"Why are you here?" Samus snarled through her proximity radio. "Are there others? Where did you come from?"

"I don't... I want-… I want to go!" The woman's eyes had begun to well with tears, and she seemed to be resting upon the brink of hysterics. Her fingers still grasped pitifully at Samus' ankle.

Samus heaved a quick sigh and hesitated briefly, if only to further punctuate her message. "Don't come back here." She slowly removed her foot from the throat of the young woman, and watched her as she scrambled backwards. When she had sufficiently distanced herself from Samus, she turned and regained her footing before plunging into the dense undergrowth of the forest. Samus held her ground for several seconds, watching the steady wave of branches which marked her captive's exit. She had already committed to following the woman, but doing so without exact guidance was evidently foolish. Samus waited until the violent shaking of the bracken diminished to a steady, rhythmic sway. Nothing else stirred amongst the never-ending patterns of nature. Perhaps she had waited a moment too long, as Samus' adrenaline-induced confidence ebbed.

Suddenly lacking in the necessary resolve to continue, Samus resigned herself to the clearing. As if to assure herself of progress, Samus snapped a branch from a tree and placed it parallel to the young woman's path, at the edge of the area through which she had made her escape. An aerial sweep in the direction would be in order when the new day began.

Regardless of Samus' curiosity, the frontal cameras adorning her helmet had captured the mysterious woman's images, and her appearance was being compared amongst the existing database of federation prisoners in the suit's computer. This process could take several hours, she knew, and without any means to accelerate the process, she would simply need to wait. As she trudged steadily back towards the confines of her ship, Samus inwardly attempted to derive any significance from her encounter. Already, she felt certain that the automated search would find nothing, that the young female's face had not been recorded upon any federation documents. Her openly curious demeanor seemed to confirm this mental distance. The girl acted as if she had never seen anything like Samus' ship before, and was obviously terrified at the mere sight of Samus herself. She appeared to be dressed in a particularly rudimentary garb, certainly not meant as any sort of protection.

Most telling, though, was her physiology. Her suit's computer had already determined the woman to be non-human; it returned a generic name in this regard, suggesting that her species had been encountered, but not significantly documented. Samus hummed thoughtfully as she recalled the image of the woman, cowering beneath her own towering form, her unusual ears spanning her skull. While the enhanced appendages were startling themselves, the woman retained a strikingly human appearance.

Samus had arrived at her ship's living quarters. She gazed down upon her bedspread, painfully aware that sleep may elude her. Instead of pressing the issue, she resigned to sitting occupied with her thoughts, to mentally pursue the woman with the flowing brown hair. Woman? Was Samus still calling her that? What separated the girl from humanity besides some extra cartilage? Samus briefly pondered the purpose of this feature. It must have had some impact upon her ability to process sounds, if only slightly. Whether this impact would be beneficial or not, Samus was unable to determine. With all the unusual species she had observed in her lifetime Samus still found herself unable to recall a species with ears as exceptional as the girl's. Strange. An exclusive feature for another species which was otherwise so very human, so very typical. Yes, typical. Predictable. Samus was human herself, she could simply think like the girl to find her. Where would she hide in this world? Samus had always thought running would be the more viable option. At least progress was made, and if it were successful it would almost certainly be permanent. But that would only serve to carry her further away from the girl, from the warmth she felt now...

Perhaps she had finally fallen asleep.

What was it about weightlessness that disturbed the mind so much? Why was it necessary for the brain to have roots in such trivial matters as gravity? Samus herself had experienced gravity of many different strengths, yet she had never fully adapted to the feeling of absolute suspension. Perhaps she held some aversion towards the way her muscles would soften, both in the very moment and over time as they atrophied. More likely, though, it was the sensation which directly followed; of the panicked automatic seizing as the brain braced itself for a potential impact coinciding with its most immediate familiarity with gravity.

Samus' eyes snapped open in correspondence with the phenomenon, and she stared wide-eyed at the ceiling as it drew nearer. The sensation of weightlessness had passed, and she plunged now to the hard metal interior of her ship.