I: The Weapon

I don't know how much longer we have. The caverns of KR-439 are infested with space pirates and the many creatures they brought to safeguard whatever they're looking for. Yes, we did receive intel that some shady operations were taking place underground. That's why we were sent here. To report on what those operations are and put a stop to them if possible. However, we did not expect this. Countless pirates and a multitude of deadly creatures I've never seen before crowd the caverns of KR-349, watching over every inch of the rocky landscape.

I see now the inescapability of death. Of our squad only two of us remain. We're hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, with every path to the exit blocked by another monster. This is my fate. All those years in training, all the bonds I've made, everything I've ever done in my life was simply a prelude to a useless death. Even now sergeant Richards is trying his best to keep a level head and convince me that it's not over. I shake my head at his delusions and brandish my gun with a level of determination I've never experienced before.

"No."

I say firmly, the word echoing in the small crevice we've hidden ourselves in.

"I will not go like this. I'm a soldier, and I'll die like one. It's been an honor, sir."

I nod at him and stand up despite the pain on his face.

"Thank you for your service."

"Marcus no!"

But I already began my sprint through the tunnels. The hairs on the back of my neck stand at the sound of a dozen space pirate cries. They mean death to whoever hears them. I do my best to dodge the many blasts they send my way and shoot back at them with no avail. Their armor lets them withstand even blaster fire, given that they stop shooting to cover themselves. This gives me a little more time to figure out where I'm going and escape their sights. I desperately look around at the confusing web of tunnels, panting and clutching my gun tightly.

Suddenly, I hear something else. Not the space pirates, they'd lost me. No, the cry was much lower-pitched and guttural, like the roar of a Sheegoth. I turn around and immediately freeze, paralyzed by the unholy sight before me.

A monstrous creature two to three times my size and probably ten times my weight stands in front of me, its enormous mouth salivating and completely filled with sharp teeth. It boasts muscles bigger than my head and countless spikes at its limbs. Its hungry eyes are mostly yellow with a glowing red slit going across the middle. It towers over me, no doubt thinking of the many ways to devour me.

This is it. My fate is sealed. What a horrible way to go…

BEZEAOOM

Suddenly a blinding purple light fills the cave, knocking me off my feet and hitting the monster straight in the chest. It staggers back, surprised but still unafraid. I turn back to locate my savior.

There, standing atop a cliff with her arm cannon raised at the creature stands the greatest bounty hunter known to the Federation: Samus Aran. Her bulky suit holds countless weapons designed to destroy anything in her path. I can't imagine how she's able to move so quickly in that tank of hers.

"Move away."

The voice coming out of the suit has an edge to it, but still manages to be commanding enough to get me moving with just two words.

"GRRRRRAAAULGH!"

The beast roars and charges straight at her as she unloads so many missiles they become a blur coming out of her cannon. An enormous arm swings at her, but she jumps over it with ease and studies it for a moment. Is she...scanning it? In the middle of a fight!?

Another missed swing and the ground shakes. This time, Samus retreats to the very end of the cavernous room, her arm cannon at her side. What's she doing?

"GGGRAAUG!"

The creature takes this as a challenge and charges at her. Samus then does the same, generating some sort of electric field around her armor as she speeds up. Is she insane? What kind of person runs straight at a monster like that!?

They meet at the middle and Samus somehow knocks the titan off its legs, beating it in strength. She then lands on its upper chest, pulls down its huge jaw and slams her arm cannon straight down its throat, shooting a blast so powerful it obliterates its neck from the inside.

Finally, she tosses the monster's head aside and slowly walks towards me. Her shoulder pads heave with her pace and she holds her arm cannon up, still ready for combat. She stares at me. The fact that I can't see her face makes this unsettling. Like sentient armor.

I suddenly come to the realization that she's waiting for me to tell her what happened.

"I-uh...we were sent here on a recon mission."

I gulped. She didn't move an inch.

"We were a whole squad, but now it's just me and sergeant Richards. He's still hiding in that crevice about three floors down."

Without a single sign of acknowledgement, she heads to the lower caves in a light jog.

So this is the legendary Samus Aran.