I'm back baby. Not much to say hoping I can get the next 16 chapters of this thing done by this summer now that I have the time to do it. This chapter follows up on while you were awake and sets some of the major plot points for a later arc that's coming up real soon.

While you were asleep

O The metal hall is always the first thing I see. I remember the sounds of the metal screeching, as the hall got tighter and tighter, tearing at my very core making it impossible to breathe. Soon the walls began to buckle and if the very world around me was screaming out in pain the sound and the roar of the hall would render me deaf. Unbearable, unthinkable, but I had to keep pushing on, but as I start to remember why it comes, the river of fire here once again to consume me.

"AAAHHHHH!" I screamed as I woke up from my nightmare.

"Oh god, get a hold of yourself Sammy."

I've been having this dream for as long as I can remember, but whenever I try to make heads or tails of it I seem to forget what I was screaming about. I looked over by my alarm and saw it was only 4:00 am. Shit I hate when I wake up this early or is it late, shit I don't effin know.

You know I don't remember having this dream back when I lived on the mining colony, god do I hate Earth especially the city there is hardly any green here the grey of the buildings and streets. Sure the schools are better and there is a lot more to do here, but god it's just so ugly to look out. I miss the days where I could feel the grass in between my toes. Although it was for the best, a year after me and my parents moved the colony was burned to the ground by pirates, maybe that's what the fire in my dream is.

Morning couldn't come fast enough. It's a good thing the university was in the same town as my home I would hate to have to move into those dorms and room with a psycho or worse somebody who snored. Either way I better head out before I'm late.

I headed out grabbing a piece of toast on my way out. My mom was there at the table reading something and barely moving. Wonder what could be so interesting.

"I'm off I'll see you later."

She just looked at me a smiled not making a sound. Well that was eerie, damn I'm going to miss the bus at this rate.

"Yo hey Sammy wait up!"

Oh god this kid again. He lived next door to me, nice kid and way to smart for his age. We have similar scheduals and he always seems to leave his house the same time as me.

"Good morning Pit heading my way?"

"We've been taking the same bus at the same time for the last year…I thought you would have seen a pattern by now."

"Cute kid, real cute."

We began to make out way to the bus stop near where we lived. Pit at times would follow me around like a lost pup. Cute kid really and I don't know there is just something about him that makes it easy to open up to him.

"A stop calling me kid and B are you ok you look like you just ran a marathon."

"Umm yah couldn't sleep last night."

"The nightmares again?"

"What? How did you know about that?"

"Oh snap, bus run."

I looked ahead and saw our bus had arrived

"Ah shit every time."

We bolted for it a just managed to catch it. Hundreds of years worth of technological advancements and we still can't get busses that run on time. But it dawned on me how did Pit know I'm sure I never told him.

"Ok so how do you know about my nightmares?"

"Easy you told me about it. Anyways I'd say don't dwell on it to much it's probably your subconscious trying to tell you something you may have forgotten. If it's truly important it will come to you naturally in time."

"Those are big words for a high school student."

"What makes you think I'm in high school?"

"Aren't you?"

"Silly Samus, all this time and you still don't even know my age."

"Well if you weren't so god damn coy about it all the time."

"But I like being coy, it really messes with people it's fun.

"And that's why I said you were a high school student."

"Cute Sammy real cute."

The bus began to slow down it reached its stop.

"Well this is me, I'll see you later."

"Later Pit."

Like I said sweet kid, but a hell of a pain in the ass, still he was right I feel exhausted. I've had all nighters before, but I don't remember being…wait when did I pull my last all nighters I can't remember.

"LAST STOP, Please exit the vehicle."

Wait what already, oh man I must have dozed off and not even realized it. Better get to class before my professor has a fit, why do I always get the teachers who actually bother to take attendance.

First class of the day was sociology, the teacher could be a windbag and real pain at times, but he was ironically the only teacher I liked. I headed towards the class saying hi to a few fellow students on the way, I entered the class opening the door and was greeted by a wall of fire. I could here it again the world around me screaming in pain, I wanted to scream, but who would here it. I got to get out, I've got to get free, I can't let him…

"Sammus!" I was suddenly back in the class, nothing had happened it was a day dream. Yet still I was suddenly out of breath and terrified.

"Lady would you please take your seat, your starting a traffic jam."

I had grabbed the side of the door and was blocking the way in during my little episode there.

"Sorry professor Adam." Adam Malkovich was the greatest pain in my side at the university, but that's also the reason I respect the man. He is truly a great mind and actually cares for those under his command, I mean his students.

"Well if your theatrics are over lady take your seat. I have a new assignment just for you. There was a report of a pirate sighting near outpost 731. I want you to take your team and scout the area."

"You're kidding me, this is low level grunt work you can't expect me to handle this."

"You will handle what I tell you to handle, until you learn to truly see the big picture such as this outpost holds a high deposit the mineral that pirate ships run on not to mention your team is more then well equipped to handle such an attack should it arise. Until then I will be giving you the grunt work."

"…Yes Sir!"

"Now then are there any other objections lady?"

"Sir No Sir!"

"Good now mind explaining to me why you are sleeping threw class?"

"What are you talking about?"

Within a single blink the whole world changed, I wasn't at the federation I was back in school and Adam was my professor again. I looked around to see I was the last person in the class room, oh god did I sleep threw the whole thing.

"You slept threw class today lady."

"Oh my god, I'm sorry sir just I haven't been sleeping well lately."

"I don't want to hear excuses. Samus you need to remember to also take care of yourself as well for if all you care about is the world around you your shoulders won't be able to hold it up."

"Yes sir." I said looking down at my desk in shame

"Come and talk to me again when you actually understand what I just told you."

Dear god why does he always have to talk like a preacher. I need some air, fortunately there is another 30 minutes until my next class, advanced engineering, guess I'll just head outside for a while then. The campus isn't exactly the most glorious thing around, like I said this place is so damn grey. It's rare to even see a bird in this…well speak of the devil.

"Cheep Cheep" The little grey bird chirped as it landed on my bench.

"Well I don't suppose your hear to lecture me to little grey voice."

"Cheep Cheep"

"And now I'm talking to a bird, guess I really am going crazy."

"Cheep Cheep"

"Be quiet your not helping." It just twisted its head and looked straight at me with such a sad look on its tiny face. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, just this whole day has been messed up. I feel like I'm loosing my mind like there is something important I'm forgetting something so big it's driving me mad.

"Cheep"

"Your right, I need to calm down and take a good hard look at myself. I need to remember what is truly important in my life and go for it."

"Cheep"

"Thanks little grey voice, you're a really great listener."

"Cheep" And with that it flew away, strange for a second there it's almost as if it had come just to cheer me up.

The rest of the day just seemed to fly by; I had blocked out all my other classes and was now focusing on what my friends had said. My life, something important had taken all my attention so much so that I devoted my life to shaping it and protecting it so much so I had stopped caring for myself putting both it and me in a dangerous place. Although, I still can't remember what was so important.

My day was over, so I headed to the bus to get home, the sooner the better I need to be alone and think. I stood there at the stop just waiting, god these things never arrive on time, I was relieved when it finally showed up now I can head home and rel…

"GEESHAWW!" Screamed the space pirate as it opened the door. He stared straight at me with those beady eyes. The driver opened its mouth either roaring or laughing at me it was enjoying the fear and pain it saw on my face.

God I'm going crazy this can't be real I'm just imagining things. Pretend it isn't real, pretend it isn't real, pretend it isn't real.

I got on the bus and inside, it was like the inside of a pirate ship with all the passengers laughing and swearing at me in the pirate's language. This can't be real. I made my way inside and sat next to the window only I wasn't on Earth anymore, but on their polluted home world.

"Do you think this is a dream little Samus." Said the pirate sitting behind me.

"Hey Rigol she thinks this is part of her nightmare."

"I don't see why not Logir after all we brought her here. HAHA."

"HAHA that we did, poor pathetic human."

"HAHAHAHA." They all laughed, laughed at my fear, god please make this end please make it end.

"Last stop EARTH!" Bellowed the driver with his slithery voice. I made my way for the door calmly not giving them the satisfaction of seeing me run.

They laughed and they laughed until I stepped outside. I was in front of my house on earth and not a pirate in sight. I looked behind me to see if they were still there, they were gone as if they were never truly there. I wanted to collapse right there and then, but I had to make it home I needed to get away from this place.

The streets were so quiet, I dragged myself home every step feeling as if I was walking closure to grave. That's what it felt like, it felt like I was walking in a cemetery or a morgue. No this was home…my true home.

"Oh god not here, please anywhere but here." This was the day my life ended and began. It was the day the pirates came and burned everything down around me. My friends, my family everything I knew consumed by fire.

I fell to my knees the smoke made it so hard to breath. I could feel it right there and then, this was me dying.

"That's it, enough of this shit. No more games no more bullshitting me." I stood up once again firmly on my feet I wasn't going to let them mess with me anymore.

"Show yourselves now end this!"

"I'm so sorry Samus, I tried my best to keep you from coming here, but in the end all the pain leads you back here." That sweet sounding voice it couldn't be.

"Pit!" There stood the young angel I met and fought besides a long time ago. "How dare you! How dare you play with me like this! What's going on here." I stared deeply into his eyes my soul burning with hatred till I realized I don't think I've ever seen him so sad before.

"Samus, what's the last thing you remember?"

"What…what do you mean I can't seem to remember…tell me where are we what is this #cken place."

"That's right this place." Soon the sky, the ground and everything around us became black, we were standing in nothing. "I'm so sorry Samus I had to bring you here, it was the only way."

"Pit tell me, what is happening here."

"Try to remember, your ship and the attack, remember your dream."

"Oh god." I was suddenly back in that metal hallway, now once again in my armor, the world screamed around me ready to collapse. This was my reality my final moments.

"The pirates they caught us by surprise ambushed us, oh god my son. My son is he, did he make it."

"Thanks to you he did, but now like you he will grow hardened and alone."

"He's strong like me, like his father and his name sake." My heart filled with sadness knowing I'd never be able to see him again. "I know he will survive. Least I can rest knowing that."

"That's the thing Samus, your not dead yet."

"What do you mean, but I didn't make it out. No wait I did, I made it to the escaped pods, but after that…nothing. What's happening Pit why are you here?"

"Your pod, didn't escape the explosion of your ship. You were broken, but still alive. As the pirates left your pod got caught in their jump fields and you got dragged half way across the galaxy in what was left of that pod. You've crashed on a world much like Earth and right now you're hanging to life on a thread."

"I can't believe this."

"That's why I came here Samus, somehow even here I could feel your soul slipping away and I just couldn't let one of my friends die so tragically. So I made this dream for you to keep your soul from leaving to keep your mind off the pain away from reality giving your body and those whose care you are in a chance to heal you."

"But how, why?"

"I don't know how, but our worlds are related connected like sister dimensions built off the same engine. As for why…your life has had so much tragedy already you and your son deserve better I just wanted to bring you both a bit of hope."

"Pit you truly are an angel." Once again I fell to my knees and my eyes began to water as reality began to make its way back into this world. "So what does this mean, am I going to live or die?"

"That is still up to you Samus, I can't do anything more, I've broken more laws then I can count doing this for you. I guess this is why Paullutena doesn't want us to mingle with mortals."

"Pit please…stay with me. One way or the other please stay with me until the end." The young angel made his way closer to me and sat beside me.

"You didn't even have to ask."

"Hey I think she's waking up!"

"Step aside give her some room!"

"Wow mommy what's wrong with her skin it's so pink?"

"Where…where am I?

"Hush child you are amongst friends."

Present Day, Half way across the galaxy

"Helm maggots report what is the condition of the ship." Screamed the winged dragon like pilot in the bridge.

"Sir, our supplies are running low both food and water is now nothing but emergency rations. Our energy supplies are almost drained after our last encounter with the enemy. If we don't land and resupply within the next few days we will be dead in space sir." Slithered the space pirate.

"Activate scanners find us a suitable planet, the sooner I get off this rust bucket the better."

The pirates activated their scanners and began their search. For hours there was nothing, yet something was happening to their systems. All the lights were going haywire, all their readings were off the scales they were loosing control.

"Report what is happening?"

"I don't know sir it looks like something is hacking into our system."

"Is it the enemy?"

"No sir this is far beyond their abilities."

Soon all the lights had shut down, nothing was responding yet life support still functioned. The pirate crew was dumbfounded and frightened, yet their winged commander did not loose focus on the one still functioning screen showing a smooth dark figure.

"Ah good I finally found you."

"Who are you, I demand you release control of my ship."

"We…I was a business assassinate of your mother Ridley."

"Ridley? Didn't you hear that old bitch died a long time ago! So what is it you that you could possibly want with me?"

"What I want will come in time; right now it's what I have to offer you." A console soon came back online and data began to download into their systems.

"What is this?"

"The solution to all your problems, food, water, fuel and technology capable of shifting your war back in your favor."

"What kind of technology?"

"The chozo's greatest weapon." The image on the screen then disappeared as the pirate's regained control of their ship.

"Helmsmen check the federation database and tell me all you can on this planet."

"Yes sir! It appears to be on the edge of federation territory, a very rural planet their technology hasn't evolved past well it seems they have barely discovered electricity. Yet it is rich in the mineral we use for our ships with a large population of humanoids much like humans that we can use for food."

"Hmm chozo weapon or not, this world will make a fine feast for us. Set a course, its time we eat."