Metroid: Project Dread: Ch 24

Final Push into the Unknown Deepths

The 2. Platoon, U-Mos and I quickly spread out checking the tunnel entrances for any signs of which one the Space Pirates had used.  It quickly proved ear futile though as the pipes leading into them and the hard stony ground beneath showed no sign of passing.

Even so a quick examination with the heat visor had offered some help, showing energy still running through energy lines near three of the tunnels narrowing it down some.
"Don’t your race have some way of tracking the Ing, you fought them right?" asked Simon as he looked towards U-Mos.

"We did, but sadly we found no way to reliably track their movements when they took on their liquid form, beyond simple movement trackers," said U-Mos quickly, "caused us no end of problems in the war."

"What about you Samus, any luck?" asked Anthony then as he turned to me.
I shook my head, but before I could say anything AU 242 raised me and based on the other reactions they were also hearing it as well.

The diversionary force has secured the top part of the base and is moving to reinforce you. I cannot help your current predicament as shield of some kind is preventing a detailed scanning, but I can tell that I am detecting a large energy spike beneath the surface in the general vicinity of where you are. Whatever the Space Pirates are doing it is huge and it is coming online. Please hurry.

"Then I guess that leaves us with only one option," said U-Mos and I looked towards him, seeing him float just off the ground, heading towards the rightmost of the tunnels I had detected traces of energy in the cables by. "We must split up, I'll take this tunnel, Samus and the 2. platoon you can take other two. As soon as someone finds the target, contact the others."

"Isn't that a bit rash? Who knows what we might run into?" said Kravis immediately.
"I agree, our orders are too protect you, sir U-Mos, we can't just let you go off on your own like that," added Anthony quickly.

"But I was also given command of your unit for the purpose of this mission, was I not" said U-Mos his voice firmly. "I don’t like it either, but as has been said we cannot allow the Ing off this world and thus we have to act fast."

"I still don’t like it, U-Mos," said Anthony firmly, "but I also cannot argue that it might be necessary."

I could only agree with Anthony's sentiment on that. I did not like splitting up, but it also seemed necessary to cover the necessary ground.

"Are you sure you want to go on your own U-Mos?" I asked firmly as I looked up towards the Luminoths head, hidden behind its battle armor.

He raised his light rifle, holding it with both hands as he spoke. "I am the last sentinel of Luminoth, trained for battle and armed with the best our race produced for that horrible war. I won't fall easily." He then raised his right hand opening it wide, "may the light of Aether shine on our progress."

With those words he vanished into the tunnel, the light of his suit showing his progress even as he vanished into the darkness.

"And there he goes," said Kayla even as she stood looking after him before heading of towards the middle of the tunnels, "guess we better get going as well?"

Anthony nodded, though he quickly turned to me, "we will be careful princess, anything happen I contact you."

"If you see the Technician Commander,  run before you contact me," I said quickly.
Anthony did not answer but merely have me a thumbs up which he turned into a thumbs down just before he turned around, holstering his plasma cannon at the ready as he waved the 2. platoon into the tunnel. I smiled and knew that behind the visor he had done the same.
I did not dwell on it though as I quickly headed into the leftmost tunnel sprinting forward, hoping to confirm whether it was the right way or not as fast as possible.
As I ran though I was surprised when U-Mos raised me.

"Samus, I always hoped I would have the chance for this one day," he said his voice sounding happy.

"What do you mean?" I asked even as I kept an eye on my surroundings.

"Back on Aether I had to stay back and protect my sleeping kin even as you went to fight the Ing. It pained me to know that you were fighting our ancient foe on our behalf even as I could do nothing but guide you," he said slowly. "You did the impossible by single handedly finishing the war that we lost and I hoped that someday I would be able to stand beside you on the field of battle. That I in just a tiny measure could repay what you did for my species."

"I am glad you are here," I said with a slight smile.

"The honor is all mine, Samus" he answered, "now let us together, guided by the light of Aether make sure the Ing never spread their hate to the stars." U-Mos fell silent for a moment, before I heard his voice again, "I am  entering a larger cave ahead, no signs of hostiles though."

"Stay in contact," I said simply and heard him acknowledge before the comm fell silent again.

The tunnel I was in soon ended in a glass wall. I could see three large round heat signatures beyond the glass as well as a slight movement in the air that told the room was probably filled with the dark atmosphere. Gathering up my strength is punched through the glass and immediately my environmental hazard meter skyrocketed. I recoiled in reflex, but seeing no damage I slowly advanced again.

Going past the glass I found myself in a large cave and looking around I saw more of the round heat signatures. They seemed immobile and walking closer I identified them as Ingclaws, a immobile nigh indestructible Ing type which secreted a poison gas that enhanced dark Aether's atmospheres deadly effect, likely what my hazard detector had caught even if the light suit rendered me immune.

Looking around I saw no exits to the room, just the Ingclaws and a bit of machinery and tubes for the dark atmosphere. The place had likely been used to breed and collect  the Ingclaws gas for future testing and I quickly turned around exiting the room.

As I ran back through the tunnel I raised Anthony on the comm. "Nothing on my end," I said quickly, "any luck on your end?"

"We are in some kind of factory or lab of some sort, but we see no exit beyond where we came in, could be hidden though" told Anthony quickly. "I was just about to raise you and U-Mos to check up on you."

"I'll do it," I said quickly raising U-Mos, soon hearing his voice.

"The cave I am in is big and well lit by installed lights. No signs of any enemies so far though…" he told dragging out the last bit as he continued, "wait I see a blast door up ahead, as well as more machinery and some stationary turrets. I think I have found something."

"Got it, I am on my way" I said quickly, "just hang tight…"

I was interrupted by the sound of an explosion from U-Mos comm channel.

"U-Mos, U-Mos you there?!" I exclaimed quickly as the sound of his light riffle firing reached me.

"Bit busy…found the Technician Commander!" said U-Mos quickly his voice barely audible as it sounded like he was heaving for breath even as he spoke.

"Hang tight, I am on my way!" I said quickly as I sprinted through the tunnel. On the way I raised Anthony explaining what had happened even as I exited the tunnel and headed down the one U-Mos had taken.

It was almost a completely straight line and I soon build up enough speed to activate my speed booster. With the added speed I blasted through the tunnel, soon entering the larger cave U-Mos had talked about. It was wide open stretching farther than I could immediately see due to jutting rock formations. It was dimly lit by a few lamps on the walls.

As a large rock in my way forced me to slow down and I quickly looked around for an exit I did spot a large red camera eye sitting nearly hidden near the top of the cave. I quickly blasted it seeing no reason to alert them to the approach of the 2. platoon and then continued to look around.

An explosion echoed through the cave and running forward I passed through the cave quickly with little regard for caution as I leapt over or ran around the jutting rocks.

Soon my eyes caught sight of something metal ahead and clearing another rock formation I got a large blast door sitting below me in the farthest cave wall, in what was an almost arena like circular pit.

The blast door was surrounded by more machinery, generators of some kind from the looks of it, but I had little time to ponder it as I came under fire from a `Jolly Roger´ drone. Returning fire I noticed movement right beneath me and shifting focus for a moment I saw U-Mos battling the Technician Commander.

The Technician Commander had its energy shield and energy scythe out, the four wire like tentacles wrapping around its body and extending into the air as the Technician Commander leapt at U-Mos.

U-Mos repelled the assault with the same barrier I had seen him use against the Ing Burrower, before leaping away from the Technician Commander, floating gracefully through the air even as he opened fire with his light riffle.

The Technician Commander ducked behind its hexagonal energy shield, deflecting the light blasts before fading out as it approached U-Mos once again.

Blasting the drone I immediately leapt over the edge, aiming for the Technician Commander as I fell.

It rematerialized ready to attack U-Mos who was hovering in front of it, but just as he raised its energy scythe it hesitated, leaping aside instead just as I crashed to the ground where it had just been.

"You all right?" I asked quickly as I looked at U-Mos, noticing a small tear in his suit near the side.

"I am fine," he said, "he ambushed me, but I was quick enough that he could not finish the job."

I nodded quickly and focused upon the technician Commander who was withdrawing, the wire like tentacles pulling into the red orb like protrusion in its stomach even as it headed for the blast door.

I fired a few plasma shots after it,  but it merely blocked them with his energy shield even as it stepped on to a metal plate covering the area before the blast door. Even as I moved forward with my arm cannon raised I saw it fiddle with something on its left arm and moments later my suit detected a massive energy spike in the generators near it.

A field of energy emanated from the generators, making the air around the Technician commander crackle even as energy shield covered the generators and the blast door.

I soon noticed that the energy around the Technician Commander seemed drawn to it, gathering around it and leaping from the floor beneath up into his suit like electrical currents. The Technician Commander did not seem harmed by this though as it raised his arm cannon into the air letting out a fierce howl.

Lowering the arm cannon I barely had time to react, leaping out of the way as a powerful beam of energy similar to the one it had used in the asteroid field was unleashed upon us. I had no time to worry about U-Mos as I quickly went into morph ball mode and dashed away knowing it could correct his aim while the beam lasted.

Indeed the beam cut through the rock of the ground as it tried to catch me, chunks of rock flying everywhere as it ripped apart the cave. Finally though the beam subsided and I changed out of morph ball mode.

Looking around I saw U-Mos hovering above, the shield from before protecting him. However going from the swat of devastation following where I had moved U-Mos had never been his real target.

Focusing on the Technician Commander again I saw its suit still practically bristling with energy, its energy shield and the lines in his suit glowing brightly and standing out against the dark color of its suit. It had seized firing for now and I quickly  brought my scanning visor trying to figure out exactly what was happening ignoring the data I already knew.

Morphology: Space Pirate

Specific: Technician Commander

Targets suit working at optimal capacity and absorbing a steady influx of energy from nearby generators insuring its continued efficiency. With all systems online and without limit target has become significantly more dangerous, caution advised.

However targets reliance on outside energy is a weakness, if robbed of energy sources suit will quickly run dry if many of the systems are not powered down.

I was just about to switch to my combat visor when a message appeared telling me I had gained access to part of the Technician Commanders databanks. I guessed what it was though as I was able to access a message from the Technician Commander.

We finally meet again Hunter, though I must say I am slightly disappointed at how long it took you to find this place. Were you scared or cautious…no your strength is far too great for such things to slow you down, so what was it? Was it the fear of losing those weaklings you call soldiers that made you slow down? Though I must say that the presence of a Luminoth surprised me, I did not think any were left on Aether. Whatever the case it is almost over, our battle, the battle on this planet, soon all you have fought to achieve here will have been in vain.

But still you baffle me. What goes on in that head of yours, what makes you hunt us with such determination? So ready to kill, to wipe out an entire species. The name Hunter fits you, a single minded hunter never resting or giving up, that is what you are. Though not entirely uncaring either…even if it limits you.

But come then Hunter, let us settle this, all of our technology, all our hate, all our skill against that determination that has brought you here and the suit which continue to defy our best attempts at replicating it. Try to breach this door behind me before it is too late!

I closed the message, the Technician Commander still waiting patiently even as U-Mos also had his weapon pointed at him.

`Single minded determination´, the Technicians Commanders statement went through my head for a moment. It was how I had to appear to the Space Pirates, an unstoppable force tearing down their facilities. But I did not regret that, they had never left me much of choice. Ing or Space Pirate, Aether or Zebes, they had never given up or shown signs of wanting anything but to dominate all other species in their path. So I stood against them, now as then.

I raised my arm cannon and the Technician Commander did the same.

"You ready?" I asked quickly glancing towards U-Mos.

"I am," answered U-Mos simply.

The technician Commander opened fire with a missile and I dashed right even as U-Mos flew left. The battle was on.