Metroid: Rogue: Ch 19

The Hunter

As Milona Saenz lowered the helmet onto her head, the telltale sound of the hermetic seal fastening the helmet, followed by the metallic supports clasps on the inside closing shut and connecting the helmet to the suit’s power supply. Ammo counters, status notifications, a map and shield data all popped up at the edge of her vision. Taking a single step forward she felt once again the strange lightness that followed the strength enhancement from the suit, allowing her to move with even greater agility than normal despite encased in protective armor. Despite its limited power source, it was a marvel of engineering.

She turned to look at her fellow marines. Four of them were in suits like her own, five others held heavy plasma riffles, riled up and ready. The other ten had top of the line federation riffles, but their other equipment was divided as well, five of them each having two salvaged “Jolly Roger” drones following them and the other coming equipped with a number of gadgets straight out of their own RnD division.

There was no stronger force in the Federation right now, but they would need all of it against the opponent they were facing or at least so she had feared.

Looking out of the window of her Anhur-Class ship Milona, watched the space station. With Adam having left with the gunship they had gained a great advantage. The space station had no other crafts and they could just wait out of range till…

She had not even finished the thought when the entire space station shook as its relocation thrusters activated, pushing the space station on a pursuit cause with the Valhalla.

Milona had hoped not to end up in this scenario, but now there was no choice.

“Team, we are going in, stick to code names from now on out,” she said firmly and their pilot immediately brought them into the nearest hangar on the space station.  

As they set down Milona raised her arm cannon and directed them all through the hangar doors into the space station proper, hard sealing the bulkheads as well as the ship. She immediately looked down at a control panel on her suit, interfacing with the stations security network and activating the internal turret defense even as the split into two, covering either passage. Then Milona took the word.  

“You all know the mission, to prevent Samus Aran as well as her ally, likely to be Anthony, from leaving this station and now with it in motion we need to shut down its engines as well. Killing should be avoided if possible, but we cannot hope to face down Samus Aran with any less than our full force,” she stated quickly.

“You know the plan. Follow your designated group and scour the base. Remain within two corridors of the nearest other team and keep a running status report. Motion sensors at all air duct exits and if you engage Samus Aran, fall into a defensive position until all teams can converge. People in power suits should try to draw fire. When converging, keep a minimal safe distance of ten meters between teams to minimize the potential damage of a power bomb. Support troops you know what to look for, keep those heat shields ready!” continued Milona firmly.

Milona lowered her head for just a second as she continued. “Miss Aran is a hero and should be treated with respect, but this needs to be done for the good of the Federation and we are ready for her. We can beat her and prove that the Federation can stand on its own,” she finished in a firm tone.

Each marine in a power suit nodded and they immediately split into teams of four, spreading up throughout the station. Milona led her team to the right, following Beta and Delta team for a short while before turning left down a corridor, heading straight for the command center.

She was overtaken by the two “jolly roger” drones which checked each corner and corridor they came across before they passed it and they stopped just periodically to place motion sensors at the vents.

“Alpha team, this is Epsilon team, we are seeing turret engagements at three different points around the command center, can you confirm? Over,” came a voice over the comm.

Milona enlarged her map and saw the same. Three turrets having engaged enemy targets at three points near the command center, but not close enough that they overlapped.

“Message to all units, enemy is likely to have split up. Beta and Epsilon, you are to move towards nearest turret activation, we will handle the last one. Delta and Gamma, continue on your current path, but be ready to provide backup. Copy?”

“Copy,” was the answer from all teams and nothing unusual seemed to be happening so far.

Milona and her team continued their advance slowly, their eyes peeled for enemies. More turrets activated on the map and went silent again in an expanding area from the command center, approaching the advancing groups.

Suddenly the radio silence was broken.

“Delta here, we have eyes on the primary target, engaging,” the message went out along with a reaffirmation of the team’s position.

It was close by and the sound of a heavy plasma blast cut clearly through the corridors for Milona who immediately directed her team towards Delta team’s location to provide backup.

“Delta here, target is retreating towards Alpha’s position, in pursuit, should be able to…what the…” The message was cut short by a loud crash, even as Milona turned a corner just in time to see a bright blue light at the end of it.

She dashed forward towards the end of the corridor even as she spoke over the comm.

“Delta, you there? Delta!” she exclaimed in slight anxiety. Samus could not have eliminated Delta just like that…

“Delta support here,” sounded a breathless voice over the comm just as Milona and her team turned the corner to find three members of Delta team standing alone, all three pressed against the wall and looking in the opposite direction, Delta leader and his power suit missing. A shattered “jolly roger drone” lay on the ground, wires fizzling from its right side which seemed to have been torn off.

“Samus went that way, with Delta leader in tow,” said Delta heavy quickly even as they started advancing slowly.

“What do you mean, ‘in tow?’” asked Milona quickly even as they headed down the corridor, the drones heading first.

“She was coming around the corner and we exchanged fire for a few seconds and she seemed to be retreating, but it was all to get enough distance to activate her speed booster,” told Delta support quickly, “she slammed into Delta leader and then leapt around the corner with him.”

“I have found Delta leader,” said Milona’s drone expert his voice breaking, “though it does not look good…”

Milona, her team and the rest of Delta quickly turned the corner and all immediately saw Delta Leader. His body had been slammed into the wall, the metal bending around him and leaving him stuck on the wall in a horrifying display of force and yet it was not all.

His armor was covered in scorch marks and he did not react at all.

“Alpha drone, move up, we will cover you,” said Milona mechanically.

Alpha drone quickly moved up, having to pull himself up slightly to reach Delta leader before scanning his body. “Dead, cause being plasma fire after two heavy impacts destabilized his shield generator.”

Milona was silent for a moment and then clenched her fist in anger. “All teams, Delta leader is down. Beta, Epsilon and Gamma be extra careful, Samus is striking using her speed booster to grab and separate teams. If she starts running at you, get out of the way!”

“As for you Beta, we are…” started Milona when she suddenly noticed a motion sensor being tripped just around a corner near them.

Everyone else had noticed it too and turned just in time to see the morph ball roll around the corner, leaving behind a pulsing energy sphere.

“Power bomb!” yelled one of the marines and Milona immediately saw a red disc shaped gadget fly past her, activating upon hitting the ground and projecting a corridor wide red force field just as the entire corridor was lit up in a bright flash.

As the flash vanished Milona took a quick glance around, making sure all were unhurt.

Everyone were okay, minus a single drone which had been watching the corner Samus had appeared from. Little remained of it except a pile of slag on the floor, but the heat shield had done what it was designed to and let them live.

“Good reactions, Delta support,” said Milona quickly even as she checked her map to try and get an idea of where Samus might be going.

“Thanks,” answered Delta support quickly.

They kept a lookout for Samus for a few seconds, but she seemed to have vanished as fast as she had appeared.

“Epsilon here, we have found Samus ally and is engaging!” sounded it suddenly over the comm.

“Careful Epsilon, Samus is likely to be coming for you. Stay alert, we will be joining you, Gamma team that goes for you as well,” said Milona quickly and motioned for the team, including the rest of Delta, to move out. There would be time to mourn for the dead later.

Watching the map, she noticed the activation of a motion tracker in the direction of Epsilon and repeated her warning, before contacting Beta. “Samus is heading towards Epsilon. Move to the command center and shut down the space stations relocation thrusters while we engage her!”

“Got it,” sounded the answer back.

Moving towards Epsilon’s position they passed through the cloning facility, heading across the raised catwalks to get to Epsilon’s position faster.

“We are being followed,” said Alpha heavy suddenly from behind them and they turned just in time to catch a glimpse of a strange drone consisting of three small spheres vanish behind one of the clone tanks. It was similar to one they had found aboard Milona’s ship.

“Samus ally is watching us and likely reporting to her,” said Milona in annoyance. Things were not going too well so far. They needed to corner Samus, focus their fire, but without leaving themselves top open to more power bombs.

“Epsilon, Gamma, what is your status?” asked Milona as they closed in on the position.

“Epsilon here, Samus ally is on the run and we are advancing slowly in pursuit,” sounded the first response.

“Gamma here, we are moving to cut him off,” sounded the second response.

“Keep us updated and watch your backs for Samus,” said Milona as her and her squad changed direction in accordance to the coordinates from Gamma and Epsilon, moving to support them. Of Samus was no sign which was worrying Milona greatly.

As they approached Gamma squads position, being close enough to hear the energy blasts, they were contacted. “Gamma here, Samus ally has been cornered in a lab and is using a drone and a security shutter as cover, while returning fire. Waiting for Epsilon before storming position.”

Milona and her team turned the last corner, seeing Gamma in position at t-split just outside the lab and Milona quickly leapt behind a outcropping in the wall as a heavy plasma blast flew past her, followed by several energy blasts, fired by Samus ally and his drone from within the room. Quickly moving into position, Milona opened a channel, “Gamma, Alpha is here, we got you….”

“Behind us!” sounded Delta drone’s voice and Milona turned around to see another enemy drone appearing from around a corner behind them, sweeping an energy beam across the corridor. Alpha heavy was hitting the leg as he tried to bring his plasma cannon to bear, collapsing with a yell as everyone else dived out of the way, returning fire.

“Delta support, help Alpha heavy. Rest of Delta, deal with the drone. Everyone else, aid Gamma!” ordered Milona.

However, it was all drowned in the roar of an explosion, metal fragments and dust sweeping up the corridor from Gamma’s position.

Milona immediately turned towards where Gamma had been, the dust blocking her sight.
“Epsilon here, what the hell just happened!?” sounded it over the comm.

“Alpha here, I can’t reach Gamma, get over here!” answered Milona desperately even as the dust started to settle.

Slowly Milona thought she could see shapes in the dust cloud, a purple light gathering at one point in it before suddenly the entire cloud was blasted away as a whip like energy beam sprang forth from Samus cannon, connecting with Gamma leader. The energy in the air was such that Milona watched her visor distort slightly and before her Gamma leader desperately staggered backwards, trying to break the tether before slowly falling to his knees.

Milona opened fire, her team backing her up, but Samus simply raised her arm cannon and moments later, five missiles flying out from it.

Milona ducked just as the missiles exploded, but instead of a concussive wave she felt a heavy pull in her body, as if gravity had suddenly shifted. It only lasted a moment, but it was enough that Milona was thrown across the corridor, slamming heavily into the wall.

From there she watched as Gamma leader slowly got to his feet, raising his arm cannon and firing upon Samus.

Samus did not even flinch, the plasma blasts impacting her suit as she dashed forward, kicking Gamma Leader’s arm cannon out of the way and placing her own arm cannon at his head. The arm cannon reconfigured, glowing purple replaced by dark green plasma energy which gathered around the muzzle. Moments later Samus fired and Gamma Leader fell backwards, a hole straight through his visor.

Milona was on her feet again and opened fire with her own arm cannon and she was supported from behind by a heavy plasma blasts which struck Samus square in the chest and actually seemed to make her flinch, followed by several rapid fire energy shots.

In response Samus leapt backwards, firing spread shots at them. Behind her, her ally appeared from the lab, now visible through the dust. He was covering behind a shield projected by the drone he was with and returning fire with a riffle of unknown make. He quickly ran to the left along the t-split, Samus following moments later.

Milona now glanced back and saw Epsilon team behind her, having been the ones to support her. Her own team lay in shambles. Alpha heavy was slowly getting up, having been tossed to floor by the missiles, Alpha support helping him, but Alpha drone seemed to be unmoving, though as Milona looked at him he weakly raised his left arm, pointing to his right arm and legs.

“Beta team, Samus may be coming for you. Complete your objective and then retreat and try to reach us,” said Milona quickly before she turned to try and make sense of what had happened.

Delta heavy was leaning against the wall, clutching his injured leg. Delta support and drone were at the other end of the corridor, slowly walking back, the three orbs of the drone that had attacked them with them, showing it to be down.

But worst of all was Gamma as Milona slowly walked towards where they had been. She only cast one glance at Gamma leader, his face plate still smoking, before looking to the rest of them. Gamma heavy lay buried under rubble, unmoving, the ceiling having been blown open right above him. Gamma support lay huddled in a corner, clutching her stomach and her face plate was fractured showing a fearful eye beneath. Gamma drone lay in the lab, having seemingly tried to assault Samus ally just as Samus had appeared, but now he lay lifeless beside his two destroyed drones.

Milona turned back to Gamma support, kneeling down to her. “Can you stand?” she asked gently.

Gamma support nodded and Milona helped her up. She was still clutching her stomach, though Milona saw no visible wound.

“Broken rip…or rips, I think,” explained Gamma support as she slowly looked around.

“I see, think you can walk?” asked Milona and Gamma support nodded, though it was weakly.

“Give me your heat shield and satchel charge, then stay here and tend to the wounded as best you can. We will be back.”

“Got it, Alpha Leader,” said Gamma support, handing over the small shield device and a larger pouch filled with explosives before walking towards. Milona quickly synced the satchel charges activation to her suit control and then turned to her team.

Before she could say anything a massive explosion rocked the station, the lights flickering for a moment before coming back on. “Beta team here, mission successful.

Station I unmoving and the command center has been destroyed. Retreating towards the clone facility, no sign of…shit!”

“Beta, status report!” shouted Milona quickly.

“I am here, Samus and her ally is on us. We are continuing our retreat!” sounded Beta leaders voice.

“Understood, we will intercept and support, just hold on!” said Milona and turned to Epsilon. “Anyone able to fight, follow me. Gamma support is in charge of the wounded.”  

Milona moved out, Alpha heavy and support with her, followed by all of Epsilon team as well as Delta support and drone. It was a ramshackle team and Milona entertained the notion of retreating now that the thrusters were down, but that would entail leaving Beta behind and it was not even certain they could reach the ship faster than Samus if she caught wind of what was going on.

No, they had to finish this…whatever the cost, just like the overall mission. Samus could not be allowed to jeopardize it.

They hurried towards the cloning room, seeing Beta team approaching the room as well based on their coordinates.

Beta team arrived in the room first and they could soon hear the sounds of battle as they neared a hatch leading into the room.

Rushing into the room and out onto the catwalks above the cloning tanks, Milona immediately spotted Beta leader and heavy in a close quarter fight with Samus at the far end of the room. Of Beta support and drone, as well as Samus ally, there was no sign.

They could not fire with Beta in the firing line and so Milona directed the team to spread out along the catwalks, readying their weapons.

Beta heavy soon took a heavy kick to the side, stumbling into a wall before Samus turned to Beta leader. He blocked her initial punch and lashed out with a kick at her, but Samus ducked under it and kicked Beta leader backwards. Even as Milona watched energy gathered at Samus arm cannon and moments later a super missile was launched at Beta leader.

Beta leader leapt aside, managing to avoid getting hit, but the resulting blast still flung him at the catwalk railings.

Samus raised her arm cannon as she advanced and Milona was about to fire as it seemed their only chance to save Beta leader when suddenly a blast of plasma fire flew through the room as Beta heavy had recovered. The heavy blast knocked Samus off balance and Beta leader used the opportunity to grab her arm cannon and throw her over the railing and down among the cloning tanks.

“Now, open fire!” shouted Milona seeing the opportunity and every plasma cannon, energy riffle and drone fired down into the cloning tanks, lighting up the area around Samus in a devastating hail of fire.

At first Milona could not see anything from all the fire, but then suddenly she noticed the morph ball dashing between the tanks, heading towards her. “Everyone down!” shouted Milona as she took a quick decision and threw the satchel charge, crouching down and activating it.

The shockwave hit her like a punch, but she maintained her balance as the fireball engulfed a massive area of the cloning facility and showering everyone in the white-bluish fluids of the tanks and small scraps of metal as the entire room shook in response.

Before anyone had any time to recover though, the sound of a plasma shot cut through the room, Beta Leader shouting in pain as he doubled over. Milona saw Beta heavy turn towards a door near their end of the room, only to be cut down by a series of high energy blasts.

It was Samus ally, entering the room with his plasma cannon at the ready and a drone with him. Immediately Milona opened fire upon him, but he ducked behind the drone as it projected a protective force field in front of it.

Milona rushed forward, intending to take him down in close quarters, but only briefly registered a bright blue light on her left before something slammed into her, smashing her into the wall. What seemed to be every warning light in the suit flared as her shield levels dropped dangerously in one instant, but she had enough presence of mind to notice Samus in front of her, Samus left arm pulled back in a punch.

Milona’s reflexes kicked in as she caught the punch, only to be greeted with the muzzle of Samus arm cannon in her face, bright green energy gathering around it.

Suddenly Samus was tackled out of the way, Epsilon leader having pounced her and allowing Milona to get free of the wall. She did so just to see Epsilon being blasted away from Samus by another shot from her ally’s plasma cannon.

Samus ally then rushed back out of the room with his drone, but before they could wonder about it, Samus went into morph ball mode, a sphere of energy emitting from her.

Milona pushed past Epsilon, throwing down the heat shield just in time as the power bomb detonated and once again Samus was nowhere to be seen afterwards, even as an entire section of the catwalk had been vaporized. The rest of their drones had not been shielded by the heat shield, but those not shielded by Milona’s heat shield had clustered behind Alpha support’s.

They slowly started to look around for Samus, but did not have time to react though before the catwalk under Epsilon heavy and drone exploded, sending them crashing down and Samus leapt upwards out of the hole.

Everyone opened fire upon her but it was uncoordinated and reflexive, they were panicking as Milona realized, and Samus moved with an uncanny speed, leaping to Alpha heavy’s side in just one bound, not even reacting to the energy blasts that did hit her suit as she kicked Alpha heavy into the railing and followed it up with a missile, sending him through the railing and down to the ground.

Epsilon leader rushed forward and Milona was about to follow when a plasma shot flew closely past her shoulder from behind and she turned to see Samus ally once again in position. Turning around she leapt towards him, determined to take him out quickly as she opened fire with her arm cannon.

His strange dark suit took a few hits, staggering him and making him loose his grip on his plasma cannon, though it was at this moment Milona realized his drone was not with him. Looking around she saw it hovering over the room, turned towards her, the two smaller orb circling the middle orb in an erratic pattern.

Milona barely had time to register this before her visor screen vanished in static, her entire suit seemingly losing function as it suddenly felt very heavy on her. She struggled with her helmet, the visor telling her that a virus had been detected and while she was unable to defend herself she felt a heavy hit to the side of her head, followed by a blow to her stomach sending her tumbling into thin air and down onto the hard floor of the cloning facility.

She finally managed to get the helmet off and got to her feet.

“Don’t move, Milona Saenz,” said a mechanically distorted voice above her and she looked up to see Samus ally pointing a riffle at her. With her head unprotected and her suit powered down, she chose not to take any chances and instead looked for help from other parts of the room.

She saw Samus in battle with Epsilon leader. Alpha, Epsilon and Delta support, as well as Delta drone were firing upon her whenever they could get a clear shot, but even as Milona watched Samus aimed a missile between Delta support drone, the missile imploding, creating a brief gravity spike which smashed Delta support and drone into each other.

Epsilon leader used the chance to land several plasma shots on Samus, but once again Milona could see no visible damage and Samus turned right around, green energy gathering at her arm cannon before erupting in a stream of plasma fire which engulfed Epsilon leader.

Epsilon leader leapt out of the fire, but was followed by a few standard plasma shots to his back and collapsed. Samus then turned to Alpha and Epsilon support, approaching them slowly even as they started to panic.

Milona watched it and knew what would happen. “Stand down!” shouted Milona through the room and much to her surprise, Samus stopped, looking back at her, before turning her attention back to the two others. Alpha and Epsilon support quickly dropped their weapons and Samus immediately turned away, leaping down to the lower level and walking towards Milona with a slow and heavy walk.

Milona felt her breath become ragged. Samus suit was covered in soot and her arm cannon was smoking, but there was not a single scratch of damage on the armor from what she could see.

Slowly but surely Samus approached her and Milona had no idea what was going to happen.