Once the tension in the room faded, Samus decided to continue the story. "Of course, some of the creatures we faced were larger and more difficult to deal with than others," she explained. "Although the largest ones in Sector 1 were easy to deal with, for the simple reason that they tended to show up in the largest areas..."
After making their way through a long, winding path of gratings through the large forested chamber they were within, Samus was finally able to turn off the holo-projector to see the path they needed in order to move forward. With the holograms off, the sky filled backdrop and many of the larger trees vanished, revealing metal walls and metallic structures.
One of the larger trees, however, unfolded angrily, revealing what looked like a brachiosaur made of wood-
"Like a dinosaur version of a timberwolf?" Twilight gasped out eagerly, pulling out a book to show an image of the creature she was describing.
Samus stared at the image for a time, then chuckled. "More or less, yes," she admitted.
-its long neck stretched out on its low slung body, its massive tree trunk legs stomping along like a spider with two missing legs. Its rather obvious weak point was a large orange sphere on its undercarriage, pulsing with light. Samus readied her arm cannon to lunge in for battle...only for Spike to lunge past her, expanding in size until he matched the creature, bowling it over with sheer bulk to attack the orange sphere.
Samus stepped back, thinking Spike had it all under control until the creature reversed its limbs, standing upright with the orange sphere high above, now walking more like a giraffe. Spike, for his part, leapt into the air, shrinking back down to human size as he landed on the creature's back and hitting the orange sphere with his flame breath. The fire spread, and the entire creature collapsed, smoldering.
"Yeah...probably should have realized wood plus fire equals dead a bit sooner," Spike admitted, causing a few titters.
"It wasn't all as fun as that, though," Samus admitted. "Not long after that, we reached the Test Area Adam sent us to..." Her voice trailed off. "That's when things started going wrong..."
As they reached the entrance to the Exam Centers Control Chamber, they found the door damaged and forced open. Samus and Spike immediately went on the defensive. They carefully made their way in through the door. When they entered, they found one of the members of Adam's unit already there, working on the computers. As he got up, the rest of the unit arrived...minus one.
"Where's Lyle?" the one from the computers asked.
"Looks like he's late," Anthony offered with a shrug.
Another one of the troopers began working on the computers, but the information was fragmented. Apparently, the CPU had self destructed, and it would take a while for him to piece anything useful together.
Anthony took charge of the situation, ordering everyone else to search the building while their computer expert worked on recovering the data. After a brief bout of shared nostalgia between Anthony and Samus, everyone began to search.
During her search, however, Samus stumbled across a Zebesian - one of the creatures native to Zebes - that had been cybernetically enhanced to resemble the Space Pirates...with Galactic Federation tech.
"What?"
Twilight wasn't the only one shocked by this revelation. Before Samus could respond, Adam took over the explanation.
"It wasn't clear at the time," Adam began, "but the Bottleship was the work of certain branches of the military to create an ideal assault force based around the Space Pirates, since that force was no longer an issue. The idea behind it was that, since they'd proven so effective against us, creating such a force to work for us would provide an ideal force to be reckoned with."
"And the idea that they might go rogue and become the Pirates all over again never occurred to the big wigs?" Applejack demanded snidely.
"That's why my report on the matter said it was folly to attempt," Adam grumbled. "Unfortunately, someone went through with it anyway, basing the whole thing on that report...which made it easy for certain parties to point the blame my way at just the right time..."
"Not that it did any good," Spike countered. He tapped his muzzle. "Takes a lot to fool this nose."
"I just wish I'd had access to it sooner..." Adam muttered.
The single file recovered from the computer revealed that the Bottleship was a bioweapons research platform - a highly illegal one at that - under the supervision of a Dr. Madeline Bergman. With nothing else forthcoming, Anthony gave orders to have the two computer experts stay and try and get more information, while the rest of them searched the area for the missing doctor.
During the search, Samus and Spike came across a few of the augmented Zebesians that had become active somehow, and moved to attack them. As they moved with the same coordination that Space Pirates did, Adam ordered the troops back and for Samus and Spike to take care of them.
Spike quickly found that the cybernetic augmentations made the Zebesians taste terrible, and focused on combat that didn't involve biting.
Despite the bite damage, that enemy kept charging in, apparently not fazed by its partially crushed torso and skull. The augmented Zebesians proved to be far more athletic and maneuverable than the Space Pirates had ever been, even managing to evade Samus and Spike's attacks at times. However, as there were only six of them, eventually they were taken down by a mix of assault techniques, allowing the pair to go meet up with the others.
However, when they made it to the control center, they saw the others under attack by a large purple creature with white bristly hair on its back between body spikes, an alligator like jaw surmounted by a long, red tongue. Its long tail ended in a sharp spine. As it roared, it looked up and spotted Samus and Spike through the window.
"We need to get out to them, fast!" Samus barked out, rushing for the door, only to be grabbed by Spike.
"Right!" he growled, smashing his way through the reinforced glass, coming down on top of the creature with Samus in tow.
The creature let off the same almost human shriek that had sent the insectoids from before into a frenzy, and dozens of other creatures erupted out of the ground to attack. As Samus moved to back up the other troops, Spike and the creature circled each other. The creature gazed balefully at Spike, its eyes filled with an unnatural level of hatred.
Spike snarled defiance, clashing with the creature with teeth and claws, the battle driving back and forth across the landscape. At one point, Spike attempted to leap into the air for an advantage, only for the creature's tail to pierce his wing. Screaming in pain, Spike fell to the ground.
"Spike!" Samus called out, rushing forward.
As the creature leapt to pin Spike and press its advantage, a highly charged burst of plasma seared its shoulder, a last minute twist being all that prevented it from losing the limb. As Anthony charged his heavy plasma cannon for a second shot, it raced away, leaping through the walls of the large open area hidden by holograms to escape.
Grumbling, Anthony disengaged the heavy plasma cannon, letting it recharge. At that point, the other attacking creatures had dispersed. "You okay there, ankle biter?" he called out. "It got you good!"
Spike shrugged, swallowing one of the creatures that had gotten a bit too close to him. "It'll heal," he replied, wincing as the membrane already began to knit.
"Hey!" one of the others called out. "Get over here!"
Samus paused by Spike to check on his injury - it was already fully healed - before joining the others...where they found the body of the missing Lyle, torn to shreds.
"Looks like an animal attack," Samus muttered.
"Animals don't use Federation issue blasters," Spike muttered. "He stinks of the ozone tang of blaster burns. Someone - or something - shot him dead, and something else came and cleaned up the job."
As everyone glanced nervously at each other, Anthony spoke up. "What do you mean...something?"
"I'm also smelling...something a lot like Ghor," Spike muttered. "And...a bit of the electrical tang from Gandrayda's camouflage abilities."
While everyone was talking, Samus had followed a trail of green blood...to the body of the Little Birdie, an empty husk split down the middle like a pupa that had cracked open.
"So...I get that gecko Ridley broke out of Bird Ridley," Rainbow spoke up. "But what was that about Ghor and Gandrayda?"
"I was able to piece the details together," Adam explained. "The Federation had taken the studies of Ghor and Gandrayda post Phazon exposure, and used it to create a new type of soldier...androids that could make themselves look human with energy based cloaks."
"The Federation usurped my body's design?!" Ghor demanded angrily. "How dare they warp my creations!"
"You mean...they used me to make weapons?" Gandrayda gasped out, aghast.
"Yes," Adam confirmed. "And...one such weapon was stowed on our ship on the way to the Bottleship, meant to keep us from learning too much." He ground his teeth. "The idea of such technological weapons was another I suggested. Using technology to create soldiers that can fight instead of people, to reduce the waste of life. If I'd known one was already completed, I'd have made sure everyone traveled in pairs, to be sure no one could be caught by such a troop unawares if one were a present hostile. As it was..."
Silence reigned.
I had just done a playthrough of "Other M" for a refresher. Nice concept for "The Deleter".
NOO NO NO NO
WHERE WOULD MB HAVE GOTTEN THAT FIRST BLASTER
MB was not the deleter. Yes she set the animals to bezerk and killed off the scientists, no she did not grab a blaster and start shooting people. If MB was the one killing the troopers, she'd use the animals. that's what she's ALWAYS done. It's her MO. she had no way of even changing it until the first trooper dies. It would be impossible to take a blaster from a trooper withought killing them first.
people ignoring cannon in favor of headcannon is a MAJOR trigger for me. I understand that this is your story, but I will not accept the Vilification of a Tragic character.
7006145
From the Deleter after Ridley tore it apart once everyone but the soldier it was pretending to be was 'dead'.
7006160 You said exactly the opposite in your story just now
that would be "fazed", by the way.
7006166
No, he said the Deleter was an android. That was the only change. MB is still a separate entity.
7006178 He's completely convinced that there was no Deleter infiltrating the squad, and that it was MB killing off everyone. I Have pointed out Several holes in this, but he's set on his own headcannon, and refuses to budge. He thinks it was Adam piloting the ferrorcrusher to kill MB, despite Adam being in the Control room immediately after the fight. Every trooper's armor, despite looking similar, has one difference to separate it from the others. The most obvious is Anthony's plasma cannon. Using this, one can tell that the trooper piloting the Mech was not Adam. He thinks MB stole a trooper's armor and weapon, despite that never happening at all. Finally, MB is too short to wear any trooper's armor.
7006166
You misinterpreted.
MB is on the station.
The Deleter just also happens to be an android. In this case, MB is a Data style android, while the Deleter is Terminator style.
7006192
*Insert sound of teakettle letting off declining steam here*
Ok, I was worried for a moment that you were still on the "there is no deleter track" from last time.
7006192 Thinking about it a little more, I'm worried again. It's sounding like you're implying that The deleater was the first trooper to die? Despite him being Shot before being savaged by Ridley? Where would the Ice beam that shot him have come from?
I don't know what it is, but something about this sentence is bugging me. It looks fine, but...dammit, I hate moments like this. You KNOW something is wrong, but you can't friggin' put your finger on it!
7006269
Nope. Deleter hasn't been destroyed yet. Deleter gets destroyed after everyone but the trooper he's pretending to be gets killed, and then MB kills that trooper with the Deleter's weapon in self defense, because said trooper mistakes MB for the Deleter.
7006319 phew.... Plot holes patched, now I won't be kept awake all night long bugged by that endless gnawing thought.
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
Sounds like it. Of course, such a thing is no match for a firebreather.
Guess it pays to have more tricks up your sleeve than Samus herself.
You should have, yes.
Oh dear.
Wait what?
While I see your logic and it works in theory, WHO thought that was a good idea?
Gotcha, gotcha. Seriously, before you do something like this, gather data on how they act, run simulations, don't just jump in, TEST! TEST! Any scientist worth their salt knows that!
I'm sure.
Ah yes, MB. One of the game's more subtle moments.
A smart move.
Hm, so 6 of them are enough to prove to be a mild threat against half power Samus and Spike, interesting, very interesting. Seriously though, the big wigs are probably too caught up in their political games to realize that if this idea of theirs screws up, it's the end for them.
One of Ridley's forms I'll bet.
Ridley.
Wow, first thing that's actually hurt Spike in, well, ages.
Nice shot, Tony!
Yeah, it was the wing, meaning just membrane that needs to heal, it'll hurt like hell and he's not gonna be flying any time soon, but he'll recover, no bones broken from the looks of it.
Shit, whatever did this was vicious...
OK, seems like there are 2 problems here then.
Interesting.
This feels appropriate: vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/villains/images/e/ef/Cell_Pupa_form.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110302205720
I see.
Didn't think they'd take it well.
This makes so much sense. I can totally see it happening. To bad it's to late for the game writers to see it and save some face!
7006577 As long as Ridley doesn't make Ridley Jrs I'll be happy. Or learn the Kamehameha.
CPU is Central Processing Unit. Usually this means "main chip that is core to the device and does most of calculations". If it'd self-destruct, computer would be inaccessible. Because it's like poking a human without a brain. There is a spine, but no brain to respond.
Self-destructing data-banks is way more useful. When self-destruct fails for main data-bank and part of backup then data is fragmented, but possible to get some.
Usually (19 90s) in Russia servers had easily detachable hard disks (HDD) in an easy form that you could put into microwave oven. Swift and no evidence.
However, if ship has "CPU" and "BCU" (Central and Backup processing units), which would mean a whole cluster of servers, then yes. It would be okay to say that. But then... "Apparently, the Main server had self destructed" would be easier to read.
Sorry. Tech support here. I like this story, but this was something I had to point at.
P.S. Paranoia Talk.
If I were building a station or a ship with valuable data that is very sensitive to who gets it, I'd make it possible to simply eject the whole server room outside and blast it with timed explosives. Minimum safe distance and it gets blown by plasma charges. Whatever doesn't get melted would be flung so far away in a tiny set of bits that it'd be impossible to recover.
Main Backup server is also there.
Third backup server or even a cluster would have only minimal data and minimal reports. Only something that would be okay to be read by any odd civilian that would be wandering derelict ship.
Paranoia Talk with extra money.
Separate ejection for primary and backup server data banks. In case of a preset order of events main data banks get ejected and blown up. The backup (full backup) stays and waits for rescue team. There is also timer. If it runs out, data is wiped.
IF it is military or appointed corporation members boarding, nothing happens.
IF it is someone random: the access codes are wrong, the ship size is wrong, the docking pings are wrong. When they approach they'd see a colorful explosion and message "Data terminated. Please report to *** of condition of this ship. We recommend you not to board. Automated security systems active."
7006699
Author has no idea how computers actually work, and so quoted the game exactly for that line. Take it up with the game.
7006719
Good to know.
Then...
One thing I never got: Ridley was a clone. So he couldn't remember Samus or Spike. If anything, it acted upon animalistic instinct to fight other males... Or I dn't know. I don't know bioligy.
7007025 It's Ridley. He always comes back one way, or another. And with his own mind, more or less...
7006699 Beautiful.
7007359 Eh? Too much tech-speak? I don't get it.
7007416 The plans are beautiful. In a good way.
7007025
As established in this canon, dragon souls - along with memories - survive the death of their bodies, and only a compatible body is required for them to resurrect.
Also, unlike canon, in this timeline Ridley died every time he faced Spike and Samus together. Each body afterwards was also a clone.
Oh boy, the Federation (or the shady part of it) must seriously be trying to win the 'Douchebag' award it seems. It is like they are trying to either tick off their allies or destroy themselves...maybe even both. Though, considering that the 'geniuses' actually thought that they could be able to contained the Xs without any consequences, that might be a good bet.
As for Ridley, it seems the little bugger have definitely been working his way to deserving a good missile to the head.
Anyway, liking everything so far, keep up the awesome job.
You should apply for a job at DC Tats, the way you handle these Reboots/Retcoms are way too good.
Now that's just a horrible idea on all counts.
Uh oh.
Another one.
Lol was I seriously the first one to make that joke?
Bastards, you don't do that.
as gandrayda is a royal (being next in line for the throne once matured enough) among her people id suspect this would cause quite the diplomatic issue once she returned to federation space
I actually looked up who was the Deleter and it’s James Perice. It was revealed in a strategy guide
https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/The_Deleter