Metroid: Lambda Squad 2

Chapter 9

The eight of us had a strong feeling of success for finally killing Mother Brain and saving both ourselves and the galaxy. However, by the time we arrived at the military HQ, we'd face a horrible truth that would change our lives for who-knows-how-long.

After Samus docked her ship on the ship landing zone, she and the eight of us got out of the ship, and to our surprise were greeted by two guards. "Hello," Jenny said to the two guards, "why are you here?"

"We were ordered by Commander Sonia," said one of the two guards, "to tell you to come to her office."

"What's going on," Alexis asked. "What does Commander Sonia have in-store for us?"

"As soon as you arrive," said the other guard, "you'll learn everything in due-time."

The guards then walked away from us, as we faced Samus as she said, "I'll stay here and wait for you by my ship. You wouldn't want to keep your commanding-officer waiting, right?"

"Right," the eight of us said in unison.

We then walked away from Samus's ship and arrived at Commander Sonia's office, as our commanding-officer was sitting behind her desk, waiting to tell us something.

"I'm glad you arrived on time," Commander Sonia said to us as we took our seats in front of her desk.

"Well yeah," I said. "We've succeeded our mission, destroyed Mother Brain for good, and saved our lives and the lives of the galaxy's citizens in the process."

"There was also another thing you succeeded in," said Commander Sonia, "which is why I wish to apologize for not telling you in the first place. Had I did so, it would've leaked to Mother Brain, and she would've stopped us before you did likewise to her."

"I think we succeeded enough," Joseph said. "Mother Brain was enough of a challenge for us, and I enjoy a good challenge."

"Remember the chozo hacking-tool you gave to us," Commander Sonia asked. "You did so because we couldn't entrust it to a rookie and a former criminal like Eric. We used it to hack into Mother Brain's database while you distracted her in your final battle against her, and gathered information that could turn the tides in our war on space-piracy."

"What are you saying," asked Katrina.

"The data we gathered," Commander Sonia continued, "included the schematics for Mother Brain's Project CoMB, the same project that created you. It included the genetic surgical procedures that made you more powerful than even our strongest soldiers in the military, including several thousands of unused procedures. The data also contained blue-prints for the Mother Brain cells. With those Mother Brain cells and your DNA, we can create an army that can share each-other's senses and work as a more cohesive army via the Mother Brain cells."

"How come you didn't do it earlier," Jenny asked, "without the chozo hacking-tool, when Mother Brain was imprisoned?"

"We tried to do that," Commander Sonia replied, "but the best we could do was gather memories of her crime of framing Samus and using it as evidence to exonerate Samus. Mother Brain built fire-walls within her mainframe to protect the Project CoMB data, and not even our most skilled and powerful military hackers could break into those fire-walls. That was, however, until we used the chozo hacking-device to gather the data from Mother Brain, and I have to say, the chozo hacking-tool was several times more advanced than our own hacking-tools, and that thing was ancient!"

"As for the Mother Brain cells," Billy said, "don't you need an Aurora Unit, like Mother Brain herself, to control those cells within your Project CoMB-enhanced troops?"

"That won't be necessary," Commander Sonia responded. "If we were to use an Aurora Unit, it would've rebelled against us and threaten to take-over the galaxy with our own troops, like Mother Brain when she turned against the chozo. Instead, we're installing the Mother Brain cells inside high-ranking commanding-officers like myself, as well as some of the unused DNA procedures that create commanding-officers with learning-capacities as fast and powerful as an average Aurora Unit like Mother Brain. That way, CO's like myself can share our troops' senses as well, and think and learn as rapidly as any normal super-computer, so that we can monitor our troops and provide orders and intel more easily than without Mother Brain's DNA schematics and cells. We're even going far as to apply it to ship-admirals and their crews, so that they can also share each-other's senses and the senses of every other ship-crew in our strongest fleets, thus working as a more cohesive space-fleet.

"This is why what I'm going to say will be difficult for you and I as well, and again, I must apologize for everything I'm going to say."

"Apologize," Eric asked.

Commander Sonia was seriously silent for a moment, as we were curious and nervous as to what she's going to say to us. After a few seconds of silence, she then said to us, "Because we gathered the same schematics that made you from Mother Brain's database, allowing us to create a more powerful army, and there's only eight of you compared to our millions of troops we're going to create, you are all deemed obsolete for the Federation military, and thus I have no other choice but to discharge you all from duty."

"WHAT," all eight of us asked in unison, shockingly.

"I know," Commander Sonia, "I don't like it either, but we don't have any other choice. Originally, we adopted and raised you into the military because Mother Brain's space-pirates killed your original parents, so we're having you live with Eric's parents as your new foster-parents. From there, all of you will transition to civilian-life, while the Federation military will provide financial aid for your college."

"You can't do this to us," Eric said to Commander Sonia.

"He's right," I said. "We've served you guys for the past two-and-a-half years, and we've become heroes just like Samus. Why would you want to replace us the same way we replaced Samus?"

"I've already explained the reason to you," Commander Sonia said. "There's only eight of you and about a million soldiers we're about to genetically-enhance with Mother Brain's surgical procedures, and infuse her cells into. I'm sorry."

"What now," Billy asked.

"I've called Eric's parents to pick the eight of you up and deliver to their house," replied Commander Sonia. "In the meantime, I suggest you change from your battle-armor to your normal clothes and wait for them in the ship landing zone."

"Yes ma'am," the eight of us replied.

"Then you are all dismissed," Commander Sonia said.

After changing into our regular clothes at what is now our former bunker, we stood at the landing zone, waiting for Eric's parents to come pick us up. Samus was with us in the meantime, as we explained everything Commander Sonia told us.

"So," Samus said to us, "your Commander Sonia considered you obsolete just because the Federation used the chozo hacking-tool to gather Project CoMB data from Mother Brain while you fought her. And now, they're going to create an army similar to the eight of you, complete with your DNA and Mother Brain cells."

"Don't forget," Jenny said to Samus, "they're going to do the same thing for their commanding-officers like Commander Sonia, considering that according to their logic the Aurora Units like Mother Brain would be too dangerous to use for monitoring and ordering troops."

"I see," Samus said.

"What if Mother Brain's right," Alexis asked. "What if we're just tools destined to be used and disposed of by the Federation? We're being replaced as if we're just objects!"

"In my eyes," Samus replied, "you're not objects at all. The Federation have their reasons for replacing you. Also, Alexis, I believe you're the type who wants a normal life as opposed to the life of a soldier."

"That's because I didn't want to abandon everyone else," Alexis replied. "And now, I feel like I am abandoning the galaxy."

"Everything's going to be alright," I comforted Alexis.

"Richard's right," Samus said to Alexis. "I don't like it either, considering that they're taking something dangerous and using it to enhance their troops. But there's nothing any of us can do about it, as surely the galaxy will be a much better place with those Project CoMB-enhanced troops."

"Then what explains us," Joseph asked. "Why are we being replaced?"

"The real question I'd ask is why the Federation is transitioning you to civilian life," Samus responded, "rather than kill you like Mother Brain would've done after using you. They may be replacing you, but they also want to give you a good future for yourselves, hence transitioning you to civilian life."

"Then," I said, "I guess we'll be kissing our military-careers goodbye. Do you think the military will hire us for another job again? You know, just in case their Project CoMB-enhanced armies and fleets are having trouble?"

"I'm not sure," Samus replied, "but I know that one-day, they'll definitely need your help any time their troops are in trouble. After all, you're not so much tools as much as you are heroes of the galaxy, and unlike tools, heroes have thoughts and feelings like everyone else."

"Thanks, Samus," Katrina responded.

"Eric," called a woman's voice. We then turned around and faced a couple walking toward us.

"Mom," Eric said to the couple, "Dad!"

"We heard all about you combating Mother Brain and surviving," Eric's father said to his son.

"And," Eric's mother said, "it appears you've made new friends out of your heroes in the process!"

"These must be your parents," Katrina said to Eric, "right?"

"Well," Eric replied, "you're looking at them." He then faced his parents and said, "Mom, Dad, I want you to meet the former members of Lambda Squad, whom I worked with to atone for my childhood crimes."

"Hello, sir, ma'am," I introduced myself to Eric's parents. "I'm Richard, and my friends include Joseph, Jenny, Mariana, Billy, Alexis, and Katrina."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Billy said to the couple.

"Thank you for protecting our son for us," Eric's father said.

"At first," Eric's mother said, "we thought our beloved Eric would die in combat, but thanks to you he's safe."

"Aw, come on," Eric said to his parents. "I did some of the fighting myself. Surely I should get credit for protecting my teammates as much as the other way around!"

Eric's mother and father then faced Samus, as Eric's mother then said, "And you must be the legendary former bounty-hunter, Samus Aran."

"We learned from the news," Eric's father said, "that you faked your death to pass the torch on to the kids of Lambda Squad. Thank you for taking care of our son and his new friends as well."

"Actually," Samus said to Eric's parents, "I didn't do anything. Your son and his new friends were the ones that did all the work, because I wanted to see if they can protect the galaxy without my help and become more powerful heroes in the process."

"Well," said Eric's mother, "whatever you did, surely it was for a noble cause."

"Thank you," replied Samus.

Eric's father then said to us, "Come on, now, it's best that you head into our ship where we'll take you to live in Eric's home."

"Thank you," the seven of us said in unison.

As we followed Eric and his parents to their ship, before we could get on, we took one last glance at Samus Aran as she did likewise with us. "God speed, Samus," the eight of us said in unison.

"God speed, Lambda Squad," replied Samus, as she and us waved goodbye to each other. All eight of us got into Eric's parents' ship along with Eric's parents, as the couple drove us away from Federation HQ and to their's and Eric's home colony via their ship, where our transition to civilian life began.