| abstract
| - Dark Samus suddenly awoke as several explosions ripped through the city. Quickly looking out the window, she saw, as the sun began to rise, several space pirate fighters performing bombing runs. Already an alarm had been sounded, and masses of civilians were heading towards the cave sanctuaries in an attempt to avoid the onslaught. Valfor suddenly appeared at Dark Samus’ side and began to warn her to seek cover when all of a sudden a space pirate ATC hovered before them. Just as it was charging its tribeam cannons and prepared to fire, it suddenly exploded in flames as several energy bursts tore through it. Two more fighters soaring overhead suddenly exploded as well and crashed as anti-air turrets rose out of the rocky outcroppings. Masses of warriors and golems began to stream out of passageways hidden on the cliff walls, having armed themselves within the hidden armories within them, and began to fire bursts of energy from their staffs. Overhead, several riders came flying in on large, bird-like dragon mounts and began to attack the fighters head on. These riders, though skilled through years of training with their Nynik mounts, proved effective against the sluggish ATC's, they were not faring as well with the fighters, though they were managing to take down a few more than their opponents. Overhead, on Chitor’s personal flagship, the Acheron, a realization was quickly made. Several tech officers quickly alerted Chitor that the natives were much more advanced than they had originally believed, and already a fifth of the ships originally sent down had already been destroyed. Hearing this, Chitor commanded the fleet to begin sending down more fighters along with the transport ships. As the ships descended, the flagship itself began to open fire on the planet. Meanwhile, a small task force of elite commandos had been sent down and had been ordered to head towards the area where the phazon had been located. As soon as the ship returned with the phazon, the fleet would retreat and activate the wormhole in order to meet up with general Weavel. Just then, several blasts rocked the flagship from the planet’ turret fired, however, the ships shields held for the time being. Several landing ships began to land in the city square, one of the few open places within the surrounding area. Out of them came several dozen space pirate troops, which began to open fire on the defenders of the city who had surrounded the area. Leading them were elite commando units, enhanced with phazon based weaponry and armor, which began to order key units to eliminate the turrets that were damaging their ships. Meanwhile, Jolly Rodgers and jet troopers began to engage the mounted riders in aerial combat alongside their own fighters. On the far edge of the city, a unique pod landed, and out of it poured the squad of Dark Troopers, the infamous Shadow Squad. Their task was different than that of the others, due to the fact they had been ordered to go after the mobile phazon source that had been located in the city, and to capture it, but if they could not, to eliminate it at all costs. They began to quickly move through the city, eliminating any threat that got in their way. Soon they were in sight of the sanctuary cave entrance, and what they saw surprised them. Up ahead a human could be seen fighting off several space pirates by somehow generating phazite into a blade and defending itself with a phazite shield, both of which seemed to grow off its arms. With a roar, the squad leader led the charge. Dark Samus and Valfor had noticed several villagers being chased by space pirate troops. Valfor effortlessly leaped from rooftop to rooftop and then landed in between a pair of them, cutting off a squad of pirates that from a group of villagers. The pirates, arming their blades, charged forth. The first one was sent skyward by a well aimed smash by Valfor’s staff, while the second one was repulsed backwards by a wave of energy into two of its comrades. The last one was about to perform a backstab on Valfor but was suddenly knocked to the ground due to Dark Samus slammed into his back, knocking him out cold. Afterwards, they joined the villagers, who were headed towards the caves, and joined the soldiers who were attempting to defend them. As space pirates quickly swarmed them, they were suddenly dispersed by a damaged ATC that crashed directly into their ranks. The space pirate survivors attempted to get up, but several staff bursts and spear stabs quickly prevented this from occurring. After several moments passed, another wave of space pirates appeared and begun to open fire on the soldiers, only to miss due to the sudden formation of a wall of phazite. Seeing that their wrist blasters and Battlehammers were useless, they charged forward, energy blades and shields at the ready. As the Lacarion soldiers and space pirates did battle, the outcome could not yet be predicted. The soldiers, clearly superior to the space pirates when it came to fighting, were being overwhelmed by sheer number alone. Valfor himself was fighting off five space pirates, and three were headed towards Dark Samus. Concentrating phazon in her hands, she formed an arm blade and shield. She bashed the first pirate with her shield before slashing it in two, and then she managed to stab a second one in the gut before tossing it at a third one. Suddenly, a roar was heard as a group of Dark Troopers stormed towards her. Several bolts of dark energy caused Dark Samus to get separated from the other warriors. Valfor, seeing this, attempted to go to her aid but was suddenly blocked by four elite commandos just as the squad leader grabbed her and leaped out of area followed by the others in its squad. The Dark Troopers quickly reached a partially destroyed building with a large ship next to it, which would be used in their eventual escape. One of the space pirates pulled out a scanner in order to verify if she was the source of the mobile phazon scanned by the flagship. After this was completed, and the target verified, they began to secure the area. One of the space pirates then held a blade to Dark Samus’ neck before saying “What are you? No true human can control phazon!” He then turned to another space pirate and said “Collect a DNA sample. We need to know what she is.” With that, Dark Samus felt a sharp pain in her arm, as the needle was stabbed into it. After several seconds, the Dark Trooper said that a DNA match had been made. Looking up, he said “DNA matches… that of the Hunters.” The leader suddenly said “That cannot be, for we have seen the hunter, and this one is not she.” Suddenly a beeping came from the scanner, causing the space pirate to add “We also have confirmed DNA similar to that of a… metroid.” Both Dark Troopers then stared down at their hostage for several moments. Meanwhile, in space, a portal had just opened. Samus’ ship zoomed out of it, and within seconds Samus said “What’s happening here?” as she saw the invasion fleet before her.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)