Extremis: Chapter 2 - Accusation

"Case dismissed." A male's voice said.

Samus heaved a sigh of relief. A.D.A.M., an artificial intelligence computer modeled after Adam Malkovich, had finally convinced that the destruction of The B.S.L. was for good, and not an attack on the Federation.

"Thank you." Samus said to A.D.A.M.

"You are welcome." The computer replied.

Samus looked around as all the people left the room. She sat back and blew a silent whistle.

"Coffee." She said abruptly," I need some coffee."

She stood up out of the chair and walked toward the door. She shot at the door and walked through. Her boots clanked on the floor as she walked. A few people said "Are you Samus Aran? It's an honor to meet you!" While others said "Good morning Samus." She walked all the way through the hallways of the newly rebuilt GFS Olympus. She heard two people talking to each other as they worked.

"I heard that the some scientists are working on a 'Top Secret Project'." One of them said.

"What's it called?" the other asked.

"I heard something about 2,000 year-old technology being recreated. It was called 'Extremis'."

"Wow. That's old." The other said.

Samus walked past them with a look of confusion. "Was that a rumor? Or is it true? Oh well." Samus thought. She walked to the front of the ship and looked around. A small holographic map was being projected from a terminal. She looked at the map, tracing her finger over the lines until she found a break room.

"Good. Just a minute's walk." She said in relief. She walked a path that led to the room for a minute and arrived at the break room. A few Federation Troopers stood holding cups of water, soda and coffee. She walked in and some of the Federation Troopers stared in awe. She walked over to a machine and scanned her hand on the scanning plate. She pressed a button and a cup of coffee appeared in her hand.

"Cool!" She said in amazement.

She lifted her helmet off and took a drink. One Federation trooper in the middle of a drink sprayed it out on the visor of the Trooper in front of him. A few others stared in surprise and another dropped his cup. Samus put her helmet back on and asked, "What?"

"We didn't know you're a woman." One trooper said quietly.

"We all thought you were a robot, or a cyborg." Another pointed out.

"We've heard rumors that you aren't human." One trooper said.

"Whoever told you that was right." Samus said, as she sat down in a chair.

"What do you mean?" one trooper asked.

"Just Google me." Samus said.

Samus took another sip from the coffee as everybody started talking again. One trooper walked up to her and asked,

"Are you Samus Aran?"

"Yeah," Samus replied, "Why?"

"There were a lot of good people on that ship. And you destroyed it and possibly them." He said.

"Nobody was alive on the ship when I was there. They were either infected with an X or escaped." Samus said.

"Why should I believe you?" He asked.

"You should believe me because I'm the only accurate source of information around here."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" The trooper asked.

"The Federation officials twist the facts to make them look innocent." Samus said.

"You're just saying that to keep yourself out of trouble." He said angrily.

"I've seen and heard things you couldn't begin to imagine and you think I'd make it all up. I got front row seats to my friends' death and it's all a lie." Samus said.

The trooper looked unconvinced as Samus spoke.

"You're not convincing me anything." He said, still not believing it.

Samus looked at her coffee and at the trooper as he walked away. She walked up behind him.

"Hey you!" Samus called to him.

"What?" He asked as he turned around.

Samus punched him in the face so hard that a crack could be heard, splashed her coffee into his face, and cracked the trooper's armor by kicking him in the groin.

"Wut the fug is wong with you!?!?" The trooper yelled as he held his now-bleeding nose.

Samus looked at him and said, "You brought that upon yourself."

She walked away as the other troopers winced at the crack.

"Totally worth it." Samus said, smiling.