[center][b][color=ed1c24]"A new viral outbreak, a parasitic plague, has been detected..."[/color][/b]

A threat on the outer rim of known space.

[b][color=ed1c24]"Galactic Citizens flee their homes as quarantines and sterilizations go into effect..."[/color][/b]

A panic is stirred as the danger looms ever close.

[b][color=ed1c24]"Authorities still attempting to locate the traitor, Samus Aran..."[/color][/b]

And the savior?  Nowhere to be found.

With all life hanging in the balance, with the worst possible outcome taking place, with doom on the horizon...

It's time to take the last resort, and finish it, once and for all.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ung3cKl-OE4[/youtube]
[/center]

[center][h1][color=0054a6][b]METROID[/b][/color][/h1][/center]
[center][h3][color=9e0b0f][b][i][u]Final Protocol[/u][/i][/b][/color][/h3][/center]

[center][h1][color=ed1c24][b]- E N G A G E -[/b][/color][/h1][/center]

[center][h1][b][color=9e0b0f]<<<<<<<<<<OOO>>>>>>>>>>[/color][/b][/h1][/center]

You were all brought in at once.  Well, 'brought in' is not [i]entirely[/i] true.  Lured in, more like.  The Galactic Federation selected you among thousands to contact for this mission.  Every last word spoken to you was calculated to play upon your leanings, your vices, your ways of life.  Whether it was out of patriotism or scientific curiosity or to guarantee the safety of others or the ultimate challenge or even just cold hard cash, you were in and they [i]knew[/i] you were in, because your character was assessed for your reasoning capacity, ability to follow orders for at least common sensical reasons, your leanings in terms of general trust or loyalty, and of course every means possible to keep you hooked.  They had you pegged, and you were offered your heart's desire.

All you had to do was save the galaxy.

It was no easy feat, of course.  Everyone's seen the news: Viral plague known as Parasite X infests planet, evacuations carried out as long as possible, planet firebombed from orbit to prevent the growth and spread of the creatures that emerged.  Officially, the Space Pirates are blamed and Samus Aran stands accused of taking the last Metroid - which can most-assuredly devour the X - and leaving the galaxy in this state, a treacherous act.  Unofficially, you don't know for sure.  You're being told that the mission, to be disclosed in full only at the briefing, is to eliminate the threat of the X.  You're given assurances that equipment that will protect you will be provided, and that measures are being taken to try and save whole planets with upscaled versions of said equipment.  However, they need you.  They need you to come in, hear the plan on how to deal with this situation, and then to move out.

It's a practical certainty that they want you to bring in the Bounty Hunter, Samus Aran.

Whatever the reason, whatever is going to happen, and [i]despite[/i] the fact that you may not entirely trust the higher-ups of the Galactic Federation, you've gone.  You were asked to report to the Phalanx Military Base on Earth.  Normally, you would expect to be sent straight to the HQ of the Galactic Federation, but it is understandably VERY busy over there right now.  Admiral Garrett asked you here to take on this confidential mission.  All who arrive are sent to a waiting room not far from where the mission briefing will take place, the base commander assuring you that after everyone is confirmed to arrived or confirmed as not coming, the meeting will begin.  You sit down and...holy crap, is that a [i]dragon?![/i]  With all the infamy behind the Space Pirate leader, Ridley, it's easy to forget that there are such beings who are NOT scourges to the entire galaxy.

So, who all is here, then?