Chapter 1: The Messaged Meetings

Samus sat down relived after a long day of hunting. Earlier she had been asked to come to new colony to fend off the Space Pirate problem there which all they got was two waves of Space Pirates and ten waves of kids wanting a demonstration of how ice missiles worked in her suit's arm cannon. At first the kids were just curious and Samus didn't mind it but then they started to ask to watch it over and over again which would have depleted her missile supply. Her AI, Adam, wasn't much help on it either, all he did was talk about how she could've went and amuse them with a showcase of plasma beams. Things were so different than they were a few months back for Samus.

Then she was just the bounty hunter that saved the galaxy from pirate and metroid invasions and no one seemed to care almost. Now all Samus ever got was constant attention from people like civilians to even soldiers just because she and her newfound AI Adam together stopped the plans of the Sa-X (the X parasite version of Samus) from spreading throughout the different Galactic Federation regions. Although in the process there was no choice but to destroy the research facility to keep that from happening which did anger the Federation's Chairmen until Samus' old friend, Anthony Higgs, helped prove the good reasons why it should have been destroyed in the first place.

"Is there something you want to say, lady?" Adam said to her through her helmet's com.

"Not right now, I was just thinking about things that have happened" Samus gave as her reply.

Samus paused for a moment to think why he would pop the question right then.

"Wait, why do you ask?"

The AI Adam seemed to think too before speaking.

"Well you seem to be lost in space like you've been ever since the X parasite incident ended and I would assume you would have something to say after a long day like yours"

Samus sat there thinking if it was wise to talk about her thoughts to an AI version of her old commander even though she never really did address ideas too often. She thought of something to say just to please him but nothing came to mind that wasn't related to the real Adam.

"Well, haven't you thought about why there are many enemies that always try to copy me and try to spread through the galaxy? There was Phazon with Dark Samus that was once Metroid Prime and then the X parasite everyone's talking about with Sa-X who wasn't as successful as Dark Samus though"

Adam went silent and left Samus in wait. It was possibly two minutes until he finally could find something to say.

"Yes it seems they were both too familiar in styles of invasion I'm afraid. I can't seem to find if they were related at all in any case"

Now Samus thought about it too but wasn't far in thought when Adam added in.

"What I'll like to tell you, lady, is that Anthony seems to have requested to meet you if you have the time tomorrow evening at Daiban"

Samus repeated what he said in her head. Anthony wanted to see her? They haven't talked in years so it would have made sense why he would want to talk; just why he wanted to meet her made no sense.

"Send a message back to him saying I'll be on my way as soon as I can and that he can send a message to the specific point to meet at."

"Got that, I'm sending it now"

Samus got up from her seat knowing that rest would have to wait until later. Something must have been on Anthony's mind for him to ask her to meet him.

Fox and Slippy were in the middle of playing one of Slippy's video games in two separate hand held devices in "multiplayer mode" with Krystal and Falco on the side cheering them both on.

"Come on Fox, you can't lose to Slippy like this! He's got to be one of the easiest people to beat in all of Lylat!" Falco said insulting Slippy like his usual.

"Don't worry Slippy, Falco forgets that you've practiced this game all day yesterday just for this match!" Krystal whispered to Slippy cheering him a bit.

"Hey I thought you in for Fox!"

"It's just for today Falco"

"Riiigghht"

Fox just ignored the two and kept pressing the different buttons to fly the several-bit "Arwing" trying to find where Slippy's ship was on the map and shoot him down to win. Slippy was in the middle of finding Fox's ship too hoping just this once to win something that didn't include a science fair in it. They both were, by coincidence, behind one another so when they both did a U-turn they ended up crashing into one another making them both lose the game.

"What was that? I thought it wasn't possible for two losers!"

"Aww… all that practicing for waste"

"Hey that was no fair! I call a rematch!"

They were so loud Peppy poked in the room to see what was going on only to see them all crowding around a video game.

"What are you guys doing in here? I thought you all said that you guys were helping out in the Hangar Bay!"

The four looked away from the game realizing that they had just been caught.

"Oh, uh, hi, Peppy, we didn't see you there before"

Peppy stood there arms crossed the way he did when he expected something from them.

"I know! The last person to the hangar has to verse Bill next round!" Falco screamed then ran out past Peppy followed by Krystal and Slippy.

"Fox, hold on for a second"

Fox stopped from following the others and stood still. What was it now? Another lecture about how he should be more like his father? He had those plenty enough.

"I was wondering where you were. Earlier someone sent a message straight to you and named himself Adam Malkovich. Apparently he claims he has information to you regarding James"

Fox didn't know anyone name Adam Malkovich. In fact he had no idea why someone had anything about his father, James.

"Uh, thanks Peppy. I'll go meet this person later or just message him if I have to"

He was about to leave when Peppy stopped him again.

"Fox you haven't been going around asking people about the incident on Venom have you?"

Fox stood there unsure on what to say. Normally if he said no to these things Peppy would go on and on about it until Fox's ears fell off.

"Not lately, I stopped after Sauria. There was no point after that." Fox said hoping for the best.

"Okay, go catch up with the others. I have work to do too." Peppy just said and walked away.

All Fox had to think was how easy that went. Instead of heading to the hangar where the others were, Fox went straight for his room to find exactly what this Adam wanted.