Chapter 3: Laguna Ater
The
flight was rather uninteresting; the advanced ship then had simply taken off
unlike the massive rockets that propelled the 20th century's
shuttles. But Samus never took the time to notice that. They had a job to do.
Hardy briefed them along the way.
"Okay,
is everyone here? I guess not – where's Ridley?" Hardy was a bit more excited
than usual. Samus didn't even flinch as she talked, "He got a stomach-ache.
He'll arrive shortly after us. Now, what do we have to do?"
she
was getting impatient. Hardy understood and glanced at Houston, who was
apparently taking a nap. "Okay…whatever. You already know that your leave has
been cut short because an interesting person has saved the life of Acuar's
Federation Ambassador. In fact, he took out an entire battalion of space
pirates by himself. You might like him." Hardy seemed confident enough to think
this new guy was pretty good. Okay, I check him out. Samus thought as
she dozed off to sleep while Hardy just kept mumbling on and on about how
important the new bounty hunter would be to them…
* * * * *
Keaton's
plan was going right according to plan. Laguna would get his welcome party, he
be introduced to Samus and Houston, and they'd go do bounty hunter stuff. He
too, didn't have much on his mind when there wasn't an intergalactic war going
on. Simply put, he was bored.
But his day brightened up when he
actually met this Laguna Ater.
He
knew how to play just about every Earth sport well, (not that Keaton could play
sports), was a master gunman, and was just all-around cheerful and polite. The
perfect bounty hunter…maybe it was him.
Keaton met him in the only remaining
ballroom on the station. When it was being refurnished to suit the party's
needs, he ran into Laguna as he was directing how much helium should be put
into the balloons.
Papers
from Keaton's bulletin board flew everywhere.
"What?! Awww, crap…why you little…"
Keaton started off.
"Oh, excuse me! I'm sorry about your
paperwork chairman, here, I'll pick them up for you." Laguna, bowed slightly
and quickly picked up all of Keaton's papers. Laguna looked at one of them.
"Hey, you're doing research on
metroids?" Laguna asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I'm kinda in the dust about
those things Samus keeps complaining about. I'm trying to find some remaining
databanks on metroids. But there aren't that many out there after the wars with
the space pirates." Keaton looked lost and disappointed at himself.
"Awwww, come on chairman, don't lose
hope. There's gotta be some information out there worth looking at. In fact, I
have some in my ships' databanks. I could get it to you." Laguna talked
casually as if he had fought metroids for a living.
"YOU have information. Oh my gosh, Oh
my gosh, Oh my gosh, can you please get some info to me…please?! Hey, where'd
you learn so much about metroids?" Keaton looked like he could shake Laguna's
hand like Abraham Lincoln.
"Well…I visited SR388 with hope of
finding something out, way back before Samus eradicated them. I didn't get much
in hopes of written information all at once, I fought through their planetary
defenses, and destroyed over a hundred with my charge beam alone…"
And so on and so forth. Keaton was
eating up all of this and looked like he had finally met his childhood hero.
Laguna was about to get to the part where me made contact the metroid queen,
when the intercom shouted at Keaton. "CHAIRMAN KEATON, YOU ARE LATE IN ARRIVING
AT DOCKING BAY 311, SAMUS ARAN AND ARMSTRONG HOUSTON ARE WAITING FOR YOUR
WELCOME AND PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD. PLEASE ASSIST THEM IMMEDIATELY. THANK
YOU."
Keaton, got an annoyed look oh his
face. "Fiddlesticks, I have to go. I can't wait to talk to you at the party,
Laguna. But I have to see the other two bounty hunters in the galaxy." Keaton
shrugged and walked out quickly, yet glumly. Laguna wasn't letting him go that
easy. "HEY! That's not a problem, I can walk with you as you go there. I could
tell you more about the metroid queen and then I could meet Samus and Houston
too. Will that be fine, chairman?" He ran to catch up to Keaton.
"Really? That would great Laguna."
Keaton cheered up and slowed his pace. "Yeah, like I was saying, I met the
queen metroid with no real intention to destroy her and all, but she had the
idea that…"
And
so they talked on, walking as slow as snails to docking bay 311.
Chapter
4: The Fine Arts Festival
Samus and Houston waited a long time for Keaton to get to the docking bay hey were at. They figured he forgot what their ships looked like. So they waited. And they did that, waiting. Hardy was also waiting, since he needed directions to the nearest Subway restaurant. He tried asking the occasional troop that walked by, but was ignored completely.
"HEY! Why are you guys just sitting
there? WHERE'S KEATON?!"
Samus,
Houston and Hardy jumped and looked behind them to the open docking bay to see
who would be so loud as to yell at them.
"Say something people! Those pancakes
won't take me out for that long. Even Houston should know that by now." Their
eavesdropper stifled a biting cackle that only Samus knew for so long. Houston
wasn't amused.
"Ridley, what a pleasant surprise.
Please sit down and help us wait for Keaton to come by."
Ridley looked lost. "Huh? I thought
there would some welcoming committee, at least for me." Ridley grabbed a nearby
couch, the largest one in the waiting room, and laid down and relaxed a bit.
"So where is the little jellybean chairman?" Ridley tried to sound cool. Samus
just glared at him.
Ridley
got the idea. Then they all heard a faint chattering sound of commotion. They
shrugged it off for a while, but then looked down the hall and saw what
would've been Keaton with a lifetime's supply of homework and scribbling down
things occasionally and to look up his lecturer. An average sized man was walking
with him talking endlessly about some adventure he'd been on.
They gang jumped off their comfy
couches and got in Federation order. By rank. Ridley may have saved Gul'Gen,
but he didn't quite make it very far in the Federation Navy. So he stood behind
Samus, like a back up.
Keaton
didn't even notice them, and apparently kept walking and talking to Laguna,
just kept walking, right past their docking bay doors.
"HEY!! Over here, Keaton!" Samus
yelled. Then everyone tightened up and made their best Federation salute after
six months of leave. Keaton and Laguna ran back towards them and saluted
clumsily before introducing each other.
"Uh…welcome to the Alpha Centauri
Space Station. I am Chairman Keaton of
the Galactic Federation, and I hope your trip went well…" he went on as he
exhaled the entire Federation welcoming speech. "…and most of all, please make
yourself at…wait a sec! What was it?" Keaton mumbled about as he tried to
remember the last part of the speech.
"Forget it, Keaton, we know how interested
you are to see us. Just show us to our offices." Samus interrupted, and looked
at Laguna. "Who's this?"
"This,"
said Keaton straightening up, "is Laguna Ater. He's the Federation's recruit,
and he'll be your partner until we decide what rank to put him in the
Federation Navy." Laguna waved a cheerful hello, "Hi guys." He didn't seem too
interested in them either. Keaton went on, "This is the famous Samus Aran, her
brother Armstrong Houston, and you know Hardy already…" Laguna then shook hands
with everyone, not noticing Ridley until Samus stepped aside to let Ridley get
some handshakes too. Ridley never was one for handshakes, being a dragon and
all. He could crush the poor guys hand without meaning it. Not that he'd care
at all, but you know.
Laguna's eyes bulged as he saw Ridley
and raised his arm cannon.
"Everyone
get back! This dragon is dangerous and should not be here. He charged his wave
beam on cue and didn't seem to notice the fact that Ridley is a dragon.
Laguna didn't think before shooting.
He only let out one shot before the
dragon pinned him to the floor.
"EXCUSE
ME, HUMAN. BUT NO GUNFIRE IS PERMITTED ON THIS DECK OF THE SPACE STATION. SO
GET AROUND IT OR GET TO THE DOCTOR." Ridley made his point, and didn't even
notice the light scratch the wave beam made on his face. He let him go and let
Samus do the talking so she let Laguna have it. "DUDE! Simmer down, he's on our
side, get it? Where have you been for the last eight months?" She silently
threatened him and was halted by Keaton. "Please, please! Everyone is a part of
the Galactic Federation here. Ridley, you may play with Laguna in the battle
arena after the party." Samus looked quizzical. "A party? HERE? For who
is it so important to use Susan Franklin's ball room for a party?"
"Why for Laguna of course! I mean, the
galaxy is getting tired of parties when Samus and Houston once again save the
world. They want a new hero, isn't that right Laguna?" Keaton retorted.
"On the contrary, I'd like very much
for Samus and her brother to get whatever credit they deserve, as long as I'm
not ignored completely. Samus, Houston, I'll show you to your new quarters.
Uh…" Laguna hesitated looking at Ridley, "…Keaton, could you show Ridley his
new Spartan quarters. Maybe he'd be a bit more comfortable with you showing him
around. OK?" Laguna wave bye and began showing brother and sister the
modifications to the space station. Ridley and Keaton looked at each other;
they never really knew each other at all.
"So,
you said you made some changes to my quarters?" Ridley growled.
Keaton
gulped, as he sheepishly walked off in the other direction to show Ridley
around.
* * * * *
Leslie
Gentes liked very much the luxury of the rooms the Federation honored her with.
But what she liked even more was the Fine Arts Festival the Federation was
holding in her honor that night. And that Laguna, he was something else. He
really knew how to excite a woman. Seeing he help her to the docking bay on her
hovercraft on Acuar, watching him clear our entire hallways full of space
pirates. And making crack shot jokes every once in a while. She really had fun.
She got dressed into her finest
wardrobe, her shiny teal dress that made here look really important. And she
was. But she worried about her home planet, and what the Federation actually
planned on doing to help her get her planet back.
She made sure her make-up was on
right, and left her quarters for the Fine Arts Festival that she looked forward
to so much.
* * * * *
As Samus walked into the ballroom, she was
astonished at how many well-dressed people the Federation had come up with.
Tuxedo, gown, tuxedo, dress, tuxedo, top hat… the whole shoot and match. She
was dressed in a beautiful white dress with a 16th century look to
it that made her look like a princess. Arm-in-arm with her, Houston wore the
most gentleman-looking tuxedo he could, and he looked a lot younger than he
was. He carried about a walking cane like the dukes and princes in old earth's
London.
They strolled down the steps and found
a table near the marble dance floor. A lot of people were dancing, and everyone
they knew were there.
Keaton
in the fanciest brown robe he could (even thought it's always brown)
And
was talking with Laguna; who in fact, wasn't properly dressed for the occasion,
with a tie-dyed shirt and pink sunglasses, a multi-colored headband, and
bell-bottoms – he looked a little rude for the occasion.
Hardy was found dancing with his wife
on the marble floor, and wearing possibly the best tuxedo in the whole
ballroom. It made him look a lot less obese. What surprised her was Ridley, who
was sitting on the top balcony overlooking the whole party.
Ridley
was wearing a tuxedo too. How the suitors made one the right size and shape,
she didn't know, but Ridley was stunning. He wore a tuxedo with the usual black
overcoat; and a top hat sitting right on top of his sleek head.
He
even wore a glass eyepiece. He looked like the prince of England with a bad
sunburn problem.
Samus just stared at him. He stared
back and smiled. She mouthed out the words What are you doing? He cocked
an eyebrow at her and mouthed back Enjoying the party of course. She
shook her head in disbelief and ignored his presence way up high.
The music had stopped. The dance floor
was empty.
The lights dimmed and the stage was
lit up in a shower of white light from the spotlights. A slightly large, but
pretty woman walked on stage. She stood in front of the microphone and cleared
her throat.
"Welcome one and all to the
Federation's first Fine Arts Festival held on the Alpha Centauri Space Station.
I am Leslie Gentes, the ambassador of Acuar, and I am pleased to introduce
Laguna Ater, who has brought me here from the danger of my planet that has been
run over by space pirates."
Everyone clapped and cheered as Laguna
Ater bowed in front of the audience and sat back down to listen to Miss Gentes.
Ridley looked troubled. He had heard much about space pirates since he joined
Samus. He continued to listen
"I am not here to lecture you about my
planet's problems, I am here to give everyone at the Galactic Federation a good
time. But first, will the couple of Samus Aran and Armstrong Houston please
take to the dance floor, and enjoy the love couple dance number together.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the two most important people in the galaxy, as they
enjoy another day of vacation!"
Samus and Houston glanced at each
other, they never really thought too much of their family relationship, and
never really got close to each other, but now was the time to enjoy it,
The
spotlight turned to them, and the light globe came down and reflected light on
to the walls and audience as it revolved. Samus and Houston got, up and walked
on to the dance floor and danced quietly to the soft music in the background.
They got to know each other better from then on.
Too bad it couldn't last forever. The
night was almost over, and the audience was falling asleep. But that's what the
on looking spy wanted, and he'd strike soon, so very soon.