Chapter 1
After about an hour of traveling through what Samus had decided was a wormhole she began to cease accelerating. Suddenly she saw a brilliant light and once she reached that light she saw darkness again. She blinked her eyes a few times inside her visor. As her eyes adjusted she saw the dim lights of stars all around her. She was back in free space. But where was she? She looked down at her H.U.D. to see if she could pick up the bounty's signal but it was nowhere to be found. Samus was disheartened. She continued trying to get her bearing flying around and looking at the H.U.D. As she flew further away from the spot of her entrance to this new place she saw a large orb in the air. She thought it was a space station of some sort. Planets were usually bigger than the sphere in front of her. However, as she neared it became obvious it was, in fact, a planet. However, before she could run a diagnostic on the planet to see if it was inhabitable or already invalidated the beeping of her transmitter went on. Surprised at someone communicating with her this far into space she answered not knowing what to expect.
"Hello?" Samus answered
"This is the I.S.S.P. You are in restricted airspace. Please state your name and license number."
Samus wondered what the I.S.S.P were. She gathered it was some sort of police force. Nevertheless she would do as they said.
"My name is Samus Aran. License number 555-34-67-2."
"You are flying in restricted airspace. I am now going to ask you to proceed to the Mars gate escorted by myself and another member of the I.S.S.P. Once through the gate you will be escorted to the Mars headquarters by two more members of the I.S.S.P."
Samus didn't know what the I.S.S.P were. She didn't know what a gate was and it was impossible for her to proceed to Mars for many different reasons. Nevertheless, it was never smart to tangle with any police force. So she allowed herself to be escorted to the area by the police. Once she arrived at the "gate" she found a big diamond shaped entrance to a tunnel floating in space. She didn't understand the significance of such a monstrosity until she entered into the "gate". Immediately she was in another wormhole. She understood what it was she had arrived in this place in but she was sure she saw nothing like this Gate when she was chasing the bounty. It was all very peculiar indeed.
Another hour went by until she was spat out of the gate again. She saw two I.S.S.P. cruisers waiting to escort her. In front of her, however, was where all her attention was focused. She saw the mammoth red planet looming in front of her. While they escorted her down to the planet's surface she ran her diagnostic. She was sure of it now. There was no doubting. This was the red planet. Mars of the original Solar System. She knew it existed but she thought that after deep space was colonized they cut off all the ties to the original Solar System. This was proof that they hadn't, not completely at least.
Finally they neared the surface of Mars. They were entering a bustling city. Samus had been told all the planets in the original Solar System were completely deserted. Obviously, she was proven wrong. Finally they all landed in a lot with many other ships. Samus used the elevator and came out the top of her ship and jumped down to the ground. As the police neared her she saw a look of surprise in their eyes. They didn't expect someone in a fully ready battle suit. Nevertheless, they escorted her, guns drawn, to the interior of the I.S.S.P station looming in front of them.
"What were you doing using a Dark Gate?" the police captain yelled at Samus
Samus had been forced to remove her suit for obvious reasons so now she sat, unarmed, in an interrogation room.
"I was chasing a bounty." Samus replied
"Oh! So you're a cowboy..." the captain yelled
"I'm a bounty hun..." Samus started but the captain cut her off
"You all think you can do whatever the hell you like just cause you chase people that we would catch five times quicker if we didn't have to worry about you people getting in the way."
Samus could tell this could go on for a while. However, now she had a name for her original means of getting to the Solar System. A "Dark Gate". It made sense.
"How did you know about the gate there?!" the captain asked, agitated
"I told you. I was following a bounty. The bounty must have known about it. I just followed him."
The captain was not happy with any of these turns of events. A uniformed officer came in and whispered into the Captain's ear. The captain grew a disgruntled look on his face on nodded. He looked at Samus.
"You're free to go, however, we're impounding your ship. When you pay up you'll have it back."
Samus stood there, mouth gaping. She had to pay the impound fee to retrieve her ship despite the fact she was free to go. Maybe now she knew why they separated the old Solar System.
Samus packed her suit into its case. That was the great thing about it. It was able to become extremely compact. She could take it anywhere. However, she left her weapon on her arm. Seeing what the police were like she had no idea how strange the normal people on Mars were. As she walked along the sidewalks of the city she saw a small street café and decided, since she hadn't had anything to eat for quite some time, that it may be a good idea to stop off for something to eat.
"Why are we doing this again, Spike?" Jet asked, annoyed
"The wealthy traveler will be carrying a briefcase of knowledge and shall appear in the café of power." Spike quoted, cryptically
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Spike?!" Jet yelled as he stared at him from across the table in the street café.
"It means our next bounty may very well be arriving in this café carrying a briefcase." Informed Spike as he took a drag of his cigarette
"The café of power? Spike... that could be any café."
"Not so, this café is owned by the I.S.S.P. What other cafes could be considered powerful?"
"Why do you even talk to Old Man Bull, Spike, his prophesies always get us in trouble."
Spike just smiled and went back to surveying the café for anyone carrying a briefcase. He didn't look long until he saw a tall, blond woman carrying a metal briefcase waltz into the café. He was about to nudge Jet when he saw the cannon mounted on her arm.
"Hey, Jet, that woman has a briefcase."
"Fascinating." Jet responded
"Jet, look at her other arm." Spike continued
Jet looked up and saw the same metallic cannon on her arm.
"Why do I have a feeling this isn't good, Spike?" Jet rolled his eyes
"I'm gonna' go talk to her." Spike said after thinking about it for a while
"Your funeral." Jet remarked
Spike casually got up from his seat and strolled over to Samus' table. Once he arrived he wasted no time in sitting down. Samus looked at him with boredom in her eyes. She was not too happy of the population of Mars at present.
"Hi there, my name is Spike." Spike began
Samus was giving him a look to just go away. Obviously, Spike wouldn't take the hint.
"So listen..." Spike started
Suddenly, Spike saw the woman's fist aiming right for his face. It hit him hard in the jaw and he toppled to the ground. Samus stayed in her seat and just looked the other way. Jet ran up to the now K.O.ed Spike and looked at Samus, grinning.
"Heh, I knew he had it coming to him." Jet muttered, "Sorry for him bothering you."
"It's no problem." Samus responded
Samus looked Jet over. She especially noticed his prosthetic arm. It was really old fashioned when they could just make organic replacements. These were the kind of people she knew her bounty hung with.
"Excuse me." Samus started
"Yeah?" Jet said turning his attention away from the unconscious Spike
"Have you seen this man?" Samus questioned pulling a photo out of her pocket and handing it to Jet.
Jet took the photo and looked over the man in it. Jet had never seen him before.
"Nope, can't say that I have." Jet responded, handing the photo back, "Who is he? Boyfriend? Husband? Brother?"
"Bounty." Samus said putting the picture back in her pocket
"You're a bounty hunter, eh?" Jet asked
"Yeah."
"So are we. Hard to believe, I know." Jet said, "You need a place to stay?"
"As a matter of fact..." Samus started
She had just met these people and didn't even know what kind of people they were. She was taking a big risk but that's all bounty hunting is. A risk.
"Yes, I do." Finished Samus
"Alright, c'mon. The ship's only a few blocks away."