Chapter 1


Samus moaned as the communicator's irritating ring awakened her. She rubbed her eyes and blindly reached for the answer button on the headboard of her bunk. "Aran," she mumbled.

"Samus! How are ya?"

"Lights on," she said, sitting up. "How've you been, Maxon?" she asked, sounding rather disinterested.

"Me? Forget me. How're you? You must be feeling pretty wiped after that crazy shit on BSL."

"Huh," grunted Samus as she poured coffee grounds in the machine. Maxon had been an old partner of hers. They had worked together on a few minor things and split the bounty. Soon after, Maxon had split off to make his own way in the universe, which was fine with Samus. She found him somewhat annoying, but he was good at what he did.

"Doesn't matter much to anyone, does it?" she said. "The Federation is going to hound me everywhere I go. I broke their orders, no way their going to let me off the hook."

"That's just what I wanted to talk to you about," said Maxon.

The coffee maker began dripping out the rich brown liquid.

"What?" she asked.

"Come on, Samus," he said. "Cut me some slack, will ya? The Federation has me investigating every golf-ball sized chunk of SR388, which you blew up. I'm under tremendous pressure."

Samus massaged her brow and snapped, "Either tell me the news or get off the line."

"All right, all right, already. The Federation is dropping all charges against you."

The coffee pot hovered in midair at that. There was a long, drawn out pause, then she said, "Why?"

Maxon chuckled, "I was as surprised as you were. I guess they figured the damaged you caused by breaking orders at BSL wasn't sufficient to indict you. Or they decided that arresting and trying a public hero would have too much politcal backlash. Either way, you're free, but I'd stay out of the Federation's hair for the time being."

"You're hiding something, Maxon," Samus said, her voice razor sharp with suspicion.

"I swear to you, Samus, the whole thing is the truth."

She angrily punched the hang up button and poured herself some coffee, immediately losing any desire for the drink. She set it on the table in the small kitchenette and walked out into the lounge. A long shower would be nice. She hadn't taken one since she landed at BSL.

The water came down in a cloud of steam. The heat felt good against her grimy skin. She just stood there under the cascade of water, letting it run over her, soaking every inch of her body as she forced her knotted muscles to uncoil and relax.

Maxon couldn't be trusted. She knew there was something he wasn't telling. He wasn't lying about the pardon, though no confirmation from the Federation had come through yet. Maxon had plenty of inside sources.

But the circumstances made no sense. The Federation would not simply pardon a contracted mercenary who became insubordinate and was worthy of indictment under court martial. It was not the way things worked. There was some kind of mitigating circumstance, but what? What had happened to give her this break?

The hell did it matter? Maybe she had landed on the proverbial chance spot on the proverbial Monolopy board and gotten a proverbial Get Out of Jail Free Card. She was through with the Federation anyway. Through with fighting. It was time to hang up the suit and retire. She could go to some idyllic world and live the rest of her life in peace.

Samus managed a small smile, and imagined the water swirling down the drain was her old life, disappearing. It made her feel a little better. But just a little.


Maxon leaned back in his chair as Samus hung up on him. He tried to open another line, but was refused or not answered each time. He sighed and turned to his console.

The bounty hunter brought up his accounts on a secure file of his computer. As he did, a message popped up informing him of a transaction. The Federation Mercenary Contracting and Deployment Unit had transferred 100,000 credits to his account for his discovery of the X parasite on SR99A.

That was why Samus was no longer considered a criminal. Containment of the X had been the main goal of the Federation, for later use, probably for military application. When it was believed Samus had wiped the X out, the Federation police were already preparing a case against her for treason and contract infringement.

Then, Maxon had discovered the X, who had miraculously created a barrier for themselves against the harsh vacuum of space, and, as a result, survived on SR99A. Federation science teams had isolated the asteroid and built a large containment facility around the structure. The X had been successfully captured, and were now ready for research.

And now Samus Aran would retire, or at least that was the expected outcome. Why, then if Samus Aran retired, that would make him, Maxon Zell, the greatest bounty hunter in the Federation, wouldn't it? Maxon contemplated this with a bemused expression on his face. It was ironic, how is discovery had saved Samus from a lifetime in the brig, yet it was also forcing her into retirement.

How he relished the irony of the whole situation! Maxon Zell, former underling to Samus Aran, now taking her throne as the greatest warrior in all the galaxy. Ironic, considering Samus had hitherto always been on top, literally and figuratively.

Maxon chuckled to himself. Everything was looking up for him.The new research station at SR99A would be looking for some pretty heavy security. He could take a relatively easy, yet lucrative contract with the science commission to guard the facility.

He punched in some coordinates for SR99A into his nav computer. The ship began a slow, rolling turn to bring it on the correct course to meet the station on its orbit around the star ST-11.

Maxon sighed contentedly as his ship sped towards SR99A.


"Is everything prepared?"

"All ships are in place. The operation has been detailed in length to all captains. They await your command."

Admiral Zim nodded. "Very good." He stood on the bridge of the battleship Hydra. Before him the void stretched out to infinite, pinpoints of silver light shone through the blanket of black. Hundreds of worlds, like ripe fruit ready for picking, just waiting for them.

"The time has come, my friends," he said. "For generations we have planned, revised, planned, trained, and died to prepare for this time."

He walked out to face the soldiers, all watching him expectantly. Young, eager faces. He could see the twinkle in their eyes. They were ready. Some of them licked their lips, as if they could nearly taste the blood of their enemies. Others seemed on the verge of bursting, so nervous he feared they would explode right then.

They had all devoted their lives to the realization of this moment. Their father's and grandfather's and great grandfather's had dedicated themselves to it. How proud they would be to see that it had finally come!

Admiral Zim was the oldest man, and also commander of the fleet. He was one of the few who remained from the turbulent times of the Zebesian Conflict, were they finally acquired much of their super-technology. That technology, now perfected, was ready to be unleashed on the Federation. The soldiers, honed to a razor-edge, hungered for the sounds of battle and the thrill of victory. The old men longed for the completion of an age old dream.

"Now, every man to his post! Fear nothing, for there is nothing more terrible than us. No enemy can muster any force to stand against us. To your stations! Let no man rest until our mission is complete! Send word to the fleet, begin the operation!"

There was a tremendous roar from the soldiers, and they all scrambled to their respective places in the bridge. The massive battleship suddenly lurched forward. The helmsman called out his course and Zim gave him his assent. Nearby by the Hydra's sister ships began their slow crawl, munching the distance between them and their targets like a caterpillar slowly chews a bit of leaf.

All was under way according to plan. In two months, the first ships would reach their targets. Zim sat down in his chair. "At last," he whispered. "At last, we are going home."


Samus sat back in her chair as her ship's autopilot completed its last landing maneuevers and touched down lightly. She had landed in a wide open glade, but surrounding her were broad-trunked palms and bright, orange leafed bushes. After several days of traveling non-stop, at last she had set down in Palade.

She stood up and went to the loading bay of the craft. The elevator that took her to the top of the ship swooped down as she entered. She stepped on and the iris above spiraled open, revealing the deep blue sky, untouched by cloud white. The lift ascended at a leisurely pace, hissing into place as it reached the top.

The jungle was still and deathly silent. It was something she found unusually unsettling. The only other place that had been this quiet were in the deep recesses of Zebes' tunnels. She found herself flicking her eyes this way and that, half-expecting Space Pirates to come leaping out of the placid scene, weapons blazing.

A faint rustling brought her attention to the edge of the glade. A tall, spindly man clothed in plain brown robes stepped cautiously out and eyed her warily. She took a step towards him and he retreated in turn.

Samus held up her hands, "Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you."

The man stiffened and stood erect. She saw the Jai symbol peeking out from the folds of his habit.

"I just want to stay here."

The monk seemed to relax slightly at that. He folded his arms within his sleeves and executed a low, bow, holding it only a few seconds. "You are quite welcome to stay, my Lady," he said. "The resort is a short hike from here." He looked past her at the ship, "Many people have traveled to this place, yet never in my long years in the Order have a I seen a vessel such as that. It is truly wondrous sight."

He looked back at her, "May I ask your name?"

Samus nodded, "Samus Aran."

The monk's eyes went so wide Samus feared they would pop from his skull. This time he got on his knees and bent down so his lips nearly touched the grass. Samus fidgeted uncomfortably. She'd gotten many different receptions from all kinds of people, but this had never been one of them.

"Forgive me for not recognizing you on sight, but I'm afraid we of the Jai have forsaken modern amenity. Truth be told, I have never seen a hologram, or even a photograph of anyone. But your deeds have traveled even to a place so remote as Palade.

"We are honored by your presence here, Miss Aran," he said, still holding his bow.

He stood back up and started towards the ship, "Let me get your things," he offered.

"That's all right," Samus raced up to the ship and nimbly leapt up the side to the entry port. She relished the monk's shocked expression as she disappeared down into the craft.

She went to the tall steel locker and opened it. Inside she was confronted by her suit, staring down at her, its cold, emerald gaze piercing into her. She shook her head and ignored the suit, grabbing her duffel bag filled with clothes and a few other random things.

As she checked over the locker one last time, the suit met her gaze once again. A chill went down her spine and she slammed the door shut.

The monk offered to take her bag, but she refused. "Very well, Miss Aran. Follow me," he said, starting off down a path Samus could never have spotted on her own. "I think you will like it, here on Palade. You'll find it is a very peaceful place."

"Thank you, I'm sure it's everything you say," she answered. Let's hope it's peaceful, she thought. All the while, she couldn't force the image of the Fusion suit from her mind's eye.