(Message received)
(Location: Rayta Quadrant – Co-ordinates unconfirmed)
(Sender: Agent Nat Hayes NH82 )
(Priority: Urgent)
(Emergency transcription: Decoding + O + Complete)
(Message begins: have no time.almost here.must leave craft.crashed.engine ruined.too visible.almost here.can survive.send help.important.metroid.other creatures.digging.almost here.no ammo.survive.caves.metroid here.danger.noises.almost here.digging.too close.hide.send help.metroid :Message Ends)

The three men read the message, the dull green light of the screen reflected on the worried looks in their faces.

"Metroid" said the first man, a Galactic Federation officer "this is trouble"

The second man, his assistant sounded terrified "Digging, danger, noises, almost here, what do you think those things are?"

"They may not be any more than armoured beetles, the mind can play tricks on you when you're alone and far from help" The officer was thoughtful for a moment, then said "No, it's this I'm worried about" he tapped the screen "Metroid"

"And he wants help" said the third man, a Federation war advisor "Well anything to do with Metroids invariably ends up with one person"

"Samus Aran" said the officer, slowly.

The assistant was surprised "Samus Aran, but sir, you can't–"

"I don't see what the problem is" the officer said "If you want to give somebody assistance, I can think of none better than sending Samus Aran to help them"

His assistant seemed unconvinced "She isn't bound to us any more sir, we can't give her orders, only requests"

"And you don't think she'll accept a request to explore another rebel planet?"

"Well no sir, not really, I thought she was in semi-retirement and this would be a big mission"

"Hah, retirement!" scoffed the third man, "One like her could only retire when they are no longer able to lift themselves into battle, if we give her a request, she'll come running, without a doubt"

"Well if you really think so…"

(Message received)
(Location: Alpha Quadrant – Galactic Federation Communications)
(Sender: Officer Leon Peters LP02 )
(Priority: Important)
(Quick transcription: Decoding + O + O + Complete)
(Message begins: An urgent cry for help has just been received, a rebel planet in the Rayta Quadrant. The message was rushed but there were definite signs of Metroid activity as well as other hostiles, presumably indigenous creatures. If you wish to investigate this, please report to service station RY419. I know you are interested in this subject so I have informed you of this before sending out the formal orders to the Federation agents, I don't think you will disappoint me :Message Ends)
(Message Delete: Confirm Y/N – Y)
(Message Deleted)

Samus Aran, seven times honoured agent of the Galactic Federation, leading research officer on the Metroid project, most decorated bounty hunter in the known universe. Samus Aran sighed, rolled over and went back to sleep.

Several hours later, she stirred and eventually awoke, eyes and mind bleary from the night before, she got dressed tiredly and sat up, looking into the mirrored wall that faced her. It reflected an attractive, strongly built woman in her early thirties, bearing the scars of many hard fought battles and the eyes… were those of a warrior, a warrior who has withstood everything they have had thrown at them and come out fighting, a warrior that gave no quarter and demanded none, a warrior who has seen the world stand still while others saw it flash by in an instant that lasted the rest of their lives.

This warrior was currently tired. Tired of what the world had become. Secure, careful, sterile, there was no place in this world for a warrior like her. She was working as a researcher now, a scientist! Samus Aran, veteran of so many battles, wearing a white coat and walking around a lab looking at things in tubes. It was almost criminal, the way the Federation kept everything under control, troopers stationed in every sector of every quadrant ready to jump like dogs as soon as they sniffed any hint of trouble, of danger. That was what Samus Aran needed to survive, danger. And now the Federation was sucking it from the known Universe.

She sighed as she trudged towards her ship. Another day at the office was all she had to look forward to in this, this sterile world. The business with the Ing horde on Aether was almost four years past and she was, well, bored. It didn't seem right, after all she had what she wanted, she had withdrawn her services from the Galactic Federation and was now a free agent, but to no avail. Her considerable talents as a soldier and bounty hunter were not needed any more.

Sterile, she thought as she set the co-ordinates of the route to the Metroid research lab into her ship's computer. Even the Metroid research was becoming sterile, all they were doing now was covering old ground, the Metroid's ability to drain life power was no less inexplicable than before, but they had no way of cracking the puzzle without more Metroid DNA. If only the Federation hadn't rooted out all traces of hostile alien activity from the world. If only there was still a rebel planet, hiding away somewhere…

As the ship skimmed through space, she happened to glance down at her monitor and absent-mindedly read the label on the only blip in the region.

Rayta Quadrant – Service Station RY419.

Samus paused and frowned at the screen. Metroid. She closed her eyes and tried to recall…

Something stirred in her memory. Suddenly opening her eyes wide, she silently interrupted the autopilot and swung the ship towards the dot on her radar, the sudden excitement of adventure welling up in her breast.