Hope people who have read this enjoy it. I think it's entertaining and fun! Keep reading! (especially you Christ the Cat!) :P By the way, this is set two months prior to the Prologue.

Two months previously...

I sighed, now it was time for some well earned rest. After months battling Phazon corruption and the endless attacks of Leviathan Seeds on a plethora of planets, I was dead beat. I had just escaped through the wormhole with the Federation, evaded Phaaze's catastrophic explosion, and confirmed that my mission was finally done.

I cuddled into my chair. It was amazingly comfortable now, without my Varia Suit on. I smiled and exhaled with pleasure as the purr of the engine made me drowsy. I wanted to fall asleep, but seeing as I had to celebrate my conquering of Dark Samus, I forced myself to stay awake.

My ship was piloting me to a planet that was very popular: Arondite. I think it was somewhat named after Sir Lancelot, a Knight of the Round Table, back in King Arthur's time. He was courageous, smart, and handsome. Although, this place was everything but heroic and saintly. It was grungy and filled with hoodlums and shady places. Bunches of thugs from across the stars gathered just to hang out while smoking and drinking.

Why was I going there? Because there's the best bar in the Kaormine county, and I like to take care of some disgusting perverts that prowl on the occasional woman that walks on Arondite. I loved seeing their faces once they find out I'm Samus Aran, intergalactic bounty hunter and a girl who can kick some major butt.

I smirked to myself as my fighter lowered us through the almost nothing atmosphere and into one of the only protected ship docking acres. Troops from the planet's defense system were standing here and there, at alert if anyone tried to steal a vessel. I landed in a barren spot, between a crudely crafted carrier, and a sleek, iron ship that blinded anyone who gazed into its shine.

After composing myself and dropping the hatch, I stepped onto the reddish soil of Arondite. The alcohol heavy air stung my nostrils, my eyes watering in the slightest. I ignored it and started to walk towards the renowned tavern Brig.

Crunching through the crimson gravel, I got another look at Arondite. I hadn't been here in a while, and recognized the orange tinted sky, fluffy golden clouds and the piercing sun. Buildings littered the earth, all broken down and grubby with dirt. This place wasn't pretty, but one could have a good time if you were careful enough. Which luckily, I was.

I pushed open the double doors of Brig, immediately hearing talk and drunken laughter. I witnessed many heads turning towards me, and then was battered with whistles and inappropriate hoots from the large counts of men. I had forgotten that I was wearing my sapphire Zero Suit, which was tight fitting and really let me show off my curves. I don't want to sound gross, but I kind of liked the attention; it was better than being feared inside of that armor I always clanked around in.

I strolled inside. The place was laden with trinkets and knick-knacks that didn't make sense, and everything within was tainted a gag inducing green. Shelves cluttered the walls, and on the shelves were more of the junk that was meaningless. The tables were worn and rugged, with the stools mismatched and tackily colored. It was claustrophobically packed with all kinds of aliens.

Prey. I smiled to myself beneath my hair that obscured my face from several admirer's views. It was pulled into a high ponytail, placed on the crown of my head and falling down my back thickly. My bangs were resting neatly on my forehead, curled as natural, and dual locks of my blonde tresses were falling downward till they reached my throat.

I approached the non-manned bar, dodging a slimy looking alien who was about to slap my butt. He sighed as I left his table and got smothered with obscene comments from his group of equally sickening friends. I looked away and sat myself onto one of the barstools that sat innocently before the counter, which was riddled with a variety of alien language in black markers all along the material.

"Hey, chick," a gurgling voice came to my left. I looked over sharply at a deep emerald, deformed creature with spikes sticking out of his back insanely. His disturbing purple eyes were studying my chest area. Uncomfortable, I moved my arms in front of where he was staring at. "Whaddya say we go and cheel together at mah place? It isn't too fah uh walk..."

I smiled a flirty smile at him. "No thank you, I'm just here for a drink is all." I started searching for the bartender, wherever he was. A gritty sound screeched its way upward and to my ear.

"C'mon, baby." I froze when the same scruffily bubbling tone appeared behind me. "Ah insist..." I felt the spiky alien's hands clamp around my shoulders.

I whipped back to him, bringing up my elbow and cracking it into the side of his head. "Get away from me, creep!" I hollered in fury.

He stumbled, spitting out his tongue's curses and attempting to get back at me. But I got up first, standing on my stool and swing kicking my heel towards his rage-twisted face.

He was faster and grabbed my ankle. I lost balance and smacked my cheek into the bar's surface. Then he growled, hurling me across the bar and onto a table that was heaped with glasses stacked expertly into a pyramid. The crash was magnificent, and the shower of glass was even more as I covered my head from being sliced. A few of the shards cut through the wrists of my Zero Suit, poking my scalp through my hair.

A chorus of "Hey's!" and "Whoa's!" rang from the surrounding bar goers, and the men occupying the table I had been thrown into scattered and frowned. "That was a perfect replica of the Pyramid in Gizzaha!" one of them shouted, pulling at his tangled mass of shockingly pink hair. "You stupid, stupid girl!"

I sneered at him, saying acidly, "Get over it, punk." I got up from my place on the ground and jumped for that jerk, fists clenched as I launched myself at him.

"Feisty one, are w' broad?" his teeth were sharp. "How about ah cool that tempa?" Then he brought up his own fist and crunched it into my ribs.

The wind was knocked out of me and my foe seized this opportunity to take me by the hair and throw me again, this time towards the filthy floor. I did a quick flip, catching my breath and skidding on my feet, picking up the nearest barstool with a snarl on my scratched up face.

I sped towards him as he gaped at my snappy recovery, jaw wide open. I smirked and ran the stool into his head, beating him without mercy. The aliens around cringed and "Ooh'ed!" Snaps and pops resonated from his skull, and on the final blow before he passed out, I broke through his rough skin. The floor was wet with black blood. The scumbag's eyes closed, and he went quiet and still.

Not even panting, I set down the stool in front of the bar, sitting down blithely and crossing my legs. The Brig was pin drop silent. "Tough fox!" some guy whispered. I restrained myself from chuckling at both his remark, and my easy victory.

"What in the name of Arondite is going on out here? I leave to take a break for one second and-" A very angry being stomped through the curtains behind the bar, screaming at the top of their lungs. As soon as he came in, he stopped abruptly. "Where's Hiran?" Every alien in the Brig pointed down to the ground, their faces fearful. The person leaned over the counter and stared at the jade colored porcupine-like creature. "Poor guy, must've taken too many of his pills again...

"Well!" He snapped upright and clapped his five fingered, fleshy hands together. I could feel his disguised gaze on me, for he was wearing a cloak with a hood that matched the tinted surroundings. He was also relatively short. "What do we have here? A lass? Haven't seen one of you around these parts in a mighty long time!"

I smiled, asking politely, "I just came here to relax, sir. May I have a drink, please?"

He pulled out a few mugs that were dented and brownish. It was then that the man removed his hood, revealing him to be an aged human with chin length gray hair and a silver goatee on his stubby chin. His irises were completely turquoise, and glittered unnaturally. Despite being most likely shadowed beneath his clothes, he was very tan. "Don't speak to me in that tone of voice, gal, I'm not good with the mannerly types." A hint of Irish lingered on his words.

I chuckled. "Okay. What's your recommendation?"

"Victory is one of the best. But, sadly that's only for certain customers. Anything besides that?"

I drummed my fingers on the tabletop. "Well seeing as I totally beat the snot out of that guy shouldn't that make me a 'certain customer'?" I motioned towards pitiful Hiran, twitching on the ground.

The tender eyed him as well. "True..." he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "Eh, what the heck. Here! On the house cause you're so pretty." With that, he slid me a martini glass that was filled with amazingly bright liquid. The countertop was illuminated electric blue.

I thanked him and touched the drink. It was cold, but steamed and bubbled. I smelled it, finding that it had the scent of rocket fuel mixed with dandelions. Strange combination... I thought to myself as I lifted the elixir to my lips. Ah well. I'm on vacation.

"Hey, Pigsly," a clearly drunken alien said as he hobbled up to the counter. He was clenching a bottle of Earth wine, the crimson alcohol dripping down his chin. "What d'ya get when you cross a barten'er and a meal worker?"

The man at the desk sighed with morose, scraping crust off of his mugs. "What, Xorgon?"

Xorgon hiccuped, plopping himself down onto the barstool next to me and smiling stupidly. His eyes were rolling in their sockets. "A..." he didn't finish, for he immediately fell asleep on the spot and drooled over the counter.

"Ugh, these idiots'll be the death o' me..." the bartender huffed, scrubbing down the drinking cup under a flow of water from a tap. "I can't believe I actually made profit with this dump."

I smiled sympathetically. "At least you're making some money, right?"

He watched me peculiarly. "How much do you make girlie?"

I went quiet, and didn't respond, for the Brig's doors burst open. I looked back at the towering silhouette in the doorway. "G'day, everybody," the voice was obviously male, with a truly prominent Australian accent. "Mind if I step in?"

The figure strolled leisurely into the pub, hands in the pockets of his shorts. I got a clear look at him once the passage into the place had closed-

The alien was about eight foot, with dark, tanned skin and a smart smirk on his face. On either side of his head were a trio of yellow, mischievously glinting eyes, all with slitted cat pupils. A plume of deep red, spiky hair poofed out from the middle of both his small, pointed ears, and ran down his neck and about to his shoulder blades. His top lip curled down like a bird's beak, and his sleek smile was toothy. His chest was bare, with symbols that were painted onto his many muscles. His arms were strong and shiny with sweat, as were his tough legs. I noticed as I stared at his large feet that they only had three toes; two on the front, and one on the back. His claws were deep black, with scuffs on them. I marveled at the robust nature this stranger possessed.

"Oi, Cray! What's happening, brother?" the bartender shouted gleefully, raising his arms into the air in greeting. "It's been too long!"

The welcomed Cray continued smiling, reaching down and grabbing the barstool from beneath the snoozing alien. He carelessly wrenched it out from under him, sitting himself down and chillingly chortling as blood gushed from the poor alien's ears. "Not much, Bigsly. Just sightseeing is all. Thought I'd get a little break from Hirivio, y'know? What with all the crazy morons running about."

Bigsly -the bartender- agreed, smiling as well. "Good to hear. So, what can I do you for, pal?"

Cray scratched his chin, and I inquired by studying his hands that they too were three fingered, with two on on top, and his thumb to the side. There were also armed with the vicious looking ebony talons. "How about something to cool me off? Travelin' through space can really heat a guy up," he leaned closer. "If you know what I mean."

Bigsly nodded vigorously. "Sure thing, Cray! Anything for you." He took a mug and filled it to the top with a foul smelling fluid, offering it to his friend.

Cray stared at it, the six eyes unsatisfied. "What's this?" he said flatly.

Bigsly seemed to get nervous. "W-what do you mean? Isn't that what you always get?"

The creature next to me shook his head. "No. I always get Victory, not Failure." He raised his head and his gaze bore into the bartender's soul. "Did you by chance run out?"

"Well, somebody actually bought the last glass, Jack before you did. I mean, they had just... begged for it..." He twiddled his fingers in anxiety, flat out lying.

Cray chuckled. "Did they, now?" Apparently, he had not enough eyes to spot that I was holding the drink he desired so desperately for in my hand. "Well I guess I'll just hafta order something different..."

Bigsly nodded hastily. "Yes, Cray Jack. Something di-"

He cut off as Cray's arms shot forward, and he wrapped his hands brutally around the tender's neck. Bigsly's face flushed purple, and his mouth opened and closed for breath he couldn't get. His small fingers were scraping against Cray's large hands, making no difference in his grip. "I got an idea! How 'bout I order a cup of your blood, extra dry with your eyes as the olives? How's that for somethin' diff'rent, eh Bigsly?"

The man he was strangling merely choked and flailed his legs in fear as his face turned blue suddenly. "Ha ha ha!" he cackled as he shot Bigsly down the counter, knocking over glasses and jugs. With a boom, the bartender smashed into a pile of barrels at the wall, their liquid contents spraying everywhere. There was a large sucking sound as Bigsly tried to breathe again, but since all that fluid was cascading onto him, I was betting that he had difficulties.

Cray Jack placed his hands onto his hips and started to laugh again, listening to the splutters of Bigsly as he struggled against the current of liquor. I snarled. If being a jerk was one thing that got under my skin, it was laughing and being a jerk at the same time while somebody else suffered really pissed me off. All in all, injustice was what I hated.

I stared at the martini glass containing Victory, and as soon as Cray Jack turned around, dumped it all over him.

His eyes widened, and he fell silent. "You did all that just to get a stupid drink? How heartless are you?" I wasn't sure why I was suddenly yelling, but it felt good to let this anger out. "It's not enough that you almost killed the poor guy by strangling him but also trying to drown him? I'm disgusted with you! You're a terrible disgrace of an alien!" I stood there, hands clenched, and fuming as he rearranged his composure and got over himself.

Cray Jack shot me a gaze of smugness. He whistled. "Hoo, what do we have here? A dame in a very revealing bathing suit?" The rest of the bar men chuckled. "I say you've come to the wrong place. We don't have swimming pools here, sugar. That's in the next planet over, Archimes, which is made entirely of water. Would you mind if I escorted you? After all, you could lose your way by annoying the sh-"

"Shut up!" I cried, sneering at this sick man. I tightened my hand over my communication alerting monitor, which had buzzed. I held it up to my level and read the message typed on its screen. "What could they possibly want?"

I put it back on my hip. "Sorry, Cray, but I've gotta go. Hope you have a nice time licking that gasoline off you." I stormed past him, exiting the Brig with my temper flaring and my mind on other things.

Like the Galactic Federation's abrupt asking for a meeting.