Well, here goes! I'm updating and I will continue to more frequently, now. Hope you guys like it! Especially Chris the Cat... :P If anybody's read Power Hungry Fool, (my story) then you'll recognize a character in this chapter.

Enjoy!

I approached my fighter, which was standing superiorly in the landing acre. I lowered the hatch with my voice command, then stepped onto it.

"Wait!"

I froze and turned back. Cray Jack was jogging towards me, waving his long arms. I snarled in disgust, but stopped for him.

"Why you leaving so soon, baby? I hope I didn't offend you," he said politely, offering me a stunning smile that I was surprised could form from his lips. "I was just... having fun."

I snorted. "Almost strangling someone isn't my idea of fun." I looked towards the interior of my ship, itching to get inside to incinerate him with the rockets.

"Why you worrying about Bigsly? He's like a cockroach, impossible to kill. Heck, he's not even human."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? What species is he then?"

Cray chuckled something low in his throat, which made my skin crawl. "Something else."

I rolled my eyes and twisted around.

He caught me by the ponytail. "C'mon, girl. I don't even know your name yet! At least give me your name so I can say I'm sorry, hmm?" His six, yellow eyes had suddenly flashed pleading. "You're making me feel simply rotten for the deeds I've done today."

I huffed, avoiding eye contact with the blinding ship that beamed a yard away. "Samus Aran."

He let go of my hair. "Samus... You're from...?"

"A Chozo planet, if you must know."

Cray's expression was amused. "Really? Well, then I'm a Hirivion, born and raised on planet Hirivio, of course. Beautiful place. Crowded, but beautiful." Another stunning smile split his smart features.

I sniffed. "Huh. Nice to get to know you, then. I'll just be on my way..."

"I'd watch your back, Samus," he quickly said as my left foot touched the hatch. "You never know who or what could be prowling around the corner."

I stared at him. "I can take care of myself, thanks."

He smiled once more, lowering his head and folding his arms. "When will you be back?"

I froze, furrowing my eyebrows. "What?"

"When will y-"

"I heard that," I watched him closely. "Why are you worrying?"

He looked past me, shrugging and transferring his weight from one foot to the other. "I missed you wasting Hiran and wanted to see you do it again. That freak's always nagging me."

I dismissed his remark, finding it somewhat awkward. Ordering my ship to take me up, Cray Jack disappeared as I rose into the fighter. He stared at me through the windshield as I sat in my chair, igniting the engines. Then I watched a suspicious smirk replace Jack's stunning smile, and he lowered his head and walked away as I soared higher into the sky.

I stared after him till the clouds blocked Arondite's surface from my sight, thinking about his strange change of behavior. First roguish, like a jerk, then sweet, curious and kind. After that his skeptical grin and disappearance. I shivered. Something wasn't right.

I passed through Arondite's flimsily thin atmosphere, emerging out into barren space that was littered with billions of stars. I looked to the map, clicking around the galaxies till I found what I was searching for: the Galactic Federation Flagship Olympus. I sighed to myself, itching to say I was busy and couldn't come to their mysterious meeting. Ugh.

I found myself reluctantly pulling the thruster switch, lurching forward as the engines boomed to life. Laying back in my chair, I etched Cray Jack's face in my mind. I had a feeling I needed to remember him later.

Afterward I was kind of bored, so I pressed a button to my left and ran a biohazard scan on myself. As I waited for the results, I sighed. Wouldn't be surprised if it read: Status: confused...

Samus Aran: pulse normal, emotions normal, vital signs normal... It continued on with the average outcomes of my scan, but I shoved the monitor away and eyed the stars instead. Something was bothering me, I just couldn't figure out what it was; no matter how hard I tried. I sighed again.

Before I knew it, I entered Federation Grounds. The small ships darted to and fro spastically, but the larger vessels remained stationary and silent. My communication systems were going amok, the speakers sounding out random static and bleeps of voices. Little burps of conversations came from them:

"Errand-"

Beep.

"Passage 62-"

"Larsen-"

Beep.

I used the coordinates of the Olympus that were previously stored in my data banks, following them to where the enormous flagship was hovered in the Kalandor Region. I noticed immediately that the docking bays were crowded with dozens of ships, all of crude making, but armed with vicious looking weaponry. I stared at the vessels, wondering who else could possibly be visiting Olympus too.

I shrugged the thought off and approached the ship. As I did, crackling filled the cockpit, and I heard a voice on the speakers say, "Attention unknown vessel. We need your password-"

"Columbine, it's me, Samus." I interrupted, folding my arms at the soldier. "Do you really need my password?"

"Uh... well Dane asked me to-" David Columbine stuttered over the intercom.

"Dane can trust me, can't he? I'm not some nut job alien who's after his wife and children after all." I replied with a smile. Columbine was a relatively new army dog to the GF, and he wasn't thoroughly trained as a backup speaker agent.

"But the Admiral doesn't have any family!"

I laughed. "Exactly. So that means I won't be going after his wife and kids even if I had reasons to. So, will you let me get by without identification?"

David paused, his breath over the intercom cut short. He exhaled, pressing a switch. "Fine, Aran. You're free to pass."

I laid my palm down to a blipping console, it lighting up green and pushing the fighter forward. "Thanks, Columbine."

He groaned a, "Whatever." Then the line went dead.

Chuckling to myself, I drifted past the crowded docking sections, reading the IDs on the backs of the ships parked.

Sexy Witch, was written with grungy handwriting in black spray paint on a bulky battleship. 2Fast4U the same penmanship, but in electric blue paint scrawled upon the skinniest one. Scrap Metal was printed on the smallest fighter in green.

I read others in the twenty or so squadron of cheap vessels, the majority of the words vulgar and taunting. Who were these guys, a bunch of sick freaks? I pushed on the motor to go faster.

I drove along the last ship, which was the biggest of the troop and also the most high tech. FEATHER was printed on the back in blood red, the f, a, t, h, and r, were dripping creepily.

"Feather?" I wondered to myself, head turning around as I passed the lead ship at a slower speed. I stared at the bloody letters, seeing something dark move across the window above them. Crap, better get going... I thought to myself, rushing away from the Feather vessel and to the more vacant bays.

I landed my ship into an empty one, the troopers around saluting at my presence. I stood and installed my Varia Suit in a flash of light, exiting my ship and stepping onto the Flagship's docking floor.

I walked past the troopers in their honoring positions. "As you were," I said to them, and immediately they snapped to alert with their weapons held in their arms. I approached a guard at the door to the end of the bay.

"Welcome back, Samus Aran. I congratulate you on your conquer over Dark Samus," He nodded at me. "I suppose you are here on request?"

"Yes. Admiral Dane wanted to hold a meeting," I replied, clenching and unclenching my fist within my arm cannon. Targeting systems calibrated. "Do you know where he is?"

The sentry stepped aside, gesturing to the blue, circular door. "The Aurora Chamber. We are working out a system glitch that is believed to be caused by the explosion from Phaaze. The Admiral is aiding with the repairs. You know where the Chamber is, right?"

I smiled at him. "Of course. Thank you." I walked forward and shot the door once, it opening to reveal the inside of Olympus.

I was about to go through it when the garrison stopped me. "Samus," I paused and looked at him over my shoulder. "There is someone up there you will know. An old friend per say."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who is it?" I didn't recall anybody from recent times that had actually survived...

He chortled, raising a hand to his head and saluting as the other troopers had did. "I hope you revel his return, Hunter."

I sighed to myself, exiting the docking bay without a second glance behind me. I quickened my pace through the corridors of Olympus, walking past the jump suited workers. "Hello, Samus," were most of the comments I received, and after I got tired of responding with another hello, I merely nodded to whoever addressed me.

242's words were reverberating around the halls of the Flagship, stating orders and behests for certain officers or doctors to go to specific floors.

I frowned as I remembered the Unit's panic when Norion was being infiltrated by the Space Pirates those months ago. My surroundings seemed far away when Rundas's words played in my head: "That would've never happened if I'd been there..."

"Whoa! It's Samus Ara-" someone shouted hysterically before I ran into them. "Oof!"

We collided and landed on the floor in a heap, armor clanking and a helmet clattering across the floor. I sat up and looked at whoever it was, gasping and freezing immediately.

"Jake?" I breathed, watching his astonished face. "Jake Larsen?"

He grinned, brushing his blonde hair from his sparkling green eyes. "Heck yeah, baby! I'm so glad you remembered!"

I gaped. "W-what are you doing here? Aren't you-" Jake interrupted me as he stood, pulling me to my feet by my hand.

"Where you been, Aran? I've missed ya!" My eyes widened. "Hey, I heard about your crazy awesome kick butt job you did on that twin of yours. You never told me you had a twin!" he was blabbing on and on, in his usual cheerful voice and big smile. Jake's teeth were perfectly white, and he pulled me next to him as we walked down the maintenance hall together.

I fought his grip, which was strangely strong. "Let go of me, Larsen!" I cried, cracking his wrist with a punch.

He held it closely. "Ouch! What was that for, Sammy?"

I glared at him. "What do you think? Remember what you did to me?" Jake's brilliant sapphire gaze lowered, and he stared at his feet. "Or have you forgotten that and when I told you not to ever touch me?"

"Sorry... I was just so thrilled to see you..." he muttered. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

I folded my arms. "How could I be happy to see the guy who tried to seduce me?" I thwacked him across the head with my gun, my gaze fury filled. "Who do you think you are, Jake?"

"I-" he began as blood flowed down his temple.

"A filthy pig, that's what!" I hollered, curling my hand into a fist that shook. "Leave me alone!" I turned on my heel and stomped down the hallway, fuming. That exit had better stop him from following me. Jerk...

"Samus! Wait!" Jake called after, his footfalls echoing mine. I pressed myself faster, firing a ball of energy at the shield upon the door. It opened, the command deck just beyond it.

Jake grabbed my arm. "Samus-"

"Get away from me!" Shrieking, I whipped around and shot Larsen with an ice missile. He careened backward and hit the far wall, sticking to it as the ice crept over his body. He fidgeted and grunted trying to break free.

I smirked, going through the door without yet another second glance behind me. I gritted my teeth and mumbled to myself. "Dirty, rotten, hunk of sh-"

"Samus!" someone else with a purring voice intervened my almost said cuss as I trudged up the catwalk to the Aurora Chamber's elevator.

I watched the woman clamber up to me. She was strange looking.

I stared at her. The lady's skin was deep purple, glossy, and hard appearing; like an insect's carapace. She was humanoid, with long and pretty maroon hair that was braided and reached the small of her back, and long, pointed ears. She had clacked up to me in approximately five-inch heels, but then I realized after studying them that they were actually part of her small feet. She was wearing a black tank top and matching black capris that were rolled up to her blue patched knees. Symbols were tattooed over her body, and her odd way of dress clashed with her shiny skin, dainty hands and feet, and glimmering golden eyes.

I cocked my head to the side. "I'm sorry, who are you?" I was absolutely sure I had never seen her before.

She smiled at me, her teeth ground sharp. "I apologize. My name is Yaari. I heard from the Admiral you were coming to Olympus and just had to see you. I'm a fan of yours."

I bit my lip. "Okay then, Yaari. Is there any reason you stopped me then?"

She shook her head. "No. I wanted to get a look at you is all."

Nodding, I slowly turned away. "I'll let you go, then. I have a meeting."

"Bye... Samus Aran..." Yaari uttered in a whisper behind me. I entered the elevator to the Aurora Chamber and stepped into the hologram. The lift rose, and I started to rise upward at a slant.

I was strangely popular today. First Columbine, then Jake, and now Yaari. Perhaps the extermination of Phazon had made me famous. Well... more famous than I was previously.

The elevator stopped at the top of the shaft. I peeked through the inactive door that was open to see the mechanics and Dane inside the Aurora Chamber. All of them were knelt around a computer's hard drive, which was tangled in a mass of multicolored wires.

I walked forward and into the AU Chamber, standing behind the group of men huddled over the CPU. Only Dane noticed me after a moment, quickly getting to his feet and saluting. "Thank you for acknowledging to my order so suddenly. I'm sorry I had to ruin your holiday."

I shrugged. "It's fine, Admiral. So, what did you need?"

He sighed. "A quick favor, then we'll get down to business," he lifted his hat and scratched his head, gesturing with his elbow to the jumble of cords. "Would it be too much to ask if you helped us with this?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. I'd be more than happy to." Dane made two of the mechanics move aside so I could kneel before the ball of cables. I picked up up two in separate hands, examining the large entwined mess. "How did this happen?"

"We're unsure. One of our Aurora Unit computer specialists came in this morning and found the lines like this. We've tried to run scans on whom was responsible by searching for fingerprints, but only found pricks on the surfaces." Dane said from above me.

"So whoever was responsible had claws, then?" I asked, turning my head and looking at the Admiral as he scratched his chin.

"Most accurately, Samus. Security has turned this place and the rest of the fleet upside down to find anybody with claws, but we've only kicked up dirt."

I snorted. "Whoever it was is pretty stealthy, huh? Have you attempted looking for the perpetrator with the cameras in here?"

"Negative. We don't have cameras in the Aurora Chamber."

I returned to untangling the wires in confusion. "Why not?"

"Safety reasons. We wouldn't want any unwanted company listening to our private conversations."

I nodded. "Makes sense. Hey..." I lifted a loose cord from the now semi-freed snarl, holding it up for all to see. "Is this part of the network?"

One mechanic with oversized glasses leaned forward. "No. We should probably snip it-" he reached for the gray cable with a pair of shears.

"Are you out of your mind?" Another engineer grabbed his hand with her teeth bared. "That could be something important! You wouldn't want to get rid of a link that could potentially be valuable, Mular!"

Mular huffed, adjusting his enormous goggles. "Whatever you say, Nite."

I pulled the last two wires away from each other, smiling at the lines that were tangle free. Standing, I looked to Dane, who was slowly nodding his head in pleasure. "Shall we?"

"Yes. The Aurora Unit, you and I will be holding this little meeting right here," the Admiral pointed at the raised pedestal that sat before the AU's foggy, cylindrical tank. "Ladies first."

I stepped up to the large, flat console, placing my hand on it and waiting for 242 to wake. The organic supercomputer did so, the misty glass clearing to reveal the brain like machine that was hooked to the Olympus. Her electronic gaze was fixed on Dane and I.

"Welcome back, Samus Aran. You are enjoying your vacation I presume?" she said, floating inside the water contained within her chamber. "Or are you finished with it already? Seeing as you are already before us."

I laughed softly. "I plan on continuing it once this briefing is over."

"Very well," the Aurora Unit began to state the reason I had been called here. "There has been a frantic breakout of Galactic Federation vessels becoming lost among the many galaxies and stars. We have come to the realization that because we have not updated our maps, we are losing our ships rapidly. In order to alter this predicament, we ordered a squadron of sixteen hundred Galactic Federation personnel on different vessels to map out the Universe and retrieve our lost scouts."

"Is that all?" I said in displeased wonder.

"No. In a far off sector, called I-9265, a cluster of new planets was discovered. Upon inspection of the six planets, we found that each of them had been overrun with aliens dubbed the Hirivion.

Hirivio, the largest planet in I-9265, is where they originated from, and have been spreading their numbers throughout this sector. We believe their mission is not peaceful, for they have conquered the mighty empires that reside on planets Zargus, Ionea, Trappe, Gou, and Majihol. We feared that after a full-scale attack from the Hirivion, the other galaxies would soon fall to the same fate as I-9265, and blocked the region entirely.

"We were holding up the rebellions and attempted confrontations for a few hours, until a few Hirivion saw through some of our blockade and escaped. Four of the five rogue Hirivion were retrieved and sent back to I-9265, but only one remains."

I turned on Dane. "You were stupid enough to think that you could map out the galaxy? This was bound to happen!"

He scowled at me with his droopy, wrinkled face. "Listen to Aurora Unit 242, Samus. She isn't finished."

I growled and looked back to the computer, resisting the urge to clock that guy in the face. Federation idiots...

"This is where you come in, Samus. We wish for you to find this elusive Hirivion and bring him back to us. We are offering nine hundred thousand dollars in bounty on his head, and trust you will be able to get him for us as soon as possible," 242 watched me intently. "Will you accept this assignment?"

I nodded. "I never back down."

"Good. We thank you deeply for this, Samus Aran. We will now give you the information you need to track down Cray Jack."

I froze. "Did you say Cray Jack?"

"Yes."

"Do you by chance know him?" Dane asked in awe.

I nodded. "Yeah! I saw him when you guys called me! Even spoke with him!"

"Perfect!" the Admiral whooped. "That'll make it that much more easier then!" He was beaming from ear to ear.

"Then you must be going, Samus. We have no time to lose." The Aurora Unit said, and a download screen flashed before my eyes. The bar was filling up fast, and all the data I would use to catch Cray was being flung into a corner of the visor at my Logbook. I watched the details and caught a few of the topics. Weaknesses, likes, dislikes, family, appearance...

Once I saw his photo I knew. That jerk at Brig was going to be avenged. Severely.

The loading finished, and I was looking at the Aurora Unit again. "Are you ready?" she asked me.

I nodded. "I'll be-"

I cut off as an explosion came from behind us, and a flash of light followed after. Dane and I stared at the group of technicians who were blackened in the faces. "Sorry! The weird gray cable just blew!" the one with the gigantic spectacles shouted with a sheepish grin.

The Admiral and I sighed as he dismissed me, and I left the AU Chamber and rode the elevator down to the Command Deck again.

And who do I find waiting for me? None other than the bothersome creep Jake Larsen. His clothes were wet and creased, but his face was bright and ecstatic. "Sammy! There you are! Been looking all over Olympus for you!"

He came forward, arms open for a hug. I swept past him, glowering at him as I passed and preparing to possibly fire my Zero Laser.

"W-where you going, gorgeous? C'mon, I'll buy you a drink or something!" he said, coming to my side like an annoying stalker. "Why are you mad at me?"

"I already told you, freak," I hissed, tromping down the ramp and biting my tongue from releasing hundreds of words that would've knocked the greatest speller in the Universe to his knees. "Now leave me be before I burn you to a crisp."

"What was the reason again? I kinda forgot..." Jake mumbled, and I finally snapped.

In a mili second flat, I had Larsen pinned with the barrel of my gun on his face. The illuminated end made his features glow as he cowered into the wall, and I said angrily to him, "Shut. Up."

He nodded swiftly, his face wetter than his clothing from sweat. With a final glare that caused him to gasp, I released him and walked down the corridor and through a passageway alone.

The reason I was so upset? Well, for one thing, I was so bemused by Jake's sudden appearance that I became irate because I couldn't figure it out. Secondly, he had tried to convince me to marry him, and since he was such a dork, I refused.

Thirdly, Jake Samuel Larsen had died six years previous, and I had even attended his funeral and watched his body be consumed by flames in a crematorium.