It is raining on Earth. She parks under heavy storm clouds that pitter and patter against her roof. She watches the sliding, smearing water fall down her windshield. Her arms are crossed over her knees, back scrunched into her seat.
"This is morose."
She does not listen.
"Your meeting is in twenty minutes. I wouldn't imagine you'd like to be late."
Her jaw grinds in annoyance. She does not reply.
"Lady… Has something come between us? You never used to be… So…"
"Adam, please give me a moment to myself."
"… Understood. I would mind the patience of the board." Adam shuts up. Samus breathes. Drops slide down the wet, blue windshield.
Below, city lights are drowned in weather. Skyscrapers forest the air over thousands of alleyways and dripping video billboards. The runoff drains through the streets towards the east, where it falls into a wide, coarse ocean overshadowed by the largest building in the city. It is a massive steel monument; a mountain by its thin rivals, smoothly walled and over-polished. Layers of dense architecture make it look shielded and defensive.
She approaches the building. A military officer speaks to her as she nears. "There's a spot for you to park on upper deck five. Welcome home, Samus."
She whispers to herself as she drives in. "Headquarters. Not home."
"I can be inside with you, if you need." Adam says.
She puts on her suit, staring out at the grey garage through her window. It is still stained with droplets. Some collect and slide away. She blinks. "No. I'll meet you back here." She leaves.
The hallways inside are flooded with even fluorescence and clean, sterile air. It tastes antiseptic; she hardly notices. She is distracted, listening to the rainy downpour through the ceiling, its sound like little bits of starships falling from outer space.
Suddenly she is front of the hearing room door. An officer stands by it, holding a gun to their chest. They look at one another. There is an awkward silence.
"Um. They're ready for you, Samus. You can go in."
She looks at the door.
"… Is there a problem?"
"Sorry." She lowers her head and enters the room.
The door behind her shuts and closets her in shadow. There is a shift; Samus is elevated and the floor rises slowly to a stage in a dimly lit auditorium. Ahead are rows and layers of desks spotted with lamplight. Jurors sit behind them, notetaking materials in hand. They stare at her. A woman sits at their center, wearing army dress, who shuffles a stack of papers and clears her throat into a microphone. She conducts the trial.
"Please confirm your name for the jury."
"My name is Samus Aran."
"What is the previous job designation you were given by the Galactic Federation?"
"Janitorial security, Biologic Space wreckage." One hundred pens move.
"Do you understand why you're here, Samus Aran, Biologic security?"
Rainfall outside slams the room's metal rooftop. Thunder reverberates down its walls. "I understand the issue at hand to be complex."
"Allow me to bring you up to speed with the rest of the jury. Approximately twenty-two trillion in Federation assets have been irreparably destroyed and over fourteen hundred lives were lost due to actions undertaken by you on Biologic property. Does that sound accurate?"
"Those figures and your phrasing do not fully depict the necessity of—"
"It says here that you detonated a thermonuclear device during our defense of the wreckage. Up to your decision the outcome of battle was declared uncertain but in our favor."
"You weren't there, you have no idea…"
"Last transmissions from onsite Aurora intelligence say otherwise and granted no permission for your choice. Do you have any other witnesses to present in support of what you did?"
"… Ad…"
The officer smiles. "Adam Malkovich? By law, artificial intelligences cannot directly attest to the hearings of organic defendants. Is there anyone else you would posit?"
"No."
"Good. With appreciation towards everyone's time here, I intend to make this a quick and speedy trail. Samus Aran, do you plead guilty to all damages and loss of life as described by the court?"
"No!"
She leans forward. "Security officer Aran, you understand that you are under oath during this hearing. It is within your best interest to speak truthfully. Are you the sole individual responsible for this destruction of Federation property and resultant death of one thousand four hundred and thirty-two enlisted peoples?"
"…"
"Officer Aran," she says, purposefully pacing out every word. "Is this your fault?"
"Yes!" She cries. "Yes," as tears overwhelm her. They fall freely with the rain. "Yes."