The elevator screeches in descent as if it's undergoing a mechanical failure. Samus waits inside in the blue jumpsuit she usually wears under her armor. Her powered suit cannot operate while she is under emotional duress; certainly, when the elevator grinds to a halt and its doors open, they reveal a barrage of fist and heel marks that dig into the metal lining of its walls. Some have even punched all the way through. She steps out into the garage.

A robot plated in heavy black armor meets her outside the elevator. It's bulky, standing on two legs, with a wide chest that surrounds a textbox on its front: the red lettering that scrolls across it seems to be its main form of communication. HOWDY PARTNER, it displays. NAME'S AVO!

Samus spares the android a glance but keeps moving forward. There is an orange ship on the far side of the garage that she assumes to be hers.

The robot, tenacious, moves in front of her and walks backwards so its textbox remains in view. SHOOT, I AIN'T MUCH FOR INTRODUCTIONS NEITHER. BUT BOSS ANGSETH'S SENT ME TO COME ALONG ON YOUR MISSION.

She keeps walking. "I work alone."

HEY, THAT'S ALL HUNKY DORY, I STAY OUT OF THE WAY! BOSS ANGSETH JUST WANTS ANOTHER PAIR OF EYES ON YOU AS YOU'RE OUT IN SPACE. KEEP THINGS NEAT AND TIDY, YOU KNOW?

"You are not going to get on my ship." She sneers.

I AIN'T MEANT FOR THIS NEWS TO BE BAD, BUT NO CAN DO. ORDERS IS ORDERS.

"You have got to be kidding me."

WELL HECK, GIVE OLD AVO A SHOT FIRST, BUD. I'M SURE WE'LL GET ALONG RIGHT QUICK. COUPLE DAYS BETWEEN THE STARS AND WE'LL BE TIGHT AS TWINS!

She stops replying out of exhaustion. They approach the replacement gunship, the same model Samus used around the time she discovered the Dread Project. Whereas her old vessel was meant for exploration, this one is outfitted with weaponry: heavy guns and missile launchers line its sides and make for a bulkier ride. The vehicle looks better equipped for dogfighting and raiding than reconnaissance.

WHEW-IE! THOSE LOOK LIKE THEY PACK A WALLOP. MIGHTY FINE SHIP, THIS ONE…

Samus climbs aboard, ignoring the rest of Avo's text. The interior is quiet and unlit but sparks to life as soon as Samus passes by its insides. Displays hum and welcome her. The captain's chair ahead swings around automatically for her to take a seat as she approaches.

LITTLE CRAMPED IN HERE. GOT A SEAT FOR ME?

"Hope not." She starts fiddling with the ship's controls, poking at its screens of light to acquaint herself.

Without her permission or input, Adam's synthetic mind transfers into the cabin and starts speaking over its intercom. "I want you to know, nothing that happened in that hearing was your fault, lady. Don't let it get to you that—"

"You know what?" Samus interrupts. "The real you never said lady so much. He used it when giving orders, he didn't bug me with it like you do. If you plan on being a good artificial replica maybe you should know what he actually sounded like."

Adam's voice hardens. "Samus… Are you trying to insinuate that I'm not myself? I've only been trying to foster a relationship between us. I know things are different and that the past few days have been difficult, but I truly only want things to be easier for you."

"I don't want things to be any fucking easier, I want them to be over!"

"You need to calm down."

"You need to mute yourself."

"I'm not going to—"

"Adam, mute."

"What?"

"I said mute. Mute computer."

"You can't—"

"Ship computer sound off."

The ship returns to silence. Samus breathes heavily and buries her face in her hands. Behind her, out of her line of sight, Avo's textbox flashes red. DANG.

She takes a minute to compose herself, rubbing her temples and massaging the skin around her eyes. She speaks to herself out of resignation. "I can't do this anymore. This better be the last mission, I don't know what I'll do otherwise." She lets the air pass through her nose. "Computer, open mission data."

A series of files fly across the ship's screens, highlighting and annotating in the reflections of her eyes.

[MAIN OBJECTIVE: Destroy Space Pirate threat.]

[Project Dread is real and potentially poses a significant threat to all non-Pirate life. Mission designation is to acquire information as to the whereabouts and nature of Project Dread, report it back to Federation intelligence, and then assist in its neutralization. Constantly attendant artificial intelligences are Adam and Avo. The latter has been preprogrammed with a fabricated personality to assist in the main operative's emotional stability.]

"My ass," Samus sighs. She continues reading through the documents.

[FIRST OBJECTIVE: Visit space station Creighton to begin preliminary information gathering.]

Samus' eyes widen in panic. "Creighton?!"

Avo moves to her side. FEDERATION FIGURED IT'D BE THE BEST BET SINCE YOU GOT A HISTORY ON CREIGHTON. RUMOR WAS YOU FOUND A GOOD DEAL OF INFORMATION ON THE PIRATES THERE DURING YOUR PRIME BOUNTY HUNTING DAYS.

"Do they have any idea why I left?!"

It shrugs its armored shoulders. SADLY, THIS IS AN ORDER TOO. LOOKING AT IT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, YOU ONLY GOT TO STAY UNTIL YOU FIND A GOOD LEAD. IT'LL INCENTIVISE YOU TO WORK!

Samus goes limp and leans back sorely in her chair. "They can't do this to me. Not Creighton. This might be the worst fucking day of my life."

Avo flashes bright enough by Samus' side to catch her attention. TIME'S A-TICKING, PARTNER. WHOLE GALAXY AIN'T EXACTLY LOCATED IN THIS HERE GARAGE.

She gives a murderous look directly into the android's camera eyes. They don't blink. "You're not giving me emotional stability."

YOU'RE WARMING UP TO ME.

Samus sits up and begins pinning coordinates into the ship's maps. She is about to finish, then pauses, deletes the coordinates, and begins inserting new ones.

Avo leans over her shoulder. EXCUSE ME FOR PRYING IN, BUT THAT AIN'T EXACTLY CREIGHTON.

"I know." Samus says, locking in the digits and revving the ship's engines. "I'm making a stop first. There's no way in this universe I'm showing up to Creighton sober."