Chapter Text
Samus Aran enjoyed bounty hunting. She enjoyed being on her own and traveling the galaxy, doing what needed to be done, killing what needed to be dead. Yet a traumatic injury can put life into a new perspective. Perhaps living fast and dying young was not all that Samus wanted out of life.
So it came to be that Samus spent some time trying to have fun at a beach resort on Earth. She worked hard to suppress the urge to fly off into space and explore some ancient ruin or shoot some terrifying monster. She used the mental techniques that she learned from the Chozo to focus her mind on appreciating the simpler things of life.
She was tall and statuesque. She had an athlete's muscles, an hourglass figure, and a perfectly serviceable face. There were things she could be doing while she was still young and in one piece. Mere days before she had suffered an injury that completely destroyed one of her breasts, and it was only thanks to advanced Federation medical technology that her curvy figure now looked as good as new.
The surf rolled up the sand and across her feet and a warm ocean breeze blew through her long blond hair.
She put her hands on her breasts and cupped them in her bikini top, and reminded herself that she did not want to grow old and regret that she spent all her life hunting bounties. She owed herself at least a few days of relaxation before she checked the bounty notices.
She gave her new right breast a squeeze, as she had done countless times, and tried to feel any difference in it that might give away its artificiality, and again she reassured herself that no one would be able to tell that the injury had ever happened.
The whole incident had actually improved her bust, since now it was perfectly symmetrical. She idly wondered if anyone would ever care to notice how nice her breasts looked, completely oblivious to all the people who were watching her rub her breasts at that moment.
That evening she celebrated her release from the hospital by putting on some comfortable clothes and ordering all the comfort food she could eat in the hotel's restaurant. It had been months since she ate anything better than space rations.
She groaned and sighed, rubbing her bulging belly and sucking the last traces of ice cream off a spoon.
Her eyes wandered to the other tables while her big meal digested. The other tables were all couples. They seemed to spend more time in soft conversation than eating, and they smiled in genuine enjoyment of each other's company.
Samus frowned and turned her gaze to the empty bowl of ice cream in front of her, then she threw her spoon at the table in frustration.
"Concierge." Samus scowled as she went to the hotel's front desk and waited for service.
"May I help you, Ma'am?"
"I want a date. Is there... a place for that? Is there a... a singles place?"
The concierge raised his eyebrow. "One moment, Ma'am. We don't get much call for that. It is mostly couples here."
"I've been in space a long time. I don't really know how... I mean... How do people usually ask for dates?"
"I believe the usual advice is to just be yourself, Ma'am." The concierge slid a data sheet across the desk. "Here is a list of addresses you might try. They are all casual dress. Good luck, Ma'am."
Minutes later, a taxi fired its retrorockets to come in for a landing on a nearby urban street. The door hissed open and Samus stepped out of the self-flying vehicle wearing jeans and a tank top that hugged her large breasts and showed her athletic arms.
The taxi closed behind her and it flew away, summoned by its next mission, while Samus scowled at the bright, animated signs advertising the bar in front of her. She closed her eyes and sent her mind back to her time with the Chozo. By human standards, the Chozo were a species of monks and scientists and philosophers. Even though she was raised by them, she had learned only a tiny fragment of their wisdom. She summoned all the wisdom and courage that she had ever learned from them, and prepared herself for a challenge unlike any she had ever faced.
Taking a deep breath, she suddenly launched herself forward, yanked open the door, and then rushed in.
It was a large open room with many tables, with most of the dim light coming from the countless video screens covering the walls, mostly showing various sporting events. Robots were carrying food and drinks and driving from table to table on little wheels.
All eyes turned to look at her as she stood at the entrance with her fists clenched and her muscles tensed.
A portly, balding man in a stained t-shirt pulled out his phone and his eyes flicked between his phone and Samus. He showed his phone to the man sitting in the next chair and then pointed a finger at Samus.
Samus scowled and she swept the room with her eyes, then she slowly walked in and took a seat at the nearest empty table. It was like a base from which she could plan her first move. A robot tried to sell her something, and she sent it away without listening. She had more immediate issues to focus on than mere food.
"Holy shit, are you Samus Aran?!" said the portly man as he came over to her table.
Samus stiffened and frowned deeply as she looked the man up and down.
He held out his phone with a picture of Samus from her time in the Galactic Federation Police. "Your hair is different, but you look like Samus Aran and you're tall like Samus Aran. Come on, man, you gotta tell me. Are you a space bounty hunter? Did you destroy Zebes?! Come on, no bullshit, am I drunk or are you Samus Aran?!"
After a long moment of silence, Samus grunted a clipped, "Yes."
"No way. No freakin' way. Why would Samus Aran be in this bar, on freakin' Earth of all places? You've gotta be shitting me! Is this about Neptune? Holy shit, are the Space Pirates on Earth? Are you on an undercover mission?!"
"I can't talk about it." She glared at the man and gripped the table so tightly that she risked splintering the wood.
"You've got to let me take a picture with you. No one is ever going believe me if I don't have a pic!"
Samus just glared and said nothing as the man hurriedly waved a friend over to take the picture.
This was how a picture spread around Earth's internet of a scowling Samus Aran sitting in a chair while an unshaven man made a victory sign for the camera, grinned hugely, and wrapped his arm around her broad shoulders.
Suddenly a crowd had formed around Samus' table as people gathered and discussed the situation.
"Is that really Samus Aran from the galactic news stories?"
"Why would someone famous across space be in this shitty bar and dressed like a regular person? She doesn't even look that much like Samus Aran!"
"So who is she, then? How many women do you know who are that tall and packed with that much muscle?"
"Do you think every blond body-builder is Samus Aran, idiot?"
Samus suddenly stood and pushed her way out of the crowd and out of the bar with a deep scowl on her face. She launched herself into a run to put some distance between herself and the bar, until she was sure she was not being followed.
It was a tactical retreat. It was not fear. Samus had merely evaluated the situation and determined that she was unlikely to get a good date from that location.
The next bar was quieter, without the blazing wall of video screens. There was soft music in the air and people were playing pool. The tables in the back were separated by dividers to offer some privacy. There was no food in sight and people were ordering their drinks from a robot in the front that was mounted on a rail system in the ceiling.
She moved cautiously to an unoccupied table near the center of the bar, with a good view of the pool tables. She noticed many eyes glancing down to her chest as she walked past, but she resisted the urge to look down or adjust herself. She wanted to project confidence.
For several minutes no one approached her table and she had a chance to analyze the situation. She studied the people at the other tables, skipping past the ones who seemed to be couples.
There was a woman in a flowery dress drinking something brightly colored through an impractically twisting straw. There was a grumpy looking muscular man shuffling through a stack of photographs while a drink sat unattended on his table. There were people holding pool cues and obviously waiting for their turn at the game.
"Mind if I join you?" said a man who had just stepped away from a pool table as he disassembled his pool cue. He was handsome with a little mustache, a shiny shirt, and snug leather pants.
"Go ahead," said Samus cautiously as she looked him up and down.
"The name's David. I hope I'm not intruding." He smiled at her as he sat down.
"Samus."
"Nice name. Is that Irish?"
"K-2L."
"Oh, so you're from a colony! It's always nice to meet someone who has seen the galaxy. I'm test pilot myself. When I signed up with the marines I thought I'd get to travel to distant stars, but it turns out that the Federation has me right here on Earth, flying their top-secret experimental ships."
Samus stared at him and tried to think of an insightful comment, but his life sounded so tedious that she could not think of anything nice to say.
"What brings a beautiful woman like you to a place like this? Personally, I just come for the pool, but I can tell there are deep feelings in your eyes. You've been hurt, haven't you, and you're hoping for a little piece of happiness."
Her brow furrowed as she stared at him. He reached out and put a hand on hers as he stared back into her eyes.
"I get it. You don't want to talk about it. It's none of my business. I just want you to know that a lot of people have sadness in their past. It doesn't make you strange. It makes you human, and I'd be happy to listen if you feel like unloading your troubles on someone."
She narrowed her eyes and frowned as she thought about what might be showing on her face. She lost her parents when she was very young, but the Chozo helped her to work past that pain. Her childhood trauma should not still be written on her face after all these years.
David shifted his chair closer to hers and he put his hand on her knee.
"A strong, quiet woman like you deserves every chance at happiness. This may sound crazy, but I'm just about to jet off to my villa on the Mediterranean, and if you're looking for a quiet place to soothe your soul, there's no place better that I know. It has helped me heal my pain whenever one of my fellow test pilots dies in a fiery explosion."
Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth as if to speak, but found she could not decide what to say. She only planned to spend a few days on Earth. There was no reason why the Mediterranean should be any better than where she was, but the sudden invitation made her wonder.
David slowly leaned closer as he gently rubbed at her knee and thigh. "I'm afraid I may be losing my mind, Samus. I don't think anyone has ever captivated me the way you have. You're so mysterious and beautiful. I wish I could know what is going on behind your amazing eyes."
She sat stiffly and her heart raced as he kissed her. His lips were soft and gentle. It was her first kiss, and she had no idea how to deal with it. She flicked her eyes frantically and her muscles tensed as heat built up in her cheeks.
David tilted his head and deepened the kiss as the bar's soft music filled her ears. He was leaning against her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She made no protest. She awkwardly tried to return the kiss.
His hand touched her left breast and the heat in her cheeks burned hotter. This what not how she expected romance to be, but neither the Chozo nor the Federation military had trained her for human mating rituals.
There was a grunt and a man cleared his throat nearby. "Maybe you should back off, asshole. You're taking things a bit quickly with a woman who's barely said two words to you."
"Excuse me?" David pulled away from the kiss and frowned as he looked for the source of the voice, "Maybe you should mind your..."
The muscular man from the next table scowled and he cracked the knuckles of his massive fist.
David yelped and flailed and fell backwards out of his chair. He scrambled to his feet and his face drained of color.
"Y-yes, well, it has been a pleasure meeting you, Samus. I hope you have a nice evening." David stammered and rushed out of the bar.
"Sorry about that," said the muscular man, "In a place like this, a woman looking like you is like meat to a pack of starving wolves. You should consider playing hard-to-get, or else you'll be swarmed."
"Thanks," said Samus with a smirk and a sigh of relief, "I've never done this before and I could really use some good advice."
The man chuckled. "Let me guess. First time on Earth?"
She shook her head. "No, I trained in Federation Headquarters to join the police, but I've never seen the rest of the planet before."
"A space cop? That's dangerous work." He shifted his chair from his own table so he could sit closer to Samus. "My name's Chuck Nomak. I used to be a marine until I came to my senses."
"I quit. I wasn't interested in following orders."
"At the start everyone believes what they're told, that they are part of something bigger, that we're all working together to keep the galaxy safe, but then they order you to some miserable planet in the middle of nowhere just to watch most of your squad get torn apart by monsters. Like, what the hell's the point of following orders if this is what you get for it? We never kept anyone safe. We were just meat being fed into a grinder."
Samus nodded grimly. "I've seen a lot of marines die just like that."
"So what brings you back to Earth if you don't want to be a space cop? Just looking for a peaceful place to settle down?"
"For a few days, maybe. I'm recovering from an injury."
"You left the police, but you still got injured? Sounds like you gave up the uniform but kept the gun."
She nodded silently and stared at the table.
"Me, I've put it all behind me. I retired to a little place nearby. I spend my days carving little statues for tourists and trying not to forget the friends I've lost."
"I've seen good people die," said Samus slowly, "But that wasn't why I left. I discovered that the Federation doesn't always do what's best. I didn't want to end up following orders from people who were greedy or stupid, so I set out on my own. I choose my own missions and make my own decisions."
"It's a hell of a universe." Nomak grunted and nodded.
"Is there something happening on Neptune?"
Nomak raised an eyebrow. "The GF found a Space Pirate base. They went in and wiped it out. It was pretty big news."
"I've been in a hospital. I haven't been reading the broadcasts. I was hoping to relax."
He smirked and studied her face. "And now you're thinking about going to Neptune and checking the situation for yourself, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"But you promised yourself that you'd take some time off, and if you don't take time off now when you're just out of the hospital, then you will probably never take time off. You'll spend the whole rest of your life fighting and killing, and then one day you'll die on some far away alien planet and no one will bury your body."
"The Space Pirates can wait. It sounds like the Federation has resolved the situation. The universe will survive for a few days while I relax."
"Yeah, you should relax. I can tell you need it. You are tense like a coiled spring. A few days could do you a lot of good, but whatever you do, don't retire like I did. Dying on an alien planet with a gun in your hand is better than slowly fading away with the ghosts of your past."
He held up a stack of photographs. "Sometimes I think that the friends I lost were actually the lucky ones."
For a long, quiet moment, Samus stared at the table in front of her, until the lights suddenly flickered out and the music stopped.