"Are you sure you have to leave?"

"Yeah, my people are demanding Samus, I can't miss this."

She sighed, her eyes pleading. "Why do you need to go?"

"The Phrygisians heard I had lived and want to celebrate. If I skip out, they'll banish me if I ever try to return. Plus, since the Federation was accused of kidnapping me as a child, they don't want me with them anymore."

We were standing in a docking bay, mildly arguing. It had been a month since Samus and I had faced sergeant Jake Larsen, and we had both healed quickly. I was on my feet again, and she had regained her ability to walk. Our feelings for each other were unchanged, however.

"Quit crying, Samus," Gandrayda spat, joining our conversation. "Rundas is a big boy, he'll be safe."

"That's not what I'm fussing about, though," she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's that I'll miss him."

Gandrayda groaned, rolling her eyes and trudging away. "Always the same between you two. Always!" She continued talking, but I tuned her out.

"You're going to miss me?"

Samus pouted her lip. "Well of course. You saved me from so many near-death experiences I've lost count. What am I going to do with you gone?"

I shrugged. "The same thing you always did before, I guess."

She grunted as my replacement ship was hauled in from another hanger. "What I just don't understand is how the three of you got calls back to your home planets all at the same time..."

"Gossip spreads quickly around the galaxy," she made a face. "Don't ask me how that makes sense."

Ghor arrived, carrying what seemed to be a heavy tool box. "I can't believe it! I'm actually going back to Wotan VII after all these years! I can't wait to see everyone!"

"What's with the box, Ghor? Doing some repairs?" I asked, staring at it.

He patted the hard top. "No. I managed to smuggle some technology from Elysia. I'm going to show the rest of my people the advancements. Maybe I'll be able to upgrade myself!" He smiled, turning his head and grinning broadly. "Ah! My baby has arrived!"

A huge, sleek, heavy built suit hulked towards us on autopilot. Ghor ran to it, embracing the thick front and sighing. "Now introducing-" he held his hands out in presentation. "Ghor Fighter 2!! Isn't it marvelous?"

I smiled awkwardly. I didn't see how amazing the large metal thing was, but gave him a thumbs-up anyway. Ghor's expression went from ecstatic to dull. "Way to boost my confidence, Rundas."

I chuckled. "Anytime." I looked towards the ship that lay waiting for me to pilot it. "Well Samus, I'd better get going. I'm supposed to be on Phrygis tonight. It takes most of the day to travel that far."

She exhaled. "Fine. But will you keep in touch? I hardly have any friends here..."

"What about Admiral Dane? Couldn't he keep you entertained?" I stared at her skeptically.

"He's older than me. Besides, that relationship would be weird."

I approached my new Galactic Federation craft, opening the hatch and ducking inside. "I'm older than you are," I said, seeing the huntress stand outside the front window.

"How many years?"

"About five. But don't worry, I'm still eligible," I grinned, closing the door and igniting the engine. "See you around, Samus."

She waved, smiling with slight sadness. "Bye," I watched her mouth, then I pulled out of the docking bay and away from Olympus.

Ghor was in his new suit and was flying to my left, with Gandrayda to my right transformed into a ship of some kind. The cyborg gave me a nod, then took off away from me. Gandrayda didn't do much, but reared to the right and went into hyperdrive.

I was now exiting the Galactic Federation's boundaries. Flicking a switch, I turned the engines to maximum and followed the coordinates towards the of Phrygis.

Welcome home party, here I come!!