Alvaris-Hector VI came fully into view long before she could dock her little space crab within the confines of its docking bay. The orbital station was small and fit mainly for transferring materials and passengers to and from the planet surface.

The station itself was nothing much to look at, a few spherical pods located within a rotating circular ring that helped to produce artificial gravity.

Samantha went through the standard protocols, and sent the proper information. Soon she was docked safely within the stations entry port. A small collection of scientists and several security personnel met her at the dock.

"Greetings, Ms. Jeran," said a balding middle aged man. He wore a white lab coat, and a pair of goggles rested atop his forehead. Was it to hide his receding hairline, or were the goggles a necessity? The world might never know.

"Yes. Hello. Are you my liaison?" she asked in a perfunctory manner.

The man licked his lips nervously then nodded. "Yes. It seems we have hit a bit of a snag in our research on the planet below and we need someone with your experience and expertise to clear a safe path for the sake of progress."

"Right. Is there anything I need to know?" Samantha looked at him coolly from behind her HUD visor. The man continued to act in a nervous manner for a while. He fidgeted and wrung his hands while he made an attempt to explain the nature of the problem.

She raised her right hand and lifted her palm face up. "So, it's just a small number of left over city defenses and the main guardian. Not to be rude, but why would you even need to contact someone like me?"

If she wished to be more to the point about it, she could mention that what they described was slightly different than the job she had accepted. She should have had to do more than just mop up ancient techno-beasts on the planetary surface. Even so, if they were still paying her the same amount she would not exactly balk at an easier assignment.

"Ah. Yes. The other defenders are of no concern. We can handle such creatures with no trouble." He fiddled with his goggles slightly then nodded. "You see, the guardian is an auto-regenerating beast. We figured that someone such as yourself might be able to determine a way to stop the creature. Our security personnel have tried to take it down several times, but it simply does not stay down unless we evacuate the combat area."

"I understand. Does it have any features to be concerned about?" she asked him while she gazed coolly into his eyes.

"Not particularly. It fires high yield particle beams from the tips of its mechanical tentacles among other typical weapons types such as a cryogenic laser, but otherwise it is fairly simple in design," said the scientist. Several beads of sweat began to slide down his hairless scalp. "S-surprisingly simple, as a matter of fact."

"Very well. Give me the coordinates and I will get to work," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. The scientist related the information to her, and she added it to her suit's HUD menu for ease of use.

Once she returned to her ship, one of the security officers snorted aloud. "Who does that bitch think she is?"

The scientist looked toward him, his eyes wide. His voice high-pitched and nearly frantic he exclaimed, "Don't let her hear you call her that!"

"Feh. I don't see what the big deal is about her. Everyone acts like she's this big bad bounty hunter, but I doubt she's all that," said the officer.

"Keep those opinions to yourself and get back to your patrol, sergeant," said the captain of the security forces on the research station. "The last thing we need is for that woman to get a hair across her ass. She's liable to blow up this planet, too."

The sergeant snorted loudly, but then stepped to and smartly saluted his captain before he went back to work. There was a whole lot of nothing to do. It wasn't like anyone ever came to that station other than scientists.

The captain watched the sergeant march off then looked to the scientist. "I thought you intended to have the bounty hunter delve into the underground city as well to look for more trouble like it, if they could get past the guardian?"

"No. Absolutely not," said the scientist. "They did not tell me who they hired. I didn't even know it was her until she got within the perimeter of our long range sensors, and I want that walking extinction event away from here as soon as possible."

"Is that why you ordered an emergency evacuation of the base camp the moment you received the signal from her ship?" asked the captain. "They travel light down there, but it was rough getting everyone and their equipment up here before she arrived."

"Yes. We all need to be able to leave at a moment's notice just in case she decides to annihilate another irreplaceable piece of the cosmos," remarked the scientist.

Samantha knew nothing of the conversation that was happening back on the station, and in all honesty she would not have cared. It was a common occurrence wherever she went during operations on behalf of the Federation. Blow up one or two measly little planets, that totally had it coming anyway, and suddenly everyone has an opinion about your life style choices!

She set down on the planet's surface roughly five kilometers from the ruined city. It was, like many cities built by the Dillozou, an underground civilization. She did not have to delve into the underground, however, as the researchers had yet to get past the guardian that sat in wait near the entrance to the city proper. A great deal of research had already occurred on the surface portion of the city, and even in pockets of the underground where the surface layer of the city had given way, but the real treasure trove of knowledge would lay below the surface.

The digitally rendered sound of metal striking rock rang in her ears as she trotted forward. Each footfall was like a warning cry to all who might stand in her way. Here comes the destroyer of worlds!

"Strange. Where is the base camp? There should be an encampment nearby with the surface team who research this place," she said thoughtfully.

Curious, she checked her map data and found that she should be standing right atop the encampment. She radioed back to her ship in order to send out a confirmation of the information that she had gathered, but to her annoyance the signal could not reach. There was some sort of interference in the air.

"What gives?" she asked curiously.

She was taken aback when the world suddenly shifted in color and tonality into a black and white wasteland of rock and sand. "What—?" she began, only to grow silent when one of those little blue screens of light that mostly occurred whenever she used the point exchange appeared before her. "Are you kidding me?"

Message

Greetings Companion.

You have entered an area designated as an active mission zone. Normally, such situations will not trigger unless you are accompanying your chosen champion. However, as this world setting is your native scenario you have triggered an [H-2] difficulty side mission.

Your champion has elected to grant you a special reward as well. You must navigate this side mission in order to collect both it, and the treasure hidden on the surface of this planet. Both rewards can be obtained shortly after you complete the side mission.

Side Mission: Defeat the guardian of Alvaris-Hector VI

You will receive experience points in accordance with the mission difficulty. There is no time limit. The mission area is quarantined and does not synchronize with normal space-time. You may not leave the mission area until you have completed the mission. Organisms other than the primary guardian will not grant experience points upon their defeat.

"This? Is this for real?" she asked incredulously. She had received a mission just like Scott typically did.

While the realization of such a thing surprised her momentarily, the surprise passed quickly. Ultimately, she had come here to do a job. It seemed that the powers that be had opted to grant her special rewards. Though, she could do without the constant mention of him being her champion. She could be her own champion, thank you very much. Even so, a bonus for doing the job she had already chosen to do? Yes, please!