You are the Bounty Writer: The Winners

We are incredibly excited to announce and present the winners of The Game Chair’s You are the Bounty Writer contest. The mission was to write a short story telling the tale of how our favorite bounty hunter Samus Aran ended up in a pinball machine. The Game Chair staff judged these stories and was able to select two winners to receive the bounty of a Nintendo DS and a copy of the excellent Metroid Prime Pinball game each. The Game Chair Staff was thrilled by the response to the contest we received and was impressed by the creativity and energy that went into the stories. Thank you to everyone who participated; we really enjoyed reading your stories. Without further ado, we present the winners and extend our congratulations to Kirsty and John.

New Directive

by Kirsty

“Command would dearly enjoy turning Aran’s weapons against her…”
~Space Pirates Log 10.222.8, Metroid Prime

=> New Directive Log 14.642.4

The Hunter has menaced us for far too long. Subject has proven to be extremely dangerous, mainly due to use of a powered armorsuit of unknown design. Despite offer of a considerable bounty to the unit who delivers subject to Command, the Hunter still eludes us. Aran must be destroyed. Remaining resources have been directed to a solution.

***

The silence in space is like no other. It gives one an eerie sense of things some would rather not dwell upon…isolation, emptiness, loneliness. Any irregularities that punctuate the vacuum of sound in space are soon noted. A transmission, high pitched and wicked in its resonance, caught my attention, and I resolved to locate its source and investigate.

***

=> Morph Ball Log 14.791.5

Using previously accumulated data based on earlier attempts, Science Team are directing all energies to understanding the curious Morph Ball function. Instead of attempting to recreate a functioning prototype, it has been suggested that a detrimental upgrade should be created. Command approves of this action.

***

By the time I caught sight of my destination on the black horizon, hours had passed. Zebes. The shriek of that strange transmission had continued, and I could not help but feel a twinge of foreboding. Predictably, I thought a touch wryly, something was not right.

***

=> Upgrade Complete Log 14.822.7

Progress has been slow but a Detrimental upgrade has been successfully engineered. What appears to be a beneficial improvement to the Hunter’s armorsuit is in fact an elaborate trap. Science Team have named the upgrade ‘pinball’. If all goes to plan, ‘pinball’ will cause Aran’s armorsuit to malfunction, rendering the Hunter in permanent Morph Ball mode. Threat of the Hunter will be terminated. All that now remains is to entice Aran into applying said upgrade.

***

My landing was oddly smooth, quiet. By all impressions, one would think the planet abandoned. The shriek persisted, however, and its source, I knew, was nearby. My sensors led me to a dark cavern, and though common sense dictated against it, I entered.

It took a moment for my visuals to adjust to the darkness. The shrieking had stopped. The cavern was small, empty. Silent. But only for a moment.

A low hum, throbbing and constant, had replaced the shriek, clearly emanating from the back wall of the cavern. I approached the wall and placed my hands against the surface. The tips of my fingers vibrated.

Something lay behind that wall. A quick scan revealed a curiously shaped hole at the foot of it – the size of a Morph Ball.

As I passed through the entrance using my suit’s Morph Ball function, I noted a curious click and whirr. An upgrade? Here? No. I could not help but grimace as I heard the all too familiar warnings of a suit malfunction. As much as I need and appreciate my suit, it’s most enduring power appears to be its unique ability in breaking down at inopportune times. I soon realised the full extent of the malfunction, for I was unable to return to my normal state.

***

=> Success. Log 15.973.9

Hunter was unable to resist effects of the upgrade. The Hunter’s armorsuit has malfunctioned as planned. Combat Units have been sent to intercept subject. Conclusion pending…Command is confident of success.

***

It was a trap. Of that I am now aware. The Space Pirates think that they have rendered me useless by restricting me to my Morph Ball form. They are wrong.

Ancient and Eternal

by John

Samus Aran switched her visor to a light-sensitive scanning mode. She squinted into the darkness behind the rocks. A sandy wind bit at her back, the heat registering only as a number in the periphery of her visor. But in front of her the air was cold and still. She knew no one had been here since the ancient Chozo. But what would she find inside? She paused and recorded her thoughts into a log entry.

The depth of Chozo knowledge runs deep into the soul of the universe. They created my Power Suit, pioneered numerous scientific advances, and engineered the deadly Metroids.

Before I could understand their subtle wisdom, they vanished. Here on Tallon IV is the last of their magnificent ruins. It is not the last of the Chozo people. Rather than become extinct from the Great Poison, they simply moved to another dimension, furthering their status as ethereal beings of mystery. Gods, in a manner of speaking, untouchable by mere humans.

But now I stand before a cave opened by a series of small quakes. I detect strong Chozo energy readings inside. I don’t know what lays beyond the veil of darkness, but it could illuminate the mystery that is the Chozo. It could also be a Space Pirate trap. I can only press forward, alone, and discover the truth.

She could see dim blue outlines of rock formations nearby. Samus clung to the wall like a spider and followed the narrow outcrop of stones deeper into the mountain’s belly. At the base of the path she finally touched solid ground. The outline of a pyramidal structure sat quietly before her, a shallow indentation pressed into its center.

A Spinner.

Samus tucked into her Morph Ball form and rolled into the slot to feed the circuit. Lights flickered, stones warmed to the power pulsing through them. Samus charged the Spinner and stepped from its cradle. Her visor adjusted to the brighter surroundings, but she could barely believe what she saw.

Every species has basic survival needs: food, sleep, liquids, etc. The Chozo seemed beyond such trivial things. But my discovery opened a window to their very real existence. The Chozo immediately became my wise brethren as opposed to cold and distant gods. What I saw before me, built in enormous scale and spanning the entire underground, was an ancient Chozo game.

Railings threaded through the cavern like great worms. Rocks were carved into intricate shapes and tunnels. Platforms were secured and covered in a strange, rubbery material. A large pair of stone fingers faced each other to Samus’ left. Marks on the floor below them indicated they could pivot forwards. A light illuminated a small tube the size of her Morph Ball form. It led through the ground, up and across the field, connecting to metallic railings and tubes in the distance. This, she knew, was the entrance.

What purpose did this game serve? What will we learn about the Chozo people from this discovery? These questions could be answered by one thing: playing the game. It could be my most profound task as a bounty hunter. It’s also a guilty pleasure to be able to enjoy Chozo entertainment. As I close this log entry, I will begin playing the only Chozo game known to exist. My trials, my triumphs, and my pleasures, are for the education of the entire galaxy.

Samus activated her Morph Ball and entered the tube. She could feel the Chozo smiling as she sped along the railings to begin the game.

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