Primed For Prequel
Chapter 1: Prolog: The Man Who Would Be Jack
When I stepped out of the fast travel station I got an up close look of the city of Opportunity. I got to hand it to Jack; he sure did know how to name a place. That didn't mean I respected him, I still wanted to kill that slimy bastard. Still no use dwelling on a place I'll probably never see again.
I turned to Maya and asked, "This really the place? Almost looks too clean, and safe."
"That's the point," Maya answered looking around at the opulent buildings made of shiny metal and clear reflective glass. "Jack wanted this place to look safe and clean, but me and Gaige are going to make sure people know what's really going on here."
"The quest from Lilith right? You had to borrow Moxxi's camera?"
"Yeah that's the one."
I raised an eyebrow suggestively, "Have you looked at what's already on there?"
Maya blushed, "What no?!"
"Oh really?" I countered. "Looks to me like you have."
"Sh! Gaige doesn't need to hear this!"
"Hear what?" I asked. "Look – you don't have to tell me, but honestly why did you look?"
"I was curious, let's leave it at that," Maya huffed, and to forestall an argument I agreed.
"Do Salvador and Krieg have a job?" I asked.
"Yes," Maya said. "They seem to have found one at that bounty board over there. Now if you'll excuse me I believe you and I have jobs to do."
As soon as Maya mentioned it I realized she was spot on. I did have a job to do, and it was a very important one. I had been tasked with getting the things we really came here to be done. Zero – never got used to his haiku – had a job to slay a Forman working on an Underdome. I had a feeling that my job wouldn't be that hard, but still killing Jack's body double? Sounded like a challenge to me.
The only reason I had gotten the job of finding a way to speak in Jack's voice was because 1) I'd pretty much bullied the rest of the team into letting me do this one 2) frankly it was my turn to kill something big and I think everyone else realized this. I looked around and realized everyone had already left. I began to make my way through the city and shortly after turning my first corner and climbing a staircase I encountered a Loader with its back turned.
I took out my assault rifle and shot the thing's gun arm off. Before I could be too proud of myself the bot turned and showed me his primed grenade is his hand. I dove for cover and just barely avoided getting blasted into pieces. After the vibrations stopped I peaked around the corner and blasted the glowing red eye of another Loader.
The thing exploded with much for force that I originally thought that made me realize that it had been an EXP-Loader. Why did Hyperion always have to have those things hanging around? Even in a place so supposedly safe as Opportunity?
After wasting the few bots that I encountered I decided to head over to an area on my map called Living Legend Plaza. It was on my way to Jack's body double, and besides that it sounded intriguing. I walked to the middle of the plaza and pushed the button to activate the tour simulation. The infamous female Hyperion robotic voice came on saying, "Welcome to the Hyperion Hall of History! All citizens who reach the end of our historical tour will receive a sizable tax refund!"
Now I was interested so I headed to the southeast corner of the plaza and pressed the green button on the stand, which issued forth words that I listened to intently. Always pays off to know your enemy.
"In the beginning, Pandora was chaos… and then there was Jack. When Jack came to Pandora, he found a world of danger and hardship. Jack armed himself to the teeth, using the quality armaments of Hyperion – the company he called home," The voice that spoke was a recording of a pleasant sounding male professor. Despite the fact of what the man was saying, I still kind of like him … until I heard the rest of the recordings.
The next one was located at the southwest corner of the plaza.
"Jack learned of a legendary Vault that housed a terrible evil. He defeated many horrors to reach the Vault. Hideous monsters and vicious bandits."
The next one was located at the northwest corner of the plaza.
"And five years ago, Jack defeated the monster inside the vault, triumphed over the evil treasure seekers, and brought peace to Pandora. With that done, the Handsome One staked a claim on the very planet he had saved. For the opening of the Vault bore a secret only he could have predicted."
The next one was located at the northeast corner of the plaza.
"Eridium. This mysterious, alien element flourished, and Jack became and overnight trillionaire."
The last one was located at the east side of the plaza.
"Today, Jack, now the owner of the Hyperion cooperation, has dedicated his life to bringing bandit scum to justice. There is only one word to describe what Jack has become to Pandora. A hero."
"Thank you for visiting the Hall of History. Take this sizable tax refund as a reward for your continued loyalty."
I chuckled briefly then sprinted off realizing I had wasted a lot of time. I didn't really understand Jack better, only that he was a lying sack of rakk shit – but I already knew that so yeah … got to get my head in the game. As I rounded a corner and sprinted between two buildings I came to an opening/depression leading down to the left and into the building.
The way inside was open and at where I was standing there was a system of catwalks that overlooked a lower section accessible by two sets of stairs nearest me that lead down. I looked around for Jack's body double and found him strutting about on the lower level.
I tossed a grenade down one flight of stairs and it pinged off a section of railing and smacked the body double in the head. "We're being attacked!" The man yelled and then a whole bunch of bots came from out of door. 6 doors on the catwalks and around 12 smaller ones down below; since I could deal with engineers pretty easily I decided to take out the loaders first.
Since things were getting a little 'desperate' I decided to pull out my Desperate Hulk – badass Torgue shotgun – Maya hated when I pulled the weapon out and shouted 'desperate' at the top of my lungs. She was all right though – to be honest I think she had a thing for Zero, which didn't make sense. I'm a soldier – the ladies love me!
Realizing I was getting distracted I focused on taking out the loader bots. The engineers were getting annoying so I chucked like, three singularity grenades down below and that pretty much shut them up. After taking down the bots I positioned myself and jumped down on the body double's back, bypassing his shield with a kick and then I snapped his neck.
Angel said, "Grab the pocket watch device he dropped. It echoes his bio-signature to every machine in the immediate area, so his doubles can do his hand-kissing and baby-shaking for him."
"Engineers let the loaders do the lifting. Loaders let the engineers take bandit fire. This is called 'teamwork'."
I heard Jack come on over the announcement system, and chuckled again. I hated the guy, but some of the things he said made me laugh at his brilliance, or lack there of. I went ahead and grabbed Jack's pocket watch.
Angel said, "That pocket watch also records audio – Jack loved to listen to the praise of his underlings. We need to create a voice modulator so you can speak in Jack's voice. Get to an info kiosk."
"Right away," I said.
I found the first of the info kiosks down below where I was and only a few feet away. I pushed the green button and listened to Jack's voice, "Did you know that some people on this planet still believe in silly superstitions like angels, demons, and ancient alien warriors? We like to call them bandits."
Angel said, "Yes! This is going to work – If I get a few more samples of Jack's voice, I can make a voice modulator for you. You need to get more voice samples from the other info kiosks."
"Sure thing," I said and took off. After climbing up the stairs out of the recess in the city I turned left by 45 degrees and immediately came upon another info kiosk – after traveling running for 10 feet. Once I reached the kiosk I circled it until I found the green button. I pushed it and listened again to Jack's voice, "Hey, kids! Did you know your chances of being disemboweled increase by eighty thousand percent upon leaving Opportunity? It's a scientific fact!"
Angel said, "I almost have what I need – just activate a few more kiosks."
Following instructions I turned left and ran under some building supports and reaching a bend in the walkway I jumped down over the railing and landed near another kiosk. I threw a singularity grenade and it sucked it a few engineers. I used my Hulk to tear through the 6 loaders that came out of the doors surrounding the kiosk inside the area I was currently occupying.
After taking out the enemies I pressed the green button near the kiosk and listened again to Jack's voice, "Did you know your staring at the future site of the Opportunity pleasure palace? That's right – for a thousand bucks you can spend an hour with a life-sized likeness of me."
After listening to Jack I sprinted up a set of stairs and back the way I had come. I passed the area where the body double's body lay and I sprinted up another set of stairs. I turned left and sprinted headlong toward the next kiosk. I felt exhilarated I loved running this hard. I jumped and cleared the railing I jumped so far in fact that I landed in some water beyond the info kiosk.
I climbed out of the water and went over to the info kiosk, pressing the green button. Jack's voice said, "Hey, kids! Did you know what your mommies and daddies gave up so your families could live in Opportunity? Literally nothing! Your family is paid to be here – I'm the one who feeds and protects everyone. Remember: we should all love our parents, but love me more."
After listening in I moved back to an area just left and a little beyond the entrance to Opportunity; there I found the last info kiosk. I pressed the green button and listened to Jack talk, "Did you know littering in Opportunity is punishable by death? If not, you also oughtta know complaining about Opportunities laws is considered verbal littering."
After listening to the last message I briefly congratulated Maya and Gaige on uploading the condemning video that would convince people to not immigrate to Opportunity. I then jogged – feeling a winded from all the flat out sprinting – back to the area where I had killed Jack's body double. After facing the info kiosk I turned around and there set into the wall between the two staircases was the door I needed to pass through.
I went through the doorway and shoved a HOT-loader out the door behind me with a sweet karate move. I then popped a grenade after him closing the doors.
Angel said, "Attach the pocket watch quickly!"
I hurried over to the left side of the room and plugged the pocket watch into the slot. After pressing the green button I waited.
Angel said, "I see the files. [Brief pause] All done. Now grab the voice Modulator."
I grabbed it attaching it do my person. Angel said, "Great. Now, unfortunately, you will speak in Jack's voice until you reach the security door. I will tell you the password at the appropriate time."
I tested the thingy and found that it worked, "Testing? Testing one two? One two. And now I have the voice of a douche bag. Great."
As soon as I walked out of the room Angel screamed as she was being shocked, "AAGH!"
Jack said menacingly, "You seriously thought you could hide from me, Angel? Is that what you thought? Say goodbye to your friend, Angel. Say it."
Angel sighed, "See you soon."
After I made it out of the recess Roland said, "You found a way past Angel's control core, huh? Well she kept up her end of the bargain, surprisingly. Time to return the favor. Come on back and we'll steal ourselves a Vault key."