"So if I am understanding what you are telling me, you want to leave me here, while you all go to Wam Bam Island. I could care less if you are leaving me here alone." called Doctor Patricia Tannis as Lilith stood in the doorway.
"Umm, okay. If anyone tries to ECHO for us just contact me." Lilith laughed as she headed towards the fast travel station.
"Finally, I can resume my vault studies." Tannis sighed as she tapped her ECHO recorder. "With the Vault of the Warrior opened, it may take longer for the Vault Key to recharge, but if Lilith or Maya are willing to allow me to experiment on them we may be able..."
"Wassup shawtys?" interrupted the energetic voice of Tiny Tina over the headquarters comm system. "Lilly? Mordy? Brick?"
"I must also make a filter to prevent people such as the child Tina from broadcasting with just her ECHO device."
"Patty wazzam girl? Where da Vault Hunters?"
"Well Tina they left for Wam Bam Island. A vacation of sorts, filled with drinking." Tannis explained as she walked to the command center so she could try and shut off the comm device.
"What? And they didn't invite me? That's cold. Definitely not ace. Could I ask you for a favor than shawty?" Tina sighed over the ECHO.
"You may ask, as to whether or not I will carry out this favor..."
"There was a big explosion out near my workshop and it wasn't caused by one of my bombs. At least I don't think it was one. Ummm, let me get back to you on that." Tina interrupted.
"Well I'll get a hold of one of the Vault Hunters and have them investigate. I don't think you'd be upset if you ended the fun for one of them."
"Whateva floats your boat Patty." Tina sang as she hung up.
Tannis sighed as she started to contact Lilith. "I require an assistant."
"All sales are final." Marcus shouted as he pointed a gun at his latest customer. Watching the terrified citizen of Sanctuary scramble up the stairs out of his shop, Marcus sighed knowing why another return attempt was made.
The guns he offers through vendors are often low quality, and ready to break. He spends what little free time he has trying to repair as many guns as he can so he can sell them for a higher price. He looked through the sight of the shotgun in his hands and noted the wire showing inside the scope. He had the tools but not the time to fix the loose wire.
"If I had the money and the people I could stop selling these clearance weapons. Marcus Munitions needs its own weapons to sell. I can only make so much being the middle man." he though to himself. "I can put a weapon together, but I can't design a gun. If only Hyperion had anyone with the courage to abandon the company. If I could get one of their designers it would be a perfect opportunity."
Trekking through the tundra proved to be easier than Devon originally thought. The refugee noted the presence of large mines throughout the landscape, and took the caution of assuming they were still active. He doubted a simple pistol would protect him from the bandits said to populate Pandora, but he figured he could handle a single bandit if he encountered one. As for the hostile wildlife, Devon had always managed to get animals to like him. He could manage.
"Some nice gear ya got!" called a large man in the distance.
Devon tried to get a better look at the man, but his thick coat kept him from noticing anything. He was pretty tall, and hefty, and his hat kept his face hidden. He looked like he was holding an assault rifle. Devon figured he was talking about his shield, but decided to play dumb. "No, I've only got a basic Tediore pistol. I don't have anything special."
"Dibs on his stuff, get him boys!" Shouted the man pointing towards Devon. Following the large man's orders, three men jumped out from the snow and charged towards Devon.
"Shit!" Devon exclaimed as he turned around and sprinted away. Of course the first people he meets wanted him dead, it was just his luck. He pulled his pistol out and start shooting at the closest man.
He managed to hit the bandit's leg making him stumble to the ground, but he started to shoot at Devon. Following their fellow bandit's lead they all began to fire at their victim. Devon knew he had two shots left before he would need to reload, but decided to hurl his sidearm at the men now so the explosion would have a little more power. He chucked the small pistol towards one of the mines and was amazed at the stupidity of one of the bandits as he walked up to grab the pistol as it exploded, killing him.
"I get his bunk now!" yelled the bandit who was laying on the ground.
"But I get his gun!" laughed the other remaining bandit walking towards the mine to claim his fallen friend's gun.
Devon was simply astounded at the sheer ignorance of the bandits. He watched as the other approached the mine, and turned to look away when it exploded.
"Whatsyourname! Nooo!" shouted the wounded bandit. "I kinda liked him!"
Devon sighed and aimed at the crippled bandit and managed to nail him in the head. He was surprised when the bandit managed to stand up, despite taking a bullet to the head. "How are you still alive?"
"I've been shot in the head before." was the simple response. "Plus I have a healing shield which fixed up my leg."
Devon was sure this guy wouldn't fall for the exploding gun trick again, so he decided to test something he pulled from the shuttle. "Alright you got me. I'm putting my gun up and putting my hands behind my back!"
That surprised the bandit. No one ever really gave up like that. He smiled under his mask, despite missing a few teeth from the shot to the face earlier. "Stay there, I'm coming for you."
Devon smiled as his hand wrapped around the round handle of a tesla coil he had pulled out of the ship. He lucked out with being a self fueling coil, all he had to do was twist the handle to activate it. The electricity would destroy the bandit's shield, and hopefully cause him to fall backwards so he could grab his gun and finish off this bandit. He watched with anticipation as the bandit drew closer and closer. Devon twisted the handle, priming the coil, and as the bandit got closer Devon lunged forward. Just as he had hoped it tore the shield to shreds, but it was more powerful than he had expected and made the bandit begin to convulse as he fell to the ground. He shuddered violently until he stopped moving at all. Devon kicked the bandit trying to get a response, but got nothing. Devon knelt down and picked up the bandits gun, a Dahl Falcon SMG. He turned to see the leader of his would-be robbers slowly advancing towards him.
Aiming his newly acquired Falcon at the man, Devon pulled trigger knowing it would have a three round burst, but the gun was jammed. With a growl of frustration Devon hurled the gun at the advancing bandit. It knocked the mans hat off, leaving his head exposed. Devon quickly pulled his pistol out and thanked God he had a Punctilious Fresh Biggun. He pulled the trigger twice, the first shot hitting the man's head, lowering his shield. The second hit the man in the throat.
Devon couldn't stand to watch the man die, so he turned and began to walk away. He spotted a cave up ahead with a metal sheet on a chain hanging above, acting as a door. Devon cautiously approached the entrance and called inside, "Hello? Is anyone in here? I uh, just recently arrived on Pandora, and was just attacked. Please tell me someone sane lives here."
"Well hello there good sir. Welcome to my humble abode." called a young girls voice. "I can assure you that you have met one of the finest ladies of all of Pandora."
"Oh thank goodness. I honestly have no clue how to get around this place and I just want to find a place where I can help out." Devon explained as he entered the cave.
"Well you might to wait before you can do that sucka!" yelled the girl as Devon felt himself rise into the air as he sucked into the vacuum trap behind the entrance.
Tannis had contacted Lilith right when the old Vault Hunters had joined the group at the beach. Of the ten that were they decided to vote on who would go to investigate what was going on in the Tundra Express. Gaige was voted to go, seeing as she was the youngest, and got along with Tina the most. She grumbled as she glared at Salvador and Axton. Everyone else had gotten one vote, except Zer0, who had no votes. She packed up her beach gear, and ran to change out of her swimsuit. She had been enjoying her time, and prayed that it was nothing so she could come back and knock the two men on their asses.
As she pulled on her school uniform Gaige ECHOed Tina. "Tina, please tell me you don't need me to scour Tundra Express to find what exploded."
"Gaige, my dear Mechromancer, no you don't. You just need to beat the crap out of this guy who walked into my workshop after blowing up one of my mines and causing an explosion that I can't figure out. He don't seem dangerous, but he dressed pretty fancy. Fancypants means money, and money means power." Tina exclaimed over her ECHO.
"Aww crankshaft." Gaige sighed. She stepped out of the changing room and ran to the fast travel station and input Tundra Express so she could make her way to Tina's workshop quickly.