I wasn't a hard walk to Liarsberg, Some mongs scattered about, other than that? It was almost peaceful.

"And that minions! is how Handsome Jack and I saved the universe!" The robot screamed. "Any questions?"

"Yeah" I said. "Didn't that guy axe your entire product line? why the fuck would he help you save the universe?" I realized another thing. "Better yet, would he save the universe? dude seems bent on ruling it to me."

"Well." He starts before gunshots fill the air. Bandits run up trigger fingers spraying wildly. Claptrap was in defcon 5 and hat completely closed up.

Zer0 was already on them and I wasn't far behind. One decapitated, another split down the middle length wise, and a third in half through the waist. both of us had a pile of bodies though his was clearly larger.

For whatever reason I moved passed it seemingly not even registering the atrocities I committed. The robot opened back up and followed us once more.

"Great job minions! Those guys were dicks! They refused to tip whenever I went out to get eaten by rakks for them!" He complimented?

I was about to ask him, how he knew when he was blind, but I got cut off.

"Oh good god would someone shut that monstrosity off. My ears are bleeding and braincells comitting horribly gruesome suicide." A voice calls from Zer0's echo.

As if absentmindedly, Zer0 once again fiddles with my echo device and a new setting is turned on. I thank him quietly as the voice speaks up.

"While I thank you for driving off Flynts men, I can't say I appreciate you bringing that to my doorstep. My name is Hammerlock nice to meet you two."

a door behind a now slowly opening gate swung outward showing a tall gentleman looking type, he is wearing a pair of broken spectacles, a cowboy hat, and had a metal arm replacing his right one. He also had a large mustache that connected to his sideburns.

another voice rings through the echo devices, ours and his.

"Hey thanks pumpkin, for reminding me to check in and make sure the vault hunter died. speaking of. Yo! Hey! What the fuck assassin guy? How are you not dead? You're really stuffing monkeys up the works bud. Makin' a mess of my plan." It stated kind of smarm-ily.

Zer0 said nothing content to listen.

"What's this I'm hearing about a sidekick? Who the fuck did you find out in that cold dead wasteland that didn't have their brains on ice? Don't tell me you took that fucking Claptrap out of his little dump! Fuck I knew I couldn't trust it stay put." He took a deep breath and quiet counting could barely be audibly registered.

"fine! First things first, end the final stain on hyperions production line career. Second, murder Vault Hunter from my office. Third, get eggheads to make horse out of diamonds. Bye kiddos, I'm starting you both out at a million big ones, Don't die too quick! actually, do. I want my lazy river quicker. Ciao!" The voice stopped and disconnected.

Hammerlock let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes. "Alright then, you may stay as long as you need, if you want the vending machines to work you'll need to steal the spare power coupling back from the bandits. The original was unfortunately integrated with by a certain heathenous robot."

Claptrap started laughing awkwardly. "Don't listen to him minion that's just an inside joke between us."

Hammerlock shook his head and took the eye I held out. understanding why we came he plugged it in set the eye in the sock, and then punched it with at least fifteen pounds of force. I could've sworn I heard Claptrap's frame creak a bit.

Claptrap just got up as normal and "stretched" before thanking the man by regaling him with some form of tall tale. Hammerlock had clearly zoned out waiting for the story to end.

The story last another minutes and a half, with Claptrap pausing in the middle to "Catch his breath". I swore I saw a vein start to pop on Hammerlock's head.

The story ended and the man immediately turned to us and said. "I also see your friend is Stealthily inclined, if you bring me enough Bullymong hair, I'll give you a Jakobs sniper rifle. " He offered.

I looked to Zer0 and he nodded. "We'll try to take you up on that." I stated for us. "For now though, is there a place we can rest for awhile? We've been active all day. Maybe a shower?" I asked.

"Try some of the houses on the outer edge." Hammerlock suggested. "Those were typically used by newer residents, and they all left by the first sign of danger. Those should be clean, and things should still work since the fast travel is still functioning." He finished.

"So Flynt is a recent problem?" I asked.

He nodded. "Past couple of months I believe."

Time was hard to measure on Pandora, I wasn't sure what the cycle was yet. We had been here for at least fourteen hours now with a lot of walking involved, still bright as day.

So that wasn't a good frame of reference. I nodded as of it was. "Also please take care of Flynt on your way out of The Shelf? Maybe the residents can return and bring this place back to normal-ish." The man gave a final request.

Zer0 and I locked eyes. I shrugged. Might as well? I mean if they are gonna hunt us down anyways. that'll be annoying you know. "We'll give it a shot boss man." I answered him.

"Excellent I appreciate it, I've heard word of an incindiary pistol he wields that has exceptional ignition quality. You may want to aim for that as your loot." Hammerlock hinted. "For now though you best be off, a good nights rest, a ready Vault Hunter makes."

We nodded and searched the houses. taking a pair aside each other. it was surprisingly hospitable, I guess the previous residents jurry rigged the house to leach off the hyperion power lines.

I took a quick shower and used some form of cloth I dug out from the hastily packed house to dry off before re-dressing. I grabbed a few more, layered them up and used them for a little extra warmth while I borrowed a pillow I thoroughly beat the dust out of.

It was strange, I wasn't cold, and I wasn't hot. Out and about like I was earlier. I was perfectly fine didn't feel the temperature at all still didn't in here and now the blankets make it the perfect temperature. it's really strange. I pondered as my eyes drifted shut and I slowly fell asleep.


I awoke what I saw to be eight hours later on my echo. Guess the foriegn bed tension reduces sleeping. I stretch and yawn before getting up and leaving the house. I walk towards the center of the small town. As I reach the fast travel I see Zer0 appear.

"I have gone scouting/I have read the enemy/Power within hand." He stated. I give a thankful nod. A smiley emote came to life on his mask.

"What's the plan then? Split up? I'll get the hair you get the battery? Probably pretty easy for you, yeah?" I ask.

"Indeed." was all he said.

Strategy laid out we split up. I started out the gate on the north side of the small town. It opened onto a massive slab of iced over lake. It led in three main directions. One towards some kind of bullymong spawning ground.

Another towards a massive cave and bandit hideout just before it. The final leading forwards up a massive incline leading towards a mountain with a fuck-ass giant ship resting at the peak.

With a shrug I made my way towards the crater riddled with holes in the walls. I stuck a hand out and thought of the battle ahead. A light sweat misting my forehead, adrenaline starting to seep through my blood.

A flash of rust and chains devours the air in front of me as my weapon of choice made itself tangible. I slammed the teeth against a wall with a sharp sounding screech.

Again.

And again.

And again.

"It's time to wake up!" I shouted. "A good bullymong is a productive Bullymong! Productive bullymongs don't sleep in!" I continued. "Bullymongs are most productive in fact, when they lay in a pile at my feet!" I taunted.

At least a dozen various sized mong's shot out of the holes. Frothing at the and letting out constant sounds of dissatisfaction that reverberated throughout the canyon.

"Good morning, looks like you guys woke up on the wrong side of the bed." I teased, earning the ire of the closest mong. it charged at me with a roar swinging at arm at my head.

I dodge it, getting tripped by the second. I hit the ground with a roll and get to my feet cleaving the small "mongling" nearby in half as it jumped at me.

Throwing myself out of the way of another oncoming mong, I got hit in the back of the head with a snowball dimming my vision for a moment.

I shake it off and put some distance between me and them. Three rush from three different directions. I step back and thrust towards the first skewering jt as I used a second hand to transition into a slice removing a pair of torsos from their matching waists.

four down, eight left. Two Slingers as I've taken to calling them. Two monglings, two adolescent. I assumed adolescent based on the size if the one that stole Trashtrap's eye was adult.

I skirt around the outer edge of the crater, avoiding snowballs as I closed in on their ranged support. A helm splitter, into a legnthwise slash removed them from the equation.

Having musjusged the distance between us, I get a massive fist to the ribs sending flying a few feet.

"You Asswipe! That fuckin' hurt." I cursed gingerly touching my side as I got up. Something was fractured, not broken but damn near close.

With a snarl more animal than human I sneered. Grabbing the blade with both hands I met the fucker head on. I punched a hole in its chest before kicking it off the blade, Feeling danger imminent, I immediately turn a hundred-eighty degrees and bring blade to skin. something cracks as I connect with what I assume to be the edge of its pelvic bowl, right next to the hip joint.

This time the mong tumbled to the ground behing me, not getting the chance to move as I stuck the blade in its head. Two to go.

Adrenaline was flowing, the sweat was full blown. My body was tense, I saw the two decide to close in from opposing sides. I waited till the last minute as an overwhelming instinct took over my mind.

I stabbed the blade into the ground, using my body weight to reposition behind it with a slide. I remove the blade from the ice and stab forward with all my strength as the blade slides in through the chest of mong one and out the back of mong two.

The second squirmed very briefly before succumbing to death. I took a deep breath and collapsed on my ass. No more decided it was worth the attempt and I was alone in the clearing.

I was covered in various bodily fluids and the like. With a sigh I got up and trimmed the bullymongs and trudged back towards the town.

My side was starting to hurt now, hopefully Zer0 would be done soon, maybe one of those vendors had pain killers.

I arrived back in town and knocked on hammerlock's door clutching my side. He opens the door and instantly flinches.

Guess I made a bigger mess than I thought. I pulled out a large sack of hair that was inside my echo. The only support provided by our quest giver. Then I handed it over.

"What happens to be wrong with your side?" Hammerlock asked.

"Got socked by a sneaky mutant monkey. It didn't live to regret it. Got any pain killers?" I hoped.

"I suppose I do but why not just use a Med-I-Ject?" The man inquired.

"A what?" stated ever so eloquently.

"Those red vials? You take one, insert it into a convient vein and wait five minutes." He explained.

"Uh huuh." I agreed. "Where might I purchase some of these? Vendors are currently down after all." The obvious being pointed out.

"I have a spare, think of it as a tip for the outstanding service." Hammerlock complimented wandering back into the house for a moment or two.

He came out with the sniper rifle and a large test tube with a needled and a red cross on it. I shrug and grab the vial first, I jam it into the crook of my elbow managing to reach an easy blood vessel to inject to.

Once it was empty I digistructed the sniper and threw the empty vial at the back of the bounty board scaring the absolute shit out of Claptrap.

I turned back to see a minor smirk on hammerlock's face before it disappeared. "Once again, thank you for the hair, it shall be most comfortable and provide much information for my almanac."

I nod and turn to leave. "I'd wash up if I were you." I heard from over my shoulder. Looking myself over and giving a smell I realized I really made a mess.

So I went back to the house to do exactly that.