"All preparations are in place. We are ready to proceed." Said VEGA as everyone gathered at Crimson Raider's HQ. Standing around the map that showed the fortress they would soon be assaulting within the next 24 hours.
Roland nodded as he took control of the briefing. "Thanks VEGA. Alright everyone, here's the situation. Jack has the vault key locked up tight in the fortress at the top of Thousand Cuts. For the last week, the others and I have been working on ways to bypass the security measures that keep the place defended."
The holo-table zoomed in on the main gate. "The first hurdle was a death wall that only allows those with unique Hyperion clearance. We acquired the needed clearance and gave them to Claptrap, upgrading his systems enough to allow him to get through and deactivate the gate."
Claptrap stood in the corner doing a random dance and beatboxing to himself. Doing a spin, the stewart bot disappeared into thin air courtesy of his new upgrades then reappearing. "Oh yeah! I'm more awesome than I ever was before! Bow before my greatness humans!" he shouted while doing a few thrusts.
Several people in the room slowly reached for their weapons. But stopped at the Commander's look.
"The area beyond the gate is essentially no-man's land. A wide open area that's one big target for Helios' moonshot and an array of turrets set up along the way to keep people away from the summit." Roland continued, moving the map to the large expanse that led to the base of the small mountain. "We can't do much about the orbital ordnance. But deactivating the turrets should give us a chance to get more troops through to offer support."
"Mason and I got that," said Lilith. "With his speed and my phase-walking, we can get past no man's land and shut down the local defenses."
"I can also run interference through the Hyperion communications network and make it harder for Helios to lock onto specific targets," said VEGA.
The map shifted again and showed the fortress itself. "The site itself has a lot of defenses in place. But the strongest is the BNK3R unit." a holographic image of the large defense robot incharge of securing the fortress. "Once that's down, we should have a straight shot to the last hurdle."
Zooming in on the summit, an image of the last checkpoint. "A biometric scanner that will only allow Handsome Jack entry. Our recent raid on a Hyperion convoy helped us get what we needed to get through. We just need to get VEGA into the system to get the door open."
"Will we have air support sir?" asked Corporal Reiss.
"We have a small unit of Buzzards we liberated from a few bandit clans. Once the turret defenses are down, we can send them in to give the ground units air cover." said Roland. He leaned on the holo-table. "Getting the vault key back in our possession is the main objective, but we have no idea what to expect once we get inside. Whatever else could be hidden there, Jack went the distance with protecting it. The very second he finds out what we're up to, he'll send everything he's got to stop us. When the mission starts, stick together, and fight with everything you got."
The gathered CR forces saluted their Commander as the debrief came to an end and they filed out of the room, leaving the slayer and the original vault hunters behind.
"This is going to be a tense one." Roland admitted, crossing his arms while looking at the mission map. "We can prepare for everything thrown at us outside the bunker…there's still no telling what's waiting for us inside though.
Mason took a deep breath, "Yeah, there is." he said, getting everyone's attention instantly. "It took a while, but VEGA was able to crack through a few firewalls surrounding the fortress. After a while, it was like something was letting him inside…or, more or less, someone was letting him inside."
"What are you talking about?" asked Mordecai.
The slayer turned to the holo-table, "VEGA?"
"Establishing connection." the AI responded. "Connection Established."
Next to VEGA's avatar, a pixelated version of a young woman's head appeared. She looked around the room before smiling. "Hello all. It's good to see you again."
"What the fuck?" Lilith said, taking a step back from the table with the others. "It's you!"
Angel nodded, "Yes. And I understand your outrage-"
"You're the one that tricked us into opening the vault!" Roland cut her off, "Led us around Pandora thinking that we had some great adventure when you were setting us up to die!"
"SHUT UP!" Mason roared, the power in his voice almost shaking the room and making everyone go quiet. "It's true that Angel here did all of that, but that's NOT the full story. And if you'd just listen for five fucking minutes you'll get all the answers."
The former vault hunters were hesitant for several moments before settling down. The slayer looked at the woman's image who nodded to him. "Now then. Angel is a Siren, a techno-mage for lack of a better explanation, which is how she's managed to be everywhere on the digital spectrum. But more than that…she's Jack's daughter."
Another round of outrage was about to be thrown when Angel scoffed, "Please. I haven't been that Ba…Bastard's daughter for years." she said, hesitating before using crass language. "He's been keeping me prisoner in the bunker you're about to attack, using me to charge the vault key and keep tabs on everything through the echonet."
"Explains all the security," said Brick.
"I take it you're sealed in tight?" asked Roland.
"I am. There are several machines forcing eridium into my body that I convert into energy to charge the key." Angel admitted with a sorrowful expression. "Jack's been doing this since he got the vault key. Any longer, and my body will be dependent on the eridium…"
Mason took over again from there, "She's also the central hub for Hyperion's data network. We break her out, we get the key, deal a massive blow to Jack's operations, and get another siren on our side. Not to mention saving a girl from her bastard father."
"How long have you known about this?" asked Lilith, giving her boyfriend a look in regards to him possibly keeping something from her.
"Not long. VEGA and I had to be sure what we were dealing with before bringing it up. Either way, the mission parameters are still the same regardless. Just more for us to gain in the end result." said the slayer. "And there's no way in hell I'm leaving Angel at Jack's mercy any longer. Fucking up his whole operation from the inside out is just a big bonus."
The others looked at one another, mulling over the new information before coming to a decision. "Alright. We stick to the plan." Roland said finally. "Angel, is there anything you can tell us for when we get inside?"
"My control core was designed to suppress and contain Sirens. I strongly recommend that Lilith stay out. Even more so when Jack discovers what you are doing, I wouldn't put it past him to try and capture her as well." said Angel.
The older siren scoffed, "No way in hell I'm sitting that fight out." Mason sent her a look, but knew full well that she would do what she wanted on the subject regardless. He'd just have to keep her close when the time came.
"As for defenses, Jack has a series of platforms that'll digistruct loader bots directly into my chamber. The Angel-Guardian series. They have stronger armor and deal out more punishment than any of the other categories, save for the badass ones." The techno-siren continued.
"Data received on Angel-Guardian class loader bots." said VEGA after receiving the files from Angel and displaying them over the table.
"Any chance you can run interference from your end? Keep Jack in the dark as long as possible?" asked Roland.
"I'll do all I can from my end. If you and the Crimson Raiders can grant me my freedom and sanctuary from Jack, I'll offer all the aid I am able to help stop him for good." said Angel.
The private meeting went on for a few more minutes before the team dispersed. Angel returned to her bunker so that Jack didn't find anything amiss until the assault.
On the way back to their home, Mason and Lilith had been quiet. A small tension stretching between them.
"You could have given me a heads up. Could have given all of us a heads up for that matter." she tossed out as they went through the main square.
The slayer nodded, "I know. But like I said, VEGA and I had to be sure of what we were dealing with incase of a double-cross. I didn't want Jack to catch you guys from behind should something go wrong. I was being cautious."
Lilith sighed, "I know you were. And I know for a fact that you can take on this whole damn planet and come out on top. But that doesn't stop me from being worried every once in a while. Face it, you're stuck with me now."
"Not a bad thing." Mason replied, smirk hidden behind his visor as he picked the siren up and tossed her over his shoulder. Lilith laughed as she was carried back to their home caveman style.
They were a couple meters from their front door when an explosion from inside ripped it from its hinges and sent it flying toward them. Mason dashed to the left, avoiding the projectile as it flew past them and hit a random bandit that had been walking down the street.
Setting Lilith back on her feet, the slayer and siren looked at one another and said the same thing;
"Tina."
Heading inside, they found the living room looking like ground zero. The furniture was either scorched or thrown around the room, windows were cracked and shattered, and a large black mark in the form of a circle was in the middle of the room.
Coughing was heard nearby, then Tina came crawling out from under the overturned couch. Her face and clothes black from the explosion, but she looked unharmed.
"Hmm, needs a longer fuse time. And maybe some extra oomph for the main blast." she said to herself. A throat clearing had her back going ramrod, slowly turning around she saw Mason and Lilith standing her with their arms crossed.
"Oh, heh, h-hey Doom-Daddy, Fire-Mama." she said hesitantly, knowing that she was busted.
"Tina. What did I tell you about using explosives in the house?" Mason asked sternly.
"Only when we're under attack?" Tina said, eyes on the floor.
"Were we under attack?" asked the slayer.
"...no."
"You know what happens next, right?" Mason held out his hand.
Tina sighed as she pulled another grenade from her apron and put it in his open palm. The slayer's fingers curled a couple times, the little girl pouted as she emptied all her pockets. A small pile of explosives gathered in Mason's hand.
"You're grounded, young lady. Blowing shit up is one thing. But not our shit."
"Yes dad." the little blonde said sadly before sulking off to her room.
Dumping the gathered explosives in a nearby crate, Mason turned to Lilith. They shared a look before smiling at one another. Strange as it was, this was their life now. And neither of them would change it for anything.
"I got the living room." said the red head.
"I got the door." the slayer replied as he went outside to find the missing front door.
X
Thousand Cuts was the very definition of a No-Man's land. A wide expanse of open ground covered in craters and scorch marks along with the bodies of various bandits and raiders that were dumb enough to try and cross.
A large mill had been set up just outside the killzone, home to the Slab bandit clan that had vacated the place a while ago. Thankfully the fast travel and Catch-A-Ride stations were still up and running which allowed the Crimson Raiders to set up a staging area for the assault on the control core.
Roland had gathered every able bodied soldier under his command, along with a battalion of runners and technicals that were being worked on.
"This everyone?" asked the commander to one of the nearby sargeants.
"Yes sir. Just waiting for the order." replied his subordinate. Roland nodded before entering a small warehouse where his friends and fellow vault hunters were also preparing. "Everyone's in place. The second that death wall goes down, we'll make our move."
Mason sharpened his Doom-Blade with a whetstone, examining his work before retracting it back into his gauntlet. "Give Lilith and me a couple minutes to deactivate the turrets. Minimize casualties for when we reach the mountain. Where's Claptrap?"
"Wheeling around pissing people off, the usual." said Mordecai while adjusting the sight on his sniper rifle.
Brick chuckled, casually swinging his argent-ax. "Man, I can't wait for this! When do we start wrecking shit?!"
"Relax Brick. Don't go getting yourself all worked up just yet." Lilith said, patting him on the arm. The siren turned to her boyfriend who was snapping the explosive-mod barrel onto his combat shotgun before switching to his super shotgun.
"Not gonna try and talk me out of it?" she asked, hinting toward Angel's comment about her prison.
The slayer shook his head, "Won't do much good. When your mind's made up there's no way to change it. Just expect me to watch your ass the whole time."
Lilith sent him a heated smirk, "And how is that any different from any other day?"
"Oh god." Mordecai groaned, "Will you two go get a room or something, or at least wait till we all leave."
The siren kept her smirk as she crossed her arms under her bust and leaned back against Mason. "Try getting yourself a woman to spend time with, Mordi. And no, Bloodwing doesn't count." the avian predator screeched before perching herself on her master's shoulder. "That shot wasn't aimed at you, girl." Lilith clarified.
An hour later, everything and everyone was in place. Mason stood at the edge of no man's land, eyes locked on the security gate and the paved road beyond. Even with all the preparation, Jack wasn't going to give the raiders a whole lot of time once they got past the barrier. They'd have to work fast to avoid too many casualties on their side.
Although he could have handled this task solely on his own, there was no way Roland and the others would want to stay out of it. This was their fight long before it was his.
Lilith came up and stood on his left, Claptrap wheeling up to his right. "Ready for this?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Right beside you, babe." replied the siren.
"Yeah! Let's go stick it to that over inflated jerkbag!" Claptrap bellowed in agreement.
The slayer cracked his knuckles. "Alright. Let's go." Putting left arm around Lilith and grabbing the handle welded to the back of Claptrap, he took off in a dead run across the battle scarred field. Reaching the Hyperion gate in seconds where he set down his passengers.
"Claptrap, do your thing." Mason said to the bot. Claptrap saluted before activating his new upgrades and became invisible. Slipping past the death wall and reappearing on the other side.
"Oh yeah! In your face Jack!"
"Just open the damn door!" Lilith shouted.
Claptrap began typing on the panel on the gate, "Annnnnnnnd, open!" the energy field sputtered and died, leaving the path ahead open.
("Slayer Gates" - Doom Eternal OST)
"Gate's down, we're going in!" Mason said over the comms, drawing his rocket launcher while Lilith got out an assault rifle and activated her wings. The couple charged/flew through the gate just as the defense towers set up along the road came online and opened fire.
The slayer fired several three-round bursts from the launcher, nailing each turret and sending explosions of shrapnel into the air. Lilith phase-walked to different locations, taking out loaders, Hyperion personnel and shutting down any anti-air defenses.
"Stationary defenses beyond the gate have been neutralized, Commander." VEGA reported.
"You heard him boys! Roll out!"Roland ordered as the large convoy of technicals and runners sped forward, a dozen buzzards taking to the air and following them in.
Mason slashed his Doom-Blade upward, putting a large cut on a combat engineer's chest before grabbing the edges of the wound and ripping open the man's rib cage. Pulling out his combat shotgun, he fired several explosive rounds into a group of EXP-loaders and causing a large chain reaction of explosions. The convoy and air units started opening fire on the Hyperon personnel that survived his and Lilith's opening attacks.
"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON OUT THERE?!" Jack raged over the echonet. "HOW DID THOSE FUCKS FROM SANCTUARY GET PAST MY DEATH WALL?!"
A Constructor bot slammed into the ground and began firing the cannon on its back. Managing to take out a runner that was within range before summoning rocket loaders.
Switching to his chaingun, the slayer unleashed a barrage of slugs that tore through the loaders and wearing down the Constructor's shields. The large bot turned and fired its optic beam in retaliation, only for Mason to jump high over it and dash through the air toward the large machine.
Pulling out his combat shotgun again, he quickly snapped on the burst-mod on the barrel just before his boots landed on top of the Constructor. Firing several powerful bursts into the base of the bot's cannon and weakening the supports. Stashing the weapon, the slayer grabbed the edge of the turret and ripped it off.
Barrel in both hands, Mason leapt down and swung the turret into the Constructor with enough force to crack its optic and cave in a portion of its front.
Despite the damage, the large bot still attempted to stand on its own. But without its weapons it was effectively defenseless. The slayer stomped up toward it, extending his Doom-Blade and driving it deep through what remained of its optic. Sparks shot out along its frame as he yanked the blade back out and dashed backwards just as it exploded.
The local threats dealt with, Mason began to make the ascent up along the mountain road. "Warning! Ordinance incoming!" VEGA alerted as a volley of missiles began to rain down from somewhere up ahead.
The slayer ran at inhuman speeds, avoiding the explosions that rained down around him. "Roland! Keep your ground team back! I'll take out the missile launchers!" he shouted over all the noise. Clotheslining two loaders as he moved hard enough to nearly split them in half.
"You'll be on your own the rest of the way!" the Commander replied.
"Don't forget what I can do, Roland! This'll be nothing!" Mason jumped up and slammed both boots down onto a WAR-loader, crushing it beneath his feet before taking off sprinting again.
Roland sighted, "Alright, we'll set up a defensive post around the gate. But the buzzards will stay with you to provide support."
The slayer rolled his eyes, but didn't comment as he tore the explosive core out of an EXP-loader and throwing it at a pair of Hyperion soldiers, taking them both out. He'd made it past the targeting zone of the mortars and was approaching a large steel door that led to the base of the mountain.
A small squad of soldiers, engineers and loaders opened fire on him. But they may as well have been firing BBs as he barreled into their ranks. HAR in hands that unleashed pod rockets that ripped through armor and flesh alike.
"What the fuck am I paying you idiots for?! KILL THAT FUCKER NOW!" Jack's words were completely ignored as his forces were obliterated.
A soldier screamed in agony as he had both his arms torn off, his torso kicked off a small cliff. Mason dropped the severed limbs before running at a rocket loader, dropping low and cleaving one of its legs off with his Doom-Blade before coming up and stabbing it through its back and out its optic.
Seeing a pair of turrets come online by the gate, the slayer grabbed the loader's dropped launcher and fired rockets at each one until they were burning salvage. Dropping the spent launcher, he approached the steel gate and found it sealed tight. Giving it a test knock, he gave it a minute of thought before backtracking down the road until he was about 30 meters away.
Once he felt he was at the right distance, Mason spun around and ran full tilt. Yellow energy crackled along his body as his speed increased beyond mortal means. Leaping at the last moment, he slammed his shoulder with all the force he gathered behind it. The thick steel bent inward like aluminum before the gate was blown clean off its tracks, flying into the area beyond and killing several soldiers that were in the middle of preparing defenses.
Landing on his feet, the slayer entered the loading and staging area for the control core. A pyramid-like structure stood in front of him with two levels. Dozens of soldiers opened fire from both upper platforms, but the bigger targets were the two badass-Constructors that were stationed at the top.
Mason grinned and cracked his knuckles as a volley of rockets shot into the air from the large robots and arched downward toward him.
("BFG Division 2020" - Doom Eternal OST)
He took off like a bullet, leaping up to the first level of the structure, crushing two soldiers upon landing. Beheading an engineer with his Doom-Blade before pulling out his plasma rifle and lighting up every other target within range. A built up stun bomb disabled a handful of loaders that were then blown apart by a well placed grenade that was tossed among them.
Switching weapons, the slayer revved his chainsaw and drove the blade into a soldier. The whirling teeth chewing through armor and flesh as he cut the screaming man in half from shoulder to hip.
Mason swung around and slashed with the chainsaw, bisecting another man in yellow armor and splashing more blood across his armor.
With each kill, the slayer's vision began to tint red more and more. His attacks becoming more and more brutal. He'd long since put away his chainsaw and was now using his bare hands. Tearing the head off an engineer then driving a fist through a combat loader and ripping it in half. The whole time, three words kept echoing in his head;
Kar En Tuk…Kar En Tuk…KAR EN TUK!
He grabbed another soldier, lifting him in the air and tearing him in half as easily as a breadstick. His blood like lava in his veins, but singing from the carnage he was unleashing on these dumb bastards.
Loaders of various classes dropped in, trying to overwhelm the slayer from all sides. But Mason was too far lost in his battle-rage, barreling through the machines and smashing his fists through anything that got within range.
Knocking a War-loader to the ground, he tore off one of its cannon arms and used it to blast a couple of surveyors out of the sky before throwing it at an EXP-loader. He then smashed his fist through a Hot-loader and tore out its fuel tank, tossing it at the upper level, setting a pair of snipers on fire.
Three PWR-loaders stomped forward, transforming into their bulldozer forms and surging toward the slayer. Glaring at them, he channeled power to his fist and waited until they got close enough before delivering a powerful strike that crumpled the lead bot like a tin can and released a shockwave that threw the other two off course.
Drawing his super shotgun, Mason blasted one of the remaining PWR-loaders before grabbing the other one by its legs and tearing it in half. Reloading his weapon, he dashed a few times to avoid another salvo of rockets from the badass-Constructors.
Fury spiking, the slayer leapt up to the top level and charged the closest one. Avoiding the dual optic beams it fired at him as he closed the distance quickly, taking out his rocket launcher and hitting its wide flank several times.
The large constructor stumbled on its small legs, using thrusters built into its frame to stay upright as it tried to get a lock on the one attacking it. Mason avoided another optic beam and got in close, taking one of the bot's legs off with his Doom-Blade and making it crash to the ground. He leapt up on the top of the machine and made for its missile launcher. Tearing the mounted weapon open, the slayer grabbed one of the loaded rockets and jammed it in reverse in the launcher.
Dropping a grenade in the opening with the reversed missile, Mason jumped off the badass unit just before it exploded. Shaking the whole ship yard from the force.
Dodging another, smaller barrage of missiles, the slayer went for the next Constructor. Rocket launcher in one hand, super shotgun in the other, he fired the latter's meathook that speared into the side of the large bot and slingshot himself up and over it. Raining rockets down from above and staggering it heavily.
Back on the ground, Mason stored his double barrel and slammed into the Constructor's side. Wrenching its armor open, he jammed the launcher into the hole and pulled the trigger several times. Each explosion from the inside shook the bot more and more until flames began bleeding from every opening.
The slayer dashed out of the way as the unit exploded like the first did. With both Constructors down, he turned his attention to the few remaining soldiers and loaders that remained.
More had joined the fight, but they were frozen in terror at what the man in front of them had done to their allies.
No…this wasn't a man. This was something else. A monster…An epitome of hate and rage…a bloodthirsty beast that showed no pity or mercy for anyone who gets in his path.
As they watched him stomp the head of another one of their friends…they seriously considered if the money Jack was paying them was worth it. But this thought came too late as the one slaughtering them all turned his soul-scorching eyes on them, and despite the slightly tinted visor, they could see a sadistic grin spreading across his face.
The one in the lead of the group took a very slow step back…
Blood exploded out of his mouth and dripped down from under his helmet. The slayer now standing in front of him with his Doom-Blade rammed through his chest. His last memory was of that same grin, and eyes that glowed with red energy before he yanked upward and his vision split down the middle before he collapsed.
X
Roland and the others followed the road leading to the shipping yard of the control core with the rest of the raiders. VEGA had reported that the ordinance protecting this part of the outpost had been dealt with, along with any resistance. But there had been no word from Mason for a little while.
Something that worried the Commander for a multitude of reasons.
Lilith had perched herself on the roof of one of the technical, her wings still out and ready just in case. Although she knew she had nothing to worry about, it was always best to be prepared.
The convoy went past bodies of loaders and soldiers until they reached a gate that led to the shipyard. The entrance looking as though a wrecking ball had knocked the door clean off.
"...Holy…fuck…" Mordecai muttered as they drove through the gate.
Blood was everywhere. On the walls, on crates, on the ground, crimson painted nearly every surface in wide splashes. Smoldering remains of loader bots of every class were scattered all around, along with the bodies of soldiers and engineers that were in various stages of mutilation.
Missing arms, legs, heads, some had their rib cages torn open and others had been ripped in half in different ways. There were so many severed body parts it was impossible to tell exactly how many there had been when they were alive.
A couple of raiders ended up puking off to the side, the rest looked like they would either join them or faint. Even by Pandora's standards, this was brutality on a completely different level. The whole scene made what they'd seen at the Bloodshot's stronghold look like the aftermath of a kid's birthday party.
"Damn…bastards never stood a chance." said Brick as he stepped over a dead soldier that looked like he'd been snapped in half.
There was movement on the upper level, all eyes turned to the ledge where fires still burned and saw Mason step through the flames. His suit coated in a layer of fresh blood, some dripping off the tip of his Doom-Blade that was still extended. His super shotgun held in his right hand…the severed head and spine of a Hyperion soldier in the other. The man's face frozen in a look of utter terror before he died viciously.
Dropping down to the ground below, he landed with a hard thud. Any raiders that were close immediately scrambled out of his way. "All clear." the slayer said, tossing the severed head aside.
Roland swallowed the dry lump in his throat. "I can see that." He turned to his men and started giving them orders to spread out and set up defenses in case Jack sent down reinforcements. The raiders began to hunker down, some begrudgingly moving body parts out of the way.
"Can I assume that all the blood on you is theirs?" Lilith asked her boyfriend as she took in his red drenched form.
"It would be a pretty safe assumption." Mason replied, wiping the blood off his Doom-Blade before retracting it. "I may have let loose a little."
The siren raised an eyebrow, " A 'little'?" she looked around at all the carnage. "If this is a little, I wonder what a lot would look like."
"If my memories are still on the money, I think I've collectively laid waste to several worlds that had been taken over by Hell." the slayer thought to himself as he recalled several moments in his past that pertained to that statement.
Lilith shook her head, "Crazy bastard."
"Your crazy bastard." Mason said with a smirk.
"Yes, yes you are." replied the red head, putting a hand on his arm only to pull back and wipe the still wet blood off on her pants. "You're getting hosed off when we get back home."
They regrouped with the others and started to prepare for the next phase of the assault. And Mason was more than ready to tear the rest of the control core to the ground.
X
A/N: Nothing like a good Berserk moment to help someone loosen up a bit. Angel's rescue is coming, and a big blow to Hyperion as well. Jack has pissed off the wrong dominant life form, and his steel barreled sword is primed and ready to unleash vengeance.