Hey guys back again. I don't really have any announcements to make but here's another chapter.

Chapter 7: The Talk

Gaige slowly opened her eyes. Seeing mainly ocean, with her right field of vision nothing but a leather like fabric. Noticing she was outside, she wondered how she wasn't cold. In fact she was completely warm. She was also upright leaning against something fairly soft. She propped herself up and found she was leaning on Maddox. She nodded to herself and leaned back on him.

Suddenly, she sprang up realizing that SHE was leaning ON MADDOX. She looked around quickly to see if anyone was watching. Her face tomato red. There was nothing, not even a bird. Maddox was leaning against the bridge, he was still sleeping, her jolt hadn't woken him. He was peaceful. She turned around seeing a very beautiful sunrise. The light flashes of pink along the horizon. She looked back at Maddox, noticing she had gotten up early. There was no land in sight for the boat that trudged on.

She sat down next to him again. She looked at her lap while twirling her thumbs around each other. Remembering everything that occurred the night before. He pretty much revealed his life story to her. He was forced into something because he had powers. Whoever captured him used him for his power, and he had to basically fight his way out. Then finding out everyone he knew was dead. So it made sense to come all the way to an outer planet like Pandora.

Yet all she revealed to him was about her Dad, and the one piece of hope he had given her so long ago. Now that hope was gone, right? There was no way she'd find love on this planet, right? Gaige looked over her shoulder at Maddox. '...That person will protect you better than I ever could…' Maddox had saved her life multiple times already, but was it better than her Dad? She thought long and hard about this, her Dad saved her from possible execution, even some school bullies when she was younger. But really it was just one time saving her life. Maddox had saved all of them when the train blew up, tackled her as he came in contact with bullets, and even put a protective barrier around her when the Suicide Psycho tried to kill her. This of course nearly killed him. So the answer to the question was 'yes.' He could very easily protect her better than her Dad.

Without even realizing it, she leaned against his shoulder. Then mumbled, "Maybe not all hope has been lost."

"Laaand Hoooooo," Clap Trap said waking up everyone on the ship. Gaige slowly opened her eyes as she sat up. Looking at her 'pillow, she saw Maddox slowly begin to awaken. Maddox had a slight blush as he realized that the two of them had fallen asleep together. He glanced at Gaige and gave her a weary smile. Gaige returned the smile, not wanting to make the awkward situation worse. The rest of the group climbed out of the room below them, noticing the two youngest members were already up. Maya eyed Maddox carefully, Maddox noticed but figured he should sort out the problem later. Besides, when they got to Sanctuary Maddox was planning on leaving for his own quest. But he also was desperately trying to find an excuse to stay and help the rest finish their 'Handsome What's His Face' quest.

Maddox stood up and looked over the front end of the boat. Noticing they were going pretty fast despite that land was pretty close. "Clap Trap, don't you think you should slow down?" Maddox asked him.

"What?" Clap Trap asked not understanding him.

"Slow down."

"No. You can trust me, I'll stop this thing before -" the boat slammed into the shore flinging everyone forward slightly. Maddox however was standing to close to the edge and was knocked off. Maddox tried to catch himself knowing the boat would crush him as it was still trying to push through the thick ice. However, he missed the ledge sealing his fate. Crushed by a boat. Driven by Clap Trap. Well… at least that's what he thought his fate was.

Just before it was too late, Gaige caught his wrist with her cyber arm and she began to pull him up. Maddox then grabbed onto the ledge when close enough and helped pull himself up.

Once Maddox was safe and the boat had stopped moving. Gaige simply sat on her knees looking down at her lap with her hands on the skirt. "Gaige? Are you ok?"

Gaige didn't answer for a couple minutes. "Don't… die… please."

Maddox was stunned by this response and was going to protest. "Gaige I-"

Gaige reacted in angry tears lunging forward her cyber hand gripping tightly against his red shirt. "NO! I told you something last night I had never told anyone before. So don't you dare die on me!"

It was now Maddox's turn to be silent. Except he took longer to respond. "Ok" Maddox wrapped his arms around the teenager bringing her close. Her head resting right on his chest. Her tear stained face twisted in confusion. She knew there were two reasons for this confusion.

One reason was because she was surprised at how she had just reacted. She didn't even know what Maddox was going to say, she had just lost control.

The other reason was his heart beat. It was different. Yes, it had the rhythm of a human heart beat. But there was no thump noise. She couldn't even feel the heart beat. Out of pure curiosity she tried to listen deeper and sunk even more into his chest. It was a weird sound. Something she had only heard in movies. It sounded like a electronic reactor was pulsing. Kinda like a generator. It sounded just like the sound of an electronic heartbeat.

"Uhh… Gaige?" Maddox said slightly uncomfortable.

Gaige looked up then immediately jumped off of him. Both faces turning red. The rest of them looked at the two. All wondered what exactly had transpired. Maya was still looking as pissed as ever. "Maddox? Could we have a chat? The rest of you go on. We'll catch up." Maya said through clenched teeth.

The rest nodded and began to leave. Gaige looked at Maya, who returned her with a reassuring smile. Finally the two were alone.

"Is everything alright?" Maddox asked the siren.

"No." She said simply.

Maddox waited for a continuation. But one never came. "Ok… so what's wrong?"

"You."

"Uhhh k, care to elaborate?"

"You need to stop doing that to her."

Maddox immediately knew who the 'her' was. "Stop doing what?"

"Scaring her, almost getting yourself killed. Most of all stop lying to her."

"The first two I understand. But what am I lying about."

"You need to stop lying about the planet your from, stop lying about your backstory to her. Stop lying about why you're here.

"What are you talking about? Those were all true."

"Really? Because I studied the maps of the universe and I have never found a planet called Rehtona Noisnemid. So if your planet doesn't even exist then clearly you being captured is a big fluke because I'm sure that would have caught the attention of major companies to try and use you too. Also there has not been a single hint that this other you is even on this planet."

"Ok you got me there. Yea Rehtona is not a planet. It's a moon. The company that colonized is were planning to colonize the planet which we now call Radmetal. You've heard of that right?"

"Ok. Yes I have heard of it. But it's not on any maps because-"

"Because is is inhabitable. Instead the company found a single moon that orbited the planet. The moon soon became known as Rehtona. Eventually the company left and forgot about it. Leaving the people to fend for themselves. That's why it's so undeveloped. We have no echo device and a lot of the weapons and military technology mirror that of the very first human planet way back in the 21st century."

"So if you're saying it's that underdeveloped. How'd did you get off with no spaceship?"

"I had two things that I don't have right now that got me off. One of those things was an armored suit. This armored suit not only enhanced my powers, but it kept me from passing out. The thing's thrusters were powerful enough to push me away from the gravitational pull of the moon. While I can fly now. It causes a more likely chance to pass out, on top of that it won't break the gravity. I also had a car. The car didn't help me get off the planet but I was able to bring it with me using a cable attached to my suit."

"What's so special about this car? The armored suit I could see how that's special and I have a few more skeptical points to try and flatten out there too."

"The car was made way before it's time. I'm talking more advanced than the most advanced car you've ever seen. The car was made out of a type of titanium alloy you only find on space ships. Yet, each alloy was technologically engineered to have a microchip in each piece. All of the pieces, even the tires, are then controlled by a very advanced AI."

"Where did your moon get these materials?"

"A ship that lost control and crashed into Radmetal. A piece of the ship was propelled to our moon. That piece of ship had absolutely no computer systems. Except for two AI. Both AIs lost connection to the mainframe and we could not pull up blueprints to make a ship. Even with all the metal we now had. One of those AI went into the car. The other AI was integrated into my suit. The suit's armor also came from the hull of the ship."

"But why your suit, why your car?"

"While the major authorities of my capture's wanted to use me. One who trained me and helped me control this freak I have begun, had managed to smuggle the AIs and the alloy to his wife. Who was one of the smartest people on Rehtona. The car was already made, given to my trainer for his service in the organization. The armor was already being made with lighter less expensive metal. His wife, took the AI and installed chips into every square inch of the car. She put the AI into the car. Nobody knew of the now sentient AI's existence. Still no one else does. The armor however, she swapped out the original alloy with the more advanced alloy. Once the armor was built. It was smuggled to her by my trainer. She then installed a small generator and the second AI."

"But then what about being here. There has been no evidence of another one like you on Pandora."

"I never said I knew he/she was here. I only said I got it from other sources that pointed in this direction. Which is exactly why once we get to Sanctuary, I'm taking off, I'm going to try and find this other one like me. If I can't. Well at least at that point I'll know. I'm the only freak out here."

"Don't call yourself that."

"Huh?"

"Do you think you should insult yourself like that? Because if you're calling yourself a freak, because you're so different, wouldn't that make all Sirens a freak? If you're calling yourself a freak because you're not fully human. Doesn't that mean Gaige is also a freak?"

"...I…"

"I stand here, having just witnessed how much it effects Gaige when you almost die. Yet you talk to me like you're going to leave everyone behind. Here you are making Gaige worry so much about you because she really cares about you, yet you don't even seem to really notice."

"...I-I didn't know she could care that much about me. I didn't know anyone could."

"Well she does, do you know how bad she felt when you saved her from the suicidal psycho and passed out?"

"No, I guess not."

"It made her wish she stayed on Eden 5 and got whatever punishment she deserved because all she thought she did was put you in more danger."

"I'm sorry… it's just. I'm too scared to let anyone into my life like that. I've had nothing but a giant target painted on my back for the past three years and I haven't been able to trust anyone. Those I could trust were always killed. I'm just afraid to lose someone like Gaige. Especially again."

"Again?"

"...Anika. A childhood friend of mine. I had known her for so long. I actually ended up in love with her. But when I was captured by the organization and stuck in it for three years. By the time I got out. Anika had committed suicide. Thinking she was the reason for my death. Originally what had changed me was going to change Anika. I was able to intervene, at the cost of her believing I was dead."

"Are you saying you like Gaige?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure if this keeps up. Where we are in countless situations where we must depend on each other for survival. I may develop something. I'm just afraid that I'll do something that will make me seem dead, then Gaige will blame herself, take herself out, when I'm actually alive trying to get back to her."

"Does she know you're leaving?"

"Yes...she does."

"Well, we probably need to go and catch up. They're probably wondering where we're at."

Maya and Maddox then began to catch up with the others. Finding bullymong corpses on their way up the cliff side. "What took you so long amigos?" Sal asked once they were in sight of them. "We digistructed a couple runner vehicles. Problem is they only fit two people, some of us will need to hold on. Tightly."

Axton threw Maya a grenade. "Found this in a chest."

"Thank you." Maya caught it.

Maddox walked up to Gaige who gave him a half heartened smile. She had just killed more bandits. Maddox threw his arms around her. She was caught off guard and didn't know how to react. "You look like you needed a hug."

"You're not wrong." She said as she leaned into the hug and put her arms around him.

So yeah that is it for now, hope you enjoyed. Nothing much else.

Inventory Update

Axton

Electronic Strike- Dahl Sniper

Incendiary Aegis- Maliwan Pistol

Amped Shield- Hyperion

Sticky Lobbed Standard Grenade- Tediore

Maya

Electronic Spread- Tediore Launcher

Negotiator- Dahl Pistol

Standard Shield- Tediore

Weakened Sticky Longbow Transfusion Grenade

Maliwan

Salvador

Longrider- Jakob's Shotgun

Electronic Prowler- Maliwan Launcher

Nova Shield- Torgue

Electronic Homing Effect Grenade- Vladof

Zero

Sniper- Dahl Sniper

Anaconda- Dahl Pistol

Nova Shield- Torgue

Electronic Homing Effect Grenade- Vladof

Gaige

Rifle- Vladof AR

Electronic Vexation- Maliwan SMG

Booster Shield- Dahl

Acidic Sticky Longbow Transfusion Grenade- Maliwan

Krieg

Pounder- Torgue Shotgun

Incendiary Launcher- Bandit Launcher

Incendiary Spike Shield- Maliwan

Electronic Homing Bettie Grenade- Dahl

Maddox

Boom- Torgue Launcher

Incendiary Sniper- Dahl Sniper

Roid Shield- Bandit

Incendiary Homing Effect Grenade- Vladof