CHAPTER 2
The fourth passenger was a women. Short, but well proportioned. She carried a Jacobs assault rifle, as well as a revolver. Her hair wasn't short like the other two women. It reached her hips easily, in a tight single braid. But it was the color that was unusual. It was almost black at the roots, lightening to a bright green-aqua colour at the tips. The bright blue swirling tattoos down the left side of her body gave away her identity immediately. She was a siren.
"So this is the deal kiddos" Lillith stood at the front of the group, addressing the newcomers. "Just stay standing as you are, and I am going to phase us back to our home base, the town of Sanctuary." She spoke slowly in case these newbies weren't as smart as she would like them to be.
A bright purple haze surrounded them, then they were all travelling through a sparkling, swirling vortex.
When they got back, Mordecai and Brick were already sleeping, as was usual for them to rest after midday on Pandora's 90 hour day cycle. They obviously weren't too excited about meeting the new troops. No one would blame them. To date none of the previous candidates had survived.
The old Crimson Lance headquarters had become home to a handful of the veteran vault hunters after Roland had passed. They clung to his memory in the building. Few of his old possessions still littered the room, hiding away in dark corners and crevices. Maya had began packing some stuff into boxes, but Lillith had caught her doing it, and broken down once more at the sad reminder of her lost flame.
In truth all the vault hunters had looked up to Roland, he was the rock in a constantly changing place. Always the man with the plan, always the first to jump to someones aid should they require it. So the troop that continued to bunk down at the former headquarters, had gone to extra measures, to rebuild it to a standing that would make their comrade proud.
They hadn't gotten very far. The mercs themselves never had time to pitch in and help. The many bandit clans spread across the planet had gone into overdrive after Jack and his 'Warrior' had been taken down. All scrambling for the poll position on the vastly uncivilized planet. The planet lacked any form of political figure, and was the only downfall of taking out Jack, as he had the majority of bandit and psycho clans under his influence.
But after Jacks demise, with the help of Clap trap, the only known steward robot left on Pandora, and a couple of re-programmed Hyperion Loaders, there had been some progress at least. The robots where always under the watchful eye of Dr Patricia Tannis, whom wasn't relishing the idea of more people arriving. I guess you could call her the socially retarded type, as she liked to avoid any type of confrontation at all. Though the vault hunters had noticed she hadn't minded the robots as much as she let them believe.
Tannis was probably the smartest, most educated person on Pandora, and was always sending the vault hunters off to find various elements for her newest research and experiments.
'Well obviously we have been delegated to intros and prep?' Axton crossed his arms over his chest after Tannis had told them the other two had gone to bed. Lillith directed the new troop back out the door of the headquarters.
'Axton, would you mind showing the guys the wonderful choices of accommodation they have to choose from here in Sanctuary?' she said
sarcastically "they may need some rest before we put them through their paces' Maya stepped up beside the new siren.
'But you may come with us. We have much we would like to discuss with you' The new girl gave a shy smile. She obviously was way out of her comfort zone, but Maya put a comforting hand on her shoulder. 'It's OK, its not an interrogation' which made Lillith chuckle.
'Well actually it probably will be! But I promise we'll go easy on you' Lillith flicked her vibrant red hair back over her shoulder as she winked at the new girl, and led the way back inside the headquarters.
'So us girls have taken the new third floor' Lillith spoke over her shoulder as she led the way back up the stairs. She paused when she reached the second level. 'Brick and Mordecai also reside here. They have the second level bedroom.' She waved her arm down the hallway. 'And further past their room, is our control core. You'll get to meet her later. I'm sure she will be very interested to meet you'
'Her?' The new siren spoke for the first time. Her voice was quite soft, and it made Lillith and Maya wonder if it was really a good idea to have asked her to come to this hostile planet. But her look made her appear like she was ready for anything they could throw at her. After all, she WAS a siren, so that had to account for something.
'I'm not such a soft petaled flower that you would believe me to be' she said defensively. Lillith reached the top of the next flight of stair and spun around to face the two girls. Maya was looking back and forth from Lillith to this new siren, who obviously had different abilities than the two themselves.
'What?' Lillith narrowed her eyes, looking deeply at the girl, trying to get a gauge of her powers.
'I can take care of myself. I'm not as vulnerable as you would think me to be' She gulped, obviously not wanting to anger the older siren.
'Did you just read my mind?' Lillith wasnt sure if she liked the idea or not. The new siren looked down to her feet, then up again, and followed Maya to the top of the stairs.
'No. Not really. Not your exact thoughts anyway' Her reply was almost sad. 'I thought it may be a siren thing. But I guess I was wrong' She followed Lillith into the bedroom, Maya behind her.
'One thing Maya and I have learned, is that our powers, and abilities, have differed greatly.' Lillith sat at a small square table, that was at the end of the room. On either side of the room was a set of bunk beds. The two bottom bunks where already taken. There where also a few sets of lockers, some with pictures or posters, and various other articles taped to the front of them. But aside from that, the room was relatively empty.
'Here' Maya pointed 'You can have these lockers' she indicated to a trio of lockers that was at the end of the bunks on the left side of the room.
'These ones are mine' Maya pointed to the set beside them, then across the room at four more 'And those are Lilliths'
'Yes, but lets hear more of your abilities!' Lillith urged, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. The younger siren dumped her backpack on the floor in front of her assigned lockers. She let out a sign and sat at the table with Lillith, as Maya took a seat on her bed.
'Where would you like me to start?' She asked the other two girls tentivly.
'How about your name!' Maya chuckled, breaking the ice a little.
