CHAPTER 4

The dusty plains wasn't as windy this Pandoran afternoon as it usually was. They had around 10 hours of daylight left, and Clap Trap had been running errands all afternoon. Explaining to the new troops where to meet, where to eat, where to stock up on their ammo and weapons, how to use the fast travel network, the resident Dr Zed (who wasn't actually a qualified doctor, but the closest thing they had to it). He had also given the new recruits maps, showed them how to use the ECHO communication system and briefed them on a few of the more common hostile creatures of the borderlands.

But now they were all assembled in front of a handful of the veteran vault hunters. The others left it up to Lillith to step forward and take the lead. She did a good job at appearing the authorative figure, and it suited her.

'So, I know Clap Trap has been hounding you all this afternoon. But what he probably hasn't told you much about is why you are hear.' The three new male vault hunters looked at each other quizzically 'What I mean is, the Vaults history.' Lillith spoke with a raised voice, so they wouldn't miss what she had to tell them.

'About 6 years ago, we learned of the "Vault"' When she said we, she waved her arm towards Mordecai and Brick. 'We didn't know much about it at the time. Some said it held vast amounts of treasure. Others said power. Others said secret weapons, blah blah blah, you get the picture. Turns out, it held a kick ass monster, The Destroyer. Its said that Eridians placed the creature at the vault to protect it from marauders. Anyhow, the key can only open this "Vault" once every 200 human years. So it was a race against time I guess you could say. Long story short, we got there, killed the bad guys, killed the monster, and went on our way again, thinking all would be peaceful on the planet of Pandora. Well, as you can guess, we were wrong. What we thought was the vault, wasn't actually THE vault. It triggered the growth of the precious mineral you know as Eridium, which as it turns out, is what charges said key, and allows it to open to real Vault.

'Now, last year we found the "real" vault. But Hyperion had found it first. Now I know what you are thinking "But it cant be opened for another 200 so years?" well, turns out "Handsome Jack"' Lillith raised her arms to make invisible quotation marks again, 'he had discovered a way to charge the key faster, with the help of this eridium stuff.' Lillith paused and took a deep breath, obviously debating within herself how she would proceed 'Jack opened the Vault, unleashed a beast which he was going to use to
give himself control over Pandora, and began to rant and rave about all evil he would do.' She paused again, letting it sink into the new troops minds. She waved her arm to her left side, where Axton and Maya stood. "these guys, plus a couple others that you will meet later on, defeated the Warrior, defeated Jack, and now here we are' Lillith sighed what seemed to be a sigh of relief Montayva guessed she was just glad to get that particular speech over and done with.

She had also picked up from Lilliths mind that there was something Lillith was leaving out. But she decided it
was not the right time to bring it up.

'What Lillith did forgot to mention...' Axton stepped forward, giving Lillith a sideways glance that seemed to say, "how could you forget the most important bit?" but Lillith just rolled her eyes at the commando. 'Was that Jack was in control of most of the baddies on this hell hole. So now that he's gone, those baddies don't have anyone to hold there leash anymore. And that's where you guys are going to help' He finished and stepped back. Brick stepped forward, an enraged look on his round face.

'You both forgot to mention the part about the thousands of vaults across the galaxy, which I already called dibs on for the record' He pointed a thick finger at the new guys, as if to make sure they understood the point clearly.

Lillith rolled her eyes again, Maya just smiled, and the others just shrugged, obviously no one was going to argue with the giant hulk of a man.

'That's not important right now' Lillith stepped forward, raised both hands in order to silence the group. 'First things first. We need to know abit about you guys, so we can work out how best to make use of you' She looked towards the newcomers. 'You there, lets hear it' She pointed toward the youngest, a skinny looking boy, and he stepped forward with a grin on his face.

'My name's Dion' He spoke with sure tone 'I hail from the planet Promethea. My folks where part of the defense on that hell ridden planet. Since I was a lad, me father had a rifle in me hand, taught me to shoot, haven't stopped since. Told me I had eagle eyes. I was always good with a rifle, but sure surprised him when i could do the same thing with a pistol. Said I was gifted, he did. But then that son-of-a-bitch Jack sent for me father, mistaking the two of us. Well, coz as you could imagine, people talked, an mother said I was too young to join the force. But Jack had heard word of a gifted snipe on Promethea, an sent someone out to collect. Father lied to em, said it was him, so they bought him here. Obviously didn't take em long to figure that out.' Dion paused for a moment. He looked up again, as sure as ever 'Jack sent someone to execute me Ma, an bring me back. Well I gave em hell of course. They took Ma, an I managed to escape. Next thing I hear you lots all defeated him. So I came here in search of Ma' He shrugged, trying to make out like it was no big deal for him to go out hunting vaults at his young age. Mordecai looked skeptically at the kid.

'We'll see how good you are with that gun of yours kid' He grumbled out. Mordecai himself was once the best sniper across many galaxy's.

'Aw come on Mordy, give the young-en a chance.' Brick said in the boys defense 'Remember what your were like at that age' the big man chuckled, and the ground seemed to rumble with him.

'I try not to' Mordecai said lazily, not showing a real lot of interest.

'NEXT!' Lillith cut off the pairs dispute.

The older man stepped forward, he saluted the group up front in a very formal manner. ' The names William Breckenridge, those that know me call me Willy. Formerly a sergeant of tenth division Lance on Promethea. I guess you could say I was dishonorably discharged after I started questioning the evil shit - beg me pardon ladies - that arsehole down here was having us do. Our op code name was "Pest control". But it wasn't like any Pest control I done before. I mean, kids and women can become pesty in a way, but I certainly wouldn't have the innocents dying at my hands. Was sentenced to the firing squad. Only I made me break for it first, ended up here' The older man was quite burly looking. He certainly had the appearance of a well qualified and experienced soldier. His bare arms were well muscled, and riddled with scars. Though his size was far from Bricks, he was definitely a lump of a man. He wore a soldiers uniform, though his platoon patches had been torn off, leaving darkly contrasting patches on his otherwise faded khaki shirt.

'That's real touching and all, old man, but can you do anything useful?' Mordecai continued to rain on everyone's parade.

'Mord! Jesus, this sour crap is really getting old!' Lillith snapped. Everyone knew it, but Lillith and Brick were the only ones who would size up to the hunter, probably because they had grown up together, and were quite close.

But Montayva sensed there was more to his mood than the cranky, impenetrable exterior. She could sense the dark void of depression. A black hole inside this man, trapped with his grief with no torch to light a way out of it. She felt sorry for him in that instance and wondered as to what could make him feel trapped in such an inescapable depression. She was bought out of moment of wonder as the dark man stepped forward, smiling his white toothed and broad grin.

'My name is Zareb' He spoke with a heavy exotic accent. 'My home planet has heard many a tale of these Vaults and what lies within them. It is said on our homeland, that each Vault contains new mysteries to unravel, new powers to wield but will only imply themselves on those deserving to wield such powers' He spoke mystically, as if remembering a fading dream, as he glance towards Pandora's ever present moon. Lillith and Maya looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

Perhaps Sirens weren't the only ones able to access the powers of these vaults. After all, each of the girls new very
little of their heritage. This stranger probably even knew more than they did. But they would find out in good time.

'I guess one could say' He paused for a minute, as if thinking how to phrase his words in the language that was obviously new to him 'I am good with poisons' He smiled, his left hand lightly passing over the new and strange weapons the clung to his waist. Even Mordecai, though he wouldn't openly admit it, was curious to learn of these new weapons.