-TRANSMISSION ONLINE-
-Begining ECHO Review Log-
Kilo8, Gaige, and Mr. Torgue were still tied together… and are hanging off a cliff by a rope that was tied around Tina's waist while Tina, who had a crazed look in her eye, was scaling the side of a cliff on a snowy mountain.
(Gaige) Sooo, how much further till we reach the peak?
(Torgue) Hmm, judging from Tina's progress, it shouldn't be long. Though I'm still wondering how that girl is dragging all of our %$#'s up a 3000M tall mountain! THIS SHOULDN'T BE PHYSICALLY %$ # $ POSSIBLE!
(Kilo8) When Tina is involved, the term impossible is thrown right out of the window. Hmm, OH, hey everyone. As you can see, we're all still tied up so I'll keep it short. For the few of you who did submit a review and noticed some references, thanks for noticing. Also for those of you who have been around for the last few months and have realized my updated pattern, you may have noticed that this chapter is up sooner than normal. So, YEA! However, I will say it now, there's not going to be any combat this chapter. Sorry. But don't worry, next chapter the fun really begins.
(Gaige) About time. . . Will I be in this chapter?
(Kilo8) Oh don't worry, you're in this chapter.
(Torgue) Hey, guys, Tina made it to the-
All three of them were suddenly yanked up 20 meters over the top of the cliff, where they all landed together unceremoniously.
(Torgue) ...Top. Ow.
(Tina) Yes. . . Yes! Yes! YES! WE'RE HERE, AH HA HA.
They looked to see a stone fortress cut into the side of the mountain. Above the door was a giant gold-plated cookie.
(Gaige) Son of a Skag. It real.
Tina then pulled out a rocket and fired at the door, blowing it off its hinges. Tina then rushed the entrance.
(Tina) In the immortal words of a great worrier... LEEEEROOOY JENKIIIIIINS!
(Kilo8) Okay~. Well, anyways everyone, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter.
(Gaige) Oh shit.
(Torgue/Kilo8) "What?"
The rope they were attached to suddenly went tight as the three of them were quickly dragged into the fortress.
-ECHO Transmission interrupted-
X-X-X
Disclaimer: I do not own Borderlands or any of it characters, Borderlands is owned by Gearbox Software and 2K Games, the only ownership I claim is of my own OC's. This is a story just for your fun and enjoyment. Please enjoy.
X-X-X
Stories text formats
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Echo/Radio"
'Krieg's inner voice'
X-X-X
Chapter correction/grammer edits by GrammerNazi1598
X-X-X
Chapter 4
Anywhere But Here
Gaige was standing outside and looking up at an interplanetary cargo shuttle that was currently being loaded at a local civilian spaceport. She had her hair in her trademark pigtails and work goggles sitting on her forehead. She was wearing a blue sleeveless jacket that was zipped down to the top of her stomach and had a red t-shirt with a stylized skull in the middle underneath. The right sleeve of the shirt was also torn at the top of the stitching and halfway around. On her right hand, she wore a red fingerless glove and a red leather bracelet.
She had on a red skirt that ended a little above the knees, and had a large bike chain acting as a second belt. Hanging off the right side of the chain belt was a small black metal lunch box with a cartoon skull and crossbones painted on it, and a motor piston hanging from the left. On the back of her hip, she had a holster with a hammer in it. On her legs, she had on a pair of black and white striped leggings and a pair of light blue high neck sneakers. Finally, strapped to her right shin was another leather holster that had an adjustable wrench in it.
It felt strange to her to be standing there when only a few hours ago she was just a normal high school student. Up until today, her life had been fairly normal. She had two loving parents who supported her interests and have always been there for her. She was an excellent student who excelled in almost all her classes… except for history, and English literature... and poetry. Sure, she didn't really have any friends or even a boyfriend for that matter, but that's never bothered her. Her life may not have been perfect, but she was happy and mostly content with it. That was before. Now, Gaige was a wanted fugitive for the "murder" of her classmate slash life long enemy, Marcie Holloway. Now, she was about to leave her home star system for the first time to go to one of the few places in the known galaxy where the law won't chase her, Pandora.
She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard several people approaching her. Gaige turns to see her parents walking over to her. Her Mom, Paige, had short red hair and brown eyes and had on a simple green dress that extends past her knees. Excluding her heels, she was only a little bit taller than Gaige. She was trying to put on a strong front, but Gaige could tell she was just barely holding back in light of the current situation.
Her Dad, Gabriel, had dark brown hair and deep green eyes and had on dark jeans and an old Dahl leather jacket. He was also trying to keep himself composed, but unlike her Mom, he was doing a much better job. He handed Gaige a small rucksack, which she put on as he spoke up.
"So I talked to the captain, and he has agreed to take you to Pandora. It should take you about a week to get there. Once you get there you need to figure out where to go from there, but I suggest one of the larger settlements not controlled by the bandits. From what I can tell, Sanctuary seems like the best option, and it's where most of the Vault Hunters seem to congregate to, so you should be safe there."
He opened up the right side of his jacket and dug in the inside pocket pulling out an old Dahl handgun that Gaige recognized immediately, and handed it to her. The gun consisted of all Dahl parts with the exception of the grip, which was a Jakob's grip made out of dark mahogany. It also had a laser sight mounted under the barrel. While the grip was wood, the rest of the gun had a bare metal gray finish that was somewhat polished. It also had numerous little dings and scratches in it from years of use. The final detail was an engraved image of a falcon on both sides just above the safety. The image showed it with its talons out and wings spread as if it were frozen in the moment before it struck.
"Dad! T-that's your Rogue Smuggler! It's your favorite gun, I can't take this!"
"No Gaige, I need you to take this, and I need you to keep it with you at all times. Now, I've told you about my old days in the Dahl military dozens of time, right?"
"Not really."
"Right… well, I would be dead a hundred times over if it wasn't for this gun. So I need you to promise me no matter what you will never go anywhere without it, okay?" His hands started to shake as he tried to hold back the flood of tears. "As long as you have this gun, I know my little baby girl will be safe." Her father said.
Gaige looked at the gun in her hands. After a moment, she pulled the hammer out of her hip holster and replaced it with her father's gun.
With tears now in her own eyes, Gaige looked to her father, then wrapped her arms around him in a hug as she buried her face into his chest. "Thank you, Daddy. I promise that I'll never go anywhere without it."
At this point, Paige lost her composure and the floodgates opened up. "Oh my dear baby girl is leaving home!" she cries as she pulled Gaige from her father and into a back-breaking hug that lifted her off her feet. "Why does my baby have to leave! There so much still left for you to experience. Your Prom, graduation, college, a career, your first boyfriend!" Her Dad scoffed at that last one.
"But those damn Holloways stole that from my baby!" She said with cold venom in her voice as she protectively tightened her hug even more. "I swear they will pay for stealing my baby's future!"
"Mom... can't... breath." Gaige gasped out to no avail.
Her father tapped his wife's shoulder. "Paige dear, you're going to squeeze our baby girl to death before she can escape at this rate."
Paige suddenly dropped the hug and Gaige fell back onto her feet as she gasped for air. "Thanks, dad."
"HEY!" they all turn to see an old man with a white beard in a dark green flight suit and an old leather bomber jacket standing several meters away. "You all better hurry up, we'll be lifting off in five minutes."
"Right, thank you." her father said. The captain nodded and walked back to the ship.
Her mother then pulled out a thick envelope. "There's about ten thousand dollars cash in here. It was all I could scrounge up before you left. Hopefully, this will be enough to get you to Sanctuary, and possibly set up for a while."
"Thanks, Mom. I'll try to make it last." Gaige said as she stuffed the envelope in her sack.
Once she put her pack back on, she looked to her parents who were standing next to each other in each other's arms looking at her with sad smiles. "Well, this is it." Gaige said.
"Yes it is dear. We're sorry we couldn't do more for you." her Dad said.
"Just be safe and be sure to call us when you get there dear." her mom said.
"Of course mom…" Gaige nodded and began to walk away, but after several steps, she stopped and turned around. She suddenly ran back and wrapped them both in a hug as they hugged her back. "I love you guys and I'll miss you both." She said as tears started to ran down her cheeks.
"We know dear, we love you too." her Mom said. "We'll miss you as well. Be safe for us." her Dad said just as the shuttle's engines started to power up. "You better get going dear." her Dad said. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before letting go. She then gave her mother a peck on the cheek and received one in return. Gaige turned and start running towards the shuttle.
"AND FIND YOURSELF A GOOD BOYFRIEND!" She heard her mom yell.
"PAIGE!" Gaige heard her Dad yell in dismay.
Gaige just smiled at that last remark as she jumped onto the loading ramp and ran inside.
Her parents watched as the shuttle took off and rocketed off into the night sky a minute later. "There goes our little anarchist. Do you think she'll be okay, Gabriel?"
"She'll be fine."
"Reminds me of the old days. You the handsome rogue and his gorgeous mechanic, fly around the galaxy and running from the law."
"She's just like her mother." Gabriel said.
"Well, she has my brains and good looks, and your physical prowess. With that combination, I have no doubt she'll do fine." Paige said.
"Why would you ever have to worry about her? Besides, she has DT to watch her back."
She sighed as they continued to stare at the spot that the shuttle finally disappeared at. "Of course now she just needs to find a nice, young, dashing, rogue for herself."
Gabriel just groaned, "Dear Lord Paige, are you trying to give me an ulcer?"
X-X-X
It was night time in Sanctuary… or at least it appeared to be, as it was actually about late afternoon by Pandoran time. If one were to listen they would hear lots of laughter coming from inside of Moxxi's bar.
"So there he was, running for his life when this guy pops out from behind a corner and clotheslines him with a large wrench he found. He then tells the this Hyperion commando, "Oy, where ya off to, chump? Just sit back and watch the star way, why don't ya?" Then he takes the wrench and golf swings it into the guy's face, knocking the SOB out cold along with a few of his teeth." Reiss states as Kai and several Raiders at the bar laugh as he finished his regales of their most recent mission.
"Well what can I say, the man looked like he could use a nap. I just helped him along." Said Michael Mamaril before taking another drink of his beer. Michael was a brown-haired man who always wore a pair of silver Aviator sunglasses. He had on jeans with a red stripe that ran down each leg 'til they stopped and wrapped around the knee caps. He also had on a long sleeve coat and a maroon leather vest over that. Michael was another Vault Hunter who worked out of Sanctuary, although he spent most of his time out in the waste. He would come back every so often to rest, talk to Tannis about leads, and resupply. When he did, he usually stayed a day or two before going back out into the waste. He would also pass off some pretty good weapons that he no longer wanted when Kai saw him.
Reiss had asked him for some help with their mission to destroy the Hyperion listening outpost since they need a third man for the job. Today was the first time either of them saw him fight and Kai had to say he was impressed. Michael even managed to capture one of the commandos they fought so that he could be interrogated for info.
Michael finished up his drink and got up from the bar. "Reiss, Kai, I have to say that was fun but I need to get back on a hot lead I have about a possible vault location."
"Of course man. If you need any help just give us a call." Kai said as they bump fists. "Oh, and keep the SMG, it works for you."
"Thanks. Well, later everyone." Michael said loudly as he walked out.
Reiss took the now-vacant seat as Kai turned back to the bar. "Well, that was fun." Reiss said as he grabbed his beer.
"I know, right? We should have asked him to tag along sooner, it was nice to have help from someone who can actually shoot straight."
"Hey!" Reiss said in mock disbelief before he punched Kai in the shoulder. Kai just laughed at his reaction.
Just then Moxxi came out from the backroom in a hurry and came over to them. "Kai, your girlfriend is in trouble."
Kai stopped drinking and looked at Moxxi. Reiss also perked up at this in confusion. "When did you get a girlfriend, man? More importantly, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I don't nor have I ever had one. Moxxi, what the hell are you talking about?" Kai asked as he looked back to the barmaid.
"It Gaige, Kai. She's in trouble with the law!" She said. Kai's mind came to a grinding halt.
He was about to ask what she meant when his ECHO beeped. He quickly pulled out his ECHO and saw that it was a notification that Gaige's ECHO-cast was about to start. Kai put his ECHO pad on the bar for everyone to listen to as it started.
Gaige: "Umm… so, hello… huh… my… twenty thousand subscribers. Wow! Okay. Ha, ha… Okay. So you may have heard on the ECHO news bulletins Deathtrap may have… slightly, uh, killed… my classmate Marcie at last night's Science Fair."
Kai looked up to Moxxi as Gaige started explaining how things happened. "DT did what?!" Moxxi and Reiss shushed him as they both kept listening.
Gaige: "So, things were looking good. I was looking really brilliant. Unfortunately, I forgot that Marcie's dad has more money than God, so he bought off the entire judge panel. So Marcie's project won first prize and I earned… third place." She laughs in disbelief.
Kai quietly muttered, "That damn bitch."
Gaige: "Okay anyways, Marcie started gloating. She started pointing and laughing at me and then she… pushed me. It's… ok, that's when things got. . . messy." She said, with her voice now sounding distressed.
"Deathtrap recognized Marcie as a threat, so he gave her a quick slash with his digistruct claws. No big deal. That's what it supposed to do!" She then takes in a deep breath of air.
Gaige: "And I must have miscalibrated… them last night when I was... adding the discord circuits… cause the second his claws touched Marcie's skin she kind of… like… um… okay, she exploded. She's like… everywhere! It… skin… things, uh eyeballs, I don't know, it was gross! Anyway, sorry. After they finished cleaning up Marcie and the auditorium I was escorted to the principle's office. Which I've never been to before, and I found out I wasn't getting expelled or arrested for what Deathtrap did to Marcie." She stated as her breathing grew more rapid.
Gaige: "I'm being expelled AND arrested for what Deathtrap did to Marcie, and Marcie is not getting any sort of recourse for what she did to me, which is a serious shove, and I am traumatized because, ehhh…" She takes a deep breath.
Gaige: "I called my Dad and got him to create a distraction. He's very brilliant with things like that and I'm not going to go into details about it, but let's just say it involves a golf cart and a lot of gasoline - Good job, Dad. - so that I could slip away. So, anyway, long story short, I'm currently ECHO-casting from the cozy confines of a trans-planetary shuttle. Dad and I figured I should probably head somewhere where the cops and their, hmm, "Crime-Buster Bots" couldn't find me. So… so after a teary farewell… I love you, Mom, Daddy! I grabbed a ride to Pandora."
At that moment everything just stopped for Kai. 'Gaige is coming here. HERE! To this planet!'
Gaige: "Which, I-I mean… I-I-I've always been kind of interested in Vault Hunting, but who knows? Maybe here my talents will actually be appreciated and I won't go jail for being brilliant. Third place. I mean, seriously! Bastards."
The ECHO ended and Reiss and Moxxi looked at Kai. He was still too stunned by this revelation. "She coming here… to Pandora." Kai said in disbelief. Reiss gave him a slap on the back.
"Come on buddy, cheer up! Your little girlfriend is coming here, you should be excited." Reiss said.
"EXCITED?! Reiss, I told you already, I didn't want her to come here! That the last thing I wanted to happen!"
"No, you said you wouldn't make her come here. Well, you are not the one making her come here." Reiss stated.
That didn't really help settle Kai's doubts any, as he just laid his arms on the bar top and buried his face in them. "Holy Crawmerax why, why does she have to come to Pandora of all places?" he groaned.
Moxxi, who had been quiet up till that point, placed a hand on Kai's shoulder. "You know what I think Kai, I think there is a scared girl who just had her whole life turned upside down, inside out, and throw out a window. And now she is coming to one of the scariest and most dangerous planets on this side of the sector, if not the whole galaxy."
"Moxxi… you're not helping." Kai said with his voice being muffled by his arms.
"And… She has a friend on that same planet who deeply cares for her. A friend who can also help her out in this time of need. So stop moping and step up to the plate, sugar. Your friend needs you right now more than ever."
Kai was still for a moment 'til he let out a sigh and turned his head to the side to look at her. "You know Moxxi, you should have considered a career in counseling."
"That's just another responsibility for a sexy bartender."
Kai got up and started heading for the door, "I need to go call a friend. Reiss, I'll see you later." Kai said before exiting.
Reiss just chuckled as he turned back to the bar. "Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting around here." Reiss said as he turned back to his drink, until Moxxi grab the bottle by the neck and took it from his hand. She then drank the remaining half of the bottle in one long go, as Reiss stared at her. When she finished, she set the bottle back on the bar and leaned in close to Reiss.
"Not as interesting as tonight's going to be for you, cutie. You see Reiss, all of these reminders of young love has gotten me very... thirsty~." She said seductively. "But if I want my thirst sated then I'll need something much more stronger than alcohol." Moxxi said as she slowly drew a finger along Reiss's arm. "I'll need something hopefully a lot more." She paused for several seconds before giving Riess a seductive grin. "Bigger... to fill little ol' me~." At this point, Reiss's brain broke and was desperately trying to reboot itself. Moxxi grabbed the dumbstruck man by his hand and slowly guided him to the backroom, which leads to her apartment above the bar.
X-X-X
It had been several minutes since Gaige had ended her ECHO cast and she was currently going through another round of crying her eyes out. Although the shuttle was equipped for a crew of 15, there were only about eight people crewing the ship, so she had a small cabin to herself.
'All by myself.' she thought. She was scared out of her mind. The farthest off world she had ever been was the school field trip to one of Eden 5's moons, and now she was flying halfway across the known Galaxy to one of the most dangerous planets in existence.
She kept thinking about if her parents would be okay. Even though she was now off the planet, the fact is that they aided and abetted a wanted criminal. 'Criminal. Never thought I would be using that word to describe myself.' she thought. 'I just wish I didn't have to leave my parents behind. I could only imagine how mom must feel right now.'
She continued to sit there wallowing in despair' til her ECHO pad beeped, she ignored it at first but it beeped several more times and she was getting annoyed. Gaige finally picked it up to see that R3bel_Wolf was sending a chat request. She stared at his name. While she'd never met him, let alone seen his face, he was the closest thing Gaige had to a best friend. It suddenly dawned on her that even though she had left everything else behind, Wolf was still the one thing from her old life that remained. 'But do I really want to talk to him now?' After several minutes of deliberating, she decided to accept the invite as she had nothing better to do, and it couldn't hurt to chat with someone.
R3bel_Wolf: Gaige! I was afraid you wouldn't answer. Are you alright, are you hurt?
Mechromancer: Hey Wolf, I'm fine, I'm just hiding away in my cabin right now. So what up, how has your day been? Do anything interesting?
She figured she'd try and joke with him.
R3bel_Wolf: Oh-no Missy, you ain't fooling me with that nonchalant routine today.
Mechromancer: A girl can try.
R3bel_Wolf: True, now for real, how are you. I heard your live ECHO-cast.
Mechromancer: I figure you would, I'll be honest this whole thing has been. . . Traumatizing.
R3bel_Wolf: I can only imagine, I mean 3rd place, Gaige you must be devastated.
Gaige stared at the last message in confusion.
Mechromancer: What?
R3bel_Wolf: Yeah, to spend all that time on DT and to only get third place… Do you want me to go over to Eden-5 and kick those bribe taking SOB's asses and then shove that cash down their throats! I'll do it! No one cheats my friend and gets away with it!
Gaige cracked a smiled and chuckled a little at this.
Mechromancer: Now who joking.
R3bel_Wolf: Who said I was joking?
Mechromancer: You would do that?
R3bel_Wolf: I take my friendships very seriously, just say the word and POW!
Mechromancer: You would go across the galaxy to beat the crap out of a couple of money grubbing jerks who would crush a high school girl's hopes and dreams just to get a few extra credits. Aww, that so sweet of you.
R3bel_Wolf: There the Gaige I know. Feeling better?
Mechromancer: Yeah, a little bit. Thanks.
R3bel_Wolf: I do what I can, now then how are you holding up?
Mechromancer: I'm scared Wolf, this is all happening so fast. And this is the farthest I have ever been from home in my life and I'm alone. Sure I have DT but that isn't like having someone around. Then I'm also worried about my parents if the cops find out they help me escape they might be thrown in jail.
R3bel_Wolf: I can understand, although that brings up the question, what the hell did your dad do? He used a golf cart and a lot of gasoline. I've got to know what he did, there gotta be an interesting story there?
I giggled and then began telling the story for the next several minutes.
Mechromancer: So when he got near the center of town he jumped out when the cops weren't looking and then started remote controlling the golf cart from his ECHO device, a little feature me and my mom built into it for his birthday about ten years ago. He kept controlling it for ten more blocks till he ran it into the "Crime-Buster bot factory that was next to the police station, causing it to explode and taking the factory out of the picture as well as over half of their new bots!
R3bel_Wolf: DAMN! Your dad sounds like a real badass.
Mechromancer: Yeah well, he try's. I never did figure out where he acquired such a set of skills. He said he was in the Dahl military for a time, but he never talks about it.
R3bel_Wolf: Odd, but still your parents sound awesome.
Mechromancer: Yeah, well what are your parents like?
For about a minute there was no response, she started to wonder if she may be asked the wrong question. Here he was trying to help her and now she probably just brought him to her level or worse. Finally though, to Gaige's relief, a message appeared.
R3bel_Wolf: Both of my parents are dead, my father died when I was 9 and my mother died earlier this year.
Mechromancer: Sorry I did mean to bring up such memories.
R3bel_Wolf: It fine.
R3bel_Wolf: Let just not go into details today, please. Besides, I'm supposed to be helping you today.
Mechromancer: Alright.
R3bel_Wolf: So how are you doing with the fact that DT... You know.
Mechromancer: That my creation not only killed my mortal enemy and classmate but did it right in front of me, causing me to be covered in the blood and guts of said mortal enemy and possibly traumatizing me for the rest of my life. Oh yeah, I'm great!
R3bel_Wolf: That bad huh.
Mechromancer: Oh and to top it all off I'm now a criminal, wanted for said death of my classmate, and because of that, I had to leave my home, leave my parents, my PLANET! And I'm not sure if I'll ever see my home or family again. Oh, and am now on my way to Pandora, all because of that stupid BITCH Marcie! Sure Pandora's an awesome and badass place where I can let myself be as crazy and destructive as I want and I'm hyped that I'm going to be a Vault Hunter and go on awesome adventures, but I'm scared. This is all happening so fast it makes my brain swelling to the size of a bus!
Mechromancer: I mean, I'm going to a new planet where I know nobody! And on top of that, I am a wanted criminal that has a 61 billion dollar bounty on my head!
Mechromancer: I'm going to be all alone.
Gaige looked away from the screen as the waterworks started again. She kept crying for several minutes. It felt good to vent and get all of the frustration out, but it still hurt to think about it. She then heard another notification from Wolf. She turned and looked back at her ECHO pad and the message she saw confused her.
R3bel_Wolf: What the hell! That bounty is bigger than mine!
R3bel_Wolf: Oh crap, I sent that.
R3bel_Wolf: PLEASE IGNORE!
R3bel_Wolf: That was a joke.
R3bel_Wolf: Shit.
R3bel_Wolf: I just don goofed.
"He has a bounty? What the hell?" Gaige whispered.
Gaige: What do you mean "your bounty?"
Gaige: Start typing Wolf.
R3bel_Wolf: There nothing to talk about.
Mechromancer: Wolf are you a criminal!?
R3bel_Wolf: No.
Mechromancer: . . .
R3bel_Wolf: Maybe.
R3bel_Wolf: It depends on how you look at it.
Gaige: Wolf, I have known you how long now.
R3bel_Wolf: 4 years.
Mechromancer: Right 4 years, and you've helped me with a lot of things and we have chatted for a long time, so that has built you a lot of trust in my book.
Mechromancer: You probably know far more about me than anyone in this Galaxy. However, that trust is on a knife's edge right now, and I'm not sure if I should associate myself with a wanted criminal.
R3bel_Wolf: But aren't you a criminal now?
Mechromancer: DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT BUSTER!
Mechromancer: I know almost nothing about you, and the first time you've slipped up, I learned you're a criminal, for what, I don't know. Now any normal person would have already left this chat and blocked you. However, considering all the times we've chatted, I'm willing to giving you one chance to explain yourself, and not just what this bounty is about. Oh no, I want to know everything.
Mechromancer: And depending on your answer, I may or may not cut all ties with you. Now as I said before, start typing.
Gaige stared at the screen and waited for a response. About thirty seconds went by when she started to consider following through on her threat when the typing indicator appeared next to Wolf's name.
R3bel_Wolf: Fine, I guess considering the situation I might as well tell you now. I was going to open up anyway considering everything that happened to you, just not in this manner. Just give me one moment.
Several seconds later a shared file appeared from him. Gaige was pondering what it was when the file suddenly opened by itself. Several windows appeared on her screen, some with code, some with numbers. It was all too fast for her to read as the windows all completed their tasks and closed.
Mechromancer: What did you just do?!
R3bel_Wolf: I just encrypted the chatroom. Call it paranoia, but after some of the shit I've been through... Well better safe than sorry, plus it's just as much for your protection as it is mine.
Mechromancer: Okay.
Mechromancer: Well so are you going to keep stalling or am I leaving?
R3bel_Wolf: Right, I guess I'll start with the beginning. What do you know about a planet called Polaris?
Mechromancer: That it was a colony world on the edge of frontier space. A Hyperion survey team stopping for supplies stated that the planet was hit by a solar storm that killed everyone.
R3bel_Wolf: Well that partially true. Everyone on Polaris was killed by radiation, but it wasn't a storm. It was Hyperion that killed them all, all except for myself that is.
Mechromancer: What? Why?
R3bel_Wolf: Well because when Hyperion came originally, they tried to take over everything. You see, while the colony wasn't owned by any major corporation, we did do business with a few, you know minerals, crops, a little industry. We also had some orbital mining operations as well. Nothing big but, pretty good for a small colony that was only 56 years old. But when I was about 8 Hyperion came and said they were buying the planet. Well, no one liked this because it would cut income severely and it would mean that the Colony wouldn't be able to apply for representation as an independent planet as Hyperion would control the infrastructure.
R3bel_Wolf: So the population protested, of course, this didn't accomplish much. Then in one town, during one protest, a group of Hyperion soldiers opened fire on a crowd of civilians. Dozens were killed and this led to several riots. Hyperion then basically declared Marshall law and closed off the planet. Things kept escalating until it became a straight up war. By the age of 14, I had started to fight with the Rebels.
R3bel_Wolf: Then at just a few months after my 19 birthday, while I was off planet on a recon flight, Hyperion razzed the surface with a radiation weapon. Everyone ground side was hit by the radiation. And well...
Wolf messages stopped for a minute.
Mechromancer: I think I get the idea as to what happened. So what did you do after?
R3bel_Wolf: Well after that, my mentor who was on the ship with me at the time, decided we need to get away. We both wanted to strike back at Hyperion, so we went to the one place where we could do that, Pandora.
Gaige looks at the message again and stared at the message in utter shock. The only person she considered a friend is on Pandora, the planet that she was currently heading to. 'This is a joke, right?'
Mechromancer: You're joking. Right? Are you saying you are on Pandora right now?
R3bel_Wolf: No, I'm not joking. Remember those 2 months where we didn't chat. That was when I got here and I wondered around for a few days after I got here till someone I met helped me get to Sanctuary. As for the month after, I just need some time. It's not every day that your home planet is all but destroyed.
Every gear in Gaige's head had come to a grinding halt at this point. The guy she's been chatting with for the last several years is not only on Pandora now but in Sanctuary. Then there was the fact he was this rebel fighter from a now dead planet.
Mechromancer: So if you're on Pandora, what do you do now?
R3bel_Wolf: I've continued the fight against Hyperion and Handsome Jack. I mean, I really have nothing else, technically I'm a Vault Hunter, but as of late there hasn't been any clues to its whereabouts of the Vault. It also because of my fight against them that it why I have a bounty on my head.
Mechromancer: You're a Vault Hunter? Don't you have to be a badass to be one?
R3bel_Wolf: HEY! I am a badass for your information.
Mechromancer: That has yet to be seen.
R3bel_Wolf: That a little cold.
There weren't any more messages for about a minute, until Wolf broke the metaphorical silence.
R3bel_Wolf: So, do you have any other questions. Or are you going to disappear forever? Please don't. : (
Gaige thought about it for a minute as she read his explanation again. She had no reason to believe his story, nor did she have any reason to not believe it. The only thing that Wolf really had going for him was the fact that they've chatted so much over the last few years, his help with a few tech problems she's had, and that he hasn't tried anything funny like asking for her address or for her to meet him some place. So at this point, it was either trust him or walk.
Mechromancer: I have one last question. What is your name?
R3bel_Wolf: It Kai.
Mechromancer: . . . What, no last name?
R3bel_Wolf: Huh?
R3bel_Wolf: OH! Sorry, it Solgard. For some reason, nobody seems to use their last names around here on Pandora, so I sort of forget to use it when introducing myself these days.
Mechromancer: That weird.
Mechromancer: I guess, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now.
R3bel_Wolf: Thanks, Gaige.
Mechromancer: But I am going to punch you if we meet as punishment for not telling me all of this sooner.
R3bel_Wolf: I can accept that.
R3bel_Wolf: Wait with which arm? Your real one or the robot arm that can break concrete?
R3bel_Wolf: And where!?
Mechromancer: That for me to know, and for you to find out.
R3bel_Wolf: Crap, I walked into that one.
Mechromancer: As well as a 500 Badass points deduction.
R3bel_Wolf: Now that just cold.
R3bel_Wolf: Anyways thanks for trusting me.
Mechromancer: I said I'd give you the benefit of the doubt, not trust you. . . YET. If we do meet, I'll be armed and you'll have to deal with DT if you try anything funny.
R3bel_Wolf: Fair enough. Actually on that note, apart from DT, are you armed?
Mechromancer: As in my left arm.
R3bel_Wolf: . . . . Weak. Minus 50 points.
Mechromancer: U suck. Anyways, Why do you want to know?
R3bel_Wolf: Gaige, Pandora is an incredibly dangerous planet, you have to realize that. Even more, most people you meet will likely try to kill you.
Mechromancer: It can't be that bad.
R3bel_Wolf: The first thing anyone ever said to me when I got to Pandora was, and I quote, "You're gonna be my new meat bicycle." So tell me would you want to come here unarmed now.
Gaige had to admit that didn't sound very welcoming.
Mechromancer: You've made your point. My Dad gave me his Dahl handgun. A Rare grade one to be exact.
R3bel_Wolf: Personally I would have preferred you have at least an SMG, or a rocket launcher, but that will do as long as you don't go looking for a fight.
R3bel_Wolf: So what now.
Mechromancer: Now, you're going to start answering some long overdue questions I have for you, and some new ones. First, why the secrecy, and why now?
R3bel_Wolf: Well, I didn't want to put you in danger. As long as you didn't know the real me I didn't have to worry about any enemies coming and using you as a way to get to me or my comrades.
Mechromancer: Then why risk chatting with me.
R3bel_Wolf: Chatting with you and listing to your ECHO-cast help me stay sane. It hard to do that when you're fighting day in and day out.
Mechromancer: Okay, I guess I could see what you mean. So you're a Vault Hunter and a Rebel fighter?
R3bel_Wolf: Yup.
Mechromancer: THAT IS SO COOOOOL! What your gimmick.
R3bel_Wolf: My what?
Mechromancer: Your gimmick. You know, that special ability or skill that sets you apart from other Vault Hunters, like for me I've got a robot arm that can digistruct a floating killer robot with a laser eye and energy claws. Or from what I read there was one who was an archeologist and he would use a whip, there also a super soldier in green battle armor who could lift a tank. There was also that former police ranger who is said to be so tough was able to knock out a hundred bandits with a single roundhouse kick, or that hunter who has a really rare bird that could take on other elements! Stuff like that.
R3bel_Wolf: Oh, I know that last one, that Mordecai and Bloodwing. I've done a few joint ops with him.
Mechromancer: You know a Vault Hunters!
R3bel_Wolf: Several actually, I can introduce you to them. As long as you don't go full-on fangirl around them.
Mechromancer: HEY! I'm not like one of those "Darklight" Series or "Synced-Up" fangirls!
R3bel_Wolf: Those were oddly specific examples.
Mechromancer: SHUT UP! And stop insinuating.
R3bel_Wolf: HA! Anyways, my gimmick, let's see. Well, I have a pair of special vambraces which can create hard light blades. Although they have several severe power limitations so they can't stay active for long.
Mechromancer: That sound cool, but that doesn't seem like much.
R3bel_Wolf: WHAT! Oh come on, it like dual laser blades! It like the Sith Lord in Star Wars Episode 28!
Mechromancer: Now you're just being a rip-off. Minus 250 Badass points.
R3bel_Wolf: Oh really, that again!
Mechromancer: You are not impressing me.
R3bel_Wolf: Fine, you want badass! I also have an A.I. that can form a hard light body to look like a wolf so that he can aid me in battle.
Mechromancer: . . . Okay, now that actually pretty fucking badass. Plus 1000 points.
Gaige continued to chat with R3bel_Wolf or Kai for several more hours as he would answer every question she asked about himself and some of the stories of his time with the Raiders. Pretty soon though Gaige had to admit that she was getting tired.
R3bel_Wolf: So when will you reach Pandora?
Mechromancer: Well I left last night so about 6 days?
R3bel_Wolf: I see.
Mechromancer: Any advice?
R3bel_Wolf: We have plenty of time to make plans but your priority should be to get to Sanctuary ASAP! And don't trust Hyperion.
Mechromancer: Right.
Neither one of them typed anything for about a minute, 'til Gaige finally gathered up the courage.
Mechromancer: Hey Kai, before I log out, I just want to say thanks. Thanks for being there for me, and for letting me know that someone is there on the other side of . . . All of this.
R3bel_Wolf: Hey it what any good friend worth their weight in gold would do.
Mechromancer: Thank you… BUT DON'T THINK I FULLY TRUST YOU YET!
R3bel_Wolf: Of course. Chat tomorrow? Same time?
Mechromancer: I'll be waiting, I've got nothing else to do. Later.
R3bel_Wolf: Later.
~Chatroom Terminated~
Gaige laid down on her bunk and sighed. All of her worries, doubts, and fears that had plagued her several hours earlier were now almost non-existent. She still had her doubts about Kai, if he was really anything like he said he was. but for now, she was happy that she possibly had at least one friend on Pandora.
Never in all her life had she been so eager about something. She was now starting to get excited about going to Pandora. As sleep finally started to take hold of her, one last thought entered Gaige's mind. 'I wonder if he's cute?'
X-X-X
Elsewhere, someone logged out of the chat room they had been spying on. 'Well, this is an interesting development.' A woman quietly thought to herself.
X-X-X
-LINK REESTABLISHED-
-Resuming ECHO Review Log-
Several explosions rocked the Fortress as Tina was duking it out with a man calling himself Night Grim. As they continued their fight for the recipe for the legendary Golden Cookies, everyone else was ducked down behind a fallen pillar.
(Torgue) This has to be the most EPIC fight I have ever seen!
(Gaige) Agreed.
(Kilo8) This is even better than the Robot Dino Wars 12! Oh hey everyone, I hope you liked the chapter. Again, sorry for not having any action in this chapter, but as you all can probably guess Gaige, will finally get to Pandora. So you know what that means.
(Gaige) Over the top action filled with blood, violence, and comedy.
(Torgue) Epic explosions of mayhem and destruction.
(Kilo8) That and much more.
(Gaige) Finally! Time for some action!
(Torgue) HELL F$CKING YA!
(Kilo8) This also brings up another topic. Since we will be meeting with the other Vault Hunters soon, I was wondering if anyone in the audience would be possibly interested in helping with making the Spanish dialog for Salvador. You might be asking, why not use Google translate. . . Let's face it, Google Translate is good for general use, but every language has its sayings or insults that can't be easily found or understood outside of the actual language. I'll admit, I'm no good with other languages. So I need someone who is well versed in the more... colorful parts of the Spanish language to help me come up with some lines from time to time. I'm not asking for a Beta reader, just someone I can ask for a translation or bounce ideas off of from time to time. So if you're, interested PM me.
*BOOM*
(Tina) Surrender vile fiend!
(Night Grim) NEVER! Little children don't deserve to taste the Golden Cookie! So I stole the recipe, so that only I may have it. AH HA HA HA HAAA!
(Tina) Wrong answer asshole.
Tina pulls out a Nukem Rocket Launcher and aimed it at the man.
(Gaige) Torgue, isn't that your Nukem!?
(Torgue) She must have swiped it from me sometime between chapters.
(Kilo8) Oh crap. Well in case we don't make it out of here, everyone, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please remember to follow and leave lots of reviews.
(Gaige) HIT THE DECK!
(Tina) DIIIE NIGHT GRIM!
Everything was peaceful outside the fortress when a massive fireball engulfed the fortress and leveled the mountain top.