We see the boat sailing across the water towards Three Horns Divide, where they'd soon be able to get to Sanctuary.
As Felicity has put the ship on autopilot for now, since Claptrap was not a good pilot, the group were all situated below deck in the cabins quarters.
Owen said, “well, at least we're finally on the right path.”
Axton nodded as Gaige said, “I'm just glad to be out of that cold!”
Zer0 said, “indeed, it sucked ass.”
Maya said, “I don't think we would've gotten through that as well without you there.”
Owen replied, “just trying to help people and take down Handsome Jackass.”
The others all laughed.
Owen then asked, “so…. What're your guys’ stories? I'd prefer to know more about my allies.”
Axton sat forward, explaining his story first.
He said, “I'm from Hieronymous, originally. Spent ten years with the Dahl military force, even reached the rank of sergeant. But I eventually found myself pursuing personal glory and disregarded orders, which led to numerous compromised missions. My wife, who also happened to be my commanding officer, Sarah, simultaneously divorced me and discharged me. She made it a point that this would lead to my death by firing squad, and ‘ordered’ me not to flee to any of the numerous border worlds beyond Dahl's reach. Taking her not-so-subtle suggestion, I went AWOL, using my skills and turret as a mercenary. I had recently heard a radio advertisement about the whole Vault Hunting gig.”
Owen said, “you remind me a lot of my buddy Roland. Used to be Crimson Lance before he took the blame for something he didn't do and had to hide out.”
Axton looked at Maya and said, “what about you? Sirens ain't exactly prevalent.”
Maya sighed and explained, “I got my powers back when I was a baby. I was given to the Order of the Impending Storm, the ruling order of monks on my homeworld of Athenas. I trained my powers in secret until I became an adult, when the monks revealed me to the public as their goddess and savior. I wasn't fond of the Order's short leash. I wanted some adventure and found myself interested in traveling to Pandora to learn more about my Siren lineage. Eventually, I realized that the Order was using me as a threat to extort money and obedience from the people. After killing my handler, Brother Sophis, I headed to Pandora to finally satisfy my curiosity about Sirens. The Vault Hunting was an added bonus.”
Owen said, “heh, you and Lilith would get along.”
Maya asked, “is she a Siren too?”
Owen nodded and said, “a damned powerful one.”
Salvador said, “my turn! I'm a local to Pandora! Born and raised! I love me some violence…. But only against bandits and criminals. So, I was recently about to be killed by the people of my hometown of Ovejas for my actions, when a Hyperion strike team showed up. After killin’ ‘em all, I got interested in the new Vault while ‘interrogating’ the last guy and leaving him to crawl back to Hyperion on a single arm.”
Owen thought, ‘he reminds me of Brick a little….’
Maya asked Zer0, “what about you, tall, dark and fancy?”
Zer0 simply said, “I seek a challenge/ When I heard about the Vault/ I saw said challenge.”
The others could see that Zer0 was a man of few words. And based on his mask and name, he didn't want anyone to know about his past.
Salvador said, “I doubt Krieg can explain his deal….”
Krieg exclaimed, “salt the wombat with honey!”
Salvador continued, “so let's move on to Gaige!”
Gaige stuttered, “oh! Well, uh…. I'm from Eden-5. Was supported by my parents, namely my dad. I like to ECHOcast about my life. I've always found the history behind the Vaults, Eridium, and Pandora to be pretty cool. Anyway, I originally created Deathtrap as th3 Mechanized Anti-Bully Deterrent Test, or Project DT, and as a science fair project to combat bullying. Heck, I also amputated my left arm with a particle saw and replaced it with a robotic one I built as a way to control DT better! But my rival, Marcie Holloway, was a contestant in the science fair as well, and used her father's money to buy her way through the competition! It wasn’t fair! She even stole my designs and sold them to Eden-5's police force! On the day of the science fair, Marcie's dad bribed the judges, helping her win first place with a defective robot based on Deathtrap's first blueprints. DT here is a fourth revision of my plans, and placed third! Marcie then shoved me! But, this caused Deathtrap to identify her as a threat. He attacked with his digistruct claws, which…. Okay, she exploded! Like, a water balloon filled with blood! It even got all over me! It was an accident! After the auditorium was cleaned up of…. What was left of Marcie, I was escorted to the principal's office and faced expulsion and arrest! I called my dad, he created a distraction so I could evade arrest, which apparently consisted of a golf cart and lots of gasoline. Dad said I had to leave Eden-5 so the police couldn't find me. After we said goodbye, I bought a shuttle ticket to Pandora to become a Vault Hunter like I wanted to, and used an escape pod to cover my tracks. While ECHOcasting during my journey, it turns out my two subscriber count had jumped to 20,000 because the science fair incident had been reported on the ECHOnet and people found my channel; I explained what had happened and the subsequent fallout. After landing on Pandora, I got on this train and stowed away.”
Everyone was quite shocked by how crazy Gaige’s story was.
Axton awkwardly said, “well…. Welcome aboard.”
Gaige said, “thanks! So, what about you, Mister Cyber-Hand?”
Owen leaned back and said, “five years ago, I came to Pandora to find a Vault like I'd always wanted to. I made a lot of friends. Roland, Lilith, Mordecai, Brick, Moxxi, Marcus, Scooter…. Ernest…. Helena…. And Claptrap. I went through a lot with my friends. But then I helped the wrong Jackass…. Jack hired me, Claptrap and a few others for a job on Elpis, my home. But everything that happened led to Jack becoming the asshole we all know him as. One of the only positives was meeting Felicity.”
Felicity said, “I was a military grade AI that Owen helped gain a new body and freed from being erased to create a new machine for Hyperion. I was so grateful, I've been working with him ever since.”
Owen said, “and for the last three years, we've been working with my old friends to stop Jack and his forces….”
Everything was silent for a few moments.
Salvador finally broke the silence and said, “well, you've got some more amigos here to help, eh?”
Owen looked at everyone.
Axton said, “yeah. We can all see this Jack guy is nuts. And once he's done with Pandora, he'll probably go to other planets afterwards.”
Zer0 said, “yes he will, indeed/ Handsome Jack is a mad man/ He needs to be stopped.”
Krieg exclaimed, “strip the Handsome flesh from his handsome ass!”
Gaige said, “yeah! What he said!”
Maya said, “we're with ya, Owen. You saved our asses with Knuckle Dragger and have helped us get this far…. We'll return the favor.”
Owen smiled and said, “spoken like true Vault Hunters….”
Claptrap yelled from above deck, “land ho!”
Owen said, “welp, time to head on the road to Sanctuary….”
Everyone climbed on deck, seeing that they'd landed at Three Horns Divide, a slightly less snowy landscape leading to Sanctuary.
Claptrap said, “we're near Sanctuary, buddies. You go on ahead; tell the locals what we'll require for my 'welcome back' party. I'll stay here and give 'em time to get what we need. Number one: ladies. Obvious. Number two: dudes. But hideous ones, we're talkin' morbidly obese, we're talkin' body odor, we're talkin' acne scars. The ladies'll take one look at these uggos and BAM! I start lookin' pretty good! Suddenly, it's not ‘ew, you get away from me you pervy little robot, you're creeping me out, why are you crying. I didn't even know robots could cry, look, if I give you a hug will you stop crying, alright, but keep that disc tray inside, OH MY GOD WHAT IS THIS, MOTOR OIL?’ It'll be more like, 'Claptrap, rescue me from these uggos and hump my leg.' which I WILL. Number three: we'll need booze, in case that other stuff doesn't work. Number four: streamers. Number fi- are you writing all this down?”
Felicity listed off, “ladies, ugly men, booze and streamers. Got it.”
Claptrap exclaimed, “great!”
As everyone disembarked the boat, they saw a bridge leading over a gap getting blown up by an Outrunner rocket!
The voice of someone named Corporal Reiss said, “Sanctuary's off limits. You Bloodshots can stay in your hole.”
Undeterred, the Bloodshots jump over the gap in a technical.
A Ripper Bandit yelled, “I SEEEEE YOUUUUU!”
Corporal Reiss sighed, “awesome…. Why don't you boys run on back to your camp?”
A Ripper Bandit said, “oh! Good idea! I think we'll just turn around and head on back to our- DIIIIIIE!”
Angel said, “Pandora is a violent and dangerous place. Sanctuary is…. Slightly less so. You'll need a car to reach the city gate. Get to the Catch-A-Ride.”
The group made their way under the gap of the demolished bridge and around to a Catch-A-Ride station.
Angel said, “this machine will digitally construct a vehicle for you. Give it a try.”
Owen said, “no problem. I already have a vehicle I use on missions….”
Owen activated the station, and spawned a Light Sunner MG, with red and silver paint on it.
Scooter’s pre-recorded voice said, “thanks for using Scooter's Catch-A-Ride, beeyotch!”
Maya said, “real charmer, that one. At least now we can use a car to jump that gap.”
Everyone piled into the Runner, with Owen taking the wheel, since he knew where Sanctuary was. Salvador fished in the glove box and said, “hey look, there's a pimento taco in here!”
He began munching on it as Owen drove the car over the gap.
Angel said, “great! Now head to Sanctuary and find Roland. He'll want to meet the Vault Hunters who stared down Handsome Jack and lived.”
As Owen drove them along the road, Jack began speaking over the ECHOnet again.
“Sometimes I envy you bandits. You're so…. Unburdened with things like intelligence, culture, morality, honor, ambition, good looks…. I could go on but I won't. But I could…. Ah, dignity! Almost forgot to mention dignity.”
A horse whinnies in the background.
Jack said, “easy Butt Stallion! Easy!”
Zer0 said, “he is not funny.”
Owen said, “yeah. You didn't have to hear that Jackass for three years like this….”
Soon, the group approached a large closed off gate, and beyond it, they could see some sort of small city.
This was the entrance to Sanctuary. But there were a bunch of bandits trying to get through the gate. Axton manned the gun of the Light Runner and shot the bandits into swiss cheese before Owen hopped out of the Runner and went to an intercom by the gate.
He activated it as someone named Lt. Davis said, “you're never getting into Sanctuary, you Bloodshot skaglicks-”
Owen said, “Davis, it's me! Owen!”
Lt. Davis said, “oh! So sorry, Sir. I see you're with those new Vault Hunters. Just a sec, Roland wanted to talk to you! Lemme ECHO him!”
Owen went back over to the others as Roland appears on their comms. He now wore a black sweater under his gear, and a beret instead of his old helmet.
Roland said, “welcome back, Owen. Felicity. Ah, so you're the new ones I've been hearin' all this radio chatter about. Name's Roland. I used to be a Vault Hunter like you guys, until I formed the Crimson Raiders. We'll catch up when I get back to Sanctuary. For now, I need your help. My men tell me Corporal Reiss hasn't returned the power core we need to keep the city's shields running. Bring Reiss back to Sanctuary, and you'll have earned your place in the Raiders.”
Owen said, “no problem Roland. I'm sure Gladstone will be able to keep the new power core up and running.”
Angel said, “Roland's contacted you? Good. Listen to what he says. He can help us defeat Jack.”
After getting back in their Runner and driving to Reiss’ last known location, Jack said, “Handsome Jack here, reminding you all not to worry your pretty little heads about those earthquakes. See, with every tremor, my drills get closer to the Vault. To freedom, order, and safety for us all! Except you asshats in Sanctuary.”
They soon found a wrecked Outrunner and an ECHO recorder next to it.
Gaige picked it up as Reiss said in the recording, “got the power core from the Bloodshots! Blew the bridge! I'm hit…. Gotta lose 'em in the Marrowfields- RAGHHHH!”
Roland said, “Reiss is in trouble? Dammit, we're spread thin enough as it is. Find him, please.”
Corporal Reiss broadcast over the ECHOchat, “goddamned Bloodshots, there's too many of 'em! If anyone can hear me, I need HELP!”
The group was able to track Reiss down to a small camp of Bloodshot bandits that were attacking him. Zer0 made small work of them, since there was only three.
The group approached Reiss. He was dressed in old Crimson Lance armor with a red undersuit and the armor being painted bronze and silver.
Owen ran over to Reiss and helped him sit up against a rock, “Reiss? You alright?”
Corporal Reiss said, “cough! New Vault Hunters? Heh, didn't think I rated that much of a rescue! Cough! One of those psychos ran off with the power core. Without it, Sanctuary'll be defenseless. Cough, get that core back to Sanctuary. I'm just gonna take a nap. Wake me up when I'm not on Pandora anymore….”
Reiss suddenly fell limp!
Owen gently shook him and said, “Reiss? Reiss! Reiss…. Sigh….”
Owen stood up and contacted Roland.
He said, “Roland…. Reiss is dead….”
Roland asked, “Reiss is dead? He was one of the first Crimson Lancemen I recruited to the Raiders. Get that power core back. And while you're at it, kill some bandits for Reiss. It's what he would've wanted.”
Owen nodded firmly as he led the others to another place called Windbreak camp. There were twenty Bloodshot in total. The group unleashed pure Hell on the camp, killing all the Bloodshots in a violent display of bullets and melee attacks.
Lt. Davis said over the comms, “the resistance lost a good man today. But I'm sure Reiss woulda been happy to know how quickly you wiped out those Bloodshots.”
Maya then picked up the power core.
Roland said, “that's the power core. Great. Jack won't destroy Sanctuary today, at least. Get back to the city. We'll meet up once I get there. Welcome to the Crimson Raid. Ah, dammit. I'm being attacked, I'll see-”
Owen said, “Roland? Roland!”
No answer. Owen growled in frustration.
Felicity said, “we better get this to Sanctuary. Then we'll find Roland.”
Owen nodded as the group quickly made their way back to their Runner and drove back to Sanctuary.
Handsome Jack said over the ECHOnet as they drove, “this is a message to Sanctuary, 'the last stronghold of the resistance.’ Pandora as you knew it, the chaos, the bandits, that time has passed. If you let it, this could be an era of order, of peace! Just turn yourselves in, and I promise: your deaths will be quick….”
Jack then said over the private one way channel, “hey, y'like my speech? I was lying about the last part, by the way. I'm gonna spend a loooong time torturing you bandit scum to death. And I'll enjoy it even more because, ah, I shouldn't say anymore. I've got a little secret that I, uh- you know what? You don't need to hear it. It'll probably just confuse ya. Ciao!”
The group made it back to the gate as Owen used the intercom and said, “we're back!”
Lt. Davis said, “Roland, is that you?! Oh, it's you guys. Get in quick! Roland's ECHO communicator went dead, we need your help!”
The gates opened up and the group drove up to the small city of Sanctuary. A banner in the ground urging people to join the fight against Handsome Jack.
Handsome Jack laughs mockingly, “made it to Banditville, huh? Well done! It'll be nice to see a friendly face when I'm burning that place to the ground. Oh, and I have decided that I will tell you my secret later on. Once you've earned it.”
The group went over to a smaller building next to the city, since the front gate was closed. It was a guard tower of some kind.
Lt. Davis stood there, wearing very scratched green Crimson Lance armor with a more casual brown and blue outfit underneath.
He said, “welcome back Owen. And you lot are the ones Commander Roland was talkin' about. The ones who faced Jack and LIVED! Look, we need your help, bad, but first thing's first; plug that power core into the shield generator.”
Maya handed Owen the power core, and he walked over to the power generator. He replaced the old core with the new one, and in a matter of seconds a huge shield formed over the city.
Lt. Davis said, “good. That oughtta last us a day or two. Roland was supposed to bring us some intel and how to stop Jack. With him missing, we really need your help. Talk to Private Jessup at the gate. He'll let you into the city. JESSUP! Stand up straight! We've got some Vault Hunters headed your way!”
As the group headed towards the gates, get saw several moonshots hit the shield!
Owen groaned, “Hyperion moonshot blitz. Without that new core, those lunar mortars woulda punched right through the shield.”
Maya said, “well, good luck for us then.”
The group approached Private Jessup, who wore red armor over a gray hoodie and pants.
He said, “let me get the gate for you.”
He pulled a lever, and the gate began to upon up.
Private Jessup said, “Commander Roland never came back from his secret reconnaissance mission. He left very specific orders for this contingency which you can help carry out. Go meet with the town mechanics.”
Owen said, “got it. Thanks Jessup.”
Angel said as the gates lowered, “crap. I mean, uh…. Darn. Roland needs your help. Without you, the Crimson Raiders don't stand a chance against Jack. Please find out where Roland's gone.”
Owen said, “that's the plan, Angel.”
The gates finally stopped, and the group entered Sanctuary. It looked like a small town with various homes and shops set up. Right near the entrance was Scooter’s garage, with a big sign advertising the place as, “Scooter’s and Craterhole’s.”
It seemed that Owen’s father had gone into business with Scooter here on Pandora.
Angel said, “Sanctuary. Built on the ruins of the Dahl corporation's finest interplanetary mining ship, now the last refuge for thieves, murderers and outcasts. Welcome home.”
Owen said, “well, when ya put it like that….”
The group entered the garage, seeing Scooter leaning back at a table with his hat over his eyes.
Scooter groaned, “oh, crap, is you Hyperion? I heard all of you are robots and you eat metal out of the garbage and stuff. Knew you wired death machines would be coming for me once Roland went missing. Now, if you're here to kill me, you should probably know….”
He jumps on a makeshift table made out of wheels and waves his wrench around like a weapon.
He yelled, “you'll never take me alive, you robotic sumbitch!”
Owen said, “calm down, Scooter! It's just me and some new friends.”
Scooter calmed down and said, “oh shoot! Sorry, Owen! Thought you were some Hyperion assholes come to shoot me up harder than Fyrestone!”
Owen said, “it's fine. Where Pops?”
Scooter said, “your dad's over at my momma's bar. She asked him to, ‘fix her pipes’, which probably means-”
Owen said, “I know what it means, dude….”
Scooter chuckled before he spotted the others and said, “ha! Well, hang me upside down from a telephone pole, cover me in honey, and leave me to a slow death at the hands of hungry spiderants, them ain't no Hyperion robots, they're Vault Hunters, huh?! That's like a unicorn!”
Owen chuckled at Scooter’s comparison.
Scooter asked, “now, you gon' help us out with this Roland situation? I heard them Crimson Raider dudes talkin' about it.”
Axton said, “yep. That's us.”
Scooter explained, “sweet! Alright, Roland told me if he ever disappeared, I was supposed to initiate Plan B…. Or, as I like to call it, Plan Turn-this-city-into-a-floatin'-ass-fortress-of-airborne-awesomeness, ha-ha! B. I got some fuel cells around here. Owen's dad built ‘em. You'll need those. Oh! And you'll need this Eridium here, too.”
Scooter held out a block of Eridium. A glowing purple rock. Maya felt a small pull towards the Eridium before Owen grabbed it. Axton and Salvador grabbed the two fuel cells nearby.
Gaige asked, “so, now what do we do with these things?”
Scooter said, “well, let's head to the center a' town and plug those two fuel cells into the ignition primers. You gon' need a third, which is why I gave you that there rid-rock. You can buy the last cell from Earl's black market. Careful though, Earl's crazy. He ate one of my cars once. Yeahhhh. The whole car. Just…. Like, with a fork.”
Maya asked, “how the heck is that possible?”
Salvador said, “eh, anything's possible when you're hungry enough….”
Owen said, “I'm still wondering how the Hell that scrawny as Hell nut job ate an entire car without dying….”
As the group left the garage and made their way through town and put the fuel cells into ignition ports around the center, Jack said, “Bandits of Sanctuary: I hear a new Vault Hunter has arrived in your city. So just turn 'em in to me, and you'll be rewarded.”
Owen said, “don't worry. Nobody's gonna turn us in. We're their only hope of stopping Jack.”
Maya said, “good to know.”
Scooter said, “Roland said we gotta have an exit strategery just in case he ever disappeared, hence all the fuel cells and whatnot. Bummer, though. He really wanted to meet ya. Raiders ain't gonna last without some new blood, and given how you shot them bandits up I'd say you and blood got an extra-special relationship. Like cousins takin' a bath together. Hahaha…. Oh.”
Owen and the others cringed at that gross image. It's still bizarre how someone like Moxxi has someone like Scooter as a son.
The group soon arrived at Earl’s shop.
He quickly opened the slot of his door, only showing his eyes as he growled, “whatchu want? Just buy somethin' and I'll toss in this crap fuel cell. Just touchin' it made two o' my fingers rot off. And I only accept Eridium! Cash is for clowns, boy!”
Owen decided to buy a small doll of a Skag as a gift for someone he knew, and in return, he got the fuel cell with it. Owen pocketed the doll as the group went and installed the final fuel cell.
Scooter said, “hey, thanks for grabbin' all that stuff for me. Third degree burns are best taken in shifts. Now, to see the fruits of your loins. This city's gonna FLY!
The city shook for a second, but nothing happened.
Salvador asked, “are we flying?”
Maya asked, “what do you think?”
Salvador slowly said, “yeeeee-?”
Gaige clarified, “no.”
Salvador said, “aw….”
Scooter said, “.... Orrrrr, not. Damn. Well, now we REALLY gotta find Roland. You know what? Maybe get to Roland's place. I think he mighta left a message there for ya.”
The group approached the Crimson Raiders HQ at the end of the city.
A Crimson Raider guarding the entrance said, “Owen, Vault Hunters! Get in! Roland left a message for you. Now that you're here, I KNOW we're gonna beat Hyperion!”
Owen used a key he had on him to unlock the door and enter the HQ. The room they entered looked like a small living area for members of the Crimson Raiders to eat, sleep, play games, etc.
An ECHO recorder sat on the nearby table.
Owen activated it as Roland's voice said, “hey soldiers. If you're hearing this, I'm in trouble. Right now, you're the only thing standing between this city, Hell, the whole planet, and Handsome Jack's army. I left info about my whereabouts in my safe. You can use it to store anything you need. This is your home, now. Good luck.”
Owen quickly went upstairs with the others following him and opened the safe up. Inside were a few guns and shields, and an ECHO recorder.
Owen activated it as a mysterious voice on it said, “this is the Firehawk. Come to Frostburn Canyon or people will die.”
Scooter exclaimed on their comms, “the Firehawk?! You mean that mass-murderin' bounty hunter?! Oh crap! If the Firehawk's got him, Roland is in DEEEEEP! You gotta get to Frostburn Canyon and rescue his ass!”
Angel said, “if Roland has been captured by the Firehawk, he's in danger. You're the only ones who can stop Jack, but Roland is the man with the plan, so to speak. He knows the best way to strike at Hyperion.”
As Angel vanished from their comms, Owen turned to the others and said, “Roland is FAR from danger if he's with the Firehawk.”
Maya asked, “and how the heck do you know that?”
Owen smirked and said, “you'll learn soon enough….”