Pandora: Redux [Xilo&Aries]

[Xiloscient]

"Pandora... This is our home, but make no mistake. This is not a planet of peace and love; they say it's a wasteland. That it's dangerous. That only a fool would search of something of value here. Then perhaps... I am a fool. But don't be fooled by what Pandora appears to be. There was a legend. Many people tell it. The Legend of the Vault. My father would always go on about the vault, even with his dying breath. Advanced Alien Technology. Infinite wealth. Fame. Power. Women.

So you can understand why some little kiddos who hear the stories grow up to become Vault Hunters. Well, I have a story you may not believe, but I tell you it's true. The Legend of the Vault is TRUE! And it's here on Pandora. And there is a Guardian Angel, appears to guide the Vault Hunters to their prize. The tale begins right here, on Pandora with the brave Vault Hunters, the Guardian Angel, and most importantly... Me."


Salem growled quietly as the driver of the bus spoke to them, checking his sniper and side-arm. The dust on Pandora was starting to give him fits about his weapons. Oh, how he hated them being not in perfect shape. The bus jostled on the rough road, his body hitting the wall hard. He grunted with a shake of his head, pressing the goggles from his forehead back onto his dark eyes.

"How much farther?" He yelled forward, at the driver. Supposedly, this man knew the ins-and-outs of Pandora, and would be helping them. He had heard the stories as a kid, everyone had. But it had taken him years of research, favors, and an immense amount of money to get them out here on this no-where planet. The days were over 80 hours long, and the sun was out for most of it. Pandora was covered North-to-South with dust, and dirt. The plant life was scattered, at best. "How do people live here?" He asked himself in a whisper.

The bus driver ignored his question, continuing his little spiel. Salem wondered just how many times the man had given the same speech as he glanced over at his partner in this mission. They had been childhood friends, and he brought her in on the mission purely because he figured she was the only one he could trust with the hunt for the Vault.

 

[Aries Kendrick]

She sighed heavily as the bus drove on towards their destination. If it wasn’t for Salem she wouldn’t have even been in this place. Sure, they had both wanted to be treasure hunters when they had grown up, but this was just ridiculous. They were on some horrid planet and for what? Rumors of an amazing treasure that was supposed to be hidden here? Rolling her dark blue eyes, Claudia just let her head fall back on the seat.

In her lap was a simple pistol but on her hip was a beautiful revolver that looked like it had been made for a king. She even had a few knives strapped to her thigh. You never knew when you would need a good knife. Her father had taught her that much before he bailed on her and her mother years ago. Slender, pale fingers brushed dark locks of hair from her face. After a moment of pouting, she leaned her head over on Salem’s shoulder and smiled. “Hey. Calm down. I’m sure we will be there soon.” She told him. He always got so worked up and this place was only making him worse.

 

[Xiloscient]

Salem shook his head softly, bringing the goggles down onto his eyes to help shield them from the glare bouncing off the sand. He felt his anger nearly melt away as she leaned on him, his rough face cracking into a tiny smile. "Yeah. Soon. And then we can finally get started trying to find that treasure we always talked about." The man didn't need the treasure for any sort of money. The backing for the entire journey was financed by him. He just enjoyed the rush of treasure hunting. The side-effects of actually finding it were moot to him. But boy, would he rub his parents faces' in it once Claudia and he found it.

"I'm feeling it this time. Really. Hear how that guy's going on about the Vault? There's gotta be something here." He said, letting his gaze drift back out of the window. There was a giant sign coming up on their right. A welcoming sign. It had bullet holes in it... it was barely standing. The entire sign seemed rusted, and worn down. 'Like this fucking planet.' He thought sourly, his eyes narrowing behind the goggles. The bus hit a bump, jostling the pair once more.

"Sorry about that folks! Musta been a skagg." Cried the bus driver, cackling madly at the thought of hitting some 'natural' creature that lived on this Godforsaken planet. "Arriving at Fyrestone!" He said a few minutes later, stopping the bus... in the middle of nowhere, it seemed. "Now, get off my bus." He growled, spinning around in the seat and ushering them off quickly.

Salem growled himself, as he picked up his pack and sniper and stepped off the bus. He looked around slowly, watching Claudia get of the bus as well right after him. The man drove off rather quickly, leaving behind a giant billowing cloud of dust. Suddenly, a strange and rundown looking robot moved up to them.

"Hello! I'm CL4P-TP, but my locally designated name is 'Claptrap'." The robot continued droning on about the city of Fyrestone, and moved off almost as suddenly as it came. Salem looked at the thing with a stoic expression, his shoulders shaking with restrained laughter.

Once it had left, he turned to Claudia with a smirk. "Claptrap?" He asked quietly, before starting to walk off on what seemed to be some sort of path into town.... If you could even call it that.

 

[Aries Kendrick]

Of course there had to be something there. She had her own pair of goggles that sat on her head, but she only wore them when the wind was blowing hard. Her hands had brown leather fingerless gloves on them so she could have a better grip on her weapons. The bus soon stopped and the two got off to be left behind in a cloud of dust. Claudia coughed and covered her eyes with her arm before the stupid robot showed up. "What the fuck?" She said as she listened to it yammer on before it scurried off. She looked at Salem and just shook her head. "Claptrap."

The two walked towards what was left of a town. It looked like this place had really taken its toll on what was left. Her nose wrinkled and she pulled her goggles down to hide her pretty eyes. Now everything had a green tint to it. Claudia kept her pack on her back and one had was on the shoulder strap to make sure no one tugged it off from behind. Her left hand was gripping her pistol tightly as she glanced from side to side. "This place gives me the creeps." It was always bad when a place gave her the creeps. Salem knew that better than anyone. Her slender body shook slightly as they continued on despite her creepy feeling.

 

[Xiloscient]

"Yeah. This doesn't look like a great place to live." He grumbled softly, pulling his rifle up and resting it against his shoulder, pointing at the ground. Pandora was supposed to have two kinds of people ~ bandits, and left over researchers that had gone... sort of crazy. And now there was them to add to the list. He wondered who they would find in this town. He lifted a hand, tugging at his dark hair. There was a loud bang, almost sounding like a gunshot. Almost.

Salem spun around, seeing the claptrap on the ground, it's wheel spinning. "Owwwww..." It moaned out. With a raised brow, he turned back around, facing the buildings in front of them. They were low to the ground, with rounded sides and rooftops. He assumed it make them more aerodynamic, or something. He stalked slowly forward, his strides taking him closer to the biggest building in the middle of the city. A door creaked open, a face poking out with a rather surprised look on it's face.

"Hello! Are you... them?" He questioned as his eyes narrowed. The sniper turned to glance at his companion and shrugged mildly. Salem shook his head silently. Them was a broad term, and surely they weren't them. "Oh. Good, good. Then come in, before the bandits show up. They know when new blood is on the planet. Hunt them down like dogs."

Salem's shoulders shrugged as he found himself being drawn into the man's home. What could be worse.... A crazy man, or a band of bandits? "Come on, Claudia. Maybe he knows where we can start."