The minute I arrived in the general vicinity; I came under fire from the few remnants that missed out on being blasted to pieces and filled with lead. Plenty adjusted to live combat at this point, I tanked their rounds with my extremely dense energy shielding and opened fire with my primary Atlas machine gun and my secondary Vladof havoc machine, which had taken the place of my bulldog shotgun.
All manner of gunfire broke out, but my fully automatic fire quickly dominated and overwhelmed the cacophony of sound as more and more bandits dropped dead, and no more than a few minutes later, silence once more resumed and pervaded the area.
That should be the last of the bandits... I think.
Although I was pretty sure I had just killed off the very last of them right then and there, I still retained my vigilance and scrutinized the region. Not discovering anymore targets that required elimination, I set about mining up the only entrance and exit I was currently aware of. Completing that job rather speedily, I once again began attempting to return to my abode when I found a certain tech based siren contacting me via my ECHO communication device.
"Don't be alarmed. I need you to stay calm and listen to what I have to say."
So Angel has finally decided to contact little old me, huh? I wonder what sort of bullshit she's going to feed me to get things to go the way her asshole of father wants.
"Oh, and why should I listen to some random person who forcefully contacted me through my ECHO device?" I replied to the attractive pale skinned black-haired beauty with a set of piercing blue eyes as I continued making my way home.
"Because that vault key fragment you just picked up from your former boss Sledge can bring you untold riches… With my help, of course."
How do I want to play this... Well, I could obviously keep my cards hidden and not let on that I know nearly everything regarding her, her father, and what their plans and end goal are. Or, I could dismantle whatever plan she is going to attempt to carry out with me and try to convert her to my side.
That's obviously not going to be the easiest thing to accomplish I imagine, given how her father, Handsome Jack, who is just simply Jack the Hyperion programmer right now, has her under his thumb and is manipulating the fuck out of her. However, it would deliver the most value out of the two options, so I might as well give it a shot. I also got plenty of time to convince her and make it work till things start popping off, so there's that too… But in the event it doesn't pan out like I want it to, I can always resort to the methods I've been using up to now.
Rather than go through a bunch of rigamarole, I decided to forgo all the bullshit and cut straight to the chase. "Angel, you're not going to manipulate me that easily."
"...How do you know my name?" The young woman in the transmission window asked, surprised after a brief pause.
"Right now isn't the time to reveal that sort of information, but let's just say I know a lot more than simply your name, beautiful."
Doesn't look like she gets complimented all too often… if at all.
Amused to see her cheeks take on a slight pinkish hue, I continued walking as the two of us sat there in silence, but she eventually stirred and broke that momentary peace. "So, how much do you know?"
"Well, I know your oh so great father John has you, his supposed to be precious daughter strapped to a chair connected to the Hyperion network, and has you using your siren powers under the guise of furthering Hyperion's interest. I'm also aware that you're watching everything going on here on Pandora via the Hyperion satellites above, and that your father will continue using you as simply a tool to advance his ambitions, to such an extreme that he will literally resign you to your death in the pursuit of them."
Seeing the girl begin to tear up, I gave her a few moments before I simply asked. "Should I go on?"
Angel wiped her tears away and said. "No, I see you know my situation quite well."
It appears things are moving in the desired direction.
"I guess that means we can proceed to the next part of our discussion."
"Oh, and what would that be?"
"Do you want to be rescued from that birdcage your dad threw you in and escape your fate?"
A period of silence appeared once again, but it didn't last long. "Can you?"
"I can." I answered curtly, but confidently.
The siren stewed for a bit and came back with. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why would you go so far out of your way for me, a person who is no more than a stranger?" She asked with a mix of emotions.
Noticing the very intent look in her eyes as she awaited my response, I didn't keep her in suspense for more than a couple of moments. "Hmm, that's a good question indeed. I don't really have a great reason to go out of my way for someone I don't have a relationship with."
The girl seemed saddened by my initial response, but that didn't remain the case for long. "Having said that, I don't think I would mind going out of my way to rescue a pretty damsel in distress I have an interest in."
"An interest you don't say. I wonder what kind?"
"I'll leave it up to your imagination."
That flirtatious response of mine got a giggle from her and a chuckle from me. "So, how about it? Do you want to finally be released from that cage of yours and set free?"
"I'd love to be, but how are you going to accomplish that when I'm not even on the same planet as you, let alone in the same solar system?"
"Where are you then?"
"I'm one system over, on the sole space station in the Gardan system, orbiting a gas giant."
"That is quite far, but not out of reach. I'll just have to commandeer a spaceship capable of warp travel." I responded after looking it up on my ECHO communication device.
"I'm guessing since you're bringing that up, you have a target in mind."
"I do indeed. The Atlas corporation has been increasing their interest in Pandora, so I'll acquire my mode of transportation through them."
"Do you know how to pilot such a craft?"
"Not a clue, but I'm sure I can figure it out as I go. And if not, I have no doubt that the powerful siren with technopathic abilities I just befriended will assist me in releasing her from her chains."
"So you know about that too, huh? You're going to have to tell me how you know so much about me one day..."
"The names Vic, Victor Atlas Colt and yours?" I redirected her, unwilling to discuss my hidden backstory.
Angel smiled. "Oh, I thought you knew all about me."
"Not absolutely everything, but know enough to have a great interest in the young beauty known as Angel."
"My you're quite the charmer." The girl laughed, amused by my banter.
"Anyway, my full name is Angel Martha Jackson."
"I would say it's nice to meet you Angel, but we've yet to meet face to face, so I'll hold off till then."
"Mm, I hope we won't have to wait too long for that day to come."
"You won't. I'm going to break you out soon enough."
The both of us chatted and continued to hit it off and after discussing a number of topics, I began reaching closer and closer to my temporary base of sorts. And once I arrived at the stairs leading up to the entrance, it came time to end the transmission with my new female friend. "It's been a joy to talk with you, Angel, but it's time I've gone back to work, so I can keep that promise I made to you."
"Sigh, you don't know how much I've truly enjoyed our conversation and as much as I would like to keep it going, I'll let you go."
"I mean, it's not like we're not going to chat from now on, so just hit me up later when I'm not busy."
"You don't mind, even if I don't have anything important to say?"
"Of course not. Why would I mind getting attention from a dime piece such as yourself?"
We talked for another minute or two and when it came time to end things, Angel had one last thing to tell me. "Oh, and Vic."
"Yea?"
"I'll be waiting." The dark-haired stunner blew me a kiss through the video transmission before cutting it off as if she was fleeing.
Yeah, I'm gonna make that cute gal mine and ensure she avoids that unfortunate fate of hers.
Although pleasantly surprised to have seemingly obtained the affection of a knockout siren, one that possessed the fantastical ability to manipulate and control technology however she wanted, I nevertheless headed on inside and grabbed some food for my pups and I. Following a speedy meal and a little playtime sesh with the skags, I returned to grinding away at my goals, though this time around, I was busy transferring all the loot upward and getting it ready for transportation.
Yeah, I'm going to have to find some way of moving all this crap without making a bazillion trips back and forth from here to wherever I plan on settling down at for a while.
[ Status Changes ]
Experience Points: +1,375
Total Experience Points Earned: 101,105 → 102,480
Badass Tokens: 5,634 → 5,760
Machine Gun Proficiency: lvl 41 | Accuracy +41% - Cooling Rate +41% - Damage +41% - Magazine Size +41% - Recoil Reduction +41% - Reload Speed +41% - Stability +41% | → lvl 43 | Accuracy +43% - Cooling Rate +43% - Damage +43% - Magazine Size +43% - Recoil Reduction +43% - Reload Speed +43% - Stability +43% |
[ Loot Acquired ]
Ammunition: 2,523
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