//------------------------------// // rise of the crimson raiders // Story: Borderland: Friendship is futile // by reddestreaction //------------------------------// “Alright, so what’s the plan?” Sky skipper asks, fiddling with her wing. Heart throb throws back another shot of whiskey with a sniffle. “Alright, it is a agreed that we are going to Firestone, right?” Moon Shadow says. “Like Leather notes has said, there are only three routes. I believe it would be best if we enroll him to fight with us.” “I don’t know.” Sky Skipper says. “He came with Valentine after her boyfriend sacrificed himself… don’t you think he should stay with her?” Heart throb throws back another one, Femme Fatale giving her a concerned look. “We should bring in Sapphire Scavenger.” I pipe up. “I’m sure she won’t mind.” “Very well. We also have to worry about the Hodunk family and the…” “Hold up, Sugar. Did you say the Hodunk family?” Femme Fatale says, slamming down her bottle with a “Sonuvabitch.” “You know them?” Sky Skipper asks. Heart throb takes the liberty to take a swig straight from the bottle. “Used to be one of them.” She groans. “Used to have a bar called Red Rubilite’s… that was back before Desert Rose was born and times were simple. Ran away with her after i overheard that she was going to be married to a Yakford while pregnant with Skeeter, never looked back.” “Something happened to Desert Rose and Skeeter is freaking out about it.” “Then it’s worse than i thought. I’ll have to call in that favor.” Femme Fatale mumbles. “If we have to go anywhere… I suggest we take out the Junkers…” Sky skipper says. “They’re just psychos who live in a junkyard, nothing to be afraid of.” “Yes, but Valentine’s boyfriend went missing before the bridge collapsed… perhaps we can figure out what happened to him if we went through the wreckage?” Moon Shadow inquired. “And risk getting captured?” Heart throb takes one long drag of the alcohol, Femme Fatale snatching it out of her hands. I wonder if Heart throb is playing a drinking game at this point. “Do you have any better ideas?” “We could go see that Martini person he was talking about?” “That bitch is still alive!?!” Femme Fatale squeals. “Do you know her?” “Go way back… she should be dead. She was bad news… hm. I wouldn’t bet my money on her if i were you.” “So back to square one.” I sigh. “Not quite.” Tik Tok says, bursting through the tavern doors. “Based off of what little data the M1CE has collected, it could be possible for you to do all three. If any if you have a setback, you should be able to communicate using these.” He holds up what looks like small pens. “These won’t be trackable by any outside source whatsoever. I do suggest wearing you mask, however.” Tik Tok looks over at me. “The doctor, Derpy, and I will be looking out for you guys the best we can soo good luck.” “If that’s that, i will inform Clover and we can assemble for our leave tonight.” Moon Shadow concludes. “Hey Tik Tok.” I call out, motioning for him to sit down. “Is there something you need?” “It’s nothing really. I just wanted to see how you were… Everything that has happened… it just blew up and there’s so much going on.” “Indeed. Even though i cannot express my emotions physically, even i have been put between a rock and a hard place.” “Yeah… i don’t even know how i got roped in with the Crimson Raiders but it feels like to much. But i am doing it for the good of others… it would be selfish for me to pull back.” “Nobody will blame you though.” We sit there for a moment before Tik Tik laid his head on the table. “The doctor has been… jumpy lately. Sometimes he looks at us with expression. Guilt, fear, and sorrow mostly. He doesn’t speak with us about it either. He wakes constantly throughout the night.” “It’s gotten that bad.” “You know of it?” “He spoke of it one night while i was restless. He thinks too much… about what is and what could’ve been and what will be.” “Sounds like him.” “Tell me, Tik Tok. How did you meet the doctor?” “The doctor and derpy was test driving one of their TARDIS when they came across my village… we were a failing sanctuary that was constantly raided by bandits and hyperion guards. The bandits woke up a hydra and led it right to us. I created a bomb and at the last second, the doctor and derpy saved me. However, many was lost that day.” “So… what happened to the sanctuary?” “It’s called Ft. Neighers now.” “I’ve been looking into the pony that hacked into the Doctor’s equipment.” “And?” “Nothing yet, but from what i can’t tell… they aren’t any normal hacker pony and this isn’t any normal magic encryption. It is disturbingly close to the Doctor’s…” “Do you think you can figure out…” “Not with anything we got as of right now. However, i have some theories, but tests would have to ran.” “Well… keep me updated.” “Sounds like a plan.” he nods, getting up. “And Vault Hunter?” “Yeah.” “Thank you for listening.” Before heading out for the mission, i stop at Cutthroat’s office to see Daring. “Hey.” he smiles. “Hey.” “You okay?” “I should be asking you that.” I say, light-heartedly. “I’m fine.” Daring says, rolling his eyes. “He lies!” Tenderheart screams from upstairs, clearly eavesdropping. We both chuckle. “But really… are you going to be okay?” “Yeah! I’m… Okay… i guess.” “You guess? If it’s the mission that you are worried, you’re going to be fine. And if it’s because you won’t have your goggles...” he says taking my goggles and laying them on his head. “I’ll take care of these until you come back, so don’t worry. Okay?” “I’ll try.” i say, my ears drooping. “To be honest, i’m concerned. I think that we have been getting off way too easy, if you ask me. With Warning Shot and the arena… what’s to say that this time will be the same?” “Hey, thinking like that might as well get you killed.” he says, sternly. “Pandora is a cruel place, that’s why we have to distract ourselves with things like friendship, violence, work, or…” “Or… ” i say, fidgeting. Heat floods my cheeks, hoping he would say something. Daring stammers for a moment as he looks into my eyes before clearing his throat. “Oh my gosh, just kiss already!” Tenderheart yells, ruining the mood. “Anyways… you have nothing to worry about. We will always have your back. And i’ll be right here...” he holds up one of the pen communicators. “If you need me.” We use the catch-a-ride system to rent a carriage and headed out, each taking shifts. Sky skipper had her head laying against Moon Shadow’s flank as she looked up into the stars. “I got you in my sights.” Heart throb calls out, grabbing my flank. I yelp causing her to chuckle mischievously before she pounces on Moon Shadow. Sky Skipper then jumps on the pony pile causing them to to shriek. “So hey… Heart Throb… if you don’t mind… can i ask how the Crimson Raider came to be?” Heart Throb drops the playful antics, sitting back in her seat. “I’m not sure how, really.” she says. “I only know the story of Daring and me, but before then is a myth at best.” “Ooh! Story time!” Skipper jokes, scooting in. “Me first! Me first!” “I believe that we should start in order don’t you think?” Moon Shadow reprimands. “Does it really matter?” Clever Clover says. “The story starts with the Crimson Lance,” Heart Throb snaps, hushing the others. “ a highly trained private military force of the Atlas corporation. Used to enforce a form of dictatorial law upon civilians in their domain.” “Yeah, they and are considered by many to be "Serious Badasses".” Sky skipper says, nudging me. “That is until… “ “Hush. Am I telling the story or no?” Heart Throb says, kicking Sky Skipper in the flank. “The Crimson Lance brigade on the planet decided to build a base and fortify it. They are known to heavily prefer the use of military might to get their way.” “When the first Vault key fragment was rumored to be found, the commotion attracted the attention of the local Lance garrison commander Commandant Steele to take action. She used her forces to attack and seize havens, murdering it’s civilians without mercy.” Moon shadow adds. “Then Vault Hunters were declared to be enemies and savages, meant to be shot at and killed on sight to keep them out.” Clever inquires. “The Crimson Lance manage to reach the objective first, and with the Vault hunters as witnesses Commandant Steele performs the final act of the Lance; opening the Vault and unleashing the horror within.” “They released a beast called Destroyer, and the commander had gotten her comeuppance.” Moon Shadow winces. “It eating her on sight. And even though it was the original vault hunters who defeated the beast, they would later be blamed for releasing it by the remainder of the Crimson Lance.” “A former soldier of the Crimson Lance, Radar, the highly trained private military of the Atlas corporation stepped up and created the Crimson Raiders after the Crimson Lance sworn in General Knoxx, the very first general.” Heart Throb mentions. “General Knoxx proved himself to being worse than Commander Steele tenfold with his antics while Radar picked up the pieces. First, it was Daring in Thousand Cuts after breaking down the only safe haven’s wall looking for a person who knew how to read some script in a nearby vault. When Radar got there, the town was in ruin.” “It’s heard the when Radar found Daring, he had backed himself into Caution’s Crossing while in Berserker mode.” Sky skipper remarks. “The story is blurred from then on what kind of beast Daring had slain but last time the story was told it was a thresher.” “I was next,” Clever reveals. “ I need money to get out of a hard spot that i was in. And so at the age of 17, I won an interplanetary sharpshooting competition with a revolver. The other competitors who were using sniper rifles, accused me of cheating and made me cough up the reward along with a few teeth. They dragged me to a cave and left me to die. That’s where i met a baby Hemospec that had fallen out of his nest and broke his wing.” “Both Shenanigans and i was sold to sold to Hyperion, i was sold to be eye candy for the sin Lust and she was to become test subjects for Jack's slag mutation experiments. After our escape, i was captured again and was saved by Radar.” “Sky Skipper and i was born of the same father, separately.” Moon Shadow explains. “I was born and grew up in a wealthy family in a “wealthy” haven capital, having lived happily until about 10.” “And i lived in a moderate home in the sky until i was 6.” Sky Skipper concludes. “Hyperion was collecting pegasi to train as “Soldiers” but i refused to go. I fell from the sky, barely knowing how to fly just yet.” “That same day, Hyperion burned my home to the ground, and when i thought life couldn’t get any worse, i saw Sky Skipper tear open the cloudy sky as she fell. I had lost my cover when i caught her and she’s been with me since.” “It wasn’t until following the defeat of General Knoxx, that the Atlas Corporation abandoned all remaining Crimson Lance soldiers on Pandora.” Heart Throb finishes. “Radar used this opportunity to rally the Lancemen against Hyperion, pledging to give them a cause their previous employer could not promise them, forming the Crimson Raiders.” I sit in silence, overwhelmed. “I think we broke her.” Sky skipper boasts. “Awesome, i know!” Moon Shadow kicks Sky Skipper in the flank, rolling her eyes. “So what happened to radar.” “Rolans was captured by Sloth’s arena after the last time someone went up against the court of sins. He was the only one who didn’t make make it out that time when we raided the Stronghold.” “The Bloodshot stronghold?” “We were fighting the Mauler att the time. The three brother’s sold Radar of to sloth and then was dumped into a vat of corrosives.” Clever responds. “I was more then willing to put them down but Warning Shot pleaded for me not to.” “Alright, enough of the moody talk.” Heart Throb orders. “ From now one, we worry about Firestone and getting back to Daring. Yes?” “Sounds like  plan.” i smile.