Pov: Third Person
Date: Y4 M5
The bioluminescent glow of Pandora's forest cast a haunting yet beautiful light, a reminder that they were somewhere entirely alien. Gaige, Axton, and Zer0 moved carefully through the undergrowth, each step echoing through the humid silence as Claptrap led the way.
The dense jungle loomed above, vines winding over trees that stretched into the shadows, thick with mutated flora and the occasional glow of strange, alien fungi.
Gaige's fingers itched to touch the plants, to analyze the unfamiliar bioluminescence under her lens, but the tension in the air kept her grounded. They had barely survived the crash, and she knew they weren't alone. Shadows shifted through the trees, the brush rustling with creatures drawn by the scent of fresh, off-worlder blood.
"Pandora used to be a wasteland," Gaige whispered, shaking her head as she took in the transformed landscape. "Now it's like an alien rainforest."
Claptrap, now walking with his newly upgraded legs, led them forward with an air of mysterious authority. "Oh, yes! Welcome to Pandora 2.0," he said proudly, his voice carrying just a hint of smug satisfaction. "Thanks to my bestie Alexander's... enhancements, Pandora's gone through quite the makeover. You're going to love Ironhold. It's full of new 'decor'—all brought to life by the power of our glorious leader!"
"Alexander," Axton muttered, still adjusting his grip on his rifle as he scanned the surroundings. "I keep hearing about him. Is he some kind of tyrant or…?"
"Ah, you're in for a surprise!" Claptrap said, half-dancing as he stepped over a fallen branch. "Alexander is no ordinary leader. He's… well, let's just say he's more of a 'guiding light' here. Oh, and technically, he's turned this place into a fortress."
Gaige frowned. She hadn't expected Pandora to be like this.
The planet she'd heard about from stories was harsh and unforgiving, a place of nothing but sand, bandits, and old ruins from corporations long gone. But this… this was something else.
"So, the rumours about Ironhold being some sort of headquarters are true?" Gaige asked.
"Oh, not just a headquarters," Claptrap chimed, waving his metal arm with theatrical flair. "Ironhold is the heart of the Imperium! It's where all the great plans, battles, and dreams of a 'unified Pandora' are brought to life."
Zer0, who had been silent for most of the journey, glanced at Claptrap. "A 'unified' world / Ruled by a single power / What dreams may they dream?"
Claptrap tilted his head, his eye blinking thoughtfully as he parsed Zer0's words. "Ah, Zer0, my cryptic friend. I can't explain it all, but trust me, you'll see soon enough. You'll meet some new friends at Ironhold, people who'll be thrilled to join forces with Vault Hunters like yourselves!"
"New friends, huh?" Gaige muttered skeptically. She adjusted her weapon, eyeing Claptrap's strange new form. "Is it just me, or did you get some upgrades too, Claptrap?"
"Oh, these old things?" Claptrap said, puffing out his 'chest' proudly. "Let's just say Alexander saw my 'untapped potential' and gave me the makeover I deserved. And guess what? You're going to meet other Vault Hunters! The new recruits are ready to greet you!"
"Other Vault Hunters?" Axton's brow furrowed in surprise. "I thought we were the only ones crazy enough to come here."
"Oh no, no, no," Claptrap replied with a dismissive wave. "There are plenty more where you came from! But it's not all about Vaults here. We're going to see so much more—"
Suddenly, a low rumble cut through Claptrap's words. The ground beneath their feet shook, and the trees around them rustled violently as if something massive had just passed through the underbrush. The four of them froze, eyes darting in every direction. Gaige felt her heartbeat quicken.
"What was that?" she whispered, her grip tightening on her weapon.
From above, a huge shadow moved through the branches, blocking out the bioluminescent light.
It wasn't long before the shadow revealed itself—one of the mutated beasts that had been stalking them. Its skin glistened, iridescent in patches where the light caught it, and its massive form twisted between the branches like a predator assessing its prey.
It was a Bullymong, but its fur was replaced with thinner hair and a more ferocious aura.
Axton raised his rifle. "Everyone, get ready. We're not alone."
The creature's eyes glowed, reflecting the light as it narrowed in on them. It let out a guttural snarl, baring rows of sharp teeth, and lunged from the treetops with an otherworldly screech.
Gaige ducked as the creature lunged, firing her weapon. "Deathtrap! Get it!"
Deathtrap roared to life, his engines whirring as he swooped forward, intercepting the creature in midair. The two clashed in a cacophony of metallic clangs and guttural roars, and Deathtrap's claws slashed through its skin with an unrelenting fury.
Zer0 moved like a shadow, darting to the side as he activated his blade. In a blur, he delivered a precise slice to the creature's flank, his visor glowing in satisfaction as it let out a pained roar.
Axton, cool and collected, aimed his turret and fired, the bullets ripping through the creature's tough hide. "Keep it steady, people. We need to drop this thing!"
After a few intense seconds, Deathtrap delivered a final crushing blow, his claws embedding into the creature's neck. With a defeated groan, the beast collapsed onto the forest floor, its body going limp as it exhaled its final breath.
The group took a moment to catch their breath, their eyes still fixed on the fallen creature. Gaige wiped the sweat from her forehead, glancing down at Deathtrap. "Good work, big guy."
Deathtrap whirred in response, his eyes flashing as he hovered protectively by her side.
Claptrap, unphased by the battle, clapped his hands together. "Ah, nothing like a little Pandora welcome party! Now, let's get moving before more of those show-up, hmm?"
The rest of the journey was tense but uneventful, and after what felt like hours of trekking through the dense forest, they finally reached the edge of a clearing. There, in the distance, loomed Ironhold.
The structure was unlike anything Gaige had ever seen—a massive fortress of dark metal and stone, surrounded by high walls bristling with weaponry and patrols.
Above the fortress, the colossal world tree, Yggdrasil, towered into the sky, its branches stretching out as if embracing Pandora itself.
Zer0 tilted his head up, his visor reflecting the faint light filtering through the massive branches. "A tree so mighty / Grown from roots of alien soil / It guards and consumes."
"Yggdrasil," Claptrap announced proudly as if unveiling a grand treasure. "The pride of Pandora, gifted to us by Alexander himself. Isn't it glorious?"
Gaige couldn't help but stare in awe. "He grew that thing? How is that even possible?"
Claptrap's tone turned reverent, almost as if speaking about a deity. "With power, that's how. Alexander has gifted Pandora new life, a shield to protect us from outsiders, like Vladoff and all those other corporations who think they can just take what they want."
Axton grunted, giving Claptrap a sceptical look. "Sounds like this Alexander's got himself a serious god complex."
"Perhaps... But I'd watch your tone around here, buddy. That's my friend you're talking about." Claptrap replied, cheerfully before moving," With Yggdrasil guarding the planet, no one can just walk in and take Pandora. It's our world, and he's going to keep it that way. Factor in that the fast travel systems are locked between planets they can really only get in by brute forcing through."
As they walked closer to the fortress, they noticed figures waiting near the entrance: A massive, scarred psycho wielding a terrifyingly large weapon; a small man with dual pistols who looked ready to unleash hell on anything that moved; and a sniper standing off to the side, a bird perched on his shoulder.
Salvador
"Gunzerker...Mayhem on steroids!"
Brick
"Mind the Muscles..."
Mordecai
"No Scope required."
Claptrap waved his arms, signalling to the group. "Look, Vault Hunters! Here are your new teammates!"
"Hmph, you look tough assassin... Athena might like you. She gets... Stabby sometimes. Hohoho, an old Dahl soldier? Heh, what's a mean mug like yours doing at a start-up like ours? Athena didn't coax you to abandon ship did she?" Brick huffed laughing his eyes finally falling on Gaige.
"Ooooh, you're different." He voiced.
"Hi." Gaige smiled trying to fit in.
"Cool arm," Brick smiled going in for a fist pump.
Gaige is confused and still unsure how to react, reciprocated with a fist pump.
"Thanks and uh... Nice to meet you… I think."
Mordecai turning to look to the sky, responded quickly, "We don't have much time to waste. The forcefield is holding again, but it's weak. Vladoff will be back soon enough. We need to secure Ironhold and fortify the perimeter."
Salvador let out a low, manic laugh. "I like the sound of that, amigo. More Vladoff soldiers to kill!"
Mordecai smirked, his hand resting on his sniper rifle. "Sounds like a good day's work to me."
Axton crossed his arms, nodding in agreement. "Alright, so we fortify Ironhold, keep Vladoff out, and make sure this… Yggdrasil doesn't fall. Any other surprises we should know about?"
Claptrap piped up, eager to offer more information. "Oh, plenty! But I'll let Athena explain the details when you meet her. For now, let's just focus on getting inside and making sure nothing breaks through again."
The Vault Hunters exchanged glances. They had come to Pandora expecting chaos, but this was something else entirely. They were now part of a new world order, a new empire forged under Alexander's watchful eye. It was an alliance they hadn't anticipated, but for now, it was one they would have to trust.
As they followed Mordecai and the others into Ironhold, the towering fortress casting long shadows across Pandora's new forest, Gaige couldn't help but feel a strange sense of purpose. She had come here to escape her past, but it seemed she had stumbled into something much larger.
Pandora's transformation was far from complete, and with Yggdrasil at its heart, she had a feeling this was just the beginning.
---
As they approached Ironhold's massive gates, the true scale of Alexander's military might became apparent.
Towering Loader Bots, each standing three stories tall, patrolled the perimeter with thunderous steps. Their frames had been modified heavily, a monstrous construction that appeared to have the capability to destroy ten cities over.
With shoulder canons and built-in machine guns, the titan gave an aura of suffocation.
Yet what scared the young girl and soldier wasn't just the size of the loader bot but the number of them present. Twenty could be seen patrolling in one sector alongside other mechanic constructs that floated in the air.
"¡Mira eso!" Salvador whistled, gesturing at the defences. "Now that's what I call proper security, amigos. Makes the old Hyperion robots look like tin cans, ¿no?"
Soldiers in massive power armour moved between the Loaders, their suits reminiscent of Maliwan elites but more robust.
Each warrior wore armour that could have been pulled from humanity's most militant age - ceramic plates decorated with skulls and laurels, shoulder pauldrons bearing the symbol of the old legion and helmets with gleaming red visors that tracked every movement.
Yet their sizes were enormous, soldiers larger than the average man standing at a height of two hundred and two centimetres average.
"Hmph, fresh meat..." One of the warriors voiced a small cape draped by his shoulder and back. By his waist a large bolter was on his side, the UAT brand decorated on his side, with the Imepriums sigil plastered on his chest.
"Those suits," Axton muttered, "they're not corporate tech. Where did Alexander get this kind of hardware?"
From the walls above, they could hear the chanting of crowds. The sound grew louder as they approached, becoming a rhythmic roar that echoed across the transformed landscape:
"DEATH TO VLADOFF! BURN THEIR WORLDS! FOR ALEXANDER, FOR THE IMPERIUM!"
"Laus Deo omnipotenti Alexandro!"
"Vivat Imperium!"
The crowd's fervour was almost palpable, their combined voices creating a wave of sound that made the very air vibrate. Civilians and soldiers alike joined in the chant, their faces illuminated by the bioluminescent light of Yggdrasil's branches above.
"La gente está sedienta de sangre," Salvador grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Just like the old days, but now? Now we have real power behind our rage!"
A group of priests or scholars - it was hard to tell which - walked among the crowds, their robes decorated with circuitry patterns that pulsed in rhythm with Yggdrasil. They carried staffs topped with crystalline formations that seemed to channel the same energy that flowed through the fortress walls.
They appeared to have sigils on each of their hands, the men and women guarded by the elite soldiers following behind.
"Religious fervor," Gaige observed, watching as the priests led another round of chanting. "Alexander's not just building an army - he's creating a culture."
"More like a cult," Axton muttered under his breath.
Zer0's visor flickered with a series of rapid symbols before settling on an exclamation mark. "Devotion breeds strength / But blind faith leads to darkness / Which path leads us here?"
As they passed between the massive Loader Bots, one of the armoured warriors approached them. His armour was more ornate than the others, marked with what appeared to be actual battle damage rather than merely ceremonial decorations.
Claptrap wheeled confidently toward the armoured warrior, his upgraded frame showcasing sleek, advanced engineering that seemed centuries ahead of anything on Pandora. "Commander! Your favourite steward unit reporting with our newest recruits! Fresh from the wasteland and ready to join the cause!"
The warrior, clad in power armour that looked like it belonged in humanity's far future, regarded them through his red visor. "Greetings Captain Clatrap... Ahem... These are the ones mentioned in the reports?"
"Oh yes, yes!" Claptrap spun excitedly. "Hand-picked potentials! Well, technically crash-landed potentials, but who's counting? They've already survived two attacks from our enhanced wildlife!"
"Understood, welcome back." He affirmed letting them inside.
Zer0 walking past the tall titan merely sized up the warrior.
Inside Ironhold, the technology was a testament to Alexander's power - clean, advanced, and almost clinical in its perfection. Holographic displays and energy fields hummed with quiet efficiency, while automated defense systems tracked every movement with precise calculation.
They entered the command center where Athena stood studying tactical displays showing Vladoff movements. The screens highlighted advanced shield arrays and defence grids that protected Pandora's surface - all powered by technology that made corporate innovations look primitive in comparison.
"So," she said, turning to face them, "these are our new assets."
The command centre doors hissed open with a pneumatic whisper. Tina stepped in, her movements precise and controlled.
Her equipment was distinctly advanced, even by Ironhold's standards, each piece bearing subtle markings that few would recognise as signs of Alexander's direct oversight. The only personal touch was a single faded rabbit pin attached to her tactical vest.
Athena's expression hardened. "Recruit. This is a restricted briefing."
"Nah uh." She smiled walking through.
"I believe your request was denied, no?"
"Not anymore." Tina's voice was measured, and professional. She produced a holographic authorization chip that pulsed with an energy signature Athena had rarely seen. "My combat ratings and tactical analyses have earned me a place here. Direct orders."
Athena studied the credentials, her jaw tightening. "These numbers... they're exceptional. But you're still-"
"Too young?" Tina's voice remained neutral, but there was an undertone of something else - a quiet confidence that seemed beyond her years. "The results speak for themselves, Commander. Age is irrelevant when compared to capability."
Salvador watched the exchange with confusion. "¿La pequeña Tina? Working for the military now?"
He had seen the young girl before the bombs fell and from his memory, she was quite eccentric, now she was almost stoic.
"Times change," Tina replied simply, moving to the tactical display. Her fingers danced across the controls with practised precision, bringing up detailed combat analyses that even Athena hadn't seen before. "Vladoff's forces are adapting faster than predicted. We need to adjust our strategy."
What none of them knew - save perhaps Claptrap, who watched with uncharacteristic silence - was that every movement, every word, every seemingly casual gesture was the result of Alexander's personal training. His youngest disciple, hidden in plain sight, carried out his vision with a devotion that went far beyond mere military loyalty.
"These tactical assessments," Athena noted, studying the display. "They're... impressive. Where did you learn to-"
"I had a good teacher," Tina cut in smoothly. She turned to the group, her eyes holding knowledge far deeper than anyone suspected. "Vladoff's latest breach attempts show they're learning. We need to move fast." She glanced at Gaige. "Your technical expertise will be valuable. Assuming you can keep up."
Zer0's visor flickered with rapid symbols, perhaps sensing something beneath the surface. The assassin remained silent, watching.
"I still don't like this," Athena muttered, but military discipline won out. "Fine. Recruit, brief them on the eastern perimeter situation."
As Tina began her briefing, only Claptrap noticed how the advanced systems of Ironhold seemed to respond differently to her presence - screens activating milliseconds faster, doors opening before she reached them. Small signs that would mean nothing to most, but everything to those who knew what to look for.
The former demolitions-obsessed girl was now something else entirely. Alexander's hand-picked protégé, hiding behind the simple title of "recruit" while carrying out plans far beyond what even Athena could imagine. Her youth wasn't a liability - it was a cover, one that let her move through Ironhold's ranks while keeping her true role hidden from all but her mentor.
"The eastern sector," Tina continued, her briefing detailed in ways that made Athena raise an eyebrow, "shows unusual Vladoff activity. Their assault patterns have changed." She highlighted several points on the map with a precision that would have seemed suspicious to anyone who knew to look for it. "We need to move now."
The others saw only a surprisingly competent young recruit. They didn't see Alexander's chosen student, the one he had personally molded into something far more dangerous than any of them could guess.