Claptrap waved as we passed through the gate.
"Thank you for visiting Fyrestone! Farewell, travellers, and be sure to say hello to all the other friendly Claptraps that await you on Pandora! I shall now continue my fascinating research on the wondrous properties of sand!"
The Skag dens were farther from Fyrestone than I remembered. In the game, T.K. Baha's shack looked as if it were just over the next hill.
Here, that hill was part of a stretch of open ground that would take close to an hour to cross on foot.
That was the trouble with knowing a place from a game. The landmarks were familiar, but the distances weren't. The world had room to breathe, and it had room for things to come at you from beyond the edge of the screen.
Lyra marked the nearest den on my visor. The others spread out as we approached. Mordecai took the high ground, Roland and Lilith held the centre, and Brick went toward the largest opening with the confidence of a man who expected the Skags to be polite enough to line up.
The first one came out low and fast. I waited until it committed, stepped to the side, and fired into its shoulder. It stumbled but kept coming. A second shot stopped it.
Another Skag lunged from the den, and I used the rifle's short bursts to keep it back while Brick finished it.
Mordecai's aim was excellent, Roland kept track of the group, and Lilith could reposition before most of the Skags had figured out where she'd gone. Brick was Brick.
By the time we were finished, the dens had gone quiet. We gathered the usable hides and parts.
Zed had offered to pay for anything we brought back in decent condition, and none of us were about to refuse easy money on Pandora.
Brick carried the largest share. I took two of the carcasses and kept one hand free. The Frostbite assault rifle stayed slung across my back; my sidearm remained ready at my hip.
When we returned, Zed inspected the haul and whistled.
"I guess those Skags didn't give you much trouble, eh? You clearly know how to handle yourselves. That's good. Real good. You're gonna need it, 'cause I've got somethin' else for you to help me with."
"Before that" I said, "Are you buying the parts?"
"Oh! Why yes, I am. Put 'em on the tables over there. Here's payment for keeping them in decent shape."
He paid us $756 for the parts. It wasn't a fortune, but money was money, for me this was nothing so I let the others take it as I am more here for the 'dangers of Pandora' as my reasoning.
He also sorted out common ammunition and medical supplies for the others. My perspnal magazines weren't compatible with his stock, so Lyra confirmed I had enough rounds for another fight before I would need a supply payload delivered from the ship to a nearby location I can loot it from.
While Roland spoke to Zed about a power coupling for the med vendor, I checked the Catch-A-Ride machine outside. It was missing its core. Without one, we weren't driving anywhere.
I don't exactly own a vehicle for multi passenger transport yet, since Sif is my mount.
Mordecai was sitting nearby with Bloodwing perched on the table beside him. The bird watched me with one bright eye as I walked over.
"You got a minute?" I asked.
"Sure."
"The Catch-A-Ride needs a power core. Bonehead's camp is the closest place to get one, and his people have been using the only working vehicle around here to keep their raids moving. We go in, take the core, and make it harder for them to move around."
Mordecai looked toward the machine, then back at me. "Sounds like a plan. You also mentioned a friendly little competition."
"I did. First one to Bonehead's camp gets to choose the salvage we bring back."
"Just the salvage?"
"Nothing from my own personal kit. I like my rifle."
"Good. I was about to say you'd lost your mind." He grinned. "I'll still claim the best sniper you've got."
"Then you'd better get there first."
Bloodwing gave a sharp cry from the tabletop.
"Right, I forgot," I said. "You've got backup."
"Two-on-one, kid. You've got the better gear, so it balances out."
I told Roland where we were going. He didn't like splitting the group, but the camp was close and we had a specific target. We agreed to keep our ECHO channel open and fall back if anything went wrong.
Mordecai and I headed for Bonehead's camp. The climb was steep, but the VXA-01's grappling line made the worst parts manageable.
Mordecai moved over the rocks like he'd done it a hundred times. I was careful not to mistake good equipment for good instincts.
We reached a ledge overlooking the camp. From there, we could see the Outrunners, the bandits, and the main route Bonehead used to move between the buildings.
The sun was behind us, and the angle made it harder for the bandits to pick us out against the ridge.
Mordecai lifted his rifle. "Rules?"
"Confirmed headshots only. A non-headshot skill is half a point. No explosives. Bloodwing counts as your side of the team."
"Fair enough."
I brought up the VSP-50 Silencer. It was built for accurate long-range shots, but I still had to make them myself. Lyra marked likely targets and tracked movement. The rest was practice.
The first few bandits went down before they realised anyone was watching. Mordecai's shots were clean and efficient. Mine were, too, though he had the advantage of years spent living with a rifle in his hands.
Bloodwing swept over the camp once, forcing two bandits out from behind cover. I took one, Mordecai took the other immediately after.
"Not bad." he said.
"Likewise."
We kept at it until Bonehead finally came out. His shield flared as he moved between the buildings, shouting orders at the bandits around him. Bloodwing dropped toward him from above. I fired at the edge of his shield and watched it spark.
Bonehead had ducked behind cover in a panic.
I adjusted for the angle and fired again. My round clipped the metal edge of the barrier instead of finding its way through. Before I could correct, Mordecai's shot struck Bonehead as he leaned out to look for Bloodwing.
His shield collapsed. He dropped hard beside the barrier.
"Looks like I won!" Mordecai called. "Ha! Better pay up, kiddo!"
"Damn it."
I'd been close. Close enough to know I had the shot, but not fast enough to take it before he did. The difference was experience, not luck. Mordecai had read Bonehead's movement a fraction sooner than I had.
As agreed, I took out a functional prototype of a Sniper Rifle i had designed before I had added a precision mode (sniper mode) function to my assault rifle. And the size of Mordecai's grin showed he was going to love his new sniper.
Once the camp was clear, we took the power core and checked the stores. I salvaged ammunition, a few intact shields, and tools that could be reused.
Bonehead's SMG—the Bone Shredder—was in better condition than most of the other weapons. I kept it for inspection. Lyra logged its construction so I could compare it with the Frostbite's modular system later.
I didn't have a bottomless inventory to fill. We loaded what mattered into the working Outrunner and left the rest. Even so, Mordecai had to remind me that we'd come for a power core, not to dismantle the entire camp.
"Useful parts are useful parts," I told him.
"Sure. Just don't make me walk with a pile of scrap on my lap."
By the time we reached Fyrestone again, we handed over the core, unloaded our salvage, and got the machine running.
I still couldn't believe I'd lost to Mordecai. But I was happy about it, too. He was one of my favourite Vault Hunters long before I'd been reborn here, and now I'd seen exactly why he'd earned that reputation. He was skilled, patient, and completely at home with a rifle.
I'd lost Mordecai's challenge.
But next time, I'd win.