|Borderlands| Begin Anew |1-on-1 rp|

Zer0 forced himself to release the hold on his sword's hilt, if only to put everyone at ease. Best not let tempers rise further aside from his and Naeva's. It was going to be a long day, however, that much was quite clear already. Still, at least everyone seemed ready to move on after long last.

Naeva's tone didn't escape his notice. The exhaustion already prevalent there... well, that wasn't a good sign at all. Yes, a long day indeed.

Nonetheless, they were filing into the caravan one-by-one, slowly even. Zer0 lingered at Naeva's side while the others piled inside, waiting to be the last ones in. He had no want to be sandwiched between anyone if he could help it and this way he could avoid that easily. Naeva might well be entertaining the same thought if he wasn't mistaken.

"A worrying trek / in store for us here. Such things / now outed to them," he murmured for her ears alone. Even so, he headed into the caravan as well, keeping their conversation in hushed tones for just them as he did.

It was Sasha who sat at the driver's seat today, looking comfortable as could be within that seat. Naira didn't mind this, seeing no need to take the wheel herself. It left her free to brood or keep an eye on everyone. As such, Naira seated herself at the little couch again. Already she'd passed out twice in twenty-four hours, best be somewhere more comfortable in case she dozed again so soon.

Vaughn joined her at one side, maybe already expecting his buddy to sit next to her. If that was the case then maybe it wasn't just Naira thinking that Rhys wanted to keep her in eyesight... This thought she kept to herself.

"If it's not too much to ask, let's not out any more secrets today, huh?" Fiona shot her way, looking both wary and maybe a little amused.

Naira waved dismissively in answer as Zer0 and Naeva entered the caravan themselves.

Zer0 nodded, closing the door behind him and following closely behind Naeva to corner of the caravan to sit at away from the others. In this way they could keep an eye on them all again and observe. This was just one of many things that Zer0 did best. Perhaps by doing so he might learn more about his temporary allies.

"She has revealed / leverage against us now. / A dangerous thing."

For that's what it was, after all. Why else would she have let it 'slip' like she had? Zer0 saw no other motive but to put them into a corner, to make sure they would not try to take the Vault from under her nose, or leave her for dead along the way. The press of a button, just one call to anyone and Naeva would be targeted more heavily than ever to get to Zer0...

"What a clever ploy," he mused, if not a little miffed about it still.

He had to admit that the trouble was mounting rather quickly and in ways he could not have hoped to prepare for. Still, he would see this through to the end if possible. Nothing would stop him from that, not even Naeva's old friend...


Vaughn echoed Rhys' sentiments of not wanting anymore trouble, holding up his hands as if to ward off Fiona's suspicions to the contrary. Naira hardly paid any mind, fishing for her ECHO instead. If her silence would ultimately make the others happy, well... why not? As such she began to promptly flip through the titles on her ECHO, seeking something to play to pass the time.

"So, know anything about Old Haven, Naira? I don't think I've even heard the name before yesterday," Vaughn started after a moment or two had passed. "But that video we found while you were dealing with Rhys' freak out told us to head there."

Naira hummed briefly at that. Old Haven, was it? At first she did not answer, picking a little rhythm game to play instead. While it booted up she thought of how best to explain the long since abandoned place. Only when music began to play from her ECHO, the title screen bypassed with a button press, did Naira speak up.

"I believe it used to be an old Atlas mining town but it's been abandoned for a long time now."

For a second, Vaughn scratched his chin, a thoughtful look on his face. Naira didn't seem to notice, already heading into her game mode selection and ready to wile away the minutes as she could with the game.

"Well, that makes sense, I guess. I mean, the Gortys Project is Atlas too."

Back to the wall, arms folded and a watchful eye on them all, yes, this was how Zer0 felt most at ease in this situation. It gave him time to ponder on Naira's possible intentions for outing their relationship. As such, he didn't respond right away to Naeva's inquiry on the matter, merely dwelling over what he knew.

It was clear that Naira was desperate for this Vault, the only one she had a clear route to, that much had been obvious when it came to threatening Zer0 and then a falsified show of suicide to further knock Naeva off kilter. But then, why not use that knowledge of their clandestine relationship then? Putting it out there now just made no sense, it had no rhyme to the only reason he had that she would do as such.

Was there something Zer0 was missing?

"Stop it then and there," he said simply, finally. How they would do that depended entirely on the situation, that was all.


Vaughn raised his wrist, where the Atlasio he'd taken from that hidden stash was now strapped, brandishing it rather proudly. "Hiding things and making awesome tech!"

She was already playing now, focused on the buttons that appeared in time with the beat of the music. Because of this she easily and quickly became engrossed in what she was doing rather than in the conversation she sat in the middle of now. The music video happening behind the button presses, well, that was all just a passing glance in order to prevent herself from unnecessarily messing up.

"Hopefully something worth selling! Man, wouldn't that be great? Get out of this debt and maybe buy our way back into our old positions at least. Heck, it'd be even better if it skyrockets us to the top, huh, Rhys?"

From what little Naira heard of that rambling, it was clear enough that both men at her sides had big dreams. Many who entered Hyperion's ranks did though, just as many gunning to be the next Handsome Jack. Naira resisted a scoff at that. She missed a button prompt, an off-beat vocal played as punishment. Her frown deepened slightly before she deigned to speak up.

"Information, loot, old Eridian tech? It's hard to say what's inside except for a guardian monster to greet us first."

Several seconds passed again before she glanced up at each in turn, the song ended with but a passing score. Disappointed in that, knowing she could do better, she deigned to do just that after reacclimatizing to the controls. Silently she held out her ECHO to Vaughn, a silent invitation to try or to play with her. That would be difficult if it was the latter but she'd manage. Maybe they'd take control of half the prompts each. It didn't seem to matter as Vaughn shook his head, looking somewhat apologetic about it. Naira merely offered a shrug.

He could glimpse her rubbing her hands as she did when growing anxious. It wasn't hard to figure out why she was doing so now though he wisely chose not to comment on it or draw attention that he'd noticed it at all. Best to let it run its course, he'd found.

Even when he did answer, well, Naeva took stock in it for a long moment. His speculations that she might have been hesitating on what ultimately may need to be done to silence Naira being realized after he'd waited patiently. Then again this wasn't surprising, she'd said as such last night anyways.

"A worry for a / different time. We know not / what she really plans," he answered.

It gave brief insight into his puzzlement. From the things Naeva had told him before and from what he'd witnessed first hand, well, Naira wasn't one to go about like this. She was, as Naeva had said once, 'blunt force trauma' more oft than not. This, however? This was too randomly placed, to left out for everyone's ears for it to be just blackmail.

But then what was it?

He reached out, sure that no one was watching, to briefly clasp Naeva's hand in his own. No one was looking their way, anyways, either driving or elsewise busied up.


There would be no answer to Rhys' first question. From experience, of course there would be a Vault beast to combat, but worrying about it right now while they tracked down whatever was left in Old Haven, well... Naira saw no point in that just yet. It could come when they were closer to their goal.

Upon Vaughn's polite disagreement to join in her game, Naira had been intent on just playing on her own. She briefly recalled Rhys admitting he hadn't quite taken to video games the night before, after all, and saw no point in requesting if he'd like to try or not. Even so, a minute may have passed before he asked what it was she was doing now.

Very briefly, Naira looked up at him, only a split second of a glance spared before her nose was buried in her ECHO again, not willing to mess up entirely to sate her curiosity just yet. Why was Rhys so interested anyways? Ah, well, Naira figured it couldn't hurt to indulge in his answer. What Naira missed, however, was the very questioning look Vaughn sent to Rhys over her head.

"It's a rhythm game; press the buttons as they come into place in time with the music," she said.

"Yeah, can't say I was very into music much either," Vaughn pitched in, perhaps to justify to her his refusal to play.

Naira didn't mind, offering a nod to show she heard and understood. She wasn't the type to be offended over that but maybe he thought she was.

She didn't sound so sure, not like she'd been for a few years now. Naira was shaking her to her core if that was the case... Zer0 didn't like that fact at all. If that's how easy it was for her then... He shook his head, turning more fully to Naeva then. Best to tend to his partner than to dwell angrily on it.

"All you can do now," he murmured.

He would do his best to protect her from Naira, whatever it was the Hyperion woman planned on doing. Perhaps she and Handsome Jack had more in common than Naeva had once wanted to believe. If that was the case, well, it certainly left quite a bit to worry about. Zer0 would watch and wait and if something fishy happened concerning her, he would act.

There was a Vault at stake, yes, but if it meant keeping Naeva alive, he would risk losing that Vault if no other options presented themselves to him.

"We will prevail here."



Rhys sounded sure of his assessment. She didn't have to glance up to see that much, it was very easy to hear in his voice. Naira's lip quirked up briefly in the ghost of a smile at his little taunt to boot. Hard? Oh, he didn't know hard.

"If hard is what you want I could always toss you into the midst of Demon's Souls when I have access to my consoles again," Naira noted easily, not yet finished with the current song. As such she didn't glance up to see Vaughn shrug at Rhys.

"Sounds like a pretty morbid one to me," he pointed out.

He was more right on that than he could know but Naira saw no need to point that out. Perhaps in the past she might've, more easygoing than nowadays. Instead she tipped her head briefly in answer neither confirming nor denying it. The song was finishing up anyways, the last beats hit before she finally sat straighter, turning to Rhys.

The ECHO was held out to him, an invitation to either play solo or to half the buttons with her. She was honestly fine with either, knowing full well Rhys had no clue what he was in for. From the sounds of it he might not have even seen a rhythm game played before in his life.

"You can try on your own or we can split up the buttons," she said, waiting.

Though she agreed with him on the matter she hardly sounded fit to do just that. Worrying had been a hardship for her upon meeting so many years ago and though she'd gotten a handle on it Naira's ploys had caused it all to resurface with a vengeance. Zer0 grew further displeased at this. Naira could do what she would to him but this was crossing a line, especially after the care packages through the years.

Another shake of his head followed and he leaned back. Though he allowed his hand to drop from hers moments ago Zer0 kept it close, grazing her thigh. In this she might be able to draw strength from him, if only a little, in that time.

"And that we will do," he reassured her.

With that said he turned his gaze back to the others. All was calm enough now and Zer0 somewhat hoped that remained if only for Naeva's sake. Sasha at the wheel rendered her quiet, perhaps one who drew to brooding while she drove. Fiona seemed to take to a task of her own and the three Hyperion members of their group had situated themselves on the couch.

"Quite quiet here now."


Naira tipped her head to one side, regarding Rhys more curiously. Why did he feel so inclined to keep her near, to include her even? Was it that big heart of his or some other notion? Naira couldn't help but wonder though asking now might only result in a stammered answer. Who could even say if Rhys would answer truthfully, if at all? Perhaps something to speak of in private...

A shake of her head followed and she gestured at the little keypad. "This one's single-player only. We could split up the buttons, if you don't want to worry about all nine or so at once."

The last portion might have been a little teasing, knowing full well Rhys was about to be a little daunted. The game might only be on normal instead of hard but it would still be a challenge for a newbie gamer. Even so, Naira did find herself a little flattered that Rhys was at least trying it. Jack never was one to entertain the notion, though he would stay with her and sometimes watch.

"Wait, nine? Why does it need nine buttons?" Vaughn wondered.

"Oh, the basic face buttons and directional arrows that needed to be accounted for on the console version. And the thumbsticks being replaced by a key for this port." A pause. "Oh, and the directional and face buttons are combo'd frequently as well."

Naeva seemed to relax a little with the quiet that had spread through the caravan. Even the conversation the three Hyperion members were holding wasn't all that loud, hushed even. Did they do that out of courtesy? Zer0 doubted it though would not question it further. In this time it aided in Naeva regaining her composure.

For her sake there had not been another fight that morning though one could have broken out easily if any had defied Zer0's wish, or pushed her buttons further. No, that wasn't needed now. He had to tell himself that again and again, if only to keep from reaching for his blade. Violence would not, sadly, solve this particular problem.

"A small blessing, hmm? / There will be more, I assure / you of that much now," he promised quietly. Even if it meant losing out on just this Vault, he would do what he could for her in the days to come. Again, he brushed his thumb across the side of her thigh, a silent reassurance to his words.

Just for awhile, they could sit undisturbed like this in the presence of others. Now that they knew there was no reason not to all the more, perhaps all of them now quite aware now that the lack of space between he and Naeva was not just of trust in a battle comrade but in a partner so much more. Even so, Zer0 would keep it down low, perhaps to make some forget. It would be easy if they were not obvious about it.

They never were.

"Let come what comes now."


Naira blinked, head cocked to one side as she peered up at Rhys. Was that really a feat to wonder about? Naira didn't think so, but then she'd done these things her whole life so maybe she was biased on that. Or maybe it was Rhys and Vaughn who had the weird thought on the difficulty of nine or so buttons to a single game.

"Of course," she said matter-of-factly. "I grew up not only playing video games but watching my elder siblings play too. I even started to learn to read through RPGs. This stuff is child's play."

"Wait, seriously? Who just does that though? I mean, I have hobbies too but they aren't super diffic--..." Vaughn cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses briefly. "Uh, never mind. Most people complain about math, don't they? I forget sometimes..."

Naira allowed an amused hum to escape her in answer, reaching for her half of the ECHO. She shifted a little closer to Rhys, to more comfortably hold it and to see the screen better. Worrying about her arm growing tired would only doom the game from the start, after all. In all of this, she hardly seemed to notice the fact that she gave a little information about herself she'd ordinarily not have.

"Let's try..." Scrolling through the selection she hummed several times in thought, listening to the preview music before moving on. Something mildly easy to ease Rhys into it... Ah! "This one."

Zer0 spared a smile in return in the way he always did. He allowed it to linger, the crimson glow upon her cheeks and in her eyes giving her a more lively appearance in those seconds that passed. When it finally faded the smile on her lips remained, small as it might be. For that it was a small blessing.

He offered a shrug though it would not deter her correct observations on the matter. Zer0 would uphold his promise to the end and he was, in fact, awaiting any of those challenges that would come. The only thing that mattered now were just in what form those challenges would take.

"Just the truth of the / matter, if I am honest. / You know all that too," he pointed out.

Of the many Zer0 had come across it was Naeva who grew to knew him most and could interpret his actions and haikus the best. Of course, this was a product of all that time spent side by side. Zer0 did not mind, not like he'd once had. Sometimes, he found, on rare occasions, it was nice to have someone near that knew him well.

"I know you like it," he prodded, peering at her from behind his dark visor.



She offered an affirmative hum in answer, the music video starting with only seconds before the button cues began to show up. The video itself was a distraction, something to look at if you were a bystander. Rhys wasn't going to get that luxury now, though he'd certainly not been paying attention to the button prompts, or hadn't expected them, given the way he'd hurriedly attempting to hit his in time only to miss.

Her thumb found the proper ones, the cues combined with Rhys failing as he missed his half, though she otherwise was able to keep enough points to avoid being failed out. For now.

"Hand-eye coordination," she grunted briefly, staring. To blink meant to possibly miss a cue and now wasn't the time for that. It took a moment to realize that a thought like that would sound weird if said out loud.

"Jeez, that's nuts! Rhys, I think we found your Achilles heel," Vaughn said.

Naira leaned into Rhys to bump his arm with her shoulder, probably messing him up but it wasn't like he was doing that great anyways. Maybe a bit of a teasing push might make him a bit more competitive. "C'mon, Rhys' Pieces, that robo-arm of yours has to have some coordination you don't have in the other one."

And so it began, the easing into a better mood. That was good. In the time he'd come to know her Zer0 had come to grow disdainful of those sour looks and foul moods. They didn't suit her at all, of that he'd decided early on even if he didn't originally do much about it in that first year or two.

The little bit of flirting, quiet as it was, seemed to drastically improve it further. If this was what she needed, then so be it.

"I'm glad to hear that. / So boring you'd been back then. / A stick in the mud."

The teasing would do her some good as well. She seemed to like a verbal sparring every now and again, it kept the wits and tongue sharp at least. Besides, her quips could be rather comical if not interesting. She certainly had shown herself to have a colorful language if she had a half a mind to indulge in it.

There were many things one might not expect of Neava, if he were truthful and he loved each part of it he had discovered. When he'd first agreed to protect her so long ago he would never have guessed he'd come to view her as so valuable.



It wasn't hard to see the change, not when the speaker on the screen had begun its warning flash of red, a warning that too many notes were being missed, that they were soon to fail... And then without warning it stopped, the speaker filling up to a safe, full meter and their combos hitting perfectly. To anyone else it might've been just Rhys playing around, pretending to be worse, but then he did have ECHO-eye...

Naira wasn't going to call him out right away, would wait until the end of the song. That was until he'd commented again, sounding more sure of himself, if not a little cocky. She snorted then, ignoring the game entirely to shoot him a half-amused look.

"Oh, I oughta dock your pay for cheating, you know?" she joked, waiting for his response.

It wasn't like she'd had too much reason to tease and joke around this pair in the halls of Helios or even on their journey thus far. It was probably a drastic change of pace and yet... Just like with Jack it was so easy to get along with Rhys... She shook the thought away before it could take root, before it could drag her mood down. She hadn't felt this good outside of a battle in months.

Was it selfish to want to hold onto that for a little longer?

Zer0 chuckled, waiting to hear Naeva's rebuttal to this one. She started off strong enough but sure as a fire was hot she'd began to trail off, a realization hitting her rather hard. Another short bark of laughter escaped him, muffled though it was to not draw attention their way. The pair consisting of Naira and Rhys were now engrossed in their own thing while their friend sat awkwardly, uncertainly. Zer0 would rather those three in particular did not glance their way now.

"That you were back then," he agreed, if not a bit humorously on the topic. Frustrating and even outright maddening it had been at the time, looking back on it was almost hilarious.

At the very least she was laughing at herself, or rather her old self. Perhaps she might see a comrade in Vaughn with this realization and though Zer0 did not mind that man he wasn't sure what might come of that later in this journey. Would it mean drawing closer to Rhys and then back to Naira despite today and the day before? He wondered...

Such thoughts were left unsaid, merely observed in the passing of a moment and gone for later. Now was no such time for sobering thoughts and maybes. He had some quiet time with Naeva, even if it was shared in the confines of a caravan filled with others. He would take what he would get.


She felt rather than spotted the way Rhys shifted as she called him out, his rebuttal coming quickly after. Nonetheless, he still played his half as she did hers, all but leaning against the other's arm as they did so. The ECHO wasn't exactly large and to hold it comfortably for both, it necessitated a little close proximity. Naira didn't mind it too much, though perhaps she should have.

From the sound of it, he was enjoying things as the song continued on, even if he was using that ECHO-eye like she thought he might be. What else could it have been? Even so, Naira didn't take her eyes off the screen for long to find out. She'd have to lean around or make him face her to see if that ECHO-eye of his was active, after all.

"Oh, of course not," she shot back easily, naturally even. When had that last happened before today? "Cheaters go to live in the poor house, y'know?"

Something akin to a chuckle escaped her, quiet though it was. Naira hardly seemed aware that a small smile played on her lips even.

Zer0 did not respond verbally though he did reach up to, rather affectionately, tap the tip of her nose with a finger in a playful taunt. Of course he would laugh at her, just as she would him. Hadn't she just tried to make fun of his directional skills the day before at the makeshift bandit arena? Zer0 hadn't forgotten. It was hard to when she made it a habit.

Another chuckle, darker in nature, occurred at the mention of his killing streak back then. Oh, yes, there had been much bloodshed in lieu of his frustration.

"And yet never you. / You I kept as safe and sound / as could ever be," he pointed out. A strange thing for him, one who was solely an assassin by trade. Yet there it was and now he'd come out of it with a lifelong partner.

His hand had fallen to hers, hidden between the two of them from sight. There was no need for the secrecy in this caravan and yet Zer0 would keep it that way if possible. A little was enough. That had always been their way yet it seemed that it could be seen through. Oh, well. The damage was partially done. Zer0 would make use of it now and make sure it spread no further.


"Oh, I'm sure," Naira all but purred, a chuckle escaping her.

Vaughn had grown silent as they'd played but Naira hardly thought about why that was. It was nice, just sitting like this, doing nothing important at all. It almost felt like the Vault, Hyperion, her worries, all of it, just might be miles away for the time being. She dreaded when all of that would come crashing down on her again and so tried to ignore that nagging reminder.

All she needed to know now was that Rhys was easy to get along with, that he was warm.

As the score was tallied, a barely passing one but an acceptable one nonetheless, Naira scoffed in good humor, tucking her hair behind an ear. Well, at least it got her some in-game currency... Still, the fact that Rhys had ended up cheating to keep up, it was a little funny.

Rhys' comment drew her attention to him more fully, her gaze tearing from the screen to meet his. He definitely was proud to have made it through the first song, that much was obvious though he had to have turned off that ECHO-eye before he'd turned to her. It as inactive now, merely a blue and nothing more.

Naira shoved him with her shoulder a bit. "Oh, you're just the worst," she argued. "Maybe I'll jump up the difficulty just for you."

She could hear Vaughn shifting behind her though he remained silent for the moment.

She was perking up now, thankfully. Seeing Naeva so down because of another frustrated Zer0 greatly, especially so when that other person was someone she'd done so much to find all those years ago. Zer0 had to wonder just what Naira's plan was again but promptly brushed the thought aside. No need to worry Naeva again.

"It's a mystery. / One that has no clear answer, / just to dwell upon."

Even something so simple as his hand over hers left her day brighter. It was amazing, that, though Zer0 no longer questioned it. The simple acts worked and that was all he needed to know. Strange, that, but again, if it worked then who was he to question it?

Whether or not Naeva would ever find an answer to that was also a mystery. Zer0 wasn't about to try justifying it anymore much less to explain it. He hardly thought it mattered as to the why anyways. She was happy and he was too, provided challenges came their way in short order. In the end that was the important part of it all.

"Let's not focus on / that much longer. Now let us / sit and relax here."


Naira's smile grew a little at the obvious surprise in Rhys' voice just before he attempted to mask it with confidence once more. Already she was flipping through the song list, seeking a slightly harder one. He might be able to cheat, but could his thumb keep up with the speed of faster songs than the first? Naira would find out.

"That there are, Game Master," she taunted, peeking up at him briefly. "But we'll take it nice and slow for funsies."

Finding a new one was quicker this time, picking one she quite liked instead of one to ease Rhys in. He seemed to be having fun with her even if the songs were foreign, or maybe he wasn't quite paying attention to the music but rather to banter with her instead. Naira couldn't say for sure and, honestly, she didn't really mind which it might be.

"Getting your little cheat sheet all fired up?" she joked further, heading into the song properly.

It hardly mattered that so much was riding on the success of this Vault opening and what lay inside scavenged for use. As temporary as this little bit of light-hearted fun was it was something Naira was beginning to treasure already. Why it was Rhys here with her, why he was so adamant on the things he did now, and what drove him forward she couldn't say but at the moment it hardly mattered.

It was quiet between them for a time and Zer0 could more clearly hear the conversations between the sisters and between Naira and Rhys nearby. Even so he did not fully listen in, seeing no need to. Just a shred or two here and there told him that the topics were nothing of consequence to him. Instead he merely sat and enjoyed the time with Naeva, her hand warm in his.

He gave a short sound, more a hum than anything, and a cock of the head at her words. Ill, eh? Perhaps though it would do her good and so he would settle himself even if it made him antsy. He was one much better suited to the constant ebb and flow of a battlefield. But then he would not forgo Naeva's situation and force her to do more than she could.

"And what if I am? / Would you care for me somehow? / Or do you not know?"

It was a bit of teasing, of course, and the quick flash of a cheekily winking emote would help display this. Even so, Zer0 wasn't sure if the emote was even necessary anymore after so long. Naeva seemed to have been able to pick up on the subtler clues after so long.

"Easy, right," she jested, beginning the next one once he'd grasped the ECHO again. Unlike before this one kicked off more quickly, only a second to prepare oneself. Already Rhys looked to be struggling.

She didn't have to look up to know he was using that ECHO-eye again but it wouldn't be enough, it was clear enough as it was with just the first few notes. From the corner of her eye she saw Vaughn shift in his seat, maybe trying to find something to do with himself. For a moment she felt a wash of awkwardness about that, a little more aware of just what it might seem like between she and his friend here before it was swept away with the sound of gunfire and the cracking of glass.

"We gotta problem!" Sasha screamed, the tires screeching as the caravan was brought to grinding halt. Naira found herself thrown around, ECHO clutched tightly in one hand, the other grasping at the couch she sat at to stop her fall. She was pretty sure she'd hit Rhys with her bony shoulder and Vaughn had been thrown into her entirely from the suddenness of the stop.

"A challenge arrives. / Bandits have come to play now. / A lively bunch, no?"

Zer0 was already on his feet, his hands steading Naeva as he glanced out the cracked windshield. Lucky that none had gotten hit though now they had to find out what best to do. It looked as if the bandits had them surrounded, or nearly so. There was no way they were going to get a head up on this one. Oh, but he so loved a challenged.

"Come on out, you Hyperion Bitch! I know you're in there, my scouts don't lie!"

Zer0's gaze turned to Naira as she stood, looking a little shaky even as she glanced towards the windshield herself. There was a curious look on her face, and even before she spoke Zer0 knew there had to be some history to this bandit group and her.

"Oh, I know that voice... How lovely."

"Yeah, so, a friend of yours?!" Vaughn squeaked.

"Hmmm, something of such. If it's that lug I may be able to salvage the situation..."