Reputation

Chapter 9: Winnaya

June 14, 2026
6:45 p.m.
Concordia

Jack was communicating with the Vault Hunters and a military AI until they planet started to violently shake once again, causing me to fall over.

"Man, that thing's driving me nuts! We get it -- you've captured our huge scary laser! Gold star!" Jacked yelled in annoyance. I'm getting tired of this stupid bitch and I want her to be killed now. Like right now.

Another voice sounded off on the communication link. "Hello! Uh, help?! I'm being held hostage in the main control room, just ahead of your current position! Any chance you could, you know, rescue me? The bloody scavs'll eat me when they realize I'm not what I say I am!"

Jack and I ran to the monitor, but I personally sent a message to the Vault Hunter named Athena that mentioned the location of the hostage and the SOS message, word for word. She responded and said that she would lead them to the hostage.

7:00 p.m.

The Vault Hunters made to the location of the hostage. I could only hear gun shots through the communication line, but the gun shots silenced after a little bit of time passed.

"Aw, thanks so much! Feels like I've been trapped here forever. Come on over, I'll open up the door for you" the hostage spoke. He sounded so familiar to me, but I just can't put his voice to a physical appearance to know who it is.

"Jack, turn on the audio visual screen option" I said, and the visual screen was on. We could see what the Vault Hunters were seeing.

"Am I glad to see you! Here I was, doing some help-yourself exploring, working on a pet project I've been cooking up, when the scavs swept in, about to cut me up bad, when I persuaded them I'm a medic" he said, "I AM a doctor, but more the "Hyperion R&D" kind."

Oh my gosh, that's Gladstone! I remember him. He and I used to work together to get Hyperion equipment built and sent up to the gun stores and everything. Man, those were good times. His crew built them, and my crew tested them.

Athena pipped up. "Jack, you know this guy?"

"I don't recognize him. Yo, what's your name?" Jack asked, but I looked at him with look of certainty.

Gladstone replied. "Ah, sorry, bruv. Gladstone Katoa, D Division. What brings you here?"

Jack's eyes lit up. "Oh, D Division? That's where they hide all the brainiacs who work on all the super-secret awesome stuff, right?" I could tell Jack was going to use this intel for his own advantage.

Gladstone replied once again. "Uh, I work on experimental tech -- the Division greenlit me using the resources here. Why are YOU here?"

Jack replied, and I knew he wasn't going to sugar coat the situation. "Well, Gladstone Katoa, I need to get back to Helios and retake the big-ass laser on it from a buncha freaky-looking Dahl military types -- and if we don't, the moon's going to go boom and take half of Pandora with it. You know. The usual."

I looked at Jack, and he pulled me to his side by my waist. "Oh, man! I wondered what was going on! So, why are you here? Shouldn't you be somehwere more... space station-y?" This man was actually starting to piss me off now. If Handsome Jack asks you to help him, there's no argument. He's definitely going to show this kid what is going to happen to him in the future.

"Jack wants to build a robot army driven by my AI, then retake Helios with it" the AI pipped in, "I'm Felicity, by the way" I like her name

"Oh... Gotcha. You're after my prototype. Well, it's not finished!" Gladstone exclaimed. Wait, he said prototype...what prototype is he talking about?

Jack was just as confused as I was. "What? No, we're here to build robots" he said, "What prototype are you talking about?"

Gladstone paused then spoke again. "Oh, right. I was working on an... off-the-books project, creating a master bot capable of digistructing an almost unlimited supply of other bots!" He was creating a robot that could maybe benefit Jack if Gladstone helped him and he continued to speak, "My prototype's almost done, but the scavs stopped me from installing some key parts. Besides, I wouldn't want something that powerful to fall into their grimy hands."

I would have to agree with Katoa. Scavs with high-end technology...not a good combination at all. Scavs are like a zombie, stupidity fills their body and they don't know any better than to kill anything in their sights.

"This guy! This guy right here! Tell me more!" Jack shouted, startling me.

Eventually, Jack and Gladstone eventually made a deal, but Jack started to threaten him. Gladstone WILL die if he double crosses Jack.

On that note of Jack killing people, I heard the most bone chilling statement every from him. "By the way, last guy who double-crossed me's got nothing but a bunch of bullet holes and a stupid look on his face. Get me?" This made my spine shiver.

Time passed and we eventually got to the point of the Digistructor being put together and I heard Felicity's voice tremble and whine. "Wait, WAIT! I don't want to have my memory wiped, I don't WANT to turn into -- look, can't you just put a COPY of me into the Constructor?"

Of course, Jack was contemplating the idea. "Exactly how long will it take to copy you?."

She replied quickly. "Couple of days, at the absolute most!"

"Uh-uh. Too long. Zarpedon will have popped the moon like a zit by then. Look, I'm real sorry, kiddo -- this is the only way..." I'm so sorry Felicity, "Vault Hunter -- do it!"

Athena chimed in. "Sorry, Felicity. The moon can't wait."

I kept my head down and turned away from Jack, looking out the window. I couldn't bear to listen to that ECHO communication line any longer. This is just terrible...there was no mercy there.

~ Time Skip ~

I heard Jack telling the Vault Hunters to come back to Moxxi's Up and Over Bar. I didn't move an inch from my spot. I stayed by the window, looking out upon the destruction being made with the laser on Helios.

Arms wrapped around me and I relaxed. "Cupcake, everything is going as planned. We are going to win this war."

"I promise."

Promises should not be made...because some can not be kept.

The time on the holographic clock read 9:00 P.M