Chapter Text
Troy wandered aimlessly through the desert of Pandora, searching for rare shards of eridium. His relationship with his sister had deteriorated a lot lately. No, he didn't blame it on Tyrin, she was still the only person he had on the planet, and he had no one more dear to him than her. His mom had died when they were young, and his father... If you could call him a father? He was human for a while, but then he turned into an ice statue. He had little time for his children, only spent time on his excavations. He and Tyrin had stolen his father's ship and landed on Pandora. Both clung to each other like a lifeline. Troy, unlike his sister, had been born weak and sickly, which had affected him in the future, but his sister had protected him in every way possible in the face of the dangers of Pandora, but now... Now she had become a power-obsessed siren, she was no longer the Tyrin she had once been. Now all he heard from her were insults and taunts, reproaching him for his weakness that prevented her from revealing herself. It hurt him, but he tolerated it, tolerated it for the time being.
At the time of his meeting with Martha, he had finally plucked up the courage to leave the Vault Children and begin to find his own way, scrounging for rare money and rare luck. He knew he couldn't survive without a boost from his sister, but it was better to die free than under the oppression of a once-sibling.
By the laws of Pandora, or more specifically the law of “He who found it pays the price”, he knew that white eridium would pay well, so he decided to try his luck and find a couple of crystals to sell. He was about to teleport to the icy ocean when he suddenly caught an ECHO transmission on his organizer:
“Troy, this is Martha, I am on the Emperor's ship, we are en route to Pandora.”
' Then another transmission where Martha said she was already on Pandora and crossing the icy ocean.”
Troy didn't hesitate and teleported there, on a search for the Earth girl.
***
Martha continued walking across the icy ocean. His strength hadn't left him yet, and the ice covering the ocean wasn't cold, but it wasn't ending, and it seemed to Martha that she would be stuck here forever. There were almost no rocks in this place, only ice that looked like glass, but it was so muddy and thick that it was impossible to see what was underneath.
At last the familiar scenery of Pandora appeared ahead, and Martha, gathering all her strength in her fist, increased her stride; she had almost reached the end of the ocean, when a huge skag came out of nowhere and, growling, rushed at the girl.
- No, I will not be your prey,” said Martha, drawing her gun and shooting the animal.
There was not much ammunition in the stolen gun, and they only scratched the skag, but the animal kept walking towards the girl. Martha was ready to say goodbye to her life, when suddenly someone's huge blade pierced the animal through, sprinkling Martha with the skag's blood.
The girl looked up and saw Troy standing before her.
- T-Troy,” she said and passed out.
Troy lifted the girl off the ground with her bag in one motion, then carried her to a small settlement on the other side of the desert. After that he carried her to the small wagon where he was temporarily staying.
Martha woke up lying on the old couch, she was still alive, and that was the main thing. So her message for help reached Troy and he came to help. But where is he and where is she.
The girl got out of bed. Her legs were still shaky from the march across the ocean, so she began to move around the wagon in small steps.
- Hey, hey, where are you going? You're not quite strong enough yet,” Troy said, stepping into the trailer and turning the girl back to the bed.
You know, there's one big advantage to being an ordinary man. You can count on the Emperor's favor,” Martha joked, trying to encourage both herself and Troy.
- Yes, and how did you end up on the Night Trouble? - Troy wondered.
- I flew with the Sirens, and then they had a disagreement with Crowe, and now I'm on his ship,” Martha said.
- I'm sorry I didn't start looking for you right away, I just got the signal,” Troy apologized.
- It's all right, the main thing is that you're near,” Martha smiled faintly.
- You're new on Pandora, and you're already in the middle of a story,” Troy smiled.
- Well, that has its advantages,” she said, sitting up on the bed.
- What are they?
Martha reached into her bag and pulled out a map of the vaults.
- A map? But how?
- The Sirens gave it to me when they realized I wanted to open the Vaults first, and they gave it to me before the Empire shot their ship, but now I don't know how to read it, and I don't have a ship to fly to other planets,” she admitted.
- I wish I could say I have a ship, but I don't either,” Troy exhaled.
- “The Sirens said you were from the Vault Children, you don't have your own ships?” - Martha asked.
- Not anymore, I left them, I have my own way now, just like you,” said Troy.
- You're looking for the same things I am, but it's clear to me, I'm looking for new sensations, but what about you?
Your life is an adventure, and you have a whole stockpile of white eridium,” Martha asked, smiling.
- There are rumors among seekers that the Great Vault grants wishes, and I'm not looking for it for myself, but for my sister.
- For Tyrin?
- Yes, I want to get back the Tyrin I used to have, she is a witch, as you and the locals say, or rather she became one, and this power has twisted her, she has changed a lot, if the Great Vault really grants wishes, then I will ask Tyrin to become the same as she was before she got her powers,” said Troy.
- That's a noble thing to do,” Martha said, stroking Troy's back and realizing that her wish meant nothing compared to her friend's.
She definitely wouldn't be alone now, Troy had said he would follow her on her adventure as she wasn't fully used to Pandora's surprises yet. They both have the map, now they need to find someone who can read the map. Martha was reminded of the lizard Maurice who said that if she needed his help she could go to him, except where is he now and is he alive.
- Maybe one of the locals knows how to use this map? - Martha suggested.
- Yes, if he's a seeker or an expert in Eridanian mythology. Do you happen to know where the sirens flew to? - Troy asked.
- Wait, I'm starting to remember, they flew to Promethea, their local archaeologist deciphered the map, and it turned out that the first vault was there,” the girl said quietly.
- The first, I thought there was only one vault,” Troy said thoughtfully.
- And how do we know it's what you're looking for, where are the clues? - Martha wondered.
- What about you? - Troy asked.
- First your wish, mine is worthless compared to yours,” she smiled.