Chapter Text
"Would... you like to do the honors?" Rhys said, looking at Fiona. She deserved this, after everything he’d put her through in the past few months.
Fiona smiled, "It’s the last one... it's only right that we both open it.” She shrugged, “That's the best part."
"I was kinda hoping you'd say that." Rhys said and matched her smile with a grin.
He couldn’t believe that his adventure was coming to an end. After this, after climbing the stairs of the Vault of the Traveler with Fiona and opening the vault treasure, Rhys would finally return to some measure of normalcy. However out of his element he was on Pandora, at least the comfortable and familiar mantle of “company man” would be returning to him very soon.
Together, they placed their hands on the vault treasure. The lid opened slowly, although from their angle it was hard to tell what was inside. Rhys didn’t notice he’d been holding his breath until he gasped. A hot, bright flash of light enveloped the both of them and they disappeared.
--
The battlefield was picked clean of loot when Janey Springs posed a question to her gaggle of Vault Hunters. "Say, where’s Fiona and that tall fella?"
"I think I saw them run off to the vault," Vaughn said, inspecting a shield of Tediore make. "Why did we let them go in there by themselves, again? It's all of our treasure, after all."
"Well, let's stop babbling and get in there and get our share, yeah?" Janey urged. All of the vault hunters followed after her.
The vault of the traveler was imposingly spectacular. It stood tall over all of them, the golden surface of it rippling with alien energy. Even the seasoned vault hunters stood for a moment in front of it, in awe.
They entered the vault together, but there wasn't any sign of Fiona or Rhys inside.
Gortys called out their names, but didn't get a response. Loaderbot picked her up and started climbing the steps. "Maybe they left a note," he said.
There were no traces of Fiona or Rhys at the top of the stairs. Everyone crowded onto the treasure platform, standing well away from the closed vault treasure. Sasha pushed her way to the front with Vaughn at her heels.
“Is something amiss?/Perhaps your two friends have left/Run off together?” Zer0 asked.
“Fiona would never leave me, or money, behind without saying anything. Something’s not right here.” Sasha scrutinized the vault treasure and reached out to touch it with her good hand.
Athena blocked Sasha’s hand before it could reach the vault treasure. “Maybe you shouldn’t touch that. We don’t know what that actually is.”
“What’s happened to them?” Gortys wailed, “Oh no, I knew this vault thing was a bad idea.”
"Oh my god, do you- do you think it vaporized them? Was this some kind of trap?" Vaughn took a tiny step back, hiding behind Sasha.
Athena crossed her arms. "Should’ve known that a giant teleporting monster wouldn’t be the last of our problems today."
"Well, it was certainly the last of yours,” Janey looked sharply at Athena. "I'm not letting you get vaporized too, not before our wedding."
“Nobody is getting vaporized!” Sasha snapped. “And no one got vaporized either,” she added, more gently. She slapped her hand down on the rough stone exterior. Nothing happened. She pulled hard at the lid, but the solid stone stayed firmly in place. Vaughn joined her, but even their combined efforts made no progress in opening the lid.
“Wherever they are/” Zer0 mused, “It could be related to/the vault’s strange nature.”
“Anyone know how we can find out more about this vault?” Sasha said and then looked pointedly at Athena and Zer0. “Vault hunters?”
“Hey, I just hunt them,” Athena replied. Zer0 nodded sagely in agreement. A smiley face flashed across their helmet.
“Maybe I can try to recover something from Hyperion’s computer systems,” Vaughn suggested. “They got pretty trashed but there might still be something useful on there if I get them working again.”
--
The all-consuming bright light filled her vision. A sudden change in pressure caused her ears to pop, painfully. She gasped, but nothing seemed to fill her lungs.
Fiona grabbed Rhys' hand and ran before she was certain where she was. Rocky, desolate cliffs stood tall before them. She steered for a garage set into the dusty grey stone, its entrance shimmering oasis blue. Its safety was dubious at best, but at the moment anywhere seemed more welcoming than the airless vacuum they were in now. Each of her strides was too long, like she was moving in low gravity. Rhys dangled along behind, stumbling over the pointed toes of his skag leather boots.
Wherever they were, it wasn't Pandora. The single familiar sight did nothing to settle Fiona's adrenaline-spiked nerves.
Far above, Hyperion's glass and steel monstrosity observed them impassively.
--
Together, they stumbled through a rippling threshold into the pressurized, oxygenated garage. Rhys fell to the ground. Fiona managed to stay upright, supporting herself against a wall. She'd hardly managed to get her breath back before she turned to Rhys.
“The hell-” Fiona panted, “are we?" She grabbed the collar of Rhys’ shirt and pulled him upright.
He gasped for air several times, breathing heavily. "Looks like... Elpis."
"How did we get on the moon? Where's Sasha? What happened to the treasure?"
"Why are you asking me? I'm just as confused as you are." Rhys scowled, pulling away from Fiona's grip. He did his best to brush the dry, clinging moon dust from his black suit. "Ugh, it feels like my eyes are going to pop. I always hated coming here for Hyperion. Somehow, it’s worse than Pandora.”
Fiona took a step forward, looking out across the horizon past the oxygen barrier. “Pandora does have a breathable atmosphere, at least.”
“There’s something to put on the brochure. ‘Pandora: it’s got an atmosphere!’”
“Rhys, shut up and come tell me what I’m looking at right now.”
Face still scrunched up in irritation, he joined her at the threshold. Rhys’ face fell. “Helios… is back in the sky,” he managed. An uncomfortable wave of horror and nostalgia crashed over him. “And it looks like it’s under construction. Hyperion finished building that six years ago.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Fiona spotted two figures approaching from the slope below. “I think someone’s coming. Hide!”
Rhys ignored her- transfixed by the sight of Helios.
“Move,” she hissed, pushing him. “Do you want to get shot? I don’t think trespassing is legal on the moon.”
Snapping out of it, Rhys resisted. “Wait, look, it’s- it’s Springs!”
Fiona turned and got a better look at the approaching pair. “Who’s with her?” She squinted against the sunlight. “Is that… Handsome Jack?”
Rhys backed up, fast. With one big step he lost his balance, slipping backwards on his heels. Stumbling, he slammed the back of his head against the sharp, metal edge of a cargo crate, knocking himself out.