Here the studies of Jay’s arm that I anticipated in a previous post!
Well, they probably aren’t really studies but more something that for me should work more as a reference since I never defined the shape of the parts of the robotic arm and I just went with the flow(?) in the drawings. Probably I did something more detailed only in the sketch made for the scars study... anyway, I used this reference on a low-opacity level to design the two robo-hands.
And other than the usual Hyperion-issued arm, I also added a new one because I had a small idea for the story (that I still need to work on and fix so I can add it in the plot I jotted down some time ago)... and yeah, there’s Maliwan involved.
Since I had to resize the image bc it was a bit too big, I’m going to rewrite the main notes so they’d be readable (also bc I always revert back to cursive and I have some fucked up letters when I write...and probably I messed up the English idk)
Hyperion
Uses always this one
Original colour: Hyperion yellow.
The colour now it’s dull and rusty looking -> probably was also recoloured with random paint found around
Back of hand used to have Hyperion’s logo
More advanced and pricey probably than Rhys’ arm bc it would have been able to do detailed work on machinery & robots + generic heavy work -> Still, less advanced than Timothy’s “winning hand”
Has no “fancy” functions except being more resistant than basic prosthetics and can have a stronger grip than a human hand.
Used to have the option to swap out parts with others that included tools (e.g. screwdriver, pliers, soldering iron, etc)
Maliwan
Realistic look with well-blended tech details
Maliwan’s colours always present
TOP OF THE LINE (or almost)
great resistance also to elemental damage
most similar to a real hand when it comes to movements, response to neural commands and dexterity in general
Holo-projector that connects to the Echo interface, to the system you’re connected with and the likes. Almost a computer in the hand.
The top [of the orange part] is a small openable panel that has a port and a cable to jack in with different electronics (computer, bots, etc)
Instead of working on the fanfiction, I found on Pinterest one of those “draw your oc” memes and I doodled a couple of Jays with that LOL
On the right, a young Jamison that fell asleep on the floor of his office on Helios while working ‘til late on some project.
On the left, BL3/current Jamison with not enough sleep and caffeine in his body to be able to deal with some new crap. Idk who could have gifted him that mug LOL but I liked the idea of putting that text on the mug, so I wrote it.
Also looks like once again I forgot to draw his forehead scar, darn.
Or “That time when Jamison almost got himself killed by Wilhelm”.
At first, my idea for this scene I jotted down, was to write something that could accompany this old drawing I made, with an angry Jamison arguing with Wilhelm.
But while writing, the scene took an unexpected turn...
Well, not very unexpected: knowing that Wilhelm is a hot-headed himbo man and that Jamison has some issues with anger management, it was only a matter of time before the two would have ended up fighting.
And that is what happened in this drabble~
«So, what did ya think about this?» asked the Hyperion Engineer, grinning from ear to ear, while turning to face the Enforcer and having to tilt his head to compensate for the great height difference between him and the hulking half-cyborg Enforcer.
The older man stared silently at the glass board – that the other took out from his office after having stopped him – full of various scribbles, notes, small sketches, and a draft of a blueprint stuck on it, then threw a glance towards the other man. As if to check if the other was going to add something else or was finished talking.
The young engineer was still smiling proudly, toying with the black marker in his right hand while the left moved to quickly fix the brown hair styled in a manner similar to Jack’s. For an instant, Wilhelm wondered why the shortie was so keen on trying to impress their common boss and looking like him, but the thought quickly left his mind and the cyborg enforcer returned to look at the notes that the engineer explained enthusiastically.
«Yeah, please ignore my bad handwriting there. Usually, I write better but right now I don’t have time for it.» added, with a vague gesture of the hand holding the black marker. «What do you think about this idea? To me, it sounds awesome as heck but I need another person’s opinion before trying to submit the idea to the Boss.» Jamison was pretty proud of his new idea for the Loaders’ update, proud enough to ask Wilhelm’s opinion even if he didn’t stand the other man.
Unbeknownst to Jamison, Wilhelm probably has understood a quarter of all the explanations the engineer gave, having used a buttload of technical jargon that did not make any sense for the Enforcer. Moreover, Wilhelm didn’t even care enough to even try putting some effort into paying attention while the other talked. Or stopped him to ask clarifications when he didn’t understand something. He tuned out the young engineer’s voice and focused on the other noises coming from the small scale Loader factory, the bots working on fixing and finishing a nearby area of the station, or whatever other sound was better than listening to the engineer’s ramblings.
The gloved hand rose and scratched the grey beard that covered his squared jaw before clicking his tongue «Hmm… try harder» grunted, turning his back to the small engineer and starting to walk away.
The marker made a light thud when slipped from Jamison’s hand and its plastic body hit the floor of the corridor. A sound that went unnoticed in that noisy environment.
The engineer blinked a couple of times in bewilderment before an angry frown took its place on Jamison’s face.
«What?!» exclaimed the engineer.
The Enforcer rolled both his real eye and the cybernetic one «Try. Harder.» repeated, continuing to walk.
«The cyborg stuff made your brain rust, old man?!» barked Jamison.
Wilhelm stopped in his tracks.
Some of the other engineers not far from there stopped what they were doing to look at what was happening having heard Williamson’s angry voice. An automatic reflex for some of them, simple curiosity for others.
«Or maybe did you drank too much battery acid?»
The Enforcer turned to face the young Engineer.
«I have fuckin’ slaved myself away for this damn project idea and the only fucking thing you can say is “try harder”?! Seriously, have you not fucking listened to me? Or for you I’m too much of an idiot not worthy of attention at all?!» ranted.
Wilhelm exhaled a low grunt, probably not interested in the little engineer’s yapping but still irritated by the other’s insults.
A handful of the people that turned to look a the scene, rolled their eyes, or shook their head before getting back to their work: they already knew that Jamison T. Williamson had a really bad temper. A good part of the people that worked under him or in his same department had their reasons to not stand that little knock-off Jack and ignore him if he was going to start a fight with someone. But not all of them, luckily.
«Oh, wait. I’m sorry»
The enforcer exhaled air from his nostrils. The kid understood his mistake of insulting him.
«I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked your opinion on this.» Jamison put a hand over his chest, giving more emphasis to his fake excuses and to his mocking tone «It’s my fault, I honestly forgot that you are too much of a dumdum to understand these difficult things.»
The couple of other workers that kept staring at the scene turned pale. Williamson was really continuing to taunt and provoke the Enforcer?
The hulking cyborg growled, «Watch your mouth». A warning. Usually, he did not give them.
«Oh, my!» replied Jamison «Am I using words that are too difficult for your noggin?»
Wilhelm roared in anger and lunged towards Jamison, grabbing him by the neck, lifting him off the ground, and slamming him against the near metal wall.
Jamison wasn’t able to react on time, he gasped for air when he felt the hard grip around his neck but the little air that was able to breathe in was soon let out in a pained groan when his back hit the hard surface of the wall. He gasped, hands grabbing the Enforcer’s wrists, legs kicking mid-air not being able to touch the ground.
«I TOLD YOU TO WATCH YOUR FUCKIN’ TRAP» roared Wilhelm, still keeping the young engineer by the neck. Forcing himself to not snap it.
The few ones that were still spectating the argument turning into a fight quickly scrambled and returned to their work, fearing to be caught in the crossfire. One decided to run and search for someone that could be able to stop the fight before it becomes ugly.
The younger man wheezed a laugh, still trying to loosen the other’s grip «Ooh! I… hit you… were it burns, ah?» legs still searching for some kind of surface that could work as a support.
Surely that shortie was a loudmouth like their common employer. Or maybe he was trash-talking to hide his fear. The Enforcer liked more the second option.
«Shut the fuck up or this will hurt» growled again Wilhelm. Last warning.
The sole of the left work boot of the engineer found the surface of the wall. Jamison tightened his grip on the Enforcer’s wrists, a sly smirk appearing on his face. Then he used those only sources of anchorage to give himself enough stability while lifting his right leg and ramming his work boot straight into Wilhelm’s face.
Being kicked in the face was totally unexpected. And painful.
The Enforcer howled, hands leaving the neck of the engineer – letting him fall on the floor – and reaching for his face. The non-cybernetic eye was watering and thick fingers moved to trace the outline of his nasal bone. It wasn’t broken. Good. But it was hurting a lot and blood started to trickle out.
The young engineer gasped, both for the burst of pain for falling on the floor and for finally being able to breathe properly. His neck was aching and under the redness, the bruise was already starting to form.
He didn’t believe that the little stunt tried would have worked. He coughed a couple of times and got back on his feet.
«That hurt you son of a bitch!» thundered the Enforcer grabbing the smaller man by the yellow Hyperion sweater, the other hand closing into a fist and preparing to hit the other with a punch.
This time the engineer wouldn’t have been able to dodge it. If he was lucky enough, that punch would have knocked him out only for a couple of hours.
Instead of the punch, the familiar sound of guns loading and ready to shoot was what reached first the engineer and the enforcer.
Frozen in that position, both turned their heads towards the guards pointing their assault rifles at them.
«You are ordered to stop.» stated one of the Hyperion Security Guards, while others moved to flank the two litigants «You will be escorted to Jack office, as per his orders.»
I wanted to write some JayxKarim fluff and I finally was able to write it! Even if an angst scene with Hassole Jack made me postpone it for a bit.
Here you can find another flashback-like scene, in which Jamison reminisces a fond memory of him and Karim from back when they lived together on Helios. It’s a bittersweet fluff, I have to admit it.
Jamison stood there, on the edge of the broken city of Opportunity, looking at the scenery before him.
Ruins of the city in the lake, the calm and dark waters of the Lake Shining Orizons, the land around filled with debris either from the Helios or scattered by its fall.
In the distance, the husk of what was left of the Helios space station, half hidden by many alien and unsettling plants that grew all around it.
The remainings of the city were fixed or built back, now made only of laboratories and similar buildings, made to study those plants and cure the sickness caused by their pollen.
His mismatched eyes stopped on the silhouette of the destroyed space station, the place where once he worked. Where Karim worked. Where he met him and where he lived with him.
«They made you bring work at home again?» asked Jamison from the kitchen.
«Yeah» sighed Karim from the couch in the living room, keeping typing on his laptop «I need to rewrite some documents that I received and that need to be handed out tomorrow afternoon.»
Jamison grabbed the kettle from the stove and poured the water in two matching mugs, then he opened the cupboard and grabbed the little box containing tea bags.
«What happened? Full of mistakes?»
«I wish!» another sigh left the Artemisan lawyer «It would have been way easier to fix!»
Karim fell back silent and focused again on typing back the papers scattered near him.
The engineer put the two mugs on a tray, together with a plate of chocolate brownies, and carefully took it and walked towards the living room to reach his boyfriend.
Boyfriend. Heh. Thinking that still gives him that warm fuzz inside as if he was a teen at his first love.
Jamison left the tray on the coffee table in front of the couch and started grabbing the discarded papers and putting them together neatly before taking a seat near Karim.
«If it ain’t errors, why you need to rewrite all of them that stress you out so much?»
«Look at los documentos of that cabron» rarely the lawyer let his moter tongue slip in his speech unless he was really stressed out (or with someone close to him). Hyperion doesn’t want people speaking something different.
Jamison picked up the papers he moved on the table and started taking a look at the text on it. He couldn’t understand juridical jargon and a little quizzical expression appeared on his face.
«He is an artist, I guess!» sighed the lawyer stopping typing «An artist that… that uses Comic Sans in legal documents as a creative outlet or something like that!»
Grabs the page that was rewriting «Look! Comic Sans and other random “fancy font”, just throw in some Wingdings too so it’s a perfect shit!»
«Lemme guess: if you let this pass, the blame will be on you?»
«Yes. Because it’s my – and the other’s – duty checking the work of the lower-level lawyers.» sighed, leaning his back on the sofa «And obviously he didn’t give me the digital copy, so I have to rewrite it completely.»
«I thought so. And I feel you: getting blamed for other’s errors is shit.» nodded Jay putting down the legal documents he took from the small table «That sucks, a lot.»
«Say it again for the people in the back, dear» a nervous laugh escaped Karim’s mouth, left hand rubbing his face and then running between his curly dark hair.
«Can I help you in some way?»
Karim sighed «Don’t worry, I’ll handle it. Just...» a grimace appeared on his face when he turned it towards his boyfriend «...I’m sorry that we’ll have to postpone our movie night because of this shit.»
The engineer smiled softly, moving a bit closer to him and gently taking a dark russet hand in his pale one and entwining their fingers.
«Don’t worry about that. The only thing I need is being with you» smiled «And now you need a pause for relaxing a bit or the stress will eat you alive.»
«Aww dear» smiled the other
«I was too cheesy?»
«No, you were darn cute» chuckled Karim.
They both closed the distance and kissed softly, still hand in hand on the couch.
It was a short and sweet kiss and after it they stayed close, forehead to forehead, in silence for some moments until something catches the lawyer’s attention.
«Is it my favourite tea what I’m smelling?»
«And chocolate brownies from the bakery you like.» added the engineer, breaking contact with the other to go grab one of the matching mugs, remove the teabag that has been steeping and handing it to Karim before handing him also a brownie.
«As I said, you need a pause and to relax a bit… then you can go back to rewrite that Comic Sans crap. I won’t disturb you while working, so you can be focused.»
Karim sipped a bit of the steaming tea, moving the laptop on the small table to have some free room of movement, then he took the brownie from Jay’s hand to get a bite of it.
Another sip of tea before adding «Lemme be the cheesy one, now» an amused expression on his face «But it will be difficult focusing on work while having you around».
Jay almost choked on the sip of tea he took from the other mug «Kay!» he exclaimed, blushing and turning back to look at the other «You’re a fucking idiot!» he giggled.
«No, I’m being honest, mi corazon. Take your responsibility.» chuckled, winking at his boyfriend.
The laughs and the warm and fuzzy feeling from that memory were broken by the cold touch of a tear streaming down from Jamison’s good eye, down the cheek and leaving a single drop stain on his jacket.
He sighed, wiped away the tear with his flesh hand and turned his back to the lake and the ruins, returning to walk into the rebuilt part of the city to find his doctor’s new medical office.
Buckle up kiddos! We’re in for another round of angst! Because looks like I’m not able to write anything different LOL
Sometimes it’s not easy to escape a trap in which you willingly fell.
The rustling of the bedsheets and the slight shift of the mattress when a weight left it was what got Jamie out of his slumber. He moved right hand reaching out to the other side of the bed finding it empty. Light noise of someone dressing up trying to not wake up the other man confirmed the emptiness of the bed. A little groan left the engineer’s mouth while he opened his eyes, turned and sat up on the bed.
Jack was on the side of the small room, tucking his button-up shirt inside his pants before closing the leather belt.
«What’s up?» muttered Jamison, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
The other man didn’t answer and continued his dressing up. He sat on the end of the bed to put on the shoes.
«Oh, hey, Jamie» smiled the Hyperion CEO, lifting his heterochromatic eyes to look at the engineer, lingering for a bit on his body covered only by the bedsheets «I didn’t mean to wake you up, go back to sleep» added, putting on the yellow Hyperion-branded sweater.
«You’re already leaving?»
«Is it for work?» asked the engineer «Something happened?» he moved the sheets away and got up from the bed to get dressed too «I’ll come with you»
«Uh- oh, no, everything is fine pumpkin. I just need to go, okay?» replied, grabbing the vest from a nearby chair.
Jamie had just worn back his underwear and was halfway done with his jeans when it dawned on him.
«Is it because of Nisha? She’s getting back on Helios?» the engineer asked, closing his jeans. «It’s because of her that you’re already leaving me?»
A muffled laugh came from the small bathroom where Jack moved to fix his hair in front of the mirror over the sink «Are you getting possessive, now?»
The engineer walked over and leant on the door-frame, arms crossed «You’ll ever tell Nisha or Tim about us?»
«What?!» chimed Jack, voice rising a little for the surprise. He stopped styling his hair and turned his head to look at the other man «Jamie, what are you saying? Us? There is no “us”, cupcake». He looked back at the mirror, to finish fixing his hair.
«Come on, love, you know better than to think that I could ever belong to anyone, least of all you!» added with a calm and cheery tone, continuing to walk and leaving the bedroom to reach the open space to get his jacket that he left on the sofa.
«What the fuck?!» a frown was getting more evident on Jamie’s face.
«Language» commented Jack running his thumb on the soul patch on his chin, before beaming a smirk to his own reflection and moving to leave the bathroom.
«”Language”, my ass!» rebuked, moving away from the door-frame when Jack walked by. «So, to you, I’m just a… a replacement? A past-time when they aren’t around?!» added, following the other man, clenching his jaw.
«Did… did you really have to be that honest?» he uncrossed his arms, hands clenching into fists to try repressing his anger. Anger against Jack, anger against himself. «So… Am I only a notch on the bedpost to you? A toy to use and then throw away?»
«It’s you saying it, pumpkin~» commented the CEO, not even paying attention to the other while checking the nearby table to be sure to have picked up all his belongings.
Jamie walked towards it and slammed his right fist on the metal surface of the table that rattled, making Jack unable to avoid a little jump in surprise.
«DON’T YOU FUCKING LIE TO ME, JACK!» growled
Jack quickly got back into himself and showed the other a flirtatious smile «Wow» said, moving few steps, rounding the table and walking towards the other man «I know I already told you, but...» he reached the other and put his hands over his shoulders «...you’re really hot when you’re angry» voice tone smooth and sweet like honey.
«Don’t you dare...» stated the angered engineer, but weirdly unable to walk away from that. Jaw clenched again and eyes raised to stare into the blue and green ones of the other man.
But Jack dared.
Jack moved one hand to the small of Jamie’s back and the other moved up the neck, caressing his jawline.
Jamison jerked away, trying to avoid that warm touch and to shim away from the other man’s arms.
«Don’t you fucking dare!» hissed, face red in anger that hid also an embarrassed blush.
With that flirtatious and naughty smile still painted on his face, tightened his grip around the young man’s back – sticking him against his own body – while he took Jamie’s chin between his hands.
Jamie put his hands on the CEO’s shoulders, trying to push him away «Stop it, you fuckin’ bas-» but his complainings were silenced by a kiss.
He tried to resist, hands still trying to push away the older man, but in few instants that passionate kiss had him melting and exhaling a little moan, mind all fuzzy and blank.
Jack kissed him for long, long enough to have the youngster squirming in his hands and distracted from the discussion they were having.
«Jamie, honey, I already told you that I’ve never felt this way about someone before.» murmured Jack after the kiss, looking straight in Jamison’s eyes and using his best fake sincere tone and fake honest smile.
Jamie opened and closed his eyes a couple of times, still a bit hazy and out of breath to say anything.
«Now be a good boy for me, okay?» and after planting a quick kiss on Jamie’s lips, Jack left the grip on him and walked away.
Jamison stood still, glassy-eyed, watching the other man close the apartment’s door behind his back.
«Stop lying to me...» muttered, letting himself fall on his knees on the floor «...asshole».
Since I saw the "Multiverse Final Form" skins for the BL3 main characters, I started musing about how my OCs would change if their story took a different path from the one I decided (more or less LOL) until now.
So, I ended up making this list of Headcanons for the what-ifs I could imagine for them!
Everyone, at a certain point of their lives, wonder what could have happened if they made different decisions or if their life took a different direction.
J.T.
I guess that JT could be the one with more options of all of my OCs (but maybe it’s bc he’s the main OC?)
if his rebelliousness of his teen years continued, probably he could just have become a bandit. Maybe joining a clan or ending up making his own with time
if his parents would have let him try a more "artistical" route for his studies, probably he could have become a photographer, videographer. Maybe he could have started with "low quality" gigs like being a cameraman in shitty movies, maybe he could have met Timothy in the set of one of those movies where he had to impersonate once again Jack but on a different...light. Maybe after some time he would have more luck and get hired in a little troupe of documentarists, travelling around the universe and documenting the various planets known or maybe following some explorer to document new planets discovered.
if he accepted his parents' will and choose what they wanted after the university... well, probably now he could have been one of the main corporates in Vladof. Or maybe he could have been the one rebuilding Atlas back from scratch, returning the company back to its past glory.
if he didn't mimic Jack to please him and get on his good side, probably JT could have risked to get vented out because of his being aggressive towards the other engineers that didn't listen to him. Or maybe he could have developed a strong personality that in some way amused Jack (let's not forget that Nisha was her gf lol) and could have saved his butt from being fired.
if instead he continued being a mini-Jack, a knock-off copy, and continued letting the man gaslight him and brainwash him...well, he'd never had met Karim and for sure at Jack's death there would be one brainwashed fake-body-double going rampage. The corporate war wouldn't have only Hugo Vasquez and Rhys Strongfork as main people, but even Jay would've been in that. And Jay would have been the one going first to find Nakayama's id chip and getting an implant to have the AI-Jack. He would have followed Jack's instructions without questioning and Hugo, Rhys & the others would have been soon "removed from existence". The robotic skeleton that in TftB Jack wanted to put into Rhys to control him? Well, in this case it wouldn't have been needed. Brainwashed Jay would have done anything he commanded. And if brute forse was needed, well, surely he could have found a way to take over Jay's mind and body. (if you read @heavybreathingcatt ‘s fanfic "Wolf Among Wolves" you may recognize a reference in this last part 👀 if not, GO READ IT NOW)
if he didn't discover about Jack's plan to "fire" Karim among other employees until it was already happened. Well, I think that Jay would have gone feral and tried to kill Jack, ending up being killed by guards or by Jack himself if blinded with rage Jay didn't notice that the one he was attacking was his body-double Timothy.
if he decided to do anything to stay with Daisy, he most probably would have ended up depending heavily on meds to calm down and sedate his flashbacks and visions. While she would have been able to continue with her fantasy of being the good nurse that with her love healed a broken down person.
if he never started being a bounty hunter and didn't accept the mission of eliminating "Chief Dusk Sabre", he would never had the possibility to discover that Karim was still alive and would have continued believing him dead with the fall of Helios.
if he never helped those two rats of siblings that were so out of the world to not know the basics of how to survive on Pandora...probably wouldn't have changed much? Maybe only that if he ended up in the COV, he would not receive any "treatment of favour" for being someone that knows maybe too much of the people behind the Twin Gods persona. He would have been treated as any other random bandit caught by them. Surely soon dead by the leeching power of Tyreen.
and I think that's it lol
KARIM
if the law firm he worked at didn't get forcibly bought by Hyperion, with the years he would have become an important member of the firm and would have gotten the honour of becoming one of the associates of the firm.
if he wasn't able to get the scolarship for the Megaversity or wasn't able to earn enough money to continue studying in general, most probably he would have ended following his father's steps and would have become a bounty hunter. He's gifted with superior skills and this would have helped a lot becoming the best bounty hunter of Artemis and with time - if in this timeline Zane choose the VH life - he would become the Assassin One (otherwise, if Zane took that title, Karim would have become Two).
if he never met Jay, probably his life wouldn't have changed much...except for not being saved from the "firing list". Or maybe, if he never knew JT it would have passed way more time before risking the firing.
Maybe, after the fall of Helios, he would have took anyway his own road and part ways from Vaughn and his Children of Helios. And would have ended up unknowingly making his own bandit clan on Pandora. But without the long and heavy mourning period if he never met JT. Or yes, if he would have found someone else that didn't survive.
if he never met again JT in that failed assassination attempt, Karim would always believe that he died at the implant explosion. And would always regret not having been able to see him at least one last time.
VENOM
if the COV didn't reach her area to convert and recruit, she would have continued being one of those random bandits in the Dust.
Maybe with time she would have ended up getting "sick" as her father was and became one of the random psychos you could find on Pandora.
Or maybe she could have had some luck and after the death of Nisha, she could have tried to get a "normal life" in the nearby Lynchwood.
Mack
if he didn't escape his group, probably he would have ended up killed while being used again as a bait by the others.
if his hitchhicking around Pandora took another direction, he could have ended up joining (willingly or not) one of those groups of Rats.
maybe he could have gotten killed after being found out cheating to win some bet with other travelling bandits. He risked that many times.
or maybe his travelling around could have brought him to meet Ellie. Maybe he could have tried to barter his skills as mechanic for a place where to rest for some days until he would have been able to find someone that would have drove him somewhere else. Maybe Ellie would have noticed his abilities - and so would have Scooter - and offered him to work with her as an assistant or something like that, maybe ending up taking Scooter's place at the garage and working on the vehicles and the catch-a-ride.
CREAM BUN
if they didn't follow their fake friends joining the COV (or if the COVs never reached their area), probably Bun would have ended remaining in the stronghold.
maybe with time Bun would have become the protector of the clan and the others would have finally respected them properly and not treated them as a freak or as a something dangerous.
or maybe Bun could have decided to leave the place and go somewhere else, probably would have ended up going up in the mountains to be alone with the nature they always loved. Maybe Bun, with the years, could have been known as the "gentle giant that lives up in the snow" and that helps travelers that get lost during snow storms.
WEEGIE
probably the one with less options
its being repaired and brought back to life by JT is already a different route of its life
maybe Weegie could have lived for some more time in the timeline where JT would have took Handsome Jacks' place. Or maybe not. Loaders and bots in general are only tools after all, right?
Okay, shitty title but I couldn’t think of anything better. Also, as I stated in a previous post, this is the first time my brain allowed me to complete something... so I’m not sure how it will be. Angsty for sure, but I hope also readable LOL
Enjoy, I guess?
The robotic arm of the bounty hunter creaked and whirred under the left boot of the Chief. He kept the hunter down, right knee planted on the hunter’s torso and the edge of the combat knife’s blade on his throat.
The bounty hunter was panting, almost gasping, as if his lungs were not able to get in enough air to fulfil the body’s needs, even if the Chief did not put all of his weight on his chest: that man did not look like he could be a real threat for him. Whoever chose to hire him, has most probably wasted their money or decided that he was going to fail and get killed: who would ever hire someone that is half-blind and most probably also half-deaf since he did not even notice someone sneaking behind him? Probably they used him as cannon fodder.
Anyway, that wheezing man was still trying to resist and still kept the other arm lifted pointing his old Hyperion branded pistol pointed to the Chief’s head.
Looking at that man felt like looking at a ghost coming from the past.
Or a living nightmare of something that was never forgotten.
Sure to have the bounty hunter stuck to the ground, Dusk Sabre allowed himself to let go his grip on the other’s man collar and lowered his hood and scarves uncovering the face.
«So?» declared, returning to grab the hunter’s shirt collar and keeping the blade on his neck «Who sent you?» asked.
The bounty hunter did not speak, but his eyes widened as if… as if he was surprised or shocked.
«You deaf, cabron?» rebuked the Chief, putting more pressure on the knee on the hunter’s chest. «I asked you who hired you?»
He gasped when his breath was cut off by the pressure of the knee. Eyes still wide and fixated on Sabre’s face. The hunter’s lips trembled and moved to say something, but no words came out.
«I’m giving you a chance, pendejo. I don’t want to kill a sick hijo de puta if he got hired hoping to get money for meds.» added, in a calm but commanding tone «Who? It was again that skagshit of Sharktooth?» asked «Or it was one of the Red Rakks? Or Gold Razor? Ah?»
Again, the hunter tried to say something but no words came out of his mouth. The hand that was still pointing the pistol at the Chief started to shake. Some of the muttered words – finally – became audible.
«…no… no, that’s… that’s not possible…» muttered «I… I can’t… not…not now, not now.» his breath became even more laboured and his eyes started watering. «Not a crisis now… Karim is dead… the Helios… Why…» sobbed, starting to lower the shaky armed hand.
The Chief frowned, confused. He didn’t hear that name in ages.
His old name.
He pressed more the blade on the other man’s throat, a thin red line of blood appearing on the skin. «Who told you that name?» ordered «And who the fuck are you?»
Another gasp shook the man, tears now streaming down his scarred face with days long patchy beard. «…not now… it can’t be him, it can’t be him…» sobbed. Then his eyes widened again «But… maybe…it’s a sign.»
«Qué diablos are you saying?» the Chief was even more confused «Answer me»
The bounty hunter leaned the arm and the weapon on the ground, tears still running down his cheeks, and closed his eyes «Finally my day has come.» sobbed the hunter «Karim…he has come to take me with him.» then he took a raspy breath and started murmuring some words.
Dusk Sabre frowned even more and lowered a bit his head to hear better what the sick bounty hunter started to murmur.
This time it was the Chief’s turn of widening his eyes in shock. «Ho-…how did you know that?!»
«Karim… He told me that before… before we got separated… many years ago»
Sabre felt like being struck by a heavy tactical. This time was having difficulties finding words and stood in silence for a few long instants before murmuring an uncertain «Jamison? Is…is that you?»
The bounty hunter opened again his mismatched eyes and returned to look at the bandit chief «That name…yeah… I am Jamison… or what’s left of him.» replied, «Please, kill me before my crisis ends. Let… let me be killed by Karim, so I can go reach him».
For the first time in maybe ever, the Chief wavered. Only a few of the people in his stronghold knew about Jamison, only the ones that followed him after the fall of Helios. Moreover, none of them could have leaked this info as a way to weaken his defence and kill him: he kept an eye on them and they never broke his trust.
In addition, none of them knew of those words he said to Jamison when they parted. A sort of little code between them, to find each other again. Jay at first thought that it was a silly thing, that they won’t ever need something like that since they’d be separated only for few months. However, Karim insisted: his gut feeling thought that it could be a good idea. The famous “better safe than sorry” of a person easily worried. Karim always hoped that he was wrong. That it would never be needed.
But now he was glad for it. Because he was finally able to smile and say «You already reached him» lifting the blade from Jamison’s neck, moving his knee and his boot from the other so he’d be able to move. «I’m alive, Jay»
The very first place you encounter entering Jamison’s mind is a barren and wasted piece of land with a road holding barely together. Looks like an apocalypse had been there and that’s what’s left.
The sky is dark and cloudy, the atmosphere is heavy and the lightning has that unsettling green hue that usually lingers before an heavy storm.
You hear loud thunders announcing the storm, you feel and hear the ground shaking under your feet and you feel that you need to run from that place as fast as you’re able.
Then the ground breaks under your feet while you’re running away and you find yourself falling.
THE REBELLIOUS SWAMPLANDS
After falling for you don’t know how, you hit wet ground and tumbling down you find yourself rolling out of a giant mangrove-like tree in what looks like a swamp. As you get up from the murky waters and look around, you notice that you are on Eden-6 and probably around the Floodmoor Basin’s region.
You walk out from that putrid pond and start following what looks like a trail between the tall trees and the shrubs, you can’t understand where it will lead but looks like it’s the only option viable to leave that place in which you fell.
The path leads you to an opening in the thick rainforest, there is a clearing that looks like a glade and you hear someone speaking.
As you leave the forest and enter the glade, some shapes start to get more defined and at the centre of the clearing you see a big wooden table with people sitting on the two long sides. In the background you recognize a big and fancy hunting lodge, one of those used by rich people when doing hunting trips.If you get closer to the table, you’ll notice how those people sitting on the opposing sides are not paying attention to you. Probably they aren’t even able to notice anyone else other than themselves.
On the table there’s carved “Vladof” on one side, where one could recognize Jay’s mother’s side of the family, and on the opposite side there is carved “Maliwan” and you may recognize Katagawa Sr, some of his assistant and his oldest children.
If you get this close, you’ll also be able to notice how their discussion sounds like a bunch of “yadda yadda” and random gibberish and see that their documents are just scribbled papers.
You shudder and jump hearing a loud bang not too far from there, followed by a bunch of kid voices shouting and hollering.
You decide to investigate on that and you find yourself on another path in the swamplands that lead to another clearing near giant trees and a big murky swamp.
There is a broken wooden fence, probably what was left of the original trail, some big rocks emerge from the dark waters and some cans of soft drinks and beer are floating in it, while others are lying on the rocks together with some broken bottles.
There is a group of teenagers at a makeshift camp that is listening to loud music and holding weapons maybe too big for them, chatting, discussing, some dancing following the music, other not caring about being underage for drinking alcoolics.In that group of punk kids you can spot a young JT, sporting a mohawk and holding a big Vladof shotgun on his right shoulder. His left hand is planted in the face of what looks like a kid around ten years or so with a Maliwan branded t-shirt with scribbled in permanent marker “ankle-biter”. When the angry little kid stops throwing tantrums trying to get a hold of Jay’s weapon and steps away you recognize him as the youngest of the Katagawa’s children. The other kids of the group do not look like kids from some other family tied to big corporations, on the contrary they look like ordinary people. Probably some locals that Jay befriended after sneaking out from the Corporations-related discussion you saw some moments before.
There’s a loud roar of an engine that covers the voices of the teens and the music and in few moments a big battered down bandit technical drives over and stops near the group. Two loud honks and from the truck’s door window pops out a guy that looks like he’s the older one of the group of punks. He shouts to the others to get onboard before someone notice that he stole it. The kids cheer loudly and start to climb the vehicle, some into the passengers’ seats, others like JT climb into the technical’s cargo bed and the little “ankle-biter” back again throwing tantrums and sending threats on how he will tell the grown-ups everything if they don’t let him join. There is silence, broken only by the sound of the engine revving, until one in the passengers’ seats opens the truck’s door letting the kid join them to shut him up.
All the punks are hollering again and shouting to the one in the driver seat to move and start their “hunt”. The oldest of the group revvs the engine again before making the tires screech and leaving the place.
You’re left with an handful of options: you could walk back to the discussion table and try to figure out what they are talking about, going into the hunting lodge and check what memories are stored in there, try to track down the technical and see what other memories are tied to it… and if you’ll linger too much on which route to pick, the swampland will help you: an angry Tyrant will appear from the nearby woods, breaking down a couple of big trees, and will start hunting you.You’ll run at breakneck speed to avoid the Tyrant jaws, you’ll try to not to stumble upon the roots emerging from the murky waters and you’ll try to not get stuck into the muddy ground.
And when it will feel like you’ve reached a dead end and that the saurian will get you, you’ll notice a tiny opening on the ground. Probably the opening of an abandoned skag den. You’ll use the mud to your favor and from running you’ll start sliding on the wet ground to enter the abandoned den just in time to hear the Tyrant’s jaws snapping around thin air.
THE HYPER-PLANE
The slide into the skag-den turns into sliding into what looks like ventilation ducts.
Crouched you’ll follow the metal duct until you see artificial light filtering by a grate. You’ll kick it open, hear it clanging onto the floor and you’ll wait to see if someone noticed it. No response from the outside make you decide that is now the moment to climb out from the metallic ventilation duct and try to see where you ended up this time.
You are in what looks like an old small storage room, mostly filled with crates, cardboard boxes and metal shelvings with other stuff on them. The place doesn’t help much with pinpointing where the fuck you are, but the looks of the metal crates and a couple of posters stuck on the wall of the storage room make you understand that you are in some place related to Hyperion.
Using as much caution as you can, you slowly open the metal door of the storage room to peek out.
Definedly an Hyperion facility. And if you ever seen it in some way, you’ll understand that you are inside the Helios Space Station.
But everything looks...odd.
Everything outside of that storage room looks like it has been drawn on a blueprint.
All of what you can see is a blueprint. The walls, the corridors, the doors, the working tables, everything is a blueprint except for the bots and the Hyperion’s staff that is continuing working and going on with their day like everything is a normal thing. Even interacting with blueprint-like items is done as if they are normally like that.
You sneak out of the storage room and pick the empty corridor on your left, sticking to the wall and being ready to rush to hide behind the first blueprint-like crate if there is the possibility to be found out by someone. But after some minutes, you notice how mostly the workers and the bots just plainly ignore you, like it happened back in the memories on Eden-6.
Still, it looks like that corridor could go on for longer than actually possible. And you still haven’t found any memory related to that place.
Until, after another long walk, you find yourself crouching behind a big sketched-out vase with a plant in it near an open blueprinted door that leads to a blueprinted office...and that’s where you finally see Jamison.
He’s young, has that silly Jack-esque hairstyle, wears a pair of jeans under a yellow Hyperion-branded sweater and he’s leaning over a big desk and explaining something to the person that is in the office with him.
That person is Handsome Jack in flesh and bones. A Jack before the mask, with that ugly soul patch on his chin. He’s near Jamison and he’s leaning over him to look at whatever is on the desk from over Jay’s shoulder. He’s close, uncomfortably and awkwardly close to Jamison and taking a better look you notice that Jay’s cheeks are slighly flushed.
You leave that hiding spot to sneak closer to that open door, to try catching at least some parts of the conversation between the two.
Jamison is explaining his idea for Jack’s request to convert the FIX Loaders in bots that could be used properly in a combat situation, how they could be modded and which kind of weapons could be added to the bots to have some variety between them.
Jamison looks really enthusiastic about his ideas and the project of a prototype he’s talking about, even if there’s that weird blush on his face.
Then you see JT lifting a bit his back and turning his head towards Jack, truly realizing how much the other man was close only in that moment when his nose almost touched Jack’s. Jay’s blushing became more violent and the red run from his cheeks to the point of his ears, he looked away, he mumbles some “sorry”, some polite excuses and tries to turn back to the blueprint on the blueprinted desk.
Tries.
Because Jack chuckles amused and takes Jay’s chin between the fingers of his right hand and makes the engineer look back at him. He babbles something again, confused and bashful, while Jack looks at him with a flirtatious smirk on his face.
Then Jack sais something to Jamison, he wispers and you can’t really grasp what he says but a moment after that soft wisper you see Jack kissing Jamison.
You do not even have time to process that memory you just saw that someone shouts at you. You turn and you find an Hyperion Security Guard getting closer and drawing his pistol from the holster on his hip.
You don’t listen to the other warnings of the guard and you start running away from him. He runs after you for some time, but after a couple of quick turns and changing corridors you finally outrun him and you can finally take a break after the zig-zaging between random corridors and hallways.
After the break, you notice that you are in a vaste area, still in that blueprint style except for the panorama of Elpis from the giant observation windows on one side.
You move your gaze from that scenery to look better at that area. There are some doors that aren’t drawn but look like actual metal doors.
One is guarded by a surveillance turret over the door and a Badass WAR Loader, while the other door is guarded more heavily: two turrets at the sides over the door, a Badass Constructor and a Super Badass Loader guarding it.
The only other way out that you can see is another blueprinted corridor filled with doors, some drawn and some more “real”.
While you are trying to decide which way to try, you’ll hear again the shouting of the Security Guard now together with other guards running to get you.
If you decide to go through and fight the WAR Loader to get to to open the metal door behind him – labeled “Cringey Lowest Point” – you’ll find memories that JT tried to hide in a corner of his mind. Memories of him following Jack’s orders and doing anything to please him, hoping to get rewarded, memories of Jamison’s affair with Jack. Memories that Jay tired to hide from himself, memories of things done that he’s ashamed of.
If you decide to go big or go home and try to face the Badasses over the other door, you’ll find the door labeled “Salvation and Everything” and behind it you’ll find a pleasant landscape. A flowery and quiet prairie that fades into a beach with fine sand, cristalline waters and the sky fixed on a romantic sunset. You hear the sounds of the waves, the soft wind moving the grass, you see in the distance a nice cottage. Here and there you could see memories – real or dreamed ones – of Jamison and Karim together. Sometimes walking down the shore, sometimes relaxing on the cottage’s porch, other times just chilling in the grass of the prairie.
An idealized place. A quiet place inside his mind where to search refuge.
If you opt for trying again to outrun the guards, you’ll end up in another breakneck run towards the corridor.
You try to open every door to hide from the guards, but when you realize that no door will open you start to panic. Where to hide? Where to go? The guards are getting closer and angrier. Some start firing some warning shots. You stop trying to open the doors and get back into running.
One of the guards shoots again. You get hit and collapse on the floor.
DESTROYED NOTHINGNESS
You open your eyes. You jolt in a sitting position when you remember being shot, but your body feels okay. You touch where the bullets hitted you but you do not find wounds. Then you notice you are sitting on a completely white floor.
You get up and look around you. Everything is white.
There is nothing. Only white, an unidentified source of light somewhere that casts no shadows and an unsettling silence. Not even your steps are making a sound as you try walking in a random direction in that white place.
You don’t know how much you walked and for how much time, but at some point you feel a shift in the air.
A bright flash and you are inside one of the Eridium Pumps in the Badlands, there are people screaming, sound of shooting, you are in the middle of a battle but you do not have time to understand what is happening that you are engulfed in an explosion and another bright flash takes you back to the white area.
You try again walking.
Again everything is still and too silent.
You feel again that something is changing, you turn your head to your left and you see something that looks like a static interference and you see purple liquid on the floor covering an engineer with a broken exoskeleton. He’s screaming in pain with the exoskeleton’s robotic hand smashed onto his flesh hand and the purple liquid fizzling onto his skin. His screams are so loud that you feel them getting inside your head. Feels almost like you are feeling the same great pain the wounded Hyperion Engineer – Jamison – is feeling right now.
You fall on your knees, sobbing and feeling hurting all over like someone is burning or skinning you alive.
Another interference and everything is again quiet. You need some moments to realize that now you aren’t hurting anymore and to get back on your feet.
You decide to walk in that direction, you don’t know why but your gut says that it’s the right direction.
There’s another flash and this time you are in the bedroom of a small house, there is someone having an argument in the other room. You move quietly to peek from the room’s open door and you see Jamison, without an hand and with the scarrings still fresh of healing, shouting to a blonde woman that shouts back at him and starts crying. He gets even angrier when she cries and asks her to stop crying. That he won’t be moved by her tears. She replies that it’s his fault, that he wasn’t the one she fell in love with, that she did not care and remained with him even if it was difficult dealing with his crisis. That it wasn’t fair that he was blaming her after all she did for him. Jamison replied that life isn’t fair and she should just suck it up like everyone in the universe does. She cries more and says that he ruined her happiness and that she wish she’d never met him. Jamison hits the wall with his left fist and turned to walk back to the sofa, grabbing what looked like the woman’s suitcase.
He walked back to the blonde woman and shoved the luggage into her arms.
“I’m sorry” she wails, backing to the open door.
“You’re not sorry. Don’t come back” he growls.
She walks out and he slams the door closed.
Another flash and you’re back in the white space.
You walk again until you stop feeling the air electric again. Another static-like interference this time on your right side. You see an heavily wounded Jamison in hospital robes trying to get up from the floor after he accidentally left his bed. Some nurses are helping him, carefully to not cause his wounds to reopen, and you see that the female nurse that is talking to him to keep him awake looks like the blonde woman from the memory you just saw. Maybe they are the same person?
Another interference and the piece of memory vanishes again.
You decide to turn and walk in that direction.
After a while, you feel again that there’s something wrong there. You don’t know what, but your instinct is telling you that something is going to happen and that is nothing good.
You continue walking, looking around to be ready for whatever it could happen. Then you step into some water.
Puzzled, you look down. You stepped into a puddle of purple dense liquid.
You try to move back, but your back hits a wall. Since when there was a wall behind you? You turn and check and there is the usual white nothing. Only that if you try to go back you reach a sort of invisible wall. You put your hands on it and try to search a way to get around it, but soon you understand that the only direction allowed is the one where there is that purple liquid. That liquid Eridium.
You brace yourself and start walking, after an handful of minutes (or less? Or more?) you are getting a bit more calmer since the liquid is only an inch over whatever flooring of that white area.
When you least expect it, from one of the puddles of Eridium slag emerges a giant tentacle made of the same liquid that grabs you.
«YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE» roars a disembodied unsettling voice that seems like coming from all around you.
The tentacle then drags you into the puddle that reveals to be a sort of access for a bigger place completely filled with liquid Eridium.
You are having an hard time holding your breath and the Eridium is starting to burn on your skin.
The tentacle is still holding you tight as to not let you escape. You try to free yourself but the grip doesn’t loosen.
Many purple eyes opens in that dense purple liquid, all of them fixated on you.
Again you hear the disembodied voice, a voice that now seems made of a lot of different voices talking as one.
«IT IS NOT FOR YOU TO BE HERE» roars again, with a solemn tone. «YOU MUST LEAVE AND NOT COME BACK AGAIN.»
Your lungs are burning and you let out your breath and accidentally breathe that liquid Eridium that start to burn even your insides.
«NEVER MORE»
You feel your body melting into the Eridium, and you lose consciousness.
When you wake up, you are in the real world again and you know that you will never try again to enter someone’s mind.
