I don't own Jak and Daxter.
Vacation or War- Endgame
Chapter Four- Old Friends
The hospital was in one of the most northern sections of Haven, leading to a long drive to South Town in order to meet up with Jak's friends. At first Loor had been hesitant to mount a zoomer, but after she was in the saddle her body remembered what her brain did not; kinetic memory was enough to remind her of the basic controls of the zoomer, and Jak answered her questions on the map when she asked them. Haven was a city surrounded by a huge wall to keep the unwanted out and the people inside safe, and the city was divided into sections. The section they'd started in was currently dubbed 'New Haven', an area that was being rebuilt since the metal head invasion. The hospital was across from a large building that was under construction. Jak told her it would be the head quarters for the city's new military force; known as the Freedom League, or FL.
New Haven linked into the slums, the title speaking for the section. The less fortunate lived here, and at the moment there were many who were not very fortunate. Lauren was slightly disturbed when she saw this particular section was packed with people, wandering as if they didn't know what to do. The slums led further south, into the industrial section where various manufacture plants were, control stations for the city's power, and an access tunnel into the sewers.
Finally, from there, they arrived into the southern-most section; the port. South Town. Calling it the port made Lauren wonder if the wall somehow opened out to the ocean for shipping, or even fishing, but she could see nothing that hinted to such a function, and Jak didn't know. Fishing seemed likely though; it was the only meat product the city had in excess right now. The port strip was home to many businesses along similar lines; food, drink, and guns. Half of them weren't open, but that didn't stop Lauren from looking into windows and seeing what once was.
Jak led her to an establishment that had the most central location along the strip; an obviously choice spot with an excellent sign. It was a huge animatronic of a creature Lauren was quite sure was called an ottsel, bright orange and yellow with a huge grin. The devil horns were clearly added, and it was holding a triton with one hand, making the rock-on sign with the other, the head slowly bobbing up and down to a song no one else could hear.
Reading the bottom of the sign gave Lauren the name of the place. "The Naughty Ottsel?"
"Yeah." Jak shook his head, as if he also found this pretty ridiculous. "My partner owns the place. He's a good guy... little obnoxious though. Be nice. We're kinda like brothers so I let him get away with a lot of crap."
She shrugged, following his lead as he dismounted his zoomer and led the way inside. The door was automatic, and since it was daylight hours the place inside was pretty quiet. It was a simple enough joint, with booths built into the walls and a bar up front, a large mirror behind with selves of drink on display. The place was decorated with portraits of scantily clad women and ottsels posing with large guns, as well as large game trophies. Lauren noticed that they were all the same ottsel in the pictures, and felt as if she had a name on the tip of her tongue.
"Loor! Baby! Nice to see you walking!"
Blinking she looked down from the décor to note that there was only one person and an ottsel where she was expecting two people. Still, that didn't strike her as strange. At once she knew the ottsel was Jak's other partner, though the woman scratching the animal would have made more sense normally. "Uh... sure?" She wasn't sure how to say what needed to be said without being incredibly blunt. The woman behind the counter, blond and busty, also looked happy to see her.
"It's not as good as they made it sound, Dax." Jak sighed, his tone tense and upset. He led the way in, standing near the bar with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes went back to Loor, the look bidding her to step over as well.
"What's up?" The ottsel shook off the woman's hand, sitting on his haunches and looking over to Loor as she made her way to the bar. She didn't sit either, feeling awkward, like she was in the spotlight. "You look okay."
"I... Uh..." She felt herself starting to flush. For a moment the words escaped her, rubbing her arm.
"Just say what the doctor told you." Jak encouraged.
She nodded, taking a deep breath before doing her level best to explain everything. Her brain had somehow been burned, and the connections in her brain had been damaged. Her memories still existed, but the paths were gone. She had no idea who she was, what she'd done in life, where she'd come from, or who anyone in this room was. She was already starting to rediscover some things, though, and with those little discoveries she might get some of her memories back. It would take time, and exposure, but new memories and paths were forming just fine.
And, aside from that, she was physically okay.
The woman was the first to speak, the look on her face shocked and concerned. "Loor, that's... that's horrible! I mean, things were just looking up for you too! And now the mess the city is getting into now..."
"It is what it is." She answered, shaking her head. "More annoying than anything."
"At least you still sound like yourself." The ottsel was grinning. "Anyway, I guess we're all strangers, so I'll go for introductions. You've met Jak, I'm Daxter, and that's Tess. We're all friends; we all worked together in the underground movement to stop the Baron and save the city!"
"Can't believe that was only a month ago..." Tess muttered, shaking her head.
"And things are starting to get ugly again." Jak pointed out, frowning.
"Tell me more about that." Lauren said; her voice sounded like she was giving an order. "You say it like we should be doing something, and I got the feeling in the hospital that our places in the underground added the expectation that we take part in military operations of protecting the city from its current trouble."
"Jeez!" Daxter snapped a look to Loor. "Okay, I'm used to you sounding technical and using big words, but that was straight up robotic! Loosen up a little, sweetie."
"Daxie, she's just out of the hospital and doesn't remember a thing!" Tess scolded. "I'd be demanding information too." She then looked to Lauren. "There's two troubles going on right now... or better put, two kinds of trouble. You heard about the two forces that we fought against in the underground, right?"
"Krimzon Guard and the metal heads." Loor nodded. "The Baron as killed, so his army should have fallen apart or become part of the new force... and the way metal heads are talked about I assume it's like any hive insect; kill the queen and the hive falls apart."
"That was the idea, yeah." Tess agreed.
"But the metal heads are still appearing outside of the walls." Jak threw in when Tess hesitated to go on. "Metal bugs, smaller versions, have been getting into the city and infesting buildings, crops, infrastructure, and otherwise. Usually it's just a pain in the neck to get rid of them, but they keep coming back. Worse, larger metal heads seem to be growing in numbers when their population should be shrinking."
"And the KG still has a lot of loyal agents; people who felt what the Baron was doing was right, or at least liked how they were allowed to act during his rule." Daxter threw in. "They've been starting riots, holding up construction at the new FL place, and trying to lock people out of the industrial section. It's a bitch for business, too. If I refuse the KG boys they'll stand at the entrance and make sure no-one can get in all night, but if I let 'em in they'll start fights with the FL guys."
Loor remembered the closed shops along the strip. Forced boycotts could do a lot to place.
"The whole thing has been making regular people nervous." Tess added in. "Some are saying the war isn't over yet, or that another one is about to begin. Those rumors spread fast, and it's got everyone on edge... Ashelin is doing what she can to contain the panic, but things aren't going to calm down until the metal head are gone and the KG has either been shut down or forced out."
"Ashelin?"
"The Baron's daughter, took over when he died." Jak answered. "She helped us overthrow him; she's on our side."
"The council isn't though." Daxter snorted. "They liked the power the Baron put in their hands too. Ashelin is trying to take it out of their hands and put more of it in the people's control, but they're opposing her on pretty much every front."
"Yuk..." Loor groused, shaking her head. "So... we've got a lame-duck Baroness, a military rebellion, and a possible new incursion of metal heads? I get the feeling that the last thing we should be doing is standing around talking about it."
"Jak's waiting on new orders." Tess pointed out. "Torn's been letting him off easy with sorties that take less than a day so he'd be able to visit you in the hospital. Now that you're up and moving, we can get back to business."
"About that..." Jak looked like going and talking to this Torn person was the last thing he wanted to do today. "Jeez he's not gonna be happy about all this."
"Ah, King Laryngitis won't even care." Daxter was lying back down on the counter, and Tess's hand went right back to scratching him. "As long as she can still effectively kill some metal heads, you won't even have to mention this extra goop to him."
Eyes turned to Lauren, and Tess asked, "Can you? Do you remember how to fight?"
She fidgeted again, unsure of what to say with everyone's attention on her. "I... well, I remembered how to drive pretty quick. Other skills should also be intact. Just gimme a gun, I guess."
It took some time, but eventually she was given a gun. After visiting with Daxter and Tess, Jak led her to the center of the city; the grand palace that the Baron had built for himself. Ashelin had since taken it over, and it was serving several purposes at the moment, most of them military. Staterooms reserved for dignitaries had been converted into apartments for active soldiers who didn't have homes to go to, kitchens into galleys, large and empty spaces converted into briefing rooms, or arms storage. Every inch of space that had once been lavishly decorated had been ripped apart and put to use.
Jak led the way inside and went straight for an elevator, glancing back to make sure she was keeping up. He looked like he belonged there, and she felt like a little kid tagging along with someone much older than her. She could feel the eyes of several people, all of them wearing some kind of armor and at least two weapons, noting her lack of both.
The elevator doors couldn't close fast enough.
The upper floors were all about command areas, she learned. A large and ornate room that may have once been a grand hall for the Baron's throne was now filled with equipment for gathering intel. There was a hum as several people, both men and women, operated computers while talking on some kind of a communicator or another, either listening patiently or barking orders while scrolling through information and looking for something useful. There were a few extras, running from station to station to relay information or move papers, one of them heading for the elevator with an arm-full of files.
Again Jak was in the lead, looking like he knew exactly where he was going and ignoring everyone in the room. And again, Loor got the distinct sense that she really didn't belong here, focusing on the floor for fear of catching the eye of some military superior who would throw her out.
At the end of the long room, a man and a woman stood who Loor learned to be Torn and Ashelin. They'd been locked in discussion, but it broke long enough to take noticed of Jak and Loor. Both adults treated her with respect, Ashelin welcoming her back to the fight and lamenting the report they'd already received from the hospital. Again, her battle skills were questioned, and the fact made obvious that no one would actually know until they gave her a gun and let her try. Torn seemed to find it mildly entertaining that she asked for a gun, and suggested she find a melee weapon as well.
Jak was given the responsibility of looking after her at the moment; he'd evaluate her combat skills and then report back. Torn handed over some kind of key-card for the armory and sent the two of them on their way, resuming his discussion with Ashelin before they'd even turned to walk away.
The armory proper was in the basement; a large and cavernous space guarded both by two people and a door requiring the key-card Torn had given over to Jak, which he immediately had to hand over to one of the guards after use. The doors opened, and the two teenagers entered.
Lauren wasn't sure what she thought she was ready for... but this wasn't it. The sheer size of the room boggled her first, as did the racks that split it up that were loaded heavy with weaponry. It was tough for her to imagine any military force allowing their people to have access to such a diverse selection of arms; she felt that everything should have been uniform, depending on the mission. But who knew? Maybe things were different when you were hunting metal heads.
"Over here." Jak directed, seeming to know his way around the place. "Pistol first."
She followed, unnerved by how quiet it was. "Are we the only ones here?"
"Torn usually brings newbies down here in large groups, or gives special passes when he feels necessary, like he did for us. So yeah, we're alone. Why?"
She trotted slightly, reaching out to touch his arm. He was walking at a brisk pace, and she wanted him to slow down while she was talking to him. "What was I to you?"
He didn't just slow, he stopped, looking at her. He didn't question what she said, just staring a moment before shaking his head. "It would sound creepy if I said it the way it was... we were really close, okay?"
"I could figure that much out, the way you look at me." She let her palm slide onto his skin, closing her fingers around his arm. "... did you love me?"
He nodded slightly, the hard look he'd been keeping on his face since the hospital finally breaking apart. Sadness was clear, and his eyes went to the floor. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. She could read how much pain he had to be in; he thought she'd been saved but then he lost her anyway.
"I'm sorry..." She spoke softly, as if someone had died and she was comforting the person who remained.
"It's not your fault." He pointed out.
"Still my brain, I gotta take some responsibility." Her other hand came to where her first one held him, as if she meant to heft him up and straighten his depressed posture. "C'mon, I'm betting Torn wants that assessment tonight, right?"
"Knowing him, he wanted it yesterday." Jak snorted, starting to walk again as she gently tugged him. The action got him to stand up a little taller, taking a clean breath and thinking about what needed to be done. "We'll give you the weapons you had before and see how you settle in to them, alright? I think some body armor too... you didn't have it before, but there were some times you coulda used it."
"You saying I wasn't good at watching my own back?"
"Sometimes." He shrugged a little. "You were really new."
"So you were taking care of me back then, too. No wonder Torn made it sound like he'd just given you babysitting duty."
The Author's Corner
If anyone hasn't noticed by now, this is kinda a bit before all the shit hits the fan. Why? Because the whole of FL HQ would have taken at least a few months to build, that's why. I like things to make sense. Don't worry, I'm not gonna get bogged down here, time will pass quickly once we have Loor armed and some basic frame-work has been laid down.
Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing!
-Loor