Chapter 11: The Dark Ones
Daxter's head hurt. Not, scratch that. It felt like a fucking stampede had gone through it and shook things up inside. What the hell did he do? Off to the side he could see Amunet saying some things but for the life of him, he couldn't understand what it was she was saying. His mind was all muddy and he felt like he needed to sleep for days and even that might've been a bad idea. Sighing he curled onto his side. Closing his eyes he attempted to go back to sleep, but when he felt a soft poke against his face he opened them to find himself starring at Jak. "Hey, buddy." He said softly.
"You okay Dax?" Jak asked, worry etching his voice.
"Sure." He mumbled softly. "Just no loud noises please."
Jak smiled as he watched his friend. Daxter's transformation had scared him to death. "No problem." He said as he walked around his best friend to join the others.
"Is he awake?" Tess asked as she saw Jak walking back to them.
"Yeah, but he seems a bit out of it." He replied as Tess handed him a cup of coffee, which he drank eagerly.
"He's not going to be the same as he once was." Amunet's voice brought the two back to what she and Ashelin had been talking about.
Jak glared at the woman. "What do you mean?" His voice taking on a deep and threatening tone to it.
"Your friend, if he continues to use the dark stuff." She began to explain. "He will not be the same." She shook her head. "Those who use it lose their minds and soon, so will he."
Everybody began to feel a great sense of dread. Jak shook himself away from those thoughts. "We'll get him changed back. Once he's an ottsel again, he can be treated for dark eco exposure."
The woman cocked her head at him. "You do not understand." She said. "He cannot return to what he once was."
"You don't know that." Jak argued.
Suddenly a great roar was heard in the night sky causing Amunet to throw dirt onto the fire, which caused it to be extinguished. Everybody began to hide, Daxter felt himself lifted up and placed into the weeds. A sudden light flashed above before a tiny orb shot down from the sky and began to scan the surrounding area with a bright blue light. Those watching held their breaths as the light passed over them before the probe shot back up into the sky. The roaring sound of the ship engines could be heard as the ship flew off into the distance.
Jak was the first to step forward and speak. "Who was that?" He asked, it was the same question on everybody else's minds.
"That was them." Amunet hissed. "Their Deathstar ship. It goes around plucking my people from the ground and takes them to their base, where they are tortured!"
Jak turned his gaze back up into the night sky. So, we have another thing to worry about. He thought as he turned back to his friend in Amunet's arms who was sleeping soundlessly. Dax, I swear. We will get you turned back.
Keira began downloading her data and research findings directly back to the academy servers with a message that her father and Doctor Vincent were to look them over as soon as possible. She then began to get into contact with a friend at the army reserves and tell them what was happening here in the Northern Territory. The soldier was a gentle blue haired young man name Sal Venix, he was a lieutenant and was five years older than herself. He also was quite protective of young girls because of his five younger sisters. The comm link connected and his face appeared on the holographic screen.
"Sal!" She cried out happily.
The young man sighed. His tiny ears flopping back when saw her. "Keira, you know I'm working, so this better be-" he began but was interrupted by her.
"It's good! I swear!" She yelled as she paused. "Well, no good news, but I'm not just linking with you to talk." She began to upload the video file she had taken of the ship she'd encountered. "I encountered this ship while up here in the Northern Territory with my friends; don't worry we're here on Council business."
He sighed. "I don't doubt that." He said sounding like he didn't believe her. A moment later his eyes widened in shock. "Just a second." He quickly left his station and ran off. Several moments passed when suddenly the screen changed to a male missing half his face which was covered by metal.
"General Praxis!" She cried out in surprise.
"I just looked at the video you sent." His voice sounding gravely and serious. "Do you know where that ship was headed?"
"Further inland sir." She admitted before thinking about her many probes she'd sent out. "I have over two hundred probes that I've place in certain sectors of the territory and I'm currently collecting data from them, do you want me to send you any data I find when this ship appears?"
"Yes." was the quick response. "Your team is the first team to be up there in years and we could use whatever data you collect to ensure our people stay safe."
"Sir, if I may ask," she paused as she felt a bit nervous in this mans presence. "who do those ships belong to?"
"Originally?" He asked, gaining a nod from the young girl. "The Dark Ones."
That didn't sound good. She'd heard of them, but never could find any information on them. "Who are they?" She asked as her stomach began to do flips as nervousness settled in.
"Were." He corrected her. "We know they existed a thousand years ago in this system, but were either destroyed or abandoned the system due to it not having any life within it." He explained. "We know they were part synthetic and part organic, but anything else is above even my pay grade." He narrowed his eye at her. "Is my daughter there?"
"Ashelin is out in the field with the others sir." She said nervously. "I'm suppose to stay here and monitor things as they travel to the citadel."
The older male hummed in approval. "Who ordered it?" He inquired thinking it was his daughters way of protecting the sages daughter.
"Daxter." She grumbled. "He thinks it's too dangerous for me."
"The boy has always shown the tenacity to be smart once-in-a-while." He said with a chuckle. "Hagai!" Keira straightened up at hears her name yelled. "Continue to give us data on the ship and it's movements whenever you come across it, but do not engage it."
"Yes General!" She yelled out before he cut there connection. So, there was another species in this system before us? She touched her chin. Why did that not settle well with her? I've got a bad feeling.
Angie-Eyes: it's been a year since I last updated, I know this. I'm not making an excuse except life gets in the way. Updates will continue to be sporadic but there will be updates. I want to finish this story.