Dark Eco. The substance that brings him power as well as death.

Again he was in the secret forest. The Green moonlight lit up the black purple velvet in the lake. No creature lived around Dark Eco or even came near it. Only trees and grass seemed to dare.

He felt someone behind him, he wanted to turn but he found that he couldn't. He felt the figure move closer.

"What do you want?" Jak asked

"To talk" came an in human voice

"About what?" Jak asked in surprise

"About us" the mysterious voice echoed behind him

"What do you mean?" Jak asked more curious

"Our lives" the figure mysteriously said

"Who are you?" Jak asked

"You know me already" the voice replied

"Really? Don't tell me…let me guess…your Daxter" Jak said sarcastically

"I have come to tell you to be prepared" the voice said ignoring Jak's sarcasm

"Be prepared? For what?" Jak asked confused

"Just be prepared," the voice whispered

Soon it disappeared into the shadows behind.

Jak woke up suddenly. His eyes flashed open as his body jerked out of sleep. He looked around and saw everyone still sleeping silently. He carefully shifted out of his bed, carefully trying not to wake Daxter who laid at his feet. Jak smiled at Daxter when he time to time spoke in his drunken sleep.

"Yeah…lets go baby… Why don't you and I…. go around back…*snore*….and I give you some real….fun" he murmured

Jak shook his head. Even in his sleep Daxter still chased woman. Daxter seriously needed a girlfriend, either that or psychiatric help.

Jak quietly walked up the stairs and exited the cabin. Cold salty sea air met him. The wind smacked his face as the Eco powered ship cruised through the raging sea. His wild golden hair whipped in the wind. The green moon shone in the heavens as the stars twinkled in the black sky.

Jak quietly walked on the deck to the guarding rail. Some Krimson Guard were around but they lazed about. There was nothing to attack or look out for in the middle of an inky blue ocean. Jak kept well away from them. He leaned on the guarding rail and wondered about his dream.

Who was that guy and how does he know him? And be prepared for what?

Jak knew the answer to the second question, be prepared for the creatures in the new land. What else is there to be prepared for?

"A cool night isn't it?" a voice boomed from behind him

He snapped out from his thoughts and looked towards the intruder behind. It was Kranzar. His alertness gone he turned back around and kept his pose, leaning on the guardrail.

"Yes its refreshing" not knowing what else he could say

Kranzar sighed and stood next to Jak.

"Sorry about my crew acting strange" the Captain apologized, "Me and my men have travelled the world, visited other towns, cities and had our dealings with the Hora-quan. Never before we had seen someone single handed defeat a large Hora-quan before"

"Not many people have" Jak replied

"Since we only just been to Haven City a few weeks before we only heard stories and rumours about you" Kranzar explained further, "though I only thought they were just stories…"

Jak growled and turned to him, "Its ok, I get it. It's real big shock that I can turn into a monster and kick some large Metal Head butt"

"I guess your sick of all of this rumours and story business huh?" Kranzars stepped away a bit

Jak sighed, "Yeah"

But it went deeper than that.

"Soon it will die down and they will tell their kids the stories and so on. You're a legend among them and that's a rare honour. Mar was a legend, only because he built the city and its defence systems to protect the people of Haven City" Kranzar told him

"Yeah I guess so," Jak murmured

"You shouldn't worry yourself with things that are out of your hands. You should be worried of what lays a head on an unknown land" Kranzar knocked some sense into him

Jak thought he was right. He should be concentrating on the task ahead. Not wondering about silly dreams or his dark side. He smiled.

"So Kranzar, tell me about some of your travels" Jak said casually changing the subject

Kranzar smiled, "Well sure. This world is a big place! It's too bad some people are too concerned with the affairs of their own city to realize this"

"Yeah, I know" Jak agreed, thinking about all the people back in Haven City

"Anyway…"Kranzar started

Kranzar told him about his adventures, his life, how he met the Metal Heads and how he survived the most difficult of situations. For hours they talked until the sun came over the horizon.

***

Jak swished his bland breakfast around the bowl not bothering to even eat it. Sig sat next to him eating his breakfast as if there was no tomorrow. Keira sat opposite of the boys and settled with a drink of juice and decided to stay away from the tasteless goo. Daxter came back with a bowl of it and he didn't look too happy.

Daxter slammed the bowl on the breakfast table and sat next to Keira (Because he's too small he sat on the table).

"What happened to five star service? And what do they call this?!" he growled

"Breakfast" Sig replied eating last slop from his bowl

Daxter looked at him in disgust, "Breakfast? I call it a Crocadog's puke! I can't believe people can eat this stuff!"

"It's nutritious. Keeps you strong and healthy" Sig quoted

"More like nauseous and frail!" Daxter retorted

"If you don't like it then don't eat it Daxter" Keira simply said

"Fine then I wont, but if I start nibbling at one of your ears then you know why!" Daxter crossed his arms

Sig looked across at Jak who hadn't said a word. He kept swishing his spoon around his bowl and stared mindlessly at it.

"Are you going to eat that cherry?" Sig asked

Jak didn't reply but he dropped the spoon and slapped the bowl towards Sig. Then he got up and left the small dining hall.

"What's up with him?" Daxter asked

"I don't know" Sig replied grabbing the rejected bowl, "Maybe you should go talk to him"

"Me?" Daxter snorted, "I tried to but he wont talk to me"

"I'll go" Keira offered, "This juice taste bland anyway"

With that she got up and walked out of the hall. Sig shrugged and gulped down the contents of Jak's untouched goo. Daxter poked out his tongue in disgust.

"I'm going to find somewhere where I don't have to watch people eating gross stuff!" Daxter announced and hopped off the seat and walked out.

Sig shrugged and was left to eat the food on his own.

***

Jak let the salty air brush his hair back and fill his nose. The hum of the ship's motors vibrated the metallic flooring as he made his way to the back of the ship. He stopped when he met the guardrail. He rested his hands on it and leaned against them. He watched the morning sun rising up and out of the water.

He felt a small smooth hand across his shoulder he looked at the hand then around opposite side to see Keira smiling at him. Jak smiled for a few seconds then his usual tough face returned.

"What's wrong Jak? You seemed a bit upset this morning," Keira said calmly

"Just tired, that's all" He shrugged

"Didn't you sleep well?" she asked the obvious

"No" he replied simply

"You want to talk about it?" she asked

"No…" Jak replied

"Why not?" she pressed

Jak turned to her and snapped, "Because its none of your business"

Keira took her hand away and bit back some threatening tears, "You can't trust me, is that it?"

"No its not that" Jak said realising his mistake

"If you want us to have a relationship, we have to start trusting each other" she said sternly, clearly upset

"I know but I…" Jak never finished

"When you think you can trust me, you know where to find me" she turned and walked away

Jak sighed and put his hand to his head. Why did Keira had to be so difficult? He grew irritated. Why did everyone have to be so difficult? Why couldn't they accept his privacy, his choice? He growled. He slammed his fist down onto the railings. He felt dark power surging through his body. He decided to calm down. There was no point to turn loose his dark side on the ship when there was no one to fight.

He sighed. It was going to be a long cruse.

***

Daxter walked out of the small Dining room and onto the deck. He walked along the metallic floor wondering what to do. He didn't know how long the ship would take to get to the new land. He was utterly bored. He needs some fun, some action… he needed to party!

Daxter thought how he could throw a party. Since the Naughty Ottsel was opened he got hooked on partying every second or third night. He had been five days since the leaving of the city and not even one party since then. His brain and body cried out for another hit.

"In a party you need, a joint, grog and women" Daxter thought out loud to himself, "Well the only decent joint is the dining room below deck. Now the alcohol!"

Daxter looked around.

"Now if I was alcohol where would I be?" he murmured and crept around the deck, "I'll be stored somewhere…below deck. Maybe in the cargo bay!"

Daxter ran off to a flight of stairs that go down into the darkness of the cargo bay. He jumped down from step to step until he reached the bottom.

"Wow it's incredibly dark down here…" Daxter murmured, "There has to be a light switch"

Daxter grovelled around for a switch or anything to turn on the light but his tiny hands found none.

"Where's the stupid light switch?" he growled as he stumbled through the darkness.

He crashed into a pile of metal and wood. He cursed and swore as he untangled himself blindly out of the debris. He suddenly felt something squishy under his foot. He realised too late and he slipped forward, managing to keep his feet on the floor. The slippery substance stayed on his foot. Due to forward momentum and the frictionless matter under his foot, he started to slip forward.

He slid across the metal floor gathering speed as he went. Daxter yelled and tried to gain balance as he was taken on an unwanted ride. He didn't know where he was going or what he happened to step on. All he knew that he needed to stop before he got hurt…badly.

Faster and faster he went. He yelled and waved his arms about in the pitch-blackness.

"AHHHHH" he screamed, "AAHHHH-"

Smack.

He felt a cold hard wall on his front of his body. It was cold. He went numb. He finally pulled his pancake body away from the offensive wall and shook his head.

"Why does this stuff always happen to me?" he growled

He finally felt the stinging pain from the collision. He gritted his teeth as he shook his leg to get the unknown squishy slippery stuff off his foot.

"This is stupid! I not going to find any alcohol like this!" he yelled to no one in particular

He saw light. But it was from above deck so he decided to go back. He started walking back but it turned into an angry stomp. He muttered and cursed the whole time.

"Why could they make the light switch easy to see in the dark? Or Ottsel friendly?" he muttered

He stopped when he tripped over something soft. He stumbled forward. He stomped his foot down and anger and turned to kick the offending unknown object. It moved a bit when he landed the blow. Satisfied when he charged some of his bottled up anger into it he turned back towards the light and stomped towards it again.

"GRRRRR" a noise boomed through the large room

Daxter stopped suddenly, his brain tried to register what the noise was. He waited for a while and no more noises came. He patted his stomach.

"Don't worry I'll find you some nice food that wont burn a hole in ya" Daxter reassured his stomach, thinking the noise came from it.

"GRRRRR"

The noise was again. Daxter's ears shot up as he realised that his stomach didn't have the necessary means to make a noise so low and so aggressive.

Daxter's tiny heart raced as he slowly turned to face what ever made the noise. He saw a yellow oval shape shining in the dark. Then he saw white eyes with black pupils opened and stare at him angrily. And in the faint light he saw it's sharp pointy teeth with saliva dripping off them.

"AHHHHHHH! IT'S A METAL HEAD!" he screamed

Fast as Jak's Zoomer his little legs turned and ran up the stairs, leaving dust behind. He ran out onto the deck screaming, "METAL HEADS! METAL HEADS!"

Sure enough when everyone's attention was drawn to the scene that the little rodent was making Metal Heads sprang out of the cargo bay door. All types of Metal Heads ranging from the scorpion type to the large bug type.

Patrolling Krimson Guards went into full action shooting and electrocuting those who got close. The crew ran on full alert getting their own defence of guns and weaponry to fight the intruders.

Civilains hid wherever they could to get out of the line of fire. Daxter ran until there was no more to run. He sat down and puffed trying to get much needed air into his lungs.

"So much…for…finding…alcohol…" he puffed

***

Sig was finishing the last of breakfast when the crew and off duty Krimson Guards rushed out of the cabin carrying their guns as if to fight something. Sig got up from his seat as his mind registered something was up. His hand absent minded grabbed for his Peace Maker, but he was greeted with air. Confused he looked down and saw that his trusty weapon wasn't there. Then he remembered the mechanic was fixing it for him.

Quickly he ran up on deck to find the mechanic. All he saw was whole bunch of people shooting whole swarm of Metal Heads that were coming out of the cargo bay.

"Aw man, I better find that mechanic or I'll miss out on some fun!" he murmured to himself as he ran off to find the civilian.

***

Jak heard a sudden noise and turned as he heard Daxter screaming, "METAL HEADS! METAL HEADS!"

Fearing for the safety for his long time friend he pulled out his morph gun and changed it to Blaster mode. He ran towards the noises and aimed his trusty gun towards the monsters. Yellow bullets found their mark on the beasts as he squeezed the trigger.

He turned his head as he saw Daxter running real fast across the deck. He turned and ran after him and finally caught up when the little orange weasel sat down and puffed.

"So much…for…finding…alcohol…" he puffed

"Daxter! What happened?" Jak asked as he jogged up to the little furball

"Having a creepy experience…no thanks to you," he quipped

"Where did those Metal Heads come from?" Jak asked

"How should I know?! I'm not their leader!" Daxter sulked

"Come on pal, lets go and kick some Metal Head butt" Jak encouraged

Daxter smiled, "Can I use you Peace Maker?"

Jak sighed, "We've been over this…"

"Oh come on! Please! I wont break it!" Daxter pleaded. He put his hand to his chest and held up his right paw and quipped, "Scouts honour!"

Jak rolled his eyes, "I'll think about it"

Daxter's eyes seemed to sparkle. He jumped up onto his friend's shoulder with such a happy bounce, "Alright! Now hand the Peace Maker over and I'll show you some real toasted Metal Heads!"

"I said I'll think about it" Jak reminded him as he started to run off after Metal Heads that now swarmed the ship.

***

Keira was with Jolva fixing up a small leak in the engines. Keira thought to keep herself busy while she was on the cruise. She only came along to help with maintenance on the ship and help with Eco Tracking equipment once they reached their destination.

She and Jolva was usually chatting from time to time and she was told all about Jolva's life story about where she came from and how she moved to Haven city, the confrontations with Metal Heads, how she acquired skills in the art of mechanics and how she was involved in the Baron's projects.

"When I heard that the Baron was going to make a bomb to kill all the Metal Heads, I was naturally excited" Jolva paused, "Well until I heard what destruction it will cause and…well…I quit"

"Wow" Keira gritted her teeth as she tightened up a loose bolt, "Interesting life"

"Yeah, but not as interesting as yours" Jolva said as she cleaned her hands on a grimy rag.

"Excuse me?" Keira asked a bit offended

"Some people knows that you, Jak and your father came through a Time Rift two years ago" Jolva continued, unaware of Keira's offence, "Since then you established well in the racing arena as a Grand Mechanic…even when up against Erol…"

"Yeah well, Jak actually went up against Erol…" Keira mumbled as she remembered she at one time liked Erol

"You like Jak, don't you?" Jolva asked suddenly

Keira looked surprised at what Jolva had said and stammered, "Well…uh, yes…"

Jolva smiled, "Yeah, I knew it. You two are so right together, even with his…difference. I guess you known him for a long time so it's no so silly to go into a relationship"

Keira smiled back, "Thanks. You know Daxter has a big crush on you"

"Daxter? The little orange…uh…" Jolva murmured remembering

"Ottsel" Keira filled in

"Yeah. He has? Well that explains why he always talking to me in a strange way" Jolva laughed

"He's like that. He thinks it's a good way to 'pick up chicks'" Keira explained

Jolva nodded and giggled.

Their girl talk was suddenly interrupted by gunshots and screaming above them. They both look towards the ceiling as they heard growling and more gunfire. Keira stood up and ran up the metallic stairs and opened the door to the deck. She saw the crew and Krimson Guards firing their weapons at whole swarm of Metal Heads.

"Oh no!" she gasped.

Then she thought of Jak. Her instincts told her to find him, see if he was ok. The last thing she said to him was out of anger, as he was a deceitful creature. She didn't really know why she acted they was she did. Now she was feeling sorry for it and hoped to redeem herself before it was too late.

She darted around the deck keeping herself well away from the battle. Then she suddenly saw Jak. Daxter was perched on his shoulder looking real excited. She ran his way and was about to call out to him.

She felt a heavy force knocking her back. She screwed her eyes shut as she felt herself falling on her rump. She shot her eyes open again to look at the thing that caused it. She saw a blue and grey creature with large drooling teeth, angry eyes and a Metal Skull Gem stuck on its forehead.

She screamed and tried to rise to her feet, but the Metal Head came on to her fast and pinned her down onto the cold hard floor. The creature grinned in triumph as it snarled and raised its scythe like claw for the final blow.

She knew Jak was nearby so she screamed, "JAK!"

Then she saw the scythe coming towards her face.

TBC….