A.N. Greetings once more readers, I hope you all had a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. This new chapter is an introduction to the main body of the story. From here on the plot thickens and runs quickly. Oh, and you can stop asking for Daxter, enjoy.

The Visionary

Plans

Daxter let out a satisfied belch as wiped a paw across the back of his mouth, the bottle by his side almost as big as him and nearly half empty, the gradually fermenting plum floating in the purplish liquid a testament to its potency. He grinned at Sig as the huge fighter pulled a face before turning to Tess, the slim woman slowly wiping down the bar upon which her diminutive partner drank. She gave a sly smile to Sig as they both watched Daxter drain another mouthful. Neither had the heart to tell him that the bottle was non-alcoholic, simply vile tasting. His grin changed to a frown as something on his com-link called his attention away, his eyes turning back to her as he sipped at his beer.

'Say Tess, turn on the blower would ya, my com's been pickin' up a whole lotta chatter on the Krimson frequency. Sounds like there's a lot of action goin' on but I can't make heads nor tail of it. Whatever it is somebody's givin' out a lotta orders, they cherries is jumpin about like they got coals underfoot.' She reached for the controller but Daxter snapped it up, taking in the complex buttons that sprawled across it before stabbing a paw at one, the large viewer he had had installed behind the bar coming to life.

He flicked through the channels, ignoring most of the trash that was still showing on the majority of stations, a remnant of when the Baron had banned ninety percent of television as being dissenting. He skipped to the news channel, the three watching expectantly as a slim woman dressed in a tight suit stepped into view, a headset replacing the microphone that some still used.

'And today a new life seems to have gripped Haven City in the wake of all the devastation and confusion. Orders have been streaming from the palace all day and it seems as though repair work has finally begun on the city. I am currently speaking to you live from in front of the palace through a transmitter that was repaired only this morning by newly employed work gangs. They have told us that they were apparently hired by Royal Decree, something that has not been heard since Baron Praxis' coup seven years ago. We have received orders from the palace just in the last few minutes to stand-by for a transmission from the palace which will explain everything.'

She paused in her speech, listening to something in her ear-piece for a moment before she smiled brightly at the camera, her usually paid for enthusiasm seeming for once to be genuine. 'I have just been told that the transmission is being sent out now, we're patching it through to your viewers.'

The image changed to the throne room inside the palace, the Praxis symbols gone from the walls as the camera focused on Ashelin standing in front of two ranks of Krimson Guard. By her side Torn stood in his own armour, his tattooed face bearing its perpetual glower but hinting at a smirk that tugged at his lips.

'People of Haven City, I am Governor Ashelin and I come before you today with a message of hope. This city has suffered for seven years, ever since Baron Praxis toppled the old king Haven City has not been a haven but a prison. Today that will change, for today a new king has appeared among us, someone who is willing and able to guide us back to the glory that was once Haven City and can be so again. He is the one who delivered us from the Metalheads and saved all of our lives by killing their leader in single combat. I give to you the new king of Haven City, King Jak Marr.'

Daxter's eyes shot open in the same instant that nerveless hands dropped the bottle and he nearly choked on a mouth-full of liquid. Tess moved to his side, gently rubbing his back, all three staring in disbelief as Ashelin gestured and the Krimson Guard stepped aside, the two ranks that led up to the throne sweeping outward to reveal the man who stood before it. From somewhere one of the servants had found a suit of armour from before Praxis' rule, his sleek frame dressed in a tight black shirt and trousers, tan metal plates covering half his frame and making him into a figure who truly could have been king.

A breastplate protected his chest, the symbol of Marr etched over his heart in a darker colour, seeming to be made from the seemingly indestructible and unforgeable precursor metal. A wide belt held his rifle and his boots were heavy and solid, functional rather than decorative, the same said for the fore-braces on each of his arms, a heavy shoulder pad protecting his left shoulder, the one that would be exposed when he fired a rifle. There was no helmet to the suit and his eyes stared back at them from under his swept back blonde hair, his goggles replaced by a metal visor that sat easily across his forehead, highlighting his burning blue gaze. He spoke in that low dangerous tone that had been bequeathed him by the Baron's tortures, only recently had it ever been softened but now it was back, and bringing a city to a halt as all stopped to listen to his words.

'I am King Jak Marr and I'm here to get rid of the rot that's infested this city.' Daxter could tell that it was a rehearsed speech and turned off the sound, he wasn't interested in what Ashelin had somehow coaxed him into saying. Instead he took in the sight and let his mind slowly absorb the information, trying to figure out exactly what his partner was up to. His eyes lit up suddenly as he caught sight of Jak's expression. His features bore a smirk that brought one to Daxter's face as he watched the screen, letting a low chuckle escape.

'What's so funny sweetie?' Tess's voice called his eyes to her as she embraced him from behind, sweeping up his small frame to rest it against her cleavage.

He grinned up at her and jerked a thumb toward the screen. 'I know that look. That's the look he gets whenever he's about to do somethin' really, really stupid and really, really impressive. I almost feel sorry for those dweebs up in the palace. They've got no idea what they're up against. Course I'm also really glad that I'm not on his shoulder anymore, I usually ended up with a crispy tail by the end of it.' He let another short laugh through as Tess sympathetically laid a kiss on the top of his head before he turned to Sig, the fighter turning to him as he stroked the gun slung across his back.

'Sig my friend get the other wastelanders together. I got a feeling that there's gonna be some fireworks soon and I want to make sure we're ready to help out my buddy Jak.'

'You da boss lil man.'

~

Samos let a small smile cross his face as he took in the severe expressions on the faces of both Torn and Ashelin, the two watching him carefully from their places around the small table. Lights overhead cast strange shadows across their faces as they illuminated the charts and sheets of data spread across it, the recesses of the round room left in darkness. Ashelin crossed her arms and tried to pin him with her stare as he took his seat but he brushed her displeasure aside, he'd spent a lifetime ignoring far more venomous looks from Daxter.

'Well Samos? Is he on our side or not? I thought you said we could trust him?'

Samos arched an eyebrow at her, toying with his staff as he laid it across his lap. 'I said no such thing Ashelin. I said we could trust him to take care of those who would try to continue in Praxis' ways, I never said we could trust him to do it your way. As for whose side he's on, well, he's on the same side he's always been on, he's on Jak's side. Heck, I'm surprised you were able to get him to wear that armour and make that speech.'

Her armoured fist made a ring of metal on metal as it crashed down onto the table, anger heating her tone. 'That speech? You mean the one were he threw out half of what I'd written down and made it up as he went along? You mean the one were he practically dared the ministers to come out and face him?'

Samos took a sip from the glass of water by his place. 'That would be the one, yes. He doesn't much care for you or this city. All he wants is to be left alone so that he and my daughter can make a life together. Frankly I can't blame him after all that this city's put him through. He doesn't want any innocents to be killed any more than we do, no matter how much he's been changed he won't want a bloodbath but he won't stand for a stand off if you'll pardon the pun. He's got about as much finesse as that gun of Marr's out in the desert and he's just about as unstoppable now that you've brought him into this.'

Torn leaned forward, his face serious and intent, 'So what do we do?'

Samos shrugged, 'Only thing we can, hold on for dear life and follow him till he gets the job done. One way or another, he'll bring this thing to a head, and when he does, him and Keira are gonna be left standing. The rest of us… well we better start making plans to make sure we're with them on top of the pile.'

~

Michaels rarely showed emotion, he prided himself on being able to remain calm in the face of just about anything. But even he could not stop the sweat that beaded on his skin at the visage before him. He swallowed noisily, clasping his hands tight in front of him in order to resist the temptation to fidget. The voice was familiar and yet dreadfully, terribly new at the same time, the same, sneering, confident note swelling it but a gravelled undertone to it, a terrible new edge that sent a shiver down his spine. The figure shifted on the table as the tubes and wires that ran into his body pulsed with energy.

'So the ambush failed?'

Michael steadied his voice before he answered, trying to hide his nerves behind years of experience. 'Yes, losses were total, those loyal to the usurper lost perhaps a dozen dead and that again wounded.'

The figure growled, one mutilated arm tensed for a moment and the restraint shattered as it swept upward, clawing through the air as a sharp bark of anger split the silence of the small, dim chamber. The arm turned first this way then that, the figure admiring it, the new strength in it, then the voice was back. 'I saw the transmission earlier today. Why was nothing done to prevent that boy from making such false claims?'

Michael swallowed, 'He… he would have killed me had I intervened, any of us. He… he refuses to be diverted from his course. If we acted to stop him… the situation would explode. We'd be forced to battle it out. We cannot be sure that we would win, especially not now that he has joined them. If we attacked him… he would massacre us.'

A cruel, harsh laughter bubbled from the creature's throat. 'Weaklings, feeble-minded oafs. In a day's time there will be no more need for this hiding. The treatments are almost complete.' The equipment in the room pulsed once more, the figure tensing as a stifled hiss of agony seethed from between clenched teeth. He relaxed against the table once more, ragged pants raking his body before he lay still once more, swallowing before speaking. 'Ready the Elite, tomorrow, we take the palace, put my plan into action and by tomorrow you will not have to worry about Jak Marr, for he will be mine.' The voice rose to a growl at the last, the single free hand clenching in a sudden spasm of power, claws growing as burnt flesh knitted and sealed. Michaels tried not to run as he left the chamber, when he had first arrived Michaels had barely been able to believe he was alive, now… it was worse, whatever the transformation was… it was worse.

~

Jak sighed as he shut the door behind him, letting his shoulders slump as he found himself finally free of the clerks and sycophantic ministers that had hounded him since his arrival. Some of them had been genuine in their support, others not, all had been irritating. Still, he was happy with the way the day had gone, from that first time in the council chamber he'd been able to keep an iron grip on the palace, keeping his orders simple and to the point, daring any of the ministers to openly defy him. It had been hard, keeping them always in range of his rifle so that they could not hide any opposition and dared not express it where he could see but he'd done it. He had a list of those that were responsible for the attack, some he knew for certain, others merely suspects, the trick would be taking out the guilty parties without starting a war.

He gripped the ornate handles tightly for a moment before sliding the bolt on the doors into place, turning to rest his back against it, feeling the ornate decorations etched into the metal press against him through his shirt. The chambers Ashelin had given to him were huge, a massive bedroom off to one side with a bathroom leading off it, the main room large enough to fit Keira's entire apartment into. It was decorated sparsely but with good taste, clean efficient lines to the wooden furniture, the material of the curtains and cushions the deep, rich red of the Krimson Guard, a contrast to the light walls.

He pulled his shirt off over his head as he moved across the room, not bothering to undo the buttons as he cast it aside, his mind if not his body exhausted by all that he had done that day. He pushed the door to his bedroom open as he kicked off his boots, his eyes flickering around the chamber. It was more opulent than the front had been, tapestries of some ancient precursor machine on either side of the huge four-poster bed. He reached for his belt buckle as he took in the inviting softness of the bed before something stirred under the covers, his eyes widening as a lithe form sat up in surprise, green hair swaying around green eyes as Keira met his gaze.

He'd left her in Torn's care when he and Ashelin had gone to ensure that their advantage was not lost and he said that he'd put her in a room near his. He'd wanted to ask which but the veteran had strode away before his tired mind could form the words. Jak's eyes narrowed as he took in the red rims around her eyes and the sadness on her face, he'd always been able to read her and right now she was frightened, the emotion edged with more than a little grief.

'Keira, what's the matter?' She stood, the blanket falling away to reveal her feminine figure clad only in a small vest and a pair of plain white panties. The only answer to his question was a small sound of tearful relief as she moved, almost running across the room to throw herself into his arms, her slim frame pressing against him as she shut her eyes tightly as though warding off tears. Her arms surrounded him as she kissed his chest, her eyes rising to take him in. He saw an aftermath of fear in her gaze and cupped her chin gently, soothing her slowly as he let his free arm slip around her waist, the troubles of the day forgotten.

'What's wrong Keira? I thought Torn put you in a different room?'

She nodded slowly, a faint blush rising in her cheeks as though she were ashamed of what she was about to confess, turning away from him as her eyes searched the floor but her arms never leaving his torso. 'He did… it was another room like this but… I couldn't sleep. I was lying there on that big bed… and… I just thought of how lonely it felt,' her eyes turned up to him, the time in Sandover they had spent talking only with their eyes letting him see, pure unsullied emotion there, 'of how it reminded me of all the time that we'd spent apart. I couldn't sleep knowing that you'd be so far away from me. This palace is so big Jak… there's so many people that want to drag you away and I don't want to be alone here… I don't want to loose you in a place this big.'

He hushed her with a gentle kiss, one hand undoing the buckle on his belt to cast aside his holster, the weapon within forgotten as he cursed himself for a fool. After the fear that he had seen in her on the way to the palace, after the attack, after the pain he'd caused her, he'd tossed her aside. He was in this palace to ensure that he could find peace and yet had been ignoring the only thing that could give it to him. He tightened his grip around her waist, his other hand returning to run up her flank, tracing the curve of her hip to pull her close, laying her head against his shoulder as he bit back his anger at himself.

'Oh God Keira I'm sorry. I didn't realise… I shouldn't have let you go.' This time it was her that silenced him, a smile on her face as her body recognised the feel and warmth of his, the fear melting from her as she felt that familiar shared need that bonded them so closely. Her lips closed softly over his, her tongue darting out to taste his skin before she stood on her tip-toes, her slender body arching against him as she rested her cheek upon his.

'It's okay. Now that you're here… I'm okay. Just… just please don't leave me again. I don't want to loose you, I don't want you to loose yourself.' Her words brought an understanding smile to his face as he gazed into her eyes, watching the lights overhead glint in their emerald depths. She was not scared for herself, she was scared for him, she knew that without her he had been a slave to his anger and she was terrified that by separating himself from her that he would become so again, that he would loose himself. The understanding brought a fresh wave of emotion surging through him, the fog of the day lifting from his mind as he let his mouth trace kisses down the graceful arch of her neck, letting his actions speak for him. His lips rose to move along the taper of her ear and let him catch the scent of her hair, the two simply embracing, re-establishing their bond as they had that morning.

Her hands slowly helped him out of his trousers to leave him dressed only in his black boxers, no passion in the movements but simply a want to feel him, skin to skin. He stepped out of them as the pooled around his ankles, his arms lifting her effortlessly to cradle her against his chest as he moved to the bed. He laid her gently back into her place, the linen already warmed by her body as he slid in next to her. As he pulled the coverlet back over them both she embraced him once more, pulling him close to lay her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat slow as she soothed her hands over his muscles, remembering all the times she had felt them around her.

A contented smile crossed her face as he relaxed at her touch, the tension of the day easing from him as he held her. She shifted, moving up him to lay her head on his shoulders, closing her eyes as she let the rise and fall of his chest rock her gently.

'I was jealous you know…' He looked down at her, surprise crossing his features for a moment, 'of you and Ashelin… when she dragged you off and you spent all that time together I… I was really jealous. I know it was stupid but… we'd been apart for so long and what with the way she acted towards you in my garage… I was worried. I mean… she is…'

She trailed off as he smiled down at her, mirth twinkling in his eyes. An embarrassed smile crossed her face as she realised how foolish her fears were and she turned from him, staring out the glass doors that led onto the balcony, the lights in the room drowning out the stars above but not the glow of the city below.

'So… what did you do in there anyway?'

He sighed and sat up, running one hand through his hair. 'She was teaching me to be a king would you believe. Told me all about how the palace runs and about who I need to watch out for. Then she said she'd kick me through a wall if I ever pull something like that again.' A smile flitted across both their faces before he continued. 'It's all a bit much, I never planned on doing this, any of this. I was just going to come here to the palace, kick a few ministers about and then go back to the garage with you… but now, I've become a king.' He let out a mirthless laugh. 'I don't know how to be a king.'

Keira sat up beside him, watching him as he stared at the opposite wall. 'You know how to be Jak… that's enough.'

He smiled wryly at her words, 'I know how to be a bully, at the moment that's all Ashelin needs out of the king so I guess it'll do. But I promise you Keira, I'll stop these people. I won't let anything happen to you.'

She claimed his lips with a kiss, 'I know you won't but please, don't let anything happen to you either, I need you Jak.'

'I need you too Keira.' It was strange to say the words but they were true, it was beyond what he'd thought love could be like, beyond what they'd had before. He needed her like he needed air, to him she was life. To her, he was no less.

A.N. I decided to end it here because I felt it was a good reflection upon the current mood of the two protagonists of the story. Please tell me what you think of the twists that have occurred in this chapter and once again I do extend an invitation to be notified by me once an update is made. Anyway, until next time,

Go with God

The Visionary