Chapter 6: "Friends in Need"

Jak sat down on the steps near Sig's throne with Daxter and Tess listening as the larger pair present spoke into a floating communicator. Sig was just finishing his own report, "Never thought I'd be glad to see 'em, but yeah, the Metal-Heads seem to have a new boss, and somehow Seem has gotten into contact with it."

Jak added, "He was powerful, too. He used Dark Eco, but even my dark powers aren't that… extreme."

Samos' voice came over the communicator. "At least your light powers may prove to be the weight that tips the scales in our favor, Jak. This is a most troubling development, but we already knew we had to be urgent."

In the command center of the Haven City fortress, Samos, Onin with Pecker on her hat, Ashelin, Torn, and Keira were all standing around the holo-table once again, listening to Jak and Sig's voices. Pecker piped up for Onin as Samos finished. "Onin says that the Precursor machine in Haven Forest is no longer active, but that there may well be another way to reach the Precursors."

Torn, however, leaned to Ashelin more quietly, to avoid being heard over the comm. yet. "If they're getting scragged by these things out there, we might want to send some back-up before Sig figures we're not any better than… the old Baron." He stopped short of saying 'your father' with a firm press of his lips.

Though she didn't look at him, Ashelin nodded her agreement silently, and abruptly spoke up after Pecker. "King Sig, do you want us to send some support forces out there? We're in this together, I don't want you to feel like you're on your own."

They heard the deep, baritone voice chuckle. "Don't you worry about us, Governor, but the offer is appreciated. We'll hold the line here, you just watch your tails if any of these things pop up in the city. They do not go down easy."

Though worried, Keira smiled a bit when Jak spoke up as well.

"Yeah, but if you can nail 'em through the mouth, it's a kill-shot. Just have to wait for that attacking roar."

Ashelin tipped her head. "We hear you, thanks for the info."

Samos piped up, his magnified eyes focused down on the speaker. "Just sit tight and hold the line for now, Jak. Onin and I will notify you as soon as we know something."

"Got it," Jak answered easily. Keira could practically see his confident half-smile.

"You chili-peppers hold on, too. Sig out," the ruler of Spargus finished, and the line shut down.

Ashelin set her hands on her hips. "I don't know if I should be relieved about the Metal-Heads, or even more worried…"

Samos nodded. "I am anxious myself, Ashelin."

Pecker squawked. "Onin agrees, but also says that she feels a strange mystery about this new Metal-Head leader. The fate-lines are black, and she senses familiarity. It is not so new to us as we might think…" He frowned, looking down at the mystic as she let her hands rest. "Could you get more vague?" Onin just gave him a dark upward glance of her own.

Samos' expression remained gravely troubled, though his frown furrowed more, and he turned to the others. "We must be careful about this new leader then, but hopefully we can count on either its help, or at least not to attack us as well."

Torn had his hands resting on his gun-hilts, the fingers waving against the weapons. "I don't like the idea of Metal-Heads having a tactical leader. We should have a back-up plan…"

Keira, her arms naturally crossed as she stood, looked at Torn anxiously. "Wait… you mean like some kind of attack plan against them?"

His jaw shunted to one side, the guard-commander gave a simple nod.

"But they… shouldn't we at least cut this new leader some slack?" she asked, looking to everyone present as she let her hands gesture out, uncrossing her arms. "I mean, he saved Sig, Jak, everybody there. And Seem trusts him."

Samos raised his hand, and gestured to Keira. "No one denies that, Keira, but Torn is right. We should have a back-up plan just in case he turns out like every previous Metal-Head leader."

The commander nodded to Samos, and looked back to Keira. She was a bit surprised, in a positive way, to see a softness in his usually hard eyes this time. "Believe me, Keira. I'd love to think we don't need to worry about the Metal-Heads anymore, but we've been stabbed in the back more than once in a very short war. I'm just saying we should be prepared, not that we go ahead and storm the new nest… wherever it is."

Keira did smile a bit as she nodded. "I understand… I just… I don't like thinking about someone who helped us like this. I think we should give this one a chance."

"Not saying we don't," Torn continued with a shrug and slow shake of his head.

It didn't seem to comfort Keira much as she looked down sadly. Jak had mentioned the new leader protecting them specifically, not just answering a general call for back-up. Her heart didn't like the idea of preparing to attack him just because he was a Metal-Head. But… it was a tactically sound idea. And being prepared didn't mean they couldn't trust him… just that they didn't.

Samos finally spoke again. "Onin and I must continue our research. Good hunting."

Keira strengthened her mood, and smiled a bit. "And I'll get back to work on the new zoomer. I think I have a solution to some of the venting problems."

Ashelin smiled at her. "That's great. Just let us know if you need resources."

The green-blue haired young woman gave a wave and nod as she walked out with her father, Onin, and Pecker. Once they were gone, Ashelin gave Torn a smirk. "You getting soft on me, Torn?"

He blinked. "What?"

"You would normally just slam someone like Keira for being naïve." Ashelin remained mischievously amused as she leaned against the table with her hands.

Realizing what was happening finally, Torn relaxed into his old battle-smirk, crossing his arms as he looked at Ashelin sidelong. "She's a nice kid, and isn't getting herself in the way. 'Sides… I feel a little guilty for planning against someone who's already helped out our people… I just know it's smart."

Sharing the humor, the two went back to monitoring security reports around the city.

(Later…)

In the heart of the Wasteland, a lone leaper slowed to a trot before the yawning mouth of the Southern cave. The creature, in fact, still had a bandage on its leg, though it was significantly smaller than before. Seem raised her left hand to help with the glare, and looked up at the top of the cave's entrance for a moment before slowly moving inward. The monk knew where she was going better than anyone else could thanks to the altered nature of the deeper cavern, but for a long tunnel, it was just natural sand, dirt, and rock. She saw a few Leaper Metal-Heads crawling along the walls eventually, but after spotting her, they only followed for a short time, and then returned to their preferred spots of hiding.

As she rounded a final bend in the tunnel, however, the walls altered, gaining the armored, layered architecture of Metal-Head nests. The tunnel itself ended, opening into a cavernous chamber. Metalpedes, even cannon-backed dune-runners, like the three that had helped Jak, Daxter, and company, were visible milling about in the space, with an army of the smaller types shifting around on their own business.

There was, in fact, another cavern like this one, even deeper and further back, which was where Frost had kept her and where he, himself, lived, and Seem intended to go there as her ride started to descend the natural bridge, though now covered by Metal-Head carapace, into the cavern. However, she noticed a gap in the closest mass of Metal-Heads as she reached the bottom, and recognized the cloaked figure that was leaning over something amidst the other Metal-Heads. Seem halted, and dismounted, her ride knowing well to stay where he was, and carefully approached. A wall of ape-like Metal-Heads prevented her at first, but they quickly parted, only a few even glancing at her.

Frost looked up at her as she approached on his right, and she saw that he was holding his claws to a leaper-Metal-Head's injured leg. Dark energy was crackling around his hands and the length of the limb he was touching, but she saw that the leaper was unharmed, and remaining quite docile as it focused on her with mute curiosity. "Injured in that battle the other day. Last one," Frost rasped calmly, and finally let go of the creature.

It hopped up, gave the leg a few testing steps, and then sprang off with its metallic hiss. The other Metal-Heads started to disperse, and Seem was left with their leader. She tilted her head curiously at first, but bowed it and let her right hand come forward with an intricate web of finger-gestures. "Greetings, Frost."

He bowed back, keeping himself a safe distance still. "Ms. Monk. What brings you to this part of the wasteland? And only on your poor Leaper?" he asked the second question with mild humor in his sympathetic tone, gesturing back to her ride.

Seem glanced back to her traveling companion with a faint smile, and then focused back on Frost. "We know the desert well enough, but I appreciate your concern for us. I wished to greet you, simply. Forgive me if it is presumptuous, but I felt you might appreciate a reminder of your humanity."

It was very difficult to read his reaction on his face. The mild humor of his previous comment remained, though subtler, but a deep current passed behind his glowing eyes. "Not presumptuous at all, Ms. Monk," he finally said, his tone waxing wistful. "Would you like some food? Both of you, rather," he corrected himself easily, glancing to the lizard.

"My companion could use water, if it is available, yes, please," Seem responded respectfully.

Without hesitation, Frost glanced over his shoulder and raised one claw. At first, Seem was unsure exactly what he was doing, but then gave a gentle start when a Metalpede rumbled right up next to them at high speed. She was almost afraid it would crash into them both before it halted with surprising finesse for its girth, and lowered its head to Frost's hand with a low moan, which trembled through Seem's body like low thunder.

As he actually patted the creature's head just over one eye, Frost gestured out to Seem's leaper as he looked at her. "Have your friend hop on here with us. It will take us there safely and quickly. It's a large cave, after all," he managed some casual lightness with his warped voice, smoothly climbing up himself.

Hesitating a heart-beat, though Frost didn't seem to notice, Seem turned back to her Leaper, and called to him in the low, lyrical tongue once more. He promptly trotted over, and hopped up onto the Metalpede lightly, gaining his balance and surer footing. Seem came up, and was about to climb over one leg for a boost, when a black claw loomed down in front of her face, open to her. Seem focused up into Frost's glowing eyes beneath his hood, and saw a unique mixture of sorrow in his eyes and warmth in his faint smile.

Choosing smoothly, Seem smiled back in her sincere subtlety, and pressed her pale hand into his claw, gripping it firmly. He let his talons wrap around the back of her hand, only gripping with the pads of his onyx fingers, and smoothly pulled her up with him onto the Metalpede's armored body. Seem sat down just behind Frost, and without a visible signal, the Metalpede took off, passing under the bridge with a smooth rush, and curving into the next tunnel, both fast and graceful in its ground-shuddering way.

Neither Frost nor Seem spoke on the short journey, and when the Metalpede stopped, Frost helped her down before she told her Leaper to hop down with them. Frost led them both up a small, curving path to the large platform where she'd woken up before their first meeting, and back to the 'kitchen'. Once there, without a word, Frost filled a large bucket with fresh water from a hand-pump system at the back, and carried it to her Leaper. It dove in happily, gulping at the water.

Frost smiled at Seem, easing back to the opposite wall of the kitchen, across the central table from her. "I trust you are well? As well as possible considering the circumstances, at least."

Seem nodded. "We have not seen any of the dark creatures since the battle, but it has only been a few days." She noticed that Frost absent-mindedly reached one hand to his chest, as if touching something beneath his cloak. "…Is something wrong for you, however?"

His hand snapped down, and he renewed his focus on her. At first he was going to speak, but shut his mouth and looked aside gravely for a moment. Finally, he looked to her, and said, "I have felt something since that battle. Or… it has become more obvious to me than before…"

Understandably worried, Seem remained curious. "How do you mean?"

His hand snaked up to his chest again as he stared off. "It's like… something pulling on me. Those creatures made it more obvious to me, but it has been there since…" He looked down at his hands, lifting the one away from his front. Then he turned his eyes up to Seem again. "Those creatures were absorbing my power, but I was using enough raw force to destroy them anyway. I felt… connected to them somehow."

Seem had difficulty explaining why her heart fell so far at hearing it. She was almost crushed as she stood in front of him. "…Do you know where they came from…?"

His expression etched with confusion for a split-second, and then alarm. "No! No, no! I did not create those creatures!" His hands were out, and his entirely sincere shock convinced her almost instantly.

"I apologize," Seem whispered, holding a hand to her own chest as she bowed her head with relief.

Frost looked down himself. "It was understandable… I do believe Dark Eco was related to their creation, though."

"I see, but… that was cruel of me, to assume so easily after all you've done." Seem looked across at him sincerely.

The former guard looked into her guilty, glistening eyes, his expression softening the longer he did so. "I believe it was right of you… to be cautious in that way." He abruptly found the table interesting, his eye-ridges raised.

Seem's Leaper chirped, sitting by happily after finishing his drink, and distracting from the strange tension that had filled the small cave. The monk found herself snapping her attention to her traveling companion, and back to Frost at a loss for response herself. The Metal-Head leader seemed quite distracted, looking around, at her Leaper, his claws almost twitching. He looked back at Seem, and started to say something, but his voice just trailed off, his mouth hanging open for a moment. Finally he managed, "Y-you… your order of monks. What are some of your practices?"

The abruptness of the question gave her pause, but she settled into a familiar frame of mind, and replied with her usual calmness and control. "Frequent, daily meditation is our primary form of practice. We also assist those in need, and attempt to gather Precursor artifacts to preserve them from marauders or less… admirable persons, who would use them for inappropriate means."

Frost nodded. "I see. So it is your entire life, to serve the Precursors in this way, yes?"

This time Seem's mood shifted, her head tilting a bit, and her eyes tightening with curiosity. "Yes. Why do you ask in this way?"

His jaw clamped shut and he dipped his head down, looking down and around. Seem was confused, because he almost seemed embarrassed, as if his cheeks would be blushing if not completely glistening black.

Her eyes widened and he jerked as energy snapped off his hands, crackling along the walls and ground. Her leaper screeched, hopping away though it never came close to him, and Frost finally snapped his fists shut, holding them rigidly up near his head as the energy calmed into nothing. Firm aggravation was visible on his tightened face, his lips pressed into a firm line. "I'm sorry… about that…" He slowly opened his hands, lowering his arms.

Seem stepped just around the end of the table, her hand up toward him. "Why did my asking affect you so? Is something else wrong?"

She did not expect his next reaction, which was an almost pained laugh as he looked down from her with closed eyes.

"I apologize, I'm really… not laughing at you, I'm sorry," he managed, finally just taking a claw over his mouth for a moment, looking into nothing with a strange mirth.

Calming back to curiosity, Seem persisted. "Then why do you?"

"The absurdity of my situation just became rather stark in my eyes. Please forgive me, but I can't really answer your first question," he explained calmly, managing a smile for her.

"And why can you not answer?" She sensed something about the issue was much deeper than a mild embarrassment. She wanted to help him, if possible.

"My reasons for asking you were inappropriate, and it's none of my business anyway," he answered as calm as she'd ever seen him, but she glanced down at his clenched fists.

She was sincerely puzzled. "How could your reasons be inappropriate?"

His eyes slowly shut as he exhaled, and she realized he was about to explain anyway. "I was asking if you were celibate, Ms. Monk. That's none of my business."

She didn't quite realize his point immediately, but her confusion abruptly fractured into a startled form of disbelief as she stared at him. "…I beg your pardon?" was all she could think to utter in response. A faint pinkness was appearing through her face-paint.

Frost's expression, his eyes still closed, became a very sincerely pained one. "I am very sorry. It was totally uncalled for."

Her disbelief only intensified as she realized she had, indeed, not been mistaken. "I-it does not offend me… It simply has not… been brought up in that manner for me before. I am devoted to the Precursors. I could not properly live as a monk and be a wife at the same time."

She jumped and he gasped as his right arm almost exploded with energy. He was gripping it firmly with his other hand, and curling it up near his head in an instant, his entire body shuddering with the effort to still the raging energies he'd accidentally unleashed. At last, it stopped, and he sagged with relief.

"My… apologies, Ms. Monk. I greatly respect your choices, and admire you for them," he managed, still leaning heavily against the wall, away from her. "Your frankness and sincerity are appreciated. I am quite sorry for my own manner. I would never presume, even if you were not fully devoted to the Precursors, that I would be a viable choice for you, but my stupidity got the better of me, and my curiosity wouldn't let it go."

Even though she was listening to him, seeing him curled over himself, shivering against the wall, was causing empathy and guilt (for being part of what caused it) to swell up in her heart. So, after he finished, and was still shaking, she hurried closer to him, kneeling down at his side. "It is a small matter, but you are in pain. Can I not assist you?"

As unstable as he was in that moment, her voice cut through his clouded mind like soothing ointment on a stinging wound. His eyes closed, and he slowly exhaled. "…Your compassion does you credit, but I would truly be helped if you stayed away from me. Harming you, however accidentally, would… I wouldn't get over it very soon."

Pained for him, she did rise, and moved back. After a few minutes, his breathing slowed to a more stable rhythm, and he stood straight, taking a moment to fully calm down, and finally faced her again. "Thank you for your kindness, Seem," he said quite sincerely, smiling gently around his rasping, darkened voice.

Hiding her sadness in a calm smile, the monk bowed, and gestured toward him. Privately she made her prayer one for assistance on his behalf, knowing he would not understand her gestures or words. "Your hospitality has been most helpful as well. I am glad I could see you today." She saw his eyes shiver silently with emotion, and was beginning to realize how much her visit had actually affected him.

"I was very glad to receive you, Ms. Monk. Do you need help with transportation?"

"Thank you, no. We will be fine on our way out. I must get back to the temple before evening, but the journey is helpful for contemplation."

Frost bowed gently. "Then please be safe."

Seem called her Leaper to her hand, gripping the reins gently, and looked back to him with another calm smile. "We will do our best, thank you. Farewell, Frost."

"Farewell, Ms. Monk."

He waited silently for them to vanish into the shadows in the tunnel exit from the kitchen, and let his expression sink into a sorrowful stare through the floor. I doubt she'll ever come back… He then simply walked over, picked up the empty water-bucket, and placed it at the back of the room before leaving himself with a gentle flutter of his cloak.

(Later…)

Spargus city ran right down to the coast, beyond the cliffs that protected it from the sands, to the rolling ocean below. A tall spire led up from near the center of the half of the city near the coast, and on top of it was a large, double-barreled gun-turret. Jak was sitting at its controls, Daxter grinning on his shoulder, and Tess standing down on the landing, watching intently as Jak quickly swiveled the gun and fired at flying discs rising out of the water. He was already the best gunner in Spargus, but Kleiver had gotten a little too close to his record since he last set it, so he was looking to push it well out of the old Wastelander's reach.

"Wow, Jak," Tess muttered, "and I thought you were just good with your morph-gun…"

The hero chuckled as he twisted the turret to the right, pegging four green discs before they could start falling again. "Just practice, Tess. Your shooting on the back of the Gila Stomper was right up there, too."

She giggled, and Daxter quickly glanced from her to his friend and back. "Yeah! And—uh… you look good doing it!"

Waiting for another shot before responding, Tess grinned up at her dear Ottsel. "You're so sweet, Daxter!"

Jak just smirked as he pegged some more targets.

And then a communicator popped up beside him, floating just on his right. Samos' voice came over, sounding rather flustered. "Jak! Where—What are you doing with all that racket?"

Jak shut the turret off and hopped down with a smile, but kept himself focused. "Nothing, Samos. You have anything for me?" Daxter and Tess were listening intently themselves.

Samos' voice continued. "As a matter of fact, yes. Onin has become aware of another Precursor device that should be located in an old spot favored by Mar for contemplation out in the desert."

Jak frowned thoughtfully. "There's more than one… should I just start—" his old mentor cut him off.

"No, no. We know where it is. The oasis should be the spot. Unfortunately, we have reason to believe its underneath it. Something about 'passing beyond the oasis'."

Daxter rolled his eyes. "You want us to drain the only water-hole in the entire flippin' desert?"

Samos retorted dryly, "It's less than half a kilometer from the ocean, Daxter…"

"I don't care!" the furry one snapped in a huff, crossing his arms as he stood on Jak's shoulder, and staring off.

Jak sighed. "I'll go check it out Samos. I'll let you know when I get there."

"That's my boy. Good hunting!" And the communicator shrank out of view.

Tess set her hands on her hips. "What do you want me to do?"

Jak paused, blinking down at her, and looked to Daxter, who shared his almost fearful uncertainty. Neither of them wanted to be on Tess' bad side, however rarely it came out. Jak shrugged. "Uh… well, Tess… We should be able to handle this one, but you could… beat my turret record in the mean time?" He gestured back at the large cannons.

Tess grinned. "Alright! You take care of my Daxter… Or I'll hunt you down and cram your morph-gun in whatever place is the most painful…"

Daxter and Jak both twitched a bit, and watched her scrambled up into the control chair. Jak gave his friend a dry look, and the ottsel folded over meekly. "…She's… quite a gal… really…"

Jak just shook his head, and climbed down the ladder. Finding a spare leaper-lizard standing by, he hopped on, and rode the creature quickly across the desert city, around the adobe towers and ledges that made it up. Soon, he was at the garage, and hopped off with Daxter on his shoulder. Taking the large, Dune-Hopper vehicle, designed for jumping with its independent 'legs' for each wheel, he sped out into the desert, driving for the oasis.

(Elsewhere…)

Lying on her back, her body perfectly straight, her hands loosely clasped over her stomach, Seem stared at the rocky surface above her sleeping matt in the alcove in her chamber. Remaining in her full attire, she was gazing through the hard ceiling, her expression etched with gravity.

She knew her instincts about Frost had been true. He was so starved for human interaction, inundated with Dark Eco and Metal-Heads as he was, that he had invested extremely powerful emotions in her. It pained her, and worse, tempted her. She refused to allow his truly virtuous character to be used by her mind to corrupt whatever virtue she herself had. The man was desperately lonely, but he understood his own situation as well as she did. Seem knew why he'd started laughing. He'd been painfully amused at his own emotional dependence.

It had been a lapse on his part, yes, but in a way she felt it demonstrated his strength as well. He remained quite honest with himself, and even when she came close in concern, he sincerely wished for her own benefit, not his. It troubled her in so many ways, that an obviously good man would be forced to endure so much, so constantly, with no clear hope of recovery.

Seem's crimson eyes snapped to reality, focusing on her door as it knocked. She flowed off her bed, and pulled the humble, wooden door open to see one of her monks. "What is it?" she asked with equanimity.

The, also female, monk had her bleached-white hair tied up in a tall bun on her head, but her usually stony eyes were wide with alarm. "Some of the others… they have had premonitions just now. A violent darkness…"

Seem's brow creased with immediate concern, but before she could even respond, a scream sounded from down the hall. She rushed out into the hall proper with her companion, and saw a handful of other monks scrambling toward her, one falling over and clawing at the ground before getting back on his feet as three Prowlers leapt into view from the right fork in the hall… from the main entrance.

And now that she was not lost in her reverie of concern for Frost, Seem almost felt her heart crushed with the weight of the darkness closing in on the temple. I blinded myself… Makers forgive me… "Run! To the leaper stable!" she shouted firmly, and looked to her nearest companion. "Go!" she emphasized with a sharp push when the other monk was too stupefied by the on-coming Prowlers to move with the others.

Seem lingered just enough to help the last monk stay on his feet, and ran for her life as well. They followed the large, pale brown stone hall for several meters, where it hooked to the right, and kept running, Seem glancing back to see that the Prowlers were just coming after them at a brisk walk with their long strides, walking upright. She knew something was wrong, but couldn't think of anything better to do.

When the leaders of the small group twisted to a right-fork only to skid and reel back, Seem's heart sank. "Just run!" she shouted, pushing the closest monk firmly. She was just past the fork herself when the four Prowlers walking down its length reached the hall they were using as well, and the monks kept running.

"There are no exits this way!" the monk nearest her exclaimed in dismay.

Seem didn't hesitate, she knew it as well. "But the thickest doors are. We can't escape past those creatures."

"The meditation chamber?" one of the leading monks, in fact the very one who had knocked on Seem's door moments ago, called back in confirmation.

"Yes! Prepare to bar the doors when the last of us are through, if possible. Don't hesitate if you can save more!" Seem shouted firmly ahead.

Rushing down the main hall as it bent left and right, the leading five monks finally rushed past a set of open, monolithic wooden doors just inside the entrance to a large, open room with no wall on the left, and no ceiling, but a grand, ancient altar of sorts against the back, with a water-fountain and pedestal. The leading monks rushed to either side, getting behind the huge doors, and let their fellows flee into the last bastion of safety. Seem passed through last, and helping to yank the right-side door closed. Just as the Prowlers were clearly in view down the hall, the doors slammed shut with a cacophonous boom, and the monks worked busily to seal it with wooden beams.

Some of them sagged against the doors, only to leap back as they shuddered from violent blows on the other side. Seem gravely watched the doors shiver, and then walked into the center of the open room, pulling the second signal device Frost had given her out. "We can only wait, whatever may come. Meditate if you must, but remain strong." She raised the device above her head, and pulled the small lever down, the sides compressing beneath her pale palms. The dark eco signal streaked high into the air, and exploded as the previous had. Seem lowered the device quietly, staring down into nothing as her monks lingered around her anxiously. They drew strength from her example, but they did not realize how much fear she was hiding.

Finally, her eyes shut, and she clutched the useless little signal device to her front, scraping faintly against the armor. Please assist us… Please… But then she calmed her expression, and looked up at her fellow monks. "Calm yourselves… meditate. We can do no more now." And she was the first to sit down, straighten her posture, and close her eyes, but she listened as they did so after her. Amidst the pounding of the doors, they removed their minds from their danger… and waited.

(Meanwhile…)

The pale Dune-Hopper sprang over the sand ridge from the dune valleys of the deep desert, near the coast, and skidded down the long descent to a sharp but clean stop just near the large pool of water in the base of the Southern cliffs. Jak hopped out, Daxter on his shoulder, and hurried up to the water's edge, looking at the rocks around, beneath, and behind the pool. His brow creased finally. "I was hoping I'd just been missing something, but… I really don't see any signs of Precursor technology."

Daxter rolled his eyes. "Like I'm surprised. Wouldn't be the first time Samos led us on a wild goose chase."

Jak just looked at him.

"…Okay so it would, but you know what I mean!"

The taller of the pair shook his head, and the communicator popped out, floating around him. "Samos, it's me. We're at the oasis, but all I see is rocks."

Replying in his gravelly, ill-tempered manner, Samos said, "Well of course you do, because when the Precursors hide something, they do a little more than sweep it under a rug like Daxter."

"Hey!"

The voice from the floating gizmo continued. "Anyway, from what Onin and I can gather, it seems that the location was a gift to Mar from the Precursors themselves. A private place to contemplate and, if needed, contact them. It supposedly only opened for Mar himself, but…"

"My father named me Mar…" Jak trailed off with a slow nod. "Let's see if I can do this, Dax."

Daxter just slumped down on his friend's shoulder. "Seriously, pal. I've seen you work some crazy mojo, but thinking you're the original Mar is pushing it! Even for you!"

"Trust me, Dax, I'd rather not be the king that everyone thinks built the world as we know it, but maybe if I am his descendent, this thing will work for me." Jak was already wading into the water.

Daxter moaned, but hopped onto his friend's head to avoid getting too wet just yet. Jak waded further out, finally up to his shoulders and keeping himself afloat. He looked around, but he saw no indication of what he could do. Daxter looked over his face and into his eyes dryly, and Jak raised his eyebrows, shrugging. Finally, the green-blonde hero looked straight ahead, and loudly called, "I want to speak with the Precursors!"

They waited…

"Bupkis," Daxter muttered. "Got any more bright ideas?"

Jak looked off with irritation for a moment, quite aware that he was soaking wet and Daxter was using him as a glorified buoy. Focusing down below his feet in the water, he frowned. "Seriously… if he just came here for peace and quiet, why is it so—!"

Daxter yelped, splashing back into the water, and Jak swam back rapidly as the cliffs above and behind the oasis gave a loud boom, and started to split along the natural lines of the rocks, following the center loosely. The tall, flat sections of the cliff shifted aside, and revealed a tall, vaulted antechamber, obviously crafted by Precursors, with a circular platform, padded, in the center, and a curious device waiting at the back.

Back on Jak's shoulder, Daxter watched his friend climb up onto the dry metal, and walk around to the back of the chamber. Floating in the midst of four points from sloping extensions of metal from the floor, was a glowing, gently rotating, cube. It was made of the pale brown, Precursor metal, but had a perfect circle missing from each side, which glowed with bright, luminous power.

"So, uh… why'd it open?" Daxter finally muttered, quiet in case something else reacted… badly.

Jak shrugged, looking to his friend, and then crouched down in front of the glowing cube. "I wonder if this is it?"

Something was behind them. Jak felt it in an instant. Daxter wailed as his friend snapped upright and around, his blaster-mode morph-gun aiming straight out, across the water the next instant, his eyes tight and focused.

Daxter crawled back onto his shoulder. "What did you do that for?" He didn't bother demanding an answer again as his blue-tinted eyes widened toward the desert.

A small army of Prowlers were lingering at the shore-line of the oasis, their tails coiling as they each slowly shifted, just watching for the moment. Panning his gaze across the ominous sight, Jak spoke sharply to his friend beneath his breath. "Dax, grab the cube, and then hang onto me."

Leaping off Jak's shoulder, Daxter landed on the cube. It supported his weight loosely, and he stepped onto one of the, apparently decorative, spikes around it, pulling it out of the center. He finally felt its weight in his hands, and leapt onto Jak, stuffing the device into his friend's back-pack, beneath the jet-board and morph-gun holster. Jak suddenly put his gun away, and looked up, his hands out to the sides. The moment his eyes closed, light engulfed his body, and the wings of light sprouted off his back, an aura of pure power evanescing over his form.

Blazing white pools opened, and focused contently down on the dark wraiths ahead. Daxter was just smiling confidently. "Oh yeah, we bad." Looking at his friend, he blinked, "Or whatever."

Light Jak actually smiled gently, and then sprang into flight. The Prowlers weren't foolish, they shot away from him, letting him land on open sand, but they quickly surrounded him, cutting him off from the Dune-Hopper. Light Jak calmly settled into a fighting stance, knowing the creatures could not stand against him.

His brow creased, however, and he turned, looking up above the revealed chamber… to see Jalnoth. The massive Prowler had a dark gem in his chest, and the crimson eyes focused with far too much intelligence for either of the pair's liking.

"I see now how you protected this world so well, hero," Jalnoth's voice thundered with malefic power.

Jak's voice was both gentle and powerful, filling the air with no effort. The Prowlers curled down low, obviously agitated by it. "Then it is you who control these dark creatures?"

"For now," Jalnoth confirmed with a faint nod of his elongated head. "For all your power, you are not immortal." He raised his right claw high, stretching his legs confidently to near his full, commanding height, and began to smoothly revolve his claw through the air

Jak tensed back, expecting an attack as his shield of blue light burst to life around him, but something else happened. He quickly looked around as the sands from the cliffs to the ocean, wrapping back around behind him, exploded into a sand-hurricane, following the gesture of Jalnoth's claw.

The war-master crouched back down, one claw grinding into the rocks there. "Even you would be torn to dust by these sands, light warrior." He extended his free claw. "Give me the device, and I will allow you to go. Refuse, and I will keep you here until you die from heat, exhaustion, or both."

"I have my own defenses. This storm will not stop me."

Jalnoth just pointed down at him with a twitch of his claw, and another dozen Prowlers leapt down into view around him. "You can try."

Jak suddenly dropped down, and slammed his hands together above his head. His time-freeze engulfed reality around him, and he took flight toward Jalnoth. If he could end this threat now…

But the war-master warped into a dark cloud even as he flew through the time-freeze, and scattered down the cliffs.

Jak landed, the time-freeze ending, and looked down at Jalnoth as he reformed out of his wraith manifestation. And more Prowlers were crawling down the rocks behind Jak. "You can't maintain your light form forever, and the storm remains as long as I do. You have no where to run… hero."

The glowing white eyes tightened.

(Elsewhere…)

Ashelin ran up to the holo-table in the Freedom League fortress, slamming a large button down to activate the comm-system. Samos, Onin with Pecker, Torn, and Keira were there, the mechanic just hurrying up herself. "It's Ashelin, talk to me Jak!"

The altered, luminous voice of his light form came over the line. "We have found a device, but the dark creatures and their apparent leader are preventing me from escaping. It has created a storm around us, and I am running out of time." He didn't sound panicked in the slightest, but only grave. Indeed, he sounded almost like Seem.

"If you don't get it yet, save US!" Daxter's familiar screech followed immediately.

Ashelin looked at the holo-map of the desert, and her expression fell. "J-Jak… nothing we have can fly through that storm…"

Jak only exhaled. "We will do our best."

Keira suddenly lunged over the table, almost knocking Torn and Ashelin back. "Hold on, Jak! I'm coming!" And she ran for the door.

Everyone stared at her as she ran, Ashelin calling, "You can't go alone, Keira!"

The young woman just turned around as the lift started to activate, her expression blazing with intensity. "I'm not abandoning him again." The doors shut.

The others were struck silent, even Onin's hands still, but Samos looked on with worry. "…Keira…"

(Author's Note…)

Sorry for the cliffhangar, but it works. And if you're curious, the words 'peace and quiet' are what triggered the chamber opening. I intend to say no more on that in the story itself, but, yes, I did actually have a trigger planned, I wasn't just being convenient for them. I figure Mar simply uttered 'peace and quiet' to gain entrance. I don't intend to state if Jak is the original Mar or not in this story, but I do acknowledge the end of the third game (this story does not alter any of the continuity if I can avoid it. If you catch a discrepancy, let me know). I like the mystery of it anyway.

Again, thank you very much for the positive reviews. In particular, the comment about the technology is very appreciated, because, if I do have a specialty, it's generally describing mechanics, so I'm very glad that's coming off well for at least one person. And, again, I apologize for any typos I missed during my proofing. Feel free to mention any sentences that don't make sense in reviews/critiques. I may be defensive of my style, but if you can't even follow what I'm saying, that's my problem, not yours. Thank you, and please continue to enjoy.