Chapter 10: Saving Him from Himself
The days following the arrival of their son, Keira and Jak got next to no sleep. Jak had killed things that didn't cry as much as little Trajan did. Yet they loved him more with each passing hour.
It was funny how the pieces fell together. Here was Keira, who had at least prepared for being a mother, and then there was Jak who was dropped into the mix of things, only having returned two days ago. As always though, he was eager to learn and took his part in taking care of his little son. Mostly though, he spent time playing with the baby and talking to it in his new baby talk language, which Keira thought was absolutely endearing to watch.
One evening, (Five days after Jak's return) Tess and Daxter graciously offered (although against Daxter's will) to baby-sit for a night so the couple could catch up with each other and get some much-needed rest. Slightly unwilling to let their son out of their sight, the new parents eventually relented and made their way to Keira's bedroom, which was now also Jak's.
The two elves walked silently, holding hands into their muddled room, pushing laundry and bottles out of the way to clear a path to the bed.
Once they had climbed into bed, they snuggled close to one another, and came together for a short, but love-filled kiss. Keira fell asleep soon after, but Jak stayed awake, taking a few moments to wonder at the mother of his child and the love of his life. Day by day, Keira's small frame was recovering from the weight she had gained in pregnancy, not that Jak cared if she lost or gained anything. In fact, he though her chubby cheeks made her look even more lovable, if it was possible. Jak's eyes lids grew heavy as he planted a dreamy kiss on her forehead, and fell into a tranquil sleep.
A few hours later...
"Ohh! Babies are soo cute! Don't you think so, Daxter?" Tess said, still in baby-talk mode.
"Yeah...sure! Until they release a puke projectile on you!" Daxter replied, while attempting to clean his fur.
Then at that moment, a loud knock came at their door, startling the sleeping baby in Tess's arms. Irritated and trying to calm little Trajan down, she was surprised when she opened the door to see Ashelin accompanied by a KG in blue armor and a clearly upset Keira.
"What's going on?" Daxter asked, coming out from behind Tess's legs.
"It's Jak. He's on a rampage heading for the Port...Again. Only he's not normal- He's the other thing," said Ashelin, referring to Dark Jak, as Keira started sobbing.
"But...Jak can always control his dark side," Daxter said with notable concern.
"I believe Jak has been compromised..." Samos interjected, joining the group, "Well, half-compromised."
Silence and questionable looks were all that greeted the elderly Sage.
"The reason," Samos started again, "that Jak did not remember most of what happened to him when he was gone, is, I think, because the Dark Precursors used to dark eco to gain control of his dark side – making that the more powerful of the two, in terms of control. I also believe that they may have commanded him to do something, but the answer to that, I am at a loss for. Unfortunately, I think we will find out all too soon if Jak continues on his rampage." Samos finished and silence once again filled the room, except for the occasional squeal from the baby.
"So, what do we do then, ol' Greenie?" Daxter asked, inserting his usual humor in the dim situation.
"Stop him any way we can, and try to get him to turn back into Jak," answered Samos, looking to Ashelin who nodded and left the room with the guard.
Keira choked back another sob and reached for her tiny son that was still being held by Tess. Keira held her son close, stroking his soft cheeks with her thumb. He definitely had Jak's strong physical features, along with some fuzzy green hair that was likely to later develop some blonde. The infant stared up at its mother, though, with bright sea green eyes, like her own.
Slowly, the mother, with her child, made her way back to the bedroom. She laid her baby in his colorful crib and sat on the edge of her and Jak's bed. Keira let out a deep sign and folded her face in her shaking hands. She had let him leave again, not like she could have stopped him anyways.
"Peace will never come to this awful place, will it?" she spoke aloud to no one, and fell back on the bed, still lingering with Jak's scent.
Jak's inner demon, now showing in outer-form, smiled as it choked the life out of another Krimzon guard that had stood in his way. The creature was now only a short distance from the auto piloted sky car as it started its way down the metal pier in the Port. All around him, sirens blared and bullet blasts whizzed by. He expertly evaded the shots aimed for as he continued his fast pace. In the air, meanwhile, Ashelin and Torn cruised the skies in their state of the art Hellcat, surveying the situation.
"Dammit! I ordered those guards to use the tranquilizer guns! We don't wanna kill him!" Torn shouted over the noise of the wind.
"Jak's annihilated a whole outfit of guards. We know they can't stop him, Torn!" Ashelin snapped back, "Do you have any suggestions?" She switched the searchlights on to pierce the night.
"Jog his memory somehow. Try and bring Jak back out of him." Torn thought for a moment. It would have to be something that Jak felt strongly about, something like... "Keira and the baby." Torn said firmly, but with hesitation. Ashelin just glanced at him, bewildered.
"And put them in that kind of danger?"
"He wouldn't hurt them."
"Maybe Jak wouldn't, but what if that monster does, Torn? What then?"
"What other plan do we have?" Torn replied solemnly, not looking at the red haired governess, but straight-ahead into the vast darkness.
After a few more moments of awkward silence, Ashelin reached for the hellcat's radio and called Samos at the Palace. Oddly, he didn't need convincing, sensing too, like Torn, that it might be the only way to get the normal Jak back.
"How will we do it?" Samos questioned simply.
Ashelin handed the radio to Torn, "You obviously have a plan," was all she said, not looking away from her driving.
"Head back to the Palace. I'm going to take Keira myself." Then he put the radio back up to his mouth, "Just get her ready Samos. Out."
They made their way back to the Palace without a single word. Ashelin proficiently landed the hellcat on the landing space on top of the Palace and got out.
The dreadlocked she-elf headed towards the elevator while Torn sat and waited in the cruiser. She stopped short of the elevator and turned around abrubtly, heading back in the direction of Torn. She couldn't walk away angry when he was heading into such a risky mission.
She locked eyes with the tattooed elf as she spoke in a soft tone, "Be careful, Torn." They both knew what the simple sentence truly meant, but both were too hard-headed to say it aloud.
"I will." Was his only reply as Ashelin gave him a half smile and once again turned and proceeded to go down the elevator.
Flashback to 10 minutes before inside the Palace...
Keira had mixed feelings about Torn's plan to regain Jak. On one hand, she wanted nothing more than to run to him, knowing she could get him to change back. While on the other hand, her new maternal instinct was fearful and unwilling to put Trajan and herself in threat of Jak's monstrous side.
Samos, too, was hesitant about letting his only daughter and not even a week old grandson go into the situation. But, after noting the fuss Jak had made over his son, and the love he had for Keira, he thought this would indeed better their odds.
While Samos and Keira were talking over the state of things, the Green Sage realized something was missing from this picture; Daxter! Where is that rat?
Soon enough, his question was answered when moments later Tess and the ottsel bounded up alongside Ashelin towards them.
"Trying to ditch me again, eh?" He said looking up at a melancholy Keira holding a sleeping bundle. "You're gonna need my expertise with ol' tall, dark and gruesome."
Ashelin walked as the vanguard of the group and led them to the roof here Torn was waiting. He had changed the vehicle so that an armored top now offered it some protection from whatever they would face. It was now time to return the favor and save Jak; from himself.