Just as a side note, I posted the first chapter in two different parts, just because it's seemed a little long to be put on one page. I may change this in the future.

NOTE: We do not own any of Naughty Dog's characters, places, names, or anything else I fail to mention. Just the plot and its many holes. R&R!


Chapter 1:2

Jak took a deep breath before walking into the abandoned warehouse where he assumed Keira was, even after all the time he was away. Before he dared to come close to the warehouse he made sure that the girl was out of sight and that he was fully healed to defend himself. Jak and Dax had discovered very early on that his eco levels were directly related to his metabolism. The more energy he had, the more eco. After a quick meal and a shower, he was ready to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. As quietly as he could he opened the large steel door into instant near-darkness and manoeuvred around various pieces of metal, tools and other things that she had been using to repair the Dark Maker ship that they had recovered just off the Precursor Temple. He opened other door, and bright light blinded him for a moment before he was tackled by the woman herself. She had flung her arms around his neck in a welcoming embrace, exactly what he needed after the long journey from which he had just returned. Suddenly she stepped back, and slapped him. "I thought you were dead, asshole!" She said pouting as Jak rubbed the side of his face. "Where were you?"

"I was in the Icelands for four weeks." Jak cracked his jaw and reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small artefact no larger his thumb, and offered it to Keira. "I brought you a present." He held out his hand and grudgingly Keira examined the small, black object. Then her eyes widened, she snatched it from his hand and headed over to the large, purple rectangle box that was before him. It was a Dark Maker ship, so he was told, but all it looked like to him was a few crates from the Seaport Strip weld together to make something that resembled a large cargo ship.

Keira walked up a ramp and disappeared inside the metal beast.It was Jinx who had found the ship, accidentally. He worked heavily with explosives, and while he was trying out some of his new toys in the middle of the Spargus desert, he uncovered enough sand for a protruding point of the ship to spark his curiosity. A couple more explosives later, we had a large box. Hours later Jak new it was Dark Maker technology; days later, Samos and Onin both concurred that it was indeed a ship. Keira had been obsessed with restoring it, and had been working on nothing else since.

Jak heard a couple power tools go off, a click and then the ship suddenly lit up, and hovered a couple inches off the ground making the ramp bounce a bit. Jak smiled as Keira gave off a scream of triumph, and joined her inside. There were buttons, switches and levers illuminated by the dark ambient glow of the ship, and he was careful not to touch anything as he knelt down beside an open consol on the side of the ship. "You could have called." She said, still fooling with a couple wires and a large motherboard of some sort.

"I was in the middle of nowhere."

"Torn didn't give you a communicator?" She said, disbelieving.

"I wasn't allowed one because Marcus could track me through it if he was to ever get wind of me being up there.Apparentlyit would give off a single and make him aware of my location."

"How'd you find this trinket then?"

In truth, it was because of his dark powers that he was attracted to the small object. He couldn't pin point it's location but he could always tell if he was going in the right or wrong direction. When he was right on top of it, he dark powers flared without any effort. "I'm just that good." He said instead. She laughed, closed the small metal door to the guts of the ship and gave him another warming hug, nestling her neck against his shoulder.

"I missed you." Keira wasn't allowed to know about Jak's mission to the Icelands, in fact the only people who knew about it was Ashelin, Torn and himself. Ashelin knew that some members of the Counsel were in Marcus or Rayn's pocket, so not even they knew about it. Daxter didn't even know why his friend disappeared for a month. It was extremely hush-hush because if Marcus were to find out that Jak was sneaking around on his turf there would be hell to pay. Because he found out anyway there would be hell to pay, however Marcus didn't know why he was sneaking around. He had no idea that underneath ice and snow he had a hidden artefact that would get the Underground into space. Marcus would pay anything to have that ability, and he would kill as many people as necessary to get there. In other words, another war.

Jak hated to ruin the moment, but he still had a problem. "Keira I need to borrow some of your clothes."

"You're not exactly my size, Jak." Jak tried to find the words to tell his girlfriend that in his last little jaunt of his trip he had come back with another girl. Keira caught his expression. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Don't go AWOL on me, but I brought back a…refugee." Keira put two and two together, and as Jak suspected she assumed the worst.

"You disappear for a month without telling me, and you come back with another woman?" Fire burned in her eyes and she was ready to lash out to the extreme. Jak put two hands on her shoulders partly to keep her a safe distance away and partly to try to comfort her.

"She's just a kid, honest. I was caught by Marcus, part of the reason why I'm back so soon. I think she was one of his 'experiments'." Jak spoke very quickly, and as he did, Keira's eyes softened and she looked genuinely concerned. Genetic experimentation was a very touchy subject for Jak; she knew it, which was why she bought into the story without questioning it. Keira knew that he wouldn't make up something that extreme to hide her possible replacement.

"Where is she?" She asked softly.

"Back at the house."

"You left her there alone? What if Torn goes to pick something up? What if Jinx goes home?" She looked disgusted at his thought process.

"She's unconscious, her door is locked, I did what I could. I needed to come see you," Yes, it was flattery and he hoped it would get him somewhere. "I also needed to ask you if you could look after her for a while."

"Ah, I see. Torn doesn't know yet." She said with a knowing look on her face. There was a time before that Jak needed to hide some items of…questionable legality at Keira's until he could get them off his hot little hands before Torn found out. Jak was not particularly afraid of Torn, it was Ashelin he had to look out for. Because of Torn's political obligation, he would by law need to tell her of anything suspicious that Jak was doing, therefore imposing Ashelin's wrath upon him.

"I haven't told him, doesn't mean he doesn't know." Torn had connections everywhere and it was no doubt that Marcus had contacted him and told Torn about his little escapade through the Fortress, complete with a repair bill.

"I'll come over in about an hour and pick her up. I want to finish this up." Jak assumed she wanted to try to get some navigational support up and running so we could test the beast out.

"When you say an hour, it usually amounts to three."

"An hour, I promise." She smiled, and Jak chose not to argue. He still needed to go debrief Torn and Ashelin which would take more than an hour he was sure, and he would delay them just in case. They shared a short kiss, and before things got too hot, he left for the palace to meet up with his boss'.

/---

Torn was in the middle of a monthly conference with the rest of the High Counsel, so he was forced to wait his turn in the throne room. These meetings were never interrupted unless it was something earth shattering, so he was betting on all calls to Torn's com being blocked. He was hoping Marcus could not have contacted him yet. He wouldn't know about girl. He amused himself for a short amount of time by finding the small ventilation shaft that he once used as an escape after warning Ashelin of the potential danger of the Precursor Stone. Ah, the good old days, where you knew who the bad guys were.

"Jak? What are you doing here?" Torn closed the large door silently behind him and had a confused expression on his face. Jak wasn't supposed to be back for another two weeks or so, depending on how fast he found the artefact.

"I interrupted, sorry."

"It's alright, it's nearly over. You didn't answer my question." Torn took his famous stance, putting his weight on one leg and crossing his arms across his chest, clearly saying I just spend three hours with dumb politicians, don't jerk me around.

"Mission was a success, though I did run in to a few bumps. I'd rather wait for Ashelin before I debrief you."

"You're stalling." Jak smiled.

"Absolutely."

While they were waiting, Torn brought him up to speed on what had happened while he was isolated from the rest of the world. Since the end of the Dark Maker war four years ago, the Underground immediately started thinking about making a more permanent base if they ever came close to an invasion again. They came once and did not get to farm their planet as they wanted…there was no doubt that they would be coming again. Of course, some sections of the catacombs that were useless because they were either a massive, gaping hole or it wasn't stable enough to put extremely expensive technology under or beds for the wounded. Torn told Jak that the four sections that they had been working on were completed, there were just a couple bugs in the communications that Vin was sorting out along with some hardware shorting. Torn suspected it was those damn scorpion metal heads chewing away at the wires. Despite the death of the metal head leader, there was still an uncanny amount of them around.

There was another reason that we had started a more permanent and protected home base, a more political reason. After Krew's escapade with the poisoning key members of the Underground, Rayn took over Kras City as if she owned it, and after doing a little research, we found that she did indeed have rightful ownership of Kras. Her father was born in Kras. He had bought out all the competitors, and after he had been killed in a 'work related accident' everything was left to his only daughter. Immediately Rayn knew that she needed an ally, and since Spargus and Haven were out of the question, a collation between the Icelands and Kras was formed. They knew that Rayn and Marcus were in constant communication with each other, planning something less than honourable. Officially neither of them was crime lords, but it did not take a genius to realize they had a hand in organized crime. Because of the lack of support to the theory, however, the High Counsel could do nothing to prosecute them, and it was very hard to gather some substantial evidence to support the fact that they controlled most of the major goons in all four regions.

What it all boils down to, there isa gang war coming. Rayn and Marcus both share the same view of government: absolutism, monarchy, call it what you like. If neither one of them is in complete control of everything, neither one of them is going to be happy. Presently Haven and Spargus combined were still no match for the Kras and the Icelands if it came down to open war. The best thing to do in that situation is to hide, which was exactly what the catacombs were made for. There was one easily accessible entrance, which is also easily defended, and an exit that was developed in the ceiling for aerial troops. The plan was that we would pick them off like flies when they came pillaging through the city. As long as Marcus and Rayn had no idea that the Underground was, uh, underground, it was a working strategy. Since Marcus knew that we were up to though, they might need a new plan.

"I know you've been itching to hear about the stats, so I archived some of the nastier races for your viewing pleasure." Torn said after his short update.

"That's unusually kind of you."

"I was going to delete them if you didn't retrieve the artefact."

He smiled. "Glad to hear things hasn't changed since I was gone." Jak said, hoping the meeting would end so he could debrief and catch up on how many records he needed to break. Before he could think too deeply on it, Ashelin came through the doors offering a much warmer welcome than Torn did.

"Welcome back Jak, I didn't expect to see you so soon." Like Keira, Ashelin gave him a quick hug to welcome him home, though Jak knew it was more to piss Torn off than make Jak feel welcome. Torn and Ashelin were 'taking a break'. Jak and the rest of the Underground were a little fuzzy on the details but they all kept it that way. They valued all their limbs attached to their bodies. "How did it go?"

"It went well, though I did make some noise. Before I start, I want to swear that this was all done for defensive purposes. I was provoked and shot at first in all cases." Torn kept a straight face, Ashelin didn't. Jak had a very bad habit of causing more collateral damage than was necessary. Jak quickly went through his long adventure in the barren ice wastelands and how everything went smoothly until just after he found the artefact and realized he was being followed, and ended up using all his dark powers in trying fruitlessly to avoid capture by the Azure Guard. When he went through the fortress, he left the girl completely out of it but made sure to include the conversation he overheard along with a couple of his guesses onto what he was planning. Gracefully they held all questions and any reprimands they planned to put him through until after he was done.

"So, he knows." Ashelin said, referring to thesudden expense onthe catacombs."You think he'll plan an attack with Rayn?"

Torn, being the strategist and possibly the only one who can understand Marcus' train of thought, answered her question. "He will, but not now. And he doesn't know, he just suspects. He's patient, he'll wait until it befits him. Right now, if he attacked he would only be doing it out of spite. Marcus doesn't know what we're doing down there, he's just suspicious of our intentions. Nonetheless, I would recommend upping patrols on the borders and start analyzing the import/export in the Strip. He may try and slip something through indiscreetly."

Ashelin nodded, her face solemn. "The extras will have to come from your unit. My troops are already booked on patrol duty along with construction."

"I'll see who I can spare."

"Can we get Marcus for something with that snippet of dialogue I so happened to overhear?" Jak asked, desperate to get Marcus thrown out of power and possibly prosecuted for something.

"Not with you as the only witness. Needless to say Jak, you're not exactly on the High Counsel's good side." Ashelin said bitterly, but not towards Jak. Even after all that Jak had done for the City the Counsel still avoided him at all costs because of his brief business relationship with Krew. Both Torn and Ashelin had vouched for him countless times, but no matter how much influence they had over the Counsel, it still couldn't shake their original views of him.

"Go get a couple hours of sleep, Jak. Have your report on my desk tomorrow, 0600. Understood?" Jak wasn't officially military, but he played along and did a half-hearted salute, dismissing himself. As he was leaving, he heard Torn and Ashelin bickering on who was going to be stuck with the paperwork. Jak shook his head.

As Jak exited, he nearly tripped over his three-foot tall furry friend. Jak stood there, looking down Daxter who seemed to be a little more than pissed. There was a couple moments of awkward silence, then Daxter said, "You could have called." He said, hopping on his rightful place on Jak's shoulder. "You know, just a little something to let me know that you were alive—"

"You're as bad as Keira," He said, hopping on his custom Zoomer. When Torn wasn't being a slave driver, Jak was usually seen in the garage working on vehicles as a hobby and a little extra cash. He made the Zoomer his own by making it of a thicker alloy, custom paint job and adding a thumb print ignition. Keira did the programming aspect of it, but Jak did the installing. Now if any smart-ass tried running off with his vehicle, a mini-turret came up and zapped him with enough volts to knock him unconscious until Jak could arrest him for attempted theft.

"Was I the last person you thought of seeing?" Daxter half yelled. "Me? Your best friend, who, I might remind you, has gotten you out of more jams than a butter knife? You didn't even bother to let me know when you hit town. I'm hurt Jak, I'm hurt." Abruptly, he changed tracks, ruining the effect of faked upset emotions. "Hey, head to the Naughty Ottsel. I want to show you something."

"Yes, oh fearless leader." Jak snapped his goggles on and launched off. He stayed on the hover level, nearly running over a few pedestrians, but they were well adept to Jak's less-than-conservative driving, so no blood was shed.

"So, where were you, really?" He sounded interested, but underneath that sincerely hurt. Jak felt a slight guilt twinge. If it had been anyone but Torn giving the order of absolute secrecy, he would have blown the cover and brought Daxter with him. This was the first mission that Dax hadn't been on, let alone not known about.

"The Icelands. Artefact hunting."

"That's it? That was the mission? How come I couldn't come?" He whined at Jak.

"Because you're orange." Jak was not kidding when he said it; Dax would have stood out like a sore thumb against the snow while Jak was camouflaged.

"That is so racist. I can get Torn fired for that." Jak laughed. He had missed his friend over the month he had been gone, his constant bantering wasn't there while Jak was aimlessly wandering the wasteland of ice and snow. Though Dax's loud voice would have probably attracted some unwanted attention, it would have been more than welcome.

"So what have you been doing while I was gone?"

"Oh ho, that's what you're here to see my uncultured friend." They had reached the Naughty Ottsel, a large construction sign saying CLOSED FOR REPAIRS beside the door. Daxter reached in his pocket, grabbed the keys to the bar and handed them to Jak. He walked in and was overwhelmed with the smell of fresh paint, and instantly disoriented.

"Wow." Jak said instantly, closing the door behind him. Everything was rearranged, remodelled and redone all together. The pole in the middle of the room was gone, instantly clearing things up. Directly in front of him replacing the bar was a large stage complete with stage curtain, devoid of any equipment, but what it was for Jak could guess. After the war, Torn had moved the Southern HQ elsewhere and Dax had been thinking of expanding the bar to add some live music for the weekends. Above the stage was the metal head leader's head, which added a little something. The stage seemed to be the only thing that was completely finished, the rest of the place was covered in plastic. Chairs and stools were still yet to be placed at the bar, now to his left, and at the sitting area, which was now completely opened up into a large fish bowl. Everything was open and looked bigger, it felt bigger. "Did you take out a wall or something?"

"Yeah, just for the stage though. Ya like it?"

"I'm impressed. And this only took you four weeks?"

"What can I say, I'm a genius." Dax jumped down from his shoulder and headed towards the stage, Jak followed.

"You got the construction guys at the catacombs to do it for you, didn't you?"

"They gave me a discount." Jak hoisted himself up on the stage and took in his new surroundings, amazed at the change. The nasty pictures of Krew and his supposed wife were gone, and the tacky neon lights were abolished. "This should bring some new business in, yeah?" Dax stood beside him, nearly coming to Jak's head sitting down.

"It had better. I have no doubt that this cost a damn fortune."

"Everyone pitched in a little bit, even the military man. So I'm only waist deep in debt." Both listened to the humming of the lights working, speaking without words. When two people were close, they seemed to do it unconsciously and wondered later why people couldn't follow their conversation. "Grand opening is going to be next month. I still need to hire someone to do the color coordinating job and order in some equipment. Eventually I'll need an opening band. Someone local, you know, someone the regulars could identify with and that will bring in a big crowd…" He trailed off so Jak assumed he wanted his input.

"Start booking now, Kras has the best but they need plenty of advance warning. Get IR, they get the biggest crowds but they're almost always—"

"I was thinking Vermicular Apathy." He said, unusually serious.

"What?" The comment went two feet over Jak's head.

"You, Sig and Jinx have something going, and if anything would bring a crowd it would be some of the hardcore members of the Underground trying to entertain the public." Dax plopped himself down beside Jak and waited for an answer. On a whim, Jak had taken up electric guitar and found he had some skill in an area that did not involve violence. He found out that Sig used to play when he was a teenager in a small grunge band, so he was recruited on bass. Jinx wasn't bad at the drum set, so they had a band. It was a joke, really. They had composed a couple songs but nothing out of the ordinary; it was just a healthier way of relieving stress for the three of them. Vermicular Apathy was something Jinx had come up with, and it stuck because it made absolutely no sense. Vermicular meant wavy, or wormy,and put that together with apathy…Wavy Lazy? Wavy Lack-Of-Interest? They laughed over it, but it had a cool ring to it so it stayed as a label for their small ensemble.

"So, what do you say?" Dax broke the silence and brought him out of his musings.

"Why would you want us? We're a garage band that gets together once a week for kicks. We don't really have any special talent."

"Because you'll do it if I don't pay you." Daxter smiled sweetly, and Jak caught on to his whole ploy. Of course, since he had just spent all this money on rebuilding the place, he couldn't possibly get someone big. If he couldn't get someone big, the crowds would be small and he wouldn't make enough profit, so he needed something so original that people would pay to see it. Yep, Vermicular Apathy was original all right. In more ways than one.


I put the idea of Jak, Jinx and Sig in a band because we have grand plans for it. You probably won't hear much about it for a while, though. I'm just throwing the idea out. This is a fan fic, no? We can dream! Hopefully next update will be next Saturday, but with exams all next weekI might completely forget about it.