Chapter XXX: The Happy Return To Haven City

LES: So called because this return is someone happier than the last one. Well, the true romance is coming up fast. In the very next chapter, in fact. Jeez, you guys (and gals) have no idea how long I've waited to post these next two chapters. (I'm serious!)


Now that Jak had the artifacts that Samos wanted him to get, he was now free to return to Haven City, so he pulled out the small holographic communicator.

"Jak?" Torn answered. "Ready to come back already? That was... fast."

"I've got all the stuff." Jak said. "You can send the transport now. I don't want to have to go through the Catacombs, the Eco Mine, and the Sewers again."

"Sure, but it's going to take an hour to get a transport out there." Torn said.

"No problem." Jak said. "I'll wail until then."

Torn nodded stiffly and disconnected the signal. Jak sighed and pocketed the hologram transmitter. He then grabbed a worn bag and began to place the old Precursor artifacts in the bag, inspecting each one before it was placed. He remembered Samos teaching him about the various Precursor artifacts, but these particular artifacts had unknown uses. No one could figure out what the Precursors used them for.

This brought up another interesting question. If no one knew what they were for, how could Samos know that these specific artifacts would activate the ruins in Haven Forest?

Maybe... Jak assured himself. Samos found some old records that name the artifacts necessary to turn them on.

Daxter sat and watched his friend as if he had nothing better to do than to stare at him. After several seconds, he asked: "A penny for your thoughts?"

"Shut up." Jak hissed, annoyed. He hated that question.


Almost an hour later, Jak walked into the Garage, where he was immediately confronted by Kliever. "And where do you little ankle-biters think you're going?"

Daxter growled from his usual spot on Jak's shoulder. "None of your business, fatty!"

"Dax!" Jak snapped. The last thing he needed right now was more enemies. Not that Kliever was a friend. They mostly just tolerated each other. "Will you tell Damas that I'm going to be gone for several days?"

"Certainly." Kliever said with false enthusiasm. "Don't want to end up in trouble like last time, eh?"

"Sure." Jak said, pulling down his goggles and pulling up his scarf in preparation for going out into the desert. He added in a whisper: "Like you'd really be able to do anything to me besides yell if I got into trouble." Daxter snorted upon hearing Jak's comment.

While Daxter laughed at Jak's comment, the elf pulled out Keira's JetBoard, which would be his transportation to the Haven transport.

He felt himself choke up slightly as he looked down at his girlfriend's invention. But he quickly cleared his throat. The last thing he needed right now was for Daxter or Kliever to hear him go all emotional.

With the press of a button, the JetBoard expanded to full size, exposing the small anti-gravity engines that kept it aloft. With practiced ease, Jak jumped onto the Board and took off, out the Spargus main gate, and out into the deadly Wasteland.

It didn't take long for Jak to find the transport to Haven. The blue-armored vehicle stood out like a sore thumb against the yellow and orange color-scheme of the desert. As he approached, the back door opened and Jak stepped into the empty hold. The door closed and they took off.

The air conditioner was on, bringing a loud growl from Jak's throat. He pulled out the old, worn trench coat, which he had on him, and threw it on... warming him slightly.

Jak growled again. How he hated the cold.


Within an hour, the transport landed and the door opened into Haven City Port, just as he left it days ago. The action had calmed down somewhat, but there were still minor fights going on near the Metal-Head border and the Death Bot border. The water below gleamed with the multicolor of the pollution; through, in Ashelin's defense, the pollution was considerably less than when the Baron was in charge.

Daxter, who had been driving Jak crazy by asking: "Are we there yet?" Every five minutes, followed the elf out of the transport.

Jak looked at the western horizon, which was painted pink with dusk... night was falling.

He looked away and began to jog over to the Naughty Ottsel, leaving Daxter behind.

Daxter sighed and slumped off after him. "Can't you ever walk?" He grumbled.

Jak strolled into the bar and instantly saw that Torn and Jinx, who was constantly surrounded by a cloud of smoke from the rancid cigars he smoked, were sitting at the bar. Jak walked over and they looked up. "Jak! Just the man we need!" Torn said. "We may have a way to break down that last barrier and link up with our friends at HQ! Jinx, here, has a plan!"

"Hey, Jakkie-Boy!" Jinx punched Jak lightly on the shoulder in a friendly sort of way. "I think I've got a boomer of a plan here."

"I'll bet it involves blowing something up." Jak said. "Just a guess." Jak knew that what Jinx loved more than anything was to blow stuff up.

"Great guess, Pretty-Boy. You know those nasty Blast Bots you've seen around?" Jinx asked, and Jak nodded. "Well, I've managed to capture one! Don't ask, I'll show you the scars later." Jak rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I've linked it to this remote control..." Jinx held up said remote. "And added even more explosives than the standard package."

"Jak," Torn took over. "We need you to use the remote to direct the Bot into the KG City section. Get it as close as you can to the force field, and then detonate it. That will punch a hole in their defenses and allow us to hook up with our friends."

Jak snatched the remote from Jinx. It was actually quite simple. The KG Bots and the Metal-Heads along the way didn't see anything out of the ordinary about a Blast Bot. The hardest thing by far was the Blast Bot's distinct lack of mobility. The thing handled like a one-legged Leaper Lizard, but after several minutes and plenty of patience (Which was harder for Jak) the Blast Bot moved up to the force field and, with the push of a button, the Bot exploded, taking out the force field with it.

Back in the Naughty Ottsel, Jak grinned and tossed the remote onto the bar. "Mission accomplished."

"Great job, Jak!" Torn praised. "Now we can hook up with our friends at HQ! I'll get on the horn and tell them the good news!" Torn leapt over the bar to reach the phone. "You're the man, Jak! You are the man!"

"Now that we've cleared that up..." Jak said. "If you don't mind, I'm heading over to New Haven. Come on, Dax."

"Okay, okay, Casanova, let's go." Daxter said, with a small giggle.

Jak stopped mid-stride, and then slowly turned around to face Daxter. Torn and Jinx laughed quietly in the background. Everyone knew that the one reason that Jak was eager to get back to Head Quarters was because of Keira. "Don't. Ever. Call. Me. That!" Jak said brokenly through clenched teeth.

"Call you what? Casanova?" Daxter asked innocently. Jak growled loudly. "Yep. I guess that's the one."

Jak decided that it would be best to ignore the situation and he walked out, Daxter following close behind.


Soon, Jak had driven his way over thousands of Metal-Heads and/or Death Bots on his way to New Haven. He had only been in New Haven once or twice after it was completed before his banishment, so he had a general idea of where everything was. Even with his limited knowledge of the area, Jak was able to find the new Freedom League Head Quarters. It was the tallest building in New Haven, after all.

Jak walked up to the elevator shaft that would take him to the control room. A short elevator ride later dumped the duo out at the control room. At first glance, Jak saw that Ashelin, Samos, Onin, and Pecker were already there.

Pecker was the first to notice their presence. "Finally, you've decided to grace us with your presence! What took you two so long?"

"Sorry." Jak said sarcastically. "We only had a war in the way."

Ashelin moved over to Jak. "Jak..." Ashelin said. "It is so good to see that you are all right and alive. Allow me to be the first to officially apologize for the City."

Jak waved her off. "Forget it. I've got my own interest in this."

"Jak, my boy, it's good to have you back." Samos said warmly.

"Oh, Samos, I've got the artifacts you wanted me to get." Jak said.

Samos blinked. "What artifacts?"

Jak was the next to blink. "The... the artifacts... you told me to get..." Silence. "For the ruins..." Silence. "The Prism... the Quantum Reflector?"

"I'm sorry, my boy, but I never told you to get any artifacts." Samos said.

Jak was going to press the matter when suddenly... "Jak!"

Jak blinked again, and then spun around. The most welcome sight that he had ever seen was there before him. Keira framed the doorway. "Oh no." Daxter groaned, jumping off Jak's shoulder. A wise move, considering that he knew what was going to happen next.

"Keira!" Jak yelled. The two elves rushed at each other, unable to contain themselves for more than a few seconds. It had been months since they had been in the same place without a force field separating them. Keira tackled her boyfriend, and he easily caught her. Then, without wasting a single second, they were kissing each other wildly.

Everyone else in the room looked away from the reunited couple, especially Samos and Ashelin. But Onin didn't shift her 'gaze'. She just continued to smile in her creepy way like she could see the two reunited elves, and fully approved of them.

"So..." Ashelin began, clearing her throat in embarrassment. "How was it out in the Wasteland?" She was desperate to talk about something that didn't involve the young elves.

"Uh... hot... sandy, hot, sandy, and did I mention hot and sandy?" Daxter asked.

"I think you have." Samos said. "And wouldn't it be a given that a desert is hot and sandy? I've never heard of one that's not."

"Be quiet, yer old log-head! Wait until I tell ya all about my adventures in the Wasteland!" Everyone rolled their eyes. Onin, who still seemed to have her attention focused on the two reunited elves, smiled even more broadly. An effect that was creepy. "So, there I was, facing a whole brood of slobbering Metal-Heads, when..."

"Yeah right." Pecker hissed.

Daxter rounded on Pecker. "Hey! There really was a brood of slobbering Metal-Heads! Jak'll tell you! Ain't that right, Jak?" Silence. "I said 'ain't that right, Jak'?" Daxter looked around to where Jak had been several seconds earlier, only to find the space empty. "Hey! Where's Jak?"

Everyone who had been dutifully ignoring him, suddenly looked around. "He's gone." Pecker said nonchalantly.

"Well, wasn't someone watching?" Ashelin demanded.

It was at that moment that Onin began signing and everyone looked at her. It took several seconds, and then Pecker yelled. "Oh God! I didn't need to know that! You keep that stuff to yourself, woman!"

"What? What did she say?" Daxter asked.

"Well, she said... uh... oh God, I can't say it. It's too much to think about. I'm gonna have nightmares." Pecker sighed. "Okay, she says that Jak left the room a short while ago, and that Ms. Hagai snuck off with him."

Ashelin looked around the room and counted heads. "You're right. Keira's gone too."

"And... well... uh... let's just say... no, I can't say it." Pecker said.

But Daxter, being the dirty little animal he is, guessed what Pecker meant. "You mean...? Oh no! We've got to find them!" Daxter yelled as Torn walked in. "We've got to search Keira's room, any spare bedroom, or even a closet!"

"What's going on here?" Torn demanded.

"Jak and Keira have gone missing!" Daxter yelled. "And, knowing Jak like I do, they're going to... you know..."

"If you're thinking about finding them, than that's impossible." Torn said, shaking his head.

"What? Why?" Daxter demanded.

"Because... when we designed this place, we put locks on every door... and every room is completely soundproof." Torn said.

Daxter blinked, and blinked again. "You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm afraid I'm not." Torn said.


LES: Personally, I don't think it takes a genus to figure out what happens next. Hope you enjoyed the last of the innocent romance!