Here is the next chapter, and I'm sure its one you have all waited for regarding the reviews about Veger! Read and enjoy!
Ch28: New Haven Defense
The heroes all boarded the elevator and it dropped down back to ground level. The main door opened and they exited out quickly to scope the area. Suddenly out of the corner of their eyes they saw it, a giant red rectangular miniature floating fortress with four jets approached the headquarters. In short, it was known as the KG robot transport.
"I'm guessing that's the un-welcoming committee," said Sparx.
Ignoring him Calidan asked Jak, "what's the plan?"
"Hit it hard and fast," Jak replied unholstering his gun.
"In other words, the usual," added Daxter. No one responded to his comment, except their attention was brought to the fortress again when a clanking noise was heard. Doors opened up on the sides of the fortress and its underbelly. Sentries flew out from the sides, and deathbot roboguards fell and landed in ball form on the platforms that led to the fountain. Calidan wasted no more time in unholstering his blaster, and the dragons took flight to engage the sentries. Jak equipped his Arc Wielder again and took aim.
"Let's scrap em," he pulled the trigger, shocking the first two deathbots in range. Spyro and Cynder engaged the aerial sentries in flight, evading their lasers and retaliating with electric stream and sonic scream attacks. The elemental attacks shorted out the deathbots systems before they exploded.
Jak took care of the remaining deathbots on the ground while Calidan was firing his blaster at the fortress. His shots were hitting the jets keeping the fortress aloft, with the goal that he could topple the weapon by destroying them. Jak equipped his own blaster and joined him in the attack having cleared away the deathbots, and they succeeded in destroying one jet, leaving three more. Spyro and Cynder joined as well in attacking the fortress, each hitting it with one more elemental attack, before the doors opened again and 4 more sentries came out to engage. The dragons flew to evade their laser fire again, and with a few creative aerial maneuvers, they were able to get behind them and attacked, destroying half and chasing the remaining half.
Jak and Calidan kept their fire at the fortress, until the bottom hatch opened again and more roboguards came out, along with some spydroids. Jak re-equipped his Arc Wielder and started shocking them like the last batch. The advantage Jak's gun provided against the deathbots allowed Calidan to keep firing at the transport with his blaster. He was able to blow another jet on his own as Jak finished up the second wave on the ground. Spyro and Cynder finished the remaining sentries with a combination of wind breath and Earth shot attacks, blowing them out of stability and shattering them to pieces. As the dragons turned their attention to the transport again, another clank was heard. It caught Jak and Calidan's attention too, and the transport fired a series of missiles from its top door, only for the missiles to drop down on top of the ground warriors.
SHOOMMM! BOOOMMM!
Jak and Calidan rolled out of the way of the incoming bombardment just in time. Watching his friends nearly get killed, Spyro took initiative to give the transport one final hit. He flew a little higher in close proximity to the transport, and then let loose an Earth flail, which he released dropping down in a twister motion. The flail hit the side of the transport hard, sending into the water beside the walkway. Its remaining engines clogged, and it shut down as it sunk.
"More targets inbound!" shouted Torn over the communicator. Two more transports appeared from behind Freedom HQ, and descended upon them as more doors opened to release more sentries.
"Who should we call when this is over? A garbage dump or a metal recycling plant?" joked Calidan watching them descend.
"Watch it desert boy! Jokes are my forte here not yours!" Daxter yelled at him.
Brushing the comic relief aside, Jak and Calidan went back into action firing their blasters at the closest transport. Spyro and Cynder engaged the new sentries like the last. The black dragoness engaged a wind twister to drag all the airborne hostiles toward her and spin out of control. Spyro mirrored with his own ice twister, pulling in the remaining ones while pelting them with ice shards which dented and cut them.
More roboguards and spydroids descended from each transport to engage Jak and Calidan with greater numbers than before. Fortunately, a patrol of Freedom league fighters came from an adjacent alley next to HQ to aid the ground defenders. It was now a full on attack and defense scenario with KG forces attacking the Freedom League.
Sparx watched the whole fight flying close to the Freedom HQ entrance. He observed Spyro and Cynder destroy the sentries in the air, while at the same time evading laser blasts fired from a top mounted weapon located on the 2nd transport. Jak aided the Freedom league patrols against the 3rd transport, destroying whatever deathbots they missed while focusing his blaster fire on the jets of the transport. Calidan took on an armada of deathbots with two other patrolmen, all of which were firing their own blaster relentlessly against each one that came close. Calidan even kicked a spy droid into the nearby canal while hitting another with a gunbutt shattering it.
"We've got to destroy that transport, otherwise they will just keep coming!" Calidan yelled to the guards.
"Go for it then! We got this here!" yelled one guard.
Calidan nodded and ran off in the 3rd transports direction, kicking away another spydroid at the same time. Jak had destroyed one of its jets successfully and continued his pelting fire while the patrols subdued the deathbots as best they could. As he continued firing he was startled by more shots hitting the transport from behind him. He turned to see Calidan running up with his own blaster. Soon they were firing side by side, and ended up blowing another jet as a result.
"Nice shot!" commented Jak.
"Don't cheer yet! Not until it's grounded!" replied Calidan.
Jak thought of a quick yet bright idea, "I think I can ground it sooner than later, keep it occupied for a moment!"
CLANK...The familiar sound echoed again, as more missiles were fired from the top of the 3rd transport.
"Perhaps we should wait for that, AFTER WE EVADE!" shouted Calidan.
They jumped aside and avoided the missile impacts, which nearly shattered the pristine walkways of New Haven. Upon recovery, Calidan went back to firing at the transport, while Jak equipped his newly installed peacemaker. Daxter's eyes lit up at his friend's weapon of choice.
"Yes! Let's ground that thing!" He cheered and Jak nodded as he charged it up. Spyro and Cynder evaded more laser fire from the 2nd transport on the other side of the fountain. The fruitless yet tenacious firing annoyed Spyro to his final nerve, and decided on a familiar yet effective tactic. He flew higher up, and soon he was higher even than the top of Freedon HQ, and directly above the transport, as was his intention. He activated his Earth powers yet again, encasing himself in a boulder and falling down right on top of it.
CRRUUNNCCHH!...SPLASH!
The boulder attack pulverized the transport, driving it down to hit the water beneath it. The engines flooded like the one before it and it sank. The boulder aura lifted and Spyro emerged, flying just above the water before setting on the walkway. From the HQ entrance, Sparx witnessed the whole thing.
"Attaboy Spyro! That's how it's done! Woohoo!" cheered Sparx.
Jak saw Spyro destroy his transport out of the corner of his eye, before turning toward his own target with a fully charged electric shot. He aimed toward the door, waiting for the right moment. Upon detecting the fall of the last wave of sentries, the transport opened its doors again to release more, which was precisely what Jak was waiting for!
KABOOOMMM!
Upon releasing the shot, the orb shot toward the open door and exploded the transport from within. Patrols protected their heads from the shockwave and minor debris. Any remaining deathbots shut down immediately with the destruction of the transport. With the KG robot transports all destroyed, all the heroes gathered together near the fountain as the FL patrolmen cheered at the successful defense.
"Well, another win for the record books," commented Daxter.
"You destroyed them all! Well done everyone! The alert is over, make your way back here," Ashelin called over the communicator. The group all nodded to one another at a job well done, and made the short trek over the walkway back to the Freedom HQ entrance, where Sparx was waiting with a feeling of relief.
As the second door opened, the hero party exited the elevator and walked over to the Haven group, where Samos was the first to congratulate, "nice moves young ones! And Jak, you not only defended, but you led them all well. You are truly the best man we have to lead an expedition into the catacombs!"
Jak looked around to see all his friends, native and alien grinning at him. Unfortunately, the party was interrupted by an unwanted guest.
"Please! Please! Let us not be too hasty," Veger subdued them as he walked up to the main hub. His appearance immediately made the Haven group and the dragons scowl. This demented fanatic had a lot of nerve intruding on them, which was probably the only thing he had going for him.
Veger continued his droning, "Are you sure you want this dark eco freak, as well as these filthy alien outworlders contaminating the hallowed halls of our glorious precursors?"
Ashelin and Keira did nothing but sneer at him, while Samos scoffed at the ridiculousness of Veger's comment. Jak and Calidan just gave the councilman a glare, while the dragons gave him silent growls. They had not forgotten at all how this nutcase tried to kill them the first time they had met.
"I should really lead the expedition myself," said Veger arrogantly.
"We're tired of your scheming Veger," replied Ashelin distastefully.
"What else would you do? Put your faith in a group of wasteland exiles and scaly aliens? I've just spoken with the council, and they are not happy one bit about any of them being here!" Veger stated.
"What about everyone else? You know all the people this group just saved right now? I'm pretty sure they have a say in the matter as well," Keira enlightened.
"That is not your decision to make, this is the law of our city leaders," stated Veger.
Cynder cut in, "Doesn't that also include Ashelin? Last I heard she was a governor, which puts her…" Veger interrupted her while pointing his staff at her.
"Silence alien! You have no right to speak let alone be here! In fact I should have your whole lot thrown out right now!" Veger declared.
"Enough! Your ridiculous declarations have no place here! They never did!" Ashelin threw back in his face.
"Really? My methods may be extreme, but they have given me the answers we are all looking for. My precursor monks have given me the knowledge to turn on the planetary defense grid, if you beg me to do so," Veger sneered. He thought he had them in the palm of his hand, though it was about to be proven very wrong.
"Jak's always gotten us through thick and thin, and Spyro and his friends have done nothing but help us since we met them, I'm with them," declared Keira.
"Here! here!" agreed Samos.
"Looks like majority rules here!" Sparx jabbed at Veger.
"Yep! Your washed up Vegan!" Daxter added in.
"Veger! Its Veger you idiots!" Veger yelled at the sidekicks.
"Whatever," shrugged Sparx, not caring at all how his name was pronounced. Ashelin then stepped up in Veger's face and gave him something that was a long time coming.
"Count Veger, I hereby dissolve the city council, and strip you all of your titles, commands and all privileges. Now get out of my sight!" Ashelin declared, shoving him away.
Veger was completely baffled and outraged, "WHAT?! UGH! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"
Ashelin just kept her back to him completely ignoring him. The dragons did nothing but smirk at Veger knowing his arguing was fruitless. Standing next to him, Calidan was smirking before putting in the last word, "I think she just did."
Veger's rage took him over and shouted, "How dare you?! I offered you all mercy, but now you will all burn in the precursor fires of creation, especially you alien filth! I swear it!" He finished his threat glaring at the dragons, before turning around and storming off for the exit.
"Well that was satisfying," Spyro whispered to Cynder, who giggled. Everyone else also gave nods of satisfaction. Now with Veger and the corrupt council no longer an issue, Ashelin turned back to the real problem.
"That was one horrendous attack wave, we can't continue to repel such large assaults forever, that floating war factory has got to be shut down! Problem is the factory is shielded, and has gate codes at every access point," she said turning back to the holograph.
"Gates may have locks, but that also means they have keys. Don't you guys have one, or any idea where to find one?" Calidan asked.
"Possibly, most old KG door ciphers were kept hidden in the main system at the Power Room, if you can break into the system, you may be able to unlock the war factory doors to get inside." Ashelin answered. At the same time, Onin was having an epiphany, which Packer noticed and began translating as she waved her hands.
"Onin says the eco grid in the Power Room could help you, but to open the old Power Room, you must first find the junction box in the sewer, personally, I think your all crazy to go down there! But, uh, good luck" said Packer flying in their faces. Needless to say his encouragement was not very encouraging.
"So we have to do another sewer run? great...I am so tired of smelling rancid," complained Sparx.
"So what?" Calidan cut in, "you'll wash it off, and we've already done one sewer run, so we can survive another."
"Nice to see your thinking positive for a change," Cynder commented to him before turning to Jak, "lead the way Jak." Cynder commented before turning to Jak to say the last part.
"Hold on!" Calidan interrupted before Jak could nod, while at the same time looking around noticing a certain body was missing, "where is Robin?"
"Mrowr" Robin's head popped up from the opposite end of the holographic generator. He immediately caught all their attention. Calidan and his friends relaxed upon seeing him, where as the sidekicks hid themselves behind their respective partners again.
"There you are! What are you doing over there?" Calidan asked his wildcat.
Robin actually didn't respond with a sound, and merely turned away and walked over to Onin, putting Calidan and his fellow defenders on edge, fearing for the blind woman's safety. However to their shock, Rob started rubbing his head against Onin's affectionately. The soothsayer grinned as she patted the wildcat back with the same care, much to Jak, Calidan, Spyro, Cynder and the sidekicks' apparent shock.
"You've got to be kidding me," said Sparx.
"She's now gone from being the freaky old mystic lady, to the crazy old cat lady," added Daxter.
Calidan ignored both of them and asked aloud, "I don't believe it, Robin never opens up this friendly to strangers, how did this happen?"
"Onin has her ways, especially with wild beasts, believe me I know," answered Packer. Suddenly, Onin began waving her free hand for Packer to translate.
"Onin says you must be off your mission now, and don't worry about your friend, I will look after him."
"Thank you maam," bowed Calidan. Relief was felt more from the rest of the group, they no longer had to worry about Robin attacking anyone, including the sidekicks. Calidan walked over to where Onin and Robin were sitting, and unstrapped his provision bag. He removed the smoke bomb from it and pocketed it before setting the bag down by the soothsayers side.
"Just in case he gets hungry," he said to her, which was she acknowledged with a nod. With that minor matter settled now, he turned back to his friends and they all trekked to exit headquarters.
"Finally, I won't have to worry about that beast breathing down my neck," Daxter whispered to Jak as they reached the elevator. Jak could only shake his head, while Calidan gave a silent glare, getting his attention and letting the ottsel know he heard that.
"Keep in mind I'm still here," Calidan told the ottsel keeping the glare, "and if I hear you give anymore jabs about my buddy, I'll show you the attitude that tamed Robin in the first place."
Daxter gulped while everyone else just chuckled under their breath. The elevator soon reached the bottom again and the door opened to New Haven. Jak and Calidan boarded their flyer and started the engine to take flight again. The dragons did the same and followed Jak as he flew off to the center of New Haven. After turning around two corners, he followed the walkway below to another door lock fastened in the east wall of New Haven. He landed the flyer and exited the vehicle with Calidan. The dragons landed right behind him, and followed him to the door. Upon approach, the door opened, and revealed another elevator. They all walked in, humans first, dragons second, and the door closed as the elevator descended.
After the elevator reached the bottom, they waited for the next door to open. As soon as it did, the hero party found themselves in another section of the city sewer system. Only this time, they weren't confronting metalheads, but KG deathbots. They were stalking near the end of a sewer hallway which led to a large open area.
"Great, there's more deathbots down here?" stated Cynder.
"It appears these deathbots are swarming all over the city like the metalheads once did," said Spyro, "it's like they are one in the same."
"Yeah well they are being led by the same madman right?" said Jak, "remember what I said about Errol?"
"Yeah, but as insane as he apparently is, he can't seriously command two armies at once," said Calidan, "no leader is that powerful on his own, he has to have a partner. Though if it's not Veger, who is it?"
"We'll find out later, for now, scrap em!" said Jak unholstering and equipping his Arc Wielder. One swift motion with the Wielder shocked the deathbots to explode, quickly clearing the way. They made their advance, until more deathbots arose from the pit below. Jak shocked all of them in the same way as soon as they came, and the area was calm once again.
They noticed the open area was shaped like a dome, with an open pit right in front of them. Looking to the left, Jak noticed a series of platforms leading down to another door in the wall. He and Calidan jumped across the platforms while the dragons and dragonfly flew over to the door and landed in front of them. Once they had all reached it, the door opened for them, revealing another hallway filled with deathbots.
"Normally I'm against abusing technology," Calidan said while unholstering his gun, "but when it comes to technology only programmed to kill, I'll make an exception." He started shooting at the deathbots along with Jak before they all advanced deeper into the sewers.
Veger has finally received his comeuppance (most satisfying), and our heroes are on their way to the Power Room, stay tuned!
