Chapter 23: Meeting of the Merchants

Date: April 17, 3658

Location: Outside Haven City's Walls

Bruter's bright golden eyes surveyed the rough terrain outside the city walls as he waited for his old contact to come into sight. A bright yellow and black spotted creature leapt onto the ground in front of him. Its body glowed and sparkled. His lurker eyes widened as he recalled what this creature was called. A muse. They were rare nowadays, metal heads having driven them far into the southern continent into the jungles. He reached into his pocket and found some bread. Pulling some of the food apart, he held it out for the creature. The cat-like creature sniffed the morsel before eating it greedily. Bruter pulled the creature into his arms before taking a piece of cloth and wrapping the creature tightly into it. He may be able to barter with it with a fellow lurker or perhaps even give it to Jak if she'd do a favor for him, now that he was doing this favor for her. He then placed the creature into his pack on his back.

He had just closed the snaps when he heard the telltale of a hellcat plane settling nearby. He waited a few more moments before a creature with blue skin and tusks coming up out of its lips walked up to him. Barter was this one's name. He was a lurker as well, but more on the lizard end of their species. The two merchants sized one another up and down before approaching each other.

"Bruter," the male greeted the ape-like lurker.

"Barter," Bruter greeted as the two butted fists against each other in greeting. "I hear you are helping Pirates now."

The lizard lurker raised a brow at him. "Far Drop ain't no Haven City," was his reply. "They treat me right and don't try to cheat me."

"But you cheat them." Bruter chuckled causing the other to shrug.

"Gotta make a living," he stated with honesty. "Why you wanna know?"

"Friend found your company logo on boxes being hauled by Pirates. Wanted to know if you'd help us as well?" he asked.

Barter scratched his chin. For a lurker to call another friend they had to have earned each other's respect and possibly saved one another a few times. "Who is friend and why should I help them?"

"Her name is Jak, she is a fine warrior; took out metal head leader and-" he pointed at the Haven City wall. "Helped free brothers from Baron Praxis."

"Heard Praxis was dead," Barter stated as he recalled a scout coming back to Far Drop with news of Praxis' death. "She do it?" he asked.

"She's never said and I don't ask," Bruter replied with all honesty.

"What she want?" Barter felt antsy being out this far away from his territory, plus he really hated metal heads. Never found one near Far Drop.

"Ships. Sky ships to take on an invading force." He paced as he gave the other the story of the ancients that Jak had relayed to him. With each passing moment he could see the doubt being erased from the others eyes, so that once he was done the other lurker looked upset.

"Dead gods should stay dead," was Barter's response to the tale he'd been told. He'd heard similar stories from discoveries by explorers. "I will give ships, if she helps us take care of problem."

"What problem?" Barter inquired as he tipped his head to the side.

"Aeropans." He snarled. "They are big problem. Not safe for smugglers and merchants with them around the Brink. Help keep them at bay and/or get rid of them and we give you as many ships as you want to fight and destroy old gods."

Barter thought for a moment. He couldn't sign Jak up for something that could take their greatest warrior away for months at a time. She was barely there for them now that she was helping the Wastelanders. "Will tell her and she will make contact if agreed to bargain."

The reptile lurker gave a nod before turning and lumbering away. After Bruter heard the ship leave he pulled out his comm. unit. "Jak, I met with him. He has a proposition for you," he said into the little device.

Location: Freedom HQ

Torn tapped his finger on the holographic display panel as he began to go over the data of the latest scout reports. He needed to get to the Port and create a southern HQ down at Daxter's bar. Unfortunately, the Haven City Council was delaying his operations until Jak returned to the city; which could be a few more days. Until then, Ashelin had her hands tied until something either happened or Jak returned. A puff of smoke was blown into his face causing him to look over at the dirty blonde next to him. Jinx had come to the Freedom side towards the end of the war with Praxis. He already hated Praxis since, like Torn, he was a former Blue Guard Special Forces. The two had been on the same side and hadn't known it until a few months ago.

"Will you stop that you pyromaniac!" He growled.

"Sheesh. Somebody needs to get laid," Jinx muttered causing the Commander to glare at him. Chuckling because he managed to get under Torn's skin, he looked at the display. "So what's going on?" He knew there shouldn't be that many red dots on the screen.

"The metal heads are gearing up for an attack," he stated. "All my scouts have ended up dead. Those who have returned reported of army size groupings."

"Well, since the bold and the beautiful killed their leader, I doubt they're working together," Jinx stated earning a raised eyebrow at Jak and Daxter's nickname from the demolition expert. "Look, even an idiot like myself knows that only a leader can force them to work. So if I was you, I'd look into findin' that leader and kill 'im before a new Kor situation comes up ta bite us where the sun don't shine."

Torn sighed. "I know." He pushed a fallen dreadlock back. "The city council won't let me move my men into place."

"Then don't let it be an official attack," he stated with air quotes. "Say it was a war game exercise." He smirked as the commander seemed to like that idea. "Ta make it believable, bring it that gun gal Tess and that mechanic that made those sweet blaster mods for my sniper rifle." He smiled at the grin on the commander's face.

"It's perfect," Torn said as he began to call in the right people. Tess and Keira being the first people he contacted. He knew those two girls could take care of themselves when it came down to a fight. He needed the new Blue Squad Special Ops for this mission. It was time to do some exterminations.

M-Angel: OMG! It's been a three months since I last updated this story. I'm so sorry everybody. You guys must be so upset. Okay, I will definitely focus more time on this story and I will finish it; eventually. LoL! I've been busy finishing my Inuyasha story and focusing on my Akatsuki no Yona stories that this got pushed to the side. I'm so sorry guys! But I'm back and I will keep updating this story.

xoxoangii: Yay we're back! I promise as M-Angel sends me the chapters I will edit them as quickly as I can and post them to make up for lost time :) So good to see you guys again!