Jak and Kor talk

Jak paced back and forth in the Underground Hideout. After getting their fellow warriors to safer lodgings, he and Daxter had been ordered to stay in the hideout until it was safe. He considered what he'd heard on his mission to the Baron's palace.

"Jak, are you okay, Buddy?" His best friend, the little orange ottsell joined him, carrying two cans of beer. Jak accepted one.

Jak shrugged. "I think so. I don't care what Torn says, we found out some good information the other day. Maybe we endangered a few guys but is he trying to say they were in more danger than before? Who's he trying to kid? But…" He looked up as the door opened and an elderly man with long silver hair and a yellow hat entered accompanied by a little boy with green hair stuffed under a leather hat that didn't really fit. At the boy's heels, a small green dog-crocodile type creature barked and wagged his tail. "Hey guys. Hey Chompers." He scratched the scruffy canine on the ears. He watched the old man go to the coffee pot and pour himself a cup. "How's it outside?"

The old man looked up from his cup. "It's decent. Partly sunny. Still too many Krimzon Guards around for my taste but what can one do?" He chuckled.

Jak nodded and looked at the child. "Hey, Sportsfan, on my last mission… I managed to get a few things and… well, I've been bored." He held up a hodgepodge of bits of robot parts cobbled into a sort of toy soldier. "For you."

The little boy gratefully accepted the toy in silence and hugged the older blond. Jak chuckled. The boy never spoke but Jak understood every word he never said.

Kor laughed. "He does love those little doodads you make." He joined them at the kitchen island. "You are very creative."

Jak nodded. "I spend so much time destroying things… I like to create to remind myself there's more than just destruction." He took a deep breath. "Daxter, can you and Chompers take the little guy to his room? Please?"

His best friend nodded. "Sure thing, Jak. Come on, kiddo. I bet you're ready for a nap."

Jak waited a few minutes until he heard the door close. "Do you mind if we talk?" He asked the old man. Kor eyed him suspiciously but he continued. "I'm going to start by asking you to remember that I have no conflict with you, whatsoever. You helped me when I first escaped from the Baron. I am all for talking things through and figuring out a solution because I'd much prefer we stay as friends, comrades in arms. I have nothing but respect for you. So what I'm about to say, wait to react until I've finished. Please." He made eye contact with the old man

The old man took a deep breath, scowling deeply. "Very well… I will grant your request. Warning, the wrong move could make it your last." He said as he sat down with his coffee.

Jak poured his own cup and joined him. "You know that I snuck up to the Baron's palace." He began. "You also know that I…. overheard a conversation between Praxis and the Metal Head Leader. At the time, I couldn't place the voice. Don't you hate that? You hear a voice you recognize but can't figure out who it is for anything?" He took a deep draft of his coffee. "Anyway… I couldn't place it then but…" He saw the old man clench his free hand.

"You don't understand." Kor began. "You wouldn't know. You've never had your home stolen from you. Everyone you love killed before your eyes!"

Jak didn't react, he only continued. "Up until two years ago, I lived in Sandover Village. It was a beautiful, tropical village. My best friend Daxter and I would get into all kinds of trouble. One day, we went to Misty Island, against my teacher's orders and… Daxter fell into a vat of dark eco. It turned him into an ottsell. That put us on an adventure to find the dark eco sage, Gol, and well, since Daxter's still an ottsell…"

Kor nodded. "Your mission was obviously unsuccessful. Why are you telling me this?"

Jak shrugged. "I'm asking you to trust me. It'll be easier if you know my story. And I want to know yours. But anyway, yes, we weren't able to restore Daxter to human form. He selflessly sacrificed the opportunity to let me save the world itself. At the end of the journey we found an ancient rift ring and a vehicle that went with it. My girlfriend, Keira, repaired both. It took about six months to get it all to the village and to repair everything to working condition." He stopped for a moment. "When the machines were activated, a large beast popped out of the gate. I hit the gas and we flew past. A bolt of lightning struck and the rider exploded. Keira and Samos went in one direction, Daxter and I in another. We fell onto a catwalk where we were confronted by Errol. I was arrested and Daxter escaped to rescue me two years later. For two years, Praxis tormented me with dark eco infusions. The same day we met was when Daxter helped me escape. I hate him and Haven City hates him as much as you do. He is our enemy as much as he is yours."

Kor sighed. "It isn't just Praxis! The people of Haven City loathe and fear us. Because of our affinity with dark eco. And they see our head gems as commodities. These gems are the source of our lives. Without them we die." He pointed at his head covering. Jak could only assume it was Kor's own skull gem.

"I get it! I don't hold anything against you. But they only fear you because Praxis tells them to. He tells them all manner of bullshit to get them to hate Metal Heads. And I'll be fair, you're not helping yourselves because if any Havenite tries to leave the city walls, they could legit be killed. I went to turn on the pump and they just descended on me." Jak explained. "If I wasn't skilled in martial arts, I'd have been killed. The people of Haven are ruled by a tyrant within and trapped here because it's better than certain death."

Kor scratched his beard as he considered the logic behind the words. "Hmmm, what would you propose I do? Allow them to kill us for the gems on our heads?"

Jak shook his head. "Of course not! But you won't beat him this way. Even if you do beat him, he'll still win because you'll just be proving him right. I want to destroy him. Not kill him. Destroy him. I want to show him how it feels to be completely debased and humiliated. All you need to do is join the people of Haven in their fight against him. You've already got Torn's respect. I doubt I'll ever have that."

The old man paced. "I don't understand. Why help us? Why help me?" He asked. "Everyone has an angle here."

Jak looked at his steaming drink. "When I escaped prison, you were the first and only person to show me kindness. Torn distrusted me. I just became a tool for the underground. Everyone thinks I'm a monster… maybe they're right. But you are obviously not the monster that Praxis says you are. So why do you want to prove him right? If you joined with the people of Haven, you would take away his power over them."

The old man shook his head. "It sounds nice but it won't work. They will never accept us. It's impossible."

"It won't be easy. I grant you that," Jak acquiesced. "But the rewards are worth it. They won't try to take your gems anymore. You'll be able to roam the city as you like. If we do this right, the people of Haven will worship you." He shrugged. "Look, just think about it. I know you only want what's best for your people. We all stand a better chance of a better life if we work together. And if I have to choose between you and Praxis, I'm choosing you. What do you choose?" He drained his cup as the door opened.

"Whatever you two roosters are clucking about will have to wait." A man with thick red dreads entered the kitchen, making a beeline for the fridge and a bottle. "Jak, I need you to go to Deadtown. There's word that Metal Heads are moving in on the Sacred Site."

Jak looked at Kor briefly. "What's the Sacred Site?" He asked Torn.

"It's the site of a terrible battle. When Metal Heads broke through the old city walls. When the Baron left everyone outside the new barrier to die." Torn grit his teeth. "Only the Shadow stayed to protect it."

Jak nodded. "I'll go…" He and Kor went to the door. He could see the old man's gears were turning in his head. He whispered. "Give me a chance."

Kor reached into his pocket subtly. "Take this." He whispered. "Show it to them. By the way, our real name is the Hora-Quan."

Jak accepted the golden amulet and put it in his pocket. "Hey Dax! We got a mission!"

The little orange otter-weasel darted out of the back. "Got your back pal."

The blond man exchanged one final glance with Kor. He whispered. "I won't tell anyone but I think you should eventually." He left.

Torn looked curiously at the old man. "What'd I miss?"

Kor chuckled. "Don't you worry. Jak was just telling me about happier days. I think he just needed an ear. He's a good lad." This mission would prove if Jak was being honest about wanting to align with them.