A Matter of Time - Chapter Sixteen
Title: A Matter of Time
Fandom: Jak and Daxter
Rating: PG13
Summary: When Jak first landed in Haven City, Erol wasn't the one to find him. Now he must face a future he is ill prepared for, and even with help from Sig and Damas, there's no guarantee that he'll survive.
Main characters: Jak, Sig, Damas
Ships: Genfic
Spoilers: Jak 1, Jak 2, and Jak 3
First chapter.
Previous chapter.
Next chapter.
As always, comments/suggestions/criticism welcome.
-Chapter Sixteen-
While they waited for either word from Daxter or for the Krimzon Guard to appear, Jak and Sig explored the pass deeper in, trying to figure out how the previous scouts had managed to lose the trail of the Baron's men. Even weeks after the last shipment of eco had passed through, Sig could still see signs of the wagon's passage. The pass itself branched off further on, but the tracks never made it that far. They just stopped in the middle of nowhere, then apparently turned back.
Sig frowned. There had to be something else going on here, something they couldn't see.
To his left, Jak knelt down and examined a patch of earth. The ground didn't look at all remarkable to Sig, but when the kid's fingers passed over it, a few flecks of green flew up to his hand. Eco. Transported in such concentrated amounts, traces of it must have escaped and soaked into the ground. Surprised, the Wastelander moved over to join the him. Can you track this? he asked silently, pointing at the ground and lifting his eyebrows in question. It was the eco's movement they were interested in, after all, not the Baron's men.
Jak scrunched his eyebrows in concentration, feeling the ground in a slow, sweeping motion as he crawled forward. At first he followed the path of the wagon, but right at the spot where the wheel tracks stopped, he veered off course and headed for the base of the cliff. Every once in a while, traces of eco crackled around his hand or swirled up to dance in the air like fireflies. Mostly it was green, but bits of blue, red, and yellow also crept in. Jak scratched at his leather vest, right above where he had been wounded. The green eco was probably helping to heal him.
Unfortunately, the trail dead-ended with even more finality than the wagon tracks had, stopping right at the base of the cliff. The blond scowled in frustration as he ran his hands over the smooth rock face, but his search turned up nothing. Sig laid a hand on it as well, then came to the same conclusion as Jak. It was too smooth.
But if there's a door here, how do we open it?
The wall refused to answer his question. Sig considered knocking on it to confirm that it was hollow, but the low grumble of wagon wheels was already echoing up the pass, so instead he tapped Jak on the shoulder and jerked his head to the right. Best they find someplace to hide. With luck, the Krimzon Guard would reveal everything they wanted to know about what was behind this door.
There weren't many places to hide in this part of the pass, especially for someone as large as him, but at Jak's suggestion, they hoisted themselves up into a leafy tree. Then they waited, holding absolutely still so as not to shake the branches.
It seemed to take an eternity for the wagon to roll around the final bend and into their sight. Sig did a quick count of the men, just in case things turned nasty. Twelve of them. Possibly more coming up behind to make sure they weren't being followed. Not exactly good odds. He let his eyes scan over them again, trying to pick out the leader.
A sharp intake of breath snapped his attention back to the boy beside him. Jak's eyes were large as he stared at the guards and his skin had suddenly gone pale. Sig frowned and put a hand on his shoulder, then followed his line of sight.
At first, all he saw was a guard dressed in red and black, unremarkable from all the others. He held a gun with both hands, ready to use it at a moment's notice, and he looked alert as he looked from left to right. Then, unlike the others, he looked down.
That was when Sig noticed the small orange creature that trotted at his side, a set of manacles snapped around his neck in a makeshift leash. The manacles weren't long enough to reach the guard's wrist, but a piece of rope made up the difference. The knot that connected the two was well out of the ottsel's reach while he was on all four feet, but even if he stood up, he wouldn't have time to undo the knot before the guard realized what he was up to. Sig had to stifle the urge to swear.
Daxter had been caught.
Beneath his hand, he felt Jak's body tense. The kid looked like he wanted nothing more than to jump out of the tree right now and rescue his friend, but Sig tightened his grip and shook his head. No. Bad idea, rookie. He raised a cautionary hand, then pressed a finger to his lips. Just wait. As bad as the situation seemed, it wasn't as bad as it could be. Daxter still seemed to be playing his role of dumb animal, which meant he hadn't been found out. He also hadn't been shot on sight, so the guard probably intended to keep him alive for the time being. That was a good thing. That gave them time to wait for the right opportunity. Rushing in now would only turn the whole thing into a pig's dinner.
When the wagon reached the point where the previous tracks stopped, one of the guards in front called a halt, then issued orders for two of the men to scout ahead while the rest secured the area and began to unload the wagon. Sig mentally pinned this one as the commander of the unit and made sure to keep track of him as he watched the guards' movement.
There was a tense moment when two of the guards passed under the tree that Jak and Sig were hiding in, but like typical city dwellers, they didn't give the tree branches more than a cursory glance, nothing deep enough to penetrate the darkness or the foliage that hid them from view. Still, the Wastelander didn't breathe easy until the two had moved on. His eyes went back to the commander, who was now speaking into a comm unit. Probably the scouts reporting back in. When he finished, he clicked the device off and reattached it to his belt, then turned to address the waiting men.
"All right, everything's clear," he said, loud enough for everyone present to hear. "Start moving the eco up the slope while I open the door. Remember, only the barrels go through the ring. No one is to enter it themselves. There's to be no contact between our group and the group that will pick it up on the other side later on. Understood?"
The question was met with a chorus of "yes, sir", earning an approving nod from the commander. "Good. Then get to work!"
This was the moment that they'd been waiting for. Sig's eyes narrowed and he shifted as he tried to see past the leaves to follow the commander. Jak, on the other hand, seemed torn between doing the same as Sig and keeping an eye on his captive friend. His eyes darted back and forth between the two.
For his part, Daxter trailed behind his captor like an obedient puppy, keeping out from underfoot as the man joined the others rolling barrels up to the blank cliff face that Jak and Sig had been examining - a cliff face that was now splitting open down a previously invisible seam. Sig let out a very soft hiss of frustration. He hadn't been able to see what the commander did to trigger the opening. Damn it!
When the door finished opening, the commander stepped aside and started gesturing the men through. From where they were perched, Sig could just barely see the distinctive swirl of light and coppery curve of a transport ring. Light flared as the first barrel was tossed through.
"Private, get that animal out of here," the commander suddenly barked, his voice carrying all the way to Sig's ears.
"Sir?" Daxter's captor came to a startled halt.
The commander pointed at the ottsel, who was now sitting very still. "I don't care how well trained that thing is, if it bolts again, it could trip someone. Take it back to the wagon and tie it to something out of everyone's way."
The guard set his barrel down and saluted. "Yes, sir." Then, with a small tug on Daxter's leash, he started back down the slope. Once they'd returned to the wagon, he untied the leash from around his wrist and looked around for a good place to leave the ottsel. His eyes landed on a small sapling a few feet away from the front of the wagon, muttering something that Sig couldn't hear. With a shrug, he tied the end of the rope around a branch a few feet off the ground, giving Daxter some slack but keeping the knots out of his reach, then bent down to scratch the animal's head. He kept his voice low, making it difficult to pick out all his words. "Be... good boy and... here."
Daxter's eyes closed in apparent bliss as the gloved fingers slipped behind his ears, which earned him another pat on the head. Satisfied with the response, the guard stood up and rejoined the men unloading barrels. Sig eyed the ottsel for a few moments, trying to think how he could take advantage of this convenient abandonment.
Then Daxter stood up with a scowl and muttered something very dark under his breath. With only a glance to make certain that no one was watching, he clambered up the tree and started working at the knot. At first the knot refused to yield, but after a few minutes of working with his claws and teeth, the rope shredded and pulled apart. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about the manacles on his neck. Every time he moved, they rattled and clinked. No one ever came to investigate the noise, though, and as soon as he was free, Daxter looped the trailing end of the chain around his body.
Jak tried to shake off Sig's hand then, a look of fierce determination on his face. Sig glared and dug his fingers in. "Damn it, rookie, do you want to bring every one of those guards down on our heads?" he hissed, the words coming out barely louder than a breath. There were too many guards going back and forth too close to where they were hiding. If Jak did anything to try to catch Daxter's attention, the ottsel wouldn't be the only one to notice. "Daxter's smart. He'll find someplace to hide."
Sure enough, the ottsel was already moving, staying low to the ground to keep out of sight. It wasn't long before Sig lost view of him entirely. Beside him, Jak clenched his fists in helpless frustration, but he stopped trying to pull away. Sig gratefully loosened his grip.
It felt like an eternity passed as they watched the Krimzon Guard unload barrel after barrel, and in fact the sky was just beginning to brighten with predawn light when the last barrel was rolled through the transport ring. Sig's muscles ached from crouching in the branches for so long and Jak looked just about ready to burst. His fingers twitched every once in a while, though it was difficult to tell if it was pent up energy or anxiety. Probably a mixture of both. Sig kept his hand on the boy's shoulder, not certain if he could trust Jak to keep holding still.
"All right, pack up and move out!" the commander shouted as the door slid closed behind him. "Get that wagon turned around! Make sure not to leave anything behind. You two, start covering up the tracks to the transport ring. Private, go get that animal. Move it, people, move!"
Spurred by the commanders orders, the men burst into a flurry of activity. Sig watched with amusement as the private who had been placed in charge of Daxter trudged back to where he'd left him only to find the chewed and frayed remains of the rope. He didn't need to be able to see he guard's face to read the dismay in the stillness of his body.
"Uh, sir?" the private called out.
"What is it, private?" the commander asked, glancing in the other man's direction.
The private hesitated, then reluctantly reported, "Sir, the animal's escaped."
"What?" The commander strode over to the tree to examine the rope himself, then whipped around and snarled, "Well, what are you standing there for? Find it!"
The guard hastily saluted. "Yes, sir!" Not wanting to be anywhere near his angry commander, he headed straight for the wagon and started looking under it. When that turned up nothing, he climbed into the wagon itself and poked through what supplies remained in it.
But when the other men were ready to go, there was still no sign of Daxter. A few more angry words were exchanged between the commander and the private, too muffled for Sig to hear, but he could imagine well enough the chewing out the guard was receiving. He smirked. Poor bastard.
At long last, the Krimzon Guard headed out, going back the way they'd come. Responding to orders that must have been issued over the comm, the two forward scouts had rejoined them, which meant that when the last guard finally disappeared from view, Sig was able to breathe a sigh of relief. He waited a few more minutes, then let go of Jak and dropped down to the ground.
"All right, let's-"
"There you are!" With a cry that was half irritation, half relief, Daxter popped out of a bush halfway up the slope and started bounding towards them. The manacles on his neck clinked loudly with each leap, and this time he made no attempt to stifle the noise. "So, you two were just sittin' in that tree while that guard assaulted my dignity, huh? Some friends you are!"
Jak jumped down from the tree only moments after Sig, a broad grin on his face as he spotted his friend safe and sound. That grin only broadened when the ottsel came to a panting halt at his feet and Jak immediately leaned over to scratch the creature's chin. His eyes gleamed with mischief.
Daxter swatted at him. "Hey, cut that out! You think I enjoyed lettin' that guard run his hands all over me? Next time, you get to be the furry pet! See how you like it!"
The corner of Sig's mouth twitched with amusement "Only way Jak's gettin' any furrier is if he grows a beard, an' I don't see that happenin' anytime soon." The kid probably didn't even need to shave.
Jak blinked at Sig's words, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Daxter chortled at whatever mental image he conjured. However, Sig felt that the teasing had gone on long enough. He jerked his head toward the hidden door. "Come on, cherries. We still got a job to do."
As Sig made his way up the slope, Jak knelt down just long enough to let Daxter climb back onto his shoulder, then trotted after the Wastelander. Once again, Sig ran his hand over the door, this time concentrating on where he knew it could split open. It was difficult to see, even in the pre-morning light, but his fingers could just barely feel the seam in the fake rock. Pushing on it did nothing, and neither did trying to pry it apart. "Damn," he muttered.
"Why don't you use the lever?" Daxter asked.
Sig frowned at him. "What lever?"
The ottsel looked entirely too smug as he leaned against his best friend's head. "You know, the lever that opens the door? It's right there behind those vines. You mean you didn't see it from your nice, comfortable perch?"
Jak huffed and lightly rapped the ottsel on the back of the head, a move which Sig approved of entirely. "Nice to know you're not completely useless," the Wastelander retorted casually, smirking right back. He was already moving to investigate the vines growing to the side of the door. Sure enough, there was a recessed cubbyhole behind the thickest part, and inside it was a lever that he didn't hesitate to pull. A deep groan issued from inside the cliff as hidden gears turned, then slowly the cliff split apart again and the doors swung in.
"Oh yeah, who's the man!" Daxter crowed, not at all deterred by Jak's reprimand. "Or ottsel. Aw, you know what I mean. You two would be completely lost without me!"
Sig rolled his eyes and this time didn't bother to respond. He was too busy trying to decide what to do about the transport ring that was sitting right in front of them. There was no way to know what was on the other side without going through. Unfortunately, there was also no other way of finding out what Praxis was up to.
Picking up on his indecision, Jak plucked a leaf from the vine and held the stem to his forehead, then pointed at the ring. Sig gave the kid a piercing look. He was right, of course. They couldn't complete the mission that Damas had sent them on unless they continued to follow the eco. But what did it say about Jak that he was willing to jump into a completely unknown situation without a moment's hesitation? Was it loyalty or recklessness? Or was it something else about Jak's character that demanded he follow through on his promises?
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Daxter demanded impatiently. "Are we goin' or not?"
Hell, why not? Whatever it was that motivated Jak, Sig had his own reasons to go through that ring. He was loyal to Damas and would do just about anything the man asked. Besides, the commander of the Krimzon Guard had said that the next group would be picking the eco up later, which meant that there was a window of opportunity now. If they didn't go, then this whole trip would have been wasted. They hadn't learned anything they didn't already know.
He nodded to the two boys and unslung his Peacemaker. "Right, I'll go first. You two rookies watch my six. Be prepared for anything." He waited for Jak to get his own gun ready, then strode purposefully up to the ring and stepped through.
The world flashed white for a moment, blinding him.
And then all hell broke loose.
It took all of one second to take in the Metal Heads that literally swarmed the area, some carrying barrels of eco on foot, others flying away with their prize in hand. Almost all of the barrels that had been loaded through the ring were gone.
Unfortunately that second of orientation was all it took for them to notice him, too. Sig leaped out of the way of the first Metal Head that lunged at him, then swore as he realized that Jak and Daxter were about to come through and that they'd land practically right on top of the thing. Quickly reversing directions, he slammed the butt of his gun into the Metal Head's chin, knocking it away just as light flashed from the ring again.
"Watch it, Jak!" he shouted, not caring if it was unnecessary. It was better to be safe than sorry, and with this situation, they wouldn't just be sorry if Jak didn't respond immediately.
"Holy shit!" Daxter yelped. "Jak, do something!"
Jak didn't need to be told twice. He was already firing his gun into the horde of Metal Heads, hardly needing to aim to hit an enemy. It was obvious that he was new to fighting with a gun, though, because he shots went wild more often than not and didn't always hit the best target. Still, it made the Metal Heads back off just enough to give Sig a chance to aim.
The first bolt from his Peacemaker took out five Metal Heads at once.
"Damn it, get back through the ring!" He clubbed the next Metal Head that barreled toward him and the thing fell back with a cry of pain.
"Can't!" Daxter shot back as he clung to Jak's shoulder for dear life. "The ring's only one way!"
Sig didn't bother biting back the stream of curses that leapt to his tongue. "Then you'd better get your furry ass in gear and start bustin' some butt, 'cause we're gonna need all the help we can get!" He didn't know what the ottsel could do without a gun, but anything was better than nothing.
Any further conversation was cut off as another wave of Metal Heads descended. Jak continued to fire until they got too close for the gun to be effective, at which point he resorted to his more familiar hand to hand tactics. Daxter jumped off his shoulder and grabbed the first thing that came to hand, throwing a decently sized rock at the nearest Metal Head. Sig bashed another creature over the head, then blasted another group of Metal Heads. First chance I get, I'm upgradin' this baby, he swore to himself. It really, really needed to charge faster.
The luck of the terrain was actually with them. The ring that they had come through was set in an alcove in a cliff similar to the one they'd just let. They may have been trapped, but they had the high ground and the Metal Heads couldn't rush them all at once. As sorry situations went, it could have been worse. But only barely.
"ENOUGH!"
Without warning, one of the largest Metal Heads Sig had ever seen dropped from the sky, sending the smaller Metal Heads scattering, and even the ones that were attacking the trio fell back. The creature was vaguely insect-like, with a long scorpion tail and a head that was maned with tentacles. Though the coloring was different in real life, Sig instantly recognized it from the holographic transmission he'd spied on in the temple. Oh shit. He pressed his finger firmly on the trigger of his gun, praying he'd have enough time to charge it. He had no idea how much good even the Peacemaker would do against a Metal Head of this size, but he'd be damned if he didn't go down fighting.
Jak took a step back and lifted his gun, apparently thinking the exact same thing.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the heir of Mar." With a nasty chuckle, the Metal Head started lumbering forward. "I chase you through time, boy, and now you fall right into my hands. How convenient. You, I suspect, will be much more useful than that pitiful little child has been."
What? Sig shot Jak a startled look, but the teen's face was filled with an equal mix of confusion and defiance. Catching Sig's glance, he shook his head. It was obvious he didn't know what the Metal Head was talking about.
"Hey listen, ugly, why don't you go pick on someone your own size?" Daxter piped up from behind them.
"Oh, I intend to," the monster said with a deadly, toothy grin. "I intend to take on the whole world, in fact. And with the help of an heir of Mar, it's not going to stand a chance."
Jak's mouth set into a grim line and, aiming very carefully, he told the Metal Head exactly what he thought of that.
-End Chapter Sixteen-
Next chapter.
Fandom: Jak and Daxter
Rating: PG13
Summary: When Jak first landed in Haven City, Erol wasn't the one to find him. Now he must face a future he is ill prepared for, and even with help from Sig and Damas, there's no guarantee that he'll survive.
Main characters: Jak, Sig, Damas
Ships: Genfic
Spoilers: Jak 1, Jak 2, and Jak 3
First chapter.
Previous chapter.
Next chapter.
As always, comments/suggestions/criticism welcome.
-Chapter Sixteen-
While they waited for either word from Daxter or for the Krimzon Guard to appear, Jak and Sig explored the pass deeper in, trying to figure out how the previous scouts had managed to lose the trail of the Baron's men. Even weeks after the last shipment of eco had passed through, Sig could still see signs of the wagon's passage. The pass itself branched off further on, but the tracks never made it that far. They just stopped in the middle of nowhere, then apparently turned back.
Sig frowned. There had to be something else going on here, something they couldn't see.
To his left, Jak knelt down and examined a patch of earth. The ground didn't look at all remarkable to Sig, but when the kid's fingers passed over it, a few flecks of green flew up to his hand. Eco. Transported in such concentrated amounts, traces of it must have escaped and soaked into the ground. Surprised, the Wastelander moved over to join the him. Can you track this? he asked silently, pointing at the ground and lifting his eyebrows in question. It was the eco's movement they were interested in, after all, not the Baron's men.
Jak scrunched his eyebrows in concentration, feeling the ground in a slow, sweeping motion as he crawled forward. At first he followed the path of the wagon, but right at the spot where the wheel tracks stopped, he veered off course and headed for the base of the cliff. Every once in a while, traces of eco crackled around his hand or swirled up to dance in the air like fireflies. Mostly it was green, but bits of blue, red, and yellow also crept in. Jak scratched at his leather vest, right above where he had been wounded. The green eco was probably helping to heal him.
Unfortunately, the trail dead-ended with even more finality than the wagon tracks had, stopping right at the base of the cliff. The blond scowled in frustration as he ran his hands over the smooth rock face, but his search turned up nothing. Sig laid a hand on it as well, then came to the same conclusion as Jak. It was too smooth.
But if there's a door here, how do we open it?
The wall refused to answer his question. Sig considered knocking on it to confirm that it was hollow, but the low grumble of wagon wheels was already echoing up the pass, so instead he tapped Jak on the shoulder and jerked his head to the right. Best they find someplace to hide. With luck, the Krimzon Guard would reveal everything they wanted to know about what was behind this door.
There weren't many places to hide in this part of the pass, especially for someone as large as him, but at Jak's suggestion, they hoisted themselves up into a leafy tree. Then they waited, holding absolutely still so as not to shake the branches.
It seemed to take an eternity for the wagon to roll around the final bend and into their sight. Sig did a quick count of the men, just in case things turned nasty. Twelve of them. Possibly more coming up behind to make sure they weren't being followed. Not exactly good odds. He let his eyes scan over them again, trying to pick out the leader.
A sharp intake of breath snapped his attention back to the boy beside him. Jak's eyes were large as he stared at the guards and his skin had suddenly gone pale. Sig frowned and put a hand on his shoulder, then followed his line of sight.
At first, all he saw was a guard dressed in red and black, unremarkable from all the others. He held a gun with both hands, ready to use it at a moment's notice, and he looked alert as he looked from left to right. Then, unlike the others, he looked down.
That was when Sig noticed the small orange creature that trotted at his side, a set of manacles snapped around his neck in a makeshift leash. The manacles weren't long enough to reach the guard's wrist, but a piece of rope made up the difference. The knot that connected the two was well out of the ottsel's reach while he was on all four feet, but even if he stood up, he wouldn't have time to undo the knot before the guard realized what he was up to. Sig had to stifle the urge to swear.
Daxter had been caught.
Beneath his hand, he felt Jak's body tense. The kid looked like he wanted nothing more than to jump out of the tree right now and rescue his friend, but Sig tightened his grip and shook his head. No. Bad idea, rookie. He raised a cautionary hand, then pressed a finger to his lips. Just wait. As bad as the situation seemed, it wasn't as bad as it could be. Daxter still seemed to be playing his role of dumb animal, which meant he hadn't been found out. He also hadn't been shot on sight, so the guard probably intended to keep him alive for the time being. That was a good thing. That gave them time to wait for the right opportunity. Rushing in now would only turn the whole thing into a pig's dinner.
When the wagon reached the point where the previous tracks stopped, one of the guards in front called a halt, then issued orders for two of the men to scout ahead while the rest secured the area and began to unload the wagon. Sig mentally pinned this one as the commander of the unit and made sure to keep track of him as he watched the guards' movement.
There was a tense moment when two of the guards passed under the tree that Jak and Sig were hiding in, but like typical city dwellers, they didn't give the tree branches more than a cursory glance, nothing deep enough to penetrate the darkness or the foliage that hid them from view. Still, the Wastelander didn't breathe easy until the two had moved on. His eyes went back to the commander, who was now speaking into a comm unit. Probably the scouts reporting back in. When he finished, he clicked the device off and reattached it to his belt, then turned to address the waiting men.
"All right, everything's clear," he said, loud enough for everyone present to hear. "Start moving the eco up the slope while I open the door. Remember, only the barrels go through the ring. No one is to enter it themselves. There's to be no contact between our group and the group that will pick it up on the other side later on. Understood?"
The question was met with a chorus of "yes, sir", earning an approving nod from the commander. "Good. Then get to work!"
This was the moment that they'd been waiting for. Sig's eyes narrowed and he shifted as he tried to see past the leaves to follow the commander. Jak, on the other hand, seemed torn between doing the same as Sig and keeping an eye on his captive friend. His eyes darted back and forth between the two.
For his part, Daxter trailed behind his captor like an obedient puppy, keeping out from underfoot as the man joined the others rolling barrels up to the blank cliff face that Jak and Sig had been examining - a cliff face that was now splitting open down a previously invisible seam. Sig let out a very soft hiss of frustration. He hadn't been able to see what the commander did to trigger the opening. Damn it!
When the door finished opening, the commander stepped aside and started gesturing the men through. From where they were perched, Sig could just barely see the distinctive swirl of light and coppery curve of a transport ring. Light flared as the first barrel was tossed through.
"Private, get that animal out of here," the commander suddenly barked, his voice carrying all the way to Sig's ears.
"Sir?" Daxter's captor came to a startled halt.
The commander pointed at the ottsel, who was now sitting very still. "I don't care how well trained that thing is, if it bolts again, it could trip someone. Take it back to the wagon and tie it to something out of everyone's way."
The guard set his barrel down and saluted. "Yes, sir." Then, with a small tug on Daxter's leash, he started back down the slope. Once they'd returned to the wagon, he untied the leash from around his wrist and looked around for a good place to leave the ottsel. His eyes landed on a small sapling a few feet away from the front of the wagon, muttering something that Sig couldn't hear. With a shrug, he tied the end of the rope around a branch a few feet off the ground, giving Daxter some slack but keeping the knots out of his reach, then bent down to scratch the animal's head. He kept his voice low, making it difficult to pick out all his words. "Be... good boy and... here."
Daxter's eyes closed in apparent bliss as the gloved fingers slipped behind his ears, which earned him another pat on the head. Satisfied with the response, the guard stood up and rejoined the men unloading barrels. Sig eyed the ottsel for a few moments, trying to think how he could take advantage of this convenient abandonment.
Then Daxter stood up with a scowl and muttered something very dark under his breath. With only a glance to make certain that no one was watching, he clambered up the tree and started working at the knot. At first the knot refused to yield, but after a few minutes of working with his claws and teeth, the rope shredded and pulled apart. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about the manacles on his neck. Every time he moved, they rattled and clinked. No one ever came to investigate the noise, though, and as soon as he was free, Daxter looped the trailing end of the chain around his body.
Jak tried to shake off Sig's hand then, a look of fierce determination on his face. Sig glared and dug his fingers in. "Damn it, rookie, do you want to bring every one of those guards down on our heads?" he hissed, the words coming out barely louder than a breath. There were too many guards going back and forth too close to where they were hiding. If Jak did anything to try to catch Daxter's attention, the ottsel wouldn't be the only one to notice. "Daxter's smart. He'll find someplace to hide."
Sure enough, the ottsel was already moving, staying low to the ground to keep out of sight. It wasn't long before Sig lost view of him entirely. Beside him, Jak clenched his fists in helpless frustration, but he stopped trying to pull away. Sig gratefully loosened his grip.
It felt like an eternity passed as they watched the Krimzon Guard unload barrel after barrel, and in fact the sky was just beginning to brighten with predawn light when the last barrel was rolled through the transport ring. Sig's muscles ached from crouching in the branches for so long and Jak looked just about ready to burst. His fingers twitched every once in a while, though it was difficult to tell if it was pent up energy or anxiety. Probably a mixture of both. Sig kept his hand on the boy's shoulder, not certain if he could trust Jak to keep holding still.
"All right, pack up and move out!" the commander shouted as the door slid closed behind him. "Get that wagon turned around! Make sure not to leave anything behind. You two, start covering up the tracks to the transport ring. Private, go get that animal. Move it, people, move!"
Spurred by the commanders orders, the men burst into a flurry of activity. Sig watched with amusement as the private who had been placed in charge of Daxter trudged back to where he'd left him only to find the chewed and frayed remains of the rope. He didn't need to be able to see he guard's face to read the dismay in the stillness of his body.
"Uh, sir?" the private called out.
"What is it, private?" the commander asked, glancing in the other man's direction.
The private hesitated, then reluctantly reported, "Sir, the animal's escaped."
"What?" The commander strode over to the tree to examine the rope himself, then whipped around and snarled, "Well, what are you standing there for? Find it!"
The guard hastily saluted. "Yes, sir!" Not wanting to be anywhere near his angry commander, he headed straight for the wagon and started looking under it. When that turned up nothing, he climbed into the wagon itself and poked through what supplies remained in it.
But when the other men were ready to go, there was still no sign of Daxter. A few more angry words were exchanged between the commander and the private, too muffled for Sig to hear, but he could imagine well enough the chewing out the guard was receiving. He smirked. Poor bastard.
At long last, the Krimzon Guard headed out, going back the way they'd come. Responding to orders that must have been issued over the comm, the two forward scouts had rejoined them, which meant that when the last guard finally disappeared from view, Sig was able to breathe a sigh of relief. He waited a few more minutes, then let go of Jak and dropped down to the ground.
"All right, let's-"
"There you are!" With a cry that was half irritation, half relief, Daxter popped out of a bush halfway up the slope and started bounding towards them. The manacles on his neck clinked loudly with each leap, and this time he made no attempt to stifle the noise. "So, you two were just sittin' in that tree while that guard assaulted my dignity, huh? Some friends you are!"
Jak jumped down from the tree only moments after Sig, a broad grin on his face as he spotted his friend safe and sound. That grin only broadened when the ottsel came to a panting halt at his feet and Jak immediately leaned over to scratch the creature's chin. His eyes gleamed with mischief.
Daxter swatted at him. "Hey, cut that out! You think I enjoyed lettin' that guard run his hands all over me? Next time, you get to be the furry pet! See how you like it!"
The corner of Sig's mouth twitched with amusement "Only way Jak's gettin' any furrier is if he grows a beard, an' I don't see that happenin' anytime soon." The kid probably didn't even need to shave.
Jak blinked at Sig's words, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Daxter chortled at whatever mental image he conjured. However, Sig felt that the teasing had gone on long enough. He jerked his head toward the hidden door. "Come on, cherries. We still got a job to do."
As Sig made his way up the slope, Jak knelt down just long enough to let Daxter climb back onto his shoulder, then trotted after the Wastelander. Once again, Sig ran his hand over the door, this time concentrating on where he knew it could split open. It was difficult to see, even in the pre-morning light, but his fingers could just barely feel the seam in the fake rock. Pushing on it did nothing, and neither did trying to pry it apart. "Damn," he muttered.
"Why don't you use the lever?" Daxter asked.
Sig frowned at him. "What lever?"
The ottsel looked entirely too smug as he leaned against his best friend's head. "You know, the lever that opens the door? It's right there behind those vines. You mean you didn't see it from your nice, comfortable perch?"
Jak huffed and lightly rapped the ottsel on the back of the head, a move which Sig approved of entirely. "Nice to know you're not completely useless," the Wastelander retorted casually, smirking right back. He was already moving to investigate the vines growing to the side of the door. Sure enough, there was a recessed cubbyhole behind the thickest part, and inside it was a lever that he didn't hesitate to pull. A deep groan issued from inside the cliff as hidden gears turned, then slowly the cliff split apart again and the doors swung in.
"Oh yeah, who's the man!" Daxter crowed, not at all deterred by Jak's reprimand. "Or ottsel. Aw, you know what I mean. You two would be completely lost without me!"
Sig rolled his eyes and this time didn't bother to respond. He was too busy trying to decide what to do about the transport ring that was sitting right in front of them. There was no way to know what was on the other side without going through. Unfortunately, there was also no other way of finding out what Praxis was up to.
Picking up on his indecision, Jak plucked a leaf from the vine and held the stem to his forehead, then pointed at the ring. Sig gave the kid a piercing look. He was right, of course. They couldn't complete the mission that Damas had sent them on unless they continued to follow the eco. But what did it say about Jak that he was willing to jump into a completely unknown situation without a moment's hesitation? Was it loyalty or recklessness? Or was it something else about Jak's character that demanded he follow through on his promises?
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Daxter demanded impatiently. "Are we goin' or not?"
Hell, why not? Whatever it was that motivated Jak, Sig had his own reasons to go through that ring. He was loyal to Damas and would do just about anything the man asked. Besides, the commander of the Krimzon Guard had said that the next group would be picking the eco up later, which meant that there was a window of opportunity now. If they didn't go, then this whole trip would have been wasted. They hadn't learned anything they didn't already know.
He nodded to the two boys and unslung his Peacemaker. "Right, I'll go first. You two rookies watch my six. Be prepared for anything." He waited for Jak to get his own gun ready, then strode purposefully up to the ring and stepped through.
The world flashed white for a moment, blinding him.
And then all hell broke loose.
It took all of one second to take in the Metal Heads that literally swarmed the area, some carrying barrels of eco on foot, others flying away with their prize in hand. Almost all of the barrels that had been loaded through the ring were gone.
Unfortunately that second of orientation was all it took for them to notice him, too. Sig leaped out of the way of the first Metal Head that lunged at him, then swore as he realized that Jak and Daxter were about to come through and that they'd land practically right on top of the thing. Quickly reversing directions, he slammed the butt of his gun into the Metal Head's chin, knocking it away just as light flashed from the ring again.
"Watch it, Jak!" he shouted, not caring if it was unnecessary. It was better to be safe than sorry, and with this situation, they wouldn't just be sorry if Jak didn't respond immediately.
"Holy shit!" Daxter yelped. "Jak, do something!"
Jak didn't need to be told twice. He was already firing his gun into the horde of Metal Heads, hardly needing to aim to hit an enemy. It was obvious that he was new to fighting with a gun, though, because he shots went wild more often than not and didn't always hit the best target. Still, it made the Metal Heads back off just enough to give Sig a chance to aim.
The first bolt from his Peacemaker took out five Metal Heads at once.
"Damn it, get back through the ring!" He clubbed the next Metal Head that barreled toward him and the thing fell back with a cry of pain.
"Can't!" Daxter shot back as he clung to Jak's shoulder for dear life. "The ring's only one way!"
Sig didn't bother biting back the stream of curses that leapt to his tongue. "Then you'd better get your furry ass in gear and start bustin' some butt, 'cause we're gonna need all the help we can get!" He didn't know what the ottsel could do without a gun, but anything was better than nothing.
Any further conversation was cut off as another wave of Metal Heads descended. Jak continued to fire until they got too close for the gun to be effective, at which point he resorted to his more familiar hand to hand tactics. Daxter jumped off his shoulder and grabbed the first thing that came to hand, throwing a decently sized rock at the nearest Metal Head. Sig bashed another creature over the head, then blasted another group of Metal Heads. First chance I get, I'm upgradin' this baby, he swore to himself. It really, really needed to charge faster.
The luck of the terrain was actually with them. The ring that they had come through was set in an alcove in a cliff similar to the one they'd just let. They may have been trapped, but they had the high ground and the Metal Heads couldn't rush them all at once. As sorry situations went, it could have been worse. But only barely.
"ENOUGH!"
Without warning, one of the largest Metal Heads Sig had ever seen dropped from the sky, sending the smaller Metal Heads scattering, and even the ones that were attacking the trio fell back. The creature was vaguely insect-like, with a long scorpion tail and a head that was maned with tentacles. Though the coloring was different in real life, Sig instantly recognized it from the holographic transmission he'd spied on in the temple. Oh shit. He pressed his finger firmly on the trigger of his gun, praying he'd have enough time to charge it. He had no idea how much good even the Peacemaker would do against a Metal Head of this size, but he'd be damned if he didn't go down fighting.
Jak took a step back and lifted his gun, apparently thinking the exact same thing.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the heir of Mar." With a nasty chuckle, the Metal Head started lumbering forward. "I chase you through time, boy, and now you fall right into my hands. How convenient. You, I suspect, will be much more useful than that pitiful little child has been."
What? Sig shot Jak a startled look, but the teen's face was filled with an equal mix of confusion and defiance. Catching Sig's glance, he shook his head. It was obvious he didn't know what the Metal Head was talking about.
"Hey listen, ugly, why don't you go pick on someone your own size?" Daxter piped up from behind them.
"Oh, I intend to," the monster said with a deadly, toothy grin. "I intend to take on the whole world, in fact. And with the help of an heir of Mar, it's not going to stand a chance."
Jak's mouth set into a grim line and, aiming very carefully, he told the Metal Head exactly what he thought of that.
-End Chapter Sixteen-
Next chapter.