//------------------------------// // Brink: Darker Yet Darker // Story: Sons of Damas // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// As the trio went deeper into the facility, they came across a lab-like setting with extra-large specimen capsules. While this in and of itself would have provided no more than a distraction on the way to reunite with Keira normally, the contents of said capsules brought the group screeching to a halt. Inside each capsule was one of the Dark Eco monkey mutants, breathing but appearing in some sort of suspended animation. Dark Eco crystals grew out of their bodies, along with various metal chunks sticking out of them. "What...what is this?" Jak wondered, feeling sick to his stomach at the sight. "I...I don't know," Daxter responded, looking more green than orange or light-blue. "This place..." "I think I do," Shining whispered, looking nearly as unwell as the others. When they turned towards him, he swallowed convulsively. "R...remember how aware of things going on back on the continent Duke Skyheed was?" he asked carefully. "Yeah," Jak confirmed. "Was a little unnerving that he knew so much about us." "Would you say it's logical he was just as informed about events there before our arrival?" Shining continued. "Such as the Metalhead scourge, and how Praxus intended to have Haven battle it? And the successes and failures thereof?" "You mean...the Dark Warrior project?" Daxter asked carefully. "The one that woke up Jak's Dark Eco powers and stuck Dark Eco inside you?" "Yeah," Shining confirmed. "But there weren't any Metalheads out here on the Brink," Jak pointed out firmly. "There wasn't anything for them to hunt here." "And if Praxus' project had succeeded in overcoming the Metalheads, what would he do with the Dark Warriors after that?" Shining asked carefully. "What are you saying, Shining?" Daxter demanded insistently. "I...I think this is the beginning of Aeropolis' own Dark Warrior project," Shining clarified. "Intended to develop a weapon for war with Haven." Silence reigned in the room, broken only by the low, slow breathing of the creatures. Finally, Jak spoke up. "Offensive or defensive, you think?" he asked carefully. "The place is abandoned," Shining speculated, "so either defensive...or they moved the research somewhere more readily accessible." "Didn't you say the crazy old man from the island was the Dark Sage?" Daxter asked, recalling that important detail. "Do you think maybe this is the 'bad business' he wanted to stay far away from from now on?" "That's...a distinct possibility," Jak concluded worriedly. "We'd better find Keira and get out of here fast...before we discover this isn't the worst of what's hidden here." Shivering, all three quickly followed that directive. As they continued, they found bones across some of the floors, and not all the capsuled mutants were content to remain comatose as they passed. Each time one burst free, the group dispatched it quickly with concentrated fire before moving on. It wasn't long before they came across what they'd feared to see, a table exactly like the one that had been used to infuse Jak with Dark Eco, when he'd first awakened his Dark Form. Jak stared at the table in silence for a time, silently seething. Seeing his rage starting to build, Shining and Daxter quickly grabbed hold of him and tried to drag him forward, desperate to get him to Keira as soon as possible. "I'm okay," Jak told them, breaking free. "I...I need to face this." Turning, he walked back to the table. Taking a calming breath, he stared at it for a time, now looking at it with dispassionate eyes, a calm expression, and an almost clinical gaze. He let his eyes trail up to the equipment above the table, the tech that actually did the Dark Eco infusion. After a time, he turned and walked silently onward. A few quick Eco Amplified Teleports - which they'd discovered allowed Jak to take the entire group to anywhere he could get a clear, detailed line of sight on - took the group past further obstacles, leading them to a large circular room where a large spider mutant descended a strand of webbing to attack them. It didn't last long, making it almost a relief to the trio that it wasn't alone. More followed, but continued to go down as easily. Not long after that, the trio found their way to a large chamber filled with computers. Off to one side, Keira was working away feverishly at a console. She turned as they approached. "There you are!" she called out warmly. "I'm pretty sure this is the main control room. If I can get-" Her words cut off with a gasp as Jak wordlessly stepped up to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "J-Jak?" she stammered, stunned. "The trip was rough on him," Daxter offered softly. "We found evidence...this place was part of an Aeropan Dark Warrior project," Shining added. "Complete with...injection table." Nodding, Keira wrapped her arms around Jak, feeling him shaking against her. "It's alright," she whispered soothingly. "I'm here. It's okay." She didn't say anything else. Any more wouldn't be appropriate. Besides, she could tell that what Jak needed now was silent comfort. Remembering something she'd discovered - quite accidentally - that helped calm him down when he got agitated, she leaned in and kissed the tip of his ear. Slowly, Jak managed to gain control of himself. "I'm sorry..." he managed to say softly, stepping back. Keira quickly caught his wrists to keep him from pulling completely away. "You don't need to be," she offered warmly. "I'm here for you, whenever you need me." "No, I mean...I'm sorry I interrupted you," Jak corrected, smiling sheepishly. Keira couldn't stop herself from bursting into giggles, lightly bopping him on the top of the head with her closed fist. Once she saw his smile turn into a soft chuckle, she continued what she'd been saying before, as though the previous scene had never occurred. "If what I've learned from these diagrams is accurate, if I can get this pump working again, we're in business." At that moment, an alarm started to go off, and spider mutants rose up on a platform on the opposite side of the room from where the group was standing. Shining and Daxter quickly took a defensive stance between the creatures and Keira, but Jak stepped forward. "I think...I want to try something," he whispered. "What?" Keira asked worriedly. Jak closed his eyes, taking a few calming breaths. When his eyes opened, they were black voids, filled with his Dark Eco. "Facing my fears," he growled out, lifting his staff. Pointing it towards the mutants, it became surrounded by the dark purple glow of Dark Eco, and he slipped into what he considered his 'Sage State' and willed the creatures to back off. The creatures stared at Jak for a time, their eyes glittering...and withdrew. An audible clang was Daxter's lower jaw cartoonishly hitting the floor. Shining slowly tipped over to land on his side, completely poleaxed. Keira's hands went to her mouth. "Jak...did...did you just...?" "Faced my fear," Jak responded slowly, the Dark leaving his eyes and staff. "The Darkness is a part of me. For a long time, it was just a tool, a weapon...something I used but loathed. Now...I've accepted it." He took in a deep breath, then let it slowly out. Turning, he smiled at Keira...and to her immense relief, for the first time since Sandover the smile filled his eyes. "So let's get that pump working, shall we-" His attempt at keeping things casual were cut off by Keira's rather enthusiastic celebration of the healing he'd undergone.