//------------------------------// // Precursor: Power // Story: Sons of Damas // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// As Jak and Shining returned to Geyser Rock with Daxter in tow, another device followed them. It was bright blue, box shaped, floated, and had two antenna sticking out of the top. "What's that?" Daxter asked in confusion. "It's a communicator I invented!" Keira's voice called out from the grill on the front of the floating device. "With it, my father and I can give you advice at any time during your quest." "Useful," Jak commented dryly. As the trio progressed along, gathering Precursor Orbs - egg shaped objects covered in runes - they stumbled across a Power Cell just lying out in the open. It looked like a stone sphere with four segments cut out from it, orbiting it at a distance. Forcing the segments into their slots while hooked to a machine triggered the production of immense amounts of energy from the cell, though no one was certain how it worked. "Lucky one was just lying around," Shining murmured, grabbing it carefully in his magic and stowing it away. Not far beyond that power cell, they came across a strange box. Breaking it open, they found a device that looked like an oversized fly, except somehow adorable. "Hey, that's one of my scout flies!" Keira pointed out. "I've sent seven of them to each area to track down Power Cells!" "How'd they got stuck in boxes like that?" Jak asked in confusion. "The Lurkers must have captured them," Keira explained. "If you find them all in each area, one of them should have a power cell." "We'll be sure to keep an eye out for them, then," Shining confirmed. As six other boxes were close by, Jak broke them open, retrieving the other scout flies and recovering another power cell. As they moved onward, they spotted a glowing blue cloud. "That's Blue Eco," Samos explained. "Jak, Shining, the two of you are unique in your ability to biologically utilize Eco in your environment. While you do it by funneling the Eco through your magic, Shining... I'm uncertain how Jak is able to do so. However, it's an advantage you both should take advantage of. As you should know from my lessons, Blue Eco contains the energy of motion." "Like what's in your jump boots!" Keira interrupted. "Precisely," Samos agreed. "Absorbing it from your environment will allow you both to run fast, break boxes just by approaching them, and activate various Precursor artifacts by funneling the Eco you've absorbed into the device. However, while you're both able to hold Eco within your bodies, it won't stay long, and you can only hold one type of Eco at a time. Collecting an additional cluster of the same type of Eco will extend the time it will remain in your bodies before it dissipates. Make sure to use it carefully, as I don't know if there will be any side effects from overusing Eco." Remembering a door marked with the symbol of Blue Eco - a blue lightning bolt - the pair gathered the Blue Eco and sought it out, gathering Precursor Orbs as they went. Reaching it, the Eco in their bodies flooded into the door, causing it to open. "Well, at least one of you has a brain," Samos pointed out. "That was a Precursor Door. As you concluded, channeling Blue Eco into it is the only way to open it. Perhaps there's hope for you two yet." "What am I, chopped liver?" Daxter demanded. "Two and a half, then," Samos countered without missing a beat, resulting in Jak, Shining, and Keira snickering. "Hi-larious," Daxter drolled. Not far from the door was a vent in the ground from which Blue Eco could be seen pouring out of it. "I don't know the term for that thing," Jak spoke up, "but I know standing on it fills me with Blue Eco. Made use of it back during training to gather supplies quicker." "It's called a Blue Eco vent," Keira explained. "How original," Daxter joked, rolling his eyes. Finishing their explorations, the trio found a total of 50 Precursor Orbs and 4 Power Cells. On their return to Samos' hut, he was waiting for them. "I doubt 50 - or even 100 - Precursor Orbs will be enough to get all the Power Cells the villagers have...or even if the ones they have will be enough to power my daughter's invention. It would probably be a good idea to also visit Sentinel Beach to gather any Orbs and Cells you can find there." "Not a bad idea," Jak murmured. "We'll do it." "As long as you're going, you might as well see to my Green Eco Collectors there," Samos added innocuously. "They've been clogged up again." "We'd be happy to," Shining agreed readily. "I can always count on you to be helpful and dutiful," Samos commented dryly, giving Jak and Daxter - who were both rolling their eyes - the fish eye. "Now you three have fun with your 'adventuring'...and get out of my house!" Laughing, the trio raced out of Samos' hut, heading into the city to begin their explorations. It would probably take a while to gather everything they needed, but they were determined to have fun doing it. After all, as Samos had pointed out...this was going to be a grand adventure, and the three of them were certainly of an age to enjoy that. "As long as I get pants at some point," Daxter grunted. "Ahem," Shining complained, more than a little miffed. "Hey, fine for you to run around naked," Daxter sniped back. "You're used to it. You've been doing it all your life." "You'll get used to it," Shining countered. Jak rolled his eyes, wondering if he was the only one who was taking this whole thing seriously.