Fic Prompts: Free Day Thursday

Demolition Trio au continuing from last time to skip forward to closer to the end of the second game.

Lighthouse, this is Jak, do you read me?“

There had been no warning tone from the receiver, and it was nowhere near the appointed time for a report. The small radio crackled in the center of the table Damas used for council meetings, drawing stares ranging from curious to wary.

"That ain’t Sig,” Kleiver said in a hushed voice, “How’d the squirt get this channel?”

Damas kept his face still and reached for the receiver.

“This is the Lighthouse. Go ahead, Jak.”

“Is Mar with you?”

Damas tensed. The boy sounded like he was worried, but trying to hide it.

“He’s in the tower. Why?”

On the other end, Jak exhaled softly.

“We were set up. Kor’s a metalhead – he’s the metalhead. Baron’s dead, and Krewe let the metalheads into the city.”

Priya, one of the veteran warriors in the council, cursed creatively. “Metalheads can disguise themselves as humans?!”

It was a terrible thought. They would have to heighten security. But if the leader of the metalheads could infiltrate the Haven resistance for years with no one the wiser, how would the Spargans know if they’dbeen compromised?

“Good work, Jak,” Damas said evenly. Panic would do no good now. Especially not as king. “That is valuable information. I will keep Mar with me, if you are concerned about him. Where is Sig?”

There was a moment of silence, and a heaviness fell over the council even before Jak’s solemn voice answered.

“Sig’s…Sig’s gone.”

Damas had guessed the words were coming, but he felt them each like a blow regardless. He leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes.

Oh Sig…I hope it was on your terms, old friend.

Kleiver slammed a fist into the table. “What happened, ankle biter?” he demanded, “Sig’s one o’ our best! You expect me to believe Havencoulda offed the likes of him?”

“It wasn’t a guard,” Jak hissed, “It was a $%@! Metalpede. Knocked him straight off the bridge. I…”

His voice dropped in volume and became harder to hear.

“I didn’t want to leave him. I wanted to at least find him. But I have to finish what he started.”

Tarmac, another veteran warrior, rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Sounds like you did exactly what you were supposed to do, kid. Not that it helps, I guess. What mission were you on?”

Everyone stiffened when Jak said, all too calmly, “We were ready to breach the Nest.”

Damas’s eyes snapped open and he snatched the receiver from the table. “You what?!”

“I have the Precursor Stone. I have Mar’s Cannon. I can blow the whole front of the hive off once and for all. If…if anyone wants to come join the party, Daxter and I wouldn’t mind a little company. If you’d rather earn some gems, Haven could sure use the help.”

Jak grew quiet again for an uncomfortable length of time. The council could barely hear him whispering to the orange one, Daxter. It sounded like they were disagreeing about something. Then Jak returned, sounding ominously solemn.

“Lighthouse, I’m finishing Sig’s mission. I’ll have boots on Misty Island in two hours at most. If I don’t- If- if I-”

The boy breathed in deeply and let it out slowly.

“…Damas. If I don’t walk out of this, tell Mar his…his big brother loved him. Like, a lot. And thanks. For, I guess for giving us a home. Jak out.”

“Jak-!” Damas gripped the receiver so tightly the plastic groaned under the pressure. “Do notenter that nest without backup, that is an order!”

He stood quickly and snatched up his staff. “Mobilize the advance scouts. I want a unit ready to move out before the top of the hour. All healers will need to be on standby.”

As he spoke, he marched toward the door. When silence followed, he spun on his heel to glare at the council.

“Well?!”

Priya set her wrinkled jaw. “Aye, lordship! And what about possible infiltrators?”

Damas’s jaw worked in silence for a moment. “Until we have confirmation of infiltration, we will continue as normal. If there aremetalheads among us, we cannot afford to rouse their suspicions.”

“And the kid?” Kleiver asked boldly.

“Do not concern yourself with my sons,” Damas answered flatly, surprising them, “I’ll see to it that Mar is protected before we depart.”