***
The rocky dirtball planet known only as 86-001 to the few who would ever care to visit was also called something unintelligible by the Zeldoks who frequented it. The uneventful trip almost made Jak feel guilty for accepting the giant sum offered by the Prince of Shalen. Nothing had fallen off their ship, they hadn’t been shot at and nothing had spontaneously combusted. A smooth journey in the Tempest was a success in itself.
“No ships detected nearby,” said Baxter. He was punching buttons on the tarnished control panel, while his gaze stayed locked on the faded monitors.
“Then we’re going in,” said Jak. There was no point in wasting time. They were perfectly on schedule and now was a better time than ever.
Jak and Baxter worked to bring the ship down safely onto the crumbled surface. When the typical creaking and groaning of the Tempest ceased, the two men made their way to the back of the ship.
“The air is going to be terrible out there,” said Baxter, “so I wouldn’t stay out too long...if you’re concerned about long term health risks, that is.”
“First off,” Jak pulled his faded brown leather gloves on as he spoke, “you know I don’t think long term. Secondly, you’re coming with me.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense for me to stay here and guard the ship?”
“What’s the point? You’d never make it out there with me dead.”
“Somehow I don’t think that’s accurate,” said Baxter, whipping open a storage locker. He pulled out a thick jacket one size too small for his stocky frame. “Alright, my Captain, guide me.”
As the ramp descended, Jak was the first to exit the ship. The air was breathable but had a strong ammonia-like odor. Baxter slipped a filtration mask over his mouth and nose but Jak didn’t bother. He’d had trouble in the past with one of the masks getting in the way of his vision and today he needed good visibility in case anything came up. The air wasn’t healthy, but it was probably better for you than some of the things Jak had ingested in his time. He drew his weathered gun and surveyed the foggy surroundings.
There was no one in sight, at least as far as he could see in the dirty haze. Directly in front of them a jagged hill of rock protruded out of sight to an unknown point. Jak and Baxter followed the heavily trodden path over the rocky surface toward the base of the hill, quickly finding the promised cave entrance.
“What do you think?” asked Baxter.
“I think this is probably a bad idea, like everything we do.” Jak paused as he nearly gagged when the air hit the back of his throat. “But, I don’t hear anyone inside. We can either take off or go and see what’s down there.”
“I know for a fact you aren’t going to leave empty handed, so I’ll stay up here and keep watch. I’m not going down into a creepy cave.”
Jak turned and started off through the jagged opening. “I’ll be back in a minute.” Jak kicked through the loose rubble on the crumbling decline, unclipped his lamp and flicked it on, throwing an eerie beam of light into the dark cave ahead.
The stench of dampness and mold was hard on Jak’s throat. His nerves kicked in when the roof of the cave seemed to be getting lower, but after a few more paces he emerged into a larger room. The information had been right. There were piles of stolen goods lined up against the walls and stacked on rough shelves harshly constructed from old lumber. Jak moved in close and shone his light around the room, passing everything from clothing, to guns, to expensive looking things constructed in gold and silver. Much of the stash was covered in a thick brown dust making it more difficult to hunt for the talisman, but Jak’s luck soon changed as his light flashed across a table with clean items, likely freshly delivered. Right on the edge was the Travanon Talisman. Jak was thankful for the prince’s flamboyant description of it. He grabbed it by its fine chain of gold loops and fought the urge to look for a few other easily pocketed goods, instead rushing back up the sloped tunnel.
Jak flipped off his lamp as the light from the cave opening illuminated his path and gave him a destination. Baxter stood in the center of the bright light with his hands behind his back and his legs at shoulder width. It was a rather confident pose for Baxter.
A shadow flickered over the light ahead and then another, until Jak made out the silhouette of a second figure.
Jak’s stomach sunk with sickening feeling of being caught red handed with no way of backing out.
A hoarse voice echoed between the walls of the narrow cave corridor in a language Jak couldn’t understand but vaguely recognized.
Jak kept a steady pace back toward the mouth of the cave with the talisman in one hand and his gun in the other. All his instincts told him to turn back but with the only exit straight ahead there was no point. If he was dead, he figured it was better to be killed out in the open air rather than in some dank cave. When the light evened out he quickly recognized the crusted face barely peaking out through tattered filthy wrapped cloth. It seemed the Zeldoks weren’t out on vacation after all. As Jak neared the Zeldok mercenary, he kicked himself for ever considering the information they had been given would be accurate.
The Zeldok pulled his ugly looking weapon out of its holster. A rusted gun with a long sharp blade just as, if not more, rusty than the gun. As always, a Zeldok had all of its cutting and shooting bases covered. Jak didn’t dare shoot him, though he easily could have, for fear of reprisal against Baxter, wherever he was.
“Hi there,” said Jak. He had no idea if they could even understand him, but needed to say something as he quickly considered his options. Jak kept up his pace and watched the black eyes of the Zeldok narrow as he came closer.
The only solution that came to Jak’s mind as he reached the Zeldok mercenary was to hold the talisman up as a distraction and kick with as much force as he could muster, delivering his foot harshly up between the Zeldok’s legs. Jak threw his body into the Zeldok, taking it down to the ground with him.
Jak was relieved to see Baxter holding his own with another mercenary near the cave wall. “I got it Bax, let’s go,” shouted Jak.
“Trying…” was the only word Baxter could spit through his clenched teeth as he fought off another blow from his attacker.
“Why don’t you--” The huffing sound and gray shape in the corner of his eye, derailed Jak’s train of thought.
The heavy shape of a Huffleman warth creature sped up to a gallop and charged its way toward Jak. The Zeldoks kept these rocky four legged beasts as pets. Others in Jak’s circle referred to them as Zeldok chargers, since all they really did was charge at people. It didn’t mean they weren’t effective weapons, since a two ton crate of bricks charging at you at top speed was a major inconvenience at best. Coupled with their hooked dagger-like teeth, they weren’t welcomed by many.
Jak only had time to shout Baxter’s name and shift his weight over on to his left foot, tossing the talisman into the air as he did. The little beast’s rocky head connected with Jak’s shin at about the same time Baxter pushed himself away from his opponent. Baxter hopped and snagged the talisman’s chain out of mid air. Jak took a spinning tumble into the dirt.
Jak heard the unwelcome huff and growl of the charger coming around for another pass.
The other Zeldok had caught up to Baxter, throwing him up against the side of the Tempest. The furious mercenary held Baxter by his throat, up against the hull of the Tempest, shouting some gravely gibberish into his face. Baxter’s eyes bulged as the blade of a knife was pressed against his neck.
Jak circled around and ran as fast as he could, bringing the warth creature in tow. With the toothy monster nearly on his heels, he dropped and slid into the feet of the Zeldok. Before the distracted mercenary could even fall, the trailing beast ploughed into him, taking them both flying over Jak in a ball of beast, weapons and dust. Jak didn’t look back. He peeled Baxter off the hull of the ship, and flew up the ramp, throwing Baxter aboard and punching the rusty button to raise the ramp. It only took a moment for them to get the ship back in
to the air, leaving the angered Zeldoks injured and unable to pursue.
“You okay?”
Baxter wiped a smear of dirt from his face and pulled off his breathing mask. “I may have soiled myself,” he said between gasps, “but other than that, I’m fine.”
Jak wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not.
“Go grab a drink. Got plenty of time to kill before we reach Shalen.”
Baxter observed his own shaking hands and agreed wholeheartedly.