When Jak stopped vomiting up Eco, Shining and Daxter decided to take him to the Hip Hog Saloon for some refreshing drinks and anti-nausea medicine. Since Krew was no longer a concern or among the living, Daxter started making plans to take over the management of the saloon as a way to make some money once the city was safer.
Once there, however, Tess had some interesting information for them. "Krew put something inside this game," she explained, indicating a machine labeled 'Metal Head Bonk', with eight holes and a scoreboard on top. "Whatever it was, he looked real nervous about it."
"Whatever it is, he won't be needing it anymore!" Daxter insisted as Shining helped Jak to a booth. "He's...not all together anymore." A little over here, a little over there... Daxter quickly suppressed his memory of the mess Jak had made of Krew before Jak wasn't the only one in need of anti-nausea medicine. "Now watch the game player do his stuff!" With that, he hopped up onto the machine.
"You're such an animal," Tess purred flirtatiously as she bent over the ottsel.
Over at the table, Shining rolled his eyes and shook his head ruefully. He then watched as Daxter played, bonking the Metalhead heads that popped up - grays and golds, but not electrified reds - while Tess continued to praise him. It wasn't long before Daxter beat the game, causing it to dispense a prize...the Time Map!
As Daxter started bragging about what he'd do to any real Metalheads that showed up, two large Metalheads entered the saloon. Jak struggled to get to Daxter and Tess' aid, only to stumble over Shining, as he wasn't fully recovered yet. As Tess screamed, Daxter lunged in and - as he'd bragged - bopped the Metalheads with the game's foam mallet.
Energy flashed from Daxter's body over the mallet with each impact. The focus crystals embedded in the Metalheads' skulls cracked and crumbled, and the Metalheads fell over dead. Tess stared in awe.
"Daxter...that was incredible!" Scooping him up, she kissed him on the cheek.
"...so that's what Gol and Maia meant about his Eco abilities," Jak muttered, staggering to his feet. "That looked like the Light Eco Keira got out of the Power Cell."
Daxter shivered in Tess' embrace. "That was terrifying!" he groaned, shivering. "Where's Sig when you need him?"
"Krew sent Sig on one last mission," Tess quickly informed him. "Something about using Mar's Ruby Key to open a secret door in the Under Port."
"We'll go check up on him," Jak stated firmly, feeling more stable at last.
"I'll take this to Keira!" Tess said quickly, scooping up the Time Map.
As they left the saloon, they got an emergency message from Vin informing them that Kor had turned off the Eco Dome, leaving Haven vulnerable to Metalhead attack. That message was quickly confirmed as the trio rode a Zoomer through the city to Under Port, as they could see Metalheads crawling about, engaging with the Crimson Guard and other members of the Underground.
"This is bad," Shining muttered under his breath as he stared out at the chaos.
"It'll be worse if we don't take out the Metalhead leader soon," Jak grumbled, gunning the engine.
Once in Under Port, Jak was relieved to see the Titan Suits awaiting them, meaning he would have more time to let his own body rest as they smashed their way through to wherever Sig was. However, as they leapt into the Titan Suits, the area began to fill with water...and the suits only had a limited air supply, forcing them to hurry. Thankfully, there were a few air vents they were able to use to replenish the air in their suits scattered about.
The water had a few squid like Metalheads and several mines scattered about that the pair needed to destroy and avoid as the situation demanded. Eventually, they reached the end of the passages and the water began to drain out, letting them leave the Titan Suits. Jak stabilized himself against the Suit as he got over the last of the damage he'd done to himself from OD'ing on Eco.
On the opposite side of a large door, the pair found Sig engaged in battle with Metalheads. When Jak moved to greet him, Sig nearly shot them. "Get your skinny ass over her and start shootin'!" he snapped. "I was set up! When I opened the door Krew sent me ta open with that Ruby Key ya found, Metalheads started streaming in from a passage outside the city walls! It's like they were waiting for me!"
"Krew's dead," Jak informed him.
"He's lucky then!" Sig snapped. "Cause he would not want me to catch him alive!"
"I crushed him under his own weapons."
Sig managed a smirk. "Won't argue with karmic irony!"
"Let's get you out of here!" Jak insisted. "Then you can give me directions to that passage, so the three of us can find the nest and take out the Metalhead leader!"
"You're crazy, you know that?" Sig demanded worriedly.
"Yeah," Jak confirmed with a shrug. "Kinda figured."
As they made their way forward, however, a large centipede shaped Metalhead burst through the wall, bearing down on them. The group fled as fast as they could, but it continued to pursue them. At one point, Jak nearly went down a pit when a bridge collapsed under the giant Metalhead while he was still on it, but Sig managed to grab hold of him and pull him up.
With the danger apparently passed, the group continued with Jak and Shining working to solve box puzzles to open the path forward...only for the centipede Metalhead to show up again, making them run for it.
They were almost out when Sig paused on a bridge. "Looks like we finally lost him, eh chili peppers?" he gasped out as he came to a halt. He gazed down at the trio proudly. "Now you boys are real Wastelanders! I say it's time we take this fight to the Metalhead leader himself!"
"That's the plan," Jak explained. "Any ideas how to pull it off?"
"If we find a way to juice up Mar's old gun, then boom baby!" Sig slammed his staff weapon into the bridge. "We storm the nest guns blazing! The four of us together! Side by side! Nothing'll stop us-"
"Maybe we could talk about this on the elevator?" Shining interrupted.
"What are you scared of?" Sig demanded. "We lost that creature a while back-"
As Sig spoke, the centipede Metalhead burst through the wall above Sig, crashing down atop him and taking him and the bridge down into the abyss with it.
Shining whimpered softly to himself. "...why didn't I speak up sooner?"
"It's not your fault, Shining," Daxter offered comfortingly. "Sometimes...these things happen..."
With nothing else they could do there, Jak, Shining, and Daxter went the few more feet to the elevator back to the surface...now more determined than ever to destroy the Metalheads.
And that's why you wait until you're back home BEFORE having a strategy meeting.
First question how close are we to the end of the second game? This was an interesting chapter and it will be interesting to see how this all shakes down.
I'm confused, was it Kor or Krew who set Sig up????? But it seems Kor does not have the city's best interests at heart, so I'm guessing him.
That Sig mission is one of the few missions that are still frustrating. Die near the end of the mission and you have to do the whole thing all all over again. Just stick with scatter gun and watch your step.
Love the atmosphere the level has though. Kind of reminds me of that underwater stage in the first Jak game.
6951702
First one's the typo. Fixed.
Omfg I HATE that mission
That last bit with Sig really should have been fleshed out more. I mean, that was a major emotional event, and it went down in one paragraph. Other than that, great chapter. Nice to finally see Daxter putting his hidden Eco powers to use.
Also, calling it now. Tess and Daxter are going to be in bed before her little upgrade in Jak 3. ...actually, that was probably the case in canon as well.
6951945 Same here
Definitely loved the Metalhead Bonk, though
6952263
wack-a-metalhead XD
Well, that happened. At least we know at the ending that Sig makes it out of there alive. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
I hate that mission only because after Sig falls, the game glitched out on me and wouldn't load Haven after the elevator, no matter what I tried.
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
6951702 Krew was the one who actually sent Sig down there. Was never really confirmed what he would get out of it from the metal heads, just that it was enough to send someone down and open up the door.
6951739
The upgraded ending is much better. Thanks!
The irony has been doubled!
Krew was killed using weapons he gave Jak and Sig died thinking they lost the centipede Metalhead just as it killed him.