By the Blade

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A/N: Been a while, hasn't it? Sorry, but hopefully you can forgive me.

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Jak stayed his hand as he realized that it would be a very bad idea to go for a weapon, especially one that he didn't have. The speaker, a large man with an extensive network of scars covering one side of his face, already held a weapon in hand, a rifle that looked very capable of being used in a close-in fight. And there seemed to be a knife sheathed at his side. A crysknife? Jak didn't know.

The blonde sneered. "You talking to me?"

"Oh no," replied the man with sarcastic vitriol, "I'm conversing with my dear, departed mum. Of course you…you bore-head." He snorted and shook his head slightly, looking up at the sky slightly. "Word is that you're from the big smoke, eh?"

"Who wants to know?" growled Jak, his hands settling on his belt, near both his pistols and his crysknife.

"The names Kleiver," said the ugly elf, almost affably before thrusting his face in with a low growl. "I run this town and don't you forget it! Do right by me and you'll do just fine. Don't and the Marauders, scavengers, and sands will be competing to be the ones that scour your bones."

"Great stink of the Precursors! Two words for you, road map face. Tooth brush," quipped Daxter as Kleiver drew back.

Kleiver glared at Daxter, then looked at Jak. "Wanna sell me the rat? He's a bit bony and loudmouthed to be an emergency food source, but skinned and buttered, he might be a nice treat."

Jak shook his head. "Damas said that I should meet you. Are you his straw boss or something?"

"I'm his right-hand man. Keep that in mind. Now, if you're fixing to live here in Spargus instead of just slitting your throat with you fine knife, we're going to need to get you fixed up with a stillsuit and sandcloak. Remember, you're going to owe me for this."

Jak nodded and followed Kleiver off to what looked like a clothing shop.

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All together, Jak found the stillsuit to not exactly the most stylish garment, but certainly a practical one. A full-body suit with both a form of kinetic armor and a water reclamation system built in, it was also good for controlling one's temperature in the sun. Along with it came a cloak of a fairly thick material that was resistant to scouring, protection from light sandstorms, and if one could find a crevice to shelter in, could be used to seal it off from the outside world for large sandstorms. And it wasn't particularly bulky or restrictive. In fact, he could easily see battle armor being worn over it.

"Very nice."

"It ain't free," growled Kleiver. "Ere." He shoved a large and heavy case into Jak's arms. "I'm willing to be Damas wants you to go meet the paint-face Seem. Her monks have ordered this hazard gear. Go take it to her…it'll be the start of paying off your debt."

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Jak grunted as he dropped the case at the feet of the monks. "Kleiver said you needed this stuff…and Damas said I should meet Seem. I'm Jak."

One of the monks turned to Jak. "I know who you are, abomination." Jak scowled. He would never have guessed it from looks, but they did have a female voice. "I am Seem, Priestess of Mar."

Jak wasn't exactly impressed, instead looking to the thing the monks needed the hazard gear for. It was nasty-looking, sure…and it had to be using Dark Eco for Jak to feel such a strong presence of the stuff in the area, but he couldn't see it really being all that dangerous. "Right. So what's with needing all this hazard gear for that thing? It's dead." He gestured at it, only to have bolts of Dark Eco crackle in between him and it. "Huh." All of the monks had backed off and were making what Jak assumed to be signs of warding.

Daxter smirked. "I think it likes you, Jak."

He snorted. "Well, too bad for it. I'm declining it the dance." He walked up and banged on it, a viewscreen popping up. Script scrolled over it, but nothing that Jak could read. He turned away and dismissed it, noticing Seem reading the screen with interest.

"Interesting…"

Suddenly, Daxter noticed a rip in the thing's shell, and what looked to be Precursor metal inside. Orbs were still good in his book, so he jumped in to grab it, retrieving it adroitly. Seem glared at Daxter, as the removal of what looked to be crystallized Dark Eco had shut down the screen. "Hoo yeah! Take a look at this thing, Jak! I bet it's worth all kinds of cash!" Jak gave a tight smile and put it in his pack.

Seem scowled. "You may carry the color of our creators, but you hardly share their wisdom. There was so much that could have been learned from that screen. Put that crystal back."

Jak shook his head. "No. I don't think I will." He pointed at it, about to make another point, but another bolt of Dark Eco leaped from him, setting off a mechanism that blasted a great purple beam into the sky for about two seconds before the thing detonated in a wash of gaseous Dark Eco.

"Damas is making a mistake with you," Seem growled. "Hero you might have ONCE been, but you are nothing more than a dangerous liability now. How do you intend to save the world when you yourself are doomed?"

Jak turned and walked away. "I've saved it twice…it can damn well do fine until someone else steps up. Come on, Dax…"

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A/N: Been a while, it's short and there's no combat in it. I know. Forgive me. But sometimes, exposition is necessary and other things can steal time from one piece of fanfiction. Anyway, I love to hear what people think of my writing, so please review.