"You want me to do what!!??" Jaxon exclaimed.
"It's just a simple task really." Jago replied.
"Fetching you a glass of water is simple but retrieving something from a black marketer that something else. I've had some dealing with them and nothing is ever simple with them."
"Look all am asking is for you to travel to planet Xarion, meet the dealer, retrieve the artifact and then bring it back to me. After that I'll be more than happy to help you solve your puzzle." Jago replied, "Do we have a deal?"
"Fine, you've got a deal." Jaxon replied. "Quick question, why do you need the artifact so much?"
"It's a long story," Jago said, standing up. "But I promise I'll explain everything when you get back. Astra, my daughter, will guide you there. She knows the way."
"Father, I never said that I was here to….." Astra commented.
"You do need something from me don't you Astra. Go help him and when you get back we'll talk." Jago interjected. "Okay?"
"Okay I'll help." Astra agreed shaking her head.
Jaxon looked at her and nodded. "Okay. Let's do this. We'll take my ship."
"Before you depart I would like for you to spend the night here. Astra will show you to the guest's quarters." Jago said.
"I don't want to impose." Jaxon replied.
"Nonsense you're my guest, it's an honor to have you." Jago responded with a grin on his face.
As they spent the night Jaxon, Astra and Jago exchanged conversations of their previous travels and adventures.
The following day bright and early, they left Jago's home to go in search of the mysterious artifact.
As they made their way back to the Star Explorer Jaxon was lost in his thoughts. He tried to figure out what was so important about the artifact but could not place his finger on it. On further investigation from Astra she told him that she had no idea what her father was up to.
Jaxon and Astra arrived at the Flax hometown at noon and were greeted by some familiar faces.
As they walked through the village, Jaxon couldn't help but notice the improvements that had been made to the Star Explorer. The exterior had been cleaned and polished, and the small dents and scratches that had been inflicted during the battle with the Xyrons were nowhere to be seen.
"Looks like they did a good job," Jaxon remarked as they approached the ship. "I didn't expect it to be fixed this quickly."
Astra nodded in agreement. "They are a hardworking and skilled group of people. I'm not surprised they were able to get the job done so quickly."
Jaxon nodded in approval. "Well, I'm impressed. And grateful. We should thank them before we leave."
As they made their way back to the village, Jaxon noticed that the Flax were gathered in the town square, talking and laughing amongst themselves. He could sense the excitement in the air and wondered what was going on.
"What's happening over there?" he asked Astra, pointing to the crowd.
Astra grinned. "Looks like they're having a celebration. They love to throw parties for any occasion."
Jaxon raised an eyebrow. "A celebration? For what?"
Astra shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe they're just happy to see you again."
As they approached the square, the Flax greeted them with cheers and applause. They clapped Jaxon on the back and offered him drinks and food, which he graciously accepted.
"Thank you for everything," Jaxon said, addressing the crowd. "You've been great hosts, but we are currently on a time sensitive mission and we have to go. We promise well be back."
With sadness in their eyes, the Flax had no objection but to bid their guests fair well and safe travels.
As they boarded the ship, S.A.M. greeted them with its usual sarcastic tone.
"Well, well, well, look who's back. I was starting to think you weren't coming back, Jaxon. And it looks like you found a girl. About time, buddy." S.A.M. quipped.
Astra chuckled at the S.A.M.'s comment, finding it amusing. "SAM, meet Astra. Astra, this is SAM, my ship's AI," Jaxon introduced them.
"Nice to meet you, SAM," Astra greeted the AI politely.
"The pleasure is all mine, Astra. I can tell that you're going to be a great addition to our little crew," S.A.M. responded.
"SAM, set a course for planet Xarion." Jaxon requested.
"Aye aye, Captain" S.A.M. responded.
As they settled into the ship, Jaxon and Astra began to talk about their past experiences. SAM interjected every once in a while, making sarcastic comments and trying to lighten the mood.
"Looks like they did more than just fix the ship," Jaxon observed. "They really went all out."
Astra smiled. "They take pride in their work. They wouldn't settle for anything less than perfection."
"So, Jaxon, tell me, did you always have a way with the ladies? Or is Astra just a special case?" S.A.M. asked, trying to tease Jaxon.
Astra giggled, finding S.A.M.'s comments amusing. "SAM, stop being so mean to Jaxon. He's a great guy," she defended Jaxon.
"Ah, come on, Astra. I'm just trying to have a little fun here. Jaxon can take it. Can't you, Jaxon?" S.A.M. retorted.
Jaxon rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but feel grateful for S.A.M.'s attempts to make Astra feel welcome on the ship. He knew that having a good relationship with the ship's AI was important, especially since they would be spending a lot of time together.
After a few hours of travel, they finally arrived at the planet famous for ThunderCycles. As they approached the planet, Jaxon couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He knew that dealing with black-market dealers was always risky, and he was worried about the potential danger that they might face. However, he put on a brave face for Astra's sake and tried to appear confident and in control.
"So, do you know anything about this guy we're meeting?" Jaxon asked Astra.
"A little bit," Astra replied. "His name is Krynn, and he's a Darsarian. They're known for being greedy and untrustworthy, so we need to be careful."
Jaxon nodded, taking note of Astra's warning. He knew that dealing with any black-market dealer was risky, but dealing with a Darsarian was even more dangerous.
As they landed on the planet, Jaxon couldn't help but notice the seedy and rundown atmosphere of the place. The buildings were dilapidated, and the air was thick with the smell of pollution and decay. Jaxon couldn't help but notice how different the planet was from the others he had been to.
"Wow, this place is something else," Astra commented, looking out at the planet.
Jaxon nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it's definitely not the nicest planet I've been to. But let's try to stay focused on the task at hand."
They made their way to the black-market dealer's hideout, which was located in a back alley in one of the seedier parts of town. As they approached the entrance, they saw a group of armed guards stationed outside, their faces hidden behind intimidating masks. The guards were heavily armed with guns and other deadly weapons, and their body language exuded an aura of pure danger.
The entrance to the hideout was a dark, foreboding archway that led deep into the canyon. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and the sound of haggling and shouting filled the air. The walls were lined with shelves that were packed with all manner of exotic and dangerous goods, from deadly weapons to ancient artifacts.
As they made their way deeper into the hideout, Jaxon caught sight of the black marketer himself. He was a tall, muscular Darsarian with a reptilian face, and his eyes glinted with a cold, calculating intelligence. His voice was low and menacing, and his movements were smooth and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey.
Jaxon could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he stood before the black marketer. He knew that this was a man who was used to getting his way, no matter the cost. Krynn gaze lingered on Jaxon for a moment, as if sizing him up, before he finally spoke.
"Welcome, welcome. You must be the ones here for the artifact," Krynn said in a slimy voice.
"That's us. Do you have the artifact?" Jaxon asked, getting straight to the point.
"Yes, yes. But there's been a change of plans. I'm afraid the price has gone up. Double what we originally agreed on." Krynn replied.
Jaxon's heart sank. He had a feeling that this was going to happen, but he had hoped that Krynn would stick to their original agreement.
Astra stepped forward, her voice firm. "That wasn't the deal, Krynn. You know that. We're not going to pay you more."
Krynn laughed. "You don't have a choice, little girl. You either pay up, or you don't get the artifact."
Jaxon could feel his frustration growing, but he knew that getting angry wouldn't help their situation. He tried to think of a way to negotiate.
"I have an idea," Jaxon said, his mind racing. "How about we race for it? You put up the artifact as the prize, and we'll put up double the original amount we agreed on. If we win, we get the artifact for free. If we lose, we'll pay you double."
Krynn's eyes narrowed, but Jaxon could see that he was considering the offer. "And what kind of race would this be?"
Jaxon grinned. "A ThunderCycle race."
Krynn chuckled. "You're crazy, Jaxon. But I like your style. It's a deal."
Jaxon breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that ThunderCycle races were dangerous, but he was willing to do whatever it took to get the artifact.
As they walked back to the Star Explorer, Jaxon couldn't help but feel a sense of nervous excitement.
"Jaxon, about the deal you made, am guessing you don't have a thundercycle in the ship. Do you?" Astra asked.
"No I do not. It's not like I planned to come here and enter a death race." Jaxon shrugged.
Astra shook her, "I had a feeling you were going to say that. Good thing I have an old friend here who might be willing to help."
"Nice lead the way." Jaxon grinned.
Astra led Jaxon through the busy streets of the business center until they arrived at a dingy-looking mechanic shop. The front of the shop was cluttered with discarded parts and tools, and the air was thick with the smell of motor oil and burnt rubber. Astra pushed open the door, and a bell jingled as they entered.
A man with greasy hair and smudges of oil on his face looked up from under the hood of a car. "Astra! It's been too long, my dear!" he exclaimed, wiping his hands on a rag.
"Axel, good to see you!" Astra grinned and gave him a hug. "This is my friend Jaxon. We're looking for a thundercycle."
Axel turned to Jaxon and gave him a quick once-over. "Hmm, a thundercycle, you say? Well, you've come to the right place. I was just working on one when you walked in."
"That's great," Jaxon said, relieved. "We're on a bit of a tight schedule, so if we could see it as soon as possible, that would be fantastic."
Axel nodded. "Sure thing, follow me." He led them through the cluttered shop and into a back room. There, in the center of the room, was a sleek-looking aerodynamic thundercycle.
"Here she is. Her engine is a high-performance V-twin that produces a deep, throaty growl, capable of reaching incredibly high speeds with ease. It has dual exhausts that give it an aggressive look, and the handlebars are designed for maximum control at high speeds." Axel said, gesturing to the machine.
Jaxon whistled appreciatively. "She looks fast."
"She is fast," Axel confirmed. "But there's a catch. She's not fully complete. I'm still waiting on some parts to arrive. But that doesn't mean she can't race. I've even built a robot to drive her."
"A robot?" Astra raised an eyebrow.
Axel grinned proudly. "Yep, I call him Robo-Racer. He's got all the skills of a human driver, and then some. Plus, he's not going to chicken out when things get rough."
Jaxon looked skeptical. "Are you sure he can handle it? Racing is dangerous."
"I've put him through every test I can think of," Axel assured him. "Trust me, he's ready."
Astra looked at Jaxon, and he nodded. "Okay, let's do it. When do we race?"
Axel pulled out a schedule. "There's a race in three days. It's a big one, with some serious prize money on the line. I think you guys have a good shot at winning with this bad boy." He patted the thundercycle.
Astra smiled. "We'll take it. How much?"
"It's on the house as long as I'll be part of your team." Axel replied.
Astra and Jaxon looked at each other for a few seconds.
"No objections." Astra replied.
"Besides well be needing a mechanic if anything goes wrong." Jaxon said with determination.
And with that Jaxon and Astra left Axels workshop satisfied with what they saw.
As they walked back out to the busy street, Jaxon couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. They were going to race in three days, and with the thundercycle and Robo-Racer on their side, they had a real chance of winning but something felt way off.