In 303 HE, the Siege of Far Drop was fought on the Brink between the Aeropans under Duke Skyheed and the Sky Pirates under Barter during the Aeropan-Sky Pirate War.
Why did it happen?
When Captain Phoenix rebelled against the Aeropans and founded the Sky Pirates in 300 HE, he recruited many of his men from Far Drop, a town in a massive cave called Pirate’s Cove. Hidden from the Aeropans for most of its history, Far Drop was led by the Lurker Barter, who described himself as a “big time smuggler. Me a top dog in Far Drop” (High Impact Games, 2009). However, after the Aeropans restarted their Dark Warrior Program in 303 HE, Far Drop became infested by Dark Mutants, and as the world’s eco supply began to diminish, the location of Far Drop and the Eco Core was revealed by Klout, who betrayed Phoenix for money from Duke Skyheed. Phoenix and Jak then received news that the Aeropans had laid siege to Far Drop with a large army and navy. Intending to surprise Skyheed, who believed the Sky Pirates were on the defensive, Phoenix and Jak subsequently flew to Pirate’s Cove aboard the Phantom Blade to break the siege.
Who was involved?
The Aeropan force at Far Drop numbered 5,000 Commandos, 4 Ethereal Sub-Commanders, 8 Turrets, and 26 Airships. Every Commando and Ethereal Sub-Commander was an Aeropan Citizen who had been transformed by Dark Eco as part of Aeropa’s Dark Warrior Program. The Aeropan plan at Far Drop was to use the Commandos as shock troops to raid the town and kill its inhabitants before the ACS Behemoth arrived and destroyed the town using a Dark Eco Crystal Generator. The Sky Pirate force at Far Drop numbered 2,500 Pirates, 2 Aeropults, and 6 Airships. The Pirates were led by Barter, who sheltered Far Drop’s inhabitants, which included women and children, inside the Tavern. The Sky Pirate’s plan at Far Drop was to destroy the Aeropan Dropship using a bomb stolen from one of the Aeropan camps before Captain Phoenix arrived aboard the Phantom Blade with reinforcements.
What happened?
The Aeropan Dropship docked near the Cabbage Farm and unloaded its cargo of Aeropan Shock Troops to ravage and raze Far Drop. In the Main Square, a large wall was constructed to divide the town in two. As the town’s population retreated to the Tavern, Jak arrived and defeated the Aeropan forces besieging it. He then used the Aeropult near the Tavern to access the Power Station and turn on the Power Grid. At the Loading Dock, Jak defeated the Aeropans encamped there and stole an Aeropult battery from the Crane before returning to Barter’s Tavern. Using the Tavern Aeropult to launch himself behind the dividing wall, Jak defeated the Aeropans stationed there and retrieved a bomb. Using another Aeropult stationed next to the Aeropan camp, Jak launched himself onto the Aeropan Dropship and planted the bomb before jumping off and returning to the hanger. With the Aeropan Dropship destroyed, the ACS Behemoth arrived at Far Drop and intended to destroy the town using a Dark Eco Crystal Generator. However, Jak mobilised an air defence, destroyed 24 Aeropan Fighters and forced the ACS Behemoth to retreat. Casualties during the siege were heavy on both sides, with the Aeropans losing 3,500 killed and the Sky Pirates 1,000 killed.
What changed as a result?
The Siege of Far Drop was a pyrrhic Sky Pirate victory. As stated by Phoenix, “The siege went badly. I've lost many friends at Far Drop” (High Impact Games, 2009). Despite sustaining heavy losses, the Sky Pirates sought revenge on the Aeropans and planned a counterattack, although Aeropa’s long-range sensors would have detected them before they could attack the city. Because of this, Chancellor Ruskin sent the Sky Pirates a message telling them to use the Aeropan Barracks Warp Gate to bypass Aeropa’s long-range sensors. Using the warp gate, the Sky Pirates subsequently besieged Aeropa City, although Duke Skyheed was able to escape. At the Abandoned Research Rig, Skyheed attempted to harness the Eco Core’s energy to power up the ACS Behemoth, only to be defeated by Jak and Phoenix in the resulting battle. The Eco Core was subsequently put back into balance again, allowing it to channel eco-energy worldwide, thereby ending the Eco Shortage Crisis.
Bibliography
Birlew, Dan. Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier Official Strategy Guide. Indianapolis, Brady Games, 2009.
High Impact Games. Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2. 2009.
Jak and Daxter Wiki. “Aeropan commando.” Last revised August 9, 2021. www.jakanddaxter.fandom.com/wiki/Aeropan_commando
Jak Himself. “Far Drop map 2.” Jak and Daxter Wiki. Accessed October 11, 2023. www.jakanddaxter.fandom.com/wiki/Far_Drop?file=Far_Drop_map_2.png