Ali and Drogath finally began to see signs of civilisation amidst the endless expanse of the red desert. After hours of barren sands and unrelenting heat, they spotted a large tent in the distance. The structure grew clearer with every passing moment as they closed in on it, riding their speeders across the dunes.
Finally, they brought their vehicles to a halt at the edge of the encampment. Sand swirled briefly around them as the engines whirred to a stop. Drogath was the first to break the silence, stepping forward and calling out toward the entrance of the tent.
"Lord Malvok!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the dry desert air.
A deep, gruff voice responded from within. "Come in."
Without hesitation, the two acolytes entered the tent. Inside, they were greeted by a peculiar sight: a corpulent yellow alien whose body resembled a massive round ball. His small head and even smaller, stubby limbs were almost comical in proportion. The Sith Lord was seated in an ornate, floating chair that hovered just above the ground, a design similar to the speeders parked outside.
Ali and Drogath said nothing about Malvok's unusual appearance, keeping their expressions carefully neutral.
They watched in silence as the Sith Lord extended his hands, using the Force to pull a series of large, metallic cages out from under the sand. The grinding noise of the shifting metal was muffled by the layer of grit it had been buried under.
"This damned storm destroyed everything," Malvok muttered, seemingly more to himself than anyone else.
When the final cage had been fully unearthed and placed securely inside the tent, Malvok turned his chair toward the two acolytes. His gaze settled on them, and his expression immediately soured.
"This is the best Malgrith has to offer?" Malvok said aloud, his tone dripping with disdain. His sharp, probing eyes quickly noted their lack of lightsabers or any visible weapons.
Ali and Drogath remained silent, their expressions unchanged. They knew better than to respond to the Sith Lord's insults.
Malvok sighed heavily, gesturing toward the cages. "My research animals have escaped. The storm destroyed their enclosures and scattered them across the desert. I need the two of you to retrieve them-alive and unharmed."
He paused, as if gauging their reaction, but neither of them flinched.
"They're called Krath," Malvok continued. "Predators that resemble large dogs, though their bright red tails end in sharp, blade-like tips, so watch yourselves. What makes them particularly interesting is their connection to the Force. My research suggests they use it to communicate telepathically within their pack. If one of them sees you, it'll alert the others to flee. Stealth is paramount."
Malvok flicked his wrist, and two projectile launchers flew from a nearby table into the acolytes' hands. Ali inspected the weapon carefully, noticing it was designed to fire nets.
"Use these to catch them," Malvok said curtly. "Now, follow me."
He led them out of the tent, hovering just above the sand. The trio moved a short distance before Malvok raised his hand once more. The ground rumbled beneath them, and two large cages outfitted with hovering engines slowly emerged from the dunes.
Malvok manoeuvred the cages into position, attaching one behind each speeder.
He gave them a final glance, his expression cold and expectant. "Bring them back in good condition," he ordered, before turning and floating back into his tent.
Ali and Drogath exchanged a wordless nod as they secured the cages to their vehicles. Moments later, the duo sped off into the vast desert, the engines of their speeders humming steadily as they kept pace with one another.
An hour passed with no sign of the Krath. The unbroken expanse of red sand stretched endlessly in all directions, and the silence was only broken by the occasional gust of wind. Then, Ali's keen eyes caught something unusual in the sand ahead.
He raised his hand to signal Drogath to stop. The larger acolyte complied, keeping his speeder steady as Ali dismounted.
"Stay on the speeder," Ali instructed firmly. "Your weight will shift the sand and disturb the tracks."
Drogath grunted in agreement, watching as Ali crouched low to examine the faint impressions in the sand. They were paw prints-medium-sized, partially obscured by the wind but still discernible to someone with experience.
'These tracks are fresh', Ali thought, his sharp mind quickly analysing the evidence. 'The animal must've passed by here no more than an hour ago. And judging by the map, there's an oasis nearby!'
He stood and turned to Drogath. "We're heading toward an oasis. Keep your speed low and your eyes sharp. Any movement could be them."
They advanced slowly, the horizon eventually giving way to a single tree standing defiantly against the barren landscape. Its twisted roots clung to life around a small pool of water-proof that they had found the oasis.
Both acolytes dismounted their speeders and crept up a nearby sand dune, keeping low to avoid detection. From their vantage point, they spotted a lone mammal drinking cautiously from the water. Its dark red skin shimmered faintly in the sunlight as it glanced around nervously, alert for any signs of danger.
Ali studied the creature for a moment before leaning toward Drogath. "I don't see any Krath," he whispered, "but they've got to be nearby. This is the only water source in the area, and they'd know prey would come here. I've got an idea."
"What are you planning?" Drogath asked, his deep voice tinged with curiosity.
"I'm going to hunt that thing down there and use it as bait," Ali replied.
Drogath frowned. "How are you going to get close enough without scaring it off?"
Ali smirked faintly. "It won't see me coming."
With that, he descended the dune, moving with a level of precision and stealth that left Drogath watching in awe. Ali picked up a small rock and tossed it skilfully into the distance, causing the creature to startle and glance toward the noise. When it saw nothing, it returned to drinking.
Ali repeated this trick several times, each throw distracting the animal long enough for him to inch closer. His movements were silent, his footsteps so light they barely disturbed the sand.
When he was only a few meters away, black veins began to creep up his right arm, pulsing with strength. 'I don't know how tough its hide is,' Ali thought, steeling himself. 'Better to go all out!'
With explosive force, he launched himself forward, his superhuman strength propelling him across the remaining distance in an instant. The animal barely had time to react before Ali's hand drove into its neck.
The creature let out a strangled cry, blood gushing from its throat as it staggered away. It ran only a short distance before collapsing, its lifeblood staining the red sands beneath it.
Ali signalled Drogath to join him, and the larger acolyte quickly descended the hill.
He hefted the dead animal with ease, carrying it back to the oasis and laying it down near the water's edge.
"That was incredible," Drogath said, his tone filled with genuine admiration.
"You're an extraordinary hunter."
Ali shook his head. "Save the praise. It means nothing if the Krath don't show up."
He crouched beside the carcass, running his fingers along its hide. 'What an incredible creature', he thought. When his hand reached the animal's stomach, he paused. Without hesitation, he pulled the handle from under his clothes.
"What's that?" Drogath asked, taking a step back as Ali activated the weapon. A crimson, muscular-looking blade extended from the hilt.
"My sword," Ali replied simply. "Keep this between us, will you?"
Drogath nodded, leaning closer to inspect the weapon with fascination. Ali used the blade to cut open the animal's belly, spilling its guts onto the sand. The smell of blood and entrails quickly filled the air, wafting across the desert.
After cleaning his hands in the oasis, Ali climbed back up the hill with Drogath. Together, they lay in wait, watching the oasis for any signs of movement.
An hour passed before Ali spotted it: a flash of red swaying above a nearby dune. A Krath tail.
A smirk crossed his face as he nudged Drogath. The creature crept cautiously toward the bait, sniffing the air before letting out a quiet, almost imperceptible howl with it's tail swaying in a weird movement.
Moments later, more red tails appeared over the dune-eight in total. The pack descended upon the carcass, their sharp tails glinting menacingly in the fading sunlight.
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