Our arrival on Tatooine went nothing like we planned. Landing in the archaeologists' camp zone, we found only chaos, destruction, and dug-up ruins.
"Hm… welcome," Des muttered, stepping onto the planet first.
"'Crowded,'" I said dryly, standing next to him and exchanging a look with my partner.
"Shebs," Warren swore, stepping forward with a shotgun ready.
"Where is everyone?!"
"We'll find out now…"
"Shade, can you feel anyone with your magic?"
"Not a soul."
Spreading out, we combed the area for clues. Though there were plenty of "clues"—just nothing specific.
"Doesn't look like there was a fight," Kaut noted, picking up a datapad and brushing sand off it as he read. "Excavation reports… find logs… nothing special."
"Maybe the Tuskens had some fun?" Zeronis suggested.
"Doesn't look like it," Warren shook his head.
"What if we're too late? They warned us about competitors."
"And why would someone hide the bodies?" I turned to Zeronis.
"Good question."
"So what the Hutt are we supposed to do now?" Des kicked a piece of metal lying in the sand.
"I hate surprises," Kaut exhaled.
"I know the feeling," I smirked.
"Des, check the dig site."
The Mandalorian silently went to carry out the order.
"I think they left. The ship's gone," Zeronis offered.
"Without warning?"
"Well, who knows—maybe they got bought off."
"Unlikely. That Muun and Bith could outbid anyone, and if needed they could dig it out of the ground. Something else happened here," I shook my head, carefully scanning with the Force. Noticing a large piece of metal sticking out of the sand, I walked to it.
"What do you think happened?" Warren asked.
"I think…" I kicked the metal, used the Force to check the sand, then stepped back and lifted the metal out, guiding it with my hand. "… that the archaeologists got eaten a little," I finished, looking at the gnawed ship part.
"…"
"Shebs."
"Nothing at the dig," Des reported. "Sand, ruins, equipment. The map is missing too."
"Bad."
"Guys, it's not all bad. Look," Kaut called out. I released control and let the metal drop onto the sand. Kaut stood by empty, broken speeder maintenance terminals. "Maybe there are survivors?"
"We need to fly to the nearest settlement. If they survived, people there will know at least something," Warren concluded. "Back to the ship."
Returning to the vessel, we flew to the nearest settlement—Mos Entha. A small village built in a circle and surrounded by defensive transmitters that scared away wildlife. In the center, it seemed, mining equipment had once stood.
Low houses made of sandstone—I'd even call them dugouts, since most of the structures went under the sand. Landing right in the center, we disembarked.
"Well, look at that… they're meeting us," Kaut noted.
"And you think they get visitors often?" Des turned to him.
"Fair."
Stepping forward, Warren addressed one of the locals, asking where the cantina was—or something like it. There wasn't one, but we didn't need it. The people we were looking for ran out to meet us themselves, almost with open arms. A couple humans and a Quarren.
"You came!" someone shouted.
"Looks like we found them," I muttered.
"Finally."
"Where's the artifact?" Warren asked immediately.
"It… it got eaten by a krayt dragon."
"What?"
It really was—what?!
"It's true," the Quarren added.
We looked at each other.
"All right… everyone aboard, you'll explain what happened there."
Escorting the survivors onto the ship, we seated them in the common area.
"Talk," Warren demanded. Leaning against the wall by the entrance, I kept an eye on the hatch and the survivors.
"After we found the map, we immediately reported it to headquarters. We were warned that someone would come for it soon, but we didn't know the map would draw a krayt dragon's attention. It was completely unexpected—the beast just appeared and attacked us. Out of the whole group, we're the only ones who survived. Our ship now lies torn apart in the sands, and the map is inside the beast."
"…"
"He's not lying," I commented, folding my arms.
"You sure?"
"I can feel lies, Warren. He's telling the truth."
"So our money is definitely crying now…" Kaut sighed.
"We need to warn the employer."
"And what about us? Will you take us back to Alderaan?" one of them asked.
"Are we your taxi?"
"But… aren't you going to take us?"
"We weren't given orders about you."
"We… we'll pay. Upon arrival—we need to cash funds. One thousand from each. Deal?"
"Tch." Warren waved it off, dialing the employer on his comm. "Des, take them to an empty cabin."
"Follow me, gentlemen."
"Thank you! Thank you… we thought we were stuck here. There's not even comms…" the man babbled, but after Warren's silent look he hurried away.
Seeing the rescued off, I turned to the blinking holoprojector. A few seconds—and a Muun's image appeared above Warren's hand.
"I'm listening."
"Hego Damask, we have bad news," Warren said. The Muun raised an eyebrow. "Your archaeologist team became food for a local krayt dragon. And the map we were supposed to extract. I'll send camera footage—this is what's left of their camp."
"Hm…"
"We have three survivors aboard. What are your instructions regarding them?"
"Only three?"
"Yes."
"A pity… Return them to Alderaan, Warren."
"Understood. About the contract… do we close it?"
"You may close it," the Muun said thoughtfully, folding his hands. "Or you may continue. If you find and kill this krayt dragon, I'll double your fee."
"That… changes things. But Hego Damask, you understand we won't take responsibility for the map?"
"We need that map, Warren. Even broken—any condition—but bring it here. At minimum, I need proof that the map has been destroyed and did not fall… into the wrong hands. Payment upon completion."
"Understood. We'll try to find the beast."
"I'm glad we've come to an understanding. I expect good news," the Muun said, and disconnected.
"How un-talkative he is," I snorted. "Must be trouble."
"Muuns don't have trouble," Kaut commented.
"Why not?"
"Because if a problem can be solved with money, it isn't a problem—just expenses. And Muuns have a lot of money, and working for them is always profitable."
"Better tell me what we're going to do," I said, shifting my gaze from one Mandalorian to another. "A krayt dragon isn't something you just take lightly—"
"We'll do the job," Warren cut in. "A krayt dragon is a beast, and even the most dangerous beast won't be more dangerous than a sapient."
"So what did I miss?" Des came out to us.
"We've got a new job."
"What kind?"
"We're going to kill a krayt dragon."
"Uh… uh-uh-uh?"
"Yes, Des."
"I'll go prep the heavy rockets…" Zeronis left us.
"Okay, killing it is one thing… how do we find it?" Kaut asked.
"While we were flying here, I read about them," I tapped the front of my helmet thoughtfully. "Krayt dragons are creatures that guard their territory. The archaeologists were intruders—that's why it attacked."
"Yeah, and what's its hunting territory?"
"About fifty kilometers… squared."
"You're kidding?!"
"Yeah… that's a bit much," Des took off his helmet and looked first at me, then at Warren.
"That's the maximum. Usually it's less. Depends on the dragon's size. If it's small—up to five meters—then the territory is smaller too. At least so a bigger one won't eat it."
"And how are you going to determine size?"
"We've got three witnesses," I pointed at the corridor where the survivors had been taken.
"Hm."
"By the way—can the ship's scanners find it?"
"In theory—yes, but the search zone is very limited. And if it moves, it's pointless."
"Well, I could try to look for it with the Force, but… the area really is too big."
"Tuskens live alongside these beasts. Finding them should be easier—we could try to… negotiate."
"With Tuskens?" Warren уточнил. "With money?!"
"No, you didn't get it. They don't need money, but you can toss them meat with spices. Besides, it won't hurt us."
"Unlikely. More likely they'll try to take it."
"There's another option," I cut in.
"What?" all eyes turned to me.
"We could return to the dig site, as a guaranteed place within its range, and there I could try to lure it."
"How?"
"With myself, Des. With the Force. If it doesn't work, we'll go look for Tuskens."
"Fine, assume we find it. How do we hit it?"
"With the heaviest thing we've got," I knocked my fist against the ship's wall. "You and Des stay aboard and wait for the command to strike. Me, Kaut, and Zeronis go down."
"The guys will be thrilled," Des chuckled.
"Decided. We work as you suggested. If not, we'll try the Tuskens, but I haven't heard of anyone being able to negotiate with them."
"That's why, if it comes to that, I'll do the talking. I can always negotiate," I added importantly.
That settled it. Zeronis and Kaut really were "thrilled" by the idea, but didn't argue. Both swapped the rockets built into their jetpacks from fragmentation to baradium. And those are the kind you usually use against armored vehicles…
"Good. Better safe," I thought, swapping my rocket too. Like they say: trust the Force, but don't screw up.
Questioning the locals, we learned that yes, there really was a krayt dragon prowling the area, and not just one. The survivors were able to describe the approximate size, impressive but not overly so—only a little smaller than our starship, whereas they can reach larger sizes.
With those inputs, we went back to the dig site. Not landing the ship, me, Kaut, and Zeronis jumped out of the side hatch. After landing, I told the guys to stay alert, while I sat in the sand and sank into meditation.
The beast had to be provoked, but with so much space, I could either fail to reach it—or attract everything crawling out here.
"You going to be long?" Kaut asked, shifting his heavy blaster rifle into a more comfortable hold.
"Just wait. I need time."
Cutting myself off from the world, I sent waves of the Force through the sand. As I sank deeper, the waves grew stronger and covered larger distances. There was only one feeling embedded in them: irritation. A nagging irritation that makes living impossible, and yet you can't get rid of it.
Even the guys started giving me looks; at the epicenter the pressure was such that after half an hour they wanted to punch me in the face just to make it stop.
"Maybe screw this?" Kaut turned to Zeronis. "My head is splitting."
"Mine too. Shade, you long?"
"Wait."
"Maybe we wait off to the side?"
I didn't answer—I just clenched my teeth. Working as a transmitter on this scale is hard. But twenty minutes later, it worked.
"It's close," I opened my eyes, surfacing from meditation.
"Ugh… instantly better," Zeronis exhaled with relief.
"Where's the target?"
"There," I nodded toward the approaching presence and rose from the sand. "And also—there's a dark-side stench on it. That's the one we're looking for."
"How are you so sure?"
"Rakatan technology is very specific."
"Got it."
We got ready, armed the detonators, and simply waited for it to come closer. Sand rose, the ground trembled—the monster was literally tearing toward the source of negativity. I could feel its hunger to destroy the irritant against my back.
"Warren, come in. Launch. Target is approaching."
"Copy."
To push it further, I stretched a hand toward it and deliberately enraged it even more. The krayt dragon reacted instantly. It burst out of the sand and ran toward us on four legs.
"Dibs on the skull," Kaut lowered his helmet sensor and took the lizard into his sights.
"You can saw it off yourself," I took the swords off my belt.
The krayt dragon rushing us most of all resembled a gigantic horned lizard with mobile spines on its body—used to move beneath the sand. If it also breathed fire, it would count as a fairly traditional dragon in my understanding.
Lowering my own sight, I acquired the target for a rocket.
"Locked?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Launch."
Three rockets streaked into the sky like candles and, correcting their trajectories, struck the beast dead-on.
Three flashes. Three booms rolled over the desert, kicking up an entire cloud of dust and sand.
"Hm… seems dead," I commented, feeling its life-force fading.
"You sure? They're very tough."
"We'll check. Let's go."
Activating our jetpacks, we flew to the wounded beast. By the time we got there, the sand had settled and the dust dispersed. Baradium rockets are a serious argument you can't ignore. Three clear blast marks, torn scales, shattered spine—yet even so, the animal was still breathing. What an… interesting little monster.
"Shade, if you're cutting, cut me a head too, all right?"
"Why do you even need it?!"
"I'll hang it over the hearth back in the clan."
"Fine."
Then Warren and Des flew in. Despite victory, the guys didn't hurry to land—and that was the right call.
"Back!" I shouted, springing away—and not for nothing. A tail strike slammed into the spot where I'd been standing.
"I told you they're tough!" Des yelled, opening fire straight into the beast's open wounds.
Gathering itself and rising onto its legs, the beast tried to reach Zeronis, but couldn't. I locked it with the Force. Warren and Des didn't stare at the sky; they immediately opened fire from the lower hemisphere, shredding the entire flank.
"Cease fire. Target down."
The fire stopped at once, and I dropped the dragon into the sand.
"There. Now it's dead for sure."
"Less talking, more doing. Get that map out and let's get out of here," Zeronis grumbled.
Approaching the belly, guided by the Force, I cut myself a path and then pulled from the stomach—
"Well, well," I said, thoughtfully examining a pearl about eight centimeters across.
"Oh! Dragon pearl," Kaut perked up immediately.
Handing the stone to the Mandalorian, I pulled out another one—larger. Then a couple more, though these were small. After them, I pulled out the fragments of the star map. Though… calling them fragments was an exaggeration. Yes, the device and projector were destroyed, but the sphere—the storage core—looked intact.
"Shade, what've you got?" Warren asked over comms as I examined the artifact radiating the dark side of the Force.
"The client will be satisfied. The main storage is intact, and that's what matters."
"Then get aboard fast. We've detected two unknown ships heading your way."
We froze and exchanged looks. Without a word, we quickly packed the finds and, firing our jetpacks, rose back into the ship's side hatch. Job done—time to leave.
"Who's coming?" I asked Warren as he was already bringing the ship onto a hypercorridor.
"One we couldn't ID. The other is Jedi Order."
"Small galaxy," I sighed.
***
On our return to Alderaan, we were met again, but this time there was an armored vehicle and a group of armed people I didn't recognize. Clearly not mercenaries; identical uniforms suggested some major military organization.
"Anyone know who those types are?"
"Muun Security Forces," Warren commented.
Going down to them, we handed over both the cargo and the passengers, then followed the servants who led us back into that same negotiation hall. The Muun and the Bith were already seated.
"Hego Damask, Rugess Nome. Your assignment has been completed. The main storage core is undamaged and has been transferred to your people as agreed," Warren reported, not rushing to sit in the offered seat.
"Very good. Your payment." The Muun placed a small transparent box with credit chips, five thousand each, on the table. "One hundred fifty thousand. You may check it."
Warren took the box, examined it, and nodded.
"Do not hurry to leave, please. Sit down."
"Something else?"
"Not quite. I simply wish to clarify whether there were any other problems besides those you already mentioned."
"No. But when we left the system, two ships were rushing toward the dig site. One belonged to the Jedi Order."
"Did you make contact?"
"No. Only saw them from afar."
"Good… very good."
"Anything else?"
"Yes. Pshhh. Since you killed the krayt dragon, pshhh, you should have its pearl. Pshhh. Correct?"
"Yes."
"I can buy it. Pshhh. Are you interested?"
"You bet. But it's on the ship… should I go get it?" Kaut looked at Warren, and Warren redirected the question to the Bith.
"Pshhh. Preferably."
"While we wait, would you like something to drink?" Damask suddenly offered.
"No, thank you."
"As you wish. I'll have a snack," the Muun waved a hand, and servants almost immediately brought him a cup with a brewed drink and some kind of pastry. "Are you sure you don't want any?"
"No."
We sat in silence, watching the Muun eat pastry with tea. Meanwhile the Bith kept drilling me with his gaze.
"Pshhh… you are all Mandalorians, correct?" he asked suddenly, gesturing toward the men and lowering his hand before it reached me.
"Yes," Warren answered.
"Pshhh… may I ask, and you… pshhh… are you also a Mandalorian?" the Bith stared at me.
"What do you think?"
"Pshhh… do not take it as rudeness… pshhh, but someone like you stands out… pshhh… even among Mandalorians. Pshhh… therefore I do not know what to think."
"And what are you getting at?"
"About you… pshhh… unlike your friends, absolutely nothing is known. Pshhh… and if in their case we know whom we are hiring, then you…" Nome trailed off meaningfully, implying he couldn't dig up anything on me.
"When you issued the assignment, nobody was bothered."
"Quite right… pshhh… but for further fruitful cooperation… pshhh… it would be desirable to know whom we are hiring. Pshhh… or am I wrong?"
"You're right. But everything you need to know about me, you already know."
"And what is that?" the Muun inquired.
"That I'm a member of this unit, and you may address me as 'Wizard.' That's enough."
But the Bith wouldn't let it go. While Kaut was fetching the pearl, Nome tried every excuse to pry at least some information out of me. Well… good luck to him. Honestly, it just amused me. I even felt like tugging the tiger's whiskers, but held back.
When Kaut returned, the conversation turned businesslike again. The Muun immediately appraised the pearls and offered forty, forty-five, and sixty thousand for the pearls. We didn't haggle or argue; we just took the money, adding another one hundred forty-five thousand to the group funds.
Right after that we said goodbye to our employers and preferred to leave.
"Two hundred ninety thousand… two hundred ninety thousand…" Kaut kept repeating. "I told you—we're doing the wrong thing!"
"Seriously, Warren," I turned to him, "I felt your напряжение. What's wrong?"
"They're paying too much," he shook his head. "I know the pearl prices, and I roughly understand the overall value of our find. The Muun overpaid, but I don't understand why."
"What does it matter? Money is money."
"There's a danger that next time instead of payment, we get a shot to the back of the head," Zeronis answered.
"They won't dare. Muuns often hire Mandalorians," Des cut in. "For something like that, the clans would at minimum refuse to take their contracts, and they won't want to lose specialists like this. Besides, we follow contracts strictly; that reputation precedes us. And that we won't leak conditions is also fact. But trying to eliminate a 'witness' can cause huge trouble, especially from the witness himself. In the end, it's simply unprofitable."
"They don't care, Des," I disagreed. "These aren't xenos you can joke with."
"Then it's very good that we are not joking," Warren said, final as a blade.
"Where to now?"
"Tython?" I looked at Warren.
"Yes. We'll stop somewhere on the way to transfer funds home, and then—Tython."
"How much do you tithe to the clan per job?"
"Minimum ten percent, and after that—however much you don't mind. There's no strict rule. You can send everything."
"Got it."
Since Alderaan wasn't exactly happy to have us, we preferred to get away quickly. On our way into the Core, we stopped by Tepasi, a relatively small Inner Rim planet, and in the spaceport we arranged the transfer of funds back home. Then, after restocking supplies, we continued.
"Shade," Warren addressed me while we were in hyperspace.
"Yes?"
"We're entering the Core Worlds."
"And?"
"Mercenaries are seen here about as often as grass in the desert. I don't want to deal with security services and explain what we're doing here, so as soon as we drop out of hyperspace, take the controls and get us out."
"Understood."
So when the ship dropped into the Empress Teta system, I was already in the cockpit and, taking control from Des, guided the vessel into what looked to me like an open window leading home.
A smile formed on my lips by itself. The thought that I was flying home couldn't help but warm the soul, but I tried to keep myself in check. The Mandalorians smirked knowingly, but didn't comment. Everything was clear without words. It doesn't feel real… it just doesn't. Is it really true? Am I really flying… home?
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: patreon.com/Granulan