[Solved] The First Score: Coming of Age on Trandosha

This entry has earned 12XP (x2 LTC)

The First Score: Coming of Age on Trandosha

Jaga and his older cousin Nachkt stalked through the tough spike grass of the Trandosha pride lands. The pair tread lightly without the usual weight of heavy blaster rifles burdening their steps. 

"Sssst," hissed Nachkt quietly to get Jaga's attention. "Look at this." He pointed with one of his long claws at a slightly bruised thorn on a bush at his feet. "This could be it - I think these are gnathgrg rubbings."

Jaga looked around furtively, then hunched down to get a closer look. He missed his rifle - he felt exposed, weak, vulnerable - even if he knew his first score would never be counted if he used a rifle. This was the jagannath kur, the sacred ritual hunt that marked the passing from worm to adult. Even if no hunter were to see a kill by blaster, The Scorekeeper would know and a black mark would haunt Jaga for the rest of his days and into the afterlife, too.

"I think you're right," he said, rising to resume the chase. They had been searching for a gnathgrg for several days through the predator's territorial range. They thought they'd been close two days prior - the distinctive diseased scent had wafted toward them but from the far side of ravine they couldn't cross. Now, finally, they might be near.

Jaga scratched at a patch of dry scales, then resumed the lead again; this was a change to their usual practice forced by an encounter with a womp rat that had injured Nachkt's leg. Jaga would never have admitted it, but having to lead added to his sense of unease.

Still there was nothing to it, but to continue. This hunt would either set him on a path to greatness as one of the proud Trandoshan hunters - or consign him to a life of shame; if it came to that, better to slink off to one of the Saurin colony worlds as a dish washer than remain in his village.    

Not more than an hour later, Nachkt hissed again. He gestured at the ground, but Jaga could see nothing that indicated tracks. From the pained breathing, he guessed his hunt-mate needed a break more than anything.

Jaga indulged him, and examined what looked like a juvenile sarlacc. Pitiful little teeth pulsed as it tried to ingest a bug of some sort. Jaga raised his knife, but it hardly seemed worth killing the critter at this age; better to leave it and claim a meaningful trophy later. 

His back turned to Nachkt, the young Trandoshan heard a sickening clicking sound - it reminded him of 'doshan claws tapping a rifle. A gnathgrg! Jaga spun, just in time to see a red carapace scuttle over some nearby rocks and a creature leap for Nachkt. It had bulbous black eyes and rows of jagged teeth but no sound leaked out of its agape jaw.

Jaga saw Nachkt raise his own blade defensively and try to roll to the side. His wounded leg, however, slowed him; the red gnathgrg landed heavily on his chest, furiously clawing at the hunter's face. 

Jaga leapt without hesitation. He clattered into the creature’s hind pincers, dislodging it from cousin's body. The Trandoshans screamed - Jaga's scream with bloodlust; Nachkt's scream just with blood. The gnathgrg rebounded and came at the hunters again.

This time, with the cousins standing shoulder to shoulder, the fight took on a different feel. It was like being back on the sparring pits, facing down their older, heavier, uglier brothers.

"For the Keeper", they screamed in unison, running toward their prey. Jaga went high; Nachkt low. Jaga took a ragged jagged cut to his cheek but managed to jam his knife through a joint in the carapace. Nachkt had more luck, carving a long slice through the creature under-shell. 

Two more passes and all three combatants bled and oozed. Finally, the gnathgrg had found its voice, a horrid and wet growl that - rather than intimidating Jaga - told him the beast was bleeding into its lungs.

Wiping a stinging mix of sweat and blood from his eye, he inclined his head to Nachkt. "Let's finish it. Tonight, we dine as true Dosh hunters." 

Nachkt grunted, then stepped forward. The gnathgrg leapt, again. The older cousin swung, again. Jaga stabbed, again. Scales and carapace cracked, again. Body fluids leaked, again.

With a feral cry, Jaga at last raised the gnathgrg's severed head high in triumph. Turning to his cousin, he saw the older hunter staring up at him, his arm mangled and bleeding profusely.

Jaga laughed; laughed hard. 

"What the kriff are you laughing for?" forced out the injured Trandoshan.

"We did it! And I tell you what - the gnathgrg won't be so lucky as you are with your arm. No way this is growing back!" He shook their prey's head at Nachkt.

"Not funny," Nachkt winced again through the pain.

“You know, that arm’ll grow back faster if I cut it off nice and clean for you…”

“You don't get another score for taking my arm!" he retorted, but this time at least his voice sounded stronger and prouder - like a true Trandoshan warrior!

Build notes

From left to right: the gnathgrg, Jaga, Nachkt

This is my first entry for the creature LTC. Hope you enjoy the helmet/mouth combination of the main creature, and I've been wanting to try a micro sarlacc for a while!

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed.