Worth: A Star Wars Story

39. Legend of the Great Sage

I think I was more impressed at how easily Robin and the other Clones communicated with the Tuskens, but what floored me even more was how readily the Tuskens seemed to speak to Rath. Even with Talen, they had shown a little bit of reticence and treated the rest of us like the outsiders that we were while the boys of the 27th were getting treated like long-lost friends. Whatever they were doing out here, it seems like it was appreciated by the locals.

After a bit, Rath waved me and Robin over and we were soon joined by Talen and the Chief, who was signing almost angrily at Rath at about the time a newcomer Tusken arrived, dressed in a similar black and tan combo to the tribe members that we knew. Upon seieng him, the chief turned and began signing as well, this time adding vocalizations as they spoke. I glanced at Robin, "Big discussion?"

"Angry discussion," he muttered as he adjusted his helmet under his arm and looked over at me. The chieftain of Rr'araka'kkan Canyon here doesn't like what the Reqte Chief has to say." He paused for a moment and watched and listened carefully before turning back to me, "He thinks that the Chief is sending us and his people to die."

"Explain this hierarchy to me," I turned to him and dropped my voice, prompting Robin to nod and do the same. 

"There are three branches of one clan, so to speak. One big tribe made of three. The chieftain at Reqte Plateau is the oldest. Their tribe was the original one that the other two spawned from. He's the most senior voice among the three. This group, the Rr'araka'kkan Canyon Tribe, these guys are considered the weakest, but they have some of the most adept trackers and," he paused and pointed his eyes to Akashem and Red, "the only real Lorekeepers left. The last of them is the Krayt Dunes tribe. They're the ones who make up a bulk of the warriors and the ones who are sticking it to the Hutts. they don't really follow the voice of the chiefs the same way any more. Not after the Chief's son who married into the clan was killed by the Hutts and the Pykes."

"Sounds messy."

"They make it work, or did until that attack killed the Chief's son. Reqte is the only tribe that gets listened to, and since we've been semi-adopted by them, we have a bit more clout than you do," Robin elbowed me with a smirk and I returned the gesture as Rath sighed and turned back to us. "What's up, boss?" I saw Tor snap his head to Robin at the casual address as Rath pulled his arms into his robes and frowned.

"As I expected," Rath looked between us and then to Talen, "the Canyon Chief here doesn't want to commit men to a suicide mission, or so he thinks it'll be. We may be on our own unless the Dunes Chief would be willing to help us."

"What's the plan?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. "Or better yet, why do they want the pearl so badly?"

Rath nodded and gestured for us to follow him into the tent that was usually sued by the chief during the day, and we all took seats on the stiff cushions and bantha hide mats, my whole squad and some of Rath's boys arranging themselves around Rath and Talen in a circle.

"Krayt Clan was said to have been visited long ago by a Jedi who slew a Krayt Dragon and gave them its pearl while looking for something that the Tuskens long since forgot. They call them the "Great Sage", and apparently this Jedi visited them more than once," Rath sat back on his seat as he looked back to us. "Since then, a massive Krayt Dragon has taken up residence in the cave where the last one was slain. The people here believe it to be close to a thousand years old. The pearls are sacred to the Tuskens, but so is that dragon. The shamans of the Reqte clan have found a way to commune with the thing and get it to regurgitate a pearl for them every few hundred years."

"So... They use to Force, right?" Talen asked, leaning forward and locking eyes with Rath, who nodded. "But Krayts are dangerous and their pearls form deep inside of their bodies," Talen shook his head and turned from us to Rath. "How are we supposed to get a pearl without killing the dragon?"