Barabel

[Narration of Arla's quest to get the Barab Ingot. Imagine the clone wars intro voice that gives a recap or summary of events in the show.]

During the time Bido was hunting down the Shaper in golem form and returning to her; Arla had infiltrated the town she was dropped at. Due to the radiation all the Barabel were asleep underground. However, some were already waking up as the sun was already going down. Arla only needed to wait another local half hour before darkness took over and the radiation was gone from the world. The swamplands of the planet have evolved in such a way that radiation is dissipated or absorbed quickly when the sun goes down. Allowing the fauna of the world to come to the surface in the swamplands.

Arla stalked the town, looking for a Barabel of status who had the Barab Ingot. She went to most obvious place one could be. Where all the important people congregate at. She followed the ones with the nicest clothes, best jewelry, best weapons, all to an eating establishment. Once there, she spotted a target. A scarred Barabel with a necklace that had a Barab Ingot hanging from it. The Barabel also had two swords made from animal claws. Arla could only suspect they were the claws of a Durgolosk. As she knows of no other creature big enough to make their claws into swords.

Arla knew that this Barabel was strong from her initial impression of him. She was tempted to barge in and call him a shorttail, but refrained.

As she thought, "Let the warrior eat his last meal."

A local hour later, the Barabel came out energized and not alone. This did not deter Arla though. She jumped down and uncloaked. Revealing herself in her techno-armor. As the Barabel are isolationist, they had no idea who she could be. Not a single clue. They were just bewildered.

Until Arla pointed a finger at the Barabel with a Barab Ingot necklace and said in their language, "Shorttail, duel me!"

The Barabel was immediately enraged. A shorttail is the greatest insult to be thrown around with them.

"Gladly!", the Barabel hissed out. He was not much shorter than Arla. Arla only had 1ft(0.30 m) height advantage on the Barabel warrior. As he was a little big for his species.

The Barabel took out his twin swords and ran at Arla. As for Arla, she took out an unexpected weapon.

As during her times training with Bido, she never felt that the normal weapons really fit her. She knew that her fine control with the Force made her a lethal shuriken thrower and sought to incorporate it in a melee weapon. Which she couldn't do with the normal swords, glaives, staffs, and spears.

Hence, she created her own weapon. The bladed whip. A longer than usual whip made with razor sharp blades. She had been using it ever since its creation. Arla loved the weapon as it allowed to use her strong points. As she could control the whip's direction with the Force. Allowing for the shortcomings of a whip weapon to be mostly nullified. As well as sinister attacks from a life-like whip.

When she took it out in battle, the Barabel was perplexed by the weapon. His perplexity soon turned to focus as he dodged the first whip strike. Which whipped towards him seemingly by itself. Through his honed battle instincts, he was able to dodge again and put distance between them. The scale on his chest, having a new scar on them. Not a permanent one though as the attack did not get through the scale nor tear out a chunk of flesh.

The Barabel quickly resolved itself to endure. His species are not known for cowardice nor aversion to pain and blood. He dashed at Arla again. However, instead of fully dodging he took the hits and trusted that his scale would hold up if he rolled with the punches.

He shed blood, but managed to get within striking distance of Arla. Who was impressed. A wristblade from her left arm shot out to block the sword attacks. Which were ferocious, relentless but artful. Arla was even forced to dodge, as her armor was vulnerable to his swords to her surprise.

She leapt back and threw manipulated shuriken at him. He rushed her and took them head on taking the hits in a fury. Arla finally caught a break and was able to wrap her whip around a leg. Before she could tighten the hold, the Barable stabbed his swords into the ground between the whip and his leg. This stopped his leg from being truly caught.

He then raised his leg and picked up his swords again. He was then hit across the face with the whip, making him hiss. He still did not stop moving and remained unfazed despite his now bloody face. Arla stopped going on the defensive and instead bypassed the swords with her wristblades, shoulder charging the Barabel. Before the Barabel was completely away from her, she attached a shock mine to his chest.

The Barabel was too slow to rip it off and he was shocked. If it was a non-lethal shock mine, he would not be affected sue to his scales. However, this shock mine is a lethal one. Which means the Barabel could not help but be shocked still. Although it would not kill him. Arla took this chance to fully wrap her whip around the Barabel's neck. Then violently pulled, cutting off the head.

The surrounding Barabel that had gathered to watch the duel were excited by the fight and "cheering" when it came to an end. They are naturally bloodthirsty after all, and do not mind such events as they are a bit common. Usually not resulting in death as it is mostly a dominance thing, but they're not complaining when it does. A result of being driven by instinct mostly.

Arla then walked over and took her prize. The head, and the Barab Ingot. In front of all the Barabel eyes, she cloaks herself again and makes way out of the town.

[End of Narration, Back to Bido 1st person POV]

On my way back to Arla. I decided to make a stop to find a Durgolosk. As it was about to be night soon.

I put the ship in a cloaked hover above an area I had a good feeling would have a Durgolosk. I got off and waited the short time it took for night to reign. When night did overtake the day, I felt a great hunger nearby. The Durgolosk has a reputation for eating anything and everything in its path if it is made of meat. Its stomach is never full and its hunger is only quelled by the rising sun. The hunger of the beast is so great, that I can feel it in the Force. Even though everything on this planet eats a lot, even Barabel, the Durgolosk is a different level as the apex predator.

Which made it easy for me to track it down. However, I soon felt it coming towards me. I was far away still, and down-wind. I do not have a clue how it could know I am this way. I just leave the thought for later and simply prepare for its arrival.

I set some mines of various types on the trees along with some tripwire. Which will not do anything fancy but trip the creature.

Soon, I see my prey running through the swamp on its six clawed feet and legs. Its tentacles coming from its short two arms dangling as it ran. Said tentacles were also tipped with poison. A head with six eyes that allow near 360 degree vision. Standing much taller than me, it is basically a dinosaur on steroids.

It eyeballs an tries to run me down in reckless abandon. The dangerous creature is a birdbrain to my advantage. As it trips on my wire and falls on the swampy ground. Then I blow the mines that were around it as I mutter, "Stupid dinosaur."

When the kicked up water, dirt, and wood settles down. The Durgolosk is injured and bloody. However, it stands up all the same. Sensing its hunger that has become even stronger, I can only say that it cares not for pain or injury. It only cares for eating. Everything else does not matter. It limps close enough to use its poison tipped tentacles. I bring out my glaive and cut the tentacles down as they swipe at me.

It then tried to stomp me to death with its claws. I dodge out of the way. Then I lift up the scattered sharp shards of wood with the force. I launch them all into the legs, attempting to immobilize it. The shard went in with difficulty as the beast is tough, but they went in. The durgolosk still did not care and tried its best to use its dysfunctional legs to get itself over to me.

At this point, it is time to put this thing out of its misery. I take out my combi-stick, electrified it with red lightning and threw it into its heart. It did not come out the other side, but the heart is gone. It died unwilling soon after.

Since it was dead, I now needed to get it on the ship. Luckily, my attainments in the Force make this not so tedious. I get the ship over my position and open the bay door. I then use the Force to lift up the carcass and put it in the ship.

As I was about to leave to pick up Arla, a small roar was heard by me. I look at the source, and find a Shenbit Bonecrusher. An armored 2 meter long lizard. Dangerous, but no to me. I raise my hand, make a twisting motion, and the creatures neck is broken. I put it on the ship too.

Now I can go pick up Arla.