Inevitable {Tech}

Chapter Four: Back In Action

"First we need to find some Jawas, any Jawas," Cass thought aloud. "Jawas love nothing more than a good deal. I say we barter with them for information. I'm sure word of two clones being up for sale is bound to spread quickly."

"So we are going to negotiate?" Wrecker shivered at the word and looked down in disappointment. "We aren't gonna get to blow something up?"

"Sorry Wrecker, but I agree with her on this one," Echo patted his back. "I say we let the negotiator negotiate."

Hunter and Tech nodded in agreement, and Crosshair didn't argue which meant he complied with the plan.

"Crosshair, can you pick up any heat signatures from here?" Cass asked.

Crosshair lowered his side visor and began scoping for anything in the distance.

"Nothing but a couple of Banthas this way, but maybe," he turned towards a large valley up ahead. "Wait. There's lots of signatures in that cave within the valley. I think we could find someone there, hopefully some Jawas."

"Great. The sand seems to have mostly cleared so let's get moving before another storm hits," Hunter instructed and began leading the group into the valley.

"Move out everyone," Echo repeated after Hunter.

With Crosshair now at the front of the squad with Hunter, he continued to follow the signatures further and further into the valley. Sand people looked down from the top of the mountains, and womp rats scattered from the shadows. Large winged reptilians hovered above them, causing Wrecker to watch them carefully.

"They're just Perlek, Wrecker," Cass called out reassuringly.

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" Wrecker threw his hands up in defeat and kept his eyes to the sky.

Cass and Tech held back laughs together at Wrecker's frustration, clumsily bumping shoulders as they walked on the gravelly terrain.

"What she means by that is Perleks are scavengers," Tech added, looking over at Cass, then back to his brother. "They do want to eat us but they'll wait until something else kills us first."

"That's not very reassuring," Wrecker groaned.

"But you can handle anything Wrecker! I heard you cut off the stinger of a Yalbec queen," Cass run up beside Wrecker and patted his arm. "That's not an easy feat."

Wrecker smiled and mashed his knuckles together. "Yeah!" he yelled excitedly. "Come and get me!" he pointed his gun up to the sky where the animals were still circling.

"Woah woah big guy, maybe not now, we still have a mission remember?" she laughed.

"Right," he sighed and slumped his shoulders.

"Wrecker, why don't you-" Tech began before Cass held a hand behind her and stopped him, her palm landing on his chest.

Tech immediately looked to her and scanned for what she was sensing. Hunter seemed to have felt something in the air because almost simultaneously, he held his fist up and stopped everyone behind him. The walls of rock on either side of them rumbled, little pieces of sand vibrated along the ground.

"Get down!" Cass yelled, doing so moments before a giant creature leaped from above and swung its claws at the squad. The green reptile slammed against the dry wall, instantly trying to get back up for a second attack.

"What is that thing?" Crosshair yelled.

"Scyk lizard!" Cass and Tech answered hurriedly.

Wrecker, now with his confidence up, drew his blaster and began firing. To his surprise, the blaster fire bounced off the scales and ricocheted into the rocks.