"This is Officer Rallen of the Nanairo Planetary Patrol, what happened?"
The red-head stood calmly as a citizen explained, "S-sir, we're just a simple agriculture colony; we were just tending to our crops, when these horrible creatures came and attacked! They destroyed everything with fire and warped the landscape into a barren wasteland. We depend on that produce to survive. Please, help us!"
At the end of the explanation, that same citizen was on his knees, begging. "Alright, alright, I'll check it out!" Rallen sighed.
He pressed some keys on his gauntlet and brought up the comm-system, "Jeena, they have a situation here. Something about creatures burning their food. I'm gonna check it out. Hopefully, it'll just be some rogue Spectrobe or something."
His partner nodded, "Roger that, Rallen. Good luck out there."
He grinned, "Since when have I needed luck? Iku ze!"
That old catchphrase peppered his language once in a while, although, he couldn't remember the last time he had used it with enthusiasm.
Rallen, once a junior member of the Nanairo Planetary Patrol, had risen through the ranks over the years to become a military officer. His partner and long-time friend, Jeena, had become a communications officer, specializing in her abilities with technology.
It had been years since any sort of disturbance had affected the Nanairo system, and it was strange that something like this would appear out of the blue.
At first, the only thing Rallen could think of to explain it were Krawl, but, after he had traveled to Wyterra, hadn't he destroyed all of the Krawl trying to devour the system? Something was very odd, Rallen knew that for sure.
As he trekked through the village, it seemed barren, as if it had been abandoned. Windows were closed, doors were locked, everything and everyone seemed just...
Gone.
Rallen's spine tingled at what could have made all of these people this frightened. A Spectrobe awakening itself was exceedingly rare, but not completely unheard of. Why would an innocent creature destroy entire fields? Corona Spectrobes certainly were not the gentlest of creatures, but, they would never do something as cruel as that. No, this case, as impossible as it seemed, screamed Krawl.
His feet, however, continued to direct him as his mind wandered. Soon enough, he felt his feet touch dusty soil, and looked to see nothing but desert, save purple, striped cracks here and there. He activated the built-in blaster on his arm and kept it at the ready.
There was no mistaking it.
Krawl were here.
Rallen's battle-hardened instincts kicked in automatically. His senses picked up every sight, smell, and sound around him, as if anything and everything could attack him at any moment.
His experience paid off as a patterned, purple tendril shot out above his shoulder, inches from cutting his neck. In an instant, Rallen replaced his blaster with a sword and charged towards his attacker, only to be parried and sent sprawling.
"Rallen..." That voice made his heart freeze. He knew that voice. A giggle resounded across the landscape, "You're still cute when you're mad."
Maja.
"You? How are you still alive? You were trapped in the Krawlosphere!" Rallen stood, weapon at the ready.
A graceful purple figure stepped out from behind a boulder, a cloak covering most of her body, "It was quite simple, really. I escaped."
His red-orange eyes narrowed, "But the Krawlosphere-"
"No matter what you say, Spectrobe Master, I'm here and in plain sight," She sat down on a nearby rock and crossed her legs, "So, what are you planning to do? Stab me with that stick you call a sword? Honestly, I thought you would have gotten smarter over the years."
"The Krawlosphere was destroyed. How are you alive?" His right arm twitched, causing the sword to shimmer. Maja's eyes were drawn to the movement, unimpressed,
"Let's just say I fell out of favour with the Krawl and escaped, and leave it at that," She looked back up at him, "I see you've not changed much at all. So much like him... Yet so unique."
"You're talking about Krux, aren't you?" She nodded.
"Perhaps you aren't so naive after all. He was once huma-"
Rallen cut her off, "I know all about your former leader, and I know that I sent him away, never to terrorize anyone again," Maja raised an eyebrow,
"You didn't do that by yourself. Your little partner, Jeena, was it? She helped you. And you awakened the Ultimate Form. There is no way you could ever do all of that by yourself," Rallen seemingly shrunk at that, not able to come up with a witty comeback.
"You know what? Enough time for talking, you're a Krawl, it's time I do this. Honki de iku ze!" With that he charged toward the purple High Krawl, expecting his sword to make short work of her. What he didn't expect was for her to simply stand up and catch the blade between her hands,
"Honestly, Rallen. It will take more than that to defeat me. I am a High Krawl, after al-"
A deep rumbling cut off her small monologue. Rallen's attentions were drawn to the giant pillar of smoke blooming in the distance, "The cruiser!" He began to run away to check on his ship, when he realized that Maja still clutched his sword.
"Let go!" A deep frown obscured her features, and she ran after him after letting go. From her expression, Rallen guessed that even she didn't know what was going on.
The duo ran past smoldering remains of the village, not pausing to check for survivors, and made it to the landing site. What was left shocked them both: the patrol cruiser that had served Rallen and Jeena for years was now a pile of molten metal.