The outskirts of Carkoon, a long-abandoned settlement on the edge of the Dune Sea – Tatooine

Master Sifo-Diaz's transport is parked on a lightly pebbled area on Carkoon's southern border. All that remains of the settlement are cracked and shattered support posts; dry-rotted by Tatooine's twin suns, they lay lightly scattered, peppering the horizon for several kilometers. Mounds of packed earth scarcely more than half a meter high are what remain of structures along the sides of barely noticeable, wind-ravaged streets.

From the transport, two sets of tracks lead south-by-southwestwardly upon sand, following the edge of Tatooine's dune sea. The footprints are being slowly erased by occasional gusts of wind, 'whisping' as they blow. An empty water jug has been discarded half-way down the route the footsteps take. The path leads to a pair of teen Jedi, belly-flopped upon a steeply arched dune. They are looking down into a wide and shallow valley and across to the other side.

There, on the other side of the valley against a rocky backdrop, Obi-Wan can make out Carkoon's old iron foundry through a powered binocular unit. Painted bright red in its heyday, the dome-topped structure has been sand-blasted to the same burnt orange color of the rocky terrain around it. One of its minarets leans slightly to the left; a smoke-stack has been sheared to half its former size.

"What can you see? Let me have a look… Ben"

"Oh – so now it's Ben? Mm Skywalker? Interesting that you should take such a liking to me now – tell me you don't like me solely for my binoculars," responds Obi-Wan with an expression of noticeable satisfaction. "Here – have a look for yourself."

Obi-Wan hands Anakin the binoculars.

"Notice anything out of the ordinary?" asks Obi-Wan.

"Nothing but that huge Huttian cruiser, freighter, and accompanying skiffs," responds Anakin, his eyes still glued to the binoculars. "But what are Hutts doing here? It's not like Tatooine's rich in resources…"

"Indeed. The wealthiest among us all work at the academy, or import goods from other planets. The Masters will be quite interested to know…."

Obi-Wan is interrupted by the distant sound of a Republic Shuttle approaching from the west. They hurriedly bury as much as they can of themselves and lay flat; their garments blending well against the sand. They are motionless and calm; both of them relaxing and slowing their breath. The shuttle passes over them and heads toward the foundry.

Then they feel it. A huge life-form that has suddenly appeared behind them; a traveling bulge of sand beneath the dunes whose Force signature, weak thought it may be, leaves no doubt. They leap to their feet, turning to face their foe.

Now in front of them, a Greater Krayt Dragon arches its neck to lift its head out of the dunes. The monster is dripping sand; it opens its jaws with a hiss, bears its fangs and flares its nostrils. Its eyes glow with a sickly yellow that hides its pupils. The beast pulls itself to the surface with minimal effort, revealing five rows of legs and innumerable claws. It screeches and stares at each Jedi in turn, not immediately sure which to kill first.

"Ben, I've got him, you get back," states Anakin without taking his eyes off the dragon.

"Well you are the one with the light saber... but don't light it until you're ready to strike… and keep your eyes on its teeth, don't stare into its eyes," responds Obi-Wan, while taking a slow, measured step away from Anakin.

"Step behind me, blast it, then the light saber will be between him and the both of us."

Then, unexpectedly, an unseen grizzled voice addresses them:

"Behind you, beside you…. You boys can't seem to agree. Me neither. Should I kill you for your light saber (thank you, by the way, for the heads up) or take you to yonder foundry?"

A figure in spiked armor reveals himself to the pair from behind the beast. Long dragon bones, sharpened to a fine point extend from his elbows, knees and pauldrons. Beneath his bone armor, he is wrapped in beige, desert-stained cloth. Chain mail is visible between the folds and through the holes. He lowers a brown bandana and lifts a pair of slotted desert goggles to reveal his face. Bleach white hair blows in the wind.

Anakin lights the saber. The dragon's gaze is fixed upon the weapon.

"Yes, I have a light saber, and I must warn you: I know how to use it, and I know who you are, Shiniku" states Anakin as calmly as he can.

"Oh I don't doubt that; it is on, after all… and I'm honored that you know of me…but how well you know how to use it is... most likely, up for debate. No? But never mind. Surely you don't think I survive out here on the Dune Sea, riding Krayt Dragons (a female one, mind you,) taming Rancors, eating womp rats by taking chances? Do you?"

Shiniku reaches behind his lower back with both arms and pulls out two blasters in an instant. Anakin takes a step forward, but is kept at bay by a snap of the dragon's jaws.

"Now… slowly… I repeat: slowly step away from each other. Turn that thing off, and keep your hands at your sides, both of you."

"Harm us, and our masters will not look kindly upon…" starts Obi-Wan.

Without warning the spiked figure pulls both triggers and shoots the Jedi. The blasters set to 'stun,' the Jedi fall unconscious but unharmed.

"Never give a Jedi time to talk, eh? Jakasta?" states Shiniku , petting the dragon between the nostrils. He picks up the light saber, tests its weight in his hand briefly and then lights it. "Time to find out just how deep our friend's pockets go, wouldn't you say?"

He figure-8's the weapon in front of him with a whirr.

"Nice – very nice."

He turns the light saber off, clips it to his belt and wraps the Jedi with a large net and binds them with rope. The dragon lifts the netted Jedi; they dangle in the air, still unconscious. Shiniku hops on its back.

"Let's go girl…tisssk tick"

The dragon heads down into the valley, towards the foundry.