#karkarodon

[tlmtwelve]

Prompts: Riff Tamson, reading

[snapmite1998]

Summary: Maul tries making more allies within the criminal underworld of Neonara. However, he is less receptive than anticipated, now he, alongside his close ally, Rook Kast, fight to survive.

Title: No Honor, Amongst Thieves

Nightfall was upon the neon, crime infested, and industrial city planet of Neonara. A fierce rainstorm was descending upon the city, forcing those driving their speeders to move faster in the sky lanes to the nearest shelter or back to their domiciles, lest they get drenched.

The smog, thanks to industrial factories producing ships, droids, speeders, and all other kinds of machinery of value, hung thick in the sky, almost giving the planet a second layer of clouds. At the heart of downtown Neonara, there stood a pyramid-like structure belonging to the city's top crime lord—Carcharias, a Karkarodon whose influence ran through the criminal elements of the city, like blood in the veins.

Clad in ebony robes and a hood draped over his head, former Sith Lord, Maul, stood beneath the dripping awning of the pyramid's entrance, his yellow eyes glowing ominously in the darkness. By his side was his fierce Mandalorian commander, as well as his lover, Rook Kast. Adjusting her helmet visor to activate her infrared vision to clock the number of potential hostilities they would be dealing with.

"Commander," he purred ssothingly. "You need not worry. If Carcharias is smart, he will join the Collective and aid us in our fight against Sidious and his accursed Empire."

Turning to Nightbrother, Rook tilted her head inquisitively, though Maul could sense her skepticism. "You really think we can sway him to our side, my lord?" Her helmet's voice modular had been set for intimidation.

"Carcharias is ambitious," Maul replied, his voice low and menacing. "And ambition can be properly guided. This syndicate of his has grown fat off of arms dealing and manufacturing. And as you know, the army we have amassed from the neutral systems that were once led by the late Duchess Satine, are in need of weapons and arms. We will need the factories Carcharias has to produce these resources and arm our forces for the coming war."

"And if he refuses to side with us?"

Smirking, Maul replied darkly. "I'm sure one of his men would love the promotion," he then added. "The survivors will be motivated to fall in line, and if they don't, they will answer for their shortsightedness with their lives."

The doors to Carcharias' home opened, revealing two Karkarodon enforcers and the expensive hall of the living room of the crime lord's home, which pulsed with bioluminescent lights akin to deep-sea creatures. The air was thick with humidity, mingling with the rich scent of ocean water and hint of blood and gore. At the far end, upon a throne fashioned from driftwood and coral, sat Carcharias.

"He will see you, now."

One of the Karkarodon enforcers growled at Maul and Rook. As the two entered the domicile, the ex-Sith Lord eyed the crime lord feasting on what appeared to be the arm of a human. The Karkarodon was a magnificent but terrifying sight, his shark-like visage framed by sharp teeth and vibrant tattoos that depicted battles long since won. He exuded authority, flanked by a cadre of his enforcers—other Karkarodons clad in battle armor alongside a variety of species, each with tattoos marking their allegiance to the syndicate, known as the Maw.

"Visitors in my lair," Carcharias grinned, his razor-sharp teeth matted with blood and flesh as his eyes narrowed at Maul and Rook. "A Mandalorian female and… a Nightbrother from Dathomir." His deep voice echoing against the stone walls. "Tell me," he tossed his half-eaten food at their feet, causing a sickening splat to fill the air. "What brings you here this night?"

Maul stepped forward, projecting confidence. "Carcharias," he acknowledged with a bow of his head, "we come to you not as enemies but as potential allies. The Shadow Collective, as I am aware you have heard, had reemerged. And now, I seek to expand its influence, and you, with your syndicate, are in a prime position to lead a new wave of control and prosperity over this planet. Join us, and together we can carve out a territory where your power is unrivaled."

Carcharias leaned forward, measuring the weight of Maul's words, revealing teeth glistening in the ambient light. "And why would I, a ruler of my own realm, need the Shadow Collective? A gathering of the galaxy's most influential crime syndicates, truly," he acknowledged before scoffing. "But it seems your sights are set on personal vendettas and fighting hopelessly wars against stronger galactic powers." He, of course, was referring to the Shadow Collective's war with Darth Sidious, Count Dooku, and General Grievous towards the end of the Clone Wars, resulting in the Collective to disband. "My current operations are thriving; credits fill my coffers, I have alliances with this planet's crime bosses, and there are many I control, here and off world. Why would I jeopardize all that I have and gained siding with the likes of you?"

"Your syndicate may be thriving, perhaps," Maul retorted, "but it, as well as you, are short-sighted. The galactic tide is shifting. With the looming threat of the Empire growing interference in criminal matters, now is the time for alliances, not isolation. Especially when they would see the likes of "aliens" like us enslaved like animals." He spat with disgust.

Rook remained silent, observing. She was well aware that Maul was very persuasive, however, Carcharias was cunning—threatened by few, feared by many, and valued loyalty above all. The enforcers under the Karkarodon crime boss's employment had their weapons ready, causing Rook's hand to instinctively hover near her blaster pistols, ready for any sign of treachery.

"You have a point," Carcharias snarled at the mention of the Empire's xenophobia and oppressiveness towards non-human species of the galaxy. "Unfortunately," he smiled menacingly, "in our line of business, there's always a deal to be made." Rising from his throne, he pulled out a trigger and activated it. From the shadows, TK troopers emerged, their blasters raised and aimed at the duo.

Rook, drawing her blaster pistols, raised her weapons and cursed under her breath. Maul, however, sneered at Carcharias. "How very predictable," he then bore his teeth. "You are a fool to trust that the Empire will honor whatever deal you made with them."

"We'll see," he then turned to the shadows in a dark corner. "I expect the emperor will want him alive?"

"On the contrary," an ebony armored warrior said as their figure was illuminated by the lightning outside said. "This is Darth Maul."

In the year following the Empire's establishment, Maul had heard of former Jedi who turned to the dark side, as well as Sith Acolytes and Warriors accompanying the red armored Sith troopers. The warrior before him was an Inquisitor, and despite what the underlings of his old master's Empire thought of them, Maul did not find them impressive.

"Formally Darth, now just Maul," he corrected the Inquisitor before finally drawing his double-bladed lightsaber, bathing the room in crimson. "The Empire has no foothold on this planet. If you are here, then you and this pathetic lot you call troopers are scouts." Narrowing his eyes, Maul bore his teeth. "And given the chance, you would report my location to Sidious. That will not be permitted." Extending his left hand, Maul used the Force to trigger the TK troopers thermal detonators, and as they frantically tried to hurl them away, they detonated permanently, engulfing the room in a massive explosion that shook the very ground.

As thick clouds of dust and smoke obscured the vision of both criminals and TK troopers alike, the sounds of Mandalorian blaster pistols firing and dying cries filled the air, coupled with the menacing hum of a lightsaber and blood-curdling screams. The Inquisitor ignited their lightsaber as they then activated the spinning feature of their weapon, turning the weapon into a whirling blur of death like an active saw blade.

"There they are! Fire—AGHHH!"

"Where is he? Wh-GAHHH!!"

"Mother of Moons! Ru-UGHHH!!!"

Before the Inquisitor could even react, a pair of electrical bolas flew out from the smoke, wrapping themselves tightly around their upper body and legs, sending fatal jolts of crimson electricity. Their screams filled the air while their vision went black, only for the last thing they would ever see would be Maul, emerging from the smoke like a specter of death and roaring as he swung his lightsaber at their head, decapitating them. As the severed head of the Inquisitor rolled and struck Carcharias' feet, he held out his hands.

"Lord, Maul," he said, his voice full of fear and despair. "Let's be reasonable—URGHHH!" The crime lord's windpipe was suddenly sealed shut as he was then lifted off of the ground and being strangled to death by way of the Force.

"That opportunity has long passed," Maul snarled as he clenched his fingers tightly, savoring the Karkarodon's suffering. "You would have been influential and richer beyond your wildest dreams, had you pledged fealty to me and my coalition." The enforcers and foot soldiers on the crime lord's payroll who had survived, were suddenly all held at gunpoint as a Mandalorian Kom'rk transport hovered overhead, deploying more of Maul's Mandalorian soldiers, led by Gar Saxon.

"Instead, you believed the Empire's lies and chose to serve me up to them on a chromium platter," Maul said as he approached Carcharias, his metal feet thudding loudly with each step. "Your men, wealth, and resources are all mine now. And with their addition to my own will help propel the Shadow Collective's operations at an expectational rate." Raising his lightsaber, Maul severed the Karkarodon's head, and fell to the floor with a sickening splat. Discarding the crime lord's headless body as though it were trash, Maul turned to his Mandalorian leaders.

"Kill anyone still loyal to that fool," gesturing to the decapitated Carcharias, Maul continued. "And seize anything of value here: wealth, weapons, drug caches, and information on the other crime syndicates established on this planet. We will need it if we wish for our operations to grow."

"Yes, Lord Maul."

Both Saxon and Kast said before taking their Mandalorians and securing the facility. Meanwhile, Maul approached the corpse of the Inquisitor he had killed and summoned their lightsaber to his outstretched hand and examined the weapon. He had an inkling that his old master would send more of these Inquisitors and more forces of the Empire to Neonara, since this scouting party had failed to report their findings.

Maul almost desired this challenge. He would strengthen his criminal empire to heights unimaginable and strike the Empire's weak links: trade routes, ship yards, academies that produced both the Empire's troopers and pilots, and the Imperial treasury. He would bleed Sidious day after day, before summoning the full wrath of his faction down upon him and his accursed Empire.

All in due time.

[weatherbane]

Updated Thel’s design a little! 

[thedrown]

Been thinking about it for a bit and honestly I don't want to deal with all the Dathomir/witch retcons and changes Ahsoka created so am considering changing Fiore's species to something else.

Eyeing these for now but let me know whatcha think

Which Species? (Current look below)

Karkordon

Tholothian

Neimoidian

Keep Dathomirian Zabrak

Other (Comment!)

Voting ended onApr 6, 2024

[poshmop53]

Karkarodon paramedic

[savagesbonergarage]

Tranquility | Kit Fisto x Reader

Word count: 2326

Warnings: Near-drowning, near-death experience, blood, brutal injury, CPR (or whatever this star wars equivalent would be), scars, fluff, super slow-burn, smut in later chapters

Summary: You often dream about the night you nearly lost your life at the maw of a karkarodon, however it isn’t the trauma that haunts you. Fortunately, fate presents an opportunity to reunite you with your savior face-to-face, and this time, you aren’t going to let him forget you.

(a/n: @hxldmxdxwn​ this is 4 u bby bc i know you’ll read it. :) i have a really bad habit of making established backstories for the reader so sorry if thats annoying. Second chapter will have the *chefs kiss* sexy times, so dont worry if this one isn’t doin it for ya - it’s comin)

Chapter 1 of  4?

It’s so cold.

The small speederboat that carried you across the waves was softly rocking, beginning to lull you to sleep. You had deflected the remaining power in the boat to the repulsorlift and scanners in order to conserve enough energy to make it back home once you had done all you could after a long day and night of sifting through the sea’s garbage. You had collected as much trash as your cargo floor could hold and managed to save thirteen different sea creatures from their mangled nooses, but you weren’t ready to call it a night yet.  

There’s always one more, I can save one more life.

And you were always right. The scanner in front of you beeped loudly, depicting what appeared to be a large turtle caught in an old electroshock net approaching on the screen. You rushed to action and honed in on the poor creature’s location, your vibroblade at the ready. Once you were close enough, you carefully pulled the turtle closer to the speeder and cut away all the suffocating bits of netting that trapped it.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, there...that’s better.”

As soon as it was freed from its entanglement, the turtle swam a quick delightful loop around the speeder before it returned to you and rested its head in your palm. You smiled, thanking it with some soft chin scratches. This is why you always went above and beyond doing what you do. You loved the seas and it’s creatures, and knowing that you were making a difference, even for only a handful of lifeforms, was worth it. You bid the turtle farewell as it returned to the depths, uttering a sigh of relief that was hastily followed by a yawn. If you were going to have the strength to do all this again the next morning, you needed to head out. 

The giant net you had saved the turtle from weighed far more than you anticipated. Once you had finally pulled it all from the water, the screen beeped a loud warning signaling cargo capacity was at its absolute maximum. 

“Well, looks like we’re going the old-fashioned way tonight.”

After the push of a button, the speederboat hit the surface of the water with a huge smack nearly sending you overboard. Repulsors were convenient for saving time, but your old speeder simply couldn’t handle the weight. Every night you contemplated getting a bigger and better one once you had earned enough credits, but for now you had to make due. You set the course for home and climbed into your seat, looking up at the stars. Your eyelids became heavier and heavier, and with the aid of the swaying waves, you drifted off to sleep.

***

There was a loud thud accompanied with the convulsion of the boat, which knocked you out of your seat and jolted you awake. Your forehead hit the hard durasteel control panel and you felt the hot blood trickle down your face. You held your hand beneath your nose and stumbled up onto your feet, groaning in pain, as you checked your surroundings. You weren’t sure how long you’d been napping, but the speederboat was stalled and you couldn’t see land in any direction. More importantly, there weren’t any obstructions nearby that your boat could have hit. You started to panic as you jumped over to your control panel and searched the area. Luckily, the shoreline was only about eight klicks to the southeast, but you still weren’t near as close as you should have been; especially considering the fact that your fuel reserves were gone. Completely empty.

“Oh, no…”

You did your best to keep calm and think rationally, trying to focus on how you were going to get home. You had some emergency rations on board, and there was likely something in the garbage pile that you could use to help row the speeder back to the docks. It would take a while, but you would get there eventually. Unfortunately the moment your panic dissipated, a giant red flash sped across the tracking screen. If you blinked you would have missed it. The air felt ominous and your gut was screaming at you to defend yourself. You pulled out your vibroblade and took a defensive stance, hoping, praying, that your instinct was wrong.

It wasn’t.

The monster shot up from the water and slammed directly into you, pinning and crushing you beneath its massive, heavy frame. It’s forearm was pushing against your neck, immobilizing you as a rumbling roar of a chuckle escaped it’s gargantuan jaw. Rows and rows of deadly sharp teeth flashed at you, filling you with dread. A karkarodon. It released its hold on you and stood up, laughing at the sight of your incapacitated state as you coughed and groaned.

“Finally. I’ve been hunting you for a while…”

He studied the substantial collection of trash on board and scoffed. You tried to ignore the pain and prop yourself up onto your elbows, just in time to watch the vile shark start throwing the piles of junk back into the water. You choked on your words many times before you finally got them out.

“S-stop! What do you think you’re doing?! Isn’t the sea your home?”

The karkarodon snarled and stomped back over to you, waving an accusatory webbed finger in your direction.

“Your actions are disrupting my meals, pathetic human! With the shallows obstructed with this, my prey are forced into the deep waters where I reside. My prey would swim directly into my jaws, until you encouraged them to return here.”

His words were meant to intimidate you, however you took them as a compliment. Your hard work was beginning to pay off after all, and you were saving more lives than you knew. You spoke through a hearty grin, blinking away blood and tears.

“Sounds like a personal problem.”

Before you could even react, his denticled leg collided with your ribs and launched you into a durasteel plate on the other side of the boat. Blood now coated your tongue with a metallic film, and your vision was beginning to fade. Was it really going to end like this? Your eyes danced across the floor, spotting your vibroblade that was thankfully just within reach.

Not yet. Not without a fight.

You pushed through the torment your body was suffering through sufficiently enough to grab hold of your weapon. After a handful of wheezes through gritted teeth, you willed yourself onto your feet and charged at the gilled bandit, catching him off guard with enough time to cleave your blade deep into his rhomboid with all your strength. 

With a resounding bellow you were knocked onto your backside by the seething karkarodon, who now gazed at you with rage-filled predatory eyes.

“That’s it, time to feast!”

Pain still shot through you from your attack and although your body couldn’t be willed to move, you had to move, somewhere, anywhere, soon, quickly, now. Move!

However, it was too late. It had all happened so rapidly. As you were preparing to fling yourself off the vessel, the beast shot at you with accelerated velocity and clamped his jagged maw deep into your flesh, encompassing the entirety of your shoulder and bicep, the crunch and popping of bone and muscle fermenting into every cell within you as you were both plunged into the sea. The water erupted in crimson plumes the further the teeth sank into you and the deeper you descended into the cold abyss. You could no longer determine which hurt was coming from where, and your breath had become lodged in your throat. 

So, this was it. You were going to die.

Strangely, you began to feel at peace. You relaxed every part of your being and gazed upward into the bursts of your own blood that gracefully danced up to the surface of the water. You pondered on the life you had lived, and prepared to accept your fate.

I only wish I could have done more…

Something dropped into the sea above you, creating a foamy eruption of bubbles as it dived directly into the swirling red. It was nearly impossible to tell what it was, as you began to fade in and out of consciousness. A rod of peridot light illuminated in front of the mysterious personage as it drew closer to you. Another monster? You couldn’t be sure; you were fading, and fading fast. The presence of this figure comforted you in a strange way you couldn’t explain, and as it swam nearer you could finally see that it wasn’t an it, but a he. His face, his body, his rippling tendrils entered your field of vision, and you couldn’t help but smile as you let go of everything. 

It all faded into blackness, and you were gone.

***

“Breathe. Please, breathe through me.”

A voice. It echoed in your mind as though it were yours, but it clearly belonged to someone else. There was a feeling, a desire, to focus solely on your breath. To remember how to breathe. Slowly, ever so slowly, sensations began to return to you. Firstly, pain. Maker, it was almost unbearable.

“It is alright. Keep breathing.”

The next sensation was pressure; you sensed varying pressures all over as you started to encapsulate your own body once again. More soreness and pain, but also warmth. You could feel...something. Where were your hands? Your eyes refused to open, but your skin was able to feel touch better than before. You willed your fingers to move, and there was another sensation - something was pressed against you, or someone, that was supporting you. You felt skin, so unlike your own, but so smooth and warm. 

“That’s it. Stay focused.”

There was something so soothing about this voice. It was so close, just who did it belong to? Another sensation overtook you - chill, the chill of the moving water. There was a stable pressure at the nape of your neck, around your waist, and...on your mouth. Something sparked, but you weren’t entirely sure what. You focused on your breathing again, and you clutched the warm body that was holding onto you. This was a person after all. A man, and his mouth was pressed against yours. You were breathing his air. You felt your body squirm a little as your face tensed with all the nerves that were hitting you.

“We’re almost there, just a little more.”

 The outline of his lips against yours became more prominent with each passing second. It seemed that the longer you felt this intense pain, the faster your mind was being restored. Curiosity began to overtake you now, and you had to see...slowly, you opened your eyes. Everything was blurry and distorted for a while, but you could see his silhouette. Your arms were wrapped around his neck, and your hands were clutching onto some of his numerous headtails. His eyes - you could finally see his eyes, mere inches from your own. You gazed into them, completely mesmerized by how somehow the entire galaxy was reflected in there, while they bore into yours in return. You felt the corners of his mouth extend into a smile.

“That’s a good girl.”

Water rushed around your ears as the both of you emerged your heads through the surface of the sea. He still clutched you tightly, but he moved his hand from your nape to your cheek as he broke your oral connection, allowing you to breathe for yourself. Naturally, you gasped and coughed, the sting of the pain from your endeavor engulfing your entire body in waves. Your nautolan hero kept you above water as he used the force to pull the edge of your speederboat to him and carefully lifted you into it. You rolled onto your back, still convulsing and shivering before he hopped over and held you with your back against his chest. He vigorously rubbed your good arm to conduct heat while he activated the comm on his free wrist to contact his astromech. 

You made the mistake of looking over at your shoulder; or at least what was left of it. The churned flesh was flayed into hanging bits, and you had lost so much blood that the exposed meat was nearly white. You instinctively used your good arm to grab the nautolan’s right hand and clutch it desperately, trying to think of whatever you could to distract from the pain. You had a thousand questions for him, but one more dire than the rest. You did your best to form a coherent sentence.

“N-name...w-what’s your-”

He carefully pulled you in even closer to his bare chest, enveloping you in as much warmth as possible. You felt the rumble in his throat as he answered you.

“I am Kit Fisto. Jedi Knight of the Republic.”

 The whir of a Republic transport sounded overhead, and Kit swiftly carried you in his arms over to the hatch. Your eyes never left his face - you wanted to remember it forever.

“Kit…”

He looked down at you and smiled handsomely with both his lips and his eyes, a Kit Fisto trademark that you would come to treasure for the rest of your life. You could hear the sound of clones clamoring around to get you ready to transfer to the med unit, and your lids became heavy again. You drank in Kit’s features until exhaustion overcame you and you slowly released his hand.

Thank you, Kit Fisto.

***

(Notes below the cut)

(Thanks so much for reading! Better yet, thank you for sticking through to the end :) I wanted to add some notes before I post chapter 2, since there are some things that might need clarifying. First, not super important but I thought it was neat: turtles are a thing in star wars canon, and nautolans were meant to be depicted living on the backs of giant turtles in the special features of the clone wars. I like to think that the reader saving the turtle is forshadowing her encounter(s) with Kit. :) Next, there’s the ‘breathing Kit’s air’ thing that without context totally seems weird, so I’ll try to clarify for those who haven’t read the Tides of Terror comic: (spoilers?) Kit is amphibious and can breathe both air and water, so when Aayla is underwater unable to hold her breath for much longer, Kit totally fucking kisses her in THE MOST SEXUALLY CHARGED IMAGE IN STAR WARS links their mouths and is able to breathe for both of them. :) Hope this helped some things make more sense! 

If you have any questions for me my asks are always open :) happy reading!)

[wernsdraws]

Very Random Encounters recently asked me to illustrate Skydra, a Karkarodon alien featured in the Star Wars season of their podcast.

You can support the podcast by purchasing a pack of high-quality Trading Cards by VRE.

[merspots]

Non-human Mandalorians are a bit of a rarity, so I decided to have some fun and design some non-human Mandalorians and their armour to figure out how it could work with their non-standard bodyplans.

Adopts:

1. Old Man Mando (Twi'lek) - Sold

2. Limmie Lizard (Makurth) - Sold

3. Battleworn Bird (Sathari) - Sold

4. Shy Shark (Karkarodon) - Sold