Radank

Radanks were non-sentient predators in existence by the year 27 ABY, at the time of the Yuuzhan Vong War. Possessing clawed limbs and a proboscis, radanks were known to the Yuuzhan Vong species, and at least one, Warmaster Tsavong Lah, replaced one of his arms with a grafted radank leg in a show of devotion to his gods during his species' involvement in the war. In 40 ABY, after the war was over, at least one radank hunted in the undercity of the planet Coruscant.

Biology and appearance
Radanks featured a thin proboscis, and limbs at both the hindquarters and at the front of the beast. The front legs of the radank were red in coloration, and were covered in scales and spines. Additionally, the fore-limbs of the beast had articulated digits that were segmented unnaturally compared to those of a Human or a Yuuzhan Vong, with each digit topped with a claw that could be sheathed in the finger.

Behavior
Non-sentient by classification, radanks were carnivorous in diet, and would occasionally hunt sentient beings. When startled, some radanks would rear back on their hind legs and expose their claws. Radanks also used their probescus to sniff new prey.

History
In existence as of 27 ABY, radanks were known to the sentient Yuuzhan Vong species by the time that the Yuuzhan Vong were involved in invading a galaxy other than their own. By then, some Yuuzhan Vong considered radanks as pests. In 27 ABY, as Yuuzhan Vong forces assaulted the New Republic–allied planet of Borleias, Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster Tsavong Lah cut off his left arm at the elbow and grafted a radank leg in its place; the sacrifice of Lah's arm to his gods was to assure victory over his foes, and the left arm was chosen was because Borleias was the left part of a pincer attack that Lah planned to capture the New Republic capital world of Coruscant with. However, Lah had problems with the grafting of his arm, as the radank leg began to aggressively take over the upper part of his left arm, due to sabotage by members of the Shaper caste. When Lah found this out with the help of the shaper Nen Yim, the Warmaster had the shapers he believed responsible killed, and Yim adied the Warmaster in preventing the radank claw from continuing to claim parts of his arm.

In 40 ABY, following the Yuuzhan Vong's defeat in the war, at least one radank existed on Coruscant, which had been partialy-terraformed by the Yuuzhan Vong during the invasion. The radank dwelt in the underworld of the planet, and at one point was about to kill a Falleen when the Dark Jedi Alema Rar used the Force to throw a young Human at the beast after he and his brother offended her. This prompted the older brother to rush to his sibling's aid, and a fight ensued between them and the beast.

Behind the scenes
The radank first appeared as a claw in Star by Star, a 2001 novel written by Troy Denning as a part of The New Jedi Order series. The claw later appeared in other books in the series, but the creature itself did not make an appearance until Legacy of the Force: Tempest, another novel by Denning that was published in 2006. The radank received its own entry in 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. Although most creatures used by the Yuuzhan Vong were known to have come from the Yuuzhan Vong's home galaxy, no source confirms this for radanks.

Appearances

 * The New Jedi Order: Star by Star
 * The New Jedi Order: Dark Journey
 * The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream
 * The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand
 * The New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way
 * Legacy of the Force: Tempest