Here is the 4th chapter in
The Enloe Trials...
You can also see past installments at the links below, plus character profiles:
The Enloe Trials Prologue: The Baron's CrusadeChapter 1: Seeds of InsurrectionChapter 2: AtrocityChapter 3: Revelations
Rykrof Enloe - Homeworld - Naboo. Former Republic Commander, who is now an enemy of the Empire. He has a history of entanglements with the Badoo Corba terrorist organization, dating back prior to the Battle of Geonosis. He is former best friends with Imperial Baron Tylin Gere and has been forced to embark on a desperate mission to acquire an ancient Sith artifact for Tylin.
Alyssa Enloe - Homeworld - Naboo. The wife of Rykrof Enloe, Alyssa has lived a hard life being married to Rykrof, and has been the target of Rykrof's enemies over the years. She is a survivor, but is now in the captivity of Imperial Baron Tylin Gere.
Caldin Enloe - Homeworld - Naboo. The son of Rykrof and Alyssa Enloe. His grandmother was a Jedi Master. Former Jedi, Kala Mly Shundi, has sensed that the boy is Force-sensitive. Caldin is now in the captivity of Imperial Baron Tylin Gere.
Freelo Macklar - Homeworld - Dak. Former freelance scientist who became friends with Rykrof Enloe during the Clone Wars. Freelo has been known to be timid, but is extremely loyal to the Enloe family.
Kala Mly Shundi - Homeworld - Coruscant. Kala was once the apprentice of Rykrof Enloe's mother, who was a Jedi Master. Kala has flirted with the Dark Side of the Force and experienced terrible visions of the future. He barely survived Order 66, getting ambushed by clone troopers on Braatos VII. He now works with the Rebel Underground in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.
Traedon Cusiro - Homeworld - Corellia. Former bounty hunter who once worked for the Badoo Corba terrorists. He helped Rykrof escape from Separatists on Dathomir during the Clone Wars, but later attempted to kill Senator Padme Amidala. After escaping from prison, he swore an oath to bring down the Empire and joined forces with Kala Mly Shundi.
T-3PO - Homeword - Cybot Galactica. Protocol Droid that has served the Enloe family for years. He survived an Imperial attack on the Enloe homestead.
Brad "Caller" Lacus - Homeword - Alderaan. Loyal trooper who did not believe Imperial propaganda that the Jedi had turned on the Republic at the end of the Clone Wars. Joined the Rebel Underground after being expelled from the Alderaan Military academy for lewd conduct at an upscale cantina.
Baron Tylin Gere - Homeworld - Naboo. Former best friend of Rykrof Enloe, the two served as Republic Peace Officers prior to the Clone Wars and later as officers in the Grand Army of the Republic. Tylin thirsts for power and has become obsessed with acquiring an ancient Sith artifact. He has captured Alyssa and Caldin Enloe, and killed Rykrof's father. He has forced Rykrof's hand into working for him to acquire the Sith artifact.
Emperor Palpatine - Homeword - Naboo. Dark Lord of the Sith and the undisputed leader of the Galactic Empire. Attempted to mold Rykrof Enloe but failed. He takes great interest in Baron Tylin Gere's quest to acquire an ancient Sith artifact.
Darth Vader - Homeworld - Tatooine. Dark Lord of the Sith and follows the instructions of his master, Emperor Palpatine. During the Clone Wars, he was once friends with Rykrof Enloe. He considers Rykrof a traitor to the Empire but also is fully aware that Rykrof once helped protect Padme Amidala.
The obscure world known as Dathomir is one that Rykrof Enloe swore he would never return to following the Clone Wars.
But in order to save his family from the sinister Imperial Baron Tylin Gere, Rykrof has broken that promise.
...and encounters beings brought back from the dead by the very artifact that he has been sent to obtain!
The group's actions have attracted the attention of the planet's most menacing beast...
...a bull Rancor!
"Spread out!" Rykrof orders his men as the creature charges the group.
"And keep your distance!"
"Run for your lives!" Freelo screams as he disappears into the forest!
"Freelo's gone!" Caller shouts as he strafes away from the beast.
"I
knew this would happen!" Rykrof spits in frustration.
"Find your friend and keep him safe," Jedi Master Kala Mly Shundi tells Rykrof as his lightsaber blazes to life.
"I'll handle this."
Rykrof and Caller then set off in pursuit of Freelo.
Just then, Kala allows for the Rancor to take him in its grasp.
"Kala!" Traedon shouts in horror.
"What are you doing?"
Ignoring his comrade, the Jedi allows for the Force to flow through his core as the massive creature pulls him toward its mouth...
...then quickly maneuvers himself into an attack position!
His lightsaber then penetrates the skull of the Rancor...
...bringing the carnivore to its death!
"You Jedi come in handy. Maybe Order 66 wasn't such a good thing after all," Traedon smirks.
"We must find Rykrof and the others," Kala replies, changing the subject.
"The plan was if anyone got lost, to press on for the artifact," Traedon counters.
"I'm sure that's what Rykrof will do once he finds Freelo."
"Bacha tu melsay," HK-88 agrees.
"Very well," Kala concedes with great reluctance.
"We must continue to push forward..."
Nearly a dozen kilometers away, unbeknownst to Rykrof's team, their camp has been discovered by a hoard of the undead!
Rebel Trooper Doksin runs in horror...
...facing impossible odds!
Meanwhile, protocol droid T-3PO also flees the scene of the attack...
...but his stalker continues to gain ground!
"My joints weren't made for..."
"
Whooaa!" he cries as he loses his balance.
"I've fallen and I can't get up!"
Within seconds, the undead trooper pounces on the terrified droid...
"No! You can't eat me!" T-3PO wails.
"
Can't you see I'm made from metal?"
At that moment, a blast of laser fire simmers through the trees...
...striking the creature in the skull!
The corpse of the former Imperial Stormtrooper lies silently on the ground.
"
I'm saved!" T-3PO gleefully exclaims as he searches for the source of the blast.
"Master Enloe... is that you?" he asks.
"Are you there, Sir?"
"Hello?" he continues as he regains his footing.
"
Master Enloe?"
Suddenly the droid finds himself staring down the barrel of a Rodian's holdout blaster!
"Don't shoot!" T-3PO begs.
"Enloe...?" the alien inquires as he and his companion approach the nervous droid.
"
Rykrof Enloe is here on Dathomir?"
"Why yes,
he's my master!" T-3PO proudly announces.
"Do you know him?"
"We most certainly do," the Advozse warrior laughs.
"
We are Badoo Corba!"
"You're terrorists!" the droid realizes.
"
I'm done for!"
Some time later, Rykrof and Caller continue their desperate search for Freelo...
"You've got to be kidding me," Rykrof growls.
"Rykrof!" Freelo smiles.
"I was starting to get worried!"
"You
idiot!" Rykrof vents.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Taking a break," Freelo tells him.
"I have a cramp in my leg."
"Do you realize what's at stake here?" Rykrof hisses.
"You can't go running off like this."
"Now we're separated from the group..."
"...and something's still jamming communications!"
"Take a look over that ridge," Freelo replies casually.
"There might be some supplies in that walker over there?"
"Might be worth checking out," Rykrof grumbles.
"Looks like it's been here for quite some time," he observes.
"I don't know... what do you think, Caller?"
"
Drop your weapon!" an Imperial officer shouts as he appears from behind the crippled transport!
"
Not a chance!" Rykrof immediately responds as he and Caller point their blasters at the man.
To Rykrof's surprise, the man lowers his weapon without a fight.
"I don't want any trouble," he says.
"My whole unit's dead... no point in fighting you... or anyone," he concedes.
"My name's Ganton."
"My name is Rykrof Enloe," Rykrof says.
"Tylin Gere sent us here to recover an artifact... what happened to your unit?" Rykrof asks.
"I worked for Baron Gere on the Dantallion... he sent us here months ago once he secured a deal with the Badoo Corba," Ganton explains.
"We were at the research complex, but the terrorists turned on us..."
"Then those walking corpse things appeared... we heard an explosion... it was complete chaos," he says.
"I don't know what happened... we chased a group of the Badoo Corba into the forest... and things got worse..."
Sensing the man's desperation, Rykrof realizes that Ganton could be an asset to his mission.
"I see... can you get me to that complex?" Rykrof asks.
"Are you crazy? I'm going back into that nightmare..."
"Look, we can get you off this planet," Rykrof tells him.
"But we have a job to do first. You get us to the complex, we'll get you out of here. I promise."
"Doesn't look like I have much of a choice," the man admits.
"Follow me."
"Here we go again," Freelo frowns.
For nearly two hours, the group follows Ganton deeper into the forest...
...and finally reaches the complex!
"I was beginning to think this place didn't exist," Freelo states as the group looks on.
"We've got to find a way in there from this side," Rykrof observes.
"Quietly."
"Looks like a multilevel facility," Caller points out.
"Most of it should be underground."
"If so, the laboratory should be on the first level," Freelo offers.
"I'm in debt to you for getting us here," Rykrof tells Ganton as the Imperial begins to step ahead of the group.
"But I'll take the lead from here."
Rykrof and the team then approach the complex...
"One thing to remember," Rykrof insists as he turns back to the others.
"We all stick together in there..."
"...
nobody is to get separated from the group."
"There's no telling what we're going to find in this place."
All the while, Rykrof is unaware that the Emperor himself has an interest in the Sith artifact.
A fresh team of Imperial forces has arrived on the island...
"The advance teams are ready to move into position," Commander Resibar informs his superior...
...none other than Darth Vader himself!
"Good," Vader says as he turns to his troops.
"We proceed from here on foot. I do not want to alert our enemies to our presence."
"Understood, Sir."
"Take Enloe alive," Vader instructs his men.
"Kill all others that stand in our way... make no distinction between the Rebels and Badoo Corba. They are all terrorists with the same objectives."
"But do not engage the Jedi...
leave him to me."
"Yes, Lord Vader," the Juggernaut's commanding officer replies.
"The
relic will soon be in my master's hands," Vader hisses as he heads into the forest...
