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The undisclosed Imperial penal colony on Tartaaris has now been Rykrof Enloe’s home for several years.
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The surface of the planet is under constant watch by the Imperial garrison.
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Many of the garrison’s probe droids have begun to widen their perimeter checks…
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…as recent events have caught the attention of the prison’s warden.
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Rykrof now finds himself in the company of Garlin Nomad, a mysterious fellow prisoner who aided Rykrof during a recent encounter with a group of hostile inmates.
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“Let’s see… I’ve given you shelter,” the old man smiles.
“…I even saved your life… yet… you tell me so little about yourself.”
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“There’s not much to tell,” Rykrof replies under his breath.
“I just want to get off this planet.”
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“Hell; we ALL do!” Garlin laughs sarcastically.
“But if you want my help, you need to be honest with me…”
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“How did you know there was a lightsaber inside that droid?”
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“That’s a really good question,” Rykrof admits.
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“You mean to tell me you’re NOT a Jedi then?” the old man smirks.
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“No, not even close,” Rykrof pauses.
“Finding this was just luck. That’s all there was to it.”
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“Very well,” Garlin smiles.
“Perhaps it was luck. Or, perhaps it was something more…”
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Closing his eyes, Rykrof resists memories of his mother’s Force sensitivities.
“No… I’m sure it was nothing more…”
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“Well then,” Garlin says, changing the subject.
“You say you want to get out of here… if you’re willing to risk infiltrating the Imperial garrison…”
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“…I can show you a way in.”
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Suddently, the sound of rusty servo-motors interrupts the conversation.
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“What is it, K3?”
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“Sir, I’m sorry for intruding, but it appears as though one of the trip wires has been disturbed.”
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“Probably nothing to worry about,” Garlin assures the droid.
“Which one of the wires was it?”
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“Yellow-three.”
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“Well, THAT isn’t good!” the old man exclaims.
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“I thought you said it was nothing to worry about?” Rykrof asks.
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“Yellow-three is too close to here,” Garlin explains.
“Someone has found us.”
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“Come on, Rykrof. I might need your help… K3 can guard the shelter.”
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The loyal droid watches as the two men make their way toward the tripped wire…
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…they are quickly out of range of his photo-receptors.
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“Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?”
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Turning a sharp corner, Garlin suddenly stops in his tracks.
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“The wire is in the next room,” he says quietly.
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“I’ll check it out,” Rykrof offers.
“You won’t be any good with that rifle in close quarters.”
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“Brave of you,” the old man says.
“Are you sure about this?”
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“No. So make sure you cover me.”
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“Be careful… if it’s one of the Maker’s hunter droids…”
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Rykrof then cautiously moves down the corridor…
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…unaware of what lies ahead.
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Garlin watches silently as Rykrof approaches the trip wire…
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…oblivious to what now stands behind him!
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Rykrof then inches toward the doorway…
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…not realizing that he and Garlin have been tricked into an ambush!
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Rykrof then turns at the sound of a faint noise behind him.
“…Garlin…?”
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“…are you…”
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“FLESH!”
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Rykrof then spins, igniting the lightsaber!
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He quickly slashes through the attacking droid…
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…only to turn as another assailant approaches!
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Rykrof then takes a step back…
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…waiting for the droid to make the next move…
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…and then swiftly decapitates his adversary!
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His attention then shifts back to the old man…
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“Garlin!”
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Horrified, he finds K3-95 kneeling above the fallen man.
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“I knew this would happen to him eventually…” the droid laments.
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“…but, at least it was a quick death.”
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“I’m so sorry,” Rykrof says solemnly.
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“He was a good man.”
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“That’s debatable,” the droid bluntly states.
“Garlin broke countless laws in the past… hence his imprisonment.”
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“Well, he was good to me,” Rykrof counters.
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“And we’re giving him a proper burial.”
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“Yes,” K3-95 agrees.
“That is very thoughtful of you.”
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Several hours later, little appears to have changed on Tartaaris.
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However, Rykrof can’t help but feel a looming shift in his direction…
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…thanks to a man he barely knew.
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K3-95 then breaks the silence.
“You have not spoken in the past 52 minutes and 16 seconds.”
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“I guess I’m not sure where to go from here,” Rykrof admits.
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“There is nowhere to go,” the droid replies.
“This planet is nothing more than a graveyard. No one has ever escaped.”
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“That’s about to change,” Rykrof whispers.
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“Garlin said he knew of a way into the garrison.”
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“So what if he did?” K3-95 responds.
“It’s not like you wouldn’t get yourself killed once inside.”
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“Do you know of a way in?”
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“Perhaps I do,” the droid admits.
“But we’d never make it past the Maker’s droids. They would tear us apart.”
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“I’m not asking you to go with me,” Rykrof explains.
“Just information on how to get in.”
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“Very well,” K3-95 concedes.
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“But this is a terrible idea…”
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“…Garlin would’t like it.”
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Back outside the garrison, security remains tight.
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A group of troops gather for a rare appearance…
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…from the prison’s warden.
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“Sir, we have identified the inmates who had the altercation with the two droids this morning.”
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“Prisoner 22 did not survive… however, prisoner 1067 is still alive…”
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“…we are unable to locate his current position.”
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“Enloe… he is finally rising from the depths,” the Maker says.
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“Shall we hunt him down?”
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“My men are ready.”
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“No, let him come to us,” the Maker grins.
“I want to see if he lives up to his reputation.”
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