Innocents of Ryloth

## **Premise**

To sabotage a powerful Empire weapon, Daniel and a small clone force an entrance to an occupied town, and discover that its residents are being used as a living shield.

## **Synopsis**

Aboard an Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ship, Thundering Rhino tells Daniel, as he boards the Crumb Bomber, that when he takes the city of Nabat they'll have their landing zone for the ground-assault forces. However, Wat Tambor anticipates this, and Tactical droid commander TX-20 readies his five Empire proton cannons, while using captive Twi'leks as a “living shield” to further protect them, estimating that the kung fu warriors will not risk a heavy attack.

Daniel and Clone Commander Cody brief Ghost Company on their mission, and while they must retake the city, they cannot destroy the Twi'leks' home, and are allowed to use only blasters and droid poppers. Above, the Acclamator assault ships are attacked by the proton cannons below. Commander Ponds states to Thundering Rhino that the fire is penetrating their shield. Rhino tasks Daniel with taking the cannons out so that the larger transports can land. The Crumb Bomber lands with the other gunships, and Daniel and Ghost Company move towards Nabat. Arkeyan Droid gunners on the outskirts of Nabat pin down Ghost Company. Daniel and two troopers, Waxer and Boil, utilize droid poppers to take out the Arkeyan droids in the bunkers.

After losing contact with the Arkeyan droids on the village's outer perimeter, TX-20 sends two Arkeyan Rip-Rotors to find out the kung fu masters's plan, while Daniel dispatches Cody, Wooley, Waxer and Boil to scout ahead. Waxer and Boil head south, while Cody and Wooley go to the courtyard. The latter discover the Twi'leks being held hostage in the cannons' immediate vicinity. Daniel, speaking to Rhino via hologram, explains that the hostages will make the mission difficult but not impossible and hits upon a plan to disable the guns without letting the hostages come into any danger. Unfortunately, a Arkeyan Rip-Rotors broadcasts their conference to TX-20, who recognizes Daniel and begins researching his opponent, finding the fire master is known for deceptive movements.

Waxer and Boil stumble across the young Twi'lek orphan Numa, who at first is fearful of them. After they remove their helmets, Numa relaxes a bit; she calls them both “Nerra,” and takes a ration bar that they give her. Waxer and Boil move out to finish their scouting, Waxer doing so reluctantly, but Numa follows the two clones. Waxer is still worried about her, while Boil tries to keep him focused on the mission. Numa somehow gets ahead of them and leads them to a shattered building that was once her home. Waxer and Boil, moved by the losses the war has inflicted upon the child, take it upon themselves to keep her safe.

TX-20 reveals his plan: to use starved grizzly bears to take out the kung fu-forces. Back at the kung fu-camp, Cody has noticed Waxer and Boil's absence, and broadcasts a transmission to contact them. Seeing the kung fu troops on the move, TX-20 orders the gutkurrs released. The two clones receive the transmission and, realizing that they are severely late, they try to brainstorm possible excuses. However, the grizzly bears suddenly appear, and the two clones and Numa rush back into the house. Numa shows the clones an escape passage, and they run into the underground tunnels just in time.

Meanwhile, Ghost Company is attacked by the grizzly bears. Daniel uses the fire element to lure the bears into an alley bordered by a bridge. Cody and his men fire at the bridge, and the grizzly bears are trapped, while Daniel leaps out. Though the clones defeat the Bears, TX-20 knows that their numbers are very thin. Suddenly, Waxer and Boil emerge from a hatch in the street nearby, with Numa in tow. Daniel converses to Numa in Twi'leki, who agrees to lead them to the prisoners while Cody and his men create a diversion, with Daniel, Waxer and Boil freeing the Twi'lek prisoners. After Daniel frees the prisoners, Numa is reunited with her uncle, Nilim Bril. However, a Arkeyan droid reports the rescue attempt, and TX-20 turns his AAT around.

Daniel takes control of a proton cannon, and with the help of Waxer and Boil, he manages to destroy the other cannons. However, a blast from TX-20's tank destroys their cannon and knocks the three to the ground. Numa runs to her clone friends and huddles close to Daniel, even as he tries to push her out of the line of fire. TX-20 targets Daniel and Numa, laughing evilly and gloating that Daniel has lost. Incensed by the threat to Numa, the Twi'leks rush out of hiding, swarm over the tank and tear TX-20 to pieces with their bare hands - a possibility the hyper-intelligent droid has not foreseen, as evidenced by its last words, "does not compute... does not compute...!"

The Acclamator transports land, and Thundering Rhino commends Daniel on his victory. However, their new objective is much harder: to take the Ryloth capital of Lessu and free this world. Waxer and Boil say goodbye to Numa. As the army heads toward the capital, Numa calls “Nerra!” out to Waxer and Boil again, and Daniel translates: “Nerra” means “brother.” Smiling, Waxer and Boil turn and wave back at Numa, before moving out toward the sun, intent on freeing this world.