Liberty on Ryloth

## **Premise**

With his forces stretched thin, Thundering Rhino must convince Twi'lek freedom fighter Cham Syndulla to help him save the capital city from the Empire soldiers and Arkeyan droids' destruction.

## **Synopsis**

As Thundering Rhino and his forces head to Lessu along a cliffside path with AT-TE walkers, they are ambushed by several AATs. The tanks incapacitate the first walker in the line and then target the rear walkers, seeking to trap and destroy the kung fu forces. Rhino saves the gunner, and then Commander Ponds comes up to him and informs Rhino that they're pinned down. Rhino and Ponds orders Lightning Squadron to the front while Rhino's Unstoppable Strength the first fallen walker off the cliff, clearing the path. Lightning squadron is deployed from the AT-TEs and moves up to the front. Rhino, Commander Ponds and the rest of Lighting Squadron then overrun the tanks and the Arkeyan droids using AT-RTs and grenades. Afterwards Ponds tells Rhino that they have lost thirty-two men along with command crews of three walkers. A Arkeyan Rip-Rotors spies on Rhino and Ponds, discovering that the kung fu forces will reach Lessu sooner than expected and that they will need help to take Lessu.

Watching the stream at his command center in Lessu, Emir Wat Tambor confers with his Arkeyan Tactical droid, TA-175, refusing to retreat, despite the odds being against him. Tambor states that Rhino doesn't have the troops to take the city. Tambor orders that all Empire Soldiers and Arkeyan-droids to be brought into the city and to secure the bridge. In a holographic conference aboard Rhino's lead AT-TE in his column, Tai Lung informs Rhino, Shifu, Oogway, Admiral Yularen and Senator Orn Free Taa that his fighters have the space around Ryloth secured. Rhino mentions that Daniel has taken the Jixuan desert, and that the southern hemisphere of Ryloth is secure; the only thing that remains is to retake Lessu. kung fu warriors spies are certain that Tambor has his command center there. Oogway asserts that when they have taken the city, they must capture Tambor, but Rhino is unsure if that is possible: Tambor has chosen his stronghold well, and with the only way in or out of Lessu being a plasma bridge, a siege could drag on indefinitely. With kung fu forces stretched thin, Rhino decides to enlist the help of the Twi'lek Resistance under the command of Cham Syndulla. Shifu states that Syndulla was a radical before the war and can be very unpredictable. Senator Taa mentions that before the War, they were political rivals, and still are. Senator Taa states that Syndulla seeks to gain power. Rhino will leave the politics to Senator Taa, but Rhino will do what he must to help his people. Shifu requests reinforcements to be sent instead, but Admiral Yularen informs him that none are available. Rhino states the kung fu warriors can't win without Syndulla's help.

Rhino and two members of Lightning Squadron discovered the site of a massacre, accompanied by Twi'lek graves. Rhino discovers fresh animal tracks, and they hear the sound of one of the animals. Rhino heads along with troopers Razor and Stak.

Meanwhile, Master Bear informs Tambor that his tactical Arkeyan droid has informed him of the "pitiful job" he has done. Tambor insists that the Arkeyan droid has exaggerated, and asserts that he has not lost; Bear states that Tambor is no match for Rhino and orders him to retreat with what valuables he can and destroy everything else. Tambor is rather alarmed, but Bear explains: Ryloth's fate will demonstrate to the Kung Fu Panda Wall the cost of a "Kung Fu victory." Rhino and the two troopers come across a patrol of wolves, crocodiles and buffaloes looking for another lost patrol, but instead of defeating them, Rhino allows the rebels to attack them. They come across the freedom fighters, but Cham Syndulla is rather adamant against giving his help to the kung fu warriors.

TA-175 notifies Tambor that their bombers are ready for launch and states he will ready Tambor's ship for evacuation. However, Tambor is not yet ready to leave. Rhino, Razor and Stak accompany Cham to his hideout under a wrecked C-9979 landing craft. Rhino mentions that they can stop another massacre from happening, but Cham states that when the Dark Empire and the Arkeyans invaded, the kung fu warriors was unable to help, and they were forced to surrender. Then the Empire brought tanks to exterminate them. Stak examines a blurrg, but after it snaps at him, Tae Boon chuckles and mentions that his blurrg is faster than their riding machines, though Stak is doubtful.

Despite his misgivings about the kung fu warriors, Cham displays the tradition of the Twi'leks to give their guests whatever food and drink they still have. The Arkeyans bombers launch, and Tambor targets all the villages with in range, starting with the inhabited ones. Ponds leads his troops and the AT-TEs to a village where he plans to spare some of their rations to the hungry Twi'lek women and children in the village, but the village is suddenly blasted to bits by the bombers. Cham tells Rhino that he doesn't trust Senator Taa. Despite the fact that the clone troopers will stay for a while after the war to ensure security and keep the peace, Cham insists that another armed occupation is not a free Ryloth. Syndulla asks how long will it be before he's fighting the kung fu warriors and the master. As the two receive a report from Ponds about the destroyed villages, Cham decides that he will speak to Taa.

Tambor oversees the loading of valuables onto his shuttle by Twi'lek slaves. A Arkeyan droid tells Tambor that two more transports are still coming in from the south sector, thus Tambor decides to wait for the last of the valuables of the world to arrive and be loaded onto his shuttle, much to the fury of Bear, who wants him out of the city before the kung fu warriors arrives: once Rhino has invaded the city, Bear orders it to be bombed from afar. TA-175 will do so, despite what Tambor wants. Cham and Senator Taa engage in a holographic conference and begin to verbally spar; Rhino regulates the conference, and Tai Lung reports that his fighters are trying to destroy the bombers, but there are too many. Rhino instructs him to destroy the bombers and then meet him at the capital, and Tai Lung continues to engage the bombers with assistance from his kung fu student Esther. With assistance from Rhino, Cham and Taa reach an agreement: Taa will not let Ryloth fall to another armed occupation, while Cham promises he will not seek power, and rallies his men.

Meanwhile, a Wolf escort the civilians of Lessu to the outer wall to slow Rhino down. As Rhino and Cham discover this, they spot two MTTs making their way toward the city. Cham reports that his spies say that they are filled with stolen treasure, and they decide to use them to get across and activate the bridge despite the chance of being scanned. Rhino, Razor and Stak slice a Arkeyan droid on a STAP and enter the rear transport, while Cham prepares to lead the attack. Rhino orders Ponds to create a diversion and get Lightning squadron ready. The plasma bridge is activated for the transports, and they begin to cross; Tambor prepares to leave with the last of the treasures. However, the Arkeyan droids scan the transports, and they pick up an anomaly in the second transport. As the droids open the transport's doors, Rhino and the troopers exit the transport and destroy the two Arkeyan droids, while the kung fu forces begin to open fire. The bridge is deactivated, and Rhino uses its unstoppable strength to push Razor and Stak across. Rhino uses an STAP to get to the other side, and the Empire soldiers begin to attack the three. Rhino orders the troopers to get the bridge back up while he holds thesoldiers down, and Cham begins his charge. Rhino takes out an entire soldiers squad and a tank on his own, while Razor and Stak get the bridge up just in time for Cham, Ponds and their forces to cross. The citizens of Lessu wave happily at the passing freedom fighters; Rhino instructs Cham to take care of the Arkeyan droids while he finds Tambor. The freedom fighters and Lightning Squadron take out the AATs and the Arkeyan droids quickly.

In the control room, Razor and Stak are ambushed by several impere soldiers and two Arkeyan commando droids but they defeat them. TA-175 lifts off in the shuttle without waiting for Tambor, much to the latter's surprise. TA-175 reports to Bear regarding Tambor's refusal to retreat in time. Despite this unfortunate setback, Bear gives the order for the bombers to destroy the city immediately. Rhino subdues Tambor's two Arkeyan Shield Juggernaut guards and holds Tambor at bay. Tambor tries to reason with the master but Rhino refuses since he has the upper hand. Tambor then states that a surrender is unnecessary since the bombers are coming and they both will perish for the glory of the Dark Empire Alliance. While the bombers approach, Tai Lung and Esther attack and destroy them. Freedom fighters and clone troopers surround Tambor. Tambor then asks Cham for his terms of surrender; Cham states that they are unconditional, and Tambor reluctantly agrees. Syndulla thanks Rhino for freeing his world. Later, Cham and Senator Taa wave to the people in a parade with both the freedom fighters and the clone forces with Rhino and Ponds watching in satisfaction. Ryloth is free.