[YAK_Chewie]

Another chapter in The Enloe Trials is here! Hope you all enjoy, and as always I look forward to feedback! If you'd like to catch up on previous chapters first, the links are below:

The Enloe Trials Prologue: The Baron's Crusade
Chapter 1: Seeds of Insurrection
Chapter 2: Atrocity
Chapter 3: Revelations
Chapter 4: Shadow of Death
Chapter 5: Depths of Despair
Chapter 6: Seekers of the Dark Relic
Chapter 7: Veils of Deceit
Chapter 8: Catastrophe
Chapter 9: The Fall of Banyss
Chapter 10: Shards of Rebellion
Chapter 11: Desolation
Chapter 12: Rising Depths
Chapter 13: Desperate Measures


And updated character profiles are as follows:


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 Clone Wars. He is a former close friend of Imperial Baron Tylin Gere and was been forced to embark on a desperate mission to acquire an ancient Sith artifact for Tylin - which ended in failure. Since then, he has inadvertently led Imperial forces to a secret Rebel base on Banyss, which was destroyed by Darth Vader's forces. Rykrof has now been taken captive by the Empire and resides in the Imperial penal colony on Tartaaris. Most of those dear to him believe he is now deceased.



K3-95 - Homeworld - Tartaaris. Pieced together from scrap and given life by an unknown prisoner resident on Tartaaris. He has befriended Rykrof following the recent death of his friend, Garlin Nomad.



The Maker - Homeworld - Unknown. Very little is know about this myserious individual, other than he is the current warden of the Imperial penal colony on Tartaaris. For years, he has crafted custom hunter droids from the countless junk piles on Tartaaris and programmed them to terrorize the prisoner population. Rarely seen by the local garrison, the Maker has recently been stirring due to rumors of a pending prisoner revolt.



Baron Tylin Gere - Homeworld - Naboo. Former close ally 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, which was recently acquired by Darth Vader, who he secretly sees as a rival. He has taken custody of Alyssa and Caldin Enloe, and ordered the death of Rykrof's father. He believes Rykrof Enloe is dead, once and for all.



Commander Vlarra Gere - Homeworld - Naboo. Nephew of Tylin Gere. Vlarra has always admired his uncle's ambition and strives to rise through the Imperial ranks quickly, regardless of the means.



Emperor Palpatine - Homeword - Naboo. Dark Lord of the Sith and the undisputed leader of the Galactic Empire. He attempted to mold Rykrof Enloe as the ideal Imperial officer but failed. He takes great interest in Baron Tylin Gere's personal quests for power and admires his ambition.



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, and rather than killing him, he has spared Rykrof's life by sending him to a secret penal colony on Tartaaris. However, his loyalties to Emperor Palpatine are secure.












Unrest has crept into the prison population within the secret Imperial penal colony on Tartaaris.




Imperial Stormtroopers keep a watchful eye for any signs of insurrection...




...as the evil warden has pushed the inmates to the edge of revolt.




In the midst of the desperate situation, Rykrof Enloe attempts to form a daring coalition with the ruler of the last remaining prison gang on the planet.




Deep under the surface, he meets with Atracion.




"Tell me now," Atracion inquires of Rykrof.
"Educate me as why it is, that a noble hero of the Republic, such as yourself..."




"...was dumped into this pit of defecation with the likes of terrorists and murderers?"




"I wouldn't put my past on any sort of pedestal," Rykrof smiles half heartedly as he glances at Atracion's bodyguard.




"But after the war, I ended up getting tangled up with some rebels..."




"For whatever reason, once I was captured, Darth Vader spared my life..."




"...and I ended up here... with you."




"You know Darth Vader?" the alien grins, mocking Rykrof's story.




He then begins to laugh uncontrollably...




"Bwahahahahaahaaaaaa!"




"Can I get your autograph?"




"Look... I made a deal that I thought would spare my family, and ended up here..."




"It's been a tough few years," Rykrof grimaces.
"...all I want is to get out of here and see my family again."




"I see... are you a father?" Atracion asks, changing his tone.




"Yes... I have a boy," Rykrof says sadly.
"Caldin is his name. Good kid... at least he was..."




"Rykrof Enloe, you're a good man; I can see that," the gang leader says quietly.




"If there were more people like you, and less scum like me, perhaps hell holes like this would not even exist."




"Now, before I change my mind... let's discuss your plan for getting us into the Maker's complex."




"There's a secret way into the base, but our overall tactics will depend on how many able men you have," Rykrof promptly tells him.




"Our numbers are limited," Atracion concedes.




"The droids have been more aggressive lately... I've lost over a dozen men in the past month alone..."




"...and the supply drops seem to have stopped."




"It's almost as if the Maker is daring a revolt," Rykrof wonders, as doubt begins to creep into his mind.
"This won't be easy."




"You can yell me more about this secret entrance into the Imperial complex tonight over dinner," Atracion proclaims as the two exit the chamber.




"Oh... and if you try and double cross me..."




"I'll have you beheaded."




"I see you've made a new friend," K3-95 says sarcastically.




"Cut the chatter," Rykrof tells the droid.




"I know what I'm doing."




As dawn breaks, a pair of Stormtroopers patrol the exterior of their command post.




Routine checks have become non-eventful over the years...




...but the Maker has put his troops on yellow alert.




"Keep your eyes open," the lead officer advises his partner.




"But, I'm sure these prisoners aren't dumb enough to..."




"...wait," he pauses.
"Did you hear something?"




Both men reverse their tracks and turn the corner...




...and spot an inmate standing several meters away.




"Hey!" the prisoner shouts.
"Can you tell me when the next supply drop's coming?"




"Drop the weapon!" the lead trooper orders him.




Just then, a pair of Atracion's men emerge from behind the Imperials...




...bringing them to the ground!




The lead officer then spins onto his back and raises his blaster...




...narrowly missing his assailant's head with a laser blast!




The second trooper is quickly subdued...




...while Rykrof makes short work of the officer.




"That was close," the Duros prisoner exhales.




"Glad you're okay," Rykrof sighs with relief.




"It was worth the risk for this blaster."




"We might also be able to use their armor..." Rykrof observes as Atracion approaches the group.




"Two down, one hundred to go," the gang leader growls.




"Well, it's a start," Rykrof replies.
"But we better get moving."




"Indeed... it's almost time to rendevous with the others."




Three kilometers to the south, Atracion's flank team has become delayed.




"This is a suicide mission," Halri Kidell insists to the others.




"...Atracion has lost his mind."




"Better watch what you're saying," Dra'lusk snaps at the Nikto.




"I'm worried too," Drite Bulo interjects.
"Something's not right. We haven't seen any droids since we left this morning."




"So what are you saying," Dra'lusk asks.
"That we're being set up?"




"We don't have time for this," Helmo Iteris insists.




"...we're behind schedule."




The argument is abruptly interrupted by a squad of Stormtroopers!




"Hey, you!" the lead trooper shouts.
"All of you! Drop your weapons!"




"Oh, damn," Felisa Gelmeye trembles.




"You're not authorized to be carrying those blasters," the trooper insists.
"Drop them."




"We're not looking for any trouble," Dra'lusk tells the Imperials.




"We're just looking for supplies."




"You've entered a restricted area. Drop the blasters and turn around."




"What if we traded our weapons for rations?"




"That's it..."




"...blast them!"




A laser burst then rips through Drite's chest!




"No!" Dra'lusk shouts!




Another blast then tears into Felisa!




"Run!" Halri bellows as he and Helmo dash past Felisa's fallen body...




...while Dra'lusk takes off in the opposite direction!




The Stormtroopers then quickly secure the scene of the massacre.




"Sir, they went off in different directions."




"One of them is headed toward the complex."




"He won't make it far before the next patrol finds him," the officer says.




"Inform Chief Rolem that we're in pursuit of the other two prisoners..."




"... and that the Maker was right... it's happening."

[darthvlad]

Oh man. Placeholder.

Can't wait!

[YAK_Chewie]

Super soon!!

Perhaps tomorrow!

[YAK_Chewie]

Posted...!

[Utinniii]

That was well worth the wait! It was action packed, had real characters and just enough went wrong/right to be believable.

[darthapathy]

WOW!! What another fantastic episode. Love the action scenes. I really like how you made the prisoners all similar but also unique. I was curious what you used for a couple of the heads. Is Dra'lusk's head from one of the Toys R Us exclusive Dino Showdown action figures? What about Drite Bulo's head? I can't wait for the next installment. Keep them coming.

[Codaks]

Uhh goodie

Another great chapter, that's a pleasure to read. Like last time I'm left wanting more, not that it's short or lacking action, but simply 'cause it's good.

But Chewie... I have one issue with your series, all the teasing before the chapter is published jk, it's great to see some work in progress along the way. The way I see it, it keeps the photonovel in "active" status and reassures the readers that it's not dead, as I sometimes might fear with other photonovels, not that I don't understand why. It's a time-consuming affair.

I hope the next chapter isn't so far, far away

[YAK_Chewie]

That was well worth the wait! It was action packed, had real characters and just enough went wrong/right to be believable.

Thanks, glad you feel it was worth the wait - it's insane how fast time flies. The delay between chapters is pretty long.

It was fun bringing in some new characters - I tried to do that as a bit of a surprise - and to show that the prison population has more than what had been previously shown... there's going to be more too that haven't been shown so far.

Thanks for taking the time to read, and to comment - there are fewer and fewer people that take the time to do that these days... and eventually, that probably means nobody (including myself) will take the time to make photonovels anymore for the forums.

I dread that day.

[YAK_Chewie]

WOW!! What another fantastic episode. Love the action scenes. I really like how you made the prisoners all similar but also unique. I was curious what you used for a couple of the heads. Is Dra'lusk's head from one of the Toys R Us exclusive Dino Showdown action figures? What about Drite Bulo's head? I can't wait for the next installment. Keep them coming.

Thanks as always for your feedback, it means a lot.

Yeah the variety in prisoners is fun. I've kind of gotten addicted to making customs of them.

The head for Dra'lusk is from a wrestling figure... there was a 3.75" scale of those at Toysrus about 5 years ago...

Drite's head is from a GI JOE Kwinn figure.

I'll probably start planning out the next chapter in about a month.... thanks again for your support!

[Darth Kikinou]

Chewie!! Please tell me you have the next chapter ready too! I feel like I've been doing time on that planet myself it's taking so long to get on with it!

What is there to say? Excellent as always!

The "you know darth vader?! hahaha" part made me think of the scene in Gladiator where Proximo tells Maximus that Marcus Aurelius touched him on the shoulder with a wooden sword and that is how he was freed, so then Maximus laughs "hahaha YOU knew Marcus Aurelius!?"

When is the next chapter coming!!??

The PN scene is meager these days. Jodo is doing an amazing job with the Era of Darkness series (his photography skills are second to none), and Choi's Alliance Intelligence series is really fun (I never comment anymore, sorry guys, I am reading, loving it!)

Anyway, I nominate Chewie to write and direct episode 9. Not sure what can be salvaged from the wreckage of 8, but I'm sure you'll do a better job.

[YAK_Chewie]

Uhh goodie

Another great chapter, that's a pleasure to read. Like last time I'm left wanting more, not that it's short or lacking action, but simply 'cause it's good.

Thank you!

But Chewie... I have one issue with your series, all the teasing before the chapter is published jk, it's great to see some work in progress along the way. The way I see it, it keeps the photonovel in "active" status and reassures the readers that it's not dead, as I sometimes might fear with other photonovels, not that I don't understand why. It's a time-consuming affair.

Yeah, I really only do the previews and try to throw some teases to keep people reminded... especially since I'm down to 2-3 chapters a year lately...

And I know what you mean - most photonovels that start up, end up with a slow fizzle as the creator loses steam, and no longer has the desire or time to continue it. I hate to see that happen, but it seems inevitable for most series. I've kept this going now since 2004... which his cool, but also kinda nuts. But I obviously do enjoy it or I would not have kept it going.

My short-term goal is to complete two more chapters by summer - then spend the next few months of "hobby time" building sets/customs/etc. for the next location that will be a prime location in the series. The prison planet has been fun, but I realize after so long it's getting old and the series needs a fresh environment.

Now, I could have done some "back and forth" with some off-planet scenes, but I decided not to because I don't want to give away what has happened during this time frame to other characters in the series, such as Rykrof's son, wife, friends like Freelo, and his arch nemesis, Tylin Gere.

Rykrof is the focus of this segment... not anyone else. I feel the series had drifted away from that at times. And I needed to get back to him.

I hope the next chapter isn't so far, far away

The good thing is, most of the ground work has already been done... the bad part is, I have to create an all-new (somewhat elaborate) modular diorama for the next chapter. And wow, I can't wait to finish up this segment of the series - the final scene on this planet is going to be pretty memorable, I think - at least for a photonovel.

Thanks again for taking the time to read, and share some thoughts. That's what makes these worth it.

[Codaks]

The good thing is, most of the ground work has already been done... the bad part is, I have to create an all-new (somewhat elaborate) modular diorama for the next chapter. And wow, I can't wait to finish up this segment of the series - the final scene on this planet is going to be pretty memorable, I think - at least for a photonovel.

More teasing I see

Seriously though, I appreciate that you take the time to answer the feedback given.

[UKHistory]

Curling up with the latest chapter of the Enloe chronicles. Well done. A great combo action with the suspense of leaving us with the next

Set designs and custom figures are cool. Build n brawl wrestler and Gi joe fill out the penal colony as do female prisoners too. The variation on the prisoner garb is cool. It is realistic and very artistic. Loved seeing a duros in the mix.

I think one of the more interesting characters is Attracion. Well constructed. Soft good plus a pirate zombie long vest. Like his interaction with Attracion.

Best part is the foreshadowing asking what has become of Cauldin. Enloe says his son was good whnen he left. But now? And Enloe doesn’t even know what has happened with Gere and his family.

Chewie however Long Enloe continues, thanks. Great story and fun way to bridge the prequels to the OT.

[Utinniii]

Thanks for taking the time to read, and to comment - there are fewer and fewer people that take the time to do that these days... and eventually, that probably means nobody (including myself) will take the time to make photonovels anymore for the forums.

I dread that day.

I've actually been thinking about this for a long while. I even started writing out my thoughts about this with reasons and solutions which quickly became a long essay. I'll distill the important point in brief. I think the problem is with forums in general, not just the PN or customs section.

I think the only way to really solve this problem is for everyone to be more proactive and comment on and query other people's posts, regardless of the section. By engaging other posters, we become friends and are more likely to respond in kind. Leaving comments isn't enough. If we ask questions, we'll likely get a response and start a dialogue.

I'm posting this here and not in the "10 comments or bust" thread because you are actually one of the few that takes the time to comment, and more importantly, ENGAGE other members so you won't take my above comment as a criticism.

[darthvlad]

Actually, this make sense (what you both are saying) and I'm pretty guilty of taking time to read everyone's PNs, but failing to comment... and if no one comments, then it's hard for the author to know how much traffic they are receiving.

That said, I did drop Chewie a few lines via text, but I'll post it here. I thought it was a great addition to the story. It had the right balance of advancing the plot and some action. I always love the customs and the settings that you do. I just love seeing everyone else's creativity (it tends to fuel my own creativity). My only "complaint" was about the first line in the crawl being too small. I'm getting old and my eyesight is going... it still didn't take away from the story though.

I wish I had some skills, time, and money to do a PN of my own and join in on the fun, but I just don't see it happening without some guidance. I think I could come up with a story (I've thought it would be could to have someone do a PN of some of the short stories I've written (non-Star Wars)), though.