The Rebel Faction

On the surface, the Imperial Army marched on, securing vast amounts of territory and venturing underground when scanners indicated a great deal of lifeform readings. Support fire from the fleet leveled obstacles that hindered transportation efforts, and engineers mapped the huge underground corridors, firing power generators when needed to secure more lighting.

One hundred winged Geonosian warriors, armed with ancient ray guns, had emerged to counter the oncoming juggernaut, but decades of relative peace had left the warrior caste impotent. Several salvos were fired from an All-Terrain Anti-Aircraft walker, and flak shells burst among the sub-human warriors, the superheated shrapnel tearing into the creatures with ease, ripping them apart.

The native creatures, too, caused trouble for the invading force. Wild Acklays stabbed at the few stormtroopers that were unlucky enough to be left without motorized transport, impaling them upon their crab-like claws. A hail of E-Web fire would follow from the troops, and the Acklay would soon perish.

The army continued on, dispersing to cover the wide distances that had been specificed in their orders.

Lieutenant Arven Tax walked about the almost desert-like grounds of Geonosis, taking map readings and reporting back to the flagship in orbit. He was suddenly distracted from his task, as he noticed a figure scurrying atop a large rock formation, next to what appeared to be an abandoned stadium, only fashioned out of rock. Oddly enough, the figure was dragging the bloodied corpses of two geonosians behind him, and licking blood from his fingers. He supressed a shudder, amazed at the violence that flowed through some people. He waved, hoping to catch the random murderer, before an armored glove tapped his shoulder.

"Yes Corporal, what is it?" he asked, spinning around to see a stormtrooper carrying an E-Web on his shoulder.

"Disturbance with the locals, sir, please follow me," was the brisk reply.

He followed the trooper several hundred yards, and took in the sight of the planet. It was hundreds and hundreds of miles of endless <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> nothing<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, really, save for the occasional rock formation or jutting stalagmite. He thought back to the immediate situation, realizing yet again how far a division, a brigade, a mere regiment could spread.

And ended his walk among a bronze-colored protocol droid, seven more stormtroopers, and maybe three dozen geonosians of the worker caste. A series of clicks and pops came from the largest of the aliens, and the droid worked quickly to translate, illuminated photoreceptors telescoping.

"Oh, how terrible! Master Tax, this male identifies himself as Oogle the Taller. He points out that this stalagmite has historical significance to his clan."

The Lieutenant scratched at his stubble, nodding. "Well, One-Bee, how do we enter into this?" he asked.

The conversation continued between the protocol droid and the locals for a moment before the protocol droid replied, "He respectfully requests that we forego the destruction of it."

Tax pulled out a comlink, and communicated with a staff officer on the flagship, reporting on his current situation.

"Acknowledged, Lieutenant," came the reply. "As for the locals, avoid hostile contact with them if possible, and hand out whatever rations or MRE's you can spare. We'll need their help with construction on this planet, so it wouldn't hurt to maintain PR with them. Planet-wide orders, from the Commodore."

He did as he was told, handing out Meal-Ready to Eat packs to the aliens. They waggled their heads, thanking him, and soon small bonfires came into existance as the locals prepared their meals. Next, he was handed a datapad which seemed to have had its sides carved from marble.

"Oh, he says this is his village," translated One-Bee Tee, speaking for Oogle the Taller.

He scrolled through the render of the subterranean town, switching between wireframe and rendered displays on the pad. "Astounding," he mouthed. "Can he take us there?"

"Tonight," Oogle replied through One-Bee. "He says that the Acklay only come out during the day, and we are in a good place here to avoid them."

"Tonight, then," he replied, smiling at the village leader as he stirred the spice rice in his Corellian <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> phontoh<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> dish.

Perhaps Geonosis was something more than the barren hell that it appeared to be.

When the shuttle finally docked within the hangar bay of the Carrack Cruiser Opulence, the admiral was there waiting. He waited for the Imperial to fully exit the craft before stepping upward.

"I notice you have not withdrawn your troops, are you trying to wrestle this planet from Rogue Imperial clutches?"

OOC

There finally got to it.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Angel received the telepathic link. He turned around and started to walk down the steps slowly. He returned a message to Mundi.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "Put your lightsaber away quickly. I will come with you for now. I don't see how we can get out of here though. We have Imperials and Genosians out there and here in the arena is the reason I asked you to put your lightsaber away, Boba Fett. He's renowned for hating Jedi."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> And with thaat he leaped down the far drop to the arena floor and joined the old Jedi Master.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Smiling as the padawan walked towards him, Ki Adi sent another message as he approached.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> I know young padawan.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"I watched his clone-father die..."

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Having reverted back to talking, Ki Adi began to walk out, the padawan trailing.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

"So what is your name anyway child?"