Andrew Markos: A New War Begins

Chapter 3: The Third Battle of Geonosis

A few weeks after Andrew met the Ghost crew, he received intel that a mysterious project was being conducted on Geonosis. He assumed that it was the droid factory being reactivated but there was one small problem. The Separatist Alliance was dissolved after the war ended and the planets that were in the alliance were heavily punished for their crimes. After they arrived on the planet, a small squadron was sent down to the surface to investigate. Andrew reached out to the team that went to investigate after a few minutes of no response.

Andrew Markos: Commander Oliver, have you and your team set up a landing zone? 

Commander Oliver: [Through comn link] Yes sir, the landing zone has been established and we’re awaiting your arrival. 

Surprisingly they were able to restore several old republic starfighters and shuttles. He boarded the shuttle and made his way to the surface. When he arrived, there were destroyed battle droids and droidekas laying everywhere. 

Commander Oliver: It seems that the empire wasn’t interested in stepping foot on this dust bowl. I know I’m certainly not happy to be here either. The old factory shouldn’t be too far from here. It’s maybe two or three clicks away. 

Meanwhile across the galaxy, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Commander Cara Lambra were investigating an attack on the imperial refinery on Sereda that was attacked by the crew of the ghost.

Commander Cara: Grand Admiral, I’ve taken a total of how many ships were lost to the rebels in the attack. In total, the complex lost a total of nine bombers. However not all 9 made it to wherever the rebels are hiding. 

Grand Admiral Thrawn: Very good but what else do you see? Take a look at the reports of the attack on the Mykapo system once more. 

She took a look at the reports of the attack. She wasn’t quite sure what he was getting at but she knew Thrawn never asked for further details about something unless he had a logical explanation or the two events were somehow related. Once she examined the two reports closely, she noticed that it would only take one hyperspace jump from the prison on Mykapo to the Sereda system. Could it be possible that the attacks were made by the same group of rebels? The pirate Hondo Onaka seemed to be getting out of prison quite often and it was always near a system attacked by the rebels. 

Commander Cara: By my analysis of the reports, it seems that it would only take one hyperspace jump from the prison on Mykapo to the Sereda system. It could be possible that the same group of rebels. Hondo Onaka, is aiding the rebels by providing supplies to them as he did to the republic during the old republic. 

Grand Admiral Thrawn: Very good commander. Your analysis is indeed correct. The pirate could be using old routes previously unknown to the empire and using them to the advantage of the rebels and it is up to us to discover those routes and secure them to our utmost urgency. [Looks at the data pad] Tell me, commander, what do you know about the planet Geonosis? 

Commander Cara: I can’t tell you much I’m afraid. I was born after the war ended and I never left Coruscant as a girl. I only heard about it from history classes in the academy.

Grand Admiral Thrawn: It was where two different battles took place for control of the planet. It exchanged hands between the Republic and the Separatists till it ultimately remained in republic control till the empire rose and assumed complete control of the planet. A probe droid recently detected an unusual amount of activity long after the war ended. 

Commander Cara: Perhaps it’s scavengers looting the planet for items to sell. 

Grand Admiral Thrawn: It could be but there were reports of a Venator Class Star Destroyer leaving the planet Yerbana a few weeks ago. Many clones were spotted as well. This would not be unusual except the only clones remotely close to the area were already at the imperial complex.