Eye Of The Needle (Star Wars)

Chapter 41: The Geonosian Queen

"She must be close by." I commented.

"Come on." Obi-Wan ordered.

We picked up our pace, making our way through the tunnels. As we got closer, we were greeted with a terrifying sight. The bugs looked like they were zombies. Jinx gasped. "What in the name of Saara?!"

"I don't like the looks of this." Obi-Wan commented.

As they got closer, we commenced to take them down. However each one we attacked, came back up. The bugs managed to take some of our troopers as we fell back. I watched in horror as the bugs I struck down, kept getting back up. I've never seen anything like this.

"Take out the tunnel supports. It's the only way." Obi-Wan advised.

Once the troopers took out the tunnel supports, we managed to escape. Anakin was the first to speak up. "What were those things?"

"We couldn't kill them." Jinx chimed in.

"I've heard stories of a Geonosian hive mind so powerful, so strong, that it can maintain its connection with its warriors even after they have died." Obi-Wan explained.

"And you think that's why we couldn't kill them, because they're..." I trailed off.

"Already dead, yes." Obi-Wan said, finishing my sentence.

"That can't be true." Anakin commented.

"That's impossible...right?" Maya asked, sounding uncertain.

"Whether it's impossible or not, one thing is certain. These creatures keep moving after we cut them up or shoot them down." Vinor stated.

"Call for reinforcements." Obi-Wan urged as he glanced over at Anakin.

Anakin then tried contacting the others on his comlink, but failed. "There's no signal."

"We must be too deep underground." Obi-Wan commented. He turned towards two clone troopers. "You two, head back to the surface and contact General Mundi. Tell him we need reinforcements."

It wasn't long until we heard screams, no doubt from the clone troopers. We quickly rushed towards the sound to find one of them on the ground, while the other was nowhere in sight.

"Obviously the thing's a lot more powerful than we assumed." Jinx pointed out.

"I'm going to the surface to alert General Mundi myself." Anakin suggested.

"I think that would be a foolhardy move, Anakin. We can't divide our troops again. We don't have time to double back to the surface." Obi-Wan advised.

"Every moment we waste puts Master Unduli in greater danger." I mentioned.

Vinor nodded. "I agree. We must hurry. Who knows what danger Master Unduli has put herself in."

It wasn't long until we got closer, feeling the warm air around us along with an unpleasant rotten smell. It was worse than any odor I've come across.

"The air is warmer here. We must be getting close." Obi-Wan commented.

"Forget the heat. It smells down here." Anakin stated.

"Keep your voice down." Maya scolded.

"I'm just saying, this planet is rotten from the inside out." Anakin retorted.

"I can't wait to get off this Force forsaken planet." Jinx grumbled.

With that, we saw a throne room where Master Unduli was trapped in a containment field with the giant bug queen behind her. Poggle stood beside her with several other bugs, who looked zombified.