"My first day as a member of the 501, was dense, chaotic, nothing compared to the simulators we use in Kamino. We have spent all this time being raised and trained for serious situations and emergencies. But on this day, our training was put to the test. Count Dookan, leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, has taken several Jedi hostage on Geonosis in an attempt to send a message to the Republic, and to Chancellor Palpatine. However, with the passage of a new amendment, the Republic Army was authorized to go into action, and a conflict began. The conflict that would change the galaxy. "
I am writing this diary as a record of the events that I am about to face starting in Geonosis. It may not seem like it, but under our helmets, we were very nervous about what was happening. Under the command of Jedi Master Mace Windu, and Master Yoda, the Republic had assembled an army of 202,000 clones, 2,000 tanks and walkers, 1,400 ships, 8 star cruisers, and 60 bombers. However, we were at an absurd disadvantage. The Separatists had over 1 million Battle Droids, many bombers, Super Battle Droids, great strategic coordination, and important plans for a highly important space station, vital to Dookan.
I remember I was on a ship with a platoon of clones, and Master Windu. He had ordered them down to a command post in the middle of the desert, which Master Yoda was supervising and sending troops to strategic places. In the middle of a crossfire between the droids and my men, where the dust was so high, no one knew for sure what they were hitting.
(Windu) - Pilot! Land in that take-off area!
-Understood.
The ship slowly landed, and I could see some of the terror that was waiting for me: Slowly, I could see the carnage and the deaths of several of my companions. They were created to be able to do what they do best: fight on the battlefield. But what I can say is that seeing many of my brothers, fallen on their first day of fighting, is something one never forgets. Many might say that clones could be disposable. Recycled. Countless other terms that would describe us. For some people, clones were replaceable. Something that started to bother me when they started to think about it, because nobody was disposable. They had a life, just like everyone else. They were trained in every combat art possible to help the Republic in an ultimate moment. Jedis have always been protectors of peace. The Separatists were forcing their hand with their independence movement. Many said they wanted to secede because the Republic was corrupt, others said it was because Dookan was manipulating the members of the Senate, but that was something that was always a matter of contention between the senators of both factions. It was never clear what the real story was, in my opinion, keeping in mind how the politics between them played out over time, but I admit that politics in times of war was extremely turbulent. It was a difficult thing to deal with in times like those.
I grabbed a rifle, and started shooting at the incoming droids. I was standing next to eight clones, and I remember that the platoon that was in front started to fall, as if the bodies were piling up on top of each other. I also started to hear shelling in mountainous regions of the planet where there were checkpoints, run by the Separatists. Some of my companions began to fall, hit by snipers, or taken by surprise. The Super Droids were heavily clad, which made our mission even more difficult, when out of nowhere, one of the Separatist escape ships was shot down by Republic ships, which enveloped the entire battle in a cloud of dust. Everyone was firing in all directions, and I was lost, not knowing what to do. I started to see everything bent over, and I shot everywhere, and amazingly enough, without managing to hit my companions.
In the middle of the battle, the medical teams went into action and ventured into the dust to rescue several wounded or other soldiers who were probably dead, because we followed one rule to the letter: Never leave a man behind, dead or alive, because they would always be our brothers.
As we ventured into the far reaches of the planet, we discovered that the Geonosians had always had a blind loyalty to Count Dookan, and of course, they took the opportunity to launch a counterattack on the side of the Droids. With sonic cannons, they dealt with the rear of the army, even if it was to slow down the tanks or try to kill some soldiers.
The cruisers went into battle in orbit. 6 Republic ships, with numerous cruisers, were trying to repel the breakout of the Separatists, however, several Dookan cruisers that were in orbit began a relentless attack that caught the fleet off guard. Both sides began using long-range cannons to try to get the upper hand on each other.
Although I was not there to see what was happening, I could understand that this would be different from anything we had been trained to do.
Back to the current situation, when the dust settled, everything was still the same. I started shooting at some Super Battle Droids that were still standing. They were not falling and started slaughtering several of my companions, which looked like things were not going to be easy. When some of them looked at me they started shooting, trying to hit me. All seemed lost, until in a single cut, the droids were destroyed.
It was Master Windu, who extended his hand to me in a sign of respect.
(Windu) - All of you have an important role to play. Let's not leave anyone behind at a time like this.
That was one of the moments that made me respect the Jedis and their fighting skills. They had a certain belief of doing the right thing all the time, but it was in Geonosis that I began to see these knights with different eyes, including how willing they were to end this battle once and for all.
The Republic slowly began to gain ground. The Separatists had a larger army than ours. It was kind of an impossible battle, but even though we were outnumbered, I still believed we could win this. The dust was much higher than before. I started shooting at the Droids that appeared, and knocked out a number of them. Suddenly, Super Battle Droids appeared, and the heavy artillery launched missiles that destroyed the Super Droids. The 501st army began to advance further, with our ships destroying the Separatist escape pods. I was beginning to worry a little about Skywalker and Kenobi. The two of them, when this all started, were the duo that took the risk to accomplish the mission. Anakin Skywalker was impulsive, determined, but always willing to do whatever was necessary to accomplish the objectives, and Kenobi was, to me, the calm part. The brains of the operations. One of the most experienced Jedis I have ever heard of, who always pushed his limits as a knight. They, along with a platoon, and Senator Padmé Amidala, were chasing Dookan when I last saw them. I tried not to worry about my thoughts and problems, focusing instead on the battle ahead. Firing on the Droids, reinforcements were arriving minute by minute on both sides. Yoda was coordinating part of the operation, in charge of the artillery, commanding the soldiers to hit as many ships as possible, not letting one escape. Snipers on both sides, taking out the infantry. My brothers, little by little, continued to fall in combat. I could see their bodies piling up, in a way that I imagined seeing. The medical teams were risking their lives, and paying with their lives to save the platoon. Sacrifices were necessary in a battle, but this only further increased my fear that people saw the clones as something disposable. This political crisis was leading to something I never imagined I would see. A battle of epic proportions, which was costing the lives of people that I consider more than brothers. They are friends above all. There were also members of the High Council of the Separatist Movement on Geonosis. If we could capture them all, plus Dookan, we could put an end to this conflict before it escalated into something even worse.
One of the escape ships was hit, and plummeted in free fall onto the planet. A dense and gigantic dust cloud enveloped the battlefield, blinding the vision of everyone who was fighting there. My brothers were firing. A whole platoon of men and soldiers attacking the Federation droids. Even with my vision blurred because of the dust, I could see Master Windu leading our troops, using his lightsaber to block the attacks and the shots. A true born leader in action, acting with all the charisma and agility possible to help us clones. I turned around for a moment and could see Yoda taking off in a ship, heading towards a place I didn't know myself. The shots continued to be fired. Moment by moment. Minute by minute. I saw body after body after body. One feeling I was getting from all of this was to fight, and to protect my brothers, but I knew that I couldn't save everyone. Suddenly a voice begins to speak in my ear. A communications officer who sounded desperate.
-We have lost all communication with Master Yoda. We are taking a lot of casualties.
I heard several other reports about the catacombs.
-Operations Center to Base, we are facing something that is not human. Fire!
I could hear the gunshots, the laughter, and everything possible.
-This thing massacred Jedi Master Ur-Sema Du, and is massacring an entire platoon with its bare hands. Someone send reinforcements!
The communication was cutting out, which made me even more apprehensive under my helmet.
-All units, we have just lost contact with General Skywalker's ship. Stay alert, we may be at the mercy of a new Separatist attack, so everyone stand by.
What I heard in the catacombs, it might not seem so, but that would be the emergence of an even greater threat to the galaxy. But for me, at the moment, I was sure that the disadvantage became visible with every moment. A dead Jedi Master, Yoda and Anakin were gone, and our companions were being overpowered by the Battle Droids. It was one tense moment after another. I was shooting at the Droids, with all the strength I had at the moment. I would take some down, and more would come. Being under the command of Mace Windu, he applied tactics that made us challenge ourselves at every moment. The Jedis were warriors who exceeded expectations mission after mission. I was determined to keep attacking to make my way towards Dookan. If there was a chance to capture him and end this confrontation, we were going to do everything in our power to do it.
Communication went back and forth, cutting off with every attack the platoon suffered.
-We have located... Skywalker... On the way... From Dookan...
But where was it that the officer was indicating? A base? Escape route? A shipyard? The possibilities were increasing as the battle took other directions. Density and dust were taking over the battlefield, and I was relying only on my instincts to shoot down these old tin cans. The stakes had never been so high. Grabbing another gun, I started firing, staying at the front of the platoon I was in. Air reinforcements were slowly arriving on the scene, bringing more and more platoons. Some soldiers, upon landing, were shot dead. These Droids had no remorse. They were created for only one thing: to fight. To do the will of whoever was in charge. Such brutal programming for a confrontation. Still, my ideals held firm. I would do anything for the Republic, risking my life every day for the greater good. I continued firing into the dense fog, but I could see how Mace Windu was blocking the attacks in an attempt to protect us. The air attacks were continuing at a frantic pace. Our ships were slowly being shot down. Clone after clone was falling one after the other. Brothers who were newly created, killed serving the purpose of the Republic. The day this all began, I had promised myself never to back down in the face of danger. No matter how great it was, I had to do what I could for the Galactic Republic. It was our duty as soldiers. To do good by the side of the Jedi. And to do what was possible for Chancellor Palpatine's agenda. At the time, he was the most influential figure in the Galactic Senate. Any decision made by him had to be followed, without question. Organizations lived and died by his words. Under the gaze of the greatest leader of the Republic, we acted. The members of the 501 had a blind loyalty in what they did. Service came first above all else. Never leave anything behind. Even the slightest memory can lead to even greater suffering. At the time, it didn't seem like it, but Palpatine was the most influential figure not only inside the Senate, but behind the scenes. He was the person who would do anything to secure power in favor of the Republic. The motion of the clone army was slowly being debated. Until people felt a certain level of insecurity about so many attacks happening across the planets. When the Separatist movement won and gained more power, it was no longer possible to ignore it. It was time for the Republic to have its own clone army, many said. The creation of this army was necessary, others also said. But the fact remains that the politics of the Republic has always been a minefield, where one false step meant that the law would live or die. The organization that was at risk or could be saved. Numerous banking organizations were important in the midst of the war, but let's not delve into this now.
Back in the battle, tension was mounting on all fronts. Soldiers and Droids both began to fall. Snipers, heavy artillery. Everything was being used. The AT-TEs that we had were slowly being destroyed. The Separatist tanks were slowly, slowly, becoming our biggest disadvantage in an unprecedented battle. A first day that I never imagined would be like this. So much brutality. Deaths of brothers who would never fight after that. Sometimes the best quality of a clone was not his training, but the emotions he had. Many reaffirmed that clones had no emotions. They only served their purpose as soldiers. It was one of those reasons that made me shed a tear when I thought about it. If I was told that I could be discarded at any time, it was a thought that would never go away. We did a lot for the citizens. We strive for their safety, and what we get in return are empty words? I had a thing against that, but I always tried hard to hide my feelings. A Clone. A birth number. That was what defined us. For a long time, we struggled in training, hoping that someday, we would be summoned to fight for the good of the Galactic Republic. Blind loyalty? It might have been. But we fought following our ideals, having belief and faith in a good greater than all else. Two things came first: Our brothers and our loyalty. Trained in all the arts of combat, and of shooting. This was the ultimate moment of the Republic. It was the beginning of something even greater than we believed.
Amidst the dust, I kept shooting. Super Battle Droids were arriving minute by minute. The Separatists wanted to hold off the Republic troops as long as possible so that the upper echelon could escape. But even so, the mission would not be in vain. We had to keep moving forward. Reinforcements arrived, which turned the tide of fighting in our favor. We kept moving forward, while Master Windu kept guiding us, towards battle. Jedi have always had something. A connection to the Force. The ancestral balance of good and evil has always been something a little difficult to understand. In the midst of battle, I could see why the Jedi are considered the greatest warriors of all. Their spiritual connection to what connected them to the Force was what guided the knights, in good times and bad. Mace Windu, in my opinion, was one of the best warriors I have ever been proud to fight. Yoda was also one of the best. He was regarded by all as the most legendary of the Jedi Order. And Skywalker and Kenobi always excelled through their determination to be loyal to what they believed in. The dust settled, and I could see both platoons again. I fired again at the Droids, who slowly began to retreat. Communication returned, but what worried me was the noise I was hearing from the static.
-Many... Attacking... Central is... Being attacked...
Communication cut out again. What worried me more and more was the fact that we seemed to be being overpowered. I didn't know whether it was advantage or disadvantage. Were we winning or losing? The question was something that worried me at every moment. The attack continued. The Droids continued to overpower us, but the air reinforcements were slowly helping us to keep going. Suddenly, a bombardment started, which helped us even more. The members of the 501st Legion left no loose ends when it came to combat. Although we had great support, the platoon was attacked as much as ever. Moving on. It was the only thing we could do. We could not retreat, much less stop for anything. Dookan was a persuasive man. Able to get countless star systems on his side, it was a wonder he could attempt anything worse than Geonosis. Something devastating.
We continued to fight in the midst of the dense and uncertain conflict. Many were succumbing to the desperation and strength of the Droids. But I would not stand for being defeated by a bunch of old tin cans. Programmed to kill. As if it were the most honorable thing of all. Killing this way was inhumane. Our clones had the sense to do what was needed, including following orders when necessary.
Suddenly a flash of hope came over us. The Droid forces, out of nowhere, began to fall back, which made us wonder why this was happening.
-Dookan is retreating. The Republic forces are getting closer and closer. We win!
That was a surprise. Apparently the Battle at Geonosis was a distraction. Dookan used the whole battle to be able to escape, and many said that he had important plans in hand. Not only he, but the High Council of Separatists escaped in all this. The elite of the elite. Wat Tambor. Nute Gunray. The Geonosian archduke Poggle the Lesser, and many others escaped. They were more than the elite. They were the pillars of the foundation of the Separatist movement. If they removed one from power, the others would fall as well. It was kind of a domino effect if that happened. They were practically a pyramid. Each one had an important function. Gunray was in charge of the Trade Federation, one of the key aspects of the Separatists. The Federation was part of the Galactic Senate, so Dookan could have eyes and ears on all sides of the senate. Wat Tambor was the iron hand. He had the power to subdue civilians in his hands. Poggle was one of the people in charge of the Geonosians. Looking after the political and guerrilla aspects of his people, he was a shrewd and manipulative man. The Federation. The Banking Clan. Dookan had both in hand, so it was likely that he would try to use both organizations to his advantage in the future. The Banking Clan was responsible for overseeing all transactions involving the Republic and the Separatists. Any major movement had to go through them. But now that Dookan had the most important part, which was the existing flow of currency in the galaxy, everyone would now be in danger. When we arrived at Dookan's last location, the only thing we found were the fallen Skywalker and Kenobi masters, with Skywalker having lost his left hand. We had also found Yoda again, who had disappeared in the middle of the battle. The only thing he told me was that he had failed to stop Dookan.
"The Battle of Geonosis was the turning point for the Galaxy. We survived the first day, although many died in battle. I never imagined I could survive such a thing. The end of the Separatist Crisis has come. But the problem was that something even worse began. From that moment on, the Clone Wars began. But one thing, I was sure: Whatever they threw at us, the 501st Legion would stand up to it, always doing its duty for the Republic, and for the citizens. "