Chapter 5: Arrival On the Dark Planet
The landing party of the Confederacy finally made a landing on the dark planet. In spite of the heavy rain, Trade Federation, along with Confederate super battle droids emerged from the landing ship, along with some back up with some Trade Federation battle assault tanks. As the battle droids were heading toward the front along with at least two squads of droidekas rolling into the scene. The head battle droid stopped the rest of the droids from advancing to which a hologram of General Grevious appeared before him.
"CC94-DF" said Grevious, "I'm glad you have finally managed to land your troops."
"Yes General" replied CC94-DF, "despite the heavy weather on this planet, we were able to land all of our troops with ease. We have scanned the planet before there was a break in the weather. It appears our lost clone troopers could have headed toward shelter nearby in some abandon facilities."
"Excellent!" laughed Grevious, "but we seem to have some mess to attend to, the Jedi will try to find his clone compatriots. If you have any star fighters hovering above, let him go through the small blockade. I'll soon join you shortly by then."
"Roger, roger" replied CC94-DF as the hologram of Grevious disappeared, "alright, let's move out and search the entire area for those clone troopers. Let's move it!"
The battle droids, tanks, super battle droids and droidekas alike all moved through the swampy brush. But what these battle droids didn't know is that something had already found their targeted clone troopers. Right now, the captain of the clone troopers was leading a rescue mission for one of their own was still being held captive by a mysterious spider creature they had encountered earlier.
"Come on, pick up the pace" said the captain as he began to rush members of his squad who were becoming quite exhausted.
"Sir, some of us haven't received our rest" said one of the clone troopers.
"Well, maybe if one of you hadn't disobeyed our orders, we may have not upset some of the native predators on the planet" barked the captain, as he then scolded his men.
"But sir, all I wanted to do is find a way we can contact the Republic" said the clone trooper whom originally disobeyed his orders.
"You're lucky I'm not the sort of captain whom would put you on trial, and disband you from the Republic forces" continued the captain in a strick manner, "we are going to find the other trooper that the strange creature took."
"But sir, it just seems this facility is so big, how are we going to find whatever the heck was that thing anyway?" asked another clone trooper.
"Hmm, you might have a point" replied the captain, "men, I got a plan on how to draw that creature out from its hiding place. One or two of you are going to be acting as bait. Luckily I remembered I have a tracking device on me, really meant to be placed on Confederate droid scum on spying missions. But since I have at least one tracking device on me, that'll be used to track this spider-like creature we've encountered and follow it to its lair."
"How would you know that would work sir?" asked another clone trooper.
"Look trooper, we've tracked Confederate spies with this device" replied the captain as he showed them the device, "I believe we can track down a rogue creature if we put our minds to it."
As the captain of the lost squad of clone troopers was preparing his bold plan, Xavier finally reached the hangar of the ship. There were strangely low number of battle droids defending any escape shuttles in the hangar. One shuttle was prepared just right for Xavier in quite a strange manner. He knew perhaps Grevious may have wanted him to escape, but he'd have to take that chance.
"Look, Jedi, shoot him!" cried one of the battle droids as it noticed Xavier using force speed to move right into the hangar bay.
The few battle droids fired at Xavier, to which the Jedi easily managed to use his lightsaber and deflect the lasers. He then used his force push powers, to push down some crates that were nearby the battle droids.
"Look out!" cried one of the battle droids as the crates fell right on them, making them unable to reach for their weapons.
"And now to make my escape" said Xavier as he headed right toward the shuttle.
As Xavier began to start the shuttle, he knew he had to get to the dark planet below to find his clone troopers for which he gave the vital information to before the Confederacy got to them first. But little did he know, his sixth sense of Grevious plotting to use him to get to his clone troopers was right on the money. One of the battle droids still under the large crates picked up its communicator.
"Did you allow the Jedi to escape?" asked Grevious on the other line who was still at the bridge of the ship.
"Roger, roger, could you get some other droids to get these things off of us?" asked the battle droid who still was having a bit of some trouble.
"Fine" replied Grevious, "I'll soon be arriving on the planet myself to deal with the lone Jedi, and those clone troopers."
Back with the squad of clone troopers, the captain was quite confident his plan would work of tracking down the rogue spider creature that attacked his own men. He had two members of his squad keep watch, and also be used as bait to draw out the spider creature. It seemed to be working so far, as the spider creature emerged from the depths of the underground tunnels of the abandon facility.
"So, you think this plan of the captain's is going to work?" asked one of the clone troopers who doubted the plan.
"It seems risky, but I think we can worry about one less thing if this succeeds" replied the other clone trooper.
As the two clone troopers waited seemingly alone, waiting for the spider creature. The spider creature made a quick dash toward the ceiling of the facility. Saliva, once more emerged from the mouth of the spider and began to drip. It then began to drip more saliva, as if there were a leak within the abandon facility itself.
"Look, rain, it must be a leak in this old place" said one of the clone troopers.
"Er, I don't think that's no leak" replied the second clone trooper as he took out his weapon and noticed the spider creature glaring down with its red glowing eyes.
The two clone troopers then began to fire at the spider creature, along with also other clone troopers whom then came out of hiding. The spider creature suddenly realized it was a trap for itself. But the strange creature had no problem dodging the blasters from the clone troopers, and managed to use its web to grab some of the weapons away. The captain wanted to get closer to the spider creature so that he could throw on the tracking device on it. He got his wish, when the spider creature lunged right at him.
"Ha, this thing is ugly as hell!" cried the captain as he noticed that he'd rather marry, and star at a hutt than look in the face of the ugly spider which was too gross to mention.
The captain then pressed a button on his suit which then shocked the creature. The creature made a horrible sound, as if it were in temporary pain. The captain then saw the opportunity and threw the tracking device on the creature to which it then began to head back to where it once came from.
"Quickly, we haven't got much time, follow it!" cried the captain as he dusted himself off and picked up his weapon.