During the Clone Wars, the Galactic Republic's D-Squad escaped from Separatist forces on the planet Abafar. D-Squad, a specialized unit composed largely of astromech droids and headed by the Zilkin Colonel Meebur Gascon, had been sent on a mission to steal a Separatist encryption module from the flagship of the tactical droid Aut-O. However, their shuttle had been damaged in a comet storm on their way back to Coruscant, forcing them to crash on Abafar. After reaching the town of Pons Ora, they discovered that battle droid forces controlled the local spaceport, impeding their ability to steal a new starship. However, Gascon and WAC-47 had encountered an amnesiac clone commando named Gregor working in a local diner, and the squad thus confronted him in a successful attempt to jog his memory, recruiting him to assist in storming the spaceport. Gascon and the droids escaped in a Rho-class transport shuttle, but they were forced to leave Gregor behind as he detonated a massive rhydonium explosion to cover their escape, not knowing if he had survived.
During the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems, an encrypted transmission of the Separatist military commander General Grievous was intercepted. Unable to decode it, the Jedi decided to assemble a specialized squad of droids to infiltrate a Separatist warship holding an encryption module which would allow them to gather intel from the message. The "D-Squad" was led by the diminutive, bravado-prone Zilkin Colonel Meebur Gascon, who hoped to be back in time for his promotion to Brigadier General. Accompanying Gascon were the astromech droids R2-D2, QT-KT and U9-C4, who had been specially upgraded for the mission, and M5-BZ, who had been modified so Gascon could ride inside his head-dome. The DUM-series pit droid WAC-47 was brought along to pilot the unit's Maxillipede shuttle. Despite tension between Gascon and WAC, the unit was able to infiltrate the flagship of the super tactical droid Aut-O and steal the module. R2-D2 destroyed the tactical droid during a confrontation, after which the group escaped in their shuttle.
The D-Squad's journey back to Coruscant hit a snag when their shuttle was caught in a comet storm in the Abafar system, forcing them out of hyperspace. The comets damaged the shuttle, causing it to crash-land in Abafar's barren Void, a desert which possessed qualities making it difficult to navigate. After some bickering, R2-D2 seized the encryption module and headed off with the other astromechs, leaving behind WAC and Gascon as they eventually found their way to the town Pons Ora. Gascon and WAC eventually caught up after encountering a herd of Void striders, and they began to plan how they would get offworld.
The Battle of Sarrish had been one of the Republic's greatest defeats in the war, with many clone troopers lost. One of the units which had participated in the battle was Foxtrot Group, a clone commando unit in the 212th Attack Battalion. The members of the group were considered missing in action, but the unit's commanding officer, Clone Captain Gregor, had somehow escaped Sarrish on a shuttle. However, Gregor developed amnesia when his ship crashed on Abafar, remembering nothing but his own name. Gregor was found by Borkus, the owner of the Power Sliders diner in Pons Ora, who stole and hid his armor and equipment before taking advantage of his condition to employ him as a dishwasher in his business, under slave-like conditions and wages.
Abafar had once been mined for its resources of rhydonium, a highly volatile and dangerous fuel, although by the time of the Clone Wars most of it had been mined out. However, what rhydonium did remain caught the interest of the Separatists: a Republic strategy conference which would be attended by some of the Republic's most important military commanders was due to be held on the Valor space station above Carida, and in fact was where Gascon expected to be promoted. The Separatists planned to use a stolen Venator-class Star Destroyer, the Renown, to bomb the conference, and parked the capital ship above Pons Ora while it was loaded with rhydonium. Borkus became aware of the Venator's presence, but did not suspect it had been captured, assuming the Separatist battle droids active in the area intended to blow it up with the fuel they were mining.
Having regrouped from their journey across the Void, the D-Squad entered Pons Ora, which R2-D2 commented reminded him of Tatooine. Travelling along the town's main road, Gascon spotted Power Sliders and, feeling hungry, decided to stop for a bite to eat, while ordering the astromechs to scope out the local spaceport. WAC, whom Gascon had unofficially promoted to corporal, accompanied him. Upon entering the diner, however, Gascon chose to attract Borkus' attention by loudly announcing himself to be an officer of the Republic Military. Not wanting Gascon and WAC to encounter Gregor, Borkus quickly kicked them both out, saying his business did not serve "conduit worms" or droids. The astromech droids, meanwhile, reached the spaceport and saw battle droids active there, loading a Rho-class transport shuttle with rhydonium canisters.
In response to Gascon's complaint that he was still hungry, WAC suggested that he scavenge for food behind the diner in its garbage bin. The colonel was disgruntled at the demeaning task, but reluctantly agreed. However, while the two were there, Gregor came out to dump more waste, splattering the colonel before Gregor saw he was there and profusely apologized.
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