Second occupation of Geonosis

A planet located in the Outer Rim Territories, Geonosis was the site of the opening battle of the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems, yet the Republic's occupation efforts were continually undermined by resistance from the native Geonosians. Eventually, the Geonosians were able to overcome the Republic and return their services to the Confederacy, resulting in another Republic invasion, which ended in a Republic victory after days of fighting.

Following a skrimish involving Geonosian brain worms aboard medical frigate TB-73, Jedi General Anakin Skywalker suspected that the worms had been the key to the Geonosians overthrowing the first Republic occupation. As such, he wanted to make sure the clone troopers stationed to maintain the second occupation were told of them.

Focusing its resources on the effort to control the planet, rather than on governance, the Republic held on control as the war carried on. In fact, while some Geonosian hives sought to resist their occupiers to emerge as the rulers of Geonosis, others actively helped the Republic in an effort to secure power, whereas some other hives simply went into hiding. Meanwhile, Geonosian Archduke Poggle the Lesser was held prisoner by the Republic and questioned over a secret battle station program that would one day become the DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station. Lieutenant Commander Orson Callan Krennic arranged for Poggle to be released as long as he supplied his Geonosian drones as a workforce for the Republic when it began to work on the project. However, Poggle instead used the drones to ensure he could escape Geonosis and return to the CIS.

At some point between 20 BBY and 19 BBY, the war again returned to Geonosis, with Jedi Generals Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, and Clone Captain CT-7567 "Rex," a clone trooper officer who served under Skywalker and Tano in the elite 501st Legion, being deployed to counter Separatist forces. As a Venator-class Star Destroyer and two Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry gunships flew overhead, blaster bolts flew across the landscape, while Tano, Skywalker, Kenobi, and Rex were confronted by at least two B1-series battle droids, which were both scared by their foes. As Tano chased after them, one of the battle droids tried to flee.

When the Clone Wars ended with the Republic being transformed into the Galactic Empire, the new state continued to hold control over Geonosis, continuing to use the Geonosians as labor to build the Death Star. In fact, as Poggle had been amongst the Separatist leaders killed during the end of the war, the Empire was able to take full control over the Geonosians. Despite having been appointed by the hive queen, the newly appointed archduke held no true power his own people. As the construction continued, however, a rogue queen in the Korakanni Mound began to rebel against the Empire's control of Geonosis.

In response, the Sith Lord Darth Vader, the Sith identity of Anakin Skywalker, was dispatched to Geonosis. Eventually uncovering the truth, Vader led a squad of death troopers to the mound, where they confronted the rogue queen and her forces. In the ensuing skirmish, Vader and his troopers slaughtered the rogue Geonosians. Thus, the Death Star was safe to continue construction over Geonosis. Beyond the Imperial technicians and Geonosians involved, tens of thousands of slaves were forced to work on the station. In 14 BBY, the Death Star, finally supplied with operational engines, was able to move out of Geonosis's orbit and into deep space, yet it returned to the Outer Rim planet to continue construction until around 9 BBY. With Saw Gerrera of the Partisans trying to discover what the Empire's major project was, the Imperials decided to move the space station to the isolated planet of Scarif during the final stages of construction.

To keep the Death Star a secret, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin gave the order to wipe out the Geonosians. Using toxic bombs, the Imperial Military did so, killing one hundred billion beings on Geonosis. The only Geonosian to survive the campaign was a drone later nicknamed Klik-Klak, who protected a surviving queen egg with the hope his people could return. In reality, the queen was infertile. The sterilization marked the end of the Empire's presence on Geonosis, with the Imperials even trying to remove any sign of their activity. Thus, the only reminders of the occupation were the ICM-092792 construction modules and debris left over the dead planet. Within mere months, the Death Star was over Scarif.

• Dawn of Rebellion
• Rise of the Separatists
• Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
• Star Wars: I Am a Padawan