General Ki-Adi-Mundi gripped his seat restraints as their gunship was hammered by intense anti-aircraft fire.
Commander Bacara and Jet stood alongside a dozen other Galactic Marines as they descended toward Landing Zone Bravo—the largest of the three targeted droid factories and the site where the heaviest concentration of enemy forces was expected.
The Galactic Marines, led by Mundi, Jet, and Bacara, were bred for this kind of warfare. The addition of Ima-Gun Di and the 327th Star Corps gave their assault force an overwhelming advantage against the droids.
As they began their final approach, they encountered devastating artillery bombardment.
"We'll be picked off one by one if we remain airborne, sir," Commander Jet observed.
"But we're nowhere near the designated landing zone yet," Mundi countered.
"At this point, our only option is an immediate combat landing. AT-RTs take point, and we follow in tight formation," Bacara said bluntly.
"We can provide assistance," Pietro called out from his gunship alongside Di, Captain Keeli, and several other clone troopers. "Let's get planetside now, or we'll all be blown to pieces up here."
"We must establish a foothold on the ground, Mundi," Ima-Gun Di added, causing the Cerean Jedi to concede and order the landing sequence to commence.
Within moments, nearly two dozen gunships touched down on Geonosis's rocky surface.
Bacara immediately began deploying the 21st Nova Corps while Keeli positioned his men. Meanwhile, Di, Commander Jet, and Mundi regrouped to conduct reconnaissance of their target installation.
"The Geonosians have established heavy fortifications along these positions," Jet pointed to several ridgelines that had been excavated and reinforced, with their target factory positioned between two major rock formations. "We can advance through those ridges, but they'll undoubtedly swarm us like insects."
"My corps and I will handle those ridge positions," Di declared. "Mundi, you and the 21st will spearhead the main assault on the factory complex."
"Understood. Let's move out."
As the 21st Nova Corps and 327th Star Corps began their advance toward the designated droid factory, Anakin, Steve, Ahsoka, and Peter were running across Geonosis's barren wasteland, constantly harassed by Geonosian warriors. The terrain around them was increasingly hilly with deep impact craters, which the clone troopers were using for cover.
"Let's try to hold here, Bly," Rex called over his comm unit. "These damn bugs are everywhere—they keep cutting off our advance routes."
"Rex! Aayla, can you send reinforcements to help extract us from this position?" Anakin shouted while deflecting blaster bolts left and right.
"Negative, sir. Bly reports they're fully engaged with the enemy—the AT-RT spearhead is taking heavy fire," Rex informed them regretfully.
"Alright. Looks like we'll have to fight our way through the hard way," Steve grunted, grabbing a Geonosian warrior by the leg and hurling it with tremendous force into another flying attacker.
Peter used the flying insects as impromptu swing points, though with limited success since he had to ensure he could navigate safely around the active battlefield.
"This is getting absurd," Ahsoka complained, deflecting more incoming blaster fire. "At this rate we'll never link up with Aayla and the main force."
"No choice. Rex, Steve, we need to advance. Now. Together. We need to establish suppressing fire and punch through to the front lines."
"Yes, sir."
"Understood. Peter, Ahsoka—stay close behind us and help keep everyone covered. We can't afford to lose anyone in this push."
"You lead the way, Captain," Peter said with determination. He exchanged a resolute look with Ahsoka, and they both nodded their understanding.
"Troops are ready, sir!" Rex shouted.
"Now! Move, move, move!"
Anakin and Steve charged forward, Steve hurling his shield ahead of them while positioning himself behind Anakin, who deflected multiple incoming blaster bolts.
Peter instinctively webbed a nearby boulder roughly half his size and swung it with tremendous force, sending it crashing directly into a formation of Geonosian warriors.
The clone troopers cheered at this display, accelerating their advance and rushing toward the enemy positions with weapons blazing.
Far ahead of their position, the remainder of the 501st and 327th Star Corps had penetrated deep into the rocky defensive formations surrounding the droid factory they were assaulting.
Natasha and clone troopers Jesse, Kix, Flash, and a dozen others took cover behind a massive rock outcropping while Aayla advanced at the front with Commander Bly at her side.
Aayla sliced through several B1 battle droids while Bly eliminated two more to her left with precise blaster fire.
"We're making solid progress, General," Bly reported.
"Yes, but Skywalker and Rogers still haven't reached our position," Aayla acknowledged grimly. "And we've lost too many men during this advance."
"Maybe Sam or Rhodey can provide air support," Natasha called out to Aayla from behind cover, firing calculated bursts at a small formation of advancing droids.
"Worth trying," Aayla quickly contacted the two pilots. "Colonel Rhodes, Lieutenant Wilson, do you copy? Can you provide close air support at our position?"
"We're somewhat occupied at the moment," Rhodes replied tersely from his starfighter cockpit.
He was currently engaged with a squadron of Geonosian Nantex fighters that were attacking one of the Republic's fighter formations. Rhodes flew protective escort above the starfighter group and waited until the enemy craft angled upward before opening fire, successfully shooting down two before targeting the final hostile.
"Colonel Rhodes!" Broadside's voice crackled over the comm. "Enemy vulture droids on your six!"
Rhodes checked his rear sensors and confirmed there was indeed one vulture droid pursuing him through the atmosphere, accompanied by two additional droid starfighters.
"Focus on the other enemy aircraft, Broadside," Rhodes ordered.
"But sir—"
"I'll handle this," Rhodes said, adjusting his maneuvering thrusters. "You need to keep Shadow Squadron focused on the mission."
Broadside reluctantly turned his Y-wing away from the Colonel's position and refocused on preventing Geonosian fighters from strafing their ground forces.
Meanwhile, Rhodes began leading the three vulture droids toward the planet's surface, building velocity and using evasive maneuvers to prevent the droids from achieving target lock.
He kept monitoring his pursuers through his rear sensors, careful not to become disoriented during the high-speed chase.
The three vulture droids maintained their pursuit of the Avenger, with one droid's photoreceptors flashing briefly before suddenly breaking off from the formation.
The two remaining pursuers intensified their attack, increasing their rate of blaster fire. As both pursuers closed distance, Rhodes began calculating the timing for his counterstrike.
Rhodes's head turned sharply as FRIDAY's warning systems activated, his eyes widening as he detected a vulture droid heading directly toward his starfighter from mere meters away, clearly programmed for a kamikaze attack. With less than five seconds to react, Rhodes ejected the fighter's canopy and sealed his helmet.
He was violently thrown clear as the vulture droid impacted his starfighter. Fortunately, he had managed to clear his craft and activate his repulsors in time, as both vessels exploded into thousands of burning fragments.
"What the hell was that?!" Rhodes exclaimed.
"I am uncertain, but it appears that vulture droid was programmed for suicide attacks," FRIDAY responded.
"Damn kamikaze droids," Rhodes muttered, his proximity sensors chirping warnings. Looking up, he spotted two more vulture droids diving straight toward him.
Rather than retreating, Rhodes activated his thrusters to maximum and accelerated directly toward them.
Using his armor's enhanced durability and strength capabilities, Rhodes's hands shot out and grabbed the nearest vulture droid by its central processing unit. Utilizing his thrusters, momentum, and enhanced strength, he spun at maximum velocity, hurling the damaged vulture droid directly into its companion.
Once both threats were neutralized, Rhodes's repulsors reactivated and he took to the air, his shoulder-mounted weapon systems beginning to target every vulture droid and Geonosian fighter in the vicinity. Rhodes fought in mid-air combat, using strikes and kicks to disable any enemy that came within melee range.
Rhodes paused in mid-flight as Aayla's voice came over the communications frequency.
"This is General Secura—we're taking heavy casualties down here and require immediate air support!"
Guided by FRIDAY's tactical analysis, Rhodes flew toward the front lines where the 501st and 327th Star Corps were engaged.