Geonosian

**Geonosians** were a winged, semi-insectoid species native to the planet Geonosis that created nests in large, spire-like colonies on their homeworld. The Geonosians would fight on the side of the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars, defending their planet on multiple occasions. After contributing to the construction of the Death Star, they were nearly exterminated by the Galactic Empire. Only a single Geonosian, nicknamed Klik-Klak, survived the Imperial sterilization of their planet, but there was hope during the New Republic Era that some eggs could have also survived, creating hope that a new Geonosian hive could arise.

## Characteristics

Like many insectile species, Geonosians had a hard chitin exoskeleton that provided protection from physical impacts and bouts of radiation that occasionally showered their world, elongated faces and multi-jointed limbs. Geonosians were strong despite their thin builds, and were capable of constructing massive hives and factories in concert.[*source?*] They were classed as a semi- or quasi-insectoid sentient species. The physical attributes of a Geonosian tended to vary depending on the caste that they were born into. The head of a Geonosian was elongated and large with their skulls ridged on the top and by the side where they had bulbous, thick-lidded eyes. Typically, they had two varieties, the leading aristocrats and the warrior drones. Both were physically strong and covered with bony ridges which protected their arms, legs, and vital organs. Normally, their skin was reddish, and they had a slender frame. They were somewhat resistant to the radiation that struck their homeworld, but tended to live underground to escape this phenomenon.

They were bipedal and walked on two legs. Their toe structure allowed them to cling to rock crags. However, most also possessed leathery rapid-fluttering wings that emerged from their bony shoulder blades. In some specimens, the wings were not used after their youth, and service drones had vestigial wings. Geonosians stood 1.6 to 1.8 meters in height.

Geonosians between the ages of one and six were classed as children, whilst those seven to ten were young adults. An adult was between 11 and 35, whilst middle age was 36 to 50 and old age was 51 to 64. A venerable age for a Geonosian was over the age of 65 years.

The Ur-Greedle were close evolutionary cousins of the Geonosians and developed from the same insectoid forebears. No Force-users were known to exist amongst this species.

## History

Following the Clone Wars, the Geonosians were forced by the Galactic Empire to assist in the construction of the Death Star. Though a new archduke was appointed to lead the Stalgasin hive, the Geonosians became a servant species to the Empire and were forbidden from freely breeding. When the Geonosians were unable to work out how to refine the superweapon's superlaser, the Empire brought in Galen Walton Erso to finish the job.

After the Death Star's hyperdrive was operational, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin ordered the Imperial Weapons division to sterilize Geonosis using Imperial gas canisters, destroying all but one of the planet's population of approximately 100 billion—the largest genocide ever committed by the Empire to keep the weapon a secret.

#### Post-sterilization

In 2 BBY, Saw Gerrera, the Spectres, and Captain Rex uncovered evidence that the Empire had perpetrated genocide against the Geonosian species. They also helped Klik-Klak, the sole survivor of the sterilization, escape with the last Geonosian queen egg into the depths of Geonosis. The rebels informed Senator Bail Organa and Commander Jun Sato who believed that news of the Empire's atrocities on Geonosis would sway more worlds to the rebellion.

Unfortunately for Klik-Klak, his plan didn't last. Although the egg did eventually hatch into a queen who called herself Karina, the last known Geonosian Queen was rendered sterile. Karina used the vast technological resources of Geonosis to attach herself to a portable droid factory. From this, she generated specially modified B1-series battle droids, which were made to resemble her people. Although they were artificial mockeries of the Geonosians, Karina considered them to be her children.

Karina ultimately lost this womb and many of her children when Darth Vader, accompanied by Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, assassin droid 0-0-0, and BT-1 assassin droid BT-1, arrived and stole it from her in order to build his own droid army shortly after the destruction of the first Death Star. Even so, Karina survived the encounter and proclaimed that this set back would not be the end of her empire. Another Geonosian, a hunter named Pehk, was alive in the galaxy but killed during the hunt on X3-299-11. Rumors persisted into the New Republic Era that a small number of Geonosian eggs could have survived, lending hope to the idea that a new hive could one day emerge. In 9 ABY, another Geonosian survivor worked as the owner of the Geonosian Grub restaurant on Geonosis. He was served by several old B1 battle droid workers. The Geonosian was later killed when a squad of death troopers fired on Geonosian Grub in a failed attempt to kill Boba Fett and his associates, who were inside at the time. The battle droid workers were also destroyed by the troopers' blaster fire.