Friday 13 November 2009

Clone Wars: Season 1 - Episode 5, Rookies



The Clone Wars: Season 1 - episode 5, Rookies
is a Clone Trooper episode where we are given an introduction to the typical life of new Clones. The moral of the episode is, "The best confidence builder is experience".

Clone force rally. As the war escalates in the Outer rim, the Jedi Knights are spread thinly across the galaxy. Many new Clones are rushed into service to support their Jedi Generals. Unfortunately due to the relentless demands of battle, many young Clones must join the struggle before their intensive training is completed. These Clones manning a vital network of Traffic Stations are all that stand between the Republic and invasion.

Rookies begins with a group of new clone manning the Rishi Tracking Station along the Outer rim. Things are pretty quiet and it is commented that the job is one of the most boring in that part of space. An "All Clear" signal is permanently sent from the station to Republic space. If that signal is ever turned off, the Jedi would be alerted to an approaching Separatist invasion fleet.

A small meteor shower is tracked as it hits the Rishi Moon. All is not as it seems. These meteors were small ships containing the Separatist's new Commando Droids!

The Commando Droids are large in number and take the Station completely by surprise. A fire fight ensues and the unprepared Clones fare very badly, losing control of the station. The few survivors escape down an exit vent to the Moon outside where one of them is later eaten by a large Eel concealed in the rocky terrain. "That's why we have the regulation never to go outside," one of the Clones calmly communicates.

A Droid contacts General Grievous, "the station is secure."

The Separatists are planning to disable the Republic's Cloning facility on Kamino and the take over of Rishi Station is the first successful step. They reprogram the Station's "All Clear" message so it can not be turned off. The Jedi will never know they are coming.

Not part of the Separatist's calculations however, Clones, Commander Cody and Captain Rex land to make a routine inspection of the Tracking Station. They quickly realise something is not quite right and after being alerted to the Droid takeover another high energy fire fight takes place. Cody's ship is obliterated in a mass explosion, but the pair manage to escape in the Melee over the Landing Pad and down the rocky terrain below. It is here where they meet up with the three surviving clones, Fives, Heavy and Echo.

Cody and Rex call the surviving clones, Shinies on account that their armour is pristine and they have not seen much action. They decide they must retake the base to alert the Jedi.

Posing as a Commando Droid using some of the wreckage found on the battlefield, the Clone group trick their way past the Stations Entry Blast Doors and shoot their way to the Command Centre. Through the view-screen they see the full extent of the Separatist's Invasion Fleet. The penny drops. That's why the Separatists attacked the outpost, they're planning a full-scale invasion.

Grievous, "That base must not be allowed to let the Jedi know we're coming!"

A large Droid ship lands on Rishi and an army of standard Battle-droids depart. An army against just 5 Clones is not good odds. The Clones know they cannot defend the station at such unfavourable numbers so instead decide to destroy it with Liquid Tibanna bombs placed at critical points. This would also stop the vital "All Clear" signal they've been unable to cancel.

It is a brave battle from the Clones as they try to hold off the Battledroids long enough to plant the charges. Overpowered, the Clones escape down the same vent tunnel as before whilst the Clone known as Heavy stays behind to complete the Tibanna detonation. He puts up an amazing last stand as the Droids pile in after him, but manages to complete the work. The Rishi station explodes and the "All Clear" message immediately stops.

His plan now in tatters, General Grievous orders an immediate retreat before he can be outgunned by the approaching Republic and Jedi Fleets.

The Clone survivors are Commander Cody, Captain Rex, and the two Rookies, Fives and Echo. The Rookies have changed from nervous inexperienced soldiers to hardened warriors. They are not Shinies any more. "The best confidence builder is experience."



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