Odos Five: A planet stripped of life, riddled with mines, and on the cusp of ruin. Deep in a cavernous mine, old rivals meet to discuss new and important matters…
Commander Sekto Gunray enters to meet his Geonosian adversary, Captain Du’aad.
Captain Du’aad: Commander Gunray, you will excuse our intrusion, but you have been quite unreachable of late…
Sekto Gunray: Captain Du’aad. I wish I could say your visit pleases me.
Du’aad: Your approval of my visit is the least of your worries, Sekto. You owe our master a report, and I’ve been instructed to do whatever may be necessary to get one from you.
Gunray: You will call me “sir” or “commander” on this base, Du’aad, and you will not refer to me by my first name!
I realize my people’s reputation for cowardice is one you relish, but don’t think for a moment that I won’t have your stinking shell emptied at my feet if you disrespect me or my command!
The Geonosian captain is taken aback by the outburst by Sekto. It was true this nephew of the Neimoidian leader Nute Gunray was more fierce than most of his kind, but the venom with which he defended his command was worthy of the highest of CIS generals.
Gunray: With that, I bid you follow me this way, Du’aad. It seems you want a report, and you shall have it.
Commander Gunray starts down a darkened hall leading from the mine’s atrium. Du’aad and his guard follow close behind.
Du’aad proceeds to deliver his message, a message he’d traveled across the galaxy to deliver personally.
Du’aad: Commander… Count Dooku’s patience wears thin. You were placed in command of this facility based upon your promises that you would deliver increased numbers of battle droids. You also promised superior weapons. Yet we sit here a full six months after your assignment, and we see nothing change. In fact, considering the resources the Confederacy has committed to you, your production is down. Understand that I have no concern for whether you live or die, Commander, but with the capacity this planet has for producing droids, I most certainly take an interest in seeing it perform to its potential…
Gunray appears disinterested as Du’aad lays out his grievance. Despite his best efforts to sound forceful, Du’aad’s lecture seems to fall on deaf ears. He commits to one more attempt to reach the commander.
Du’aad: Unless you can tell me why these numbers are wrong, Commander, we have a serious problem…
Gunray slings his helmet in the direction of the nearest battle droid, and simultaneously snatches Du’aad’s data pad from his claws.
Gunray: DROID! My helm…
The droid’s arm springs to life, and Gunray’s helmet comes to rest as if on a hanger.
Commander Gunray’s body language speaks volumes as he marches down the hall hunched over the data pad. As he moves away from Du’aad he finishes the conversation the Geonosian attempted to control.
Gunray: Know this, Du’aad; when Count Dooku receives delivery of what I have prepared for him, not only will he gladly oblige me in making powder of your skeleton, but he will likely appoint me ruler of your pathetic planet so I can crush your brothers and sisters under my heels. You waltz in here with your threats, completely oblivious to what’s really going on here…
Du’aad stands in stunned silence, pondering whether the dusty mines of Odos Five have rotted the Neimoidian’s tiny brain.
Gunray: Consider your mission accomplished. Your message is received.
Get back on your ship and go back to your commanding officers. Tell them I send a message of my own. Tell them to stay off Odos Five until I say otherwise, and tell them…
…Count Dooku shall have his Monster in due course.
