Graphic Novella
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Comic Book series
Published May, July thru September
2009 as Free Comic Book Day (2009), The Clone Wars #7, 8 & 9 by Dark Horse Comics:

FCBD (2009)Issue #7

Issue #8Issue #9

e-Comic Book Series
Issues #7 thru #9 published 2011
by Dark Horse Digital.

Synopsis:
This book collates the following stories:

• THE GAUNTLET OF DEATH
  On Rishi, clonetroopers are having a hard time getting through a narrow passage that is guarded by Geonosians. Luckily, Jedi Master Kit Fisto arrives. Consulting with native Chieftain Gwarrk, he leads Green Company in an intriguing strike. Since their snipers can’t target the Geonosians directly, Kit enters the passage and has the sniper, Cooker, blast him repeatedly, which lets him redirect the blasts into the defenders with his lightsaber. The day is won and the mines beyond the passage are ripe for the taking.

• IN SERVICE OF THE REPUBLIC
  As the Clone War rages, so does the race to secure vital resources essential to keep both armies fighting. Central to Republic and Separatist forces are the raw materials required to build weapons and ships, as well as the fuels used to power them. Jedi Masters Plo Koon, Kit Fisto and Tauht along with a detachment of the 44th Special Operation Divsion known as The Devil Dogs have been deployed to the ice planet Khorm to secure for the Republic the rare agrocite: so rare it is only found on three planets in the galaxy. Unfortunately, the Jedi are too late for the Separatists and their droid army is deeply entrenched.
  While Major Kendal Ozzel expresses his impatience at attacking the Separatists, as stipulated in their Senate orders, Master Fisto reminds the major that Master Plo has yet to make contact with the locals and no-one rushes Master Plo. Their native contact, Adaroo, informs the two Jedi Masters that one of their own, an ambitious warlord, Gout, has joined forces with Count Dooku and the Separatists and has enslaved his own people to work in the agrocite mines. Adaroo leads the Republic forces towards the agrocite processing plant but they come under attack from the droid forces. Major Ozzel panics and orders the clone troops to debark from the protection of their Walkers. Realising the folly of Ozzel's order, Plo Koon, Kit Fisto and Tauht form a shield protecting the disembarking clones. Ozzel gets his act together in time to lay down suppressing fire that destroys the droids and allows the Republic forces to capture the processing plant.
  Establishing their command post in the captured processing facility, the Jedi realise that most of the Khormian people are imprisoned within the agrocite mines and as such the Separatists have the high ground and will be well fortified. A constant weather storm has prevented aerial support and the Jedi suggest eliminating the climate-control generator that is maintaining the storm so they can utilise aerial support in taking the mines. But Ozzel believes that is a wild seek-and-destroy mission and advocates that a direct assault on the mines is the only option even if it means the clones suffer high casualty rates. Master Plo is upset by Ozzel's frank disregard for the lives of the men under his command but Ozzel claims he was acting in the interest of the Republic and reminds the Jedi general he was awarded his commission by the Supreme Chancellor. Master Plo is forced to remind the major of the order of command. Thus Masters Plo and Fisto lead a detachment of clones in an attempt to destroy the climate-control generator leaving Master Tauht in command of Major Ozzel and the rest of the clones at the processing plant.
  Meanwhile Asajj Ventress has arrived to reinforce the Separatist forces and immediately launches a counter-attack on the processing plant. In the ensuing battle Master Tauht and Ventress duel but Tauht is no match for the Dark Jedi's skill and power and is eventually killed. This places Ozzel in charge of the processing facility and orders his troops to charge the droid forces - an order that goes against Tauht's previous hold-and-defend orders. Ozzel is pleased that he has repelled the droid army but is soon outflanked by droid forces that have concealed themselves beneath the snow. Surrounded, Ozzel orders the retreat and surrender of his own forces but is reminded by clone commander Wolffe that droids seldom take prisoners. Ventress is annoyed to discover that there is no sign of the other Jedi and questions Ozzel. When Ozzel refuses to answer her questions, Ventress executes clones in front of the major. Fearful of his own life, Ozzel tells Ventress that the Jedi have gone after the climate-control generator.
  Later and en-route to the climate-control generator, Master Fisto discusses with his clone captain, Sharp, Major Ozzel's command of The Devil Dogs. Sharp explains Ozzel's one and only condition of any mission: finish the mission, or don't come back. Fisto argues that surely the level of success of any mission is defined by how it is completed but their discussion is ended when they discover the remains of a destroyed Khormian village. Adaroo explains that the village's inhabitants were killed by a storm created by the Separatists climate-control generator and during the burial of the villagers Sharp complains that burying these people was not part of the mission. The Jedi Masters explain that the mission is not just about protecting the lives of others, but also to respect them and upholding the ideals of the Republic is crucial in saving the Republic. When Sharp remarks that the Separatists have no such ideals and thus win battles, Master Plo comments that they will not abandon such ideals for if they did then what separates them from the enemy? The climate-control generator is located atop the most inhospitable mountain in the Kafiri mountain range and to protect it Gout orders its commander to generate a storm big enough to kill the Jedi even if it means killing Ventress. As the Jedi traverse the difficult terrain towards the generator they are ambushed by Ventress who causes an avalanche burying the Jedi and the clone troops. Ventress is recalled back to the processing plant when she receives news of an escape by her prisoners.
  Ozzel, Wolffe and the remaining clone prisoners successfully escape their cell and capture an AAT. They are able to run amok within the processing facility causing the droids to retreat but Ozzel's only concern is to escape from the facility and regroup with the orbiting Republic fleet. However that plan is spoiled when the surviving clone force finds itself under attack and all of their assault ships have frozen in the ice and snow. Once again Ozzel panics under pressure and Commander Wolffe is forced to lead the clones' defense.
  Meanwhile in the Kafiri mountaintops, Masters Plo and Kisto, Adaroo and some of the clone troops have survived thanks to the Jedi Masters' use of the Force to create a pocket beneath the avalanche. However they have lost their explosive charges. Their arrival at the base of the climate-control generator prompts the question of how to destroy it without explosives so Master Plo suggests using the weapon against itself. Re-wiring the generator's junction box and signal array sends the devastating storm ordered by Gout to form on top of the generator. The storm destroys the generator and without control, the storm subsides and breaks up allowing the Republic fleet to send reinforcements to aid Wolffe's defense. Ventress and her droid army is forced to retreat to the agrocite mine.
  Gout is angry that Ventress allowed both the climate-control generator and his droid army to be destroyed, but is self-assured that the mine's defenses are impenetrable. However, Ventress is adamant that the agrocite will not fall into Republic hands - she will destroy the mines, along with the Kormian slaves - and so orders the remaining droids to set thermal charges keyed to a hand-held detonator.
  Meanwhile, Masters Plo and Fisto and their clone troops begin a scout of the mine and discover the movement of thermal charges into the mines. The Jedi Masters reassure Adaroo that the rescue of the Khormian slaves is their first priority but understand that Major Ozzel, now reinforced, will be launching a strike against the mine, regardless of the cost to the Khormai. Therefore the Jedi Masters will capture Ventress while Adaroo and the clones will free the slaves. Captain Sharp complains that such a task is not what he or his troops are trained for, but Master Plo assures the captain that by performing this act of compassion, new meaning will motivate all his future actions. Their discussion is cut short by the arrival of Ozzel's air forces which promptly destroy the remaining droid defenses.
  However, Gout's boast of the mines being impenetrable comes to fruition when he orders the firing of the mine's agrocite powered canons. The canons are powerful enough to destroy a Republic cruiser as well as half of all of Ozzel's landing craft. Once again Ozzel panics in the face of strong opposition, leaving Wolffe in charge. Master Plo responds to the devastation being unleashed at the Republic forces and orders Master Fisto and Captain Sharp to destroy the canons, while he and the rest rescue the slaves. Wolffe is ordered by Master Fisto to prepare for a ground assault so as to draw the canon's fire downward. Master Plo's group is ambushed by Ventress and while the Jedi and Sith fight, Adaroo and the clones enter the mines. They soon discover the slaves under heavy droid guard deep in the mines.
  As Wolffe's ground assault forces travel towards the mines, Gout's massive canons turn downwards and begin firing, Master Fisto seizes the opportunity after one canon fires to Force-leap into the huge barrel and with Sharp following they burst out of the canon's breech and destroy the first canon and its droid operators. Adaroo and the clones are able to resuce the Khormian slaves when the droid guards are ordered to re-take the first canon placement. Realising that they will be overwhelmed soon, Sharp suggests and old Jedi adage to Master Fisto: turn an enemy's strength against him. Thus using an agrocite shell, they successfully destroy the remaining canons as well as the control room and Gout.
  Meanwhile, Master Plo is gaining the upper hand in his duel with Ventress, when she reveals the hand-held detonator. Quickly Master Plo Force-shoves the device into a mine shaft causing Ventress to jump after it. But Master Fisto, Commander Wolffe and reinforcements control the shaft and when Wolffe blasts the detonator and Master Fisto suggests that she should surrender, Ventress lashes out in rage with her lightsaber against Wolffe and runs off into the mines. The Jedi Master resists chasing Ventress instead choosing to care for the injured clone Commander.
  Although Ventress has escaped, the Jedi and The Devil Dogs are successful in both rescuing the Khormian slaves and securing the agrocite mines for the Republic. Chancellor Palpatine makes a special transmission to promote Major Ozzel to the rank of Captain*.
  
  *Due to a script error in the comic book series, Ozzel is incorrectly promoted to Admiral (src).

• Attack of the Clones by R. A. Salvatore
• Slaves of the Republic by Henry Gilroy et al.
• Shipyards of Doom by Henry Gilroy et al.
• Crash Course by Henry Gilroy et al.
• The Wind Raiders of Taloraan by John Ostrander et al.
• The Gauntlet of Death
• In Service of the Republic
• Hero of the Confederacy by Henry Gilroy et al.
• The Colossus of Destiny by Jeremy Barlow et al.
• Deadly Hands of Shon-Ju by Jeremy Barlow et al.
• The Starcrusher Trap by Mike Barr et al.
• Strange Allies by Ryder Windham et al.
• The Enemy Within by Jeremy Barlow et al.