Quote Originally Posted by ZeroBG82 View Post
The official Starwars.com episode guide is out for the first three. And it clears up the issue with the timing on the Kemari flashbacks.

"The flashbacks in this episode occur during the later years of the Republic, prior to the start of the Clone Wars, with Maarva and Clem worrying about an incoming Republic frigate interrupting their salvage operation. The dead crewers aboard the transport corsair wear uniforms with a symbol closely related to the eventual Separatist Alliance. Travel to Kenari will later be restricted by the Empire due to environmental disaster."
That sort of explains things better. I mean, the Seperatists were once part of the Republic-hence the name. So I guess these might be proto-seperatists of some kind.