An idea from ROGUE ONE I really enjoyed was that the DEATH STAR is powered by the same crystals used in the Lightsabers.
If you were to maintain that the concept of a superweapon powered by such crystals is the objective of the SEPARATISTS, then could the world’s they invade/conquer (so NABOO) be Kyber rich worlds? Perhaps even GEONOSIS is actually a superweapon in progress - much like STARKILLER base (which could also be re-explained in a VII edit as a forgotten other version).