Battle of the Kaliida Nebula/Legends

"While our capital ships are vulnerable to the enemy's attack, I believe a squad of bombers can outmaneuver their ion weapon. Our target will be the bridge...and General Grievous."

- Anakin Skywalker, to Shadow Squadron

The Battle of the Kaliida Nebula was a space battle that took place in the Kaliida Nebula around 22 BBY during the Clone Wars. Shortly after the Galactic Republic's discovery of the Confederate warship Malevolence, Jedi General Anakin Skywalker developed a plan to attack the warship and its commander, General Grievous. The Confederate Head of State Count Dooku ordered Grievous to target the Republic's secret Outer Rim medical center, and the Malevolence ' s eradication of a Republic medical convoy in the Ryndellia system identified the warship's quarry to the Republic. Skywalker planned to intercept the ship, accompanied by his Padawan, Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, as well as High Jedi General Plo Koon.

After arriving at the medical station via a shortcut through the nebula, Skywalker and Shadow Squadron engaged Vulture droids launched from the Malevolence. Suffering losses from the warship's ion cannons, Skywalker led his squadron to attack the warship's starboard cannon. When the Malevolence attempted to use the damaged cannon on the medical center, the cannon exploded, causing further damage to the ship. Admiral Wullf Yularen and High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived with several Venator-class Star Destroyers, including the Resolute and Negotiator, and engaged the Malevolence. The warship fled, but was unable to retreat to hyperspace because of damage to its hyperdrive.

Dooku's Sith master, Darth Sidious, used his alter ego of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to trick Senator Padmé Amidala to travel to the nebula, where Grievous could use her as a hostage and escape. Amidala arrived in the system and was pulled aboard the Malevolence. Skywalker and Kenobi arrived on the warship via Skywalker's personal ship, the Twilight, and rescued Amidala. Kenobi attempted to cause further damage the ship's hyperdrive, but was confronted by Grievous, and engaged the cyborg general before escaping. Skywalker and Amidala sabotaged the ship's navicomputer, and the group returned to the Republic fleet. The Malevolence attempted to jump to hyperspace, but before the ship's battle droid crew was able to reset the navicomputer, the warship crashed into a nearby moon, and Grievous retreated.

The mystery weapon
"Finding it is one thing. Finding a way to stop it is another."

- Jedi Master Mace Windu of the Jedi High Council on the Malevolence



Around 22 BBY during the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems built a superweapon, the Subjugator-class heavy cruiser Malevolence, capable of defeating numerous Galactic Republic fleets with its ion cannons. The cannons neutralized all power to their targets, leaving their prey defenseless without the ability to use deflector shields and vulnerable to fire from the Malevolence ' s laser cannons. Under the command of General Grievous, the Confederate warship began a series of strikes on Republic task forces that left no survivors to tell the Republic of the weapon or its methods of attack, leading the Malevolence to be dubbed the "mystery weapon" for its unknown nature. The attacks did not form a pattern, and the unpredictability of future targets drove fear throughout the citizens of the Republic.

High Jedi General Plo Koon of the Jedi High Council volunteered to lead a hunt for the mystery weapon, and tracked the Malevolence to the Abregado system with a fleet of several Venator-class Star Destroyers. On Grievous' order, the warship attacked the Republic fleet with its ion cannons, and the cruisers launched several escape pods. The Confederate Head of State Count Dooku was aboard the warship, and ordered rocket battle droids to eliminate the pods with boarding crafts, not intending to allow the Republic to learn of the warship and its weapons. However, Koon and several clone troopers were rescued by Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, and were able to escape the Malevolence, taking the knowledge of the warship to the Republic. Dooku, displeased with Grievous, left to discuss the general's failure with his Sith master, Darth Sidious.

Preparing a counterattack
"Our bombers will attack at high speed to avoid the enemy's ion weapon. We'll concentrate our firepower on the bridge superstructure, here. We destroy Grievous, we can bring the war to a quicker end."

- Anakin Skywalker to Shadow Squadron

Following the revelation of the superweapon's nature, Skywalker planned to lead a counterattack against the Malevolence with Shadow Squadron. The Jedi applied for several BTL-B Y-wing starfighters through Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Senator Ask Aak, but discovered that they were still in the experimental stage, and Skywalker also learned that the request had to come via a Galactic Senate Committee. Unable to obtain the bombers through official means, Skywalker traveled directly to the testing facility over the planet Bormus where the fighters were being manufactured. Arriving with Shadow Squadron aboard his personal ship, the Twilight, Skywalker took the bombers under the pretense that the request had come from Palpatine himself.

Returning to Skywalker's flagship, the Resolute, Skywalker developed a plan to lead Shadow Squadron on a direct attack on the Malevolence, believing that while the larger Venator cruisers could not outmaneuver the warship, the bombers would be able to slip through the warship's defenses. The squadron's target was the Malevolence ' s bridge, where General Grievous would be commanding his ship. With the death of Grievous, the war could be brought to a quicker end. Skywalker began preparations for his departure, and was to be accompanied by Tano and Plo Koon, the latter of whom chose to fly in his Delta-7B starfighter.

A new target
"I have the coordinates for a new target: the Republic's secret Outer Rim medical station. It is unprotected and treating over 60,000 wounded clones. You will do them a favor, and put them out of their misery. Once you have destroyed it, there will be nowhere for the Jedi to send their wounded, and they will die."

- Count Dooku gives the new target to Grievous

Count Dooku met with Darth Sidious and learned of the Republic's secret Outer Rim medical station, the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center, treating over 60,000 wounded Republic clones. As the Malevolence ambushed a Republic medical convoy in the Ryndellia system, Dooku contacted Grievous and ordered the cyborg general to target the medical center; without the medical base, the Republic would have nowhere to send its wounded clone troopers. Grievous was pleased with this new assignment, as it showed that the Count had not lost all faith in him since his failure to prevent the escape of Koon, Skywalker and Tano during the Battle of Abregado. The Malevolence eradicated the convoy and proceeded to jump to hyperspace; however, as it could not go through the Kaliida Nebula that was near the medical center, the warship was forced to take a longer route around the nebula.



As Skywalker learned of the convoy's defeat from Admiral Wullf Yularen, the Jedi deduced that the medical center was the warship's next target. Skywalker intended to take Shadow Squadron on a shortcut through the nebula in order to arrive at the medical station before the warship, and planned to attack the Malevolence before it could destroy the base. Admiral Yularen and High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi resolved to take a hyperspace route around the nebula, planning to arrive at the medical center to reinforce Skywalker with several Venator cruisers, including the Resolute, as well as Kenobi's flagship, the Negotiator. Yularen warned the medical center's Kaminoan administrator, Nala Se, of the impending danger, and Kenobi contacted the Naboo people of the nearby planet Naboo, and several Pelta-class frigates were sent to help evacuate the medical center.

Skywalker, Tano and Koon departed the Republic fleet with Shadow Squadron. Upon entering the nebula, they encountered several Neebray mantas, and Skywalker ordered the squadron to assume the single-file Bantha formation and follow him out of the nebula. Clone trooper pilot Matchstick's fighter was damaged, but the mantas did not cause any casualties apart from an astromech droid. Shadow Squadron arrived at the medical center shortly before the Malevolence came out of hyperspace and approached the station. By this time, the medical center had evacuated half of its patients with the help of the Pelta-class frigates, but the clones being treated in bacta tanks were unable to be moved.

Attack on the Malevolence
"Shadow Squadron, new target. We're taking out the starboard ion cannon."

- Anakin Skywalker

As Skywalker and Shadow Squadron approached, the Malevolence attacked the fleeing Pelta-class frigates with its ion cannons. After the frigates were rendered powerless, the Confederate warship destroyed them with laser fire. Several squadrons of Vulture droids were launched from the Malevolence, and the droid starfighters attacked the incoming Shadow Squadron. Grievous ordered the warship's ion cannon to target the approaching Y-wing bombers, despite the fact that the droid fighters would be caught in the blast. As the Malevolence fired its ion cannon, Skywalker immediately ordered his squadron to head for the top edge of the ray to avoid being neutralized. However, Matchstick's fighter malfunctioned with the damage from the encounter with the Neebray, and his fighter crashed into fellow pilot Tag's bomber, while Shadows 6, 7 and 10 were caught in the ray. Skywalker had lost almost half his squadron.

The squadron continued toward the Malevolence and maneuvered through the incoming laser fire. Grievous ordered the ion cannons to target the medical center, intending to destroy the station before confronting Skywalker. As another Shadow Squadron fighter was destroyed by laser fire, Tano tried to convince Skywalker that targeting the bridge was not the best option, as they no longer had enough firepower. Koon stated that if enough damage was done to the ion cannon, it might overload when fired. With the persuasion, Skywalker changed the target to the starboard ion cannon, and led an attack on the weapon with proton torpedos. When Grievous tried to fire the weapon, both cannons exploded, causing further damage to the ship, and the Malevolence ' s hyperdrive engine was disabled.

The Venators Resolute, Negotiator and another cruiser arrived in the system and directed laser fire at the warship. Unable to retreat to hyperspace, Grievous ordered the Malevolence to flee to Confederate-held space. Kenobi contacted Skywalker and congratulated him on a successful mission. Skywalker, Tano and Koon went to the medical station to recuperate and refuel their fighters for the time being until Kenobi needed their support.

Mission aboard the Malevolence
"I'm being pulled inside the droid cruiser by a tractor beam! I will not be made a Separatist bargaining ship. Continue your attack! You must destroy this monstrous ship!"

- Padmé Amidala, to the commanders assembled onboard the Resolute



When Dooku learned of Grievous' failure, he was displeased, and his Sith master, Darth Sidious, arranged a trap for an important Republic official that would allow Grievous to escape. Sidious used his alter ego of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to trick Senator Padmé Amidala into traveling to the nebula, under the pretense that she would be meeting with an InterGalactic Banking Clan representative that wanted to negotiate a treaty with the Republic. Tf the Banking Clan left the Confederacy, the Republic would have a greater chance of winning the war. Amidala agreed, and headed to the nebula in her H-type Nubian yacht with her protocol droid, C-3PO. As the Republic fleet continued its attack on the fleeing Malevolence, Dooku informed Grievous of the arrangement, and although the cyborg general believed the trap to be unnecessary, he complied with the Count. Amidala arrived out of hyperspace in front of the Malevolence ' s bow, and upon sighting the warship, she discovered that she had been led into a trap.

Skywalker and Tano returned to the Resolute, and Skywalker contacted Jedi General Luminara Unduli for support against the Malevolence, but discovered that she was busy fighting Confederate reinforcements nearby. Admiral Yularen reported that the Malevolence was not attempting to flee to hyperspace, and deduced that the warship's hyperdrive was damaged. Seeking to take advantage of the warship's vulnerability, Kenobi ordered the Venators' laser fire to be directed at the Malevolence ' s bridge.

The Resolute picked up the arrival of Amidala's yacht and contacted the ship, and Skywalker was dismayed to learn of Amidala's presence, as she was his secret wife and did not want to risk her in the face of the warship. To protect the senator, the Republic fleet was forced to cease its laser fire at the Malevolence. Skywalker ordered Amidala to immediately flee the system; however, Amidala's ship was pulled aboard the Malevolence with a tractor beam, as Grievous intended to use the senator as a hostage to ensure the warship's escape. Skywalker and Kenobi devised a plan to dock at one of the Malevolence ' s emergency airlocks to board the ship and rescue Amidala with the Twilight.

Trapped in the main hangar of the warship, Amidala set her yacht's engines to self-destruct before escaping and hiding elsewhere with C-3PO, intending to delay her pursuers. As Grievous arrived to apprehend the senator, the ship discharged; the cyborg general survived the explosion and ordered a full search of the ship. Amidala and C-3PO attempted to contact the Republic fleet from a communications panel, but they were forced to hide as Grievous and a B1 battle droid patrol soon approached in search of the senator. Amidala and C-3PO learned that the damage to the warship's hyperdrive was not as bad as the ship's crew had originally believed, and that it would require less time to repair. Grievous left to inform Dooku of the news while the droids continued the search for the senator.



As Skywalker and Kenobi arrived on the warship, they encountered several B1 battle droids and eliminated them. Back onboard the Resolute, Tano and Koon again contacted Unduli for support, and Unduli promised that she would arrive in the nebula with reinforcements after she had dispatched her Confederate opponents. Amidala contacted the Republic fleet, and Tano patched the communication through to Skywalker and Kenobi. The Jedi arranged to rendezvous with Amidala at a rail jet junction in the middle of the ship. As the senator and her protocol droid arrived, they were ambushed by a battle droid patrol, and Amidala retaliated while she and her protocol droid backed toward the rail jets.

Noticing the blaster fire, Skywalker and Kenobi immediately ignited their lightsabers and Force Jumped across rail jet cars, dispatching several battle droids on their way to assist the senator, and Amidala pushed C-3PO onto a car before escaping herself. A B2 super battle droid fired a rocket at the junction Amidala's car was approaching, and Skywalker used the Force to pull Amidala onto his car, rescuing her. Kenobi attempted to use the Force to telekinetically retrieve C-3PO, but the droid was caught on the front of an oncoming rail jet car and headed off in another direction.

Dual sabotage
"General Kenobi. Did you really I would leave the hyperdrive ''unguarded?" ''"Anything is possible. You haven't exactly impressed me today."

- Grievous and Obi-Wan Kenobi

Kenobi reported the loss of the droid to Skywalker and Amidala, and upon learning from the senator that the warship's hyperdrive was almost repaired, Kenobi elected to disable the hyperdrive while Skywalker and Amidala decided to sabotage the navicomputer of the Malevolence. Heading to the warship's bridge with Amidala, Skywalker dispatched his astromech droid, R2-D2, to rescue C-3PO. The astromech droid was able to stop the protocol droid's rail jet car, and met up with him to lead him back to the Twilight.



Grievous, however, was able to intercept the transmission between Kenobi, Skywalker, and Amidala, and the cyborg general proceeded to the ship's hyperdrive room to ambush Kenobi. As the Jedi entered the room and approached the battle droids guarding the hyperdrive, three droidekas rolled out from behind the hyperdrive's control panel as several squads of B1 and B2 battle droids arrived in the room. As the droids targeted the Jedi, Grievous arrived and confronted Kenobi, and after exchanging banter with the Jedi, the general ordered the droids to kill Kenobi.

As the droids targeted him, the Jedi ignited his lightsaber and used the droidekas against their comrades. Kenobi Force-pushed two of the droidekas at the approaching battle droids behind them. The Jedi used the remaining droideka's deflector shield as protection from the incoming blaster rifle fire from Grievous. Kenobi Force-pushed the remaining droideka at Grievous and headed for another exit, and the cyborg general stopped the droid in its path and threw it aside. Grievous and the droids targeted the fleeing Kenobi, but were unable to stop him. A B1 battle droid commented on being impressed with Kenobi's escape, and Grievous knocked it aside, ordering the remaining droids to guard the hyperdrive while he personally went to deal with Kenobi.

As Kenobi left, he contacted Skywalker and Amidala, who were meanwhile fighting a patrol of several super battle droids. Kenobi arranged to meet them back at the Twilight before their communications were jammed by the Malevolence ' s droid crew. Returning to the rail jet, Kenobi was pursued by Grievous and several battle droids. Grievous jumped onto Kenobi's car, but the battle droids were not able to make the long jump themselves and were destroyed. As Grievous approached, Kenobi noticed a large, mechanical arm hanging over the rail jet and used it to propel himself toward Grievous, landing a kick on the general. As the Jedi activated his lightsaber, he bladelocked with Grievous before fleeing to the front of the car. Grievous slashed at the Jedi, making Kenobi loose his balance, but the Jedi was able to escape onto a car below and headed to rendezvous with Skywalker and Amidala back at the Twilight.



As the battle droid crew of the Malevolence repaired the warship's hyperdrive on the bridge, Skywalker and Amidala arrived and dispatched the droids. Two super battle droids entered the room, and to keep the senator safe, Skywalker quickly Force-pushed Amidala back into the turbolift and closed the door before destroying the droids. Skywalker began to hot-wire the warship's navicomputer, intending to reset its coordinates for the hyperspace jump, while Amidala hid the disabled droids in the turbolift chamber so as to conceal any evidence of their presence on the bridge.

The Republic fleet prepared to attack the Malevolence once Skywalker and Kenobi returned with the senator. However, with communications blocked, the Venator cruisers were unable to contact Skywalker for an update of the mission's status. Tano believed that her master needed more time, while Koon was unsure if time could be given.

Skywalker and Amidala finished their mission and left the bridge shortly before more battle droids arrived to take command of the Malevolence. The Jedi and the senator met up with R2-D2 and C-3PO and headed back to the Twilight. Kenobi arrived, pursued by several droidekas, and Skywalker used the Force to hover crates between Kenobi and the droids and allow Kenobi to board the ship; while R2-D2 powered up the ship's engines, Kenobi contacted the Republic fleet.

Destruction
"Uh, the navicomputer is heading us right into the moon!''" "''Fools! Reset the navicomputer!"

- A battle droid and Grievous

The Twilight retreated to the fleet, and Grievous gave pursuit in his fighter, Soulless One, accompanied by several Vulture droids. Aboard the Resolute, Koon ordered the Venators to open fire once more, and the cruisers regained their attack on the fleeing Malevolence. As Grievous landed a shot on the Twilight, Amidala took control of the periscope controls of the ship's laser cannon and was able to destroy one of the droid starfighters. The cyborg general ordered the Malevolence to flee to the Confederate base in Sector Four, stating that he would meet the warship there, and the Malevolence maneuvered for the jump to hyperspace.



Amidala aimed a shot at Soulless One, and Grievous moved aside, forcing a Vulture droid to take the shot. As the Malevolence ' s crew engaged the warship's hyperdrive, the navicomputer malfunctioned. As the crew contacted Grievous, the navicomputer began to direct the Malevolence toward the nearby moon of Antar. Dooku made contact with Grievous, stating that the Malevolence and the general himself were being awaited at the rendezvous point. As the Malevolence headed straight for the moon, Grievous cut off communication with Dooku and engaged his fighter's hyperdrive, retreating to hyperspace. The battle droids were unable to reset the navicomputer in time, and the Malevolence crashed into the moon.

Aftermath
"I imagine you had something to do with that?''" "''All part of the plan, master."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, shortly after the Malevolence ' s destruction

Several casualties had taken place during the battle; half of Shadow Squadron was lost, as well as several Pelta-class frigates that had been evacuating the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center. However, Senator Amidala had been rescued from the Malevolence, and furthermore, more casualties at the hands of the warship were avoided; after many defeats, the Confederate threat of the Malevolence was finally over. The dead moon of Antar became the resting place of the Confederacy's prized warship, and Grievous' defeat at the hands of the Republic further shook Count Dooku's faith in him.

Behind the scenes
The Battle of the Kaliida Nebula was featured in the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series. As it was spanned out over several episodes, the battle was one of the series' first major battles, appearing in the first season episodes "Shadow of Malevolence" and "Destroy Malevolence." In addition, the battle completed a three-part story arc in the series centered around the Confederate warship Malevolence, which made its first appearance in the television series in the episode "Rising Malevolence," as well as Shakedown, an issue of the series' weekly online web comic that led into the episode. Several stories relating to the battle itself were featured in the online comic; Procedure depicted Skywalker's acquiring of the Y-wing bombers for the battle shortly before "Shadow of Malevolence," while Agenda portrayed Palpatine's deception of Amidala, leading into "Destroy Malevolence."

The battle depicted the BTL-B Y-wing starfighters in use, and also featured the series debut of the characters of Padmé Amidala and C-3PO.

Notes and references
Batalla de la Nebulosa Kaliida