Battle of the Ryndellia system/Legends

"So much for the Jedi escort!"

- General Grievous

The Battle of Ryndellia was a space battle that took place around 22 BBY in the Ryndellia system. A Galactic Republic medical convoy under the command of clone troopers and Jedi, comprised of several Pelta-class frigates and a Venator-class Star Destroyer escort, was passing through the system. The convoy was ambushed by the Confederate Subjugator-class heavy cruiser Malevolence, under the command of General Grievous. The Confederate warship eliminated the Republic transports with its laser guns, and the warship neutralized the power of the final fleeing Pelta frigate with its ion cannons. On Confederate Head of State Count Dooku's order, the Malevolence headed to attack an Outer Rim Republic medical center, treating over 60,000 wounded Republic clones.

Prelude
"Now the Republic will learn of our ion cannon!''" "Your failure is most unfortunate. I will have to discuss'' this with my master."

- Grievous and Count Dooku, shortly after Grievous' failure to stop a Republic ship from fleeing



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 at a time with its ion cannons. The cannons neutralized the power of their targets, leaving the quarries vulnerable to laser fire from the Malevolence without the ability to use deflector shields. Under the command of General Grievous, the Malevolence eliminated several Republic task forces, leaving no survivors to spread the news of the warship or its "secret" ion cannons. Because its origins and methods of attack were unknown to the Republic, the Malevolence was dubbed the "mystery weapon." The random targets did not leave a pattern, and the unpredictability of future targets spread fear across the citizens of the Republic.

Shortly after the defeat of Jedi General Ares Nune's forces in the Phu system at the hands of the Malevolence, High Jedi General Plo Koon of the Jedi High Council volunteered to take several Venator-class Star Destroyers with clone troopers aboard to find and eliminate the weapon. Koon tracked the Malevolence to the Abregado system, but on Grievous' command, Koon's fleet was attacked by the Confederate warship's ion cannons, and the survivors of the attack fled from the cruisers in escape pods.

The Confederate Head of State and Sith Lord Count Dooku was aboard the ship, watching Grievous' progress, and ordered "pod hunters" to eliminate the pods and ensure that the Republic would not learn of the warship and its ion cannons. However, Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, were able to rescue Koon and several clones with Skywalker's personal ship. After they encountered the Malevolence, the Jedi were able to escape a wave from the ion cannons by jumping to hyperspace, and reported the Malevolence ' s weapons to the Republic. Because of this, Dooku considered the battle to be a defeat, and his trust in Grievous diminished.



Attack on the convoy
"Target those escape pods. I have a reputation to uphold!"

- General Grievous

A Republic medical convoy, consisting of several Pelta-class frigates as well as a Venator-class cruiser escort, was passing through the Ryndellia system when it was intercepted by General Grievous and the Malevolence. The warship attacked the Venator and two of the Pelta frigates with its numerous laser cannons, while the last Pelta frigate fled. Noticing this, Grievous ordered the ship's ion cannons to be fired at the frigate. The clone troopers piloting the frigate attempted to jump to hyperspace, but were unable to set the coordinates in time to do so. The frigate's power was neutralized from the ion cannons, and the Malevolence directed laser fire at it. A B1 battle droid commented on its inability to target anything, and Grievous smashed it aside.

Dooku was watching the cyborg general's progress through a holotransmission, and was pleased that the medical convoy had been eliminated. The Sith Lord assigned the Malevolence a new target: the Republic's secret Outer Rim medical center, treating over 60,000 wounded Republic clones. This assignment boosted Grievous' confidence, as it showed that the Count had not completely lost his faith in the general since the Battle of Abregado. As the damaged Pelta frigate deployed several escape pods, Grievous ordered the pods to be targeted.

Aftermath
"Skywalker! The enemy has attacked our convoy of medical transports near Ryndellia.''" "Medical transports? Only General Grievous would go after clones who can't fight back." "''The Ryndellia system... Near Naboo? Isn't that where our medical base is? I bet that will be his next target."

- Admiral Wullf Yularen, Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker

The Malevolence jumped to hyperspace and headed for the medical center. General Anakin Skywalker received a report from Admiral Wullf Yularen of the medical convoy's destruction in the Ryndellia system, and the Jedi deduced that Grievous was heading for the medical station. As Skywalker had already planned a counterattack on the Malevolence, he intended to intercept the warship before it could attack the medical base. Skywalker led Shadow Squadron in recently acquired BTL-B Y-wing starfighters on a shortcut through the Kaliida Nebula, and was accompanied by his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, as well as General Plo Koon. Admiral Yularen warned the Kaminoan Nala Se&mdash;a worker at the medical station&mdash;of the impending danger, and the station began evacuations of its patients.

Behind the scenes
The Battle of Ryndellia appeared in "Shadow of Malevolence," the third episode in the first season of the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series.

Notes and references
Batalla de Ryndellia