Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

Yoda: Dark Rendezvous is one of the final novels in the Clone Wars story arc. It was made as a replacement for Escape from Dagu. The novel includes a ten-page preview of Labyrinth of Evil, along with other novels such as Shatterpoint. The book is part of the Clone Wars multimedia project.

American

 * ISBN 0345463099; November 23, 2004, Del Rey, 329-page paperback
 * ISBN 0739303228; November 23, 2004, Random House Audio, Abridged CD

Foreign

 * ISBN 9022542637; 2005, Uitgeverij M, 288-page Dutch paperback (Duistere ontmoeting)
 * ISBN 3442244366; January 2007, Blanvalet, 512-page German paperback (Yoda – Pfad der Dunkelheit)
 * ISBN 8324120904; 2005, Amber, 240-page Polish paperback (Yoda: Mroczne spotkanie
 * ISBN 8495070413; 223-page Spanish paperback (Yoda: Encuentro Oscuro)
 * ISBN 8025205029; 2006, EGMONT ČR, 201-page Czech paperback (Yoda: Temné setkání)

Publisher's summary
As the Clone Wars rage, Jedi Master Yoda must once again face one of his greatest adversaries&mdash;Count Dooku&hellip;.

''The savage Clone Wars have forced the Republic to the edge of collapse. During the height of battle, one Jedi Knight escapes the carnage to deliver a message to Yoda on Coruscant. It appears Dooku wants peace and demands a rendezvous. Chances are slim that the treacherous Count is sincere, but with a million lives at stake, Yoda has no choice.''

''The meeting will take place on Vjun, a planet steeped in evil. The challenge could not be more difficult. Can Yoda win back his once promising pupil from the dark side, or will Count Dooku unleash his sinister forces against his former mentor? Either way, Yoda is sure of one thing: This battle will be one of the fiercest he'll ever face.''

Plot
The Clone Wars had raged across the galaxy for two and a half years, when the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Yoda, received a message from his once Padawan, Count Dooku. In the message, Dooku conceded to Yoda that the conflict had gotten far out of hand. He claimed that what he had begun as a political play to rid the Republic of corruption had turned into a bloodbath and that he was willing to come to a truce. Dooku invited Yoda to come and meet him on the planet Vjun, where they would organize the cease-fire.

After conferring with his fellow Jedi Masters from the Council, Yoda decided that even if the meeting at Vjun were a feint, the chance to end the war far outweighed the perils of a trap.

In order to cover for this secret meeting, the Jedi contracted a famous actor and Yoda-impersonator, Palleus Chuff to act as a decoy while the real Yoda departed for Vjun. Disguised as Yoda, Chuff left on a very public mission to Ithor. However, upon Chuff's arrival at Ithor, his ship was ambushed and destroyed by Asajj Ventress who was seeking to assassinate the Jedi Master. Yoda's perceived death was a significant blow to the Republic's morale.

Meanwhile, Yoda traveled under disguise accompanied by Jedi Masters Jai Maruk and Maks Leem and their Padawans, Scout and Whie.

During one Spaceport layover, Ventress, (accompanied by the bumbling but brave) Chuff managed to catch the quintet, and unleashed a dangerous new type of battle droid. While the other Jedi fought the droids and Ventress, Yoda sought to rescue Palleus. Both Jai Maruk and Maks Leem fell to the terrible droids and Ventress's lightsaber. Yoda, however, managed to divert Ventress's attention before she took a chance to kill the young Padawans, and the three Jedi (with Chuff in tow) escaped.

Meanwhile on Vjun, Count Dooku awaited Yoda in the Château Malreaux, the manor of the long since waned aristocratic clan Malreaux. As the group of Jedi landed on Vjun they were forced to separate: Yoda went to meet with Dooku, and the Padawans followed mysterious disruptions in the Force felt by Whie.

Soon the Padawans were captured by the lurking Asajj Ventress. She revealed to Whie that the Château was in fact his house, and the insane house-woman was his mother, Lady Whirry Malreaux. Asajj then held Scout in a tight Force grip, and tried to bring Whie to the dark side. Ventress knew of the boy's crush on the pretty, athletic red-haired Scout, and used it to ignite Whie's darker side by telling him to kiss Scout. In the end, Whie Malreaux handled his inner emotions and resisted the dark side.

Meanwhile, Yoda met with Dooku. The two Masters engaged in a tense debate about the ways of the Force, and reminiscenced about Dooku's childhood in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. In the end, Yoda encouraged his former apprentice to leave the dark side and Darth Sidious forever. Dooku, hands shaking, was on the verge of answering when an assistant informed him of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's arrival in the mansion, dispatched there by the Jedi Council. Convinced that the legendary duo were replacements for him, Dooku was overcome by jealousy and threw his assistant out the window. Yoda was forced to save Whirry from falling to her death, and then parry Dooku's follow-up lightsaber attack. Although Dooku managed to wound him, Yoda was unfazed, and did not yield to the dark side. Yoda recovered, and a short lightsaber battle ensued. In a repeat of his escape from Geonosis, Dooku activated an orbital missile targeted to the house before leaping from the window. Yoda was forced to stop the missile to save the lives of everyone in the vicinity, giving Dooku and Ventress the time to escape.

Kenobi and Skywalker rescued the Padawans and Yoda, and returned home to Coruscant.

Meanwhile, on a distant planet that was Dooku's new headquarters, Count Dooku realized that everyone he had ever loved, including Yoda, had forsaken him. He was truly alone.

Characters

 * A 77
 * Chief Technician Boz Addle
 * Rees Alrix
 * Jedi Knight Serifa Altunen
 * Senator Padmé Amidala
 * Bargu
 * Boofer
 * Chuck Bratz
 * Donni Bratz
 * "Mom" Bratz
 * Zorug Briefly
 * Sora Bulq
 * Jedi Master Caudle
 * Evan Chan
 * Charpp
 * Pax Chizzik
 * Palleus Chuff
 * Jedi Master Thame Cerulian
 * Sisseri Deo
 * Hanna Ding
 * Count Dooku
 * Clone of Count Dooku
 * Padawan Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy "Scout"
 * Fidelis
 * Flerp
 * Forzi Ghul
 * General Grievous
 * Gilp
 * Horororibb
 * Enver Hoxha
 * Gumbrak Hoxz
 * Sian Jeisel
 * Qui-Gon Jinn
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * Chankar Kim
 * Jedi Master Maks Leem
 * Jang Li-Li
 * Viscount Malreaux
 * Whie Malreaux
 * Whirry Malreaux
 * Jedi Master Jai Maruk
 * Lena Missa
 * Miss Vix
 * Pirt Neer
 * Page
 * Atresh Pikil
 * Politrix
 * Major Quecks
 * Darth Sidious
 * Anakin Skywalker
 * Solis
 * Orn Free Taa
 * Eremin Tarn
 * Rhad Tarn
 * Hera Tuix
 * Jedi Master Tycho
 * Asajj Ventress
 * Jedi Master Mace Windu
 * Jedi Master Ilena Xan "Iron Hand"
 * Grand Master Yoda
 * Zrim

Creatures

 * Bantha
 * Bivalva contemplativa
 * Dire-cat
 * Dragonsnake
 * Ferro-worm
 * Floating Toads of Doom
 * Glow fly
 * Glow-worm
 * Gorax
 * Grate toad
 * Gully-rat
 * Jakrab
 * Kowakian monkey-lizard
 * Krayt dragon
 * Hermit crab
 * Hawk-bat
 * Mermyn
 * Metal Borer
 * Nerf
 * Sand panther
 * Scrap mouse
 * Sevarcosan Prickle Pig
 * Sickle-back Mantis
 * Spider-roach
 * Spire falcon
 * Thinking clam
 * Trantor pigeon
 * Vjun fox
 * Water-skeeter
 * Womp rat

Droid models

 * Battle droid
 * Confederacy assassin droid
 * A 77
 * Footman droid
 * Laundry droid
 * Medical droid
 * Ohma-D'un super battle droid
 * R2 astromech droid
 * Service droid
 * Smartvac
 * Valet droid

Events

 * Apprentice Tournament
 * Clone Wars
 * Battle of Brentaal
 * Battle of Geonosis
 * Battle of Honoghr
 * Battle of Thustra
 * Mission to Devaron
 * Mission to Jabiim
 * Mission to Vjun
 * Rendili Fleet Crisis
 * Sith Wars

Locations

 * Alderaan
 * Ariarch-17
 * Arkania
 * Brentaal
 * Burning Snake (Eryon)
 * Corphelion
 * Coruscant
 * Chancellor Palpatine Spaceport
 * Commercial Nexus
 * Jedi Temple
 * Combat Training Chamber
 * Holomap Room "Star Room"
 * High Council Chamber
 * Jedi Medical Corps Infirmary
 * Jedi Temple Hangar
 * Jedi Temple Rectory
 * Room of a Thousand Fountains
 * Republic Executive Building
 * Senate Building
 * Dantooine
 * Devaron
 * Druckenwell
 * Geonosis
 * Petranaki Arena
 * Honoghr
 * Hydian Way
 * Ithor system
 * Ithor
 * Joran Station
 * Jovan
 * Jovan Station
 * Malastare
 * Nakat
 * Black Hole of Nakat
 * Ohma-D'un
 * Omwat
 * Outer Rim
 * Perilix
 * Phindar
 * Greater Hub Spaceport
 * Phindar Spaceport
 * Queyta
 * Rigel 7
 * Ryloth
 * Serenno
 * Sermeria
 * Sevarcos
 * Sullust
 * Tatooine
 * Thustra
 * Troxar
 * Ukio
 * Vjun
 * Bitter End
 * Bay of Tears
 * Château Malreaux
 * Crying Room
 * River Weeping
 * Vorzyd V
 * Wayland

Organizations and titles

 * Bureau of Patriotic Defense
 * Carbanti United Electronics
 * Chiang/Xi
 * Confederacy of Independent Systems
 * Trade Federation
 * Diplomat
 * Farmer
 * Handmaiden
 * Hanx-Wargel
 * Hoersch-Kessel
 * Huppla Pasa Tisc
 * Jedi Order
 * Agricultural Corps
 * Jedi Council
 * Jedi Knight
 * Jedi Master
 * Padawan
 * Kut-Rate Kruises
 * Medic
 * Pilot
 * Republic
 * Senator
 * Supreme Chancellor
 * Sentient Property Crime Bureau (SPCB)
 * Siep-Irol
 * Sith
 * Sith apprentice
 * Sith Lord
 * SoroSuub Corporation
 * Tac-Spec Corporation
 * Tau/Zeiss
 * TriNebulon News
 * Viscount
 * Xenobiologist

Sentient species

 * Arkanian
 * Askajian
 * Chagrian
 * Clawdite
 * Druckenwellian
 * Firrerreo
 * Gran
 * Horansi
 * Human
 * Ithorian
 * Mon Calamari
 * Mrlssi
 * Neimoidian
 * Ortolan
 * Phindian
 * Quarren
 * Rattataki
 * Sith
 * Tholian
 * Toydarian
 * Troxan
 * Twi'lek
 * Verpine

Capital ships

 * Tavya-class armored picket

Freighters/Transports

 * B-7 light freighter
 * Nighthawk
 * Chryya-class fast courier
 * Corellian light freighter
 * Epoch-class freighter
 * Reasonable Doubt
 * Kidz ArKade
 * Taupe Corridor
 * Seltaya-class fast courier
 * Limit of Vision
 * Yacht

Starfighters

 * Ginivex-class starfighter "Fanblade starfighter"
 * Last Call

Others

 * AT-PT
 * Hovercar
 * Hoversled
 * Speeder
 * Zink-sled

Weapons and technology

 * Audiofilament
 * Blaster
 * Blaster cannon
 * Blaster rifle
 * Repeating blaster
 * Chrono
 * Computer
 * Concussion missile
 * Datapad
 * Deflector shield
 * Ferrocrete
 * Flamethrower
 * Flechette launcher
 * Garbage compactor
 * Hard-sound gun
 * Holocam
 * Holocomm
 * Hologram
 * Holovid
 * Hyperdrive
 * Laser cannon
 * Lifter pallet
 * Turbolift
 * Lightsaber
 * Training lightsaber
 * Macrobinoculars
 * Mini Rail Cannon
 * Nav computer
 * Neural-Net eraser
 * Passive sensor antenna
 * Pedway
 * Permacrete
 * Plasma grenade
 * Proton torpedo
 * Railgun
 * Security cam
 * Security scanner
 * Servo
 * Slugthrower
 * Solder-blaster
 * Sonic grenade
 * Sonic wrench
 * Spacesuit
 * Superflow II
 * Telescopic sniperscope
 * Tractor beam
 * Transparisteel
 * X45 sniper riflette
 * Vacuum pump
 * Vibroblade

Miscellanea

 * Bacta patch
 * Black hole
 * Chugger's Chaw
 * Coryx family
 * Dejarik
 * Ferroceramic
 * Gemcutter
 * Holocron
 * Hyperspace
 * Hyperspace navigation
 * Iron
 * Jedi!
 * Jedi training
 * Broken Gate
 * Microwave
 * Midi-chlorian
 * Midi-chlorian manipulation
 * Nitrogen
 * Peterson's Guide to Droids of the Republic
 * Poh family
 * Vol. VII: The Great Corporate Expansion Era
 * Questionable Activity Report
 * Refresher
 * Sink
 * Toilet
 * Rigelian Iris
 * Syncloth
 * The Force
 * Dark side of the Force
 * Disturbance in the Force
 * May the Force be with you
 * Telekinesis
 * Torture
 * Tri-harp
 * Twelve Intermediate Knots
 * Mrlssi half-hitch
 * Yoda's cane
 * Wookiee Warpath
 * Flying Knives Level
 * Swamp Level

Food and beverages

 * Acid-beet
 * Antarian pea
 * Arkanian sweet milk
 * Baked dru'un slices in fish sauce
 * Blasteroids!
 * Bottom-feeder gumbo
 * Burrmillet
 * Candleberry
 * Cheese
 * Crème D'Infame
 * Crêpes Malreaux
 * Crispy foot
 * Dried whip-smelt
 * Fizzy-Bip
 * Hillindor fowl soup
 * Profiteroles Ukio
 * Rank
 * Reythan berry juice
 * Reythan crackers
 * Muja juice
 * Naris-bud tea
 * SomnaSkol Red
 * Souse-mustard
 * StarFries
 * Stimcaf
 * Vacuum flower
 * Water

Behind the scenes
In chapter 4, page 88 of the American edition, when Jai Maruk explains why he thinks Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy should be sent to the Agricultural Corps, he says, "A Jedi Knight has a different kind of mission, and in the work we do, I think she would be dead in six months". This foreshadows the Jedi purge in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, which takes place exactly six months after the events in this novel.

Other internal references suggest some uncertainty about chronology. The official timeline places Yoda: Dark Rendezvous two and a half years after the battle at Geonosis in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and half a year before Revenge of the Sith; however, the character Scout is supposed to have turned thirteen three months prior to the events in Attack of the Clones and is repeatedly referred to as being fourteen.

Whie Malreaux appears in Revenge of the Sith, practicing against Bene under the supervision of Cin Drallig. His dreams in Yoda: Dark Rendezvous of being killed by a Jedi and surprised by it despite the forewarning refer specifically to this scene.

Dooku's reaction to the arrival of Skywalker and Kenobi, during his conversation with Yoda, structurally resembles Vader's reaction when Kenobi emerges from Padmé's ship on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith. In both cases, someone with a strong past relationship to the Sith Apprentice is pleading with him to return, but the arrival of a third party, unexpected by the pleader, gives the Sith opportunity to conclude that he has been betrayed and dismiss the appearance of caring, cementing his relationship to the Sith master.

Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Yoda: Dark Rendezvous.