Battle of the Kaliida Nebula/Legends

The Battle of the Kaliida Nebula was a battle between Republic space forces and Grievous's flagship, the Malevolence.

Prelude


Prior to the battle, Admiral Yularen sent a transmission to Nala Se, warning her of the impending danger and telling her to evacuate. However, she was concerned that this was not possible, as there were many unmovable clones in the bacta tanks. A space force, led by Jedi Generals Anakin Skywalker and Plo Koon, were sent to the Nebula to delay Separatist forces, and if possible, to destroy the Malevolence once and for all. Anakin specified the target as the bridge of the Malevolence; if it were to be destroyed, General Grievous would be destroyed as well, and the war could be brought to a quicker end.

The battle
A fleet of brand new Y-wing starfighters, commanded by Anakin and Plo Koon, were to be used to attack the Malevolence and give time to Nala Se to evacuate the medical center. Shadow Squadron departed the Resolute and took the Balmorra Run shortcut in order to catch up to the Malevolence, which was already on its way to destroy the medical center. After running into some Neebray mantas in the Nebula, the strike force arrived near the medical station, and the Malevolence soon arrived out of hyperspace shortly after.



The Malevolence began to attack the medical frigates transporting the wounded clones away from the medical center. The Malevolence also launched Vulture droids at the incoming Republic squadron. Intent on taking Skywalker and his team out, Grievous then ordered the ion cannons to be fired at the Republic squadron, even though his Vulture droids would be caught in the blast. As the Republic strike force headed for the end of the ray to avoid the detrimental wave, Matchstick's fighter, already damaged by a passing Neebray in the Nebula, overloaded and exploded, catching another fighter in its fall. Furthermore, Shadow 6, Shadow 7 and Shadow 10 were caught in the ray. With only half their strike force left, and as everyone began to get shot down by the Malevolence's laser guns, Ahsoka pleaded to Anakin to change the plan.

With further persuasion from Plo Koon, Anakin changed the target from the bridge of the Malevolence to its ion cannons. As the ion cannons prepared to fire at the medical center, what remained of the strike force launched torpedoes at the cannons. When the Malevolence tried to fire its damaged ion cannons, they exploded and caused further destruction to the ship. As the Negotiator, the Resolute and another Venator-class cruiser emerged from hyperspace, Grievous ordered the ship to retreat to Separatist-held territory.

Mission aboard the Malevolence


Unable to jump to hyperspace, Grievous was forced to buy time. Luckily for him, Darth Sidious had arranged for Senator Padmé Amidala to fly directly into the battle, herself believing she was heading for negotiations with an InterGalactic Banking Clan leader. Once she jumped out of hyperspace, her ship, with herself and C-3PO aboard, was pulled into the warship via a tractor beam. She managed to contact the Resolute, and Anakin and Obi-Wan rushed to rescue her. They boarded the Twilight and docked at an emergency airlock.

After Grievous went to attempt to apprehend the Senator, Padmé set her ship to self-destruct. Unfortunately, Grievous survived the trap. While Grievous ordered the droids to continue the search for the Senator, Padmé overheard a report that the hyperdrive was almost repaired. The Jedi boarded the ship and managed to contact the Senator, and Ahsoka arranged them to meet at an open space in the middle of the ship. After a skirmish with a few battle droids on the rail jet, Obi-Wan went to disable the hyperdrive, while Anakin and Padmé headed to the bridge. Threepio had accidentally been pushed onto a rail jet going in a completely different direction, and Anakin sent R2-D2 to find him. Grievous, however, had overheard Obi-Wan's plan to take out the hyperdrive, and headed to trap and capture him.

Obi-Wan arrived in the hyperdrive room, only to walk into the trap. He managed to evade Grievous, and after a fight on the rail jet, he headed back to the Twilight. Meanwhile, Anakin and Padmé dispatched the droids on the bridge, and while Padmé "cleaned up" so that no one would notice they had been there, Anakin reprogrammed the warship's navacomputer. The two met R2-D2 and C-3PO, and rendezvous back at the Twilight with Obi-Wan. Heading back to the Republic cruisers, they were pursued by Grievous in his fighter, as well as a few Vulture droids, but managed to evade them.

As the battle droids attempted to engage the hyperdrive, they discovered Anakin's sabotage. Before they could reset the navacomputer, the Malevolence crashed into the nearby moon. A shamed Grievous engaged his hyperdrive and left the system.



Aftermath
Although the Malevolence and its deadly ion cannons were permanently put out of use, Grievous managed to escape. However, his defeat shook Dooku's faith in him. Grievous was apparently shamed himself, as he cut off a transmission from Dooku after it became clear that the Malevolence was going to crash.

Notes and references
Batalla de la Nebulosa Kaliida