Contest on Rugosa

"*Retreat, you must. On the moon below is my mission. There, I must go.*"

The **Contest on Rugosa** was a small scale battle fought between the Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems on the neutral moon of Rugosa as they vied for the allegiance of the Toydarian King Katuunko early in the Clone Wars. Jedi Master Yoda impressed Katuunko by fending off Separatist attacks, leading to Toydaria joining the Republic war effort.

## Prelude

#### Previous: Battle of Ryloth

As part of their efforts to claim territory in the early years of the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems launched an invasion on Ryloth, cutting off the Republic forces on the planet from aid. The Republic forces resources dwindled quickly and defeat loomed. The Jedi reached out to Senator Bail Organa as he returned from another trade mission. They instructed him to travel to Toydaria where they had organized for him to find supplies with which to load onto his blockade runner. The position of Toydaria was close enough to Ryloth that it would be able to allow Organa to travel to the starving world of Ryloth and deliver the supplies within the needed time-frame. They would however require Organa to organize a treaty with the Toydarian government to allow Republic ships to take off from the neutral world of Toydaria to provide Republic aid during the war. They had sent Junior Representative Jar Jar Binks to Toydaria with the relief supply shipment. Unknown to the Republic, their transmission had been intercepted by the Separatists and the information of the Senator's mission reached Count Dooku. He sent Trade Federation Senator Lott Dod to disrupt the discussions.

On Toydaria Bail Organa met with Jar Jar Binks. Together they went to their audience with King Katuunko. Moments after making their initial plea, Senator Lott Dod entered the chamber to argue with Organa's statements. King Katuunko was aware that by helping Ryloth it would destroy Toydaria's neutrality. He decided to convene with his ministers before hearing further arguments from either Senator. When King Katuunko reopened discussions, Bail Organa pressed the matter from a humanitarian angle. He allowed Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth to speak on his behalf in a transmission from Coruscant. Senator Lott Dod tried to convince Katuunko that he was being deceived by Organa, and that it wouldn't be a humanitarian base but a military one that would force the Separatists to end the Toydarian neutrality and therefore cause the Trade Federation to end it's commerce with the planet. After another pause in the conversation, Katuunko officially refused the Republic's request, unable to sacrifice Toydaria's neutrality. In secret however he approached Organa, telling him that he would allow the Republic to send their relief supplies they brought with them but no more on the condition the Trade Federation would not link the mission to Toydarian involvement. The supplies left Toydaria without incident and successfully provided aid to the fighters on Toydaria. King Katuunko admitted to Senator Organa that he thought perhaps it was time to reconsider Toydaria's neutrality in the war. Katuunko told Organa to tell the Jedi he was open to meeting with them.

## Recount

#### Yoda's Journey

Following King Katuunko's agreement to meet with the Jedi, Jedi Master Yoda traveled to the neutral moon of Rugosa to meet with the Toydarian king to discuss creating a Republic supply base on Toydaria in exchange for protection. King Katuunko arrived on the planet aboard his yacht, the *Thief's Eye*, with two members of the Toydarian Guard. They noted that they had arrived before the Jedi, allowing them to be caught off guard by Asajj Ventress who approached with a message from Count Dooku who had used spies to learn of the meeting and prepare an ambush. As Yoda's ship approached the moon, a pair of *Munificent*-class star frigates exited hyperspace, immediately opening fire on the Republic ship. Dooku asked King Katuunko how the Jedi would protect Toydaria if they were unable to protect even themselves. Yoda launched himself in an escape pod alongside Coruscant Guard clone troopers Rys, Thire and Jek. Their ship escaped the system while their escape pod landed safely on the moon. When word reached Ventress that the Jedi had reached the moon's surface, she used the situation as an example of the Separatist might to impress King Katuunko. She sent her forces to eliminate the Jedi and his clones. Yoda accepted the challenge presented by Ventress and promised that he would arrive by nightfall.

##### The Ambush across Rugosa

Yoda took a moment to marvel at the beauty of the moon before a C-9979 landing craft passed overhead. Yoda set out on his journey. He did not follow a straight line to reach Katuunko, knowing that by doing so he would only walk into the enemy first. Their paths with the enemy did eventually cross. The clones slowly ambushed the small infantry divisions, cutting down the battle droid forces in their small groups in the thick forest. By doing so they gave away their location, leading to them being chased down by a legion of B2 battle droids. During their retreat, Thire was caught by a rocket blast launched by one of the droids. Yoda leapt to the rescue, using his Force powers to defeat the entire battle droid legion. Following the skirmish they took shelter in a cave and took stock of their ammunition. They only had 2 thermal detonators and a single rocket for the launcher. Yoda spoke with each of the clones, identifying them as unique. When Thire told General Yoda to continue and allow them to buy him time Yoda refused. He told Thire that they would win the war by surviving it. A used his lightsaber to cut through Thire's blaster, then using the heat to reseal it into a new configuration that allowed Thire to use it as a crutch.

Outside the cave, a trio of AATs traveled through a small canyon. Yoda leapt down to face them alone. Yoda ran through the Separatist forces easily, destroying their forces one by one. The tanks were blown up and destroyed as Yoda sliced at their undersides or lured them to fire on one another. 224 was destroyed within the battle. The clones spotted a group of droidekas sent to destroy the Jedi as he finished destroying the initial wave of infantry. The clones used their final rocket to destroy an overhang of rock that fell onto the droidekas and destroyed them. The Republic had once again succeeded in destroying all Separatist forces. King Katuunko became convinced that the stories about the strength of Jedi were true. He informed Count Dooku that he would be joining the Republic. Count Dooku ordered Ventress to kill Katuunko, hoping that their negotiations would be more successful with his successor. As Ventress went to strike the Toydarian king, Yoda appeared using the force to halt Ventress' attack. Yoda urged Ventress to surrender however she escaped, detonating a planted device on Katuunko's yacht and fleeing aboard her own ship. After the Separatists had retreated, King Katuunko pledged his allegiance to the Republic and announced Toydaria proud to house a supply base for the war effort. A *Venator*-class Star Destroyer arrived above the planet and dispatched LAA/i gunships to pick up the Republic and Toydarian forces on the moon.

## Aftermath

#### Next: ...

Following the contest on Rugosa, a Republic supply base was constructed on Toydaria.

## Event Chronology

* King Katuunko arrives on Rugosa for negotiations with Yoda.
* The Separatists attempt to ambush Yoda to disrupt the negotiation.
* Yoda escapes the Separatist ambush.
* Toydaria joins the Republic war effort.

## Appearances

1. Star Wars: The Clone Wars S1.E1 - "Ambush"