**Second Day**
The storms of Jabiim had become almost comforting.
My fighter cut through the clouds like a shadow.
Sheets of ionized rain slammed against the hull while blue lightning crawled through the sky. To most pilots this would be a death sentence. Sensors failed, targeting systems glitched, and navigation became nearly impossible.
But for me, the storm was cover.
The Force whispered through the chaos.
And unlike them—
I could see.
The **Silencer** glided silently above the cloud layer before diving again through the storm banks.
Down below, entire cities appeared and vanished beneath the swirling fog.
Republic sensors could barely see ten kilometers through the storms.
Separatist sensors were even worse.
But the Force showed me everything.
Columns of vehicles.
Droid battalions.
Supply depots.
Hidden artillery.
Each time I spotted something useful, I opened a secure channel.
"Ethan, you receiving?"
A moment later the calm voice of Ethan replied through the comm.
"Reading you loud and clear, General."
Unlike the rest of the command crew, Ethan possessed something extremely valuable.
A **holocron interface system** connected to the fleet's tactical network aboard the flagship **Terminus**.
"Sending coordinates," I said.
Data streams transmitted directly from the Silencer's scanners.
"Confirmed," Ethan replied. "Forwarding targeting data to Captain Ragnos now."
---
### Orbit Above Jabiim
On the bridge of the **Terminus**, Captain Ragnos studied the incoming targeting feed.
"General Dagon has located another droid concentration," Ethan reported.
Ragnos nodded.
"Range?"
"Within heavy turbolaser reach."
"Good."
He turned toward the weapons officer.
"Prepare partial orbital bombardment. Only the heavy turbolasers."
"Aye, sir."
The **F-SPAR cannon** remained idle—for now. Its power was better saved for enemy ships.
But the Terminus still possessed enough firepower to devastate ground targets.
"Coordinates locked," the officer reported.
Ragnos gave the order.
"Fire."
Moments later, green beams lanced down from orbit.
---
### Jabiim Surface
From high above the clouds I watched the explosions bloom across the muddy plains.
Entire droid columns vanished beneath orbital fire.
Transport vehicles erupted like sparks.
Supply depots disappeared in seconds.
The storm swallowed the smoke almost instantly.
Below me, the Force surged with emotion.
Fear.
Grief.
Anger.
Thousands of minds crying out at once.
Most Jedi struggled with that.
But I had learned something different.
My training with
Darth Nox
had taught me that **willpower** could shape the Force.
Even its darker side.
Force lightning, after all, was simply the manifestation of absolute determination.
Emotion was energy.
Control was everything.
So the suffering below did not shake my focus.
It was war.
And according to intelligence estimates, the enemy forces on Jabiim numbered more than **a million units**.
Battle droids.
Vehicles.
Nationalist troops loyal to
Alto Stratus.
I still hadn't located their primary transport fleet.
Which meant they were hiding something.
The Silencer climbed higher through the clouds.
Ahead of me, a vast city slowly emerged through the storm.
**Shoal.**
The capital of Jabiim.
And the stronghold of Alto Stratus himself.
"Interesting…"
Sensors showed a large gathering near the central district.
Military vehicles.
Troops.
Command staff perhaps.
I armed the missile launcher.
"Let's send a message."
Three missiles launched from the fighter.
They streaked downward through the clouds.
Two struck a communications tower.
The structure collapsed in a violent explosion.
The third missile smashed into a massive stone statue in the central square.
The monument shattered, raining debris across the plaza.
The people below scattered in panic.
I banked the fighter sharply and disappeared back into the storm.
---
### Shoal – Nationalist Command
Inside the command bunker beneath the city, alarms were still echoing when the officers rushed into the war room.
Alto Stratus stood near the holoprojector, his face dark with anger.
"What happened?"
One of his commanders bowed slightly.
"A Republic strike, sir."
"From where?!"
"We believe a stealth fighter attacked from the storm layer."
Stratus clenched his fists.
"Damage report."
The officer hesitated.
"Five thousand soldiers killed in the last twenty-four hours."
Another officer spoke up.
"Three thousand civilian casualties."
"And?"
The commander continued grimly.
"Orbital bombardments destroyed several supply depots."
He paused.
"Approximately **one hundred ninety thousand droids and vehicles** lost."
Stratus slammed his hand onto the table.
"Impossible!"
Another officer shook his head.
"Our forces haven't even engaged the Republic army yet. Most of our units are still positioned far from the cities."
"Then how are they doing this?!"
"They are striking from orbit… using targeting data from somewhere inside the storm."
Silence filled the room.
Stratus's expression darkened.
"So the Jedi is hunting us."
One of the commanders nodded.
"Yes, sir."
Stratus slowly smiled.
"Good."
The officers looked confused.
He leaned forward over the tactical display.
"Because hunters… can also be hunted."
Somewhere above the storm clouds—
A single Jedi fighter was changing the balance of the war.
And Stratus intended to kill its pilot.