By the time we reached **Lantilles**, I had finished the adjustments. With little time left before exiting hyperspace, I took my place in the *Terminus* command seat beside Ahsoka.
"Master… I sense something strange…" Ahsoka suddenly grabbed my arm.
I leaned forward, concentrating.
The vague feeling of danger swelled into something sharp—like a balloon popping inside my skull.
I dropped to my knees.
"General?" Ragnos straightened immediately.
"Captain…" I croaked. "Starboard immediately! Acceleration twenty! Roll axis forty-five degrees! All batteries to battle stations!"
"Aye! You heard him!" the Zabrak shouted, rushing to the helm and seizing control.
The endless stream of hyperspace stars snapped back into reality.
An enormous shape filled the viewscreens.
A **damaged Recusant destroyer** was charging straight toward us.
Its port side had been torn apart. One of its heavy turbolaser mounts had either been ripped away or vaporized completely. Another few seconds and it would have rammed directly into us.
But thanks to the Zabrak's quick reaction, the *Terminus* rolled aside just in time.
The crippled destroyer roared past our hull.
"Fire!" I barked as the massive warship slid across our port side.
"The squadron has reached Lantilles' orbit!" one of the operators reported.
The *Terminus* answered with thunder.
Heavy turbolaser batteries erupted in blinding streaks of red energy. Medium batteries and point-defense cannons joined them.
The Recusant's speed was high, and the firing window lasted only seconds—
—but it was enough.
The destroyer vanished in a violent explosion.
I exhaled slowly before turning my attention to the tactical displays.
And there was plenty to see.
---
A **massive battle** was raging across Lantilles' orbit.
Roughly **forty CIS ships** were clashing with **twenty Republic vessels** and nearly **thirty Dreadnaught-class cruisers** belonging to the Lantilles defense fleet.
"All ships," I said, rising and sweeping my hand decisively, projecting confidence even if it was only symbolic. "Battle formation **A-4**. We attack from the rear of that enemy formation. Corvettes cover the stern. Launch fighters!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Master! May I—?" Ahsoka practically vibrated with excitement.
Hutt… she's restless.
But I can't always protect her.
"Be careful. Take **Red Squadron** and cover the terminus.
"Cover again?" Ahsoka protested indignantly.
"Shh. The enemy won't keep us waiting. Go… and may the Force be with you."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Damn. That sounded dramatic.
"Yes, Master."
The Togruta vanished from the bridge moments later.
"And you, sir?" Ragnos asked. "Aren't you flying?"
"I'll be more useful here. What's the status of communications?"
"Sir," Mirro spun in his chair. "Grand Captain **Fukuoka** is on the line!"
"Patch him through."
The hologram of a tall, middle-aged officer flickered into existence. The signal was badly damaged; the audio fractured into broken fragments.
"G…eneral! G…good to s…ee you! Lant…illes is… under att…ack! Ple…ase ass…ist imm…ediately!"
"Grand Captain?"
"The comm…unicati…ons net is jam…med… conne…ction unsta…ble! Att…ack the shi—!"
The transmission died.
"The enemy is jamming all transmissions," Mirro reported.
"Order understood," I said calmly.
Well… what else could we do except attack?
"Attention: approaching enemy ships," Ragnos announced.
I glanced at the tactical table.
My **three Acclamators** formed a wedge beside the *Terminus*.
* **Midway** at the tip
* **Shinano** on the port flank
* **Akagi** on starboard
The enemy had noticed our maneuver.
Two separate **CIS strike groups** were participating in the attack.
Our target formation consisted of:
* **Four Lucrehulk carriers**
* **Six Munificent frigates**
They were already engaged with roughly **a dozen Dreadnaught cruisers** of the local defense fleet.
The forces were nearly equal in capital ships—
—but the CIS held overwhelming **fighter superiority**, as usual.
---
Luckily… this was the perfect moment to apply **battle meditation**.
I extended my senses into the Force and linked with the **hundred fighters** our fleet had deployed.
Suddenly my awareness expanded.
A hundred points of vision.
A hundred targeting reticles.
A hundred engines screaming through space.
Through them I saw the battlefield unfold.
Together we struck.
Two Lucrehulks vanished in simultaneous explosions as our fighters penetrated their shield gaps.
Moments later, the *Terminus* unleashed its heavy batteries.
The remaining two carriers shattered under the storm of turbolaser fire.
Without their fighter coordination systems, the CIS formations collapsed.
Republic ships immediately pressed the advantage.
The remaining Separatist vessels began to fall one by one.
---
Okay… a little to the left…
Damn. He's moving right.
Ah. Foresight.
But I'll react faster.
I adjusted the targeting solution and continued firing.