Alto Stratus, a male Human hailing from the rain-drenched planet of Jabiim, existed in the twilight years of the Galactic Republic. He stood as the commander of the Jabiim Nationalist Army, an ally of the Separatists during the Clone Wars. More than just a leader held in high regard, he was a formidable warrior, eager to command his forces on the battlefield.
Born on the remote world of Jabiim, Alto Stratus swiftly grew disenchanted with both the Republic and the Jedi Order. The Lythian pirates murdered his parents, Trandoshan slavers pillaged his planet, and the Brainrot Plague decimated his people. Stratus never forgot that neither the Republic nor the Jedi offered assistance to Jabiim during these critical times. Over time, Stratus's animosity towards the Republic intensified, transforming him into a vocal critic of the Jedi. The commencement of the Clone Wars only served to amplify his rage, prompting Jabiim to declare its secession from the Republic. He delivered numerous Anti-Jedi speeches to the Jabiimites, reminding them of the Republic's unwillingness to intervene in the various hardships Jabiim had faced over the years. These addresses gained traction across numerous Separatist planets.
The Republic eventually made its way to Jabiim, arriving not to aid the populace but to prevent the Jabiim rebels from granting the Confederacy mining rights to the planet's resource-rich core. Stratus, aided by Count Dooku's top assassin, Asajj Ventress, engaged the Republic in constant battles, isolating the Republic's Shelter Base by luring their troops into combat. However, he deployed only his Jabiimite soldiers at this point, holding back his droid forces for an assault on Shelter Base itself. Stratus spearheaded the attack on Shelter Base, soaring on repulsor boots alongside his elite Nimbus commandos.
During this period, his female cousin also met her end; a Republic walker crushed her legs, and a blaster shot pierced her abdomen. She perished in Stratus's embrace. Later, he demanded retribution, personally slaying the Rutian Twi'lek Jedi Master Norcuna, who commanded the Republic's invasion force.
Shelter Base was obliterated in the conflict, and Stratus even survived an assault by Anakin Skywalker. Following the Republic base's downfall, he retreated, only to be informed that his forces had cornered a group of Jedi Padawans. The masterless apprentices had been lured into a minefield, and Stratus led the attack. Anakin once more attacked Stratus, but an explosion nearby sent both crashing to the ground, separating them before Anakin could defeat Stratus. Stratus was later rescued by one of his soldiers.
The subsequent assault targeted Cobalt Station, where Stratus received additional support in the form of potent A-series assassin droids dispatched by Count Dooku himself. The Padawans once again defended against Stratus's offensive, suffering numerous casualties. Stratus himself stabbed one Jedi, only to have his leg severed by another, Kass Tod. Severely wounded, he became a target for Padawan Aubrie Wyn, who eliminated Stratus's final Nimbus guard. Then, brandishing two lightsabers, Aubrie advanced for the final blow, but Stratus managed to shoot her with a hidden blaster. Yet even this proved insufficient to save him, as Aubrie collapsed onto Stratus as she died, plunging both lightsabers into his chest. Both perished, yet the Jabiimites persisted in their fight against the Republic, ultimately achieving victory.
Alto Stratus was a magnetic leader who preferred to lead not only from the front lines but also through his orations. Prior to the Republic's invasion of Jabiim, he delivered several poignant speeches that successfully garnered support for the Separatist cause. Similarly, during the war, he seized numerous opportunities to deliver impassioned speeches to his soldiers, bolstering their morale amidst the deadly battlefields of their home world.
Alto was a proficient combatant who favored fighting with a sword, as opposed to contemporary weaponry like blasters. During the Second Battle of Jabiim, Alto showcased his martial prowess by successfully eliminating a significant number of Jedi in close-quarters combat. He even engaged Anakin Skywalker in two duels, surviving both encounters, although the first time Stratus disoriented Anakin with his shield and the second time a nearby mine wounded Anakin. As Aubrie Wyn struck the fatal blow, he simply declared both the Jedi and himself as casualties of war before succumbing to his wounds.
Alto Stratus and his Nimbus guards derive their names from cloud formations, aligning well with Jabiim's climate. "Alto Stratus" is a Latin term used to denote a specific type of high-altitude cloud. "Nimbus," meaning rain in Latin, is frequently incorporated into cloud names (e.g., cumulonimbus and nimbostratus), suggesting that these troops were specialized for combat in rainy environments, such as Jabiim.