#which makes sense because Ar’alani is an admiral

[cl-01-kestis]

The Fall of Atollon

Dismay - Grand Admiral Thrawn x Rebel!Reader | Part 1

Summary: a decade and a half flies by and Omani is growing into an adult. It’s your responsibility to protect her from the dark truths of the Empire.

Warnings: very long, violence, angst

(Omani looks like this, using Ar’alani for reference)

“It’s too hot out here” You puffed out, lying on the ground beside Omani who was gulping down her water bottle at a rapid pace, wiping the sweat of her forehead as she hummed in agreement.

“That’s Atollon for you, Tiscen’i, but I agree... I don’t think it’s ever been this hot before” Omani panted as she removed her top, her black sports bra covering her chest as she dumped her T-shirt next to yours. She lay in the other direction from you, her head beside yours as the two of you bathed in the suns light.

As mother and daughter, shockingly, no one would ever guess either of you were related. She was mistaken to be a full blooded Chiss most of the time she met someone new. But when you say you’re her mother, that makes things twice as shocking. One, you’re a human, and two, you look stunning for your age, barely looking a few years older than Omani. Since Omani was now considered a grown up, your attitude started to change with her. Instead of treating her like a little girl, you treated her like your best friend. The two of you shared everything to each other, embarrassing stories, who you thought was attractive, countless inside jokes, but never your past. You’d lost count of how many times your daughter asked you who her father was, she was practically his double and you felt like you were cheating her out of her own heritage, but it was for her own safety.

She had sprouted into such a beautiful young woman, she had been promoted to general recently due to how much effort she had contributed to the rebellion. You used to be a general yourself, however you switched to a Senator after Omani was born with the guidance of Bail Organa, your mentor. You only attended the senate a handful of because of your betrayal to the Empire, you couldn’t risk being identified by a once known ally and trialed for treason. You couldn’t do that, not to Omani.

“Any more news about Thrawn?” You asked, biting the inside of your cheek as your daughter scoffed and let out an almost disgusted sigh.

“Unfortunately yes, that bircisb’s close to discovering the base... I’m doing all I can to keep everyone safe here, including you” Omani turned her head to look at you and noticed the frown stuck on your face. She was going to ask but thought it would be best if she kept her mouth shut since all you ever did was ignore her concern whenever she asked.

Thrawn, her father, was a man she wanted nothing more than to shoot. She was aware of his Chiss origins and even saw him once on a holo recording with you beside her, nearly on the verge of fainting. It took you all your strength not to tell her the truth, but thankfully she didn’t suspect anything about her possibly being related to him and digging into it.

“You work too hard visahot, but you remind me of myself when I used to work for the Empire” You joked dryly, earning a soft chuckle from Omani who leaned her head against yours whilst blocking her bright red eyes from the sun.

“Did you ever meet him whilst you were in the academy? Maybe Tarkin or Vader?” Omani asked curiously, shifting her body at an angle so the back of her head was resting on your shoulder.

“You’d never be lucky enough to see Tarkin or Vader... they were far too superior to be in an imperial academy,” You started.

“But Thrawn? He was the meanest and most serious man I’d ever met” Your voice was oddly calm as you spoke to Omani. She was surprised when the words left your mouth, this was the most open you’d ever been with her and of all the things it was about the man causing terror to their rebellion?

“So you did meet him?” Your daughter smirked, rolling onto her stomach so she was looking at you, her face upside down from where you were lying. You smiled at her expression and shrugged.

“Comrades, but I only spoke to him once” You lied through clenched teeth, sitting up and avoiding bashing Omanis head as she leaned back and sat up with you. The two of you looked at one another and for a moment, all you could see was Thrawn. She was so like him, mannerisms and even accent. The only difference was what side they fought on, a father and daughter on opposite sides and neither of them even knew of their connection, only you did.

“You never really open up about your time at the academy, was it really that bad?” Your blue skinned daughter raised a brow, her beautiful red eyes looking straight into yours as if she was searching for the truth.

“It’s an experience I’m not willing to fully share yet, visahot, but one day you’ll know” You reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder, patting it in an assuring manner which seemed to put her curiosity to the side for the time being.

A flock of loud shouting had brought the two of you out of your thoughts and you stood up immediately, throwing on your shirt and waiting for Omani who ushered you forward whilst putting on her own shirt, tugging it over her head clumsily whilst running to the holo table which all of the rebels surrounded. You spotted Hera Syndulla, her face melting into a frustrated frown. You noticed there were multiple star destroyers that popped up on the hologram, a flock of them right above Atollon.

“Oh no...” You mumbled, heart dropping to your feet when you realised what this meant for you and the rebels.

“Thrawn’s planning an orbital strike on Atollon” Hera said, trapping her chin between her index finger and thumb. You looked at her with wide, terrified eyes, wishing this was all some kind of nightmare. Omani reached out and held your hand out of fear, staying close to you as you both looked at the hologram.

Zeb and Rex had installed a protective barrier around the base, but you weren’t sure how long it was going to hold up for. Omani had left to get dressed and get her things packed, her blaster in her hand when she returned and was called to plan out what was going to happen by other rebels. You stayed with Hera, practically on the verge of hyperventilating as you knotted your hair with your fingers, trying to control your breathing.

“Hey, don’t get all scared on me now, you’re the bravest woman I know on this damn planet” Hera walked up to you, taking your hands away from your hand and holding them tight. You sniffed, nodding your head as a few tears left your glassy eyes.

“Death isn’t what I’m worried about” You whimpered, Thrawn’s face coming into mind when you looked back at the star destroyers. You were afraid to look at the sky, too petrified to even think of anything else apart from the fact that Thrawn was here.

“Then what is it?” Hera asked with confusion, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and taking you away from the table since the image wasn’t making you feel any better. You rubbed your eyes, swallowing down the lump in your throat and trying your best to stay strong for the rebels.

“I can’t say, but promise me if anything goes wrong, you’ll get Omani away from here?” You looked up at the Twi’lek, pleading with your eyes as your hands trembled by your side. Hera nodded sternly, pulling you into a brief hug before excusing herself to prepare for the upcoming orbital strike, leaving you alone in a flurry of anxiety.

You rushed to your room, which had once belonged to you and Ahsoka but now her side of the room was taken up by Omani. You grabbed your jacket and pulled it over your arms and back, grabbing two blasters and a locket which you had since your Imperial days, a locker Thrawn gave to you.

When you got back outside, the orbital strike was taking place. Panicking, you screamed out Omanis name over and over again, looking in all directions before you saw her far away watching the strike with her friends by her side. You let out a sigh of relief but you ran to Hera who was staring up at the herd of incoming green lasers slamming against the barrier. You could see the barrier starting to weaken, you trembled beside Hera who looked away just as the shield was about to break, when all of a sudden the firing stopped.

Everything was dead silent for a while, the sound of burning surrounding the outside of the shield and clouds of black smoke rising from the ground.

“It held! It held!” You heard Zeb yell in the distance, a relieved smile making its way onto your face after some time. You turned to Omani, noticing she was laughing with her friends and rubbing her eyes as if she’d been crying.

Looking over to see you, she bolted in your direction and slammed her body against yours in a tight embrace, her arms wrapped tight around your neck as she held back a sob in your shoulder. You stroked her navy coloured hair, pressing a firm kiss on her temple before pulling back and cupping her face with your hands. No words were exchanged as the two of you smiled at one another before hearing the voices of Zeb and Rex requesting your help.

-

This wasn’t exactly the situation you were planning to be in. You, Zeb and Rex all hid behind a large plant on the outskirts of the rebel base where most of the air strike had hit. The smell of burning and dirt filled your senses but now was not the time to complain, now was the time to hopefully take down the Empire’s ambush.

“I hope this plan of yours works” Zeb said to Rex, the three of you looking ahead at the desolate patch of land ahead and waiting for any sign of movement.

“Yeah...me too” Rex replied in a not so confident tone, causing you to look up at him with a frown but you let it slide for the time being. Rex looked through his binoculars, inspecting what was in the distance as you and Zeb as well as lots more other rebels awaited for the order. The familiar sound of metal creaking caught your attention and made your hearing perk up. You listened in, recognising the sound that belonged to an AT-ST.

“Here they come” Zeb nervously informed you and Rex. You held your breath when Rex pulled out the small detonator in his hand and not wasting a moment as his thumb pressed down eagerly on the red button at the top.

Three explosions erupted ahead of you and half of the AT-ST’s were taken down in seconds. Pressing the button once more, two more ST’s were taken down but one of them managed to get through the barrier. Zeb stood up behind you and Rex, holding a massive rocket launcher with a big grin on his purple face.

“Left one for you” Rex smirked, his grin matching Zeb’s as he ignited the rocket launcher which flew right into the middle of the ST, exploding as it touched the surface. You cheered, patting Zeb on the shoulder as you stood up to inspect the damage from a distance. Your coms link went off on your wrist and you brough it up to your face to see that Omani was contacting you.

“Hey Mom! Was the mission a success?” Her voice was eager but also full of concern.

“Yes Princess, Rex and Zeb took down 6 ST’s! Safe to say we’ll be okay” You assured her with a smile, speaking clearly into the mic of the coms.

“That’s a relief” She chuckled.

“I hope you’re safe back at the base? Don’t sneak out and join in the action, as tempting as it is” You warned her, frowning slightly when it went silent briefly.

“You know I don’t sneak around, Tiscen’i, when have I ever denied you?” Omani spoke in an almost sarcastic tone but it still managed to make you laugh. Just as you were about to reply, a loud noise came from the distance and you and Rex snapped your heads towards it.

“I know that sound...” Rex murmured.

“Yeah... and I hate that sound” Zeb snarled.

“I need to go, somethings happening- I love you visahot” you said quickly before cutting off the line, giving no time for Omani to reply and give her more reason to worry for your safety.

“Lousy four leggers” Rex growled, drawing your attention to the four AT-AT’s making their way towards you.

“Hit ‘em with the detonators” Zeb urged with a scowl, still holding the large and now empty rocket launcher. Rex pressed down on the small button in his hand once more, causing more bombs to go off, only this time none of them effected the AT’s and they still continued moving forward and eventually passing through the barrier.

“We need Sabine to create a shield you can’t walk through” Zeb spoke in a frustrated tone, his eyes flashing with anger but also concern.

“Let’s hope we get a chance to tell her” Rex agreed before turning on his heel and making a run for it. Wasting no time, you followed the clone and the Lasat deeper into the Atollon forest and further away from the AT’s. A loud explosion erupted behind the three of you and you realised the AT was targeting you all as well as the other rebels who stayed behind you, Zeb and Rex. You didn’t bother looking back as the sound of X-wings and tie fighters roared through the sky above you, shooting at each other and some eventually zooming down to crash near you.

You got behind one of the massive leafs behind Zeb and Rex and started shooting at the AT closest to you, only for it to angle its head down and start shooting at you once again. You ran forward and the three of you hid behind a lead individually, exchanging glances of reassurance before a loud buzzing noise echoed behind you. You turned and peeked around the leaf, only to witness the magnificent sight of Kanan Jarrus cutting through the AT’s legs, the large machine eventually stumbling to its knees until its head crashed down on a few stormtroopers.

“Kanan, glad you could join us!” Zeb shouted in delight as the Jedi ran up to the three of you with a smile.

“Hera said you’re bringing help?” The lasat asked with a hint of curiosity, turning on his foot and resuming his running with the three of you behind him.

“Maybe, maybe not!” The Jedi responded, earning a frown from you as you kept your pace up so you didn’t trail behind.

The four of you ran right into a small tunnel, following the rest of the rebels as a loud storm rumbled above you. Your pace didn’t falter as you heard the distant whistling of a ship landing and if anything it only made you run faster. Kanan directed you through the tunnel with his lightsaber, coming up to two tunnels.

“This way!” As he pointed which direction you should go to next, a death trooper emerged from the corner and started shooting at the four of you.

“The other way, the other way!” He panicked, running into the other tunnel with you trailing behind him. Your heart was pounding in your ears and you felt like you were going to pass out at any moment, but you held onto that tiny bit of energy you had left and brewed it into the determination to survive and be able to see Omani again.

After escaping the endless nightmare called the tunnels, you made it back to the base and scampered to the holo table hiding in between crates as the noise of the AT’s guns shot up at the shield.

“Kanan! You made it, what happened with your friend?” Hera asked in a stern tone. You, Zeb and Rex put your bodies against the crates and guarded the entrance, making sure no stormtroopers were coming in as Hera negotiated with Kanan.

“Oh don’t worry, I think he’s coming” Kanan replied.

After a few seconds, the team was moving and you had your blaster wrapped tightly in your hand, your finger hovering over the trigger. The generator behind you broke and the shield was taken down, resulting in incoming ties and imperial reinforcements.

A transport left the bay but was unfortunately shot down which made you stop dead in your tracks. Zeb stopped beside you and his ears drooped when he realised what might’ve happened.

“Omani!!” You cried, immediately dialling into your coms but only for a blaster to be pressed against your skull as a death trooper shoved you forward towards the rest of the group. You sobbed, sniffing and trying your hardest not to cry when all you could think about was the fact that your daughter might’ve been on that ship. Zeb held you close as you continued to cry whilst a blaster was pointed dangerously close to your face, the death trooper muttering something you couldn’t quite understand due to the audio of their helmet.

“And now, Captain Syndulla,” A voice spoke from the clouds of smoke, causing you to stop your crying and lean back with wide, shocked eyes. It couldn’t be.

“I will accept your formal surrender,” You stood frozen in your spot as Zeb shielded you protectively from the man who had just made his grand appearance.

“I don’t believe it” You whispered, but the death trooper noticed and bashed the edge of his blaster harshly against your skull.

“Or you will watch your friends perish, one by one, beginning with the Jedi” You backed away, reaching for your blaster as Kanan ignited his lightsaber and everyone else sheathed their weapon of choice. Painfully, you turned around and looked at the trooper standing behind you, pointing your blaster at his helmet and staring at him with a teary scowl.

“You already know my answer” Hera hissed with disgust glaring strongly at the Imperial dressed in white that you absolutely refused to look at no matter how much he threatened your friends. This wasn’t happening, it couldn’t be.

Just as you were about to shoot the trooper, a loud thunder strike boomed in the sky and only then did you remember the storm from earlier. You turned to look up at the storm and so did the death trooper, your blasters lowering slightly as you set eyes on the large black clouds hovering above all of you.

“Do you fear the storm, Master Jedi?” Thrawn smirked, his hands clasped behind his back as he approached Kanan who blindly stared at the sky with a worried face.

“Yeah. And you sgould too” The Jedi replied, right before a dangerously close lightning strike hit the ground and missed Thrawn by at least a meter.

“Hang onto something!” Kanan warned before unsheathing his lightsaber.

“What kind of Jedi devilry is this?” Thrawn glared up at the sky, his forearm shielding his gaze as the wind picked up and the thunder grew louder.

Barely seconds later, a blaring, deep voice exclaimed from the sky. “I am the Bendu”.

Two glowing orange eyes opened in the cloud and you found yourself dumbfounded by it. Never in your life had you set eyes on something as magnificently terrifying as this!

“What is that?” Zeb asked next to you as you took subtle steps away from the Chiss and his men. You looked to Hera as she looked to her partner. “Uh, Kanan?”.

“I told you my friend was coming” He exclaimed in a tone you couldn’t quite identify, it was a mixture of confidence but also fear.

“I bring death!” The thing called Bendu proclaimed.

“He’s nice!” You yelled sarcastically, frowning at Kanan who smiled very awkwardly. You looked over to see that two colossal lightning bolts had hit two of the AT’s, immediately destroying them and causing them to fall to the ground. Unlucky for the group, more lightning bolts started crashing their way towards you and without thinking twice, you bolted in the opposite direction with everyone following you. You skidded behind a crate, peeking behind it to look up at the gigantic monsterous being that was less than happy.

“Leave this place” don’t have to tell me twice, you thought with a frown, looking to your left to see a few death troopers hiding behind their own crates.

“I am the light, I am the dark” You found yourself watching Bendu with fascination but you were still fearing for your life, looking to Hera and Kanan who were looking just as surprised as you were.

“I am the Bendu!” The cloud bellowed before sending more lightning down to strike the death troopers who had been obliviously out in the open.

“You heard him! Make for the ship!” Kanan turned to all of you, his lips in a thin like as he gripped his lightsaber tightly. You all nodded, but just as you were about to run, you stopped as everyone else left for the ship. The thunder was so loud but you looked around despite the fact you might be killed right here and then. You watched the remaining death troopers yell to one another as they tried shooting at the cloud.

You stood in the middle of the platform, looking at the man dressed in white who was looking at the cloud as if he had no fear. You couldn’t tear your eyes away and eventually ended up being spotted by one of the death troopers. Aiming your blaster, You shot him down but drew the attention of Thrawn whilst you were at it.

You heard the voices of Kanan and Hera call out to you as they watched in horror when Thrawn turned around and finally spotted you. Your hands trembled violently as they gripped onto the blaster that was aimed right at Thrawn, your face a mask of fright as Thrawn’s eyes widened and his face morphed into a frown, a very angry frown.

The lightning didn’t distract either of you as your blaster kept its aim, level with your face but it was low enough for Thrawn to see all of it from a distance. He knew who you were, he didn’t see you in the group because you were hidden and his attention was mostly on Kanan but now, now he had a whole new mission, a whole new ambition for upcoming missions.

“(Y/N), hurry up we gotta go!” Zeb screamed your name but you didn’t move, you were frozen as Thrawn drew out his blaster and pointed it right at you. There was a fire in his eyes, a fire you had never seen when you used to know him. It alarmed you greatly.

“Leave without me! Omani’s gone, I’ve got nothing left to live for!” You yelled back through tears, looking back to the crew who were all staring at you with wide, agonising stares.

“No, I won’t leave you!” Kanan exclaimed, jumping off the ramp and running up to you whilst igniting his lightsaber, ready to deflect Thrawn’s blaster as he grabbed your arm and started dragging you to the ship. You started shooting aimlessly at Thrawn, screaming and crying as you pictured Omani in your mind. Thrawn didn’t shoot back and he didn’t move either, all your shots missed him and you chucked your blaster on the ground after giving up.

You ran with Kanan to the ship in tears, the ramp closing behind you as you collapsed onto the floor on your hands and knees. Your arms bent and you leaned your head onto your hands, your cries echoing around the ship as it flew into hyperspace.

Hera wrapped an arm around you and pulled you back, sitting with you on the ground and resting your head on her chest as you continued to let out your tears of pain and anger. The crew watched with sadness, wishing they could comfort you but they were ushered into their rooms by Kanan who stayed with you and Hera once everyone was away.

#star wars #x reader #grand admiral thrawn #thrawn #thrawn x reader #star wars rebels

[thedistantstorm]

Project Compass 31

Read along on AO3 here

<< Previous Chapter <<    >> Next Chapter >>

This time: Eli is pissed.

Next time: Ar'alani and Vah'nya conduct an interrogation.

-/

Note: this chapter through the end of the story will contain violent scenes. I don't feel that they're out of line with what's been seen in SW content on screen (or in this fic previously), but it doesn't hurt to mention it since tumblr doesn’t do fic warnings/ratings like AO3.

-/

For a long while, the hum of the small ship's engines had been the only accompaniment to either Chiss's thoughts. Un'hee, head bowed, allowed herself to sink into the trance-like state required of her to safely navigate them toward the Compass. She could feel Thrawn beside her all the while, like a greyish presence at the edges of her vision despite her eyes remaining closed as she deftly made the micro-adjustments necessary to keep them from sinking too far into any gravity wells created by planets they streaked by at lightspeed.

She could sense his disquiet. He wasn’t nervous - if he was anyone else, she’d say it was nerves, but she felt like he was more irritated than anything. A nudge of the controls had them avoiding an asteroid cluster in the dark depths of their current system. Thrawn hadn’t noticed. It was impossible for anyone who wasn’t actively in the Navigator’s trance to notice the tiny adjustments necessary to pilot a ship through the Unknown Regions.

Except, that wasn’t quite right. Lately Un’hee had noticed herself more aware of the subtle adjustments when she wasn’t at the helm, like her mind had unfurled like a flower, extending out toward her surroundings. Ever since she’d healed Thrawn, she’d been different somehow. The same - it wasn’t like she was a different person, but using her Sight felt second nature. She felt like she was capable of steering the ship without needing the deep pool she’d been trained to wade in when steering the ships of the Ascendancy.

Her skin prickled a little, charged and alert. She remained calm both inside and out, despite her fear. She knew what was coming. Thrawn’s frustration, afterall, was because she’d forced herself on his plans. She was a variable he hadn’t planned for. Thus, she could feel the swirling pressure of his thoughts, their cool, silky texture as he tried to determine the best course of action to secure her safety while still achieving his goals.

It was why she volunteered. They would both be taken captive. Volunteering, foisting herself upon him absolved him of blame within the Ascendancy. Or, at least, it would, once she explained herself. Ultimately, she knew that didn’t change his perspective. He would bear any harm that befell her as a badge of his own failure. And unfortunately, there was little chance of either of them escaping unscathed. She did not doubt they would be rescued. She was too valuable to the Ascendancy - she and her rare abilities. She would exploit herself in this way, if only to make sure she was able to keep both Thrawn and their remaining allies safe.

When he inevitably toggled the comms sometime later - time seemed to lose meaning in the depths of hyperspace travel, though a quick reach with her Sight told her they were a little more than two hours away - Un’hee allowed herself to devote some of her energy to listening even as she continued to guide the ship.

It was a Chiss that answered Thrawn’s hail. A Chiss that Un’hee didn’t recognize by voice. If they were a member of the Compass’s crew, they were new. She nudged the controls to the right, careful to avoid a planet’s field of gravity, then back to the left, feeling an obstruction in her path that needed to be shaken loose. Thrawn spoke slowly, confidently but without pride or arrogance.

He offered himself as a prize. His surrender in exchange for the Navigators, alive and unharmed. It was not much of a trade, but it was all he was willing to offer.

“Your surrender will be unconditional,” The Chiss said. Un’hee dared to open her eyes even as she continued to divert her mind’s eye to her task of piloting the ship. Looking up through her lashes, she saw the pale blue holo of the Chiss speaking with Mitth’raw’nuruodo. The holo was not colorized, so she wasn’t able to tell for sure, but the uniform he wore looked strange. Pale. Not the deep space gray-black color of the CDF. “Or we will execute those aboard the ship, beginning with the Navigators.”

“You are easily manipulated by your overseers that you would commit the highest crime against your people?” Thrawn’s voice almost seemed small, but no, she realized, it was rage. Violent and turbulent and sealed away so firmly as not to be allowed to escape, Thrawn’s rage made the hair on the back of her neck prickle.

This wasn’t the way to negotiate with them, she thought, and refused to think about it too hard, trusting her intuition as she made arrangements to intervene.

“Prepare for real-space reversion,” She murmured, lifting her head entirely and allowing him just enough time to look at her from the pilot’s chair in a cross between concern and fury before the stars stuttered to a stop. The ship’s drop out of hyperspace was rather calm, all things considered.

She regarded the Chiss projected above the center console with an unimpressed look. “I wish to speak to your superior,” She said, ignoring Thrawn’s twitch of disapproval. She knew he did not like

“You will speak to me,” The Chiss replied stoically.

Un’hee pursed her lips, closed her eyes and clenched her fists tight enough to draw blood. When she opened them again, Thrawn was watching her with a guarded expression, no doubt aware of her discomfort. She looked at their enemy and spoke once more. The sounds that came out were not Cheunh or Meese Calf.

Thrawn didn’t know what it meant. She could see that on his face.

Then, suddenly, an armored arm threw the Chiss on the other end of the comms device out of range of the projector with a violent swing. “To whom do I speak?” The Grysk asked in Meese Calf, voice low and dangerous. He did not respond in kind.

Un’hee bowed her head in servitude. “I am called Un’hee,” She responded in Meese Calf this time. “I served your Hegemony before being retrieved by the Chiss Ascendancy.” The Navigator chose her words carefully.

“I will not negotiate with your Defense Fleet,” The Grysk said. “You will surrender.”

“Admiral Ar’alani of the Defense Fleet has not authorized our actions,” She said. “She does not know of our plans. The Ascendancy was unwilling to part with Mitth’raw’nuruodo,” She added, “Thus we were forced to act.”

To Thrawn, the Grysk tittered scathingly, “Is this true?”

Thrawn nodded once, sharply enough to indicate that it was in fact the truth.

“I do not trust you,” They responded.

“You have the means to communicate with them,” Un’hee pressed. “Ask them.”

Thrawn reached out, pushing down on her shoulder to stop her from speaking. “You wish to send me to the Galactic Empire in exchange for the Emperor’s favor in the future,” He said. “I am proof that Emperor Palpatine does not value his allies.”

The Grysk growled, “You know nothing of Palpatine.” It stroked its armored face with long, skeletal fingers. “And you underestimate your value,” He said. “You are a gift,” He sneered, “Nothing more.” They studied Thrawn through the projection. “Though I appreciate your selection of Navigator. The young one will reprise her role as a hireling with less effort than it would require to train a new one.”

“Our people will not stand for this,” Un’hee declared, shaking Thrawn’s hand from her shoulder. “They will not be enslaved by your will.”

“They already have been. You will remember your place soon enough.” The Grysk gestured to someone outside of the scope of the projection, when suddenly the projection itself changed to show the expanse of the room. “Since you seem so unconvinced,” The Grysks’s voice held something like amusement. Glee.

Thrawn hissed and swore. “Do not look,” He murmured to her, feeling Un’hee’s entire being freeze with the knowledge of what would happen thanks to her Sight.

Shaking her head even as tears leaked from her eyes, she kept her gaze level with the display of the scene before her. Even as a Chiss - a different one, still wearing that strange, too-pale uniform - dragged a Navigator to stand before the Grysk. “I have to,” She said, even as her lower lip wobbled and the young Navigator on the display was murdered brutally, screaming and crying until life fled her entirely. Her execution was committed by a Chiss.

“It is a high crime for a Chiss to kill a Navigator.” The Grysk cast the murdered Navigator’s body to the side without concern. “And yet you are tools to your Ascendancy, the same as you once were to our Hegemony.”

“We are not tools,” She snarled. “We are warriors.” There was a bright spark in Un’hee’s eyes. To Thrawn’s surprise, her anger far outweighed her fear. “If you continue to kill my sisters, the CDF forces will annihilate the warship Compass,” She said vehemently. “Whether we are aboard or not.”

“We shall see,” The Grysk said. “Consider this your incentive to arrive promptly,” They barked. “Perhaps it persuade me to be merciful towards the rest of your… ‘sisters.’” The last word was said with such contempt that it made the shuttle craft’s speakers crackle.

“They were not the commander,” Thrawn said slowly, once the communications device ceased transmitting and the connection was severed on their enemy’s end.

Un’hee swallowed hard and nodded. “There is more than one aboard,” She said shakily. “They must not have the number of allies required aboard the Compass to hold the ship.”

Thrawn considered that for a moment. “Do you believe they will execute those who refuse to surrender?”

“Not all of them,” She supposed. “But many of them will die. They will use those deaths to inspire hopelessness. And those who are already their clients-”

“Which?” Turning to her, Thrawn eyed her warily. “Explain.”

“Their uniforms were different. More like coveralls. It is hard to tell the difference over the holo but I remember the type. They aren’t the same between client species, but they are duller than the color of cour uniforms. I think those were what the Chiss we spoke to was wearing.”

“It will not be universal,” He speculated cautiously. “But it is worth our consideration.” Then, he returned his hand to her shoulder, patting it gently. “You must continue our course,” He urged her. “I do not wish to ask it of you,” He said, his words infused with honesty, “But there are lives at stake.”

Un’hee nodded. “I understand the gravity of our situation now, Captain Mitth’raw’nuruodo,” She whispered, steeling herself. “I will not serve another Grysk, nor any of their clients,” She uttered vehemently, clenching her fists. “They will have to kill me, and I will not give in without a fight.”

-/

Karyn Faro was mostly trained in Imperial protocol and procedure, but some skills were more or less universal - like this one, she thought, locked in with the bridge crew, openly interviewing the officers presently in command of the Steadfast. Ar’alani was an impressive - and arguably frightening - commanding officer when furious, assuming she allowed it to show. She was far more terrifying when she did not.

The sensor officer was not impressed with her pointed personal questions or the level of disbelief she let drip into her tone. No matter. She was hardly an interrogator, the Empire had had ISB for that, but she could hold her own, and she’d gone toe-to-toe with Thrawn. He was far more frightening than any of the officers aboard Aralani’s bridge.

There was, of course, a method to the madness. She’d retained the information after only a cursory glance on her datapad, deleting the message she’d received moments before the Admiral had been called to the Hangar.

She wasn’t particularly keen on asking officers whom they spent their spare time with, or what familial obligations - off the records, of course - each officer upheld, be it due to some social obligation or simply political beliefs. And, worse of all, that it was a lowly human questioning them, well - Faro spoke more than enough Cheunh to know just what they thought of her. Frankly, she just didn’t care.

It was the younger officers that gave her the hardest time. The sensor officer she’d just finished up with, the petty officer overseeing two weapons terminals that were running diagnostics just in case they’d be needed later. The older officers - the first officers and mid-commanders were far calmer, understanding of the questioning.

Faro went lighter on them, per Ar’alani’s instructions. Of course, they had far more to say, speculations and fingers to point. Such was their way. Pride, arrogance, a flair for the dramatic… she laughed at herself, remembering the days when she assumed Thrawn was a representative of his people. He was just as much of an outsider as she was.

She’d made it a point to give away little, though she worded her commentary to the senior staff with specific phrasing, allowing keen ears to monitor who spoke to whom, and which stories would get back to her. None of the staff made it a point to speak to her, or actively sought her out.

Except one.

“Commander Faro,” Mid-Commander Tanik, who oversaw the bridge with Eli and Thrawn both away from the command walk, greeted her as she paused to key a few notes on her datapad.

“Mid-Commander Tanik,” She returned, stiffening ever-so-slightly to indicate that she respected him as the senior officer. She doubted he had more experience than she did, but she’d been instructed to get along with the crew in all things, whenever possible. Ar’alani might find her perspective… amusing, but right now she was gathering intel.

From her experience, Faro had a feeling she was onto something. She also had a feeling that Ar’alani had positioned her to spring the trap. Tanik did not have an excellent facade, but he did have a wide, disarming smile. She nodded curtly in response to it.

“Have your interviews borne any suspicions?” He asked her.

“Some,” She admitted thoughtfully. “Unfortunately, I cannot speak to them. The admiral was very specific about not speaking to anyone regarding the results of the questioning, despite the need for them to occur in such an open space.”

Tanik hummed thoughtfully. “Well, the Admiral would not lead us astray,” He said, and looked around the bridge, gaze sweeping over his subordinates with a sternness she was almost surprised to see. He shrugged, reverting to his usual passive demeanor, lips tilted upwards ever-so-slightly in what was nearly a smile. “If there is anything I can do, or any other questions you need to ask, just let me know, yes?”

“I appreciate it, Mid-Commander,” While blunt and businesslike, Faro spared a glance around, checking to make sure no one was obviously listening to her, then added, “I don’t believe I’ll have any more questions for you.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “The Admiral believes it is one of the sensor or weapons officers. She knows her senior staff would never betray her.”

Tanik tutted, sounding almost like a disappointed parent. His voice held an edge of placation, as if trying to soothe some invisible hurt he believed the human to have. “I shall keep my eyes and ears open to what is happening around me. Just let me know when you go to give your report.

“Yes, Sir,” Faro said, then waved with one hand in the direction of the helm. “I appreciate your assistance.”

She felt bad for the weapons officer she was about to pressure - and likely embarrass. However, it was better that she do this than allow the Mid-Commander to gain any sort of insight about just how much Ar’alani and Faro were onto him.

After all, he was a good actor when he knew he was being watched. What he did not know was that Ar’alani had caught a flash of unmistakable glee during their enemy’s missive earlier, reflected opaquely in the mirrored transparisteel of the ship’s windows. Faro was content to look like an idiot for now.

Both Ar’alani and Faro would enjoy watching his downfall.

-/

Upon awakening, Eli was granted exactly ninety-six seconds of carrying on in his native tongue, a language Admiral Ar’alani understood very little of. Not that translation was necessary, some things transcended language. The set of his jaw, the way his lips twisted over his teeth in a snarl, how his chest heaved for breath because his rage seemed to punch it all from his lungs, these were all universal indicators of his mood, of the heat behind his words.

Beside the cot Eli'van'to was now sitting up on and standing to Ar’alani’s right was Vah'nya. She kept her mouth in a straight line, but her eyes danced, finding some of this amusing. To Ar'alani's left was the young Jedi, and his face and ears glowed like a beacon. Perhaps her Senior Navigator was correct, no doubt Ivant had some colorful words to describe his feelings about things. Ar'alani certainly didn't regret her lack of fluency, but she couldn't help but wonder about the specifics.

When she held up a hand, Ivant cut himself off. He went entirely silent, closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath. Centered when he opened them again, he spoke in Cheunh. "Apologies, Admiral," He began, and she heard the anger coiled just beneath the surface barely contained,"It's just," He exhaled, and exclaimed, more than a little surprised and definitely furious, "That - he - he shot me."

"It was a stun bolt," Vah'nya said dubiously, as if he were being overly dramatic. Perhaps his rambling had been, but Ar'alani was content to give him the benefit of the doubt this time. "It's not like you have been harmed. I don't think he has it in him to actually hurt you, at least, not physically."

Eli opened his mouth, no doubt to press something else just as emotional, but Ar'alani interrupted. "Mitth'raw'nuruodo was not the one to stun you. I reviewed the security holos of the incident. It was Navigator Un'hee."

“Un’hee?” The startled yelp from Eli would have been comical in other circumstances, but the lack of denial was the only confirmation Eli was given. The human smoothed a hand down his face and sighed. "They've gone off on their own, haven't they?"

"Yes." Ar'alani was frowning. "I have questioned Navigator Mi'yaric about the events leading up to this. She believes that Un'hee pressured Mitth'raw'nuruodo. He did not coerce her." Something sharpened in the elder Chiss's expression. "He is very lucky I am inclined to believe that, given her actions towards you, lest he inspire my ire in addition to yours.” She retained eye-contact for another two seconds, just enough to let him know that she’d seen what had happened in the hangar. She knew all that happened aboard her ship. He didn’t flinch away, even though his anger had receded beneath his impassive command facade. Good, the admiral thought. There would be time for his arguably well-deserved fury later. For now, they had work to do.

At that, the Jedi turned his head, looking up to her as Eli swung his legs over the cot, satisfied that he did not feel any of the residual tingling or vertigo associated with being stunned. "Admiral?" The young man asked, wincing at her reproach for her first officer gone rogue.

"I am accustomed to Mitth'raw'nuruodo making a mess of our plans," She said, her heavy gaze sliding to the left to regard him. "Make no mistake," She added, "He is a fool and he will be dealt with." She nodded to Eli. "But we have other matters to attend to. Things have changed."

Before the admiral could ask if he was fit to leave, Ivant was on his feet, steady. He turned to Vah'nya. "Do you have their trajectory?"

"Trackers were disabled on the shuttle."

"And on Thrawn?"

Vah'nya smirked. "I cannot believe you got away with that, but yes. The micro-tracker will work so long as he's in the shuttle. If they meet up with another ship, it will not communicate wirelessly with its interface unless it's the Compass.

Ezra looked horrified. “You think she’d actually take him there? She’s terrified of the Grysks and she wouldn’t want Thrawn to just give himself up to them,” He pressed.

Eli frowned, then looked to Vah’nya. “What do you think?”

The Senior Navigator shrugged, almost imperceptibly as she replied. “I was surprised she volunteered herself.”

Eli shook his head. “I’m not. She’s far braver than she lets on. She just doesn’t realize it.”

“Even so, Navigator Mi’yaric’s recount of their conversation was concerning. When we spoke to Ezra,” Vah’nya added, nodding in the Jedi’s direction. “He indicated that Un’hee was not acting strangely, but in hindsight he was able to recognize her words as suggesting she was preparing to do something incredibly dangerous that she felt ‘only she could do.’ I would hope she does not deviate from the plan, but,” She exhaled softly. “I think it may be a possibility.”

A grim smile coveted Ivant’s features. “If there is one Grysk aboard the Compass, they’ll have a warship nearby. Deviation probably won’t be possible, but...”

Ar’alani regarded Eli with sharp skepticism. “You have a plan?”

He exhaled slowly, the motion of his diaphragm controlled. Ar’alani could see him organizing his thoughts, fitting them together into something more cohesive. “I might.”

A smirk crossed her features, like a predator scenting prey. “That makes two of us,” She mused. “Come. Let us see what opportunity we can make from our comrades’ poor decisions.”

-/

Ezra stood one step behind Admiral Ar’alani and to her right. Commander Faro waited for them at the blast doors that opened up to the bridge. They both seemed strangely calm. He had been instructed to go with the admiral following their impromptu strategy meeting and that he’d know what he’d be needed for. It didn’t take an idiot to know that meant that Ezra would be expected to use the Force in some capacity.

Which was fine, he didn’t mind, but nobody was telling him what was going on. If there was someone who was a danger to the crew, a little warning - or even a direction in which to focus his attention - would be nice. The Force usually gave him a nudge in the right direction, but he was far from all-knowing.

The Chiss were like that. They spoke in these riddles that only made Ezra have more questions, until the very last second when he realized what had been so infuriatingly obvious to them the whole time. Usually Thrawn took a teaching approach, guiding Ezra to make the connections necessary. He noticed that Captain Ivant had done the same for him at least once, as well.

But Ezra didn't dare question Admiral Ar'alani at this point. Her shoulders were tight. He considered Faro. She stood in parade rest, a gentle, moderately disinterested look upon her face that reminded him that she had most definitely been an imperial.

"Which officer," Ar'alani began, not needing to complete her question before Faro was indicating an officer over by one of the weapons consoles. Said officer was tense, well aware of the eyes on him, but Ezra sensed only a flicker of nervousness. He didn't think the officer was guilty of anything besides the lack of enjoyment of all the negative attention he was receiving.

Ar'alani didn't even pause in her sedate walk onto the bridge, continuing down into the crew pit and approaching the officer's station. By the looks of it, Ezra realized he was a lieutenant, and probably a newly promoted one if the way he trembled under the admiral’s gaze was any indication.

The weapons officer straightened to attention, rising hastily from his seat in front of his console. Ar’alani’s eyebrow went up, an action Ezra could only see via her reflection in the gleaming viewport to their left, looking out amongst the stars. She did not say anything, only looked at the officer for a long, inscrutable moment.

“Treason is unbecoming of you,” Ar’alani said, almost gently. There was an undercurrent to her voice, indicative of looming danger. Whatever happened now would ultimately change the tone of this entire encounter. Ezra tensed, waiting in anticipation for when he would be needed. He had no doubt it would be soon.

The entire bridge seemed to be holding its breath, just waiting, waiting for the lieutenant paralyzed under the weight of his admiral's gaze to buckle under the strain, for the admiral to put him in his place, to finish her accusation and have Faro usher him away.

None of that happened, though. Instead, Ar'alani's eyes shifted up toward the command walk, disregarding the terrified officer entirely.

"Mid Commander Tanik," Ar'alani said, sounding almost disinterested.

Tanik was not a large man, of average build for a Chiss. Tall and lean, but not wiry. He swallowed hard, no doubt feeling the strange tension, before his eyes focused and he stood at attention, ready to serve. "Yes, Admiral?"

"I said," She annunciated, turning now to face him directly, "'Treason is unbecoming of you.'"

Ezra saw what was happening in his mind's eye with stark clarity, the Force whispering in his ear, alerting him to the imminent danger about to present itself with seconds to spare. Seconds that allowed him the intervention necessary to reclaim the vial in Tanik's hands, the one he had been about to throw at his admiral hard enough to break and that Ezra caught with an invisible hand. He did not need to see the vial to know what it was.

Still with that unimpressed air to her, Ar’alani retrieved the vial where it hovered in front of her by Ezra’s intervention. No one moved, but Ezra felt the shock of fear, the electricity of it as it coursed through the rest of the bridge crew. They all knew what it was, too.

“Do you know why our enemies carry poison like this, why they kill themselves before they can be detained and questioned?” The crooning tone to her voice gave Ezra gooseflesh, made his hair stand on end a sort of sympathetic terror. Tanik made an abrupt about-face and headed toward the door.

Faro stood in front of him, her face slack and stoic, but her eyes alight with fury akin to her admiral’s. Tanik made to shove past her but she dropped quickly, tripping the Chiss with her lower center of gravity and sending him sprawling onto the durasteel walkway. Her show of strength as she hoisted him back up to his feet, his arms twisted painfully behind his back was impressive.

And yet, Faro whirled him around to face Admiral Ar’alani, forcing him to look up into her ruthless eyes. “Our enemies do not wish for their secrets to escape them,” She said, her voice as cold as the vacuum of space. “Your selfishness will be their undoing.”

“I will not tell you anything,” Tanik said.

“No?” She supposed, and a grim smile curved her lips. “I disagree.”

#thranto #mitth'raw'nuruodo #eli vanto #vah'nya #un'hee #ar'alani #my writing #sw fanfiction #ezra bridger

[gffa]

Scattered Star Wars thoughts: - I am so close to being done blogging about Master & Apprentice re: the political stuff, which I’m glad to be getting my thoughts down onto my blog, but also I’m ready to be done with this so that I can move on to the worldbuilding stuff!  Overall, I do very much like the book, but it’s one I had to sit with for awhile to really wrap my head around in order to appreciate what was done with it, which was a long process. I’m still sad that I had almost nothing to say about Obi-Wan in the book (I’m not sure that’s ever happened to me before?  To read something of that length where Obi-Wan was one of the main characters and I have nothing to say!? about Obi-Wan Kenobi!?), but that’s okay because you guys know that Obi-Wan series is coming in 2020 and if you think I stan his character now, JUST YOU WAIT.  :D  :D  :D - I finished Thrawn: Treason and I enjoyed it, but I have to admit that it lacked the spark of the first two.  Even as much as I grumped about Alliances, at least it had a certain sparkle that kept me engaged, while here it sort of felt like nothing really mattered and there weren’t any real stakes to it.  It wasn’t bad!  But neither did I wind up having much to say about it and even getting Eli back was kind of lackluster because none of this seemed to really have any impact on the story. Which isn’t entirely Zahn’s fault, that’s a huge problem I’ve been having with a lot of the SW books in the last year or two, but I wish Thrawn and Eli had had more than just a couple of scenes together, I wish there’d been more to pull me in with the other characters (the opening scenes of Tarkin and Krennic cat fighting were SO GOOD! Eli and Thrawn’s reunion was HILARIOUS!) and that I felt that this had any sort of meaning at all. It’s a perfectly fine book otherwise, the unfolding mystery was solidly done (Zahn does have a strong sense for a good mystery to slowly be revealed in the GFFA) and I enjoyed Ar’alani’s character addition a lot, I’m glad that she still thought Thrawn was kind of an idiot by the end, that mystery solving intelligence doesn’t make him any less of a dumbass sometimes, without feeling like I was meant to be shipping them. I think it might have helped if the narrative didn’t seem so intent on hitting us over the head with Thrawn being the bestest, most admirable, most honorable leader ever, that all his crew love him and he’s so super good to them, because it clashes so hard with his characterization in Rebels and seems to forget that, yes, he does have honor and treats his crew well, but he’s still a villain.  We see nothing acknowledged of him aligning himself with the Empire, meaning that he has to align himself with a group who is committing atrocities, and why he believes that this is something he has to do anyway.  We see nothing of him stealing art from others’ cultures as a bad thing.  We see nothing of him coming down on the actual heroes of the story, the Rebels, being acknowledged as pretty awful. I’m not saying I want Thrawn to be a cackling villain, he can even be an honorable one who has to do dirty things to achieve something he believes is worth more, but that acknowledgement is nowhere in the narrative and the longer these books go on, the more I feel it.  Especially when there’s not that much else in the book to distract me away from it. I’m being grumpy and hard on Zahn, but part of that is because I maintain that the first Thrawn book really was just that charming and well-written!  I’ve been over the moon for some of his other work!  (Changing Seasons is one of my favorite SW stories.)  And I think he has a lot of the pieces here and some of what’s holding him back isn’t his fault (it’s the structure of SW books right now, because IX isn’t out yet), but I want to see him genuinely dig in with this character that he’s spent three novels writing now. - I finished Allegiance and I have to admit to being underwhelmed by the last two issues of it.  When I read the first two, there seemed to be something it was trying to touch on, with Rey’s disconnect from the spiritual side of the Force playing a part, Leia and co. going to Mon Calamari, with the First Order oppressing planets across the galaxy, there could have been some interesting things being done! And I do like that it adds to the picture of the GFFA during this time, that people are still struggling to recover from the war with the Empire and how much that cost all of them.  The moments of Leia looking back on the amount of sacrifice and pain she’s lived through are very effective.  Seeing Mon Cala being invaded by the First Order was very effective.  The Finn and Poe storyline was delightful exciting and just a fun space romp!  Rey and Rose working together was fantastic! But the Rey storyline went absolutely nowhere, there didn’t seem to be any acknowledgement of it after that first issue and it’s not that I needed it resolved, because this is a comic that came out before IX and they can’t resolve anything until they know how that movie shakes out, but just some indication that she’s still searching for how to balance herself, how to choose the light, would have really made the ending of issue #4 sing a lot more. I wish she could have gotten a moment of reflection in #4 like Leia did, because I think that would have taken this comic from good to great. Scattered Star Wars Thoughts/2019 Resolutions Update: - Star Wars: Allegiance #24 - The Star Wars Show 2019.10.09 - The Star Wars Show 2019.10.16 - The Star Wars Show 2019.10.23 - The Star Wars Show 2019.10.30 - The Star Wars Show 2019.11.06 - Return to Vader’s Castle #1-5 - Chewbacca #1-3 - Thrawn: Treason Current total:  342/520

#scattered star wars thoughts #novels

[blue-mint-winter]

Review: Thrawn Treason by Timothy Zahn

Thrawn Treason is the third Thrawn book belonging to the new canon timeline and the thirteenth Star Wars book written by Timothy Zahn. Thankfully, this time number thirteen brings luck to us readers as Thrawn returns in a great form!

The novel covers the small gap left open in Star Wars Rebels season 4, when Thrawn was recalled from Lothal to Coruscant. As it turns out, he never actually went to Coruscant, instead he’s tasked by Tarkin to stop a vermin problem that causes delays in supply deliveries for Krennic’s project Stardust. Thrawn has only a week to deal with the gralloc infestation or he would lose funding for his TIE Defender project. However, Thrawn’s investigation quickly comes upon a much graver threat to the Empire. Thrawn and Chiss admiral Ar’alani must join forces to fight the Grysk, but it could be taken as treason by certain Imperials...

The book’s main strength is the well-written mystery. As Thrawn’s investigation progresses we learn more and more about secrets, plans, motives and intrigues on all three sides - the Empire, Chiss and Grysk. This sense of steady discovery gives the reader much enjoyment. The decent pace of the book also doesn’t allow for any boredom.

What really sets this book apart are the excellently written space battles. The unique strategies and sound reasoning used in them make for a very intellectual form of entertainment, which isn’t that common in Star Wars literature. Even in the films battles fill the role of a spectacle. I personally love the final battle strategy of Thrawn’s which really showcased his prediction ability as well as was the finest space battle strategy ever written by Zahn.

Characters were enjoyable, though this time we’re deprived of Thrawn’s POV - only a few short dialogues were shown through his eyes. Instead we follow the story through the eyes of Eli Vanto (yay!) returned to us with the Chiss, Karyn Faro, who only gets cooler in this book, Assistant Director Ronan and Grand Admiral Savit. Eli and Faro are firmly in Thrawn’s camp, so really no surprises there, but what I really really liked was Ronan’s POV. Ronan is Krennic’s one and only Number One Fan in the whole galaxy and I find that incredibly amusing. His inner commentary on the Empire, Thrawn, Eli and everything happening provides an interesting counterpoint to the more rational Thrawn-biased view of other characters. Still, in the end Thrawn wins Ronan’s grudging respect, which naturally adds to Thrawn’s awesome points.

I like that the book managed to insert Thrawn into the Krennic-Tarkin power struggle without making it about Thrawn. Rather he gets dragged into the middle of it and just does his own thing and it ends as most of these political matters he’s involved with, with no clear winner or loser. Though I sure am now glad that Thrawn never went to Coruscant thanks to Ezra, because Palpatine was definitely onto him at the end there.

In the novel we uncover new information about Chiss and Grysk and it only makes me more curious how the situation in the Unknown Regions will be resolved. Will Zahn continue writing about it in his Thrawn books, will it be taken up by the new TV shows or even films? I hope for more books, because only Zahn gets the essence of Thrawn and Chiss right as their one true creator. After reading this book, I realized just how different was Rebels’ version of Thrawn. Book Thrawn is an intellectual, he prefers to solve conflicts with his smarts. Rebels Thrawn was a big bad Imperial on steroids, sparring with battle droids for fun. It’s very hard for me to reconcile these two Thrawns. Strong physicality is just not Thrawn’s style in my opinion and we never see anything like that from him in the books. On the other hand, I appreciate that Rebels showed Thrawn doing actually evil things. The books as always have a problem with whitewashing Imperials and Empire as the institution, but at this point it’s just a staple of Zahn’s writing. When you read his books, you know what you’re getting into, it’s too late to complain.

For a book that shows us only one short adventure of Thrawn’s, Thrawn Treason packs a solid dose of action, wits, new information and even some humour. I definitely enjoyed it. The score is 8/10.

#star wars eu #thrawn treason #my review #sw eu

[spynotebook]

Image: Star Wars Rebels, Disney/Lucasfilm

Thrawn is a great Star Wars book that stands on its own. But the little nods and winks Timothy Zahn makes to Thrawn’s old life in the Expanded Universe novels—and to the events in Rebels, where Thrawn is currently the main antagonist—add another layer of delight. You should definitely read Thrawn (and watch Rebels), but if you don’t have time to go read a hundred EU books and watch three seasons of a cartoon, we’ve collected the major additions to the new Star Wars canon, as well as the threads planted in Thrawn for later stories.

[Note: There are some spoilers here, but we’ve avoided most of the novel’s main plotline. But seriously, just go buy the book already.]

$32

From amazon

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Thrawn is effectively a prequel to season three of Star Wars Rebels. So events like Rebels making his flagship the Chimaera again don’t make this list, but Lothal, Governor Pryce, Wulf Yularen, and other aspects of Rebels all play important roles in the book. I’ll hit some of that stuff here, but if you like Rebels, again, you really should just pick this book up.

Still, if you haven’t watched Rebels, Thrawn is easily read without knowing anything from the show. It’s a prequel that is truly its own story, and not just an excuse to throw out references to later material for fans.

Thrawn in his Chiss Expansionary Defense Force uniform (Outbound Flight cover by Dave Seeley, Del Rey)

Thrawn and the Chiss

The Chiss

Pretty much everything that was true about the Thrawn’s race, the Chiss, is true again, including the fact that the blue-skinned, red-eyed aliens are a fairly strong power in the Unknown Regions. Now, just as when we first met them in the EU, the Chiss Ascendancy rules a portion of the Unknown Regions and have a strong military with the inviolate rule that no preemptive strikes be taken. Their language, used fairly commonly in the Unknown Regions and their borders, is once again named as Sy Bisti. Chiss eyesight is also better than human eyesight, even getting close to seeing the infrared spectrum.

All of that has moved from old Expanded Universe to the new Star Wars canon pretty much intact. Slightly new is the idea that the Chiss have reached the level of urban legend/myth among the people who live near their area of the galaxy. One of the main characters of Thrawn is Eli Vanto, a young Imperial officer who was born in Wild Space, which borders the Unknown Regions. As a result, he speaks Sy Bisti and knows of the prowess of the Chiss from the local myths. However, just as before, the Chiss know far more about their neighbors than they do about the Chiss.

Additionally, the reason given for Thrawn leaving the Chiss is the same as his EU counterpart—he was exiled because he broke the “no preemptive strikes” rule. The opening chapter of Thrawn is almost identical to Zahn’s 1995 short story “Mist Encounter.” That means that Major Wyan, Colonel Mosh Barris, Captain Voss Parck, and the ship Strikefast are all brought back in their original roles of introducing Thrawn to the Empire and the Emperor. (There are some subtle changes that make sense within the new canon, like using Clone Wars-era ships types, for example.)

Thrawn’s Motivation

In what is actually a very smart subversion of what EU fans were expecting—we all know Thrawn was exiled and why he was exiled—Thrawn alters its eponymous lead’s motivations slightly. As before, Thrawn wants security and safety and sees the Empire as a better way to fight dangers than the Republic was. He basically thinks the Republic was useless in a fight and, while the politics and corruption of the Empire frustrates him, their military might and control is useful to him.

But now Thrawn’s exile was a ruse. Thrawn was sent by the Chiss to gather information about the government next door. When the Emperor refused to have Thrawn as a counselor, he took a job in the Imperial Navy in order to further his goal. The position helps him keep the Empire strong, but also always allows him to do what he thinks is best for the Chiss.

As he did in the old EU, Thrawn recruits humans to his cause and sends them back out to Chiss space. In this case, Eli Vanto is eventually sent by Thrawn to the Chiss. It’s both a way of exchanging information and Thrawn’s way of making sure everyone is strong enough to fight whatever dangers lurk out in the Unknown Regions. Vanto is met by Chiss admiral Ar’alani, who was Thrawn’s superior and ally in the EU. We still don’t know anything specific about the threat, merely that there is evil somewhere out there and it is bad enough that Thrawn will do anything to stop it.

It’s worth remembering that the Aftermath novels have said that Palpatine is obsessed with finding out what’s lurking in the Unknown Regions and was putting a significant amount of Imperial power was sent out there. We also know that Thrawn shares his knowledge of the region with the Emperor—everything except the information about the Chiss. What everyone finds out there had fucking better not be the Yuuzhan Vong (as it was in the EU) or I will lose it. Most fans are assuming it’s where the Imperial remnant—who fled to the Unknown Regions after the Rebel Alliance kicks their asses and became the First Order—picked up Snoke.

Thrawn Connections

Demanding its own book, novella, short story, whatever is the news that Thrawn met General Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars. They worked together in some sort of engagement in the Thrugii System (a locale from the EU that is now presumably closer to Chiss space in the new canon than it was in the old) and Thrawn was able to deduce even then that Anakin was under thrall to Palpatine. Whether or not Thrawn knows that Vader is Anakin is left unclear, but it’s Thrawn, so I assume he totally knows.

Thrawn’s time training in the Imperial military puts him under Commandant Deenlark from the new canon novel Lost Stars. And he gets some troublemakers sent to Skystrike Academy, which is where Wedge and Hobbie defect from in Rebels.

Rebels established that Thrawn attained the rank of Grand Admiral after the Battle of Batton, where he led forces against a group of rebels. The rebels died, but so did a lot of civilians. Thrawn makes Batton the last move in a long chess match between Thrawn and a criminal-mastermind-turned-Rebel named the Nightswan. It struck many as odd that Thrawn’s career-making battle would have so many unnecessary casualties, so Thrawn makes clear that he tried to avoid them; it was a selfish action by future Governor Arihnda Pryce—often seen in Rebels—that caused the many, many deaths. Thrawn knows it, and Pryce knows he knows it, but Thrawn doesn’t have any proof. But he’s not happy about it.

Thrawn’s ally from early on is Colonel Wulf Yularen, whose Imperial Security Bureau position helps the unconnected alien out. Thrawn is fairly awful at politics—well, specifically the full-contact sport and nepotism party that is Coruscanti politics. He always wins, but he makes connected people look bad, and his promotions usually follow court martial proceedings.

Thrawn with Pryce and Kallus in Rebels

The Empire

Since the old EU got junked, Palpatine’s non-human attendants and other smaller things gave the impression that the new canon Empire might hate non-humans a little bit less. Thrawn throws that out the airlock. Instead, everyone give a big warm welcome to the old EU’s love of characterizing the Empire as anti-alien, classist, and very, very corrupt.

Thrawn reveals that even if Palpatine himself doesn’t care about aliens (Palpatine cares about himself and his power only), the rest of the Empire has a very clear bias. Thrawn’s rise to power is faced at every turn by people not happy to see a non-human advance. Thrawn gives what I would call a justification for the racism rather than a reason: the Clone Wars were bloody and awful and the Separatists (the faction that lost) were mostly non-humans. So everyone’s content to generally blame all non-humans for the war and the resulting devastation. That’s obviously illogical and is clearly a justification for bias, but it’s unfortunately plausible.

Thrawn pairs this with a bias in the Empire’s government for the connected and those from Core Worlds (like Coruscant) rather than people from more “primitive” Outer Rim (Tatooine) or Wild Space (where Eli Vanto is from). Turns out the Empire—gasp!—is very corrupt. Who you know is most important and most people are lining their pockets. Pryce’s rise to Governor of Lothal is detailed heavily in this book and she faces obstructions for the same lack of connections, and suffers from bias for being from an outlying world. Also mentioned as a little shout-out for Rebels watchers is a reference to Governor Azadi retiring “against his will” and an explanation of how Minister Tua got picked to act in Pryce’s stead (and why). Admiral Konstantine also gets a brief appearance prior to Pryce asking for Thrawn’s forces to replace his in Rebels.

We also are reminded that the Empire uses slave labor, Wookiee slaves especially. A ship full of Wookiee slaves is intercepted en route to where else, the Death Star. Thrawn, rightfully, thinks the Death Star is a hideous waste of time and resources. Unfortunately, it is not his Empire. It belongs to the melted man with the lust for power.

Zahn brought back some things you wanted. But not even close to everything that fans really wanted (Del Rey).

Minor Shout-Outs

Ch’hala Trees

This is a very minor bit, but early on in the book Emperor Palpatine takes Thrawn into a garden where “small trees with shimmering bark stand at the periphery like sentinels of privacy.” Longtime fans will remember that trees with color-changing bark were a favorite of Palpatine’s in the old EU. The Ch’hala trees were both pretty and also a giant spy network, recording and transmitting everything that happened in front of them. Zahn used them in his original books as an important source of information, and if this wasn’t a reference to them, I’ll eat my hat (Thrawn describing them as “sentinels of privacy” is what sealed it for me).

Sturm Dowels

In the very first pages of the book, there is an improvised explosive made with blaster packs with the “sturm dowels” pulled out. “Sturm” is a favorite name in Star Wars, popping up a fair amount. The first instance is Zahn naming one of Talon Karrde’s pet vornskrs “Sturm” in his first Star Wars novel, Heir to the Empire.

But an overloaded sturm dowel was used by Zahn in Specter of the Past and the short story “Mist Encounter.” (As mentioned above, the first chapter of Thrawn is basically just “Mist Encounter,” slightly retooled.) It involves Thrawn, alone on the world he has been exiled to, utterly destroying an Imperial landing party. His tactics are impressive enough to gain him entry into the Imperial Navy, but we’ll get back to that chapter in a bit.

Doonium

In the old EU, doonium was a metal used to make starships. In the new canon, it’s a metal that is worth a lot of money, and acquiring it and the mines that produce it drive the plot. It will shock no one to find out that large amounts of this metal are being bought by the Empire and sent to the location of a large, unnamed secret project. (*cough* the Death Star *cough*).

H’Sishi

I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but Mara Jade, Talon Karrde, and even Gilad Pallaeon are missing from Thrawn. However, Thrawn does bring back H’Sishi and her people, the Togorians. (Think... large cats walking on their back legs with a culture based on honor and warriors. Yes, another one.)

Through a series of events in Specter of the Past, H’Sishi ended up working for Karrde. In Thrawn, she shows up as the owner of Yinchom Dojo, where Pryce trains—and which, unfortunately for H’Sishi, is used by others in an anti-Imperial plot. H’Sishi’s not involved with it, but she’s told to leave Coruscant quickly after it’s discovered.

Raider-Class Corvette

Welcome back to the canon! Please join your fellows over on this list.

Beckon Calls

Basically, a beckon call is a remote control for a spaceship and Zahn used the technology to good effect in Heir to the Empire in 1991. He brought the idea back for Thrawn, where the title character uses one, along with some Clone Wars-era droids, to really just fuck some shit up in the usual, over-planned, steps-ahead, badass way Thrawn traditionally does.

#IFTTT #Feedly

[thedistantstorm]

Project Compass 06

Read Along on AO3 Here

<< Previous Chapter <<   >> Next Chapter >>

This time: Ezra encounters the Grysks. Thrawn has a confrontation. Vah’nya does something that could jeopardize everything.

Next time: A reunion between Thrawn and an old colleague. Ivant and Ar’alani discuss dangerous complications.

-/

Admiral Ar’alani kept him to a brisk pace. Like most of the adult Chiss, she was both taller and more slender than Ezra. They moved through the ship to the upper levels, and then, instead of turning toward the Captain’s office like Ezra had expected, they made an about face out of the lift and went to the upper hangar of the ship.

“Someone will tell Mitth’raw’nuruodo that you are occupied today. Do you fear that he will worry about you?” Something about the curl of Ar’alani’s voice didn’t sit comfortably with the young Jedi. “Or are you worried that something will happen to him while you’re away?”

“Respectfully,” Ezra grit out, his Cheunh heavily accentuated, “It’s a little of both.”

“A wise answer,” She concurred. “Nothing will happen to Mitth’raw’nuruodo. As far as he will know, it is any other day, except that Captain Ivant wished to meet with you regarding your progress.” She steered him into the hangar, gesturing with a stiff arm to a sleek shuttle. She looked down to him with a peaked eyebrow as if asking him to question her obvious lie. Captain Ivant was not on that ship, and Ezra could sense it. “If you have reservations, speak.”

Ezra met her gaze with hard eyes of his own. “I do not, Admiral.”

“You are brave,” She said. “May warrior’s fortune be in our favor today.”

That gave Ezra pause. “Admiral?”

The Chiss tutted. “Thrawn has imparted the meaning of this phrase, yes?”

“He has,” Ezra answered immediately. “Are we going into battle?”

“We are,” She confirmed. “Tell me,” Ar’alani held his eyes with a piercing gaze that reminded Ezra of facing Thrawn over Lothal. It was a grim expression for such an elegant face. “Have you ever seen a Grysk?”

-/

It had been forty-eight hours since Ezra had been last seen aboard the Compass. Thrawn was not expecting to worry as much as he did. None of the Navigators seemed to know anything, not that he went out of his way to glean information. In the time since Ezra disappeared, he had been given all sorts of tasks, the Captain’s underlings - most of whom were far younger and more inexperienced - pumping him for information and expertise. There was concern for civil war within the Ascendency. The ruling families were at odds, restricting their strengths and using them as bargaining chips to the detriment of their people.

Thrawn did not pretend to be remotely knowledgeable in politics. The subtle nuances of that theatre of battle were often lost on him. He was military. His brother, on the other hand, was charismatic, witty and the owner of an equally impressive facade. It was why they brought their family honor, not that that really meant anything to Thrawn. He walked a warrior’s path. Honor was important for that reason. Glory was something that Mitth’ras’safis rellished, it made his job easier, helped his word carry more clout amongst his peers.

But, worse than that, it was the Second ruling family pulling back. The ruling family that, opposite Thrawn’s own, helped oversee military affairs. The fallout would rip their defenses in two. It would lead to military sabotage, and games of espionage that would take away from the Grysks, who were more active and out in the open in the last five years than they had been in all of Thrawn’s years before that.

Vah’nya had pulled him into a briefing room after his mid-shift break, her posture tense and the glow of her eyes so dim he could see the deep garnet-red ring around her irises. “The missing Navigators from the most recent Grysk incident have been recovered,” She informed him. Her posture and tone reminded him subtly of Ar’alani. No doubt, once her sight faded, she would continue her military career in a field of her choosing. She had good instincts and could be soft without yielding. She had the right sort of empathy that many, himself included, lacked at times.

“You will accompany me to meet the crew that recovered them,” She said. “I need your eyes.”

“Mine?”

“Ivant is occupied,” She commented dryly. “It is a sensitive situation and they will be arriving soon.”

Thrawn frowned at that but followed her through the ship and to the lift that descended to the lower hangar. “Have you heard word of Ezra’Bridger?” He dared to ask, when the doors had closed behind them.

She shook her head once, remaining silent for a moment. “And if I had, I am under strict orders not to update you.”

“I care little about mission status, Navigator. My concern is that Bridger is not sent into a situation he does not understand for sake of a people who have kept him in the dark about their motives, like a caged animal.”

“I cannot tell if you are speaking of yourself or if you are speaking out of concern for your ward.”

“What happens to me is of little consequence,” Thrawn assured her. “There is a price to pay for my actions, and I will pay it.” The Navigator edged away from him slowly, her shoulder touching the far side of the lift. “He joined us because I convinced him he would be of help.”

“And that is what he is doing,” Vah’nya turned to him, her eyes a little wild, but her stance confident. “Both of you are where you are because that is the place in which you can be of the most use.”

“That isn’t true.”

“It is,” She asserted. Her eyes narrowed. “You do not see what I see,” She insisted hotly.

“Or what you’ve seen,” The ex-Admiral said bluntly, outmaneuvering her. “Eight months in the presence of the Grysks is a substantial time. It was nothing like Un’hee’s previous experience. You knew things. Things they wanted to know.”

Vah’nya did not back down from him. If he had not been so single-mindedly focused on his objective, he might have catalogued such a feat away. “That is not common knowledge,” She said. “How did you come to know?”

“Un’hee spent an evening in our company when these particular Navigators were taken,” Thrawn informed her. "I was able to extrapolate the information from her statements."

The Navigator slammed her palm on the brake and the lift powered down in transit, jerking before coming to a rest. “You utilized her distress for information?”

“She told us without my prompting.”

“So she felt your anguish and regret,” Vah’nya spat as though he was guilty of it all the same. “Like an aura that clings to your skin.” Her livid eyes lifted to meet his before she seemed to sink into an otherworldly calm. “Choose your next words very carefully. You do not have many allies left to lose.”

“I wish to know what is happening with the Jedi,” He said. “That is all.”

“And Eli?”

“I will not ask you any further questions about what transpired.”

She hit the toggle to resume power to the lift, shifting to a rest position. “He is with the Admiral. She wished to get to know him better. I was not made aware of the details, but I suspect he will be back in another rotation.”

Thrawn nodded. “Thank you, Navigator.”

Dipping her head ever-so-slightly, Vah’ya looked at her own reflection in the mirror-like durasteel. Then, she let her eyes meet Thrawn’s through the metal as well. Her anger was reined in, her features smoothing. “Even if I wanted to tell you, I would not,” She whispered fervently, scratching at her arm. The light material of her black uniform slevr pulled up ever so slightly, revealing a tangle edge of scars upon her arm. Thrawn did not ask about it, and she pulled her sleeve down without looking at them. The doors whooshed open seconds later and Thrawn stepped forward. Vah’nya grabbed his wrist and held fast. “He is a good man, Mitth’raw’nuruodo. He protected me from the worst of it.”

“I believe you," Thrawn said. "He has a warrior's heart.”

Vah’nya released him. She could hear the rare overt sincerity in Thrawn’s words. And it was true. Eli’van’to was kind and he was good, and Mitth’raw’nuruodo, for all the things she’d heard and felt and seen, had been enough to convince Eli to come to the Ascendancy all on his own. Despite what others might think, Vah’nya believed that had to count for something.

-/

Ezra had been assigned to the primary boarding party after nearly an entire rotation of sitting at an empty station in the bridge with Admiral Ar’alani while she asked him about his abilities within the Force. He’d slipped into and out of meditation on the bridge - she hadn’t allowed him to go anywhere else aboard without her personally accompanying him - with her eyes trained on the back of his neck while he looked out at the expanse of space.

Apparently, it took time to make sure the Grysk ship was not only disabled, but that it was safe. He’d learned about Grysk tactics, how they’d prefer to expire rather than be taken alive, how they’d rig whatever they’d left to explode, how they’re merciless and twisted and whatever beings they held captive would be manipulated into doing their bidding like willing (or unwilling) slaves.

The Admiral had stood shoulder to shoulder with him, soldiers both in front and behind. “Do you sense anything?” She asked him. The tone of her voice was serious but different. She intended to teach him something.

The Jedi closed his eyes and concentrated. His body jerked when he felt it, and Ar’alani reached out with a firm grip, grabbing his shoulder.

“That,” She said, with a curt nod, “Is a Grysk.”

“Can you-”

“Not anymore,” She interrupted, looking straight ahead. “But I will never forget it. We do not perceive what you call the Force the same as you do. We do not war like your Jedi and Sith. Our Sight is not like that.” They continue, Ar’alani’s hand remaining firm on his shoulder. “But what we feel,” She said, “That is something I think runs similarly enough for us to relate to one another. You must trust me.”

“Yes, Admiral,” Ezra said dutifully.

“No,” Ar’alani snapped, spinning him with her grip. “Look at me.”

Ezra did. The Admiral waited until his posture relaxed marginally.

“I will guide you, but I cannot feel what you feel as sharply anymore. You will keep us safe. There are enemies aboard this vessel. Your abilities will give us an edge. Do you understand?”

“I do,” Ezra said, sure to meet her eyes.

“Good.” She turned him back to face the men in front of them and gave the order. “Proceed with caution.”

-/

The lower hangar was alarmingly empty when they came to the doors. Only a small group of armed guardsmen and medics, as well as one of the normal four overseers on the control deck set above the hangar were present. The hangar itself was moderately large for a vessel of this size. Of the ten docking bays, four housed smaller Chiss craft that were rarely used but well maintained. The remaining six were typically empty, saved for arriving shuttles from larger craft.

There was an unknown ship in the hangar. It was not Imperial. It was a well-armed transport vessel dating before the Empire, but had come from the same shipyards that had since made imperial craft. By comparison, it dwarfed the Chiss shuttles.

Vah'nya spoke briskly, standing in the doorway with Thrawn to her left. "All non-medical personnel are dismissed," She commanded. "You will be contacted by control when you are required to return."

Thrawn cast her an inquisitive glance. The Navigator ignored him.

The ramp of the non-Chiss ship had been lowered, and two of the armed Chiss that had been monitoring it stepped back and left as they approached.

"You may disembark," Vah'nya called out.

Two humans descended the ramp. One stood beside a very unhappy Navigator who appeared roughly a year or two older than Un'hee. The girl's hair hung limp and tangled over her shoulders, like a curtain to help distract from the way her lip trembled and the gouge on her cheek. Vah'nya reached for her instead of the other child, a younger Navigator with dressings wrapped around her arms and peeking out beneath her torn pant leg. This girl was carried, and did not seem to be in any distress.

"The eldest was killed," Vah'nya said in Basic. It wasn't a question.

Thrawn stayed silent beside her, watching and waiting. Vah'nya was trying to show him something, and he was as of yet unsure what. Behind the two humans, further up the ramp that led into the ship, there were more footsteps. Another person, perhaps.

"Trying to keep them from us, Senior Navigator," Said the older of the two girls in very broken Basic. "I tried-" The girl coughed, and Thrawn saw the blood - it was hot, contrasting in the infrared spectrum against her skin - dot her hand.

"You did well to protect your sister," Vah'nya said soothingly, crouching down to eye-level. She laid a hand over the girl's more superficial injury, wiping away some of the excess blood to see the wound, then wiped it on her tunic as if it were a bit of dust. "The medics will tend to you," She smiled, a small, reassuring thing, and cupped the younger Navigator's cheek again. The child flinched at the touch, then seemed to relax instantly.

Quickly, they sprung into action, taking the little one from the one man's arms and carefully easing the older of the two onto a stretcher that hovered at waist level. Thrawn noted that when the girl swiveled her head so she could keep her eyes on Vah'nya for as long as she could, both of her cheeks were dirty, but unblemished.

That was strange, he thought. Neither of the medics had administered any bacta.

-/

Above them, and unseen in the control tower that overlooked the hangar, Captain Ivant clenched his fists and swore in Sy Bisti. The lone tech who remained on duty took a microscopic step away from his furious superior. "What the kriff do you think you're doing, Vah'nya?" He growled to no one in particular, keying the console to focus in on Thrawn.

As luck would have it, a woman's voice - also in Sy Bisti - rang out loud and clear, demanding Thrawn's attention without so much as an order.

Thrawn's voice was pinched with surprise as it carried through the tiny speaker in front of the console."Commodore Faro?"

Though, when it came to outsmarting Thrawn, nobody ever got lucky. If he saw what had happened, if it looked even one atom out of line, Thrawn would analyze the details with that ridiculous recall of his. It wouldn't be right away, Vanto knew, but if Thrawn was already trying to figure out what was going on aboard the Compass, which he was, this moment could - and more likely, would - be a catalyst.

"Damn fool," He said aloud. He turned on his heel. Now he'd have to do pre-emptive damage control, in addition to the rest of it.

#Thranto #Eli Vanto #Mitth'raw'nuruodo #Ezra Bridger #Admiral Ar'alani #Vah'nya #Eli Vanto/Thrawn #Star Wars Fanfiction #SW Fanfic #My Writing

[thedistantstorm]

Project Compass 02

Read Along on AO3 Here

<< Previous Chapter <<     >> Next Chapter >>

This time: Ezra spends some quality time with his new commanding officer and learns a little about the Chiss.

Next time: Thrawn is visited by Vah’nya and exchanges a handful of words with Eli. Ezra senses something in the Force.

-/

“Alright,” Ezra began, the moment the door to the suite shut behind them, “What the kriff is going on here?”

The suite itself was minimal and compact. A small common space with a worktable and charging stations for datapads and electronics, an economy sized fresher that was likely nicer than anything the young Jedi had ever had access to, and two small but separate sleeping quarters. It was clearly designed with a use similar to theirs in mind, but perhaps one that was more political in origin. Plenty of officials had aides and secretaries that lived hardly an arm’s length away.

“You’ll have to ask a more pointed question than that,” Thrawn indulged him instead of remaining silent as he wanted to. He needed time to work through this, and there wasn’t a singular painting that would help him make sense of any of it. His primary objective at this juncture was to keep Ezra relatively happy while integrating him with Chiss standards - most of which he fell short of, sloppy and unregimented from his time with the Rebellion.

“Fine.” Ezra dropped to the small sofa, sitting on the end furthest from the door. “Why are they punishing you?”

Blinking once, Thrawn asked another question in hopes of getting more of the younger man's perspective rather than admitting that he too was at a loss. “You do not agree with their judgement?”

“It’s not that. What you did was wrong,” He lingered on the word for emphasis. “But you explained it to me. I don’t have any reason to believe you were lying and I kinda have a way to fact check, even if you’re more difficult to get a read on than most. Plus,” He gestured between them, “You could have killed me plenty of times.”

“As you could also could assassinate me with ease, even now.”

“Not the point.” Ezra frowned. “I’m here because you asked me to be. You’re not-” He exhaled, clearly put out. “I’m only going to say this once, so savor this moment.” He made sure to hold Thrawn’s intense gaze. “You’re the most intelligent person I’ve ever met. You see things that take me eons to figure out, even with the Force to guide you. Sure, you made mistakes, but this is a waste. You should be in command.”

“Perhaps someday, I will be again.”

“You said that threats to your people were serious. That the Ascendancy was in extreme danger.”

“That is correct.”

“So…" He held his hands out as if Thrawn's words were something he could carry. "Why are we here together? What good can you do stuck here, babysitting me?" Ezra shrugged. "You know? Kallus always said they stuck people out of the way in 'menial tasks,'" He airquoted, rolling his eyes. "So-"

“The Chiss are not the same as the Galactic Empire.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Ezra tilted his head, inquisitive. “They don’t seem too bad. A little stuffy, but not unnecessarily cruel. Though the child soldier thing bothers me.”

“The Force does not manifest the same.”

“I remember,” Ezra said. "And the kids here seem to like what they're doing.”

“They take their duties very seriously,” Thrawn answered, stepping easily into the segue as their conversation was not worth continuing. “As should we. The Chiss do not sleep as much as humans, as I am sure you know from our time together. You should rest while you can. We will have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Me, yes, you, no. The Captain said I can shadow him. He’ll be able to translate so I won’t need you to accompany me until the afternoon.” Ezra shrugged. “He said instructions would be sent to our datapads.”

Thrawn retrieved his, noticing that yes, there was a notification present, a tiny indicator light flashing with the news. He scanned it quickly. He was under no obligation to report for duty until mid-afternoon, just as Ezra had said. “And in the afternoon we will be tested.”

“Great,” Ezra deadpanned. “Just great.”

“The Ascendancy has high standards, Bridger.”

“I'm realizing that. Which is why I can’t tell if it’s pride or if they really think you messed up that you’re stuck catering to me. You’re a Grand Admiral. You outrank that Ar-whoever-”

“Admiral Ar’alani,” Thrawn corrected. “Should you make that mistake in her presence you will regret it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ezra remained casual despite it. “You’re still-”

“In the Imperial Navy, perhaps. I was a Commander in the Chiss Fleet before I was sent to the Empire. I am not an Admiral here.”

“Yeah, but-”

“My ranking in the Imperial hierarchy is no longer relevant.” Thrawn glared at him. “My actions, however, are.”

“Agreed,” Ezra turned the conversation back to the previous topic. “By that logic, shouldn’t the Chiss want to turn you loose on your enemies? You know how to pick apart your opponents. Captain Ivant could be my translator instead and they could use you more effectively. I mean, he seems to work pretty closely with the Jedi - I mean, with the Skywalkers,” He corrected himself, trying to use the correct term. “He’s the one teaching the Navigators basic. The little girl, Un’hee, I think? She told me so while we were waiting for you on the shuttle.”

There was no reply. Thrawn turned sharply and went into the room that had his name in Chiss script projected above the biometric entry sensor without so much as a goodnight. The door closed behind him with a hydraulic hiss of finality. Ezra stayed rooted to the spot, staring at the closed door for a long moment.

"Was it something I said?" He asked the empty room.

-/

Un'hee retrieved him ten minutes before they were to meet the Captain in his office. She had a bounce in her step that she had lacked the previous day. He learned during their walk over that she was the youngest Navigator on board at eight years old, but that she had served the Ascendancy for a little more than three years. Her dark blue black hair shows mostly black under the ship's lighting. It's threaded into a simple braid that trails halfway down her back.

Together, they knock on Captain Ivant's door and step back, waiting for him to answer.

"Good morning, Eli!" The girl said in Basic that was bright and almost completely lacking in the Chiss accent.

The twang of Ivant's accent was far stronger, worn and lived in. "Good morning," He bid them both before addressing the Chiss in her native tongue.

"I am to join the other Navigators for the morning meal and our studies," She translated for Ezra's benefit. "I hope I will meet you for our evening meal?"

Ezra looked to Ivant, who nodded. "After his testing, I'm sure that can be arranged. He'll be hungry."

Un'hee smiled brightly, dipping in what almost appeared like a curtsey, but was incredibly subdued. "Until then, Ezra'Bridger."

The door closed behind her and only once she left did Ivant motion for Ezra to join him. He did not sit behind the desk, though. Instead, he went to a worktable, a more even space.

"I asked the cooks to bring our morning meal to us," He said, gesturing for Ezra to sit. "I figured you would have questions, and it would be best to address those before I take you around to see the ship and our crew." He paused. "I wasn't sure how much you knew about the Chiss, considering," He leaned back in his chair, at ease, "So I figured some informal education on what to expect might help you with what you face later today."

Ezra frowned. "Thrawn told me a bit," He replied, hesitantly defensive. Sure, there was no love lost between them, but their fragile arrangement was born of respect, for the most part. Ezra respected Thrawn's ridiculous genius as much as he was infuriated by it, and he suspected it was the same way with Thrawn and Ezra's strength with the Force.

"Did he tell you that the Chiss can see in infrared?" Ezra's lack of reaction had Ivant continuing. "It’s not full on heat-mapping but, any blush, any time you're red in the ears or your face feels hot, they know. To them, it looks like an exploitable weakness."

“Now that you say it,” Ezra supposed, “It makes sense.”

“The Chiss are proud and regimented. To be a human in their midst is not an easy thing. They’re… kind of like the Empire when it comes to aliens, but hard work and respect will sway them. Having Force abilities will help you, but you won’t have it easy proving yourself to them.”

"Is that how it was for you?"

Before the Captain can answer, the door to the office opens and a Chiss male steps in wearing a uniform and carrying two trays that smell sweet and earthy.

"A moment," Ivant said, switching briefly to the Cheunh to thank the chef. It was apparent the young man's mouth was watering, but instead of going for his plate, he opted to reach for the mug of red-brown tea perched benignly beside it. It didn't smell like anything, so he raised it to his lips.

It more than made up for the lack of smell with flavor, though, strong and spicy, too sharp for Ezra's senses. He sputtered and tried to set it back without being noticed, but the chef was staring. Ivant shook his head curtly, said something rueful-sounding based on context, and dismissed the chef. Once the Chiss had left, he admonished Ezra lightly. "I told you to wait."

"I thought it was the tea I was smelling," He said, coughing.

"No. It's the egg," Ivant pointed at it with his utensil. The size of it was impressive, at least half the size of his hand and green tinted. Beside it were some blue-black roots of some sort, and there was some sort of dusty pinkish bread set off to the side. The colors were wild, but food was food, and Ezra had spent enough of his childhood living on scraps to appreciate a meal regardless of his opinions on palatability. "The tea is… invigorating. You either love or hate it."

Ezra peeked over at the Captain's tray. He had a larger far mug of it than Ezra did. "You like it?"

"I do." He took a sip of it. "There is caf in the mess hall, though, so be advised that you will survive."

Exhaling, Ezra chanced a grin at his new commanding officer. Ivant didn't smile at him, exactly, but he didn't look angry either. Breakfast was an interesting affair. The food was delicious in combination, though Ezra couldn't stand what Ivant called 'ice root' (the Chiss word wasn't something he could hope to repeat) unless it was paired with the sweet egg. The bread was soft and chewy, good alone but better when he followed the Captain's lead and used it to soak up runny egg yolk.

Afterward, he quizzed Ezra in a way that almost made him forget it was a test, of sorts. What he knew of the Chiss - almost nothing, what he knew of the Ascendancy - even less, despite what insights he'd gained during his debrief, and then, lastly, of Thrawn - which was more than either of the first two subjects combined, but Ezra had the feeling he was hoping for more information than what had come up during the extensive debrief. Still, Ezra was honest, and told the Captain all he knew.

"Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo may allow you to use his core name," Captain Ivant said, "But that's not typical of how the Chiss do things with newcomers. "In fact, I would suggest you ask him how he would prefer you to address him. He likely offered his core name to you because it is easier to pronounce, instead of an extension of trust."

"I think Mitt-Mitth- ugh, Thrawn trusts me. I’m here, aren’t I?"

"I do not believe that Mitth'raw'nuruodo trusts anyone. His fate may be tied to you, Ezra Bridger," Ivant looked thoughtful, "And that will lead him to cater to you. Things here have changed since he left. He has much to learn as well, and far fewer allies than when he left."

"Have you told him that?"

"I don't have to. He already knows."

Ezra considered that a moment, filed it away for further reflection. "So, wait. Core names. You're not Chiss."

"Clearly," Ivant didn't laugh, but amusement flavored his tone. "You want to know what my name is."

"Iv Ant?" Ezra frowned. It didn't sound like much of a name.

"Ivant is a core name that the Chiss gave me. I'm originally from Wild Space, if the accent didn't tell you that."

It had. "So they just took from the middle of your names?"

"They did." He tilted his head, appraising Ezra for a long moment, as if curious about what he'd do with the knowledge, or perhaps interested in Ezra's response. The question didn't seem to upset him, though. "My name is Eli Vanto."

#Eli Vanto/Thrawn #thranto #Ezra Bridger #Mitth'raw'nuruodo #Eli Vanto #grand admiral thrawn #my writing #sw fanfiction #star wars rebels #star wars fanfiction #un'hee

[thedistantstorm]

Project Compass 03

Read Along on AO3 Here

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This time: Thrawn is visited by Vah'nya and exchanges a handful of words with Eli.

Next time: Ezra doesn’t feel like he’s made a very good impression on the Chiss. Thrawn doesn’t really make him feel better. Vah’nya and Ivant discuss Un’hee.

-/

Thrawn was not used to having time. At least, not true free time. Sure, he indulged his love of art within the scope of his duties, but rarely did he do something just because he could. In fact, in his later years with the Empire, he rarely did anything but work. Leave was unnecessary, and he found he gained more enjoyment from fulfilling the tasks required of him while mentoring others along the way.

Briefly, his mind struck up the image of Karyn Faro. He wondered not for the first time what she made of the news, how she had so narrowly avoided sharing the fate of the Seventh Fleet. Ezra’s actions - the Revels' last ditch effort - had still managed to kill tens of thousands of Imperial troops. The survivors had all gone different ways, trying to get a lock on civilization. Thrawn had managed to convince Ezra to stick with him, though it was likely more so that Thrawn had been open about his lack of inclination to kill the young Jedi than any true kinship at the start, while the majority of his officers had at least considered murdering him in his sleep.

Now, he woke up expecting to be in his too small room aboard the Chimaera, not in comfortable lodgings amongst his own people. And despite it, he was not sure what to do with himself. Things here had changed. There had been a tension in the lines of the panel members’ faces indicative of strife. Which meant it was bad, if he was able to see it on the faces of Chiss politicians.

Not to mention that somehow, in the span of the not-quite two years since he’d parted with the Steadfast after their encounter with the Grysks, Eli Vanto had earned another promotion - and a large one, at that. Was he also tangled up in the politics of whatever was happening with the Aristocra? He did not act like it.

But then again, Thrawn was not entirely sure which side of him was the act, if any of it was. Originally, he’d come across as warm and nearly paternal toward Ezra during their first interaction. Human. Then, he’d become… stoic. Emotionless. Practically Chiss-like. It was impressive, Thrawn could admit, though he couldn’t help but remember the coldness of Vanto’s eyes, how he’d made direct eye contact with Thrawn and spoke evenly, no hint of anger and yet a solid weight behind his words that gave the seasoned military-man pause.

Something in Thrawn’s loins had shifted with those words. Eli Vanto was telling him, without saying explicitly so, that he had betrayed his principles. The cost of such a choice was loyalty. Loyalty between them that had been built upon time and effort, that had been forged both by time and hardship. Anger would have made Thrawn more comfortable than hard eyes and durasteel words. This was an unknown he knew nothing about how to deal with, much less if it could be dealt with at all.

Yet, he stood by his actions. At the time, over Lothal, he had done what he had to. It was a regrettable course of action, one he would have to live with for the rest of his life. But he had been trying to salvage the broken scraps of the TIE Defender Program, trying to piece back together what Arindha broke. It had been pointless, in the end. He’d known the Defender Project would be shut down before he went back to Coruscant that last time. Still, he had wanted to try and press forward. He was single-minded, determined to make things work. If he could not salvage that project, there had to be something he could do to get the Emperor’s favor. The Emperor hadn’t kept Thrawn in the confines of his upper echelon without a reason. Surely Thrawn could have found some way to turn Emperor Palpatine’s use of him into a mutually beneficial situation.

Now, he’d never know. The Ascendancy had intercepted his signals after roughly a year of being able to establish a stable frequency with the adequate trajectory. They’d managed a safe, covert extraction - not that there had been much to extract from, the remaining soldiers on the jungle planet would likely remain there for the rest of their natural lives by choice. Thrawn had relinquished his command of them early on, when it became clear that they were stranded in deep Wild Space and there would be no rescue. By the time he and Ezra had left, there was no one remaining to care.

His entire career with the Empire, more than a decade of his life, had been gone in an instant. To show for it, he had hardly anything at all. He’d brought the Ascendancy no honor, guaranteed them no support or security for his actions. His mission, overall, had been a failure.

And his assignment, now, meant that the Chiss felt him to be either a liability or-

A buzz of the intercom stole into his thoughts. Extracting himself from the chair he’d been sitting in, Thrawn crossed the small room to tap the console beside the door. “Commander Mitth’raw’nuruodo,” A woman greeted him. Her voice was familiar.

“Navigator Vah’nya,” He replied in kind, letting his thoughts slip into the depths of his mind. “Come in.” He keyed access for her to the suite and opened the door that linked his quarters to the shared living space. Vah’nya carried two trays with a delicate ease, setting them at the low table before selecting a side of the couch in the space for herself.

She’d grown a little more since he had last seen her, her features a little more weathered, a touch more severe. “I had suspected you would be on the Steadfast with Admiral Ar’alani,” He said, sitting a respectable distance away. He did not move toward the second tray even as she picked up a steaming mug of tea from hers.

She smiled at him. It was a touch unusual, the delicate look on the serious Chiss. “My path has taken me down a different road,” She mused thoughtfully. “Please, eat. I waited for you in the mess hall, but in hindsight I should not have expected you there.” He listened, helping himself to some of the warm bread and rosy jam placed on his tray. “I have time before I begin instructing my younger sisters,” She said, “And I had hoped to see how you were settling in.”

“Your concern is appreciated, Navigator Vah’nya,” He paused, frowning. “You are still-”

Vah’nya nodded. “Yes, I am still a Navigator despite my old age.” Another smile, more rueful this time. He noted that her expressions were significantly less guarded on her face, though she held herself stiffly. “You are not settling in easily,” She commented. “The ozyly-esehembo, he is your assignment, I heard.”

“I suspect,” Thrawn met her gaze, “You knew that without having to be told.”

“Un’hee does not hold back much, but I suspect she would if Captain Ivant asked her to.” Thrawn does not react to the name, though Vah’nya seems to pause on it for a second too long, testing him. “Nevertheless,” She conceded gracefully, tilting her head, “I was informed by the Captain himself. I oversee the Navigators aboard this vessel.”

“You are a part of the project the Admiral mentioned during our hearing.”

“I am,” Vah’nya acknowledged. “I will be evaluating your ward this afternoon.”

“Bridger is not my ward.”

“You are tied to him indefinitely, and he is far younger than you,” She pressed, before segueing just as Thrawn parsed a response. “Finish eating. I will take you around the ship and fill you in on the goings on. I do not think the Jedi,” Her accent curled strangely over the title, “Will remember half of what Ivant tells him.”

The Compass is small. Compact, but not claustrophobic. There were around three hundred staff (including the officers) and a troop of less than twenty fledgling Navigators aboard. It was a far cry from the Chimaera, an Imperial Star Destroyer, and far older than his last vessel. He considered it the equivalent to an Imperial cruiser by comparison. Despite this, the ship was outfitted with new technologies and had dedicated facilities to the training and upkeep of the young Navigators being trained.

Vah’nya introduced him to most of the crew members with whom she suspected he would work in close quarters. She even took the liberty of contacting the bridge crew in advance to make sure the Captain was out before taking him up to introduce him to the rest of the officers.

“I am sure you realize,” She said, “That I am not acting in an official capacity. I am not sure what your role with Ezra’Bridger will entail, but knowledge is something that makes me feel more secure now.” She rubbed her arms, voice holding something dark and hidden. Something had happened to her, Thrawn suspected. He filed it away for later consideration.

“It is a wise strategy,” Thrawn agreed. Their backs were to the bridge now. Vah’nya was explaining their patrol mission, scouting along the edges of the Unknown Regions. The chance of combat was low, and the traffic was significantly non-existent and thereby safe enough to allow newly identified Navigators to test their abilities in the field. Thrawn nearly welcomed routine military procedure.

The Navigator took him back down to the eighth deck, where his quarters were. She waited for Thrawn to let them in and shut the door quietly behind her. "I should not tell you this," She said softly, not moving from the doorway. "But I do not believe Eli will."

"Do not incriminate yourself," Thrawn retorted, his command voice smooth and dangerous despite it’s recent lack of use. He had sensed an undercurrent of something going on throughout their interaction, as though Vah'nya had been trying to decide whether or not to tell him something. "If I should not know it, do not tell me."

"It is nothing of consequence to our objective," Vah'nya responded. "I have told you next to nothing about our project," She reminded him. "This is more…"

"I did see him during the hearing," Thrawn admitted, though he did not appreciate the subtle twist of the conversation towards matters personal instead of professional. His reply was opinion, not fact. "He was unimpressed."

"There is more than meets the eye," She supposed, gaze flickering to him. "You understand?"

"I am deserving of his ire." Thrawn looked out into space through the tiny window. "More than anyone else's," He added, quieter.

"You feel sorry for yourself," She pushed. Her assertiveness was new and likely brought out by her current assignment. "It is not a good look on you, Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

He did not glare, but the glow of his eyes, the way he positioned himself seemed to focus on her with elevated intensity.

She produced a data card from her pocket. "This should help to close the gap in your knowledge of the Ascendancy," She said, stepping closer to drop it on the low table.

"And the project?"

Vah’nya’s eyes narrowed, and her mouth twisted in a way that suggested displeasure. "I am not at liberty to discuss it. And I would warn you not to use your Jedi to glean the information from my sisters. Captain Eli’van’to will not take kindly to such games." She warmed. "But what I wished to tell you was-"

The door to the suite opened behind Vah'nya's back. In a covert and practiced move, Thrawn slipped the data card into his pocket, head tilted in a cool greeting Ezra.

Except, lingering in the doorway behind the young Jedi, was a second human, dressed in a Captain's uniform. "Oh," Ezra said in Basic, rubbing the back of his head. "I-"

"Senior Navigator," Captain Ivant said. His wood-brown gaze shifted to Thrawn. "Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo." He nodded to them both, cordially. The fierce coldness Thrawn had experienced the previous day was gone, and in its place was a cool confidence. He had the airs of someone knowledgeable and approachable. Worthy of command. Ivant did not seem to linger on Thrawn for more than the greeting, though. He shared a look with Vah’nya before asking, "I trust you have settled in alright?"

It took a moment for Thrawn to realize he'd been addressed, but military procedure was deeply ingrained. "Yes, Captain," He said.

"Good," He said in Cheunh. To Vah'nya, he quirked an eyebrow, then drew their attention to the two completed meal trays. "Take them back to the mess," He instructed her. "The Commander and his charge will not have time, and it is on the way to your seminar."

"Now?"

"Yes, Vah'nya." His Cheunh was melodic, almost, with the inflection many of the Navigators and officers used, rather than the flat language used by most subordinates. Thrawn had expected nothing less, but it was impressive to hear all the same. At least, in this, he had not been mistaken. Eli Vanto had lived up to what Thrawn had seen in him. Perhaps he could find something positive in that. "I will discuss this with you later." The heat that didn't color his face in infrared splotches came out in his voice.

Vah'nya sighed. "Yes, Sir." She scuttled around Thrawn to collect the trays.

"Thank you," Thrawn bid her as she passed him a second time to leave. "The tour of the ship was most useful."

Vah'nya nodded, suspecting that was the least of which he was thankful for. She had served with many leaders, and none of them had ever handled idle time well. "You are welcome, Thrawn." She stopped in the doorway to regard Ezra and her superior. "Captain," She nodded.

"Navigator."

The Chiss woman left, leaving Ezra to look between Ivant and Thrawn. "The data card she gifted you should have plenty of art on it," Eli said. "Ar'alani compares her love of music to it frequently."

"It is similar," Thrawn agreed, but there was an edge of caution in his voice.

He wondered if Vah'nya had been sent to collect information, rather than visiting him of her own devices. Vanto did not project any malice or anger, though his emotionless state yesterday had given a lasting and uncanny impression of it. Today, he was cool, calm, and kind, though no less in control. Intensity lingered about him. Confidence was reflected in his movements and stance. It was an interesting catalog that Thrawn would pick apart when he had time for reflection. He knew, deep down, Eli Vanto was furious with him, to a point that he'd forsaken his emotions to make the point known. He had seen humans react that way before. It made an excellent point, as Thrawn so clearly experienced first hand.

Because of all of his transgressions and the wrongs he'd done, perhaps his most severe crime was he had taken this man's life and molded it in the interest of others (though to a lesser degree, for the man himself). Thrawn gave him a task that would cast him out of the Empire, and then he himself had failed. Eli Vanto, in the wake of Thrawn's own life, had always been collateral damage. And Vanto knew it, too. From the first.

Now, Thrawn’s failure meant there was no going back.

Captain Ivant spoke into his thoughts. "I know. You'll glean more from inspecting recent pop culture pieces from Csilla than from reading texts. That's why I had asked her to compile it for you in addition to the official reports."

Vanto had to know. There was no way for him not to understand the political ramifications of Thrawn’s actions. And yet, this. He’d asked her to do this? Eli was kind, he had always been the first to want to help. It was what started their uncanny relationship, and had helped forge them into an impeccable team. What was he playing at? What angle was he manipulating? What did he see? Thrawn needed to know.

It was nearly too late. "If anything stands out to you, or you want clarification, don't hesitate to ask," Vanto said in Basic. He turned to leave. "My door is always open."

"You did not want her to visit, and yet you gave her the data card to give to me," Thrawn pressed him in Cheunh. It was a test. A thinly veiled jab at Vanto’s temper, but Thrawn was shaken by the need to know how deep beneath the surface his new superior officer's anger was. Would this be enough to stoke its flames?

The human cast a glance over his shoulder, one dark eye catching Thrawn's. "I believe she was trying to prevent us from experiencing an uncomfortable moment," He replied in kind. His voice betrayed nothing.

Thrawn continued, "Surely you could have sent another."

"Sometimes it is far easier to permit a situation to unfold rather than allow it to run rampant behind one’s back." His lip twitched into a half-smile, but it was crossed with some faint emotion Thrawn couldn’t place. Sadness, perhaps? He wasn't sure, but something about the way Vanto regarded him bothered Thrawn immensely. He wasn't used to, nor did he like the sensation. Vanto dismissed him politely all the same. "Good afternoon, Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

With a click of the door's hydraulics, he was gone. Thrawn stared after him. Something in the way the Captain spoke, an inflection in his tone, the slightest dilation of his eyes was a clue, and yet none of the tell-tale facial heat or reddening of his ears had indicated embarrassment or rage.

It was not sadness, Thrawn realized suddenly. It was disappointment. And it stung like an open wound in a place behind Thrawn’s ribcage and oozed unpleasantly into his core. He blinked at the closed door for a moment, trying to push the feeling down and away. It lingered.

"Uh," Ezra nudged at something invisible with the toe of his boot. He looked at Thrawn sheepishly. "You alright?"

"Why do you ask me that?" Thrawn did not mean to snap at the young man, but Ezra didn't seem to take offense.

"I can feel your sadness," Ezra said softly. "And I can pretty much never feel your feelings through the Force. It's like… like you've lost something," He rambled, "I just-"

"I am fine, Ezra."

Ezra closed his mouth. Thrawn only ever called Ezra by his given name when he really wanted the young Jedi to shut up. And usually, Ezra knew, that meant he was right about whatever he'd been saying to the Chiss. Whatever was happening in that big blue head right about now, Ezra assumed Thrawn had far more questions than answers.

#Thranto #Mitth'raw'nuruodo #Eli Vanto #Vah'nya #Ezra Bridger #Star Wars Fanfiction #my writing #angst #competent!Eli has no time for Thrawn's games #if he wasn't so busy experiencing his first real emotions I suspect Thrawn would be very impressed

[thedistantstorm]

Project Compass 12

Read Along on AO3 Here

<< Previous Chapter << >> Next Chapter >>

This time: Thrawn and Eli visit Thrass at the Mitth family estate on Copero. Thrass is brought up to speed on developments within the CDF.

Next time: Ezra experiences a sympathetic vision. Thrawn has had enough.

-/

The warship Compass arrived at the Copero shipyards for maintenance only an hour behind the Steadfast. Ezra remained silent at Thrawn’s right, lingering a step behind him to make sure he didn’t take any wrong turns once they disembarked from the shuttle. It would be their first time on shore leave, their first break from being in space and aboard the Compass for an extended period of time. Ezra had never taken to exploring any of the planets they’d landed on. The Xenophobic tendancies of the Chiss were nearly as bad as the upper eschalon of Imperials.

The series of twists and turns eventually led to an air speeder that zipped around through a beautiful city. It wasn’t entirely cold here, but it wasn’t nearly as warm and sunny as Lothal. For the Chiss, however, it was practically tropical. Trees and leafy ferns surrounded white stone buildings, but behind the city, snow-packed mountains loomed. Ezra noticed heating grids along some of the walkways and villas they passed, all inactive during the day. He wondered how it was at night. Likely cold enough even for a Chiss to desire heat.

“I could have stayed in the barracks,” Ezra felt obligated to say, when he felt their destination was nearly upon them. This villa, unlike the rest, was trimmed in deep maroon tapestries and had umbrellas set out upon several of the balconies. The airspeeder began to slow, the droid at the controls letting off the accelerator.

Thrawn inclined his head. “You have not had the pleasure of meeting my brother. He likely would have made a scene of retrieving you himself.” All Ezra knew of Thrawn’s brother was that he existed, possessed the title of Syndic, and represented one of the Ruling Families of the Aristocra.

“You know, somehow I don’t think this is going to be a pleasure,” Ezra muttered in Basic.

“Hardly,” Thrawn replied in kind. “Be advised that the wine tastes less potent but is far more than anything you could get your hands on in the Outer Rim. He will also view you as a novelty for your abilities and wish for demonstrations.”

“You two are nothing alike, are you?”

“We have our similarities,” Thrawn admitted. “Likely fewer now.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior,” Ezra quipped.

Thrawn raised an eyebrow. “It is not you I am worried about.”

The air was warm outside the speeder when the hatch opened. An attendant, a male Chiss with milk-blue skin a shade or two less vibrant than Thrawn’s retrieved their bags from the vehicle’s storage compartment.

A similarly blue - cerulean, like a deep blue sea - Chiss waited on the steps, dressed in a burgundy robe with a golden sash. Beneath it was another layer of burgundy, but it was collared tunic of some sort that went with his dark pants and smart boots. Ezra tried to look casual, and when that failed, decided to hang back and let Thrawn handle things. They had similar, but not identical facial structures. Thrass had a far less severe resting face, though he had a far more cunning smile. And he did smile, opening his arms wide.

“Brother!” He greeted Thrawn, his extended arms giving weight to his exaggerated excitement. “Welcome home!”

Thrawn nodded, then gestured to Ezra. He stepped up as if he’d been called upon. “This is Ezra Bridger,” He said, indicating Ezra with a sweep of his palm to the right. “Ezra,” He continued, “This is my brother, Syndic Mittth’ras’safis of the Eighth Ruling Family.”

“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Ezra said.

“His Cheunh is better than I was expecting.” Thrass looked to Thrawn, then Ezra. He almost sounded disappointed, which pleased Ezra. “You may call me Thrass. It is nice to finally meet you, Jedi. We have much to talk about.” He turned and motioned for them to follow. “The Admiral and her senior advisors will be in residence for the majority of your visit,” He explains, leading them through beautiful indoor gardens with plentiful water features.

“They will?” Ezra asked before he could stop himself.

“It is customary for a Syndic to welcome commanding officers and Navigators to their home when their ships are docked planetside,” Thrass explained, amusement audible in his voice. He continued to give them a tour of the property - he’d done renovations since Thrawn had last been to their family’s estate- and paused outside twin doors that faced each other across a hallway in the western wing of the property. “These rooms will be yours for the duration of your stay.” To Ezra, he continued, “Make yourself at home. Any of the staff will assist you without issue, so do not hesitate to ask should you need anything.” Then, bowing politely, he stepped back. “I apologize for the brief reception, however I have a holoconference to attend. We will reconvene in two hours for a late lunch. I will send someone to fetch you both.”

Ezra lingered in the open doorway to what was the most luxurious suite he’d ever seen in his life. Thrass and Thrawn were very little alike, that was definitely true. The elder Chiss used charisma to make himself seem open, while Thrawn seemed closed off but was exceptionally open with one who had earned his trust. Ezra noticed that Thrass eyed Thrawn with a calculating glance that bordered on Thrawn’s own before he swept away in a billow of robes.

Well, maybe they shared more than a few idiosyncrasies.

-/

Thrass was… interesting. Ezra had plenty of time to adjust to and learn Thrawn’s micro-expressions (mostly through trial and error). Thrass did not require such a thing. He definitely made himself bigger than he was - his expressions and vanity were very over the top - and yet he didn’t hold back from teasing or chiding Thrawn or Ezra over both the afternoon and late night meals they’d been required to observe.

Ezra knew it was bad when Thrawn didn’t pass up the wine he’d been warned about at either meal, though he hardly suspected Thrawn ever allow himself to become inebriated. Thrawn had very controlling nature, and Ezra suspected it went down to the very core of his identity. The attendants - butlers, servers, however one called them - were treated well and seemed to all be held in high confidence. It spoke of old riches and tradition. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was similar to Coruscant, but he didn’t dare risk offending Thrass by asking Thrawn such a question in his presence. He knew the Chiss weren’t exactly fond of inferior humans.

Though awkward, overall, Ezra managed to get through it, answering all sorts of invasive questions and doing his best not to allow either Chiss to see him sweat. By the time Thrass asked Ezra to show off his ability to move objects with his mind, Ezra suspected the Syndic had polished off an entire bottle of the sweet-tasting wine that he’d said was produced somewhere on the western part of the planet. He was a stereotypical politician, in Ezra’s eyes, though Ezra could see through his nonchalance. This was a cunning man. It was clear that higher intelligence was a shared trait between brothers.

On his second day at the Mitth family’s estate, he spent the morning meditating in the outdoor gardens, foregoing outer layers in an attempt to acclimate to the planet’s temperature. Thrawn had found him sometime later, and dragged him against his will to spar. Of course, Ezra’s education of the Chiss had covered the strengths and expertise of each ruling family, so it was no surprise that there were a multitude of training facilities built into the expansive grounds. Thrawn had called it a waste, and seemed to take a perverse sense of pleasure into beating the snot out of Ezra until Thrass himself had called their session off, requesting time to catch up with his dearest younger sibling.

When Thrawn had quipped that he was Thrass’s only sibling, blood or otherwise, Ezra had to bite back a laugh at his deadpan commentary. It was quite a look on the former Imperial.

He did not see either brother for the rest of the day, and took the time to kick back and relax, and then, when boredom struck, to explore the rest of the manor inside and out. It was excessive for one person, and though he’d heard that the majority of Thrass’s time was spent on the Chiss homeworld, Csilla. Consequently, he’d heard from Vah’nya that Csilla was also Thrawn and Thrass’s homeworld, and that the family manor was not actually any sort of home for them at all. It was status. It was no wonder why Thrawn seemed ill-at-ease here while Thrass entertained them like he’d lived here their entire lives.

Thrawn was considerably modest, overall. The only thing expensive about him, at least that Ezra had seen, was his taste in art.

It was on the third morning that Ezra noticed something suspicious. He’d been meditating just before dawn on a balcony that overlooked the front of the manor when an airspeeder pulled up. It was way too early, even by human standards, for normal visitors. The only reason Ezra himself was awake and meditating was because his body was unused to being so rested.

Admiral Ar’alani emerged from the speeder with Captain Ivant and Senior Navigator Vah’nya right behind her. Their faces were grim. Thrass approached rather than wait on the steps as he had when Ezra and Thrawn had arrived days earlier. Ezra rose from his kneeling pose and peered over the railing and down to the grounds below.

“The remaining Navigators will arrive shortly,” Ar’alani said in a clipped tone. “In the meantime, we need to discuss these developments. Things are escalating quicker than we expected.”

“I agree,” Thrass said gravely. “Let us go to my office. The staff will handle the speeder and your belongings.”

-/

The Eighth Family’s Syndic had a rather luxurious office, complete with a chamber that could sit the entire Aristocra if necessity dictated it. It never had, but the white marble room was kept pristine in the event that such a need arose. Mitth’ras’safis rounded his desk with a practiced ease, dropping silently into the chair behind the desk and opening the bottom-most drawer. He produced a small black device and set it atop the darkwood desktop. It blinked green once before turning a solid red.

“Shall we begin?”

Admiral Ar’alani cast a look at Vah'nya, who sat beside her in the twin chairs perched directly across from the syndic’s desk. Behind them, and leaning casually next to the doorframe, Ivant waited for her to speak. “We have identified eight infiltrators aboard the Steadfast.”

“Are they aware of the project?” Thrass asked, voice dipping low. Tension creased his forehead.

“None of them have direct contact with the Navigators at this time,” Vah’nya said. “To our knowledge, the only information they have is that we have a Jedi aboard the Compass from an operation that Ezra’Bridger assisted us with.”

“The taken Navigators.”

“Yes,” Ar’alani confirmed. Then, “We’ve presented our progress to the admiralty on the project.”

“All of it? You haven’t even apprised me.”

Ar’alani rolled her eyes. “Of course not, Syndic. How can we, considering the current political climate?” And then, indicating the jamming device between them on the desk, “How could I possibly inform you of anything when you obstinately refuse each and every one of my invitations to join me aboard the Steadfast?”

“Well,” Thrass rose and procured a bottle of liquor from a cabinet behind the desk. He looked over his shoulder at the trio in a wordless question. Vah’nya shook her head and Ar’alani held her hand out in a silent refusal. He tutted under his breath and set the third glass he’d been reaching for back on the upper shelf, then looked down at the amber liquid as he poured it into each crystal tumbler. “Considering your spy problem, I’d suspect that is for the best, wouldn’t you?”

“Meanwhile, the admiralty thinks you’re a crackpot, and House Inrokini wants to replace you.”

Thrass passed Vah’nya’s left side as he extended one of the two glasses he held to Captain Ivant, who accepted it with a stern nod of gratitude. “You say that like it’s something new,” He groused. “Still, it’s far easier to assassinate me on a ship than it is in my own house.”

“I don’t think you’re their target,” Ivant said.

“No?” Thrass considered, “Killing Thrawn would be pointless. He doesn’t have any power right now.”

“And that’s why it needs to stay that way,” Ar’alani looked over her shoulder, exchanging a meaningful glance with Ivant.

“I agree, Admiral,” Ivant said. His voice held tension, but also regretful understanding. He fixed Thrass with a look. “We don’t think they’re trying to kill Thrawn, though.”

“What would they do if they captured him?” Thrass laughed under his breath to himself, “Specifically if he managed to stay captured.”

“You remember my dream,” Vah’nya said. “The one I told you about, from before-”

“Yes, yes,” Thrass’s tone went softer as he interrupted. “I remember, Navigator.” He gestured for her to continue. Her single statement was all it took to inspire seriousness in the syndic, who waited patiently for her to go on.

“We found concrete evidence of something similar aboard the ship we most recently recovered,” Vah’nya said. Ar’alani produced a chip. “It is in Basic, however-”

“I am somewhat fluent,” Thrass said, waving a hand to dismiss the Navigator’s comment. “I did practice a bit in case our newest addition was… unable to pick up our language.” He held out his hand. “The chip please.”

“Your datapad is encrypted, yes?” Ar’alani asked.

“Disconnected from any servers and freshly wiped, as it always is when we have these… discussions.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Or have you forgotten I am the politician, Admiral?”

“It does not hurt to be extra cautious, Mitth’ras’safis,” Ar’alani chided. She waved to the datapad. “Go on, then. We were able to confirm both validity and origins. The message is recent enough to warrant our concern.”

When it began, the speaker’s voice was scratchy, alien, and hostile. “I bid you greetings from the Galactic Empire,” They said. A tremor descended Thrass’s spine, but he willed himself still. “I am Emperor Palpatine,” There was an audible pause. “But you may know me as another: Darth Sidious. I believe we may have a mutual enemy in the one known as Mitth’raw’nuruodo. Bring him to me - alive - and you will have the aid of my Empire in your conquest of the Chiss.”

#thranto #eli vanto/thrawn #mitth'raw'nuruodo #mitth'ras'safis #ezra bridger #my writing #sw fanfiction #ar'alani #eli vanto #vah'yna