He was upset (I had to do it)

Eli gazed at his data card as he and Thrawn walked past the line of graduates now starting to form, his eyes lingering on the Royal Imperial Academy logo, a new trickle of satisfaction running through his disappointment at his parents' abrupt departure. [] He'd done it. He'd really and truly done it. Against all odds, the Wild Space yokel had been thrown into the elite of Coruscant and had succeeded.

"Well?" Thrawn prompted. [] "I presume you asked for a supply officer position?"

"I did," Eli confirmed as he inserted his own data card. "Good chance I got it, too—the bigger ships are always hurting for supply personnel…"

He trailed off. What the hell?

"What is it?" Thrawn asked.

It took Eli two tries to find his voice. "The Blood Crow," he choked out. "Aide to… Lieutenant Thrawn."

He looked up at Thrawn, a red haze of anger dropping over his vision. "Did you do this?" he demanded.

Thrawn shook his head. "No."

"Don't lie!" Eli snarled. "Lieutenants don't get aides. Ever. You set this up with the Emperor, didn't you?"

"The Emperor does not speak to me," Thrawn said. "Nor have I spoken with him since my first day on this world. [] If you wish, I will refuse to accept you in that position."

Eli looked down at his datapad, feeling the anger drain out of him. [] So that was that. In a single stroke, Eli's life had been completely upended.

Again. [] The career path most solidly guaranteed to go nowhere. And that assumed that Thrawn was even up-and-coming himself. [] Disrespect for nonhumans might not be official policy, but it nonetheless quietly pervaded the navy. Thrawn would have to try twice as hard as anyone else, and succeed twice as often, just to stay even with them. []

"Ensign Vanto?" Thrawn prompted. "Shall I speak with the commandant?"

"No point," Eli said, shutting down the datapad and putting it away. "The navy doesn't change orders just because junior officers don't like them. When you're an admiral, we'll see what you can do."

"I understand," Thrawn said quietly. "Very well. I shall strive to achieve that rank as quickly as possible."

Eli looked sharply at him. Was the damn Chiss mocking him?

But there was no hint of amusement in his face. Thrawn was deadly serious. [] Chiss didn't make idle boasts or promises. And once they set their minds to something, they succeeded or died in the attempt. Maybe he really thought he could make admiral someday. Maybe he was right.

"I'll look forward to it," Eli said. "Come on. The orders said to be on the Corellia transport at eighteen-hundred hours. We don't want to start our careers by missing our ride."

~

*My silly headcanon holo conversation after Thrawn was promoted to admiral*

Ar'alani: So, explain this to me one more time. You went there just for observing the Empire, yes?

Thrawn: Yes.

A: But you ended up doing aaaaall these insane things while dodging hate and jealousy, just to reach the Admiral rank as soon as possible.

T: Mmm, yes.

A: WWW H Y?

T: Eli was upset.

A: *skeptical face*

T: It is very logical, actually. He was upset because of his Navy assignments and promotions.

A: *still skeptical*

T: He said that it was impossible for me to change these sort of things holding a rank anything less than an Admiral...

A: *killer stare*

T: ...so I became one. *satisfied face*

A: So, you are now a Grand Admiral of the kriffing Empire because Eli was upset?

T: Obviously. *holding a delighted face*

A: *facepalm*

[Photo: wonderful Eli art print by @cherriielle]

Shadows of the Empire

"The Empire presented a polished, impervious façade that supposedly represented the strict rule of law. While they maintained many of the trappings of the Republic —modifying armor and uniform designs only slightly— those external signs of power had been made sharper, crisper, and more imposing. So much of Palpatine's authority rested on the illusion that he alone had been able to provide order after the chaos of the Clone Wars. But what he called order was merely control, and that control was exercised solely for the benefit of the most powerful among his sycophants.

Planets that had their own wealth and influence remained sheltered from the worst of the Empire's excesses." [1]

"That’s why the Emperor needs an Empire, Kanan. It’s like a space slug, whose only function is to stay alive. It’s got to consume, and consume, and consume." [2]

"Surely, very few people were still completely deceived. But the galactic populace at large couldn't possibly understand just how huge the gap was between Palpatine's promises and the tyrannical reality." [1]

"In theory, say you did have thousands of people —no, thousands of systems— enraged at a hypothetical Galactic Empire in a faraway galaxy. But they’re all upset over local matters, over particular grievances, and they never get together on anything. So they get no strength in numbers, no strategic advantages from cooperation. They’re easy to divide and conquer. And worst of all, no common spirit ever develops." [2]

~

[1] "Leia, Princess of Alderaan" by C. Gray

[2] "A New Dawn" by J. J. Miller

~

There is so much truth in these lines. And it petrifies me.

While, for me, the "Grysks" are the lack of critical sense, the inability to distinguish facts and opinions, the power that few well-placed sources of information exert on uncurious people, the "Empire" is the slow but progressive apathy of society towards injustice, the complete absence of togetherness, the terrifying misunderstanding that "fascism" has something to do with civic duty and not with the creation of imaginary enemies who are the sole reason of our misfortunes.

[Photo: I hate the Empire, but these earrings by @geekablycute were too glorious to let go]

Everyone has a story

“What about you, Vos? What’s your story?”

She was expecting some kind of wisecrack. Instead, Vos looked as if he had no idea how to answer. He turned his head, gazing up at nothing. “You know,” he said, his voice slightly slurred and touched with surprise, “I don’t think I have a story.”

“Everyone has a story,” Ventress pressed, curious now.

He raised his head, drained the glass, and set it down. “Not me. I mean… I’ve done things, seen things. Things have happened to me. But… I don’t think I have a story.”

This had clearly never occurred to him. He seemed to be almost reeling from the revelation. Ventress wondered if it was the alcohol talking, or if Vos really did feel as lost as he sounded. “What about you?” he asked. “What’s your story? Or do you not have one, either?”

“Oh, I have a story all right,” Ventress said. “Quite a lot of stories, actually.”

The story of a girl given into slavery.

Of a Jedi Padawan.

Of a dark Master’s apprentice.

Of a Nightsister.

“But none of them end well.” She frowned into her glass. Maybe the delicious liquor was having an effect on her, too. She was seldom maudlin, and she didn’t like it.

“I wonder,” Vos mused, turning again to look at her. “What’s worse…to have unhappy stories, or have no story at all?”

~

Asajj Ventress.

The "efficient warrior, the cold rager, the temptress practicing both the wink and the nod and the full-on gambit."

A "goddess of love and war and hope and ecstasy".

Vibrant and strong.

Passionate, fearless.

And so, so incredibly alone.

All her life, trusting the wrong people.

Sold, abandoned, cursed, betrayed, rejected.

Like all the other children of Dathomir, the ultimate Euripidean character.

Tragic and extreme.

Yet, so painfully human.

[Photo: elegant and stunning pin by @ritarussiandoll_pins on a design by @omgbartang. In the background, one of my absolute favorite Her Universe leggings, and the first order I ever made from the brand]

Preconceived perceptions

"You look weird with the long hair," Ezra commented, maybe not realizing he had said it out loud as he finished eating his fish. []

"Is that so?" Thrawn raised an eyebrow but didn't look up from cooking his fish over the campfire.

Ezra shrugged. "You used to keep it always very short. It just doesn't look like you."

"The mind rejects patterns that do not comply with its preconceived perception. When confronted with an unfamiliar notion, do you immediately assume it is wrong?" Thrawn countered.

"Well, no. Not all the time, anyway. I'd just try to understand why something would be different now."

"Maybe it was already different when you first found it and it’s simply returning to its original ways," Thrawn said with a hint of a smile.

"So... you used to have long hair?"

"For a time, I did," he nodded. "The Empire had clear hairstyle regulation criteria. It was in my best interest to conform to its established policies."[]

Thrawn passed his fingers through his hair.

Yes, the hair was just another attempt to distance himself from Bridger's old perception of him. It had been awfully clear from the very start that the young Jedi abhorred the idea of allying with him even for his own survival. [] So far they had managed to coexist without major issues but his past actions in Lothal still loomed over them. In his own way, Thrawn certainly regretted not having enough time during the Rebel attack on Lothal to find an alternative to the bombardment of the city, just as the Emperor had demanded of him. Additional to the loss of life and infrastructure, that action was making it extremely difficult to break through with Bridger who was ruled by deeply rooted moral codes and his desire to protect his people. [] Time had passed and yet this deep wound refused to heal, kept open by the consequences of his actions. For both their sakes, for the sake of their people, the wound needed to be cauterized.

["LKT" by @soulnova_alizrak]

~

Radically changing the perception we have of others is hard.

For some people, impossible.

But isn't admitting our shortsighted beliefs a way of eradicating our biases and being free from the lies?

[Photo: my favorite Ezra fanart by @aly_en.art]

I promise

“I’ve touched the mind of Un’hee” she said, almost too quietly for Eli to hear. “I’ve seen what the Grysks did to her. How they probed deeply into her mind and soul. How they found her deepest desires and fears, her most comforting memories and her most cherished hopes. How they twisted and tarnished and bent all of them to their will.

How they broke her soul”

She paused. Eli remained silent, wishing that he had something of comfort to say. Knowing that he didn’t.

“They are a terrible enemy, Eli” Vah’nya said. “Your Empire—your former Empire—forces its will on its slaves through soldiers and weapons and warships. But the Grysks… three can command a nation. A hundred can rule an entire world. Billions of beings, their hearts and souls broken, ready to fight and die at the order of a handful of aliens.

No resistance, no revolt, no dissent, no hope.”

She looked up at Eli. [] “I won’t let that happen to me, Eli. I won’t let it happen to my four sister navigators. Nor will I let it happen again to Un’hee”

“I know how you feel” Eli said, a chill running up his back. [] “What do you want me to do?” []

Vah’nya looked him straight in the eye. “If the time comes when there is no hope, [] will you promise to kill me and my sisters?”

And there it was. The question Eli had known was coming. []

“I would never do anything to harm you, Vah’nya” he said quietly. [] “I would give my life without hesitation to save yours” He braced himself. “But there are worse things than death. [] You and your sister navigators will never have to endure that living hell” []

Ar’alani was waiting for him. “She spoke to you of her fear and request?” she asked. [] “And you’re prepared to deal with both?”

Eli swallowed. She knew, all right. She knew everything. [] “Yes, Admiral” he said. “I am” []

“Then stand ready, Lieutenant. And let us hope that Grand Admiral Mitth’raw’nuruodo is as prepared for his battle as we are for ours”

Eli nodded. “He is, Admiral. He always is”

~

*No resistance, no revolt, no dissent, no hope*

Pure horror.

And Eli.

Willing to sacrifice, to lacerate his most pure essence to protect the ones he loves.

Like Thrawn before him.

[Photo: lovely Eli charm by @cherriielle]

It's just us

"I have no desire or intention of arguing with you, Bridger. You removed us from the conflict that made us enemies.

Here, there is no Rebellion or Empire. It's just us.

We find ourselves in completely different circumstances.

Will you put aside our differences to ensure we both stay alive?"

I start today with a new quotes series, dedicated to Ezra and Thrawn.

Their fears and their hopes, their misunderstandings and deep connections.

Trying to survive, alone and lost.

Non-canon you're saying? Well.

After Mr. Zahn's panel last month in Kansas City (you can find the whole video some posts below), we know the direction in which the author would go if allowed to write their story.

A conflict in personalities that is the perfect lever for the ultimate success.

A mutual goal, a growing respect and care for each other.

Eli's intervention, mediation. Body and soul rescue.

[As he always does]

The calibrated equilibrium between Thrawn's logic and Ezra's selflessness.

I would truly love to read this.

Zahn's Thrawn.

My Thrawn.

So, while I am waiting with painful anxiety for what Filoni decided to do with their future, I can warm my heart with something that, although non-canon, translates well Mr. Zahn's vision.

At least in its first 10 chapters, "Last Known Trajectory" by @soulnova_alizrak has all the cards for telling this story.

The compassionate and impulsive Ezra meets the attentive and kind Thrawn.

Perfectly balanced, perfectly in character.

Ezra's diffidence, Thrawn's pragmatism.

Their unlike methods.

Their stubbornness, pride.

And endless generosity.

[Photo: these creative and so beautiful Ezra-inspired earrings are made by @geekablycute. I am stunned every time she shares a new design because everything is always so well detailed and exquisite. In the background, the book that will guide during this series rants, "Last Known Trajectory", which you can find for free on Archive of Our Own, or as a printed book —like the one depicted— on Lulu.com. The mug is from Teepublic]

He needs you

Eli smiled to himself. For all of Thrawn’s interest in observing and establishing his opponents’ patterns, the admiral had plenty of his own.

“Interesting plan,” Faro murmured from Eli’s side. “At the very least it holds the prospect of taking them by surprise.”

“Admiral Thrawn’s plans usually do that,” Eli murmured back.

“So I’ve noticed,” Faro said. “You’ve been with him a long time, haven’t you?”

Eli shrugged. “All my career.”

“Must have been nice,” Faro mused. “Minds like his are few and far between. Too often the men and women in senior command positions are there because of who they know rather than what they know.”

“Yes, I’ve served under my share of those.”

“As did Thrawn, I assume,” Faro said. “It must have driven him crazy at times. Good thing you were there to keep him sane.”

“There’s nothing special about me, ma’am,” Eli said. “In fact, I was on track to be a supply officer before he showed up.”

Faro shook her head. “That would have been a waste. You belong on the bridge, not the conveyer.”

“Not sure I agree, ma’am,” Eli said, feeling a twinge of embarrassment. “I certainly don’t have the admiral’s genius for tactics.”

“Maybe not,” Faro said. “But once the plans are explained, you understand them.”

Eli had to smile. “Once they’re explained, ma’am, anyone can understand them.”

“You think so?” Faro countered. “You really think all the captains and their senior officers out there in the Ninety-Sixth understand how this is going to work?”

“Of course,” Eli said, frowning. “It’s obvious.”

“To you and to me, Commander,” Faro said. “Not to everyone.”

Eli stared at Thrawn’s back, his brain automatically counting down the ships’ acknowledgments as they came from the comm station. Was Faro right?

And if so, was that why Thrawn had manipulated Eli’s career to keep him as his aide? Not as a punishment, or even on a whim, but to train him in the art of command? [.] Was Eli one of a relative few who could genuinely understand Thrawn’s tactics?

~

Good thing you were there to keep him sane.

Yes, Faro, yes.

You know them for like 30 minutes but perfectly framed these two.

How unique they are.

How essential to each other.

[Cutter: @chelsg2003]

Ahsoka Tano

“Time for reinforcements, supplies, and perhaps my new Padawan.” []

“This isn’t the time or the place to train a Padawan, Master. They’re a liability.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Kenobi picked up speed. He broke into a steady run and pulled ahead. “You weren’t. Most of the time, anyway”

“Most?”

“The best way to learn is on the job, after all. You should ask Master Yoda for your own Padawan, Anakin. You have a lot to teach. I really think you should.”

“No, thanks.” Anakin glanced at Rex and raised an eyebrow to Kenobi’s back. The captain shrugged. “I’ll teach when I think I’ve got experience worth passing on. And a learner would slow me down. We don’t have the luxury of time at the moment.”

Anakin could have sworn Rex was amused. [] Then the man gave him a discreet thumbs-up.

Anakin winked. Thanks, Rex.

The gunship touched down between two cannon emplacements, and the ramp went down. But no fresh clone troopers disembarked, or even supply droids steering fully-laden repulsors and ammunition crates.

A little female Togruta stepped onto the plaza instead. A tiny girl. A child. []

The little Togruta drew herself up to her full height—which wasn’t saying much—and craned her neck to look up at Kenobi. “Master Yoda was worried that you hadn’t reported in, and he couldn’t reach you, so he sent me with a message.”

“Sent you?” Kenobi said. “So where’s the cruiser? Where are our reinforcements? Our support? [] And who are you?”

“I’m Padawan Ahsoka Tano,” she said.

“Ah, my new apprentice.” Kenobi gave her a polite bow, as if grateful to salvage at least something from the situation. “Nothing like being thrown in at the deep end.”

Ahsoka looked a little uncomfortable for a moment, then smiled as if she’d nailed it on with grim determination just to keep their spirits up.

“No, Master, I’m not your assigned Padawan.” She turned to Anakin and bowed. “I’m yours, Master Skywalker.”

~

Well.

We all know how it went.

[And Yoda is an evil mastermind]

[Photo: my new Her Universee and Heroes & Villains wallet, together with their wonderful Ahsoka ita bag, and the Her Universe windbreaker. Super cute keychain: @raewardstudios]

I wish I knew

Like last week, the one that follows is another of the "impossible-to-cut-further" excepts.

A real treasure.

At the end of it, you just crave to hug Thrawn for his naivete while loving Eli for how adorable, patient, and selfless he is. So, I refuse to redact it more. Please, bear with me and keep reading it in the comments because Thrawn's care for Eli and any kind soul around him is pure cotton candy.

Photo in-universe: the story goes that this is a snapshot of a "post-purgilled-Thrawn" Eli's desk. He still has some old Thrawn stationary, from his service on the Chimaera, and Ar'alani made him a new one, that she decided to have printed in basic (and Eli's is mad about it because he "can perfectly read Cheunh, as the little note says"). The card key holder is a gift from Ch'eri, few months after Eli's arrival, so that he could "still see Thrawn's face every day". The portrait is a gift from Thrawn, done by a local artist during a vacation they had on Lysatra.

Credits: stationary by @scifigirlnextdoor, art by @aly_en.art, keychain by @ooakrafts]

~

“I do not understand,” Thrawn said, his usually impassive face troubled as he gazed at the datapad report. If Thrawn were a lesser being, Eli reflected, he would almost say the Chiss was confused.

“What’s there to understand?” Eli asked. “It’s the result everyone expected.”

The glowing red eyes bored into Eli’s. “Everyone?

“Mostly,” Eli hedged. Yes, that was definitely what he might characterize as confusion. “Really, it’s just navy politics as usual.”

“But it violates all tactical reason,” Thrawn objected. “Commander Cheno acquitted himself well, and the actions of his ship won the battle and saved many lives. How does High Command conclude that he must be relieved of duty?” []

“As I say, politics. Gendling’s well connected, and his delicate little pride got bruised, so he’s taking it out on Cheno.”

Thrawn looked again at the datapad. “It is a foolish waste of resources.”

“Agreed,” Eli said. “But it could have been worse.”

“How so?”

“Really?” Eli asked, frowning. Was it *really* not obvious to him?

“You were the one Gendling really wanted to nail to the bulkhead. Cheno might have been able to save himself if he’d told the panel you’d overreached your authority. But he didn’t. Since they had nothing on you, they threw him to the wolves instead.”

Thrawn was silent another three steps. “A foolish waste,” he murmured again.

Eli sighed. “You might as well get used to it.”

Again, the glowing red eyes turned on him. “What do you mean?”

Eli hesitated. It really wasn’t his place to say this. But if he didn’t, who else would? And for all Thrawn’s military skill and insight, he seemed incapable of seeing this one on his own. “I mean, sir, there’s a good chance that you’re going to leave a trail of damaged careers in your wake. In fact, you already have.” []

“There was no such intent on my part.”

“I know that,” Eli said. “It’s not because of anything you’ve done. It’s just the political reaction to—well, to you.”

“That was never my intent in accepting the Emperor’s service.”

“Intent isn’t the point,” Eli said patiently. “The problem is that you don’t fit into the neat little box navy officers are supposed to fill. You’re not human; worse, you’re not from the Core Worlds.”

“Neither are you or many others.”

“But the rest of us Wild Space yokels aren’t flying rings around all the politically connected elite who think they’re such flaming-hot stuff,” Eli pointed out. “You’re showing them up, and they resent you for it. And if they can’t take you down, they’ll go after the people they think helped make you who you are.”

“People like you?”

Eli let his gaze drift away. Yes, people like him. People who still had the lowly rank they’d graduated the Academy with while everyone else was energetically climbing the ladder.

But this conversation wasn’t about him. This conversation and warning were about Thrawn. “They’d probably come after me if they thought I was worth the effort,” he said, sidestepping the question.

“Do you suggest I try to be less capable?”

“Of course not,” Eli said firmly. “You do that and more people will die and more bad guys get away. I’m just pointing out that you need to be aware that you’re in the political crosshairs.”

“I understand,” Thrawn said. “I will endeavor to learn the rules and tactics of this form of warfare. In the meantime, is there anything we can do for Commander Cheno?”

“Just wish him well, I guess,” Eli said.

[Extra: the note in the photo says:

"Everything seems so distant now.

Faded away.

Do you remember when you asked me if your association with me was damaging my career?

My path?

How a fool I was.

How a fool, because a tiny part of me was blaming you.

When you were teaching me everything.

Giving me everything.

Your loves ones. Your memories.

Yourself.

I wish I knew.]

Fearless

Faro suppressed a grimace. And that one was squarely on her. [...]

And Vader was standing right there.

His helmet turned toward her.

There were rumors about what happened to people who displeased the Dark Lord. None of those stories were pleasant. None of them ended well. Kimmund was still here, so Vader had apparently decided the loss of the other ships wasn’t the First Legion’s fault. But Faro had no such guarantees for herself.

~

“Then the fault must lie with the Chimaera’s crew,” Vader said. He steps forward. His voice perhaps holds impatience.

“With all due respect, Lord Vader, I don’t believe that to be the case,” Faro said. Her eyes turn to Vader. The stiffness of her stance increases. Her voice holds caution and a degree of fear, but also determination. “This hyperlane is sparsely traveled, and its parameters and edges are poorly defined. I believe it more likely we’ve run into the shadow of some previously unknown mass.”

“Indeed,” Vader said. His vocal pitch lowers slightly. His hands rise to his waist, his thumbs hooking into his belt. “And where is this mysterious mass?”

Faro’s throat muscles tighten briefly. “We haven’t yet located it, Lord Vader,” she said. Her eyes turn back to her admiral. “I have our best sensor operators working on the problem, sir.”

“Perhaps your best are not up to the standards of Imperial service,” Vader said.

“The Chimaera’s officers and crew are more than adequate to their tasks, Lord Vader,” Thrawn said. “Commodore, if there is indeed a wayward mass affecting us, perhaps some forward movement will take us clear of its shadow and effect.”

“Yes, sir,” Faro said. The tension in her face and voice eases noticeably. “Helm: Take us ahead at two-thirds power. Scanners: Continue to search for objects.”

~

I know, I know.

I already said that I love her.

But, think about it: she is probably the only Imperial I can think of (besides maybe Tarkin and Thrawn himself) to speak her mind in front of Vader, knowing the possible consequences.

She is a rock.

And, sure, she knows that Thrawn has her back 100%, but she has the guts, folks!

[Photo: my pride and joy, my first custom Funko]

Til the Spire!

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward."

Amelia Earhart

At the end of August 2020, after a little less than a month that I was posting in here, it started to appear in my feed a new account that was sharing art and cool photos of Batuu.

I liked the first post, and IG kept showing me art becoming stickers and stickers becoming t-shirts and pins.

Since then, I bought incredibly awesome t-shirts, pins, and a lot of stickers from that small shop, run with the same passion and enthusiasm during the last year.

I took this photo several months ago ("Vi Possibile" and "Vi: Vote" are among my favorite SW art ever), and today I think sharing it is a way to celebrate a very cool account, a prolific shop, and a very lovely human.

Thank you for being part of this community, @hellotherecargo!

Til the Spire!

Emergency

[NOTE: If you caught one of my IG stories the other day, you know that I have very serious issues with "Tempest Runner", the last audio drama released by Penguin Random House. My umbrage at the plot/author choices isn't a mere matter of preference. If it is true that I personally found "Rising Storm" a flat exercise of style without any actual feeling, and I'm not particularly into the main comic series, I didn't feel the urge to share my thoughts in my stories before. I am not here to give stars or tomatoes, and, quite frankly, who cares what my opinions are.

However, "Tempest Runner" disturbed and angered me on a more profound and personal scale, so, I felt to share it, at least, in my stories. And, according to the landslide of private messages I received after posting that, I was not the only one.

This said, it would be silly of me to disregard the list of THR posts that I have in my bucket. Sharing with you the wise passages —like the one that follows—, the wonderful characters, the heartwarming stories.

Everything I AM grateful for, and very much, in this series.]

~

Across Hetzal Prime and the broad expanses of its two inhabited moons, the message of Minister Ecka travel rapidly []: *Nowhere is safe. Get as far away as you can.*

Explanation was limited, which caused speculation. [.]

Some people ignored the warning. [.] After all, the entire system in danger? It just wasn't possible.

Those people stayed in their homes, at their workplaces. They turned off their screens and got back to their lives, because it was better than the alternative. And if they glanced to the skies from time to time, and saw starships heading up and out... well, they told themselves the people in those ships were fools, easily spooked.

~

I read this "Light of the Jedi" excerpt for the first time in mid-March.

And it hit me.

Still does.

Too real, too tragically palpable all around.

Wishful thoughts becoming new truths, facts.

Everyone pushing to be normal again.

While selfishly forgetting the most vulnerable, the ones that a democratic society swore to protect instead.

So, "now more than ever, we need the Jedi".

[Photo: a beautiful THR inspired hairpin by @outerspaceoutpost]

You, me and them

“Congratulations, son,” his father said, gripping his hand tightly.

“Thanks, Dad,” Eli said.

But despite the smiles and cheerful words, he could sense an unexpected reserve lurking behind his father’s eyes. His mother’s concerns were even more visible. It wasn’t hard to figure out the reason. Every glance at the Coruscant skyline, every lingering look at one of the other freshly minted ensigns, every lowering of their voices whenever someone nearby might hear—all of it pointed to the fact that a Wild Space cadet like Eli should never have been at Royal Imperial in the first place.

And then, there was Thrawn.

“You’re sure he’s okay? Because if the stories about Chiss are right…” She trailed off.

“They aren’t, Mom,” Eli assured her. “He’s okay,” he assured them. “Really. Very smart. Let’s not talk about him, okay?”

“Fine,” his father said. “Let’s talk about you. What happens now that you’re off your career track?”

“Who says I’m off it?”

“Well, I hope so,” his father said. “I just…you never know about Core World nonsense.”

Eli suppressed a sigh.

“And hanging around that Chiss might have affected things, too,” his mother added.

No matter how far down the social scale a person was, he added sourly to himself, there was always someone lower.

“We have to get going,” his father said suddenly. Eli frowned, looking at him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Thrawn approaching at a brisk walk. As his father had apparently also noted. Always someone lower.

“You really don’t have to,” he said.

“We have to go,” his father said, fumbling in his tunic. “We have to…damn.”

And then it was too late.

“Good afternoon,” Thrawn said as he joined their little group. “You are Ensign Vanto’s parents, of course. Welcome to Coruscant.”

“Thank you,” Eli’s father said, his voice a little strained. “You are…uh…”

“I am Lieutenant Thrawn,” Thrawn said.

“You’re a—you’re really a Chiss?”

“I am,” Thrawn confirmed. “Your son has spoken of your legends concerning us. Be aware that not all of them are accurate.”

“But some of them are? May I ask which ones?”

“Dad!” Eli admonished him, feeling his face warming.

“The most flattering ones, of course,” Thrawn said, a small smile touching his lips. “Still, even when false, legends can be most informative. What is remembered says a great deal about those doing the remembering.”

For a moment an awkward silence surrounded the group. “I see,” Eli’s father said at last. “Very interesting. But as I was saying, we have to go.”

“Thank you for inviting us here, Eli. Let us know where they put you, and take care.”

“I will, Mom,” Eli promised as his father wrapped his arms around them both. “Have a safe trip back.”

“Mr. Vanto,” Thrawn said, returning the nod. “Ms. Vanto. Safe journeys.”

For a moment Eli and Thrawn stood in silence, watching as his parents walked down the path toward the Academy’s landing platform. “They are concerned about you,” Thrawn said at last.

“Parents’ prerogative,” Eli said, wondering uncomfortably how much Thrawn had been able to read from his brief encounters with them. Had he figured out that a major part of their concern was that Thrawn’s presence in Eli’s life might somehow have poisoned his future? “They’re also not all that comfortable here. Big city, Core people. You know.”

“Yes,” Thrawn said. 

~

Despite I tried to redact (and I did, heavily, already) this for almost 3 hours, I cannot make it short as I wanted.

It's a defeat, I know, but I cannot reduce it further without losing more treasures.

So, please have the patience to read this sad, but very *very* real excerpt.

One of my favorites, even if painful, that shows how Mr. Zahn knows perfectly well what he is describing here.

Diffidence, intolerance, narrow minds.

And you between your family, your true self, and your loved one.

The wonderful commission in the photo was created for me by @_cinnonym.

Despite the AU setting, this art is the quintessence of them.

The shy sexiness, the polite attention, the unexpressed bold sentiment. I love it so much that I have TWO on my home walls now. Hat and boots are mines. Because I live in Iowa, after all.

Curiosity