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]