Inner joke (and it worked)

“Ensign Vanto,” Thrawn said. “Has Coruscant responded to my report?”

“Yes, sir,” Vanto said, his voice dark with contempt. “I’m afraid they’re not happy with you.”

“No doubt their unhappiness will expand when Chief Joko delivers his own reaction.”

“Fine,” Vanto said with a resigned sigh. “They’re not just not happy. They’re furious.”

“As expected.”

“Which is insane,” Vanto said, his anger appearing through his decorum. “You ended the conflict, you exposed a criminal conspiracy, and you kept a deep vein’s worth of spice off the market. What more do they want?”

“They want a commander who follows procedures,” Thrawn said. []

“I see.” Vanto was silent a moment. “Senior Lieutenant Hammerly was able to stall them for a bit by telling them you were consulting with the local chief. But they expect you to call back.”

“Of course,” Thrawn said. “I will do so immediately.”

“What will you tell them?”

“The truth.”

The truth.

Eli scowled the words to himself [].

The truth. When did that ever gain anyone anything?

Thrawn had been telling the truth pretty much since he’d arrived in Imperial space. Yet he was continually getting hauled back to Coruscant to explain himself before increasingly hostile officers’ boards. It was only through the intervention and good graces of people like Colonel Yularen that he was still even in the navy, let alone commanding his own ship.

The truth. No, truth never gained anyone anything. All it did was anger those who preferred lies and confusion and backspinning in the hope of making themselves look better. As far as Eli had been able to tell, that was pretty much everyone. []

With a sigh, Eli continued on toward his quarters.

Wondering if anyone, anywhere, really cared about truth.

~

My soul bleeds knowing that nobody will care about Thrawn's truth next year either.

Nevertheless, I will be here.

Every Thursday and every day to cherish it.

~

Addendum.

Today is a weird day in an overall very weird week of a very very weird month.

And this photo, wanted as an inner joke, took me *way* more time than I am willing to admit. But, all the same, the meta meaning is for Jackson's eyes only.