Endure it together

"Well, officially we're not allowed to disrespect aliens" he went on hurriedly. [] "But that's not always what we really do"

"You dislike nonhumans?"

Eli hesitated. How was he supposed to answer that? "There were a lot of different nonhuman groups in the Separatist movement" he said, choosing his words carefully. "The Clone Wars killed a lot of people and devastated whole worlds. There's still a lot of resentment about that, especially among humans. [] Well, that's the perception, anyway. I don't know if it's actually true. [] On top of that, there's a lot of contempt in the Core Worlds toward the people anywhere past the Mid Rim, humans and nonhumans alike. And with me from Wild Space and you from the Unknown Regions, we're about as far into the Sneer Zone as you can get. [] Looks like we're going to be walking on eggshells for the next three months"

Thrawn was silent another few steps. "I assume that is another idiom," he said. "Perhaps it would be better if you did not walk on these eggshells alongside me"

"Yeah, well, you should have thought about that before you asked the Emperor to stick me as your translator," Eli said sourly. "You want to call the Palace and tell them you've changed your mind?"

"I still require your services," Thrawn said. "But you could join the others in expressing your contempt for me"

Eli frowned. "Come again?" []

"You may make it clear to the others that I am no more than an assignment. One, moreover, that you resisted and thoroughly dislike"

"I don’t dislike my assignment" Eli protested, the polite lie automatically coming to his lips. "And I don't dislike you."

"Do you not?" Thrawn countered. "Because of me you were taken from your ship and brought to this Academy, which you fear"

Eli felt something stir inside him. "Who said I was afraid?" he demanded. "I'm not afraid. I'm just not looking forward to spending my last term with a bunch of Core World snobs, that's all."

"I am glad to hear that," Thrawn said gravely. "We shall endure it together."

~

May we have an entire series of books about Eli and Thrawn's tales at the academy?

Waiting for those, masterpieces like this commission by @junchan_nyan_art will fill my heart and soul.

PS. Someone said watching this (and it is perfect) "I imagine that Eli made a clever observation, and Thrawn is looking at him impressed, almost like someone does when they are falling in love or learning to love someone".