My Sassy Girl

"Very good, Commodore," Ar'alani said. "You’re strong and confident. Mitth’raw’nuruodo chose well."

"Thank you," Faro said. "Though in all fairness, my appointment to the Chimaera came from the Imperial Navy High Command, not Admiral Thrawn himself."

"I wasn’t referring to your position," Ar’alani said, "but rather to his choice of protégée. I have nothing but respect for Mitth’raw’nuruodo’s abilities. I disagree with his choice of position." Another half smile. "Unlike yours, he has chosen his."

"You mean his service with the Empire?"

"Yes." Ar’alani half turned to gaze out the forward viewport. "There are grave threats facing the Ascendancy. The Grysks and their clients, predominantly, but others as well. We need him to lend his name and his history to our cause. But so far he refuses." She turned back to Faro. "Is his life here truly so much better?"

Faro thought about Batonn, and the mission the Emperor had sent him on with Lord Vader, and his position in the current power struggle between Grand Moff Tarkin and Director Krennic.

"His life here is precarious," she told Ar’alani. "But this is apparently where he thinks he can best serve all of us. Including the Ascendancy."

Precise, efficient, confident but also creative, witty, and funny, Karyn Faro is the result of natural leadership skills and brilliant mentoring.

Her respect and affection for Thrawn are endless.

So, even if I already shared several of my most treasured quotes before, I still have many in my bucket.

[You have been warned]

Unfortunately, I do not believe that my beloved Chimaera bridge crew ended too well after Thrawn's disappearance.

Under his command, they were encouraged to think and speak freely, to be asked for their opinions, to express their full potential.

IF they survived (which I doubt) any narrow-minded Imperial Commanding Officer without being court-martialed, jailed, or killed on the spot, they probably deserted after either Aldeeran or Cinder.

Heartbroken.

[Photo: 7th Fleet mug by CubeRider on Teepublic, Faro's stationery by @scifigirlnextdoor, pin by @enamel_empire. The inspiration for Faro owning this pin comes from a fanfic by sunRaven05]

For the record, the message says:

"Boss,

I found these notes after almost 6 months that you disappeared.

Things are not going well here.

Everything is different without you.

It is not my command, it is the Empire.

The Chimaera was so different.

You were different.

I really miss you.

Karyn."