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al-astakbar · 10 months

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☆ Kept — Thrawn x reader ☆

> summary ☆ Thrawn reveals a long-held desire

> pairing ☆ Thrawn x reader

> word count [1.8k] ☆ warnings ☆ breeding kink but it’s soft; PIV sex; creampies; cunnilingus; speaking Cheunh; visions of domestic bliss ;-;

> posted on ao3 ☆

You know that Thrawn has always kept parts of himself back. In reserve, waiting for the right moment to play his hand. But this…

“You want to…” the word itself, the very idea sounds shockingly filthy when he says it.

“To breed you, yes.” He tilts his head slightly at the fierce blush that creeps up your neck. “Is that not the correct term in Basic?”

You open and close your mouth several times, feel your heartbeat in your ears as your pulse surges hot with a sudden rush of arousal. “It… is,” you say at last. “But, why? I mean, can Chiss and humans even have babies?”

He nods once, his eyes never leaving yours.

“Oh,” you say faintly, as your mind fills with visions of growing round and big with his child, maybe more than once. Of holding tiny bundles in your arms, of the heartbreaking sweetness of tiny blue hands and fingers and soft, wispy ink-black hair. Wide red eyes glowing up at you from little faces. And Thrawn there, always, gathering you into his family, keeping you safe and close at his side. Once or twice would never be enough for him. He’ll want you constantly, he’ll keep you filled and dripping, and always sated. You swallow hard, then take a few shaky breaths. “I… yes. Please.”

Something fierce comes over him then. He takes you in his arms, bears you down on the bed with a deep, claiming kiss. His mouth is hot on yours, his tongue sweeps in, parting your lips, and he brings a hand up to tangle in your hair.

“Yes,” he repeats between kisses, his accent getting a little less cultured, a little further from the usual cool, modulated tone, “yes, you need this, little one.”

The familiar term of endearment sounds much less innocent now, though it never fails to rouse you, to make you press closer to him in seeking to unravel that knot of tension in your core.

He is still commanding and maddeningly confident. He takes in your reaction with a knowing smile as if he expected nothing less. “You need to be bred. I’ve waited far too long.”

The word, again, makes your heart skip. Makes you hopeful, and lightheaded with need. You hadn’t dared to imagine, before this, that your association with Thrawn could be anything other than temporary. Except now he’s marking you. Now he’s kissing along your jaw, your neck, sucking a bruising kiss there on the sensitive skin too high for your collar to hide. Even before you start to show, everyone will see. It will confirm what the crew of the Chimaera have been whispering about for months. Grand Admiral Thrawn has a little pet. And he intends to keep you.

He has you bare in a moment, rucking your dress up past your stomach and then pulling the straps down to expose your breasts. He likes to watch them as he bounces you on his cock.

You arch to his touch, squirming, desperate for more. Aching to know what it will feel like soon, when they get tender, when your body changes and ripens.

“It will be a lot,” he tells you. “When I fill you up, there will be too much to hold inside you.” He sounds a little breathless at the idea, dizzy at the possibility. You can already feel the hard line of his erection pressed against your hip, and he’s grinding slowly, winding the thread of your desire tighter turn by turn.

He still hasn’t answered-- “why?” Your breath hitches as he reaches down, undoes his button and zip. “Why do you want to…?” Why now?

But it seems to be some instinct Thrawn himself hasn’t quite come around to understanding, though he is beholden to it. The urge to fuck his seed into you until you’re swollen with it, filled to bursting. To keep you barefoot and domesticated and your thighs always sticky with his cum, a testament to his virility.

“There is a phrase in Cheunh. Che’o euhn cabpen.”

“Che’o…My…?” He’s rubbing the head of his cock along the seam of your pussy. Slick, sliding in the wet. You can’t think, can’t get the words from your limited Cheunh.

You steady yourself with your palms against his chest. He hasn’t bothered to take off his uniform. Almost never does. He is broad and strong underneath the pristine white wool.

“My little wife,” he translates, his voice low and raw. He spreads your legs wider, hands on the backs of your thighs, pushes your knees to your shoulders so you’re wide and open. All for him.

Another time, he would get on his elbows and luxuriate in tasting you, press lewd, open-mouthed kisses to your clit. He doesn’t have the patience now. He notches his stiff cock at your entrance and sinks in with a sigh. His glowing red eyes drop closed for a moment. His control over himself is tenuous, and already starting to slip.

You whine at the sting, clenching around him. He groans, and rocks in further, and again. His thick length stretches your pussy, inch by inch until his hips are flush with yours. He opens his eyes.

“Yes, my little wife.” His chest rises and falls with harsh breaths. “Once it takes, you will bear that title, among the Chiss.”

Once it takes, you’ll give him a legacy. The thought of it is intoxicating and powerful. It draws a shiver of desire up your spine, makes you feel just how big he is inside you, how firm and strong he is holding you down as he splits you open. His thrusts deepen, get rougher. He makes you take more, his balls slapping heavily against your ass. Words-- Cheunh and Basic-- tumble from his mouth. One you hear over and over--

“Cssut’sahn?” You ask.

Thrawn’s eyes snap to yours. “Tight,” he gasps. “So-- so tight--” he breaks off with a growl and orders you to touch your clit, he lapses to Cheunh and back again, need to feel you cum. Your fingers find slickness and relief. Close. You circle the spot in time with his driving strokes, everything gripping tighter and tighter and you’re gasping his name. The need to be fucked and filled and owned, the need to be bred, all coalesce to a bright, singular pleasure. It floods your body, making you ripple and flutter around his thick length and then he’s following you. You feel hot spurts of his cum pumping into you, filling you up and overflowing, just like he’d promised. So much of it. It leaks out but he doesn’t stop, he moans and wraps his arms around you, his hips still rolling slowly.

He stays like that for a time, then pulls back so he can look at your belly. He puts a hand flat there on the soft skin, quiet and intent. When he eases his cock out of your pussy it makes a slick sound and then you feel a gush of his cum after. It drips out, down your pussy and ass, onto the sheets. Thrawn watches with fascination and an odd gleam in his glowing red eyes. He scoops some with his fingers and pushes two of them into your oversensitized, dripping hole.

“Thrawn--” it’s too much, your body clamps down and tries to push him out, which makes more of his cum ooze out, coating his hand.

“You’ll need to relax, little one, if I’m to breed you properly.” His voice is again cool and soft. Amused at how pliant you are at his touch.

You moan helplessly at the thought of taking him again. But that is what he’s going to do. He takes pity on you, prepares you, gives you a second orgasm, his fingers stroking inside you at a decadent pace, milking slickness from your pussy. Just as you’re cresting, he dips his head, gives your clit a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss and makes a low, feral sound as you come on his face. While you’re shuddering and whimpering, twitching away from his touch when it overwhelms you, he rises. He buries his cock in the slippery mess of your pussy with one deep thrust, and somehow he feels even bigger than the first time. Thicker and harder. He stuffs you to the brim, setting a hard, deliberate rhythm. Soon, with a stream of more Cheunh, he’s pressing into you deep, his cock twitching and flexing as he pants against your neck.

“It’s important that I fuck you often,” he murmurs, his face pressed to your skin. “Every few hours, until the seeding takes. I know you are sore…” But he only lets you rest for a minute. When you are too tired to keep your thighs open, he turns you over, takes you from behind, pounding into you rough and fast. And when your legs give out, he holds you up, pulling your hips to his, the obscene, erotic sound of flesh on flesh filling the small stateroom. Several times throughout the day, his comm chimes and he has to leave you. He buttons up his uniform, adjusting his rank plaque so it isn’t crooked, and leaves you there on his bed. His toy. He doesn’t have to restrain you or lock the door. You stay, sated and docile, until he gets back. His little wife. The words play over in your head.

You say them back to him when he returns and he allows you an indulgent smile. He enjoys the way you look right now, you can tell. He is more permissive, more attentive than he’s ever been. You feel treasured and delicate, like some particular rare piece in his collection. He turns you over on your back, taking in the sight of you. Your face flushed, eyes glassy with desire, your thighs pink and sticky, pussy swollen and dripping from a whole day of stimulation. He soothes his fingers along your slit, catching more of his spend and pushing it back in. He gives you one last soft, lazy orgasm, coaxing you higher and higher until you’re shuddering, rolling your hips up to his mouth. He speaks more in Cheunh, as if you understand it. You catch a little bit. Him telling you it feels good, doesn’t it, little one. It feels so good for you, to be filled up, to have all my cum inside you.

What you don’t understand now, you’ll learn. You’ll hear it in sweet little voices, you’ll sing it in lullabies. It feels almost taboo to imagine, a vision of years from now, of Thrawn with his temples entirely grey, his white uniform and rank plaque folded in a box somewhere. All his battles won. And you’ll sit with him in a quiet, sunny room and listen as he tells stories to your children.

☆ oh shit tag list i almost forgot ☆

but there is only one :)

@crosshairs-wife

#thrawn #thrawn x reader #thrawn x you #thrawn fic #thrawn fanfiction #grand admiral thrawn

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anoray · 16 days

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Just more ponderings on the Tech Alive vs. Dead speculation prior to Episode 14.

Granted, we are at the next-to-last show, so time is rapidly running out for a confirmed Tech resurrection. But if Tech is truly dead, then why:

Do the producers and actors for TBB say and post cryptic comments, almost always use words like "gone," "lost" or "sacrifice" instead of "he is definitely dead, people, stop hoping already"?" Are they looking forward to the Tech fans' disappointment with malicious glee?

Usually when a main SW protagonist actually for real dies, it results in some sort of victory or at least escape for the remaining heroes. Think how we see Kanan get fully engulfed by a spectacular explosion as he saves his Ghost family, and it ultimately results in the destruction of Thrawn's TIE Defender program. It utterly and completely sucks that Kanan is dead, but his death mattered. In comparison, a very resourceful and cool-headed Tech falls into obscuring clouds early on in the episode, but then his sacrifice becomes meaningless as the ship with the tracker to help find Tantiss is blown up thanks to Saw Gerrera's group, plus Omega is captured.

And let's not forget the gloating Hemlock bestowing Tech's broken goggles upon Hunter. The writers wanted to make it clear that Hemlock found Tech regardless of what shape he was in.

If CX-2 is not a brainwashed Tech, then why did the writers make him move and sound so much like him? In rewatching Seasons 1 and 2, the similarities stack up. The non-subtle ones so far include the way CX-2 climbed out of the water being an exact duplicate of how Tech did the same in Season 2, how he intonates phrases like "who...are you?" (did it twice by the way) like Tech, plus is clearly a whiz with technology and uses vocab like "domicile" in a manner just like Tech. The way CX-2 uses his rangefinder and wears an ankle pouch--all totally Tech's style. All these nods to Tech seem completely unnecessary to apply to CX-2' if he's a completely new character. So, if Tech is not behind the mask, why do the writers bother to put it all this in to make us speculate on the possibility?

Dead or alive, whatever Hemlock retrieved of Tech was taken back to Tantiss "for reasons." I guess the twist could be that Tech is imprisoned in a medical cell and his genetic material (and likely Crosshair's as well) has been used to enhance the CX operatives. If Tech is alive but not in a way we are being led to expect, then okeedokee, but I only hope the Batch gets him out.

TBB has certainly had some plot parallels with The Mandalorian and if Tech is not dead, it might parallel Rebels by resurrecting Tech in exchange for the death/sacrifice of another Batcher (a la Kanan's spirit helping get Ahsoka rescued from certain death by Vader). In this instance, it seems most likely it will be Crosshair and/or Hunter to make that sacrifice for a bittersweet ending.

Or they have definitely been yanking our chain and Tech has been dead since that fall with CX-2 just another Marrok/Snoke fakeout, then I will be most displeased (and will add TBB to my growing Star Wars PTSD list).

The ending I want:

What we'll probably get:

#the bad batch #the bad batch spoilers #tech #tech is cx-2 speculation #please don't break my heart like kanan again #by the way i want crosshair to survive he's a fave too #am i going to have to deal with a double whammy #ugh

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seth-shitposts · 7 months

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I just remembered that in your au Kallus kind of raised Ezra for like 3 years before Ezra joined the Ghost Crew and like.... how pissed off was Kallus in your version of "An inside Man"? Because Ezra DELIBERATELY let himself get captured with no way to get out immediately

Thank you so much for this ask!! I love sharing about my AUs as much as possible.

And I uh, rambled twice over so breaker:

---

The Bridger Raid was when Ezra was around 7, and then the Seige of Lasan happened when Ez was around 12 (which in the AU is when Kallus defects and has to separate from Ezra for the kid's safety). Then things continue similar as they did in Canon, the crew meeting Ezra at 14.

*Note as I was in the middle of working on this post, for some reason my brain supplied "Through Imperial Eyes" instead of "An Inside Man", so I'm giving some thoughts and current notes on both. They aren't set in stone, but these are approximations for each of them.

____

It agitated his nerves for sure. He had a strong hunch since the moment Lyste informed him that two laborers slipped from the lines unnoticed. And he was already set in a state of higher stress because he had been close to Sumar.

Before Sumar was pressured into work for the empire, Kallus had collaborated "hypotheticals" with him. Sumar and Ezra are the only ones who know that Kallus is working against the Empire even if they don't know the extent.

When Sumar had started work in the imperial factory, Kallus offered an escape, but Sumar chose to stay. So they made plans together. At one point Kallus brought up the idea of a back up plan to Sumar. They both know the dangerous game they're playing by doing their work so close underneath the Empire's nose. So kallus began to ask Sumar about, if or when the time came, what the plan should be to get Sumar out at the chance of something happening (such Sumar being asked to demonstrate sabotaged equipment). Sumar said that if Kallus can do so covertly, absolutely. But if he has to compromise his own position, that he shouldn't dare. They've both worked too hard for them both to lose their positions. It was a rough pill for Kallus to swallow, but he accepted Sumar's terms.

So putting that into perspective for the lead up to Kallus finding the rebels, who he has his suspicions about their identities.

Kallus had just watched someone he would almost call a friend die in front of him, again. So within the same hour, he gets the hunch that Ezra and someone important to him had probably infiltrated the line, escaped, their escape got brought to the attention of Thrawn (so now thrawn would be intent on finding them), and they were walking around disguised as imperial soldiers or scouts, and surely without any type of forged identification.

So yeah, when he's helping Ezra and Kanan get the classified documents, he is a little more than pissed to find out that they don't have a secured escape.

And, in this AU, Ezra has been trying very hard to keep the knowledge of Kallus’s true intentions and identity to himself. So when Kallus is the one to give the code phrase, Ezra is hit with a wind of relief, that this isn't something he has to keep from his family anymore. Kanan questions Kallus’s word, cautious that this could be a trap. Chopper says he trusts Kallus and Kanan is about to say something else, but Ezra speaks up for the first time since entering the lift. "Kanan, he's telling the truth." And this is most certainly a conversation that will be had once they are out of the facility.

It's on the way to the comms room that Kallus asks on their escape plan and Ezra gives him his signature nervous chuckle before saying it's a work in progress. Kallus doesn't have the time to react as they have to ambush the comms room (pretty much the same way as they do in canon). As soon as the personnel are incapacitated, Kallus begins to get on their case about their lack of a complete escape plan.

Groaning as he brings himself up from the ground. Persistently ignoring the dull ache as worry takes more priority. "What do you mean, it's a work in progress? Thrawn is breathing down our necks here and the escape route is a work in progress?"

Kanan interrupts, saying that things turned unexpected with Thrawn coming unannounced. Kanan doesn't have to mention Sumar having been their original in and out for a cold rush to halt the heat on Kallus’s nerves. Kallus continues on to saying that the droid (Chop) can open the comlinks with the port, continuing on with the Canon exchange. (Still debating on if we're going to continue with the same or a similar "look convincing" sequence for the au or do something different.)

____

And while he was a bit more than miffed about the lack of plan in "An Inside Man", it was worse in "Through Imperial Eyes". Because of the fact that Ezra got himself captured as a scavenger and brought to a light cruiser where escape is significantly more dangerous.

Kallus was PISSED. This was reckless. It isn't just Kallus's life on the line, but Ezra’s because he is a known rebel of the sector. Ezra should count himself lucky that Lyste has one of the worst facial recognition skills of anyone Kallus has ever met. Kallus is more than understanding of Ezra becoming a rebel, proud of him even. But to INTENTIONALLY get captured while having the reputation he has? Is the kid actually trying to get himself killed? There’s no easy escape off this light cruiser and the transport that nearly GOT BLASTET OUT OF THE ORBIT is too damaged for him to make a successful escape off of.

He maintained the act of not recognizing him, telling the troopers ro bring him to the detention cell.

The moment they're alone, Kallus immediately begins to let Ezra know how reckless he was being, even threatening to shove him into an escape pod himself. Ezra backed him off by saying there is a plan, it's being made as they speak.

Kallus, after a long and seething silence: You got yourself captured without securing your escape route? Again?! Ezra Bridger, I swear I-

Ezra, knowing full well he has to explain because Kallus won't calm down until he has information: Chop and AP are here too, and there is an escape plan. It's on the way here now.

Kallus, desperately working on trying to stay rational about this: why are you here? The faster you get what you need, the faster you leave.

Ezra, chirpingly: Cool! Then you're down for the plan then.

Kallus: yes, just hurry so you can go.

Ezra: not me, we.

Kallus: what are you talking about.

Ezra: we think the empire was monitoring your last fulcrum transmission.

Kallus, worried, confused, still slightly angry: So you got captured to *warn* me?

Ezra: Nope, to get you out of here. >:3

Kallus sighs deeply, traying to think quickly. The plan of framing Lyste already forming in his mind. Kallus tells Ezra that this isn't the first time he may have gotten close to being discovered, he's been doing this for years now. Ezra argues back with how it may not be the first time, but the empire is only getting closer to figuring him out. That he should get out before he loses the opportunity to do so, before he does get found out and executed for treason. Giving the teen a tired, reassuring smile, Kallus tells him that he is a very stubborn man. He'll escape before he gets captured. And when he does escape, he'll make his way back to Ezra’s side. Kallus offers out his hand, and that's when Lyste can be heard from the otherside of the door and Ezra moves to act as though they were in the middle of a interrogation.

And when Thrawn arrives, Kallus begins to work on prioritizing Ezra’s escape.

At the end, when Kallus reveals his intention to stay, Ezra is the one who’s upset. Because Kallus is literally inches away from being discovered, from facing execution. And he's still prioritizing the good for the rebellion over securing his own life.

------

#star wars rebels #swr #alexsandr kallus #star wars #ezra bridger

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bookwormwolf · 15 days

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In honour of it being Eli Vanto's birthday a couple days ago, and mine a week ago, I present ✨️birthday thranto✨️. Fem! Eli (also posted on ao3 under bookwormwolf, I also have a lot of fem! Kallus Kalluzeb fics over there too 🫶🏼)

It's Eli's birthday and she's drunk. Self indulgent (fem) Eli Thranto fic as it was my birthday last week!! Also, Thrawn is giving sugar daddy vibes. Like think Dante Russo in King of Wrath. Also her full name is Eliana, but she mostly just goes by Eli. I don't apologise for the smut at the end. Please don't judge me, lmao. Also I wrote this playing my Thranto playlist on repeat, especially Dress (Taylor Swift), Shameless (Camilla Cabello), and 3.15 Breath (Russ, orchestra version).

...

It was Eli's lifeday. She'd spent the afternoon with Thrawn, on leave in Coruscant, at a new exhibition at Thrawn's favourite museum. He'd taken her for lunch afterwards, at a restaurant her Lieutenant wages definitely couldn't have afforded. They had shared a mix of small dishes: seafood from Naboo, jogan fruit salad, and roast pomork, just to name a few. It was so unlike the usual meal-packs and and rations that they ate aboard the Chimaera. Eli supposed her relationship with Thrawn did have a few perks. To any passerby who may have known them, it was simply an Admiral and his Lieutenant sharing a meal. Well, that was until Thrawn revealed he'd also bought her a small cake, just enough for two. It had pink frosting, her favourite. The waitress had given Eli a wink as they left, saying something about 'her man treating her right'. It felt odd. To the outsiders, they were just a couple. Eli and Thrawn. No ranks, or loyalties (other than to each other).

Afterwards, they had retired back to their hotel, as Thrawn had some work to do that would last into the evening. Being her Grand Admiral's aide, Eli had booked the swanky top floor adjoining suites. They had their own bedrooms for the shore leave, of course. It was all very appropriate. The room had even come with an office, for Thrawn to use for his meetings. She really was a good aide. (They'd fucked in both of the beds. 'Eli's room', only had a double, rather than an Emperor-sized bed Thrawn had, so they used 'Thrawn's bed' to sleep in. Oh, and Thrawn had fucked her over the desk in the office. Twice actually. They'd only been here two nights.) Eli was glad the suite had tinted floor to ceiling windows. The Grand Admiral needed privacy whilst he was working, of course.

Eli had decided to spend the evening going for a meal and some drinks with Faro, Hammerly and Pyrondi. Make it a girls night, whilst the Chimaera's crew were off-ship. It was a warm night, so Eli had chosen a floral pattern maxi dress to wear, and a pair of heels. She'd gotten changed whilst Thrawn was on his first holocall, waiting until he was done to show him the outfit. They'd been in causal wear in the morning, but Thrawn had put his Admiral uniform top back on for the meetings. His sleep pants as bottoms, hidden from view, made him look rather goofy. It was cute.

"What d'ya think, darlin'?" She'd asked him, emerging from her suite. Thrawn's eyes darkened, as she did a little twirl. Eli had curled her hair, and touched up her makeup. She wore a dark red lipstick that she knew Thrawn really liked. She felt rather sexy, if she did say so herself.

"Are you sure you cannot be tempted to stay here, Eli?" His eyes roamed her body, before settling on her cleavage. "I'd quite enjoying peeling the dress off you."

Eli ignored the flush on her cheeks at the compliment. She let Thrawn pull her into his (sleep-pant clad) lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pressed his lips to her throat. Thrawn's lips trailed across Eli's neck, her breath hitching with a groan as he explored. His mouth worked up her jaw, before capturing her mouth for a kiss. His hands grazed her hips, settling down on her bottom. The kiss deepened, their stolen moment seeming to last forever. Eli was about to complain that Thrawn was creasing the dress she had not long ironed, when he pressed something hard against her. Stifling a moan, she ground her hips against him.

"We can't do this now, the speeder taxi will be here soon." Eli tried to protest, but she knew she was useless to fend against Thrawn. He'd ate her out just that morning, dragging two orgasms out of her - her first lifeday present of the day from him, he'd called it. She'd worn a short little nightdress to bed that she'd bought recently, and Thrawn was obsessed with it. It was blush pink, mostly see-through, with little embroidered flowers. Came with a silky red thong. It left very little to the imagination. Well, nothing, actually. He'd also ordered breakfast in bed, had answered the door, gratiously thanking the waiter who had brought the food up. There was easily enough for two, Chiss had quite the appetite, afterall. Eli would make sure all his expenses were paid on time.

Thrawn simply looked amused, "Forgive me Lieutenant, I can't help myself."

"Why, Grand Admiral, I dare say you're showin' me a bit of favoritism".

Arousal shone in Thrawn's eyes, and he captured Eli's lips again. His fingers trailed the ruffle on the front of her dress, toying with it as he ground himself against her. She was going to need new panties, if he kept this up. A moment later, Eli's comm pinged. She pulled herself off Thrawn's lap, reluctantly, as she checked her communicator. The obvious tent in his trousers gave her a little bit of satisfaction.

"That's them, speeder is outside," Eli said, "don't have too much fun without me, Sir." She eyed the bulge with longing, adding the honorific for a little bit of teasing. He had about twenty minutes to his next meeting. Eli tried not to think about how he'd be spending them.

Thrawn grinned slightly, "Never, my dear. When you return, I'll ensure that every touch, every moment, will be... exquisitely unforgettable. I haven't given you your main gift yet, after all".

Dank farrik that man was smooth. Ah, kriff, now she wanted to stay. Maybe tease Thrawn under his desk, just as a repayment for this morning. The comm pinged again, no doubt someone telling her to hurry up. With a groan, she placed one last kiss on Thrawn's lips, before dashing out. She'd probably come back to him watching some old military holodrama, or reading the book he'd bought himself in the museum today. Yes, Eli told herself, eating steak and drinking wine with her friends was better than both of those options. Leaving Thrawn in the office, she grabbed her coat and handbag, making her way out of the suite. Calling the turbo-lift to the reception, Eli checked her comm again. Pyrondi had been the one to message her.

*Vanto we're here. Red speeder, dock three*

*Vanto come on.*

*Vanto you're the one who made the reservation for 1830 hours*

*Vanto, what are you doing?????*

*VANTO*

Eli sighed, and typed a message back.

*Sorry, Pyrondi. I'm in the turbolift. Just needed to show Thrawn something before I left. He's got meetings all evening.*

It wasn't technically a lie. A message instantly pinged back.

*Thank kark Vanto, we were worried you weren't coming. He can't even give you your life day off? I'd request a transfer if I were you*

And then, *I'm joking, don't tell him I said that*

Eli chuckled to herself. Oh Thrawn had given her the day off alright. They weren't to know that though. She suspected that her friends suspected something was going on between her and Thrawn, but she was content for them to think it was just a little crush.

*I won't. I promise*

Eli decided she might actually. Thrawn thought it was funny. The lift pinged and Eli reached the speeder-taxi floor, heading to dock three. She found the speeder easily, and slid in. Luckily it was a droid taxi, so they didn't have a nagging driver annoyed at her.

"Sorry girls, you know what Thrawn's like. He has to inspect everything when I'm clocking off. Er, inspect the schedule I mean."

Faro laughed, turning to face Eli. The Commodore was sat in the front two seats with Pyrondi, leaving Eli to sit in the vacant seat next to Hammerly.

"Does he even know it's your lifeday? I've never seen him celebrate his." She said.

Eli really tried not to think about Thrawn's head between her thighs earlier in the morning. Oh he knew it was her lifeday alright.

"Yes, he took me to dinner this afternoon. He has to approve my leave, remember? Besides, I book everything. Sort'a takes the suprise out of it. And, he does celebrate. He just doesn't want a party with the full Chimaera."

Eli supposed it was only fair that Thrawn spent the morning with his mouth on her cunt after the present she'd got him for his lifeday. He'd been grateful for the new extensive tea collection she'd bought him. Even more with the sexy little lingerie set she'd changed into, late at night. They'd both been exhausted and aching at the early meeting the next morning. Thank the stars Eli's uniform up to her neck. She had been covered in marks, and it was uncomfortable to sit, though Thrawn looked perfectly composed. It wasn't fair.

Anyway, it was her lifeday today, not his. Hammerly's amused grin broke Eli out of her thoughts. "How did you get a reservation for the restaurant, anyway? I've heard it's supposed to be booked up ages in advance."

Eli shrugged, "I booked it for Thrawn and Colonel Yularen to have a meeting once. When I booked again, I'm assuming they just thought it would be a similar party. Perks of being an aide, I guess."

"I don't know many aides who's CO would allow them to do that, Vanto. Thrawn's sweet on you." Said Faro.

Oh yes he was.

They arrived at the restaurant only a few minutes late for their booking. Eli greeted the waitress on the desk with a smile.

"Booking for four, should be under Vanto."

"Ah yes, Eli is it? Will the Admiral be joining?"

Kriff. Eli heard Pyrondi snicker.

"No, just us. But you're welcome to contact him if there's an issue, I'm sure you'll still have his comm number on your file?" Eli was ready for an argument, she saw Faro step forward.

The waitress only smiled, "Oh, no, there's no issues, Lieutenant. Just that Admiral Thrawn called earlier today to say he will cover the expenses. Just wanted to check he wasn't coming to pay in person. I'll send him the bill".

Oh. That was actually really sweet. Though, Eli would be the one to pay it, out of Thrawn's bank of course. But still. What did Eli do to deserve a man like Thrawn?

Faro bumped Eli with her elbow, "told you Vanto. He's sweet on you."

They followed the waitress to their table, ordering their food and drinks. Eli was secretly glad that Thrawn was covering the expenses. She felt less bad about the 60 credit steaks making a dent on her, and the others, wages. Eli couldn't exactly comm her mother and say "sorry there's less credits than usual, Ma, I spent a load on steak in a posh restaurant'. Oh Thrawn would be getting a special thank you for being so considerate. She'd been saving, and she'd checked with the other women before she booked. It would have been okay. This was a much nicer option.

"Did the Admiral pay for your midday meal too?" Hammerly inquired with a grin.

Eli nodded, taking a sip of the wine she'd ordered. It was nice, a pink fruity option from Ryloth. "You can't say I don't treat him for lifedays, and for all the work I do - well, I don't want'a say I deserve it, but..."

Pyrondi shrugged, "the Admiral broke the neck of a pirate trying to attack me once, it was kind of scary. But, I think he's just that way out. You deserve it, Eli, for all the krayt spit you have to put up with".

Scary? No, Eli thought that was hot. Thrawn protected his staff, and looked after them. He was always firm, but fair. There had been an increase in transfer requests to join the ship lately, like how in the early days many people wanted off the ship if they had to serve with Thrawn. Ironic, really. And some daft bastards still didn't approve of him being a Grand Admiral. Not that Eli was biased in any way. And she did deserve it, hells, she'd put up with a whole lot of krayt spit in her time because of Thrawn.

"Yes, but he isn't paying for all of this for your lifeday, is he, Pyrondi?" Faro just wanted to push her buttons.

Hammerly took a sip of her fancy Naboo gin, "Hey, I'm not complaining Eli's got Thrawn wrapped around her finger. Faro, just relax."

"He won't make you pay him back, Faro. Just enjoy yourself." Eli said, pouring Karyn a glass of wine. "I've seen you drink this at Ascendancy week parties, have some. You'll be annoyed later when the bar drinks are coming out of your wages."

Begrudgingly, Faro accepted the wine. The women talked, about what else they were going to do on shore leave, if they had seen their families recently. Mostly just menial things that never seemed appropriate on the Chimaera outside of working hours. Pyrondi insisted they take holopics, so Eli reapplied her lipstick, and posed with her glass of wine. They took a few group ones, and then Pyrondi insisted on taking some of Eli individually. For her Mama, Eli had claimed when she asked for the photos to be shared. Which wasn't a lie, she was going to send some to her Ma. However, the individual one was going to Thrawn. She excused herself to the 'fresher, little bit wobbly in her heels from the alcohol. Kark, once they started doing spotchka shots in the bar they were going to next, she'd be drunk.

Sat in the cubicle, she pulled up the picture of herself, and sent it to Thrawn.

*Enjoying the wine! Waitress said you'd called to say you're gonna pay. Thank you xx*

Okay kisses on a comm message was slightly risky, but if the ISB could tap her comm, then they'd heard all of hers and Thrawn's goings on.

*Batat, ch'itiseb vur. You are most welcome.*

Thrawn's (almost instant) reply put a silly little smile on Eli's face. Thrawn was smart, using Cheunh to compliment her. The only two people who could translate were, well, her and Thrawn. He'd said she looked pretty, and called her sweetheart. She'd learned Cheunh didn't really have a direct translation for the word, but he'd tried by separating the two. Eli wasn't as good as Cheunh as she was with Sy Bisti, but she had tried her best to get a bit of a grip on the language.

*You like my photo, darlin'? What you been up to?*

Once, Thrawn had been amused at Eli's pronunciation of darlin' in Cheunh, she couldn't help her accent she'd told him, but she was sure he thought it was endearing. She hadn't said it since. The comm message didn't come through straight away this time, Eli almost left, thinking the girls would be wondering what she was doing, when he finally replied.

*I told you all of my thoughts about the dress before, Eli. Meetings have not long been finished. I ordered food from that diner you like.*

*without me!!! I might request a transfer*

*And who would buy you fancy meals then, ch'eo vir?*

Eli squealed. She loved it when Thrawn got flirty. Another Cheunh pet name, my dear, this time.

*I'm only joking*

*anyway, need to go. They'll think I've fallen down the fresher*

Eli imagined Thrawn rolling his eyes.

*My apologies Lieutenant, tell them I really did urgently need your assistance*

And then another message pinged through.

*Vanto, have you gotten lost? The food's just arrived!* It was Faro.

*Sorry, Faro. Our dear Admiral needed me to call him about something. I'm coming back now*

The 60 credit steaks were really good. Huh, could get used to this lifestyle. Though she was just as excited when they all got in another taxi to a bar a few levels below. She'd heard it recommended, as it had a live band. They spent the rest of the night drinking cocktails and dancing, until the early hours of the morning. Finally, Faro, Hammerly and Pyrondi called a speeder taxi, whilst Eli called for her own. She bid the women goodnight, before climbing in. It hadn't been too long a journey back to the hotel, and after sending the women a quick message to let them know she was back safe, she made her way up back to her room. To Thrawn.

*Glad you're back safe, Eli. Try not to wake the Admiral up!*, came a message from Hammerly. Eli laughed. She knew Thrawn would be waiting for her.

Eli entered the suite to see Thrawn sat on the sofa, the picture of relaxed elegance. A soft smile tugged at her lips at the sight of him. Thrawn looked up from his book, as his gaze met hers with a warmth that sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. He set aside his glass of red wine, rose to his feet, and made his way towards her. Eli unfastened her heels, dumped her back on the floor, and embraced him. He smelled of the aftershave she had bought him, bergamot and Corellian vanilla.

"Welcome back, Eli. I trust you had an enjoyable night?" Thrawn asked.

Eli looked up at him, her eyes alight, "I missed you." Thrawn smirked, she was a clingy drunk. Well, no, she was not drunk. Buzzed and slightly tired, sure. "But I had fun."

"I'm surprised you are back before 0300. I would have waited all night."

Kark, he was a romantic when he wanted to be.

"I have one last gift for you, though it is not now technically your lifeday."

Eli raised an eyebrow, "you're spoilin' me darlin'." Her accent had thickened with the alcohol, "an' you're sure? You've spent quite enough on me."

"Yes, I suppose I do spoil you, Eliana." Thrawn led her to the couch, placed his book on the coffee table, next to the wine glass. Eli had been right, he had been reading the new book he'd bought himself. Thrawn reached for a black, velvet box, handing it over to Eli. "For you, ch'eo."

Eli's hands shook slightly as she opened the gift box. She revealed a stunning silver necklace. It was a silver filigree chain, adorned with a deep blue sapphire pendant. Truthfully, it was much too beautiful for everyday wear, but Eli knew she wanted to.

"Oh, darlin'," Eli's voice trembled slightly, as she looked at Thrawn with glassy eyes, "it's so pretty. It's perfect. Oh, but y'didn't have to-"

Thrawn placed a kiss to her lips, silencing her. He pulled her over to him, sliding her legs over his lap, hand resting on her lower back.

"I wanted to," Thrawn said, "though, I may have had an ulterior motive for my purchase."

Eli chucked, of course he did, "and what was that, exactly?"

Thrawn grinned, a sly smile on his lips. He leaned in closer, voice dripping with seduction, as he brushed a piece of Eli's hair from her face.

"I want you, Eli. I want you, wearing nothing but this necklace. You can wear it under your uniform, but right now..." Thrawn leaned in close, so close that Eli could feel his breath on her neck. She squirmed, her stomach hot with arousal.

"I want to fuck you, completely bare, adorned only by this." Eli's breath shuddered, she bit her lip as she nodded.

Thrawn took the necklace from the box, fastening it around her neck. It sat beautifully. Thrawn's fingers, gentle and tender, trailed along her throat, following the chain of the necklace.

"Do you want me?" He asked.

"Darlin, I need you."

Thrawn stood, scooping up Eli in his arms. Eli laughed, anticipation twisting in her stomach. She knew Thrawn was strong, but he carried her to the bedroom like she weighed nothing. He placed her down, and began to unbutton her dress. He removed her clothes, and then his own, leaving the garments pooled in a heap on the floor, in a very un-Thrawnlike way. He lay back on the bed, as if to invite her to straddle him. Eli gladly accepted the invitation, and threw one of her thighs over his body, climbing on top of Thrawn. His hands grabbed down to skim her hips, azure fingers gripping tight enough to leave bruises there. She peered down at him, taking in his handsome face.

"You know, I think chose a very good bedroom for you to fuck your aide in, didn't I?"

Thrawn tutted, "You make it sound so... detached, Eliana." Ooh he used her full name. Spicy. Thrawn's eyes softened. "You're more to me than that, ch'eo. Though I cannot deny we've made good use of it".

Oh yes, the desk had been particularly fun. Though, the massive bed made a change from Thrawn's standard Imperial bed. It was softer, much more comfortable. And they were free, in this room, it was just the two of them. They were staying in the suites for the upcoming Ascendancy week for the balls and other events. It was bliss. They didn't have to hide, here, they could just be Eli and Thrawn. Eli knew full well most men in Thrawn's position expected their aides to service them. It wasn't the sex that was the problem (though Eli wouldn't want to fuck anyone else). It was... it was the unspoken thing between them, that the Empire would disapprove of. They had never called it love, they had never actually said the words - but they both knew they were willing to die for one another. Such attachment was disapproved of in the Imperial Navy. Thrawn had proved plenty of times that he would kill for Eli too. They cared for one another, deeply. Here, in this room, they could show that.

"I...", She couldn't bring herself to say it. But she did, she really did love him. "Thank you for a perfect lifeday, Thrawn."

Thrawn smiled at her, a beautiful, honest smile. "You deserve nothing else, Eli."

Eli leant down and pressed her lips to Thrawn's. She rested her forehead against his, aware of the cool metal around her neck. The necklace was a very special gift, the most concrete physical token of their relationship they had ever exchanged. Eli deepened the kiss, feeling Thrawn's hands grab her thighs. He pulled them forward, and dragged her onto his cock. She grabbed his chin with a moan, tilting his head upwards, feeling him bite at her lip, head tilting back. She rocked her hips, grinding - riding him. Eli never stopped relishing in the ridges on Thrawn's cock, how they felt so good inside her. Eli wasn't often on top, so the change in position offered a different sensation. She was in control, she set the pace. She was so full it almost hurt, but Eli liked the pleasure-pain it brought, overstimulated and beautifully sore. Eli could tell Thrawn was enjoying it too, his usually impassive face flushed purple as he groaned. She knew any moment he could flip her over, and pound her into the mattress, but Eli was convinced he enjoyed watching her. She moved her lips down to Thrawn's throat, nipping at the skin.

"Are you trying to give me a hickey, Ch'eo?" Thrawn's teasing her, he had worn them before, proud, under his uniform. But still, he knew what was happening, what she wanted. "You know that is against the rules, do you not?"

Eli moaned, she loved it when he called her that. Mine. She nodded and whined, a pretty pout on her lips. But then, "you gonna punish me, Sir?"

Thrawn growled, thrusting up and into her forcefully. Eli felt as if she breath got knocked out of her, jerking forward. Thrawn liked it when she pulled rank in bed. He fucked up into her again, harshly, and flipped her over. Thrawn's large hand pushed Eli's head into the pillow, as he rocked his hips over and over. Eli clenched around him with a whimper, crying out at the intensity of her orgasm. She was breathing heavily, her legs shook. Dank farrik, Thrawn was good at knowing what she needed. He continued to fuck into her lazily, before pulling out, and coming all over her thighs. Thrawn pressed kisses into her back, going lower and lower, sinking his slightly fanged teeth into the soft flesh of her ass.

"Oh, krayt spit, Thrawn!" Eli was far too sensitive, her eyes rolling back into her head, but she relished in it. He'd never done that before. Maybe she liked lifeday sex even more than usual sex. He sucked and licked at the skin. Karking hell, Eli was going to hobble into the pre-Ascendency week meetings with Thrawn's fingers bruised into her hips and his bite mark on her ass, claiming her. Eventually, he rolled off her, dark red eyes flashing with satisfaction in the dim light. Eli's heart was hammering in her chest as she straddled Thrawn again, intent on just holding him. Her thighs were painted with his cum and her own. He liked her wet and messy.

"You promised me a thank you for your gifts, didn't you, Eli?" Thrawn said, casually, as if he hadn't just made Eli come. As if he hadn't just done... all of that, actually. "Why don't you come and put those pretty lips to good use?"

Eli stared down at him, eyes slightly wide in disbelief, and a small grin formed on her face for a brief moment as their gaze met. She pulled off Thrawn, aching at the sudden emptiness, and shimmied down the bed. Eli placed a chaste kiss to Thrawn's cock, wet with her own slick. Placing the head in her mouth, Eli sucked gently, enjoying Thrawn's groan of satisfaction as she eased down his dick slowly. Thrawn never wanted Eli to feel obligated, but he knew she enjoyed being bossed around by him (sometimes). She flattened her tongue, and moved rhythmically to allow Thrawn to fuck her throat. Eli gagged, ever so slightly, taking him down a bit too much. Thrawn's hips bucked, as he grabbed a fist of her hair, forcing her down further. Eli's eyes were wet with tears.

"K'pah, that's it. You look so filthy, drooling all over my cock."

It was rare that Thrawn swore, so Eli felt like it was an accomplishment. Her eyes fluttered closed at the words, she dug her nails into his thigh. She garbled a 'yes sir' around his cock, and Thrawn came again. Hard. Eli swallowed, then pulled off Thrawn's dick slowly, panting, a trail of drool and blue-tinted come dripping from her mouth. He deserved that, after spoiling her rotten all day. Thrawn's touch was light, as be affectionately traced a thumb across Eli's cheek.

"Ch'eo ch'an'eci, ch'ah ch'acah vah." He said, pulling her up to lie beside him.

Eli froze. She couldn't understand the full meaning of what Thrawn was saying, it wasn't something he had said to her before. But with the reverence with which he spoke, Eli knew it had to mean something important.

"I'm sorry, darlin', I didn't catch that." She said, and Thrawn shook his head, placing a kiss to her forehead, softly.

"Happy lifeday, Eli".

(Thrawn said, "my soul, I love you", for anyone wondering.)

(Also imagine doing this and then getting whacked with a 'Good day, Lieutenant Vanto' after coming back from the Ascendancy. Thrawn would catch these hands.)

#eli vanto #thranto #thrawn #grand admiral thrawn #thrawn x eli vanto #female eli vanto #thranto fic #thrawn x eli vanto fanfic

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marroniere · 4 months

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fic: strength of heart (tenderness of the soul), thranto, E, WIP

Word count: 179,243 words so far (5000-word chapters are posted twice a week, 37 chapters overall)

Warnings: canon-typical violence, angst with a happy ending, mpreg, Thrawn dealing with his traumatic past

Excerpt:

A few minutes later, as Thrawn walks into his room, he stills. Never in his life has he been so sharply aware of the fact he may be seeing this house—and everyone who lives here, all the people who have become his family—for the last time. Death is always a possibility, especially in his line of work. He is, first and foremost, expendable. If he is to give his life, he will plan it in such a way that it wins a little time for those staying in the Ascendancy to protect themselves.

Only he doesn’t want to.

Instead of giving up his life, he would like to stay on Naporar, renovate certain parts of the house, expand his new art collection, add more ships to the Stybla fleet, raise Rikeil, Riste, Riat, and Larass to be brave, decent, curious, and hard-working people, show them the world or at least the Ascendancy worlds they have never seen, show them the planet he grew up on, wake up by Eli’s side every morning, have another child with Eli—the list is extensive.

When he thinks about those things, he realizes that they only make what he is fighting for even clearer.

He casts a glance at the small wooden cabinet by the window and opens its top shelf. Looks at its contents. The artifacts of all the lives he has managed to live and abandon. An old Imperial rank plaque. A ring with an engraving of entangled snakes. The same snakes he ordered engraved on the Chimaera’s hull. The first piece of art he was ever given, by an alien and a comrade-in-arms, a token of gratitude from the Paccian people. Thrawn never believed he deserved it. The Paccosh did far more in their own defense and the defense of Sunrise than he did. But he did allow himself to hold onto that memory.

Holding onto certain memories—of friendship, of camaraderie, of love—is beneficial. As well as holding onto certain hopes.

In the meantime, an idea comes into Thrawn’s head.

He traces the engraving on the ring with his finger.

Perhaps some things do not have to stay memories, old and distant.

Perhaps accidental allies can unite for more than one battle, even if decades have passed.

#eli vanto #grand admiral thrawn #thranto #thrawn #thrawn thursday #thrawn trilogy

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thrawns-backrest · 9 months

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Posting this now because if I edit it one more time I'll go insane. Enjoy!

Title: Buried in Ice

Characters: Ronan, Ba'kif and others

Chapters: 4/?

Summary: Ronan adjusts to life with the Chiss when a sudden revelation leads him to realize that his fate is not as firmly in his hands as he'd thought it was.

___

The Steadfast, Eli had to admit, was once again living up to its name.

For a vessel that had spent a week on standby without its crew, it had bounced back into active service with admirable ease. Or maybe it wasn’t the ship itself, as much as it was its crew Eli thought as he leaned back in his seat and listened to the chatter of various officers flitting between their stations.

It was not the Chimaera, admittedly – it would be a long time before any other vessel took the title of home for him – but the routine familiarity of it was welcome. Especially after a week on an unfamiliar ship sharing quarters with five other officers.

Even Tanik and Khresh’s bickering had its charm after that. Anything did, really, compared to the stilted awkward conversation of people who weren’t quite used to living together. And speaking of which…

“Lieutenant Commander Vanto?” He turned to glance at the Chiss orderly. “The bridge will begin pre takeoff procedures shortly. Is there anything you need?”

The Chiss stood there patiently and Eli threw him a sheepish little smile. “No thank you, I’ll be off in a moment.”

He got a nod in response and the other wandered off again, leaving Eli to sigh and run a hand through his hair. If there ever was a polite way to tell someone to kriff off… At least they were being polite about it.

Eli’s pride aside though, the Chiss had a point, Ar’alani didn’t take kindly to people lounging around on the bridge when they weren’t needed and it would be prudent of him to scamper away before she arrived.

With that in mind, and another long-suffering sigh, he leaned forward to turn off the terminal where he’d been pretending to read some datasheets. He made sure to give Vah’nya a little wave when she saw him get up and then he was on his way to his quarters, deep into the ship’s interior.

In all fairness, he had a good reason to avoid getting back. A very angry, very vengeful harpy of a reason that he’d managed to elude for a week.

Ronan had not been happy about being left behind on Csilla. Decidedly and understandably so given that Eli hadn’t gotten the same treatment. But that didn’t mean Eli had made the situation any better when he’d avoided Ronan and slipped away before the other could unleash his preliminary rage on him, thus ensuring that his esteemed roommate would be twice as furious with him now.

Not that Ronan didn’t usually have something to complain about – even if he didn’t he was quite good at making up reasons anyway – but Eli was sure it would be worse this time. Not least of all because Ronan had had time to stew in his anger while he kicked his heels back on cold, indifferent Csilla.

And now the one to suffer for it would be Eli.

Dragging his feet against the floor, he rounded the corner and saw the familiar hatch come into view. He half expected Ronan to be waiting for him outside but was surprised to find the hallway empty and even more surprised when he didn’t find Ronan inside even as he keyed the hatch open.

Eli took a step into the small space. Strange… maybe he’s gone to grab something from the mess? Although that was unlikely given they’d just picked their crew up from Csilla and the fact that Ronan avoided mingling with their Chiss colleagues like the plague. The light above the fresher indicated that it was unoccupied as well and Eli frowned at the sight of pristine untouched sheets.

No luggage, no rumpled sheets, no other place to hide in the room in general. Where in the Maker had Ronan gone now? Eli bit his lip, lingering at the hatchway. A certain recent conversation played on repeat in his mind and a nagging little feeling had materialized at the back of it. He was probably being paranoid, of course. But it didn’t hurt to check.

With his mind made up he spun on his heel and headed back down the hallway. The crew were already running pre takeoff diagnostics by the time he reemerged on the bridge and he gave a mental sigh of relief as he spotted Ar’alani in her command chair.

Marching up to it, he hid his wringing hands behind his back.

“Admiral. Do you have a moment?”

“Lieutenant Commander Vanto.” Ar’alani gave a miniscule nod. “What is it?”

“Has Lieutenant Ronan reported back to the ship yet?” He winced. “Lieutenant Lyron, I mean.”

A stupid mistake. Just because they accommodated him didn’t mean they extended the same courtesy to Ronan yet. Ar’alani seemed to ignore the slip up but some other dismayed emotion crossed her face.

“You haven’t heard yet?” she asked, a frown creasing her brow.

Eli’s stomach dropped and the room suddenly felt colder.

“Heard what?” he asked hoarsely.

“I suppose you haven’t…” Ar’alani stroked her chin. “Lieutenant Lyron is being reassigned.”

“Reassigned? Reassigned where? By who?”

“By General Ba’kif himself. As for where, I don’t have the details yet. All I know is that he won’t be part of the Steadfast’s crew anymore.”

“Isn’t this a bit sudden?”

Ar’alani huffed. “He’s been on Csilla for a week now. I’d hardly call that sudden.”

“It’s just –” he fumbled for the right thing to say. “Well, he was rather vocal about being unhappy here last time we spoke and I was wondering if it hadn’t gotten him in trouble.”

That seemed to catch Ar’alani’s attention and she narrowed her eyes, turning around to face him fully.

“Vocal in what way?” she asked briskly. The tone registered with Eli and he stiffened but kept his mouth shut as he weighed his reply.

Vocal in a way that could get him killed, he allowed himself to think in the privacy of his mind, because he’s an idiot. But the thought didn’t make him feel any better and he once again recalled his conversation with Ronan.

If Ronan had expressed those same grievances on Csilla of all places, and done so with his usual lack of tact, he could be rotting in a high security cell by now or worse, Eli thought fearfully.

You can’t pry secrets away from the dead, he remembered Khresh saying once, nudging a Grysk corpse with his boot. Yet another victim of their enemies’ fanatic suicidal policies upon being captured.

Were the Chiss prepared to go this far for the same reason? Absolutely, he concluded grimly. This war had cost them enough already.

He shook his head and remembered Ar’alani was still waiting for an answer.

“In a way that could be… misconstrued ma’am.” He said carefully. Maker, if he had to spin lies to save Ronan from his own stupidity.

Ar’alani, predictably, didn’t like his answer and Eli steeled himself as he saw her gaze harden.

“I will have to ask you to speak plainly, Lieutenant Commander.”

Kriff. He had stepped out of line. No matter how you looked at it, there was an accusation in his words and even if Ar’alani knew him well enough to realize it wasn’t directed at her, it was still one aimed at her people. And while Eli knew it wasn’t an implausible one, to make it without any evidence was a poor move on his side. Insolent even.

He felt his cheeks warm as he looked to the floor and clenched his hands behind his back.

“It’s nothing ma’am. I was just wondering.”

Ar’alani’s colder than usual gaze kept boring into him. For a moment he wondered if throwing himself out of the nearest airlock wouldn’t be less painful than this.

“I will tell you if I receive any additional news,” Ar’alani’s frosty tone snapped him out of his thoughts.

“For now we’re preparing for takeoff. Non-essential staff are to clear the bridge.”

___

Eli had in fact not been given any additional news. And neither had he been able to stop thinking about Ronan’s absence.

And after his third time of bungling his duties because of being distracted, Ar’alani had finally lost her patience with him. The next time the Stedfast stopped on Csilla to resupply, she emerged from the duty office and all but dragged him all the way to EDF headquarters where she gave him some directions before storming off for a meeting with Ba’kif.

Eli was of course mortified for making her snap like that. One of the most accomplished commanders he’d served under and Tharwn’s friend, at that. But the predominant feeling that gnawed at him as he walked down the winding corridors of Csaplar was dread. Ar’alani hadn’t given him details and he’d felt too embarrassed to push for them but he was fairly sure he was supposed to meet Ronan where he was going. Fairly sure. Or maybe this was the place where he would simply learn of Ronan’s fate.

Eli now cursed his past self for thinking that leaving Ronan unsupervised was a good idea. If the man had decided to take things into his own hands – which he certainly had the gall to do, Eli thought as he remembered a certain shuttle bearing vital evidence rising into the sky – there was no telling how much of a liability he’d presented himself as and what the Chiss would do with him as a result.

And how the guilt of that result would affect Eli.

But that would have to wait, he decided, as he stopped in front of a numbered door and checked again with his notes before raising a hand to knock. There was a short pause and he used it to wipe his sweaty palms on his thighs.

Then the door slid aside and Eli’s mouth opened on reflex before promptly snapping shut as he stared at the person in front of him.

Chiss. Tall, bored-looking and dressed in administrator garb and unmistakably Chiss. Eli felt his stomach clench. This was supposed to be Ronan’s office, his mind supplied frantically, and again the image of Ronan’s cold corpse being disposed of somewhere flashed before his eyes.

Just as a flash of surprise crossed the Chiss’ face.

“Oh, the other one…” he murmured and Eli blinked at him dumbly.

“What?”

He tried to wipe the dumb look off his face but the Chiss was already turning away, talking to someone else further inside the room.

“Lyron, we have a guest.”

Lyron, Eli perked up, feeling a spark of hope, that was Ronan. And if that wasn’t promising enough, Ronan’s petulant grumbling answered them not long after.

“I’m busy, can’t you take them on?”

“I think they’re here to see you specifically.”

At that Ronan himself finally appeared at the door – or at least Eli had to do a double take to make sure that was Ronan, what with what he was wearing – and the moment their eyes met, Ronan’s face flushed almost comically.

“Maker Vanto, what did you do!” He hissed and yanked Eli harshly into the office.

“There’s only two of us here, why would you think stirring up trouble with the Syndicure was a good idea? As if they don’t distrust us enough already.”

Eli’s confusion only grew as he was dragged over to a cluttered desk, his relief all but snuffed out under the flurry of events unfolding around him.

“Wha–? No, I didn’t do anything!” he sputtered and almost fell back on his ass when Ronan finally let him go and spun around to glare at him. “I’m not in trouble, I’m just here because –”

Because I wanted to check up on you, his mind finished for him and the words died in his throat, his tongue seizing up in defiance.

Like hell he was going to tell Ronan that. There wasn’t a snowball’s chance on Mustafar he, Eli Vanto, was going admit he’d been worried sick about Ronan and feeling guilty on top of it. Eli would sooner eat his own boots.

He would sooner eat Ronan’s stupid cape.

He grimaced and tugged the sleeve Ronan had yanked askew back into place.

“I’m here because Admiral Ar’alani told me to check up on you.” He lied evenly and Ronan, the ingrate that he was, had the nerve to roll his eyes.

“I don’t need another handler.” Before Eli could protest though, he fixed his glare somewhere behind Eli and bit out a ‘what?’

Eli turned to see the Chiss from earlier sitting at another desk and observing them with open curiosity.

“Nothing, it’s just your language is so strange,” the man said thoughtfully, making Eli realize that he and Ronan had been throwing rapid-fire Basic at each other this whole time. Ronan met the remark with a scoff.

“And you think yours sounds any better to us?”

The Chiss blinked at him. Then gave a dainty shrug.

“Fair enough.” He got up and tossed a data cylinder Ronan’s way. “That’s the data on the Plikh case Ba’kif told us about. I’ve had enough of those blockheads for today so I’m going to the back to do some filing.”

“Fine. Don’t let your sleeves get caught in any equipment again.”

“Please, that was one time. But I’ll be careful for your peace of mind.”

“The day I find peace of mind in this job is the day this planet sprouts vegetation.”

“My, we should tell Ba’kif to find you some more leisurely cases then.”

Eli followed the whole exchange in mute wonder, flicking his gaze between one party and the other. For all that most of it was sarcastic or biting the whole thing had an almost casual air about it.

“Friend of yours?” he asked once the Chiss had disappeared in what Eli assumed was ‘the back’.

“My colleague, if that wasn’t obvious enough.” Ronan huffed and waved a hand at the seat on the other side of his desk. “Come on, you’re clearly not going away until you have a full report.”

A full report was indeed what Eli got. Mostly because of his own growing curiosity and not because he doubted Ar’alani would get all the details from Ba’kif. If she didn’t have them already, long before they’d landed on Csilla.

The more Ronan talked though, the more Eli was forced to set all his hang-ups aside and reluctantly admit that this, all of this, sounded like it was the best place for Ronan to be.

For starters, Ronan may have survived alright in the navy for the short time he’d been there but underneath all that swagger and bravado, he was still a civilian. And no matter how hard he tried to hide it, Eli could tell he didn’t have the stomach for real military work.

The image of him clutching his midriff and looking decidedly queasy after a more brutal encounter with the Grysks was one Eli was more than familiar with by now. These things took their toll in time.

But more importantly, Ronan was doing well here.

Eli’s eyebrows shot up as he learned that Ronan wasn’t just training to be one of Ba’kif’s employees, he already had a few successful cases under his belt and from the sound of it, Ba’kif was entrusting him with even more sensitive ones.

And on some level, it made sense.

Ronan may have stumbled in the navy but administration, the tangled politics of keeping Krennic’s project afloat and coordinating all the secret operations surrounding it, that was his element. Eli himself had witnessed the man read the room and adapt instantly to his makeshift plot, successfully keeping up with him on Aloxor.

At the end of the day, no matter how much they disliked each other, Eli had to admit these were things Ronan was good at. Thrawn wouldn’t have sent him here if he wasn’t.

The man himself seemed to enjoy it too, despite the typical disgruntled front he put up. Eli may not be a savant in reading people, but he knew Ronan well enough by now.

Even the exaggerated way he gesticulated in his new robes didn’t escape him, he thought wryly with a private little sense of amusement. Trust Ronan to flourish in an elaborate, flowy outfit.

One thing that did worry Eli was that Ronan seemed to be enjoying himself a bit too much. After hearing about Aguilos’ case, Eli had gone a bit pale, wondering if the loth cat that had gotten the cream wasn’t terrorizing the whole pantry and begging to get in trouble. But Ba’kif seemed to be on top of that for now… at least it sounded like it, Eli thought to himself.

Eli didn’t know the general too well personally but from what he could glean from Ar’alani he was a staunch ally of Thrawn’s and that support could have inclined him to watch over Thrawn’s envoy. Eli genuinely hoped that was the case.

Speaking of Thrawn though… Eli furrowed his brow as he only partially listened to what Ronan was saying.

No matter how much he tried to chase the thought away, he couldn’t help but feel like there was a familiar touch to how neatly things had slotted together. Ronan’s fortunate new position. Ba’kif’s support. It all seemed a bit too convenient.

Was it possible that…? No, Ar’alani had told him from the start that they didn’t know what to do with Ronan. They’d struggled to find a place for him on the Steadfast and if Thrawn had had a plan for him, he would have said so. Or rather Eli liked to think that despite the fact that not informing people of his intentions and still getting the intended results was exactly Thrawn’s style, down to a t.

The only reason Eli wasn’t entirely sure this was all some multi-dimensional game of Dejarik on Thrawn’s part was that he couldn’t imagine his mentor knowing what to do with a political player.

An analyst like Eli, sure, but someone like Ronan? Thrawn could recognize his talents perhaps but Eli couldn’t imagine him foreseeing this development of events.

In fact, the only thing Eli could think about as he left Ronan’s office, lost in his own somber melancholic thoughts, was that Thrawn himself could have benefitted greatly from an institution like this if it’d been around when he was. And that’s to put it lightly.

Ar’alani was characteristically close-lipped when it came to telling Eli stories of Thrawn’s past but she’d told him enough (not to mention Eli had been there for every step of Thrawn’s journey in the Empire) and he had no doubt his former mentor must have faced the same political struggles in the Ascendancy.

Constantly and relentlessly until they had eventually led to his exile.

An event that was instrumental in leading Eli to where he was now but that he felt deeply regretful of nonetheless. There was so much here, Eli thought, that Thrawn could be experiencing for himself. Things that Eli may never get used to himself but that must have been dear to him.

Of course, there were things Eli missed viscerally himself – things he may never experience again depending on how this war developed – but the fact still stood that Eli had made a conscious decision about leaving his home.

Thrawn hadn’t. And neither had Ronan, he supposed.

And he had to wonder how much of what Ronan expressed so boldly and unequivocally, Thrawn kept to himself. Eli shook his head slowly, feeling a sudden sense of sadness.

If there was anything that sounded like Thrawn, it was suffering alone, in silence. That unwavering stoicism that made Thrawn so many enemies and even more admirers. Eli could only hope that wherever Thrawn was now, he had the strength and support to power through whatever the Empire and the rebellion threw at him…

And that one day he would be here, personally, to show Eli all the things he had missed about his home.

___

taglist: @vibratingbonesbis @labextia

#thrawn #thrawn ascendancy #thrawn trilogy #thrawn treason #brierly ronan #eli vanto #thrawn books

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softieskywalker · 1 year

Note

I vibe with your interpretation of luke sm! He's my main blorbo but weirdly he gets mischaracterized so much? He's such a difficult character to portray I think, without him sounding so slightly off kilter, both in canon and fandom material. Your posts had me go finally, someone who gets it

So I was wondering if you had any good reccomendations on books/comics that has good luke characterization?

Oh thank you!! I think Luke is hard to get as a character even when he's so simple because he's unusual in how textbook hero he is. Because people are so used to tragedy, where characters have little agency, and dramas where everyone is too cerebral. What I mean is that modern media is too focused on the struggle between emotion and action in characters, and sometimes you have characters who speak like they're trying to get an A in therapy. Luke is nothing like that. He's simple in a great way: he's all action. He makes his own choices without second guessing himself. I've said this before but you know someone doesn't understand Luke when they make him insecure. He's the total opposite! He's cocky, he's so sure of himself he doesn't waste time thinking twice, be just acts on his will. He's not arrogant about it, which also confuses people, since they're used to confidence being equal to arrogance. But take Han: he's very arrogant, but deeply insecure. But Luke isn't. That's part of the problem, that's what he needs to learn. Action based purely on impulse is a path to the Dark Side. The Jedi way is about taking those second to think about your actions and their consequences. That's why interpretations of Luke as someone who doesn't act feel so jarring. That's why so many of us reject sequels Luke. He's just not the type of guy to sit there and do nothing, even if he has fucked up. I could never take a Luke that does nothing, the same way I could never take a Luke that's so overpowered he just has to lift a finger and boom, problem solved. He's a character designed to go through the trials and tribulations of life! He's The Hero.

Anyway! Back to your question. I always recommend the original Thrawn trilogy, I really like Luke there. In canon, I like the Aphra run where Luke shows up, the screaming citadel I think it's called? The 2015 Star Wars run has great Luke moments too, I love the Grakkus arc. I also like Storms of Crait, it has the unfortunate thing of being sequel tie in but I love Luke and Leia in there.

#inbox #luke skywalker

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mademoiselle-artist · 5 months

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I feel like thrawn would like the movie loving Vincent. I havent seen it yet but I saw the trailer and it looks good.

Also thrawn would like musicals but only the classic ones like phantom of the opera

He has watched all bob ross episodes at least twice no argument.

I feel like he is aro/ace

If he wasn't he would be straight in my opinion.

I dont know if he would watch kitchen nightmares or Hell's kitchen

He definitely hates rap music

I think I've posted about it before but thrawn would be too dangerous if he read the art of war.

He probably likes cooking.

#Theses are tthoughts I had #Thrawn #Art #Vincent van Gogh #Bob Ross #Star wars #I need to post

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al-astakbar · 9 months

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☆ The Gift -- Thrawn x reader ☆

> title ☆ The Gift ☆ part 3/?

> summary ☆ As congratulations for his recent promotion to Grand Admiral, Emperor Palpatine gives Thrawn a gift -- a young woman who has been trained as a pleasure companion.

> pairing ☆ Thrawn x reader ☆ word count [2.7k] ☆ warnings for this part ☆ brief sexual language☆ series warnings ☆ dubious consent; sexual slavery; concubine/ sex slave AU; will add more warnings as more parts are posted

>series navigation ☆ part 1 ☆ part 2 ☆ part 3 ☆ part 4 ☆ part 5 ☆ part 6 ☆ part 7

> posted on ao3

author note!! To be very clear, in this story reader is a concubine against her will and is gifted to Thrawn, but there is at no point any noncon between Thrawn and reader. Reader is never noncon with anyone, either referenced or explicitly, and there is never any explicit noncon. However, this is a darker take on Thrawn and he doesn't really have many hangups about putting his gift to use...

The scale of the Chimaera is perhaps even more staggering once inside, after having seen it from the outside. Thrawn beckons you to follow him to disembark and before leaving the compartment has to remind you— “your veil?”

You feel your eyes go wide, your face heat. He must think you’re so foolish, making such a fuss about it and now nearly forgetting.

You flip it back over with a quick, muttered “I willingly submit”, the words so ingrained they come out before you can stop yourself.

Thrawn stills, as if doubting what he just heard, and then his eyes narrow to red slits. “Is that what you were taught to say?”

You nod, a lump forming in your throat. It had been a mantra. A response to everything. A reminder. A promise. An offering. A prayer.

The words will keep you safe— a lie if you’d ever heard one— but they are in your brain, probably forever. You had shouted them, mumbled, sang, cried. Choked on them, and rasped them up a throat raw. Had almost believed yourself, once or twice.

He is silent for another moment, a silence that makes you hold your breath, waiting for his command.

“Do not say that again,” his gaze is hard, his tone icy, “unless you mean it.”

Aboard the Chimaera there is a bustle of activity from the moment the shuttle ramp hisses down. First, as soon as Thrawn’s boot touches the ground, somebody shouts “attention on deck!” and just as promptly, without breaking his stride, Thrawn calls “carry on!”

Then, as aides and officers hurry up to and around the Grand Admiral, over a loudspeaker that echoes in the cavernous hangar, some kind of bell rings twice, then twice again.

“Chimaera arriving.” The voice on the loudspeaker announces.

His very presence seems to require a whole cadre of people, some of whom appear to be assistants to his assistants. They rattle off updates and reports, with so many acronyms and jargon it sounds like some language other than Basic.

The hangar bay itself is vast, and from what you could tell on the flight, it is the smaller of two. Still, it teems with activity. Flight crews and deck personnel are numerous, some in recognizable Imperial uniforms and others in a variation with different colored shirts.

You trail along behind, hoping nobody will take notice of you, but of course they do. Their commander is a blue skinned alien but somehow you’re the one who looks like they don’t belong.

His stride is unhurried, though purposeful, and others around him match his pace or snap to attention as he passes. Then, they catch sight of you, in your style of robe and exclusive fabric that is certainly recognizable to the average Imperial citizen, and fall out of their stiff postures. From the time it takes to get from the hangar bay to… whatever part of the ship Thrawn’s quarters are in, you hear snippets of the same conversation over and over. They follow you down the passageways, up the turbo lifts and ladder wells, through clusters of uniformed officers, crew, and stormtroopers who all spring aside to give him space to pass.

“Who’s that?”

“She’s with the Grand Admiral?”

“…Thrawn’s got a little pet…”

“What d’you think she looks like under there?”

“Don’t know if it’s a she--”

“She’s got tits, kriff brains.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Could be a fancy droid…”

Some of the more crass commenters barely bother to keep their voices down. Silently, you wince, and feel your face heat. Pray that Thrawn isn’t hearing any of this. But of course…

“Damn, look at her.”

“I hear they’ll do anything… “

“Bet that one’s a lot of fun.”

“Wanna see what she’d do if you tore that sheet off her face--”

“Think if you ask nice he’ll let you have a go?”

Thrawn comes to a halt and you nearly plow into his back. He motions to one man in an olive drab uniform, and orders thirty days confinement, nutrient paste and synthetic water rations. The officer barely has time to react before a stormtrooper steps forward and hauls him off.

The whole way, even with priority access for turbo lifts, seems to take at least twenty minutes. Thrawn tells you multiple times to keep up, and don’t lag behind, as it’s easy to get lost. By the time he comes to a stop at a particular door, in a quiet, untraveled passageway, you are warm and slightly breathless. Along the way, all of the various aides and who knew what else who had filled every second with questions and updates, had been shed one by one. Even his squad of death troopers had posted by a hatch, not following you through. Now it’s just you and him.

“You walk this far every time you leave or return to the ship?” Even after such a fraught day, emotionally wrung out and bone tired, you can’t repress your curiosity.

The corners of Thrawn’s mouth twitch. “No. There is a much more direct route to and from the bridge, and from here to the bridge.” He withdraws a code cylinder from the breast of his tunic and keys it in the access panel. The door zips open. The room beyond is dark in an ethereal, twilit way that makes your eyes strain for detail. He ushers you inside, and immediately you feel a front of chill air hit you, making you shiver violently.

You draw your robe around yourself, cross your arms tightly. Watch him with caution as it hits you at last just how not-human he is. Behind you, you hear the door zip shut. It seals away the room in quiet, shutting out the ambient noise of the rest of the ship.

In this light his uniform looks blue, washed out, and his skin nearly disappears against the dark. Yet he walks further in, not moving to turn on the lights. And his red eyes glow— you catch a glimpse at just the right angle and realize they’re reflective, like a predator would have.

Will your anatomy even be compatible? You nearly blurt this out as soon as you think of it, but manage to restrain yourself.

After a moment, Thrawn, through the dark, notices you fidgeting. “Ask.”

“Is your dick normal?” You can’t quite keep the anxious concern out of your voice, and you curse yourself for phrasing it so poorly. If your question offends him, he makes no indication of it.

He brings up the lights just enough for you to see, though it is still quite dim. He is standing behind a large, semicircular executive desk, its gleaming black surface totally clear of anything-- no knick knacks or flimsi, no datapads or day old cups of stale caf. Around the room, which is quite spacious, are pieces of art. Some holos, but many original: paintings, drawings, sculptures, textiles, even some artefacts like masks and jewelry and pottery.

He keys another button at the desk and the viewport shifts from black to transparent. Ambient starlight streams into the room. It’s a view you’d have to pay hundreds of thousands of credits for on a starliner cruise.

“My anatomy is nearly identical to that of humans. It will be… familiar to you.”

“And what about allergies?” You ask quickly, seizing on any idea to stall him further. Here with him alone, finally, really alone, and your chest is tight with anticipation. You had played this moment in your head for months, always with some nameless, faceless stranger in his place. And now he is here, in front of you. Real. And nothing like what you could have expected.

“I have lived in close quarters among humans for nearly ten years without incident.”

“But you’ve never slept with any.”

“You will be the first,” he says softly.

He lets these words hang in the heady silence between you. Then, slowly, though he has given no command, you find yourself moving towards him.

He stands, broad shouldered and tall, with his hands behind his back, and regards you evenly as you come to stand in front of him.

“Does my appearance repulse you?” He asks. He sounds as if an answer that he does wouldn’t bother or surprise him.

A strange jolt pulses through you, making your breath catch. In fact, he’s handsome and attractive, which you’d rather not admit. And the idea that he even thought to ask— being nonhuman in this Empire isn’t easy for the average citizen, let alone for one in his position… you can’t imagine what he’s had to endure. How much better he’s had to be to prove himself. And how ruthless he must be, to have gained the Emperor’s favor. “No,” you say levelly. “Not your appearance. Just everything else about you.”

He gazes down at you, a smile touching his lips. It makes your heart skip, and you determinedly don’t look away. You don’t want to give him any more power over you than he already has, but when he speaks again, it may be a lost cause.

“Are you going to be difficult? Are you going to resist me?” His voice is nearly a whisper, and so low and dark and lush you almost answer that you won’t. That you’ll be good for him.

“I don’t want to serve the Empire.” You want to protest, but can’t bring yourself to be any louder than him. Your softness feels like an admission.

“Then serve me.” He reaches for your veil and this time you almost let him do it.

But you grasp it, bunching the fabric against your breast. The taboo is too hard to break. Thrawn frowns at you until you open your hand and let it fall, then he lifts it, flips the gauzy fabric over and back. He brushes wisps of your hair off your face. Cups your jaw in one hand, applying light pressure to lift your face to his. For a moment, you think he’ll try to kiss you, and you stiffen, but he only trails his thumb over your bottom lip again. Gently, he pushes the digit into your mouth, catches your tongue under it and you open for him, feeling filthy and exposed. His glowing red eyes hold yours for a long moment.

You realize, with faint embarrassment, that you’re slightly breathless. If he had wanted more, you might have given it.

His comm chimes. He gives you one more appraising look, then releases you and answers. “Yes, Captain, go ahead.”

“Sir, apologies for interrupting when you’ve only just got back, but the Assistant Director is asking why we haven’t gotten underway yet.”

Thrawn’s expression darkens, though his tone remains polite. “Tell Assistant Director Ronan that a full replenishment evolution typically requires a minimum of fourteen rotations to complete— and we are almost done in ten.”

“Yes, sir, I told him that but the Assistant Director wasn’t, uh, satisfied with that explanation. He’s talking about getting someone called Krennic to come up here on a shuttle.”

“Very well. I’m on my way.”

And he leaves you, alone, in his office. No other words. No instruction or warning or threat.

You stand in the middle of the room before realizing this is your chance. Maybe only chance. But when you try it, the hatch he left through is locked, as are the two others that presumably lead to other parts of the suite. Of course.

You snoop around a little more, reluctant to touch anything in case he’d come back and notice it out of place. There must be something around, a spare code cylinder you could steal and hide for later, or something sharp you could hide in the couch cushions. In a mild panic, your mind spins unrealistic scenarios. If you could just find something to get through the access panels on the doors, and an improvised weapon, you could catch some junior officer unawares, take their uniform, and get on a transport. If somehow you did manage all that, you’d just be back down on Corsucant, with no credits, no identity, and no friends. The more you think about it, the worse the idea seems. You’ll have to wait, at least until you get to the Mid Rim, maybe further, if that’s even where the Fleet is going.

Defeated and tense, you flomp down on the couch in the small sitting area by the hatch that leads out to the hallway, where there are also two chairs and a low table. Everything is so tidy and minimal. Clean, clear lines in grey and black. You can imagine the Grand Admiral sitting here with his senior staff, or perhaps entertaining an important guest aboard the ship.

There is a data pad on the caf table; before thinking better of it, you grab it, and find it’s unlocked, full access to the holonet.

You glance at the hatch-- surely, you have a few minutes, at least?-- and key his name into the search.

The first few results are biographies. His official one, and a couple others, which mostly all say the same thing.

Thrawn, Grand Admiral of the Galactic Imperial Navy, Commander of the Seventh Fleet.

No other name. No age, nor home planet, or even species. You check, using the name of another one you’ve heard of— his family is well connected, owns half the mines in the Outer Rim—

Cassio Tagge, Grand General, Commander of the Galactic Imperial Army, was born in 7922 on Tepasi.

You go back to the entry on Thrawn. Attended Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant, graduated with honors and commissioned as a lieutenant. Known as a fair and levelheaded commander to his men, Thrawn was first stationed aboard the Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser BLOOD CROW, where he served as second weapons officer.

You find yourself devouring every piece of information you can find about him, as if knowing him might help you. Lists of his accomplishments follow, all in the straightforward, unembellished style of standard Imperial communiques.

Victory, battle of Wayimd, first recorded use of the Catapult maneuver

Victory against the fleet of pirate King Ch’eup

Victory, battle of Bothawui, no Imperial casualties

Commander of ISD Strike Group Chimaera in: the Rishi Maze Campaign, the System Hopping Campaign in the Attahox subsector, the Suarbi Insurrection, the incursion at Wroona…

You scan the list for any you might have heard of, and find a few. Some major battles, lauded wins for the Empire. Some minor skirmishes, but mentioning Thrawn’s unusual or novel uses of maneuvers or the limited resources he had available at the time.

None of it really helps. There is nothing to give a sense of who he actually is beyond his stunning career progression and prowess as an effective leader and strategist. Nothing about any family, hobbies, influences or role models. If he has ever granted an interview, the record of it is not to be found on the holonet.

Unofficial accounts are more opinionated. Some are glowing. Others critical, condemning him of everything from war crimes to cheating his way out of court martial charges to poor social skills. But all seem to agree— his genius as a tactician is unmatched. Military ambushes, attempts to cut him down politically, all failed. And he has to his name a string of devastating naval victories, many of which, by the numbers or just unfair, impossible conditions, should have been his defeat.

You cast around the space with new understanding and unease, eyes sliding over the shifting holo art pieces. You get up and start pacing, wandering from one display to the next, examining them absently and wondering what use a man like him has for such esoteric frivolities.

Maybe he was talented, but surely not that great. Some of those victories must be down to luck, or the holo-bios were exaggerating, or both. But… Lieutenant to Grand Admiral within ten years… that was unheard of, plus Thrawn being so obviously nonhuman. And from your interactions with him so far, you doubt he made much effort to change anything about himself to try to fit in.

Your first impression may have been correct. You were right to be wary. If all the bios are to be believed, then he is truly, brilliantly dangerous. And he will outplay you at any games you try with him.

At about your fifth turn about the room, the hatch zips open, startling you.

Thrawn is back.

☆ link to part 4 ☆

☆ join tag list ☆ <- this is the easiest way to make sure your request is recorded, however anyone is also welcome to dm me if they want to be added

@thrawns-babygirl @vibratingbonesbis @thrawns-teef-weef @aethersecho @exoplorationn @elc3004 @littlecrowtime @twilekchiss @saber-slutt @projectdreamwalker @ele-millennial-weirdo @hakones @shoe-bag @thrawnspetgoose @nomercyforthewarrior @pb-jellybeans

#thrawn #thrawn x reader #thrawn fic #thrawn x you #thrawn fanfiction #grand admiral thrawn #thrawn x y/n #mitth'raw'nuruodo

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phoenixkaptain · 1 year

Text

Was rereading some of my old Qui-Gon - Luke parallel posts and I had the abrupt realization:

Luke is technically on the same level as Qui-Gon in terms of diplomatic ability.

Granted, this is mostly extrapolated from external works, the novels and comics and such, because the Original Trilogy doesn’t put Luke in any realy situations where he needs to act diplomatically (aside from the scene with Jabba, but I will come back to that) and, as we all know, Luke Skywalker was only ever portrayed as a baby in the prequel trilogy and then he was never portrayed ever again outside of that instance that the Original Trilogy, there were no other major motion pictures with Luke in them, unfortunately, and as we all know and accept with sadness in our hearts, the next time we saw Luke in live-action was in the Mandalorian. It’s wild, they never put him in anything else ever, never ever, not once, not twice, it was OT, PT, then Mandalorian S2, wild-

Let’s begin with the movies.

We see Qui-Gon’s diplomatic prowess in the Phantom Menace, when the diplomatic talks with the Neimoidians go south almost immediately and he has to fight his way out.

We see Luke’s diplomatic prowess in the Return of the Jedi, when the diplomatic talks (thinly veiled threats) with Jabba go south almost immediately and he has to fight his way out.

(Leia and Obi-Wan are my parallels in these scenes. Not because I think they actually are supposed to parallel each other in the text, but because they both are part of the action while being cute, so like-)

Already, we can see that they’re both prime examples of Jedi Diplomacy. Something goes south and they have to fight their way out of it. The Jedi way :) (look at Mace’s attempt to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme, my guy started by pulling out his lightsaber. At the very least, Qui-Gon and Luke both waited a bit longer to start beheading people.)

But, what I actually want to draw reference to is that Luke is skilled at de-escalating situations. In the 2015 comics, he is one of the only reasons Leia and Han don’t start wrestling each other like feral dogs. In the novels, specifically in the Thrawn Trilogy, there’s a scene where Luke handles a diplomatic situation by being as polite and fair as he can be. Also, he is a Jedi, which means that he is polite, fair, and nobody really wants to go against him because he’s the man who blew up the Death Star and can kill literally anybody in the room without lifting a finger.

We know from the text that Qui-Gon’s diplomacy was probably similar. Because, Obi-Wan learned negotiating from Qui-Gon, so if we look at how Obi-Wan deals with tense political situations, we can make an educated guess as to how Qui-Gon did so.

We know from Tales of the Jedi that Qui-Gon’s go-to in tense situations was de-escalation. Because if he didn’t de-escalate that shit really fast, his Master would kill literally everybody. He also seems to try and take the polite and fair road. Of course, he also is a Jedi, plus he has his Jedi Master growling at everyone from over his shoulder, only held back from committing senseless murder because Qui-Gon told him to please not to, so nobody really wants to go against him.

I don’t know. The parallels, the strange, strange parallels, are certainly present in the text. Which could mean a few things. We have options.

Option 1: Luke learned really, really fast from Obi-Wan. An option that, theoretically, does make sense. After all, we know that Luke knew Ben Kenobi before learning he was a Jedi Master, which means he could have mimicked the behaviour he witnessed. And we can reasonably assume that Ben Kenobi, crazy old desert wizard, was probably more talking his way out of trouble in the desert than fighting his way out.

Option 2: Luke and Qui-Gon really are just narratively mirrored. They act similar even if they don’t seem like they should, so Qui-Gon’s talent in political talks is based off of Luke’s inexplicable ability to make everyone in the room either begrudgingly accept what he says or be too terrified of him to argue. This would make sense, since they do parallel each other in quite a few ways anyway. One more parallel isn’t too strange to think about.

Option 3: I’m looking way too deeply into the theoretical political power of two fictional characters whose prowess in debates we know of only through sources of questionable canonicity, both of which are considered unskilled in this particular field by the fanbase at large, which for some reason rubs me the wrong way enough that I feel it necessary to make an incredibly long text post detailing my thoughts.

It could go any way ¯\ _(ツ)_/¯

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vibratingskull · 6 months

Text

Hunt and damage

Part1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Tags : infirmary, accident

FemaleReaderxThrawn

Your first fight with the pirates doesn’t go as planned and you end up in the infirmary of a certain ISD

You walk behind the different posts, repressing a yawn. The shift is almost over, you think, contain yourself. You lazily observe the different screens flashing before your eyes, feeling your eyelids close themself. You shake your head.

“Stand up straight and work hard!” You order to the whole bridge, but it is more aimed at you to wake you up.

You still see some backs of some ensigns straighten up, and some postures stiffening. You grin at yourself. Ah, the young ones… You like their naivete overflowing with ardor, but you still prefer the calmness of your elders. They are more posed and less stressed.

You turn on yourself, observing your surroundings before heading towards the Rear Admiral Marttilf.

“How is it going Lieutenant commander (y/l/n)?” He demands

“Everything’s fine sir, we should be out of hyperspace in two minutes.”

“I hope your info isn’t wrong and we will find something at the destination!”

“They have all my trust, sir.” You clasp your hand behind your back.

You got those info thanks to the network of your grandparents, it served them well for decades. You hope it can do the same for you now.

You observe the rays of light as you fly at lightspeed, you've always liked this spectacle, so impressive and magical. It must have inspired so many artists. Your mind wanders back to Vez and his exposition, you should bring a friend with you if you ever get to see it.

"Destination reached in 15 seconds !" Warns the steerman officer.

You stiffen, ready to discover what the universe will throw at you. But most of all, ready to discover if you’re right. Marttlilf gives you a side look. The trails of light stop and the Zephyr comes to a halt… In the middle of a complete armada.

“That’s them!” You yell, pointing at an enormous ship in the middle of the battle “That must be their mothership!”

A multitude of smaller ships fly around it, surely proceeding to some exchanges and charging their hold with slaves and other assets of the empire. You couldn’t let them do that! You may be just one ship but you’re as massive as their mothership, plus with Thrawn’s plan it should go well.

“Alright, weapon officers get ready, we’ll act according to the plan!” Marttlif speaks with a confident voice.

Already, a line of enemy ships form in front of you. You remember Thrawn’s plan, you hope it will really work. You notice the mothership is tilting on the side.

“They’re about to escape! Steerman, prepare for another jump in hyperspace!” you order.

“We’re going nowhere! We have more pressing matters in front of us!” the Rear Admiral contradicts.

“Sir! With all due respect, the mothership should be our priority, we can cross past them and hunt their mothership!” You argue.

“They will disperse and create different cells if we cut their heads! We stay here!”

Why doesn’t he understand? It is your one chance.

“They will be disorganized and weakened if we blow them now!”

“Enough!” He raises his voice and you shut your mouth immediately. He shoots you a glare, eyebrows frowned. “We’ll stay and cut them off from their armed wing. I will not tolerate insubordination Lieutenant commander! If you're not able to listen to an order, I will have you escorted to a cell. Am I clear?”

You bite your inner cheek, he makes the call but deep down you know you’re right. Thrawn’s plan was supposed to be applied to the head of the hydra, but you won’t be able to use it twice. The rest of the crew is looking at you both, not knowing what to do. The officers Sealan and Norcaus approach, unsure how to interrupt the “discussion”

“It won’t be necessary, sir.” You admit, swallowing back your pride.

You take a step back, lowering your head slightly.

“Good…” his tone is icy cold.

You shoot him daggers in his back, but fortunately for you he doesn’t see. Sealan and Norcaus exchange a glance. As you look out by the glass wall you see their mothership just do a 180° turn and is ready to jump in hyperspace. Too late for this one. All it rests to do is focusing on the line approaching you.

“Officers, get ready to deploy!” He announces.

Everyone gets busy behind their consoles, taping away commands and calibrating differents aims. You observe the ships approaching, five, side to side, pressed against the others. You’ve never seen a maneuver like that… They are way too close to do anything without risking obliterating the other…

A flash of comprehension strikes your mind.

“Steerman ! Avoidance maneuver, NOW!” You yell

You turn back to the glass wall to see them spread and a black mass charging at the Zephyr at maximum speed.

“AVOID! AVOI-”

_____________________________________________

You open your eyes suddenly. You only see a white ceiling and feel a jackhammer inside your head. You whine as the light hurts your eyes, you slowly turn your head to see a meddroïd in front of monitors. You extend your hand, only to see you’re transfused, you follow the tube with your eyes, from your hand to the pocket of transparent fluid slowly instilled in your body.

With difficulty you raise yourself to place the pillow and rest in a seated position rather than laying. The meddroïd notices you’re awake and tends to you immediately. The door shuffles and someone enters the room.

“Ha! We’ve been told there was a chance you would wake up soon!”

You raise your head to the bright smile of Eli. You let out a deep sigh of relief and he hugs you with a chuckle. You stay immobile a second, the memory of him kissing Nather flashing in your mind, you simply move him aside with a contrite smile.

“Eli… I’m so happy to see you." You lie "Where am I?”

“You are on the ISD Chimaera.” He enters. You instinctively pull the cover over you. “Welcome aboard Lieutenant Commander (y/l/n).” Thrawn greets you.

“Thank you.” You respond, still stunned.

You suddenly feel self-conscious of your bruises, of the pillow mark on your cheek, of your ruffled hair. You straighten your back in an effort to appear dignified despite everything.

“How are you feeling?” Eli asks, pulling a seat to sit next to your bed, Thrawn preferring to place himself at the footboard.

“I’ve seen better days…” You admit “How’s the Rear Admiral Marttilf?” You demand, suddenly remembering what happened.

“He’s alive. Albeit a bit shocked.”

You nod.

“And what about the rest of the crew?”

“Some did not make it, unfortunately.” Thrawn shakes his head slowly.

You lower your head, thinking back of the ensigns and new recruits that joined you recently. How will their family learn the news? You take a fistfull of the sheets, digging your nails into the fabric.

“Some had more chances.” He gestures next to you.

You turn your head to see two other beds, you lean forwards to see Sealan and Norcaus, lying and transfused as you are, but Norcaus has a respirator on his face and each breath sounds painful. Sealan opens an eye and weakly waves at you with her hand, probably too exhausted to do otherwise. You wave back with a little smile. She closes her eyes, going back to sleep with the soothing beeping of the machines.

“We need to ask you some questions about what happened, (y/l/n). Hear your version of the facts.” Thrawn inquires with a soft tone.

“Well… They hid a corvette behind a line of ships that feigned an attack against us and propelled it max power against the Zephyr. It hit us through the cockpit and destroyed everything on its way. I can’t tell much, I lost consciousness at that moment.”

Eli took out a datapad and searched through it, verifying the facts. He slowly nods.

“That is where we received a distress message on our way back to Coruscant.” Adds Thrawn. “Do you have any memory of what happened earlier?”

“We discovered their mothership. They were charging goods and slaves on other ships, probably the delivery ones. A lot of them were permitted to leave the scene. We lost time by my fault and it escaped.” You admit.

“What happened?”

“I pleaded for an attack against the mothership while Rear Admiral Marttlif decided to destroy their armed guard.”

“Both strategies have their merits.” He simply states. “Can you indicate to us the models of ships used?”

Eli gives you the datapad. Your hands brush and you feel a spike of anger at that simple contact. You pull the datapad out of his hands with an hectic move while he looks at you in surprise. You rummage through the different models and enter what you remember. You give it back to Eli without looking at him.

“Can you extract information from these new data?” Thrawn asks him.

He looks through it.

“Maybe, I will need to cross-examine other data too, but I’m positive I can find something.” He stands up and salutes Thrawn. “Sir, Lieutenant commander (y/l/n).”

You address him with a polite smile that you hope appeared sincere, looking at him exit the room. You sigh, letting yourself bounce on the pillow.

“What a dramatic sigh. Is something wrong?” Thrawn politely asks.

“Nothing you can do about…” You say letting your gaze travel aimlessly, but whatever you do, it always comes back on Thrawn.

“Maybe. I cannot offer my help if I don’t know what is happening.”

“It’s my problem, I shouldn't bring you into this.”

He comes closer, you first thought he would sit on Eli’s stool but he sits down at the edge of the bed, your hand almost grazing his thigh. You retract it. Better not touching him, you think, it is confusing enough as it is. You refuse to admit it, but your love for him is still here, intact and untouched.

And it scares you.

Will you end up like Nather and Eli?

You hope you’re worth more than that.

Thrawn pulls out a comlink out of his pocket and hands it to you.

“Here. It has not stopped ringing since we found it back.”

You take it to see several people from the church called you, just as an impressive amount of calls from Nather. This doesn’t bring you joy as it usually does. It must show on your face, cause Thrawn picks it up immediately.

“You do not appear happy for someone who is missed by people.”

“I know, it’s just… He’s part of the problem.” You don’t really have the energy to face him, right now.

“Maybe you could share that problem with a friend.” He proposes.

You chuckle.

“And who that might be? You?”

“Perhaps.”

“Are you experienced in counseling couples going through hard times like mourning or cheating?”

“I will have to say no.”

“Then you're not the right friend.” You smile tiredly “But I appreciate your thoughtfulness. It is agreeable to know we can count on friends.”

He simply nods.

“Then maybe Lieutenant Karyn Faro may be of better help. I can indicate to her you’re awake once her shift is finished.”

You open your eyes wide.

“Karyn works with you?”

“Since she is a Chief Warrant Officer, you did not know?” He appears surprised.

“I’ve lost touch with so many people.” You admit. “Now my relationships are primarily my friends at church.”

He raises an eyebrow and brings his hand to his chin.

“Does this happen often in human society?”

“What do you mean?

“To devote oneself to one community to the point of losing tracks of the others parts of your life?”

You scoff with a grin.

“You make it sound so bad. I just give my time to an organization that promotes peace between the races. It isn’t that terrible when you put it in perspective. Plus they gave me a pretty name.” You flash him a joyful smile.

He just nods without adding anything, but you see behind his eyes his thinking.

“You should try it sometimes, it works for the equality of the races under the Empire rule. You would surely find another person in your condition.”

“I thank you but I am not of the spiritual type. And I like to advance by my own means.” He politely declines

“Your own means? Don’t you need that Governor Prace to help you at each of your missions?”

“Governor Pryce. And I do not need her at every mission.” He corrects, one finger up. “I merely need her when politics come mingling in the affairs of the Navy.”

“So you need her at every mission, that's what I said!” You laugh and you see his lips stretch in a smile.

As you continue chuckling your hand lands on his. You don’t realize, only noticing when he starts caressing it with his thumb.

You let him do it against your conscience yelling at you to not tolerate even innocent touches. You look at him observing your bruised hand, his warm skin warming up your hand. You gulp.

“Sir?”

“Yes?” He looks at you with what looks like tenderness in his gaze. But you can't be sure.

“Could I get a datapad? I would like to do some research.”

He opens his vest and takes out his own datapad that he hands to you.

“I will get another one.” He simply states.

You gratefully take it.

Your comlink starts ringing. Both of your eyes get down to the infuriating cylinder. It’s Nather.

“Is it the problem?” He asks with a little grin.

You nod, contrite. He stands up straight and salutes you.

“Then I will leave you here. Due to the damages done to the Zephyr you will be placed under the order of the Admiral Konstantine that operates in the Lothal region. You will take your post in two months.”

He heads towards the door, but you stop him. You have to know.

“If you would have been at my place, you would have gone for the mothership?”

He eyeballs you in silence.

“From what I know? Yes. Most probably.” He nods to you and exits.

You bounce back on the pillow. So you were right.

You breath deeply.

“Yes?”

“Maker Roween! Where the fuck are you?! You stopped responding!” Nather is really pissed off.

“I’m in a hospital bed.”

“You… Oh dear Maker, are you okay?” His tone shifted immediately to worrisome. “I am sorry, I am a bit mad. It’s just… You stopped responding so suddenly, I thought I was in trouble or something.”

You smile, tired.

“No love.” This word leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. You will need to confront him about the kiss one day “Everything is good. I’m mostly okay, I should be able to go out in two days? Something like that, do not worry.”

“I know what could make you feel better. You didn’t attend one of my famous dinners yet, yes? It will make you back on your feet! What do you think?”

You remain silent, you don’t have the energy to face him or any of your friends at this moment.

“Sure, love. If you think it could help me…” You lie.

“It would do you good to see some friends, real ones I mean. You’re always the head full with those pesky relationships at work, you’d do well to forget them a little and reunite with people that care about you.”

You nod.

“Alright, I’ll do that.”

“Good. Then I will let you rest now. Come back to me all healed.”

“Bye love.”

He cuts.

You turn on the datapad, determined to get the last word. Where to start ? Crossing the data to determine the destination of some of those delivery ships? No.

You’re gonna investigate Marttlif first. You will need to contact your informant in the underworld too.

_____________________________________________________

You make your spine crack, carrying those boxes around all day is daunting even for someone as athletic as you, plus your healing bruises don’t help. You open your window and breathe the fresh air. The air of the superior floors is definitely more healthy than the one at your former apartment. Now that you think of it, you're closer to Thrawn's apartment, maybe you could visit him some day.

You hear the guys behind you, some guys of the church you sympathized with and are nice enough to help you for your house move. Vez appears with another box in his hands.

“Where should I put that, Roween?”

“Put it in the bedroom.” You indicate

Day by day you get used to hearing this name, Nather, or rather Arzel use it too everyday. It took you some times but now you like to hear it. Vez didn't get his own yet and you think it's bothering him.

You start opening the different boxes and tidy the room when he comes back with an embarrassed smile. You look at him, smiling lightly, wondering what it is about to say.

"Roween? Huh… I was wondering… Are you free, let's say in the next few weeks ?" His lekkus twirls and waves in his back. It looks like a dance.

"I'm afraid I will be on duty for the next four months." You shake your head. "Why?"

He obviously looks disappointed.

"Oh… Okay. It's just, I have a little gallery exposing my works for some time and I’m asking friends if they want to come see it…”

You raise your head from the box with eyes wide of excitement

“Vez, you’re showcasing? It’s wonderful!” You embrace him with all your might. “Did you say it to our friends at church?”

“No, not yet. I wanted to ask you first.”

“If you’re still showcasing when I come back, I will come with great pleasure. Oh Vez, I’m so happy for you!”

@Bluechiss @justanothersadperson93 @al-astakbar @thrawnspetgoose @readinglistfics

#thrawn #grand admiral thrawn #mitth’raw’nuruodo #thrawn x reader #thrawn x you #thrawn x f!reader #thrawn x y/n #fanfic #vibratingskull

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unhelpfulfemme · 7 months

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@goofygooberton tagged me in a thing where I was supposed to list five of my comfort characters and then tag five other people like two months ago, but I was on vacation at the time and the post ended up unfinished and lost in my drafts.

So I am doing it now, here it goes, Tumblr user togrutahhh's five comfort characters (aka a collection of cunning bastards who seem composed on the surface but are secretly Fucked Up but are also kind to children and poor people):

Hina Kudo from Mr. Sunshine aka my pfp: Hina Kudo is actually Korean, but she has a Japanese name because she's the mysterious widow of a rich Japanese man twice her age. She used his inheritance to open up a fancy hotel in Seoul and uses the money and influence gained through that alongside her intelligence and cunning to get what she wants, and what she wants is Mysterious unless you've seen the show to the end. Does she work for the Japanese? For the Koreans? For the Americans? For herself? Nobody knows and everyone hates her for it. She is a Bad Bitch, always cool, poised, and playfully seductive, but she also has a back full of hideous scars and is a proficient swordswoman, hinting at a less genteel past. She seems haughty, but is also wonderfully compassionate towards lower class people and viciously defends her staff from unwanted sexual advances. The men she wants never pick her because they think she's fake and manipulative. (Fun fact: this actress and her mannerisms in this particular role is how I headcanon Alys Vorpatril to look like, with Henry Golding as Ivan)

Grand Admiral Thrawn from Star Wars: I love the Chaotic Strategic Mastermind Who Inspires Loyalty In His Men archetype, but what I love about Thrawn is that, unlike the more overtly theatrical and extroverted specimens like Miles Vorkosigan or Eugenides or Inda Algara-Vayir, he is also very introverted and autistic and seems incapable of connecting to people outside of the structured military environment he's in, which adds an additional twist and makes him deliciously interpersonally vulnerable to me. In the right hands he's also an excellent treatise of when doing evil for the greater good is justified and when it's not, and a cool exploration of someone just abandoning his humanity and his personal needs in order to always do the Rational Thing. Reading Zahn's new canon books about him often feels like watching your kind, hypercompetent, slightly awkward boyfriend who's great with children make the worst possible choices and fail you again and again and again. I also like thinking about him in terms of... information processing? Like no matter how logical you are, your conclusions are only as good as your info and what info you take into consideration will be determined by your own prejudices and assumptions and social position. Honorable mention to his boyfriend aide Eli Vanto and also everyone in the Ascendancy Trilogy - I could make a top ten comfort characters list out of them alone.

Laurent of Vere from Captive Prince: NEW BLORBO!! <3 Another Strategic Mastermind Who Inspires Loyalty in His Men + Interpersonal Vulnerability combo, but this time extra bitchy and needlessly vicious and also in a piece of media that explores his interpersonal baggage with great nuance and respect. He is severely traumatized but the narrative never takes away his agency and always portrays his boundaries as really important and I wrote a whole ass essay about how lovely that is that you can look up on my blog if you want. He comes off as stone cold but seems to have an innate desire to be sweet and submissive that he's too scared to let out. He also has a delightfully intricate mind that manifests in a myriad of plot twists and schemes - those books are literally more filled with unexpected plot twists than the Queen's Thief books, and that's an accomplishment to say the least. Every time you think you've got him pegged down he reveals new layers to his thinking and personality and it's such a delight, but you also see how that same intricate mind stymies him and makes him awkward when he tries to open up to someone (and what's extra charming is that you can see that he's trying so damned hard in places).

Lisbeth Salander from The Millennium Trilogy: The ultimate Bad Bitch. She's punk. She's a genius with a photographic memory but is so distrustful and anti-social and scarred by her severely traumatic upbringing that she pretends to be mentally handicapped so that people would leave her alone. She kills her rapist. She sets her abusive father on fire as a preteen. He comes for her as an adult to get revenge and buries her alive and she digs herself out Kill Bill-style, and whenever I feel in an impossible situation I think of the description of how she feels her fingers being scraped to a pulp as she digs but refuses to give up and that inspires me. She falls in love with an upper middle class leftist journalist twice her age who is poly, which she isn't stable enough psychologically to deal with, so she ghosts him and then spends a lot of time dwelling on how isolated from Normal Society she feels and how it always feels like she's a shitty stray out in the cold and rain watching happy people sit together in warm houses through the window.

Joe Macmillan from Halt and Catch Fire: He's a Don Draper-esque slick salesman kind of charismatic guy, except you can immediately tell that it's a facade and his charismatic shtick often comes off as fake, plastic, over the top or even kinda pathetic. He does the Joker thing where he makes up a different story about how he got his scars based on what will best get him what he wants. He's the best bisexual rep I've ever seen and while his queerness is not a central plot point in the show, he gets an entire subplot about being a queer man during the 1980s AIDS crisis and how this impacts his career as an antivirus software "developer", and we also get hints about how having to perform manhood as a teen is what set the stage for his fake-ass melodramatic bargain bin Patrick Bateman personality. He eventually matures and learns that manipulating people can lead to some really nasty consequences and becomes a more genuine and grounded person. He still loses everything. He comes off as a heartbreaker but actually he just keeps getting dumped by everyone because nobody trusts him as far as they can throw him even when he genuinely cares and continues to suffer over the breakup for years afterwards. He's the ultimate boy who cried wolf. Truly the most pathetic meow meow of all time. He's played by Lee Pace, so he's really hot. Actually everyone on this list is really hot and can cut glass with their cheekbones.

Honorable mention to Eugenides from Queen's Thief, who sadly got replaced by Laurent at the last minute. Also honorable mention to a dozen Star Wars characters who got kicked out by Thrawn, including but not limited to my boy Luthen Rael, the entire Skywalker family, Darth Maul, Aleksandr Kallus, and Hera Syndulla.

Five people I'm tagging: @highladyluck @kokoshnjak @thesunlikehoney @capablecapybara @kissingdeadgirls at random from my notifs and anyone else who wants to participate :)) also you don't really have to write a paragraph for each one I'm just annoying and like overthinking things <3

#this was so hard I could have made a top ten list with Star Wars characters only #and another top ten list with just chaotic guile heroes #grand admiral thrawn #lisbeth salander #laurent of vere #hina kudo #yang hwa #joe macmillan

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m-feline · 1 year

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Gala

This is modified from my fanfic TFIS (link).

I already posted the second part (link) but here is the first part.

Masterlist

----

It was the day before the Empire day that something unexpected happened. I received a package that contained the dress, I had seen in the boutique. There was no note or card with the package. But there was a pair of shoes, earrings and a hairpin. For one thing, the sender sure has taste.

Vader didn't comment on my outfit for the next evening. After all, it was the climax of the Ascendency week. A marvelous ball held in one of the most luxurious places of Coruscant. And the Emperor was attending. That if anything else made the whole event twice more important and glamourous. And maybe it was a good idea to wear something else than my old dresses.

On arrival, I wore a robe I had made myself. When I had it on, no one could see the dress and my appearance. When I took it off and handed it to the lobby for coat storage, I swear I saw many heads turn. But they turned quickly back as Vader stared back at them. For this party, I did not need to prepare anything. I had finished all negotiations that I could on days before on behalf of Vader. This might be my most pleasant evening yet. Since the Emperor would be present, Vader would be at his side. And he didn't need me anywhere near him. That meant that I could be by myself for the entire evening. After greeting a few people, a couple of Admirals, and other people from higher Command, I was excused to leave. I heard how the Emperor was announced to have arrived and many people had their attention elsewhere. It was the perfect moment for me to slip away.

The place had a lovely and wide balcony that opened to closed space. It was quiet, calm, and no speeders were passing by. A perfect solitude for someone who wanted to be alone. I could hear the speech the Emperor was giving inside. Just repeating the same text about how the Empire is strong and secure and will stand forever. There was applause and the music began. I simply walked to the railing and watched the secluded area beneath me. They had a garden down there but the plain wall in front of me sort of made the place a bit caged. Maybe it was meant to be like that. A private place for customers to enjoy peace and quiet. In my opinion, they could decorate the wall with a mosaic or something. But maybe that too was the purpose to give the secluded feeling. Or maybe it didn't bother the people who walked down at the garden. It looked more plain only if you looked from the balcony like I did now.

"Lady (Y/n)."

I knew that voice. Thrawn. I wasn't surprised anymore. It had to be him who sent me a dress with everything included right before this party, surely he would be here, and he would find where I would "hide". I turned to meet him. He wore his white Grand Admiral's uniform with plaques and all. His hands were partly behind his back while he stood straight like an honorary navy officer. I saw also that he wore gloves, probably for the party.

"Grand Admiral Thrawn." I greeted him with a gentle curtsy.

"You look lovely this evening." He complimented me.

"You should know. I assume you are the one who sent this dress for me?" I inquired.

"Guilty as charged. You did enjoy the dress so much it would have been a shame if you couldn't wear it for the occasion." Thrawn said as he walked closer. "Your robe was also outstanding, too bad it hides your beauty under the dark hood."

"That is the point of it." I reminded him. "If it wasn't for today's festivity, Vader wouldn't have let me wear this one either."

"Lord Vader always wishes to hide you?" Thrawn asked.

"No, it's not that. Dark is the color that Lord Vader and the Emperor wear. Since I'm Lord Vader's aide, I should also wear dark colors. And the hood is to keep attention away from me and... show respect for my Lord." I tried to explain.

"Too bad, you look very attractive in (f/c)," Thrawn said.

I couldn't hide the little smile that came to my lips. My clan color. He was right and wrong at the same time. I turned to lean my elbows on the railing of the balcony.

"Something amuses you," Thrawn noted.

"I may have always worn (f/c) but I have wished to wear (s/f/c)," I admitted.

"Ah, is there a reason for that?" He asked.

"No. I just wanted one day to dance the elegant dances I have seen the elite of (Naboo/Alderaan/Coruscant) dance." I explained and took a deep sigh of nostalgia.

"That might clarify why you are always taking dance practices. But I have never seen you dance in these kind of events. Are you not confident in your talent?" Thrawn asked.

"Excuse me but my dancing is quite good considering that I don't get to train very often," I argued. "And that I need a male partner taking the lead during the dance. It's not like I can let the hologram lead me."

"Then may I ask you for a dance?" Thrawn asked as he extended his hand.

"What?" I asked like an idiot and turned to look at him. "Y-you know how to dance?"

"I may not be as good as you but I have memorized some basic dancing. What better way to improve your dancing than learn to follow the lead of a corporal dance partner?" Thrawn said.

I heard how the band began a new song inside. I was intrigued to see how well Thrawn claims to know to dance but I also kind of hesitated.

"I rather not go back inside," I said meekly.

"We don't have to," Thrawn said.

He wanted us to dance here? We did have room for that, and we could hear the music clearly from the inside. Whether he or I made a mistake no one would be criticizing us. This could be my only chance to try a proper dance with someone. I took his hand, and he lead us away from the railing to the open space of the balcony. He made me face him and slipped his free hand to the small of my back and pulled me closer. I placed my own free hand to his shoulder and tried not to look up at him. My face was warm and certainly red of blushing.

We began the dance. At first, it felt a bit stiff. I haven't got used to someone else leading the dance. By the middle of the song, the dance started to work as we moved smoothly. Thrawn led me patiently through the song, and I began to relax and follow his lead. And soon the song ended.

"That wasn't so bad," I admitted.

"Glad to hear that. Another?" Thrawn asked.

"Why not? Since we already got the hang of it." I said.

And we danced to another song. The pace was a bit faster from the previous song but Thrawn lead me without problems, and I followed his lead. A couple of times Thrawn made a bold move to lift me a bit. I haven't experienced such a move since I was dancing with my brother. Without a beat, a smile crept to my face as he lowered me down the second time right before the song ended.

"Someone has learned a bit more than just the basics," I said still smiling.

"So I have, these were one of the qualities that make ballroom dancing differ from other dances." Thrawn reminded me. "If you wish, I could show you more."

I should have said no to that and taken a break. But curiosity took over me. And the song that soon began was too perfect to pass. I said nothing and let Thrawn lead me again to the music. The dance was more intimate than I realized. More so, when Thrawn showed his skills of dancing. He lifted me, twirled me, and dipped me during the dance, and held me very close to him. Instead of paying attention to that I was more immersed in the dance and simply waited for his next move. At the end of the song, he made me dip one more time before he pulled me up to face him. We were both out of breath and I finally realized how close we were.

"That... that was... impressive," I said between the breaths. I was sure now my face was warm and red like sundown.

"Thank you for the compliment," Thrawn said also catching his breath but not as obviously as I did.

I walked to the railing and let the small whiff of wind help me cool down. For one part, I was happy that I got to dance my favorite dances with someone. On the other part, it had to be Thrawn. I tried to remind myself that though he is kind to me and no doubt a good dance partner, he is still someone I should be wary of. He knew my secrets and he also could ruin everything if I wasn't careful. I still had no idea what was his end game. Unlike him, Vader was an obvious case. He wanted to find Obi-Wan and end all the Jedi. And then maybe someday, he would surpass the Emperor and defeat him. He was obvious but so dangerous. Thrawn was the very opposite. He was an enigma. I had no idea what he wanted. What were his goals and for what does he want me? But the way he treated me and showed interest made me time to time lower my guard. Just like now.

"Are you alright?"

I almost jumped by his silent approach. Another thing that reminded me to be wary of him. He could sneak up behind me and I would have no idea. Yet, knowing that he has no ill will against me, made me repeat that mistake.

"Yes. I-I'm just catching my breath. It got... a bit warm for a moment I need to cool down." I made an excuse for myself. I didn't face him, I wasn't confident that my face would have cooled down yet.

"You shouldn't let the air chill you excessively. Your attire is slightly light for you to stay too much in cold." Thrawn said and I felt his hands brush my arms. I knew he referred to the sleeves, they were quite light and transparent even if they were long. He was too close, standing right behind me. And I was feeling the same fear that I felt at Chimaera coming back to me.

"I'm alright. It is not so cold." I tried to convince him. His hands slipped under my arms and grabbed the railing in front of me. Caging me there with his arms.

"Grand Admiral?" I turned to face him and hopefully get him to step back. But I quickly realized that it was a mistake. When I turned it came more clear how close he was. All he needed was to bend down just a bit... No, he wouldn't.

"Excuse me but I'll have to..." I tried to dip down and get past his arm and away from this awkward position. When I straightened up again, he grabbed my arm and gently pulled back, and caged me once again between him and the railing.

"There is something I wish to speak with you." He said.

"What is it?" I asked as I backed against the railing. Good thing it was wide enough. If it would have been too low or narrow I might fall over soon. Bad thing was, it kept from getting away from Thrawn. A shiver ran up my spine. What was he up to?

"My lady, I will make soon a proposal to Lord Vader. And I need your assistance to make him agree to it." He whispered. I could feel his breath in my neck. His intentions began to scare me. I didn't quite hear him anymore, I wished that someone would come and this would end. But who? I came out to be alone. I'm not ready for this. Someone, please save me.

"What are you doing?"

My eyes burst open and my head turned to the voice. When I prayed for someone to help me, I didn't mean him. Vader stood some distance away from us, his hands resting at his belt. What he was seeing couldn't be explained otherwise. Thrawn caging me between him and railing and his face close enough to kiss me. A new kind of fear was rising.

"I apologize, Lord Vader. I didn't mean to be disrespectful." Thrawn said and took one step back. His hands let go of the railing, yet they lingered close to my waist.

"I recommend for you to back up from my aide," Vader said without any doubt that he was not pleased.

"As you wish, Lord Vader," Thrawn said and now took more than one step away from me. For some reason, I began to fear more. No matter how scared I was a moment ago to be alone with Thrawn. It was nothing compared to now being here with angry Darth Vader.

#thrawn #grand admiral thrawn #thrawn x reader #darth vader #star wars

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