GIAL ACKBAR

Many modern historians—especially those from the New Republic—believe that Thrawn manipulated Ackbar at every turn. I myself believe that it's far more likely that Ackbar simply believed in Thrawn.

—From 1 ABY-2 ABY: The Duel in the Dark
by Tenten E. Reynolds, Military Historian

Deep Space, Outer Rim, 0 ABY

Rear Admiral Gial Ackbar was ushered into the stateroom of the Starlight by four enlisted spacers. He was surprised to see no Marines guarding the hatchways, but then uneasily realized that Thrawn's rather…close relationship with the elite spaceborne infantry would make that rather unpolitic aboard the official flagship.

Instead, carbine-armed spacers stood guard at the hatchways. They eyed Ackbar with a surprising amount of distrust, but saluted as he passed by them. His escort peeled away, and he heard the hatch close behind him, as he was left in the stateroom.

"Good day, Admiral," Senator Mon Mothma said, smiling her practiced politician's smile. "Do you care for refreshment?"

Ackbar warily eyed the rest of the occupants of the stateroom. They were all politicians, almost to the man. His gaze fell on Leia Organa, and his severe expression eased slightly. "No, Senator, thank you."

Mothma nodded. "Very well, Admiral. Please have a seat."

"Why am I here?" Ackbar asked instead, remaining standing.

There were some disconcerted murmuring among the politicians. Most of them had been among those that had called for Mothma's removal from office, when she'd dissolved the Command Council, but they seemed willing enough to work with Mothma right now…to whatever purpose. "I believe you've spent too much time with Thrawn," one politician said, after Ackbar refused to take a seat. The politician's avian-looking face was tattooed intricately in the custom of his people. Ackbar couldn't even remember the name of the politician's species—he seemed to recall it was rather unpronounceable anyway.

Ackbar didn't answer, and instead looked at Mothma, waiting for her to answer.

Mothma finally smiled. "You are here because you are an honorable man," she said. "And because you are the only mildly unbiased source this body can ask."

"Body?" Ackbar asked, looking among the politicians. "What is this 'body,' Senator?"

"This, Admiral, is the Opposition."

Ackbar nodded; he'd already suspected what Mothma had said. The 'Opposition' were the dissatisfied members of the Alliance, comprised, most recently, of the politicians and officers Thrawn had managed to cett off. They were rather numerous, since Thrawn managed to cett off a great many people.

"They are here to listen to your testimony, Admiral. The testimony of a man whom we can all agree is honorable."

Ackbar could see where this was leading, and he could see it in Mothma's eyes. Something that seemed to say, Don't kark this up.

"About Thrawn," Ackbar guessed.

"Indeed," Mothma said. "There are members of the Opposition who don't trust our Chiss friend." A slight smile appeared, before she smothered it under her more neutral politician's smile.

Ackbar squared his shoulders, feeling the uniform stretch slightly. "I must protest going around the back of my superiors, Senator."

"Your protest is noted." Mothma folded her hands. "You've spent more time in private with Thrawn than any man, except for Sheplin, of course, but he is hardly unbiased." She quirked her head. "He is also conspicuously absent from the fleet, but I digress.

"Is Thrawn loyal?"

Ackbar didn't know exactly how to answer that. "In what way, Senator?"

"If he is given an order he finds repugnant, will he carry it out, regardless of his own opinions?"

Ackbar opened his mouth, before closing it suddenly. "No, of course not," he said. "He's a warrior—not a soldier."

Mothma's eyes glittered slightly. It wasn't the answer she'd wanted Ackbar to give, but she decided to follow it up anyway. "What's the difference?"

"That would depend on who you ask," Ackbar said. "In this sense, it means that Thrawn's not a droid. He does what he thinks is best. He doesn't operate well under a superior if his goals are not aligned with theirs."

"What are his goals?" Mothma asked.

Ackbar quirked his head this time. "I…don't know."

Mothma looked slightly surprised. "I would ask him, if I were you, then."

"Insanity," one politician, a representative from Ryloth, said. "You don't even know his goals, yet you fight with him."

Ackbar flattened his lips. "I don't have to know his goals to know they're good." Mothma made a gesture for Ackbar to continue. "He's a good man," Ackbar said simply. He looked around the room. "You don't get that, do you? He's just a good man."

"You're very loyal to him." The quiet voice seemed to speak for the entirety of the Opposition, and Ackbar looked at the pale, feminine face of Leia Organa. "Perhaps you're not the most unbiased source." Her last words were directed toward Mothma—it seemed they'd had this argument shortly before.

Ackbar shook his head violently. "Of course I'm not!" he nearly shouted. The Opposition looked at him in surprise. "Sweet Maker, we wouldn't be here, if it weren't for Thrawn! He saved us on Hoth, fought a delaying action against oh…eight times as many attackers." He pointed at the politicians. "And he put you on the earliest evacuation transports, making sure you would survive, while he was the very last man to step off of the surface!"

Mothma made a placating gesture, and Ackbar regained control of himself. "I think we'll move on to slightly less…explosive lines of questioning," she said. Given the sudden outburst from Ackbar, a few politicians chuckled.

As the Opposition left, Ackbar stood watching them. Leia Organa paused for a moment in front of the Admiral.

"You ought to be careful what company you keep, Your Highness," Ackbar said.

She bristled a little, before she sighed. "I was the Falcon with Thrawn, Admiral. I saw how much he cared for his men…but that doesn't change some things. No man should have as much power as he has right now."

"He won't have it forever." Ackbar quirked his head. "These are not your kind of people, Your Highness…" he warned quietly, "be…careful."

Leia nodded gravely at his advice. She seemed to hesitate, and was about to say something in response, before she shook her head softly. "Take care of yourself, Admiral."

Ackbar pressed the buzzer mounted next to the hatchway intercom aboard Knight. Two Marines stood on either side of the hatch, standing stiffly at attention. "Yes?" an alien-accented voice asked through the intercom.

Ackbar cleared his throat. "It's Ackbar, sir," he said.

There was a slight pause. "Come in, Admiral."

The Marines had heard their charge's words, and opened the hatch for Ackbar, before saluting carefully. Ackbar returned the salutes with equal care.

Thrawn was sitting behind his desk, waiting. Ever since he'd sent Sheplin away—the Maker only knew to what end—it seemed like he spent more time in his office than on the bridge of Knight. The Chiss leaned back in his chair, setting a sheaf of flimsi down. "Admiral," he said, returning Ackbar's salute. "I expected you sooner."

"Sir?"

"The meeting, aboard Starlight," Thrawn clarified.

Ackbar flattened out his lips. "You arranged it?" he guessed.

"With the Senator's help." Thrawn smiled. "I had to stay anonymous, since that lot thinks I'm more likely to kill them than talk with them."

Ackbar nodded. He didn't have any doubt that Thrawn would throw every last one of the Opposition out an airlock, if he felt he had no other choice. He was glad Thrawn was trying diplomacy first. "Why me?"

Thrawn shrugged. "You're a good man," he said simply. "I didn't give you any warning, because I wanted you to tell the truth."

"I did."

"I know—and I'm glad."

There was a pause, as Ackbar considered what Mothma had told him. I would ask him, if I were you, then.

"What…why are you here, Admiral?"

Thrawn raised an eyebrow. "Not to restore democracy to the galaxy, though that will likely be a side-effect," he said wryly. He gestured toward a chair. "Sit down, my friend. I think we need to talk."