An AU fic written for wtftastic, after her suggestions of some crack pairings that we thought could never work. It's a silly little piece that could never happen.
Pairing: Thrawn x Leia
Rating: T
Set at the beginning of A New Hope.
This is my first attempt of writing in this fandom… so I'd love any constructive criticism about characterization.
ooooooooooooooo
Leia could not understand how the Imperials could survive most of their adult lives inside the institution-like setting of a Star Destroyer with only the blackness of space as their never-ending view. Perhaps they had never seen the beauty of worlds like Alderaan or Naboo, or had lived in places like the Imperial Capital's lower levels where filth reigned supreme. That in itself was a shame.
Certainly, there had to be some remnants of the clone troopers still in the service of the Empire, but most Naval officers were high-bred human elitists, as varied in homeworlds as they were prejudiced. The want for promotion and status must have blinded them to what their lives had become.
None of this mattered at the moment. It had not been Leia's choice to travel in such drab efficiency. In an attempt to escape to the Rebel Alliance, her corvette had been captured by a single Imperial Star Destroyer.
Pathetic.
Before her capture, she had been unable to contact the Royal House of Alderaan because of the communication jamming the Star Destroyer had placed upon her corvette; she could only hope the droids would find their destination. Tatooine was near enough, and General Kenobi was reported to be living somewhere in the desert. R2-D2, the Astromech, had told Wedge Antilles that he knew where the former Jedi Master lived, and if not, he could find someone that would know. Without question, Leia accepted Wedge's word. She would know soon enough if the droid would find its target.
A Stormtrooper interrupted her thoughts, telling her that she was required to meet with the ship's commander. He was like every other Stormtrooper, gruff, impersonal, and unwilling to disobey orders. If he had been told to bring Leia to the commander, Leia would go to the commander, even if he had to carry her as she struggled, kicking and screaming.
There was only one logical option; to meet with the commander and plead a case of mistaken identity. She was an Imperial Senator, not a leader of the Rebellion. Even though the senate had been disbanded, she still could use diplomatic immunity to be allowed safe passage back to Alderaan.
She could only hope that Darth Vader would not be the man commanding this particular ship. He would kill her if he could read minds like he could in the stories she heard as a child. It was difficult believe that a mere human could have such magnificent power, but there were also no records of the Sith in both the senatorial and public Alderaanian libraries to prove or disprove the claim. Yet, she had seen him kill a man with his mind during a Senate meeting, so the stories had to be somewhat true.
Remaining silent as the Stormtrooper marched her to the bridge, she collected her thoughts, doing what she believed would be best to make her mind appear blank before a Sith lord. Now would not be the time to reveal the Rebellion's plans to anyone, not even the most powerful man in the galaxy.
"Princess, I must apologize for meeting you like this." She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the Dark Lord would not be interrogating her. The voice was almost alien, but the speaker's Basic was as understandable as every Imperial Officer's. She could not place the accent, even though she tried. The man had obviously learned Basic after mastering his native tongue "My orders were to return to the Imperial Capital; I only intercepted your ship because Lord Vader could not bring the Executor from its current tour of duty."
The man turned the captain's chair around, a smirk crossing his blue lips. He was obviously enjoying the momentary shock that registered upon Leia's face.
"Impossible! The human elitists would have NEVER granted you power over a Star Destroyer!"
Thrawn only shrugged as he watched the Alderaanian's reaction. "The Admonitor is my flagship." Standing from his chair, he walked toward Leia. A gloved hand brushed her cheek as he stared down at her, a terrible smirk still upon his lips. "I am surprised to find you unwilling to accept the truth that you see with your eyes. With your kind, you do not believe in what is, but in what you see.
"Your eyes can deceive you, Leia Organa. I want to help you know the truths of the galaxy."
With an entirely human gesture, a hand placed reassuringly on her shoulder in passing, Thrawn walked away from Leia, his drab green Navy fatigues in strange contrast to his skin. "I will be in my quarters. Ask any of my men, and they will escort you to me. You will wish to talk about the fate of the galaxy after you comprehend this meeting."
"Wait!" Thrawn stopped as Leia called out, turning only his torso to look at her. "What is your name?"
"My name is impossible to speak in Basic, your highness. I apologize for the inconvenience."
oooooooo
She wished that Threepio was still with her. Perhaps he could make sense of what species the alien Vice Admiral was. Obviously, he was humanoid, but the only blue humanoids that could possibly resemble the man were Twi'leks and Wroonians.
He obviously wasn't a Twi'lek; he did not have even the smallest form of lekku extending from his head, and he just wasn't built like a Wroonian. He was too. . . .human.
Perhaps he only had a small amount of Wroonian blood in him. It could explain his coloring and human features, but it did not explain his eyes. Perhaps he had a tattoo upon his face and colored disks in his eyes. Some cultures had rites of passing that required the adolescent to receive some sort of marking to become an adult, but again, she could not think of a tribe or culture that required the entire face to be tattooed.
Most of all, his eyes unsettled her. In her studies as a girl, she had never encountered any records of humanoids with an entirely red eye. Certainly, there were humanoids with all colors of irises, but for the entire eye to be red? That sort of trait belonged to insectoids or reptilian-like sentients.
This being's existence proved that there were still mysteries in the galaxy.
He had also spoken of showing her the truths of the galaxy. She knew the lies that held the Empire together. An aged megalomaniac, along with his droid-like knight was the rulers of the galaxy; their power was based upon fear and intimidation.
But this being was a high-ranking Imperial. His truths obviously could not be about the current regime's machinations.
It made no sense.
With a resigned sigh, Leia stood from the chair in her makeshift cell to press the comm button near the door.
"Please tell you commander that I will meet with him."
"Acknowledged." The metallic voice of the Stormtrooper guard echoed through the speaker. Within moments the door slid open, and her escort led her through the spotless white hallways to the interior of the ship, informing the commander of his visitor.
The door opened to a world Leia had not expected to see. Famous Alderaanian art that she had seen in museums as a child lined the walls and pedestals of the room. The humanoid admiral sat in the commander's chair at the center of the room, his eyes half closed as if in deep meditation.
"Admiral, Leia Organa is here to meet with you."
Slowly, Thrawn looked up, his eyes widening as he broke from his mediation. "Leave us."
"Yes, sir." The Stormtrooper saluted, leaving Leia alone with Thrawn.
"It is a shame that I must be forced to enjoy holoprojections." He allowed his accent to become slightly thicker than before. "I hope to travel to Alderaan one day for pleasure, so that I may see the artwork in its glory."
Leia shifted uncomfortably in the darkened room. "Your collection is grand, Admiral, and I would be pleased to take you on a tour of any gallery that you wish. I only ask that I be allowed to inform my father, Bail Organa, of my change in plans."
Thrawn smirked, his eyes seeming to glisten in the low light. "Princess, your stepfather already knows that you have been taken onto my ship as a guest, and that we are headed to Imperial Capital. Your father, however, is commanding his fleet in the Inner Rim."
She did not know how to react. Even though she knew she had been adopted, Bail had told her that her father had died before she was born, and that her mother was very ill, and passed shortly after childbirth. To hear that her biological father was alive and in command of an Imperial Fleet, it was just ridiculous! She would not allow this alien to play with her mind.
"My father died during the Clone Wars."
"Your father commands the Executor, Princess."
Leia scrolled through the lists of Imperial commanders that she had met and studied in the hopes of helping the Rebellion, and settled upon Commander Piett as the man that her captor stated was her father. She could understand why an officer would deny having a family, but could not understand why Bail Organa would say that her biological father was dead if a man like Piett sired her.
The only other authority on the Executor was Lord Vader, and he was more machine than man. What woman in her right mind would want him in her bed?
No, it had to be Piett.
"I suggest you search the Imperial records on the Capital, if you ever have the chance. My personal slicer can provide you with the necessary access codes to the Emperor's personal files." He arched a blue-black eyebrow, enjoying how her emotions danced across her face. "I do not lie, Princess."
Leia nodded, finally moving across the room to sit in a cushioned chair across from Thrawn. "I apologize for being so direct, Admiral, but I would like to know what to call you, and also, if I may be forward, to ask what species or clan you belong to?"
Thrawn leaned forward, resting his hand upon Leia's knee. "I will not disclose such information to one of the leaders of the Rebellion."
If the comment was meant to cause panic, it had failed, miserably. Leia shrugged, placing her hand upon his, dark eyes meeting red. "I am hurt that anyone feels I do not serve the Empire and her people, Admiral. I am a senator."
"The senate has been dissolved. Your claim could be considered treason."
His hand moved higher up her leg to rest upon her thigh. She was now uncomfortable. To show her displeasure would be a weakness, but she would not allow this alien to take advantage of her in any way.
"Though the senate has been dissolved, I am still a representative of my people and the daughter and heir of the elected King of Alderaan. Unless there is an Imperial Order that has been made within the past standard day, I still have diplomatic immunity." Her gaze became hard. "I also suggest you remove your hand, Admiral."
Thrawn only nodded, leaning closer. Now face to face, Leia was definitely uncomfortable, but thanks to the design of her chair, she could not avoid the being in front of her.
"You are in conflict, are you not?" He whispered as he leaned closer, his breath warm upon her neck, sending chills down her spine. "You do not wish to die as a traitor, yet you make your bed with the Rebellion. You claim status as a senator, though the senate has been nothing more than a way to appease the lower classes since my arrival in the Navy." Though her eyes were wide in fear, another shiver passed through her body as his hand moved farther up her thigh, eliciting a whimper as she attempted to squirm away from Thrawn. "You wish to return with me to Imperial Capital to see if I am telling lies, such is your inquisitive nature." Lips brushed against skin as he spoke. "The knowledge I can give you while in the Emperor's library will either break you or bring you to our cause."
As quickly as his coercion had begun, it was finished. The alien admiral was out of his chair, staring intently at the flowing lines of a sculpture by Bail Organa himself. The piece was not in public record; somehow it was being projected in this ship.
It took a few moments for Leia to return to her senses. She had never been that. . . .intimate? . . . .with a male before. Part of her mind was chastising her for her stupidity; the other part was congratulating her for not becoming so terrified of the closeness.
"You claim to know me, Admiral, yet we have only met twice." Leia hissed, anger rising from her moment of weakness. "I am not some pawn in whatever twisted game you are playing, nor will I allow you to treat me as such."
He cocked a blue-black eyebrow in feigned surprise. "I am sorry you feel that way, Princess. If you would like, I could submit our coordinates to Lord Vader. He would be more than willing to conduct a thorough interrogation.
"I, obviously, believe that you are not a traitor, but just unaware of the dangers that lie beyond the Empire. The civil war that you wish to create will do nothing but give the real enemy a chance to strike." Thrawn smiled, nodding toward the sculpture by Bail Organa. "We have three days until we reach Imperial Capital. At that time, you will have made your choice, and I will allow you the freedom to go wherever in the galaxy you feel is best for your cause."
ooooooooooooooooo
Leia spent the next day searching the Admonitor's records for any clues that would help her understand the Vice-Admiral's intentions. Her guide on the ship, Qiin Valera, a surprisingly chatty lieutenant from Alderaan, stayed at her side throughout the day, asking her questions about their homeworld, and laughing that he must have been one of the luckiest officer candidates in the entire Empire, since he served under one of the most brilliant tacticians in the history of the galaxy.
Her search of the ship's log only confirmed Valera's words; the Vice-Admiral was efficient, resourceful, and seemed to only use aggression when necessary. She only extended her search back for a half of a year, as the pattern was always the same.
The Admonitor would enter orbit around a planet, the people would negotiate with the Vice-Admiral, and the system would be assimilated into the Empire.
She had taken her dinner alone; a spicy chilled broth with some sort of meat from the vice-admiral's homeworld that Lieutenant Valera said was the admiral's favorite dish. Apparently, everything but the alien's name and species was common knowledge among the crew, and any would answer her questions about the humanoid, less those.
The second day was filled with many of the same activities. The crew was still as cordial as ever, she ate the food from the officer's mess; a hot vegetable dish; and she was still unable to face the vice-admiral because she still had not learned anything more.
As the Admonitor came out of hyperspace on the third day, Leia decided to speak with the alien. No amount of searching Imperial databases and Alderaanian libraries would give her the information she wanted; she could only hope he was like any other male.
Before leaving her quarters, Leia dressed herself in one of the exquisite maroon gowns in the closet. It was obvious that the admiral had planned on capturing her, and she was at least grateful that he had common courtesy to treat her as a guest instead of a hostage. Pulling her hair in to a severe bun and wrapping it with a corsuca stone tie, she showed herself to the admiral's meditation room, knocking quietly on the door to announce her arrival.
"Enter."
Thrawn's smile became genuine as Leia stepped in to the dim light, hugging her arms in the cold of the room. His homeworld was a glacier, and he liked his meditation area to remind him of Csilla.
"Admiral, I come with one question." Leia smiled politely, though she still hugged her arms. She paused for a moment, watching the steam from her breath float toward the ceiling. "I do not understand what you mean by a threat worse than the Emperor. Could you please enlighten me to this situation?"
"Leia Organa, have you ever studied the Jedi?"
"Of course. My father was a friend of the Jedi Council, and believed in their peaceful teachings." With a sigh, she looked to the floor. "It is truly a shame that the madness that befalls most clone troopers happened at such a time in the campaign."
"Yet it was Master Windu that tried to assassinate our glorious Emperor, and he was only acting out his part in the plot the Jedi had created to control the galaxy."
She stepped closer, a smirk upon her lips. "You have knowledge of the Jedi? You, a bastardized abomination, a mixture of so many species that one could not even place what you are!" With a laugh, she sat in his commander's chair, not moving her skirt lower on her thighs, as would be proper. "Please, Admiral, I have no reason to listen to another word you speak. I would rather speak with Palpatine and Lord Vader than a common freak, like you."
"How DARE you!" Thrawn was over her in an instant, pinning her wrists to the arms of the chair. "I, the second son of the Aristocra of the Eighth Ruling Family of Csilla, am not a bastardized abomination! I come from a proud people, Princess."
She could only chuckle. "If you are what you say, then why do you serve the Emperor and not your own people?"
Leia's head jerked to the side as his gloved hand contacted her cheek, much harder than any of her teachers had ever done in her self-defense classes. Tears welled in her eyes, but she would not show weakness to the alien. Instead, she would wait for another blow, and return to Alderaan with more propaganda to recruit more to the Rebel Alliance.
It never came. When she opened her eyes once again, Thrawn was inspecting a holoproj of Killik Twilight.
"I will not allow my actions to be used in Rebel propaganda, Princess. I should not have struck you."
Leia nodded, moving toward his side, slipping an arm around his waist. "It must be difficult for you, being so far away from your home." With a sigh, she looked up at him. "It must absolutely anger the human elitists that you have such a high rank."
His eyes shifted down to meet hers, a small smile crossing his lips. "Princess, flattery does not work on me, and my kind are seasonal breeders. You can stop your attempts to seduce me."
"Oh…" Leia stepped away from him, wrapping her arms around herself once again. "I apologize for my actions… they were foolish."
"There is no need to apologize."
A buzz from the command chair drew Thrawn's attention back to reality; there would be one hour until landing on the Imperial Capital, and his attention was needed on the bridge in half that time.
Leia's smile was sad as she walked toward the door, turning as she reached it to look upon the admiral, who was already replacing his regular uniform with the black dress jacket. "Shall I await my meeting with the Emperor in my chambers?"
Thrawn paused for a moment, then laughed as he dropped his shoulders in defeat. "If you go down three levels, there is a TIE Advanced that is prepped for escort duty. It leaves from Hangar Three. The pilot is in the infirmary."
He looked up, a genuine smile upon his lips. "I expect you to keep your promise, Princess. I would love a personal tour of every gallery on your homeworld."