Thrawn pursed his lips. "Is he alright?"
She nodded curtly. "He's recovering nicely. I think he'll be ok."
Thrawn took a deep breath. "What was it?"
She stared at him am moment. "He was poisoned, Thrawn."
He froze. "Poisoned?" Who would poison Eli? His mind whirred, who they'd seen, where they'd been… but a grunt from the bed made him pause. He would do that later. Right now was about Eli.
She nodded gravely and Eli shifted, squeezing her hand hard enough to whiten her knuckles.
"Is he lucid?"
She looked at Eli. "Not really. He's been fearful, he isn't sure where he is or why he's here. We've been taking turns sitting with him, it helps him sleep."
Thrawn sat cautiously in the chair beside the bed.
"He's asked for you. Many times."
Thrawn's brow furrowed. Him?
"Eli," she said softly. "Thrawn is here."
He groaned, and Thrawn shook his head. "It's not necessary."
"He'll be comforted," she assured him.
"Thrawn?" Eli mumbled.
"He's right here," Linnia assured him.
Eli tried to shift, but it seemed his body wouldn't follow his commands, his muscles loose and weak. Thrawn stood and walked around the bed. Linnia stood for him, offering him her chair, which he gratefully accepted.
"Thrawn." Eli drawled, his eyes a horrific red, the sclera tinged yellow beneath.
"I am here." He said softly, looking back at Linnia questioningly. She nodded, smiling.
"I'm real sorry." He started and Thrawn sighed.
"You are ill. There's no need for an apology."
Eli blinked agonizingly slow, as if the act of opening his eyes was enough to exhaust him. "I failed you."
Thrawn reminded himself that there was a strong chance Eli didn't even know what he was saying.
"No. You have done wonderfully. You need rest."
"Everyone's real nice," he smiled, his eyes falling closed.
"Yes," Thrawn agreed, hoping he'd fall back asleep.
"Don't go," Eli murmured.
Thrawn swallowed. As if he'd be able to get anything done if he did. "I won't."
Eli, pleased with the news, seemed to fall back asleep, leaving Thrawn with Linnia.
He cleared his throat, "I did not know you were still in the navy."
She sat down. "I wrote you, you never got it?"
He frowned, "When?"
"Nearly a year ago now."
Thrawn frowned. Rossi.
She intercepted his thoughts "I got severely wounded in an accident, I had to drop out of the academy for a year. Once I was back at the academy I looked you up and saw that you were on the Bloodcrow, and sent a letter. I never received a response so I figured you were not interested in corresponding with me and left it at that."
He closed his eyes. All this time he'd wondered why she'd never contacted him, and it had been captain Rossi who'd tossed his letter.
"My captain at the time was not appreciative of my presence on the Bloodcrow, she actually had me court martialed not long after she became commanding officer. I imagine she deleted my letter. I apologize."
She smirked, "its ok, Commander."
"For you, its just Thrawn."
"Alright, Thrawn." She smiled, "are you really going to stay?"
He nodded, "the Thunderwasp is due for some minor repairs. The crew can work on it for a few days while he rests."
"Why don't we have dinner then? Catch up?"
He swallowed. "Sure."
He followed her down a few long hallways to the mess. He couldn't help the small bubble of relief inside him. He had his answer. She hadn't simply forgotten him. She'd even written him. Now, he felt like he had then, that maybe navigating humans wouldn't be quite as disastrous as he thought. Maybe, maybe he could do this. Maybe he could be alright in the navy. Eli had been his only trustworthy tether. Others all had motives, most cynical, and Thrawn had grown tired quickly, consistently watching out for aggression, making mental notes of the Empire, and navigating Basic and human culture.
Now he was growing more comfortable, the language was easy, their military structure and culture very similar to that of the Ascendancy, and here, here he didn't have the politics of the Ascendancy. Family names weren't thrown around, stepping in and ruining missions and careers. He was the outsider here, yes, but his hard work did, in fact, pay off, regardless of what his name was. It was a clean slate, one free of the brand of political ties that had dragged him down in the expansionary fleet. If he worked hard, he got rewarded. All he had to do was sidestep those that wished to bring him down by staying one step ahead. The only person's opinion that mattered in the navy was the emperor. If he stayed in his favor, the possibilities were endless. Right?
She led him through the line and to a table near the door. Her comm was on her tray, constantly babbling.
Thrawn caught a mark on her neck, and took a closer look while she opened her drink. It was the end of a large scar.
"How do you think Ensign Vanto got poisoned?" He asked, cutting into his meat.
"The bloodwork shows its a poison commonly used on farms to kill vermin, venerin. The more you ingest, the more deadly it is, and Eli got quite a bit. More than a simple sprinkle in a drink or in food."
Thrawn cringed. The thought of someone targeting Eli was disturbing. Whatever political rodeo Thrawn was in, Eli was an innocent bystander. Why not poison Thrawn?
"Doctor?" He asked from within his thoughts.
"Commander?" She replied, smirking.
"Linnia." He corrected and she inclined her head, "Ensign Vanto and I were together that evening, what do you believe the chances are that I was poisoned as well?"
He watched realization come across her features.
"I can run a test and see if you have any venerin in your system."
They finished their meals, Linnia leading Thrawn to the lab. She led him to an intimidating looking chair, pulling on gloves.
"Take off your jacket." She said over her shoulder, prepping some machine on the counter. Thrawn had never had his blood drawn since his 'exile,' therefore he had no idea how this worked.
"Anything I should know? No acid blood or?"
He stared at her and she laughed, "I'm joking."
He sighed, irritated with himself. "I actually know nothing of the similarities between your blood and mine."
"Nothing?" She teased, pulling her chair up to him.
"Its red. Is that helpful?"
She smiled, forcing Thrawn to do the same. She smelled of some type of floral perfume, sweet and clean. Her warm hands found his forearm, poking around for a vein. Her skin was incredibly soft, and Thrawn watched her expert precision.
"Have you seen a medic since when I fixed your ankle?"
He shook his head, "No one wanted to do my physical examination so the requirement was waived."
Her eyebrow rose, "I wish that would happen to me."
The shame associated with the story washed away to her amusement. "The doctor dislikes seeing a doctor?"
She laughed, seeming to find a spot she liked and prepping the little machine in her hand.
"I'm gonna pinch you now."
He didn't look away, watching her set the machine to his forearm and pressing a button. There was a pinch, and the screen lit up. She pulled it away, her finger over the spot, watching the screen.
Thrawn watched her eagerly, and she looked up. "Nothing. No venerin."
His shoulders fell. He was so sure they would have aimed for him, not Eli. That Eli was the victim and not the target.
"I was so sure you were right." she said, lifting her finger off the site of injection and moving to clean her hands and the tool. Thrawn touched his arm, rubbing it subconsciously.
"I do not understand," he admitted.
"Nor do I," she frowned, leaning on the counter. "Maybe Eli will have answers when he's feeling better." He nodded, standing and pulling his jacket on.
"I should get back to the Thunderwasp."
She nodded, "You can stay here, if you'd like. You'd be closer to Eli."
He considered, his blood pressure rising. Stay? With her?
"I couldn't I-"
Her comm went off, "Doc, Vanto's blood pressure has fallen."
"Amp up the stabilizers and the R930."
"Affirmative."
Thrawn stared at her. He wouldn't sleep, worrying about Vanto. She, clearly, got all of Vanto's movements reported to her at all hours. Knowing that she'd be contacted at the smallest change in Eli's health might just be the thing to help him sleep
"If it wouldn't be too much of an intrusion."
"Of course not."
Thrawn took a deep breath, following her to the side of the frigate that contained the crews' quarters. She grabbed a few articles of clothing from a drawer in the hall on their way. She unlocked the door, switching on the light. Her quarters were similar to his in size, a modest kitchenette and a sitting area in front of them. She set her things down on the counter, gesturing to the room.
"This is my palace."
The couch had a blanket on the back of it, a nearby desk covered in reports and hand sketches and diagrams, math equations on the corners. Her items were varying shades of blue and black, including that of the blanket over her bed Thrawn could see in the reflection of her viewport.
"Please, make yourself comfortable," she said, walking across the sitting room to a door beside the couch, "Bathroom's here, you can take a shower if you want, my room is just through here," she said, walking across the sitting room, "You can have the bed, I'll take the couch."
"No." Thrawn said firmly. "I will sleep on the couch. Its not a problem."
She looked like she was going to argue, but Thrawn was unwavering. "Fine," she sighed, "but wake me for whatever, ok? I'll leave the door open so you can hear my comm if I get word about Eli."
He blinked. Observant. "Thank you."
She smirked, "I got you these, They should fit. It'll be more comfortable than sleeping in your uniform." She set the clothes on the counter.
"Thank you."
"Of course. Goodnight."
She swept into her room and Thrawn took the clothes on the table, heading into the bathroom. He took off his uniform, folding it gently on the counter before pulling on the standard issue medical clothes. She was right, they were more comfortable than his uniform, but not by much. Overwashed, the faded gray pants were scratchy and starchy, as was the matching gray shirt. They smelled of medical grade disinfectant and bacta, and Thrawn opted to wear his own undershirt, to avoid inhaling the scent all night.
When he came out the couch was folded out into a bed, the blanket from the back and a few pillows placed on top. He smiled to himself, sitting on it.
It was far more comfortable than it looked. In place of the hard military issue mattresses, this was a sort of foam that hugged the body.
She turned out her light and he followed suit, falling quickly asleep.
"What do you mean?" her voice penetrated Thrawn's sleep, slowly dragging him into consciousness. He looked at his chrono. 4:00. He blinked, sitting up and trying to focus his sleep addled mind on what she was saying.
"No, Conroy, he doesn't need surgery. We have never had to go to the extreme of an laprostatic flush. Its a hyperacute manifestation of Venerin and I-"
A man responded, and Thrawn rose, walking over to the doorframe. He gave her a questioning look and she waved him in. Her small light was on, and she turned on another so Thrawn could see better. He stood awkwardly before the bed, listening to their medical jargon lashing one another. She pat the bed, inviting him to sit, and he did so, precariously on the edge. He'd never seen another's private quarters. Ever. In the ascendancy it was considered the highest privacy, the closest he'd seen in the empire was Eli's bunk above his own. But that was a cold, clinical bunk. This was her bedroom, far more intimate. Thrawn wrung his hands.
"Conroy, I have Commander Thrawn here, Ensign Vanto's commanding officer. Since he is devoid of any other guardians, I suggest we let him decide since Ensign Vanto is unable to do so himself."
"Alright."
Thrawn watched her face, swallowing. He wasn't entirely sure what he'd just heard.
"Commander," she began, "Eli… she hesitated, "Eli's vital signs are falling, his organs are beginning to fail. Doctor Conroy suggests we flush Eli's system surgically to rid his body of the poison. I, on the other hand, believe a blood transfusion would be far less invasive and traumatic to Eli's already weakened body. I also believe the flush would be a waste, as he had already absorbed the poison when he got here. There is no residual poison to flush."
Thrawn thought, and she watched his face. "I will not be offended. I want you to make a decision you"re comfortable with." she said, muting the comm.
"You are certain this surgery would not help?"
She nodded curtly. "I think it could kill him."
Thrawn took a deep breath and nodded, taking the comm.
"Doctor Conroy this is Commander Thrawn. I do not wish for Ensign Vanto to have any surgical intervention at this time."
There was a pause. "WHatever you say, commander." He said with airy sarcasm.
She took the comm back and paged the desk. "Doc?"
"Can you watch Conroy? He's been denied for surgery on Vanto by Commander Thrawn, I want to ensure it stays that way. Nothing is to be done to Vanto unless I explicitly say so."
"Yes, ma'am."
She set the comm down, her hands massaging her temples.
"You trust this man to watch Vanto?"
She nodded, "with my life."
Thrawn looked around the room awkwardly.
"Eli is going to be okay, Thrawn," she said, looking up at him with surprising conviction.
"It certainly doesn't sound like it," he said quietly.
"I know that, but he is. Trust me."
