Chapter Four: I won't let you fall
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The length of forest between the crashed ship and the shelter involved avoiding a great many low-hanging branches through the dense trees. It wasn't a problem for Ezra, as the boy was around 5'10" and the armored Mandalorians were not taller than that as well. As for Thrawn, he was tall by human standards — he was tall by Chiss standards. At 6'4" he was used to towering over his peers. It was a struggle in his youth finding uniforms the correct measurements — often he'd had to tailor them himself. Though, the experience did lend him an increased appreciation for a good hemline.
As Thrawn focused on avoiding the twisted roots, balancing an unconscious Hera, and avoiding smacking his own forehead against the branches, it took a great deal of concentration. He'd not noticed that the Twi'lek had roused into a state of consciousness and was watching him intently, scrutinizing every micro expression that crossed his face until she spoke.
"Is there a reason you're carrying me?" Hera demanded. She twisted in his arms and the awkward movement bent his wrist uncomfortably.
Thrawn allowed her slip out of his hold. He said nothing but observed stoically as she grimaced, held her head, clutched at her stomach, stumbled over a large exposed root and started to crash to the ground. He reached out and steadied her in reflex. "I believe you understand the reason now," he murmured.
Hera jerked her arm out of his grasp. "I don't need your assistance," she hissed.
"Your companions continued on ahead to the shelter Ezra and I created." Thrawn pointed up and to the right where Sabine's colorful armor served as a beacon. He could easily catch up to them with his long strides if he chose, but carrying Hera at a comfortable pace created a decent distance between the two halves of the party. Thrawn watched as Hera limped painfully after the Mandalorians and Jedi while he trailed behind calmly.
A yellow and green snake startled Hera and as she sidestepped it, her ankle twisted painfully. She fell to her knees., breathing heavily.
With a sigh he didn't bother to stifle, Thrawn crouched in front of her. "Stop being so proud and stubborn. We are not currently on opposing sides. There is no need to ignore help when it is offered."
"Fine," Hera ground out, settling on Thrawn's back with her arms around his shoulders, knees pressed against his hips.
Thrawn's large hands and long fingers gripped Hera on the underside her thighs, the thick leather pilot uniform was easy on his palms. He stood with ease now that Hera supported some of her own weight. It was an easier carry than in his arms and his line of sight wouldn't be partially obscured . All in all, it was an easier solution. And the soft bamboo material of his shirt kept him from overheating with her body pressed against his back in the humid forest.
"I cannot believe Mitth'raw'nuruodo is carrying me," Hera grumbled. "No one will believe this."
It had been years since anyone had actually said his name correctly. It was generally butchered on the tongues of man. "You know my name," Thrawn said quietly, somewhat impressed.
"Of course, I know your name. Do you know how many nightmares I've had with you at centerstage?" Hera huffed. Her arms tightened around his shoulders as she started to slip down his back. "This is a very fragrant forest," she murmured.
He wasn't sure how he felt to be a reoccurring nightmare— perhaps he should be flattered? She didn't seem to realize the rarity of pronouncing his true name correctly. His respect for the woman increased a notch. Should he tell her he still possessed her family's heirloom, the Kalikori? It was in his personal affects trunk on the Chimaera. If he ever returned to his ship, he'd be sure to return it. She might want to pass it down to her future children. He was not so insensitive to ignore the meaning of art.
"Be glad you're not here during Spring. Ezra and I spend a lot of time sneezing with the excessive pollen. We had to adopt masks." Thrawn smiled in memory of the first few days of Spring — both of them had raw, red noses from the pollen. A mask barrier had become such a priority and they'd desperately weaved those bamboo fibers. "And the mud from all the rain. The ground is quite treacherous at that time."
"I guess you two have had to adapt," Hera murmured.
"We've been here for years. I don't even know how old I am anymore. Ten sol cycles have passed on this planet. It's been frustrating to sit on the sidelines while the threat to the galaxy — our galaxy — not this one — looms closer." Thrawn pressed his lips together in frustration. He'd worked hard to move up the ranks — always the youngest to do such achievements in both systems — Ascendancy and Empire. But now, he'd been unable to contribute for so many years. What foolish decisions were made without his advice to help temper the lust for power of so many in high offices?"
"It's been seven standard years — so however old that makes you. The Empire lost, by the way," Hera said, her voice smug.
Thrawn had been thirty-five so that made him forty-two. He felt a slight improvement in mood. He'd practically de-aged three years. "Not a surprise," Thrawn said neutrally. "I've been stuck on this planet. Like any system, the human error factor tends to lead to failure. There were many times when I pointed out the flaws in plans and was outvoted. Let me guess — someone destroyed the Death Star?"
"Yes," Hera said, her tone reflecting surprise at his attitude.
"And is your New Republic so very organized and fair to help all its citizens equally?" Thrawn asked.
"No," Hera admitted. "I'm probably going to be court-marshaled for this mission. It's off the books. I'd asked multiple times to mount a rescue mission for Ezra and was denied each time by the Senators."
"The same problems, different leaders." Thrawn stared ahead, lost in thought for a few moments— thinking about all the pompous individuals he'd dealt with in multiple societies. It was always the same, they only cared about their self-importance, never their actual constituents. "I hate politics."
Hera laughed. "Me too."
The silence stretched between them, but this time it wasn't brimming with hostility.
"Why did you join the Empire, Thrawn?"
"There are more terrifying forces in the great beyonds of space than you or I can even imagine," Thrawn answered. "I wanted to keep life in the Andromeda Universe from being annihilated." He shifted Hera's weight on his back and gripped her legs tighter, for a moment he appreciated the sinewed strength he could feel in her thighs under the leather. "I always try to preserve life. Preserve culture. Without it, we're nothing more than animals struggling to survive — hunt, eat, rest, repeat. Being stranded on this planet only further strengthened my resolve."
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For years, Hera had been the ideal picture of pose and strength. Her courage was renown throughout the New Republic. She felt a strong nagging of guilt for misjudging her enemy. The difference between Thrawn and her — he's always respected his enemies. She viewed them as obstacles to freedom. Kanan would have been disappointed in her short-sightedness. To be fair, she was still bitter about the loss of her family heirloom. Though, if Thrawn hadn't taken it, it would have been destroyed — lost in a pile of rubble and ash from when she'd demolished her family home. She refused to see her ancestral home serve as accommodations to that lousy Imperial officer— she didn't even remember his name. She did remember Thrawn making a fool of him in front of her. The officer didn't even realize he was being insulted! Hera had almost liked the Chiss at that moment in time.
Even then, when she met Thrawn for the first time, he'd seen through her subservient attitude when she'd tried to pass herself off as a domestic worker. He didn't cast judgment lightly.
She even found herself appreciating the Grand Admiral. He'd been young to have received such an esteemed rank and she knew the racism against non-humans well. For him to have achieved so much, his merits had to be impossible to ignore. And there had been quite a few opportunities when they faced off against one another that he could have killed her entire crew, but he'd spared them — time and again. It was almost like he enjoyed the chase. Maybe she'd ask him about it if they were going to be stuck on this planet for a while.
Hera didn't want to admit it, but even if it was just to carry her because of her injuries, she was enjoying the feel his strong hands secured under her thighs and the corded muscles of his powerful back. They were probably the same age, maybe he was a few years older than her, but she might be able to relate to him more than she thought possible.
"Who's Jason?" Thrawn asked.
"Jacen, is my son," Hera answered. "He's a Force user, like his father. I left him with a friend to train."
"Ah. I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Kanan Jarrus was a respectable man," Thrawn said, his voice a smooth melody with his unique cadence. "I suppose you chose Ahsoka Tano. She's too stubborn to die and rejected the ways of the Jedi, but also did not embrace the anger of the Sith."
"How do you know all this?" Hera asked.
"I have spent many years in the company of Ezra Bridger. He talks—a lot. I'm sure your son will become a great warrior with Tano training him and very wise with you as his mother," Thrawn assured her. "When I return to my ship, I will give you back the Kalikori. I realize the importance it holds to Twi'lek family — in case you wish to pass it down to your child."
"You kept it?" Hera asked.
"I wasn't about to let it be destroyed," Thrawn answered, an irritated tone having crept into his normally calm voice.
"Jacen looks human. The only evidence of his Twi'lek blood is his dark green hair," Hera said. "It's strange. When we would go in public when he was young, people would assume I was the nanny or something. Most Twi'lek do find occupations as servants, so I suppose it wasn't unusual."
"Humans can be so frustrating." Thrawn stepped around another yellow and green snake— with much more grace than she'd managed earlier.
"Do— do you have children, Thrawn?" Hera asked, resting her face against his back and staring at the trees they passed.
There was a slight hesitation in his step. "My wife and I chose against having children."
"You're married?" Hera couldn't hide her surprised.
"I was," Thrawn answered. "Thalias and I first met when I was just a cadet starting my career in my home-world's military. It was an arranged married within our clan, but I was fond of her. She had a connection to the Force that caused her to be taken from her family at a young age and put into service navigating our ships — we called our navigators Sky-walkers." He smiled faintly. "Imagine my surprise to meet Anakin Skywalker?" He fell silent again. " My earliest memory is of my elder sister being taken because of her Force sensitivity. I never saw her again."
"No wonder you don't like the Force," Hera reasoned.
"The Force is difficult to predict, hard to plan a strategy against someone that can use magic." Thrawn paused and a dark gray raccoon-like mammal ran by in front of them with four legs and a striped tail. "I have a bigger issue with young children being taken from their families and forced into service. My people and the Jedi did the same." He shifted her weight, the dense muscles of his back rippled with the movement and his large hands gripped the backs of her legs like an iron vise. "The risk of having a Force sensitive child was too great. I couldn't put my wife through the pain of having your child stolen away. She'd been through enough already."
"What happened to her? Your wife?" Hera asked.
"Political rivals of my Family," Thrawn explained. "I was born into a low ranking clan, the Kivu, but my progress at the Academy and later the Military, gained attention — some good, most bad. One of the most powerful ruling families, the Mitth, adopted me into their ranks. So I had my own enemies and now all the political rivals as well." He looked over his shoulder and met Hera's gaze with his glowing crimson eyes. "I am skilled at military strategies, but my wife was a victim of my folly when it came to Politics."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Hera said quietly.
Thrawn nodded, but said nothing.
"How much farther?" Hera asked. Her head was starting to hurt again.
"Another hour. Why don't you sleep?"
"You promise you won't drop me?" Hera asked warily.
"I promise, I won't let you fall, Hera Syndulla," Thrawn vowed.
And moments later, Hera fell asleep while being carried on the back of the man that had previously haunted her nightmares.
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"Soooo, who are your friends?" Ezra asked, leaning close to Sabine while the other three Mandalorians kept constant surveillance while flanking them.
"Bo-Katan Kryze is the leader of Mandalore, she now welds the Dark Saber. And Din Djarin is probably the most famous bounty hunter in our sector of the universe. And Grogu is their adopted son," Sabine answered. "I'd been training with Ahsoka Tano for about a year when Hera showed up with Jacen. He was wanting to train. And Bo-Katan, Din, and Grogu had been visiting for a few weeks and were about to leave when Hera and I thought maybe we could try to hunt down the Space Whales and see if there was a chance to find you."
"Okay, so how did you communicate with the Space Whales— they aren't particularly chatty," Ezra murmured. "I've tried to convince them every time they're near to let me and Thrawn off this planet. Sometimes they drop off some space debris, but usually they ignore us."
"Well, they didn't ignore you this time. Grogu is like you — he can talk to animals. They offered to show us the way," Sabine said. "At first we were in the mouth of a whale and then they spit us out and we rode the rest of the distance in their wake."
Ezra reached for Sabine's hand and pulled her to a stop. He searched her face anxiously. "Did we win? Did the Empire fall?"
She nodded. "You bet we did!" She used her free hand to run across his shoulders. "What the heck is this tunic? It's really soft."
"Ah, I made it myself. The material is spun from bamboo threads. It wasn't easy and it took quite a while to master the skill. Thrawn is knowledgable in so many subjects. I feel like I graduated from the Academy five times over!" Ezra laughed and then noticed he still held Sabine's hand. He dropped it immediately and the tips of his ears burned. "So, it might be crowded in our shelter. It's comfortable for two, but seven might be a little too cozy if there is tension. So, just, don't give Thrawn any grief right now."
"He was our greatest enemy, Ezra," Sabine protested warily.
"We were on opposite sides at that time. I'm telling you — he's someone you want guarding your back." Ezra's violet eyes flashed in excitement. "I don't ever want to fight against him again — he's my friend, Sabine."
"Says the boy who was friends with Darth Maul," Sabine said with a dramatic sigh. She reached over and tapped his shoulder. "Though, I will admit, he does seem to know a lot of useful stuff."
Ezra laughed. "You don't even know the half of it!" He pointed towards the left. "We're almost there, just beyond that hill."
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A/N: I'm pretty sure we all watched Disney+ Ahsoka episode this week. I am okay with Thrawn's appearance. His voice is perfect, and I'm glad they picked Lars — I love that Danish accent on our favorite Chiss. And he's the right physique - tall 6'4" and lean. But he's an older guy 59 y/o so that works for Filoni's story, but in this story, Thrawn is still a youngish, handsome guy of 42. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter! I noticed several typos in my previous chapter that I fixed earlier today.
What's your favorite Thrawn line from the latest episode? Mine was when he told his forces to "attack with prejudice."