Not As Much of a Jerk As You Could Have Been AU

[for_everyone]

Hera left the bridge as they fell out of hyperspace near the edge of the Unknown Regions. It was their first opportunity to make contact with the rest of the Resistance in nearly three weeks, and she had decided to do so in her ready room, fully expecting back and forth with Admiral Ackbar and General Organa concerning her overtures toward the Chiss. It also meant that she took the very rare step of leaving Thrawn alone on her bridge.

It takes longer than expected for her to get a signal through to Leia. And when she finally does, she's quickly glad she chose to have this conversation in private.

It's nearly an hour before she has sent word back to the bridge. Coordinates, closest to the Reviya system, nearly on the edge of Wild Space. These are the only instructions, along with a note to Thrawn to join her as soon as possible.

Without a pause for confirmation, the officers move to their stations to calculate the jump.

Comments

[for_everyone]

Muffled voices can still be heard beyond the door. As soon as he knocks, Hera's voice calls out from inside. "Come in."

There's a holoprojector on her desk. Hera is leaning forward, her hands curled into fists on the door's surface. The woman in the holo keeps watching Hera, though even if she can't see him, she must now know Thrawn has entered the room.

"We'll be glad to see you," says General Organa. "This is the first good news we've had in some time."

Hera nods. "We'll be there soon, Leia. Until then, you have my condolences."

They say goodbye, and the holo flickers out. Hera moves to retrieve the projector, not immediately looking to Thrawn.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

There are things Thrawn can't quite help about his voice. The accent, the smoothness of his tone that is so easy to sound snide --

But he can soften it a bit, that's . . . about all.

"I take it we missed a great deal while we were gone, General. Is all the news bad, then?"

[for_everyone]

"There are still some of us left in this galaxy," she says, still not looking at him as she slides the projector away. "And the First Order suffered a blow."

Finally, she raises her eyes back to Thrawn. "That's about all that's good."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Ah."

Thrawn falls silent, moving farther into the room. He takes care not to intrude into Hera's space. This seems like a time when she could use all that is possible, and soon enough it will be time for her to return to the bridge.

"Should I ask for details about the bad, or is it better I find that in the documentation?"

Never ask him to believe reports have not been written and filed. Somewhere.

[for_everyone]

"I doubt anyone will have time to write up a report anytime soon."

She closes her eyes, pressing a hand to her forehead.

"Was the Empire developing tech to track ships through lightspeed?"

[grandadmiralartcritic]

His eyebrows lift toward his hairline.

"As far as I am aware, there was at least one project of that kind constantly on the books. No progress was ever made, though, not while I was in a position to keep track of such things."

And then he was imprisoned, and . . . well.

"I take it something changed?"

[for_everyone]

"Someone must have succeeded since then."

She glances away again, lifting her hand to wrap it around the back of her chair. "Which we didn't anticipate."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn falls momentarily silent, mind turning over the potential consequences to this type of technology.

And then --

"How much of the Resistance Fleet were they able to track down?"

Left unsaid is the 'and destroy' that naturally ought to follow. It seems rather like rubbing salt into a fresh wound.

[for_everyone]

"There was one other cruiser off-base at the time. It hasn't reported in yet, but they might still be out of range. A handful of fighters were also on-mission. And of those who were on base -"

She closes her eyes, not quite able to stop herself from picturing it. "One Corellian freighter is left."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

His mouth presses down into a thin line.

Silence.

Then --

"Will they be waiting at the rendezvous the bridge crew is calculating now?"

[for_everyone]

She opens her eyes, glancing up at him.

"Vice-Admiral Holdo launched their final cruiser into the pursuing fleet at light speed."

Hera falls silent for a few seconds. Like she still needs a moment to consider these words - it was a maneuver she had never even considered before. Not that she had ever had to.

"Much of their fleet was destroyed, and the Supremacy was heavily damaged and disabled. They've confirmed they're no longer being tracked."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"A fine tactic," Thrawn says, after another moment of almost admiring silence. "Though one with a high price."

He has been learning that, in certain circumstances, that is how you know said price is worth paying.

"Are we likely to be tracked, once we re-emerge into the Republic's space?"

[for_everyone]

"If we come across the First Order fleet."

She sighs, lifting releasing her chair and taking a step back from it. "But they've yet to build a presence in that edge of the galaxy."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"How much time would you say we have?"

Now only one eyebrow is raised.

"Before their presence finds its way into that quadrant?"

[for_everyone]

"Well..."

She takes another deep breath, lets it out.

"Their leader is dead."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Dare I hope that it's led to fractionation and internal strife?"

The dry tone to his voice suggests he knows that's a bit much. Fanatics, after all, are very desperate to be led.

[for_everyone]

"We don't know that yet."

With a look back to him, "But it seems that Ben Solo took his place."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Solo."

His voice is flat.

"That seems unfortunate in the extreme."

If he has the charisma of either parent . . .

[for_everyone]

Hera watches him for a few seconds, then glances away as she continues.

"As for us, now - there's General Organa, Admiral Statura, and me."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Better three than none," Thrawn murmurs.

"Will you seek to rebuild?"

If he were a betting man . . .

[for_everyone]

Again, she waits a few second before she answers.

"I'm not surrendering the galaxy to the First Order."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"And your compatriots agree."

That might almost not be a question.

"I am not certain how long such news as this might be kept from the Chiss, but there will be a lag in information. For what that might be worth."

[for_everyone]

She nods, her eyes falling. But she doesn't keep her mind on this for long.

"And what about you?"

[grandadmiralartcritic]

What about me, he does not say.

"Is there no place to be had for such as I in this next stage of your Resistance?"

It seems a waste, were he even a little inclined to believing that to be true.

[for_everyone]

"Is that a place you want to be in?" she asks.