AU-verse post-mission with Thrawn and Hera

[grandadmiralartcritic]

As first engagements go, Thrawn has definitely experienced worse. Enemy routed, casualties comparatively minimal, and the damaged ships, at least, should be easily repairable.

The lost soldiers, however . . . that is a different story.

He strides along the slightly scorched corridor of the flagship, keeping a weather eye on the morale of the troops -- as well as their stress response and repair efficiency.

Many things will depend on it.

Comments

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"I see."

His voice remains cool, even as he starts sending documentation to Kaia's datapad.

"I've attached a few schematics, and there's a particular solder alloy that several engineers of my acquaintance found works best. Use the same techniques that you use when repairing a burst thermocouple, and you should be well on your way."

Kaia opens her mouth to speak, gets a little pale, and then nods.

"That sounds -- we can do that."

She gives General Syndulla a look, halfway between helpless and questioning.

"Um. If we need to substitute a mark 5 replacement instead of the one you've indicated, do we attach them all in series? It seems like it would overload the system, but -- "

[for_everyone]

Hera doesn’t speak. But she meets Kaia’s eyes, and nods, just slightly.

Then she turns back to Thrawn, eyebrows raised, also expecting an answer.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn is silent for a few moments, scrolling through the lists on his datapad again. That one seems a likely secondary substitute, and that one, and . . .

He looks up after a moment, nodding once, sharply.

"The most likely decoupler substitutes should be attached in parallel, but series for the rest will be fine with a three day window. After that the connections are likely to degrade enough to spark, which would end badly."

As everyone here knows.

[for_everyone]

“You can shield the decouplers with a two centimeter wrap of bonding tape,” Hera says, looking back to Kaia. “That should be thin enough to complete the install, but contain them if they degrade faster than we anticipate.”

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn's smile is thin-lipped.

"And the smell of the burning adhesive will be fairly unmistakable early enough in the process to be repaired again before it gets any worse."

Not that Thrawn used bonding tape on the power packs he turned into bombs, back on that nameless planet so long ago.

(But maybe he did.)

[for_everyone]

"How does that sound?"

Kaia again glances between between them, before locking eyes on Hera. "Ye - yes, we can do that."

She nods to Hera and then, very quick and without really looking at him, does the same to Thrawn. The lieutenant stares as she returns to the droids, but Hera turns away, waving to Thrawn to move with her.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn's smile is gone long before Hera starts to move away.

"I suppose making them uncomfortable was unavoidable."

[for_everyone]

"They'll have to get used to it."

Hera doesn't need nor want this crew to become friendly with Thrawn. But they would have to speak to him. There was no avoiding it.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"It is regrettably unlikely to be a short campaign," Thrawn agrees.

[for_everyone]

They exit the hangar, stepping through the blast doors into the corridor again.

"And you might have to get used to their discomfort."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn clasps his hands behind his back again, falling into step with the General.

"It comes as no surprise to me. But I have yet to be attacked while going about my business, which says much for your command."

Unlike, for example, any part of the Imperial machine -- including the academies.

[for_everyone]

“We don’t usually attack our own.”

But it was something that had crossed Hera’s mind. Many in the Resistance were too young to have clear memories of the first war, but she knew this crew had been vetted to avoid anyone with any personal reason to hate Thrawn.

Other than the person in charge of it, she supposes.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Dryly --

"I rather doubt I count as one of your own."

[for_everyone]

"You doubt it," she repeats, faintly.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn raises one eyebrow.

"I am actually fairly certain, in most respects."

[for_everyone]

She leads away from the lift, down the corridor and through a door that leads to a flight of stairs.

"And what respects are those?"

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Mmmm."

Thrawn weighs his words carefully.

Then --

"By and large all of the emotional ones, which I understand. I do not expect that to change."

[for_everyone]

Hera shakes her head, grabbing hold of the railing to start up the stairs.

"We can talk about this later."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"As you will," Thrawn says, following her up.

"What is the next most pressing matter on the list?"

[for_everyone]

"The progress with the comms in medical."

She reaches the top of the stairs, turning into another corridor. "After that, you can return to the bridge if you want, I'll be back before we come out of the jump."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"I would prefer that," Thrawn acknowledges.

"Though for all I might try, I doubt I will be able to remain unobtrusive."

It's his eyes, probably.

[for_everyone]

"All right."

They're drawing closer to the medical bay, and are within a few doors of it when -

"One more thing -"

Hera stops, abruptly, turning on her heel to face Thrawn. Her voice is low, direct but not impatient.

"You don't need to personally fix every problem we have. Our crew can do their jobs."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn's expression remains composed.

"Understood."

He keeps his hands clasped behind his back.

"Do you have suggestions for how I may better integrate into this command?"

[for_everyone]

"Don't offer to do their job for them?"

Hera folds her arms, glancing away as she considers this.

"Your suggestions are fine. But they can do the work."

There are questions itching at her, like Were you fixing comms arrays on Star Destroyers? But she's strict about never mentioning the Empire while they're 'on-duty,' as much as the distinction exists, and she so pushes this to the back of her mind.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"So noted. Rest assured I shall not forget again."

There's a faint wry cast to his words, strongest on 'rest assured'.

Some emergencies require all hands, but hopefully he will not lead this fleet into one of those.

And so.