(no subject)

[grandadmiralartcritic]

A Captain must know every inch of his ship, from the waste disposal units to the warp nacelles and back again. Thrawn has also learned that a captain had best keep track of which doors on the Cerberus are most likely to lead to a little place called Milliways, just so one is less likely to be taken unawares.

Which means his arrival in the bar today is most likely not an accident. A space at a corner booth to consider what went wrong -- and what didn't -- on today's away mission is not unwelcome.

And having a lunch full of the tastes of his homeworld without the slightly 'off' texture that the Replicator still provides is a very nice side benefit.

He takes pains to keep his red command uniform clean, despite the thick sauce on his noodles, because to do otherwise would shame his mother.

[ooc: Thrawn's Star Trek AU write-up is here!]

Comments

[childofrebellion]

Cassian never tires of seeing aliens in Milliways, this one in that uniform makes him think of officers he's known, its a reminder of how much bigger the universe is than the little parts he knows.

He's trying to decide on a good place to sit that won't make his ribs protest, a straight backed chair or a booth and pauses to lean against a booth when he turns slightly too much. Underneath his leather jacket, he's wearing a Gilroy Garlic Festival t-shirt, cargo pants and no obvious weapons.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Did you need something?"

The blue alien's voice is low and smooth, but also scrupulously polite.

He's watching Cassian out of blood-red eyes.

[childofrebellion]

"No, just resting a moment,"

Cassian stands up from where he was leaning with a wince, but fairly well hidden, he's been hiding how much he's hurt since he was a boy.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn raises his eyebrows, though his voice remains mild.

"You seem like a man who might need a bit more than simply a moment of rest."

[childofrebellion]

Again he thinks of officers who always seemed to know when he was trying to be active sooner than he should,

"I hurt my ribs, nothing major simply annoying."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Slightly more than annoying if you're planning to keep moving around, I should think."

A great deal of physical exertion is more difficult with bruised ribs, let alone broken ones.

"But you know you own limitations best."

[childofrebellion]

"I was looking for a place to sit and debating where might be most comfortable," As he's planning on not moving for a time.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"You're welcome to join me, if you prefer company."

Thrawn turns his head, looking around the bar proper.

"Though the couches by the fire might be considered more comfortable by some."

[childofrebellion]

"If you don't mind. I find that a firmer seat helps more with my ribs. My name's Cassian Andor,"

He can get into one position and not be as likely to accidentally turn them. Cassian slowly sits down and looks for a rat to order himself dinner and a beer.

[yinyangwizard]

"Oh! Excuse me, would you mind if I sketched you?"

The speaker is a man with a silvery vizor on which his eyes are projected, and an ankle-length coat like a movie screen depicting a massive old camphor tree in a forest clearing. The branches of the tree are full of little humanoid creatures gathered in little clusters.

Miyazaki - for that is the name of the man in the coat - has learned to make a habit of asking permission to sketch, after a couple of awkward incidents.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn looks up, adjusting the collar of his uniform momentarily.

"Is this for practice purposes? Or do you have a particular agenda in mind that requires a Chiss?"

[yinyangwizard]

"Oh, neither. I simply think you might be an inspiration for a character in one of my books," Miyazaki says. "And, anyway, I don't encounter nonhuman sophonts at home!"

Miyazaki always takes the opportunity to draw aliens here, if they can.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Oh?"

Thrawn's eyebrows lift in polite inquiry.

"Are you planet-bound, then? And -- if I may ask, what sort of character are you considering for my likeness?"

[yinyangwizard]

"My people have not managed to escape the bounds of our solar system yet, although we have managed to visit most of the planets therein," Miyazaki says. "And I do not know what sort of character I am considering yet. Merely saving a bit of inspiration for later reference."

Miyazaki has a weird, but effective, creative process.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"There's something to be said for new discoveries," Thrawn acknowledges.

"So long as you are unlikely to cast me as a rapacious villain, feel free to sketch."

[yinyangwizard]

"Thank you," Miyazaki says, taking a sketchbook and pencil from inside their magnificent coat. The little creatures on the tree pictured there seem to be dancing to some music only they can hear.

Miyazaki starts with rough shapes and outlines first, then some more refined outlines, then details, then shading. They show Thrawn their progesss at each stage. The final result, although done on pencil and monochrome, looks like it might start breathing and blinking and walking off the page at any moment.

At the end, Miyazaki writes some notes, such as "skin teal" and "sclerae red, no irises."

"I do not have colored pencils with me, so I need to note these things for later," Miyazaki explains as they add notes on the coloration of Thrawn's Starfleet uniform. "Please allow me to buy you a drink, for your kindness in indulging me so."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

Thrawn's smile is thin, but not unpleasant.

"I suppose I shall allow it. Thank you."

[for_everyone]

This may not be deck 15, but Hera supposes it's just as well. So at some point after she disentangles herself from Kanan, she approaches Thrawn's table.

That fretting and nervousness earlier? There's no trace of it now.

"Hello, Captain."

She'd say 'Good morning' or 'Good evening,' but this place is somehow even more complicated than a starship when it comes to time.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Hello, Commander," Thrawn says, looking up from the remains of his meal.

"Would you care to join me?"

[for_everyone]

"If you don't mind," she says, taking the seat across from him.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Of course not," Thrawn says mildly.

"I always have time for my people."

He frowns slightly, then.

"No, that's not right, precisely. My crew."

[for_everyone]

"I thought you might want to talk about the..."

She cycles through a few words, trying to settle on something 'neutral' (rather than 'something that would make Kanan laugh').

"... events today."

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"I think it would be worthwhile," Thrawn agrees.

"Though I hate to take away from your off-shift time for such a discussion."

He huffs out a faintly amused sound.

"But then, we are in Milliways, no, where such things are mutable? So now is perhaps a better time than most."

[for_everyone]

Yes, off-shift time. Something Hera always remembers and never has to be reminded she should be taking.

"Yes, sir," she says, her voice quiet for a moment. She folds her hands over the table, maybe waiting to see if he will start.

[grandadmiralartcritic]

"Let's begin with the moment of first contact, post-receiving the message. Were there any signs we missed that, in hindsight, would have given us a better grasp on the level of hostility we might have expected?"

Perhaps the ship's name might have done it, if its visible identification hadn't been destroyed in the crash. Or prior to that, depending on how much one believes smugglers.