Saga - OT Ballad of the Winter Rose- Doctor Who Crossover

It gets darker (but not too dark) from here on out towards the midway section where we have the wedding and my take on Season 4. It will get Tim Burton dark, but not Neil Gaiman dark.

 

Ballad of the Winter Rose

A SW Rebels/Doctor Who Romance

Written by: Nehru_Amidala aka FossilQueen1984

Genre: Gothic romance, drama, hurt/comfort, dark fantasy, slight horror

Characters: Grand Admiral Thrawn and Minerva Hektor (main), Governor Pryce, Agent Kallus, Eli Vanto, Kanan Jarrus, Ghost Crew, River Song, Harriet Jones, others later on, Elena Cromwell (OC), Lynette Kaic’kul (OC)

Cast list: Minerva- Jenna Coleman, Thrawn- Lars Mikkelsen, Eli Vanto- David Tennent, Governor Pryce- Cate Blanchett, Agent Kallus- Dee Bradley Baker, Lynette Kaic’kul- Pauley Perrette

Pairings: Thrawn/Minerva (next chapter), Eli/Kallus (this chapter ONLY!), slightly implied Kallus/Zeb

Rating: T/PG-13 for battle sequences, thematic elements, blood, snogging, SPOILERS for Thrawn

Universe: Doctor Who and AU! Rebels

Chapter soundtrack: No Holly for Miss Quinn-Enya, One of Us/Lay All Your Love On Me/Winner Takes it All- ABBA

Chapter 10: One Last Date


Even with Thrawn and Minerva as the Chimaera’s de facto power couple, it should have been noted that once upon a time about four years ago there were two young men who had met by chance and had fallen in love with one another, and who were currently serving in the Imperial Navy. They were none other than Eli Vanto and ISB Agent Kallus.

Kallus and Eli had meshed together so well, and even formally courted prior to Thrawn’s arrival that it was hoped there would be a wedding, but the older of the two (Kallus) felt unready to take such a large step, even though he loved the younger man (Eli) with every ounce of fiber in his body. Needless to say, Eli was deeply heartbroken and had not really move on. These two men who had suffered so much together and the love that had seemingly endured faded into a flickering flame. Certainly, whenever Kallus and Eli encountered each other in passing, they could not pass each other without the other party flushing slightly and small talk was strained.
Even after Eli started going on longer missions at the behest of Colonel Yularen, that small shred of angst still remained, and it was painfully obvious that neither he nor Kallus had ever really gotten over one another. Thrawn, who had watched Eli’s psyche crumble into pieces after bad breakups, was determined that his brother deserved to have one last date with the man he loved, even if meant he and Kallus weren’t meant to be, at least there wouldn’t be any hard feelings. After running it by Minerva, Thrawn pitched the idea to Eli.

Eli was hesitant, scratch that- he was terrified of going on one last date. He even told his honorary brother and sister one morning at breakfast, “Thank you both for your concern, but as far as I’m concerned, the ship has sailed. I am not going on a date with Kallus.” Tearing at the hawkbat omelet laying innocently on his plate, he gave the couple a sharp look. Minerva frowned, how was burying his head in the sand going to resolve anything? The feelings were never going to go away, and the longer this went on, the worse it was going to get.

Thrawn shot him a look, “Eli, your staring a nervous breakdown right in the face if you don’t face if you don’t get your feelings for Agent Kallus. I am ordering you to take him on one last date.” His voice while icy, was tinged with concern. Eli was his brother after all, and he had to help him out as far as his love life was concerned. Eli had given him advice about courting Minerva, so it was his turn to assist Eli with his love life.



With his marching orders, Eli could not help but feel sweaty and faint. How on Earth was he going to face Kallus and ask him on one last date? As it turned out, the very same issue was on Kallus’s mind. The unresolved sexual tension had been eating away at him, and Yularen (who thought he and Eli made a very nice couple) had asked when they were getting back together, unaware that Kallus had jilted Eli at the altar the week before Eli discovered Thrawn bumming around Wild Space.
Inside his office on the Chimaera, Agent Kallus was reading through his weekly planner and today (2 January, Imperial Year 17) was looking good. He had cleared out some time to sneak off and leak information to the Rebels in his role as Fulcrum. How long had it been since he had started sneaking down to Lothal to provide illegal broadcasts? Three months since early October, since that quasi-disastrous crash landing on that ice moon and his forced alliance with that Lasat! No, that Lasat has a name- Garazeb Orrelios, he thought to himself as a faint flush rose to his cheeks. Where in space had that come from? He smiled at the memory though, it was nice to go bashing baddies together. Then there was the comradery those Rebels had, it was seeing a family being reunited- and he desperately wanted that. It could be and often was lonely for people like him in the Empire.

As he leaned back in his chair, his mind wandered back to those long ago days back on Coruscant when he had had a family, he had Eli Vanto. Sweet, romantic, silly but endearing Eli Vanto who wanted nothing more to kick Rebel arse and see the galaxy and promote the Empire. While the Imperial Navy was tolerant of gay couples (monogamy was encouraged to cut down on venereal diseases), there were still those higher ups whose conservative values ruled and then he and Eli had to tread a fine line to avoid being court marshalled on sexual indecency charges.
When he opened his eyes, he glanced out the window and looked out at the planet Lothal sitting below him. He let out a sigh, he really wished he could go planet side, drink a Corellian whiskey at one of Bataan’s many gay bars and maybe have some fun with an anonymous local. He did this infrequently as Pryce was notoriously homophobic, and made no bones about it. However, he wanted something more, and it was at this minute Eli Vanto walked into the room.
His sat up immediately, “Captain Vanto, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Eli was still standing in the door way, his face flushed. Kallus wondered what was going on, and invited him to sit down. Eli looked at Kallus straight in the eyes and stated, “We need to talk, Kallus.”

“Talk about what? I’m rather busy at the moment.”

“That’s a bloody lie, and you know it! Kriff Kallus, I’m here to talk about us!”

To drive his point home, Eli tackled Kallus so that he was laying on top of him on the floor, when he kissed Kallus hungrily and initiated a round of tonsil hockey. Kallus groaned, he had forgotten how good of a kisser. He moved his hands up to Eli’s upper back and began massaging his shoulders and they would have stayed there for Force knows how long until a need for oxygen forced them both apart.
Kallus was blushing bright red and had to admit, they did have to talk. “What are you offering Eli? You know how I feel about you… I do love you…but our relationship. I know a place where we can go and talk. A last date, if you will.”

“Sounds good to me. Shall we go?” Eli, being a gentleman and an officer, offered Kallus a hand to get up, which was accepted. They were holding hands as they left the Chimaera, and made their way planet side to Lothal’s industrial capital of Bataan.



The place they were going was somewhere Kallus had been many times before and it was known for it’s anonymity. The discothèque was merely called Hush! and to any Earthling tourist it was highly reminiscent of Studio 54 in the late 1970’s. One long silvered bar ran against the length of the left wall, there were numerous tables covered with draped tablecloths (for obvious reasons) and sexual innuendo so thick you could slice it with a knife. Eli screwed his face in disgust, “What are we doing at a glorified brothel?” Kallus grinned at him, “You and I are going to have some fun.” Without another word, he grabbed Eli around the waist and led him in, getting jealous looks from all of the other patrons.

A good looking waiter led them to a table and gave them each a long look under his gilded eyelashes, making the couple blush ever brighter. Glancing at the menu, Eli inquired about the food. Kallus commented that the nerf steak fajitas with Nubian squash was quite tasty. As they ate and shared a pitcher of aged Selonian whiskey, they fell back into their old habits and began to act like the couple they once were.

Over the long dinner, they laughed and reminisced about old times together. As they did so, they began to debate and argue over what had driven a wedge between them and by the time they had finished desert, they had both been crying and snogging when it occurred to them both- although they loved each other in the past, they had drifted apart. Eli wanted a happily ever after scenario and Kallus was too jaded and bitter to see it becoming a reality for either of them. Simply put, their differences were too much to overcome.

“So that’s it then, it’s not you it’s me,” Eli spat disgustedly as he got up to leave. Kallus grabbed his hand, and pulled him close, “Our date’s not over yet.” Eli shivered in his embrace as Kallus led him over to the dance floor. Already, music was blasting out of the speakers and you could feel the vibrations no matter where you stood. Holding Eli close, Kallus swayed to the music wishing this evening could last forever and in his mind’s eye wanted to be doing this with a certain Rebel. When this thought popped up in his head, Kallus silently groaned.

Meanwhile, Eli was remembering the nights he and Eli had snuck out together to hit one of Corulag’s nightclubs. They had held each other close and would whisper sweet nothings to each other. Now though, things had changed. It was time to move on. The song came to an end and with it, Kallus and Eli shared their last tender, passionate kiss as a couple.

When they parted company and arrived back on the Chimaera, Eli returned to his quarters and was surprised to find a note from Thrawn and Minerva. They wanted to know how the date had gone and that Lord Vader had need of him on the Executor ASAP. Eli nodded, he needed to start over.



When Kallus awoke the next morning, he was in a much more cheerful mood and decided to join high command (Thrawn, Minerva and Pryce) for breakfast. “You seem cheerful,” Minerva remarked as she daintily ate an overdone omelet. Thrawn nodded to him, apparently the date had gone well. “Yes, I was able to track down leads on a few Rebel cells,” Kallus lied blithely. Pryce nodded, “Good to hear then.”

She excused herself and now it was the three of them, Kallus addressed the Grand Admiral and his fiancée. “I know it was you two who sent Eli yesterday to see me… and I wanted to say thank you.” Saying nothing more, he turned around. Thrawn watched him warily, Kallus seemed a bit too chipper about the breakup. “I think there may be more to this than meets the eye,” he told her in an undertone.


Minerva sipped her tea and gazed at him, “You think so?” Kissing her gently, Thrawn assured her it was nothing to worry about, and that ended the conversation.

 

Now I have difficulties to decide what I liked more the plot development or the songs you used as background music.

But I needed to comment before I am off to my holidays and needed to let you know that I enjoyed myself.

 

Have a good holiday!

 

Ballad of the Winter Rose

A SW Rebels/Doctor Who Romance

Written by: Nehru_Amidala aka FossilQueen1984

Genre: Gothic romance, drama, hurt/comfort, dark fantasy, slight horror

Characters: Grand Admiral Thrawn and Minerva Hektor (main), Governor Pryce, Agent Kallus, Eli Vanto, Kanan Jarrus, Ghost Crew, River Song, Harriet Jones, others later on, Elena Cromwell (OC), Lynette Kaic’kul (OC)

Cast list: Minerva- Jenna Coleman, Thrawn- Lars Mikkelsen, Governor Pryce- Cate Blanchett, Agent Kallus- Dee Bradley Baker, Lynette Kaic’kul- Pauley Perrette
Pairings: Thrawn/Minerva

Rating: T/PG-13 for battle sequences, thematic elements, blood, snogging, SPOILERS for Thrawn

Universe: Doctor Who and AU! Rebels

Author shout out to xthorntailx: Thanks for the feedback! I will be exploring the prophecy and how Kanan became Minerva’s father in later chapters, so stay tuned!

Chapter soundtrack: Thrawn’s Web- Kevin Kliner, Somewhere in my Memory- John Williams, Overture/Ice Dance- Danny Elfman, Dance of the Swans- Tchaikovsky

Chapter 11: Invalid Beloved

-Excerpt from the private diary of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Eli, hands off!)-

Imperial Year 17, 14 January

Another year has nearly passed and yet the Rebel insurgency continues to gain footholds in not only the Outer Rim Territories but Wild Space as well. It is the winter of the Emperor’s discontent and the Moff Council is far too eager to see a quick victory. Whereas from what I have studied of their art, along with the maps my Beloved has created for the Fleet, a long and drawn out war with an ever higher spiraling cost of troops and supplies on both sides is what will result from quick victories- unnecessary waste that will not fade away anytime soon- should the Moff Council continue to drag their feet on the matter and focus on the small scale, so to speak.

… Eli has left ship to serve under Lord Vader for the rest of the year, and while I do miss his friendship he needed the break. The unresolved sexual tension between him and Kallus has gone unspoken for too long, and it seems mine and Minerva’s advice was taken to heart. However, Kallus seems to have moved on far too quickly as they were prepared to walk down the altar together which leads to me to suspect that Kallus has developed feelings for someone else, or at least has a crush/fantasizing about someone else. Who that person is I have yet to pin down, although I have a few ideas about their identity and why Kallus is sneaking off base as of late…

…Every day, my beloved Minerva continues to thrive as the Chief Map Maker, and as I write this I fall more in love with her than I ever thought possible. I have been unable to completely figure out what makes her tick (to borrow the colloquial phrase), and yet she draws me nearer and closer. She holds no guile or deceit in those expressive eyes of hers, she confides in no one except me and Eli, and is a fine warrior when she spars with her fellow female officers. It should be noted, however, that the remnants of her abusive upbringing still linger, and I worry. She is nervously wary around her superior officers (excluding myself, Colonel Yularen, and Agent Kallus) and rarely partakes in social events, with the exception of “girl’s night” with Communications Senior Officer Lynette Kaic’kul. She won’t let anyone in, and I suspect that this is a defense mechanism for dealing with others in the face of rejection. I love her unconditionally, but I worry Pryce won’t let her live out the rest of the year without some horrific accident that can be pinned on the Rebel terrorists and not on her. I swear I will not let that happen. By year’s end, Minerva will be my bride and Pryce along with the Rebels will grovel at our feet, paying her tribute, as well to our future children. Of this, I have no doubt.

With the last stroke of the stylus, Thrawn finished penning his thoughts in his private diary (which Eli had tried to read on more than one occasion) and slipped the notebook into a slim shelving unit in his desk, before he glanced at the mosaic paneled wall chrono, it read 12:56. He had a briefing with his fellow higher ups; Minerva, Agent Kallus and Governor Pryce. At the thought of Anihdra, he physically bristled. The way she glared and sniped at Minerva made his blood boil, what had Minerva ever done to her to invoke such rage? He postulated it was because they (he and Minerva) were betrothed and so in love with one another she thought it distracted from the mission. There was plenty of evidence that proved otherwise, but Pryce would argue contrariwise.



It was at this moment she walked in, her lips drawn into a neutral line as she was quickly followed by Agent Kallus, looking remarkably well rested after another supposed “Rebel hunting” trip. The only person left was his beloved mapmaker, and here she was. She stepped into the room, but something was immediately off. Stepping towards her, Thrawn observed something was amiss, Minerva’s normally creamy vanilla skin was several shades paler than normal, and her eyes held a glazed look about them- indicators that she was about to faint, or close to it.

Minerva was about to greet everyone when her legs gave out from under her, and she tumbled to the floor on her knees. Luckily for her, Thrawn knelt to the floor and pulled her into a tight embrace. He could feel her hearts beating far too rapidly for someone who felt faint, was she suffering from a concussion? Helping her stand, he inquired quietly, “Are you all right? You seem ill.” He leaned in closer to chastely kiss her rose petal lips, and Minerva leaned in for the kiss… only for Pryce to interrupt!

“Goodness Officer Hektor, stand up and pull yourself together!” She glared angrily at the young couple, and Thrawn pulled apart, but not before shooting her a dark look. Minerva managed to stand on her feet, but she was wobbly, so Thrawn had her sit down on his desk chair. Now, the meeting could begin.
As far as these meetings went, it was always Anihdra that did all of the talking, while Kallus and Thrawn would add in their observations, and occasionally Minerva added her thoughts into the dialogue, but today the map maker was silent and it was breaking Thrawn’s heart to see her suffer in silence. Her eyes had resumed their glazed look, and her pale complexion was quickly becoming too flushed. She must have had a concussion or some head trauma, and as soon as the meeting was over he was taking her down to the medical wing and not leaving her side until she was healed.

The briefing came to an end, and Pryce strode out of the room, confident that they would be defeating the Rebel menace sometime in the near future, and Kallus headed back to his office to fill out the freighter’s worth of paperwork that lay on his desk. This left Minerva and Thrawn. Pulling her into an embrace, Thrawn closed his eyes and nuzzled her neck, his fingers drawing intricate patterns on her back. Minerva shyly broke away, she had to fill out some shipping forms to send her latest maps to the
Corellian system.




No sooner had she done this, then a sudden volt of pain landed her on her knees, and spread up her spine to her extremities. Fighting back the pain to cry out, Minerva nearly passed out. Thrawn was at her side in an instant, his fears confirmed. Gingerly rolling her onto her side, Thrawn cradled her and kissed her forehead before reeling back in shock! She was burning up and yet was sweating profusely.

Scooping her into his arms, he carried her bridal style into his private quarters, which happened to be adjacent to his office. Freeing her of her uniform and leaving Minerva in her skivvies, Thrawn carefully lay her down on his bed before applying damp washcloths to her forehead and chest to bring down her fever. He then summoned a med droid to check her over, and while he was out, Thrawn decided to interview the last person Minerva interacted with prior to the briefing- Lynette Kaic’kul.

When she heard what had happened, Lynette was terrified that she had inadvertently caused her dear friend harm, and it took the better part of an hour for Thrawn to convince her otherwise. Once she had calmed down, Lynette filled him in on what happened.

“It was the oddest thing, really. I snuck up from behind her and was about to pin Minerva when outta nowhere, this frilly, wispy golden shield formed around her, and as I land on top of it, it shatters like a glass bowl, and Minerva landed on the floor, her back taking the brunt of the fall and then she launches herself at me and she tries to freeze me.”

“Freeze you?”

“Yeah, freeze me like ice powered superheroes do in graphic novels.”

“I am unfamiliar with those, but I understand the gist of what you’re describing. Follow me please.”

The two of them strode quickly back to Thrawn’s quarters, where the med droid confirmed that while Minerva did had a bad fall and would need time to recover, she was also suffering from an unknown malady and it would be a week before the fever broke. The only good news was that Thrawn’s efforts had saved her life.

That was that then, Thrawn would have to keep her in bed for a week under his watchful eye. He was relieved that while she would be safe from Pryce’s machinations, it was possible that this had been the work of the Rebel’s Jedi leadership (a theory Tarkin swore by religiously) and he could not stay with her every waking moment.
Lynette solved his problem, “If you want me to bathe her and keep an eye on her while you’re doing Grand Admiral stuff, I can telecommute from in here.” Thrawn was touched by Lynette’s devotion, it would be for the best. He heartily agreed to it.

At dinnertime, people started to inquire about Minerva, and Thrawn simply stated she was ill and was recuperating in his quarters. Kallus regretted not speaking up earlier, and bought her a get well bouquet. It was a thoughtful gesture, Thrawn thought as he placed it on the nightstand closest to where Minerva was laying. After the first night of holding her close as he slept, Thrawn prayed furtively that the fever break. Whoever did this to her was a complete monster, without morals and decency.



The days and nights blurred together for everyone, and when exactly one week had passed, things seemed bleak. Thrawn had taken lunch with Kallus to glean any information he could about said Agent’s new love interest. All he could pick up from Kallus’s body language was that it was a crush, and a forbidden one at that.
Musing on that, Thrawn made his way into the bedroom, and his red eyes widened in joy when he saw Minerva, pale and sweaty, but very much awake (be still his beating heart!) and struggling valiantly to remove herself from the silk sheets on the queen sized bed on which she had laying for the last week. Running over to her, he knelt before Minerva and gathered her into his arms. “Leaving so soon, beloved?” he quipped gently as he cupped her face with his right hand. Minerva let out a happy sigh while she nuzzled his hand caressing her cheek. Sitting next to her on the bed, Thrawn brushed her sweaty bangs away from her forehead before pulling her close and kissing her with as much passion he could muster before laying her down on the bed, his tongue finding its way into her mouth.
Minerva’s arms snaked around Thrawn’s shoulders and her hands massaged his shoulders as his hands traced patterns up and down the bare skin of her back. When they broke apart later, she was flush beside him (Thrawn had removed his tunic and was in his undershirt and pants) and nestled in each other’s arms, content to be in each other’s company.

When they did speak, they talked about Minerva’s powers and it was agreed that they would start sparring together to get them under control. They would have spoken further, had the not fallen asleep. Thrawn was happy, deliriously so. His beloved was safe, and now she could defend herself at whatever the galaxy threw at them.

Meanwhile across the galaxy, Kanan Jarrus was meditating happily because his first foray into murdering Minerva for the greater good had gone well. It had been a stroke of genius to induce a fever and signs of blunt head trauma without the usual symptoms. Ezra noted his master’s good mood, it made Jedi lessons easier. Of course, Ezra left the Ghost’s common room to bring Chopper and Rex up to speed when Kanan sensed his plan go south- Minerva had pulled through!


“SHAVIT! I was so close to ending her, and she woke up,” he groused sourly. It was obvious Minerva was made of tougher stuff, so his next attempt would have to be relentless. He was about to leave when Sabine caught him, “You okay?” Kanan swallowed, had Sabine heard him? Quickly thinking of an excuse, Kanan bluffed his way through a lie and manipulated her memory so it seemed like she had heard something, but wasn’t quite sure. He would wait, for now.

 

Your Kanan really is a tough cookie and certainly deserves no card for Father´s Day!

Minerva can be glad to have time lord genes in her body. A normal person would not survive her trials.

And I still think it is very courageous what you do with Agent Callus love life.

 

Thanks for the feedback, as always.

 

Okay, I finally got here! I'm probably not the best person to comment on this story because I've never watched Doctor Who, so I had to stop reading quite a few times and run over to Wikipedia for explanations, but I'm going to give this a shot anyway.

I really enjoyed the fairytale quality of the opening chapters with Minerva talking to her books... who answer back! The whole England setup had something very... well, English to it, what with the nasty stepmother and the kind cook who doesn't believe that Thrawn is real but talks to him anyway -- until, of course, he turns out to be real and she takes it in stride.

One aspect of the story that remains mysterious is why you set it in 1991. Actually, I know why you set it in 1991, it's the year HTTE was published, but I wonder if this is going to impact the story. You note at one point that "Earthlings have an entire series about SW", and Miverna knows about some aspects of life in the GFFA, but does she only know about the Legends-verse, even though she technically belongs in the Canon-verse? I'm looking forward to finding out.

I also liked how you inserted various characters here, e.g. Talon Karrde, Shada and Mara, Krennic, Kallus, Pryce and of course Eli Vanto whose interpretation in this story is just too cute (I thought he was that type of nice guy when I read Thrawn too).

I do want to know why Kanan is such a baddie in your story (sheesh, what a creep, trying to kill his oawn daughter!) so I'll be following the rest.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for the feedback. I can PM you when I update, like I do with AzureAngel2 and all questions will be answered in future chapters. Also, I am crossposting your review on the ff.net version of this story (same story, actually), if that's okay.

 

Ballad of the Winter Rose

A SW Rebels/Doctor Who Romance

Written by: Nehru_Amidala aka FossilQueen1984

Genre: Gothic romance, drama, hurt/comfort, dark fantasy, slight horror

Characters: Grand Admiral Thrawn and Minerva Hektor (main), Governor Pryce, Agent Kallus, Eli Vanto, Kanan Jarrus, Ghost Crew, River Song, Harriet Jones, others later on, Elena Cromwell (OC), Lynette Kaic’kul (OC)

Cast list: Minerva- Jenna Coleman, Thrawn- Lars Mikkelsen, Governor Pryce- Cate Blanchett, Agent Kallus- Dee Bradley Baker, Lynette Kaic’kul- Pauley Perrette, Sister
Entropy (OC) - Tina Turner

Pairings: Thrawn/Minerva

Rating: T/PG-13 for battle sequences, thematic elements, blood, snogging, SPOILERS for Thrawn

Author’s note: The gae bolga move is from Gaelic/Irish/Celtic mythology. It is a blow so strong that whoever receives it never recovers.

Universe: Doctor Who and AU! Rebels

Chapter soundtrack: Pax Deorum- Enya, Merry Go Round of Life- Joe Hisaishi, Cursum Perficio- Enya

Chapter 12: Prelude to Fate

As Thrawn and Minerva lay together entwined in each other’s arms, he gave thought to the week’s series of unfortunate events. Minerva’s near death experience at the hands of the Rebel’s Jedi leadership and Kallus’s turncoat behavior had left a bad taste in his mouth. He had been plotting Anihdra’s eventual execution for treason by quietly noting her behavior (nonverbal and verbal) towards Minerva, as well as accessing her personal correspondence (he had a high enough security clearance to do so) that implicitly stated so. However, it was lothcat and womp rat game at the moment, so he could not do anything actively to incite an aggressive reaction from the Governor.

In the meantime however, he would not be idle. It was time to show the Rebellion the Empire meant what they said about enforcing Palpatine’s rule, and he suspected that it was not the Jedi leadership who was threatening Minerva in the shadows. She was unknown to them in the communiques Lynette deciphered. Thrawn had figured it was someone with a personal connection. Her bloodwork had indicated a higher than usual midichlorian count (no surprise there), which would indicate Jedi lineage. However, very few survived Order 66 and had most likely gone into hiding. Whoever her Jedi relation was, he/she had no love for the child. The identity would be revealed as the war went on, and Minerva would have to face her mother or father some time.

As his thoughts about the detestable subject wandered, Minerva shifted in her sleep. She muttered something about planning Eli’s wedding, and rolled over on her side. Thrawn smiled at her, before letting his mind focus about his next steps. Certainly, the showdown between parent and child would be unavoidable, but if he trained her by letting her spar with him, Minerva would have a greater chance of surviving the lethal encounter. Also, if he read her in more to his long term plans, he was certain that Pryce would get sloppy and Kallus would reveal himself as the traitor that he was.

The following morning, Thrawn and Minerva were eating breakfast with Kallus when Lynette caught sight of her. “Minerva,” she hollered and when Minerva stood to greet her, she was crushed in the mother of all bear hugs. “I’m so glad you’re all right! Never scare me like that again,” she scolded as she joined them. Minerva assured her that it wouldn’t happen again. Lynette was unconvinced.

“You needn’t worry for her safety, Officer Kaic’kul. I will take over training Minerva from here.”

“What?”

“I assure you, she’ll be fine.”

“She’ll be pregnant before the year is out! You two will have a bo-rifle wedding.”

Thrawn glared at her, the way Lynette was hyperventilating was unbecoming, unprofessional, and not to mention she was also insinuating their relationship had turned sexual, which it hadn’t… not yet anyway. However, the fact remained he had better physical training than most, and Minerva had gotten some training with her blade, but her hand to hand skills needed sharpening.

Minerva spoke up, “It’ll be for the best, Lynette. Besides, when I get my powers under control I can be of some use on the battle field.” She squeezed Thrawn’s hand and he smiled softly at her. That settled, the breakfast ship ended and the work day began.

Minerva’s expertise was called in to create a topographical map of Lothal where Rebel bases might be located. She loved making maps like these. Reaching out with the Force, Minerva focused on the rocky outcroppings and weedy savannahs of rural Lothal outside the capital. As she filtered the information in her brain, her fingers flew against the keyboard of her datapad as she created surprisingly lifelike images. Also, she noted local formations where you could hide equipment. The detailing in her maps was truly spectacular, it was like she had taken the area and shrunk it down to scale. All that was missing were miniature people and animals. After three hours, the map was complete. Sitting down in the chair, Minerva smiled at her latest creation.

It was here Thrawn came in to start the training session when he saw the map. This was how the Force manifested itself with her, and he loved her all the more for it. He looked up at her, catching her off guard. He threw a staff at her, and she managed to catch it. “Never get distracted?” she quipped playfully.

Thrawn nodded. He smiled at her and began assessing her skills, mostly by throwing a left hook. She dodged it, and the sparring session began. Neither held back, and blows were landed. It went on for nearly two hours, and when it did end Thrawn pinned Minerva against the wall and kissed her soundly. Kallus had the bad luck of walking in on them (he had been sent to retrieve the map), and they were so busy snogging he rolled his eyes, grabbed the map and left again. Breaking apart, Thrawn concluded she was better than most at martial combat.

In the five or six weeks that followed, more intense training followed. Minerva quickly excelled at hand to hand combat, so Thrawn started having her train with a staff and increasingly against his assassin droids. By now, they would train together as a team and learn to sync their movements together. Her shield grew stronger, and one day she delivered a gae bolga blow to one the droids, her blade going right through its abdomen and nearly severing the durasteel spinal column.

Thrawn was impressed, she was ready. After uttering the override code, Thrawn smiled at her, “You’re ready for battle.” Minerva blushed bright red, and Thrawn pulled into a long deep kiss. They cleaned up, when Thrawn’s datapad buzzed. The engagement ring he had ordered for Minerva’s birthday (she turned 21 two weeks ago on 11 February) had finally come in from Alderaan. Quickly closing the message, he joined her at the threshold to the corridor, and they went off to lunch.

During the month and a half of Minerva’s battle training with Thrawn, Governor Pryce had been plotting in the shadows, unaware that Thrawn was watching her moves closely. Recently, word had gotten to her about a doomsday cult that was involved in a turf war with several anarchic Rebel cells in Bataan. She toyed with the idea of pitting them against each other, and then destroying the city with an aerial bombardment while Thrawn and the scrawny mapmaker were on the ground. It was golden!
However, she thought about it and decided to make it as heartbreaking for Thrawn as possible. She smiled at the angst and broken hearts that would ensue- it was delicious. She had mistakenly gotten the order for Thrawn’s engagement for Minerva, so why not have the cult abduct Minerva and feed false information back to the Seventh Fleet? Thrawn would rescue Minerva, and if the cult didn’t kill them, the bombardment and explosions would. It was a plan without fail.

This was why she was in Bataan’s seedy underbelly at one of the few pubs that catered to heterosexuals. She was meeting with the cult’s leader, Sister Entropy. Here she was now, wearing a navy cloak, the white hair frizzy and pulled back with white netting. Her mocha skin seemed to match. She smiled darkly at Anihdra.

“Well! Ain’t we a pair, uniform lady?”

“Indeed, raggedy woman. I have got your payment. 5,000 credits for the abduction of this young woman. She has Gallifreyan blood. A perfect sacrifice, and I can guarantee her virgin status.”

“Pretty young woman… are you certain her Chiss fiancée will come for her? Love like theirs is rare these days.”

“I would bet my life on it.”

“We have a deal.”


Shaking on it, Sister Entropy left for their base, which was the unusually large and decrepit labyrinth at the city’s very heart. When she returned, she was greeted by Acolyte Nox. As she walked away, a cold smile graced his face as she polished his lightsaber. Very soon, his daughter would die and her lover also. Winter was truly the coldest season of there. There would be no spring, no love. Sans love, sans life, into the Stygian Pits you will go, daughter, Kanan vowed.

 

O-ho! It looks like everyone is getting ready to stab everyone else in the back by now (except Thrawn and Minerva of course ) I enjoyed seeing Thrawn take control of the situation here, plotting and scheming and making sure that Minerva has every means to defend herself at her disposal.

I was a bit puzzled about the people Pryce meets at the end of the chapter, I tried to Google them but I couldn't make sense of what I read. Do Entropy and Nox belong in the Doctor Who universe?

 

Sister Entropy is meant to be a shout out to Aunty Entity from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1987/9), hence her voice actress being Tina Turner (who played Entity in the film). Nox is Kanan, who has gone undercover. I should have made that more clear.

 

You already had me with your choice of background music... Enya...

(Even after 20 years I am still grumpy that my Irish Au Pair mother would not let me go to the photo shooting with Antonio Beschi, our Italian house guest, Enya and some of her siblings. But then again, I also was not allowed to go to the Wicklow Mountains with him, when Antonio was invited to diner at Chris de Burgh´s place.)

Anyway, each time when I think the plot cannot get more exciting, you surprise me and do it again.

 

Ballad of the Winter Rose

A SW Rebels/Doctor Who Romance

Written by: Nehru_Amidala aka FossilQueen1984

Genre: Gothic romance, drama, hurt/comfort, dark fantasy, slight horror

Cast list: Minerva- Jenna Coleman, Thrawn- Lars Mikkelsen, Governor Pryce- Cate Blanchett, Agent Kallus- Dee Bradley Baker, Lynette Kaic’kul- Pauley Perrette, Acolyte Nox aka Kanan Jarrus- Freddie Prinze Jr., River Song- Alex Kingston

Pairings: Thrawn/Minerva, past Kanan/River Song

Rating: T/PG-13 for battle sequences, thematic elements, blood, snogging, SPOILERS for Thrawn

Universe: Doctor Who and AU! Rebels

Chapter soundtrack: Fairy Tale- Enya, Waltz of the Flowers and Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker- Tchaikovsky, The Abduction- John Williams, Sweet Dreams are Made
of These- Annie Lennox

Chapter 13: Sturm und Drang



The timing had to be absolutely perfect, Thrawn thought to himself as he pocketed the engagement ring he had ordered from Alderaan in his utility belt. Today had been a long work in progress over the last two weeks, but the results would be worth it. By dinnertime Minerva Hektor would be his fiancée and Governor Pryce would be eating her boots at the sight of Minerva wearing the engagement ring he gave her. Hopefully, he could arrange her execution for high treason while they were honeymooning on Alsakan.

The afternoon was thus: a romantic lunch for two at Giselle et Fleur, Bataan’s only five star restaurant that it took months to get into (Thrawn had made their reservations a year ago) and then a long, romantic stroll along the restaurant’s outdoor patio and garden. It would be here that Thrawn would ask Minerva Hektor, his beloved, for her hand in marriage. She would of course say yes and from there they would walk around some more before heading to a concert out in Capital City. They would be back on board the Chimaera in time for dinner. Upon arrival, somebody would take notice and make the announcement that he and the map maker were tying the knot.

Standing in the fresher while washing his face, Thrawn wondered how his formal engagement to Minerva would the scales in the fleet’s body politic. Certainly, Kallus would congratulate the couple but he would be harder pressed to leak information to the Rebels and to his love interest, the Lasat Garazeb Orellios. Thrawn had pegged two and two together sometime after New Year’s when he had read Minerva on a project he had been wanting to implement. Minerva was very much impressed, and Kallus at first looked like he had seen a ghost! Quietly, Thrawn pulled up Imperial dossiers on Lothal rebel cells, and began at looking at men who were the complete opposite of Eli Vanto and one name came up…Garazeb Orellios. Certainly, they would cross paths eventually with this insurrectionist cell. Unbeknownst to Thrawn, that day was at hand.

Across the hallway, Lynette was helping Minerva get ready for the big date. Minerva still had formal gowns, but they would not cut it. So, Lynette began going through her expansive wardrobe and finally found a dress worthy of a princess! It was a pale gold shade with mocha detailing and had a square collar. The skirt hung at near ankle length and had handkerchief hemming. She was wearing black ballet flats, and her dark hair was neatly pinned up in a bun. After applying makeup, Lynette was cackling happily with her handiwork.

“There we go! Don’t touch the eye liner, you are going to knock Thrawn down when he sees you.”

Minerva stared at her reflection, was that really her? It was indeed, and she felt like the luckiest woman in the galaxy. She was going on a romantic date with the man who loved her to death, and said man was most likely going to ask her for her consent to be his bride. Long ago, Minerva had made up her mind that when Thrawn did ask her to marry him, her answer was going to be a resounding yes!

It was now that Thrawn knocked on the door, and Minerva felt her hearts leap into her throat. He was dressed in a smart dress uniform, and heavens! She was about to swoon when Thrawn took her hands in his and kissed them gently. Lynette winked at the couple.



Giselle et Fleur was a massive glass and durasteel dumpling surrounded by gardened patios that overlooked an overgrown, decrepit labyrinth that had a slight Gothic aesthetic about it. Lothal’s sky was a dirty silver color, and a stiff breeze blew in from the northeast, bringing with it the slight scent of snow.
Helping Minerva out of the speeder, Thrawn took her right arm into his and graciously escorted her into the building’s gilded antechamber with its plush seating and softly lit interior. Already, many of Lothal’s power couples were dining and were being served by shiny waitress droids. The droid brought them some menus, and Thrawn ordered two glasses of red wine. He knew Minerva could not hold her alcohol very well, so a glass of good red wine along with a three course meal would balance out.

Raising a glass, he spoke softly, “Here’s to us.” Minerva agreed, a delicious flush rising to her cheeks. Thrawn gently ran him thumb over her knuckles, and she blushed even more. Such an intimate gesture, and she was suddenly unsure if she was worthy of his love. Thrawn pulled her close and kissed her gently, and she was certain Thrawn saw her as more than worthy.

Their lunch arrived and Minerva thought she had never smelled anything more delicious in her entire life. Luncheon was grilled nerf steak, served warm over a bed of Mon Calamari indigo rice, bittersweet greens and Nubian pear relish. The flavors melted together and it took Minerva a bit of self-control not to inhale everything. The bite of the greens melted into the crisp sweetness of the pears, and they perfectly complimented the steak, which was melt in your mouth tender, with a cinnamon-chocolate aftertaste.

The conversation they had was an interesting ones, first it was about the new art exhibit that was opening up next week and then it moved onto Kallus and why he had gone rogue. Minerva found it ironic that someone with Kallus’s grudge against the Rebellion and Lasats in general led to him inadvertently falling in love with a Lasat in the Rebellion. Thrawn pointed out that Kallus’s crush stemmed from their time together on the ice moon.



By now, luncheon was winding down and they were slowly being positioned to pay for lunch. Minerva insisted on going Dutch, but Thrawn had paid in advance. Minerva groused about this when she stood up to leave, but Thrawn led her to the gardens. “This way, I want to walk with you for a while.” Leading her out a tall glass door that was heavily etched, into a garden filled with sturdy greens and vines wrapped around ancient trellises. Every now and then, birds would fly in and out of the hedges and sing at one another. It was a private garden, and it felt like the perfect place for a marriage proposal.

Pulling her into his arms, Thrawn stroked her cheek tenderly before kissing her lovingly. Minerva allowed herself to melt into the embrace, nobody was there to bother them. It was hear Minerva heard music from a hidden speaker. “Margie helped you with this, didn’t she,” she teased playfully. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed Thrawn and he admitted that he had indeed asked Miss Fowler for some advice.

They waltzed together under the gunmetal sky for a good long while, losing themselves in the moment and in the music when it began to snow. Appropriately, the song that was playing at the moment was the pas de deux from The Nutcracker. As the music crescendoed for a final time, Thrawn spun her around before pulling her close and kissing her as he pulled her close, his hands caressing the small of her back. “I love you, Minerva,” Thrawn whispered to her.

When they pulled apart, Minerva rested her head on Thrawn’s shoulder as he walked her towards a granite bench that had an excellent overview of the labyrinth. Tearing away from the view, Minerva let out a soft gasp as Thrawn knelt down on one knee and took her hands in his. Her hearts started beating faster as Thrawn pulled the ring from the pouch and gently slipped onto the ring finger of her right hand.

“Minerva, beloved. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Of course I will!”

Launching herself atop of him, Minerva kissed Thrawn hungrily until he sat up and sat her in his lap. They were covered in snow, so they stood up and broke apart for air. Minerva was blushing, and a genuine smile was tugging at Thrawn’s lips. Happily, they came together again in a happy, sweet embrace enjoying the moment… when from beneath their feet sprang unholy rumbles and groans that erupted from the bowels of the planet itself.

There was an unbearably bright flash of light and heat as the building lurched unsteadily, and vomited up its durasteel framing, belching and spitting molten glass shards in every direction. Already, the panicking crowds were bailing left and right and many were now spilling into the garden. Minerva and Thrawn ducked behind one of the trellises and her shield had protected them. Taking her hand tightly in his, Thrawn led her towards the back door.

“Whatever you do, don’t let go. I don’t want to lose you in the crowd,” Thrawn instructed as they managed to navigate the increasingly heavy crowd…almost as if they were being herded in this direction. Something was wrong, very wrong. Minerva broke away from Thrawn and bolted over the railing, and Thrawn had to wade through the throng and managed to land on his feet when he slipped on a patch of ice when he came face to face with the sinister flickering blade of a lightsaber.

Thrawn glared at the Jedi, so this was Minerva’s father. The Jedi’s face was obscured by a dark damask mask, but the Jedi’s dark brown hair was in a ponytail, and Thrawn could not read him at all. Smirking, Kanan reached out with the Force and used it to slowly choke Thrawn to death.



Meanwhile, Minerva had gotten herself lost in the outer fringes of the labyrinth. She had been trying not to get her dress caught on the innumerable brambles and thorns that graced the overgrown hedgerows that comprised the outer walls of the labyrinth when she heard the familiar snap hiss of a lightsaber blade being ignited.
Rushing to the scene, she readied her blade and charged in between the two men, the metal of her sword chipping at the laser. Shrapnel splintered off as Minerva’s shield sheltered Thrawn, who gasped for breath and was soon standing behind Minerva, an arm protectively around her waist. Kanan merely glared at the couple, a united front indeed!

Pulling her close, Thrawn whispered to her, “I love you, never forget that.” Minerva melted into the embrace…SNAP! Minerva’s head snapped back violently, hot blood from her mouth staining his tunic. Desperately, Thrawn held onto his beloved as if their very lives depended on it. Alas, it was no use as the Jedi calmly pried her away and carried her off like a piece of furniture.

It was only as Thrawn staggered out onto the main street did he witness what was going on. The Jedi’s trap had only been a cover for a Rebel terrorist attack. Indeed, several nearby buildings were already alit, the smell of cinders and burning flesh mixing with the snow and frost. Bound now by snow and blood, my lover’s fate is cruelly determined, Thrawn mused as he managed to get escorted back to the Chimaera. His ears were ringing, his knees smarted and his heart had been ripped out of his chest, and there was a hollow feeling of dread in the pit of stomach. He hardly noticed the tears on his collar when the speeder arrived at the parked star destroyer.

He wiped his eyes, and he felt nothing but righteous fury when he was greeted with the macabre sight of a cheerful Governor Pryce. She had something to do with this, he knew it. She greeted cheerily, “Did she refuse?” The next thing she knew, she had landed on the floor and Thrawn was towering over her, snarling angrily. “Minerva accepted my proposal, but she was abducted by a Rebel cell,” Thrawn replied icily before leaving to wash up. If the Rebels wanted a war, then it was a war they were going to get.



Meanwhile, at the very most of overgrown part of the labyrinth in a well-used storage shed, Kanan was preparing his daughter for sacrifice. The beautiful gown had been stripped from her body, leaving her in a diaphones slip, bra and underwear. The jewelry was left alone, it would be pawned later for much needed credits. Letting her hair fall free from her tied and bound form.

“Too bad you had to return, daughter. You are very pretty like your mother was, but she was a traitor also,” Kanan said to her in a conversational tone. He was about to reflect on the events when there was knock on the door. It was Sister Entropy, coming to interview the sacrifice.


Minerva slowly awoke, and let a scream before Sister Entropy drugged her into submission.

 

You started with so much happiness and tenderness, choosing brilliant music pieces as a background. (Loved the marriage proposal.)Then everything turned in an orgy of violence and hatred from Kanan´s side. But it was a gorgeous read, containing much of the usual heartbreak and chaos that seems to follow every time lord. And as a fan of the doctor (never would dare to call myself a Whovian), I know that fate is never kind to those who accompany him. (Thrawn learns about that the hard way, too.)

My only hope is that there will be justice and piece for the young lovers in the end.

 

I am so, so glad you liked this chapter, AzureAngel2. This was a fun chapter to write, Thrawn and Minerva are getting a lot of angst now, but there will be a happy ending for them, they are just not there yet.

 

This, ahem, didn't quite go the way I expected it. From the opening lines I thought that the main antagonist in this chapter would be Pryce – I thought she'd turn up during lunch or something – but then Kanan came and it all went down the drain...

I like how Thrawn's reaction is so very Thrawn. He knows when he's defeated and he goes off to regroup and figure out a way to help Miverva instead of rushing madly after her – but he does "vent" a bit on Pryce too along the way. She's in so much trouble now, she has no idea.

 

Pryce gets to Minerva later on in the story (prior to the episode "An Inside Man) and just wait till Attolon, she gets her just desserts. Thanks for reading and stay tuned.

 

A SW Rebels/Doctor Who Romance

Written by: Nehru_Amidala aka FossilQueen1984

Genre: Gothic romance, drama, hurt/comfort, dark fantasy, slight horror

Cast list: Minerva- Jenna Coleman, Thrawn- Lars Mikkelsen, Governor Pryce- Cate Blanchett, Agent Kallus- Dee Bradley Baker, Lynette Kaic’kul- Pauley Perrette, Acolyte Nox aka Kanan Jarrus- Freddie Prinze Jr., River Song- Alex Kingston, Sister Entropy- Tina Turner, Aristotle (aka C’baoth!)- Sir Ian McKellan (spoiler character)

Pairings: Thrawn/Minerva, past Kanan/River Song

Rating: T/PG-13 for battle sequences, thematic elements, blood, snogging, SPOILERS for Thrawn

Universe: Doctor Who and AU! Rebels

Chapter Soundtrack: Cursum Perficio- Enya, German opening/Ruined Landscape- The Neverending Story OST, The Blitz, 1940/The Battle- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Chapter 14: The Battle of Bataan, Part 1



Once he had calmed down enough to even consider being in the same room as Governor Pryce, Thrawn began looking at aerial holo-photos of the labyrinth to see where the cult was hiding out. As they were updated in near real time, Thrawn was able to track their movements his eye. He was about to put on his pith helmet (he was in his office at the moment), when a holo on his desk caught his eye. Picking it up, he watched it as the recording showed himself dancing with Minerva at last year’s Festivus fete on Naboo. Eli had recorded it. He knew once Minerva came around, she would be fighting them off herself, and once he got there they could finish off the cult once and for all. Of course, this was all contingent on what Pryce had planned for striking at the Rebels overrunning Bataan at the moment. “I promise you, Beloved, I will find you,” Thrawn vowed. Shutting his eyes, Thrawn hardened his resolve and left to meet with the woman who had caused the misfortune to begin with.

Serenely sitting behind her desk, Anihdra Pryce sat motionless as Tarkin and Yularen relayed their horror that the chief map maker had been abducted by the Rebels! She thought it hilarious they were shedding tears over a skinny little girl who had no business being an Imperial officer. Of course, she dared not reveal her true feeling to her superiors because then the jig would be up! It was here Thrawn entered the room.

“Colonel Yularen, Moff Tarkin. I see Governor Pryce has brought you up to date.”

Yularen replied, “Yes she has, and Pryce has a brilliant plan. Since the Rebels and the cult are fighting each other, Pryce suggested that we place chargers all over the city and when they go off, we flush out the Rebels while we raze the city.”

Thrawn shut his eyes and nodded, while that was a coherent plan, it seemed like Pryce was hoping he and Minerva would die in the razing. If there was one thing Thrawn was not going to do, it was roll over and play dead. Minerva could handle a lot on her own, but against a bloodthirsty cult she would need back up. He agreed with the plan, and after leaving he ordered a small squad of death troopers to stay with him at all times during the upcoming battle.

Meanwhile, Minerva had not gone down without a fight, earning herself the moniker of “Action Girl”, once the drugs had worn off post questioning. Three acolytes and two initiates had fallen by her sword, and Acolyte Nox had gotten a nasty scratch on his arm. Fed up to the teeth (and sensing the coming storm) he left before Sister Entropy entered the room.

As he relayed battle positions to his fellow cult members, Kanan’s mind wandered back to where the problem had all started. Closing his eyes, he reached out with the Force and meditated, allowing himself to relive the bittersweet memories that had brought him to this moment…





It had been by sheer accident that Caleb Dume, now known as Kanan Jarrus, had discovered the ancient time portal on Jakku. The Clone Wars were winding down out on the Outer Rim, even though it would be another two years before Dooku was slain by Anakin Skywalker. What was even more unlikely was that he would fall madly in love with an older woman named River Song. There had been something about her that had drawn him close, and as they were compatible together they married and had a baby daughter, Minerva.


At the time, they were ruling the city state of Athens. It was the Dark Ages of Grecian history, Macedonian invaders from the north had swept through the country, and what advances that had been made in writing and art were lost, but not in the court of King Kanan and Queen River. It was probably the only bright spot in the entire Peloponnese peninsula. It was hoped that their reign would last forever, but the Force would not allow it.


One dark stormy night, Minerva could not sleep so River and Kanan were walking the elegant marbled halls with her, singing and cooing over her. “Shhh, there there little one, Daddy’s here,” Kanan cooed as he cuddled his daughter in his arms. Using the Force, he soothed the infant and soon she was sleeping. Handing her back to River, there was a sudden rapping at their chamber door. The night steward lumbered towards the door, and revealed a drenched man in ragged brown robes, his wild hair and a bushy beard. Around his waist was a lightsaber. What was a Jedi doing here?


Led in cautiously, he prostrated himself before the royal couple and uttered, “Merry meet and prithee my lord and lady, grant me rest here; for I have traveled a long way.” Kanan knelt down and assisted the man to his feet. “Welcome to Athens, fellow Jedi. I am Kanan Jarrus, this is my wife, River Song, and our daughter Minerva.” What a surprise to see another Jedi!


Slowing standing, the man was invited to sit on a bench and when he had recovered himself, he introduced himself, “Thank you greatly for your hospitality, Jedi Jarrus and Lady Song. I am a traveler on this world. The locals call me Aristotle, but you are certainly welcome to call me by my true name.”


“What is your true name?”


“Jedi Master C’baoth.”


When the older male uttered his name, a sudden shiver ran up Kanan’s back and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Was it possible C’baoth was a sinister figure? Nah, couldn’t be- he was tired. Bidding everyone good night, Kanan took his daughter and put her to bed, before falling asleep himself.


The months passed and Aristotle proved to be a popular philosopher. Writing and the arts flourished again in the city states, and in this way Athens reclaimed its glory as the City of Athena, after whom Minerva was named. They would often go to his lectures, his resonant voice would bounce off of the walls and would seemingly hypnotize the audience for hours. Things seemed to be going well.


However, beneath Aristotle’s kindly veneer, cracks could be seen and Kanan began to slowly pull away from the philosopher Jedi. Meditating in the Force, Kanan witnessed C’baoth’s slow decline into madness. He had begun saying that the Jedi were the de facto religious force on the planet and had begun taking children to be trained. Also, he had charmed River into spending time with him, and it certainly did not help matter that their relationship had cooled.

He had learned that C’baoth also knew of the portal and was using star ships to scare their enemies and was using his own daughter as bait. It also didn’t help that she would toddle after him happily.


His heart turned to stone towards his family after that, in his opinion they were traitors and as a Jedi you left traitors to rot. Knowing something of the Time Lords from his wife, he summoned John Saxon to abduct his daughter, now something of a map making prodigy, in the middle of the night. The palace was set ablaze, and it was back through the portal for Kanan. When he exited, he left his old life behind and returned to business as usual for an ex-Jedi.



Because Nox had left mysteriously, Sister Entropy was left to clean up the mess. When she entered the shed, her jaw dropped when she espied the bodies of her loyal followers scattered on the floor, felled by a single stroke. Clenching her jaw, she bellowed, “I don’t know where you got training, but you’re going to have to go through me!” Minerva was still a bit drowsy, but frightened enough when the older woman charged at her and landed a blow. Minerva parried, and the blade sliced off one of Entropy’s chandelier earrings. Backing out of the back door, the fight continued even as storm troopers began entering the labyrinth and shooting the cult members.

The cold had not yet gotten to Minerva, but she knew she would need to find warm clothing if she wanted to survive. As she and Entropy battled it out, Minerva noticed that Entropy was getting winded from the physicality of the battle. This was her chance. Running with her head down, Minerva took her blade and jutted it straight into Entropy’s stomach with a slight twist before ripping it out. She could feel the blood on her hands as she removed the blade from Entropy’s limp body. Taking the woman’s hood, Minerva cleaned her blades and hands.

It was now that she could see the star destroyers overhead razing the city and around her buildings were exploding like fireworks on Guy Fawkes Day. She had thrown on a random cloak, when some storm troopers spotted her. “It’s the map maker! Officer Hektor, are you safe,” they inquired anxiously and they mowed down the delirious cult members. Minerva confirmed that she was safe, but they needed to keep moving, who knew what else they would encounter?

Minerva was correct because it was at the very moment Thrawn entered from the opposite side of the labyrinth, when he spotted Minerva making her way to the center, hacking away at Rebel terrorists who had joined the fight. Making his way through with his blaster drawn and flanked by deathtroopers, he readily dispatched any Rebel and/or cult member they faced. By now, snow had started falling harder and the trek was getting harder. On top of that, Thrawn caught sight of Sister Entropy, mortally wounded but very much alive lurching towards Minerva. Refusing to let this harridan hurt his beloved, Thrawn gave chase.

It was at this critical moment Pryce gave the orders for the star destroyers to raze the city.

 

Ooh, I like the backstory you made for Kanan and River Song! Does this mean that, in this crossover, C'baoth remained on Earth as Aristotle after Kanan returned to the GFFA? And does this mean we might hear from him again?

Pryce is one nasty woman. But then, since Thrawn guessed that the ultimate purpose of her plan was to kill him and Minerva in the bombardment, he probably has an ace up his sleeve...

 

Thanks for the review, Chyntuck. To answer your first question, yes C'baoth remained on Earth as Aristotle after Kanan's return, and I don't think he will be returning within the story. Talon, Shada and Mara will show up later on, but not until after the wedding, which I have happening right at the end of season 3.

 

There is a Season 3 to this? You flop out ideas faster than the "Once upon the time" writers.

Slowing standing, the man was invited to sit on a bench and when he had recovered himself, he introduced himself, “Thank you greatly for your hospitality, Jedi Jarrus and Lady Song. I am a traveler on this world. The locals call me Aristotle, but you are certainly welcome to call me by my true name.”


“What is your true name?”


“Jedi Master C’baoth.”

This explains a lot of my translation difficulties with Latin text material of Aristotles.

Anyway, exciting twists and turns. Cannot wait to see where this is going.

 

Ballad of the Winter Rose

A SW Rebels/Doctor Who Romance

Written by: Nehru_Amidala aka FossilQueen1984

Genre: Gothic romance, drama, hurt/comfort, dark fantasy, slight horror

Cast list: Minerva- Jenna Coleman, Thrawn- Lars Mikkelsen, Governor Pryce- Cate Blanchett, Agent Kallus- Dee Bradley Baker, Elaina Pryce- Julie Andrews, Emperor Palpatine- Ian McDiarmid

Pairings: Thrawn/Minerva

Rating: T/PG-13 for battle sequences, thematic elements, blood, snogging, SPOILERS for Thrawn

Universe: Doctor Who and AU! Rebels

Chapter Soundtrack: The Blitz, 1940- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Lothlorien-Enya, Elegie- Secret Garden



The fire of cannon volley and plasma bursts lit the sky over Bataan like the Auroras on steroids, bursts of plasma raining down indiscriminately on Rebels, cult members and Imperials alike. It was a sheer miracle the labyrinth was being spared, but only for the time being. Barreling their way into overgrown hedgerows, the deathtroopers flanked Thrawn before he gave the orders to split up and subdue any resistance they might encounter.

“What about you, sir? Won’t you need backup rescuing Officer Hektor?”

“No, I’ll be fine. It’s the cult leader I’m focused on finding.”

No sooner had he said that, the troopers departed and the sound of blaster fire echoed throughout the area, as startled flocks of birds took flight… only to fall the ground moments later after getting fried by the laser fire. In a macabre way, they smelled delicious the way fresh roast poultry does on a cold winter’s evening. Between the roasted starlings falling from the sky and the continual razing, Thrawn made quick work and soon found himself outside the heart of the labyrinth. He heard the unsheathing of a blade and a weak cackle coming from Sister Entropy.

Meanwhile, Minerva had found herself in the center of the labyrinth and she was freezing! Even with the cloak on, she was barelegged and her lips were turning blue with each passing second. Shaking her head, Minerva forced herself to focus. The battle, this is where she would make her stand. Entropy lunged forward savagely, bleeding all over the place. There was no way in the Corellian hells that this little girl would defeat her.

With the blade unsheathed and her shield at full power, Minerva ran forward with the blade pointing out and Entropy barreled forward, only to slip on her own blood. This was just the moment Minerva needed and as Entropy fell, Minerva relied on her Force-honed reflexes and severed Entropy’s head from the body. The corpse fell forward and Minerva collapsed to her knees. Never in her life had she done anything so… brutal before. However, it had to be done.



It was only now upon standing hypothermia began to set in, and she swooned. Thrawn managed to catch her before Minerva hit the ground in a dead faint. He could feel her shiver through his uniform. Stroking her cheek gently, he carried her over to a bench and held her close, letting his body heat warm her up. How has it come to this, Thrawn mused silently as he cradled his beloved in his arms before kissing Minerva with all the love and adoration he had for her. It was here Minerva’s blue eyes fluttered open and she asked softly, “Thrawn? Is the battle over?” Smiling, he nodded before pulling her close for another kiss, relishing the feeling of her body against his.

Right then, the snow started up again and it was falling heavier than before. The gusts of wind were howling and the razing was still ongoing. They needed to ride out the storm, so to speak. Minerva attempted to lead her fiancée out the back, but Thrawn carried her bridal style to the nearest available speeder, but not before Minerva retrieved Entropy’s severed head. She wanted to send it to Palpatine. Once she was settled, Thrawn drove the speeder away from town and towards a rural estate. He explained to Minerva they were calling on Governor Pryce’s mother.

“Won’t she turn us away? Her daughter is planetary governor, and if she’s anything like Anihdra, we not going to get a warm welcome.”

“You needn’t worry about that. I have it on good authority their relationship is estranged. Besides, you need medical attention.”

Minerva didn’t hear any more of the conversation as she felt herself grow dizzy, and when Thrawn noticed this he broke the speed limit several times over. By the time he reached the front door of the fortified mansion, Minerva was feeling better, but only slightly. Ringing the doorbell, neither of them had to wait long before an elderly woman answered the door, her short white hair shining in the halogen lighting of the main hallway.

“Come in, come in quickly,” she said before shutting the door. She nodded to Thrawn, as he had contacted her earlier. Looking up weakly, Minerva inquired, “Thank you for your hospitality, but who are you?” The woman gave her a sad smile, “I am Elaina Pryce, Governor Pryce’s mother. I should be the one thanking you two for destroying the wicked cult along with the Rebel terrorists.” She led them towards the estate’s medical wing, where Minerva was ensconced in a bacta tank. He also saw to it that Sister Entropy’s head was mummified and packed away for shipping to Coruscant in the next day or so.

The hypothermia had not yet taken its toll, but it would be foolish to say Minerva had fully recovered when the bacta therapy session had finished. Her body had healed, yes, but the psychological toll of the day had left her exhausted, so Thrawn let her rest awhile in his embrace. When she had fallen completely asleep, Thrawn left her to make a call.

Summoning the Emperor, the Sith Lord’s wizened face appeared on the holographic projector and intoned, “Greeting, Admiral Thrawn. How goes the battle against the Bataan rebels and their sexually deviant allies?”

“The battle is winding down now, as I have planned. Tragically, the cult abducted Officer Hektor for use as a human sacrifice. She was able to escape and severed the head of their leader, Sister Entropy. She wishes to send it to you as a trophy.”

“Good, good. I have started receiving reports that the rebel cells within Bataan have been decimated and in such a short time. Lesser men would have squandered the opportunity you were presented with. I pray Officer Hektor is recuperating at the moment?”

“She has undergone time in a bacta tank and with some rest, Minerva will make a full recovery.”

“Excellent news then, and for destroying the terrorist cells, I hereby promote you to Grand Admiral. I have Governor Pryce on the line as well. Governor Pryce, I have promoted Thrawn to Grand Admiral and when he and Officer Hektor are back on board, please present him with the rank plates.”

From the other end, Thrawn could hear Pryce’s audible gasp at his promotion. Palpatine scolded her slightly, Thrawn’s plan to destroy Bataan’s insurgents was nothing short of brilliant- why didn’t she think of that? Pryce was horrified that not only had the lovers survived the razing, Thrawn had taken claim for her plan. It just wasn’t fair! She swallowed her disgust, and agreed that the promotion was well deserved.



Once the conversation ended, Thrawn decided to go check up on his sleeping beauty. Minerva had awakened, and she was dressed in a simple silk frock with violet ribbon detailing and was barefoot. When she heard the door open, she looked up and smiled at Thrawn. Returning the sentiment, he kissed her passionately. When they broke apart from lack of air, they sat down on the sofa to discuss their next moves.

“She means to kill us one way or another, doesn’t she?”

“I’m afraid so yes. This was only the first round, and Governor Pryce won’t give up without a fight.”

“Thrawn, I’ve been thinking about what’s been going on and… I want to see action planet side.”

Pulling her close, Thrawn admonished her for the near suicidal thought. “I can’t lose you again,” he whispered fiercely before meeting her gaze and crushing her slender frame to his. Lying her down on the sofa, Thrawn kissed and caressed Minerva as though she were some precious treasure, irreplaceable and loved dearly. As they lay entangled in each other’s arms, Thrawn was loath to admit Minerva was correct about seeing action off ship.

The razing eventually ceased, and by then Minerva had discussed with Thrawn what she had meant by “seeing action planet side.” A few days prior, Lynette had gotten a transmission from Captain Slavin, who was in dire need of help running day-to-day operations on Ryloth. She thought it sounded like a challenge she could handle. Thrawn gave his blessing, and Minerva promised that she would write to him every day.

When they arrived back on the Chimaera that evening, Thrawn was given the rank plates by Agent Kallus, and they were congratulated by everyone. Also, they had earned 48 hours of shore leave, which leant itself to the festive mood. Thrawn and Minerva spent the evening together in his bedroom, watching a simulcast of the concert they missed live from Corellia.


Snuggling down under the sheets, they both fell asleep in each other’s arms. One chapter had closed, and another one was about to begin.

 

Uh-oh. Governor Pryce isn't going to be happy about the failure of her plan to rid herself of Thrawn and Minerva. Not happy at all.

My secret Force sense tells me that Minerva's mission on Ryloth won't be a quiet one.

 

No, it won't be. Aphra shows up, and Slavin needs to be told how the battles of Marathon and Lake Tresimene went down, so she gives Slavin pointers on how to win territory from the Twi'lek resistance.