Beyond - Legends Questioning- Opening/Last Line Challenge, post-ROTJ AU

Title: Questioning
Timeframe: About three months after ROTJ.
Characters: Thrawn, Isard, Mara, Luke
Genre: AU
Summary: Who is right and wrong?
Notes: A reponse to the Opening/Last Line Challenge. This vignette can fit into Unexpected Heirs, a much longer story I've been working on, considering the characters' situations.

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?There was a crime, there was a victim, and there is punishment." Presumed Innocent (1990)

[hr]

Ysanne Isard glanced up from the ever-growing pile of work on her desk. No one dared disturb her in her office, though since the Emperor's death things had changed a lot.

What did that Thrawn think he was doing, returning from the Unknown Regions and pretending he was the Emperor in all but name? No denying that he was a brilliant military commander, but he was nonetheless nonhuman, and therefore likely not worthy of the Grand Admiral's uniform. Who had he ordered killed to get the position? Isard made a mental note to find out.

Her own life was significantly more chaotic now. Mara Jade was safely in custody, but there was still a Rebellion on the loose. For the past three months, she had been chasing them down, and they were just a bit too good at hiding. Someone had to be giving them inside information. Maybe it was Thrawn- and even if it wasn't, it would be a good excuse for his removal.

The knock at the door jolted Isard out of her dark thoughts. Of course, it was Thrawn- he wasn't the sort to holoconference; he instead insisted upon seeing her in person. If they were going to give the public appearance of running the Empire together, he figured they might as well try to plan and coordinate together otherwise.

?The Rebellion is far less of a problem now,? he mentioned nonchalantly.

?What did you do, catch one of their leaders?? Isard replied, letting the sarcasm show through in her voice.

?Of course. Luke Skywalker just happened to come a bit too close to some of my best Intel officers.? Thrawn clearly believed his people were better than Isard's.

?I'm afraid I didn't hear you correctly. You have a Jedi??

?Yes. Exactly as I'd been planning.?

?You succeeded at capturing the one remaining Jedi Knight in the galaxy, and all you can do is act like nothing unusual has happened?? Isard was furious. Capturing Rebels was always her job, and once again, Thrawn acted like he ran the entire Empire...

?How can it be unusual that we captured one of the most wanted Rebels in the galaxy?? Thrawn replied nonchalantly.
?There was a crime, there is a victim, and there will be punishment. Perhaps I handle things a bit more straightforwardly than you care to, Madame Director.?

Of course, Thrawn had managed to make Isard's title sound as insulting as possible. ?You do not run the Empire, Grand Admiral,? she replied, barely able to match Thrawn's level of threat.

?No. Neither do you- all you can think of is your personal power, which should be secondary at best in light of our present political state.?

?What do you know about politics? You're a military leader.?

Thrawn didn't respond for a moment. ?This is irrelevant. Presently, our concerns should be the health of the Empire, which includes crushing the Rebellion. Therefore, I present Skywalker as an... example of what awaits the traitors.?

?Fine. We'll kill him and be done with it. Are you happy now?? Isard wanted nothing more than for Thrawn to leave her office.

?Of course.? Thrawn nodded slightly and departed, though the slight smirk on his face made Isard nervous. By now, she knew far better than to trust him.

[hr]

After Thrawn left Isard's lair, he went to the Palace's detention level to consult with Mara Jade. Isard didn't need to know about this; she was planning to have Mara killed. However, for Thrawn's purposes, it was more important that Mara was alive.

None of the guards questioned Thrawn at all when he requested to speak with Mara. Upon entrance to her cell, she had a slightly bored expression, as though she was long expecting Thrawn and he was no more interesting than any other day-to-day event. ?What did Isard send you here for?? s

 

Awesome response to the challenge and it fits perfectly with Heirs.



Each person/character asks that rhetorical question -- who is the true victim.

 

What did that Thrawn think he was doing, returning from the Unknown Regions and pretending he was the Emperor in all but name?
Bitter much?

Great response.

 

Thrawn... I really must catch up with Unexpected Heirs, honestly.

It's so nice reading Thrawn. *dreamy sigh*

I would love to see how or even if Mara deals with Luke.

Great response to the challenge!