Plucked From the Clutches of Death

[kallig]

Ever since coming to the future, following the Force's whims had been something Altair had done less and less. He could still sense it, of course. Shutting himself off completely would be unacceptable to him, as it had always been his companion of sorts and while it would probably lead to less shenanigans, he could not close his eyes and cover his ears. He could hear the whispers, feel the threads of it weaving through the galaxy and it was beautiful. When he meditated whispers became a distant song, and threads became beckoning guides that wanted to lead him to far off places.

In the past, he would have let himself get swept along as time allowed, always certain that someone would be there to pick up any momentary slack. In this time, while he had faith in Thrawn's people and Thrawn himself, he couldn't justify taking the time to rush off whenever some new thread weaved itself into the galaxy's tapestry. There were no other Sith who would pick up his slack, and he had promised to assist Thrawn with his goal, after all. Tempting as it was to let himself drift in the river of fate to let it carry him to new and strange places, give him new and strange riches, he wouldn't, and couldn't.

At least that had been the case until a particularly insistent call in the Force had become too much to ignore.

It wasn't dangerous, was what he had said to Thrawn, upon seeking permission to leave for a time. Not dangerous. Not like the fleet, not like the Silencers, and Iokath. It just was. That nebulous concept had been what was most difficult to explain, really. But whether or not Thrawn understood didn't matter, because he had, at least, seen his seriousness and respected it.

Altair wondered what he'd think now.

The Force had led him to an ancient temple- Altair still wasn't certain if it was Sith or Jedi in origin- and that temple had led him to a strange place. Branching paths and moments in time. For a while he had wandered- admittedly he'd sought a way back to his own time. It would have broken his promise, which he hated doing, but still. A part of him would always miss his people.

He hadn't found it though.

But he had found many strange artifacts. Plucked them from moments in time whenever the Force felt like it was urging him to do so. Whether that was some kleptomaniac instinct or actually the Force though, he wasn't sure. Maybe both.

Through one such window into the past, he'd come across someone in a situation that wouldn't end well. Plucking items out of these moments was one thing- would maybe end in a bruised ego or two somewhere far in the past- but people? Still, it was the only glimpse that was truly an open door to be reached through. The Force was quiet, not urging him one way or another, despite its strong presence in the silence between moments and its somewhat subtle insistence that he claim artifacts before. In the end though, when given the opportunity to save someone, he had.

The idea of simply leaving someone to die when all he had to do to save them was reach out his hand pained him. He couldn't do it.

And so, outside of the temple in the dark and quiet night, he sat with the two people he'd rescued by the fire they'd built for light and warmth while they waited for morning to come so they could head for the ship he'd borrowed with the promise that he'd bring it back in one piece, without fear of anything that might be lurking in the blackness of the forest the temple was surrounded by.

It had been day when Altair had entered the temple and found his way into that strange place, and while he felt no more hunger than usual, Altair could somehow tell that this was not the first night that had passed since he first arrived. He assumed it had been a few days, at least.

He wondered how he was going to explain this one though.

A Chiss and a Jedi who- while remaining nearby- was perhaps expectedly standoffish in the presence of a Sith. Out of the two of them, Altair figured he'd have most luck talking to the Chiss, though they'd all exchanged relatively few words even now. Shock, Altair assumed.

Seemed the most likely explanation, and also understandable. Expecting death only to be yanked through the veil of death and time to safety was probably a lot to deal with for people who weren't used to it.

"You don't have to worry, you know. I have allies who will be able to help you. Wherever you may want to go, I'm certain it can be arranged."

Comments

[eighthfamily]

Sacrifice. It was the only way to save those on board Outbound Flight. Perhaps they shouldn't have taken the ship, but they couldn't let it fall into Formbi's hands, and allow him to claim the technology within. Thrass and Lorana both accepted their fate, sharing farewells with one another and gripping each other's hands as they braced for impact.

Right before the ship crashed into the planet, Thrass and Lorana found themselves yanked backwards. It left them both disoriented, and when they came to their senses they gazed around their strange surroundings. Lorana wondered if they were in the force realm, or a kind of purgatory after death. When their savior revealed himself, they were both wary, and Lorana kept her distance from him.

Still, they had followed him back into the mortal realm, preferring not to stay in this strange dimension. Thrass could tell that something about it bothered Lorana.

They were alive. Against all odds, they were alive. Thrass wasn't sure what to make of it. Lorana had a carefully neutral look about her, regarding the Sith with some caution, but there wasn't fear there.

"So you say," Thrass replied. "I imagine my family is quite worried about me. And I'm certain that my companion here is a very long way from home."

[kallig]

"Possibly."

It hadn't seemed like too far into the past. The tech surrounding them, the ship, had seemed modern to Altair's eyes. Modern enough to be a product of this era rather than his own. But he couldn't place his finger on what that meant, exactly. This Chiss and this Jedi could have been dead for decades already.

Logically he knew that perhaps letting the past be what it had been might have been the right move. Another Sith would have passed that scenario by without so much as a glance. A Jedi would have accepted it as it was and not raised a hand to help, either.

But to turn a blind eye wasn't an option to him. He'd always been the emotional sort. It was both his best and worst quality.

"At any rate, I don't have the means on my own to take you where you both might wish to go. So for tonight, rest and recover. In the morning I'll take you to my ship and take you somewhere you can get the help that is beyond me to offer."

He reached into the bag at his side- laden with trinkets plucked from a vast timeline- reaching past all of the artifacts and to the ration bars he'd filled it with before setting out- he hadn't expected it to be a long trip, but he still had enough food on him to feed a small army. His instinct was still to hoard, even now.

He tossed one ration bar to the Chiss, and the other beside the Jedi.

"Eat. Sleep. I'll stay awake to keep the fire going, and anything nasty at bay... Besides myself. Don't really know how to take myself out of the equation here."

[eighthfamily]

Thrass glanced at the bag, trying to glance at the items within, but only seeing a passing glance. The man was a collector, that much was clear. Though what species he was could be anything. Any number of species had Chiss-like proportions, though the accent was unfamiliar. The mask also made it hard to read his face.

He was also the best chance Thrass had of contacting Thrawn, and letting him know that he was safe. His brother had to be worried about him.

Catching the ration bar, Thrass turned to Lorana, "What do you say?"

The young Jedi still regarded Altair with caution. As much as he screamed Sith, he felt more complicated than that. Neither fully dark nor light. "I think our lives are in his hands for now, and we have no choice."

Thrass had to agree. Besides, he had his charric blaster and she had her lightsaber, so if he did try to rob them or kill them then they were prepared. Both of them ate their ration bars before laying down by the fire to sleep.

[kallig]

What would Thrawn say, Altair wondered, when he came back with these two in tow. Altair didn't like placing possible burdens on the man- he already had much on his mind, and duty heavy on his shoulders- but this was necessary. Should Thrawn refuse to give any assistance, Altair figured that at least he had the Doombringer. By now, at least its hyperdrive had gone through enough modernization to not be completely useless. Though its shields still left something to be desired compared to modern dreadnaughts.

As his unexpected companions ate and then laid down to sleep, Altair remained sitting where he was. Like with Thrawn, he couldn't get a read on this Chiss at all. His mind felt similar- vaguely familiar, even- but still. It was closed off. Inaccessible. The Jedi, though her guard was up, was a lot more open. He could sense how cautious she was. That was a good thing, he supposed.

Mistrust was wise in this situation.

As they slept, Altair looked up to the stars above them. The night went- uneventfully. Some animals popping by- skittishly staying at a distance- and the occasional stretch of his legs when he got up to keep the fire from going out. By the time the sun came up, another ration bar had been set down next to the pair of them, while Altair himself was seated where he had been, fiddling with one of the artifacts he'd taken. An artifact that felt much darker than the darkness he had in himself, really.

He would allow them time to eat breakfast before making the trek to the ship at least. He was rather happily occupied, and not in so much rush to not allow at least that much.

[eighthfamily]

Thrass woke up before Lorana and ate what passed for breakfast. It wasn't bad, but he didn't see how travelers could eat them day after day. When he returned to Csilla, he was going to treat himself to a snowberry tart. As he ate, he eyed the item in their savior's hands, not recognizing it.

Lorana woke up soon after, but before she could start on her own ration bar, she froze and eyed the artifact fearfully. "What is that?" Her voice came out as a squeak.

[kallig]

"An artifact. It won't hurt you."

Nor would it drag her into darkness, but he didn't think that was a debate that would bring her much comfort. The artifact was steeped in darkness- violence and hatred as echoes in the Force. Altair himself felt like innocent curiosity. A collector merely tinkering, the same way one might poke at some fascinating puzzle.

Compared to darkness he'd felt in the past, this artifact was nothing.

But he supposed a Jedi might have a different frame of reference. Especially in this time. What darkness would this Jedi have encountered in the past? Darkness found in regular people, perhaps. A dark Jedi or two, maybe. Possibly even a Sith unlike himself. Even the Jedi of his own time had been wary around relics that held secrets of the dark side. A Jedi from closer to this time... Well, her reaction was more than enough.

"It is dark. But you are not. It is here with me, and you are at a distance. Instead of focusing on this-" He said, holding the artifact securely in both hands, "Ground yourself. Feel the life of the forest around us. The plants, the animals. The water, the air. There is light here too- let that guide you, rather than letting fear grip you."

He both understood, and he didn't. But he could tell she was afraid, and so would do his best to acknowledge those fears, though encourage her to move past them.

Returning the artifact to the bag at his side, he rested his hands in his lap.

"You have slept a whole night, and I- who am an enemy of the Jedi by my existence alone- have sat here for hours peacefully. You have overcome plenty of fear already. Don't let this be any different."

This all probably seemed strange to the Chiss. Altair did think it was necessary though. Letting the girl shake with fear the entire way back was a scenario he'd prefer to avoid, though he was certain the two would look to each other for support as well. Still, better that he speak and hopefully still her fears at least a little. He meant neither or them any harm, and would not let her fall to a dusty old relic, either.

[eighthfamily]

Despite the feeling that listening to a Sith would always lead to ruin, Lorana still took his advice. Perhaps it was because despite being Sith, he was telling her to focus on the light, something similar to what the Jedi taught her. Perhaps it was because she could sense a light inside him. Or perhaps she was hungry for guidance after seeing what became of her master. Either way, his advice helped and she relaxed.

Thrass watched all this play out curiously. He regarded the Sith. "It's odd. My people have never heard of the Force, and it was only a week ago that I found out about it. Yet you two speak of it as something you've known your entire lives."

Lorana hadn't exactly had time to give him any details, since they'd been about to die, and they'd been too emotionally drained for conversation last night.

[kallig]

The Force had been blissfully quiet since Altair's last outing, beyond its usual little tugs and whispers. Life went by rather like normal- people respectfully slinking around him in wide circles whenever he stalked the halls, working on overseeing the upgrades on the Doombringer, poking at his relics- and training with the people who had- if not overcome their fear of him- at least learned to overlook it. He had left Thrawn alone for the most part- leaving him to chats with his brother, and the Jedi who he occasionally sensed off in the distance.

Training was his activity of choice on this particular day, with a small group of Stormtroopers.

One man swung at him, fist swiping by his hood as he moved his head out of the trajectory of his punch, spinning around to grab him by the forearm, using the momentum in conjunction with the Force to yank him off his feet and slam him into the ground hard enough to make the sound echo throughout the room, and in that same move he dodged another opponent who had decided to try and get the drop on him, sweeping his leg to trip his second opponent up, and in an unnaturally fluid motion he shoved a hand into his armored chest hard enough to send him flying across the room.

He turned his head to the remaining two opponents who were sizing the situation up from a distance, and in the blink of an eye he was in front of one, evading an admittedly skillful swipe, and then another- before catching him by the throat and lifting him off the ground with an ease that shouldn't be possible for one so small- with a spin he threw him at the Stormtrooper who was only just picking himself up off the floor, sending them both toppling to the ground again.

His attention turned then to his final opponent- Balkin, admittedly his favorite- and he rolled his shoulders idly, before jumping back into motion- dodging a few quick punches, though his final opponent did manage to get a kick in, and though it nearly knocked him off balance that only made him utter a sound that almost sounded like amusement. Getting back in close in another blink of the eye, he delivered a few quick kicks and punches of his own- skillfully blocked for the most part, until Altair saw his opening and took it- sending the fourth of the day's students sailing through the air and into the wall with enough force to hurt, but not seriously damage.

As much as Altair would like to go another round though, he had become aware that they were no longer alone.

"That's enough for today," He said, moving over to Balkin to offer him a hand to help him get back onto his feet, while calling to the others, "Hollinger, Erantes, Rigel. I suggest you get more pointers from Commander Balkin again, as he was the only one who managed to keep me out of his mind for long enough to get some surprise attacks in at all for each match. Go get yourselves patched up, then get some meditation in- I sensed more than just a little bewilderment, and that is something you all must learn to resist when faced with a Force user. We'll be sparring again soon and I expect to see some improvement then."

He got a few yes, sirs and a yes, Lord Nox from Balkin, turning to their guest as the men picked themselves up to go do as they had been told.

"Thrass," He greeted, calmly, with a polite nod of his head- he wondered to himself if Thrawn had told Thrass about his species, or even that he had a name besides Nox, or if that was something he had left for him to divulge when he felt like he wanted to- "Found your bearings enough to be out exploring already?"

[eighthfamily]

Everything that happened was a lot for Thrass to take in. Saved from sudden death, flung into the future, reunited with his brother. It was decades into the future, his younger brother was now older than him, and so much had happened in the galaxy. His brother exiled, only to find himself a high-ranking position within a xenophobic Empire, and used his resources to create this Empire of the Hand. Not to mention this Nuso Esva character he found himself at war with.

To say nothing of what the Jedi, Lorana, was going through. Thrawn told her about the Clone Wars, and how the Jedi had been nearly wiped out at the war's end. Thrawn had passed along Nox's offer to her, and she'd said she needed to think about it for a while.

Thrass himself had considered returning to the Ascendancy, but ultimately decided to stay with Thrawn. His brother had offered him a comfortable position within the Empire of the Hand, as one of his advisors.

Thrawn had also passed along Lord Nox's offer of conversation. He had also revealed some very interesting information about the Sith. Thus, Thrass chose to seek him out. Some of the crew spoke Sy Bisti, and were able to direct him to the training room.

Thrass got there in time to see the rather short Sith fling Stormtroopers nearly twice his size around. It must have been that Force thing he heard about. He waited patiently for the Stormtroopers to clear out, before he approached Nox.

"Yes. The layout of this ship is quite different from a Chiss dreadnought, but Thrawn provided me with a map. I do hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

[kallig]

"You weren't," Altair said, though he was aware of the fact that the curtness of his words suggested otherwise. Really though, they had been just about done for the day, so the only thing that had been cut short was that Altair would normally have meditated with them to guide them through fortifying their minds. But he trusted Balkin to be able to give good pointers, anyway, as the man was proving himself to be a good student who was already starting to incorporate his own techniques to use against someone who could predict the flow of battle in the way that a Force user could.

"I've never been aboard a Chiss dreadnought, so I'll have to take your word for it."

He had seen them under construction in the past, during his mission to Copero. And he'd been aboard a Chiss shuttle before. But not a dreadnought.

"Have you decided what you're going to do from now on? I imagine it's come up during your talks with your brother."

It would be rather sad, if Thrass chose to leave, Altair thought. Of course with Thrass being alive it would not be a final goodbye, but he hoped for Thrawn's sake, that Thrass would choose to stay at his side, much as Altair understood a desire to return to one's people too. After all, he imagined that to be a choice he might one day come to have to make himself.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, of course. I won't pry."

[eighthfamily]

"It has, yes. I will admit, I considered returning home, and retaking my place within Chiss society." He was an important person within the Mitth family, and had certain rights and privileges. "Except, home wouldn't feel the same without Thrawn. Thus, I've chosen to stay with him, and serve on his council." Thrawn said he would still get to keep his title, and would be treated as a syndic by the Chiss of the Hand. It amused him that Thrawn was also considered a syndic now.

"Even if I did return, I would have to explain to the family where I have been, and why I have not aged a day since I disappeared." If the Ascendancy had chosen to exile Thrawn, then Thrass would be exiled with him. It was actually rather impressive what Thrawn had done with this Empire of the Hand.

[kallig]

"I see. I'm glad."

Altair hadn't been able to sense Thrawn's emotions, whenever the subject of the loss he'd suffered had come up, and he didn't think he was particularly good at reading his expressions either, but he'd been able to tell how heavily it weighed on him. Had been able to tell that it was a very deep sorrow.

So Altair really was glad that Thrass had chosen to stay, so that that loss wasn't one Thrawn would have to feel again, even if it wouldn't be permanent. Thrawn was exiled, after all. Had Thrass gone back to his people, then it likely wouldn't be easy for them to see each other as often as they might want to.

"He had told me that he'd lost someone in the past, and I could tell that he still carried a lot of pain with him because of it. So I really am glad you're staying. You'll be a welcome asset on the council as well."

Thrawn had, technically, given Altair a seat on the Council too, which Altair had initially accepted when he had made the decision to join Thrawn in the first place. But given the continued fear from others, Altair didn't feel like his presence was welcome there. So he preferred being utilized as a weapon with which to strike down enemies, rather than an advisor. There was a lot less doubt about his intentions that way. Though Altair had managed to earn the trust of a few of Thrawn's people, he knew that there were many still who heard the word Sith and decided to shake in their boots on principle.

"I suppose that means we'll be working together too in one way or another, so you may feel free to rely on me should the need arise."

[eighthfamily]

"I could tell. He blamed himself for what happened to me, and I can imagine how hard it was for him when I simply never came home after Lorana and I took Outbound Flight." He'd allowed himself moment of smugness when Thrawn told him that Chaf'orm'bintrano was still an Aristocra. According to his brother, the ship had never been found, and Thrass wasn't sure if he'd be able to relocate the planet they had crashed it on. Hopefully the survivors and their descendants had built a life for themselves.

Thrass had met some of Thrawn's high-ranking officers, including Parck and Dagon. Both of them hadn't known what to make of him, but had welcomed him on board upon finding out who he was to Thrawn.

"I have a feeling that my work will be mainly administrative," Thrass wasn't a warrior like Thrawn or Altair. "But, I can see that my brother still has no head for politics, which is where you and I will be useful." Which implied that Thrawn had told Thrass that Lord Nox had experience in politics. "And I may need your guidance should I encounter anything related to the Sith or Jedi, or the Force in general."

[kallig]

It had been a few weeks now, since his chat with Thrass and Lorana. Like the time after he'd brought the two of them back, things had settled into something closer to routine now. The list of things Altair had to do had grown, but that suited him just fine, as he'd never been one to resent being busy. He was liking Thrass more and more, finding his company pleasant, and Lorana was ever so slowly coming to trust him and the guidance and advice he had to give. Training with the Stormtroopers was going smoothly as well, and the ones who weren't quite up to Balkin's level yet had at least improved.

And in between it all Altair had his relics, his work with the Doombringer, his art, and the occasional chat with Thrawn when time allowed. Altair didn't want to take up too much of his time these days- wanting to give him as much space as possible to give him time to spend time with Thrass without having to worry about anything else.

Still, he didn't stay completely away- coming when called for, but also occasionally when he was not.

It was late at night now, but Altair was wide awake. Sleeplessness was a dear friend as much as it was a bitter enemy, it was long ago now that it could be called a stranger. Out in the ship he could sense officers and the like on duty, further still he could sense the Jedi girl off in dreamland, and peacefulness also rested over Thrass's quarters- though that was more sensing whether or not there was movement over sensing any thoughts or emotions. One place he could sense movement though, was Thrawn's office.

It would seem that he was not the only one failing to get any sleep.

He made a final stitch to his latest embroidery, carefully tying the thread off, before wrapping it up and popping it into his bag that contained his datapad and some other things he was working on, before heading out. He went to fetch tea for himself and for Thrawn, asking for Thrawn's the way he'd come to learn that Thrawn preferred his tea. He announced his presence to the guards through the Force- a vague sense of creeping dread that everyone had already come to associate with him- long before he turned the corner.

So hopefully they would already have notified Thrawn that he was on his way so he could be let inside to chat without being held up first.

[admiralchiss]

Thrawn was glad that Thrass had chosen to stay, and was settling in well. It was strange to be older than his brother now, especially knowing that Thrass would ironically outlive him, assuming neither one died in battle. But, regardless of those dark thoughts, it was good to catch up with is brother, and they spent almost every meal together now. Thrawn was also glad that they had another Force user on the ship. Lorana said that Altair was a very good teacher.

He couldn't sleep, having too much on his mind as of late. The Empire, Nuso Esva, the threat that lay beyond the galaxy.

His guard informed him that Darth Nox was coming over, and Thrawn allowed him in when he was at the door. "I see that sleep has once again evaded you."

[kallig]

"As it has also evaded you," Altair commented, with a slight bit of humor in his tone. They were both rather familiar with insomnia, for one reason or another, "I brought you some tea."

He moved closer to put the cup for Thrawn down on his desk, before withdrawing to take up a position by the door as he so often did, undoing his mask to set it aside so he could drink his own tea before it got cold. His pale hair was somewhat uncharacteristically messy, suggesting that he might have tried to sleep earlier in the night, but had given up, and just not bothered to brush his hair back into its usual neat style while working on other things.

"Too much doom and gloom on your mind again?" He asked, though despite the attempt at humor in his choice of words, his tone was sincere- even worried.

"Any more nights like this and I might suggest that I come soothe you to sleep with the Force from now on, you know."

That was a joke. Sincerely.

[admiralchiss]

"Thank you." Thrawn picked up his cup and sipped from it. As usual, Thrawn's office was lit up with holos of various works of art, from various planets. They ranged from sculptures to paintings, and even pieces that looked like it was impossible to make them with five-fingered hands.

"I'm sure Thrass would support that suggestion." His brother wasn't too pleased when he found out that Thrawn still had late nights where he chose to stay up and work.

[kallig]

"I imagine he would, yes."

Thrass knew Thrawn better than anyone, after all. Altair had remarked to Thrass that Thrawn worked harder than even he did, but Thrass knew that fact more intimately than anyone. It was only natural that Thrass worried. Altair worried too, or he wouldn't have joked about soothing him to sleep in the first place.

"I am capable, should it be something you need to consider. I used to do it for my brother in the past. I don't think I mentioned, but he was a Chiss too. Not a mixed breed like I am, but a proper proud Chiss. It's how I know I can influence Chiss minds even if I can't get a read on them."

He raised his gaze, glancing around at the holos of the various works of art. He wondered what Thrawn could read from looking at them all. Though he imagined that even given a small eternity, he wouldn't be able to get half as good of a read on them. Thrawn's ability to see things he could not often felt rather like genuine magic, with no trick behind it that could be taught to someone else. But then, he imagined his own Force sensitivity probably seemed like that to others too.

"I won't mention that I can do that to Thrass yet though, unless I feel like we both need to talk some sense into you. Like if you get a few more strands of grey in the near future, for example."

[admiralchiss]

"I will keep that in mind, if you and he truly believe that I need to sleep more often." Thrass had sometimes made a quip that Thrawn was going to make him go prematurely grey if he kept putting himself in dangerous situations.

Part of him still felt a pang of guilt at the fact that while he'd gotten his own brother back, Altair was unlikely to ever see his own brother again. Thus, Thrawn hadn't made a big deal out of Thrass's return since he'd thanked Altair for reuniting them. It was interesting to find out that he'd had a close relationship with another Chiss before he'd met Thrawn, though.

"I trust that things are working out with Lorana?"

Many of the crew were surprised to have a Jedi on board, since many of them had never met a Jedi. The younger crew members assumed they were just legends. Some who were old enough to remember the Clone Wars were wary that she would turn on them, even after Thrawn's insistence that her loyalty belonged to him and Altair now.

[kallig]

Thrawn had said he knew of a world with large, sapient insects that tended to lovely gardens. Had it been just the two of them, Altair would have happily dragged the man along. As it was, with Thrass with them as well, Altair didn't feel like it was the best destination, given that he was well aware that his own love for insects was somewhat of a unique thing, that it wasn't a love shared by all others.

After a while of research and consideration, Altair had decided on a world with a vibrant culture instead- a place to see the many sights of a great city with interesting architecture, with some open-air markets, including a few interesting night markets, plenty of shopping opportunities, shops with curiosities from across the galaxy, charming eateries, and more than one museum dedicated to art. And there were impressive gardens to be found too- just not tended to by sapient insects. So the place truly had something for all of them to enjoy, rather than just Altair alone.

Though he did intend to visit the world Thrawn had spoken of, some day.

Unlike usual, Altair was not all covered up in his armor, wearing a more simple white outfit, to blend in much more easily. His lightsaber was still with him though- he'd never go anywhere without it, really.

Altair had suggested they start their first day with a visit to the art museum nearest to where they were staying, to be followed with going out to eat, and then to wander around for a while to look for something interesting to do afterwards. It was early enough in the morning that the museum wasn't overly crowded, so that they could wander about leisurely. Altair had gone a little ahead of Thrawn and Thrass- intent on giving the brothers some space to bond in this more relaxed atmosphere.

High-heeled boots clicked against the floor as he headed over to look at a painting of what seemed to be an ancient aristocratic family, studying the piece with some amount of interest. He felt like the museum would hold more than enough various pieces of art to inspire him to make more of his own, at least.

[admiralchiss]

Thrawn and Thrass both approved of Altair's choice of vacation spot. Thrass was eager to leave the ship and explore, and get his brother away from the command room for a while. Even if Thrawn didn't want to admit it, Thrass knew that he needed a vacation.

Both of them had packed civilian clothing for the trip, provided by the ship's synthweavers. Thrass couldn't resist dressing up a little, though, and included some jewelry and a silk scarf in his outfit. It was strange for the both of them to see Altair outside of his Sith outfit, and see him dress more like an ordinary citizen.

When Altair went ahead of them, the brothers whispered among each other, with Thrass asking what Thrawn thought of Altair. Thrawn's answers were simple and almost casual, saying that Altair was a valued friend and asset. Thrass just gave him sly smirks, like he knew a secret. Thrawn changed the subject, asking how Thrass was getting along with his crew, to which Thrass replied that everybody treated him with respect.

Upon catching up to Altair, they gazed at the painting. "Tell me, Altair," Thrawn said. "What do you make of this painting?" Thrass wasn't a bit surprised to see that Thrawn still played this game.

[kallig]

Compared to his armor, Altair looked quite different in civilian clothes indeed. He'd dressed up once, for the celebration on the planet he'd called home for a time after ending up in the future, but there had still been a significant amount of formality in that outfit, unlike his current one in simple white, with just a touch of personality to it in the form of a short white cape with golden embroideries that he had added himself, as well as the high heels to add another couple of inches to his miniscule height.

He turned his head slightly to look up at Thrawn when he spoke, and crossed his arms while he thought on it, "Well, it was obviously commissioned, for one. The background suggests that the family was affluent, and had an above average interest in flaunting that fact. Though the family were aristocrats, I think they must have only recently come into money when this was painted- I've found that old money so to speak find other ways to show off their wealth than putting every valuable object they might own front and center in such a manner in a family portrait like this, and old money might also find such a painting to be rather gauche."

Altair fell quiet for a moment, pondering some more, "I also think the artist may have been rushed a little. The brush strokes are very impressive and skillful around the members of the family themselves, and a little bit on their displays of wealth. But toward the edges they get a bit more sloppy, and the use of color doesn't have as much depth, I think. In the blues of the woman's dress I can see that the artist must have mixed in many other colors to get that specific tone, but along the edges, it looks more like it was coming straight out of the tube without any care put to mix it with other colors to match the focal point of the painting."

He shrugged, and smiled just a little, "I could be totally wrong, of course. Well, on anything other than the part about the color and the more rushed job toward the edges. Those points I'm confident in, since I work with color quite a lot myself, though in another form, and can also recognize a more rushed job when I see it."

[admiralchiss]

Thrawn nodded at Altair's assessment. "Actually, you aren't wrong in that assessment. Indeed, this family had only recently come into their wealth, most likely by manipulation or inheritance, and wished to show off their new wealth. The artist must have been paid a great deal, but not enough to justify not getting sloppy near the end."

Thrass hid a smile behind his hand, watching the way those two spoke of art. He also wondered if he'd ever bought anything that tacky after he and Thrawn had been adopted into a wealthier family. Hopefully not. He liked to think he had better taste than that.

[kallig]

"Honestly it's more to do with knowing the type than truly getting a read. I spent enough time around both old money and the newly rich when I was younger to recognize such things."

He'd even been newly rich himself, once, though he'd been much more careful in how he presented himself. An alien with money was still an alien, after all. He'd commissioned art, and others had insisted on commissioning art of him in the past, but he'd been very cautious. He'd also been more interested in sponsoring artists he'd liked, giving them the security needed to create works of art that truly came from their soul, rather than being chained to someone else's idea of creativity.

"The family in the painting obviously weren't Sith, but the way they present themselves in this painting reminds me of Sith artwork. The whole world is a stage, and they wanted to seem like the brightest star of all."

He missed parts of that life. Many a Sith had been such interesting individuals.

"Of course Sith were notorious for artwork that seemed like it would withstand the passage of time. Statues and great stone monuments. Anything that could tell of their glory for generations to come. Though this painting has survived for a long time, I fear most Sith would consider it much too transient an art form to bother with."

[admiralchiss]

"I noticed this in my findings on Sith artwork," Thrawn said. He had filled Thrass in on Altair being a figure from the past, including showing him the information on Darth Nox from the Hand. "Even Emperor Palpatine had a statue of himself on Coruscant. It's gone now, toppled over right after the Battle of Endor."

"I doubt this family were as ruthless as the Sith, and were more concerned with reminding others of their good fortune, and not with doing whatever it took to keep that wealth."