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They’d had a nice time, but as was the way with all nice things, it came to an end.
As Eli thought that, he wasn’t sure if he was referring to their retirement party or the career they were leaving behind. It seemed to fit both equally well.
They had chosen to retire together. It made perfect sense to them; after having spent so many years working side by side, neither one could imagine starting another work day without the other. He’d said so to Ar’alani himself, after all the other guests had left and the three of them were sitting on the couch.
“So,” she said, setting her wine glass back on the table, “what are the plans now?”
Thrawn arched an eyebrow. “The plans? We’re retiring, Ar’alani. The plans are to have no plans.”
“You know, Thrawn, if I were someone else, I might have almost believed you. Almost.” As if to signify how little more conviction he needed in his tone to be believable, Ar’alani squeezed her thumb and pointer finger, leaving just a tiny bit of space between them. It got a giggle out of Eli. “For all the years that I’ve known you, you’ve never been without a plan. What’s up now? I’d understand if you didn’t want to share.”
“Except this time we don’t,” Eli interjected. “With the military…well, you have a routine, it’s kind of hard to not get used to it and start making your own plans. Now though…it’s new. We can have whatever plans we like. Doing only what we like.”
“Going only to the place we like ,” Thrawn added, getting Ar’alani to laugh in turn. Enough time had passed that they could make jokes about his time in the Empire.
Still, their friend remained unconvinced.
“We’ll figure it out,” Thrawn concluded. “We’re not warriors anymore. We don’t have to think as such.”