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Thrawn looked almost antsy, as much as he ever could be. He wasn’t fidgeting, exactly, but his posture was more rigid than usual, and his eyes kept darting back and forth. Why he was nervous about bird-watching was beyond Thrass’s comprehension. Then again, he always had his little quirks that defied typical expectations.
“Is something wrong?” Thrass asked, keeping his tone casual.
“What do you mean?” Thrawn turned to him at once, his eyes a touch wider than they should’ve been, his voice pitched just slightly too high.
Very few would’ve noticed the tension. To an untrained eye, Thrawn looked as composed as ever, but Thrass knew him better than anyone.
“You seem nervous,” Thrass said. “And I doubt it’s me causing it. So what is?”
Thrawn hesitated. “It’s only that… this is such a passive activity. I don’t like feeling as though I’m not accomplishing anything.”
“Oh, is that all?” Thrass smiled, glancing up at his brother’s faintly downcast face. “Most of your work involves waiting and watching, doesn’t it?”
“It does,” Thrawn admitted. “But there are always other things to do in the meantime. And what I’m watching for then is… important.”
“Important? The worlds of the Ascendancy are filled with vibrant flora and fauna,” Thrass said, gesturing toward the colorful forest around them. “What you see here is a glimpse of exactly what you’re fighting to protect. I can’t think of anything more important than that.”
The planet was one of the Ascendancy’s designated nature reserves, known for its remarkable biodiversity. Travelers and scholars alike came to study its ecosystems. The trees shimmered in every hue imaginable, and the creatures that lived among them were said to be unlike any others in the Chaos.
“I am aware,” Thrawn replied with a faint smile. “But I sometimes wonder if observing the beauty is enough, if it somehow takes away from my duty to protect it.”
“I don’t think so,” Thrass said gently. “Even the wisest and strongest protectors, including yourself, need to allow themselves moments of levity. You have to make room for joy, too.”
“My joy comes from my work,” Thrawn said quietly, “and from you.”
“Good. But I still think you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself for taking a few days off. Your first officer is more than capable of running the ship while you’re away.”
“I’m just accustomed to being away for something more…”
“Important?” Thrass teased. “I think we already discussed that.”
Thrawn tilted his head. “I was going to say active.”
Thrass laughed, the sound carrying lightly through the trees. “Then perhaps you’ll just have to get used to peace for a change.”
For a few moments, he did.
Thrawn let himself simply watch the birds in silence. They were remarkably colorful, each one said to have a unique pattern, no two alike. Their courtship displays, nesting habits, and migratory paths were among the most fascinating natural phenomena the planet had to offer.
He watched as they went about their day, unaware of the greater galaxy and all its turmoil. Their world was small, simple, and beautiful, yet not without its dangers. Predators still lurked in the branches or the skies above, but the birds lived on, bright and unbothered, painting the air with motion.
For once, Thrawn allowed himself to just be.
“Like living art,” Thrawn whispered into the quiet. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
“What is it now?” Thrass asked, amused.
“Most of the art I study is indicative of a culture, or at least of an individual’s patterns. This art doesn’t teach me anything about anyone, and yet it’s still unquestionably art.”
“Yes, the most beautiful and mysterious kind of all, sort of like you.”
For a moment, Thrawn simply continued to watch the flock. Slowly, he processed what had been said.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he finally decided. That was all that needed to be said.
They didn’t always have time to be together. The moments they did share were treasures. No matter how far or long they might be apart, they would always be brothers. And perhaps, in a way, they were each other’s artist, permanently etching a part of themselves into the other.
The birds continued their dances through the sky, the trees, and across the ground. Like being in the eye of a storm, there was peace here, because Thrawn and Thrass were together, despite the chaos of the galaxy beyond.