Through Imperial Eyes

Chapter 1

"Lieutenant (L/N), report."

"The last enemy ship has been disabled, Admiral. TIE fighters are returning to the Chimaera as we speak." (Y/N) answered.

"Very well. Commodore Faro, once every fighter is on board, set course for Coruscant. You may jump to hyperspace when ready."

"Right away, sir!"

Grand Admiral Thrawn took a final moment to look out the window in front of him, and without another word, turned around to leave the bridge. (Y/N) glanced at him as he walked steadily past her, his mind probably already working on the details of his report. She compiled the rest of the data she had gathered from her sensors during the battle and sent it to him so that he could take a look at it later in his office if he needed. It had become a habit of hers to send it right away instead of waiting for him or her Commander to ask.

More efficient, she told herself, giving one last glance at the tall blue man before the doors closed behind him. Not at all because deep down she hoped Thrawn would take notice. It was purely to save some time. At least, that's what she tried to convince herself.

After another couple of hours, (Y/N) was finally dismissed and returned to her quarters. She took a long shower, washed her hair and wrapped herself in a towel before sitting on her bed. Lost in her thoughts, she flipped through her messages when a particular one from a good friend appeared on her datapad. One of her old bunkmates from the Academy was on leave on Coruscant for a few days and wanted to hang out with her. It had been quite a while since she had last seen her, the lieutenant thought. It would be a good opportunity to catch up since the Chimaera would soon arrive in the system.

She typed a quick answer and decided that it was enough for the day. (Y/N) wasn't really tired yet, so she reached into her nightstand's drawer and picked up her drawing supplies. Imperial crew couldn't keep a lot of possessions aboard the ship, but she considered it essential and had made room for it in her cabin. She chose a red pigment stick and let her mind wander in search of inspiration.

Soon enough, her thoughts went back to her homeworld. She had spent most of her younger years on Naboo before her parents sent her to the Royal Imperial Academy on Coruscant. They were convinced that it was her best option, so she had followed suit. She couldn't help but miss Theed's refinement though, with its beautiful architecture, its tall statues adorning the gardens across the city. She also missed the smell of all the flowers blooming in spring, the calming sound of fountains and waterfalls...

As she was concentrating on her drawing, a few droplets of water fell from the young woman's damp hair onto the paper, mixing with the red. She took a moment to admire the swirl of colour it created and squeezed a bit more water out of her hair. Inspired by marble statues, (Y/N) had drawn the outline of a male figure and used the diluted pigment to fill it in. She mixed a bit of water and pigment in her hand and added a few splashes of red here and there. She completed her work by giving the figure some shadows and other finer details.

After taking a final look at her work, she put her supplies away and placed the drawing on her nightstand to let it dry. The young woman then went to her bathroom sink to wash her hands and brush her teeth. When she finally climbed back into bed to sleep, all the tension accumulated throughout the day had melted away. Her mind had become quiet, all the memories from her homeworld filling her dreams with its beautiful landscapes.