Two for Me/Hux: 1) “Let’s run away together.” and 2) “We’re probably going to die.” Then one for you/Thrawn: “I’m curious...”
“Let’s run away together,” she said, and even as she said it, the hope that it was possibly within her reach faded just a little more.
“From what?” Hux bit out. “From victory? From my greatest chance? This empire is our future, and we are so close.”
Something in Katie’s eyes dimmed. “My future is you.”
*
“We’re probably going to die.”
Hux’s lips thinned, waiting for the stinging lash of I told you so or perhaps you did this, whichever fell first. He and Katie had fought and scrapped and screamed and run, and now there was nothing left to do but watch the incoming fleet on the failing monitors, because he wouldn’t look at Katie, not when she could have been systems away but for him.
But instead of speaking again, Katie took his hand, and somehow that was worse. He looked at her, beautiful and afraid and angry, and he didn’t know how to say that he wasn’t sorry, but he was—he didn’t want—
“I love you,” he said instead, and it was probably the best choice he’d ever made.
*
“I’m curious…”
“Uh oh,” Beth replied immediately—not because she didn’t trust Thrawn, but because she didn’t trust those particular words coming out of him, especially when he had time to spare.
He smiled slightly to acknowledge her misgivings but went on despite them, which really summed up everything. “How does one destroy beskar, given its resilience? It seems much more likely that it was simply stored out of reach.”
Beth gaped, stunned that Thrawn had listened to her historic rants despite prior experience, and then she leaned forward. “I’m listening.”
