Upon landing Peridea, Morgan and her companions had met with the trio of Nightsisters... and soon after that, Thrawn himself had arrived. Though, any reunion Morgan wanted with him seemed to be cut short. She hasn't even told him about their daughter... or asked about what *their* status was at this point... it didn't seem like the right time. The current tensions were so high among them all— Baylan was pacing the corridors as he awaited a chance to bring Shin back, Orian was standing guard and ready, and Nebula had been consulting with Thrawn to go over the battle plans... they prepared for an army to arrive, though Morgan highly doubted it. After all, would the New Republic be so quick to follow the word of a former darkside user? She wasn't sure... she had more important things to think about. Such as her family.

By the time Elsbeth got her chance, it was much later in the evening. At least at that point, it was only the two of them in the room... and that meant that she finally had a chance to speak with him once again, on more their personal matters. She cleared her throat, keeping her hands neatly behind her back as she approached the console that he was still studying, as if logistics were the only thing at that moment. She studied over his shoulder for a moment, before slowly reaching to turn off the holograms. "... I think that perhaps, we should talk about some things."

Thrawn had been so deeply focused on analyzing all of the data uploaded to the Chimera's systems from Morgan's arrival that he barely even seemed to notice she had lingered in the room with him. He straightened out his stance and looked at her once he finally pulled himself from his thoughts, allowing himself to step away from work for just a brief moment. After all, Thrawn owed it to Morgan to a talk... it had been so many years...

"Perhaps that is a good idea... it's been quite a long time, has it not? So long I was surprised you would still be searching for me." Morgan tilted her head up so she could look him in the eyes, her face holding an expression of longing... but perhaps sadness resided there as well. I suppose one might even call it disappointment.
"Nearly a decade at this point and if I do recall, you had told me we'd be able to talk upon your return." She stated calmly, her voice not harboring many noticeable emotions. "Do you remember that? The day you left? I told you I had something important to tell you."

"I remember it as clear as yesterday." Thrawn was sure to tilt his head down far enough so their eyes could meet even given their height difference. He wanted Morgan to feel assured that his full attention was for her and her alone in this moment. "And I had wondered for all these years what that could be... I am ever so sorry it took me so long to come back into your life and hear it."

"Then perhaps it's about time I told you." Morgan knew it was now or never, as she reached her hand out as a sort of offering to him... perhaps they both needed this form of comfort, in the moment.
"... I was pregnant. All those many, many years ago." She didn't leave much room for interjection before she continued. "Our daughter is here. Aurra. That's... her name."

This all came as quite the surprise to Thrawn—a child. A child that belonged to both of them. He took her hint and clasped his hand with her own, seeming to be at a loss for words for one of the first times in his life.

Morgan, compared to half the galaxy and it's many species, was still quite a young woman even after ten years of being apart... so he supposed it wasn't impossible. It wasn't even all that unlikely.

"I see." His cool toned voice finally filled the silence after a long moment. "And you said she's here?"

"She is—back aboard the Eye of Sion. I had assumed that... bringing her here immediately wasn't the best course of action, especially for her safety all things considered." At the very least, Morgan considered herself a responsible mother. "But she's here, and... ours. I couldn't give up my search for you for a number of reasons... but I suppose Aurra would have to be among the most important of them all."

"In my eyes, that was a noble reason of you to stay focused in your efforts of finding me. Obviously, nobody wants to be stranded in the far reaches of space for ten long years... especially not upon learning that nine of them with your own child have been wasted."

Of course she pitied him. Although Thrawn and his emotions were far more reserved than her own... he wasn't without feeling, and at moments like this—she could see it. She tilted her head, as if listening to exactly what he was feeling. "Nothing is ever truly wasted... it just depends on what you do with the future, once you have it." Morgan took a breath. "I searched for you this long, because I wished for us to be a family... someday."

"I think in this growing Empire we are to build there will always be room for a family of ours. Now I must admit... I've never considered myself to ever be in a place where I would be a father. I can't guarantee I'll have the skills required... but I do hope I can do my best for this Aurra. I hope I can find the best balance of the Empire, and the life we're to reignite." Thrawn was doing his best to express everything he could in his own ways.

"I barely considered myself to be in the place, or mindset of having a child... though I suppose she'd proved to me that I'm quite capable of it, at least she's never expressed otherwise. I believe it'll be more or the same for you... at the very least, she's not a difficult child by any means."

"I doubt she would be, coming from two people with the best of tempers." Thrawn expressed as if this were the truest of facts. "Perhaps when things seem to be safer I can meet Aurra."

She nodded. "Once we've driven back whatever fleeting attempts of an attack the New Republic sends us... once we're ready to leave this planet, I would love for nothing more than for us all to be a family, in the way that best suits us of course." Although this changed nothing about their goals in reinstating the Empire... it did give her a small twinge of happiness to think about raising a family. It just so happened that Thrawn and Aurra, we're all she needed to make that a reality...

"I think that sounds like the best course of action. And I can't wait for all of our work here to be finished so that can become a reality." Thrawn gave a light squeeze to Morgan's hand, as he still held it. "You are a gem, Morgan Elsbeth... it honors me that you traveled through the stars all this way just to come back to me." He lifted her hand and placed a kiss on it.

The slightest of smiles crossed her face—a genuine one, unlike any she usually held, as he kissed her hand. "Hopefully you know now, Grand Admiral, that I would travel across *multiple* galaxy's for you... all so that I could find you again." Though neither of them were the most affectionate outwardly, she truly believed that moment was one exception, especially considering that they were alone. And so for that moment, the Nightsister stood higher on her toes just so that she could kiss him... and for that moment alone, it was just the two of them, and nothing else.

(A/N: We're cooking chapters today 😎 and y'all I am SO scared for the ending of Ahsoka... in my delusions, Shin and Sabine kiss, and Morgan/Thrawn is canon. As always THANK YOU EVERYONE for reading, and thank you for your patience 🫶🏻)