Checkmate
Ahsoka Tano was bored. Master Skywalker had been invited to Lady Ciaran's estate once more to 'discuss further the events covered at Lady Ciaran's previous party' which was frustrating to Ahsoka, as she hadn't been invited and so had no idea what Anakin and Lady Ciaran had talked about. Since she was his padawan, Ahsoka had gotten dragged along, but since she wasn't a part of this ongoing conversation, she had to wait outside with the protocol droid. A protocol droid that steadfastly refused to even acknowledge her existence.
Imagining some affair between the two was entertaining for a moment, but Ahsoka had witnessed the almost terrifying fervor that Lady Ciaran showed in pushing her master and Senator Padme together. So the chance of Anakin and Lady Ciaran being a couple was pretty much zilch. Which left Ahsoka sitting on a bench in the hall, spinning her lightsaber in the air in front of her absentmindedly.
"Ah, you must be Master Skywalker's padawan." Ahsoka looked up to see who had addressed her. He was tall, with deep blue skin and dark hair. His outfit was clearly military in nature, but Ahsoka didn't recognize it as either Republic or Separatist.
Ahsoka pulled her lightsaber back into her hand and put it away as she stood up. "Yeah, I'm Ahsoka Tano. How'd you know who I was? I don't recall meeting you before."
"Mitth'raw'nuruodo, though I realize that's a mouthful for most. I go by Thrawn for simplicity's sake." He said, reaching out to shake Ahsoka's hand.
"Well it's nice to meet you Thrawn." said Ahsoka amicably.
"Likewise. As for how I knew who you are, the silka bead braid gave you away as a padawn learner, and of the Jedi Lady Ciaran would receive, Anakin Skywalker is the only one with a padawan that I'm aware of." said Thrawn, gesturing to the beads on Ahsoka's head.
"Wow. Not a lot of people really know what these are at a glance like that. You really know your stuff."
"The Jedi tend to prefer architecture as their primary means of art, which makes the crafts and the traditions behind them all the more intriguing as a window into their traditions and thought processes. Though I'm willing to admit I may be misinterpreting things. The art of the Jedi order is a field I've been meaning to look into for some time now." explained Thrawn.
"Art, huh? What are you, Lady Ciaran's museum curator or something?" joked Ahsoka. Thrawn chuckled as well.
"Hardly. My passion for art is just that, a passion. No, I'm a strategist by trade. I'm often assigned to duties such as clearing up the pirate fleets that plagued the CNS trade lanes." That certainly made sense of the military uniform. Ahsoka hadn't recognized it because it was CNS, a faction she obviously didn't see on the front lines of the war.
"Does the CNS have a big problem with pirates?" asked Ahsoka.
"Not at the moment, no. Without the need to divert forces to the war, we've been able to keep them quite in check, but piracy was rampant a few years ago. They still try smaller scale raids, but nothing requiring my personal attention. Which leaves me plenty of time to pursue pet projects and personal passions."
"Like art?" probed Ahsoka.
"Exactly. This for example," Thrawn hefted the small box he had been carrying. "is an artifact recovered on an exploration of Zeltron ruins. Like most things from the planet, it doubles as a form of entertainment, and this particular copy has the rules of the game etched into the case. It's a miraculous find, though I've been unable to fully experience it."
"Whoa. What's stopping you from enjoying it though? Is a piece missing or something?" asked Ahsoka.
"All the pieces are there, but games are meant to be played. And alas, I've yet to find someone willing and able to play a strategy game against me. Which is preposterous. Just because I'm a military strategist does not mean I possess some otherworldly knowledge of how to dominate a game I've never played before." ranted Thrawn. He didn't really raise his voice, but his tone made his frustrations apparent.
"I'll play with you." Ahsoka volunteered. "It certainly beat sitting around in this hall waiting for Skyguy and Lady Ciaran to stop talking about whatever."
"Wonderful. This is hardly the proper place for a game though." Thrawn turned to the protocol droid. "PR-1, if Lady Ciaran or Anakin Skywalker inquire as to her whereabouts, Ahsoka Tano is with me in the recreation room."
"Understood. I will inform Lady Ciaran and her guest once they conclude with their business." Apparently the droid wasn't mute, it just didn't like Ahsoka.
"Well then, if you'd follow me?" said Thrawn, and Ahsoka followed him down several halls and into a large room full of various games. Ignoring the men playing billiard, Thraw sat down and flipped open the box. Black and white pieces were lined up on both sides of the board, with Thrawn explaining the mechanics of the game as he had deciphered from ancient Zeltron.
"So I have to move the pawn first?" asked Ahsoka looking at the board intently.
"No, you can jump over them with the knight piece. Other than that play though, yes. I'd imagine most games begin with the pawns being moved." explained Thrawn. Ahsoka picked up a pawn essentially at random and moved it one square forward on the board that had been etched on the outside of the box.
Thrawn silently moved his pawn forward two squares with confidence. Ahsoka picked another pawn and moved it forward two squares after some deliberation. Thrawn calmly picked up his queen and moved it diagonally across the board.
"Chackmate." Ahsoka stared at the board, trying to contemplate what Thrawn had just done. Sure enough, her king was pinned down by Thrawn's queen with nowhere to go.
"Best two out of three! I was just warming up there." said Ahsoka, quickly resetting the board.
"But of course. I'd be more than happy to play as many rounds as you wish."
XXX
Anakin exited the room after his talk with Lady Ciaran. As per usual, she had given him much to think about. He'd probably need to meditate for hours to sort out his thoughts. Looking around though, it appeared that he had a more pressing concern. His padawan, whom he had explicitly told to stay outside the conference room, was nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Ahsoka?" he asked the droid Ciaran had stationed outside the room.
"Ah, Thrawn invited Ms. Tano to the recreation room to partake in a game he acquired from a Zeltron trader. If you'd like I could take you to them." said PR-1.
Anakin sighed at his padawan's inability to follow simple instructions. "Lead the way then."
As the two approached the rec room, Anakin heard boisterous laugher and Ahsoka's shouts of frustration. "Agh, I almost had you that time! Best thirty-four out of sixty-seven, Thrawn!"
"Ahsoka, it's time to go." said Anakin before Ahsoka could finish resetting the pieces on the board.
"But Master, I'm this close to…" Ahsoka trailed off under Anakin's stare.
"I enjoyed our games Ahsoka. Should you ever wish for a rematch, you're welcome anytime." said Thrawn as he put the pieces off the board and then folded the board in half with them between to create the checkered box they were all stored in.
"Alright." said Ahsoka as she stood up. "But I'm gonna kick your butt next time Thrawn!"
"I'm certain your efforts will be valiant indeed." said Thrawn.
AN: I've had this idea of Thrawn playing chess with Ahsoka for a while. But I'm not sure if they have conventional chess in Star Wars, so Thrawn found himself an ancient Zeltron game that just so happens to be what we know as chess. Three more left before the discussion of what to put our omakes into becomes a moot point.
). Everything else is negotiable, and she'd deal with losses in any extraction scenario, though she wouldn't be happy by any means.
