[For just a moment, he considers letting Ezra believe he has that victory - that he really has managed to save Lothal from the Empire. Certainly, they both have enough problems right now to justify kicking that one down the road. However, that level of dishonesty isn't Thrawn's way, and knowing the truth might just motivate Ezra to help fix the problems he's created.]
I would like to believe that Lothal is safe now. It would mean that the loss of my crew's lives and the dismemberment of my Fleet wasn't for nothing. [His tone is just hard enough to remind Ezra that, right now, comparing who and what they've lost will serve neither one of them. The implication that he'd accept the loss if it ultimately meant more lives were saved probably isn't what Ezra's expecting.] However, the odds are too high that you've only bought a temporary victory at the cost of dooming your world. You've probably gathered by now that Palpatine is the type who likes to make examples. And if it's not him, it could easily be Tarkin - he takes the idea of anyone successfully standing against the Empire extremely personally. If you're lucky, the Rebellion has given them more pressing matters to attend to, but they both have very long and vindictive memories.
[At any rate, there's nothing lost by telling him. Ezra's already voiced his intent to return home as soon as possible, and Thrawn doesn't expect to change his mind.]
I don't plan on returning immediately to the Empire - I have no desire to allow Palpatine to make an example out of me, least of all when I may well be able to carry out my mission in spite of this reversal. I've come back from worse than this before. However, I am willing to arrange transport to Lothal for you, as soon as I'm able to resume contact with the Chiss Ascendancy.
[What's left of his Fleet needs repairs, and he needs a trained Navigator, if he's actually going to take on this mission. Besides, he needs to get a message back to Lord Vader outside of all official Imperial channels, and he doesn't trust Ezra to be the one to carry it even in the highly unlikely event that he proves willing.]
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I would like to believe that Lothal is safe now. It would mean that the loss of my crew's lives and the dismemberment of my Fleet wasn't for nothing. [His tone is just hard enough to remind Ezra that, right now, comparing who and what they've lost will serve neither one of them. The implication that he'd accept the loss if it ultimately meant more lives were saved probably isn't what Ezra's expecting.] However, the odds are too high that you've only bought a temporary victory at the cost of dooming your world. You've probably gathered by now that Palpatine is the type who likes to make examples. And if it's not him, it could easily be Tarkin - he takes the idea of anyone successfully standing against the Empire extremely personally. If you're lucky, the Rebellion has given them more pressing matters to attend to, but they both have very long and vindictive memories.
[At any rate, there's nothing lost by telling him. Ezra's already voiced his intent to return home as soon as possible, and Thrawn doesn't expect to change his mind.]
I don't plan on returning immediately to the Empire - I have no desire to allow Palpatine to make an example out of me, least of all when I may well be able to carry out my mission in spite of this reversal. I've come back from worse than this before. However, I am willing to arrange transport to Lothal for you, as soon as I'm able to resume contact with the Chiss Ascendancy.
[What's left of his Fleet needs repairs, and he needs a trained Navigator, if he's actually going to take on this mission. Besides, he needs to get a message back to Lord Vader outside of all official Imperial channels, and he doesn't trust Ezra to be the one to carry it even in the highly unlikely event that he proves willing.]