His sister was uncharacteristically quiet as Uriellien walked arm in arm with her toward the elevator that led to the bottom level of the compound. "Are you sure you want to do this?" His voice was quiet. "It's been a long time since you have."

"It was a long time since I had dragged someone out of a battle," she replied. "Thank goodness for them it hadn't been a long time since I'd tended to injuries."

Uriellien chuckled as the elevator opened to admit them. He ushered her in before following her. "True," he said. "You performed exemplarily."

She laughed dismissively, the one she did when she was letting him shine in front of others rather than taking the spotlight for herself. "It was instinct," she admitted. "You wouldn't have thrown me back in the house if I had been exemplary."

He knew that it was meant as a barb, but he did not feel guilty in the least. When he had seen her out in the middle of battle, the only thing he could think of was getting her to safety. He smiled to himself. When they were younger, he had been the one that she was to see to safety. He owed his life to her several times over. She had worried over him, helped him climb the political ladder to where he was now, and generally watched out for him with a vigilance that was impressive. He wondered at what point in their lives that had changed.

He put his hand over hers where it rested in the crook of his elbow. "I threw you in the house because I didn't want you to get shot." He beamed his sunny smile at her, the same one both of them had inherited from their father.

The elevator stopped and opened for them to exit. A pair of stormtroopers passed them as they trekked the short walk to their destination.

"Then I forgive you for putting me in such an unladylike position," she said.

They walked to a door being guarded by two black-clad deathtroopers. Thrawn is taking precautions, Uriellien noted. He didn't blame him. He hadn't almost been blown up. The deathtroopers stood stockstill, looking straight ahead, paying him no heed at all. Uriellien put his key card into the slot and opened the door at the end of the hallway. It slid open with a whoosh to reveal a large room, a mosaic of three Twi'lek embedded in the wall. Thrawn was already waiting, his hands at ease behind his back. Slavin was at his side, like a sidekick in a holodrama. At the far corner of the room was a group of seven Twi'lek held a gunpoint by two more deathtroopers. Again, he ushered Sola in first before following her in, the door closing behind them.

"Ah, Admiral Viita." Thrawn inclined his head toward him. "You are right on time."

"That makes you early," Uriellien joked, beaming his smile.

Thrawn didn't seem to get he was trying to be funny and simply looked at him neutrally, saying, "I like to be prepared."

Sola gave out a muffled giggle beside him. "And you certainly are!" she said in a voice that was much merrier than it should have been, considering the circumstances.

"I do not believe Lady Luxsolaria needs to be here," Slavin said, not looking at her.

"Quite the contrary," Thrawn said before Uriellien could answer. "Lady Luxsolaria is the reason we are here, and not somewhere else."

Slavin looked at him confused. "I beg your pardon."

"This is what she does," Uriellien said, excitement starting to build in his chest. He knew it came out in his voice and his smile.

Slavin's face turned to uncertainty as Thrawn turned to the group of Twi'lek at the other side of the room. "I suggest," he began, "that you be honest when you are asked a question. The lady of the house will be able to tell if you are lying and we have ways of making you tell the truth."

Sola left Uriellien's side and approached Thrawn. "How did you choose these individuals?"

"They were the ones in custody that displayed the most signs of suspicion," Thrawn said smoothly.

"By doing what?" Sola asked, turning to the group of Twi'lek.

"By remaining calm," Thrawn told her.

She chuckled, her smile turning from happy to predatory. "You decided to remain calm, hmm?" she asked the group, walking toward them.

None of them seemed particularly impressed with the small woman. Uriellen crossed his arms in front of his chest, resisting the urge to snicker. Sola passed the two deathtroopers, her eyes on one of the Twi'lek. They all looked at her either like she was crazy or not a threat at all. This was when the entertainment began.

"Do you have a reason to be calm?" She looked up at a green male, tilting her head to the side to examine him. "What role did you play in yesterday's incident?"

The Twi'lek remained silent.

She raised to her tiptoes, her eyes on him intently, her smile almost evil. "Silence won't help you," she said.

"You are just going to kill us all anyway," he said to her, scowling.

Sola turned to Thrawn and Uriellien with a questioning look. "Are we?" she asked.

"Only if they were involved in the…incident," Thrawn said with a smile that matched Sola's.

She turned back to him. "So are you going to be one of the ones who is killed?"

He glared down at her. "Do what you want."

She turned to Uriellien and shook her head. "He's just a blowhard," she said. "He wasn't involved."

The man's glare turned from anger to surprise.

"He's also a coward," Sola turned back to him, waving her hand at him dismissively. "He isn't a threat."

Thrawn gestured toward the door. "You are free to go," he said.

The man's jaw dropped. He glanced from Thrawn, to Slavin, to Uriellien, then to his comrades, who all looked at him with varying gazes of fear and disgust. He then turned from them and barrelled to the door.

She turned her attention to another one. This one, too, she deemed innocent. And the next.

Slavin sighed heavily and rolled his eyes.

Uriellien shot him a warning glance.

"Were you involved in the incident yesterday?" Sola sang to the next in her sights.

"No," the Twi'lek said firmly. "I was not. I was with my family."

Sola searched his face, her pale blue eyes scanning his visage a small smile on her face. She leaned toward him and said, "You're lying."

Uriellien saw Slavin's head swivel in Sola's direction.

"I'm not," the Twi'lek protested.

"How did you participate in the bombing yesterday?" Sola asked, her voice still singsongy, as if she were asking questions to a small child. Uriellien almost laughed.

"I didn't," he replied.

"Did you blow up the speeders?"

"No!"

"Did you bomb the airfield?"

"I—No, I was with my family."

Sola paused the array of questions. "You were with your family," she agreed. "You obtained the bombs, or you made them, didn't you?"

The Twi'lek stuttered incoherently, shaking his head, his lekku swinging.

"You're lying." Sola's voice now had an edge to it. "And lying will not behoove you here."

"I'm not lying!" he cried. He looked up at the men standing behind her. "I'm not!"

"They aren't going to save you," Sola said. She turned to Uriellien, her brows raised. "I suggest you take this man and his entire family in for further questioning. He knows something."

Thrawn waved his hand at the deathtroopers.

"No!" the Twi'lek cried as the deathtroopers came forward to take him. "Not my family. Please! They didn't do anything! I swear!"

"You're lying," Sola sang, turning away from him. "I'd shut up while you still have your tongue in your mouth. If it were up to me, I'd tear it out."

"That's always an option," Uriellien said.

She gave him a sidewise glance and grinned.

"I think it is an excellent idea," Thrawn said smoothly. He turned to the Twi'lek "After we've gotten some more information out of you, we'll give the lady her wish." He then turned to the group of Twi'lek still left. "If any of you would like to keep your tongues, now would be the time to admit guilt. At least then, when you serve time in an Imperial prison, you will still be able to talk."

Getting confessions from the rest of the offenders took only a 'yes or no' question from Sola. All of them answered truthfully.