"They're really beginning to totter," Thrawn said to Luke and Kantasha, apropos of nothing.

The female smiled. Her mood had improved dramatically. "Of course. We knew they would."

"A little easier than I had expected. It seems your disappearance has upset them greatly, Skywalker," the Chiss said, his cool red eyes looking upon the male Force user.

"Yes," muttered Luke. "They don't like not knowing where all their errand boys are."

"Especially when the loose Jedi is at the head of the order," Thrawn commented.

"Especially then," Luke agreed. His hand held up a datacard. "Time to plant another one," he stated calmly before cloaking himself and disappearing out the door.

The two men stared down at the datapad that one of the men held. The mysterious informant had left yet another datacard with the first letter of the poem in bold font. It read:

Failure to keep secrets as such
Is a problem with Senator Halbruch,
To sell 'em quickly, he does rush,
And to high bidders those secrets he'll gush.

The taller man spoke first. "Another one. I can't believe we've got another one. Why can't any of the kriffin' senators be clean for once?"

"If they were clean, they wouldn't be senators," his companion replied.

"So I've noticed," the taller man said dryly. "Well, it looks like Senator Halbruch just can't keep his krething ten-mile wide mouth shut."

"Just like this informant can't keep the bad news to himself," returned the other man. "Who do you think's been doing this?"

The larger man gave him a long, hard stare. "Well, the security cameras always show a cloaked humanoid, and no one ever seems to remember him coming by, even those who are supposed to be watching the security cameras. My bets are on that blasted escaped Jedi."

The smaller man looked surprised. "Skywalker?"

The other man nodded. "A Jedi doesn't disappear with his cellmate from a maximum security prison. You're gonna hear from him somehow. They've been keeping such a tight lid on this that I can't get anyone else to say they agree with me, but it's gotta be that kriffin' Jedi. It fits."

"How so?"

The taller man turned one eye on his companion. "If he escapes with his cellmate—" he cut off, a thought having occurred to him. "You haven't, by the way, heard anything about this cellmate, have you?" The other man shook his head. "Well, I haven't either, but I'm just assuming this mysterious cellmate was put on that prison planet for a good reason. What if he's managed to convert the New Republic's favorite hero? Probably didn't take too much. The great Jedi Master was probably itching to get out of that cell of his...So, Skywalker turns against the Republic, but he doesn't try to go against the Republic with force. After all, the Empire tried to do that with the Rebellion but failed. Instead, the Jedi, who is familiar with how unstable things always are in the Senate, tries to use perfectly correct information to bring down the Republic, since those senators lacking morality would make everyone look bad. It would make sense, wouldn't it? The Jedi would be able to okay it with his almighty conscience, because he wouldn't really be doing anything wrong, would he? Just telling the truth..."

The smaller man whistled appreciatively. "That's some theory of yours."

The other man looked suddenly disgruntled, though. "Problem is, there's no way we can prove it. I have heard, however, that the higher ups have been trying to get some weird lizard-things, though what that has to do with anything, I dunno. But they seem to think they'll do something."

The two man sat quietly in thought for some time afterwards.

Luke slipped back into the room, pulling down his hood after the door closed. "It's done."

"It won't be long now before NRI gets in some ysalamiri," Thrawn said warningly. "You'll have to be more careful then."

"I will," the Jedi said. He looked towards the door leading to Mara's room, and something like a wince passed across his face. "Does anyone know what's been wrong with Mara lately?"

"No," Kantasha answered. She looked as if she were only barely restraining herself from saying something against the fiery redhead.

"Maybe I'd better talk to her," Luke said, a bit unsure. He moved towards the door and opened it, starting to walk in.

"OUT!" came an forceful female voice from the other room, causing Luke Skywalker to rethink his plan, backing out of the room and shutting the door before a sharp object deprived him of his ability to see.

"Maybe another time," he said quickly and almost embarrassedly, as if he were speaking to Thrawn and Kantasha, though his words were actually aimed mostly at himself.

"Indeed," Thrawn said, his eyes glittering with amusement. "We would all prefer that you retain your sight."

"You're not the only ones," Luke said, sighing as he wearily rubbed his eyes.