The cloaked figure deposited a datacard, disappearing out the door.

This time, a floating espionage droid followed.

The humanoid turned a corner, and the droid, keeping its distance, cautiously tried to follow. While going around the corner, however, it was ambushed by the ready figure, who effectively deactivated the machine in a few swift steps, catching the small round droid before it hit the ground. The humanoid gently placed it on the floor, then continued walking away unhindered.

Kantasha looked up as Luke walked in silently with a body expression that screamed: Don't talk to me. He looked somewhat weary, yet strangely it was as if his tiredness weren't from fatigue but instead from something else...

She surveyed his expression a little while longer as he plopped into a chair.

Sad.

That's what it was. He seemed sad.

Frowning, the raven-haired woman wondered why. Things were going so well. What could he possibly be sad about?

So brief she barely caught it, the Jedi's blue eyes flicked to and away from the door leading to Mara's room.

So that was it. She scowled.

A strange glint flared up in her eyes, but it was quickly disguised.

So, she wasn't good enough for the Jedi, huh? He was still pining after that caustic redhead whose Force skills were so pathetically weak they were laughable. Despite that, Kantasha would always be second best to that blasted redhead.

What in blazes did he see in her?

Kantasha stood up, her face remarkably composed. Thrawn, who was reading a datacard, saw the movement from the corners of his eyes and looked up. Luke reluctantly lifted his eyes as well.

"I think the two of you—oh, I'm sorry, the three of you—" (at this her eyes flicked to Mara's door) "are doing well enough as you are. I myself have a few things to take care of, so I'm going to be—"

Thrawn's eyes glittered, and he spoke with a cool tone. "You are not to ruin what we have tried so hard to construct."

The calm expression on her face cracked. "I'll not destroy your precious progress!" she hissed. "But you cannot stop me from leaving!"

"You will not—" Thrawn tried to say, a commanding tone his voice.

Her arms flailing and nostrils flaring, Kantasha Pellaeon shouted, "You can't tell me what to do! I must get back—I must punish—I'm leaving!" She stormed out without a second glance.

Thrawn stood up as if to go after her, but for a moment he stood frozen, and Luke could almost see the gears working in his mind.

The Chiss seemed to tense for a moment before finally sitting back down, his decision made.

Luke stared at him.

"It's simple," the Imperial Grand Admiral said, though his mouth made a tight and grim line. "I doubt she intends to destroy what progress we have made, and even if I went after her, she would probably make such a commotion as to draw much unwanted attention upon us. Such attention could bring the authorities on us in a heartbeat."

Luke nodded. The logic was sound. He hesitated before he spoke again. "Do you know what she was talking about?"

Calculating eyes rested upon the Jedi. "She's a wild card, Skywalker. Whatever she's going to do will either be beneficial or detrimental. The cards have been laid, and, if we try to stop her, we will most likely bring ill upon ourselves."

"All right."

Asenator well known to you
As Ji'luturnya of Ixzus Blue
Is doing things he should not do;
Check his account and you'll find it's true.

She stared down at the stupid poem, wishing it would cease to exist. The blasted datacard had turned out to be right.

The Senator Ji'luturnya had been transferring credits from other accounts to his, and the Senate was on the verge of imploding. People had began wondering if every Senator was a criminal. They wanted to know who exactly had been elected to run the galaxy.

One of NRI's biggest questions was: What were the bold letters in front of the poems supposed to mean?

Another problem of Intelligence's was what to do. Those individuals participating in illegal activities were surely weakening the New Republic, but by NRI's taking them out of the Senate, NRI was just as surely bashing the New Republic's supports.

What was to be done?