Sometimes trying to talk to Admiral Thrawn was like trying to talk to a wall. Not to say that the admiral was not receptive or uncommunicative, he was often just the opposite! It was just that he tended to be rather… closed off.
Frankly, Pellaeon was pretty sure he had met rocks that had a wider range of visible emotions than Thrawn.
Hell, Vader had worn a mask and spoke through a voice modulator and even he had expressed a vast array of emotions!
It was just that the admiral didn't. Pellaeon always assumed that it was just his personality, or perhaps a trait that came with his species.
It was still rather nerve-wracking in its own way. At least with Vader you had a fair enough idea of where you stood on his shit list. With Admiral Thrawn he had seen officers not realize they had misstepped until it was made abundantly clear.
It's the sort of ire that Pellaeon is not used to, but it's certainly one that he wants to avoid. Though perhaps "don't piss of the grand admiral" shouldn't have translated to "befriend the man" in his own mind. He'd just have to blame that little detail on his natural sense of curiosity. And on his conviction that yes, the admiral could smile, he was sure he had witnessed such an occurrence once. Maybe. At least he thought he had though it was possible that maybe he'd just mistaken a twitch of his lips for a small smile but that was besides the point!
The point is that he's committed himself to this half-thought out plan of action and by the Sith he's not going to be intimated. He had survived Vader unscathed, and Thrawn is a much easier man to be around than him. Maybe friendship is too tall of and order, but there's no reason he cannot be on friendly terms with his CO.
It was easier said than done though. Not that it was an easy thing to say in the first place.
But he is making progress. Bit by bit, he could see the walls coming down. Tiny, microscopic cracks forming in Thrawn's smooth emotionless veneer. He is even sure he saw the admiral smile at something he said, and he was positive it wasn't just a twitch.
Maybe.
... At least he was pretty sure it wasn't.