"His name is Kanan Jarrus," Uriellien told his sister during her short stay on the Crimson Asp before sending her off to the Chimaera. "He's the one that is blind. The other is his apprentice, Ezra Bridger."

Uriellien treasured these small times he had with Sola. Unlike the long stay in Ryloth, he was able to give her his full attention for these short durations between her many layovered flights to have tea with Thrawn. He would like to have had tea with her also, she was excellent at a tea service, but he thought that two tea's so close together might tire her out. And he needed her to be at her best when she was with Thrawn. Uriellien was no closer to having the TIE defenders than he had been before Ryloth.

At least, he didn't think he was. Perhaps Sola was doing something about that. If nothing else, she was softening Thrawn up for him. With the two of them being good friends, perhaps his fellow Grand Admiral would be more amenable to sharing with her brother.

"Being blind didn't seem to be much of a handicap to him," Sola replied, her hands in her lap. "And to think he has an apprentice out there somewhere." She shivered dramatically. "And they're based on Lothal?"

Uriellien shook his head. "No," he explained. "They're based out of somewhere else, probably an uninhabited or lowly populated asteroid or planet. They bounce between worlds, helping local insurgent groups with supplies and manpower if needed."

"Jedi doing supply runs? That sounds a bit below their paygrade," she replied.

"Think of where they're getting their supplies, my love," her brother admonished. "From Imperial stores, Imperial armories, Imperial ships."

She looked at him apprehensively. "Is the insurgent problem really that bad?"

"In the core worlds, they barely have a problem." He waved his hand dismissively. "Out here, though…that's the big reason I'm out here, isn't it?" She took a breath as if to say something, but he cut her off. "You don't need to worry your head about it."

The look on her face turned petulant. "I'm not a flower that's going to break," she snapped. "And is it a crime to want my little brother to be safe?"

"That went out the window when I joined the Navy," he chuckled. "Now it is my job to make sure you are safe."

"Which is why you make me bounce from Coruscant to Astarrax to the Crimson Asp to the Chimaea and back again." She still sounded irritable.

"It isn't that bad," he said with a pout. "I can't have you seeing our cousins more than you see me."

Her lips broke out into a tiny smile and she looked away from him. "Stars forbid that I visit our cousins more than I visit you."

"When I'm orbiting the planet up here," he finished for her. "At this rate you would be seeing Thrawn more than you see me."

Her smile widened at the mention of Thrawn's name. "He's a better conversationalist than you are," she told him.

"I doubt that!" Uriellien sat up straight, mock indignation on his face. "It's simply that the two of you talk about obscure things that no one else knows or cares about."

"That's what makes him a better conversationalist." She leaned forward. "We were discussing the way that art from one culture bleeds into the neighboring cultures and how it affects behaviors—"

"Oh yes." He leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head, "because everyone wants to know about how art affects behavior."

"It's an important subject!" she protested. "This is a way that entire civilizations are changed!"

"Like fairy tales underpin a cultural heritage," he teased.

"They do!" She stood up. "And they still tell those fairy tales in school, thank you very much! And I put them there!" She thumped her chest with the flat of her hand.

"I'm not saying they don't." He got up from his chair and reached his hands out to her. "I'm only teasing, Sola. You know that."

"Well, it isn't funny." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Those are all important things."

Uriellien was glad that he was not her conversation partner on such things. They mattered not at all to him, or much anyone else he would guess. Bless Thrawn for being able to talk about it. He wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her toward him. "I'm sorry," he said soothingly. "I shan't tease about your fairy tales again. Or art. Or culture." He should have known better than to tease her about those things, now that he thought about it. They were all dear to her heart. "I shall only tease you about how short you are and how you must endure all of the ladies of upper class Coruscant and their gossip.

She chuckled against his chest. "Sometimes I like the gossip. It feels good to know someone is getting their comeuppance."

"I'm sure it does," he said into her hair. "Tell me, do you and Thrawn ever talk about anything else, besides art and culture and philosophy?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, pulling away from him slightly and looking up at him.

"Does he ever talk to you about the ship, or the rebels, or anything like that?" he asked haltingly. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer. He felt jealousy growing at the thought that the answer might be yes.

She felt him stiffen in his arms and knew he was walking a thin line. "No," she said firmly. "He doesn't. He's talked about a protege of his, named Eli Vanto, but that's all. And even then, he hasn't said much, just that he spoke a lot of languages and was excellent at discerning patterns in things. I think Thrawn liked him very much. But that's all." She took a step back, so that she could look at him easier, but he didn't let her go. "Are you wanting me to spy on him for you?" she asked in an accusatory tone that made it clear that if that was what he wanted, he wasn't going to get it.

"No," he said quickly, "no, of course not." He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "I didn't mean that at all. I was just wondering…if he ever said anything about the TIE defender project."

She pushed herself away from him. "You do want me to spy!"

"I don't," he said quickly. "I was just wondering if it ever came up. You know I want some of them for my fleet. He doesn't seem amenable to sharing."

"Perhaps he isn't amenable to sharing," she said, her voice calming down. "It's his project, after all. And he hasn't said anything about it to me."

"Alright." He tried to make his voice placating. "I was just wondering." He looked down guiltily. "Please don't mention to him that I was asking."

She paused, regarding him with a frown. Then her face softened. "I won't," she said. "Not unless he asks. I won't lie to him. I like him, I don't want to lie to him."

He let out a long breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "I know you like him," he said calmly. "I wouldn't want you to put your friendship in jeopardy." He smiled, "Come on, I'll send you off to him." Better to end this conversation while he was ahead.