Thrawn Chimaera : Galactic Civil War

Chapter Sixteen

They took the lift several floors, and she first assumed they were heading for the Bridge. But the lift stopped on the level below, at the Bridge Officer Corps'quarters, so she assumed either the group analysis room or possibly her office- since it looked like it was becoming a meeting place to discuss some more sensitive topics.

But she felt her legs hardening when he took a turn instead.

"Is there a problem?" He asked her, halting his steps and glancing back.

"No, sir. Not at all." She shook her head and forced herself to move.

Ziinuuvitas didn't think he would take her to his office. It probably made sense if he was going to tell her more about Chiss of course, since he had a bunch of things there. Not that she was supposed to know.

But she had been there, sneaking. Returning so soon, with him, was making her heart beat faster and she had to remember he could see that kind of reactions.

Control yourself. Control yourself. Don't blow the cover now.

They arrived at door 01 and the breath caught on her throat as he opened it with his code cylinder.

The lights turned on, and she was surprised that it wasn't the expected bright, white lights of all imperial ships, but a softer tone that was actually progressive instead of going from dark to painful.

Thrawn noticed her reaction to the lights and internally chuckled.

"It can be arranged for you." he said suddenly, and Ziinuuvitas realised she was standing rooted to the floor at the entrance. "The lights." He clarified.

"Oh. Uh, no, no! That's not necessary sir. It's perfectly fine the lights." She lied.

"Is that so?" he made a hard expression for a moment, but then he changed the tone to a brighter, casual one. "Let me know if you change your mind. This way."

She gulped, thinking about the fact they were heading straight to his room, all those images and thoughts of late creeping in her mind.

But instead, he led her to the art room.
The lights turned on in the same way as before, and all the art works were now much more visible, making her jaw drop a bit.

He chuckled. "Perhaps we can leave the tour for another time?"

She jumped when he spoke.
"O-of course! I mean, that's not..."

"It would be my pleasure." He tells her. "This small gallery is connected to both my office and room 02. This way."

She saw he had the charric in the holster instead of the usual blaster, and besides the datapad, he was carrying that other one she had seen before. Now that she paid closer attention, it seemed he had at least two of those: this one had a thin red lining around the edges, and the one she had seen in his room was green and blue.

They entered his office and once more, the lights were much softer. And now, with them, she could see better the tank behind his chair with the marine creatures, all the plants, paintings, the music box, the carpet with the Chiss symbol- one she had finally identified without doubt since Admiral Ar'alani had it on her sleeve.

Thrawn sat behind his desk and his body leaned forward until he was resting/covering his mouth behind the crossed hands, elbows firmly on the table, starring at her as if he was about to accuse her.

Ziinuuvitas realised in that precise moment, that maybe she was in trouble.
He didn't talk, he just starred, and starred, and she was holding on, clinging to her everything to keep composure, starting to feel the rise of panic, anxiety, anger even. It was intimidating.