#ysalamiri

So here he found himself, completely out-of-place, in full armour, watching over the Empress from a few metres away as she moved from potted tree to potted tree, examining every one of the fuzzy, smelly little lizard-like things that Chiss found so intriguing.  It couldn’t just be because of their ability to block the Force – most civilians didn’t even know about that “feature” of their pets.   

While not all of the proud pet caretakers were Chiss – there were some humans – mostly Lysatrans, from their distinctive accents – Twi’leks, Paccosh and even one or two other Kaleesh mixed in – most were.  And, he had to admit, as bored as he was, it was somewhat amusing to see the usually stoic, logical, blue not-humans be reduced to cooing, fawning messes over the little tree-lizards.

Still, wasn’t it bad enough that the furry fiends occupied every tree in Chakra City – and had somehow made their way to Kaleela as well?  No, the Chiss had to purposefully breed them as fancy pets too.  Though at least, as Xelarra had explained to him on the walk from Parliament over to the hall at the Imperial Palace Museum where the show was taking place, unlike in some pet shows out in Lesser Space, the ysalamiri on display were judged on their health just as much as their looks.

 That said, instead of just the usual wild tree-bark beiges and browns, ysalamiri of a variety of different scale/fur colours and patterns decorated their trees and nutrient frames, though none attracted more attention than the albino specimen currently draped across Xelarra’s shoulders like a lazy, furry scarf.

Well, Gandalf wasn’t that bad, from one albino to another.  At least it didn’t squeak at him anymore.  The creature sounded like a hatchling’s bath toy when he was annoyed! 

Still, he could understand why Xelarra treasured her pet; it had been one of her last gifts from Thrawn.  Even he had apparently appreciated ysalamiri far more than what would have been expected from their usefulness alone.  Accounts of Thrawn sitting in his command chair on the Chimaera, a ysalamiri almost always draped over the chair back or held in the Grand Admiral’s lap, had reached all the way from the Remnant to his forces. Stormtroopers were the worst gossips. 

Really, what was with Chiss and thinking weird, alien lizards were cute?

Wait …

How many times had the Chiss seemed to go out of their way to help his people?  From Thrawn’s first, brilliantly insane offer to join his Empire, to offering scientific assistance restoring Kalee and Oben’s ecosystems, to, most importantly, the Hand military fighting side by side with the Kolkpravis to end the Huk threat once and for all.

It couldn’t be the only reason, and yet …

Sk’ar stepped to his Empress’ side, the crowd wisely parting for three metre tall warrior.    

“General, come to look at this little vuscahi?”  Xelarra asked as she scratched a lavender-hued ysalamir under its scaly chin. 

“Empress Xelarra … do Chiss think Kaleesh are ‘cute’ too?”

The Chiss Empress looked up at him, a wry smile crossing her violet lips.  “Why General Sk’ar, you’re simply adorable,” she teased.