Things had been fine at first, with Thrawn being content to look at the artwork and get a reading on their host. Even after the artwork told him that she had a need to own things, to take, to possess, it still caught him off guard when she turned her attention towards Eli. Perhaps it was because Thrawn was used to getting the unwanted attention, thanks to being an alien, while Eli was mostly ignored. Every time she touched him, the only thing saving Thrawn from a potential guffaw was his naturally stoic demeanor. Chiss faces were hard to read, so she likely didn't notice Thrawn's irritation at seeing her get so hands-on with his aide.

Now that they're in private, his eyes remain fixed on Eli. "I was, until I met our host."

There's a coldness in his voice, more so than usual.