Thrawn nodded politely and laced his fingers together, red eyes glittering as he regarded the highly modified man. Superstition had its place, but it was difficult to sort superstition from mis-translated fact.

"I have a proposal." Martellus was mistrustful, but that wasn't a bad quality. "Your many areas of expertise in exchange for an opportunity."

Thrawn had to work quickly to achieve his goals in the time they had at this planet, which meant less time for details than he would like. That made Martellus an ideal option. Durable, knowledgeable, and motivated with the right kind of incentive.