The Sith, of course, had some foolhardy plan to destroy the Jedi by stabbing them all simultaneously from the shadows. Which, even if they managed against all odds to succeed, seemed rather empty and dead-ended to her.

After all, what was the point of winning if there was no one with whom you could take thrill in that victory? And if you had no friends, who would protect you from the inevitable backlash? It seemed a life of constantly watching your back and waiting for the knife. She really had done the Sith a favor, even if they didn't see it that way yet.

Still, the reaction Sidious had to Maul seemed promising to her. She could tell that already that attachment was digging its claws in him, much to her immense satisfaction.

And that was another thing. The Sith, having spawned from the Jedi they so loathed, had also kept sacred the Jedi's most ridiculous tenet, that a person should feel no attachment to anyone. But how was that compatible with allowing yourself the freedom to revel in your feelings? It was all quite absurd, really.

"-and do not make me use drastic measures."

Talzin looked up from Maul's tiny laughing face.

"What?" she said. "Oh, please excuse me-I was a bit preoccupied. Prickly pear loves to have his nose bopped, you see. I bet you didn't know that."

The red-haired Sith Lord curled his lip in distaste. "Be that as it may, your time with 'prickly pear' is up." he held out his arms expectantly. "Return him to me now."

"Prickle pear," Maul said.

Talzin smiled widely, delighted. "Oh, he knows it now! He knows he's a prickly pear!" She bopped his nose once again and handed him to back to an exasperated Sidious.

"That's ridiculous," Sidious said, scowling. "Do you want your son thinking his name is 'prickly pear'?" As he turned to look at Maul, all hostility dissolved from his face and he said with a warm smile, "Don't worry, Maul. I will ensure you know your real name. Come now. Say Maul. Maul?"

"Prickle," Maul said, his eyes wide, expression serious. "Prickle pear."

Sidious sighed. "Your mother is a bad influence."

"Oh, I'm the bad influence? Who wants to turn my son into a Sith Lord?"

Sidious raised an eyebrow. "You have an objection? I thought you said that would be what was best for him."

"Of my available options at the time, it was the best choice, yes. Of any possible option? A vastly inferior one."

Sidious frowned, holding Maul to his chest. "What were your other options?"

"His death. His torture and captivity to my mother. I could not have defeated her if I had to worry she might get her hands on him. I knew what you were. That was still better than the alternative. With her, he would have been nothing more than a bargaining chip, his torture or murder used to keep me in line."

"You are talking about your mother, as in your parent? Or your clan Mother?"

"Both."

"Then, she would do that to her own grandson?"

"Without hesitation. She knew my love for him."

Sidious held Maul closer. "I see."

There was a beeping noise. Sidious fished his comm out of a pocket and, shooing Talzin out of visual range, turned it on. Talzin watched with interest as a tall, spindly creature in robes was displayed in the palm of his hand.

"Apprentice," he said.

"Lord Plagueis. Is there something you require from me?"

Lord Plagueis, Talzin thought with interest. So this is Sidious's Master. He did not look particularly dangerous, but Talzin knew that looks could often be deceiving.

"Yes, I-is that Maul?" The holo of Plagueis asked.

"Oh, ah, yes. I was just exercising him, Master. To make sure he grows strong."

The frown on the holo deepened. "Can't your droids do that?"

"No, Master," Sidious said, looking towards the floor. "They are-malfunctioning."

"I see," Plagueis said doubtfully. "Anyway, I've made a couple of discoveries about the liquid which I think will be useful to share with you, Sidious."

"Oh. Thank you, Master," Sidious said.

"Think nothing of it. The first is that it does not increase one's power."

"But Master, I felt-"

Plagueis held up a hand. "As did I. But my tests of my abilities showed no differences from before. Our senses have deceived us."

"Ah," Sidious said. "That's-unfortunate."

"Indeed," Plagueis said. "The second discovery is that the substance operates on midichlorians in some way."

Midi-what? Talzin thought. It was such a bizarre-sounding term.

"Ah. Then I gather you will have no difficulty discovering the mechanism through which it operates."

"Actually, that is part of the problem," Plagueis said, grimacing. "That interaction does not make sense."

"Oh," Sidious said. "How-unfortunate." Did Talzin detect a note of relief in his voice?

"Yes. It may take me some time to study it. To that end, I need you to obtain for me a number of test subjects."

Sidious looked at him blankly. "Of what sort?"

"Criminals of various types," Plagueis said. "Sorted by rank. I plan to obtain a few myself, but it would be too time-consuming for me to acquire the necessary numbers alone."

Sidious raised an eyebrow. "What are they for?"

"A comparison. Behavior before and after exposure to the liquid. Also, to study attempts to reverse the effects."

"Would this not attract unwanted attention to us in the criminal underworld?" Sidious asked.

"If we are not careful, yes. You must not be either Sidious or Palpatine when you perform this task. Understood?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good. I will send you a document detailing my specific requirements for these subjects. I will expect a status report from you in a week." Then the hologram cut off.

Sidious turned his head towards the ceiling, emitting a long sigh.

Talzin had gleaned some interesting observations from the conversation. She considered commenting on the fact that Sidious had intentionally concealed her presence from his Master. Or that, from what Plagueis had implied, he had also drank water from the Font of Love, presumably from the flask Sidious had collected earlier. But first, she had a question.

"What are midichlorians?" she asked.

"My Master's one true love," Sidious answered slowly.