"You must be- really old."

"Depends on your frame of reference."

"How about the frame of someone who hasn't lived to see mountains die?"

She laughs. "The collapse on the planet? That happened faster than this sort of thing normally does, I think..."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen years standard."

"How long is a standard year, compared to - hm, the year length on that planet?"

"It's about the same? I think just a little longer."

"Very young, then."

"Precocious for my age."

"An outright prodigy."

Giggle.

Sidious is keeping a straight face, but she feels amused to Salacis. 

To Rodanthe again: "How aware have you been of the outside galaxy, while you were beneath the pyramid?"

Hum. "Not particularly actively. Though I've learned your language, of course."

"Do you have sensors off-planet?"

"There's a few I laid during my journey in. Drones set to monitoring the behavior of singularities over time and the like. They're likely not all still functional, though."

Mmhmm. "What are your intentions here?"

"I'm not the vanguard of an invasion or anything," she says. "I'm genuinely here on a scientific mission. If there's threats to my home galaxy, I'll address those - but given the distances involved, it seems unlikely."

"Would you ever take sides in local conflicts?"

"It depends, but likely not - I won't reveal you to your enemies, if something like that comes up. I have no reason to. However, I will not easily abandon my mission, and most local conflicts would be distractions."

Hm.

"My Apprentice needs practice and experience with investigation and exploration. Would you accept an escort on your mission?"

"Perhaps for a time."

"It wouldn't be that long to you, probably."

"A good point."

"I think it would be fun."

"It might be a good break in the routine, too. And a native guide is often helpful."