" - Uh."

"Yeah. I - we should talk about that..." Though it's very awkward. 

"I'm here for you, Nexuha."

Snuggle.

"I - think it's that..."

"Sangua has all our childhood memories? And I still don't regret the life we've had, but - I'm curious? Not in a wanting to go back kind of way, I like who my life has made me, and I like being older sometimes, but..."

"You want to be with your mother again?"

Giggle! "I'm with my mother right now, but - "

"Yeah."

"I wanna be your kid. Maybe a bit spoiled." Teasing kiss. 

"I think we've got that second part handled."

"And not the first?"

"There is room for growth."

"Yeah."

"I'd - like to... Experiment? With being a kid sometimes, though - would that change things?"

"Do you want it to?"

"...I don't know for sure. Do you want it to?"

Kiss. "I think that I do not, my little Nexuha."

Shiver!!! 

"Mmm, I don't wanna have to - think a lot or be responsible or anything when I'm being younger? But - " Kiss. "I want to be your very spoiled little girl."

"That can be arranged, kitten."

Squirmy kitten!

Seems like Elesse will have to do something about those wiggles...

But mommyyyyyy...... Nexuha wants to wiggle.

Maybe she'll just give her even more reason to.

Best mommy.

So glad she thinks so.

Cute little girl.

She is. 

And life spins on. Master Palpatine continues her slow dance through the Senate, allows her padawans plenty of time to spend with their girlfriend while still making sure Nexuha keeps up with her training as a Jedi and Sangua with her general education, all in all seems thoroughly distracted...

And then, some time later, Senator Vendar sees a very strange clip from a news bulletin. Something about an argument over a podrace resulting in a deadly lightsaber fight, except no Jedi were involved (probably), and it'd be getting more attention except for how its swamped by the bigger news of an entire nearby planetary system's government being implicated in slave trafficking and an attempted rebellion by the populace about this and an attempted military coup supposedly in support of the popular revolt but very much not approved by said revolt, and a very severe Mace Windu trying to keep the sides from murdering each other. He makes a dashing figure in front of the camera. He was also supposed to be on the far reaches of the Outer Rim on a diplomatic mission, not here. 

(Also, Thanaton has missed a meeting with Sidious.)

Has she...?

Oh stars. She did.