"Lord Maul, it is unlike you to fail so broadly at a task that has been set to you. Yet your task to claim the Queen has failed and your secondary goals of killing the Jedi and either killing or capturing the anomaly have also come up short. Explain yourself."

"The anomaly was a Nightsister, my Master. Powerful and skilled. She tracked one of my probe droids back to me before I could strike. Willing to sacrifice everything to keep me away from the Queen. Destroying my communication array and damaging my ship's drive, not enough to strand me but enough to keep me from following."

"And why is she not dead?"

"The Queen and the Jedi rescued her."

"But they left you alive?"

"They were intent on leaving quickly and trusted the damage done to keep me from following."

"And was it?"

"Even without the damage to my ship, the Nightsister knew exactly what she was doing and what types of blows to land on me. Even if I had killed her, I would have been unable to face two Jedi so soon after her death."

"If you were to face her again could you kill her?"

"I could Master, surprise is a powerful ally and she will not have that the next time we meet."

"Agreed. Return to Courscant to finish repairs of the Scimitar. Events are about to move rapidly, and I want you ready to react as soon as possible."

"Of course, my Master." Darth Maul's image flickers out on Palpatine's personal desk returning his study to quiet.

'Madam Talzin has chosen an interesting time to interfere. To send a Nightsister out powerful enough to wound Maul, is a serious expenditure of resources on her part.' He begins to slowly pace his study. 'Does she think that this one Witch is enough to kill me?' Dismissing the thought as soon as it enters his mind. 'No, I took the Nightbrother with the most potential as my apprentice and there were no Nightsister's even close to his potential or his mother's current power to be a direct threat to me.' Pausing briefly, 'But what if she knows the connection between Palpatine and Sidious? Divined it in some way?'

Taking a few minutes to ruminate on those implications before resuming the dissection of his thoughts. 'Even if she knew by some way of the Force, none will believe her. I've spent too much cultivating my image, that the Jedi will never believe her. If she makes such a claim to the Council; I cannot get rid of her right away, that would only validate any claim she makes to them.' Resolving to go back through his plots against Vallorum and with the Trade Federation to make sure he'd used enough cut outs and patsies that nothing could be linked in any way to him just as his intercom buzzes."
Opening the channel, "Yes?"

"Senator Palpatine, you asked us to tell you when Queen Amidala was on approach. She will be landing in one hour. Chancellor Vellorum's shuttle and staff will be departing bay twelve to head for the landing pad in thirty minutes."

"I will not be late." His voice urgent yet up responding to the staffer.

'Time to get a measure of this Nightsister.'