『Onward』

Come dawn, it was as if last night's storm never happened. Exiting from the Royal Quarters, Ento starred at the scars from last night's raid, the only thing that acted as an outright reminder. Turning his gaze towards the door control panel, it seemed to be the only thing repaired since they had gone to sleep.

A light sigh left his lips. This place, it wasn't really all that safe on the ground. His eyes then trailed towards the closed loading ramp leading off the side of the ship.

Walking out behind Ento dressed in her black and blue tunic, black trousers and boots, Padmé Amidala glanced around and grimaced.

"Once you get to Coruscant, you can probably have it restored?" Ento tried to console her, but that was to no avail as she just shrugged and pitched her head towards the ramp.

"As soon as we inform Panaka of where we're going, I'll meet you outside." Padmé informed Ento who sniggered slightly and walked over towards the door passed the enforcements.

She watched him as he pressed the button to open the door and walk down the ramp once it met with the grounds below. The girl slowly walked away and over towards the entrance of the cockpit. Once she entered, she came up behind Panaka and the Jedi Padawan which were hard at work.

"Panaka, Ento and I are heading out to Mos Espa to meet with the Master Jedi under the Queen's Orders." She declared, not really giving her Head of Security much of a choice other than to comply.

Arguing with a Handmaiden would be rather strange, especially since she was 'acting' on the orders of the 'Queen.' Considering the fact that she herself was the person who wanted this.

Panaka just nodded, "Keep close to the boy. Don't go unarmed," he was sure there was trouble just about everywhere on this world. However since the events from last night, he had come to trust the young man who had been playing cards with his Queen.

He took his S-5 Blaster Pistol from his side and held it out for the girl to take.

Padmé snatched the weapon and tucked it into the front the belt of her tunic.

Minutes later, Padmé came happily down the loading ramp, she had a spring in her step. She was surely excited to see the port, though Ento knew that she probably wouldn't like that she'll see.

The two of them trekked across the Desert between the Starport and the Dune Sea.

Ento could feel the eyes of someone watching them, including the energy of a lone drone which was moving about in the distance. It seemed to also be taking note of them.

It was black, circular and small. It was used for spying and it was likely armed with weapons. A slight frown formed over his lips, though he was sure that there would be no further attempts on them at the moment. Whomever it was, they were in waiting.

They entered the starport soon after, holding hands, as to not easily be separated.

As the two ventured between the tan colored buildings which awkwardly matched the sandy surface in which they trekked across, Ento reached out with the force.

He could feel dozens if not thousands of people. However none of them were connected to the force on the level of a Jedi Master. As he sifted through the energies that surrounded him, he found what he was looking for.

Soon enough they had reached the Slave Quarters Row located in Mos Espa, people were up and moving about frantically. Today was Boonta Eve, a holiday which celebrated three ancient wartime victories of a Hutt named Boonta, which came in the form of festivals and podracing.

Making their way around to the backside of one of the buildings, Ento and Padmé made their sudden debut walking in front of what appeared to be a blue podracer.

"Ento?" Jin who was overlooking what appeared to be a young boy working on a podracer, placed his eyes on the two who had just arrived. "You found us quick, young friend." He seemed to smile faintly, before looking to the young woman beside him. "And you brought the Handmaiden?"

"Your Highnesses Orders," Ento responded with a wave, followed by a light laugh.

An older woman with dark hair and eyes looked over towards the two arrivals. It was Anakin Skywalker's mother, Shmi Skywalker. "Ento? Where's your parents?" Her arms dropped as she had been cradling them against her chest.

She had never seen the boy alone before in Mos Espa.

"They're dead..." Jin answered for Ento, who neglected to respond.

"...What happened?" Shmi looked up to the man, her brows raised up curiously.

"Sand People attacked, killed his parents and ransacked his homestead. When He found us in the outskirts, he collapsed in that Handmaiden's arms." Jin pointed subtly towards the young Padmé who was holding hands with Ento.

Anakin who was in the pod was taken back by the appearance of Padmé, his mouth agape. "Whao..." To him, she could only be compared to the stories of Angels from the moon of Lego.

Anakin had dirty blonde hair and dark blue eyes. His head was roundish and he didn't seem to have that many outstanding features. However despite his status as a slave, he was well taken care of, so it seemed.

Ento's eyes shifted to the boy who was eying Padmé and raised a brow slightly, lightly waving towards him, the other boy waved in return.

"I see they're using a younger boy to win a podrace..." Ento snickered quietly, though he could see this plan working. The force within the younger boy, he could sense it, it was strong. However, it wasn't as strong as his own and it was completely untrained.

"The Queen wouldn't approve..." Padmé mumbled as she watched the young boy maneuver himself around inside the tiny cockpit.

"The boy wouldn't be doing it if he didn't have the confidence to do it himself," Ento had never met Anakin before, though he had met Shmi. In a way, he knew that she wouldn't have let him unless she believed that he'd succeed. "Plus, he's a slave, he must've been given permission by his owner to do this as well."

"I can hear you ya know!" Anakin called out with a cross face, his dark blue eyes piercing through Ento. "I'm a person! My name is Anakin!"

Ento narrowed his eyes on the young boy with a faint unprovoked gaze. "I'm aware," the young man walked over towards the machine and ran his hand along the hull.

Using the force he could feel the interior, the energy as it ran through the twin engines in the front of the vehicle. "Not bad... The parts are second hand, but the craftsmanship is well done."

Anakin seemed to go from a grumpy prepubescent to a cocky grin, immediately lit up by the other boy's lines. Compared to his friends who had nothing more to say other than that he was going to lose, this person he never met complimented his craft.

"So... Your name's Ento right?" Turning off the pod, Anakin hopped out of the cockpit and walked up to the older boy.

Padmé joined beside Ento, staying close.

"Yes, my name is Ento." The young teen then gestured towards the girl beside him, "This is Padmé, Handmaiden to the Queen of Naboo."

"Whao, really?" Anakin's head turned to look at Padmé with a content smile across his lips. "It's nice to meet you Padmé..."

"Yes, really." Padmé lowered her head to look at him with a smile across her own lips.

To Ento, Anakin seemed immediately interested in her, the attraction was clear. He could understand the allure to a girl, especially her.

"Cool," Anakin crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing on the girl's blaster which was tucked into the belt on her tunic. Blinking a few times, he was curious. Why was a girl of such a position carrying a weapon in the open?

His eyes then scanned Ento, finding a weapon on him as well. He seemed to be dressed as a moisture farmer, his clothing though notably tailored to fit. However his boots seemed to be a little bit too big for him.

Anakin had met this boy's father, he was handsome and kind, but also a very tough businessman. "So... Your dad's not here?"

Ento's father had often compared the two boys together, though Anakin hadn't met Ento up until now. He could see or even feel the resemblance. Though it seemed Ento quite different.

"Presumed Dead," Ento unnervingly showed no expression on his face as he reported this to the boy who hadn't heard Jin's claim to Anakin's mother.

"Oh..." He blinked a few times, sadly. "I... I apologize for your loss, Ento."

Ento nodded slightly as he could feel Padmé grab at his wrist to comfort him.

Padmé thought it was necessary to protect Ento, as people who don't show their pain, often have it bottled up so much that they'll explode later on. That is why she feared for him, of what might happen to him.

The teen's eyes traced over her face, before his attention moved towards Qui Gon Jin who he could overhear the conversation of. Over everything else that was going on.

There was a chance that the boy here in front of them would be coming with, especially since Shmi Skywalker had asked for Jin to save the boy from the fate of being a slave.

Returning his gaze to Anakin for a split second, he felt the Jedi Master make his way over to them with due haste. He had made up his mind, he knew this just too well.

"Let's get going..." Qui Gon Jin made his appearance beside the boys, placing his hands on their shoulders. "We have a lot of work ahead of us."