『Chasing Shadows』

Sometime Later, As Qui Gon Jin was coming into view of the Starship, Ento was walking down the loading ramp. His saber poking out of his sleeve, his eyes resting on the Jedi Master and the young boy following him. He could sense the shadow closing in, but he couldn't feel who it was. However what he did sense, was a powered machine coming their way.

Why was he able to sense the machine? The young boy was trained in powers controversial in the eyes of the Jedi, such as Mechu-Deru and Electronic Manipulation.

Ento had the ability and the capacity to assert his will not only over objects, but machines as well through the manipulation of electrical currents. Much like Anakin Skywalker who had made C3P0, he could even program a droid on his own.

Each slow and heavy step he made was thought out, as he descended. He knew if this person could use a lightsaber, like he had foreseen, it was unlikely he'd be able to fight him in a proficient manner.

Yet he could clearly see that red skin and black tattoos in the back of his head. The black robes and the obscured identity that he didn't recognize.

Just as Jin saw Ento, he turned his head and looked to the boy who was jogging after him. He began to slow down as he could sense something coming. In the distance, he could hear the low hum of a swoop bike coming their way.

The venerable Jedi Master's head then turned to look back towards Ento, who had drawn his lightsaber from his sleeve and into his hand. The boy had a saber? Jin didn't recall him having one of those the last time they interacted. Obiwan hadn't said anything either!

Perhaps it belonged to the boy's father?

A heavier humming sound could be heard and Jin turned to look towards the younger boy, "AN–" Feeling the teenager behind him using the force, he watched as a tan colored swoop crashed into the rock and sent its hooded figure barreling into the air.

It was as if the swoop's power source had given out and it fell too low to the ground! Jin was Absolutely amazed at the sight, but that didn't stop him from drawing his saber and igniting its emerald green blade with a Tzzz sound followed by a burring hum. "Anakin! Get to the ship! Tell them to take off!"

However, the hooded figure then landed on his feet, no damage at all. Turning his head towards the Jedi Master, he raised a brow seeing the Teenager not far after him. "Hm..." Drawing his lightsaber staff, he ignited one end, holding it in front of himself.

Ento continued walking towards the Jedi as the two were glaring at one another with their weapons at the ready. He'd ignite his own lightsaber just as Anakin went running past him, immitting the chilling ice blue blade!

Anakin nearly jumped out of his skin, seeing the thin blade as he looked over his shoulder, before continuing for the open loading ramp.

That was when Maul charged forward, kicking off of a formation and doing acrobatics in the air. Maneuvering and twirling his weapon, Maul soon locked the one blade of his saber with Jin's. The two moved in flashy motions, Ento simply watched from a faint distance outside of the blood circle of the fight.

Based on what he could see, their fighting styles were definitely masterful in appearance. Their footwork was even better and quick. Their movements though, were still flashy. They made long swings.

Due to the ambient light, the clashing of sabers didn't bother his eyes. If anything, he was used to the bright light and it even allowed him to see quite well compared to most.

Closing his eyes, he reached his hand forward towards the two who fought. He could feel Jin slowing down and feeling tired likely due to his age. There was too much movement in this fight, that was for sure. However, he wasn't going to let this Jedi fall here!

He could feel the interior of the Sith's saber. The red corrupted synthetic focusing crystal imbued with the force. He could feel the power source, the compact power cell that powered either side of the staff. He felt it with the force, he touched it.

Maul could feel the force being used, but he wasn't sure what was going on at first.

Ento opened his eyes as the two were fighting, his target was within sight. Closing the hand which he had reaching out for them, Darth Maul's lightsaber flickered as if shorting out.

The Sith Lord immediately took several jumps back, holding his weapon horizontally in front of him as he examined it carefully whilst not taking his eyes off the Jedi Master.

His eyes then flickered to the boy who was emitting a strong force signature, one stronger than the other smaller boy. Much stronger. He was his next target, he couldn't let the Jedi have someone with so much power! The Master, then the boy!

Jin pleaded to Ento, not wanting him to get hurt, "Get back to the Ship!"

In the instant that he looked away, Maul charged forward again. Jin turned and went to meet the Sith Lord, in combat, who was currently an unknown foe.

Ento ignored the Jedi Master's order and swiped his arm to the side just as the Sith was about to bring his weapon down on the Jedi's. Like a pair of hockey pucks, the two compact power cells within inside of Darth Maul's lightsaber were torn clean from the hilt. Just as this happened, it deactivated the weapon and leaving the darksider open to be impaled immediately with the emerald blade!

The smell of searing flesh filled their nostrils.

Darth Maul stood there in disbelief as he stood centimeters from the Jedi Master, their faces not too far apart. The shock for underestimating the child's power over the force, and the fact that he had failed his master. Anger brewed inside of him even as energy left his body.

Maul dropped to his knees as he dropped the crippled remains of his saber.

Jin disengaged his lightsaber, letting the otherwise powerfully trained Sith, fall to the ground and to his death. He was dead, just like that.

"My young friend..." The Master turned to look towards Ento as the Naboo Ship was hovering above them. "Where did you learn such abilities...?" His eyes narrowed on the young boy who was standing there.

He was thirteen years old and he had some exotic powers a Jedi Knight might have studied, though granted the youngest Jedi Knight was fourteen from Almas Academy.

"I was trained by my father in the ways of the force," Ento stated as he walked towards the Jedi, before turning to look at the Naboo Starship which was slowly coming back down for a landing. "He shared the gateway to powers that were seen as controversial by the Jedi High Council."

"Hm..." Jin stared down at him, before looking towards the downed Sith. The boy had entered this fight from a distance and took out the foe's weapon. Based on his knowledge as a Jedi Master on the Jedi Trials, he had already displayed feats pertaining to the Trial of Courage, Skill and Flesh.

Entering the fight, assisting in ending the Sith, allowed him to pass the Trial of Courage.

Showing his prowess in multiple fields, mainly the feat of using the force, would get him through the trial of Skill.

Then with the Trial of Flesh, he had lost his parents and while it wasn't visible, while his way of life shaped him. It was clear that it was still a great loss for the boy at his age.

If he were to become a Jedi within the Order, he'd definitely rocket through the ranks under almost any master he served beneath. Jin began to become curious of this boy's upbringing.

Even if he was made to use the force for menial chores and everyday life, the skills and techniques he presented, were far superior than anyone his age would know. Could these skills... Have been transplanted into his mind by this boy's father?

It was an interesting prospect.

Jin reached out and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as they both held their disengaged sabers at their sides. "Let us return to the ship," the man lead the young teen towards the lowered ramp.

Using the force as he was being lead away, he called the sith's comlink and saber to his hand and tucked it into his belt behind his back.

Ento followed the Master up the ramp, where Padmé would be standing in a new outfit, an orange and red handmaiden attire. It almost appeared ceremonial and rather fitting.

His chest started to tighten up a bit and his heart was thudding out of his chest.

Blinking several times seeing her, he walked over to the young lady who stood there smiling. He could only see her face as compared to before. "That's a nice dress..." His words struck out towards her as he stopped a mere meter away from her.

Padmé couldn't help but giggle a bit, "Thank you."

Jin raised a brow looking over to the two teens before shaking his head slightly. His eyes wondering over towards Anakin, who's eyes were tracing over them both. The Jedi Master could feel a slight tinge of jealousy from the boy, which he believed to be normal.

However going back on what he had seen, Jin turned his gaze back to Ento once more, narrowing his sights on the comlink and the lightsaber. "Friend, what do you plan on doing with that?"

Ento looked to Jin as he spoke, asking this question. "I was hoping someone with Psychometry could find out who the assailant is," that was one of force technique which he lacked the ability to control. He removed the saber and held it out for the Jedi Master.

Jin blinked seeing how resourceful the boy was and nodded, taking the weapon into his hand and storing it into his cloak. His eyes then rested on the comlink. "What is that...?"

"It was a device I detected on the man," he took the item out and looked over its small buttons and control interface. "It seems I could summon his ship here.." He glanced towards the airlock.

"Master," Obiwan entered the main hold, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Obiwan, I am fine. Thanks to our young friend here... We've managed to put down the assailant that has been sent after us... I can only presume it was a Sith, as it was trained well in the Jedi Arts." The old man's eyes then moved towards Ento who bowed his head slightly as to signify respect, but to retain his own pride as a teenager.

Obiwan stared through the young teen before looking to the younger boy near him. Feeling through the force, "Master..."

"I see you can feel it too, I sense a vergence in the force."

"You mean a nexus... Right?" Ento attempted to correct him though was unsure, even though it was the same thing. Though a vergance was connected to a person, which made Jin correct.

"Close, young one..." Based on what Jin could feel off the two boys now that they were close together, one of them felt as if they had been conceived by the force.

That being mainly Anakin. On the other hand, Ento seemed to be considerably more powerful in the ways of the force, and his connection to it. In his mind, he contemplated the prophecy of the Chosen One. Which one of these beings in this hold would bring Balance? He could only wonder.

That's when Ento pressed the button and several minutes as went by as everyone was watching the horizon, the Sith Infiltrator came into view of the Naboo Royal Starship!

"Can I keep it?" Were his immediate words the moment it landed several meters away from the Starship. The vessel looked not only expensive, but powerful at the same time. His eyes immediately shot up towards Jin.

"Can you even fly it?" Anakin suddenly butted in with a smile on his lips, placing his hands on his hips. He had just won a race and he always wanted to be a pilot to explore the stars. He even had the audacity to claim he wanted to be the first to go to every single planet in the Galaxy to Jin a mere day before! He was wearing his childish ambitions for all to see.

Ento looked to him and blinked, "Yes. I've flown a shuttle my father owned before he sold it."

Anakin's jaw nearly dropped as he excitedly ran over to the older boy, grasping his tunic in his puny hands. "Teach me!" It was clear he really wanted to go into the ocean of stars.

"Perhaps when we're both Jedi, Anakin," he closed one eye. "We can fly together."