25 『Aftermath』

With the Slave Camps effectively dismantled upon the destruction of the Droid Control Ship in orbit, and the Queen had captured the Viceroy, the people were returning to their respective cities. Speak of celebration and triumph over their adversaries was widespread.

Ento went about several aerial stunts over the Naboo City of Theed, whilst using the forward deflector shields to bypass the ship's maximum atmospheric speed by at least twenty times.

As the Consular class space cruiser came rocketing down through the atmosphere of Naboo, his attention went towards the red colored diplomatic craft. "It seems Master Qui Gon, has finally arrived." A small grin forming over his lips until it didn't, his lips pursing as he felt his father's second lightsaber in the other ship.

Dooku raised a brow seeing the change of expression on his Padawan's face. "Do you feel something through the force?" He asked with caution, the last thing needed was surprises.

Vaylin looked to her new friend when he had been asked a question by his master. She was curious as well, as she didn't sense anything out of the ordinary, mostly because that lightsaber wasn't familiar to her.

Clicking his tongue, he shook his head. "No, nothing bad, but it seems th-- our fellow Jedi... Have something that doesn't belong to them."

Their ship would do a quick flyby, extremely close the larger vessel, to the point that it would shake the interior of the Cruiser. A small chuckle leaving Vaylin's lips.

Dooku blinked hearing the boy about to refer to the Jedi on board the Consular class space cruiser as people from a separate entity. Though he had certainly corrected himself, he could see that Ento didn't see himself as a Jedi.

"And what would that be, my Apprentice?"

"My father's second lightsaber... It's likely they inspected my things," Ento exclaimed as he maneuvered the courier behind the cruiser as it was entering the hangar bay of the Royal Palace.

"He had a second lightsaber?" Dooku scratched his chin as he watched them follow the cruiser into the hangar bay. It was clear that Ento was bothered by the fact that the Jedi were investigating him a bit more, but he probably also saw it as natural.

"Yes... it was blue with an extendable hilt, not as extensively modified as the one I've been using." The boy stated a matter a factly, rolling his jaw lightly.

The boy had just outwitted and uncovered a Sith plot to take over or even destroy the very foundations of the Republic from within. Though those very foundations were already corroded to begin with for the past few hundred years. Dooku was sure however, that they would've tried to investigate him whether or not he was aiming to be apart of the Jedi Order of not.

Soon enough, the courier would land in the far corner of the hangar, on the opposite side of the cruiser, giving them some space to depart. The R2 unit would then disengage from the navigational computer and retract its little arm.

"Organic Overlord! Permission to depart and scout ahead?"

Ento narrowed his eyes on the silver and gold astromech droid, "You'll be staying here to guard the storage bays on board..." He ordered with an audible snicker, standing from the pilots seat and looking to Dooku. "Permission to disembark Master?"

Vaylin's eyes flickered between the two of them before Dooku simply nodded.

"I wish to look into the ship's mainframe while you're gone and see what information I can find, if this belonged to the Sith Apprentice of Palpatine, there should be logs here." Master Dooku glanced towards the various screens along the front of the cabin's main console.

The boy nodded and waved his hand towards the console, the screens indicating that the files had been unlocked. "Make yourself at home, Master." Ento teased as he made his way towards the turbolift.

Vaylin quickly followed afterward, though not minding Dooku, she rather not be left alone with him due to his naturally intimidating stature.

Though immediately after entering the shaft with the boy, she practically clung to his arm until they stepped out into the ready room. "I hate small closed spaces..." She couldn't help but mutter under her breath, following Ento out into the hangar outside.

"And I hate sand," Ento turned his head to look at Vaylin with a half smile across his lips.

Vaylin's eyes shined slightly, "Really now?"

"Yes," Ento snickered as he bent down, continuing to walk as he did so, and picked up an E-5 Blaster Rifle which was still being held by a disembodied battle droid's hand.

She herself didn't have that fond of memories when it came to sand. Though it wasn't like she was on a planet covered in it. Her memories were mainly of her training in the sandpits of an arena against the Knights of Zakuul... The day her growing powers were discovered by her father and she was taken away from her mother, and the sun.

Her eyes gazed over the weapon and she raised a brow watching as he tucked it into his belt.

Qui Gon Jin was just stepping down from the boarding ramp of the Cruiser when he rested eyes on Ento and the girl beside him. He raised a brow as he could feel the potential corruption within the girl, though it was untapped and fading ever so slowly. Her emotions, her mind, seemed warped and conditioned in an incomplete and ineffective manner. The one thing that caught the venerable Jedi's eye however, was those bright iridescent yellow and orange eyes from dark side scarring.

With Ento's bag over his shoulder, he began walking across the bay towards the boy, who was also inadvertently walking towards him whilst chattering with the girl.

Jin already knew how powerful the girl was by the time he had approached them. He could sense the level of her sensitivity, as it wasn't nearly as camouflaged as Ento's.

"Hello again, my young friend." Jin addressed Ento as the two stopped a couple feet away from one another. He took the bag off of his shoulder and held it out for the boy to take.

The teen took the bag and slipped it over his own shoulder before raising a brow. "I do wish you had left my bag where it was," He had intentionally left it within the Naboo Starship prior.

"The Jedi Order had grown curious of you, how you've been able to conduct miracles that were seemingly... Unnatural in the force." Jin explained himself, though he wasn't one to really follow orders or agree with the council, he did it to protect Ento from more aggressive investigations.

"Ah... I see..." Ento while not all that enthused, simply accepted the elder's educated intentions.

Vaylin stared up at the other Jedi, who now turned his eyes to her.

"Who is this young Lady? Another friend?" The Jedi Master gave a faint smirk of his own.

Ento couldn't help but chuckle at Jin who was asking about Vaylin, "She's a friend."

"My name is Vaylin Tirall," She didn't take any time to hesitate as she went to introduce herself, toward the Jedi Master, emulating respect for the older man. As she stood erect, she gave him a once over.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Jedi Master Qui Gon Jin." The Jedi Master bowed his head slightly to the young woman before turning and looking towards Obiwan who was approaching.

"Hello there," Obiwan said as he came up beside Jin, before narrowing his eyes on Vaylin.

She raised her hand slightly in a wave towards the young Knight, "Name's Vaylin."

Nodding to the girl, "My name's Obiwan Kenobi, Jedi Knight."

"From what I had seen upon my arrival, I must congratulate you on your abilities, my friend," Jin returned his gaze and attentions towards Ento as they spoke. "I hadn't expected the world to be liberated so quickly."

"The Trade Federation wasn't prepared for a ship that could 'disappear' at will," and he wasn't wrong. The Federation's ships weren't made for war, if anything, that Droid Control ship had way too many flaws to even bring it into a warzone. One clean shot into its hangar, and it was dead.

Jin slowly nodded his head, seeing the boy appeared modest compared to the achievement.

+ + +

About an hour later the five of them, plus JarJar, were escorted to the Queen's throne chamber by Captain Quarsh Panaka.

"On behalf of the Naboo People, we thank you for defending us against the Trade Federation's unlawful invasion of our world," Padmé declared as the five of them entered the room as Dooku, Vaylin and Ento played a vital role. Though at the same time, so did Qui Gon Jin and Obiwan Kenobi early on. "We couldn't have done it alone."

The group bowed to the Queen, acknowledging her thanks.

"Your Majesty, The Republic has elected a new Supreme Chancellor after your departure from Coruscant, Bail Antilles now holds the chair." Quarsh Panaka reported as he approached the Queen, before moving to and standing by her side.

Bail Antilles has been on a crusade against Corruption in the Galactic Republic for a long time as a senator. Now that he was a Chancellor, it was clear things were going to change.

It was likely that he would end up in the same bout as Valorum however, as the once Honorable Chancellor was framed for corruption. On the other hand, his presence may as well cure the Galactic Republic of its inability to function as an institution, at least they could only hope.

Padmé bobbed in a nod as acknowledgement to the good news. "Perhaps the Senate will be able to function without a Sith Lord manipulating it from the background..."

In a way, she knew that the Planet of Naboo, the homeworld of Sheev Palpatine, would be judged due to his origin and what he had become. It was likely it would suffer some form of political fallout, though it wasn't evident just yet. At the same time, she was sure despite her popularity, Palpatine had been one of her primary supporters during her own election. Perhaps she'd be judged because of this, because of this she knew she had to steel herself for the future.

"The people wish to hold a Celebration of Freedom and preparations are currently being made. I would like for the Jedi to remain until the end of the affair." Padmé's eyes rested upon Ento, though she resisted a smile whilst she was to be taken seriously on the throne.

"As you wish your Majesty," Dooku replied for those present, as compared to the Jedi currently here, he had been the only one to have served on the Jedi Council at one point or another. He was also the most senior Jedi Master present on the planet itself.

"To my understanding, It would likely be a permanent Jedi Presence stationed on this world, as Palpatine's family assets are all located here other than his Apartment which has already been seized by the Republic on Coruscant. Should he ever returned to Naboo, we will catch him." Dooku spoke informatively, gesturing with one hand while keeping the other rested over his abdomen, though he found it unlikely that the Sith would return.

He now knew the names of both the Sith Lords. Darth Maul and Darth Sidious from the reports sent to Maul, but he also found that there was another party involved. Presumably, another Sith could be lurking about still within the senate. If that was true, everything about the Sith that the Jedi Order currently assumed, was false.

If there were more than two Sith, that meant they were deviating from the Rule of Two, a rule which had existed officially for approximately a thousand years.

There was a high chance that the Sith would want to target Padmé, and even Ento, due to their parts in destroying his plans and proving fatal to his own life.

Padmé was happy to know that there would be Jedi on her planet, though she could only assume she'd need to arrange for their base of operations. The idea that immediately came to mind was her family estate which could accommodate them at the Varykino, her Lake Retreat.

This would also give her easy access to her new friends should it be Ento and Dooku stationed on this world. Her brown eyes traced over the Jedi Masters before standing from her throne.

"May the Preparations commence!"