DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
In the purple of the falling day a single black vessel touched down on the sands of Tatoonine. Its metallic soot finish almost seemed to swallow light, like an ominous shadow. The ease with which it landed and the calm by which its payload door opened was in direct contrast to the maelstrom appearance of its crew. The two beings were clad in hoods of black, covering all of their features. They walked as a pair to the edge of the cliff. Below them, stretched out on the horizon, were the blazing lights of a blossoming city, a spaceport.
“It is as mentioned. The Jedi hide in the city.”
“We should contact home base to tell them of our discovery. Then we should attempt to locate the Jedi.” The first being turned to the second. “Soon the Jedi filth will be swept clean of the galaxy. A new order shall be built.”
A lone speeder careened down the narrow canyon floor. It was riding low on its repulsor field due to the extra weight that was crammed into its interior. Normal capacity for a TX-3 type was two and a small load of provisions that could be stored behind the seats. This refitted TX-3 was pushing its manufacturer’s limits by having six people in it. Obi-Wan drove with his arm out and extended over Shmi’s shoulders. The woman held one child on her lap and another was seated between her feet on the floor of the speeder. Across the back, resting in a semi-erect position against the aft fin, was Qui-Gon. His arms were wrapped around Padme as she rested against his torso, also in a semi-erect position. With every turn, Padme and Qui-Gon leaned precariously to one side or the other, but their combined Force presence and concentration created a cushioned bubble to keep them where they were.
No one spoke. The only sounds that broke the running noise of the speeder were the children’s cries. There had been blessed little time to pack necessities such as food and water, let alone toys and clothes for the children. All that the small band had were blankets, the clothes on their backs, and what little scavenged staples that they could find.
Padme leaned a little too far on the following turn and Qui-Gon crushed her a little too hard to his chest and she winced. “Padme, concentrate.” He admonished.
“Yes, Master.” She stated, lowering her hands to grasp his. Her mind was focused on the overwhelming feeling of evil, of hatred that had woken her in the dead of night. She had dreamt of it stalking her, of it feasting on her soul until she couldn’t breathe. She had awakened fully alert and had awoken the house with yells of warning. She knew that it was coming for her; for her and those she loved. All through the mad dash to gather items, to bundle the children, to gather the sabres and various other Jedi paraphernalia, her mind had shouted for her to hurry, to run, flee. Qui-Gon had nearly leapt from the bed that he shared with her as the feelings that she felt overflowed into his brain. With shaky hands, the both of them had gathered the children. Shmi and Obi-Wan were roused from their beds by Qui-Gon as he pounded through the lower level of the dwelling, Magrie in his arms. The speeder was loaded and they piled in and left; the lights in the house still burning in the dead of night.
“Your insight does you credit, Padawan.” Qui-Gon said into her ear, his warm breath tickling its shell. “It was only after several minutes that I was able to feel for myself the dread you were experiencing.”
“You still interpret it to mean the Sith?” Padme turned her head so that her nose was in his neck.
“The only time I felt that much hate and anger was in the palace on Naboo when you were hurt. It hung in the air. Yes, I truly feel that the Sith were in Mos Espa. They have found us; that can be the only explanation.”
Obi-Wan turned the speeder again, this time taking the ninety-degree turn into the Jedi compound. He stopped the speeder with difficulty because of the added weight and they slid to a stop in the center of the compound.
As opposed to the last time that Padme and Ben were there, the cliffs were teeming with life. A myriad of Jedi stood on the surrounding cliffs, still others lined the floor. The remaining Masters, Yoda and two others, stood shoulder to shoulder on the highest cliff. Yoda’s walking stick was banging against the ground as the noise from the landspeeder’s engines died down. “The Sith have come. Master Qui-Gon, your council we need.”
Qui-Gon turned from helping Padme off the back of the speeder. He made eye contact with his former master briefly. Padme reached to help Shmi with one of the girls, turning back to Qui-Gon with a knowing look on her face. Briefly he touched her arm, touching her mind as he did so.
*Hide our time. Bury it. Shield it. You have the power. * His mind said, as his blue eyes stroked her face.
*Go, I will be fine. * She thought back, bouncing the fussy child on her hip. She smiled at his grim nod. As he moved away to go with his master and peers, she sighed and turned back to Shmi.
“What do you think they will decide?” Padme asked Ben as he unloaded several blankets and a container of water. Padme took the blanket, wrapping her charge in its protective cocoon and laying her back against the seat of the speeder.
Ben sighed, turned to lean against the speeder with Padme. His eyes appeared tired and old in the light of the moon. “I don’t know, Padme. I don’t know. But whatever it is, it needs to occur quickly. If we stay and fight, then we need to plan our strategy. If we leave, we need to plan our rendezvous point.”
“If we stay and fight?” Padme tossed a look over her shoulder at Shmi as the woman sat on a rock a short distance away. Another Jedi had already offered her his cloak and was helping her with Albie. Ben followed her gaze to Shmi and the child. His mouth settled into a firm line. Padme could sense his thoughts without even touching him. “They will have to leave.”
“Yes.” Obi-Wan hung his head in sadness. “Yes, they will have to leave.”
Qui-Gon entered into the cave. A glowing fire blazing in the center of its large gaping depth lighted the cold brown stone. As he stepped to the seated elders, he folded his hands in his sleeves. A slight bow ended his entrance and he straightened to look at his peers. “The Sith have come to Mos Espa.”
“This we know.” Yoda hummed, his ears lowered in concern. “Foreseen it was. Our future clouded it remains. What say you, Master Qui-Gon?”
Qui-Gon hung his head, his long hair falling over his shoulders. His legs were braced apart; his sabre hanging from the front of his belt bumped his hip. His eyes shut momentarily as he cleared his mind of thought and action. A peacefulness of his soul settled like a wave washing across a tidal pool. His consciousness ebbed and flowed, floating on the crest of the wave of his connection with the Force. He hummed quietly as he felt direction take him and he opened his eyes. “We must leave, Master Yoda. It is the will of the Force.”
“That too, I sense, young master.” Yoda sighed. “Easily we could remain, easily we could fight. But the Force has plans for us elsewhere.”
“Fight we will, one day soon, master. I sense that.” Qui-Gon inclined his head. “But that day is not today. If we stay and fight, we will lose. If we win, the future will be changed apart from the path. We must follow what the Force tells us.”
One of the remaining elders next to Yoda raised his head to look at the tall Jedi Master. “I concur with this advice.”
“As do I.” Yoda stood with difficulty and moved to stand next to Qui-Gon. “Leave we must, then go we do. Another spaceport, another planet. To Dagobah I will go. To continue building this Jedi Temple for us. Uninhabited it is, safe it will be.”
Qui-Gon nodded, knowing the esteem in which his former master held the planet. Yoda had spent several years in a monastic existence in the swap. Upon his return to Corsucant, his powers were immense. “It is a good decision, Master.” He turned to the rest with a grimace. “I think that some Jedi should go to Mace on Alderaan. It remains a safe planet for Jedi.”
“It is a good plan, Qui-Gon.” Yoda smiled gently. “You should go, as should Kenobi and Amidala. Several students will travel with their masters and meet you there separately. Leave we must, now. The distance is great.”
When Qui-Gon emerged, Padme could tell that he was relieved. Her bond with him had grown powerful in the last month. She watched as he strolled down the stone steps, his cloak billowing out behind him. When he reached the bottom, he approached his small band of travelers with a nod. “Time to reload, Padawan.”
“To Mos Eisley, then.” Obi-Wan called, coming over with another student.
“To Mos Eisley, yes, Obi-Wan, and then to Alderaan.” Qui-Gon grabbed Padme’s arm as he walked passed her. “But we must leave quickly, they will be alerted to us in this large of a numbered gathering.”
“Alderaan?” Padme was already moving toward the speeder. Around her several Jedi scurried, gathering materials and staples.
Qui-Gon grimaced as he picked up Magrie to allow Shmi to slip into the seat. He handed the child back to Shmi with a nod. “Alderaan, yes, Padawan.”
“Is it safe?”
“No. But more safe than here, Padme.” Obi-Wan climbed into the seat of the speeder with practiced ease. Qui-Gon sat behind the seat again, drawing Padme yet again into his arms. He sighed as he felt the speeder leave through the back outcropping of the wall. The speeder slowly picked up speed and moved again across the desert.
Qui-Gon reached forward to lay a hand on his former Padawan’s shoulder. The man had been driving for several hours, drawing on his inner strength to stay awake. “We should stop for the night, Ben.” In Qui-Gon’s arms, Padme was near unconscious. The strain of the last day and very little sleep was having a tiring effect on her. He had told her there was no need to stay awake, that he would hold them in their position. Her head lulled in the hollow that his arm made on his chest.
“Do you think we have gone far enough?” Ben called back. Shmi shifted in her sleep at the sound of his voice.
“I think that we have, Obi-Wan.” Qui-Gon stated in return. “We should stay as near to the speeder as we possibly can. Leave the children sleeping in its interior. Regardless, it is sleep that you need, as do I.”
Obi-Wan nodded as he slowed the speeder. They were in the deep desert, no cliffs were nearby. The speeder drifted to a stop between two large dunes. Obi-Wan leaned back in the seat, clasping his hands to his eyes and rubbing with a wince. He nudged Shmi who came awake quickly. “Shmi…Shmi, lets get you a proper sleeping arrangement.”
The woman nodded, eyeing the children at her feet. Obi-Wan shook his head slowly with a smile. “Leave them where they are. We will be sleeping close to the speeder, and it will be quicker if we need to leave if they are in the speeder.”
Shmi sighed with a slight smile and rose to climb out of the vehicle. Qui-Gon had already removed himself and Padme from the back of the speeder and was currently climbing one of the dunes to collapse just over the rise. He waved to Obi-Wan to let him know that they would be keeping vigil. The younger Jedi waved back as he collapsed to the ground and wrapped himself in his cloak.
Padme climbed next to her master, and followed his example as his legs folded and he collapsed. As Qui-Gon stripped his cloak, Padme did the same. It was short work to construct a cocoon with one cloak on top and the other below. Qui-Gon lay back against the sand with a groan and stretched his legs. Save the cloaks, the two travelers remained fully clothed. Padme tucked their legs into the cloak and lay back, as the elder Jedi lifted his arm to let her close to his chest. “It will be a long trip.” She stated.
“Aye, that it will, and many things will have to change.” Qui-Gon sighed. “We will not be able to sleep together regularly, Padme. It will be too risky with Mace so close.”
“He does not need to know our involvement, Qui-Gon.” Padme lifted herself on her elbow to look at him. “It is none of his business.”
Qui-Gon opened his eyes to look at his love with a smile. “The fire in you is incredible, love. But it remains that it is not proper for a Jedi…”
“Explain to me what is proper about this situation, Master.” Padme asked forcefully.
“Padawan.” He warned, his voice low. He sighed as he saw her exasperation at his forceful and terse answer. “I wish it were otherwise, Padme.”
She nodded slowly, a contrite look on her face. Gently, she eased a hand down his front to his belt. With a gentle push, she removed the catch and it fell heavily to the ground. Qui-Gon smiled at her movements, holding her hand for a moment before kissing it. She eased further down to unwind his waist tie. “Padme.” He sighed as she then parted his tunic.
Padme smiled and leaned to part his tunic. Her hands teased his chest, drawing a lone finger down his chest to his legging’s top. A slight twitch of Qui-Gon’s face was the only response that he gave. In the past month, Padme had learned much about the art of lovemaking. As in all things that he did, Qui-Gon was a natural teacher, and Padme was, by nature, an excellent student. Their days had been spent in work, submersing themselves in the need to gather the remaining Jedi. Their evenings were spent with the rest of the household, reaffirming bonds and making new ones. The nights, though, had been reserved for time with just each other. And even in that, Qui-Gon strove to use it as another chance to further her Jedi abilities. She smiled that, even over the course of the last week, when her master delved into her mind she was able to still keep secrets from him. But, oh what a secret it was, she thought; her smile turning to a frown as her hand retraced its former path.
Qui-Gon’s hand fell to stop hers and pulled it to his mouth for a kiss. “Something is bothering you. It is not this situation, though. It has bothered you for most of the week.”
Padme sighed and shrugged, twisting her hand to touch his lips. “There is something, Master, but nothing that anything can be done for.”
“Would you like to tell me?” Qui-Gon buried a hand in her hair with a sigh, “As I said before, your mind abilities are formidable; whatever it is you are hiding, you are hiding it well.”
She removed her hand to stare at her lover. The best answer for most situations she knew to be honesty. To release her secret, though, would be something that she feared that her Master could not handle. She did not fear his anger, but rather his honor. She had not told him this secret out of fear for their relationship and its repercussions on his Jedi status. But, now, under the moonlight, he appeared more just a man than a Jedi Master. As he lay back against the sand, his dark cloak around him, Padme thought that he had never looked so handsome. His dark hair had grown more silver in their time on Tatoonine, his natural blond highlights coming out as well. His face was leaner and his features were more pronounced. His physique was a little more muscular than it had been before they had come to Tatoonine, and his stint in the sun had darkened his skin. All in all he was a beautiful sight to see. Padme sighed and lowered her head.
Qui-Gon reached out his hand to lift her chin with one finger. “What is it, love?”
Padme stared in his eyes for a moment and then whispered barely heard above the shifting sand. “I am with child.”
Qui-Gon maintained all of his facilities simply by his Jedi training. He searched her eyes for a moment before nodding gently. “A child.” He echoed. He dropped his hand for a moment and grasped her hand. “How long?”
“Not very, Qui-Gon. Shmi helped me to determine this earlier this week.” Padme gathered her Jedi strength to remain calm. “My cycle was primed at the time that we first began our relationship. It is possible that a standard lunar cycle has passed.”
“A child. My child.” Qui-Gon’s voice seemed to tunnel away from her, as a deep emotion settled into his eyes. “You are sure?”
“I confirmed yesterday; Shmi helped me. I searched myself. Yes, I am positive.” Padme sighed as she grasped his hand harder. “I am sorr..”
Qui-Gon placed his hand over her mouth in a quick movement. “There is nothing to be sorry for, love. Our love for each other has decided to manifest in a child. It is the way of things.”
She hung her head, gazing at the strong knuckles and fingers that held her hand. The thumb was brushing back and forth on his hand. “You are angry. Disappointed and…”
“I am none of those things.” As Padme lifted her head to look back at him, she saw a stray tear course out of his eye and cascade down the side of his face. “How could I be anything but happy, Padme? The woman I love will bear me a child.” His grin that was starting to emerge contradicted the tears that fell. “It is the Force’s will for us, Padme. I have tried to be as careful as I could to avoid this situation. So, if you are indeed pregnant, than it is not ours to ask, but ours to accept.”
She smiled, as tears began for her as well. “I love you, Qui-Gon. But the changes…”
“This will change nothing, Padme, except your training and the amount of battle that you see.” The Jedi nodded as he saw a grin begin. “Come here, little mother,” he stated, moving his cloak back to allow her closer.
Padme crawled closer to him, leaving his tunic as it was. Her hand and head lay on his bare chest exposed. She sighed as she felt his hands moving against her back. “I fear for your Jedi status, Qui-Gon. This was a forbidden occurrence.”
“Aye, it was, little one.” His hand burrowed under the covers to lay against her abdomen. “It was forbidden, but it occurred out of love. And nothing evil can come out of love, Padme. I do not know what the future holds; I have no wish to know. My life has always been adherence to the here and now, young Padawan. I let the Force take care of the future, I simply act as a conduit as best I can.” He turned and moved down so that his face was even with hers. “A baby, Padme. Half of you and me; it is a miracle. The Force would not have allowed this to happen if it were against its will, nothing occurs without permission or plan.”
“But what the Jedi council…”
“The Jedi council acts in accordance with dictates to control man for the betterment of the masses. It does not always act as a decisive body for the Force. But in this, young one, I will say that we have done as our preordained course has decided. I have no regrets, and I intend to keep it that way.” His hand caressed the soft mound of her abdomen. “This is the greatest gift anyone has ever given me, Padme. I have often dreamt of a child of my own.”
Padme smiled, joining his hand on her abdomen. “A child of our own, Master.”
Qui-Gon smiled and pulled her closer. After a quick kiss on her forehead he stated. “We will need to decided what to do when we get to Alderaan. You will show soon.”
“I thought that you said that the Jedi council does not have jurisdiction over the true course of the Force’s will.”
“It doesn’t. That won’t stop them trying to take the child away from us.” Qui-Gon held Padme even closer as a frown crossed his features. “I sense much fear surrounding this event. They have been wary of you and your relationship with me since it began. I sense that they will take and hide the child from you at birth.”
“Then they must not know about the child.” Padme stated. She reached out to hold her master’s face. “I sense your happiness and your joy, master, but there is also pain.”
“Yes, pain, Padme.” Qui-Gon closed his eyes, “I only hope that we can protect this child. We can barely protect ourselves.” His smile was wide though as he whispered. “Our child, Padme.”
She sighed and curled against his chest. With a mighty yawn, she drifted into slumber as Qui-Gon lay awake contemplating the miracle of life. He had often dreamed of children. His time spent with the twins was special and he loved them for their small child selves. He had accepted that Magrie and Albie would be his and Padme’s long after they left Tatoonine; they would be their children. But, this announcement of Padme’s had suddenly changed all of that. He closed his eyes in an effort to ward off the intense emotions that were swelling within him. Pulling on all of his training, he willed a sense of calm into his mind. He could feel something on the horizon. Something ominous. Something that he had not prepared for, and something that would endanger all that he had. Alderaan, he thought as he rubbed his hands over her back, was a bad decision for her now. Had he known, other plans could have been made.
She sighed and shifted against him in response to his caresses. With a look of total adoration, he shifted his arms to kiss the top of her head. In the short time that he had spent with her, the three short seasons, she had become his life love. It was not hard, though, to keep his mind focused on what he needed. He was Jedi by nature, choice and training. It was natural for him to be as focused as he was, but now he found that he wished he could be focused on her more. This, he decided, was why most Masters refrained from indulging in life mates and loves. The person always played a second to their devotion to the Force; many thought that it wasn’t fair to the mate. He agreed, although with Padme force sensitive herself, she understood the drive and the need to be submersed in the Force. He only hoped that for all their sakes, in this time of trouble, that they would all have their focus.