Chapter Seven

Quiet male conversation awoke me the following morning. Elda had set up several pallets around the common area and we had made due. Captain Typho had returned to the ship during the night, so it had to be Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's voices I was hearing. I tuned in after asking permission to do so from Obi-Wan.

"Padmé is listening," he told his mentor.

"Good. She needs to hear this as well. As you already know, I had been sent to investigate reports about strange activities on Geonosis. What I discovered there may be related to the current events we have witnessed. Count Dooku has partnered with several members of the Banking Clan and they have decided to finance an army. A droid army. I saw the construction of it myself. I reported my findings to the Council, but of course, they did very to respond and saw no potential threat."

"It was his army that attacked the Temple. The Chancellor only has a handful of security. Nothing that could go up against that many Jedi," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Those are my thoughts," Qui-Gon continued. "Whatever is happening has been well thought out and planned for a long time. I left Geonosis two years ago."

I had decided to join them and was welcomed with a warm one-armed embrace from Obi-Wan.

"It's the Chancellor's doing," I added. "He and Count Dooku must be in on this together."

"I had wondered what my Old Master was up to. Apparently, he has chosen sides and has apparently joined forces with the intent of destroying the Jedi. We must proceed with caution."

"We will," Obi-Wan agreed before Qui-Gon, his hair plaited into a long braid, wearing a dusty and ragged cloak to cover up any hint of his true nature, walked through the dust-filled glow of the morning suns.

"It's time we're off as well. I've already repacked our belongings and have inquired about possible lodging between here and Mos Eisley. We'll ride eopies there, which I've also acquired while you slept."

"My, you've been busy. Why didn't you wake me up? I could've helped."

"Because," a voice coming from the doorway spoke. Elda hobbled out to join us. "A young woman in your condition needs all the rest she can get. Soon, you won't be able to find any!"

"Condition," Obi-Wan echoed. "What condition?"

"Oh honey. You really need to be more observant. Your young wife is expecting a child. I would guess she's about three months along."

Obi-Wan gazed at me with surprise as well as a hint of accusation. I vehemently shook my head.

"I had no idea! I swear!" I informed him.

Suddenly, he let out a whoop and spun me around. "A child! We're going to have a child?"

Were we simply taking Elda's word on the matter?

"Does this mean you're happy about it?" I needed to ask that question for myself. I didn't feel pregnant, although it would explain why I'd been so tired lately, and why I wanted to eat everything in sight.

"I am! Aren't you?"

I pretended to ponder his question for a second. "I think so. I mean, the timing could've been better. I never imagined giving birth to a womp rat out in the middle of a desert..."

The look on his face was priceless and a smile blossomed across my own. We enjoyed teasing one another and could carry it on for a while, but I couldn't this time. Not about this.

"Of course I am. I was just teasing."

While we were celebrating, Elda had carried Obi-Wan's duffel and my bag outdoors and handed them to us.

"I put little gift in there," she told us. "You two are like the children I lost during the Great War. I love you both. Wait to look inside until you are safe and someplace secure. Take care of each other well, and may the Force be with you both."

My eyes filled with tears, which I blamed upon pregnancy hormones, while I embraced Elda and thanked her for everything. Obi-Wan kissed her dimpled cheek and we said goodbye.

We found the eopies tied to a pole near the stable where he had rented them and he helped me climb up. It was a three-hour ride to Mos Eisley, and we'd decided to stay on the roads most traveled. It was safer from predators, though not necessarily from local bandits.

"Don't worry," Obi-Wan informed me as he too climbed onto the small saddle. "I retrieved a couple of blasters from the ship. One for you, and one for me."

He handed me my preferred weapon, a thin silver blaster pistol. I thanked him and slipped it into the belt around my waist. The blaster he had chosen for himself was much heavier and he had strapped a holster onto his thigh. I wasn't used to seeing him with such a weapon and he caught me staring at it.

/The lightsaber is in the duffel,/ he informed me as he clicked his tongue and started the beast moving forward. My ride immediately followed without me having to do a thing.

/This day is full of surprises,/ I told him as we headed out of town. /Do you think we can tell? I mean, wouldn't the Force let you know if there's a person growing inside me?/ The words sounded so strange but helped me realize the changes we were about to face.

/I never thought to ask, but I suppose it would. Hold on./

He pulled on the reins to ask the eopie to stop. It obeyed though not without complaining about it first. Obi-Wan pulled on the rope tethered to my animal until I was side by side and he reached over and placed his hand on my stomach.

He closed his eyes and I joined him within our connection. Slowly but surely, a distant heartbeat that did not match my own was heard.

"That's amazing," he whispered in awe.

"That Elda was right?"

"No. That you and I have lived our lives in such a way to be blessed with having someone to love who will love us back. I would've never believed I could have a family."

"I think you'll make a wonderful father," I assured him, leaning over to offer him a kiss, which he granted immediately.

"Hey!" someone gruffly spoke behind us. Obi-Wan turned to see a Rodian missing an arm accompanied by a rusted droid standing in the street.

"You two either get a room or get out of the way!"

"Sorry," I told him, waggling my brows comically at Obi-Wan. Nothing – not even this planet or those who were hiding on it, would ruin my good mood.

Again, Obi-Wan clicked his tongue and we were on way. We weren't exactly sure where we were going, but our future suddenly looked far brighter than it had before.