Chapter 15: Pregnancy

"Yes." Qui-gon replied. "So be it."

The graying Jedi and Yoda both activated their forest green blades in unison and slowly sulked up the stairs. Vader grabbed his saber hilt and thrust it outward while activating it for show. He held it up angling it down over his shoulder in the Djem So stance. Padmé quickly flicked the activation switch on hers, did a Makashi salute and held it at the ready in low guard.

"Makashi." Qui-gon said as he reached her. "The form of my master, Count Dooku."

"How wonderful for you." Padmé replied. "I trust you picked a thing or two up from him?"

"Maybe." Qui-gon said. He spun and struck his blade toward Padmé's side. She brought it there one handed and parried, then deflected it away and formed once more into her graceful stance. "We'll just have to see."

"Yes, let's." Padmé brought her blade back and lunged it at Qui-gon's heart. He leaped up in the air, landed behind her and flipped his saber twice, he brought it back to stab his enemy but she was already gone and in front of him. Ataru against Makashi, this was going to be interesting.

XxX

"Well have you taught your apprentice Lord Vader." Yoda said as he twisted into the air and slashed his saber in every possible direction to hit Vader's head. Vader parried easily and the Jedi master landed, he spun low and extended is saber. Vader jumped over it and came down with an over head strike that never actually struck. Yoda held his blade there as did Vader in a contest of strength. Yoda's saber skills were all show, they may have been unbeatable once but now he was old and stood no chance.

"Master Yoda I am disappointed in you. Haven't you been practicing your saber skills?" Vader asked.

"Apparently not." Yoda grumbled. "For no Sith survived that move have."

"Well that makes a first." Vader groaned. The little Jedi was surprisingly strong. "Doesn't it?"

"Believe so, I do."

Finally Vader's muscles gave and Yoda spun his blade away. Taking a wild shot Vader extended his hand, summoned all the Force he could muster and pushed. The little Jedi went flying past the death dance of Qui-gon and Padmé and smacked into the wall dropping his little saber. It deactivated on the floor. Vader strode towards the slumped master and once he was in striking distance extended his hand again.

The little master slipped into consciousness just in time to catch the wave of Force lightening that had been sent his way. Vader stared wide eyed as his lightning crumbled into a glowing energy or in Yoda's hand. The Jedi master smiled and hurled it at him. Vader tried but could not stop it. The lightning orb hit him in the stomach and he flew back into the guard rail of the small bridge like thing they were on. It dented from his impact. He was dazed now slightly, he could barely sense Yoda coming at him, flipping every which way but he finally snapped out of it and pushed again. The little master flew right into the carbon freezing pit. Seizing this very rare opportunity Vader wrapped the Force around a control lever and pushed.

This ejected the carbonite into the hole and would freeze Yoda had he not just jumped out. He was missing his tattered robe but other than that he was fine. He stood in the Ataru ready stance looking up at Vader, daring him to come and try that again.

XxX

Padmé kneed Qui-gon very hard. He lowered his guard for a moment and she sent her booted foot into his face. He went flying down the steps but somersaulted backwards on the ground and came up on his feet.

"You're fighting well." Qui-gon said wiping a trickle of blood from his nose. "Considering…"

"Considering what?"

"Considering that you're pregnant."

Vader's head snapped in Qui-gon's direction staring wide eyed. Padmé also stared at Qui-gon but flicked her gaze to her stomach, she looked back at Qui-gon again.

"Pregnant!" Vader and Padmé cried in unison. The looked at each other.

"How?" They asked in unison to each other. They looked to Qui-gon once more, Yoda by his side.

"How do you know!" The cried in unison for the third time, Qui-gon found this very amusing, not just because of the fact that what they just did happened in every comedy on the HoloNet for the last century but because Padmé did not know.

"How do you not?" Qui-gon asked. "You should be able to sense the life within you and plus you're looking a little…"

Padmé's eyes flashed red for the first time. Most Sith only achieved yellow.

"But wouldn't your first clue be the night, or possibly day your child was conceived?" Qui-gon asked in a mocking tone.

"Well… I mean we wouldn't have… but…" She couldn't seem to find the words.

Vader did not speak at all, realization was dawning on him. If he had a child, not only would Sidious kill it, but them. He suddenly felt very protective and rushed to Padmé's side.

"The Emperor will kill us both, and the baby!" He cried looking down at Qui-gon.

"We can help you Anakin!" Qui-gon said using his name on purpose. "Come back to the light, use your fleet and kill the Emperor."

"Yes, we have to." Vader said. "We have to."

"What about the Rebels?" Padmé asked.

"They are currently in hiding." Qui-gon replied. "They are in no position for battle with Coruscant."

"Qui-gon," Vader said. "I am general of the entire Imperial army. We don't need the rebels!"

"There are those that will chose the Emperor over you Anakin." Qui-gon replied. "He has half the Imperial army on Coruscant."

"Yes. But they will not be a problem, I have a fleet seven now, most of the rest of the fleet is scattered around the outer rim, but there are those near here who we can all on for aid."

"Perhaps we should go back to your ship now," Qui-gon suggested. "And discuss this further."

Sorry this chapter is a bit short.