1 Chapter 3---
Ganner and Analee spent the next few hours checking each passenger one by one. With Analee's medical expertise, the job went much quicker than if the Jedi would have had to do it alone. She was extremely efficient and skilled, Ganner noted, but with every single 'patient' she was also gentle and kind, offering a sweet smile or a tender touch. In such a short amount of time, Ganner already respected her more than most of the people he had met within the past several years… Jedi included.
Analee fell back into her role as a nurse quite easily after being away from it for the past several months. She'd almost forgotten how alive she felt when tending to the needs of others. Of course, she wasn't quite as flexible as she used to be with her extended mid-section awkwardly in her way. She'd lost count of how many times she'd had to apologize for bopping someone in the head with it. Ganner had witnessed it a few times and chuckled out loud. It was a low, full laugh… very masculine, she thought, and she found she liked hearing it. His face seemed even more attractive when he let it out.
But as soon as Analee caught herself thinking of Ganner's handsomeness or kindness, she quickly forced it from her mind. She was a widow… and a pregnant one at that. Not a very tempting combination for most men. And besides, she didn't need or want a man in her life. She was perfectly capable of being an independent woman and was confident that she could raise her child without the help of anyone else.
Tahmis, her late husband, had seen to it that she knew how to take care of herself. He'd been great that way, she remembered fondly. She'd been only twenty-two when she'd married him. He'd been thirty-seven, so they had always assumed that he would 'go' before she did. Tahmis had insisted she learn all about finances and other important aspects of life in order to be best prepared.
Tahmis… she missed him. He was—had been a doctor at the hospital where she got her first nursing position. In fact, he had been the one to help her get the job since he was also a friend of her family. They had become close friends and a formidable medical team, so when he suggested that the next logical step in their relationship was to get married, she agreed. It made perfect sense, and no one was surprised when they announced their engagement.
Logic and practicality… those had been the rules by which Tahmis had lived his life, and she had learned to accept them as part of hers as well. Sure, they loved one another. Analee would never deny that. However, it had been a different kind of love than the type she dreamed and hoped for as a young girl. They were friends and companions first, and due to his practical nature, passion didn't really come into play between them. Oh, they both had plenty of it… for their careers---- not necessarily for one another, though. Tahmis thought those hopelessly romantic notions were foolish and nothing but a huge waste of time.
Analee paused her ministrations and sighed. She fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes… tears she thought she'd drained dry back when she'd first lost him. After much time to contemplate her relationship with her husband, she wasn't sure whether she was crying for what she'd had…. Or what she didn't.
"Are you okay?" Ganner asked quietly laying a large hand on her shoulder. He had felt through the Force-- more than visually observed-- her dismay and was oddly compelled to comfort her. True, he'd always been a sucker for a crying female, but this time it was different. He really wanted to make it all better for her because seeing her in pain was almost more than he could bear. //What's your deal, Rhysode?// he asked himself. The way he'd been acting and the thoughts he'd been thinking since he first met Analee Garsone were rather troubling because they were so unlike his usual rakish self. Love 'em and leave 'em had been his motto for quite some time. But Analee wasn't the type of woman a man could easily leave. She was, simply put, a good person, and Ganner Rhysode felt inexplicably responsible for seeing to the safety of her and her child.
What would all of his buddies say to that?
Analee glanced up into Ganner's blue eyes that were filled with concern and wiped her own with the back of her hand. "I'm fine."
He studied her for a second before putting his arm around her shoulder. "I don't believe you," he stated. "You've got to be tired. Why don't you sit down for a bit? I can take care of the last few by myself."
"No, really, I'm—" she began, but Ganner interrupted her.
"I'm not taking no for an answer. Now sit down and rest for a while." He led her to an empty seat and gently pushed her into it. Analee glared angrily at him, not knowing whether to punch him for ordering her around or hug him for being concerned about her. The look of resolve on his face convinced her that he meant business, so she decided not to defy him. Besides, she was tired. Her feet were especially exhausted, which was expected of a woman at this late stage in pregnancy. Funny, but in the midst of the chaos of the past few hours, she had almost forgotten she was with child…. Almost. Her hands shot up to her belly as the baby inside began doing flip-flops. Smiling contentedly, she shifted in the seat until she was comfortable and then sat back to watch Ganner see to the remaining passengers.
Ganner found the man lying unconscious and wedged between a row of seats near the front of the cabin. The Jedi instantly recognized the red hair and rolled his eyes. It was the troublemaker from earlier. A loose beam that had fallen from overhead had apparently knocked him out, and it was now stuck on top of him. He checked the man's pulse and was grudgingly happy to find he still had one. Immediately, Ganner scolded himself for thinking such a thing. It had been of the dark side, and he knew better. But the man had been really irritating.
The Jedi tried to lift the durasteel beam, but it was no use. Its weight and the awkward angle at which it was jammed made it near impossible for him to lift by hand. However, Ganner had another option… the Force… and he used it with ease. Telekinesis was his specialty, after all.
Analee watched in awe as Ganner ordered the others out of the way and then somehow managed to lift a large beam off of an injured passenger… without touching it. She blinked several times. //Did I really just see that?// she wondered. As she continued to observe the proceedings, Ganner hefted an unconscious form from the floor and carefully placed the man over his shoulder. Analee smirked. It was the loud mouth from before the crash. Ganner brought the man back toward Analee and placed him carefully into a seat across the aisle from her.
"I know he doesn't deserve it, but will you help him?" the Jedi asked with a grin.
"Of course I will," she declared, "and everyone deserves to be helped when they can't help themselves."
Ganner stared at her in wonder as she moved as quickly as she could and began to examine her newest 'patient'. As a Jedi, he should have been the one stating such tidbits of wisdom, but again she was beating him to the punch. But he didn't mind… because it was Analee.
She'll make a great mother, he suddenly thought watching her work so gently. Just as quickly, he felt his face heating up in another blush. He couldn't remember ever looking at a woman and contemplating her mothering abilities. It was usually the steps leading up to motherhood that he focused on. He looked away from Analee. It felt wrong to think of her in such a manner… as just another 'diversion'. She was too good for that.
After a few minutes, she stopped and looked up at Ganner who was hovering over her. "There!" she stated while thrusting her hand towards him in an unspoken request for assistance. He grabbed her small hand and helped her up from the floor where she'd been uncomfortably crouched. Once she was standing, she placed her hands behind her and arched her back to stretch out the kinks. "I've done all I can. We'll just have to wait and see if he comes around."
Ganner hadn't moved. He stood in front of her and couldn't tear his eyes away. Suddenly, she seemed like the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on… and he'd laid more than eyes on quite a few… but Analee's beauty was different somehow. It was more than just her pregnancy making her glow; even though Ganner was convinced it was indeed coming from within her. How had he ever thought her plain?
She cocked her head to the side curiously. "I think you need to sit down now," she teased. "You don't look so good."
That was a phrase he'd never heard from a woman before. Even after getting his scar, most women had found him irresistibly handsome. Now, here she was telling him he didn't look so good.
"You wound me, m'lady," he replied playfully while placing a hand over his heart.
"Oh! I didn't mean---," Analee stumbled over her words and then sighed. "Never mind. Has everyone been tended to now?"
"Ah! Trying to change the subject, are you?" He flashed her a killer smile and it made her a little weak in the knees. At first she attributed it to the baby and her growling stomach, but deep down she knew that was not the real reason. Blushing, she turned away and busied herself with rechecking the red-haired man.
Ganner was pleased to see the hint of pink in her cheeks. It meant that his charm wasn't completely ineffective against this woman. He decided to let her off the hook this time, although he was determined to make her blush again later. It made her all the more alluring.
"Yes, the passengers have all been seen to, and once I'm convinced that you will sit down and rest, I'll go check with the pilots on what our next move should be."
"Yes, sir," she replied softly lowering her eyes. Just as soon as Analee was settled in, Ganner gave her a wink and took off toward the cockpit. She watched until he was totally out of sight. He was so tall and broad. She caught herself studying how he looked in his black pants as he walked away and felt like a silly schoolgirl again.
//Stop it, Analee!// she commanded herself silently. //You're being ridiculous!// Instead, she closed her eyes and tried to relax. Unfortunately, visions of Ganner Rhysode kept her far from relaxed. On the contrary, she found that the man had managed to stir up feelings within her that she had thought long gone. Resting her hands on her protruding belly, she forced herself to focus on the child within and eventually dozed off.
Ganner and Analee spent the next few hours checking each passenger one by one. With Analee's medical expertise, the job went much quicker than if the Jedi would have had to do it alone. She was extremely efficient and skilled, Ganner noted, but with every single 'patient' she was also gentle and kind, offering a sweet smile or a tender touch. In such a short amount of time, Ganner already respected her more than most of the people he had met within the past several years… Jedi included.
Analee fell back into her role as a nurse quite easily after being away from it for the past several months. She'd almost forgotten how alive she felt when tending to the needs of others. Of course, she wasn't quite as flexible as she used to be with her extended mid-section awkwardly in her way. She'd lost count of how many times she'd had to apologize for bopping someone in the head with it. Ganner had witnessed it a few times and chuckled out loud. It was a low, full laugh… very masculine, she thought, and she found she liked hearing it. His face seemed even more attractive when he let it out.
But as soon as Analee caught herself thinking of Ganner's handsomeness or kindness, she quickly forced it from her mind. She was a widow… and a pregnant one at that. Not a very tempting combination for most men. And besides, she didn't need or want a man in her life. She was perfectly capable of being an independent woman and was confident that she could raise her child without the help of anyone else.
Tahmis, her late husband, had seen to it that she knew how to take care of herself. He'd been great that way, she remembered fondly. She'd been only twenty-two when she'd married him. He'd been thirty-seven, so they had always assumed that he would 'go' before she did. Tahmis had insisted she learn all about finances and other important aspects of life in order to be best prepared.
Tahmis… she missed him. He was—had been a doctor at the hospital where she got her first nursing position. In fact, he had been the one to help her get the job since he was also a friend of her family. They had become close friends and a formidable medical team, so when he suggested that the next logical step in their relationship was to get married, she agreed. It made perfect sense, and no one was surprised when they announced their engagement.
Logic and practicality… those had been the rules by which Tahmis had lived his life, and she had learned to accept them as part of hers as well. Sure, they loved one another. Analee would never deny that. However, it had been a different kind of love than the type she dreamed and hoped for as a young girl. They were friends and companions first, and due to his practical nature, passion didn't really come into play between them. Oh, they both had plenty of it… for their careers---- not necessarily for one another, though. Tahmis thought those hopelessly romantic notions were foolish and nothing but a huge waste of time.
Analee paused her ministrations and sighed. She fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes… tears she thought she'd drained dry back when she'd first lost him. After much time to contemplate her relationship with her husband, she wasn't sure whether she was crying for what she'd had…. Or what she didn't.
"Are you okay?" Ganner asked quietly laying a large hand on her shoulder. He had felt through the Force-- more than visually observed-- her dismay and was oddly compelled to comfort her. True, he'd always been a sucker for a crying female, but this time it was different. He really wanted to make it all better for her because seeing her in pain was almost more than he could bear. //What's your deal, Rhysode?// he asked himself. The way he'd been acting and the thoughts he'd been thinking since he first met Analee Garsone were rather troubling because they were so unlike his usual rakish self. Love 'em and leave 'em had been his motto for quite some time. But Analee wasn't the type of woman a man could easily leave. She was, simply put, a good person, and Ganner Rhysode felt inexplicably responsible for seeing to the safety of her and her child.
What would all of his buddies say to that?
Analee glanced up into Ganner's blue eyes that were filled with concern and wiped her own with the back of her hand. "I'm fine."
He studied her for a second before putting his arm around her shoulder. "I don't believe you," he stated. "You've got to be tired. Why don't you sit down for a bit? I can take care of the last few by myself."
"No, really, I'm—" she began, but Ganner interrupted her.
"I'm not taking no for an answer. Now sit down and rest for a while." He led her to an empty seat and gently pushed her into it. Analee glared angrily at him, not knowing whether to punch him for ordering her around or hug him for being concerned about her. The look of resolve on his face convinced her that he meant business, so she decided not to defy him. Besides, she was tired. Her feet were especially exhausted, which was expected of a woman at this late stage in pregnancy. Funny, but in the midst of the chaos of the past few hours, she had almost forgotten she was with child…. Almost. Her hands shot up to her belly as the baby inside began doing flip-flops. Smiling contentedly, she shifted in the seat until she was comfortable and then sat back to watch Ganner see to the remaining passengers.
Ganner found the man lying unconscious and wedged between a row of seats near the front of the cabin. The Jedi instantly recognized the red hair and rolled his eyes. It was the troublemaker from earlier. A loose beam that had fallen from overhead had apparently knocked him out, and it was now stuck on top of him. He checked the man's pulse and was grudgingly happy to find he still had one. Immediately, Ganner scolded himself for thinking such a thing. It had been of the dark side, and he knew better. But the man had been really irritating.
The Jedi tried to lift the durasteel beam, but it was no use. Its weight and the awkward angle at which it was jammed made it near impossible for him to lift by hand. However, Ganner had another option… the Force… and he used it with ease. Telekinesis was his specialty, after all.
Analee watched in awe as Ganner ordered the others out of the way and then somehow managed to lift a large beam off of an injured passenger… without touching it. She blinked several times. //Did I really just see that?// she wondered. As she continued to observe the proceedings, Ganner hefted an unconscious form from the floor and carefully placed the man over his shoulder. Analee smirked. It was the loud mouth from before the crash. Ganner brought the man back toward Analee and placed him carefully into a seat across the aisle from her.
"I know he doesn't deserve it, but will you help him?" the Jedi asked with a grin.
"Of course I will," she declared, "and everyone deserves to be helped when they can't help themselves."
Ganner stared at her in wonder as she moved as quickly as she could and began to examine her newest 'patient'. As a Jedi, he should have been the one stating such tidbits of wisdom, but again she was beating him to the punch. But he didn't mind… because it was Analee.
She'll make a great mother, he suddenly thought watching her work so gently. Just as quickly, he felt his face heating up in another blush. He couldn't remember ever looking at a woman and contemplating her mothering abilities. It was usually the steps leading up to motherhood that he focused on. He looked away from Analee. It felt wrong to think of her in such a manner… as just another 'diversion'. She was too good for that.
After a few minutes, she stopped and looked up at Ganner who was hovering over her. "There!" she stated while thrusting her hand towards him in an unspoken request for assistance. He grabbed her small hand and helped her up from the floor where she'd been uncomfortably crouched. Once she was standing, she placed her hands behind her and arched her back to stretch out the kinks. "I've done all I can. We'll just have to wait and see if he comes around."
Ganner hadn't moved. He stood in front of her and couldn't tear his eyes away. Suddenly, she seemed like the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on… and he'd laid more than eyes on quite a few… but Analee's beauty was different somehow. It was more than just her pregnancy making her glow; even though Ganner was convinced it was indeed coming from within her. How had he ever thought her plain?
She cocked her head to the side curiously. "I think you need to sit down now," she teased. "You don't look so good."
That was a phrase he'd never heard from a woman before. Even after getting his scar, most women had found him irresistibly handsome. Now, here she was telling him he didn't look so good.
"You wound me, m'lady," he replied playfully while placing a hand over his heart.
"Oh! I didn't mean---," Analee stumbled over her words and then sighed. "Never mind. Has everyone been tended to now?"
"Ah! Trying to change the subject, are you?" He flashed her a killer smile and it made her a little weak in the knees. At first she attributed it to the baby and her growling stomach, but deep down she knew that was not the real reason. Blushing, she turned away and busied herself with rechecking the red-haired man.
Ganner was pleased to see the hint of pink in her cheeks. It meant that his charm wasn't completely ineffective against this woman. He decided to let her off the hook this time, although he was determined to make her blush again later. It made her all the more alluring.
"Yes, the passengers have all been seen to, and once I'm convinced that you will sit down and rest, I'll go check with the pilots on what our next move should be."
"Yes, sir," she replied softly lowering her eyes. Just as soon as Analee was settled in, Ganner gave her a wink and took off toward the cockpit. She watched until he was totally out of sight. He was so tall and broad. She caught herself studying how he looked in his black pants as he walked away and felt like a silly schoolgirl again.
//Stop it, Analee!// she commanded herself silently. //You're being ridiculous!// Instead, she closed her eyes and tried to relax. Unfortunately, visions of Ganner Rhysode kept her far from relaxed. On the contrary, she found that the man had managed to stir up feelings within her that she had thought long gone. Resting her hands on her protruding belly, she forced herself to focus on the child within and eventually dozed off.
