And now. Chapter 7---a.k.a.. "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no
babies!"
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"Now?," Ganner asked, "as in this very minute?!"
Analee responded with a loud moan and then squeezed his hand with more force than he'd ever imagined she could possibly muster.
"I'm going to take that as a yes," he added with a wince. Through a clenched jaw, she shot him a look to kill. After a few seconds, she released her death grip and breathed deeply.
"Sorry about your hand," Analee apologized as she watched him rub his numb fingers. He looked at her in wonder. Only seconds before she had been glaring daggers, and now she was all sweetness and light.
"Let's get you moved to a more comfortable spot." Ganner stood and carefully helped her into the main cabin area. However, before he could get her seated, another contraction hit causing her to cry out and double over in pain. She buried her head in his shirt, and he held her up. Even without the Force, he could feel her anguish and almost came unglued when she looked up at him with tears streaming down her face.
Soon enough, the pain subsided and Ganner quickly got her situated in a reclining seat before the next round began. Analee's breathing was coming in three quick little bursts followed by one longer one. He assumed it was some type of breathing technique.
"It. helps. me. handle the.pain," she huffed. She was breaking a sweat, her light brown hair plastered to her flushed face. Ganner reached out and smoothed it back tenderly, trying to appear calm and in control for her sake. Force knew he was about ready to crumple from the pressure.
"I'm going to help you, but I may need you to guide me through the particulars. Believe it or not, I've never delivered a baby before," he added with a wink.
Analee managed a brief smile before her eyes widened and the next pain overtook her body. Ganner grimaced. He didn't think he could take it much longer--- seeing her in agony he could do nothing to ease.
Or could he?
Suddenly an idea sprang into his mind. Maybe there was something he could do to help Analee. Ganner waited until the worst was over, and then shared his plan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you think it will work?" she asked hopefully, finally at the point where she was willing to try anything to make it stop hurting.
Ganner nodded confidently. "Yes, I do," he stated firmly.
"Okay, then," she agreed. "Try it now because I feel another one coming on."
Taking a deep breath, Ganner gently placed his large hands on Analee's protruding abdomen. Her muscles were tensing, gearing up for the impending contraction, and he closed his eyes to concentrate. Finding the last remaining strand of calm within himself, Ganner reached out to Analee through the Force. It took a few seconds to find her. He wasn't very adept at this kind of mental connection, but he hoped to take away the burden of some of her pain.
Then he found her.
A flash of light was followed immediately by a jolt of blinding pain that nearly took his breath away. He bit back a cry of his own and focused on being strong for Analee. In a moment, although not soon enough for his liking, the pain stopped and he opened his eyes.
"How. was that?" he asked her weakly. "Better?"
"Yes," she answered, "much better. It must have worked."
Ganner forced a smile. "I told you it would. Did you doubt me?"
She managed a weak laugh as she shifted in the seat. "No, no doubts here."
"So, um, how much longer do you think this is going to take?" he asked patting her hand. She raised one eyebrow and gave him 'the look'. the one he'd gotten from plenty of other people over the years whenever he stuck his foot in his mouth-his father, his teachers-the list went on and on. "Forget I said that," he added apologetically.
Suddenly, he felt her fingers tightening around his and knew it was time for another dose of pain relief.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
His face hurt.
And it took him a second to realize why. It was because he'd been smiling non-stop for the past hour. Glancing over at Analee, her newborn son nestled snuggly in her arms, Ganner once again felt the rush of warmth and joy flood his soul. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs, "Look! Look at that, you Vong scum! I've just helped bring a new life into existence and there's nothing you can do about it!"
It was a miracle.
Taking away some of Analee's pain had allowed her body to focus more on birthing the child within. At first, he didn't know how long he could last. Labor pains were excruciating! But as he looked at Analee, he realized that women all over the universe survived childbirth everyday. Surely he--- a highly trained Jedi knight-could bear a few hours of discomfort for the sake of procreation.
Luckily, the urge to push came upon Analee rather quickly, and as Ganner stood by ready to assist, the tiny, wrinkled body of her son appeared pure and untouched.
He was in awe.
Being a Jedi had given him the opportunity to witness many amazing things- some he'd even been directly involved in. But this. nothing could ever top the perfection of seeing a new life born into the universe.
His gaze traveled between mother and son, Analee appearing nearly as angelic as her baby. True, her hair was mussed, some of it still matted to her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed from the exertion of pushing. At first glance, the expression on her face showed exhaustion, but the happiness shining through her eyes and smile told a different story.
Ganner recalled how he had encouraged her one minute and then soothed her the next. Then, just when he thought she could push no longer and he could bear no more shared pain, the baby had emerged, landing right into his oversized, trembling hands. He struggled to hold the infant carefully as if he were the most fragile thing in existence.
Sobs of pure joy had erupted from Analee as he laid the babe upon her chest. He had to admit, a few tears managed to escape his own eyes as well. Was it possible to feel such tenderness toward a person that had only been alive for mere hours and didn't even yet have a name?
Yes, it must be because Ganner was feeling that way right this very minute.
"Here's a drink of water for you," he said offering her a cup. "You must be thirsty after all of that."
Analee glanced up, her face aglow with the radiance of motherhood. "Thank you," she said taking a sip. She handed the cup back to Ganner and resumed gently caressing her tiny son's face. It seemed he was the center of the universe for her, but Ganner couldn't fault her for that. Just the few moments he'd held the baby were the closest he'd ever been to heaven. Seeing what could possibly come from the love of two people was humbling.
Seemed humility was a recurring theme in his life these days.
"Ganner," she beckoned. He returned to crouch down by her side. "I. I don't know how I could ever thank you enough. Words just can't express how grateful I am for all you've done. I.I--."
Ganner held up his hand. "You don't have to say anything. I'm just glad everything worked out and that I could be here to help you." He reached over, touched the baby's cheek with his large finger, and then looked back up to gaze into Analee's blue eyes. "Believe me, it's been my pleasure. Now, you and your little guy need to get some rest." He stood up, but then leaned back down to place a sweet kiss on the baby's forehead and then on Analee's.
"You're a good man, Ganner Rhysode," she whispered.
And for the first time ever, he actually felt like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Now?," Ganner asked, "as in this very minute?!"
Analee responded with a loud moan and then squeezed his hand with more force than he'd ever imagined she could possibly muster.
"I'm going to take that as a yes," he added with a wince. Through a clenched jaw, she shot him a look to kill. After a few seconds, she released her death grip and breathed deeply.
"Sorry about your hand," Analee apologized as she watched him rub his numb fingers. He looked at her in wonder. Only seconds before she had been glaring daggers, and now she was all sweetness and light.
"Let's get you moved to a more comfortable spot." Ganner stood and carefully helped her into the main cabin area. However, before he could get her seated, another contraction hit causing her to cry out and double over in pain. She buried her head in his shirt, and he held her up. Even without the Force, he could feel her anguish and almost came unglued when she looked up at him with tears streaming down her face.
Soon enough, the pain subsided and Ganner quickly got her situated in a reclining seat before the next round began. Analee's breathing was coming in three quick little bursts followed by one longer one. He assumed it was some type of breathing technique.
"It. helps. me. handle the.pain," she huffed. She was breaking a sweat, her light brown hair plastered to her flushed face. Ganner reached out and smoothed it back tenderly, trying to appear calm and in control for her sake. Force knew he was about ready to crumple from the pressure.
"I'm going to help you, but I may need you to guide me through the particulars. Believe it or not, I've never delivered a baby before," he added with a wink.
Analee managed a brief smile before her eyes widened and the next pain overtook her body. Ganner grimaced. He didn't think he could take it much longer--- seeing her in agony he could do nothing to ease.
Or could he?
Suddenly an idea sprang into his mind. Maybe there was something he could do to help Analee. Ganner waited until the worst was over, and then shared his plan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you think it will work?" she asked hopefully, finally at the point where she was willing to try anything to make it stop hurting.
Ganner nodded confidently. "Yes, I do," he stated firmly.
"Okay, then," she agreed. "Try it now because I feel another one coming on."
Taking a deep breath, Ganner gently placed his large hands on Analee's protruding abdomen. Her muscles were tensing, gearing up for the impending contraction, and he closed his eyes to concentrate. Finding the last remaining strand of calm within himself, Ganner reached out to Analee through the Force. It took a few seconds to find her. He wasn't very adept at this kind of mental connection, but he hoped to take away the burden of some of her pain.
Then he found her.
A flash of light was followed immediately by a jolt of blinding pain that nearly took his breath away. He bit back a cry of his own and focused on being strong for Analee. In a moment, although not soon enough for his liking, the pain stopped and he opened his eyes.
"How. was that?" he asked her weakly. "Better?"
"Yes," she answered, "much better. It must have worked."
Ganner forced a smile. "I told you it would. Did you doubt me?"
She managed a weak laugh as she shifted in the seat. "No, no doubts here."
"So, um, how much longer do you think this is going to take?" he asked patting her hand. She raised one eyebrow and gave him 'the look'. the one he'd gotten from plenty of other people over the years whenever he stuck his foot in his mouth-his father, his teachers-the list went on and on. "Forget I said that," he added apologetically.
Suddenly, he felt her fingers tightening around his and knew it was time for another dose of pain relief.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
His face hurt.
And it took him a second to realize why. It was because he'd been smiling non-stop for the past hour. Glancing over at Analee, her newborn son nestled snuggly in her arms, Ganner once again felt the rush of warmth and joy flood his soul. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs, "Look! Look at that, you Vong scum! I've just helped bring a new life into existence and there's nothing you can do about it!"
It was a miracle.
Taking away some of Analee's pain had allowed her body to focus more on birthing the child within. At first, he didn't know how long he could last. Labor pains were excruciating! But as he looked at Analee, he realized that women all over the universe survived childbirth everyday. Surely he--- a highly trained Jedi knight-could bear a few hours of discomfort for the sake of procreation.
Luckily, the urge to push came upon Analee rather quickly, and as Ganner stood by ready to assist, the tiny, wrinkled body of her son appeared pure and untouched.
He was in awe.
Being a Jedi had given him the opportunity to witness many amazing things- some he'd even been directly involved in. But this. nothing could ever top the perfection of seeing a new life born into the universe.
His gaze traveled between mother and son, Analee appearing nearly as angelic as her baby. True, her hair was mussed, some of it still matted to her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed from the exertion of pushing. At first glance, the expression on her face showed exhaustion, but the happiness shining through her eyes and smile told a different story.
Ganner recalled how he had encouraged her one minute and then soothed her the next. Then, just when he thought she could push no longer and he could bear no more shared pain, the baby had emerged, landing right into his oversized, trembling hands. He struggled to hold the infant carefully as if he were the most fragile thing in existence.
Sobs of pure joy had erupted from Analee as he laid the babe upon her chest. He had to admit, a few tears managed to escape his own eyes as well. Was it possible to feel such tenderness toward a person that had only been alive for mere hours and didn't even yet have a name?
Yes, it must be because Ganner was feeling that way right this very minute.
"Here's a drink of water for you," he said offering her a cup. "You must be thirsty after all of that."
Analee glanced up, her face aglow with the radiance of motherhood. "Thank you," she said taking a sip. She handed the cup back to Ganner and resumed gently caressing her tiny son's face. It seemed he was the center of the universe for her, but Ganner couldn't fault her for that. Just the few moments he'd held the baby were the closest he'd ever been to heaven. Seeing what could possibly come from the love of two people was humbling.
Seemed humility was a recurring theme in his life these days.
"Ganner," she beckoned. He returned to crouch down by her side. "I. I don't know how I could ever thank you enough. Words just can't express how grateful I am for all you've done. I.I--."
Ganner held up his hand. "You don't have to say anything. I'm just glad everything worked out and that I could be here to help you." He reached over, touched the baby's cheek with his large finger, and then looked back up to gaze into Analee's blue eyes. "Believe me, it's been my pleasure. Now, you and your little guy need to get some rest." He stood up, but then leaned back down to place a sweet kiss on the baby's forehead and then on Analee's.
"You're a good man, Ganner Rhysode," she whispered.
And for the first time ever, he actually felt like it.
