Chapter 26 The New Arrival
They left the birthing center and walked down a few blocks before finding an open eating establishment.
Zak, wanting to taste more of the local food, ordered grilled peko-peko, the house specialty. Obi-Wan requested steamed mott.
"What do you think they're going to name the baby, Master?" Zak asked while they were waiting for their food.
"I don't know, Padawan; that's something Master Anakin never discussed with me." Obi-Wan answered.
"I wish I knew whether it's a boy or a girl." Zak said.
"Why?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Well, I was just thinking; if it was a boy, when I'm a Knight, he would be just about the right age to be my apprentice." Zak revealed.
"Oh, I see; getting a little ahead of yourself, aren't you? What if Master Anakin's baby doesn't want to be a Jedi?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Why wouldn't he?" Zak wondered.
Obi-Wan smiled and shook his head, "I don't know, Zak." He said as their meals were served.
They ate in silence for a short while, talked about what their next mission might entail and speculated about the name and gender of the baby. When they were finished, the waitress-droid brought them dessert menus. Without even looking at them, and with out skipping a beat, both of them ordered pallie pie; Obi-Wan also ordered a tarsh burger and a piece of pallie pie to go.
"Master Anakin loves tarsh and their nothing he loves better for dessert than pallie pie…except, of course, a couple of fresh pallies." Obi-Wan explained to Zak.
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Two hours later, they were on their way back to the birthing center with Anakin's meal. Anakin was pacing the waiting room when they arrived, "Hey, you're back! Did you bring me something to eat? I'm starving." He declared.
Obi-Wan handed him the sack containing the tarsh burger and pie, "Oh perfect, tarsh! Padme doesn't like it so I don't get it very often anymore. Oh, what's this? Pallie pie? Great!" Anakin exclaimed and sat down to eat.
"How is Padme?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Oh, she's fine so far; a little impatient, you know. Her doctor says she's progressing normally." Anakin answered after swallowing a bite of his sandwich, "You know, I could really use some Jawa juice….you didn't happen to bring any of that back with you, did you?"
"Sorry, Anakin; I hadn't even thought of it. Let me see if I can find something around here." Obi-Wan replied apologetically.
"That's alright; I'll just get something when I'm finished. Anyway, I guess we still have a bit of a wait." Anakin said.
"How long, did she say?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Not until after mid night." Anakin told him.
"Oh, then it will be tomorrow." Zak said.
"It appears that way; is that important?" Anakin asked.
"No, not really." Zak answered, "I think I'll just take a little walk."
Anakin waited until Zak was out of earshot before asking, "Obi-Wan, why don't you just let him know?"
"I will." Obi-Wan answered.
"When? Did you see the look on his face?" Anakin asked.
"Tomorrow." Obi-Wan replied.
"Why wait until then? You didn't do that with me." Anakin challenged.
"No, because you were constantly reminding me a full month beforehand." Obi-Wan explained, "I would have seemed like a complete idiot if I pretended not to remember when it was when you reminded me so often."
"Well, alright; but it still doesn't seem right." Anakin maintained.
Obi-Wan only smiled at him.
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Padme periodically walked and rested for the next few hours, as the contractions grew more and more frequent. Finally, sometime after mid night, as she was taking another walk down the hallway, her water broke in a great gush, spilling out all over the hallway floor, "Oh no, not here!" She cried and then began to sob.
Anakin was there immediately, draping his arms around her and guiding her back to her room, "It's alright; we'll just walk down to your room and I'll call Valeria." He said soothingly.
"But I've made such a mess! Right out there in the hallway." She sobbed.
"I'm sure you're not the first pregnant mother to do that, my love; look, they're already cleaning it up." Anakin assured her.
Padme looked as two janitor droids, one armed with a sucking attachment and the other a disinfecting mop went to work in record time.
"Oh; no one else saw it, did they?" Padme asked.
"No, Obi-Wan and Zak are back in the waiting area and there's no one about at this time of the night." Anakin told her.
"Well, that's good, anyway." Padme said and then put her hand to her belly, "Ooh."
"Another one? But you just had one…." Anakin replied.
"Yes, and that means the little wants out. Better get her up on the table; let's just see how close she is." Valeria stated from the doorway, "I was just coming to check on you; I saw the droids cleaning up, you're water's broken, hasn't it."
"Yes, it was so embarrassing, right out there in the hallway; that didn't happen with the Luke and Leia." Padme answered.
"No, with the twins I had to break the sack." Valeria told her as she put on a pair of gloves, "Put your feet in the stirrups and let's see what's happening here."
Anakin held her hand, "Oh yes, here we go; it should not be long now at all; you're fully dilated, Padme." Valeria informed them.
"AAHHH." Padme cried out when a strong contraction hit her.
Anakin squeezed her hand, "It's alright; I'm here." He said gently.
"Well, before we go any further, Commander, you're going to have to get sanitized and put a surgical gown on." Valeria instructed.
"Oh, yes; alright…right…Padme, love….I'll be right back." Anakin replied and rushed out.
"AAHH." Padme cried out again, "I…forgot…Ahh, how much this hurt."
Valeria smiled at her, "At least this time there's only one Padme." She reminded her.
"Yes, thanks." Padme replied. "That makes me…feel…ooh, so much better."
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Anakin scrubbed himself up quickly, "It is nearly time, my brother." "I am with you, Anakin." "Thank you." He slipped into a surgical gown and rejoined Padme and the doctor.
"Alright, Padme, on the next contraction, I want you to push." Valeria instructed.
"Push…right." Padme panted.
"Relax, love; breathe like we practiced." Anakin told her calmly.
"Right…relax…(pant)….breathe…." Padme repeated.
Anakin stroked her head and squeezed her hand tightly, "That's it, nice slow, deep breaths." He said encouragingly.
"MMMMMMMM…..OOOOOOHHHHHH….Ana…kin!" Padme moaned as she felt another contraction.
"Push, Padme!" Valeria ordered.
"I…AM….AAHHHH." Padme gasped.
"Good! That was good; I can see the crown; push again." Valeria instructed.
"MMMMM…push…ing." Padme grunted.
"Yes, it's coming; a little more….yes, that's it." Valeria said.
Anakin continued to stroke her head and she was now squeezing his hand so hard it actually hurt, "You're doing great, darling." He told her.
"Alright, here comes the hard part….it's the shoulders, Padme." Valeria said.
"PUSH….ING….AAHHHH!" Padme groaned.
"That's it; here it comes…a little more." Valeria coached.
"MMMMMMMMM!"
"There, relax, my dear; it's over." Valeria announced triumphantly, followed almost immediately by the protesting screams of Anakin's baby son.
Anakin felt a strong surge in the Force at his son's first cries, "My baby has arrived, Obi-Wan." "Yes, I felt it through the Force; a boy." "Yes, a son, my brother, I have a son." "Congratulations, Anakin."
Valeria laid him on Padme's stomach as the last of the fluid drained from the umbilical cord still connecting him to his mother. Padme reached down, touched his full head of dark hair and smiled through tears, "He's beautiful; isn't he, Anakin?" She whispered.
Anakin smiled back at her, his eyes blurred with his own tears, "Yes." He whispered back.
Valeria cut the cord and handed him to a nurse; he protested at being taken from the warmth of his mother's body, screaming louder, his tiny feet kicking out angrily. However, within minutes, it was all over and the nurse presented him to Padme wrapped in a white blanket. Padme reached out and touched his face, so different than Luke had been, with his dark hair, but there was that dimple in his chin, just like Luke; just like Anakin. Anakin moved to peer once again at the dark-haired infant and the nurse handed the baby over to him, "What should we call you?" He asked as he cradled the child in his arms; then looked at Padme.
"I named the twins; you name him, Annie." Padme told him, smiling.
"Oh, Mommy's very trusting." He told the baby with a mischievous smile.
"Be nice, Anakin." Padme admonished.
Anakin closed his eyes; he could feel the Force emanating from his son as strongly as it had from Luke when he was born. Then the name came to him as if from the Force itself, "Hadrian." He whispered.
Padme thought for a moment, "Yes; Hadrian. I like it." She agreed with a smile.
"Did you hear that, Hadrian? Mommy approved. It's a good thing because my second choice was Ortho." He said, grinning. "Can I let Obi-Wan and Zak see him?"
"I will light the viewing window; the only other way they can come in here now is if they are sanitized as you were." Valeria replied, "In a few hours, when he is a little stronger and used to his new environment, then they can see him up close and touch him."
"Well, I guess that will just have to do for now." Anakin conceded, "Obi-Wan come and see my son." "We are already waiting." "I am calling him…" "Hadrian; I know." "How? Were you thinking it? Is that where it came from?" "No, it came to me as well." "Oh."
Valeria touched a key pad and the opaque window became transparent to reveal Obi-Wan and Zak standing in front of it, waiting expectantly. Anakin held the tiny form up for them to see; Zak gazed in wonder at him and Obi-Wan smiled warmly, "He has your chin, my brother." "Yes, and Padme's hair." "Yes."
Anakin stayed until Padme had nursed Hadrian and they were both sleeping soundly. It was near dawn when he joined Obi-Wan and Zak in the waiting room, "They are both asleep; and probably will be for a little while. I'd like to go home, check on the twins and get a little rest before I come back here. Valeria said they should stay until tomorrow." He explained.
"Wouldn't you rather stay with them, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.
"No, she told me before she fell asleep that she wanted me to see to Luke and Leia. Besides, Jobal and Ruwee are coming to be with her later this morning, and Sola is coming this afternoon." Anakin answered. "And I think a certain apprentice might be in need of some breakfast."
"I'm not all that hungry, Master Anakin." Zak replied, "I just…"
"Just what, Zak?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Nothing, I'm just tired." Zak answered, "Can we go now?"
"Well, there is one thing before we go." Obi-Wan said as opened up one of the pouches on his utility belt.
"I understand that today, aside from being Hadrian's birth day, it is also yours."
"You mean you remembered all along?" Zak wondered.
"Yes, of course." Obi-Wan answered.
"But yesterday, you…why, Master?" Zak asked.
"I wanted to see if you would have reminded me." Obi-Wan told him, "But instead, you have let it pass rather than say anything to me. Why is that, Zak?"
"Well, I…I guess I thought that if you didn't remember, or remembered but just didn't say anything, that it wasn't important, so I should just forget about it." Zak said.
"So you think that if I miss something that you feel is important, it automatically means that it isn't?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Oh…I hadn't thought of that." Zak admitted.
Obi-Wan smiled at him, "I'm sorry, Zak; perhaps after all you've been through, this was not exactly the right time to give you that lesson." He said apologetically.
"No, Master; I see what you were trying to teach me and I understand it; I just think it's great that I share the same day with Master Anakin's new baby." Zak replied.
"Well, in remembrance of this most special of all birthdays because it is your thirteenth, I want you to have this." Obi-Wan said as he handed him a glowing crystal.
Zak took the crystal and looked it over, turning it from end to end and side to side. The crystal pulsated a different color with each beat, "Wow! Where did you find this, Master?" He asked in wonder.
"I picked it up from a planet near the Outer Rim." Obi-Wan answered. "Interesting, isn't it."
"Yes, and it feels warm." Zak answered.
"It draws its warmth from you and then radiates it back." Obi-Wan explained.
Zak watched it pulse for a few minutes and then tucked into his inner tunic pocket. He could still feel the warmth of it against his side, "Thank you, Master." He said.
"You are welcome; now let's get home. Master Anakin is not the only one who needs sleep." Obi-Wan replied.
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The sun was just peeking up over the horizon when Anakin pulled up near the house. Luke and Leia sat side by side on the front veranda waiting for them. They leaped up and ran toward Anakin as soon as he was out of the vehicle, "Hullo, Daddy!" They exclaimed in unison, throwing themselves at him.
Anakin scooped them both up and hugged them, "Mommy had her baby." He said.
"Uh huh, we know, Daddy; we have a brother." Leia informed him with a little disappointment.
"Oh, I know you wanted a sister; but that's not what came out." Anakin told her.
"I know, Daddy; it's alright. I like brothers too; and anyway, Mommy can just have a girl next time." She replied.
Dorme stood in the doorway, "They've been very good, Anakin; until just a couple hours after mid night." She said.
"Were they frightened, Dorme?" Anakin asked.
"Oh no; not at all. They seemed to know that the baby was coming; it was almost as if they were talking to him." Dorme answered, "Isn't that strange?"
"Not for Force sensitive siblings. So you knew when he came out of Mommy?" Anakin asked.
"Oh yes, he was so mad." Leia replied.
"Yes, he was; first they took him out of his nice warm place and then they took him away from Mommy to clean him up. He was not happy, not at all." Anakin said.
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They rested for most of the morning; later, Obi-Wan and Anakin walked down to their pond to talk while Zak entertained the twins. Dorme went home to change and bring a change of clothes back, deciding that Padme would need someone to look after her for a few days when she came home. Later, Zak and Obi-Wan prepared to leave; they would stay one more night and then return to Coruscant. The news came just before they left for the birthing center; Moran had been killed as he and his fellow hunters were being transferred from one sector to another. In the confusion, Orlan, Kien and Devan had all attempted to escape; Orlan had been killed but Devan and Kien had escaped along with the sniper who had shot Moran. Although the area around the Senate complex had been thoroughly searched, no sign of them had been discovered.
"Will they come after you?" Anakin asked.
"I doubt it; I think they'll just go hide somewhere for a while." Obi-Wan answered.
"Well, I hope so; but you're going to go after them, aren't you." Anakin realized.
"Only if the Council wishes me to." Obi-wan assured him.
"I hope they don't." Anakin concluded.