Ninety Two

It was 2300 local time when they landed on Oriis, the wind whipping around and registering the outside air temperature at a brisk -3˚C.

Rex lowered the landing gear of the Twilight and gently placed her down on the small tarmac. He quietly closed down the craft and sat back for a moment, waiting for the order to disembark.

"Go on Captain, Jesse can finish off up here."

Rex smiled and quickly looked at the small yellow ring on his little finger.

"Thank you General."

"Oh, don't thank me. That young wife of yours certainly has a mind of getting her own way."

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Gem stood in front of the door.

The internal house alarms rang as soon as the outer perimeter was breached by the Twilight. She had seen the craft and not knowing who it belonged to, ran to her father's weapons cabinet and pulled out what she thought would ward off the intruders.

All the while, the contractions came.

Gem had seen Øvet, the town doctor eight hours earlier.

"It's pre-labour contractions Gem. You're cervix hasn't even started to dilate. Be patient, it's the beginning though. I expect within the next 24 hours you'll be a mother. Is there," she stopped and looked at the woman in obvious distress, "anyone I can call for you?" There had never been a partner accompanying the young politician to any of her visits into the clinic and she was trying to be diplomatic in her inquiring.

Gemma shook her head and stood up from the bed, lowering her night dress as she did.

"Well," Øvet smiled and picked up her bag, "I have twins to deliver on the other side of the Longinnes. Just comm when you need me."

Gem waited another two hours before she put in the call to Obi-Wan.

"Ben, I have something I need to talk to you about."

"Can you wait until I get to Coruscant Gem? We have just been picked up from a mission and I have to say I'm rather - ,"

"No Ben! It can't wait. I'm not on Coruscant, I'm on Oriis, and I - ," she stammered, "I'm in a rather delicate situation; one that needs discussing now."

And that's how Obi-Wan learned of the secret the young representative and the 501st captain had been hiding. He had made the decision to head to Oriis and Anakin had played straight into his old masters hands.

It wasn't a lie; just not full disclosure of the truth.

.

"Kix, Jesse, could you please secure the Twilight. We'll allow the captain a half hour before we go inside ourselves."

"Sir," the both chimed in unison.

Jesse followed Kix into the cockpit and sat heavily in the co-pilots chair and watched as the medic lifted off his bucket and place it gently on the floor next to him. Without muttering a word Kix bent down and picked up the flight manifest and began recording the relevant co-ordinates into the data recorder.

He knew why they were there.

.

General Kenobi paced the lounge, stopping and blowing out a loud breath every time he heard the woman's voice call out in pain.

All the time Kix sat silently and watched the Jedi Master.

"This is ridiculous," he muttered. Jesse had called it a night an hour earlier leaving the medic alone with Kenobi.

Another low moan and Obi-Wan stopped, "That's it. I'm going in." Kix raised an eyebrow, not commenting or moving from his spot in front of the fire place.

Ben tentatively opened the door and made his way towards Gem and Rex. She was leaning hard onto his bare shoulders as he supported her full weight.

"Breathe Gem'ika, that's it, breathe," he said in a low, gentle tone. The smell of perspiration and desperation hung heavy in the air.

"Gem," Obi-Wan reached an arm out and placed it on her sweat soaked night shirt. "Listen to me Gem, you can use the Force here to help with the pain."

She shook her head, "no."

"Gem, please. Just visualise, it's a form of meditation that's all. Visualise the baby heading down into position. Breathe through each contraction while you envision the head beginning to crown. You can do this. It doesn't have to be so uncomfortable."

She looked at Rex and he nodded.

Turning around Ben could see the exhaustion and pain etched on his sister's face. He smiled and said. "Soon Gem, soon it will be over. Steady breaths. Visualise." The Jedi couldn't help but smile, 'this child is strong in the Force also," but she didn't need reminding.

Gem knew the Force was strong in the baby ready to be born.

Her own sense in her gift, or curse, had increased throughout the pregnancy.

She had many dreams. Some her mother had been in; happy and smiling, beckoning her for forgiveness. On those nights she would wake in a lather of sweat, trembling until she fell exhausted, back to sleep.

Ben was right, by early morning the contractions were easier to endure thanks to the meditation and her renewed strength.

Her renewed faith.

Rex quietly left the room to grab a caf when the cry came out.

It was 0500.

"Rex, Rex!" The waters had finally broken and Gem was trying hard to refocus, her breathing irregular until he was beside her again.

"Get Øvet, quick!"

"Maybe we should wake Kix?"

"HE'S A MEDIC NOT AN OBSTETRICIAN REX!" Gem screeched, panting hard with another contraction.

"He has had the appropriate training Gem, he can deliver a baby."

She kept blowing out long breaths, the pains becoming more rapid as she lost control of her focus.

"Fek," she muttered under her breath, rocking back and forth with the pain.

Rex left her quickly and knocked quietly on the spare bedroom's door. He opened it to see a lone figure sitting quietly on the end of the bed. Dressed in his black body suit and nursing his trusty medical pack, Kix had waited.

Just in case.

Rex couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"I hear you need some help," the medic said as he stood.

"Kix, I'll get you that commission if you can get me outta this one."

.

He strode into the room and immediately commanded it.

It was what he always did in a medical situation.

Took charge.

"Gem, I gather we have someone impatient to come out?"

She nodded, blowing air in and out slowly, her eyes half closed and her body covered in a sheen of sweat.

"With your permission Ma'am?" Kix asked as he lowered himself onto the floor at the foot of the bed.

"I think we are well beyond formalities now Kix," Gem rushed out.

The medic's eyes lifted towards his Captain who gave a hint of a nod to continue.

"Whoa," he smiled, "we haven't long to meet this little one."

The baby's head had crowned, just as she had envisioned.

"OK Gem, I think we need to begin pushing. Ready?"

She nodded and stopped to moan through another contraction.

Rex straddled her from behind and together they edged towards the end of the bed, and with her heels pushed hard into the mattress she waited for the next surge to come.

"I was hoping Øvet would be here," she said with concern to the medic situated between her legs.

Kix looked up, "she's on her way Gem," his voice calm and in control.

She felt another wave of contractions fast approaching and grabbed Rex's hand hard, trying to regain control of the pain and picturing the head leaving the warmth of her womb.

"Ku'ur Cya'rika, haalur!" Rex breathed into her ear.

She shrugged him away as the full force of the spasm hit distracting her core focus.

"BASIC REX! Now is definitely not the time for a lesson in Mando'a." The pain was sapping all her energy, making her meditation difficult.

Kix laughed lightly and looked up at his two friends.

He was happy to be bringing a life into the world instead of watching one leave. This child represented so much to the men assembled.

This child represented hope, a future they never dreamed possible.

Gem grabbed her husbands arm and squeezed hard as Rex kept silent this time, supporting her through the contraction that saw the head delivered.

"That's the head out Gem. Well done!" Kix exclaimed as the door quietly opened and Øvet entered.

"Sorry I'm late Gem. Although I see you've found someone more than capable to help?" She smiled at the medic, and placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning forward to check the progress. Kix replied, "would you like to take over doctor?"

"Gem?" Øvet looked at the woman on the bed.

Gem stared at Kix.

Images of him helping her flashed through her mind.

From the bacta patches on the little moon, through the phantom pain, and the hysterical tattoo episode. He, like Rex, had been there for her all along.

"I'd like Kix to deliver our baby. Rex?"

"I think it's up to Kix," he smiled.

"OK," Kix said refocusing, "we're half way there Gem."

"Just gently deliver the anterior shoulder, that's it, good, good." Kix could feel the obstetrician's breath on the back of his neck.

With one more contraction and a low moan escaping her mouth, the child was delivered.

"It's a girl! Well done Gem, it's a little girl!"

Gem relieved, half laughing and half crying lent back into Rex as he kissed her temple. The baby was placed on her chest, bloody, wrinkled and dazed. Rex hugged Gem into him, at a loss for any words, Basic or Mando'a.

"Oh Rex," she said looking down at her daughter, "I want more!"

He laughed low, his hand reaching around and tentatively touching the warmth of his child, his strong arms encompassing his entire family.

"Gem, we have to cut the cord and deliver the placenta. Just relax and we'll do the rest." Øvet moved in as Kix got up from the spot he had spent the past forty minutes. Stretching he smiled as he went to leave the room.

"Kix, thank you," Gem whispered.

He nodded pulling the medical gloves off and looking at the new family assembled on the bed.

"You're so welcome."

The arrival of the child had awoken all the occupants of the house. Ben sat in the chair reserved once for her father and remained still. Jesse, clad only in his black body suit sported two cups of strong caf as Rex walked into the room, holding the small child wrapped in a simple, white blanket.

Obi-Wan stood and placed his hand on her forehead and spoke quietly, bestowing an ancient Jedi blessing. Rex then turned to Jesse who wouldn't hold back the emotion.

The tattooed soldier reached out and touched a small hand, momentarily mesmerised by the tiny fingers curling slightly around his.

After everything they had been through, after so much death, something beautiful and new had been given to them all.

"Hardcase would have loved this," he said to Rex, who nodded.

He then slapped his captain on the back and smiled broadly, breaking the reverence.

"So, Cap. What's her name?"

"Piia," he answered. "Her name is Piia."

.

Kix walked outside with the doctor, handing her bag to her as she stowed it away in the speeders back compartment.

"So, how's that drive chain been behaving?"

"I haven't had an ounce of trouble with it since you fixed it."

She lifted her leg over the seat and ignited the engine, guiding it out into the cold morning air she turned and smiled.

"You did a good job in there."

The humble medic just smiled.

"Ride carefully," he responded as he patted the handlebars.

She nodded and he watched her disappear from view.

Kix closed his eyes and looked up to the sky. He stood for a moment and took in a long, satisfied breath when he felt something cold dot his face. He opened his eyes and watched as the small flakes of snow danced their way towards the ground.

'Cin vhetin.'

Then he laughed. With a new spring in his step, he laughed all the way back into the house.

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