Mandalore: Mando'ade

[Nicole]

"Resol, are you sure?" questioned the physician. "Ixetal Cilona will completely severe.."

"I know.. Ummmgh.. Do it!" Ranah winced and growled out, her jaw clenching tightly as she squeezed her fingers into a ball. A quick moment later the injection was placed in her arm, the drug began to course through her veins, destabilizing her connection with the Force, almost like a foggy grasp on what she once had. It was the only way she could ensure she wouldn't kill them all in some pain riddled explosion of the Force.

"You're doing well.." the doctor told her, followed by Ranah's cry of tension and pain as another contraction tore through her, she dropped her head back against the sweaty pillow, looking up at the bright lights of the ceiling, trembling, body all tensed up.

Zev had been notified that it was time, of course, it also bore the warning in his memory of having a wife that could crush him with the Force. Ranah had her own solution for that, prepared ahead of time, though she had never told Zev she would render herself incapable of using it for hours with the drug she'd told the doctor to give her.

Even so, Zev Khandrr would pay! Oh yes.. that Darkside in her was plotting all kinds of ways to share the pain with her Mand'alor husband, even if it was just a fantasy.

[Praenuntius]

Zev Khandrr, the Mand’alor of the Mandalorian people was inspecting the newly expanded base outside of Norg Bral. The Bralor Clan was making a bid for more money and in return would be shouldering more of the burden of defending Mandalore. Getting the call over his headset, he stopped the procession through the Command Center which housed many of the latest technological advances the Mandalorian’s had stolen from abandoned Federation shuttles.

Looking to the Bralor Chieftain, “I have an urgent matter to attend to. The quickest way to the hangar? I need to borrow your fastest fighter.” None could refuse the express wish of the Mand’alor, and he was quickly directed towards the hangar. Almost jogging by the time he reached the hangar. Already suited in his armored battle suit, he made quick work of getting into the modified Dune Lizard. The sleek design of the starship had been weathered and patch ten times over, but he was assured it was the fastest in their arsenal.

Doing the pre-flight checks, he waited for them to clear before taking off. Soon as he was able he throttled full power to the engines kept it on his course. Everything below became a blur of green and blue. Zev could think of nothing but his wife and their soon to be child. They had the best medical staff he could find. All of them Mandalorians. There was no fear of what she would do to him with the Force. Nothing could stop him from being with his wife or their soon to be born child.

Slowly the craft as he neared Keldabe city, he brought the city grid up and plotted the coordinates to the hospital that had been sent in the coded transmission. Bringing the ship around, he began his descent and landed at one of the private pads. Shutting the systems down, he lifted the canopy up and hopped out of the ship, now running. Having to stop for decontaminating procedures, he was stalled just a hallway and three doors from where she was.

Taking his helmet off, he tucked it in the crook of his arm. Those obsidian locks waving with each step he took. There was no running through these last few doors. He was the Mand’alor, the excitement was plain on his face, but his posture was rigid and strict. Pushing past the last door, his slate grey eyes met with that of Ranah’s golden. Seeing the pain and the realization that this was really happening, staying out of the way of the medical staff, he reached her bedside.

Leveling those eyes on the physician, his questioning gaze said it all. Was everything proceeding well?

[Nicole]

Ranah's eyes lowered instantly from the ceiling as Zev burst through the door and maneuvered his way to her side. Her hand shot up, grabbing him by the armored forearm she yanked him a little bit closer and looked up to those stormy eyes. The excitement within couldn't be hidden as she drew in a deep breath and nodded to the questioning look he gave her. Her hand slowly slid down to Zev's as she held. He'd gotten there just in time, no sooner than the two had shared their look to each other she was told that the time was now.

She squeezed Zev's hand tighter as she was told to push. She did so, the groan and force drove her back up off of the incline of the bed as she winced her eyes shut, tears of tension rolled down her cheeks as she cried out.

"Again!" shouted the doctor.

And again came the deep cry of a mother as she pushed with all her might, everything in the room seemed to go dark for a moment, all she could focus on was the head of the white clad male she could barely see between her knees.

Then came the sound everyone held their breath for. The cry of a newborn.

Ranah collapsed back, panting out, her red locks a horrible mess upon her hair but she couldn't care less. She squeezed Zev's hand slightly again before letting it go, knowing he would be needed by the doctor for the moment - thankfully she had listened during the briefing when she was told what steps would occur and when.

Once the cord was cut, the newest Khandrr was wrapped up securely after a few vitals were taken and then put into Zev's arms. A few pats on his back by the Doctor and a " Congratulations Mand'alor, Resol."

[Praenuntius]

Sharing that look with Ranah, Zev understood everything was fine. The strength and determination found in his wife’s eyes eased his apprehension. Grasping at his armored forearm, his eyes never left their berth, attached to that indignant look. Feeling her squeeze his hand, he wrapped his other hand over it. Supporting his wife as well as he could, Zev watched as she constricted, face flushing red as she pushed. Arching her body up and against the restraints, he grinned and turned his stormy hues back on his wife. Watching her with admiration, how beautiful and glowing she looked. Even through the tears and pain, Zev couldn’t help but adore the woman who would suffer herself through such agonizing pain.

Pulling the top layer of his grasp upon her hand away, he tore his gauntlet off, setting it atop one of the monitors. Pressing the warm digit against her cheek, he wiped away the tears, kissing her temple. Pressing his lips to her ear so she might hear him, he whispered, “You’re doing well my Resol.”

Again! The doctor shouted into the roar of Ranah’s screams of frustration. Tyrannically forcing herself to shove her insides out, it abruptly came to an end and the tension released in Ranah’s body. Falling back into the medical bed, Zev turned his gaze to the doctor. There was no wailing. No sound of a crying infant and for a few moments Zev’s heart stopped.

Then he heard the squall of the newborn. A deep set of lungs filled the room just as his mother’s had. Turning back to his wife, pride and love showed in those steel eyes. “You did it.” He squeezed her hand and given the squeeze in return and sent on his way, he didn’t go immediately, much as he wanted to, he leaned over and kissed her forehead, “I’m proud of you Ranah.”

Turning away, he met with the doctor and was handed the newborn baby, wrapped in a cloth, ironically enough the blanket he was wrapped up in bore the sigil of Clan Khandrr. Patted on the back by the doctor, Zev didn’t even respond. While the nurses continued to check the vitals of Ranah making sure everything was okay, Zev stepped past the bustle and looked into his son’s blue eyes. Clouded and murky still, fingers tiny and wrinkled, mouth moving as he squirmed in his grasp, probably no more than ten pounds Zev had to guess; stopping just before the window that overlooked the city, the sun was just rising. A fitting way to start the morning, “All of this will be yours one day, ad’ika.”

Not giving a damn he made his way through the huddle of nurses and showed his wife what the fruits of her labor had borne. Cradling the tiny baby boy in his arms, he fell to a knee at her bedside and looked into her eyes. “Zaek Khandrr.”

[Nicole]

Ranah was exhausted, Zev had missed the best part of labor, the agonizing contractions leading up to when he'd walked in. She was a Mandalorian, a fighter, but she was more than contented to let loose the unyielding rock of her stubbornness and relax, let the nurses and doctors do what they were trained to do and take care of her. She would be alright, she was just tired, worn out. It would take a few days before she'd be back to normal, days which she'd lean heavily upon Zev for her and their son's protection, even if all of Mandalore would back them, Zev was her rock.

Contented to know Zev had their son she closed her eyes, knowing that Zev Khandrr would never let anything happen to him. Soon enough Zev was next to her, her eyes opened and cast her golden gaze over to him and their son, her hand extended out, a gentle brush along such tender flesh, so soft, she smiled and brought that hand on up, touching Zev's cheek as she looked to his eyes.

"Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum Zev Khandrr."