Flames of Orange, Tongues of Pain ((Jazz, Jase, Mina))

IC Time: mid afternoon, day 2 of the brushfires, Month 1
IC Setting: the Kai home, residential area of the weyr

Alika was worried. The brushfire had shown no chance of stopping that first day, and certainly not so far today. So many people were rushing into the Weyr for shelter and Alika was lending a hand when she could, which was why she was puttering around her home looking for spare clothes for the refugees.

And then she felt a ripple across her belly. Alika was eight months with four more weeks to go till her baby was due. These couldn't be real contractions! Please, she wished, don't let the baby be born in this disaster. It was bad enough that Akamu wouldn't be around to see his children grow up, but for her child to come a month early and in the midst of disaster?

The young mother turned frantically, looking for Jassette. Her friend was helping her gather the clothes together since she was so heavily pregnant. "Jazz?" Her voice was nervous and their was a note of urgency in its tone. Her left hand went to her belly as another beginning contraction hit, her right hand filled with three shirts of Akamu's for the refugee men.

Latching on to her shoulder, Akamu cheeped at Alika, worried by her strained face. She reached up to caress him with her right hand. "I think I'll be okay..." And then she bit her lip in pain, feeling her belly ripple.

There was chaos. Everywhere she looked people were running in either panic or rushing to help those injured from the bushfire. Too many kept coming in, and she worried about her son. He'd opted to help with the fire in whatever way they told him to, and she could only hope they'd set him to doing some mundane but safe task somewhere within the Weyr while she aided her friend with the refugees still pouring in from all over the colony.

Jazz was so occupied with getting things back and forth where they needed to go that she almost didn't realize her name had been called. Only the worried cheeping of Alika's dragonet told her something had gone wrong. The look on her pregnant friend's face was testament to that. "Alika, what's wrong?"

A moment later she didn't have to have the question answered. "Is it time?" She dropped the clothes she was holding and went to put a reassuring hand against Alika's back. "Alright honey, first things first. We need to get you to the Infirmary, or get one of those dolts out there running around like a chicken with no head to fetch us one of the healers."

She looked around, grabbing up a few of the clothes that they'd originally been planning to give to the refugees. "Clean towels would be best, but we'll work with what we have. I'm going to prep for a home delivery just in case, I want you to breathe and try and stay calm. I'm here for you, you aren't alone."

Akamu nuzzled her cheek, usually so optimistic yet clearly concerned now. And then when Alika felt Jazz there, she opened her eyes and tried to give a weak smile. "It feels that way. The baby definitely wants out," she added when she could feel her water break and flood down her thighs. Her brown lizard chirped and sent her the feeling that he knew where the medicine people were.

Alika turned to her comforting friend while the other woman assembled shirts and clothes for a delivery. "Akamu can go." She reached out and squeezed Jazz's shoulder. "I know, dear, I know you're here for me. Ah!" And the convulsions hit again. Thinking hard of the infirmary, Alika gave these images and the feelings of urgency she was feeling and sent the brown to that destination.

Akamu popped between and arrived at the infirmary, where plenty of healers were frantically working on getting medicines together for the refugees. Searching out one of the healers who wasn't dealing with a person or carrying breakables, the dragonet landed on the young man's shoulder, cheeping with panic. He broadcast images of Alika, her belly, and feelings of panic. He squeezed his claws to simulate contractions and wouldn't let go of Jason until the man came to action.

Back in her home, Alika managed to walk into her bedroom, pacing out the labor pains and leaning against the wall when the contractions hit. Rubbing circles on her big belly, the mother spoke to her baby, caressingly and comfortingly. "Shhhh, my baby, all will be well. Just wait a while, the world will wait for your birth. No need to incapacitate mommy." Her shoulders braced her against the wall while Jazz went about getting the room ready for a home birth.

Once the little creature was away Jazz launched herself into action. Back on Earth, before coming to the colony, she'd assisted in several births for friends nearby. She was hardly a midwife, but she did know what to do to keep the mother comfortable and the infant as stress free as possible. It was a juggling act of epic proportions, but one she managed with a calm air about her.

Clean clothes were found and tossed over one arm then a pitcher of hot water and another cloth were snagged as well. It took her a little over five minutes to gather everything, but by then she was in her no nonsense mode. She was a much older mother, but she did know that younger mothers like Alika needed that solidarity to feel safe. And a mother in her friend's situation needed all the support she could give her.

She came back to Alika and immediately set the things aside to help the other woman over. "Alright. Do you want to do this here or try and make the Infirmary? Home birthing can be less stressful for you and your baby, but the healer may prefer the infirmary. It is your choice, because this journey is for you and your infant. I am simply a guide to help you both meet face to face for the first time."

Alika gratefully accepted her friend's help. "Here." She squeaked in pain and shuffled towards the bed slightly before leaning into Jassette's arm. "I don't think I can make it to the infirmary right now." The pregnant woman shifted onto the bed with her friend's help. Scooting back towards the pillows, she leaned against them, breathing the way she had for Mahina's birth. Still a bit dazed, Lika looked at her friend, comforted in her presence. "What now?"

Jazz helped Alika get into the bed, pulling off all unnecessary blankets so that the healer would have plenty of work room when he or she arrived. She then circled around to the now warm water and dipped one of the cloths in it and wrung it out before shifting to dab it along her friend's face and neck. "I want you to keep breathing evenly, it will help the baby and you remain as stress free as possible through this."

The infirmary was hell; people coming in left, right and center and Jase was firm in the middle of it all. He hadn't had a break in over a day; and it was now edging onto another day without solace. A man had just come in with serious burns and Jase was doubting he would live the night with their now limited medical supplies. Leaning over the man Jase was about to start work on him when Akamu burst into the air and attached himself to his arm. The dragonet's claws dug in and Jase knew for sure they would bleed. But the moment he realised the reason why Akamu was so panicked he handed the man over to one of the other Doctors before grabbing his bag and racing out.

He was almost out of breath by the time he arrived at Alika's quarters or weyr as they were now known as. Taking time to collect himself against the door way he knocked. Rikath a constant presence in his mind; checking in to see that he was okay and did not need assistance before she turned back to helping the dragonhealer with those injured dragons who were coming in or already in the infirmary.

"Sorry I'm late.. may I come in?"

It was an odd thing to say; but Jase felt it had to be said as the vibe he got from the room was one of complete control; control he felt to be unnatural. Control he felt made him not wanted or needed despite the babes premature birth.

Alika panted on the bed, her body's fluids beginning to soak the comforter as the contractions began to come closer together. She couldn't even react to Jassette's hands and damp towels on her skin due to the concentration it took to endure the pain. Though they weren't situated in the main room of the home - Alika hadn't gotten used to calling it a weyr since she had no dragon - Alika heard the knock at the door and a man's voice call for permission to enter.

When Akamu returned to her, sitting attentively on the left side of her chest, the brown dragonet gave her a mental picture of the healer he'd managed to bring. Jason, of green Rikath, Alika remembered. They were a good pair, helpful and calm. Relief flooded her body in the pause between contractions. She prayed that Mahina wouldn't come around and become distressed by the pain going on. And the tension.

Taking a deep breath, she gathered her strength though her body was limp on the bed. "Jase! Come in, please! We could use a healer's -" And her voice was cut off as another contraction hit, this one more powerful than the ones before it. Alika dissolved into panting breaths and whimpers after the pain receded, but only a small bit. She tentatively reached one hand down over her large belly to feel for her child's head, if he was even that far out; things hadn't gotten this bad with Mahina's birth so early on and she was worried.

When Alika brought her hand back up towards her face after she felt nothing unusual for a birth so early on, she noticed blood in the fluid on her fingers and swallowed hard. There shouldn't be blood, should there? It couldn't possibly be normal...blood was with the placenta, not with the beginning of the birth, not this much at least. Lord, please let my baby be alright, please let him or her be healthy, she prayed mentally. She added her hopes for Koleamoku to guide Jase and for Haumea to watch over her and her unborn child during labor.

As another contraction hit, Alika's bloody hand dropped to the coverlet and gripped the fabric for support.

As another contraction swept Alika's body; Jase was moving once again; rolling out his bag beside him on the bed. Rubbing his hands clean with redwort he turned to Jassette. "I need you to help get her up against the wall; she'll need something to brace herself against when I tell her to push." His words were kind but also curt as he pushed back Alika's dress further. The sight of blood worried him a little; but he would deal with that after he checked her dilation.

"Alika I need you to try and relax now; I'm going to see if I can get you to push now. So just bear with me."

Reaching up he grasped one of her hands and squeezed it tightly with reassurance before he did his exam. Well now she had certainly dilated fast he must have guessed because it didn't seem like she had been in this state all too long.

"Well Alika looks like he or she doesn't want to wait any longer. I'll have Acetyline send a stretcher down here. Don't panic it's just for precautions."

With a squeak his gold appeared and then disappeared again to go do as Jase had politely asked of her. Positioning himself he looked across at Jassette and then Alika.

"Okay Alika; big moment. I want you to push and push hard with this next contraction; I have a feeling it's going to be a fast one. So I need you to give it all you've got."

The healer's timely arrival was a welcome one, and Jassette sighed in relief before springing back into action. She'd been in several home births before coming to Pern, and she'd found that the midwife or doctor always got angry when things were in chaos when they arrived. She didn't know Jase well enough to know if this was so with him as well, and as such had made sure everything was as calm as possible when the healer finally arrived.

At the order to help the older woman practically leapt to do his bidding. "Yes sir." She kept her voice even, seeing the blood and knowing it couldn't be a good sign. Hemorrhaging during delivery was never a good thing, but they could worry about that after the baby was safely there and in the care of a trained healer.

"Keep breathing honey. I want to meet this impatient babe of yours." she kept encouraging the younger mother, hoping she was being helpful to both friend and healer.

When she'd been put into position, Alika felt incredibly weak from nerves and the strain of an early birth. She was worried, but she couldn't let herself think about that when her baby needed her. Jase mentioned having his firelizard go for a stretcher which started a pang of worry in the young mother's chest, but his assurance that it was only a precaution brought her mind back to the efforts her child was making towards entering the world.

Alika smiled wanly at Jazz, appreciating her friend's support. "No chance...of that..." she managed, before she felt her body begin to tense up again. A moan slipped through her lips though she tried to grit her teeth. Pushing with the contraction with all her strength, Alika didn't have the ability to keep her scream inside. Besides, letting it out helped relieve some of the psychological sensation of pain from the contractions and whatever rupture or rip had made her bleed.

Alika painted an almost perfect picture of child birth before modern Earth medicine had made the process clinical. Her back was arched with her shoulders pressing into the wall, head tilted back and eyes closed. One hand gripped at Jassette's arm, the other crushing Jason's hand in hers.

Mahina was trying to sleep. She'd been having such a hard time doing that ever since her father died, and just last night she'd had a terrible nightmare about watching him and her mommy being swallowed by the fire...So Alika had told her to try and take a nap, and Mina was trying, but it was hard, because her mind kept wanting to go and think about things that Mahina did not want to think about. Like how she'd never see her daddy again, and how the fire was coming closer and eating everything and how Thread had fallen and hurt the dragons....

Curling up in the tightest ball she could manage and squinching her eyes closed wasn't helping at all; in fact, Mahina had just come to the realization that it was making the whole thing harder when she heard voices coming from the other room. Mommy...and Jazz! Jazz was here! Mina loved it when Jazz - who she was really supposed to call Miss Jassette, but Mommy didn't really mind it if she didn't - came over; she was so nice and fun to play with. She'd been over a lot since Mommy was so close to having Mahina's little baby brother or sister.

She uncurled and unsquinched, abandoning trying to sleep in favor of getting to see Jazz. But wait - those voices were not happy. In fact ,they sounded distressed, and Mahina started to get worried. What was going on? Why did they sound so upset? She'd been about to rush in, but paused, now not sure if she should interrupt at all. If Mommy and Miss Jazz were busy with something...

Then another voice came, a male voice, and Mahina just had to know what was going on. She jumped up and ran through to the other room, calling anxiously, "Mommy?" If there was something wrong with Mommy...

She reached the doorway, and stared in horror. Alika was there, gasping in pain, and a strange man stood over her looking down at her, while Miss Jazz helped Mina's mother stay steady. What was happening? And then she saw blood, the opening..."Mommy!'

Alika screamed.

What was happening? What was wrong, what was going on, and what could Mahina do to stop it? Something was horribly wrong, but all she could do was stand there, petrified and unable to move. Then her eyes settled on the man standing by her mother - she did not know him, and Mommy had been perfectly fine before he came. What was happening, was she dying? Was she going to lose her mother too, and her baby brother or sister? She couldn't! Not again, not so soon...

She ran towards the man; what else could she do? He was the only variable in here, and Mahina would do anything to stop her mom from dying. "What are you doing to her? Stop it, go away! Mommy, stop!" She began to sob. "Don't die!"

When Jase heard Mina's call; twisting his hand free of Alika's he caught and pinned Mina against him. Her arms and hands pinned against his chest to prevent her from getting violent with him. He shushed her with a soothing voice; keeping one hand free and eyes steadily watching for the baby.

"Shh sweet. You mummy will be okay. She's having her baby. You want you see you little brother or sister born right."

He waited a little more; before he looked down at her breifly with a gentle smile. Hoping she would do exactly as he asked of her; because he needed her to be a big brave girl.

"Now I need you to be the big brave girl and big sister you are and go sit next to your mother and hold her hand for me. Can you do that sweet?"

His voice was even and soothing as slowly he let her go and waiting till she was steady and standing turned his attention back to Alika. Good good; everything was good till he saw the feet first. Breech position.. Not good. Now the bleeding was explained as half of the little boy slipped out; the rest caught by his shoulder causing what must be agonizing pain to Alika. Reaching out with his hands Jase looked up at Jassette and nodded to her before looking at Alika.

"Now I'll give you some good news first. You have a baby boy. Bad news is he's coming out breech. On the count of three I'm going to need you to push; I'm going to help slip his shoulders free. But I need you to push; and only when I tell you to."

Jase's hands supported the tiny baby boy as he looked up at Alika and Jassette with a sudden seriousness. Taking a breath to prepare; he returned his focus to the babe in his arms.

"1; 2, 3, Push Alika!"

Jassette nodded sharply at the medic, shifting a little and making to move if the need arose. If the baby was presenting Breech then there may be several things to get once he came out. And all this in the middle of one of the worst disasters they'd seen since...well since Thread. At least that was her opinion of it all. The times they lost people were always hard, and Thread had killed many.

The arrival of Alika's daughter was met with a deep breath and then a soothing brush of a hand over the little one's head. "Be patient, little Mina, while Jazz and the nice doctor bring your new sibling into the world. We must be brave for him, because he doesn't know anything about this great big world of ours."

She could only hope the child understood, though now she felt the need to reassure her even more. Though the time to push came and she had to support her friend in whatever way she could, which was mostly by blotting the sweat from her brow and speaking reassurances.

Before Mahina could do anything, she found herself suddenly pinned to the man, keeping her from moving her arms. For a moment she struggled, afraid, panicked; this man had come and was hurting her mother, and now was keeping her hostage. The scene was too much; the blood, the screams, the worried faces, the stranger. All Mahina could think of was death: the death of Akamu and now the possible death of her mother and brother or sister.

"Shh sweet. You mummy will be okay. She's having her baby. You want you see you little brother or sister born, right?"

Mina quieted, shocked into stillness. Her dark eyes found his as she absorbed his words. Mommy's...baby? Now? "But Mommy said..." What she'd said was that it wasn't supposed to come yet, not for weeks more. Why was it now? But he couldn't be lying to her. The baby was coming. "Y-yes," the girl finally whispered in answer to the man's question.

But she wasn't satisfied, she was still scared. Soemthing was wrong; Alika was hurting. "But what's wrong? Why is the baby doing that to her?" Were all births like this? Had hers been like this? Mommy was in so much pain! It couldn't happen like this. Something was terribly, terrible wrong. She could still die. He'd said she was going to be okay, but Mahina didn't quite believe him. The blood....what if...

"Now I need you to be the big brave girl and big sister you are and go sit next to your mother and hold her hand for me. Can you do that sweet?"

For a moment Mina simply stared at him. He wanted her to...help? Get close? She wanted to help, of course, but it was so....She glanced at the mess that was her mother and shivered convulsively. It was disgusting. But she had to help. The healer man wanted her to be a big girl and help Alika. Of course she could. Suddenly determined, she looked up at him and nodded. "Okay."

Grasping her mother's hand tightly with both of hers, the girl heard Jazz peaking, and looked over at her. Brave again. Brave for them. Mahina would do what they said, and be brave - even if she was terrified because Mommy might die and so might her little sibling, petrified that she'd lose them. But she'd be brave and hold Mommy's hand to help. It'll be okay, it'll be okay.

It was gross and she didn't want to watch, but somehow she couldn't help it. After having closed her eyes for several seconds, the girl took a peek, unable to stop herself. Legs. Feet and legs were sticking out of Alika, and it must hurt because suddenly her mother was screaming again and clutching her hands, and Mahina hung on to her mother's hand as tightly as possible, as if her grip could stop Alika from slipping away.

"1; 2, 3, Push Alika!"

She couldn't watch, she couldn't watch, she couldn't watch! Mahina squeezed her eyes closed tight and held on to Alika's hand for all she was worth, because that was all she could do.