A/N: WARNING! Fluff!
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Despite their controversial upbringing, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the Spartan programs and the resulting super soldiers they created were the one thing which truly held the line against the Covenant during Humanity's darkest hour.
In a program many thought would make the Devil himself cringe, the Office of Naval Intelligence "chose" candidates from an very young age. Where they were subjected to numerous medical procedures which were often questionable and borderline unethical in nature, procedures which many of the candidates did not survive and left many others crippled for life. But there were still a high number of candidate who survived these procedures who went on to be placed through punishing training regiments which pushed these individuals both physically and mentally to the edge.
The end result was an individual who was literally created to be the ultimate weapon of war, someone who would be immune to the stresses in which the normal soldier faced on the battlefield. They knew no fear and only knew that what ever mission was given to them, it had to be completed at all cost. It was only when the Spartan Scandal erupted did anyone outside the military truly understood what went on during recruitment and training. A scandal which saw the demise of ONI and sweeping reforms which would ensure that its successor would never have the same powers which its predecessor did.
But once the dust had settled and ONI was no more the Spartan project continued, all be it under new guidelines and under the recently created Central Bureau of Military Intelligence. When suitable candidates were located, they were formally approached by the CBMI and asked if they were willing to join the Spartan Corp. This time though the persons who were selected had a choice and if they declined, then that would be the end of discussions and they were never contacted again about it. But for those who said yes they immediately became apart of history, as they were now members of the new Spartan Corps.
A Corps with was more open to the Public and whose operations were much more transparent than how it had once operated under ONI. In a way the Spartan program had gained a new face and was able to shake off most of the stigma which had been attached to the previous generations. All the while still creating humanity's greatest heroes without sacrificing their lives and their humanity to do so, they still had the mental training which allowed them to cope with any situation, while still being able to assimilate back into civilian life if they ever chose to leave the corp.
But for one particular Spartan IV who now resided in a galaxy which was not so far away, no amount of mental training or conditioning could have helped him deal with the fact that his life, as well as the lives of those around him, were about change very soon…
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{ Cold Feet… }
Date: July 28th, 2610
Location: The residence of Daniel Stepson and Riyo Chuchi. 122 Davis Street, Edmonton District. New Plymouth.
"Beast, will you please calm down?" Raymond asked his friend and fellow Spartan, as he and the rest of Trinity team (Minus Mary) sat within the kitchen of their friend and attempted to calm the former sniper down.
"Yea Beast." Jackson commented. "You're working yourself up over nothing."
"What do you mean?" Daniel (Beast) asked curiously, as he stood by the kitchen counter and nervously tapped fingers on the marble surface. "I'm fine."
"You don't look fine." Ray replied, "You're more jittery than a rat on crack!"
"I am not!" the Spartan IV protested.
"Yes you are, Danny." Jack said with a grin, highly amused by his friend's reaction. "You just got to relax."
"I AM RELAXED!" Daniel replied sternly. "You guys are making a big deal outta this."
"Well you are getting married in a couple days, so it is kind of a big deal." Raymond reminded his friend, as he continued to watch the Spartan pace rather nervously in the kitchen of his home. Yet all the while the older male could not help but to think about just how far his friend had come since they first arrived in the Worth system.
When the Spartan team first arrived in Andromeda, Raymond knew Daniel as a rather quiet person who would normally keep to himself when off duty. While the rest of Trinity Team would spend their off time visiting the many bars and night spots the Worth System would have to offer, Daniel would just kindly decline to join his team mates and would just explore the city on his own. It may have seemed odd that a member of such a close knit team would rather keep to himself during their down time, but Raymond decided to respect his friend's wishes and let it be. But little did anyone realize that it would be during one of these solo trips, that the quiet Spartan would encounter someone who would not only change his life, but the Spartan team.
That was just over four years ago, now Daniel getting ready for what could easily be the biggest day of his life and although the Spartan said he was fine, one could tell that he was nervous. "Come on, it's normal for a guys to be nervous before their wedding. All guys get nervous before their wedding, it's encoded in our DNA."
"Well not in mine." The former member of Trinity team replied, as he picked up a banana which was resting on the counter. "I'm telling you, I am fine and I have no reason to be nervous." And with that statement the super soldier took a big bite out of the yellow fruit…. Skin and everything. "That's….. That's how I eat them…"
"You know you're lucky Riyo isn't here to see you like this." Jackson said jokingly, "I doubt she would have like to see her husband acting this way."
"Whatever, man." The Spartan replied, as he took another bite of the unpeeled banana.
"Look, can we just get out of here already?" Raymond announced. "We have two days before the wedding and we are supposed to show the groom a good time before he get hitched!"
"You're right." Daniel agreed. "Time for us to have some fun before… well before I get hitched!"
"Yeah!" the other two cheered in agreement, as they got up from their seats and got ready to leave the house.
"But before we go, I just want to make a toast." Jackson suddenly announced, as he went over to the fridge and took out three bottles of cola. Handing the other two to his friends, the demo expert raised his bottle and said, "To our friend Daniel, may he enjoy he final hours of freedom because once that ring goes on it's all over!"
The other two men just laughed at their friend's comment, before they took a big chug of their drinks and proceeded to exit the suburban home for a day of excitement and fun. But while the groom was about to spend time with his group, the bride to be was already enjoying her time in a city which she now called home.
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The sun was now high in the sky as the Boardwalk District of New Plymouth was now crowded with people, as the daily lunch time rush was now well under way. Just like the name suggested, the Boardwalk District was dominated by a massive Boardwalk which stretched several miles along the coast line and was home to a large number of restaurants, cafes and hotels. There was even a small amusement park which had been built near the very end of the Boardwalk and was made up to look like the parks which were found on Earth centuries ago.
But the main draw to the area were the many restaurants which could have been found and coupled with the calming atmosphere of the seafront, it was no real surprise that the Boardwalk District was one of the more popular areas in New Plymouth with both locals and visitors alike. Interestingly enough, it was here that a group of women had decided to spend a few hours before heading back out into the city. You see she was engaged to be married in a couple days and as in tradition, the bride to be would celebrate her new life with her friends before the big day. But while the members of her party celebrated, the bride's mind was elsewhere.
If one were to tell the former senator a few years ago that she would be forced into exile by the very government she once supported, Riyo would have just scoffed at the idea and just walk off on them. But here she was in that very same position, as the Republic she once knew no longer existed and she was forced to flee to the Terran colonies for safety. She was forced to leave everything and everyone she knew behind and going back to Pantora as out of the question, since she was informed by the UNSC command that there was a warrant out for her and a few other senators in the Empire. If she were to go home, she may never return. But it was not all doom and gloom for the young Pantoran female, as there was still some good things which had happened to her during this time.
What started as a chance encounter in a park one day on Mesa, soon turned into a infatuation for an individual she would soon fall in love with and she was delighted to learn that her feels were being returned. But it just months ago that the then senator soon realize just how much the Terran loved when he asked for her hand in marriage. To which she gleefully said yes. Now she was just two days away from being Mrs. Riyo Stepson and even though she had no regrets about her decision to marry Daniel, it was still a bitter sweet happiness.
Riyo had not heard anything from her family when the Empire came into being, then again she had not heard anything from them when she messaged them to contact her the same night Daniel proposed to her. Her family was not too pleased when she told them she was dating a Terran, let alone one who was a soldier. In their mind, Riyo was marrying beneath her station and did not even bother to learn about the young man the senator was so in love with. But now she was getting married to him and Riyo did not feel right knowing that her family was not going to be there on her wedding day.
"Are you alright?" a voice broke the Pantoran out of her self imposed stupor.
"Wha..? Oh I'm fine." Riyo replied quickly, as she sifted her attention to the bowl of salad that was before her. "I guess I'm not as hungry as I thought I would be."
"You sure?" Mary asked her friend. "Because you're getting the same look Daniel gets when he has a lot on his mind."
"Really?" the Pantoran asked curiously, unsure if Mary's statement was a good thing or not.
"Yep, you two have been spending a lot of time together since he left the corp." Mary replied. "So what's on your mind?"
"It's nothing." Riyo replied, "It's just that… somehow… I don't know."
"You're not getting second thoughts, are you?" Ahsoka asked her friend, as she joined in on the conversation.
"No no, it's not that." The former senator replied. "I love Daniel and I want to marry him."
"Then what is it?" The Spartan IV asked.
"It's just that…. well…" she took a deep breath and began to explain. "My family. They were not very supportive about my relationship with Daniel when I first told them about us."
"But aren't they still on Pantora?" Mary asked, "If so they why do you even care about what they think? You love Daniel and you want to marry him, why do you care what they thought about him?"
"I… I really don't know….." The young woman replied, as she looked down at her cup of green tea which sat on the table before her. "I guess this is not the way I was hoping things would turn out."
"Riyo… are you sure you are not getting second thoughts about the wedding?" Mary asked with a hint of worry in her voice, if Riyo called it off, she was not sure how Daniel would take it.
"No…" the Pantoran replied, "I guess I was just hoping that by the time the wedding came, they would have changed the way they saw things. Now I don't even know if they are alive or not."
An awkward silence soon filled the table where the three women sat, as Riyo's words sank in. It was common knowledge that the Empire had begun to subjugate a number of planets which were within their territory and Pantora was no different. It was difficult to receive any reliable information out of Imperial space, but the last anyone had heard was that the Empire was setting up a special administrative on Pantora after an apparent "accident" had result in the death of the Moon's government.
Obviously these recent events had a strong effect on Riyo, but this was the first time anyone outside her relationship with Daniel had seen the young woman vent her feelings like this. A look of concern soon formed on the faces of the other two women. "Riyo, do you want to go back to our Hotel room for the rest of the evening?" Mary asked her friend, unsure of just where things would be going.
"No… I'm fine." Riyo replied, as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Today is a day for fun! I am getting married to the most wonderful man I have ever met and my friends are here with me to have a good time."
"So what are you saying?" Ahsoka asked.
"I'm saying that after lunch, why don't we go to that amusement park and spend the rest of the evening there?" the former senator asked with a mischievous grin forming on her face. The other two women cheered and laughed in agreement, as they settled down to enjoy their meals.
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Night had finally fallen over New Plymouth and while most of the city's residents were getting ready to head home for the night, many began to flock to the many districts which played host the city's night life. One such area was known as the Cedar Hill district and it was home to some of New Plymouth's best night clubs, sport bars, grill houses, and Jamal's Bar and Grill was no different. Opened and owned by a former member Worth Colonial Defense Force, Jamal's had earned a reputation for serving some of the best burgers and the coldest beers in the city and it was a reputation the owner was quite proud of.
Normally Jamal's would be packed from when it opened at five in the evening to whenever the owner decided to closed it, which was usually early hours in the morning. But tonight Jamal's was closed to the public, as it would be playing host to a bachelor party being put on for one of Jamal's loyal customers, who himself was engaged in scandalous laughter as he and his friends exchanged stories and dirty jokes.
By this point in the evening the three Spartans had been joined by a few of Daniel's friends which he had made since he arrived in the city all those years ago. Interestingly, Jedi masters Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi were also present at the party, as they had also formed a friendship with the Spartan who fought along side them during the evacuation of the Jedi Temple. To say that the two Jedi were both shocked and highly amused by what they were seeing, would have been a correct assumption to make.
"Let's hear it for the future Mister Chuchi!" Jackson suddenly announced, as he hugged if friend from behind with a drink in his had. An action which caused the assembled group to cheer loudly. "Cause in few hours, his sorry ass is going to belong to that wife of his!" The crowd just laughed even more, as they took a big chug out of their beer mugs and cheered.
"And he is going to marry Senator Chuchi." The elder jedi commented, as both he and Anakin stood in a corner and watch the festivities from a "safe" distance.
"Well from what I heard Padme say, apparently he makes Chuchi laugh." The younger jedi replied, as he watched as Daniel himself wolf down another hamburger. "From what I have been able to learn, this is actually some kind of a tradition among Terran culture."
"So getting intoxicated, acting wildly for no reason and making your friend feel as if his life is about to come to an end, is apart of this…. Ritual?" Obi Wan asked with a rather curious expression forming on his bearded face."
"And yet they were able to see Palpatine's true nature when we were not able to." Anakin said with a heavy sigh, as both he and his former master began to feel a bit depressed.
"Okay guys, hold on! I got something to show ya!" Raymond suddenly announced, as he held a small data crystal in his hand.
"What you got there?" Daniel asked, as the group turned their attention to the Spartan IV.
"When Trinity Team first formed, we all did these videos to introduce ourselves as sort…. And this one is Daniel's."
"Oh boy…." Daniel said as he bowed his head embarrassment, just as Ray placed crystal into the holoprojector and the recording began to play….
"Boom….. head shot."
~Meet the Sniper~
"Sniping is a good job!" the holographic image of a young Daniel posing with a sniper rifle stated, as the rest of the room watched on in amusement "It's challenging work, your outdoors, lots of travel sometimes involved, but you'll never be bored. Because as long there is one person who is more important than everyone else, there is always going to be a need for someone to take them out."
'Dad, dad, I'm not a hired gun, I'm a sniper….." The young said as he stared into another projector. " well one is a profession and the other is a sign mental illness!"
"I'll be honest… my parents were none too thrilled with my career choice….."
"I think that guy spotted me…." Daniel commented as he hid in a house and peered through his gun sight. (Gunshots) "Yep, Yep he did!"
"You know it's one thing to shoot up a target in a hope to kill the enemy, but Snipers, we have standards! Be polite, be efficient, and be ready to kill every one you meet." (BANG!)
Roaring laughter erupted from the file finally came to an end, minus Daniel who had turned a deep shade of red by this point. "Well when you're young and you're dumb." The Spartan muttered.
"Well we all do things we regret later on in life, Beast." Raymond replied, as he walked up to his friend. "But one thing you will never regret, is marrying the one you love and there is no better feeling of knowing that you have found the one that loves you back."
"Thanks, Ray." Daniel replied. "But I have to admit, I will miss running with the team."
"Well trust me, you will not regret leaving." The elder Spartan said, before he raised his beer mug and shouted, "To my friend, Beast! May he and his future bride have a long and happy life together!"
Another loud round of cheers rang out through the sports bar, as the group once again congratulated the groom to be. The party itself continued on late into the night and although Daniel was very grateful for what his friends had put together, he decided that now would be a good time for him to slip away for a bit and get some fresh air.
The night air was cool and the streets by this point were not as crowded as they were a few hours prior, but there was still enough people around to not make the area feel deserted. As Daniel stood alone outside of the bar, he could not help but to think about how his life lead him to this point.
In his youth growing up on the island of Trinidad, Daniel never had much luck when it came to relationships. They usually didn't last very long and would normally end with him feeling more dejected than anything, eventually he had reached a point where he no longer cared about investing in a long term relationship which lead to a string of one night stands, which only came to an end when he joined the Spartan corp. After becoming a Spartan though, Daniel largely kept to himself and would turn down any offers to socialize with others.
But then came the day when he met a certain Blue skinned senator and his life was never the same. What started as a friendship so became a serious relationship, much to the Spartan's surprise and even more so since Riyo was not human. But for some reason being around her made him feel happy and complete, so much so that he decided to take a risk and asked Riyo to marry him. Now here he was just hours away from making one of the biggest change in his life and although he had tried to convince himself that he wasn't, Daniel was more than a bit nervous.
What if things didn't work out between him and Riyo? What if Riyo decided to end things one day and leave, how would he even be able to cope if she did? Would he be the one to leave if things head south? What about if they had kids, would they be able to have kids? Would he be a good parent? All these questions and many more swam through the Spartan's mind, but answers could not be found. The only way he would ever know what would happen, was when it happened and maybe it was better this way. Who knew just what the future will hold, but all Daniel could do right now was hope for the best. He loved Riyo and would soon have her as his wife, he just hoped that he could make her as happy as she had made him.
"Hey Danny, you out here?" Jackson's voice filled Daniel's ear, as his friend stuck his head out the bar door and called out to him. "You better get in here and open your gifts."
"Alright, coming now." The future groom replied, as he sighed heavily and went back into the festivities.
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The date of the wedding had finally arrived and soon, history would be made when a Spartan IV married an non-human. This was something which had never happened before in human history and it was an event which many in the Terran Union were watching very closely. For some this wedding was a symbol of the alliance which had been created between the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies, as these two persons would soon be in an alliance of their own, joined in holy matrimony. But for those who were actually involved in the ceremony itself, it was just a wedding between two people who loved each other.
The wedding would be taking place in an undisclosed location outside of New Plymouth, far away from the prying eyes of anyone who wanted to get a glimpse of the new couple. This was going to be a private and simple affair, there was no way that this was going to be turned into a media circus. The location in question was in fact one of the many islands which were located east of the city, far away from anyone who would "accidentally" stumble in on the ceremony. Those who had been invited were ferried to the island via hovercrafts which were provided by the CDF, a gift of sorts from Admiral Morrison who also provided security for the venue.
A large white tent had been set up near one of the beaches on the island, this was where the reception would be held while the wedding itself would be on the beach's sandy shore. But while the guest were starting to arrive, there was one individual who was still preparing herself for what was to come.
In one of the smaller tents which had been set up, Riyo stood in front of a large mirror and gave herself one final look over. The former senator was now dressed in simple yet elegant, strapless white gown with gold trim, which hugged every major feature of her build and flowed all the way down to her feet. Her hair flowed freely down to her lower back and swayed ever so gently every time she would move, while around her neck, was a pendant which Daniel had given her on their one year anniversary together. Now she was just minutes away from marrying who she saw as the most wonderful individual she had ever met, yet what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, the former senator could not help but to feel lonely
Once again the realization that her family was not there to celebrate with her, began to set in and as much as she tried, Riyo could not shake the feeling that she was all alone. Her family was not there to be with her and she did not even know if they were still alive or not, or even if the Empire had decided to use them as examples. She dared not wonder just what could have been there ultimate fate. But as the former senator continued to stare at her reflection in the mirror, she began to wonder if she was truly alone after all.
It was true her family was not here, but many of her friends were and they could not be any happier for Riyo. Daniel had been very supportive ever since she was forced to flee with the Jedi on Coruscant and was her shoulder to lean on when she felt sad or lonely. Daniel was her rock, he would soon be her husband and if the fates were truly kind, she would be able to start a family with him. It was then at that moment that Riyo could feel as if a huge weight had been lifted off her chest and for the first time in months, she felt as if she could truly be happy with her new life.
"Riyo…. Are you ready?" a voice broke the bride to be out of her meditation and upon looking Riyo could see her young friend Ahsoka Tano standing near the tent's entrance. She was dressed in a maroon colored dress which hugged her figure and had long white gloves which went up to her elbows. Riyo still found it odd to see her friend dressed in such away, but then again the Pantoran saw it as another sign that things had certainly changed. "Everyone is waiting."
"I guess it' now or never is it?" Riyo replied, as she picked up her bouquet of flowers and made her way out of the tent for what could be the longest walk of her life.
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The sun shown brilliantly that day, as the air was filled with the sent and the sound of the near by ocean. The pews were filled with persons from all walks of life, as they were there to celebrate the union of two persons which they knew and wish them all he best in their new life together. At the front of the assembly, the priest stood with a bible in her hand and waited for her role to come into play, while two rather large individuals waited eagerly for the main event to happen. "Nervous, Danny?" Jackson asked his friend, as he stood with his best friend.
"What do you think?" Daniel replied, not even bothering to look at his best man.
"I think you're going to need a new tuxedo before the day is out." The Spartan replied, noting that his friend was sweating a lot. Daniel just ignored his friend as the music began to play and all eyes turned to see the beautiful bride slowly walk up the aisle.
"She beautiful, man." Jackson said with an awestruck expression forming on his face, as he could not be helped to be entranced by Riyo's appearance. Daniel for his part just stood there wide eyed, as he too was taken aback by this vision of beauty that was making her way towards him. 'My god… she's beautiful….' The super solder thought, just as the young woman came peered up at him with her amber tinted eyes, as a warm smile formed on her face.
They stared happily at each other for a few moments before the priest cleared her throat gain their attention and began to speak.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony….."
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A/N: Sorry if I burst your bubble if I didn't go into the actual wedding, but for the sake of the chapter I thought it would be best that if I didn't. Either way I'm sorry for the long delay in posting but if you have been following me then you would know why this is so.
Also, I have become a contributor on a military blog so I will be working on article for that as well, meaning I won't be working on my works as much as I would. Plus my pc is on the blink again and I may end up having to buy a new one so if I don't update then it means I no longer have use of my computer. But anyway I hope you enjoyed this update and please leave a review. Until next time, Nightstalker out.
P.S. 10 points to whoever can guess what I made a reference to in this chapter