Part Seven – A different kind of Red White and Blue

I roll on to my back before I reach over and turn off my alarm, I run my hands down my face and sigh, I'd been having such a great dream. I turn off my alarm and look at the day; I was turning thirty one today. Really I had nothing to be dreading about today, starting in three, two, one…

My bedroom door burst open and a little ball of energy bounded across the room and onto my bed proclaiming, "Happy Birthday Dad!"

I sit up a little more in my bed and smile at her as she hugs me before shoving a homemade card, I look at the card, I can read her printing it's gotten a lot better over the years, she used rainbow colors to spell, sort of, 'Happee Birthdae Dad'. I open it up and see a picture of me, Cassidy, and what I guess is Richelieu, the three sick figures of us holding hands, she doesn't leave anything to doubt when she tells me, "It's you, me and Miss Richelieu going for a walk to the Cattery like we did last week."

I hug her as I say to her, "Thanks Sweetheart, I love the card."

She grins at me and goes to the door, turning slightly as she says, "Welcome Dad, but we don't wanna be late to your office today."

As the door closes behind her, I tilt my head sideways; I think there might be something in play that I was kept in the dark about.

When we got to my secretary's office, I saw that the lights were out. This set me into a defensive footing, Brooklyn should be in by now… I put a hand out to stop Cassidy and I use it to push her behind me as I draw out my sidearm. Yeah, I know it's useless against a kansen, but it gave me a false sense of security. Cassidy looked up at me, as I pressed both of us against the wall, I don't think she was expecting me to act like this. I twist the door handle and open the door inwards, then take out my phone, going to the camera, setting the flash for as bright as it'll go, and snapping a picture of the room quickly.

I look at the picture, nothing seems out of place, my brow knits together before I make a stop and stay motion with my hand before I slowly enter the room, weapon held in at the ready and checking my sectors. I roll my feet softly on the floor to minimize my noise, keeping my breathing slowly and as quiet as I can. I look behind the open door, nothing, I move to my office door, there is no light coming from under it like there shouldn't be. Just as I put my hand on the door handle, I hear a voice on the other side whisper, "Shh!"

I quietly move back to the secretary door and close it quietly as I can, then glide back over to my office door, I slowly and carefully twist the handle before cracking the door open, just enough to use the flash on my camera again.

Once the image snaps, I close my eyes and put out a hand to flip on the light switch as I rush in, but my hand touches something soft followed by a female squeak of surprise and her saying the words, "Y-you did not just hear that, got it?!"

I slowly holster my pistol as the lamp on my desk turns on and I see North Carolina standing there, her cheeks getting red as she says, "Not good Commander…"

I turn slowly to see Baltimore looking at me, her cheeks bright red and I see that my hand is on her bust, I take it away while I feel my own cheeks getting hot, I look down at my feet as I say, "Sorry Baltimore…"

When she doesn't say anything for a moment, I worry that I might have really offended her, but when I feel her hug me in a friendly way from the side as she says "Happy birthday Sir!"

That was when all the lights went on and I heard the door to the secretary's office open, a voice I know anywhere started to sing in French, along with three other French voices. I turned slowly to see Richelieu, Dunkerque, Algérie, and Cassidy all pushing in a cake that was shaped like the Eagle Union crest, dark blue, and gold icing, and the cake was massive, clearly, they mean to feed everyone on the base some cake with this thing. In the center of the cake I saw two candles in the shape of a 3 and a 1, based on this, I knew what they were singing. I found a smile was creeping onto my face at this point, when the cake came to a stop, the four in front of me as well as North Carolina, Brooklyn, and Brooklyn all called out in unison, "Happy Birthday Commander!"

Cassidy added, "Make a wish Dad!"

I knew what I'd wish for, it had to do with the really good dream I was having last night… but well we all know how wishes go. I lean forward and blow out the candles after I tell them all, "Thank you, but you all didn't have to go to this level of trouble."

I wasn't surprised to see Algérie keeping herself back a bit more than the others, what did surprise me a little was for a split second I thought I saw irritation in Richelieu's eyes as Dunkerque came over to me, touching my hand before she kissed my cheek and said, "Not at all Commandant, I like to bake, and how I could I say non to Cassidy?"

I look to my daughter who already had a plate and plastic fork in hand to go with her massive grin; I shake my head and laugh as I say, "Sure, you can have some cake at seven in the morning today."

XXXX

XXXX

Once the impromptu party wrapped up, Richelieu stayed behind and seemed to be waiting for a few moments to be sure about something, before she walked around to the side of my desk, bending at her hips; she placed both of her hands on my cheeks and kissed me, deeply. Deeper than she had ever done so to date, it was like she was kissing me like she hadn't seen me in years, I was so into this kiss that I missed my door opening, and I guess she did too, my ears perked up when I heard Jean Bart who had an amused tone in her voice said, "Now that I didn't see coming…"

Richelieu broke the kiss, her cheeks becoming very, very red as Jean Bart continued, "The Cardinal, taking in pleasures of the flesh…"

A slight smirk was at the edges of Jean's lips as she made a show of shaking her head slowly from side to side as she slowly crossed my room and added with a wink, "If you need a manual of how to do things Richi, I can walk you through it."

Even I felt my cheeks get hot at the implications of what Jean was saying, not that I wouldn't mind… hell I know I'd really like that if my dream last night was anything to go by. Richelieu stepped back from me a little and adjusted her dress as she asked, "What do you need Jeanie?"

The battleship sat in a chair across from me, one foot hanging over the arm of the chair as she sat in it sideways, while the other foot went on my desk; she looked at Richelieu, a smirk on her lips as she said, "Something between me and him… Nothin' bad, you have my word Richi."

Richelieu blushed a little more as she looked at me and asked, "We'll talk later?"

I smile at her and reach over to squeeze one of her hands as I say, "Sounds good, I'll call you later."

Once the door clicked shut behind her, Jean looked at me, tilting her head to the side as she asked, "When did you get her to give up the goods?"

I clear my throat and sit up a bit more in my chair as I say, "I haven't."

"Blidgewash. I know she's slept over at your quarters…" she says back to me, and again that smirk was on her lips.

I was a little surprised that Jean knew that, my head tilting to the side as she says, "Richi told me, said she slept over there a couple of weeks ago an' made breakfast the next day. And that kiss she gave you just now, well that's all the confirmation I need."

I felt my cheeks getting hot before I sigh and shake my head back and forth. I look up from my desk and explain to her, "Yes, Richelieu slept over, in the spare room, alone. I slept in my bed, alone."

"Huh." Was all she said for a moment before she shoved a hand into her top and taking out a ring and tossing it on my desk as she added, "I found this the other day, buried in the sand near my hideaway… it's not my style, maybe you could use it."

I pick it up and start looking at it, it's really ornate looking, and old looking, turning my gaze back to Jean I ask, "This looks old… that means this is very valuable, are you sure you want to hand this over?"

She shrugs, before looking off to the side and out my window before telling me, "I've seen Richelieu happy, sad, and everything between those…"

She paused to look me in the eyes as she added the last part, "But I ain't seen her glowing from just talkin' about someone."

I blink a couple of times and ask, rather dumbly, "She glows when talking about me?"

Jean rolled her red eyes and said, "Pretend ya didn't hear it from me, Commandant."

I nod and put the ring in a drawer and change the subject, "What brought you in today Jean?"

She put her arms behind her head and said, "I want to do a Red versus Blue fight against some Eagle Union girls and the Orthodoxy fleet so we can get used to working with each other again."

I nod as I say, "That sounds like a good idea, a ten on ten match then, one battleship and a pair of carriers backing up three cruisers and four destroyers?"

Jean bobs her head as she tells me, "Sounds like you're trying to go one for one with us."

I nod as I say, "Maybe, but I'm slanting the fleet comp more to Eagle Union tactics."

XXXX

XXXX

Packing it in for the day, Cassidy is walking with her arms linked through the arms of Maury and Bouge, the three of them are laughing at some shared joke, and honestly, it makes me smile to see Cassidy happy, it reminds me of how she'd be with her friends back in Norfolk and well if I didn't know that two of the tree were kansen I'd never be able to tell the difference right now.

That got me thinking, when I touched Baltimore's bust, it had felt so… well… human. It made me start to wonder about other parts of them, according to the data I had on their bodies, they were functionally identical to a human female, all the right bits so to speak. I know that Richelieu's lips felt so human, her cheeks… what really is the difference? I mean I know that she… how does one classify a kansen anyways?

I sigh to myself, I am getting ahead of myself here… this is all thanks to that blasted bit of loot that Jean Bart had given me, it'd left me wondering about... things more so, not that that kiss hadn't pushed it to the forefront of my mind either.

It doesn't take too long for the four of us to reach my home and even less time for the three of them to vanish upstairs to play, I lean around the stairwell and call up to them, "I'll call you three for dinner when it's ready!"

From somewhere upstairs I hear, "Okay Dad!" and a pair of, "Thanks Commander!"

I head into the kitchen grabbing some potatoes from the pantry and get started making some hand-cut fries, just as I get the last of them into the air fryer I hear a knock at my door. I wash my hands before going to answer the door, I see Richelieu standing there, in a very different outfit than what I'm used to seeing her in. She's in a loose-fitting white top and what looks like leggings, a very relaxed looking outfit; she even has a large bag with her on one arm. She smiles at me, her cheeks getting a little red, and I wipe my hands on the towel that I've got hanging out of my belt before I reach for her hands, once I touch them she says to me, "Bonsoir…"

She pauses as she sees the two extra pair of shoes by the door, I can tell that she wants to say my name, but she hedges her bet with "Commandant."

I smile at her and pull her hands closer to me as I say, "Good evening Richeliue, would you like to come over for dinner? Maury and Bouge are here as well, and well, I'd like some grown-up company."

I can see she looks conflicted, she looks down and sighs before she crosses the threshold of the door and takes off her shoes, following me into the kitchen. I see her take a seat on the other side of the island in the center of my kitchen as I start to get out the ingredients to make burgers from scratch, once I have them on the counter I lean forward and kiss her. I note that she kisses back, instantly deepening it. Once the kiss breaks I trace her jaw with my right index fingers and to my surprise, she kisses it, but more importantly, I see that conflicted look in her eyes are gone and I ask, "What's on your mind?"

Richelieu leans forward over the island, her bust resting on the countertop and she says, "I was worried that you might have been wondering about the kiss I gave you this morning…"

I smile at her and nod as I say, "I was, but I did rather enjoy it."

I see her cheeks get very red as she looks down and mumbles, "I did too."

"So what's the problem then? Is it that Jean walked in on it?" I ask her, my curiosity was peaked up at this.

She shook her head and blushed more as she admitted, "I hate to admit it, but I did it because I felt jealous and a little threatened by Dunkerque when she kissed your cheek."

I stop putting ingredients into the bowl, and give her my full attention, taking one of her hands in mine and lifting her chin with the other as I say to her, "You have nothing to worry about Richelieu, I like you…"

I pause and feel my cheeks getting hot as I whisper to her, "I want to be with you and only you. Though I'm not at the 'love' stage yet, I can see myself there… That's a big step for me; I haven't felt that way about anyone in a long, long time Richelieu."

She blushes brightly and smiles shyly at me, taking my hand away from her jaw she laced her fingers through both of my hands and kissed me again before she said, "I am not at 'love' yet either, but I can see myself there Daniel… for me, I have never felt this way about anyone… this is new to me, so please be patient with me."

I tilt my head to the side as something Algérie had said to me came to mind, "So, I have a strange question to ask, and I'm not sure I want to ask about it."

Richelieu squeezes both of my hands as she tells me, "Go ahead, I think we should talk about things… even if they are a little uncomfortable to talk about if we want to truly know one another."

I sigh and look down, my cheeks getting hot before I mention, "When I was looking at a relationship with Algérie, she said that due to her vows she had to remain a maiden until so long as it did not conflict with wifely duties…"

Richelieu made a sucking in noise, I know that took her by surprise, I risk a look up at her and I can see that her eyes are wide and she's blushing brightly still, she makes a noise as her mouth opens and closes, but no words were formed. I watched as her brow started to do gymnastics, it was clear she was thinking about something or going over things in her mind before she finally said something, "Iris' teachings do not go as far as to forbid its followers from spreading their wings… nor does it forbid anything along those lines before a union… but at the same time the teachings do not condone it either."

I smile at her and leave over to kiss her again before I say, "I'm not looking to rush into bed, and I'd rather get to know you first."

She rests her forehead against mine before telling me, "Thank you Daniel for not trying to rush into something."

After a moment I lean back and ask her, "So, would you like to help or just watch as I make burgers?"

Richelieu gets off of her stool and crosses over to my side of the island while tying her hair back in a quick ponytail as she says, "I'll help, this could be interesting to learn how to make Eagle Union fare."

XXXX

Day of the Exercise, following Richelieu

XXXX

I let out a deep breath and close my holy tome, looking up at my banner pole that now flies the flag of the Orthodoxy again, a smile coming to my lips, it really has been too long since I could willingly show this flag. Around me I have my white and gold rigging on display, I turn my attention to my sister that is standing beside me, her rigging on full display and I ask, "It is good to take the field with you again Jean."

She smirks at me; her rigging by contrast is darker but still trimmed in gold. I see her give a quick scan around before she asks, "So, Richi, wanna make this interesting?"

I give her a sideways glance, "Interesting how?"

She puts her arms behind her head and looks skyward for a moment before saying to me, "If I knock out more girls than you do you have to give up something to the Commandant, if you win, then I have to give somethin' up to him."

My eyes go wide and my cheeks heat up, I know Jean, and I know what she's implying with the tone of voice and how much emphasis she put on that word, something before I can form a counter thought my mouth speaks for me, "Jean!"

She shrugs and points out with a wink and a laugh at the end, "Richi, you don't kiss someone like you did in his office if you're going to give it up sooner or later, and if you don't he might find somewhere else to… conduct a boarding operation."

I honestly didn't think my cheeks could get any redder at this point… I had thought about what it would be like to be with Daniel in that way, but when I thought about going for it, I reminded myself of my devotion to God and then I questioned what kind of example I'd be setting to those that follow me. I look down at my feet and the ripples in the water around them as I ask her "Are you sure he thinks about that kind of thing?"

I mean I already knew the answer; we had talked about it, lightly in his kitchen almost a week ago now…

"Of course he does." She says to me with a wink, pausing to look around again and asking, "Why, you need to do some shopping for pretty stuff or somethin'?"

My cheeks got really hot again, I only had one pair of pretty underwear, but I know Jean, shopping isn't her thing and I doubt she'd try and task anyone with going with me, and I get a confirmation of that when she says, "Now I hate shopping, but for you, I'll suffer through it."

I look down and take a deep breath before I thank my sister, perhaps I could use her help for this.

XXXX

Back to the Commander's POV

XXXX

I sigh and rub the back of my head, I'm running the Blue team for this operation, and we've been tasked with defending the port against the Red Team. I feel a little bad; I've got two carriers at my disposal here. I look to the holo table and bring up the team roster to issue orders, "NC, Baltimore and Bremerton, I need you three to form a hard stop to anyone trying to push into Ranger and Intrepid at grid point C3. Ranger and Intrepid, hold fast at grid point C5, and send scouts to check all grids for approach."

I do a quick look at my more mobile forces and issue orders to them as well, "Reno, Cooper, Cassin and Downes, I want you five to go grid B3 then swing around to grid A1 then push back to the harbor mouth at C5."

As one I got back ten radio clicks indicating that my orders were received and understood, now all I could do was sit back and watch this play out.

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long, one of the planes launched by Ranger spotted the Orthodoxy fleet in grid B2, heading to grid C3. I quickly relayed that information to North Carolina's and Reno's teams to catch the Orthodoxy fleet in a pincer move. I felt kind of bad, I knew that both Richelieu and Jean Bart had soft points in their rear and they didn't seem to keep pickets back there, having chosen to go all-in on a frontal assault.

XXXX

Following Richelieu

XXXX

I swing my rigging around to deflect three shells from long range, the way it hits I can tell that they came from 406mm guns; I look to Jean and ask, "How did they find us?"

I get my answer when my AA mounts start to blaze away and I look skyward as blue planes start to dive on me, I see the ordinance on one of them swing lose and I jump to the side right as a shell slams into my rigging from behind, I feel my stomach drop, we've been flanked.

"We can still win! They've only got two heavy cruisers and a battleship up ahead!" I hear my sister call out.

I shake my head as I stand up to my full height and say, "They got us, Jean. We don't know where their carriers are and we are flanked. If we stay we will be sunk, but we can retreat."

I've seen my sister mad, but this was different, I see her look behind us as it registers that even if we push forward we wouldn't be able to deflect North Carolina's shots or the shots from the heavy cruisers for long, not without leaving ourselves open to torpedoes attacks from their flanking force. Jean sighs and runs a hand over her head as she says to me, "Your boyfriend planned this out well to catch us in the open like this."

My cheeks get hot at her words, was Daniel, my boyfriend, now? I think I should ask him about this at some point soon. I get on the open radio channel and say, "Red Team surrenders. You did well blue team to catch us in the open like this."

XXXX

Back to the Commander

XXXX

I sit back in the hot spring that had been set up; it surprised me how at ease I found myself feeling with letting Richelieu take Cassidy into the women's side, it had felt so natural to just trust her with Cassidy. I mean when you got right down to it, they were just on the other side of this wooden wall, I rest my head on the side of the spring and look up at the stars that are starting to come out and smile up at them. It had been nice to do an actual military exercise today and the girls from both sides had done so very well today, it even seemed to build some comradery between the Orthodoxy and the Eagle Union girls too. I hated to admit it, but I was worried that there would be tension on the base between the two groups, nice to see that it was unfounded.

After a few moments, I hear from the other side of the wall my daughter says something that makes me cough and try not to laugh, "Wow Miss Richelieu, those sure are big!"

XXXX

XXXX

A/N: Chapter Seven down, during this time of difficulty with the website, I'll be adding chapters to the last one (in this case Chapter 5), but more than that I might go back to some older stories and expand some scenes, make adjustments to them or add whole new scenes. I'm not done with this one, so I will finish it out and post the whole thing as time allows.