"Attention to orders!"

A hundred or so boots slammed against each other in response to the command, nearly all wearing the green dress uniform of the Dzimban Light Infantry. A small group of Marines and Airmen also joined them, facing the center stage placed in the hangar.

"By order of the Secretary of the UNSC Ground Command, the Army places trust and confidence in the selflessness, professionalism, and bravery of Ian Walls of the Dzimban Light Infantry Regiment. In view of these qualities and actions, along with dedication to the UNSC, he is therefore to be promoted from corporal to sergeant. Advancement is effective July 24th, 2552, with date of rank being July 1st, 2552."

Facing the crowd, he felt the two down-facing stripes on the side of his uniform be gently torn off, replaced by a fresher pair of three-chevron rank insignia. Janni DeVries ensured they were placed correctly, having been asked to do so by him personally. The Afrikaner had been promoted a few months before him and had technically been in command, but always relied on his old friend for advice and friendship.

"You can finally call me a poes again," he said with a grin as he shook the newly promoted man's hand.

"The rank never stopped me," he responded, grinning slightly.

Given his wounds, it was about the best he could do, but Janni knew he was being a smartass. After all, that's why he kept him on the squad.

Colonel Pearce followed him, accepting a salute and offering his hand.

"About time Walls. Your father would have been proud."

"He already was sir."

"I believe it. At ease!" he barked, the rest of the troops applauding or whistling at the ceremony.

He had become a popular and trusted lower NCO in the regiment, and the fact more than a few people from outside the DLI came to see his promotion, while a bit surprising, showed he was not a total screw-up.

"Speech!" Seb called out.

"Go to hell," he grunted to the laughter of the crowd. "I don't think my face can take more than a few words, let alone yelling."

"Yeah, whatever Scarface," Herb joked.

"You should at least say something," Pearce whispered from behind him.

He hesitated, but scanning the crowd, saw a shady looking man in a gray, nondescript suit at the back. And next to him was a massive figure, in greenish brown armor-

"Holy shit," he whispered.

She came to the ceremony. He invited her and asked her to pin him, but he did not expect anything to come out of it. He nodded at her, which she returned with a slight smile. He straightened up a bit and cleared his throat.

"Thank you all for coming. I know it's not a thrilling ceremony, but I am honored that I have been entrusted with the responsibility of command. I hope that I'll soon use my expertise and ability soon."

He was about to continue before the pain in his cheek turned searing, grabbing at it and stopping.

"Thank you," he grunted.

Pearce moved beside him and spoke again as Janni rejoined the formation of DLI men.

"All right, we're just waiting on the Admiral to get here, so at ease, but stay in formation."

He sighed at the situation, more than a little irritated.

"Sorry Walls. But the Colonial Cross deserves someone high up to give the award."

He paused and looked in the direction of the Spartan and what he assumed was her ONI handler.

"Interesting choice of who you wanted to pin it on you. Can't say I know many people awarded by a Vice-Admiral."

"How many do you know that were pinned by a Spartan?"

"Touche, sergeant. I'll have to get used to that."

"It'll take a while for me as well sir. But we'll-"

"Attention on deck!" a Marine roared, snapping everyone to attention.

"At ease!"

Vice Admiral Nadine Aoun moved to the stage as the formations returned to their relaxed posture. As she approached the two Light Infantrymen, he and Pearce saluted her.

"Good morning," she said, returning the salutes.

"Thank you for coming ma'am," the Colonel said.

"I would have gotten here on time, but there was a situation with one of the frigates. Nothing ever seems to go right nowadays. How are you feeling, uh, sergeant?" she said, looking at his new rank.

"Fine ma'am. I'd say it can't get any worse, but we know what would happen if any of us said that."

"Isn't that the truth? I'm glad you're recovering alright, that was a nasty hit you took. And I will say, your request for the award ceremony was quite odd. Even more so that she accepted it."

"We've been good friends for a while now."

She seemed surprised at this comment.

"I didn't know Spartans could make friends."

"Neither did I ma'am. But Ell-er, 074, is a good soldier. I'm glad to have served with her."

"Very good. Ah, there's the award and certificate now."

After a short speech, the time had arrived to finally award him the highest honor the UNSC had.

"Spartan-074! Front and center!" Vice-Admiral Aoun called out.

A few glances and low whistles followed as the clank of her Mjolnir boots on the hull echoed with every step. She took position in front of Aoun and saluted her. She dwarfed her superior officer to an almost comical degree, and he smirked before the stabbing pain in his cheek halted him.

"Attention to orders!" she yelled.

Boots clacking, all the same as before.

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Corporal Ian Walls distinguished himself on June 30th, 2552, during parachute missions throughout the New Hunan combat zone on Criterion. At significant risk and exertion to himself, he made three separate combat missions to assist stranded or trapped units of Marines and Soldiers. Despite being deployed constantly via risky parachute drops, Corporal Walls showed no regard for the danger he faced, or the exhausting amount of energy expended to do so. The survivors he assisted and gained evacuation for all noted his bravery, calmness under fire, and willingness to continue being sent into the front lines. His last jump saw him face almost impossible odds to recover a Spartan that had completed a mission running concurrently with his own. Despite making two jumps previously, he instantly volunteered to assist. Chased by a massive section of the Covenant army in the area, under near constant fire, and being grievously wounded before exfiltrating successfully, his character and iron will honors the Dzimban Light Infantry and the men who serve in it. For the actions of that day, the UNSC awards him with the Colonial Cross, the highest honor it can bestow on those who have made sacrifices worthy of earning it."

Aoun handed Ellen a small box, opening it to reveal the metal cross, a blue, red, and yellow striped ribbon connected to it. She took the medal and slid in front of him.

"Let me try to get this right," she whispered to his amusement.

She fumbled next to the Cross of Valor, the highest award given on Dzimba, but slid it in and placed it perfectly. Aoun leaned over and nodded.

"Good work petty officer."

"Thank you, ma'am."

She stuck out her hand, which he took firmly.

"You aren't gonna pound it in?"

"Only if you want a broken ribcage."

"Hardly the worst thing to happen to me lately."

She shook her head slightly.

"Congratulations Ian."

"Thanks Ellen. We're having a party in the officer's mess if you want to come."

"We'll see."

They saluted each other, her Mjolnir clanking as she moved offstage.

"At ease!"

More applause and cheers followed. It was the proudest moment of his life, bar none. Promoted, honored with the most prestigious medal in the service, and even given the honor by a Spartan and an admiral. It should have been the highlight of not only his career, but his very existence.

But in a few months, he would only remember it as the last time he ever saw Eleanor-074.

XXXXXX

Ian woke up, flopping his hand to try and find her on the other side of the bed. He never understood why he bothered, considering that she was certainly awake before he ever was, but he guessed it was force of habit more than anything else. He instead placed a hand on Artemis, who interrupted her scheduled grooming to reciprocate his attention and licked his fingers for a few seconds.

"Love you too Artemis, but you're not the one I was looking for."

As if understanding what he said, she snipped at his fingers, which made him pull his hand back instantly. He sat up from his pillow and gave the animal a reproving look, but she had already returned to grooming her silverish gray fur.

"Bloody cat," he grumbled as he swung over and stood up.

He stretched, a few satisfying cracks following the action. Ellen was a big lady, not in a bad way, but it certainly left him little room on his bed. Maybe they should move into her room if things were going the way they were? He chuckled at the suggestion as he walked out into the kitchen. As he made a fresh mug of tea, he found the Spartan sitting on the couch, reading a book. As the water boiled, she turned and noticed him.

"Good morning, Ian."

"Morning. Whatcha reading?"

"Something about Ancient Greece."

She looked back at the book and frowned.

"Did-did you know about Helots?"

"The Spartans slaves? Did they never tell you about that?"

"No… I can imagine why though."

He chuckled a bit as he took a sip of tea before going behind the couch, right behind her. He checked Unc's door and seeing it firmly locked, hunched over to kiss the back of her neck, right beneath her left ear.

"You were a bit clingy last night," he whispered.

"I-I was cold," she responded, flustered at the intimacy.

"Sure."

Four days had passed since the coffee execs had left, and despite his own personal wants and needs, the two had stayed merely cuddling or holding each other throughout the night. There was a part of him that wanted to move to the next level but pushing her was not the right answer. If she wanted her to move on, he would let her. If she wanted to stay where they were, so be it. He frankly did not care, after all, no matter if she was physical, aromantic, or wanted to be platonic, though he doubted it, he knew one thing for certain.

"I love you," he whispered before pulling away and throwing some bread in the toaster.

He had been increasingly open in being affectionate towards her, as long as Unc was not watching. He knew he probably did not care, but between being moralized or talked down to by him or the misery of having to listen to the jokes and jibes thrown their way if he was aware, it was perfectly fine staying quiet and just moving on. Then he felt a sudden, though welcome, presence behind him.

"Oh?"

Out of her Mjolnir, Eleanor stood at an impressive height, 6 foot and 7 or 8 inches, and that was before one factored in her physique and muscular build, turning an already shocking figure into a terrifying one. But terror was the last thing he felt as her arms wrapped around him and her chin rested on the top of his head.

"-you too," she whispered.

She pressed herself against his back, and he was able to almost feel the massive, augmented heart hidden under all that flesh and muscle. She had tried to say those few words back to him, the ones that sent her completely off balance every time he said them to her but had failed so far. It would take time, and he was patient. After all, he was only 27, and she was the same age as far as he could guess, and the average lifespan was still about a hundred years or so. Of course, that number had plummeted, but that happened when 5 out of every 7 humans had been killed.

"I know," he said mischievously.

"Do we have any plans today?"

"Not that I can think of. Unc didn't tell me anything at least. I think he's given up on farming now that we don't have to worry about it for a few years."

"Fair weather farmer."

"No, just lazy."

He gently pulled away from her to grab his toast. Taking a bite of it, he turned and faced her, running a hand up her arm and patting her on the shoulder.

"Came at the right time, didn't ya?"

"I spent three years doing that for you already, why would you think I ever stopped?

"True."

They both stared at each other for a few seconds before he reached his hand up to her cheek, gently brushing some of her hair away. She tensed up for a moment before slightly relaxing, putting her hand on top of his.

"Hey, I never asked this, but am I rushing you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you're still coming out of your shell I guess, but I don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you to do anything you don't want to."

"It's fine Ian. As I said, it'll take a while to get where we want to be, and I want you to know I appreciate your patience."

"I think everything we've done so far was worth the wait."

They went quiet again before he pulled himself towards, lifting himself up slightly to try and get level with her lips. She made an attempt to respond in kind, and they were only an inch or two away when the door to Unc's room swung open, a suitcase flying out. The two broke off instantly, a thud and stabbing pain going up Ian's back as he realized he had been damn near thrown off her. He grunted in pain as he stiffened, Ellen realizing what she had done as the man in question stepped out.

"Morning you two! You all right boy?"

"Was trying to get something and she bumped into me. Hit my back on the counter. Son of a bitch!"

"Well, she's a big girl, " apologies Eleanor. You'll get better. She can take care of you while I'm out."

The two looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean by "out," if you don't mind me asking?" Ian asked, rubbing his back.

"Well, we've hit a windfall of money, so I divvied some of it out through determining our costs, overhead, and the crop."

"You don't understand any of those words, get to the point."

Unc shot him a frustrated glare before continuing.

"I do, actually. Point is, I have determined that I can take up to 50,000 credits and use it however I see fit with no drop-off in our finances. Ergo, I am doing what's responsible."

"You're investing it in something? Or putting it in savings?" Ellen asked as she pulled some ibuprofen from a cabinet and handed it to a thankful Ian.

Unc laughed and shook his head.

"Of course not! I'm going for a week to Sun City. Maybe two if things go well."

"Oh, for God's sake," his nephew groaned, rubbing his temples.

"What's Sun City?"

"It's a wonderful resort, based on a marvelous place in the Republic of South Africa. Pools, bars, restaurants, all a man could desire."

"That sounds enjoyable. Not for me. I don't like crowds."

"He's not going for the crowds, Ellen."

"Then what for?"

Ian grimaced as he looked at Unc's suitcase.

"The casinos."

She looked at him in confusion.

"What?"

"Gambling. When Dzimba was founded, they banned gambling, some part of the official rules on new settlements or something. Well, the area Sun City's on was technically founded on land promised to one of the tribes in middle Africa, different rules and regulations."

"So, they live there?"

"No," Unc said flatly. "Third Katanga War kicked off before they could leave. They were ethnically cleansed out of existence."

"Oh."

Ian shook his head and finished the story.

"Then a few Anglo colonists realize that the land is different, use the loophole and set up the Las Vegas of the sector. Morally speaking, I hate gambling for the ruin it causes, and using the corpses of a long dead group of people to make an unfair profit is abhorrent."

Unc rolled his eyes and looked at Ellen.

"The family visited there a few times. He had an incident with the pool there and makes up excuses to not like it ever since."

"That lifeguard was not qualified; I did know how to swim."

"Anyway, I'm going to enjoy myself. I didn't think either of you would want to come, so you have the place to yourselves for a week or longer. Don't burn it down."

Ian was about to protest before he realized the implication. Just him and Ellen, alone? For a week? He had been waiting for a chance like this for a while now, maybe let the old fool burn through 50k credits. If it meant more time with her, it would be worth the cost.

"Alright. I see you're packed already, so take the car and head on out."

Unc balked slightly.

"That's it? You're letting me go?"

"We got enough money. And I got help here."

"True. Well, no time like the present, eh? I'll be back in a week. Keep the farm safe boy. And Eleanor? Keep working on your Greek. Goodbye!"

"See ya."

"Bye Arthur."

The front doors slid shut as he scampered out, the extra truck screeching down the driveway, Ian unable to hide his familial disappointment.

"Well. I guess we got the place to ourselves for a few days."

"What a tragedy."

The two once again seemed unsure what to do or say next.

"So… wanna do something?"

"Not really."

"Alright."

"I was thinking steak pie for dinner. I wanted to try that recipe out and never got the chance yet."

"Sounds good to me. I just need to do some checks on the harvester today. Want to hit the range in a bit?"

"Sure."

"Lemme get a shower, and we'll get to it."

Life simply continued as it had before. Bit of exercise in the morning, breakfast, shower, range, and then whatever he or Ellen needed to do for the day, capped off by dinner and either a movie or just sitting in the lounge engaging in small talk. In a funny way, it was just like old times: the two of them in a pair, no one else bothering them. He was a worse shot now, but he still was better than any fool who would challenge him. Only Eleanor was superior, and there were more than a few reasons for that. It felt good to be together again, alone with her. And maybe it was the lack of supervision or unwanted attention, but he noticed that she was getting, for lack of a term, bolder. Getting more touchy feely, even once taking the opportunity to kiss him on her own volition. And when night rolled around, there was never a moment he was not being held by her. It was almost blissful in how peaceful and content their time together was. If one did not know any better, it was almost as if they were a married couple already. Not that Ian would make such assertions. Their lives were almost methodical until the third day on their own, when to his surprise, Ellen broke the monotony.

"Ian?" she asked one morning as he finished his breakfast.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure."

"Whenever we went out with RSM Ncube, he would always say it was never going to be a picnic."

Ian chuckled as he sipped some tea.

"Yeah? And what about it?"

"What's a picnic?"

He blinked; his thoughts were interrupted by the simple question.

"Well, it's when either a couple people or a family pack food, and go somewhere nice and just eat there, or spend the whole day wherever they go."

She nodded at this as she pet Artemis, who had jumped on the counter despite her owners' protests.

"Can we do that?"

"Do what?"

"Go on a picnic."

He set down his datapad filled with news across Dzimba, all good ever since tempers had cooled a few weeks previously. Thinking the question over, he shrugged.

"Sure, after we hit the range and all that. Make sandwiches or something. That's what we always had."

"You haven't had roast beef in a while, so that's fine."

"Well, if someone hadn't learned how to cook, I'd still be in the dark ages."

"Maybe I'll teach you a thing or two. How about you pack it up as payback for all those dinners?"

"Fair. Maybe we'll go somewhere out to the nature preserve?"

She frowned instantly at the suggestion.

"Given the last time we went there, I'd say no. How about somewhere close in case something else tries to attack us? Maybe in the coffee trees."

"That's fine. I'll get some shorts on, and we'll be set."

"Should I wear anything?"

"The BDU get up you like so much it should be fine. The Weather looks nice and sunny anyway."

She was quiet for a few moments before she hit her fist on the counter gently.

"I'll find something nice to wear."

He raised an eyebrow at the action and took another sip of his tea.

"We'll have to zero that MA-37 we got from the militia today."

"The MA-5, you mean?"

"Don't start."

She laughed, startling Artemis.

Around noon, he was sitting out on the front steps. He had waited about fifteen minutes since he finished some of the minor farm work after their range excursion. In no time at all, she had put a whole magazine through the bullseye of one of the targets, meaning someone in the Dzimban Militia had a perfect rifle just waiting for them, a favor for Janni as payment for skipping out on a drill or two. He stood up and opened the front door, curious as to the delay.

"Ellen? You all right?"

"Yeah!" she called out from her room. "Just fixing something! Sorry!"

"You're good."

He closed the door and sighed; she had never taken this long before. Bored of sitting on the steps, he walked down towards the parked truck, checking the tires in a vain attempt to find a diversion. He did at least find a 7.62 bullet underneath, bending down to pick it up. He rolled it around in his fingers, thinking how many he had loaded, how many expended, how many accidentally thrown away or left in a desperate retreat- the door suddenly opened behind him.

"I-I'm here," she said, her voice surprisingly nervous.

"Took you long enough. What, did you forget where you left your boots?"

He turned to face her, looking down at the bullet still.

"Or did Artemis shred some of your clothes like she seems to love doing to mine?"

"N-no, I-It's fine."

He frowned at the bullet.

"What's wrong? You getting cold feet or-"

The bullet tumbled out of his hands as he finally looked at her. His jaw dropped; his voice not even able to escape his throat. Ellen was not wearing BDU pants. Or the T-shirt. She was wearing the straw hat she had stolen from his mother's room, but-

It was a lily white, sleeveless sundress. One that perfectly fit her. He had never seen her wear anything that fit, not even the under suit that went underneath the Mjolnir armor pieces. His mind had completely failed him, trying to process what he was looking at. Even when she was right in front of him, standing on the veranda steps, he could barely believe it.

"I… got it from Maria. That package? When I was living with her on Earth, she promised to get me something to wear other than issued clothing. And so-"

She pinched the sides of the sundress up before letting them down, embarrassed to the point all she could do was laugh.

"I got this. I was trying to find the right moment to wear it but haven't until now."

She rubbed the back of her neck, looking at Ian's astonished face.

"If you want me to put something else on-"

"No."

"Really?"

He closed his mouth, clearing his throat before speaking.

"You look marvelous," he said flatly.

"Really? E-even without the sleeves?"

"If scars bothered me, I wouldn't be chasing the right kind of woman, would I?" he added, quickly regaining his composure. "You should've worn it sooner."

She took more than a little pleasure at these comments, but quickly hid her reaction.

"Ready?"

"Got you covered."

"Same here."

XXXXXX

"...and then Herb says, "I think I found them," and not even a few seconds later he leaps over the side of the dune, thirty or so beams flying right over him."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Thank God the Kig-Yar were off their game that day. They thought it was just him and tried to get closer, so we quickly took position and wiped them out. Not bad for a fresh lance-corporal."

They were sitting amongst a grove of coffee trees, Ian laying on his back while Ellen sat on her knees, the small cooler they stored the food and drinks in separating them both. They had been sitting out there for about an hour or so, enjoying the food and the weather. It was a perfect day, warm, but with a breeze constant enough that one could ignore the heat. She was enjoying the peace and quiet in the middle of the field, not noticing that her companion could barely keep his eyes off her. He had never seen her in anything other than armor, dress uniform, or her favored civvie get up. But now it was-

"Do you miss it?"

"Miss what?" Ian said, broken from his thoughts.

"The army?"

He thought before he shrugged.

"I mean, I miss the camaraderie. My friends. That feeling when you would get back on the Ojibwe and just relax. But that's forgetting the rules, being shot at constantly, the pricks that came with every service that wanted to make your life miserable. Oh, and the constant thinking you were going to die thing. That frankly sucked."

She nodded, the straw hat bobbing slightly.

"I only ask because I can tell you do miss parts of it, as you said. We've spent the last hour and past few days remembering the old days."

She was silent for a moment before she remembered something.

"What about the future?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think about that?"

"Well, for the past six years, I thought we didn't have one, so what little time I've had to think was mostly about the present."

He frowned, looking out into the fields before he suddenly laughed.

"What's so funny Ian?"

"We survived, we got money, and I got you. My future's never been brighter… and I have no idea what to do about it."

"I understand the feeling," she said, taking a sip of the iced tea he brought. "I wasn't expecting to be anything other than a Spartan, and now I'm on some Outer Colony wearing a sundress. Fate works in mysterious ways, I guess."

He nodded at the assessment before rubbing his eyes.

"Alright. My turn to ask."

"Sure."

"Why me?"

Ellen looked back at him, crooking her head.

"What?"

"Why did you come to me? You probably served with plenty of good guys."

She reddened slightly at the question, fixing the brim of the hat as she tried to produce an answer.

"Well, first off, the war wasn't over yet."

"True."

"But-"

She took a deep breath and shook her head, pausing briefly.

"Ian, I've never told anyone this. Actually, telling you this may breach some NDA's and be technically treasonous. But I think if I could tell anybody, it would be you."

He sat up and looked at her, realizing that she was not merely flustered, but it was as if her mind and body were fighting her to stay quiet. But in the end, she won out.

"The Spartan Program… was very selective. A special kind of person was necessary to be accepted. Faster, stronger, smarter. But not everyone made it through the process."

"Drop-outs?"

"Sort of. The biggest hurdle was what made us special. It was also the most deadly and painful part of it all."

She reflexively ran a hand along the surgical scars on her left arm.

"The augmentation was not pretty. It was painful. Agonizing. Long. And it felt even longer. But I was lucky. I survived it."

Ian's eyebrows shot up.

"They killed recruits?" he asked, almost outraged.

"No," she quickly responded. "We knew the risks. It was worth the sacrifice in the long run! But-"

Her face turned to one of pain, maybe even grief.

"Among the ones who didn't make it… was Eddie."

"Eddie?"

"He was one of the recruits. English. Proper, like your mother. He was one of the few nice people I remember. He would make me laugh to get my mind off the training and things going on. He was brave too. Always volunteered. You and him would get along with each other. Maybe-" she giggled for a moment. "A bit too much. And you remind me a lot of him."

"So, you just wanted another Eddie?"

"No, I came to like you as much, but having a few things that remind me of him certainly helped make you endearing."

"Well, I'm glad you found it that way."

They went quiet yet again. Ian decided to broach the question.

"What exactly happened to Eddie?"

"His body refused to accept the augments. He-it-I-"

She stammered over the words, almost unable to say anything. Ian got closer to her, putting a hand on her uncovered shoulder. Her skin was surprisingly soft, given what it had been through.

"Hey. I get it."

She swallowed before her body shuddered.

"It wasn't nice. And he didn't deserve that. What hurts me is that every time I thought about him, it would always end up going back there."

"I get it. When we had that ceremony, all the good times with Davie just turned into seeing him bleed out in the street, or his body failing on the chopper."

They both looked ahead into the fields of crops for a few minutes, either trying to process their thoughts or find a way to discuss something more pleasant.

"Ellen," he said. "There was a time where I thought I was a broken person. Never would be fixed. But I think we're both just trying to find something. Like you told me when you got here. Do you think you found it?"

"I'm not sure. But-" she looked into his eyes, back to being slightly embarrassed again. "I think I'm on the right track."

He nodded, chuckled, and leaned in to kiss her. She returned the gesture, the two staying connected for a little while before they broke away to breathe.

"I keep forgetting that," she chuckled.

"Me too."

"This was a good idea. Just going out and doing this."

"Yep. And this day can only get better, right?"

"I think so."

They sat quietly again, hearing the wind rustling through the coffee leaves, the sun beaming down on them.

"I was thinking. Maybe we can go out to Selous for dinner?"

"Aren't you being brave today?"

"I wanted to try that place you were talking about. The chicken one?"

"Oooh, the Mozambique place. I'll tell you, the spices they use on that are-"

A loud slap interrupted them both, causing the two to flail around and figure out what it was. Ian grabbed his Browning pistol, swinging it around in preparation for another intimate study of lions.

"What the hell was that?"

"I don't see anything Ian."

"I don't either."

Then another slap. And another. He felt a wet spot on the back of his neck and turned to face her.

"Ian? Is it-"

"Oh bollocks," he answered.

XXXXXX

There was nothing more inaccurate in human history than weathermen. And Dzimba, infamous for its sudden, biblical downpours, was no exception.

"You got the cooler?"

"Yeah! Are we going the right way?"

Ellen's eyes, augmented to be superior to the average human, needed little help to see the outline of the farmhouse.

"Just up ahead!"

"Thank God!"

They nearly leapt onto the veranda, both soaking wet.

"I thought you said the weather would be nice."

"It was supposed to be!" Ian coughed.

"Maybe it'll get better in a few minutes."

As if to answer Ellen's query, a white flash and thunderous roar put any hopes of it ending soon firmly away.

"Great."

Ian was about to say something when he looked at her, the words caught in his throat. The sundress had turned translucent, revealing her skin with its scars and other imperfections, along with her pitch-black bra and-were those panties? They were!

"Bloody hell," he muttered.

"Something wrong?"

"Uh, nothing."

"I'm gonna take this off, I don't want to get the floors wet."

"W-what?"

The dress made a wet thud as it hit the veranda, Ian quickly looking away. Yes, he had seen through the clothing, and he had accidentally stepped in the shower with her once. And he slept with her every night. But this-

"Take your shirt and pants off. They're soaking wet."

Without realizing it, he obeyed the orders without a thought. He snapped out of it as he watched her walk through the front door, still in a bit of a daze. He went in before the door closed, catching a towel thrown towards him.

"Your hair."

"Ah. Thanks."

"I threw your clothes in the dryer."

"Can your dress take that?"

"Machine friendly."

"Ah."

She moved to the kitchen, getting two glasses of water. Ian would have asked, but his mind was completely off. He was staring at her, almost unable to break his focus. He felt like an idiot, as if he were one of those characters in a godawful teenage romcom unable to handle his crush. He accepted the water with a murmur, trying to find something to look at instead of her. Staring out at the downpour, he thought of saying something witty, but found his mind unwilling to assist. He sighed and looked at Ellen-

To find her staring at him. He was not the most fit or muscular, but he was fairly proud of his toned body and few pack abs. He took a nervous gulp before trying to finally speak.

"It's probably not that impressive to a Spartan."

"I'll be honest with you Ian, there's a difference between enjoyably fit and overdoing it. Most Spartans are well in the latter."

"And me?"

She finished the water and shrugged.

"Take a guess."

"You're no help."

He finished his water and tapped his fingers on the counter. There was somehow a tension in the air, one he could not understand. He decided to leave.

"I-I'm gonna go get dressed."

"Me too."

They started walking off to their rooms when he paused, feeling something behind him.

"Ellen?"

He turned to see her rubbing one of her arms, her face slightly red.

"Ian… uh, never mind."

"Uh, ok. I'll just-"

For the rest of their lives, neither figured out what sparked it off.

He felt her arm grab his, nearly jumping in shock.

"What-" he said, before looking at her.

Staring into his eyes, he finally understood that there was something more behind them. As she pulled him towards her room, he did nothing to stop her. Why would he? And even if he wanted to, he could never beat her. As the door slid open, his heart started pounding, blood rushing like waves on the beach. It kicked into overdrive as she pulled her panties off and dropped them, facing away from his gaze.

"G-get on the bed. Please."

"Alright."

He followed her orders, climbing onto the bed and laying down on his back. Before he knew it, she had climbed on top of him, pressing her hand down on either side of his head.

"Ian… I-I don't-It-"

"Ellen."

He placed hand on her elbow, trying to hold onto something.

"I don't want you to feel like you're being forced to do anything you don't want to."

"I want this. I don't know why or how, but I want this."

He swallowed nervously, nodding his head.

"Alright."

He slowly peeled off his boxers, his engorged member slapping down on his groin as it was released.

"C-can I admit something?"

"Sure. I don't have anything to hide now," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"When you walked into the shower after I got here… I noticed it for the first time. I had my suspicions, but-"

She looked away from it, looking into his eyes.

"Lemme return the favor."

She unsnapped her bra, which fell off one shoulder and was quickly pulled off the other. They were not massive, but they were not just fully steroidal pecs. If anyone wanted to argue that female Spartans were so augmented they no longer looked like women, Ian could surely argue. And now, he could do it from experience. She paused for a moment before lowering herself on top of him. Then he felt her lips on his. After a few seconds, she broke it off before looking at him, only inches away.

"Ian… I love you."

He took a shuddering breath before swallowing.

"I love you too Ellen."

"It's been difficult to try and figure this all out, but I know I want to be with you. Whatever that means for us. And doing this, proves it."

"You don't have to-"

She placed a finger on his lips. She was more assertive than ever. Was this really the barely adjusted Spartan he knew?"

"But I want to."

She lifted herself up, obelisk like in her poise, knees on either side of his pelvis. He looked down to see her… womanly parts. She kept some hair, but it was perfectly trimmed. He remembered her statement on the topic when she first got here and that checked out. There was a long pause, neither of them moving. His heart was racing, and he placed his hands on her thighs to find her slightly trembling. He could only think how crazy this all was, all other thoughts scrambled into an incoherent mess. Then he realized something. She was not staying still for dramatic sake. She seemed lost.

"Uh, Ellen?"

"I-I don't know what to do."

"What?"

"I never thought I'd get this far and… Maria didn't get to this part yet."

"Oh Jesus-"

"I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"It's fine. Ok, look, I haven't done this before either, but I have enough experience through other material and nearly getting some when I was drunk."

She showed disappointment at the statement.

"When was this?"

"Celebration for my first service year. Went out and I… nearly got all the way with a local chick before I threw up on her. Had my pants around my ankles and everything."

"W-well, put that to use, I-I guess. Not the vomit part, if you can help it."

"Alright. Er, l-lift yourself up a little bit."

She did so slowly, until he figured that he could-

"Stay like that."

He gently grabbed his little soldier-well, it was average, but not point in getting caught in semantics at that moment- and aimed it directly at her.

"Alright. Now, slowly, and I mean slowly, l-lower yourself and we'll… you know."

She nodded, doing as he said, moving slowly. He could feel the tip touching something warm… and wet. From the little he knew; he must have been doing something right to get a woman like her in the mood.

"All right. Stop. Before you do anything."

"I-is something wrong?"

"No, I… just want to ask if you really want to do this. If we do this, we're never gonna be the same."

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"I don't want us to be the same. We aren't. Ian-"

She leaned towards him, trying to comfort or encourage him. But it set off a chain of disasters that neither of them was prepared for. The bed in the guest room was the old mattress of the Walls, with more than a few dents, imperfections, and divots. As she leaned over, one of those divots gave way. Losing her balance, she tried to regroup by sitting down.

With predictable results.

As she slammed down to the base, Ian gasped, clenching the sheets in a death grip as every nerve damn near exploded. He thought he went blind for a second, losing himself. It was tight, slimy, and, for all intents and purposes, the best thing he had ever felt in his life. It took ten or so seconds to regroup in his mind, his mouth bone-dry.

"Ellen?" he croaked.

Receiving no answer, he lifted his head up and looked at her, quickly realizing that she must have felt it too. Her hands were over her mouth, her back arched forwards as her body trembled, twitching in reaction to what just happened. A few moments passed before she moved her hands away and looked down at him. Her eyes were half closed, almost in a daze. To his disbelief, she was drooling, lines of spit running from her mouth.

"C-congrats on losing y-your v-card, Ellen," he panted.

She did not respond and started slowly coming closer. His euphoria turned to terror as he realized she was about to fall on top of him, full force. He placed his hands on her chest, not out of desire, but in a desperate ploy to control her fall. She moaned slightly as he did so before laying on top of him, her head resting on top of his left shoulder. Her weight was slightly crushing him, but given the moment, he hardly cared.

"Well?" he asked. "What'd you think?"

She was quiet before moving her arms to wrap around him.

"It hurt," she sniffled. "Do we have to do that all the time?"

"Of course not."

"Did… you enjoy it?"

"It's uh, not what it's cracked up to be."

"I'm sorry Ian."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he said while running his fingers through her hair.

She was still twitching, her heart thudding as hard as his.

"I can't even describe it. Nothing I've ever done compares."

"And you still didn't like it?"

"Maybe I'll like it… one day."

Ian chuckled slightly.

"Oh damn," she whispered.

"What?"

"I think I pissed myself. Right when it-"

"Uh, that's not what that is."

"What is it then?"

"You uh… finished. It means you enjoyed it. I think. It's different for chicks."

"Did you finish?"

"No."

"Was it not good?"

"It takes more effort and time for us guys."

She went still at the words, then suddenly lifted herself up, dug an arm under him, and rolled over. He gasped again as he landed on top of her, his head landing between her chin and cleavage.

"What?"

"Maria said something about me being on top was dangerous. Y-your turn."

He lifted himself up and looked at her.

"You sure?"

"We're here already. Just go for it."

He swallowed before nodding. He moved down, running his hands along her body to her enjoyment, judging by how much she was twitching. He moved his hand down to her woman hood, running his fingers along it. Now she let out a gasp, her hands grabbing the wooden headboard.

"Alright. I'm going in again."

"Go for it, sergeant."

He adjusted, aimed, and drove into her. He groaned as she arched her back again, both panting.

"That's color-sergeant, petty officer," he wheezed as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head back below her chin.

For what felt like half an hour, he continued, his body somehow going automatically into motion. To Ellen's credit, she took it like a champion, even though she was probably going to destroy the bedframe with the death grip she held it in. What drove him wild was knowing when she reached her limit, tightening and releasing him at random intervals. There was a part of him that pitied her, but whatever part of his monkey brain that took control in the situation kept him from doing so. Then, he felt it.

"Ellen?"

"Y-yeah?" she slurred, her endurance nearly at its end.

"I'm about to-"

"D-do it."

"I'm gonna-wait, I need to pull it out," he desperately said.

"Why?" she murmured.

"If you can have kids, then I could-"

"What?"

"If I-oh shit!"

He tensed up and started to pull back before he felt two massive objects wrapping around him.

"Ellen!"

"You're fine, go!"

"No, it won't-"

Ellen's massive legs pulled him in, and his body, pushed to its absolute limit, gave in. Months of pent-up energy and repression finally released into her, his hands digging into her back before he finally collapsed, his face cushioned by her breasts. He was panting heavily, his mind still trying to process everything he had just done.

"Oh God," he whispered.

"What?" she spluttered, being as much if not more of a mess than he was.

"I might've… knocked you up. I'm not ready for kids."

"Don't worry. Maria… gave me a pill."

He lifted himself up, his arms wobbling as he did so.

"What?"

"She… gave me some things before I came here."

She covered her face with her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment. With what little strength he had left, he moved himself up to her face, moved her hands, and kissed her. They stayed like that for a minute or two before they separated, and he slid down to below her chin again.

"I love you Ellen," he rasped.

She wrapped an arm around him while the other moved up, her fingers gently rubbing his head.

"I love you too Ian," she whispered.

In a few minutes, he was in a dead-sleep, unwakeable and unmoving. She remembered something but was almost too embarrassed to do it. But she had promised…

She grabbed the datapad on her nightstand and held it up, activating the camera. With a noisy click, she looked it over. Editing, cropping, and doing a few more adjustments, she typed out something and with a hesitating finger, pressed send. She placed the datapad next to her and laid back into her pillow. She had never felt that way before, and he made her… She could not think about it anymore than she had to. She was there. She was happy.

That was all that mattered, she thought with a smile.