"You do know they've been following us around for the better part of our little date, right?" Tyuule inquired calmly as they strolled through Manhattan's more popular touristy areas. Namely, they were currently in Central Park... With about half of their common platoon trailing them in the middle of the park, trying to behave inconspicuously, despite some of the smiles they wore.
"I'm acutely aware, heh," Richard replied awkwardly, noting Itami and Torres being the leaders of this surveillance operation. Not to mention the ONI spooks and the possible CIA, NSA and other agents around keeping tabs on what was probably the most watched, yet least-televised meeting in the world. Thankfully, it wasn't televised at all, but the eyes all watching them felt... Off.
"Should we tell them to stop it?" Tyuule inquired, a bit awkward at so many eyes, both civilian and not, being on them. She was never one for the limelights or cameras, even when she'd managed to set up their accession to the UNSC as both a protected member state and citizens of the Unified Earth Government. They'd kept that on the quiet side thanks to her and Richard begging Halsey for it.
"Nah," Richard surprised her with his response. He smiled and asked her, "Who cares, right?" as he grasped her hand in his, causing her to blush heavily. The usually pale bunny warrior suddenly turned a bright shade of pink right up to her drooping ears as she tugged at her shirt's collar. The man, though he was slightly red in the face, smiled at the sight of the woman he'd spent the past three to four years helping.
The girl managed to let out a weak, "Y-Yeah..." despite her embarrassment. Richard did find it sort of cute, but she had teased him beforehand, too, so it was just a little bit of payback, he thought to himself as he looked ahead at the couples walking through the place with kids. Some stopped to stare, others took pictures of Tyuule with her actual bunny ears drooping, but most stayed a surprisingly respectful distance away.
"You started and can't take it?" Richard teased, a grin on his face as he held her slightly closer, "Heh, how the mighty queen has fallen," and he looked her in her beautiful ruby eyes. The girl pouted and averted her gaze, face glowing ever-closer to the color of her eyes due to the embarrassment. Heh, he was nailing it, but it still made his own face feel slightly warm. And the distant, whispered cheers of Itami, Torres and the Princess and her Posse didn't help.
"Shuddup..." Tyuule whined, completely and utterly embarrassed, next, which caused him to pause.
"Heheh... Sorry..." He apologized, finding that incredibly adorable. Honestly, he really shouldn't have double down on it, he thought as his own face now glowed deep red. He'd really goofed it a bit here, hadn't he, getting the Queen of the mighty Warrior Bunnies to blush like that? Weren't they usually doing the whole 'community raises the kids thing' anyway, so why would-he stopped thinking about kids before he'd say something stupid.
"It's okay. Just never thought I'd..." She replied in a mumble, "Turn into this when together with you."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," He replied awkwardly, too, mumbling, "There's something strange about all of this..." And he decided to switch subjects as he realized the degree of bullshit they were dealing with... "I mean, look at us. We're in the middle of 21st century Manhattan Island, on what's basically a date that just so happened to coincide with a statement by Doctor Halsey in the precursor to the UEG... Holy hell, this is so fucking weird. And we're supposed to be a Video Game, too, of all goddamn things..."
"Hey. It's alright," She told him as she put her other hand on his arm, causing him to blush. Smiling at that, she reassured him, "Before that, you landed on an alien planet, helped defend my people from an Empire that wanted us either subjugated or exterminated and are now helping stop that Empire's spread, not to mention their allied Insurrectionists, those the UNSC has fought long before they ever faced the Covenant in battle. Our world owes you a great deal..." And she blushed again, though in the light of the street lamps, she looked even more beautiful. She spoke, her voice soft, barely carrying over to him, "I owe you much, myself."
"I think we're about even," He replied as he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. He told her next, |I owe you stuff, too. Like you showing me a beautiful world out there, despite the medieval crap still ongoing," With a smile and a soft chuckle, which caused Tyuule to freeze a little... "I'm just wondering where we'll all go when humanity finally wins this damn War and the Gate is under joint control..."
"Yeah... Oh, hey, a pancake stand! Can we, can we, can we?!" The girl was immediately distracted, rather obviously, pointing at the stand selling the hot desert and beaming as she bounced on her own two feet exactly like a bunny would. Heh, he did find that incredibly adorable, so he confirmed with a nod, walking with the excited girl toward it. By god, they were on an actual date, weren't they?
... In the background, Rory grinned as she held a newspaper close, looking at the two young lovers as they walked toward the stand. Torres, meanwhile, simply found the whole idea of a damn Pancake stand real weird. It wasn't even an IHOP or any known brand like that, just a local ma and pa thing from the looks, with one of the older sons serving the food.
Itami beside her stared, too, arms crossed to his chest as he watched their newest buddy finally get his own girl. He looked over to Torres, who shrugged, then motioned to the two and to the rest of the group as if telling him they should leave them alone again. Torres waved it off with a grin, basically stating 'Nah, this is too entertaining', just by moving like that.
"This is rather endearing..." Their familial blonde Elf, Tuka, spoke with a smile as she watched the two hardened warriors act like lovesick children around one-another. It was almost a tooth-rottingly sweet sight even for her, who had lived so long that the concept of love seemed ephemeral. Yet, here she was, witnessing it firsthand between two people who saved her and her father's and tribe's lives.
"Indeed," Lelei seemed to simply begin to parrot the exact same things the group had been saying up to now. Specifically, she said to them all, "I am quite surprised it apparently took them this long to finally make moves... Were they truly this blind to the truth for three years of their lives?" and she looked over to the members of the Lieutenant's squad, blowing a loose strand of her aquamarine hair out of her same-color eyes.
"Heh. Seems like their standard, honestly," Ikari, the usually stoic sniper, simply smiled at that. Yes, their Lieutenant and the Queen were a couple of rather obvious dunces when it came to the affairs of love, but could they truly be blamed for it? One came from a culture where relationships were not a genuine concept, or were sometimes frowned upon for keeping the 'father' of a child meant for the community to raise in the picture. The other was a UNSC Marine.
"First time we've seen you smile, sharpshooter," Rosie grinned, arms crossed to her chest. The others let out laughs, save for Lelei and the targeted girl. Ikari herself, however, remained fairly determined to stare at the two lovebirds. Tyuule seemed to celebrate in the cutest way the fact that Richard had brought her a full plate of pancakes to eat with maple syrup and all. She'd probably seen them in some old-timey live action movie. Their main boss seemed to be enjoying it, too.
"I smile from time to time, boss," She quipped, though, then flashed a smirk and stated, "When it's about our comrades finally getting laid. Especially with the El-Tee," and that actually made the entire squad burst into laughter save, yet again, for a confused Lelei, a terrifyingly calm Tuka and a shy Princess. Piña, to her credit, tried to retain her composure, but Bozes beside her blushed to the point her face was the same color as Piña's hair and eyes.
"Yeah, well, you know the doofus. He's had bad luck with the ladies, after all," Rosie replied to Ikari again, crossing her arms. She stated, "Him and Tyuule taking it slow really shouldn't have been a surprise to us, seeing as she's probably still trying to get used to the idea of 'Monogamy'," And that caused everyone to pause for a moment. Yeah, true, monogamy. They'd just 'thought' of that. Still, Piña seemed to grow ever more shy about it as she felt Torres close to her.
"Well, can't blame them, heh..." Kurata chuckled awkwardly, then scratched his cheek, "Still wanna meet that catgirl from back in Italica."
"The Cait-Sith Maid?" Torres grinned, completely oblivious to the Princess he'd been joke-flirting with for the last few weeks of their lives sitting by his side, shy as fuck. As Rory stared at him, she sighed and shook her head. He, however, continued, asking their fellow nerd rhetorically, You and her have been corresponding for a while, haven't ya, Kurata?" which caused the man to start stammering.
"Can we please focus on the two lovers, ladies and gentlemen?" Rory requested, arms crossed as she hugged her halberd closely, then continued, Lest we miss anything important," only to watch them depart, a happy Tyuule holding onto Richard's arm, head leaned against his shoulder. They aimed for the hotel, it seemed, so the team followed them closely.
The trip to the Hotel had been relatively calm for the two, surprisingly enough. Even as night slowly began to fall upon the American Big Apple, the very City That Never Sleeps, the two entered the lobby, tuckered out and with keys to their specific rooms in hand. As they climbed on the elevator, a sudden, awkward silence began to settle between the two, the realization hitting that they were alone in a Hotel.
Neither said anything as they walked to their rooms, which were terrifyingly close to each-other. Tyuule was supposedly sharing the room with Piña, but they must've still been out and about if they hadin't followed them all the way to the Hotel. Neither Richard nor Tyuule realized, however, that the latter had walked into the same room as him due to the sheer stupidity their awkwardness caused.
"... Uuh... T-Tyuule...?" Richard started, turning to face her. She looked up and blushed as he told her, "Y-You do know this is my room, right...?" and she nodded, a bit surprised and stupefied, her face red. Richard wasn't sure why the mistake, but the door closed behind the girl, leaving them alone in the same room where a two-person bed lay. The man blinked and wondered if Tyuule had actually forgotten.
Well, no.
Tyuule had a plan.
She had a plan. Considering what she'd bought when he was not looking from a nearby lingerie store, she had a goddamn plan, but was playing dumb. And was feeling kind of dumb, to be quite honest. How was she so openly ready to... They were workmates. Yes, they'd gotten incredibly close over the years, theirs being a slow-burning love of a sort. She felt it and she knew he had felt it too, despite the concept of a family being so new to her... She wanted him to be her family.
So, she blurted out the excuse, "I-I... Don't feel exactly safe alone. And I don't know when Her High-err..." She blushed, her voice growing low, "P-Piña is coming back... She and Bozes were my room-mates, but I think we lost them along the way and I don't know for how long they'll be out, so... D-Do you mind if I stay with you until they return...?" only to watch the man blank.
For two adults, they were both certainly dumb teens in love at least in spirit. He swallowed, then nodded, to which Tyuule said, "O-Okay. Thank you. Excuse me for a second..." and she walked over to the bathroom. She'd also grabbed what she'd bought when he wasn't looking before entering the bathroom, breathing in, then out and entering the shower quickly.
Richard, sat outside, meanwhile, wondered what the hell was actually going on. Was she actually here just to spend some extra time with him while the girls were still out, or was there something else going on? No, no, Dick, don't even, he thought to himself, then breathed a sigh. His hand landed on the bed's covers, grip tightening. Still, what if that was the case? His mind wandered while the water was still running, delving into ever-weirder thoughts.
All of those thoughts basically stopped when the water flow did, however. He swallowed, suddenly realizing he hadn't even turned on the TV or something to occupy his time. Had he been thinking about weird shit long enough for her to finish her shower? No time to think of it now, really. He stood up and turned around as the door opened, letting her get a towel in case she forgot, but Tyuule spoke, "R-Richard...? Mind turning around?" though her voice cracked.
He narrowed his lips and prayed to the good lord his thoughts had been wrong, because he was not psychologically ready for whatever was about to-and he was right. Despite the droopy ears and rosy cheeks, Tyuule, now dressed in red, lacy lingerie and thigh-highs, stood there, in front of him, her hand on her chest, eyes locked on the floor as she tried not to meet his gaze.
The man licked his lips, feeling his heart start to skyrocket, before he asked, "H-Hey... You uh... You okay there, Tee?" only to pause as the girl finally decided to lock eyes with him. She walked up to him, smiling a little awkwardly. She stopped once she was face-to-face with him, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned forward, pressing their lips together. An electric shock coursed through both of their spines, Richard almost instinctively wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up. She yelped in surprise as he threw her onto the bed almost out of instinct, both of them suddenly very, very red in the face. He swallowed and whispered, "Sorry..."
"It's... It's okay," She nodded, caressing his cheek and cupping his chin. She smiled again.
"... Why me...?" He asked, dumbfound as he slowly leaned forward.
She giggled, "Why do you think, Richard...? You were right there from the start. Can you blame a girl for falling in love?" then she leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his, "And I don't want anybody else. If there is ever going to be someone that helps me break our people's old habits, it should be you. The person who stood by my side since the start of our alliance with Earth... The one who taught me English, the one who taught me the joys of music..." and she looked him in the eyes, smiling brightly, "The only man I want by my side."
"Says the Queen that basically helped us set up shop... The woman who helped me learn more the world she lived in... The woman who, despite being a Queen, was the humblest and kindest person I've ever met..." He spoke, then genuinely smiled at her, "Heh, the only woman I've thought about these past three years of my god-damn life. C'mere..." And he pulled her close once more, undoing the buttons on his clothes as he kissed her deeply, pinning her to the bed...
... Much to the quiet cheers of their friends, all of whom listened from outside of the door.
Black Eagle Private Military Contractor Headquarters
To say Doctor Halsey was impressed would be an understatement...
A massive building made in the style of UNSC architecture and bearing the Black Eagle emblem on top stood out amidst the skyscrapers of Wall Street. Guarded by armed personnel whose pistols lay in hip holsters, the building's stairwell led up to a massive series of metal and glass doors that slid open the moment Alice and Doctor Halsey approached them, the former in her white business suit with a blue undershirt and black tie.
The lobby was surprisingly opulent, bearing many more guards armed with machine pistols and clad in standard security uniforms for Black Eagle. Colored in dark colors and bearing the patch of the black eagle clutching the arrows and shield, the uniforms stood out amidst the white marble and fountains and columns. The receptionist greeted Alice with a smile and said, "Welcome back, ma'am. Forgot something in the office?"
"Quite the opposite, Jane. I'm showing an old friend around," Alice smirked, motioning to Doctor Halsey. The receptionist gasped and gave a nod, speaking something into an intercom system, then showing the two ladies to the Elevators personally. After being thanked, she departed, letting the two women take the elevators to the top of the building. Alice spoke as they travelled, "Don't worry, most of the opulence is just for show."
"Your guards are armed with armor-piercing ammunition and are wearing NIJ Level 4 plates," Halsey observed, looking at the girl. The woman stared, surprised, to which Halsey pushed her glasses onto the bridge of her nose and added, "I do suppose one of the biggest PMCs is expecting its competitors to be pains in the behind..." which made Alice laugh.
As they exited out onto the top floor, they found themselves in a sort of Penthouse area, where various uniformed mannequins stood, representing each different theater of operations the PMC participated in. From Benghazi to Afghanistan, Iraq on training missions and Syria as recently as 2018. Each uniform gained incremental upgrades. Benghazi's uniform was a more non-standard militia and operator one, with random assorted shirts and pieces of gear, as well as a heavily-modifed M4 rifle. The Afghanistan uniforms ranged from dark desert tan uniforms with similar operatorized M4s and heavy guns to one of the most recent ones, being a black uniform with quad-Night Vision Goggles and a very specialized M4 rifle. The Iraqi ones were more standard, just plate carriers and desert camo with 'TRAINING' plastered onto their chest rigs.
The last uniform in line was the Syria gear. Standard US camouflage of the time, UCP, with specialized quad NVGs that looked almost custom-made, as well as the most recent endeavors of SIG in buying out the American military's gun marked:The SIG SPEAR, chambered in 7,62 NATO, with a specialized scope, laser sight and forward grip-bipod combination, as well as a thick silencer.
Most stunning in the collection, however, was what lay behind Alice's desk. Stood in a thick, reinforced bulletproof cage of glass, on a mannequin that also seemed custom-made for it, a white, dirty MJOLNIR Mark V(B) set rested, bearing a Mark V Helmet, HAZOP left shoulder, CQB right, a TACPAD, kneepad armor, grenades, several pouches and even a damaged DMR resting at its feet.
Alice spoke, "Whaddaya say, doc? Not bad, eh?"
Halsey could make out the individual dents and dings in the Armor as she approached, noting the flaming white rose emblem that lay on the left of the chest, as well as the kukri knife resting on the HAZOP shoulder, sheath attached as if with duct tape. The woman spoke, "You've certainly maintained it. I can still see minor carbon scoring, but... Well done..." then she hummed and turned to face her, "As for the Company? Most impressive. How many personnel?"
"Haven't done a headcount in a few months, but if you get back to me on that in a week, I might have it for you," Alice spoke, grinning as she leaned forward, "Now... I know you're not just here to talk how everything looks. We're here for some form of business transaction between us and the UNSC. Whaddaya need, Deniable Ops, counter-terrorism, search and destroy...? We can do it all."
"Honestly?" Halsey chuckled, "I'd ask for security for my personnel. We have ONI agents on-site, as I'm sure you know, so I'd very much enjoy if they were provided an extra bit of security, regardless of if they're armed with M7s or not. This version of Earth is still divided among political lines, after all... Something we can both watch develop and exploit if need be. Keep them from killing each-other."
"The detente between East and West has been slowing down a fair bit," The woman offered, "And our Russian counterparts have been spotted operating more and more in areas like Angola and the Congo. Despite president Pomorenka's peace spiel, she's keeping tabs on a lot of different shit... Then again, so are we. We've been facing Chinese opposition. Deniable Ops of their own, I'd say, maybe a secret PMC."
"Could see the People's Republic do that," Halsey nodded, "They were some of the most secretive bunch. Supposedly even supported the Koslovics during the Rainforest and Jovian Moon Campaigns. We could use the support aside from personnel security, though we may have to do that a lot more... 'Under The Table'..." and she leaned forward, whispering to Alice, "The Insurrectionists in the 'Special Region' of Falmart have a Chinese officer."
"We know," The woman smirked, "I have contact with her sister. A Colonel in the PRC's armed forces... if you wish, I can give you a direct link, get her on our side with the promise of saving her sister from the Imps. Provided she isn't already dead or someone's slave, you know?" before hearing the doorbell ring. Halsey gave a nod and made a note on her tablet about this, before turning back as Alice spoke into the intercom, "Send them in."
A platoon of rugged looking men stepped through the door, clad in their standard black uniforms. The leader of the squad, a young man with blonde hair and green eyes, saluted and said, "Ma'am. Sorry we're late," his Russian accent terrifyingly thick. "There's BEARS and some Classical Music in the streets, if you catch my cold. Not to mention the Red Sun..."
"Well..." Sighed the woman, "Concerning. Been keeping tabs on the group I told you about, then, Tom?"
"Aye, ma'am..." He replied, "They're a bit busy at the moment, heh."
Halsey looked to Alice, slightly confused. The woman clarified, "Oh, what, you didn't think we saw you come in with your posse?" before grinning, "Doc Halsey, you're not the only one with ONI Roots. Your squad's under surveillance right now and their hotel's being kept under watch... Though if the Ruskies and Chinese already moved their own Deniable Ops Units in town... Maybe, it'd be best to go back to the Special Region for now."
"We'll take the first flight to Japan..." Halsey whispered. So, that was the trouble she felt brewing when they came here.
Joy.