"Everything okay Chief?" 

"Yeah."

"You missed your best by a good 40 seconds for that many enemy combatants.."

"I'm fine Cortana."

BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAM.

CHIK. CHIK. WHOOOOOOSHHHHHHHH.

KONK.

Within 10 yards of the Chief, P4L, Psy stumbled out of the ONI drop pod he came in on.

"That isn't as scary as I thought it would be."

BLAAAAAAARRRRRRRRG.

Confident in an unconfident way, Psy tried his best to not make a fool of himself in front of the Chief but ended up throwing up on Chief's boots. The Chief's shields didn't protect from vomit unfortunately. He picked up his feet in that ew way when you're grossed out, kicked his feet a little bit to get the vomit off. Psy spent a few moments recovering, breathing heavy and slowly to contr-he threw up again, this time NOT on Chief's boots. Another few moments, Psy wiped the corners his mouth with a handkerchief he kept in his pocket and stood up, erect in the best solider attention pose he could, he was pale, too many hours behind a computer, defending the lives of the people of whom he was in charge. This was a different case and a different time, this enemy had been destroying Psy's ability to do his job and he had a personal vendetta against him.

Psy saluted Chief, and Cortana too since Cortana was in the Chief's helmet.

"Why are you here?" queried Cortana

"My vendetta against our enemy is personal and I want to see him destroyed myself." 

"What makes you so sure you could keep up with the Chief?"

"Cortana."

"Let him answer John."

She hadn't called him by his first name since he could remember. Feels. All sorts of feels welled up inside of the Chief. He had just ravaged a group of grunts, the slowest he had in a long while, a guy he had never met who wasn't fit to fight stood in front of him, threw up on his boots ALMOST twice and now he was talking personal vendettas with him and feeling all sorts of feelings that might just be love when a computer construct, spoke his name aloud. The Chief was in over his head to say the least.

"That's where you come in Cortana. ONI outfitted me with a special helmet and suit, not armor but suit, it's kind of tight and doesn't fit so great."

Psy absentmindedly pulled on his crotch and butt area to get the spandex like suit unstuck. He immediately became self conscious and blushed.

Certain loved it. She wasn't used to seeing someone so at odds with themselves. She could sense a superior intellect emanating from Psy but at the same time he couldn't just OWN who he was or what he was doing. He was like the animal humans called puppy. Or like a boy, the same way John was when she first met him but in an adult body. Mentally advanced beyond his age by decades but in terms of motor skills and swagger was a child. It was endearing.

"The suit is connected to the helmet and the computer/circuitry within. The same way you interact with the Chief you can interact with me. So yeah. And as an ONI operative I am the superior officer here."

He said this even though he didn't really feel that way. I mean the Chief was someone he had always looked up to. 

"Since I am the superior officer my orders go, I'll leave the battle preparations and plan up to you Chief, I trust you. But I'll need Cortana's chip in my helmet to make sure I can keep up with you."

The Chief stood motionless, thinking. He hadn't let go of Cortana, especially to someone LESSER than him. Ever. He contemplated their time together and his feelings for her. The way-

"Chief? Hello? Can you do a girl a favor and pop me out of the helmet and give me to Psy." 

"Roger."

The Chief took the Cortana chip out of his helmet, strode one giant mechanized step toward Psy and reached out his arm. 

Psy looked up at the Chief. He held out his hand. The Chief put Cortana in Psy's hand and stared directly into Psy's eyes. Pierced his soul. He didn't even need to utter a word. Psy stared back into the golden amber mask of the Chief's searching for some other answer than what he knew the Chief was implying.

Psy swallowed nervously. He took Cortana's chip and put it inside the back of his helmet. Turned her on.

"Nice to be on you P4L. Buckle up. It's going to be one hell of a ride."