Radiance Ch. 109

Chapter 109: Ceasefire.

It took a couple of days for Paladin Wright to finally get back in touch with them but when it came the news was at least hopeful.

I have spoken to the Elders that I trust and have apprised them of the situation and quite a few of them are rather upset to say the least, they seem to have been labouring under the notion that the Brotherhood was engaged in an operation to remove a hostile species with no more intelligence than your average super mutant, no insult intended to your companions who are no doubt listening in," Paladin Wright's voice crackled through the slightly tinny speaker.

Adam glanced up at Raymond and Jack and while one simply looked amused the other looked rather noticeably narked at the insinuation and made a huffing noise while twirling his moustache.

"I do not believe they are offended Paladin please continue," Adam said.

"Yes well now the truth has been revealed to them that the Brotherhood has been attacking an innocent species while invading their lands they have called an emergency meeting of the council of Elders to address this, they have all the evidence that I have provided in hand but they have already called for an immediate ceasefire while this is addressed, they have also expressed a wish to meet with representatives of both groups should they manage to sway enough votes in the council to terminate the operation completely, it seemed that rather liked Oliver's suggested compromise as it both serves the Brotherhood's true mission and in their words would go a long way to hopefully not only restoring our reputation in the area but hopefully lead to a possible future alliance," she said over the clapping and shoulder patting going on behind him from the gathered group.

"Tell her we would absolutely welcome such a meeting and we hope that this could be the start of a mutually advantageous partnership," Oliver said.

"Same here," Raymond said.

"Both say they welcome this wholeheartedly and are most willing to come to the table if and when you are able to get it set up for them Paladin," Adam said.

"Excellent! I shall pass that along to the Elders, the meeting is supposed to be happening later today from what I understand and I am supposed to provide details of what I have seen so I should hopefully be able to give you more good news later, oh and there is one last thing we need to discuss and unfortunately this is not on the good new side of the spectrum," Paladin Wright said and Adam instantly noticed the hardening tone creeping into her voice.

"Why does that kinda put me on edge?" Adam said.

"Yeah it kinda should, we don't have anything truly concrete yet here so this is just intel I'm hearing filtering through our intel analysis centre but I thought I'd give you a heads up here, there's a lot of chatter happening on the Enclave channels all of a sudden and our sources say they are gearing up for something big though no-one knows what as apparently this is being played real close to their chests, something tells me they may have gotten wind of leaks in their networks but for what we do know there is something big headed for Boston though what it is or what's going on or when it'll happen everyone is clueless, so tell your new friends to keep their eyes and ears open as I know they are no friends of the Eclave either," Paladin Wright said.

"Roger that Paladin will do I'm sure they'll put the word out to the rest of their number to keep their eyes open too and if we hear anything we'll be sure to let you know," Adam said.

"Glad to hear it, for all our differences at least there is something that we can all agree on its that those cunt waffles lurking about are good for no one, right I'll get back to you when I know more, Paladin Wright over and out," she said and with that, they closed down the line.

Adam turned back to Raymond and Jack and he saw them sharing a concerned look between them.

"Why do I get the feeling that this has to do with that ESF team that Wisp and her lot were telling us about?" Jack said and Raymond nodded.

"Yeah that was my thought as well, the Enclave were never ones to take losing lightly and losing one of their special forces teams must have really pissed them off, but a large-scale operation into Boston is bad news for everyone, it could derail everything we've been working towards if we're not careful, the others need to know about this, Adam tune in their frequencies if you would be so kind," he said gesturing to the radio set which Adam did.

A few minutes later Raymond had relayed the Paladin's warning to the others and Seven Raymond both got a shock when Wisp let slip that she knew why they were probably so freaked out and informed them that they now had another number running with them, though Adam didn't know what that meant so he just kept quiet and listened as Raymond spoke.

Apparently according to Wisp the ESF team sent here to root out Seven and herself had contained two of their number and had failed when they had been ambushed by both themselves and a roaming Brotherhood patrol, this had led to them trying to liquidate the one remaining number who was with them as the other had been sent out to infiltrate a group calling themselves the Railroad.

Well, the number hadn't taken too kindly to this and had legged it but not before kidnapping one of her team an ESF turncoat called Fuller who was the one who'd warned them about the team's existence in the first place.

Apparently, he'd managed to convince this other number of their team's merits and had even convinced her to join and she was now part of their team though as for the other one his whereabouts were still unknown but they were working on it.

Seven seemed very impressed by this news and also took the opportunity to inform them of the progress his team were making up in Nukaworld having already successfully not only made contact with the Gatorclaw population but struck up an alliance with them, they were now currently on working on freeing the slave populace and ridding the area of both a dangerous cult and the raider overlords that ruled the place.

When the conversation ended Adam couldn't help himself, he simply had to ask the question that was plaguing him.

"Who or what is Seven really? And Three, what makes them so special?" he asked and Raymond sighed and nodded.

"Seven as you know is pretty much the defacto leader of our group as a whole and possibly one of the most powerful beings on the planet, though to look at him you'd never know it, he's a quiet softly spoken man not unlike yourself but he possesses a power the likes of which you have to see to believe truly, he's telekinetic which means he can manipulate and interact with the world with nothing more than the power of his own thought and to see him unleash it is something to behold, it's like witnessing someone pulling a tornado out of a cardboard box," Raymond explained.

"Wow truly?" Adam exclaimed as he tried to comprehend something like that.

Raymond glanced at Zixxy as the little green-skinned alien female sat swinging her legs on the end of his and Jewel's bed.

"Why don't you show him then he can see for himself why we follow him?" he said and Zixxy gave a coy little smile before hopping down off the bed and wandering over to him.

"Brace yourself young human this will most likely undo your notion of reality as you know it," she said and with that, she touched his face flooding his mind with memories and images.

Adam's mouth fell open as in his mind's eye as clear as if he was standing there himself witnessing it live he saw a young human man with snow-white hair and bright blue eyes, to look at him other than his handsome looks you wouldn't think there was much about him but then the image flickered to him crushing power armoured Enclave soldiers to the size of a soda can with nothing more than a thought.

"Holy shit!!" he breathed as the memories mixed into his own and became part of him.

"Yeah, I know right? Truly something isn't he?" Raymond said and Adam glanced up at him.

"How is that even possible?" he exclaimed.

"He's a biological weapon cooked up by the Enclave, we don't know the in's and outs of the project as they themselves don't know, no memories from before they woke up in the lab where they were given these abilities, all we know is the Enclave was experimenting with making super-powered beings to become super soldiers or super enforcers if you prefer to exert their will on everyone else, each of them never held a name of their own, just a number, hence Seven and Three," Raymond explained.

"Three is Wisp, right? Well, what can she do?" Adam asked.

"She's non-corporeal, in other words, she's a living cloud of energy that can infiltrate any piece of technology or even a living being, she can turn machines on their owners or fry the mind of a living being, imagine something being able to fly into your head and overloading all of your senses all at once rendering you helpless, yeah that's Wisp," Raymond explained.

"Holy fucking shit and now there's another one of them on our side, no wonder the Enclave is fucking pissed, yeah that would warrant a large-scale response," Adam said and Raymond nodded.

"Yeah that's my thought as well, what ever they are planning we need to be ready for it," he said and then he turned to Oliver.

"Your people have a right to know about this too, the Enclave are as much a threat to you as us so it would be wise to let your Elders know," he said and Oliver nodded his agreement.

"Indeed, I will inform them and I will bring this most excellent news of the ceasefire to them as well, they will be overjoyed at our progress so far, it seems we were right to trust you Raymond you and your people have achieved in mere days what we have been trying to accomplish for weeks!" Oliver said happily.

With that Oliver headed out to bring the news to the Elder while Raymond and Jack headed out to discuss the news with the rest of the team, leaving Adam and Jewel alone with Zixxy who remained behind with them.

"How are things between the two of you now?" Zixxy asked glancing between the pair.

"Better thanks to you Zixxy," Adam said feeling a deep wash of gratitude towards the little alien female.

"Indeed, I owe you a debt I can never truly repay for not only showing me the true depths of my transgression but also aiding me in going someway to undoing the damage my actions had wrought upon this wonderful man," Jewel said striding over to stand beside Adam and offering him a cup of tea she had been brewing while they had held their meeting.

Zixxy hopped back up onto the bed and patted the side for them to join her so the pair of them moved to sit with her.

"I am glad that you are making progress and I must say that it warms my heart to see the love that you both hold for one another, it is my hope that you will eventually be able to put this whole thing behind you in order to move forwards with your new lives, but I must always stress to you that just because it is put behind you it is not forgotten, this needs to be learned from so that nothing of its like ever happens again," Zixxy said her tone warm but also of warning.

Jewel nodded his head causing her hooked beak to bob, "Trust me Zixxy it is something I will never ever forget, I very nearly destroyed the man I fell in love with through my own selfishness and callousness, seeing his mind and feeling his pain for myself have shown me in no uncertain terms the heart of this wonderful male sat here beside me and the only times my hands will ever be raised around him again are to either embrace him or defend him, never again will he taste my ire only my clean and healthy desire," Jewel said taking Adam's hands in her own and holding them tightly while looking into his eyes with a bright gleam of hope shimmering in them.

"I feel the same way, you helped me to see the grief and truth behind what she did as well as what level of remorse she felt for her actions, you showed me the truth and while I cannot say that I am fully healed from my experience I am making strides to move forwards," Adam said.

"Have you made love since it happened?" Zixxy asked making a flush of blood rush to Adam's cheeks and he nodded.

"Yes," he said.

"And how was it?" Zixxy asked.

"Wonderful, nothing at all like that experience, she was loving, attentive and gentle with me, she showed me her true passion, one that was not tainted by darkness and I loved the way she looked at me throughout, it was like she was truly seeing me and truly looking at me, it made me feel wanted and desired," Adam said in a soft embarrassed voice.

"For me it was heavenly, I got to give the man I love joy and pleasure as I had meant to do in the first place before letting those vile feelings corrupt me, this time I got to show him how much he truly means to me," Jewel said proudly and Adam couldn't help but smile at her.

"Good I'm glad to hear it, I had worried that Adam would be unwilling to let you touch him or that you would be unwilling to do so for fear of triggering a repeat or a similar episode, or even scaring him badly but I am very happy to see that you both found the strength to try and that it worked," Zixxy said sounding both relieved and happy.

It truly meant a lot to Adam that Zixxy truly did seem to care deeply for both of them and their well-being.

"Thank you for everything you did for us Zixxy, I wouldn't be here without you," Adam said and Jewel nodded in agreement.

"Nor I," she said.

"You are both very welcome and it is my distinct hope to see you both grow together, hopefully, one day we can use this as a lesson for other interspecies couples about how true understanding and forgiveness can be achieved if only you are willing," she said and with that, the little alien jumped off the bed and with one last wave she left.

"I never did say thank you for forgiving me Adam but I am more grateful to you than I could ever hope to put into words for the second chance you gave me after what I did to you," Jewel said hanging her head slightly.

Adam reached out and hook his hand gently under her beak to lift her head and as her eyes came up to meet his he leaned forwards and kissed the tip and both sides of her beak.

"And I never truly said thank you for coming into my own mind to save me from it, it was like being swallowed whole by a living shadow but you and Zixxy came in there to pluck me out of it, I got to see the real you, the true you, the you who my heart belongs to," he said and she threw her arms around him and held him tightly against her with those strong arms of hers.

"And you'll never have to thank me for that either, I caused it so it's only right that I was the one who came to undo it and I know that there will always be damage there but I want you to know that no matter how long we have left on this Earth I will always be there to prop you up when you stumble and no matter what I will never let you fall again, I will never hurt you again Adam I swear it on my ancestors and in the sight of the Great Pheionix, I will lift you I will never drop you," she said and Adam couldn't help himself, he felt the tears welling up in his eyes, so he just scooped her up and guided her feather-covered rear end into his lap.

"Thank you, Jewel," he said softly into her shoulder as she simply just held him never judging his pain for a single fear, simply soothing it with love.

As promised Paladin Wright came back to them later in the day with an update and Jewel quickly gathered Raymond and the others while Adam got the Paladin to wait but once they were all together including Oliver she laid out her news.

"First thing I am incredibly happy to announce that the council have voted for a cessation of all hostilities, they were absolutely pissed that the fact that had been passed to them previously were either flat-out false or ropey at best, it made a couple of the Elders a little red-faced I can tell you, so they had no choice but to vote against any continuation of hostilities especially once I presented my evidence, furthermore they accepted my proposal of a direct meeting and also they like the idea of a joint task force, this could very well be the dawning of a new age for the Brotherhood and we get to be some of the ones to shepherd it in," she said with obvious excitement in her voice.

Over the new hour, Raymond and Oliver worked out the details of the first meeting that would happen between the Brotherhood Elders and the Valyrie Elders, it was agreed that two of each would attend the meeting which would happen on neutral ground with Raymond acting not only as an intermediary but as a representative of the Free People's of the Wastes.

Security for the meeting would be a joint operation between the Brotherhood, Valkyries and the Ronin so they would all be on equal terms with no group being held above the others, this meant that each would have to rely on the others for part of their security would in the view of both the Valkyries and the Brotherhood would help to foster trust as they would literally be placing their lives in the hands of the others.

Once the meeting was set Oliver vanished to relay the minutia of the details to his Elders while Raymond discussed everything with his people.

"Alright guys just because Jack and the Ronin will be doing the majority of the security work doesn't mean I want the rest of you sitting on your tails and hands, I cannot even begin to emphasise how fucking monumental this could be for us, an alliance of this size could shift the entire power structure of not only the entire region but the country as a fucking whole, it must not fail, we must not fail," he said getting a lot of nods in reply.

"My guys will be handling close protection for the delegates as we are considered by both parties to be neutral, so the Valkyries and the Brotherhood guys are going to be setting up the perimeter so anyone who wants to get to them is going to have to go through them first and then us so realistically the only real threat I can imagine succeeding will be one from within," Jack said.

"You suspect a double agent or traitor?" Adam asked and the big gruff super mutant turned to look him right in the eye.

"Can you tell me hand on heart that everyone in the Brotherhood would welcome an alliance with not only one non-human group but multiple?" he asked and Adam felt his chest deflate as he shook his head.

"No I can't, the fact that I'm here at all says otherwise," he said and Jack nodded and placed a large hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah that's what I thought kid but don't worry yourself, you're one of the good ones the fact that you're still here proves that and your work since definitely does but we're gonna prepare for a worst-case scenario all the same," he said.

"What do you have in mind?" Jewel asked and Jack gave her a big grin.

"Well let's just say I got me a big green ace up me sleeve, or rather I should say a little green ace," he said mysteriously but Adam got the feeling he knew exactly where he was going with that.

The meeting was to take place in the same very place that their original meeting with the Brotherhood had taken place, so Raymon ensured that his people would be there first to secure it and set up the inner cordon ahead of any arrivals by the others, this was also so Jack would have time to put his plan in place.

They had everything set up and in place just as both the Valkyrie and Brotherhood delegations began to arrive.

"Got airships and Vertibirds inbound," Jack's overwatch called down to the main floor where Adam and the others were setting up tables and chairs.

"Ahh good right on time, alright everyone places let's make this run as smooth as Mallakai's silk!!" Raymond said and everyone split up taking positions around the large warehouse while Raymond himself remained waiting by the main table with Lia standing at his shoulder, Adam could not deny that they cut a rather striking image, a true power couple if there ever was one.