Radiance Ch. 112

Chapter 112: Home is Where the Hive Is.

Seven watched as Visa and Thundertail took their two newest additions around the town to introduce them to their new neighbours and hopefully friends.

After they'd removed the collars and given them the choice of either going their own way or joining up both Varrel and his twin sister Vizzy had chosen to not only join the freed town which they kept referring to as the Hive of Freedom but to join the Free People's of the Waste which now placed them directly under Seven's command.

At first, the pair had seemed both overwhelmed and indeed confused by the warm welcome they were receiving from the freed human residents as well as the native Gatorclaws who had moved in here.

But after only half an hour of meet and greet the social nature of the insect-human hybrids had really begun to shine through and it wasn't long before the pair were already helping out their new neighbours.

Vizzy had wandered over to the farm that was being run by the Gatorclaws with the help of the freed human farmers who thanks to their vast experience of being forced to grow crops were already showing signs of life.

It seemed that the insectoid woman had some real talent for nurture as she began to help showing the farmers how to make their little farm more insect friendly so that it would attract good insects to their plot who would help out with things like pollinating the plants while also helping to keep the bad ones away.

Meanwhile, Varrel had begun helping his new neighbours in construction, his ability to fly meant he had a distinct advantage in moving both materials and tools up to the higher-up places vastly speeding the process up.

"It seems our new additions are settling in really quickly," Seven said as both Visa and Thundertail wandered back over to join him as he sat on a bench at the centre of the bustling little town watching the freed slaves enjoying their newfound freedom.

"They're not like nasty wasps at all, they's good people Thundertail can tell good from bad and me's said sorry to them for calling them nasty wasps when we's first meet," Thundertail said looking a little embarrassed by her faux pas.

"I'm sure they appreciate the apology Thundertail something tells me they probably aren't used to receiving them," Seven said and Thundertail's face instantly brightened and she began to bob on the spot looking like she was about to start slamming her tail into the ground.

"That's what lucky Alpha Claw Visa says! You two is so much alike in the way you's think, oh me's hopes me finds pretty human who can do this for Thundertail one day," she said sounding both happy and hopeful at the same time while both Visa and Seven chuckled at her excitable nature.

"Well, they do say great minds think alike, plus we do spend every available moment together so I guess it's only natural that we begin to think and act alike in many ways," Seven said and Visa nodded.

"I agree my love, I have noticed that you have begun to think and act more like an Alpha Claw since we have paired off, you are more decisive and determined not to mention you are more like a leader with everyday and decision you make," Visa said somewhat proudly.

Seven gave her a grin, "And I think it's safe to say that I have tempered your temper somewhat, you think first act second now which is better for everyone when you are as big, strong and deadly as you are," Seven said giving her ego a soft stroke along with her massive thigh.

Visa gave a mixture of a growl and a purr as she planted her large and beautifully rounded rump on the bench next to him while Thundertail planted her rather large but equally round rear end on the floor next to the bench which ironically still put her as taller than Seven.

"We compliment each other perfectly I believe," Visa said reaching up to stroke Seven hair lovingly and he couldn't help but smile at that.

"I agree totally, if someone had told me before all of this that I would be head over heels in love with a Claw girl in less than a year's time I'd have thought they were mad and probably created a telekinetic bubble around them until I could find a backwards jacket for them to where, but now I simply couldn't imagine my life any other way than with you at my side and nor do I want to," he said.

"Agreed, if someone had told me when I was back in my pack that one day I would stand proudly at the side of a human and declare my love for him to any and all who would hear my words I'd have called for their exile from the pack because I'd believe them to be fully crazy tail, but now my happiness is directly linked to your heart," she said.

"One day me's will find a human that sees me's this way," Thundertail said with a soft dreamy note to her voice and Seven smiled at her warmly.

"Of that, I have no doubt Thundertail, right now a human is looking up at the sky and wondering where their beautiful and strong Gatorclaw is hiding and when will they come to sweep them from their feet and carry them off to their nest for some serious Claw loving," he said and Thundertail's golden eyes widened.

"You's really thinks so?" she asked and he nodded.

"Totally because word of who we are and what we are about is spreading with every good action we do, just look at this place Thundertail, we have humans, Gatorclaws and now Cazador hybrids all living together in one place, this place proves what we've been saying all along, true unity is possible if only we are willing to try an set aside our differences and to embrace them," Seven said.

"But we's must also be vigilant and be willing to defend it and one another," Thundertail said and both Seven and Visa nodded in agreement.

"Exactly and that's why we are doing what we are because one day hopefully soon the entire of Nukaworld region will look like this right here, all we have to do is drive the fucking Raiders out," Seven said.

"Easier said than done given their numbers and let's not forget that after what happened with our two new friends we are going to have those fuckers hunting us to try and take back these people," Visa said with a note of caution to her voice.

"Agreed and I do believe it might be wise if rather than sit back and let them find us here we take the fight to them, we can't risk the Raiders getting wind of this place too early," Seven said.

"Hunters become hunted, me's likes this idea, we smash nasty slave-taking humans just like we did nasty biting worms and free yet more good humans and maybe Thundertail's human is among them!" Thundertail said excitedly springing to her feet and banging her tail on the ground as she bounced up and down.

Seven chuckled and nodded, "Looks like someone is excited but I think we should talk to our new friends Vizzy and Varrel first, learn everything we can about both this Torch and his boss," he said.

"Did I hear our names being mentioned?" a voice said from behind them and all of them turned to see Vizzy approaching them and she had a hand raised in a human greeting while she also buzzed her wings which must have a been a Cazador sign of greeting.

"Ahh Vizzy good timing please come sit with us," Seven said gesturing to the space next to him on the bench.

"Where's your brother?" Visa asked looking around before she eventually spotted him hovering around the belfry at the centre of the town.

He appeared to be holding a large piece of metal siding that the crew up there were using to convert the place into a proper sniper tower.

"He really seems to have a knack for construction that one," Seven said as he followed Visa's gaze and Vizzy nodded causing her antennae to bob.

"We all do, it's literally bred into us, every single one of us whether we be a soldier or a dedicated worker knew how to patch the hive up when needed," she said proudly and also a little sadly.

"Yes you mentioned your hive before, you said this Torch and his crew killed them didn't they?" Seven said and Vizzy's antenna visibly drooped as she nodded her head.

Her face was oddly very humanesque in its shape but Seven could also see that rather than the skin it appeared to be made up of a multitude of small shifting plates of what looked to be chitin, it was like she was wearing a constantly shifting and adapting mask that was designed to emulate human facial expressions, but it was also surprisingly pretty.

"Yes, Torch and his crew of bastards set the hive on fire and he was careful to ensure that he did it from every one of the escape tunnels and vents, the result was no one could escape, I was lucky that my brother was there for me or I'd have never made it out, I'm ashamed to say I panicked, but Varrel knew just what to do, he grabbed me and dragged me to one of the air exchange vents but those fuckers were waiting for us when we crawled out," she said sounding grief-stricken as she thought about her lost family.

"I'm so sorry to hear it, from what I've heard from you so far it really sounded like your hive was not just a marvel of construction but your queen was dedicated to peace between your kind and others specifically mine, it is a tragic loss not just to you but to us all who think as we do," Seven said with very genuine remorse in his voice.

"Thank you for your kind words Seven, she would have absolutely loved you you know?" Vizzy said and Seven cocked his head curiously as did Visa and he instantly recognised the slight swish in her tail so he placed a hand on her large thigh to cut off the jealousy in its tracks.

"Oh?" he said and Vizzy nodded.

"Yeah you were exactly the type of human she was hoping to meet, she kept telling us all that one day we would find humans that would accept us for who we were and would recognise what we had to offer them, and then together we could build a new future and with their help other humans would begin to see us not as freaks of nature or as threats but as people just like them, people who just want to live in peace," she said.

"Your queen was a wise and noble woman," Visa said recognising what type of love Vizzy had been talking about now.

Vizzy smiled up at her and twitched the little mandibles that were mounted at the sides of her surprisingly human mouth.

"Thank you Visa, your kind words really mean a lot to me, both I and my brother are now more than ever dedicated to the future she envisioned because everything we do now is how we keep her memory and her ideals alive, they will live on through us," she said with a fire of determination in her voice and Seven also noticed her balling one of her many hands into a fist.

"Well then I'm glad to have you aboard with us but maybe there is something else you can help us with," Seven said and Vizzy looked at him cocking her head which made her feathery antennae bob and swish.

"Oh?" she asked.

"We were thinking that a little vengeance was in order not just for you and your hive but for all the innocent people that Torch and his boss have hurt, we were hoping that you and your brother would be willing to help us find them," Seven said.

"What will you do when you find them?" Vizzy asked curiously her voice taking on a hard edge.

"Make them pay in blood for every innocent life they have taken from this world," Visa said in a flat matter-of-fact voice.

"Squish them like the nasty biting worms they are!" Thundertail said slamming her tail on the ground so hard that it shook the bench they were all sat upon.

"Who am I to argue with two determined Claw girls? So what they said," Said said with a dark smile on his face.

"I want in," Vizzy said without a moment's hesitation and Seven's eyes widened a little.

"Umm you might want to rethink that Vizzy, we're used to taking on this kind of shit, but you......" Seven began but Vizzy cut him off.

"No! Those bastards killed nearly my entire family, they burned my hive to the ground, and all my sisters and my queen lay dead because of them, their blood is on their hands and it's only right as the last remaining female of my hive those fuckers taste vengeance upon my stinger!" she said with such fire in her voice that Seven couldn't help but be impressed by it.

"While I respect your fire and as a proud and noble Alpha Claw it is a sentiment I can fully appreciate and embrace, but shouldn't you at least talk it over with your brother first?" Visa asked and Vizzy shook her head.

"He feels as I do, if he learns that you are going after the bastards that did this to us he will be as in as I am," she replied her expression hardening into one of defiance and determination.

"Well then I guess that settles that argument, I guess I'll have to get the others to see if they can work up some armour for you guys that won't impede your ability to fly," Seven said scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Yesh I've been meaning to ask you about that, how is it that you can fly without wings, does that armour of yours contain some hidden human technology or something?" Vizzy asked curiously buzzing her own wings as if to emphasise her point.

"Well I told you before that I am telekinetic but I truly didn't explain what any of that meant now did I?" Seven said and she shook her head in response making her feathery antennae swish as she did.

"Alright then strap yourself in and I'll tell you the tale of how I and the Free Peoples came to be," Seven said and with that, he began to recount the tale.

Vizzy sat there riveted to her seat the entire time as Seven told not only of his own story awakening in the flying lab of the Enclave but of their escape, of meeting Visa and Ven and falling in love with her, then of meeting the others while also gradually realising that with their combined skills and talents that they really stood a chance of doing some real good in the world.

"And so that's where we are today, now the Free Peoples is large enough that we have the manpower to be able to split the group into multiples and to attack many problems all at once, while still remaining a unified whole that operates under the same mandate and rules," Seven said.

Vizzy's compound eyes looked as wide as giant black saucers as she stared at him in disbelief, "I cannot believe that a group that started out as two escapees from a lab err sorry four if you count Visa and Ven has grown into such a force as to challenge the powers of this place and that we are only seeing a small part of it if a group of you this small can have such a massive impact I'm beginning to wonder what all of you could do if unified together?" she said and Seven grinned at her.

"See that's the whole point, we aim to change people's perceptions of the world around them, to see how humans and non-humans can achieve such incredible things if they work together and strive for a unified goal, a better future for all involved, I mean just look at this place Vizzy, this here is what we aim to bring to everyone whose path we cross," Seven said sweeping his arm in a gesture designed to draw attention to the growing settlement.

"Humans and non-humans living and working together," Vizzy said thoughtfully.

"And loving too must not forget loving is real important, is group for Claws who love pretty humans to come and find pretty human for them to love!" Thundertail said in a very matter-of-fact voice which made Seven chuckle and nod his head.

"Yeah I'd be lying if that wasn't a major part of what the group is about but it's not the be-all and end-all of us, but yeah we do offer something that no one else has, freedom from judgement, we have all sorts in our ranks, gay Deathclaws who love their human boys, A Nightstalker girl who loves the very air her human boy breathes, super mutant loving humans, a sewing spider boy who worships the very ground that his sparkly cloud girl who lives in a synthetic body walks upon and all flavours of claw loving humans, plus we keep growing every day, case and point now we have two Cazador hybrids in our ranks," Seven said gesturing to Vizzy who seemed to do their equivalent of blushing.

Her wings buzzed loudly and her antennae stood up blot straight on her head, "A-A-Am I expected to find a human to love to be a part of your group!?" she exclaimed and Seven roared with laughter and shook his head.

"No of course not, I was just adding you to the diversity of our group is all, you are free to find your own love of course all I'm saying is if it is a human, a non-human, a boy or a girl it'll be accepted among us because at our core that's who we are," Seven said watching as Vizzy seemed to visibly deflate in relief.

"Oh thank the ethereal hive queen, I thought that you were going to start holding auditions for a suitor for me there for a moment, I don't even know if I'm ready for all that yet," she said and Seven placed a hand on her slender shoulder.

"It's fine honestly it seeks us all in its own time and when your heart is ready it will know, just don't be too surprised if it comes completely out of the blue around our lot, it tends to happen," Seven said.

"We's should take new friends to meet Miss Eve and others," Thundertail said and Seven nodded in agreement.

"Yeah a good idea that something tells me she will be absolutely fascinated by the pair of you as will Timothy and Shauna," he said.

"Who are they?" Vizzy asked curiously.

"Another part of our team operating here in Nukaworld, they are held up in the Safarizone among the main compliment of the Gatorclaws while we run and operate the sanctuary here," Visa said.

"Come on let's go grab that brother of yours and we'll all head over, then while we are there we can talk over the current situation and brainstorm a plan to deal with the Boss and this Torch muppet," Seven said jumping to his feet and heading over to where his armour stood like a silent sentinel on overwatch.

As he clambered into the suit he saw Vizzy flick her wings into motion before she took to the sky with a buzzing noise before she headed up to grab Varrel who was still hovering around the belfry helping the crew up there.

"You guys want to fly with under your own power or do you want to see what it's like to fly without wings?" Seven asked as the pair landed next to the three of them.

"What seriously? You can lift all of us at once?" Varrel exclaimed in surprise.

"You haven't even seen a fraction of what my beautiful human is capable of young one, he once threw a building at someone and an entire tunnel at a bunch of feral Ghouls!" Visa said proudly.

"It was more like a ton of gravel pulled from the tunnel floor but yeah ok the building was a bit extreme I will admit," Seven said rubbing the back of his helmeted head in embarrassment while the twins stared at him in amazement while buzzing their wings.

"Well if you're offering I won't say no to seeing how you fly," Vizzy said.

"And if my sister is in so am I," Varrel said causing Vizzy to buzz her wings and clicker mandibles in obvious happiness.

'See Seven? Told you," she said and he just laughed.

"Alright then group in and hold on to your tails and err stingers time for the Seven Express to take off, please keep all horns and excess arms inside the ride at all times, here we go!!" Seven said and with that, he grabbed all four of them in his invisible hands before forming a bullet-shaped bubble around them.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!!" Varrel yelled as while deciding to put on a bit of a show for their new friends Seven decided to break the sound barrier while using a series of smaller telekinetic fields to protect them from the G forces involved in such a feat.

"WHOOOO!!!!" Vizzy yelled as Seven pitched them forward and they shot up through the cloud barrier like a bullet before slowing to do a loop before falling back towards the earth at incredible speed.

"Lucky Alpha Claw Visa really has it made as she gets this every day!!!" Thundertail yelled as they banked fast and hard doing a wide loop around the Safari zone before with the gentleness of a kitten wearing fluffy mittens Seven placed his charges down in the centre of the zone.