Chapter 62: Under New Management.
The cargo Vertibird might not be the fastest aircraft in the world but it did the job rather nicely of getting the team out of the hot zone that was DC and on towards their next target which was Chris's home town which after a quick discussion with Gregory and some course-plotting it was discovered was about a three-hour flight from there.
On the way, Wisp and Riss shared what they had learned in the Brotherhood archives which really made a few of the group prick up their ears in interest.
"So there are bird people now?" Shepherd exclaimed and Wisp nodded.
"Apparently so and from what we overheard they've been skirmishing with the Brotherhood," she said.
"Sounds to me like these bird people are merely trying to protect their nest from invaders, their attacks sound distinctly territorial to me, it is something any self-respecting Claw would also do if the sanctity of their nest was violated," Vess said with a proud note in her voice and all the other Claws in the bay were nodding including Passa.
"Sounds like something we might need to look into after we finish up with these Enclave muppets," Seven said leaning back in his seat to stretch his aching muscles, it really had been a hectic couple of days and it was beginning to take its toll on him physically.
Zixxy watched them curiously before turning to Seven, "You would go looking for them in order to offer assistance based on an overheard rumour?" she said and Seven shrugged.
"Its more than a rumor those were Brotherhood scout reports, from what we're learning about the Brotherhood is that they are a lot bigger of an organisation than we first guessed with many different factions running around, though most seem to operate under the control of the group in DC which kinda makes sense as from what I understandd they are made up of the remnents of the US military so them operating out of what used to be the main control centre of the US military makes sense, but in answer to your question yes we would, we are trying to help foster a new era of human and non-human co-operation and understanding, so if we can stop the two groups fighting and possibly broker some kind of peace then I think we are under a moral obligation to try, this has become so much more than just trying to stay out of the clutches of the Enclave now, we have a very real chance to do somthing good for this broken world and I for one would rather die knowing i tried my hardest to make things better than to die at a ripe od age always stuck with the knowlage that I'm a coward who rather than take the chance I wa offered chose to run and hide instead, that I couldn't live with, I'd rather die on my feet with the ones i love at my shoulders and back than in a bed wrackd with guilt" he said and all of the claws around him nodded in agreement.
Visa turned and grinned broadly at Vess, "See? I told you my beautiful human had the heart of a Claw" she said proudly and Vess nodded.
"He does indeed my beautiful niece he does indeed," she said smiling proudly at Seven before shooting what Seven caught to be a hopeful look at Chris who was still sitting next to her though was now asleep as he was still recovering from his injuries and was obviously exhausted.
Seven then glanced over at Shuna and Timothy who were both gathered around a terminal mounted forward on the bulkhead just behind the cockpit as they poured over the Project Unity instruction manual.
"You guys getting anything from that thing?" Seven asked and Shauna shot him a glance and nodded.
"There's some corruption to the data but that's not surprising given its age but we're getting there," she said.
"Glad to hear it," he said.
"Just don't expect this to be a quick study Seven this data is pretty damn complex, I haven't seen genetic manipulation on this level before it's gonna take me a bit to be able to wrap my fucking head around all of this," she said and Seven nodded.
"Take your time Shauna I'm pretty sure Passa isn't going anywhere," he said shooting a glance at the winged Claw boy who was sitting at the end of the cabin.
"Not if I have anything to say about he's not, with all the non-human girls around here we hetero human girls need some pretty non-human boys to look at you know and I honestly never thought I'd hear myself saying that, I blame fluffy bum over there," Shepherd said pointing at Malakai before turning and flashing a smile at the startled claw boy who twittered his wings with embarrassment folding them around himself protectively and it was obvious that the Claw boy was still feeling very insecure about his appearance or rather his new appearance and it showed in his eyes not to mention the fluttering of his new feathers.
"How is it my fault!?" Malakai exclaimed overhearing the fluffy bum comment and turning to look while twittering his little mandibles at her while Wisp scowled over his shoulder from her seat atop said fluffy bum.
"Because you're an A grade card carrying cutie and Wisp is a damn lucky woman but you single handedly or maybe I should say single spineretedly opened my eyes to the fact that boys of other races having the ability to be serious fucking cute, once that thought started bouncing around in my head it just got faster and fucking faster until I started to seriously look at the world and at this group that's when I noticed that noticed that Ven in a serious hottie as well i mean its like two ends of the non human boy sexy spectrum right her, one one side you have fluffy, cute and all soft that just drips soft gentle loving that would make you just want to bounce all over his fluffy bum not to mention the rest of him before smothering him in kisses and cuddles and then you have mister muscles and scales over there that just makes you think he's gonna pick you up throw you over his shoulder and carry you the hell off to his nest to ravish you which now that I come to think about it is obviously why Gregory always has his face lit by the brightest of smiles, both of them are enough to make a girl's heart jump all over the place and her knees go weak and now we have Passa here and I mean just look at him, he's all kinda of cute all wrapped up in the pretiest white scales and I must say i always loved a pretty ass white boy never thought the pretiest one I have ever seen would have a sexy long tail though and now with added feathers for all the fluffy a newly discovered non-human loving human girl could wish to run her fingers through, so all the muscles and all the fluffy all in one serously sexy package with a son that pretty it's no wonder Vess is one proud looking momma claw" Shepherd said making both Malakai's mandables and spinnerets twitter with embaressment while Ven's tail swished.
Wisp first looked shocked at the very candid confession before looking real proud and happy by the beautiful non-human she had bagged for herself and both showered him with hugs and kisses.
"Damn straight my claw boy makes me go weak at the knees every time he swishes that sexy tail of his, so it's no wonder I walk around like I'm drunk when he walks down the street and I'm behind him," Gregory said over the intercom making Ven smile proudly.
"Trust me, my friend it's beautiful pain I know well, if my little love spider here didn't let me ride around on his gorgeous bum I'd have no chance of walking anywhere he'd be dragging me down the damn street as I'd be clamped onto his sexy spinnerets by my teeth all the time," Wisp said kissing the back of Malakai's head making him flush.