Drew’s eyes slowly drifted open to the sight of the large bay window and the view of the parking lot. It hadn’t been his intention to fall asleep in the chair in front of the large windows, but that was what had happened.

He rose his left arm and checked the time. It was half-six in the morning, the perfect time to grab a shower undisturbed.

The shower felt invigorating. Well, at least until Drew realized he was losing more hair down the drain than normal. Not only that, but he somehow managed to cut open his scalp with one of his nails.

“Shit,” he hissed as he looked down at his finger.

His fingernails looked a little pointier than usual, and not only that, but they also looked a little thicker.

“I do not need this,” he muttered to himself before he checked to see how much his head was bleeding. Thankfully it wasn’t much, but it did still sting, especially under the running shower water.

With his morning already thoroughly ruined, he decided to head outside and check up on the patrolling robots. Thankfully, they had not only successfully survived the night, they were also running well within acceptable parameters. In fact, they were operating well above what most wasteland bots were functioning at. They were practically new, after all. Only time had degraded their components, and even then, they had been well-packed meaning the degradation had been minimal.

Happy that his ruined day had taken a small turn for the better, he headed back inside and made his way back to his office where he found Veronica.

“Morning,” he said as he moved around the desk and sat down. “Any news?”

“No,” she answered. “Just wondering how the robots you sent out on patrol are doing?”

“Great. I’ll have to add some protection against EMPs. Well, more protection. As military robots, they already have some.”

“The chicken wire stuff?”

“It works,” Drew said. “Not perfect but it’s extra protection. Will make it a little more of a headache to do maintenance, but it will hopefully be worth it.”

“How about welding more plates of armor on them?”

“Maybe,” Drew said as he thought about it. “It would offer more protection against ballistics and explosives, but it would slow them down making them even easier to hit. It’s a balancing act. Armor versus dexterity.”

Veronica gestured at herself. “We have both.”

“You’re quick on your feet, I’ll give you that. The only problem is your tits flap about all over the place.”

Veronica held her breasts. “You wouldn’t know that if you weren’t staring.”

Drew cleared his throat. He felt a little embarrassed that he had brought it up. He had no idea what had come over him. The words had kind of just spilled out of his mouth.

“Well, they’re kinda hard to miss,” he said cautiously. He had a feeling that he was irritating her.

“It’s not our fault they’re massive,” Veronica said a little aggressively. “Imagine if your balls were so big you couldn’t fit them in your pants? Would you want people staring and commenting on it all the time?”

Drew figured out a way to get himself out of the potential hot water he had put himself in. “We’ll have to make you some armor at some point,” he said quickly. “Something that covers your softer parts.”

“You should probably get on that sooner rather than later,” she suggested.

“Depending on how well today goes, it will likely be this week.”

“Then we’ll smash the shine right off their power armor.”

“Their armor is already pretty dull,” Drew pointed out. “Time has worn the shine away.”

“Well, we’ll make it even duller.”

“Let’s hope,” Drew agreed.

“Kinda wish I could do more to help,” she said, looking at her large clawed hands. “These things are useless.”

“They’re not useless. They’re just useful for other things,” he said.

“Like disemboweling.”

“If that’s what you think of first, then I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Alright, you tell me what I can do with them?”

“Whatever you want.”

“I want to sew.”

“Well, not that,” Drew said, realizing she was going to be difficult about it.

“Then what?”

“You can carry things. You could help the local farmers till the soil. You could help build things, you can help in so many ways. All of you can. Some things you might need to relearn, but those hands might be big but they are still very capable. You’re still very useful, Veronica.”

“You know, if it wasn’t for Gemma and Kiki, I think I might actually fuck you.”

Drew felt his cheeks grow warm. “I’m being serious here.”

“So am I,” she said before she turned and left.

Drew swiveled in his chair and stared out of the large bay window into the parking lot. The thought of building a harem with the Greenclaws was strangely appealing. When he had first laid eyes on them all he’d seen is monsters and now he saw attractive beings with wide womanly hips, heaving breasts and shapely figures, and kind hearts.

Well, mostly.

Movement caught his eye. He saw the Sentry bot and the Assaultron move across the parking lot. At first, he wondered what had caught their attention when he saw beams of laser fire erupt from behind the armored tank.

A figure in power armor and another in far lighter clothing darted out of cover as the sentry fired a barrage of missiles. The one in the power armor wasn’t quick enough and was caught in the explosion, sending him careening to the ground.

That was when laser fire shot out from above the window from somewhere on the roof. Drew figured it was one of the defense turrets he had up there.

Drew pressed down the intercom. “Everybody remain inside for the moment, we have some unwelcome visitors.”

He released the button and continued to watch as a second Assaultron and Sentry joined the fight followed by two of the Gutsy’s. The two interlopers didn’t stand a chance. The one in the lighter armor was struck several times before a beam of blinding light erupted from the face of one of the Assaultrons turning him almost instantly to ash.

The one in the power armor tried to flee, but another barrage of missiles sent them once again to the ground where a flurry of energy bolts quickly dispatched them before the power armor exploded.

In an instant, the robots all disengaged and went back to their patrol as if nothing had happened. It was honestly quite frightening to watch.

He pressed down the intercom a second time. “Our unwanted guests have been dealt with.”

He turned to the door as Amy stepped inside the office. “Who were they?” she asked with some urgency.

“Our Brotherhood friends,” Drew answered. “Two of them. Our robots easily defeated them.”

“So they’re dead?”

Drew nodded. “Some yesterday afternoon and two more this morning. They are definitely scoping this place out.”

“So we don’t have much time,” Amy surmised.

“Likely not, no.”

“So today we’re gonna be making more robots?”

“As many as we can,” Drew answered.

“I’ll go fetch Jack,” Amy said.

“I’ll be on the factory floor.”

Amy left while Drew took another look out of the large window at the pile of ash and the melted power armor before he too left, heading the way his friend had just gone.

He headed down the corridor and down the stairwell where he almost tripped over Glower who was sleeping while leaning up against the wall. He stepped well clear before moving around the corner to see Bek shove Amy hard against the wall.

“Hey!” he shouted. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?”

Drew stormed over, his fists clenched tightly. Being aggressive to him was one thing, but assaulting his friends was another thing altogether.

Bek looked at him with disinterest as she pinned Amy against the wall with her clawed hand.

“I asked what you were doing!?”

“Nothing,” she answered. “Absolutely nothing. Just forget what you saw here, otherwise, someone will get hurt.”

“Let her go!” he fumed through clenched teeth. “I won’t ask again!”

Bek released her and took a step towards him, her claws raised as though she was ready to attack. Despite feeling absolutely terrified of what she might do, Drew stood his ground.

“What do you think you are doing!?” he demanded once more.

Bek spoke, but it wasn’t to answer his question. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

“I can if you want to stay here.”

With Bek distracted, Amy tried to sneak away only for Bek to swivel around and backhand her, knocking her to the floor.

Drew was so angry he honestly thought he was going to pop a blood vessel. “How dare you!” he hissed. “What do you think will happen if one of the others saw you?”

“They won’t.”

“The arrogance!” he spat.

“They won’t because Lotte has called a meeting and she does like to drone on. She thinks she’s in charge but she’s not really. They don’t even like her. Well, except for Charan.”

“That’s obvious,” he said. “But you do realize that the only thing between you and those pieces of shit in the power armor is me, Amy and Jack and our ability to build a defense? Or are you stupid?”

“I don’t really care. Lotte and Kiki can deal with them. Maybe they’ll even die.”

“You really don’t care, do you?”

“Why should I? I’m here to have fun.”

“This is not fun. You’re taking it too far!”

“Oh, I can take it much further.”

Bek swung a claw at him and somehow he managed to jump clear, avoiding a certain loss of his head.

“You really want to do this?” he demanded to know. “You really want to be tossed out? Do you really want to be alone?”

“Lotte won’t let you throw me out,” Bek said sounding certain.

“You think she won’t? Even after she finds out that you’ve attacked us?”

“Lotte doesn’t need you. She doesn’t need any of you. If you die, then she won’t shed a tear. In fact, it would be one less headache for her to deal with. My guess is that she would be upset that she didn’t get to eat any of you.”

With that she lunged at him, slamming him hard into the wall. He felt something give way, and thankfully it wasn’t his rib cage, rather the wall buckled and bits of dust fell down on his head.

Bek took a step back and watched as he dropped onto his hands and knees, his breath heavy.

“Wow, that didn’t kill you. I’m impressed.”

He looked up at her with a fierce glare. “You’re really intent on throwing everything away aren’t you.”

“Nothing will happen to me. Lotte won’t allow it. You see we are a family. You, Amy, Jack, and that doctor are all outsiders. It’s why she didn’t call you to the meeting.”

Drew realized something. “Wait, then why aren’t you in the meeting with the other Greenclaws?”

She paused for a moment, a look of confusion on her face before she shrugged. “Lotte doesn’t care if I go. I don’t wanna go anyway.”

“It’s because you’re the smallest, isn’t it?” Drew realized. “She doesn’t see you as useful. It’s why you’re lashing out, isn’t it? You feel inadequate so you’re taking it out on us! You’ve always felt inadequate even before you were changed.”

A look of uncertainty crossed her features. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she uttered.

“I think I do.”

“No, you don’t. I don’t care what Lotte thinks of me. That’s got nothing to do with any of this.”

“With this?” Drew questioned. “I’ll tell you what this is. It’s just a small scared little girl trying to act tough.”

“Fuck you!” she screamed as she raised her large foot, ready to stomp him into the ground.

Somehow, he managed to catch it, and hold her foot at bay. A look of shock crossed Bek’s features before she shifted her body weight forward causing his arms to start shaking under the strain.

“I’m genuinely impressed,” she said. “But playtime is over.”

She raised her foot off of him and planted it down next to his head with a thud. Drew wasn’t able to catch his breath before she kicked him hard, sending him sprawling.

“You might be able to put up some resistance, but I know someone who can’t.” She turned and stomped over to Amy who was still laying in a heap on the floor. “I won’t kill her, but Amy needs to know what it’s like to be ugly. She needs to know what it’s like to see her reflection and see a mutilated face stare back.”

Drew rolled over and tried to get back on his feet, but her fierce kick had knocked the wind out of him.

“Stop!” he wheezed.

Bek ignored him as she raised a clawed hand. “Time to fix that pretty face of yours.”

That was when Glower seemed to appear from nowhere. She slammed her body hard into Bek, knocking her away from Amy’s unconscious form. The hallway was filled with animalistic roars as Glower began her onslaught. Bek managed to block the blows, but not without the skin on her arms being flayed by Glower’s sharp claws.

Bek gave as good as she got, swiping at Glower with powerful blows. Drew saw blood dripping onto the floor as the two continued to fight. It was honestly one of the most terrifying things he had ever seen.

With some mental effort, he managed to pull his eyes away from the carnage and focused on Amy. She was starting to stir and he knew he had to get her to safety. With two large Greenclaws fighting mere feet away, the risk of her being crushed by a wayward foot was too close.

Without further thought, he forced himself up onto his feet and staggered over to Amy.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“What happened?” she said drowsily.

“Bek attacked you. Glower is fighting her.”

He helped her up onto her feet, her arms and legs trembling under the strain.

“Come on,” he said, leading her slowly away from the fight before he sat her on the floor further down the hall.

His attention moved back to the fight as he heard an almighty crash. Glower had sent Bek clean through a wall. A moment later, Bek came flying back out, knocking Glower to the ground. She raised her claws above her head ready to strike.

“What is going on here!?” a voice boomed.

It was Gemma and she looked furious.

The two Greenclaws stopped fighting in an instant and turned to look at Gemma. There was a shocked look on both their faces as though they hadn’t expected the interruption. They should have, considering the noise they were making. Drew didn’t doubt that everyone in the plant had heard them.

Gemma looked at Drew and Amy. “Are you two alright? You weren’t hurt in the fight were you?”

“Not in the fight, no,” Drew said. “Bek was harassing Amy and she attacked me when I tried to intervene.”

Gemma looked at Bek. “Is that so.”

“She also threatened to tear up Amy’s face. That’s when Glower showed up and fought her off.”

Gemma glared at Bek before she looked at Glower. “Come over here Glow. You’re not in trouble, but Bek is.”

“Why?” Bek asked as Glower strode over and put herself firmly between Bek and Amy.

“You know why, Bek.”

“I was only playing. I didn’t mean any real harm. They would have lived.”

“You’re not making your actions look any better,” Gemma said. “We could hear the fight from the warehouse.”

“So?”

“So, you’re going to follow me. Lotte needs to hear about this.” She looked at Drew, Amy, and then Glower. “You three as well.”

“She won’t care,” Bek said with a shrug. “You’ll see. She doesn’t care about the humans.”

“Come along!” Gemma said loudly.

The group followed, with Bek trailing several yards behind. Drew, unfortunately, sensed that there was more truth to what Bek had said regarding Charlotte than any of them would like. Their so-called matriarch had already proved her apathy towards humans. She would likely be disinterested in the accusations. At least that was Drew’s feeling on the matter.

They stepped through the double doors into the large dispatch warehouse. Every Greenclaw was there, just as Bek had said.

“What was all the commotion?” Charlotte demanded. “Did one of the human’s robots go haywire as I suspected?”

“No,” Gemma answered, looking down at Drew. “I’ll let Drew explain.”

He cleared his throat before he began to describe the events for the second time. “Bek attacked Amy. She shoved her into the wall. When I intervened, Bek turned on me. She threatened to kill us. She planned on ripping up Amy’s face with her claws.” He gestured to Glower. “Glower came and fought her off. That was the commotion you heard.”

“I see,” Charlotte said, looking disinterested just as Bek had said. “And what does Bek have to say?”

“I was joking,” she said. “Just having a bit of fun with them. Not my fault if they took it seriously.”

“Nothing about that was a joke,” Drew rebuked. “You meant all of it.”

Charlotte raised a massive hand. “Do not interrupt her while she is explaining her side of the story.”

Bek continued. “They fear us so they took it the wrong way. We can’t live with people who might stab us in the back. He’s building robots, who says he won’t turn them against us.”

Drew held his tongue. Bek was trying to stir trouble and by the expression on Charlotte’s face, he realized it might actually be working. The matriarch had never truly trusted them, and now she was having someone reinforce that distrust. He knew that Bek could undo everything that he was trying to build and he couldn’t allow that.

He took in a deep breath and began to speak. “Charlotte, you know she’s lying. You know she’s vindictive. She has threatened me before and I’m certain she’s threatened others.”

“Are you certain of this?” Charlotte asked, peering down at him. “You have no proof.”

“I trust him,” Gemma said.

“So do I,” Kiki agreed.

“Same,” said Veronica.

“I agree,” added Axa.

“I believe him as well,” said Sekka.

It appeared that Drew had most of the Greenclaws on his side which only emboldened his position. Still, beyond his word and perhaps bruised ribs that he was certain to have by now he had no evidence.

Amy took a nervous step forward. “I have proof,” she said, her voice shaky.

“You do?” Charlotte asked. She sounded surprised.

It was news to Drew, too. Beyond what he had just told them he didn’t know of any actual proof unless Amy had been secretly recording her threats.

Instead of producing a holotape, she turned around, facing her back to the group before she raised the back of her shirt. There were some old bandages wrapped around her torso, but after pulling against them they fell away revealing deep gouges.

Drew stared in stunned silence while Glower growled.

“They look like claw marks,” Gemma said.

“She scratched herself,” Bek dismissed.

“They’re Greenclaw marks,” Gemma said. “Small ones at that. Only Bek or Glower could have done them.”

“You calling us ‘Greenclaws’ too, now?” Bek asked. “Like the humans do?”

“It is a good descriptor,” Gemma said.

“Whatever,” Bek muttered. “It doesn’t matter because the human made it up because she hates us and wants us out.”

Sekka came to Amy’s defence. “That’s not true. Amy is kind and sweet.”

Veronica concurred. “We’ve been working well together. Drew is capable of turning this place into a real home for all of us.”

Axa looked up at Charlotte. “Bek has always been a problem. When we first changed, she was always trying to pick fights with the rest of us. At least until we outgrew her. It makes sense that she would use her superiority against the humans.”

“I agree,” Kiki said.

Charlotte turned to her right hand who stood beside her.

“What do you think, Charan?”

“My memories from before have started to return,” Charan answered. “I remember Rebecca as she was. Spoiled, destructive. She has always been weak, using her power as the mayor’s daughter against everyone. But she was smart enough to only push so far. She is vindictive and weakens us with her presence.”

“What of Glower?” Charlotte asked. “Does she not weaken the pack, also?”

“She makes herself useful, despite her inability to speak,” Charan answered. “But if you wish to expel both, then I will agree with it.”

Charlotte nodded. “I shall think for a moment then come to a decision.”

For the first time, Bek started to look genuinely concerned. Drew didn’t know if the matriarch was actually going to toss Bek out, but if she also tried to throw Glower out, then he would defend her.

“I am not going to expel anyone,” Charlotte said. “We are a family and need to look out for each other. Though, that does not mean I condone your actions. You are to leave the humans alone, Bek. If you do not then I may just change my mind.”

“But…” Bek began.

Charlotte interrupted. “No, do not even argue. Be grateful. Find your fun elsewhere. And that does not mean destroying any of the robots. We need them.”

Drew breathed a sigh of relief, though that sensation was replaced by a primal fear when Charlotte turned her gaze onto him. He doubted he would ever get used to her sheer scale, especially when she made the giant warehouse look like a doghouse.

“You need to finish building your robots,” she said.” I doubt it will be long now before they attack.”

“Agreed,” Drew said with a nod. “Another few days and we should be able to deal with whatever they throw at us. Given they don’t have an entire army of robots of their own.”

“How likely is that?”

“Very plausible, but I doubt it. They’d have used a robotic force like that against you guys.”

“That we can agree on,” Charlotte said. “Now get to it, we don’t have forever.”

“I’ll help,” Gemma said.

“Me, too,” Veronica added.

“Come on, then,” Drew said as he turned for the door, stopping for a moment to address Amy. “Are you alright? Do you want to go see Sarah?”

“I’ll be fine,” she said before turning to Glower. “Do you want to come too?”

Glower’s face lit up as she followed them out.