Session 52.5 The Challenger

The session began with Kutter at Vantage after the main team left. ADA informed him that his penal legion was trained and awaiting orders at Quincy: Command Post for the Southern Front. Kutter left the room for the atrium, where newcomer Major Richards pulled him aside and asked to come along so he could gain insight on the Red Tide. Kutter agreed, glad to have another strong fighter by his side. He gathered his berzerkers, 1st Vanguard, Gork, Mork, and his sword bearer Robert to take the fight to the frontline and headed off. They piled into the elevator, where they ran into Todd, dressed in nightclub attire. Kutter asked if he had plans, and Todd said he was heading to his second job. Kutter passed him a flashbang just in case, then they went their separate ways.

Kutter and his merry band marched south through the thick snow until they arrived at Quincy. At the gate, they were greeted by a Colonel, who introduced himself as Preston Garvey, Minuteman Army Corps. He told Kutter his men were ready and waiting. Kutter asked him for a debrief of the situation down there, but instead, Preston brought him into the command tent. Kutter brought in Hank, but Preston stated they couldn't allow brotherhood command in and stated he'd never heard of a Major of the brotherhood, so Richards saw himself out.

Inside the tent were three other Minuteman Colonels along with Gramps and Barry, who were looking a lot worse for wear. Garvey informed Kutter of the Red Tides' slow war of attrition pushing them north, and now they were about to capture a critical objective, the port city of Plymouth. Kutter said he had heard about a rock there, but Preston sadly said it had been worn away by the sea, unfortunately. Preston gave The Liberators their orders. In order to secure Plymouth, the minutemen needed to regain air superiority. In order to do the a task force consisting of The Liberators and two Minuteman platoons would perform a deep strike to destroy an enemy Anti-Air Missile Battery. The Minutemen would cover the flanks, Gramps and the main force would attack the battery, and Kutter and his penal legion would reinforce a Minuteman outpost, reliving the defenders and drawing attention away from the main operation. The Liberators agreed, and the team got to work. Kutter went and met his men, giving them a rousing speech telling them this was how they would earn their freedom. Kutter heard someone say that these new recruits looked pretty green for such a major operation but when Kutter responded Gork and Mork responded with confusion, not having said anything.

The task force set out, and on the road, Kutter and Gramps caught up. Kutter told him the operation out west went well, and they killed The Sigilite. Gramps told him that when it happened, they and a Minuteman company were able to escape out of a massive enemy encirclement when the enemy push stalled out. Gramps also lets him know they've lost two squads, and Trashcan died jumping on a grenade to save his squad. Kutter was sad to hear it. They discussed Sharos, but neither had seen him in a while; they figured he was performing a solo op somewhere, and Gramps reassured Kutter that whatever he was doing was important. With that, the task force split, and the operation commenced.

As the sun set and darkness consumed the forest, Kutter and his forces reached the outpost. They could see six platoons of enemy forces surrounding the battered defenders. Kutter asked Major Richards if he was going to use the creature in combat, but he refused. Robert presented Kutter with his sword. Kutter charged in and hit the attackers from behind, then pushed around, destroying two platoons and encircling an additional two before the last two got away. Kutter demanded the survivors' surrender. When some troops of the line tried to resist, they were gunned down by their super-mutant commanders. Kutter told them that it was rude, and they declared they would win the glory of avenging Hercules. Kutter fought the five super mutants alone, demolishing them in a whirlwind of slashes from his sword and crushing blows from Hercules's hammer, which erupted in flames, annihilating a super mutant but burning Kutter in the process.

With no hope of escape, Kutter heard shots sporadically ringing out from the enemy platoons. He thought they were mutinying but went to find that they had, in fact, opted not to be taken alive and face the traitor's atonement from The Red Tide. Five survivors remained who Kutter had recruited despite their reluctance, promising to protect him from The Bloodletter, whatever that was.

With the battle won, Kutter was greeted by a beleaguered Lieutenant overjoyed to see him. Kutter noted he was missing an entire arm, and he had to cut his Laser Musket down into an "Obrez" to wield it one-handed. The Lieutenant shook Kutter's hand from atop the wall and let him and his men in. Inside, Kutter saw only 15 Survivors of the 50 that had been stationed there. The Minutemen eagerly packed and left, informing Kutter that there would be reinforcements in about an hour, undoubtedly stronger than the ones they had faced, perhaps much worse due to Kutter's notoriety. Kutter accepted the challenge ahead and prepared, stationing what machine guns and missile launches they had at advantageous positions with Jeremiah, Gork, Mork, and Major Richards.

As expected, in an hour, the enemy arrived. On the far side of the clearing to the south, Kutter stood defiantly on the wall and saw a massive force of well-equipped troopers with a large vanguard of heavies sporting black power armor, heavy weapons, and tower shields. Worst of all, behind them, trees cracked and fell as something massive came striding out of the forest. A massive super-mutant behemoth covered in cybernetics and electronics appeared, and riding atop it in his full battle plate, gilded in gold and inscribed with blood, wielding his flaming mace, was Father Gregory.

He called out Kutter's name, and they taunted back and forth. Gregory declared Kutter killed Hercules, helped kill Ol' One Eye, and struck down The Sigilite, he said he was here to thank Kutter for weeding out the weak and making them stronger. He declared that with the Sigilite's failure, he would rise to be HIS chosen warrior and lead HIS armies in the Sigilite's place.

Kutter asked Richards if he had anything for that, telling him that he was a brotherhood traitor. Richards looked up from his coffin, which he was apparently still listening to. He stated he hadn't heard of him, but they should definitely kill him quickly and not take him prisoner. Richards said he was working on it.

Father Gregory told Kutter to rejoice, as his death would mark his ascension to glory. Across the clearing, the soldiers were lighting torches and placing them around the battlefield. Kutter ordered the radio man to get them any support they could. Reinforcements were too far away, and May couldn't get through until the AA battery was destroyed, so they called in artillery support instead.

Gregory's forces charged; most went for the rear of the base, but Gregory, his steed, and half his knights charged the front. In an insane gamble, Kutter had to slow down the front troops to buy time for the AT troops to hammer the behemoth while 1st Vanguard and Jeremiah defended against the troops on the rear. Kutter ordered Robert to fly the blade's banner, and the line in the sand was drawn.

Kutter ordered Gork and Mork to sound the charge, the three, along with Robert the berzerkers and Hank charged the front line. Kutter heard the whistling of falling artillery, but Gregory summoned some sort of power, and the artillery impacted harmlessly on a wall of force. The charge quickly devolved into a hectic melee. Kutter stood alone, surrounded by his berserkers who held off the knights around them, grappling and whipping them around to defend against the attacks of their fellows while trying to find a weak point. Gork, Mork, and Richards stood in the crowd alone and fighting multiple enemies each. The enemies streamed around them, charging for the front gate while also attacking Kutter's attackers. The knights parted as the behemoth stomped forward, and Gregory leaped off, taunting Kutter. Kutter attacked while he talked, catching him by surprise. As the fight began, Gramps reported the AA was down, but he couldn't get to them in time. May reported, "Pequod on Station, ETA 1 Minute." Gork and Mork had to fall back to attack the behemoth as it had reached the front gate

Kutter saw the purple light in Gregory's eyes and spoke to him as the Sigilite. Gregory asked who he was talking to, and Kutter asked if he was talking to The Sigilite, and Gregory went quiet. Kutter called him a puppet, and Gregory stated his master was only here to witness his glory. Kutter taunted further, and Gregory told him to feel his wrath. Gregory struck Kutter with his mace, breaking his parry, and a paralyzing wave of energy coursed through Kutter's body, overwhelming him and sapping his strength. Kutter struck back and broke Gregory's concentration.

The Berzerkers continued to hold the line, grappling them and prying their armor open to find weak points. Gork and Mork continued to harrass the behemoth, chopping and blasting his legs but Gork gets smacked aside. Richards held his own against the knights around him, bashing them with the containment unit and uppercutting them with his bare fists, knocking them into the air.

Gregory went in for a shield bash, but Kutter grabbed it and grappled him, bringing his sword down at his head, but Gregory shifted, and the sword missed, prying under his shoulder plate, wedging it off. Gregory counter-grappled, suplexing Kutter over him and sitting him down into a chokehold. Gregory choked up on his mace and punched with it into Kutter's arm, hyper-extending it and breaking it off. With his forearm dangling on by a thread, Kutter ripped it off and stabbed it into Gregory over his shoulder, catching him by surprise. Kutter on death's door called out to Richards, and Gregory called him a coward. He heard a wooshing as Hank brought his crate down on Gregory, smashing him and Kutter into the frozen mud.

Kutter looked over his shoulder and saw Gregory's face wrapped in tentacles as Hank had slightly opened the crate. As Hank pulled it off of him, swirling black clouds covered Gregory's eyes. Kutter took a shot over his shoulder at Gregory's exposed head, witnessing as the crown glowed and the shot stopped mid-air before piercing through an invisible force field and glancing his cheek and shooting through his ear. Gregory yelled out in rage.

Hank strafed and unleashed his tentacle creature on Kutter, and miraculously, Kutter was healed. Gregory declared, "Enough games." Kutter asked if they were playing, and Gregory retorted that they weren't anymore. Gregory summoned power in his mace and stomped, knocking Kutter and Richards back down into the mud and damaging them. Kutter struggled to his feet with 30 seconds left to survive.

Richards applied a tourniquet to Kutter, then picked up his container and swung at Gregory. Kutter told him to help Gork and Mork and the duel continued. Gregory summoned his master's power to heal and hasten himself, redoubling his attack, but every attack from Kutter cut through his broken armor and maimed him. The two fought to a standstill until Gregory shield charged him, knocking him down and bringing down his mace, breaking through Kutter's feeble guard and mauling his chest, crumpling in his ribcage. Kutter faded to black but willed through, backhand slashing him and crawling back to his feet. Kutter charged and stabbed into his chest, but Gregory clung to life, expelling psychic energy that ravages Kutter's weakened body.

The two were both on death's door; Gregory had to choose whether to finish the job and almost certainly died as well, Kutter screamed at him to come get him, and Gregory declared, "You'll die by my hand worm! Judgement!" striking through Kutters guard and knocking him out cold. As Kutter lay dying, Gregory continued bashing his chest in until, on the killing blow, his mace slipped out of his bloodied hand, and he lost his balance; the two lay on the ground together dying. Gregory's men dragged him away, and Kutter's allies rushed to his side as Kutter fought to live, but he failed before they could reach him. His berserkers did nothing to help him, even though they had time, leaving his fate in his own hands.

Kutter sank into the endless void as the battle raged on around him and the vertibird rescue arrived. Kutter's body was dragged aboard with the survivors as his life flashed before his eyes.

Kutter had crossed an entire continent of horrors and wrestled his mind from the maddening abyss twice so he could try and make super mutants better, to try and make the world better. He fought and died to prove that freedom would always win over tyranny. He had fought so hard and didn't accept his death, but nonetheless, it was out of his hands.

He was pulled, kicking and thrashing into the endless abyss of nothingness until he saw a tendril reach out to him in the void, and he grabbed on with all his strength. He felt as he rose from the abyss out of the ground into the air and inside of the vertibird, and he awoke with a jolt to see the tentacles of the creature inside Richards's container pulling his body and spirit back together. He was overwhelmed with an awareness that he was a dead man possessing a corpse, even as his heart beat again.

He sat on the ground surrounded by the scant survivors of the battle. Gork, Mork, four of the berzerkers, seven of the penal legion, Robert, and Richards. Kutter asked where 1st Vanguard was, and they told him that Jeremiah had given the order to hold the line, and they covered their retreat. Kutter demanded they go back, but Richards showed him the vertibird was damaged, so he ordered them to put it down. Gork and Mork said they made their choice, and they were in no state. Gork and Mork were mangled from their fight with the behemoth, Richards was cut to ribbons and permanently weakened by the resurrection he just performed.

Gork and Mork said they took him alive, since they were a mercenary company, they wouldn't be put to the stakes because they hadn't taken the creed. The brothers promised to gather intelligence to try and find them so a rescue could be staged. They said they'd do this for Kutter and the true hero, Jeremiah Jamison, a true soldier, Richards added. Richard said to Kutter he couldn't be relied upon to pull him out again, it took a lot out of him.