Session 43: The 1st Fleet Renegades
General Summary
The session began with the players preparing to mount up and return to the fleet on old Longfellow's orders. May protested, pointing out the wendigo was still out there and the villages were unprotected. Eventually, she relented as RM pointed out that many more would die if Far Harbor wasn't liberated and the fleet counter-attacked the Commonwealth. They mounted the vertibirds at the clearing when they arrived and Kutter commanded they head north so he could inspect the trail of destruction he saw left by Alexandru. The vertibirds traced it out to the ocean and Kutter demanded a low-altitude sweep of the beach. He saw a body on the beach, badly mangled and unrecognizable. He saw scraps of black clothing so he figured it was Alexandru and decided to take him to be buried. RM inspected him to realize he was breathing, she injected a stimpack and he awoke with a start, coughing blood all over her with incredible force. The stimpack had no visible effect, through the coughing he choked out the word, "Blood...". Quinten volunteered but as RM prepared an IV Alexandru lurched up biting into Quintens arm and sucked his blood. Quinten's arm withered but Alexandru rejuvenated, regaining his flesh and skin, a swarm of bats flew into the vertibird evaporating on contact with Alexandru and reforming his suit. The crew chief of the vertibird witnessed all of this and was pushed aside by Alexandru who ordered the pilot to fly due east further out to see. They eventually spotted the mangled Terrasque and Alexandru, insisting it wasn't dead, leaping down and continuing to bear on the colossal beast.
The party brushed off the entire encounter, heading north to the Minuteman fleet as ordered. They arrived to find the entire remaining fleet assembled for the assault on The Island. They meet with Admiral Longfellow who greets them flanked by his elite Frogmen. He briefs them on the plan, the enemy has excessive anti-air capabilities so Vertibirds will be of minimal use, they would have to slug it out. Kutter suggests several plans on how they could use a vertibird but Longfellow insists they sit back and watch the navy do the work. Discontent the players went to prepare in any way they can. Quinten goes and takes a nap, Jason heads down to perform maintenance on his armor, and Kutter trys to drum up some extra missiles from the armory. However, the officers and frogmen on the ship meet them with hostility, practically bullying them off the deck. Kutter left to hear the gorillas had returned via vertibird. He goes to greet them and is gifted over 100 ears of human, ghoul, super mutant, and nightkin varietals, kill trophies. Kutter accepted them gladly warmly congratulating them on their work. He took them down to the mess hall for food and drinks before leaving.
Determined to find a way to help, he moved to a nearby cruiser via transfer wire but not before receiving even more hostility from the officer manning it. He inquired about parts to upgrade his own vertibird if the worse came to pass and was directed to the ship's Captain, Martinez. He went to the bridge to find two captains, and he spoke with Cpt. Martinez about the parts, the second Captian, Cpt. Polk who normally commanded the flagship CFR Hollis, spoke up, asking what he was planning. Martinez dismissed the bridge crew and Cpt Polk told Kutter Longfellow was risking the battle just for glory after the embarrassment at Massachusets Bay and the Air Corps and Liberators stealing the glory of destroying The Sigilites flagship. He asked Kutter to help them win by going against Longfellow's orders to attack a ground-based artillery battery by breaking through enemy lines with Martinez's assault vertibird and landing their troops and frogmen on the island. Kutter agreed. Martinez also gave him the rockets and replacement shotguns Kutter was denied along with dedicating the Assault Vertibird to his mission. Cpt. Polk also explained why so many officers showed him in particular so much hostility. The listening post Kutter wiped out to maintain his cover was mostly full of incompetent nepo baby recruits shoved aside to not cause trouble for the rest of the navy. Many were sons brothers and nephews of respected officers in 1st Fleet. Kutter laments his actions and the impossibility of atonement. Polk says they may never forgive him but he can atone by helping them win this.
Kutter returned to the flagship and the mess hall to find it in a familiar state. The booze had apparently started to flow. Jason and the Gorillas had engaged the sailors in a dance-off. Jason dominated the floor with slick moves and juggling whiskey bottles and revolvers. Kutter unwilling to be shown up rallied his blades and entered the floor but was quickly outdone by both teams, trying to switch out Jericho for RM, RM refused and Jericho was insulted and left. Jason pulled in Blair and they cut up the dancefloor effortlessly pushing the sailors out of the room and into the hanger, drawing more dancers and onlookers even as Kutter drunk on terpentine stumbled into the hanger to help, falling and almost crushing him. Jason merely sidestepped and pulled Blair into an even more extravagant move. Kutter was dragged off the floor by the gorillas who were in a similar state with their low alcohol tolerance. Jason and Blair stood alone and began to lose ground but from the skies, Alexandru appeared from a swarm of bats and backed them up. Together they dominated the floor, as the sailors admitted defeat Alexandru left as suddenly as he came, and Jason was left holding Blair, seeing her look at him in a most peculiar way. Jason put it all on the line, leaning in to kiss her which she returned in full. As the night wound down they stumbled off to her quarters.
The next morning alarms blared and orders were barked out across the intercom, Kutter was Johnny on the Spot preparing to execute Polk's plan and rallying his men. Blair and Jason rolled out of their bunk and rushed to dress. As the assault vertibird flew over and troops loaded on Kutter assigned himself the blades, Jericho and Quinten to the bird. Jericho protested saying the bird was a risky spot to be. Kutter looked at the flak being thrown by the enemy fleet but was undeterred, telling Jericho he was sorry about last night and he promised to be a better leader, having his back, however, they were taking the vertibird. Jericho obliged, thanking Kutter.
The rest of the players loaded into the torpedo boats. The vertibird took point, unleashing a barrage of missiles, assisted by Kutter's rockets and the Liberators manning the miniguns. A gunboat was destroyed and a cruiser was damaged but the ships returned the favor with a barrage of seeking missiles and laser cannon point defense ripping the vertibird to shreds. The player's torpedo boat didn't fare much better unleashing its payload but crashing into the bow of an enemy destroyer, the players jumped overboard and were picked up by the frogmen's boat that also went to pick up the vertibird crash survivors. However, Jericho and Jimmy, another blade were not lucky enough to be counted among them. As the players made landfall the frogmen began scouting the artillery position while the players dragged themselves up the shore and tried to recoup. Kutter held Jericho and Jimmy and rage boiled within him despite his training. Jerichos last words and Kutters response echoed through his head on repeat. The frogmen said the compound was too heavily guarded for a frontal assault. Kutter wanted to take the fight to them now but the frogman suggested they go and gather forces while the frogmen weakened their defenses with guerilla tactics. Kutter offered the gorillas to their cause and the frogmen accepted graciously. With that, the players departed to make camp and lick their wounds.
They traveled to Erikson's camp which they figured wasn't yet found by the Red Tide. On the way the bodies on Kutter's shoulders felt immense in weight, slowing him down, grief and rage began to overtake him, RM and Jason comforted them and he pushed on. They reached Erikson who they found quite amicable, inviting them to make camp and have some stew. While the team settled in, Kutter, RM and the blades made a funeral pyre for Jimmy and Jericho. After building the massive tower and taking their gear, Kutter sat and watched it burn, eventually shooing RM and the blades to grieve alone. As the players slept Kutter flew into a rage, killing a massive hermit crab for sport to relieve his frustration. The morning after the players awoke to him roasting it on a massive spit and they all took a share for breakfast when he offered. RM however was preoccupied with one of Erikson's dogs, a purebred yellow lab puppy. Quinten bought him for RM on the spot. They learned about Erikson's policy of only sending his dogs to good homes, and killing buyers with a club if he learned of mistreatment which the players respected. The players prepared for the intense day of sneaking across the island ahead.
Report Date
16 Dec 2024
Primary Location
Secondary Location
