Chapter 67: None shall pass!

Chapter 67 - None shall pass!

Raul was driving back to Novac because Six recalled several quests awaiting them in town. On their return, they paused upon encountering two individuals dueling in T-60 Power Armor on the snowy road. The combatant in green wielded a Proton Axe with ferocity, while his adversary in black brandished a Ripper, one and a half meters in length.

In the heat of battle, as the green-armored fighter lunged with his Proton Axe, the one in black seized the opportunity, targeting the neck joints of the power armor and decapitating his opponent.

As the Commad vehicle rumbled forward, the figure in the black T-60 Power Armor raised his weapon—now slick with frost and blood—and stepped into their path, spreading his arms wide.

"None shall pass!"

He bellowed, his voice distorted through the helmet's speaker.

Raul slammed the brakes, the bus screeching to a halt on the snow-covered road. Inside, Six, Rebecca, and Boone exchanged confused glances.

"What?"

Rebecca asked, leaning forward with an incredulous expression.

"None shall pass!"

The man repeated with grim finality, raising the massive Ripper and planting it in the ground.

Six peered out of the window, taking in the absurd sight. The black-armored individual stood defiantly in the middle of the snow-covered road, the remains of his opponent scattered around him. The ridiculousness of the situation hit him, and he chuckled.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Six, recognizing the absurdity of the situation, felt the corners of his mouth twitch under his helmet.

"Looks like we've stumbled into a scene from a classic."

He muttered.

"Classic what? A movie for lunatics?"

Rebecca quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's fromMonty Python and the Holy Grail."

Six replied, suppressing a laugh.

"And that's the Black Knight."

"What?"

Raul looked back at Six, then back at the armored figure.

"You've got to be kidding."

The black knight repeated his challenge.

"None shall pass!"

He brandished the long Ripper like a sword, though it was clearly too heavy for him to wield with any finesse.

"Here we go."

Six said, rolling down the window. He decided to play along, channeling his inner fanboy and acting skills.

As they stepped out, clad in their Knightmare X-01 Power Armor, Six adopted a pompous British accent, getting fully into character.

"I have no quarrel with you, good Sir Knight, but we must cross this bridge."

The figure shifted, stance firm.

"Then you shall die."

Rebecca stifled a laugh, already loving where this was going.

Six, now fully committed to the scene, raised an imaginary crown above his head.

"I command you, as ruler of these lands, to stand aside!"

The black-armored knight scoffed.

"I move for no man."

Six gave a weary nod, keeping up his mock noble tone.

"So be it!"

Just as the knight braced for combat, Rebecca blasted his left arm off with a precise shot from her Punisher's Tesla Cannon. Sparks flew as the severed arm clattered onto the icy ground.

Six grinned under his helmet.

"Now stand aside, worthy adversary."

The black knight shifted, as if nothing had happened.

"'Tis but a scratch."

"A scratch?"

Rebecca blurted, barely holding back laughter.

"Your arm's off!"

"No, it isn't."

the knight declared confidently.

"Well, what's that, then?"

Six gestured to the dismembered arm lying in the snow.

"I've had worse."

Rebecca snorted.

"You liar!"

"Come on, you pansy!"

With surprising agility, the black knight lunged forward, kicking Six in the leg. The impact caused a metallicclangagainst Six's armor but did no real damage.

"Oi!"

Six shouted, stepping back in mock outrage.

"You cheeky git!"

"Chicken!"

The knight taunted, kicking him again.

"Oh, that's it."

Rebecca muttered with amusement, raising her weapon. With anotherzap, she blasted off his remaining arm.

"Aaaaaah!"

The knight cried.

"Victory is mine!"

Six declared, puffing out his chest.

But the knight wasn't finished. Charging forward, he kicked Six's power armor again.

"Hah! Take that!"

Six stumbled slightly, Boone chuckling beside him.

"This guy's really committed."

"Right."

Six growled, snatching the fallen Ripper from the snow.

"This ends now."

With a precise swing, he sliced off one of the knight's legs. The armored figure toppled into the snow but still glared up defiantly.

"Right! I'll do you for that!"

He shouted.

Six shook his head in disbelief.

"You'll what? Bleed on me?"

"I'm invincible!"

The knight declared, kicking his remaining leg at Six.

Six sighed, chopping off the last leg with a single swing. The knight crumpled into a heap of armor, now just a torso in the snow.

"All right, we'll call it a draw."

The knight muttered weakly.

"Come on, guys, let's collect the armor and leave."

Six said, shaking his head.

As they turned back toward the bus, the knight's voice echoed behind them.

"Oh, I see! Running away, eh? You yellow bastards! Come back here and take what's coming to you! I'll bite your legs off!"

Boone, stifling a laugh, raised his weapon.

"I got this."

With a single, merciful shot, the black knight's rambling came to an end.

"Well."

Raul said as he revved the engine.

"That's one story I'm never gonna forget."

Rebecca wiped tears of laughter from her eyes as the bus rumbled forward once more.

"We reallyneedto stop meeting weirdos on the road."

Six grinned as they left the strange encounter behind, the snow crunching under the tires.

"If we keep this up, we're gonna need a whole book for stories like this."

"Or a play."

Boone added dryly, still amused by the absurd encounter.

With everyone settled back into the vehicle, Raul turned the bus toward Novac once more. As the tension melted into laughter, Rebecca still giggling uncontrollably leaned into Six with a grin.

"That guy wasinsane! Next time,Iget to play the knight."

She teased.

Six chuckled.

"Deal. But you have to commit to the accent."

"Oh, I'll commit."

She said with a wink.

"Just wait and see."

And with that, the Command Vehicle now named War Bus by Rebecca, roared through the snow-covered road toward Novac, the crew settled back in, still riding the high from their absurd encounter with the Black Knight.

Boone shook his head, cracking a rare grin.

"I can't believe you played along with that."

"Had to. Some moments are just too good to pass up."

Six replied, watching the snowy road disappear beneath the tires.

Raul chuckled from the driver's seat.

"Boss, I've seen a lot of crazy things, but this one takes the cake... I'll give him one thing, though—kicking you with no arms? That takes dedication."

Rebecca, still wiping tears from her eyes, leaned against Six, who was grinning beneath his helmet.

"Honestly, I don't know if I'm proud or embarrassed that we went along with it."

"Definitely proud."

Boone added with a rare smile.

"Though I think the weird part isn't that we did it—it's thathewas so serious about it."

"Do you think he was just nuts, or was that some sort of elaborate roleplay we interrupted?"

Rebecca asked.

"Maybe both."

Six shrugged.

"In this world, it's hard to tell."

Rebecca leaned back, still catching her breath from the hilarity.

"We should've kept him alive. Put him on a shelf somewhere as a reminder of pure stubbornness."

Boone snorted.

"Yeah, no thanks. Guy wastwo minutesaway from biting someone."

"Still."

Six mused.

"He fought well for someone who had more confidence than sense. T-60 armor, customized with that black finish... Would've been a waste to leave it behind."

Raul tilted his head.

"Think Viktor could do something with it? That armor's still in decent shape—minus the limbs, of course."

Six nodded.

"Yeah, my dad could refurbish it. Maybe add some fancy mods or turn it into a trophy suit."

Rebecca playfully nudged Six.

"You could even wear it when you're in a dramatic mood. You know, if you ever need to block another bridge."

Six chuckled.

"I'll leave the bridge blocking to lunatics. One Monty Python moment is enough for a lifetime."

Raul glanced over his shoulder.

"So, boss, what's next? We still heading back to Novac?"

"Yeah," Six confirmed, leaning back in his seat.

"We've got more to do there. And maybe Manny will give us a job or two."

Boone's expression darkened slightly hearing Manny's name mentioned, but he gave a silent nod, signaling his readiness to keep moving.

As the snowy wasteland blurred by outside, Six pulled up the pip-boy on his wrist, flipping through quest logs and making sure nothing critical was forgotten in Novac. His goal was to tie up loose ends—talk to Manny Vargas, clear out Repconn Test Site ghouls, and pick up any side jobs. But part of him was still smiling at how ridiculous life had become.

Rebecca nudged him.

"So, Sir Knight—think we'll get another Monty Python moment soon?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if Deathclaws start quoting Shakespeare at us next."

Six said with a chuckle.

Boone, from the back of the bus, smirked.

"If that happens, I'm retiring. That's where I draw the line."

Rebecca rested her head on Six's shoulder, feeling the rumble of the bus beneath her.

"You know."

She said softly.

"I think that was the first time I laughed in days."

Six gave her hand a squeeze.

"We'll have more moments like that. Just stick with me."

"With you?"

Rebecca smiled, feeling the warmth of his words.

"Always."

The bus hit a small bump in the road, and the power-armored crew jostled in their seats. Raul glanced over his shoulder.

"By the way, boss, what do we do with the T-60 armor we picked off the green guy? We salvaging it, or saving it for someone?"

Six thought for a moment.

"We'll copy the design and strip it for parts. Always good to have spares, especially for the Brotherhood recruits."

Rebecca grinned mischievously.

"Or we could give it to Ron and tell him it's 'Knight Initiation Armor.' See how long it takes before he cracks and calls us out for trolling him."

Boone snorted.

"I'd pay to see that."

The War Bus rolled along smoothly through the snow, the sound of laughter and camaraderie filling the cabin. It was moments like this that reminded Six why he kept going—despite the invasions, the danger, and the constant grind of survival. They were building something here: a future, a family, and a collection of absurd stories no one would believe.

Raul adjusted the radio, tuning it until the crackling broadcast of Radio New Vegas came through. Mr. New Vegas's smooth voice filled the cabin.

"And now, folks, it's time for a little music to warm your hearts on this chilly Mojave night..."

The smooth jazz melody set a relaxing tone as they cruised through the wasteland, the snowflakes swirling outside like a silent dance. Rebecca leaned closer to Six, her head resting on his shoulder.

"You know."

She whispered.

"This crazy life we have? I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Six smiled.

"Me neither."

The War Bus rolled on, cutting through the snow like an iron behemoth, carrying them toward whatever adventure lay waiting in Novac—and whatever absurd encounter the Mojave Wasteland threw at them next.

Level: 18

NAME: Six XI

GENDER: MALE

STRENGTH: 10

PERCEPTION: 10

ENDURANCE: 10

CHARISMA: 10

INTELLIGENCE: 10

AGILITY: 10

LUCK: 10

BARTER: 100

ENERGY WEAPONS: 36

EXPLOSIVES: 36

GUNS: 100

LOCKPICK: 39

MEDICINE: 100

MELEE WEAPONS: 39

REPAIR: 100

SCIENCE: 100

SNEAK: 39

SPEECH: 68

SURVIVAL: 39

UNARMED: 39