Bab 27: Battle of Riverside
I don't own Fallout.
"INCOMING!!!" roared out a red dawn guard, ducking behind the parapet before a collection of missiles slammed into the palisade. Mud, splinters, and gore flung into the air as screaming echoed out over the morning as Red Dawn guards, volunteers, and townsfolk providing support for the wounded scrambled from the hole punched into the palisade.
"Remind me again." Jack noted, bunkered down next to Swat behind the increasingly damaged parapet. "Why we agreed to do this?"
"DIE YOU LEGION FUCKERS!!!" roared Casey not too far away from their position, her assault rifle rat-ta-tat-tatting over the screaming, the spray of bullets downing several charging Legion soldiers as they charged the breach in the wall.
"That had something to do with it." mumbled Swat as he reloaded his Sequioa. A Red Dawn Guard fell next to him. Roaring fury at the javelin in her shoulder, Swat ripped out the Javelin callously before jamming the Red Dawn guard with a stimpak. She took a pained breath but stabilized as he stood up, and twirled the Javelin in a reverse grip before sending it hurtling back over the palisade. His target took the javelin in the throat and fell still. But the legion horde kept charging. Their rear line sent a suppressing fire on the parapet, and a group of a half dozen armed with rocket launchers were firing at the breach, opening the hole wider as their heavy infantry marched forward.
Jack took a glance over the wall. And dropped as several bullets whizzed past his hat. "Brat! I asked you a question!" he noted irritated, as Swat provided him the opportunity to glance again over the parapet by downing five legion gunners, and watching the line of rocket launchers as the close combat infantry reached the breach. "…Hold on."
A rocketeer in the center line of the missile group raised his rocket and aimed… miraculously. Jack fired… at his leg. Mere seconds before the trooper pulled the trigger of his launcher, he fell over in pain… the rocket fired straight down into the ground where he kept more missiles for quick reloading.
The explosion echoed out over the air, drawing the attention of many legionary troops, wondering what had happened to their heavy rocket fire. They lay splayed out, bloody and dying, shrieking in pain except for one who promptly, but dazedly aimed at Jack's location seconds before a sequoia bullet pierced through his right goggled eye and he went down.
"Heavy fire's down!" Roared Elroy triumphantly as the close combat infantry swarmed through the breach. "Hold the line!" he cheered to the two dozen Red Dawn guards at his side holding the breach. Wrath and Ruin fired into a pair of charging legion soldiers before the Red Dawn drew their own close-range weapons. Super Sledges, rippers, a Chinese Sword, and Elroy hefting a two-handed bumper sword let out a war cry. "For the RED DAWN!!" the roar echoed in the air as the 25 Red Dawn guard met with the Legion, their lesser numbers holding the choke point for now.
"Brat!" Jack scowled as once again they dropped down to reload. "Again. Explain to me why we're doing this?"
"Elroy promised us 700 caps and our pick of supplies before we head out north." Swat replied calmly as a bullet whizzed by his head. "But mostly." He snapped his sequoia shut and growled, completely serious. "They made me kill dogs."
"Speaking off," Jack noted as several Legion fell to Swat's accurate shooting. "Where is Raid?"
The massive white wolf was currently causing havoc at the breach. Some of the Legion's last sights were of Raid's sharp teeth sinking into their faces, and the faces of their comrades. He easily took down Legion troops sinking his terrifying fangs into their flesh, rending and tearing. You'd think that the legion would be able to handle a very big dog… Well, they would. If it wasn't for the VERY big woman swinging her serrated gator-toothed oar.
Galoria had joined the fray at the breach and the Legion were losing ground. The massive woman was bedecked with slashes and burns, however, they couldn't stop her. The oar crashed and tore at their armor and flesh as easily as Raid. And the psychological trauma was JUST as crippling as Raid's fangs and the blades of the Red Dawn. Especially when one got close enough to her to be grabbed… One unlucky Legion managed to stab Galoria's thigh, she promptly grabbed him by the neck, and twisted, snapping it like a twig before tossing him like a ragdoll into the oncoming horde and roaring her fury as Raid howled.
"Well, that answers that." Jack noted ducking as the parapet was peppered with bullets. They were probably the only two left on the wall. The rest of the defenders had fallen back, Casey slid next to them on Swat's other side, grinning a little manically as she reloaded her assault rifle.
"Come on boys there aren't that many left! Just a good hundred or so." they stared at her but she smiled prettily at them. For a crazy person.
"…You scare me girl." Jack noted as she stood up and started firing. The problem was that the Legion knew who to fire back at, Jack reached out and pulled her back down just as several bullets flew overhead where she was standing.
"Hey! I was killing them!" she roared indignantly as Jack scowled at her.
"You are going to get yourself killed! And probably us!" Jack replied irritated as the parapet exploded in bullet fire. "Fuck!"
They lay flat on the floor covering their heads as Swat snorted in annoyance. "Okay… I'm open to a plan."
"We kill them until there aren't anymore to kill." Casey said sourly as they all stood up and fired into the legion's ranks. Immediately ducking again as they returned fire. "…Buuuut we COULD do it in a more productive way."
"Foreward! FOREWARD!!" roared a legionary from the other side of the palisade "We have them! Push into the breach!"
"…Well that sounds like someone giving orders to me." Jack said pleasantly. In a surprisingly calm sort of manner.
"Indeed." Swat nodded in agreement, equally calm, "Shall we?"
"We shall." Jack said, and together. They rolled off the Palisade but landed a little ungracefully as Casey watched them.
"Hey! What about me!?"
"There are plenty more to shoot." Swat noted and gestured to the main 'gate' which had so far been mostly untouched by the assault. Casey rolled off the parapet, gripping the edge before dropping to the ground, lifting her assault rifle, and joining the defenders at the breach. Who were starting to be overwhelmed.
Even with Galoria and Raid. The Red Dawn Guard lost half a dozen people. The ones that were still alive had to be dragged out of the way but the Legion kept coming through the breach. Seemingly never-ending, even as Casey let her assault rifle run wild in the mass.
Jack and Swat crawled under the armored truck that acted as the gate. Still crawling as they went unnoticed by the legion marching towards the breach in the wall. "See anybody that screams 'in charge'?" Swat asked as Jack glared at him.
"They look like Legion just try to find the one dressed the fanciest." Swat had a look and sure enough. The fanciest looking one had a leather cloak with a furry trim, dark black hair, and beard and he was surrounded by four heavily armored Legion. Armed with large car doors acting as tower shields.
"…He looks important." Swat noted as Lupus Rex ordered another round of his soldiers into the breach.
"Leading from the back. Proper Legion." Jack replied, aiming his rifle. "Easy enough right?" he said.
Then the ground exploded. "Shit!" they shouted together as half a dozen legionaries opened fire on them. Bullets pattered the ground as they quickly dove behind a pile of corpses…
"…This does not bold well." Swat mumbled, glancing into the dead Legion's eyes.
"No…" Jack agreed before taking a grenade off the pocket of one. "This does though." Then pulling the pin he threw it towards the oncoming riflemen. However before it hit the ground and they could dive out of the way, Swat rose up and fired. Obviously hitting the grenade dead on… It exploded, putting them onto the ground. Four stayed there, one was still screaming.
Lupus Rex was alerted to the sound of the grenade. He gave the signal and his shield guard formed a wall around him. He glared at the Ghoul and the Ranger-looking motherfucker as the dropped behind the bodies of his fallen soldiers, the grenade survivors began approaching again. He scowled and drew his officer sword and 10mm SMG. "Men. Foreward."
It wouldn't do to hide behind his forces throughout the whole battle… it would be bad overall for Morale. He had to kill SOMEBODY today. His personal guard, still in tortoise formation, began to approach Swat and Jack.
"I don't suppose these corpses have another grenade do they?" Swat asked as Jack quickly checked.
"Well, we're lucky but not that lucky." Jack noted reluctantly.
Swat laying amongst the pilled corpses and quickly reloaded his sequoia. "…Are we bad people?"
"Well I'm a cranky asshole, you're a mercenary and we're currently lying among a pile of corpses we're using for cover so… yeah, probably." He then grinned at Swat and drew his revolvers, "Ready?"
"Yeah might as well…" they rolled around the corpses and dropped the two Legion troopers. Getting to their feet they quickly realized Lupus Rex and his guard were approaching menacingly… well as menacing as a group of highly trained legion bodyguards with car door shields could be. "Really?" Swat noted, jerking his thumb at the oncoming car doors.
"…Apparently." Jack replied with a shrug as Swat Raised his Sequoia and fired.
One of them stumbled from the powerful bullet hitting his shield… but seemed no worse for wear.
"…Huh." Swat noted surprised as the two on either end of the shield wall raised 10mm SMGs. "Fuck!" Swat and Jack dropped behind the corpse pile as rapidly firing bullets riddled into the bodies. "Armor-plated car doors?!"
"Why not!? Try something with a little more punch!" Swat pulled his Combat shotgun.
"We got to get around them!" Swat noted as Jack sneered back.
"Wait for the reload! And split up!" and click when the guns. Swat darted from cover only to feel his coat peppered with 10mm. He stumbled, turned, and fired his shotgun… by sheer chance he hit the guard on the left end's exposed arm, forcing him to drop his pistol. He pulled it behind the armored door, halting his pace and switching position with the guard to his immediate right.
Jack stood up, aimed his Winchester, and blasted the guard on the right end's hand. Then in a moment of brilliance, aimed lower and Hit the left-center guard in the ankle and forced him to stumble, creating a tiny hole in the wall as Swat's sequoia rang out, hitting the right-center guard in the head. He stumbled into the far-right guard, dead, breaking the formation.
Lupus Rex, ordered the remaining, unwounded guards on Jack before raising his 10mm SMG and opening fire on Swat. "Kill the ghoul!" he demanded before focusing entirely on Swat with a hail of gunfire.
"Shit!" Swat hissed, he managed to block a bullet with the shotgun, but lost his grip on it. Lupus Rex could move faster than he looked, already swinging his sword overhead and down onto Swat who drew his deathclaw knife, quickly deflecting the sword. Lupus Rex was a master swordsman, for a mostly self-taught wastelander, the sword swishing and flicking dangerously at Swat as he struggled to parry the longer weapon with his knife. Swat COULD knife fight, but fighting a man with a sword and gun wasn't something he was experienced in. He dodged a lighting quick slash before raising his Sequoia to fire only to have Lupus Rex slash the gun from his hand. "Fuck!"
Lupus Rex grinned sadistically and slashed through Swat's coat. Then across his cheek, the wound weeping blood as Swat tightened his grip on his knife. "Time to die Ranger."
"…I'm just a merc." Swat replied confidently as Lupus Rex readied to stab him. Lunging forward, Swat darted to the side and ran the knife towards the Legionaries' throat. Only for Lupus Rex to drop the 10mm SMG to grab Swat's wrist, the knife inches from his throat. He was stronger than he looked too…
"Time to die Merc." He corrected flatly and stabbed Swat in the thigh.
"Argh!" Swat knelt before him as he slashed Swat's knife hand, forcing him to drop the knife. Swat felt the sword press again his neck, and lift his head.
"Any last words? Merc?" he asked coldly.
"I got a few." He paused and turned his head just in time to see Jack smiling calmly, his honor guard lying dead in the pile of corpses. And Jack was holding Swat's Sequoia. "Get away from my boy." He pulled back the hammer and fired. The bullet ripped through Lupus Rex's shocked face. Lupus Rex, a fresh hole in his head, stared blankly up at the sky through dead eyes… Jack hauled Swat to his feet and slipped the mostly undamaged Sequoia back into his holster. "How many times have I saved your life now Brat?"
"I don't know Jack I've lost count." Swat noted lazily as the Legion began to cry out in dismay.
"Dead! The General is DEAD!!" it rippled through the ranks like wildfire. And one by one, dozens of soldiers began to flee, a few at first. Then more. A few of the higher-ranking Legion soldiers tried to hold back the route, but they just exposed their own commands and were put down or injured by Red Dawn marksmen. One was split almost entirely in two by a rampaging Galoria when he wasn't paying attention. How you don't pay attention to the big, beautiful, berserk beauty coming down on you we shall never know.
The battle was over. The legion that didn't run or died, quickly surrendered. A good few of them were pressed ganged into service, wanderers or tribesmen who simply wanted to survive. After retrieving Swat's weapons Jack helped him through the breach as the Riverside Militia restrained of captured the surrendering Legion. Galoria, covered in blood and small wounds smiled sweetly at him.
"Husband! We are victorious!"
Raid howled, then smiled happily, covered horrifically in the blood of their enemies. Sitting devotedly next to the big woman as Casey wrapped a small arm wound. "That went much better than I thought it would." She noted, treading on a Legion corpse.
"10 guards dead. Many more wounded." Came a somber Elroy. He was limping, and covered in wounds, including a fresh slash over his eye. But he was still standing. "…Lad. I need to talk to you." He said approaching Swat.
"What?" Swat asked curiously but felt Elroy press a small sack of caps into Swat's bleeding hand.
"700 caps as agreed." He said reluctantly. "…But I can't let you take any medical supplies."
Swat groaned, glancing around at the wounded Riversiders… nobody came out unscathed. "Elroy we're going north." He said reluctantly and Elroy flinched.
"I know lad but we need whatever we can get. Food, bullets. I can let you have whatever you can carry but we need every last stimpak." He then promptly, handed Swat one. "…For you." He said plainly. "…That's all we can spare."
Swat took it, and nodded as Jack glanced between them. Elroy limped away to help who he could as Casey walked up to Swat. "What's the matter?"
"… I was hoping we could get stimpaks here… this is the last town on our stop before we go north." Swat noted. "…There's no trader trustworthy enough after this point…"
"What?" Casey noted confused.
Swat sighed, "…Empty stims, fakes, or just assholes who would rob us. Food is one thing, and bullets. But stimpaks?" He jammed the one Elroy had given him into his thigh and let it work its sciencey magic. "Much better than caps."
"…We'll have to make do." Jack said as Swat began to move on his own.
"…Well stay one more night." Swat said, already heading to help with the wounded. "Heal up as best we can… Then we'll head north in the morning." and with that… the battle of Riverside came to an end…
...…..
Anthony ran. He was the only commanding officer to run from the battle. He stumbled in the dark but quickly caught himself… The Lost Legion was done for. He couldn't even risk heading back to camp to take anything. Just the armor on his back and his new officer sword. He had fled long into the night… the battle over twelve hours ago back southeast. He bent forward and took a breath, too exhausted to run anymore even though he knew nobody would follow him this far…
…His only chance now was to become a raider. Find or… form a group. The Legion was bust anyway… he needed to think small. Start small first. Maybe find some food. Even better. Steal some food.
"I got rhythm. In my Feet! I got rhythm in my heart and soul!" a pretty woman, a wild look in her eyes and a shock of pink hair skipped out of the darkness, holding a torch and… dancing along. "I got rhythm! Hot and sweet!!"
"You!" Anthony shouted, crossing her path and holding her sword. She paused and stared at him surprised. "Food and caps. Now!" he said coldly.
"Oh… shit are you robbing me?"
"Food and CAPS! NOW! You stupid bi-BANG!-AAGH!!" his knee shattered and he fell to the ground, her assault rifle, fired from the hip. Still smoking…
"I got rhythm… so do you…" she said calmly, approaching him as she tapped his chin with the bayonet of her assault rifle. "…Well… not so much anymore." She smiled, coldly. "Ma'am!" she shouted almost as an afterthought.
Anthony stared horrified as out of the darkness, five more people loomed into the torchlight… all of them dressed as NCR rangers. They cleared a path and an older woman approached him. Kneeling down to stare glaringly into his eyes, she smiled in an almost grandmotherly way before roughly grabbing him by the hair and lifting his head callously up. She cleared her throat, and opened her mouth to speak with honeyed words laced with poison. "Well. Well. Well… Legion… Karlson? Keep him alive…" she let go of Anthony's hair and got back to her feet. "Wu.... "Extract" any information." A blonde man and an Asian man loomed over Anthony…
…When they were finally done with him. The former Legion leader wished he fell in the battle…
End of Chapter
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone