108442-rocios-story-the-battle-of-kerregs-ridge

== Content ==
			
Previous Chapter: https://forums.wildstar-online.com/forums/index.php?/topic/108242-rocios-story-daggerclaw/
 
Now for the exciting climax of this Arc! Enjoy the battle! Chaaaaaaaaarge!Chapter 16: The Battle of Kerreg's Ridge*************A sharp-eyed Aurin spotted the tell-tale dust cloud of Sata’s Collective on the horizon. He left his post and hurried down to where Kerreg and Barrentree were discussing battle plans. “The Chua will be here within hours, sir.”Barrentree dismissed the watcher with a nod. “You’ve picked a good spot, General, this rock could be held by less than our number. I suggest we make sure we give it all we got.”The Exiles freed from the Ikthians added an additional 50 to their fighting forces. Though they weren’t trained soldiers, they were eager to fight and one volunteer was worth a score conscripted as far as Kerreg was concerned.Maxfox Shytail and his group of Explorers had started out on their way back to the Alpha base the night before. Rocio had been returned to his Black Hoods group which now manned sniper positions on the ridge. Barrentree had grown a begrudging respect for the young man as time went by. While he was still a spy and he did hack into their network, Rocio had refrained from any violent action against him and didn’t seem to harbor any resentment either. Instead, Rocio displayed bravery and maturity beyond his years, requesting that he fight among the FCON troops, feeling responsible for Tahm’s death.“I will take his place.” Rocio had said.Barrentree cast his gaze to where the Black Hoods Aurin was assigned. Marina, Malinea and Koss had taken it hard, but none so much as Pasha who was still resting in the medical tent and being looked over by Ekraa. The poor lady Aurin had howled and wailed half the night before finally being sedated. In his heart, Barrentree made a solemn vow. That infernal Chua would die today or he would give up his claws.Nexus rose against the sky as Sata’s collective came into view, marching in strict formation and displaying the banners of the Dominion as well as her family seal. Sata had forgotten all about her aim of trying to pitch her now-derelict Daggerclaw to Mondo Zax. Humiliated and furious, she sought only revenge against that treeslank Esper. Nobody insulted her like that and lived!A Chua scout hurried to her. “The Exiles are ready and waiting for us! Drugger’s group is going around his side of the ridge. We attack from both sides!. Will gain the upper hand. Trap them against the canyon!”Sata rapped her knuckles against the Chua’s collarbone. “I know! This was my plan!”The Chua took the blow without complaint and hurried back to where Drugger was waiting. He waved a banner signaling that Sata was ready.Rocio crouched with Koss and Malinea behind the thick barrier. They hadn’t spoken much at all since his arrival. More than Tahm’s death, Pasha’s paroxysm of grief had left a pall on their little group. Tight jawed and grim, they watched the Chua approach with deep simmering hatred.Koss had a white-knuckle grip on the barrel of his rifle, trying to pick out his first target. Kerreg had told them to hold their fire until given the order to shoot. After nothing happened for several minutes, Sergeant Axta stood up, her voice swelling even over the thin air of the moon.“Clean the muck out of your ears, slanks! If you think you can take this ridge, then go ahead and try! Consider this your only warning! You’re on Exile ground and we’re gonna fight for it!”The troops on the ridge let out a roar of agreement.Sata just sneered. Over the commlink, she muttered. “Kill the vermin.”Axta raised her hand. “Steady at arms, men! Here they come!”Koss struggled to aim through his shaking hands. His eyes darted to Rocio who was looking down the scope of his sniper rifle with a calm stillness he’d never seen in an Aurin before. Buoyed by his comrade, he took a breath and focused.“Steady! Steady!” Axta said.Koss could feel the rumble of countless feet rattling the ridge. In the back of his mind floated a wisp of a prayer. His heart slammed against his chest.“Wait for it…” growled Iscariot from the other side of the ridge.The tension was unbearable. “Koss!” Malinea whimpered. Her eyes squeezing shut.A bullet whizzed by Axta’s head. “Fire at will! Fire at will! Let them have it, men! Give them death!”The entire ridge exploded with full artillery on the advancing horde. Koss’s target took a direct hit to the forehead and tumbled back into the next line.“Keep firing! Don’t let them get a break!” General Kerreg stood with the manned grenade launchers.“First volley! Fire!” The round of explosions sent fountains of rock yards into the air, but the Chua did not stop their charge. They gave as much as they got, shooting, flinging and launching anything that came to hand, snatching weapons and armor off their fallen even as they ran.Koss hurried to reload his gun, and returned to fire, wiping out a Chua who was almost over his barrier. Axta yelled, “First line! Get down and reload! Second line! Fire!”Rocio, Koss and Malinea hit the ground as bullets whizzed over their heads. Malinea saw the shocked expression of a wounded Chua as he fell into their trench. Rocio dispatched him with his pistol and turned back to finish reloading. Koss turned to him, his eyes wide and mouth agape. Who was this guy who could kill like it was a mere house chore?Barrentree howled from somewhere in the fray. “Ready shields!”Axta echoed him. “Ready shields!”Koss let out a shaky breath. “Here we go…” He activated a shield gadget and screwed a bayonet blade to the tip of his gun.Away from the fighting, Sata was satisfied with the results. They had taken losses – more than she had expected – but the Exiles were still vastly outnumbered and it was only a matter of time before they were overrun. But her satisfaction dimmed when the battle cry of the Exiles crashed like a tidal wave into her ears. They massed on the ridge and went charging down, screaming and howling like savage beasts. The countercharge broke the front ranks of the Chua and sent them fleeing back down the hill.Sata had expected them to stand and defend, not push back! “Impressive… Pchah! What am I saying? Filthy Exiles!” She called to her forces over her commchannel. “Fall back! Cut losses.”That round over, both sides returned to start to rest and mend the wounded.Koss was trembling like a leaf. He couldn’t stop shaking.“Take it easy.” Rocio gave him a smile. “We showed them.”“Y-yeah w-w-we… sure d-did.” Koss tried to slow his breathing. “Woah, that was… that was crazy.”Malinea left her weaponry behind went to the medical tent to help. She found Pasha working with the others. “Pasha, are you sure you…”Pasha gave her an uncharacteristically cold look. “If you’re not wounded or healing, please clear out. It’s crowded enough as it is.”Malinea frowned, taken aback by her friend’s tone. “Pasha… I…”Ekraa tapped Malinea’s shoulder, “She’s right, darlin’.” She leaned over and whispered. “She’s doing what she can to cope.”Malinea nodded. “Then I’ll help, too, just tell me where I need to go. I’ll do everything I can, too.”Pasha pointed to a pile of bloody used bandages. “Take those out back and use the flame thrower on them.”Marina was with Kerreg, working to arm a huge rocket launcher on the backside of the ridge. She cackled wickedly. “I can’t wait for them to get a load of this!”Kerreg shared a smile. “Chua think they’re the only ones with fancy firepower.”“They’re coming back! All men to lines! All men to lines!”“Time to go.” Kerreg tipped an imaginary hat, “We’re counting on you, girl.”“I won’t let you down General!” Marina gave a smart salute.Kerreg returned to his post. He couldn’t help but be proud of all the recruits here.The Sata Collective charged again, this time with renewed determination. Koss had gone from trembling to feeling detached from it all, watching the Collective swarm the ridge again. He let out startled yelp when bullets began raining on him. Rocio suddenly fell, clutching at his chest.“Rocio!”“It hit armor. I’m fine. That was… unpleasant.” He regained his position. “I guess they’ve suddenly remembered how to shoot…”“Don’t let them take the ridge!” Axta yelled. “First line down! Second line fire!”Marina called over the commlinks. “Rocket ready!”“Hit the deck!” Iscariot bellowed.There was a dull thunderous boom! Chua screamed and wailed as the rocket landed squarely in the midst of them. A huge plume of moonrock and dust erupted from the hillside.“Haha!” Kerreg said gleefully, “Solid shot, girly!”Rocio looked around. “Great, I can’t see anything for all the dirt.”Koss aimed his rifle down the hill. “Why’s it so quiet? Are they all dead?”“Help! Help! They’re coming on this end!”Rocio cursed under his breath and crawled toward the voice but then another voice was behind him.“They’re over here! Over here!”Sata had wasted no time. With the frontlines too obscure to shoot, she had ordered her remaining minions on the hill to split up and attack again from both sides of the ridge. The brief respite was all it took for them to pounce on the Exile position.Chua were coming at them in waves. Rocio and Koss saw Sergeant Axta being assaulted from every angle, fending them off with only the broken haft of her axe. She went down, fighting to the last.Iscariot was also surrounded; he was a blur of muscle and blade, cutting down Chua with every swing and bellowing with laughter. “I’ll pile you all against the Dark Gates! Come to me!”“Look out!” A chua was sneaking up behind him. Rocio flung a single illusionary blade striking it squarely in the throat.“Good shot, Esper! Follow me!”“Get your backs against the meteor! Don’t let them surround us!” Kerreg roared.The Exile army was in serious trouble. Kerreg could see that he was losing too many men for the defense to keep up. “Stand together! Stand to… Urrgh!” He felt a sharp pain and his arm went numb and limp."You’re hit!” It was Malinea. She looked up at him. “It looks bad!”“Come here, gal. Get up against the rock.”They were joined by the remaining Exiles. Pasha was tending to Rocio who had a deep gash in his leg.“General!” Iscariot slammed the big Chua Coax with a downward swing, laying him low. “No matter how hard I chop them they keep coming! Any ideas?”“I just want to get my claws into that Sata…” Barrentree snarled, half congealed blood staining his back.“You won’t catch her, she’s a coward. Leads from behind.” Kerreg grimaced as Malinea applied a poultice to his wound.Barrentree insisted. “We have to. She’s the one doing this. She’s the one running this show. If we take her out the whole collective will fall apart. “Kerreg gave him a stern look. “Don’t do anything stupid, Barrentree.”“Do I ever?”Far from them, Sata smiled. “And that is how Chua win wars.” She clapped her hands. “Now go capture the remainder for experimentation! Daggerclaw 2.0!”The order sent a wave of vacillation through the Chua ranks and they abruptly stopped fighting. These Exiles had fought more fiercely than any other group in their experience. Now that the battle was in its final stages and the Exiles were pinned, no one wanted to be the first to go up and try to grab them. They had experiments of their own to finish after all.The Chua Overseer hissed. “What are you doing! Go! Go get them! Drugger!”“Yes!” Drugger swaggered forward to rally the group. “Where is Big-mouth Rock Woman? Try to take the ridge? We take it! Surrender now!”The rest of the Chua group laughed and jeered, making faces and chanting, “Sata! Sata! Sata!”Encouraged, Drugger turned his back and shook his tail at them. “Weak Exiles! Stupid Exiles!”The ruse was working; the Collective realized that the Exiles were not coming after him and readied their weapons to close in.“No surrender, men.” Kerreg growled. “We take as many with us as we can.”The Exiles, prepared to give their lives for the final fight, stood in formation and steeled themselves for a charge.But before anyone could make a move, a heartrending screaming and howling reached their ears.The Chua collectively turned to see Sata lifted in the air, suspended by Barrentree’s stalker claws hooking through her ribs and out her back. Barrentree was laughing, his eyes filled with a triumphant, wild and terrible glee. But that wasn’t all they saw.“G-g-granok on the ridge! Hundreds of them!”Ekraa raised her resonators in the air. “STONEBREAKER!”Durek’s Destroyers thundered toward the Collective, mounted on hoverbikes. Rocio saw Chua sailing through the air as the cavalry hit the rear flank of the Collective.“CHARGE!” Kerreg roared.Koss ran forward, ramming his bayonet into the backs, necks and stomachs of the Dominion soldiers. One of the wounded Chua reached up and grabbed his leg. He stumbled and fell and rolled. The Chua kept after him, beating him over the head and trying to break his space helm. Then it went limp.Gasping in a panic, Koss looked up and saw a familiar face looking back at him.“Kam!”Koss’s brother grinned, though tears were running down his face. The two Aurin embraced each other with joy.“I’m so happy you’re alive!”Baying like hunting hounds, the two Aurin pursued Chua across the length of the ridge.Kerreg refused to leave Malinea’s side. In the midst of the battle, she had taken two hits in the back. She tried to focus on him, smiling weakly. “I guess we won ,huh?”“Aye, we won.” He gave her a gentle caress on the cheek. “I’ll be sure to promote, ya, when we get back to base.”“I got no use for promotions… beyond the Weave… sir…”Rocio struggled to stand, using his rifle as a crutch. Pasha’s dressings were holding but the pain made him lightheaded every time he put weight on his injured leg. Geist appeared next to him. The apparition provided enough steadying force to keep him upright. He had only one source of strength left and he was going to use it for the sake of everyone.Drugger could see Rocio attempting to keep up with the rest of the troops. His gaze was followed by several others. He recognized the Aurin as the one who had broken the Daggerclaw, who had caused this disaster. The Chua began to advance on him. They had nothing more to lose. Sata was gone. Even if they were adopted into a different collective, the stain of failure would be impossible to erase.Rocio heard someone shout a warning. The Chua were spreading around him in a wide semi-circle. They paused.Rocio was standing there, staring back at them, not fighting back, but not retreating either.Drugger took a flying leap, landing right in front of him. He aimed his pistols at the Aurin’s heart, but then he stopped. Great blue swords were conjured up, not in front of Rocio, but from within the Chua’s body. As though tired of the whole ordeal, Drugger dropped his pistols and fell over.The other Chua backed away but it was too late. Rocio didn’t move or turn his head but the Chua were knocked away with such force that they were partially buried in the ground, their corpses leaving long red smears in straight-line trails away from him.Rocio continued his slow limping progress toward the fighting. The tide of the battle had taken a stunning turn. The Collective was only half-retreating. Without any real leadership, their battle had gone from an organized strategy to an unimaginable savage bloodbath. If they couldn’t win against the able bodied soldiers, then they would find and destroy any wounded they found alive on the way out.Rocio’s mind was cloudy but he could see the one he had been looking for. Barrentree was pinned against the ridge, facing several Chua on the other side of a half-collapsed barrier. He was hurt. Rocio could see him move. He wasn’t fighting back. Rocio tossed the gun to one side. A very terrible feeling was welling up in him, something irrational, and something that made him oblivious to pain. The Augmentation activated.The Chua saw him, but seemed confused. The Aurin was surrounded by a strange green fire. The flames migrated outward and took the form of another Aurin, then another. They stared in fascination at the many clones Rocio was making of himself.Using the clones as both a barrier and a distraction, he staggered next to Barrentree who looked at him in amazement. An eerie miasma was gathering around the pair; the Chua could feel a deep sense of foreboding. They made as though to retreat back up the ridge and get away. But then they were rooted in fear as they saw skeletons rising from the ground. Terrified, they fired the last of their ammunition into the illusions.The Chua looked up and saw an immense form coming at them through the mist. A great telekinetic bird smashed into three of them and they exploded in a shower of gore. Rocio moved with unnatural speed and grabbed another by the tail. The others lost their nerve and fled.The Chua in Rocio’s hands fought back, kicking him in the helmet and ribs. But Rocio didn’t care. He tightened his grip. He lifted the Chua up over his head and slammed him into the rocks, throwing all the force of his body into the blow. Still, the Chua fought so he lifted him again and brought him down again, harder this time.That was all it took. The Chua went limp. Rocio straightened up in time to see another Chua sailing over his head, upside down. The absurd sight gave his mind clarity as the Augmentation spurring him on released him. He saw Durek Stonebreaker shrug and say, “What? Looked like you were having fun.”The battle was over. Durek's band were still pursuing the last of them into the distance, but Sata's collective was no longer any threat.Rocio felt dizzy. His vision blurred. He sank to his knees. That final attack had left him with no energy to stand or even speak. He wanted to sleep.“Rocio? Hang in there, kid.” It was Barrentree. The Aurin held him close, checking him for wounds and broken bones. “You never did tell me your other name.”Rocio had a terrible headache, droplets of blood oozed from his nose over his lips. “D..Dewdrop.”Barrentree snorted. "No wonder you didn’t tell me. That’s a baby name. Well, I’ll give you another one. One appropriate for your coming of age.” Using one bloody finger, he scrawled it on the corner of Rocio’s visor in Arborian script. “Bloodmoon.”Rocio managed a little smile.“You like that, huh? I figured you would…”Rocio closed his eyes as a deep sleep descended on him. He wasn’t sure if he would wake up again. But he was happy.
 
*****************
 
Next chapter; https://forums.wildstar-online.com/forums/index.php?/topic/110962-rocios-story-the-hero-of-farside/	
----