Author's note: Hello all. I want to say... thanks so much for stopping by to read my story. Nothing is more valuable than someone's time. Once it is wasted, you can never get it back. I'm going to do my best to turn out a good story about Thorin and the boys. This first chapter is kind of like a pilot. Just want to see if I get any interest. So again, thanks for reading, and drop a comment. I like constructive criticism.

CHAPTER 1: COSPLAY

Fort Benning, GA. The alarm was buzzing loudly. After smacking it into silence, Lena Riley rose from her bed in the barracks of Fort Benning. She was barely five feet tall, but she was one of the US Army's best warriors. She was an instructor. She taught Army Rangers. Enlisted at 17, she had worked her way up through the ranks, and earned a field commission. She continued to amaze, and had worked her way up to captain.

The shortest Ranger in military history, and one of the first women to graduate after it had been opened to women, took a long look in the mirror. She had fire red hair that she kept in a very tight bun under her cap, and emerald green eyes. She had high cheekbones, and a small nose. On the left side of her face and neck, a long, pink, inch wide scar. She had been captured, beaten, raped, and tortured for information during her third tour in the Middle East. She eventually managed to escape, killing all of her captors one by one.

When she had joined, her grandfather had just passed away. He'd raised her to always defend herself. Her mother died having her, and her father had been killed in Iraq. She had no one, except for those that now served under her.

She had come into basic training, helpless. Her drill instructor had recommended martial arts, which she took a liking to, and quickly mastered several disciplines. It made her an efficient killer. She had learned archery and swordsmanship.

As Lena finished getting dressed for her day, she reminded herself that she had a safety briefing coming up. She had three briefings to go to that day for various reasons. The first was about a remote part of the base being opened to cos players reenacting the Battle of the Five Armies. She had read The Hobbit in school, and it was one of her favorite books.

"The Cos players are all camped in the northwest corner of the base. They have been warned not to stray, and they will not disrupt day to day activities on the base." Major Wilkins said. Lena was only half paying attention. 0700 was too early for this crap. For three more hours she sat there, missing breakfast completely.

By the time lunch rolled around, she was starving. She had been hungry for a sub. The mess hall was overly crowded with the cos players being in the fray. She still had her briefing for her Ranger class to do. That was important. One hundred days of woodland survival. They were allowed knives, or other hand weapons. There were to be no guns.

Getting dropped from an AC-130 gunship, they would have to meet at the rally point on the map, and either stick together or survive on their own. Many students she'd had, opted to stay in small groups. Some struck out on their own, but almost all of her students, even though she had been hard on them, graduated. For her current class, this was their final test.

"Pardon me, Captain. Do you mind if I join you?" an old man dressed up as a wizard said to her. Lena looked up, and scanned him. "Sure." she said quietly, returning to her current work. "Forgive my intrusion Captain Riley, but you have read the Hobbit, have you not?" he asked her.

Lena craked a smile. "Yeah. It's one of my favorite reads. Pity I wont be here for the BOFA. I have soldiers to train." she replied dryly. The old man, gave her a grin. "Tell me, who is your favorite character?" he asked.

"I'd have to say, Thorin. Although he dies in the end, he was always my favorite. Just for his steadfast resolve to help his people, and how much honor he puts into his word." "A fine choice he is. Although, the ending doesn't quite fit the journey. How would you change the story?" he asked her.

"I think, Thorin should live. He was supposed to rebuild Erebor, and do right by his people. But it's just a story." she said. The old man got up to leave her in peace. "Have a nice day, Miss." he said.

She smiled inwardly. She had a movie poster in her room from each of the Hobbit movies, and the Lord of the rings movies. Lena also had the books. And the movies in her room.

After briefing her soldiers on the journey they had to make, and that they would be leaving at first light, Lena went to pack her bag.

Packing the bag had always been an issue for her. Babysitting the soldiers always meant playing doctor. She had to get IV and medical equipment. Tourniquets. She could easily carry her weight in gear without an issue, she had always done it. She was pretty strong for a short girl.

Lena looked in her closet. She knew at the end of the journey was a grand gala, provided by the officers. She had, in a very small hard case, a teal colored chiffon high low that was a halter. It had a very deep neckline. And she loved that dress. It, and the strappy heels that went with it were placed in the bag. She shoved 200 hairties she'd bought for a dollar into the bag, as well as her shampoo, conditioner, and lemon body wash. She also had several bars of lemon scented soap. She packed her sport bras, one regular bra, comfy cotton underwear, ten pairs of socks, two extra pairs of boots, her and all of her woodland camo. She shoved in her heavy jacket, some tank tops, mesh shorts, a pair of sneakers, two shake able and waterproof flashlights that didn't require batteries, and her swords.

She had been left a priceless gift from her grandfather. Two katana swords, made of a metal that she, even after centuries of use, never had to sharpen. The metal was a silverish white, and it never chipped. She had smashed those swords against rock, without damaging the blade. They were her grandfather's, but now, they were hers. He had also made her a bow, of Osage Orange wood. It was an old recurve, and she was a master with it. She also packed 50 arrows in a tube made from alligator skin. She kept several throwing stars and knives in her bag, which would prove useful when hunting. She packed her kevlar body armor, just in case some dipshit suck a pistol.

Satisfied, Lena set her bag on the floor, and jumped in bed. Wheels were up at 5 am.