A/N: Thanks for reviewing. I don't like to beg for reviews, but I have
been wondering recently the interest in this story has passed. Sorry this
story has been going so slowly; it has been slower now that I'm in TTT.
I'm also working full time and spending a lot of time at tae kwon do.
BJ and Radar travelled through one of the most desolate lands they had ever seen. They climbed down a steep cliff with the help of Elven rope from Lórien, but it was like navigating a mine field with the wrong map. They soon saw Rizzo following them, slithering down the cliff like a snake. Just as he was nearing the bottom of the cliff, he slipped, and Radar took the opportunity to jump on him. Not much of a fighter, Radar was quickly subdued, and BJ had to draw his sword to stop anyone from being hurt. Like Henry before him, though, BJ pitied Rizzo, and couldn't bring himself to do harm to the miserable creature.
Rizzo spoke from the ground where he lay. "Gentlemen, you've got me all wrong. I won't hurt anyone! What brings you to these parts?" He was putting out as much Southern charm as he could—about as much as a snake oil salesman. With no better option, BJ made Rizzo come with them and guide them. Rizzo had been in Mordor before, but as a captive. Radar tried to tie him with the Elven rope, but it seemed to hurt him so badly, just by its nature, that Radar had to remove it. It was, to Rizzo, "evil Yankee rope." He had carried the ring for many long years, and though greed for it was driving him mad, a promise he made by it would be binding. At BJ's insistence, he swore by the ring to be "a perfect gentleman." Though BJ and Radar were suspicious, Radar most of all, they had to accept him at his word. They traveled at night because Rizzo couldn't stand the light of day.
They traveled in an uneasy peace, Rizzo searching for his own food, not willing to eat any of the Elvish food BJ and Radar carried, though he would take water. They entered the Dead Marshes, Rizzo muttering about candles of corpses. The sky cleared a little, revealing the moon, much to Rizzo's distaste, but then a Sniper passed over them on a winged horse. As they traveled closer to Mordor, the weight of the Ring seemed to increase, and BJ grew weary and began to stumble, far more than Radar and even Rizzo, though Radar guessed Rizzo felt it too, from his many years of carrying the Ring.
Leaving the Dead Marshes, they entered a land so barren and defiled that absolutely nothing would grow. They rested in a pit in the land, using the edges of the pit for a little shelter. BJ took the first watch, and Radar dozed for a while. He woke quietly and opened his eyes. He hadn't taken off his glasses, so he could at least see a little through the dirt on them. Rizzo was standing over BJ, debating with himself, fighting his promise to be good. As Rizzo reached for the chain on BJ's neck, Radar coughed and yawned loudly, asking the time. After this interruption, they woke BJ and the three set off again.
They soon reached the Black Gate, but it was impassable to them. Rizzo offered another path. Though BJ and Radar were suspicious, they had no choice. They set off toward Cirith Ungol, again having to hide from the Snipers. They came again to a green land, where trees yet grew. They rested by a stream, and Rizzo captured two rabbits, which Radar somehow managed to cook. Even with his meager cooking skills, it was better than anything from the Mess Tent. He and BJ ate the rabbit stew, and he went to rinse his pot, but forgot to put out his fire. The smoke from it drew the attention of men, led by General Hamilton. Rizzo had somehow slipped off yet again, but BJ and Radar introduced themselves. They figured Rizzo would turn up eventually. They were polite, but somewhat guarded with their words. They convinced the General they were of no harm, so he left them and went on his way, leaving two MPs near them to watch.
They rested for part of the day, Rizzo still missing, but then horns were heard, and Hamilton's forces were attacked. There was a fierce fight, and afterwards, General Hamilton interrogated BJ. Hamilton suspected that BJ knew much more than he was telling. He asked about his brother, Winchester, and told BJ that Winchester was dead. BJ could only reply that Winchester was alive and healthy when they parted, but that the world held many dangers. Hamilton's reply was that treachery was far from the least of those dangers. BJ told Hamilton about Winchester's horn and the belt given to him by Soon Li, and after showing Hamilton the brooch of his Elven cloak, similar to the one Winchester had worn, Hamilton was convinced he meant no harm. Hamilton brought the two Hobbits to his secret stronghold, where they were fed and given a place to rest. Hamilton came to them privately and guessed that they carried some object of power. Unlike his brother, though, he felt no desire to take it. A slip of Radar's tongue revealed that it was indeed the One Ring. The General proved himself, not trying to take the ring from the Hobbits.
Later that night, as the moon set, Hamilton brought them to an overlook, where they saw Rizzo, fishing in the river. It was only BJ's intercession that kept Hamilton's MPs from shooting the miserable creature. Like Radar, Hamilton felt no pity from him, and counseled BJ not to trust him, yet BJ still pitied him, and took Rizzo under his protection. After resting there a little longer, BJ, Radar, and Rizzo continued on their way. Hamilton gave them wooden staves and food.
The threesome traveled that day, keeping under the cover of the forest as long as possible. They rested a few hours, but Rizzo insisted that they again travel by night, so they got up at midnight and continued their march. At the end of the night, they stopped to rest. Day did not dawn, but just a lessening of the brown gloom over the land. They rested, and Rizzo slipped off. He was gone that entire day, but when he returned, he urged them to hurry and continue their journey.
They rushed through the open Crossroads and on to Cirith Ungol. The Ring weighed every heavier on BJ. They snuck past the evil city of the Snipers, Minas Morgul, the Ring nearly getting the best of BJ and drawing him to the Snipers there. He had enough sense to know that he could not give in to the Ring, and that if he did, he would be betrayed and killed, but his hand seemed to move of its own accord to the chain around his neck. He managed to hold off, and the Captain of the Snipers led a great army out from the city, an attack force for Gondor.
The travelers finally reached a stone stair. After much climbing, they stopped to rest. Again, Rizzo slipped off, this time without BJ or Radar even knowing. He finally returned, finding them sleeping, and they set off again, finally reaching a tunnel. It was dark and oppressive inside, but they continued. There were passages off to the side; they sensed these by the air flow rather than any sight. Rizzo continued to lead them through the cave, and eventually they came to an opening, which exuded a reek more intense than any Cess Pool, or even Hawkeye when he refused to shower. Both BJ and Radar stumbled, but continued. Rizzo had disappeared completely.
They came to a fork in the path, but one of the paths was blocked. They went down the other, but heard a gurgling, evil sound. BJ dug out the Phial from Soon-Li. In its light they saw an evil spider-like creature. He drew his sword and advanced toward the creature, which backed away, allowing them to pass. They reached the end of the tunnel, but the way was blocked by a web-like substance. Radar drew his sword and tried to hack at it, but his blade would do little. Handing the Phial to Radar, BJ used his Elvish sword, Sting, and it cut through the web, still not easily, but at least effectively. They exited the tunnel, giddy with their escape, but Rizzo snuck up behind Radar and grabbed him. Radar, filled with adrenaline, threw Rizzo off, but after a short fight, Rizzo ran off.
Radar turned to see BJ laying on the ground beneath the spider, Shelob. He grabbed BJ's sword in his left hand, his own in his right and attacked her, first the claw, then one eye. He was now underneath her. He slashed at her stomach, but managed to wound her only slightly. He dropped his own sword and held Sting above his head with both hands. She dropped her weight on top of him, but in doing so, drove the Elven blade into her own gut. Radar was almost crushed by her weight, but the prick of the blade forced her to stand up again. He drew out the Phial and the light of it drove the great spider back into her cave. He ran back to BJ, motionless and not breathing.
"I'm not a doctor! I don't know what to do! I can't help you, BJ! Oh, gosh! No! He's dead. BJ, you can't be dead. Don't be dead, please!" Radar's pleas were no help. Despair came over him, and he crouched on the path for a long time, before finally realizing that, even though BJ was dead, the ring must be destroyed. He took it from BJ's still form and started on his way to the Nameless Land.
Radar was stopped by approaching Orcs. There was nowhere to hide, and in desperation, he put on the Ring. The Orcs found BJ's body and took it to a passage just inside Shelob's lair. Still wearing the ring, he followed them. The Orcs thought that there was a great Elf-warrior about, to have wounded Shelob, but Radar overheard something else as well. Shelob had not killed BJ, but just paralyzed him for a short time. Radar tried to follow them into the tower, but the door closed in his face. BJ was alive, but a prisoner of war.
BJ and Radar travelled through one of the most desolate lands they had ever seen. They climbed down a steep cliff with the help of Elven rope from Lórien, but it was like navigating a mine field with the wrong map. They soon saw Rizzo following them, slithering down the cliff like a snake. Just as he was nearing the bottom of the cliff, he slipped, and Radar took the opportunity to jump on him. Not much of a fighter, Radar was quickly subdued, and BJ had to draw his sword to stop anyone from being hurt. Like Henry before him, though, BJ pitied Rizzo, and couldn't bring himself to do harm to the miserable creature.
Rizzo spoke from the ground where he lay. "Gentlemen, you've got me all wrong. I won't hurt anyone! What brings you to these parts?" He was putting out as much Southern charm as he could—about as much as a snake oil salesman. With no better option, BJ made Rizzo come with them and guide them. Rizzo had been in Mordor before, but as a captive. Radar tried to tie him with the Elven rope, but it seemed to hurt him so badly, just by its nature, that Radar had to remove it. It was, to Rizzo, "evil Yankee rope." He had carried the ring for many long years, and though greed for it was driving him mad, a promise he made by it would be binding. At BJ's insistence, he swore by the ring to be "a perfect gentleman." Though BJ and Radar were suspicious, Radar most of all, they had to accept him at his word. They traveled at night because Rizzo couldn't stand the light of day.
They traveled in an uneasy peace, Rizzo searching for his own food, not willing to eat any of the Elvish food BJ and Radar carried, though he would take water. They entered the Dead Marshes, Rizzo muttering about candles of corpses. The sky cleared a little, revealing the moon, much to Rizzo's distaste, but then a Sniper passed over them on a winged horse. As they traveled closer to Mordor, the weight of the Ring seemed to increase, and BJ grew weary and began to stumble, far more than Radar and even Rizzo, though Radar guessed Rizzo felt it too, from his many years of carrying the Ring.
Leaving the Dead Marshes, they entered a land so barren and defiled that absolutely nothing would grow. They rested in a pit in the land, using the edges of the pit for a little shelter. BJ took the first watch, and Radar dozed for a while. He woke quietly and opened his eyes. He hadn't taken off his glasses, so he could at least see a little through the dirt on them. Rizzo was standing over BJ, debating with himself, fighting his promise to be good. As Rizzo reached for the chain on BJ's neck, Radar coughed and yawned loudly, asking the time. After this interruption, they woke BJ and the three set off again.
They soon reached the Black Gate, but it was impassable to them. Rizzo offered another path. Though BJ and Radar were suspicious, they had no choice. They set off toward Cirith Ungol, again having to hide from the Snipers. They came again to a green land, where trees yet grew. They rested by a stream, and Rizzo captured two rabbits, which Radar somehow managed to cook. Even with his meager cooking skills, it was better than anything from the Mess Tent. He and BJ ate the rabbit stew, and he went to rinse his pot, but forgot to put out his fire. The smoke from it drew the attention of men, led by General Hamilton. Rizzo had somehow slipped off yet again, but BJ and Radar introduced themselves. They figured Rizzo would turn up eventually. They were polite, but somewhat guarded with their words. They convinced the General they were of no harm, so he left them and went on his way, leaving two MPs near them to watch.
They rested for part of the day, Rizzo still missing, but then horns were heard, and Hamilton's forces were attacked. There was a fierce fight, and afterwards, General Hamilton interrogated BJ. Hamilton suspected that BJ knew much more than he was telling. He asked about his brother, Winchester, and told BJ that Winchester was dead. BJ could only reply that Winchester was alive and healthy when they parted, but that the world held many dangers. Hamilton's reply was that treachery was far from the least of those dangers. BJ told Hamilton about Winchester's horn and the belt given to him by Soon Li, and after showing Hamilton the brooch of his Elven cloak, similar to the one Winchester had worn, Hamilton was convinced he meant no harm. Hamilton brought the two Hobbits to his secret stronghold, where they were fed and given a place to rest. Hamilton came to them privately and guessed that they carried some object of power. Unlike his brother, though, he felt no desire to take it. A slip of Radar's tongue revealed that it was indeed the One Ring. The General proved himself, not trying to take the ring from the Hobbits.
Later that night, as the moon set, Hamilton brought them to an overlook, where they saw Rizzo, fishing in the river. It was only BJ's intercession that kept Hamilton's MPs from shooting the miserable creature. Like Radar, Hamilton felt no pity from him, and counseled BJ not to trust him, yet BJ still pitied him, and took Rizzo under his protection. After resting there a little longer, BJ, Radar, and Rizzo continued on their way. Hamilton gave them wooden staves and food.
The threesome traveled that day, keeping under the cover of the forest as long as possible. They rested a few hours, but Rizzo insisted that they again travel by night, so they got up at midnight and continued their march. At the end of the night, they stopped to rest. Day did not dawn, but just a lessening of the brown gloom over the land. They rested, and Rizzo slipped off. He was gone that entire day, but when he returned, he urged them to hurry and continue their journey.
They rushed through the open Crossroads and on to Cirith Ungol. The Ring weighed every heavier on BJ. They snuck past the evil city of the Snipers, Minas Morgul, the Ring nearly getting the best of BJ and drawing him to the Snipers there. He had enough sense to know that he could not give in to the Ring, and that if he did, he would be betrayed and killed, but his hand seemed to move of its own accord to the chain around his neck. He managed to hold off, and the Captain of the Snipers led a great army out from the city, an attack force for Gondor.
The travelers finally reached a stone stair. After much climbing, they stopped to rest. Again, Rizzo slipped off, this time without BJ or Radar even knowing. He finally returned, finding them sleeping, and they set off again, finally reaching a tunnel. It was dark and oppressive inside, but they continued. There were passages off to the side; they sensed these by the air flow rather than any sight. Rizzo continued to lead them through the cave, and eventually they came to an opening, which exuded a reek more intense than any Cess Pool, or even Hawkeye when he refused to shower. Both BJ and Radar stumbled, but continued. Rizzo had disappeared completely.
They came to a fork in the path, but one of the paths was blocked. They went down the other, but heard a gurgling, evil sound. BJ dug out the Phial from Soon-Li. In its light they saw an evil spider-like creature. He drew his sword and advanced toward the creature, which backed away, allowing them to pass. They reached the end of the tunnel, but the way was blocked by a web-like substance. Radar drew his sword and tried to hack at it, but his blade would do little. Handing the Phial to Radar, BJ used his Elvish sword, Sting, and it cut through the web, still not easily, but at least effectively. They exited the tunnel, giddy with their escape, but Rizzo snuck up behind Radar and grabbed him. Radar, filled with adrenaline, threw Rizzo off, but after a short fight, Rizzo ran off.
Radar turned to see BJ laying on the ground beneath the spider, Shelob. He grabbed BJ's sword in his left hand, his own in his right and attacked her, first the claw, then one eye. He was now underneath her. He slashed at her stomach, but managed to wound her only slightly. He dropped his own sword and held Sting above his head with both hands. She dropped her weight on top of him, but in doing so, drove the Elven blade into her own gut. Radar was almost crushed by her weight, but the prick of the blade forced her to stand up again. He drew out the Phial and the light of it drove the great spider back into her cave. He ran back to BJ, motionless and not breathing.
"I'm not a doctor! I don't know what to do! I can't help you, BJ! Oh, gosh! No! He's dead. BJ, you can't be dead. Don't be dead, please!" Radar's pleas were no help. Despair came over him, and he crouched on the path for a long time, before finally realizing that, even though BJ was dead, the ring must be destroyed. He took it from BJ's still form and started on his way to the Nameless Land.
Radar was stopped by approaching Orcs. There was nowhere to hide, and in desperation, he put on the Ring. The Orcs found BJ's body and took it to a passage just inside Shelob's lair. Still wearing the ring, he followed them. The Orcs thought that there was a great Elf-warrior about, to have wounded Shelob, but Radar overheard something else as well. Shelob had not killed BJ, but just paralyzed him for a short time. Radar tried to follow them into the tower, but the door closed in his face. BJ was alive, but a prisoner of war.
