Kajano (Predator)

Chapter 12

"Your watch was over an hour ago, lady," Legolas offered gently. "You should sleep."

Gabrielle blinked, coming back from her thoughts. The flames in the small fire before her had died to flickering embers.

"Sorry," she replied. "What was that?"

Legolas folded himself on the floor, gazing across the glowing embers at her with sharp eyes that seemed almost luminous.

The gaze was bright and inquisitive, and yet filled with patient wisdom. His appearance was youthful and vigorous, and yet his manner was one that would seem more to fit one of the elders of her home.

Gabrielle suddenly felt uncomfortable in that powerful stare. There was something in the intensity and, in some obscure way, the inhumanity of his gaze that set her on edge even as she realized he meant no harm to her.

She frowned at him, studying him in turn, partly out of her own curiosity and partly because it allowed her to find a way to hold his thoughtful gaze as she examined him.

"I said," Legolas smiled softly. "That you should be resting now. The day will be here soon enough."

"Yeah, well," Gabrielle shrugged. "Sometimes I don't do what I should do."

She picked up a long stick and began absently prodding the remains of the fire.

"What troubles you, lady?" Legolas asked suddenly. "I see it every day in your bearing, though you have oft hidden it well from the others."

She looked up at him sharply.

"Forgive my curiosity," Legolas offered quickly. "It is just that – You have reclaimed your lost love, ere I read your heart inaccurately regarding the one named Felix. It should be a moment of joy, and yet?"

"I am happy he's alright," Gabrielle said quickly.

"I did not mean to suggest that you felt otherwise," Legolas raised a hand calmly. "And yet, there is a shadow about you, in spite of your joy."

"Yeah, well," Gabrielle forced a smile. "That's me. Eternally complicated."

Legolas smiled. "Indeed, and yet I have learned much though you have hidden much and offered little."

"You have?" Gabrielle began to feel the uneasiness creeping back into her gut.

The elf's gaze was almost feral in its intensity, and then, just as she felt she might burst under that gaze, it softened to something warm and compassionate.

"Your melancholy was thrust upon you," Legolas finally said in a soft reassuring tone. "It is for you to bear and no other is meant to know of it. You feel for those you protect and mourn those you feel you have failed in any small way. You have offered and given freely in love, and in payment, something betrayed you."

Gabrielle felt a lump form in her throat.

"It was not the betrayal of a close lover," Legolas continued. "That pain would fade over time. The idea itself was betrayed."

There was a long moment of silence, and it seemed that Legolas was considering his next words carefully.

"May I ask you a question?" he finally offered.

Gabrielle nodded.

"It is clear to me that Felix holds your heart, and you hold his," Legolas continued. "And yet you do not go to him, nor does he come to you. Why is this?"

"It's difficult," Gabrielle began. "There are things that are, um, that make," she gestured to herself. "It's just not that simple."

Legolas smiled. "Is it truly that complicated?"

"It's just not possible for us," Gabrielle blurted. "We're from two different worlds. We wouldn't be able to, you know?" She heard Tyrion's own words emerging from her mouth and the taste was bitter.

"Two worlds?" Legolas actually laughed softly. "Yours is hardly the first of such tales. And not all such tales end unhappily."

"Shall I tell you the tale of Ellessar and Endomiel?" Legolas offered. "They, too, were parted by many things, and yet they endured."

"They did?" Gabrielle asked.

"Indeed." Legolas gazed into the glowing embers, but his eyes focused inward toward his memories. "I shall tell it to you in brief, for it is a long tale, filled with deeds both great and terrible."

"Ellessar was the chief of the Dunedain. He was born and raised in the fair vale of Rivendell during the Third Age.

It was within that place that he first beheld Endomiel, singing in a glade as she was often wont to do.

Beneath the stars, she has always been counted as one of the fairest maidens ever to walk the earth.

Now, Endomeil was the Daughter of Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, and Ellessar was the child of an elf friend.

As the young Ellessar beheld Endomiel, his heart was pierced by her beauty, and he set forth to win her. She too, was enamored of him and very soon after, they pledged their troth, one to the other.

Yet, she was of elf kind, immortal, unchanging, and the daughter of Elrond, while he was a man, and the passing of time would consume him."

When Elrond presented her to our people, he set forth the conditions for her betrothal, and in that moment, Ellessar's heart was broken, for Elrond decreed that, so fair was Endomiel, she should be wed only to the king of ancient Gondolin, a kingdom long since fallen."

"Then how could they possibly be together?" Gabrielle asked. "If the kingdom no longer existed?"

"Ah," Legolas held up a hand. "Therein lay his hope, for Ellessar was descended from the ancient line of the kings, yet he had abandoned his noble heritage, fearing that its corruption would overcome him. They continued their courtship in secret, even as he was thrust into matters of high concern."

Many great and terrible deeds befell them, and they were parted long," Legolas continued. "In the end, she was given the choice that all of my kin must face. To sail to the Undying Lands in the distant West, across the sundering sea, or to become mortal, and remain in Middle Earth."

Ellessar endured the hardships of his appointed quest. His sword won him great renown in battle, and he was counted as one of the bravest heroes of the age. In the end, he was victorious, and set on high by many. Yet his victory was bittersweet because he believed he had lost the one thing he desired more than all the accolades of the ages."

Legolas began to smile.

"But it was not to be," he went on. "Because at his coronation, the lord Elrond presented to Ellessar, a bearer of the standard of Rivendell, and her features were concealed by the standard she bore."

"Lo, when the standard was taken from her hand, there stood the lady Endomiel, for the man who wore the crown of Gondor, held rule over the ancient kingdoms of Arnor and Gondolin as well, even though these realms be lost to the past."

Gabrielle actually smiled. Then something struck her.

"The crown of Gondor?" she asked. "You mean?"

"The Lord Aragorn and the Lady Arwen." Legolas smiled. "And they are proof, if any truly be needed, that any person whose heart is driven by hope and love can attain their truest destiny."

Gabrielle let those words sink in for a time.

Legolas observed this, his soft smile fixed on his face as he seemed to study the thoughts running through the young bard's head.

"Go to him, Lady," He finally said. "I know that he too is awake. He said that a mystery would keep him from rest."

She smiled, but remained where she was.

"In the least, he would be glad of the company?" Legolas offered again. He rose gracefully and left her to her thoughts.

Felix checked is readings and scratched his head as he thought. Without the link to the Phoenix Fire's computer coil, the data pads were severely limited in their processing ability. He made several more adjustments and some calculations. He scratched his head, pondering the readouts before him.

"Okay," he thought aloud. "We know that you're a sonic field. We know that you're at a low enough level to keep regular bacteria and mold spores from settling onto surfaces and degrading items. We know that the fine dust on everything is actually that dead bacteria, dried fungus, mold, – won't mention that part to the girls. Might gross them out…"

He adjusted his scanner to the widest maximum range and saw the unmistakable readings of movement just beyond the edge of the field.

"And we also know that this sonic field is keeping the big ugly bugs at bay." He finished. He brought up the wave line readout and frowned again. "So what is this underlying energy field have to do with you? What are you doing?"

He manipulated the controls. "You're not the power source. Not a backup carrier signal. Data feed? That's a possibility, maybe, I think?"

He set the data pad on the floor before him and rubbed the sides of his head furiously for a moment.

"Argh!" he blurted in frustration.

"Hi," a timid voice replied.

Felix looked up and saw Gabrielle standing in the doorway.

Instantly, some of his frustration vanished and he smiled. "Hey Gabs. What's up?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "I was just having trouble sleeping and I heard that you were too."

Felix laughed. "I told you. Once you put a mystery in front of me, I can't let it go till I solve it."

He gestured to the floor beside him. "Come on in and take a load off."

Smiling, she settled down beside him and looked down at the data pad curiously.

"So, you haven't figured it out yet?" she asked.

"Most of it," He replied. He lifted the pad and held it before them so she could see the readouts.

"I know that this sonic field is the reason why this place hasn't been overrun by the nasties out there, and it's also why nothing's degraded in here." He explained. "And I know that the field is not a natural phenomenon."

He shrugged and indicated the secondary wave length on the readout. "I don't know what this is, though, and that's the part that bugs me."

"Why?" Gabrielle asked. "What do you think it could be?"

"That's it," Felix replied, resuming his calculations. "I don't know, and that's what bugs me. I have a few theories, but nothing concrete yet."

His fingers moved across the entry keys as he ran various analytical tests.

"You know," he continued a few moments later. "We still need to talk about stuff."

Dread, instant and cold, knotted in Gabrielle's gut.

"Yeah," she agreed quietly.

Felix waited a few moments, giving her the opportunity to begin.

"You want to go first?" He finally asked when the silence might have indicated that she was offering the same courtesy to him. "Or do you want me too?"

"I don't know how to begin," Gabrielle said honestly.

"Okay," Felix set the data pad down and turned to face her. "Then I'll start if you don't mind."

He looked into her eyes for a long moment, considering the best way to proceed. In the end, he reverted to type.

"Does the idea of being with me make your skin crawl, or something?" he asked bluntly.

"No," Gabrielle was taken aback by the directness of his question. "I never was. Well, not with you anyway."

"With yourself?" He pressed.

"Yes, well," Gabrielle faltered. "It's just hard for me to," she paused. "My guard has been up ever since then and it's hard for me to let it back down again, you know?"

"I get it," Felix nodded. He cocked his head to one side, thinking.

Then he leaned a little closer. "I haven't been with anyone for a long ass time either." He smiled when her expression registered disbelief.

"I mean it," he continued. "I never felt right having any kind of relationship when I was on active duty, because a lot of the relationship would have been a lie, and then when I started playing in Tyrion's boat, I had the same feeling, even though we weren't running covert anymore, well, not really."

"Not really?" Gabrielle asked.

"A couple of little independent jobs, bringing stock in for Silas's side ventures, that's about it." Felix shrugged. "Thing is, I can talk to you about all that because you were one of our little covert ventures. You and Xena are as much one of us as Nicky or Mavon, though I regret it when I mention him."

Gabrielle smiled.

"Mavon had a problem when I came out of the vat," Felix continued. "He said on numerous occasions that I wasn't really me. What do you think?"

His gray eyes focused on her expectantly.

"No!" Gabrielle shot back sharply. "I mean, not really." She felt the pressure rising within her. "I mean, I don't know."

Her entire body was tense. Then, suddenly the dam burst,

"Why did you have to do that, Felix?" She blurted angrily. "First you drop out of the sky and back into my memory and then you terrify me by jumping off a cliff!" Her breathing was hard, and her eyes were welling up as the stress began to escape. "Then you get wounded, and to top it all off, just when I think you can't do anything more, you get yourself killed!"

"Gabs," Felix began.

"Killed, Felix!" Gabrielle cut him off angrily. "I saw them bring your body off the field! I saw them burn it!" Her voice was hoarse now as much from trying to keep her volume in check as from the escaping emotion.

"And then you do this!" she gestured at him angrily. "Back like nothing ever happened to you, but I saw it happen, and so I have to ask myself, is this really you?"

Felix raised his eyebrows. Then he reached into his thigh pocket and drew out a small dark box. Gabrielle immediately recognized it as the container that held and recharged his prosthetic eyes. "Look at these."

He opened the container and his old prosthetic eyes seemed to stare back up at her.

Gabrielle started slightly. "How did you?"

"Korbal took them before the funeral," Felix replied. "And gave them back to me when I came back."

The two eyes seemed to stare up at her from the case.

"What is it like looking into these as opposed to these?" he gestured to his own face. He set the box down in front of her and sighed. "Those are prosthetics, Gabrielle. They're things. They aren't real and the emotions you saw behind them only showed because they were a part of me! Aside from that, they're toys, understand?"

"It's just different," Gabrielle looked back into his face.

"No, no," Felix corrected her. He gestured to his face. "This is normal. When I had to wear those – that was different. You said so yourself."

"That's not what I mean," Gabrielle began to feel her defenses going up and she had to fight to keep her voice down.

"Then what did you mean?" He pressed.

"It was…I mean I was used to it!" Gabrielle hissed. "I got past the fact that you were blind, and that you had to plug those things into your face to see! I liked being able to help you when you couldn't see. I liked having your trust when I couldn't find any of my own to give you!"

"Even when I had you hand walk me into a nest of Kajano?" He asked.

"Yes!" she shot back. She stopped and blinked in surprise.

"You were leading a blind moron into a potential meat grinder and you actually liked it?" Felix said with a chuckle.

"That's not what I meant," Gabrielle retorted.

"Well, then," Felix pushed. "What did you mean?"

She stammered for a few seconds and Felix smiled.

"You liked having someone who was dependant on you." He said evenly. "Some poor crippled nut job who was totally reliant on you not steering him into every ditch and loose floor board or piece of furniture. You didn't find the idea of me tripping over everything amusing like Mavon would."

"I never would," Gabrielle answered.

"And you were the first person I trusted enough to let lead me away from the security of the ship without my eyes in, you know that?" he replied. "I never, never let anyone do what you did before because nobody ever earned my complete trust before! Do you understand that?"

"I don't trust anything Felix," She shot back.

"Bull shit!" he hissed. "You trusted yourself enough to be willing to lead me around when I couldn't see, right up to Korbal and his boys when they could have easily just popped us off and called it a day! You trust Xena with your life every single day on that backward ass planet you call home, and you trust me enough to sit here and have this conversation! Shit! You trust me enough to be in the same fucking room with me after what you went through, never mind the talk! Don't you dare tell me you don't trust anything, you'll be lying your tight little ass off!"

"That's different!" Gabrielle said angrily.

"How?" he pushed.

"It just is!" She could feel the emotion rising in her to a dangerous level.

"Do you love me?" he asked quickly.

"Yes!" The word burst from her mouth before she had even had time to consider it, and instantly, the anger and anxiety went to cold dread and she looked at him with an expression of terrified astonishment.

"Well," Felix smiled. He moved closer to her. "That's the first completely honest thing you've said this entire conversation. How does that feel?"

"I," Gabrielle stammered.

"You need to understand one very important thing, Gabs," Felix said sternly. He reached down and pulled one of the prosthetic eyes out of the box, studying it critically. "The body of the guy that died on that field is gone." He threw the eyeball against the wall and it shattered in a shower of small components. He drew the second one up and looked at it. "In fact, these are the only things left of that lousy skin suit." He whipped the second one against the wall with similar results.

"Now," he fixed his steely eyes on her. "Just because that body is gone doesn't mean I am. It's me Gabs, the same guy who translated docs in the library of Minas Tirith, the same one who caught your clumsy ass when you fell off a step stool, and the same crazy bastard that kissed you and then scared the shit out of you by jumping off a fucking cliff, got it?"

He was moving closer to her with each statement, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that she couldn't remember seeing any time before.

"Kiss me," he said simply.

"What?" Gabrielle gulped.

"I kissed you first at Minas Tirith," Felix said simply. "Your turn."

"Felix, I don't," Gabrielle faltered.

"You had no problem doing it when I came out of the test tube all covered in goo," Felix countered. "What's the difference now?"

"That was different," Gabrielle realized that this particular excuse was beginning to wear very thin.

"Why? Because I was more machine than man?" Felix retorted. "More program than passion, is that it?"

He was right in front of her, their lips almost close enough to touch. She could feel the soft current of his breath on her cheeks. His eyes were burning through her defenses. She felt her heart hammering in her ribcage.

"I don't trust you," she finally blurted.

"Just one," Felix replied.

"I don't trust myself!" She countered desperately.

"One kiss," Felix replied evenly. His eyes never flickered. They were almost reptilian except for the heat.

She came towards him, just a little, like a swimmer testing the waters before the plunge.

Felix came closer and their lips crashed together suddenly.

Gabrielle felt the adrenalin surge of fear as the sensations cascaded though her body. She instinctively wanted to pull away, but at the same moment, her hand reached up and wrapped around the back of his neck. It was as if her mind and body were ignoring one another.

The pleasure in this simple contact rushed through her like cleansing water, stripping away the guilt, the fear, the sensations of self revulsion that she had been carrying. All that was left was the pleasure and a sudden, almost overwhelming surge of raw, absolute desire.

She felt his arms around her, felt her hands moving of their own volition to encircle his neck. He pulled her against his chest as if he were trying to pull her into his very being.

It was every poem she had ever written, every taste of wine, every scent of flowers, every song, every joyous thing she had ever experienced all rolled into one and it threatened to overwhelm her to such an extent that she thought she might lose herself completely. At the same moment, she realized that she wanted to be lost in this feeling. She thought she might die if it went on, and still, on it went and she did not perish.

When they finally parted, she found herself looking up into his face with astonishment.

"Wow," she whispered breathlessly.

Felix smiled. "See?" he whispered as he caught his breath. "That wasn't so bad?"

He felt her fingers caressing the back of his neck. Her eyes were wide and bright, filled with desire and just a touch of fear.

"How can you want," she began. He pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her.

"I can," Felix interrupted her. "I always have, and I still do."

"I'm more worried about during and after," Gabrielle smiled.

"During, we'll see," Felix smiled. "After, well, I'm pretty sure I'll still want you."

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Many, many times."

Gabrielle felt her cheeks grow hot as she smiled.

She suddenly remembered.

"I want to show you something," she whispered urgently. She grasped his hand and led him from the room. Felix barely had time to grab his data pad before she all but hauled him after her.

Nicolla's eyes snapped open in surprise and a soft cry escaped her lips before she caught her breath. The erotic images were still clear before her waking eyes and the sensations were almost overwhelming. Whatever she was, any doubts as to Gabrielle's latent abilities were put immediately to rest, and this 'new and improved' Felix definitely had some surprises too. She rose up on her elbows and shook her hair out of her eyes.

"Holy shit!" She whispered hotly as she felt her pulse racing. She fought to calm the flood of sensation down and block out the passionate images and emotions flooding her mind and body. After a long moment of concentration, she let out a sigh.

Legolas stopped in the doorway, looking down at her with concern. "Are you alright?"

Nicolla smiled. "Sorry, give me a moment, just a little orgas, er, overwhelmed there."

She took a deep breath and let it out in a long, exasperated sigh. "Whoa momma."

Legolas entered and seated himself against the wall, studying the young woman curiously.

A few moments later, Xena came in and saw Nicolla leaning on the floor in her sleeping roll, her face flushed and her hair slightly mussed. Nearby she saw Legolas with a somewhat bemused expression on his face.

"Everything alright?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah," Nicolla answered in a slightly husky voice. "We're all good here."

Xena frowned. Then she turned to Legolas. "Have you seen Gabrielle?"

"I believe she is with Master Felix," he offered

"That's a good bet," Nicolla nodded.

"Well, I can't find him either," Xena went on. She focused again on Nicolla and saw her mildly flushed expression. "What's going on here?"

"I don't think you want to go looking for them right now, Xe," Nicolla offered. "Trust me, though. Gabby's alright."

"Are you sure?" Xena pressed.

"Oh yeah," Nicolla shuddered slightly and smiled. "I'm pretty sure."

It took a moment before Xena realized the cause of Nicolla's apparent angst.

"Oh, you mean," she started.

"Yeah," Nicolla nodded quickly.

"And they're busy doing," Xena went on.

"Real well," Nicolla finished quickly.

The concern was plain on her face. Gabrielle was like a sister to Xena and she had concerns about the idea of Gabrielle and Felix being together, similar to the ones that Tyrion had expressed in Minas Tirith.

Xena turned and headed for the exit. She paused at the door and turned back. "You can actually, I mean, you know that they're?"

"Not usually," Nicolla said. "But Gabs does have some latent skills and Felix seems to as well. The two of them pretty much let go of everything and, well?" she shrugged.

"But you're sure she's all right?" Xena pressed.

"Yeah," Nicolla smiled. "She's doing just fine."

She shivered as a ripple of desire ran down her spine.

Legolas also rose to his feet and moved to the door. "I shall leave you to your thoughts, Lady."

"Could you send Tyrion in here?" Nicolla replied with a sly smile.

"If you wish," Legolas replied, not catching the inferred jest.

"No!" Nicolla said quickly. "Just kidding."

She waited till the two of them had departed before lying back down and staring at the ceiling. "But when this little trip is over, Tyrion Darquefyre, you are all mine."

She smiled and rolled back over trying to return to sleep.

Mavon finished his circuit of the upper wing and was making his way back towards the main chamber to awaken Silas for his watch when he heard a rustling sound coming from one of the closed doors along the hallway. He stepped over next to it and listened intently, frowning.

Then he heard it. A soft, barely contained gasp of pleasure. His eyebrows rose in surprise and he let his weapon fall back loosely at his side. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was in that room, or what was happening.

He resisted the juvenile urged to go in and interrupt them, preferring a discreet retreat the way he was going.

"About freaking time," he muttered to himself, smiling in appreciation.

He descended the stairs to the main chamber and found Silas lying in his sleeping roll, snoring softly. Nearby, Tyrion lay, his back resting comfortably against one of the graven pillars, his gilly hat pulled down over his eyes.

Mavon reached out and touched the big man's shoulder.

"Si," he whispered. "Your watch."

Silas's eyes opened and he sat up automatically. He shook his head and rubbed the drowse from his eyes.

"Right," he nodded. He gathered his weapon and rose to his feet. "See you in two hours."

Mavon nodded, setting his rifle down next to his sleeping roll. "Oh, and you might want to modify your route to bypass the apartments on the third level."

"Oh?" Silas asked as he checked the charge and safety on his weapon.

Mavon nodded, grinning.

"Why?" Tyrion asked from beneath the brim of his hat.

"Sheesh boss!" Mavon hissed. "Don't you ever flipping sleep?"

"I'll sleep when I'm dead," Tyrion replied, raising his hat and looking at the two of them. "Why are we avoiding the third level?"

"Doc is up there," Mavon replied. "With Gabs."

Tyrion's eyebrows rose. "Oh really? Do I need to ask?"

"Based on your look of fatherly disapproval, boss," Mavon shrugged. "I think you got a pretty good visual on what's happening."

"No wonder the little shit took first watch," Silas muttered. "He never takes first watch."

Tyrion grumbled something unintelligible. "We'll deal with it in the morning. In the mean time, follow the same patrol circuit."

"But," Silas began.

"Just," Tyrion winced. "Be quiet in the hall and for Sagan's sake, don't hang around."

"Like I would," Silas mumbled. "Alright, see you in two hours Chief."

Tyrion nodded and let his hat slip back down over his eyes. He grumbled something more and sighed.

Gimli looked up from his post inside the guard house, just within the main gates. Legolas came strolling into view. He had a somewhat bemused expression on his elvish features.

"So," The dwarf offered with a smirk of his own. "What has you all smug and satisfied?"

"What do you mean?" Legolas replied innocently.

"Oh now, don't you give me that, laddie," Gimli tapped the side of his nose. "I've been around you too long to know when you're meddling in affairs. No matter what evasion you try. So, what is it?"

"I was not meddling," Legolas countered.

"Prying then," Gimli shot back. "Use whatever word you like."

"Nor was I prying, nor interfering," Legolas replied calmly. "I merely offered council to one who was in need."

"Is that what you're calling it now?" Gimli leaned back and put his pipe to his lips, lighting it with a glowing chip. "And who, pray tell, was in such dire need of your council?" he continued sarcastically.

"My answer to your riddle may cost you, my friend," Legolas smiled.

The dwarf coughed in mid puff. "You didn't!"

"Indeed." Legolas replied. "It was that or watch the poor humans go mad with their denial."

"Oh, and our little wager had naught to do with it I assume!" Gimli brought his voice back in check before the echoes traveled too far.

"None whatsoever," Legolas replied easily. He held out his hand expectantly.

Gimli puffed in disbelief. "You interfered!" He blurted. He sat back with a huff and smoked furiously.

"It was for the best," Legolas withdrew his hand and sat down. "Regardless of our ulterior motives."

Gimli' stony face morphed into a grin.

"They do make a good pair, don't they?" He chuckled.

"That they do," Legolas pulled one of the gates open and sat down, staring out at the starry sky beyond. "And as with so many things in the world, everyone but they could see it."

Gimli puffed his pipe thoughtfully for a time.

"I'm still not paying," he finished, puffing out a large smoke ring that sailed through the gate and out into the forest beyond.

Legolas laughed softly.

The shadows crawled purple across the earth as the moon spun its way over the sky heading to the western hills as morning neared. The night breeze blew soft and gentle through the trees, moaning gently as the leaves rustled together.

Legolas, still seated at the gate, raised his eyes to look out at the setting moon and smiled as the breeze caressed his face.

Beside him, Gimli lay asleep, snoring loudly. He reached over and slapped the dwarf hard on the shoulder. The stocky form rolled over reflexively, snorted and fell silent.

Something chill flowed over him along with the gentle breeze, and instantly, his every nerve was alert as his eyes scanned the shadows of the trees beyond.

He rose to his feet and stepped just beyond the gate into the night beyond, searching for the source of his strange discomfiture.

"The air has changed," he whispered to himself. Just beyond his perception, he could hear the sounds of rustling, different from the leaves in the wind. It was deeper, heavier, and drawing closer to him.

Gabrielle rolled over and let her head rest against Felix's chest. She was completely exhausted and surprisingly content. She felt his arms around her, warm and reassuring, and she could hear the steady trip of his heartbeat as he rested.

"How do you feel?" He asked, smiling. He opened his eyes and kissed the top of her head.

"Wonderful," she replied.

"Then my job here is done," Felix said.

She laughed quietly and looked up at him. "Hardly."

She rolled over atop him and kissed him deeply.

Felix chuckled. "Again?"

"We have a lot to make up for," Gabrielle replied. She began kissing his neck and chest.

"Gabs," Felix protested. "We have got to get some sleep…..eventually…" He pulled the covers over them and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her.

A soft incessant beeping started off to the side of the bed, interrupting their passion.

Felix pulled away from her and sighed.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," he grumbled.

"What is it?" Gabrielle asked.

Felix rolled over, reaching down over the edge of the bed to grab the data pad lying on the floor.

Gabrielle leaned up against his back, looking over his shoulder at the readings on the small screen.

Felix looked at the graphs in growing horror as the readings fell steadily and inexorably to nothing.

"Oh shit," he whispered. He ripped the covers off of them and scrambled for his clothing. "Quick! Get dressed! We got to get the hell out of this place!"

Gabrielle began gathering her own garments. "What is it?"

"That sonic field that was keeping the bugs away is fading!" Felix spun around in a circle, scanning for his clothes. He pulled his boxers on and scooped up the rest of his uniform, stuffing it into his backpack.

Gabrielle was still fastening her top as they ran down the hall and practically crashed into Tyrion walking his circuit.

"What the hell?"

"We got to get everyone out of here!" Felix gasped. "We got trouble, lots and lots of trouble!"

Even as he spoke, they heard a loud thud as the gates were slammed shut, and then Legolas's voice from below.

"Awake! Awake! Our foes are upon us!"

"Ah shit!" Tyrion bolted down the steps and found the others quickly grabbing equipment and taking up weapons.

"What have we got?" he asked.

"Those creatures are back!" Gimli replied, puffing hard. "I managed to brace the gates, but they won't hold for long. There must be hundreds of the things!"

"You're a popular guy, Doc," Mavon added, grinning as he looked at Felix's lack of apparel. In his haste he had managed to attire himself in only his undergarments with the bulk of his uniform jammed into his pack. He stood there now among them wearing only his boxers and a gun belt.

"Nice look," Mavon continued. "It works for you."

Felix armed his rifle. "It's all the rage on Rinos Drift."

A loud thud reverberated through the palace.

Tyrion, Xena and the others all ran forward and saw the gates recoil dangerously from a second hit.

Beyond the walls, the sounds of scrabbling massive clawed legs could be heard.

"Oh this sucks!" Felix protested. He looked at Legolas. "You got a back door out of this place?"

Legolas shook his head. "The main gates were the only way in or out, that way our enemies were forced to come from only one direction."

The gates bounced dangerously and this time there was the sound of crackling timbers.

"Pull back to the next chamber," Tyrion ordered. "Flip that dining table over to create a barricade. Stagger fire by teams!"

"Hoo ha!" Mavon replied as they all fled back into the main chamber.

"Ah, Legolas?" Gimli asked.

"Mavon, set a trip mine at the entrance," Tyrion pointed as they passed the archway into the chamber. "Felix, take these grenades and chuck them into the entry when the gates give. It might buy us some time before they hit the trip mine."

"Legolas?" Gimli pressed.

Legolas drew his bow and notched an arrow, his eyes fixed on the entrance as the timbers of the gate cracked under the pressure.

"There might be another way out?" Gimli said loudly.

"What?" Legolas turned back to face him.

"What?" Tyrion and the others all turned to look at the dwarf.

"My father was a guest here in his youth, at the time a certain burglar managed to arrange for he and his friends escape by stuffing them in barrels and sending them east along the Running River to Long Lake, remember?"

"Barrel Rider," Legolas whispered. "I am a fool! Quickly, we must get to the lower levels!"

"Go! Go! Go!" Tyrion ordered. He and Silas stayed in position.

"What about you?" Xena asked.

"Right behind you!" Tyrion shot back as Mavon handed him the detonator for the trip mine.

"Quickly!" Legolas called as he darted down a previously unexplored passage.

"Move! Move! Move!" Mavon shouted. He and Felix reached a turn in the hallway and stopped, turning back to point their weapons back the way they came.

"What are you doing?" Gabrielle asked.

"My job!" Felix shot back. "Get moving!"

Mavon hit the switch on his com. "Chief, we are twenty yards to the south in a holding position, waiting to cover your retreat."

Gabrielle knelt down in front of Felix, her eyes wide with fear. "Felix, I can't lose you again!" she begged.

He kissed her fiercely and then gently guided her towards the others. "Gabs, I love you, but you have to go now!"

"I can help!" Gabrielle protested.

"Xena!" Felix called.

Xena stepped forward and pulled Gabrielle away. "They'll be alright Gabrielle!" She said quickly. "We have to go, now!"

Felix looked over his shoulder towards the end of the corridor and spied the doorway a mere thirty feet away.

"Nicky?"

"I'll cover it," she answered automatically as she released the safety on her AS-2 rifle.

There was a deep rumbling crash followed by several short pops of the grenades and then a larger boom of the trip mine. The corridor echoed with hisses and screams.

The staccato thunder of Tyrion and Silas's weapons followed, keeping the monsters at bay.

Felix and Mavon listened intently to the rhythmic 'whump, whump, whump' of Silas's rifle, timing the remaining charge in their minds.

"Ready to make another mess?" Felix looked over at Mavon, grinning.

Mavon raised his weapon and sighted down the corridor. "Oh yeah."

Suddenly, the weapons of their comrades fell silent. A few seconds after that, they could hear the sounds of running feet and the puffing of breath. Felix saw the massive shape of Silas lumbering towards them.

"Come on you fat bastard!" He shouted. "Move it!"

Behind them, the hall was practically clogged with a mass of squelching, hissing bodies as the spiders flooded down the hall after them.

Tyrion raced past, tapping Felix on the shoulder. Mere seconds later, Silas plowed past.

"Shoot the fuckers!" he cried in terror.

Felix and Mavon opened up on the surging mass. The ones in front of the charge went down thrashing and stinging their companions reflexively as they died.

"Try and plug the hall!" Mavon shouted.

Felix dropped his rifle, letting it hang loose and whipped a grenade down the hall, it skittered between the tangled throng of legs and detonated with a muffled thump. Sprays of brackish blood covered the hall and move bodies fell dead.

In spite of the slaughter, the mass continued slowly towards them.

Mavon finished the charge on his rifle and loaded a fresh clip. That one fired five quick shots and went dead.

"What the hell?" He cried.

"Forgot to mention that," Felix said quickly as his clip ran dry. "Sorry."

"You bastard!" Mavon roared as the two of them took off down the hall towards the open door.

"Nicky!" Felix shouted.

She leaned out of concealment and opened up on the spiders with her heavy weapon, stopping the mass in its tracks for a few precious seconds.

The room had once been a storage room. Old casks of wine and other barrels used for storing food stuffs remained along the walls.

"This way!" Gimli shouted, pointing at an open trap door in the wooden floor.

Felix looked at the untapped wine casks and sighed.

"What a waste," he leapt through the opening into the freezing water.

"Lady!" Gimli shouted to Nicolla. "You're the last!"

Nicolla fired several more shots for good measure before abandoning her position and diving head first through the opening.

Gimli watched her vanish and then looked up just as the first of the massive arachnid creatures burst into the chamber.

With a cry, he dropped through the opening.

The water was icy cold when he struck, and his heavy armor immediately pulled him straight down to the bottom.

Strong hands hauled him back to the surface before he drowned. A small cask bobbed before him.

"Hold this," Legolas said quickly. "It will keep you afloat."

He looked around and then up at the open trap door. Fierce crimson clusters of eyes stared hungrily down at them. The floor boards above could be heard being pulled from their mountings with a terrible crashing and cracking.

"Swim!" Legolas cried. "Swim for it!"

They all splashed in a panic further down the narrow cave.

Mavon turned, drew his pistol, and fired a burst at the face staring down at them. The shadow recoiled and thick viscous fluid began dripping into the water behind them, hissing and smoking when it touched the cold water.

The current was swift and carried them deep beneath the earth. The small powerful lights that Tyrion and his people sprang to life, reflecting on the wet stone about them. The air was filled with the sound of rushing water.

The party bobbed and spluttered for what seemed like a short eternity before they saw the opening as a pale point of light in the distance.

The water burst from the opening, dropping several feet into the main flow of the river. Several of the party screamed in alarm when they were expelled by the fast moving current.

One by one, the waterlogged adventurers pulled themselves from the river.

"God damn that was cold!" Felix exclaimed as he rolled over on the shingle, shivering.

Further down the shore, Silas let out a thunderous sneeze.

"Forgive me, friends," Legolas apologized. "The river is much lower than it used to be. The opening used to empty into the river much more easily."

Tyrion rose to his feet stiffly. "Okay kids," he ordered. "Keep moving. Do a check and see if you're missing anything. We don't all want to wind up like Felix down there."

"Oh, that was humor, right?" Felix shot back as he got to his feet. Fortunately for him, he had managed to hold onto his backpack during the wild ride through the cave. His uniform was wet, but nothing was missing.

Tyrion noticed something floating on the water and he sloshed out to retrieve it.

"Anyone missing their data pad?" he asked, holding the pad in the air.

"That's mine," Nicolla replied. She received the errant piece of equipment and slid it back into the thigh pocket of her pants.

"Should have read through it first, boss," Mavon offered with a smug smile. That response got him slapped on the shoulder.

One by one, they all began to laugh. It began as soft chuckles and quickly grew to a loud release of stress.

"Okay folks," Tyrion chuckled. "We need to get moving. We have some back tracking to do, if I'm not mistaken."

"Indeed we do," Legolas offered. "But we have not gone too far out of our way. If we stay on the northern bank of the river and move westward, we should avoid our hungry friends."

Felix was fastening his back pack strap to his body when Nicolla came up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Not bad Felix," she offered a sly smile. "I never knew you were that good."

Felix frowned in confusion which Nicolla answered by nodding her head in Gabrielle's direction. "Way to go." She patted his shoulder again, smiling her infuriating, all knowing smile, and moved off after Tyrion and the others.

Felix's jaw dropped open in surprise. He looked back towards Gabrielle, then at Nicolla, and lastly to the opening of the cave.

"When in the hell have they had time to talk?" he asked aloud. He looked back at Gabrielle and saw her smile at him.

His confusion melted away to something more akin to pride and he smiled back at her.

"Well," he thought smugly. "At least I know this body works as well as the last one."

He adjusted his belt and followed after the others.

They moved west along the river for the better part of the day, retracing their steps back towards the enigmatic ruins of Dol-Guldor, careful to stay on the northern side of the river. The remained silent for the most part, occasionally halting and concealing themselves when they heard the sound of scrabbling feet on the southern side of the river.

As the sun began falling towards the mountains, they halted for their evening meal. Tyrion, Legolas and Xena all sat together, discussing their plans for the remainder of the day.

"I would council against entering Dol-Guldur in darkness, my friends," Legolas offered. "Even if it were abandoned of evil, it is still a hazardous place."

"I would have to agree," Tyrion nodded. "Even with our night vision gear, I would still like to be able to see where I'm putting my feet."

"Is it safe enough for us to spend the night out here, though?" Xena asked.

"It should be safe enough," Legolas nodded. "There may be a few flets nearby where we can take shelter."

"Flets?" Xena asked.

"Platforms built among the boughs of the trees," Legolas explained. "Our watchmen would use them to take shelter and watch the forest. They should provide adequate concealment from any unfriendly eyes and offer safety for us to rest. I shall scout ahead and locate one or two of them that we might be able to use."

"Okay," Tyrion nodded. "Just watch your ass."

Legolas frowned.

"Be careful," Xena said with a smile. "That's what he means."

"Ah," Legolas nodded. "Of course."

He rose and jogged off through the trees.

After he was out of sight, Tyrion sighed. "I suppose you know too, now?"

Xena nodded, suppressing a smile. "About Felix and Gabrielle, yes, I know."

"Well," Tyrion pulled a cigarette out and quickly lit it. "What do you want to do about it?"

"I don't think there's anything we can, or even should do," Xena replied thoughtfully.

She looked over where Felix and Gabrielle were seated together quietly talking, and she saw the smile on Gabrielle's face. It was as if someone had rekindled a light, and Xena saw her friend, whole and complete once more, without the haunted look in her eyes.

"When we get out of here, it's going to be a complete cluster fuck for those two, you know that don't you?" Tyrion said.

"I know," Xena replied. "But at the same time, I don't think we should do anything to prevent what's happening."

"It'll make it harder when they have to split up," Tyrion cautioned.

"If they have to split up, you mean," Xena countered. She turned and looked back at the old soldier. "You're working under the assumption that we'll actually be able to leave here and go back to our respective worlds."

"Yes I am," Tyrion nodded. "I have to."

"And I understand that," Xena nodded. She looked back at the others all going about their business. "But the others may not believe it as much as you do."

She looked back at Tyrion. "There's also a good chance that we may never leave this world, Tyrion. I have to consider that too."

Xena looked back at the others. "We're all dealing with the possibility that we may never leave this place, and it's a frightening thought. Everyone deals with it in his or her own way."

"I do know this." Xena concluded. "I haven't seen Gabrielle genuinely happy for a long time and Felix is the reason for that. If this will help Gabrielle heal after all that she's been through and also alleviate some of their fear by letting them be there for each other, then I would say, let them."

"That's not all they're alleviating," Tyrion grumbled.

Xena smiled suddenly. "You do treat her like she's your daughter."

Tyrion reached into his jacket and pulled a small rectangular screen from inside. He touched the corner and an image appeared.

Xena took the strange object and her eyes went wide when she saw the person in the image. It was the image of a young woman, dressed in the same style of clothing as Tyrion and his friends, standing at the hatch of the ship with one hand leaning casually on the frame of the hatch. She was in an almost comical pose, with her other hand on her hip and grinning mischievously. Xena smiled when she saw the face of the young woman. Aside from a difference in hair color, more brown than Gabrielle's blonde, and the eyes seemed to be darker, it was the image of a young woman almost identical to her best friend.

"Kind of hard not to," Tyrion offered with a shrug.

"This was your daughter?" Xena asked.

"Yup."

"I can see why you could get confused," Xena nodded.

"Oh it's not just the looks," Tyrion smiled. "It's the sound of her voice, her laugh, her little mannerisms, damn near everything. If I don't watch myself, I could end up calling her Lynnette by mistake again, or asking her to do something she has no clue how to do."

"So," Xena offered. "Felix was right then, back in Minas Tirith, when the two of you had your little disagreement."

"Maybe he was," Tyrion shrugged again, exhaling a long cloud of smoke. He flicked the ash off the end of the cigarette thoughtfully. "But there was no way in hell I would have let him know it. The little shit knows too much already." He smiled.

Xena smiled. "Let them be, for now. If things get too crazy, then we can step in."

"Too crazy?" Tyrion looked up at their surroundings. "As opposed to what?"

Legolas returned a short while later.

"I have discovered two flets that are still sturdy enough to hold us. Come with me." He reported.

The party moved quickly in the fading light until they came to the trunk of a large tree.

Legolas easily climbed up into the branches and then a rope ladder unrolled down towards them.

"Quickly," Legolas hissed. "The light is failing."

One by one, they all climbed up into the tree, and emerged through an opening in the center of a large, circular wooden platform mounted upon the branches.

"There's no way I can remember all of these things when I write this down," Gabrielle commented to herself as she emerged on the flet. The trees formed an impenetrable wall, giving it the feel of a small, cozy, enclosed room.

A straight wooden gangway connected this platform to a second one on the opposite side of the tree.

"Well," Gimli grumbled as his bearded head emerged in the opening. "Here we are again."

Tyrion stepped to the edge of the platform and pulled aside several leaves. In the nearby distance he could see the broken spires and walls of Dol-Guldor. He drew out his spotter glasses and adjusted the polarity. Zooming in on the distant edifice, he could make out the remains of several other buildings as well as the parapets and walls that used to encircle the fortress. The area around it was deforested and barren, like a blight on the unbroken green.

A zoomed the imaging in further seeking any signs of movement, and found nothing.

"Well," he said thoughtfully. "Looks quiet enough, for now."

He turned back. "I want watches tonight. Three hour shifts. Silas, you and I take the first one, Mave, Doc, you got the second, Nicky, you take the third."

"I'll take that with you," Xena offered.

Nicolla nodded.

"Unpack and get some sleep folks," Tyrion finished. He noticed Felix studying his data pad.

"Doc?"

"No energy or sonic fields here, boss," Felix shook his head.

"Okay," Tyrion nodded to Silas and indicated the opposite end of the flet, across the gangplank. The big man nodded and lumbered over to a position across from Tyrion, but still within eyesight. Then he turned and peered out through the leaves at the forest below.

Tyrion studied the shadowy forest before him and the deepening purple shadow that were the walls and ruins of the fortress nearby, his entire mind focused upon the task of sensing any potential threat. The are was cool and filled with the moist scent of earth and leaves. Night creatures mingled their various songs, and above his head, the stars twinkled and shone.

Gimli sat against the trunk of the tree, absently polishing the blade of his massive axe.

"We're covering the ground too slowly," he mumbled as Legolas seated himself lightly nearby. "Even if our quarry went to Dol-Guldor, they will be gone from there by now."

"There is that possibility, yes," Legolas nodded.

The dwarf set the axe aside and stowed his gear. He let out a soft huff in frustration.

"You know the only chance of our success relies on getting in front of our opponents before they make the mountain passes." Gimli went on "And as much as I dread making the suggestion, there is only one sure way for us to achieve that."

"There was a time," Legolas said knowingly. "That you would have urged such a course."

"That was before," Gimli replied. "When I still held out hope that my people dwelt in Khazad-Dum." He held up his axe and looked at it closely. "This is all that remains of Khazad-Dum now."

He sighed. "Besides, Our path through would be blocked by the collapses that Gandalf wrought in his battle against the Barlog. And even if we could, the Watcher at the West Gate tore the mountainside down to block that way."

"All true," Legolas nodded. "And yet, there may be a way to best the speed of our adversary while traversing the dark paths of Moria and still avoid the enemy if he dwells within."

"Have you gone daft?" Gimli blurted. "Again you would go underground where I dare not!"

"I merely offer an option," Legolas offered. "We both know that this is the only way to assure our getting ahead of the enemy."

He smiled. "Long have I seen you perusing the ancient maps of your kin. I know that you have more knowledge of the paths beneath Moria than ever before."

"Aye," Gimli replied sarcastically. "I could with ease find my way all the way down to the drowned vaults of Durin himself. That does not mean I'm addled enough to attempt it!"

He brought his voice back in check and looked around. "And I know that not all the orcs and goblins of the mountain abandoned Khazad-Dum after the fall of Sauron, so don't even start trying to tell me that there may not be any orcs left in the place!"

"I would never say anything of the kind." Legolas replied. "Orcs still dwell there, surely. But I believe that our comrades have weapons and abilities that far surpass our last adventure, and that, should we be accosted, they would succeed with little effort."

Gimli sputtered a few moments and then let out a soft "humph", crossing his arms and looking away.

"Would you know of a way that they could take to make the mountain pass ahead of our quarry?" Legolas asked.

Gimli said nothing. He merely grunted again, signifying that the conversation was over.

"I intend to offer this alternative on the morrow," Legolas said suddenly. "After we have finished at Dol-Guldor."

"You'll do nothing of the sort!" Gimli snapped his attention back to the elf. "You have no right to place these off worlders in such peril!"

"Peril is a close companion to all of these people, my friend," Legolas said as he rose to his feet. "Why should this day matter more than the next, or the last?"

"In case you hadn't noticed," Gimli whispered. "Their fancy weapons didn't do us much good against those spiders, did they? If it wasn't for the one they call Felix, we'd all be dead by now!"

"As I said," Legolas replied. "Tyrion and his companions are well versed in the arts of war. Even down to the single man. And I did play a part in your rescue, do not forget."

Gimli offered a simple grunt in response and settled back into his own thoughts.

The night passed without incident. The sun rose in fiery brilliance amidst the clouds shimmering in hues of red and orange upon the leafy canopy around them. The birds awoke and began their songs, and the morning breeze, heavy with dew, tickled their cheeks and noses as they slumbered.

Legolas looked back at the group of slumbering people and smiled as he recalled a similar past event.

"Rise my friends," He said easily. "For it is morning, and we have many leagues to travel."

Gimli snorted in his sleep and rolled over, oblivious. Nicolla squinted against the ray of sunlight piercing the canopy above and covered her eyes as she slowly sat upright.

The rest of the party each awakened with the prerequisite grumbles and groans, all except for Gabrielle, who pulled her blanket further up over her head and rolled back over.

Felix quietly knelt down next to Gabrielle and began whispering in her ear.

No one could hear what was said, but Gabrielle was soon smiling and then laughing quietly.

Nicolla blinked and looked over at the two of them, a sudden flush in her cheeks.

"Okay, that does it," she said. "Gabs, you and I need to have a talk before your man there says another word or you two do anything else."

Gabrielle and Felix looked over at her and then Felix began grinning as he understood the nature of Nicolla's frustration.

"Aha!" he said. "Now I get it."

"Get what?" Tyrion asked. He looked back and forth between Felix and Nicolla.

Nicolla's flushed expression frosted over in warning.

"Nothing important," Felix replied, rising to his feet and strolling across to the other platform. As he passed Nicolla he couldn't resist getting a jab in.

"Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did." He said quietly.

"Fuck you," Nicolla countered with a grin.

"You'd love to," Felix shot back without missing a beat.

"Okay people," Tyrion brought them all together. "We got work to do today." He looked back through the leaves at the ruined buildings ahead.

"Ammo check," he said. "And give me a count on munitions." The last directed at Silas.

They all began inspecting their equipment, double checking the live ammunition clips and stowing away the ones that were spent.

As Felix took his inventory he noticed Gabriele looking into her bag with a slightly haunted expression.

"What's on your mind?" he asked. He paused when she drew out the narrow wooden case containing her remaining pistol and the energy clips that powered them.

Xena saw the weapon when Gabrielle lifted the lid.

"Gabrielle?"

The nervous bard looked back and forth between them and offered a smile.

"I have this," she said. "And I remember what I did with the other one." She looked apologetically at Xena. "And yet, I don't know how this thing works," she finished. "It's kind of strange."

"But you want to know how it works," Felix finished, ascertaining her meaning in the evasive statement.

She looked back at him and after a moment, she nodded.

"Gabrielle," Xena asked. "Are you sure about this?"

"I just want to do my part," Gabrielle nodded after a moment. She looked at Felix and past him to where the others were preparing.

"But I want to learn it," Gabrielle added quickly. "Not just have Nicolla give it to me, you know?"

Felix shrugged and then looked over at Xena, silently deferring to her judgment in this matter.

Xena considered carefully. "Are you sure about this, Gabrielle?" she asked again. "I mean really sure?"

Gabrielle nodded after a few moments. "I'm sure."

Xena nodded. "Okay." She gave Felix a permissive nod.

"Righto," Felix smiled.

He took the case from Gabrielle's hands and removed the weapon and the two short clips.

"Now," he began by holding one of the clips up. "This one is empty so we'll practice with it."

He scooted closer to Gabrielle and set the pistol and expended clip on the ground before her.

"Now," he went on. "Nicky removed all the knowledge but she couldn't remove the experiences, you understand?"

Gabrielle frowned but nodded.

"And in your experience, you used this before, so," he shrugged. "It's like going through the motions. Just think back to that night."

"I'd rather not," Gabrielle sighed, recalling her murderous rampage against her friends.

"Well, I can understand that," Felix nodded. "But that's where the basics still reside."

He nudged the two components a little closer.

"Just count it out," he continued. "One, two, three, four."

Gabrielle looked down at the alien weapon before her. Her gut twitched nervously even as she desired the ability to use it.

"One, two three, four," she repeated.

"Don't worry about the understanding part," Felix continued. "Just do it."

"One, two, three, four," Gabrielle repeated a few times as she dredged up the memory of that night, "One, two, three, four." Moving like dangerous wraith among the trees as she fired her weapon at her friends, "One, two, three, four." The clip had emptied, "One, two, three, four." She needed to reload.

She moved.

One – She lifted the pistol in her right hand.

Two – The clip in the left hand.

Three – She slapped the clip into the grip of the weapons with a sharp smack and,

Four – With a deft motion, she pulled back the cocking mechanism and heard the pop as the primer locked into place.

It took a moment for her to realize she had done it purely on instinct.

"Oh wow," she gasped. "I did it."

She looked up at Felix and inadvertently pointed the weapon at him. His hand rose quickly and intercepted it, pointing it back down and away from any potential victims.

"And that's why we're using the dead clip," he said with a smile. He indicated the safety switch on the weapon. "Now, even with this on, it's important that you never point this at anyone or anything you don't want to shoot. And never point this thing at yourself no matter what, period. Always treat one of these things as if they're loaded and ready to go off, got it?"

Gabrielle nodded.

"Okay," Felix smiled. "Come on."

The two of them descended the ladder to the forest floor below.

Once on the ground, Felix drew and unloaded his own pistol.

"Remember what I said about kneecaps?" he asked.

Gabrielle nodded.

"Okay," Felix said. "Same thing applies. Put your finger on the trigger. Don't pull it. Just rest your finger on it gently."

Gabrielle did as instructed and instantly, the narrow blue beam of light appeared, ending as a small pale blue dot on a nearby tree.

"If the weapon was live and you squeezed the trigger," Felix explained. "That blue dot is where your shot would hit, understand? Take your finger off the trigger to deactivate the laser sight."

Gabrielle did so and smiled in understanding.

"Your finger completes the circuit that allows the sight to function," Felix explained. "Once your finger no longer touches the trigger, the sight switches off."

"Okay," Gabrielle experimented with that for a few moments, gently touching the trigger and watching as the blue light appeared and vanished at her touch. "I think I understand it."

"Now," Felix continued. "When you hold this thing, don't lock your elbows." He moved behind her and adjusted her grip on the weapon.

Gabrielle smiled as he moved up close against her. The intimacy of the position threatened distraction for her.

"Focus now darling," Felix said with a smile. His soft breath was hot against her neck and she felt the heat rush to her cheeks.

"Knock it off you two!" Nicolla's hissed from above.

The two of them smiled at each other.

"Okay," Gabrielle forced the thoughts aside. "Okay. I have to focus on this now. Have to focus."

The rest of the group descended a short time later and began moving off through the trees towards the ruins of Dol-Guldor. As they did, Felix continued his lessons with Gabrielle, teaching her how to move with the weapon, always pointing the weapons where she was looking, moving around trees and other obstacles they encountered with quick cautious grace.

They reached the edge of the trees near mid day. The forest ended suddenly, opening to a wide flat expanse of land that stretched between the boughs of the wood to the ruined circle of stone that had once been the walls of the imposing fortress of Dol-Guldor.

The party remained within the edge of the trees, scanning the broken battlements for any movement.

Silas, Mavon, and Tyrion were all scanning the edifice with their spotters glasses.

"You got anything?" Mavon asked.

"Nothing," Silas rumbled. "Boss?"

"Looks quiet," Tyrion nodded. "Deserted and quiet."

"Too quiet?" Xena asked with a soft smirk.

"Yup, that's the kind of quiet I was thinking." Tyrion nodded. He looked back at the others.

"Okay, Si with me, Mavon Felix next, Xena Legolas and Gimli, and then Nicky and Gabs cover our six." He smiled at Nicolla. "You don't mind working with the rookie again, do you?"

Nicolla looked sidelong at Gabrielle. The bard drew out the live clip and loaded her pistol, slipping it into a holster beneath her left arm. Then she deployed her pole arm and smiled back.

"Nope," she said. "We'll be ready to bail you clowns out again."

"Ooo," Mavon grinned. "I detect attitude."

"Just a smidge," Felix replied as he primed his rifle.

"Button it up folks," Tyrion ordered. "Ten yard gaps, on my lead."

He looked at Silas who nodded and the two of them raised their rifles and stepped smoothly from concealment. They move quickly towards the ruined entrance.

Once they were about thirty feet away, Mavon and Felix emerged, following their trail.

Xena, Legolas and Gimli followed a little sooner than the others, and then Nicolla and Gabrielle at the end.

Nicolla turned around frequently, her large rifle panning the forest behind them in case anything lay in wait to ambush them from behind.

She noticed Gabrielle's eyes darting to and fro as she tried to watch everything at once.

"Walk in the park Gabby," Nicolla said quietly. "Just stay loose and keep moving." Her hand reached up and activated her com.

"Okay folks," Tyrion ordered. "Breach and secure out buildings on my call."

"We're good, chief," Felix responded dutifully.

Tyrion and Silas reached the gates and each took a position on either side of the ruined edifice, their weapons panning across the interior of the place

Felix and Mavon took up positions next to Silas and Tyrion while Nicolla and Gabrielle formed a rear guard with Xena, Legolas and Gimli in the center of the protected ring.

"Right," Tyrion pointed into the courtyard at a small group of cabin like structures with broken walls and collapsed roofs.

"Two," he continued. "Sweep and clear."

Then he gestured to a series of dilapidated structures straddling one of the walls off to their left.

"Three," he continued. "Check those for activity."

Then he pointed to a series of stables and abandoned workshops off to their left. "Si and I will take those. Xena, and the rest move through to the main structure and hold at the entrance."

Everyone acknowledged the orders.

"Execute," Tyrion breathed.

Instantly, Felix and Mavon trotted smoothly off to the right towards the cabins while Tyrion and Silas moved to the workshops on the left.

Nicolla and Gabrielle ducked through an archway and ascended a set of stairs to the parapet running along the wall, making their way around towards the first of the wooden structures.

Gabrielle instantly realized that her pole arm would be at a sever disadvantage in that structure.

Nicolla moved forward to the entrance of a watch tower straddling the wall. She stopped and knelt, panning her weapon through the doorway. Behind her, she heard the familiar metallic clicks indicating Gabrielle had stowed her weapon.

"Gabby," she whispered. "Remember. Don't point that thing anywhere you aren't looking, and not at me at all, got it?"

Gabrielle cradled the small pistol in her hands, pointing it down and away from both of them.

"I understand," she nodded nervously.

"Okay sweetie," Nicolla continued. "You watch our backs, I'll watch our front."

Again Gabrielle nodded.

"Go," Nicolla moved through the tower, her eyes taking in the room and above before passing quickly out onto the next section of the walkway.

"Tower one, clear," she said quietly.

"Cabins one, two, and three, clear," Mavon said a few moments later.

"Stables clear, no movement," Silas rumbled a few moments after that.

Nicolla reached up and gently tried the catch on the rotting wooden door before her. It crumbled like cheese in her fingers. She grasped the decrepit door and pulled. It fell away from frozen hinges and dropped to the ground, shattering into large, fibrous chunks on the packed earth below.

The lamp on the end of Nicolla's weapon flared to life, panning around the structure. Several rows of beds lay against the wall on her left and other pieces of furniture were strewn about he place in disarray, but again, there was no movement.

The two girls edged further into the room. "Barracks clear," Nicolla reported. "No movement."

She glanced down and spied the small blue laser dot on the floor off to her left. She smiled. "Doing fine Gabby."

The soft wood creaked and groaned gently as they edged past the boney remains of something, piled in the corner. Gabrielle gave it a cursory examination before moving on.

"Cabins four, five, and six, all clear," Felix reported. "We're clear."

"Move to the wall on the north side and sweep that. Link up with the girls." Tyrion ordered.

"Confirmed," Mavon replied. "Rolling."

Nicolla and Gabrielle emerged from the opposite end of the wooden barracks a few moments later. They saw Mavon and Felix moving through the yard off to the side, their weapons scanning the surroundings for any movement.

There was a wet creaking sound and then the entire wooden structure rolled backwards and collapsed into the courtyard with a dull crash.

"Check! Check! Check!" Felix called urgently in a low voice.

Gabrielle and Nicolla took a moment to catch their breath, looking back and down at the pile of rotting timber below them.

"All clear," Nicolla reported. "We're all clear."

Gabrielle looked down and saw Felix looking back up at them, concern on his face.

"Don't do that to me," He whispered.

"Focus people," Tyrion interrupted. "South wall clear, moving west. Two, link up with the girls and meet us by the northwest corner."

"Confirmed," Felix replied.

Legolas, Gimli and Xena moved swiftly to the battered doors that led into the keep of Dol-Guldor.

Xena risked a quick peek inside and found nothing moving in the shadowy chamber.

She then turned and joined her two companions in watching Tyrion and his team moving quickly through the courtyard.

Her eyes drifted back and up to where Gabrielle followed Nicolla along the upper edge of the wall.

The disparity in skill level between the two women was instantly apparent. Gabrielle's face was tight, flushed with anxiety as she tried to focus upon all the things she was responsible for.

By contrast, Nicolla's expression was set, calm, and neutral. Her eyes constantly absorbed the environment around her as she moved easily along her route.

She began to understand just how proficient Tyrion and his people actually were at the arts of war, and the realization sent a slight shiver up her spine.

One moment, the band of off world fighters could be relaxed, outgoing and gregarious to the point of appearing obnoxious. At a moment's notice, they could transform themselves into a cool, efficient, lethal cohesive unit.

The dichotomy was both fascinating and disturbing to her. Yes, there had been many times in her past where she had been forced to subsume or suppress her sense of compassion, but even during the most brutal moments she could feel it in her gut, reaching out in sympathy to those in pain, even those she had been forced to kill.

When she observed Gabrielle, she could see it in greater measure on the face of the young bard. She held a weapon in her hands and prayed to the Gods that she would not have to use it.

Nicolla had a weapon in her hands and had no compunction about using it.

A protective sense of concern came over Xena and she wondered if, perhaps, her association with Tyrion and his friends might not be the best for the impressionable bard, never mind the fact that Gabrielle had already become involved with one of them.

In a moment, the concerns that Tyrion had been voicing for some time became clear. The words spoken in a tent on the plains of Rohan came back to her with a new sense of depth and meaning.

"Our styles of warfare are worlds apart, literally."

Perhaps it was more than just the way they waged war that differed? Perhaps the attitudes and ideology of many other things were different. They were like her, but at the same time, she suddenly reminded herself that Tyrion and his friends were, by their very nature, alien to her and her world.

And there was her best friend attempting to emulate their behaviors.

The six of them emerged from around the face of the ruined tower, rejoining the trio by the door.

"Grounds are empty," Tyrion commented. He and Silas stepped past Xena and the others, taking up a place alongside the open door.

"Okay folks," Tyrion continued as he edged closer to the entrance. "By teams. Nicky, you and Gabs secure this entrance. Doc and Mave go right, Silas and I left. Ready?"

They all nodded.

There was a subtle shimmer in the air just above them and then a loud thud impacted the ground just behind. They all wheeled a round as a crouching figure materialized from a corona of blue energy.

In one body, they all turned and pointed their weapons at the intruder. Gabrielle let out a sharp frightened squeal.

Xena's hand drew her chakram on impulse.

Gimli's axe seemed to leap from his back into his waiting hands, and Legolas had his bow drawn and an arrow notched and bent in the blink of an eye.

The armored Kajano giant growled his clicking growl as he rose, the two plasma cannons on either shoulder swiveling from one member of the party to the other.

"Agran?" Felix asked.

The big alien nodded once.

"Fuck me raw!" Mavon blurted. He snapped his weapon back towards the ground and stepped in front of the behemoth. "What the hell are you trying to do? Give us all freaking heart attacks?"

Another growl that may have been the equivalent of a chuckle emanated from behind the mask.

"What are you doing here?" Tyrion asked.

"What are you doing here," Agran grated.

They all relaxed. "Breathe." Nicolla quipped. "That's what we're trying to do."

"Okay," Tyrion turned back to the half open entrance. "Let's try this again."

Agran strode past him and pushed the door open, unconcerned.

"Why do I get the feeling he's already cleared the place?" Silas asked.

"Probably because he has," Tyrion nodded, lowering his rifle and following the big alien into the main chamber.

The interior of the ruins consisted of a single large open chamber with here and there, ruined sections of walls supporting the crumbling ceiling.

Openings in the ceiling and a couple of ruined stair cases offered access to the floor above. Dust and cobwebs filled the air.

Dirt and rubble covered the floor, and piles of broken stone lay against some of the remaining sections of wall.

Gimli suddenly let out a thunderous sneeze.

"Well," Felix smiled. "Everyone knows we're here now."

The dwarf offered him a quick glare before stepping further into the chamber.

Rough paths had been forced through the debris by intelligent hands recently.

Legolas stepped up next to him, surveying the wreckage.

"What say you, old friend?" he asked. "Is it safe for us to remain here?"

Gimli experimentally patted one of the remaining walls and studied it critically.

"It's seen better days," he grumbled. "But it's still fairly solid."

Xena and Gabrielle moved off to one side, carefully picking their way around several other piles of garbage.

Xena noticed and Gabrielle still held her pistol in her hands.

"Maybe you should stick with something more traditional," she offered by way of suggestion.

Gabrielle frowned and then slid the weapon back into its holster, drawing the pole arm from the sheath at her hip.

The metal extended out to its full length and a ripple of blue/white energy encircled the ends.

"Where'd Agran go?" Mavon asked.

As if in answer, he spied the alien standing at the edge of an opening in the ceiling, looking down at him from the next floor up.

"Here," The big creature beckoned.

Felix and Mavon looked at one another and nodded.

"Boss," Mavon called. "We're going up one level."

Tyrion looked back and nodded to them before he and Silas continued their reconnoiter of the main floor.

The floor above showed the same dilapidated condition as the one before, with walls cracked or crumbling and the doorways to numerous chambers left open or with rotting timbers hanging ajar on rusted hinges.

"I don't know," Felix said thoughtfully. "A little paint, some curtains and I could go for a place like this."

Agran paused and looked back at Felix before resuming his search.

Mavon offered a soft snort and followed.

Felix looked at the two of them and grinned. "What?"

The last two chambers seemed to have been better maintained than the rest, with solid, newer doors on well oiled hinges.

"Hello," Mavon raised an eyebrow. "What do we have here?"

He reached down and tried the latch.

"Locked," he muttered. He stepped back and dropped his pack on the ground, searching for something to blast the latch open.

"Hey Chief?" Mavon called over the com.

Agran stepped up and looked down at the primitive latch and then one of his cannons flashed. The latch and some of the surrounding door material exploded with a sharp crack.

"Uh, fire in the hole?" Mavon finished.

"You guys all right?" Tyrion called.

"Yeah, we're good, Boss," Felix reported. "Agran just doesn't believe in wasting any time, that's all."

The big alien pushed the door aside and stepped through into the dark chamber beyond.

"Hey!" Mavon hissed. "Hold up, will you!"

He and Felix moved to follow.

Hey entered the chamber and stopped short. All around them in the roughly oval space were stone slabs protruding from the wall.

A central slab in the middle of the chamber, covered in dust and wreckage.

"What the hell?" Felix whispered. "Hey Chief, you better get up here. I think you and Si need to see this."

A second doorway lay across the trash strewn floor on the opposite side of the chamber. Agran was already moving through it and Mavon was quickly following.

"What have you got?" Tyrion asked.

"I think we found an infirmary," Felix replied. "Or a lab."

Mavon emerged from the opposite entrance. "Doc, I need you! We got a live one up here!"

Felix stepped through the open doorway and stopped short in horror.

She hung, limp in the center of a circular chamber, cold dark iron encircling and cutting into her wrists. She was nude except for some moldering remnants of cloth that may at one time have been a tunic of some kind. Her hair was dirty and matted and her skin was pale.

All over her sides and back were scrapes and gashes that could only have been caused by the rending of claws.

"God damn," Felix gasped.

Mavon was standing before her, gently raising her head to look at her.

At his touch she began struggling weakly. Soft, pained whimpers emerged from her cracked lips.

"Easy, easy," Mavon said with uncharacteristic compassion. "We're here to help."

Her head lolled forward and she slipped again into unconciousness.

Felix had his medical kit out stepped up to the young woman. He reached up to take a pulse at her neck, gently brushing some stray hair aside. That was when he noticed her ears.

They were normal except for where they curved gracefully to a point at the top.

"Elvishini," He whispered. He turned and called softly, "Xena? Gabs?"

"Yes?" Xena replied.

"Get Legolas up here, fast. We just found one of his people."

He studied the manacles and found they were simply bolted and did not need a key.

"Mave," he said. "Hold onto her."

Felix quickly opened the iron cuffs and the semi conscious woman fell into Mavon's arms.

He scooped her up and followed Felix and Agran out into the main chamber.

They lay her upon one of the stone slabs near the wall, and Felix placed one folded blanket under her head while a second was used to cover her.

The matted hair fell aside and revealed the face of the creature beneath.

Mavon froze, awestruck as he beheld her. She had the face of a doll, soft and beautiful in spite of the trauma. Her head fell to one side and her features creased into something resembling a frown.

Felix was gently checking her for injuries as she lay whimpering in dark dreams.

"What's wrong with her?" Mavon asked.

Felix shook his head. "She's had the shit kicked out of her. Aside from that, I can't be sure."

Mavon frowned.

"She's not sapien like you and me, Mave," Felix explained. "For all I know, my meds could kill her." He drew out his canteen and moistened a bandage. Gently, he began cleaning the grime away from her face and hands, cleaning and dressing the cuts and scrapes on her wrists.

"It's like when we busted in and found Xe," Mavon commented.

Felix finished his ministrations and dressed the wounds on her arms and hands, then he continued with his examination, his hands gently probing around the woman's ribs and abdomen.

"Nothing broken," He commented as he worked. He frowned and paused near her belly and then he reached beneath the blanket and checked it again.

"What the?" He carefully moved the blanket aside, exposing her leg and he checked the region. His gaze went hard and his jaw tightened. "Son of a bitch."

"What?" Mavon asked.

Felix covered the woman back up again and gently lifted the lids of her eyes. The iris's beneath were a startling blue, and the black pupil shrank reflexively at the intrusive light of his small torch.

Footsteps echoed behind him and he turned to see his companions all file into the chamber.

"Just give us some room here," Felix held up a hand to stay them. "Last thing she needs is a bunch of faces hovering over her."

He nodded to Legolas. "You might want to be here though."

"What happened to her?" Gabrielle asked.

Felix turned back to her with a grim expression. Instantly, Gabrielle understood what had happened.

"Gods," She breathed.

The woman's features creased into a delicate frown and her head moved slightly from side to side.

"She wakes," Legolas said softly.

"Easy," Felix cautioned. "She may be waking up, but that doesn't mean she'll be coherent."

Her lips moved and soft words emanated from her lips. The language was strange and Legolas leaned closer to hear her.

"She speaks Quendi," He said quickly. He leaned next to her ear and whispered to her softly.

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of his voice and she tried to focus on the room around her. They filled with fear when she saw Felix.

"It's okay," He said gently. "It's okay. We aren't going to hurt you."

"Master Felix," Legolas asked suddenly. "Would you and the others please leave us for a moment?"

Felix looked back at the others and then down at the girl lying on the pallet before him.

"I don't know," he shook his head. "She's pretty unstable at the moment. She might,"

"Please," Legolas interrupted him. "If there are any problems, I will call for you."

"You sure?" Felix asked.

The earnest expression in the elf's eyes softened a bit and he smiled. "I am certain."

Felix reluctantly stowed his gear and stepped away. "Okay. Anything goes wonko, you call me."

"I understand," Legolas nodded.

"I mean anything," Felix continued. Then he stopped himself and motioned for Mavon, still hovering by the dark archway.

Mavon pushed himself off the wall and walked back to the others.

"Legs needs a minute," he said to the others. "Everybody out."

Tyrion raised an eyebrow.

"It's all right, Chief," Felix added before he could protest. "Just give them a second, alright?"

The party filed silently out of the room.

Once in the corridor beyond, they split into a couple of groups, with Felix, Mavon, Nicolla, and Tyrion moving off a little ways away to hold a private conversation.

Silas, Xena, Gabrielle, and Gimli remained close to the door just in case Legolas called to them.

Agran removed himself to the shadows nearby and vanished in a gentle sparkle of energy as his stealth net activated.

"Okay," Tyrion absently rubbed his chin. He looked at Felix intently. "Give me the low down."

"She's in bad shape, Chief," Felix reported. "I mean really, really bad. She's obviously been here for quite some time, perhaps years."

"Years?" Nicolla asked.

Felix nodded.

"Her physical condition is atrophied to such an extent that she probably won't be able to walk unassisted for a while. Even if there weren't psychological trauma, the physical recuperation is going to take weeks, maybe even months." Felix explained.

"Go on," Tyrion nodded.

"She's severely dehydrated and malnourished," Felix said. "And she's been interrogated extensively."

"Tortured?" Tyrion asked. His eyes flicked towards Xena as the memory of his first adventure with her returned.

"I'd bet my left nut on it," Felix nodded. "And tortured bad too."

"What did they do?" Nicolla asked.

Felix sighed. "She's been raped, though the term rape in this case would be saying it nicely. Savaged would be more accurate, and more than once." He looked down at his data pad and studied the readouts. "The marks on her body and arms are indicative of claws, not nail scratches, and the spacing and size of the marks would indicate a creature our size or a little larger."

"Great Maker," Nicolla breathed in terror.

"Also," Felix took a breath. "Based on these physical parameters, she's also given birth within the last three months."

"Given birth?" Mavon's jaw dropped. "In this shit hole?"

Felix nodded. "Based on the amount of internal scarring picked up here," He held the pad up. "I would say the episodes were timed to allow her to gestate an offspring before the assaults would resume."

Tyrion's gaze went dark.

Nicolla couldn't stay silent any longer. "Let me see those readings," she reached for the pad and studied it carefully.

"Are you sure these are accurate?" she asked a few moments later as confusion creased her brow.

"Not without doing an actual physical examination," Felix admitted. "But somehow I don't think that's going to happen."

"What's on your mind Nicky?" Tyrion asked.

Nicolla shook her head, framing her words carefully.

"Everything about her mind feels more recent." She shook her head helplessly.

Mavon cleared his throat deliberately and held out his hand.

"Would this factor into things?" He asked.

They all looked down and saw in his palm the blackened remains of a stone. It was about the size of his thumb and multifaceted, but dark like a lump of coal.

"One of the recording crystals," Nicolla shrank away slightly.

"But burnt out," Felix nodded, taking the stone from Mavon's palm and studying it closely. "Where'd you find this?"

Mavon shrugged. "The floor was littered with them in there. I thought it was roof debris at first until I saw this one near the entrance."

"How many?" Felix's tone had darkened.

"I don't know," Mavon replied. "Hundreds?"

"Hundreds?" Tyrion asked.

Felix and Nicolla looked at one another, paling in horror.

"Does that mean she's," Nicolla's voice caught.

Felix only nodded.

"Care to explain it?" Tyrion asked impatiently.

Felix lowered his voice so the rest of the party wouldn't overhear him.

"She's been cloned, like I was," he explained. "The only difference is that she's been cloned over and over."

"How many times?" Mavon asked.

"How many stones are in there, Mave?" Felix replied. He thought for a minute and it showed on his face.

"What's on your mind, Doc?" Tyrion asked.

"It ain't pretty," Felix replied. "When Gabs and I were translating docs in the library at Minas Tirith, we went through a lot of history. Some of it had to do with the origins of certain beings, like the Orcs."

"And?" Tyrion rolled a hand forward.

Felix closed his eyes as he tried to recall the information he and Gabrielle had discovered. They had moved past it quickly because of Gabrielle's reaction to it.

"First age records," Felix recited. "Melkor created the first Orcs by capturing elves and twisting them. The parchment was vague and mysterious as to methods but I would assume psychological and genetic manipulation to some degree, then utilizing the cloning chambers in the Seedling Vessels to grow an army."

"The Orc pits, as Legolas described them," Tyrion nodded.

Felix held a hand out. "But manipulation only gets you so far. At some point you need to integrate what you've come up with into a new base template. Something stronger and more adaptable to its environment that can be used as a base variable before you go on to the next level of experimentation, at the same time, you need an infusion of untainted genetic material in order to keep the longevity viable enough for the result to survive, follow?"

Tyrion and Mavon shook their heads while Nicolla nodded.

"Felix," Nicolla began.

"She's a breeder," Felix whispered. "She was used to breed Orcs until her body wore out and then she was killed, reconstituted and the process continued, over and over and over for, Hell, who knows how long?"

No one spoke for a long moment. What was there to say that was appropriate to the level of horror they had stumbled into.

"We need to know how long she's been in this." Nicolla finally breathed.

"More to the point," Felix interjected. "How recently. Some of the scarring was fairly recent, within a few weeks at most. She could be carrying right now."

"Carrying?" Tyrion asked. "As in?"

"The next stage in Orc evolution," Felix shrugged. "There's no real way to know?"

"And again," Tyrion sighed. "They leave something behind designed to slow us down."

All eyes fixed on Tyrion.

"Oh come on you guys," Tyrion whispered. "Why else is she still alive? Certainly not out of kindness."

Something flickered near the entrance and they all turned to see Legolas leading the female elf slowly out into the hall.

"Damn," Felix whispered. "That was quick."

"These are my friends," Legolas said gently. "None of them will harm you."

Large, frightened blue eyes took the strangers in. as she stood trembling, wrapped in Legolas's spare cloak.

"I present the Lady Celebrian," Legolas then said to the others. "Daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn, and sister to the Lady Arwen."

Of all the assembled people, only Gimli reacted.

"That's impossible!" He blurted as he got to his feet. "Everyone knows that the Lady Celebrian died ere the beginning of the second age!"

"The full tale of the Lady Celebrian has never been told, and it was believed among my people that the daughter of the Golden Wood still remained, though I cannot think upon how she has endured the passing ages in a place such as this."

"We can discuss that later," Felix replied. He moved past the pair, giving the traumatized female a wide berth and ducked back into the chamber. The lamp beneath the barrel of his rifle activated and he entered the cell.

When the beam of light fell on the floor of the cell, the claim of Legolas was easily verified. Dozens of blackened crystals lay scattered across the floor, or piled in small discarded heaps in the corners. In one area, the floor had given way and within the dusty remains below, he spied even more of the stones, lying like dead insects amidst the rubble.

"Gimli," He called back to the hall. "Trust me, it's her!"

He studied the cell that had been the existence of this woman for countless eons and he felt outrage rising in his belly.

"No doubt about it," He finished quietly. "No doubt about it at all."

They all sat or stood in the corridor as Legolas led Celebrian to place where she could sit somewhat comfortably. Her large crystal blue eyes looked furtively at the myriad of faces around her.

It was obvious why the woman had been left behind as she had, and Silas came to the same conclusion as the others.

She had been a plant, something more to slow them down and keep them off the trail. Even though the woman was on her feet, she was still very week and could only manage slowly and for short periods of time.

"I fear it will take many days for her to heal," Legolas commented. "And each day's delay only aids in the victory of our enemy."

No one said anything.

"I fear that we have only one hope of intercepting our enemy before they reach the safety of their stronghold." Legolas continued. His eyes focused on Gimli.

Tyrion looked at the earnest elf and his very reluctant companion.

Gimli grumbled behind the thick whiskers of his beard and fidgeted uneasily.

"Gimli?" Tyrion asked. "You know something we don't?"

"I know many things you do not!" Gimli replied gruffly.

"Regarding our current situation?" Tyrion pressed.

Gimli let out a humph and crossed his arms over his chest.

"They must know, my friend," Legolas urged him. "There is no time left."

"Must know what?" Xena asked.

"Gimli?" Nicolla asked, sensing the dwarf's reluctance.

Gimli looked from one to the other before sighing loudly.

"There may be a way to get past the mountains and ahead of our quarry before they make it to the top of the Red Horn Gate." He finally admitted.

"You know a short cut?" Mavon asked

"I said 'may be'," Gimli said gruffly. "None of my people have walked the paths I speak of for many years now."

"Not true," Legolas said. "We walked through there ere the beginning of this age."

"And when we emerged, Gandalf was gone!" Gimli said angrily. "You remember that laddy?"

"I do," Legolas nodded. "And I remember Mithrandir rejoining us here in this very forest."

"The memory of that place is filled with evil," Gimli grumbled. "I went there to find proof that my kin had returned and what did we find?" He drew his axe and held it up. "Bones and this!"

"Excuse me fellas," Tyrion interrupted them. "But if you two are saying that there's a way to make up the time we have lost, then I want to hear it, no matter how bad it may be."

"We speak of Khazad-Dum," Legolas said. "Known by my people as Moria. It was the ancient kingdom of the dwarves, delved over centuries into the very heart of the Misty Mountains."

Legolas looked at Tyrion. "Instead of taking the long road, which winds much before you climb the pass, you could save days and take the short path through the mountain."

"Could we?" Tyrion looked at Gimli.

Gimli grumbled a bit more before he closed his eyes and nodded.

"But understand me now!" He added suddenly. "The name of Moria is an evil name! There are nightmares within that place that we should not disturb!"

Tyrion looked over at Xena. "What do you think?"

Xena shrugged. "If it will get us where we need to go in time, I'm all for it."

"Alas," Legolas added. "I shall not be able to go with you."

"Why not?" Silas asked.

Legolas looked over at the mute Celebrian. "It is my duty to return the Lady Celebrian home to Lothlorien. Perhaps in the ancient realm of her people, under the stars, she will find the strength to heal again before she travels west."

At the mention of her home, Celebrian's eyes fixed on Legolas, and for the first time, a small sparkle of hope was kindled.

"After," Legolas continued. "I would, of course, make haste to rejoin you before you entered Angmar, if that be our destiny."

Tyrion considered that for a moment. He looked sidelong at Nicolla.

"Can you help her?" he asked, indicating Celebrian.

Nicolla was taken aback slightly. "Yeah, I think I could, over time, why?"

"What's on your mind, Boss?" Silas asked.

"How far away is Lothlorien?" Tyrion went on.

"It would take us the better part of a fortnight to reach it with the Lady in her current state." Legolas replied.

"And there could be other problems that arise too," Tyrion went on. "Problems related to her current condition?"

Legolas nodded. "Time will tell."

They could all see the internal debate in Tyrion's eyes.

"Okay," He finally nodded. "We'll find a safe place to set up camp tonight, and tomorrow, we split up."

"We what?" Felix blurted.

"Doc," Tyrion continued. "You, Mavon, and Nicolla will go with Legolas and make sure the young lady recovers. Xena, Gabs, Silas, Gimli and I will continue after our friends and take this underground shortcut."

"Now just a damned," Felix blurted.

"Okay Chief," Mavon reached up and put a hand on Felix's shoulder as he cut off the protest.

"If we manage to get in front of these guys, they may retreat back east and try another route. That should put you guys in a decent position to hit them from the other side."

"What about Agran?" Mavon asked. "I know the big fella's lurking about here somewhere?"

"He's Kajano," Tyrion shrugged. "He can go where he wants."

"You're serious about this?" Felix asked.

Tyrion nodded. "It's necessary, I think."

"But," Felix pressed.

"At what point did you think this was a discussion?" Tyrion's voice dropped a notch. "It's done."

Felix looked over towards Gabrielle and saw his own disappointment mirrored in her gaze.

"He's doing this to us on purpose," Gabrielle said to him a short while later, when they had some time alone. "He found out about what we did and now he's going out of his way to keep us apart!"

Felix smiled and shook his head.

"It's fun to think that, but he's actually not." He sighed. "Me and Mavon have the expertise in jungle survival that Legolas could use while we take," He frowned as he tried to remember the name of the young woman.

"What was her name again?" He asked after a moment.

"Celebrian," Gabrielle replied.

"Yeah, her." Felix nodded. "And Gimli is a dwarf, I guess they're underground specialists or something. Makes sense that he go with the other group."

"And lumping Xena and I in with them is for what?" Gabrielle said angrily.

"Moving the two of you toward any possible resolution to this mess," Felix replied. "Which is what Xena requested, and since she won't go anywhere without her evil twin," he gestured to Gabrielle and smiled. "Then that pretty much settles it."

"It's just unfair," Gabrielle sighed.

"Yeah, it is that," Felix wrapped his arms around her and looked into her eyes. "Look, Mave and I can move pretty quick when we need too. I don't think we'll be too far behind you once we get Legolas and his new friend back home."

"You forgot her name again, didn't you?" Gabrielle said with a knowing smile.

"No," Felix lied.

She actually laughed quietly, which was what Felix had been trying to accomplish in their discussion.

"Here's a thought," He said quickly. "When this whole ride is finally over why don't the two of us meet up somewhere and spend some time away from all this craziness?"

"How?" Gabrielle asked. "You live in a completely different world?"

"Yeah, but my world has transportation." Felix smiled. "Nothing saying I can't take a sneaky trip out to you. Who knows? Any nice resorts on your world?"

Gabrielle squeezed him tightly.

A soft puff of dust slipped from the crevices in the ceiling above them.

Felix looked up and frowned.

He looked up and down the deserted corridor.

"What's that?" He sniffed.

"What?" Gabrielle asked, looking up at him.

Felix sniffed again and looked down towards the others.

"Mave!" He called. His partner looked his way. "You smell that?"

Mavon sniffed a couple times and then nodded.

"Am I going loopy?" He called back.

Felix shook his head as he led Gabrielle back to the others.

"No, it's Cryonol." Felix frowned. He also got confirmation from Tyrion's expression.

"It wasn't there before," Tyrion added.

"No, it just started," Felix nodded.

"What's Cryonol?" Gabrielle asked. "It smells a little like when we found you?"

"It's a nutrient solution," Felix said quickly, pulling his data pad free and adjusting the controls. He began turning, pointing the instrument around him.

"It's also highly volatile," Felix went on. "If it isn't handled properly."

"Why do I have a feeling our little break is over?" Silas got to his feet.

"Evac now!" Felix shouted suddenly. "Everyone out!"

They escorted the still wobbly Celebrian down the stairs and past the main doors of the ruined tower.

As they neared the exit, Felix stopped and turned, panning around with his data pad.

Tyrion stood by the door and looked at him questioningly.

"One sec," He said quickly, following the information. "Concentration's higher this way."

He moved into the central chamber of the tower, identical to the layout of Orthanc and found himself staring at the open door opposite his entrance, the same door that would have led to the private study at the previous location.

"Doc," Tyrion called over his earpiece. "What have you got?"
"Don't know yet," Felix replied, moving to the open doorway.

The bitter tang assailed his nostrils leaving a foul taste in his mouth. There was something beneath the antiseptic odor that bothered him, something foul, almost corrupt.

Then he understood. It was old chemicals. Proper use would allow for the chemicals to be used and then recycled back to their pure form, better to prevent any mutations during a growth cycle, but this chemical had the air of having been used for a long, long time.

"Volatility concentration is at close to seventy percent and rising," Felix reported.

"Someone so much as strikes a match in this place and it'll all go up." He studied his data pad closely as the computer extrapolated the data around him.

"Signs point to a containment breach in a primary storage reservoir," He went on. Then he heard a rumbling noise that wasn't the typical language of settling earth.

His mind drew the inevitable conclusion and dread settled in his gut.

"Get clear!" He called to the others. "Get clear of the outer walls as fast as you can!"

"What's on your mind Felix?" Silas asked.

Felix moved into the next chamber, and coughed as the gasses assailed his lungs.

"Shit!" He hacked. There was an opening to his left leading down into the depths and he could see the wispy bluish gas sliding past the arch and up towards the ceiling, collecting like a vaporous wraith near the ceiling.

He crouched lower to the ground and edged towards the opening.

"It's not a breach of a reservoir," He corrected himself.

From the depths below he could hear it, moving and rustling, with grunts and snarls like an angry beast, always moving closer.

Something howled in fury below and there was the crash of something large being shattered against stone.

"Oh Hell!" He called. "Chief, we got us an active cloning facility down there and it sounds like it just let its batches out!"

"Felix, get the hell out of there!" Tyrion ordered.

"On my way!" Felix replied. "Are you guys clear?"

"Clear enough!" Tyrion shot back. "Move it!"

Felix looked down at his vest and saw the grenade hanging on his chest. An idea hit him and he dislodged the explosive. He quickly opened the detonator cap and fiddled with the contacts on the fuse. His lungs burned in the acrid environment and his watering eyes looked from his task to the opening and the rising mass of fury approaching. He needed to work quickly. His weapons were useless in this environment. If he fired a single shot, he knew the resulting firestorm would kill him almost instantly.

"Orcs," He muttered as he worked. "I'm really, really starting to hate Orcs."

He finished his task, inspected it quickly, and then pulled the pin free of the grenade and hurled it into the dark stairwell.

As soon as the weapons left his hand, he turned and fled in panic. His feet seemed to not even touch the rubble strewn floor as he ran. He could feel the air becoming cleaner, his breath became easier. He burst from the main opening at a full sprint.

Tyrion and Silas were more than half way back across the clearing on their way to look for him.

He flailed his arms as he ran.

"Go! Go! Go! Go!" He cried. Other exclamations - some more colorful, some unintelligible - also burst from him as he tore across the clearing.

As he neared the edge of the forest where the others were waiting, he began gesturing to them, waving them deeper into the woods.

Then the ground beneath them trembled and writhed like a thing alive. The entire ruin seemed to rise slightly from the ground, teetering like a child's toy before the entire mass began subsiding into the ground with a deafening roar.

The depression followed after them like a grotesque wave, clawing away from the center of the blast as brilliant violet flames escaped the subterranean constraints with powerful authority.

With a cry, Felix, Silas and Tyrion were hurled forward, landing in a heap well inside the edge of the foliage.

The ruins of Dol-Guldor rolled and folded themselves into the massive crater opening up beneath them choking many of the flames in clouds of ancient dust. Smaller bits of debris rained down from above, hurled by the concussive force of the expanding gasses trapped below.

"You crazy son of a bitch!" Silas roared when he finally found his voice again. "I like explosions and that scared the shit out of me!"

Felix was laughing uncontrollably as the anxiety found an avenue of expression.

He rolled over on his back and let out an impulsive cry.

"What a rush!" He shouted.

"You crazy!" Silas's voice was almost shrill, which only made the others begin to laugh more. "That's the last time I ever run after you to save your ass again! Ever! You got me?"

Nicolla looked back to the edge of the woods and saw the sunken piles of rubble that had once been Dol-Guldor.

A sudden mental flash of fierce joy momentarily overcame her. She turned and looked back towards Legolas. He stood near the other one, his hands resting protectively on her shoulders as her eyes blazed with sudden awareness.

Celebrian's personal hell had been buried forever and she was glad of it. It was the first emotion Nicolla had perceived from her since she had been discovered.

Pale blue eyes met hers questioningly and Nicolla nodded in understanding. There was something almost ominous in the elf woman's gaze. She turned and looked back at the ruins, watching the dust settle as the last of the flames died away.

"Sure hope the big guy wasn't still in there," Felix commented.

Mavon stiffened in shock suddenly.

"Yo!" He shouted. "Agran! You out there?"

The only sound was the wind whispering among the branches and the occasional soft rumble of settling stone.

"Don't you fuck with me to overgrown pain in the ass!" Mavon continued. "Step up!"

Felix half smiled at that.

"Wow, that almost sounds like genuine concern?" He offered.

There was the rustle of something moving in the boughs above and then the thud of a heavy impact reverberated through the ground near them and right next to Mavon.

In a crackle of blue energy, the Kajano rose to his feet, materializing like a specter.

Mavon gave the massive alien a stern look. "You gonna hang with us, you better be more visible, man!"

"Nicky," Silas said softly.

"You were worried about him?" Tyrion asked with a chuckle.

"Well, I did have to pull him clear of the fight before," Felix offered with a grin.

Agran's armored face plate snapped around in his direction and he growled menacingly.

"Nicky?" Silas said again.

Slowly all eyes turned and focused on the petite telepath. Her eyes were wide and filled with pain. Her breath came in quick shallow gasps, andher gaze was focused inward.

Gabrielle noticed that Celebrian was also staring intently right at Nicolla..

"Legolas?" she said gently. She nodded to Celebrian.

Legolas looked down at Celebrian and back up at Gabrielle.

The terror was growing by the moment.

"Look at me," Gabrielle said softly to the girl.

Celebrian's eyes didn't waver.

The young bard stepped into her line of view and held her hands up in a calming gesture.

"She won't hurt you," she said softly and gently. "She's your friend. We all are. We're here to help."

Celebrian's eyes focused on Gabrielle and the intense fury washed over her in a cold wave. The young bard blinked and instinctively forced the assaulting sensations back.

She looked over at Nicolla and saw that she had not moved. It was as if she were rooted in place.

Tyrion had also seen this and moved to stand before her.

"Nicky?" he asked. "Nicky, snap out of it."

"Celebrian," Gabrielle continued deliberately, ignoring the piercing blue steel of the elf's gaze. "You need to let her go."

"Have a care," Gimli cautioned.

Xena's hand reflexively drifted to her sword hilt.

Celebrian's face was set, her eyes blazing as Gabrielle approached. It was as if she were seeing something other than the young compassionate bard.

A thin trickle of blood emerged from Nicolla's right nostril and she began to shiver slightly.

"Oh shit," Felix said in horror. He reached for his medical bag and moved to stand over next to Tyrion.

"You really need to let her go," Gabrielle continued with just a hint of severity. She looked back at Nicolla quickly and then fixed her eyes on the elf. "You're hurting her."

Nicolla's convulsions began to grow quickly under the mental pressure of the elf woman.

"Nicky?" Tyrion said in concern. "Nicky!"

More blood emerged from her nose and a small stream began to flow from her ears.

Silas turned and aimed his rifle at the elf. "Turn her loose, now!"

"What the hell are you doing?" Mavon blurted.

"Gabrielle?" Xena asked at the same time.

Gabrielle stepped up, taking advantage of the multiple diversions, and slammed her fist into the jaw of the elf woman, sending her into unconsciousness.

Nicolla shuddered and collapsed as the mental hold was broken. She gurgled something unintelligible and toppled forward into Tyrion's arms.

"Lady!" Legolas cried in protest as Celebrian fell to the ground.

At the same moment, Gabrielle felt the weight she had been fighting vanish from her own heart and mind. Only dimly did she realize that she too had been dangerously close to falling under the spell of the silent elf woman.

"What was the meaning?" Legolas said angrily as he knelt next to Celebrian. His eyes fell on Tyrion and Felix working desperately on Nicolla. He looked back up at Gabrielle in astonishment and then slowly gestured to his face, above the upper lip.

Gabrielle reached up and felt something wet beneath her own nose. When she pulled her hand away it was red with blood.

"She could have killed us," Gabrielle said softly.

Nicolla was staring up at the sky, her body shaking uncontrollably.

"Stay with me," Felix said as he worked furiously to stem the convulsions. She blinked and fixed her eyes on Tyrion. Her gaze was desperate, frightened, filled with the unknown and the inevitable.

"Tyrion," she managed to gurgle.

"I'm here." He answered. "Don't get any ideas about going anywhere, hear me?"

Her gaze went hard as if she were fighting to remain as she was.

"They worked, right?" she asked, her hand clasping his with deadly strength. She released her grip and clutched at the pocket in his vest holding the enigmatic red jewel.

"Don't even think about it!" Felix said sharply.

"S-s-s-second chance…" Nicolla gasped and then she went limp. Her eyes rolled back and her body shook once and went still.

Agran's wrist blades suddenly extended with a metallic clang and he stepped towards the unconscious elf girl.

Legolas was on his feet in an instant, his bow notched and drawn, the arrow aimed at the big alien's chest.

The plasma cannon on his shoulder swiveled and three red dots appeared on the elf's chest.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Silas shouted, interposing his massive frame between the two of them. He held his hands up in a staying gesture.

"He shall not touch her," Legolas said fiercely. He stepped over and stood over the unconscious form of Celebrian.

Agran growled fiercely.

"Okay! No one is killing anyone else today, got it?" He said quickly. His eyes fell on Felix. "She ain't dead, right? She's in one of those tank things, or will be soon, right?"

Xena was before Gabrielle looking the young bard over. Gabrielle's gaze was a little unfocused as the adrenalin subsided, but otherwise she was okay.

Slowly, Felix rose and stepped away from Tyrion. He knelt there, his hand holding Nicolla's as he stared down at her.

Silas jabbed Felix in the shoulder. "Right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Felix replied absently.

There was confusion in Tyrion's expression, loss, desire, all mixed with something else, but no tears were forthcoming.

Slowly his gaze rose to the motionless form at Legolas's feet and his gaze became dark and deadly.

"Hey! Hey!" Silas pointed at him. "Chief! I mean it!"

Tyrion seemed to be entertaining the idea of seeing if the elf was as fast with his bow as he boasted. His fingers twitched towards his pistol.

"Doc, Mave," Silas ordered. "You go with Legs and get her out of here, right now!"

For the first time, the rage was heard in Silas's voice as well. "Get her gone before one of us finishes her for good!"

Felix looked over at Gabrielle. She nodded and waved him away.

"The nano's in her system should be able to handle any damage," he thought, comforting himself.

He and Mavon stepped over in front of Legolas, watching Agran and Tyrion closely.

"Legolas," Mavon offered. "I suggest you pick her up and get out of here while we still can."

Legolas looked at the two and frowned slightly.

"We got our orders," Felix added. "We need to move right now."

Slowly, Legolas loosened the draw on his bow and then lifted the unconscious girl from the ground.

"She is the last of the High Elves in Middle Earth," he said in a haunted voice. He looked down at Nicolla's lifeless body and seemed about to say more, but the gaze he received from Tyrion stopped him.

"I am sorry," he finally stammered, and he turned and moved off through the trees.

"Doc, Mave," Silas grumbled.

The two men nodded.

"Catch you later," Felix offered.

Silas nodded.

Felix and Mavon shouldered their weapons and moved off after Legolas.

Gabrielle broke away from Xena's careful ministrations and dropped to the ground next to the body.

Nicolla's eyes were wide, staring blankly back at her.

Carefully, Gabrielle reached into the upper vest pocket and drew out the stone she carried. Its facets were blackened and dark, the memory expended.

"She's in the same situation as Felix," she said suddenly. "That was why he had us carry the ones that were meant for us. She's being, being," she fumbled for the correct term and then gave up. "All we need to do I figure out where she'll be and go get her, right?"

Four sets of eyes fell on her.

"I mean there can't be that many places to do that, right?" she went on quickly.

"Gabrielle," Xena said gently.

"All we need to do is track down which one and go there," Gabrielle rambled, her eyes welling up. "Then we just break in and pull her out, right?

She snapped her fingers. "Those pad things! Felix was using them to figure out all those weird things when we were in that underground castle? We can use them to find Nicky too! Just make it so they can find her bio, whatever,"

"Gabs," Tyrion said.

"You should be able to use those to find her otherwise what good are you?" She finally cried angrily as Xena rushed forward and held her as the grief came over her again.

Xena led Gabrielle away as Silas, Tyrion and even Agran exchanged looks.

"She's right, you know," Silas offered. "Right now, Nicky's being loaded into some computer thing as we sit here. She ain't dead."

"I know," Tyrion took a deep breath. "I know."

"Then all we gotta do is try and find her," Silas finished.

Tyrion looked up at him and his gaze was filled with dark determination.

"We aren't going to try." He said ominously. "We'll find her if we have to burn half of this planet away to do it."

40