Alright, guys. I am back.

I hope you guys have been well. And finally, I'm back with another chapter. I don't have any pre-chapter banter, so let's get to it.

Shadow Walker of Fire: I do that so I can gauge how much people really want me to continue a story.

Chapter 5- No Safe Paths

Jakan sighs as he leans back against a boulder. The company has reached the Misty Mountains, and is heading south towards a mountain pass called the Gap of Rohan. Apparently, once through the Gap, they'll have a good path to Mordor.

The Fellowship has stopped for some rest among some boulders. Most of the Fellowship is sitting on the various rocks and boulders, while Boromir has taken to giving some sword training to Merry and Pippin.

As Jakan is twirling one of his blaster pistols, just thinking, he suddenly hears Sam's voice ask, "Mr. Jakan, can I ask you something?"

Jakan looks up at Sam, who has sat down on a small rock next to him. Jakan smiles a bit and says, "Of course, Sam. Ask away."

"You said you're a Mandalorian. What's a Mandalorian?" Sam asks.

Jakan smiles a bit. "Well, I think that is something I should tell everyone. Why don't we gather everyone up before I answer your question?"

Sam nods. Jakan stands up and walks to where everyone can hear him. "Hey, everyone. I have something I want to tell you all. I think it's time I explain who I am," he calls out.

Everyone hears him, and move closer so they can hear him better. Jakan looks around, and once he sees that he has everyone's attention, he begins telling his story.

"Sam asked me what a Mandalorian is. Well, it can mean two things. The most basic meaning is that a Mandalorian is an inhabitant of the world of Mandalore," Jakan explains.

"Wait, world?" Pippin asks curiously.

"Yes. This world that Middle-Earth is part of is just one of many. There are many thousands of other worlds, all in the vast expanse known as space, very far from each other. Your world is just one out of millions of worlds and stars that make up the galaxy. One of those other worlds is Mandalore. My homeworld," Jakan explains.

Everyone, save Gandalf and Aragorn, looks amazed at this. Jakan continues his explanation, "There is another meaning to the word Mandalorian. Throughout its history, the world of Mandalore has had a very warrior-like culture. It's elite warriors were known as Mandalorian warriors, though sometimes they were simply referred to as simply Mandalorians. They wore special battle armor, and were known as some of the greatest warriors in the galaxy. For millennia, the Mandalorians have been revered and feared as great warriors."

Jakan pauses, then says, "For much of their history, the warriors of Mandalore have been enemies of the Jedi, an organization dedicated to keeping peace in the galaxy. However, not long ago, an Empire, ruled by the evil Sith, took over the galaxy. The remaining Mandalorians, including myself, divided into two groups. One group sided with the Empire, and became known to some as the Dark Mandalorians. But the other became the Alliance of Free Mandalorians, sometimes called the Light Mandalorians. And they are dedicated to stopping the Empire and the Dark Mandalorians. I am one of the Light Mandalorians."

"I was sent on a raiding mission deep into the heart of the Empire to steal something from the Emperor. During my escape, I was cornered, and in desperation, I made what is called a hyperspace jump, which can take across unfathomably great distances. And that jump brought me here, though it damaged my ship beyond repair. Therefore, I cannot return to Mandalore right now," Jakan finishes.

The Fellowship looks awed by everything. After a moment, Gimli asks curiously, "What were you sent to steal?"

Jakan grins a bit. He reaches up and pulls the Darksaber's hilt off his jetpack and holds it out so the Fellowship can see it. "This is the Darksaber. It belonged to the Mandalorians for a long time, before it was stolen by the Emperor. I was sent to steal it back," Jakan says.

"But, it doesn't like anything special," Merry protests.

Jakan smiles a bit before holding the hilt up and activating the blade. As the pure black blade of the Darksaber springs out of the hilt, everyone jumps back, staring in amazement at the weapon.

"The blade of the Darksaber is pure energy. And it can cut through anything. Whether flesh, bone, stone, or metal," Jakan says as he twirls the Darksaber around a bit before deactivating it and returning it to its place.

All the Fellowship are staring at him in awe. Finally, Boromir stands and draws his sword. "You claim to be a great warrior. Perhaps you would like to test that claim?" he asks.

Jakan grins a little. He reaches down and unsheaths Hadhafang. He then takes a few steps forward, so that he and Boromir have sufficient distance between them and anyone else.

Jakan settles into a battle stance, holding Hadhafang at his side. He and Boromir stare at each other, waiting for the right moment. Then, Jakan spots Boromir shifting his weight, and strikes.

He leaps forward, lifting Hadhafang before slashing at Boromir's side. Boromir easily manages to block the strike, but Jakan spins around, slashing at Boromir's other side. Boromir manages to block the strike, then pushes back with his sword, forcing Jakan back.

Jakan jumps back, regaining his balance. Boromir decides now if the best time to strike, and rushes Jakan, stabbing right at Jakan's chest. Jakan delfects the blow with Hadhafang, then ducks under Boromir's guard, spins around, and brings Hadhafang up to Boromir's throat.

Boromir just stands there, stunned at how quickly Jakan beat him. Jakan smiles and says, "I think I've shown you how good a warrior I am." He then steps back and lowers Hadhafang.

Boromir nods. "I apologize for any doubts I had about you," he says, truly meaning it. He then extends his free hand, and Jakan takes it with a grin and a firm handshake.

"That was amazing!" Pippin cries out. Jakan smiles at Pippin.

The group soon dissolves back into what I had been. Pippin and Merry return to their sword training with Boromir, and Jakan ends up sitting down with Aragorn.

Gimli, who has been quiet for a little while turns to Gandalf and says, "If anyone were to ask my opinion, which I know they're not, I'd say we were taking the long way around. Gandalf, we could pass through the mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome."

He looks eager at the possibility. Gandalf, however, looks grave. "No, Gimli. I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Gimli looks disappointed.

Jakan is about to turn towards Gandalf to ask about these mines, having heard that exchange, but Boromir accidently cuts Pippin's finger a bit. Pippin cries out in pain. Boromir hastily says, "Oh, I'm sorry!"

Pippin suddenly kicks Boromir in the shins, causing Boromir to cry out in pain. Pippin and Merry then jump on Boromir and tackle him with a cry of "For the Shire!"

Boromir laughs merrily as he plays along. Aragorn smiles too, but soon gets up and says, "Gentlemen, that's enough." He walks up to pull Merry and Pippin off of Boromir, only for them to reach back and yank Aragorn's legs out from under him, causing him to fall right on his back.

Jakan chuckles to himself. Then, off to the side, he hears someone ask, "What's that?"

"Nothing, it's just a wisp of cloud," Gimli says dismissively.

Jakan turns to the left, and sees a dark shape in the sky. A slight chill runs through him as he voices his observation, "It's moving fast…and against the wind. That's no cloud."

A moment later, Legolas cries out, "Crebain from Dunland!"

"Hide!" orders Aragorn. Jakan leaps to his feet, hoists Merry and Pippin to their feet and hurries them to a space under a boulder where they can hide. He then runs for a clump of bushes and dives into the midst of them, his green armor camouflaging nicely against the bushes.

Moments later, massive swarm of black birds flies right over the Fellowship's hiding places. Jakan looks up through the branches at the birds. Something just seems off about these birds.

After a minute, the birds fly away. It takes the Fellowship a few more moments before they emerge from their hiding spots.

"The passage south is being watched," Gandalf observes. Jakan stares after the birds. With that statement from Gandalf, he knows those birds were spies. And he's sure that their enemies will be bound to have more spies.

"We must take the pass of Caradhras!" Gandalf declares, turning to the mountains, and looking in particular at a vast snow-covered peak. Jakan looks up at the mountain and sighs. One thing he doesn't like is the cold.

This ain't gonna be good, he thinks to himself.

Jakan sighs as he trudges through the snow. They are only part of the way up to the highest point of the pass, and yet the snow is already a little past his knees.

Jakan is bringing up the rear of the group with Aragorn. As he trudges through the snow, Aragorn looks at him and smiles knowingly. "You don't like the snow, do you, Jakan?"

Jakan chuckles in spite of himself. "No, I don't. We don't get snow on Mandalore. Only once in my life have I ever seen snow. Even without snow, I hate the cold. My armor does a lot of stuff, but it doesn't guard too well against cold," he replies. Aragorn chuckles a bit.

A noise up ahead draws their attention. Turning to look ahead, they see Frodo has lost his balance and is tumbling back through the snow. Jakan leaps through the snow and catches Frodo before he can fall any further.

"Are you alright, Frodo?" Jakan asks as Aragorn hurries up to them. Frodo starts to nod, then freezes. He clutches at his neck, and in a moment, Jakan realizes the Ring must have fallen off his neck.

Jakan looks up, trying to spot the Ring. After a few moments, he does. Right as Boromir picks it up.

He's too far away for Jakan to accurately hear what he's saying. But the way that Boromir is looking at the Ring has him feeling uneasy. His free hand slowly moved to one of his blasters, flipping it over to stun mode, and gripping its handle, ready to draw it in a moment if Boromir tries anything. He doesn't want to do anything to the man he feels he's starting to develop a friendship with, but he will if necessary

"Boromir!" Aragorn calls out sharply to get Boromir's attention. Once Boromir looks at him, Aragorn says sternly, "Give the Ring to Frodo."

Boromir looks back at the Ring for a moment before he slowly walks towards Frodo. He says in a low voice, "As you wish," as he holds the Ring out. Frodo snatches it back, and Boromir says with a nervous chuckle, "I care not."

"There are a few awkward moments before Boromir chuckles and ruffles Frodo's hair before turning to resume hiking. As he does, Jakan lets go of his blaster, and at the same time sees Aragorn letting go of the hilt of his sword.

Jakan stares warily after Boromir. He feels that the man is a good man at heart, but that the Ring has a strong influence over him. Even though he wants to trust Boromir, he knows he'll have to keep an eye on him.

Hours after the incident on the slope, Jakan groans to himself as he trudges through snow that is waist-deep. The Fellowship is traversing a very dangerous path right on the edge of the peak, as a blizzard swirls around them.

Legolas walks by, and Jakan growls with jealousy. Thanks to his Elven traits, Legolas is hardly affected by the cold, and is walking on top of the snow, making Jakan very jealous.

As Jakan forges ahead, it feels as though the blizzard is getting fiercer. And it almost sounds like the wind is speaking.

Suddenly, Legolas calls out, "There is a fell voice on the air." And Jakan realizes he wasn't imagining it.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf bellows over the howling wind. And at that moment, several rocks crumble away from the peak and fall down towards them, barely missing them.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf! We must turn back!" Aragorn shouts to Gandalf.

"No!" Gandalf emphatically returns before he begins chanting in a language unrecognizable to Jakan, trying to counteract Saruman.

For almost half a minute, Gandalf fiercely tries to stop Saruman's spell. But Jakan can tell it's not working. Then, a lightning bolt hits right above them, sending a cascade of snow and rock down towards them.

The Fellowship presses itself against the mountainside. Jakan grabs Gandalf and pulls him back, right before snow covers the Fellowship.

It takes a few seconds before the Fellowship is able to break out from under the snow. Jakan is shivering, and whispers to himself, "If I ever get off this planet, I swear I'm moving to Tatooine."

Boromir is the first to speak up. "We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan, and take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to isengard!" Aragorn protests.

Gimli pipes up. "If we cannot go over the mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria."

"Gandalf, at this point, I agree with Gimli!" Jakan adds.

Gandalf stands there, conflicted, before he says, "Let the Ring Bearer decide."

Jakan turns to look at Frodo, who looks conflicted. After a moment, Boromir again speaks up and shouts, "We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the hobbits!" Merry and Pippin are indeed shivering looking extremely cold.

"Frodo?" Gandalf prompts.

After a moment, Frodo looks at Gandalf and announces, "We will go through the mines!"

Gandalf's expression looks grave. "So be it," he says in a low voice.

And, I'll end there. I hope this was a good chapter. Next chapter will go right up through the battle with the Watcher and the Fellowship's entrance into Moria.

As some of you may have guessed, Boromir is going to be one of Jakan's best friends in the Fellowship.

The Fellowship has finally seen the Darksaber. However, they may not see it again for a while.

Until next time, please review, and stay tuned for the next chapter.