Hi again! Sorry for neglecting ALL of my fanfiction for so long... –slaps self-
Mellaithwen; Lol! Well, I'll soon have all of the pictures from this fic up on my website! Believe me, I've done the most fan art for this fic! But I can't post all of it in one go; many are for future chapters and they're scenes I really don't want to give away! –rubs hands together- That Vero-bot last chapter! –laughs- We're only just getting started...
Stoneage Woman; I couldn't abandon this; I love it too much, really! However, Narn I Hin may well be a different story though; I think I went over my head with that one. I've lost the story plot due to my brother deciding to delete some of my plot files –kicks brother- and to be honest I've lost the will for it to live... too many O/Cs for me to keep up with. It was stupid of me to start it! I'm in fourth year at secondary school; Year 10 as we call it. I'm the oldest in my year; if I'd been born 2 days earlier, I'd be in the year above! Lol!
Irish Anor; Ah right, so THAT'S what the Anti-Christ is! It's ok, you've told me enough now, have a rest, lol! I'll try and find out some more by looking around the net, ok? ; ) ... I can't believe your name was still Irish QT when I last UPDATED for that chapter! –shakes head- I'm so awful at updating... so, you really want Legolas angst! Really! Ok then Irish... I'll see what I can do... ; )
TO EVERYONE!
I reckon you'll be able to begin to see just how wild my imagination has been running for this story from this chapter onwards. What can I say? I've finally found a story in the LotR section of my own where I can just go to town! So, hold onto your hats ladies and gentlemen; this is where it starts to go SCI-FI!
.: Chapter 5 :.
The Fellowship were stunned. The girl looked to be in her early twenties, with short blonde hair, dressed in a steely grey uniform of combat trousers and a military shirt. An ID card was clipped to the breast pocket, bearing a grainy black and white photograph and the name Kelsey MacIntire printed in large block letters.
"That's it," huffed Kelsey, shaking her head, clearly agitated. "I'm reporting you lot!" Pulling a small black box-shaped item from the inside of her faded coat, she pressed a button and moved it closer to her mouth. Another piece suddenly flipped out of the box and craned up towards her ear.
"Daniel? Yeah, I got seven morons who were up top... yeah, I know. Don't worry, I've alre- what? You want to see them? But- ... alright then, Dan, you're the boss... I'll see you up there then... Fifth Level? Ok then. Bye!"
She pressed the button once again and the ear piece snapped back into a hidden place. "Daniel wants to see you lot, right now."
Aragorn cleared his throat. "Excuse me for asking, but who is Daniel, and why does he wish to see us?"
Kelsey rolled her eyes. "Obviously you lot aren't from this Quadrant... Daniel is our Quadrant Leader; in fact, it was him and his brother who came up with the idea of having them. Surely you know that?"
There were blank looks all round. Kelsey simply shook her head, frustrated.
"Look, if you don't mind, there's someone waiting to see you and believe me, he's a very busy guy!" she snapped. "Now move it!"
Gimli bristled. He wasn't going to be spoken to like that! "Just WHO do you think you are!"
Kelsey glared at him and flashed a badge. "I happen to be on Gate Guard duty. I am a part of Quadrant 60254 Patrol; Position of Keeper, ID: 443, and this happens to be a position of authority, and I happen to be doing my job!" She drew in a breath before continuing. "Now, it is my duty to have you all reported for presenting a hazard to this Quadrant community, and the Quadrant Leader has specifically requested to see you, so if you knew what's good for you, YOU'D HOP TO IT!"
Gimli glared back at her, his eyes glittering dangerously. A hand on his shoulder told him to back down.
"Come," said Legolas. "We'll sort this out when we meet this 'Daniel'..."
-
So, they did as they were asked, Kelsey leading the way. They wandered down many narrow tunnels, some so lacking in space that single file was required. This continuous marching lasted quite awhile, until at last they reached what appeared to be a large hatchway sunken into the rocky surface of the wall.
Kelsey approached it and placed her palm upon a large flat plate that sat just to the right of a large handled wheel. The plate bleeped and glowed with green lettering; WELCOME KELSEY MACINTIRE
Kelsey then turned the wheel part-way which then began to turn by itself. With a hiss and a jet of steam that shot from the base of the hatchway, it swung open, revealing what was hidden inside.
The Fellowship could not contain the gasp of awe as they saw what was behind the door.
There was a huge primitive, yet clean and airy, city in here, bustling and teeming with activity. Large wooden columns dominated the view, all of them surrounded by large platforms equal spaces upwards. Green vines and huge feathery plants descended from the ceiling, which was out of view, and around them, many different people and creatures walked. As the Fellowship clambered through the hole in the wall, they looked upwards as the city stretched up for miles to the roof of the cavern. On each level there was the same bustling city life, while almost out of sight large creatures, indistinguishable because of the distance, flew in circles around in the air.
Humans mingled on the level they were currently on; so many different kinds. Tall, short, fair skinned, dark skinned, black haired, blonde haired, tattooed, winged... and all manner of creatures too. Pippin side-stepped quickly as a large blue-skinned four-legged beast stomped past him, its short trunk swinging just below its chin. As Pippin gaped after it, it rolled its beady eye around on a flexible stalk, facing backwards.
"Sorry..." it grated in a high pitched squeaky voice.
Kelsey had continued walking, but retraced her steps as she was suddenly missing seven people from her group. She folded her arms and arched an eyebrow at the awe-struck spectators.
"You lot finished yet?" she asked, grinning slightly...
-
They had gradually become somewhat used to the idea of so many strange things in this new world, and so the Fellowship, shocked as they were, had carried on to meet this 'Daniel' person with Kelsey.
"Frodo," whispered Sam quietly so that the young woman couldn't hear him. "Are you sure we ought to trust him?"
Frodo shrugged. "I can't be sure Sam. After all, we had our suspicions about Aragorn when we first met him, yet look at us now..." He pondered the thought for a moment. "I think we should go with her; should anything happen, we are together. I'm sure we can handle anything that might possibly arise."
"That's what worries me..." grumbled Sam.
They approached the foot of one of the large columns. There was a large white desk here which stretched all the way around in a circle. In the middle sat a young woman in a tight light blue uniform; a blazer, a skirt, and a small hat on top of her head, her hair scraped into a tight bun.
Kelsey turned tot hem. "If you don't mind, wait here." With that, she wandered over to the desk.
Immediately her charges began to converse.
"So, who do you think this Daniel is?" asked Merry. He had been mulling over the thought in his mind all the while.
"Who knows?" said Aragorn. "What matters is exactly what he is going to say or do."
"Aye," Legolas said, nodding. "We are in a strange place and apart from each other, we know no-one. Should this man have such a degree of authority as that child says-" And it was here that he inclined his head towards Kelsey who was saying something animatedly to the woman in blue, "- we could easily encounter some trouble."
"I say deprive her of her head and be done with it!" said Gimli. He'd had enough of this girl and her aloof attitude; he'd thought Elves were bad, but then again, to his credit he'd never dreamed he'd have to deal with 31st Century females.
Meanwhile, Kelsey was trying to argue her point to the stewardess.
"Please; Daniel told me to bring them to him! You have to let me up to Level 5!"
The stewardess shook her head. "I'm sorry Miss MacIntire, but I can't allow it; you know that unauthorised access to Level 5 is prohibited."
Kelsey slammed her hands on the desk. "Look! I'm telling you-"
She was cut off as the computer desk bleeped. The stewardess sighed. "Sorry, please just let me take this." She ran a finger lightly across a light grey panel built into the desk and a transparent screen slid up out of it. Green writing scrolled across the screen which the stewardess read quickly, her eyes darting. She quickly typed something in return before the screen slid back into place.
"That was Daniel. He's given me instructions to allow you to take them up." Slipping her hand under the desk, she pulled out seven metal tags on chains. "Hand those out will you? They can't get up there if-"
"I know, I know," said Kelsey, interrupting. "Are you operating the lift?"
The stewardess nodded. Taking a bunch of keys from under the desk, she slotted one into a small keyhole in the desk.
The Fellowship were just in the act of discussing possible escape plans when a large door suddenly hissed and opened next to them. The doors stretched the whole width of the wooden column. Needless to say, it gave them rather a shock.
Kelsey came back over to them, staring. "It's a lift, lads, nothing more... here, catch!" She threw a pass to each of them. "Keep them on at all times. If you don't, you'll have to deal with security, and seeing as you lot already seem as jumpy as bebbits at everything, that's probably something you want to avoid... in you go."
"Why?" asked Aragorn suspiciously. Kelsey rolled her eyes.
"Do you lot always have to argue everything I say?" She huffed. "You have to, because this is the lift, and you have to meet Daniel – Daniel is up there, and to get up there, you have to take the lift! Comprendé?"
With a severely annoyed silence, the Fellowship scowled at Kelsey as they entered the lift.
Back at the desk, the stewardess turned the key again. The doors slid shut. Flipping up a plastic lid, she pressed a bright green button.
Kelsey rolled back and forth on the balls of her feet as she heard the lift begin to whirr into life.
"You may want to brace yourselves..."
Without warning, the lift suddenly shot upwards. Merry suddenly had the sensation that he'd left his stomach back on the ground floor. Aragorn grasped the handle bar so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
With a jolt, the lift suddenly braked hard. A calm, serene voice came over the Tannoy; "Secure Access; Level 5. Please have your passes ready."
Sam reckoned it would be more practical to have sick bags ready instead. Kelsey stepped out of the lift quite contentedly, walking sprightly along the platform. She was followed by seven dizzy, wobbly-legged Middle-Earthians...
-
The narrow walkway stretched out ahead of them. It seemed so long... so many miles long...
Kelsey pointed down the white walkway that was suspended between the current column that they were currently on and another one. It had black handrails either side and only seemed wide enough to allow on person to walk down it at a time.
"There you go. Straight down there, show your passes, the go through the door." She turned her back to them and began to head off in the other direction. "Good luck lads!" she called back, smirking. "You're gonna need it..."
Pippin gulped. "I don't like the sound of that..."
Aragorn inhaled deeply. "Well, let's not keep him waiting." With these words, he stepped out onto the walkway and, grasping both handrails, walked down towards a pair of towering white doors that loomed over them.
Frodo and Sam followed, trusting the former Ranger as ever, then Merry and Pippin who stuck close to their cousin. Legolas was about to step out when he saw Gimli still standing there.
"Ah..." he thought. "The same predicament we faced with the horse..." The Elf cleared his throat.
"Just don't look down..." he whispered discreetly. The Dwarf bristled and spluttered.
"Now wait just one minute! I-! Just what-! You little-!"
Legolas simply smiled serenely and continued walking. Gimli glowered after him before taking a tentative step onto the bridge.
"Bloody Elf..."
-
Another circular white desk was here, but the atmosphere was much colder and detached here at this lift station. This one was manned by a man in a white suit and glasses.
Aragorn approached cautiously.
"Excuse me sir, but I-"
"Do you have a pass?" asked the white-suited man quickly. Aragorn was caught off guard.
"Pardon me?"
"Do you and your companions have passes?" asked the man again. Aragorn nodded, showing the steward the metal pass that hung around his neck. The steward peered at the pass, scrutinising it. A magnifier popped out of the side of his glasses frame, flipping to the front and allowing him a closer look.
"Thank you sir," said the steward. "Through the door please." He revealed a set of keys and turned one in a lock. The white doors opened with a pneumatic hiss to allow a small room concealed in the column to come into Aragorn and the rest of the Fellowship's view.
Aragorn murmured a quick, albeit slightly bewildered, thank you, and with his friends, he walked through the doors...
-
Inside, a young woman in a pink uniform greeted them. "Hello there!" she said, smiling warmly. "Do you have an appointment?"
"Not that we know of..." said Frodo, speaking for everyone. "All we know is that... Daniel... asked to see us."
"Oh!" said the secretary in a tone of realisation. "You're the new group! Daniel said he wanted to see you urgently; come with me please!" She walked quickly in her high heeled shoes towards a smaller white door at the far end of the room.
As they approached, they could hear two voices conversing loudly.
"Look, I just don't see how it's going to help the defence systems!" said one, sounding moody.
"Trust me Dan; it'll work! I've been working for months on this!"
There was a hiss, a gasp, and then a small explosion caused the walls to reverberate as the room was filled with a light smoke. The second one of the two laughed.
"You see! I told you it would work!"
The first voice came back again, sighing with exasperation. "Honestly, you're like a child with a new toy with those inventions of yours..."
The secretary had unfortunately opened the door at precisely the wrong time. She coughed and blinked as her eyes stung. "Ah... Daniel, please excuse me for interrupting your conversation with Mr. Pedherel-"
"Ronald is fine, Samantha," said the second one quickly.
"-Ronald then... as I was saying Daniel; your guests have arrived."
Aragorn drew in a gasp as he saw their faces. He knew them...
How could he have been so stupid! He should have known! Right now, Aragorn was in the process of praising Gandalf; he ought to have realised that the wizard would have something up his sleeve; something which wouldn't leave them utterly alone and helpless in this strange world...
Daniel and Ronald. Really rather simple when he thought about it.
Elladan and Elrohir...
Now, tell me if/when you guessed who Daniel was... I'm genuinely curious to know! I tried to hide it for as long as possible you see...
Ok, here's a small dictionary of 31st Century things so far; I'll post these after every few chapters (Every 5 I think?), ok? Just in case there's anything that confuses you...
Hover-cars – kinda explains itself, eh? ; )
Solar-Train – A train that used to run through New London which used solar power. Destroyed in the War of the Red Eye.
Vero-bots – Machines created by servants of Sauron. Feared by ordinary people, these huge robots are capable of flight, and have dragged many people away into the clutches of the Dark Lord.
The Shade – Human followers of Sauron. A sinister organization, these people are the only ones who have the safety of walking 'up top'.
Rasouball – A 31st century game. It has dominated world sport, becoming more popular than football/soccer or baseball ever was. Played across the planet, Rasouball is almost the only source of entertainment people have left.
Quadrants – Colonies where the population hides underground. There are 100845 known colonies in the world at the time.
Stewardesses/Stewards – They run the lifts as well as security for each level; from Level 1 to Level 6. DO NOT get lift stewards confused with Gondorian Stewards!
More will be added as time goes by... if I've missed anything that you're confused about, just tell me and I'll add it to the list. Remember though, it won't come up until Chapter 10... ; )