Submitter: Date: 2006/3/4 Views: 554 Rate: 6.00/3

(Author Note: these will be used to designate the different language – “English”, “Sindarin”, “Quenya”, “Westron” and “Goa’uld”)

“You’ve obviously encountered the Goa’uld before. What is it that they want here?”

Mithrandir looked distinctly uncomfortable at the question and slowly translated it for Legolas and Strider. Something he found himself wishing he hadn’t as the two of them then looked at him expectantly.

With a sigh he answered them, speaking both languages one after the other. “Elves.”

There was a huge range of reactions to the announcement. Legolas looked surprised, Strider worried, Daniel horrified, Jack concerned and Sam stunned. The only one of them not to show a visible reaction was Teal’c.

“I...take it that has something to do with the long and complicated story you mentioned.”

Mithrandir nodded then translated so they all knew what was said. Then he launched into the tale, again alternating languages.

“It is an old tale, one not spoken even by those who know all the details. Not even the elves know the true nature of the events. The Goa’uld paid little attention to this world. With us living here alongside humans it was deemed not worth the trouble to try and collect slaves from here when there were other places they could do so much more easily. They did not know of the elves then. Then one day an ambitious Goa’uld decided to investigate in the hopes that it would give him a leg up on the Goa’uld social ladder. That Goa’uld was Sauron.”

“Sauron?” Strider interrupted. “Sauron is one of those things, like what came through that circle thing?”

“There was only one Goa’uld amongst them, the rest were Jaffa. Goa’uld are parasites who implant themselves in the brain and spinal cord of their hosts, taking control of them. Jaffa are their slaves and incubators, each one has an infant Goa’uld in a pouch cut into their stomachs by the Goa’uld. If the infant is developed enough when their incubator is killed they can leap out and take a host, which is why they were vaporised by these people.”

“Call us SG1, that’s our designation back home.”

“It sounds like you know this ‘Sauron’. I have never heard of him,” Daniel added, looking curious.

“I would be surprised if you had, for he has never left this planet,” Mithrandir answered cryptically.

“The Dark Lord of Mordor,” Strider commented darkly once all the various comments had been translated.

“I thought he was a rogue Maia,” Legolas added.

“That is what was believed. Only a few of us ever knew the real story. Would that the time to tell the tale had never come.”

He paused for a moment before continuing slowly. “He is capable of many things that a Goa’uld normally is not, even stripped of his technology.”

“Is that because of the host he took? I assume he took another host once he arrived on this world.”

Mithrandir nodded sadly, “Yes. He took an elf as a host.”

“An ELF?” Legolas exclaimed. “How is an elf capable of doing what Sauron does?”

“The host has no control over the actions of their own body once the parasite has control. Though they see everything that happens.”

“What about their faer?” Strider asked in a shocked whisper.

“Trapped until their body dies and releases them to the Halls. If Sauron is anything to go by, even physical death may not be enough to release them,” Mithrandir answered sadly. “They have no control over their body, even to the point where normally an elf would fade and die. But infected with that parasite even that is denied them.”

Legolas looked horrified. “It would be better to die than face that torment.”

“Yes,” Mithrandir agreed seriously. “No one should exist in that state.”

Before more could be said on the subject a terrifying scream shattered the night air, causing the three native to the planet to leap to their feet.

“Nazgûl!” Strider cried in alarm, before drawing his sword and grabbing a stick from the fire.

Legolas hastily pulled some strips from his pack and wound them around some of his arrow heads before moving to stand near the fire.

Mithrandir also prepared for the attack of the undead creatures.

The four members of SG1 came to their feet in alarm, pulling out their own weapons. No sooner had they done so then two of the wraiths melted out of the darkness, dark swords held ready for battle and their cloaks obscuring their forms.

Sam drew Daniel closer to the fire as the three engaged the beings.

Jack wasn’t sure what caused him to turn around, it certainly wasn’t sound as the beings moved as quietly as the elf they’d just met. But turn around he did, just in time to duck a slice from another one of those creatures who’d come out of the darkness behind them. He hissed as the blade sliced along his arm, but that was preferable to it taking his head off. Pulling out his zat gun he fired at the thing, which didn’t phase it in the slightest. Teal’c fired his staff weapon with the same result, though it put a nice hole in the cloak.

As the thing raised its sword again a flaming arrow shot past them both, setting the thing on fire instantly. With a screech it fled, leaving SG1 to wonder what exactly was going on.

“What was THAT?” Jack demanded, getting back to his feet with his hand clamped to his bleeding arm.

Before Mithrandir could reply Strider was at Jack’s side, peeling his hand off to get a closer look at the wound.

“He’s been injured by a Morgul blade,” Strider stated with alarm. “Legolas, I need some fresh athelas.” The elf nodded and disappeared into the night.

The members of SG1 looked at him curiously as he urgently pulled Jack towards the fire, Jack not being particularly cooperative.

“Hang on a second! It’s just a scratch.”

“You would do well to cooperate,” Mithrandir stated firmly, drawing surprised looks from the four. “You have been wounded by a sword that has been enchanted to make the wounds they inflict deadly and painful, no matter how small. Strider is a healer; he will be able to slow it at least.”

“Poison?” Sam asked worriedly.

“Worse than poison.”

“What were those things?” Daniel asked, trying to get his thoughts off the fact that Jack was injured and apparently by something very bad.

“Examples of what Sauron is capable of. They were once Men, Kings to be exact. Now they are his slaves, trapped between life and death with no will of their own any more.”

Legolas reappeared out of the darkness with a bunch of small plants in his hands, which he gave to Strider before moving back to stand behind him silently watching.

Jack gritted his teeth as Strider tended the injury. “How many of them are there?”

“Nine in total.”

“So you just destroyed a third of them?” Sam asked, surprised.

“Destroyed, no. They cannot be destroyed, just forced to flee for a time. They fear fire and flowing water.”

“What brought them here?” Jack asked.

“Quite likely they sensed somehow that the Stargate was operational again.”

Jack hissed quietly in pain as Strider bound the wound.

“I see the need to pretend you are not in pain is just as prevalent amongst your people as it is here,” Mithrandir commented with a chuckle. “How is he, Strider?”

“I can slow it, but we need to get him to ada if he is to have a chance of surviving,” Strider answered seriously. “I take it you were explaining what the Úlairi were?” Mithrandir nodded.

“The quickest way to get him to Imladris is for Strider to take him on our horses,” Legolas put in quietly.

Mithrandir frowned, “They are not going to like that, they are warriors.”

“They are going to like him dying even less.”

“What is the problem?” Teal’c asked.

“We need to get Jack to Imladris soon or that wound will kill him,” Mithrandir answered.

“What?” Jack demanded. “This little scratch?”

“Imladris...is that what you call a hospital here?” Daniel asked curiously, ignoring Jack’s outburst.

Mithrandir snorted, “Hospital, no. Though it gets treated like one, especially by those two. Always dragging themselves home half dead. Imladris is the home of the greatest healer in Arda, if he cannot save Jack O’Neil then no one can.”

Seeing the fond exasperated look the wizard threw at them Legolas spoke, “What did you just say about us?”

“I told them you are forever dragging yourselves home to Imladris half dead.”

Strider didn’t look up from where he was repacking the saddlebags, just threw a discarded root over his shoulder at Mithrandir, which the Istar caught easily.

Strider stood. “We need to leave soon if there is to be any hope.”

Mithrandir nodded. “I will be joining you. Learned though he may be, Elrond cannot speak English.”

“What about Legolas?” The ranger was worried about leaving his gwador alone with strangers, however much the wizard trusted them.

“I have already sent for the Blue Wizards, they should be here soon,” Mithrandir replied before turning to Jack, “Can you ride?”

“Ride what?”

“A horse.”

While Jack looked at him confused Sam spoke up. “How soon do we need to leave to reach this...Imladris...in time?” She completely mangled the pronunciation but none of them felt inclined to correct it.

“Imladris is some distance away. In order to get there in time Jack, Strider and myself are going to need to ride hard and fast.”

“He isn’t going alone,” Sam stated firmly.

“We only have three horses; Jack of course needs to go. Strider is the only healer we have and knows the countryside better than either Legolas or I, and there will be need of a translator on the other end or Lord Elrond will not be able to ascertain fully Jack’s condition.”

“What about Legolas?”

“He will be staying with you. Strider is not happy about that, they are as close as brothers, but it is the only way to save Jack.”

“Okay,” Sam said crossly. “But I don’t like it.”

“None of us do,” Mithrandir replied, then turned to look at Strider and Legolas who were just finishing getting the horses ready. “Ready?”

Strider looked at him and nodded. “I will ride Legolas’ horse, we shall put Jack on mine while you ride yours. Once we get to the stage where Jack is no longer able to ride I will swap between my horse and Legolas’ while holding him.”

Strider mounted Legolas’ horse while Mithrandir instructed Jack to mount Strider’s.

Jack paused and looked at Strider. “Where’s the tack on your horse?”

“This is Legolas’ horse and has never born a saddle or bridal. I can ride elf style, Mithrandir does not and I doubt you do,” Strider answered once Mithrandir had translated.

Jack looked at him strangely but mounted the horse.

Mithrandir paused and looked over at Legolas just before they left. “Legolas, under no circumstances allow yourself to be implanted.”

“I was not planning on it,” Legolas replied, looking Mithrandir firmly in the eye. Mithrandir nodded in approval then they were off, racing against the enchanted poison to make it to Imladris in time.

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