Not Quite the Lord of the Rings
by Lothithil
Not Quite The Lord Of The Rings
an SG-1/LotR crossover guest starring the DarkElf
Part Five: Orcs vs. Jaffa
Jack waved Teal'c over, so that they could both take a closer look at
Morlothiel's sword. "Your weapon is very impressive," Teal'c commented.
"Once I would have said that such a thing was possible only by the
magic of the gods."
"No, not magic. Magic and sorcery are the tools of the Dark One and his
foul creatures. My people have a close relationship with the earth and
with all things above and below." Morlothiel prodded the P90 that lay
before her with a single long finger. "This metal does not speak to me,
nor does it smell familiar. It must have been forged far away."
"Oh, yeah... that's an even bet," said O'Neill. He glanced at Carter
and jerked his head slightly. Sam picked up her weapon and took
O'Neill's place on sentry. O'Neill squatted down between Daniel and the
Elf. "So, can you tell us more about your self and this place?" He
ignored Daniel's dirty look, letting the flap snap shut over his watch;
they were running out of time.
"I would happily tell all that you might care to hear, yet there are questions I would ask of you."
"We'll answer what we can," said Jack.
"You have come to this land to hunt; this is obvious by your caution and your weapons. What manner of beasts do you hunt?"
"Actually, we're explorers..." Daniel began to say.
O'Neill cut him off. "We are hunting Goa'uld."
"That is not a name with which I am familiar," Morlothiel said. "What are they... some kind of Orc?"
"I don't know what an 'orc' is, Loth," O'Neill said. "Do orcs have snakes in their heads?"
Morlothiel shuddered. "What a foul creature you describe!"
"There's more to it than that, Morlothiel," said Daniel. "These
'snakes' are actually symbiotic creatures-- parasites that live inside
a human host. They know everything the creature they inhabit knows, and
they control their bodies."
"It sounds as hideous as any shadow-creature I have seen crawling from
the depths of Angband! Are these Goa'uld minions of the Dark One?" In
answer to their blank looks, Morlothiel tried to elaborate.
"Not long ago, the Lords of the West came forth over the waters and
vanquished Morgoth, he whom my people call the Dark One, a powerful
being of the same kindred as Those Who Dwell in the West. They cast him
down and banished him from this realm. It is said that They thrust him
into the Outer Darkness, and there he shall remain impotent until the
End of Things.
"He is gone, but many of his minions and their spawn remain. The
remnants of his filthy army have scattered through these lands to save
their own skins. The Dark One's lieutenant Sauron survived the
destruction of Beleriand by fleeing, and he went into hiding in the
East, it is said. Among those who creatures who survived are the Orcs,
and they roam these lands preying on the weak, and on each other. They
are savage and fierce, and they know no mercy. It would not be wise for
you to remain here after the sun sets, unless there are more in your
hunting party and they are as well-armed and armoured as your selves."
"You say these 'orcs' are soldiers of Morgoth?" Daniel asked. He
glanced over at Teal'c and asked, "Does that name sound familiar?" To
Morlothiel he said, "Our friend Teal'c is Jaffa, and he used to work
for a Goa'uld called Apophis. Jaffa have long been enslaved by the
Goa'uld, and often they are trained as soldiers."
Teal'c answer was, "I have not heard of any Goa'uld named 'Morgoth'. Neither have I heard of these creatures called Orcs."
Morlothiel gave Teal'c a close scrutiny. "One who is not conscious of
themselves might assume that you were an Orc, friend Teal'c, but I can
see that you are not. Orcs are hideous and uncouth, and they are
possessed of an evil intelligence."
"Teal'c can be an animal before he's had his morning coffee, but he's
never uncouth." Teal'c answered O'Neill's jape with an arched eyebrow,
inspiring a laugh from Daniel and Carter.
Morlothiel smiled as well, enjoying the humour of these strange
travelers. She continued her dialogue. "Were the Orcs no more than
animals, it would make the killing of them much easier. Alas for the
heart of the hunter who's heart is not in the hunt! For Orcs possess
also the knowledge of their past life. They feel great loathing for
what they have become, and so they act with great anger and hatred
against all that has not been corrupted."
Daniel looked concerned. "Are you saying that the Orcs used to be people? That they were changed-- corrupted, as you say?"
"Aye, they were captured by Morgoth in the early years before the Sun.
Elves, my brethren, from the shores of our once-home. He tortured and
corrupted them, and they became Orcs. They breed now in the mountains
and in the deep places where filth accumulates, and with each
generation they become more wicked and despicable, the memory of their
corruption their only legacy from their unfortunate ancestors. They are
born to serve the Dark One whom they hate and fear, and now that he is
gone, they will serve themselves in greed and violence. There is no
cure for their plight but death."
"Sounds like a pretty big chore for just one... elf," Jack said.
Morlothiel received back her sword from him and sheathed it neatly. "I
am more than a match for any Orc. Yet caution is always a good
practice, and the Sun is making her way toward Valinor. If you wish to
return through the curtain of water, you should begin now. I will guide
you by the swiftest route, if you will follow me."