EPIC: A Demigod's Tale by Frodo Baggins

Chapter 5

Sam awoke to sunlight peeking into the cabin he shared with Frodo. Frodo was still asleep, gently snoring. Sam stretched before wandering to the cockpit. Finding it empty, he descended the ramp and found Luke below the ship, attaching a pipe to the ship. "Hey, Sam," Luke said with a wave. "The ship needs to be refueled, and it'll just take a bit."

Sam sourly wondered why Luke hadn't checked the fuel levels on the safety of Shire. "Are we close to Bree?" he asked instead.

"We're on Bree," Luke said.

"Is the Prancing Pony nearby?" Sam asked eagerly, looking around the small town they were in.

"Not exactly," Luke admitted, running his hand through his blond hair.

"What do you mean by that?" Sam demanded.

"I told you, we needed to refuel immediately, so I landed at the closest village. It won't take me long to refuel and then we'll be on our way. We'll be there in no time."

"'Ow could we get this close and run out of fuel?" Sam's voice rose in exasperation.

"Someone was shooting at us in space. They clipped the ship and damaged our fuel tanks. I can't believe both of you slept through it. I landed the ship and worked on repairs. I just got the tank fixed up, so we can be on our way."

"Did the ship follow us?"

Luke shook his head. "Even though we were losing fuel fast, I was able to lose our pursuers."

"I wonder who was chasing us?" Sam asked, wondering how their enemies had found them so quickly.

"We may know the answer to that," a familiar voice said from the ship.

Luke and Sam turned in surprise as Merri and Pippin strode down from the ship, each carrying an armload of vegetables.

"We took some snacks for the road," Pippin said with a smile as he handed Sam some turnips and carrots.

"You were stealing Farmer Maggot's crops!" Sam exclaimed. The cousins didn't deny it.

Frodo wandered down the ramp, looking sleepy. "Merri, Pippin, what are you doing here?"

"We decided to tag along for the quest," Merri said. "We know you can't get anything done yourself."

Luke looked stunned. "Nothing good ever happens when Halfbloods travel in groups of more than three."

"Relax," Merri said, waving away Luke's concerns. "Nothing's going to happen."

A ship suddenly appeared over the group, and a spotlight blinded the group even though it was still daytime.

"That's a powerful light," Pippin commented.

"Give back what you stole!" a loud voice emanated from the ship's speakers. "Those are my crops, and you have no right to take them!"

"You were saying?" Sam said sarcastically to Merri.

"In our defense, he has never chased us this far before," Merri said.

"Could you at least say you're sorry!" Sam shouted, infuriated with the nonchalant cousins.

"We could..." Merri began.

"But what's the point?" Pippin finished with an impish smile before dashing off into a corn field with Merri hot on his heels.

"Get back here, you two!" Sam yelled, running after them. Luke shrugged before jogging after them, and sleepy Frodo had no other choice but to follow. The tall stalks of corn hid them from view of Farmer Maggot's ship as the two sons of Hermes made away with their goods.