Title: City Of Light
Chapter: 5
Author: Squeezynz@free.net.nz
Universe: Land of the Giants
Spoilers: none
Rating: PG, Adventure
Feedback: Craved like no other.
Archive: Sure, just let me know where, please.
Disclaimer: no money passes these paws (*sob*), all IA's, never mine.

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Fitzhugh was fast running out of nails to chew. He had tried wringing his hands, but that had only resulted in sweaty, sore wrists. He had attempted to pace, but that had only worn him out. He had tried to remain stoic and unflinching, appearing in heroic mould for Marna and Barry's sake, but he found it all too much of a strain. Anyway, Barry knew it was all a facade, he knew Fitz too well. So here he was, reduced to chewing his way through what was left of his nails as the ship was carried to goodness knows where, with him, Marna, Barry and Chipper, its reluctant and scared passengers. All his hard work putting the leaves on the ship to hide it had been for nothing. The Captain and the others had only been gone a few hours when Fitzhugh had heard the drone of many engines heading their way. He had hurried Marna and the boy into the ship and shut the door, rushing to the cockpit to watch out the viewport. It was a limited view but he saw, what looked like, an army of robotic monsters fly into the camp and circle the ship, obviously seeing through the flimsy disguise. They made no noise, just hovering and blinking, looking like a flock of metallic vacuum cleaners. The next he knew the ship was rising up, without any help from the engines, and moving over the floor of the forest at a slow but steady pace. Fitzhugh saw the leaves float off the roof of the Windsifter, all his effort flying away like so much confetti. Marna and Barry had joined him in the cockpit, as scared and surprised as he was. Barry was intrigued by the robots, wanting to know what power source they used, why there was no noise, why they hadn't felt any grappling line attached to the ship, his questions drove Fitzhugh to distraction. Marna just sat in the Captains chair, watching the whole event with an enviable air of detachment. Fitzhugh was starting to wonder if there was something seriously wrong with the beautiful girl. She never seemed to let their situation get to her. It was uncanny, even now, being carried by robots to who knew where, the only question she asked was " does this mean we'll get to see this City everyone's been talking about ?" Fitzhugh was taken aback at her apparent lack of interest in her fate. Barry continued to ask questions until Fitz asked him to stop. The boy gave him an aggrieved look and took Chipper into the passenger cabin, leaving Fitzhugh to start on his thumbnail and work his way steadily through each nail.

The ship, carried by the robots came out of the forest, passing under a gate in the fence, and entering the dome through a door that slid open at their approach. Fitzhugh saw all this and wondered what fate had in store for him now. He marvelled as the city came into view, the sight making both him and Marna gasp at the architecture and overall effect of the tall towers and fantastic spires. The robots continued on into a building, towing the ship with an unseen force, down long corridors and into a room that bore more than a passing resemblance to a laboratory. Fitzhugh gulped, his nerves screaming. The ship was settled as gently as a feather on a bench top, the robots disappearing as silently as they had appeared in the forest. Fitzhugh had tried to call Steve on the radio when he had first shut them all in the ship, but all he'd got was static hiss. He decided to try again now, but it proved as futile as the first attempt. Marna suggested they check outside and see what was going on, but Fitzhugh counselled waiting. Barry wanted to go outside as well, but deferred to the older man. Marna pouted and went back to her seat in the cabin, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.

Fitzhugh settled himself into Dan's seat, picking another nail to chew.

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Neeson carried the cage into his laboratory, setting it down on the table where the ship sat. He opened the cage and the Little People stepped out, hurrying over to the ship and knocking on the hatch.

" Fitzhugh, open up...its Steve "

The door slid open and then a man, Fitzhugh, Neeson guessed, stepped out, followed by another woman and a boy, to welcome his companions with much wringing of hands and a garbled version of how he'd tried to defend the ship and lost to overwhelming numbers. The boy was hugged by one of the women, the blond, pretty on named Betty, and a tiny dog bounded out to join the boy, being scooped up and petted as well.

" Your ship hasn't been touched Captain, just conveyed here. I will go now and check on your accommodations. Please remain with your ship, I wouldn't want you to be ensnared by my housekeeping robots again."

Neeson smiled, raised and hand in a wave and left the room by another door. Steve watched him go with relief.

" This had got to take the cake for the oddest set up ever." Steve shook his head, trying to put all he'd seen into some sort of rational explanation.

" Odd isn't the work I'd use, downright bizarre would be closer." Snorted Dan, walking to the back of the Windsifter to check on the exterior jet tubes.

" It is certainly strange, one man and all these robots. I wonder what he meant about other people coming to the City ?" Asked Betty.

" Who cares how strange he is, he's offered to give us what we want, he can be as strange as he likes as long as we get that information." said Mark.

" Well I'd like to know what this place is, who built it and why ?" said Steve. " What's the power source of those robots, and what is an anti-gravitational-flux anyway ?" he added.

" It could be similar to the force used on us in the land we were taken to, over the sea of storms, you remember Steve, Titus, Andros, the balloon. You were lifted up by some sort of beam or force, we never did find out what it was." said Mark, rubbing his chin, thinking.

" That's a possibility, what if this Neeson is a refugee from that land, he could have brought his technology with him...but how did he get the resources to build this place... and where are the workers who built it ?" Steve asked. Mark shrugged, knowing no more than Steve.

Valerie and Betty had gone into the ship to freshen up after finding that the others were unharmed. The two women shared the cramped bathroom, trying to repair the ravages of being carted about unconscious.

" You know, Betty, you have to wonder hoe all this technology is effecting our health. I've been knocked out by a greater variety of devices than were ever heard of on earth." Said Valerie as she attempted to get the tangles out of her hair.

" I sometimes feel as if I'm out of my body, that nothing that's happening to us is really real....daft I know, but it helps me to cope." Betty replied, straightening her worn clothes for the umpteenth time.

" Oh I know what you mean....I've tried to ask Mark how he feels about it, but he doesn't entirely understand what I'm getting at...guess the men don't think about it. Either that or they just cope better than we do."

" I don't think they cope better, I just think they bury it better....I don't know, I sometimes feel that Steve would like to talk, but then he shuts down and the moment passes. I wish I could help him...Dan, now he's another one, can't get under his reserve with a crowbar." Said Betty, making Val laugh. They finished primping, grimacing at their reflection.

" It's no good, this sow's ear is nowhere near a silk purse." said Valerie, sticking her tongue out at her care-worn alter-ego in the mirror.

" Oh come on Val, you've never looked better, this thing with Mark has given you a glow...don't think I haven't noticed." Betty teased, making Valerie blush. They exited the bathroom, nearly running Marna down.

" Oh sorry, Marna, didn't mean to trample you " said Betty, smiling.

" That's okay, I just wanted to see how you were." said Marna, twirling a length of blond hair around her finger. " Don't you ever tire of being placed in danger by Mark's foolhardy ventures ?" She said, glancing slyly at Valerie's face.

" I don't think finding a quicker way to get home is foolhardy, if there's a chance we have to take it, no matter how dangerous " Valerie replied, bristling slightly at Marna's comment.

" Oh of course, but is it really about getting home. Or is it something else entirely ?" Marna suggested, provoking a hard stare from both Betty and Valerie.

" Just what are you saying, Marna ?" Betty asked. Valerie stood, her arms folded, biting her lip to stop herself saying what she really wanted to say. Valerie was wishing Steve had found the time to bring the whole business of Marna's loyalty to the fore.

Before Marna could elucidate the men entered the cabin, Mark and Steve in the lead still debating the motives of their host.

" The bathroom's free if you want to use it." Betty told them.

" Best idea I've heard all day, Betty could you rustle something up to eat, I think we missed a meal somewhere." asked Steve. He and Mark headed for the bathroom, while Betty started to rummage in the galley.

Marna had drifted back to the front of the cabin, draping herself over a chair. Valerie ground her teeth and headed for the cockpit, anywhere to give her space from the girl. Barry was in the cockpit, with Chipper on his lap.

" You okay Barry ?" She asked.

" Fine, its all rather exciting, these robots and this fantastic city."

" Sure is...lets hope it all works out the way Mark expects."

" Will the Giant really help us ?" Barry asked.

" He says he will....but at a price...he wants to know about us in exchange." Valerie explained.

" What sort of things ?"

" I don't know, and that's what worries me." Valerie smiled at Barry, patting the boy on the shoulder, then she turned and went out, standing in the corridor. Going back into the cabin was out of the question, Valerie felt too confined, and she was sure she'd do something dreadful if she had to listen to Marna's insipid flirting with Mark. The girl must be completely dense not to realise Mark had no interest in her. He was polite, but only barely, Marna just didn't seem to read the signs at all. Valerie sighed to herself and decided to see what was happening outside. She pushed the button and the door swooshed open. Stepping outside she took her first real look at the room they were in. It wasn't large but it contained a lot of equipment that Valerie assumed was used in connection with the observatory's' function. There were three computer terminals, complete with their attendant printers and other hardware. None were on at this time, only the occasional illuminated light showing them on standbye. Again there was a full length window lining one wall, giving her a clear view of the city-scape at night. Dot's of lights whizzed back and forth, like demented fire-flies. The bench they were on was too far from the window to make out any ground details, plus they were now a couple of stories off the ground. Just as well Valerie has a head for height, it had been tested more times than she cared to count. Looking around the room again, noting the concealed lighting and lack of any personal touches, she had to admit she didn't care for the colour scheme either. One could only take so much of the washed out watercolour theme, before it started to grate on your nerves. It was all so institutionalised, she thought. " I guess it's what you get when robots run the show."

Moving to the edge of the table she looked down at the floor. As she watched, a house-keeping robot popped out of a hatchway and ran under the table, circling the room before disappearing behind another bench on the other side of the room. It had been similar in appearance to the one that chased them in the first house, having the look of an armadillo, but she hadn't seen any claw or other appendages. Valerie heard a noise behind her and turned to see Mark walking towards her.

" Hi....see anything interesting ?" He asked.

" Nothing really, just another robot on the prowl."

" Betty's set up a meal, if your hungry ?"

" Not really.....Mark, does Neeson really have the information you need, can we trust him ?"

" Yes he does, while you were off exploring, I accessed a computer terminal and saw it for myself. This could really be our ticket home." He enthused. Valerie had to smile, Mark was positively incandescent with the possibility of attaining his holy grail.

" Well lets hope the "price" is within our means. Neeson wasn't exactly specific about what information he wanted from us."

" Anyone ever tell you, you worry too much ?" Mark teased. Valerie gave him a dark look, but couldn't resist smiling back as Mark snaked an arm round her waist and pulled her close.

" Well some one has to keep you hotshots in line." she shot back, her fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt.

" Is that right." He murmured. Bending his head Mark captured her lips in a gentle kiss. Valerie tipped her head back and closed her eyes, pressing herself against him as the kiss deepened.

They broke apart, breathing heavily.

" Guess we should go see what Betty has on offer." Mark suggested.

" One woman not enough for you ?" Valerie retorted, arching an eyebrow.

Mark gave a soft laugh.

" You're more than enough for any man."

" I'll take that as a compliment...I think." Valerie laughed.

" Come on, lets go." Mark took her arm, pulling her hand through the crook of his elbow, turning to go back to the Windsifter. They walked slowly, arm in arm, enjoying their brief moment of peace.

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Neeson rubbed his hands together in satisfaction. The quarters for the Earth people were coming along nicely. He only needed to finalise the security and surveillance system and it was finished. He didn't trust them to provide the knowledge that he was really after, his methods of obtaining it would be far too intrusive, so subterfuge was his only alternative. If all went to plan, he would get to test his theories on each of the Little People undetected and unsuspected for as long as he wanted to. The sonic dampener had worked well, in a crude way, but he had other ways of getting the desired results. Ways that wouldn't be detected by his new specimens. He could string them along for some considerable time by eking out the information the man called Mark was so keen to obtain. Separating the group into individuals would pose some problems but Neeson felt it was just the sort of challenge he needed. Life had become tedious, the last few years, now the advent of the people from Earth would provide enough entertainment to rejuvenate even his jaded palate. One of his sentry robots came up and waited patiently for Neeson to notice it. Neeson turned and reached down, pulling a small jack plug out of the side of the robot. The cord pulled out smoothly as Neeson turned his head to push the hair out of the way, exposing a metallic jack point implanted in his cranium. Using his fingers to guide the plug, he pushed and felt the two join snugly. He closed his eyes to activate the data flow and relaxed. The robot's lights blinked and winked in rapid succession as its information was downloaded at high speed into Neeson cortex. After a brief time, Neeson opened his eyes and smiled down at the creature at his feet. Reaching up he unplugged the jack plug, letting the wire recoil back into the robot, disappearing from view in its own compartment. The robot beeped and swiftly turned, re-tracing its path back to the wall hatchway.

Neeson rolled his shoulders, easing the crick in his neck the implant always gave him after a download session. He blinked once more, assimilating the information and making the necessary decisions before turning and walking out of the room. It was time to get his visitors settled in their new home.

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" Captain Burton....would you please come out and talk ?"

Steve heard Neeson's voice outside the ship as he finished eating, he wiped his mouth before getting up and making his way to the front hatchway and opening the door.

" I'm here, Neeson."

" I hope you find everything to your satisfaction ?" Neeson asked, waving a hand to encompass their new living quarters.

" Its more than we expected, thank you. We're amazed you managed to put all this together, given your short notice." Steve replied.

" Well I didn't do it all on my own, the robots did most of it, to my specifications of course." Neeson explained, beaming at Steve flattery.

" Its certainly better than we've come to expect from this planet."

" I'm glad, I want your stay here with me to be as pleasant as possible. Is there anything I can make or manufacture for you that you can't get because of the size difference ?"

" I'm sure there are, I'll canvass the others and come up with a list, if that's agreeable to you ?" said Steve, looking hopeful.

" More than agreeable, don't limit yourself, I'm sure there's nothing you need I can't replicate in some form. If you have an original, that would make things simpler of course."

" I'll get onto it right away. As we've already been here a while, is there anything you want from us...it's all rather been in our favour so far."

" Oh no Captain Burton, its been a pleasure just to have you here with me. I have been benefiting from picking Marks brains, afterall, he is very knowledgable about alot of things."

" Well, don't hesitate to let us know if you need us for anything."

" Oh I will Captain, don't worry." said Neeson, turning and leaving.

Steve turned back and returned to the ship, still amazed that their run of luck seemed to be holding.

They had been at the new camp now for three days. They hadn't quite believed the site that greeted them when Neeson transported them to their new home. Neeson had put the ship down and they all piled out for their first glimpse. They appeared to be in a conservatory of sorts. There were plenty of plants, even grass around them. Neeson had pointed out the advantages to be had, not least was the small huts built in a semi-circle around where the ship sat. They appeared simple in design and were, but there were enough for everyone to only have to share with one other. Inside were bed frames, and other simple furniture, functional but efficient. The huts formed, with the ship a circle, at the centre of which was set up a large metal table complete with eight chairs. With the extra sleeping accommodation the ship only had to be used as a glorified larder and storage cupboard. Beyond the compound was a large lake, fed from an artificial spring and drained by a narrow culvert so the lake level remained the same, but the water circulated and remained clear and clean. They even had piped water in one of the huts, designated the bathhouse, both hot and cold. They had every conceivable necessity. Neeson had appeared very proud to be able to provide their comforts and regularly asked if they needed anything else. Once everyone had checked out the facilities and got over their initial nervousness, it was time to allocate the huts. Mark and Valerie quickly picked one for themselves. Betty and Barry decided to be room mates, Betty happy to take on the roll of den-mother. Steve and Dan decided to stay together, which reminded Steve of their days at the academy, so long ago. Fitzhugh was initially reluctant to be on his own, but after it was pointed out that he would be able to sleep as late as he wanted without being disturbed, he quickly snapped up the chance. Marna was also more than happy to have a hut to herself, having spent so much of her life alone she was happy to return to her solitary state. Besides Marna reasoned, to herself of course, it would be easier to get Mark alone if she didn't have to worry about interruptions from a room mate.

The first couple of days had been spent equipping the huts with linen and belongings. Steve worried about being able to pack the whole lot up in a hurry, but after his initial misgivings he decided to relax and treat the whole experience as a long overdue holiday. With the expectation that Mark would be able to get the information they needed to go home, they all felt in a holiday mood.

Steve turned from his contemplation of the previous days' event and went back into the ship, his mental list of requirements growing by the minute. Everyone would have something that was indispensable, some items more practical than others. Betty would ask for additions to the first aid box, Valerie most probably suggest toothbrushes and hairbrushes. Marna would ask for more clothes, having to wear Valerie's and Betty's was putting a strain on all three women's relationships. Barry would probably ask for the same, plus books, if they could be made small enough. Fitzhugh, well Steve didn't like to think what Fitzhugh would want, and Dan was another unknown. Steve felt he personally could do with another couple of uniforms as well as new footwear for all the group. Mark had already commissioned several tools and equipment that he felt he needed, without consulting Steve or the others. Mark was becoming something of a problem, his extended absence from the ship and their group was making waves. His lack of communication with anyone about what he was doing with Neeson was becoming a worry. Steve was going to have to pin him down and get him to bring them all up to date before too long.

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Valerie had done most of the setting up of her and Marks hut on her own, Mark being away from the camp for extended periods of time, only coming back at the end of the day. More often than not he was exhausted and cranky from spending too long assimilating information, wanting nothing more than to grab a bite, then go to sleep. Valerie had hoped that this opportunity of complete privacy for them both would enable them to move their relationship to its natural conclusion. Unfortunately she hadn't reckoned with the lure of unlimited knowledge that Neeson offered. Mark was like a data-junkie, he was totally focused on his mission. Everything else became extraneous, food, his friends, Valerie, all were pushed to one side, only exhaustion claiming his attention when he could no longer keep his eyes open. Valerie started to see what Mark may have been like back on Earth, a passionate workaholic committed to one purpose at the cost of all else. It had been this single-mindedness that had made him so successful. It had also kept him single, as no woman could hope to compete with this level of intensity and concentration. Valerie kept her observations and thoughts to herself, realising that Mark wouldn't quit until he'd got everything he could wring out of Neeson's computers. She could do no more than watch as he returned each day, exhausted but with a fire in his eyes that spoke of his total involvement in his mission, to the exclusion of all else, including her. They still slept together, but Mark was so complete wiped out that he barely had the energy to kick his shoes off before falling on the bed, asleep before his head touched the pillow. Valerie would watch him as he slept, spending long hours alone until sleep claimed her as well. He was always up and out before she cracked an eyelid, leaving her to rise and carry on her day without him, until he returned and it started all over again. Of course it also meant that Marna was excluded as well. Valerie had seen her thinly veiled lures thrown in Marks direction but it was all in vain. Mark ignored them as easily as a brushing a fly off his sleeve. Nothing existed but to get back to Neeson and continue his quest. Valerie didn't know how to compete with a computer, and frankly, she didn't want to. Mark would have to work it out for himself. Valerie wasn't going anywhere, she would still be here when Mark finished, then it would be her turn. That thought brought a definitely wicked gleam to her eyes and a broad smile to her face.

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