Scanning for anomalies...

Located: Beings outside indigenous universes

Central planet: Vulcan

It was in the middle of a major region of Vulcan wilderness that the man appeared.

A blond-haired man dressed in orange and green.

With his curly blond hair, he might have been thought an angel.

Except he wasn't glowing. Instead, he was sweating profusely.

There was much mumbling from the Vulcan science expedition. As they activated their recording instruments, they also watched as the man struggled to lift his sand-covered head while he held out a trembling green-gloved hand.

"Help me," he pleaded.

The chambers of the Vulcan Science Council. The usual low mumbling. What passed for vigorous debate on Vulcan.

As the council members deliberated in low murmurs, a man suddenly appeared in their midst.

It was one of the rare times an audible gasp went up from the council members.

It was hard to tell if the man looked confused or just really annoyed. Clearly, by the way he was crouched, he was ready to spring into action.

Dressed in black and yellow spandex with an "X" on his red belt, the man had thick sideburns and a hairstyle that created two points on top of his head.

And, oh, yes. Long claws sticking out of his knuckles.

Now the council members murmured in an apprehensive tone.

In contrast, the demeanor of the man became more relaxed. Just a little. As his dark eyes shifted back and forth under his mask, he turned his head from side to side. Once he was convinced of no apparent immediate threat, Sideburn-Man stood up straight.

"Hey, bub," he said in a low growling voice. "Mind telling me where I am?"

Somewhere a ghostly figure emitted a shrieking laugh. A white-faced clown with a ghoulish smile held white-gloved hands to his purple-suited stomach. As he threw back his wild green hair, he continued with his wailing high-pitched laughter.

A Vulcan boy wandered the wilderness alone.

From seemingly nowhere a silver gleaming robot appeared. It focused its large oval red glowing eyes on the boy. Swiftly lifting both hands, it aimed what appeared to be weapons .

Blinded by the sunlight reflected off the silver surface, the boy stumbled backwards.

As the boy fell back, a very tall man descended on the robot. With his long black coat flapping and whipping around like a cape, the man quickly tore off the metallic limbs and tossed them away.

As he stood with fists clenched, the man shot red rays out of his eyes, turning the metal being into slag.

With wide eyes, the boy stared.

"A Terminator," the man explained calmly in perfect Vulcanese.

He then did something very odd.

Even though he did not have the pointed ears of a Vulcan, he did a mind-meld with the boy.

New location: Prime Earth, Manhattan

October 7, 1939

Tuning in to the moments just prior to The Incident. Just before the creation of a major altered timeline in the Prime Universe.

It happened quickly.

One moment the gray truck barreled toward the young woman.

The next she was gone.

A tall young man had her in his arms. He also had a smug grin on his face as he gently put her down.

"Thank you, young man." Edith Keeler spoke in an almost gasping voice. Yet for the most part she was calm. As she placed her feet on the ground, she looked up at the man and her dark eyes seemed to sparkle as her pale face seemed to glow..

"No problem," the tall one said quietly.

Captain Kirk, Spock and Doctor McCoy ran across the street, dodging the light traffic to join the two.

A stone-faced Spock confronted the tall man.

"Young man," he said sternly, "you do not realize what you have done."

"What he's done?" McCoy hissed. "What about you, Jim? What were you doing holding me back like that?"

"Not now, Bones." Kirk held out cupped hands toward the tall young man. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

"Yes, who in blazes are you?" McCoy said. "It's like you just appeared out of nowhere. What planet are you from? What kind of lifeform are you?"

"Calm yourself, doctor. If you please, young man, identify yourself."

The smug grin spread.

"I'm Clark Kent. From Smallville."

As Spock would remark later, the young man's demeanor and expression changed abruptly. Suddenly, this "Clark Kent, " dressed in a red shirt and blue pants, looked shocked and horrified.

"I've said too much, done too much," Clark muttered.

In an instant, he was gone, leaving behind only a sharp gust of wind. Spock squinted against it along with Captain Kirk, Doctor McCoy and the very much alive Edith Keeler.

"Just like that. 'Whoosh' and he's gone," McCoy said.

"A mysterious exit. With a lame excuse," Edith noted.

"Edith, you all right?"

"I'm fine, Jim. But it was a very close call indeed."

Spock crossed his arms over his coat. "I would be more concerned with the inhuman speed of our 'Clark Kent.' And with our now uncertain future."

Spock glanced over at Edith, currently in the arms of Captain Kirk.

Now tracking Time Travel Team "SG-1:"

Sitting aboard the timemobile, Colonel Jack O'Neill wondered.

How did we get into this situation?

Here he was on a timemobile, operated by Angus MacGyver, just taking a ride with the "Big Bang" guys. Yes, those guys. Raj, Howard, Sheldon and Leonard. His buddies. His fan club.

Nearby was an aged Mister Spock. And he looked very concerned. Maybe even troubled. If that's possible for a Vulcan.

Right next to O'Neill was a tall white-haired Clark Kent with wrinkles on his face. Same slightly dorky grin, though.

Of course, the colonel had his usual team with him: Daniel, Carter, Teal'c.

And they were all on their way back to that moment in time when Edith Keeler was supposed to be hit by a truck and die.

Supposed to. Until a young Clark Kent saved her.

And that resulted in Captain Kirk living in Smallville with his wife Edith. Or "Edie," as Spock and Doctor McCoy called her.

In that timeline, Lex Luthor becomes Emperor of Earth.

And dictators rule over Earth for hundreds of years. Much like when Bruce Wayne's parents lived. All because a displaced Vulcan crashed into Joe Chill.

In both cases, what a mess.

As O'Neill sat back in the not-so-comfortable chair of the timemobile, he thought again.

How did all this get started?

"So!" With an air of calm authority, Daniel Jackson combined a weary sigh with a wincing skeptical look. As he crossed his arms over his Stargate Command jacket, he casually strolled across the interrogation room. "You're a super-powered person but without any actual super powers?"

Colonel Jack O'Neill raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, how exactly does that work, Mister Super-Powers?"

An exasperated Clark Kent sat in a wooden chair with his hands cuffed. Much like a modern-day Samson in a red jacket and blue T-shirt. As he once again tested the handcuffs, O'Neill tutted, "Uh-uh-uh-uh!"

Clark spoke in an exasperated voice. "I told you, it's the solar flares. They're interfering with my powers. Sometimes I'm in overdrive, the next minute I've got nothing."

"Uh huh," Daniel said with more of the skeptical look. "And tell me again how you got here."

"Like I said, I was running through Colorado Springs."

"At super speed," O'Neill noted. He held up his index finger. "Oh. Until it ran out."

"Yes. And while I was slowing down, this round...thing apppeared in the middle of the street. I ran through it. The next thing I know, I'm here. It was just like that round thing you've got in your room. It was the first thing I saw when I arrived here."

"Right," Daniel said with a little sigh. "Well, I'm all out, Jack. Do you have anything for our guest?"

O'Neill was leaning against the wall, slouched upright against it, arms crossed over his uniform. He spoke in a tone as casual as his posture.

"Well, the Stargate does on occasion do some odd things. It once sent us back to nineteen-sixty-nine. But I've never heard of it just popping up in the middle of Colorado Springs."

"Sir, you really shouldn't tell him too much," Major Samantha Carter warned.

"Relax, Carter. Who's he going to tell in a mental instituion?" O'Neill held up an ID card. "Check this out. He's 'Clark Kent.'" With one hand, O'Neill made quotation marks gestures. "From 'Smallville, Kansas.'" As he lowered the card, he frowned. "What kind of name is that? 'Smallville.'"

Daniel spoke in his casual-authoritative voice. "It's the hometown of Superman."

"Super...who?" Clark said.

"What, they don't have Superman where you're from?" O'Neill's eyebrows went up again. "Well, looks like Mister Super-Powers here crossed over from the comic books. And look at this. There's even an I-D for 'Smallville High.'"

"Very original," Daniel said.

O'Neill bent down to address Clark. "So tell me, 'Superman,' what's life like there at old Smallville High? Does Aquaman attend, too? Or Spider-Man? Maybe Batman and Captain America?"

"That's actually two different comic book companies, Jack."

"Thank you, Daniel." O'Neill held the card to Clark's face. "Tell me, 'Clark.' Does this fool any bouncers?"

Now Teal'c spoke in a kind of rumbling voice. "You stated that you were fleeing from an individual named 'Perry White.' Who is this Perry White?"

"He's editor of the Daily Planet, Teal'c," Daniel said. "In the Superman comic books."

"I am not familiar with this 'Superman.'"

"Come on, Teal'c. You've been on Earth how long?"

"Perry White is a reporter," Clark said with his head slightly bowed.

"Uh-huh!" O'Neill said. "For the 'Daily Planet,' right?"

"Actually, a T-V show called 'X-Styles.'"

"Come on, kid. At least get your delusions straight! I mean, I've heard of 'Wormhole X-treme.' But not this 'X-Styles.' It's not written by Martin Lloyd, is it?"

"Perry White's probably an imaginary friend," Daniel muttered.

"Guys, we don't know enough about the situation yet," Carter said, arms crossed over her black jacket.

Teal'c crossed his arms. "I do not believe he means us any harm."

"Same here, Teal'c," Carter said.

That's when it happened.

There was a bright flash of light and a quick quiet low buzz—similar to when SG-1 used transport rings—and suddenly they were all inside the Gate Room.

Where the Stargate was already fully activated.

And they were pulled into it. "Oh!" they shouted. Including the handcuffed Clark.

And then...

There was this thing.

They were all in front of this thing.

"I am the Guardian of Forever," it said.

Aboard the timemobile, Daniel had his own recollections of the incident.

"Well, this is odd," Daniel said quietly. "The Guardian of Forever is from an old 'Star Trek' episode called 'The City On The Edge of Forever.'"

O'Neill gave him a look. "It figures you would know that, Daniel. So what are you saying? We've somehow been transported into an episode of 'Star Trek?'"

"It could be some kind of mental illusion, sir," Carter suggested.

The colonel glanced at their prisoner. "With a guy who thinks he's Clark Kent?"

"I am Clark Kent."

"Silence!" the Guardian-portal said.

"Whoa!" As he turned to the Guardian, O'Neill wince-glared. "Hey, there. Who do you think you are? The Wizard of Oz?"

Sitting in the timemobile, O'Neill thought how funny it was. Well, not funny ha-ah. Funny strange.

Later they learned Clark was actually from another world, a place called "Prime Earth," a place where Superman and other superheroes were real. Or would be real. Depends on what time you visited.

Yes, good old Clark was from Prime Earth. Part of the Prime Universe, don't you know?

In that universe, Clark would become Superman. Later on, there would be a Captain Kirk and Mister Spock and all those others from "Star Trek." And even later than that there would be Clark's old friends from the future, the Legion.

As O'Neill closed his eyes and sat back, he thought, Yes. Clark. Superman. Kirk, Spock. The Legion. But first there was their old friend the Guardian.

Which later O'Neill would describe as a TV set shaped like a clam or a mollusk. More like a mollusk, really.

"I have used your Stargate to bring you here."

As the Guardian spoke, lights flashed on and off.

"And just why would you do that?" O'Neill asked.

"You are needed for a vital mission."

"Could have just asked," Daniel said.

"Yeah, could have just asked," Clark mumbled with head bowed.

"Indeed," from Teal'c.

With shadows dancing on his face, O'Neill gave the Guardian an annoyed look. "Listen, whoever or whatever you are, send us back where we came from. Right now!"

"Think that'll actually work?" Clark muttered.

"Shut up...'Clark.'"

"I will not send you back. Any of you," the Guardian said.

"Maybe we should listen," Clark said. "This is the voice I heard in my head telling me to trust you guys."

O'Neill gave him a look. "Well, that makes me feel a lot better. I'm sure you hear a lot of voices."

Again, lights flashed on and off as the Guardian-thing spoke.

"You are needed. What you must do is most essential."

Carter looked concerned. Again. "Maybe we should at least hear him,,,it out, sir."

"I am in agreement with you, Major Carter."

"Whatever," O'Neill said.

They heard him/it out.

"A great menace has materialized, one that threatens multiple universes."

"What, no slide presentation or anything?" O'Neill said.

"Go on," Daniel said.

"This threat involves powerful beings known as the 'Q.'"

"Uh, excuse me," Daniel said, raising a finger. "The Q aren't real. They're from a T-V series called 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.'"

"What is thought of as fictional on your world, Doctor Jackson, is real on other worlds. The creative individuals on your world simply tune in to other realities and create what you call a 'T-V series.'"

"Yeah. Not buying it," O'Neill said.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Daniel said.

"Same here," from Carter.

"We are in agreement," Teal'c said.

"What is everyone talking about?" Clark muttered.

"You, the members of S-G-One. Have you not traveled to other worlds, experienced other realities?"

A brief silence. Only the sound of a slight breeze.

"He's got a point, sir," Carter said.

"Um, who are you guys?" Clark asked.

"No one," O'Neill said.

"Members of the Q continuum departed from the norm," the Guardian went on. "They gave powers to a being from Prime Earth. A being known as 'The Joker.'"

Again, Daniel held up a finger. "Um, excuse me again. The Joker isn't real, either. He's a comic book character."

"Yeah, he's Batman's enemy. Played by Jack Nicholson. Even I know that." O'Neill made a face. "Are you saying he's real somewhere?"

"Indeed, and you shall soon see for yourself. The Joker now has power to influence and invade minds, to alter timelines and to send beings from one dimension into another. Observe."

The Guardian showed them visions of men with pointed ears confronting unusual visitors.

"Wait," Daniel said. "Are those Vulcans? And Aquaman. Wolverine. A Terminator?"

"Who's the old guy?" O'Neill asked.

"Who are all these guys?" Clark asked. "I mean, I know the Terminator from the movies, but-"

Clark wiped his wrists. O'Neill's eyes widened as he saw that Clark was no longer bound and that he was standing up. The colonel raised a weapon but Daniel gently placed it back down.

"Jack, somehow I don't think that's going to do any good."

A frowning O'Neill turned to his friend. "Daniel, is this maybe some big practical joke by you and some of your geek friends? Or maybe your buddies, the Ancients?"

"Not likely, Jack. Nothing this elaborate anyway."

"The Ancients do not have a sense of humor that I am aware of," Teal'c said solemnly. Next to him, Clark gave him a curious look. "Still, our situation is most unusual."

"I'll say," Carter said with big wide eyes.

"The Ancients aren't really the kind of play practical jokes," Daniel said.

"Guys, feel free to fill me in at some point," Clark said.

The Guardian's voice cut in. "I shall provide the information you require."

A slight groan from O'Neill. "Can you turn the volume down?"

No change in volume. More groaning, from all of them. "I shall send you to restore the altered timelines and return displaced beings home."

"Thanks for the offer," O'Neill said. "Think we'll pass."

"You will work with Doctor Sam Beckett."

"Uh, hey," a man said uncertainly. Dressed entirely in a white one-piece outfit, Beckett was a somewhat handsome man with a big nose and bushy eyebrows above eyes that were only half-open..

"Beckett," O'Neill said with a cordial nod. "Care to join us on our way home?"

"I'm always trying to find my way home," Beckett said quietly in a low mumbling voice.

"I send you now on your first mission," the Guardian declared.

"Uh, no!"

"I don't think we can fight this," Clark said. "But there may be something else we can do without fighting."

O'Neill gave him a look. "So first you think you're Clark Kent now you think you're Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

Turning away from Clark, the colonel stepped toward the Guardian. "Send us back now."

Aboard the timemobile, Teal'c thought how O'Neill would be unlikely to make a comment about Obi-Wan Kenobi. O'Neill had never even seen "Star Wars." This was a possible attempt by the Joker to infiltrate his mind. To battle the Joker, Teal'c employed some of his most powerful memories.

Those of his family.

Next to Teal'c, O'Neill continued his own recollections of the incident.

"I send you out now," the Guardian said.

"No, no, no, no, no!" O'Neill objected.

As energy built up around them, O'Neill had a strange thought. He hoped he wouldn't end up eating Fruit Loops on each trip. Like when he was caught in that time loop.

When the group materialized on a world with a Stargate, O'Neill immediately began dialing home.

"Jack, I think we have to do this," Daniel said.

"Your friend is right. Colonel. Sir," Clark said. "I don't think we can just walk away from this."

"Watch me," O'Neill said.

That was when the Stargate vanished.

"Aw, great," O'Neill muttered.

"Colonel, I have to agree with Daniel. I really don't think we have a choice," Carter said.

Aboard the timemobile, O'Neill winced as he recalled it, the way the Guardian flooded his mind with images of people whose lives they would change. The colonel still felt some of the pain and agony.

After those painful visions, he decided, along with the others, they would go on the Guardian's missions.

Beckett was leaning over, gasping. "If we can change lives, we have to do it."

"You saw all that, too?" a sweating Clark said.

"I did," Daniel said. "Sam?"

Carter nodded.

"As did I," Teal'c said. "Our involvement in these missions is most vital."

Carter looked at O'Neill. "We have to do this, sir."

"Yeah, okay." O'Neill winced and groaned. "I never really wanted a life anyway."

"It's only temporary, Jack," Daniel said. "Then we go home."

"And how exactly do you know that, Daniel?"

"The Guardian told me. In my mind.." Daniel pointed to some backpacks nearby. "Just like he told me about those."

"Now I wonder what's in those?" O'Neill muttered as he picked one up and searched the contents.

"Technology. From the Q and the Ancients," Daniel said.

"This just gets better and better," O'Neill said.

In that moment, they were transported to their first mission.

Many more missions would follow.