Chapter 1
John and his brother Dave had been estranged for many years, but a year after the death of their father, John received an unexpected message. Dave wanted to talk to him. John hesitated, but finally responded, learning something surprising. During a routine surgery for a broken ankle, Dave had stopped breathing. The doctors had almost given up on resuscitation, when he started to breathe. Brain damage was a concern, but Dave recovered fully. The only change from his near death experience was a desire to patch things up with his brother. Dave hesitated to contact John, remembering the last time they had parted, with Dave turning his back on John after the reading of their father's will. But he finally worked up the nerve. After much hesitation, John responded, and they had kept in touch.
Often they talked about their past, and occasionally Dave spoke of happenings on Earth. But mostly they tried to understand one another, and became closer. Dave enjoyed hearing about John's life on Atlantis, and John shared what was allowed. Mostly humorous stories about his teammates, especially Rodney. So when John mentioned that Mr. Woolsey encouraged he and his team to take some time off, he decided to pay a long overdue visit to his brother.
Dave had purchased a ranch in rural Colorado, which came as another surprise to John. After his brush with death, Dave felt the need to get out of what he called "the rat race." He sold the family business and home in the East, and moved to the ranch. He had more than enough money to retire early. John and his friends were welcome to visit.
Ronon and Amelia had never had a honeymoon, and she wanted to go, but both were hesitant. Ronon found Earth laws and customs strange and had gotten in trouble when Atlantis was stranded there. Fortunately General O'Neill had interceded, getting him out of jail after he beat up a criminal who had attacked Amelia. But John assured them they would be out in the country and things would be very different. So they agreed to go.
Teyla had already planned for Torren to spend some time with his father on New Athos and looked forward to a change of scene, and relaxing with John.
Rodney grimaced when John invited him to join them. "You've got to be kidding! Back to the Old West-rattle snakes, tumble weeds, and cow pies! Probably have to pump water and use an out house! Yee Haw!"
"I really think Dave is living in the twenty first century," John replied. "But I'm sure Dr. Zelenka would like to go and you can do his work. Katie can come along and you can take full charge of the baby too!"
Rodney turned pale. As much as he loved his son, the thought of changing a diaper made him want to puke. "I suppose it couldn't be that bad," he said.
Katie was caring for some delicate plants, plus she worried about traveling so far with the baby, and she declined.
Chapter 2
The group of five went thru the Gate to SGC at Cheyenne Mountain, then took a rental van to Dave's ranch. Arriving there, they were surprised. The large ranch house had rustic, Old West exterior and interior decor, but totally modern facilities. State of the art kitchen and bathrooms, comfortable furnishings, even a swimming pool, golf course, and fully stocked bar. There was a small herd of longhorn cattle, strictly a hobby, and chickens for fresh meat and eggs. Rodney let out a sigh of relief. Not an outhouse in sight!
John wondered how Dave would run the ranch, being a city boy all his life. The ranch foreman who had worked for the last owners stayed on. He had worked there all his life and ran things for Dave, who enjoyed the role of gentleman rancher.
They spent the next two days relaxing. John and Dave spent a lot of time playing golf. Amelia and Teyla swam in the pool and caught up on reading. Rodney sat under an umbrella, busy as usual on a tablet. He had brought several devices with him, much to the amusement of John and Ronon. Dave was also surprised that he would bring work with him on vacation, to which John replied. "You don't know Rodney very well!"
Ronon swam in the pool, and went running in the nearby forest, coming back with reports of seeing wild pigs roaming. "Are we allowed to hunt them?" he asked Dave. "We could have a pig roast!"
"Wild pigs are plentiful here, and actually have become a problem. They can be aggressive and hunting is allowed," he answered. "I have some hunting rifles you are welcome to use."
"Why not just go the grocery store and buy pork chops?" Rodney said.
A hunting trip was planned for the next day. The women decided to spend another day relaxing, and Dave had a meeting with some other ranchers, so it was just John and Ronon. Rodney wanted to tag along for a short distance to check out an energy reading he picked up on one of his devices. It was in the direction they were headed and fairly close.
"Are you sure you don't just have energy readings on the brain?" John asked.
"No!" Rodney said, indignantly. "Are you trying to get rid of me or what?"
"Yeah," Ronon replied. "You'll be running your mouth and scare away the pigs!"
"I really think the readings are from that large rock you can see in the distance. Then I will come back and leave you guys to your blood and guts!" Rodney said.
"It's a deal!" said John.
Chapter 3
They started out at dawn the next day, Rodney complaining about the early hour. They had rifles, 9 mm's, and hunting knives, plus Ronon had his usual supply of knives hidden on his person. John had worn his tac vest out of habit, and Ronon wore his leather coat. They also brought their comms.
They reached the afore mentioned rock, and Rodney unloaded several devices from his backpack. Ronon had noticed many pig tracks and was anxious to follow them into the woods. John was eager to get started too, but told Ronon,"let him have his fun, those pigs aren't going to disappear." He could picture Rodney walking the wrong way and getting lost in the woods.
Rodney sighed and grumbled to himself. "Why?" No response from any of the devices, and he had gotten slight readings yesterday from a distance. He loaded the devices in his pack and reluctantly put it on. Then pulled out one and tried again to get a reading.
Time went by, and John was getting antsy. "Come on Rodney, give it up!" But he was oblivious to all but the silent device. John grabbed Rodney's shoulder and gave him a shake. At the same moment Ronon grabbed John's arm and said excitedly,"Look at that big one!" as a huge tusker ambled out of the woods.
There was a flash of light, and the three men found themselves lying on the ground. They felt disoriented, their eyes still blinded by the bright light. Going thru the Gate was never like this!
Rodney realized he still held the device in his hand, and wailed "I can't see!"
Ronon struggled to sit up and get his eyes to focus.
John tried to sit up but flopped back down, mumbling, "what happened?"
Gradually their vision cleared, and they looked around. The large rock was gone. They were surrounded by trees, but none like they had ever seen before. Some looked like gigantic palm trees. The air felt warmer and more humid. "What the hell?" Ronon said.
"I believe I can answer your question," said a voice behind them.
Ronon instinctively pointed his rifle at the man.
Raising his hands, he replied, "I mean you no harm, and I am unarmed. If you will permit me, I shall explain what has happened." He was Sheppard's height, heavy set, with dark hair and beard shot with gray. He appeared to be in his late fifties and spoke with a British accent.
"Explain away," said John, standing up, and still rubbing his eyes. Ronon lowered his rifle, but kept the man covered as he stood up.
"You look awfully familiar," said Rodney, who still sat on the ground.
"You got caught in my slide," said the man, causing the three to look puzzled.
"We should make introductions, then I will explain. I am Dr. Jonathan Maximillian, former professor of physics. Until recently, independent researcher. After the scientific community refused to acknowledge my discoveries, I began experiments on travel to other dimensions, which I call sliding. An accident happened, and my research assistant, two of his young friends, and myself, made a premature slide. We have been unsuccessfully attempting to get home for some time now. A mishap occurred and I became separated from the others. I had fixed the problem, but somehow your device interfered with my slide, and here we are."
He looked at Rodney's device. "Are you a scientist? You look familiar."
Rodney had stood up, and was snapping his fingers excitedly. "I know who you are! That physicist who disappeared! Everyone assumes you were murdered!"
"That is I, and you are Dr. Rodney McKay. You have quite a reputation in the world of physics."
"Really?" Rodney said, with a smug smile.
"Um, yes, but I would rather not talk about that! I once met another version of you. He goes by Rod, often wears a black leather jacket. Unusual fellow for a scientist, but pleasant enough. Quite the ladies' man too." John rolled his eyes and Ronon snorted.
"I can tell you two are soldiers, but I implore you to put your firearm away," he said, looking at Ronon. "We are in a dangerous place and I am not your enemy."
Ronon looked at John, saying, "I should frisk him."
"Good idea," John replied.
"He's clean," Ronon said, holstering his weapon. He was beginning to trust the man.
"I'm Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, this is Specialist Ronon Dex, and you already know Dr. McKay. We are a military reconnaissance team, but on vacation. We were planning to go hunting."
"How shall I address you gentlemen?" he asked.
"No need to be formal, first names are fine," John answered. "What should we call you? Two Johns is confusing."
"Most people just call me "the Professor."
"That'll work," John exclaimed.
"Suits you," Ronon said. "Is sliding like time travel? And why is this place dangerous?"
"Sliding is going to other dimensions, or realities, of Earth, not time travel," the Professor said, patiently.
"That's good," Ronon said, remembering the team's experiences with time travel.
"Remember Rod?" McKay said. "He was me from another reality."
"Yeah, we all had a copy of us in his reality," Ronon replied, shaking his head.
"My group came here previously on one of our slides," the Professor continued. "In this version of Earth, dinosaurs never became extinct, and humans do not exist."
"You mean like T Rex?" Rodney cried.
"Like Jurassic Park!" Ronon exclaimed. Then seriously, "I wish I had my blaster and sword."
"I would prefer my P90 to this hunting rifle!" John said.
"I didn't bring a gun," Rodney said. "I was just planning to get energy readings and go back to Dave's house!"
Then they heard a roar off in the distance.
"Is that a dinosaur?" Rodney asked, alarmed.
"I don't think it's a pig!" John said.
"We should head for the river," the Professor said. "They don't like water. Follow me."
Chapter 4
They took off at a jog, but soon slowed down to a fast walk. The Professor was both older and heavier, but he did better than McKay, who began to huff and puff. The ground began to slope down and running water was heard, along with higher pitched trumpeting sounds.
Suddenly three dinosaurs burst from the trees. They stood about seven feet high, with long necks, and vicious looking sharp teeth and claws.
"We'll never make it to the river !" Rodney cried.
The creatures surrounded them, and John and Ronon fired their rifles, hitting the targets. They backed off, seeming confused. John tossed Rodney his side arm, which he fumbled, dropped, then picked up.
"I hope you can shoot," Ronon said to the Professor, as he tossed his sidearm.
He caught it, saying, "I am quite proficient at skeet shooting!"
"Aim for the throat or belly!" shouted Ronon, who had no idea what a skeet was but at the moment did not care.
The creatures stood, making chittering sounds to one another. They had wounds but did not seem affected. Then they charged.
The men began firing, hitting the vulnerable areas. Two went down, but one kept coming, even tho it was bleeding from it's underside. Rodney tripped, fell, and the creature was nearly on him, when Ronon leaped on it's back, climbed up the neck, and slit it's throat with a hunting knife. It shook him off before falling down dead. Ronon hit a tree and lay still.
John reached his side first, found a strong pulse, and began shaking him. Ronon woke up, swung at John, who jumped back, saying, "It's OK buddy!"
"Did I kill it?" he asked, groaning as he sat up.
"Yes you did!" Rodney said, his voice shaky. "But it almost killed me, and I think I broke my toe!"
"Are you OK?" John asked Ronon, who struggled to his feet, leaning on the tree.
"Yeah," he replied.
"How's your back?" asked the Professor. "You hit that tree hard."
"I'm OK," Ronon answered. "Let's get going!"
They hadn't gone far when more trumpeting sounds were heard, then six more of the creatures surrounded them. They began shooting but there was no escape this time.
Then a slight trembling of the ground was felt. It increased and Rodney wailed, "earthquake-we're gonna die!"
Then a loud roar was heard and a gigantic T Rex appeared, grabbing the nearest creature and taking a huge bite. The smaller dinosaurs began attacking the T Rex, who grabbed them one by one, shook them, and threw them in the air. The men ran for the river, Rodney yelling about his toe. They plunged in and swam for the other shore, hoping what the Professor had said about dinosaurs avoiding water also applied to the T Rex.
Reaching the other shore, they turned back to see the T Rex eating the last of them, then lumbering away. "Must be full!" John said. Rodney looked a little green.
They sat on the shore to rest in the warm sun. "I'm all wet!" Rodney whined.
"Glad you mentioned it, I hadn't noticed," John said sarcastically. Ronon shook his head.
"My toe hurts!" Rodney whined again.
"Young man, you have a problem!" said the Professor, giving Rodney a reproachful look. "Your teammate saved your life and all you do is whine about your toe!"
Rodney turned red, and stopped rubbing his toe. "Sorry," he said to Ronon. "Thanks!"
"I left my coat there," Ronon said, and dove back in the water. He had taken it off before jumping on the dinosaur. He soon returned with the coat, holding it up with one hand, swimming with the other.
"Now you're wet again," Rodney said.
"No shit," Ronon replied, as he went thru the pockets, pulled out some energy bars and passed them out.
"So how does this sliding work?" John asked.
The Professor pulled a small device out of a pocket. Fortunately it had a water proof covering. "This enables me to slide. But the system was not perfected, and to make a long story short, we slid prematurely, causing us to have no control over which dimension we end up in. My friends each have their own device. As I said earlier, a problem, which I have fixed, caused me to be separated from them. They are waiting for me to join them, and hopefully find our way home. Your device activated at the same time as mine, and we ended up here."
"How did we all slide with no devices?" John asked.
"You must have been making contact with each other. Several people can slide with one device, and somehow the two devices interfaced. I made sure my group all had one just in case, which has turned out to be fortunate," the Professor replied.
"I remember now!" John said. "I grabbed Rodney's shoulder to get him to move, the same time Ronon grabbed my arm. I think you saw a pig."
"Yeah, a big one," Ronon said. "Never thought I would be shooting dinosaurs instead!"
"Can you fix it?" Rodney asked.
"Hopefully, with your help, we can all go home," the Professor replied.
"Fix it now!" Ronon said. "Before we get more company."
"We have two problems," the Professor said. "There are only certain places, a type of portal, where sliding is possible. We must find a portal in order to slide. We could go back across the river, or find a portal on this side. I am getting a weak reading of another portal up ahead. We also need to have some shelter in order to work on the devices."
"I bet that rock where I got energy readings from was a portal," Rodney said. John and Ronon agreed.
"We should find shelter on this side of the river," Ronon said.
"I agree," John said. "We need shelter for the night."
They walked on, the sun drying their wet clothes. Rodney complained about his toe until John told him to shut up. Ronon's back hurt where he had hit the tree, but he would never admit it.
The readings on the Professor's device became stronger, and they came to a cave, obviously a portal. "You guys wait while I check it out," Ronon said. He was an expert tracker and honed his skills even more in his Runner days.
"I'm tired!" Rodney complained.
"Would you like to share the cave with a wild animal?" Ronon asked.
"It could be the lair of a Cave Bear or a Sabre Tooth Tiger!" the Professor said.
"Uh, I'll wait," Rodney said, turning a little pale.
"All clear," Ronon said, emerging from the cave. "There is some scat, but it's old."
"Scat?" Rodney asked.
"Shit!" Ronon answered.
Rodney wrinkled his nose, but was glad to rest his sore toe.
Chapter 5
They settled into the cave for the night. John and Ronon gathered wood and got a fire going in the cave entrance, while Rodney and the Professor worked on the devices. Both had brought kits with the necessary small tools. John and Ronon had brought MRE's and canteens, plus energy bars. But they had only expected to be out for the day. Rodney and the Professor had no food, so they shared, knowing that food must be conserved.
Rodney took off his boot and sock, and the others examined his toe, concluding it was not broken, just bruised, but Rodney still insisted it was broken. John had brought a basic first aid kit, and taped the toe to it's neighbor, with much moaning from Rodney. Then gave him a small cold pack and some ibuprofen.
"OK Ronon, your turn!" John said.
"Nothing wrong with me!" Ronon answered, scowling.
"Like the Professor said a while ago, you hit that tree hard. Let's see your back and that's an order!"
Giving John another scowl, Ronon lifted up his shirt, which had a long tear in the back, revealing a deep abrasion and a large dark bruise. After cleaning and bandaging the wound, John gave him a larger cold pack, ibuprofen, and orders to lie down, even tho Ronon insisted on taking first watch.
Eventually it got too dark for the scientists to work on the devices, even with flashlights John and Ronon had fortunately brought along. John went out by the fire to stand watch, while the others settled down to sleep, Rodney complaining of no bedding. Ronon's back felt better from the cold pack and pain meds but he would never admit it, and insisted he should be on watch. John said, "no and that's another order!"
John sat by the fire, listening to the snores of the others, determined to stay awake the whole night. He didn't feel comfortable with Rodney or the Professor on watch, and he wanted Ronon to rest. As usual, Rodney's snores were the loudest. Maybe they would scare away the wild beasts!
He did doze off but was awakened by heavy steps, and snuffling and grunting. A large shape appeared, not close enough to make it out. Larger and lower than the other creatures, but not as big as the T Rex. It paused, snuffling loudly, then turned and disappeared into the darkness. John breathed a sigh of relief.
Eventually the sky began to lighten a little. "Maybe we dodged the bullet," John thought, tho he knew some animals hunted at dawn. Then he heard a low growl. He picked up a thick branch reserved for this purpose, catching the end on fire. Another growl, louder this time, and he stood, holding up the torch. Glowing eyes reflected the firelight. John saw the outline of a huge cat, and waved the torch. The creature snarled, then silently disappeared.
"Why didn't you wake me for second watch?" Ronon said angrily, causing John to jump. The Satedan was as silent as the big cat!
"You needed to rest," John replied.
"Go get some sleep," Ronon said. "I don't want to carry your tired ass!" John laughed and agreed.
There were no more visits from wildlife, and the group ate the remaining MRE's, which left only a few energy bars. The two scientists continued work on the devices with little bickering. The Professor did not put up with Rodney's snarkiness like Radek did, and put him in his place with an air of authority. Rodney did not know how to handle this and kept his mouth shut, much to the amusement of John and Ronon, who were becoming anxious to get moving.
Finally the Professor said," I believe the device will now take us back to the portal where we first met, but no absolute guarantee."
"Better than staying here in Jurassic Park!" John said, and Ronon agreed.
They were nearly out of food and ammunition. There was no small game to be seen, the large predators took care of that. So they packed up, linked arms, and the Professor pushed the button on his device. The bright light flashed, but this time they all shut their eyes. They were again lying on the ground, next to a large rock. But not the same rock.
Chapter 6
"Oh no! You screwed up!" Rodney wailed.
"I warned you there was no guarantee where we would land," the Professor replied. They looked out on a barren landscape, with only an occasional rock or stunted tree. There was a dirt road nearby and they headed for it and began walking. Soon they heard a vehicle approaching, and moved off the road, hoping the occupants were friendly. It was strange looking, reminding John of a seventies Cadillac with high wheels like an old horse drawn wagon. The occupants began yelling, "Outlanders! Go back to your dirt!" and other less polite phrases. Then they were gone down the road.
"Not too friendly," John said.
Then another vehicle drove up, this one looking like a large three wheeled motorcycle, with a small truck bed attached. An older man drove, a younger man rode in back. The group expected more harassment, but the vehicle stopped, and the driver asked if they needed a ride.
"We're not from here," John replied. "I guess we could use a ride."
"I know you're outlanders but I don't recognize you," he said. Then turned to his passenger, asking,"do you?"
"No," the younger man replied. "Never seen clothes like that either!"
"Better not let the soldiers catch you without your robes, especially today!" said the driver.
The group noticed both men wore long gray robes.
"Like I said, we're not from around here. It's a long story but we're stranded here," John said.
Then they heard another vehicle coming, sounding like it had a bad muffler.
"Oh oh! Soldiers," said the driver. "Better get in or we'll all be in trouble!'
"Get in here and lay on the floor!" said the younger man.
He pulled aside a blanket he had been sitting on, the four climbed in the truck bed and he covered them. It was a tight squeeze and the blanket was dirty and smelly. They pulled off the road and the noisy vehicle passed them, also yelling "outlanders," and the same rude phrases.
After the soldiers passed, the vehicle drove back on the road, and the younger man pulled back the blanket and the group sat up. "Phew!" Rodney said, holding his nose and grimacing, then yelling, "OW!" as Ronon elbowed him in the ribs.
"So where are we headed?" John asked.
"You definitely aren't from around here!" the younger man exclaimed. "We're headed for the city. Our Leader is making a speech and all are required to attend. It is the anniversary of The Great Awakening."
"You have a dress code?" John asked.
"Yes, the Freedom robes are required. A person caught without one goes to jail, after getting a beating by the Leader's soldiers."
"Doesn't sound like much freedom to me," Rodney said.
The man shook his head sadly. "Be careful what you say! A remark like that could get you in prison. It all happened quickly. We heard rumors from the city of a new movement which was taking control of the government. We found out too late the rumors were true."
The Professor asked, "What is the meaning of 'outlanders'? I get the impression it is not good."
"Outlanders are country people like us," he replied. "The city people consider us trash."
"Those soldiers were not calling us good guys!" John said.
"I'd like to kick their asses!" Ronon said, scowling.
They introduced themselves, first names only. The older man was Hagger, the younger was his son, Haster. They had come to the city hoping to find a younger son, named Hander, who had joined the Leader's army. His father and brother hoped to convince him to come home. It was their tradition for family names to be similar. Last names had been outlawed by the Leader.
"We can take you to a settlement house where you can get food and also robes," said Hagger.
"Thank you," said John. "We were almost out of food."
"We outlanders try to hold on to our traditions, which include helping those in need. I sense you are decent men!" Hagger replied.
The vehicle approached the city, and the four again squeezed into truck bed and were covered by the blanket. They stopped behind a building and were quickly ushered inside. Armed guards stood holding weapons similar to P90's. Hagger and Haster were welcomed, and the four were introduced as friends from far away. They were welcomed, but with a certain amount of distrust, which was understandable. They were fed and given gray robes. The food was simple but filling-bread, cheese, dried meat and very weak beer. Hagger spoke further about his younger son. Their mother had died and the young boy took it hard. As often happens, in his distress, he got caught up in the fanatical movement, and left home.
Then trumpets were heard, announcing the Leader's arrival, and everyone hurried out into the street. To stay inside was to risk a beating and jail, as soldiers searched the buildings. The streets were packed with people, all in the same gray hooded robes, moving toward a large town square. Only the soldiers were dressed differently, in ornate purple uniforms. Arriving there, the four were surprised to see several huge TV screens and loudspeakers. The trumpets sounded again and all became quiet as the Leader walked out on a high platform. He wore a black robe, trimmed in gold, and a gold crown, but it was too far away to see his face clearly.
"I am your Leader!" his voice boomed over the loudspeakers. The people all went down on one knee. The four also knelt, Ronon muttering a curse, Rodney complaining about his knees. John whispered, "shut up," to them both. The people all bowed their heads, but the four managed to peek under their hoods, as the TV screens came on, revealing the Leader's face. It was Peter Kavanagh!
Shocked, all four men whispered the name, then three looked at the Professor in surprise. Then Kavanagh raised his arms and all the people stood up and raised theirs. Then he began to speak, praising their city, The New Awakening movement, and himself as the author of all this greatness. The four men began slowly making their way thru the crowd, finally arriving at the edge of the multitude. Careful not to draw the attention of any soldiers, they ducked behind a building and made their way toward the settlement house. Nearing it, they saw soldiers coming out after checking the premises. They hid until the soldiers had moved on, then slipped into the house to retrieve their bags.
"You know Kavanagh?" Rodney asked the Professor.
"Yes, versions of him have caused havoc in many worlds. In one he started a suicide cult which spread over his world. In another, as a diplomat he incited a war between two peaceful countries," the Professor said.
"In our world, he started a cult for the purpose of bringing evil aliens from another galaxy. They were defeated and ended up killing him," John said.
"I should have broke his neck when I had the chance!" Ronon said. "Tho I know it isn't the same Kavanagh."
"We need to finish fixing these devices while we have the opportunity," the Professor said. Then he and Rodney got to work, while Ronon and John stood guard.
The speech was still droning on, when Ronon heard footsteps outside the door. He and John stood back as the door opened, guns aimed at whoever entered. But it was Hagger, Haster, and a young soldier. All put their hands in the air, then were relieved to see their new friends.
"This is my youngest son, Hander," the older man said. "It's a miracle we found him!"
"I wanted to come home, but I feared they would kill you both," he said. "I made a big mistake by joining them." The young man looked ashamed.
"I know a place where we can hide," said Hagger.
"It's worth it to have you back with us!" Haster agreed.
"The scientists are working on the devices," John told them.
"We have made an important discovery," the Professor said. "It has to do with the other dimensions previously accessed by the device."
"Like the record of addresses dialed by the Gate," Rodney said. "Actually it was my discovery, uh, well mostly," Rodney said.
The Professor glared at him, then said, "I will accompany you folks back to your world, then continue on to where I hope to meet up with my companions. It is possible to do it all with my device, provided you do not turn on your device," he emphasized, looking at Rodney.
"Of course I won't!" Rodney said indignantly, then launched into a lengthy explanation, cut short by John telling him to, "zip it!"
"Too bad you can't send Kavanagh to the dinosaur world," Ronon said.
"Hmm," the Professor said. "Let me think a moment." Then,"there is a way but someone would need to plant one of these crystals on him."
"I can do it," said Hander. "I am on personal guard duty tonight, which means I would sleep outside his door and check on him periodically thru the night. He is very paranoid! I have the key to his quarters."
"I don't want to lose you again!" cried his father."Please just come home!"
"No, I must do this! Wait for me!" said Hander, as he grabbed the small crystal and ran out the door, before his father could object again.
They waited anxiously for nearly an hour, Haster trying his best to comfort his father. The three teammates just wanted to get the hell out. The Professor tried to keep everyone calm.
Finally Hander came in the door. "I did it!" he said breathlessly. "I put the crystal in his pajama pocket. He will go straight to bed when he gets home. All that talking makes him tired!"
They left, heading back the way they came. The speech was still going, and no need to hide under the blanket as no traffic was on the road. The Professor closely monitored his device, watching for a small red light that would indicate the crystal was close enough to Kavanagh's body.
Arriving at the rock, they all climbed out, except the Professor. "Wait!" he said. Then, "got it!"
He climbed out of the vehicle, saying, "With any luck, Kavanagh should be meeting the dinosaurs!"
The men all shook hands, Hagger and his sons thanking them profusely for their help, and the four likewise thanking them for their help, and all wishing one another luck. Then the four men linked arms and shut their eyes.
Chapter 7
They woke up next to the familiar rock, but it looked different. It was covered in strange looking graffiti. "That looks like Wraith writing!" Rodney exclaimed.
"I don't think we're home!" John said.
"I must adjust the device a little more," the Professor said sadly. "I am so sorry! I thought sure this was the correct calibration." He opened the device and began examining some small crystals, similar to the one left for Kavanagh. Then he said "Ah! This is the problem."
The others were thankful the Professor had come with them, rather than sending them on alone. For once, Rodney made no complaints.
John wandered to where he could see Dave's house, exclaiming,"Crap! Look at this!"
Ronon joined him, saying, "What the hell?"
The ranch looked run down, showed damage, and was surrounded by a high fence, with a sign reading 'Keep Out Electric Fence.' The door opened and a man came out and stood on the porch, aiming a shotgun at them. "Go away!" he shouted. He looked disheveled and unhealthy.
"Dave!" John shouted back, as he and Ronon walked toward him, hands in the air.
"Don't come any closer!" he said.
"It's your brother John!"
Dave raised the shotgun, saying, "I don't know who you are, but my brother died along with everyone else when the Wraith destroyed Atlantis."
"Are the Wraith here on Earth?" John asked, dreading the answer.
"Wraith and their worshipers have taken over," he replied. "You must be living under a rock! They will get me but I will die fighting! They are coming now!" he said, and went back in the house.
They walked back to where Rodney and the Professor were working on the device. Chanting could be heard in the distance, some in Wraith, some in English. "Who's Earth? Our Earth!"
The two scientists worked as fast as possible, but the chanting came nearer, and the Professor said, "I need more time!"
"Come on," Ronon said. "Behind those bushes!"
John seemed in shock, and Ronon dragged him by his collar, saying, "There's nothing we can do, buddy. I'm sorry." He gave Rodney a shove to get him moving too. The Professor ran, holding tight to the device. They ducked behind the thick bushes as a mob of Wraith emerged, marching toward the ranch, chanting and shouting obscenities.
"Strange behavior for Wraith," Rodney said, and Ronon agreed. But as they watched, the men realized although their clothing was black, it was not the typical black leather coats. The hair appeared to be bleached or wigs, and the Wraith symbols on their faces were painted. Human Wraith worshipers! The mob finally passed and could be heard demanding entrance to the ranch and throwing things against the fence to short it out.
"Anyone have a torch? I need more light!" the Professor said. It was shady under the bushes and the parts of the device were small. No one answered, and he said, "I mean a flashlight!" Ronon pulled one from a coat pocket. "Thank you! I almost have it!" the Professor cried.
"Move it!" Ronon said, urging John and Rodney toward the rock. The Professor soon joined them, saying, "ready!" They again linked arms, and hoping for the best, shut their eyes against the flash of bright light.
Opening their eyes, they immediately saw the rock, void of writing. "I do hope we have slid to the correct reality," said the Professor.
Ronon was examining the ground, saying,"here's our footprints," as he put his foot into one of the largest prints. "Pig tracks too!"
Rodney picked something off the ground. "I knew I was missing an energy bar. We're home!"
Chapter 8
John's shock was replaced with relief, and he said, "Teyla, Amelia, and Dave must be worried sick."
"I must be leaving now," the Professor said.
"You're welcome to come with us for a rest before you go," John said.
"No, I want to catch up with my companions. I worry about their welfare."
They shook hands and wished one another well, especially wishing the Professor luck in reaching his destination. Then he was gone in a flash of light.
They began to run toward the ranch, but looking at his watch, Rodney exclaimed, "we have experienced a time dilation!"
"What?" Ronon said.
"Like in the Sanctuary where I was stuck for six months?" John asked.
"Yes!" Rodney answered. "We were gone a few days, but here it has only been two hours!"
"Then we can still have our pig roast!" Ronon said and took off into the trees, John following.
Rodney sighed, muttering, "cave men!"
He sat down under a tree and dozed, then woke with a start, hearing shots. He put the device, which had caused their "sliding" adventure, on the ground, and shot it several times, totally destroying it. Then he found a stick, dug a hole, and buried it, knowing it would never again cause a problem.
Soon John and Ronon returned, each carrying a large pig, but not the huge tusker. "The meat would be too tough," Ronon said.
"I heard a shot. Thought maybe you got one too," John said.
"No way!" Rodney answered. "I got rid of that device for good!"
"Shooting is the best solution!" Ronon said.
"Yuck! You both have pig blood on your clothes!" Rodney exclaimed.
Ronon had the pig slung over his shoulder, his coat over the other arm. "At least it's not on my coat," he said. "Let's go eat!"
Chapter 9
Arriving back at the ranch, Teyla and Amelia were preparing side dishes, and Dave was setting up a picnic table. They all looked at the men's clothing, wondering how they got so dirty and wrinkled in less then three hours.
"You look like you slept in your clothes!" Amelia commented.
"You don't smell too good either!" said Dave.
Rodney immediately went to clean up. They had decided not to tell what happened, at least until they got back home. Amelia and Teyla would not be shocked, but Dave would be.
"Try carrying a dead pig!" John answered, and he and Ronon went to clean the pigs. When they finished, they built a spit and started them roasting. Then they too headed for showers.
Amelia noticed Ronon's discarded shirt, with a large rip and blood, along with a bloody bandage. "What happened?" she asked, as he came out of the bathroom.
"Oh, we had an accident," he said, not meeting her eyes. "Nothing serious."
"Let me see your back," she said, knowing how reluctant Ronon was to admit he was injured.
"It's OK," he said, but she darted around behind him before he could back up.
"That is not OK!" she said, shocked. "You need to see a doctor."
"John cleaned it and put salve on. It will be OK. Just needs a new bandage," he replied.
Reluctantly, she cleaned and rebandaged the wound, still feeling he should see a doctor. She discovered some splinters and removed some, but others were in too deep. When she mentioned it, he said they would work their way out. She knew his mind was made up.
"What happened anyway?" Amelia again asked.
"Rodney tripped and fell, I tried to catch him and fell too," Ronon answered.
"Your clothes look like they got wet and dried on you," she said. "John's and Rodney's too."
"We fell in a river. John tried to catch us and fell in too. I fell on a rock," Ronon said.
"i didn't know there was a river that near," Amelia said.
"Um, it was a stream, a big one," Ronon said.
"Those splinters are not pieces of rock!" she said. "Why are you lying?"
Ronon felt foolish. "OK," he said, and told her the real story.
She hugged him, being careful of his back. "I'm glad I didn't know what was happening!"
"John doesn't want Dave to know, he's not used to stuff like that!"
Before everyone began eating, Teyla took Amelia aside. "I have a feeling something happened that the men are not telling us about. I noticed Ronon had a big rip in his shirt and a bloody bandage could be seen. They all look a little worse for wear and Rodney is limping. He said he hurt his toe, but without the usual drama."
"You're right," Amelia replied. "John doesn't want Dave to know. It would freak him out! He will tell you about it when we get home. I had to pry it out of Ronon. I don't like to nag but he should see a doctor. You know how he is about injuries!"
Teyla nodded, "I know exactly!"
But later on, after a few beers, Rodney began whining about his toe, and his bad luck falling down when that thing was after him. He immediately realized his slip of the tongue, but Dave caught it, asking,"what thing?" They ended up telling the whole story, and Dave was shocked. It boggled his mind!
"You must give me your word you will not tell anyone!" John said. "You know this is all classified!"
"Of course not!" Dave said emphatically. "Everyone would think I'm crazy!"
The next morning Ronon woke up with his back hurting. He tried to pretend like nothing was wrong, but Amelia knew he was not well. "You're running a fever," she said, feeling his forehead. Ronon knew it was true, but still balked at seeing a doctor.
"I'll be seeing Dr. Beckett when we get home," he said, tho that was over a week away.
Amelia called John and he came to their room, took a look at Ronon and said,"You're going to the hospital and that's a direct order."
Ronon scowled but agreed.
They all went to the nearest town's emergency room, Ronon still looking pissed. The doctor did not want them all in the exam room, but Ronon glared at him and he relented.
"What happened ?" the doctor asked.
"I fell," Ronon answered.
"You have a deep abrasion plus severe bruising," the doctor said. "The xray shows no spinal damage, but the wound is infected from splinters."
"Then get them out," Ronon said.
The doctor deadened the area with local anesthetic, which Ronon objected to, but the doctor insisted. "Looks like tree bark," he exclaimed.
"Guess I fell on a log," Ronon said.
The doctor shook his head. He gave Ronon an antibiotic shot and pills, and ibuprofen for pain and fever. "Come back tomorrow if it isn't improved."
The doctor xrayed Rodney's foot, diagnosed his toe with only bruising, and retaped it.
John told Ronon they would all sit on him and force the pills down if he didn't take them willingly. Ronon laughed inwardly, fully intending to take them. He raised an eyebrow and whispered to Amelia that he would take them if she sat on him. She poked him in the ribs, and he let out a high pitched "OW," imitating Rodney, who was not amused.
Ronon's back healed nicely with no complications. Rodney complained about his toe for the next month. They enjoyed the fresh pork, Dave putting the remainder in his freezer. They all relaxed, with no problems, returning to Atlantis refreshed. Dave and John felt a closer bond.
Epilogue
Kavanagh was tired after the long speech, but very pleased with himself. He was escorted back to his lavish quarters by two soldiers, and surprised that the night duty soldier was not at his door. "Find the man, order him punished, and send another for night duty!" he told them angrily. "Yes Leader," they said, hurrying to obey.
Entering his bedroom, he saw his pajamas laid out on the bed as usual. He quickly undressed, put them on, and lay down. He felt a small hard object in the pocket. The a bright light blinded him. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, feeling hard ground beneath him rather than his soft bed. As his vision cleared, he realized he was surrounded by trees. He heard a chittering sound, and the tree branches began to sway. A reptilian head poked out from the foliage, followed by a large lizard body. Several more of the creatures joined it. They chittered, then charged. Kavanagh screamed and fainted.