Chapter 1
Jack and his team stood before the shimmering event horizon with the base doctor, Janet Frasier as they readied to escort the doctor off world with medication for a small village struck down by E. Coli in the water supply. Armed with medication and water treatment chemicals today's mission was that of humanitarian aid which was a welcomed change for the team. The Colonel's lip curled up as he looked upon Janet in her green battle dress uniform. The doctor was so short that to the towering Colonel, she seemed much like a kid in uniform, which he found amusing.
Jack asked, "Ready Frasier?"
She double checked her gear, "I got everything." She looked to the team, "Remember to not drink any untreated water off world." She feared they would get sick as well.
Sam assured, "I got the tablets and I brought a testing kit too. We will get this under control." She glanced at Daniel, Teal'c and Jack as they would need to assist in treating the contaminated water.
Jack stated, "Trust me…I'm not playing in poop water."
Daniel stated, "You would be surprised how many counties still have dysentery infections even today. Water treatment facilities virtually eliminated that issue in western countries. Which is why the USA and other western countries were called first world countries. Which many do not know." he quipped.
"Thanks for the history lesson, Daniel." Jack rolled his eyes.
He insisted, "Plumbing is what sets countries apart. Not so much the military, Jack."
"Whatever Daniel." His head rolled back annoyed.
He sounded, "I think people take our water treatment facilities for granted. Most never been to a place where you have to go fetch water in a bucket from a local well."
Jack's head bobbed, "I know." He didn't care to discuss water treatment at the time. "Let's go!" he ordered. Teal'c then walked through the event horizon first followed by Sam, Daniel Janet and then finally Jack.
1859
Upon emerging from the wormhole Jack found himself standing in the dark. He grabbed his flashlight to look about. The team discovered they were in a cave before a smaller sized Star Gate.
Sam had turned and shined her light on the little gate before them. She stated, "We're not on PX7070. Where are we?" Her mind then estimated, "That gate is about, what? Eight feet tall?"
Daniel found the dial home device nearby. He noticed it was covered with dust, "This hasn't been used in a while." he mentioned.
Janet blinked for her mission was to deliver medications to sick villagers not end up in same cave someplace. "Where are we?" she wondered. "What happened?"
Sam replied, "I'm not sure what happened yet." She explored the back of the Star Gate. "This one is set up a little different from ours." she noted.
Teal'c had spied a light at the end of the tunnel. He walked forward to explore and find out just where they were. He came to the mouth of the cave and called back, "O'Neill."
Jack soon made his way to the mouth of the cave as well with Daniel right behind him. He looked outside to find a bright sunny day, with clear blue skies and dry environment with hills and canyons in the distance.
Daniel pushed his glasses up, "Seem to be in what looks like the Mid West. I wonder planet we are on?"
"Don't know." Jack confessed.
Sam called from the Star Gate, "Sir!"
Jack then turned and led Daniel and Teal'c back to the smaller Gate. "What ya got, Carter?" he asked.
"We're still on Earth." she reported her findings from the computer. "The wormhole hit some kind of anomaly. I don't think it was a solar flare but something winged us around the sun and back to earth. Just like that solar flare did that brought us to 1969."
"So where are we then?" Jack asked concerned.
"We are on Earth but I have no idea if we are in our time or not. We won't know unless we go out there and find out." she figured.
Janet sighed, "This doesn't sound good."
Jack assured, "We will figure it out. Least we're not surrounded by guards and Hammond is helping save our asses after Daniel got us accused of being Russians." He glanced at his friend.
Daniel smirked, "Could be worse. Could be hippies."
Janet tried to lighten the mood. "I wouldn't mind seeing the Colonel dressed as a hippie."
"Funny Frasier." he replied not amused.
Teal'c called again from the mouth of the cave. "O'Neill."
The team followed Jack back to the mouth over looking the scenic area. Off in the distance they spied two Indian scouts in horseback. Jack squinted, "Indians!" he then looked to Sam, "Carter!"
"We could be anywhere at any time." she reminded him.
Daniel reached for his binocular and brought it up to his eyes. He focused, "Look like Shoshone." He then realized they had a prisoner, "They have a guy walking behind them tied to a rope."
Jack also gathered his binoculars and assessed the situation, "Looks like cowboys and Indians down there."
Daniel stated, "And that man will die. They will kill him. Must be his horse that has the western saddle."
"Why not just scalp him now?" Jack wondered. "Why make his walk?"
"They could see him as some value." he stated. "Not sure what that value is yet. He looks like a teenager to me."
Jack looked at his team, "Do we save him? He's a kid."
Daniel cautioned, "I don't see any rifles. Indians in the 1880's used lever actions. Must be earlier than that. If we open fire it will be a massacre for the natives."
Teal'c also cautioned, "We only have the ammunitions we brought with us. We may not be able to get ammunition."
Sam stated, "We could be interfering with history if we do."
Jack waved his arm, "He's a kid, Carter."
Janet spoke, "History or not! I'm not about to standby and watch some teenage boy get slaughtered."
Jack came up with a plan to save the young man. "We go down to the right, cut the them off at the pass. Fire a few warning shots and see if we can scare the Indians off and free that kid." He looked at his team. "Unless someone has a better plan."
Daniel shook his head, "I speak Shoshone. Maybe I can talk with them?"
Jack cocked an eyebrow, "You really think they will listen?"
He had to admit, "Probably not."
"Let's go!" gave an order.
They soon filtered out of the cave and made their way through the bush.
The young man dragged his feet as he was forced to walk behind the horses with his hands tied. He had dark hair and blue eyes. Stubble began to appear on his youthful dirt covered face. His blue shirt was drenched in sweat and covered in dirt as were his brown trousers. His hat lay across his back as it was tethered around his neck with the cord. He caught a gleam of movement in the corner of his eye. He looked around wondering if another tribe was about to ambush him as well. He wished he could grab his revolver but the scouts had taken it from him leaving him with just his holster and belt. He wondered if his friends would make it in time to rescue him and had he doubted that he would ever see the girl he loved ever again. His job riding for the Pony Express paid well at twenty five dollars a week but at that time he wondered if the money was worth it.
Up ahead he heard a voice and then spied a man dressed all in green wearing a black vest and holding something black in his hands. He wasn't sure what the device was but it did resemble some kind of gun to him.
Jack stood on a rock and shouted out, "Hey Tonto!"
Daniel and Sam traded glances as they took their positions. They knew Jack would say something silly and he did not fail to deliver.
The two scouts came to a halt. They looked at one another and then at Jack. The were most confused.
Jack held the P-90 tight and switched the select fire to three shot burst. He squeezed the trigger. Three shots fired into the air automatically.
The two scouts scrambled to defend themselves. One grabbed his bow and arrow and the other leveled the young rider's revolver onto Jack.
The scout holding the revolver stated in broken English, "White man's thunder."
Teal'c popped up from behind a bush and opened fire with his P-90 rifle but only fired one shot at the scout's hand holding the revolver. He missed the hand and hit the side of the revolver barrel knocking it from his grip.
Daniel, Sam and Janet all then exposed their positions and the scouts realized they were surrounded.
Jack stated, "Oh' good! You speak English. You have no idea how grateful I am for that. Now, you two will let that young fella go." He found himself imitating a slight western accent as he spoke.
Daniel rolled his eyes for Jack was grateful that he could speak directly to the scouts without a translator.
The two scouts looked about. They deemed the fight would be futile against the white man's weapons. The second scout grabbed a knife and cut the rope that tethered the young man to the horse.
The Pony Express rider walked over the retrieved his revolver from the ground and looked it over for a brief second. He found it was still functional. He then cocked the hammer and leveled it on the scout, "My horse too!" He demanded the horse be cut free.
The scout sneered by complied and cut the rope that secure the brown and white pattern pony.
"And the pouch." he demanded.
The other scout threw a leather pouch to the ground in disgust.
"Now get!" he instructed the scouts.
Before leaving the first scout warned, "Stay off Shoshone land." The two scouts then rode away not wanting to test the fire power of the strange weapons.
The young man looked upon his unusual rescuers. "I'm mighty obliged for that." He gave them a nod of respect. "Might I ask just where you are from?"
Jack smirked, "Some place far away." He jumped down from the rock and introduced himself, "I'm Jack. You are?"
"Folks call me 'Kid'." he informed gathering his horse. He checked the wound to the horses front shoulder and then turned his attention to the animal, "It's okay girl. We will get ya stitched up at the station."
Daniel cocked his head and asked, "What's in that pouch you were willing to kill for?"
"The mail." he reported.
He blinked, "Do you work for the Pony Express?"
"I do." he confirmed. "Then scouts ambushed me. I'm grateful to ya fellers for helping. Just what are you fellas? Some kind of army?"
"Could say that." Jack nodded and looked over to Daniel as he realized they were indeed back in the Old West. "Pony Express, huh?" He asked the young man.
"Yes sir." he confirmed.
Daniel winced, "Would you mind telling us what year it is, Kid?"
He found the request odd but then again he found the team very odd as well. He replied, "It's the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty nine."
Jack cocked an eyebrow and looked directly at Sam, "Eighteen fifty nine."
She winced, "That's possible."
Kid noticed how lost they seemed. He asked, "Ya' all heading where?"
"Don't know yet." Jack told him.
He offered, "I'm on my way back to the station house. You are welcome to come with me. Katie has to walk. You have mounts?" He looked about for more horses but found none.
"No," Jack shook his head. He then looked to Sam, "How close are we to going home, Carter?"
"It will be a while." she figured.
Daniel spoke, "Jack! We are in Indian territory. That cave is in Indian territory. If we stay we will be met with resistance. Those scouts will come back with warriors. We have to leave!"
"The Gate is in the cave, Daniel." he rebutted.
"And we cannot get to it without a fight." he insisted.
Kid stood puzzled, "Gate?" He had no idea what the strangers were talking about.
Janet spoke up, "Daniel is right, sir. We cannot stay. Those two natives did not look happy and if they come back with an army…we will not be able to repel that."
"Alright!" Jack agreed. He then looked to his young friend, "Where is this station house, Kid?"
"This way." he motioned for the group to follow in the direction of which he came.