Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone in Tok'ra Flats. You know who you are.

that night in tok'ra flats

That evening in Tok'ra Flats, Colonel Jack O'Neill, late of the Union Army and now Sheriff O'Neill settled his broadcloth suit coat over his good shirt and string tie. He was in his hotel room on the second floor of the Restaurant/Hotel/Saloon `The Emerald City' in their new `home' of Tok'ra Flats. Several hours later, after their arrival in the town and inspecting his new office in the Jail, the blacksmith's shop and finally Dr. Fraiser's office he'd been able to clean the hard-caked dirt from his body and take a short siesta. He had the room to himself for now and he had enjoyed sleeping on a real bed even if just for a few uninterrupted hours. Daniel, his `roommate' was now out getting cleaned up at the `bath-house that stood separate from the hotel. The young man was pretty civilized considering his teenaged years was spent with the Indians, though O'Neill had to admit the Cherokees that he knew were as educated as some `white' men and a damned sight more so than a lot of others. Years ago when he'd met Daniel, he had been told a hunting party had found the boy in Texas after his parents had been killed by either Comanche Indians or possibly Comancheros. The Cherokee had taken him home with them to their lands in Oklahoma where he was raised as one of their own. O'Neill had met him there during his duties in the Texas Rangers and become fast friends. Jack had left him safely behind when he returned to his home state of Illinois to join up with the Union Calvary during the civil war.

After the war Jackson had heard that O'Neill had been captured and the young man had gone to get his friend and mentor from the Georgia Hell hole of the Confederate POW camp. After his little stay in Andersonville, Jack needed the freedom and openness of the range. So, he'd retired after the war and `Gone To Texas' in search of a new life. He'd discovered that his young friend Jackson had been recently widowed and also needed a change of scenery. While in Texas O'Neill had been approached by General Hammond to come and serve as sheriff in the small town of Tok'ra Flats. This job of lawman had been a godsend to the Footloose and emotionally spent man. He'd needed a purpose in life but didn't want to see anymore `Military Action'.

O'Neill had met Major General Hammond, late of Texas, before the war when they'd both served in the Rangers. Hammond's own son had chosen to fight for the South where he'd been killed in the fighting in Georgia. This type of family split had been all too common during the war, but with his son's death, George had taken his daughter-in-law and two granddaughters under his protection and brought them with him to this new place in the territories. The double-handful of soldiers that formed the military portion of their people had been hand picked by the General. Hammond himself had selected Major Louis Ferretti; a second generation Italian American from New York and his squad of hand picked soldiers formed the rest of their company. They were all professional soldiers and good fighters able to both take commands and make difficult decisions in the field.

Then there were the scientists, inventors and engineers. Dave Siler was a blacksmith and a mechanical genius. The tall Irishman from Pennsylvania not only could duplicate anything anyone could think of, but he could envision and create amazing inventions all his own. He'd actually made a working buggy that ran without a horse. It operated on steam, like a train engine. Walter Davis, a Mid-westerner like O'Neill himself, had a talent for working with the actual forces of nature. The man could make metal, like steel, actually `attract` other metals! And he was presently trying to get the power of lightening and the sun and use them to give energy to several different inventions of his own, like a little ball of glass to make it glow so dark could be light! Then, the youngster Graham Simmons, who would have been top of his class at West Point if he hadn't been born in Virginia, who could make gunpowder and nitroglycerin along with other amazing things like sticks that would burn for many hours after they'd been ignited. These men Hammond had seen at work during the war and he had brought the scientific engineers with them to help solve the mysteries of this new western land.

O'Neill had picked and gathered the civilians in the group that formed the rest of their people. Dr. Janet Fraiser and her adopted daughter had come to set up a medical practice. Jack had met her while she was working in a Union Army Hospital. Women doctors were still new but he'd found out early in his own experiences that talent and skill didn't depend upon ones sex to be qualified. And Fraiser had a touch that few other doctors could equal. The other woman that had come with them was someone he'd `discovered' on a war-ravaged plantation in Georgia. A young woman, well educated and gently raised, Samantha Carter was the daughter of an old acquaintance of both Hammonds. Gen Jacob Carter had been fighting for the south and had not returned to his land and what was left of his family. So instead of leaving the beautiful young woman alone to fend off the rough men traveling through the debased south, he and Daniel had convinced her to leave what was left of her family lands and come west with them. Later they had discovered that Carter had an unusual talent herself. She would see and manipulate numbers in her mind as if she were looking at them on a piece of paper. This skill had turned out to be of great value when combined with that of some of General Hammond's experts Siler, Davis or Simmons. The black warrior Teal'c had been a surprise all around. He had been with Samantha Carter on her place, protecting her from the mobs as much as he could alone. After the emancipation proclamation, Carter had freed all her slaves but he'd refused to leave her alone and defenseless. Turned out he'd been born free in Africa and not enslaved until well past the legal importation of blacks from Africa. The man had once been a warrior and a sub-chief in his tribe. He had known the joys of freedom and the agony of servitude. And now he'd also set out with their group to find a place where he could live free.

Together they made up a unique group of talented and skilled people. And they'd come here to Tok'ra Flats to explore some unusual rumors that had been filtering back east. Stories about `magic doorways' and mirrors that showed you things other than your own reflection. About people who could appear and then disappear without a trace and a race of people who lived in the mountains with special powers and eyes that glowed.

O'Neill heard Daniel's foot steps in the hallway. Finally the young man scratched on the outside of the door. He knew Jack was a little spooky on someone walking in on him and always took precautions to let his friend know who it was. "Come on in Danny. I hear you."

The door opened quietly and the younger man slipped in. "You look better." He commented.

"And you smell better." Jack replied easily. "Those buckskins of yours have developed a life of their own." Daniel was now wearing Levis and his `store-bought' shirt. He was barefoot, as he hadn't put his boots back on.

"Yes, but they will be difficult to replace." Jackson smiled at O'Neill. "I will have to find a tribe that I can barter with to get another."

"You can wear regular clothes Daniel. You are actually white, you know." It was a long-standing joke between them.

"Actually, Jack I'm sort of a tanned color, as are you. I have never seen a really `white' skinned man before."

"Yea, I know. But if you dress like regular folk, you'll get into more places." Referring back to times when Daniel had been refused entrance into a saloon or hotel because he was `Injun'.

"Places that won't let me in because of my skin color or way I dress, I do not want to enter." He looked at Jack. "That is why I like it here. The woman owner made it a point to say all of us were welcome here."

The older man nodded. "I liked that too. Speaking of women, are our women here?" He asked.

"Janet, Cassie and Sam are staying in the large corner room. I believe Sally and the two girls are staying at the General Store."

"Well, the two little ones probably should be staying at a quieter place." He nodded. "How about Teal'c?"

"He doesn't like to share a room, so I'm not sure he's here. But I know the woman had a place for him if he wanted it."

"Well, I don't want him sleeping in the barn again.... or you either. Damn it Daniel, you've both got to start acting more...normal."

"As do you. If you continue to suffer lack of sleep and nightmares, you won't be safe to be around." Daniel sat down and started putting on his socks and boots. "You will shoot someone who startles you."

"Well, with a little work, we'll be able to move into those quarters at the Sheriffs office. Teal'c can stay there with us, unless you want to get your own place."

"Maybe later, when we are established here." Daniel grinned at him. "I'm not sure you can safely be left alone yet."

They could hear the noises from downstairs, the voices of the men and someone was playing a guitar, maybe Ferretti. Chances are that Siler would show up with his banjo. This group got along well and all of them had seen the hard side of life. They appreciated any time they could get together for a little relaxation and fun. Then they heard a different sound. Daniel looked to Jack. "Sounds like a mandolin." O'Neill replied. "Let's go down and find out."

As they arrived down in the `dining' room of the saloon, they could see that it was the beginnings of a happy gathering. The two previously identified musicians were there plus the addition of a small dark complexioned man with the mandolin. He and Ferretti were sitting next to each other speaking in another language. But then Miz. Debi called to him and he regretfully went back to the long table where all the food was laid out. It was a veritable feast after what they'd been eating on the trail. Roast meat of some kind, boiled potatoes, some cornbread and some greens boiled with bacon in them. Debi, Mayor Angel, Sam Carter, Cassie and some other women they hadn't met yet were manning the serving line. The musician must be the cook as he was bringing out what appeared to be a desert of some kind. Janet Fraiser was helping Sally Hammond with her two little ones and the General and some others of their group were seated and starting to eat. The Saloon owner spoke to the Mayor and pointed her over to the General's table. Sam Carter waived at the two men that came down the stairs.

Jack stopped at the center landing and announced. "This...now this is a welcome." He turned and smiled at Daniel.

The younger man nodded. "The last time I saw something like this was at a Cherokee wedding."

The two went on down the stairs and got in line. Debi served them both large slabs of the roast, and they worked their way down the line. When they got to Sam at the end, she pointed to another table. "There are drinks over there, Colonel. Beer, sarsaparilla, apple cider and some local drink. They make tea, water it down and pour it over ice. It's really nice." She looked at Daniel, "They put honey in it when it's still warm so it's sweet."

"Hum, sounds interesting. Thanks."

Jack looked at her. "Beer you said?"

She grinned at him. "Beer. In the keg."

He nodded. "Beer."

They went and retrieved their drinks and sat down at the table with the General and the Mayor. Teal'c was already there and was eating as well.

"This is really nice, Mayor. Thank you." The General started to thank her.

"Oh, we're just so glad to have you." Miz. Angel said. "It's such a relief not to have to worry about things getting out of hand around here again."

"What seems to be the main problem?" O'Neill asked.

"Well, we have the cowhands. I'd mentioned them." She nodded. "We're close enough to Mexico to be targets for the Comancheros when they're having a drought down there and can't steal anything at home. But our main problem is that it's pretty well known that a lot of our men went back east to fight in the war. So there's a lot of women here alone. Some of us, Debi for instance, can handle a rifle or a handgun as good as most men. But there are a lot of us that can't handle ourselves as well." She shook her head ruefully. "I'm afraid we've gotten the reputation of being easy pickings for any down and out ne'er-do-well."

Sam, Cassie and Miz Debi arrived with their plates and sat down at the large round table with them. "Talking about me again C.A?" The saloon owner teased the Mayor.

"Actually, she was telling us about your problems here in town and that you're pretty capable of taking care of yourself." Daniel put in.

"Well, growing up on a ranch in Texas, you learn to shoot varmints early, both the four-legged kind and the two-legged kind." She shrugged. "Not anything special."

"Any Indian problems?" Daniel asked a leading question.

She looked at him suspiciously. "Nary a one. Indians have enough problems of their own to worry us." She continued "We've got a few down the road at the Mission, some orphans and old ones. A couple of us go down and teach when we can or help doctor them when they're sick or hurt."

"Daniel was raised by the Cherokee." O'Neill put in. "He speaks quite a few dialects."

"I'd be happy to help as much as I'm able." The younger man volunteered.

"My husband is half Cherokee." Debi said quietly. "He went east to the war. He hasn't come back yet, but I'm still waiting." She forced a smile. "The Padres will be happy for your help, Daniel. They need to learn to read and write so they can interact with white businessmen."

Daniel nodded. "Yes, I've seen quite a bit of problems with trade. The business types seem to think that Indians are fools or just plain stupid. There is much to be learned on both sides of the intercultural barriers."

Jack had to smile at Debi's expression towards Daniel. "Yes, Ma'am. He's way smarter than he lets on. I think he likes to wear the buckskins to keep everyone unaware of just how much smarter he is."

Daniel looked affronted. "I wear them because they're comfortable."

"Well, for whatever reasons you have, young Daniel, I believe you are going to teach a lot of people a thing or two in your lifetime." She looked around. "As is everyone else I've met in your group will."

Mayor Angel got up from the table and went to the front of the big room. She was carrying a glass of Apple Cider. She took the center of Dancehall floor.

"Citizens of Tok'ra Flats and our Guests from back east. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you all most gratefully to our little township. We are glad you are here with us now and hope that your arrival is the beginning of a new age of peace, friendship and prosperity for all of us. Welcome!"

General Hammond stood up at the table and raised his glass of beer in return. "Mayor Angel, we can only accept your welcome and second your good wishes. We are here to protect and assist in whatever manner we can. Thank you for your warm welcome and your gracious hospitality."

Miz Debi stood up at the table. "One of the things that we have discovered tonight that we hold in common is that there is both the love of good music and the ability to play it. Luigi Nopoli, my friend, bartender and sometime entertainer has discovered some kindred spirits in our new friends. So if they will be so kind."

The small dark gentleman came back up to the center stage and picked up his mandolin. Dave Siler came shyly out of the group of newcomers carrying his banjo and finally Louis Ferretti appeared with his guitar. They settled down as old friends and talked amongst themselves then began to play the old Irish ballad, `Oh Danny-boy' with Siler singing the lead tenor.

Later that evening, O'Neill made his way out of the crowd. He went out onto the boardwalk that lined both sides of the street. He looked down towards the end of town lost in thought. After a while he heard a soft scratch on a wooden banister. "Come on Daniel, I hear you."

"Well, Jack. I'd say it's been a successful evening." The younger man came out of the shadows to stand beside his best friend.

"Yes." Jack agreed. "Yes, I'd have to agree with you."

A feminine voice spoke up softly. "The people here are very nice, Colonel."

Jack turned to smile at Sam Carter. "Yes, they are."

And the expected deep tones of Teal'c added. "They are different in the way they view strangers, O'Neill. It is very unusual."

"You can say that again, Teal'c." Daniel answered for Jack. "I hope that it stays that way."

"Well Daniel, Teal'c, Carter. I suppose it will be up to us to keep it this way." O'Neill gestured towards the dark street. "There are a lot of things out there, a lot of people, who would like to change it. It'll be our job here to keep it peaceable and friendly and safe. But I do think we've got what we need to do it."

Another presence was felt as Mayor Angel came out onto the walk to stand with the `team'. "We of Tok'ra Flats trust that you have got what we need, Sheriff. We believe you have the right people for the job. We certainly know that we have the right Sheriff. Thank you for coming."

Sheriff O'Neill looked around at his friends and teammates. "We'll do our best, Ma'am. We'll do our very best."

The end (for now)