Summary[]

1889: A US ranger, John Dawson, is injured in an encounter with some outlaws and takes refuge in a cage, ending up on an alien planet. He leaves some of his belongings behind before leaving the cave and heading back to Earth.

Five hundred years later, Picard, Data and Crusher attend an archaeological dig on the planet Equinox in the Federation/Cardassian Neutral Zone. They discover Dawson's old bag and evidence that Equinox was inhabited by the Hopi Indians, who used the cave to migrate to Earth. The group then come under attack from an old Cardassian adversary of Picard's, Dusac, who plans to take revenge for his past disgrace and has arranged so they are on the planet without permission. Picard is able to hold the Cardassians off with Dawson's old revolver until the group use the cave to travel to Earth. There, Picard arranges to deliver Dawson's bag to his descendant, a Starfleet captain.

References[]

Characters[]

Beverly Crusher • Data • John Dawson • Dawson • Dusac • Elsa • Dutch Hardin • Vic Hastings • Jack Hayes • Jean-Luc Picard

Referenced only

Jim Allen • Daniel Biggs • Bowman • Kokopelli

Starships and vehicles[]

Locations[]

Equinox

Races and cultures[]

Android • Cardassian • Human

States and organizations[]

Other references[]

acoustics • Pagliacci

Chronology[]

Appendices[]

Connections[]

published order
Previous story: Bluff	Strange New Worlds V	Next story: Efflorescence
chronological order
Previous Adventure: Pathways Chapter 12, Sections 2-5	Pocket	Next Adventure: Proud Helios
The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2371. The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in one other timeframe:
Previous Adventure: Martyr 500 Years Ago	1889 Sections 1 and 3 1929 Section 6	Next Adventure: Triptych 1930