The thundering of hooves was bouncing off the canyon walls, as the blazing sun was sinking in the trail of a pink and mauve sky.

"Quick, beam me up, Scotty. I said, beam me up!"

From around a huge bolder came a voice replying, "Who are you talking to?"

Capt. Kirk snaps his receiver shut and is putting it in his pants' pocket when a large man, wearing a large cowboy hat, riding on a horse, appears from behind the bolder.

"Well now, like I said, who are you talking to? There is no one else around us as far as an eagle can fly!"

"And who might you be, riding that magnificent animal?" Kirk asked.

"Well now, seems I asked you a question first. Cat got your tongue there, little man?"

"Could you get down off your high horse and talk to me face to face, let's get these answers straightened out. My name's Captain Kirk and I'm standing here because of a wrong entry made into my receiver."

The man on the horse lands on his feet as he dismounts and replies, "Now hold your horses there, little man. There's no need for a wise tail, I'm not here to harm you. My name's Wayne, John Wayne, and you're on my property."

"Sorry about that. I'm not here intentionally," Kirk answered.

"Sorry don't get it done, dude," Wayne replied. "Only reason I rode over here, is to check that there's no bush fire started from that flash of lightning that I saw a few minutes ago. Then I heard you calling out to some guy, Scotty, but I don't see anyone," says Wayne.

"Another place, another time. You know, boldly go, where no man has gone before," Kirk replied.

"Now hold on there pilgrim. You talking in riddles," says Wayne, with a puzzled look on his face.

"Sorry again. I'm just not used to your customs. I'm just trying to get back to my ship," Kirk explained.

"Ship? Now I know you're plumb off your rocker! There's no water around here for two days of riding!"

"Not that kind of ship," Kirk exclaimed.

Just then, Kirk's receiver starts beeping. Wayne's hand goes for his gun, as Kirk pulls out the receiver from his pants' pocket. Kirk flips open the receiver as he explains to Wayne, "Now there's no need to get excited. It's just a message from my crew."

"You crazy, little man. Well I outta plug you full of lead, right here and now," Wayne replies.

Suddenly a voice comes through the receiver, "Capt. Kirk, you ready for transport?"

"Yes, there's no time like the present, Scotty, beam me up."

Lightning bolts flash through the sky and with a roll of thunder, John Wayne is standing in the middle of the landing platform of Capt. Kirk's ship. His hat falls to the floor and his mouth is hanging open.

"Well I outta....."