In th? v?st ?xp?ns? ?f N??th ?m??ic?, wh??? th? p??i?i?s st??tch ??t ?n??? ?n ?n?l?ss sky ?n? th? win? c???i?s st??i?s ?c??ss th? pl?ins, liv?? ? l?n? c?wb?y n?m?? J?ck.

H? w?s ? m?n ?f th? W?st, ?cc?st?m?? t? th? wi?? ?p?n sp?c?s ?n? st??lit nights.

?n? ??y, ?s h? ???? th???gh th? ??lling hills, s?m?thing ?n?s??l c??ght his ?y?.

?t ??sk, wh?n th? sky w?s p?int?? with h??s ?f ???ng? ?n? pink, J?ck sp?tt?? ?n ??? gl?w in th? ?ist?nc?.

Th? cl?s?? h? g?t, th? m??? int?ns? th? gl?w b?c?m? ?ntil h? ?isc?v???? th? s???c? ?f th? ph?n?m?n?n.

?n t?p ?f ? hill, J?ck f??n? ? st??ng? m?t?llic ?bj?ct, gl??ming in th? f??ing s?nlight.

H? ?pp???ch?? c??ti??sly, his ?y?s fix?? ?n this ?ni??ntifi?? ?bj?ct th?t s??m?? c?mpl?t?ly ??t ?f pl?c? in th? wil? l?n?sc?p? ?f th? W?st.

S????nly, ? h?tch ?p?n?? ?n th? si?? ?f th? ?bj?ct, ??v??ling ? m?t?llic l????? ??sc?n?ing t? th? g???n?.

f???l?ssly, J?ck ?pp???ch?? f??th?? ?n? w?s ?st?nish?? t? s?? st??ng? c???t???s ??sc?n?ing f??m th? c??ft.

Th?s? ?xt??t????st?i?ls h?? ? h?m?n?i? ?pp????nc?, b?t th?i? skin h?? ? silv??y h??, ?n? th?i? ?y?s ?mitt?? ?n ?th??w??l?ly gl?w.

Th? ?xt??t????st?i?ls, ????lly s??p?is?? t? ?nc??nt?? ? l?n? c?wb?y in th? mi??l? ?f n?wh???, ?tt?mpt?? t? c?mm?nic?t? with J?ck ?sing light sign?ls ?n? st??ng? s??n?s.

Th??gh th? l?ng??g? b???i?? w?s ?vi??nt, J?ck ?n???st??? th?t th?s? b?ings h?il?? f??m ?n?th?? pl?n?t ?n? s??m?? t? b? p??c?f?l.

With??t h?sit?ti?n, J?ck p?ll?? ??t his c?m??? f??m his s???l?b?g ?n? c?pt???? ? ph?t? ?f this ?xt?????in??y ?nc??nt??, f???zing th? m?m?nt wh?n tw? w??l?s m?t ?t twilight.

Th? ?li?ns s??m?? f?scin?t?? by this st??ng? ??vic?, ?n? J?ck ???liz?? th?t, ??spit? th?i? ?iff???nc?s, ? c??t?in ?n???st?n?ing ?n? c??i?sity ?nit?? th?m.

?ft?? ? m?m?nt ?f sil?nt ?xch?ng?, th? ?xt??t????st?i?ls b?????? th?i? sp?c?c??ft, s??l?? th? h?tch, ?n? g??c?f?lly lift?? ?ff, ?is?pp???ing int? th? st??lit sky.

J?ck ??m?in?? th???, ?w?st??ck by this imp??b?bl? ?nc??nt?? in th? h???t ?f th? wil? W?st.

??t??ning t? civiliz?ti?n, J?ck sh???? his st??y with sk?ptics ?n? th? c??i??s ?lik?.

Th? ph?t? h? c?pt???? ??ickly b?c?m? ? s?ns?ti?n, ???wing w??l?wi?? ?tt?nti?n t? this inc???ibl? ?v?nt.

J?ck, ?n th? ?th?? h?n?, c?ntin??? his ??v?nt???s in th? W?st, c???ying with him th? in??libl? m?m??y ?f his ?nc??nt?? with b?ings f??m b?y?n?, ???p in th? v?st ?xp?ns?s ?f N??th ?m??ic?.