Abyss/Transcript

Episode Guide

 * 6.06 "Abyss" Episode Guide

Transcript
TEASER

FADE IN

VOICEOVER Previously on Stargate SG-1.

Scenes from "Frozen"

FRAISER (about O'Neill) He's burning up. From what I've been able to learn so far, sir, the virus ultimately acts like cerebrospinal meningitis by attacking the brain.

THORAN The symbiote, Kanan, is someone I know well. I have no doubt that he would be willing to blend with O'Neill, cure him, and then leave him again if another suitable host can be found.

CARTER (to O'Neill) Sir, the symbiote's host died while they were on a mission. The Tok'ra have strong reason to believe that the symbiote has vital information to reveal and this would give him that chance. Sir&hellip;please&hellip;

[O'Neill is in a rescue pod which is being carried by Carter, Thoran, Teal'c, Jonas, and two medics. They carry him through the Stargate.]

END FLASHBACKS

EXT&mdash;UNKNOWN PLANET

[It is nighttime. Two people, a male and female, are running through wooded area. They are being chased by Jaffa. A Stargate is seen in the distance with light from campfires from around the Gate.]

WOMAN It's too far.

[The woman stumbles and falls. The man returns to her and kneels beside her.]

WOMAN I can't&hellip;

MAN (Tok'ra voice) Hide here until the Chappa-ai is activated. Go!

[They both get up and move in different directions.The man continues on to the Stargate, splashing through puddles and begins dialing the DHD. A staff blast hits his right shoulder and he falls to the ground, face down. He is struggling to get up, but is unable to do so. Seconds later, a symbiote falls out of his mouth and scurries away. The man continues to try and crawl away, but his hand is stepped on by a Jaffa.]

JAFFA Shek'mal, Tok'ra. Kree! Jaffa&hellip;Shal Kek.

[Another Jaffa rolls the man over to reveal that it is O'Neill, who appears to be unconscious.]

FADE OUT

END TEASER&mdash;OPENING CREDITS

INT&mdash;BA'AL'S FORTRESS&mdash;SARCOPHAGUS

[The sarcophagus opens to reveal a slowly awakening O'Neill. A shadowed face peers into the sarcophagus as O'Neill peers back.]

VOICE (off camera) The host lives, my lord.

INT&mdash;SGC CONTROL ROOM

[As alarm klaxons blare, a monitor indicates that a Tok'ra signal is being received. Hammond descends the stairs from his office into the control room. He walks up to Sergeant Davis, who is manning the computer.]

SGT. DAVIS It's the Tok'ra.

HAMMOND It's about damn time.

[Hammond exits to the Gate room as Thoran walks through the Stargate.]

INT&mdash;GATEROOM

[Hammond approaches Thoran as he descends the ramp.]

HAMMOND (to SFs) Stand down.

THORAN General Hammond.

HAMMOND Councilor Thoran. I'm afraid my patience on this matter has just about run out. You've been promising the safe return of Colonel O'Neill for days. Where is he?

THORAN I'm afraid I am the bearer of bad news.

INT&mdash;BRIEFING ROOM

CARTER And he just walked out of your base. Nobody noticed he was gone until it was too late.

THORAN With the attack on Revanna, our numbers have been severely diminished. We had no reason to expect this. I see no reason to assign blame.

JONAS Colonel O'Neill did put his life in your hands.

THORAN Receiving a symbiote was his only hope for survival.

TEAL'C He could have refused.

FRAISER In which case you would have never been able to retrieve the knowledge in Kanan's mind.

THORAN A more than fair exchange.

HAMMOND Colonel O'Neill would not agree to a blending with a symbiote unless there was more at stake than his life.

THORAN Perhaps it was that repugnance of blending with another mind that caused O'Neill to behave so irrationally.

FRAISER General, I can't speculate on Colonel O'Neill's state of mind, but while a mature symbiote can take control of the host body whenever it wants to, it doesn't work both ways.

CARTER I can vouch for that, sir. There's no way Colonel O'Neill could have walked out on his own.

TEAL'C Then he was forced to do so, against his will, by the symbiote.

THORAN You accuse an honored Tok'ra of behaving as a Goa'uld.

HAMMOND Councilor&hellip;

THORAN (cutting Hammond off angrily) Kanan has fought the Goa'uld longer than any of you have lived. Yet you spit the word symbiote as though you spoke of vermin. Whatever you may think of our form, Kanan was as a brother to me. The Tok'ra council accepts that Kanan may be lost to us.

HAMMOND That's the big difference between us, Councilor. We don't leave our people behind.

[Carter smiles.]

INT&mdash;BA'AL'S FORTRESS

[O'Neill is led into a room by two Jaffa who walk him onto a platform. O'Neill is sucked forward into a metallic, spider-webbed panel in the wall, with his back to the room. The Jaffa flank the door as Ba'al enters and walks onto the platform. O'Neill is turned so that he is facing into the room. The Jaffa leave.]

BA'AL Who are you?

O'NEILL You go first.

[Ba'al picks up a large knife from a table on the platform, looks at its blade and takes a seat on a bench on the platform.]

BA'AL You claim you do not know me?

O'NEILL Well, take no offense there, Skippy, I'm sure you're a real hot, important Goa'uld, I've just always been kind of out of the loop with the snake thing.

BA'AL I am Ba'al.

O'NEILL That's it? Just Ball? As in Bocce?

BA'AL Do you not know the pain you will suffer for this impudence?

[Ba'al walks to the front of the platform and holds up the knife which becomes horizontal&mdash;as if magnetised&mdash;and aimed at O'Neill.]

O'NEILL I don't know the meaning of the word. Seriously. Impudence. What does that mean?

[Ba'al lets go of the knife and it flies into O'Neill's left shoulder. As O'Neill grunts in pain, Ba'al picks up another knife.]

BA'AL I shall begin again. Who are you?

O'NEILL Colonel Jack O'Neill, U.S. Air Force. Two L's in that.

BA'AL That may be who you once were, Tok'ra.

O'NEILL I may be a lotta things&hellip;but I'm no Tok'ra!

BA'AL It is true we were only able to capture the host. Your symbiote fled the body out of cowardice. But it is also true that Tok'ra share body and mind equally. You will know all that it knew.

O'NEILL I think I know less than you&hellip;think I know.

BA'AL (raising another knife to horizontal) Why have you come to this outpost?

O'NEILL Now, see, that's a perfect example right there. I haven't a clue.

[Ba'al lets the knife go and it flies into O'Neill's left shoulder. O'Neill yells in pain as Ba'al picks up another knife.]

BA'AL You have been here before.

O'NEILL First time.

BA'AL You know your way to and from our most secret outpost. Clearly you have been here.

O'NEILL What?

BA'AL Did you really hope to escape my personal guard?

O'NEILL What?

BA'AL Why did you abduct my slave?

O'NEILL (in obvious pain) All right&hellip;look! This is the last thing I remember, I swear to God. I was sick. I agreed to let the Tok'ra put a snake in my head or I would have died. Right now, I'm kinda wishing I had.

BA'AL (smiling) A wish easily granted. (Looking at the third knife.) What is your mission here?

O'NEILL No mission.

BA'AL Why have you returned?

O'NEILL I've never been here.

BA'AL What did you want with the female?

O'NEILL (exasperated) What female?

BA'AL Death will only offer a temporary escape. I can revive you again and again&hellip;a thousand times if need be. Only once you have told me everything I ask, will you be allowed to die.

[Ba'al brings the third knife to horizontal position.]

BA'AL One&hellip;last&hellip;time.

[He lets the third knife go and it flies towards O'Neill.]

INT&mdash;SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[Carter, Teal'c, Jonas and Thoran are studying the starmap.]

CARTER Where was his last mission?

THORAN As an operative aboard a mothership in Zipacna's fleet. He managed to escape during a battle with Lord Yu's forces, but just barely.

JONAS Did he have a motive to return to that vessel?

THORAN Such as?

JONAS Unfinished business? A task left undone?

THORAN His report stated the mission objectives were complete. We are willing to attempt contact with our operatives on these worlds here, here and here.

[Thoran points to three spots on the starmap.]

TEAL'C His previous missions.

THORAN If Kanan returned to either of these worlds, for whatever reason, our operatives may have learned of it.

JONAS Well, when will we hear news?

THORAN It may take many months.

TEAL'C You spoke of Kanan's mission reports.

THORAN What of it?

CARTER Well, we'd like to see them. If Jonas' instinct is correct and Kanan had unfinished business, there may be clues.

THORAN Their contents are not relevant.

JONAS Well, Colonel O'Neill's life is at stake. I believe that is relevant.

THORAN What you ask&hellip;is not possible.

CARTER Really?

INT&mdash;BA'AL'S FORTRESS&mdash;SARCOPHAGUS

[The sarcophagus opens to reveal a slowly awakening O'Neill.]

INT&mdash;BA'AL'S FORTRESS

[O'Neill is led down a hall by two Jaffa. He is pushed into a room. After one of the Jaffa moves his hand over a device on the outside wall the room changes. O'Neill slips down as the floor suddenly becomes a wall. The doorway has become the ceiling, many feet above. The room contains two in-built benches and four lit panels which are in reach. O'Neill hits the lit panels, but they appear strong and secure. A distant scream is heard. He looks up towards the doorway in the ceiling. A woman is sitting at the opening.]

WOMAN Is it you?

[O'Neill simply looks up at the opening, a puzzled look on his face.]

DANIEL Hi, Jack.

[O'Neill looks beside him to find Daniel, dressed in casual clothes, no glasses, sitting on one of the built-in benches. He gives a little wave.]

O'NEILL Daniel&hellip;

DANIEL I leave, and look at the mess you get yourself into.

[O'Neill gives him a quizzical look.]

DANIEL It's good to see you.

O'NEILL (cautiously) Yeah, you too.

[O'Neill walks to the bench opposite Daniel and sits.]

O'NEILL It's a shame you're a delusion.

DANIEL No, I'm here. I'm&hellip;really here.

O'NEILL (skeptically) Sure you are

[O'Neill takes off his shoe and throws it at Daniel, who winces. The shoe passes through him and bounces off the wall back towards O'Neill.]

DANIEL Here in the sense that my consciousness is here, if not here in the full physical flesh and blood sense, which is really&hellip;neither&hellip;here nor there. The point is, you're not imaging this.

O'NEILL I just tossed my shoe through you.

DANIEL Yes you did. That's because I've ascended to another plane of existence.

O'NEILL Ohhh.

DANIEL Remember Oma Desala, the whole&hellip;glowing thing, you helped me out. I couldn't have done that without you, remember that?

O'NEILL Yeah.

DANIEL I'm&hellip;I'm energy now.

O'NEILL How's that workin' out for you?

DANIEL Good, actually&hellip;very&hellip;

O'NEILL Good.

DANIEL Very good. You&hellip;however&hellip;

O'NEILL Yeah, well&hellip;you know what it's like&hellip;

[O'Neill gets up and picks up his shoe.]

O'NEILL &hellip;comin' back from the dead. Takes a while to get the color back in your cheeks.

DANIEL Yeah&hellip;

O'NEILL (sitting down and again and pointing his shoe at Daniel) So&hellip;not a delusion?

DANIEL (shaking his head) No.

O'NEILL Okay&hellip;show me your stuff. Bust me outta here.

DANIEL I can't.

O'NEILL Why not?

DANIEL I'm not allowed to interfere.

O'NEILL You're interfering right now.

DANIEL No, I'm not.

O'NEILL Yes, you are.

DANIEL No, I'm not. I am consoling a friend.

O'NEILL What good's the power to make the wind blow or toss lightning around if you can't use it to spring an old friend outta jail?

DANIEL I would if I could.

O'NEILL You can't do that stuff?

DANIEL I can. I just&hellip;I can't.

O'NEILL Well, thanks for stopping by, then.

DANIEL Ba'al is torturing you and I wasn't just gonna sit by. Look, all he wants to know is the reason you came to this planet. You really don't know?

O'NEILL Do you?

DANIEL Well, all I know is that you&hellip;or more accurately, the symbiote the Tok'ra placed inside of you&hellip;congratulations, by the way&hellip;walked off undetected in the middle of the night and came here.

O'NEILL I can't believe I actually let them put a snake in my head&hellip;my head. I agreed to this.

DANIEL It never shared with you why it would walk alone into a heavily fortified Goa'uld outpost?

O'NEILL There was no sharing! I was sick.

DANIEL I know.

O'NEILL They did the implantation, a word I intend never to use again, and I woke up here. That's&hellip;my week, so far.

DANIEL So you really don't know.

O'NEILL (sighing, trying to remember) Uhh&hellip;something to do with one of Ba'al's slaves. I got a visual but I've never met her before.

DANIEL Nobody knows you're here.

[O'Neill looks at him, stunned.]

DANIEL Even if they did, they'd never be able to pull off a rescue because this place is a fortress. Ba'al is just gonna keep on torturing you to death and reviving you in a sarcophagus until&hellip;he finds out what he wants, which is impossible because you don't know anything. Or until you're not worth reviving any more. But you'll cease to be the Jack O'Neill we know long before that.

O'NEILL Well&hellip;apparently, I've got a big day tomorrow.

DANIEL No, I'm not gonna let that happen. I won't let him destroy you.

O'NEILL You just said you couldn't help.

DANIEL No, I can't stop Ba'al from torturing you any more than Oma could heal my radiation sickness, but&hellip;I can help you ascend.

INT&mdash;SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[Hammond descends the stairs from his office to join SG-1 and Thoran.]

THORAN Your underlings will not allow me to leave.

HAMMOND My officers and enlisted personnel are following my direct orders.

THORAN This Jaffa threatened my life.

TEAL'C I merely informed you that any further attempt to activate the Stargate would result in physical injury.

THORAN Then I am a prisoner?

HAMMOND I would prefer that you consider yourself a guest.

CARTER And you'll be free to leave as soon as you provide us with the mission reports we've requested, under article nine of our treaty.

THORAN Such a request to the council must be made in person.

JONAS Why's that? This control facility is quite capable of relaying a request on multiple frequencies, including those used by the Tok'ra.

HAMMOND Of course, if you choose not to avail yourself of that capability, we would be pleased to provide you with comfortable quarters until you decide to change your mind.

THORAN You threaten the peaceful continuation of relations between our two peoples, General Hammond.

HAMMOND If our relations continue in the direction they're going, Councilor&hellip;I don't give a damn.

[All of SG-1 smile politely at Thoran.]

THORAN Very well, I will make your request that the reports be sent here immediately.

HAMMOND Thank you.

[Hammond leaves as Thoran glares at the team.]

INT&mdash;JACK'S CELL

O'NEILL So&hellip;you wanna be my Oma?

DANIEL You could put it that way, I mean, I wouldn't, but maybe that's just me.

O'NEILL And then what?

DANIEL Then&hellip;then I don't know.

O'NEILL You don't know.

DANIEL No. No, ascension doesn't make you all-knowing. I mean, I really&hellip;don't know.

O'NEILL If I'm catchin' the next plane of existence outta here, you gotta give me somethin'.

DANIEL It's your journey. No one but you can choose what you become or the path you take. All I can promise you is it will be an amazing journey.

[O'Neill mutters in frustration]

DANIEL Once you release your burden.

O'NEILL Daniel, so help me, if you start talkin' like Oma&hellip;

DANIEL I'm not talking like Oma Desala.

O'NEILL Sounds like Oma to me.

DANIEL No, no, no&hellip;see, Oma Desala would say something like&hellip;uh, uh, if you know the candle is fire then the meal was cooked a long time ago or something like that.

O'NEILL Why?

DANIEL To open your mind.

O'NEILL Though a candle burns in my house&hellip;there's nobody home.

DANIEL Okay. Let's take this one step at a time. This has to be something you want. I can't do this for you.

O'NEILL One step at a time.

DANIEL One step at a time.

O'NEILL Oh, there's gotta be another way outta here.

DANIEL Jack&hellip;

O'NEILL What if you did a little scoutin' for me? That'd be all right wouldn't it?

DANIEL No.

O'NEILL I'm not askin' you to knock down walls or anything, just a little recon.

DANIEL Ba'al is just gonna torture you again.

O'NEILL Or&hellip;uh, uh Zat gun&hellip;help me get my hands on a Zat gun.

DANIEL The next time is gonna be worse.

O'NEILL That's when we move, the next time they come for me.

DANIEL You can't fight your way out of this.

O'NEILL Then help me!

DANIEL Not that way!

[The sound of a mechanism opening is heard and O'Neill and Daniel look above to the entranceway]

DANIEL They're coming.

O'NEILL They can see you, right? We can use that.

DANIEL I'll be back.

O'NEILL A distraction. That's all I'm askin' for.

DANIEL I promise.

[O'Neill looks up to see the Jaffa at the entrance. When he looks back to where Daniel had been, he is no longer there.]

O'NEILL Daniel?

[The Jaffa activate the device on the outer wall and the room changes back to its original orientation, causing O'Neill to slam hard to the new floor. The Jaffa walk in, pick him up off the floor and usher him out of the cell.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

JONAS His motive had to be personal.

TEAL'C For what reason?

JONAS Well, the Tok'ra claim that all of Kanan's spy missions were a complete success, therefore, he'd have no reason to go back to any of those planets. If we take them at their word, we can rule out any logical reason. No, Kanan had to be motivated by something&hellip;profound enough&hellip;t o not only risk his life but also the life of his host.

[Carter and Teal'c contemplate Jonas' theory and return to studying their computer monitors.]

INT&mdash;BA'AL'S FORTRESS

[A drop of liquid is squeezed from a spout on a bottle. The drop moves horizontally into O'Neill's chest. O'Neill is once again pinned against the spider web panel and he appears burned in several places on his chest. He is in obvious distress.]

BA'AL The Tal'vak acid will take some time to burn through all the way. Though it cauterizes the flesh as it burns, a very small amount often finds its way into the blood and begins to spread. Why have you returned here, Tok'ra?

O'NEILL I'm human.

BA'AL Hmm&hellip;betrayed by your symbiote.

O'NEILL It used me.

BA'AL To do what?

O'NEILL I don't know! And I don't care!

BA'AL What did the symbiote call itself?

O'NEILL (struggling to speak) I don't remember.

BA'AL Tok'ra retain the identities of both host and symbiote. You are O'Neill. What was the name of your symbiote?

O'NEILL (with more difficulty) I&hellip;just told you.

BA'AL What Tok'ra secrets could a single name reveal?

O'NEILL I don't know.

BA'AL Why protect the one who betrayed you&hellip;abandoned you to&hellip;this?

O'NEILL (in obvious pain and with anger) If I knew the name, I'd give you the damn name! I don't care about protecting the Tok'ra!

BA'AL (stepping forward and pointing the bottle at O'Neill again) Tok'ra have been a nuisance for centuries.

O'NEILL (weakly, pleading) Don't.

BA'AL Even when we thought they had been wiped out. They've become all the more&hellip;insidious. Like&hellip;acid&hellip;burrowing holes into our empires.

O'NEILL Kanan! That's the name.

[Ba'al lowers the hand holding the bottle]

O'NEILL Kanan.

[Ba'al smirks at O'Neill and sets the bottle on the table. He picks up another and walks toward the front of the platform.]

O'NEILL (weakly) I&hellip;I just told you.

BA'AL (smiling) Yes, you did.

[Ba'al squirts more liquid from the bottle which again hits O'Neill in the chest. O'Neill flinches, but this liquid does not seem to be causing him any further discomfort.]

BA'AL This neutralizes the acid and numbs the pain. So you see, the truth is rewarded.

O'NEILL I don't know anything else. BA'AL There may be much more of this Kanan still in your memory than even you know. It'll come to you&hellip;in time.

[Ba'al pushes a device on the table where he has placed the bottles. The web panel opens and O'Neill falls into a very long, black tunnel.]

INT&mdash;JACK'S CELL

[O'Neill falls onto the newly reoriented floor, face up, staring at the Jaffa. The Jaffa walk away and O'Neill continues to lie there. Suddenly, he sees the woman sitting at the entrance above his head. O'Neill is rather dazed.]

WOMAN Is it you?

O'NEILL What?

WOMAN You shouldn't have come back.

O'NEILL I don't&hellip;remember.

WOMAN If I leave with you, he will know.

O'NEILL You&hellip;

[As O'Neill is lying there, Daniel appears, standing over him.]

DANIEL Jack, who are you talking to?

O'NEILL The woman.

[As Daniel looks up at the entranceway the woman's image dematerializes.]

DANIEL There's nobody there.

O'NEILL Look who's talking.

DANIEL Does it still hurt?

O'NEILL No.

DANIEL Told you I'd come back.

O'NEILL If the Daniel Jackson I knew was really here&hellip;

DANIEL I am.

O'NEILL Then do something.

[Daniel squeezes his eyes shut and drops his head. O'Neill, regaining some energy and cognizance, rolls himself up to stand facing Daniel.]

O'NEILL You listen to me. I don't wanna go through that again. If you were really my friend and had the power to stop it, you'd stop it!

DANIEL The hardest part of being who or what I am is having the power to change the things I want to change and knowing that I can't. Even when I'm certain, even when it's&hellip;absolutely clear to me, even when it affects the people I care about.

[O'Neill rolls his eyes and turns away from Daniel to lean against one of the light panels.]

DANIEL Because for all I can do, I'm no more qualified to play God than the Goa'uld are. Ba'al will keep this up.

O'NEILL Yes, he will.

DANIEL So we don't have an unlimited amount of time.

O'NEILL Gotta be some place, do ya?

DANIEL No. Look, there must be a reason that Kanan came back here. Was it for the woman? The one you were just talking to? She must have something to do with all of this.

O'NEILL (lacking enthusiasm): You know&hellip;screw it&hellip;it doesn't matter. Carter and Teal'c'll think of somethin'.

DANIEL Even if they could find out where you are&hellip;

O'NEILL (with more enthusiasm and turning toward Daniel) And you know&hellip;Jonas&hellip;he's at least as smart as you.

DANIEL There isn't always a way out, Jack.

O'NEILL Hey, if that was true, I'd have been dead a long time ago!

DANIEL How many more times do you think you can go into that sarcophagus before it starts changing you?

[O'Neill shrugs.]

DANIEL How many times has it been already? It can regenerate your body, make you strong enough to go through that all over again, but all the time, it's destroying who you are. And once that happens, you won't be able to ascend no matter how much you want to.

O'NEILL Hey&hellip;I appreciate what you're trying to do.

DANIEL I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe you could do it.

O'NEILL This is me we're talkin' about!

DANIEL Yes, it is. Now, please&hellip;just try&hellip;to open you're mind.

O'NEILL Oh&hellip;stop it, will you?

[O'Neill sits down in frustration.]

DANIEL Come on, Jack. Y&hellip;You think the Asgard named uh, a ship after you because they thought it was a cool name? Now's not the time to play dumb, you're a lot smarter than that. They saw our potential in you&hellip;because of who you are and what you've done. Humanity's potential. That's the same thing Oma saw in me.

O'NEILL I am not you.

DANIEL Yeah, when has that ever stopped you from doing anything?

O'NEILL Okay&hellip;put yourself in my shoes and me in yours.

DANIEL You'd be here for me.

O'NEILL Damn straight! I'd have busted you out, blown this rat hole to hell and made sure that son-of-a-bitch suffered!

[O'Neill rises, frustrated at Daniel and wanting to get his point across.]

DANIEL The Others would have stopped you.

O'NEILL They'd have a hell of a fight on their hands.

DANIEL You wouldn't do that.

O'NEILL Ba'al would be dead&hellip;

DANIEL Jack&hellip;

O'NEILL &hellip;And don't think I'd stop there!

DANIEL You're a better man than that.

O'NEILL (yelling) That's where you're wrong!

[They stop and stare at each other. After several seconds, Daniel nods his head slightly and turns away.]

DANIEL Right now, I can't imagine doing or being anything other than what I am. I see things, I understand things, in a way I never could have before. But I chose this. Even when Jacob was trying to heal me, I chose this. But you in the place you're at right now, you don't have any other choices. This is not your life we're talking about, Jack! This is your soul!

[O'Neill shakes his head slightly.]

DANIEL This is it! What I'm offering you is your only way out.

O'NEILL You're wrong about that too. I have another choice

[Daniel closes his eyes and shakes his head.]

DANIEL What are you talking about?

[O'Neill simply looks at Daniel. Daniel shakes his head.]

DANIEL No.

O'NEILL Any minute, they're gonna come. Ba'al is gonna kill me again. You can make it the last time.

DANIEL Don't ask me to do that.

O'NEILL You can put an end to it.

DANIEL I won't do it.

[They both look up as they hear the mechanism.]

O'NEILL I'd do it for you, and you know it.

[O'Neill walks over and lies with his feet a few inches from the wall so that when it becomes the floor again, he won't fall.]

O'NEILL I don't want to see this cell again, Daniel.

[The Jaffa reorient the room and enter to take a now solitary O'Neill by the arms and usher him out of the cell.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Jonas and Teal'c are at the monitors, Carter is pacing with a notebook in her hand.]

JONAS I don't know about you two, but I'm beginning to get the feeling that there's absolutely nothing here.

[Carter suddenly stops pacing.]

CARTER Wait. Guys. Look at this.

[Carter walks back to her monitor and begins clicking the mouse to bring up something to show the others.]

JONAS What is it?

CARTER The mission where Kanan worked undercover as a minor Goa'uld in Ba'al's service. How long ago was that?

TEAL'C Several months. Ba'al has kept the existence of the outpost hidden from the other system lords.

JONAS The outpost was a secret test facility for weapons technology and gravity field generators. Over a period of several months he was able to map out the entire facility, catalog it's defenses.

CARTER That's what Kanan reported to the Tok'ra Council, but something just struck me. He used Ba'al's Lotar, his personal slave, to access much of that information.

JONAS Yeah, the Lotar gave him access to Ba'al's chamber when he was away.

TEAL'C Do you believe Kanan withheld information in his report?

CARTER No. But think about it. A Lotar is a Goa'uld's most trusted servant.

TEAL'C Why would he so blithely betray his master?

CARTER Her master. The slave was a woman.

[Jonas look at her quizzically]

CARTER Access to Ba'al's own chamber?

TEAL'C Are you suggesting that Kanan engaged in an affair with this slave in order to gain access to her master's quarters?

CARTER Well, something had to be going on between them, otherwise, why would she take the risk?

TEAL'C A Tok'ra would go to great lengths to accomplish a mission.

CARTER So, maybe he was just using her, but who knows, I mean the Tok'ra are a very passionate race.

TEAL'C The Tok'ra accept sacrifice as a function of war. I do not believe this slave was a sufficient motive for Kanan to return.

JONAS Sufficient motive for Kanan. The decision to act came after blending with the mind of Colonel O'Neill.

CARTER At which point, he would have been confronted with every thought and belief that makes the Colonel who he is and be forced to judge himself by that same code of honor.

JONAS Especially what General Hammond referred to as the difference between us and the Tok'ra.

[A look of realization comes over Teal'c and Carter.]

CARTER We don't leave our people behind.

INT&mdash;BA'AL'S FORTRESS

[O'Neill is again attached to the web. The Lotar's face comes very close to his, and they stare at each other.]

LOTAR (formerly referred to as the Woman) Is it you?

O'NEILL You shouldn't be here.

LOTAR You look so different. How can you be Kanan?

O'NEILL I'm not.

LOTAR If I leave with you, he will know.

O'NEILL He used both of us.

[The Lotar vanishes.]

BA'AL He did use both of us. How long were you host to this Kanan before he convinced you to come here? Days, or merely hours?

O'NEILL (very wearily) I don't remember.

BA'AL What did this Kanan share about his previous mission here?

O'NEILL Nothing.

BA'AL What did he want with my slave?

O'NEILL I don't know.

BA'AL Why did he return?

O'NEILL I don't know.

[Ba'al rises from his bench to walk to the front of the platform.]

BA'AL I believe you. You're a victim of this Tok'ra, just as I am. This Kanan took over his host's body&hellip;your body&hellip;just as I or any other Goa'uld would have done. He used you to come here. But to what purpose? I believe the answers are there in your mind. Even if you were host for a mere matter of hours, something of him will be left behind. Huh&hellip;an unfortunate inheritance for you.

[He has walked to the table and opened a panel to reveal the bottles of acid and the knives. He picks up a knife.]

BA'AL Because, I will find them. If I have to&hellip;dig&hellip;them out.

[O'Neill closes his eyes and braces himself.]

INT&mdash;SGC BRIEFING ROOM

HAMMOND You're telling me Kanan was compelled to rescue a slave he encountered months ago.

CARTER As a direct result of blending with Colonel O'Neill, yes, Sir.

THORAN Based on the arrogant notion the Colonel would never have left her behind.

CARTER Sir, I know from first-hand experience how deeply the emotions can be shared between a Tok'ra symbiote and its host.

THORAN So do I, Major Carter. Still you're theory seems to be based on nothing more than intuition.

CARTER I won't argue with that, but it's not without reasoning. I know that's where Colonel O'Neill is.

TEAL'C As do I.

JONAS We're all in agreement.

THORAN It makes no difference. If, indeed, Colonel O'Neill is in Ba'al's hands, then he is far beyond our reach.

TEAL'C We have plans to the outpost.

THORAN Then you know it is a fortress. An army could not hope to penetrate it.

CARTER Kanan obviously thought it was possible. (turns to Hammond) Sir, if we went in with a small force, maybe two SG teams&hellip;

HAMMOND I'm sorry, Major, but I agree with the Councilor. I've gone over the intel we have on this outpost. A successful attack of any magnitude is beyond our capabilities.

INT&mdash;BA'AL'S SARCOPHAGUS

[O'Neill is once again in the sarcophagus.]

INT&mdash;JACK'S CELL

[O'Neill is returned to his cell. He sits on the floor in readiness for it to change into a wall. After the room changes orientation, he looks up, wearily, then puts his forhead to the wall before slowly sliding down the wall to sit with his back to the wall, cross-legged.]

INT&mdash;TEAL'C'S QUARTERS

[Teal'c is meditating, surrounded by candles. Suddenly his eyes snap open and he looks stunned.]

INT&mdash;HAMMOND'S OFFICE

[Hammond is at his desk.There is a knock on the door.]

HAMMOND Come in.

[Teal'c enters slowly.]

TEAL'C General Hammond.

HAMMOND Teal'c. What is it?

TEAL'C I have been meditating on the possibility of rescuing Colonel O'Neill.

HAMMOND I've just been going over the plans to the outpost again, myself. I just don't see how we'd have any chance of success against a fortress this well defended, no matter how big the force.

TEAL'C Agreed. I believe it would take the power of a Goa'uld mothership to do so.

HAMMOND Unfortunately, we don't have one of those.

TEAL'C Perhaps not. But there are many system lords that do.

[Hammond looks at him, pensively.]

INT&mdash;BA'AL'S FORTRESS

[Ba'al is seated while O'Neill is being tortured again.]

BA'AL What was its name?

O'NEILL Kanan.

BA'AL There&hellip;you remember his name. What was his mission?

O'NEILL No mission.

[O'Neill is obviously greatly weakened.]

BA'AL Was it to steal the slave from me?

O'NEILL I don't know.

BA'AL Did Kanan believe a slave could know my secrets? There's something else you're hiding from me.

[He points a knife at O'Neill, but remains seated on the bench.]

BA'AL I sense it. I feel it.

O'NEILL (almost whispering) When are you gonna end this?

BA'AL If you tell me what I wish to know, I will end this.

O'NEILL Daniel?

BA'AL Your mind is beginning to fail. It's time for the sarcophagus, but as you regain the strength to return here, consider this&hellip;hmmph&hellip;it will be far worse next time.

O'NEILL (very weakly) Daniel?

INT&mdash;SGC CONTROL ROOM

[Hammond joins SG-1 in the control room.]

HAMMOND Councilor Thoran is threatening to end diplomatic relations.

CARTER What did he say?

HAMMOND Among other things I won't mention, that this is precisely the reason they've been reluctant to share intelligence.

TEAL'C So be it.

HAMMOND That's more or less what I said. The Tok'ra need us right now, more than we need them. Do we expect any response from Lord Yu?

CARTER No, sir. We know he received the plans to Ba'al's outpost and the message that went along with it, but we have no way of knowing if he'll act on it.

TEAL'C I believe he will. Ba'al has kept the existence of this outpost from the other system lords.

JONAS I still don't understand how destroying the power generators first is going to help the Colonel.

TEAL'C It will give O'Neill a fighting chance. Nothing more.

INT&mdash;JACK'S CELL

[O'Neill looks up.]

O'NEILL (hopefully) Daniel?

DANIEL I'm here.

[O'Neill sighs and looks straight ahead as Daniel steps to his side.]

O'NEILL You were gone.

DANIEL I know, I'm sorry, there was something I had to do, but, I'm back now and I promise I'll stay with you 'til this is over.

O'NEILL It'll never be over.

DANIEL Yes, it will.

O'NEILL Daniel. You have to end this.

DANIEL Jack, you just have to hang in there a little while longer.

O'NEILL No. I can't go back in there. If I go back, I swear to God, I'll give Ba'al what he wants, I'll tell him.

DANIEL What?

O'NEILL That he loved her.

DANIEL Kanan?

O'NEILL He came back for her. He wanted to save her.

DANIEL Ba'al doesn't know this.

O'NEILL If he finds out, he'll do to her what he's doing to me. Daniel, if you don't end this&hellip;I'll tell him.

DANIEL You won't have to. It's almost over, Jack.

[O'Neill turns to look at him for the first time.]

O'NEILL How?

DANIEL You were right. There's always a way out. Well, at least there's always a chance. Your journey isn't over, Jack, not yet.

[O'Neill shows interest at Daniel's comment.]

O'NEILL What'd you do?

DANIEL I didn't do anything, it was, um, Sam and Teal'c, and, uh, Jonas, too.

O'NEILL What?

[Daniel smiles gently.]

DANIEL They thought of something.

[O'Neill now seems more lively and jumps to his feet.]

O'NEILL What?

[There is the sound of an explosion and the lights flicker in his cell. Daniel stands up from his kneeling position and walks to where O'Neill is standing, looking up.]

DANIEL This is it. All you ever wanted was a fighting chance, Jack, now you have it. If anyone can make it out of here, you can.

VOICE (off camera) Lord Yu attacks!

[The room starts to change orientation.]

O'NEILL Daniel?!

[O'Neill looks down to discover that Daniel is no longer there. He prepares himself for the room to change position as the wall becomes the floor again. Hearing no reponse and seeing the lights flickering around him, he decides to walk out of the cell. As he stands in the opening, a Jaffa approaches. O'Neill ferociously attacks the Jaffa and overpowers him. He grabs the Jaffa's Zat and as he makes his way through the halls finds the Lotar in a cell. She backs away, frightened, when she sees him approach.]

INT&mdash;LOTAR'S CELL

O'NEILL (holding out his hand) Come with me.

LOTAR No. He'll stop us.

[O'Neill grabs her hand and they leave the cell]

O'NEILL Come on.

[They leave the cell, running down the hallway and out of sight.]

INT&mdash;SGC INFIRMARY

[O'Neill is lying on a bed in the infirmary, having just woken. As a medical instrument is wheeled away, Carter, Teal'c and Jonas stand at the foot of his bed.]

CARTER Dr. Fraiser says he'll probably suffer withdrawal symptons from so much time in a sarcophagus, but otherwise she expects a full recovery.

JONAS What happened to the woman he went back for?

CARTER Her name's Shallan. She decided to stay with the Tok'ra.

TEAL'C So she may continue Kanan's fight in his name.

O'NEILL (weakly) Hey. Tryin' to sleep here.

[Carter, Teal'c and Jonas turn to him, smiling gently.]

CARTER Sorry, sir. Glad to see you're okay.

O'NEILL Listen. Was a good idea you had there.

CARTER Actually, sir, we all contributed to it. Do you need anything or&hellip;

O'NEILL Water.

CARTER Sure.

[Carter turns to leave and touches Teal'c's arm as she walks past him. Teal'c and Jonas follow her out. As they leave, Daniel is seen standing at O'Neill's bedside.]

DANIEL I always seem to be saying goodbye to you.

O'NEILL Yeah, I noticed that. Why don't you stick around for a while?

DANIEL I can't, really.

O'NEILL You just did.

DANIEL Special occasion.

O'NEILL Christmas?

DANIEL No.

O'NEILL Groundhog Day?

DANIEL Nooo.

O'NEILL I've got my journey, you've got yours?

DANIEL Something like that, yeah. Look, I know you don't think so&hellip;right now, I mean I know you have your doubts, but uh, because you've been through something that no one should have to go through. I guess what I'm trying to say is&hellip;you're gonna be all right.

O'NEILL How do you know?

DANIEL You're just gonna have to trust me.

O'NEILL I can do that.

[Daniel smiles gently and nods.]

O'NEILL You gonna be okay?

DANIEL Yeah, I'm gonna be fine.

[The door opens and Carter walks in with the water. As she walks to the bedside, Daniel is gone.]

CARTER Here you go, sir.

O'NEILL Thanks.

CARTER Goodnight.

[Carter leaves, and O'Neill turns his head slightly to look upwards. He smiles slightly.]

O'NEILL Thanks.

FADE OUT

ROLL CREDITS

Transcript by Helen for Solutions, Sep 2003

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