Fragile Balance/Transcript

Episode Guide

 * Fragile Balance

Transcript
TEASER

INT: SGC&mdash;HALLWAY

[Carter steps out of the elevator on Level 16.]

CARTER General, what's this all about?

HAMMOND At 0920 hours this morning, someone tried to enter the base using this.

[He hands her something encased in a plastic sleeve as they walk through the corridor together.]

CARTER Colonel O'Neill's security ID.

HAMMOND After the person in question was taken into custody, he insisted on seeing you.

[They arrive at a doorway that is being guarded by two SFs.]

CARTER Me? Why?

HAMMOND Well, I was hoping you could figure that one out, Major. (to the SF on guard) Open it.

[Hammond and Carter enter a holding room to find a teenage boy stretched out on the bunk. He has cropped fair hair and brown eyes, blue jeans, a grey t-shirt and beige jacket, all too big for him.]

YOUNG JACK Thank you. Now we're gettin' somewhere. Sergeant, that, uh, coffee I asked for half an hour ago? You know, any time you feel like gettin' it?

[Hammond nods to the sergeant and he departs.]

CARTER He's a boy, Sir.

YOUNG JACK (his attitude is very familiar) As it turns out, Carter, yes, I am. For the moment.

CARTER (amused) Do I know you?

YOUNG JACK Come on! It's me.

[Carter looks at him.]

HAMMOND We tried to contact Colonel O'Neill, even sent someone to his house.

CARTER Do you understand how much trouble you're in right now? Impersonating a military officer is a federal offence.

YOUNG JACK (frustrated) I am not impersonating anyone. I am Jack O'Neill.

[Hammond and Carter share a dubious look.]

'''END TEASER. OPENING CREDITS'''

INT: SGC&mdash;HOLDING ROOM

[Close-up of O'Neill's security ID. The name on the ID is 'O'Neill, John J.' and the date of birth is 1952. We cut to the boy sitting glowering on the bed.]

YOUNG JACK Finally!

[He gets up as the sergeant returns with his drink, having to hold up his jeans as he takes a sip. His face freezes.]

YOUNG JACK Hot chocolate? Are you kidding?

CARTER (referring to the ID) Where did you get this?

YOUNG JACK (sets the cup down on the bedside table) I didn't. (hikes up jeans) I didn't get it anywhere. It's mine.

CARTER (disbelieving) Because you're Colonel O'Neill?

YOUNG JACK Exactly.

[Carter is unimpressed.]

YOUNG JACK Look, last night, I ate some dinner, had a beer, went to bed and woke up like this. Now can we please just get to the part where you and Fraiser run some tests, find a cure and make me big again?

[Daniel walks into the room and stands beside Carter.]

DANIEL This is the security breach?

YOUNG JACK (relieved) Daniel! Will you tell them who I am? Please?

DANIEL Okay. Love to. Who are you?

[Young Jack fumes.]

HAMMOND This young man claims he's Colonel O'Neill.

DANIEL It's a joke, right?

[Carter smiles in a pained manner and shakes her head.]

DANIEL What's going on?

YOUNG JACK (frustrated) Daniel! DANIEL Sounds like him. At least the loud, grating parts.

YOUNG JACK Okay. You want proof? Carter, you once carried a Tok'ra named Jolinar, who gave her life to save you. (Carter's smile is wiped off her face) Daniel, until recently, you were an ascended being. Ya broke the rules, ya got yourself kicked outta the Oma Desala fan club and had your memory erased.

[Teal'c enters, walking past Hammond to stand directly before the boy, who stares right back at him, not intimidated in the least.]

YOUNG JACK And you and Bra'tac both just lost your snakes in a Goa'uld ambush. Had your tretonin yet this morning?

[He and Teal'c stare at one another for a long moment, then Teal'c turns to the others.]

TEAL'C How could this child possess such knowledge?

[Daniel and Carter have no idea.]

YOUNG JACK Because&mdash;it's&mdash;me!

[Furious, embarrassed, he hikes up jeans yet again.]

INT: SGC&mdash;HALLWAY

[Hammond leads the others out of the holding room, coming to a halt a short distance away.]

HAMMOND Would anyone care to speculate how a boy could be aware of our most classified information?

CARTER Well, Sir, it could be him.

DANIEL There is a physical resemblance.

HAMMOND But he can't be more than fifteen years old. Are you saying Colonel O'Neill has, somehow, regressed more than 30 years overnight?

DANIEL Stranger things have happened.

TEAL'C Name but one.

DANIEL Well, there was the time he got really old, the time he became a caveman, the time we all swapped bodies.

HAMMOND (holding up his hand) Why don't we move on to the testing portion of this exercise?

INT: SGC&mdash;BRIEFING ROOM

[Dr. Fraiser, Teal'c, Hammond, Carter and Daniel are seated around the conference table.]

HAMMOND Are you certain, Doctor?

FRAISER (looking at a medical report) Initial tests show that within an acceptable margin of error, the boy's DNA is virtually identical to Colonel O'Neill's.

CARTER What size margin of error are we talking about?

FRAISER Very small. In a court of law, the DNA sample we took from the boy would be considered a high-probability match to the DNA we have on file from Colonel O'Neill. There is a&hellip; (hesitates) &hellip; tiny abnormality, but for all intents and purposes, it's him.

DANIEL Tiny abnormality? Like the fact that he's suddenly quite a few years younger than he's supposed to be?

FRAISER To be honest, this is out of my league. We've got some specialists flying in. We're gonna run more tests, see what we can learn.

HAMMOND In the meantime, I suggest we try to make him as comfortable as possible.

CARTER I'll go set up a PlayStation.

INT: SGC&mdash;COMMISSARY

[Young Jack sits at a table, Carter and Teal'c joining him. They're both grinning at him.]

YOUNG JACK You know, uh, I think you two are enjoying this just a little too much.

CARTER Well, you are kinda cute.

YOUNG JACK (sharply rebuking) That's 'Sir' to you. (Carter loses the smile) And being trapped inside a scrawny little body isn't my idea of cute, Carter.

TEAL'C Does possessing a younger body not have certain advantages, O'Neill?

YOUNG JACK No. Not seein' it. Whaddya mean?

TEAL'C Do you not experience increased health and vitality?

YOUNG JACK My vitality was just fine, thank you.

CARTER I think what Teal'c is saying is valid. How many of us wouldn't trade everything for the chance to be young again? Live our lives over?

YOUNG JACK Yeah, well, I don't plan on staying like this.

CARTER Well, in the meantime, may I make a suggestion? Try enjoying this as much as we are.

[She smiles.]

[Young Jack frowns at her. She loses the smile and swallows a little.]

CARTER Sir.

EXT: ESTABLISHING SHOT&mdash;O'NEILL'S HOUSE

INT: O'NEILL'S HOUSE

[Teal'c, Carter, Daniel and Young Jack enter O'Neill's house, walking into the dining room. The table is littered with empty cartons of Chinese take-out food, beer and wine bottles.]

DANIEL Well, it's nice to know some things don't change.

YOUNG JACK I wasn't exactly expecting visitors.

CARTER We'll have this stuff sent back to the lab for analysis.

YOUNG JACK Well, if they find MSG, I will never order from them again! Come on, what are we doing here, exactly?

DANIEL Well, this is the last place you remember being.

[He hesitates, at a loss for words.]

YOUNG JACK Older?

[Teal'c is investigating the contents of the fridge.]

TEAL'C Are you conducting some sort of scientific experiment, O'Neill?

YOUNG JACK Hey, come on! That salsa's still good!

[He heads into the kitchen and puts the salsa back into the fridge before taking out a beer. Carter patronisingly tweaks the bottle from his fingers before he can take a drink.]

CARTER What was the last thing you ate, Sir?

YOUNG JACK Four cheese burritos, some guacamole on the side.

DANIEL Anything else?

YOUNG JACK A beer. Then I hit the sack.

CARTER So, whatever happened to you must have occurred once you were asleep.

[Young Jack shrugs.]

INT: O'NEILL'S BEDROOM

[Establishing shot of photos of O'Neill in cammos and a very young Charlie in a picture frame. Young Jack stands in the doorway as his teammates search his bedroom. The walls are cream, the windows draped with rich russet curtains and Venetian blinds. The furniture is dark wood, Shaker-style. O'Neill has an armchair with a reading lamp by the window, two bureaus and a number of bookcases filled with books and objects. The walls are hung with military memorabilia and paintings of fish.]

[Carter sniffs a glass dubiously then walks over to check the linen chest at the foot of the bed as Young Jack notices Daniel rummaging through his underwear drawer in the bureau and stalks over to stop him.]

YOUNG JACK (indignant) Hey! Do you mind?

[Daniel hands over the tight grey jersey trunks he's holding to Young Jack, throwing up his hands in surrender. Daniel goes over to check out the bookcases and Young Jack follows, walking over to where Teal'c is reading something.]

YOUNG JACK (objecting) Teal'c?

[Teal'c reaches for an overhead lamp and Young Jack flashes back to green globes of light spinning in a white mist, the face of an Asgard appearing.]

YOUNG JACK (disoriented) Whoa!

TEAL'C O'Neill?

DANIEL What is it?

[Daniel and Carter walk over to join them, concerned.]

YOUNG JACK Either I'm remembering a particularly bad dream. Or the Asgard paid me a little visit last night.

INT: SGC&mdash;BRIEFING ROOM

[Hammond, SG-1 and Young Jack sit at the conference table. Young Jack is still in a foul mood, tapping the table irritably.]

HAMMOND No offence, but what you're saying doesn't make any sense.

DANIEL Jack's account sounds like a number of UFO abduction case files I've read.

YOUNG JACK (aggravated) This you remember? My birthday you forget.

[Teal'c is very amused. O'Neill really has a problem with Daniel not remembering every single conceivable detail about him with crystal clarity.]

DANIEL Looks like you'll have a lot more.

TEAL'C This encounter is incongruous with all previous contact we have had with the Asgard.

CARTER Thor has indicated that the Asgard have been keeping an eye on human development on Earth in the past.

HAMMOND But we're allies now. We've cooperated with them on a number of missions.

YOUNG JACK This, I would not have agreed to.

CARTER What could they possibly hope to gain from secretly making you younger against your will?

YOUNG JACK (thinks for a second, then shakes his head) I got nothing.

DANIEL General, uh, I'd like to cross-reference some of these old abduction accounts, see if I can find any connection.

HAMMOND Please do. Major, I believe you had a briefing to run at 1300 hours.

CARTER Yes, Sir. I'll be there.

YOUNG JACK Wait, wait, the F-302 briefing? I thought I was running that.

HAMMOND Given your current situation, I feel it would be best if Major Carter handled it. I'm sure you can impart any information she needs to know to fill in the gap.

YOUNG JACK But, I mean, I'm the one?

HAMMOND (cutting him off) Good. Dismissed.

[Hammond gets up and leaves. The team departs, leaving Young Jack sitting alone.]

INT: SGC&mdash;HAMMOND'S OFFICE

[Hammond is looking through some papers when he hears a tap at his door.]

HAMMOND Come in. (young Jack opens the door and enters) Jack, try to understand. Your situation puts me in a very difficult position.

YOUNG JACK Uh, General, no offence, but you're not the one who went to bed watching CNN and woke up as part of the MTV generation.

HAMMOND Which is exactly why Major Carter's going to handle that briefing.

YOUNG JACK Sir, I've flown the 302 more times than anyone else.

HAMMOND Be that as it may, the bottom line is, a room full of seasoned pilots aren't going to respect the opinion of a boy.

YOUNG JACK Sir, I just look like one. For the moment. But those men in that room need my expertise. And plus, you know, if they're gonna be working here, they're gonna have to start gettin' used to, you know, unusual things happening.

HAMMOND Look, Jack, no one is disputing that you may continue to be a valuable asset to the SGC. But under the circumstances, there's nothing I can do. I'm sorry.

YOUNG JACK Yes, Sir. I understand. (He hesitates briefly before leaving) Dumb idea.

INT: SGC&mdash;DANIEL'S LAB

[Teal'c is working at a laptop while Daniel is busy at his shelves. In the background, we see a tank of tropical fish.]

TEAL'C It would appear that a great many of the Tau'ri have encountered beings from other worlds.

DANIEL Yep, hmm. Little do they know how close they are to the truth.

TEAL'C What, exactly, are we looking for, Daniel Jackson?

DANIEL Well, any abduction accounts that match Jack's story, and, um, obviously, anyone claiming to have physically regressed several decades overnight. We just need to enter our search parameters into the database.

TEAL'C It has already been done.

[Daniel walks up behind Teal'c to see the list on the computer screen.]

DANIEL Wow. That's a lot of people.

TEAL'C Indeed.

DANIEL Let's see if any of these match Jack's story exactly. What he said he saw. Four green lights.

[Teal'c continues punches in a new search parameter and a new list appears onscreen.]

DANIEL That's a little more reasonable. That's interesting. Of the narrowed down accounts, the most recent is from&hellip;

TEAL'C Nineteen years ago.

DANIEL Eight are here in the States. You know, if these addresses are still valid, we should go talk to these people in person.

TEAL'C What do you hope to learn?

DANIEL I guess we'll know when we learn it.

[Smiling, he pats Teal'c on the shoulder.]

INT: SGC&mdash;BRIEFING ROOM

[The conference table has been pushed aside and the chairs set in neat rows for the pilots. The squadron have "1st SFW: Snakeskinners" insignia and wear F-302 badges.]

CARTER As your Intel packages show, the F-302 is a space-worthy, fighter-interceptor aircraft reverse-engineered from Goa'uld technology. (Carter walks up to the podium) Your upcoming mission has been dubbed Operation Blue Phoenix. It'll be a live-fire combat simulation to test how well the 302 fares against actual death gliders. (One of the pilots raises his hand.) Captain?

CAPTAIN Major, according to our mission reports, you were second seat on the most recent mission involving the 302.

CARTER Yes, and that one included close combat. We'll be covering what was learned in that encounter in this briefing.

CAPTAIN Didn't Colonel O'Neill pilot that mission?

CARTER Yes, as a matter of fact, he did.

MAJOR The Colonel also commanded the X-302 during both previous hyperspace window missions, didn't he, Major?

CARTER What's your point, Major?

CAPTAIN With all due respect, Ma'am, shouldn't Colonel O'Neill be running this briefing?

CARTER Colonel O'Neill is unavailable. However, I've prepared several computer models which should help you understand how the 302 handles in combat situations.

CAPTAIN Major, no offence, but those aren't going to help me when I'm pulling 6 Gs in a dogfight against an alien ship.

[The other pilots murmur agreement.]

CARTER (irritated and cool, turning to activate a computer screen) As you should know, Captain, the 302 has inertial dampening systems which I am more than qualified to explain in detail, so, let's just&hellip;

[Voices sound outside the briefing room, immediately distracting attention from Carter's briefing.]

YOUNG JACK (from outside) I just dropped by to say&mdash;Ow!

SF ONE (from outside) Sir, please do not resist.

YOUNG JACK Hey, ease up, big guy!

CARTER Stay focused.

SF ONE (still outside) Just relax, Sir.

YOUNG JACK I'm warning you!

SF ONE Sir, please, stay there.

YOUNG JACK Didn't I just say I'm warning you? Hey! Oh! Alright! That's it! Now, I'm mad!

[Carter surrenders and goes over to open the door. A very large SF has Young Jack pinned against the wall. He's not happy.]

CARTER You can release him.

[The SF steps smartly away and Young Jack dusts himself off.]

YOUNG JACK I'll forgo the charges for assaulting a superior officer. Carter. (he pauses when he draws level with her) I coulda taken him.

CARTER (slightly sarcastic) I'm sure.

YOUNG JACK Sorry, I'm late. (He stands before the group of pilots as Carter follows him in) What'd I miss?

CARTER We were just covering the 302's flight capabilities.

YOUNG JACK Well, then, I'm just in time. Here's what you need to know.

CAPTAIN Major, is this a joke?

CARTER No. This is Colonel O'Neill.

[The pilots exchange amused looks.]

YOUNG JACK I'm only gonna say this once, so I'd suggest that you listen up.

CAPTAIN (scoffing) Whatever you say.

YOUNG JACK Hey! I realize it doesn't actually say 'Colonel' anywhere on my uniform, but it should.

[The pilots look to Carter for confirmation and at her nod, clear their throats, sit up straighter and settle down.]

CAPTAIN Yes, Sir.

YOUNG JACK Now. Velocity is key during engagement with a glider. Now, your instincts are gonna tell ya to floor it, because it's faster and more manoeuvrable, but you've got to stay in control. (He turns to see the screen behind him) Uh, oh, yeah, and the, uh, inertial dampeners only compensate ninety per cent when pulling negative Gs. So the real trick is knowing your enemy so you can anticipate their next moves. (he walks over to the podium and clicks on the computer display) Okay, Death Gliders 101.

EXT: FARMYARD

[Daniel and Teal'c are questioning an elderly man in what appears to be a farmyard. He is stacking wood, a woman behind him grooming a horse.]

WERNER May I ask why the United States Air Force is taking a renewed interest in my story after twenty-six years?

DANIEL Well, all I can tell you is that we have some new information.

WERNER Will it prove my story true?

DANIEL Eventually, maybe.

TEAL'C Please, tell us what happened to you.

WERNER I was asleep in my bed, and a light appeared in my room and took me.

[We flash back to young man in pyjamas floating in a white mist, lit by a blue light.]

DANIEL Took you where?

WERNER Some kind of space craft I suppose. I was weightless, floating in midair. (an orange device is lowered and bright white light illuminates the young man from above) And yet, it was dark

PAMELA (simultaneously) It was dark, cold.

[Daniel and Teal'c, dressed in different clothes, are sitting at a kitchen table, talking with a middle-aged woman.]

PAMELA I couldn't move a muscle even though I was wide awake.

DANIEL After the light hit you, then what?

PAMELA The devices came.

[In flashback we see a younger woman in pyjamas floating in midair, an orange device surrounded by silver metallic tendrils suspended above her. Green globes of light circle her.]

PAMELA They were these green, glowing balls that floated around me.

[A man speaks in a Chinese dialect. Daniel and Teal'c, again dressed differently, sit in an apartment facing an old Chinese man and an young female interpreter.]

INTERPRETER He said that after the small green spheres stopped scanning him. (The man speaks again) They left him alone for a long while.

[In flashback we see a frightened young Chinese man looking around him.]

INTERPRETER Then a voice spoke to him, telling him not to be afraid and that he would soon be safe again.

DANIEL Could you ask Professor Wu if he actually saw who was speaking to him?

[The interpreter asks the question in the Chinese dialect, Professor Wu nods, and we flash back to the young Chinese man looking directly at and Asgard.]

EXT: ESTABLISHING SHOT&mdash;CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN

INT: SGC&mdash;HAMMOND'S OFFICE

[Daniel and Carter are briefing the general.]

DANIEL (referring to a book he is holding) All the accounts were basically identical, they all matched Jack's version of events exactly.

CARTER Except none of them experienced any kind of physical changes as a result of the abduction.

DANIEL No, they didn't, but everything else is bang on. Taken while sleeping, floating paralysis, out of body experience. Now, admittedly, all of this does sound familiar, clich&amp;eacute; even, if you watch enough TV, but, um, they all described four green globes that seemed to defy gravity, buzzing around them like insects. Now, that's too specific a detail to be a coincidence.

HAMMOND The being that abducted them? I assume they described an Asgard as well?

DANIEL Short, big eyes, no hair, weird voice?

CARTER The Asgard haven't responded to our attempted communications.

FRAISER (coming in from behind them) Well, if help is coming, it better arrive soon.

INT: SGC&mdash;GUEST QUARTERS

[Young Jack is playing a game on his PlayStation when Carter knocks.]

YOUNG JACK It's open.

CARTER How are you doin'?

[Young Jack pauses the game and turns around to face Carter.]

YOUNG JACK Well, I think I'm gettin' another zit, and, uh, oh, yeah, I'm still a kid. Uh, but beyond that I'm doin' just peachy, thanks. Why?

[Appearing extremely reluctant, Carter moves over to sit on the bed. She is grave and unusually hesitant.]

CARTER Janet's just finished going over the genetic team's analysis of your test results.

YOUNG JACK How bad can it be?

CARTER You're probably not feeling the effects yet, but, something is happening to your body at the cellular level. Basically, your genetic structure is growing more unstable.

[Young Jack cuts her off impatiently.]

CARTER (she looks down, closing her eyes for a moment in sorrow) Colonel, you're dying.

[Young Jack sobers up immediately as the news sinks in.]

INT: SGC&mdash;INFIRMARY

[Dr. Fraiser takes a blood sample from Young Jack, Carter hovering in attendance.]

YOUNG JACK Honestly, I feel fine.

FRAISER You'll start to notice symptoms as the condition worsens.

YOUNG JACK How long do I have?

FRAISER It's hard to say.

YOUNG JACK Say it anyway.

FRAISER Weeks, days, I don't know. You'll notice fatigue first. In the end, your body's vital organs will completely shut down.

CARTER It's like something inside you is causing a total system failure.

YOUNG JACK (bitter) I don't get it. We helped save their skinny asses from the Replicators and as a thanks, they shrink me and leave me to die.

CARTER We're exploring every option we have, Colonel. We just need you to hang in there.

[Young O'Neill smiles for a second in an unconvincing effort to reassure Carter.]

INT: SGC&mdash;BRIEFING ROOM

[Carter and Jacob walk up the stairs from the control room to the briefing room.]

CARTER Thanks for coming. I'm sure it'll help coming directly from you.

JACOB How are Mark and the kids?

CARTER Good, great, the kids are great. I'll tell them you said hi.

[Jacob pauses as they reach the top of the stairs and he sees Young Jack standing with Daniel, Teal'c and Hammond by the briefing table.]

JACOB (staring) I'm sorry, Sam told me what was going on, but, what could anyone possibly hope to gain from this?

YOUNG JACK Can we just, uh, get on with it? I'm not gettin' any younger.

JACOB Well, as I told Sam, our options are pretty limited.

YOUNG JACK You come all this way just to say goodbye?

JACOB At this point, I'm here to recommend we put you in stasis until we better understand your condition.

YOUNG JACK You want to freeze me?

CARTER Colonel, we're not talking about cryogenics as we know it here on Earth. The risk involved is minimal.

YOUNG JACK Yeah, well, I've been down this road with the Tok'ra before. No offence, Jacob, but the last time you guys helped me out of a jam, (he uses his fingers to describe quotation marks in the air) I ended up rescuing an old girlfriend I'd never met before.

JACOB We would never subject you to another blending without your express permission.

YOUNG JACK Good, because it's never gonna happen.

JACOB (stepping a little closer) No pressure, Jack, but you need to make a decision. We have a team standing by, but if you wait too long, we may not be able to reverse the cellular breakdown.

CARTER Colonel, please.

HAMMOND It's your choice, Jack.

YOUNG JACK Can I have five minutes to think about it?

HAMMOND You can have ten, Colonel.

[Young Jack walks away from them.]

INT: SGC&mdash;HALLWAY

[Daniel and Carter are headed for the guest quarters.]

CARTER You think he'll do it?

DANIEL If I have to drag the little tyke kicking and screaming through the Gate myself. I didn't come all this way to watch him die like this.

[They find a guard unconscious on the floor and Daniel takes off down the hallway at a dead run as Carter reaches for the phone.]

CARTER (into phone) We have a security breach. Level 25. Guest quarters.

[Young Jack swipes into the elevator just as Daniel comes around the corner and the base alarm sounds. Security teams are sweeping the base.]

SF Go, go, go!

[Young Jack emerges from behind a ventilation panel, runs down the hallway and opens the familiar hatch which leads to the surface.]

INT: SGC&mdash;HALLWAYS

[Hammond leads Carter and Daniel down a hallway towards the elevator]

HAMMOND Security teams have swept the base three times in the past six hours, inside and out. They found nothing. I think it's safe to assume he's no longer here.

CARTER Well, Colonel O'Neill knows the SGC as well as anyone. If he wanted a way out, I'm sure he'd find one.

HAMMOND Well, I've notified state and local authorities. With any luck, they'll find him soon.

[Dr. Fraiser arrives in a rush.]

FRAISER (grave) Sir, there's something you all need to see.

EXT: NIGHT: LIQUOR STORE

[Young Jack is escorted from a liquor store by an irritated clerk.]

CLERK Go on home, kid, before I call the cops. It's a school night, for cryin' out loud.

YOUNG JACK How about light beer?

CLERK Give me a break.

[He heads back into the store.]

[Young Jack sits despondently on one of the posts protecting the liquor store. He glances around as a man in an Air Force jacket passes him.]

YOUNG JACK Harley?

[The man turns questioningly as he hears his name.]

HARLAN Excuse me?

YOUNG JACK Yeah, Harlan Beck. You served in Operation Proven Force out of Incirlik, right?

BECK Yeah, during the Gulf. How'd you know that, kid?

YOUNG JACK What? Are you kidding? I ran&mdash; (He stops himself as he sees the questioning look on Beck's face. He scratches his cheek and tries another tack) I mean, uh, my uncle knew a Lt. Beck from the war. Yeah, said he was a stand up guy. Flew an AC-130 gunship over Baghdad.

HARLAN Well, then, you're uncle had to be in the Special Ops.

YOUNG JACK Yeah, he was. Colonel Jack O'Neill?

BECK You're Jack O'Neill's nephew? I didn't know he had a sibling.

YOUNG JACK Well, used to. Uh, yeah, Uncle Jack's been like a father to me. You know, since my folks died.

BECK Ah. So, how's old Jack doin' anyway?

YOUNG JACK Uh, he's fine, and he's not that old, either.

BECK Well, tell him, tell him Harley said to watch his six.

[Harley turns to walk into the liquor store.]

YOUNG JACK Hey, yeah, uh, speaking of six? Look, uh, seeing as how you know my uncle and all, you think you could do me a little favour?

[Harlan shakes his head, smiles and goes into the store.]

INT: SGC&mdash;INFIRMARY

[Fraiser is talking with Hammond, Daniel and Carter while Jacob sits at the computer.]

FRAISER Selmak has had a chance to digest some of the DNA test results we've been collecting, and it seems Colonel O'Neill's condition isn't what we first thought.

CARTER He isn't dying?

FRAISER He is dying, but we think we know the cause. When we first compared Colonel O'Neill's DNA samples to the ones we had on file, the match was almost perfect.

DANIEL Almost? You said there was a tiny abnormality.

FRAISER That's right, Selmak thinks he knows why.

SELMAK This is not Colonel O'Neill.

CARTER But?

FRAISER He's a clone.

[They react in surprise.]

INT: SGC&mdash;HAMMOND'S OFFICE

[Daniel, Carter and Teal'c are waiting for Hammond.]

HAMMOND (into the phone) I see. Keep me informed. (He hangs up) No word yet on&mdash;What, exactly, do we call him at this point?

CARTER Duplicate O'Neill?

DANIEL Sir, we think we might have a clearer idea of what might be going on.

HAMMOND Please, enlighten me.

TEAL'C We know that the Asgard clone themselves.

DANIEL Their very existence depends on their ability to clone their bodies and then transfer their consciousness from one to the next.

CARTER But they suffer from grave medical conditions due to thousands of years of cloning.

DANIEL Which will ultimately lead to the fall of their civilization if they can't solve the problem of diminishing returns in their cloning technology.

HAMMOND What does this have to do with Colonel O'Neill?

DANIEL We had the abductees' DNA, that Teal'c and I interviewed, scanned for the same abnormalities as, duplicate O'Neill. As far as we can tell, none of them are clones.

HAMMOND Which means?

CARTER Well, in all likelihood, the Asgard responsible, took the original people and replaced them with duplicates so as not to arouse suspicion.

DANIEL They studied the original for a period of time and then switched them back.

HAMMOND You think whoever took the real Colonel O'Neill is going to return him?

CARTER It's all we've got, Sir. We're hoping the fact that Colonel O'Neill's clone didn't fully mature is a mistake.

HAMMOND What makes you think that?

TEAL'C The previous actions of the Asgard responsible indicated his desire to remain covert.

DANIEL Jack's clone's condition is a dead giveaway.

CARTER So it's a good bet the Asgard doesn't even know there's a problem, or else he would have tried to fix it.

HAMMOND Well, they'll figure it out when they try to switch him back.

CARTER If they try to switch.

HAMMOND Are you saying if we don't track down the young duplicate, we may not get the real Colonel O'Neill back?

CARTER Well, no, we're sure the Asgard would be able to find him if he wants. That's not the real issue.

TEAL'C We wish to apprehend the Asgard responsible.

DANIEL Intercepting the next switch may be our only shot.

[The phone buzzes. The General pushes a button on the phone.]

HAMMOND Hammond.

VOICE OVER PHONE General Hammond, Sir, I have a Lt. Colonel Beck from the 10th Air Base Wing at the Air Force Academy on the line for you. He says it has to do with Colonel O'Neill.

HAMMOND Patch him through.

VOICE OVER PHONE Yes, Sir.

EXT: DAY: STREAM IN A FOREST

[Young Jack is parked on a boulder, fishing, as Carter, Daniel and Teal'c arrive with guards.]

YOUNG JACK Unless you brought beer, that's close enough.

[Carter turns to the guards and they obediently back off.]

CARTER (yelling to be heard) Colonel, we need you to come back with us.

YOUNG JACK How'd you find me?

DANIEL A Lt. Col. Beck called General Hammond and placed you in the area.

TEAL'C A man from whom you recently bought bait said he recommended his river.

YOUNG JACK Tell Jacob thanks for trying, but I'm not interested in the deep-freeze deal.

DANIEL Look, we're not here to take you to the Tok'ra. There may not be much time.

YOUNG JACK Never is, is there?

DANIEL Okay, well. (sighs heavily) There's no easy way to tell you this so&hellip; (Carter nods sad agreement) Sam's just gonna come right out and say it.

[Carter shoots him an indignant look.]

CARTER Well, Sir, as you know, the Asgard depend on a cloning technology.

YOUNG JACK Oh, for cryin' out loud!

[Carter is cringing and Daniel won't meet anyone's eyes.]

TEAL'C You have been cloned, O'Neill.

YOUNG JACK (whipping around) What?!!

DANIEL We think the Asgard took the real you and made a copy. An unstable one, at that.

YOUNG JACK The real me?

DANIEL (upset) Yeah, the original. That's not your real anything. I'm, I'm sorry.

YOUNG JACK Where's the original?

CARTER Well, that's what we hope to find out. But we need your help.

[Young Jack is floored by this latest revelation.]

EXT: ESTABLISHING SHOT OF TRUCKS ROLLING INTO CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN

INT: SGC&mdash;BRIEFING ROOM

DANIEL We've calculated approximately a seven day gap between abductions, which puts us at tonight.

YOUNG JACK This plan sucks. Look, I know you don't think I am who I am, but, as far as I'm concerned, I am. Who I am.

CARTER The switch is the only chance we have of capturing whoever's behind this.

YOUNG JACK What about the fact that this body is dying? I mean, has anyone even thought about that for a second? (No one responds.) Oh, I see. You don't care as long as you get the original back.

CARTER We just, we don't know what else to do for you.

TEAL'C Perhaps the Asgard responsible can correct his mistake.

YOUNG JACK Fine. Give me a 9-mil. I'll get it outta the sucker.

DANIEL We don't know who or what we might be facing yet.

YOUNG JACK Exactly why you can't just use me as bait and hang me out to dry. You're never gonna intercept one of those Asgard beams. The only chance you have of capturing this guy is me. (He looks steadily at Hammond, who has been listening intently to them all. Appealing:) Come on.

HAMMOND A zat gun.

YOUNG JACK Thank you, Sir.

INT: NIGHT: O'NEILL'S BEDROOM

[Young Jack is sprawled on the bed, leafing through "Cracked" magazine. He picks up a radio from the bedside table.]

YOUNG JACK (into the radio) Carter, you still got your ears on?

CARTER (Carter is outside the house observing) Yes, Sir.

YOUNG JACK (into the radio) Daniel, Teal'c?

TEAL'C (watching the house from another angle with Daniel)

"Everything appears to be normal, O'Neill."

YOUNG JACK (over the radio) Yeah? Not to me.

CARTER You wanna go over the instructions I gave you again?

YOUNG JACK Don't worry, Carter, I'm sure I'll figure it out.

[An Asgard beam strikes him. Carter sees light flare in O'Neill's bedroom and begins to run towards the house. O'Neill is curled up on his bed, sleeping deeply and snoring a little. Carter, Daniel and Teal'c race into the bedroom.]

CARTER (shaking O'Neill's shoulder) Colonel, you all right?

[No movement from O'Neill.]

DANIEL Jack! Jack!

[Still no movement.]

TEAL'C O'Neill?

[O'Neill stirs with a grunt.]

O'NEILL (groggy and blinking) What are you all doing in my bedroom?

EXT: SPACE&mdash;ASGARD SHIP

[A small, elegant Asgard ship is in orbit above the Earth]

INT: ASGARD SHIP

[Young Jack lies suspended in the air, looking around as an Asgard enters the chamber.]

LOKI Hello. Do not be afraid.

[Young Jack zats the Asgard, which crumples to the ground. Then he looks up and zats the orange device keeping him suspended. He plummets to the floor, groaning.]

INT: CUT TO O'NEILL'S BEDROOM

[O'Neill sits on the edge of his bed, disoriented and rubbing his eyes. Eventually, he stands.]

O'NEILL I assume this is, important?

CARTER Just a little, Sir.

CUT TO ASGARD SHIP

YOUNG JACK Okay. (he looks at a sleek console) Wrong console.

[He walks to another, nearby.]

YOUNG JACK Far right jewel thingy, up.

[He moves a control device to another place on the console and waits expectantly but nothing happens.]

YOUNG JACK Ah, and three o'clock.

[He rotates the controller.]

CUT TO O'NEILL'S BEDROOM

O'NEILL Y'know, I was having the weirdest dream.

[SG-1 are beamed from Jack's bedroom aboard the Asgard ship.]

CUT TO ASGARD SHIP

YOUNG JACK There, you see, Carter? Told you it was no problem.

[Young Jack walks over to check O'Neill out. They are dressed identically, looking each other over in confusion.]

O'NEILL (looks at his teammates) What's goin' on?

[They all look away, embarrassed.]

YOUNG JACK Wow, uh, you know, I'm, I'm really much taller than I think.

O'NEILL Carter?

CARTER Colonel O'Neill, meet&mdash;Colonel O'Neill.

[O'Neill looks at Young Jack again, and then back at Carter.]

O'NEILL (irritated and confused) What's goin' on?

DANIEL We're pretty sure this Ass-gard over here, kidnapped you and attempted to replace you with a clone.

[Jack is bewildered.]

O'NEILL How long was I asleep?

CARTER Seven days.

O'NEILL That's a record. (to Young Jack) So you're&mdash;me?

YOUNG JACK (simultaneously) You. Yeah, uh, believe me, if you think it's weird, imagine how I feel being the copy.

[Loki regains consciousness, moaning piteously.]

TEAL'C He is awakened.

[Daniel marches over to the Asgard, followed by Carter. Young Jack watches them, O'Neill watches him.]

LOKI (confused) What's happening?

CARTER We were kind of hoping you could tell us.

LOKI No, no, no, this is all wrong.

O'NEILL Hey! (Jack storms over to the Asgard) I'll tell you what's wrong. I just woke up, haven't had coffee, let alone a pee in seven days, and I find out you stole my ass and made a&mdash;mini me. Carter, I should be irked currently, yes?

CARTER Yes, I&mdash;I would be.

DANIEL Why don't you tell us who you are?

LOKI Loki.

DANIEL According to Norse mythology, that's the god of mischief.

CARTER What did you want with Colonel O'Neill?

LOKI I have nothing more to say to any of you.

O'NEILL Hey! We just saved your flat little white asses from the Replicators. This is the thanks we get?

YOUNG JACK Hey, at least you're gonna live.

O'NEILL What?

YOUNG JACK Maybe you're a little put out, but this guy didn't hit all the right buttons on the Xerox. This body is gonna fall apart if he doesn't fix me.

LOKI I cannot. All the clones suffer the same fate.

O'NEILL Okay, I'm going back to my original question. What's going on?

LOKI I am a scientist, a former geneticist with the Asgard Ruling Council.

CARTER Former?

LOKI I was stripped of my stature after I was caught performing unsanctioned experiments on humans.

O'NEILL What? You've got sanctioned ones?

LOKI I merely had the courage to do what was necessary to advance our cloning technology.

CARTER Instead of courage, some might call it a lack of morality.

LOKI Our population cannot withstand the duplication process for much longer.

CARTER Well, how can experimenting on humans change that?

LOKI Your bodies are similar to our original form thousands of years ago. Using your physical makeup as a template, I had hoped to find a way to construct a clone that could contain our massively superior intellect. My research was unsuccessful.

YOUNG JACK So much for massively superior intellect.

O'NEILL I was gonna say that.

LOKI I was going to say, it was unsuccessful prior to my being caught and banished. I would have found what I needed eventually.

DANIEL Why risk coming back here and breaking the law after nineteen years?

LOKI Because, I thought he was the one.

O'NEILL and YOUNG JACK (simultaneously) Me?

LOKI I believed his genetic code contained the key.

O'NEILL and YOUNG JACK (simultaneously) Mine?

O'NEILL Stop it.

LOKI He was physiologically advanced enough to carry and utilize all the data from the ancient repository of knowledge. That would not be possible for any human one generation ago. He is a significant step forward on your evolutionary path.

DANIEL You just found this out recently?

LOKI I learned about it when all the Asgard did. O'Neill is legendary.

[Daniel, O'Neill and Carter are amazed.]

LOKI Most recently, the Asgard fleet has been distracted by the war with the Replicators and the subsequent relocation of our people.

O'NEILL So, you took the opportunity when no one was looking to sneak back here.

LOKI I do not regret my actions. I am trying to save my people.

YOUNG JACK Look, I know this isn't all about me, but come on, seriously. I'm dying here.

LOKI I cannot reverse your fate. Nor can I explain why you did not mature to the proper age as you should have.

YOUNG JACK Well, easy to see why they kicked you out of the science club.

O'NEILL All right, I've heard enough. (He returns to the control console.) Carter, (Carter follows) Can you call Thor on this thing?

[Carter walks to the console Young Jack used to beam them up.]

LOKI Please, do not.

CARTER We've already tried contacting the Asgard a number of times.

YOUNG JACK You know, you'd think if Thor knew about this?

CARTER Okay, pretty sure that's it.

[Everyone waits. And waits.]

YOUNG JACK All right, how long are we go&mdash;

[He stumbles slightly, closing his eyes as if giddy.]

O'NEILL You all right?

YOUNG JACK Actually, no.

DANIEL Uh, what do we do if Thor doesn't show up? (Thor beams aboard the ship) Never mind.

O'NEILL Well, it's about time!

THOR (as he walks to where Loki is restrained) I apologize for not coming sooner. Loki, what have you done?

YOUNG JACK Yeah, it seems he's been playing Dr. Moreau behind your back.

O'NEILL Yes! Dr. Moreau!

THOR You know why I am here. You should have known O'Neill's genetic code was safeguarded for his own protection.

O'NEILL Excuse me?

THOR A marker was placed in your DNA to prevent any attempts at genetic manipulation.

DANIEL The abnormality?

CARTER That's why the clone didn't mature.

[Thor walks across to Young Jack and O'Neill.]

THOR Yes. Loki will be punished for his actions.

CARTER Is it true that Colonel O'Neill is the key to solving your cloning problems?

THOR No.

O'NEILL (whining) But I thought I was advanced?

THOR Indeed, you are O'Neill, but our scientists have already determined that while you are an important step forward in the evolutionary chain, the missing link we have been searching for still eludes us.

O'NEILL I'm sorry. THOR Again, I apologize for any inconvenience Loki may have caused.

YOUNG JACK Yeah, that's what I'd call it.

THOR Unfortunately, the eventual genetic breakdown of the clone is not my doing, but rather a result of Loki's inept methods.

LOKI There was no need for the clones to survive.

[O'Neill looks at Young Jack, who is horrified by being written off this way. O'Neill feels for him.]

O'NEILL Look, Thor? Is there anything you can do for him? The whining's starting to grate.

THOR (amazed) You wish your clone to live?

YOUNG JACK You can't just let me die!

O'NEILL He's just a kid.

THOR Are you certain, O'Neill?

[O'Neill doesn't answer immediately and Young Jack smacks him in the arm.]

O'NEILL I'm thinking! Yeah.

THOR Very well. I will attempt to repair his DNA. If successful, he should continue to mature at a normal human rate.

[Everyone reacts with relief at this news.]

O'NEILL Thanks.

[Thor bows.]

EXT: DAY: COLORADO SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL

[O'Neill's truck pulls up in front of the school. Young Jack is in the passenger seat. A song is playing loudly&mdash;"A Melancholy Day"]

O'NEILL You're sure about this?

[Jack obviously is not.]

YOUNG JACK I've thought a lot about it. And, you know, you, me, I mean, we, never really did embrace high school. I don't know. Haven't you ever just wanted to go back and do it all over again? I mean, especially with all you know now?

O'NEILL (absolute certainty) No.

YOUNG JACK Well, from here on in, you and me are different. Which is why I'm gonna do this.

[He gets out of the truck but pauses when O'Neill calls out to him.]

O'NEILL Hey, listen, do me a favour, huh?

YOUNG JACK Don't worry, I, I wasn't gonna keep in touch.

O'NEILL Yeah, it'd just be a little&mdash;

YOUNG JACK Weird.

O'NEILL Weird, yeah.

YOUNG JACK Yeah.

O'NEILL But look, if you need anything, just, you know?

YOUNG JACK Air Force has set me up, I'll be fine.

O'NEILL You're sure about this? I mean, it's high school.

[Young Jack turns and sees three girls eyeing him. They giggle to each other when he looks at them. Then he turns and fixes O'Neill with a significant look.]

O'NEILL (enlightenment dawns) Yes! Go forth, young man!

[Young Jack pulls out a pair of really cool sunglasses and puts them on, pats the side of the truck as the song swells, "Who am I? Who am I?"]

[O'Neill smiles and drives away, leaving Young Jack alone. He turns immediately, catches up with the giggling girls and walks towards the school.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

Lily Frost, "Who Am I" song lyrics
Today, on the street In the metro, It's a melancholy day No one speaks Passing you by Wondering why

Today, like any day Rolled out of bed Talked on the telephone Went to the doctor, she said You're OK Still I wonder

Who am I

Today in the air On the water Ships pass you by Clouds fantasize Dragging shapes across the sky Wondering why

Who am I

Clarion plays for the courtsmans brigade Centuries before on this very stage Gypsies serenade, passed through DNA So it found its way

Today in the air On the metro It's a melancholy day

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