The Last Man/Transcript

Episode Guide
SGA 4.20 "The Last Man" Episode Guide

Transcript
TEASER

EXT&mdash;STARGATE AREA, M4S-587, DAY

[Sheppard meets up with Lorne's team at the area.]

LORNE So how'd it go, sir?

SHEPPARD (frustrated) The Genii contact didn't show up.

LORNE Can't say I'm surprised.

SHEPPARD What are you saying, Major? The Genii can't be trusted?

LORNE Well they did try to kill you and Doctor McKay, along with that little girl.

SHEPPARD True, true. And normally, that's the kind of thing I take personally. But, Ladon claims he didn't order the hit. He's trying to get on our good side.

LORNE Do you really think they know anything about where Michael took Teyla?

SHEPPARD Well, they got solid intel, and we're following up any lead, no matter how thin.

LORNE Okay, so, what do you want to do?

[Sheppard starts to dial the DHD.]

SHEPPARD Well, I'm going go ahead. You stay behind for a few hours. Tell me if he shows up.

LORNE Will do.

[Sheppard pauses before walking to the wormhole.]

SHEPPARD We're going to find her, Major.

LORNE Yes, sir.

[Sheppard steps through the Stargate.]

WORMHOLE EFFECT

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[Sheppard arrives. The wormhole shuts down behind him. There is a red glow from the light coming through the windows. The control room is quiet and deserted.]

SHEPPARD Somebody turn up the heat? (calling out) Hello?

[There is no one else anywhere around.]

SHEPPARD (nervously) If this is a surprise party, it's not my birthday.

[Sheppard walks up to the control room.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) This is Sheppard, anyone read?&hellip;I repeat, this is Sheppard. Anyone on this channel?

[Sheppard goes to the balcony doors. He has to manually pry them open.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS BALCONY, DAY

[Sheppard steps out onto the balcony. The ocean has dried up, making the entire area a barren desert. The city itself is half buried under sands, showing this was not a recent development. The sunlight that beats down on Sheppard has a reddish glow. Sheppard looks around intently, breathing hard.]

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Sheppard reenters the control room and tries to activate some of the stations. Nothing starts.]

SHEPPARD (muttering to himself) All right. This is either the most elaborate practical joke of all time, or I'm in serious trouble here.

[The radio crackles. A garbled voice can be heard through the static.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) This is Sheppard. Anyone on this frequency?

MCKAY (over radio) Sheppard, is that really you?

SHEPPARD (into radio, relieved) McKay!

MCKAY (over radio) I can't believe it. It actually worked!

SHEPPARD (into radio) What are you talking about? What the hell's going on here?

MCKAY (over radio) Well, I-I imagine you're a little confused right now. God, for you, like what, five minutes has passed?

SHEPPARD (into radio) Rodney!

MCKAY (over radio) Look, I need you to describe exactly what you're seeing. Where are you?

SHEPPARD (into radio) I'm in the control room. It's deserted.

MCKAY (over radio) Is there any power?

SHEPPARD (into radio, slightly panicky) No, everything's dead. And, oh yeah, did I tell you the ocean's gone?

MCKAY (over radio) Sorry, what?

SHEPPARD (into radio) The big blue thing out the window, it-it's gone! It-it's a desert. And it's about a hundred and twenty degrees in here.

MCKAY (over radio) Whoa. Jeez. The planet must have undergone some serious climate changes!

SHEPPARD (into radio, threatening) If you don't start giving me some answers pretty soon here&hellip;

MCKAY (over radio) Okay, look, I understand this is hard for you. Just&hellip;do me a favor and go to the hologram room.

SHEPPARD (into radio) Why?

MCKAY (over radio) Just do it. Please.

[Sheppard runs down the steps.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard runs through the empty corridors to the hologram room.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS HOLOGRAM ROOM

[The room is dark and empty when Sheppard arrives.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) All right, I'm here.

MCKAY (over radio) Well, activate the hologram projector.

SHEPPARD (into radio) There's no power.

MCKAY (over radio) Heh, it's connected to an independent power source. Don't worry, it will work.

[Sheppard passes his hand over the controls. The room lights up and McKay appears behind him. McKay has aged&mdash;his hair is grey, his face wrinkled. He wears a cardigan and other loose casual clothes.]

MCKAY Hey there.

[Sheppard spins around and looks at McKay in shock.]

SHEPPARD (stunned) Rodney.

MCKAY God, it's good to see you again.

[Sheppard backs away.]

SHEPPARD You're a hologram!

MCKAY (with mock surprise) No&hellip;! Of course. I-I'm tapped into the city's, um, internal sensors, so I've got eyes and ears, so to speak. You look good!

SHEPPARD You look&hellip;uh&hellip;

[Sheppard passes his hand through McKay's chest. The hologram image falters as he pierces it. McKay looks down with mild interest, but no pain.]

SHEPPARD &hellip;different.

MCKAY Mmm. That's because you remember me the, uh, the way I was.

SHEPPARD (becoming irritated) What, you mean earlier today?

MCKAY (musing) Ah, it's funny, you know? I've spent the last twenty-five years of my life trying to figure out how to make this work, and I never once thought what I was going to say to you when you got here.

SHEPPARD You can start by telling me what the hell's going on here!

[McKay starts to pace.]

MCKAY Right, right. Okay, um&hellip;remember that mission report? SG-1 stepped through the 'gate. Their wormhole accidentally intersected with a solar flare, and they were sent back to 1969?

SHEPPARD Uh&hellip;well, vaguely.

MCKAY Well, something similar has just happened to you.

SHEPPARD I was sent back in time?

MCKAY Uh, no. In fact, you were sent forward, into the future.

SHEPPARD How far into the future?

MCKAY Huh. Interesting question. And one that was not easy to figure out. I had to determine the exact characteristics of the solar flare in question&mdash;

SHEPPARD Rodney!

MCKAY (hesitantly) 48,000 years, give or&hellip;take?

[Sheppard rocks back in shock.]

SHEPPARD This is a practical joke.

MCKAY No, I'm afraid not. Freak accident. Sorry.

SHEPPARD (upset) You're telling me I just travelled 48,000 years into the future in ten seconds?!

MCKAY (intrigued) I know. It is kind of cool when you think about it, isn't it.

SHEPPARD (more upset) Surfing a thirty foot wave in Waimea is cool. Dating a supermodel is cool. This is not cool!

MCKAY All right, calm down.

SHEPPARD (stunned by a new thought) If I'm in the future, that means you're, uh&hellip;

MCKAY Dead. Dead and buried and turned to dust a long, long time ago. Along with everyone you ever knew. There's no way of knowing what the state of human civilization is, whether it even&hellip;still exists. I mean, we've obviously abandoned this city.

SHEPPARD (nonplussed) Yeah, obviously.

MCKAY There's not enough power for you to 'gate back to Earth. And without a MALP, going anywhere else would be far too risky. It is entirely possible that you are the last human being alive.

SHEPPARD (disturbed) You're not doing a very good job of cheering me up here.

MCKAY Oh, consider yourself lucky, young man. While I was figuring out this plan, I had no way of knowing whether the city would even survive this long.

SHEPPARD What plan?

MCKAY I took advantage of some progress in hologram technology to create this simulation. I'm able to move anywhere inside the city. I'm fully interactive, and I'm designed to mimic the exact response and appearance of the great Doctor Rodney McKay.

SHEPPARD Couldn't use anyone else, huh?

[McKay chuckles.]

MCKAY Funny. Um&hellip;I'm linked to the city's main systems, but I have an independent core drive which is sealed in the foundation of one of the outer buildings along with a Mark XII naquadah generator and a couple of other, uh, well, key components. It's kind of like a, um, well, what would you say&hellip;? Like a time capsule, so to speak.

SHEPPARD It's really nice to have company, but, if what you're saying is true, what good does it do me?

MCKAY Oh, trust me, I wouldn't go to all this trouble just so we could have a chat. No&hellip;no, I'm here to bring you back. Come on.

[McKay leads Sheppard out of the room.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDORS

[Lights come on in each section as Sheppard and the holographic McKay pass, then turn off as the hologram moves out of range.]

SHEPPARD Where are we going?

MCKAY Stasis chamber.

SHEPPARD Why?

MCKAY To buy some time.

SHEPPARD Oh, that really explains everything.

MCKAY Theoretically, we can send you back exactly the way you got here, using the 'gate, the right address, and a solar flare. Only problem is, we're waiting for something very specific, a prominence with exactly the right shape, size, characteristics, and relative position in space so that it will interact with the wormhole in exactly the right manner, and send you back exactly the right amount of time.

SHEPPARD And that doesn't happen every day.

MCKAY Exactly.

SHEPPARD How long are we talking about?

MCKAY Oh, seven, eight hundred years. A thousand tops.

[Sheppard stops short.]

SHEPPARD Whoa, whoa, whoa. That-that's your plan?! I-I'm 48,000 years into the future, and you want to put me on ice for another thousand?

MCKAY Tops. Well, we need to be precise. If I don't get you back within two months of the moment you left, then&hellip;it'll be too late.

SHEPPARD Too late? Wha-what the hell is that supposed to mean?

[McKay sighs.]

MCKAY Things didn't exactly go well for us after your disappearance. Once I figured out what happened to you, I realized there was nothing we could do. The Air Force pronounced you KIA&mdash;gave you a-a very nice military funeral back on Earth. Obviously, the casket was empty, but, uh, you know&hellip;it's the thought that counts. Heh. From there, well&hellip; From there, things went from bad to worse.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;WAREHOUSE, M2S-445, DAY

INT&mdash;WAREHOUSE

[Ronon, McKay and Lorne's team sweep through the building, weapons raised.]

MCKAY (voiceover) We kept searching for Teyla, but we just didn't have the resources to cover enough ground. It took us two months before we finally found her, in one of Michael's hideouts. But by then it was too late.

[Ronon crouches down by Teyla, checking her pulse. Rodney has tears in his eyes as he realizes she is not alive.]

END FLASHBACK

MCKAY (sadly) She'd had the baby. I guess&hellip;after that, he didn't have any use for her anymore&hellip;So he killed her.

[McKay and Sheppard both look devastated.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard and McKay head down another corridor.]

MCKAY It's not your fault!

SHEPPARD I should've been there.

MCKAY (sighing) And you will be. And&hellip;knowing the address where we eventually found Teyla, you will be able to get there much quicker. You know, save Teyla, save the baby, change the fate of the galaxy.

SHEPPARD What do you mean?

MCKAY (animated) Well, it was the turning point. It was the key to everything. Once Michael had that baby, he was able to complete his research and perfect the hybrids.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;VILLAGE, DAY

MCKAY (voiceover) After that, well, he really kicked things into gear.

INT&mdash;MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL

[Atlantis medical personnel treat patients in the hospital. Keller passes a blanket over a patient who's died, looking distraught.]

MCKAY (voiceover) He stepped up his campaign of exposing human populations to the Hoffan drug. Jennifer did her best to find a way to combat the effects and was trying to lower the mortality rate, but ultimately, it was a losing battle.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Wraith hive ships fire on each other in a pitched battle.]

MCKAY (voiceover) With their food supplies tainted, the infighting between the Wraith factions got worse. Michael waited until they were at each other's throats&hellip;and then he made his move.

[Another hive ship drops out of hyperspace.]

INT&mdash;MICHAEL'S HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

MICHAEL Status?

HYBRID Both hives are heavily damaged. They've lost hyperdrive and are venting atmosphere.

MICHAEL Well, then, let's finish it.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Michael's hive ship fires on both other ships, destroying them.]

INT&mdash;TENT

[Two hybrid soldiers drag in a Wraith queen. She struggles but is too weak to resist. They force her to kneel.]

MCKAY (voiceover) He took advantage of their weakened state and their internal divisions, and in less than a year, he had the Wraith on their knees. Literally.

[Michael stands in the tent, fingering the sharpness of a knife.]

MICHAEL You know, the irony is, I never asked for any of this. I was taken prisoner by the humans. Tortured. Experimented on. And when I finally escaped and returned to my Wraith brothers, instead of being welcomed back, I was met with scorn.

QUEEN You will pay for this.

MICHAEL (sneering) You still have your pride. Good for you.

[He slashes with the knife, and the queen's headless body falls.]

EXT&mdash;ENCAMPMENT, DAY

[Michael steps out of the tent to stand before his hybrid army. He raises the decapitated head of the Wraith queen, and his troops cheer.]

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS STAIRWELL

MCKAY With the Wraith in disarray, Michael returned to the human populations he'd infected with the Hoffan drug. He selected the strongest and the healthiest of the survivors and converted them to hybrids. The rest he exterminated.

SHEPPARD You think by saving Teyla, we can change all this?

MCKAY I know it. All I have to do is get you safely to a stasis chamber. I will reprogram the sensors&hellip;

[The arrive in a corridor. It is filled with sand.]

MCKAY (deflating) Oh. That could be a problem.

SHEPPARD No, no. That's not a problem. We'll just find another way around.

[McKay's image flickers.]

SHEPPARD Rodney?

MCKAY There is no other way around.

[Sheppard and McKay walk closer to the sand.]

MCKAY The sand has penetrated the lower levels.

SHEPPARD 48,000 years into the future, you've still got a knack for stating the obvious. All right, what do we do?

MCKAY I don't know.

SHEPPARD What do you mean, you don't know?

MCKAY (defensively) Well, I wasn't programmed for this variable.

SHEPPARD You said you had twenty-five years to work on this plan.

MCKAY Well, McKay did! And he brilliantly anticipated a lot of potential problems. It's just that&hellip;well&hellip;this wasn't one of them.

[Sheppard starts heading back the way they came.]

SHEPPARD (thinking quickly) All right. Go up two levels, turn right, there's an outer door. It's only a quarter mile across the plaza.

MCKAY You can't do that.

SHEPPARD Why not?

MCKAY Not only is it extremely hot out there, but for the last half an hour, the barometric pressure has been dropping, and the wind speeds have increased significantly.

SHEPPARD Storm's coming.

MCKAY A sandstorm. You ever been in one of those?!

SHEPPARD As a matter of fact, I have!

MCKAY Oh. Oh, then-then you know what that means.

SHEPPARD It's not like we have a lot of options, here.

[He starts jogging to the stairs. The hologram reluctantly follows.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard arrives at the closed outer door. He can hear the wind whipping furiously outside. McKay arrives.]

SHEPPARD Sounds pretty nasty out there.

MCKAY The winds are gusting over fifty miles an hour and increasing. The visibility's basically zero. You can't go out there. You're just gonna have to wait it out.

SHEPPARD For how long?

MCKAY Well, I don't know. Maybe a couple of hours?

[Sheppard sighs and collapses against the wall.]

MCKAY (concerned) Are you hungry? Do you have any food?

SHEPPARD (shaking his head) Nah.

MCKAY Aw, well, I suppose it doesn't really matter anyways. We'll just wait for the storm to blow over and have you out of here in no time at all. Well, you'll actually be here for 700 years, but, uh&hellip;you know what I mean.

SHEPPARD What about everyone else? I mean, you told me about Teyla, but what about the rest of them? There's no way we would've rolled over and let Michael take over the whole galaxy.

MCKAY (quietly) No.

SHEPPARD Well, what happened?

MCKAY The IOA and the military were reluctant to commit a lot of resources to protecting the human populations of another galaxy. But Sam..? Heh. Sam wouldn't take no for an answer.

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;PHOENIX CORRIDOR

[Carter and McKay tour the corridors, watching personnel assemble and set up new systems.]

MCKAY (voiceover) Finally, they decided to give her a new ship, the Phoenix. It was barely off the assembly line. Half the Asgard systems weren't finished, the other half&hellip;weren't working.

[Carter smiles. McKay looks more pessimistic.]

INT&mdash;PHOENIX AUXILIARY CONTROL ROOM

[Carter and McKay work on different systems.]

MCKAY (voiceover) We spent the better part of a month getting her ready for combat. We worked day and night, side by side. Zelenka might have been there as well, I don't really remember.

[Zelenka passes by, leaving McKay a cup of coffee.]

MCKAY (voiceover) I do remember never feeling so drained in my entire life.

INT&mdash;PHOENIX CORE ROOM

[McKay places the last crystal in the Asgard computer. Carter smiles and checks off something on her tablet computer. McKay sighs and they both look around.]

MCKAY (voiceover) Eventually though, we managed to get her in working order.

INT&mdash;PHOENIX BRIDGE

[Carter stares out the bridge window. McKay enters.]

MCKAY All right, everything checks out. Weapons, shields, long-range sensors, all in the green. She's good to go.

CARTER Great work, Rodney. Now I want you, Radek, and your team to head back to Atlantis and take a couple of days off. When you're good and rested, get to work on the city's shields. Do anything you can to maximize efficiency. You're going to need them.

MCKAY Well, what about you?

CARTER I'm going to take her out. For the time being, Major Lorne is in command of Atlantis.

[McKay looks worried.]

MCKAY You need to take some time. You're as exhausted as we are!

CARTER Intel suggests that Michael's about to move against several human worlds. We have to get out there now.

MCKAY (petulantly) Well, so let someone else go!

[Carter gives McKay a look.]

MCKAY Right.

[He turns to go.]

CARTER Hey!

[McKay turns back.]

MCKAY Hmm?

[Carter looks at him expectantly.]

MCKAY (shrugging) Uh&hellip;Good luck?

[Carter gives a wistful smile.]

CARTER Thanks, Rodney&hellip;

[She hugs him.]

CARTER &hellip;for everything.

[McKay looks uncomfortable and saddened. As she steps back, he mutters awkwardly. He leaves Carter alone on the bridge, where she looks out the window, her expression melancholy.]

MCKAY (voiceover) They started a series of hit-and-run ops, real guerrilla style.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Phoenix arrives and destroys one Wraith hybrid ship with its weapons as it passes, also firing on the hybrid's sister ship.]

INT&mdash;PHOENIX BRIDGE

FEMALE HELMSMAN One of the hives has been neutralized.

CARTER What about the other one?

FEMALE HELMSMAN Minimal damage. They're powering weapons.

CARTER Damn it.

FEMALE HELMSMAN Should we swing around for another pass?

CARTER Forget it. Get us out of here.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The hive ship fires on the Phoenix, impacting its shields. Phoenix enters hyperspace.]

END FLASHBACKS

MCKAY For a while, it really worked. They were able to inflict, uh, considerable damage despite terrible odds. But, eventually, their luck ran out.

[Sheppard blinks and looks saddened.]

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Phoenix exits hyperspace above a planet with a lot of water.]

MCKAY (voiceover) Michael deliberately leaked some intel that he was about to attack a heavily populated human world. Sam thought she could get there first&hellip;but she was wrong.

[A hive ship already orbits the planet, waiting in ambush for the Phoenix. It immediately starts firing on the ship.]

INT&mdash;PHOENIX BRIDGE

[Explosions rock the bridge. Carter helps with repairs.]

FEMALE HELMSMAN We've got a hive ship, six o'clock!

CARTER It's an ambush.

FEMALE HELMSMAN Here comes another one. Dead ahead.

CARTER Evasive maneuvers!

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Phoenix tries to dodge blasts, but two more hive ships start to surround the 304, firing their weapons.]

INT&mdash;PHOENIX BRIDGE

FEMALE HELMSMAN We're boxed in.

CARTER Return fire!

[An explosion on the bridge knocks the man in the port station out of his chair. He falls back with a pained cry. Another crew member hurries to take his place.]

FEMALE HELMSMAN We've lost Asgard weapons!

CARTER (to helmsman) Switch to missiles. Fire all batteries. (to crew member) Help him. Go.

[She takes the port station as the crew member goes to help the wounded member.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Phoenix is barraged by heavy fire as it fires its missiles.]

INT&mdash;PHOENIX BRIDGE

FEMALE HELMSMAN We've got an overload. It's the hyperdrive.

CARTER Reroute the power.

FEMALE HELMSMAN No response. System is going critical.

[Carter moves from one system to another.]

CARTER I'm beaming you to the planet. Head to the 'gate as soon as you can.

FEMALE HELMSMAN What about you?

CARTER (firmly) I'll be right behind you!

[The helmsman is beamed away.]

INT&mdash;PHOENIX CORRIDORS

[People are beamed away throughout the ship.]

INT&mdash;PHOENIX BRIDGE

[Carter moves from station to station, setting controls.]

MCKAY (voiceover) After she got the crew off, she must have lost the transport system. With her engines about to go critical, I guess she figured she didn't have anything to lose.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Phoenix makes a wide turn within the boxed areas and heads full speed ahead as blasts continue to strike the ship.]

INT&mdash;PHOENIX BRIDGE

[Carter stands stoically by her chair watching the window.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Phoenix rams one of the hive ships, the resulting explosion destroying the other two.]

MCKAY (voiceover) With her last breath, she took out three of Michael's hive ships.

END FLASHBACKS

MCKAY (with wistful smile) And we buried another empty casket.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS

[The sun begins to set, the light dimming throughout the city.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR NEAR OUTER DOOR

[McKay reappears near Sheppard, who's standing and waiting impatiently. McKay looks very worried.]

SHEPPARD Where the hell have you been?

MCKAY I was inputting our&hellip;new solar flare requirements into the long-range sensors, and&hellip;I found out what happened to the ocean.

SHEPPARD Well, you going to tell me, or are you going to keep it a secret?

MCKAY (fiercely) The sun in this system is dying! It's running out of fuel.

SHEPPARD Wouldn't that make it colder?

MCKAY No. As it consumes the heavier elements, it begins to expand. It-it's basically turning into a red giant.

SHEPPARD Okay, so mystery solved. Let's move on.

MCKAY No, no. You don't get it. This isn't some kind of&hellip;cyclical climate change. This is-this is a one-way ticket. This planet is going to get hotter and hotter. Eventually the atmosphere is going to burn off.

SHEPPARD All right, how long before that happens?

MCKAY It is impossible to say, but my best estimate is under five hundred years.

SHEPPARD You said I'd be in stasis for at least seven hundred!

MCKAY Right. So the moment you step out of the stasis chamber, you'll be killed.

SHEPPARD (angrily) Come on, Rodney, you gotta think of something.

MCKAY (frustrated) I am trying! It's like I said&hellip;

SHEPPARD You didn't anticipate the variable. I get it! All right, can-can the Mark XII, uh, power the shields?

MCKAY Theoretically, but&hellip;there would never be enough power left over to maintain my systems, the long-range sensors, the stasis chamber&hellip;

SHEPPARD The city has solar power generators, right?

MCKAY (caustically) Yes, which would come in very handy if we were trying to power a couple of electric golf carts.

SHEPPARD See, you're still thinking like the old McKay.

MCKAY I can't really help that! Look, what are you saying?

SHEPPARD The sun's going red giant, right? Increased solar energy. The worse it gets, the more power we'll have.

MCKAY Oh my god. That could work. We'll use the shields to protect the atmosphere.

SHEPPARD (snapping his fingers) Exactly.

MCKAY We wouldn't be able to do it indefinitely, but it would buy us a hundred years or so.

[Sheppard pulls out a bandanna, tying it around his neck like a kerchief.]

SHEPPARD It's going to have to do for now. Open up the door.

MCKAY What about the storm?

SHEPPARD It's been going on for seven hours. For all we know, it could go on for days.

MCKAY It'll be dark soon.

SHEPPARD All the more reason to get going. All I gotta do is walk in a straight line.

MCKAY That may not be as easy as you think.

SHEPPARD I never said I thought it would be easy. Look, I haven't eaten. I was hungry on my way back to Atlantis. The longer we wait, the weaker I get.

MCKAY All right. Look, I can't go outside, but I-I can stay in contact with you over the radio.

[Bandanna over his nose and throat, Sheppard puts on his sunglasses and stands in front of the door. They open. He heads out into the sandstorm.]

MCKAY (calling after him) Like you said, just keep walking in a straight line. You'll hit the building on the other side. Just feel your way to the door. I'll be waiting for you there!

[The door closes.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS PLAZA, DAY

[Sheppard fights his way through the sandstorm.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[The hologram of McKay rematerializes at another door.]

MCKAY (into radio, worried) Sheppard? Sheppard can you hear me?

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS PLAZA, DAY

SHEPPARD (into radio) Yeah, I hear you!

MCKAY (over radio) How you doing?

SHEPPARD (into radio) Never better!

[Sheppard gets blown back by the storm, taking two steps back for every one step forward. He stumbles to his knees for a moment then gets back up.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

SHEPPARD (over radio) Rodney?

MCKAY Yeah, I'm still here.

SHEPPARD (over radio) Tell me about Ronon.

MCKAY What, now?

SHEPPARD (over radio) Yes, now. Talk to me, Rodney.

MCKAY Right. Uh&hellip;well, after what happened to you, and&hellip;and then Teyla, i guess he didn't feel comfortable on the base anymore.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;ENCAMPMENT, DAY

[Ronon walks with other warriors through the camp.]

MCKAY (voiceover) He persuaded Sam to let him go off-world and recruit a strike force. By this time, the galaxy was in a panic. Word was spreading that Michael's agenda was to wipe out Wraith and human alike. Ronon didn't have much trouble finding volunteers.

[Everyone in the encampment, men and women, gather around as Ronon when arrives in the center of camp. He looks pleased at their number.]

[Later, he watches as pairs of volunteers spar with each other in organized katas, moving as he counts off.]

RONON One. Two. Three.

MCKAY (voiceover) They were just simple villagers with no military experience, but he trained them in all forms of combat. He even convinced Sam to let him have some of our equipment: radios, explosives, P-90s. It wasn't long before he had himself a pretty effective combat force.

[Ronon supervises the unpacking of several Earth crates. They contain C4 and rifles, which get distributed to everyone.]

[Ronon watches, pleased, as one of his volunteers shoots a target dummy with a P-90.]

MCKAY (voiceover) They ran a few successful ops against some of Michael's ground facilities, and then one day&hellip;they got key piece of intel.

EXT&mdash;WRAITH LAB, DAY

INT&mdash;WRAITH LAB

[Two hybrid soldiers patrol the lab.]

MCKAY (voiceover) Michael had taken over a Wraith lab and was using it to create more of his hybrids.

[A flash grenade goes off in front of them.]

MCKAY (voiceover) They decided to take it out.

[Ronon and his team enter, spreading out throughout the complex.]

MCKAY (voiceover) That's when they ran into someone&hellip;unexpected.

[As Ronon reaches a junction of corridors, he is taken by surprise. He turns, weapon raised, to face Todd the Wraith, who holds his weapon at Ronon and looks similarly startled.]

RONON What the hell are you doing here?

TODD I suspect the same as you. Michael is using this facility to create more of his soldiers. I intend to destroy it.

RONON By yourself?

TODD There is something to be said for stealth over brute force.

STRIKE FORCE MEMBER (over radio) Ronon, come in.

RONON (into radio) Go ahead.

STRIKE FORCE MEMBER (over radio) One of the guards must've got a signal off, because a cruiser just landed. We're about to be overrun!

TODD As I was saying.

STRIKE FORCE MEMBER TWO We have to abort.

RONON Give me the C-4. Take the men back, meet up with second squad and then head for the 'gate. Signal me when you get there. Go!

[The strike force member hands over the C-4, but hesitates a moment before leaving.]

TODD (studying Ronon) You intend to complete your mission?

RONON (smiling) You're damn right.

TODD As do I.

[They mutually lower their weapons.]

TODD I was going to write an elaborate program designed to slowly create a fatal error in the primary capacitor, but I doubt there'll be time for that now.

RONON I was just going to blow it up.

[He heads forward.]

TODD (dryly) Naturally.

[Todd follows.]

[As they make their way forward, they're met by hybrid soldiers and engage in hand-to-hand combat, slaying the enemy. Ronon dispatches one guard with a short-sword, then instinctively moves upon spotting a shadow, stopping his blade just before it reaches Todd's neck. Ronon freezes in place.]

RONON Force of habit.

TODD Indeed.

[Todd looks down to show he has similarly stopped his hand from plunging a dagger directly into Ronon's heart.]

INT&mdash;WRAITH LAB CORE

[Todd and Ronon enter.]

TODD This is it. If we detonate in here, the secondary explosions will certainly take out the entire facility.

[Ronon hurriedly sets up the C-4.]

RONON All right. You know another way out of here?

TODD Follow me.

[Ronon finishes and follows Todd to the exit, but they immediately encounter enemy fire.]

TODD Fall back!

[They re-enter the room and take cover.]

HYBRID They're in here!

TODD I suggest you detonate now while we still have a chance.

RONON We'll wait for my people to clear, period.

TODD Very well.

[They start exchanging fire with the hybrid soldiers.]

TODD We can't hold them off forever.

RONON Just keep firing.

[They're able to fell two hybrid members, but more keep coming.]

STRIKE FORCE MEMBER TWO (over radio) Ronon, we've reached the 'gate!

RONON (into radio) All right. I want you to head back now! No questions asked, is that understood?

[Todd hits two more hybrid soldiers.]

STRIKE FORCE MEMBER TWO (over radio) Understood.

[Ronon shoots another soldier. Todd looks at Ronon.]

TODD Are we done?

[Ronon looks over at him and primes the detonator.]

RONON Yeah.

[They exchange rueful smiles as Ronon flips the toggle switch.]

FADE OUT

END FLASHBACK

MCKAY (heartbroken) I'm sorry. I&hellip;I wish some of these stories had happier endings&hellip;Sheppard? Sheppard! Are you still with me? Sheppard!

[He turns to the door, which opens. Sheppard enters and collapses, falling through McKay, disrupting the hologram on his way to the floor.]

MCKAY Your bio-signature's barely registering! Sheppard!

[He stares down at the unmoving Sheppard.]

MCKAY Oh, god.

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard groans, regaining consciousness.]

MCKAY (encouragingly) There you go. You can do it.

[Sheppard rolls over, taking the bandanna off his face.]

SHEPPARD (hoarsely) Rodney.

MCKAY I'm still here. Look, I'd help you out, but I-I-I'm&hellip;uh&hellip;

[He waves his hands helplessly. Sheppard pulls himself to a half-seated position against the wall.]

SHEPPARD How long was I out?

MCKAY All night. Look, you don't look so good. Maybe we should get you in the stasis chamber as soon as possible.

SHEPPARD Agreed.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS STASIS CHAMBER

MCKAY I've already prepped the solar panels. You're good to go.

[McKay and Sheppard walk to a control panel. It opens as McKay points to it.]

MCKAY Here. Take the first crystal. I've loaded all the intel we got on Michael after your disappearance&hellip;including the address where we found Teyla.

[Sheppard takes the crystal.]

SHEPPARD You know, you never told me what happened to you. I mean&hellip;in the past.

MCKAY (uncomfortable) Oh, you don't want to hear about that.

SHEPPARD Well, why not? Obviously you survived.

MCKAY Only because I quit.

SHEPPARD Quit what?

MCKAY Atlantis. Stargate Command. The whole thing.

[Sheppard raises his eyebrows.]

SHEPPARD Well, that doesn't sound like you.

MCKAY Yeah. Well, we were under new management.

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Medical personnel appear harried as they move equipment.]

MCKAY (voiceover) I was down in the infirmary, having suffered a, uh&hellip;well, pretty serious injury.

[Behind one curtain, Keller examines McKay's finger.]

KELLER (unimpressed) It's a splinter.

MCKAY That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

KELLER All right. It's just&hellip;you've kind of come at a bad time. It's a little busy in here right now.

[She rolls her eyes. McKay nods, looking at the bustle of activity.]

MCKAY Yeah, I can see that.

WOOLSEY Doctor Keller, Doctor McKay.

[They look over to see Woolsey in an Atlantis uniform. McKay gets off the infirmary bed.]

MCKAY (unimpressed) Mister Woolsey. I understand you've managed to get yourself appointed our new commander.

WOOLSEY That's right. I only wish it were under&hellip;better circumstances. May I ask what's going on here?

KELLER Uh, we're organizing some medical supplies for one of our off-world refugee camps.

WOOLSEY I see. Well, I'm going to have to ask you to stop.

KELLER I'm sorry?

WOOLSEY The IOA is initiating a new policy: immediate recall of all base personnel. From now on, we'll be focusing entirely on the defense of this city. Furthermore, Doctor, your department is going to be scaled back. Without the 'gate bridge and with the need to keep one ship in orbit at all times for defensive purposes, resupply is going to be difficult. We need to prioritize.

[McKay and Keller look at Woolsey in shock.]

KELLER I don't understand this. I'm already understaffed as it is.

WOOLSEY Only because you've overextended yourself with all these humanitarian efforts and your continued attempts to find an antidote for the Hoffan drug. Once you have refocused your attention back to the medical needs of this base and its personnel, I don't think you'll have a problem.

[He starts to leave.]

KELLER (furious) Wait a second! People are dying out there!

WOOLSEY I know. And believe me, if I thought there was anything I could do about it, I would.

MCKAY What about Michael?

WOOLSEY Michael knows the defensive capabilities of this base and our ships. The IOA thinks it's highly unlikely he will launch an unprovoked attack.

KELLER (upset) So, that's it, then? We're supposed to just stand back and let him take over the rest of the galaxy?

WOOLSEY How many more of our own people have to die, Doctor? Colonel Sheppard, Colonel Carter, Ronon, Teyla, they were your friends.

MCKAY (defensively) Sheppard is not dead.

WOOLSEY (patronizing) Right. He's just been transported 48,000 years into the future. I guess that makes him one of the lucky ones.

[He leaves. McKay looks to Keller, who's still upset.]

INT&mdash;KELLER'S QUARTERS

[Keller packs clothes into a suitcase.]

MCKAY (voiceover) The idea of standing by and doing nothing while the rest of the galaxy was suffering was&hellip;was too much for Jennifer to take. The more I thought about it, the more I realized she was right.

[The door opens and McKay enters.]

KELLER If you've come here to try to convince me to stay, Rodney, you're&hellip;wasting your time. I already made up my mind.

MCKAY No. I've come here to tell you I'm leaving, too.

[Keller bites her lip and nods.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Daedalus flies through hyperspace.]

MCKAY (voiceover) We had three weeks on the Daedalus with nothing else to think about but everything that had happened.

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS MESS HALL

[Keller and McKay sit at a table, both wearing Daedalus jumpsuits.]

MCKAY (voiceover) We went over it a thousand times, trying to imagine what we might have done differently. It was awful. At least we had each other.

[Keller smiles sadly and squeezes McKay's hand.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIEFING ROOM

[McKay and Keller look at each other as they stand by the window that looks down over Earth.]

MCKAY (voiceover) By the time we got back to Earth, well, uh, we weren't just colleagues any more.

[McKay and Keller kiss.]

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS STASIS CHAMBER

[Sheppard sheds his tactical vest.]

SHEPPARD (surprised) Wait a minute&hellip;you and Keller?

MCKAY (affronted) Why do you find that so surprising?

SHEPPARD I'm just saying, if we start monkeying around with this timeline here, there's no guarantee it's going to turn out the same for you two.

MCKAY That's what I'm counting on.

SHEPPARD And why is that? You survived; you got the girl; it doesn't sound so bad.

MCKAY No&hellip;no at first, it was great.

[He smiles as he reminisces.]

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;SUBURBAN STREET, EARTH, DAY

[Keller and McKay walk down a sidewalk, arm in arm. From the foliage, it is autumn.]

MCKAY (voiceover) I got a high-paying job with an aerospace engineering firm. Jennifer started her own practice. Things were just starting to come together.

[Keller pauses, wracked by several hoarse coughs. After she's done and pulls her hand away, she notices she's coughed up blood. She exchanges concerned looks with McKay.]

MCKAY (voiceover) We should've known we wouldn't get off so easy.

INT&mdash;SGC INFIRMARY

[A doctor speaks with McKay while looking at chest X-rays of Keller.]

DOCTOR I'm sorry to say, but all her internal organs are failing.

MCKAY (voiceover) Of course, no regular doctor could diagnose what was wrong with her. We wound up back at Stargate Command less than a year after we'd left. Complications due to repeated exposure to the Hoffan drug. No cure.

[While the hologram McKay explains, the doctor in the flashback continues to explain his diagnosis to McKay, who becomes more devastated with each word. He looks over to Keller's bed, where she lies unconscious, tended by nurses.]

DOCTOR &hellip;I'm so sorry.

INT&mdash;SGC CORRIDOR

[McKay stands alone in a corridor, lost in his thoughts.]

MCKAY (voiceover) I thought I was going to lose my mind. I didn't know what to do. After everything we'd been through, to have this happen was too much. And that's when I had my idea.

[McKay, looking inspired, heads off quickly.]

INT&mdash;SGC INFIRMARY

[Keller is awake and sees McKay enter.]

KELLER Hi.

MCKAY (excited) Hey.

KELLER (weakly) Where have you been?

MCKAY I've been working!

[He grins and waves the papers in his hand.]

KELLER Working? On what?

MCKAY The solution. To everything. Well, you. This. All of this! I mean, Atlantis, Pegasus, Michael&hellip;everything!

KELLER What are you talking about?

MCKAY I'm going to change the timeline. I'm going to make it so none of this ever happened. I mean, you won't get sick, Teyla won't die, Michael won't complete his research, none of it.

KELLER (sighing) Oh, Rodney.

MCKAY Okay, I've already worked out the basic plan. I mean, the details will be a bit more complicated. I'll probably have to create a whole new form of math just to do the calculations, but I-I know I can do it.

KELLER What's done is done. You can't change the past.

MCKAY No, you can. I can! And I'm going to&hellip;even if it takes the rest of my life.

[She takes his hand.]

KELLER You think that's what I want?

MCKAY (confused) Well, why not?

KELLER (crying) The year I spent in Atlantis, I&hellip;I saw more things than people even dream about in their lifetime&hellip;I don't have any regrets.

MCKAY (petulantly) Well, I do! I've got a whole boatload of them, and I want to do something about it.

KELLER No. Just promise me that you're not going to waste the rest of your life chasing after something that's already gone.

[McKay fights back tears.]

MCKAY (voiceover) But I couldn't let it go. She died three days later.

INT&mdash;MCKAY'S APARTMENT, DAY

[McKay works on calculations in a small, cluttered apartment.]

MCKAY (voiceover) I quit the research firm. Took a job teaching physics at a local community college. Not much money, but it gave me the free time I needed.

INT&mdash;MCKAY'S APARTMENT, NIGHT

[Time has passed, and while McKay's outfit has changed, he still works on calculations. This time his sister Jeanie is with him.]

MCKAY (voiceover) I'll admit it wasn't much of a life. Jeanie came by every once in a while to check up on me. When she realized she wasn't going to be able to convince me to stop, she decided to pitch in and help me with the calculations.

[Jeanie erases part of a calculation on his whiteboard and replaces it with her own.]

MCKAY It's obviously nothing. I did that yesterday. Look&mdash;

JEANIE Oh, you did not.

MCKAY Look, look, this is what I'm thinking about doing&hellip;

[They continue to bicker.]

MCKAY (voiceover) Eventually, even she got fed up. I never wavered.

INT&mdash;MCKAY'S APARTMENT

MCKAY (voiceover) Years went by, twenty-five years to be exact. And suddenly I had it.

[McKay works on an advanced computer monitor, changing calculations using a glove on his hand. McKay has aged, looking the same as he does in the hologram image appearing to Sheppard. He looks at the finished work with satisfaction.]

INT&mdash;SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[An airman escorts McKay through the briefing room to the general's office.]

MCKAY (voiceover) There was only one problem. I needed to get back to Atlantis. I didn't have a lot of friends at Stargate Command, but I only needed one.

INT&mdash;LORNE'S OFFICE

[Major General E. Lorne is the commander of the SGC. He stands to greet McKay. Among his office decorations are paintings he has done, including one of Atlantis he had been working on in "Sunday". Lorne moves slowly. His hair is greying and his face has some wrinkles.]

LORNE Doctor McKay. Good to see you.

[They shake hands.]

MCKAY General Lorne.

LORNE Come on in, have a seat.

[They sit.]

LORNE I, uh, I read your proposal.

MCKAY You didn't tell anyone else, did you?

LORNE I'm not quite as stupid as you might think, Doc. But I'm sorry, there-there's just no way I'd ever be able to get this authorized.

MCKAY Well then, don't. You don't have to tell them what it is. I mean, tell them it's a research project. Tell them whatever the hell you want.

LORNE Rodney&hellip;you're talking about altering the timeline here. Changing history. Changing everything! Do you really think that either of us has the right to make that call?

MCKAY Let's cut to the chase. You saw what happened in Pegasus. You know what's happening here. You really think this is the way it's supposed to be?

[Lorne sighs and looks torn.]

END FLASHBACK

MCKAY Maybe he felt sorry for me, maybe he figured it wasn't going to work anyway, but&hellip;he let me through. The rest, you know.

[Sheppard looks uncomfortable.]

SHEPPARD Yeah. Well, I guess I've had a tough day, but you've had a tough&hellip;twenty-five years.

MCKAY Okay, we're ready.

[The stasis chamber opens. Sheppard steps inside it, looking uncertain.]

MCKAY Now if this works, I'll be waiting right here when you come out. We don't have much time to get you through the 'gate, but I think we can manage it.

SHEPPARD And if it doesn't work?

MCKAY Well, you won't feel a thing. Basically, you just won't wake up.

SHEPPARD Right.

[They both shift awkwardly.]

SHEPPARD In the past twenty-five years, you happen to notice who won the Superbowl?

MCKAY Oh, uh, afraid not.

SHEPPARD Ah. Stanley Cup? No. World Series?

MCKAY (shaking his head) I was never really much of a sports fan.

SHEPPARD Right. Had to ask.

[McKay waves his hand.]

MCKAY Good luck, John.

[Sheppard is frozen in stasis. The McKay hologram dematerializes.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[The Stargate chevrons start locking.]

CHUCK Unscheduled off-world activation!

[Carter and McKay head to Chuck's station.]

CARTER What have you got?

CHUCK Receiving IDC. (surprised) It's Colonel Sheppard.

CARTER Lower the shield.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[Carter and McKay hurry down the steps.]

CARTER Security!

[SFs arrive, aiming their guns warily at the wormhole. Sheppard leaps through, raising his hands immediately at the guards' weapons as the wormhole shuts down.]

SHEPPARD Whoa! Whoa.

CARTER John&hellip;

SHEPPARD (nonplussed) Colonel.

[Sheppard stares around in awe and relief.]

SHEPPARD It worked. It worked. Rodney, you're a genius.

MCKAY Okay&hellip;

CARTER John, what happened?

SHEPPARD How much time has gone by?

CARTER You've been missing for twelve days.

SHEPPARD (muttering to himself) Twelve days, twelve days&hellip;okay. She wouldn't have had her baby yet. (to Carter) Look, I know this sounds kinda weird, but we're on the clock.

CARTER John, what are you talking about?

SHEPPARD I know where Teyla is.

[Carter and McKay exchange looks.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

[Atlantis sits in the ocean in the present day.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS ISOLATION ROOM

[Sheppard paces impatiently in the room. Carter is with him.]

SHEPPARD (frustrated) We don't have time for this!

CARTER John, there are procedures we have to follow. You know that.

SHEPPARD I am not a clone. Is that what you're worried about?

CARTER No, your medical came back clean. Telomeres and all. But there are other things we need to discuss. I mean, you have to admit, this is a pretty wild story, even for this place.

SHEPPARD But that's my whole point. How could I make this up?

MCKAY (over radio) Sam, believe it or not, I found it.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[The rest of the conversation switches between McKay's and Carter and Sheppard's locations.]

MCKAY It's in the sensor log. It's a solar flare capable of interfering with the wormhole from M4S-587 at exactly the moment that Lorne says he dialed.

CARTER Well, why didn't the 'gate's fail-safe prevent the wormhole from locking?

MCKAY (awkwardly) Uh&hellip;Well, we've had a number of glitches since we, uh, last updated the operating system.

SHEPPARD (piqued) Oh, that's what you call a glitch, huh?

[McKay looks guilty as he glances at Chuck.]

MCKAY Yes, well&hellip;you should know that, uh, I'll be giving Zelenka a stern talking to.

SHEPPARD (to Carter) Can we go now?

[Carter nods, and they leave the room.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[Sheppard's team, Lorne's team, and another marine team check their weapons as the Stargate is dialed.]

MCKAY (to Sheppard) Look, um, I know you've already been debriefed about the, uh, future events, all the things we're hoping to avoid, but there's just one more thing I need to know.

SHEPPARD What?

MCKAY Do I still have hair?

[Ronon rolls his eyes. Sheppard pauses, considering his answer.]

SHEPPARD (lying) No. (to everyone) Let's go.

[They head out, McKay pausing for a moment while he digests Sheppard's answer.]

WORMHOLE EFFECT

EXT&mdash;WAREHOUSE, M2S-445, DAY

INT&mdash;WAREHOUSE

[The teams sweep through the warehouse. They split up. Ronon and Sheppard go one way with some of the team. McKay and Lorne go another.]

[Lorne and McKay check out a room.]

SHEPPARD (over radio) Rodney, you got anything?

MCKAY (into radio) Hold on. Yeah&hellip;.yeah, I got some kind of a-a data terminal. Let me see if I can power it up and hack in.

[He approaches the Wraith-style device.]

INT&mdash;WAREHOUSE NURSERY

[Sheppard and Ronon approach the room.]

SHEPPARD This is it. This is where they found her.

RONON How do you know?

SHEPPARD Because he described it to me.

[Ronon groans, but they sweep into the room. It is empty. Sheppard checks out one side, while Ronon passes a Wraith-style incubator and other equipment to look at some large, sharp blades on a table. He holds up a very wide and jagged one.]

SHEPPARD Hey. Look at this.

INT&mdash;WRAITH DATA TERMINAL ROOM

[McKay works on the data terminal.]

SHEPPARD (over radio) McKay, we got something.

MCKAY (into radio) What is it?

[The rest of the conversation switches between the McKay's and Sheppard's locations.]

SHEPPARD Some twisted version of a maternity ward. I think we're too early though, but he's going to bring her here to have the baby.

MCKAY Hold on. I'm in.

[A display comes up on the screen.]

MCKAY Whoa! Jackpot.

SHEPPARD What have you got?

MCKAY I got everything. I've got gate addresses. I've got subspace communication codes. I've even got his research into the hybrids. He's history!

[He exchanges triumphant smiles with Lorne. Behind him, the screen shorts out. A new display comes up, showing symbols appearing at timed intervals, along with a beeping.]

MCKAY No, no, no. No, no, no, no. What happened?

LORNE What's that?

[He stands, looking very worried.]

MCKAY Oh, no&hellip;

LORNE (nervously) Doc?

MCKAY It's a countdown.

[From both locations, a distant rumbling can be heard. The building shakes.]

LORNE Colonel, it's a booby trap. We've got to get out of here now!

[Lorne and McKay race for the door, but a girder falls, blocking their path. The floor shakes beneath them, keeping them unbalanced.]

[Sheppard and Ronon dodge falling debris as they try to get to the exit. Every way is quickly becoming blocked.]

EXT&mdash;WAREHOUSE, M2S-445, DAY

[The building collapses.]

TO BE CONTINUED

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

Transcribed for Solutions by Aurora Novarum, January 2009.

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