Misbegotten/Transcript

Episode Guide
Misbegotten Part 3" Episode Guide

Previously
PREVIOUSLY ON STARGATE ATLANTIS

[Scenes from SGA 2.20 "Allies Part 1" and SGA 3.01 "No Man's Land Part 2" are shown.]

EXT&mdash;CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN, DAY

INT&mdash;SGC CONTROL ROOM

[Weir waits anxiously in the busy control room.]

HARRIMAN (over intercom) Incoming wormhole. (to Weir) Opening the iris. Receiving video transmission.

[Teyla appears on a monitor.]

TEYLA (over transmission) Stargate Command, this is Atlantis.

WEIR I'm here, Teyla. Any word about our people?

TEYLA (over comm) Unfortunately&hellip;no. But the hive ship we have been tracking is still on course for Atlantis. We expect its arrival shortly.

WEIR (into comm) Activate the cloak.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

TEYLA (to Chuck) Proceed.

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

[Atlantis disappears from view.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

CHUCK Cloak is engaged.

WEIR (over comm) What about our defenses?

TEYLA (into comm) All rail gun positions are manned and operational, and Doctor Beckett is in the drone control chair.

WEIR (over comm, nodding) Patch me through to him.

INT&mdash;CHAIR ROOM

[A tense Beckett sits in the active chair. Several personnel are around.]

WEIR (over comm) Carson?

BECKETT (nervously) Elizabeth?

WEIR (over comm) How are you doing?

BECKETT Oh just peachy, thanks. You?

[The conversation switches between Weir's and Beckett's locations.]

WEIR I'm sorry to put you in this position, but you're the only person besides Colonel Sheppard and General O'Neill who've actually fired a drone from that chair.

BECKETT Ironically, they're the two people I nearly killed when I did that.

WEIR You'll do fine.

BECKETT Is this even necessary? I mean, we've got the cloak up. Chances are, they won't find us and they'll just be on their way.

WEIR Normally, I would agree with you, but this ship is moving much faster than we've ever seen a hive ship move before, which means either it's one of the ships the Daedalus is chasing, or they shared the information they stole from us with other Wraith. Either way, the cloak might not do us much good.

BECKETT (sarcastic) Great.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Wraith ships jumps out of hyperspace and moves toward the Atlantis planet.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

CHUCK Hive ship just jumped out of hyperspace.

TEYLA Doctor Beckett, stand by.

INT&mdash;CHAIR ROOM

[Beckett gulps and waits.]

INT&mdash;SGC GATE ROOM

[Weir and Harriman listen intently for news.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[Everyone nervously watches.]

CHUCK Receiving a signal.

SHEPPARD (over comm) Atlantis, this is Sheppard. Come in.

[Everyone breathes a suprised sigh of relief.]

TEYLA John?

WEIR (over comm) They made it?

SHEPPARD (over comm) We're out of food, water, and we haven't slept in days, but, yeah we made it. So&hellip;now would not be a good time to fire on us.

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

[A smug Sheppard and McKay are on the bridge. Michael works the controls behind them.]

SHEPPARD After all, we wouldn't want to damage our new hive ship.

OPENING CREDITS

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Daedalus undocks from within the hive ship and flies down to the planet.]

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP CORRIDOR

[Sheppard and Beckett walk through the corridor. Sheppard moves confidently, Beckett looks shocked.]

CALDWELL (over comm) This is Daedalus. We're clear.

SHEPPARD (into comm) Understood. (to Beckett) Sorry to sneak up on you like that, Doc. Subspace communications were down.

BECKETT I came this close to blasting you out of the sky!

[He holds his index finger and thumb very close together.]

SHEPPARD You showed remarkable restraint. Makes me all the more confident in you next time.

BECKETT Next time?! Oh-no, no.

SHEPPARD (ignoring his protests) Oh yeah. The retrovirus worked great!

BECKETT (distracted) Really? How many are there?

SHEPPARD Well, the ship didn't have a full complement to begin with, but, uh, still&hellip;there are a few.

[They reach a door at the end of the corridor, which opens. Just inside is a Wraith trapped in stasis. Beckett touches the barrier. He steps forward to see level after level of Wraith in stasis.]

BECKETT (flabberghasted) This&hellip;is a few?

SHEPPARD Official count is just under two hundred. Lot of them were killed in the battle. Lot more of them killed each other when the gas started changing them. We should consider ourselves lucky. A hive ship like this could carry thousands.

BECKETT (weakly) Aye.

EXT&mdash;CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN, DAY

INT&mdash;WEIR'S OFFICE

[Weir has been set up in a temporary office on the base. Woolsey sits in a visitor chair, sipping coffee.]

WOOLSEY Don't misunderstand me, Doctor Weir. I'm not here to lecture you on the moral complexities of your situation. Ultimately the IOA has no official position on the matter one way or the other.

[Weir smiles ruefully, studying Woolsey.]

WEIR Cause when there's a tough decision to be made, they "suddenly" have no opinion.

WOOLSEY The lives of two hundred former Wraith are not high up on their list of priorities. But the way you dealt with the recent crisis, and quite frankly the manner in which you responded to their authority&hellip; (Weir starts to protest) And there's still the issue of whether the intelligence that allowed these hives to get as far as they did was passed to any other Wraith colonies.

WEIR According to Michael, it was not.

WOOLSEY I don't have to tell you that your willingness to trust this particular Wraith is not going to make for a strong defense.

WEIR I didn't know I was on trial.

WOOLSEY (sighing) Look. Pegasus is so far away, they never thought the Wraith would be a threat to anyone outside the members of the expedition itself.

[Weir shakes her head in disbelief.]

WEIR It was their objection to having Atlantis under military control that put me in this position in the first place!

WOOLSEY Nothing renews your appreciation for the military like the threat of invasion from life-sucking aliens.

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, NIGHT

INT&mdash;MICHAEL'S QUARTERS

[Teyla passes the several guards outside Michael's door and enters. He stands at the window, looking out at the city.]

TEYLA Michael?

[Michael turns and studies Teyla. She forces herself to face his scrutiny.]

MICHAEL Even though I saved Colonel Sheppard's life and helped him stop the hives from reaching Earth&hellip;you still place me under guard.

TEYLA You have betrayed our trust in the past.

MICHAEL Trust?! I was your prisoner then. And despite what I've done for you, here I am once again. (he chuckles ruefully) I can't say I'm surprised. I wasn't welcome among my own kind. Why should I be welcome here?

TEYLA What are you talking about?

MICHAEL She looked at me as if I was some kind of unclean "thing." I may appear as a Wraith again on the outside, but as far as they're concerned, I'm&hellip;that is why I need your help?

[Teyla takes a deep breath.]

TEYLA What do you want?

MICHAEL I can't stay here, and I can't return to the Wraith, which means I need to make my own way. And to do that&hellip;

[He starts to step closer. Teyla backs up a step and the guards raise their weapons. Michael smiles humorlessly.]

MICHAEL &hellip;I need supplies and a ship.

TEYLA We are grateful for your help, but we can never release you. Not with the information you possess.

MICHAEL Then kill me now!

TEYLA There is another way.

MICHAEL Take the treatment again.

TEYLA Yes.

MICHAEL What I am is not a disease you can cure.

TEYLA Your life as a human could be long and full.

MICHAEL And if I remember nothing of what or who I am&hellip;if this consciousness is erased&hellip;.what is the difference between that and death? And if I do remember and revert back to my true nature? What will happen then?

TEYLA Doctor Beckett has made significant advances. The treatments are more effective now and eventually he may find a permanent solution.

[Michael approaches. This time Teyla does not back away.]

MICHAEL If you really believed that, those Wraith you transformed wouldn't be in stasis on the ship. They'd be here, reveling in your hospitality.

EXT&mdash;CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN, DAY

INT&mdash;WEIR'S OFFICE

[Weir does paperwork at her desk. There is a knock at the door.]

WEIR (calling) Come in.

[Woolsey enters.]

WOOLSEY Doctor Weir?

[Weir grimaces, but stands to greet him.]

WEIR Mister Woolsey.

WOOLSEY The IOA has decided that for the time being, you should continue to head the Atlantis expedition.

[Weir cannot conceal her surprise.]

WOOLSEY You're surprised?

WEIR Yes. I am. I guess this means that international mistrust of the U.S. military is far more powerful than their fear of "life-sucking aliens."

[Woolsey smiles at the quote. He starts cleaning his glasses.]

WOOLSEY The truth is, the delegates are split. In order to avoid a deadlock, they decided on a temporary reinstatement pending a detailed report on the situation in Pegasus.

[Weir nods.]

WEIR Written by&hellip;?

WOOLSEY (shrugs reluctantly) Me. I'll be going back to Atlantis with you.

WEIR Have you ever been offworld before, Mister Woolsey?

WOOLSEY Sure. Once.

WEIR And how did that go for you?

WOOLSEY I was nearly killed.

WEIR Well, we will do our best to make sure that doesn't happen&hellip;this time.

[They share a small smile. Woolsey turns to go, but pauses.]

WOOLSEY I understand that Stargate Command has put in a request to the Asgard for transportation?

WEIR I know they don't have an awful lot of ships to spare right now, but that will shave almost two weeks off our travel time.

WOOLSEY I've never met an Asgard.

WEIR (with deceptive enthusiasm) You, I think will love them. They've got a great sense of humor.

WOOLSEY (brightening) Really?

[Weir takes pity on him.]

WEIR No.

[Crestfallen, Woolsey nods and leaves.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Wraith ship flies in orbit above Atlantis.]

INT&mdash;HIVE BRIDGE

[Sheppard arrives to the bridge. It is full of Atlantis personnel, including McKay.]

SHEPPARD Did you figure out how to fly this thing yet?

MCKAY (sarcastic) Oh yeah, fly, shimmy, spin like a top. You didn't think it'd be hard, did you?

SHEPPARD Just proves my confidence in you wasn't misplaced.

MCKAY So far, we can't get the ship to respond to anything but the most basic commands.

SHEPPARD That doesn't do us much good.

MCKAY Really. Look, all the more sophisticated systems, like navigation, respond to Wraith neural interface in much the same way that the puddle jumpers can be only controlled by people with the ATA genes.

SHEPPARD So we still need a Wraith to fly it.

MCKAY I'm working on a manual override! I just haven't had much luck yet.

SHEPPARD (pointing excitedly) What about Teyla? Teyla's got the&hellip;Wraith gene thing. Maybe she can fly it.

MCKAY It's worth a try, but that's not the only problem. At least half of the ship's power generating capacity is gone. So even if I had access to spare parts, which I don't, I doubt I could fix it. Now, if we're gonna fly this thing and hope for weapons, we need to cut down on our curent power consumption.

SHEPPARD Meaning what?

MCKAY Meaning the two hundred prisoners we've got in stasis? Well, we can't keep them in there forever.

[Sheppard reacts with concern.]

INT&mdash;MICHAEL'S QUARTERS

[Ronon strides in, priming and aiming his weapon at Michael, who stands.]

MICHAEL Are you my executioner?

[Ronon smiles.]

RONON I wish.

[He stuns Michael. Beckett arrives with a syringe ready and injects Michael in his neck.]

BECKETT I'm just glad he's not gonna remember this.

EXT&mdash;ALIEN PLANET, DAY

[Ronon and Sheppard walk through an established military camp. Atlantis personnel and very pale humans (former Wraith) wander the camp.]

RONON All right. This is weird.

SHEPPARD Why? It's just a bunch of guys.

RONON I know what they really are.

SHEPPARD (warning) Keep that to yourself, and try to act normal.

[A former Wraith, Lathan, taps Sheppard on the shoulder.]

LATHAN Colonel Sheppard, I need to speak with you.

[Sheppard jumps, and makes an effort not to raise his weapon at the man. Ronon moves to a more protective position to the other side of Sheppard.]

SHEPPARD I'm sorry&hellip;

LATHAN Oh, my name is Lathan. At least, that's what I've been told.

SHEPPARD Okay.

LATHAN Many of us have questions, Colonel. Like, how long we're going to be kept here.

SHEPPARD Well, that's up to Doctor Beckett.

LATHAN He said he doesn't know.

SHEPPARD Which means he doesn't know the exact date. I'm sorry, this is a medical situation, and he has medical reasons. You people are under quarantine.

LATHAN Why only the men?

SHEPPARD Your women are immune to the strain. So are most of my people. Um&hellip;we've been over this a few times.

LATHAN I know. I'm&mdash;

SHEPPARD (talking over him) But until Doctor Beckett can clear you, there's nothing I can do.

[Sheppard and Ronon enter a tent, leaving a frustrated Lathan outside.]

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY TENT

[Sheppard watches as a Wraith assistant leaves with some test vials. When certain they're alone, he approaches Beckett.]

SHEPPARD How's it coming?

BECKETT I'm going to need more time.

SHEPPARD You're better off conducting this research back on Atlantis.

BECKETT And what? Just leave them here?

SHEPPARD That was the plan. You remember that, Carson?

BECKETT But they're not ready yet.

SHEPPARD You're supposed to teach them to administer the drug themselves.

BECKETT I have trained several of them to act as my assistants.

SHEPPARD Well good. Then there should be no problem.

BECKETT (with frustrated sigh) Colonel, there's more here to what I'm doing than just sticking needles in their arms. For one, I have to make sure there's no signs of reversion.

SHEPPARD This planet has no gate. They've got no way off. Whatever happens, we're covered.

BECKETT That's not what I meant.

RONON Have any of them started to remember?

BECKETT I don't think so. The drug seems to keep them stable as long as they get a daily dose.

[Sheppard grabs Beckett.]

SHEPPARD We don't have the manpower or the resources to babysit them forever.

BECKETT Are you telling me if I can't come up with a permanent solution, that eventually we'll have to abandon them.

SHEPPARD (nodding) Eventually.

BECKETT And then what?

RONON They'll turn back into the Wraith. And without any other food supply, they'll start feeding on each other.

BECKETT Well, I'm not ready to give up just yet. And like it or not, for the moment they are human and they're my responsibility. Take the ship back. I'll stay until the first resupply mission.

SHEPPARD (shaking his head) That won't be another week at least. We've got to bring back enough food to last them until they can harvest their own.

BECKETT I'll be perfectly safe.

[He turns back to his work.]

SHEPPARD I'm leaving a security team with you.

[Sheppard and Ronon leave.]

EXT&mdash;ENCAMPMENT, DAY

[Lathan pauses outside a tent, then enters.]

INT&mdash;TENT

[Lathan joins several human-Wraith sitting in the tent. They appear to be waiting for him.]

MERRICK What did he say?

LATHAN Nothing. He won't tell us anything. He's hiding something.

[Michael sits up on a cot. He looks fully human.]

MICHAEL Like what?

LATHAN I only know that something's not right. Everything they've told us about our homeworld, the plague, how they rescued us&hellip;I don't remember a single part.

MICHAEL Because memory loss is one of the symptoms.

LATHAN How do you know that's true? We don't know them. We don't even know ourselves.

[Michael sighs, thinking.]

MICHAEL They're helping us.

LATHAN By keeping us trapped here with barely enough food? And no idea when or if we'll ever be allowed to leave? I say that's not good enough.

WRAITH What are you suggesting?

MERRICK They only have a handful of soldiers. We outnumber them ten to one.

MICHAEL And then what?

LATHAN They have some sort of ship. That's how we got here. If we have hostages&mdash;

MICHAEL (interrupting) What if they're telling the truth? And we are really carrying some kind of deadly plague? Even if we somehow survive and get away, all we'll be doing is spreading this disease wherever we go. Do you really want to risk that?

[Others nod in agreement with him.]

LATHAN (standing) If we don't act before that ship leave, we'll be stranded on this rock forever!

MERRICK Michael's right, Lathan. It's too risky.

[Lathan looks around, seeing that he has no supporters. He angrily leaves.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS BALCONY OUTSIDE OF MESS HALL, NIGHT

[Woolsey grabs an orange and a cupcake from inside the mess hall, then spots Caldwell leaning on the balustrade outside, drinking coffee and studying a report. He walks over.]

WOOLSEY Colonel Caldwell?

CALDWELL Mister Woolsey.

WOOLSEY Mind if I join you?

CALDWELL Of course. How you settling in?

WOOLSEY (shrugging) I'm not sure about this uniform.

[He indicates the Atlantis uniform he's wearing.]

CALDWELL (with small grin) Well, you'd stand out more in a suit and tie.

WOOLSEY (rueful) Believe me, I've done enough of these investigations to realize that no amount of camouflage is going to disguise who I am or what I'm doing here.

CALDWELL You expecting something less than full cooperation?

[Woolsey shoots Caldwell a keen look, then starts peeling his orange.]

WOOLSEY We're just having a conversation.

CALDWELL As commander of the Daedalus, I have standing orders to help out around here whenever possible, but&hellip;I'm not a member of this expedition. I don't answer to the IOA, and unless otherwise directed by my superiors, I don't have to answer your questions.

[Woolsey shoots Caldwell a humorless smile.]

WOOLSEY The only reason that you're not the military commander of Atlantis is that Doctor Weir insisted that post go to Colonel Sheppard. If she were to leave&hellip;you would be the most likely candidate to take over.

[Now Caldwell is the one to study Woolsey, flashing a humorless smile.]

CALDWELL That's not why you're here. The IOA doesn't really want militarization. They're just afraid they may have no other choice.

WOOLSEY I think you've already spoken to Doctor Weir.

CALDWELL (shaking his head) No. I've just been around long enough to know what's goin' on.

WOOLSEY Sounds like you're saying you won't come out against Doctor Weir only because you're not confident of the outcome.

[He eats a slice of orange.]

CALDWELL What I'm saying, Mister Woolsey&hellip;is have a pleasant evening.

[He takes his cup and leaves.]

EXT&mdash;CAMP, DAY

[Sheppard walks the camp with some of his men.]

SHEPPARD You guys head back to the ship.

[He heads over to where Beckett speaks to Michael and some other human-wraiths.]

SHEPPARD Okay, Doc. Last chance. We're packed up and ready to roll.

BECKETT Colonel, we've got a problem. Lathan's missing. He didn't turn up for his last treatment, and nobody's seen him. (to Michael) Have they?

MICHAEL (reluctantly) No. But&hellip;

SHEPPARD (shrewdly) But what?

BECKETT It's all right, Michael. Tell him what you told me.

MICHAEL Lathan's convinced this whole thing is some kind of elaborate lie. I tried to tell him you were doing your best to help us, that maybe the sickness was playing with his mind, but, uh, he wouldn't listen!

[He shrugs helplessly.]

SHEPPARD You're saying he's not lost, he's hiding.

MICHAEL (nodding) It's possible.

BECKETT Colonel, I think it's best if you find him as soon as possible before any symptoms of the plague reoccur.

SHEPPARD (to his men) Okay, let's get a search party going.

MICHAEL We'd like to help. He is one of us.

[Sheppard and Beckett exchange looks before Sheppard heads out.]

EXT&mdash;FOREST, DAY

[Ronon bends down, checking some of the foliage. Sheppard is next to him.]

SHEPPARD Anything?

RONON Nothing.

SHEPPARD (keying radio) Morrison, report.

MORRISON (over radio) We're just coming up on the river. Still no sign of him, sir.

SHEPPARD (into radio) All right, keep me posted.

[He and Ronon keep moving.]

[In another part of the woods, Michael and three others of his kind search.]

LATHAN Michael.

[Lathan appears from behind a tree.]

MICHAEL (pleased) Lathan! What are you doing out h ere?

LATHAN I'm proving a point.

MICHAEL You missed a treatment.

[The others surround Lathan.]

LATHAN (excited) I know. But I'm starting to remember. It's just flashes&hellip;images in my head. But something's definitely coming back to me. Don't you see what this means? They're not curing us, they're keeping us this way! We must make our move, and quickly.

MICHAEL (still smiling) I'm sorry, but you should've stayed at the camp.

[Too late, Lathan realizes his vulnerable position, surrounded by Michael's followers.]

LATER

[Ronon and Sheppard still search.]

MORRISON (over radio) Colonel Sheppard.

SHEPPARD (into radio) Go ahead.

MORRISON (over radio) We've found him, sir.

SHEPPARD (into radio) What's your location?

[In another area of the forest, Morrison stands on a sharp incline.]

MORRISON (into radio) We're half-way up the ridge that runs south of the camp. He must've been trying to climb down and lost his footing.

SHEPPARD (into radio) Are you saying he's injured?

MORRISON (into radio) No, sir. He's dead.

[He looks back at where his team crouches by Lathan's body.]

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY TENT

[Beckett unrolls his surgical kit. He already wears latex gloves. He picks up a scalpel.]

MERRICK I have prepared the injections for this morning's first group.

BECKETT On you go.

[Beckett doesn't even look over. His concentration is only on making the first incision in Lathan. Merrick hesitates, watching Beckett. Beckett realizes he hasn't moved and turns to face the human-wraith assistant.]

BECKETT You'll be fine, Merrick. I've seen you do it a dozen times. Besides, I've got work to do here.

MERRICK (nervously) You're going to examine the body?

BECKETT Well, the cause of death is quite obvious. His neck was broken. But there are some tests I could perform that could help with my research. At least, that way something good might come of this.

[Merrick nods and starts to go. Beckett turns back to the autopsy. Merrick hesitates and looks back at Beckett before leaving the tent.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;BRIEFING ROOM

[Weir smiles at Sheppard's team.]

WEIR We've all logged more than a few miles these past few weeks. I'd just like to say that seeing you now, sitting across from me&hellip;looking at your faces&hellip;it makes me feel very&hellip;

[Weir is overcome by emotion and can't finish. She looks away.]

SHEPPARD You don't have to say it.

TEYLA We feel the same way you do.

MCKAY (deadpan) Oh, she feels hungry too? Hmm?

[Weir smiles. McKay smiles back.]

WEIR Teyla, I understand navigating the hive ship wasn't a particularly pleasant experience.

TEYLA (with rueful chuckle) The neural interface was quite&hellip;exhausting.

MCKAY And that was just flying in a straight line. I mean, she'll never be able to pull of anything complex, like, uh, combat maneuverability, weapons control, uh&hellip;

SHEPPARD How many maneuvers can you pull off with your manual interface?

MCKAY Well, does, um, standing still count as a maneuver?

SHEPPARD No.

[Weir tries to hide her amusement. The door opens, and Woolsey briskly enters.]

WOOLSEY Sorry I'm late. My interviews are running a little longer than expected.

[He heads to a seat and opens his briefcase. The team looks at him in confusion.]

SHEPPARD And you are&hellip;?

WEIR Richard Woolsey. He is chief liaison to the international committee that oversees the Atlantis expedition. He will be conducting individual interviews with each of you.

[Teyla and Ronon exchange looks.]

WOOLSEY As well as observing all senior staff meetings.

[He wheels his chair over to the section where Weir sits. She shifts over with a fixed smile.]

WEIR Right.

WOOLSEY So, what did I miss?

SHEPPARD Rodney was about to run down all the progress he's made adapting the hive controls.

WOOLSEY Excellent, please continue.

MCKAY (nodding to Woolsey) Hmm. (low, sarcastic to Sheppard) Thanks.

[Sheppard nods with an innocent, fixed smile.]

EXT&mdash;SOUTH RIDGE, DAY

[Beckett climbs to the area where Lathan was found.]

MORRISON (over radio) Doctor Beckett, this is Lieutenant Morrison. What's your location?

BECKETT (into radio) I'm out on the ridge where Lathan's body was found.

EXT&mdash;CAMP, DAY

[Morrison and his team patrol the camp full of the human-wraiths.]

MORRISON (into radio) If you don't mind my asking, Doc, what are you doing out there?

[The rest of the conversation switches between the ridge and the camp.]

BECKETT I wanted to check on something. I think we may have a problem.

MORRISON What kind of problem?

BECKETT I was so caught up running tests on Lathan's tissues for my research, I almost didn't notice.

MORRISON Notice what?

BECKETT There isn't enough blood on the ground, which indicates that his heart wasn't pumping when he fell. Now, he definitely died when his neck was snapped. But I'm beginning to think the rest of injuries occurred post-mortem&mdash;presumably to make it look like an accident.

MORRISON (lower, into radio) Look, it's going to be dark soon. You'd better start back now, and we'll talk about it when you get here.

BECKETT All right.

[Beckett starts to head back.]

[Morrison and his men enter a tent. They don't notice the human-wraith standing beside the tent who overheard.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS BRIEFING ROOM

[Woolsey sits across the table from Sheppard.]

WOOLSEY It would appear from this incident that the lies you are telling these&hellip;"people" are beginning to wear a bit thin.

SHEPPARD One adverse reaction out of two hundred.

WOOLSEY Do you seriously hold out much hope for the long-term success of this little "science project?"

SHEPPARD That's not what this is.

WOOLSEY You may have never set out to create this community, but you did create it.

SHEPPARD (leaning forward) We did what we had to do in order to survive.

WOOLSEY I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time. But even if Doctor Beckett comes up with what appears to be a long-term solution, would we ever trust them enough to integrate them into any society of humans?

[While Woolsey speaks, he writes several notes. Sheppard watches nervously.]

SHEPPARD (leaning back) Probably not.

WOOLSEY Which brings me back to my original question.

SHEPPARD What do you want me to say? I supported Elizabeth's decision to form an alliance with Michael, and I supported her decision to put all those&hellip;"people" on the planet.

WOOLSEY That support hardly shines through when you hesitate to call them people.

EXT&mdash;FOREST, DUSK

[Beckett heads back to the camp. He pauses to catch his breath and spots a human-wraith heading further into the forest. He follows.]

INT&mdash;WEIR'S OFFICE

[Sheppard storms across the balcony and into Weir's office. She is seated at her desk.]

SHEPPARD Just out of, uh, political curiosity, how much trouble is it going to cause you if I knock this Woolsey guy in the head?

WEIR May I ask why you'd like to do that?

SHEPPARD Yeah, just an impulse I had, really. One I suspect I'm going to have again the next time I see him! He may not even have to say anything.

WEIR I've never seen you like this. What did Woolsey say to you?

SHEPPARD Well, besides judging every damned decision you've ever made?

WEIR John Sheppard, are you defending my honor?

SHEPPARD (nonplussed) And&hellip; judging me for agreeing with you.

WEIR Well, don't be too hard on him. I think of all the circling wolves, he's the least likely to actually bite. In fact, he might even convince the others to leave us alone.

[Sheppard deflates and sits in the chair across her desk.]

SHEPPARD All right, so, uh&hellip;no head knocking.

WEIR (amused) It's the thought that counts.

EXT&mdash;FOREST, NIGHT

[Beckett cautiously moves forward. There is low hum in the distance. Beckett crouches by a stump and sees several of the human-wraith standing in a circle around a fire. They are raising their hands above their heads and chanting the low humming sound.]

BECKETT (whispering into radio) Lieutenant Morrison? This is Doctor Beckett. Come in. Morrison?!

[Beckett backs away and turns to run, spinning directly into Michael. Michael no longer looks human, but has now returned to his hybrid form.]

MICHAEL I'm afraid the lieutenant and his men are indisposed.

[Beckett gulps.]

[A bound Beckett is escorted through the woods by Michael and the others.]

BECKETT Michael, listen to me. You're sick! You need to take your medication now!

MICHAEL It's too late for that, Doctor! I've regained enough memory to know that you've done this to me not once, but twice! You've witnessed how hurt, how betrayed I felt the first time? Well try to imagine how I feel now!

BECKETT Why'd you have to kill Lathan?

MICHAEL He was stirring up trouble. But I knew our only chance was to wait until Colonel Sheppard left with the soldiers. Most of them, anyway.

BECKETT But with the ship gone, what's the point? You've got no hope of escape!

MICHAEL That's where you're wrong.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Weir types at a laptop. Weir and Sheppard head over.]

WEIR What've we got, Rodney?

MCKAY Long range sensors just picked up a hive ship.

SHEPPARD Coming this way?

MCKAY No. Wait a minute, this doesn't make any sense.

[He hurries over to another station.]

WEIR What?

[A display shows the hive ship trajectory.]

MCKAY On it's current course, it's heading straight for the planet where we left Beckett and the prisoners.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS BRIEFING ROOM

[Sheppard's team, Weir, and Woolsey are all there. The ship trajectory is displayed on a computer screen, and Rodney stands in front of it.]

MCKAY There is no reason for the Wraith to be interested in that planet. It doesn't have a Stargate, and there's no indication that it ever supported a human population. It is completely off the grid.

WOOLSEY I think we have to consider the possibility that we have a leak.

RONON You mean a spy.

WOOLSEY Not necessarily in the city itself. Without ruling anything out, I would begin by focusing on our contacts within the various indigenous populations, including&hellip;

TEYLA (interrupting angrily) If you believe any Athosians&mdash;

WEIR (interrupting) Let's not jump to any conclusions here.

WOOLSEY Isn't it true that there are humans in this galaxy who serve the Wraith, even worship them? How hard would it be for them to infiltrate one of our allied groups?

[Sheppard and Teyla look at each other.]

WEIR Mister Woolsey, do you think we post this kind of information on the city bulletin board?

SHEPPARD If the Wraith had that level of inside information, they'd be on their way to Atlantis, not some nameless planet with a couple hundred people on it.

WEIR For the time being, we need to focus on getting those people out of there. Because if the Wraith find them and figure out what they are&hellip;

SHEPPARD We've got a problem&hellip;again.

RONON How much time do we have?

MCKAY Two days. Well, we could, uh, well, you could beat them there in the Daedalus.

WEIR The hyperdrive is still offline. Hermiod needs at least another twenty-four hours.

SHEPPARD We should light a fire under his bony little&mdash;

WEIR (interrupting) That still might not be quite good enough.

SHEPPARD If we leave right now in the hive ship?

MCKAY Oh, we'd be cutting it close.

WEIR What are our chances of surviving a ship-to-ship encounter?

MCKAY If I can get the manual interface working, I'd say&hellip;less than slim?

WEIR (nodding) Do what you can on the way.

[As Woolsey watches, the team heads out.]

EXT&mdash;FOREST, DAY

[Several hyprids patrol the camp.]

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY TENT

[Beckett is tied to the infirmary bed. Michael paces around him.]

BECKETT How many have reverted?

MICHAEL Those you saw in the forest, plus a few more.

BECKETT And the others?

MICHAEL They'll serve as an offering to the hive that's coming for us.

BECKETT That's hardly bloody fair.

MICHAEL The strong survive, Doctor. The few of us who began to realize something was wrong got together and formed a plan, even while on the medication. The weaker minds among us will stay that way thanks to your drugs and the training you gave us.

BECKETT If you're memory's coming back, you should remember what happened last time you tried to rejoin the Wraith.

MICHAEL It'll be enough to escape this rock!

BECKETT So what do you need me for?! I mean, there must be a reason you're keeping me alive!

MICHAEL (after a pause) I need to know what secondary security measures Colonel Sheppard put in place before he left.

BECKETT What are you talking about?

MICHAEL The more my memory returns, the more I begin to doubt that he would've left us here without setting up some kind of failsafe.

BECKETT There's no way off this planet! That was the failsafe!

[Michael abruptly leans close.]

MICHAEL How many years of your life will I have to take away before you tell me what I want to know?

BECKETT That's hardly a threat, since you're obviously going to kill me anyway.

MICHAEL You underestimate your own value, Doctor.

BECKETT Look! They don't tell me this sort of thing, I'm just a doctor! Maybe you shouldn't have been so quick to kill Lieutenant Morrison.

[Michael steps back and studies Beckett.]

MICHAEL I don't like to question military men. They're like our own Wraith warriors&mdash;unimaginative, rigid thought patterns. But you, on the other hand, are trained to have an open mind. And you have a strong sense of empathy toward others.

BECKETT It's not as strong as it used to be, believe me.

[Michael leans closer to Beckett again, his voice taking on a more echoing quality.]

MICHAEL You're exactly what I need. Now&hellip;let's begin.

[Beckett breathes heavily as he tries to resist Michael's mind influence.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The hive ship flies through hyperspace.]

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

[Teyla has her eyes closed, concentrating on manipulating the controls. Sheppard watches her, then moves to McKay.]

SHEPPARD We have weapons yet?

MCKAY Sort of.

SHEPPARD And what does that mean?

MCKAY Well, we can fire, but, uh, not in any particular direction.

SHEPPARD Well you're going to have to do better than that.

MCKAY Oh believe me, no one wants to survive this mission more than I do. Look, we're using up a lot of our power reserves to maintain this speed. We're not gonna have a lot left over to fight with.

SHEPPARD We're going this fast to avoid fighting.

MCKAY Yeah, theoretically.

SHEPPARD (aggravated) Just&hellip;keep working!

[McKay makes an incredulous face as Sheppard walks away, then gets back to work.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Daedalus leaves Atlantis orbit.]

CALDWELL (over radio) Atlantis, this is Daedalus, we're ready to go here.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Weir stands by the controls.]

WEIR Are you sure you want to do this, Colonel? I&mdash;I understand Hermiod isn't too happy about having the hyperdrive pressed into service too soon.

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

CALDWELL (into comm) He'd cleared us to fly, albeit reluctantly. Whether or not he's happy about it is beside the point. Anyway, I'm sure Colonel Sheppard would appreciate the help.

WEIR (over radio) Thank you.

CALDWELL (into comm) Daedalus out. (to helmsman) Set a course.

HELMSMAN Yes, sir.

[He moves to his station.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The hive ship drops out of hyperspace above a planet.]

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

MCKAY That's it. We're out of hyperspace.

[He glances at Teyla as he goes to another station. She exhales and relaxes the tension of her body, opening her eyes.]

SHEPPARD You all right?

TEYLA (nodding) I believe I have been able to establish a stable orbit.

SHEPPARD All right, nice work. (to McKay) Any sign of the other hive ship?

MCKAY No, we're clear.

SHEPPARD All right, patch me through to camp.

MCKAY All right, just give me a second.

[Several panels around the bridge activate. McKay goes to study them.]

MCKAY That's weird. A bunch of secondary systems just came online.

SHEPPARD (pleased) You're a genius, Rodney.

MCKAY (concerned) True. But I didn't do it. It's like they just woke up by themselves.

[Teyla and Ronon exchange looks as McKay goes back to his computer.]

MCKAY It looks like they're all keyed into the sensors. The ship must've detected something and turned them on.

SHEPPARD Detected what?

MCKAY Oh! Wraith life signs.

TEYLA From the planet?

SHEPPARD How many?

MCKAY It's, uh, twenty or thirty.

RONON What about human?

MCKAY Still well over a hundred.

SHEPPARD So some of them reverted?

RONON They'll be feeding on each other.

TEYLA What about Doctor Beckett and Lieutenant Morrison's team?

MCKAY I have no way to distinguish them from the other human life signs. I can't say for sure either way.

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP CORRIDOR

[Sheppard, Teyla, and Ronon head through the corridor.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) How'd they contact the ship so far out?

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

MCKAY (into radio) Well, I have no idea. Teyla, what do you think?

[The rest of this conversation takes place between the bridge and the trio.]

TEYLA It is possible that a group of them acting together could communicate over much larger distances.

SHEPPARD Well, live and learn.

MCKAY And live some more, hopefully.

[The trio have now reached the hangar bay and load into their puddle jumper.]

SHEPPARD What about the failsafe device? What kind of kill zone are we looking at?

MCKAY Everything in a three mile radius is toast.

SHEPPARD You sure about that? We've got no margin for error.

MCKAY The blast radius doesn't just stop at three miles.

TEYLA What about the ones that are still human?

[Sheppard pauses.]

RONON (sober) There's nothing we can do for them.

MCKAY Well, I suppose we could not incinerate them.

SHEPPARD If Michael got his memory back, they could all know about Atlantis by now and how to find Earth. We can't take that chance. Once we get our people out, we'll give you the signal, you set off the nuke.

[He starts flying the puddle jumper out of the bay.]

EXT&mdash;CAMP, NIGHT

[The inhabitants have more fully converted into Wraith. From behind some barrels, Sheppard watches two stride by. He signals behind him for the others to move up, then heads forward himself. They approach from behind two Wraith hybrid guards in front of the infirmary tent. Teyla attacks one, breaking its neck, while Sheppard stabs the other. They rush into the tent.]

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY TENT

[Carson still lies strapped to the table. He is alone.]

TEYLA Carson!

[She checks his vitals.]

TEYLA He's barely conscious.

[They both work to free Beckett. Ronon enters.]

SHEPPARD Did you find the others?

[Ronon holds up dogtags.]

RONON They were fed on. There's not much of them left.

SHEPPARD Uhn. Help me get him up.

[They maneuver Beckett off the table.]

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

[McKay paces nervously.]

MCKAY Aw, come on.

SHEPPARD (over radio) Rodney, come in.

MCKAY What's happening?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Teyla has Beckett hooked up to oxygen. Sheppard flies the jumper.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) We've got Carson. Morrison and his team are dead. We're heading back.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The puddle jumper flies away from the planet.]

SHEPPARD (over radio) We're clear. Light it up.

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

[McKay moves to the controls.]

MCKAY Understood. Failsafe detonation in&hellip;three&hellip;two&hellip;one&hellip;

EXT&mdash;FOREST, NIGHT

[The Mark IX has all stages lighted, but nothing happens. Michael and others are crouched beside it.]

MICHAEL Now you see what they really think of us.

MERRICK I don't understand.

MICHAEL The bomb is receiving a detonation signal. If I hadn't deactivated it, we'd all be dead.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD Rodney?

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

MCKAY (into comm) I don't understand it!

SHEPPARD (over radio) What happened?

MCKAY (into comm) You mean, what didn't happen.

SHEPPARD (over radio) You're telling me the bomb didn't go off?!

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

RONON He got to it.

TEYLA We cannot leave the Wraith here to be found by the hive.

SHEPPARD Get back to work on those weapons, Rodney. We're not going anywhere.

EXT&mdash;CAMP, DAWN

[The hybrids arrive back in camp to find the ones Teyla and Sheppard killed.]

MERRICK Should we search for the prisoner?

MICHAEL There's no point. He's been taken up to their ship by now. In any case, he served his purpose. There's nothing left for us to do but wait for our brothers to rescue us soon.

[He watches the others all go. Michael pauses and looks around the camp.]

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

[The others join McKay on the bridge.]

SHEPPARD How're you doing with the weapons.

MCKAY We couldn't hit the side of a barn!

SHEPPARD Hive ships are a hundred times&mdash;

MCKAY (clarifying) A giant, flying barn! We couldn't hit that.

SHEPPARD What about hitting a stationary target?

MCKAY All motion in space is relative.

SHEPPARD I'm talking about on the planet!

MCKAY Well, that I might be able to do.

SHEPPARD Target the camp.

BECKETT Wait just a minute!

SHEPPARD We've had this discussion before, Doc. There's no choice.

BECKETT We could go down in a jumper and take as many as possible.

SHEPPARD We have no time. The other hive ship's gonna be here any minute, and we won't survive a battle. It's my call.

BECKETT There's still over a hundred men down there that believe that we are their saviors.

RONON They're about to become casualties of war.

[Beckett sighs.]

SHEPPARD It has to be done.

[Beckett looks horrified. The others exchange troubled looks.]

SHEPPARD Fire.

[McKay hits the controls.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The hive ship starts firing on the planet below. Another hive ship exits hyperspace. It immediately starts firing on the team's hive ship.]

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

[Explosions rock the ship.]

MCKAY It's the other hive! We're taking multiple hits!

SHEPPARD What about the target?

MCKAY It's hard to say for sure how accurate our fire has been!

SHEPPARD Blanket the entire area! We can't afford a mistake.

[More, louder explosions rock the ship.]

MCKAY Engines are off-line! We're venting atmosphere! Power's about to fail!

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Atlantis team's ship continues to fire on the planet while the other hive continues to fire at them.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Daedalus flies through hyperspace.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

[Caldwell enters the bridge.]

CALDWELL Report?

HELMSMAN We've just about reached the planet, sir.

[Caldwell takes his seat.]

CALDWELL Drop us out of hyperspace.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Daedalus arrives at the planet to find themselves flying through a large debris field.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

[Caldwell stands and moves closer to the window to look out at the debris.]

HELMSMAN It's debris from the hive ship, sir.

CALDWELL Life signs?

HELMSMAN No, sir.

CALDWELL What about the planet?

HELMSMAN I'm not getting anything.

CALDWELL (quietly) I see.

SHEPPARD (over radio) Daedalus, this is Sheppard. Come in.

CALDWELL (into comm) Sheppard, where the hell are you?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Teyla looks knowingly at Sheppard. He looks at her blankly before realizing.]

SHEPPARD Oh! Right. Sorry.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The puddle jumper uncloaks where it hovers over Daedalus.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

HELMSMAN We're picking up a jumper, sir. Five life signs.

SHEPPARD (over radio) You got here in good time, Colonel. We were looking at a long ride home.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[The team exchange looks.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;WEIR'S OFFICE

[Woolsey sits across from Weir. He is reading a report.]

WOOLSEY You're still not certain if any of the Wraith on the planet survived.

WEIR Not certain, no. My people were concerned about their own survival at that time.

WOOLSEY (nodding) Understandably.

WEIR But of course, it's my fault they were in that position in the first place. If I had just disposed of those prisoners, none of this would've happened. Isn't that what you're gonna write in your report?

WOOLSEY Quite the contrary, in fact. It was your decision to fire on the camp from orbit that eliminated the threat&mdash;at least, we hope it was eliminated&mdash;and allowed your team to escape.

WEIR (confused) I didn't make that decision.

WOOLSEY But you would've. If, hypothetically, Doctor McKay had managed to get the hive subspace communicator working and you'd been apprised of the situation.

WEIR (nonplussed) Well, I&hellip;I might have.

WOOLSEY Close enough.

WEIR But that's not what happened!

[Woolsey tosses the report in his briefcase and closes it.]

WOOLSEY The IOA doesn't need to know that. In fact, they don't want to know that. You see, in my business sometimes it's more important not to let inconvenient facts get in the way of the greater truth. And the truth is, you should remain here, in charge of this expedition.

[Weir is taken aback. She looks down.]

WOOLSEY &hellip;for the moment.

[He leaves before she can respond.]

WOOLSEY (to gate room technicians) Dial Earth, please.

[Weir goes to the window in her office to watch him leave.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

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