Pretense/Transcript

Episode Guide

 * 3.15 "Pretense" Episode Guide

Transcript
TEASER

FADE IN

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[A glider is under fire from two huge Goa'uld motherships, orbiting a planet. Multiple blasts from the planet destroys both motherships and the damaged glider enters the planet's atmosphere.]

EXT&mdash;PLANET (DAY)

[The glider crash lands in a field and people come running. The pilot inside is Skaara, who has been badly injured.]

SKAARA (to the people) Please! Help me.

[He passes out.]

END OF TEASER

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM, SGC

[There is an incoming wormhole, but the iris is closed. SGC soldiers are pointing their weapons at the Stargate. General HAMMOND and SG-1 are watching from in the Control Room.]

TECHNICIAN (to Hammond) Still no incoming signal, sir.

HAMMOND All units are Earthside.

[The iris appears to flex and wobble slightly.]

DANIEL Is it my eyes or does the iris look kinda&hellip;

[He waves his hand slightly.

CARTER It's losing integrity.

[A fat, ginger cat materialises through the iris and pads down the ramp.]

CARTER Hold fire!

[She rushes into the Gateroom and picks up the cat.]

CARTER (cont'd) It's Schrodinger. The cat I gave to the Tollan, Narim.

O'NEILL Cat.

TEAL'C The Tollan possess the technology to walk through solid matter.

O'NEILL A technology which, by the way if you all recall, they refused to share with us.

[A man emerges through the iris. It is Narim.]

NARIM General Hammond, I am unfamiliar with Earth protocol in these matters. I sent Schrodinger so you would know a friend was coming.

HAMMOND It's all right, Narim, the Tollan are welcome here. (to the soldiers) Units, stand down.

[The soldiers lower their weapons as Narim walks down the ramp to meet Carter.]

NARIM Samantha. It's good to see you again.

CARTER It's good to see you too.

[Hammond and the rest of SG-1 enters the Gateroom.]

HAMMOND What can we do for you NARIM?

NARIM I am here to deliver a message from our highest governing body. Colonel O'Neill, the Tollan Curia requests the presence of you and your team&hellip;for Triad.

[He offers O'Neill a blue, triangle-shaped device.]

O'NEILL I feel like I'm being served.

INT&mdash;DEBRIEFING ROOM, SGC

[SG-1 and Hammond are sitting at the table as Narim explains the situation. O'Neill is toying with the device.]

O'NEILL So what exactly is this Triad?

NARIM It's an ancient ceremony of justice, quite honourable.

DANIEL So it's kind of like a trial.

NARIM I am not familiar with&hellip;trial.

DANIEL Trial, it's sort of like a tribunal, a place where matters of justice and the law are decided.

NARIM Then yes, a triad is similar to your trial.

O'NEILL So, who's on trial?

DANIEL Triad.

O'NEILL Triad&hellip;

NARIM The decision Triad must reach is of great concern to an old friend of yours. He is an Abydonian by the name of Skaara.

O'NEILL AND DANIEL What?

NARIM It is he who requested your presence.

DANIEL He's alive? He's ok? He's&hellip;?

NARIM He is well. But he does need your help for Triad.

O'NEILL Where's this taking place?

NARIM Our destination is the new homeworld, Tollana.

CARTER But we sent you to the Nox planet. There wasn't a Gate on Tollana.

NARIM The Nox and the Tollan were able to devise a way to get us there.

O'NEILL Of course you were.

DANIEL Way smarter than we are.

VFX&mdash;SHOOTING THROUGH WORMHOLE

EXT&mdash;TOLLANA (DAY)

[SG-1 and NARIM step out of a Stargate. There are lawns and a few buildings around them.]

O'NEILL Very nice.

CARTER (to Narim) So you built that&hellip;Stargate?

NARIM Yes.

DANIEL Way smarter than we are.

O'NEILL Ours is bigger.

[They follow Narim over to one of the buildings and through a walkway.]

INT&mdash;COURTHOUSE, TOLLANA

[Narim leads the way down a narrow corridor. A white light comes out and scans each of SG-1.]

DANIEL What just happened?

NARIM Your weapons have been disabled.

O'NEILL What?

[He checks his gun, but it appears jammed.]

NARIM Do not worry. You may continue to carry them if you wish.

O'NEILL You don't think you should have told us about this before we came?

NARIM I didn't find it relevant.

O'NEILL We don't travel to other planets without weapons with which to defend ourselves.

NARIM May I ask what you intend to defend yourself against? The Tollan have never threatened you, in any way.

TEAL'C That is correct, O'Neill. I do not feel the need to carry a weapon in this place.

CARTER And, sir, judging by what I've seen in the last five minutes, our weapons wouldn't be much of a match for their technology any way.

NARIM No harm will come to you. The Tollan will guarantee it.

O'NEILL Is that a 'money back if you're not completely alive' guarantee?

NARIM This way.

[He gestures for them to continue to follow.]

INT&mdash;COURTROOM, TOLLANA

[Narim and SG-1 enter what looks like a large courtroom. There is a woman sitting at a high podium. The screen before her slides down and she rises to greet the visitors.]

WOMAN These must be our visitors from Earth. Welcome.

NARIM High Chancellor Travell, this is Colonel Jack O'Neill.

O'NEILL Hi.

NARIM Dr Daniel Jackson. Major Samantha Carter.

CARTER Hello.

NARIM And Teal'c.

TRAVELL We are honoured that you have agree to participate in Triad. Your seeker will decide which one of you will be archon.

O'NEILL Seeker? Archon? Daniel?

DANIEL Uh, with respect High Chancellor, NARIM didn't really explain the Triad very well. Could you please define those terms for us.

TRAVELL In Triad there are two arguing parties, called seekers. Triadic law requires one archon who is sympathetic to each cause, and one neutral archon. The archons argue the dispute until a decision is reached.

DANIEL So a seeker is like a defendant and the archon is his attorney.

O'NEILL I got it. So Skaara is our&hellip;

DANIEL Seeker.

O'NEILL Seeker?

TRAVELL NARIM will take you to him now.

NARIM This way.

INT&mdash;CELL, TOLLANA

[Two Tollans are guarding a room. Narim deactivates the forcefield and SG-1 follows him inside. There is a man standing with his back to them.]

CARTER Skaara?

[The man turns around, his eyes glowing, a device on his chest showing red.]

KLOREL (in a Goa'uld voice) You. You will pay for what you did to my father.

O'NEILL It's good to see you too.

[Klorel's head drops and the device turns blue.]

SKAARA (in a normal voice) I'm very happy to see you. All of you.

O'NEILL (to Narim) What's the deal? What just happened?

NARIM The Tollan designed the device worn about his chest. It suppresses the Goa'uld's ability to silence its host. The Goa'uld and host are free to speak at will. The device cannot be removed as long as Klorel and Skaara are our guests. The indicator on the front prevents one from pretending to be the other. Red indicates it is Klorel who speaks&hellip;blue Skaara.

O'NEILL Nice device. We'll take a dozen.

NARIM As you may recall from our last encounter, it is forbidden for the Tollan to give our technology to any culture less advanced than our own.

O'NEILL Still got that arrogance bug, I see.

SKAARA It is I O'Neill. Are you not happy to see me?

[O'Neill walks over to him.]

O'NEILL (warily) Yeah. It's good to see you.

SKAARA I knew you would come. Soon, with your help, I'll be free of this demon. Every day I fight him. I listen, I learn.

NARIM It is time for Skaara to choose his archon.

SKAARA O'Neill is strong. Daniel is wise. May I not choose both?

NARIM You may. They may both argue. However, they will have but one vote.

DANIEL Ok. What's this Triad about? What's to be decided?

NARIM Two days ago, a small Goa'uld vessel crashed in a remote area. The occupant was badly injured. It was Skaara.

SKAARA We were fleeing a battle group despatched by Heru-Ur. My demon knew that the Tollans would stop them.

NARIM Which we did. We warned them, but&hellip;they came anyway. Our defence grip was forced to destroy them.

CARTER So, Heru-Ur is dead.

SKAARA No. But two of his motherships are destroyed.

O'NEILL (to Narim) Wait a minute. You blew away two Goa'uld motherships?

NARIM We are not a warring people, but our defensive technology is far more advanced than that of the Goa'uld.

DANIEL Yeah, well I know all this weapons chatter gets my blood pumping&hellip;can we get back to the Triad?

NARIM Yes, of course. When our sentries reached the crashed vessel, Skaara asked us to free him of his Goa'uld. But the Goa'uld refuses. Therefore under Tollan law we have no choice but to hear both arguments before acting.

O'NEILL And Klorel's archon is&hellip;who?

INT&mdash;COURTROOM, TOLLANA

[The doors open and a man walks in with a group of Jaffa. He bows to Klorel while SG-1 look on in concern.]

TRAVELL My Lord Zipacna, we are honoured that you have agreed to participate in Triad.

ZIPACNA Due to your easy despatch of Heru-Ur's motherships, I do not have a choice.

KLOREL (to Travell) We would speak in private.

TRAVELL As you wish.

[Zipacna and Klorel leave the room with the Jaffa.]

O'NEILL (to Travell) So. When you were trying to get us to come here and then&hellip;disarmed us, you didn't feel it appropriate to mention the fact that a freaking Goa'uld is going to be here? Not to mention his associates?

TRAVELL They are as unarmed as you.

O'NEILL You sure of that?

NARIM Our technology detects and disables any form of weaponry.

O'NEILL (sceptically) Ah.

DANIEL You said there was a third, neutral archon. That's&hellip;a Tollan?

TRAVELL No. We have asked our friends to send someone capable of remaining neutral. I believe you have met.

[A curtain is drawn aside to admit a familiar woman.]

DANIEL Lya.

LYA It is good to see you once again, friends.

INT&mdash;WAITING ROOM, TOLLANA

[SG-1 enter the room.]

O'NEILL (confidently) Well, this just became a piece of cake, a walk in the park, a day at the beach.

DANIEL An accident waiting for a place to happen.

O'NEILL Mr Negative. (he takes a seat) Yes.

CARTER Sir, what makes you so confident?

O'NEILL Because Lya is a fair and insightful person who'll vote our way. Besides, she likes us.

DANIEL Lya likes everyone. That's the Nox way.

TEAL'C The Nox are not in conflict with the Goa'uld. You may recall they saved Apophis when you attempted to eliminate him.

O'NEILL So, what do we have on this fine, Goa'uld fella?

TEAL'C Zipacna was one of Apophis' most loyal underlords.

O'NEILL Well, I don't believe for a second he's come to talk Klorel out of here.

[There is a chime and O'Neill looks about in confusion. Narim enters the room.]

NARIM They are ready for you.

O'NEILL Thank you.

[Narim leaves.]

O'NEILL Carter, you and Teal'c keep an eye on ZIPPY's kids.

CARTER Yes, sir.

O'NEILL See what they're up to.

[He and Daniel leave the room.]

INT&mdash;COURTROOM, TOLLANA

[Travell is seated at the podium. Daniel and O'Neill are seated on one side of the courtroom, Zipacna on the other, with Lya between them. Klorel stands in the middle of the room.]

TRAVELL This dispute involves two sentient beings who inhabit the same body. Both have requested sole use of the body, therefore we must established right of priority over the body to whom does it belong.

O'NEILL Ostensibly, the one to whom it was born.

[Zipacna rises.]

ZIPACNA Your Eminence, I must request that the human contingent follow decorum appropriate to such an auspicious body as this one.

TRAVELL I agree. The archons will refrain from questions or comments until their side is acknowledged. At this time, I recognised Lord Zipacna and Klorel.

ZIPACNA Until three years ago, the humans on Abydos lived under Goa'uld law&hellip;administered by Ra. Now by that law, they were Goa'uld property. Lord Klorel merely took what was already his.

O'NEILL By force.

TRAVELL Colonel O'Neill, please.

O'NEILL Sorry.

TRAVELL I understand your desire to defend your position, Colonel, and I will give you that opportunity. I would first like to hear Skaara's perspective.

[The device on Klorel's chest turns blue and Skaara takes over.]

SKAARA I was born to this body. Free of the demon Klorel. He stole my body. On Abydos, I would have married, had children, grown old and died. The Goa'uld took more than my body&hellip;he stole my life.

TRAVELL Human archons.

[Daniel rises.]

DANIEL Skaara, when you were born, did your people believe you were slaves?

SKAARA No.

DANIEL Just so we can all be clear, who was Ra?

SKAARA We believed him to be an evil god.

DANIEL So he enslaved your people through superstition and fear?

SKAARA Until you came. Yes.

EXT&mdash;TOLLANA (DAY)

[Teal'c and Carter pretend to examine a sculpture as the Jaffa contingent marches passed. They then start to follow.]

INT&mdash;COURTROOM, TOLLANA

[Zipacna rises and moves to stand before Skaara.]

ZIPACNA Tell me, did the people of Abydos hunt?

SKAARA Yes.

ZIPACNA Do they also use animals as beasts of burden for food, for clothing?

SKAARA Yes.

ZIPACNA Do you also eat the flesh of humans?

SKAARA No! Never!

ZIPACNA Then you make judgement that animals are of lesser value than humans.

SKAARA We care for our animals. We worship them, we thank them for the gifts they give us.

ZIPACNA Yes, but you keep them to do your will and you kill them to survive.

SKAARA When we have the need.

ZIPACNA As we do with humans, when we have the need. If a human has the right to take an animal's body and do with it as he pleases because he is a superior being&hellip;then so does a Goa'uld. And by that argument alone, the Goa'uld has priority. And the host belongs to Klorel.

TRAVELL Do the human archons wish to respond?

O'NEILL Yes, ma'am, you betcha.

DANIEL We do, your Eminence.

[Daniel gestures for O'Neill to speak.]

O'NEILL (to Zipacna) Your argument is flawed in oh so many ways. Humans are self-aware, animals aren't.

ZIPACNA Animals are not because you deem them not to be. Just as we deem humans not to be.

DANIEL What my learned colleague means is that humans have a more advanced intelligence than lower-caste animals.

O'NEILL Exactly, just like that.

ZIPACNA Is that not a matter of perspective? Just like a human considers itself more intelligent than a pig, might a pig consider itself more intelligent than a rat?

O'NEILL Speaking of rats&hellip;what's your point?

ZIPACNA My point is that the Goa'uld consider ourselves more intelligent than humans. Our technology is more advanced than yours, our mere knowledge of the universe is more advanced than yours.

O'NEILL You stole that knowledge!

[Daniel gets up and joins him.]

DANIEL You took human knowledge when you took humans as hosts, just as you took knowledge from other species. The Stargate isn't your technology, you just&hellip;you took that. As far as we know, nothing you have came from you. So, clearly the evidence is not that you're more intelligent, just&hellip;more parasitic.

ZIPACNA The method of gaining the knowledge is not in question. We were able to obtain it. You were not.

O'NEILL Oh please.

TRAVELL Gentlemen, we seem to have wandered away from the central topic. Which seeker has priority over this body.

DANIEL If I may, your Eminence, I don't think we've ventured away from the central topic at all. What we're trying to point out is that Goa'uld steal what they possess&hellip;as they have in fact stolen Skaara's body.

O'NEILL Can I&hellip;sorry Daniel&hellip;can I say something?

[Daniel retakes his seat.]

O'NEILL Skaara, you once told me you'd rather die than live another day as a Goa'uld. Why?

SKAARA What I suffer each day is worse than death.

O'NEILL For example.

SKAARA (upset) I remember the demon stretching out my hand to kill Daniel, the husband of my sister. There was nothing I could do to stop it. And I have seen many more, far worse atrocities than this.

ZIPACNA I demand that the human stay on topic!

O'NEILL It is on topic. You just want to avoid talking about all the nasty stuff he's witnessed.

ZIPACNA The host witnesses nothing, since nothing of the host survives.

[Skaara lowers his head and struggles not to cry.]

EXT&mdash;TOLLANA (DAY)

[Carter looks through a pair of field glasses and sees the Jaffa standing alongside the Tollan ion canon. She hands the binoculars to Teal'c.]

CARTER What are they doing?

TEAL'C I am uncertain.

[Carter takes the binoculars and sees the Jaffa leaving. She and Teal'c get up to follow.]

INT&mdash;COURTROOM, TOLLANA

[Daniel stands.]

DANIEL Lord Zipacna, I'd like to ask you a question, if I may.

ZIPACNA I hope I have the answer.

[Daniel walks over to Zipacna.]

DANIEL I'm sure you will. Is your host in there somewhere?

ZIPACNA Nothing of the host survives.

DANIEL Really. Then how do you explain Skaara?

ZIPACNA What you call Skaara is nothing but a remnant. He can speak now only because the Tollan use their technology to silence Klorel.

DANIEL But how could he speak at all if he hadn't survived?

LYA (looking at Skaara) And he spoke well. His words were not those of a remnant personality.

INT&mdash;WAITING ROOM, TOLLANA

[O'Neill and Daniel return to the room to find Carter and Teal'c waiting for them.]

O'NEILL Carter?

CARTER Sir, we may have a problem.

O'NEILL Do tell.

TEAL'C We tracked a serpent guard and two Jaffa to just outside the city limits. We observed them locate at least six Tollan weapon sites.

CARTER We think they were doing something to disable them, sir. Which, in my opinion, means Zipacna is using the Triad to stall for time so his men can disable the Tollan defences. Then, take the opportunity to&hellip;

O'NEILL Wipe out the Tollan.

EXT&mdash;TOLLANA (DAY)

[Carter is standing by a pond. Narim walks up behind her.]

NARIM Samantha. I hope you've not waited long.

CARTER No. Thank you for coming.

NARIM It is my pleasure. In fact, I am pleased that we can finally be alone together.

CARTER Narim, I asked you to meet me because I need your help.

NARIM Samantha I&hellip;I have missed you.

CARTER A lot's happened to me since I last saw you.

NARIM There is another.

CARTER No! Not in the way that you mean. You see, I was blended with a Tok'ra, and she died to save my life. I still have her memories and her feelings.

NARIM And she is part of you?

CARTER Yes. I can't have a relationship with anyone until I'm absolutely sure whose feelings I'm&hellip;feeling. Do you understand?

NARIM You are very wise, Samantha. May I ask then why you sent for me?

CARTER Teal'c and I have been following the Jaffa that came with the Goa'uld contingent.

NARIM (shocked) Samantha, why would you do such a thing? I was sure your people were more diplomatic than that.

CARTER We did it out of concern for your people. We think the Goa'uld are using the Triad to buy time so that they can prepare for an attack on Tollana.

NARIM Why do you think that?

CARTER Because we saw them tampering with your weapons.

NARIM That would be impossible. The weapons are made of an impenetrable alloy and are protected by security codes.

CARTER Narim, they were doing something to them.

[Narim inclines his head in acknowledgement.]

EXT&mdash;TOLLANA (DAY)

[A Tollan is examining one of the ion canons as SG-1, Travell and Narim look on.]

TRAVELL We asked Lord Zipacna about your accusation. He denied it and he was quite offended.

O'NEILL Well, that's a shocker. I hope you didn't take his word for it.

TRAVELL Our experts have been unable to find any form of tampering on any of the canons.

O'NEILL Carter?

CARTER (to O'Neill) Maybe they were painting them, sir.

TRAVELL I see no paint.

CARTER (to Travell) Uh, sorry, it's an Earth military expression. It means marking them as targets.

TRAVELL Nor do I see any markings.

CARTER Well, there are ways that they can target the weapons without actually leaving a mark.

TRAVELL If so, the instant one of these canons is attacked, the rest will automatically locate the position of the attacker and destroy it.

O'NEILL Unless they're all taken out simultaneously.

TRAVELL If that were possible, why then did the Goa'uld Heru-Ur not do so when he pursued Klorel?

CARTER Well maybe because he didn't have a contingent on the planet's surface targeting the weapons in advance.

TRAVELL He didn't do it because it is impossible. It would take but one of these devices to protect this planet from a Goa'uld mothership and we have many more than that. Our technology is superior in every way to theirs&hellip;and to yours.

O'NEILL My, aren't we cocky.

TRAVELL Colonel, if this is an attempt to influence the outcome of Triad, it is a feeble attempt indeed.

DANIEL I assure you, your Eminence, this is not intended as anything other than an attempt to help your people.

TRAVELL I hope so. But understand, if you continue to pursue this matter in any way, I will disqualify you from Triad and replace you. Skaara will be represented by someone else. Is that understood?

O'NEILL With protest.

TRAVELL Now, you will return to Triad in the morning and you will not mention this matter any further.

EXT&mdash;TOLLANA (DAY)

[SG-1 are standing in a courtyard.]

O'NEILL Just&hellip;stay away from ZIPPY and his gaggle of Goa'ulds, ok?

TEAL'C I know the Goa'uld, O'Neill. They will attack.

O'NEILL But I don't see a choice here. If we keep pursuing the issue, Skaara's going to be represented by God knows who and then we won't stand a chance in hell. I'm not going to let that happen.

TEAL'C Regrettably, I must disagree with you in this situation, O'Neill. I believe we are faced with the loss of Skaara, one individual, versus the death of many Tollan and possibly ourselves.

DANIEL That's assuming the Tollan can't defend themselves which, personally, I think is a false assumption.

O'NEILL Yeah, they did bring down a couple of motherships. I think they'll be ok.

TEAL'C The Tollan have not been at war in many generations. They do not think strategically. I believe that to be a fatal flaw.

CARTER Their naivety could be their downfall.

TEAL'C That is correct. Allow Major Carter and myself to continue monitoring the Goa'uld contingent, in case of&hellip;

[He breaks off as Narim walks over.]

NARIM Excuse my interruption. The Triad resumes.

[He leaves.

O'NEILL (to Teal'c) You've got your orders. Stand down.

INT&mdash;LYA'S ROOM, TOLLANA

[Lya is sitting in her room, meditating. Teal'c enters from behind and she opens her eyes.]

LYA Teal'c.

[She stands and turns around.]

LYA (cont'd) This is highly inappropriate of you to come to me during Triad.

TEAL'C I assure you that I would never intend to influence your decision in any way. I wish to speak to you concerning another matter.

LYA You must not mention Klorel or Skaara. If you do, I will be forced to report the matter to the Tollan.

TEAL'C Understood.

LYA What is it then?

TEAL'C As you are aware, I was formerly in the service of the Goa'uld.

LYA If this is designed to bias me against the Goa'uld&hellip;

TEAL'C I would never do such a thing, nor do I feel the need. I am here in fact in direct violation of an order given by Colonel O'Neill.

LYA Go on.

TEAL'C I have become convinced that the Goa'uld are planning to destroy all the Tollan weapon installations simultaneously, thereby preventing them from ever returning fire. The Goa'uld will then attack this world, which will be defenceless.

LYA Why do you tell me this?

TEAL'C I believe that you and I are the only ones capable of preventing this tragedy from occurring.

LYA You and I? Teal'c, you are a strong warrior, but I am of the Nox. If you've learned anything of us, you've learned that we defend ourselves through illusion and mastery of the mind.

TEAL'C Precisely.

INT&mdash;COURTROOM, TOLLANA

[O'Neill is tapping his hand on the table, while Zipacna examines his fingernails. Lya enters the room and they rise as she takes her place.]

LYA I apologise for my tardiness.

TRAVELL We will resume. Lord Zipacna has asked us to reconvene early because he wishes to make a challenge.

[Zipacna stands before Travell.]

ZIPACNA Tollan law does not provide for a penalty of death. Is that correct?

TRAVELL It is.

ZIPACNA Then I wish to point out the futility of this trial. A Goa'uld needs a host to survive. This is a biological fact beyond our control. If you award priority to Skaara, then it is as a death sentence for Klorel.

O'NEILL Course, if you flip that around you've got Skaara on death row.

ZIPACNA Yes. But as you proved earlier in Triad, the host survives.

O'NEILL Yeah?

ZIPACNA We concede this point. Therefore, if you award priority to Klorel, both host and symbiote live.

[He bows and sits down.]

O'NEILL Yeah, one lives freely, the other lives as a slave.

DANIEL We would put forth that life as a slave is not life at all.

O'NEILL

And if you want to save both lives, give us Skaara&hellip;and take Klorel. The Tok'ra can put him in another host for all I care.

LYA Who Colonel? Perhaps you would volunteer?

O'NEILL Uh&hellip;no.

DANIEL Perhaps you could find someone who would choose to be a host.

[The doors open and NARIM enters, followed by Carter and Teal'c.]

TRAVELL NARIM, what is the meaning of this? You know Triad is held as a closed session.

NARIM Your Eminence, please adjust your viewer to the orbital observatory.

[A screen appears before Travell. In it, she sees the planet and a ship.]

TRAVELL A Goa'uld mothership.

NARIM Yes. It approaches Tollana.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Goa'uld mothership is heading for the planet.]

INT&mdash;COURTROOM, TOLLANA

[Zipacna, O'Neill and Daniel stand before the podium.]

TRAVELL Explain.

ZIPACNA My vessel comes in anticipation of our victory in Triad. It is merely coming to take us aboard.

O'NEILL Why don't you just take a Stargate like the rest of us?

ZIPACNA Not that it is of your concern, but there is no Chapp'ai where we are going.

O'NEILL Well then Gate to where there is one and get picked up.

ZIPACNA (to Travell) Your Eminence, if our intentions were hostile, we would have attacked already.

TRAVELL Even so, your ship's arrival is premature and in violation of Tollan space. I must warn you, that if your ship moves any closer before the conclusion of Triad, our automated defence system will destroy it.

ZIPACNA The Goa'uld rest our case and we are prepared to vote. Therefore Triad is over.

TRAVELL Triad is over when all parties agree, Lord Zipacna. Do the human archons have any further arguments?

O'NEILL Nope. I think the Goa'uld made our case for us quite nicely.

[He points to the Goa'uld mothership on the screen.]

DANIEL No further arguments, your Eminence. We are prepared to vote.

TRAVELL Nox archon?

LYA Yes.

TRAVELL Then bring in the seekers.

[The archons return to their seats. Skaara is escorted into the room.]

TRAVELL Klorel and Skaara. You can both hear the Triad's ruling?

SKAARA Yes, your Eminence.

[The device turns red and Skaara's eyes glow.]

KLOREL I can.

TRAVELL Human archons, may we hear your vote?

DANIEL We find in favour of Skaara.

TRAVELL Goa'uld archon?

ZIPACNA In favour of Klorel.

O'NEILL (whispering) Big surprise there.

TRAVELL Nox archon?

LYA After careful consideration, I believe that both Klorel and Skaara have the right to live. But living as a host with no will of one's own is not life, therefore only one may remain in the body. To that end, I award priority to the original owner of the body. Skaara.

[Klorel's eyes flare in fury.]

O'NEILL Yes. (to Zipacna) Now get that mothership outta here.

TRAVELL We will summon the Tok'ra to come to Tollana to assist in the removal of the Goa'uld Klorel. He will be removed from the host and if he survives, will be sent to the Goa'uld world of his choice.

[She uses a piece of technology and the device on Skaara's chest turns blue.]

TRAVELL (cont'd) I have locked the detachment device. Skaara, you have priority control until the Goa'uld is removed. Prepare yourself. The Tok'ra will arrive as soon as possible. And congratulations.

SKAARA Thank you.

TRAVELL Lord Zipacna, you are dismissed&hellip;with our thanks.

[He bows his head in acknowledgement. As Travell leaves, he takes a ball-shaped device from underneath the table and speaks into it.]

ZIPACNA Re'nuk'tok.

[Teal'c sees and crashes into him, knocking the device away.]

O'NEILL Hey!

[O'Neill punches Zipacna, who is then grabbed in headlock by Teal'c. Zipacna collapses.]

O'NEILL Nice. Let's go!

[SG-1 and Skaara run out of the courtroom and into a hallway with running people. O'Neill gestures for Skaara to go into a room.]

O'NEILL Skaara, wait here. Just trust me.

EXT&mdash;TOLLANA (DAY)

[O'Neill, Carter, Daniel and NARIM run across the Tollan grounds.]

O'NEILL (to Narim) How's your technology looking now? Security system serving you pretty good, is it?

[Bolts of energy are striking the planet.]

DANIEL The ion canons.

O'NEILL Got a dead lock on all of them. (To Narim) You know, I hate when people waste my time like this.

DANIEL Where's Teal'c?

[The bolts of energy destroy the ion canons.]

CARTER Colonel!

[Goa'uld gliders swoop and start to destroy buildings.]

O'NEILL Take cover!

[They run for shelter and come across Teal'c and Lya. There are explosions all around.]

NARIM I must inform Travell!

[He runs off.]

TEAL'C Zipacna has escaped through the Stargate.

O'NEILL Well that's the least of our problems. Where have you been?

TEAL'C I must inform you, O'Neill, that I have disregarded your orders concerning the Goa'uld.

O'NEILL Please explain.

[Teal'c nods to Lya, who makes them all vanish. They materialise in the woods, away from the city.]

O'NEILL So what's going on here?

TEAL'C I have requested Lya's assistance.

[An ion canon suddenly appears before them.]

CARTER You hid one.

TEAL'C That is correct. Travell explained that it would take but one of these to destroy a Goa'uld mothership.

[Two Goa'uld gliders start to come in.]

TEAL'C (cont'd) It should have already fired.

O'NEILL Well it hasn't. Let's take cover.

[O'Neill, Carter, Daniel and Lya run for the trees, while being fired upon by the gliders. Teal'c remains with the canon and adjusts its controls. The canon lifts and opens fire, destroying the two gliders. It then fires bolts of energy into the sky, destroying the Goa'uld mothership in orbit.]

O'NEILL Very nice.

[There is a fireball in the sky.]

INT&mdash;COURTHOUSE, TOLLANA

[Travell approaches Teal'c.]

TRAVELL You disregarded my warnings.

O'NEILL Mine too. Well done.

TRAVELL If you were one of my subjects, I would be forced to discipline you. However, you are not one of my subjects.

[She places her hand against his chest and bows.]

TEAL'C It could not have been done without the assistance of Lya.

CARTER (to Lya) I thought the Nox were pacifists.

LYA I only hid the weapon. I did not fire it.

CARTER Pretty fine line you didn't cross.

LYA Yes it is.

O'NEILL (to Travell) So, we basically saved your whole planet, right?

TRAVELL Yes.

O'NEILL Are you therefore indebted to us in any modest way?

TRAVELL I suppose that is the case.

O'NEILL So how about giving us the plans to build one of those ion canons?

TRAVELL You have been told our policy. That has not changed.

[Daniel enters the room.]

DANIEL The, uh, Tok'ra have completed the procedure.

O'NEILL Yeah?

[Two Tok'ra carry out a jar containing Klorel's Goa'uld form.]

LYA What will become of Klorel?

NARIM He will be sent to a Goa'uld world.

O'NEILL To hell with him, what about&hellip;?

SKAARA O'Neill!

[Skaara runs up to him.]

O'NEILL (smiling) Much better.

[They share a hug. Skaara catches sight of Teal'c and they shake hands, before Carter embraces Skaara.]

FADE OUT

THE END

Transcribed by Dee for Stargatefan

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--Kylie Lee 15:19, 12 Sep 2004 (PDT)