Prisoners/Transcript

Episode Guide

 * 2.03 "Prisoners" Episode Guide

Transcript
TEASER

EXT&mdash;ALIEN WORLD FOREST, DAY

[SG-1 are walking through the forest. Daniel is taking video of everything.]

O'NEILL (obviously frustrated) All right kids. We're due back. Unless you can tell me you've discovered something Earth shattering, I'm ready to bag this one.

DANIEL We practically just got here. We have no idea what this planet has to offer.

O'NEILL Trees and moss.

DANIEL Well, a few miles from the Stargate, granted, but&mdash;

O'NEILL Captain, any signs of radio traffic in the last twenty-four hours? Any chemical traces in the air to indicate civilization?

CARTER None, sir.

[Daniel raises a finger and starts to protest and O'Neill interrupts, raising his own finger.]

O'NEILL Ah! Ah! We'll, ah&hellip;flag it for an aerial survey. As much as I love a good rain forest&hellip;

TEAL'C (off camera, alerting them) O'Neill.

[They hear muffled sounds coming from behind O'Neill. They all look. A man stumbles into view and falls to his knees.]

ROSHURE Help me. If they find me&hellip;Taldor.

O'NEILL Who?

ROSHURE Taldor. They find me now.

O'NEILL Daniel?

DANIEL Tal&hellip;ah? I don't&hellip;I have no idea.

ROSHURE They find me. They find you.

DANIEL Taldor is bad?

ROSHURE All around us now.

O'NEILL (humoring him) All right, all right, all right. We're surrounded by Taldor. Fine. Just relax. Come with us. Come on.

[O'Neill helps the man up and he and Daniel walk off deeper into the forest. Teal'c and Carter keep watch.]

O'NEILL All right&hellip;Keep an eye out for Taldor, I guess.

[SG-1 is walking back to the Stargate. There are loud metallic sounds overhead and all around.]

ROSHURE (frightened) Taldor.

O'NEILL What the hell is that?

ROSHURE It comes for us.

O'NEILL (shouting now over the noise) What?

[A beam of light encircles them all from overhead.]

INT&mdash;THE TALDOR PLANET&mdash;THE TAL'AL (SPEAKING ROOM)

[SG-1 and the stranger are beamed into a very large, dark room. The light still encompasses them. Their weapons are gone.]

O'NEILL (looking at each team member) Everybody all right?

FEMALE VOICE (off-camera) You are prisoners.

O'NEILL And you are?

[He tries to see who they're talking to.]

DANIEL Justice! Taldor means justice.

[O'Neill glares at him, and Daniel shrugs.]

DANIEL It just came to me.

MALE VOICE (off-camera) You trespass on ancient grounds.

O'NEILL Hey, look. We didn't mean to trespass. We're explorers, we just came through the Stargate from Earth.

FEMALE VOICE It does not matter who you are or where you are from; you helped Roshure.

O'NEILL What? Who? This guy? (points to Roshure kneeling submissively on the ground) Yeah?

MALE VOICE Then you share in his crime.

O'NEILL What crime?

[He starts to get aggravated.]

FEMALE VOICE Murder.

O'NEILL All right, look. We don't know anything about a murder. He was running from something. He stopped for help. We helped.

MALE VOICE For the crimes of trespassing on the ancient grounds&hellip;

O'NEILL (to his team) Anybody wanna to jump in here?

FEMALE VOICE &hellip;of aiding a murder&hellip;

DANIEL We had no intention of interfering with your justice system.

MALE VOICE &hellip;of carrying weapon upon ancient grounds.

CARTER We're trained to defend ourselves.

FEMALE VOICE You will be sent through the Stargate.

[O'Neill shrugs his shoulders agreeably.]

DANIEL Thank you.

MALE VOICE To the prison Hadante&hellip;

O'NEILL Ah, Na no no no no no&hellip;This is just a misunderstanding.

FEMALE VOICE &hellip;for the remainder of your lives.

[There are stunned reactions from each of the team members.]

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

INT&mdash;ALIEN PRISON STARGATE

[SG-1 and Roshure are thrown through the Stargate. Roshure runs off into the prison.]

O'NEILL Hey!

[They rise to their feet. They are in an underground prison, what looks like tree roots can be seen, and humans whistling is heard. O'Neill tucks his hat into his coat.]

O'NEILL Well, this sucks.

[The resident prisoners enter the Gate area whistling and cautiously approach the new arrivals.]

DANIEL Why are they whistling?

TEAL'C (looking down) O'Neill.

[Carter walks over and looks at what Teal'c has found: a burning pair of feet still in their shoes.]

CARTER Oh my God.

O'NEILL What?

TEAL'C The wounds are cauterized.

O'NEILL Yeah? So?

CARTER So, whoever it was must have been standing in front of the Gate when it opened. Disintegrated by the vortex.

[One of the prisoners (Scavenger) is hiding behind them beside the Gate.]

DANIEL Why would anyone do that?

[The Scavenger runs up and grabs the crispy shoes, stands up to look Carter straight in the eye and shrinks away from her.]

CARTER (friendly) It's okay.

[He backs off and Carter follows.]

CARTER We're not going to hurt you. Please, We just want to talk to you. It's all right. We just want to talk to you.

TEAL'C (warningly) Captain Carter!

[Carter is suddenly grabbed from behind by a very large, ugly man. She struggles. Hitting him with a backwards head-butt, she attempts to kick him in the shins. All the other prisoners just stand around and watch.]

LINEA Vishnor.

[Vishnor drops Carter quickly, while she turns around to defend herself. Vishnor wipes some blood from his busted lip as the crowd of prisoners break open to reveal an older lady approaching SG-1, Linea.]

LINEA You have been sent through the great circle

DANIEL Well, yes but that was&hellip;

LINEA You have been sentenced to life imprisonment for your crimes, or you would not be here. I am Linea.

DANIEL Well, I am Daniel. This is Jack, Captain Carter and Teal'c. If you're the one that stopped this attack, ah, then I suppose we are grateful.

[Linea turns and puts a possessive hand on Carter's shoulder.]

LINEA (to the other prisoners) This woman is under my protection. She is not to be taken by any man.

CARTER It's all right.

[Linea raises a hand to stop Carter from speaking, directing her attention to Vishnor.]

LINEA Is that clear Vishnor? (repeating after he doesn't answer) Is that clear?

[Vishnor backs off and the others walk away.]

LINEA (to Carter) You were saying?

CARTER Ah&hellip; ah, that I can take care of myself.

LINEA I mean you no disrespect. But I know what it is to be a woman in Hadante.

CARTER (nods and mouths) Thank you.

LINEA (turns back to the men of SG-1) For what little it is worth, welcome.

[Linea turns and leaves.]

DANIEL Oh, ah, excuse me but&hellip;

O'NEILL Daniel, I think that's about it for the welcome wagon. (to Carter) You all right?

CARTER Yes, sir.

O'NEILL Okay, kids. This is our situation. What do we need?

DANIEL Well. A dial-home-device would be nice.

O'NEILL Okay, let's assume we don't find one of those. What else?

CARTER Power to free up the super conductive ring on the Stargate.

TEAL'C So that we may dial the Gate manually.

CARTER It's worked before.

O'NEILL Right. So we're looking for a power source. Teal'c, look scary and take point.

[They start to walk away from the immediate Gate area. Teal'c leads, but the rest get separated momentarily by two prisoners blocking their way.]

O'NEILL (to the other prisoners and pointing to Teal'c) We're with him.

[They squeeze past the menacing prisoners. They walk until they find an alcove.]

DANIEL It's like we're in Botany Bay.

O'NEILL What?

DANIEL Oh, the original name for Sydney Harbor. When the British first colonized Australia, they turned it into a continental prison that was half a world away.

[Realization of how far away they are from home hits Daniel.]

DANIEL Of course this is probably more than&hellip;that.

[O'Neill comfortingly pats Daniel's shoulder.]

O'NEILL It's okay, Daniel. It's okay.

TEAL'C Perhaps the Taldor believe the Stargate only goes here.

CARTER Wherever here is.

[They continue to walk down a few corridors deeper into the prison and they come across the prisoner who'd grabbed the dead prisoner's shoes from the Stargate area. The scavenger is dragging a dead prisoner.]

SCAVENGER (to Carter) Here. I give.

DANIEL You killed him?

SCAVENGER No, no, no, no, not me. Killed himself. Not me.

O'NEILL (not believing him) Right.

[The Scavenger rips a necklace off the dead prisoner.]

SCAVENGER Here. For you.

CARTER In exchange for?

SCAVENGER Like Linea, a gift. For the protected one.

[Carter refuses with a gesture. He turns to Teal'c.]

SCAVENGER You are very strong. Yes?

TEAL'C I am.

SCAVENGER Maybe you challenge Vishnor? Maybe you win. Maybe&hellip;I be your friend.

TEAL'C Maybe not.

[The prisoner looks disappointed then continues on his way with the dead body.]

O'NEILL (watching the man drag the body away) Okay&hellip; (to Daniel) Daniel, you and Teal'c keep looking around Botany Bay here. Carter and I are going to have a little chat with&hellip; (looks to Carter)

CARTER Linea.

O'NEILL Right. Something's generating the power around here, and she seems to be in charge. okay?

[O'Neill looks around again as Daniel nods numbly. He and Teal'c start to walk away, and O'Neill catches Daniel's arm.]

O'NEILL Oh, Daniel. (he motions Daniel to come closer) You gotta trust me on this.

[O'Neill reaches up and removes Daniel's glasses, placing them in Daniel's jacket breast pocket.]

O'NEILL Signs of weakness are not a good thing in prison.

[O'Neill pats Daniel on the arm, and Daniel and Teal'c leave. O'Neill and Carter proceed through the corridor to find Linea.]

CARTER You know, sir, without our remote transmitters&mdash;

O'NEILL Captain. General Hammond will send another SG team as soon as we're overdue.

ROSHURE (runs up and gets in O'Neill's face) Help. Help me, please! They're after me! Please!

[He grabs O'Neill by the jacket lapels. O'Neill pulls Roshure's hands off.]

O'NEILL Get off! Get outta here!

[He throws him to the ground. Roshure then gets up and runs off. A few of the other prisoners run between Carter and O'Neill, chasing Roshure.]

CARTER What do you think they're going to do to him?

O'NEILL Not our problem, Captain.

[O'Neill turns and walks away. Carter follows him.]

EXT&mdash;CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ENTRANCE, DAY

INT&mdash;SGC CONTROL ROOM

[A technician sits at her monitor.]

FEMALE TECHNICIAN We're getting SG-3's remote transmitter signal, sir.

HAMMOND Let's hope they found SG-1. Open the iris.

INT&mdash;SGC GATE ROOM

[As Hammond looks on, the iris opens. SG-3 come through in camouflage. Major Warren leads his men down the ramp, looks directly at Hammond through the window and solemnly shakes his head.]

INT&mdash;SGC CONTROL ROOM

HAMMOND (disappointed) Have them report directly to the briefing room.

FEMALE TECHNICIAN Yes, sir.

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE, LINEA'S QUARTERS

[Linea is putting the stopper in bottle of a strange luminescent liquid. Her quarters are very much like a lab with shelves holding bottles of liquids and other makeshift lab equipment. O'Neill and Carter stand in the doorway and Linea seems to sense their presence.]

LINEA Sooner or later, all new arrivals come here. (she turns to face them) You're not from any of the island states under the Taldor.

O'NEILL Uh&hellip;no. We're from Earth. Earth is&hellip;well, it's way out there.

LINEA Then you are from a place of which I have no knowledge. Do you intend to challenge me?

O'NEILL Well, all we really want to do right now is get out of here.

LINEA (smirks) Get out of here? We are deep underground. (she puts the bottle on a shelf) It is my understanding that the great circle transported us to an entirely different world. One that once teemed with life, but no more. This place, thousands of years old, is all that remains. That's why the Taldor turned it into a prison. They could see no other use.

CARTER So, bottom line: the Stargate is the only way in or out.

LINEA Many here believe that when a prisoner comes through the&hellip;"Stargate", they can be caught in the circle's great wave and returned to the other side.

[Carter and O'Neill look at each other.]

O'NEILL (clears his throat) Actually&hellip;they die.

[Linea tilts her head trying to understand.]

CARTER You see, what&mdash;what you just referred to as "The Great Wave" is actually an unstable vortex generated when the Gate first opens. Anything inside its radius is completely disintegrated.

O'NEILL There was a pair of smoking feet standing in place when we got here.

LINEA (sitting down) There are two ways and two ways only to control a society: through fear or through hope. In this world, fear is a constant. The belief in escape, whether founded or not, allows hope.

O'NEILL So&hellip; out of hope&hellip; (O'Neill and Carter sit down) &hellip;these people are killing themselves?

LINEA If they believe it is escape, who am I to say it is not?

O'NEILL Well, we have a better way.

LINEA What would you ask of me?

CARTER We need power.

LINEA There are many forms of power, my dear. Some more subtle than others.

O'NEILL For the moment, we just need the electrical kind.

LINEA Then we both have something the other wants.

[Carter looks at O'Neill who maintains eye contact with Linea.]

INT&mdash;SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[Weapons and packs lie upon on the conference table. General Hammond picks one up.]

HAMMOND They just handed you SG-1's weapons and remote transmitters? Offered no further explanation?

WARREN Only that they had been accused of a crime and sent through the Stargate to some sort of prison.

HAMMOND What crime?

WARREN They said it wasn't my concern and sent me straight to the Stargate. I was going to take my men back&mdash;

HAMMOND No, you did the right thing returning to base. From what you tell me, this has become a diplomatic problem. That means SG-9.

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE, LINEA'S QUARTERS

[Carter and O'Neill are still seated facing Linea.]

LINEA I've long believed that the best way to get knowledge is to give it.

[She pulls a couple of small bottles from a shelf and returns to the table. There is a plant like object on it.]

LINEA These are my activators.

[She slowly puts a couple of drops onto the plant, and it starts to turn green and glow from within.]

CARTER (intrigued) Is this a chemical reaction?

LINEA Much more.

[O'Neill looks under the table.]

LINEA The liquid permeates the hard core of the terra-root and allows for the organic material within to interact on a basic level.

O'NEILL Basic? Meaning?

LINEA That which we cannot see, but of which all is made.

[O'Neill turns slightly to Carter, questioning.]

CARTER Subatomic.

O'NEILL Ah.

CARTER (to Linea) Are we talking about organically based cold fusion?

LINEA I do not know your terminology.

CARTER Uh, what you call basics, we call atoms. Groups of protons, neutrons, and electrons. These are the basic building blocks of all matter.

LINEA My activators spirit these materials to combine within the cells of the terra-root. When new material is made, new energy is released, flowing through the tendrils of the plant.

CARTER Colonel, that's cold fusion.

O'NEILL Mmm?

CARTER Whatever organic mineral the roots are made of serves as a catalyst, causing the atoms of her chemicals to fuse together. If we had this on Earth&hellip;

[O'Neill pinches the bridge of his nose.]

CARTER &hellip;we'd practically eliminate pollution&mdash;

O'NEILL Captain. Back to basics. Will it power the Stargate?

CARTER (looks at Linea) It might.

LINEA Activate the great circle from this side? The permutations number in the billions. It's incalculable.

O'NEILL Well, actually, (indicating Carter with a nod of his head) she figured it out.

LINEA You?

CARTER Oh, it was a team effort, really&mdash;

LINEA How?

CARTER Ah, well&mdash;

O'NEILL (standing) Tell you what, provide the power we need, and we'll take you with us.

LINEA Only then will you share the knowledge?

O'NEILL That's the deal.

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE, A PASSAGEWAY

[Teal'c has a prisoner braced up against the wall by the neck with his left hand and is choking him. Daniel worriedly looks on.]

DANIEL Teal'c, I&mdash;I think he's had enough.

TEAL'C If you once again try to physically harm myself or any of my companions, my patience with you will expire.

[Teal'c drops the prisoner, and the prisoner stumbles away clutching his throat. Carter and O'Neill walk up.]

O'NEILL Well, Teal'c&hellip;Making friends, are you?

TEAL'C We found nothing of use.

DANIEL Although I am fairly certain that this structure is the ruins of some sort of alien Gate terminal. Probably over 15,000 years old. That almost certainly pre-dates human civilization. (O'Neill looks dully at Daniel) Which is not of any use, per se.

O'NEILL We may have found what we need.

CARTER Linea has a power source. And not just any power source either; this is incredible.

DANIEL And she's just going to hand it over?

[Carter looks at O'Neill, who shrugs.]

O'NEILL If we take her back with us.

DANIEL Well can we just do that? I mean, we don't even know what she's in here for.

CARTER What are we in here for?

O'NEILL (sarcastically) Jaywalking, I think?

TEAL'C Clearly, Linea has done something to earn the respect of these prisoners.

DANIEL Well, when she warned that man to stay away from Sam, I saw fear in his eyes. Not respect.

O'NEILL (sarcastically, to Daniel) I'm just going to assume you've never been in prison before.

DANIEL Oh, right. And&mdash;and you have?

[O'Neill stares at Daniel.]

O'NEILL (pointedly at Daniel) Oh, yeah. Any place like this has its own set of rules, and they don't have to make sense. Linea's obviously done whatever she's needed to do to survive. Just like we are. (O'Neill touches Carter on the arm) Speaking of which?

CARTER Well, Colonel, we're talking about powering one completely alien device with another. I mean, it's not like splicing together a few wires.

O'NEILL I'll take that as a maybe?

TEAL'C Without remote transmitters, we still have no access to Earth. The iris will be closed.

O'NEILL Okay. (sighs) Daniel, you know more addresses than any of us, start thinking of alternatives.

[The Stargate powers up, drawing their attention.]

CARTER Incoming.

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE, GATE ROOM

[Chevrons lock in place as prisoners gather in the room. Some shuffle toward the Gate dragging a large chute and vat. All of them carry bowls. The team watch as the prisoners pass by. Vishnor walks up to O'Neill and points at him menacingly.]

VISHNOR You eat last.

[O'Neill waves off what is clearly a whiff of bad breath as Vishnor walks away. The Gate kawooshes open, and the prisoners move to position the chute and vat on the steps of the Gate. SG-1 stand away from the group and watch, then a thick grey substance pours through the Gate, down the chute and into the vat. The prisoners clamor around it, grunting in anticipation, but Vishnor pulls a few of them out of the way and stands guard as he and the assembled turn to where Linea is standing. The Gate shuts down and Linea walks to the vat with her bowl, the prisoners making a path for her. She hands her bowl to Vishnor who bows to her, then scoops some of the gruel out, handing the bowl back to her.]

LINEA Thank you, Vishnor.

[Vishnor is handed his bowl by another prisoner and scoops some out for himself, and as he turns away, the others push in to get their portions. After scooping, each runs back into the depths of the prison. The Scavenger is at the vat scooping out the gruel with his fingers, eating it. He then motions SG-1 over to partake. He offers his bowl of slop to O'Neill. O'Neill takes it, takes a sniff and grimaces. Dipping two fingers into the slop he passes it to Carter, and Carter is already grimacing from the smell. She dips and passes it to Teal'c, sniffing the concoction with revulsion.]

INT&mdash;SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[Major Kovacek addresses General Hammond. Major Warren stands next to the General.]

KOVACEK Sir, SG-1 broke the law on P3X-775. We don't have to agree with their law, but we may have to respect it.

HAMMOND Sounds to me like they just made an honest mistake.

KOVACEK We tried to explain that, sir. On our world, unknowingly abetting a criminal doesn't merit this kind of punishment. However the Taldor, they're the judicial body, they believe in zero tolerance almost religiously. No appeals process, essentially, a single sentence: life imprisonment for nearly all offenses.

HAMMOND That doesn't sound like justice to me.

KOVACEK Perhaps not, sir, but the fact is they have virtually no crime. Just crimes of passion, sometimes the occasional sociopath.

WARREN General, sir, SG-3 is prepared and willing to go in.

KOVACEK No sir, with all due respect, force isn't the answer, sir. They're far more technologically advanced than we are. We couldn't possibly succeed in extracting SG-1, and we'd just be making an enemy.

WARREN They've already made an enemy.

KOVACEK No. I disagree. Sir, they are open to relations with us. In fact next time, I think several members of the Taldor are going to allow us see their faces.

WARREN Sir, This is nuts. Let my team go back.

HAMMOND (to Major Warren) Major, as of 0800 tomorrow, your unit is scheduled for standard recon of P2A-509. I expect you to be ready to carry out your mission.

WARREN (reluctantly) Yes, sir.

[Warren leaves the briefing room.]

HAMMOND Major Kovacek, return to P3X-775. Let them know we mean business. (Pauses, reconsidering) Better yet, I'll tell them myself.

[Kovacek looks at the general, then turns and leaves. Hammond walks over to look down at the Stargate.]

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE, LINEA'S QUARTERS

[A blue, luminous waterfall cascades down part of a rocky wall. Linea is seated by it adding some drops from a nondescript bottle of liquid into her bowl of gruel. Carter walks in.]

LINEA I treat it before ingesting. It is quite better than what you scraped from the bottom of the barrel.

[Carter sits next to Linea on the rocky out-cropping, and Linea hands Carter her bowl of food.]

CARTER (surprised) Uh, thank you. Actually, I came to ask you something.

LINEA My crime.

CARTER Yeah.

LINEA There was an experiment with tragic consequences. People died.

CARTER How many people?

LINEA Thousands. It began with a terrible plague among the people who sent you here. Time was short; I offered my knowledge. Instead of inhibiting the disease's progress, my medicine accelerated its effects.

CARTER And they blamed you.

LINEA Yes.

CARTER I'm not surprised. We didn't deserve this either.

LINEA Do not think that I am innocent.

CARTER What you're saying is that you take responsibility for your actions?

LINEA Yes.

[Linea stands and walks over to her terra-root.]

LINEA I have decided to accept your offer.

CARTER (standing also) Great. I'll tell the colonel.

LINEA You have altered the balance of power here. I have no choice.

CARTER I'm sorry, I don't understand.

LINEA It's only a matter of time before Vishnor and his followers challenge your friends.

CARTER I'll warn them. Thank you.

LINEA Tell them also, that if they fail, they will not live to try again.

CARTER (startled) Okay.

[Carter leaves Linea.]

EXT&mdash;CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ENTRANCE

INT&mdash;SGC CORRIDOR

[Hammond and Kovacek are kitted out in fatigues and walking hurriedly.]

KOVACEK We better hurry, sir. The Taldor believe punctuality is emblematic as civilized behavior.

HAMMOND They do, do they?

KOVACEK We'll be transported almost immediately upon our arrival to their Tal'al, or speaking area. Once there, the Taldor may or may not be willing to show you their actual face.

HAMMOND Why's that?

KOVACEK To put it politely, sir, they're xenophobic. To put it frankly, they're arrogant, narrow-minded, self-centered&mdash;

HAMMOND I get the picture.

[They enter the Gate room; the Stargate is already active.]

KOVACEK But they do seem to want to maintain diplomatic contact.

FEMALE TECHNICIAN VOICE Special envoy, you may embark when ready.

[The Major and General walk up the ramp. Seen through the watery surface, Hammond pauses for a moment before the event horizon.]

HAMMOND (taking a deep breath) Well, here goes.

KOVACEK Since this is your first time, sir, a quick word of advice: it's better to exhale just prior to crossing the event horizon. One's instinct is to inhale immediately upon arriving on the other side. Also&mdash;

HAMMOND I think I'll figure it out on the way. (leans in slightly to Kovacek) You're sure they dialed the correct address?

KOVACEK Yes sir.

HAMMOND (purses his lips) The things I do for these people.

[The General and Kovacek step through.]

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE

[Daniel is sitting on the ground and scratches out two lines in the dirt. O'Neill is sitting on some stairs looking down at the list written in the dirt.]

DANIEL Okay, so Cimmeria's out. So is Chulak.

[Carter walks in and joins them.]

O'NEILL Captain?

CARTER She says she'll give us power as long as we take her with us.

O'NEILL Well, that's fine, but we still need a destination.

[Carter kneels down next to Daniel.]

DANIEL Okay, well, P3A-707 might work, but there's no telling how long we'd be there before&mdash;

[The Stargate powers up, drawing their attention.]

O'NEILL Oh, for crying out loud. Let's go.

[Carter gets up and dodges behind a larger root, and O'Neill follows, pulling Daniel to his feet. They move a short distance to look at the Gate as the chevrons lock into place. A few prisoners run past them toward the Gate. One is Roshure.]

DANIEL What's going on?

CARTER They think it's a way to escape.

DANIEL (shocked) What?

[Daniel rushes up to Roshure.]

DANIEL Excuse me. Listen to me.

O'NEILL Daniel!

[Daniel stands between the three prisoners and the Gate, right in the path of the vortex. The chevrons continue to lock.]

DANIEL Look, this won't save you.

O'NEILL Daniel, get out of there!!

DANIEL (to the prisoners) You won't escape. You'll die.

ROSHURE (grabbing Daniel by the shoulders) Out of my way!

[He throws Daniel aside and he falls at Vishnor's feet just before the vortex explodes and engulfs the three prisoners. Daniel, Carter and O'Neill's react to the deaths of the three and then a new prisoner is thrown in from the Gate, falling and rolling down the steps to the ground. They all look at the new prisoner as he rises and the Stargate shuts down. The new prisoner is obviously blind. The whistling commences as other prisons assemble at the Gate, and Vishnor sneers at Daniel.]

VISHNOR (menacingly) How dare you interfere.

[O'Neill and Carter move in closer, seeing Daniel threatened.]

DANIEL I was trying to save those men's lives. They're dead now. They haven't escaped anywhere. They are dead.

LINEA Vishnor.

[The assembled prisoners turn to see Linea, who walks up to them.]

LINEA Leave him.

VISHNOR (to Linea) He challenges me. I accept.

[Daniel steps towards Linea.]

DANIEL How can you let this happen? Roshure just threw his life away.

LINEA It was his life. The rules are the rules. Even I must obey them.

[Linea walks away. Vishnor grabs Daniel into a vicious bear hug from behind, while one of the other prisoners comes up behind O'Neill and wraps a cord around his neck. Another brandishes a sharp implement in front of Carter, but he goes after O'Neill, who is in the grasp of the other prisoner. Everyone is avoiding Carter. Carter rushes over to Linea.]

CARTER Linea, you can stop this.

LINEA (dispassionately) I told you this was going to happen.

CARTER (yelling over the crowd) Teal'c! Teal'c!

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE, A PASSAGEWAY

[Teal'c stops and turns as he hears Carter cry out.]

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE, GATE ROOM

[O'Neill is still in the grips of the men trying to kill him, while Carter is blocked by other prisoners and prevented from helping. Vishnor has Daniel in a chokehold, and Daniel passes out. Linea raises some sort of handheld device and it activates. Hit by some energy that it sends out, Vishnor groans and collapses, and he and Daniel fall to the ground. Teal'c enters the room and kidney punches the man who has O'Neill in a chokehold. Freed, O'Neill joins Teal'c in fighting off the mob, and Teal'c is stabbed in the side. Linea shuts down her device. The crowd subdued, Carter bursts through the men who had been blocking her way and rushes to Daniel's side. O'Neill and Teal'c follow.]

[Daniel is curled up unconscious on the steps near the Stargate. The body of Vishnor lies nearby.]

CARTER (checking Daniel's pulse) He's still alive. But just barely.

[She cards her fingers through Daniel's hair.]

INT&mdash;TALDOR PLANET&mdash;THE TAL'AL (SPEAKING AREA)

[Hammond and Kovacek stand under the bright light.]

FEMALE VOICE You are most punctual.

KOVACEK Thank you.

MALE VOICE You are the one called General Hammond?

HAMMOND Yes. I am responsible for those people you have imprisoned.

KOVACEK Ah, by using the word "responsible", the general is in no way assuming accountability for the actions of SG-1. (quietly to the General) Begging your pardon, sir, but I don't want you to end up in prison along with them.

HAMMOND On the contrary, I would gladly hold myself responsible. I ordered them to this world in the first place.

FEMALE VOICE Is this an admission of guilt?

KOVACEK No.

HAMMOND (to the Major) Yes, it is. (to the Taldor) As a matter of fact, if you would allow me to take the place of SG-1&mdash;

MALE VOICE You ordered them to aid a murderer?

HAMMOND No.

FEMALE VOICE Then you're not guilty.

MALE VOICE Not guilty.

FEMALE VOICE Assumption of guilt by proxy is rejected.

HAMMOND (strongly) If my people are not released, the imprisonment of the members of SG-1 will be considered a hostile act. Peaceful relations between our two worlds will end, right here, right now.

MALE VOICE Our law is immutable.

HAMMOND Your law is unjust.

KOVACEK Sir, I'm not sure if this is&mdash;

HAMMOND (demanding) What's it going to be?

FEMALE VOICE Release is impossible.

HAMMOND (angrily) Why?

MALE VOICE There are no returns from Hadante&hellip;for anyone.

[Hammond glares at Kovacek in frustration.]

INT&mdash;THE PRISON HADANTE, LINEA'S QUARTERS

[Daniel is lying unconscious on the bed. Linea is sitting on the edge of the bed is tending to him. She places a few drops of her "activators" into his mouth.]

LINEA There. I have done what I can.

[She stands up and moves over to the newest prison arrival. Carter is also seated on the bed. O'Neill and Teal'c look on.]

CARTER (to Linea) I don't understand what happened.

LINEA Your friend prevailed.

[Carter's eyes widen in disbelief as Daniel stirs slightly on the bed. Teal'c seems doubtful, as well.]

LINEA (to the blind prisoner) What is your name?

SIMIAN Simian. I took food. I was hungry, starving. They sent me here.

LINEA Hold still.

[Linea leans his head back and examines his eyes.]

CARTER He's blind.

LINEA Yes. But not always so.

SIMIAN It was taken from me a little each day.

[Linea selects one of her activators.]

LINEA (to Simian) There will be pain.

[She places drops into his eyes, Simian claws at them, momentarily moaning in pain. Then he blinks and opens them fully, now able to see. He looks up somewhat excitedly, then, upon seeing Linea, he shrinks in fear, whimpers, and starts to run away, stopping for a moment at the door, looking back, then turning to run off again. All watch him.]

LINEA His eyes now see.

O'NEILL (to the retreating figure) You're welcome.

TEAL'C He does not seem grateful.

DANIEL Uhh&hellip;

CARTER (turns to face him) Daniel?

[Slowly, Daniel rises from the bed, still weak.]

DANIEL Unh. What happened?

[Going over to the bed, O'Neill sits down next to him and rubs Daniel's arm.]

O'NEILL (in an Irish brogue) Well, ya actually won a fight, Danny-boy.

DANIEL I don't particularly remember getting the upper hand.

CARTER Neither do I, but you must have.

DANIEL P2A-509.

[Carter and O'Neill exchange glances.]

O'NEILL (to Daniel) Little brain damage along the way?

DANIEL No, uh-uh, SG-3 was scheduled to go on a mission to P2A-509. General Hammond said so in our last planning briefing. We rendezvous with SG-3, and we use their remote transmitters to get home.

O'NEILL And this just came to you?

DANIEL No. This came to me while I was suffocating.

O'NEILL Then P2A-509 it is. (getting to his feet) Linea? Do they send food&mdash;and I'll use that term loosely&mdash;does it come through the Gate on a regular basis?

LINEA Every day, at the same time.

O'NEILL All right. That's our window. (to Carter) Will that work?

CARTER (Nodding) Power the Gate and manually dial in while the other prisoners are off eating.

INT&mdash;HADANTE GATE ROOM

[Gate activates and prisoners position the chute and the vat as before. The food pours in from the wormhole, and SG-1 and Linea stand by with their bowls in hand. All the other prisoners just stand back waiting.]

DANIEL What are they waiting for?

TEAL'C They believe you killed Vishnor.

LINEA You must distribute the food.

[Daniel cautiously walks up to the vat. Linea follows close behind with her bowl. Daniel turns and takes Linea's bowl from her, dips and bows to her as he returns her bowl. As she walks away, the others prisoners begin to crowd the vat.]

DANIEL Whoa! Whoa! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

[The prisoners stop, and Daniel points uncertainly to his teammates.]

DANIEL They're first.

[His teammates look from one to the other, and Daniel motions with his head to move on over to the vat. O'Neill gestures to Carter to go first, and Carter goes and dips her bowl and moves off. Teal'c is next, he looks down at the slop, gives Daniel a half glance and moves off without partaking. O'Neill moves up and glowers at Daniel.]

O'NEILL Thank you.

[Daniel smiles amusedly as O'Neill bends down and scoops out some food. When O'Neill is upright again, he stares at Daniel for a moment, who flashes a smile at him, then walks away. Daniel scoops a bowl for himself, then turns and looks at the prisoners.]

DANIEL Okay, well, I guess&mdash;

[The others all shout and jostle him trying to get at the food, and Daniel scoots out of the way. The prisoners all scoop and run. As soon as they're out of sight, SG-1 and Linea start rigging up the Stargate, wrapping it with the Terra-root. Linea drips her activators on the Terra-root plant. Simian walks in and sees what they're doing. The Terra-root plants are powering up and glowing.]

CARTER Okay, that's it.

O'NEILL (to Daniel) Address?

[Simian ducks behind a wall still watching SG-1 and Linea while the other prisoners eat. The Stargate activates while the Scavenger also looks on. Daniel steps up and runs through the Gate first, with Carter helping Linea, Teal'c and O'Neill go through. Carter takes Linea's hand and they go through the Gate. Simian steps out from the shadows.]

SCAVENGER (yelling) Escape! Escape!

[Other prisoners hear, and rush to the Gate. Simian runs and throws himself at the event horizon. The Scavenger is joined by the other prisoners as they rush for the Gate, but the wormhole collapses on them. They stand dejected and groaning in frustration.]

SCAVENGER No!

[The others walk away.]

EXT&mdash;CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ENTRANCE

INT&mdash;SGC GATE ROOM

[With klaxons sounding, General Hammond enters the Gate room. The wormhole collapses and SG-1 and Linea are walking down the ramp. They stop before Hammond.]

HAMMOND Where in the name of heaven did you come from?

O'NEILL Prison, actually. We just broke out.

HAMMOND (flabbergasted) Well, how? Your remote transmitters have been returned to us. SG-9 and I spent the last two days trying to negotiate your release. With no luck, I might add.

DANIEL Well, actually, we returned via P2A-509.

CARTER Daniel remembered that SG-3 would be there, sir. Major Warren found us and was good enough to let us borrow a transmitter to open the iris.

HAMMOND (Indicating Linea) And if I may ask?

O'NEILL Oh, I'm sorry. General Hammond, this is Linea.

CARTER We wouldn't have gotten out without her, sir.

[Linea nods a greeting.]

HAMMOND Then we owe you a great debt, ma'am. Welcome to the SGC.

LINEA I've never seen such a place. It seems so alien.

TEAL'C So it was with me, but over time it has become&mdash;home.

CARTER General Hammond, sir, with your permission I'd like to offer Linea quarters here at the base.

[General Hammond looks to O'Neill to see his take on the request&mdash;O'Neill is at best unsure.]

CARTER There is a great deal she has to teach us. In fact, I brought back samples of a root that with Linea's activators can generate&mdash;

HAMMOND I'll take that into consideration, Captain. In the meantime, I'd like you all to report to the infirmary, including your guest.

[Daniel and Teal'c move off to the infirmary.]

HAMMOND Begging your pardon ma'am, it's merely precautionary.

LINEA I would do the same.

HAMMOND We'll debrief after you've all had a chance to rest.

O'NEILL Yes sir. (taking Linea's hand) Linea, thank you.

[Linea smiles and nods, then follows Carter.]

INT&mdash;SGC, CARTER'S LAB

[Carter and Linea are standing wearing clean fatigues, while Dr. Greene looks on.]

LINEA You spoke of a machine for storing data.

CARTER Yeah. Right here.

[Indicating the computer, Carter sits down and logs in.]

LINEA You have a way of representing the basics?

CARTER Molecules and atoms. Yes. Sit down.

[Carter rises, offering Linea her chair. Linea sits down at the computer, and Carter hands her a pen mouse.]

CARTER Just use this.

LINEA If I give you the basic structure of my activators, can you fabricate them?

[Carter smiles her assent.]

INT&mdash;SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[Hammond is at the head of the table. O'Neill and Daniel are either side of him and Teal'c is standing off to the side. O'Neill's neck shows bruising from the cord that was used to try to strangle him.]

O'NEILL Of course, that was about the time Daniel picked a fight with this big, smelly guy. He actually won.

[There is a poounding on the door.]

HAMMOND Enter.

[Major Warren enters, leading Simian into the room. Simian is cuffed.]

WARREN I found him lurking near our base camp, sir. You need to hear this.

O'NEILL General, this is the&hellip;former blind man I was telling you about.

SIMIAN (to O'Neill) The first thing I see, The Destroyer of Worlds.

HAMMOND Excuse me?

SIMIAN (to Hammond) She created a sickness. The one you call Linea. She&mdash;the Destroyer.

[O'Neill and Daniel exchange confused glances.]

O'NEILL (to Hammond) Uh, she told Carter there was a plague. She offered to help.

SIMIAN Not help. She started it.

INT&mdash;SGC, CARTER'S LAB

[On the computer screen are animated molecules.]

LINEA And this Stargate system spans thousands of worlds?

CARTER Theoretically, even more than that. We've charted several hundred already, so far we've only visited a fraction of them.

DR. GREENE We've discovered that most of the worlds in the network can sustain human life.

LINEA Where is the repository of this knowledge?

CARTER It's all in the computers. I'll show you.

LINEA I'm in your debt, Samantha. This shall not be forgotten.

[She raises the handheld device used earlier against Vishnor. Carter's eyes open wide with shock.]

INT&mdash;SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[Simian is seated under guard at the table.]

SIMIAN Our island states were at war, she created a sickness, one she couldn't get herself. A terrible sickness.

HAMMOND Go on.

SIMIAN Half our people died. She came, promised to save the rest. By then it had spread, island to island. By the time they caught her, she had destroyed half a world.

[O'Neill looks on worriedly.]

INT&mdash;SGC&mdash;CARTER'S LAB

[Linea is quickly scanning the computer files for Stargate addresses. She's typing like an expert; Carter, Doctor Greene, and the guard are collapsed on the floor near her.]

INT&mdash;SGC CORRIDOR

[Hammond, O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel are walking. When they hear the klaxons go off and the Stargate dialing, they break into a run.]

INT&mdash;SGC CONTROL ROOM

[Hammond rushes in and runs up the stairs. O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel are close behind.]

HAMMOND What's going on?

FEMALE TECHNICIAN Unauthorized Gate activation.

[A view of the computer monitor indicates chevrons locking in place.]

HAMMOND Abort countdown. Get a team to the Gate room.

FEMALE TECHNICIAN It's sealed, sir.

HAMMOND Unseal it. Colonel O'Neill, affect the manual override.

[O'Neill nods his agreement and starts to type at a keyboard while more chevrons lock. Carter and Dr. Greene run into the room.]

DANIEL (to Carter) Where's Linea?

DR. GREENE When we came to, she was gone.

FEMALE TECHNICIAN (as chevrons finish locking) Wormhole has been activated.

HAMMOND You were unconscious?

DR. GREENE Only for a few minutes.

FEMALE TECHNICIAN The abort command is not responding, sir.

[A monitor counts down from 34 seconds. Carter takes a seat at one of the computers to help. The blast door raises. Linea is on the ramp at the event horizon.]

HAMMOND (Into the microphone) Step away from that Gate. (to technician) Shut it down.

[The female technician enters a code.]

COMPUTER VOICE Self-destruct in 30 seconds.

[The technician's monitor flashes "Access Denied".]

O'NEILL It won't take our codes, sir.

HAMMOND Close the iris.

COMPUTER VOICE Self-destruct in 20 seconds.

[Linea looks back from the event horizon.]

HAMMOND Try shutting the whole system down.

CARTER We can't, sir. She's gone into the computer. She got the coordinates. Everything.

[Linea stands there still, then turns and walks into the event horizon.]

COMPUTER VOICE Self-destruct in 10 seconds.

[The technician is desperately keying in numbers.]

COMPUTER VOICE 9&hellip; 8&hellip;7

[The monitor continues to read "Access Denied".]

FEMALE TECHNICIAN (shaking her head) The codes have been erased.

COMPUTER VOICE 5&hellip;

CARTER This doesn't make any sense.

[O'Neill looks at her.]

COMPUTER VOICE 4&hellip;3&hellip;2&hellip;1

[The Gate shuts down, and they all wait for a few moments, but nothing happens. Hammond looks at O'Neill, and O'Neill to Hammond.]

O'NEILL (To the technician) Redial those coordinates. Request permission to go after her.

HAMMOND (simultaneously) Granted.

[Suddenly, the room darkens as the system blacks out.]

FEMALE TECHNICIAN The entire system just crashed.

O'NEILL Well, get it back up!

CARTER Colonel?

[Carter's computer screen displays a message being typed out. The message says "Thank you for your kindness. All debts have now been paid." They stare dumbfounded at the screen.]

CARTER (anxious) We let her out.

DANIEL The Destroyer of Worlds.

[They all look out at the darkened Gate room ominously. Fade to black]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

Related Articles

 * Previous: In The Line Of Duty/Transcript
 * Next: The Game Keeper/Transcript