Air, Part 1/Transcript

Episode Guide
SGU 1.01 "Air Part 1" Episode Guide

Transcript
OPENING CREDITS

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[A huge Ancient ship, the Destiny, jumps out of faster-than-light travel.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY

[The ship is mostly unpowered, but suddenly lights start to activate amongst the corridors.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY GATE ROOM

[A Stargate spins around, lighting up and erupting into an event horizon for an incoming wormhole. A young man, Lieutenant Scott, tumbles through the Stargate. He barely gets to his feet, weapon at ready in the strange surroundings, before equipment comes flying after him. Several more people also start falling through the Stargate, falling and tripping on the people who've arrived moments before.]

SCOTT All right, get out of the way. Get out of the way! C'mere, c'mere, c'mere. Oh, Jeez!

[More people continue to tumble through. There are panicked murmurings as everyone tries to shift out of each other's way.]

SCOTT Come on, come on, come on. (into radio) This is Scott. Slow down the evac! We are coming in too hot! Come in!

MAN Oh my God, where are we?!

PALMER What is this place?!

SCOTT Get 'em off the 'gate!

MAN Look out.

[One woman, Camile Wray, quickly takes stock of her surroundings amongst the confusion and reaches for Scott, grabbing him by his vest to get his attention.]

WRAY Where are we?! Why didn't we come through to Earth?

SCOTT No time to explain! Off to the side!

BRODY What's going on?!

[Wray goes to help others move away. Some people are injured from their falls or from earlier.]

SCOTT All right, hustle, hustle! (into radio, panicked) This is Scott! Come in!

SPENCER C'mon, hustle up! Help him up.

[At his feet another man rises. It is Dr. Nicholas Rush. He holds his head as he dazedly gets to his feet.]

SCOTT (into radio) Colonel, come in!

SPENCER I need a medic!

[The medic is already treating other injuries.]

TJ Over here!

[Rush staggers to his feet, looking around, salvaging his glasses. More people come through, looking bloody and injured already.]

TJ (to one man) Can you move your fingers?

VOLKER No. I think my arm's broken.

TJ Okay, just hold your arm there and let me put it in a sling, okay?

[Rush steps over the injured away from the confusion, passing TJ and heading over to study a console.]

WOMAN #2 Help!

ELI Aaah!

[Eli arrives and falls to the floor, quickly rising and checking to make sure everything on his body is still intact. He sighs in relief and turns around to face the Stargate, only to have to dodge away from a case flying directly towards his head.]

[Rush tries to read the console using his glasses, whose frames are broken. He looks up towards the Stargate, the events there seeming to move in slow motion for him as he takes it all in.]

SCOTT Keep calm. Keep calm.

SOLDIER Give me your hand.

MAN That's the way.

[Rush climbs a staircase, avoiding the crowds.]

SCOTT Clear this area! There could still be more incoming.

[Rush gets to a higher level still overlooking the Stargate. He looks down at the panicked crowd and equipment coming through the Stargate with an oddly satisfied smile on his face.]

[People are still coming through the Stargate. A young woman and an older man, Chloe and Senator Armstrong, fall prone onto the floor. The man gives a haggard cough.]

CHLOE Oof. Are you okay?

ARMSTRONG (pained) Yeah.

CHLOE Okay.

[They stagger to their feet and try and get out of the way of the equipment still bouncing through. The Senator looks around.]

ARMSTRONG Oh God, holy&hellip;moley. Where the hell are we?

[Two more military personnel come through the 'gate. As they try and move off to the side, Scott taps one of them.]

SCOTT Greer? Where's Colonel Young?

GREER He was right behind me.

[As they look back towards the Stargate, a man, Colonel Young, comes flying completely across the room at high velocity, smoking as he rolls several times before finally stopping. The event horizon flickers, then shuts down. Flames briefly erupt on either side of the Stargate, causing the crowd to cry out in more panicked shouts. Without the light from the active wormhole, the room has plunged into darkness. The only light comes from flashlights and lights on rifles.]

GREER Move, move move! Move. Stay calm. Get down.

SCOTT (fighting through crowd) Excuse me. Move, move, move, move.

[He reaches Young's side, who hasn't moved.]

SCOTT Colonel? Colonel?

GREER Don't move!

YOUNG (bemused) Where are&mdash;Where are we?

[Scott reaches to cradle Young's head.]

SCOTT (shaking his head) I don't know, sir.

YOUNG (finding it hard to talk) You're in charge. Okay? You're&hellip;

[Young passes out.]

SCOTT (scared) Sir?

[Scott stares in horror as his hand comes away from the back of Young's head and finds it covered in blood.]

SCOTT (panicked) T.J.!

TJ I'm coming!

GREER Move back, people.

TJ Move, move, move.

GREER Get back.

[With Greer's help, TJ fights her way through the crowd to Young's side.]

GREER Is he okay?

TJ I&hellip;I don't know.

[TJ starts to check his vital signs. Scott stands, spotting Eli amongst the crowd.]

SCOTT Wallace! What is this place?

ELI (meekly) Look, I-I just did what Rush told me&mdash;

SCOTT (stern) Where are we?!

ELI I don't know. He-he went through ahead of me.

SCOTT (calling out) RUSH! Rush! (to Wallace) Eli, help me find him.

ELI (flailing) Well, I&hellip;?

[A strange high pitched whine can be heard.]

CROWD What is that?

[As they look around, a strange red shift of movement passes through before stabilizing with a final shuddering sound.]

GREER (slow and wary) What in the hell was that?

SCOTT I don't know. Sergeant, I need you to get these people settled. Find out who and what we've got. Nobody leaves this room.

GREER Yes, sir.

[Greer looks down worriedly at where TJ is treating the unconscious Young.]

SCOTT Eli! Now!

[Eli stares in shock, breathing heavily.]

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;WALLACE HOME, ELI'S ROOM

[On a computer game monitor, Eli's avatar character runs around a room towards a console that looks similar to the one Rush was at in reality. Eli types on his keyboard while talking via vid conference to a friend who's on a different monitor.]

ELI The core of the planet is the power source here. You have to channel it into the weapon and destroy the enemy ship.

FRIEND Can't do it, dude.

ELI Uh, doing it.

[Eli moves his avatar over to a wall where there's a big holographic projection of Ancient language.]

FRIEND It's one of those programmer's jokes. It's a problem that can't be solved.

ELI (cocky) Oh, I solved it.

[His avatar pulls out a pocket console and starts typing something.]

FRIEND No, you didn't.

ELI Just shut up! Watch&hellip;this.

[He types with focus, then waits. The problem disappears. Then the screen blackens. Suddenly, a tower (looking like Atlantis) and daylight show on the screen, and Eli's avatar stands outside the area.]

ELI What the hell!

FRIEND What happened?

ELI (reluctantly) No-nothing&hellip;happened. I'm&hellip;back at the beginning of the level.

FRIEND (smirking) You're so full of yourself.

ELI No. No-no-no. It worked. The firing code locked in.

FRIEND Whatever.

[He takes off his microphone and starts powering off his connection. Eli throws down his own headphone/mike as the friend's monitor turns off.]

ELI That was extremely unsatisfying.

INT&mdash;WALLACE HOME, ENTRANCE

[There is a knock at the front door. Eli, munching on a snack, opens it to find a three star general, Lt. General Jack O'Neill, standing at the entrance.]

O'NEILL Eli Wallace?

WALLACE (trying not to choke) Actually, uh, Eli's not here right now&hellip;

[O'Neill turns around and gestures for someone else to approach.]

ELI (quickly protesting) Okay, okay&hellip;whatever you guys think that I did, I swear you got the wrong guy.

[Rush gets out of an SUV at the street and starts up the walk.]

O'NEILL Do I look like someone who'd be standing here if I didn't already know everything there is to know about you?

ELI (deflated) Yeah not really.

O'NEILL Right.

[Rush approaches to stand next to O'Neill.]

ELI Who are you?

RUSH Doctor Nicholas Rush. May we come in?

ELI Why?

[Both O'Neill and Rush look uncomfortable speaking on the porch, but press forward.]

RUSH You've spent a great deal of time recently playing an online fantasy game called "Prometheus".

ELI (nervously scoffing) And "Big Brother"'s got nothing better to do?

[O'Neill's expression doesn't change.]

RUSH Last night, you solved the Dakara weapons puzzle.

ELI Yeah, a month of my life went into that. Huh. You know what happens when you solve that thing? Nothing.

O'NEILL We're here! That happened.

RUSH To complete that particular puzzle, you have to solve a millennia old mathematical proof written in another language. For that, you've won something of a prize.

ELI Oh, well whatever it is, I'll take the cash equivalent.

O'NEILL There isn't one.

[Rush hands Eli a clipboard with paper and a pen.]

RUSH It's a non-disclosure agreement.

ELI (incredulous) Non-disclos&hellip; So you guys really embedded a top-secret problem into a game? Hoping someone like&hellip;me would solve it?

O'NEILL Yep.

ELI What do you need me for now?

[O'Neill turns to Rush.]

RUSH I assure you, it'll be worth your while to sign that.

ELI And if I don't?

O'NEILL (deadpan) We'll beam you up to our spaceship.

[Eli laughs, then notices the two men don't share in the joke.]

ELI (warily) Right. Uh&hellip;I-I think I want my&hellip;lawyer to look it over first?

[He shrugs, taking the agreement.]

O'NEILL And by "lawyer", I assume you mean, "mother".

[Eli continues to back away nervously, reaching for the door.]

ELI So we'll just agree then, that&hellip;I will call you.

[He nods and shuts the door in their faces. They turn and look at each other.]

[Eli starts walking up the steps, shaking his head and glancing at the non-disclosure agreement. As he nears the top, he is beamed away.]

INT&mdash;HAMMOND OBSERVATION DECK

[Eli is still walking and reading, but after a moment, realizes he's no longer in his home. He stares down through the window in front of him to see the Great Lakes region of North America far below. ]

ELI What the&hellip;?

[Rush, no longer wearing sunglasses, approaches.]

RUSH Welcome aboard the Hammond, Eli. Yes, that is planet Earth, and yes, you are on a spaceship. We need your help, Eli. To be honest, I don't know how long it's going to take.

ELI (fingering his cell phone) I should call my mom, uh&hellip;to-to tell her where I am?

RUSH That's&hellip;probably not going to work up here.

[Eli looks blank, then tries to play it cool, failing miserably.]

ELI Ri-Right&hellip;Right.

RUSH You can speak to her on the way. There's a cover story you'll have to follow.

ELI I-I'm sorry. On the way to&hellip;?

RUSH To another planet. Twenty-one light years from here.

ELI I can't go. I-I&hellip;I have things that&hellip;

RUSH We know about your mother's condition.

ELI You just know everything, don't you?

RUSH We also know that you are currently unemployed and that your mother's medical coverage is&hellip;an ongoing issue. We'll see she has the best available care while you're gone.

ELI And if I don't sign? What? You're gonna&hellip;erase my memory?

[He chuckles. Rush shrugs.]

RUSH Something like that.

[Eli considers this, then pulls at the pajama bottoms he's been wearing.]

ELI Can I get some&hellip;pants? I&hellip;

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Hammond leaves Earth orbit and enters hyperspace.]

INT&mdash;HAMMOND BRIEFING ROOM

[Eli is sitting alone in a conference room, set up with a large video screen in front of him. The video starts, showing Daniel Jackson, in civilian clothes, standing in front of the SGC Gate Room]

DANIEL (on video) Hello! I am Dr. Daniel Jackson, and behind me is a Stargate. It was originally built millennia ago by an alien race who we call the Ancients. Over the next few hours, we'll be touching on some&hellip;

[Various video footage overlaps as time passes and Eli watches more and more videos, trying to take notes.]

DANIEL There are thirty-nine symbols representing star constellations&hellip;point of origin&hellip;As seen from Earth&hellip;When a connection is made between two Stargates, an unstable energy vortex emerges from the 'gate&hellip;

[The Stargate activates on the video, making Eli jump.]

ELI Whoa!

DANIEL (continuing on video) &hellip;and settles into the event horizon, or "puddle" as we like to call it.

[In a different section, Daniel is now in his office, but still dressed the same.]

DANIEL Later, it was discovered that using an eighth symbol would actually dial another galaxy&hellip;Hundreds of thousands of light years via interstellar&hellip;Hello, I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson&hellip;a wormhole&hellip;It is believed an unprecedented set of&hellip;Milky Way galaxy&hellip;require an&hellip;a nine chevron&hellip;the first six symbols lock&hellip;

[A picture of Icarus base appears on the screen.]

DANIEL (continuing, on video) The Icarus base was established on a planet discovered two years ago that has a&hellip;This is Dr. Daniel&hellip;.powerful core. The entire purpose of the project is to hopefully one day dial the nine-chevron address found in the Ancient database. Hi! I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson. Now you've heard the term "hyperspace" for years&hellip;

[Eli sighs in exasperation and looks around for rescue from watching more orientation videos.]

INT&mdash;WALLACE HOME

[Eli's mother paces in the kitchen, on the phone with Eli.]

WALLACE Wh-where are you?!

ELI (over phone) It's top secret.

WALLACE (into phone) Eli!

INT&mdash;HAMMOND BRIEFING ROOM

[The conversation switches between Eli's location and the Wallace home.]

ELI I'm serious, Ma, I can't say anything more than that.

WALLACE But I don't understand! Why would you not at least tell me you were leaving?

ELI I'm sorry, but did you get the letter from&mdash;?

WALLACE Yes, the Air Force, of course I got it. Are you in a plane now? You sound like you're in an airplane.

[Eli looks around, watching the stars move past via the hyperspace effect outside his window.]

ELI Uh&hellip;no? It's nothing like that. I want you to know that they're going to look after you.

WALLACE You didn't have to do this.

ELI This is good. Really. It-it's the kind of thing I always dreamed of.

INT&mdash;HAMMOND MESS HALL

[Chloe sits at a table writing in a journal in the crowded room. Eli stands in front of her with a tray of food.]

CHLOE Hi?

ELI You mind?

CHLOE (gesturing to empty chair) No, go ahead.

ELI Thank you.

CHLOE First time on a&hellip;spaceship, too?

ELI Me? I've been on&hellip;lots of&hellip;uh&hellip;

[Chloe smiles knowingly.]

ELI &hellip;various&hellip;Eli Wallace.

CHLOE I know.

ELI (surprised) You've heard of me?

CHLOE I have.

ELI (flirtatiously) Wow. That almost never happens. And you are?

CHLOE Chloe. I work for Alan Armstrong.

[Eli shakes his head in ignorance.]

CHLOE &hellip;senator of California?

ELI Oh! Yeah, yeah. I have heard of California.

[Chloe chuckles.]

ELI My last job was in the burger and fries field. How'd you line that up?

CHLOE I was a political science major at Harvard, so&hellip;

ELI (feigning casualness) Hmm, I hear it's a good school&hellip; For a while there, I was at, uh&hellip;

CHLOE MIT. I know.

ELI (taken aback) Really? What else have they told you about me?

[Chloe smiles and looks down.]

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;DESTINY CORRIDOR

[Scott and Eli walk down a corridor with flashlights. Eli spots a door with familiar writing and stops to study it.]

SCOTT What?

ELI Uh&hellip;I-I've seen this writing before.

SCOTT In the game?

ELI Yeah!

[Eli studies the panels, then presses a button, they both jump as the door unlocks and opens. Inside the room, Rush is standing at a balcony, watching the light shifting of FTL travel pass around the ship's shield. There is a bench nearby as well as other panels and lounge chairs.]

EXT&mdash;DESTINY OBSERVATION DECK, SPACE

[Eli and Scott cautious enter.]

ELI Geesh. We're on a ship?

RUSH The design is clearly Ancient, in the truest sense of the word. Launched&hellip;hundreds of thousands of years ago.

[Eli looks over the edge and smiles at the sight.]

SCOTT (hesitantly) Dr. Rush?

RUSH Faster than light. Yet not through hyperspace.

SCOTT What are you doing?

RUSH Who knows how far it's traveled?

SCOTT Dr. Rush. We've got a lot of wounded, and we need to get home.

[Rush glances towards Scott without moving his head, looking annoyed at the interruption.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY GATE ROOM

[TJ and another person check on Young. Everyone else, if not otherwise injured, are at least in shock from recent events. Some, like Wray, wander around looking lost. There are some rattles and bumping sounds from one of the air vents. Franklin, closest, immediately notices.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY OBSERVATION DECK

TJ (over radio) Lieutenant Scott? Come in.

SCOTT (keying radio) Go ahead.

[The conversation switches between the two locations.]

TJ We've got a problem. One of the air vents just shut down in here.

[Scott grimaces.]

SCOTT (into radio) Copy that.

ELI Yeah, the air's gettin' pretty thin in here too.

SCOTT What does that mean?

RUSH That the life support system is failing. And we should probably do something about that.

[Rush heads out. Eli and Scott follow.]

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;KITCHEN, YOUNG HOME

[This flashback skips and repeats at times, perhaps as a result of Young's own head injury as he reminisces.]

[Mrs. Young does dishes while Young stands nearby.]

MRS. YOUNG Well, it's always just one more year.

YOUNG It's a command.

MRS. YOUNG (turning and drying her hands) Where?

YOUNG It's a lot safer than other places I've gone.

MRS. YOUNG You've put your time in, Everett.

YOUNG When this tour is over, I promise&hellip;

MRS. YOUNG You know what? (She turns back to the dishes) Never mind. Don't bother. You always end up choosing somewhere other than here.

[Young approaches his wife and reaches around her waist, pulling her away from the sink.]

YOUNG I'm not, Em, I'm not choosing my job over you. How could you even say/even say that to me?

MRS. YOUNG (hugging him tightly) I love you. But I can't wait/I can't wait anymore.

[She turns away to reach into a drawer. Young gets vertigo and then collapses. Mrs. Young hears a noise from his fall and reaches out to him.]

MRS. YOUNG Everett? You okay?

[He looks up at her with a panicked expression, short of breath. She touches his chin.]

MRS. YOUNG Sweetheart, baby, look at me.

[From Young's point of view, he cannot hear her, only see her lips moving. Even that becomes more and more blurred.]

MRS. YOUNG (heavily garbled and faint) Everett?

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;DESTINY GATE ROOM

[Young awakens to find TJ shining a pencil light at him, checking his pupils.]

TJ (sounding faint and garbled) Colonel? Colonel?

[Young starts to move his head around. The bandages behind his head are soaked in blood. Suddenly he begins to seize. TJ quickly moves behind him to keep his head steady. Chloe sees this.]

CHLOE Oh my God.

[She comes over.]

CHLOE Can't you do something?

TJ He's having a seizure. There's nothing I can do.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Hammond drops out of hyperspace and heads towards the planet that houses Icarus Base.]

INT&mdash;STORAGE ROOM, ICARUS BASE

[Scott and James are having sex against some of the storage containers. Scott's vest and radio are some distance away.]

YOUNG (over radio) Scott, this is Colonel Young. Come in, please.

[The pair are too invested in their own activities to pay attention to the radio.]

YOUNG (over radio) Our guests have arrived a few minutes early, Lieutenant. What's your position?

[Scott registers this last transmission and breaks away to glance over at the radio. James keeps a tight hold on him.]

JAMES Not yet. Not yet.

[They kiss deeply.]

YOUNG (over radio, annoyed) Lieutenant, drop whatever you're doing and get your ass up here.

[A frustrated Scott shakes his head and pulls back, pulling up his underpants as he runs over to the radio. James sinks to the floor, looking disappointed as she dresses.]

SCOTT (keying radio) I'm on my way, sir.

[He quickly dresses and grabs his gear, reaching back to kiss a still breathless James before hurrying out of the room.]

JAMES Bye.

[She bites her lip, looking pleased as he leaves. He's still pulling himself together with his rifle and vest as he hurries down the crowded hall.]

EXT&mdash;ICARUS BASE ENTRANCE

[Chloe, Eli, Senator Armstrong, and Rush are beamed down to the outer entrance just outside the base. Young and staff await their arrival.]

ELI Ho-ly!

[He goes to edge of the cliff face they've beamed onto and looks down into the deep valley below. It's a rocky area, and far below, a paved runway has been set for F-302s to take off and land. Behind them on the cliff is a large, manned rail gun. Young approaches and shakes hands with Armstrong.]

YOUNG Senator, it is my honor to welcome you to Icarus Base.

ARMSTRONG Colonel. This is my executive assistant, Chloe.

[She shakes hands with Young.]

CHLOE It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.

YOUNG Pleasure's mine.

[Rush is already heading inside, meeting Scott who's on his way out.]

ARMSTRONG She's also my daughter.

[Eli, overhearing, swallows and takes a surreptitious step away from Chloe.]

YOUNG You must be the&hellip;

ELI Contest winner. Yeah. That is a big gun.

[He takes a picture of it with his cell phone.]

SCOTT Rail gun. Five hundred rounds per minute.

YOUNG This is Lieutenant Scott. He's been assigned to you, Mr. Wallace.

RUSH (by entrance) Shall we go inside?

[They head in.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE GATE ROOM AND CONTROL ROOM

[The setup of the Icarus gate room is virtually identical to the SGC's at Cheyenne Mountain. The control room is just behind. Eli stares.]

ELI Unbelievable.

SCOTT Yeah, it is. It's weird how fast you can start to take something like this for granted.

ELI So, if the Stargate can instantly transport you to another planet, why'd we fly here on a spaceship?

SCOTT Something to do with how this one's tied into the planet for power. Apparently, it's been modified to only dial out because incoming wormholes are too dangerous. You're the genius; you can probably tell me better.

ELI All I did was solve a puzzle in a video game.

SCOTT Well, you figured out something Dr. Rush has been trying to figure out for months&hellip; (leaning in conspiratorially) which, by the way, a lot of people were glad to see.

[In another area of the Gate Room, Rush is introducing the Senator and Chloe to other staff.]

RUSH And of course you know Col. Telford.

[Telford and Armstrong shake hands.]

ARMSTRONG Ready for this, Colonel?

TELFORD You just give the word, sir.

ARMSTRONG (glancing at a smiling Rush) Oh, I gave it quite a while ago, Colonel. I'm just here to see how my 1.6 billion dollars is being spent.

RUSH (laughing awkwardly) Very good. Thank you, everyone.

TELFORD (to rest of team) Dismissed.

[The other officers except for Telford and Young file away.]

RUSH Now, as you know, up until now, we have been unable to channel the precise amount of power necessary to unlock the Stargate's ninth and final chevron. However, thanks to some ingenuity from young Mr. Wallace here, that problem has finally been solved.

[Eli is startled to hear his name come up. Chloe and Armstrong smile at him.]

YOUNG (to Rush) We've heard that before.

RUSH (slightly annoyed) This time, we're sure.

ELI That's what I figured out?

RUSH I embedded the mathematical problem we had to solve into the game. I then engineered your solution into a practical, workable, application.

[Curious, Eli turns to the computers and studies the program.]

ARMSTRONG What say we get on with it?

RUSH (excited) Absolutely. Sergeant Riley?

[Riley starts to dial the computer.]

RILEY Chevron One encoded.

RUSH (motioning Armstrong to move closer) Sir&hellip;

[Armstrong and Chloe move closer to Riley. A low buzzer sounds as the Stargate dials.]

ELI We're dialing now?!

RUSH A test. To see if we can make a connection.

RILEY Chevron One locked.

YOUNG If we do, we will send an automated reconnaissance drone through. We'll see what's on the other side.

RILEY Chevron Two locked.

CHLOE And then they'll go?

RUSH No, first we close down again, assess the data we've received and perhaps, send the away team.

SCOTT (to Eli) If it works.

RILEY Chevron Four locked.

YOUNG Till then, they're just, uh, interested observers, like us.

RILEY Chevron Five locked. Chevron Six encoded. Chevron Six locked. Chevron Seven encoded. Chevron Seven locked. Chevron Eight encoded. Chevron Eight locked. Chevron Nine encoded.

[The power begins to fritz as the Stargate rumbles.]

ELI Wha&mdash;what's going on?

SCOTT I don't know. We never got this far before.

RILEY Chevron Nine&hellip;Chevron Nine&hellip;will not lock.

[Frustrated, Rush moves to Riley's side.]

RUSH We matched the power requirements down to the EMU. It must work.

RILEY Power levels in the gate capacitors are going into the red.

YOUNG Shut it down.

RUSH (desperate) Well, wait, wait, wait, wait!

RILEY We're reading fluctuations in the output from the&mdash;

YOUNG Shut it down now.

[The Stargate powers down. Rush has to take a moment to compose himself, then turns to face the others. Young sighs.]

RUSH It should have worked.

YOUNG Well, it didn't. And, drawing power from the planet's core is&hellip;

RUSH Dangerous? Yes, I know.

YOUNG Regardless of what's been spent or what's at stake, my primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of the people on this base.

[Rush gapes at Young for a moment before blinking.]

RUSH Of course! Of course. Eli? we'd best run through your equations again. (to others) Excuse me.

ELI (flabbergasted) You are not seriously putting this on me?!

[He stares at the stone faces of Telford, Armstrong and Chloe.]

ELI (protesting) Not my fault.

END FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Destiny flies faster than light, light and radiation bouncing off its shield in an aurora effect.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY GATE ROOM

[The crowd has calmed and is starting to mutter conversations with each other.]

GREER You have to calm down. Seriously. You have to calm down.

[There is an electronic noise, and consoles start to power up and lights turn on. Many people cheer or applaud.]

MAN We've got power! Yeah, we've got power.

[Scott enters.]

SCOTT Okay, can I have everybody's attention, please? (louder, as crowd ignores him) All right, please listen. (when still no response, he shouts) Hey, listen up!

[The crowd goes silent.]

ARMSTRONG What is going on?

SCOTT We are on an Ancient&hellip;spaceship.

[The crowd reacts.]

ARMSTRONG (incredulous) What?!

SCOTT Tha-That's all I've got. Now, wha-what that means is that&mdash;

ARMSTRONG (interrupting) That means you need to use the Stargate to get us all back home.

WOMAN Yeah.

[Others in the crowd nod.]

SCOTT That is definitely on the list of things to do, sir, but I think right now&mdash;

ARMSTRONG You can consider that an order.

SCOTT (piqued) We're working on it&hellip;sir.

ARMSTRONG Now I need to speak to the person responsible for this. Where is Doctor Rush?!

SCOTT (losing temper) Ju-just shut up for a second!

ARMSTRONG (furious) How dare you talk to&mdash;

[He gasps and crumples in pain. Chloe and Scott rush to help him.]

CHLOE Dad? Dad! Please!

WOMAN Medic!

SCOTT (looking for help) Water? Water.

ARMSTRONG (stuttering) Pi-pi&hellip;

CHLOE Here. Sit down.

[Scott and Chloe lead Armstrong to a box to sit upon. TJ follows them.]

ARMSTRONG My pills.

[He shakily downs a couple of prescription medications as Chloe comforts him and TJ starts to take his pulse.]

SCOTT (calmly) Look, I'm sorry. I-I'm just trying to explain the situation. We are on a ship, but we have no idea where we are in relation to Earth. Now, with respect, sir, the reason you may be having a hard time breathing right now is because&hellip;the ship's life support system is not functioning properly. Doctor Rush is working on that right now. (calling out) Brody? Park?

PARK (raising hand) Here!

BRODY Here.

SCOTT Okay, good. You two are with me.

PARK But these consoles just came on!

SCOTT No. Nobody touch anything yet! Dr. Rush needs your help. Everybody else&hellip;just stay calm, stay put. Please.

VOLKER Stay put. What do you mean, you're just going like that?

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;ICARUS CONTROL ROOM

[Rush studies several equations on a white board. Eli sits at a computer nearby.]

RUSH There has to be a mistake in here somewhere.

ELI (raising hand) Seriously, who uses a whiteboard anymore? You have computers, like, everywhere around here.

RUSH The power flow was in the target range. Why wouldn't the address connect?

ELI (shrugging) Wrong address.

RUSH There is only one, found in the Ancient database in Atlantis.

ELI With no other instructions?

RUSH No, but that's not the issue. It has to be your proof.

ELI (coming over) My proof works. You know how I know that it does? Because you said so.

[Young enters.]

YOUNG Gentlemen, how's it coming?

[Eli snorts a laugh, then notices Rush is rapidly erasing everything on the board.]

ELI Whoa, whoa. What are you doing?

RUSH Starting from the beginning.

ELI Wait! Save! Save! Save! (to Young) I can't&mdash;

YOUNG Mr. Wallace, I'd like you to join me for dinner in the officer's mess.

ELI (talking same time as Rush) Thank you, I'm starving. I&hellip;

RUSH (speaking same time as Eli) We're very close to a breakthrough here, and actually I'd like Eli to keep working.

[Eli glares at Rush.]

YOUNG Well, we've been here for six months. It can wait a few more hours.

[Rush is stunned as Eli smiles and walks past.]

ELI (to Young) Thank you.

YOUNG You're welcome.

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE OFFICERS' MESS

[The table is filled with dignitaries, including the Armstrongs and Wray, and high officers such as Telford and Young. TJ and Scott are also present. Eli sits next to Chloe.]

ELI So, uh, Colonel, you really have no idea where this Ninth Chevron Stargate address will send you?

TELFORD No idea at all.

ELI Hmm.

TELFORD But the Ancients built the Stargate with nine chevrons. It's gotta go somewhere.

INT&mdash;ICARUS CONTROL ROOM

[Rush checks a pocket notebook as he writes out new equations on his whiteboard. In the nearby gate room, several personnel are at work checking equipment. Rush keeps working, crumpling notes, staring at the board. At one point he throws his pen, causing the other workers to look over. Finally he sits down with a sigh and stares at the equation.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS OFFICERS' MESS

[Rush enters the room. One of the cooks sees him and starts to put some things together. Rush stares at the table with no empty seat for him, overhearing the table conversation. No one at the table notices he is there.]

CHLOE Well, if anyone's going to solve it, I think Eli will.

ELI (surprised, but puffed with pride) Yes, that's right. It's true. I am "Math Boy."

[Chloe giggles. Everyone else looks only mildly amused. One of the kitchen workers, Becker, tries to hand Rush a styrofoam container of food.]

BECKER Doctor Rush. Doctor Rush.

[Rush glances at the man, then turns and leaves without taking the meal.]

ARMSTRONG I would like to propose a toast.

ELI Oh, that's really not necessary.

ARMSTRONG Not to you.

ELI Oh.

ARMSTRONG When the proposal for this project first crossed my desk, I didn't want to approve it.

[Chloe drops her glass back onto the table and hides her face in her hands.]

CHLOE (low) Oh my god.

ARMSTRONG It seemed clear to me at the time that there were enough terrestrial matters of importance that needed that kind of money. Now being a proud father of a beautiful young woman is one thing, having that young woman exceed every possible expectation is quite another.

[While Armstrong talks, and to Eli's amusement, Chloe starts guzzling down her glass of white wine.]

INT&mdash;RUSH'S QUARTERS, ICARUS BASE

[Rush turns on some opera music (Vissi D'arte from the opera Tosca by Puccini, sung probably by Maria Callas) from a file and sits on his bed. He opens a drawer and pulls out a photograph of him and his wife. Tears flow freely as he looks at it in sorrow. He then places the picture back in the drawer and shuts it with his left hand, which wears his wedding ring.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS OFFICER'S MESS

ARMSTRONG My daughter Chloe reminded me that there was no greater endeavor than the seeking and understanding of who we are and the mysteries of the universe in which we all exist.

CHLOE (low, to Eli) Not in those exact words. No.

ARMSTRONG It was also her idea to embed the Ancient proof in a medium that would give us access to brilliant young minds that we would have otherwise overlooked.

[He nods to Eli. Chloe quickly stands.]

CHLOE And so, to all the brave&hellip;men and women who have volunteered&mdash;

[There is a distant explosion.]

CHLOE Okay, what was that?

YOUNG (into headset) This is Young.

[A closer explosion shakes the room, including the kitchen equipment.]

YOUNG The base is under attack.

[Telford and other officers key their own headsets and start to move.]

YOUNG All non-combatant personnel, report to your designated areas. Everyone else, to your battle stations. This is not a drill. Senator, I need you and your daughter to go with Lt. Scott. Eli, you as well.

ELI (still sitting) Ooh, yeah. uh&hellip;

TELFORD (into headset) Yeah. We're on our way.

END FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Destiny flies faster than light.]

INT&mdash;CHAMBER

[Greer, Park, Brody, and Scott hurry to where they hear Eli's and Rush's raised voices.]

GREER What's going on in here?

RUSH The life-support system is on, but for some reason, it's not working properly. I'm attempting to reset it.

ELI He has no idea what he's doing.

[Greer raises his rifle and points it at Rush. Park and Brody move out of the line of fire.]

GREER Step away from that thing.

ELI That screen says that what you're doing is gonna overload&mdash;

RUSH (interrupting) Eli&hellip;

ELI Is that what it says or not?

RUSH You only think you know what it says on this screen because I embedded a rudimentary version of the Ancient language into the game. This is not a game.

SCOTT Don't touch it, Rush.

RUSH If the oxygen aboard this ship falls below critical level, it will become increasingly difficult to concentrate.

ELI But what you're doing could blow up the whole ship.

SCOTT Are you sure, Eli?

[Rush reaches for the console.]

GREER (enraged) Back off now or I will shoot!

SCOTT Lower your weapon, Sergeant!

GREER He already screwed us once, I'm not gonna let him do it again.

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE

[Several civilians are herding in a line to another area of the base. Young is heading the opposite direction as them, trying to wade against the current.]

YOUNG I need to get through, people. Stand aside.

INT&mdash;ICARUS DETENTION WING

[The corridor is deserted in the detention wing. Young heads to a cell and uses his keycard to open the door. A young man, Greer, stands in the corner, looking distraught.]

YOUNG Sergeant, we're under attack. Don't know who, don't know why. Consider the charges dropped. Go take your anger out on them.

[He tosses a tac vest and weapon to Greer who catches it.]

GREER (relieved) Yes, sir.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Three ha'taks launch death gliders and fire weapons down on the planet and on the USS George Hammond, which is blocking their path. It has its shields up and is returning fire.]

INT&mdash;HAMMOND BRIDGE

[Colonel Samantha Carter stares at the view-screen.]

YOUNG (over radio) Who have we got, Colonel? Lucian Alliance?

CARTER That would be my guess. They haven't introduced themselves. They started shooting the minute they came out of hyperspace. Our shields are holding, but we're not the target.

EXT&mdash;ICARUS BASE ENTRANCE

[Young stands at the outer entrance to keep in radio contact.]

[The rest of the conversation switches between the locations.]

YOUNG What's heading our way?

CARTER A whole squadron of gliders and a troop transport. We've cut them down some, but the rest'll be on your doorstep in less than three minutes.

YOUNG Telford, did you copy?

EXT&mdash;ICARUS BASE, F-302 BAY

[Telford is already in his F-302 and firing up to take off.]

TELFORD Roger that. If we can get to the transport before they land the troops, we stand a chance.

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;DESTINY LIFE SUPPORT CHAMBER

RUSH I am going press that button. It's gonna fix the life support, and then you and I and everyone else will be able to breathe and think much better.

[Eli rocks on his feet, shaking his head.]

GREER (threateningly) Don't do it.

[Scott comes around to Greer's side.]

SCOTT Okay, look, Sergeant. I know we are in a tough situation here, but I am giving you an order. Lower your weapon.

[Greer stares Rush down a few moments, then reluctantly and with a smirk, lowers it. Rush presses the button. Nothing happens.]

SCOTT So?

RUSH (annoyed) Well, I suppose that would have been too simple.

[He leaves the room. Eli studies the console.]

ELI (weakly) Apparently, that did nothing.

[Scott and Greer exchange looks. Scott shakes his head helplessly.]

SCOTT (into radio) This may take a little more time, TJ. Hang in there.

INT&mdash;DESTINY GATE ROOM

[TJ tends to unconscious Young.]

TJ (into radio) Copy.

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;WRAY'S OFFICE, ICARUS BASE

[Wray sits behind her desk. Chloe stands before it.]

WRAY Does Colonel Young know about this?

TJ He knows.

WRAY Two weeks ago, you told me that this was the best experience of your life. Something must have happened.

TJ (shrugging) The scholarship came in. I-I guess I've just been too afraid to admit what I really want.

WRAY (smiling skeptically) Well, you didn't tell me you had even applied.

TJ There's nothing else going on. You know I'd tell you!

WRAY Unless you were protecting someone else.

TJ (forcefully) I'm not. Like I said, I just hadn't made up my mind.

 END FLASHBACK 

INT&mdash;DESTINY GATE ROOM

[TJ remembers that conversation as she glances over at Wray, who nods back at her. She stares down at Young's still unconscious form.]

 FLASHBACK 

EXT&mdash;ICARUS BASE SKY

[F-302s fly to meet the descending death gliders and troop transport in an aerial dogfight. From the entrance to the base, Young watches as the rail gun and other troops fire their weapons. Others fire SAMs.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE GATE ROOM

[Several people are milling near the Stargate, waiting for evacuation.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE CONTROL ROOM

[Riley watches a monitor beep on his station.]

RILEY Dr. Rush? I'm reading a dangerous energy spike in the core.

[Rush looks around frantically, spotting Eli near another station.]

RUSH (desperately) Eli&hellip;Eli, I need your help.

ELI With what?

RUSH The ninth chevron.

ELI What?! We need to get the hell out of here!

RUSH Look, it took us two years to find this site. The properties are unique. This may be our last chance.

[Another bomb overhead shakes the chamber, causing some of the ceiling to crumble.]

RUSH If this bombardment continues, the radioactive core's going to go critical.

ELI Y-you mean, the planet? It-it's going to explode?

RUSH Yes!

ELI Ah! Oh-oh-okay. Um, um, um&hellip; If my math works&mdash;

RUSH We can't assume that!

ELI I said "if"! Then, if it works, it's not a-a-a power supply issue. It-it's the gate address!

RUSH We've known the first eight symbols for years. The ninth has to be the point of origin!

ELI S-so, what if we're not on the planet you're supposed to be dialing from?

RUSH This is where we are!

ELI Okay, what if we are not supposed to be here.

[They both look at each other thoughtfully.]

EXT&mdash;ICARUS BATTLE, NIGHT

[Telford's squadron continues to fight the gliders, but there's too many of them.]

TELFORD (into radio) Icarus Base, Telford. We can't hold them back!

[A few gliders break through the lines, some blasting the entrance, destroying the rail gun. Young takes cover from the explosions, then gestures to his men.]

YOUNG Let's go. Go!

OFFICER Fall further back! Go go go!

[Military personnel retreat into the relative security of the base. Young sees one of the F-302s explode in the night sky. He grabs an injured man and drags him with him towards the entrance.]

YOUNG (into radio) Sergeant Riley, dial the Stargate to Earth.

OFFICER Take cover!

[Just after Young and the injured man make it inside, a damaged ship from the dogfight crashes into the entrance, causing it to collapse and trapping everyone inside.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE GATE ROOM

[The people inside lose their footing as the explosion rocks the base.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE CONTROL ROOM

RILEY Chevron One locked.

ELI Okay, follow me, the-the symbols on the Stargate are constellations as seen from Earth. That's what you said.

RUSH (smiling) Yes, yes.

ELI Okay, so what if Earth is supposed to be the point of origin?

RILEY Chevron Two locked.

RUSH The only viable power source was here, light years away.

RILEY Chevron Three encoded.

ELI What if that doesn't matter? Wha-what if it's the only combination that will work, like a code?

RILEY Chevron Three locked.

RUSH A code.

ELI Yeah!

RILEY Chevron Four encoded.

RUSH Stop the dialing sequence.

RILEY I have my orders.

[Rush shoves him out of the chair.]

RUSH Get out of the way. Get out of the way! We can't risk dialing Earth.

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE CORRIDOR

ARMSTRONG Come on, let's go.

[The Armstrongs are amongst people still heading down the corridors, which are starting to fill with dust and smoke. More explosions rock the area. The crowd clamors in panic. One man gets knocked to the floor. The Senator helps him up but gets separated from Chloe, who's already turned the corner. There is another heavy shake and a collapse of rock into the corridor, with dust coming around the corner. Chloe turns back.]

CHLOE Dad. Dad?

[She tries to head back, Scott grabs for her.]

SCOTT Chloe!

CHLOE Dad! My father! There could still be people trapped on the other side!

[Some of the crowd starts to look.]

SCOTT All right, let's go people. You need to move it to the Gate Room. (into radio) This is Scott. I've got about a dozen or so people cut off from the Gate Room. Southeast corridor.

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE CORRIDOR

[TJ tries desperately to stop the bleeding from a man's carotid artery. He is unresponsive. She shifts to try CPR. Young sees her efforts.]

TJ (crying) Oh, god. Dammit.

YOUNG Oh my god. Is that Dr. Simms?

TJ Stay with me, okay. (to Young) He was helping pull people back from the surface. (to Simms) Simms, can you hear me?

[She is unwilling to stop her resuscitation efforts.]

YOUNG TJ&hellip;TJ&hellip;

TJ No!

YOUNG Hey, Tamara. Hey. Tamara.

[She finally looks up, sniffling and glaring at Young.]

YOUNG Come on. We've gotta go.

[Frustrated and upset, she gets up, leaving Simms.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE GATE ROOM

[Rush finishes inputting the address, and they all watch in anticipation as the Stargate finishes dialing and activates.]

ELI (awed) That&hellip;is&hellip;impressive.

RILEY Power's fluctuating at critical levels.

INT&mdash;HAMMOND BRIDGE

[Explosions spark on the bridge. Carter heads to Marks's station.]

MARKS Colonel, I'm detecting a massive build-up of energy from the planet!

CARTER Recall our fighters. Radio Col. Telford. He's got two minutes to get his people aboard before we jump to hyperspace.

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE GATE ROOM

[The wormhole has stabilized and no one is moving. Young enters the room.]

YOUNG What's everybody doing? I ordered an evacuation!

[Eli hurries over.]

ELI He uh, he didn't dial Earth. It's the ninth-chevron address.

YOUNG What?!

[He meets Rush on the ramp.]

RUSH The attack started a chain reaction in the planet's core. There's no way of stopping that. And any blast could easily translate through an open wormhole. It's too dangerous to dial Earth.

YOUNG You could have dialed somewhere else. Anywhere else.

RUSH This could be our only chance.

YOUNG Shut it down.

RUSH We can't. It's too late.

YOUNG Riley!

RILEY (trying to type) System's not responding, sir.

YOUNG I need to get these people outta here.

RUSH We have a way out.

YOUNG We don't know what's on the other side! Dammit, Rush!

ELI Can't be worse than here, can it?

[More explosions rumble. Young grinds his teeth and looks around.]

YOUNG Nobody move. Await further instructions.

[Young leaves.]

 END FLASHBACK 

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Eli and Rush look over the console. Scott, Chloe, and Greer are nearby.]

RUSH What's that?

ELI Well, it doesn't look like life support.

RUSH Yes, I realize that.

[Rush presses a button and a holographic screen depicting the Milky Way appears.]

ELI Whoa.

SCOTT (approaching) What are we looking at?

RUSH That's a star map.

BRODY That's the Milky Way.

RUSH I believe it's a&hellip;visual log of the ship's journey.

ELI So this is where we are now?

RUSH No, that's where the ship originally embarked from.

ELI Earth.

[The map pans back. A line leaves from Earth heading out, making a disjointed connect the dots from other large points, constantly expanding outward.]

BRODY It's leaving the galaxy.

RUSH It did. Long ago.

PARK That was Pegasus.

SCOTT So those points are more stars?

ELI No&hellip;they're galaxies.

SCOTT Rush, where the hell are we?

RUSH Several billion light years from home.

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE CORRIDOR

[Scott tries to dig at the debris and free the trapped people while Chloe wrings her hands nearby.]

CHLOE Please!

[Greer and Young join Scott.]

YOUNG Scott! Stand clear.

[Scott moves back. Greer pulls out several packs of C-4 from his vest and begins to wire it up.]

SCOTT You could take down the rest of the roof with that!

YOUNG Look, we don't have time to argue. I need you to lead the evacuees through the 'gate. (to Chloe) You need to go with him.

CHLOE What? No! I-I'm staying here until I know my father's okay.

YOUNG (to Scott) Make sure everyone carries as much of the expedition supplies as they can.

SCOTT (blankly) Why?

YOUNG Because you're not going to Earth. Rush dialed the ninth chevron. Go.

[Scott hesitates.]

YOUNG (insistent) Go!

[Scott reluctantly leaves.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE GATE ROOM

[Scott stands on the ramp, looking at the wormhole.]

SCOTT Once I'm through, follow one at a time on a three count!

[He looks at the puddle, then jumps through. Other evacuees follow, each carrying a couple of cases being handed to them by military personnel.]

OFFICER Okay, people. Make way. Move, move.

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE CORRIDOR

YOUNG (to Greer) You good? Okay, let's go.

[Greer leads Chloe away. Young leans into the debris.]

YOUNG (loudly) If you can hear me, stand back!

[He joins Chloe and Greer around the corner, taking the detonator from Greer. He crouches, nodding to the others.]

YOUNG Okay, get down. Fire in the hole!

[An explosion rocks the corridor from the detonation. Chloe yelps. They had back around the corner.]

CHLOE Dad? Dad?

[A coughing group of evacuees come through the hole in the debris. Chloe scans each face for her father. Greer and Young assist the people.]

GREER (to evacuee) Put your weight on me. Put your weight on me.

YOUNG Keep calm, everybody.

GREER I got you.

CHLOE (to herself) Please.

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE GATE ROOM

[People are still departing chaotically.]

TJ Everybody stay calm! Don't push!

MAN Oh!

[One man stumbles on the gate ramp, but others help him up and through. Eli hesitates for a moment, then holds his breath like he's going underwater and closes his eyes before stepping through.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE CORRIDOR

CHLOE Dad! Ah! Careful, careful.

YOUNG You're okay, sir?

CHLOE Are you okay?

ARMSTRONG I'm the last one. I'm all right.

YOUNG Greer, go. I'm right behind you.

[They head towards the Gate Room.]

YOUNG (into radio) Hammond, this is Young, come in. Hammond, this is Young. Come in!

[There is no response.]

INT&mdash;ICARUS BASE GATE ROOM

GREER Let's go, let's go, let's go. C'mon people. Let's do it!

[The last of the evacuees go through. As Senator Armstrong and Chloe step through, there are electrical arcs from the overload. Greer and an injured military member step up to the ramp. Young grabs one of the bottom boxes, emptying out a sack of power bars to make room for the case inside the box.]

GREER (calling to Young) Sir!

YOUNG Go!

[Young secures the case, then runs for the Stargate as the place explodes. The impact wave throws him through the event horizon.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The planet of Icarus Base explodes, destroying the three ha'taks with it.]

END FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;WASHINGTON D.C., DAY

EXT&mdash;PENTAGON, ARLINGTON, VA, DAY

INT&mdash;PENTAGON WAR ROOM

[Harriman nods at something on his headphone, then walks over to O'Neill.]

HARRIMAN Sir? We've got Colonel Carter. (to technician) Onscreen.

[O'Neill heads over to a video screen where Carter appears, on the deck of the Hammond.]

CARTER General? We barely got away. Planet was destroyed. We managed to beam most of our people off the surface before jumping to hyperspace. We also believe that the enemy forces were destroyed. A-any word on how they gained intel on our base?

O'NEILL No. What about casualties?

CARTER Twelve. Eighty-plus MIA. The bunker shielding technology prevented us from beaming out anyone inside. How many people made it through the 'gate to Earth?

O'NEILL None.

CARTER None?! Our-our sensors indicated that the Stargate was active for a full six minutes before the core went critical.

O'NEILL Well, they didn't come through here.

CARTER (bemused) Then where'd they go?

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

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