Trinity/Transcript

Episode Guide
Trinity" Episode Guide

Transcript
TEASER

EXT&mdash;SPACE ABOVE DORANDA

[The Puddle Jumper comes through a space 'gate above the planet.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Sheppard's team is aboard.]

MCKAY I'm just saying, as a team veteran, to the new guy&mdash;heavy lunch before mission departure, bad idea. I mean, even with the inertial dampeners, this whole flying thing is best done on an empty stomach.

RONON Yeah, well, I've got a pretty strong stomach.

MCKAY Hey, I can eat frozen dinners without thawing them, and sometimes it even affects me.

SHEPPARD (annoyed) McKay, are you reading anything?

MCKAY Oh. Nothing. Life signs from the planet are negative.

TEYLA Then it is a shame. From what we read in the Atlantis database, the Dorandans were a wonderful race of people.

MCKAY Well, the database is over ten thousand years old. You can bet things have changed around here.

RONON (seeing something) Sheppard.

[There is a large debris field ahead of the Jumper.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD Okay. That's not something you see every day.

TEYLA There was a great battle here.

EXT&mdash;SPACE ABOVE DORANDA

[They pass by larger pieces of debris.]

TEYLA (voiceover) That is a hive ship.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

RONON That was a hive ship.

SHEPPARD Something put a lot of holes in it all right. We should check it out.

MCKAY Whoa, whoa, whoa. What if whatever put holes in it wants to put holes in us?

SHEPPARD Like you said, a lot's changed in ten thousand years.

EXT&mdash;SPACE ABOVE DORANDA

[The Jumper descends through the debris to the planet.]

EXT&mdash;DORANDA, DAY

[The Jumper skims a ruined city. Thunder and lightening strike it.]

MCKAY That would explain the lack of life signs.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

RONON This is what usually happens when you fight back.

SHEPPARD These folks took out a fleet of Wraith ships. I'd say they did a pretty good job fighting back.

MCKAY Hold on. I'm picking up faint energy readings, coming from (pointing) there. Well, that explains how they would be able to put up such a good fight.

SHEPPARD How?

MCKAY Because&hellip;they were Ancients.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[The Jumper maneuvers to a large building that remains.]

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

EXT&mdash;DORANDA, DAY

[A large building remains. It appears to have a large weapon on the roof.]

INT&mdash;ANCIENT FACILITY ON DORANDA

[The team descends a ladder into the dark facility. They look around with flashlights.]

MCKAY Definitely Ancient design. Their latest stuff, too. Their latest being ten thousand years old.

SHEPPARD It looks a lot like the labs we've found on Atlantis.

RONON So this was one of their outposts?

TEYLA Yet the ancestors made no mention of their presence here in their database. Why?

SHEPPARD Well, let's find out. Can you power it up?

MCKAY Working on it.

[McKay works on an Ancient tablet while the others search around.]

SHEPPARD I've got two bodies here.

RONON I've got three more over here. Whatever happened here, no one came back to claim the dead.

SHEPPARD Can't tell if they were fed on by the Wraith.

RONON Yeah, something killed them.

TEYLA Something killed everyone on this world.

SHEPPARD Then why is this outpost, if that's what it is, still intact? It doesn't make sense. What do you think, Rodney?

[The power comes on, and the lights.]

MCKAY Hah. Sorry, I wasn't listening, but it just struck me that this is an Ancient outpost. Why would the Wraith leave it intact?

[The others exchange glances.]

SHEPPARD That's a good question.

MCKAY (examining tablet) Huh. All right. So&hellip;

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Sheppard and his team walk through with Weir.]

WEIR So it's a military research facility?

SHEPPARD From what we can tell, it's a ground-based version of the satellite weapon we used to destroy that hive ship.

MCKAY With one major exception&mdash;firepower. I mean, if that single outpost is responsible for destroying an entire Wraith fleet&mdash;

WEIR And you're sure it was this weapon than destroyed all those Wraith ships?

SHEPPARD It had to be. There's nothing on the planet that suggests the Dorandans had anything capable of inflicting anywhere near that much damage.

TEYLA If we could learn of such technology, we could defend other worlds from being culled.

RONON It didn't save the Dorandans.

MCKAY Yeah, but at the end of the day, the outpost was still standing, and that means, uh&hellip; Well, I'm not sure what that means, but it means something definitely worth finding out.

WEIR Colonel?

SHEPPARD He's right. It's definitely worth sending a research team back.

MCKAY Good! Well, give me Optican and Collins, and Zelenka, if he's over the stomach flu. We'll try to access the computer's logbooks, see if we can decipher them&mdash;

WEIR Okay. Okay. Easy sell. Go.

MCKAY Oh. Good.

[McKay rushes out. The others exchange looks at his enthusiasm.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Teyla and Ronon meet up.]

RONON Teyla. Um&hellip;I heard you were heading off-world on a personal mission.

TEYLA To Belkan, yes.

RONON Sounds interesting.

[She smiles at him, and he returns the smile.]

TEYLA The Belkans possess a particular disease-resistant strain of flax seed, which would double the yield of our crops on the mainland. In exchange, I intend to offer Athosian manpower to aid in their harvest. Still interested?

RONON Uh, this place&hellip;has everything I could want, don't get me wrong, but, uh&mdash;

TEYLA Sometimes you feel the need to go somewhere else.

RONON Anywhere else.

TEYLA I know the feeling.

RONON So?

TEYLA Bring only weapons you can conceal.

RONON I'll keep it to a bare minimum.

EXT&mdash;DORANDA, DAY

INT&mdash;ANCIENT FACILITY ON DORANDA

[Many scientists are at work. Sheppard arrives and goes to look through an observation window into a large chamber, lit from above.]

ZELENKA I'm telling you, at least point-oh-nine percent.

MCKAY Oh, please. Please, move the decimal place. I mean, it's impossible, for God's sake.

SHEPPARD Have we figured out what this is?

MCKAY No.

ZELENKA I wouldn't say no. No, we have a theory.

MCKAY But we don't know yet.

ZELENKA No, but based on the shielding around the chamber, what else could it be?

SHEPPARD Have you tried turning it on?

MCKAY That's what we're working on.

MCKAY The problem is that there's no direct link between it and the main power control systems, which, among other things led us to theorize it's an ancillary power supply for the weapon systems.

SHEPPARD Cool.

MCKAY See that? See? See the way he lights up at the mention of that? It's like Dr. Vogel at the mention of pastry.

SHEPPARD They found out a way to soup up their space guns?

ZELENKA Yes, but it's much more than that.

MCKAY The sticking point is that there's no tie between the power generator and the primary capacitor.

ZELENKA Yeah, meaning they would have to channel the power directly into the weapon.

MCKAY Which, I'm sure, means nothing to you.

SHEPPARD It means they could fire multiple bursts without having to store up more power for the next firing sequence.

[McKay is reluctantly impressed.]

MCKAY Yes. Very good.

SHEPPARD Which leads me back to "cool."

MCKAY Mm.

ZELENKA Yes, but it only makes sense if we're right.

SHEPPARD About what?

ZELENKA Tell him.

MCKAY Not yet.

ZELENKA Come on, McKay. You read the equations. What else could it be? An Ancient typo?

MCKAY Well, we know they're not perfect, because they're all dead.

MCKAY Look, I just&hellip; I don't want you to get all excited over nothing.

SHEPPARD Well, maybe you're right.

MCKAY All right, I'll give you a hint. It seems the Ancients were experimenting with high-energy physics on a level that we've never seen before.

SHEPPARD (underwhelmed) Wow.

MCKAY Yes, "wow." I just&hellip;I want to be sure.

SHEPPARD (humoring them) I'll do my best to wait.

[He leaves.]

INT&mdash;CONFERENCE ROOM ON BELKAN

[Teyla and Ronon negotiate with the Belkans.]

TEYLA The manpower that you are demanding is outrageous. You would turn my people into nothing more than indentured slaves to serve your farms.

HENDON It would seem that you have nothing else of value to trade but your people.

[A man enters with a tray of drinks.]

TEYLA Mattas&hellip; You know full well my offer is fair.

MATTAS I'm sorry, Teyla. If you had something of more value to offer&hellip; Technology, weapons&hellip;

TEYLA You've heard my terms.

HENDON Hmm. Then our business is done here.

[Ronon angrily stabs the wooden table with a knife.]

RONON She said her offer is fair.

[They stand and face each other across the table.]

HENDON I say it isn't.

RONON Well, I say it is.

EXT&mdash;BELKAN VILLAGE, DAY

[Ronon and Teyla exit the building into the primitive village. They are carrying bags of seeds. Teyla drops hers and turns to face Ronon.]

RONON What?

TEYLA I had the situation under control.

RONON It didn't look like it.

TEYLA So you came to my rescue? You have no idea what is at stake during these negotiations. My people depend on me.

RONON They were taking advantage of you.

TEYLA No, they were not, but that is what I wanted them to think. A negotiation is a delicate process. The words spoken are often meaningless.

[Mattas sees them from a nearby staircase.]

MATTAS Teyla!

[Mattas goes inside to come around to mee them.]

RONON Do you want me to&mdash;

TEYLA No.

TEYLA Go. Gather our things. I will meet you at the gate.

MATTAS It was a mistake to force Hendon's hand. You'll only pay for it next time.

TEYLA I know.

MATTAS Your friend is not Athosian?

TEYLA No. Ronon is the only survivor of a world named Sateda. He saved the life of a friend of mine. In return, we offered him sanctuary.

MATTAS If Sateda is his home-world, then he is not the only survivor. There is a man in this village who also claims to be from there.

[Teyla is shocked.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[The 'gate is active.]

WEIR What have we got, Sergeant?

TECHNICIAN It's Colonel Sheppard, Ma'am.

WEIR (over radio) This is Weir. Go ahead, Colonel.

EXT&mdash;SPACE ABOVE DORANDA

[The Puddle Jumper flies back through the debris field toward the orbital Stargate.]

SHEPPARD (over radio) We're on our way back. Rodney wants to fill you in.

WEIR (into radio) I take it you've found something interesting.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY (into radio) Interesting? How about the greatest discovery of all time?

SHEPPARD (into radio) He's pretty excited.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) So I hear. He couldn't even wait until he got back.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY (into radio) I wanted to send an encoded data-burst directly from the outpost to the secure network in my lab while the gate was active. Now.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

TECHNICIAN Receiving transmission. Transferring data.

WEIR (into radio) Care to fill me in so I can be excited too?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD (into radio) It's a weapon&mdash;

MCKAY (into radio) It is much, much more than a weapon. We think we've stumbled across the Ancients' last great discovery. It was too late to win the war for them, but if I can finish the work they started&mdash;

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) What is it?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY It is the ultimate power source. Something that would make zero-point modules seem like alkaline batteries in comparison.

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;WEIR'S OFFICE

[Col. Caldwell has arrived.]

MCKAY It was called Project Arcturus, and from what we can tell, its ultimate goal was to render ZPMs obsolete.

WEIR How?

[He uses the large displays to illustrate.]

MCKAY A zero-point module is an artificially created region of subspace-time. It's kind of like a miniature universe in a bottle.

ZELENKA It extracts vacuum energy from this artificial region of subspace-time until it reaches maximum entropy.

CALDWELL So what's different about this thing?

ZELENKA Project Arcturus was attempting to extract vacuum energy from our own space-time, making it potentially as powerful as the scope of the universe itself.

CALDWELL This strikes me as something the Ancients would've tried first, even before ZPMs.

MCKAY And they may have, but extracting zero-point energy from our own universe is&hellip;well, it's definitely trickier.

WEIR Explain "trickier."

ZELENKA Well, because we actually have to live in our own universe, it presents a whole range of problems.

CALDWELL Well, obviously it's not that easy, or Atlantis wouldn't still rely on ZPMs.

SHEPPARD Well, you're right. The Ancients couldn't make it work.

MCKAY I said I wanted to do all the talking.

SHEPPARD Come on, Rodney. Arcturus was a total failure.

MCKAY Failure, yes. Total, no. Look, the Ancients were losing the war against the Wraith when work on Arcturus began. If they could have made it work it could have turned the tide of war. I mean, we're talking about their own Manhattan Project.

SHEPPARD The outpost was ordered by the Ancients in Atlantis to defend the Dorandan people using their weapons powered by this new power source.

ZELENKA Yeah, yes, but despite their strong reservations that it was not ready to be tested under battle conditions.

SHEPPARD Well, the point is, the Wraith won.

MCKAY Yeah, but the Dorandans still inflicted massive damage on the attacking Wraith fleet.

SHEPPARD I'm not saying they didn't put up a hell of a fight.

ZELENKA The logs indicate there was a major malfunction.

MCKAY Well yes, the Ancients in the bunker were forced to shut everything down, including the weapon.

SHEPPARD The Wraith sent more ships, the Dorandans got wiped out.

CALDWELL So if the malfunction hadn't occurred, the Ancients would've saved the planet?

MCKAY Definitely.

SHEPPARD Possibly. Don't sugarcoat this Rodney.

MCKAY The Ancient scientists running Arcturus were rushed into testing before they had perfected a means of effectively controlling the power output. I believe if they'd had more time, history would've played out differently on that planet. Possibly in this galaxy.

CALDWELL I won't deny that this is something that we'd dearly love to get our hands on, but the Ancients were a pretty bright bunch.

MCKAY And desperate and losing a war they'd already been fighting for a hundred years. More importantly, they were&mdash;they were, like, this close.

WEIR And you believe you can finish their work?

MCKAY I do.

ZELENKA We do.

SHEPPARD They do.

INT&mdash;MCKAY'S LAB

[McKay issues instructions to his staff in a montage.]

MCKAY All right, I need everyone's attention, please. What we've got here&hellip;

MCKAY I need this code divided into sections and each one double-checked&hellip;

MCKAY No, you're not listening to me!

ZELENKA It's not going to&mdash;

MCKAY I'm telling you this one right here is wrong.

MCKAY The whole point here is that these numbers here need to be corrected.

MCKAY Unless they're corrected&mdash;there you go. Simulation failed.

[They keep running simulations that all file.]

EXT&mdash;DORANDA, NIGHT

INT&mdash;ANCIENT FACILITY ON DORANDA

[Sheppard takes a heavy case from a scientist on the ladder.]

MCKAY That's heavy. So, I need that over there. Thank you.

[In a tube-like passageway, Zelenka and another scientist work. McKay speaks to Zelenka over the radio.]

MCKAY I want you to pull the crystal. Pull it when I say go, all right?

[Zelenka pulls the crystal, and the power shuts down. Later, McKay is in the command access tube and Zelenka is in the Ancient lab.]

ZELENKA I think we have it.

[McKay puts the crystal in, and the command access tube lights up. In the lab, Zelenka smiles.]

ZELENKA That's it!

INT&mdash;BELKAN VILLAGE PUB

[Teyla and Ronon walk to the bar.]

TEYLA We are looking for a man named Solen. Do you know him?

BARTENDER Upstairs.

TEYLA Thank you.

[They walk up the stairs to where a group is gathered at a table, listening to a man telling a story.]

SOLEN Was I afraid? Of course I was, but my people were counting on me. Now, I was alone, and I was low on ammo, but I managed to take out the three Wraith guards and gain access to the ship.

RONON Liar.

SOLEN (angrily standing up) What did you say?

SOLEN Ronon?

RONON (smiling) There were two Wraith guarding that cruiser, and he wasn't alone.

[They embrace.]

RONON Uh, Teyla Emmagan, Solen Sincha. We served in the same regiment on Sateda.

TEYLA I am honored.

SOLEN You two make a nice match. Congratulations.

TEYLA We are friends, nothing more.

RONON For years, I believed I was the only survivor.

SOLEN So you don't know about the others?

RONON What others?

SOLEN Before the city fell, a few of us managed to make it to the shelters west of the capital. Over three hundred civilians found their way there, too. When we emerged, we realized there was nothing to salvage, so we left. All of us.

[As he speaks, Ronon becomes quiet, as if stunned.]

TEYLA To where?

SOLEN Some came here, some went to Manaria.

RONON (smiling) Three hundred.

SOLEN Drink, Ronon, and rejoice&mdash;you're not alone!

[They hug again.]

SOLEN Yeah!

INT&mdash;ANCIENT FACILITY ON DORANDA

MCKAY Everything's been triple-checked. Power levels are holding steady in all computer simulations.

SHEPPARD Fire it up.

MCKAY All right. Attention, all personnel. Stand by for power-up on my mark. Three, two, one&hellip; Mark.

[The power source in the chamber powers up.]

INT&mdash;BELKAN VILLAGE PUB

[Ronon and Solen are laughing and drinking, clearly intoxicated.]

SOLEN Oh, man. To see Kell's face when he sees you&hellip; Yeah, it's true.

RONON Kell's alive?

SOLEN And his family. They settled on Belsa. Run this big trading operation over there.

RONON (sobering) When were you going to tell me this?

SOLEN Honestly? I was going to wait until you drank a little more.

RONON (smiling) Then you've seen him?

SOLEN Yeah, he comes around now and then to trade weapons with the Belkans. He's got his own private army now.

TEYLA Is this Kell a friend?

SOLEN Oh, he's more like kin. He was Ronon's Task Master during his military training. There is no closer bond.

RONON (smiling but perhaps uneasily) None.

SOLEN To reunions.

[They clang their tankards together.]

RONON To reunions.

INT&mdash;ANCIENT FACILITY ON DORANDA

[McKay and Zelenka are in the main lab.]

MCKAY Radek, talk to me.

ZELENKA I'm picking up some minor power fluctuations. Chamber temperature's holding steady. There it goes again.

[Sheppard is watching the power source through the observation window.]

SHEPPARD Is everything okay?

MCKAY Everything's fine. The containment bottle was designed to automatically compensate for any sudden changes in energy output.

ZELENKA This never happened in the simulations.

SHEPPARD Maybe we should abort.

MCKAY I said it's fine. Collins. See if you can boost more power to the field manually.

COLLINS You got it.

[Collins leaves. McKay makes more entries at his console, Sheppard looking on with worry.]

MCKAY Okay.

[Collins enters the command access tube where the crystal controls are. He removes a panel. He's wearing protective glasses as the light is very bright.]

MCKAY Prepare for test firing, on my mark.

[In the command access tube, a power wave bursts through the far wall and envelops Collins. He falls to the floor, screaming and writhing.]

ZELENKA Levels just spiked into the red!

MCKAY What?

SHEPPARD Shut it down! Shut it all down!

MCKAY I'm trying.

ZELENKA The interface is not responding.

MCKAY All right, I've already switched to back-ups.

ZELENKA The levels are going off the scale!

SHEPPARD McKay!

MCKAY I have given the command to shut down. Something's creating an overload.

SHEPPARD Then we should evacuate.

MCKAY Just give me a few seconds.

SHEPPARD We may not have that time.

[The power sounds start to diminish, and Zelenka's displays show the energy flow returning to green levels.]

ZELENKA Wait. Wait. Wait. It's stabilizing. The generator is offline.

SHEPPARD What the hell just happened?

MCKAY Obviously there was a surge of some kind&hellip; Look, Collin&hellip;Collins!

[They rush to the command access tube door.]

MCKAY Collins!

[They open the door to see Collins has died, his hands covered with red burns.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS BRIEFING ROOM

[Beckett hands out reports.]

BECKETT Officially, my report will indicate Dr. Collins died due to radiation exposure, causing severe burns to well over ninety percent of his body.

WEIR But it was more than that?

BECKETT Aye, much more. To be honest, I have no idea what sort of radiation it was. I've never seen or heard of cellular decay this massive, not when exposure only lasted mere seconds.

SHEPPARD Collins' next of kin have been notified.

WEIR Good. What went wrong?

ZELENKA (using a display to illustrate) We're still analyzing data from the test. All we know for certain was there was a massive power surge, which in turn caused the containment field to expand asymmetrically in the direction of the command access tube. As to why&hellip;

CALDWELL How about human error?

MCKAY Excuse me?

CALDWELL Well, according to your report, during the tests, Dr. Collins made an adjustment to the containment field. Isn't it possible that he triggered the surge himself?

WEIR Are you looking for a scapegoat, Colonel?

CALDWELL Not at all, Doctor. I'm admittedly looking for a rationale that would allow Dr. McKay to continue his very important work. Is there something wrong with that?

MCKAY No. Collins knew the system just as well as any of us. He wouldn't have made that kind of mistake. Everything was going well, and everyone did their job.

WEIR Then what?

MCKAY I don't know. In terms of physics, it shouldn't have happened.

ZELENKA We're still analyzing the data from the accident. It's going to take time&mdash;

MCKAY What I do know is the device did what it was supposed to do.

SHEPPARD No, Rodney, it didn't.

MCKAY Well, apart from the obvious containment issues&mdash;

SHEPPARD It overloaded, and you couldn't stop it.

MCKAY But we won't know for sure until we go back down there and try again.

SHEPPARD Try again? Are you serious?

MCKAY Yes.

SHEPPARD (incredulous) A member of your team is in the morgue.

MCKAY And I am responsible for his death. Yes, I am painfully aware of that. I sent him in there, and I will have to live with that for the rest of my life.

[Sheppard nods slightly in understanding.]

MCKAY But we have a responsibility to understand what happened and learn from it.

ZELENKA Rodney, we don't even know what went wrong.

MCKAY Which is why we have to go back there.

WEIR I know how important this is to you, Rodney, but we knew when we came to Atlantis that we might encounter certain technologies which, for the moment, are out of our reach.

MCKAY It's not, in this case.

WEIR You have the data from your first attempt. You can run all the simulations you want.

MCKAY Come on, Elizabeth, you really think the military's going to let this go, huh? At the very least, we should be the first ones in there to spearhead the research&mdash;

WEIR That's what this is about? You want to beat them to it? I'm sorry. The answer's no.

[She leaves, followed by Beckett and Zelenka. McKay remains, clearly upset.]

INT&mdash;ROOM IN BELKAN INN

[Teyla steadies Ronon as the make their way into the room.]

RONON I'm not tired. Why did we leave?

[She lets him fall onto the bed.]

TEYLA I believe you've had enough.

RONON I believe I have.

TEYLA Good night.

[She starts to go.]

RONON Teyla.

RONON There are three hundred of my people.

[He puts his hand to his face, clearly moved. Teyla closes the door behind her.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, NIGHT

INT&mdash;SHEPPARD'S QUARTERS

[Sheppard opens his door to find McKay standing there.]

MCKAY Harry K. Daghlian.

SHEPPARD Who?

MCKAY He was a scientist. Worked on the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos. He was only 26 years old. Accidentally irradiated himself while performing a critical mass experiment on two half-spheres of plutonium. It took him a month to die, and while his body was slowly shutting down from radiation poisoning, you know what he did with his last thirty days? Hmm? He worked. He tried until his last breath to understand what had happened to him so that others could learn from the tragedy. So that his work, his death wouldn't be rendered meaningless.

[Sheppard nods but appears skeptical.]

MCKAY Now, have you considered what would've happened if they'd just shut the project down after that?

SHEPPARD This is different.

MCKAY Is it? Collins' death is a pointless waste of life unless something comes of this, and I'm not sure that I can&hellip; I think I know what happened.

SHEPPARD Let's hear it.

MCKAY Can I come in?

SHEPPARD No.

MCKAY The Ancients had it wrong. Our mistake was using their equations. Look, I just did the calculations again myself. I did them three times just to be sure, and I am positive the problem is in the automatic containment protocols.

SHEPPARD Okay, what's your fix?

MCKAY I'm proposing that we adjust the field strength manually.

SHEPPARD You saw how fast it spiked on you.

MCKAY So we don't operate the generator at anywhere near its potential. Look, there's no need to be greedy. Even operating at fifty percent, it'll still generate the power of a dozen ZPMs.

SHEPPARD How come the Ancients didn't figure this out?

MCKAY Maybe they were caught up in the heat of battle, or maybe they thought they needed as much power as they could get. Maybe they weren't smart enough.

SHEPPARD And you are?

MCKAY No, I didn't say that, but I have the benefit of hindsight, they didn't.

MCKAY Look, this is big. This is the wheel, the light bulb&hellip;the hot dog big.

SHEPPARD Best-case scenario?

MCKAY I win a Nobel Prize.

[Sheppard smiles.]

SHEPPARD Worst-case scenario?

MCKAY We tear a hole in the fabric of the universe&mdash; (seeing Sheppard's alarm) Which is much less likely to happen than the Nobel Prize. I mean, look, the risks are nothing compared to the potential benefits. Elizabeth will listen to you. I've never asked this of you before, but I think I've earned it. Trust me.

WEIR I've already made this decision, John.

CALDWELL If Dr. McKay says he's solved the problem, I don't see why we don't give him another shot.

WEIR Isn't the Daedalus about ready to head back to Earth?

CALDWELL Yes, we are, but I think you should know the Pentagon has taken a very keen interest in this vacuum energy.

WEIR I'm sure they have, but the Pentagon doesn't make the decisions here.

CALDWELL I may not have the power to overrule you on this, but when I get back to Earth, I'm going to be making the recommendation that Dr. McKay be allowed to continue his work to the highest authorities. Ultimately, Dr. Weir, this won't be up to you.

WEIR Can Rodney guarantee that the same thing won't happen?

SHEPPARD Nobody can do that.

WEIR Then what's changed?

SHEPPARD According to him, it's the Ancients' calculations that were wrong, not his.

CALDWELL If McKay is that confident, I don't see why&mdash;

WEIR Confidence is not something Dr. McKay is in any short supply of.

CALDWELL With good reason. If anyone can do this&mdash;

WEIR The Ancients could not do this. I mean, that's what it keeps coming back to for me.

CALDWELL Isn't it possible that you have placed the Ancients on such high a pedestal, that you can't even consider the possibility that they may be wrong?

WEIR Why are we mincing words, Colonel? You want the weapon.

CALDWELL Yes. I do. A weapon that could effectively eliminate the Wraith threat is very attractive to me, and to the people that I work for. I'm not hiding that fact. But there's more to it, isn't there? No more hunting for ZPMs. The shield at full strength. Faster, more powerful ships&hellip;how about a power source that can provide the energy needs for an entire planet? No more fossil fuels.

WEIR I get it, and if it worked as advertised, it would be wonderful. I'm trying to tell you&hellip; I know Rodney McKay, and there are times when I have to protect him from himself.

SHEPPARD I can do that. Let me go back with him, just him and me. You can activate the Stargate any time you want to contact us by radio.

WEIR He really sold you.

SHEPPARD He asked me to trust him.

EXT&mdash;DORANDA, DAY

INT&mdash;ANCIENT FACILITY ON DORANDA

[Sheppard and McKay hook up laptops to the Ancient equipment.]

MCKAY (very confident) I appreciate your support, Colonel, but don't worry. I try to make it a habit not to make the same mistake twice.

SHEPPARD That was a joke, right?

MCKAY No. I offer you my personal assurance that a surge like the one that happened before is inconceivable.

SHEPPARD Do you want to run some power-up simulations first?

MCKAY How about I carry out my plan, and you keep the hot coffee coming? I was, uh, joking again, right? Now, where were we?

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

ZELENKA Dr. Weir, I need to speak to you right away.

WEIR What is it?

ZELENKA I've finished going over the accident data. I think I know why the Ancients abandoned this technology.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[The Stargate is active.]

WEIR (into radio) Colonel Sheppard, this is Atlantis.

[The scene shifts between the control room and the Dorandan lab as Zelenka, Weir, Sheppard, and McKay speak via radio.]

SHEPPARD Go ahead.

WEIR Is Dr. McKay with you?

MCKAY Of course I am, but we're a little busy getting ready to run a test here.

WEIR Actually I would like you to delay the test firing.

SHEPPARD Why?

WEIR We have reason to believe that the weapon's power source&mdash;it may not be controllable at any power level.

MCKAY Radek?

ZELENKA Rodney.

MCKAY Okay, we have been over this. I am doing this manually, at half power. It's a cakewalk.

ZELENKA It don't think it matters how much cake you walk on. I've been doing calculations of my own, and I believe the very act of trying to contain vacuum energy from our own space-time creates an environment where the laws of physics cease to apply.

MCKAY What are you on about?

ZELENKA As power output increases, new and exotic particles are continuously created and destroyed inside the containment chamber, interacting with each other, and with the field itself. Eventually, particles are created that cannot be predicted in this space-time. And they breach the containment field as hard radiation.

MCKAY And as long as I'm monitoring the energy output manually, I can stop that before it happens.

ZELENKA (intensely) You cannot predict something that is inherently unpredictable.

SHEPPARD Rodney?

MCKAY I know what I'm doing.

ZELENKA Rodney, I am trying to tell you as a friend, I have serious doubts.

MCKAY Well, you're wrong. Sorry, but there it is. And to bring this up now when I'm about to do this smacks of nothing but professional jealousy.

ZELENKA (shouting in frustration) Fine. Kill yourself, just like the Ancients did!

SHEPPARD Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you mean by that?

ZELENKA I believe if the overload is allowed to continue, the weapon acts as a sort of release valve to prevent catastrophic containment failure. The Ancients barely managed to shut it down, and they lost their lives in the process.

WEIR What we're suggesting is that the Wraith didn't kill everyone on that planet. It was the weapon itself.

SHEPPARD That would explain why this place is the only thing left standing.

MCKAY Congratulations, you've solved the mystery of how the Ancients screwed up ten thousand years ago. It doesn't mean that I will do the same. Look, I don't know how else to say this, but none of you are capable of understanding this on the same level that I do. And Zelenka, that includes you.

[Zelenka throws up his hands in frustration.]

WEIR Rodney, I cannot afford to lose either one of you. Now, tell me, can you do this?

MCKAY Yes.

SHEPPARD Are you sure?

MCKAY Yes.

SHEPPARD Are you sure you're sure?

MCKAY I said yes!

SHEPPARD Because if you're wrong&mdash;

MCKAY I'm not!

[They stare at each other for a few moments.]

SHEPPARD We'll call you back after the test. How does that sound?

WEIR You'd better.

MCKAY (to Sheppard) I won't let you down.

[Sheppard gives McKay a hard look and walks out.]

EXT&mdash;BELKAN VILLAGE, DAY

[Teyla and McKay walk through.]

TEYLA How are you feeling?

RONON Fine.

TEYLA We should really be getting back. Dr. Weir will be expecting us.

RONON Kell is here.

TEYLA What?

RONON He's meeting with Hendon right now. Solen just told me. I have to see him.

TEYLA And you would like me to arrange a meeting.

RONON After yesterday, I don't think I'd get very far if I asked myself.

[Teyla nods.]

INT&mdash;ANCIENT FACILITY ON DORANDA

[McKay and Sheppard work at separate consoles.]

MCKAY (confidently) Okay, this is good. My equations are working like a charm. Power level is at forty percent, just to be on the safe side. I think we're ready for our test.

SHEPPARD Where do you want the weapon targeted?

MCKAY The debris orbiting the planet.

SHEPPARD Sounds good.

MCKAY Bringing the weapon online&hellip;now.

[In the containment chamber, the power source pulses. The sound grows louder.]

SHEPPARD What's that?

MCKAY An energy surge. It's fine. I can regulate it.

[His display shows temperatures moving into the red area.]

SHEPPARD I thought you said you could contain&mdash;

MCKAY The temperature inside the containment field is well within acceptable parameters. I'm staying ahead of it.

[The display shows the temperatures continuing to rise.]

MCKAY (becoming concerned) The levels are rising in the chamber.

[Turning to Sheppard.]

MCKAY Re-route power from the secondary systems to the containment field.

SHEPPARD I'm thinking we need to abort.

MCKAY I can compensate. Just give me a minute.

SHEPPARD It's overloading. Just like last time.

MCKAY There is no logical reason this shouldn't be working!

SHEPPARD McKay.

MCKAY None of this should be happening! Look, the energy levels are spiking at a rate far greater than anything I predicted.

SHEPPARD Shut it down!

[McKay turns to look at Sheppard as if in disbelief. He shows a moment of doubt, then turns back to his computer.]

MCKAY (angrily) Fine.

[In the containment chamber, the energy pulses much more than before. McKay makes inputs to his computer, but nothing happens.]

MCKAY It doesn't make any sense.

SHEPPARD What's wrong?

MCKAY (shocked, facing Sheppard) I can't shut it down.

EXT&mdash;BELKAN VILLAGE, DAY

INT&mdash;CONFERENCE ROOM IN VILLAGE

[Ronon sits with his back to the door. Kell enters.]

KELL (to Teyla) I am Kell from Sateda.

TEYLA Teyla Emmagan of Athos. Thank you for granting us your time.

KELL (seeing Ronon's back) If we are to trade, I would know all the members of your party.

TEYLA Of course. In fact, that is why we are here.

[Ronon turns and approaches them.]

KELL Ronon?

RONON (shocked) Hello, Kell.

[Ronon pulls his weapon and shoots Kell in the chest, killing him. All of Kell's men point their weapons at Ronon and Teyla. Teyla pulls her knife.]

TEYLA Ronon, what have you done?

RONON We all know who this man was, what he was. If anyone here believes he should be avenged&hellip;here I am.

[The men lower their weapons. Ronon walks out. Teyla follows.]

EXT&mdash;BELKAN VILLAGE, DAY

[Teyla catches up to Ronon and stops him, pushing him against a wall and holding her knife to his throat.]

TEYLA You just used me to murder an innocent man.

[Ronon pulls her hand away.]

RONON He deserved worse.

TEYLA You said he was like a father to you.

RONON Kell commanded several infantry divisions on Sateda. And when the Wraith came, he ordered thousands to their deaths just to save himself. He was&hellip;he was a traitor and a coward. My only regret is that his death was quick.

TEYLA I understand. In your place, I might have done the same&hellip; But believe me when I tell you that the others would not. We must not speak of this when we return to Atlantis. (threateningly) And if you ever use my friendship in such a way again, I will not be so understanding.

EXT&mdash;DORANDA, DAY

[The Ancient weapon sitting on top of the building is swinging and firing energy bursts into the sky.]

INT&mdash;ANCIENT FACILITY ON DORANDA

[The facility is rocked.]

SHEPPARD What was that?

MCKAY The weapon's discharging to prevent a catastrophic overload.

SHEPPARD All right, that's it. We're out of here.

MCKAY (nearly shouting) What did I just say? The weapon is firing at random targets above the planet. This is the safest place to be right now.

SHEPPARD This place isn't gonna be safe for very much longer.

MCKAY I can bring it back under control. Just give me a second.

[Sheppard grabs McKay by the vest and swings him around.]

SHEPPARD No, you can't!

MCKAY (yanking away and turning back to his computer) One second!

SHEPPARD I've seen this before, Rodney. Pilots who wouldn't eject when something went wrong trying to fix their planes right until it hit the ground.

MCKAY (coming to a realization) Okay, we need to leave. I've waited too long. The weapon can't discharge enough power to avoid a catastrophic overload. This whole planet is going to go up.

[He grabs his laptop and goes to the ladder.]

MCKAY Not that your speech wasn't working.

EXT&mdash;DORANDA, DAY

[The weapon continues firing in all directions.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[They rush in and go to their seats.]

SHEPPARD Okay, strap in.

MCKAY You need to avoid flying in predictable trajectories to prevent the weapon locking onto us.

SHEPPARD I know what I'm doing.

MCKAY I'm just saying, be sure not to fly in a straight line.

SHEPPARD Rodney, shut up!

EXT&mdash;DORANDA, DAY

[The Jumper leaves the planet, maneuvering to avoid the energy weapons pulses passing all around it.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY Can I just say there's no way the Jumper can take even one direct hit?

SHEPPARD I'll keep that in mind.

EXT&mdash;SPACE ABOVE DORANDA

[Sheppard maneuvers the Jumper through the debris field, the weapon firing all around them.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY Weapon's locking onto us.

SHEPPARD How about I fly us away from the planet, and return after the overload?

MCKAY We can't.

SHEPPARD Why not?

MCKAY Look, don't you understand? This explosion is going to take out three-quarters of the solar system. There's no way we can fly far enough, fast enough. We have to head for the 'gate.

SHEPPARD Dial the 'gate.

[McKay starts dialing.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE ABOVE DORANDA

[The Jumper continues its jig-jagging flight while the weapon hits pieces of debris behind it.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY How do you intend to avoid getting hit on the final approach?

SHEPPARD I haven't figured that part out yet.

EXT&mdash;SPACE ABOVE DORANDA

[The Jumper is leaving the debris field; the active Stargate is ahead. With the weapons fire close, the Daedalus moves into position between the Jumper and the planet.]

CALDWELL (over radio) It's a good thing we stopped by to check your progress, Colonel.

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

CALDWELL (into radio) Make a break for the Stargate. We'll run interference.

SHEPPARD (over radio) Copy that, Daedalus.

CALDWELL (to navigator) Stand by to engage sub-light engines on my mark.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD (into radio) Recommend you go into hyperspace as soon as we go through. There's going to be a big bang.

CALDWELL (over radio) Understood.

EXT&mdash;SPACE ABOVE DORANDA

[The Jumper goes through the 'gate. Daedalus enters hyperspace just as the entire planet explodes.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS 'GATE ROOM

[Ronon and Teyla arrive carrying their sacks of seed.]

TEYLA Take this grain to the storage room.

[She hands if off.]

[Above them in the observation area, McKay and Weir argue. Teyla and Ronon overhear them, exchanging concerned looks.]

WEIR &hellip;everybody on this base. You are the smartest man we have.

MCKAY I know!

WEIR You knew there was a question about what you were doing. And you put your life and other people's lives at risk.

MCKAY But&mdash;

WEIR You destroyed three-quarters of a solar system!

MCKAY Well, five-sixths. It's not an exact science.

WEIR Rodney, give your ego a rest for one second?

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard sees McKay and turns the other way.]

MCKAY Oh, Colonel. Colonel! I've been looking all over for you.

SHEPPARD I heard.

[Sheppard turns to face him, crossing his arms.]

MCKAY I suppose I deserve that. Look, I just, um&hellip;I wanted to apologize about what happened. I was wrong. I'm sorry. And I wanted to assure you that I intend on being right again, about everything, effective immediately.

[Sheppard smirks at him.]

MCKAY That was a joke.

SHEPPARD Good one.

[Sheppard turns and steps into the transporter. Rodney rushes forward.]

MCKAY I've already apologized to Elizabeth.

[Sheppard reluctantly remains.]

MCKAY And Radek and&hellip;and I thanked Colonel Caldwell for caring enough to spy on the experiment from orbit. Sent him a nice little e-mail, actually. But I saved you till last because, um&hellip; Honestly, I would&hellip;I would hate to think that recent events might have permanently dimmed your faith in my abilities&hellip; Or your trust. At the very least, I hope I can&mdash;I can earn that back.

SHEPPARD That may take a while.

MCKAY (saddened) I see.

SHEPPARD (smiling) But&hellip; I'm sure you can do it, if you really, really try.

[Sheppard activates the transporter controls, and the doors close. McKay smiles briefly, then sighs with some sadness.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

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