The Game/Transcript

Episode Guide
The Game" Episode Guide

Prologue
TEASER

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS MESS HALL

[Sheppard's team eats their meals together in the crowded mess hall.]

MCKAY Let me ask you a question. Say there's a runaway train. It's hurtling out of control towards ten people standing in the middle of the tracks. Only way to save those people is to flip a switch, send the train down another set of tracks. The only problem is&mdash;there is a baby in the middle of those tracks.

TEYLA Why would anyone leave a baby in harm's way like that?

MCKAY Well, I-I don't know. That's not the point. It's an ethical dilemma. Look, Katie Brown brought it up over dinner the other night. Question is: is it appropriate to divert the train and kill the one baby to save the ten people?

RONON Wouldn't the people just see the train coming and move?

MCKAY No. No, they wouldn't see it.

RONON Why not?

MCKAY (sighing) Well, look, I don't know. Say they're blind.

TEYLA All of them?

MCKAY (getting annoyed) Yes. All of them.

RONON Then why don't you just call out and tell them to move out of the way?

MCKAY Oh, because they can't hear you.

SHEPPARD What, they're deaf too? How fast is the train going?

MCKAY (exasperated) Look, the speed doesn't matter!

SHEPPARD Oh, sure it does. If it's going slow enough, you could&hellip;outrun it and shove everyone to the side.

RONON Or better yet, go get the baby.

[Ronon and Sheppard exchange agreeing nods before Sheppard takes a bite of his orange.]

MCKAY Oh, for god's sake, I was just trying to&mdash;

WEIR (over radio) Rodney&hellip;?

MCKAY Wh-yes. Go ahead.

WEIR (over radio) Major Lorne just dialed in from M4D-058. He says he's got something you'll want to see.

MCKAY Hmm.

[He stands and starts to leave.]

MCKAY (to team) Work it out.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[McKay and Sheppard stand with Weir looking at a monitor which shows Lorne crouched low by a wall.]

LORNE (over video) We came through the space gate and immediately noticed a bunch of small satellites in geo-synchronous orbit above the planet.

WEIR (into radio) An advanced civilization?

LORNE (over video) That's what we thought. Then we picked up life signs directly below, so we flew down&mdash;saw several villages separated by a large river and decided to check one of them out. And as you can see&hellip; (to sergeant off-camera) Sergeant&hellip;?

[The sergeant moves the camera to show the village below the wall. The people are using wooden wheelbarrows and simple tools as they go about their daily business.]

LORNE (continuing, over video) These people&hellip;don't exactly look like they're ready to be launching any satellites, at least not for the next five hundred years or so.

SHEPPARD Ancients probably put them up there.

MCKAY (agreeing) Mmm.

WEIR (to McKay, but heard on radio) Send a science team to check it out.

[Lorne, now back on camera, looks amused.]

LORNE (over video) Uh, actually&hellip;I think Doctor McKay may want to come check this one out for himself.

MCKAY Why?

LORNE Take a look.

[The off-camera sergeant pans the camera again and zooms its focus onto a small banner hanging from a building. It has a red stripe on each side of the banner, and in the white center is a picture of McKay's face.]

[Weir, Sheppard and McKay stare at the image in shock. Sheppard bites his lip as he and McKay exchange looks&mdash;as if they know something about this after all and also know they're in trouble.]

END TEASER

Episode
OPENING CREDITS

INT&mdash;WEIR'S OFFICE

[Weir storms into her office, McKay and Sheppard following.]

WEIR (furious) How the hell did your face get on that flag?!

MCKAY Oh, uh, I don't know.

[Weir stares from McKay to Sheppard, aware they know more to this than they're saying.]

MCKAY (perplexed) Wai-wait. Here's the thing though. That flag's very similar to the one I designed in our game.

SHEPPARD (snappish) It's exactly like the one you designed in our game.

WEIR What game?

SHEPPARD The game Rodney and I have been playing.

MCKAY (innocently) Yeah, we didn't tell you about the game?

SHEPPARD We've been playing for a while now.

MCKAY Yeah, off and on in our spare time&mdash;you know, uh, at night, between missions, I could've sworn we told you about it.

WEIR (impatient) What. Game?

MCKAY Well, it started a while ago&hellip;

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;"GAME" ROOM, ATLANTIS

[McKay and a science team enter the room. The control panels light up.]

MCKAY (voiceover) Uh, a few months after we arrived here, we were exploring the city, checking out some labs on the East Pier when we discovered a room. There were several Ancient consoles and screens. It was quite an impressive layout. As usual, everything sprang to life as soon as we entered.

[McKay goes to a monitor, which shows a landscape with a winding river.]

MCKAY (voiceover) At first, we thought it was some kind of a geological facility. There was a screen with a map that we assumed was of the Lantian mainland.

END FLASHBACK

WEIR Yes, I remember you briefing me about that.

MCKAY Right, there you go. We did tell you.

WEIR You mentioned nothing about a game, though.

SHEPPARD That's because at first we didn't know what it was&hellip;.

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;GAME ROOM

[McKay sits at one of the panels. He punches controls and pulls up more menus on the screen.]

SHEPPARD (continuing) Then, Rodney studied it more closely. He realized it wasn't a geological lab at all.

MCKAY (voiceover) No, it turns out, it was it was in fact a-a-a kind of a&hellip;Ancient game room. The map was of a fictional civilization. It was part of a simulated world.

[The McKay in the flashback grins at his find.]

MCKAY Sweet!

END FLASHBACK

SHEPPARD Yeah, what you do, is you take these countries that are already in a database and you assume control of them.

MCKAY Two societies, separated by a river straight down the middle. Sheppard took one country, I took the other.

SHEPPARD First thing Rodney did, besides renaming his country, is put his face all over the flag.

[Sheppard chuckles and rolls his eyes. McKay also chuckles and grins. Weir looks very unamused.]

WEIR I think you need to check this planet out.

[McKay and Sheppard's grins fade. Abashed, they leave.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[A puddle jumper comes through the space gate and flies around M4D-058.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

TEYLA So&hellip;the Ancestors created this game?

MCKAY Yes, but this is no ordinary game. I mean, it is incredibly challenging, instructional&hellip;I mean the sheer number of options built into it? Staggering.

TEYLA How does one play it?

SHEPPARD You gotta figure out the best way to run your country.

MCKAY Yeah, you build roads, you, uh, establish laws, mold it to your own specific ideology.

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;GAME ROOM

[Sheppard and McKay sit across from each other, each with a computer in front of them. Their monitors show the river landscape. Sheppard looks over at Rodney's side as if trying to guess what he's doing.]

MCKAY (voiceover) You can control everything. Proper sanitation systems, water delivery.

SHEPPARD (voiceover) Transportation&hellip;

MCKAY (voiceover) I mean, every detail can be manipulated&hellip;I mean, right down to the women's hairstyles.

[On McKay's computer, he pulls up a computer image of a woman avatar. She wears a white dress with red trim, but there are other options. She has shoulder length red hair and green eyes. McKay changes the hair to blond and short.]

MCKAY Hello there.

END FLASHBACK

RONON So how do you win this game?

SHEPPARD It's not really about winning.

FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;GAME ROOM

[McKay and Sheppard study information on their respective monitors. They peer over their monitor to look at each other.]

MCKAY (voiceover) Yeah, it's more about whose society outshines the other's. I mean, who creates a better infrastructure.

END FLASHBACK

MCKAY (continuing, smugly) &hellip;who's better at trade.

[Sheppard glares at McKay.]

MCKAY (innocently) What? Hey, don't start. I tried to negotiate with you.

SHEPPARD Making a list of demands and not giving anything in return is not negotiating.

MCKAY I offered you an entire crop of beans.

SHEPPARD I don't need beans, I need lumber.

MCKAY Oh, right, to build defensive fortifications for your army, which he doubled in size, by the way. Surprise, surprise.

[They glance back, making their arguments to Ronon and Teyla, who look equally amused and bemused by the conversation.]

SHEPPARD I only did that after you started cheating.

MCKAY I did not cheat!

SHEPPARD He's giving his people way too much technology for their level of development. I'm not the only one increasing my army, by the way.

MCKAY I had to do something to protect the people of Geldar from you.

RONON Geldar?

SHEPPARD It's the name of Rodney's country. He named it after a girl he stalked in college.

MCKAY I did not stalk her. We dated&hellip;twice. Theresa Geldar. Very cute blonde. I always used to think her name reminded me of some kind of a&hellip;mythological land: the kingdom of Geldar.

[Teyla smiles, then taps Sheppard on the arm.]

TEYLA What'd you call your country?

SHEPPARD (shrugging) Well, I&hellip;just&hellip;kept the name it already had.

[The HUD pulls up an image of a hundred satellites in a square pattern, floating over the planet.]

SHEPPARD Well, there are the satellites.

TEYLA Dozens of them.

MCKAY Positioned directly above the continent. Perfect grid. Ten-by-ten. Should have a visual on one of them&hellip;

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The jumper approaches a satellite.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

RONON Definitely looks Ancient.

MCKAY Huh. And active. It's transmitting a tremendous amount of data.

SHEPPARD All right, let's check it out.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The jumper flies down to the surface of M4D-058.]

EXT&mdash;VILLAGE, DAY

[A couple watch a primitive version of a movie on a cylindrical wheel; it shows an animation of a man who has his head pop off and go back on. Other vendors sell telescopes and other science equipment. Sheppard's team walks among the crowd. The villagers who spot McKay stop what they're doing and stare at him. Many of the women in the village have short blond hair.]

MCKAY This is amazing!

RONON If you say so.

[A man drives by on an early version of a bicycle, with a large front wheel and smaller rear one.]

SHEPPARD (sarcastic) Oh, yeah. That's something you see in every medieval village.

MCKAY Yes, well, the&hellip;Renaissance obviously came early to these folks.

SHEPPARD What, a couple hundred years early?

[More and more of the crowd have noticed McKay and have started whispering to each other. The team notices their interest and begins to feel uncomfortable under the scrutiny.]

TEYLA Um&hellip;Rodney?

[Ronon picks up a tricked-out crossbow on a vendor's table and studies it as the crowd seems to watch with awe&mdash;their attention stuck on McKay. He stares back at them, bewildered, not noticing he's standing under a painting of&hellip;himself in the same pose, complete with jacket with the Canadian flag patch. The painting has a halo over McKay's head. Nola begins to approach. Sheppard looks from the painting to McKay, nonplussed.]

SHEPPARD (whispering harshly to McKay) Say something!

MCKAY (low, to Sheppard) Like what?

SHEPPARD (low, to McKay) I don't know!

NOLA Hello. I am Nola.

MCKAY Yes, well, uh&hellip;this is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, and I'm&hellip;McKay. Doctor Rodney McKay.

[He flashes Nola, who is an attractive young woman with short blond hair, a charming smile. Nola steps forward and studies McKay's features intently, glancing up to the portrait behind him.]

SHEPPARD The resemblance is&hellip;uncanny.

[McKay glances back, finally seeing the portrait.]

NOLA (awed) You are the Oracle!

MCKAY The Oracle?

[Nola steps back and bows deeply. All the villagers follow suit.]

NOLA Welcome to Geldar.

[McKay looks shocked, and guilty. Sheppard shoots him a narrow look.]

INT&mdash;PORTAL BUILDING CORRIDOR

[Nola leads the team down a stone corridor.]

NOLA Please forgive my nervousness. I never thought you'd appear to us in the flesh.

TEYLA Why do you refer to him as "the Oracle"?

[Nola looks to McKay for permission to speak, he shrugs and waves his hand.]

NOLA The Oracle is a wise and omnipotent deity.

SHEPPARD (to Ronon) Boy, she's in for a rude awakening.

NOLA Thousands of years ago, he gave our ancestors life. He instructed them how to build their society, how to live their lives. His guidance was revered by all. Then one day, without warning, the Oracle ceased all communications.

RONON (to Sheppard) War with the Wraith.

[Sheppard nods in agreement.]

NOLA Our people were puzzled by this, but they continued to adhere to his instructions, living their lives according to his teachings which they passed down from generation to generation.

[They pass more portraits of McKay.]

TEYLA Have you not had any trouble with the Wraith?

NOLA Yes. They've come periodically&mdash;culled our people, destroyed our villages. Those who survived rebuilt, but only to the level at which the Oracle had instructed before he left. We found ourselves stalled in our development, unwilling to push forward without the Oracle's guidance, hoping one day he would return to us. And two years ago, he did. The Oracle resumed communicating with us, teaching us many new things. He challenged us to think, to push the limit of our scientific endeavors. He changed the name of our country, and even revealed his likeness to us.

[McKay grins smugly at yet another portrait. Sheppard shakes his head in disgust.]

SHEPPARD Enough with the pictures.

INT&mdash;PORTAL CHAMBER

[McKay looks down over a balcony to the floor below, where people work around an Ancient device that shows a map of the continent, similar to that of the game.]

MCKAY Ah, and you communicate through that.

NOLA The portal, yes.

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[The team heads down the stairs to the console.]

NOLA It's through this that we receive our instructions.

TEYLA And the Oracle knows when you've carried them out?

NOLA Yes.

MCKAY It's the satellites! They must be tracking everything that's going on and then relaying it via subspace back to Atlantis. It's remarkable!

RONON So, not a game after all.

MCKAY No, it's obviously some kind of, uh, Ancient experiment, uh, social development, to try out different ways to create civilizations.

[Sheppard points to the symbol of an area on the other side of the river.]

SHEPPARD This country here&hellip;?

NOLA Hallona.

[Sheppard preens.]

NOLA A persistent thorn in our side.

[Sheppard's face falls.]

NOLA (to McKay) Now that you've come to us, you can help us remove it.

[Sheppard and McKay exchange worried looks.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DUSK

INT&mdash;GAME ROOM

[Zelenka, Lorne, and Weir stand in front of the console.]

WEIR So this is it?

ZELENKA (awed) Yes. Yes, it is an amazing piece of technology. It appears to be a sociological experiment designed by the Ancients to help them as they were seeding various civilizations throughout Pegasus. I-I've had a chance to look at it further, and it-it's interesting, there are many more civilizations in the game's database.

WEIR Really? I thought Rodney said there were only two.

ZELENKA That's what he thought. The actual countries that he and Colonel Sheppard are controlling are on this specific planet, but I've been able to access the codes to unlock additional levels to the game&hellip;I-I mean, to the ex-experiment. I discovered countries on-on planets throughout the galaxy. Some have been idle for the past ten thousand years, I guess awaiting instructions from the Ancients, but some have managed to develop on their own, even flourish. Some have been destroyed by war, and others have been&hellip;completely wiped out. Er, not that R-Rodney's and Colonel Sheppard's societies are on this path.

[They stare at the civilizations shown on the monitor.]

WEIR (concerned) So much power at one's fingertips.

ZELENKA (enchanted) It's amazing the attraction of this&hellip;game.

[Weir shoots him a worried look.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR VILLAGE SQUARE

[Nola sits at an outdoor table with McKay. Helkin unfurls a blueprint for a dirigible.]

NOLA We've managed to achieve propulsion through hand powered propellers, but now we're undertaking tests of steam-powered propulsion.

MCKAY Oh.

HELKIN Only this morning, I completed a test that proved quite promising.

MCKAY (nonplussed) Really, that's great.

NOLA (anxious) You're pleased?

MCKAY Yes. Yes! I mean, this is quite an achievement.

[The rest of McKay's teammates arrive with a man dressed in chain mail, Baden. The villagers watch warily as he approaches. Nola stands when she spots Baden, looking angry.]

NOLA What's he doing here?

BADEN It wasn't my idea.

[A bewildered McKay looks between them.]

SHEPPARD Doctor Rodney McKay, meet Baden.

MCKAY (disdainfully) Oh, your guy.

SHEPPARD My guy.

MCKAY Eh, it figures.

NOLA I should have you arrested for trespassing.

BADEN Go ahead and try.

SHEPPARD Easy now. I brought him here because we need to have a little discussion.

NOLA I have nothing to say to him.

BADEN Fine with me.

[He turns to leave, but Ronon blocks his path, looking menacing.]

SHEPPARD Eh, maybe not. But we definitely have something to say to you.

[Later, they all sit around the table.]

SHEPPARD So, his story's pretty much the same as Nola's. His ancestors received instructions from their Oracle, who disappeared for thousands of years, only to suddenly resume communicating a few years ago.

MCKAY (snidely) Let me guess, he told you to double the size of your army.

SHEPPARD (snidely) Yes, he has a capable army&hellip;and some nice villages. No people riding bicycles or hot air balloons, because we weren't cheating!

MCKAY I didn't cheat!

NOLA Have you come to agree to our trade proposals?

BADEN You mean demands? Never.

NOLA (standing) Then I refuse to sit at the same table&hellip;

MCKAY (quickly) Look, look, please sit.

[Nola complies.]

MCKAY Thank you.

TEYLA This&hellip;hostility between you. Have your people lived like this for thousands of years?

NOLA No. There was once peace between our lands.

MCKAY (with regret) Oh, no.

SHEPPARD (hesitantly) So this&hellip;hostility&hellip;um&hellip;did it start a few years ago.

NOLA Yes. Shortly after the Oracle resumed communicating with us.

[Sheppard and McKay exchange sheepish looks; Teyla and Ronon exchange glances.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GAME ROOM

[Weir has left Zelenka and Lorne, who are studying the readout of a civilization.]

LORNE So&hellip;they're starving?

ZELENKA Well, not as of yet, but if they don't change their approach to agriculture, it won't be too long before many of their people go hungry. The frustrating thing is, there is a large piece of fertile soil in the south of the country that would be idea for a tuber cultivation, you know?

LORNE Sorry, "tuber"?

ZELENKA Tuber, yeah, tuber. It, eh, it is, uh, indigenous to the planet. It's like a potato.

LORNE So why didn't you just say "potato"?

ZELENKA Because it's not a potato! It's-it's&hellip;it's&hellip;larger&hellip;it-it-it has the same texture and nutrients as a potato, but&hellip;it's&hellip;like a cantaloupe.

LORNE That's a pretty big potato.

ZELENKA Uh-huh. It is a big potato.

LORNE So, if they plant this thing there, it'll grow?

ZELENKA Yeah, oh yes. Oh, whole fields of it. I mean, they could sustain an entire village, but&hellip;they're oblivious to it.

LORNE Then tell them&hellip;anonymously. Oh, come on, Doc. You can either stand here and let the people die, or you can&hellip;help them out. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

[Zelenka considers this.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[Nola, Baden, Helkin, and others stand around the terminal with the Atlantis team.]

MCKAY As soon as we input the instructions into our console, they are&hellip;relayed back to this device by a number of satellites in orbit over your planet. Once you've carried out the instructions, the satellites transmit the real-time results back to us on our homeworld.

NOLA (upset and confused) So&hellip;you're saying this is a game?

[McKay looks from Nola to Baden who looks equally disturbed.]

MCKAY No&hellip;no. Uh-uh, well&hellip;we thought it was a game, but, uh&hellip;

SHEPPARD We didn't know there were real people on the other end.

BADEN You are the Oracle?

SHEPPARD I'm your Oracle, yes&hellip;That doesn't sound right.

TEYLA I-I know this is difficult to absorb, but&hellip;it is all true.

RONON You flew in the puddle jumper; you know they have the technology.

BADEN I'm not listening to this.

[He starts to leave. Sheppard stops him.]

SHEPPARD Hold on a sec, now. We can prove it to you.

BADEN How?

SHEPPARD Let's go for a ride.

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Weir and a security contingent are already in the control room as Sheppard's team, Baden, and Nola come down the stairwell from the jumper bay.]

SHEPPARD Baden, Nola, this is Doctor Weir, leader of our expedition.

WEIR Welcome to Atlantis. If these two gentlemen haven't done so already, let me please offer you our sincerest apologies for this intrusion into your lives.

[Baden and Nola wander to the inner balcony of the control room.]

SHEPPARD (protesting) "Intrusion?"

MCKAY An imposition, maybe&hellip;and a benevolent one at that! I mean, if you could've seen the villages now compared to the way they were when we started&mdash;

WEIR Rodney! Now, why don't you take them to your "game" room? Show them what you two've been up to?

MCKAY Right. Shall we?

[McKay leads them away.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GAME ROOM

[McKay shows a computer display to Nola and Baden. Sheppard is nearby.]

MCKAY So&hellip;this is Geldar, and this is Hallona. Look, two weeks ago I instructed you to start digging a well for the new settlement on the eastern slope, and&hellip;look here. (typing on computer) There, see? Construction's already begun.

[McKay looks up, proud. Nola looks at the display, stunned.]

NOLA Yes. I gave the order myself. (upset) Our lives are just a game.

SHEPPARD Well, now, no! They're not games to you, and, in our defense, we were trying to improve your lives.

MCKAY It's like he said, everything we did, every instruction we gave was to better conditions for your people.

SHEPPARD (low voice) And if that meant cheating&hellip;

MCKAY Okay, you know, enough with that already!

[Baden watches everything. Nola just stares in despair.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, NIGHT

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GUEST QUARTERS

[Nola sits stiffly on the bed. McKay stands nearby.]

MCKAY Is the room&hellip;okay?

NOLA (blankly) It's fine.

MCKAY Well then, if you, uh, if you need anything at all&hellip;don't hesitate to ask, okay? You hungry? 'Cause-cause, we could, uh, walk across to the mess hall. They've got, um, I think it's, uh, salisbury steak today? It's very good. They have-they have a gravy they put on the-on the steak part, and, uh&hellip;

[McKay's voice trails off into silence.]

NOLA (upset) The Oracle was a god to us! I believed in his teachings&mdash;so much so that my people elected me leader because of my passion for scientific advancement.

MCKAY Well, they-they obviously made the right choice.

NOLA Now I must resolve myself to the fact&hellip;that the Oracle is only a man.

MCKAY (contrite) Yeah. Sorry about that. So&hellip;it's like I said though, I&hellip;I did what I did with the best of intentions.

NOLA (bitter) To win a game.

[McKay rushes over and sits next to her.]

MCKAY No! No-no. It is not about winning or losing. Look, the information I gave you and your people is very real, very useful! I've set you on a course that will allow you to develop into a-into a modern society. I mean, where were you two years ago, huh? You were a primitive, disparate cluster of villages stalled in development. Now you're making dirigibles! Do you have any idea how momentous that is?

NOLA The Oracle once said: "Ask not what Geldar can do for you, but what you can do for Geldar." Those were your words.

MCKAY (uncomfortable) Um&hellip;give or take.

NOLA They are very wise.

MCKAY (looking away) Yes. Yes, they are.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS MESS HALL

[Sheppard and Baden sit in the empty mess hall.]

SHEPPARD Well, now that you know the truth, uh, you can go back to living your own lives, and we won't&hellip;bother you anymore.

BADEN No. You must still help us.

SHEPPARD You don't need our help. You'll be fine.

BADEN We need more weapons. The flying machine you brought us here in&hellip;you called it a "puddle jumper". Our army could use it.

SHEPPARD (uncomfortable, but firm) No. Can't do that.

BADEN But you encouraged me to increase the military.

SHEPPARD In response to McKay&hellip;the other Oracle doing things that I thought were, uh&hellip;

BADEN Aggressive? Arrogant? Demeaning to me and my people?!

SHEPPARD I-I will give you arrogant and demeaning, but uh&hellip;

BADEN The people of Geldar have started digging a mine beneath our borders to exploit coal resources on our land!

SHEPPARD (leaning forward, intrigued) Really?

BEDEN It was only confirmed yesterday. This after several diplomatic attempts to reach a compromise.

SHEPPARD Yeah, we couldn't come to an agreement, but-but I didn't think he would start digging.

BEDEN I'm curious to know what response you would have to such an incursion. I believe your next command would be to launch an attack on the mine. Prevent them from digging further? I'm right, aren't I?

[Sheppard fidgets, but doesn't deny it.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[McKay and Sheppard walk with Weir.]

WEIR Did they believe you?

MCKAY Yes, they are fully aware of the situation&mdash;not too thrilled, obviously.

SHEPPARD We've got a big problem, though.

WEIR (sighing) What is it?

SHEPPARD Game or no game, the fact remains, we've started something these people don't seem to want to stop. They hate each other and may be headed for a very real&hellip;war.

[Weir stops short.]

WEIR (sarcastic) Great. Great. And this is thanks to your&hellip;"benevolent imposition"?

[She storms off.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONFERENCE ROOM

[Weir sits at the center table. Nola sits at one of the side tables, Baden at an opposite one.]

WEIR I've asked you both here this morning so we can have a face-to-face talk. Now, hopefully, I can help you reach an understanding.

NOLA Where is Doctor McKay?

WEIR Well, I've asked that neither he nor Colonel Sheppard participate in this. I think they've already done enough in fostering the current tension between you. Now, I have had some experience brokering peace treaties; I'm sure we can find some common ground.

[Nola and Baden look resistant, and say nothing.]

WEIR Okay&hellip;why don't we start by going back a few years, to the time when your two peoples lived in peace?

NOLA We were naive back then&mdash;ignorant to our potential. Once we began to challenge ourselves intellectually, we began to see how the people of Hallona had been abusing thousands of years of kindness from us.

BADEN I've done everything I could to achieve peace with you.

NOLA Really? Such as?

BADEN I sent gifts of good will.

NOLA You sent crates of citrus fruit. Citrus! Do you have any idea what an insult that is to my people?!

BEDEN It didn't used to be.

WEIR Okay, see, I think I know where that comes from. Did&hellip;"the Oracle"&hellip;tell you that citrus fruit was bad?

NOLA He made us aware of its toxic properties, yes.

[Weir opens her mouth to respond, but Baden cuts in.]

BADEN Everything is toxic to you! If they're not busy insulting us, they're complaining about contaminated food, improper hygiene. Even the sunlight is dangerous to them!

[Weir nods in understanding, but can't break into the conversation.]

NOLA The only insult has been your unwillingness to compromise in any trade negotiation. Instead, you choose to increase the size of your army.

BADEN You built an army, too!

NOLA Only in response to your aggression.

BADEN My aggression? You dig a mine beneath our border to steal our coal, and you have the nerve to talk about aggression?!

NOLA We're not stealing your co&mdash;

BADEN You crossed into our land!

NOLA What do you need it for anyway? It's not like you know the first thing about what to do with it!

BADEN You see how she insults us?

NOLA (cuttingly) By stating a fact!

WEIR Okay, please! If we could discuss this reasonably, I'm sure we can come to some sort of&mdash;

NOLA We've tried! They agree to nothing. And until Doctor McKay is brought into this discussion, I have nothing further to say.

[Nola leaves. Baden shrugs helplessly and also leaves. Weir sits alone.]

WEIR (to herself) That went well.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Weir talks with Sheppard and McKay as they head down a corridor.]

WEIR Talk to them. Get them back to the table and hammer out a truce. I have run into a roadblock.

MCKAY (surprised) Really? Nola seemed very agreeable.

SHEPPARD (snidely) To you.

MCKAY Yeah, well more agreeable than "Richard the Lionheart".

WEIR They are both refusing to compromise. You seem to have convinced them that they can't make any decisions without your guidance!

SHEPPARD That's not true!

WEIR (sighing, frustrated) Tell them that!

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS MESS HALL

[Nola tries a bowl of blue Jell-O for the first time. McKay sits across the table from her.]

NOLA This is delicious!

MCKAY Listen, you need to make peace with the people of Hallona. If-if tensions keep rising like this, it could lead to war.

NOLA (nodding, somber) I'm aware of that.

MCKAY Well, then you're also aware that people will get hurt.

NOLA I know the danger to my people. I also know you've taught us things Baden's band of knuckle-draggers won't learn for hundreds of years.

MCKAY (preening) Huh. Well&hellip;

NOLA Under your leadership, we hope to remain many steps ahead of any kind of aggression from them.

MCKAY Nola, you and your people need to start thinking for yourselves. Look, I'm not going to be there for you anymore. You need to-to take control of your own lives, start making your own decisions about your future. And there can be no future without peace.

NOLA I agree.

MCKAY Good.

NOLA And as soon as the people of Hallona either concede or get out of our way, peace will be restored. What you told me before, I do realize how monumental our progress has been, and I refuse to let Baden destroy that. "Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds." Those are the words of the Oracle. You words.

MCKAY (uncomfortable) Einstein's, actually, but&hellip;

NOLA If we yield one bit to Hallona, it will be equal to taking a giant step back in our development. I owe it to my people to make sure that does not happen.

MCKAY (sighing) Hmm.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GAME ROOM

[Sheppard and Baden study a display.]

BADEN They're digging further. Every hour, they intrude deeper into our land.

SHEPPARD To get them to stop, you have to provide an incentive.

BADEN Like attacking the mine?

SHEPPARD Well, that'll cause a whole 'nother set of problems.

BADEN The only problems will be with the people of Geldar.

SHEPPARD Not necessarily. They can fight back.

BADEN What are you saying? We should capitulate? Let them do whatever they want?

SHEPPARD No, you make a deal. Trade. Say&hellip;you decide to share some of your weaponry, and they in turn, give you some of their technology.

WEIR (over radio) John?

[Sheppard turns his back on Baden and walks to a corner of the room to converse in private.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) Go ahead.

WEIR (over radio) How's it going?

[While Sheppard speaks, Baden notices his inattention and hurriedly types some commands into the computer connected to his home-world.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) Well&hellip;he's being a little&hellip;uh&hellip;

WEIR (over radio) Stubborn?

SHEPPARD (into radio) I was going to use a different word.

[Baden finishes and steps back, trying to look innocent. The computer beeps its acceptance of the commands. Sheppard overhears the computer beep and stiffens.]

WEIR (over radio) Hmm.

[Sheppard turns and studies Baden suspiciously. Baden pretends to look oblivious as he stands several feet back, studying the computer screen with interest.]

WEIR (over radio) I'd like you to come to my office. We need to talk.

INT&mdash;WEIR'S OFFICE

[McKay and Sheppard sit in the chairs in front of Weir's desk.]

WEIR They're not open to any kind of deal?

SHEPPARD Not yet. Maybe we should stick them in a room, force them to come to an agreement.

MCKAY (blithely) Don't worry about it, they'll work it out. Look, we just happened to catch them at a particularly bad time. Sheppard's guy's been doing a lot of aggressive posturing of late.

SHEPPARD The only aggression is coming from the people of "Gelding".

MCKAY Geldar.

SHEPPARD Whatever! His people are digging a mine across the border into Hallona.

[Weir looks expectantly at McKay, who looks guilty.]

MCKAY (defensively) The coal resources straddle the border between my country and his.

SHEPPARD Barely! They go three miles into my country, which your people are happily tunneling into.

MCKAY It has been a point of contention between us, okay? But it is just a-a difference in cartographic interpretation. "To-may-to, to-mah-to."

SHEPPARD No, no. It's pretty clear cut. You entered illegally into my country.

WEIR Gentlemen&mdash;

MCKAY You gave me no choice! You refused to negotiate!

SHEPPARD Oh, you mean give in.

MCKAY What do you care, anyway? It's not like your people are going to use the coal!

SHEPPARD Oh, oh yeah, that's right. You need it to power your medieval steam engines!

MCKAY We&mdash;

WEIR (standing, furious) Stop it! These are not your lands! This "game" is over, so you'd better set aside your differences. Because if the two of you can't figure out how to forge a truce, how the hell are these people going to?

ZELENKA (over radio) Rodney?

MCKAY (peeved, into radio) What?!

ZELENKA (over radio) You'd better come to the game room.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GAME ROOM

[Weir, McKay and Sheppard join Zelenka in the room.]

WEIR What happened?

ZELENKA We've just received a data stream from the planet.

[Sheppard sits at a terminal. It shows several Hallona troops descending on Geldar people at the mine entrance.]

ZELENKA Colonel Sheppard's army has launched an attack.

[McKay and Weir glare at Sheppard.]

SHEPPARD (innocent) Well don't look at me! I didn't order it!

[As McKay studies his screen, the red Geldar people retreat. The blue Hallonans surround the mine entrance.]

MCKAY Oh, they're going after the mine!

WEIR Well&hellip;looks like your war just started.

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GAME ROOM

[Nola and Baden, with their security escort, have now joined the others.]

SHEPPARD Who ordered this?

BADEN I did.

MCKAY He entered the command on your game console.

BADEN I only did it because I know it was something you would've told me to do.

SHEPPARD I ordered you to make peace with these people!

NOLA This attack will not go unpunished!

WEIR No one is doing any punishing! There'll be no further escalation to this conflict.

[McKay studies the display.]

MCKAY Well, there's no casualties reported. Looks like the mine was surrendered without a fight.

BADEN I told my army to minimize collateral damage.

WEIR You need to get back there. Take Ronon and Teyla with you. Go to your respective countries, and make sure this does not get any further out of hand. No one has been hurt yet; let's keep it that way.

WORMHOLE EFFECT

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[Nola, McKay and Ronon hurry down the steps.]

HELKIN You're back. We were beginning to worry.

NOLA What's the status?

HELKIN I've ordered three army units to retake the mine. They're on their way.

MCKAY Oh, no. No-no-no. You need to put a stop to that.

NOLA Why?

MCKAY Look, we just need to step back and reassess the situation here, okay? We should be thinking about easing tensions, not inflaming them!

NOLA Oh, no. They're continuing to advance.

MCKAY What?

[McKay and Ronon study the computer display, which shows the Hallona troops leaving the mine and advancing towards the advancing Geldar forces.]

NOLA (to Helkin) Divert the units away from the mine. Have them gather in the village. Prepare to defend it.

RONON (low to McKay) Isn't this what you're supposed to be stopping?

MCKAY Yes. Look, listen to me, you cannot engage them!

NOLA We must protect our people!

MCKAY Look, I agree, but you've got to give Sheppard some time. He'll call off the army.

NOLA (fiercely, skeptical) Will he?

[McKay sighs and moves away from the panel.]

EXT&mdash;HALLONA VILLAGE HEADQUARTERS, DAY

[Sheppard stands in a doorway. Teyla stands inside. Baden is with his people by their own Oracle station.]

MCKAY (over radio) Sheppard, come in.

SHEPPARD (into radio) Go ahead.

MCKAY (over radio, nervous) Are you watching what's going on here?

SHEPPARD (into radio) No, we just got here. Pretty much the same set up as yours. We don't have electricity, but I'm not gonna get into that right now.

MCKAY (into radio, impatient) Your army is still on the march!

[Sheppard hurries over to Baden and the control station.]

SHEPPARD What?!

MCKAY (over radio) Look, they're headed to one of my villages. You need to call them off before they&mdash;

TEYLA The attack has begun.

[They watch as Baden's forces take over the Geldar village. The Geldar forces retreat again.]

INT&mdash;GELAR HEADQUARTERS

[Ronon, Nola, and McKay watch the same thing from their terminal.]

RONON Looks like your guys are giving up.

MCKAY What? No-no-no-no. That can't be right.

SHEPPARD (over radio) That was fast, Rodney.

MCKAY Well, they retreated without any kind of a fight. What kind of army is that?

RONON (shrugging) Well, at least there's no casualties.

NOLA It's all right. I have another plan.

[Nola leaves.]

MCKAY What other plan?

RONON Why are you asking me?

MCKAY Well&hellip;

[McKay takes off after Nola.]

INT&mdash;GELAR HALLWAY

[McKay finds Nola looking over parchment with Helkin.]

MCKAY Uh&hellip;what are you doing?

NOLA Preparing our counterattack.

MCKAY What counterattack?

HELKIN From&hellip;information you gave us about high temperature and energetic materials technology, I have constructed a tactical explosive device.

MCKAY Wait&hellip;a bomb? You actually built a bomb?!

NOLA I told you we'd always be several steps ahead of Baden.

MCKAY How come I didn't know about this?

NOLA We have yet to test it, so it still appears to not exist.

HELKIN We will target one of Hallona's outlying villages.

MCKAY How are you going to deliver it, huh? I mean, the-the catapult couldn't possibly reach that far.

HELKIN I will deliver it.

NOLA Using one of the airships you taught us to build. (to Helkin) Go.

[Helkin nods and leaves, taking the plans.]

MCKAY Oh, no. No-no-no-no-no. Come back!

EXT&mdash;HALLONA VILLAGE, DAY

[Sheppard and Teyla step out of headquarters, looking worried.]

SHEPPARD (furious, low into radio) You taught them how to build a bomb?!

[The conversation switches between Geldar and Hallona.]

MCKAY No! I mean&hellip;not specifically. Look&hellip;okay&hellip;maybe I provided them with the list of ingredients&hellip;but&hellip;

SHEPPARD Gah! I don't believe this!

TEYLA How much damage can it cause?

MCKAY Enough to take out an entire village?

TEYLA (panicked) Well, then you must tell them to stop!

MCKAY I tried that! It's already on the way!

SHEPPARD How are they delivering it?

MCKAY (weakly) Dirigible?

SHEPPARD You just had to cheat, didn't you!

MCKAY I did not cheat! Look, nowhere in the rules did it specifically outlaw the development of flying machines, only the&hellip;degree and speed of technological advancement.

SHEPPARD Well, they advanced pretty damn fast, didn't they!?

TEYLA Do we still have time to shoot it down?

MCKAY (checking watch) Yes. Yes, I think so.

TEYLA Then we'd better get moving.

[Sheppard and Teyla leave.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GAME ROOM

[Weir enters the room. Zelenka and Lorne are arguing animatedly across the two opposing computer terminals. They have not noticed her presence.]

ZELENKA Absurd!

LORNE What are you talking about? It's a personally reasonable request.

ZELENKA (sarcastic) Oh, yeah. Perfectly reasonable. I give you all of my food, and my people starve.

LORNE (talking over Zelenka) I am not asking you for all your food!

ZELENKA (talking over Lorne) Yeah, that's perfectly reasonable to me, all right.

LORNE I did say that we would make a deal.

ZELENKA (scoffing) A deal. Oh yeah, baskets.

LORNE Big baskets! Two dozen of them, hand woven, and very nice!

ZELENKA Oh very nice? What am I going to put in them, huh? Certainly not food!

LORNE You know what? I think you're holding out on me. I think you have plenty of food.

ZELENKA Are you calling me a liar?

LORNE No, I think you're trying to squeeze me for a better deal. That's what I think!

ZELENKA Ach! I have got nothing to hide! Now I&mdash;

LORNE Okay, okay, then maybe I should send some of my army troops down, and we'll have a look, then.

WEIR (shouting) What the hell are you two doing?!

[Lorne straightens to parade rest. Zelenka stares, mouth agape.]

WEIR I thought I gave specific orders to stay away from this device?

ZELENKA (abashed) Yes, yes you did.

LORNE (contrite) We just saw that there was some&hellip;people in trouble, and we thought maybe that we could&hellip;uh&hellip;help.

[He exchanges looks with Zelenka.]

WEIR No! No more help. Clearly, we are not qualified. Now, turn this thing off, disconnect the power, and seal the room.

ZELENKA Yeah, okay, but we&hellip;

WEIR (firmly) Now.

LORNE Yes, ma'am.

[Weir leaves as Lorne and Zelenka type commands into the keyboard, shutting down the system.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[McKay, Ronon, Nola and others stare at the terminal display. Some sort of timer is ticking.]

NOLA I'd hoped you would be proud of our accomplishments.

MCKAY (upset) I am. Really, I just-I wish it didn't lead to this.

EXT&mdash;M4D-058, DAY

[The puddle jumper flies across the sky.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR CONTROL ROOM

[The display shows a new ship (the jumper) on the screen.]

GARTH What's that?

[Nola looks to McKay, who exchanges an awkward look with Ronon.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD There it is.

[They can see the dirigible in the distance through the window.]

TEYLA Good. Now all you have to do is puncture the balloon.

SHEPPARD Already on it.

EXT&mdash;M4D-058, DAY

[The jumper fires a single drone which strikes at the center of the balloon.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[The display shows the jumper firing and striking the dirigible.]

NOLA Colonel Sheppard! He shot down our airship with the puddle jumper!

[She looks accusingly at McKay.]

RONON Yeah, don't worry, no one was hurt.

MCKAY He-he just&hellip;punctured it. It sank harmlessly to the ground.

NOLA (to Garth) Prepare the other bombs for delivery.

RONON Other bombs?

MCKAY What, you have more?

[Ronon and McKay exchange looks.]

RONON (sarcastic) Great.

INT&mdash;HALLONA HEADQUARTERS

[Sheppard and Teyla return to the headquarters. Baden looks chastened.]

BADEN Thank you for your help. You saved the lives of everyone in that village.

SHEPPARD We won't be doing that again.

BADEN I had no idea they were capable of delivering such a device.

SHEPPARD (with sidelong glance at Teyla) Tell me about it.

BADEN I've issued orders to make certain they don't try again.

SHEPPARD (suspicious) What kind of orders?

BADEN A full-scale attack has been launched. It's time to finish this war.

[They watch the terminal screen as Baden's forces start to invade Geldar.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[Nola and Garth study plans. Ronon and McKay stand on the staircase balcony above.]

RONON I've seen this before. If two sides are dead set on fighting, nothing's going to stop them.

MCKAY So I gotta get Nola to call off the attack.

RONON (scoffing) You couldn't do it before. What makes you think you can now?

MCKAY How about a little encouragement, huh? You know, a "go get 'em, Rodney? I have faith in you?"

[Ronon stares at McKay.]

MCKAY Okay, whatever. Look, I am not giving up on these people. Which means until we get them to call this war off, then we are staying put right here!

[The pair are beamed away.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Daedalus is in orbit above M4D-058.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS CORRIDOR

[Ronon and McKay are beamed into a corridor. Sheppard and Teyla are already aboard and heading down the corridor.]

SHEPPARD We could use your help. Come on!

MCKAY Whoa-whoa-whoa! What the hell's going on?

SHEPPARD Elizabeth diverted the Daedalus on its way back to Earth to check up on us.

TEYLA Colonel Caldwell believed that the situation had deteriorated. He feared that we would become casualties of war and so, beamed us out.

SHEPPARD Yeah, but, I talked him into beaming us back, but we gotta do something first, so come on.

[Sheppard grabs McKay by his tactical vest and drags him along. They start heading down the corridor.]

MCKAY Wha&mdash;do what?

SHEPPARD I got a plan.

MCKAY What plan?

SHEPPARD Oh, come on, already.

TEYLA (to Ronon) How's the situation on your end?

RONON All out war. You?

[Teyla sighs.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[Garth watches the display. Ronon and McKay walk down the steps.]

NOLA Where did you go? What happened?

MCKAY Uh&hellip;nowhere? No, we were just upstairs.

NOLA Someone said you vanished into thin air.

MCKAY What? No. That's ridiculous. How could we vanish?

GARTH The airships have passed the southern forests. They're nearing their targets.

NOLA That's hope we strike first, before Baden's army reaches our villages. We'll destroy their will to fight.

[McKay grabs Nola by the shoulders.]

MCKAY (fiercely) Okay, listen to me! For two years now, I have been the Oracle to your people. I have given you much wisdom and guidance and-and bestowed much of my knowledge. Look, it's like you said, I was a god!

RONON (low, warning) Easy&hellip;

MCKAY And yes, yes, I may just be a man, but that wisdom still remains! And now, more than ever, you need to heed my guidance and call back those ships!

NOLA (troubled) You told me it was time to start thinking on my own.

MCKAY Right&hellip;?

NOLA So now I am. My people are looking to me. This is my decision. And we will be victorious.

[McKay and Ronon sigh and exchange looks.]

INT&mdash;HALLONA HEADQUARTERS

[Baden watches the dirigibles approach his villages and moves restlessly. Sheppard and Teyla are with him.]

BADEN Why won't you help us?!

SHEPPARD I'm not shooting down any more ships. We're done helping you wage this war.

BADEN Then we'll shoot them down ourselves.

TEYLA How?

[Baden nods to an aide, who leaves.]

BADEN Our weapons are not as primitive as Nola believes.

TEYLA Many people will die on both sides.

BADEN If you want to leave, then leave! We'll continue this fight even if you've lost the will.

SHEPPARD You're making a big mistake&hellip;

BADEN The only mistake was not doing this sooner! You'll see. This is the right path for my people.

[Teyla and Sheppard exchange looks.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[Nola studies the terminal display.]

NOLA They've reached our villages.

GARTH Two have already fallen.

NOLA Airships are almost in position. We should&mdash;

[An alarm interrupts her. One of the airships disappears from the screen.]

NOLA What happened?

MCKAY They shot down one of your ships! (protesting) It wasn't the puddle jumper.

RONON Maybe one of the catapults hit it.

NOLA No! Impossible!

[They watch as the last of the airships is destroyed. Further south on the display, explosions rock the Geldar villages.]

GARTH Two more villages have fallen. It appears many are dead.

MCKAY (into radio) Sheppard, come in! Sheppard! (to others) The radio's dead.

[Explosions are heard in the distance.]

NOLA They're coming here&hellip;

[Everyone races outside.]

EXT&mdash;GELDAR, DAY

[People run, panicked, through the streets. McKay, Nola, and Ronon run outside.]

MCKAY What, they have bombs, too?

RONON (to Nola) We need to get your people out of here, now!

MCKAY (to Ronon) Help them!

[Ronon runs to help in the evacuation. McKay joins Nola back inside.]

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[McKay and Nola are back with Garth. The explosions are closer.]

GARTH Their army has surrounded us.

[Ronon comes back in.]

RONON The road out of the village is blocked. People are being slaughtered as they try to leave.

MCKAY We're trapped!

[The power on the Oracle terminal dies.]

GARTH What shall we do?

NOLA (defeated) It's over.

INT&mdash;HALLONA HEADQUARTERS

[Explosions rock Hallona as well as Sheppard and Baden watch the terminal screen.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) Rodney, where the hell are you?

BELEN They've dropped another bomb! Hundreds have died! How can you stand by and let this happen?!

[Teyla runs in.]

TEYLA Nola's army has surrounded the village.

SHEPPARD Can we get to the jumper?

TEYLA They've just destroyed it.

[Baden watches the terminal as his villages are being obliterated.]

BADEN We're being overwhelmed.

TEYLA What should we do?

[The Oracle terminal loses power. The explosions stop. Baden looks around, then stares at Sheppard.]

SHEPPARD Game over.

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

SHEPPARD (over radio) Rodney, you there?

MCKAY (into radio) Yeah. We hear you. We'll give you a call when we're ready to be picked up.

SHEPPARD (over radio) Got it.

NOLA I don't understand. What's going on?

INT&mdash;HALLONA HEADQUARTERS

SHEPPARD (to Baden) What you just witnessed is what I would call is another level to the game.

INT&mdash;GELDAR HEADQUARTERS

[The conversations switch between McKay & Ronon talking to Nola and Sheppard & Teyla talking to Baden.]

MCKAY See, we were beamed up earlier to our ship, the Daedalus, in&hellip;orbit over your planet.

SHEPPARD While we were there, I had Doctor McKay hack into the two devices, upload doomsday scenarios for each of your countries into the game.

TEYLA Everything you saw just now was transmitted from the Daedalus.

BADEN You mean&hellip;none of this was real?

MCKAY No, no one was hurt, no one was killed&mdash;all just part of the simulation.

RONON In reality, your two armies are standing down, awaiting further instructions.

NOLA But we heard explosions! We felt them!

SHEPPARD Thanks to some&hellip;pinpoint shots from our friends in the Daedalus. It really added to the realism, didn't it?

MCKAY (sighing) I'm sorry that we had to do that. But you needed to see how this could end.

RONON Feel what a real war is like.

SHEPPARD You still think it was the right path for your people?

[Nola and Baden each look troubled at what they've learned.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS MESS HALL

[Weir walks in with a female scientist.]

WEIR Thanks, Melanie.

[Weir grabs a bottled water. She notices McKay and Sheppard playing chess at a table.]

WEIR Gentlemen&hellip;

SHEPPARD How's it going?

WEIR Eh, it's still going. I'm just taking a break. There's a lot of animosity to be unraveled, but I think they are finally willing to at least try to make it work.

MCKAY Well, it's about time.

WEIR Yeah. And you two? Called a truce yet?

SHEPPARD Yeah. Sure. We're-we're good.

MCKAY Yeah, don't worry, we're going to stick to Chess from now on.

SHEPPARD As long as Rodney doesn't cheat.

MCKAY Oh, please. Like I need to cheat playing you?

WEIR Okay, I'll leave you to it, then.

[McKay moves his knight.]

MCKAY Hah!

[Sheppard moves his rook, taking McKay's pawn, and leaving his king unprotected.]

SHEPPARD "Hah!" Checkmate.

MCKAY What? Wh-wh-whoa, no-no-no-no. What happened there?

SHEPPARD What happened there is I just kicked your ass.

MCKAY No, no, I was distracted. She was&hellip;Okay, we're going again. Best of ten.

[He proceeds to reset the chess board to start another game.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS


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