Shades of Grey/Transcript

Episode Guide

 * 3.18 "Shades Of Grey" Episode Guide

Transcript
TEASER

FADE IN

EXT&mdash;TOLLANA (DAY)

[Tollan people are going about their daily business.]

INT&mdash;COURTHOUSE, TOLLANA

[SG-1 are sitting before Chancellor Travell.]

DANIEL (to Travell) Your Eminence, our government has asked us to return to Tollana to arrange for formal diplomatic relations with your people.

Chancellor TRAVELL Consider it done. You are after all the people who saved us from the Goa'uld.

DANIEL Thank you. Yes. Well, in that spirit we'd like to arrange for a trade.

TRAVELL What would you like to trade?

DANIEL Technology.

TRAVELL I'm sorry. You know that is the one thing we cannot give you. Tollan law strictly forbids it.

DANIEL Ok, we understand that. However, in our culture, laws can be changed when it's deemed that the reasons for those laws are no longer relevant.

TRAVELL The reasons for these laws are still relevant.

DANIEL Ok, please, if you just allow me to make our case.

TRAVELL I assume you want weapons technology.

DANIEL Yes.

O'NEILL One of those ion cannons would be nice.

TRAVELL I see. And for what will you use such a cannon?

O'NEILL To defend ourselves against the Goa'uld.

TRAVELL Forgive me, Colonel, but our research shows that you are far more likely to use our technology against enemies on your own planet.

O'NEILL What if I gave you my word that would never happen?

TRAVELL Are you the commander of your entire nation?

[O'Neill thinks about it.]

O'NEILL No.

TRAVELL Then in truth, you cannot guarantee it.

O'NEILL You know what? Forget it.

DANIEL Jack?

[O'Neill gets to his feet.]

O'NEILL We knew you wouldn't give us anything. We're wasting a lot of time here.

DANIEL Jack&hellip;

O'NEILL No, Daniel. Let's go.

[O'Neill walks out of the courthouse, followed by the rest of SG-1.]

INT&mdash;CORRIDOR, TOLLANA

[SG-1 are heading down a corridor.]

DANIEL (to O'Neill) What are you doing?

O'NEILL (angrily) We never should have saved their technologically superior butts. (He stops before a lighted panel.) It's that thing they disable our weapons with, isn't it?

TEAL'C As well as the Goa'uld technology.

DANIEL Don't even think about it.

[O'Neill ignores him and pulls the panel off the wall.]

CARTER Sir, isn't this against regulations?

[O'Neill pulls a device out of the wall and takes it.]

O'NEILL I suppose it is, Carter. Let's go.

[He starts heading down the corridor, followed by his team.]

DANIEL Kind of crossing the line&hellip;

O'NEILL Shut up Daniel.

END OF TEASER

INT&mdash;CONFERENCE ROOM, SGC

[Carter is sitting in the conference room, holding the device O'Neill took from Tollana. She exchanges an uneasy glance with Daniel. Hammond comes out of his office and takes a seat at the head of the table.]

HAMMOND As you were. Sorry to keep you waiting. So, what is this device you've brought back?

O'NEILL It's the thing the Tollan used to disable our weapons the last time we were there.

HAMMOND And it really works?

O'NEILL Worked on us. And the Goa'uld.

HAMMOND It should come in handy. Good job.

O'NEILL Thank you, sir.

[He glances at Carter, who looks down.]

HAMMOND So, what did you have to promise them in return, Dr Jackson?

DANIEL Actually General, we didn't&hellip;er&hellip;have to promise to give them anything.

HAMMOND They just gave you the device as a reward for saving them from the Goa'uld?

[There is a long silence, before Daniel speaks.]

DANIEL Actually, General, the Tollan refused to give us any technology.

O'NEILL Offered us a nice fruit basket, though.

HAMMOND I'm confused. How did you get the device? Major Carter?

[She looks up, appearing extremely uncomfortable.]

CARTER Uh&hellip;

O'NEILL (interrupting) I took it, sir.

HAMMOND Took it?

O'NEILL Yes.

HAMMOND You stole it?

O'NEILL I like to think of it as borrowed, sir. Major Carter can figure out how to reproduce it and we'll give it back.

HAMMOND I can't believe what I'm hearing. You and your team stole an alien device from an extremely advanced alien culture.

O'NEILL They won't retaliate, if that's what you're worried about. Not their way, right Daniel?

HAMMOND This command has already been accused of stealing from several other alien cultures, Colonel. Until now, we've denied it. Perhaps that was a bit premature. Dare I ask how many other items you've stolen?

O'NEILL None. This is the first.

HAMMOND Colonel, you don't seem to understand how serious this matter is. You and your team have committed a court-martiable offence.

O'NEILL To be fair, General, I did it. Carter and Daniel protested. And Teal'c&hellip;well he really didn't say anything but I could tell he was opposed to my actions by the way he cocked his head and sort of raised his eyebrow&hellip;

HAMMOND Enough, Colonel. Dr Jackson, Major Carter and Teal'c. You will return this device immediately to the Tollan and hopefully smooth over what must be some very ruffled feathers.

CARTER Yes, sir.

O'NEILL Why? Our core mission is to go through that Gate and find technologies we can use to defend against Goa'uld incursion. Am I right?

HAMMOND You are bordering on insubordination. We do not steal from friendlies.

O'NEILL Well, with no due respect, General, that's just plain stupid.

HAMMOND Colonel&hellip;

O'NEILL And since the Pentagon won't approve our backup program, we have no choice!

HAMMOND Colonel, do not go there&hellip;

O'NEILL (shouting) We have no choice but to take whatever steps we need to get what we need!

HAMMOND As long as I am in command of the SGC, we will hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards.

O'NEILL (angry) And when the Goa'uld wipe us out because we have nothing with which to defend ourselves, I'm sure we'll all feel great about ourselves and our high, moral standards!

HAMMOND Colonel O'Neill. You are out of line. Now stand down!

[O'Neill sits back, looking angry.]

HAMMOND Colonel O'Neill, I am hereby relieving you of your command. You are to report to the Infirmary and stay there until I send for you.

O'NEILL (snidely) No holding cell, sir?

HAMMOND That could very well be your next stop if you say another word.

VOICE (over intercom) Incoming traveller.

[In the Gate room, the Stargate is dialling up.]

HAMMOND (cont'd) Now get down the Infirmary and submit yourself for a complete examination. Teal'c, escort him.

[O'Neill rises and glares at Hammond, before turning away. Teal'c moves to follow him.]

HAMMOND And Teal'c? You are no longer under Colonel O'Neill's command, is that understood?

TEAL'C Understood.

[In the Gate room, the Stargate opens.]

VOICE (over intercom) Unauthorised incoming traveller. Closing the iris.

HAMMOND Great. Now what?

[He heads down to the Control room with Carter and Daniel.]

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM, SGC

[Armed soldiers take position inside the Gate room as the iris is closed. The iris starts to flex and Chancellor Travell and a Tollan woman appear through it.]

HAMMOND Hold your fire!

[They quickly go into the Gate room as Travell walks down the ramp.]

DANIEL Your Eminence, welcome to Earth. High Chancellor Travell, this is General Hammond, Commander of this facility.

HAMMOND It's an honour to meet you.

TRAVELL I only wish it were under more pleasant circumstances. We have come to retrieve our stolen property and to tell you that all diplomatic relations with your people will be terminated.

HAMMOND Of course we will return your property to you immediately. But please, if you will just sit down with us and at least talk about it.

TRAVELL Then you admit that you have stolen from us.

DANIEL Your Eminence, I know that you're wise enough not to hold the actions of&hellip;one man against an entire planet.

TRAVELL You were there, Dr Jackson, as were you Major, and Teal'c. Who exactly are you saying is responsible?

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY, SGC

[FRASIER is reading through a report, while O'Neill sits on a bed, buttoning his shirt.]

FRASIER There doesn't appear to be anything immediately wrong with you. Your blood pressure, DRE and EEG all seem normal. It'll be a while before I get your hormone levels and CAT scans back.

O'NEILL Great. Let me know what kind of wacky alien stuff you find in there.

[He hops down from the bed and goes to the door, where Teal'c is standing guard.]

O'NEILL (to Teal'c) Excuse me.

TEAL'C I am to keep you here until General Hammond is ready for you.

O'NEILL Get out of my way Teal'c. That's an order.

TEAL'C I do not understand your behaviour O'Neill.

O'NEILL (angrily) Get out of my way!

[The phone rings and FRASIER answers it.]

FRASIER Frasier. Yes, sir. (She hangs up.) Colonel? General Hammond wants to see you in his office.

[Teal'c stands aside and O'Neill brushes passed him.]

INT&mdash;CORRIDOR, SGC

[Carter comes out of the Control Room as O'Neill and Teal'c walk passed.]

O'NEILL Carter.

CARTER sir?

[O'Neill stops and turns around.]

O'NEILL What?

CARTER Is there anything I can do?

O'NEILL About?

CARTER Well, sir, with respect you aren't exactly acting like yourself.

O'NEILL No Carter. I haven't been acting like myself since I met you. Now I'm acting like myself.

[Carter looks hurt as O'Neill walks away.]

INT&mdash;CONFERENCE ROOM, SGC

[O'Neill heads up the stairs in time to see Travell leaving with Daniel.]

O'NEILL (to Travell) Well, look who's here. Come to retrieve your vastly superior stuff. You know, it would be a lot more superior if it wasn't so easy to steal.

HAMMOND (from his office) Colonel O'Neill! Get in here and take a seat! Close the door.

[Teal'c closes the door as O'Neill sits before Hammond.]

HAMMOND By God Jack, you've really crossed the line here.

O'NEILL In terms of my insubordination toward you, you're absolutely right General. And for that, I'm truly sorry. I still think what I did was right.

HAMMOND I just met with two members of the Tollan High Council who disagree.

O'NEILL So the Tollan are dictating our policies now, eh?

HAMMOND The victims of a crime are demanding that the perpetrator be dealt with appropriately.

O'NEILL I'm a criminal?

HAMMOND What you've done here is clearly a court-martiable offence. I have to press charges.

O'NEILL Well, by all means, General, do what you have to do.

HAMMOND I do have one other option I can offer you, Jack.

O'NEILL What's that?

HAMMOND Early retirement.

O'NEILL See, I tried that once and you pulled me out of it.

HAMMOND The offer is only on the table while you're in this room.

O'NEILL All this for one little indiscretion.

[Hammond whips open a file and starts to read.]

HAMMOND Five counts of direct insubordination to superior officers and a United States Senator. Two counts of refusal to obey orders. Kidnapping an alien child. Shall I go on?

O'NEILL The proverbial straw, sir?

HAMMOND You got it. I'd accept the offer if I were you Jack. Beats the hell outta the prison time you'd get otherwise.

O'NEILL Then I guess I'm retired.

INT&mdash;O'NEILL'S HOUSE (DAY)

[O'Neill is sitting on his couch, playing with a chess set. The doorbell rings and he gets up to answer the door. It's Daniel.]

DANIEL Hi.

O'NEILL What do you want?

DANIEL I'm not, ah&hellip;I'm not sure to tell you the truth. I'm here to talk, I guess.

O'NEILL So talk.

[He takes a swig on his beer bottle.]

DANIEL You got another one of those?

O'NEILL Yes.

DANIEL Feel like sharing?

O'NEILL Beer? Sure.

[He walks off and Daniel enters the house. He goes into the sitting room while O'Neill fetches him a beer.]

DANIEL So&hellip;how are you feeling about all of this?

O'NEILL Yes to the beer. No to the feelings.

DANIEL That's, ah, that's too bad because I don't really like beer.

[They sit down.]

O'NEILL Stop your worrying. I'm fine.

DANIEL Really. That's, ah, that's funny because I didn't figure you for the early retirement type anymore. There's another reason you're angry, isn't there?

O'NEILL Oh here we go. Pop psyche 101, right?

DANIEL No. When we were in the briefing, you said something about the Pentagon not giving us the backup we requested. What, er, what were you talking about?

O'NEILL Hammond and I were planning a secondary SGC base offworld. It was going to serve as a backup in case ours was attacked. I was going to command.

DANIEL And the Pentagon pulled the plug. So you're acting out because you're hurt, because you didn't get a command.

O'NEILL Gimme a break Daniel. Their denial of the program was just another indication that they're not serious about attaining our goals.

DANIEL Which you think is attaining new weapons and technology.

O'NEILL Protecting ourselves.

DANIEL But isn't our mission also about establishing and maintaining diplomatic relations with other cultures?

O'NEILL What's the point if we don't gain anything to help our other interests?

DANIEL Well there's a lot we could learn from people like the Tollan that has nothing to do with technology and weapons.

O'NEILL Stuff that interests people like you, Daniel. Not people like me. I want to see tangible gains from our efforts, and if people like the Tollan don't want to share, we should just take.

DANIEL You really believe that?

O'NEILL Being sweet and nice isn't going to stop three or four Goa'uld motherships if they decide to come back again. I'd rather be a thief and alive than honest and dead. It's a clich&eacute;, but there it is.

DANIEL If you really believe that, I guess, ah, I guess I never really knew you at all.

O'NEILL Come on. You're a bright guy. You had to sense some of this.

[Daniel doesn't answer.]

O'NEILL (cont'd) Then no. I guess you couldn't relate to me any more than I could to you.

DANIEL So this whole, ah, this whole friendship thing we've been working on in the last few years is&hellip;

O'NEILL Apparently not much of a foundation there, huh?

[He drinks his beer. Daniel gets up and leaves.]

INT&mdash;O'NEILL'S HOUSE (DAY)

[O'Neill is playing once more with his chess set. The doorbell rings and he opens the door to find Colonel Mayborne and two other airmen.]

MAYBORNE Colonel O'Neill.

O'NEILL What the hell is this, a joke, Mayborne? What are you doing here?

MAYBORNE Well, in a way, you invited me.

O'NEILL Come to gloat about my retirement, have you?

MAYBORNE May I come in?

O'NEILL No. I am in no way obligated to put up with your crap any more.

MAYBORNE I think you're going to want to hear what I have to offer you.

O'NEILL Offer?

[Mayborne nods and O'Neill lets him in.]

MAYBORNE May I sit down?

O'NEILL No. You won't be here that long. What's this about?

MAYBORNE Well, suffice it to say, I've heard about your little altercations with General Hammond.

O'NEILL Sweet little grapevine we got there isn't it?

MAYBORNE Let's just say that I see a lot of paper that goes through the mountain. I was most interested in your passionate argument that we shouldn't be quite so diplomatic about acquiring the things we need.

O'NEILL Get to the point.

MAYBORNE What if I told you I could offer you a way to achieve your goals?

O'NEILL My goals?

MAYBORNE Yes. What if I told you I could arrange for you to lead a team through the Gate to acquire whatever you want, whenever you want. For the good of this country.

O'NEILL If I believed you could do that, I'd have to figure whatever you're doing is very illegal.

MAYBORNE What you did yesterday was very illegal, Colonel.

O'NEILL Get out. Not interested.

[Mayborne leaves his card.]

MAYBORNE Page me when you miss the actions too much.

[O'Neill closes the door when he leaves.]

INT&mdash;SGC

[The remaining members of SG-1 are waiting for Hammond.]

TEAL'C For what purpose were we summoned?

DANIEL My guess is we're getting our fourth.

CARTER Who do you think it'll be?

DANIEL Well, we'll probably get someone like Ferreti and you'll get command.

CARTER Oh, I don't know about that. They'll probably go with someone higher than Major.

[Hammond comes down the stairs followed by Colonel Makepeace.]

HAMMOND As you were. Since SG-1 is considered the flagship unit, it falls on me to assure that you have the strongest possible leadership. Therefore I'm reassigning the most senior officer we have in the field as your new commanding officer. Colonel Makepeace will be joining SG-1 immediately. I hope you'll make him feel welcome.

DANIEL Sir, uh, I don't want to seem out of line here, but, uh, since I'm a civilian here and the only one who can say this&hellip;

HAMMOND Spit it out Doctor.

DANIEL Well, no offence, but doesn't Major Carter deserve to take charge of SG-1?

HAMMOND Major Carter has an exemplary record on the team as recognised by her recent promotion to Major. But Major is a far cry from Colonel.

CARTER I understand General.

DANIEL I'm sorry, I don't. What difference does it make what title she has? The point is that the&hellip;

CARTER It's alright Daniel. Really.

HAMMOND Dismissed.

[Hammond leaves.]

MAKEPEACE I'm proud to join you folks. I hope you can learn to trust my command as much as you did Colonel O'Neill's.

CARTER I'm sure we will, sir.

DANIEL I never really trusted Jack's command, but, uh, I'm open.

MAKEPEACE That's good. Then I'll see you at our first briefing.

[Teal'c turns around and walks out on them.]

INT&mdash;O'NEILL'S HOUSE (NIGHT)

[O'Neill looks out through his blinds to see a car parked down the road, watching his house. He looks down to see Mayborne's card on the desk below and picks it up, thinking.]

EXT&mdash;O'Neill's HOUSE (DAY)

[O'Neill is sitting out on his veranda, reading a magazine and listening to classical music. Mayborne comes around the corner.]

O'NEILL What took you so long?

MAYBORNE Frankly I didn't think you'd get bored quite so fast or I would have stayed in town.

O'NEILL Not quite the student of human behaviour you thought you were?

MAYBORNE Are you ready to go?

O'NEILL I have some questions.

MAYBORNE I can't tell you much.

O'NEILL You expect me to jump into this&hellip;operation blind?

MAYBORNE Are you interested in my offer or not?

[O'Neill thinks about it.]

O'NEILL I'm interested.

MAYBORNE Good. I want to be sure understand one thing O'Neill. What I'm about to show you is not so much classified as it is secret. Dangerous would be another word I would use.

O'NEILL Keep talking.

MAYBORNE I want you to understand that once you see what I'm about to show you, there is no turning back. You'll have the choice to go along with it or disappear.

O'NEILL Disappear?

MAYBORNE This is your last chance to back out.

O'NEILL Well if you promise to cut back on the melodrama, I'll consider crossing the line.

EXT&mdash;NIGHT

[A plane is flying through the sky.]

INT&mdash;PLANE (NIGHT)

[O'Neill is sitting before Mayborne.]

O'NEILL So, where are we going?

MAYBORNE Nowhere in particular. I find being thirty thousand feet up greatly reduces the chances of any effective surveillance.

[Maybourne sits down and unfolds a device. A gray globe rises up out of it.]

MAYBORNE Do you know what this is?

O'NEILL I assume it's one of those Goa'uld communication&hellip;balls.

MAYBORNE We didn't have to negotiate for it either.

O'NEILL Who's we?

MAYBORNE My organisation.

O'NEILL NID?

MAYBORNE More of an offshoot.

O'NEILL Ah. That sort of says it all, doesn't it.

MAYBORNE I want you to command a unit.

O'NEILL There are units?

MAYBORNE Oh yes. Would you like to meet the temporary commander of the unit I want you to run?

O'NEILL I guess.

[Mayborne starts fiddling with the device.]

MAYBORNE Took us a while to figure out how to use this thing without a Goa'uld at the controls, but good old human ingenuity eventually won out.

[A man's face appears on the globe.]

MAN Colonel Mayborne.

MAYBORNE Newman. I'd like you to meet Colonel Jack O'Neill, retired.

NEWMAN Colonel O'Neill, it is a pleasure, sir. I've read just about all the SG-1 mission briefings and, uh, well let's just say your file is very impressive. It'll be an honour to serve under your command, Colonel.

O'NEILL Hello, Newman. You look familiar.

NEWMAN Uh, yes, sir. We have met briefly. In a hanger at a Utah landing strip.

O'NEILL You're one of those kids we chased through the other Stargate.

NEWMAN Ah, that would be me. I apologise about having to return fire, sir.

O'NEILL Where are you?

MAYBORNE He's on another planet.

O'NEILL Your mission, Newman?

NEWMAN Use whatever means necessary to acquire goods and technology that could help Earth in the battle against the Goa'uld, sir. Or other, unforeseen aggressors.

O'NEILL Well you've seen my file, Newman, it's only fair I know a little more about you.

MAYBORNE Need to know, Colonel.

O'NEILL Well I need to know if I going to command this unit.

MAYBORNE You agree to go there and take command, I'll give you detailed files on every one of your people. Now how about it, Colonel? You ready for a command where you can finally achieve what you and I both agree needs to be achieved to defend this planet?

O'NEILL I never thought I'd agree with you about anything, Mayborne. But yeah. I'm ready.

INT&mdash;HAMMOND'S OFFICE, SGC

Makepeace Major Carter has accepted my command with no problem, sir, but I'm afraid Dr Jackson and the Jaffa have not.

HAMMOND Well maybe if you didn't think of him as 'the Jaffa', it would be a good start.

[There is a knock at the door.]

HAMMOND Come in.

[O'Neill, in civilian clothes, enters the office.]

HAMMOND Jack, come in. You know Colonel Makepeace.

O'NEILL Yeah.

HAMMOND How's the retirement going?

O'NEILL Uh, great. I retire, I wake up, I retire&hellip;it's a living. I'm bored out of my skull, sir.

HAMMOND I'm sorry to hear that. Something I can help you with?

O'NEILL Actually there is, General.

MAKEPEACE Would you like me to leave, Jack?

O'NEILL I don't care.

HAMMOND We're not finished Colonel Makepeace.

O'NEILL I'll make it fast General. I'm hoping you could grant me one last favour.

HAMMOND I'm listening.

O'NEILL I want to retire offworld.

HAMMOND Jack, I don't know if&hellip;

O'NEILL You remember that woman I told you about on Edora? LAIRA was her name.

HAMMOND Yes?

O'NEILL I promised her I'd come back some day. I'm asking you to help me keep that promise. Please.

HAMMOND If I agree to do this, you know I can't give you a GDO. That's means you can never return to Earth through the Gate.

O'NEILL I understand that, sir.

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM, SGC

[The Stargate dials up. Hammond, Frasier, Carter and Teal'c are watching as O'Neill walks up the ramp.]

HAMMOND Colonel.

[They salute O'Neill, but he doesn't turn around. Daniel is watching from the Control Room as O'Neill steps through the Gate.]

EXT&mdash;EDORA (DAY)

[O'Neill steps out onto the planet and hurries down the steps to the DHD. He quickly dials another address.]

INT&mdash;OFFWORLD BASE

[O'Neill steps out of the Stargate into a room. A group of men and women are waiting for him.]

NEWMAN Colonel O'Neill. It's an honour, sir.

O'NEILL Newman.

NEWMAN We may look a little ragtag, but I assure you we're very good at what we do.

O'NEILL Which is stealing stuff.

NEWMAN Well acquiring what we need to defend our planet, Colonel.

O'NEILL And you measure how good you are by the fact that you've never been caught?

NEWMAN And by the spoils of our missions. Would you care to take a gander at one of our latest acquisitions?

O'NEILL Sure. I'll take a gander.

NEWMAN This way, sir.

[O'Neill follows him from the room.]

INT&mdash;SCIENCE ROOM, OFFWORLD BASE

[A woman is waiting for them, a glowing, crystal-like device on the table behind her.]

NEWMAN What do you think, Colonel?

WOMAN Just brought it back. It's an antigravitation device.

O'NEILL Really?

WOMAN Lieutenant Clare Tobias, sir.

O'NEILL Tobias, Jack O'Neill.

NEWMAN If it's alright, sir, I'll leave you in the lieutenant's very capable hands.

[Newman leaves.]

O'NEILL (to Tobias) So, tell me about this thing.

TOBIAS Well, it utilises super-conducted gyroscopic action to generate an antigravitational field underneath&hellip;

O'NEILL Stop. Scientist?

TOBIAS Engineer. Why?

O'NEILL You remind me of someone in my old command.

TOBIAS Major Carter.

O'NEILL How do you know her?

TOBIAS She beat me out of a position in the SGC.

O'NEILL Oh. So what do you do around here?

TOBIAS My job is to examine some of the larger items we acquire, the ones that are too big to be transported back to Earth. See if we can backwards engineer them and send the plans home to Colonel Mayborne.

NEWMAN Excuse me, sir. Colonel Mayborne would like to talk to you.

O'NEILL Yeah. Tobias.

[He follows Newman out of the room.]

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM, OFFWORLD BASE

[Newman activates one of the Goa'uld communication devices and Mayborne's image appears.]

MAYBORNE Jack. I see you made it in one piece. What do you think of our little operation?

O'NEILL It's swell Harry.

MAYBORNE We do what we can to make it comfortable. I have your first mission, Colonel. Planet PX3 595.

NEWMAN It's about time we got one of those things.

MAYBORNE SG9 was unable to negotiate to get the device.

O'NEILL What device are we talking about?

MAYBORNE Newman can fill you in on all the details. Good luck, Colonel.

O'NEILL Thanks.

MAYBORNE And Colonel? Just a reminder, this isn't the SGC, so if someone gets in your way, do what you have to do.

[The device shuts down.]

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM, OFFWORLD BASE

[The team are preparing to leave on the mission. Tobias is dialling up the Gate.]

NEWMAN Ok, the mouth of the cave we're going to hit is about 50 metres, 2 o'clock from the Gate. Primitive locals, called Tirnoks, they use them as a place to hide from predators.

TOBIAS The predator follows them into the cave, the tirnoks use the device we're after to&hellip;vanish them.

O'NEILL Very nice.

[They walk up the ramp and enter the Gate.]

VFX&mdash;SHOOTING THROUGH WORMHOLE

EXT&mdash;CAVES, ALIEN PLANET (NIGHT)

[The team is heading through the caves with guns and flashlights.]

O'NEILL Clear.

[Tobias spots a device on the wall.]

TOBIAS Bingo.

[Newman goes over and picks it up.]

NEWMAN You're going to love this.

[He disappears, then reappears behind O'Neill, making the Colonel jump.]

NEWMAN Pretty cool, huh?

O'NEILL That thing looks Asgard.

TOBIAS It is. This is an Asgard protected planet.

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM, OFFWORLD BASE

[Newman is holding the device they have just stolen.]

NEWMAN Can you imagine the ways we could use this for black-ops back on Earth?

O'NEILL Yep. But it's not back on Earth. Are you going to be able to backwards engineer this thing?

TOBIAS Don't have to. Items this small, we just send back to Earth.

O'NEILL How?

NEWMAN We've got a man on the inside, on one of the SG teams. Colonel Mayborne tells us where the mole's team is about to go, we get there first, make the drop and come back here. The mole comes in later, retrieves the item and packs it back in his gear.

[The Goa'uld communication device starts up and Mayborne's image appears on the globe.]

NEWMAN It's about time he got back to us.

MAYBORNE Hello team. You get the device?

O'NEILL Yep.

MAYBORNE Good. I have the time and coordinates for the drop. Just drop and go. No contact.

O'NEILL Right.

MAYBORNE I'm sending the coordinates. Record them.

[Newman presses a button of the device.]

NEWMAN Alex?

[He hands the information to another team member.]

NEWMAN Ready to go, sir.

O'NEILL No. I'll go.

NEWMAN Really?

O'NEILL Yeah. Best way to understand a command is to do every job yourself at least once.

NEWMAN It's your prerogative, Colonel.

EXT&mdash;Stargate CLEARING, PLANET (DAY)

[O'Neill steps out of the Stargate and hurries over to the DHD, placing the Asgard device under a pile of rocks there. The Stargate starts to dial up and he quickly takes cover in some bushes as a SG team steps out of the event horizon. It's SG-1, led by Colonel Makepeace.]

MAKEPEACE Alright, let's make this quick. Carter, Dr Jackson, run your tests. See if the intel was right about naquada deposits here.

[O'Neill watches them through a pair of binoculars. Teal'c comes close to the DHD, but doesn't pick up the device. Later on, SG-1 returns, while O'Neill continues to remain hidden. Carter dials up the Stargate, while Makepeace crouches down by the DHD on the pretext of retying his shoelace. As O'Neill looks on, Makepeace take the device from under the stones and pockets it. SG-1 leaves through the Gate. O'Neill hurries over to the DHD and dials the offworld base, before disappearing through the Stargate. After he has gone, a bright light appears over the DHD, and an Asgard is beamed down in time to read the symbols he dialled on the DHD.]

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM, OFFWORLD BASE

NEWMAN How'd it go, sir?

O'NEILL Mayborne had the coordinates right, but his timing sucked! I just about ran into the SG team on my way back through the Gate.

[There is a rumbling noise and the ground starts to shake.]

NEWMAN What's going on?

[O'Neill doesn't reply, but goes over to the DHD and starts dialling.]

NEWMAN sir? Sir, we do not open the Gate without direct orders from Colonel Mayborne. Colonel, what are you doing.

[O'Neill presses the red crystal and the Gate opens.]

O'NEILL Opening up some options!

[O'Neill punches him.]

TOBIAS There's an Asgard ship descending over the base!

[She looks up to see O'Neill standing before the event horizon. Lights start flashing around the base, making the stolen devices disappear.]

TOBIAS What are they doing?

O'NEILL Taking back what's rightfully theirs, I guess. Listen up all of you. You've got two choices here. As soon as they stop taking stuff, they're going to start taking people. Now you can go with the Asgard&hellip;or you can follow me. Your choice. I'll be holding the door open so you can't go anywhere else.

[He waves, then goes through the Stargate. Tobias runs for the Gate, followed by others, as Newman looks on.]

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM, SGC

[Teal'c is tying Tobias' wrists together as Newman finally steps through the Gate. O'Neill has his hand through the event horizon, but he withdraws it, and the Gate shuts down.]

O'NEILL Good job kids. (to Makepeace) Uh, give me one of those.

[Makepeace hands him a pair of plastic handcuffs.]

MAKEPEACE Here.

[O'Neill quickly grabs him and handcuffs him, while other Airmen point their sidearms at him.]

MAKEPEACE What the hell&hellip;what are you doing?!

O'NEILL That would be&hellip;my job.

[Hammond comes over, along with Carter and Daniel.]

HAMMOND (to Mayborne's group) Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to announce that you're all under arrest for high crimes against the United States and its allies.

[Travell enters the Gate room.]

MAKEPEACE You really blew it O'Neill.

O'NEILL Oh, I think it came off quite nicely, don't you General?

HAMMOND Yes I do.

MAKEPEACE You have no idea how high up this goes.

O'NEILL Like the Tollan, Tok'ra, Asgard, Nox&hellip;those folks?

MAKEPEACE They refuse to give us the things we need to defend ourselves against the Goa'uld.

O'NEILL We don't need their stuff Makepeace. We do need them.

HAMMOND Get them out of here.

[Mayborne's people are dragged out of the Gate room.]

DANIEL So, just to uh, clarify, this whole past week, beginning with the appeal we made on Tollana in which I did a lot of hard work, by the way&hellip;I take it that was all a scam.

HAMMOND Within the last two weeks, the Asgard and the Tollan approached us independently of each other with evidence that we were stealing technology from them.

CARTER We? The SGC?

HAMMOND Yes. The Asgard, the Tollan and the Nox were going to sever all ties with us. But we convinced them the theft must be the action of a rogue group from outside the SGC.

TRAVELL We insisted that you apprehend them yourselves. You have now regained our trust.

CARTER So, you set that whole thing up on Tollana in the hopes that the mole would think you were one of them and approach you?

DANIEL And you didn't think you could trust us to help?

HAMMOND We wanted to assure that your reaction to the Colonel's behaviour was as it should be. And the Asgard insisted that Colonel O'Neill be the only one involved.

O'NEILL They like me.

HAMMOND And now, will you come with me your Eminence?

[He and Travell leave the Gate room.]

O'NEILL (to his team) I'm back.

CARTER (smiling) It's good to have you back, sir.

TEAL'C Indeed.

O'NEILL Thank you.

[Daniel doesn't say anything.]

O'NEILL Um, Daniel? (He gestures for Daniel to walk with him) That stuff I was talking about at my house&hellip;

DANIEL Uh&hellip;

O'NEILL The place was bugged, I had to keep up the act.

DANIEL I, it's, I understand.

O'NEILL And obviously the whole friendship thing, the foundation, it's all solid.

DANIEL Obviously, it's, you don't have to&hellip;

O'NEILL Nothing to worry about.

DANIEL You don't have to&hellip;

O'NEILL No, no, I feel I kinda&hellip;I do appreciate that you were the one that came to see if I was ok. That&hellip;that means something.

DANIEL (halting) Ah, actually, no it doesn't.

O'NEILL Huh?

[Daniel exchanges a look with Carter and Teal'c.]

DANIEL Um, we, uh, we drew straws. I lost.

[Daniel and Carter continue on down the corridor. Teal'c pauses by O'Neill with a distinctly smug look on his face, then follows, leaving the Colonel standing there.]

FADE OUT

THE END

Transcribed by Dee for Stargatefan

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