Life

"Life" is the ninth episode of the first season of Stargate Universe

Synopsis
While searching the ship, the crew finds an Ancient device that may hold the promise of getting them home. Lt. Matthew Scott and Camile Wray visit their loved ones using the communication stones.

Prologue
A group of around 80 unprepared soldiers, scientists and civilians evacuate Icarus Base to the Ancient spaceship Destiny, located several billion light years from Earth, and are trapped there; the ship doesn't have enough power to dial such distances. They are able to bring a Long-range communication device with them to make contact with Earth, by taking a host body back home. Meanwhile, Matthew Scott recalls a moment in his life where he slept with someone, and she ended up pregnant, and that he didn't believe she would keep the child. Also, Camile Wray records a message to the Kino, telling Sharon Walker that her last thoughts are of her.

Plot
Everyone on Destiny is going through their daily routine. Chloe Armstrong is practicing yoga on the Observation Deck. Lt. Matthew Scott is leading a group of civilians and military personnel in physical fitness training. Col. Everett Young is watching Dr. Nicholas Rush work in the Control Interface Room through a Kino. Dr. Lisa Park is seen becoming intimate with Rivers. In the Kino Room, Eli Wallace is going over the calculations from the IOA's rescue plan. Dr. Jeremy Franklin is working in the Hydroponics lab with no success. Camile Wray is in her quarters sketching a beach scene. Finally, Spencer has exhausted his supply of prescription pills he has been taking.

On Earth, Col. Telford is relieved from his watch over the Long range communication stones. He changes and then calls Emily Young whom he joins for dinner. She thanks him for helping her with the trial of Young's absence and he then informs her that he wishes to tell her something.

Aboard Destiny, Scott leads a group jogging through the ship. As they pass the Kino Room, he notices Eli and tries to get him to join, citing Young's orders for everyone to get in shape, but Eli claims to have pulled something and takes a rain check. Dale Volker stays behind as the group jogs off. In the mess hall, Rivers greets Park with a smile but she ignores him. Tamara Johansen comes in and attempts to join Spencer for a meal, as she is concerned about his state of mind. He brushes off her attempts at conversation and leaves.

Eli is called by Rush and asked to operate a Kino to explore two new sections the ship they've opened up. Eli, however, declines, as he is busy with his own work. When Eli refuses to explain himself, Rush begins prodding, getting Eli to reveal Young's involvement. He unsubtly points out that Eli is not a member of the military and doesn't have to obey Young, but cannot convince him to take a break. Rush relents and does the job himself.

TJ informs Young of Spencer's behavior, which others have raised complaints about, so Young asks her to do basic psychiatric evaluations of everyone as a precautionary measure. Despite her lack of training and Camile being more familiar with human resources, Young insists that she's up to the task.

In the newly opened sections of the ship, Sgt. Greer leads a team on an exploratory mission while Rush monitors via Kino and radio. So far, all they have discovered is more crew quarters.

TJ begins her evaluations with Franklin, who is less than enthusiastic about the interview. He bemoans virtually every aspect of life on the ship, with particular emphasis on his failing hydroponics lab and the fact that Greer shot him in the arm. TJ, somewhat awkwardly but cheerily, sums this up as everything being fine.

Young checks in on Eli to see what's he's learned. Eli relates that every simulation he's run has ended in catastrophic failure, but Young asks for a few more tries to make sure. From there, Young reminds Scott that he and Camile are up next to use the stones. Scott is reluctant at first, but Young insists that he take the time.

In the unexplored sections, Greer and the team come upon a large room with a chair in the middle, which Greer jokingly claims is the dentist's office. Boone activates a console, causing the room to light up. Restraints on the chair spring up as a brace flips forward from the headrest. Rush emphatically orders them not to touch anything until he arrives. Later, Rush explains to Young that the chair is likely an early version of the Repository of Knowledge encountered by Jack O'Neill, and may hold the master code to the ship's systems. As O'Neill's experience with that device was nearly fatal both times, Young bars anyone from using it, unless Rush decides to volunteer himself. Greer is willing to use it if it will get them home.

Elsewhere, David Telford, having switched with Scott, demands a meeting with Young. When the two meet, he insists that Young allow Earth scientists to review the data from the failed attempt to dial Earth. Young, however, is unwilling to cooperate in light of Telford's actions during the incident. Telford makes a back-handed comment about Young's wife and Young ends the meeting there.

On Earth, Wray and Scott take control of the two people on the other end of the stones. Carl Strom chases down Wray in the parking lot outside the Pentagon. He tries to push the plan to dial Earth again, claiming that it's been refined, but Wray makes it clear that Young will not go along with it, at least not anytime soon. She notes that the crew is divided between Rush and Young, with Young slowly emerging as the victor in their power struggle. Strom hints that she should start her own group of supporters in favor of the plan. In the Pentagon, Dr. Mehta hands Scott the letters he has received while away, one of which catches his interest.

TJ has an interview with Park, who cites the stress of her work. When TJ asks how she's coping with the stress, Park becomes nervous and eventually answers with "reading". Elsewhere, Spencer leads the crew in an intense workout. He runs them across the room in wind sprints. Franklin is eventually overworked and vomits while Spencer belittles him about his weight.

Scott goes to the home of Annie Balic, the girl he got pregnant when he was a teenager. When no one answers, he goes around back to see if anyone's there, stumbling upon a child. The child claims that she'll be home later, so he waits. Wray, meanwhile, reunites with Sharon Walker. Sharon is initially skeptical, but is convinced when Wray references a chair that Sharon was supposed to sell.

On the ship, Brody, Volker and Rush debate the politics the chair are creating. Volker claims that Young is setting up Rush to take the fall if the chair fails, while success would paint Young more favorably since he resisted at first. Chloe sits with TJ. she talks about the people on the ship. She says that Scott's been a comfort to her.

On Earth, Wray enjoys her time with Sharon and the comforts of home. Scott spots Annie walking up later on after it's dark. Being in Telford's body, he greets her and informs her that he's there on Scott's behalf and that he's unreachable as he's on a mission.

Wray is debating to see her parents who she can't tell the truth because they are not cleared. Sharon says to go and tell them that she's okay but just say she's a friend. Camille remarks that things are different in the body, just enough to be off. She notices she forgot the row boat from a photo that she was sketching earlier causing her to cry.

Rush walks down the hall fixing his glasses to the elevator and dodges his psych evaluation with TJ, and claims that he has no problems whatsoever. Scott meets with Matthew Balic. He concludes that the boy is in fact his son from an earlier relationship. She tells him that she kept it from him cause of the stress of his adoptive father George's alcoholism.

On the Destiny, Rush makes a startling but breathtaking discovery. Greer vents in his psych evaluation about how his dad beat him making fun of the whole process as he goes. He confides that he's thankful for what he's got but he storms out in the end.

Scott discovers that to make ends meet, Annie dances. Mehta comes in to inform him they have to go.He places a call on her cell phone. Wray gets a pep talk from Sharon before they part ways. Matt reveals that his call was to Scott and that he had has his pay routed to Annie for the time being so she can focus on her son and possibly go back to school to be a lawyer. She declines it saying she has it under control. Wray informs her parents to the best of her abilities that she's safe while still maintaining the cover story.

On the Destiny, Rush briefs Young on the discovery. They've unlocked the subspace link to the Stargate seeding ships. They have gained data on hundreds of planets gates. Though the database is immense, Rush highlights one planet with conditions almost exactly like Icarus Base's planet. The planet is a year away. They have a lot of issues to solve before they can get there to try and dial Earth but it's possible. Rush states that they can use the chair to help their process to get the master code. Young recognizes the attempt and insists that Rush's job is to crack the code. Later on, Wray and Scott return, downplaying the the negativity of their trips when Young asks.

Rush garners support in the Mess Hall. Greer, Rivers and most are optimistic. Spencer storms out saying that he can't handle another year. Rush finally manages to finish fixing his glasses. Volker confides that he's ecstatic and glad there is an end in sight when he sits down with TJ.

That night while Scott sleeps he dreams of Young's wife and a candle lit dinner. He's never met his wife but seen only one image of her. Young believes it's a residual memory or dream of Telford's when Scott tells him. It unsettles Young visibly. TJ and Wray talk about the planet they've uncovered and the psych evaluations. Wray, like many, puts her's off.

Franklin bumps into Spencer walking down the hallway. Spencer snaps and attacks Franklin. Young pulls him off and puts him in his place. Scott informs Chloe of his son. She's supportive though surprised. He's regretful of not being there but she's adamant that he can one day be his father. Eli changes his focus to the planetary database and finds something odd about it.

Telford, on Earth, goes to Emily Young's house. Young is watching from another vehicle. He storms in to the house, visibly upset. He verbally assaults Telford at first. Emily defends Telford, believing Young is having an affair with a woman on the ship. As Young is about to assault Telford, Telford has someone disable the Long-range communication device. Young storms off knowing what happened. He's informed by Eli and Scott that the planet that they are so hopeful over is fake. Rush planted it. Young confronts him, debating false hope that he's created compared to the dialing of the gate when they first arrived on the ship. Rush states that there is probably one in there but in order to get to it, they need the Master Code which he believes is lock in the Repository. When Young tells him to sit in the chair himself to get it, Rush falls silent.

Eli finds Scott in the Ancient Shuttle. Eli banters about the psych sitdown while Scott tries to ignore him. He then congratulates him on being a dad. Scott is upset but Eli realizes he's not being thoughtful and eventually leaves him to his thoughts. Elsewhere, Wray is coming to grips with the news that the planet was fake.

TJ sits in the Mess hall with Young. He sums up the day as a bad day. TJ tries to get him to open up as his evaluation but he just claims it as a bad day. He walks off. On Earth, Volker arrives in another body via the stones. Telford is seen exiting a house. He's then assaulted by an airman. It is revealed that it wasn't Volker but Young using the stones all along, so that he could assault Telford.

On the ship, Chloe and Eli are doing yoga. Wray is correcting the sketch by adding in the row boat. Park and Greer are sharing an intimate encounter. Young is spying on Rush with the Kino again, but Brody notices. Franklin sees a sprout in the lab, giving him hope. Spencer sits silently in his quarters. Scott sits in the cockpit of the shuttle pondering his thoughts as he stares out the window.

Notable quotes
Rush radios Eli for some assistance...

Rush: We've managed to secure two more sections of the ship. I'm sending a team in to take a look. I need you to operate the Kino for me.

Eli: Kinda busy here.

Rush: Doing what?

Eli: I can't say.

Rush: What's that supposed to mean?

Eli: That I was told not to say.

Rush: Oh, a secret mission, is it? How intriguing.

Eli: Look, you're gonna have to talk to Colonel Young about this.

Rush: Eli, do me a favor. Have a look at your chest. Is there any insignia there, anything that says "Lieutenant" or "Sergeant" or anything like that?

Eli: All I've got is "You are here."

Franklin: Seeds won't sprout - which really sucks because I would have liked to have started to grow some food. I'm not really much of a fruit and vegetable guy, but anything would be better than the crap that you've been serving us. And there's not enough water, and the beds are rock hard and, oh, don't let me forget to mention that I was shot by one of your people!

TJ: So you're doing fine, then?

Background notes

 * Eli's description of dialing the Stargate as "...fire and brimstone, dogs and cats living together..." is a reference to the first Ghostbusters movie.
 * The song that played in the beginning and end of the episode was |"Worst Day Since Yesterday" from Flogging Molly.
 * The subsequent songs played in the episode was "Comfort" from Deb Talan.

International airdates

 * Canada: November 20, 2009 (Space)
 * United Kingdom: November 24, 2009 (Sky1)
 * Australia: November 27, 2009 (Sci Fi Australia)
 * Poland, Romania and the Balkans: February 18, 2010 (Sci Fi Channel)

Production

 * The title was confirmed on March 13, 2009 according to Joseph Mallozzi's weblog. Mallozzi reported that the script is going "swimmingly", and that there will apparently be a "special" scene with Chloe Armstrong.

Ratings

 * United States: 1.891 million viewers, equals a 1.2/2 Household rating/share (0.8/3 18-49 rating/share).
 * United Kingdom: 861,000, the second most viewed programme for Sky1 the week it aired.