Adrift/Transcript

Episode Guide
SGA 4.01 "Adrift Part 2" Episode Guide

Transcript
PREVIOUSLY ON STARGATE ATLANTIS

[Scenes from 3.20 "First Strike Part 1" are shown.]

END EXCERPTS

TEASER

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Keller and a medical team rush Weir to the infirmary. The unconscious Weir is strapped down with a neck brace and is receiving oxygen.]

KELLER (into radio) She's unresponsive, and her pupils are sluggish. I need you to prep the O.R. and have the scanner ready when we get there.

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY

[Marie is in scrubs and has a sterile environment waiting. The scanner is being wheeled in.]

MARIE (into radio) We're on it. The scanner is moving into position.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[One of the monitors starts beeping.]

MEDIC She's crashing.

[Keller climbs onto the gurney and begins CPR.]

KELLER Let's go, guys! I don't want to do this in the hall!

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[A monitor resets and starts streaming information. An encouraged McKay heads back to a station with his computer. His face is covered with small abrasions from the breaking glass. Sheppard and Teyla are nearby.]

MCKAY Here we go, here we go!

SHEPPARD You got city-wide sensors back online?

MCKAY Hopefully, yeah. Slowly booting up right now.

TEYLA Can we contact the Apollo.

MCKAY Not yet, no.

TEYLA Why not?

MCKAY Because subspace communications are down. Don't worry, I got Chuck working on it.

[McKay nods to Chuck, who's working on some computer towers. Something short circuits, and he's showered in sparks. McKay rolls his eyes and continues working.]

SHEPPARD Well, maybe you should be working on it.

MCKAY I've got bigger fish to fry.

TEYLA What could be more important than contacting the Apollo?

[McKay's eyes widen as he studies something on his computer.]

MCKAY This can't be right.

SHEPPARD What's wrong?

[McKay heads to another station.]

MCKAY Power. We're losing massive amounts of power!

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY

[Ronon sits on one of the infirmary beds. A large shard of glass is imbedded in his right shoulder. A doctor is examining him.]

RONON Just pull it out.

DOCTOR I can't do that.

RONON Why not?

DOCTOR We have to wait to get you under the scanner, make sure pulling it out's not going to cause even more damage.

RONON (seething) Pull&hellip;it&hellip;out!

DOCTOR Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're a tough guy. If you want to pull it out, go ahead, but I'm not going to&mdash;

[Ronon reaches to pull out the shard.]

DOCTOR (panicked) Are you crazy?!

[At this moment Keller's team wheels Weir in. Ronon pushes the doctor treating him aside to see what's happening. They move Weir into the operating room.]

MEDIC On three, ready? One, two, three.

[They transfer Weir from the gurney to the operating table. Keller prepares defibrillator paddles.]

KELLER Clear.

[Everyone moves back, and she shocks Weir.]

KELLER Charging&hellip;

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS ZPM ROOM

[Zelenka and others move frantically around.]

ZELENKA (into radio) I don't think the problem is on this end.

MCKAY (over radio) I don't care where the problem is&hellip;

[A technician hands Zelenka a tablet computer.]

TECHNICIAN Sir.

MCKAY (continuing over radio) I want to know what the problem is.

[Zelenka's face falls as he studies the new information.]

ZELENKA It's in the conduits.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

MCKAY (disappointed) Oh&hellip;

ZELENKA (over radio) It looks like&hellip;several of the main conduits were affected by the brush with the beam.

MCKAY (into radio) All right, that means we'll need to uh&mdash;

[McKay starts frantically moving from one area of the control room to another.]

ZELENKA (over radio) Yes, yes, yes. You-you should get the&mdash;

MCKAY (into radio) I will as soon as I've shut down all the&mdash;

ZELENKA (over radio) Yes, yes, yes. I will do the same thing.

SHEPPARD Wait, wait, wait. What's going on here?

MCKAY Every second I waste, we're draining more power. Just trust me, we're doing the right thing here.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

MARIE No change.

KELLER Let's start her on Manitol. Two hundred cc's i.v.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

SHEPPARD Tell me what's going on, Rodney.

MCKAY Long story short, there are a bunch of systems on right now that don't need to be, and given our current situation, they are draining the life out of the city.

TEYLA Can you not just shut them off?

MCKAY Yeah, just wait, uh&hellip;maybe. Yeah.

[He goes to another station and frantically types on the laptop.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Keller frantically works to save Weir's life.]

KELLER Come on.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

MCKAY Aw, come on.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

KELLER Time?

MARIE She's been flat for almost two minutes.

[Keller grits her teeth and shakes her head.]

KELLER Come, we need you here, Elizabeth.

[A monitor starts beeping rapidly.]

KELLER She's going back into V-fib. Let's hit her again!

[She grabs the paddles.]

KELLER Clear.

[She shocks Weir again. After a moment, the heart rate monitor beeps at a steady rhythm.]

KELLER There we go. Here we go, let's start the scan.

[The team starts working the scanner. Marie moves over to check the monitor.]

MARIE Doctor Keller?

[Keller joins Marie in looking at the brain scan.]

KELLER That's not good.

MARIE Her brain is swelling quite seriously.

KELLER That would explain the sluggish pupils.

MARIE Yeah, among other things.

KELLER Give her Nimodipine, thirty milligrams Q four H, and keep an eye on her blood pressure.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

MCKAY Nothing. Well, the control grid's all out of whack. I can't shut the systems down from here. We're&hellip;bleeding out.

SHEPPARD We can shut down the systems manually, right?

MCKAY (panicked) I don't think we have the time.

TEYLA You would rather not try?

MCKAY Okay, you're right. You're right. (into radio) Uh, Zelenka, we need to deploy some teams.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Keller and Marie monitor Weir's progress using the scanner.]

KELLER She's not responding. We're losing her.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

SHEPPARD I'm sending some of my men with your guys in case they need help. Their ETA's under five minutes. Does that give us enough time?

MCKAY I don't know. What little power we had night is almost gone. We'll be lucky if we can make it through the night.

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The city-ship of Atlantis flies through space, the shield surrounding the city.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Sheppard and McKay stand alone at the edge of the control room.]

SHEPPARD (low, to McKay) Listen&hellip;

MCKAY What?

SHEPPARD You've been making a lot of decisions here without consulting me.

MCKAY Well, I'm sorry. We're a little under the gun here. Things move fast!

SHEPPARD I understand that, but with Elizabeth&hellip;incapacitated, I hate to say it, but, uh&hellip;

MCKAY (contrite) You're in charge. I know. I'm sorry.

SHEPPARD Just keep me in the loop.

MCKAY Okay. Okay, well, I'll give you the, uh, Cole's Notes.

SHEPPARD The what?

MCKAY Uh, the Cliff's Notes?

SHEPPARD Why didn't you just say that?

MCKAY Well&hellip;never mind. Look, as we were leaving Lantia, we got grazed by the, uh, Replicators' satellite beam, right? It impacted the side of the tower, and from what we can tell, it wreaked havoc on a number of power conduits.

SHEPPARD So, re-route the power then.

MCKAY Yeah&hellip;it's not so easy. Look, the ZPM room's at the base of the tower, which means that the conduits in and around where the beam hit are primary conduits. They can't be&hellip;uh, routed around.

SHEPPARD So parts of the city don't have power?

MCKAY No, no, no. The-the conduits weren't severed, they were damaged. Look, it's complicated but&hellip;um, imagine them as, uh, leaky pipes, okay?

SHEPPARD Okay.

MCKAY So, you pump water through them, they leak, right?

SHEPPARD (impatient) You dumb this down any more, and you're going to get hit.

MCKAY Sorry. Look, the city realizes that, for whatever reason, power's not making it to the outer piers. So, instead of repairing the leaks, which it can't do, it increases the ZPM's output so that even though the pipes are leaky and we lose power, enough energy makes it to the end of the line.

SHEPPARD And that's bad?

MCKAY No, that's good. Well, otherwise we'd lose the shields, we'd lose atmosphere, we'd-we'd all be dead.

SHEPPARD (confused) Okay.

MCKAY Look, there are a number of systems on right now that don't need to be, and they're screaming for power. Look, we're gonna lose juice, potentially a fatal amount no matter what we do. But, uh, if we can get those nonessential systems shut down, then the ZPM will need to pump less power through the leaky pipes and&hellip;we'll be able to put off imminent death for another&hellip;hour or so.

SHEPPARD Mmm. So, then, where are we at?

MCKAY Oh, well, the teams are making good time. Uh, we've got about sixty percent of the nonessential systems shut down, so&hellip;

[An alert wails from nearby.]

MCKAY What? What's happening?

CHUCK (surprised) The city's outer buildings are decompressing, shutting down the artificial gravity.

[A monitor shows parts of the shield intersecting with the outer tips of the city structures.]

TEYLA Why would the city do such a thing?

MCKAY It's gonna collapse the shield. It's trying to save power.

SHEPPARD (urgently) We've got guys out there. (into radio) Matthews, fall back to the tower immediately.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS OUTER PIER CORRIDOR

[Matthews is with two technicians working on a control panel in the corridor.]

MATTHEWS I don't think we're done, sir.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

SHEPPARD (into radio) The city shield's collapsing. Move!

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS OUTER PIER CORRIDOR

MATTHEWS You heard the man. Go! Go!

[The trio run towards the tower.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[The city schematic shows the decompression sequence as well as the three life signs of Matthews's team heading through the corridors ahead of it.]

TEYLA (somber) They're not going to make it.

SHEPPARD S-stop it. Stop it from doing this.

[McKay works some controls.]

MCKAY The city doesn't think we can maintain the shields unless we make it smaller. If we delay its collapse, it could fail completely.

SHEPPARD I don't care! Override it!

MCKAY It's not letting me.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS OUTER PIER

[Doors seal closed section by section just as the shield collapses through it.]

[Matthews and his team head down a stairwell.]

MATTHEWS (into radio) We're almost there.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

SHEPPARD We're going to lose those guys, McKay!

MCKAY You think I don't realize that?!

MATTHEWS (over radio) The gravity just shut down!

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS OUTER PIER CORRIDOR

[Matthews's team float above the floor as the shield moves past them, collapsing inward.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Everyone watches as one by one, the life signs of the three men disappear. No one speaks for several moments.]

SHEPPARD (somberly) Tell the other teams to hurry. I don't want them out there any longer than they need to be.

[He walks away.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE, MIDWAY STATION

[The Midway Station of the McKay-Carter Intergalactic Bridge has now finished its construction. It floats between the Pegasus and Milky Way galaxies. Neither Stargate is visible as the station is now thoroughly enclosed in metal.]

INT&mdash;MIDWAY STATION

[Carter floats inside above the Milky Way Stargate. She holds a tablet computer and pushes herself along to the control section where Lee is.]

CARTER Hey, are you getting the same data rate inconsistencies off these flash drives? Bill? Bill?

[She turns to Lee just to see him vomit into a motion sickness bag.]

LEE Oh, sorry. Oh!

CARTER Oh boy.

LEE It's this damn weightlessness.

CARTER You know, maybe you should 'gate back to Earth. I can get somebody else to help me bring the station online.

LEE No, no, I-I'll be fine as soon as I can&hellip;figure out how to get the gravity back on. Uh, what were you saying about the flash drives?

CARTER Yeah, it's just that every time I update this software, the drives&hellip;

[The sound of chevrons locking can be heard. Carter checks the monitors.]

CARTER The Pegasus 'gate just activated.

[Lee floats over.]

ELLIS (over comm) This is Colonel Abe Ellis, commander of the Apollo. Midway Station, please respond.

CARTER (into radio) Colonel Ellis, this is Colonel Samantha Carter. I am on the Midway Station. How did the mission go?

INT&mdash;APOLLO BRIDGE

ELLIS (over radio) Well, as far as we can tell, Atlantis successfully evaded the Replicators' beam and was able to enter hyperspace.

INT&mdash;MIDWAY STATION

[The rest of the conversation switches from the Midway Station and the Apollo.]

CARTER From what you can tell?

ELLIS Well, they're not at the predetermined rendezvous point.

CARTER (confused) Really? They should have beaten you there. Actually, hey, how are you dialing us? M12-578 doesn't have a 'gate. It's off the grid.

ELLIS I jumped to the nearest 'gate to see if they've checked in with you.

CARTER Well, I'm sorry to say that they haven't.

ELLIS That's probably not good.

CARTER No. Probably not.

ELLIS I'll head back, dial you again in an hour, sooner if I hear from them.

CARTER Sounds good.

ELLIS Apollo out.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Atlantis floats in space. The shield no longer extends to the outer piers.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Ronon walks around the infirmary, wheeling his i.v. pole. He goes to where the doctor who treated him and another are monitoring Weir's surgery.]

DOCTOR Hey. You should be in bed.

[Ronon merely looks at the doctor, then his attention goes to the monitor.]

RONON How's she doing?

DOCTOR Her brain&hellip;is&hellip;swelling. Drastically. More than her head can handle. If it doesn't stop, they're going to have to perform a decompressive craniectomy. Basically, they, um, cut out a piece of her skull, and the brain is allowed to expand&hellip;outside of her head.

INT&mdash;WEIR'S OFFICE

[McKay heads to Weir's office, where Sheppard stands, staring at her desk.]

MCKAY Any word on how she's doing?

SHEPPARD She's still in the O.R. No real news yet.

MCKAY Right. Listen, I think we should collapse the shield right to the tower.

SHEPPARD That will leave us completely exposed to space.

MCKAY Yes, it will. But our power is spread so thin right now, I don't have any extra juice to come up with the solutions to the hundred or so problems that could lead to our premature demise today.

[Sheppard and McKay start walking the catwalk to the control room.]

SHEPPARD All right, check with Zelenka. Make sure all the science teams are accounted for.

MCKAY Already done. We're ready.

SHEPPARD All right. Do what you need to do.

MCKAY (to control room staff) Okay. Here we go.

[Everyone starts working.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The shield collapses around the city ship, eventually only surrounding the immediate vicinity of the central tower.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY, OPERATING ROOM

MARIE The calcium channel blockers aren't having much effect.

KELLER What's her intercranial pressure?

MARIE Thirty-five.

[Keller closes her eyes and sighs.]

KELLER I can't let her get to forty. Okay&hellip;Let's prep for a decompressive craniectomy.

[The surgical staff preps for the neurosurgery, shaving Weir's head and setting clamps around her skull. Keller performs the delicate surgery. A monitor beeps.]

MARIE Pressure down to twenty-nine.

KELER Hopefully, we'll get it under twenty-five.

[She continues the surgery.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[McKay looks over a tablet computer on the Gate Room floor with a technician. A maintenance worker sweeps away the broken glass nearby. Teyla and Sheppard enter.]

MCKAY (to technician) Hmm&hellip;Yeah. (to Sheppard and Teyla) All right, two bits of good news. One, I've been able to calculate our exact location.

[They walk up the stairs to the control room together.]

TEYLA Does that mean we can use the 'gate?

MCKAY Sadly, no. To activate the 'gate would require that we stay within a fairly small area of space. We're moving too fast to use it.

SHEPPARD Can we use the sub-lights to slow down?

MCKAY Well, it would be great if they were working, but sub-light and navigation are out.

SHEPPARD You decided to put this in the "good news" category?

MCKAY Yeah, well, at least we're not lost anymore, right? Number two, there is nothing wrong with our hyperdrives.

TEYLA Then why did we fall out of hyperspace prematurely?

MCKAY The damaged power conduits. We had plenty of gas in the tank, so to speak, we just couldn't get it to the engine. Stalled out.

SHEPPARD So if we repair the conduits, can we jump back into hyperspace?

MCKAY That's they idea, yes. I mean, we wouldn't be able to repair them completely&hellip;not without, you know, landing and shutting down, and such, but, uh, we can definitely patch them up. Look, Zelenka and his team are working as fast as they possibly can, but the problem is we're still leaking a lot of power.

TEYLA Even with all our reductions?

MCKAY I'm afraid so, yes.

[He punches up a monitor display showing a large patch of green and a segment of red at the top. It shows the power left in the ZPM.]

MCKAY Look, this is the minimum amount of power the city requires to execute a jump into hyperspace. If we don't fix the power conduits inside of an hour, we'll drop below that level. After that, we're stuck. We'll have maybe thirty hours before the shields fail, and we'll all die in the vacuum of space.

[Sheppard stares stonily at McKay as he sighs.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Ronon lies on an infirmary bed, under a blanket. He is not sleeping. Sheppard enters, heading over to Ronon's bed. Ronon turns and nods to him.]

SHEPPARD You okay?

RONON Yeah, I'm fine. They got all the glass out.

SHEPPARD Good.

RONON You need me somewhere?

SHEPPARD Right here getting better.

RONON All right, well, I'm good to go.

[Keller exits the operating room and spots Sheppard.]

KELLER Colonel?

[Sheppard heads over to her. Keller puts her hand on his shoulder and walks him over to the monitoring station where video monitors show other surgical staff still working on Weir.]

SHEPPARD Is she okay?

KELLER She's alive, but she's in bad shape. She's got six broken ribs, one of which punctured a lung. Amazingly, she doesn't have any spinal damage. But&hellip;her head got knocked around pretty good. She's suffering from cerebral edema, which may have caused substantial brain damage.

SHEPPARD (worried) What does all that mean?

KELLER Well, it's too early to know for sure, but&hellip;if she survives, and I got to stress the "if"&hellip;she'll never be the same Elizabeth again. I'm sorry. I've got to get some things and get back in there. We're understaffed. Most of our team's on the Apollo.

[Sheppard nods, choked up. Keller leaves him staring at Weir's monitor.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS ZPM ROOM

[McKay joins Zelenka in the ZPM room.]

MCKAY How's it going on this end?

ZELENKA Actually, you know, remarkably well.

MCKAY Really?

ZELENKA Yes, yes, yes. Cannibalizing parts and crystals from secondary conduits and interfacing them with primary ones is, um&hellip;is going very smoothly. Yes, if we keep our current pace, we should be, uh, done well before we, uh, drop below the necessary power requirements to, you know, jump into hyperspace and meet up with the Apollo.

MCKAY (surprised) Well, that-that's fantastic!

ZELENKA Yes. Yeah, I thought you'd be happy.

MCKAY Happy? Huh, there's actually a chance we might make it through this thing. I am ecstatic! I am going to do a little&mdash;

TECHNICIAN (over intercom) Colonel Sheppard? Doctor McKay? Please report to the control room immediately!

[Zelenka's and McKay's faces fall.]

MCKAY That lasted what, like a second?

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[McKay and Sheppard head over to a technician's station. It shows the city-ship on a trajectory to a semi-circle of several small objects.]

TECHNICIAN You're going to want to look at this.

SHEPPARD What is that?

MCKAY (incredulous) An asteroid belt?!

SHEPPARD Are the sub-lights still offline?

TECHNICIAN Yeah.

SHEPPARD We're going to need to expand the shield.

MCKAY We don't have enough power!

SHEPPARD How long 'till we get there, and how long 'till we get through it?

TECHNICIAN Uh, about ten minutes till we get there, after that, maybe two minutes to get through?

SHEPPARD (skeptical) Two minutes to get through an asteroid field?

TECHNICIAN Well, we're not passing all the way through. We're just going to skim the edge.

[He alters the monitor display to show a cross-section of the asteroid belt and the city-ship's trajectory hitting the corner of it.]

SHEPPARD (to McKay) You can't even give me two minutes at full shield?

MCKAY Well, don't take it personally. I'd like them up as much as you would, but we just can't afford the power.

SHEPPARD Rodney&hellip;!

MCKAY Look, Zelenka needs forty-five minutes to complete the repairs to the power conduits. If we raise the shields even for one minute, it'll eat up all his time. We can't do it.

SHEPPARD (thinking quickly) Okay. How big are they?

MCKAY (thinking) Well, we're in the middle of a pretty big solar system right now, and the asteroid belt's probably made up of, uh, remnants of early, failed planets, so, you know&hellip;building size and larger?

SHEPPARD I could get in the chair, fire drones, and clear a path to travel through.

MCKAY In principle, a good idea, but the chair room is outside the shield right now, and we'd never get to it. Look, we could um&hellip;ah, that's not gonna work. We could&hellip;

SHEPPARD How many people on the base have the Ancient gene?

MCKAY (distracted) Twenty or so? Look&hellip;no. (realizing Sheppard's plan) No, no, no, no, no. That is a bad idea.

SHEPPARD You have a better idea?

MCKAY Yes!

[Sheppard waits expectantly. McKay pauses.]

MCKAY I can. I just&mdash;I need some time. If you, uh&hellip;

[Sheppard heads out.]

SHEPPARD Contact everyone on the base who has the Ancient gene, tell them to meet me up at the jumper bay.

[The technician looks at McKay.]

MCKAY (snarky) Well, do it!

[He sighs and takes off after Sheppard.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS JUMPER BAY

[Sheppard briefs various Atlantis medical personnel, scientists, and technicians as well as McKay.]

SHEPPARD &hellip;which means we can't raise the shield because we don't have enough power. If we don't clear a through the city, it'll get ripped apart. So, we're going to take every last jumper we have, and we're going to clear a path through the belt by firing our drones.

[Everyone murmurs uncertainly. The doctor who had treated Ronon earlier raises his hand.]

DOCTOR Excuse me, I've really only flown a jumper twice, and I've never actually fired a live drone, so, um&hellip;

SHEPPARD You've done it in simulations, right?

DOCTOR Well, yeah, but&hellip;

SHEPPARD It's basically the same thing. If McKay can do it, you can do it.

MCKAY (sheepishly) Yes, look, about that, actually. I&hellip;

SHEPPARD Look, I know it's dangerous. I know a lot of you haven't logged a lot of hours in these things, but right now&hellip;it's the only viable option we have, or, um&hellip;

MCKAY Or die.

[Some exchange frightened looks. Sheppard winces.]

SHEPPARD Let's get moving.

[Sheppard glares at McKay before entering his jumper. McKay and the others scatter to their jumpers, powering them up. Some do it confidently, others appear very nervous and unsure.]

INT&mdash;SHEPPARD'S PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD (into comm) All right, I've loaded a flight formation for all of you. Stay in your designated positions and take out anything that's in your path. You've got a full load of drones, so ammo shouldn't be a problem.

[The rest of the conversation takes place between the various puddle jumpers. Several of the pilots pull up their HUDs to see the flight path.]

MCKAY Looks like the old video game Asteroids.

SHEPPARD (shrugging) Whatever works for you.

MCKAY I was terrible at Asteroids. I think I actually scored zero once.

SHEPPARD Then there's only one way to go, and that's up. All right, everyone, let's go. Open the jumper bay doors.

INT&mdash;JUMPER BAY

[The jumper bay door opens and the puddle jumpers fly up through it.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The puddle jumpers pass through the shield and line up ahead of Atlantis, facing the upcoming asteroid belt in a horizontal formation.]

INT&mdash;SHEPPARD'S PUDDLE JUMPER

[Sheppard studies the various jumper positions on his HUD.]

SHEPPARD Come on, guys. Stay in formation. We can't afford any gaps.

[The jumpers start to align better.]

SHEPPARD Yeah, there you go, see? Not so hard.

INT&mdash;SCIENTIST'S PUDDLE JUMPER

[A female scientist who had been looking uncertain begins to look more confident.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Teyla monitors from the control room.]

TEYLA Jumpers, you should be in range in three&hellip;two&hellip;one.

INT&mdash;SHEPPARD'S PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD Fire at will!

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The puddle jumpers fly ahead of the city-ship. They begin to fire their drones at the asteroids. A few of the rocks shatter.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPERS

[The conversation switches between McKay's and Sheppard's jumpers.]

SHEPPARD Nice shooting, people.

MCKAY (panicking) There's too many of them, and they're coming too fast. We're not going to get them all!

SHEPPARD Double up. Fire four a piece.

MCKAY I can't control four drones at the same time.

SHEPPARD Well, just concentrate.

[McKay concentrates.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[McKay's jumper fires four drones. Three hit their targets, but one just misses. McKay watches the asteroid pass by his ship.]

MCKAY Dammit!

INT&mdash;SHEPPARD'S PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD Don't worry about it. You were right. We can't get everything on the first pass.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The fleet of jumpers continues to fire drones, pulverizing the asteroids. Most are destroyed, but a few more slip through.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

TEYLA Have they destroyed enough asteroids to clear a path?

TECHNICIAN We're about to find out.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The jumpers continue to destroy asteroids.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPERS

[The conversation switches between McKay's and Sheppard's jumpers.]

MCKAY Well, now what?

SHEPPARD Well, on my mark, you, Bolton, and Levine are going to break formation and head back to the city. Take out anything that we missed.

MCKAY Oh, that sounds important. Maybe someone else should, uh&hellip;

SHEPPARD Break!

[McKay complies.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Three puddle jumpers break off from the group and swing back to Atlantis, firing drones.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPERS

[The conversation switches between McKay's and Levine's jumpers.]

LEVINE McKay, you've a big one on your left.

MCKAY I see it.

LEVINE Impact in ten seconds!

[McKay powers up his jumper.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[McKay's jumper speeds toward the city, blasting an asteroid just before it hits an unshielded building. McKay is so close to the building himself he can barely pull up to miss the building himself. He flies vertically up and over the building, sighing in relief.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[A distant explosion is heard.]

TEYLA What was that?

TECHNICIAN (hopefully) Smaller pieces getting through?

[Another explosion rocks the control room.]

TEYLA Some of them evidently not so small.

[The technician checks his computer read-outs.]

TECHNICIAN Right now, damage is confined to the outer edge of the city.

TEYLA Well, let's hope it stays that way.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The jumpers continue blasting a few more asteroids, then end up flying into open space.]

INT&mdash;SHEPPARD'S PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD All right, we're through. Now, we're gonna double back, pick up any stragglers.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Teyla and the Technician listen worriedly as more explosions pound the city. Soon, it stops.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Atlantis has passed through the asteroid belt, a large hole appearing behind them.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[A station beeps. The technician checks its readings.]

TECHNICIAN That's it. We made it!

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER BAY

[The jumpers land in the bay. Sheppard exits his to meet McKay coming out of his own jumper, breathing heavily.]

MCKAY I can't believe that actually worked! That was amazing!

SHEPPARD You did good, Rodney.

MCKAY Yeah, so, Zelenka and his team should have the conduits repaired by now, so&hellip;I think we're finally out of the woods!

TECHNICIAN (over intercom) Colonel Sheppard? Doctor McKay? Please report to the control room immediately.

MCKAY Aw, come on!

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Sheppard and McKay enter from the jumper bay stairwell. Teyla is by a station where Zelenka sits.]

SHEPPARD What the hell happened?

TEYLA The hyperdrive is offline.

SHEPPARD I thought it was good to go.

ZELENKA It was, but a few large pieces of rock impacted the city, and one of the control arrays was damaged. We can't jump until we fix it.

MCKAY I told you I was no good at Asteroids.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The city-ship of Atlantis flies through space. The shield still only covers the central tower area.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard, McKay, and Zelenka walk through the corridor.]

MCKAY The damaged conduits are on the outer edge of the city, which sadly is outside of the protection of the shield.

ZELENKA But we can use the transporters to get us very close. But it will still require a space walk.

SHEPPARD That shouldn't be too bad.

MCKAY Heh, it'll be a breeze&hellip;with the exception of the micro-asteroids.

SHEPPARD The what?

MCKAY Hey, we just came through an asteroid belt. The big stuff's behind us, but there's still a bunch of, uh, little bullet-sized rocks out there?

SHEPPARD Tiny rock bullets. Great.

MCKAY Huh, I'm sure you'll be fine.

ZELENKA (petulantly) Well, then why aren't you going?

MCKAY Well, because you've already worked out the details of the repair. You know, it would be a waste of time getting me up to speed.

SHEPPARD Speaking of time, how much do we have?

MCKAY Well once you've suited up, uh&hellip;fifteen minutes?

SHEPPARD That's it, huh?

MCKAY Hey, if the patch job we did on the conduits hadn't slowed down the power loss? We'd have hit the deadline already.

[They reach the locker where the EVA suits are kept. Sheppard pulls out one helmet. Zelenka looks nervously at the equipment.]

MCKAY You can do this.

ZELENKA (sighing) Right.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR OUTSIDE GATE ROOM

[McKay heads down a corridor with his tablet computer. He meets up with Keller as he turns a corner. She appears frantic.]

KELLER McKay! I've been trying to reach you!

MCKAY Well, you know, trying to save the city and whatnot. Look, how's Elizabeth?

KELLER That's what I want to talk to you about. She's really bad. In fact, she's so far gone, I don't think there's anything my team and I can do to heal her.

MCKAY (reeling) Oh my god. Uh, are you sure?

KELLER I've exhausted every medical possibility I can think of, and none of it's worked.

MCKAY Sh-she's going to die?

KELLER Well, I-I do have one more idea, but&hellip;I need your help.

MCKAY Me? What do you need me for?

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Keller shows McKay a display on a laptop.]

KELLER See those?

MCKAY What are they?

KELLER Remember when Doctor Weir was attacked by that Replicator, and he infected her&hellip;?

MCKAY Nanites! Carson was able to render them inert using an electro-magnetic pulse.

KELLER But they're still in her system.

MCKAY You're a genius.

KELLER (shrugging with mock humility) Well, you know, trying to save a life and whatnot.

[McKay acknowledges the callback.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard is in his EVA suit. Zelenka is getting his helmet fitted on.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) You want to what?!

[The conversation switches between the infirmary and the corridor with Sheppard and Zelenka.]

MCKAY (over radio) Reactivate Weir's nanites.

SHEPPARD (over radio) That is a terrible, terrible idea.

MCKAY What?! I'd reprogram them.

SHEPPARD No!

MCKAY John, we are losing her here. Keller and her team have done everything they can. If I can reprogram the nanites to help repair her body without taking over her brain, then&mdash;

SHEPPARD Well, that's a big "if", isn't it?

MCKAY (sighing) I'm fairly confident I can reprogram them to do only what we want.

SHEPPARD "Fairly confident?" What if they come back online and start communicating with the other Replicators? The last thing we need right now is a bunch of robot warships showing up.

MCKAY Are you listening? Look, I said I can reprogram them to be completely harmless.

SHEPPARD I am not having this conversation until you're sure. I want to save Elizabeth as much as anyone, but she wouldn't want us risking the city. Not even for her.

[In the infirmary, Keller and McKay exchange looks. McKay shifts uncomfortably but nods.]

[In the corridor, Zelenka is now all suited up. He taps Sheppard on the shoulder to show he's ready. They head into the transporter.]

ZELENKA That was the right call, by the way.

SHEPPARD Yeah, let's hope so.

EXT&mdash;SPACE, MIDWAY STATION

INT&mdash;MIDWAY STATION

[Gravity has been established. Lee enters the control room where Carter is working.]

LEE Any word from the Apollo?

CARTER No, not yet.

LEE Uh, whatcha workin' on?

CARTER I'm actually trying to figure out a way to find or contact Atlantis.

LEE Well, they've obviously veered off-course, right? Like, when was the last time Atlantis's hyperdrives were used, like a million years ago? Who knows what that kind of inactivity could've done to them.

CARTER I think it's more likely that they dropped out of hyperspace too soon. They were only flying with one ZPM. Maybe McKay underestimated the power requirements.

LEE McKay? Ah&hellip; (he shakes his head) Either way, I know how to find them.

CARTER Really?

LEE Yeah. We do an AGB, an All Gates Bulletin. It's like an all points bulletin, only with Stargates.

CARTER (scoffing) Oh, come on.

LEE No, no, really! We'll create a program, we'll dial all the 'gates in the Pegasus Galaxy at once, and then we'll try to establish radio contact with Atlantis.

CARTER But the Atlantis 'gate is off the grid.

LEE Right! But if they're close to another gate&hellip;

CARTER Then they would've contacted us by now.

LEE (deflating) Yeah. So, uh, so what have you come up with then?

CARTER Well, nothing yet, but&mdash;

LEE Well, at least I am trying! I-I'm generating ideas here&hellip;I&mdash;

[Carter gives him an exasperated glare.]

LEE Sorry.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard and Zelenka walk carefully through a depressurized corridor while in their EVA suits.]

ZELENKA I'm actually surprised. The damage in this area seems to be quite minimal.

[Sheppard turns a corner.]

SHEPPARD I beg to differ.

ZELENKA Oh my.

[Sheppard and Zelenka step into the next corridor. Just beyond the doorway, the walkway disappears. A whole section of several floors has been destroyed. The other side still stands, but it is tens of yards away with only open space between the undamaged sections.]

SHEPPARD Let me guess. The array is over there.

ZELENKA I'm afraid so.

SHEPPARD Great.

[Two bullet-like sounds are heard. Two small holes appear in the wall near them, created by projectiles passing through.]

SHEPPARD What the hell was that?

ZELENKA Micro-asteroid.

SHEPPARD Mmm. Right&hellip;All right. Looks like we're gonna have to jump.

ZELENKA But I can't jump a hundred feet!

SHEPPARD We're in space, remember? It's not that far a distance. Look, I'm going to hook you up with this tether. Okay? Then I'm going to demagnetize your boots. Then I'm going to throw you.

[While speaking, Sheppard has hooked the tether and demagnetized Zelenka's boots.]

ZELENKA Wait! What!? What?!

SHEPPARD Then I'm going to demag my boots before the tether catches. Your inertia should pull both of us over the hole and into the hallway. It'll be a cinch.

ZELENKA But-but what if you miss?

SHEPPARD You're just going to have to trust me, Doc&hellip;Trust me as far as I can throw you, actually.

ZELENKA Very funny.

SHEPPARD All right, let's do this.

[Sheppard throws Zelenka. The force on the tether pulls Sheppard with Zelenka and they float across the open space, arriving at the other side. Zelenka slaps into the wall on the other side. He turns, breathing heavily in relief.]

ZELENKA That was&hellip;it was unbelievable.

SHEPPARD Let's get to work.

ZELENKA All right.

[Zelenka snatches the repair case from where it started to float away.]

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY SUPPLY AREA

[Keller enters. McKay works on a computer.]

KELLER How's it going?

MCKAY Slowly.

KELLER Have you found a way to reactivate the nanites safely?

MCKAY Eh, short story, yes. Long story, no.

KELLER What?

MCKAY I'm a hundred percent certain that I can reactivate the nanites and have them help put Elizabeth back together.

KELLER Okay&hellip;?

MCKAY Problem is, that they would do it by replacing her damaged cells with replicated nanites. Which means the moment I tell them to turn inert again&hellip;

KELLER Those cells would stop functioning, and she'd die.

MCKAY Yeah. Well, the good news is, I've been able to program them in such a way that they would never harm her, I-I'm sure of that. Plus I've shut down their ability to contact the Replicators via subspace, so both she and we would be safe. But, uh, she'd be part Replicator for the rest of her life.

KELLER Yeah, Sheppard's not going to go for that.

[McKay sighs.]

MCKAY There's a slight possibility I might be able to make them help repair her organic cells and then shut down when they're done, but, uh&hellip;I need more time.

[He starts typing again.]

KELLER Okay, well I'll leave you to it then. Good luck.

[She heads out. McKay is already engrossed in his work again.]

MCKAY (absently) Mmm. Thanks.

EXT&mdash;SPACE, ATLANTIS ARRAY IN DAMAGED CORRIDOR

ZELENKA I'm sorry. It's taking longer than I expected. These gloves are making the work so much slower.

[Another micro-asteroid strikes just past Sheppard's shoulder, making a sound like a bullet impacting and causing a large dent and hole in the wall behind them. Sheppard and Zelenka both look at the near-miss.]

SHEPPARD Don't worry about it. We've still got four minutes before the energy dips too low and we can't make the jump.

ZELENKA So&hellip;no pressure then.

[Another micro-asteroid strikes, this one going through Zelenka's right leg before impacting the wall. He gasps in pain as blood corpuscles leak out of his compromised suit.]

SHEPPARD Radek!

[Sheppard moves to help Zelenka.]

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY RECOVERY ROOM

[Ronon enters, wheeling his i.v. pole. Weir lies unconscious on the bed, hooked up to life support. He leans in close.]

RONON Um&hellip;listen, they uh&hellip;they say you can't hear me. But I just-I just wanted to, um&hellip;um&hellip;I just wanted to thank you. Thanks for letting me&hellip;stay here a couple of years ago&hellip;Because I don't-I don't know if would still be&hellip;um&hellip;Thank you, Doctor Weir.

[The monitors start beeping rapidly.]

RONON Uh&hellip;

[He turns around for help. Keller and Marie rush in.]

RONON (worried) What did I do?

KELLER Nothing. It wasn't you, but you need to leave.

[Ronon starts backing out.]

KELLER (to Marie) Hang another bag of Manitol.

[The pair work on Weir.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE, ATLANTIS ARRAY IN DAMAGED CORRIDOR

SHEPPARD You've been hit by a micro-asteroid. Does it hurt?

ZELENKA (shakes his head, looking blank) It doesn't.

SHEPPARD You're in shock.

[Zelenka looks down.]

ZELENKA There's a hole in my suit.

SHEPPARD It's okay. I've dialed up controls to create positive pressure. I'm calling a jumper. I've got to get you to O.R.

[Zelenka holds up a circuit.]

ZELENKA We can't leave yet. I have to finish the repairs.

SHEPPARD Just tell me what to do.

ZELENKA It's too complicated. I'm almost finished. Please, help me turn around.

[Sheppard complies.]

INT&mdash;INFIRMARY SUPPLY AREA

KELLER (over radio) Doctor McKay?

MCKAY (sighing impatiently) What is it, Keller?

''[The rest of this conversation switches between Keller's location and McKay's location.]

KELLER Elizabeth's crashing. If we're gonna do this thing, we need to do it now.

MCKAY (stunned) Wha&mdash;I need more time.

KELLER We don't have more time. I can't keep her blood pressure up, and if her ICP continues to climb, there's&hellip;no bringing her back.

MCKAY (sighing) Okay, I'm transferring the program to you now. I'm on my way.

[He types a few commands onto his computer, then hurries out.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE, MIDWAY STATION

INT&mdash;CONTROL ROOM, MIDWAY STATION

CARTER You know, the easiest thing to do if they really did fall out of hyperspace early, is to fly back over the path between M12-578 and Atlantis.

LEE Well, that would take over a million years. That's why we have hyperspace.

CARTER We could use the Apollo's long-range sensors.

LEE Eh, those long-range sensors, they don't work in hyperspace.

CARTER I know. But we could make a little jump, look around, make another little jump, look around, and&hellip;until we find them.

LEE Yeah, that's good. So, using those sensors, and&hellip;conservatively, we'd have to make&hellip;ah, one hundred and eighty thousand little jumps. (acting contemplative to hide his criticism) It'd take a few years.

CARTER Unless they seriously augment the long-range sensors.

LEE Oh, yeah. Who's going to do that? It's not like they have an Asgard on board.

[Carter looks mischievous.]

CARTER Feel like taking a little trip to the Pegasus Galaxy?

[Lee looks up, surprised.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE, ATLANTIS ARRAY IN DAMAGED CORRIDOR

ZELENKA (breathlessly) Just some final adjustments.

SHEPPARD You're doing a great job, Radek. I've called a jumper.

[Zelenka pushes the final circuit crystal in place with an effort.]

ZELENKA There. I'm done.

[He pushes the array door closed.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) Control room, this is Sheppard. As soon as we get inside the shield, activate the hyperspace jump.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

TEYLA (into radio) I'm sorry, John, but we can't.

SHEPPARD (over radio) Why not? Zelenka just finished repairs.

TEYLA (into comm) Yes, I know. But we've just dropped below the line. We don't have enough power.

[She looks at the monitor showing the power level.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE, ATLANTIS ARRAY IN DAMAGED CORRIDOR

[Zelenka and Sheppard share looks of dismay.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Sheppard watches as medics wheel Zelenka away. He hurries into another area of the infirmary. Ronon sits on his bed and points towards where they wheeled Zelenka.]

RONON Is he going to be okay?

SHEPPARD I think so. It didn't hit any major arteries.

RONON Lucky.

SHEPPARD I wouldn't say that. He's still stuck here just like the rest of us.

RONON So it's true.

SHEPPARD We finally fixed the hyperdrive, and now we don't have enough juice to go anywhere. We've only got twenty-eight hours before the shields fail.

RONON All right, so what's the plan?

SHEPPARD I don't know. I gotta find McKay.

[He turns to go.]

RONON He's in there.

[Ronon points to the recovery room.]

SHEPPARD What?

[Sheppard turns just as Keller and McKay leave the room.]

SHEPPARD Hey!

MCKAY (nervous) I heard we didn't get the array fixed in time.

SHEPPARD What were you doing in there?

MCKAY Look, she was dying, okay?

SHEPPARD Rodney?

MCKAY Look, her heart was weak, her nervous system was fried.

SHEPPARD What did you do?!

[McKay looks away, exchanging looks with Keller.]

MCKAY I reactivated the nanites.

SHEPPARD (furious) Damn it, McKay!

MCKAY Look, you were busy! It was life or death! If I didn't act&mdash;

SHEPPARD Yes, she would've died. I know!

MCKAY Okay, I know what you're thinking, but helping Elizabeth is not putting us at risk!

SHEPPARD (furious) You just reactivated the Replicator nanites!

MCKAY They're harmless! Look, I am a hundred percent certain they're not going to try to take her over or-or contact the others!

SHEPPARD No. No, you can't know that for sure.

MCKAY (stubbornly) Yes. Yes, I can.

SHEPPARD Shut it down.

MCKAY But&hellip;that would kill her.

SHEPPARD What do you think Elizabeth would want? Do you think she'd want this?!

MCKAY Yes, she would. She'd sure as hell do the same for you!

SHEPPARD Then you obviously didn't know her very well.

MCKAY Well, maybe not, but you know what, give it some time, you can ask her herself!

SHEPPARD NO! It's too dangerous. Shut it down. Right now.

MCKAY No. No, I'm not going to.

[He crosses his arms and looks obstinate. Sheppard steps forward menacingly and reaches for his radio.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) Meyers, bring an EMP generator to the O.R.

MCKAY (through gritted teeth) Oh, would you please just listen to me?

MARIE (calling from inside the room) Doctor Keller!

INT&mdash;OPERATING RECOVERY ROOM

[Sheppard, McKay, Keller, and Ronon enter the room. Weir sits up in bed, fully conscious and relieved of everything but an i.v. in her arm. She pulls off the bandages covering her head. Her hair has fully regrown to its previous length. She looks around confused.]

WEIR John&hellip;? Rodney&hellip;? What's going on?

[They all exchange nervous looks.]

[Later, Keller and Marie wear full hazmat suits as they run radiation scanners over Weir. She waits patiently, but is frightened.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Sheppard watches the progress from a monitor outside the room. McKay approaches.]

MCKAY The quarantine is unnecessary.

SHEPPARD Well, you'll excuse me if I wait for a second opinion.

[Behind them, Ronon approaches, still wheeling his i.v.]

MCKAY Okay, this is stupid.

SHEPPARD What is?

MCKAY Us, fighting.

[As Ronon overhears, he quietly moves away, giving them privacy for this argument.]

MCKAY Look, I know you're not happy with me, and you-and you may have some cause, but anyway, it's not going to matter much if we don't figure a way out of this, right? Look, we have to work together, so&hellip;so, I-I'm sorry.

[Sheppard finally turns away from the monitor and looks at McKay.]

SHEPPARD Apology accepted.

MCKAY All right. (sighing) Well, someone should talk to her.

SHEPPARD (pointing) Well, Teyla's in there.

MCKAY All right.

[McKay leaves.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS RECOVERY ROOM

[Teyla, wearing a hazmat suits, stands in front of Weir. She places her gloved hand on Weir's bed. Weir places her hand next to Teyla's.]

WEIR They shouldn't have done this.

TEYLA (smiling compassionately) None of us wanted to lose you, Elizabeth.

WEIR And what happens if the nanites are able to contact the other Replicators?

TEYLA Rodney does not believe that is possible.

WEIR No. It's reckless.

TEYLA In my opinion&hellip;it is well worth the risk.

[Weir frowns, looking ready to cry. She leans close to Teyla.]

WEIR You have no idea what I went through the last time. Believe me&hellip;this is a very bad idea.

[Teyla does not know how to respond.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The city-ship of Atlantis flies through space. The shield covers only the central tower.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Sheppard enters. He finds Zelenka with a crutch, working with the technician.]

SHEPPARD What the hell are you doing up here?

ZELENKA Well, there's not much point sitting in the infirmary waiting to die, is there?

SHEPPARD All right&hellip;where do we stand?

[Chuck and McKay work on other consoles.]

ZELENKA Well, we can pretty much forget about subspace communications. The main control array was almost completely damaged by the beam. I do, however, have another idea.

[McKay sits up, looking skeptical, but holds his tongue. Sheppard glances back towards McKay but does not wait for a response.]

SHEPPARD Let's hear it.

ZELENKA Well, the reason why we cannot use the power we have left to execute the short jump to hyperspace is that the city will not let us. It's a safety protocol, but I might be able to bypass it.

[McKay shakes his head negatively while Zelenka speaks.]

SHEPPARD And what does that get us?

MCKAY (caustically) Not much.

ZELENKA Well, we wouldn't be able to get to the Apollo, and we wouldn't be able to get to the nearest Stargate, but&hellip;we might be able to find a habitable planet within range. I have my team running sensor sweeps right now.

MCKAY He's conveniently leaving out the reason why those safety protocols are in place in the first place.

ZELENKA Yes, well, with insufficient power, there is a&hellip;chance that the city could be ripped apart as we try to enter the hyperspace window.

SHEPPARD What kind of chance?

ZELENKA Fifty-fifty.

SHEPPARD Well, I gotta tell you, Radek, I'm not loving that idea.

[McKay stands and faces them, snapping his fingers in inspiration.]

MCKAY Experimental jumper. Remember when I was zapped by that machine a few months ago, and I got, uh&hellip;well, even smarter than I normally am?

SHEPPARD The one that almost killed you? Yeah.

MCKAY Well, before I was reset, I was very close to giving one of our puddle jumpers a hyperdrive.

SHEPPARD Can you finish it?

MCKAY Yeah! (gulping) Yes, I probably can.

SHEPPARD All right, great. We-we'll make a jump to the Apollo. Tell them where we are.

MCKAY No.

SHEPPARD Why no?

ZELENKA The jumper's hyperdrive would be limited. We wouldn't be able to jump that far.

SHEPPARD How far then?

[McKay and Zelenka exchange thoughtful looks.]

ZELENKA What do you think, like, two?

MCKAY Yeah, two and change, maybe?

ZELENKA Conservatively, maybe two thousand light years. This is a list of addresses that are within range.

[He types up commands on his computer. McKay and Sheppard move to monitor where a map of the region in space appears. Planets with Stargates appear on the map.]

SHEPPARD All right, we'll make a bunch of trips and ferry the crew to one of the planets.

MCKAY Again, no.

SHEPPARD Why not?

MCKAY Well, the drive's never been tested.

ZELENKA Yeah, we'd be lucky if we get two jumps.

SHEPPARD Well, we'll make a return trip somewhere.

[McKay studies the map and gets inspired.]

MCKAY Yeah, ideally, somewhere with a few ZPMs to spare. We come back, we get Atlantis fully powered.

SHEPPARD (humoring him) Yeah, that'd be great.

[Zelenka stares at what McKay noticed.]

ZELENKA M7R-227.

SHEPPARD What's that?

ZELENKA Well&hellip;

SHEPPARD There's a planet out there with ZPMs?

MCKAY Yeah&hellip;yeah, we know they have a few ZPMs.

SHEPPARD And who would that be?

[Zelenka looks nervous.]

MCKAY That&hellip;that would be the Replicator homeworld. You feel up to a heist?

[Sheppard licks his lips nervously, considering the idea.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

Transcribed for Solutions by Aurora Novarum, January 2009.

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