Thirty-Eight Minutes/Transcript

Episode Guide
SGA 1.04 "Thirty-Eight Minutes" Episode Guide

Transcript
TEASER

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[A puddle jumper flies away from a large, ringed planet and toward a space gate. The right nacelle seems to be leaving a trail of gas behind.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Markham is piloting, Stackhouse acting as co-pilot. Ford rushes to stand beside him and look out the view-screen.]

FORD How we doing?

MARKHAM Okay, Lieutenant, I think I've got her lined up pretty close.

FORD No such thing as close. You thread the needle, or we're dead.

MARKHAM All right.

FORD It's okay, you can do it. Nice and easy. (calling to aft cabin) Okay, I think we're close enough to dial the gate!

MCKAY Yes, yes! Hurry up and get us back!

[Stackhouse dials the gate.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The puddle jumper flies toward the now active gate.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Sheppard lies against the inclined ramp in the rear compartment. A cat-sized, insect-like creature is attached to the right side of his neck. Teyla and McKay are with him, each with a hand on his shoulders.]

SHEPPARD Get this damn thing off me.

TEYLA We can't.

SHEPPARD Cut it off.

MCKAY (calling forward) As soon as we establish a connection, radio back that we've got a medical emergency.

TEYLA There must be something we can do for him.

MCKAY There's an emergency first aid kit behind the pilot's seat. Get it. Major, everything we try to do to remove it just makes the pain worse. Now try and be still.

[Sheppard nods. Teyla goes to the cockpit.]

TEYLA Is there no way to go faster?

STACKHOUSE (tensely) He's just trying to get us back in one piece.

[Teyla returns to the rear.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The jumper's drive pods retract as it approaches the gate, but the right pod does not retract all the way. It clunks to a stop.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

FORD (into radio) Atlantis Base, this is Ford. Jumper One is inbound with a medical emergency. Please respond.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[The gate is active. Weir comes out from her office to the control room, approaching the technician.]

WEIR What's going on?

TECHNICIAN The reconnaissance team is reporting a medical emergency. I've alerted Dr. Beckett. He's on his way.

WEIR Put on Major Sheppard.

TECHNICIAN He's the one who's injured.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[McKay works with the med-kit.]

MCKAY What am I expecting to find in here that's going to get rid of that thing?

TEYLA Something for the pain.

MCKAY I don't think Tylenol's going to do it. He needs a doctor. How much longer?

FORD Almost there! (into radio) Flight, Jumper One on final approach.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) This is Weir. What's the nature of Major Sheppard's injury?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

FORD (into radio) Some sort of funky alien bug attached itself to his neck. He's completely immobile.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) What's it doing to him?

FORD (over radio) We don't know, but we can't get it off him, and we tried everything.

WEIR (into radio) You understand the risk of bringing something like that back to Atlantis?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

FORD (over radio) Yes, ma'am, I do, but we really don't have a choice in the matter.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) Understood, Lieutenant. Good luck. (to Marine standing by) Quarantine the jumper bay.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Teyla tries to care for Sheppard as the jumper approaches the gate.]

FORD It's all automatic from here. Here we go!

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The jumper enters the wormhole, but is stopped by the nacelle catching on the inside of the gate. The ship grinds to a sudden halt.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[The rapid deceleration renders Sheppard, McKay, and Teyla immobile on the deck.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The jumper is at a standstill, only the forward part beyond the event horizon.]

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[The gate is still active. Weir waits for them to come through.]

WEIR Where are they?

TECHNICIAN I don't know. The gate's still active. All indications read they should be through by now.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The ship is only partially visible in the gate.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[McKay and Teyla wake up. They see the event horizon between them and the cockpit, through the open doorway between.]

MCKAY Oh, no.

TEYLA What happened?

MCKAY The drive pod&hellip;the wing things that stick out when we're flying must've failed to retract. That's the only thing it can be, It's that, or the stargate shrank, which I highly doubt. This is a&mdash;a big problem.

TEYLA What can we do?

MCKAY I don't know if there's anything we can do. I mean, this is a very, very big problem.

[He notices Ford's arm protruding from the event horizon.]

MCKAY Give me a hand.

[McKay and Teyla pull Ford out. He is immediately awake.]

FORD What the hell was that? That's strange.

MCKAY Yes, it is.

FORD That is the&mdash;

MCKAY Yes, it is.

FORD That scraping sound&hellip; We're stuck.

MCKAY Yes, we are. Apparently the engine pod's failed to retract in time. It's a square peg, round hole.

FORD Can we pull Markham and Stackhouse out?

MCKAY Our hands and arms would dematerialize as soon as we cross the event horizon. It's uh &mdash; there's no way to reach for them.

[They hear the bug creatures noises and turn to Sheppard.]

FORD The Major?

TEYLA He must have been knocked unconscious by the impact.

WEIR (over radio) Jumper One, this is Weir, what's your status?

FORD (into radio) This is Ford. Good to hear your voice. The four of us are still here but Markham and Stackhouse are inside the event horizon.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) Say again?

[The conversation switches between the jumper and the Atlantis control room.]

FORD (into radio) Ma'am, Jumper One is lodged in the stargate. Teyla, Dr. McKay and myself are in the rear compartment with the Major. He's in bad shape. Markham and Stackhouse are in the forward section.

WEIR (into radio) How did that happen?

MCKAY Engine pods&hellip;

FORD (into radio) We think it was one of the engine pods, but there's no way to be sure.

MCKAY It is the only viable possibility.

WEIR (into radio) If I understand you correctly, you won't be able to access the flight controls.

MCKAY (into radio) Yes, Elizabeth, it's an extremely intriguing conundrum, and one that I would love to discuss with you in detail until the stargate shuts down and this ship is cut in two&mdash;

WEIR (into radio) Rodney, calm down&mdash;

MCKAY (into radio) At which point of course&mdash;

WEIR Rodney! If I'm going to be any help to you at all, I need to catch up. Lieutenant Ford, back it up for me.

FORD We couldn't I.D the Wraith base of operations from space, like we did the last time we were there&hellip;

FORD (voiceover) So we went to the same landing coordinates as before to get a closer look.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The jumper comes through the stargate and approaches the planet, cloaking along the way.]

EXT&mdash;WRAITH PLANET, DAY

[The team reconnoiters the crater where a Wraith ship had been found before.]

SHEPPARD It's gone.

MCKAY What? I thought you said it was in a mountainside.

TEYLA It was. We were inside it.

SHEPPARD Let's move.

[They walk to the edge of the crater. It is empty.]

SHEPPARD This was the spot.

MCKAY Well, it's more of a hole than a mountain, really.

TEYLA Could it have been destroyed?

FORD This is definitely not a blast crater.

SHEPPARD No, looks like THEY just picked up and left. So, ship?

FORD I don't know, sir. That mountainside was covered in trees.

SHEPPARD Yeah, but the Wraith hibernate for centuries, right? So a lot of trees could have overgrown in that time.

TEYLA Then we were held prisoner inside one of the great ships I showed you in the drawings. They've left to begin culling worlds.

[McKay hears the noises of Wraith drone soldiers off to his right.]

MCKAY There's movement down there!

[The Wraith start firing on the team.]

SHEPPARD Go!

[They run from the pursuers.]

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY She hardly meant begin at the beginning.

FORD This is Intel she needs to know.

MCKAY And we have less than thirty-eight minutes.

WEIR (into radio) Hold on. Why thirty-eight minutes?

MCKAY (over radio) Because that's the maximum amount of time a stargate can remain open in non-relativistic conditions. It's one of the more immutable laws of wormhole physics and, oh, my, look at the time. It's now more like thirty-five minutes. Are we all caught up?

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) I get it. What do you need?

[The conversation switches between the jumper and the Atlantis control room.]

MCKAY (into radio) Help.

WEIR (over radio) All right. Let me put Kavanagh, Grodin, and Simpson in a room. See what they come up with.

MCKAY (over radio) That's good. And the Czech, the Czech. The Czech whose name I can never remember.

WEIR (into radio) Dr. Zelenka?

MCKAY (over radio) That's him. We'll work it at our end.

WEIR (over radio) What else?

MCKAY (into radio) We'll call you. Thank you.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Beckett enters the control room.]

BECKETT Where's my patient?

WEIR There's been a problem. Conference room. Oh, no. Keep a channel open with them at all times. And turn that damn alarm off!

[They leave the control room.]

EXT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[The bug is pulsing, and there are spots of blood where it attaches to Sheppard's neck. Sheppard wakes up and sees Teyla looking through the med-kit beside him.]

SHEPPARD Hi, Teyla. Are you all right?

TEYLA I'm fine.

SHEPPARD Something tells me we haven't made it to Atlantis yet.

TEYLA No.

[He sees Ford and McKay standing in front of the even horizon.]

SHEPPARD Ford? What is that?

FORD We're stuck, sir.

SHEPPARD We're what?

FORD In the gate.

SHEPPARD You mean my day just got worse.

MCKAY We're going with the assumption it was one or both of the drive pods. I don't know whether it was mechanical failure or&mdash;

FORD It was damaged as we tried to take off.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;WRAITH PLANET, DAY

[Wraith fire on the jumper as Markham and Stackhouse try to take off.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[The team is jostled around in the cabin.]

SHEPPARD We're taking fire. Get some altitude!

MARKHAM I'm trying, sir!

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY There's no way of knowing really, but, uh, if you know of some way of manually retracting the mechanism&mdash;

SHEPPARD Cockpit, on the left.

MCKAY The cockpit is regrettably demolecularized at the moment, but how about somewhere back here?

SHEPPARD No.

MCKAY No. I didn't think so. Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll be a foot and a half over there, taking some readings. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS BRIEFING ROOM

[Various scientists and engineers are rushing around the room. Weir enters.]

WEIR All right, you've all been briefed. We have less than half an hour. Where's Dr. Zelenka?

KAVANAGH He's working up a simulation in Puddle Jumper Two. He went straight there.

WEIR That's good.

KAVANAGH If there was time, it would be.

WEIR Let's not admit defeat just yet, Doctor. There're six people on that ship.

BECKETT I'm just a medical doctor here, so forgive me if this is a stupid question. If they just stepped through the event horizon, wouldn't they come through with the front part of the ship when the gate shuts down?

KAVANAGH The front half won't re-materialize on this side.

GRODIN The stargate transmits matter in discrete units. The front half of the ship cannot re-materialize until the whole ship has crossed into the event horizon. The stargate is essentially waiting for the contiguous components&mdash;meaning the jumper and everyone inside&mdash;to enter completely before it can transport them.

[Beckett looks to Weir for a translation.]

WEIR He says the gate only sends things through in one piece.

BECKETT Right. Sorry.

GRODIN Unfortunately the outgoing stargate won't transmit the matter stream until the demolecularization is complete. When it shuts down, the entire forward section, along with the men inside, will cease to exist.

WEIR And what about the others?

GRODIN The ship will be severed instantaneously along the event horizon. They'll be exposed to hard vacuum in 29 minutes.

SIMPSON What if they closed the bulkhead door?

WEIR The rear portion of the ship would remain pressurized, become a sort of lifeboat.

GRODIN It would leak atmosphere like a sieve.

SIMPSON It could buy enough time to send a second jumper.

KAVANAGH And do what?

WEIR Figure it out. Contact Jumper One and make the recommendation.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[McKay works on a laptop connected to the ship. He jumps up and pushes a button on the panel behind Ford. The bulkhead door closes, leaving the cabin in darkness as the even horizon is covered.]

FORD What are you doing?

MCKAY (turning on a flashlight) Sorry. Here.

GRODIN (over radio) Jumper One, this is Atlantis.

MCKAY (into radio) We're still here.

GRODIN (over radio) We recommend closing the bulkhead door.

MCKAY (into radio) Oh, good thinking. What else?

GRODIN (over radio) We're still working on the problem. We'll get back to you. Atlantis base out.

MCKAY (into radio) Thanks for calling! (to the team) Anybody else claustrophobic, or is it just me?

FORD Why'd you close the door?

MCKAY So that when the stargate shuts down and the forward section is severed, we're not directly exposed to space.

FORD Will it hold?

MCKAY Like a screen door on a submarine. I just prefer apoxia to explosive decompression. It's a personal thing.

FORD If the air is going to get thin in here, you really do have to calm down.

MCKAY Wait till you see how thin it gets in 27 minutes.

SHEPPARD McKay&mdash;

MCKAY Vacuum. That's thin.

SHEPPARD Knock it off.

MCKAY Oh, I apologize for being the only person who truly comprehends how screwed we are!

SHEPPARD Don't talk to me about screwed!

[McKay looks chagrined.]

SHEPPARD And let's not give up on Markham and Stackhouse, either. There's plenty of time to solve this thing, but you've got to stop using your mouth and start using your brain.

MCKAY I'm sorry, Major. I'm&mdash; I react to certain doom a certain way. It's a bad habit, and&hellip; maybe there's a way to manually retract the mechanism.

SHEPPARD Yeah. Maybe there is.

TEYLA (putting her folded up jacket behind his head) Here. You seem stronger.

SHEPPARD No, it's just the pain's not so bad now.

FORD That's good.

SHEPPARD No, it isn't. I can't feel my legs. Hands and arms are numb. I can barely move them, and the feeling's creeping up. Lookit, Lieutenant&hellip;what I'm trying to say&hellip;is if you don't get this damn thing off me, I have even less time than you do.

[McKay gets back to work.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER HANGAR

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER TWO

[Zelenka and other techs work on the simulation.]

ZELENKA Speaks Czech.

[Weir arrives.]

WEIR Dr. Zelenka?

ZELENKA Apologies for not attending your briefing, Dr. Weir. There was no time.

WEIR I don't want to slow you down, but I need to know what you're working on so I can communicate it to the team on Jumper One.

ZELENKA We are attempting to retract the um, uh&hellip;the&hellip;the drive pod back into the fuselage, from inside the rear compartment.

WEIR Anything yet?

ZELENKA Oh, there's much redundancy in ancient technology making it dangerous for them to experiment in this way.

WEIR So they might accidentally open the rear hatch or shut life support off entirely.

ZELENKA Yes. Yes, yes. Which is why we are attempting to isolate the correct control pathway.

WEIR Understood. What could I do to help?

ZELENKA Stop talking, please.

ZELENKA (frustrated) Speaks Czech.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Teyla and Ford tend to Sheppard.]

SHEPPARD Lieutenant, get your knife out and cut this damn thing off. It can't hurt as much as it did last time.

TEYLA The last time, we almost lost you.

SHEPPARD Well, you're going to lose me anyway.

FORD Sir&hellip;we tried to get it off you when we were back on the planet. We tried everything.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;WRAITH PLANET, DAY

[Ford is with Sheppard on the ground. The bug has already attached.]

FORD You ready, sir? Here we go.

[Ford shoots the bug with his pistol. Sheppard screams in agony.]

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

FORD Everything we did just hurt you more. The thing just heals itself.

TEYLA It feeds on your strength. Like a Wraith.

SHEPPARD You had to say that.

TEYLA My father often told stories of creatures such as this. I always thought he was just trying to keep the children from straying far from our camp.

SHEPPARD Great. Did he tell you how to kill it?

FORD I don't know, sir. I'm not sure we can.

SHEPPARD Well, I could use a second opinion. Get Beckett on the radio.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Beckett arrives.]

TECHNICIAN (into radio) Affirmative. Over here, sir. This mic is open.

BECKETT (into radio) This is Dr. Beckett. How's our patient?

FORD (over radio) This is Ford. Major Sheppard's conscious, but the creature's still latched onto him.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD (into radio) How do you feel about house calls, Doc?

[The conversation switches between the jumper and the Atlantis control room.]

BECKETT (over radio) Would if I could, Major Sheppard, but you'll have to settle for long distance. I'm told you have something of a cling-on.

SHEPPARD (into radio) That's funny. It's like the ugliest damn tick you've ever seen.

BECKETT (into radio) How did it attach itself?

SHEPPARD (into radio) Well, we were on our way back to the jumper with the Wraith shooting at us.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;WRAITH PLANET, DAY

[The team reaches the top of a ridge and stops to look back at the pursuing Wraith.]

SHEPPARD Go tell Markham to get ready for takeoff! I'll cover you.

MCKAY What about you?

SHEPPARD I'll be there in a minute! Go!

[The three leave Sheppard to defend their retreat. He exchanges fire with them, then takes off again. He stops behind a tree and trades fire again.]

FORD (over radio) Major, we're cut off from the jumper!

SHEPPARD (into radio) Negative. I see one at your 3:00, I drew the other two this way.

FORD (over radio) They're all around us. Where'd they come from?

SHEPPARD Lieutenant, you know how they can make you see things that aren't there. The path in front of you is clear. Now move!

[Sheppard gets on the move again, backing into a huge spider web with the bug at its center.]

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[The conversation switches between the jumper and the Atlantis control room.]

BECKETT (into radio) Can you describe it to me?

FORD (over radio) Yes, sir. It's about two feet in length, including the tail. That's wrapped down under his armpit. It's got two sharp, spiny things in his neck near the Major's carotid artery.

BECKETT (into radio) I'll need more than that, son.

FORD (into radio) It's forelegs&mdash;I guess you'd call them that&mdash;they're wrapped around the Major's throat. Uh, I can't see any eyes&hellip; It's got a real hard shell, but there's a soft, leechy part underneath.

BECKETT (into radio) Major, what are your physical symptoms?

SHEPPARD (over radio) Well, at first, it felt like a knife in the eye. Since then, I've lost all the feelings in my extremities. I can't move.

BECKETT (into radio) So it incapacitates first with pain, then paralysis.

SHEPPARD (into radio) I need to be able to move around to help McKay with the mechanical problem. Markham and Stackhouse are dead if I don't.

BECKETT (into radio) What have you tried?

FORD (over radio) I tried to cut it off. I tried burn it off. I even tried to shoot it off&mdash;nine mil point-blank. Not much worse I can do without killing the Major along with it.

TEYLA I believe the creature is related in some way to the Wraith.

MCKAY Really?

BECKETT (into radio) How so?

TEYLA (over radio) It healed itself after each attempt to remove it, by sapping life from Major Sheppard, just as a Wraith would.

MCKAY (over radio) I suppose the Wraith had to evolve from something. It's probably some sort of, uh, prehistoric cousin.

FORD Listen, Doc, the Major's getting worse. We gotta do something right now.

BECKETT (into radio) You said the creature had an underside of exposed soft tissue, like a leech?

FORD (into radio) Yeah, I tried to cut into it. The thing practically strangled him to death.

BECKETT (into radio) Son, you don't cut leeches off. You pour salt on them.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS BRIEFING ROOM

[The scientists are gathered around a table covered with print-outs.]

SIMPSON If you activate the field, they'll die.

KAVANAGH Hey, we can always open it again if they fix the problem&mdash;

SIMPSON But they may not have time!

KAVANAGH If they don't, we could destroy this facility!

SIMPSON Well, I don't&mdash;

WEIR (entering) You're supposed to be working on solutions.

KAVANAGH We think the jumper must be damaged for this to have happened in the first place. Ancient systems are too advanced for this to have been pilot error.

WEIR So?

KAVANAGH So depending on the extent of the damage, we can't rule out a catastrophic power feedback in the drive manifold.

WEIR Without the technobabble, please.

SIMPSON Dr. Kavanagh was pointing out that there's a very slim chance that with the cockpit controls interrupted and the pod damaged, the main drive could overload.

KAVANAGH She means to say explode. Especially if McKay starts nosing around inside the control conduits to retract the drive pod manually. And he will. I know I would.

WEIR And Zelenka is working on simulations. I just came from there.

KAVANAGH If there is a catastrophic overload, the full force of the explosion will break up the jumper, follow the burning fragments through the stargate like a bomb.

WEIR (to Simpson) You think the risk of this happening is minimal?

SIMPSON In my opinion? Yes.

WEIR (to the others) You all agree? Then we take the chance.

KAVANAGH I thought it was important to point out the risk.

WEIR Fine. You did. Now, please, worry a little bit more about their lives and less about your own ass. Twenty-three minutes.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Weir rushes back toward the control room. Halling and other Athosians approach her from the bottom of the stairs. He is carrying a tray with several vessels on it.]

HALLING Dr. Weir?

WEIR I'm sorry. I don't have time right now.

HALLING Neither do those people who are trapped aboard the ship of the Ancestors.

WEIR News travels fast.

HALLING I was speaking with one of your expedition members when she was called in to help.

WEIR Well, then you are aware that we are very short on time.

HALLING I am. Still&hellip;this is important.

WEIR Okay.

HALLING You do not know this, but among our people, there is a ritual prayer that is said when one knows that death is upon them.

WEIR We don't know that it is.

HALLING I am told it is all but inevitable.

WEIR By whom?

HALLING That is not important. What is important is that Teyla be allowed to prepare for death. Knowing the time and place of one's end is a&hellip;is a very rare thing among our people.

HALLING It is a simple rite that would not take more than a few moments&mdash;

WEIR Halling. We need to concentrate all of our efforts on saving them.

HALLING At the risk of forsaking Teyla's own beliefs?

WEIR It is important that we use what little time we have to try everything&mdash;

HALLING I would ask you not tell me what is important and what is not in this case.

WEIR I'm sorry. I can't have this conversation right now.

HALLING Why not?

WEIR Because we are wasting time.

HALLING This is time that Teyla could use to prepare.

WEIR All right. You perceive death a certain way. I accept that. In fact, I respect that. But we do not prepare for death. We do everything we can to stave it off. That is who we are.

HALLING I'm not asking you to suspend your efforts&mdash;

WEIR No you want me to tell everyone on that ship that they should expect to die. I will not send them that message. And if you feel that that violates Teyla's personal rights, I apologize, I truly do but there's nothing I can do about that right now. I have to go.

[She leaves a very disappointed Halling behind.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

BECKETT (over radio) All right we've got everything from the jumper manifest already laid out here. What's your personal inventory?

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

FORD (over radio) Okay, from the vests, we've got a Swiss Army knife, some chocolate, some water, matches, emergency kit. We have alcohol, iodine, painkillers&hellip;

[As Ford speaks, Carson and his assistants lay out the same items on a table.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

TEYLA What's this?

[The conversation switches between the jumper and the Atlantis infirmary.]

FORD Teyla found a portable defibrillator in the ship stores.

BECKETT (into radio) Already thought of that. Major Sheppard would receive the same electric shock. It would likely kill him.

FORD (into radio) Right.

BECKETT (over radio) Try everything, one item at a time.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Kavanagh enters and approaches Weir.]

KAVANAGH Dr. Weir.

WEIR Kavanagh. I hope you've got something to tell me.

KAVANAGH Yes, I do. What the hell was that?

WEIR Excuse me?

KAVANAGH I happily left the SGC because I had had it up to here with the military running things, and you just busted me like a private.

WEIR Don't be so dramatic. Besides, the Air Force doesn't have privates&mdash;

KAVANAGH Neither do I. You just cut them off, right in front of my research team.

WEIR That's what this is about? You're embarrassed?

KAVANAGH Well, humiliated would be a little more accurate.

[Others walking by stop at the sound of their voices.]

WEIR I haven't worked up to humiliation yet.

KAVANAGH I just assumed that with a civilian in charge of the expedition, there would be a little bit more&mdash;

WEIR A civilian is in charge, and we are cut off from Earth, which makes Atlantis almost like a colony, doesn't it?

KAVANAGH I suppose.

WEIR Well, I'm Governor of that colony.

KAVANAGH No, that's all very well and good&mdash;

WEIR Do you have a problem with that?

KAVANAGH You're missing my point.

WEIR No, you're missing mine.

WEIR If you waste one more minute which could be used to help the people trapped on that ship because of your ego&hellip;I promise you, I will dial the coordinates of a very lonely planet where you can be as self-important as you want to be.

[He makes a scoffing noise.]

WEIR You think I'm kidding?

KAVANAGH You wouldn't do that.

WEIR Kavanagh, get back in there!

KAVANAGH We'll talk about this later.

WEIR Never again! Go. Go!

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER TWO

ZELENKA Ow. (his computer beeps) He speaks Czech. (into radio) Dr. Zelenka to control room&hellip; I think I have something.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

GRODIN We're receiving.

WEIR (into radio) Jumper One, this is Weir. Dr. Zelenka's come up with something.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY Zelenka. Why can I never remember that name?

GRODIN (over radio) He's positively identified the control systems in the port side of the jumper that retract the drive pod. I'm relaying the schematics to your data-pad.

MCKAY (into radio) Thank you. Now we're getting somewhere.

GRODIN What?

MCKAY Zelenka's identified the control pathways to the engine pod, which means that's increasing my chances of fixing this from one in a million to one in a thousand but, uh&hellip; it's something. Elizabeth?

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) Yes?

[The conversation switches between the jumper and the Atlantis control room.]

MCKAY (over radio) I'll only have seven to nine seconds to warn you if I accidentally trigger a catastrophic overload, so if I tell you to raise the shields&hellip;don't hesitate.

WEIR (into radio) We're aware of the risk, Rodney. Do your best.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Ford speaks to Beckett over the radio as he tries different substances on the bug. Beckett listens from the infirmary.]

FORD We're starting with iodine.

[Nothing happens.]

FORD Scratch iodine.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

BECKETT (into radio) What else have you got there?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY Yes, what have you got there? Any food?

FORD You're kidding.

MCKAY I have less than twenty minutes to save our lives, and I am teetering on the brink of a hypoglycemic reaction, so&hellip;

[Ford tosses him a power bar, which he opens.]

MCKAY Thank you.

[He starts eating it as he keeps working.]

TEYLA (handing Ford a bottle) Here.

FORD (into radio) We're going to try alcohol now.

BECKETT (over radio) Place a few drops on the soft tissue to see how it reacts.

SHEPPARD Save some for me.

FORD Wrong type of alcohol, sir.

SHEPPARD What's the good of that?

FORD Not much, sir. No reaction to alcohol.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

BECKETT (into radio) Right. What next?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

TEYLA Did the doctor not say to pour salt on the creature?

MCKAY I think that was a metaphor. But it doesn't matter. Just try everything.

[Ford pours salt on the creature. It doesn't react. Beckett and Weir listen with great anticipation from their respective locations.]

FORD Water. Give me water.

[He pours water on top of where he dropped the salt. After a moment, the creature balloons up and sinks its legs and pincers deeper into Sheppard's throat. Sheppard begins to yell out in shock and pain. Beckett and Weir listen to his screams in alarm, as do the researchers.]

FORD Sir. Sir, are you all right? Sir? Major?

[Sheppard screams louder.]

FORD (over radio) Sir, are you all right? Sir! Major? Major? What's happening?

[Sheppard shoves Ford away with great strength, sending him crashing into the wall of the ship. The surprise makes Rodney touch something on the control crystals, and a drive sound is heard.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) What's happening?

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Sheppard is trembling in pain. Ford gets up from the deck.]

FORD It reacted to either the salt or the water.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

BECKETT (into radio) Or a combination of both. Did it loosen its hold on Major Sheppard?

FORD (over radio) Negative.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

TEYLA (into radio) If anything, it dug in more.

SHEPPARD (roughly) Please don't do that again.

FORD I won't, sir. I'm sorry.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

BECKETT (into radio) Most likely a primitive defensive reflex to salt water.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY We moved. When you fell, I must've crossed one of the circuits. I think the engine fired for a microsecond, but it stopped. Oh, no.

[He sees that the ship is now far enough into the wormhole that the even horizon is partially visible through a hole in the floor.]

FORD What? What?

MCKAY So much for plan "A".

FORD What?

MCKAY When the stargate closes now, every molecule of air in this compartment is going to rush out through there.

TEYLA We slid in further.

MCKAY (sitting down, defeated) Fifteen minutes.

[The conversation switches between the jumper and the Atlantis control room.]

WEIR (into radio) Ford what can you tell me?

FORD (over radio) The puddle jumper has shifted slightly. The rear compartment has now breached the event horizon. Dr. McKay. Dr. McKay&hellip;is still hopeful he can retract the drive pod in time.

[McKay stands and gives Ford a stern look, looks back at Sheppard, then continues his work.]

WEIR (into radio) Understood. We haven't come up with anything yet, but there's still time.

FORD (over radio) Yes, ma'am.

WEIR (into radio) How is Major Sheppard?

SHEPPARD (into radio, grimacing in pain) I'm still here.

WEIR (over radio) Hang in there, Major. We're working on the problem.

SHEPPARD (into radio) I know you are. Listen, uh&hellip;I'd like to say something while I still can.

WEIR (into radio) Don't! You're going to get through this.

SHEPPARD (into radio, smiling ruefully) If I was&hellip;he wouldn't have let me go.

WEIR (into radio) Who wouldn't have let you go?

SHEPPARD (into radio) The Wraith.

FLASHBACK

EXT&mdash;WRAITH PLANET, DAY

[Sheppard kneels on the ground, pulling at the creature newly attached to his neck, as the Wraith soldier approaches. The Wraith stares at him and the creature, then turns and walks away.]

END FLASHBACK

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD (into radio) I guess he just saw me as good as dead, 'cause he just walked away. So&hellip;what I wanted to say was&mdash;

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) Save your strength, John, and tell me in person.

[The conversation switches between the jumper, the Atlantis control room, and the infirmary.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) This is important.

WEIR (into radio) I'm listening.

FORD (into radio, interrupting Sheppard) We should send him through the event horizon. If Dr. McKay figures it out in time we can fix the Major up on the other side. If he doesn't, we're all dead anyway.

MCKAY No pressure.

GRODIN (over radio) Major Sheppard would effectively be in suspended animation for the entire time.

BECKETT (into radio) We can't risk that.

FORD (into radio) Why not?

BECKETT (over radio) If the creature reacted that violently to a few drops of water, who knows how it would react to stargate travel?

WEIR (into radio) You're telling me Major Sheppard can't come through the gate while that thing is on him?

TEYLA (into radio) Then we must do something now.

[Beckett and Weir pause, trying to think of something.]

SHEPPARD Hit me with the defibrillator.

BECKETT (into radio, excited) You may be on to something, Major!

FORD (into radio) You said that might kill him.

SHEPPARD That's the idea.

TEYLA I don't understand.

BECKETT (over radio) Teyla&hellip;you said this creature is like a Wraith.

TEYLA (into radio) Yes.

BECKETT (into radio) Then how do you think it would respond if, God forbid, Major Sheppard were to die right now, then?

TEYLA (into radio, realizing) It would stop feeding.

BECKETT (over radio) Exactly, just as a Wraith would.

WEIR (into radio) How is that an idea?

BECKETT (over radio) We're suggesting that we fool the creature into thinking its prey is dead by stopping the Major's heart. If I'm right, it should let him go.

FORD (into radio) When the thing lets go, we give him another jolt?

BECKETT (over radio) You can give that a try. If it doesn't work, send him through the event horizon. He'll keep there as good as a deep freeze.

WEIR (into radio) John, are you sure you want to do this?

SHEPPARD (into radio) I want this damn thing off me.

BECKETT (to his techs) Be prepared for a code blue in the jumper bay. (into radio) Lieutenant Ford, do you know how to do this?

FORD (into radio) Yes, sir.

[Ford gets out the defibrillator.]

FORD (to Teyla) Cut his shirt open.

TEYLA What?

FORD Cut his shirt open!

[Teyla takes scissors from the med-kit and cuts Sheppard's tee-shirt up the middle, exposing his dog tags.]

FORD (working the defibrillator) Charging to two hundred. Move his tags.

TEYLA What?

FORD Remove his chains to the side.

[She does so.]

BECKETT (into radio) Place the lubrication right on the paddles.

[Ford does so.]

FORD (into radio) Ready to go. Once the bug falls off, I'm going to have to kill it. I'll wait for it to charge up again, and I'll give him another jolt. McKay&hellip;

FORD if we can't restart his heart on the first try I'm going to need the bulkhead door open again.

MCKAY Done.

[McKay opens the bulkhead door.]

FORD One of us is going to have to get him through.

TEYLA I will.

[Ford places the paddles on Sheppard's chest but hesitates.]

SHEPPARD Do it!

[He shocks Sheppard, who convulses then settles back, unmoving. Ford puts his fingers to Sheppard's neck.]

FORD No pulse!

[Teyla tries to pull on the creature but it won't release.]

TEYLA (into radio) It won't come off.

BECKETT (into radio) Settle. It may take a moment.

WEIR (into radio) Lieutenant?

[Teyla tries again, and the creature detaches. She tosses it onto the bench. Ford shoots it several times with his pistol, and it lies still, leaking thick fluid. Teyla wraps it in her jacket as Ford prepares the paddles again. Ford shocks Sheppard. He checks for a pulse at his neck again.]

TEYLA Nothing?

FORD Nothing! Let's get him through!

[Teyla and Ford lift Sheppard by the arms and maneuver him near the event horizon. McKay helps Ford put Sheppard into Teyla's arms.]

FORD Got him?

TEYLA Yes.

[Teyla carries him backward into the wormhole.]

FORD (into radio) This is Lieutenant Ford. The creature's successfully been removed from Major Sheppard, but we were unable to revive him. Both he and Teyla are now on the other side of the event horizon.

WEIR (into radio) Thank you, Lieutenant. Rodney, you have seven minutes.

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, EVENING

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[Beckett and a medical team arrive, rolling a gurney and dressed in hazmat suits.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[McKay works on the crystal controls as Ford looks on.]

MCKAY I'm only halfway through all the possible circuit pathways and time's almost up. We're never going to make it.

FORD Just keep at it. There's still time.

MCKAY You should consider stepping into the event horizon. I'm serious. I'll keep trying till the end, but given your choices, that's a far better way to go.

FORD And leave you here alone with that thing wrapped up in my jacket?

MCKAY You did check to make sure it was dead, right?

FORD It's dead.

MCKAY Good, because explosive decompression and death by suffocation with that thing on my face is possibly the&mdash;

FORD Work!

MCKAY Sorry.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS BRIEFING ROOM

[The researchers continue working.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR Time?

GRODIN Two minutes, twenty seconds.

WEIR (into radio) Rodney, we're down to two minutes.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY (into radio) I know the time. I've still got over two dozen circuits I haven't tried.

[The conversation switches between the jumper and the Atlantis control room.]

WEIR (into radio) Don't be so methodical. Just pick one at random.

MCKAY (into radio) If I do that, I run the risk of attempting to activate the same circuit twice.

WEIR (into radio) Just try!

MCKAY (over radio) I'm telling you there's no way I can—-

[A circuit combination happens, and there is the sound of a mechanism activating.]

MCKAY (into radio) Wait!

[They listen for more sounds.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The pods retract, but the ship remains unmoving.]

MCKAY (into radio) I think I did it.

[Beckett, the researchers, and Weir all wait in anticipation in their locations.]

MCKAY Elizabeth, I think the engine pod's retracting.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Weir and others rush to the balcony to watch the ship come through. Halling and the Athosians wait on the stairs.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The puddle jumper sits still, even though there is now nothing interfering with it.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

WEIR (into radio) Then why haven't you shown up?

EXT&mdash;SPACE

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

FORD She's right. Why aren't we moving?

MCKAY (realizing) It's inertia. The drive shut down before we went through the stargate. We've shed all our forward momentum.

[Ford starts jumping against the forward bulkhead, as if to push the ship through.]

MCKAY You're wasting your time. For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction.

FORD (angry) Then what are we going to do?

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[They listen in frustration.]

GRODIN One minute.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS BRIEFING ROOM

KAVANAGH (over radio) Wait! The rear hatch. Blow the rear hatch! It should give you enough thrust to make it through.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

MCKAY That could do it, but the only mechanism to blow the hatch is back here.

[He indicates a switch near the rear of the jumper.]

FORD You go through. I'll do it.

[Ford opens the bulkhead door again.]

MCKAY No, no, you'll get blown out into space.

FORD No, no, there's no time to argue, just go!

MCKAY Make sure you hold on to someth&mdash;

FORD Just go!

[Ford shoves McKay into the wormhole.]

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

GRODIN Thirty seconds.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[The creature stirs inside the jacket. Ford braces himself then pulls the lever to open the rear hatch. All of the air gets sucked out of the ship rearward, including the creature. He hangs on as his body is blown horizontal.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The ship moves forward slowly.]

EXT&mdash;WORMHOLE EFFECT

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[The jumper comes thorough the gate, which shuts down. The personnel clap and cheer. The Athosians stand. smiling. Weir and Halling exchange confirming looks.]

WEIR (to Grodin) I'll be in the jumper bay.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Sheppard is lying on the deck of the jumper. Beckett is using a defibrillator on him.]

BECKETT Again!

[In the aft compartment, Ford has been placed on a gurney and given oxygen. Weir arrives.]

MCKAY He's going to be fine.

[Weir clasps Ford's hand, then he gets wheeled out, and Weir and Rodney move forward to Sheppard. Beckett continues to work on him, but his heart is still flatlining on the monitor. Weir and Teyla exchange nods. Beckett shocks Sheppard again.]

WEIR Well done, Rodney.

MCKAY (tense) We'll see.

[The medics work on Sheppard, including using an air bag.]

BECKETT We've got a pulse.

[Markham and Stackhouse join everyone in sighing in relief.]

BECKETT Getting stronger.

[Beckett takes off his stethoscope and listens to Sheppard's chest by ear.]

BECKETT He's going to be okay.

[Weir sits down on the bench suddenly. Rodney paces around the rear compartment and exchanges glances with Beckett. Sheppard appears to be sleeping peacefully.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, NIGHT

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Sheppard is awake and smiling at a nurse who has finished changing his bandages. He is dressed in red scrubs. The rest of his team and Weir are there, dressed in civilian clothing.]

WEIR How are you feeling?

SHEPPARD Starving.

MCKAY He's got quite the hickey, but Dr. Beckett says he'll be fine in a few days.

TEYLA We should let you rest.

SHEPPARD No, you should get me food.

WEIR I think we can arrange that.

FORD (tapping Sheppard on the shoulder) Welcome back, sir.

[Teyla, Beckett, and Ford start to leave.]

SHEPPARD I have to admit, it is a pleasant surprise.

WEIR By the way, what were you going to say?

[The other three stop to listen.]

SHEPPARD When?

WEIR Before, when you thought, you know&hellip;

SHEPPARD Oh, that&hellip;

WEIR I didn't want you to say it at the time, but now I'm curious.

SHEPPARD I was going to say, um&hellip; Take care of each other.

WEIR That's nice.

SHEPPARD Yep.

MCKAY And, uh indeed, we did.

SHEPPARD Yes, you did. Thank you. Again.

MCKAY You're welcome.

TEYLA Good night.

[They all leave but Weir.]

WEIR You weren't really going to say that, were you?

SHEPPARD I have no idea what you're talking about.

WEIR I didn't think so.

[She leaves. Sheppard gets comfortable on the bed and closes his eyes, smiling.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

Transcribed for Solutions by Michelle, September 2009.

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--Michelle 03:04, 23 September 2009 (UTC)