The Greater Good/Transcript

Episode Guide

 * The Greater Good" Episode Guide

Previously
PREVIOUSLY ON STARGATE UNIVERSE

[Excerpts of SGU 1.04 "Darkness", 1.05 "Light", 1.10 "Justice", 1.11 "Space", 1.16 "Sabotage", 1.20 "Incursion Part 2", 2.03 "Awakening" and 2.06 "Trial and Error" are shown.]

TEASER

EXT&mdash;DESTINY IN FTL

INT&mdash;YOUNG'S QUARTERS

[Young is lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.]

WRAY (over radio) Colonel Young.

[Young picks up the radio from the table beside the bed.]

YOUNG (into radio) Yeah.

WRAY (over radio) The morning briefing. You're late.

[Young picks up his watch and checks the time, then puts it back down and lies there a moment.]

INT&mdash;MESS

[Scott, Wray, TJ and Young are sitting at a table. The other three are talking while Young plays distractedly with a bowl of food, seemingly not paying any attention to the conversation.]

WRAY She's been the most cooperative of all the Lucian Alliance members. Homeworld Security wants to talk to her now.

TJ About the planned attack on Earth?

WRAY Some of Ginn's people, a clan from her home planet, are believed to be the ones behind it. She may know the location of their base.

SCOTT Or at least, point us to the people who do know.

[Scott and Wray look expectantly at Young, who continues eating. Eventually, he looks up and around at the others.]

YOUNG (nodding) Okay.

INT&mdash;CORRIDOR

[Dunning is standing guard outside Ginn's quarters. Wray arrives and knocks on the door. There is no answer.]

WRAY Is she in there?

DUNNING Yeah, but you should know she's&hellip;

[The door opens. Ginn is standing just inside, smiling broadly but looking disheveled and slightly nervous. Wray looks her up and down as she steps into the room.]

INT&mdash;GINN'S QUARTERS

WRAY Hello, Ginn.

GINN Hi.

WRAY Um, our people on Earth have asked if you could use the communication stones to come and talk with them.

GINN (nervously) Oh. Um&hellip; Sure!

WRAY I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?

GINN No! I, uh, was just, um, sleeping.

WRAY Uh, anyway, they were hoping to talk to you this afternoon. If that's all right with you.

GINN Sure.

WRAY Good. Um, I'll come by later, fill you in on the protocol involving the stones.

[Wray begins to walk out but something in the room catches her eye.]

WRAY Thank&hellip;you.

[Eli's red t-shirt is draped over a piece of furniture at the end of the unmade bed. Ginn and Wray smile uncomfortably at each other before Wray walks away.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Destiny drops out of FTL.]

INT&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

[Brody and Park are at their consoles. Young enters.]

BRODY Twelve hours on the countdown clock, but the 'gate's not dialing, no planets in range, we tried calling Rush, no response, as usual.

YOUNG (into radio) Rush, come in.

[Park's console begins to beep.]

PARK Wait a minute. There is something out there, straight ahead of us.

INT&mdash;OBSERVATION DECK

[Greer, TJ, Scott and several civilians are standing looking out the windows. Volker enters.]

VOLKER What it is?

GREER Some kind of ship.

SCOTT Definitely not a seed ship.

TJ Doesn't look like the aliens we encountered before, either.

VOLKER (dryly) New friends. Yay.

END TEASER

OPENING CREDIT

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The alien ship is floating in space off Destiny's bow.]

INT&mdash;OBSERVATION DECK

TJ It looks like it's been through a battle.

GREER And got its ass kicked.

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

[Rush is sitting in the command chair, working at one of the consoles.]

EXT&mdash;DESTINY IN SPACE

[The rear thrusters ignite and Destiny moves closer to the alien ship.]

INT&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

[Park and Volker are at one console, Young, Brody and Eli are at another, watching kino footage from onboard the alien ship.]

BRODY It's deserted. Whoever was on board must have evacuated.

[Young turns and goes towards the door as Rush arrives, blocking his entry into the control room.]

YOUNG Where the hell were you?

RUSH I was working.

YOUNG I want to know what the hell you were doing.

RUSH I was busy; I'm here now. Can we deal with the matter at hand?

[They eye each other off for a moment before Young steps aside and Rush goes to a console.]

BRODY We, ah, sent over a kino.

RUSH Have you found anything?

BRODY The ship's empty.

ELI Looks like they were in a battle. Probably abandoned ship.

RUSH We should send over a boarding party.

BRODY We got no shuttle.

PARK We could use the spacesuits.

VOLKER What, and just jump over?

RUSH Yes. Destiny stopped here for a reason. Who knows what kind of data or technology could be salvaged.

BRODY Well, who's going to go?

RUSH I'll go.

ELI Kind of risky for you to&mdash;

RUSH The ship is deserted. I'm the expert on alien technology. I should go.

[Rush and Young exchange a look.]

INT&mdash;SPACESUIT STORAGE AREA

[Park and Scott and helping Rush and Young into their spacesuits.]

PARK You have just over six hours of suit air, in case you can't get the ship's life support online.

SCOTT All right, Colonel, maybe I should go with him instead.

YOUNG You say that now that I'm already in the suit?

SCOT I'm just not sure it's such a good idea for you to be doing this. The crew needs you here.

YOUNG And I need to keep an eye on him. Don't worry, Lieutenant, I'm not going to leave him behind.

INT&mdash;CHLOE'S QUARTERS

[Eli and Chloe are talking. She's sitting on chair and he is pacing around the room.]

ELI Rush and Young are going to go over, check it out, see if there's anything worth salvaging.

[Chloe nods.]

ELI What's this?

[Eli picks up a notepad from the table.]

CHLOE Oh, um, some equations Rush asked me to look at.

ELI You understand all this?

[Chloe shrugs.]

ELI I'm sorry I haven't been by as much lately. (dropping the notebook back on the table) I've been really&hellip;

CHLOE It's okay. I heard you and one of the Lucian Alliance people have been working together a lot. Ginn?

ELI (smiling) Yeah. Who told you?

CHLOE Matt.

ELI Ahhh.

[Eli chuckles and sits on the bed near Chloe's chair.]

ELI See, we were working together on this thing. Uh, dialing from inside a star. And I got to know her, and she's really&hellip; I don't know. We became friends and then, out of nowhere&mdash;

CHLOE (taking his hand) Hey. I'm happy for you.

[They exchange a smile.]

INT&mdash;AIRLOCK

[Young is tying one end of a rope to a ladder-like structure in the airlock. The other end is attached to him. Rush hands him a kino and activates it with a remote.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Eli, Volker, Park and Brody are at consoles.]

YOUNG (over radio) Okay, we're good. Open the door.

[Brody operates the door control.]

INT&mdash;AIRLOCK

[The door is open and Rush is in the airlock, operating the kino remote.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Young is floating up towards a breach in the hull of the alien ship, attached by the rope to Destiny. He holds the kino, letting its propulsion system pull him along the correct path.]

YOUNG (over radio) It looks like the bridge is destroyed.

INT&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

[Eli is watching the kino footage of the hull breach on the console screen.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Young enters the ship through the hull breach.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Brody, Eli, Park and Volker are watching their console screens.]

YOUNG (over radio) Okay, I am in, line secured. Come on over.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Rush is using the rope to guide himself up to the alien ship.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

YOUNG (over radio) Destiny, we are on board the ship.

BRODY Copy that.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Young and Rush explore the nearest section of the alien ship. They enter another section, and Rush manages to get the doors closed behind them. Young bumps his helmet on the low ceiling.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

YOUNG (over radio) Bulkhead's sealed.

ELI Is there life support?

YOUNG (over radio) Not yet, but we have gravity, so that is a start.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

YOUNG The place a pretty banged up.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

YOUNG (over radio) Hopefully, we can find a way to access control of the&hellip;

[The is silence on the radio link. Everyone in the control exchanges concerned looks.]

BRODY Colonel? Are you still there?

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

YOUNG (to Brody) Yeah, we're here. (to Rush) Is that&hellip;?

RUSH It is.

ELI (over radio) What? What? What is it?

RUSH (to Eli) Pods. The aliens we encountered in the seed ship.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

VOLKER Maybe you should come back. Not take any chances?

YOUNFG (over radio) Don't worry, the pods are empty.

BRODY Well, there could be pods elsewhere in the ship that aren't empty.

RUSH (over radio) If there's anything still alive in this ship, the kino would have noticed it.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Rush and Young move further into the ship. Young sees something in one of the corridors.]

YOUNG Is that a control panel?

[Rush goes over and activates the control panel while Young looks around. Rush sets the kino on top of the panel so it can see where they are.]

RUSH (into radio) You getting this?

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Eli is watching his console screen.]

ELI Uh, yeah. Yeah, we got it. What is that, a control room?

RUSH (over radio) Some kind of engineering station. (on console screen) It appears to have only limited control, (over radio) but I think I can seal off&hellip;

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH &hellip;some other bulkheads and&hellip;

[He operates a toggle and the lights come on.]

RUSH We have life support.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Park's console screen shows footage from the first kino.]

PARK Power's coming on in other parts of the ship as well.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Young and Rush remove their helmets.]

RUSH Right. I'm going to try switching over to the ship's communications.

[He operates some buttons on the control panel.]

RUSH Do you read?

BRODY (over radio) Loud and clear.

RUSH Okay. I'm also going to&hellip;

[He is interrupted by a loud burst of sparks from behind him, two more close by knocking Young from his feet.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The alien ship's thrusters ignite and the ship starts to move away from Destiny. The rope between the ships snaps in two.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Showers of sparks are flying, there is a great deal of noise and Rush and Young are being buffeted about.]

YOUNG What the hell just happened?

RUSH I don't know! The engines have engaged.

YOUNG What did you do?

RUSH I didn't do anything!

YOUNG Well turn them off!

RUSH I can't from here!

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The alien ship's engines shut down, and it moves away at constant velocity.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH The engines have shut off on their own. The power's nearly drained. It doesn't matter. We're ballistic, moving away from Destiny.

YOUNG Turn us around, Rush.

RUSH I can't. Navigation and propulsion cannot be controlled from here.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The alien ship is moving rapidly away from Destiny.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Rush is on the console screen.]

ELI No power at all?

RUSH (on console screen) Emergency reserves. The ship's systems took too much damage.

YOUNG (over radio) If we can't turn this thing around, we're going to have to find another solution.

BRODY Well, there's not much we can do from here.

VOLKER Without control of Destiny's core systems, we can't steer back to you.

PARK well, maybe Destiny will realize there's a problem and turn around on its own.

YOUNG (over radio) We can't take a chance on something that may&hellip;

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

YOUNG &hellip;or may not happen.

[Young and Rush look at each other.]

RUSH What?

Young I don't know. You tell me.

[Rush hesitates before responding.]

RUSH I've been doing some work. Writing a program that should allow me to override Destiny's autopilot.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

RUSH (on console screen) And manually fire the ship's maneuvering thrusters.

ELI You what?

BRODY Why didn't you tell any of us?

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH Because I haven't been successful as yet. It's extremely complex. Destiny's command programming is not something that can be easily manipulated.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

ELIU Okay. So, fill me in. I can help with it.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH No! I&hellip; I&hellip;I mean, yes, of course. You and the others can handle some of it, but most it? That's going to require someone with a far greater knowledge of Ancient drive systems.

YOUNG Someone such as?

RUSH Amanda Perry. She can do it.

YOUNG All right. Let's bring her on board.

BRODY (over radio) The suits consume power while wearing them. You may want to get out of them.

INT&mdash;DESTINY, GINN'S QUARTERS

[There is a knock on the door. Ginn opens the door to find Simeon standing outside.]

SIMEON Nice room. It's bigger than mine.

GINN What do you want?

SIMEON Can I come in?

[Simeon glances at Dunning, who is standing guard. Ginn steps aside and Simeon enters.]

SIMEON I, uh, hear you've been getting friendly with some of the people on the ship.

[Ginn doesn't respond. He leans closer and lowers his voice.]

SIMEON The problem is, when you get close to someone, you start letting your guard down and, uh, you say things you shouldn't.

[He leans closer.]

SIMEON You haven't done that, have you?

[Ginn doesn't respond. Wray arrives at the doorway.]

WRAY Oh, excuse me. Uh, Ginn, we're all set, if you're ready.

[Ginn nods.]

SIMEON Ready for what?

[Wray enters the room and stands in front of Simeon.]

WRAY Nothing that concerns you.

[Simeon walks out. Wray and Ginn exchange a look, then Ginn nods and follows Wray out.]

INT&mdash;STONE LAB

[Eli is waiting as Wray and Ginn enter. There is also a technician at the table.]

ELI (concerned) Are you okay with this?

GINN Yes.

WRAY She's given her consent. She's fully aware of the communication stones protocol.

[Eli looks at Ginn and she smiles at him.]

GINN I'm fine, Eli. Really.

[Ginn takes a seat at the table in front of the stone device.]

WRAY We may need you to remain on Earth until Doctor Perry has finished helping us with our problem. Is that all right with you?

[Ginn nods.]

TECHNICIAN Just place the stone on the device when you're ready.

[Ginn takes one of the stones from the box. She holds it for a moment and looks up at Eli. He smiles at her.]

ELI See you soon.

[Ginn puts the stone on the device then a moment later, her hand flexes. Bringing her hand up to her face, we now see Amanda Perry.]

WRAY Doctor Perry?

[Perry looks at Wray and smiles.]

PERRY/GINN Camile.

WRAY Um, welcome aboard Destiny. Were they able to brief you on our situation?

PERRY/GINN Yes. Hello, Eli.

[Eli looks at her blankly.]

ELI Hi.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The alien ship continues to drift away from Destiny.]

RUSH (voice) How're you getting on with those algorithms I gave you?

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Rush is standing at the control panel, his notebook in his hand, making notes as he talks with Destiny.]

BRODY (over radio) Slow.

RUSH And Doctor Park?

BRODY (over radio) She went to the Engineering Control Room like you told her.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Volker and Brody are working.]

BRODY She'll radio you when she's got something, although she didn't look too optimistic when she left.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH OK. How about Eli?

BRODY (over radio) Communications lab. He's getting Doctor Perry.

[Rush looks over at Young, who is standing guard, then leans down to the control panel, pressing buttons as he speaks.]

RUSH Colonel, it seems there's another undamaged area of the ship. I've pressurized it. Might be worth taking a look, see if there's a shuttle, an escape pod, something like that.

[Young comes and looks over Rush's shoulder at the console.]

YOUNG Keep me posted on your progress.

RUSH Of course.

[Young walks away.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Eli leads Perry to enter the control room and go to a console. Rush can be seen on the console screen.]

PERRY/GINN Nicholas?

RUSH (on console screen) Mandy.

PERRY/GINN Yes, I'm here. I can see you. Tell me what to do.

RUSH (on console screen) Good, good. Is Eli with you?

ELI Yeah, I'm here.

RUSH (on console screen) Good. Go and help Doctor Park.

ELI (confused) What? Why?

RUSH (on console screen) Because she's going to need you far more than Doctor Perry will.

ELI All right, all right. I'm going.

[Eli leaves the control room. On the console screen, Rush holds up his notebook to the kino. It has an equation written on it.]

RUSH Can you read this?

PERRY/GINN Yes.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH Good. This is the first of several heuristic algorithms I need you to run.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

RUSH (on console screen) They're crucial to discovering a way to manually program an override to Destiny's propulsion systems.

PERRY/GINN First of several?

[Brody walks over and hands her several pieces of paper.]

BRODY And you thought this wasn't going to be any fun, huh?

[He smiles at her as she takes the papers.]

RUSH (on console screen) You're very funny, Mister Brody. Time is of the essence.

[Perry struggles for a moment with the pen, then begins to write.]

RUSH (on console screen) Did you get it?

PERRY/GINN Yeah. Got it.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH Okay.

[Rush turns the page in the notebook and holds it up to the kino.]

RUSH Here's the next one.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Perry writes.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP, CORRIDOR

[Young is exploring elsewhere in the ship.]

YOUNG (into radio) Rush, come in.

RUSH (over radio) Yes, Colonel.

YOUNG There's no sign of a shuttle or escape pod. If there was, they probably used it to get the hell out of here.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP, CONTROL PANEL AREA

YOUNG (over radio) I'm going to check out a few more compartments&hellip;

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP, CORRIDOR

YOUNG (into radio) &hellip;then I will head back. Young out.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Perry has accumulated several pages of equations. She does some calculations by hand, realizing something. She activates the Destiny schematic on her console. After looking at it, she glances up at Brody and Volker, who are working at their consoles, then shuts off the schematic.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Rush is sitting, waiting anxiously by the control panel. He rushes to it when he hears Perry's voice.]

PERRY/GINN (over radio) Nicholas.

RUSH Yes, Mandy?

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

PERRY/GINN These heuristics you gave me.

RUSH (on console screen) Do you understand them?

PERRY/GINN I think so.

[She glances nervously at Brody and Volker for a moment.]

PERRY/GINN Are you asking me to go to&mdash;

RUSH (on console screen) Yes! Now. Please.

[Perry picks up the papers and gets up to leave.]

PERRY/GINN I'll be right back.

BRODY Need some help with something?

PERRY/GINN Uh, no, thanks. I'll be fine. I'll let you know.

[Perry leaves the control room.]

INT&mdash;CORRIDOR

[Just outside the control room, Perry comes across Simeon and his guard walking along. Simeon stops Perry, thinking she is Ginn.]

SIMEON We need to talk.

GINN/PERRY I&hellip; I'm sorry?

PERRY/GINN Oh, I'm not&hellip;I'm Doctor Amanda Perry. I&hellip;we used the communication stones. I was brought aboard to help with the current situation and&hellip;

SIMEON Where's Ginn?

PERRY/GINN She's on Earth. I'm sorry, but I need to get on with&mdash;

[She tries to walk past him but Simeon grabs her and stops her.]

SIMEON No, no, no, we're not done here.

GREER Hey!

[Greer has entered the corridor. Simeon releases his hold on Perry and turns to face Greer.]

GREER Is there a problem?

PERRY/GINN Sergeant, I'm Doctor Amanda Perry. I used the stones to switch with Ginn.

GREER I heard. Welcome aboard.

PERRY/GINN Thank you. I've got quite a bit of work to do and, uh&hellip;

GREER Then by all means, do not let this man stop you.

PERRY/GINN Thank you.

[Greer steps back a pace so Perry can pass. As she walks away, Greer steps back to face Simeon.]

GREER Off you go, now.

[Greer points his thumb in the opposite direction to the one Perry went.]

GREER That way.

[Simeon turns and walks away, and his guard follows.]

INT&mdash;CORRIDOR OUTSIDE BRIDGE

[Perry approaches the large door. Referring to her notes, she keys a sequence of buttons on the door control panel. The large door slides down, then she opens the interior door.]

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

[Perry walks in and looks around. She closes the door behind her and goes to the command chair. Referring to her notes again, she activates the bridge.]

EXT&mdash;DESTINY

[The bridge section rises up from the top of the ship.]

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

[Perry looks around in amazement.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

PERRY/GINN (over radio) Nicholas.

RUSH Mandy, are you there? Did you find it?

PERRY/GINN (over radio) Yes.

[Rush picks up the kino remote and presses some buttons.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[The kino footage disappears from the console screens. Volker knows it.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

BRODY (over radio) Rush, come in?

RUSH Yes, I'm here.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

BRODY We just lost the Kino feeds.

RUSH (over radio) Yeah, probably out of range. It was going to happen sooner or later. Don't worry about it. Just keep working.

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

RUSH (over radio) Mandy, are you still there?

PERRY/GINN Yes, Nick.

RUSH (over radio) Good. This is a discrete channel. No one else on the ship can hear us.

PERRY/GINN So. This is the bridge.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH Indeed it is. Now we can finally get to work.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

PERRY/GINN What's going on here, Nick?

RUSH (over radio) Oh, Mandy, I'm sorry for all the puzzles.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH I had to find a way of getting you on the bridge without anyone else knowing.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

PERRY/GINN Why the secrecy?

RUSH (over radio) Because I've done it.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH I've broken Destiny's master code. I now have complete control over all its systems.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

PERRY/GINN (amazed) Wait a minute. You have control over navigation and propulsion?

RUSH (over radio) Yes, all of it.

PERRY/GINN Then why do you need me?

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

PERRY/GINN (over radio) You could have had any of these people&mdash;

RUSH I needed you because you're the only one I can trust.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

RUSH (over radio) I can't tell the others. Not yet.

PERRY/GINN Why not?

RUSH (over radio) Look, I'll explain in time. Right now&hellip;

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH &hellip;I need you to turn Destiny round and come and get us.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

PERRY/GINN All right. Tell me what to do.

INT&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

[Eli enters.]

ELI We lost the kino feed.

VOLKER Yeah. Out of range.

ELI Where's Doctor Perry?

BRODY I thought she was going to your lab.

[Eli looks confused.]

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

ELI (over radio) Doctor Perry, do you read?

[Perry is now at one of the control stations. She looks around to where Eli's voice is coming from the command chair console.]

ELI (over radio) Doctor Perry, please come in. Where are you?

PERRY/GINN Nick, your friends are calling me.

RUSH (over radio) Don't answer them. Not yet.

[After considering for a moment, Perry continues to work at the console.]

EXT&mdash;DESTINY IN SPACE

[The ship moves forward, banking left sharply.]

INT&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

BRODY Uh, guys, we're changing course. The Destiny just turned in the direction of the alien ship.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

PERRY/GINN (over radio) Okay. We're on our way.

(Nicholas sags and braces himself on the wall in relief.)

RUSH Well done. Well done.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

PERRY/GINN So, what am I supposed to tell the others?

RUSH (over radio) Tell them I sent you to the&hellip;

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH &hellip;engine control room. You were able to enter the correct programming that allowed you to fire the ship's maneuvering thrusters. You're brilliant, they'll believe you.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

PERRY/GINN What is going on here, Nick? Why don't you want me to tell anyone the truth?

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH Look, things have changed since you last came aboard this ship. You know me better than anyone, Mandy. Please believe me when I say I've got good reasons for this secrecy.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

ELI (over radio) Doctor Perry, please respond. We really need to talk to you.

[Perry looks towards the console.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Rush looks concerned.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

ELI (over radio) We just need to know that you're okay.

[Perry gets up and goes to the command chair console, where she operates the radio.]

PERRY/GINN Yes, Eli, I'm fine.

INT&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

PERRY/GINN (over radio) I am in the engine control room. I was able to execute Doctor Rush's programming override.

[Volker, Brody and Eli all look surprised.]

ELI Really? So you turned the ship around?

PERRY/GINN (over radio) Yes. I was able to manually fire the maneuvering thrusters.

ELI (suspiciously) Wow. Okay. Do you need any help?

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

ELI (over radio) I can come down and&mdash;

PERRY/GINN (nervously) No, no, it's okay. I'm, uh, almost finished here. I should be coming back to the control room shortly.

INT&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

ELI All right.

[Eli deactivates the radio. He, Volker and Brody look concerned.]

ELI (suspiciously) What was she doing before she left?

BRODY Working on the heuristics Rush gave her.

[Eli walks towards the console where Perry had been working earlier.]

BRODY She took her work with her.

[Eli turns, contemplating for a moment, before rushing to the console. He starts pressing buttons.]

VOLKER What?

ELI The kino feed, before we lost it. I always record everything.

[Eli pulls up the recorded footage. It shows Rush holding up his notepad to the kino, showing the equations.]

RUSH (on recording) Can you read this?

PERRY/GINN (on recording) Yes.

RUSH (on recording) This is the first of several heuristic algorithms I need you to run.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Young returns to the control panel area from his exploration of the ship. He stops around the corner and listens to Rush and Perry's conversation.]

PERRY/GINN (over radio) Well, so far so good. My calculations put us at your doorstep within the hour.

RUSH Ah, I knew it was a good idea getting you on board the ship.

PERRY/GINN (over radio) Well, you did say you'd find a way to bring me back aboard.

RUSH (laughing) I did at that.

INT&mdash;DESTINY CONTROL ROOM

[Eli is doing the same calculations Perry had done earlier. As he finishes, a look of anger comes over his face.]

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

[The door opens, and Eli enters, along with Volker and Brody.]

ELI (angrily) What the hell?

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Rush leans over the control panel.]

RUSH Mandy, who's that?

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

VOLKER Rush?

[The three men walk down to the command chair.]

ELI (angrily) I don't believe this. You cracked Destiny's master code?

RUSH (over radio) Eli, listen to me&hellip;

ELI (yelling angrily) You had control of this ship the whole time!?

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

ELI (over radio) Why-why wouldn't you tell any&mdash;

[Rush hurriedly cuts the radio link, looking around towards the corridor as he does so. Young emerges from his position around the corner, holding his machine gun.]

RUSH Look, Colonel, I had every intention&mdash;

YOUNG You broke the code.

RUSH Yes.

YOUNG When?

RUSH Does it matter?

YOUNG (firmly) When?

RUSH Shortly after the Lucian Alliance attack.

[Young walks across the room and leans his gun against the wall as Rush speaks.]

RUSH I wanted to tell you but I had to make sure I knew everything about this before I let&mdash;

[Young punches Rush in the face, and Rush falls to the floor.]

YOUNG I should have killed you when I had the chance.

[Young punches Rush twice more, then picks him up and throws him across the floor. Young goes over to him, pulls him up by the hair and shoves him against the window. He holds him there, one hand around Rush's throat.]

YOUNG (furiously) Either way, it's your fault we lost the shuttle, that Riley's dead. Your&mdash;

[Rush puts his hand to Young's face and pushes back, the two men struggling against each other for a moment before breaking apart. Rush picks up the kino and attempts to hit Young with it, but Young tackles him to the floor, and the kino rolls away. They struggle on the floor. Rush head butts Young and tries to crawl after the kino, but Young pulls him back by his legs.]

YOUNG You murdered that boy!

[Young gets around behind Rush and wraps him in a choke-hold. Young chokes Rush until he stops struggling, then releases his grip. Rush lies unconscious on the floor while Young gets up and retrieves his weapon. Slowly, Rush comes to his senses while Young paces around him.]

YOUNG So that's it, huh? That was your plan? Just keep this whole thing a secret, see how long you can get away with it?

RUSH I had no choice.

YOUNG Yeah, you did! You could have told me, Rush.

[Rush gets to his knees and crawls slowly to lean on a wall.]

RUSH I couldn't trust you. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. Several of the crew have voiced their&mdash;

YOUNG It's all about control with you, right? Power.

[Young stands over Rush, who is sitting on the floor, clutching his shoulder.]

RUSH Well, someone's got to lead these people.

YOUNG Do you think anyone's going to follow you after this?

RUSH No, no, no. Not me. But not you, either.

[Young turns and walks to the opposite wall and sits down.]

RUSH Come on, Colonel, look at yourself. You can hardly get out of bed in the morning, never mind make command decisions.

YOUNG Well, look at that. You got me all figured out, don't you?

RUSH Well, anyone can see it. You know it's true.

[They sit in silence for a moment.]

RUSH Look, when I unlocked the code, the amount of information it revealed was overwhelming. I had to make sure I had a proper handle on this stuff before letting anyone have access to it. If any one of those systems had been improperly handled&hellip;

YOUNG Resulting in the shuttle crashing? One of our best young men dying? You mean something like that?

RUSH (softly) Yeah. I know I've made mistakes.

[They are silent for a moment more, then Young gets up and comes closer to Rush.]

YOUNG The simulation the ship just put me through. Was that your doing as well?

RUSH No, no, that was&mdash;that was the ship. Except the part at the end. I had to override the program to make Destiny jump back into FTL.

[Young paces.]

RUSH Look, with all that's happened recently, the Lucian Alliance trying to take the ship, lives lost as a result of that, Lieutenant Johansen's baby&hellip;

[Young leans again the wall.]

RUSH It's a heavy burden to carry, I know, but you have to ask yourself this question: "Am I fit to lead these people?" Well, maybe at one time, yeah, but not now. I couldn't tell you about the code, Colonel. How can I trust you when you don't even trust yourself?

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

[Perry is still sitting in the command chair. Brody has taken a seat at one of the control stations, Volker is walking around looking at the bridge, and Eli is leaning over and operating the radio on one of the command chair consoles.]

ELI Rush, are you there? Rush, come in.

BRODY Out of range?

ELI Probably shut off the radio.

VOLKER (to Perry) Why didn't you tell us?

PERRY/GINN I'm sorry. I should have, I know. He was just so emphatic about me keeping quiet. He said there was a good reason.

BRODY Well, at least we're heading towards them now, right?

ELI If Rush is still alive when we get there.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Young is sitting on the floor across the room from Rush.]

RUSH So, what happens now?

YOUNG Well, Destiny picks us up and then you tell us everything that you've learned since breaking the code. Come on. You had to know that this game wasn't going to last forever.

RUSH It's not a game, Colonel. Destiny's mission requires a level of commitment I doubt anyone in that ship's prepared to make.

YOUNG What mission? There is no mission other than getting these people home.

RUSH You're wrong. It was never about going home. It's about getting us to where we're going.

YOUNG What the hell's that supposed to mean?

RUSH In these past few weeks, I've learned so much more about the ship, about its mission. It's far more important than we ever thought.

YOUNG Okay, let's&mdash;let's hear it.

RUSH Are you familiar with the cosmic microwave background radiation?

YOUNG Noise left over from the Big Bang.

RUSH A long time ago, the Ancients made a discovery. They found evidence of a structure buried deep within the background radiation. They believed that, at one time, this structure had genuine complexity, coherence, therefore could not have occurred naturally.

YOUNG How is that even possible?

RUSH It's not. At least, not according to our current understanding of physics, nor could we even see this structure with our technology.

YOUNG Okay, so what are we talking about? Some kind of code, a message?

RUSH A message, perhaps, or a sign of intelligence from the beginning of time.

YOUNG Sent by?

RUSH Hmph. Well, that's the very question they sought to answer when they launched Destiny. That is the mission. We're talking about a mystery rooted in the foundation of reality. A puzzle with pieces scattered across the length and breadth of the universe itself.

YOUNG I swear to God, Rush, if this is another one of your hoaxes&mdash;

RUSH Once I'd broken the code, I had access to the ship's complete archive. There are thousands of pages devoted to this. Scientific research, philosophical debate&mdash;

YOUNG If we don't have the technology to see this thing, how the hell am I supposed to believe&mdash;

RUSH Because Destiny is not our technology, Colonel. The Ancients left us their data as well as the ship.

YOUNG And you've seen this data?

RUSH I'll show it to you. I don't promise you're going to understand it, but it's there. Someone's got to see this mission through. We're here, why not us? Stop saying we don't belong on that ship. Embrace it, move forward. Stop looking behind us.

YOUNG I just want to get these people home.

RUSH Well, I'm starting to think that seeing this mission through may be our only chance of ever doing that.

YOUNG Well, what does that even mean?

RUSH We're talking about a level of order present at the very beginning of space-time that goes beyond anything we ever conceived. I believe that the more we learn, the more pieces Destiny uncovers, then the greater our power to control everything around us will be.

YOUNG So, it is about power.

RUSH Yes, Colonel. Power to change things, control our fate, right the wrongs.

YOUNG To play God?

RUSH No. To gain greater understanding.

YOUNG What the hell do you want from me?

RUSH I want you to work with me, together, side by side, for the benefit of everyone.

YOUNG Well, it'll be a hell of a lot easier if you stop keeping secrets.

RUSH I think it's fair to say we've had our differences, but that ends today. You have my word.

YOUNG (laughing) Oh, man, you are a lot of work!

[They hear Destiny outside. Looking through the window, they can see it approaching.]

YOUNG Radio. Radio! Let's go!

[They get up and go to the control panel.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

RUSH (over radio) Mandy?

PERRY/GINN Yes, Nick, we're here. What happened?

RUSH (over radio) No, we're fine, but your angle and speed are off. I need you to circle back&hellip;

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH &hellip;line up Destiny's airlock as close to the ship as possible.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

ELI Where's Colonel Young?

YOUNG (over radio) Eli, I'm here. We're going to sort all of this out later. Let's just get us back on board first.

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

YOUNG We should get back in the suits.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Destiny maneuvers for another attempt.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

[Perry is in the command chair. The three men are standing around her.]

ELI Try not to come in so sharply.

BRODY Yeah, you just want to pull alongside.

VOLKER To be fair, you shouldn't be driving, no offense.

PERRY/GINN (sharply) J-just shut up!

VOLKER Okay.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Destiny flies back towards the alien ship.]

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

[Perry is delicately controlling the ship's maneuvering.]

VOLKER Easy, easy.

BRODY Keep an eye on your starboard.

ELI Watch your angle.

SCOTT (shouting) What the hell is going on here?

[The three men look around to see Scott and Wray enter the Bridge.]

ELI (to Scott) No time. There's no time.

BRODY You've got to ease up. That's very sensitive.

ELI Back off as you come in.

SCOTT Is she flying the ship?

WRAY Do you know what you're doing?

BRODY Guys!

ELI (to Scott and Wray) Not now!

[Eli and Scott look out the windows to see their approach.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Rush and Young are back in their spacesuits. Rush is inspecting the kino.]

RUSH The kino's damaged. I won't be able to use it to take us back to the ship.

[They are packing up their equipment.]

YOUNG Well, there's another one in search mode somewhere still on the ship.

RUSH If we can find it.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

[Eli, Volker and Brody are at the window. Brody turns and yells to Perry.]

BRODY Reverse! You're too close!

PERRY/GINN I'm trying!

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Destiny approaches the alien ship. A flash of light appears where Destiny's shields and structure make contact with the other vessel.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP CORRIDOR

[Showers of sparks comes from the ceiling as Young and Rush are almost knocked off their feet by the impact.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

[Everyone is looking around anxiously.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Rush and Young are being buffeted about.]

YOUNG What the hell just happened?

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

PERRY/GINN I'm sorry, Colonel.

SCOTT We came in too close. Maybe I should give it a try.

[Scott goes to take the command chair from Perry.]

BRODY No, no, no. No, we're okay. We matched their speed.

ELI Yeah, but how the hell are we going to get them off that ship?

[Looking through the windows, the Destiny crew sees the alien ship just off the bow, but it is now rotating slowly around its own longitudinal axis.]

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

[Rush and Young are making their way through the ship.]

PERRY/GINN (over radio) Nick, are you all right?

RUSH I'm okay. The rotation's slow enough.

YOUNG We've got a bigger problem. The kino is damaged. We're not going to be&hellip;

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

YOUNG (over radio) &hellip;able to use it to get back on the ship.

BRODY What about the other one?

RUSH (over radio) It's lost&hellip;

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

RUSH &hellip;somewhere on the ship.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

VOLKER They don't have time to go looking for it.

ELI Are you back in the spacesuits?

INT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP

YOUNG Yeah.

ELI (over radio) Okay, good. So this is easy.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

ELI You're just going to use the ship's centripetal force to propel you the distance.

BRODY (alarmed) "Easy"? That ship's just not spinning, it's wobbling! You'll have to calculate each jump separately. The speed of rotation, the mass of each person, the angle of trajectory&hellip;

ELI Already on it.

VOLKER Eli, if they miss this ship&hellip;

ELI (confidently) They won't.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The alien ship is rotating above Destiny's bow.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

YOUNG (over radio) We're making our way to the opening in the hull.

RUSH (over radio) Eli, how're you coming with the calculations?

ELI I've got your jump worked out, so you'll go first. I'm almost done with Colonel Young's. Now, you have to release when I say, the exact moment. Don't hesitate.

EXT&mdash;HULL BREACH ON ALIEN SHIP

[Rush steps into the breach.]

RUSH Okay, I'm in position. Tell me when.

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

ELI Ready? (pause) Now!

EXT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP IN SPACE

[Rush launches himself from the hull breach and floats down towards Destiny.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

[Scott looks out one window then another, watching Rush's approach.]

EXT&mdash;DESTINY IN SPACE

[Rush gets closer to Destiny's hull.]

ELI (over radio) Engage your mag boots.

[Rush lands safely on the hull. He's able to stand in one place.]

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

RUSH (over radio) Destiny, I'm on board.

ELI Okay.

[Perry is relieved.]

ELI Okay, I got this. Colonel, you ready?

YOUNG (over radio) Yeah.

ELI Okay. Get ready to release&hellip; (pause) Now!

EXT&mdash;ALIEN SHIP IN SPACE

[Young launches himself from the hull breach and floats away from the alien ship while Rush watches anxiously.]

RUSH His angle is off!

[Rush turns and runs as best he can along the hull, following Young's trajectory.]

INT&mdash;DESTINY BRIDGE

ELI He jumped too early.

EXT&mdash;DESTINY IN SPACE

[Young floats towards the hull at an acute angle. He lands on his back and bounces back up off the surface. As he beings to float away again, Rush reaches him and grabs his fingers with his own. He pulls him down, setting Young on his feet. The two men's eyes meet, and they exchange a nod.]

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

[Everyone is clearly relieved. Scott gives Eli a pat on the shoulder, but Eli is unhappy.]

EXT&mdash;DESTINY IN FTL

INT&mdash;BRIDGE

[Eli is now sitting in the command chair. Young walks around the bridge as the others are at the control stations.]

ELI It's ridiculous, the amount of information here.

YOUNG Well, just keep looking for that message.

[Brody's console beeps.]

BRODY Colonel, we've got an opportunity ahead. Several planets in range. Looks pretty good.

YOUNG All right, let's see if this works.

[Eli crosses his fingers on one hand as he operates a console with the other.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Destiny drops out of FTL.]

INT&mdash;SIMEON'S QUARTERS

[Simeon looks out of the window.]

INT&mdash;GINN'S QUARTERS

[The door opens; Rush is standing outside. He is holding two cups and a drink flask.]

RUSH Hey.

PERRY/GINN (smiling) Hi.

[Rush lifts the cups and flask to show her.]

RUSH Compliments of Mr. Brody's still.

[Perry laughs as Rush enters. She closes the door while Rush goes and sits by the low table.]

PERRY/GINN Oh, how I've missed its lone redeeming quality.

[Perry sits opposite Rush as he pours drink from the flask.]

PERRY/GINN How's the crew?

RUSH Ah&hellip;angry. But, the truth is out now, so that can only be a good thing.

PERRY/GINN And, ah, Colonel Young? I know you didn't trust him before. Can you trust him now?

RUSH I've got no choice.

[Perry nods. They tap their cups together.]

RUSH Here. Cheers.

[They both drink.]

RUSH I'm sorry, Mandy. I know I put you in a very difficult position.

PERRY/GINN Oh, it's okay. In fact, I'm flattered. Of all people, you chose to confide in me.

RUSH Well, of course. You're the finest person I know.

[Perry smiles and looks away shyly.]

RUSH I've thought a lot about you. About seeing you again.

PERRY/GINN Me too.

RUSH But this time&hellip;this time it's different.

[Rush puts his hands on her face and pulls her towards him. They start to kiss, but are interrupted by the door opening. Eli enters the room.]

RUSH (irritated) Yes?

ELI Colonel Young wants to see you on the Bridge.

RUSH Can it wait?

ELI (annoyed) No. He said to come now. It's urgent.

RUSH (to Perry) I'll be back soon.

[Rush gets up and leaves. Perry goes to where Eli is standing. After watching Rush leave, Eli turns towards Perry. He only raises his eyes to look at her when he nears the end of his sentence.]

ELI (annoyed) You know, sometimes, with the stones, it's easy to forget you're in another person's body.

[Perry looks from him to the doorway guiltily. Eli leaves, closing the door on his way out. Perry looks at her reflection in the mirror to see Ginn's face.]

INT&mdash;CORRIDOR

[Simeon is standing in the shadows, watching as Eli walks away from Ginn's quarters. He goes to her door and opens it. Perry is still standing there and looks confused as Simeon enters and closes the door behind him.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

Related Articles

 * Previous: Trial and Error" Transcript
 * Next: Malice" Transcript