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 * 8.06 "Avatar" Episode Guide

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TEASER

INT&mdash;SGC CORRIDOR

[Klaxons are sounding and a security team is running through the corridor.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room.

[Teal'c is standing in the corridor and joins them as the team runs past. As they go around a corner gunfire can be heard. The security team, joining another one, stop at the doorway to the Gate room.]

TEAL'C (to soldier) Give me your weapon.

[Teal'c takes the weapon and nods for the soldier to open the door. As the soldier swipes down his card in the access panel, the door opens. Gunfire erupts out of the Gate room, hitting one of the men standing with Teal'c.]

INT&mdash;GATE ROOM

[As Teal'c enters, a soldier falls to the ground, shot. More soldiers are hit and many more are lying on the ground, dead. Teal'c shoots up towards the ramp, where a super soldier is standing. The super soldier is firing from both arms and turns to the other doorway as it opens, shooting a couple of soldiers. O'Neill returns fire and is hit as h enters the Gate room. He falls to the ground. Seeing this Teal'c slightly lowers his weapon then notices that a soldier has dropped another weapon on the ground. Teal'c forward rolls over the dead soldier to pick up the weapon and, from a kneeling position, shoots at the super soldier. A bright blue light is discharged from the weapon and hits the super soldier, who falls to the ramp. Its eyelight fades and dies. Teal'c stands, and as he turns to O'Neill, a bright light envelops the room.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[The light fades and Teal'c opens his eyes. He is strapped to a Gamekeeper chair. Dr Lee is standing beside him, while another scientist removes the headpiece from Teal'c. A monitor shows an image of Teal'c's face in profile. More white-coated personnel are working at the rear of the room.]

Lee Simulation time, 49 seconds. That's not bad, not bad.

[Carter and O'Neill are standing in front of Teal'c.]

O'NEILL How was it? Was it fun?

TEAL'C Indeed.

[Lee unstraps Teal'c from the chair.]

TEAL'C You died well in battle, O'Neill.

[Teal'c rises from the chair. Carter turns to O'Neill, smiling slightly.]

O'NEILL Obviously, there's something defective with this thing.

[Carter's smile broadens.]

TEAL'C Agreed.

[Lee turns to Teal'c, surprised.]

TEAL'C An Anubis drone is a far more formidable warrior than this simulation would suggest.

LEE What?

[Lee is shocked.]

LEE No, we've been working on this chair for two years, to make it a viable virtual reality training tool for SGC personnel.

TEAL'C You have failed.

[Lee is speechless.]

O'NEILL He's nothing if not honest.

LEE Well&hellip;

[Lee turns to the other scientists in the room, who simply shrug.]

LEE I mean, maybe we could&hellip;it could use a little more work, but&hellip;

O'NEILL Can you make it harder? More difficult?

LEE Well&hellip;I mean, we can input the parameters for different scenarios, but the vast majority of the simulation array comes from the mind of the user. The programming is actually built by interfacing memories from the individual's consciousness with the chair's matrix.

O'NEILL Carter, all I heard was matrix, and I found those films quite confusing.

CARTER I think what Doctor Lee is trying to explain is that the simulation actually learns its realism from the person using it.

O'NEILL (quietly, to Carter) What?

LEE Yeah&hellip;no, we built it, we tested the software extensively, using a variety of subjects.

[Lee walks over to the other scientists, who are nodding in agreement.]

LEE Obviously, no one with Teal'c's field experience.

O'NEILL Subjects. To whom do you refer?

[O'Neill glances over at the smiling scientists, who were obviously the subjects. Neither O'Neill or Carter are impressed.] LEE Hey. If Teal'c would agree to work with us a little more. Look, all you'd have to do is basically just play the game. Let it learn from you.

[Teal'c looks over at O'Neill, eyebrow raised. O'Neill shrugs.]

LEE Oh come on, it'd be fun. You would be so good.

TEAL'C Very well.

[Carter smiles slightly as O'Neill shrugs.]

O'NEILL There you go. Just make sure there's a beginners level, for the rest of us.

LEE Oh, yeah, we can always make it easier. Not that we'd have to, for you, certainly. I mean, for others. But you'd&hellip;you'd be fine.

O'NEILL Carter. Gentlemen.

[O'Neill leaves.]

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

EXT&mdash;CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN&mdash;DAY

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Carter brings in a table holding a monitor. Teal'c is again attached to the chair, with Lee standing next to him]

LEE Thanks to Colonel Carter's new code translation program, we can actually monitor your progress through a graphic representation of your point of view.

CARTER You played Doom.

TEAL'C I played Def Jam Vendetta.

[Carter grins at Teal'c.]

LEE Exactly, yes.

[Two monitors on either side of Teal'c show images of his profile.]

LEE Now, there is a two second delay between the chair's processor and your perceived experience, but, umm&hellip;I mean, you shouldn't notice anything.

[Lee walks over to a bank of four monitors, showing various images, text and graphs.]

LEE Anyway, we can store every aspect of your activity in the game and then later choose what we're going to incorporate into our programming of the training scenario. Oh, you understand, as before, once your mind is interfaced with the chair we cannot forcibly remove the connection, or cut power to the chair, without endangering you.

[Carter is attaching various cables to the chair.]

TEAL'C Indeed.

CARTER It's a function of the new chair design. Since the whole gamekeeper incident, the aliens of P7J-989 built the shut off command into the internal programming. So only someone in the chair can control it.

TEAL'C You have previously given me this information, Colonel Carter.

[Teal'c smiles at her, and Carter smiles back.]

LEE This is a little different this time, because the game will actually be learning from you and then incorporating those changes into its programming code.

[Carter has moved to stand by the monitor which she brought into the lab.]

CARTER If you're killed in the game it will reset and you'll automatically start again. The chair will only disconnect and end the game under two conditions. Once you complete the scenario, or if you engage the internal failsafe. Which of course, you're free to do at any time.

TEAL'C That will be unnecessary. [Lee turns from the monitor panel to look at Teal'c.]

CARTER Don't be so cocky, Teal'c. The chair is intuitive. It's eventually going to learn everything you know. Now, if you want to stop it before the conclusion of the simulation, just get to the base elevator, head for the surface. Ready?

TEAL'C Proceed.

[Lee places the headpiece on Teal'c. Teal'c grimaces as he enters the game. The game can be seen on Carter's monitor. The images appear as if in a video game.] DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room.

[On the monitor, a security team is running through the corridors.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME

[The security team arrive at the Gate room.]

TEAL'C Give me your weapon.

[Teal'c takes the weapon and nods for the soldier to open the door. As the soldier swipes down his card in the access panel, the door opens. The super soldier is standing on the other side of the door and shoots Teal'c. The game resets.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Teal'c struggles in the chair, as if in pain.]

CARTER What just happened?

[Lee is studying the bank of monitors.]

LEE It looks like the chair induced a pain response when he was killed.

CARTER It's directly linked to his brain. We knew it was capable of this.

LEE Yeah, but&hellip;it's just a simulation. It doesn't have to hurt.

CARTER Yeah, see, that's the difference between you and Teal'c. He knows that in a real situation your tactics would be completely different if you thought you couldn't feel any pain.

LEE Man, that was a heck of a shock.

CARTER He wanted it to be realistic.

[Lee looks around and sighs.]

LEE Well, fortunately, we limited the chair from being able to deliver any sort of lethal jolt.

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[The game has begun again. A security team is running through the corridors.] DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room.

[The security team run past Teal'c, who is standing in the corridor. He watches them run past, then goes up the stairs to the Control Room.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

[Teal'c accepts a weapon from one of the guards. He heads down the steps to the door of the Gate room.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDOR OUTSIDE GATE ROOM

[Teal'c does not enter from the usual door but walks around to the opposite doorway, passing dead guards on the floor, dead and injured. The door to the Gate room opens.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;GATE ROOM

[O'Neill is lying at the base of the ramp, seriously injured. Teal'c kneels next to him.]

TEAL'C O'Neill.

O'NEILL (quietly) Get out of here, Teal'c. [The super soldier appears behind Teal'c and shoots him in the back. The game resets.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Teal'c's body again reacts to the game and he shudders in the chair in pain.]

LEE That's twice. Looks like the chair is learning quickly.

CARTER Don't count Teal'c out yet.

[Carter looks at the monitor, where the game has started again. Teal'c enters the armoury and takes a vest and a P-90.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Teal'c, now wearing the vest and armed with the weapon, turns a corner. A number of guards are lying in the corridor, dead. The drone appears and Teal'c shoots at it. The drone returns fire and Teal'c retreats around a corner. Teal'c runs through the corridors, shooting back at the drone, which can be heard advancing towards him. Suddenly, the drone's footsteps cannot be heard. Teal'c, puzzled, carefully looks around the corner but another drone appears behind him and shoots him in the back. As Teal'c falls to the floor, he is shot repeatedly by both drones.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Daniel and Carter are watching the game on the monitor.]

DANIEL Ooh! That's cold!

[Lee turns from the bank of monitors, obviously worried.]

LEE Colonel, I'm uh&hellip;I'm pretty concerned about some of these bio readings.

CARTER Me too. [Carter sighs and picks up a phone on the wall.] CARTER (into phone) Dr Carmichael, this is Colonel Carter. Can you join us in science lab five?

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Carter, armed, is running through the corridors, followed by a security team.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room.

[Teal'c comes towards Carter.]

CARTER Teal'c!

[Teal'c stops and raises his hand to Carter as she appears before him. She stops, halting the security team behind her.]

TEAL'C Colonel Carter, I require your assistance.

CARTER Likewise. SG3 came in hot. Sounds like our Gate room people could use a little back-up.

TEAL'C They are all dead.

CARTER Excuse me?

TEAL'C The Gate room has been breached. Our most affective defence would be to seal off the east and south ends of level 28. If we act now we may be able to force them into a crossfire.

CARTER Force who?

TEAL'C The two Anubis warriors.

CARTER How the hell can you know that?

TEAL'C Because they have chosen the same route seven of the last ten times.

[Carter looks at Teal'c, puzzled.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;ANOTHER CORRIDOR

[Carter, Teal'c and the security team position themselves at a junction in the corridor. They raise their weapons in readiness.]

VOICE OVER RADIO Colonel, we have two hostiles heading your way. CARTER (into radio) Roger that, we're in position. (to other soldiers in corridor) Heads up people! [Both drones appear and begin firing at the soldiers, hitting most, including Carter. The return fire has no affect on the drones.]

TEAL'C Fall back.

[Teal'c and the final soldier are killed.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[The monitor shows the game Carter lying on the ground, dead. The game restarts.]

[Carmichael is examining Teal'c with a stethoscope.]

CARMICHAEL Well, you were right to be concerned about these readings. Frequent sympathetic spikes in his natural adrenaline production are causing blood pressure and heart rate way too high to be sustained over the long term.

CARTER That last ambush should have worked. Why did the energy weapon have no effect?

LEE I don't know. Have you ever known a super soldier to be resistant to the weapon like that in reality?

CARTER No.

DANIEL But it is possible, right? I mean, we've seen situations where the Goa'uld have adapted their technology to defend against something we've thrown at them.

LEE Well, hopefully the game will also extrapolate possible solutions and offer them to Teal'c.

[Daniel and Carter look at each other.]

LEE Well, I mean, it'd just be fair. INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Carter, armed, is running through the corridors, followed by a security team.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room.

CARTER Teal'c, SG3 came in hot. Sounds like the Gate room people could use some backup.

[Carter stops in front of Teal'c who does not reply. The security team runs past them.]

CARTER We got to move!

TEAL'C Colonel Carter, listen to me. The SGC has been penetrated by two Anubis drones. Our weapons are now ineffective against their armour.

CARTER How could you&hellip;?

TEAL'C How is this possible?

CARTER That's what I wanna know.

TEAL'C I am speaking of the armour.

CARTER It could have been altered to resist the effectiveness of the energy weapon.

TEAL'C Can they now be defeated?

CARTER I've been working on a frequency modulator chip.

TEAL'C Where is it?

CARTER In my lab, but I still don't&hellip;. [Gunfire is heard.] TEAL'C Show me.

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CARTER'S LAB

[Carter and Teal'c run into the lab and Carter hands the chip to Teal'c.]

CARTER It's only a prototype

[As Teal'c places the chip in the weapon, shots are fired towards them and they duck down behind the table. As the drone enters the lab, Teal'c fires the enhanced weapon, killing the drone.]

VOICE OVER PA SYSTEM Warning, base autodestruct sequence, has been activated.

[Carter and Teal'c leave the lab.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Personnel lie dead in the corridors. As they arrive at a junction, Daniel and a security team are under attack.] DANIEL Nice of you to join us.

CARTER Been busy!

DANIEL They've found a way to counteract our little weapons here. [As the drone exits the Control Room, Teal'c shoots it with the modified weapon.]

VOICE OVER PA SYSTEM Warning, base autodestruct sequence, has been activated. Thirty seconds to detonation.

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

[Carter runs into the Control Room, followed by Daniel and Teal'c and de-activates the autodestruct sequence.

VOICE OVER PA SYSTEM Base autodestruct has been aborted.

CARTER We're clear.

TEAL'C Then the threat has been eliminated. [Teal'c is obviously still unsure.] TEAL'C (questioningly) The threat has been eliminated. [Carter notices that Teal'c has a wound on his upper arm.]

CARTER Teal'c, you're injured.

DANIEL Teal'c?

TEAL'C I'm fine. INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Lee is standing at the bank of screens as Carter and Daniel watch the game on the monitor.]

LEE I don't get it. That&hellip;that should be the end.

DANIEL You're saying he should have won?

CARTER Well, that was the conclusion of the originally programmed scenario.

CARMICHAEL But the chair is not disconnecting.

LEE Yeah, and the game's not resetting to the beginning, either.

DANIEL Well, that's not fair. You can't win a race if someone keeps moving the finish line.

LEE He said he wanted it to be harder. More realistic.

DANIEL In reality, we haven't defeated the Goa'uld.

LEE Are you saying the game won't end until he defeats all the Goa'uld?

DANIEL I don't know, you tell me. You said the game was learning the rules from Teal'c.

CARTER Yeah, but the parameters can't go beyond the base invasion scenario.

DANIEL Can you get him out?

CARMICHAEL Not without risking serious neural damage.

CARTER The game has a failsafe. All Teal'c has to do is quit.

[Lee nods.]

DANIEL (quietly) Yeah. Teal'c quit.

[Carter and Daniel look at each other.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;INFIRMARY

[Teal'c is sitting on a bed, his wound bandaged.]

DANIEL Anubis' drones must have waited for SG3 to dial the Gate and overwhelmed them at the last minute. But what I can't figure out is how they knew how to set the base self destruct.

[Daniel moves to stand in front of Teal'c, next to Carter.]

CARTER I can't believe General O'Neill is really dead.

TEAL'C He is not dead.

CARTER What?

[Teal'c rises.]

TEAL'C We must focus on the situation. The threat has not been neutralised.

DANIEL What?

[Teal'c puts on a vest.] TEAL'C We will search the base immediately. More warriors remain.

DANIEL (unbelieving) What?

CARTER (to Daniel) He also knew the super soldiers' armour was resistant to our energy weapons.

DANIEL Sergeant Harriman reported that there were only two intruders before he got killed.

TEAL'C They held the control room long enough to keep the iris open and let others through.

DANIEL Maybe, but the Gate logs would have indicated there was another incoming wormhole.

TEAL'C (determined) The threat has not been neutralised. There are others, I am certain of it.

DANIEL Be&hellip;cause?

TEAL'C The game has not yet ended.

[Daniel and Carter look at each other. Both are obviously worried.]

DANIEL Teal'c, I know this isn't your strongest suit but this is a really bad time for jokes.

TEAL'C You are all part of a simulation, designed to test the SGC's preparedness in case of Gate breach. None of you are real.

[Both Carter and Daniel look puzzled and concerned.]

TEAL'C I am fine.

[An alarm suddenly sounds.] VOICE OVER PA SYSTEM Warning. Base autodestruct sequence has been activated.

[They leave the infirmary.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CONTROL ROOM

[Carter, Teal'c and Daniel enter the Control Room at a run. Carter tries to abort the autodestruct.]

DANIEL Sam?

CARTER I don't understand it. Somebody must have reactivated the autodestruct from a remote location.

[She continues to type at a keyboard.]

CARTER I'm locked out of the system. I can't shut it down.

DANIEL (to Teal'c) How did you know?

[The self destruct activates and the game resets.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

CARMICHAEL His heart rate and blood pressure are too high.

CARTER How long can he do this?

[Carmichael shrugs.]

CARMICHAEL I don't know. A day, maybe less.

DANIEL I thought the chair wasn't supposed to be able to kill him.

CARTER The physiological effects it can have at any one time are limited.

CARMICHAEL Yes, but I'm afraid that while each individual pain stimulus isn't in any way life threatening, the cumulative effect is now starting to take its toll.

[Carter and Daniel look at Teal'c, strapped into the chair.]

CARMICHAEL If he doesn't have a heart attack, he'll eventually run out of adrenaline. His heart will slow down, his blood pressure will drop. His entire organ system is going to fail.

DANIEL Death by a thousand cuts. INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CARTER'S LAB

[Teal'c enters the lab. Carter is working at the table.]

TEAL'C You must disable the autodestruct command.

CARTER What?

TEAL'C The SGC will be breached by Anubis' warriors. They will attempt to destroy the base via the autodestruct command.

CARTER What are you talking about?

TEAL'C If you disable the command they will be forced to use other means to achieve their goal. Only then can we hope to defeat them.

CARTER Teal'c, how could you possibly know? [The alarms sound and a security team runs past the doorway.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room.

TEAL'C There is little time.

[Both leave the lab.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Lee is reading from the screens.]

LEE Colonel? He's at level 28. He's already got the modulator chip, and he's used it to kill the first two super soldiers. He's hunting for the third. Man, he's not in good shape. [Carter and Daniel watch on the monitor as Teal'c is physically attacked by a drone. The drone kicks and beats him. In the lab, Teal'c reacts to the attack in the game, shuddering in the chair. In the game, the drone picks Teal'c up off the floor and punches him.] DANIEL This is ridiculous. It's torturing him.

LEE (frustrated) Why won't he quit?

DANIEL Wait a minute. He's headed for the elevator.

CARTER He's going to use the failsafe. INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDOR OUTSIDE LEVEL 28 ELEVATOR

[Teal'c collapses to the ground outside the elevator. e is being chased by the drone. He gets in to the elevator, which closes just before the drone gets to it. Teal'c slumps to the wall in relief. he elevator rises and reaches Level One. Teal'c steps out of the elevator. Another game has started.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room. [A security team runs past him Teal'c stands, shocked.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB CARTER It didn't work. He's back in the game. [A scientist monitors Teal'c as O'Neill walks to Lee ho is seated at the screens.]

O'NEILL You know, I always thought a failsafe system was supposed to be somewhat safe&hellip;from failure!

[Lee raises his hands and shrugs.]

CARTER From the beginning, in Teal'c's mind, the goal was to make the simulation as real as possible. As much as he must now wanna quit, we think the game evaluated his character and decided that if this were a real situation, Teal'c would never give up, under any circumstances.

O'NEILL Well, it's right. It's also just a game.

CARTER The game doesn't know that.

[O'Neill nods.]

O'NEILL So how do we get him out?

CARMICHAEL Well, removing the connections while the system is operating is very dangerous, potentially fatal. On the other hand, the physical stress that the chair is putting him under will eventually kill him anyway.

CARTER Right now, the only way out is for Teal'c to win the game.

O'NEILL Can he?

CARTER It seems to be getting harder and harder. Every time it appears he's won, the game adds a new twist.

O'NEILL So it's not going to let him win.

CARTER No. The chair doesn't have an ego, it's not trying to beat Teal'c, just provide a challenge that's worthy of his abilities.

DANIEL Ironically, it's Teal'c's ego that created this problem in the first place. Not that his self image isn't entirely accurate.

CARMICHAEL If this continues, he's going to require adrenalin to sustain his heart rate, and the thing is, I can't keep him going like this for long.

CARTER There has to be a way for him to win.

[O'Neill looks at Teal'c, concerned.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;LAB

[The drone enters the lab, obviously searching. As it walks further into the lab Teal'c, who is crouched down at the side of the table, shoots it.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Carmichael has injected into Teal'c's IV.]

CARMICHAEL I think it's helping.

LEE Yeah. Yeah.

[They both turn to look at Teal'c.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Teal'c carefully makes his way through the corridors, then retreats as a drone approaches. He activates a smoke grenade and throws it in the direction of the drone. Teal'c walks towards the drone and shoots it through the smoke. Another drone materialises and shots Teal'c. The game resets.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Teal'c shudders in pain and Daniel, standing at the monitor, grimaces.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Carter is in a firefight with two drones. Teal'c walks up to join her.]

CARTER They've adapted their armour.

TEAL'C Cover me. [Teal'c moves to the other corner and shoots at the drones, hitting one. The other continues firing.]

TEAL'C Colonel Carter. [Teal'c throws the modified weapon to Carter, who shoots and kills the drone. Teal'c, walking to the drones, pulls an unit out of a bag.]

CARTER Teal'c, what's going on? What are you doing with a thermograph sensor?

[They both walk down the corridor, Teal'c pointing the sensor and Carter prepared to fire.]

TEAL'C There is a third drone.

CARTER Are you sure? I thought only two came through.

TEAL'C I am certain. He was using a cloak of invisibility. [Turning a corner, a drone's footsteps can be heard although it cannot be seen, apart from through the sensor. The drone turns and fires. Teal'c returns fire, hitting the drone which collapses to the floor.]

CARTER Nice one.

TEAL'C It is not yet over

CARTER There are more?

SILER (over radio) Colonel?

CARTER (into radio) Go ahead.

SILER (over radio) Ma'am, I've got a problem with the naquadah generator in storage room 2809.

[Teal'c and Carter head down the corridor.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;STORAGE ROOM

[The doors to the storage room open, and Carter and Teal'c enter. As Teal'c checks the area, Carter moves towards Siler, who is crouched next to a generator.]

SILER I can't stop it.

[Siler hands Carter a scanner.]

CARTER Someone's rigged it on a feedback loop.

[She opens a port on the generator.]

CARTER There's not enough time to stop the overload. INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;GATE ROOM

[Teal'c, holding the generator, and Carter run into the Gate room.]

CARTER (shouting into Control Room) Sergeant, dial the Gate now. P4M-523

DAVIS (over intercom, in Control room) Yes ma'am, starting dialling sequence.

[The Stargate starts to activate. Teal'c and Carter turn to face the Stargate.]

DAVIS Chevron one encoded. (pause) Chevron two encoded.

[The noise from the generator is building.]

DAVIS Chevron three encoded.

[Teal'c turns to Carter and nods slightly.]

DAVIS Chevron four&hellip;. [Davis is zatted in the back. Teal'c and Carter turn to look up into the Control Room, where Daniel appears, holding a zat.]

CARTER Daniel? What the hell are you doing?

[Daniel's eyes flash, just as the naquadah generator explodes. The game resets.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[A security team runs through the corridor.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room. [The team runs past Teal'c, who slides down the wall to his haunches, looking defeated. Gunfire can be heard and personnel in the Control Room are killed. Teal'c simply watches, sitting in the corridor. Another drone appears, shooting more guards, and walks past Teal'c.]

VOICE OVER PA SYSTEM Warning! Base autodestruct sequence has been activated!

[The base explodes and the game resets. The game is played numerous times, with Teal'c sitting on the floor, not taking part.]

INT&mdash;SGC ANOTHER LAB

[Daniel enters, walking up to Carter who is sitting at a monitor. An empty "Gamekeeper" chair is to her side.]

CARTER How's he doing?

DANIEL Not well. His physical exhaustion is translating into the game. He's having trouble even playing anymore. It still won't let him go.

CARTER I spoke to one of the scientists on P7J-989. He says there's nothing they can do under the circumstances.

DANIEL What are you doing?

CARTER They had a neural imprint of Teal's mind on file, from when we were trapped in the chair six years ago.

DANIEL Creepy.

CARTER Yeah, I try not to think about it. Anyway, I'm running a simulation on this chair, using the same parameters that Teal'c's dealing with now.

DANIEL And?

CARTER Well, the imprint is nowhere near the same as a live active mind. Plus, a lot has changed in the last six years.

DANIEL Yeah, but not the essence of Teal'c's character.

CARTER See? That's what worries me. I hope it has. Now, I have run hundreds of simulations. No matter what Teal'c does, the programming adapts. Every time it looks like he's won, the chair makes it harder. It's almost like the game is reading Teal'c's mind, and somehow seeing this one game as a microcosm for our war against the Goa'uld.

DANIEL Well, that's how Teal'c probably treats every battle we fight with them.

CARTER Well, according to these results. Six years ago, despite what Teal'c led us to believe, deep down, he didn't really think the Goa'uld could ever be defeated.

DANIEL Well, he doesn't think that now.

[Carter shrugs slightly.]

DANIEL He can't, not after everything we've accomplished.

CARTER I hope you're right. Otherwise, no matter how long or how hard Teal'c plays the game, he won't win. INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Carmichael is examining Teal'c as O'Neill stands, watching. Carmichael moves to study the bank of screens.] CARMICHAEL This can't go on for much longer. We're going to have to make a decision pretty soon about forcibly removing the connections.

[Carter looks over at Carmichael as Lee shakes his head briefly. O'Neill is studying the chair.]

O'NEILL You know, it's too bad we can't hook up a joystick to this thing. Give him a little help, a little backup maybe.

[As Carter, Lee and Carmichael turn to O'Neill, Daniel shakes his head in agreement.]

LEE Actually&hellip;we could link up another chair and send someone else into the same simulation. It wouldn't make any difference. The processors would network and the second person would just fall victim to the same altered elements in the simulation that have already trapped Teal'c.

CARTER Unless, the new player had an advantage. (to O'Neill) Sir, you may have done it again.

O'NEILL Yes. (pause) How did I do it this time?

CARTER These graphics are being generated by a data recorder that's tracking the game. It's actually interfaced into the system between the chair's processor and Teal'c. The chair decides what's going to happen, Teal'c responds. Those responses are then incorporated, processed, and we see the results. It's a continuous loop of ever changing data.

O'NEILL Oh! (pause) Still waiting on my good idea.

CARTER The recorder causes a two second delay between the programming in the chair and the experience in Teal'c's mind. He won't know the difference, but we could use it to our advantage.

LEE If we hook up the second chair to the first, without using the recorder in the loop&hellip;

CARTER &hellip;the new player would know what was about to happen in the game, two seconds before it occurred.

[Lee and Carmichael nod their heads in understanding.]

DANIEL Like precognition.

CARTER Exactly. It's not much, but it might give us enough of an edge to help both players win.

LEE That's assuming the chair's programming won't become aware of it and adapt.

CARMICHAEL Which would mean that there's a good chance that the second player could be trapped along with Teal'c.

O'NEILL, DANIEL & CARTER (together) I'll do it!

[The three look at each other, then at Teal'c.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[A security team is running through the corridors.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room.

[Daniel is standing in the corridor and as the team run past he looks around and sees Teal'c come from around a corner.]

DANIEL Teal'c!

[Teal'c stops and raises his weapon towards Daniel.]

DANIEL What are you doing? No&hellip;don't&hellip;don't&hellip;don't. [Teal'c shoots Daniel, and the game restarts.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Daniel is attached to a chair next to Teal'c. O'Neill and Carter are standing at the monitor watching the game. As Daniel shudders n the chair, Lee turns to look at him.]

O'NEILL Why'd he shoot him?

CARTER Because Daniel was a Goa'uld in the last several simulations.

O'NEILL I told you I should have gone.

CARTER The last thing we needed was the game learning from your tactical experience. [The sound of gunfire is heard over the monitor and Daniel again shudders in the chair.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Daniel stands in the corridor.]

DANIEL I got to get used to this.

[Daniel turns to look at the security team running through the corridor. There appears to be a shadow of the team running before them.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room. [As Daniel sees Teal'c come around a corner, he hides in a nearby room. Teal'c walks past.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CARTER'S LAB

[Teal'c is searching for something on the table. As he moves around the table, he sees that Daniel is standing in the doorway, pointing a weapon at him. Teal'c raises his weapon towards Daniel.] DANIEL Easy. Don't shoot. Just hear me out. Okay, it's me. I'm real. I'm not a Goa'uld and I'm going to prove that to you, okay? [Teal'c shoots Daniel and the game restarts.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Daniel flexes his hand. He is no longer holding a weapon.]

DANIEL Crap!

[Daniel moves back to the wall as the security team un past.]

DAVIS (over PA System) Threat level, Foxtrot, Alpha 6. All security teams to the Gate room.

[Daniel runs in the opposite direction to the security team. A number of guards and personnel are lying dead. A blast door opens and Teal'c enters. Daniel zats him and he falls to the ground.]

DANIEL I'm sorry buddy, you're going to have to listen to me.

[Daniel walks to a barely conscious Teal'c and takes the modified weapon from him.] DANIEL Okay. Now, a minute ago we were in Sam's lab. I was trying to convince you I was real, and you shot me, remember? What happened next? The game reset. I know it's probably happened so many times it's just one big blur but the reason it happened this time is because I'm playing too. I'm in a chair, just like you. If either one of us die, we both lose.

[Teal'c drags himself up into a sitting position. Daniel crouches next to him and puts the modified weapon on the ground. Teal'c drags himself to lean against the wall.] TEAL'C (defeated) It will not let me out.

DANIEL I know. The game thinks that in a real situation you'd never quit.

TEAL'C No matter what I do, it is not possible Daniel Jackson. It is not possible!

DANIEL Yes, it is. That's why I'm here.

[Teal'c looks up at Daniel.]

DANIEL Come on, let's do this. Together.

[Daniel reaches for Teal'c's arm and helps him up. Daniel hands the weapon to Teal'c as gunfire is heard.] TEAL'C We must leave this area, immediately.

DANIEL Yeah, I heard that.

[They leave in the opposite direction to the gunfire. Daniel and Teal'c slowly approach a junction in the corridors.] TEAL'C You possess the ability to foresee the future?

DANIEL A few seconds into the future. If I'm honest with you it's kinda freakin me out. A few seconds is not a lot of time. At least&hellip;the chance to see something happen and all you can see is&hellip;

[Daniel stops as Teal'c looks around the corner.]

DANIEL &hellip;watch out.

[Teal'c starts to move into the corridor, and Daniel pushes him away to the opposite side.]

DANIEL No, seriously, watch out! [Two drones appear and start firing. Daniel and Teal'c return fire but it has no affect on the drones.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Carmichael turns from the bank of screens.]

CARMICHAEL We're going to need a crash cart in here.

[Carmichael rushes to the phone.]

LEE You can't introduce an electrical impulse to the chair like that.

CARTER He's right.

CARMICHAEL There's a very good chance Teal'c is going to go into cardiac arrest if he suffers one more reset. [O'Neill, Carter, Carmichael and Lee look at Teal'c and Daniel, strapped in the chairs.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Teal'c and Daniel are firing at the drones when Daniel notices another drone materialising behind Teal'c.] DANIEL Teal'c!

[The drone shoots Teal'c in the back and fires on Daniel. The game resets.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Carmichael grabs a syringe and injects directly into Teal'c's heart. Teal'c takes a deep breath.]

CARTER He's got a pulse.

CARMICHAEL That's not going to work again.

O'NEILL I don't wanna see that again! I thought they were going to be able to beat this thing.

CARTER It may take Daniel a while to adjust to the precognitive abilities. Plus, two seconds isn't a lot of time. He'll need the right opportunity to take advantage of it.

[O'Neill, standing at the monitor, watches as Daniel runs down a corridor.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CARTER'S LAB

[Teal'c opens the door to the lab and he and Daniel enter.]

TEAL'C We've adjusted the modulator chip to compensate for the drones' modified armour.

DANIEL Any idea where she keeps it?

TEAL'C It changes the location each time.

DANIEL Of course it does.

[Teal'c and Daniel search the lab.]

DANIEL Found it!

[As Daniel places the chip in his weapon he stops as he experiences a premonition of a drone entering the lab and firing on them.] DANIEL Down. [He and Teal'c duck below the table. The drone enters and fires at the table. Daniel places the chip in his weapon then falls to the floor, firing at the drone. The drone collapses to the ground. Teal'c rises, looking at the drone.]

DANIEL Yeah. This could work. INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;CORRIDORS

[Daniel and Teal'c carefully make their way along the corridors. Daniel stops Teal'c from advancing as he experiences another premonition. They move back along the corridor. A drone appears and walks away from Daniel and Teal'c. The drone stops, looking around, and Teal'c prepares to shoot it but the drone walks on.]

DANIEL Why didn't you shoot him?

TEAL'C Such an action has always proven fatal. In a previous version of the game when I've eliminated a drone from this location, it has inevitably attracted the attention of a third cloaked drone.

DANIEL Then you shoot him too.

TEAL'C It is merely a diversion designed to allow a Goa'uld time to destroy the base. It will use either our self destruct mechanism or naquadah generator designed to overload.

DANIEL And if you tried to stop one, it uses the other. I suppose the identity of the Goa'uld always changes too.

TEAL'C Yes. I believe it to be the final component of the game we must overcome. [Suddenly, gunfire breaks out in the distance. Daniel and Teal'c make their way towards it but Daniel stops Teal'c as he experiences another premonition. They turn back as two drones appear from the direction they would have gone. As Daniel and Teal'c run down the corridor, the drones fire on them. Turning around a corner, they pass an elevator which suddenly opens. O'Neill and a number of guards exit the elevator, firing on the drones. The drones are not affected by the gunfire and advance on the elevator. As they come into view, Daniel and Teal'c fire on them, disabling both drones.]

O'NEILL You guys all right?

[O'Neill pulls Daniel to his feet.]

DANIEL Oh, yeah, thanks.

[Teal'c is obviously thinking.]

TEAL'C The naquadah generator. [Teal'c and Daniel leave.]

O'NEILL You guys all right?

[O'Neill follows Teal'c and Daniel.]

INT&mdash;SGC WITHIN GAME&mdash;STORAGE ROOM

[Teal'c and Daniel enter the store room. Carter is crouched to the generator, working n it. Teal'c aims his weapon at Carter.]

CARTER Almost got it, just give me a second.

TEAL'C Put down the device.

[Carter looks up at Teal'c, surprised.]

CARTER Teal'c, what are you doing? We've got less than a minute before this thing goes critical. [O'Neill enters and looks in surprise at Teal'c, who points the weapon at him.]

O'NEILL T?

TEAL'C Step away!

DANIEL I'd do as he says. [O'Neill turns to Carter and they both step away from the generator. O'Neill notices Siler lying on the ground further inside the storage room.]

O'NEILL What the hell's going on here?

[The noise of the generator continues to build.]

CARTER Teal'c, we're all going to die if you don't let me stop that overload.

TEAL'C She may be a Goa'uld.

CARTER It was Siler.

O'NEILL Siler?

DANIEL Siler?

CARTER He was in here. I found him setting the generator.

O'NEILL Teal'c, put the weapon down. That's an order.

DANIEL (to Teal'c) What if it's not her? You said yourself you could never tell who it was until the last second.

TEAL'C You may be correct Daniel Jackson.

[Teal'c turns his weapon on O'Neill, who raises his own weapon at Teal'c.]

O'NEILL Hey!

[Daniel and Carter point their weapons at each other.]

O'NEILL Now what?

DANIEL I know for a fact it's not me or Teal'c.

[Teal'c, under obvious strain, looks at the generator.]

TEAL'C Daniel Jackson?

DANIEL I don't know. I can't tell. [Teal'c lowers his weapon, followed by O'Neill, who nods at Teal'c.] O'NEILL Carter. [Carter crouches at the generator and opens a scanner. As Siler suddenly materialises, Daniel yells and moves.]

DANIEL Teal'c!

O'NEILL Carter!

[O'Neill ducks as Siler begins to shoot. Daniel drags Teal'c to safety and, as Siler's eyes glow, Teal'c fires upon him. He falls to the ground, dead. O'Neill and Carter rise as Teal'c and Daniel reenter the room. The game ends.]

INT&mdash;SGC LAB

[Daniel, still attached to the chair, wakes, obviously disoriented.]

DANIEL Is it finished?

CARTER Yeah, you did it.

[Daniel lays his head back. Teal'c slowly wakes.]

CARTER Shutting off power to both chairs. [O'Neill walks up to Teal'c.]

TEAL'C O'Neill.

O'NEILL Hey.

[O'Neill pats Teal'c on the arm and clasps his shoulder.]

TEAL'C We have won.

O'NEILL Well, it's what we do.

[Teal'c nods and smiles slightly.]

CLOSING CREDITS

Transcribed by Helen for SG-1 Solutions, 24 Sep 2004

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