Inquisition/Transcript

Episode Guide
SGA 5.13 "Inquisition" Episode Guide

Transcript
EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONFERENCE ROOM

[Woolsey briefs Sheppard's team.]

WOOLSEY As you may have already heard, we have received an invitation&hellip;or more precisely, your team has received an invitation to represent Atlantis at a meeting of leaders from various human populations throughout the Pegasus Galaxy.

SHEPPARD What's this? A Pegasus version of the United Nations?

WOOLSEY Mmm, nothing quite so formal. At the moment, it's more of a loose coalition.

MCKAY Is there any advanced technology in this "coalition"?

WOOLSEY No. But the IOA believes it could be an important first step toward interplanetary government. A&hellip;"federation", if you will.

MCKAY (drily) The Federation had ships. Look, what do we hope to gain from this? I mean, the only reason these people even know about each other is because they happened to inherit the 'gate system from the Ancients.

TEYLA Just because they lack advancement does not mean they cannot benefit from cooperation.

RONON She's right. It's about time people in this galaxy got together and stood up for themselves.

MCKAY (skeptical) Against the Wraith?

RONON Why not?

WOOLSEY The Wraith are at war with each other, which is why the people trying to form this coalition feel the time is right. And they want us to be part of it.

WORMHOLE EFFECT

EXT&mdash;VILLAGE, DAY

INT&mdash;STONE CHAMBER

[Sheppard's team are led into a sparsely furnished stone chamber lit by candles with no windows. McKay groans at the accommodations.]

WOMAN The council liaison will be with you in a moment.

[She shuts the heavy metal door behind her as she leaves. Sheppard sits on the wooden table and sniffs a fruit.]

MCKAY (sarcastic) Wow. They're really, uh, rolling out the red carpet for us, huh?

TEYLA I'm sure they're just trying to keep the details of this meeting secret.

[Smokey gas starts to hiss into the room from a vent.]

MCKAY Uh, guys? Not good!

[McKay and Teyla try to cover their mouths with their clothing.]

SHEPPARD Ronon!

[Ronon blasts at the door to no effect. The room quickly fills with the gas. McKay, closest to the fumes, is the first to fall. Teyla soon after. Ronon and Sheppard try and pull the door open, but both succumb and collapse.]

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

INT&mdash;JAIL CELL

[Sheppard's team are lying on the floor. They awaken, groaning, to find themselves in a different room. The walls are stone and metal bars block the door.]

TEYLA Where are we?

RONON We're not in the same room. We've been moved.

MCKAY What the hell happened?

SHEPPARD That's a good question.

[Two men approach the barred door.]

TEYLA (to men) What is the meaning of this?

MYRUS It will all be explained shortly. The council wishes to speak to Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard.

[Myrus looks around at the team, trying to distinguish Sheppard from the group. Sheppard bites his lip.]

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

[Sheppard is brought into a large curtained room. He's forced to step onto a wide wooden pedestal. Two men and a woman sit at a long table at the end of the room, facing the pedestal.]

KELORE I am Kelore of Latira. This is Shiana of the tribes of Santhal and Dimas of the free peoples of Riva. We speak on behalf of the Coalition.

SHEPPARD You know, if you wanted to keep this location secret, you could have just blindfolded me. I wouldn't have&hellip;peeked. I swear.

KELORE Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, you stand before this council as a representative of the Atlantis Expedition.

SHEPPARD Okay.

KELORE And as such, it falls to you to answer the charges.

SHEPPARD (nonplussed) Excuse me?

KELORE You will be given ample opportunity to present your defense. And when all evidence is heard, we will decide the outcome.

SHEPPARD What the hell are you talking about? What is this?

KELORE The Atlantis Expedition has been accused of crimes against the peoples of this galaxy. This is your trial.

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, DAY

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[Woolsey jogs down the steps to greet Lorne's team as they return through the Stargate.]

WOOLSEY Major, what happened?

LORNE We're still trying to figure that out, sir. One thing's for sure, they're not in the village any more.

WOOLSEY They wouldn't have gone anywhere else without notifying us first.

LORNE Not voluntarily, no.

WOOLSEY Take as many men as you need. Search the entire area. And keep questioning the villagers. Somebody there knows something.

[Lorne's team leaves Woolsey looking angry and frustrated.]

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

SHEPPARD This was supposed to be a meet-and-greet. Just cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, maybe a little dancing&hellip;

DIMAS Subterfuge was necessary. You possess technology and military power beyond the scope of most of the indigenous peoples of this galaxy.

KELORE Which is why you have been brought to a secure council. Only the members of this council and key personnel know the 'gate address.

SHIANA So don't waste your time entertaining any hopes of rescue.

SHEPPARD (exasperated) What is exactly that you think we did?!

DIMAS According to our calculations, the Atlantis Expedition is responsible, directly or indirectly, for the deaths of over two million people in this galaxy.

SHEPPARD You've got to be kidding me!

KELORE Tell us about your first encounter with the Wraith.

SHEPPARD Oh. Okay. I see where this is going.

[Sheppard folds his arms across his chest defensively.]

KELORE When you arrived here, the Wraith were in hibernation, were they not?

SHEPPARD Not all of them.

DIMAS What do you mean?

SHEPPARD I mean, they attacked us.

EXCERPTS FROM 1.01 "THE RISING PART 1"

EXT&mdash;ATHOS, NIGHT

[As Ford and others look on, darts fly through the Stargate.]

EXT&mdash;ATHOS FOREST, NIGHT

[Teyla and Sheppard walk through the forest. Teyla suddenly pauses, listening for the darts.]

SHEPPARD What is it?

TEYLA The Wraith!

[They run to the camp.]

EXT&mdash;ATHOS SETTLEMENT, NIGHT

[Darts fly over the camp.]

SUMNER Take that thing down!

[A service member fires a bazooka and shoots down the dart.]

SUMNER That's one.

[He and the man next to him are swept up in a culling beam.]

EXT&mdash;ATHOS CLEARING, NIGHT

[Teyla and Sheppard run flat out. A culling beam chases behind them.]

TEYLA Get down!

[Sheppard dives to the forest floor. Teyla is taken by the beam. Sheppard turns to face the danger, and sees nothing nearby.]

SHEPPARD Teyla?

END EXCERPTS

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

KELORE That was a scouting party. Not a culling.

SHEPPARD Well, I didn't know that. All I know is they took our people.

DIMAS And you went after them?

SHEPPARD That's right.

DIMAS You should have left them to their fate.

SHEPPARD Oh, I'm sure that's what you would've done, but that's not how we operate.

DIMAS What happened?

SHEPPARD Well, we went in, we rescued as many people as we could, then&hellip;we got out.

KELORE But not before encountering a queen.

SHEPPARD (reluctantly) No.

EXCERPT FROM 1.02 "THE RISING PART 2"

INT&mdash;HIVE CHAMBER

[Sheppard is held down by the throat. The queen picks up the Ancient device in his pocket.]

QUEEN How did this come to you?

SHEPPARD I don't remember.

[The queen hisses and moves to feed. Ford appears and shoots the guard holding Sheppard down. The queen looks startled as Sheppard rolls out of the way.]

SHEPPARD (into radio) Light it up!

EXT&mdash;FOREST, NIGHT

[Explosions rock the hive ship.]

INT&mdash;HIVE CHAMBER

[Sheppard impales the queen with the Wraith guard's large pointed device.]

SHEPPARD (hoarsely) That has to kill you.

[Sheppard pulls the weapon out. The queen falls.]

FORD Sir, let's go.

QUEEN (rasping) You don't know what you have done. We are merely the caretakers for those that sleep. When I die, the others will awaken&hellip;all of them.

[The queen dies. Sheppard drops the weapon and picks up his Ancient life signs detector.]

FORD What's she talking about? How many are left?

[Sheppard checks the device. More and more life signs appear. Ford and Sheppard look up. Chambers across the ceiling light up, each one holding a Wraith.]

END EXCERPTS

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

SHIANA So you admit it. You woke the Wraith.

SHEPPARD (shrugging) Look, sooner or later, they were going to wake up on their own anyway.

KELORE But not for generations.

DIMAS You see, Colonel, most of the human populations of this galaxy have not yet fully recovered from the last round of cullings. As a result of this early awakening, several worlds have been driven to the point of extinction, their survivors scattered, their civilizations lost forever.

SHEPPARD We're out there fighting the Wraith day after day, putting our asses on the line!

KELORE But the fact remains many who have been killed would be alive today if you had never come here. Isn't that true?

SHEPPARD That's it. I'm not playing this game anymore.

[He spins to leave. Two guards step forward, blocking his path.]

DIMAS This is just the first of many charges. If you refuse to participate, it will be taken as an admission of guilt on all counts. And we will have no choice but to proceed to sentencing.

SHEPPARD What are you going to do? Put everybody in Atlantis in jail?

DIMAS Obviously, that's not possible.

SHEPPARD (triumphant) Hmph.

DIMAS However, we can refuse cooperation. That means no more trade, no more relations of any kind. Atlantis will be completely isolated.

SHEPPARD (caustically) No relations with the likes of you? Hm. I think we can handle that.

KELORE The Coalition grows in strength and influence every day. Soon enough, all of your current trading partners will have no choice but to join, and therefore, to abide by the ruling of this council.

SHIANA As for you and your team, an example must be made. Justice demands it.

SHEPPARD Justice? Is that what you're calling this?!

DIMAS A suitable uninhabited planet has been chosen. If you're found guilty, you'll be sent there without any hope of return for the rest of your natural lives.

INT&mdash;JAIL CELL

[Sheppard has been brought back to his teammates.]

SHEPPARD Apparently, the, uh, planet they picked for us has just enough food for us to survive, so, technically, uh, it's not an execution.

MCKAY Great.

SHEPPARD Oh, and, uh, they took the DHD, so whoever comes through the 'gate&mdash;they're not coming back.

RONON The Daedalus can find us.

MCKAY If they had the address, but-but, I mean, short of that, they'd need to search every solar system in the galaxy for a habitable planet, which would take all of like, what, like a million years?

SHEPPARD Right. Let's not panic. I've been to the chamber a couple times now, and&hellip;I'm beginning to get a sense of the layout.

TEYLA The architecture is definitely different from that of the village.

SHEPPARD No, we're on another planet. Judging by the fact there's no natural light or windows, I'm guessing an underground bunker.

RONON The guards?

SHEPPARD Yeah, half a dozen or so. We're going to have to see if they change in shifts.

MCKAY I don't suppose there's any chance you could just convince them that we're not guilty. 'Cause we're not, right?

[Everyone looks at him doubtfully.]

MCKAY Aw, come on. There is no way the Pegasus Galaxy would be better off if we'd never come here.

TEYLA No. But since your arrival, there have been setbacks. Lives have been lost. But there is hope now where once there was none.

SHEPPARD Look, as much as I'd like to tell these guys where to put their little trial? We're just gonna have to play along for a while until we figure out how to get out of here.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[Lorne's team escort Myrus through the Stargate. A stern looking Woolsey stands waiting to greet them.]

LORNE Mr. Woolsey, this is Myrus. He claims to be a representative for the new Coalition of Planets.

WOOLSEY Does he?

MYRUS (hesitantly) Are you the leader of Atlantis?

WOOLSEY That's right.

MYRUS Then we need to speak.

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

[Sheppard is back before the council.]

SHEPPARD Well, what's next on the agenda? Did we, uh, step on the rose bushes on our last trip to Vedeena?

DIMAS Perhaps you've heard of a plague that's recently swept through several worlds&mdash;a sickness that arrives suddenly, runs its course in a matter of days, and typically kills one out of every three men, women, and children wherever it strikes&hellip;?

SHIANA There are those who believe it is not a sickness at all, but a deliberate poisoning. The work of one individual.

SHEPPARD I know who you're talking about. His name is Michael.

KELORE It is said that he is neither human nor Wraith, but some kind of half-breed. Can you explain to us how such a thing is possible?

[Sheppard takes a deep breath.]

SHEPPARD One of our people was conducting research. They were trying to come up with a way to solve the Wraith problem once and for all.

EXCERPT FROM 2.18 "MICHAEL"

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY OBSERVATION ROOM

[Weir, Sheppard, and Beckett watch Michael struggle against restraints in the room below. Personnel in hazmat suits watch as Michael is converted from Wraith to human.]

END EXCERPT

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

KELORE You found a way to convert Wraith into humans?

SHEPPARD Don't ask me the medical questions. I'm not a doctor.

DIMAS And this Michael was one of your test subjects?

SHEPPARD As a matter of fact, he was the first.

EXCERPT FROM 2.18 "MICHAEL"

INT&mdash;MICHAEL'S ROOM

[Beckett checks Michael's vital signs as Sheppard and Weir enter.]

BECKETT Blood pressure's fine. Pulse normal. You're bouncing back quite nicely.

MICHAEL Bouncing back from what?

WEIR Hello, Michael. Do you remember me?

MICHAEL (bemused) No.

WEIR I'm Doctor Elizabeth Weir. This is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard.

SHEPPARD You serve under my command.

WEIR Your name is Lieutenant Michael Kenmore. You're in a private room off the infirmary here in Atlantis. Is that familiar to you?

MICHAEL Atlantis&hellip;Yeah, I think.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

SHEPPARD (voiceover) We tried to convince him he was one of us, but he knew something was wrong. And then&hellip;he found proof.

[Michael steals dvds from Beckett's lab.]

INT&mdash;MICHAEL'S ROOM

[Michael places dvds into his laptop computer. On the monitor, Beckett works with Michael writhing on the bed.]

BECKETT (on video) Five milligrams!

[Michael replaces the dvd with the Day Seven footage. Michael struggles against restraints.]

MICHAEL (on video) Release me!

[Michael changes it out for the Day One footage. On it, Sheppard and Ronon hold a writhing Michael down on the bed. Their bodies block a clear look at Michael.]

MICHAEL (on video) You will die for this! Argh! Others will come for me. They will destroy you!

SHEPPARD (on video) Blah Blah Blah.

RONON (on video) They gotta find us first.

SHEPPARD You're gonna need a name. How does Mike sound?

[THe Wraith screams. Beckett rushes in. Michael shows the frozen video to Beckett.]

END EXCERPT

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

SHEPPARD After that, he escaped. He went back and forth between Wraith and human a couple more times until&hellip;finally he settled somewhere in between.

SHIANA So once again, you admit your guilt. You unleashed this&hellip;thing on the galaxy.

SHEPPARD We didn't just let him out the front door and forget about him. We've been chasing him ever since. Couple months ago, we managed to catch up with him.

EXCERPTS FROM 5.01 "SEARCH AND RESCUE"

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The 302s and darts engage in pitched battle near Michael's hive ship. Several 302s are able to score hits directly on the hive ship.]

INT&mdash;CORRIDOR, MICHAEL'S SHIP

SHEPPARD Fire in the hole.

[He activates the signal.]

INT&mdash;HYPERDRIVE ROOM, MICHAEL'S SHIP

[The hyperdrive explodes.]

INT&mdash;BRIDGE, MICHAEL'S SHIP

[The bridge rocks from the explosion.]

MICHAEL What happened?

KANAAN The hyperdrive just exploded!

MICHAEL (surprised) No, that's impossible.

KANAAN Main power is out across much of the ship.

MICHAEL An accidental overload?

KANAAN It doesn't appear that way.

MICHAEL (half to himself) How did they do that?

KANAAN I will look into it.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[A single dart flies towards the Daedalus.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

SHEPPARD (over radio) Daedalus, please come in.

CALDWELL (into radio) Colonel Sheppard, what the hell happened to your jumper?

INT&mdash;DART

[The rest of the conversation switches between Caldwell's and Sheppard's locations.]

SHEPPARD Well, I got turned around in the parking garage. I was in a rush, so I borrowed this dart. I've got the team beamed into a storage device. Feel free to do whatever you want to that cruiser.

CALDWELL (to Marks) Major Marks, please make that ship go away.

MARKS Yes, sir.

[He activates his controls.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Daedalus fires a beam weapon at the cruiser, destroying it.]

END EXCERPTS

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

DIMAS Are you sure he was killed?

SHEPPARD The ship was vaporized. There's no body to recover!

KELORE Well, then you cannot testify before this council and under the eyes of the Ancestors that you know, for certain, that he is dead.

SHEPPARD (fuming, reluctant) No.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS BRIEFING ROOM

[Woolsey slams his hand down on the table. Myrus and Lorne sit at the table. SFs guard the room.]

WOOLSEY This is outrageous! You're telling me that one of first official acts of your new government was to assault and kidnap my people?

MYRUS They weren't assaulted. They were arrested.

LORNE Aw, you've got to be kidding me.

MYRUS Believe me, not all of us agreed with this decision, but it wasn't taken entirely without reason.

LORNE (angrily) We've been trying to help you people!

MYRUS What you've been doing is making unilateral decisions that affect the lives of millions without consultation&hellip;and without accountability! This is no longer acceptable.

WOOLSEY (sternly) I'm not going to get drawn into a debate here. I only need to know one thing&mdash;where are my people being held?

MYRUS Of course, I can't tell you that.

WOOLSEY Fair trials don't take place in secret locations.

MYRUS Nevertheless&hellip;

WOOLSEY I think Mister Myrus needs a little time to reconsider his position here. Escort him to a cell.

[Lorne stands.]

LORNE My pleasure.

MYRUS You're making a mistake.

WOOLSEY Am I?

MYRUS When I was chosen to deliver this message, I knew there was a chance I wouldn't be coming back. But if you detain me, you will only be confirming what many already suspect&mdash;that you're a rogue element in this galaxy, operating without restraint or due process!

[Woolsey shifts his jaw. He looks at Lorne.]

WOOLSEY Lock him up.

LORNE Let's go.

[Lorne escorts Myrus out.]

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

SHEPPARD All right. I'm not saying we haven't made some mistakes, but that's 'cause we're the only ones out there fighting! Nobody else is out there taking on the Wraith.

KELORE But isn't that your own fault as well?

SHEPPARD What are you talking about?

KELORE The Genii had a plan to combat the Wraith, but they were thwarted when you betrayed them.

SHEPPARD (scornfully) Oh, is that what they told you? Because that's not what I remember!

EXCERPT FROM 1.08 "UNDERGROUND"

[Sheppard's team and Cowen's team exit the jumper meeting Sora and other Genii waiting for them.]

SORA Where is my father?

COWEN He did not survive.

SORA (shocked) No. What happened?

COWEN I think we should find out. (calling out) Take aim!

[Several Genii come out of the woods, pointing guns at Sheppard's team, surrounding them.]

SHEPPARD Cowen, I thought we were just learning how to get along.

COWEN (indicating Teyla) She killed Tyrus.

TEYLA No.

COWEN By leaving him to die, you may just as well have killed him yourself. (he displays the Wraith data) We will keep this intelligence information, and your ship, and whatever quantities of C-4 you have in your possession.

TEYLA (betrayed) That is all you ever intended&hellip;to use us.

COWEN Your weapons.

SHEPPARD No. I don't think so.

TEYLA (to Sora) This is what your father died for? In the name of people who would lie and steal from those they would call friends?

SHEPPARD Well, I lied too. (keying radio) Jumpers Two and Three, execute!

[Two jumpers de-cloak above them, flanking the Genii.]

SHEPPARD You didn't really think we had one ship, did you?

END EXCERPT

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

DIMAS So, you betrayed each other.

SHEPPARD We came prepared. They made the first move. Look, the Genii plan was never gonna work anyways. They had bombs they couldn't finish without our help. They had no methods of delivery. If you want a military victory against the Wraith, we're your only chance.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Woolsey and Lorne climb a side stairwell to the control room.]

WOOLSEY You've been in touch with our off-world contacts?

LORNE Yes, sir.

WOOLSEY And?

LORNE Nobody knows anything. At least, that's what they're saying.

WOOLSEY You don't believe them?

LORNE Well, frankly, right now, I don't know what to believe, sir. I mean, these people are supposed to be our friends. But, if we can't walk into an ordinary village without worrying about an ambush, what's the point?

WOOLSEY We're not there yet. I refuse to believe that the whole galaxy has turned against us.

LORNE Well, it might as well. Because right now, we have nothing.

WOOLSEY Maybe not&hellip;Come with me.

INT&mdash;ATLANTIS CORRIDOR OUTSIDE MYRUS'S ROOM

WOOLSEY Open it.

[The guard opens the door to the room. Woolsey and Lorne walk inside.]

WOOLSEY Mister Myrus, I have a proposal for you.

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

DIMAS So you claim to have had military success against the Wraith?

SHEPPARD We've done our share of damage, even managed to take a few hive ships out here and there.

SHIANA (scornfully) Really? And how did you manage to accomplish this remarkable feat?

SHEPPARD Well, I can tell you one thing&mdash;it's never easy. But one good trick, is to get them to shoot at each other.

EXCERPTS FROM 2.11 "THE HIVE PART 2"

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Darts launch from a hive ship. One veers towards the other hive ship.]

INT&mdash;DART

[Sheppard flies the dart, hitting the fire button on his weapon joystick.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Sheppard's dart causes a lot of damage to the other hive ship.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

[McKay points to a video readout overlapping the front viewscreen.]

MCKAY Look, you see that? It's a dart firing on one of the hive ships.

CALDWELL Why?

MCKAY (stunned) Sheppard.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The dart continues to fire before other darts give chase, protecting their hive. The joint effort by launched drones becomes a pitched battle between the rival hives' darts. A full space battle ensues.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

LORNE Sheppard's actually getting them to fire at each other.

[McKay grins.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Both hive ships explode.]

EXCERPTS FROM 4.12 "SPOILS OF WAR'

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The queen's hive ship fires on the damaged hive ship.]

SHEPPARD (voiceover) Now, if two hive ships are going at it, and you happen to be on board one of them, that can be a bit of a problem. That's when you have to improvise.

[The puddle jumper flies quickly away from the planet.]

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD (into radio) Teyla, Lorne, come in.

TEYLA (over radio) Colonel, where are you?

SHEPPARD (into radio) We're on our way.

INT&mdash;WRAITH BRIDGE

TEYLA (into radio) You must hurry. The other hive has found us.

SHEPPARD (over radio) Can you hold them off?

[Todd strides over to the weapons console.]

TODD (grumbling) Not for long.

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

SHEPPARD (into radio) Approaching dart bay.

INT&mdash;WRAITH BRIDGE

TEYLA (into radio) Acknowledged.

TODD They're inside.

LORNE (into radio) Colonel, request permission to jump to hyperspace immediately.

SHEPPARD (over radio) Negative. I have another idea. Teyla, I want you to set a new course.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Still under fire from the other hive ship, the damaged one leaves the moon's orbit and heads towards the planet.]

INT&mdash;QUEEN THRONE ROOM

[Another Wraith, the one who served as the technician/second for Todd, enters the room.]

WRAITH TECHNICIAN Commander!

WRAITH What is it?

WRAITH TECHNICIAN We've just received an urgent communication from the hive. The enemy&hellip;they're headed straight for us.

[The Wraith scientist turns and stares at the messenger.]

EXT&mdash;WRAITH OUTPOST, DAY

[The damaged hive ship crashes directly into the outpost. The explosion is huge.]

EXCERPTS FROM 3.01 "NO MAN'S LAND"

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[An Aurora-class vessel engages in battle with two hive ships.]

SHEPPARD (voiceover) Did I also mention that we have a fair amount of Ancient technology at our disposal, because that can be pretty handy too.

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

CALDWELL There's a hive bearing down on your position!

LORNE (over radio) Yes, sir. I see that.

INT&mdash;ANCIENT SHIP

[Lorne stands beside Zelenka.]

LORNE (to radio) Stand by. (to Zelenka) Doc, come on. They're killing us here.

ZELENKA I have it. I have it. I have it.

LORNE (into radio) Firing drones.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Ancient ship fires several drones at the hive ship, destroying it and several darts.]

END EXCERPTS

SHEPPARD Let's see, what else did I leave out? There's been so many over the years, you know, it's hard to keep track&hellip;

SHIANA Enough! You spin a colorful tale, Colonel. That much is obvious. Yet for all these fantastic claims, we have no evidence but your word.

SHEPPARD This trial is evidence! None of this would be happening, your precious little coalition wouldn't even exist, if we hadn't have pushed the Wraith so far back that you got an opportunity you haven't had in ten thousand years!

KELORE Your responsibility in this has already been determined. You woke the Wraith early, before the population of this galaxy had sufficient time to recover, which eventually led to the Wraith going to war with each other over feeding grounds. That war is what has given us this opportunity, not some imagined victory on your part.

[Sheppard grimaces. The door swings open and Myrus quickly enters and walks to the council's table, whispering to Kelore.]

KELORE We will take a recess. Please take the prisoner back to his cell.

[Guards lead Sheppard away.]

INT&mdash;JAIL CELL

[Sheppard is shoved into his cell. Sheppard's teammates step back, revealing Woolsey in their midst.]

SHEPPARD (surprised) Woolsey, what the hell are you doing here?

WOOLSEY I've made an arrangement with your captors. I'm taking over your defense.

SHEPPARD Don't suppose you managed to bring along a subspace locator beacon, did you?

WOOLSEY That's Wraith technology. It's not like we have one just lying around. I even tried to contact Todd to see if we could borrow one, but he never responded.

MCKAY Well, what about the DHD on the planet where we were ambushed? I mean, you could pull the most recent addresses that were dialed from that.

WOOLSEY Already done. There were over fifty addresses in the buffer. I almost cleaned out the entire city sending people to investigate all of them, but&hellip;they turned up nothing.

TEYLA (realizing) They took us through more than one 'gate.

WOOLSEY So it would seem. This was obviously very well thought out.

[Sheppard smiles grimly and nods.]

MCKAY All right, well they had a very clever plan, but we're-we're smarter and better armed. There's got to be a way around this.

WOOLSEY They took advantage of one significant weakness&mdash;we trusted them.

[Sheppard rubs his face in his hands. Woolsey walks over to an empty bench and dusts off a space for himself.]

WOOLSEY Look, I came here because I have a plan to get you out of here.

MCKAY Well, what is it?

WOOLSEY (as if obvious) Win the trial.

[The team exchange looks and dubious sighs.]

SHEPPARD Look, we were just playing along to buy us enough time to figure out a way out of here.

WOOLSEY And how's that coming along?

SHEPPARD (sheepishly) Well&hellip;we're&hellip;we're working on it.

WOOLSEY I was Harvard Law Review. I was chief counsel of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Prior to that, I was an appellate advocate for Hartshorne & Slaughter, one of the most prestigious litigation boutiques in all New York City.

[He turns confidently to Ronon, who looks unimpressed.]

WOOLSEY Eh. Believe me, I can handle three tribal elders with a stack of papyrus.

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

KELORE Some time ago, a number of human worlds were attacked and destroyed from space. Not by the Wraith, but by someone else.

DIMAS Little is known of this mysterious race except that they possess incredibly advanced technology, and are rumored to be allies of Atlantis.

WOOLSEY I think I know who you're referring to, and believe me&hellip;they are not our allies. They're called Replicators. They were created by the Ancients.

EXCERPTS FROM 3.05 "PROGENY"

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The city-ship enters hyperspace.]

INT&mdash;ASURAS CONFERENCE ROOM AND BALCONY

[The team see the aurora effect of hyperspace travel all around them.]

NIAM If you wish to know the truth of who we are, I will show you.

[He holds out his hand for Weir to take. She takes his hand.]

INT&mdash;ANCIENT LAB AND ZPM CHAMBER

[Weir and Niam, still holding hands, are now in a lab filled with Ancient scientists. Niam starts to lead her through it.]

NIAM The "Ancients" as you call them, were desperate in their search for a better way to fight the Wraith. Though greatly outnumbered, they relied on their technological superiority to give them a needed advantage. Instead of building bigger, more powerful weapons, they chose to build smaller ones.

[As Niam speaks, Weir notices one scientist's work displayed on a large monitor. She recognizes the microscopic machines Niam describes.]

WEIR Nanites.

INT&mdash;NIAM'S MIND

[The image of the Ancient lab disappears. Weir and Niam are now mostly in darkness, only a light from above shines down on them. It is the limbo of Niam's mind-link.]

NIAM In these tiny killing machines, the Ancients imbued an aggression that surpassed even that of their enemy. The technology allowed for organic assimilation and self-replication to increase their effectiveness. And replicate they did.

INT&mdash;ANCIENT CONFERENCE ROOM

[The scene morphs again into a conference room, where Weir and Niam see several Ancients staring at the figure of Oberoth.]

NIAM They grew in numbers, evolving at a rate that took the Ancients by surprise. The molecular machines began interlocking, assembling themselves to form even more complex organisms, eventually evolving into the most effective and efficient form they knew of. This is how we were born. When the Ancients concluded that we would never become the weapon they desired to create, they decided to end it.

EXT&mdash;ASURAS, DAY

[Niam and Weir stand on a desolate landscape. All around them, several Ancient battle ships bombard a large city with blasts.]

NIAM &hellip;so they chose to destroy us, to leave no trace of us behind.

END EXCERPTS

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

DIMAS Some of them managed to survive?

WOOLSEY That's right. And as the name suggests, they replicated and rebuilt themselves into a powerful force.

EXCERPT FROM 3.05 "PROGENY"

[Niam leads the team along a catwalk. Weir stops and stares at the view.]

WEIR Oh&hellip;my!

SHEPPARD No kidding.

[The Ancient city-ship sits in a lake, dwarfed by a city scape that surrounds it from all sides.]

END EXCERPT

KELORE But why would they attack human worlds?

WOOLSEY It was a strategy they developed in their campaign against the Wraith&mdash;eliminate the enemy's&hellip;food supply.

[Dimas gulps. Kelore glances over to Shiana, who is looking down, troubled.]

DIMAS There's one thing I don't understand, Mr. Woolsey. If, as you suggest, they were originally designed to fight the Wraith, why did they wait until now?

[Woolsey mouth twitches and he looks away.]

EXCERPT FROM 4.02 "LIFELINE"

INT&mdash;PUDDLE JUMPER

[Sheppard and Ronon arrive.]

SHEPPARD Hook up the ZPM. We're leaving.

MCKAY Wait a minute, we can't go.

SHEPPARD What are you talking about? You said you could get the hyperdrive back online.

MCKAY I mean, we can, but not yet. Look, while Elizabeth's been connected, I-I've been going over the Replicators' base code, and I found this.

[He shows them a display on his laptop of Replicator code.]

RONON What is that?

MCKAY (excited) The Holy Grail. I mean, it's their whole reason for being. It's a command code that directs them to attack the Wraith.

SHEPPARD Yeah, but they don't attack the Wraith. They've been sitting on their nanite asses for ten thousand years.

MCKAY Well, that's because it's been deactivated.

END EXCERPT''

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

DIMAS (angrily) Are you telling us that you are the ones that activated the attack code?!

WOOLSEY We didn't know that they were going to target human worlds.

KELORE No! Because you acted rashly without considering the consequences.

WOOLSEY We had an opportunity, one that wasn't going to present itself again. Believe me, councillors, this decision was not taken lightly. In fact, it cost us one of our best people.

EXCERPTS FROM 4.02 "LIFELINE"

INT&mdash;ASURAS CORRIDOR

[Oberoth grabs Weir's arm and starts to force her hand out of his head. Sheppard and Ronon arrive, aiming their weapons at Oberoth, but unable to get a clear shot because of Weir's position.]

SHEPPARD Elizabeth&hellip;

WEIR Get to the jumper.

SHEPPARD You're coming with us.

[Ronon fires at Oberoth, but he stays in position.]

WEIR I can't keep them frozen much longer!

SHEPPARD We're not leaving you behind!

WEIR If you don't leave right now, none of us will get out of here, so go! That's an order!

[Weir half turns her head to look at him. Oberoth seizes the opportunity to regain control. The Replicators unfreeze and start firing at Sheppard and Ronon, forcing them to fall back.]

RONON Come on!

SHEPPARD Elizabeth?!

WEIR GO!

[Replicators surround Weir as Sheppard and Ronon retreat. Weir collapses, pained.]

END EXCERPT

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

SHIANA (incredulous) One of your people died and you consider this a grave sacrifice?

WOOLSEY As a matter of fact, I do.

SHIANA (upset) Then imagine how we feel&mdash;those of us who have witnessed the deaths of thousands!

WOOLSEY We cannot be held responsible for the actions of the Replicators.

DIMAS Colonel Sheppard made the same argument in respect to the Wraith. And in that case, I might be inclined to agree with him. But by your own admission, these Replicators are machines. So if I were to set a detonator, can I then later deny responsibility for the actions of the bomb?

WOOLSEY By that logic, you might just as well blame the Ancients. They created them.

DIMAS The Ancients, as you call them, are not here to answer for their actions. You are.

WOOLSEY We know for certain of six human worlds that were destroyed by the Replicators. But we also know of at least a dozen hive ships that were destroyed&mdash;hive ships that would almost certainly have culled within a year. One could make the argument that on balance, more lives were saved than were lost.

SHIANA (seething) "On balance?" Is that what we are to you? Figures on a ledger? Pieces that can be moved about in a game of strategy? Some to be&hellip;saved while others are sacrificed?

WOOLSEY (contrite) I'm sorry. I certainly didn't mean to diminish&mdash;

SHIANA (interrupting) Real people are being killed, Mr. Woolsey! Real villages destroyed. My village. My people. My husband and children murdered before my eyes.

WOOLSEY (horrified) You're from one of the planets destroyed by the Replicators.

SHIANA (emotional) I barely escaped with my life, but&hellip;not before I saw everything I hold dear get wiped out by&hellip;a beam of light from the sky. And I will not rest until someone is made to pay for it.

[She glares at Woolsey.]

INT&mdash;JAIL CELL

[Woolsey sits with Sheppard's team.]

MCKAY (drily) Well, I guess we can rule out getting her vote.

WOOLSEY It's clearly inappropriate for someone that biased to be on the council.

SHEPPARD (shrugging) So they stacked the deck against us.

WOOLSEY I'm not sure. Dimas seems to be a reasonable man. I think he might even be persuaded to vote our way. Kelore is a little harder to read.

SHEPPARD Yeah, he seemed pretty hostile to me.

WOOLSEY (shrewdly) Didn't you say he was from Latira?

SHEPPARD Yeah, that's right.

WOOLSEY One of our last intelligence reports suggests a growing relationship between Latira&hellip;and the Genii.

SHEPPARD Well, he did try and convince me that they should be the ones leading the fight against the Wraith.

TEYLA You think the Genii are behind this?

[Woolsey stands and paces.]

WOOLSEY It makes sense. Apart from Atlantis, they're clearly the biggest military power in the Coalition. If they played their cards right, they could wind up running the whole thing.

SHEPPARD But only with us out of the picture.

MCKAY So we were right all along; this whole thing is fixed!

RONON I say we go to plan B. Wait for the guards to come in, I beat 'em up, take their guns, we shoot our way out of here.

WOOLSEY And do we even know the way out?

SHEPPARD Well, we know we're at least two levels underground, and there's no more than a dozen or so guards at any one time.

WOOLSEY What about on the surface? How many guards are up there? And which way is the 'gate and how far?

SHEPPARD There's a few things we'll have to figure out along the way.

WOOLSEY (sighing) It's too risky. We could wind up being shot before we even got out of the building.

MCKAY What other choice do we have? I mean, we know we can't win this thing.

WOOLSEY Not fairly, no.

[The team looks at Woolsey, intrigued.]

SHEPPARD What are you talking about?

WOOLSEY I'm saying&hellip;now that I know what the game is, I can play it.

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

[A guard leads Woolsey in. Kelore stands alone inside the room near the defendant stand.]

WOOLSEY Kelore, thank you for agreeing to meet me.

KELORE (to guard) Wait outside.

[The guard leaves the two alone.]

WOOLSEY It cost me rather a fine pocket watch that used to belong to my father to get him to bring me here.

KELORE You shouldn't have bothered. There's nothing I can do for you.

WOOLSEY Well, maybe I'm just feeling generous tonight.

KELORE Speak plainly.

WOOLSEY You're backing the wrong horse. We know you're connected with the Genii.

[Kelore takes a deep breath and steps out of the shadows of the room.]

KELORE I don't know what you're talking about.

WOOLSEY We also know they're looking to become the military muscle behind the Coalition. We think we'd make a better choice.

KELORE You? Atlantis?

WOOLSEY That's right.

KELORE Well, I didn't realize you had those kinds of ambitions.

WOOLSEY We've been content to keep to ourselves up until now. But if it's a choice between getting pushed out of the game and taking a more active part&hellip;well, that's no choice at all, is it? Of course, for appearances sake, we can't be too aggressive. So we'll need someone on the inside to help push our agenda&hellip; Someone to whom we'll be very, very grateful.

KELORE (sighing) And how do I know you haven't made this offer to the others?

WOOLSEY I think we both know Dimas will only be swayed by reason, and Shiana's going to vote against us no matter what. That leaves you.

[Kelore stares blandly back at Woolsey.]

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL ROOM

[Later, Woolsey is brought before the full council by the guards. He takes his spot on the pedestal.]

DIMAS Mr. Woolsey, are you ready to face the final charge?

WOOLSEY I am.

DIMAS The people of Atlantis stand accused of conspiring with the Wraith.

WOOLSEY (bemused) Conspiring?

KELORE We have reports that Atlantis has negotiated with the Wraith and performed military operations with them. It is said you have formed an alliance with one Wraith in particular.

WOOLSEY Todd.

[Dimas looks surprised at this admission and the label.]

WOOLSEY That's&hellip;what we call him. This Wraith was imprisoned with Colonel Sheppard&hellip;by the Genii. The Wraith was allowed to feed on him. But, despite, this, Colonel Sheppard realized their best chance of escape was to work together.

EXCERPT FROM 3.07 "COMMON GROUND"

INT&mdash;GENII CELLS

[The guards approach to get Sheppard and Todd the Wraith. They pull Sheppard to his feet and drag him out. Other guards pull the Wraith out and begin to attach the restraints. The feeding arm is sheathed. Sheppard pretends to collapse, catching the men off-guard, and slamming them both into the bars. The Wraith backhands one of his guards and uses the chain restraining him to choke the other, slamming the feeding arm lock against the wall until it releases. He starts feeding on the guard he chokes.]

[Sheppard gains the upper hand on his two stunned guards. Meanwhile the other guard with the Wraith pulls his sidearm and shoots several rounds into the Wraith. The feeding Wraith screams in pain. Sheppard notices and grabs the knife on the belt of the guard he's fighting and throws it at the shooter. The Wraith continues to feed on the guard. Sheppard knocks his guard out and rummages at the guy's belt. The Wraith approaches and notices Sheppard now has a sidearm. Sheppard glances at the Wraith, then throws him keys. The Wraith frees his other hand. Sheppard grabs the other guard's sidearm and warily hands it over to the Wraith.]

SHEPPARD Which way?

TODD This way.

END EXCERPT

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

DIMAS (incredulous) And you continue to have dealings with this Wraith?

WOOLSEY We have&hellip;occasional contact.

SHIANA (scoffing) You trust him?

WOOLSEY Of course not. But he has proven to be useful at times.

EXCERPTS FROM 4.11 "BE ALL MY SINS REMEMBERED"

WOOLSEY (voiceover) He helped us hold off the Replicator fleet long enough for Doctor McKay to enact a plan to destroy them.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The battle continues. Both a Replicator ship and a Wraith ship are damaged.]

INT&mdash;HIVE SHIP BRIDGE

WRAITH TECHNICIAN Heavy damage in interior section.

WRAITH Transferring power from non-critical systems to hull regeneration.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The Daedalus comes between the two ships and destroys the Replicator ship damaging the Wraith ship.]

INT&mdash;APOLLO BRIDGE

MARKS Our shields can't take much more of this, sir.

ELLIS Hopefully, they won't have to. Get ready to transfer power from the beam weapons to the&mdash;

[He's distracted from the view out the window.]

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[Nanites start swarming from all the Replicator ships towards the surface of the planet.]

INT&mdash;APOLLO BRIDGE

MARKS What the hell&hellip;?

ELLIS Son of a bitch. He actually did it.

EXT&mdash;ASURAS, DAY

[The nanites swarm to the Replicator blob, which is becoming denser and denser.]

INT&mdash;ASURAS CORE ROOM

[The room shakes violently.]

MCKAY Um&hellip;we need to get out of here.

RONON (to marines) All right, let's go. Come on!

[Ronon leads McKay to the beam out point. They're beamed away.]

INT&mdash;DAEDALUS BRIDGE

[The team is beamed directly onto the bridge. McKay heads to Carter's station.]

MCKAY As much as I'd love to, we shouldn't stick around and watch this go down.

CARTER We should tell the fleet to jump to the rendezvous point immediately. The planet's become unstable.

EXT&mdash;SPACE

[The ships leave the drifting Replicator ships and start heading into hyperspace. Below them, the planet begins to break apart. After they are gone, Asuras explodes, destroying the remaining Replicator ships.]

END EXCERPTS

INT&mdash;COUNCIL TRIBUNAL CHAMBER

WOOLSEY The fact is, we would never have defeated the Replicators without his help. I think it's safe to say they would have continued their policy of attacking human worlds. And by now, everyone in this galaxy&hellip;would be dead.

[Kelore and Dimas appear moved by this information. Shiana purses her lips.]

DIMAS Very well. As that was the final charge, we will recess to deliberate.

[They start to rise.]

WOOLSEY I'd like to make one final statement, if I may.

[They remain seated and look to Dimas, who nods.]

DIMAS Very well.

WOOLSEY The Wraith are in disarray, but that won't last forever. Sooner or later, one faction will win out over the others. And when that happens, they will turn their attention to this Coalition with a ruthless vengeance, the likes of which you've never seen. If you don't want us there when that day comes fighting by your side, then by all means, vote us guilty.

[Woolsey stares mostly at Kelore during this speech.]

SHIANA I need no deliberation. I say we get this over with now.

[Dimas looks to Kelore, who nods.]

DIMAS Very well.

[Woolsey sighs and steels himself.]

SHIANA I vote guilty on all charges.

DIMAS I vote not guilty on all charges. It falls to you, Kelore. Yours is the deciding vote.

[Kelore stares at Woolsey.]

INT&mdash;JAIL CELL

[Guards lead Woolsey back to the cell, leaving it open behind him. Sheppard's team approach Woolsey in anticipation.]

SHEPPARD Well? What's the word?

WOOLSEY Not guilty.

MCKAY (sighing in relief) Oh, thank god.

WOOLSEY We're free to go.

[Teyla and Ronon exchange relieved smiles. Sheppard reaches out and shakes Woolsey's hand.]

SHEPPARD I never doubted you for a second.

[Woolsey smiles.]

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS, NIGHT

EXT&mdash;ATLANTIS BALCONY, NIGHT

[Sheppard stands on the balcony. The door opens and Sheppard sees Woolsey approach. Woolsey is dressed in a dark suit and carries two glasses of liquor.]

SHEPPARD Ooh, nice suit!

WOOLSEY Being back in the courtroom made me miss my old uniform.

SHEPPARD You're kidding.

WOOLSEY Not the job, just the uniform.

[They both sip their drinks.]

SHEPPARD Oh, that's nice.

WOOLSEY Well, it seemed appropriate.

[He takes a cigar out of his pocket and hands it to Sheppard. Sheppard looks surprised, but Woolsey takes one for himself as well.]

SHEPPARD So, uh, you going to tell me how you managed to pull this one off?

[Sheppard and Woolsey snip the ends off their cigars.]

WOOLSEY Well, I'd say it was a combination of things: my legal skills, my eloquence, the indisputable logic of my arguments&hellip;and the bribe I offered Kelore.

SHEPPARD Mmm.

[Woolsey pulls out a lighter and lights Sheppard's and his own cigars.]

WOOLSEY On top of that, I had to commit Atlantis to a much larger day-to-day participation in the politics of the Pegasus Galaxy. Can't wait to explain that in my report.

SHEPPARD Yeah. Well, what's the point in being out here if we're not going to try to make a difference, right?

WOOLSEY Let's hope the IOA agrees with you.

SHEPPARD We'll worry about that later. For now, congratulations.

[They clink glasses in a toast.]

WOOLSEY Thanks.

[They both drink as they look out onto the lit cityscape.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

Transcribed for Solutions by Aurora Novarum, October 2008.

Related Articles

 * Previous: SGA 5.12 "Outsiders" Transcript
 * Next: SGA 5.14 "The Prodigal" Transcript

Related Links
--Michelle 11:09, 2 November 2008 (PST)