STARGATE SG1
Episode 808
"COVENANT"
By
Ron Wilkerson & Robert C. Cooper
Transcribed by
Callie Sullivan
COLSON INDUSTRIES. Alec Colson and Brian Vogler are in Colson’s
office, preparing to leave.
VOGLER
Once you walk through that door there’s
no turning back.
COLSON
Oh, I understand, Brian. I’m not having
any doubts.
VOGLER
Alec, it is not just your credibility
at stake here.
COLSON
You’re right there. It’s the leaders
of the democratic free world who should
be worried.
VOGLER
Think about the people who work for
this company; the shareholders.
COLSON
I am, Brian. They have a right to know
the truth, as does everybody else. Trust
me - we’re doing the right thing.
COLSON INDUSTRIES. In a large room, many reporters and cameras
are waiting. Colson and Vogler make their way through the crowd,
Colson greeting some of the reporters as he goes. He walks up
onto a podium and turns to face the microphones.
COLSON
Thank you all for coming. As you all
know, about five months ago our planet
suffered a horrible tragedy. Over two
thousand American servicemen and women
were killed when a meteor shower disrupted
global communications and hit a United
States naval carrier group on manoeuvres
in the Pacific Ocean. I’m here today
to challenge the facts of that incident
as they’ve been conveyed to the general
public. (As the reporters murmur to
each other, the view shifts to Daniel’s
lab at the SGC, where Daniel is watching
the TV as Colson is being broadcast
live.) On the day in question, none
of our satellites detected a meteor
shower.
(Sam walks in.)
CARTER
Hey, what’s going on?
(Daniel turns and raises his finger to his lips, shushing her.
Sam leans on the desk and starts to watch the TV with him.)
COLSON
Now I don’t know how many governments
around the world are in on this, but
I do know we are being lied to and the
truth is being covered up.
CARTER
Oh-oh.
COLSON
Ladies and gentlemen, there is life
beyond our world. There are aliens out
there, and they have a technology far
beyond ours, and they have been intervening
in our existence for quite some time.
(Sam and Daniel look at each other.)
I have proof - and I am giving the governments
of all the nations that are aware of
this twenty-four hours to reveal the
truth ... or I’m gonna do it for them.
Thank you. (He leaves the podium as
the reporters shout questions at him.)
DANIEL
Well - there y’go. (He smiles ironically.
He looks round to Sam who has her mouth
open, then she blinks in disbelief.)
SGC. BRIEFING ROOM. The TV is on and Julia Donovan (the reporter
last seen in “Prometheus”) is broadcasting from a studio. Sam,
Daniel and Teal’c are watching.
DONOVAN
For those of you living on another planet
for the past twenty years, Alec Colson,
age forty-two, net worth over sixty
billion dollars, runs a global empire
of companies, including communications,
biotechnology, aerospace and aviation.
He’s number eight on the Fortune Five
Hundred. He personally holds over two
hundred proprietary patents ...
(Jack comes up the stairs.)
O’NEILL
Shut it off. (Sam turns the TV off.)
We know who he is - some of us better
than others.
CARTER
We worked together briefly, sir. Colson
Aviation developed the multi-engine
control systems for the F-302s. Colson
didn’t know what they were for, of course,
but he is a brilliant engineer.
O’NEILL
He’s also a little nuts, isn’t he?
CARTER
You’ve test-flown experimental aircraft.
DANIEL
We all go through the Gate.
O’NEILL
This isn’t about us.
DANIEL
Well, in a way, it is.
CARTER
The point is, sir, he’s not some loony
cult leader. People are taking him seriously.
O’NEILL
So, what do we think he knows? (He opens
a file and looks at a photograph inside
of Colson in a flight suit.)
CARTER
He owns several Earth observer and weather
satellites. It’s possible they picked
something up - pictures of Anubis’ fleet
in orbit, or the battle over Antarctica.
DANIEL
What I don’t understand is how it could
have come this far.
O’NEILL
He’s gotten the National Security speech
from the Pentagon several times. Apparently
the President has called him personally.
TEAL’C
Why not merely tell him the truth?
CARTER
His personality was profiled and he
was deemed a (she makes air-quotes)
‘security risk’.
O’NEILL
For obvious reasons.
DANIEL
Apparently his father was a newspaper
reporter who was jailed during the McCarthy
era. He believes pretty strongly in
the freedom of speech and the rights
for people to know what their government
is doing at all times.
CARTER
Leaking classified information could
be considered treason.
O’NEILL
Alright - see if he can be convinced
not to go public. (He starts to walk
away towards his office.)
DANIEL
Without actually telling him anything?
O’NEILL
Right!
COLSON INDUSTRIES. Colson’s office.
VOGLER
We’ve got all the major networks, over
a dozen live radio broadcasts, and reporters
from newspapers - both legit and tabloids
- all waiting for the next shoe to drop.
COLSON
Brian, calm down. (He goes over to a
table and starts pouring himself a drink.)
VOGLER
Our stock price is trading down twenty-five
percent. We over-extended ourselves
competing for that last round of contracts.
That stock price is the only thing covering
our debt and you are alienating our
biggest client. We’re gonna have to
start selling off assets ...
COLSON
What does that matter, Brian, given
what we know?
VOGLER
I don’t know - I guess I’m just trying
to hold onto some shred of reality.
COLSON
Well, you - along with everyone else
- are going to have to start dealing
with a whole new reality from now on.
VOGLER
What if the world can’t handle it? What
if Washington’s right and we should
just keep this thing in the bag?
COLSON
Trust me. The truth is always right.
VOGLER
We’ve already caused mass hysteria.
You have no idea how much chaos this
could cause.
(A female staffer comes in.)
STAFFER
Alec - they’re here.
COLSON
Oh, show them in, would you? (He takes
Vogler’s hand and puts his glass into
it.) It’ll be OK. (He pats Vogler on
the shoulder and walks over to the door
as Sam and Daniel walk in.) Lieutenant
Colonel.
(Sam shakes his hand.)
CARTER
Alec.
COLSON
Radiant as ever.
DANIEL
Daniel Jackson.
COLSON
Oh, Doc, I’m a big fan.
DANIEL
Really?
COLSON
Yes - I’ve been following you since
your early career. Pyramids as landing
pads for alien ships? Fascinating.
DANIEL
Er, yeah, that was a long time ago.
COLSON
Yeah, what have you been up to since?
It’s like you just dropped off the map.
DANIEL
I’ve been around. (He smiles.)
COLSON
Oh, I beg your pardon - may I introduce
Brian Vogler.
CARTER
Thank you for seeing us today.
COLSON
Well, shall we? (He gestures towards
sofas and leads the way.) Why don’t
we start with something I’m sure we
can all agree on, hmm? (He walks towards
a TV near the sofas and picks up a remote.)
That meteor shower was a cover story,
and a surprisingly weak one at that
- although under the circumstances I’m
not so sure I’d have come up with a
better one.
CARTER
What makes you say that?
(Colson pushes a button on the remote and the TV screen comes
on. It shows a mothership coming out of hyperspace above Earth.
He turns and smiles triumphantly at Sam and Daniel, then presses
for the next picture. It’s a high shot of part of the battle
above Antarctica. He presses again, and the pictures moves closer.
He presses again, and we see a clear shot of Prometheus hovering
over the scout ship. Daniel looks at Sam in concern.)
COLSON
Oh - (he points to the picture of Prometheus)
I’m guessing that’s one of ours?
VOGLER
We lost contact with twelve communications
and weather mapping satellites for over
six hours on the day in question. When
we got them back on line, they were
able to transmit images stored in the
buffers.
CARTER
Images like these can be faked.
COLSON
Or made to seem fake. (He presses the
button again and the image shows Anubis’
fleet in space.) I know why you’re here,
Sam. The Pentagon wants me to know that
people like you are gonna be trying
to make me look like a fraud.
CARTER
“People like me”.
COLSON
Very smart people. Oh, we have more
than this. (He gestures towards the
TV.) Now, obviously I don’t know everything
but ... I do have a right to, as does
everyone else.
CARTER
Anything we can say to stop you?
VOGLER
Believe me, I’ve tried.
COLSON INDUSTRIES. Sam and Daniel are coming out of the main
entrance. Sam’s mobile phone rings. She answers it.
CARTER
Carter.
(Donovan is at her studios.)
DONOVAN
Sam, it’s Julia Donovan.
CARTER
How did you get this number?
DONOVAN
I have my sources. Our camera track
just caught you and a nice-looking young
man going into Colson Industries’ head
office in Seattle an hour ago. I just
saw the feed.
CARTER
And?
DONOVAN
Just wondering if you had an official
comment.
CARTER
Yeah - I think your coverage is a little
one-sided.
DONOVAN
Come on, Sam - Colson’s gonna out the
whole operation. You don’t really think
Washington can contain this.
CARTER
We’ll see. Look, I don’t have to remind
you about the non-disclosure agreement
you signed, do I? (She lowers the phone
briefly to talk to Daniel.) It’s the
reporter from the Prometheus incident.
DONOVAN
Colson doesn’t seem to be worried about
going to jail.
(Sam and Daniel reach her car and get in.)
CARTER
Yeah, well he hasn’t done anything illegal
yet.
DONOVAN
We had an agreement. You said that if
something big was gonna break, you would
call me first.
CARTER
I will, OK? Bye-bye. (She hangs up.
Next to her, Daniel has been looking
at his own mobile.)
DANIEL
I’ve got thirteen messages from Emmet
Bregman. (He grins at her. Sam sighs.)
COLSON INDUSTRIES. Colson is walking along with Vogler and a
couple of staffers.
STAFFER
The switchboard’s been jammed ever since
the press conference. Every crackpot
in the world is calling.
COLSON
Yeah, I’ve arranged security for all
of you and your families.
STAFFER
Do you really think we need to be worried?
COLSON
I’d be more worried about the things
we still don’t know at this point.
VOGLER
I’m trying to convince him it’s not
too late.
COLSON
It is too late, Brian! Too late for
the world to know there was a large-scale
alien attack against our planet which
was barely thwarted; too late for the
general public to realise they’ve been
lied to by two different elected administrations
about the very nature of our existence!
STAFFER
So we’re going public with everything?
COLSON
I was really hoping the Feds would come
clean.
VOGLER
I can’t believe Washington hasn’t done
more to try and stop us - some sort
of legal injunction.
COLSON
That would legitimise our claims. No,
no, they’re obviously gonna try to play
this as if we can’t be taken seriously.
STAFFER
We’re one of the largest corporations
in the world.
COLSON
And we’re telling the truth.
VOGLER
Alec! It doesn’t matter who we are,
or how right we are. They can stop us
if they really want to.
COLSON
Oh, come on, Brian, what are they gonna
do, hmm? Have me killed? (He chuckles
and walks away. Vogler looks at the
staffers nervously.)
SGC. BRIEFING ROOM. Jack and SG-1 are watching Julia Donovan
broadcasting live on TV again.
DONOVAN
Alec Colson, age forty-two ...
CARTER
Well, he’s gotta have something more
significant than pictures.
DANIEL
I’ve been going over government contracts
assigned to Colson’s companies over
the last few years. I haven’t got through
them all yet but there’s quite a few
loosely related to R&D of alien technologies
that we procured offworld.
(Jack turns up the volume on the TV.)
DONOVAN
... We’ll now head to Colson Industries.
(The feed goes to the live broadcast from Colson Industries.
Colson is on the podium again.)
COLSON
Welcome, and thank you for coming.
(Sam looks at her watch.)
CARTER
Twenty-four hours to the minute.
COLSON
Yesterday I told you of our belief in
the existence of intelligent life beyond
our planet. I also told you that we
believe several governments, including
our own, have known about this and have
been concealing the information for
quite some time now. Yesterday, I challenged
those governments to come clean - reveal
the truth. We got only silence, which
gives me no choice but to present to
you what evidence I have. (He nods to
a man standing near a door on the other
side of the room. The man speaks quietly
into a microphone pinned to his jumper.)
How do I know for sure that alien life
really does exist? Ladies and gentlemen,
seeing is believing. (He gestures towards
the door. The press turn around to face
the door. A man opens the door. A woman
comes out ... followed by an Asgard.
The reporters gasp, and flashbulbs start
popping as everyone takes pictures.
Back at SGC, Jack looks at the close-up
image of the Asgard, then turns to the
others.)
O’NEILL
Well I’d call that somethin’.
TV. Julia Donovan is reporting.
DONOVAN
... a lot of frenzy after yesterday’s
startling revelation of what appeared
to be a live alien by billionaire industrialist
Alec Colson. Thus far there’s been no
official statement from the White House,
and sources inside Colson Industries
promise that there is definitely more
to come.
SGC. DANIEL’S OFFICE. Sam is on the phone.
CARTER
OK, thank you, sir. (She hangs up.)
Well, we just got a message back from
Thor. As far as he knows, there are
no Asgard currently on Earth.
DANIEL
Loki was here for years conducting experiments
without the High Council knowing about
it.
CARTER
OK - here’s a possibility. What if it
wasn’t really an Asgard?
DANIEL
Looked like one.
CARTER
Didn’t sound like one.
DANIEL
Didn’t say anything.
CARTER
That’s my point. Colson wrapped things
up pretty quickly without taking any
questions.
DANIEL
It was a perfect likeness.
CARTER
Imagery of little grey aliens has been
commonplace on Earth for years. For
that matter, Colson could have a picture.
DANIEL
So not a real Asgard?
CARTER
No Asgard we know would allow himself
to be used that way.
DANIEL
Did look a little vacant.
CARTER
Still - as much as he wants the whole
truth, I don’t think Colson would perpetrate
a hoax to get it.
DANIEL
Then what was it?
CARTER
I don’t know.
COLSON INDUSTRIES.
VOGLER
The networks all want interviews.
COLSON
Too bad our friend can’t talk.
STAFFER
Well, we know he’s capable. The MRI
showed a larynx not too different from
ours but he doesn’t seem to have anything
to say.
VOGLER
They also want full access for independent
medical and scientific personnel to
verify that it’s really what we say
it is.
STAFFER
How are we supposed to convince the
world of alien intelligence when this
guy doesn’t seem to have any?
VOGLER
We can’t just trot this thing out on
television with wild claims we aren’t
gonna be able to back up! Granted, it’s
an amazing genetic experiment but we
don’t even know that the thing is really
alien.
COLSON
What else could it be?
STAFFER
All we know is that the DNA came from
the Department of Defence.
COLSON
Look, we’re trying to build a circumstantial
case here. The more questions we can
raise, the more the burden of proof
is gonna shift to Washington. Sooner
or later, they’re gonna have to respond
to the public pressure. Meanwhile, we
stay quiet. The media’s going nuts over
this whole thing, so let’s just sit
tight and see what happens.
SGC. BRIEFING ROOM. SG-1 come in. Jack is already sitting at
the table.
DANIEL
Well, Sam was right - there’s something
different about Colson’s Asgard. (He
puts a file down in front of Jack as
the three of them sit down.) It seems
that a Colson biotech research company
was given a copy of Asgard DNA for sequencing.
CARTER
We were trying to help with their cloning
problem.
O’NEILL
Colson grew a clone?
DANIEL
They weren’t told it was alien DNA -
it was meant to be a blind study, but
they obviously took their research a
little further than the contract specified.
CARTER
Asgard DNA is programmed to grow a clone
to maturity in just three months, but
they’re essentially an empty shell until
an existing consciousness can be transferred
into them.
TEAL’C
It did not speak because it was not
capable.
CARTER
Exactly. They probably spent what time
they had with it teaching it how to
walk.
O’NEILL
Well - the Pentagon has lost all patience.
DANIEL
What are they gonna do?
O’NEILL
They want us to put a stop to it.
CARTER
How?
O’NEILL
We’re calling in a marker. (He smiles
in a satisfied way. The other three
look blankly at him. Jack pauses, then
looks at his watch, frowning.) Yep -
callin’ in a marker. (He looks round
the room. A few more moments pass, then
Thor transports in.)
THOR
Greetings.
O’NEILL
Ah! (He gestures at Thor.)
COLSON INDUSTRIES. The staffer is running to Colson’s office.
STAFFER
‘Scuse me. (She runs into Colson’s office.)
It’s gone.
COLSON
What do you mean?
STAFFER
Just disappeared right out of the lab.
(Colson looks at her, not understanding.)
The alien! Computers, everything.
COLSON
How? What about security ...?
STAFFER
Nobody took it - it disappeared. We
were standing right there, there was
a bright flash of light and it was all
just ... gone.
COLSON
Alright, have Ron send out the decoy
car - and get the plane ready for a
trip to Washington. Have it ready by
the time I get to the hangar! (He hurries
out.)
DONOVAN’S STUDIO. Sam, in dress blues, is sitting next to Julia
in the studio, having a microphone fitted to her jacket.
DONOVAN
You ready?
CARTER
Not really.
DONOVAN
Well, just try not to think about the
camera. Focus on me.
CARTER
It’s not that. I respect Alec Colson.
I don’t like being asked to discredit
a man who has every right to want the
truth.
DONOVAN
But you’ve been ordered to do this.
CARTER
Yeah.
DONOVAN
Well, if you wanna go against those
orders, feel free. I’ll go with it.
(The theme tune for “Inside Access” begins.)
STUDIO MANAGER
In five, four, three, two ...
DONOVAN
We’re here with Lieutenant Colonel Samantha
Carter of the United States Air Force.
(She turns to Sam.) Welcome.
CARTER
Thank you.
DONOVAN
Your background is astrophysics, and
you’re one of the military’s leading
scientific researchers. We’re all very
eager to finally hear some reaction
from Washington regarding the revelation
made by Alec Colson.
CARTER
Well, first of all, I can assure people
that, if aliens really existed and were
visiting the planet, we would know about
it.
DONOVAN
So, are you saying his claims have no
merit? We all saw an alien on live television.
CARTER
Yes, well, Hollywood’s been helping
us see things on TV for a long time
now.
(In a car on the way to the hangar, Colson and Vogler are watching
the interview on the TV.)
DONOVAN
Are you saying that the alien wasn’t
real?
CARTER
It depends on what you mean by real.
COLSON
Notice she hasn’t actually lied once.
CARTER
I can show you some advanced methods
for creating realistic 3D images that
we’ve been working on.
DONOVAN
By all means.
CARTER
We’ve been experimenting with technology
that makes it possible for us to create
anything you can imagine - virtually.
(Thor appears out of thin air, standing beside Sam. In the car,
Colson and Vogler look at each other.)
DONOVAN
Wow - that looks just like the alien
Alec Colson introduced to us.
THOR
Greetings, people of Earth.
DONOVAN
That’s amazing - he looks so real.
THOR
Though I look real, I have been created
through the use of advanced holographic
technology.
DONOVAN
That’s just incredible.
(Sam reaches out and waves her hand through Thor.)
CARTER
It’s just a projection. You’ll probably
be seeing technology like this in theme
park rides in a few years.
(In the car, Colson chuckles.)
COLSON
Oh - she’s good.
LATER. The interview over, Julia is looking at the video replay.
She turns to face Sam.
DONOVAN
Not quite the exclusive I had in mind,
but it’ll still do huge numbers.
CARTER
You’re hilarious. After everything you’ve
been through, you still care about ratings.
DONOVAN
How did you do it? I’ve seen visual
effects before, Sam, and this was some
sort of ... (she pauses as an assistant
brings in a sheet of paper and hands
it to her, and waits for her to leave)
... this was some sort of alien technology,
wasn’t it?
(Sam just looks at her. Irritated, Julia looks down at the paper
she was just given, and frowns.)
CARTER
What is it?
DONOVAN
Ten minutes ago, Alec Colson’s private
plane was forced into an emergency landing
after almost crashing on take-off from
Seatac. The plane suffered sudden depressurisation
and loss of engine power but was able
to land without serious incident. (She
looks up at Sam.) ‘Scuse me, Sam, I’ve
gotta get on the air with this. (She
leaves, calling out to an assistant.)
I need something on Colson’s wife and
his daughter. (To Sam) They died in
a plane crash when he was twenty-four.
That’s why he started Colson Aviation.
(To her team) Let’s go!
(Sam’s mobile phone rings. She answers it.)
CARTER
Carter.
COLSON
Sam? It’s Alec Colson. (He is sitting
in a car at the airport.)
CARTER
Are you OK?
COLSON
News travels fast. It was close. (Vogler
gets into the car next to him.) Brian’s
still as white as a sheet.
CARTER
How did you get this number?
COLSON
Oh, I have my sources. (Sam looks at
the phone in irritation.) Y’know, the
ground crew here found evidence the
plane had been tampered with.
CARTER
Someone tried to kill you?
COLSON
Seems that way. Any ideas?
CARTER
You think I know? Why would I go on
TV to publicly discredit you if I knew
you were about to be assassinated?
COLSON
To make sure it didn’t look like Washington
had anything to do with it. And a fine
job you did too, by the way.
CARTER
I’m sorry - I was following orders.
COLSON
Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, Sam - I don’t
believe for a second you were in on
it. If it was our government, I’m sure
you were just a pawn.
CARTER
That doesn’t make me feel any better.
Look, Alec, I can assure you ...
COLSON
It’s OK, it’s OK. It wasn’t my first
rough landing; I’m sure it won’t be
my last. I won’t be stopped, Sam. I
promise you, one way or another, the
world is gonna learn the truth. (He
hangs up.)
SGC. JACK’S OFFICE. Jack, in his dress blues, is sitting at his
desk with his fingers steepled in front of his mouth. He appears
to be thinking hard.
O’NEILL
Umm ... how ‘bout a hyperdrive for the
Prometheus?
(The camera pans across and we see that Thor and Daniel are sitting
in the chairs opposite.)
THOR
That is something I must discuss with
the High Council.
O’NEILL
Thor, c’mon! You said you wanted to
get something nice for the President.
(Sam comes to the door.)
O’NEILL
Carter?
CARTER
Sir, anything on who might have tried
to kill Colson?
O’NEILL
It wasn’t us.
DANIEL
We think that Colson may have fragments
of downed Goa’uld ships recovered from
the Antarctic. A subsidiary of his was
involved in the salvage and the clean-up.
CARTER
Are we just gonna keep trying to discredit
the man? I mean, aren’t we the ones
a little delusional to think that we
could cover up an attack of this scale?
O’NEILL
What’s the alternative?
CARTER
How ‘bout tell the truth? (Daniel and
Jack look at her, surprised.) I mean
to Colson. I know he’s been profiled
and deemed a security risk and obviously
that’s an accurate assessment, but what
have we got to lose at this point? He’s
already trying to go public - let’s
show him why it’s so important to keep
the secret. Besides, think of the benefits
of having a man with his resources on
our side.
O’NEILL
Well, Thor and I are meeting with the
President in five minutes. I’ll bring
it up. (He picks up his hat and tucks
it under his arm, and starts to button
his jacket.)
CARTER
Five minutes?
O’NEILL
Oh yeah!
(He and Thor are transported out of the office.)
CARTER
Right! (She looks at Daniel, who shrugs.)
COLSON INDUSTRIES. Colson is in his office with Vogler and the
staffer.
COLSON
Two o’clock, we go live with the pictures,
pieces of the alien ship, everything
we’ve got.
VOGLER
Alec, they tried to kill us!
COLSON
You think that didn’t work in our favour?
VOGLER
Dying doesn’t work in our favour!
(At that moment, a transporter beam envelops Colson and he disappears.
Vogler and the staffer stand up, amazed.)
SGC. BRIEFING ROOM. Colson is transported in, with Thor beside
him. Colson looks around the room, then sees Thor beside him.
He backs away nervously.
COLSON
OK - what just happened?
(Sam and Daniel walk over.)
DANIEL
Well, in layman’s terms, we beamed you
up ... and then down again.
COLSON
Where am I?
CARTER
Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado.
You know Daniel, of course.
COLSON
Uh, yeah, hi. (They shake hands.) And
(gesturing to Thor) this is Thor.
THOR
Greetings.
COLSON
Oh, so this is a real one!
CARTER
Yep.
COLSON
What-what happened to the clone?
THOR
It will become a host to an Asgard consciousness
whose physical body is failing.
COLSON
OK.
THOR
Now I must take my leave. General O’Neill
said he will see you all tomorrow. (He
is transported out.)
CARTER
I wanna show you something. (She goes
to the window of the briefing room,
where the blast doors are closed. She
pushes a button and the blast doors
lift to show the Gateroom. Colson stands
beside her, looking at the Gate. Sam
turns to him.) We call it a Stargate.
SGC. VIP QUARTERS. Colson is on the phone.
COLSON
I’m OK, Brian. I promise you, I’m fine.
I’ll be back in a couple of days. (Someone
knocks on the door.) I’ve gotta go.
... Alright, bye.
(As he hangs up, Sam comes in, geared up for Gate travel.)
CARTER
Ready?
COLSON
Woh - look at you!
CARTER
Yeah - Soldier Sam.
COLSON
Ooh, I get a uniform too?
CARTER
Yep. (She tosses it to him.)
COLSON
Alright!
GATEROOM. The Gate is dialling. Sam is waiting at the bottom
of the ramp as Colson, geared up, comes in. The Gate whooshes
and Colson flinches back. Sam grins at him, then heads up the
ramp. Colson follows her, looking nervous.
COLSON
So, uh, where are we going?
CARTER
P4X-650. We have an offworld base there.
COLSON
And how far away is that? (He and Sam
stop at the top of the ramp.)
CARTER
Six hundred and forty light years.
COLSON
Really?!
CARTER
Let’s go. (She takes his arm and walks
him into the event horizon.)
P4X-650. Sam and Colson come through the Gate, which is inside
a concrete building. The Gate shuts down behind them. Colson
turns to look at the Gate behind him, then turns to Sam, trying
to look nonchalant.
COLSON
Didn’t feel a thing.
CARTER
You were demolecularised.
(A man approaches them.)
SHEFIELD
Welcome to the Alpha site.
CARTER
Alec Colson, Captain Shefield.
COLSON
Hi. (They shake hands, then Colson looks
around the structure.) Well, it’s-it’s
... nice.
CARTER
Our last Alpha site was destroyed in
an attack. We decided to build this
one inside a mountain like the SGC.
(The three of them walk across the room.)
SHEFIELD
This is all a bit spartan, but it’s
our home away from home.
COLSON
I guess I was just expecting something
a little bit more, uh, I dunno ... other-worldly?
(Sam smiles as they reach a door. She takes out her card and
swipes it through the reader and the door slides open. Colson
walks a few steps, then stops and stares in amazement.)
COLSON
Oh! Now that ... that’s more like it.
(In a hangar at the end of the building is an F-302.)
CARTER
It’s called the F-302 - alien-human
hybrid. (They walk towards it.)
COLSON
So this is what the MECs were for.
CARTER
Yeah - thanks to you it’s capable of
leaving the atmosphere and returning.
We used a number of these to defend
the Earth five months ago. This is just
one of the many advancements we’ve made
as a result of technology procured through
the Stargate. (Colson is staring up
at the F-302 in awe.) You wanna take
a ride?
(Colson grins and nods.)
COLSON INDUSTRIES. Vogler is in Colson’s office. The staffer
walks in.
STAFFER
Brian, what are you doing?
VOGLER
Alec wants all the evidence that we
have about the alien cover-up duplicated
and secured off-premises. You can get
started on whatever we have left on
the clone research.
STAFFER
OK. (She leaves the room. Vogler’s mobile
phone rings. He answers it.)
VOGLER
Vogler. ... I told you, I don’t know
where he is. ... I have a meeting with
the SEC this afternoon. ... I understand.
... Don’t worry, it’ll work. (He hangs
up, looking worried.)
ALPHA SITE. The F-302 rolls out of the hangar, takes off, and
climbs steeply into the sky. Colson, in the rear seat, looks
around.
COLSON
Beautiful!
CARTER
Yeah.
COLSON
Must be hard, keeping all this secret.
I don’t know how you do it.
CARTER
I think of all the fear it would cause,
the potential chaos.
COLSON
Ah, but what about all the greater meaning
you could bring to people’s lives, just
knowing that all this is-is out here?
CARTER
What’s out here is an enemy so advanced,
so evil, it’s a miracle we haven’t been
wiped out or enslaved yet. We’ve been
very lucky so far. I think most people
would have a hard time living with the
threat of constant impending doom.
COLSON
Oh, right, the old ‘if you had cancer’
argument. Would you want to know you
were gonna die, or would you rather
live out your final days in blissful
ignorance?
CARTER
Yeah - I guess I don’t really buy it
either.
COLSON
Well, I’d rather know - try to cure
it. If I couldn’t do that, well, I’d
try to make my final days as meaningful
as possible.
CARTER
You want a turn?
COLSON
I thought I was gonna have to ask!
CARTER
Switching to co-pilot control. Go ahead
- she’s all yours.
(Colson starts flying the craft, and flips it right over in a
full circle.)
CARTER
So - what do you think?
COLSON
Amazing! She manoeuvres like an FA-22
and feels like a 747!
CARTER
Yeah, that’s the inertial dampeners.
COLSON
Alright - let’s try this. (He puts the
craft into a steep nosedive. After several
seconds alarms sound and a “Main Engine
Rocket Fuel Warning” comes up on Sam’s
screen.)
CARTER
Alec! (Colson continues to dive.) Alec,
pull up! (Colson ignores her. Sam punches
button to regain pilot control, and
starts to pull the craft out of its
dive. It levels out just in time, skimming
right over the top of a forest.)
VOICE ON RADIO
Flight, this is Alpha Command. Is everything
OK up there?
CARTER
It is now. We’re fine. Bringing her
back in. (She throws a black look over
her shoulder, shakes her head and sighs.)
LATER. The F-302 taxis back into the hangar and stops. The canopy
opens. Colson takes his helmet off.
CARTER
Well, that was reckless.
COLSON
Ah, the 302 can handle it. (He pats
the craft.) I know. I may not have known
its name but I helped you build it,
remember?
CARTER
It was a joyride. I took you up for
a little fun.
COLSON
This isn’t a game, Sam. What you guys
are doing up here - this is life and
death, for all of us.
CARTER
We know that.
COLSON
Wasn’t much fun, feeling out of control
like that, was it?
CARTER
You have to make your point with my
life.
COLSON
Oh, come on, we were never gonna crash
- unlike my plane back on Earth.
CARTER
I told you - we had nothing to do with
it.
COLSON
Yeah, well, someone did. And if you
think that - or any of this - is gonna
prevent me from telling the world what
they have a right to know, you’re dead
wrong.
ALPHA SITE GATEROOM. Colson is examining the Gate. Sam walks
over.
CARTER
Alec, there’s something else I need
to talk to you about. There’s a clandestine
group of private businessmen like yourself
who were informed of the Stargate programme
over six years ago by rogue elements
of the NID. We’ve tried to identify
them and bring them down but they are
very highly connected. Former Vice President
Kinsey’s been linked to them. Now, instead
of going public like you, they’ve been
funding various secret endeavours all
aimed at controlling alien technology
for their own purposes.
COLSON
Which are?
CARTER
You’d have to ask them. Personal profit,
or maybe they think they can do a better
job of defending the planet than we
can.
COLSON
Why are you telling me all this?
CARTER
Because I’m guessing that’s who tried
to kill you. They’ll never get control
of the Gate if the world finds out.
COLSON
Hmm. (He sits down on the steps to the
Gate. Sam joins him.) When I was young,
all I ever dreamed about was flying.
I had every make of aeroplane ever built
hanging from my ceiling. And then ...
well, I take it you know about my wife
and daughter. (Sam nods.) One of the
downsides of celebrity - we really do
have no secrets. Anyway, after the crash,
I vowed to make flying as safe as it
possibly could be. I really thought
that I could do it better than anyone
else.
CARTER
You have made a difference.
COLSON
But nothing’s perfect, is it?
CARTER
No.
COLSON
Intergalactic travel; advanced alien
civilisations; humans living on other
worlds. I do realise that there may
be bad guys out there too.
CARTER
You have no idea how bad.
COLSON
But in the end, we have to believe in
humanity. I mean, who knows, this might
bring us all together as a planet.
CARTER
If we knew it would play out that way,
then ... (She trails off.)
COLSON
You’re afraid that knowing about the
Stargate would fracture the world more
than it already is.
CARTER
Yeah. Not just stop us fighting the
Goa’uld but end things for good. We’ve
seen it happen on other planets like
Earth. In one case, public revelation
of the Stargate caused an apocalyptic
world war.
COLSON
Oh, that would be the ultimate irony,
wouldn’t it?! You secretly save the
world from destruction at the hands
of alien invaders, only for us to destroy
ourselves out of fear, after the fact.
CARTER
Change your mind?
COLSON
Not really. I don’t think it would happen.
(He stands up and walks to the Stargate,
gesturing at it.) And if a truth of
this magnitude, about the very nature
of human existence, could lead us to
destroy ourselves, then I’d say we would
deserve it, wouldn’t you?
GATE TRAVEL.
SGC. BRIEFING ROOM. Daniel is watching Julia Donovan on the TV.
DONOVAN
Investigators now believe that Alec
Colson created the alien hoax in order
to divert attention from his real corporate
financial problems. (Sam and Colson
come into the room.) Colson, who has
still made no public statement ... (Daniel
switches the TV off.)
COLSON
“Corporate financial problems.” What’s
she talking about?
DANIEL
The story broke about an hour ago. The
President’s halted trading on the markets.
Your company stock had fallen eighty
percent; the Dow is down over five hundred
points on the whole.
CARTER
What’s going on?
DANIEL
The SEC is investigating you for securities
fraud.
COLSON
That’s ridiculous!
DANIEL
They’re saying there are irregularities
in your company’s last two financial
statements.
COLSON
It’s not true! (Sam looks at him.) Come
on! The timing of this ... I’m being
set up!
COLSON INDUSTRIES. Vogler is sitting in Colson’s office, drinking.
He finishes a glass and reaches to pour another as Colson and
Sam come in.
VOGLER
What’s she doing here?
COLSON
She wants to help, Brian.
VOGLER
Oh good! Why - does she have a time
machine so we can go back and undo everything?
COLSON
Brian. (He sits down.) Brian, what’s
going on?
VOGLER
You wouldn’t listen. You wouldn’t stop.
(He stands up and moves away.)
COLSON
So you admit you did this?
VOGLER
Oh! (He gestures grandly.) You go off
on your adventures, you fly your planes,
you drop by every now and then with
a bright idea. Ever since we were kids.
You’re always biting off more than you
can chew ... and I’m always having to
bail you out.
COLSON
So you doctored the books?!
VOGLER
I had to. I had to do something. I told
you - we were over-extended; the stock
price was the only thing keeping us
afloat and ... you wouldn’t listen.
COLSON
No, I don’t believe this.
VOGLER
Alec - who do you think told the SEC?
COLSON
Why? Why now? What difference could
it make, Brian? Once the truth came
out ...
VOGLER
Alec, I almost died in that plane too!
I still have a family. They tried to
kill us!
COLSON
Who?!
VOGLER
Did you really think that they were
gonna let you tell a secret like this?
COLSON
Brian! What are you talking about?
VOGLER
They call themselves the Trust. (Alec
looks at Sam. Vogler sinks down onto
a sofa, tearful.) Look, all I know is,
they’re very powerful, and they think
that Washington abdicated its duty to
protect the planet, maybe even caused
the problem in the first place. They
see it as their responsibility to step
in.
COLSON
We can fix this.
VOGLER
It’s too late - it’s done. It can’t
be undone.
COLSON
Brian, we’ll both go to jail.
VOGLER
Yeah, but my family will be safe.
COLSON
What about the rest of the people that
work for this company? What about their
families?
VOGLER
Why weren’t you thinking about them
three days ago?
CARTER
How did they know? How did the people
who threatened you know that you’d cooked
the books? How did they know that there
would be enough to indict both you and
Alec?
(Vogler looks at her, crying. Colson finally realises what Sam
is implying.)
COLSON
They got to you six months ago.
VOGLER
Alec, they knew what you had. Don’t
ask me how. They had to make sure they
could stop you. You’re wrong, Alec -
true or not, this shouldn’t come out.
World’s not ready.
COLSON
There must be something we can do.
CARTER
You signed false financial statements.
COLSON
No, I mean about the people who tried
to kill us.
CARTER
All I know is that they operate above
the law and that they’ve threatened
people’s lives before.
COLSON
Then we have to bring them down.
CARTER
We’ve tried, believe me.
COLSON
Well, we have to try again. (He looks
down at Vogler, who is a picture of
despair.)
SGC. Jack and SG-1 get out of an elevator.
CARTER
So Colson’s convinced Vogler to arrange
a meeting with his contact and wear
a wire. Hopefully we’ll get enough to
connect them to the rogue NID and then
flip them for someone bigger. We’re
co-ordinating with Agent Barrett.
DANIEL
At the very least it may restore Colson’s
public image.
CARTER
Well, yeah, especially if it turns out
that someone in direct corporate competition
with Colson Industries was pulling the
strings. (They go into Jack’s office
and sit down. Teal’c perches on the
desk at the back of the room.) Unfortunately,
without further evidence, Brian Vogler’s
word alone isn’t gonna be enough to
undo all the damage already done to
the company.
TEAL’C
What of Brian Vogler’s safety?
CARTER
He’s under close surveillance. His family’s
been taken into protective custody.
O’NEILL
Well - I guess the secret is safe ...
again.
DANIEL
For now.
(Jack shrugs. His phone rings and he answers it.)
O’NEILL
O’Neill.
CARTER
You know, I wouldn’t count Colson out
just yet. He still feels really strongly
that the world should know the truth.
O’NEILL
Alright. Thank you. (He hangs up.) Surveillance
just found Brian Vogler dead in his
bathroom.
CARTER
What? How?
O’NEILL
He hanged himself.
COLSON INDUSTRIES. Sam walks into Colson’s office. He is sitting
on the sofa holding a pistol in his lap.
CARTER
Alec. (She sees what he’s holding and
walks cautiously forward and sits down
next to him.) I’m so sorry about Brian.
COLSON
I killed him. (He lifts the pistol.)
Might as well have put the gun against
his head and pulled the trigger myself.
CARTER
You couldn’t have known.
COLSON
You saw how scared he was. I know what
his family meant to him. He was never
going to do anything to put them in
any danger.
CARTER
Alec ...
COLSON
He was my best friend.
CARTER
He betrayed you.
COLSON
No! I betrayed him. (He emphasises the
last word with the pistol. Sam flinches
back.)
CARTER
Why don’t you put the gun down?
(Colson looks at the pistol and sighs, then looks at Sam.)
COLSON
My life’s over, Sam. Everything I worked
for, everything I believed in, held
to be true ...
CARTER
... still exists. Apparently Congress
is looking into providing relief. The
companies, the employees, will survive.
COLSON
While I go to jail for something I didn’t
do?!
CARTER
Back on the Alpha site you said, no
matter what, you would rather make whatever
time you had left meaningful. I’m here
to give you that chance.
COLSON
How? By making all the indictments against
me just ... disappear?
CARTER
I was thinking more along the lines
of making you disappear.
COLSON
Problem with a guy like me - no place
on Earth I can hide.
CARTER
Who’s talking about Earth?
(Colson looks at her.)
COLSON
Oh, no. No, I couldn’t let you do that.
CARTER
Believe me, I wouldn’t be here without
the approval of my superiors. Now, the
President wasn’t responsible for what
happened to you but he’s also not sorry
that you were publicly discredited.
(Colson looks away, unsure.) Please,
Alec, come with me. You can still make
a difference. He who fights and runs
away ...
(Colson chuckles briefly, then looks down at the pistol. After
a moment, he puts the pistol down.)
COLSON
... lives to fight another day. (Sam
nods. He chuckles again.) And no-one
will ever know.
CARTER
Welcome to my world.
THE END
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