STARGATE SG1
Episode 219
"ONE FALSE STEP"
By
John Sanborn & Michael Kaplan
Control Room
A UAV is about to be launched
SAM
UAV is a go for launch, sir.
HAMMOND
Launch.
JACK
That never gets old. I love that.
TECH
UAV will arrive at PJ2-445 in three,two,one.
SAM
Automatic Terrain Radar System is functioning.
You know, lf this technology works out,
sir, we'll be able to do more long-range
reconnaissance.
JACK
Cool.
SAM
Sensors are indicating sporadic spots
of heat.
HAMMOND
What are they?
SAM
When we were there yesterday, sir, we
didn't get this far from the gate. It
could be anything. Air vents, warm water
springs.
JACK
Perhaps, life forms?
SAM
Motion detectors don't indicate any
movement, sir.
TECH
Losing signal.
SAM
What? That shouldn't be happening. Switching
to manual control.
They watch the video link from the UAV
JACK
Come on, Captain. Pull it up.
SAM
I can't, sir.
It crashes into a plant
TECH
Lost signal. Trying to re-establish.
SAM
This doesn't any make sense. This UAV
was specially designed for exactly this
type of radio control.
HAMMOND
What was that it crashed into?
SAM
I'm no botanist, sir, but it looked
like some sort of plant life.
TECH
We have visual contact re-established.
JACK
We didn't need that UAV, did we, sir?
SAM
I need the flight recorder, sir, to
determine why the controls failed. Estimated
distance from the gate is 10 miles.
JACK
Six hours there and back.
Someone appears on the screen and looks at the camera
SAM
That would confirm the presence of life
forms on PJ2-445.
The UAV is being carried away
JACK
Well, I guess that changes the priority
of this mission, eh sir?
SG1 arrive on the planet
DANIEL
Déjà vu.
TEAL'C
I am unfamiliar with that term.
DANIEL
It means I feel like I've been here
before.
TEAL'C
That is correct, Daniel Jackson. Yesterday,
when we first arrived on this planet.
DANIEL
Right. What was I thinking?
Daniel sneezes
JACK
Bless.
SAM
I'm not picking up the locating beacon
on the UAV, but the crash site should
be this way.
DANIEL
I thought the alien on the video looked
fairly docile. More curious than harmful.
JACK
I thought it looked bald, white and
naked.
TEAL'C
Since it is their planet, is it not
we who are the aliens?
DANIEL
Actually, The word alien refers to anything
characteristic of a very different place
or culture. Anything really strange
relative from our own perspective.
JACK
Think we call you alien because you're
from Chulak? Ha! Kinda weird, huh? Captain,
why don't you start..
SAM
Sir, Plant life on Earth accounts for
more than 80% of our medicinal resources.
We should really check it out.
JACK
Check it out.
DANIEL
These other ones must not be full-grown
I guess.
He sneezes again
JACK
Bless.
DANIEL
Oh, boy.
TEAL'C
The UAV was dragged in that direction.
JACK
And that direction it is.
The come to a village consisting of basic domed dwellings
DANIEL
Dwellings.
JACK
Lots of them.
Sam see's someone to her side and nudges Daniel. The alien is
bald and naked and seems to be covered in a white substance.
It also appears to be a-sexual. Daniel pulls on Jack's arm
DANIEL
Jack.
JACK
Yeah?
Daniel tries to get his attention again
JACK
What?
He turns and see's the alien. He looks at him through his binoculars
DANIEL
Hi. Well, I guess that was the wrong
thing to say.
The alien runs off, making a high pitched noise as he goes
JACK
What do you think, Daniel? Are they
friendly spirits?
DANIEL
I guess we should go find out.
They get to the village. Daniel holds up his hand and speaks
DANIEL
Hello. I'm Daniel Jackson.
The aliens mimic the movement of his mouth, but don't speak
DANIEL
Try smiling.
JACK
This is bizarre.
SAM
Uh, Daniel.
The aliens begin to crowd around them
DANIEL
Keep smiling. Don't move.
TEAL'C
I am not fond of this.
JACK
Me neither.
DANIEL
They just wanna see what we feel like.
One of the aliens, takes Daniel's knife
DANIEL
Oh, hey! Wait!
JACK
What?
DANIEL
One of them got my knife.
SAM
I got it. Hey, there. Hi. That's not
for you. It’s very dangerous. Could
I have it back, please?
Daniel sneezes, which frightens the aliens. He drops the knife,
which cuts Sam's hand
SAM
Agh!
DANIEL
it's... it's just a sneeze.
JACK
Carter, how's your hand?
SAM
It'll be all right, sir.
TEAL'C
I have never before encountered such
a species.
DANIEL
I'm gonna try and communicate again.
JACK
Want some company?
DANIEL
I think it'll be less intimidating if
I go alone.
JACK
All right. Find out what you can about
the UAV.
DANIEL
OK.
He goes into one of the structures. One of the locals is painting
white stripes on another one's face. Daniel sit's by them on
the ground. He points at himself.
DANIEL
So. Daniel. You don't, You don't speak
at all, do you? OK.
He draws a stick person, on the floor. He points at himself
DANIEL
That's .
The draw random lines over it and then one of them paints white
stripes on Daniel's face
DANIEL
Thank you.
Outside
JACK
You gotta wonder what they're talking
about in there.
Back inside, Daniel is running around pretending to fly and making
the sound of the UAV.
He goes outside and sit's by Jack
DANIEL
Well, they're not naked. They're covered
with something. Look. It’s some sort
of body paint that hardens into a second
skin when it dries. Well, I have to
admit this is one of the stranger cultures
I've ever seen. As far as I can tell,
they're communal, but there's little
sign of actual of social communication.
I haven't seen any tools or signs of
a functional civilization.
JACK
So they're a little less evolved than
we are.
DANIEL
Well, we don't wanna jump to any conclusions.
Remember the Nox.
SAM
And they did build these, homes.
JACK
That's a kind appraisal. What about
the UAV?
DANIEL
I've tried everything I know about rudimentary
communication. And, to be honest, I've
had more successful conversations with
dogs.
JACK
So?
DANIEL
So they're probably a little less evolved
than we are.
The aliens bring the UAV out. One of them looks at Daniel and
flaps his arm
DANIEL
Yes! Yes! The, the,the... the. Yes!
Thank you. This is a major breakthrough.
Oil from the UAV has gotten onto one of the aliens hands. Daniel
sneezes
DANIEL
I'm sorry. This is,this is nothing to
worry about.
The alien falls to the ground
DANIEL
Of course, I could be wrong.
SAM
I can't find a pulse, but I don't know
if that means anything. He's still breathing.
JACK
Captain, why don't we back off for now,
huh?
DANIEL
I really hope this isn't because I sneezed
on him.
TEAL'C
This one appeared to have lubricant
from the UAV on his hands. Perhaps that
is what has made him ill.
JACK
Could be their national pastime for
all we know. Maybe they got low blood
sugar
They begin to make a high pitched wailing sound
SAM
They're singing.
JACK
is that what that is?
DANIEL
Some Native American as well as African
and Aboriginal tribes believe that music
and chants have medicinal powers.
SAM
The sound is incredible.
More aliens fall to the ground
DANIEL
Well, I guess it didn't work quite like
they hoped.
TEAL'C
O'Neill, should we not leave now?
DANIEL
What?
TEAL'C
Our presence here may make more of them
ill.
SAM
I was wondering the same thing, Daniel.
What if we're causing this?
DANIEL
Look at them. They don't know what's
happening, much less how to help themselves.
JACK
hey, We don't even know what's happening,
much less how to help them.
DANIEL
Well, whatever it is, it's turning into
an epidemic.
Janet comes through the gate.
JANET
Now, this is a house call. Let's go.
JACK
That way, boys.
She arrives at the village
JANET
Captain Carter.
SAM
Dr Frasier.
JANET
What's the situation?
SAM
We're up to 14 afflicted. They seem
to just double over in pain and pass
out. From there they remain unconscious.
We've introduced a number of foreign
substances that could be responsible.
JANET
OK. Let's set up over here.
JACK
And the UAV ran into that plant thing
I showed you.
DANIEL
I've been sneezing like crazy ever since
we got here.
SAM
I cut my hand. They could have come
in contact with my blood.
TEAL'C
One had lubricant from the UAV on his
hands.
JANET
OK, look, the fact is, it could be somebody's
aftershave. How are they going to react
if I want to run some tests?
DANIEL
The behavior of the group indicates
serious agitation and concern. This
is obviously unusual to them. They're
worried, but they've been very passive
and willing to let us try to help.
Later
JANET
Your tests are all clean.
DANIEL
What about them? I'm pretty limited
here. They may look similar to us, but
they are definitely very different.
JACK
You don't know what's wrong, do you?
JANET
No. If we take one back to Earth, I
can run more extensive tests. Under
Level Two quarantine, it should be safe.
DANIEL
I'd like to stay.
JACK
What for?
DANIEL
Keep trying to communicate with them.
Reassure them we're trying to help.
JANET
I don't see any danger, sir.
JACK
We're not making things worse by being
here?
JANET
No, I think the damage is probably already
done. Quarantine the sick, in case this
problem is contagious amongst them.
I also suggest you check out the other
villages in the distance. If this illness
is present there, it just may rule us
out as the origin.
JACK
OK. Carter, you go back with Frasier.
Report to General Hammond, and get your
hand looked at. Daniel, Teal'c and I'll
stick around.
The alien is about to be taken through the gate
DANIEL
it's OK. Everything's going to be fine.
Infirmary
MEDIC
On three.
SAM
All right. You're going to be OK.
JANET
Get this out of here. Give me your stethoscope
when you're done.
SAM
When he got sick, they all gathered
around him and started making this incredible
sound. It was like music.
Back on the planet
TEAL'C
Do you not believe we are responsible,
O'Neill?
JACK
Yes, I believe we are.... not. We should
check it out either way.
TEAL'C
It is possible an alien went to warn
others, and spread the disease.
JACK
Yeah. I guess.
Jack falls to the ground
JACK
Whoa! I got it.
TEAL'C
Are you all right, O'Neill?
JACK
I'm fine. Look... Teal'c, I know this
might be tough for you, but do you mind
if we just walked without talking for
a while?
TEAL'C
Do you feel an illness?
JACK
A little headache. I'll be fine.
Infirmary
SAM
How's it going?
JANET
Nothing conclusive yet. I'm gonna do
an ultrasound to see if I can get a
clear picture of their internal organs.
She tries to use the ultrasound, but the alien begins to wail
JANET
Maybe I'll try another way. There are
a number of common elements in their
blood. Red and white cells, glucose,
protein.
SAM
But you're working with a human frame
of reference.
JANET
Exactly. How am I supposed to know what's
normal for these guys?
SAM
That's not exactly normal, is it?
JANET
Not from any anatomy I've learned. Look
at this.
Back on the planet, Daniel see's one of the plants grow out from
the ground and go back down
DANIEL
Whoa! What just happened? Right. Good
impression.
Jack arrives
JACK
What's up?
DANIEL
The plant. Or, at least, it was.
JACK
What?
DANIEL
it had grown to over six feet tall,
and when I came up to it, it just shrank
back down into the ground. I'm gonna
back up again, see if it does it again.
JACK
Witness if you will... .squat.
DANIEL
Well, you saw it too. See? Just like
that.
TEAL'C
Many of the aliens in nearby villages
are ill.
DANIEL
OK. What are we gonna do?
JACK
How should I know?
DANIEL
Well, we need to do something.
JACK
I agree with you. But I haven't had
the brilliant revelations you seem to
have had.
DANIEL
Maybe you could try something a little
bit better than inappropriate sarcasm.
JACK
You want sarcasm? Nice to meet you.
The alien stands in between them and smiles
JACK
What's he smiling at?
TEAL'C
He appears to be bothered by the tone
you have taken towards each other. As
am l.
JACK
Teal'c. Head back to the gate. Get a
message to General Hammond. Let him
know what's going on here.
TEAL'C
And the two of you will be fine?
JACK
Yeah. Yeah. We'll be OK. I'm gonna stick
around and work on this quarantine thing
with plantboy here.
He looks at Daniel and shakes his head as if to apologise
Infirmary
HAMMOND
We just got a report from Teal'c. The
sick now number over a hundred among
the aliens that they could count. The
disease does not appear to be local
to the village you encountered.
JANET
The muscle that I've identified as the
alien's heart is beating more and more
erratically.
HAMMOND
So whatever he's got is going to kill
him?
JANET
I don't know how much longer I can keep
this one alive, sir. I'm afraid to administer
drugs because it could make him worse.
SAM
Sir, if you don't mind, what are you
thinking?
HAMMOND
Captain, I am thinking that the unfortunate
reality is that this scenario was not
totally unexpected.
JANET
Actually, the surprising thing is it
hasn't happened more often. We think
it may be because there are so many
transplanted humans from Earth on other
planets that most contagions we carry
are already out there.
SAM
Yeah, well, Not in this case.
HAMMOND
unfortunately, There's only so much
time and so many resources that this
facility can devote to this situation.
JANET
Sir, I didn't say it was hopeless.
SAM
They didn't ask for this. They're clearly
unable to help themselves. We just can't
keep trampling through the galaxy with
no regard for the damage that we can
do.
JANET
Sir, we need more time.
SAM
A lot more time.
HAMMOND
How much time you've got is not up to
me.
SAM
Sir?
HAMMOND
You said it yourself, doctor. They are
dying.
Jack is inside with the aliens. They begin to go outside
JACK
Get back. Come on. Get back. Fine. Knock
yourself out. Go ahead. Go play in the
street. Don't forget your sun block.
Why aren't you helping me?
DANIEL
It's no use. They don't understand.
They wanna be with each other.
JACK
We're not gonna stand around doing nothing.
DANIEL
We're not doing nothing.
JACK
You're videotaping a plant!
DANIEL
Well, I think this might be important.
JACK
I think you might be losing what's left
of your mind.
DANIEL
What's that supposed to mean?
JACK
it means that on a good day you can
be a little flaky.
DANIEL
And on a good day you can be a little
ignorant and condescending.
JACK
Not condescending. You're obviously
misreading a basic philosophical difference
of opinion on how to handle a crisis.
DANIEL
Oh, Please! We have a difference of
opinion on just about everything.
JACK
Give me an example.
DANIEL
I don't know. Pick something. How about
mythology?
JACK
Rumors, lies, fairy tales.
DANIEL
You see?
He jumps around in a circle
DANIEL
See? See? See? Mythology is one of the
primary motivations for cultural development!
JACK
Maybe it is, What's that got to do with
filming a plant?
DANIEL
Exactly!
JACK
What does that mean?!
DANIEL
I don't know!
JACK
OK. What was that?
DANIEL
I don't know. I don't feel so good.
JACK
I've got a headache.
DANIEL
Maybe we're getting whatever they have.
Another alien falls to the ground. Daniel and Jack take it inside
DANIEL
Getting worse?
JACK
Yeah. Kinda. Hey, Teal'c.
TEAL'C
Dr Frasier and Captain Carter have had
little success in healing the alien.
JACK
Well, I think Daniel and I are coming
down with something. How are you doing?
TEAL'C
I remain unaffected.
JACK
I think we should probably go back and
get checked out, huh?
TEAL'C
I will remain.
JACK
All right, Teal'c. If we're not back
in 24 hours, come on home.
DANIEL
Would you do me a favor? Could you keep
an eye on this plant thing for me?
TEAL'C
I will keep both of my eyes on it, Daniel
Jackson.
DANIEL
Thank you.
They begin their hike to the gate. Daniel stops and looks back
at the village
JACK
Are you gonna make this? Come on.
Gateroom
SAM
Are you OK?
DANIEL
We started to feel sick.
SAM
What kind of sick?
JACK
Headaches. Brutal headaches.
DANIEL
But now I feel fine.
HAMMOND
Colonel, are you OK?
JACK
I'm feeling better, actually.
Infirmary.
Daniel and Jack are sat sideways on a bed
JACK
Listen, l, uh...
DANIEL
No, no. Sorry. You were gonna say?
JACK
No, it's just that, Well, you know.
DANIEL
No, I know. I know. You know that I...
JACK
I know. It’s obvious there's something...
DANIEL
Wrong with us.
DANIEL & JACK
Physically.
Janet enters
JANET
Well, there's nothing wrong with you.
JACK
What?
JACK
I've run every test, short of exploratory
brain surgery. You are both in perfect
health.
JACK
Huh.
" Dr Frasier to critical care, stat."
Back with the alien
SAM
He's flat lining!
FRASIER
Normally I'd defibrillate, but I don't
know what it'll do in this case. One
milligram epinephrine. Start a lidocaine
IV. Go!
Back on the planet, one of the plants rises up. Teal'c touches
some green goo that comes out of it. Suddenly he falls to the
ground, holding his head in pain
SGC
SAM
He's stable for now.
DANIEL
lf he's gonna die, shouldn't we at least
let him be with his own kind?
Daniel's lab. He's looking at videotape of the planet
JACK
What are you looking for?
DANIEL
I don't know. Something. Anything.
JACK
Daniel, we can't always expect things
to go the way we want them to.
Daniel is angry
DANIEL
To go the way we want them to? I mean,
one wrong move, one false step, and
a whole fragile world gets wiped out?
He wipes his hand over a desk, pushing things to the floor
DANIEL
We are killing a whole race of people
here! How can I not care?
JACK
What?
DANIEL
My head hurts again.
He goes to see Janet
JANET
Well, your pupils look fine.
DANIEL
This is the strangest thing. I feel
fine again.
JANET
OK. So, then, when did this start?
DANIEL
It was probably while I was watching
the... Excuse me.
He leaves the room and goes back to his lab
DANIEL
There has to be something the camera
recorded. Something we can't see.
SAM
Or hear. Give me the tape.
Control Room
JACK
Carter, what are you doing?
SAM
I'm looking for something that we can't
hear. Here. In the long amplitude waves.
Isolating and amplifying. You see this
was under everything you recorded with
the camera. The sound was present the
entire time we were on the planet. We
just couldn't hear it.
JACK
It's kind of annoying. Why don't you
turn it down?
FRASIER
It's more than annoying. It’s also responsible
for the symptoms you were describing.
DANIEL
It is?
FRASIER
Longterm exposure to certain sounds
can cause serious physical side effects.
Your headaches, nausea, severe irritability.
The longer you're exposed to it, the
worse it gets.
SAM
I bet this is what interfered with the
remote control on the UAV.
DANIEL
So this is what's making the aliens
sick?
JANET
No. You felt better when you got back.
But the alien just keeps getting worse.
SAM
And the sound that was causing your
symptoms isn't here on the base. Except
on this tape.
DANIEL
So this isn't what's making the aliens
sick?
TECH
Colonel, incoming wormhole. SG-1 code
verified.
JACK
Open the iris.
Teal'c comes through the gate
JACK
You all right?
TEAL'C
My condition is improving.
JACK
Sit down.
DANIEL
Well, I guess Jaffa aren't completely
impervious after all.
TEAL'C
What has led you to that assumption?
JACK
Well, there's some kind of bad sound
on that planet.
DANIEL
It's what made us sick. It just took
you longer to cave in.
TEAL'C
I believe it to be the organism that
was somehow attacking me.
SAM
What organism?
TEAL'C
I made a discovery while observing your
plants Daniel Jackson.
DANIEL
You saw them grow?
TEAL'C
Indeed. I saw several of them rise.
When I approached, they retracted into
the ground. I removed the dirt from
around the retracted plants. It appears
they are all connected.
SAM
And you say it attacked you?
TEAL'C
As I drew near the organism, I became
disoriented. My head was overcome with
great pain. Movement became very difficult.
DANIEL
That's it.
JACK
What?
Daniel walks out of the room
JACK
Where are you going?
He comes back
DANIEL
Come on.
They follow him
DANIEL
Did we record audio from the UAV's air
run over PJ2-445?
TECH
Sure.
DANIEL
Do you have a tape?
TECH
It's in the hard-drive data bank.
SAM
Run it though an audio spectrum analysis,
amplify the low end and replay it though
the speakers. I think I know where you're
going.
DANIEL
Fast forward to after the UAV crashed.
When the UAV crashed on the plant, the
sound changed.
JACK
The plant is making that sound?
SAM
Sir, it's an alien organism on another
planet.
JACK
Good point.
DANIEL
We changed the sound the organism naturally
makes.
TEAL'C
Why would the sound change?
DANIEL
It's alive. We hurt it.
SAM
Maybe the aliens are affected by the
sound in different ways than you were.
They could need the sound to be at a
certain frequency.
TEAL'C
For what reason?
SAM
To live. They don't even have the same
internal organs that we do.
JANET
The ultrasound. Do you remember the
way the alien reacted when I tried to
do the ultrasound? That organ that we
couldn't identify must be sound sensitive.
They go back to the alien
HAMMOND
So this inaudible sound made you sick,
but not in the same way it was affecting
the aliens? They need the sound to live,
but we altered it by harming the organism
that makes the sound?
JACK
Sounds right.
FRASIER
His pulse is getting stronger.
Back on the planet
SAM
Frequency emitters are operational,
sir. Daniel, we should, uh, we should
get out of here.
DANIEL
Well, don't you wanna stay and see if
it works?
SAM
Yeah. But we can watch from the ridge
over there. I have a hunch, and I think
we might be in the way.
DANIEL
Goodbye. How much longer, do you think?
SAM
I don't know.
JACK
Care to let us in on this hunch?
SAM
Not yet, sir.
TEAL'C
There. The plants are growing.
DANIEL
That was your hunch?
SAM
I had a feeling there was a symbiotic
relationship between the aliens and
the organism. They probably don't even
realize it.
DANIEL
How did you realize it?
JACK
Captain?
SAM
I talk to my plants, OK?
Large pink flowers begin to bloom
THE END
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