STARGATE SG1
Episode 117
"SOLITUDES"
By
Brad Wright
Gateroom
TECH
Incoming traveller, incoming traveller,
offworld activation, closing the iris.
TECH
Clear the ramp.
HAMMOND
There's no-one scheduled to come back
for 24 hours. Who is it?
TECH
It's SG-1's remote access code, Sir.
HAMMOND
What? They just went through!
TECH
Opening the iris, stand by.Sir, the
'gate is showing twice the power as
normal, and it's increasing!
Daniel and Teal'c are thrown through the gate. Daniel is unconscious
TECH
System overload! The wormhole is disengaged!
HAMMOND
Get a medical team in here now! Teal'c,
are you alright?
TEAL'C
I am.
HAMMOND
Where are Colonel O'Neill and Captain
Carter?
TEAL'C
They could not have been more than two
metres behind. I do not know.
Jack and Sam are in what appears to be an underground ice cave
Titles
Infirmary. Teal'c has his arm in a sling
HAMMOND
Doctor Jackson's still unconscious but
Doctor Warner thinks he'll be alright.
I need to know what went on back there
Teal'c.
TEAL'C
We were under fire. Distant. Energy
weapons of some kind. Possibly Goa'uld
technology.
HAMMOND
So it's possible Colonel O'Neill and
Captain Carter were struck by enemy
fire?
TEAL'C
I do not believe so. They were but a
few metres behind me as we passed through
the Stargate.
HAMMOND
How many hostiles were there?
TEAL'C
They were some distance away. But we
appeared to be surrounded. We were there
only moments. Colonel O'Neill ordered
us to lay down cover fire while Daniel
Jackson dialled home. General Hammond,
I believe they should have made it through
the gate. I do not understand why they
did not.
TECH
Preliminary report on the Stargate repairs,
Sir.
TEAL'C
Repairs?
HAMMOND
There was some kind of overload during
transit, we don't know why.
TEAL'C
I must return immediately.
HAMMOND
Not with an army waiting on the other
side, sorry.
TEAL'C
General Hammond, I suggest a second
probe be sent through.
HAMMOND
As soon as the Stargate's working again
we'll do just that.
Jack begins to wake up
JACK
Aah!
SAM
Colonel.
JACK
Carter.
SAM
Try to stay put Sir, I think your leg's
broken.
JACK
No, my leg's definitely broken. This
is bad news, because unless they've
redecorated the 'gate room I don't think
we're in Kansas anymore.
SAM
Daniel must have misdialled.
JACK
Misdialled? You mean this place is a
wrong number? Ah, for crying out loud.
Where is he?
SAM
He's not here, Sir, neither is Teal'c.
JACK
No, he has to be.
SAM
Yeah, I tried that. You've been unconscious
for nearly two hours.
JACK
They came through the gate before we
did.
SAM
I know that, I also know we're alone
here, wherever here is.
JACK
Ice. Nice.
SAM
Yeah, I think we're inside a deep crevasse
of a glacier. If their Stargate's been
overrun by ice, possibly on a planet
in the middle of an ice age. Now, there
is some light filtering through up there
and there are some fissures in the ice,
but all of them are too narrow to follow
very far. We're in trouble, Sir.
JACK
Oh, nonsense. We'll just dial home and
straighten all this out. Where's the
DHD?
SAM
Can't find that either.
JACK
Oh, so we're in trouble.
SAM
We're in trouble.
Gateroom
TECH
We've almost replaced all the super
conductive interface elements, Sir.
The old ones all melted. It's going
to take some time to load test them
though.
HAMMOND
Just tell me the minute we can send
a probe through.
SILER
That'll be 24 hours General, minimum.
TEAL'C
Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill do
not have that long.
HAMMOND
I'll give you half that.
SILER
No Sir, it doesn't work that way. 24
hours is the best I can do.
HAMMOND
Then you'd better get back to it.
SILER
Yes Sir! Come on, let's go.
Sam is putting a splint on Jack's leg
JACK
Oh, God
SAM
Okay, I think it's set.
JACK
You think it's set?
SAM
I'm positive. All we have to do is put
a splint on it and you'll be as good
as new.
JACK
Just take it easy, Doctor.
SAM
Wrong kind of doctor, I'm afraid.
JACK
You wouldn't think jagged bone digging
into raw nerves would hurt, but it does.
SAM
Sorry Sir, but I've never done this
before in my life. Is this your first
broken bone?
JACK
Ah, no, this would be if you count skull
fractures.
SAM
How did you manage that?
JACK
Little parachuting mishap, over the
borders of Iran and Iraq, in 1980.
SAM
Okay, this is gonna hurt, Sir.
JACK
Ah! I know,I know.
SAM
So, what happened?
JACK
I hit the ground. Go figure. God. My
chute opened late, and it hurt, just
like that.
SAM
I'm sorry Colonel, I'm doing the best
I can.
JACK
I know you are, Captain, can you just
be done?
SAM
So you hit the ground, and.?
JACK
And they all lived happily ever after.
SAM
Almost there, almost there.
JACK
No, you're there Captain, you're there.
That's a great splint. Stop! Stop!
SAM
So, how long before you were rescued?
JACK
No rescue. It wasn't exactly an official
mission, if you know what I mean, so
I had to make it out on my own. It took
nine days.
SAM
Wow, what got you through it?
JACK
Sara.
SAM
Your wife.
JACK
At the time. I needed to see her again.
You tallied our supplies yet?
SAM
Yeah, Sir, supplied for three days,
but we can stretch that. We've got a
little drinking water, but...
JACK
Ice melts.
SAM
Yeah, and we've got our field cooking
gear to melt it. Flashlight batteries
are gonna be a problem. We've got thermal
blankets.
JACK
That's great. By the way, Captain, we
are going to get out of here, that's
an order.
SAM
How's the splint feel?
JACK
Captain, you have to believe me.
SAM
I want to, Sir, I just don't see how.
JACK
Then we'd better start looking for a
way. Because I'll be damned if I'm going
to die on some god-forsaken block of
ice a million light years from home.
Is that clear?
SAM
Yes Sir.
JACK
Good. Now help me up.
SAM
I don't think you should move.
JACK
Probably not, but my butt's freezing
to the ground. Come on. A little paint,
a coupla windows, maybe a fireplace
in the corner, it'll be just like home.
Back at the SGC infirmary. Daniel is in bed and is just waking
up. Teal'c is standing beside him
DANIEL
Teal'c?
TEAL'C
The Stargate has malfunctioned. We came
through the 'gate at too great a velocity.
DANIEL
Jack and Sam?
TEAL'C
They did not follow.
DANIEL
Yes they did. I know they did. They
were right behind us. That doesn't make
any sense.
TEAL'C
I concur. In a few hours a probe will
be sent back in an attempt to determine
their fate.
Jack and Sam continue to figure out a way to get home
JACK
We might be able to climb out of here.
You might, anyway.
SAM
What?
JACK
I said, you might be able to climb outta
here.
SAM
Colonel, I've found it!
JACK
Found what?
SAM
The DHD, I figure the glacial flow must
have separated the Stargate from its
Dial Home Device, but it looks like
it might be intact.
The DHD is buried under ice
JACK
God. Oh. Can we dig it out?
SAM
Even if it doesn't work, we can use
the chopped ice to melt drinking water.
JACK
Alright.
SAM
What's wrong with your chest?
JACK
I think I cracked a rib too.
SAM
Why didn't you say something?
JACK
I was afraid you'd try to put a splint
on it. I'll be fine.
He helps her try to remove the ice
SAM
I've been thinking about where Daniel
and Teal'c might be.
JACK
Yeah?
SAM
So far, I count three possible explanations.
One, Daniel misdialled and they're here,
somewhere we haven't found.
JACK
I don't see 'em.
SAM
Right. Two, Daniel didn't misdial but
for some reason the Stargate malfunctioned
during transit. Don't ask me how, I
haven't figured that part out yet. Anyway,
they got sent back to Earth, but for
some reason we got sent here.
JACK
What's three?
SAM
Three. The Stargate malfunctioned. We
got sent to this planet, Daniel and
Teal'c got sent to another one.
JACK
What's four?
SAM
There is no four.
JACK
It's after three.
SAM
Not this time, Colonel.
JACK
Alright, we'll assume they made it back
to Earth. They'll start sending search
parties.
SAM
To where?
JACK
Here, I hope.
SAM
Where would they begin? They have no
idea where we are. With all the possible
Stargates a random search could easily
take ten years!
JACK
Not if they look here first.
SAM
Even if all SG teams started searching
right now, the mathematical probability
of them even.
JACK
Captain!
SAM
I think too much.
SGC Gateroom
TECH
Charging circuit MX43 at 20%. 100. Circuit
is holding, reset and standby. She's
all yours, General.
HAMMOND
Well done, you heard the man.
TECH
Yes Sir. Chevron one encoded.
TEAL'C
SG-3 and I are ready and awaiting your
orders, General.
HAMMOND
I won't authorise this rescue mission
unless the probe sends back the right
pictures Teal'c.
TECH
Chevron two encoded.
HAMMOND
All defence teams stay alert. These
hostiles might have both our addresses
and our transmitter code.
TECH
Chevron three encoded.
DANIEL
You don't actually think they'd give
up the transmitter codes to the enemy,
do you?
HAMMOND
Not willingly, no.
TECH
Chevron four encoded.
TEAL'C
I do not believe they would do so, even
under the duress of torture.
TECH
Chevron five encoded.
HAMMOND
Teal'c, in the event we find no enemy
activity on the other side, you will
coordinate with Major Castleman on the
rescue mission.
TECH
Chevron six encoded.
TEAL'C
I understand.
TECH
Chevron seven is locked.
They send the malp through the gate
TECH
The probe should reach the Stargate
at P4A-771 in five seconds. Four, three,
two, now.
DANIEL
No sign of Jack and Sam, but no evidence
they got into a firefight either.
HAMMOND
What are you waiting for? Close the
iris! Disengage the Stargate. SG-3 stand
down. The rescue mission is scrubbed.
DANIEL
General!
Back with Sam and Jack
.
JACK
Soups on.
SAM
Just a little more, I'm almost through.
JACK
Come on now, you don't want to get cold.
SAM
I didn't know you could cook.
JACK
I can't, but my melted ice is to die
for.
SAM
Thankyou. Sir, maybe I should have another
look at you.
JACK
No, I'm fine. Eat.
SAM
I've been thinking about how the Stargate
might have malfunctioned.
JACK
Yeah?
SAM
Well, we don't totally understand how
it works, but the theory we have so
far is that the 'gate creates an artificial
wormhole, that somehow transfers an
energised matter stream in one direction
along an extra-dimensional conduit.
I think the matter stream between Stargates
got redirected, kind of like a lightning
bolt jumping from one point to another
in mid-strike. Now, I figure it had
to have been the attack on P4A-771.
The gate itself was probably struck
by enough energy during the firefight
to influence the direction of the matter
stream before we reached the other side.
Colonel?
JACK
I'm sorry, I wasn't listening.
SAM
What I'm saying is, we must have emerged
through a Stargate relatively close
to Earth in the 'gate network, somewhere
between P4A-771 and Earth. Now, if the
SG rescue teams reach the same conclusion,
it could significantly reduce their
search.
JACK
That's good news.
SAM
Yeah.
Daniel is looking at the star map
DANIEL
Okay, so if they are not there, and
they are not here.
TEAL'C
It is possible that they might have
perished within the wormhole.
DANIEL
Yeah. In which case they're gone. I
know, I thought of that. But if they
are alive, if there's the least remote
possiblity that this malfunction sent
them to another Stargate.
TEAL'C
Was it not Captain Carter who deduced
the possible combinations of Stargate
symbols numbered in the millions?
DANIEL
Well, we have to narrow it down.
Sam is still trying to get to the DHD. She finds an arm sticking
out.
SAM
Whoah. Colonel. A serpent guard.
JACK
Yeah.
SAM
I guess he didn't make it.
JACK
Ya think?
Daniel is still looking at the map
DANIEL
Okay, this is P4A-771, this is Earth.
Now, the Stargate shut itself down just
after Teal'c and I came through.
HAMMOND
There was an energy surge.
DANIEL
Right. But what would that have done
to the wormhole itself?
MAN
I have no idea.
DANIEL
Could it just disappear?
MAN
No, I don't think so Sir. It would have
to discharge somewhere.
DANIEL
Like, another Stargate?
MAN
Yeah, maybe. Sir, it's all theoretical,
but we think that Stargates are basically
giant superconductors. Charged matter
streams along lines of force between
them.
DANIEL
Positive to negative, like electricity.
Right?
MAN
Except for the fact the whole trip happens
outside our dimension, yeah, more or
less.
DANIEL
Okay, what if it jumped. Redirected
itself here, or here, or anywhere along
here.
HAMMOND
You're suggesting we search all these
worlds?
DANIEL
Well, at least we've narrowed an entire
galaxy of Stargates down to a handful
of possibilities.
HAMMOND
Assuming you're right, why haven't they
used that Stargate to come back on their
own?
DANIEL
Teal'c and I were flung out of this
'gate at this end so fast I don't even
remember hitting the ramp. Now, they
could be badly hurt, in which case we
will not have to search far from the
Stargates themselves. I think we owe
it to them to try.
The DHD is free
JACK
You ID'ed the seventh symbol yet?
SAM
Yeah, this one has to be the point of
origin. I've never seen it before. No
batteries. Guess it's now or never.
JACK
I've always preferred now to never.
SAM
Here goes. Dammit!
JACK
You dialled the right address?
SAM
Yes! It has to be something as simple
as the control interface. If we can
dig down to the panel on the DHD I can
fix it.
JACK
Negative.
SAM
Sir, we've gotta keep trying!
JACK
Of course we do. But we've been awake
for a very long time. It'll be there
in the morning. God.
SAM
What about you?
JACK
I told you we're gonna get out of here.
It's just gonna take longer than we
thought.
SAM
Yes Sir.
JACK
Captain.?
SAM
Yes Sir.
Back at the SGC
HAMMOND
Dr. Jackson?
DANIEL
We just received probe telemetry from
P5C-11 and 12, neither of them have
a breathable atmosphere any more. If
they ever did.
HAMMOND
I have formally reported Colonel O'Neill
and Captain Carter as missing in action.
DANIEL
Why?
HAMMOND
Missing in action doesn't mean we stop
looking, Son.
Hammnd leaves the room and Daniel turns back to the map
DANIEL
I'm missing something.
Sam and Jack huddle together to keep warm
JACK
Captain. Much as I might otherwise think
this is nice.
SAM
Try to sleep.
JACK
Is that what we were doing?
SAM
You were exhausted, you passed out.
I just thought we had to combine body
heat or we wouldn't make it through
the night.
JACK
That's fine, it's just really hard to
sleep with broken ribs when someone's
lying on you.
SAM
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
JACK
That's better.
SAM
Sleep for a few hours and I'll fix the
DHD.
JACK
Okay. Night.
SAM
Night.Oh, Colonel!
JACK
It's my sidearm, I swear. No giggling,
please.!
SAM
If we don't make it, I won't have any
regrets, you?
JACK
I'll regret dying.
Later, Sam continues to try and get the gate to work
SAM
God, why won't you work!
Jack radio's her
JACK
Carter, Carter...
SAM
Colonel! Sir?
JACK
I'm usually the first one up.
SAM
You're bleeding internally, I don't
know how badly. Your broken leg may
already be frostbitten, I can't tell.
I've been trying to warm it up with
the last of our cooking sterno but that's
about had it.
JACK
What's the bad news? Help me up.
SAM
No, Sir, you need to heal. That's an
order.
JACK
I give the orders around here.
SAM
Doctor's orders. I want you to drink
as much of this as you can. Once that
dies, we won't be able to thaw any more.
I should have gotten you out of here
by now, I'm sorry.
JACK
You will, you will.
SAM
I have been working on the control panel
for the last twelve hours, it just,
I don't know why it won't work, it should
work! I'm missing something.
JACK
Captain.
SAM
Sir?
JACK
It's time to go to plan B.
SAM
What would plan B be?
JACK
You take the rest of the supplies and
climb out of here. Take your chances
up on the planet, head towards daylight.
SAM
If I can't get that Stargate to work,
we will both go.
JACK
Right, I'll race you. Alright Captain,
make it work.
SAM
Yes Sir.
Teal'c comes through the gate and has a man over his shoulder
TEAL'C
Major Caplin requires medical attention.
TECH
Medical team to the embarkation room!
HAMMOND
What happened?
TEAL'C
We were exploring a cave not far from
the Stargate. He fell several metres
from a rock ledge. There was no sign
of Captain Carter or Colonel O'Neill.
HAMMOND
Are you alright?
TEAL'C
I am ready to embark again.
HAMMOND
I'm calling the search off.
DANIEL
What?
HAMMOND
This was the last of the planets to
fit your theory, Doctor.
DANIEL
Well, it's been, what, a few days? What
if we stop just short of finding them?
HAMMOND
I'm sorry!
Sam continues to try and repair the DHD
SAM
Okay, energy converger intact. Oh God,reset!
Reset! Why didn't I think! Colonel,
I'm gonna interrupt the power. I'm gonna
shut it all off and turn it on again!
Okay, this better work. Okay, okay.
The gate has power, but is still not working properly. Back at
the SGC, a glass on the table by Daniel begins to shake.
SAM
Work!
Teal'c goes to see Daniel
TEAL'C
Daniel Jackson.
DANIEL
Teal'c. Did you see that?
TEAL'C
Why are you here?
DANIEL
I couldn't sleep. I was thinking that
I must be missing something, and now
I just realised we ruled out a world
we shouldn't have.
Sam sits next to Jack
JACK
I guess it didn't work.
SAM
I'm sorry.
JACK
Not your fault.
SAM
I don't understand why it won't work!
JACK
Captain, plan B, go.
SAM
No, Sir.
JACK
Sam, I'm dying. Follow my order, please.
SAM
Sir.
JACK
Please.
SAM
Yes Sir.
Daniel, Teal'c and Hammond talk
DANIEL
How many Earth-based cultures have we
encountered from other worlds from periods
both before and after we think the Stargate
was buried?
HAMMOND
Several, I think.
DANIEL
Right, and we've probably only scratched
the surface. Now, so far we've tried
to account for these discrepancies with
various theories of parallel or accelerated...
HAMMOND
What's your point, Doctor?
DANIEL
What if there's a second Stargate here.
What if this energy surge caused the
wormhole to jump from one Stargate to
another, here.
HAMMOND
On Earth?
DANIEL
Yes.
HAMMOND
Teal'c, would the Goa'uld have put more
than one Stargate on a planet?
TEAL'C
If the first became lost to them, it
is possible.
DANIEL
Remember, the one that Ra put here might
not have been the first. The Goa'uld
didn't build the Stargate system.
HAMMOND
Then where is it?
Sam begins to climb out of the cave. She radio's to Jack
SAM
Colonel, I can't see the surface yet,
it looks like it just keeps going up.
JACK
Sam.
SAM
Yes Sir?
JACK
It was an honour serving with you.
SAM
Yes Sir.
Control room. SGC
DANIEL
It would have to be in a remote location
otherwise it would have been discovered
by now. It could have even been buried
until recently otherwise the Goa'uld
would have continued to use it.
TEAL'C
Let us hope it is not still buried.
HAMMOND
We're looking for radio transmissions
on SG-1's emergency frequency. Co-ordinate
with air military listening posts around
the entire globe.
DANIEL
General, when we first opened our Stargate,
it used to shake A LOT. I mean, the
ground, the whole facility, everything.
HAMMOND
We've installed frequency dampers that
limit that to only a slight vibration.
DANIEL
Okay, but what if the second 'gate doesn't
have those. Would it shake enough to
indicate its location on a seizmometer?
HAMMOND
Damn right it would. Run a search for
all recent seismic activity worldwide.
See if any coincide with the time of
our Stargate malfunction.
DANIEL
And check about 4am local time. I was
here, I thought someone was trying an
off-world activation, but nothing happened.
Except for the chevrons glowed and there
was a slight vibration.
TEAL'C
Captain Carter and Colonel O'Neill.
DANIEL
What happens when you dial your own
phone number? Wrong person to ask. What
happens when you dial your own phone
number?
HAMMOND
You get a busy signal.
DANIEL
Exactly. What else could cause a vibration
like that except if they were trying
to dial home? They couldn't get home.
I mean, even if the seventh symbol looked
different, the co-ordinates of the two
gates would still be exactly the same.
Sam is almost at the top
SAM
Colonel, I'm almost there. I'm gonna
try and bring back help, Sir, I want
you to hold that thought.
She reaches the top. As she climbs out, she is faced with an
icy planet.
Control room. SGC
TECH
We got it! Antarctica! The timing of
the event is to the second, including
the event that Dr. Jackson experienced
a few hours ago!
HAMMOND
Latitude and longitude?
TECH
Yes Sir! It's only about 50 miles out
of McMurdo!
TEALC AND DANIEL
General, permission.
HAMMOND
Granted! Order McMurdo station to begin
a search of those co-ordinates NOW.
Sam radio's down to Jack
SAM
Colonel? It's an ice planet. That's
all there is as far as the eye can see.
No chance. Colonel! I'm coming down!
Colonel. Colonel.
She lies down next to Jack
JACK
Sara.
SAM
I'm here, Jack.
JACK
Cold, so cold.
The rescue team have arrived. Helicopters hover overhead. Daniel
and Teal'c are there
"McMurdo, this is rescue team Charlie, we found them, over."
DANIEL
Sam! Sam! Come on. It's gonna be okay,
you're gonna be okay.
TEAL'C
As is Colonel O'Neill.
HAMMOND
Let's get them in the chopper.
SAM
Colonel. He's bleeding internally.
HAMMOND
We know, Captain, don't worry, he's
going to be alright.
SAM
General, you came through the Stargate
for us.
HAMMOND
Not exactly Captain. A team from the
SGC will be coming within the hour to
secure this area. In the meantime let's
get these people home.
Hammond looks at the Stargate
THE END
|
