STARGATE SG1
Episode 806
"AVATAR"
By
Damian Kindler
Transcribed by
Callie Sullivan
SGC. CORRIDOR. Troops are running along the corridor. Walter’s
voice comes over the tannoy.
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(Teal’c stands aside as the troops run past, then follows them.
Shooting can be heard up ahead. The troops reach the door to
the Gateroom. It’s closed. Teal’c goes to one of the SFs.)
TEAL’C
Give me your weapon.
(The SF hands his rifle over. Teal’c stands facing the door,
then nods to the SF who swipes his card through the reader. The
door opens and one of the SFs is immediately shot by whoever
is inside the Gateroom. As Teal’c enters the Gateroom, another
SF already inside is shot down. Teal’c fires at whoever is on
the ramp as yet another SF goes down. The camera swings round
and we see that one of Anubis’ super-soldiers is on the ramp
firing at anything that moves. The Gateroom is full of gunned-down
troops. The other door to the Gateroom opens and some more SFs,
together with Jack, rush through. As Jack comes into the room,
a shot from the super-soldier hits him directly in the chest
and he goes down. Teal’c is briefly distracted by the death of
his friend, but then looks down and sees a Telchak rifle on the
ground near one of the dead SFs. He dives to the ground, picks
up the gun as he rolls, then surges up and fires it at the super-soldier.
The shot hits it smack in the middle of the chest and it falls
to the ramp. After several seconds, the light in its eyes goes
out. Teal’c stands up and looks around the Gateroom. There’s
a large white flash and ...
In a science lab at the SGC, Teal’c is sitting in one of the
chairs last seen in “The Gamekeeper”. He has a metal helmet over
his head and cables attached to his temples. He opens his eyes.
Several scientists are standing watching the proceedings. One
of them steps up and starts to remove the helmet. Doctor Lee
is standing nearby holding a small monitor.
LEE
Simulation time - forty-nine seconds?!
... (He tries to sound blasé.) It’s
not bad, not bad.
(Jack and Sam are standing nearby.)
O’NEILL
How was it? Was it fun?
TEAL’C
Indeed. (He undoes the restraints around
him and stands up, smiling.) You died
well in battle, O’Neill.
(Jack glances at Sam, who tries to hide a smile.)
O’NEILL
Obviously there’s something defective
with this thing.
TEAL’C
Agreed. (He turns to Lee.) An Anubis
drone is a far more formidable warrior
than this simulation would suggest.
LEE
What?! Look, we’ve been working on this
chair for two years to make it a viable
virtual reality training tool for SGC
personnel.
TEAL’C
You have failed.
(Lee stares at him, then looks at Jack and Sam.)
O’NEILL
He’s nothing if not honest.
LEE
Well, I mean, maybe we could, er, it
could use a little more work but ...
O’NEILL
Can you make it harder ... (he shakes
his head and corrects himself) more
difficult?
LEE
Well, I mean, we can input the parameters
for different scenarios, but the vast
majority of the simulation array comes
from the mind of the user. The programming
is actually built by interfacing memories
from the individual’s consciousness
with the chair’s matrix.
O’NEILL
Carter, all I heard was ‘matrix’ and
I found those films quite confusing.
CARTER
I think what Doctor Lee is trying to
explain is that the simulation actually
learns its realism from the person using
it.
O’NEILL
What?
LEE
Yeah. No, we built it, we tested the
software extensively using a variety
of subjects - obviously no-one with
Teal’c’s field experience.
O’NEILL
‘Subjects’ - to whom do you refer?
(Lee’s colleagues all smile proudly.)
LEE
Well, um ... (He gestures to himself
and his colleagues. Jack and Sam look
anything but impressed.) Hey - if Teal’c
would agree to work with us a little
more. Look, all you’d have to do is
basically just play the game, let it
learn from you. (Teal’c looks at Jack.)
Oh, come on, it’d be fun - you’d be
so good!
(Teal’c rolls his eyes.)
TEAL’C
Very well.
(Lee turns and looks delightedly at Jack.)
O’NEILL
There y’go. Just make sure there’s a
beginner’s level for the rest of us.
LEE
Oh yeah, we can always make it easier
... (seeing Jack’s expression) not-not
that we’d have to for you, certainly.
I mean, for others, but you-you’d be
fine, uh ...
O’NEILL
Carter. Gentlemen. (He leaves the room.)
SGC. SCIENCE LAB. Teal’c is again in the chair preparing to go
into the game.
LEE
Thanks to Colonel Carter’s new code
translation programme, we can actually
monitor your progress through a graphic
representation of your point of view.
CARTER
You’ve played Doom.
TEAL’C
I played Def Jam Vendetta.
LEE
Exactly, yes. Now, there is a two second
delay between the chair’s processor
and your perceived experience, but,
um, you shouldn’t notice anything. Anyway,
we can, uh, store every aspect of your
activity in the game and then later
choose what we’re going to incorporate
into our programming of the training
scenario. Oh, you understand - as before,
once your mind is interfaced with the
chair we cannot forcibly remove the
connection or cut power to the chair
without endangering you.
TEAL’C
Indeed.
CARTER
It’s a function of the new chair design.
Since the whole Gamekeeper incident,
the aliens of P7J-989 built the shut-off
command into the internal programming,
so only someone in the chair can control
it.
TEAL’C
You have previously given me this information,
Colonel Carter.
LEE
This is a little different this time
because the game will actually be learning
from you and then incorporating those
changes into its programming code.
CARTER
If you’re killed in the game, it will
re-set and you’ll automatically start
again. The chair will only disconnect
and end the game under two conditions:
once you complete the scenario; or if
you engage the internal failsafe, which
of course you’re free to do at any time.
TEAL’C
That will be unnecessary.
CARTER
Don’t be so cocky, Teal’c. The chair
is intuitive - it’s eventually gonna
learn everything you know. Now, if you
wanna stop it before the conclusion
of the simulation, just get to the base
elevator, head for the surface. Ready?
TEAL’C
Proceed.
(Lee puts the helmet onto Teal’c’s head and attaches the cables
to his temples. Teal’c closes his eyes. Over a monitor nearby,
which Sam is watching, Walter’s voice can be heard as a computer
simulation of an SGC corridor comes up on the screen. The simulation
is seeing through Teal’c’s eyes. He looks down at his own computer
simulated hands, then looks up at the troops running towards
him.)
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(Teal’c stands aside as the troops run past, then follows them.
Shooting can be heard up ahead. The troops reach the door to
the Gateroom. It’s closed. Teal’c goes to one of the SFs.)
TEAL’C
Give me your weapon.
(As the point of view goes to Teal’c’s real perception of the
game, the SF hands his rifle over. Teal’c stands facing the door,
then nods to the SF who swipes his card through the reader. The
door opens, but this time the super-soldier is standing just
on the other side. It fires immediately and Teal’c is shot in
the chest. He slumps to the floor, staring in disbelief as he
dies. There’s a large white flash as the game re-sets.)
(In the science lab in reality, Teal’c jerks and groans in the
chair. Sam looks in concern.)
CARTER
What just happened?
LEE
It looks like the chair induced a pain
response when he was killed.
CARTER
It’s directly linked to his brain -
we knew it was capable of this.
LEE
Yeah, but it’s just a simulation, it
doesn’t have to hurt.
CARTER
Yeah, see, that’s the difference between
you and Teal’c. He knows that in a real
situation your tactics would be completely
different if you thought you couldn’t
feel any pain.
LEE
Man, that was a heck of a shock.
CARTER
He’d want it to be realistic.
LEE
Well, fortunately we limited the chair
from being able to deliver any sort
of lethal jolt.
THE GAME. SGC. CORRIDOR. Troops are running along the corridor.
Walter’s voice comes over the tannoy.
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(Teal’c stands aside as the troops run past but this time, instead
of following them, he goes up into the Control Room. He takes
a rifle from an airman, checks it, and then goes back down the
stairs. Looking for a moment at the door where he was killed
last time, he turns away and goes around to the other Gateroom
door. It opens and he walks in to see many dead SFs lying on
the ramp. At the foot of the ramp lies Jack. Teal’c kneels down
to him.)
TEAL’C
O’Neill.
O’NEILL
Get outta here, Teal’c.
(The clumping sound of an approaching super-soldier can be heard.
Teal’c stands up. Behind him, a super-soldier backhands an SF,
then fires into Teal’c’s back. Teal’c falls to the ground. There’s
a large white flash as the game re-sets.)
REALITY. Again Teal’c jolts and groans.
LEE
That’s twice. Looks like the chair is
learning quickly.
CARTER
Don’t count Teal’c out yet. (She looks
concerned, however.)
REALITY. In the science lab, Daniel has now joined Sam and is
watching the simulation as, from Teal’c’s point of view, the
super-soldiers fire several more blasts into him.
DANIEL
Ooh, that’s cold!
(Lee looks round from his monitors.)
LEE
Colonel, I’m, uh, pretty concerned about
some of these bioreadings.
CARTER
Me too. (She picks up a phone and dials.)
Doctor Carmichael, this is Colonel Carter.
Can you join us in Science Lab 5?
THE GAME.
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(Sam is running down the corridor with some SFs. Teal’c is coming
towards them.)
CARTER
Teal’c.
(Teal’c raises his hand to stop her. Sam stops, raising her own
hand to stop the SFs.)
TEAL’C
Colonel Carter, I require your assistance.
CARTER
Likewise. SG-3 came in hot - sounds
like our Gateroom people could use a
little back-up.
TEAL’C
They are all dead.
CARTER
Excuse me?
TEAL’C
The Gateroom has been breached. Our
most effective defence will be to seal
off the east and south ends of level
28. If we act now we may be able to
force them into a cross-fire.
CARTER
Force who?
TEAL’C
The two Anubis warriors.
CARTER
How the hell can you know that?
TEAL’C
Because they have chosen the same route
seven of the last ten times.
(Sam stares at him, confused.)
LATER. Teal’c, Sam and several SFs are in position in a corridor,
awaiting the arrival of the super-soldiers.
MALE VOICE
Colonel, we have two hostiles headed
your way.
CARTER
Roger that, we’re in position. (To everyone
with her.) Heads up, people.
(The clumping sounds of the approaching super-soldiers can be
heard. They come around the corner and a firefight begins. Several
SFs go down, then Sam is shot and falls.)
TEAL’C
Fall back!
(The super-soldiers continue firing as Teal’c and the SFs try
to move. Teal’c fires his Telchak rifle and the blast hits a
super-soldier smack in the chest but has no result. The super-soldier
fires back and Teal’c is hit and falls to the floor. He looks
across to Sam lying dead nearby. There’s a large white flash
as the game re-sets.)
REALITY. In the science lab, Doctor Carmichael is checking Teal’c
with a stethoscope.
CARMICHAEL
Well, you were right to be concerned
about these readings. Frequent sympathetic
spikes in his natural adrenaline production
are causing blood pressure and heart
rate way too high to be sustained over
the long term.
CARTER
That last ambush should have worked.
Why did the energy weapon have no effect?
LEE
I dunno. Have you ever known a super-soldier
to be resistant to the weapon like that
in reality?
CARTER
No.
DANIEL
But it’s possible, right? I mean, we’ve
seen situations where the Goa’uld have
adapted their technology to defend against
something we’ve thrown at them.
LEE
Well, hopefully the game’ll also extrapolate
possible solutions and offer them to
Teal’c. (Sam and Daniel look at each
other doubtfully.) Well, I mean, it’d
just be fair.
THE GAME.
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
CARTER
Teal’c, SG-3 came in hot. Sounds like
the Gateroom people could use some back-up.
(Teal’c stands facing her as the SFs
run past.) We’ve gotta move!
TEAL’C
Colonel Carter, listen to me. The SGC
has been penetrated by two Anubis drones.
Our weapons are now ineffective against
their armour.
CARTER
How could you ...?
TEAL’C
How is this possible?
CARTER
That’s what I wanna know!
TEAL’C
I am speaking of the armour.
CARTER
It could have been altered to resist
the effectiveness of the energy weapon.
TEAL’C
Can they now be defeated?
CARTER
I’ve been working on a frequency modulator
chip.
TEAL’C
Where is it?
CARTER
In my lab, but I still don’t ...
(Shooting can be heard nearby.)
TEAL’C
Show me. (They run off.)
SAM’S LAB. Sam and Teal’c run in and Sam grabs the chip and hands
it to Teal’c, who fits it to his Telchak rifle.
CARTER
It’s only a prototype.
(A super-soldier arrives at the door and starts firing. Sam and
Teal’c duck behind the benches. The super-soldier walks into
the room. Teal’s surges up from behind the bench and fires a
multi-coloured beam from the Telchak rifle. The super-soldier
collapses to the ground. As Sam and Teal’c stand up, a new alarm
sounds and Walter’s voice comes over the tannoy.)
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Warning. Base auto-destruct sequence
has been activated.
(Sam and Teal’c run off. Making their way through the corridors,
with the sound of more gunfire approaching, they come across
Daniel and some SFs near the Control Room. They are under fire
from the second super-soldier.)
DANIEL
Nice of you to join us!
CARTER
Been busy.
DANIEL
They’ve found a way to counteract our
little weapons here.
(The second super-soldier can be seen in the Control Room. Sam
and Teal’c shoot their way forward, and Teal’c manages to get
a clear shot with his new Telchak rifle. The super-soldier goes
down.)
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Warning. Base auto-destruct sequence
has been activated. Thirty seconds to
detonation.
(Sam runs into the Control Room and types furiously on the keyboard.
On the computer screen comes the message “Auto Destruct Aborted”.)
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Base auto-destruct has been aborted.
CARTER
We’re clear.
TEAL’C
Then the threat has been eliminated.
(He looks around, expecting the game
to disconnect but nothing happens.)
The threat has been eliminated.
(Sam walks closer and notices that he has a large burn on his
shoulder.)
CARTER
Teal’c, you’re injured.
(Teal’c is still looking around, bewildered.)
DANIEL
Teal’c?
TEAL’C
I’m fine.
REALITY. Lee is staring at the readouts, bewildered.
LEE
I don’t get it. That should be the end.
DANIEL
You’re saying he should have won.
CARTER
Well that was the conclusion of the
originally-programmed scenario.
CARMICHAEL
But the chair is not disconnecting.
LEE
Yeah, and the game’s not re-setting
to the beginning either.
DANIEL
Well that’s not fair - you can’t win
a race if someone keeps moving the finish
line.
LEE
He said he wanted it to be harder, more
realistic.
DANIEL
In reality we haven’t defeated the Goa’uld.
LEE
Are you saying the game won’t end until
he defeats all the Goa’uld?
DANIEL
I dunno, you tell me. You said the game
was learning the rules from Teal’c.
CARTER
Yeah, but the parameters can’t go beyond
the base invasion scenario.
DANIEL
Can you get him out?
CARMICHAEL
Not without risking serious neural damage.
CARTER
The game has a failsafe. All Teal’c
has to do is quit.
DANIEL
Yeah - Teal’c quit(!)
THE GAME. INFIRMARY. Teal’c is sitting on the side of a bed,
having had his burn treated. Daniel and Sam are with him.
DANIEL
Anubis’ drones must have waited for
SG-3 to dial the Gate and then overwhelmed
them at the last minute. What I can’t
figure out is how they knew how to set
the base self-destruct.
CARTER
I can’t believe General O’Neill is really
dead.
TEAL’C
He is not dead.
CARTER
What?
TEAL’C
We must focus on the situation. The
threat has not been neutralised.
DANIEL
What?
TEAL’C
We will search the base immediately.
More warriors remain.
DANIEL
What?!
CARTER
He also knew the super-soldiers’ armour
was resistant to our energy weapons.
DANIEL
Sergeant Harriman reported that there
were only two intruders before he got
killed.
TEAL’C
They held the Control Room long enough
to keep the iris open and let others
through.
DANIEL
Maybe, but the Gate logs would have
indicated there was another incoming
wormhole.
TEAL’C
The threat has not been neutralised.
There are others - I am certain of it.
DANIEL
Because ...?
TEAL’C
The game has not yet ended.
(Sam and Daniel look at each other.)
DANIEL
Teal’c, I know this isn’t your strongest
suit but this is a really bad time for
jokes.
TEAL’C
You are all part of a simulation designed
to test the SGC’s preparedness in case
of Gate breach. None of you are real.
(Sam and Daniel look at each other again,
then look back at Teal’c, who rolls
his eyes slightly.) I am fine.
(Alarms sound. Teal’c gives them a ‘told you so’ look.)
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Warning. Base auto-destruct sequence
has been activated.
(Teal’c grabs his rifle and the three of them run out of the
room and head for the Control Room. Sam starts typing.)
DANIEL
Sam?
CARTER
I don’t understand it - somebody must
have reactivated the auto-destruct from
a remote location. (She types some more.)
I’m locked out of the system - I can’t
shut it down.
DANIEL
How did you know?
(The base explodes.)
REALITY. Carmichael stands up from looking at the readouts.
CARMICHAEL
His heart rate and blood pressure are
too high.
CARTER
How long can he do this?
CARMICHAEL
I don’t know - a day, maybe less.
DANIEL
I thought the chair wasn’t supposed
to be able to kill him?
CARTER
The physiological effects it can have
at any one time are limited.
CARMICHAEL
Yes, but I’m afraid that while each
individual pain stimulus isn’t in any
way life-threatening, the cumulative
effect is now starting to take its toll.
If he doesn’t have a heart attack he’ll
eventually run out of adrenaline. His
heart will slow down, his blood pressure
will drop, his entire organ system is
gonna fail.
DANIEL
Death by a thousand cuts.
THE GAME. Teal’c walks into Sam’s lab. This is earlier in the
sequence, as Sam isn’t geared up for action.
TEAL’C
You must disable the auto-destruct command.
CARTER
What?!
TEAL’C
The SGC will be breached by Anubis’
warriors. They will attempt to destroy
the base via the auto-destruct command.
CARTER
What are you talking about?
TEAL’C
If you disable the command they’ll be
forced to use other means to achieve
the goal. Only then can we hope to defeat
them.
CARTER
Teal’c, how could you possibly know
...
(Alarms sound.)
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. (Troops
run past the lab.) All security teams
to the Gateroom.
(Teal’c takes the modulator chip from Sam and fits it to his
rifle.)
TEAL’C
There is little time. (They run off.)
REALITY. Teal’c is looking unwell as he convulses gently in the
chair. Sam looks on in concern.
LEE
Colonel - he’s at level 28. He’s already
got the modulator chip and he’s used
it to kill the first two super-soldiers.
He’s hunting for the third ... (He looks
at more readings, then turns to Sam
and Daniel.) Man, he’s not in good shape.
(Sam and Daniel watch the screen as, from Teal’c’s point of view,
we see him round a corner and get punched in the face by a waiting
super-soldier. He falls to the floor. The super-soldier leans
down, picks him up and strikes him again. Again he falls to the
floor.)
(Externally, Teal’c convulses in the chair.)
(In the game, the super-soldier picks Teal’c up again and punches
him in the face again.)
(Externally)
DANIEL
This is ridiculous - it’s torturing
him.
LEE
Why won’t he quit?
(Daniel looks at the monitor.)
DANIEL
Wait a minute - he’s heading for the
elevator.
CARTER
He’s gonna use the failsafe.
(In the game, the doors to the elevator on level 28 open. Teal’c
struggles towards them, falling to the floor briefly but forcing
himself up as a super-soldier clumps along behind him. He runs
into the elevator and the doors close just as the super-soldier
lunges towards them. Teal’c leans against the wall exhausted
and watches the floor counter as the elevator rises.)
(At level 01, the elevator doors open. Teal’c wearily walks out
of the elevator, then stares in disbelief.)
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(Teal’c is back on level 28 near the Gateroom. He turns and watches
as the troops run past him, then hangs his head in despair.).
REALITY. Sam and Daniel stare at the monitor.
CARTER
It didn’t work - he’s back in the game.
LATER. Jack has now joined the others. He looks at Teal’c and
then walks over to Lee.
O’NEILL
Y’know, I always thought a failsafe
system was supposed to be somewhat safe
... from failure.
(Lee throws up his hands in an apologetic way.)
CARTER
From the beginning, in Teal’c’s mind
the goal was to make the simulation
as real as possible. As much as he must
now wanna quit, we think the game evaluated
his character and decided that if this
were a real situation, Teal’c would
never give up under any circumstances.
O’NEILL
Well, it’s right. It’s also just a game.
CARTER
The game doesn’t know that.
O’NEILL
So how do we get him out?
CARMICHAEL
Well, removing the connections while
the system is operating is very dangerous,
potentially fatal. On the other hand,
the physical stress that the chair is
putting him under will eventually kill
him anyway.
CARTER
Right now the only way out is for Teal’c
to win the game.
O’NEILL
Can he?
CARTER
It seems to be getting harder and harder.
Every time it appears he’s won, the
game adds a new twist.
O’NEILL
So it’s not gonna let him win.
CARTER
No - the chair doesn’t have an ego;
it’s not trying to beat Teal’c, just
provide a challenge that’s worthy of
his abilities.
DANIEL
Ironically it’s Teal’c’s ego that created
this problem in the first place - not
that his self-image isn’t entirely accurate.
CARMICHAEL
If this continues, he’s gonna require
adrenaline to sustain his heartrate.
And the thing is, I can’t keep him going
like this for long.
CARTER
There has to be a way for him to win.
THE GAME. SAM’S LAB. A super-soldier comes in, looking around
for any signs of movement. It walks to the edge of the central
desk and comes around the corner. Teal’c is crouched low behind
the desk and fires his newly-adapted Telchak rifle at it. It
falls to the floor. Teal’c stands up and heads out.
REALITY. Doctor Carmichael has now attached a drip to Teal’c’s
arm. He goes over to Doctor Lee’s monitors and looks at the readouts.
CARMICHAEL
I think it’s helping.
LEE
Yeah. Yeah.
THE GAME. Teal’c is running down the corridors. There is the
sound of shooting up ahead. He runs away from the shooting and
ducks around a corner. He takes out a smoke grenade, removes
the pin and tosses it down the corridor. As the smoke fills the
corridor he aims his weapon and walks slowly into the smoke.
The clumping sound of a super-soldier can be heard up ahead.
As soon as Teal’c sees it through the smoke, he fires and the
drone goes down. Suddenly another drone appears literally out
of nowhere, as if it was cloaked, and guns Teal’c down.
FLASH. RE-SET.
Two super-soldiers are firing at Sam and some SFs in a corridor.
Teal’c walks up behind her.
CARTER
They’ve adapted their armour.
TEAL’C
Cover me.
(Sam fires at the drones while Teal’c runs around behind her
and shoots one of them down. The other fires at him but he ducks
out of the way of the blasts and runs to the other side of the
corridor. From there he does not have a clear line of fire so
he turns to Sam.)
TEAL’C
Colonel Carter.
(He tosses her the Telchak rifle. She catches it, aims and fires
and the second drone goes down. Teal’c walks out into the corridor
and takes a scanner out of the shoulder bag he is wearing.)
CARTER
Teal’c, what’s going on? What are you
doing with a thermographic sensor?
(Teal’c walks along the corridor, swinging the sensor around.)
TEAL’C
There is a third drone.
CARTER
Are you sure? I thought only two came
through.
TEAL’C
I’m certain. He is using a cloak of
invisibility.
(As he turns a corner, the image of the drone can be seen on
the sensor’s screen, although nothing can be seen in the corridor.
The drone is walking away from them but senses someone behind
it, turns and fires several shots. Sam and Teal’c duck out of
the way. Teal’c takes the Telchak rifle and, without even looking,
pushes his arm around the corner and fires several shots. One
of them hits the drone and it falls to the floor, becoming visible
as it does so.)
CARTER
Nice one.
TEAL’C
Yet it is not yet over.
CARTER
There are more?
(Siler’s voice comes over the radio.)
SILER
Colonel?
CARTER
Go ahead.
SILER
Ma’am, I’ve got a problem with the naqahdah
generator in Storage Room 28-F9.
(Sam and Teal’c move cautiously off.)
STORAGE ROOM. Sam and Teal’c arrive. Sam runs over to Siler,
who is crouching by a naqahdah generator on the floor which is
active. Its tone is getting higher and higher.
SILER
I can’t stop it.
CARTER
Someone’s rigged it on a feedback loop.
(She tinkers with it to no avail. She
looks up at Teal’c.) There’s not enough
time to stop the overload.
Sam and Teal’c run to the Gateroom, Teal’c carrying the generator.
CARTER
Sergeant, dial the Gate now - P4M-523.
HARRIMAN
Yes, ma’am. Starting dialling sequence.
(The Gate starts to dial. Sam looks in concern at the generator
as the tone continues to cycle upwards.)
HARRIMAN
Chevron one encoded.
(Sam and Teal’c turn towards the Gate. After what seems like
an eternity, the second chevron clunks.)
HARRIMAN
Chevron two encoded.
(The naqahdah generator’s tone continues to get higher.)
HARRIMAN
Chevron three encoded.
(Sam and Teal’c stare at the Gate, willing it to dial faster.)
HARRIMAN
Chevron four ... arghh! (A zat blast
hits him from behind. He collapses over
the console. Sam and Teal’c turn and
stare up into the Control Room as Daniel
walks in, lowering his zat gun.)
CARTER
Daniel? What the hell are you doing?!
(Daniel looks down on them triumphantly. His eyes flash - he’s
a Goa’uld. The naqahdah generator reaches overload and explodes.)
FLASH. RE-SET.
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(Teal’c stands aside as the troops run past. As shooting commences,
he sinks slowly to the floor and just sits there watching impassively
as a super-soldier shoots everyone in the Gateroom. SFs run past
him in the corridor and are shot down by a second super-soldier
as it walks along the corridor behind them. Teal’c continues
to sit there as the super-soldier approaches - and walks straight
past him, ignoring him because he is not a threat.)
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Warning. Base auto-destruct sequence
has been activated.
FLASH. RE-SET.
Teal’c sinks slowly to the floor and just sits there watching
impassively as a super-soldier shoots everyone in the Gateroom.
SFs run past him in the corridor and are shot down by a second
super-soldier as it walks along the corridor behind them. Teal’c
continues to sit there.
FLASH. RE-SET.
Teal’c sits on the floor with his head in his hands as the SFs
run towards him and are shot down. He looks up at the approaching
super-soldier and then looks away despairingly as it walks past
him.
FLASH. RE-SET.
Teal’c sits on the floor.
FLASH. RE-SET.
Teal’c sits on the floor.
FLASH. RE-SET.
Teal’c sits on the floor.
FLASH. RE-SET.
REALITY. SAM’S LAB. Daniel comes in. Sam is working on a laptop.
Nearby is a second Game chair, this one empty.
CARTER
How’s he doin’?
DANIEL
Not well. His physical exhaustion’s
translating into the game. It’s like
he’s having trouble even playing any
more - it still won’t let him go.
CARTER
I spoke to one of the scientists on
P7J-989. He says there’s nothing they
can do under the circumstances.
DANIEL
What are you doing?
CARTER
They had a neural imprint of Teal’c’s
mind on file from when we were trapped
in the chairs six years ago.
DANIEL
Creepy!
CARTER
Yeah - I’m trying not to think about
it. Anyway, I’m running a simulation
on this chair using the same parameters
that Teal’c’s dealing with now.
DANIEL
And?
CARTER
Well, the imprint’s nowhere near the
same as a live active mind. Plus a lot
has changed in the last six years.
DANIEL
Yeah, but not the essence of Teal’c’s
character.
CARTER
See, that’s what worries me. I hope
it has. Now, I have run hundreds of
simulations. No matter what Teal’c does,
the programming adapts. Every time it
looks like he’s won, the chair makes
it harder. It’s almost like the game
is reading Teal’c’s mind and somehow
seeing this one game as a microcosm
for our war against the Goa’uld.
DANIEL
Well, that’s how Teal’c probably treats
every battle we fight with ‘em.
CARTER
Well, according to these results, six
years ago - despite what Teal’c led
us to believe - deep down, he didn’t
really think the Goa’uld could ever
be defeated.
DANIEL
Well, he doesn’t think that now. (Sam
shrugs.) He can’t, not after everything
we’ve accomplished.
CARTER
I hope you’re right, otherwise no matter
how long or hard Teal’c plays the game,
he won’t win.
SCIENCE LAB. Doctor Carmichael peels opens one of Teal’c’s eyelids
and shines a penlight in his eye. Jack throws him an enquiring
look but Carmichael says nothing and goes over to look at Doctor
Lee’s readouts.
CARMICHAEL
This can’t go on for much longer. We’re
gonna have to make a decision pretty
soon about forcibly removing the connections.
O’NEILL
Y’know, it’s too bad we can’t hook up
a joystick to this thing - give him
a little help, a little back-up, maybe.
(Sam, Lee and Carmichael turn round to stare at him.)
LEE
Actually, we could link up another chair
and send someone else into the same
simulation. Oh - it wouldn’t make any
difference; the processors would network
and the second person would just fall
victim to the same altered elements
in the simulation that have already
trapped Teal’c.
CARTER
Unless the new player had an advantage.
(She looks at Jack.) Sir, you may have
done it again.
O’NEILL
Yes. ... How’d I do it this time?
CARTER
These graphics are being generated by
a data recorder that’s tracking the
game. It’s actually interfaced into
the system between the chair’s processor
and Teal’c. The chair decides what’s
gonna happen - Teal’c responds. Those
responses are then incorporated, processed,
and we see the results. It’s a continuous
loop of ever-changing data.
O’NEILL
Oh(!) Still waitin’ on my good idea.
CARTER
The recorder causes a two second delay
between the programming in the chair
and the experience in Teal’c’s mind.
He won’t know the difference but we
could use it to our advantage.
LEE
If we hook up the second chair to the
first without using the recorder in
the loop ...
CARTER
... the new player would know what was
about to happen in the game two seconds
before it occurred.
DANIEL
Like precognition.
CARTER
Exactly. It’s not much but it might
give us enough of an edge to help both
players win.
LEE
That’s assuming the chair’s programming
won’t become aware of it and adapt.
CARMICHAEL
Which would mean that there’s a good
chance that the second player could
be trapped along with Teal’c.
(Jack, Sam and Daniel speak simultaneously.)
O’NEILL
I’ll go.
DANIEL
I’ll go.
CARTER
I’ll do it.
(Sam looks round at Daniel. Daniel looks round at Jack. All three
of them look at Teal’c.)
THE GAME.
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(Troops run along the corridor. Where Teal’c has always been
standing in the past, Daniel is now standing as the troops run
past. He watches them go and then sees Teal’c approaching.)
DANIEL
Teal’c!
(Teal’c looks at him for a moment, then raises his gun.)
DANIEL
What are you doing? No, don’t, don’t!
(Teal’c shoots him.)
FLASH. RE-SET.
REALITY. Now hooked up to the second chair beside Teal’c’s, Daniel
convulses.
O’NEILL
Why’d he shoot him?
CARTER
Because Daniel was a Goa’uld in the
last several simulations.
O’NEILL
I told you I shoulda gone.
CARTER
The last thing we needed was the game
learning from your tactical experience.
(In the game, Daniel gets shot again. In the science lab, Daniel
convulses again.)
THE GAME. Daniel is standing in the corridor as alarms sound.
DANIEL
I gotta get used to this.
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(As Daniel looks at the approaching troops, he sees a ghost image
of the troops ahead of the solid troops. As he watches them go
past, he sees Teal’c approaching. Sensibly, he runs and hides
until Teal’c has walked past.)
SAM’S LAB. Teal’c is searching for the modulator chip. He raises
his gun as he sees Daniel standing in the doorway aiming a gun
at him.
DANIEL
Easy. Don’t shoot. Just hear me out.
OK, it’s me - I’m real, I’m not a Goa’uld,
and I’m gonna prove that to you, OK?
(Teal’c shoots him.)
FLASH. RE-SET.
Daniel is back in the corridor at the start of the game.
DANIEL
Crap!
HARRIMAN’S VOICE
Threat level: Foxtrot Alpha Six. All
security teams to the Gateroom.
(Daniel stands aside as the troops run past, then heads off in
the opposite direction.)
(Shortly afterwards, Teal’c comes through a security door, looking
at all the dead SFs on the floor. From around a corner, Daniel
zats him, then walks cautiously towards him.)
DANIEL
I’m sorry, buddy, you’re gonna have
to listen to me. (He bends down and
takes Teal’c’s gun away from him, then
stands over him, still aiming his zat
gun at him.) OK - now a minute ago we
were in Sam’s lab, I was trying to convince
you I was real and you shot me, remember?
What happened next? (Teal’c stares at
him.) The game re-set. (Teal’c looks
confused.) I know - it’s probably happened
so many times it’s just one big blur,
but the reason it happened this time
is because I’m playing too. I’m in the
chair, just like you. If either one
of us die, we both lose.
(After a moment, Teal’c painfully sits up and drags himself to
the wall so that he can lean against it. His face has an expression
of despair on it.)
TEAL’C
It can no longer be helped.
DANIEL
I know. The game thinks in a real situation
you’d never quit.
TEAL’C
No matter what I do ... it is not possible,
Daniel Jackson, it is not possible.
DANIEL
Yes it is. That’s why I’m here. (Teal’c
looks at him.). C’mon, let’s do this
- together.
(He holds out his hand to Teal’c, who seizes it and Daniel helps
him to stand. Firing can be heard nearby.)
TEAL’C
We must leave this area immediately.
DANIEL
Yeah, I heard that. (They run off.)
LATER. The two of them are cautiously making their way along
a corridor.
TEAL’C
You possess the ability to foresee the
future.
DANIEL
Yeah, two seconds in the future. To
be honest with you, it’s kinda freaking
me out. Two seconds is not a lot of
time. Maybe, uh, just a chance to see
something happen and all I can see is
... watch out. (He looks round at Teal’c.)
No, seriously, watch out! (He shoves
Teal’c away as two super-soldiers approach,
firing. Daniel and Teal’c beat a retreat,
returning fire.)
REALITY. SCIENCE LAB.
CARMICHAEL
We’re gonna need a crash cart in here.
(He runs to the phone.)
LEE
You can’t introduce an electrical impulse
to the chair like that!
CARTER
He’s right.
CARMICHAEL
There’s a very good chance Teal’c is
going to go into cardiac arrest if he
suffers one more re-set.
THE GAME. Teal’c and Daniel are still retreating from the super-soldiers.
Daniel, on the other side of the corridor to Teal’c, looks across
and sees a ghostly image of the third super-soldier come out
of its invisibility cloak right behind Teal’c.
DANIEL
Teal’c!
(Before Teal’c can react, the real drone appears and shoots him
twice in the back. As Teal’c falls to the floor, the drone shoots
at Daniel.)
FLASH. RE-SET.
REALITY. SCIENCE LAB.
CARMICHAEL
His heart’s stopped. (He runs across
to Teal’c, grabs a syringe and plunges
it straight through Teal’c’s shirt and
into his heart, pressing the plunger.
Teal’c drags in a rasping breath.)
CARTER
He’s got a pulse.
CARMICHAEL
That’s not gonna work again.
(Jack is staring aghast at what Carmichael just did.)
O’NEILL
I don’t wanna see that again! I thought
they were gonna be able to beat this
thing.
CARTER
It may take Daniel a while to adjust
to the precognitive abilities, plus
two seconds isn’t a lot of time. He’ll
need the right opportunity to take advantage
of it.
(On the computer monitor of the game, alarms go off again. From
Teal’c’s point of view, a computer simulation of Daniel is running
ahead of him. Daniel reaches the door to Sam’s lab and nods to
Teal’c, who swipes his card through the reader. Inside the game
proper, the door opens and they go in.)
TEAL’C
Search for the modulator chip to compensate
for the drones’ modified armour.
DANIEL
Any idea where she keeps it?
TEAL’C
It changes location each time.
DANIEL
Of course it does! (They start searching.
After a few seconds...) Found it! (He
attaches it to his rifle, then looks
up, seeing a ghost image of the other
door opening and a super-soldier standing
there and firing as soon as the door
opens.) Down. (He drops to the floor.
Teal’c follows. A second later the door
opens for real and the super-soldier
is there and starts firing. Behind the
desk, Daniel adjusts the chip in his
weapon, then rolls out from behind the
table and fires a single shot at the
drone, which drops to the floor. Teal’c
stands up. Daniel looks at his rifle.)
Yeah - this could work.
LATER. Daniel and Teal’c are making their way through the corridors.
Daniel gets another precognitive flash and stops Teal’c from
going around a corner. They back up as a super-soldier approaches.
The drone clumps forward, then turns abruptly to look around
the corner. There’s no-one there. Daniel and Teal’c have backed
up around another corner. From there, Teal’c aims his weapon
at the soldier, but doesn’t fire. The drone clumps on. Teal’c
leans back against the wall, exhausted.
DANIEL
Why didn’t you shoot him?
TEAL’C
Such an action has always proven fatal.
On previous versions of the game, when
I’ve eliminated a drone from this location,
it has inevitably attracted the attention
of a third cloaked drone.
DANIEL
So we’ll shoot him too.
TEAL’C
It was merely a diversion designed to
allow a Goa’uld enough time to destroy
the base. It will use either our self-destruct
mechanism or a naqahdah generator designed
to overload.
DANIEL
And if you try and stop one it uses
the other.
TEAL’C
Indeed.
DANIEL
I suppose the identity of that Goa’uld
always changes too.
TEAL’C
Yes. I believe it to be the final component
of the game we must overcome.
(There’s shooting nearby. Daniel nods to Teal’c, who summons
his last remaining energy and they head out. They make their
way along the corridors but then Daniel slams his arm out, stopping
Teal’c in his tracks. Daniel pauses for a moment, then pulls
Teal’c back in the direction they just came from as two super-soldiers
come around the corner. Daniel and Teal’c run into the Gateroom
as the drones fire at them. They dive out of the way as Jack
and a bunch of SFs run into the Gateroom firing at the drones.
Lying on the floor, Teal’c fires his Telchak rifle at the drones
and takes them both down. Jack reaches down and helps Daniel
to his feet as Teal’c gets up as well.)
O’NEILL
You guys alright?
DANIEL
Oh, yeah. Thanks.
(Teal’c looks around, waiting for the self-destruct announcement
to start. It doesn’t come.)
TEAL’C
The naqahdah generator. (He runs off.
Daniel glances at Jack, then follows.)
O’NEILL
You guys alright?
STORAGE ROOM. Teal’c and Daniel come in. Sam is crouched on the
floor tinkering with the naqahdah generator. A few feet away,
Siler lies unconscious on the floor, a pistol nearby.
CARTER
Almost got it, just give me a second.
TEAL’C
Step away from the device.
CARTER
Teal’c, what are you doing? We’ve got
less than a minute before this thing
goes critical.
(Jack walks in. Teal’c aims his rifle at him.)
O’NEILL
T?
TEAL’C
Step away.
DANIEL
I’d do as he says.
(Jack and Sam both move away from the generator.)
O’NEILL
What the hell’s goin’ on here?
(On the floor, the generator is spinning up towards overload.)
CARTER
Teal’c, we’re all gonna die if you don’t
let me stop that overload.
TEAL’C
She may be a Goa’uld.
CARTER
It was Siler (pointing to him lying
on the floor).
O’NEILL
Siler?!
DANIEL
Siler?
CARTER
He was in here - I found him setting
the generator.
O’NEILL
Teal’c, put the weapon down. That’s
an order.
(Teal’c looks uncertain.)
DANIEL
What if it’s not her? You said yourself,
you could never tell who it was until
the last second.
TEAL’C
You may be correct, Daniel Jackson.
(He aims his weapon at Jack.)
O’NEILL
Heyyy!
(Sam grabs a rifle. Daniel raises his own and the four of them
stand there, all pointing weapons at each other.)
O’NEILL
Now what?
DANIEL
I know for a fact it’s not me or Teal’c.
(The four of them stand there, not moving. Teal’c looks down
at the generator.)
TEAL’C
Daniel Jackson!
DANIEL
I don’t know. I can’t tell.
(After a moment’s more thought, Teal’c reluctantly lowers his
weapon. Jack lowers his own.)
O’NEILL
Carter.
(Sam squats down to the generator and works on it. It starts
to power down. Daniel looks up and sees a ghost image of Siler
getting up from the floor.)
DANIEL
TEAL’C!
(Jack looks round and sees Siler starting to get up.)
O’NEILL
Carter!
(Siler grabs the pistol and starts firing. Everyone dives for
cover. Siler walks forward, and his eyes flash. Teal’c comes
from around the corner and fires multiple shots at Siler, gunning
him down. Everyone comes out from cover and looks at Siler lying
dead on the floor.)
FLASH.
REALITY. In the science lab, Daniel opens his eyes.
DANIEL
Is it finished?
CARTER
Yeah. You did it.
(Daniel closes his eyes in relief. In the chair next to him,
Teal’c opens his eyes.)
CARTER
Shutting off power to both chairs.
(Jack walks over to Teal’c.)
TEAL’C
O’Neill.
O’NEILL
Hey. (He pats him on the shoulder.)
TEAL’C
We have won.
O’NEILL
Well - it’s what we do.
(Teal’c smiles and nods.)
THE END
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