STARGATE SG1
Episode 816
"RECKONING I"
By
Damian Kindler
Transcribed by
Callie Sullivan
GOA’ULD SPACE STATION (last seen in “Summit” and “Last Stand”).
A female Goa’uld stands in the conference room addressing Lord
Yu and two other male System Lords. Oshu, Yu’s First Prime, stands
at Yu’s side.
GOA’ULD
The System Lords are no longer. You
have become a meaningless coalition
that cannot resist the power of my master,
Lord Ba’al.
(Yu whispers to Oshu, who then delivers Yu’s message.)
OSHU
Your master has no honour. The System
Lords have not weakened in their resolve.
GOA’ULD
The Jaffa are weak-willed and fallible.
Is it any wonder they’ve begun to doubt
their faith in the gods? So many Goa’uld
have fallen.
OSHU
Ba’al was wise to send a representative.
YU
I would have killed him with my own
hands!
GOA’ULD
Despite your ill will, Lord Ba’al wishes
to extend a most generous offer. In
exchange for your surrender, Ba’al will
allow you to keep your armies and continue
to administrate your territories under
his authority. You will be permitted
to live, so long as you bow before him
as the supreme commander of the entire
Goa’uld domain. (Yu looks furious at
this offer.) Refusal to accept the terms
of this offer will result in the resumption
of hostilities, and ultimately your
death. (A Jaffa hurries in and stands
by the female Goa’uld’s side, waiting
to give her a message. She leans towards
him and he whispers in her ear.) Bring
her.
YU
What is the meaning of this?
GOA’ULD
I should ask you the same thing.
(Two super-soldiers escort Sam Carter into the room. She is wearing
a jacket - rather more ornate than the usual Air Force jackets
- with SGC patches on the sleeves.)
GOA’ULD
Major Samantha Carter.
CARTER
Actually, I’m a colonel now.
(The super-soldiers push her to her knees.)
GOA’ULD
Her cargo ship was intercepted by my
sentries when it violated the proximity
zone around this station. (She looks
at Yu.) I am well aware of your past
relationship with SG-1 and the Tau’ri.
Would you have me believe that her sudden
appearance here is nothing more than
mere coincidence?
(Yu gets to his feet and approaches Sam.)
YU
What are you doing here?
(With no warning, Sam plunges a sword through Yu’s chest. As
he collapses to the ground, the others stare in disbelief. Sam
gets to her feet and we see that the sword is growing straight
out of her arm. She’s the RepliCarter. Yu’s blood covers the
sword. She walks towards the female Goa’uld.)
(Outside the space station, the Replicator ship is approaching.)
SPACE. A Goa’uld mothership is in orbit around a planet. Inside
the ship, Bra’tac is on the pel’tak. Teal’c, Sam and Daniel come
to join him.
TEAL’C
They are late.
DANIEL
Or they’re not coming.
TEAL’C
Were that the case, Rak’nor would have
sent word.
BRA’TAC
If he were able to do so.
CARTER
Maybe we should reconsider the mission.
TEAL’C
This is not an SGC mission. Reconsidering
is not an option.
DANIEL
Look, I know the timing of these first
few surprise attacks is crucial, but
...
CARTER
... and we’re just here as observers,
but right now I’m observing the fact
that if you take on one of Amateratsu’s
motherships without proper backup, you
could get yourself killed.
DANIEL
Us observers too!
BRA’TAC
Many such attacks have been co-ordinated
simultaneously across the galaxy - each
one designed to create a strategic weakness
in the forces of the System Lords.
DANIEL
And if even one fails ... I know!
TEAL’C
The rebel Jaffa have gone to great lengths
to acquire the security codes currently
being used by the System Lords. If all
goes according to plan, they will believe
we are allies and lower the shields.
DANIEL
If all goes according to plan.
TEAL’C
Once the shields are lowered, the Jaffa
contingent aboard this vessel should
be sufficient to overwhelm any initial
resistance we may encounter.
BRA’TAC
We have allies within the ranks of Amateratsu’s
Jaffa who will also help facilitate
our attacks. Once the others witness
the death of their false god, they will
realise the truth and join our ranks.
CARTER
Isn’t the fact that we haven’t heard
from Rak’nor kind of a bad sign?
(Bra’tac and Teal’c look at each other. At that moment read-outs
appear superimposed over the viewscreen and beeping can be heard.)
DANIEL
What is it?
BRA’TAC
Ship’s sensors have detected a vessel
closing in on our position. (The read-out
changes to show the ship.) Ha’tak class.
DANIEL
Rak’nor?
TEAL’C
Unlikely. Rak’nor would have hailed
long before his approach.
CARTER
Then it has to be Amateratsu. Shouldn’t
we get outta here?
(Bra’tac and Teal’c look at each other again. Clearly they are
reluctant to retreat.)
DANIEL
Teal’c, the odds are not in our favour.
TEAL’C
They never are, Daniel Jackson.
(Daniel shrugs in agreement. Outside the ship, the ha’tak gets
closer.)
BRA’TAC
I am hailing them and transmitting the
security codes. (After a moment, the
ship jolts.) They have fired on us.
(The ship jolts again.) Shield strength
is down sixty percent.
TEAL’C
How is that possible?
CARTER
What the hell did they hit us with?
(Teal’c goes to the weapons console.)
TEAL’C
Returning fire. (He fires on the ha’tak,
but it is undamaged.) Our weapons are
ineffective.
(The ship jolts again.)
BRA’TAC
We have lost shields.
CARTER
Now can we get out of here?
BRA’TAC
Navigational controls are not responding.
We must evacuate.
DANIEL
Glider bay?
TEAL’C
We can use the rings to transport to
the planet below and escape through
the Stargate.
(They head off towards the ring room. As they’re walking along
a corridor, Teal’c hears something and raises his hand to stop
the others.)
CARTER
What is it?
(Up ahead of them, a door opens and a lot of Replicator bugs
come scampering through.)
DANIEL
That’s not good.
TEAL’C
This way.
(He leads them off in another direction. The Replicators follow.
Sam and Daniel stop to fire at them but their bullets have no
effect. We see a Replicator’s eye view of Daniel. The view homes
in on him, and then an Asgard-type transporter beam whisks him
away.)
CARTER
Daniel!
TEAL’C
Colonel Carter. (He, Sam and Bra’tac
hurry away.)
SGC. GATEROOM. Jacob Carter comes through the Stargate. As he
walks down the ramp, Jack comes into the Gateroom with his arms
wide.
O’NEILL
Jacob!
JACOB
Jack, we got a problem. We need to talk.
O’NEILL
Hi! Hello! How are ya?! Long time no
see! What’s doin’?! What’s up?! Hey,
buddy!
JACOB
I’m sorry, Jack. It’s good to see you
again. Congratulations on your promotion.
(He offers Jack his hand.)
O’NEILL
Thanks!
JACOB
You deserve it.
O’NEILL
Yes, well. What’s up?
JACOB
The Replicators - they’ve launched an
all-out attack on the Goa’uld. If the
Goa’uld can’t find a way to stop them,
the Replicators will easily overrun
our galaxy in a matter of weeks.
O’NEILL
Why didn’t you say so?
(Jacob tilts his head in an “I think I just did!” kind of way,
then turns and walks out of the Gateroom. Jack hurries along
behind him.)
O’NEILL
I’m sorry. You said we had a “problem”,
not a big galactic emergency!
SGC. LAB. Jacob is working at a console while Jack stands nearby,
playing with a device that Jacob must have given him to hold.
An SGC technician brings something over to Jacob.
JACOB
Our operatives have spent the past several
years tagging as many Goa’uld ships
as possible in an effort to track their
movements. Today we have beacons on
more than a hundred motherships transmitting
their location via subspace to an encoded
Tok’Ra network.
O’NEILL
And this?
JACOB
It’s a receiver that will allow me to
tap into the subspace network. We can
keep tabs on Ba’al’s fleet, see how
their battle with the Replicators is
faring; we can also get up to the minute
Tok’Ra intelligence reports from our
agents in the field.
O’NEILL
You know, we could have used something
like this a long time ago.
JACOB
The High Council never thought they
could trust you with it.
O’NEILL
What changed their mind?
JACOB
Nothing. They don’t know I took it.
O’NEILL
Ah!
(Jacob attaches a lead to the receiver.)
JACOB
My relationship with the Council’s still
a little strained.
O’NEILL
It’s not gonna get any better if you
keep stealing stuff. (Jacob looks at
him. Jack puts a hand on his shoulder.)
No complaints! I’ll take anything I
can get: weapons, receivers, silverware
...
(Jacob finishes linking the receiver in with the SGC computers.
A star map comes up on a screen on the wall showing many red
dots.)
JACOB
Each dot represents a Goa’uld ship.
O’NEILL
That’s a lot of dots.
JACOB
That’s just one small quadrant of the
galaxy. (He types.) Watch.
(The map zooms out, then homes in on another area. Again, the
Goa’uld ships are marked by red dots. As they watch, one of the
dots flashes for a couple of seconds, then goes out. The message
“lost signal” appears next to where the dot was. Immediately,
a second dot flashes and then goes out, replaced with the message
“lost signal”.)
O’NEILL
What just happened?
JACOB
The beacons stopped transmitting their
signals, likely meaning those ships
were either destroyed or taken over
by the Replicators. (On the screen,
another ship’s beacon is lost.) Battles
like the ones you just witnessed are
taking place across the galaxy. Several
Goa’uld territories are now entirely
in Replicator hands. (Another ship disappears
off the screen.) As I said, given the
progress of these battles, the Goa’uld
will be wiped out in a matter of weeks.
(Another ship disappears.)
O’NEILL
Y’know, I have to admit, I have some
mixed feelings about this.
JACOB
Well, we all wanna see the Goa’uld’s
stranglehold on the galaxy broken, (another
ship disappears) but not if they’re
just gonna be replaced by something
worse.
(Alarms sound.)
HARRIMAN
Unscheduled offworld activation!
(Jacob and Jack leave the lab.)
GATEROOM. Sam, Teal’c and Bra’tac come through the Gate as Jacob
and Jack enter.
CARTER
Dad!
JACOB
Hey, kid. (He kisses her as she reaches
the bottom of the ramp.)
O’NEILL
So ... what the heck happened? Didn’t
you guys have a ship? (The Gate closes
down.) And by the way, where’s Daniel?
BRA’TAC
He was beamed away before our very eyes.
TEAL’C
By Replicators.
JACOB
Just Daniel?
CARTER
There’s only one reason I can think
of: my duplicate. She knows the greatest
threat the Replicators have ever known
is the disrupter technology that you
built (looking at Jack) using Ancient
knowledge.
O’NEILL
So? She’s immune to that now.
CARTER
Yes, but Replicators always seek out
the most advanced technology. She may
be worried that there’s other Ancient
technology out there that could be a
threat to her and the rest of the Replicators.
TEAL’C
Daniel Jackson had access to the knowledge
of the Ancients when he was ascended.
JACOB
I thought he didn’t retain those memories?
CARTER
We don’t know that for sure. Daniel
has remembered certain things from when
he was ascended. She may think that
everything she needs to know about the
Ancients is buried in his subconscious.
If it is, she’ll find it.
O’NEILL
Oy!
LATER. BRIEFING ROOM.
JACOB
The Tok’Ra have operatives in Ba’al’s
inner circle, including one of his high-ranking
lieutenants. According to the latest
intelligence, the ranks of the Jaffa
rebellion are re-pledging their loyalty
to the Goa’uld by the thousands.
CARTER
But the Goa’uld are losing the war.
O’NEILL
Yeah. You’d think that’d make ‘em look
weaker.
BRA’TAC
The Jaffa have never seen the likes
of such creatures. Many could see these
Replicators as a plague, an evil punishment
brought upon all for daring to stray
in their beliefs and betray their gods.
TEAL’C
This situation has dealt the Jaffa rebellion
a serious blow. Even if we were to somehow
defeat the Replicators, the Goa’uld
would undoubtedly take credit, thereby
solidifying Jaffa loyalty as well as
their belief in the Goa’uld as gods.
O’NEILL
I think the key phrase in there was
“somehow defeat the Replicators”.
CARTER
We haven’t had much luck, sir. The inert
Replicator cells left behind by my duplicate
haven’t given us any clues as to how
to fight the immunity she’s developed.
As far as I know, Thor hasn’t made much
progress in modifying the disrupter
technology either.
O’NEILL
Well, let him know what’s goin’ on ...
(he stands up and starts to walk towards
his office) ... and don’t be afraid
to remind him that we’ve saved his cute
little grey bum several times.
TEAL’C’S QUARTERS. Bra’tac is gazing into a lit candle.
BRA’TAC
Years of effort, all but undone in a
matter of days. It will now be almost
impossible to turn so many of our brothers
back to our cause. (He turns to face
Teal’c, who does not look so concerned.)
TEAL’C
Perhaps - yet there may be a way.
BRA’TAC
Even if we can, I wonder: will it make
a difference? These machines are unlike
anything I have seen.
TEAL’C
We must proceed in the belief that Colonel
Carter and Thor will devise a means
to destroy the Replicators.
BRA’TAC
How then can we prevent the Goa’uld
from taking credit and solidifying their
position as gods in the eyes of all
Jaffa?
TEAL’C
We must act now, before this conflict
is resolved; win back the hearts and
minds of those who waver before they
are lost to us. We must once and for
all destroy the Goa’uld image as gods
forever.
BRA’TAC
How?
TEAL’C
By capturing the temple at Dakara. (Bra’tac
stares at him in amazement.) Everything
we have fought for hangs in the balance.
BRA’TAC
Yes. But Dakara?!
TEAL’C
Capture it, and never again will a Jaffa
worship a false god.
JACK’S OFFICE. Jack is sitting at his desk. Sam comes to the
door.
CARTER
Sir. (She walks into the room.) I’m
sorry to bother you but ...
O’NEILL
I’m only gonna say this once, Carter:
what happened to Daniel was not your
fault.
CARTER
She knows he may hold key Ancient knowledge
because of me. She’s out there because
of me. I basically gave her the means
to counter the only effective weapon
we have against her.
O’NEILL
I also gave you permission to work with
her. It’s not gonna change anything.
(Sam looks down. Jack looks at her for
a moment.) Unless you’re suggesting
we use that time machine to go back
and fix it?
CARTER
No, sir. We all agreed we would never
do that. I mean, for all we know, it
could just make things worse.
(Walter taps on the door.)
HARRIMAN
Sir, we’re receiving a message from
Thor. He said he’s ready to trans...
(An Asgard transporter beam envelops Sam and whisks her away.)
O’NEILL
You were saying?
HARRIMAN
Never mind. (He turns and walks away.)
ASGARD SHIP (presumably the Daniel Jackson.) Sam is transported
into a lab on the ship.
THOR
Hello again, Samantha Carter.
CARTER
Hi, Thor.
THOR
I have already transported your research
and the remains of the human form Replicator
to this lab. We may continue our work
from here.
CARTER
Any progress on your end?
THOR
I have yet to isolate the cipher the
human form Replicator introduced to
render the disrupter weapon ineffective.
(Sam is standing in front of a small table which has the remains
of the RepliCarter’s arm on it.)
CARTER
Well, given the situation, I think it’s
time to take more drastic steps.
THOR
You are suggesting we attempt to trigger
a subspace connection between the remains
of the arm and the rest of the Replicators
so that we may search for the cipher
among their communications data.
CARTER
Too wild and crazy?
THOR
In order to do that, we must reactivate
the cells.
CARTER
I know.
(Thor activates his console, and a beam starts to play over the
Replicator cells.)
SGC. JACK’S OFFICE. Teal’c and Bra’tac have come in to talk to
Jack.
O’NEILL
What makes this place so special?
TEAL’C
The temple at Dakara is sacred to all
Jaffa.
BRA’TAC
It is rich in historical significance.
Legend tells it is the place where Anubis
rose from the dead.
TEAL’C
It is also the site of the first prim’ta
ritual.
BRA’TAC
It is that rite of passage that has
bonded us in servitude ever since. For
thousands of years, the Jaffa have viewed
Dakara as the holiest of sites - the
very cradle of our existence. It is
the place where the Goa’uld first gave
Jaffa their strength and longevity.
O’NEILL
And you really think this place is gonna
make a difference?
BRA’TAC
Seizing control of the temple there
would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt
the Goa’uld do not possess the power
of the gods.
TEAL’C
Even the most stubborn Jaffa would have
to question his loyalty to the Goa’uld.
O’NEILL
There has to be a catch, or you guys
would have done this a long time ago.
BRA’TAC
Dakara is deep within Ba’al’s territory
and under normal circumstances it is
heavily guarded. However, with Ba’al’s
forces deployed throughout the galaxy
battling the Replicators, the temple
is more vulnerable now than it has ever
been.
TEAL’C
Still, our success depends on the element
of surprise and the use of the entire
rebel fleet.
(Jack shakes his head doubtfully.)
BRA’TAC
Listen to me, O’Neill. This war must
be fought on two fronts. We will reignite
the uprising and conquer our oppressors
while you find the means to stop these
Replicators. (Jack still looks doubtful.
Bra’tac leans forward to make his point.)
Let us each fight the enemy we know
best.
SPACE. REPLICATOR SHIP. Daniel, disarmed, is wandering around
a room lined with Replicator blocks. After a while, the RepliCarter
appears.
REPLICARTER
Hello, Daniel.
DANIEL
What the hell do you want?
REPLICARTER
You have information that I need. (She
starts to walk towards him.)
DANIEL
OK, what do you want to know?
REPLICARTER
I’m afraid it’s not that simple.
(She continues to walk towards him. He starts to back away from
her.)
DANIEL
No, no, it is that simple ... (He reaches
the wall and flattens himself against
it as the RepliCarter gets closer) ...
although, if it’s all the same with
you, I’d rather not do the hand in the
head thing, so, uh ... (She looks at
him.) Honestly, I’ll tell you whatever
you wanna know.
REPLICARTER
Honesty is not the problem.
(Some of the Replicator blocks in the wall reach out and clamp
around Daniel’s wrists. More blocks imprison his ankles.)
REPLICARTER
Unfortunately, to get what I need, we’re
going to have to dig a little deeper.
(More blocks come out of the wall around Daniel’s head, holding
it fixed in one position.)
REPLICARTER
Shall we begin?
CHULAK. In a tent outside the town, Teal’c and Bra’tac are meeting
with a group of rebel Jaffa, including Aron, last seen in “Sacrifices”.
ARON
What you’re proposing is madness. Dakara
cannot be taken.
(Teal’c walks towards Aron angrily. Bra’tac holds up a fist against
Teal’c’s chest to prevent him from getting any closer, then turns
to another Jaffa.)
TEAL’C
Tolok - you have not spoken.
TOLOK
Aron is right. We would be sacrificing
countless men and ships on a fruitless
mission. We should be concentrating
on the greater threat, the Replicators,
before they destroy us all.
TEAL’C
Jaffa - hear me. I have engaged the
Replicators in battle many times. Believe
me when I say they cannot be defeated
by conventional means.
ARON
You have faced them in the past and
won.
TEAL’C
Indeed, yet never in such numbers. Those
of you who choose to engage the Replicators
in battle will not survive.
BRA’TAC
Teal’c is right. We must fight only
those battles we know we can win.
TOLOK
Yet you propose an equally impossible
task.
BRA’TAC
With Ba’al otherwise occupied, now is
the time to strike.
TOLOK
No free Jaffa has ever set foot in the
temple and lived.
BRA’TAC
Then that is precisely why we must go
there. If we succeed, many will rejoin
our cause.
ARON
If we succeed.
TEAL’C
Were the circumstances different, I
may feel the same as you, brother, but
the situation has changed. We must act
now, or our children will know no future,
let alone the taste of freedom.
TOLOK
Teal’c, I believe there is wisdom in
these words. However, you are aware
that if we fail, it would effectively
mean the end of the rebellion. Are you
prepared to risk our entire cause on
this one action?
TEAL’C
Indeed I am.
BRA’TAC
So - what say you?
(Tolok thinks about it for a moment, then raises his head.)
TOLOK
I say we take Dakara!
ARON
So be it.
SGC. LAB. On the screen monitoring the Goa’uld/Replicator battle,
another Goa’uld ship’s signal flickers and disappears. Jacob
is again sitting at the computer while Jack stands next to him.
JACOB
Five more regions belonging to Ba’al
have fallen in the past twenty-four
hours.
O’NEILL
He’s not putting up much of a fight,
is he?
JACOB
No, he’s making a typical Goa’uld mistake.
He’s defending territory at the expense
of resources. (He sighs.) We can send
him a message through the undercover
Tok’Ra in his midst. We could suggest
a change in strategy.
O’NEILL
Like what?
JACOB
Typically, the Replicators are patient
and slow-moving when not being engaged.
If Ba’al stops aggressively fighting
them and pulls back, it may give Sam
more time to come up with the solution.
O’NEILL
Forget that!
(Jacob gestures at the screen as another red dot flashes and
goes out.)
JACOB
Look - there goes another one. (He turns
to Jack, then stands up to face him.)
Jack - he’s thinking like a System Lord
defending himself against another Goa’uld.
He doesn’t know what he’s dealing with.
O’NEILL
And if he retreats, where d’you think
he’s gonna fall back to?
JACOB
You’re worried about Teal’c and the
rebel Jaffa.
O’NEILL
They’re counting on Ba’al’s fleet being
too busy to even care about anything
else.
JACOB
The Jaffa rebellion has already failed.
We can’t risk the fate of the galaxy
on one long-shot chance to revive it.
O’NEILL
Is that Jacob talking, or is that Selmak?
JACOB
Jack, I’m sorry, but the more ships
Ba’al sends out to fight, the faster
the Replicators assimilate them into
their own armada. Their numbers are
growing exponentially. If we don’t do
something about it, by the time we do
come up with a weapon to use against
them, it may be too late.
(Alarms sound.)
HARRIMAN
Unscheduled offworld activation.
(Jack and Jacob leave the room.)
CONTROL ROOM. Jack and Jacob come in.
O’NEILL
Now what have you got, Walter?
HARRIMAN
Some kind of ...
(At that moment, a hologram of Ba’al appears on the ramp in the
Gateroom. The SFs raise their weapons.)
O’NEILL
Oh! Ba’al! (He heads down to the Gateroom,
followed by Jacob, and addresses the
troops.) Stand down, boys. (He walks
over to face the hologram.) Ba’al, buddy!
We were just talkin’ about you - all
good! (He smiles mock-sweetly.)
BA’AL
By now you are aware of the Replicator
threat to our galaxy and that my fleet
has engaged them in battle.
O’NEILL
There’s been a little chit (he turns
to Jacob) and chat around the watercooler.
(He smiles sarcastically at Ba’al.)
How’s that goin’?
BA’AL
We are holding them at bay for the moment.
However, they are a more formidable
force than I first anticipated.
O’NEILL
Yeah. Pesky little buggers, aren’t they?
BA’AL
I am aware that the Asgard have previously
fought the Replicators effectively.
O’NEILL
More or less. I don’t like to toot my
own horn but ...
BA’AL
I am aware that you assisted the Asgard.
(He looks at Jack. Jack gazes back at
him.)
O’NEILL
Yes?
BA’AL
I wish to know what means you possess
to fight this scourge.
(Jack tilts his head, smiling slightly.)
O’NEILL
I’m sorry - we must have had a bad connection
there for a second. It almost sounded
like you were asking me for help!
BA’AL
The Replicators are a threat to everyone,
including the countless humans who populate
worlds throughout this galaxy. Now,
I propose that we work together to defeat
our common enemy.
O’NEILL
My - this is an occasion! (He turns
to Ba’al.) You know that bitter taste
in your throat, it’s kind of wrapped
around your uvula? That’s what’s left
of your pride.
BA’AL
Perhaps you could curb your amusement
for a moment.
JACOB
If we’re going to work together, the
first thing we should discuss is strategy.
Now, your attempts at meeting the Replicators
head-on are only going to result ...
O’NEILL
Jacob. J-J-Jacob. I got it. (He turns
to Ba’al.) I’ve got a better idea. Instead
of helping you, why don’t we sit back
and watch you get your ass kicked? (He
smiles smugly.) That way, you’ll be
dead, and we’ll be glad!
BA’AL
You cannot be serious.
O’NEILL
Yes I can. I just choose not to some
of the time. (He grins.)
BA’AL
With your insolence you’re dooming not
just your world but all of humanity.
O’NEILL
I think big!
(Ba’al’s hologram disappears. Jacob walks round to face Jack.)
JACOB
What the hell was that?
O’NEILL
I’m sorry, Jacob, but I’m just not quite
ready to sacrifice Teal’c. (He walks
away.)
THE DANIEL JACKSON. The beam continues to play over the Replicator
cells until they melt into a liquid form.
THOR
The process is complete. Now we must
re-establish the subspace link between
these cells and the rest of the Replicators.
CARTER
What if they receive instructions?
THOR
It is a risk we will have to take. I
will only maintain the link for microseconds
at a time. It will slow the process,
but I do not believe we have a choice.
(He activates a beam onto the Replicator cells for a couple of
seconds. As it fades, Sam looks at the screen behind Thor.)
CARTER
What did we get?
THOR
I am processing the data now. (A star
map appears on the screen, covered with
blue dots.) I believe we have pinpointed
the location of the Replicators within
this galaxy.
(Sam stares at the map.)
CARTER
They’re everywhere!
HYPERSPACE. The rebel fleet of motherships is making its way
towards Dakara. On Bra’tac’s ship, Aron is manning the weapons
console.
BRA’TAC
We are approaching Dakara. Defences?
TEAL’C
I am reading only a single ha’tak class
vessel in orbit around the planet.
BRA’TAC
Ba’al must indeed be desperate. There
are normally a dozen ships patrolling
this system.
ARON
Then we may yet succeed.
DAKARA. As the single mothership patrols around the planet, the
three rebel motherships come out of hyperspace.
BRA’TAC
We are in position.
ARON
Gliders are ready for launch.
TEAL’C
We are being hailed.
JAFFA
You have encroached on the domain of
Lord Ba’al. Identify yourselves immediately.
TEAL’C
Shal’kek nem’ron. (There is no response.)
You are greatly outnumbered. Surrender
now or be destroyed.
VIS UBAN (or, rather, the planet that Jonas mistakenly identified
as Vis Uban in “Fallen”). Daniel is in the tent that he lived
in after he descended. Candles are lit all around the tent. He
is wearing the same blue robe he wore while on the planet. He
looks around, puzzled. A woman’s voice speaks.
WOMAN
They called you Arom, did they not ...
(Daniel turns to see Oma Desala, wearing
a light blue hooded robe, standing behind
him) ... after you returned to your
plane of existence?
(Daniel smiles.)
DANIEL
Oma!
(Oma removes her hood.)
OMA
Daniel, it is good to see you again.
DANIEL
I don’t understand. Last thing I remember
...
OMA
You are still on the ship. The human
form Replicator is attempting to probe
your mind as we speak.
DANIEL
So why are you here?
OMA
Because when she is done, she will destroy
you, and when that time comes, you will
be faced with a choice.
GOA’ULD PLANET. Ba’al walks into a throneroom. There is a Goa’uld
sitting on the throne, mostly obscured by a dark robe and hood.
BA’AL
I have received word from the battle.
The bulk of the fleet continues to engage
the Replicators as you have ordered.
However, I believe it would be wise
to pull our forces back. If we stop
confronting the enemy on so wide a front,
it may slow their advance and allow
us a chance to mount a proper defence.
(As Ba’al speaks, we see that the hands of the Goa’uld sitting
on the throne are covered with lesions.)
GOA’ULD
You doubt my power.
BA’AL
Of course not. But your fleet is falling
into their hands rapidly. Not even the
Kull warriors ...
(The Goa’uld raises his head and we see that his face is also
covered with lesions.)
GOA’ULD
Do not concern yourself. (He turns his
head towards Ba’al - his eyes are bloodshot
and his face is a mess. It’s Anubis.)
When the time is right, I promise you,
this nuisance will be dealt with. Trust
in me.
(Ba’al tries to hide a grimace.)
BA’AL
As always.
SGC. CONTROL ROOM. Sam is reporting to Jack and Jacob on a video
link from the Daniel Jackson.
CARTER
It took several hundred microsecond-long
connections and hours to go through
each subsequent burst of data but eventually
we managed to isolate the cipher that
makes the Replicators immune to the
disrupter and we’ve adjusted it accordingly.
(Jacob smiles and looks round at Jack, who is looking confused.)
JACOB
The weapon works again.
(Jack turns to the video screen.)
O’NEILL
Good job!
CARTER
It was an incredibly risky thing to
do, sir, and as it stands, we still
don’t know if we were detected, and
of course the altered disrupter still
needs to be tested under battle conditions.
O’NEILL
Got a plan?
CARTER
Thor was able to ascertain the various
positions of the fleet now controlled
by the Replicators. We’re going to engage
a few isolated ships.
JACOB
Be careful, Sam.
O’NEILL
Good luck.
CARTER
Thank you, sir.
(The transmission ends.)
JACOB
Never a dull moment.
DANIEL’S TENT.
DANIEL
So you’re here to offer me the opportunity
to ascend again.
OMA
If that is what you wish.
DANIEL
What I wish? What are my options?
OMA
Personally, I would choose eternal enlightenment
rather than the alternative.
DANIEL
If it were only that simple.
OMA
I admit, the decision is not as easy
as it appears. The last time, for you,
the experience was challenging at the
best of times.
DANIEL
Unfortunately I don’t have any memories
of the last time I was ascended. How
can I make an informed decision if I
don’t remember what it was like?
OMA
Daniel, I did not take your memories
from you.
DANIEL
You think I haven’t tried to remember?
Tell me how.
OMA
I can’t.
DANIEL
Then tell me what I need to know.
OMA
If you are seeking an absolute truth,
you will not find it. Only truth that
applies to you.
DANIEL
That is so extremely unhelpful.
OMA
When the time comes, you will know.
DANIEL
What if Replicator Carter finds what
it is she’s looking for?
OMA
There is that possibility.
DANIEL
You have to stop her.
OMA
I can’t.
DANIEL
Why not? Offer me ascension now!
OMA
You’re not dead yet. All I can do is
prepare you - help you to find your
path to enlightenment, when that time
comes, if that is what you decide you
want.
DANIEL
There’s a way to defeat the Replicators
hidden somewhere within my memories,
isn’t there?
OMA
You need only to open your mind to it.
(Daniel frowns.)
DAKARA. We see an overhead shot of the temple area. Then we go
down to the temple itself. The rebel Jaffa have overwhelmed the
Jaffa defending the temple. Bra’tac is addressing the captured
Jaffa.
BRA’TAC
Brothers! All of you will be detained.
Have patience. (He puts his hand on
the shoulder of one of the captured
Jaffa.) For all of you who renounce
the Goa’uld as false gods will one day
be free. (To the rebel Jaffa) Take them.
(To the captured Jaffa) Go. You will
not be harmed.
(The captured Jaffa are led away. Teal’c and Aron come over to
join Bra’tac. Teal’c smiles.)
ARON
The last of the garrison have surrendered.
The temple is secure.
BRA’TAC
Many lives were spared today. (He clasps
Teal’c’s arm.) Well done.
(Teal’c bows his head in acknowledgement.)
SPACE. The Daniel Jackson comes out of hyperspace and approaches
a Replicator-infested mothership.
THOR
Firing weapon.
(His screen shows the beam from the disrupter flying towards
the mothership. Inside the mothership, Replicator bugs are crawling
all over the place. As the beam sweeps through the ship, the
Replicators disintegrate.)
THOR
The ship’s systems have shut down.
CARTER
That worked well.
THOR
The weapon appears to be effective.
(The screen shows a second ship appearing behind them.)
CARTER
Another ship.
THOR
They are firing on us. (The ship jolts.)
Targeting the second ship.
(As the second mothership fires again on the Daniel Jackson,
the disrupter beam envelops the mothership. However, it continues
firing.)
CARTER
It’s still coming!
THOR
They have adapted themselves to our
modifications.
CARTER
That was fast!
THOR
Yes. (The ship jolts again.) Initiating
evasive action.
(The Daniel Jackson goes into hyperspace.)
GOA’ULD PLANET. Ba’al comes into the throneroom to find Anubis
facing two super-soldiers holding a male human slave between
them.
BA’AL
Excuse the intrusion. I will return.
(He turns to leave.)
ANUBIS
Stay.
(Ba’al turns back and waits. The slave glances at Ba’al pleadingly.
Anubis’ current host body tilts his head back as the black cloud
that is Anubis comes out of him. The host collapses to the ground
as the cloud plunges into the slave. As it takes possession of
the slave, he throws off the grasp of the super-soldiers, who
pick up the dead body of the previous host and drag it away.
Anubis walks over to a window to admire his new reflection.)
ANUBIS
Speak.
BA’AL
A force of rebel Jaffa have managed
to take control of the temple at Dakara.
ANUBIS
As I hoped. They have no doubt gathered
their full force and presented us with
the perfect opportunity to annihilate
them once and for all. Have the fleet
disengage their battle with the Replicators
and move on Dakara. Take it back at
all costs. Leave no survivors.
BA’AL
As you wish. (He turns, not looking
too pleased at his instructions, and
walks away.)
DANIEL’S TENT.
OMA
You control the barrier between your
consciousness and what you seek. You
merely need to open your mind. The truth
is, all knowledge, everything that is
and was and will be, is everywhere -
out there, and in all of us.
DANIEL
If you immediately know the candlelight
is fire, then the meal was cooked a
long time ago.
(Oma blinks a couple of times, apparently baffled by the statement.)
OMA
Yes. (She smiles rather falsely.)
DANIEL
No. You’re trying to understand it,
aren’t you?
OMA
It means what you want it to mean.
DANIEL
No it doesn’t - and you’re not Oma.
(Oma transforms into the RepliCarter.)
REPLICARTER
No, I’m not, but it doesn’t matter.
Thanks to you, I found what I was looking
for.
HYPERSPACE. THE DANIEL JACKSON.
THOR
We are approaching Earth. We will be
there shortly.
(Controls and lights start to flicker and go off.)
CARTER
What’s wrong?
THOR
Several of my key systems are no longer
responding. (He calls up an image of
the ship on the viewscreen. Several
parts of the image turn red.) We have
been boarded.
(The ship comes out of hyperspace. The image of the ship on the
screen goes fuzzy.)
CARTER
See if you can modify the disrupter
wave again. I’ll go buy us some time.
(She starts to run from the room.)
THOR
I have no way of knowing how many Replicators
you will face.
CARTER
Well, what choice do we have?
THOR
I must return you to Stargate Command
before my transporter systems are affected.
CARTER
And what about you?
THOR
I will attempt to fly this ship as far
away from Earth as possible before it
is completely compromised.
CARTER
No way. I’m not gonna let you ...
(A transporter beam envelops her and whisks her away and she
reappears in ...)
SGC. JACK’S OFFICE. Jack is sitting at his desk. Sam runs out
of the beam and stops in front of Jack’s desk.
CARTER
... sacrifice yourself. (She realises
where she is.) Dammit!
O’NEILL
Carter?
CARTER
The weapon worked at first, but the
Replicators immediately adapted themselves.
They’re immune again.
O’NEILL
No chance you guys could fix this thing
- get it to work?
CARTER
Sir, Thor’s ship was boarded. He beamed
me down here before all the systems
were compromised. He’s trying to get
his ship as far away from Earth as possible.
O’NEILL
I’ll take that as a no?
CARTER
Yeah.
DAKARA. Aron is admiring the temple walls. He walks over to Teal’c,
who is leaning against a pillar and smiling.
TEAL’C
Never in my dreams could I have imagined
I would one day stand beneath these
great columns.
ARON
Think of it: this is the very spot in
which our enslavement began.
TEAL’C
Then this sacred temple is an appropriate
place for our enslavement to end. (They
walk over to Bra’tac.) We have won a
great victory here today, old friend.
BRA’TAC
We have won a battle, Teal’c - nothing
more. Our victory is far from assured.
TEAL’C
Many of Ba’al’s Jaffa have already pledged
their allegiance to our cause. When
word spreads of what we have accomplished,
many more will follow.
BRA’TAC
And their hearts will turn cold again
if they hear our accomplishment lasted
mere hours. (Tolok enters. Bra’tac turns
to greet him.) Tolok. What news?
TOLOK
We have received word. Ba’al has broken
off his battle with the Replicators.
He is coming.
BRA’TAC
As we expected. You see - taking the
temple was not our greatest challenge.
Holding it will be.
DANIEL’S TENT. All the candles blow out.
REPLICARTER
This Oma character: why do you have
such reverence for her? Those ridiculous
sayings are just nonsense.
DANIEL
To you, maybe.
REPLICARTER
If she really has as much power as you
think she does, why doesn’t she help
you? She merely stands by and does nothing.
DANIEL
You mean, while you destroy entire civilisations.
REPLICARTER
That’s a matter of perspective. You
call it destruction; we call it creation.
DANIEL
You’re not really trying to justify
your actions, are you?
REPLICARTER
No. I have no need for you to understand
this.
DANIEL
Why the elaborate ruse? I mean, you
probed my mind at will - I obviously
can’t stop you.
REPLICARTER
You could have resisted. I needed you
to open up to the possibility of remembering
the knowledge in your subconscious.
It made it much easier for me to find
what I was looking for.
DANIEL
And what d’you find?
(The RepliCarter turns to the entrance to the tent. Just outside
the tent, the sand rises into an exact replica of the temple
at Dakara.)
DANIEL
Pretty! What is it?
REPLICARTER
The ruin is of an Ancient monument on
a planet now called Dakara. Within it
is the one weapon in this galaxy capable
of destroying me. (She gestures, and
the sand blows away. She turns back
to face Daniel.) Thanks to you, it will
soon be no more.
SGC. GATEROOM. Walter and Siler are standing facing the foot
of the ramp. Walter looks at his watch nervously. He glances
at Siler, then turns to face the ramp again.
HARRIMAN
I’m sure he’ll be here any second now.
(On the ramp, Ba’al’s hologram is standing impatiently. He has
obviously been kept waiting there for some time.)
HARRIMAN
So, um ...
(At that moment, Jack comes in.)
O’NEILL
I am so sorry. I was just finishing
up a lovely brunch.
BA’AL
Impudence.
O’NEILL
No, tuna. So, I hear your fleet is retreating
from the Replicators.
BA’AL
How could you know that?
O’NEILL
I have my sources.
BA’AL
My fleet is on its way to recapture
Dakara and destroy the Jaffa who have
dishonoured their true god.
O’NEILL
Will you stop with the “true god” crap?
I mean, seriously, what difference will
it make? You’re just delaying the inevitable.
BA’AL
The Replicators are a formidable enemy
- but I have recently learned of a weapon
hidden on Dakara capable of destroying
them.
O’NEILL
Really? And you’re telling me this why?
BA’AL
Because you must destroy it before my
fleet arrives to claim it.
O’NEILL
Alright - you got me. I haven’t the
slightest idea what you’re talking about.
BA’AL
The weapon on Dakara was built by the
Ancients. It is not only capable of
destroying Replicators but all life
in the galaxy.
O’NEILL
And your own sweet self included.
BA’AL
Yes.
O’NEILL
So why would you use it?
BA’AL
I would not, but there is one who would
- one who can survive such pervasive
devastation.
(Jack closes his eyes as he realises who Ba’al is talking about.)
O’NEILL
Oh, please don’t tell me.
BA’AL
Anubis.
O’NEILL
I asked you not to tell me.
TO BE CONTINUED.
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