STARGATE SG1
Episode 503
"ASCENSION"
By
Robert C. Cooper
INT INFIRMARY, SGC
CARTER is sitting on one of the infirmary beds, speaking with
Dr FRASIER.
CARTER
Next thing you know I’m waking up with
Colonel O’NEILL looking down at me.
I suppose it’s possible I touched something
inside the device.
FRASIER
No contact burns.
CARTER
So what do you think it was?
FRASIER
Well, people have been known to black
out from fatigue.
CARTER
Come on Janet. I was a little tired
but...
FRASIER
Your pre-mission blood test did show
slight anaemia.
CARTER
You gave me clearance to go.
FRASIER
And I’m starting to question that judgement.
CARTER
There is nothing wrong with me.
FRASIER
Ok. At least consider what you’ve been
through the last few years. You’ve
had a Tok’ra symbiote die in your brain,
your memory has been stamped, and your
entire consciousness has been transferred
out of your body and into a computer
and then back again and that is just
for starters. Eventually it has to
take its toll.
CARTER
Are we done?
FRASIER
Yes.
CARTER hops down off the bed.
FRASIER
Make sure you come back if you start
speaking in an alien language.
CARTER
I’m sure I’ll have no choice.
She leaves the infirmary.
INT BRIEFING ROOM, SGC
O’NEILL and DANIEL are reporting to General HAMMOND, while another
man, Colonel REYNOLDS sits in on their discussion.
DANIEL
Oddly the structure was built about
four hundred years ago, whereas the
civilisation may date back as far as
three thousand.
REYNOLDS
Why is that significant?
DANIEL
Well, it may indicate the society developed
in relative isolation and was only later
influenced by something that suddenly
led it to leap to a more advanced technology.
HAMMOND
A STARGATE.
DANIEL
Exactly. Which means it’s likely they
either discovered it or figured out
how to use it just prior to building
the device. It would seem to me that
these events led to the cataclysm which
ended their society.
O’NEILL
Somehow.
DANIEL
Well, from what we know of the Goa’uld,
they’ll often attack a planet that’s
threatening technological advancement.
HAMMOND
I’m sorry, but I haven’t heard anyone
say exactly what the device is.
DANIEL
Uh, well, we’re still just speculating.
I mean, it could be a deep space observatory
for all I know.
O’NEILL
Or a big honkin’ space gun Sir.
DANIEL
It’s likely the Goa’uld would have taken
that.
CARTER enters and takes a seat.
CARTER
Well whatever it is, the power core
is missing. I was able to determine
that much before I uh...
O’NEILL
Dozed off?
CARTER
The engineering of the device is extremely
advanced. It’s gonna take some time
to decipher.
REYNOLDS
You’re saying that the power core to
the device is missing?
HAMMOND
Major, you know Colonel REYNOLDS.
CARTER
Of course.
HAMMOND
He’s been transferred from Area 51 and
will be leading SG16 during its long-term
analysis of the planet.
CARTER
Oh. Well, as I was saying, I believe
that a naquada generator could be modified
to interface with the...
O’NEILL
CARTER. 16 is on the case.
HAMMOND
Once I’ve heard someone conclusively
tell me what the device is, I will decide
whether we should try to find a way
to turn it on.
CARTER
Of course. Request permission to join
SG16’s assignment, Sir.
HAMMOND
Denied. Dr Jackson will be assisting
in the translation of the alien language
until SG1’s next mission. Otherwise,
you’re all free to take some time off.
Dismissed.
They all rise and CARTER heads over to HAMMOND.
CARTER
Sir. With all due respect I feel fine.
There’s absolutely no reason why I
shouldn’t be allowed to help.
HAMMOND
Major, I have no doubt that your technical
expertise will be required at some point
down the line. But until Dr FRASIER
advises otherwise, I’m ordering you
to take it easy.
He heads into his office.
CARTER
Take it easy?
O’NEILL
Yeah. You’ve been a little tense.
CARTER
Tense? Me? I’m not tense. Am I?
(quietly) When did you first notice?
O’NEILL
As we met.
CARTER
I’ve always just thought of myself as
very focussed.
O’NEILL
It’s called working too hard. You’re
gonna crash and burn.
CARTER
I really don’t have that much else to
do, Sir.
O’NEILL
Well find something. Take up...golf.
Fly a kite, knit something.
He leaves the room.
CARTER
I, I’m fine. Really.
EXT STREET (DAY)
CARTER pulls up in front of her house and gets out of the car
to head inside.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE
CARTER enters her home and heads into the kitchen to check her
answering machine.
ANSWERING MACHINE
You have no new messages.
As CARTER takes off her coat and moves around the room, the presence
from the planet is once again observing her through a white haze.
It looks around the house, sees photos on the wall.
INT BATHROOM (NIGHT)
CARTER is brushing her teeth. She turns away from the door,
then quickly turns back as if she senses something. There’s
nothing there.
INT BEDROOM
The presence is watching as CARTER climbs into bed and switches
off the light. It continues to watch as she sleeps.
EXT CARTER’S HOUSE (DAY)
CARTER heads down her front path to pick up her newspaper. As
she rises, a man is standing across the street, watching her.
MAN
Hi.
CARTER
Hi.
MAN
How are you?
CARTER
Fine. How are you?
MAN
Good. Nice to meet you.
CARTER
Yeah, uh, are you from around here?
MAN
No. But this is where you live.
CARTER
Yes it is. I’m gonna go back inside
now.
MAN
See you again.
CARTER
Bye.
She heads back into her house as the man stands there watching.
She locks the front door and looks out through the glass, but
he’s gone.
She heads into the kitchen to make a phone call.
INT DANIEL’S OFFICE, SGC
DANIEL is heading towards his office as the phone rings. He
hurries inside to answer.
DANIEL
DANIEL Jackson.
CARTER
Hey DANIEL, it’s me.
DANIEL
Hi Sam.
CARTER
I was just wondering how far you’d got
on the 636 translation.
DANIEL
Oh yes, I’m almost done. It miraculously
seems to hold the key to all the mysteries
of the universe.
CARTER
You just got there, you haven’t started
and I should leave you alone.
DANIEL
I thought you were supposed to be taking
it easy.
CARTER
Yeah, it’s not so easy.
DANIEL
Yeah, I know. Yeah, I promise I’ll
call you when I have something.
CARTER
Ok, thanks.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE
CARTER hangs up and turns around and is shocked to see the man
from outside standing before her.
CARTER
How did you get in here?
MAN
I won’t hurt you.
CARTER
No, I’ll hurt you if you come any closer.
She starts to dial the phone for help.
MAN
Please don’t. I just wanna talk to
you.
CARTER
About what?
MAN
It’s complicated.
CARTER
Let’s start with how you got into my
house?
MAN
I followed you home last night.
CARTER
You’ve been here all night?
MAN
I read some of your books and watched
the television so I could learn how
to speak and what to wear. (He looks
down at himself) Is this ok?
CARTER
You’ve been in my house all night?
MAN
Yes. But you couldn’t see me. I just
took this form now so we could relate.
Actually, I used to look this way before
my ascension.
CARTER starts to dial again.
MAN
Please, I’m not crazy.
She slams the phone down.
CARTER
Who are you?
MAN
My name is ORLIN. I’m from the planet
you just visited. I followed you back
through the STARGATE.
CARTER
See, that’s impossible.
He walks straight through the kitchen counter to stand before
her. CARTER backs away.
ORLIN
I can become invisible in my natural,
non-corporeal state.
CARTER
What do you want?
ORLIN
I’m sorry if I scared you, I just wanted
to talk to you. It’s been so long since
I...I...I know this is going to seem...ok,
I’ll jut come out and say it and then
move on from there. I have these, I
guess you could call them feelings.
CARTER edges around him, then starts to run away.
ORLIN
But the truth is...I love you.
The front door slams as CARTER runs out of the house.
EXT CARTER’S HOUSE (DAY)
Men in biohazard suits are using equipment to examine CARTER’S
house and front garden.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (DAY)
An SG engineer is fitting a camera on one of the ceilings as
O’NEILL follows CARTER through the house.
O’NEILL
Looked like an ordinary guy?
CARTER
Pretty much.
O’NEILL
What was he wearing?
CARTER
Average, normal clothes.
O’NEILL
Where do you think he got ‘em?
CARTER
Come on, Sir, we’ve seen lots of aliens
before.
O’NEILL
HAMMOND had the surveillance tapes in
the Gateroom checked.
CARTER
The alien said he could become completely
invisible.
O’NEILL
What else did he say?
CARTER
He just said who he was and where he
was from. Believe me, Sir, at first
I thought he was just some crazy guy
off the street and then he starts walking
through solid objects. I knew there
was no way I was gonna be able to contain
him if I tried. My phone line was dead
and I decided the best thing to do would
be to bring a Code 3 team in here as
fast a possible.
O’NEILL
CARTER. No one’s accusing you of acting
improperly.
ENGINEER
Colonel, we’re done. I’m ordering my
men to evacuate the premises.
O’NEILL
Alright, notify the local authorities
and tell them the gas leak is fixed.
ENGINEER
Yes, Sir. Our remote surveillance system
is set up and can be monitored from
down the street. We’ll watch the place
as long as you want, Sir.
O’NEILL
Thanks. (To CARTER) Uh, I could hang
out for a while.
CARTER
So far he’s only shown himself to me.
O’NEILL
Maybe he’s shy.
CARTER
Please don’t say take it easy.
O’NEILL
Take care?
She smiles and nods, and he leaves.
Through a camera on the wall, CARTER is seen moving around her
house, going through a chest of drawers in the bedroom, closing
the front door of her house, talking on the phone in the kitchen.
INT DANIEL’S OFFICE, SGC
TEAL’C is working on a laptop, DANIEL reading some papers. O’NEILL
enters.
DANIEL
How’s Sam?
O’NEILL
Absolutely no evidence of her secret
friend.
DANIEL looks up.
DANIEL
How’s Sam?
O’NEILL
HAMMOND recommended a psyche evaluation.
TEAL’C
Do you believe Major CARTER has become
mentally unstable?
O’NEILL
No more than the rest of us. What have
you guys got?
DANIEL
Well, it looks like that thing on 636
is a weapon.
O’NEILL
I was right?
TEAL’C
It is a weapon of great power O’NEILL.
O’NEILL
Big and honkin’.
DANIEL
From what I’ve been able to decipher
the people on 636 were developing along
a similar technological time line to
Earth. They had just discovered their
STARGATE when what they called the threat
from the skies came.
O’NEILL
Goa’ulds.
DANIEL
Yet somehow they suddenly managed to
build themselves an incredibly advanced
weapon to defend themselves.
O’NEILL
Couldn’t have been so advanced. The
place was a disaster, it obviously didn’t
work.
DANIEL
Well actually it did. The monument
outside the device tells the story of
how they destroyed the threat from the
skies and the men who built the weapon
were heroes.
TEAL’C
Which would explain why the Goa’uld
did not take the weapon.
O’NEILL
Hey, I saw that planet. If the Goa’uld
didn’t get them, who did?
DANIEL
We’re not sure.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (NIGHT)
CARTER enters her sitting room and switches on a light. ORLIN
is sitting behind her.
ORLIN
I understand why you did it.
CARTER
Of course you wait until they took the
cameras away.
ORLIN
Military protocol. You would have jeopardised
your job if you didn’t report me.
CARTER
I just came from a psychological evaluation.
Do you understand what that means?
ORLIN
They think you’re crazy.
CARTER
Am I?
ORLIN
There were times on Velona where I thought
I might be losing my mind.
CARTER
Velona.
ORLIN
Your planet refers to it as 636. I
was there for hundreds of years by myself.
The first time I saw you...
CARTER
Look...
ORLIN
Please. Let me finish. My kind are
capable of a level of communication
that shares our innermost essence.
CARTER
Telepathy.
ORLIN
Reading someone’s mind is an invasion
of privacy. It’s not about specific
thoughts or memory. It’s a sort of...exchange
of spirit.
CARTER
So you did this sharing thing on me.
ORLIN
Unfortunately, you passed out. I guess
you weren’t prepared. But I did learn
about you.
CARTER
What did you learn?
ORLIN
That you’re a good person, that your
heart is pure, that on the inside your
spirit is as beautiful as you are on
the outside.
CARTER
Alright.
She gets to her feet.
ORLIN
Where are you going?
CARTER
To get the Code 3 team back in here.
ORLIN
I’ll just hide again.
CARTER
So what are you gonna do? Stalk me
for the rest of my life?
ORLIN
Actually, I just wanted you to let me
try again. I think a human can handle
it. I think you have to just be...well,
receptive.
CARTER
Then will you go to the SGC and turn
yourself in?
ORLIN
No. But I’ll leave if you want.
CARTER
Will you actually be gone?
ORLIN
I promise.
CARTER
Ok. What do I do?
ORLIN (RISING)
Stand there. Open your mind to the
possibility of an existence not governed
by the rules of science which you hold
so dear.
CARTER
How do I do that?
ORLIN
Just close your eyes and...
CARTER
Don’t say take it easy.
ORLIN
Relax.
She takes a breath, then closes her eyes. ORLIN begins to glow
brightly, losing his human form as he
does so. The light surrounds both him and CARTER, before dissipating.
CARTER opens her eyes and stares at ORLIN.
CARTER
Oh my god.
INT CORRIDOR, SGC
CARTER, in civilian clothing, quickly catches up with O’NEILL.
CARTER
Colonel!
O’NEILL
Yep?
CARTER
Sir, look at this.
She shows him a clock, with a camera hidden inside.
O’NEILL
So?
CARTER
So, it was in my house. The Code3 team
were supposed to take away all their
equipment when they left, no more cameras,
no more listening devices.
O’NEILL
So they forgot one CARTER.
CARTER
Are you sure?
O’NEILL
No.
They stop outside a room.
CARTER
Sir. Is the SGC secretly keeping tabs
on me?
O’NEILL
Secretly?
CARTER
Colonel, I did my duty in reporting
the alien encounter and now everyone
thinks I’m crazy.
O’NEILL
Look, CARTER, here’s the bottom line.
No one has seen what you’ve seen and
until that happens we’re all going to
think you’re nuts.
CARTER
Sir, purely hypothetically, as my superior
office, if this alien did show himself
to me again...
O’NEILL
Did it?
CARTER
I’m just saying if the alien had the
ability and desire to show himself only
to me, it would probably be better if
I gathered as much information as I
could, possibly even found a way of
isolating it, before I officially mentioned
it again. Right?
O’NEILL
Probably. Yes. I gotta pee.
He goes into the bathroom.
CARTER
Yes Sir.
INT CARTER’S LAB, SGC
CARTER is sitting at the computer when DANIEL enters.
DANIEL
That’s the last of it.
CARTER
Thanks.
DANIEL
What are you working on?
CARTER
Well, based on your translation and
SG16’s latest report, the Pentagon has
started putting pressure on General
HAMMOND to try to find a way to activate
the weapon.
DANIEL
You think that’s gonna be possible?
CARTER
Well yeah. A naquada reactor can be
interfaced easily enough. The problem
is the burst of energy that’s required
makes the whole thing pretty dangerous.
DANIEL
How?
CARTER
Well, basically you have to start an
overload in the reactor and then release
it into the device. The problem is,
once the overload is started, you have
no choice but to release the energy
or the reactor will explode.
DANIEL
So you’d better be sure you want the
weapon to fire.
CARTER
Yep. I’m working on a way to try to
buffer the energy in a safer environment
prior to the release but General HAMMOND
hasn’t given me much time.
DANIEL
By all accounts, this device on 636
is a pretty powerful weapon.
CARTER
You think we should just leave it alone?
DANIEL
Well, let’s just say I’d feel better
if there was someone left to explain
how to use it.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (DAY)
CARTER enters her house to find ORLIN waiting for her.
ORLIN
You’re late.
CARTER
What do you mean?
ORLIN
You said you’d be home an hour ago.
I was worried.
CARTER
Hey, this is not a relationship we have
going here. I don’t even know what
it is.
ORLIN
You still could have called.
CARTER
What are you talking about? You couldn’t
even answer the phone if I did.
ORLIN
Maybe I could have.
CARTER looks around and sees the table set with candles and flowers.
CARTER
How did...? I mean, I thought.
She touches his shoulder.
ORLIN
Surprise.
CARTER
How?
ORLIN
Things have been going well between
us, right?
CARTER
There is no us, ORLIN. I don’t see
how there ever could be.
ORLIN
That was just because we used to live
on different planes of existence.
CARTER
Used to?
ORLIN
It’s possible for my kind to take human
form. Actually, re-take human form,
considering this is the way we started.
The doorbell rings.
CARTER
Oh boy.
O’NEILL
CARTER!
CARTER
It’s Colonel O’NEILL. Disappear.
The doorbell rings again.
ORLIN
That’s what I was trying to tell you.
I can’t anymore.
O’NEILL starts knocking on the door, so CARTER grabs ORLIN and
pushes him into a closet, closing the door.
She answers the front door to find O’NEILL and TEAL’C, in a cowboy
hat, waiting for her.
CARTER
Hey guys, what are you doing here?
O’NEILL
We brought pizzas and a movie.
TEAL’C
Star Wars.
O’NEILL
He’s seen it, what eight times?
TEAL’C
Nine.
O’NEILL
Nine times. If TEAL’C likes it, it’s
gotta be ok.
CARTER
You’ve never seen Star Wars?
O’NEILL
Well, you know me and sci-fi. Come
on, we never just get to hang out, so
I thought we’d...
CARTER
Uh, Sir, as much as I, ah...
She glances back inside the house.
O’NEILL
CARTER. Do you...already have company?
CARTER
Kind of.
O’NEILL
A date?
CARTER
I can understand why you might assume
that I didn’t have plans.
O’NEILL
Don’t worry about it. We’ll find something
else to do.
CARTER
I’m really sorry, I mean this is a surprise,
very unexpected.
O’NEILL
Well good for you. Have fun.
CARTER
Thank you.
O’NEILL
Have a pizza...and fun.
He gives her the pizza and he and TEAL’C leave.
CARTER opens the closet door.
ORLIN
As I was saying, once my kind chooses
to take human form, we can’t ascend
again without the help of the others.
EXT CARTER’S HOUSE (DAY)
O’NEILL and TEAL’C are walking away from the house.
O’NEILL
So, now what?
TEAL’C
I have read of a place where humans
do battle in a ring of Jell-O.
O’NEILL
Call DANIEL.
They get in O’NEILL’S car and drive off.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE
ORLIN and CARTER are talking over the meal ORLIN prepared.
ORLIN
I don’t know where the rest of my kind
are.
CARTER
Well, believe it or not, we met one
of them. Her name was Oma Desala.
ORLIN
Really. Never heard of her.
CARTER
She could do the same glowy kind of
things that you can and she controlled
the forces of Nature.
ORLIN
Yeah, that’s easy. At least it used
to be.
CARTER
Well she lived on a planet called Kheb
and she helped people ascend to a higher
plane of existence.
ORLIN
That’s why I’ve never heard of her.
She was probably banished, like me.
CARTER
What for?
ORLIN
Breaking one of the most sacred rules
of our kind: Do not accelerate the natural
ascension process of those beneath.
The humans of Velona were under attack
from the Goa’uld. I was prohibited
from interfering, but I couldn’t just
watch them die.
CARTER
You told them how to build the weapon.
ORLIN
Communicated the knowledge, yes. They
saved themselves.
CARTER
But not for long.
ORLIN
No.
CARTER
Well, you were right to try.
ORLIN
You’re wrong. It was a horrible mistake.
Shortly after they used the weapon
to defend themselves, they started to
plan the conquest of other planets using
the technology that I gave them.
CARTER
So what happened?
ORLIN
The others.
CARTER
The others of your kind destroyed the
planet? Well, they interfered too,
isn’t that breaking their own rule.
ORLIN
As a collective, they decided it was
necessary to prevent a disaster that
I was responsible for. I was forced
to live on Velona after that as my punishment.
CARTER
You couldn’t have known.
ORLIN
That’s why the rule exists.
CARTER
So. What now?
ORLIN
I’m human. Mortal, like you. I can
never go back to the way I was without
the others.
CARTER
Why would you do this?
ORLIN
I did it as much for myself as for you.
INT VAN, OUTSIDE CARTER’S HOUSE
Two men inside the van are monitoring CARTER and ORLIN inside
the house.
ORLIN
If nothing develops between us, I’ll
accept it. I just couldn’t go on any
other way. I just had to know.
INT BRIEFING ROOM, SGC
REYNOLDS
One week should be more than enough
time to run the proper pre-test simulation.
He glances towards Colonel SIMMONS, who is sitting opposite SG1.
CARTER
Sirs, if I may. I think we should wait.
SIMMONS
You think we should wait? Major, you’re
the one who figured out how to use the
naquada reactor to power this device.
CARTER
Because General HAMMOND ordered me to.
And if you read my recommendations,
you’ll see I also said it’s extremely
dangerous.
SIMMONS
Well I did read your recommendation
and the Pentagon feels the risks are
worth the reward.
REYNOLDS
Going through the STARGATE is extremely
dangerous and you do that everyday.
DANIEL
I agree with Sam, we don’t know enough
about what happened on that planet yet.
SIMMONS
Need I remind you, Dr Jackson, of the
dangers that we’re trying to defend
Earth against.
DANIEL
Oh, could you? Go slow.
CARTER
General, I believe that using the device
caused an atmospheric weather anomaly
big enough to destroy the civilisation
on 636.
DANIEL
You do?
SIMMONS
That wasn’t in your report.
HAMMOND
Do you have any evidence Major?
CARTER
Not exactly. But I think that we need
to perform a proper forensic environmental
analysis.
REYNOLDS
We’re going to. After the first test
firing of the weapon which is when we’ll
be able to gather the most accurate
information.
CARTER
Not if you’re dead.
REYNOLDS
There is nothing to show...
HAMMOND
Major, you have two weeks to bring in
any relevant evidence. If you can present
a good reason to stop the test, I will.
Dismissed.
SIMMONS approaches HAMMOND.
SIMMONS
General. Need I remind you, that ultimately
the decision rests with the Pentagon.
HAMMOND
Colonel, there’s a red phone in my office
that only takes calls from one man.
The last time I checked, he’s the boss
of your boss. Or do I need to remind
you?
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (DAY)
CARTER enters her house.
CARTER
ORLIN?
ORLIN
Sam, I’m glad you’re home. I made something
for you.
He hands her something wrapped in a cloth. She opens it to find
a large emerald.
CARTER
Is this real?
ORLIN
I read about how humans associate certain
materials with their birth month. Yours
is emerald right?
CARTER
It’s huge.
ORLIN
Oh. Is it? It was difficult to tell
the common size from the pictures in
the book.
CARTER
You made it?
ORLIN
You wouldn’t believe the things that
you can make from the common, simple
items lying around your planet. Which
reminds me, you’re going to need a new
microwave.
CARTER
ORLIN, I need to talk to you about something
else.
ORLIN
Ok.
CARTER
Let’s take a walk.
EXT PARK (DAY)
ORLIN and CARTER are walking through the park.
ORLIN
The others will know if the weapon is
activated.
CARTER
You think they’ll try to stop us?
ORLIN
It’s possible.
CARTER
What, even if we only intend to use
the weapon to defend ourselves?
ORLIN
How can you be sure of your people’s
intentions? You obviously can’t trust
them if you think that they would spy
on you inside of your own house.
CARTER
Yeah, I guess I can’t trust all of them.
ORLIN
I’ve read some of your recent history.
CARTER
And?
ORLIN
Many of the creators of the first atom
bomb honestly believed it would only
be used to maintain peace. I can’t
take the chance Sam. I won’t be responsible
for the demise of another civilisation.
CARTER
Well if you thought it might come to
that, why didn’t you just destroy the
weapon?
ORLIN
I thought I had. I never expected you
to be able to replace the power core.
You really are brilliant.
CARTER
I think your point is, we have to find
a way to stop the test.
ORLIN
How? You have no proof without exposing
me.
CARTER
I know.
He starts to smile.
CARTER
What?
ORLIN
I’m sorry. If you haven’t turned me
in by now, there must be a reason.
CARTER
I’d feel bad betraying you. That’s
all, nothing more.
ORLIN
You like me.
CARTER
ORLIN.
ORLIN
You like me. I can tell. You like
me a lot.
CARTER smiles despite herself.
INT HAMMOND’S OFFICE, SGC
CARTER enters HAMMOND’S office to find O’NEILL and SIMMONS waiting
for her.
O’NEILL
They’re testing the weapon.
HAMMOND
I received an order directly from the
President. Colonel REYNOLDS and SG16
are on P4X 636, setting up the naquada
reactor as we speak.
CARTER
But, Sir, you said I would have two
weeks, it’s only been...
SIMMONS
Nine days, Major. And I dare say you
haven’t spent a single minute of it
working on atmospheric weather anomalies.
CARTER
What’s that supposed to mean?
SIMMONS
Would you like to explain these deliveries?
CARTER
What deliveries?
SIMMONS
100 pounds of raw titanium. 200 feet
of fibre optic cable. Seven 100, 000
watt industrial strength capacitors.
The list goes on. All ordered on line
from your home computer.
He hands her the sheet of paper.
CARTER
I have no idea what you’re talking about,
I’ve been here on the base everyday.
SIMMONS
Oh, well then maybe you’d like to explain
who’s been excepting these deliveries.
He shows her photos of her and ORLIN, taken from outside her
house.
CARTER
You have been watching me.
HAMMOND
Not us. The Pentagon. I’m sorry Major.
I’ve expressed my anger and disappointment
to the President regarding the investigation
of one of my officers without my knowledge.
SIMMONS
We have tapes of your conversation with
the alien.
O’NEILL
At least we know there is one now for
sure.
SIMMONS
Would you like to tell us what’s going
on Major?
O’NEILL
She doesn’t have to tell you squat.
Major CARTER was working with the approval
of her superior officer. She told me
he was there. I authorised her to collect
as much information as possible.
SIMMONS
I’m not here to lay blame, Colonel.
I’m here as a courtesy. (To CARTER)
As we speak a team of Special Forces
are surrounding your house and on my
command, they’re gonna go in and take
that alien into custody.
EXT OUTSIDE CARTER’S HOUSE (NIGHT)
Special Forces are in position outside CARTER’S house. A car
pulls up and SIMMONS, CARTER and O’NEILL get out.
SIMMONS
What’s going on?
SOLDIER
Well the suspect is in there, but he’s
failing to respond to our call to surrender.
O’NEILL
Let CARTER go in. He’s worth more to
you alive, right?
SIMMONS
Yeah.
O’NEILL
You’ve got the place sealed off, he’s
not going anywhere. Let CARTER go in
and try to bring him out.
SIMMONS
Alright. Give her a radio.
A soldier gives CARTER a radio and she heads over to her house.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (NIGHT)
CARTER enters her home. It’s dark and she has a flashlight.
CARTER
ORLIN? ORLIN?
ORLIN
Sam? Come on down.
She descends into the basement to find him fiddling with the
fuse box.
CARTER
ORLIN, what are you doing?
ORLIN
Ok, just a minute.
CARTER
There’s a team of Special Forces outside.
ORLIN
I know.
CARTER
They wanna take you into custody.
ORLIN
I know. It’s ok.
CARTER
ORLIN, I didn’t turn you in.
ORLIN
I didn’t think you did.
He does something to the fuse box, causing sparks, then grabs
her hand and pulls her into another room.
ORLIN
Come on.
They enter the other room to find a small STARGATE in the middle.
CARTER
Whoa. You’ve been busy.
ORLIN
I didn’t think they’d let me go back
to Velona through their STARGATE.
CARTER
So you built one?
ORLIN
Sort of. This won’t dial multiple addresses
and will only create a wormhole once
and probably burn out.
CARTER
And you ordered the materials on line.
ORLIN
Mostly. Sorry, but you’re gonna have
a pretty big credit card bill this month.
Oh, and you’re going to need a new
toaster. I tapped into the main power
line. Hopefully we’ll be able to draw
enough energy.
CARTER
And then what?
ORLIN
I go to Velona to stop your people from
using the weapon.
CARTER
You know they won’t listen to you.
They have orders.
ORLIN
Then I’ll have to make them listen.
CARTER
They could kill you.
SIMMONS
Major CARTER. Major CARTER report.
Major CARTER respond immediately.
She holds the radio, but doesn’t respond.
EXT OUTSIDE CARTER’S HOUSE (NIGHT)
SIMMONS
CARTER.
O’NEILL
CARTER, what are you doing?
SIMMONS
Move in.
SOLDIER
All teams, all teams, we have a Code
Red.
O’NEILL
We’re coming in.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (NIGHT)
CARTER can hear the order given over the radio.
SOLDIER
Go, go, go.
ORLIN
I was really hoping that there would
be another way.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (NIGHT)
The Special Forces soldiers enter the house, kicking in the doors.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (NIGHT)
ORLIN triggers the power to his mini STARGATE and it’s enough
to create a wormhole through to Velona.
ORLIN
You know how I feel about you. I hope
this isn’t goodbye.
He runs and jumps thought the STARGATE while CARTER looks on.
She hears the approach of the soldiers.
INT CARTER’S HOUSE (NIGHT)
O’NEILL and the soldiers enter the small room to see the small
STARGATE shut down. There’s no sign of CARTER.
EXT VELONA (DAY)
ORLIN is running away from the STARGATE, CARTER a few hundred
yards behind.
CARTER
ORLIN!
ORLIN looks up to see the sky ominously clouding over.
INT CAVERN, VELONA
Colonel REYNOLDS and his team are working on the device.
ORLIN comes in and attacks one man, pushing him down and grabbing
his zat gun. He shoots the downed soldier but REYNOLDS draws
his side arm and points it at him.
REYNOLDS
Don’t move!
EXT VELONA
CARTER is running towards the cavern when she hears a shot being
fired.
CARTER
Hold your fire! I know this man.
Behind her, ORLIN has been shot, but is still on his feet.
REYNOLDS
He attacked us.
The device in the cavern is starting to build up power.
CARTER
Colonel please. Lower your weapon.
He has good reason to wanna stop this
test.
REYNOLDS
I-I have orders from General HAMMOND.
CARTER
I know. Let’s just dial out and talk
to the General about it.
REYNOLDS
Can’t do that. Your instructions specifically
said that once we started the energy
build up, we couldn’t abort or the reactor
will blow.
CARTER
He’s right. If we disconnect the reactor
now, it will explode.
ORLIN
Good. The weapon will be destroyed.
REYNOLDS
I can’t let that happen, Major.
ORLIN dives forward and REYNOLDS opens fire, but he manages to
disconnect the cables to the device in a shower of sparks.
The device begins to lose power and goes dead.
CARTER rushes over to ORLIN, who has been shot several times.
ORLIN
I can believe how much this hurts.
CARTER
Just hang on.
REYNOLDS
Major, we gotta get out of here.
CARTER
We can dial out. We can’t risk the
blast translating through the wormhole.
ORLIN
I have to go Sam. (He touches her face)
They’ve given me another chance. It’s
the only way I can save you.
He starts to glow and the hand touching her face slips away into
the light as he moves away from her.
He passes over the naquada reactor, to the shock of Colonel REYNOLDS,
and takes it high into the sky where it explodes in a massive
blast.
The others all duck as a lightning bolt shoots down and destroys
the device for good.
CARTER slowly raises herself to look up at the sky through the
gap in the cavern and see clouds begin to clear.
FADE OUT
THE END
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