STARGATE SG1
Episode 813
"IT'S GOOD TO BE KING"
By
Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
Transcribed by
Callie Sullivan
SGC. BRIEFING ROOM. Jack and SG-1 are there.
CARTER
The war between Ba’al and the System
Lords has reached a critical stage.
According to Tok’Ra intelligence, Bastet
and Olukun are dead, Morrigan has capitulated,
and Lord Yu and Amateratsu are rallying
their armies for what will probably
be their last stand.
TEAL’C
As we predicted, the Jaffa were no match
for the Kull warriors.
CARTER
The Tok’Ra also thought we should know,
in the face of imminent defeat, some
of the System Lords are actively seeking
out areas of refuge. Planets they abandoned
long ago are now being scouted as possible
sanctuaries.
O’NEILL
And this affects us how?
DANIEL
One of these planets which used to fall
under the domain of the System Lord
Ares also happens to be the place where
the Tok’Ra dropped off one Harry Maybourne
two years ago.
O’NEILL
And this affects us how?
CARTER
The Tok’Ra have their hands full with
more pressing matters. They strongly
suggest we get to Maybourne before the
Goa’uld do.
TEAL’C
If we do not retrieve him, Harry Maybourne
faces certain capture. (Jack looks at
him as if he really couldn’t care, but
Teal’c presses the point.) Torture,
interrogation - perhaps even death.
(Jack pauses for a moment, then grimaces.)
O’NEILL
Alright, fine. Go get him.
CARTER
Yes, sir.
WORMHOLE TRAVEL.
PLANET. SG-1 step through the Stargate onto yet another green
and wooded planet.
CARTER
According to the Tok’Ra the people of
this world are fairly primitive.
DANIEL
No phones, no lights, no motorcars.
I bet you Maybourne just jumps at the
chance to leave.
TEAL’C
What of the other inhabitants?
CARTER
We’ll relocate them. We may not have
a lot of time - Ares could be here in
a matter of days.
(Suddenly a group of people rise up from the tall grass, aiming
crossbows at SG-1. As the team raise their weapons and look around,
they realise that they are surrounded.)
CARTER
We don’t mean you any harm.
TEAL’C
We are allies of the Tok’Ra.
DANIEL
We’re just, uh, looking for a friend
of ours - Harry Maybourne. Maybe you’ve
heard of him? Shifty fella, beady eyes?
No?
(A woman speaks.)
GERRAN
You will follow us to the village and
meet with King Arkhan. He will discern
your true intentions.
LATER. The team have been escorted to a village.
DANIEL
Not exactly the trusting type.
TEAL’C
Which leads me to wonder whether Harry
Maybourne is still alive.
CARTER
Presumably the Tok’Ra put in a good
word for him.
DANIEL
Maybe we should get them to do the same
for us!
(The team are led through the village to an area where several
women are tending to a man sitting on a stone throne. One is
fanning him while another stands in front of him, blocking the
team’s view of him. As she moves away, we see that she has just
put what looks like a strawberry into his mouth. His eyes are
closed in ecstasy. He is dressed in a fur robe and is wearing
a wide band - obviously some sort of crown - around his head.
Immediately, the team realise who the man is.)
CARTER
Maybourne!
(Harry opens his eyes, stares at the team in amazement, and swallows
the strawberry quickly.)
GERRAN
This is King Arkhan. My Lord, our hunting
party encountered these offworlders
by the Gate.
MAYBOURNE
Hey, guys! Long time no see! (He laughs.)
OPENING CREDITS. RESUME. Harry is still chuckling.
MAYBOURNE
I should have known. I should have known
you’d be the ones to come.
DANIEL
You were expecting us?
MAYBOURNE
Well, sort of. Where’s Jack?
CARTER
General O’Neill’s back at the SGC.
MAYBOURNE
No kidding. “General O’Neill”? (He grimaces.)
That doesn’t sound right. Still, good
for Jack. Nice to hear he’s doing so
well for himself.
TEAL’C
As, evidently, are you.
(Harry looks down at his fur robe.)
MAYBOURNE
Uh, this. Yes, well, uh, it’s a long
story. (He stands and calls out to the
villagers while tossing his robe off.)
Food, drinks for our guests!
(The villagers move to comply. Harry leads SG-1 away from the
throne.)
CARTER
We don’t have time for this!
(They reach a long table where villagers are starting to bring
food. Harry picks up one of the fruits.)
MAYBOURNE
Uh, you should try one of these. It’s
called, um ...
GERRAN
Ojun fruit.
MAYBOURNE
Right. It’s sort of a cross between
a guava and a mango.
DANIEL
Sort of a guango?!
MAYBOURNE
I like that! (He stands on the bench
and calls out to the villagers.) People!
Henceforth ojun fruit shall be called
guango! So shall it be! (The villagers
cheer and applaud. Harry gets down from
the bench and turns to Sam.) I get to
name all kinds of stuff. You should
see the Grateful Dead Burial Ground!
CARTER
Maybourne, you have to get out of here.
You’re in danger.
MAYBOURNE
I know. The Goa’uld are coming. (He
turns his attention back to the ‘guango’.)
Now, you should peel it before you eat
it. I find the skin kind of tart.
CARTER
You know about the Goa’uld?
MAYBOURNE
Oh yeah.
TEAL’C
You were warned by the Tok’Ra.
MAYBOURNE
I haven’t heard from the Tok’Ra since
they dropped me off.
CARTER
Then how?
MAYBOURNE
I can read the future. (Having peeled
the guango, he bites into it and makes
an appreciative sound. He notices that
SG-1 are staring at him in light of
the statement he just made.) Really!
CARTER
What are you trying to pull?
GERRAN
He speaks the truth. King Arkhan is
a prophet. He foresaw your arrival and
the hand you will play in defeating
our enemy.
MAYBOURNE
Gerran’s right. It’s all part of the
prophecy!
(Sam leans down to speak quietly to Harry.)
CARTER
Maybourne, what the hell is going on
here?
(Harry looks at her, then stands up.)
MAYBOURNE
Let’s go for a walk.
LATER. Harry has brought the team to the ruined remains of a
temple in a large clearing in the woods.
MAYBOURNE
OK. Here we are. I found this place
about, oh, uh, ten months ago when I
was on an, uh, afternoon stroll.
TEAL’C
It is quite a distance from the village.
MAYBOURNE
I enjoy long walks.
CARTER
Right! Long walks, rainy nights, and
candlelit dinners. Why are we here,
Maybourne?
(Daniel has already spotted the reason. There is a tall square
column with writing carved into it.)
DANIEL
This writing is in Ancient. What do
the locals know about these ruins?
MAYBOURNE
Well, not much. They generally avoid
the area because it’s close to the naqahdah
mines - the site of their former enslavement.
Bad luck, an’ all.
DANIEL
This is incredible.
MAYBOURNE
No, no, this is, uh, interesting. This
(he gestures for Daniel to look at another
square column) is incredible.
(They all walk over to the second column.)
TEAL’C
What is it?
MAYBOURNE
It’s a record of the planet’s history,
covering major events. Only some of
them haven’t happened yet.
CARTER
What are you talking about?
MAYBOURNE
They have a complicated lunar calendar.
It took me a while to figure it out,
but once I did I realised there were
references in the text to things that
are gonna happen in the future. (Sam
and Teal’c look at him suspiciously.)
Yeah, I know - it sounds crazy. I didn’t
think much of it either at the time,
but then this big meteor shower happened
exactly on the date the stone predicted.
CARTER
You’re sure you’re reading it correctly?
MAYBOURNE
My skills may not compare with Doctor
Jackson’s but over the years I’ve picked
up a decent understanding of Ancient
writing. As a result of my translations,
I predicted a major flood would destroy
the village unless I could convince
the elders to move to higher ground.
CARTER
And of course you told them where these
predictions came from.
MAYBOURNE
No. Well, not in so many words. (Sam
rolls her eyes.) Look, these are simple
people. (He gestures at the column.)
This stuff would mean nothing to them.
I had to play the role of a prophet
to - to convince them.
TEAL’C
And out of gratitude they made you king.
MAYBOURNE
Like I said, it was their idea.
(All through the preceding conversation, Daniel has been looking
at the writing on the column.)
DANIEL
Well, he’s partly right, anyway. It
is a historical log. (He reads some
of the writing aloud.) “On the first
moon of the forty-fifth cycle, the ground
will tremble and devastation will be
wrought.”
MAYBOURNE
Yeah, yeah, yeah, big earthquake, couple
of years back - before my time. (He
points to another side of the column.)
Skip ahead - we’re on the fifty-fourth
cycle.
(Daniel moves round the column and starts to read again.)
DANIEL
“Commencing the third moon of the fifty-fourth
cycle ...”
MAYBOURNE
Which is around now, give or take a
few days.
DANIEL
“... the oppressors of old will return
...”
MAYBOURNE
That’s the Goa’uld.
DANIEL
“... to seek dominion over the land.
Those of a distant world will come ...”
MAYBOURNE
I’m guessing that’s you guys.
DANIEL
“... to vanquish the evil and restore
order once again.”
MAYBOURNE
You see? They come, you defeat them,
happy ending! That’s the prophecy!
CARTER
Sorry, but we didn’t come here to fight
the Goa’uld. We should get going.
DANIEL
Actually, um, this is interesting, and,
uh, there’s a lot here to translate.
VILLAGE. Sam and Teal’c have returned to the village. Daniel
contacts Sam over the radio.
DANIEL
Sam?
CARTER
Go ahead.
(Daniel is still at the temple.)
DANIEL
Maybourne was right.
CARTER
What do you mean?
DANIEL
Well, from what I’ve been able to decipher,
it’s pretty clear. The script on these
walls is a historical log compiled by
an Ancient who travelled through time
to study the evolution of life on this
world.
CARTER
Daniel, we know the Ancients experimented
with time travel but we have no evidence
that they actually mastered it.
DANIEL
Yeah, well, we do now. You see, to the
best of my knowledge, these writings
are only a couple of hundred years old,
which means they were carved after the
Goa’uld had already left.
CARTER
But the Ancients pre-date the Goa’uld.
DANIEL
Right, so the only logical explanation
is that an Ancient travelled to the
future and then back to a time not too
long ago.
CARTER
I dunno, Daniel.
DANIEL
There are references to the time travel
device itself. Now, it’s described as
being inside a small ship. Now if I’m
right, it may still be here. I think
it’s worth a look.
CARTER
Alright. We’re on our way.
LATER. Sam, Teal’c and Daniel are separately searching the woods.
Teal’c is in deep woodland; Daniel is in a dried-up riverbed.
Sam contacts Daniel.
CARTER
Daniel?
DANIEL
Go ahead.
CARTER
We’ve been at it a while - are you sure
it’s around here?
DANIEL
Just give it a little more time.
CARTER
I hate to say it, Daniel, but we can’t
risk staying much longer.
(Daniel doesn’t reply, and the three of them continue searching.
Teal’c sees something in the distance, illuminated by the sun
shining off it. Elsewhere, Sam looks at her watch, then activates
her radio again.)
CARTER
I’m scrubbing the search. Fall back
to the Gate.
DANIEL
Sam?
CARTER
Daniel, we have no way of knowing when
the Goa’uld will get here.
DANIEL
It could be days.
CARTER
And it could be hours.
(Teal’c has reached the object and clears branches and leaves
off it. It seems to be a small ship.)
TEAL’C
Colonel Carter, Daniel Jackson. I have
found something.
SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. Sam and Daniel have joined Teal’c and have
discovered how to open the rear hatch of the ship. As they cautiously
walk inside, the lights at the rear of the ship come on automatically.
As the team walk forward, more lights come on. [Viewers of “Stargate
Atlantis” will immediately recognise that the ship is a Puddlejumper
but for those who don’t watch “Atlantis”, this isn’t important.]
Daniel stops at a large device in the middle of the ship while
Sam and Teal’c move to the front, more lights coming on as they
approach.
CARTER
It certainly looks like a ship.
TEAL’C
These appear to be flight controls.
DANIEL
So what’s this?
CARTER
Could be the time device. (She and Teal’c
go back to join Daniel.)
TEAL’C
It bears little resemblance to Ancient
designs we have previously encountered.
DANIEL
Well, judging from Maybourne’s wall,
it must have worked at some point.
CARTER
Well, I’m guessing it must manifest
some sort of energy field that encompasses
the entire ship, allowing the traveller
to literally fly through time.
DANIEL
I wonder ... (He reaches out to touch
the device but Sam stops him.)
CARTER
Ah! Let’s not touch anything just yet.
I’m kinda fond of this era.
DANIEL
OK, so what do we do?
CARTER
We’ll bring it back. Judging by the
dimensions, it looks like it was actually
designed to fit through the Gate.
DANIEL
OK, how do we get it there?
TEAL’C
This vessel appears to be relatively
undamaged. The engine may yet be functional.
CARTER
This is Ancient technology. We’d need
an Ancient to make it work.
DANIEL
Or someone close.
(Sam smiles.)
OFFWORLD STARGATE. Jack steps through the Gate. Waiting near
the bottom of the steps are Daniel, Teal’c, Harry and a group
of his villagers. Harry gestures to his people and some of them
start to play instruments, playing a jolly, medieval-sounding
melody. Jack walks down the steps.
MAYBOURNE
Jack! It’s great to see you. How long’s
it been?
O’NEILL
Oh, since that time you got us stranded
offworld and tried to kill me.
(Harry chuckles.)
MAYBOURNE
That takes me back! I guess congratulations
are in order. You made general.
O’NEILL
You made king!
MAYBOURNE
Right, well, it’s not a contest.
O’NEILL
Do you mind? These guys are torturing
that ditty.
MAYBOURNE
Right. (To the musicians) Take five,
guys! (They stop playing. He turns back
to Jack.) I, uh, taught ‘em that expression.
O’NEILL
Ah.
(They start to walk towards the village.)
MAYBOURNE
I’m, uh, hoping that you can stay for
a while, check out the sights, (Jack’s
already doing just that, turning round
to look at a pretty young woman) take
in the culture. I want you to feel at
home here.
O’NEILL
Harry, you’re aware of the fact that
this place is gonna be overrun by a
gaggle of bad guys soon?
MAYBOURNE
Yeah, well, maybe.
O’NEILL
Right! Carter told me about this prophecy
stuff. It’s not gonna go down that way,
y’know.
MAYBOURNE
Oh, come on, Jack, you’ve defeated System
Lords before.
O’NEILL
No! You’ve got to tell these people
they’ve gotta start packing. We’ll take
as many as we can.
MAYBOURNE
I can’t. I already told them you’d save
the day.
(Jack stops walking and puts his hand on Harry’s shoulder.)
O’NEILL
Lemme ask you a question. (Harry, realising
that his people are disturbed by Jack
touching him, raises his hand placatingly
to them.) Did this prophecy mention
anything about casualties - how many
people would die in the fighting?
MAYBOURNE
It’s not really that detailed.
O’NEILL
Does it say anything about the king
surviving at all?
MAYBOURNE
Actually, there’s, um, no reference
to me specifically. I just assumed ...
O’NEILL
Yeah. D’you really wanna take that chance,
Harry? D’you wanna roll those dice?
(Harry looks round at his people standing some distance away.)
MAYBOURNE
It’s not gonna be easy to convince them,
Jack.
O’NEILL
You can do it, Harry, you’re the king.
(He puts his hand on Harry’s shoulder
again.) And remember - it’s good to
be king. (He pats his shoulder.)
ANCIENT SHIP. Sam has got cables and wires running from various
parts of the ship to the time device. Jack and Daniel come in.
O’NEILL
Nice ride!
DANIEL
Yeah, Ancients like to fly in style.
(Jack walks forward and looks at the flight area.)
O’NEILL
Nice! Woo-hoo! (He sits down in the
pilot’s seat and looks at the control
panel.) You’re gonna have to help me
out here, Carter. Got any quarters?
CARTER
Unfortunately I can’t help you with
this one, sir, you’re on your own.
O’NEILL
Fine! How do we know we’re not gonna
end up back at the Alamo?
CARTER
Um, well, for one thing, that was on
Earth - but more importantly I’ve separated
the time device from the control circuits
... I think. (She comes forward and
stands behind him.) Concentrate on powering
up the engines.
O’NEILL
Concentrate? (He closes his eyes for
several seconds, then opens them again.)
Got nothin’.
DANIEL
Come on, Jack. You’ve already proven
that the Ancient gene you possess allows
you to operate Ancient technology. It’s
no different than, uh, the device in
Antarctica. Just ... (he closes his
eyes and gestures dramatically) focus
your mind.
(Jack and Sam turn and look at him as he opens his eyes again.
Daniel shrugs. Jack turns back to the controls, takes his cap
off, and closes his eyes again. Moments later, the controls light
up.)
DANIEL
Good!
(Jack screws his eyes tighter closed, concentrating hard. After
a moment, the lights on the control panel flicker and go out.)
DANIEL
Not so good.
VILLAGE. Some of the women are gathering together various items
for Harry.
MAYBOURNE
Tempus fugit, girls, tempus fugit. (As
the women go for more items, he goes
over to the collection, picking one
of them up as Teal’c approaches.) I
sure collected a lot of stuff in only
a couple of years. Guess I’m a bit of
a pack rat.
TEAL’C
When do you intend to address your people?
MAYBOURNE
I’m getting to that - it’s just ...
Well, I’m thinking about what I’m gonna
say.
TEAL’C
Perhaps you should consider telling
the truth.
MAYBOURNE
That’s one strategy(!)
TEAL’C
Whatever you decide, we are running
out of time. We must leave soon.
MAYBOURNE
Yeah. I know. (He looks at Teal’c.)
I know. (He walks towards the people
who are collecting his possessions together.)
No, no, just leave that. (He gestures.)
That stuff over there ...
(Nearby, Gerran has been standing behind a pillar listening to
the entire conversation.)
ANCIENT SHIP.
CARTER
The primary power source is depleted.
We need to reroute the controls to the
secondary output which was originally
designed to power the time device.
O’NEILL
Of course we do!
(Sam finishes tinkering.)
CARTER
OK. Try it now, sir.
(Jack turns back to the controls, puts his hands on them, closes
his eyes and concentrates. A few moments later the lights on
the control panel come on, then flicker on and off several times
before finally coming on fully. The engine can be heard powering
up. Then sparks start to fly out of all the cables that Sam had
jury-rigged the power source with. Jack loses concentration and
the lights go out again.)
CARTER
Damn it!
WOODLAND. Jack, Sam and Daniel are making their way back to the
village.
CARTER
I’m just not that familiar with Ancient
technology. I need a little time.
O’NEILL
That is one thing I can’t give you,
Carter. (He puts his pack on the ground
and starts rummaging through it.)
DANIEL
You can’t be serious.
CARTER
Sir, this technology is too valuable
to lose.
O’NEILL
Carter, what do you want me to do? Call
in reinforcements? It’s not like we’re
throwing down with a couple of Jaffa.
We’re taking on a System Lord and his
band of merry bad guys. (He hands a
block of C4 to Sam, and another to Daniel.)
Inside and out, I want that thing gone.
(They hear rustling in the trees around them and jump to their
feet, aiming their weapons. Villagers run out of the trees, aiming
their crossbows at the team.)
GERRAN
Surrender your weapons, or die where
you stand.
O’NEILL
Oh, if I had a nickel!
GERRAN
Lower your weapons.
O’NEILL
I ... don’t think so.
GERRAN
We will not allow you to take King Arkhan
from us.
O’NEILL
Good King Arkhan is a fraud.
MAN
Our king is wise. He is a seer.
O’NEILL
He may be your king, but he’s no seer.
DANIEL
He can only interpret what’s been written
on the pillars of the temple ruins not
far from here. Now, those writings hold
the prophecies, and anyone who can read
them can make the same predictions.
GERRAN
That is a lie.
DANIEL
Why don’t we just go back to the village
and let King Arkhan explain everything?
GERRAN
First lower your weapons.
(Daniel lowers his pistol but Jack and Sam don’t move.)
DANIEL
Jack?
O’NEILL
Daniel?
DANIEL
They’re not gonna shoot ... (he looks
at Gerran) are ya?
(After a moment, Gerran and her people lower their crossbows.
Jack and Sam lower their rifles.)
O’NEILL
God, I miss goin’ offworld! Oh, yeah!
VILLAGE. Two children are presenting a bunch of flowers to Harry,
who is squatting down talking to them. Jack walks up behind him
just as the children run off.
O’NEILL
Who’d’a thunk?
MAYBOURNE
Oh, hey, Jack. (He stands up.) I, uh,
spoke with Gerran. I was sorry to hear
about what happened at the ship. Believe
me, I had nothing to do with it.
O’NEILL
I know, Harry, you’re always the victim
in these things.
MAYBOURNE
OK, look, I’ll admit that when I first
found the ruins, I did plan to use them
to my personal advantage. But all that
changed once I became King Arkhan the
First.
O’NEILL
Oh, please!
MAYBOURNE
It’s true, Jack. I care about these
people. I wanna help them.
O’NEILL
Then tell ‘em the truth. Come clean
on all this stuff.
MAYBOURNE
I’ve already arranged for an assembly
with the, uh, village elders. I’m gonna
tell them we have to leave.
LATER. The villager elders have gathered together. SG-1 are standing
nearby. Harry comes out and walks over to Jack.
MAYBOURNE
Well, here goes nothing. (He approaches
the elders.) My friends. I wish I were
here under better circumstances but
the fact is, I come before you all to
deliver a warning. The village is in
danger, and the time has come for us
to leave. (The elders mutter negatively
to each other.) We must abandon our
world. Arrangements are being made to
help us ... (he looks round at Jack,
who nods encouragingly) temporarily
relocate to a safe place.
(The elders mutter again.)
MAN 2
But the prophecy was clear. The enemy
will be defeated.
MAYBOURNE
Ah, yes, uh, the prophecy was clear,
but only up to a certain point. After
that it was somewhat, uh, unclear -
uh, sort of, uh, murky clarity.
(Jack rolls his eyes as the elders mutter some more.)
MAYBOURNE
Of course the enemy will be defeated,
but there is a chance that some of us
may get hurt or even killed in the process,
and I am not willing to ...
MAN 3
Impossible! You assured us we would
be safe!
MAYBOURNE
Yes, I, I remember that. Uh, however
... (He looks around his people and
their expressions of hope and belief
in him, then turns to Jack. Jack nods.
Harry turns back to his people, sighs
and steps closer to them.) The truth
is, I’ve not been entirely honest with
you. I am not a seer. I don’t possess
insight into the future or divine powers
that set me apart. I’m just a regular
guy, no more or less special than any
of you.
MAN 3
But the prophecies!
MAYBOURNE
The prophecies don’t come from me. They
come from the walls of the old temple,
written in stone for all to see. I have
the ability to interpret these writings
and, with the proper understanding,
any of you could do the same. (The crowd
mutters, starting to sound angry.) I
am a pretender. I took advantage of
you and ... (he reaches up and takes
his crown off) and for that I am deeply
sorry.
(Gerran steps forward.)
GERRAN
What about the design for the new watermill?
Was this written on the temple wall
as well?
MAYBOURNE
Uh, no, that was from me.
GERRAN
And our new medicines? Our legal code?
The irrigation system? Were these things
also found in the ruins?
MAYBOURNE
No.
GERRAN
These were not the acts of a pretender,
but of a leader!
(The elders murmur their agreement. Jack looks startled.)
MAYBOURNE
Uh, guys, I’m touched, really.
GERRAN
What does it matter where the prophecies
came from? All we need know is that
each one of them has been fulfilled,
as this latest will be fulfilled.
MAYBOURNE
Well, now, let’s not get carried away
here.
GERRAN
We will defeat this enemy - and we will
do so under the leadership of our great
king, Arkhan the First! Arkhan! Arkhan!
Arkhan!
(She punches her fist into the air each time she calls his name.
The other elders take up the chant. As the chanting continues,
Harry turns round to Jack and shrugs in a “what can you do?”
way. Jack stares at him in disbelief. Harry turns back to his
people and puts his crown back onto his head.)
LATER. SG-1 are preparing to leave the village. Harry hurries
over to them.
MAYBOURNE
Uh, Jack. Look, uh, sorry about that.
O’NEILL
Not my problem, Harry. If these folks
don’t wanna go, they don’t have to go.
Teal’c - you and Daniel head on back,
secure the Gate. Carter - you and I’ll
take care of the ship.
MAYBOURNE
Now, Jack, Jack, Jack, wait a minute.
Uh, I know it sounds crazy, but Gerran
was right about the prophecies. They
have all come true.
O’NEILL
Harry, we’re not stayin’ - and if you
wanna come with us, I suggest you get
your royal butt to the Gate.
STARGATE. The Gate is dialling in as Daniel and Teal’c come out
of the trees. They duck down as the Gate kawhooshes, and watch
as Jaffa start coming through.
ANCIENT SHIP. Jack and Sam have just arrived at the ship as Daniel
radios in.
DANIEL
Jack, come in.
O’NEILL
Go ahead.
DANIEL
Uh, we’ve got a little problem here.
Ares’ Jaffa just came through the Gate.
We’re cut off. If you blow the ship
now, you’ll give away your position.
CARTER
Guess we’re stayin’ for a while.
(Back at the Gate, Daniel and Teal’c watch as Ares’ First Prime
comes through the Gate.)
VILLAGE. The First Prime and his Jaffa march into the village
and walk over to Harry, who is sitting on his throne. Harry stands
as they approach.
MAYBOURNE
Welcome, strangers. I am King Arkhan
the First. It is with a joyful heart
and open arms that we welcome you ...
TRELAK
I am Trelak, First Prime to the great
Lord Ares, your god, who will be returning
to reclaim this land and his loyal followers.
MAYBOURNE
Of course, of course. Glad tidings of
comfort and joy ... comfort and joy.
TRELAK
Lord Ares demands nothing short of complete
obedience from both you and your people.
(He turns around and faces the people.)
Any resistance will be dealt with harshly.
MAYBOURNE
Understood.
(Trelak turns away from the crowd towards Harry. Behind him,
in the crowd, are Daniel and Teal’c, wearing hooded cloaks.)
TRELAK
Gather your subjects. Inform them of
our arrival.
MAYBOURNE
Of course. I’ll address them immediately.
(Trelak looks at the women surrounding Harry’s throne. He doesn’t
like the expression on the face of one of the women.)
TRELAK
Do you have something to say, slave?
WOMAN
I am not a slave.
MAYBOURNE
I apologise. My servant spoke out of
turn. She will be punished.
TRELAK
Of course she will. (He clicks his fingers
and a Jaffa grabs her and forces her
to her knees. He aims his staff weapon
at her and activates it. Daniel looks
at Teal’c in concern, and the two of
them covertly reach for their weapons.)
WOMAN
Kill me if you want, but know this:
in the end, you and your people will
be defeated just as the prophecy has
foretold.
TRELAK
”The prophecy.”
(Harry laughs nervously.)
MAYBOURNE
Pay no attention. She’s obviously frightened
beyond reason.
WOMAN
It foretold of your arrival and of your
defeat.
MAYBOURNE
Another predicted rain today with a
chance of morning frost, and yet what
fine weather we are enjoying.
TRELAK
Silence! (He looks down at the woman.)
Where may I find this prophecy? (The
woman doesn’t answer.) If what you say
is true, then we would be fools to stay
and meet our certain death.
WOMAN
It is written on the walls of the old
temple.
(Trelak looks at the Jaffa aiming his staff weapon at the woman.)
TRELAK
Go with her.
(The Jaffa deactivates his weapon, hauls the woman to her feet
and marches her away. Several of the other Jaffa go with them.
Trelak turns and looks at Harry, who shrugs as if he has no idea
what the woman was talking about.)
ANCIENT SHIP. Sam is busy trying to get the power source working
when Daniel radios in.
DANIEL
Sam, Jack, this is Daniel. Ares’ First
Prime just sent some men out to check
out the ruins. As soon as they see that
Ancient writing, they’re gonna search
the area.
O’NEILL
Carter - how’s it going in there?
(Sam picks up a radio and speaks into it.)
CARTER
Just a few more minutes, sir.
DANIEL
What are you guys doing? I thought you
were going to blow it up?
CARTER
General O’Neill’s given me one more
chance to get the engines online so
we can fly it out of here.
DANIEL
Yeah, I’m all for saving the ship but
you could be kinda close.
CARTER
I know.
VILLAGE. Villagers are bringing food to the long table. Harry
calls out to Trelak who is standing nearby talking with one of
his Jaffa.
MAYBOURNE
I have prepared a feast in your honour.
Come! (Trelak finishes his conversation
with the Jaffa, who walks away as Trelak
approaches the table.) Please, sit,
partake of our bounty. (He picks up
a guango.) This fruit, for instance
- it’s sort of a cross between a ...
(As he holds the fruit up, Trelak wraps his hand around Harry’s
hand and squeezes it tightly. Harry grimaces in pain.)
TRELAK
I’m not interested in your offering.
You were warned. Anyone who refuses
to accept us will die.
MAYBOURNE
You’ve made yourself perfectly clear.
TRELAK
To you, perhaps, but your subjects seem
less than willing to accept our terms.
(He looks round at some of the villagers,
who are all looking at him sullenly.)
They cling to archaic beliefs - prophecies,
portents - that threaten to undermine
the rule of our god.
MAYBOURNE
That won’t happen. (Trelak releases
his hand and the two of them walk away
from the villagers.) I can see to it.
TRELAK
How?
MAYBOURNE
They’re simple folk, easily influenced.
With my help, you’ll have no trouble
bending them to your will.
TEMPLE RUINS. The woman and the Jaffa have arrived.
WOMAN
It’s here.
(A Jaffa looks at one of the pillars, clearly recognising the
Ancient writing on it. Nearby, Jack is watching through binoculars
as the Jaffa shouts orders to the others, who spread out in different
directions to begin searching.)
O’NEILL
Dammit. (He activates his radio.) Carter.
(Sam is still on the Ancient ship.)
CARTER
Sir?
O’NEILL
They’re headed our way.
CARTER
I need more time.
O’NEILL
Yeah, of course you do! (He heads off.)
WOODLAND. As two Jaffa get near to the area where the ship is,
Jack guns them down.
VILLAGE. Trelak and Harry hear the shooting. The other Jaffa
raise their staff weapons, aiming them at the villagers.
TRELAK
Those were Tau’ri weapons.
MAYBOURNE
What’s a Tau’ri?
(Trelak nods to his Jaffa, who start pushing the villagers around
and pulling their cloaks off to get a better look at them. It’s
not long before they uncover Daniel and Teal’c and disarm them.)
WOODLAND. Jack is running towards the ship as two Jaffa fire
at him. He runs into the back of the ship.
O’NEILL
Time to go. (He pushes a button that
closes the door. Sam continues working
as he runs to the front of the ship.
Outside, the Jaffa fire at the closed
door.)
VILLAGE. Daniel and Teal’c are pushed forward to face Trelak.
TRELAK
You’re too late to save this world.
I’ve already received word. Lord Ares
has just arrived.
(In space above the planet, a mothership is approaching.)
ANCIENT SHIP. Sam closes her laptop.
CARTER
I’m done - I think. (She runs to the
front of the ship.) We’re good to go,
sir. (She sits down next to Jack, who
has his hands on the control panel and
has his head bowed and his eyes closed.
The ship rings with the sound of the
Jaffa firing at the rear door.)
O’NEILL
I’m doing the best I can.
VILLAGE.
TRELAK
What were you and your allies planning?
(Daniel and Teal’c don’t answer. Trelak
walks over to Teal’c.) Know this, shol’va
- I’ll see to it that you suffer slowly.
TEAL’C
And I will see to it that you die quickly.
(Trelak smiles smugly, turns away, then grabs a staff weapon
and jams it into Teal’c’s chest. Teal’c doubles up but doesn’t
fall. Another Jaffa clubs him from behind, knocking him to his
knees. Slowly Teal’c rises to his feet, his face speaking volumes
as he glares at Trelak.)
TRELAK
I think not. My men guard the Gate,
and the mothership descends as we speak.
(He chuckles and turns away.)
ANCIENT SHIP. Jack is still deep in concentration as the Jaffa
continue firing on the ship. Finally the lights on the control
panel start to flicker before coming on permanently. Jack opens
his eyes and takes hold of the flight stick, and the ship starts
to rise.
VILLAGE. Trelak is still speaking to Daniel and Teal’c.
TRELAK
You were plotting in concert with the
people of this world. Treachery is something
we cannot abide.
(Harry walks over to Teal’c and glares at him before turning
to Trelak.)
MAYBOURNE
I couldn’t agree with you more. You
think you feel outraged? Imagine how
I feel - betrayed by my own people!
(Trelak grabs him by the throat, beginning to strangle him. He
is distracted, however, by the sound of the Ancient ship approaching.
He looks up as the ship flies right overhead. Its wake shakes
the ground and everybody stumbles. Daniel and Teal’c immediately
seize the distraction. Teal’c grabs a staff weapon from a nearby
Jaffa while Daniel grabs a pot and clubs another Jaffa over the
head with it. Teal’c punches a Jaffa, then jams the staff weapon
into his stomach. Daniel grabs a zat gun off another Jaffa and
shoots him with it.)
ANCIENT SHIP.
CARTER
Sir, we’re detecting another ship. It’s
big.
(The Ancient ship heads up into space.)
VILLAGE. Daniel zats a Jaffa but another one smashes his staff
weapon down onto Daniel’s hands, making him drop the zat, before
thumping him in the chest with his staff. Teal’c takes down another
Jaffa before doing one of his fancy flourishes with his staff
weapon to shoot down a Jaffa behind him. Trelak finally releases
his grip on Harry’s throat to throw himself at Teal’c from behind.
Teal’c flips him over his head. The Jaffa that attacked Daniel
jumps on top of him, holding his staff weapon across Daniel’s
throat and trying to strangle him with it. Trelak throws some
dirt into Teal’c’s face and then, while Teal’c is doubled over
trying to get it out of his eyes, picks up a large bench and
smashes it across Teal’c’s back before kicking him savagely in
the stomach. He stands over Teal’c and draws a knife.
TRELAK
Shol’va!
(From behind him, Harry smashes a water jug over his head. Trelak
turns and throws him across the square. This gives Teal’c time
to get to his feet and as Trelak raises the hand with the knife
in it, Teal’c seizes his hand and a battle of strength begins,
the two of them having eventually to resort to using both hands
as they try to gain control of the knife. Nearby, Daniel is still
being strangled by his Jaffa. Suddenly the Jaffa cries out and
falls on top of Daniel with an arrow in his back. Behind him
is Gerran, still aiming her crossbow at him. Daniel shoves the
Jaffa off him as Gerran reloads. Back with Teal’c, he and Trelak
are gradually forcing the knife down between them. Teal’c produces
a final burst of energy and shoves the knife into Trelak’s chest.
Trelak gasps, then looks at Teal’c.)
TRELAK
You are a man of your word.
TEAL’C
Indeed. (He shoves the knife deeper
and walks away before Trelak even hits
the floor.)
ANCIENT SHIP.
CARTER
You’re doing great, sir ... (the ship
jerks around) relatively speaking.
(The mothership starts firing at the ship.)
O’NEILL
Weapons. (He closes his eyes and concentrates,
speaking quietly to the ship itself.)
Weapons.
(Ancient drones deploy from the ship and fly towards the mothership,
impacting with it.)
CARTER
Keep firing, sir.
O’NEILL
Nothing’s happening.
CARTER
Weapons must be depleted. Hopefully
you hit some vital systems.
(A few moments later, the mothership blows up.)
O’NEILL
Think that was vital?
CARTER
Relatively speaking. (She grins at Jack,
who rocks his head in a “not bad” way.
Sam looks out of the window, smiling,
then blows out a breath of relief.)
STARGATE. The Gate kawhooshes. Sam and Jack are each holding
a sprig of yellow flowers, which presumably the villagers presented
to them. Harry stands next to them. Jack smells his flowers,
then turns to Harry.
O’NEILL
You sure you don’t wanna leave all this?
MAYBOURNE
I can’t abandon these people, Jack.
I made a life here - I can’t walk away
from my home, my friends ... my wives.
CARTER
Wives?!
(Harry looks pointedly at the women standing behind Jack and
Sam. Jack puts his hand on Sam’s shoulder.)
O’NEILL
Go. (Sam heads towards the Gate. Jack
turns to Harry.) Wives. (Harry shrugs.)
Dog! (He follows Sam. Teal’c and Daniel
are at the top of the steps as Sam and
Jack walk up to join them. Daniel waves
to Harry, then he, Teal’c and Sam go
through the Gate. Jack reaches the top
of the steps and turns back towards
Harry, who throws him a salute. Jack
salutes with his sprig of flowers, then
walks through the Gate.)
THE END
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