STARGATE SG1
Episode 506
"RITE OF PASSAGE"
By
Heather E. Ash
We begin with a lovely rectangle shaped cake with white icing,
and the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASSANDRA" written on it. A woman is
lighting the last of 16 candles. Camera pans out
... it's Janet with Sam right next to her.
JANET
(Shouting) Cassandra?! I'm not imagining
it, I mean she WAS here ... was she
not?
SAM
(Sarcastically) Yeah! For almost the
entire time she was opening her presents.
JANET
(Shouting) Cassie!?
CASSIE
(With attitude) WHAT?! (She comes storming
in brushing her hair.)
JANET
I thought you were wearing the top that
Sam bought you.
CASSIE
(Wearing a tight fitting, yellow tank
top type shirt) Oh! Well, that's for
school.
SAM
Hey! (Clears throat) Make a wish!
JANET
Yeah.
CASSIE
Dominique's waiting.
JANET
Fine! Invite him in ... (Pointed) I'm
sure he'd like to have a piece of Birthday
Cake that Sam went _to_all_the_trouble_to
... bake.
SAM
(Softly, under her breath to Janet)
Buy.
JANET
(Loudly, pointed) Bring!
SAM
(Cheerfully) I'd love to meet him.
CASSIE
You said I could *Go*.
JANET
(Looking lovely with her hair down in
a pretty blue shirt) Yeah, I did ...
after.
CASSIE
We're meeting a bunch of people.
JANET
(Walking toward her) You know, considering
you haven't been feeling well, I think
you're just lucky I even let you go
out at all.
There is tension in the air. Cassie is staring at Janet, who's
decided to put on her "I'm a doctor " face. Sam's looking away.
CASSIE
FINE!
SAM
You know, I could just ...
JANET
(Putting up her hand) Uuuhhh ... *SHE*
is going to *HAVE* a piece of Birthday
Cake, you just stay right where you
are. (Picks up Cassie's brush and throws
it down) (Cheerfully) Coffee?
SAM
Please.
CASSIE
(Walking outside) They're NOT letting
me leave yet, so, I mean if you want
to meet up with everybody ...
DOMINIQUE
Wait a second ... here.
CASSIE
(He gave her a prism shaped like a pyramid)
Just like the ones in class.
DOMINIQUE
Yeah, well, you ... you said it was
pretty, so ... This one's for decoration,
so ... I thought you could put it in
your room.
Cassie puts it up to the light, and makes a rainbow of colors
appear on his face. He smiles, and steps up to her, and kisses
her. The porch light flickers as they are kissing, (Janet and
Sam are shown inside with the flickering lights) then the light
falls down. a Thud is heard while Dominique is shown in the dark.
DOMINIQUE
Cassandra?! (Sam and Janet are shown
inside drinking coffee) HELP! (Sam and
Janet run outside)
SAM
(To Dominique) What happened?!
DOMINIQUE
Nothing! She just fell.
JANET
She's running a temperature. (To Dominique)
What was she doing when she "Just fell"
?
DOMINIQUE
I ... I kissed her.
SAM
(Surprised) (Forcefully turning him
to face her) You KISSED Her?!
DOMINIQUE
It's her birthday all right? (Panicked)
Look, I'm telling you! The light just
exploded, and she just ... passed out!
That's what happened!
JANET
I want to get her to the infirmary.
Get the car keys. Cass? Baby? Cassie?
Cassie?
OPENING CREDITS
Cassie's passed out in the bed. Sam's sitting with her.
JACK
How's she doing?
SAM
(Faces him) Her fever still hasn't come
down.
JANET
(Walking in) Sam? I need to get a sample
of your blood. Cassandra's bloodwork
shows the presence of a retrovirus.
JACK
Didn't she just get over the flu?
JANET
Well, whatever this is ... it isn't
the flu.
SAM
You think there's a causal relationship
between the retrovirus and the EM field?
JANET
Possibly.
JACK
(To Sam) What?
SAM
Cassandra's body is somehow generating
a low lever electromagnetic field that's
periodically spiking. That could be
why the light exploded on the porch.
JANET
And why I can't do an MRI to find out
what other effects this retrovirus is
having.
CASSIE
Mom?
JANET
I'm here.
CASSIE
I couldn't finish the harvest.
JANET
(Glances back at Sam) That's OK.
CASSIE
I have to go into the forest.
SAM
It's OK, Cassie.
Janet begins to prepare a needle as the light flickers. Cassie's
out again.
HAMMOND
Do I need to put the base under quarantine?
JANET
I don't think it's contagious, Sir.
Major Carter and I show no evidence
of the retrovirus in our blood.
HAMMOND
Then where did Cassandra contract it?
JANET
I'm guessing her home planet.
TEAL'C
Cassandra has not been to that planet
in several years.
JANET
Retroviruses can exist in the body for
years undetected before the symptoms
first appear. When it does emerge, it
begins to rewrite the individual's DNA
in order to replicate. I've compared
this one with every retrovirus on record,
and it doesn't match any of them.
SAM
So, there's obviously no vaccine.
JANET
(Shakes head) I've been giving her antiviral
medications, but new tests show it's
spread to her cerebral spinal fluid.
At this moment, I'm more concerned with
brain damage.
DANNY
(Walking in) I was just going thru the
reports of SG-7 from P8X-987 ...
JACK
Morning.
DANNY
(Looking up) Morning! In the three months
on Cassandra's planet, SG-7 witnessed
2 instances of high fever and hallucination
in teenagers Cassandra's age. The villagers
called it the mind fire, I found some
digital video footage ...
MAN
(On video) (A child appears to be seizing)
Alright this way! GO! (A child is heard
gasping and coughing) SHe's frothing!
(at the mouth )... what's WRONG with
her?! (More gasping and coughing)
DANNY
(Pauses video) There's more ... you
get the idea.
SAM
How did they treat it?
DANNY
SG-7 offered medicine, but the villagers
thought that these children were touched
by the gods, and interfering would cause
retribution.
JACK
What happened to them?
DANNY
There were send alone in the forest
near the village (Janet looks at Sam
when she hears forest), and after several
days they came back ... CURED.
HAMMOND
How?
DANNY
SG-7 tried to find out, but the elders
insisted the child had to make the journey
alone as some sort of religious rite.
JANET
Cassandra talked about going into the
forest.
JACK
She was delirious.
SAM
Well, it's worth checking out, Sir.
TEAL'C
Where we were last on P8X-987, the air
was contaminated by the Goa'Uld Nurrti.
SAM
Well, that ... that was 4 years ago.
The contaminate could be non persistent.
Well, we can send a MALP to be sure.
JACK
Sir?
HAMMOND
It's worth a try.
Traveler's view of going thru the gate. Danny has a camera.
DANNY
Well, there's something.
JACK
It's a hand print. (A green hand print
is shown on a tree)
TEAL'C
A fire burned here.
SAM
Maybe we should collect some samples
of the local vegetation. I mean it's
possible there might be a natural cure
around here.
JACK
Yeah! Let's collect some of that ...
flora.
Daniel puts his hand over the print and lightly presses. The
fire appears in the spot that previously had just ashes.
JACK
(Sing song) Hello.
Jack walks over to where Teal'C is standing next to the fire.
Rings surround them, and they are taken into a ship. They walk
around. It appears to be a lab.
JACK
(Into radio) Carter? Daniel?
TEAL'C
I believe we are in a Goa'Uld laboratory.
JACK
*Whose*? Do you think?
TEAL'C
Nurrti.
JACK
Yeah.
The rings activate, Jack and Teal'C put up their weapons. It's
Sam and Danny.
DANNY
You guys, it's ... just us.
SAM
So, where are we?
TEAL'C
I believe we are in the laboratory of
Nurrti.
Danny looks around, and passes a rock over a stone plate.
SAM
You know, Sir. This is where the children
ended up and ...
DANNY
(Looking at the notebook) ... You're
right about THAT.
JACK
She didn't finish her sentence.
DANNY
(Ignoring him) This place is what the
initiation rite was all about. Children
suffering from the mind fever wander
into the forest, it gets dark, they
are drawn to the hand print on the tree,
the warm fire, and the rings sweep them
to this lab ...
SAM
And then they come back cured.
JACK
Nurrti cured them?
SAM
Yeah, it makes sense.
JACK
No, it doesn't.
TEAL'C
Indeed. It seems a plausible explanation.
JACK
NO! She killed everyone on this planet,
except Cassie. Why would she cure a
bunch of kids?
DANNY
Well, if I'm reading this right, it
was part of some sort of experiment
she was conducting.
JACK
Now, See? THAT sounds like a Goa'Uld.
TEAL'C
The last we saw of Nurrti, she was a
prisoner of the System Lords.
DANNY
Which means she's in no position to
... help us ... even if she ... would.
(He touches something making the table
rise) Oh, boy. I did that.
Daniel picks up a slide from the table before him. Jack looks
at him with a raised eyebrow, Daniel shakes his head. Jack looks
at Sam, she does the same.
JACK
Let's take it with us.
Cheyenne Mountain, nighttime.
JANET
(Goes to check on Cassie, removes the
sheet and discovers an empty bed) Cassie?!
(Finds her slowly walking in the halls)
Cassandra?! What are you doing?!
CASSIE
(Weakly) I have to go ...
JANET
Honey, you're not well enough to go
anywhere!
CASSIE
I HAVE to go into the forest!
JANET
I NEED you to get back in bed, OK?
CASSIE
You're NOT my mother!
JANET
O-Kay, then what HAVE I been to you
these last few years?
CASSIE
You don't UNDERSTAND!
JANET
OK, listen to me ... if nothing else,
I AM your doctor, Cassandra, now let's
go!
CASSIE
(Pushing Janet off her) SO WHAT?!
JANET
I CARE about what happens to you! Honey,
Don't you know what you mean to me?
CASSIE
Don't you get it? It doesn't matter!
JANET
It's the only thing that matters, please!
Let me try and help you.
CASSIE
You can't! If you wanna help me, then
LET ME GO!
JANET
OK! Just hear me out. Let's get you
back into bed, and then we'll talk.
OK? SG-1'll be back soon ...
CASSIE( Pushing her mother) NO!!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!
JANET
CASSIE!!!!
CASSIE
(Being caught by two SF's) (Said quickly
in one breath) No,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no!
Let me go, let me go, let me go!
JANET
(Tearfully) I can't do that!
CASSIE
You're (Shaking of the guards) KILLING
ME!!!!!!! (All the lights in the corridor
explodes.)
Sam comes thru the gate.
HAMMOND
Major?
SAM
Colonel O'Neill wanted me to report
back, Sir. Daniel and Teal'C wanted
more time to search the lab.
HAMMOND
Let's hope they find something.
SAM
Is she getting worse?
HAMMOND
(Stops walking, and looks into her eyes)
You should see for yourself. (She walks
away with a worried look on her face)
JANET
(She looking at Cassie from the observation
window) We had to move her in here.
SAM
She's still running a fever?
JANET
Seems to have piqued, but her bloodwork
says otherwise. There's no antibodies.
No indication that her body's fighting
this retrovirus.
SAM
Does she know what's happening to her?
JANET
She seems determined to go back to the
planet. I don't know if that is instinctual
or a side effect of this retrovirus.
SAM
(Sigh) What are we gonna tell her?
JANET
(She and Sam go down to the room) Hey,
how are you feeling? Any better?
CASSIE
(Coldly) Why are you keeping me in here?
JANET
We have to. Your body is generating
something called an EM field, see? (Monitors
blink) You can see the effect it's having
on the monitors here, so, this room
is shielded from the rest of the base.
CASSIE
If you let me go back to the planet
then this won't happen anymore.
JANET
That's not true.
CASSIE
You don't know that. You don't know
anything. You're just keeping me here
because you're afraid.
SAM
We found the place where the initiation
rite was supposed to happen.
CASSIE
Then let me go there.
JANET
We think the place in the forest that
you've been drawn to leads to a Goa'Uld
laboratory. One that belonged to Nurrti.
CASSIE
Who killed everyone in my village.
SAM
Yeah.
JANET
She also tried to use you to kill all
of us.
SAM
We think she was using your initiation
ritual to conduct experiments on the
children of your planet.
CASSIE
Why?
SAM
We don't know.
JANET
It's possible that the retrovirus you're
carrying is part of the experiment.
CASSIE
What ... was the experiment?
JANET
All we know so far is that this retrovirus
is changing the way your cells generate
electrical fields. So, your body is
generating heat, and your EEG is showing
that your brain activity is increasing.
CASSIE
You ... don't know why, do you?
SAM
(Janet looks at her , holding back tears)
No.
CASSIE
And now she's gone.
SAM
Yes, she is.
CASSIE
So, we won't be able to stop it.
JANET
We didn't say THAT.
Back in the Lab, Jack opens another door, and finds a hand device
of some sort.
JACK
(To Teal'C) What's this for?
TEAL'C
What do YOU think it is for?(Jack throws
it in the bag that Teal'C's holding)
DANNY
Evolution.
JACK
What?
DANNY
Of the Ho ... Hok .... Tar ...Hok'Tar
... Teal'C, what is the Hok'Tar?
TEAL'C
I have not heard that word in many years
.
DANNY
Well, it's in reference to the children
that underwent the initiation rites,
so it obviously had something to do
with the children ...
The rings activate, but nothing's there.
JACK
(Sing song) Hello.
DANNY
Oh, sorry, guys. I may have just done
that.
JACK
Do it again! It's time to go.
The three are seen leaving Via the rings. I guess this is Nurrti's
POV.
Cheyenne Mountain, Day.
SAM
(Comes in the room, Cassie's on the
bed.) Hey, Kiddo. (Sits next to Cassie's
bed.) It's Saturday.
CASSIE
(Quietly) So?
SAM
(Setting up chess game) So, every other
Saturday, at least while I'm on Earth,
we play chess. And since I'm on Earth,
and it's Saturday ...
CASSIE
I know what's happening to me.
SAM
Oh, OK ... What?
CASSIE
I'm changing ... into something ...
and there nothing you can do to stop
it.
SAM
Hmn ... you know how me and you mom
feels when someone issues a challenge
like that.
CASSIE
Doctor Frasier isn't my real mother.
She DIED ! When Nurrti poisoned my village.
SAM
I know that. Janet knows that, too ...
and please! DON'T call her Doctor Frasier.
CASSIE
Why?
SAM
Because she LOVES you, and she deserves
better. We ALL love you for that matter.
CASSIE
That doesn't ... change ... anything.
SAM
Well, you're wrong about that.
CASSIE
It's different. I'm ... different now.
I can do things ... (She holds out her
hand, and the knight piece flies into
her hands)
SAM
(Amazed) How did you do that?
CASSIE
I just ... thought it. I thought I wanted
a knight, and it just ... flew into
my hand. Jack calls 'em horses.
SAM
(Smiles and looks away) Yeah, well,
that's Colonel O'Neill for you.
CASSIE
He always pretends he's not as smart
as he really is.
SAM
You know, if you take a close look,
they really ARE horses.
CASSIE
What do you see when you look at me
now?
SAM
I see you ... and until your head starts
spinning around, and probably even then,
I will still see ... You.
Sam and Cassie in the room is seen on a screen.
HAMMOND
How could she do that?
JACK
(In the briefing room) Magnets. Magnets.
(Sam is sitting next to him, and as
he rambles on, she's raising her eyebrows
and grinning.) Every one of those pieces
have little tiny magnets at the bottom
to ... hold it on the board like when
you're driving so they don't rattle
off ... anyway ... every one of those
magnets has a little electrical field
around it. That's how she was able to
manipulate it. Magnets. (Off GH's look)
They DO look like ... horses.
JANET
(After a look to Jack) (To Hammond)
I have no idea how she was able to do
it physiologically , Sir.
DANNY
Actually, Teal'C filled me in on something
that might explain that. Hak'Tar is
actually a hybrid of 2 Goa'Uld words
... Hak, which means advanced, and Tar
which I believe is some sort of slang
...
JACK
For ... ?
TEAL'C
Human.
DANNY
So, it's an advanced human ... HAk'
Tau'ri. Anyway, Nurrti was studying
the children of Hounka because she believed
they were evolving into ... Hak'Tar.
HAMMOND
So, you're saying Cassandra is becoming
some kind of advanced human?
JANET
And the retrovirus is the catalyst.
(Danny cocks his head in affirmative)
TEAL'C
Such an advanced human represents a
powerful host for the Goa'Uld.
SAM
Which explains why Nurrti was conducting
the experiments.
DANNY
And it also explains why she exterminated
the entire population when we came on
the scene. She didn't want her ... experiment
exposed.
JANET
Prior to our arrival on P8X-987, and
for as long as SG-7 was there, none
of the elders exhibited advanced intelligence
or the ability to manipulate EM fields.
SAM
So, Nurrti created the retrovirus in
an attempt to create her own host?
JANET
(Small laugh) Seems inconceivable anyone
could do something like that.
DANNY
Well, it never worked. According to
all the reports, the children went into
the forest sick, and came out well again.
If this were some sort of ... transformation
or evolutionary process, somewhere along
the line, it was stopped.
TEAL'C
By Nurrti.
SAM
Why would she do that?
JANET
The retrovirus rewrites DNA. If the
carrier died before they were able to
pass on the altered genes to the next
generation, evolution couldn't take
place.
SAM
So the experiment was long-term?
TEAL'C
With each generation getting closer
to becoming a true Hak'Tar.
DANNY
The question is ... how far along is
Cassandra? I mean, what if she really
is transforming into ... something ...
else?
JACK
She thinks so.
JANET
Whatever she believes, her fever is
still rising. Admittedly more slowly,
and she seems to be able to handle it
better but ... (Quietly, holding back
tears) I can't control it.
HAMMOND
Let's find the answers ... dismissed!
Janet walks in Cassie's room, she's watching the knight turning
in mid air in front of her face.
JANET
Cassandra? What are you doing?
CASSIE
It helps ... to do this.
JANET
How?
CASSIE
It's like ... the heat is leaving my
body, and going into the chess piece.
You don't got a cure, have you?
JANET
No. We're still trying ...
CASSIE
It's ALL RIGHT!
JANET
No, it's not. We may still learn something
from the bio samples SG-1 brought back.
There might be something there that'll
help your body produce antibodies.
CASSIE
I WANT this to happen, Janet.
JANET
(Eyes tearing up) (Whispers) Don't say
that.
CASSIE
(Continues watching the knight chess
piece) It's going to happen anyways.
JANET
You're ill.
CASSIE
You KNOW that it's more than that now.
I can feel the power inside me. (The
knight turning in mid air is shown)
It's only the beginning.
JANET
And along with it, your body is undergoing
a tremendous physical strain.
CASSIE
You think it's gonna kill me?
JANET
I'm ... worried about that possibility,
yes.
CASSIE
(Shouting) I DON'T CARE!
JANET
Well, you should! (Voice beginning to
shake) I know the limitations to the
human body ...
CASSIE
Maybe I'm not human anymore.
JANET
(Quietly) Of course you are.
CASSIE
Maybe dying is part of the transformation.
JANET
(Pointed, raised voice) I don't care
whether it is or NOT!!!!
The knight falls when Cassie looses her concentration to look
at her mom. Janet reaches over to pick the knight up, sizzling
is heard. It burns her hand, and she quickly withdraws her hand
with a gasp. Janet's looking at her hand, rubbing it .
CASSIE
(Softly) I'm sorry.
JANET
Sweetheart, sometimes, when a person
is sick, it's important for him to fight
it. I want you to fight this, OK?
She smiles and pushes Cassie's hair back. Cassie goes back to
turning the knight.
SAM
That can't be right. The EM field must
be interfering.
JANET
No, she'll be able to control that now.
I ran the test 3 times, the results
are consistent and it corresponds with
the EEG. There's a 25% higher level
of activity.
SAM
How can her body sustain that?
JANET
Well, she's found a way to channel the
heat from her body. Don't ask me how,
but I don't know how long she'll be
able to keep it up. What I'd like her
to do is sleep. She's been awake for
30 hours straight.
SAM
I was about to go and see her.
JANET
Thank you.
Sam touches her shoulder and leaves. Janet sighs and leaves as
well. The computer screen is shown with brainwaves on it. The
computer types CTRL and F4 plus some other keys I couldn't make
out. Nurrti's POV is shown looking at the EEG picture of Cassie's
brain.
Cheyenne Mountain, evening.
The doors to J-3 on Level 21 is opened, and Sam walks in.
SAM
Hey.
Cassie had been doing the thing with the knight, and she drops
it.
SAM
I hear you don't wanna sleep. You want
some company?
CASSIE
(Sounding mad) You wouldn't leave. (Sam
looks confused) (Softer) When the Goa'Uld
planted the bomb inside me ... you wouldn't
leave. (Sam nods affirmative, and lowers
her head) Even though your orders were
to leave me there alone. You stayed
with me.
SAM
Yeah.
CASSIE
Why?
SAM
I don't know ... just an instinct.
CASSIE
That I was gonna be OK?
SAM
Yeah, I think so.
CASSIE
But you didn't ... know for sure.
SAM
No.
CASSIE
Well, that's how I feel about what's
happening to me now. Do you understand?
SAM
Yeah, I think I do. You want me to stay
with you for a while?
CASSIE
(Looking away) No, it's not time yet.
SAM
DON'T say that.
CASSIE
Well, when it is ... time ... will you
be here?
SAM
(Smiles wearily) I promise.
CASSIE
I think I can sleep now ... for a little
while.
SAM
OK.
Sam stands up, and kisses Cassie's forehead.
Janet is in her lab/office looking thru a microscope. She writes
something on the chart, and rubs her head like she has a headache.
She puts her pen down on top of the chart on the RIGHT side of
the microscope, and gets up, and walks out, rubbing her shoulders.
Camera goes back to the room after watching Janet leave. The
chair is moved away from the desk. A woman with a covered face
and head appears, and picks up the chart, and looks thru it.
She then peeks thru the microscope, then at a pet ri dish. She
then looks very closely at what ever's in the microscope on the
slide.
Janet, who was walking to the elevator gets to the elevator,
and realizes she doesn't have her access pass. She looks thru
her pockets, and then realizes she left it in the office. She
begins to walk back.
Meanwhile, th woman is still looking in the microscope. She must
see something she likes, cause she's concentration mighty hard
. She quits looking in the microscope, and stands up straight,
looking at the chart again. She hears footsteps, and puts the
chart down on the LEFT side of the microscope, and disappears
again. Janet walks in, and see the chart on the other side of
where she put it. She picks it up, and looks around the room.
Seeing no one, she shrugs and puts the chart down back where
she had left it. Janet, then grabs her pass, and begins to walk
out. She stops when she looks up at the chest X-Ray on the wall.
A close up goes to the x-ray.
MAN
(In hall) Yes, Lt.
JANET
(Catching up to Sam) Sam?
SAM
(Startled) She's asleep.
JANET
Good. Listen ... the ... the bodies
of the villagers ... what happened to
them?
SAM
They were cremated on 987 ... we sent
a team back.
JANET
Good. So there might still be a bone
fragment. (Sounding desperate, talking
very fast and frantically) If we can
find one from someone who's been thru
the initiation, there still may be antibodies
...
SAM
(Interrupting) ... JANET! That was 4
years ago. The chances of us even ...
Alarms go off, causing the 2 to look up. They run to the infirmary.
They get cut off by a soldier tending to another soldier laying
on the ground.
SAM
Oh, my God!
Janet checks the lying man, and looks at the other man.
JANET
Cassandra!?
CASSIE
(Sitting up) It was a Goa'Uld.
SAM
WHAT?!
CASSIE
I was asleep ... I thought it was a
nurse coming in to take my blood ...
but I did ... sense it's presence.
SAM
I didn't sense anything.
CASSIE
It was after you left. At first there
was no one there, but then , when it
got closer, I saw someone.
Sam runs out of the room.
SAM
(In to telephone/intercom) This is a
Code 3 alert! We need ZATS and TDR's
in Isolation room 4 NOW!
JANET
Are you all right?
CASSIE
It ran away when I screamed.
HAMMOND
(Walking in with the guys of SG-1) Major?
SAM
Apparently, there's a Goa'Uld on base,
Sir.
JACK
What?!
HAMMOND
How's that possible?
TEAL'C
Nerrti possesses the technology to become
invisible.
DANNY
Chronus is dead. (Hammond looks at him)
He's the system lord that was holding
her prisoner.
JACK So she's out!
DANNY
The rings In the lab, that wasn't me,
it was her! She came back thru the Stargate
with us!
SAM
Well, that would mean she was waiting
for us in her lab the whole time.
TEAL'C
We may have inadvertently triggered
the device alerting her to our presence.
Soldiers come in with the equipment.
HAMMOND
Go level by level, check EVERYTHING
... keep in radio contact. If you locate
her, DO NOT shoot to kill. Colonel?
JACK
Staying here, Sir. (Everyone else but
Janet and Jack leave.) I figured, you
fought her off the first time ... I'm
... safe here with you. (Grins at her)
CASSIE
She was here the whole time . You brought
her back.
JACK
We'll find her.
JANET
She's right. Why did she wait until
now to come after Cassandra?
SAM
(Walking thru the halls) Level 22's
clear.
Danny swipes his card to close off door G-2 Level 22. Teal'C
is shown checking another corridor with a soldier. He swipes
his card to close the door. (I didn't catch that one cause the
camera went to Jack)
TEAL'C
(Heard over radio by Jack) Level 21
clear.
JACK
(Into radio) Roger that.
CASSIE
She wanted to know if her experiment
worked.
JANET
You don't know what she wants.
CASSIE
No. If ... if the transformation were
to kill me, she would have just let
it happen. Don't you see?
JANET
Honey, not now.
CASSIE
No! But it DID WORK!
JANET
(Sternly) Cassandra!
CASSIE
(Looks away, sensing something) (Quietly)
No ... (Pointing to the Airman in the
room) (Shouts) LOOK OUT!!!!
Jack points his ZAT at the observation window, and fires. He
breaks the window. (Or it might have been her breaking the window,
there's no way to tell) He falls down from the impact. Janet
simultaneously covers Cassie's head with her body. The Airman
points his Reetou detector thingy at the window, and Nurrti appears
to be flying in the air trying to do a flip out of the broken
window. Jack shoots her with the ZAT, hitting her this time.
She falls to the ground, fully visible. Nurrti's body twitches
from the shock of the ZAT. Janet gets off of Cassie as the airman
moves over Nurrti, pointing the instrument at her.
JACK
Easy! We need her alive. (He takes off
the mask, and sees that it is Nurrti.)
(Into radio) Security to Iso room 4.
All search teams, Stand down.
JANET
(Cassie starts seizing) Cassie? (Panicked)
Cassie! Don't do this! We need to get
her out of here. (Wheeling her out)
Come on! Let's Move! Roll her over ...
(A still seizing Cassie is rolled on
her side) easy.
The door to a room is swiped by the SF on guard. General Hammond
and someone else walks in the room. Nurrti is sitting in a chair.
She looks nice, her hair is shorter, all one length brown instead
of the red. Dressed all in black. She looks much better than
in Fair Game. It's Jack that's with Hammond. The 2 officers just
stare at her. She matches the stares.
JACK
What's gonna happen to Cassandra?
NURRTI
(Goa'Uld voice, hence the CAPS) WHAT
IS HER CONDITION?
JACK
She's just lost consciousness.
NURRTI
THEN THE END IS VERY NEAR.
JACK
If she DIES ... so do you.
NURRTI
AND WHAT DO YOU OFFER ... IN RETURN?
HAMMOND
I don't think you're in any position
to bargain.
NURRTI
I AM IN A POSITION TO SAVE THE LIFE
OF A CHILD THAT YOU HOLD DEAR. RELEASE
ME.
HAMMOND
We can't do that.
JACK
(Whispers) General?
NURRTI
WITH MY INVISIBILITY DEVICE INTACT.
(Hammond and Jack share a look) I ALSO
REQUIRE A SAMPLE OF HER BLOOD.
HAMMOND
Absolutely NOT!
NURRTI
THOSE ARE MY TERMS.
Danny and Janet are walking down the hall.
DANNY
She says she can help Cassandra.
JANET
IF we trust her.
DANNY
No, if we let her go.
JANET
Do you believe she can actually help?
DANNY
Well, as seeing we don't have a choice
... I guess it's worth a shot.
JANET
WHat about General Hammond? What's he
gonna do?
DANNY
He hasn't decided yet.
JANET
(Stops walking and touches his chest,
then moves her hand to his arm) I really
need to get back to see Cassandra.
DANNY
(She begins to walk away, her hand moves
down his arm, her hand reaches his hand,
he holds her hand.) Well, I know how
tough this has been for you, so if you
need anything ...
JANET
(After a few seconds of holding his
hand and looking into his eyes ... )
Thanks. (Danny watches her as she walks
away.) (Back in the room with Cassie)
All right. (Sighs, and throws the chart
down) Give me 70 Mg of tantromine.
NURSE
Doctor?
JANET
Now.
CASSIE
Mom?
JANET
I'm here. We're just getting ready to
give you medicine to get your fever
down.
CASSIE
It's nothing.
JANET
Hey, I want you to do what we talked
about, OK? I want you to FIGHT this.
CASSIE
I don't want to fight it.
JANET
You HAVE to! Honey, your body is not
going to be able to survive what this
retro virus is going to do.
CASSIE
Where's Sam?
JANET
Gone to see if she can get you some
help.
CASSIE
NOooo! Let it happen! I have to let
it happen! (Alarms go off)
JANET
Drop 10 of valium. (More seizing ) (Janet
put an oxygen mask over Cassie's face)
NURSE
Valium's in. (More seizing. ) Temperature
is 106!
JANET
Tantroline's not working?! (Janet grabs
something and walks out the room)
Briefing room.
JACK
General, with all due respect, It's
not like we're negotiating with terrorists.
HAMMOND
It's exactly that, Colonel. You're letting
your emotions get in the way.
JACK
Yes, I am. Shouldn't you be?
HAMMOND
(A seconds hesitation ) Jack ...
SAM
Sir, up until yesterday, we didn't even
know Nurrti was still alive.
JACK
Exactly. (Sits down next to Sam) Now
who cares if we let her go. What difference
does it make? There's just one more
Goa'Uld running around.
HAMMOND
If we were to allow Nurrti to leave
... with a sample of Cassandra's blood,
She could well succeed in her experiment
to create a genetically advanced host,
and become DANGEROUSLY powerful!
TEAL'C
I am in agreement with GeneralHammond.
JACK
What?
TEAL'C
The life of a child may be sacrificed,
but Nurrti possesses valuable information
that would be lost if we allowed her
to leave.
JANET
(To the soldier at Nurrti's door) General
Hammond would like me to check in on
her.
The soldier swipes the door, and Janet sticks him with the needle
in the neck. He falls down, she storms in the room, and cocks
the gun, pointing it at Nurrti.
BAck to Briefing
SAM
Teal'C, we're talking about Cassandra.
TEAL'C
Of that I am aware. But her sacrifice
would benefit both our peoples. Nurrti
possesses valuable information that
would help us defeat the Goa'Uld.
DANNY
We'll find another way.
HAMMOND
We may never have A Goa'Uld as our prisoner
again.
SAM
Sir, I don't have to remind you of what
Cassandra has gone thru because of the
Goa'Uld. Now, if we're gonna put what
we MAY learn or what MIGHT happen over
her life ...
JACK
(Interrupting) ... It's time to "Pack
it in".
DANNY
I agree.
Hammond looks at Sam, who stands her ground.
INTERCOM
General Hammond to the Holding Room.
The gang walks into the room. Janet still has a now standing
Nurrti at gunpoint.
HAMMOND
(Softly) Doctor Frasier, stand down.
JANET
I can't do that, Sir. I don't have a
choice.
SAM
Janet? Don't do this.
JANET
I can't ... help Cassandra ... SHE can
...
HAMMOND
Doctor Frasier, SG-1 has already convinced
me to make a deal for Cassandra's life
... this isn't necessary.
NURRTI
THEN YOU AGREE TO MY TERMS?
HAMMOND
Just one ... once you've cured Cassandra
of her illness, you will be free to
go.
NURRTI
AND HOW DO I KNOW YOU WILL HONOR THIS?
HAMMOND
You have only MY word.
NURRTI
NOT ENOUGH!
HAMMOND
(Looks at Janet who has the gun still
pointed at the Goa'Uld, a look on her
face that says DO NOT mess with my child!)
Then I shall remind you, that the woman
holding the gun on you is Cassandra's
mother.
Cassie's crashing. Nurrti comes in and shares a look with Janet.
Nurrti puts the instruments, a hand ribbon device and that thing
Jack found at the lab, on Cassie. They light up, briefly.
NURRTI
YOU HAVE WAITED TOO LONG.
JANET
You TRY AGAIN!!! (Nurrti looks at her,
and sees that Protective mother look
in her eyes.) (She then looks at Jack,
who's face is stoic.)
Nurrti tries again, and after a minute or so, Cassie starts coughing.
NURRTI
IT IS DONE!
NURSE
Vital signs are all returning to normal.
Cassie gasps for breath, and takes off her mask. I'm assuming
she senses the snakehead, cause she looks at Nurrti, who was
looking at Janet, Nurrti turns to face her.
CASSIE
(Frightened) Mom?
JANET
It's OK. (Voice shaking) I'm here.
NURRTI
(To Jack) I HAVE HONOURED MY PART ...
Jack looks from Nurrti to Hammond, who nods affirmative.
JACK
Let's go to the 'gate.
Jack walks out, and turns back to the room. He sees Cassie and
Janet hugging, and smiles wearily.
JACK
(In gateroom to Nurrti) We've never
dialed these coordinates before ...
I ... sort of hope you know what you're
doing.
NURRTI
IT IS NOT MY FINAL DESTINATION. WITHOUT
A SAMPLE OF HER BLOOD, I WILL HAVE TO
BEGIN MY EXPERIMENT AGAIN.
JACK
(Rather sarcastically) AW nuts.
NURRTI
AT LEAST YOU'VE HONOURED THIS PART OF
OUR BARGIN. IN YOUR PLACE, I DOUBT I
WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME.
JACK
I'll keep that thought alive.
Wormhole is established. They show a really good shot of the
gate opening. Jack and Nurrti stare each other down. Nurrti grins
at him, then leaves. He kinda rolls his eyes after her back is
turned. Hammond watches from the observation/control room. Jack
has a stoic , emotionless expression on his face after the gate
closes.
INFERMARY
Cassie's sitting up in a chair next to her bed reading.
SAM
Hey, Janet! How's our patient?
CASSIE
Bored.
JANET
The uh ... homework's backed up. Other
than that she's just fine. I get to
take her home tonight.
SAM
OOohhh ... Dominique awaits.
CASSIE
Stop it.
SAM
(Teasing) Come on, that last kiss was
impressive.
Janet laughs.
CASSIE Stop it!
SAM
Lights exploded overhead!
CASSIE
(Blushing, and smiling) STOP IT! (Sam
laughs) AWWW! (Laughs)
SAM
It's Saturday.
CASSIE
OK. But ... I won't be able to move
the pieces around just by thinking about
it ... sorry. (Grins)
SAM
Good. Then we're even. (Smiles)
Last shot is a lovely smile from Janet.
THE END
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