ATLANTIS. Doctor Elizabeth Weir is walking through the Infirmary
when a young woman runs to join her.
KELLER: Doctor Weir.
WEIR: Doctor Keller. How is my Head of Medicine?
KELLER: Uh, *Acting* Head of Medicine, actually, and that's kinda
what I wanted to talk to you about.
WEIR: What's up?
(She leads Keller into a transporter. The doors close and Elizabeth
pushes the back panel. The transporter begins to move, so they're
obviously not going far and the transporter is acting as an elevator.)
KELLER: Uh, I need to be replaced.
WEIR: Excuse me?
KELLER: Look, after Carson ...
(She trails off, unable to say the words. Elizabeth nods
understandingly as the transporter/elevator arrives at its
destination and the doors open. The women walk out.)
KELLER: ... someone had to step up and take over, and I'm glad to
help out, don't get me wrong, but I'm not qualified to run a
department of this size. You – you need someone ... better.
WEIR: Everyone down there says you're doing great.
KELLER: Well, (a) I'm not sure that's true, and (b) it's been pretty
smooth sailing over the last few weeks. I think I've been lucky.
WEIR: Well, the IOA are reviewing candidates but, to be honest,
they're not that great at making quick decisions.
KELLER: Yeah. So, a week? Two weeks?
(Elizabeth smiles.)
KELLER: I just haven't been sleeping very well. This whole being in
control thing kind of makes me anxious.
WEIR: Carson felt the same way *his* first few months.
KELLER: I appreciate you trying to lie to me.
(Elizabeth, who had been heading up the stairs to the Control Room,
turns back to face Keller, looks at her and comes back down.)
WEIR: Look, I feel very comfortable with my life in your hands; and
at the end of the day, that means you're doin' a pretty good job.
Dealing with the pressure – it does get easier with time.
(She nods to her, then turns and starts to run up the stairs again.)
KELLER: Right. Uh, how *much* time, exactly?
(Elizabeth stops and turns around again.)
KELLER: Like, it'll get easier over the next two weeks and then
you'll replace me, so I can go back to being a regular doctor?
(Elizabeth smiles, turns and heads up the stairs again, calling over
her shoulder.)
WEIR: I'll keep you posted!
KELLER (unhappily): Thanks(!)
CONTROL ROOM. Doctor Rodney McKay has been waiting for Elizabeth in
her office but hurries out as she comes up the stairs, gesturing to
the computer tablet he is holding.
McKAY: Can I *please* have someone else do these?
WEIR: Performance evaluations?
(She leads him back into her office.)
McKAY: Yes.
WEIR: No. Year-end employee reviews are important. They're how
people get promotions, *and* raises.
McKAY: OK, look. Asking me to do performance evaluations is
ridiculous. I am the first person to admit ... (he gestures out to
the rest of the city) ...I don't know who these people are, nor do I
care to. Look, if you'd like, I could take you down the hall to the
labs and just point at the people who annoy me more than the rest,
but that's about as useful as I get.
(The doors to the hallway open and Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard
walks in. He walks over to Elizabeth's desk and drops a computer
tablet onto it.)
SHEPPARD: All done.
McKAY: Oh, of course(!)
WEIR (picking up John's tablet while looking pointedly at Rodney):
That was quick!
(John smiles at Rodney smugly. Elizabeth frowns down at the tablet.)
WEIR: Hey, John, wait a minute. You've just given *everyone*
excellent and above averages.
McKAY: Ooh! Can *I* do that?
(He reaches down to type on his tablet.)
WEIR: No! I know this is not the most glamorous part of your job,
but you are in leadership positions and, unfortunately, that comes
with administrative responsibilities.
SHEPPARD: Well, everybody who works for me *is* excellent and above
average. You want me to lie? `Cause I don't think leaders should
lie, Elizabeth.
(Elizabeth looks at him, exasperated. The Canadian technician comes
to the door.)
TECHNICIAN: Doctor Weir?
WEIR: Yes, Chuck?
[WE HAVE A NAME AT LAST!!!]
TECHNICIAN/CHUCK: The Apollo just came out of hyperspace.
WEIR (surprised): They're ahead of schedule.
(They all walk out into the Control Room.)
SHEPPARD (nonchalantly): Probably just tryin' to show off – you know,
bein' a new ship an' all.
(Smiling, Elizabeth activates her headset radio.)
WEIR: Colonel Ellis, you've made excellent time on your first voyage
here.
ELLIS (over radio): Thank you. I'm beaming down now.
WEIR: Very well. We'll meet ...
(Before she can finish her sentence, an Asgard transporter beam
transports Colonel Abraham (Abe) Ellis and four of his crewmen down
in front of them. Ellis looks around briefly, then gestures to his
colleagues.)
ELLIS: Set up in the Conference Room.
(The crewmen head off towards the Conference Room as Ellis turns to
Elizabeth and the others.)
ELLIS: Doctor.
WEIR: Colonel. (They shake hands.) Welcome.
ELLIS: Thank you. (He looks at the other two.) Colonel Sheppard,
Doctor McKay. This is gonna make things easier. I'll need to brief
you all immediately.
WEIR: What's going on?
ELLIS: Well, I'd prefer to talk in private.
(He steps aside and gestures towards the Conference Room. As the two
of them head off, John and Rodney exchange a suspicious glance, then
follow.)
CONFERENCE ROOM. One of the crewmen is giving folders to the three
Atlantis crewmembers, who are sitting at the tables. Ellis walks
around the room as he speaks, activating a remote control to close
the doors of the room.
ELLIS: Ever since the human-form Replicators made a play for the
city, we've had the Daedalus make regular reconnaissance fly-bys of
their home planet.
WEIR: Yes, we know.
ELLIS: Two months ago, it took these pictures.
(He activates the remote control to pull up a photograph onto the
wall screen. The Atlantis crew have printouts of the same photo.
Elizabeth looks at hers. It shows a view of an area of the Asuran
planet's surface taken from space. In the middle of the picture are
large flat areas, though it's hard to tell precisely what they are,
nor how large they are.)
WEIR: I'm sorry, what am I supposed to be looking at here?
ELLIS: Nothing.
WEIR: Excuse me?
(Ellis uses his remote to close in on certain areas of the photograph
on the wall screen. Red arrows point to the areas of particular
note. The flat images are much smaller.)
ELLIS: This image was taken about three weeks ago in the very same
location. They're building ships – a lot of them.
SHEPPARD: Why weren't we made aware of this?
ELLIS: I'm making you aware of it now.
McKAY: Well, if they're coming for us, we should start making
preparations to bolster the shield. I mean, we should ...
ELLIS: They're not gonna get here. I'm here to inform you that in
precisely twelve hours, the Apollo – in consort with your team – will
launch a surgical strike on the Replicator planet.
OPENING CREDITS. RESUME.
SHEPPARD: So, uh, you're gonna blow up their ships.
ELLIS: That's right.
WEIR: Just like that?
ELLIS: Just like that.
McKAY: How the hell do you plan on doing that?
ELLIS: A set of Mark Nine tactical nukes housed in a custom-made
weapons platform codenamed Horizon.
SHEPPARD: How many nukes do you have?
ELLIS: The Horizon carries six warheads and four decoys. (To Rodney)
I'm gonna need you to do a final inspection before we head out.
McKAY: Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa, wait. *Six*?
ELLIS: That's right.
SHEPPARD: That's not enough.
McKAY: The Replicators are self-replicating robots, which means that
they can ... (He circles his index fingers around each other to
signify the Replicators self-replicating.)
ELLIS: I'm aware of that, thank you, Doctor, but they're not like the
Milky Way Replicators. Their ships aren't built from nano-cells.
They're constructed of real material that can be destroyed. Six will
be more than enough for now.
McKAY: "For now"? Look, isn't this a bit like poking a sleeping
dragon? Why don't we just wait `til Area 51 finishes the PWARWs?
WEIR (looking like she's getting a headache): Which one's that, again?
SHEPPARD: Planetary-Wide Anti-Replicator Weapons.
McKAY: Look, the Asgard were capable of creating a satellite that
could wipe out an entire Replicator planet. I mean, we've had some
trouble making one of our own but ...
ELLIS: Look, would I prefer taking out an entire planet at once?
Absolutely. But this image is giving the IOA a lot of sleepless
nights. The Replicators know the location of Earth and, with these
new ships, have the means to get there. We can't just sit on our
hands while the guys at Area 51 try to come up with a solution. This
mission's primary objective is to eliminate key military targets.
We'll come back and finish once the new weapon is up and running.
(To Rodney) Doctor, I'm gonna need you to start your inspections as
soon as possible.
McKAY: Well, yes, sure. I just ...
(Without waiting for him to finish, Ellis activates his headset
radio.)
ELLIS: Doctor McKay is ready to beam.
McKAY: Well, he's not, actually ...
(A transporter beam sweeps him away. Ellis walks over to the tables
and picks up the photographs.)
ELLIS: OK. We're finished here. Thank you.
(He nods to Elizabeth and John and leaves the room. A little
surprised by his abruptness and still trying to take in everything
she's been told, Elizabeth stands up and walks over to look more
closely at the photograph on the wall screen.)
WEIR: Can you believe this?
SHEPPARD: No. It all seems too good to be true.
(Elizabeth turns around to him, startled.)
WEIR: What?!
SHEPPARD: Well, if those nukes do what Ellis says they do ...
WEIR: Since we won back the city, we haven't heard so much as a peep
from the Replicators.
SHEPPARD: Well, obviously they haven't gone away.
WEIR: No, but maybe they've decided that we are more trouble than
we're worth; that the threat of our AR weapons is enough to keep them
at bay.
(John stands up and walks over to her.)
SHEPPARD: You don't build that many ships to make a run at Atlantis.
They're headed for Earth.
CONTROL ROOM. Ellis is talking with his crewmembers. Elizabeth
walks over to him.
WEIR: Colonel. May I have a word?
ELLIS: Sure.
(He follows her into her office.)
WEIR: This mission is a mistake.
ELLIS: It most certainly is not.
WEIR (sitting on the edge of her desk): It is an ineffectual first
strike. You've gotta know how dangerous that could be for us.
ELLIS: All due respect, Doctor, it won't be ineffectual. Besides,
the IOA doesn't think we can wait.
WEIR: I think we should stall them; try to open a round of
negotiations.
ELLIS: They're not a race of *people*. They're a *weapon*. Try to
keep that in mind.
WEIR: Weapon or not, they're sentient. Negotiating with them could
buy us enough time to get the PWARW up and running.
ELLIS: Usually I'd be more than happy to go twelve rounds here about
who's right and who's wrong, but it wouldn't matter. I have my
orders, and you don't have the authority to tell me to stand down,
so, again, with all due respect, ma'am, I have a mission to execute.
(He turns and leaves the room.)
APOLLO. Apollo is a Daedalus-class ship, i.e. it looks exactly like
Daedalus [which must save a bit on the special-effects budget ...].
On board, Rodney and Doctor Radek Zelenka are standing gazing up at
Horizon, the weapons platform, suspended way above their heads. It
looks like a large rocket with a pointed nose and fins at the rear.
ZELENKA: Well, the specs check out. We've loaded the target
information. They're ready.
McKAY: Yeah. It's good to go. (He sighs.) This is a bad idea,
isn't it?
ZELENKA: We could tell them they're *not* ready – you know, there's a
fault with the guidance system or something.
McKAY: I thought about that. They're gonna have guys here to
contradict us pretty quickly.
ZELENKA: Yep. (He looks around to make sure that nobody else is in
the room, then speaks quietly.) But we're here alone. We could
*make* them not ready.
(Rodney sighs unhappily again.)
McKAY: They're building an armada, Radek. I saw them. They showed
me the pictures. I'd feel pretty stupid if we break this thing, only
to have the Replicators show up and destroy the city.
ZELENKA: Yeah. Yeah, that would be bad.
(They both look up at Horizon again, then Rodney sighs a third time.)
McKAY: Tell the Colonel we're good to go.
ATLANTIS. John runs over to meet with Elizabeth at the foot of the
Gateroom stairs.
SHEPPARD: Hey.
WEIR: Hey.
(John waits until an expedition member has walked down the stairs and
there's nobody nearby.)
SHEPPARD: Colonel Ellis has asked me to join the mission.
WEIR: I know.
(They start to walk up the stairs.)
SHEPPARD: I was gonna stay behind in a cloaked Jumper after they
launch the warheads; do some battle damage assessment.
WEIR: I know that too.
SHEPPARD: He told me that you called Woolsey and General O'Neill and
tried to get the whole thing called off.
WEIR: Yes, I did.
SHEPPARD: They didn't bite.
WEIR: They did not.
SHEPPARD: Look, I know you think we're doing the wrong thing here,
but, uh ...
WEIR: John ... (She stops and turns to face him. They look at each
other for a long moment.) Good luck.
(She turns and walks into her office. John turns away, uncomfortable
at going ahead with a mission which his expedition leader and friend
does not approve of.)
HYPERSPACE. APOLLO. In a Control Room, Rodney is making last-minute
checks.
McKAY: Alright. Horizon is online. The warheads are armed and we
are ready for final sequencing as soon as we drop out of hyperspace.
ELLIS (on the Bridge): Start now. Open the bomb bay doors.
(He walks across to the command chair and sits down.)
McKAY: We're still in hyperspace.
ELLIS: We're coming out of our jump uncomfortably close to the
planet. I don't wanna waste any time. Just get it done.
McKAY (sighing irritably): Well, you're the boss.
(He and Radek go over to a control panel and press various buttons.
On the other side of a window at the front of the room, the bomb bay
doors open and Horizon is lowered down into position.)
McKAY: Ready to launch on your command. You're sure about this,
right? I mean, like, this is the right thing to do?
ELLIS: Not the best time for that kind of talk, Doctor.
McKAY (tetchily): Right. Sorry.
(A female technician sitting at the Weapons position beside Ellis on
the Bridge reports.)
TECHNICIAN: Coming out of hyperspace in five, four, three, two, one.
(Apollo exits into normal space. Ellis stands up.)
ELLIS: Launch the Horizon.
(Horizon drops out of the bomb bay and we see that Apollo is very
indeed close to Asuras and facing the planet's surface. Once clear
of the ship, Horizon's rockets fire and it heads downwards. As it
reaches the upper atmosphere, its nosecone begins to glow red. It
powers onwards, reaches the lower atmosphere and the nosecone blows
off, revealing the ten weapons (six nukes and four decoys) inside.
Horizon's rockets burn out and the ten weapons deploy, spreading out
in all directions as they head for their targets. As they clear the
clouds, we watch a single nuke continue downwards until it reaches
its target and explodes. We switch to a higher viewpoint and see
several massive explosions. Mushroom clouds begin to rise from the
planet's surface.)
(On Apollo, Radek nods to Rodney.)
McKAY: We have detonation confirmation on all six warheads.
ELLIS: Sheppard, you have a go for launch.
SHEPPARD: Copy that.
(He flies a Puddle Jumper out of the fighter bay, cloaking as he
goes.)
SHEPPARD: Clear. Jump away.
ELLIS: Very well. We'll pick you up in an hour. (He turns to his
pilot.) Pull us out of here.
(Apollo swoops away from the devastation on the planet's surface
below and heads into hyperspace.)
ATLANTIS. NIGHT TIME. In the Conference Room, Radek and Rodney are
looking at a screen which shows the data that John recorded from the
Puddle Jumper. Ellis and John are nearby as the two scientists argue
with each other.
ZELENKA: There is so much radiation interference, it's hard to get an
accurate yield calculation from the scan telemetry.
McKAY: Please, there is *more* than enough data. It's not like we're
trying to take out a person here. We're taking out massive chunks of
a city.
ELLIS: Someone just please tell me if we hit our targets or not.
McKAY: If this data is right, then all of your primaries and most of
your secondaries have been incinerated.
ELLIS: Excellent.
McKAY: Hmm.
(John walks out of the room and heads across to the Control Room,
meeting Elizabeth on the way.)
WEIR: Welcome back.
SHEPPARD: Thanks.
WEIR: I hear congratulations are in order.
SHEPPARD: Yeah, you heard right.
(Teyla Emmagan and Ronon Dex come up the stairs.)
TEYLA: How was the mission? Was it a success?
SHEPPARD: We did get all the ships.
DEX: I wish I could've been there to see it.
SHEPPARD: Well, space battles are always a lot more exciting on TV
than they are in real life.
CHUCK: Doctor Weir? You're gonna wanna see this. We've got a
contact. Just came out of hyperspace.
(The others go over to look at his screen.)
WEIR: Is it broadcasting IFF?
CHUCK: No, ma'am.
DEX: Wraith?
CHUCK: Naah. It's very small. I doubt it.
WEIR (to another technician): Raise the shield.
(The sound of the shield deploying can be heard.)
CHUCK: It's taking up a geosynchronous orbit above the city.
TEYLA: What is it?
SHEPPARD: Maybe we should have the Apollo check it out.
WEIR (nodding in agreement): Tell the Colonel he needs to get back to
his ship.
APOLLO. The ship heads towards the small object in space above the
planet. Ellis, having just beamed up, walks onto the Bridge. His
female technician reports.
TECHNICIAN: Right ahead of us, sir.
ELLIS: Shields?
TECHNICIAN: Affirmative. Shields are up.
(Ellis walks to the front of the Bridge to look out of the
windshield. He reports over radio to the crew on Atlantis.)
ELLIS: OK, I've got a visual. Looks like a satellite of some sort.
(We see the object. It is basically circular in shape and, as it
rotates around, we see that it is hollow. At one end of the hollow
interior is a round object with eight glowing points equally spaced
around it. It looks eerily familiar. Ellis stares in surprise.)
ELLIS: It's a Stargate!
SHEPPARD: A Stargate?
ELLIS: That's right.
SHEPPARD: I thought you said it was a satellite.
ELLIS: It's both. It's a satellite, but in the middle there's a ...
Stargate.
WEIR (to Rodney): What could be the purpose of that?
McKAY: I've no idea.
(Out in space, the Stargate kawhooshes.)
ELLIS: It just activated.
SHEPPARD: The Gate?!
(A red beam lances out of the Gate and heads for the planet's
surface, hitting the upper atmosphere at an oblique angle. On
Apollo's Bridge, panels start to explode.)
ELLIS: Get us away from it!
(He runs back to his seat and sits down as his technician reports.)
TECHNICIAN: Sir, the satellite is turning again.
(The satellite turns in space, its beam cutting through the ocean on
the planet below. In Atlantis' Control Room, the crew stare
nervously.)
CHUCK: It's hitting the planet.
(The beam lances through the ocean, heading towards the shielded
city. The city shakes violently as the beam reaches it. Everyone
stares upwards in alarm.)
CHUCK: It's a sustained beam.
McKAY: That is bad for a dozen different reasons.
(In space, Apollo sends out three missiles towards the satellite.
They impact harmlessly against a shield surrounding it.)
ELLIS: It's protected by a shield. Give me some options, McKay.
McKAY: The shield's taking its power from the beam. Look, I
registered a slight drop in output when you fired on it.
ELLIS: Could I get a nuke past its shield?
McKAY: No, probably not.
SHEPPARD: I'll get in the Chair and give it everything we've got.
Maybe that'll collapse the shield.
(He turns to run for the Chair Room but stops as Rodney speaks.)
McKAY: I said "slight" – as in point zero zero two. Look, I doubt
*any* amount of firepower is gonna collapse it while that beam is
active.
ELLIS: Then what do we do?
McKAY: We stand down and let me think, is what we do. Just give me
five minutes to get my bearings. I'll brief you.
(He stands up to go to another console.)
DEX: McKay, it's shooting at us.
(Rodney turns back to him, a little wide-eyed. He clearly has no
idea what to suggest yet.)
McKAY: Yes, and the shields are holding. Look, we've got plenty of
time – just give me five minutes.
FIVE MINUTES (OR SO) LATER. The beam is impacting the top of the
shield over the city. Rodney leads Ellis into Elizabeth's office
where she and John are waiting.
ELLIS (to Rodney): What've you got?
McKAY: We're in trouble.
SHEPPARD: It took you five minutes to figure that out? You're
slippin', buddy.
McKAY: Look, the satellite is basically just a stripped-down ship.
There's a hyperdrive engine, a shield, and navigational systems.
There's a small power source that was designed to take it to its
intended target and power the shield until the Gate can be dialled.
But once a wormhole has been established to whoever's on the dialling
side, it fires a beam into their Stargate and it comes out on our
side, allowing them to fire on us *and* to power the satellite.
SHEPPARD: That's very clever.
McKAY: Yes. As long as they can keep the beam powered from home, the
weapon remains operational. Oh, and one fun added side bonus is that
because their Stargate is in such close proximity to our planet, we
can't dial our Stargate. We're stuck.
SHEPPARD: Maybe that's a *good* thing. The beam'll turn off at the
end of the Gate's thirty-eight minute cycle. If we dial our Gate at
that precise moment, we can neutralise theirs.
ELLIS: What, and if it's not pulling power from the beam any more,
then we can collapse its shield and destroy it.
McKAY: Sure. The problem is, I don't think it's gonna shut down in
thirty-eight minutes.
ELLIS: But I thought it was physically impossible for an artificial
wormhole to stay open any longer.
McKAY: There is one exception to that rule. The SGC has encountered
attacks of this kind on their own Stargate and sadly we've discovered
that if you pump enough energy into it, a Stargate can remain active
indefinitely.
ELLIS: That would require an insane amount of power, wouldn't it?
McKAY: Like a black hole – or an unlimited number of ZedPMs.
WEIR: So we can assume the Replicators are behind this.
McKAY: Well, I hope so.
WEIR: You *hope* so?
McKAY: Well, otherwise, we've discovered yet *another* super-powerful
enemy.
WEIR: If it *is* a normal Stargate, can we still contact the dialling
planet?
McKAY: Huh, well, I'll need to boost the signal considerably to get
through the interference, but, uh, yes.
WEIR: See what you can do, please.
McKAY: Right.
(He leaves the room. Ellis turns to Elizabeth.)
ELLIS: Why would you wanna contact them?
WEIR: To negotiate.
ELLIS: It's a waste of energy. We need to figure out how to destroy
it.
(Elizabeth steps towards him.)
WEIR: I'd love to go twelve rounds here about who's right and who's
wrong, but at the end of the day I'm responsible for the well-being
of this city, and you don't have the authority to tell me to stand
down.
(Ellis looks at her darkly, realising that his own words have come
back to bite him.)
WEIR: So with all due respect, I think I'll place my call.
(She heads out to the Control Room. Ellis looks at John, who shrugs
at him.)
CONTROL ROOM. Rodney is working near a wall screen which is fizzing
with static.
McKAY: Alright. I *think* I've got it. They're responding to the
transmission.
(The screen clears and a man can be seen. It's Oberoth, the leader
of the Asuran High Council who had been on board the flying city
destroyed at the end of "Progeny.")
WEIR: Oberoth!
OBEROTH: Doctor Weir.
WEIR: I must say I'm surprised to see you.
OBEROTH: Each of us exists within the collective and can be
replicated many times.
WEIR: You need to disable your weapon immediately.
OBEROTH: That is not possible.
WEIR: We had no choice but to attack you. You're building warships.
They need to be neutralised.
OBEROTH: And now, so do you.
WEIR: That assault was just the tip of the spear. We were hoping it
would bring you to your senses. If you don't stop this aggression,
we will be forced to launch an all-out attack.
OBEROTH: Really? Why have you waited?
WEIR: The annihilation of your people is not our goal. Ideally, we
would like a peace to exist between us, but we will not stand idly by
while you build ships and weapons that can be used to destroy us.
(Rodney, who was watching the conversation, now turns to his console
as it beeps at him warningly. An oscillating wave running across the
screen changes in frequency.)
OBEROTH: Interesting. We feel the same way about you.
WEIR: Perhaps I should remind you every time we've met in battle,
*our* side has been clearly victorious.
McKAY: Elizabeth. They're attempting to upload a virus on the comm
bandwidth. I've been able to stop it for now but I'm not ...
WEIR: Shut it down.
(Rodney pushes a button and the wall screen fades to static.)
WEIR: Well, that went well!
McKAY: Yeah. Always been one of *my* favourites.
WEIR: What if the Gate doesn't shut down at the end of its thirty-
eight minute cycle?
(Rodney sighs.)
McKAY: Look, if they're able to maintain the energy beam's intensity –
which I'm sure they will ...
WEIR: And how long `til our shield fails?
(Rodney sighs again.)
McKAY: It's twenty-nine hours.
LATER. As the beam continues to fire down onto the city's shield, a
computer in the Control Room shows the message "GATE CYCLE ELAPSED
TIME: 37:57" As the counter reaches 38:00 minutes, an automatic
programme set up by Rodney starts to dial the Atlantis Gate. Rodney
and Elizabeth look hopefully at the Gate as the lights run around the
symbols on the Gate, then they both sigh as nothing happens. The
programme instantly starts again, and continues running over and over
again but each time the Gate doesn't activate.
McKAY: Well, it was worth a shot.
WEIR: Alright, we're gonna need another plan.
McKAY (unhappily): Yeah, OK.
(He walks away as the Gate continues dialling repeatedly.)
McKAY (offscreen): Look, stop dialling. It's not working.
CONFERENCE ROOM. Ellis and two of his men are sitting and working on
laptops. John comes to the doorway.
SHEPPARD: Sir.
ELLIS (to his colleagues): You two give us a minute.
(The two crewmen leave the room as John walks in.)
ELLIS: What can I do for you, John?
SHEPPARD: We need to head back to the Replicator planet.
ELLIS: We do, do we?
SHEPPARD: Yeah. If this satellite weapon is powered by its
homeworld, maybe we can neutralise it at the source.
ELLIS: Well, the Apollo is in no condition to get in a battle right
now. That beam took a lot out of our shield.
SHEPPARD: No, we've gotta do something.
ELLIS: We *did* do something.
SHEPPARD: I'm sorry, sir, but I can't help but think that we're
somehow responsible for this.
ELLIS: Why, because Weir said so?
SHEPPARD: No, sir.
ELLIS: John, listen to me. (He stands up.) I, uh, I've been over
your record. I know you have your detractors but personally I think
you've done a hell of a job here.
SHEPPARD: Thank you, sir.
ELLIS: *You* should be running Atlantis, not Doctor Weir.
SHEPPARD: Well, then I'd be The Man, and who would I have to rage
against?
(Ellis smiles.)
ELLIS: Listen. Because of us, Earth won't have to deal with an
armada of Replicator ships, so whatever happens here, we did the
right thing today.
ELIZABETH'S OFFICE. Teyla is sitting at the desk as Elizabeth paces
angrily around the room.
WEIR: I'm sorry. It's just ... they didn't even consult me.
TEYLA: I imagine they felt the need for secrecy was great.
WEIR (angrily): I have the highest level of clearance humanly
possible, Teyla. No – they're trying to undermine me. Some of the
military doesn't like that a civilian – let alone a woman – is in
charge of this city.
TEYLA: Surely General O'Neill doesn't feel that way. And the IOA –
they've backed you several times. They believe in you.
WEIR: Yes, when things are going well, but as soon as we run into a
major problem, the military steps in and assumes absolute control.
TEYLA: Certainly you don't wish to coordinate military attacks.
WEIR: No, and that's not what I'm saying. Look, our current
situation could have easily been avoided. I told them as much, but
they put next to no weight behind my opinions regarding the safety
and protection of this city. Yes, the IOA is happy to have me as
lead administrator, but when it comes to the *big* decisions ...
(She trails off, frustrated.) *If* we get out of this, I think I may
have to step down.
TEYLA: Give it some time. You need to step back and ...
McKAY (over radio): We've got something.
(The women head out to the Control Room. John and Ellis come out of
the Conference Room, Ronon wanders in from somewhere, and all of them
go over to Rodney and Radek.)
McKAY: We were throwing some ideas back and forth – well, *he* was
throwing them forth and I was throwing them back – and while he was
droning on about some idea that might have worked, it suddenly
occurred to me: this city has encountered problems like this before,
so I ...
ELLIS: We don't need the history of your idea, Doctor. I'll let that
be a surprise when I read your autobiography. Just tell me the plan.
(Rodney looks annoyed, then puts his hands in his pockets.)
McKAY: We submerge it.
ELLIS: I'm sorry?
McKAY: We submerge the city.
WEIR: I thought you said we *couldn't* submerge the city.
ZELENKA: That was two years ago before the Ancients came and
activated a number of new systems. See ...
(He stands up to explain further but Rodney promptly talks over him.)
McKAY: The "how" is complicated, but I think it's possible. Look,
it's not a permanent solution ...
SHEPPARD: ... but it'll buy us enough time `til we come up with one.
(Rodney points at him triumphantly and smiles.)
McKAY: Exactly.
DEX: How much time?
McKAY: Some. As much as a week.
ELLIS: I don't understand. Why?
McKAY: Ah, you see, the history part would have made that a lot
clearer. Had you been a little more patient, I would have painted
you a picture of ...
SHEPPARD: McKay.
McKAY: Ten thousand years ago when the Ancients were under siege from
the Wraith, they sank the city in order to dissipate the Wraiths'
energy blasts in the water. This way, the shield was able to hold
far longer than it ever could on the surface. So, now, we submerge
the city. The water attenuates the satellite's beam intensity – buys
us some more shield time.
ZELENKA: We cannot predict how *much* the Replicators' beam will be
attenuated. It might not buy us any time at all.
McKAY: There's no way to know for sure, yes, but it's not a reason
not to try.
ELLIS: Alright, get it done.
McKAY (laughing): Yeah, I don't think that's your call.
(He looks at Elizabeth as John and Ellis exchange a glance.)
WEIR: Worst case scenario? We lose some power from the ZeePM?
McKAY: Oh, no – worst case scenario is that we've both read the
numbers wrong, we use up a *ton* of power and the city doesn't
submerge at all. Look, as much as I hate to say it, Zelenka's not
infallible.
(Radek blinks indignantly.)
WEIR: Still, I agree. It's worth the risk.
McKAY (as he and Radek sit down at their consoles): Alright. The
city has an automatic submersion subroutine already in the system.
I'll need it to tweak it a bit to work with one ZedPM and disable
some safety protocols. Give me an hour.
(He and Radek get to work as the others walk away.)
AN HOUR LATER. The beam continues to strike the city's shield as the
sun rises over the horizon. Elizabeth comes into the Control Room.
WEIR: It's been an hour.
McKAY: We're ready.
ZELENKA: No – you've got to do the, um ...
(He points to another console.)
McKAY: Oh, just, um ...
(He goes over to the console and types on it.)
McKAY: We are ready.
WEIR: Good. (She turns to Chuck.) Give me city-wide.
(Chuck pushes a button and nods to her.)
WEIR (over comms): Attention all personnel. We are about to attempt
to submerge the city. From what I understand, it could get a little
bumpy, so this is your last chance to secure equipment and get to the
designated safe areas.
McKAY: We've come full circle, eh?
(Elizabeth smiles at him.)
WEIR: Yeah. Feels that way.
(She looks at Radek, then at Rodney.)
WEIR: OK. Take us down.
McKAY (smiling): Aye, aye, Captain. (He looks at Radek.) Shall we?
(Both of them type on their consoles. The Control Room rocks
briefly, then begins to vibrate. Elizabeth walks out onto the
exterior balcony as the city slowly begins to sink into the ocean.
The water rises up in a solid wall around the shield. Elizabeth
shakes her head in amazement as the city drops lower into the sea.
From a viewpoint above the water, the city disappears and steam
begins to boil up from the Replicator beam as it hits the ocean. The
city sinks down through the water, the beam still impacting the top
of the shield. In the Control Room, everyone standing struggles to
stay on their feet as the city jolts violently as it reaches the
ocean floor. Radek and Rodney check their consoles.)
ZELENKA: That's it. We're down.
(Elizabeth comes back indoors.)
WEIR: The beam still looks pretty serious, Rodney.
McKAY: Yeah, I know. (He looks at his console.) Just give me a
second to ... Crap!
ZELENKA: I *told* you.
McKAY (sighing in irritation): Thank you, Radek. *Very* helpful.
WEIR: What is it?
ZELENKA: The beam is breaking through the water much more efficiently
than we thought.
WEIR: The water has no effect?
McKAY: It's having an effect but just nowhere near what we wanted
to. Look, that plan took us three hours to execute and bought us an
additional ... (he looks at his watch) ... ten hours.
ZELENKA: Nine.
McKAY (throwing him a black look): Nine.
WEIR: OK. What's the plan?
(Rodney looks at Radek blankly. Radek shrugs. Rodney looks back at
Elizabeth.)
McKAY: That *was* the plan.
LATER. As the beam continues to strike the shield, John, Ronon and
Teyla are standing on an outside balcony staring upwards.
DEX: I need to learn some science.
SHEPPARD: What for?
DEX: I'm not all that useful in situations like these. If we get
into a fight, or we need to break out of somewhere, you know, kill
someone, I'm your man; but a laser attacking the city's shield – I
don't know where to chip in.
SHEPPARD: Well, that's why we're a team, like the Fantastic Four.
(Teyla and Ronon frown at him, not understanding.)
SHEPPARD: It's a comic book where superheroes fight crime and stuff.
See, I'd be Mr Fantastic; Ronon would be The Thing; McKay would be
the Human Torch ... (he looks at Teyla) ... you'd be the Invisible
Woman.
TEYLA: I am not invisible.
SHEPPARD: No. No, and McKay's not a human torch.
TEYLA: Well, how come *you* get to be Mr Fantastic?
SHEPPARD: Because he was the leader and I'm the ...
(He looks as them as Teyla looks back at him impassively. Ronon is
smirking slightly.)
SHEPPARD: I'm just saying that *they* were a cool team and *we're* a
cool team and they use their strengths to, you know ...
(He trails off as the other two look at him pointedly.)
SHEPPARD: I'm gonna go check on McKay.
(He walks away. Teyla looks at Ronon as he continues to smirk.)
LAB. Radek and Rodney are gazing silently at laptops as John trots
down the stairs and comes in.
SHEPPARD: Shouldn't you guys be bickering or something?
McKAY: Ah, we've got nothing to bicker about. He's run out of bad
ideas ... finally.
ZELENKA (sulkily): If we survive this, I'm putting in for a transfer.
McKAY: Oh, please. We both know that you've done your best work
under me.
ZELENKA (raising his head out of his hand indignantly): *Under*
you?! I'm my own department head, you know.
McKAY: Please! We both know that department is a joke.
ZELENKA: What?!
SHEPPARD: Why don't you two guys just make out and get it over with,
huh?
(The other two stare at him.)
SHEPPARD: I mean, we have, what? Under one day to figure out how
*not* to get destroyed by this satellite thing, and you guys are
arguing about who works for who.
(Radek sinks his face back into his hand and looks defeated.)
ZELENKA: Every possible scenario ends in failure. There is nowhere
on the face of this planet that that thing cannot kill us.
(John and Rodney stare at each other as they both get the same idea
at the same time.)
SHEPPARD: You don't think ...?
McKAY: No.
SHEPPARD: Old girl too banged up?
McKAY: No, the Replicators fixed all the damage we did with the
drones. We just don't have the power.
SHEPPARD: Yeah, but ideally ...
McKAY: ... it may be the only way.
ZELENKA (with no idea what they're talking about): What?
(John looks at Rodney again.)
SHEPPARD: The drilling platform. You guys have it operational down
there, right?
McKAY: Close enough, but we couldn't bring it with us.
ZELENKA: Bring it where?
SHEPPARD (to Rodney): We don't need to. We just need a boost.
McKAY: You might be onto something here.
(They both turn and hurry out of the lab. Radek jumps up and hurries
after them.)
ZELENKA: Hey! What's your idea?! Hey!
DRILLING PLATFORM. Doctor Coleman talks with Rodney over the radio.
COLEMAN: Well, luckily the umbilical's already in place.
McKAY: Yes, I know. Look, are you capable of outputting the power we
need or not?
COLEMAN: We just started drilling into the crust. I can get you nine
percent of the way there.
(In the Atlantis Control Room, Rodney sinks back in his chair and
looks up at John in despair.)
McKAY: There goes *that* plan.
SHEPPARD: Can't the ZeePM make up the difference?
McKAY: Ah, no. The ZedPM's a little busy powering the shield at max.
(John grimaces, then gets another idea.)
SHEPPARD: What if it didn't have to?
McKAY: What?
SHEPPARD: What if we could take the strain off the shield momentarily?
McKAY: Well, we'd need about a minute. Why? What do you have in
mind?
CONFERENCE ROOM. John and Rodney are talking with Ellis.
SHEPPARD: Lantea's moon has some sizeable satellites itself.
McKAY: Asteroid-like chunks we think are left over from a second moon
that no longer exists.
SHEPPARD: I'd like you to beam up Lorne and get a flight of F-302s
close enough to nudge one our way.
ELLIS: You wanna bring an asteroid towards us? Is that wise?
McKAY: Well, *today* it is.
SPACE. Half a dozen F-302s soar towards a large asteroid. Major
Lorne is flying one of them.
LORNE: Alright, guys. We need to get close enough to clamp on to
it. Get enough of us drilled in, we can fly it like a ship ... a
really *slow* ship. It's probably gonna be a real pain in the ass to
steer, but a ship nonetheless.
(The F-302s hover into position above the asteroid and fire grapples
into its surface, then reel in the cables so that the ships land on
the rock's surface. In comparison to the size of the asteroid, they
look like moths on its surface.)
LORNE: OK – let's take this big gal for a stroll. Flights Three and
Four, begin your burn. Full thrust.
(The two ships begin to fire their engines. The asteroid's rotation
slows slightly.)
LORNE (pleasantly surprised): Son of a bitch! We might be able to
pull this off after all! Flights One and Two, begin your burn.
ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM.
WEIR: It's working?
McKAY: It's slow going, but, uh, yes, they're bringing it towards the
planet.
SHEPPARD: They should be able to get here before our cut-off time.
WEIR: So we can actually do this?
McKAY: I think so, yes.
WEIR: OK, time to tell people. (To Chuck) Patch me into the PA,
please.
(Chuck activates the comms, then nods to her.)
WEIR (over comms): May I have your attention? As you all know, we
have found ourselves in a spot of trouble. The reality is that no
matter where we try to hide on this planet, the Replicator satellite
will be able to track us. Therefore, Doctor McKay and Colonel
Sheppard have come up with a rather ingenious way for us to escape
the satellite's range altogether. In the next few hours, we will
fire the city's stardrive and head into space. Atlantis is leaving
this planet.
LATER. Ellis comes to the door of Elizabeth's office and knocks.
She looks up.
ELLIS: May I come in?
WEIR: Of course.
ELLIS: All non-essential personnel have been beamed to the Apollo.
WEIR: Good. Good.
ELLIS: Has Doctor McKay located your new home yet?
WEIR: Yes. M12-578. It's the closest non-populated habitable planet
with a large ocean. He's a bit nervous about trying to land on solid
ground.
ELLIS: I can understand that. (He pauses, then sighs.) Listen, I
know you don't like me very much ...
WEIR: Colonel, that's nei ...
ELLIS: That's OK. To be honest, I'm not that crazy about you either.
WEIR: OK!
ELLIS: But if I've crossed the line here or there in regards to your
command, I apologise. I'm used to making the calls. But I don't
want you to think I don't respect you. I do, Doctor.
WEIR: Thank you. I appreciate that. I wish the rest of the military
felt the same way.
ELLIS: Well, I can't speak to that. I *do* know General O'Neill is
awfully fond of you.
(Elizabeth smiles and nods in acknowledgement.)
ELLIS: I'd better be heading out. Good luck.
WEIR: Thanks. We're gonna need it.
CORRIDORS. John and Rodney are walking along.
McKAY: Alright. Zelenka is doing a final pass over all the coding
we've done, but so far it's looking good. The underwater drilling
platform's power output has been dialled up as high as it'll go, and
the crew down there have been beamed up to the Apollo.
SHEPPARD: We're gonna wreck that thing, aren't we?
McKAY: What, the drilling platform? Oh, *hell*, yes! But thirty
percent of our total power requirements are gonna be consumed in the
first ten seconds of flight. The station will provide us with that
power right up until we snap the umbilical, at which point we switch
over to the ZedPM. Now, if we can interrupt the satellite's beam –
which is greatly taxing our power levels – we should be able to
squeeze out just enough power to actually do this thing.
(They go into the Chair Room.)
SHEPPARD: How's Lorne doin'?
McKAY: He's making good time. He should be here in the next twenty
minutes.
(He takes a computer tablet off a scientist and looks at it. John
looks at the Chair nervously.)
SHEPPARD: Well, I guess it's showtime.
McKAY: You sure you can do this?
SHEPPARD: Fly the city?
McKAY: What else could I possibly be talking about?
SHEPPARD: I flew a V22 Osprey once.
McKAY (sarcastically): Was it as big as a city?
SHEPPARD: Well, you had to use your hands and feet with that one.
This one, you just have to sit down and think ... "Fly."
McKAY: OK, why don't you just get in the Chair and start your pre-
flight?
(He starts to leave the room. John sits down in the Chair, which
lights up. Rodney turns back towards him.)
McKAY: Oh, I'm gonna head up to the Control Room, and Zelenka will
monitor output from the ZedPM Room. (He turns away, then turns back,
looking a little awkward.) And, uh, good luck.
SHEPPARD: You too.
(Looking nervous, he sits back in the Chair, which reclines.)
SPACE.
LORNE: Doctor McKay, can you read me?
McKAY (from the Control Room): Five by five. Lorne, you in position?
LORNE: We're getting close. You about ready?
McKAY: Zelenka, I need a Go or No Go.
ZELENKA (over radio): We're Go. All non-essential systems have been
shut down. We're in the green.
McKAY: Are you ready, Sheppard?
SHEPPARD (from the Chair Room): Ready as I'll ever be.
McKAY (to Lorne): OK, Major, make sure she's moving as slow as
possible.
LORNE: Are you sure we shouldn't just lob this thing at the satellite?
McKAY: No, they'd easily be able to navigate back into position.
This is still our best bet.
LORNE: Copy that.
(The asteroid moves slowly towards the beam emanating from the
satellite. All the F-302s release their grapples and lift off the
surface.)
LORNE: Package is away and on course. We're heading back to the
Apollo. Good luck.
(In the Control Room, Rodney glances at Elizabeth, who nods to him
encouragingly. He checks his console.)
McKAY: OK, calculating travel time based on current speed. That's
it. We're good. (He looks at Elizabeth again.) Here goes nothing.
(He activates some controls. Underneath the city, the failsafe
mechanism fires up. The city begins to shake. Teyla holds onto a
console nervously as the city begins to rise, heading towards the
surface and the satellite's beam. In the Chair Room, the Chair
rotates slowly as John lies in it, his eyes closed in concentration.)
McKAY: Asteroid is entering the beam.
(Above the planet, the asteroid intersects the beam, breaking its
contact with the city below. The beam starts to carve into the rock,
breaking large chunks off it. In the ocean below, the surface of the
water becomes agitated as the city continues to rise. The top of the
shield breaks the surface and the central tower rises into the
daylight. A tidal wave travels away in all direction as the city
lifts to the surface of the ocean.)
McKAY: We're on the surface. Fire the stardrive.
(In the Chair Room, John concentrates. The ocean boils and steam
rises as the stardrive fires up.)
McKAY: We're not flying high enough. It's stalling out!
(In the Chair Room, John's eyes snap open and he lifts his head.)
SHEPPARD: It's not working.
McKAY: What are you doing wrong?
SHEPPARD: Sure, blame me. We don't have enough power.
McKAY: Oh, sure, blame *me*!
SHEPPARD: It's not working. What other reasons could there be?
McKAY: I have no more power to give you!
WEIR: Shut it off.
McKAY: What?
WEIR: Lower the shield.
McKAY: We're about to go into space! If you plan on breathing, we're
gonna need the shield.
SHEPPARD: Turn it back on at eighteen thousand feet. We just need
the boost to get started, no?
(Rodney's eyes widen.)
McKAY: That might work.
(He turns to another console and starts typing frantically. Above
the planet, the satellite beam continues to carve its way across the
asteroid. In the Chair Room, Rodney's voice comes over the radio.)
McKAY: OK, I did it. Give it all you've got.
(John closes his eyes and lays his head back. The city – now without
its shield – heads up into the sky. As it leaves the ocean, the
vibrations cease. Rodney and Elizabeth gaze upwards.)
McKAY: That's it!
(Teyla lets go of the console she has been clinging to. Rodney
stares upwards, his eyes wide and a smile on his face.)
McKAY: We're flying!
(The city continues to rise. Elizabeth smiles and walks towards the
rear window at the top of the stairs. Ronon walks to the edge of the
Control Room, Teyla a little way behind him. Elizabeth gazes out of
the window, awe-struck.)
(Suddenly alarms sound.)
McKAY: That's it. Time's up. Raising the shield.
(He types, and, as Atlantis continues to rise into the air, the
shield begins slowly to deploy from the bottom of the city.)
(In space, the beam reaches a weak spot in the asteroid and burns
straight through, heading down toward the planet again. It lances
towards the central tower of the city ... and the shield has not yet
risen all the way. Elizabeth winces and raises her arms to cover her
face as the beam lashes through the window, smashing the glass and
sending her flying backwards. Glass rains down on everyone as
Elizabeth crashes to the floor down in the Gateroom. The shield
finally raises all the way but the damage is already done. Rodney's
console explodes as part of the wall collapses.)
(In the Chair Room, John – unaware of the chaos in the Control Room –
lies back with his eyes closed, much calmer now.)
SHEPPARD: Taking us into hyperspace.
(The city soars up into the sky and shoots into hyperspace. John
deactivates the Chair and sits up.)
SHEPPARD: We did it!
(A couple of the scientists nod and smile at him.)
SHEPPARD: McKay! Elizabeth!
(Rodney voice comes over the radio, anguished and panic-stricken.)
McKAY: I need a medical team to the Control Room, stat! Multiple
injuries!
(John leaps out of the Chair and races off.)
HYPERSPACE. The city flies on.
GATEROOM. Medics are treating a couple of injured people who are
covered in cuts from the broken glass. John comes in and goes over
to Doctor Keller. She is just lifting a stretcher containing
Elizabeth's unconscious body onto a gurney. Elizabeth's head is
bound with a large bandage, she has an oxygen mask over her face and
is covered with a blanket.
SHEPPARD: Keller, what happened?
KELLER: Apparently the beam grazed the tower and blew out the ...
(She notices one of her team wrapping a bandage around a man's arm.)
KELLER: Adams, that guy just has a cut. Tell him to put pressure on
it and move on. There's a lot of people worse off upstairs.
(John walks over to the gurney.)
SHEPPARD: Elizabeth? Is she gonna be OK?
KELLER: I don't know yet. She took quite a fall and her pupils are
sluggish. I'm gonna have to get her under a scanner. I'll know more
in a bit.
(She follows the medic as he wheels Elizabeth out of the room. John
runs up the stairs. The Control Room is a mess. Consoles are
sparking everywhere and the floor is covered with broken glass.
Medics are helping injured people. Ronon is sitting against a
console with a large piece of jagged glass embedded in his chest.)
SHEPPARD: Oh, God. (He bends down to Ronon.) Are you alright?
DEX (his voice hoarse with pain): Yeah, I've had worse.
SHEPPARD: How come no-one's helping you?
DEX: I told them I didn't need any help. Other people need more.
SHEPPARD: I doubt that. (He calls out to Adams.) Get this man to
the Infirmary.
ADAMS: Yes, sir.
(John stands up and goes over to Rodney and Teyla.)
SHEPPARD: You guys alright?
McKAY: All things considered. (He goes over to a console, flinching
as a panel nearby sparks out. He has several cuts on his face from
flying glass.)
SHEPPARD: What happened?
McKAY: The beam grazed the side of the tower before the shield was
completely closed.
SHEPPARD: Damage?
McKAY: Minimal – I think. Look, I was able to get the shield up
fairly quickly. It took the brunt of the blow.
(Alarms sound. Rodney looks up.)
McKAY: Oh, what now?
(The room shakes.)
TEYLA: What is happening?
(The city comes out of hyperspace and enters normal space.)
McKAY: We just dropped out of hyperspace.
TEYLA: Have we already reached M12-578?
McKAY: No. There's no way. It should have taken at least another
few hours. (He checks the console.) The hyperdrive just shut down.
SHEPPARD: Why?
McKAY: I don't know.
SHEPPARD: Get it back up.
McKAY (angrily): I just said I don't know what's wrong. I can't get
it back up if I don't know what happened.
TEYLA: Where are we?
McKAY: In the middle of nowhere. There's no planets, no moons, no
Stargates.
SHEPPARD: How much power do we have?
(Rodney checks his console again. He stares in horror.)
McKAY: This can't be right.
SHEPPARD: *How much*?
McKAY: At current consumption, we've got twenty-four hours of power
left. After that, there's no shield. No shield, no atmosphere. No
atmosphere, we're ...
TEYLA: Can we use the Stargate?
McKAY: In order to dial a Gate, it needs to be calibrated to a
specific location. We are lost. Look, we dropped out of hyperspace
*way* too soon. I have *no* idea where we are.
TO BE CONTINUED.