Transcript

| Production | Transcript | Fan Reviews

When a virus causes amnesia in everyone except Teyla and Ronon, the Atlantis team must work together to find a cure before their memories fade entirely.

EPISODE #406
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 11.02.2007
SYNDICATION AIR DATE: 10.20.2008
DVD DISC: Season 4, Disc 2
WRITTEN BY: Alan McCullough
DIRECTED BY: Martin Wood
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Transcript by Callie Sullivan

ATLANTIS. NIGHTTIME. Rodney McKay is in his lab, sitting at his desk and gazing vacantly up through the glass roof at the two moons in the sky. He lowers his gaze and looks around the lab blankly, his face covered in sweat. He tries to stand but then looks down in surprise as he finds that his left hand is handcuffed to his desk with a plastic tether. His sleeve is partially pulled up and there is writing on his left forearm. He tries to tug his arm free but can't. He looks around the lab, then calls out.

McKAY: Hey! Hey, is anyone there? Look, I need some help in here!

(Nobody replies. He looks at the desk and sees a computer tablet in front of him. Its screensaver is rotating on the screen, and a sticky note has been attached to the side of the tablet saying, "PRESS HERE." Below the writing is an arrow pointing down to one of the buttons on the side of the tablet. Bewildered, he pushes the button and a recording of himself, taken with a digital camera, appears on the screen. His image, covered in sweat, looks into the camera anxiously.)

McKAY's IMAGE: All right. Look, I know you're probably panicking right now, but there is no time for that. You need to focus. I'm sure you're wondering who tied you to the desk. Look, the truth is, it was you ... I mean, me. I did it 'cause I needed you to get this message. It would take too long to give you the full explanation and you wouldn't remember it anyway, so you're just gonna have to trust me on this. Now, you'll find a knife taped to the underside of your chair. Find it and cut yourself loose.

(Rodney reaches under his chair and finds the small knife. Pulling it free, he cuts through the tether on his wrist.)

McKAY's IMAGE: Now, I need you to listen. It is vitally important that you find this woman.

(On the screen, Rodney swings the camera across to show the computer tablet. On it is a still photograph of Teyla Emmagan. Printed across her photo are the words, "THIS IS TEYLA. FIND HER." Rodney holds the camera on the photo for a few seconds, then swings it back to himself.)

McKAY's IMAGE: I don't know where she is, but you have to find her. She can help.

(The Rodney in the present puts his hand over his eyes for a moment, exhausted and bewildered.)

McKAY's IMAGE: Check the Mess Hall, or maybe they took her to the Brig. I don't know, but you just have to keep looking. Don't worry about anything else – and for God's sake don't trust anyone. Just find her and do it fast, because if you don't, hundreds of people are gonna die – including you.

(The camera switches off and the screen reverts to the photograph of Teyla with the message across it.)


14 HOURS EARLIER. DAYTIME. Rodney walks into the Botany Lab and looks around. The lab is filled with pots of flowers and plants.

McKAY: Katie?

(Katie Brown is talking with a fellow botanist but turns and comes over to Rodney, smiling happily.)

BROWN: Rodney! Hey, what are you doing here?

McKAY: Well, I heard you were back and I hadn't seen you for a while, so ...

BROWN: I know. We have this whole new mainland to explore and I've been bringing back samples all week.

McKAY: So I see. Anything interesting?

BROWN: Uh, well, it's all pretty similar to what we found back on Lantea. We found a few new species ... oh, which reminds me. I've got a surprise for you.

McKAY: Ooh!

(Katie giggles and leads him over to a table nearby. She picks up a pot containing a tall cactus with feathery fronds growing out of the top of it.)

BROWN: I found this guy hiding in some shrubbery.

(Rodney looks at it, not very impressed.)

McKAY: What is that?

BROWN: Well, it doesn't have a name yet, but I'm thinking of calling it ... (she hesitates for a moment) ... rodneyanivalosa ... after you.

(Suddenly Rodney is much more interested in the cactus. He stares at it in amazement as Katie hands the pot to him.)

McKAY: Really?! You can do that?!

BROWN: Yeah.

McKAY: Huh!

(He turns the pot to look at the cactus more closely.)

BROWN: Be careful. The bristles will pierce skin.

McKAY: Oh! Anyway, look, I wondered if I could tear you away from all of this long enough to have to lunch.

BROWN: Oh, I would love to, but I think I'm coming down with something. I have a headache and I've had a few dizzy spells, so I was thinking of going down to the Infirmary.

McKAY (looking concerned): Oh. (Somewhat reluctantly) Uh, well, I'll come with you.

BROWN: Oh, no, Rodney, you don't have to do that. I know how much you hate being around sick people.

McKAY (not very convincingly but doing his best to cover): Oh, no, really, it's fine.

BROWN: Oh, that is so sweet! Thanks.

McKAY (gesturing towards the door): After you.

(As Katie heads for the door, Rodney grimaces down at his cactus, then puts it gingerly down on the table and follows Katie, wiping his fingers on his jacket as he goes.)


INFIRMARY. Rodney ushers Katie in and they walk over to Jennifer Keller.

KELLER: Doctor Brown. I see you've brought my number one patient.

McKAY: What? Oh, no, we're not here for me this time. I'm here for her.

KELLER (turning to Katie): OK, well, what can I do for you?

BROWN: Well, I've got this really bad headache that won't go away and I feel kind of dizzy.

KELLER (feeling the glands in Katie's neck): When did you first notice it?

BROWN: Some time this morning. Why?

KELLER (leading her and Rodney deeper into the room): Well, because you're the fourth person to come in here with those exact symptoms – and the second person from the Botany Department.

(She points to a man lying in bed, being examined by a medic.)

BROWN: Gerald?

(Gerald raises his hand to her.)

BROWN: Hey.

McKAY: Who's that?

BROWN: Gerald Baxter. He's on my team. You've met him before. He's got the bug collection.

McKAY (obviously clueless): Oh. Sure. Right. Yeah, I remember now. (He raises a hand to Gerald.)

KELLER (to Katie): Well, I'm gonna need to take some blood. (To Rodney) You, too, Doctor.

McKAY (nervously): What?

KELLER: If there is something going around, you might have been exposed to it as well.

(Rodney sighs in exasperation.)

KELLER: Sorry.


GATE ROOM. Samantha Carter and John Sheppard walk in and head up the stairs to the Control Room.

CARTER: Major Dorsey and his team just returned from M6R-214. They examined the debris field above the planet and found the parts from one, possibly two, Replicator ships.

SHEPPARD: Just a matter of time before the Wraith got organised and started hitting back.

CARTER: I suppose. I mean, they did defeat the Ancients, after all.

SHEPPARD: The Replicators may look like the Ancients and they may use the same technology but they're gonna be a lot tougher to put down.

KELLER (over radio): Colonel Carter, come in, please?

CARTER (activating her headset radio): Go ahead, Doctor.

KELLER: I've got a situation developing. Be advised, I've imposed a quarantine on the entire Infirmary level.

CARTER: What's going on?

KELLER: Eleven patients have shown up here in the last hour complaining of headache and dizziness. Eight of them are from the survey team that just got back from the mainland.

CARTER: Any idea what's wrong with them?

KELLER: I ran some blood tests and found a bacteria I've never seen before. I'm checking it against the Ancient database.

SHEPPARD: What do you want us to do?

KELLER: Well, first thing we need to do is isolate everyone that went to the mainland and have them report to Doctor Neaves in the Auxiliary Medlab for testing.

CARTER: Will do. Keep us posted.

(in the Infirmary, a male medic brings a computer tablet over to Jennifer.)

MEDIC: More test results. You and I are both infected; so's Doctor McKay. The good news is, the most advanced case is still only showing mild flu-like symptoms. Maybe it won't get any worse than that.

KELLER: Well, let's hope so.


THE PRESENT. Clutching the computer tablet, Rodney nervous walks out into the corridors of the city. There appears to be nobody around.

McKAY: Hello?

(He walks on, still seeing nobody for some time, but then rounds a corner and sees a man sitting on a bench with his back against the wall. The man's eyes are closed.)

McKAY (relieved): Oh. Hey. (He walks over to him and shakes his shoulder.) Hey, wake up.

(The man slumps sideways. Rodney gasps as he realises that he might be dead. Just then, Radek Zelenka walks into view behind him, nervously wielding a long metal pipe.)

ZELENKA: What are you doing here?

(Rodney jumps in fright, then turns around to face him.)

McKAY: I-I don't know.

(He walks towards Radek, who raises the pipe threateningly.)

ZELENKA: What are you doing?

(Rodney stops and raises his hands. Radek looks at him more closely.)

ZELENKA: You're not a soldier.

McKAY: If you say so.

(Radek lowers his pipe, looks around nervously, then gestures to Rodney.)

ZELENKA: You should come with me. It's safe.

(He starts to hurry off.)

McKAY: No-no, slow down. What's going on here?

ZELENKA: It's the soldiers – they're after us. If they catch us, they'll take us away.

McKAY: Take us where? Why? What soldiers? What is this place?

ZELENKA: Shhh! You shut up! The soldiers will hear us.

McKAY (loudly, angrily): What the hell is going on here? Why can't I remember anything?

ZELENKA: I don't know! No-one can.

McKAY: No-one can? You've seen others?

ZELENKA: Yes. One or two others, apart from the soldiers.

(Rodney shows him the picture of Teyla on his computer tablet.)

McKAY: What about her? Was she there?

ZELENKA: No.

McKAY: I have to find her.

ZELENKA: Why?

McKAY: I don't know. It's important.

ZELENKA: Look, the soldiers probably have her by now, OK? Come on.

McKAY: Well, can we ask them?

ZELENKA: Are you crazy?! If the soldiers see you, they shoot you, they take you away.

McKAY: Again with the taking away!

ZELENKA: Look, you should come hide with me. It's safe.

McKAY: I can't. I have to keep looking.

ZELENKA (angrily): Fine. Suit yourself. You want to get yourself killed – I don't care.

(He walks off, angrily muttering to himself in Czech.)


10 HOURS AGO. Rodney is walking with Jennifer in the Infirmary.

McKAY: It started suddenly, and then it just stopped.

KELLER: OK, well, I appreciate you telling me.

McKAY: Aren't you gonna do anything?

KELLER: To be honest, I don't see how it's relevant.

McKAY: Well, it's a new symptom. I thought it just might be important.

KELLER: I don't see how a tingling sensation in your knees relates to this condition, especially since you're the only one experiencing it.

McKAY: Yeah, but so far. You know, I'm just saying we don't know anything about this disease.

KELLER: Look, the best thing for you to do right now is try to relax, OK, and let me do my work.

(She starts to type on a console. Rodney looks at what she's typing for a moment until Jennifer glances up at him.)

McKAY: Right.

(Nearby, the head nurse, wearing a Hazmat suit, has brought a trolley to Katie's bedside, who is sitting up in bed, and hands her a mug of tea.)

NURSE: Here you go.

BROWN: Thank you.

(She sips from the mug as the nurse wheels her trolley away and Rodney comes over.)

BROWN: What did Doctor Keller say?

McKAY: Oh, she's gonna, uh, take it into consideration; thanked me for my input and, uh ... how're you doing?

(Katie hands him the mug and he puts it down on a table beside the bed.)

BROWN (unconvincingly): I'm OK.

McKAY: Well, Doctor Keller's got her team working pretty hard, trying a bunch of stuff. I'm sure they'll come up with a way to beat this thing in no time.

(Katie tries to smile at him, but her smile soon fades.)

McKAY: Seriously, are you OK?

(Katie sighs.)

BROWN: My headache – it's getting worse.

McKAY: Look, is there anything I can do?

BROWN: Could you ask the nurse to bring me some tea?

(Rodney picks up the mug from the table.)

McKAY: Well, what's wrong with this one?

(Katie looks at it as if she's never seen it before.)

BROWN: Oh. Yeah. Great.

(She takes the mug from him. Nearby, there's a clattering sound. They look and see the head nurse collapsing to the floor, knocking the trolley over. Jennifer and another medic in Hazmat run over to her.)

KELLER: Marie? What's going on?

NURSE: I don't know. I just got really dizzy.

(She sighs shakily as Jennifer and the medic help her up.)


SAM'S OFFICE. Sam is talking over the radio to Jennifer while John stands nearby.

CARTER: Are you telling us that the infection has breached Hazmat protocol?

KELLER: I'm not entirely sure. It's possible she could have been previously exposed but that would mean it's already spread much farther among the general population than we thought. I've got off-duty medical personnel conducting random blood tests around the city to get a sense of where we're at.

SHEPPARD: Have we confirmed it came from the mainland?

KELLER: Well, the plant and soil samples brought back by the Botany Department were negative, but it still seems like the most likely point of origin.

CARTER: What about the database?

KELLER: I haven't found a match yet, but I'm still looking. There is one more thing: since we have no idea what this disease does or how it's spread, or even if our containment measures are having any effect, I recommend we suspend all Gate travel immediately.

CARTER: Thank you, Doctor.


INFIRMARY. Katie is lying asleep in bed. Rodney has got a tray of food and is sitting by her bedside with the tray on the bed. As he tucks in, Katie opens her eyes and looks at him. He smiles at her.

McKAY: Hey. How're you feeling?

BROWN: I-I don't know.

McKAY: Oh. Well, they brought dinner. It's Salisbury steak – it's actually quite good. Oh, and by the way, I asked Doctor Keller about your friend Doctor Baxter. She says he's asleep but apparently the fever's down.

(While he has been talking, Katie has been looking around the room, bewildered. Now she frowns at Rodney.)

BROWN: Who?

McKAY: Doctor Baxter. (He hesitates, convinced that – as usual – he's got the name wrong.) That's his name, right, the guy in your team?

(Katie looks around the room again, still looking confused.)

McKAY: Katie?

(She looks at him.)

BROWN: Where am I?

McKAY: What do you mean? You're in the Infirmary. I brought you here, remember?

BROWN: Who are you?


THE PRESENT. Nervously, Rodney makes his way along the corridors. From behind him, Major Lorne and several other soldiers come around the corner. They draw their Wraith stunner pistols as they see him.

LORNE: Hey! Hold it right there.

(Rodney turns around to them, raising his hands.)

McKAY: I don't wanna cause any trouble. I just ...

(One of the soldiers, Lieutenant Kemp, shoots him and he drops to the floor. The group walks over to him and Kemp kneels down and turns him over. Lorne looks down at him.)

LORNE: All right, put him with the others. Go on, get him outta here, come on.

SOLDIER: Yes, sir.

(Four of the soldiers pick Rodney up and carry him away. Lorne takes a bottle of pills out of his vest pocket, shakes several of them out into his hand and tosses them into his mouth as he hands the bottle to Kemp. As they walk away, we see that the computer tablet with Teyla's picture on it is lying on the floor, partially hidden underneath a bench.)


8 HOURS EARLIER. John sighs as he walks into Sam's office.

SHEPPARD: Well, what's the word?

CARTER: Well, the random test results came back. Six different people working in six different areas of the city – all positive.

SHEPPARD: Well, that doesn't sound very promising.

CARTER: Well, it's either a statistical miracle or the entire base has been exposed. We're running more tests to confirm it but it doesn't look good.

SHEPPARD: I don't know about you, but I feel fine.

CARTER: Well, me too, and that's the problem. If there is a delay before the first symptoms appear, it could have spread anywhere before we even knew what was happening. I've informed Stargate Command that we're suspending Gate operations.

KELLER (over radio): Colonel Carter, this is Doctor Keller.

CARTER: Go ahead.

KELLER: I'm sending you scans on Katie Brown as well as three other patients who are beginning to show signs of amnesia. All of them show large concentrations of affected cells in the medial temporal lobe. Looks like the bacteria's causing these cells to produce a hormone that interferes with the brain's ability to access episodic memory.

SHEPPARD: How bad are we talking?

KELLER: Well, the rate of deterioration seems to vary from patient to patient but in all cases it looks like it's progressive, meaning the longer they go without treatment, the worse it gets. Pretty soon they won't be able to remember their own names.

CARTER: You said the first symptoms were headaches and dizziness.

KELLER: Yeah, that's right.

CARTER: How long after they appeared before the first signs of memory loss?

KELLER: Again, it seems to vary, but you're looking at an average of about six hours.

SHEPPARD: What about you, Doc? Showing any signs?

(Jennifer sighs.)

KELLER: Yeah. The headache started half an hour ago.

CARTER: All right. Keep searching the database. I still think it's our best bet to find a solution.

KELLER: I'd love to, but if we're right about these numbers, I'm about to get overrun with a lot of new patients. It's already pretty crowded in here.

SHEPPARD: Mess Hall. We can clear it out and make a temporary ward.

KELLER: Yeah, that's a good idea. At the very least, it'll consolidate everyone in one place for treatment.

CARTER (to John): Do it.


THE PRESENT. Rodney regains consciousness lying on a camp bed in the Mess Hall. Groaning, he sits up. There are many other people in the room. All of them are covered in sweat. There are many beds of varying kinds in the room. Some people are lying in the beds but others are standing or sitting around, all of them looking confused. A man standing nearby looks down at him.

MAN: Are you all right?

McKAY: Yeah. (He looks around.) Where am I?

(Jennifer is sitting nearby.)

KELLER: We were hoping you could tell us.

McKAY: Who are all you people?

SCIENTIST: We don't know.

KELLER: None of us can remember anything.

MAN: What's happening out there? What did you see?

McKAY (standing up): Nothing. Just empty hallways. How did I get here?

KELLER: The soldiers brought you.

McKAY: Why?

SCIENTIST: They bring everyone here. They say it's for our own protection.

(Rodney wanders over to the doors. He puts his hands against them and, when they don't open, puts his hand on the wall panel. It beeps negatively.)

SCIENTIST 2: Don't waste your time. It won't open.

McKAY: Why are they doing this to us? Look, why can't anyone remember?

(Everyone gazes at him, bewildered. Suddenly Rodney remembers something.)

McKAY: My ... the computer. (He goes back to the camp bed and looks underneath it.) Where's my computer?

KELLER: It wasn't with you when they brought you here. Why?

McKAY: I have to find someone – a woman. (He wracks his brains for a moment, then remembers.) Teyla! Do you know who that is?

(Nobody nearby replies. He calls out to the room.)

McKAY: Does anyone here know Teyla? Anyone?

(Everyone gazes at him blankly.)


THE PAST. Ronon Dex is helping John carry a medical bed into the Mess Hall where people are converting it into a ward.

DEX: I thought the city had some sort of automatic lockdown to prevent stuff like this.

SHEPPARD: It does.

DEX: Oh yeah? What happened?

SHEPPARD: What, you're asking me?

(He grimaces and leans on the bed, putting his hand to his forehead.)

DEX: You got a headache?

SHEPPARD: Yeah. I guess it was just a matter of time.

(Teyla walks over, looking concerned.)

TEYLA: John?

SHEPPARD: I'm fine.

(He walks away. Ronon sits down on the bed and looks at Teyla.)

DEX: Hey. How're you feeling?

TEYLA: I am fine.

DEX: Any symptoms?

TEYLA: No. None yet.

DEX: Me neither. (He frowns.)

TEYLA: What is it?

DEX: How do they know we're all infected? My blood wasn't part of the sample that was tested.

TEYLA: Nor was mine. Even so, it is likely we were exposed.

DEX: So what? Being exposed doesn't mean you've got it. Maybe it doesn't affect everybody the same way. All I know is I feel great.

TEYLA: So do I. Perhaps you should make Doctor Keller aware of this.

DEX: Yeah. OK. (He gets up and leaves the room.)


INFIRMARY. Ronon walks into the room, pushing past an incoming patient.

DEX: 'Scuse me.

(He looks around the crowded room until he sees Jennifer standing at someone's bedside with her stethoscope in her ears.)

DEX: Doctor Keller. I need to talk to you.

KELLER: Uh, I'm a little busy right now.

DEX: I'm not sick.

KELLER: Well, if you were lucky enough not to be exposed, you just blew it by coming in here.

DEX: No. I know I've been exposed. People I've been working with all day have been in sick, but I'm not feeling anything. Neither is Teyla.

KELLER (feeling his neck glands): You think you might have some kind of immunity?

DEX (shrugging): You're the doctor.

KELLER: OK. I'm gonna need a sample of your blood.

DEX: Take as much as you need.


THE PRESENT. Rodney is sitting on a camp bed carefully writing Teyla's name onto his right forearm so that he won't forget it. Jennifer walks over to him.

KELLER: What are you doing?

McKAY: I have to remember somehow. I already feel certain things slipping away.

(He stands and gets up onto a box nearby so that he can be seen by everyone. His sweating appears to have become worse. Katie is lying in a bed just in front of him but she is gazing blankly into the distance, and Rodney of course doesn't recognise her.)

KELLER: All right, now what are you doing?

McKAY: Getting out of here. (He calls out.) All right, everyone, listen up. I need to escape as quickly as possible. Does anyone know how I can do that?

KELLER: You can't just leave.

McKAY: Why not?

NURSE (MARIE): What about the soldiers?

McKAY: We're just gonna have to deal with them. Sorry, call me crazy, but I don't exactly trust them.

SCIENTIST 2: That doesn't mean we should be running loose. We have no idea what's out there.

McKAY: Look, something caused this to happen, all right, and we're not gonna figure it out from in here. Somewhere out there, there is a woman ... a woman named ...

(He trails off, trying to think. He has already forgotten that he's written her name on his arm. However, Sam then pushes her way through the crowd and provides the answer. Her hair is no longer tied up, so it's fairly obvious that she's as amnesiac as the others, although she has managed to hang onto Teyla's name for a little longer than Rodney has.)

CARTER: Teyla.

McKAY: Teyla, right. Thank you.

(He gets off the box, picks up his pen and looks for somewhere on his left arm to write. There's no room left, so he starts to write on his palm.)

McKAY: I think she knows something.

KELLER: What?

McKAY: I don't know. We've gotta get out there and find out.

CARTER: I think we should listen to him.

KELLER: Why?

CARTER: Well, it makes sense. Why haven't the soldiers told us what's happened? Why haven't there been any announcements or any help on the way? Maybe they don't know any more than we do.

(She turns around to the others.)

CARTER: We need a plan.


THE PAST. John trots into the Gateroom and joins Rodney as he makes his way upstairs.

SHEPPARD: They let you out?

McKAY: The second set of random blood tests just came back – all positive. Didn't seem much point in quarantining the Infirmary any more.

SHEPPARD: You showing any signs?

McKAY: Headache.

SHEPPARD: Yeah, same here.

McKAY: Five bucks says you start losing your memories first.

SHEPPARD (indignantly): Rodney!

(They walk over to Sam.)

CARTER: All right, we've got food, water and blankets. We don't have enough beds but we're just gonna have to make do.

McKAY: Well, we may need to think about ordering all non-essential personnel to report to the Mess Hall. I mean, they're gonna wind up there anyway and this way we won't have people with no memories wandering the hallways.

SHEPPARD: That's what I'm worried about. I'll send Lorne and a team out, make sure those orders are followed.

(Sam leads them into her office, picks up a couple of bottles of tablets from her desk and gives them to John and Rodney.)

CARTER: These are from Doctor Neaves. They're stimulants. He thinks they may slow the effects of the memory loss. It's just a stop-gap but at least it may buy us a few hours.

(Rodney takes one of the tablets out of the bottle but looks at it nervously.)

McKAY: Do we know what's in these, because I'm allergic ...

SHEPPARD: Just take it.

(He tosses a tablet into his own mouth while Rodney nervously takes his own. Sam hands John another bottle.)

CARTER: Hand these out to Lorne and his men. One more thing: I've ordered Doctor Zelenka to remove the Gate's main control crystal. No matter what happens, we cannot risk spreading this disease elsewhere in the galaxy or to Earth.

McKAY: What happens when we all start losing our memory?

CARTER (more hopefully than convincingly): Doctor Keller will come up with something before that happens.


INFIRMARY. Ronon comes in again and goes over to Jennifer as she walks away from Doctor Baxter's bedside. She is covered in sweat.

DEX: Hey. I thought we were moving everyone to the Mess Hall?

KELLER: He's our most advanced case. His vitals are too unstable. What can I do for you?

DEX: I was just wondering if you found anything.

KELLER: What do you mean?

DEX: I'm not showing any sign of the disease, remember?

KELLER: Oh. Well, it's possible you could have some sort of natural immunity. (She feels his neck glands.)

DEX (frowning): Doc ...

KELLER: Stay here a minute. I'll take a sample of your blood.

DEX: Doc. You've already done that.

(Jennifer stares at him.)

KELLER: It's happening to me, isn't it?

(An alarm sounds. Marie, standing at Baxter's bedside, turns to Jennifer.)

MARIE: Doctor, he's convulsing.

(Jennifer runs over to his bed.)

KELLER: OK, uh, give him ... um ... uh, meda- ... medazelam, four milligrams.

(As Marie runs to get it, Baxter stops convulsing.)

KELLER: He's in V-fib. I need a crash cart.

(Ronon stands aside as a medic brings in the cart. Jennifer grabs the paddles.)

KELLER: Charge it to two hundred.

(Marie pushes Baxter's top up and Jennifer applies the paddles.)

KELLER: Clear.

(She shocks him, then looks at the readout on the screens. It doesn't change.)

KELLER: Charge it to three hundred. ... Clear.

(She shocks him again. The monitor changes to a single continuous tone. Jennifer stares at her team in horror.)


THE PRESENT. Lorne and his team have captured some more people and are bringing them to the Mess Hall. Reaching the doors, Lorne swipes his hand over the wall panel. As the doors slide open, the people inside have all gathered on the other side.

MAN: Go! Go!

(Everyone starts to charge out of the door, shoving the surprised soldiers aside.)

LORNE: Stop! Stop!

(He fires his stunner repeatedly, gunning various people down as they run. Jennifer runs to a nearby corner and beckons to Sam and Rodney.)

KELLER: This way!

(At the sound of her voice, Lorne fires at her, stunning her. Sam and Rodney race around the corner and run on as Lorne continues firing at everyone. He and his soldiers chase after the fleeing pair.)

(Some time later Sam stops for a moment.)

CARTER: All right, I think we're clear. (She doubles over, trying to catch her breath.)

McKAY (equally breathless): Oh, thank God! My lungs were about to give out! So what next?

CARTER: I don't know. How do we find her?

McKAY: Who?

(Sam grabs his left hand and points to his palm.)

CARTER: Teyla! The one we just risked our lives for!

McKAY: Right. Right. I don't know.

CARTER: All right. We'll just have to search room by room. I mean, how big could this place possibly be?

(She walks towards a door, which slides open to reveal an outdoor balcony. She and Rodney walk out and stare, awestruck, at the sight of the city's many towers in front of them. They look at each other in horror.)


THE PAST. Ronon and John are leading a group of people along the corridors.

SCIENTIST: Where are you taking us?

SHEPPARD: I already told you: the Mess Hall.

SCIENTIST: I don't wanna go there!

SHEPPARD: Just relax. I know you're scared, but you're just gonna have to trust me. It's for your own good.

(He speeds up to join Ronon.)

SHEPPARD: So much for coming quietly!

(They reach a junction. John walks on, but Ronon stops and indicates to the right.)

DEX: Hey. Mess Hall's this way.

SHEPPARD: Right. (He turns to the right and they start to walk again.) Don't look at me that way. It's easy to get turned around in this place.

(They reach the Mess Hall and walk in. Many people are already inside. Sam comes over to them.)

SHEPPARD: Major Lorne's picking up some more stragglers. We're starting to get a little resistance.

CARTER: Yeah. They're starting to lose their memories. They probably can't understand why there's a bunch of soldiers after them.

SHEPPARD: That's why I told him to take his men to the Armoury and equip them with stunners.

(Sam grimaces.)

CARTER: I'm not sure I like the idea of us shooting at our own people.

SHEPPARD: Well, they may not have a choice.

CARTER: Yeah, I suppose you're right. Pretty soon there's gonna be some panicked, confused people out there.

SHEPPARD: Yeah.

CARTER: OK, carry on.

(She walks away. John looks thoughtful.)

DEX: What?

SHEPPARD: Come with me.

(He leads him out of the room.)


ARMOURY. As Lorne's team arm themselves, Lorne is sitting on a bench shaking tablets out of a bottle into his hand. John and Ronon walk in. John frowns as he sees Lorne shovel a handful of pills into his mouth.

SHEPPARD: You might wanna go easy on that stuff, Major.

LORNE: Sir, we need to delay this thing as much as possible. If we all go, there's no coming back.

SHEPPARD: Yeah, I know. That's what I wanna talk to you about. I've got an idea.


THE PRESENT. Sam and Rodney are walking along a corridor.

McKAY: Haven't we come this way before?

CARTER: No.

McKAY: You sure?

(Sam looks back down the corridor.)

CARTER: No.

McKAY: I have an idea.

(He takes his pen out of his pocket and draws a cross on the wall.)

CARTER: What are you doing?

McKAY: If we come back here, we'll know we've been this way before.

CARTER: Presuming, of course, that we remember that we're the ones who put it there in the first place.

(Rodney frowns. Just then, they hear footsteps and dive around the corner to hide. Radek comes into view, aiming a Wraith stunner pistol around nervously.)

ZELENKA: I know you're out there. Drop your weapons and come out slowly.

(As he continues aiming his pistol in all directions, Sam and Rodney peer around the corner cautiously. Radek is clutching something to his chest with his other hand. Rodney looks at him, then remembers something.)

McKAY: Little guy with glasses.

(He pulls up his left sleeve and looks at the writing on his arm. Seeing something relevant, he smiles with relief and starts to walk out of hiding. Sam grabs his arm and pulls him back.)

CARTER: What are you doing?

McKAY: I know him. (He steps out of hiding, raising his hands.) Don't shoot.

(Radek aims his stunner at him, trying to look belligerent, but failing dismally.)

McKAY: I don't have any weapons.

(Sam follows Rodney out, also raising her hands.)

ZELENKA: Who are you?

CARTER: We were captured by the soldiers. We escaped.

ZELENKA (surprised): Really?

(Rodney sees the something that Radek is holding to his chest.)

McKAY: Listen, what is that?

(Radek backs away, holding onto whatever it is possessively.)

ZELENKA: I found it.

McKAY: Let me see.

(Radek shakes his head.)

CARTER (to Rodney): What is it?

McKAY: I don't know, but something tells me it's important.

ZELENKA: Why?

McKAY: I don't know.

(He holds his hand out to Radek pleadingly. Radek hands over what he's holding. It's a computer tablet. Rodney takes it and presses the button on the side. Teyla's picture and its message come up on the screen. Radek stares in surprise.)

ZELENKA: Hey! How did you know to do that?

McKAY: I don't know. I just did.

CARTER: Well, that's her! Teyla!

ZELENKA: You know her?

CARTER: Well, not exactly. We're looking for her. We think she can help us.

ZELENKA: Huh! (He looks at the screen.) It says, "Find her." How are we going to do that?

(Sam and Rodney look at each other. They have no idea.)


THE PAST. SAM'S OFFICE. Jennifer is there with Sam and Team Sheppard. She calls up an image onto the wallscreen.

KELLER: This is what I wanted to show you.

TEYLA: This is the bacteria that is causing our disease?

KELLER: Not exactly, but it's very similar.

CARTER: And you found this in the database?

KELLER: I stopped looking in the database. I knew there was a reason why Teyla and Ronon are the only people who've tested negative so far. We don't have a lot of information on the Satedans so I started looking through Doctor Beckett's records on the Athosians. (She indicates the screen.) This is a blood sample taken from a ten year old boy. He was suffering from something called, um ... er ... I wrote it down ...

TEYLA: Kirsan fever?

KELLER: Yeah, that's it.

TEYLA: It is a common childhood ailment throughout the galaxy. I had it when I was eight.

DEX: I had it when I was ten.

TEYLA: But this cannot be the same disease. Kirsan fever does not affect adults, nor does it cause memory loss.

KELLER: Well, that may be true but the structure of the bacteria is too similar to ignore. They have to be related somehow.

(Rodney clicks his fingers several times.)

McKAY: Wait a minute. Maybe they are the same. That would explain why the sensors didn't identify it as a threat.

TEYLA: How is that possible?

McKAY: Well, think about it. I mean, this planet didn't have a Stargate until we came here. Maybe when the Ancients were first scouting this place, they accidentally brought this, er ... Kirsan fever with them. It got trapped here and over the course of ten thousand years it mutated to cause the symptoms we're now experiencing.

KELLER (looking at Teyla): That would also explain why you and Ronon aren't affected. You have antibodies built up from when you were young.

CARTER: Well, if they have the antibodies, then ...

KELLER: It would take months to reverse-engineer a cure. I mean, I'm not even sure it's possible.

TEYLA: The sap of the enchuri plant. My people have used it for generations to combat Kirsan fever. It is highly effective and not much is needed.

SHEPPARD: Let's go get some.

CARTER: Take a Jumper.

DEX: Wait a minute. You've disabled the Gate, remember?

(Sam looks at him quizzically.)

TEYLA: You ordered Doctor Zelenka to take the control crystal. Where did he put it?

(Sam looks blank. John activates his headset.)

SHEPPARD: Zelenka, this is Sheppard. Come in.


CORRIDORS. Lorne and his team are walking along.

LORNE (pointing): Check out the rooms down there and there. I want this section cleared out in ten minutes.

SHEPPARD (over radio): Lorne, come in.

LORNE: Yes, sir, go ahead.

SHEPPARD: You seen Zelenka?

LORNE: As a matter of fact, I have.

SHEPPARD: Did you bring him to the Mess Hall?

LORNE: Uh, sorry, sir, but he gave us the slip. Must have heard us coming. Cracked one of my people over the head with a metal rod and disappeared down a service hatch before I could get a shot off. There's no telling where he is now.


LATER. John and Teyla are out in the corridors searching.

SHEPPARD: Zelenka, respond? ... Zelenka, come in.

TEYLA: Radek? We are not trying to hurt you. We need your help.

(Rodney and Ronon join them from another direction.)

McKAY: OK, this is pointless. Look, we don't even know if he still has a radio, and even if we find him, chances are he's not gonna remember what he did with the control crystal. Let's face it: we're screwed.

SHEPPARD: There's gotta be some way out of this. (He thinks for a moment.) What about the Jumpers? They've got D.H.D.s.

McKAY: It doesn't matter. Without the control crystal, the Gate can't establish a stable wormhole. We're not going anywhere.

SHEPPARD (frowning): I'm missing something. I can't concentrate.

DEX: What about the mainland?

TEYLA: Ronon is right. The enchuri plant is abundant on many worlds. It may be here as well.

SHEPPARD: All right. Assuming we can find the stuff, how're we gonna distribute it?

(Rodney sighs plaintively.)

McKAY: I'll figure something out.

(He heads off towards his lab.)

TEYLA (to Ronon): I'll stay with Rodney. Do you know what to look for?

DEX: It grows like a weed on Sateda.

(Teyla nods and follows Rodney. John and Ronon head off for the Jumper Bay.)


PUDDLE JUMPER. John and Ronon walk in, John looking around the ship vaguely as the lights come on automatically. Ronon steers him towards the pilot's seat.

DEX: Uh, there.

(John sits down while Ronon takes the co-pilot's seat. John stares at the controls blankly.)

DEX: You can fly this thing. It's in your blood – literally.

(Not looking very convinced, John puts his hands on the controls and the Jumper rises up out of the Bay and heads out over the ocean.)


RODNEY'S LAB. Rodney types onto a laptop, then turns towards another one. He stops and puts his hand over his eyes, grimacing in pain for a moment, then lowers his hand and looks around blankly.

McKAY: Wait a second. What am I doing?

TEYLA: You said the quickest way to spread the cure was to aerosolise it and distribute it through the ventilation system. You are currently attempting to override base protocol for temperature, humidity and air pressure.

McKAY: Right, right, OK, it's easy. (He bends down to a laptop and types.) Just a simple matter of accessing the root directory and, uh ...

(The computer beeps at him negatively.)

McKAY: Ah, come on!

TEYLA: Rodney?

McKAY: No-no-no-no-no, I should be able to do this in my sleep. (He looks anguished.) Oh, God. It's happening to me too, isn't it?

TEYLA: You have to remain calm.

McKAY: Oh, no-no-no-no, you don't understand. My memory was lousy to start with. I mean, people's names, birthdays. I once forgot Mother's Day five years in a row.

TEYLA: What is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter?

McKAY: Well, that's pi. It's three point one four one five nine two six five etcetera etcetera. It doesn't count – that's easy.

TEYLA: You are a scientist, Rodney. That is what you care about; that is what you will hang onto the longest.

McKAY: Right. Right.

(Teyla pats his arm encouragingly. He turns back to the computer.)

McKAY: So ...

(He lifts his head again.)

McKAY: Wait a minute. Doesn't that make me a really bad person?

TEYLA: It makes you the type of person who is going to save all our lives.

(She gestures down to the laptop.)

McKAY (encouraged): Oh! OK. Hmm!

(He gets back to work.)


THE PRESENT. The doors to the Infirmary open and Rodney, Sam and Radek go inside cautiously.

ZELENKA: What is this place?

McKAY: I don't know.

(He looks around. There are boxes of medicine and equipment scattered around the floor.)

McKAY: Looks like they left in a hurry.

CARTER: She's not here. Let's ...

LORNE's VOICE (from a distance): Down here! This way!

CARTER (whispering): Quiet! Go! Go!

(The three of them run to find different hiding places in the room. Moments later Lorne and his team come in.)

LORNE: All right, everybody spread out. They've gotta be in here somewhere.

(The men start to search the room. Sam, Rodney and Radek scrunch deeper into their hiding places behind or beside cabinets. They're not very well hidden and are likely to be discovered at any moment. Lieutenant Kemp walks to an open cabinet behind which Sam is hiding. He looks inside. Lorne, meanwhile, walks slowly along the front of another cabinet. Rodney is hiding around the side of it. A few more paces and Lorne will definitely see him. Just then Kemp calls out.)

KEMP: Sir!

(Lorne turns to him. Kemp takes some bottles of tablets out of the cabinet.)

KEMP: Found 'em.

LORNE: Good. (He clicks his fingers at his team.) Let's go, let's move out. Come on.

(They leave the room. Once they've gone, Sam and Rodney come slowly out of hiding. Radek, still crouched down beside a low cabinet, looks up at them plaintively.)

ZELENKA: Can we get out of here, please?

(Sam looks round at Rodney thoughtfully.)

McKAY: What is it?

CARTER: I have a idea. Come on.


THE PAST. MAINLAND. The Jumper has landed and its rear door is opening.

DEX: Let's go.

(Picking up a couple of sacks and drawing his blaster, he leads John out. John stops on the ramp.)

SHEPPARD: Wait a minute.

(Ronon rolls his eyes and turns back to him.)

SHEPPARD: What is this place?

DEX: The mainland.

SHEPPARD: What are we doing here?

DEX (irritated): I told you already. We need to get that plant.

SHEPPARD: Something seems fishy.

(Ronon changes the setting on his blaster and shoots John, who drops to the floor unconscious.)

DEX: Never gets old.


SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. Ronon has taken John back inside the Jumper and has sat him on one of the side benches. He finishes tying his hands and feet with a rope, then grabs his hair and pulls his still-unconscious head up for a moment.

DEX: Sorry, buddy. You're just gonna slow me down.

(Lowering his head again, he pats him on the shoulder and heads off into the forest, activating the Jumper's door to close behind him.)


RODNEY'S LAB. DUSK. Rodney finishes typing on one laptop and turns to another.

TEYLA: How's it coming, Rodney?

McKAY: I'm just about finished ... I think.

(There's a loud clattering noise outside.)

McKAY: What was that?

TEYLA: I'll go see. Keep working.

(She leaves the lab. Rodney watches her go, then turns back to his computers. Teyla walks along the inside balcony, looking around cautiously. Just then, Lorne walks around a corner, followed by his team, and raises his stunner as he sees her.)

LORNE: Don't move!

(Teyla's eyes widen momentarily, but she tries to smile at him reassuringly.)

TEYLA: Major Lorne. It's me, Teyla.

LORNE (still aiming his stunner at her): You shouldn't be out here.

TEYLA: Major, it's me.

LORNE: Everyone's been ordered back to the Mess Hall.

(Teyla backs away slowly from him as they speak. One of Lorne's men takes a pair of plastic tethers from his jacket.)

TEYLA: But Doctor McKay and I ...

LORNE: Put your hands on your head, slowly.

(As the man with the tethers approaches her, she punches him in the face several times and knocks him down. A second marine runs at her but she punches him down and grabs his stunner. As the first marine gets up and heads for her again, she aims her stunner at him and grabs his wrist, pulling him forward while using him as a shield. Lorne shoots him in the back and he cries out and convulses before dropping to the floor. Teyla takes off and races away with the team in pursuit.)

(In the lab, Rodney walks nervously towards the door.)

McKAY (whispering): Teyla?

(He peers out the door but there's nobody around.)

McKAY (terrified): Oh God.

(Teyla runs along the corridors with Lorne's team firing their stunners at her as they chase her. She ducks around some cases and fires back at them. As they dive for cover, she runs off again. The team gives chase. She jumps down some stairs and hurtles along a straight corridor with no cover, desperately trying to get to the door at the end. As she nears the end, another member of the team comes around a corner nearby and fires his stunner into her back. She drops to the floor and slides along it, unconscious. The rest of the team walks over to her, Kemp kicking her stunner away while Lorne turns her over.)

LORNE: All right, let's get her up.

(He and Kemp haul her up, sling her arms over their shoulders and drag her away.)

(In his lab, Rodney picks up his digital camera and starts to activate it.)

McKAY (frantically): Come on!

(Finally it's ready and he looks into the lens.)

McKAY: All right. Look, I know you're probably panicking right now, but there is no time for that. You need to focus. I'm sure you're wondering who tied you to the desk.


THE PRESENT. BRIG. Teyla is wandering around the cell but turns as the door to the Brig opens and Lorne comes in, covered in sweat.

LORNE: You're awake.

TEYLA: Major Lorne, you must let me free ...

LORNE: Save it. You're not going anywhere 'til I get some answers. I need to know what you've done to my people.

TEYLA: What I've done?! You believe I'm behind this?

LORNE: Is it a drug? Some kind of bio-weapon?

TEYLA: Major, they're sick. You as well. (Lorne grins disbelievingly.) The entire base is infected with a disease.

(Lorne takes his bottle of tablets out of his vest pocket.)

LORNE: Everyone except you.

TEYLA: Yes. I'm immune to its effects.

LORNE (taking some tablets): Isn't that convenient?

TEYLA: How many of those have you taken?

LORNE: Why don't you just let me worry about that, OK?

TEYLA: It's the pills. They're what's making you act like this. They're confusing you. They're making you unstable.

LORNE: Making me unstable?! I'm not the one who unleashed a disease on my people, OK? Quit stalling. I wanna know what you were doing in the hallway ...

(A stunner blast is fired into his back and he collapses. Sam, who just shot him, comes into the room with Rodney and Radek. Teyla stares at them in delight.)

TEYLA: Rodney!

McKAY: Teyla.

TEYLA: Yes! It's good to see you. Colonel Carter, Doctor Zelenka, you as well. How did you find me?

CARTER: Uh, well, we were having trouble finding you by ourselves, so we followed him. (She points down at Lorne.)

TEYLA (to Rodney): Did you finish your work?

McKAY: Wh-what do you mean?

(Teyla sighs in anguish.)

TEYLA: Can you disarm the force shield?

(She walks to the corner of the cell where the shield controls are. Rodney follows her around and looks at the controls in confusion.)

McKAY: I-I don't know.

(He looks at them for a moment longer, then has a thought. He pushes up his left sleeve and looks at the writing on his arm, then types onto the control panel. The shield deactivates. Rodney stares in amazement, then goes around to the doorway and slides it open. Teyla heads straight for the door, looking over her shoulder briefly.)

TEYLA: Quickly.

(The others follow her.)


MAINLAND. EVENING. Ronon, carrying two large sacks full of plants, runs towards the Jumper but stops short and sighs as he sees that the rear door is open. Grunting in frustration, he runs inside and sighs again as he sees that John has gone. Looking down, he sees that a small box containing cartridges is open. Dropping the sacks, he draws his blaster, charges it and walks back out, looking around carefully but John steps out from around the corner of the Jumper and points his pistol at the back of his head.

SHEPPARD: Don't move.

(Ronon grimaces angrily.)

SHEPPARD: Drop it.

(Ronon drops his blaster to the ground and raises his hands.)

SHEPPARD: Now back away.

(Ronon walks a few paces away from the blaster, then slowly turns around as John picks it up.)

SHEPPARD: Now, tell me: who the hell are you?

DEX: I know you don't remember everything. You have no idea what's going on. You're confused, maybe even a little scared. I know I would be. But you have to trust me.

(John cocks his pistol.)

DEX: We're friends. The things we've been through together – I don't care what anyone says, no disease can wipe that away, not completely.

(John frowns as if certain very distant memories are coming to him and he's trying to make them clearer in his mind.)

DEX: OK, deep down, you know I'm telling the truth.

(John's pistol wavers as he continues trying to think.)

DEX: Now give me the gun.

(He reaches for it but John aims it at him again.)

SHEPPARD: Oh, nice try.

(Ronon raises his hands and backs away, frustrated.)

SHEPPARD: For all I know, you're the one who tied me up.

DEX (lowering his hands): Fine. Then shoot me. Then you'll be all alone in the middle of the dark forest, with no idea who you are, where you're going or what you're gonna do next. How could I possibly make it any worse?

(John's face is full of confusion and effort as he tries to think. He grimaces at Ronon.)

SHEPPARD: That's a good point.

(Ronon smiles sarcastically at him, gesturing at him to lower his pistol. After a couple of seconds, John clicks the safety catch on and lowers the gun.)


RODNEY'S LAB. Teyla leads the others in and takes Rodney over to one of the laptops. His sweating has become worse and he looks exhausted.

TEYLA: Here. Sit.

McKAY: Are you sure you wouldn't rather do it?

TEYLA: I do not know how.

McKAY (plaintively as he sits down): Oh, and I do?

TEYLA: Yes. You created the override programme. You said you were almost finished.

McKAY (sarcastically): Oh, then it should be easy.

TEYLA: Rodney, listen to me. You must do this. It is our only chance.

(Rodney blinks in an attempt to clear his head, then looks at the screen.)

TEYLA: The knowledge is inside you. You just have to find it.

(Rodney looks at the screen and the keyboard for a moment, then hesitantly reaches out and presses the Enter key. A schematic of the ventilation system comes up on the screen, then the image changes to two columns of scrolling Ancient text. Sam and Radek gaze at the screen in wonder. The text scrolls for a few more moments, then a message comes up saying, "PROGRAM COMPLETE." Teyla smiles in delight.)

McKAY: Wow.

ZELENKA: He did it.

McKAY: When I said I was almost finished, I guess I wasn't kidding.

CARTER: Now what?

TEYLA: Well, now we just have to hope that Colonel Sheppard and Ronon completed their side of the mission.

McKAY: Right. Right.

(He smiles at Sam, then he and Sam and Radek look at Teyla blankly.)

CARTER: Who?


CONTROL ROOM. Kemp comes in and walks over to a soldier who is looking at a laptop screen.

KEMP: What is it?

SOLDIER: A ship headed for the Bay doors on the roof.

KEMP: Have they identified themselves?

SOLDIER: No, sir. It could be help.

KEMP: Could also be some kind of an attack. Get in touch with the others; tell 'em to meet me at the Jumper Bay. And find Major Lorne.


JUMPER BAY. The Jumper comes in to land.

DEX: Nice flying.

SHEPPARD: Thanks.

DEX: Come on, help me with the stuff.

(He leads John to the rear of the ship and picks up the sacks.)

DEX: We've gotta get this to Teyla right away.

SHEPPARD: Who?

DEX: Come on.

(They walk outside just as the soldiers come into the Bay, aiming their stunners at them.)

KEMP: Hands in the air, now.

DEX: Listen, Lieutenant, this is medicine. We need to deliver it.

KEMP: I said hands in the air.

(Angrily, Ronon drops the sacks and raises his hands as one of the soldiers disarms him.)

KEMP: Let's take them to the Brig.

DEX: You're making a mistake. (He looks down at the sacks.) There are sick people who need that.

SHEPPARD (to Ronon): Sure you know what you're doin'?

(Lorne arrives.)

LORNE: What the hell is going on here?

KEMP: Sir, we caught these men trying to infiltrate the base.

DEX: Lorne, you've got to listen to me. Everybody on this base is gonna die if you don't.

LORNE: And who are you?

DEX: Look in your pocket.

LORNE: What?

DEX (sternly): Just look in your vest pocket.

(Lorne reaches into his pocket and pulls out what's inside. It's a Polaroid photograph of John. Written on the white strip at the bottom are the words: LT. COL. JOHN SHEPPARD. HE IS YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER. TRUST HIM!)

DEX: You took a picture of him just in case it came to this. I was there.

LORNE (to his team): He's telling the truth. (He looks at John.) This is our commanding officer.

SHEPPARD (vaguely): That's right. I am your commanding officer, so you should do what I say.

LORNE: Yes, sir.

(All the soldiers holster their stunners.)

LORNE: What are your orders?

(John thinks about it for a moment, then jerks his thumb towards Ronon.)

SHEPPARD: Do what he says.

DEX (to the soldier who disarmed him): Gun.

(The soldier hands Ronon's blaster back to him. Ronon bends and picks up the sacks.)

DEX: Follow me.


INFIRMARY. DAYTIME. John wakes up in bed in the Infirmary. Ronon and Teyla walk over to his bedside.

TEYLA: Colonel, you're awake.

SHEPPARD (drowsily): Mmm-hmm. What happened?

DEX: Teyla distributed the plant in the ventilation system. It knocked you out for a bit.

SHEPPARD: How long have I been asleep?

DEX: About a day.

SHEPPARD: A day?!

DEX: Hit some people harder than others.

TEYLA: How are you feeling, John? How's your memory?

SHEPPARD: Well, pretty good, I think. I mean, things are a little fuzzy. If I forget your birthday next year ...

TEYLA (smiling): I will forgive you. When you are feeling well enough, Major Lorne wishes to speak with you. He feels badly about what happened.

SHEPPARD: It wasn't his fault. Just glad he still had the photo I gave him.

DEX: That was good thinking, by the way.

TEYLA: Yes. If the distribution of the cure had been delayed any longer, many more people would have died.

SHEPPARD: What do you mean? (He looks around the Infirmary, frowning.) Where's McKay?


Elsewhere in the Infirmary, Rodney is sitting at Katie's bedside. His head is bowed down onto his arm and he is holding her hand. Katie's eyes are closed and her head is rolled to one side. Jennifer walks around the corner, stops and looks at them for a moment, then slowly walks over and puts her hand on Rodney's shoulder.

KELLER: You should get some sleep.

(Rodney raises his head wearily.)

McKAY: It's OK. I'm fine.

KELLER: I can let you know when she wakes up.

McKAY: I wanna stay.

(Jennifer smiles at him as he looks up at her.)

KELLER: OK.

(Rodney looks at Katie again.)

KELLER: She's not giving up, you know. She's a fighter.

(Rodney nods, not entirely convinced. Jennifer pats his shoulder and walks away. Just then, Katie's thumb moves and she strokes the back of Rodney's hand with it.)

McKAY: Katie?

(Katie frowns and shifts slightly in her sleep.)

McKAY: Doctor! (Jennifer comes back in as he stands up to get out of her way.) She's moving her fingers.

(Jennifer comes over to the bedside.)

KELLER: Katie? Katie!

(Katie opens her eyes, turns her head and looks at her.)

KELLER: Hey.

BROWN (weakly): Hello. Where am I?

KELLER: You're in the Infirmary. You're safe. Do you remember anything?

BROWN: Um ...

(She looks over Jennifer's shoulder.)

BROWN: Rodney?

(Rodney smiles with delight. She smiles back.)

BROWN: It's good to see you.

McKAY (almost tearfully): Yeah, it's good to see you too.

(He clasps her hand again, smiling happily.)