Transcript

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Destiny encounters an Ancient seeder ship, which may hold the key to getting the crew home. But they soon find that the ship is not unoccupied.

EPISODE #203
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 10.12.2010
SYNDICATION AIR DATE: 09.26.2011
WRITTEN BY: Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
DIRECTED BY: Andy Mikita
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Transcript by Callie Sullivan

DESTINY. No more than a couple of minutes after the end of the previous episode, Everett Young, Nicholas Rush and Eli Wallace are standing at the railing on Destiny's Observation Deck, looking ahead of the ship as she approaches a small object in the distance. Lisa Park and a couple of other crew members have joined them and now Camille Wray comes into the room and joins the group.

WRAY: Do we know what it is?

WALLACE: Not yet.

(Young activates his radio.)

YOUNG: Brody.

(Adam Brody and Dale Volker are running into the Control Interface Room and Adam snatches up a radio as he scrambles over to his console and sits down.)

BRODY (into radio): Colonel.

YOUNG: Ready weapons.

(Rush frowns but doesn't take his eyes off the approaching object.)

RUSH: I don't think that'll be necessary.

(Destiny is drawing closer to the object which is mostly quite flat but with a raised centre.)

WRAY: It's a ship.

WALLACE: Looks like Destiny. It's gotta be of Ancient design.

(In the Control Interface Room Brody grabs his radio again.)

BRODY: Colonel, this is Brody.

YOUNG: Go ahead.

BRODY: We're not slowin' down. We're on collision course.

(The two ships get closer and we get our first proper look at the newcomer. Definitely of the same design as Destiny and with a similar arrow shape, this ship is smaller than our girl but is still something you wouldn't want to collide with. Young raises his radio again.)

YOUNG: Ready main weapon.

(Brody types on his console and the big honkin' space gun on Destiny's underside lowers into position. As she gets ever closer to the other ship, several of the crew can't help but nervously start to back away from the railing.)

WALLACE: We're gonna hit it.

RUSH (calmly): No-no, we're not gonna hit it. We're gonna dock with it.

(On Destiny's outer surface her thrusters begin to fire, slowing her down and manoeuvring her into position above the rear end of the other ship. She glides gently down to make contact with the upper surface, and docking ports slide out from the other vessel and slot into Destiny, joining the two ships together. It's a perfect docking with hardly a jolt to upset the passengers. Young leans onto the railing again and glances across at Rush.)

YOUNG: You got any more predictions?

RUSH: Yeah. I suspect that, very shortly, you'll be assembling a team to send over there.

(Throwing a sarcastic look at him, he strolls out of the room, heading for the Control Interface Room.)


LATER. Young, Lisa and Eli have joined the others in the Control Interface Room.

YOUNG: How did you know we were gonna dock?

RUSH: Call it a hunch.

(Young and Eli both look at him. He continues talking without looking up from his notebook.)

RUSH: Given the second ship's similarity in design, our calculated approach, well, I thought it was rather obvious really.

(Young walks over to join Eli looking at the holoscreen showing schematics of the two vessels.)

YOUNG: So, what's happening here?

RUSH: Destiny's exchanging data with the seed ship.

BRODY: One of many travelling well ahead of Destiny, seeding planets with Stargates, gathering information. This one obviously experienced some sort of system failure, allowing us to catch up with it.

YOUNG: What kind of data?

RUSH: Difficult to say at the moment. May take a while to translate.

YOUNG: Well, then, you'd better get started.

RUSH: Well, there's plenty of time for that later. (He stands up.) For now, this is a fantastic opportunity, and I wanna explore ...

YOUNG: No, I'm sure you do, but I need you here. I need to know what kind of information we're receiving.

(Rush looks at him angrily. Ignoring the glare, Young looks up at the wall clock.)

YOUNG: No countdown clock.

VOLKER: Yeah, I figure Destiny's gonna give us as long as it takes.

YOUNG: And how long is that?

WALLACE: Given the amount of data and the rate of transfer, I'd guess at least two hours.

YOUNG: OK. Brody, Volker, you are on the away team. You have two hours. Make it quick.

(The boys look at him in surprise, but then start to leave the room. Nicholas snorts derisively.)

RUSH: With all due respect to Brody and Volker ...

YOUNG: They'll be fine. Call it a hunch.

(Nicholas nods bitterly and glowers at his screen.)


CORRIDOR. Camille is walking along and David Telford calls out to her.

TELFORD: Camille!

(She stops and turns to him as he catches up to her.)

WRAY: I thought you were being debriefed.

TELFORD: Homeworld Command can wait. What's going on with this seed ship?

(Camille hesitates for a moment as if uncertain where Telford ranks in the chain of command, but then decides to tell him anyway.)

WRAY: Some sort of data transfer's been initiated. In the meantime, Colonel Young is sending a team over to investigate.

(Frowning, Telford turns to walk away. Camille sighs.)

WRAY: David ...

(But he keeps going.)


ELSEWHERE. Ronald Greer and Matthew Scott are leading Brody and Volker and another soldier towards one of the airlocks leading to the seed ship. On arrival at the sealed door, Scott reports over radio to the Control Interface Room.

SCOTT: All right, Colonel, we are good to go.

YOUNG (into radio): Stand by.

(He nods to Rush, who presses some buttons and the lights beside the airlock turn green. The marine who has been guarding the doorway starts to spin the metal wheel in the centre of the door and then pulls the door open. Greer steps into the doorway, aiming his rifle around, then goes a few paces inside as Scott goes to the doorway.)

SCOTT (into radio): Heading in.

(He follows his colleague into the corridor, and Brody, Volker (holding a Kino) and the other soldier tag along behind. They reach another sealed door.)

SCOTT (into radio): OK, we are at the airlock.

WALLACE (over radio): Life support is active over there, so you have a go.

SCOTT (into radio): Right.

(He nods to Greer, who spins the wheel on the airlock door and then pushes it open. Air ruffles everyone's hair as the pressure equalises, then Greer steps inside the seed ship. It's quite dark in there but there are a few lights on and he shines the flashlight on his rifle around until he's confident there's nothing dangerous in the vicinity, then looks around to Scott who comes in and joins him. Greer heads off down the corridor and once Matt has had a good look around, he beckons to the others and they step inside. Volker gently tosses the Kino into the air and types on his remote and the Kino floats off ahead of Scott. They progress into the ship along some narrow corridors. Young and the others watch the Kino footage from the Control Interface Room.)

YOUNG (into radio): That ship's older than Destiny and could be in pretty bad shape. Proceed with caution, Lieutenant.

SCOTT (into radio): Yes, sir.

(They continue onwards through the narrow corridors. In the Control Interface Room, Eli is marvelling at the text spooling across his console screen.)

WALLACE: It's incredible!

(He grins across to Rush, who looks back at him straightfaced.)

WALLACE: OK, maybe not as incredible as checking out a seed ship, but still pretty damned incredible!

(He grins round to Lisa who is watching over his shoulder.)

WALLACE: There's no telling what kind of information we're getting here. It could be anything from Ancient history to details of the Destiny's mission.

(Sighing, Rush gets up from his console and heads for the door.)

YOUNG: Where are you going?

RUSH (tetchily): The bathroom. Is that all right?

(He leaves the room.)


OBSERVATION DECK. Chloe Armstrong walks over to Tamara (T.J.) Johansen who is standing at the railing.

ARMSTRONG: Hey, T.J., there you are!

(T.J. smiles at her, then obviously remembers something.)

JOHANSEN: Oh! God! I was supposed to meet you in the Infirmary, wasn't I?

ARMSTRONG: About twenty minutes ago!

JOHANSEN: Sorry.

(She turns and starts to lead Chloe away.)

ARMSTRONG: Are you OK?

JOHANSEN (nonchalantly): Yeah.

(Chloe puts a hand on her shoulder to stop her.)

ARMSTRONG: You sure? After everything that's happened to you ...

JOHANSEN (quietly): Let's not do this here, OK?

ARMSTRONG (quietly): OK, but, look, you really should talk to someone, and I'm not saying that it has to be me. If there's someone else you'd feel more comfortable confiding in ...

JOHANSEN: It's not that.

ARMSTRONG: Then why aren't you ...?

JOHANSEN: 'Cause there's nothing to talk about, Chloe.

(Chloe looks down sadly.)

JOHANSEN: Look, I lost my baby, and now maybe she's in a better place ...

(She looks down, her face full of memories. Chloe looks at her, puzzled, as T.J. raises her eyes again.)

JOHANSEN: ... and maybe it's for the best.

ARMSTRONG: You can't mean that.

JOHANSEN: Let's go to the Infirmary and I'll take a look at your leg wound.

ARMSTRONG: There is no leg wound. That's what I was coming by to tell you. It's almost completely healed.

JOHANSEN: How is that possible?

ARMSTRONG (shrugging unhappily): I don't know.


DESTINY BRIDGE. The doors open and Nicholas walks in. Picking up a notebook he left there previously, he goes over to a console, sits down and starts to work.


SEED SHIP. The Kino continues to precede the team as they make their way along the narrow, pipe-lined corridors.

BRODY: We could cover a lot more ground if we split up.

SCOTT: You heard the colonel. Proceed with caution. We are not splittin' up.

BRODY: Fine. Let's at least turn the Kino on Search mode.

SCOTT: Yeah. Knock yourself out.

(Volker types on the remote and the Kino heads off on its own. The team continues onwards.)


DESTINY BRIDGE. Nicholas looks at the data on the console screen and sits back as if overwhelmed by it all.

GLORIA: A fascinating bit of information.

(Once again his dead wife is on the Bridge, standing by his side.)

GLORIA: Of course, you know what this means.

RUSH (softly): We may have a way of getting home.

GLORIA: But you're not gonna tell them that, are you?

RUSH: Well, I'm sure they'll figure it out on their own.

GLORIA: And if they don't?

(Nicholas slaps his notebook down on the console and sits back, considering his options.)


SEED SHIP. Finally the team reaches what looks like a Control Room. The central column is illuminated from inside but the consoles themselves are dark. As the scientists start looking to see if they can activate anything, Greer strolls in and looks around.

GREER: Well, well, well. What do we have here?

BRODY: The ship's Control Centre, I'm guessing.

GREER: Oh. And I was gonna go with Rec Room(!)

(Volker finds a switch under one of the consoles and the screens start to come to life. Scott turns round to him indignantly.)

SCOTT: Hey, what did the colonel say?

VOLKER: He said, "You've got two hours. Make it fast."

(He grins. Sighing, Scott activates his radio.)

SCOTT: Colonel, this is Scott.

YOUNG: Go ahead.

SCOTT: Found what appears to be the ship's control centre. Brody and Doctor Volker are bringing systems online for study.

YOUNG: Keep me updated.

(Lowering the radio, he looks up as Rush strolls back in.)

YOUNG: Where the hell were you?

RUSH: Stopped by the Mess.

YOUNG: I tried radioing you.

RUSH: Yeah, I know.

(Nonchalantly he sits down. Telford comes to the doorway.)

TELFORD: Everett, can I talk to you for a second?

YOUNG: Sure.

(The two officers walk out into the corridor.)

TELFORD: You sent a team over?

YOUNG: Yeah.

TELFORD: Without bothering to run it by me?

YOUNG: The last time I checked, I was the commanding officer of this ship.

TELFORD: I'm not disputing that.

YOUNG: Meaning I don't have to run anything by you, or anyone else for that matter.

TELFORD: Look, I don't have a problem with sending a team over. I'd just appreciate being kept in the loop.

(He stops and looks at Young.)

TELFORD: Let me help.

YOUNG: I don't need your help.

(He turns back towards the Control Interface Room. Telford rolls his eyes and follows him.)

TELFORD: Like hell you don't.

YOUNG (stopping just outside the Control Interface Room): David ...

TELFORD: Dammit, Everett.

(Catching up to him and stopping, he looks around to see if anyone can overhear their conversation.)

TELFORD: You've been going this alone since the incursion and it's been taking a toll. When are you gonna realise that this isn't just about you?

(In the Control Interface Room, Rush tilts his head as the two men talk quietly outside. Either he has very good hearing, or he's just picking up the gist of what they're saying from the tone of their voices.)

TELFORD: You have a responsibility to people onboard this ship and lately you haven't been up to the task. Now, either shape up or step back.

(To show that he's not being threatening, he puts his hand on Young's shoulder supportively.)

TELFORD: You're tired. I get it. Let me help.

YOUNG (laughing ruefully): You're a persistent son of a bitch.

TELFORD: Hey, you saved my life.

YOUNG: I had to kill you to do it.

TELFORD: And I'm willing to do the same for you.

(Young smiles briefly.)

YOUNG: OK. Um, they've found what looks to be the ship's control centre and they're bringing systems online.

TELFORD: What's the game plan?

(They turn and walk into the Control Interface Room. From Rush's expression, he definitely heard - or inferred - most of their conversation.)

YOUNG: The game plan is just get as much information as we can before our time runs out.


SEED SHIP. As the scientists work on their consoles in the Control Centre, more lights and wall panels light up, and moments later all the lights around the entire ship become to come on. Somewhere else in the ship is an unusual dark red round object that looks suspiciously like somekinda pod. It has an ornate hinged panel in the front of it. The panel opens a little and a bright light shines from inside and long spindly and distinctly non-human fingers reach out from the interior of the pod.


DESTINY. Escorted by a couple of armed guards, Young goes into the prisoner hold which contains the remaining members of the Lucian Alliance. Ginn immediately hurries over to him.

GINN: Colonel, I hear we've docked with a seed ship.

YOUNG: That's right.

GINN: I'd like to offer my help. I have some understanding of Ancient technology ...

YOUNG: No thank you.

GINN: But I can be of some assistance.

YOUNG: I said no. I'm not letting you or your people anywhere near that ship.

(He looks across to Varro who is standing nearby.)

YOUNG: You wanted to see me?

(Varro walks over to him as Ginn, looking genuinely hurt and disappointed, turns away.)

VARRO: I wanna know how long you plan on keeping us locked up.

YOUNG: I didn't really have a plan. I just thought I'd play it by ear, see how things go.

VARRO: We've been co-operative with your Homeworld Command, providing them with information on the Alliance as requested.

YOUNG: You had no choice. It was either that or get left behind on some godforsaken planet.

VARRO: We took down Dannic and gave you back control of this ship.

YOUNG: To save your own lives

VARRO: Ours weren't the only ones at risk and, if you remember, I stepped in and prevented the execution of all military personnel aboard Destiny, including you.

YOUNG: I think we were better use to you alive, but for what it's worth, I thank you.

(Sitting nearby, Simeon slams his hand angrily down onto a crate. He speaks through gritted teeth, clearly holding in his fury with great effort.)

SIMEON: We can't spend the rest of our days here on this ship as prisoners.

YOUNG (casually): Should have thought about that before you attacked us. The way I see it, it could have gotten a hell of a lot worse for you.

VARRO: Colonel, just tell me: what do we have to do to earn our freedom?

YOUNG: Prove to me that you're not a threat.

VARRO: And how do we do that?

YOUNG: I don't think you can.

(He turns and starts to stroll out of the room.)

VARRO: I'm not your enemy any more, and neither are my people.

(Young keeps walking.)

VARRO (calling after him): I think you know that.

(As the doors to the room close, Simeon stands up, walks behind Varro and, leaning close, digs his chin into the back of Varro's shoulder.)

SIMEON: Told you.


SEED SHIP CONTROL CENTRE. Greer looks at his watch as the scientists work busily on their consoles. He looks across the room to Scott and gives him a pointed look. Matt gets the hint and strolls over to the others.

SCOTT: OK, so, uh, making any progress?

BRODY: Sure.

SCOTT: All right, then maybe Sergeant Greer and I will take a little look around.

BRODY: Knock yourselves out.

(Neither he nor Volker even look up as Scott and Greer leave the room.)


DESTINY CONTROL INTERFACE ROOM. Keeping half an eye on the live Kino footage from the seed ship, Eli is looking at the data exchange on his main screen.

WALLACE: Hey, am I reading this right?

RUSH: If you have to ask, my guess would be "no."

WALLACE: Seriously ... (he looks at Lisa) ... check out these power readings.

(She comes over to his console and looks at the screen.)

PARK: Oh my God! Doctor Rush, you'd better check this out.


HYDROPONICS. Camille is spraying some of the plants. Young walks in.

YOUNG: Oh, it was you, wasn't it? You're the one who told the prisoners about the seed ship.

WRAY: Any major developments aboard Destiny concern them as well. They had a right to know.

YOUNG: Dammit, Camille, they're prisoners. They don't have any rights.

WRAY: Oh, I can't believe what I'm hearing!

YOUNG: They attacked the ship. They threatened us.

WRAY: And now we have to live with them.

YOUNG: No, we don't.

WRAY: We already got rid of most of them. There's only a handful left. Homeworld Command needs the intel they're providing, and in exchange for that information, they made a deal ...

YOUNG: ... that Homeworld Command doesn't have to live with, but we do.

WRAY: Then all the more reason we should be showing these people some respect. You know, if you would just take the time to get to know them, you'd realise that many of them didn't have a choice but to join the Alliance.

YOUNG: You know what? I don't care - and I'm gonna be damned if I risk the health and welfare of people aboard this ship on marching orders from the other side of the universe.

WRAY: And what about the people back home? Are you willing to risk their lives instead? Because that's what's going to happen if you renege on this deal. Homeworld Command has received confirmation that the Lucian Alliance is planning an attack on Earth and it's quite possible that these prisoners have information that could help head off that attack.

YOUNG: Or they could be lying.

WRAY: Yes, sure, they could be. But are you really willing to take that chance?

(The two of them glare at each other for a moment, then Camille speaks more quietly.)

WRAY: Look, I understand these last few days have been hard on you ...

YOUNG (interrupting): Camille, do me a favour. Just watch what you say to the prisoners.

(He turns and starts to walk away.)

WRAY: We're planning a service for Sergeant Riley later this week.

(Young stops and half turns back to her.)

WRAY: I thought maybe you'd wanna say a few words.

YOUNG (bowing his head): Of course.

(He turns and walks away.)


SEED SHIP. Greer is leading Scott through the narrow corridors as they search the ship.

SCOTT: So, come on. Chang? Ramirez? Uh, that red-headed civilian contractor?

GREER: Park.

SCOTT: Park?!

GREER: Yeah. Remember that hamstring injury I said I got doing squats?

SCOTT: Yeah.

GREER: It wasn't doin' squats.


DESTINY CONTROL INTERFACE ROOM. Eli hurries over to Young as he arrives in the room.

YOUNG: You wanted to see me?

WALLACE: We checked, we re-checked, and we re-re-checked just to be sure ...

RUSH (talking over him): The seed ship has sizeable energy reserves.

YOUNG: How sizeable?

RUSH: With the output of both capacitors in play, enough to power the Gate and get us home. In order for that to happen, I have to alter certain conduits to open up a transfer channel, but that's not something I can do from here.

YOUNG: Go!

(Dropping his pencil onto the console, Nicholas gets up and leaves the room. Eli and Lisa smile excitedly and Young gazes after him with his eyes full of hope.)


The Kino is still beetling along random narrow corridors in the seed ship when suddenly its picture starts to fritz. In Destiny's Control Interface Room, Eli frowns at the footage, and a moment later the screen goes blank.

WALLACE: What was that?

PARK: What?

WALLACE: Uh, we just lost the Kino feed.

(He starts typing on a laptop but just then Nick radios from where he standing outside the closed airlock door.)

RUSH: Ready, Eli.

(Eli is still working on the laptop and doesn't have a spare pair of hands. As Lisa comes over to his console, Nick radios again.)

RUSH: Eli.

WALLACE: Yeah, right.

(Picking up a radio from the console he goes over to another console and activates the radio.)

WALLACE: All right.

(He types on that console and the airlock door light turns green. The marine standing guard turns the wheel on the door and pulls it open to reveal Scott and Greer coming down the tunnel.)

SCOTT: Doctor Rush, perfect timing. You're gonna wanna see this.

(He leads him away.)


CONTROL CENTRE. In the Control Centre, Brody looks round at Volker.

BRODY: OK, back in a flash.

VOLKER (absently): Uh-huh.

(Suddenly he realises what Brody had actually said and turns to Adam as he picks up his laptop and swings the strap over his shoulder.)

VOLKER: Wait, no, where are you goin'?

BRODY: Looks like there's a malfunctioning relay station one floor up. I'm gonna see if I can fix it, bring up that dead console.

(Pointing briefly to one of the consoles in the room, he turns and walks away. Dale turns back to his own console as Adam climbs up a ladder and disappears from view. The camera goes back to look at Dale for a moment, then rather ominously focuses on the corridor leading into the room.)


ELSEWHERE. Scott is still leading Rush along the narrow corridors.

RUSH: I warn you, Lieutenant, I tend to find surprises particularly underwhelming.

SCOTT: Not this one you won't, trust me.

(He reaches their destination and stands aside, gesturing for Nicholas to go into the area ahead. Nick walks in and steps onto a gantry above an enormous hold which is filled with a long row of Stargates suspended from the ceiling. There must be at least twenty Gates hanging there, and possibly many more.)

SCOTT: Pretty darned cool, huh?!

(Nicholas leans his hands on the railing and looks down at the Gates.)

RUSH (not at all excited): Yes, of course. This is where the Stargates were manufactured before being transported to the various planets.

(He turns back to the boys.)

RUSH: OK, is that it?

(The boys look at him in surprise.)

GREER: Yeah. That's it.

RUSH: Well, now we're done with this little diversion, could you escort me to the Control Room?

(Scott and Greer look at each other for a moment, then laugh in disbelief and turn to leave the room again. Nicholas follows after them.)


CONTROL CENTRE. Busy working on his console with his back to the doorway, Volker hears a clunk behind him.

VOLKER: That didn't take you long, but there's some more that ...

(He turns his head to look at Brody, except that Brody isn't there. But that's OK, because there's an alien there instead. About five feet high and humanoid in shape, it's less spindly and elegant than the blue aliens they encountered in the previous galaxy. Its head appears skull-like with the skin stretched tight over it and it has no hair. It's dressed in a dark red and brown patchwork leather uniform. Its large blue eyes blink at Volker as he freezes and stares at it in disbelief.)

VOLKER (in a whisper): Ohmygod.

(Terrified, he turns towards the creature.)

VOLKER: I don't ... I don't ...

(He raises his hands in surrender.)

VOLKER: Please.

(Either the creature is weak from lack of nourishment or it is as terrified of him as he is of it, but for whichever reason the alien's knees give way and it drops to the floor unconscious. Dale stares down at it, frowning, his hands still raised.)

VOLKER: What the hell?


DESTINY INFIRMARY. Simeon has been brought in under guard and is sitting on the side of a bed as T.J. prepares to check him over.

JOHANSEN: If you're not careful, that cut's gonna open back up again.

SIMEON: I can't help it. I like to play rough.

(He looks up at her as she dabs a cotton bud onto the healing cut on his head.)

SIMEON: How 'bout you?

(Without warning he seizes her right wrist with his right hand. Instantly she twists her hand out of his grasp, reverses the grip and bends his hand over onto his wrist, tensing it to the point where muscles and tendons are about to rip. As he grunts in pain she holds out her other hand to stop the approaching marine.)

JOHANSEN (calmly): OK, I got it.

(The marine backs away as T.J. speaks quietly to Simeon.)

JOHANSEN: Yeah. I do.

(He whimpers in pain.)

JOHANSEN (softly): Do you think you could handle me?

(Looking up into her eyes, he tries to grin bravely but she twists her hand slightly and the bones in his wrist grind together. Grimacing, he forces out one word through the pain.)

SIMEON: No.

JOHANSEN (softly): I didn't think so.

(She lets him go and steps away. He lowers his hand, breathing heavily and trying not to cry, the big wuss.)


SEED SHIP. Volker's voice comes over the radio as Scott leads Rush and Greer through the corridors.

VOLKER: Lieutenant Scott, this is Volker.

SCOTT (into radio): Go ahead.

VOLKER: You might wanna c-come back to the Control Room.

SCOTT: You find something interesting?

VOLKER: Well, yeah, actually something interesting found me.

(Scott looks round at the others, frowning, and then picks up the pace.)


DESTINY INFIRMARY. As Simeon is escorted out of the room, another marine brings Varro in.

JOHANSEN: Have a seat. I'd like to take a look at your wound.

(Varro sits down on the bed. Sterilising another cotton bud, T.J. looks at the bullet wound in his shoulder.)

JOHANSEN: Looks like it's healing nicely.

VARRO: Too bad. I was kinda hoping for a manly scar.

(They smile at each other as she starts to clean the wound, then his face becomes serious.)

VARRO: I'm sorry. I'm sorry your child couldn't be saved.

(Biting her lip, T.J. turns and puts her gear down, then turns back to him, folding her arms defensively.)

VARRO: It's difficult to lose someone you love. I know. My wife met the end three years ago. She was on her way back from the market when she was caught in a rainstorm. She ended up taking refuge in a shelter. It collapsed, killing her and six others.

JOHANSEN: I'm sorry.

VARRO: She never liked me being in the Alliance. She thought it was too dangerous. I risked my life time and again, survived missions that should have killed me, and yet she dies doing something as mundane as getting caught in the rain.

JOHANSEN: You felt guilty.

VARRO: Guilty, angry, despondent. I was miserable until I came to an understanding.

JOHANSEN (fighting back tears): And what was that?

VARRO (looking up into her eyes): That life is loss.

(They look at each other for a long moment, then Young's voice comes over the radio.)

YOUNG: T.J.

(She looks around and picks up the nearby radio.)

JOHANSEN (into radio): Sir?

YOUNG: Grab your med kit and meet me at the airlock. You're heading over to the seed ship.

JOHANSEN: Is anyone hurt?

YOUNG: Not exactly.


LATER. T.J. is geared up and walking with Young. Airman Dunning and Corporal Marsden are following them.

YOUNG: According to Scott, the alien is alive but unresponsive.

JOHANSEN: How did it even get on the ship?

YOUNG: No idea.

JOHANSEN (sighing): OK. I'll do my best.

YOUNG: You sure you don't want me to use the stones, bring someone else in?

JOHANSEN: No, sir, I wanna do this.

YOUNG: All right.

(They turn the corner and approach the airlock, only to find Telford standing waiting for them.)

TELFORD: I'm going with.

YOUNG: The lieutenant already has an escort.

TELFORD: It's hard to sit on the sidelines. Put me in, coach.

YOUNG (shrugging): OK.

(He activates his radio.)

YOUNG: Eli.

(Eli releases the lock from the Control Interface Room and the guard marine opens the airlock door again. Telford nods to Young.)

YOUNG: Good luck.

(Telford turns and steps into the tunnel. Tamara is about to follow him when Young tries to call her back.)

YOUNG: T.J. ...

(She nods to him but keeps going.)

JOHANSEN: I got it.

(She leads Dunning and Marsden after Telford. Young nods to the marine, who pushes the door closed again.)


CONTROL CENTRE. In the Control Centre, Scott and Greer are slowly walking around the downed alien, keeping an eye on it from all angles. Rush is sitting at a console watching it nervously. Scott looks around as Telford - his pistol already drawn but held downwards - and the others come in and stare at the alien in amazement.

SCOTT: Hey.

TELFORD: Are you sure it's alive?

SCOTT: It's breathing.

GREER: At least that's what we think it's doing.

(T.J. looks down at the alien nervously, then unclips her backpack and squats down to it. She gently puts her hand onto the creature's body and instantly its eyes snap open. Startled, she gasps and leans back, loses her balance and falls onto her backside.)

TELFORD: Lieutenant?

JOHANSEN: I'm fine, I'm fine.

(She gets up onto one knee and aims her own pistol at the creature while all the other military men in the room aim their hardware down at it. It pushes itself up onto its hands and looks around at everyone, then sits upright, muttering to itself and pulls its knees up to its chin and wraps its arms round them. Still talking, it looks around at everyone again. Scott and Telford look at each other, then Telford glances round to Nicholas.)

TELFORD: Little help here, Rush?

RUSH: Me?

TELFORD: You're the only one with any experience of communicating with aliens.

RUSH (shrugging): Different aliens. However, I think a good first step might be to lower your weapons.

(Greer, as you can imagine, does not look happy at this suggestion. Telford, after giving it a moment's thought, nods and gestures to everyone to back away a little. Facing the alien, he holds his hands up in a friendly gesture. Looking a little wary, the alien slowly stands up, and T.J. also gets to her feet. Matt walks a little closer to the creature, smiles awkwardly at it and puts his hands onto his own chest.)

SCOTT: Scott. Scott. (He gestures to the creature.) You? Understand? No?

GREER: No.

(The creature looks down, then sits down on the floor again before looking up at everyone. Maybe "No" in alien means "Sit on the floor." Scott looks round at the others.)

SCOTT: Um, does anybody have any food? Anybody?

VOLKER: Yeah, no, I got a ... (he pauses unhappily, then reluctantly continues) ... piece of dried fruit that I was saving for later.

(He takes it out of his pocket.)

BRODY: Are you kidding? That stuff's horrible.

VOLKER: It tastes like rambutan.

BRODY: It tastes like crap.

GREER: What's rambutan?

VOLKER: It's sort of like a longan.

GREER (clueless): Longan?

(Volker starts to explain but Scott interrupts and snatches the piece of fruit from his hand.)

SCOTT: Just give it here.

(Slowly squatting down to the alien, he tears the fruit in half and eats a piece, smiling and nodding to the alien.)

SCOTT: Mmm! Good!

(He offers the other piece to the creature, which reaches out with its spindly fingers and takes it. Making an interested whirring sound, it puts the fruit into its mouth, bites down and promptly spits it onto the floor.)

BRODY (smugly): What'd I say?!

RUSH: You know, it may be wise to find out whether or not it came alone.

TELFORD: He's right. We should run a sweep.

(He looks at Dunning and Marsden.)

TELFORD: You two, keep our guest company.

(He looks at Scott and Greer.)

TELFORD: Each of you take a corridor. Radio check in ten minutes.

(As they nod and head off, he looks at T.J. and nods her towards the alien. Signalling her agreement with her own nod, she looks down at the creature, which promptly lowers its head and tucks its arms around its legs again, making it look small and rather shy. I'd like one for Christmas, please. T.J. seems to agree, as she can't help smiling down at it.)


DESTINY CONTROL INTERFACE ROOM.

RUSH (over radio): Eli, this is Doctor Rush, come in.

WALLACE (into radio): Go ahead.

RUSH: I'm initiating the transfer. I need you to isolate the power and direct it towards the Gate.

(As Lisa looks at him expectantly, Eli carries out his instructions.)

(In the seed ship, Telford, Greer and Scott make their separate ways through the narrow corridors, searching for further intruders. Telford slowly pulls himself up a ladder to another floor, the effort hurting his healing stomach wound.)

(In Destiny's Control Room, Eli smiles at the readout from his console.)

WALLACE: It's workin'.

(Grinning, Lisa hurries over to look at the good news for herself.)

WALLACE (into radio): Power from both ships is being transferred directly into the Gate.

(He smiles at Lisa. In the Control Centre, Nicholas is not looking so happy.)

(In the seed ship corridors, the search continues. Telford hears a clunking noise around the corner and creeps up to the junction silently, then swings rapidly around it to find himself face to face with the business end of Matt's rifle. Both of them lower their weapons and nod to each other as Greer's voice comes over the radio.)

GREER: Colonel. Lieutenant.

TELFORD (into radio): Go ahead, Master Sergeant.

GREER: Yeah, it seems that the alien is not alone. It's got friends ... and plenty of 'em.

(He is looking at at least a dozen of the dark red pods which we saw earlier .. and all of them are open and empty.)


DESTINY. Camille's voice comes over the ship's comms.

WRAY: Very shortly we will be making an attempt to dial Earth. If a successful connection is made, we will need to move quickly.

(All around the ship, the members of the crew are quickly throwing their meagre possessions into bags and heading off down the corridors, chatting excitedly to each other.)

WRAY (over comms): All crew members are to proceed to the Gateroom immediately.

(Young has other things on his mind as he receives a report from the seed ship. He walks along with Darren Becker trailing along behind him.)

YOUNG (into radio): Come again?

TELFORD (into radio): Greer has discovered several more pods, all empty, suggesting there are more of these things on board.

YOUNG: Well, how many more?

TELFORD: About a dozen. Rush figures they're a research team who were dropped off to do a long-term study of the ship.

YOUNG: Well, let's get our people out of there before their ride comes back to pick 'em up.

TELFORD: Making our way to the Control Room.

YOUNG: I want Rush and the science team back on the Destiny now. Do you understand?

JOHANSEN (over radio from the Control Centre): Yes, sir.

RUSH (into radio): I can't leave just yet.

YOUNG: What is it now, Rush?

RUSH: I should stay here in case there's any interruption to the power transfer. We may only have one shot at this.

YOUNG: Well, what's the situation with the alien?

(Nicholas looks across the room to where the creature is still sitting on the floor.)

RUSH: Docile. Not a threat.

YOUNG: You can't know that for sure.

RUSH: Colonel, there's really no point in arguing about this. I have to stay here to make sure this works.

YOUNG: All right, fine. I'll send reinforcements.

RUSH: I would advise against that.

YOUNG: I'm sending them anyway.

(Nicholas looks tetchy but realises he can't argue otherwise.)

RUSH: OK. I'll head back once a stable wormhole has been established.

YOUNG: All right. Airman Dunning, you're with Rush. Everyone else, fall back.

(He gestures to Becker to head off elsewhere.)

YOUNG: Go.

(As Becker breaks off into another corridor, Young lifts his radio again.)

YOUNG (into radio): Bring the alien.

(From the Control Interface Room, Eli reports over radio.)

WALLACE: Power buffers are at optimum.

(He trots to another console to check the readouts and smiles happily.)

WALLACE (into radio): We're good to go.

(In the Gateroom, the crew is gathering, smiling and excited. Corporal Barnes (last seen in "Pain") is in charge of the console.)

BARNES: Commencing dialling sequence.

(As the Gate lights up and begins to spin, Young trots into the room.)

YOUNG: People! Homeworld Command is expecting us. Here we go.

(As the first chevron locks, he lifts his radio and activates it.)

YOUNG: Bring the prisoners.

(The Gate spins on and the next chevron locks. In the Control Interface Room, Eli grins across at Lisa.)

WALLACE: It's working.

(She grins back at him. Eli suddenly remembers something.)

WALLACE: Oh.

(He picks up the radio and reports to Rush.)

WALLACE: The Gate's dialling.

RUSH (into radio): Let me know when you've secured the connection.

(Eli looks across to Lisa, scarcely able to believe it.)

WALLACE: We're going home.

(In the Gateroom, the Gate spins and then comes to a halt, but instead of the next chevron locking, the lights go out. Everyone turns to look at the consoles.)

WRAY: What happened?

(Barnes looks at it in confusion.)

BARNES: I don't know.

YOUNG (into radio): Eli?

(Eli and Lisa look up as the lights in the Control Interface Room flicker on and off.)

YOUNG (over radio): Eli?

WALLACE (into radio): The power transfer's been interrupted. Hang on.

(He hurries over to Lisa's console. Young lowers his radio as the crew in the Gateroom mutter unhappily and anxiously.)

WALLACE (into radio): Rush. Rush, what's happening?

RUSH: I'm not sure, but it appears that tapping this ship's energy reserves seems more problematical than we thought.

(As he lowers his radio, there's a sharp buzzing noise and a bolt of energy hits Dunning in the back. He drops like a stone.)

(In Destiny's Control Interface Room, Eli and Lisa look up anxiously as the lights fritz again. Similar fritzing goes on in the Gateroom.)

WALLACE: Oh-oh.

(He runs back to his own console.)

YOUNG (into radio): Eli, what the hell was that?

WALLACE (into radio): We've got a problem. The energy transfer's been reversed. Doctor Rush, did you hear that? The seed ship has begun drawing power away from Destiny. Doctor Rush!

(Doctor Rush is unconscious on the floor of the seed ship's Control Centre and at least two aliens are now working the consoles. Unaware of this but aware of Nick's silence, Eli radios the Gateroom.)

WALLACE: Colonel Young, we just lost contact with Rush.

(Turning and leaving the Gateroom, Young lifts his radio again.)

YOUNG: Dunning. Dunning, are you there?

(When he gets no reply, he tries elsewhere.)

YOUNG: David. I need you to go to the Control Room and find out why Rush isn't responding.

(Telford, who is cautiously making his way along a narrow corridor with Scott and Greer behind him, activates his radio.)

TELFORD: Already on our way. T.J., Marsden and the science team are headed back to Destiny with the alien.

YOUNG: Have you found any more?

TELFORD: Not yet.


DESTINY CONTROL INTERFACE ROOM. Young hurries into the Control Interface Room.

YOUNG: Talk to me, Eli.

WALLACE: The seed ship's still drawing power away from Destiny. When the reserves are gone, there's no gettin' 'em back. Pretty soon we won't even be able to make an F.T.L. jump.

YOUNG: So we can't stop it?

PARK: We're trying, but nothing's working.

YOUNG: What if we disconnect from the seed ship?

WALLACE: Yeah, that would sever the power flow. Unfortunately, we have no idea how to do that.

YOUNG: We gotta learn. We gotta learn fast.


SEED SHIP. On the seed ship, Volker, Brody and T.J. are making their way through the narrow corridors towards the airlock. Behind them is the alien with Marsden bringing up the rear. Suddenly the alien drops to all fours and scrambles back the way they just came, scooting past Marsden before he can grab it. It hops up onto a pipe, looks over its shoulder and says something rude about Marsden's mother in alien before leaping upwards, hopping from wall to wall to avoid the shots that Marsden is now firing at it. It soon disappears from view. T.J. grabs her radio.

JOHANSEN: Colonel, this is T.J. We lost the alien.

YOUNG: Copy that.

(Telford and the boys hear the message and look all around them before progressing onwards. Reaching the Control Centre, they see Dunning and Rush on the floor unconscious, but the aliens have apparently left the room. Telford points to the downed men.)

TELFORD: Check them.

(He checks the rest of the room. Behind him, Greer has his fingers on Rush's neck, checking his pulse.)

GREER: He's still breathing.

YOUNG (over radio): David.

TELFORD (into radio): We found Rush and Dunning. They're unconscious.

YOUNG: It doesn't look like we're gonna be able to stop the power transfer, so our only option is to sever the link between the two ships. We need you back here in order to disconnect.

TELFORD: Negative.

(Scott, still tending to Dunning, looks up at him in surprise.)

TELFORD (into radio): This is our one shot at getting home. There's gotta be a way to reverse the transfer.

YOUNG: Eli's tried and he's come up short. Listen to me, David. I want nothing more than to get everyone back home, but I'm not willing to risk anyone's life to do it.

TELFORD: Put Eli on.

(Unhappily, Young hands his radio to Eli.)

YOUNG: Go on.

(Frowning, Eli takes the radio and activates it.)

WALLACE (into radio): Colonel?

TELFORD: Is there a way to reverse the transfer from my end?

(Eli hesitates for a long moment.)

TELFORD (sternly): Eli.

WALLACE: Theoretically, yeah, yeah, it's possible.

TELFORD: Tell me what to do.

WALLACE: Uh, you need to find anything that resembles a schematic ... or-or an active display, possibly indicative of the power transfer.

(Standing at one of the consoles, Telford looks across to the boys.)

TELFORD: Greer, Scott, get those two back to safety.

(Scott stands up and walks over to him.)

SCOTT: Sir, those aliens are probably responsible for what's happening. If they come back here, you will ...

TELFORD (interrupting): Go.

(Matt hesitates. Telford looks at him sternly.)

TELFORD: Go.

(As Matt turns away unwillingly, the console beeps. Telford activates his radio.)

TELFORD: All right, I got it.

(Behind him, Matt picks up Dunning under the arms and starts dragging him backwards out of the room. Greer does likewise with Rush.)

WALLACE: OK, now I'm gonna walk you through this.

TELFORD: Forget walking. Let's sprint. I've got a basic knowledge of Ancient systems.

(Eli squints his eyes almost closed, trying to visualise what he needs Telford to do.)

WALLACE: OK, you need to access the ship's distribution network.

(Telford starts working his console. Young, pacing in the Control Interface Room, looks at Lisa.)

YOUNG: How're we doing for time?

(Lisa types and pulls up the holoscreen showing the ship's power levels.)

PARK: Once we hit red, we're at the point of no return. We have less than fifteen minutes.


AIRLOCK. T.J., Marsden and the science boys have arrived back at the airlock. The military personnel stand aside and let Volker and Brody out first. They hurry onto Destiny, passing a queue of additional marines who are lining up ready to go onboard the seed ship. As T.J. and Marsden step over the threshold onto Destiny, the airlock door slams shut behind them. Becker tries to turn the wheel again but it won't spin, and the light beside the door is now red. He presses the access button a couple of times but it beeps negatively at him. He shoves ineffectively at the door for another moment, then turns to T.J. and shakes his head.

BECKER: We're locked down.

(Deeper inside the seed ship, Scott and Greer are still shuffling backwards, dragging their unconscious colleagues behind them. Greer grunts breathlessly to Rush as he hauls him along.)

GREER: Wake up.

(As he pulls Nick through a bulkhead, the bulkhead door slams shut behind them. Greer stops and stares at it.)

GREER: What the hell?!

SCOTT: Forget it. Keep moving.

(Groaning with the effort, Greer starts to drag Rush along again.)


SEED SHIP CONTROL CENTRE. Telford is busily typing. His console beeps and he activates his radio.

TELFORD: Eli, I'm done. What's next?

WALLACE (over radio): Now you need to open a secondary conduit.

(Checking his watch, Telford goes over to another console and starts to work.)

(At the airlock Becker and Marsden are trying to force the door open.)

BECKER: It's not budging.

(He straightens up and steps back. Marsden looks around to T.J., who shakes her head. Just then the wheel in the door begins to spin. Everyone steps back and raises their weapons. The door opens and Nicholas, finally on his feet, steps through, closely followed by Greer. The others sigh with relief, lower their weapons and step forward to help as Scott, with Dunning's arm slung over his shoulder as he holds most of his weight, comes through.)

SCOTT: It's no use. We are cut off from the Control Room. Fall back.

(T.J. turns to the other soldiers.)

JOHANSEN: All right, guys, you heard the man. Let's fall back.

(Nick takes the lead and hurries off into Destiny.)


DESTINY CONTROL INTERFACE ROOM.

PARK: Less than six minutes.

YOUNG: Are we any closer to finding a way to disconnect from the seed ship?

(Lisa shakes her head.)

PARK: We need Rush.

(Young turns to Eli and holds his hand out.)

YOUNG: Eli.

(Eli hands over the radio and Young activates it.)

YOUNG: Lieutenant Scott, come in. We need Rush in the Control Room now.

(In the corridors, Scott, T.J. and the others look around at the junction they have just reached but there's no sign of Nick.)

SCOTT (calling out): Doctor Rush? (He lifts his radio and activates it.) He is gone, sir.

YOUNG: He's gone where?

SCOTT: I don't know!

YOUNG: Find him.

(Eli comes over to him.)

WALLACE: Look, there's no way we're gonna figure out how to disconnect in time. It's all up to Colonel Telford.

PARK: Less than four minutes.

YOUNG (into radio): David, how's it coming?

(Telford looks at the console he has been working on, then goes to another and checks that.)

TELFORD: Almost there. OK, next?

WALLACE (into radio): OK, now all you have to do is override the power relay and just re-route it back into the channel you've just created.

(Telford closes his eyes momentarily. Obviously this sounds complicated. He thinks for a moment, then looks down at his console. In the Control Interface Room, Lisa looks across to Young anxiously.)

PARK: Three minutes.

(Telford works his console carefully.)

TELFORD (into radio): Almost there.

(In the Control Interface Room, the others look up in concern as the ship begins to vibrate. In the Control Centre, Telford does likewise as the seed ship also shakes and the lights begin to flicker. From an external viewpoint, the ships begin to separate, Destiny backing away from the seed ship and rising up above it. As Eli hurries to a console and looks to see what's happening, Telford nervously activates his radio.)

TELFORD: What was that?

YOUNG: No idea. Eli?

WALLACE: We just disconnected from the seed ship.

YOUNG: Wait a minute. I thought you said ...

WALLACE: I didn't.

(Young looks round at Lisa.)

PARK: It wasn't me.

YOUNG: Well, then, how?

(The others look around blankly.)

YOUNG (sharply): How?


DESTINY BRIDGE. On the Bridge, Nicholas is sitting at one of the front consoles and watching as the seed ship drifts further away ahead of Destiny. He sinks back in his chair, his face full of guilt, then turns and looks at Gloria sitting behind him. She gazes back at him, her face neutral. He shakes his head.

RUSH: I had no choice.

GLORIA: In order to save the crew? Or did you do it to save your dream? Which was it, Nicholas?

(Nick lowers his head, unable or unwilling to answer.)


CONTROL INTERFACE ROOM. In the Control Interface Room, Young walks to one of the wall benches and sits down heavily. Leaning forward, he braces his arms on his knees for a long moment before unhappily lifting and activating his radio.

YOUNG: David, we just disconnected from the seed ship and we're about to jump into F.T.L.

(Telford closes his eyes in shock.)

YOUNG: I'm sorry.

(A smile crosses David's face, but it's a smile of disbelief and pain. He activates his radio and tries to find the words.)

TELFORD: Can't blame me for tryin', right?

(Young chuckles sadly as he replies.)

YOUNG: Yeah. Yeah.

(Destiny powers up and begins to move forwards over the top of the seed ship. David ponders for a moment, then finds his last words to his colleague, and activates his radio again.)

TELFORD: Take care of those people. And, Everett, take care of yourself.

(Young's eyes fill with tears as Destiny's jump drive begins to whine. He lowers his head, and Destiny rapidly accelerates and then jumps into F.T.L.)

(Telford backs away from his console and looks around the room. After a few seconds he can't help but activate his radio again.)

TELFORD: Everett? Destiny, are you there?

(He gets nothing but static in reply. Lowering his hand, he stands despondent, but then hears a movement behind him. Turning his head he sees that the alien is back in the room, and he's brought a friend. As he watches them slowly approaching, another creature comes through the doorway behind them ... and another one enters from another route. As David carefully backs away, several more of them come in from all directions and begin to walk towards him.)


DESTINY. The doors to the prisoner hold open and a soldier walks in carrying two cases. He is followed by T.J. who has an armful of blankets. As another couple of soldiers stand at the doors and guard them, the first man puts the cases down and T.J. lays the blankets down on top of them. Varro walks over to her.

JOHANSEN: I understand that you made saving me a priority after I was shot. You didn't have to.

VARRO (softly): Of course I did.

JOHANSEN: Anyways, thank you.

(Smiling briefly at him, she leaves the room. Varro watches her until the doors close, then turns away. On the other side of the room, Simeon is watching with interest.)


The montage of the week begins. In his room, Eli is sitting on his bed and gazing tearfully into the distance as he comes to terms with losing yet another colleague.

In the bar, Brody carefully refills a water bottle with moonshine. Screwing the cap back on, he pushes it across the bar to Young, who takes it and leaves the room. Adam watches him go, his face full of concern.

In Hunter Riley's quarters, Camille and Greer have been packing up his effects. Greer has found a photo of Riley and four other smiling crew members taken back at Icarus Base. He gazes at it for a long moment, then looks up at Camille who looks back at him sadly. Greer drops the photo into the depressingly small bag of Riley's possessions, then he picks it up and he and Camille walk out of the room. She pats his shoulder sympathetically as he turns and looks into the room one last time, then Camille pushes the wall button and the doors close and the lights automatically go out.

Sitting on top of her bed in her underwear, Chloe is writing in a notebook. After a while she puts the book down and turns her attention to the bullet wounds on her leg, which are now nothing more than two round pale red marks. She stares down at them for a long time, then looks off into the distance, thinking about the implications of her rapid healing.

On the Bridge, Nicholas is sitting in the command chair, his head lowered as he thinks about what he has done and how his behaviour since he found the Bridge has already resulted in the loss of two people. Sighing, he leans his head back onto the headrest and closes his eyes.