Transcript

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Chloe's increasingly erratic behavior leads the crew to suspect that she may be under alien influence. Eli returns home when he learns that his mother has fallen ill, and Camille finds Sharon struggling in her absence.

EPISODE #204
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 10.19.2010
SYNDICATION AIR DATE: 10.03.2011
WRITTEN BY: Carl Binder
DIRECTED BY: Robert Carlyle
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Transcript by Callie Sullivan

DESTINY. Eli Wallace is walking along a corridor looking at his smart phone. He stops as he reaches the open doorway to what may be a small lab or control room and sees Chloe Armstrong sitting at a console and looking at it intently.

WALLACE: Hey. What are you doin' in here?

(As he grins at her she raises her head slowly and blinks as if coming out of a daze. She looks around the room in confusion as Eli walks closer to her.)

WALLACE: Are you OK?

ARMSTRONG: I don't know how I got here.

(Eli raises his eyebrows.)

ARMSTRONG: The last thing I remember, I was lying down for a nap.

WALLACE (chuckling): Sleepwalking?!

(His grin fades as she looks around the room again, bewildered.)

WALLACE: I used to do it all the time as a kid. My dad had to put an alarm on the front door to make sure ...

(He trails off as Chloe gets off her seat and hurries out of the room.)

ARMSTRONG: I'll see you later.

WALLACE: Oh ...

(He turns and watches as she quickly walks away.)

WALLACE: ... 'kay.


LATER. Eli is in the Mess sitting at a table with Matthew Scott and has told him what happened.

WALLACE: Seriously! And it's not just this one thing. She ... she's been acting a little odd for a while now.

(Matt looks down without replying.)

WALLACE: You know what I'm talking about, right? It's not ... it's not just me noticing this ...

SCOTT: No-no-no, you're right. She's been acting ... different. She's quiet, and withdrawn.

WALLACE: You should talk to her about it.

SCOTT: I did. I mean, I tried, yesterday.

WALLACE: And?

SCOTT: And nothing. She wasn't in a mood. She was too busy writing in her diary.

WALLACE: She keeps a diary?!

SCOTT: It's a kind of a therapy for her, with all the stress of being on this ship ...

WALLACE (interrupting): No, what about that gunshot wound on her leg?!

(Realising that his voice is rising, he looks round at the other tables anxiously and then speaks more quietly.)

WALLACE: No-one heals that fast. How do you explain that?

SCOTT: I can't ...

(Just then, Everett Young comes in and walks over to the table, leans on it and looks down at Eli.)

YOUNG: Eli. You need to use the stones. Your mother is sick.

WALLACE: What? Uh, is she ...?

YOUNG: I don't know the details, just that they want you to go back as soon ...

(Before he can finish the sentence, Eli jumps up and hurries out of the room. Young turns and follows him.)


BRIDGE. Nicholas Rush has the outstretched fingers of both hands splayed over a console, looking for all the world as if he is playing a keyboard. His expression is intense as he gazes at the screen. The image of his dead wife speaks softly from nearby.

GLORIA: You need to sleep, Nick.

(As if in agreement, his right hand lifts off the console and he wipes his eye before putting his hand back onto the controls.)

GLORIA (softly): Nicholas.

RUSH: Yes, yes.

(Still he continues to gaze at the console. He lifts his left hand and flips three switches down one after the other and Destiny comes out of F.T.L. The wall clock beeps and Nick looks up at it as the countdown begins. Suddenly Jeremy Franklin is standing where Gloria had been.)

FRANKLIN: Manipulating the countdown clock is complicated, to say the least.

(Ignoring him, Nick looks down to the console again.)

FRANKLIN: So many variables tied into it.

RUSH: Well, that's the problem, isn't it: a myriad of systems, each as complicated as the next.

FRANKLIN: Made worse by one man trying to do the work of an entire crew.

RUSH: Well, for now, I just need to control the countdown clock, and if you are indeed the ship, why aren't you helping me?

(He glowers round at Franklin, who looks back at him calmly.)

FRANKLIN: What are you really hoping to gain?

(Nick frowns as if he can't understand why Franklin would ask so stupid a question.)

RUSH: Control of the ship is key to the mission.

(Adam Brody's voice comes over the radio.)

BRODY: Doctor Rush, this is Brody, come in.

(Nicholas picks up his radio and activates it.)

RUSH: Go ahead.

(Adam is in the Control Interface Room with Lisa Park.)

BRODY (into radio): We just dropped out of F.T.L.

RUSH: Yes, I'm aware of that, thank you.

BRODY: But again, no Gates in range.

(Nick looks around to Franklin but he has disappeared, and Gloria hasn't returned either.)

PARK (over radio): And now we're banking left, changing course again. Doesn't make sense.

(She deactivates the radio and listens, but there's no reply.)

PARK (into radio): Doctor Rush?

(Nick looks around the Bridge, bewildered by the disappearance of his ghosts.)

PARK: (over radio): Doctor Rush?

RUSH (into radio): Look, I'm sorry, I can't get away right now.

PARK: Where are you?

BRODY: What are you doing?

RUSH: Rush out.

(Lisa looks across to Adam.)

PARK: This is getting ridiculous.

BRODY: Getting old is what it is.

(Angrily he slams his radio down onto the console.)


EARTH. In a military hospital, Eli is walking along a corridor with Doctor Brightman. He is wearing an airman's uniform with the name "Tracy" above the breast pocket, and his face is miserable as he listens to the doctor speak.

BRIGHTMAN: She'd stopped taking her treatment. Unfortunately, her counts dropped, dipping below three hundred.

WALLACE: Opening the door for pneumonia.

BRIGHTMAN: We've re-started the A.V.R. therapy and we're successfully treating the pneumonia. Her counts have levelled off, so physically she's on the mend, but if she stops taking her treatment again ...

WALLACE: Don't let her.

BRIGHTMAN: OK, when she returns home ...

WALLACE: Don't release her. Keep her here.

BRIGHTMAN: Hey, we will monitor her condition closely, but what concerns me is she is still clearly suffering from depression. One of our psychiatrists has been treating her but hasn't made much progress, which is why we sent for you.

(Eli stops and lowers his head unhappily.)

BRIGHTMAN: Look, whether here or at home, she has to want to get better. There's no room for error now. If her counts drop below two hundred ...

WALLACE (quietly): Yeah, yeah, I know. (He sighs.) AIDS.

(Brightman looks at him sympathetically.)

BRIGHTMAN: I'll be down the hall if you need me.

(Putting a supportive hand on his shoulder for a moment, she walks away. Eli raises his head and looks at the reflection of Airman Tracy gazing back at him from a nearby window. He blinks back tears.)

(Shortly afterwards, he knocks on the door of his mother's private room and walks in. He looks to the bed where Maryann Wallace is lying with her eyes closed. Hesitating for a long moment, he eventually steps closer.)

WALLACE: Hi.

(She opens her eyes and looks round at him.)

WALLACE: I'm ... (he looks down at his uniform) ... Airman Tracy. Uh, I've been working with your son, Eli.

MARYANN: Is he all right?

WALLACE: Yeah, he-he's fine. He really wanted to be here but the military, they've got him pretty tied up.

(Sighing quietly, Maryann turns her head away.)

WALLACE: He's doing great things, though, working really hard.

(He gazes sadly at his mother's averted face.)

WALLACE: Anyway ... he heard about you being in the hospital.

(Maryann turns her head back towards him.)

MARYANN: Tell him I'm fine.

WALLACE (stepping closer): No, but, see, he knows you're not fine. He told me about your condition. He heard you stopped taking your meds and he's really ... really worried about you.

MARYANN: Not enough to be here himself.

(She turns her head away again. Eli gazes at her in anguish, knowing that it's going to be impossible for him to talk to her like a son, but desperate to be supportive to her in any way he can.)


ELSEWHERE. Elsewhere in the Washington area, a military car pulls up outside the house of Sharon Walker and Camille Wray. Seeing the car stop, Sharon excitedly runs to the door, opens it and trots out onto the top step. She stops as a strange woman in camo gets out, holding a large bouquet of flowers. The name above her breast pocket reads Phillips.

SHARON (in Mandarin): Shi ni ma?

(Camille looks down at her uniform and smiles, shrugging.)

WRAY: Yeah, it's me!

SHARON: I was just checking!

(Giggling, Camille runs up the steps and they hug, laughing in delight.)


DESTINY. Chloe and Matt are lying side by side in bed, both staring up at the ceiling.

SCOTT: Where are we?

(Chloe pulls in a deep breath as if her thoughts had been miles away.)

ARMSTRONG: What?

SCOTT: You-you and me, our relationship. I mean, if we'd met in a different situation away from the ship, would we still be together?

ARMSTRONG: Of course.

SCOTT: It's just ... (he sighs) ... this is all kinda new to me, you know? I've never been, like, great at relationships and ... I just wanna make sure that I don't mess this up. You've been kinda quiet lately, so I start wondering, thinking, "God, she's ..."

ARMSTRONG: Matt.

(She turns over, snuggles her head onto his chest and takes his hand. She seems to think that this is reassurance enough because she doesn't say anything more, and her gaze becomes a little distant again.)


WALKER / WRAY HOUSE. Camille has changed into her own clothes and has been busy in the kitchen, as she now brings two plates into the dining room where Sharon is sitting at the table draining a large wine glass.

WRAY: Ta-da! Your favourite!

SHARON: Mmm! I am really missing your cooking!

WRAY: The microwave's getting a lot of work, huh?

(She looks with some concern as Sharon pours more red wine into her empty glass.)

SHARON: Yeah, and take-out. Mostly take-out. You know me: I work most nights, so a lot of pizza.

(Camille smiles.)

WRAY: Everything OK?

SHARON: Of course! You're here! Everything is perfect!

(Her grin, however, looks rather forced and Camille can't help but look worried. Sharon picks up her chopsticks and tucks into the meal.)

SHARON: Mmm! It's really good.


DESTINY. Vanessa James walks past several marines lining both sides of the corridor outside the prisoner hold. Reaching the doorway she hits the wall panel and the doors slide open. The Lucian Alliance prisoners are standing near the doors, obviously having been told what is about to happen.

JAMES: Let's go.

(As each member of the Alliance leaves the room, one of the soldiers falls in with him or her as their escort.)

(In Young's office, Ronald Greer has just been told the news and is staring at the colonel in disbelief.)

GREER: You're releasing them?

(Young pats his shoulder sympathetically, then picks up his water bottle and pours some of the contents into his mug. Somehow we suspect that it might not be water.)

YOUNG: We can't keep them locked up forever, Sergeant.

GREER: Sir, I beg to differ.

YOUNG: We're not doing it without strings attached. They're giving us intel. The more they give, the more they get.

(Greer starts pacing back and forth angrily.)

YOUNG: The decision's made, Sergeant. I've put an escort on each Lucian Alliance member, so it's not like they're walking around free.

(Scott comes in through the open doors.)

SCOTT: Excuse me, Colonel. Have you seen Chloe?

YOUNG (taking a drink): No.

SCOTT: I've been searching everywhere for her. She's gone.


MESS. T.J. Johansen is sitting at a table. She is back in uniform for the first time since she lost her baby, and is sitting with her head propped on her hand, lost in thought. Vanessa comes over and sits down at her table.

JAMES: Morning.

JOHANSEN (tiredly, glancing at her watch): Mmm, yeah, so the clock says.

JAMES: You know, apparently it's Sunday, too.

(T.J. looks at the doorway in some concern. Vanessa turns and follows her gaze as Simeon is escorted into the room.)

JAMES: The colonel decided to release them into the general population. Let's see how that turns out.

(It turns out instantly and spectacularly badly, as Simeon walks over to another table where Lisa is sitting opposite Adam and Dale Volker. Simeon leans down and quietly says a few words into Lisa's ear. Although we can't hear what he says, Adam and Dale clearly do as they instantly surge to their feet and storm around the table towards him as he backs up, holding his hands out to his sides innocently.)

VOLKER: What?!

BRODY (simultaneously): Woah.

JOHANSEN: Doesn't look like it's off to a good start.

(She and Vanessa jump up and walk over to the boys.)

JOHANSEN: Hey. What's going on here?

SIMEON: Just making conversation.

VOLKER (pointing towards Lisa): No-no, you apologise to her.

SIMEON: Why?

VOLKER (glaring at him furiously): Apologise.

JAMES: All right, take it easy.

SIMEON (to Volker): Think you can tell me what to do?

VOLKER (stepping closer to him): As a matter of fact, I do.

SIMEON: Look, I'm not trying to do anything ...

(He steps closer to Dale. Greer, who has come into the room during the conversation, instantly grabs him and shoves him back hard against the wall.)

SIMEON: What the hell ...?

(He tries to step forward but Greer slams his arm across his chest and pushes him back again, pointing at him with his other hand to indicate that he should stay put.)

GREER (ominously): You don't mess with my people.

SIMEON: I'm just talking to the woman.

GREER: No-no, you see, you don't talk to anyone.

SIMEON: What, is she yours? I didn't know.

(Grabbing Simeon by the lapels of his jacket, Greer turns him and shoves him into the hands of his escort.)

GREER: Put him back in the hold ...

SIMEON: Look ...

GREER: ... until he learns some manners.

SIMEON: ... I'm sorry, I'm not trying to ...

GREER (making "yack-yack" movements with his fingers): No-no, you see, the more you talk, the longer you'll be locked up.

(Grinning, he smacks Simeon on the chest, and the escort turns him and marches him away. Greer turns back to Lisa.)

GREER: You OK?

(She nods. Greer looks round to Vanessa.)

GREER: Chloe's missing. The colonel wants us to form search teams and look for her.


BRIDGE. Nick looks up at the countdown clock as it reaches zero and pings and Destiny jumps into F.T.L. again. He lowers his head and wipes his forehead tiredly. Gloria is back.

GLORIA: You work yourself to exhaustion.

(Sighing, he sits back in his chair.)

RUSH: Much work to be done.

GLORIA: Lack of sleep leads to carelessness. I needn't remind you that two lives have already been lost.


PRISONER HOLD. The doors open and Young walks in. Simeon, sitting some distance away looking genuinely anxious and more than a little stir-crazy, gets up and hurries over to him.

SIMEON: Colonel, I know. I'm sorry. My behaviour: unacceptable.

YOUNG: Yeah, it was.

(Simeon lowers his head, looking apologetic.)

SIMEON: I know it's important to fit in, to get along with your people, and I can do this, I promise. I mean, we made a deal. We give you information; you give us freedom.

(He forces a brief smile.)

SIMEON: And I intend to hold up my end of that deal. You can trust me.


STORAGE ROOM. Vanessa and a couple of soldiers are looking through a room full of crates. In the darkness at the rear of the room she finds Chloe, intently trying to force open a small locked box with a screwdriver. Even as Vanessa shines her flashlight on her, she carries on chiselling at the box.

JAMES: Chloe.

(She walks closer.)

JAMES: Chloe.

(Chloe blinks, then turns and stares at her in shock.)

JAMES: What are you doing in here?

(Chloe looks down at the screwdriver in surprise.)


CORRIDOR. Scott and his team are walking along a corridor as Vanessa radios to him.

JAMES: Lieutenant Scott? We found her.

SCOTT: Copy that.


WALKER / WRAY HOUSE. Sharon, dressed smartly in a trouser suit, is hurrying around searching for something as Camille sits nearby.

WRAY: What are you looking for?

SHARON: My keys.

WRAY: You can't find your keys?!

SHARON: No, I thought they were in my purse but ...

WRAY (laughing in delight): Oh-ho, ladies and gentlemen, this is a first! You know, you've never misplaced anything as long as I can ...

SHARON (angrily): Are you gonna help me find them or not?

(Camille stares up at her in shock as she storms past her. Sharon stops and puts her hand over her mouth as she realises how she just sounded. She turns back to Camille apologetically.)

SHARON: I'm sorry. It's just ... I'm late and I can't f...

(She trails off as she remembers where the keys are. Rolling her eyes in horror, she turns to the front door, opens it and pulls the keys out of the lock. Holding them up to show Camille, she walks back into the house.)

SHARON: I was bringing the groceries in yesterday. Idiot!

WRAY: It's OK.

SHARON: No, it's not, because anyone could have walked in here and taken all of our things because ..

WRAY (talking over her): Sharon. Sh-Sharon.

(They both fall silent and look at each other for a moment.)

SHARON: I'll be an hour at most, maybe two. I'll call you if anything changes.

(Picking up her bag, she hurries out.)


HOSPITAL. Maryann is lying in bed toying with either a rosary or a string of worry beads. Eli, still wearing Tracy's uniform, knocks at the door and comes in smiling.

WALLACE: Morning! You up for company?

MARYANN: Sure.

WALLACE: You're looking better. Doctor said you'll be out of here in no time.

MARYANN: Why doesn't he call me? It's been months now - nothing. It's not like him.

(Eli looks down at her for a long long moment, trying to decide what to do next. Finally he walks around the bed and sits down on the nearby armchair.)

WALLACE: OK. OK. What's your favourite movie of all time?

MARYANN: What?!

WALLACE: Just go with me on this. Your favourite movie.

MARYANN: "Grease".

WALLACE: No, there's another one.

MARYANN: "Sound of Music"?

WALLACE: No! Where ...?!

(He breaks off.)

WALLACE: Your favourite science fiction movie.

MARYANN: Oh, I'm not a fan of ...

WALLACE: "E.T."

(She looks at him.)

WALLACE: Right? That's your favourite.

MARYANN: Yes. I love that movie.

WALLACE: You rented it and showed it to him when he was a kid. You wondered if aliens really existed - if it's possible to fly spaceships to other planets and other solar systems ...

MARYANN: What has this got to do with ...?

WALLACE: It is.

(She looks at him in confusion.)

WALLACE: ... Possible. Not just other solar systems; other galaxies. You see, the government, they have this programme, the Stargate programme ... and what a Stargate is, is it's like a doorway. It allows you to step through and travel great distances through space, halfway across the universe in some cases ...

MARYANN: Why are you telling me this?

WALLACE: Because I am Eli.

(She stares at him as he gazes back her pleadingly.)

WALLACE: I'm on a ship far, far, away, but my consciousness is in this person's body. It really is me ... Mom. I am your son.


DESTINY INFIRMARY. Chloe is lying on a bed as T.J. checks her eyes with a penlight. Scott and Young are standing nearby.

JOHANSEN: You have no memory of going into the storage room?

ARMSTRONG: No. I fell asleep in my quarters. Next thing I know, I'm talking to Lieutenant James.

SCOTT: Now, this isn't the first time this has happened, is it?

ARMSTRONG: It's like I ... black out from time to time.

(Scott looks round to Young.)

SCOTT: Those aliens used the communication stones to take control of Lieutenant James ...

YOUNG: ... because we forgot to re-set them. I was just in the Communications Lab. The stones are clean.

JOHANSEN (to Chloe): Listen, there doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong with you that I can tell. I'd need an E.E.G. or a CAT scan to be more thorough.

(She looks round to the men.)

JOHANSEN: I would like to keep her overnight, though, for observation.

YOUNG: It's a good idea.


HOSPITAL. Eli is pacing around the bed as he continues explaining everything to his mother. Swept up in the detail, he is gesturing dramatically as he speaks, and is unaware that she is looking at him like he's a mad man.

WALLACE: ... and once the stone is in place and the device is turned on, you actually swap consciousness with the person on the other end. You go into their body, and then they go into yours and ...

(He finally sees her expression.)

WALLACE: ... and you don't believe me.

MARYANN: I don't understand.

WALLACE: I know. I know. It's weird.

MARYANN: Where is Eli?

WALLACE: He's on a ship, OK, the Destiny, on the other side of the universe.

MARYANN: When is he coming home?

WALLACE: I don't know! It's a long, long way, billions of light years from Earth!

MARYANN: How did he get there?

WALLACE: The Stargate, Mom! OK, OK. Mom ...

MARYANN: Stop calling me that. You are not my son.

(She turns her head away, upset. Eli looks at her for a long moment, then speaks more quietly.)

WALLACE: The day Dad left - I was fourteen - I ran up to my room, crying.

(Maryann turns her head and looks at him again as he speaks, his head lowered.)

WALLACE: You came up, told me that I needed to be strong for you. You said I needed to be the man that he wasn't. Remember?

(They look at each other for a while, Eli's face full of pain.)

WALLACE: How could I know that if I wasn't Eli?

MARYANN: He could have told you.

WALLACE (frustrated): How could he possibly have told me every little thing about ...

MARYANN: Leave me alone!

(Desperately, Eli sits down at her bedside again.)

WALLACE: Please, Mom. It really is me.

MARYANN (calling out): Nurse. Nurse!

WALLACE: I know it's a lot to take in. Mom, please!

MARYANN: Nurse! (She looks at him.) Please leave.


DESTINY. In their quarters, Matt stands looking at Chloe's bag which is lying on a nearby table. He looks at it for some time, unwilling to go through her personal and private possessions but eventually he sits down and reluctantly opens the bag. He takes out her diary and leafs through the pages. They look normal - the pages are filled with her writing, but then he turns a page and finds a photograph of her father, Alan, inserted into the book like a bookmark. On that same page her writing stutters and becomes more untidy ... and then becomes completely different. Instead of normal handwriting, she is now writing in symbols. Matt turns the page. Those two pages are covered in nothing but symbols. Some of them are blocked in and - to viewers of "Stargate: Atlantis" in particular - are quite recognisable as Ancient symbols while others, interspersed with the Ancient text, are clearly a different language altogether. Matt turns the page again, finding even more of this mixture of languages there.


YOUNG'S OFFICE. Later, he has brought the book to Young's office. Rush and T.J. are also there, and Nick is leafing through the pages.

JOHANSEN: What is it, Ancient?

RUSH: Some of it.

SCOTT (pointing to some of the other text): Those symbols - they looked familiar to me and then I remembered where I saw them.

RUSH: In the crashed alien ship.

(Scott nods.)

RUSH: Some of this I understand, but most of it's too far advanced.

SCOTT: They must have done something to her - planted something in her brain.

YOUNG (to Rush): You said she didn't have any tracking devices in her.

RUSH: No, she didn't, not that I was aware of. There may be something happening to Chloe on a cellular level - some kind of genetic manipulation gradually changing her.

JOHANSEN: Into what?

SCOTT: What, you think she's changing into one of them?

YOUNG: I want her quarantined.

JOHANSEN: Wait - we don't know for sure if that's what's going on here!

SCOTT: You cannot just lock her up.

YOUNG: Until we know what's wrong with her, I can't risk letting her walk around free on the ship, can I?

(He looks to Nicholas for confirmation.)

RUSH: I think the risk might be worth it. If we can monitor her behaviour, the frequency of her blackouts, where she goes, what she does, we might gain more insight into what's actually happening. It's certainly quicker than isolating her in her room.

YOUNG: She's not to be left alone - ever.

SCOTT: Yes, sir.


HOSPITAL. Eli is sitting at a table in the grounds, lost in thought. Camille walks over to join him.

WRAY: Hey.

(He looks round at her. He looks as if he has been crying.)

WALLACE: Thanks for coming. I didn't have anyone else I could call.

(She sits down opposite him.)

WRAY: How ... how's your mom doing?

WALLACE: Physically, fine. Her pneumonia's healing, her T-cell counts are stable now that they've re-started her therapy, but she's ...

(He breaks off, fighting back tears.)

WALLACE: I was always worried she might give up if something happened to me, and now she's killing ...

WRAY (interrupting): Nothing's happened to you.

WALLACE: She doesn't even know it's me. I tried to tell her, but as far as she's concerned, the military took her son away, won't even tell her where he is or won't let him talk to her. It ...

(He gazes into the distance sadly.)

WALLACE: I would give up too.

WRAY: Eli, no-one is giving up; and whether she believes you or not, she has to take her meds, and you need to make her understand that.


DESTINY. Chloe and Matt are walking along a corridor.

ARMSTRONG: I can't go near the Control Interface Room, or use the stones to visit my mom.

SCOTT: It's only temporary, just 'til we figure out what's going on.

(Nicholas appears behind them.)

RUSH: Lieutenant.

(They turn to face him.)

RUSH: Time for a shift change.

(He smiles, which can only mean bad things.)

RUSH: I'll take over from here.

SCOTT: Oh, it's OK, I don't mind ...

RUSH: Colonel's orders, I'm afraid.

(Matt bites his lip.)

RUSH: I promise I won't let her out of my sight.

(Matt looks at Chloe, who nods to him reassuringly.)

ARMSTRONG: It's all right.

SCOTT: OK. (He looks back and forth to include both of them.) I'll check in on you later.

(He walks away, and Chloe looks round at Nicholas.)

RUSH: Come with me.


CORRIDOR. Shortly afterwards he unlocks and opens the doors to a presumably unused corridor. There are bits of paper stuck in random spots over the walls and consequently the area bears a startling resemblance to the office in his house when we saw it in "Human". The rest of the corridor, which stretches for as far as the eye can see, is covered with chalked mathematical equations. Chloe stares around the walls.

ARMSTRONG: What is this?

RUSH: A place for study.

(He pushes the wall button to close the doors behind them.)

RUSH: Problems to solve.

(Bending down to a bag near the doors, he picks up a stick of chalk. I imagine he picked up the chalk during a trip to a planet and then cut it into sticks. Chloe walks slowly along the corridor looking at all the scribblings on the walls.)

RUSH: Does any of this look familiar to you?

(He straightens up and watches her.)

RUSH (softly, encouragingly): Take your time. Look closely.

(Chloe turns and looks at an area where a calculation is incomplete and Nick has left a gap for the solution, should it occur to him in the future. As she gazes fixedly at the calculation, he walks over to her and offers her the chalk. Taking it, she immediately leans down and unhesitatingly writes the solution into the gap, then straightens up and offers him the chalk back, her face cold and blank. He stares at the answer in amazement, then looks at her thoughtfully.)


CREW QUARTERS. Varro has now been given a proper room. Someone has just knocked on his doors and he goes over to open them. Standing outside with her arms folded sternly is T.J. A couple of marines stand guard nearby.

JOHANSEN: Settling in?

VARRO: Yes. Nice quarters. (He smiles at her.) Come in.

JOHANSEN (following him inside): The Ancients probably figured they'd be here a while, might as well give themselves some measure of comfort.

(Varro glances pointedly towards the marines outside the doors.)

VARRO: How long will they be tagging along with us?

JOHANSEN: As long as you give them reason to.

(Varro looks at her enquiringly.)

JOHANSEN: One of your men, Simeon ...

(Varro bows his head.)

VARRO: Yes, I know. I heard, and I'm sorry. He's not the most diplomatic person in our group. The culture on his homeworld was rougher than most.

JOHANSEN: Colonel Young has decided to release him, but if he slips up again ...

VARRO: I'll talk to him. We're trying to make this work.

JOHANSEN (sternly): He needs to try harder.

(Varro nods, and T.J. leaves the room.)


GATEROOM. Scott walks into the room, presumably cutting through it to head elsewhere but he stops and turns as he hears Chloe's voice.

ARMSTRONG: Hey.

(He looks around and sees her and Nicholas standing at the top of the stairs opposite the Gate. Both of them are leaning nonchalantly on the railing.)

SCOTT: Ah, there you are! Been lookin' all over for you. You didn't answer your radio, so I thought ...

RUSH: Sorry. Lost track of time. She's all yours.

(He strolls away. Scott looks at Chloe with some concern.)

SCOTT: You OK?

ARMSTRONG: Yeah, fine.

SCOTT (a little nervously): What were you doin'?

ARMSTRONG: He, uh, wanted me to look at some equations, see if I understood them.

SCOTT: Did you?

ARMSTRONG (distantly): I don't know.


WALKER / WRAY HOUSE. Sharon is in the kitchen nursing another large glass of red wine as Camille arrives home.

WRAY: Hey, sorry I'm late.

(She kisses her on the cheek.)

WRAY: It's just Eli, you know. When he gets to talking ...

(Trying to hide her irritation, Sharon turns around to Camille as she takes her jacket off.)

SHARON: How's his mother?

WRAY: Oh, uh, doin' OK physically. It's just emotionally this is all starting to take its toll ...

(She trails off towards the end of the sentence as she realises that the same could be applied to her partner. She looks down awkwardly as Sharon looks down at her wine glass in a guilty manner.)

WRAY: You OK?

(Sharon nods and forces a smile.)

SHARON: Your dinner's in the oven.

(She takes a drink as Camille laughs a little disbelievingly.)

WRAY: You cooked?!

SHARON: Mmm. An attempt!

(Camille takes the plate out of the oven.)

WRAY: Looks good!

SHARON: Famous last words!

(Holding the plate while still standing, Camille starts to eat.)

WRAY: So, um, how was your day?

SHARON: Hmm. Long, exhausting, the usual.

(She picks up the wine bottle and starts to refill her glass even though she hasn't finished what's in there. However, there's only a drop left in the bottle.)

SHARON: I'll get another.

(Camille watches unhappily as she walks away.)


DESTINY. Simeon is just leaving his quarters with an escort as Varro approaches.

VARRO (to the escort): Give us a minute. (To Simeon) Back inside.

(He marches into the room. Simeon turns and follows him back in, punching the wall button to close the doors behind him. Varro turns and faces him, biting back his words until the doors have fully closed. All through the following conversation they struggle to keep their voices lowered so that they can't be heard through the doors.)

VARRO: I won't let you ruin this for us.

SIMEON: I was just talking to the woman.

VARRO: D'you wanna get us all locked up for good?

SIMEON: What difference does it make? Sooner or later they're gonna realise the information we've been feeding them is just a bunch of lies anyway.

VARRO: Information you've been feeding them.

(Simeon stares at him, shocked.)

SIMEON: What are you talking about? I-I thought we were all giving them the same mis-information.

VARRO: We're co-operating with them - all of us. We have to find a way to get along with these people.

(He walks towards the door.)

SIMEON: If you want me to play the game, I'll play it, but I'm not taking down the Lucian Alliance. I'm not taking 'em down ...

VARRO (turning back to him and getting into his face): Don't play any game at all. Don't play any game at all!

(He glares at him.)

VARRO: Just keep your mouth shut.

(Slamming the wall panel to open the doors, he storms out. Simeon watches him go, bewildered and confused.)


LATER. Some time later, Destiny comes out of F.T.L. and approaches a planetary system. The closest of the planets has a Saturnian ring around it. On the Bridge, Nicholas looks up to the countdown clock as it beeps and starts up. Whatever the countdown is, he's not happy with it.

RUSH: Dammit!

(In the Control Interface Room, Brody and Park are equally unhappy as they look at their consoles.)

BRODY: Again with this?! No Gates.

PARK: Altered course.

(Adam picks up his radio and brandishes it at Lisa.)

BRODY: Bet you a day's rations he doesn't answer.

(She scoffs as he activates the radio with an exasperated sigh.)

BRODY: Doctor Rush, this is Brody, come in?

(He waits for a moment, then tries again.)

BRODY: Doctor Rush, please respond.

(Lowering the radio, he waits again, then glances towards Lisa.)

BRODY: You owe me.

PARK (indignantly): I never agreed to that!


Later, Young has come to the room.

BRODY: I don't think it's because of pulsar damage. There would be a pattern to the jump intervals, however frequent they are.

PARK: There's also the changes in the ship's course once we drop out of F.T.L.

BRODY: It also seems too coincidental that every time this happens, we can't seem to get ahold of Rush.

(Young nods his agreement.)
YOUNG: He's doing this. How?

BRODY: Outside of cracking the master code, I don't know.

YOUNG: Figure it out.

BRODY: Yeah, we could really use Eli for that.

YOUNG: Eli's not here right now.

BRODY: Well, you can get him back.

YOUNG: He needs to be where he is right now, so I need you to figure it out.

(He looks round as Nicholas walks in.)

YOUNG: Why is your radio off?

RUSH: Sorry. I was in my quarters, sleeping.

YOUNG: Wrong. You didn't answer my call - I sent Corporal Barnes to your quarters. Where were you?

RUSH (ignoring the question): OK, so, uh, so what's happening? What's wrong?

BRODY: Just trying to figure out what's going on with Destiny.

(Young refuses to be sidetracked, his gaze still fixed on Nicholas.)

YOUNG (slowly): Where the hell were you?

(Nicholas lowers his head, realising that he has no choice but to answer.)


CORRIDOR. Shortly afterwards he unlocks the doors to his secret corridor and leads Adam, Lisa and Young inside. They look around in surprise.

YOUNG: What's this?

RUSH: I come here to think.

BRODY: And write on the walls!

RUSH: Working on problems that have confused us since we set foot on this ship, Mr. Brody.

(He points at the calculation which Chloe completed for him.)

RUSH: This one has been particularly frustrating, and yet Chloe - she solved it in a minute flat. Whatever alien influence she's under, it's studying this ship.

YOUNG: So you think she's hijacked the ship's systems during one of her blackouts?

RUSH: Something she could have set in motion days - perhaps even weeks - ago.


CREW QUARTERS. In their quarters, Chloe is asleep in bed. Matt, still dressed, is sitting nearby and watching her, his face full of worry. Someone knocks on the doors and he gets up and opens them as Chloe wakes up. Standing outside are Greer and a security detail. As Chloe lifts her head to see who's there, Greer stares back at her sternly.


CORRIDOR. Later, Simeon and his one-man escort are walking along a corridor. Greer and another soldier approach from the opposite direction.

GREER: Uh, this section's off limits.

SIMEON: It wasn't earlier.

GREER: It is now.

SIMEON: Why?

GREER: Back to your quarters.

(Simeon smiles unpleasantly at him and walks closer.)

SIMEON: You're gonna keep doing this, are you? Pushing me? Getting me to do something so you can lock me back up?

(Greer speaks slowly and precisely as he steps closer.)

GREER: Back ... to your ... quarters.

SIMEON: Oh, you're talking tough. You're armed; you've got your men here covering you.

(Greer starts to laugh.)

GREER: That's true!

(Those of us who know him well hide our faces behind our hands and peer through our fingers, knowing that Simeon is now in for a world of pain. Still grinning and never taking his eyes from his face, Greer takes his pistol from its holster and holds it up for the man beside him to take. Pointedly his colleague takes it as he too looks at Simeon with a "oh dear, and I hardly knew you" look on his face. Greer glances across to the escort standing beside Simeon.)

GREER: Dismissed.

(The escort and Greer's colleague instantly turn on their heels and briskly walk away. Greer steps ever closer to Simeon, getting right into his face and raising his eyebrows expectantly.)

GREER (quietly, ominously): You were saying?

(For a long moment Simeon locks gazes with him, but about five seconds later he slowly starts to back away from him. Trying and utterly failing to look nonchalant, he eventually turns and strolls away.)


CELL. Chloe has been allowed to dress and has been moved to a small room with a wall bench that doubles as a bed. Sitting on it with her arms wrapped around her knees, she looks up as the doors open and Scott comes in with a tray of food and a water bottle.

SCOTT (gently): You OK?

(She nods unhappily. Putting the tray down, he sits down nearby.)

SCOTT: Look, uh, just let me know, and we'll get you whatever you need. The colonel's just doing this as a precaution.

ARMSTRONG: What do they think is happening to me?

SCOTT: They don't know yet.

ARMSTRONG: I feel like I'm slipping away bit by bit.

(Matt stares at her desperately and tries to smile for her.)

SCOTT: No. No, we're gonna figure this out. We're gonna fix it, I promise.


WALKER / WRAY HOUSE. It's the middle of the night but Sharon is downstairs, staring out of a window and lost in thought. Camille, who must have woken and found her missing, wanders in.

WRAY: You can't sleep?

(For a long time Sharon doesn't respond, struggling to find the words to describe how she is feeling.)

SHARON: I look at you and ... I know it's you but still ... I miss your face ...

(Finally she turns to face the woman that her partner is inhabiting.)

SHARON: ... your voice.

WRAY (sighing): This is hard - probably worse on you than it is for me.

(Sharon steps closer to her, fighting her tears. Camille gazes at her sympathetically.)

WRAY: This situation - it's so easy to lose hope. I've seen it in others. But what keeps me sane are these few moments we're together, being able to come home and see you and hold you.

(She reaches out and strokes the side of Sharon's face.)

WRAY: Even if it's just for a day or a minute, it's what's keeping me going.

(Sharon nods her understanding as she starts to sob. Camille pulls her closer and they hug.)

SHARON (tearfully): I'll be OK.

WRAY (crying): I know.

SHARON (crying): I love you.

WRAY: I know.

SHARON: I love you.

(They cling to each other tightly.)


DESTINY. T.J. is showing Young footage taken from Chloe's cell. They're watching Chloe lying down on the wall bench.

JOHANSEN: It's coming up now.

(Abruptly Chloe sits up, swings her legs over the side of the bed and sits bolt upright, staring blankly ahead of her.)

JOHANSEN: There.

YOUNG: And she just sits there the whole time?

JOHANSEN: Yes. In earlier ones she wrote in the diary, but mostly she just sits or lays still, staring at the walls. I still can't detect any physical changes, and without proper equipment I don't really know what else I can do.

(Young leans forward and looks more closely at Chloe as she sits on the side of the bed, unmoving.)

JOHANSEN: Colonel, I know you're just doing this to keep her away from others, but quarantine is not a long-term solution.

YOUNG: I know.


HOSPITAL. Still wearing Airman Tracy's uniform, Eli is sitting in the armchair near his mother's bedside. She wakes up and sees him there, and instantly turns her head towards the door.

MARYANN: Nurse!

WALLACE: Wait, no, please, just ... just listen, and-and-and then I'll leave. I promise. Whether you believe me or not, the fact is, I'm worried ... Eli's worried. I can't leave you here like this.

(He gazes at her pleadingly. Maryann looks at him for a moment, then lays her head back and sighs.)

MARYANN (sadly): He was all that I had, the reason I got up in the morning.

(Eli's eyes fill with tears.)

MARYANN: I never realised it fully until he was gone. Just tell me: will I ever see him again?

(Eli fights with all his strength not to burst into tears.)

WALLACE (tearfully): I don't know.

(Sighing sadly, his mother looks away.)


HOSPITAL CORRIDOR. Later, Eli has left her room and is walking along the corridor talking on his cellphone. His voice is frantic.

WALLACE: I can't leave her like this. I can't go back to that ship. If I leave her, she's going ...

(Camille interrupts him from the other end of the phone. She is sitting in her living room.)

WRAY: Eli, Eli, listen to me. Whatever happens, you will get through this.

WALLACE: Maybe-maybe you could talk to her. Someone else from the Stargate programme. Maybe then she'll believe me.

WRAY: I've got a better idea. I-I'll call you right back.

(She hangs up. Eli sinks down into a chair in the hallway and begins to wait.)


ELSEWHERE. Camille is making another call.

WRAY (into phone): I know it's beyond her clearance. You're just going to have to make an exception. He unlocked the ninth chevron; he's quite possibly the most important person on that crew. We need him to be emotionally healthy, focussed.

(She listens to the person on the other end.)

WRAY: You know what? I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. (Sternly) Make this happen.

(She hangs up.)


LATER. Some time later, Maryann Wallace opens her eyes on Destiny as the communication stones perform a transfer. Gazing around the room in disbelief, she looks down to where a mirror has been placed on the table so that she can see her face ... or rather, the face of Lisa Park staring back at her. She gasps and prods her mouth, while Lisa's hand does the same in the mirror. She raises her head and sees Colonel Young standing nearby, smiling at her.

YOUNG: Mrs. Wallace, welcome to the Destiny.

(He smiles over her shoulder to the person approaching from behind her, and turns away. Maryann turns to look at the new arrival, who grins down at her happily.)

WALLACE: Hi, Mom.

(Maryann claps her hand over her mouth, unable to believe what she's seeing. Eli grins and shrugs.)

WALLACE: Yeah, I'm real!

(Sobbing, she stands up and reaches for him, her face full of joy.)

MARYANN: Oh, Eli.

(She takes his face in her hands, still not quite able to believe it.)

MARYANN: Eli.

(She pulls him into her arms and holds him. He hugs her for a moment but then pulls back and takes her hand.)

WALLACE: Come here. I wanna show you something.

(Still holding her hand he leads her to the Observation Deck.)

WALLACE: The other side of the universe, Mom.

(Grinning, he lets go of her hand and walks onto the deck as she stops in the doorway and stares in amazement at the sight out of the windshield.)

WALLACE: Pretty cool, isn't it?

(Destiny is passing very close to the Saturnian planet, which fills over half of the window. Three other planets and the system's sun are also visible. Eli reaches the railing and looks at the view happily.)

WALLACE: Yeah, I know. I was speechless at first, too, if you can believe that!

(Finally Maryann manages to walk into the room and slowly makes her way to her son's side.)

WALLACE: It's an amazing ship. We're still trying to figure it out ...

(He turns to face her and looks at her a little sadly.)

WALLACE: ... see if there's some way we can get back home.

(She drags her eyes away from the view and turns to him.)

WALLACE: I'll never stop trying, I promise.

(Tremulously, as if she still can't believe he's really there, she reaches out towards him. He takes her hand and holds it tightly as he smiles at her.)

WALLACE: We're gonna be OK, Mom - you and me.

(Tearfully she throws her arms around him and hugs him.)

MARYANN: I'm so proud of you.


DESTINY MESS. Later, Eli is in the Mess, sitting at a table with Scott and Young.

SCOTT: Yeah, blew her mind, didn't it?!

WALLACE: Oh yeah! She's leaving the hospital tomorrow.

(Scott nods, happy for him. Eli looks across at Young.)

WALLACE: Thanks for letting her come here. And don't worry: she knows it's a one-time thing. She won't be asking to come by every week.

(Young grins.)

WALLACE: Anyway, I owe you one.

YOUNG: No, you owe Wray. She's the one who made it happen.

(His radio activates.)

RUSH (over radio): Colonel Young, come in.

YOUNG (into radio): Yeah, go ahead.

RUSH: I think I have a solution to Chloe's condition.

YOUNG: Well, let's hear it.

(Nick is sitting on the floor in his corridor.)

RUSH: The neural interface.

YOUNG: The Chair.

RUSH: I believe it can cure her.


YOUNG'S OFFICE. Later, Nick has joined Young, Scott, Eli and T.J. in Young's office.

RUSH: Look, it's relatively simple. From what I've learned so far, I believe the Chair will not allow any non-human to interface with it. There's safeguards built in that would destroy any alien lifeform that tries to use it.

JOHANSEN: So the Chair kills off any potential alien matter inside her while leaving her human side unaffected?

RUSH: Exactly.

YOUNG: You "believe" - meaning you're not sure.

RUSH: Well, no. I can't be absolutely certain.

SCOTT: No, it's too dangerous.

RUSH: Look, I've made improvements to the programme I developed when I used the Chair. They should prevent her from being harmed. I'm now able to sever the connection externally at any time. She shouldn't have to sit in it for very long - a few seconds at most.

WALLACE: If you can't be a hundred percent sure, I don't think we should ...

RUSH (talking over him): It's the best option anyone's come up with.

JOHANSEN: The only option.

SCOTT: Colonel, you can't force her to do this.

YOUNG: Well, then, I'll ask her.


CHAIR ROOM. Nick, Eli, Young and Brody are already in the room as Scott and T.J. escort Chloe in.

SCOTT: You sure you're OK with this?

ARMSTRONG: Yes, I'm fine.

(She looks anxiously at the Chair as she approaches it.)

RUSH: It's all right. The Chair won't activate 'til I input the proper command.

(She nods nervously, then turns and sits down. Scott helps her settle into it. T.J. has brought a big bag of medical equipment with her and starts to prepare it in case of an emergency. Nicholas looks across to Adam, who nods his readiness. Nick turns to Young.)

RUSH: We're ready.

(Young looks down at Chloe.)

YOUNG: OK?

(She nods, her face full of fear. He looks at the scientists.)

YOUNG: Go ahead.

(Chloe drags in an anxious breath as the Chair activates. The restraints spring out and trap her wrists and ankles and the headpiece flips over the headrest. The prongs move inwards and make contact with Chloe's temples. Her eyes roll up into her head as the Chair starts to interact with her. Scott bites his lip, looking at her with concern as her head shakes slightly and her eyes continue to roll. The programme runs for about fifteen seconds, then Nicholas deactivates the Chair. T.J. and Scott hurry forward as the headpiece flips back and Chloe slumps in the Chair, unconscious. Matt watches worriedly as T.J. checks her over and then nods up to Young.)

JOHANSEN: She's breathing and her pulse is steady.

(Matt sighs with relief. Young walks over to Nicholas.)

YOUNG: Did it work?

RUSH: I believe so. Well, we'll soon find out, won't we?


CAMILLE'S QUARTERS. Eli comes to the open doorway and knocks.

WALLACE: Hey.

WRAY: Hey.

WALLACE: I just wanted to thank you for pulling the strings to let my mom come here. I-I know it's something that a lot of people here would want.

(Camille pauses, knowing how true that is.)

WRAY: Um, does she believe you now?

(Eli laughs.)

WALLACE: Yeah! Yeah, she does. They're discharging her from the hospital today.

WRAY (smiling): Oh.

WALLACE: Anyway, it was great having you there to talk to - someone who gets what we're going through.

(Camille looks at him thoughtfully.)


CREW QUARTERS. Chloe has regained consciousness and Matt is helping her into their quarters. T.J. and Young follow them to the doorway and stop there.

YOUNG: We'll keep an eye on her twenty-four/seven.

(T.J. nods her agreement. Matt helps Chloe take her jacket and she sits on the bed to take her shoes off.)

SCOTT: You OK?

ARMSTRONG: Yeah.

SCOTT: Can I, can I get you anything?

ARMSTRONG: No, I'm good. I just wanna lie down for a little bit.

(She lies on the bed as T.J. walks away. Matt watches Chloe a little worriedly as she smiles at him.)

ARMSTRONG: I'm fine, Matt.

(He nods, smiling.)


HOSPITAL. Maryann is packing her bag ready to go home. Sharon comes to the open door and looks at her a little awkwardly.

SHARON: Mrs. Wallace?

MARYANN: Yes.

SHARON: I'm Sharon Walker. Your son Eli suggested ...

MARYANN: Oh, yes. Hello.

(She smiles at her.)


CREW QUARTERS. Chloe opens the doors to her quarters to find Nicholas standing outside. Matt has apparently gone off elsewhere. Looking round briefly at the guard standing nearby, Nick gets straight to the point.

RUSH: We need to talk.

(He walks into the room. Somewhat unhappily she closes the doors and turns to face him.)

ARMSTRONG: I'm not cured, am I?

RUSH: No.


CORRIDOR. Simeon, with his ever-present escort, walks along a corridor. He glances behind him, shaking his head unhappily as Greer comes around the corner, keeping an eye on him.

Camille sits in her quarters, lost in thought.

Varro and his escort walk past T.J. who is standing talking with someone. He throws her a smile as he passes and she turns and watches him go.

In the Mess, other members of the crew openly stare or glance covertly at Chloe as she sits at a table with Matt and Eli. Matt talks to her soothingly but she can't hide her awkwardness at people's nervous hostility.


BRIDGE. Gloria is standing behind Nick as he sits in the command chair.

GLORIA: Do you really think she can help you?

RUSH: I do, yes. If she values her freedom, she'll play along without telling anyone. I need it to be this way - for now, anyway.

GLORIA: But can you trust her?

(Nick has no answer for her.)


CREW QUARTERS. In their quarters, Matt is fast asleep. Chloe lies beside him, her eyes fixed and locked as she gazes sightlessly upwards.