Transcript by Callie Sullivan

OFFWORLD PLANET. In the castle of a settlement, John Sheppard and Rodney McKay are standing with two beautiful young women dressed in long elaborate gowns. The four of them are holding glass goblets of red wine and they all clink them together in a toast.

FLORA: And to another fine year of trading.

McKAY: Hear, hear!

FLORA: Truly, the medical supplies you have given to us over the past several years have made an immeasurable difference to our people.

MARDOLA: Not to mention your warning last harvest that the Wraith were nearby. You saved many lives.

SHEPPARD (modestly): Well, uh, you know.

McKAY: My favourite missions are when we come here to do our trading – and I've said that, I can prove it. I'm not just saying that.

SHEPPARD: You don't need to prove it. (He puts his glass onto a nearby table.) Uh, you know, actually, we've gotta get going.

MARDOLA: So soon?

McKAY: Yeah, so soon?

FLORA: We were hoping that you could stay.

(She smiles at the men coyly. Rodney's eyes widen.)

SHEPPARD: Well ... I guess we could stay a little longer.

FLORA: I hate to ... (She pauses for a moment, then shakes her head.) No, never mind.

McKAY: What is it?

FLORA: Well, I wouldn't dream of imposing. You've been so generous to our people already.

SHEPPARD: What's the problem?

FLORA: Our sister. She is in great need of your help.

McKAY: I didn't even know you gals had a sister.

FLORA: We do indeed.

McKAY: And I imagine she's as, uh, beautiful as you two?

FLORA: Even more so.

(John and Rodney smile.)

FLORA: And she is in great need of guidance.

McKAY: Guidance – that I can do.

FLORA: You are most generous. Excuse us for one moment. I'll get her.

(She leaves the room, followed by Mardola. Rodney turns to John.)

McKAY: Dibs.

SHEPPARD: What?!

McKAY: I'm calling dibs on the third sister.

SHEPPARD: You can't call dibs!

McKAY: Look, we both know that Flora and Mardola have been suckered in by the whole cliché heroic thing you've got going, but maybe this other sister – maybe her taste in men will run more to the ...

SHEPPARD: ... geeky?

McKAY: I was gonna say "cerebral" but, um ... who knows, maybe we'll hit it off.

SHEPPARD: I don't need your love life screwing up our trade relations.

McKAY: I'll try not to break her heart, but no promises.

(Hearing approaching footsteps, he takes a large swig from his wine and puts the glass onto the table. Flora walks in, addressing her, as yet, unseen sister.)

FLORA: These are the men I was telling you about.

(She smiles at the boys.)

FLORA: Gentlemen, this is our sister, Harmony.

(A thirteen year old girl walks into the room with Mardola and smiles at the boys. Rodney's smile fades.)

McKAY: Super(!)

OPENING TITLES. Resume.

OFFWORLD. FLORA: As you know, our mother and Queen passed at the beginning of this lunar cycle. A secret, sacred ceremony was held to determine which of her three daughters would succeed her. It was determined that Harmony shall be the new Queen.

SHEPPARD: Really? Wow. (To Harmony) Well, congrats.

(Harmony smiles at him.)

FLORA: Before she is crowned, all future Queens must perform a time-honoured rite of passage.

MARDOLA (pointedly, to Flora): A rite of passage normally performed alone.

FLORA: It is not written one way or another.

(Mardola opens her mouth, then decides against it. Flora turns back to the boys.)

FLORA: And Harmony is so young and it concerns me greatly.

HARMONY: I can do it.

FLORA (turning to her): You are very brave, but the trail is difficult. It would bring me great comfort to know that you had someone looking out for you.

SHEPPARD: What kind of rite of passage are we talkin' about here?

MARDOLA: Deep in the forest lies the ruins of the great Temple of Larris. Every Queen must take a pilgrimage before the end of the first lunar cycle of their selection. Once there, she must meditate on the journey that lies ahead of her and pray to be endowed with the knowledge and power to govern her people.

SHEPPARD: How deep in the forest?

FLORA: No more than a day's trek.

McKAY: I see. Yes – no – I mean, we are very honoured, but, um, why don't you just have a couple of your own guards escort her?

FLORA: Although it is not written so, our people will expect their new Queen to have completed the journey on her own.

SHEPPARD: So you don't want her to be alone but you don't want anyone to know she's getting help.

FLORA: Precisely.

SHEPPARD: Right. (He grimaces.) Love to lend a hand but ...

(Flora walks closer, turning the full power of her charm on him.)

FLORA: John. Our peoples have enjoyed such a fruitful alliance.

SHEPPARD: Yeah ...

FLORA: One that has greatly benefited both parties.

SHEPPARD: Right ...

FLORA: I'd hate to think that one of us would put that in jeopardy over a simple day's walk in the forest.

(John struggles to think of a good excuse, while Flora to continues to smile appealingly at him. He glances at Rodney for help but then gives in.)

SHEPPARD: When do we leave?

(Rodney sighs. Harmony smiles in delight.)

LATER. Harmony has changed into more appropriate clothing for a trek through the forest, and she and the boys are walking across wetlands towards the forest.

HARMONY: I must confess: I'm quite looking forward to this. I rarely get to leave the confines of the castle, although I've had much training in forest survival.

SHEPPARD: Oh, you have, have you?

HARMONY: Oh yes. I have completed three sessions with Nolar Lumsbrik. He is one of the greatest hunters amongst my people.

SHEPPARD: Three whole sessions, huh?!

McKAY (sarcastically): With the Nolar Lumsbrik!

HARMONY: They were all I needed. I am a quick learner.

SHEPPARD: I'll bet you are!

HARMONY: Tell me: which one of you is the superior officer?

McKAY: You mean, who outranks who?

HARMONY: Yes.

McKAY: I'm a civilian; I don't have a rank, but basically we're equals.

SHEPPARD: Technically I'm in charge.

HARMONY: I thought so. You have all the makings of an excellent leader, John.

SHEPPARD: Well, thank you!

FOREST. As the group enters the forest, Rodney finishes off the last of his power bar. He looks at John.

McKAY: You gonna eat your power bar?

SHEPPARD: Yes, Rodney. Told you – shouldn't have eaten yours so early in the day.

McKAY: I'm starving! Usually Flora feeds us some sort of food when we visit. Come on – you hardly ever eat yours!

SHEPPARD: No, Rodney!

McKAY: Well, will you give it to me later when you decide you're not gonna eat it?

HARMONY (to John): You allow him to question you so incessantly?

SHEPPARD: I guess I'm just used to it by now.

HARMONY: Would it not be easier to beat him?

McKAY: We don't beat people where we come from.

HARMONY: Why not?

SHEPPARD: Well, we find it's not very effective in the long run ... unfortunately.

HARMONY: Really? You are a truly gentle leader, John. I admire that.

SHEPPARD: Thank you, Harmony!

(They have reached a ravine overlooking a river. The uprights for a bridge stand at the edge of the ravine but the bridge itself is not there. John consults a scroll he has been given.)

SHEPPARD: Isn't there supposed to be a rope bridge here?

McKAY: Well, maybe you're reading the map wrong.

SHEPPARD: No, I think it's pretty straightforward.

(He peers over the edge of the cliff.)

SHEPPARD: How old is this map?

HARMONY: It has been passed down from too many generations to know for sure.

SHEPPARD: OK. Guess that bridge doesn't exist.

(He rolls up the scroll and puts it into his vest. Turning back to the others, he unclips his backpack and puts it down.)

SHEPPARD: You two stay put. I'm gonna try to find a safe way across the river.

(Rodney makes incoherent noises, unhappy about being left alone with Harmony.)

SHEPPARD: Don't worry – I'll be right back.

(He heads off into the forest while Rodney makes vague and pointless "don't leave me here with her!" gestures behind his back. Harmony turns to look at him. Rodney lowers his hand and smiles awkwardly at her, then turns and walks a few paces away. Harmony promptly goes over to John's backpack and starts rummaging through it. Rodney finds a fallen tree trunk to sit on, then stares at Harmony as she approaches.)

McKAY: Where'd you find that?!

HARMONY (through a mouthful of food): John's bag.

(She walks over with the already opened power bar in her hand and sits down on the trunk beside him.)

McKAY: But, it's not yours!

HARMONY (taking another bite): I'm hungry.

McKAY: Well, you can't just take it like that!

HARMONY: When I'm hungry, I eat.

McKAY: What's gonna happen when Sheppard finds out?

HARMONY: Well, he's not going to now, is he?

McKAY: Oh yes he is, ‘cause I'm gonna tell him.

HARMONY (looking at him severely): I wouldn't do that if I were you.

McKAY: Yeah, or what?

HARMONY: I'm the Queen.

McKAY: Not yet you're not, little sister.

HARMONY: Trust me, you don't wanna be on my bad side.

McKAY: Right(!) And what are you gonna do? You gonna have me beaten?!

(Harmony narrows her eyes at him. Rodney looks nervous. She takes another bite of the bar.)

McKAY: All right, Princess. (He stands up and holds his hand out to her.) Just hand it over.

(She hands him the wrapper, which by now is empty.)

McKAY: Oh, see, now you're in trouble. You just wait ‘til Sheppard gets back here, ‘cause he's gonna ...

(John rejoins them.)

SHEPPARD: All right, I think I've found a place for us to ...

(He trails off as he sees Rodney holding the empty wrapper.)

SHEPPARD: Is that my power bar?

McKAY (pointing to Harmony): She stole it.

HARMONY (standing up indignantly): I did not!

McKAY: Oh, what?! You so did! Tell him!

HARMONY (to John): I would never do such a thing!

McKAY (to John): The second you were gone she went into your bag!

HARMONY: You are a liar! You are a lying liar!

McKAY: Oh, please! (To John) Who are you gonna believe?

SHEPPARD: Well, if she stole it, Rodney, how come you've got the wrapper?

McKAY: Well, because I was trying to take it back from her, and then she wolfs it down and hands me the wrapper!

SHEPPARD: Really?!

(Rodney turns to Harmony, furious.)

McKAY: OK, you'd better come clean, brat.

(Harmony stares at him, wide-eyed, then her face crumples and she starts to cry. She buries her face in her hands and sobs, then looks at John and holds out her arms to him. Reluctantly, John walks towards her and she wraps her arms around him and continues to grizzle.)

SHEPPARD: It's OK, sweetie. Sometimes he makes me cry, too.

(Unseen by John, Harmony stops pretending to cry, looks at Rodney and holds up a threatening fist to him, then goes back to whimpering for John's benefit. He grimaces.)

SHEPPARD: All right, we need to get going here.

(He pulls himself away from her.)

SHEPPARD: All right, I've found a path.

(He starts to walk away.)

HARMONY (tearfully): Can I navigate from the map?

SHEPPARD (over his shoulder): Sure, soon as we get back on the path.

(Behind him, Rodney turns and glares at Harmony. She smiles at him smugly and follows John.)

LATER. Harmony is leading the other two along a narrow track. She is consulting the map but apparently isn't sure which way to go.

HARMONY (hesitantly): Now ... we go ...

SHEPPARD (without even looking at the map): Right.

HARMONY: Correct.

(She turns right onto another track and the boys follow her. They stop as they hear an eerie whooshing sound. John and Rodney raise their rifles and look in all directions.)

McKAY: What was that?

HARMONY: That's probably the Beast.

McKAY: Sorry, the what, now?

HARMONY: The Beast – the protector of the ruins of Larris. Did Flora not tell you of it?

McKAY (sarcastically): I guess she forgot to mention it.

HARMONY: Don't worry.

(She takes out a small penknife and opens out a blade.)

SHEPPARD: When you say "Beast", I'm assuming that's a figure of speech, right?

HARMONY: Oh, no. It's a beast, all right. While no-one is quite certain what it looks like, those who have cast their eyes upon it have quickly perished.

(Rodney cynically gestures at her holding up her small blade.)

McKAY: But your little knife will protect us.

HARMONY: I'm the Queen. It will not harm me.

SHEPPARD: Well, we may not get the chance to tell the Beast that.

HARMONY (snapping the blade back into the penknife): It will know.

(She turns and continues along the path. Rodney trots after her.)

McKAY: Listen: why don't we just tell your sisters we made it as far as the ruins? We don't actually have to make it there. I mean, they'd never have to know the difference.

HARMONY: I would know.

McKAY: Yeah, but you're gonna be Queen, so who cares, right?

HARMONY: I care. My people care.

McKAY: Listen ...

HARMONY: Perhaps it would be best if you stopped speaking. Your voice hurts my ears.

McKAY: Well, that Beast can hurt my whole body, OK, so I'm sorry, but this is not what we signed up for. Sheppard, back me up here.

(They both turn back to look at John, only to find that he's not there.)

McKAY (nervously): Sheppard? John?

(Harmony starts to open out her knife again.)

HARMONY: According to legend, the Beast attacks silently.

McKAY: But I thought you said the Beast would know you were the Queen.

HARMONY: Well, it didn't attack me.

(Rodney activates his headset radio.)

McKAY: John? John, are you there?

(There's no reply.)

HARMONY: It is strange, though. The Beast is supposed to only attack the enemies of the throne. If it was going to kill anyone, it should have killed you.

McKAY: I'm not an enemy to the throne! I'm not! I'm here to protect you!

MALE VOICE: Don't move.

(As the sound of guns cocking can be heard and men appear out of the trees aiming pistols at them, Rodney raises his hands. Harmony turns and steps back closer to him, then glares at him over her shoulder.)

HARMONY: So far, I'm not impressed.

(Rodney looks around cautiously and sees three Genii solders standing behind him, aiming their pistols at him and Harmony.)

SOLDIER: Drop your weapon.

(Slowly, Rodney unclips his rifle from his vest and, turning towards the soldiers, carefully puts it on the ground. The soldier takes out a radio from his pocket and speaks into it.)

SOLDIER: We have her. Map grid eleven, in the small clearing.

VOICE (over the radio): On our way.

(Putting the radio away, the soldier looks at Rodney while Harmony peers around from behind his back.)

SOLDIER: Hand her over.

McKAY: You're Genii.

SOLDIER: Step aside and hand her over.

McKAY: This is obviously some sort of huge misunderstanding, all right? I am Doctor Rodney McKay. I'm a close personal friend of Ladon Radim ...

(The soldiers don't react in any way to this news.)

McKAY: ... you know, your leader? I'm your greatest ally! You don't know who I am? I'm the genius scientist, the friend of John Sheppard. I gave you the bomb! ... No? Nothing? What do they teach you in Genii school?!

SOLDIER: Hand her over, right now.

McKAY: OK, let's just talk about this.

SOLDIER: I'm growing impatient. (He walks closer.) Our quarrel is not with you. Once you hand her over, you're free to go.

McKAY: Really?

SOLDIER: Yes.

(Rodney looks thoughtful.)

McKAY: Hmm!

(He looks down at Harmony. She stares at him indignantly.)

HARMONY: You wouldn't! You took a sacred oath to protect me!

McKAY: Naah, I don't remember doing that.

SOLDIER: I'm going to count to three.

(He pauses dramatically. Rodney stares at him nervously as Harmony looks terrified.)

SOLDIER: One ...

(Shots ring out from the forest. Bullets impact the three Genii and they drop as Rodney cowers and Harmony ducks behind his back. John comes out from behind a tree, aiming his rifle down at the soldiers.)

McKAY (high-pitched with indignation): Where have you been?!

SHEPPARD: Well, my spidey-senses felt an ambush coming on.

McKAY: Wh... and you couldn't have mentioned it?!

SHEPPARD: Not without tipping them off, no.

McKAY: Well, what took you so long?! We were just about to get ...

SHEPPARD: I had to take up position so I could shoot all three at once. (He looks at Harmony.) Are you OK?

HARMONY: No. (She hesitates for a moment, then regains her regal attitude.) No, I most certainly am not. (She points at Rodney.) This one was going to hand me over to those men!

McKAY (to John): No I wasn't.

(Harmony turns to him.)

HARMONY: I saw it in your eyes. You were considering it to save your own worthless, cowardly hide.

McKAY: I was keeping them talking, you know? I was buying us time – a little thing called strategy. Obviously you're too young to know anything about it.

HARMONY: Oh, I understand strategy. In fact, I'm forming one right now. The second we return to the castle, I will instruct my guards to ...

SHEPPARD (interrupting): All right. Plenty of time to come up with punishments along the way.

(He starts to walk away, Rodney following him. Harmony turns and calls after him.)

HARMONY: But John!

SHEPPARD: Thumb screws. D'you like them?

HARMONY (smiling and starting to follow him): Yes! Thumb screws are good.

SHEPPARD: We'd better find some cover. The back-up he called's gonna be here any minute.

LATER. John finds an area where several trees have fallen and formed a natural hide.

SHEPPARD: All right. This'll work.

McKAY: Those were Genii.

SHEPPARD: I picked up on that, Rodney, thanks.

(They go inside and settle down, John and Rodney looking out at the surrounding forest.)

McKAY: Yeah, so what are the Genii doing here? And why do they wanna kill her ... I mean, aside from the obvious reasons?

SHEPPARD: Harmony?

HARMONY: I don't know. I don't like the Genii.

McKAY: But you know who they are. What are you, trading partners?

HARMONY: Not any more.

McKAY: But you were.

HARMONY: Yes – but they cheated my mother on many trades. She banished them from our land.

McKAY: What about you, huh? When you're Queen, are you gonna start trade back up?

HARMONY: No! Absolutely not!

SHEPPARD: Maybe somebody in the Royal Court's a little more willing to play ball – you know, once the path is cleared.

HARMONY: If I were to die, my sister would succeed me. But if the Genii think that she would be more willing to trade than me, they are sadly mistaken.

McKAY (to John): You really believe that Ladon would give the marching orders to kill a little girl – even this one?

SHEPPARD: I don't know how these people work. Maybe he told someone to fix the problem and this is what they came up with.

McKAY: It's creative!

SHEPPARD: Knowing why they're here really doesn't help us out. All right – I need to get a take on how many are out there. You stay with her, OK?

McKAY (sighing in a resigned way): Sure.

SHEPPARD: All right. Stay here – and stay quiet.

HARMONY: Of course, John. Thank you for taking care of us. (She smiles sweetly at him.) I'm not sure what I would do if you weren't here.

(John looks at her nervously for a moment.)

SHEPPARD: Hmm.

(He heads off. Harmony's smile fades and she glowers at Rodney as he watches John go.)

HARMONY: Tell me something, Doctor. The place where you sleep at night – is it guarded?

(Rodney looks round at her.)

McKAY: I know what you're trying to do and it's not gonna work, OK? I'm not scared of you. You're just a kid – a bratty little kid. I don't care less that you're gonna be Queen. In fact, nothing could impress me less, so why don't you just cool it with the bad seed act and just go back to ignoring me?

(He looks away.)

HARMONY: Surely they can't guard you all the time?

(Rodney looks round at her again, his expression now a little nervous. She smiles and blinks at him.)

RIVER. About half a dozen Genii are searching along the riverbank. A voice comes over their radios.

VOICE: Squad three, take up position on the ridge. Squad four, move to map grid nine.

SOLDIER: Acknowledged.

(Nearby, John is hidden and watching them.)

SHEPPARD: Wonderful(!)

(He heads off again.)

HIDE. Rodney is becoming increasingly uncomfortable as Harmony continues to glare at him.

McKAY: Stop it. What are you doing?

HARMONY: I'm burning your face into my memory.

McKAY: You ...?

HARMONY: This way, I can give the bounty hunters an extremely accurate description of you.

McKAY: All right, your Highness. I have had just about enough out of you with this whole ...

(John approaches, speaking in a loud whisper.)

SHEPPARD: I thought I said keep talking to the minimum!

McKAY: I was ... She was ...

(Angrily, he trails off.)

HARMONY: How many Genii are out there, John?

SHEPPARD: If I had to guess, I'd say all of ‘em.

McKAY: What, so a lot of them?

SHEPPARD: Yes, Rodney, a lot.

HARMONY: This will make the pilgrimage most difficult.

SHEPPARD: That's funny – I was thinking the same thing.

(She moves closer to him.)

HARMONY: I find we have much in common, John.

(John glances toward her nervously as she smiles at him.)

SHEPPARD: Mmm. Yeah. Anyway, I figure wait for nightfall and then head back to the settlement.

(Her smile fades.)

HARMONY: Back to the settlement?

SHEPPARD: Yeah. Road trip's over.

HARMONY: But that would make this journey a failure!

SHEPPARD: You win some, you lose some. You wanna be Queen, you've gotta learn how to cut your losses.

HARMONY: But the lunar cycle is nearing its end. If I do not make it to the ruins by tomorrow's sundown, I will forfeit the throne.

SHEPPARD: I'm sure they'll make an exception.

HARMONY: No. They cannot. It is our way.

SHEPPARD (sighing): It's too dangerous to move forward.

HARMONY: For you, perhaps.

(John looks indignant and turns to her.)

SHEPPARD: If it's too dangerous for me, it's definitely too dangerous for you! We're gonna wait for nightfall and then we're gonna head back to the village. End of discussion.

McKAY: Fat chance of that!

HARMONY: It's not your decision to make. I'm the Queen.

SHEPPARD: No! Not yet. And until you are, you're just a regular kid. I call the shots.

(She stands up and folds her arms, glaring down at him.)

HARMONY: Many would consider disobeying the Queen a treasonous act.

SHEPPARD: Well, I'm sure they wouldn't look too fondly on letting the Queen get killed. We're heading back.

NIGHT TIME. CASTLE. Someone knocks on the door of Mardola's bedroom. She opens the door and finds a hooded man standing outside. He pulls his hood down and comes inside.

MARDOLA: You should not be here.

TORAN: I was careful. No-one saw me, don't worry.

(He takes out a Genii radio and puts it down.)

TORAN: We use this from now on to stay in contact.

MARDOLA: Does that mean it's not over yet?

TORAN: No. Her two guardians have complicated things greatly. They killed three of my men.

MARDOLA: Yes, well, they were an unforeseen complication. My apologies.

TORAN: Your apologies do me little good.

MARDOLA: We will increase your pay, don't worry. Three-fold.

TORAN: Three-fold?

MARDOLA: Triple the work, triple the pay.

TORAN: Do you want us to kill them all?

MARDOLA: If they survive, they'll come back and tell my sister that the Genii were involved. Now, we can't have that, can we?

(Toran bows to her and leaves.)

FOREST. Harmony has lain down on the ground and is asleep. John is outside the hide watching the surrounding area. Rodney comes out to join him.

McKAY: Listen, I've been doing a little thinking.

SHEPPARD: Oh, you have, have you?

McKAY: I've got a Wraith stunner in my backpack. She can't weigh more than ninety pounds. I say we stun her and just carry her back.

(John grimaces, then looks thoughtful.)

SHEPPARD: Hmm.

(He looks at Rodney.)

SHEPPARD: No, we can't stun a thirteen year old girl!

McKAY: It's kind of dangerous out there! I mean, the forest is crawling with Genii. Who knows when she could throw one of her fits?

SHEPPARD: Naah, she'll be fine. She understands how dangerous this situation is. I talked to her.

McKAY: I'm sure you did, but she's thirteen, she's unreasonable – among many other awful attributes.

SHEPPARD: You know, they say you dislike the things in others that you in fact dislike about yourself.

McKAY: So what?

SHEPPARD: I'm just sayin'.

McKAY: We are nothing alike!

SHEPPARD: OK.

McKAY: She is a stuck-up, know-it-all brat ...

(He trails off and looks at John, who shoots him a "See?" glance.)

McKAY: Oh, ha-ha-ha.

SHEPPARD: All right, it's about as dark as it's gonna get. Let's wake her up and get moving.

(They turn back to the hide but Harmony is gone.)

SHEPPARD: Oh, no!

McKAY: Oh, that sneaky little ... I told you we should have stunned her!

LATER. John and Rodney are searching the forest.

McKAY: I'm gonna kill her.

SHEPPARD: You really need to work on your child skills.

McKAY: We have been searching for her for over an hour. You know, we have had not one but two close encounters with the Genii, all so some useless spoiled brat can make a meditation appointment?!

SHEPPARD: More searching, less complaining.

McKAY: Sorry. I'm hungry, and when I'm hungry I get cranky.

SHEPPARD: And when you get cranky, you get hit.

McKAY: Yeah, OK, OK.

SHEPPARD: I wish Ronon was here.

McKAY: You know, you said that out loud, right? I mean, I'm right here.

SHEPPARD: Well, it's nothing personal – it's just that he's a better tracker than both of us combined.

McKAY: Huh, that's true!

(They continue on for a while.)

McKAY: OK, I'm starting to hallucinate.

SHEPPARD: Why, what do you see?

McKAY: Not see, smell. I smell food, delicious fresh-cooked food: roast beef, hamburgers, hot dogs, poke on a spit ...

SHEPPARD: Chicken.

McKAY: Yeah, sure, the more the merrier.

SHEPPARD: No, I smell chicken.

(They look around, then Rodney points to his nose.)

McKAY: The nose that knows. Follow me.

(He turns to the right and leads them further into the forest. After a while they reach a narrow gully in a cliff.)

McKAY: Found it! It's coming from down there.

(They peer into the gully and see the flicker from a fire in the distance.)

McKAY: Told you! You don't need Ronon while I'm here.

SHEPPARD: Mmm-hmm.

McKAY: What do you think? Genii camp?

SHEPPARD: Give me the stunner.

(Rodney reaches into his backpack and pulls out the stunner pistol, handing it to John.)

SHEPPARD: All right, stay behind me.

(They cautiously progress forward. They enter a cave and head carefully towards the small campfire built inside a circle of stones. It has what looks like a chicken roasting on a wooden spit above it. John lowers his stunner as he sees Harmony sitting beside the fire. He races towards the fire and starts to kick it out.)

HARMONY: John! How did you find me?

SHEPPARD: We smelled your fire a mile away.

HARMONY: That's OK. I was finished cooking anyway.

McKAY: You ran away from us.

HARMONY: You didn't give me any choice.

SHEPPARD: We've been out there searching for over an hour. We almost were caught twice.

HARMONY: Yes, it's very dangerous out there right now. That's why I decided to seek refuge in this cave and make camp.

McKAY (pointing to the fire): You made all of this?

HARMONY: Yes! (She points to the roast.) And caught a loden bird. They're quite delicious.

McKAY: How?!

(She snaps out the blade from her penknife and shows it to him.)

McKAY: You made all this with that?

HARMONY: I told you – I completed three sessions with Nolar Lumsbrik.

McKAY: And they covered all that in three sessions?

HARMONY: I am a quick learner. Do you not listen?

(John and Rodney look at each other and sigh. Harmony looks at John, concerned.)

HARMONY: You're mad at me.

SHEPPARD: Mmm.

HARMONY (thoughtfully): Our first fight.

(John's eyes widen.)

HARMONY: I knew it would happen eventually.

(John stares at Rodney, still wide-eyed.)

HARMONY: We'll laugh about this one day.

SHEPPARD: I'm sure we will, but we've gotta get moving.

McKAY: Right after we've eaten the loden bird.

(John glares at him.)

McKAY: ... or not.

(Just then, they hear the eerie whooshing sound again.)

McKAY: That sounded very, very close. (He looks at Harmony.) Are we sure this isn't the Beast's cave?

HARMONY: You're so ignorant! The Beast doesn't live in caves. We should stay here until the coast is clear.

SHEPPARD: All right. Half hour, tops.

(Rodney smiles and hunkers down beside Harmony as she takes the spit off the fire.)

HARMONY: Good. I'm hungry.

(She starts to cut meat off the bird. Rodney rubs his hands in anticipation.)

McKAY: OK!

LATER. John is crouched in the entrance to the cave checking for any approaching Genii. Harmony walks over to him and squats down beside him.

HARMONY: I brought you the bird's heart.

(She holds out her hand with a small charred piece of meat on it.)

HARMONY: My people believe it brings you great luck once consumed.

SHEPPARD: Thanks, but no thanks.

HARMONY: You're sure?

SHEPPARD: Pretty sure, yeah.

HARMONY: Very well. (She pops it into her own mouth and starts to chew.) Are you still mad at me?

SHEPPARD: No, I'm over it.

HARMONY: That's good. I don't like it when you're mad at me.

SHEPPARD: Well, then, don't give me reason to be mad.

HARMONY: Very well.

SHEPPARD: So, you're thirteen, huh?

HARMONY: I will be fourteen in five lunar cycles.

SHEPPARD: Right! Nervous about being Queen?

HARMONY: No! Why would I be?

SHEPPARD: It's a lot of responsibility.

HARMONY: I know that.

SHEPPARD: Gotta put the needs of your people before anything else, including your own.

HARMONY: Some of the time, yes.

SHEPPARD: No, pretty much all of the time.

HARMONY: I'm sure I will strike a proper balance.

SHEPPARD: Just remember, you're not Queen because of divine right. You're Queen because they allow you to be Queen. If you're mean to the people, they may change their minds. Just remember that.

HARMONY: You know much about leadership, John.

SHEPPARD: Hard-learned lessons along the way.

HARMONY: And I know much about my people.

SHEPPARD: I hope so!

HARMONY: I think we would make a good team.

SHEPPARD: Hmm?

HARMONY: As Queen, I will one day need a King.

(John looks away, his eyes wide, not liking the way the conversation is going.)

SHEPPARD: Um, listen, Harmony ...

HARMONY: There's no need to answer now. I know such an offer must be overwhelming. You shouldn't make your decision rashly.

SHEPPARD: Well, I am pretty sure I know which way I'm leaning. You're a great little lady – it's just, uh ...

(The eerie whooshing sound comes again. As it continues, the sound of men screaming can also be heard. John stands up and stares out into the forest as the screams, punctuated by the sound of weapons fire, continue. Rodney runs out to join him just as the sounds cease.)

McKAY: What the hell was that?!

SHEPPARD: The Genii just had a little run-in with the Beast. (He looks down at Harmony.) All right, be a brave girl and stay here with McKay.

McKAY: Hey-hey-hey-hey, how come I always get stuck being the babysitter?!

SHEPPARD: You wanna check out the Beast?

McKAY: No. No, I'm good here.

SHEPPARD: Thought so. Stay here.

(He heads out into the forest. Rodney crouches down beside Harmony.)

NIGHT TIME. CASTLE. Mardola picks up the Genii radio and activates it.

MARDOLA: This is Mardola. I want an update. What's taking so long?

(In the forest, Toran is walking with some of his soldiers.)

TORAN: I have men all along the path to the ruins. They've gone another way.

MARDOLA: Well, obviously. They're not idiots. You should be looking everywhere but the path to the ruins.

TORAN: I am, but it's night and this forest is vastly dense. My men are spread thin.

MARDOLA: What if they make it back to the village? There's no way that I could save relations between our two peoples then.

TORAN: We've just lost contact with some of my men. We're heading to their last known coordinates. Maybe we'll get lucky. Toran out.

(He cuts off the radio. Mardola stares at her radio indignantly.)

FOREST. Still crouched in the entrance to the cave, Rodney glances round awkwardly at Harmony. She glares back at him.

HARMONY: You're a doctor, right?

McKAY: Yes, yes. I mean, I'm not a medical doctor ...

HARMONY: So you're a liar.

McKAY (indignantly): No, I'm a ... (He sighs, deciding to discontinue arguing with her.) What do you want?

HARMONY: What does love feel like?

McKAY (rolling his eyes): Oh boy!

HARMONY: Because I think I'm in love with John.

McKAY: Yeah, well, it wouldn't be the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last.

HARMONY: What does that mean?

McKAY: It means that a lot of people, particularly alien women, tend to fall for John Sheppard's good looks and charm.

HARMONY: Not like me, they don't.

McKAY: He's a bit old for you, don't you think?

HARMONY: I hadn't considered it.

McKAY: Yeah, well, he will, so don't get your hopes up.

HARMONY: You're not going to try and influence him, are you?

McKAY: I won't need to, trust me.

HARMONY: You don't like me very much, do you?

(Rodney gazes ahead of him and fights back what he really wants to say.)

McKAY: No, that's not true. I ... I don't not like you.

HARMONY: What does that mean?

McKAY: It means that you have a very annoying attitude but I'm willing to cut you some slack because you're still just a child.

HARMONY: Whereas if I were grown-up, my "annoying attitude" would be less excusable?

McKAY: That's right. An adult would, uh ...

(He looks round at her. She smiles back smugly.)

McKAY: Hey, I don't have an attitude problem!

HARMONY: And I don't not like you.

McKAY: ... Oh, well, that's sweet of you to say.

HARMONY: So you promise not to get between John and me?

McKAY: I promise. I'll give you this: you're a lot more mature than the women he usually falls for.

HARMONY: Thank you, Doctor!

(She stands up and goes back inside.)

ELSEWHERE. Out in the forest, John spots something and activates his headset.

SHEPPARD (whispering): McKay.

McKAY (over radio): What have you got?

SHEPPARD (squatting down to look closely at what he has found): Two dead Genii. It's not pretty. Multiple puncture wounds.

McKAY (nervously): You mean, like teeth marks?

SHEPPARD: I don't think so.

McKAY (anxiously): So, so, what? Claws, talons, a very sharp beak?

SHEPPARD: I don't know. It's not like anything I've ever seen before.

(He hears rustling nearby, gets to his feet and hurries away. Moments later, Toran and his squad arrive and see their fallen comrades.)

SOLDIER: Over here.

(He and Toran go over to inspect the bodies while the others check the surrounding area.)

SOLDIER: What kind of creature can do this?

TORAN: It doesn't matter. We don't leave this forest until all three of them are dead.

(Hidden in the bushes nearby, John realises he's got a real problem on his hands.)

LATER. John has made his way back to the cave and meets Rodney at the entrance. They go back inside.

McKAY: What took you so long? I thought for sure we'd lost you.

SHEPPARD: I hit the Genii – had to lie low until it was safe to move.

McKAY: So what happened?

SHEPPARD: I don't know. Whatever that Beast thing is, it's lethal.

HARMONY: I could have told you that.

SHEPPARD: Yeah. Also, the Genii have shoot to kill orders for all of us.

McKAY: Oh, super.

(John pulls Harmony to her feet.)

SHEPPARD: All right, Princess, let's move.

(He leads the others outside and aims his rifle down a pathway. Harmony stops.)

HARMONY: Wait.

SHEPPARD: What?

HARMONY: Where are you going?

SHEPPARD: What does it look like? We're going back to the settlement.

HARMONY: But we're so close to the ruins. And it's almost daybreak.

SHEPPARD: The fact that it's almost daybreak is a bad thing. We need the cover of night.

HARMONY: I can't come this far and just turn back. (She folds her arms stubbornly.) I refuse.

McKAY (looking at John while jerking a thumb towards the stunner in his own backpack): You know, I still have the unner-stay.

SHEPPARD: Harmony, the best thing you could do is go that way.

(He points in the direction of the settlement. Just then, the eerie whooshing sound can be heard again out in the forest – in the direction that John wants to go. He shudders.)

SHEPPARD: That sounded a little weird.

McKAY (nervously): Hating to agree with the child, but, uh ...

(He points in the direction of the ruins. John walks over to Harmony and reaches for the map scroll.)

SHEPPARD: Gimme that.

(He unrolls it and looks at it.)

HARMONY: The Beast will avoid the ruins. We'll be safe there.

McKAY (to John): How far are they?

SHEPPARD (still looking at the map): A half hour or so.

McKAY: So, what do you say?

SHEPPARD (handing the map back to Harmony): Well, it's better than running into the Beast.

(He heads off in the direction of the ruins. Harmony smiles in delight, and she and Rodney follow him.)

DAWN. The group climbs up a bank by the side of the river. When he reaches the top of the rise, John gestures to the others to stay low.

SHEPPARD (quietly): Hey!

(They scramble for cover behind a log. At the bottom of the other side of the rise, a Genii soldier stands looking at a tall column. Rodney opens his backpack and starts rummaging in it while John looks down at the soldier.)

SHEPPARD: I was afraid of this.

HARMONY: That's sacred ground. How dare he?

(She stands up. John pulls her down again.)

SHEPPARD: Hey, hey, whoa, whoa, whoa! We'll handle this, all right?

(Rodney pulls the Wraith stunner pistol from his backpack, shuffles into a better position on his knees and, bracing his left hand on the log and supporting his right hand with it while closing one eye, aims the pistol towards the soldier.)

McKAY: All right.

SHEPPARD: I'll do that.

McKAY: I got it. It's OK.

SHEPPARD: No, really, just, just ...

McKAY (ignoring him): Steady. Come to papa. (He continues squinting one-eyed towards his target, taking forever to get the man fully into his sights.) Let's go.

(He takes so long that finally John loses patience, snatches the pistol out of his hands and, barely pausing to aim, fires it at the soldier. The blast hits him dead centre in the back and the man drops. Harmony stands up. Again John pulls her down.)

SHEPPARD: Hey, hey.

HARMONY: What?

(As she looks round at him, a second soldier walks into view down in the ruins, looking down at his fallen colleague. Unaware of this, Harmony glares at John indignantly.)

HARMONY: You've subdued him.

(John aims the stunner and shoots the second soldier.)

SHEPPARD: Now we can go.

(He stands up and heads down the rise, followed by Rodney. Harmony stands up and smiles down at the ruins in delight for a moment, then chases after the boys. Rodney gets his first proper sight of the ruins. The column that the soldier was looking at appears to be metal rather than stone. In front of it is a pedestal with a plain green panel on top of it.)

McKAY: Oh, fascinating!

SHEPPARD (disarming the unconscious guards): Ancient?

McKAY: Yeah, obviously.

(He takes out an Ancient scanner from his vest and activates it, then looks at the column again.)

McKAY: It's weird – this place seems strangely familiar.

(As he walks over to look at the pedestal, we see that a tray of crystals has been slid out of the side of the column. Harmony walks over to Rodney.)

HARMONY: It's even more beautiful than I imagined.

(Putting one hand to a pendant around her throat, she nudges Rodney off the pedestal and steps onto it, putting her hand onto the panel. She closes her eyes and concentrates. After a moment, she opens her eyes, looks down at the pendant and frowns.)

HARMONY: Something's wrong.

SHEPPARD: What?

HARMONY: It's not working.

SHEPPARD: Shouldn't you be, like, silently meditating or something?

(Harmony closes her eyes again and grasps her pendant firmly. After a moment she opens her eyes in frustration.)

HARMONY: My pendant – it's supposed to glow.

(Rodney's eyes widen.)

McKAY: Well, I'll be damned.

(He takes his scanner over to Harmony and scans her pendant.)

SHEPPARD: Let me guess.

McKAY: Oh yeah! It's Ancient!

HARMONY: It's the Pendant of Wairos. The Queen – and only the true Queen – must return it to the ruins. Once here, it is to glow and imbue me with great power.

SHEPPARD: Your sisters kind of failed to mention that.

HARMONY: It is one of our greatest secrets.

(Rodney finally has a lightbulb moment.)

McKAY: It's a testing ground.

SHEPPARD: What?

McKAY: I know what this place is. I've been reading about it. Hell, we've been looking for it for the past two years! I've seen the schematics!

SHEPPARD: Well, share with the class.

McKAY: Believe it or not, this place actually does control the Beast – if the Beast is what I think it is.

SHEPPARD: Which is?

McKAY: Mini-drones, if I'm right – and you know you can usually take that to the bank. I mean, this planet must have been where the Ancients first developed drone technology. It was their main testing ground!

SHEPPARD: That would explain why the Genii looked like Swiss cheese. The mini-drones went right through ‘em.

McKAY: And that noise the Beast was making – it was more like an electric swarm than a, than a growl.

SHEPPARD: So the pendant is, uh ...

McKAY: ... probably some sort of pass key. The Ancients weren't above protecting their research, even from each other. You need more than just the gene to activate and control the drones, otherwise ...

(He takes Harmony's hand off the pedestal's panel and looks at it.)

McKAY: Yes-yes-yes-yes, of course! It's in auto-protect mode! They're patrolling the forest, taking out anybody without the gene. That's why they stayed clear of us and went straight for the Genii. Look, the royal pain here must have it as well.

(Harmony looks at him indignantly.)

SHEPPARD: Well, why isn't it working?

McKAY (gesturing to the unconscious soldiers): Well, maybe because Genius over there was messing with the crystal tray.

SHEPPARD: Right. So?

McKAY: Well, so give me a second to figure out how much damage he's done.

(He goes back to the column and starts tweaking the crystals. John walks over to Harmony who has put her hand back on the pedestal and is concentrating with her eyes closed.)

SHEPPARD: The machine's broken. That's why your pendant isn't glowing.

HARMONY: It's got nothing to do with machines. If I'm worthy of being Queen, the gods will bestow the power of pure light and make my pendant glow.

(John looks round at Rodney.)

McKAY: Well, who knows what kind of whacky rules they've imposed on it? I mean, I suppose it's possible that once a generation, the key needs to be reactivated here. Maybe it's the one thing that allows them to use the Ancient tech they have back at the castle.

(John turns back to Harmony.)

SHEPPARD: It's complicated, but it will light up. We just need to make some repairs.

HARMONY (sadly): You don't understand. I've failed. Maybe I'm not supposed to be Queen. Maybe – maybe we've come all this way for nothing.

SHEPPARD: Trust me. It'll glow.

(Anguished, Harmony turns away from the pedestal and sits down on the step, still clutching her pendant. John walks over to the Genii soldiers and kicks them awake.)

SHEPPARD: Wake up.

(As they rouse, Rodney comes over to join him. John jerks his head to indicate the column.)

SHEPPARD: What did you do to this thing?

SOLDIER: I'm not sure. I just rearranged the crystals.

(His colleague, Heiron, looks at him.)

HEIRON: Don't tell them a thing. They're gonna kill us one way or the other.

(John looks at Rodney.)

SHEPPARD: Can you get it to work?

McKAY: Not quickly. I mean, I can come back with a Jumper and a small team and get it working.

(Sighing, John walks over to Harmony and kneels down beside her.)

SHEPPARD: Listen, we're gonna head back.

HARMONY: No! If I return with a darkened pendant, I won't be allowed to be ...

SHEPPARD (interrupting): Yes, you will be Queen, I promise you. It's just busted.

HARMONY: This isn't the type of thing where you get a second chance, John. Please.

(John rolls his eyes.)

HARMONY: I can do it. (She gets up and steps back onto the pedestal.) I just – I just need to focus more.

(She puts her hand on the panel, closes her eyes and, clutching her pendant, begins to concentrate. Just then the Genii's radios activate. They both reach for them but John hurries towards them, aiming his stunner at them.)

SHEPPARD: Whoa. Easy does it.

VOICE (over radio): Heiron, come in. Heiron, come in.

(Heiron carefully lifts his radio out of his pocket and hands it to John.)

McKAY: Look, if they don't respond, they're gonna come and investigate.

(John lifts the radio to his mouth and activates it.)

SHEPPARD (in a deep voice): Heiron here.

VOICE (over radio): What's your status?

SHEPPARD (deep voice): Good.

VOICE (over radio): Elaborate.

SHEPPARD (hesitating, then speaking in the deep voice again): Real good.

HEIRON (yelling): Help us!

(John stuns him.)

SOLDIER: Help us!

(John stuns him too.)

VOICE (over radio): Heiron!

SHEPPARD (into the radio in his normal voice): Kinda busy, gotta go.

(He deactivates the radio and looks at Rodney.)

SHEPPARD: Well, it was worth a shot. (He gestures to the column.) You've gotta get that thing working, fast.

McKAY: Can't we just run for it?

SHEPPARD: We're boxed in from all directions. Gotta get those mini-drones working or ...

McKAY: ... or we die.

SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. Genii soldiers hurry through the forest towards the ruins. At the ruins themselves, Rodney is working on the crystal tray.

McKAY: You know, you're not exactly inspiring confidence.

(He glances over to where John and Harmony have taken cover in a gap between two walls. John is leaning over the top of the wall aiming his rifle out into the forest.)

SHEPPARD: Yeah? How so?

McKAY: You're hiding behind a foot of solid rock. How am I supposed to feel out here with only a cool breeze between me and the Genii?

SHEPPARD: You're more than welcome to come and get cover for yourself – as soon as you're done with those repairs.

McKAY: Do you have any idea how many crystal placement combinations there are?

SHEPPARD: More than seven?

McKAY: Try seven thousand.

SHEPPARD: Well, that's less than infinite.

(Rodney tries another combination and checks his scanner. It beeps negatively. He sighs in exasperation. John turns to Harmony.)

SHEPPARD: All right, look. It's gonna get very, very noisy when the Genii get here.

HARMONY: Screaming?

SHEPPARD: No. These guns – they make a lot of noise. It's very important that you stay put and you keep your ears covered, OK?

HARMONY: Shouldn't you give me a gun instead?

SHEPPARD (sternly): You're gonna stay put, cover your ears, and you're not gonna move, OK?

(She refuses to answer him. Just then Rodney tries another combination and the tray lights up.)

McKAY (cheerfully): Son of a bitch! I think I got it!

(Instantly Harmony breaks cover and starts to run down towards the pedestal.)

SHEPPARD: Harm... Harmony! What did I just say?!

(As she continues to run down the slope, guns start to fire at her from the ridge. Rodney cowers down beside the crystal tray. As John looks for something to aim at, Rodney turns to run for cover and crashes into Harmony, knocking her to the ground. The impact jolts his rifle out of his hand. He leans across Harmony's prostrate body to reach for it.)

(Toran and his colleagues break cover and make their way forward, firing all the time. John returns fire, making them duck back behind any cover they can find. Harmony raises her head and stares at Rodney. Waiting until he hears John's rifle laying down cover fire, he pushes her to her feet.)

McKAY: Go. Go, go, go, go!

(The two of them run to join John behind the wall. Up on the ridge, Toran waits until John stops firing, then calls out.)

TORAN: You're surrounded! You have limited ammunition and I have unlimited men.

SHEPPARD: We'll take our chances.

TORAN: If you make this hard, I will make your death as slow and as painful as possible.

SHEPPARD: OK. What's option number two?

TORAN: Give us the girl and we'll let you go free.

HARMONY: Never! They would rather die than deal with the likes of you savages! When my sisters hear of this, the Genii will be finished! Finished, do you hear?!

TORAN: How do you think we knew how to find you, little one?

HARMONY: You lie! Come at us with all you have! I shall silence you once and for all!

SHEPPARD (quietly to her): Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let us handle this, OK?!

TORAN: You have one minute.

(John, Rodney and Harmony squat down behind the wall. She looks at John in shock.)

HARMONY: It can't be true.

SHEPPARD: It doesn't matter right now, to be honest.

HARMONY: How can you say that?

(John looks at Rodney.)

SHEPPARD: Did you get that thing working?

McKAY: Yeah, before they started shooting at it.

SHEPPARD: So it's broken again?

McKAY: Well, it was powered up. I mean, fifty-fifty chance it's still operational.

(John grimaces.)

HARMONY: Provide me with cover. I'll make it to the pedestal, summon the Beast and smite them.

SHEPPARD: There will be no smiting today, little lady! You've never even used that thing before.

HARMONY: But I am the Queen and the Beast is my protector.

SHEPPARD: It's a little more complicated than that.

(He thinks for a moment, then looks at Rodney.)

SHEPPARD: Did you say anyone with the Ancient gene can activate it?

McKAY: Yeah, as long as they're wearing the ... pendant.

(He looks down at Harmony.)

HARMONY: Exactly!

SHEPPARD (to Rodney): Fifty-fifty, huh?

McKAY: A hundred percent chance they'll kill us if we talk about it for much longer.

(John sighs.)

SHEPPARD: You got a full mag there?

(Rodney looks down at his rifle.)

McKAY: Locked and loaded.

SHEPPARD: On three?

McKAY (nervously): OK.

HARMONY (smiling): Yes. Excellent.

SHEPPARD: One ... two ... three.

(He surges forward, grabs Harmony's pendant and snaps the chain from around her neck. As she gasps, Rodney stands up and starts firing towards the Genii's position while John races out of cover and sprints down to the pedestal. With the pendant chain wrapped around his hand, he slams that hand down onto the panel. It lights up and the pendant begins to glow. As Rodney continues holding the Genii at bay, scores of mini-drones begin to whirr all around the ruins and the rise. The Genii look at them, bewildered. Seeing John standing out in the open and Rodney no longer firing, Toran steps out from cover and looks at his men.)

TORAN: What are you waiting for? Shoot him!

(Preoccupied with the mini-drones, the soldiers start swatting at them as if they are flies. Toran draws his pistol and aims it down at John. John stares at him, and the mini-drones all surge towards Toran. A few impact with his body and he falls to the ground. All the drones plunge down towards him. The other Genii turn and run as the drones continue to swarm around and through Toran's body.)

(As John realises that the danger is over, the pedestal deactivates. Rodney hurries down to join him.)

McKAY: You all right?

SHEPPARD: Yeah, yeah, I'm good. You?

McKAY: Sure, sure.

(Harmony joins them.)

HARMONY: That was the bravest thing I've ever seen.

(John smiles ironically.)

SHEPPARD: You're young. I'm sure you'll meet even braver men than me as you get older.

(Harmony snatches her pendant from his hand.)

HARMONY: Not you, usurper! You're lucky I like you, or you would be hung for treason.

(As John gapes in surprise, she turns to Rodney.)

HARMONY: But you – you saved my life.

McKAY: I did?

HARMONY: When the Genii started firing at me, you threw yourself on me, using your own body as a shield.

(Irritated, John turns and walks away.)

McKAY (wide-eyed): Oh, no. No-no-no. I just – I tripped and fell on top of you. It was an accident.

HARMONY (walking closer to him): And then you pulled me to safety.

(He stares at her, unable to answer.)

HARMONY: You don't don't not like me.

(Rodney narrows his eyes as he tries to work his way through that sentence.)

HARMONY: You like me!

McKAY: No. No-no-no, um ...

(He looks to John for help.)

HARMONY: Yes! You saved my life and restored the ruins. You are a hero, Doctor McKay, both to me and my people.

(Rodney tries to look nonchalant.)

McKAY: Well, I don't know about "hero." "Exceptionally courageous," perhaps.

HARMONY: And modest, too.

SHEPPARD: It's time to go, before the Genii come back.

HARMONY: I doubt it. They are a simple people and I'm sure they were most impressed by your actions. I, however, was not.

(Turning away from him, she holds her pendant in one hand and puts her hand onto the pedestal's panel again. This time it lights up and her pendant begins to glow. She smiles in satisfaction.)

HARMONY: The pendant still glows. The gods have deemed me worthy. Now we can go.

(She walks away. John and Rodney exchange a long irritated look, then follow her.)

CASTLE. As Mardola sits in her room reading, she looks up as the door bursts open and a castle guard walks in, followed by Harmony and Flora. A second guard follows them in and closes the door behind him. Mardola stands and tries to smile at Harmony.

MARDOLA: You've returned.

(She looks round as the guards start to search through her cupboards and cabinets.)

MARDOLA: What are you doing? These are my private quarters.

FLORA: It's all right, Mardola. They've already searched my room. You should allow it.

MARDOLA: Why?

HARMONY: The Genii attacked us.

MARDOLA: Oh! Well, it was a good thing Colonel Sheppard was there to protect you.

FLORA: They knew the location of the ruins, Mardola. How?

MARDOLA: You ask as if I would know.

(One of the guards brings over the Genii radio he has just found and puts it on the desk in front of her. She gasps. Harmony glares at her, waiting for an explanation. Mardola looks down at her.)

MARDOLA: You're too young to be Queen, Harmony.

HARMONY: Perhaps. But when you're released from prison, you'll be too old to remember.

SOME DAYS LATER. CASTLE THRONE ROOM. Queen Harmony sits on her throne on a low dais. Princess Flora stands nearby. Various courtiers fill the room, chatting, as John and Rodney stand at the foot of the throne. Harmony stands and all the courtiers fall silent and bow to her.

HARMONY: Doctor Rodney McKay and Colonel John Sheppard. Your contribution to my people may never be repaid.

SHEPPARD: Well, we didn't do it for compensation, your Highness-ness.

McKAY (quietly): Kiss-ass.

HARMONY: I personally owe you a debt of gratitude for your help in defeating the regicidal Genii. I've had one of the court's finest artisans feature you in a rendering of our glorious victory.

(She steps to the side of the throne and half turns to the rear wall where a covering hangs over a painting. She nods to the servants standing there and they pull the covering off to reveal the painting behind. It shows Harmony standing fearlessly on the pedestal while mini-drones soar all around her. Her right hand is on the shoulder of Rodney who is kneeling and firing towards the enemy, snarling fiercely. Her left hand is held out slightly as if she is controlling the drones. To her left, John crouches down behind her and cowers in terror.)

(Harmony smiles proudly as the courtiers begin to applaud. John stares up at the picture in resignation. Rodney shrugs.)

McKAY: Yeah, it's pretty much how I remember it.

(He joins in the applause and smiles smugly as John turns and scowls at him.)