Transcript by Callie Sullivan

ANCIENT SHIP. Lieutenant Scott and the others have returned to the Gate Room. Sergeant Greer and some other military people are checking the supply of weapons. Scott calls for everyone's attention.

SCOTT: OK, listen up. Everybody who is able, we are gonna search this ship, top to bottom. Teams of three.

(He goes over to Greer and speaks quietly.)

SCOTT: Weapons?

GREER: Twenty-three, including handguns.

SCOTT: One per group?

GREER: Yeah.

(Unnoticed by anyone, Doctor Nicholas Rush has found the bag that Colonel Young brought through and is unzipping it to reveal the metal case inside.)

SCOTT (to the crowd): Flashlights, radios only when necessary. Once those batteries are dead, they are dead. Regular check-ins with Doctor Rush in the Control Room every ten minutes and keep in mind, as far as we know, this bucket is really freakin' old and there may be areas damaged where life support is unstable. Look, be smart, OK? Don't touch anything that looks like it might be dangerous.

BECKER: How are we supposed to know what's dangerous?

MAN: Yeah!

SCOTT: Becker, right?

BECKER: Yes, sir. I work in the Mess. I mean, I did.

SCOTT: Well, don't touch, just look.

(He goes over to Vanessa James, the woman he'd been having sex with earlier. He pretends he doesn't know her well.)

SCOTT: You're, uh, you're James, right?

JAMES: Yes, Lieutenant.

SCOTT: You and Riley, with me.

GREER (sarcastically to James): Subtle there! (He grins at Scott.) Subtle!

(Ignoring him, Scott goes over to Senator Armstrong.)

SCOTT: If it's all right with you, sir, it might be best – considering your obvious skills – if you'd remain back here, help keep the rest of these people calm.

SENATOR: Don't patronise me, son.

SCOTT: No, sir.

(He walks away. Nearby, Rush is holding his spectacles and looking at them. They were broken in the exodus and one arm is snapped off. He waits until the search teams have left or are busy, then reaches down to Colonel Young's bag, picks it up and leaves the Gate Room. Only Johansen notices him leave.)

(Rush walks along the corridors and after a while he finds an area with a door which will close. He shuts himself inside, unzips the bag and takes out the case. Opening it, he finds a small square box which lights up when he switches it on and, next to it, some small dark stones with markings on them. He picks up one of the stones.)

EARTH. Dr. Bill Lee is sitting in a lab reading a book inside a facility that could be Stargate Command, or perhaps the Pentagon. A guard stands outside the room looking in, and a camera on the desk is showing Lee's image on the computer screen in front of him. Also on the desk is an identical box to the one that Rush just found, and resting on top of it is another of the stones. Lee sits reading the book, then his eyes flicker briefly. On the computer screen, Lee raises his head and drops his book in surprise, but it is Doctor Rush who is now sitting in the chair. He straightens up, startled, and looks at his hands. On the computer screen, Doctor Lee does the same. Rush stares at the screen in amazement for a moment (while Lee's image stares back at him), then he turns towards the guard in the doorway.

ANCIENT SHIP. On the ship, Scott and James are walking along as they search the ship. Sergeant Riley is a short distance behind them. Scott looks across at James, perhaps still feeling guilty about pretending to the others that he doesn't know her.

SCOTT: Are you all right?

JAMES: I'm solid, Lieutenant. I'm trained for this.

SCOTT: Look, I-I-I didn't mean to ...

JAMES (glancing back at Riley): Look, not now.

CONTROL ROOM. In the Control Room, Eli Wallace is scrolling through screens on the control console. Scott's voice comes over a nearby radio.

SCOTT: Rush, this is Scott, come in? Rush, this is Scott, come in?

(Eli goes over to the radio, picks it up and activates it.)

WALLACE: Hello? This is Eli.

SCOTT: Where's Rush?

WALLACE (bluffing): Uh, bathroom, if he found it.

SCOTT: I'm at what looks like a bulkhead door. It won't open. I was hoping Rush could open it from there.

WALLACE: Should I find him?

SCOTT (thinking about it for a moment): No.

(He walks over to the door and tries to push it open manually. He looks across at Riley.)

SCOTT: Give me a hand.

RILEY: What happened to being smart?

SCOTT: This could be the engine room for all we know. We've gotta at least open a few doors.

RILEY (sarcastically): Do we? Do we really?

(Nevertheless, he goes over and joins Scott and James and they push hard on one of the doors. In the Control Room, a warning beeping comes from the console. Eli looks at it then speaks into the radio.)

WALLACE: Hang on.

(The three in the corridor stop pushing on the door. The console beeps soothingly. Eli speaks into the radio again.)

WALLACE: No, keep doing what you're doing.

(They start to push again and the console image changes again.)

WALLACE: I think I've found where you are. The door is flashing red.

SCOTT: Can you open it from there?

WALLACE: Red is usually bad, isn't it?

SCOTT: Maybe it means the door's stuck. Just try.

WALLACE (a little reluctantly): OK. You should probably step back.

(The three of them step away from the doors and Eli presses some buttons on the console. In the corridor, the central lock on the bulkhead spins and the doors slide open. Air instantly starts rushing out through the gap. In the Control Room, alarms sound and red lights come on all over the console screen, indicating the corridors which are now losing air.)

WALLACE: Whoa, whoa, whoa, not good, not good, more red! Wh... uh ...

(Clinging onto the walls, James and Scott peer through the doors and see that the room on the other side is on the outer edge of the ship. A large section of the windows has broken and although there appears to be a force shield over the hole, it's not working properly and the air is being blown out through the hole. Scott yells into his radio.)

SCOTT: Close it! Close it now!

(Batting wildly and ineffectively at the buttons on the console, Eli grabs the radio momentarily.)

WALLACE: I'm trying!

(He slaps at a few more buttons and in the corridor, the bulkhead doors close again. All the red lights go out on the console. Eli picks up the radio again as Scott's voice comes over it.)

SCOTT: Yeah, OK. We established why that hatch was closed!

WALLACE: Yeah! A lot of others are closed for the same reason. We're only occupying a fraction of the ship right now. It goes on forever.

(Scott walks over to the bulkhead and draws a cross on it with chalk.)

WALLACE: But if there are damaged areas of the ship that aren't sealed, that could be our problem.

(Rush walks into the room, carrying the case.)

WALLACE: Oh, hey, good timing. We just found ...

(Rush takes the radio off him and activates it.)

RUSH: This is Doctor Rush. Meet me at the Gate Room immediately.

(Handing the radio back to Eli, he looks round at everybody in the room.)

RUSH: Everyone.

LATER. Shortly afterwards, Scott and his team return to the Gate Room to join the others. Scott goes over to Rush.

SCOTT: What's going on?

RUSH (holding up the case and speaking loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear): In this case are five Ancient communication stones. They work over vast distances in real time.

SENATOR: You could talk to people on Earth.

RUSH: Yes. You physically take control of an individual at the other end. I brought these with us in the event we ended up somewhere out of range of normal communication.

SENATOR: So let's use 'em.

CROWD: Yeah!

RUSH: I already have.

VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE CROWD: What?! When?

BRODY: Are they sending help?

RUSH: No.

CROWD: Why?

RUSH: The only means of dialling this Gate from our galaxy was destroyed in the attack. We're cut off.

SENATOR: I wanna use one of those stones now.

RUSH: I have spoken with General O'Neill.

SENATOR: I am a United States Senator.

RUSH: I explained our situation clearly. In light of my knowledge and experience, he has placed me in charge.

SENATOR: He did what?!

(The crowd murmurs anxiously and indignantly.)

VOICE: How do we know?

RUSH: I have faith in our ability to repair this ship and to work together, but if we're to survive this, we need leadership and a clear chain of command.

WALLACE: We only have a few hours of air left!

SENATOR (standing up angrily): I wanna speak with the general myself.

RUSH: Senator, please.

SCOTT: Give it to him.

CROWD: Yeah! Give it to him!

(The Senator groans, his face crumpling in agony, and clutches his hands to his side. A couple of soldiers catch him as he starts to fall and they lower him gently to the floor. His daughter Chloe looks on in panicked concern.)

ARMSTRONG: Dad? Dad!

SCOTT: T.J.?

(Lieutenant Tamara (T.J.) Johansen pushes her way through the onlookers.)

JOHANSEN: 'Scuse me, 'scuse me.

(She sits on the floor and bends close to the Senator.)

JOHANSEN: OK, he's still breathing.

(She pulls his shirt up and reveals an enormous purple bruise on his side.)

ARMSTRONG: Oh my God!

JOHANSEN: I saw him taking some pills.

ARMSTRONG: Warfarin for his heart.

JOHANSEN: Well, blood thinners are the last thing he needs if he's bleeding internally.

(She puts her hand over her face as she tries to think.)

ARMSTRONG: Please, do something!

JOHANSEN: Look, I told you - I'm just a medic.

RUSH: Everyone, please! There's no need for us all to congregate in the one place. Miss Johansen, please find adequate accommodation for the injured. And everyone else ...

(Camile Wray steps forward angrily.)

WRAY: No. I don't recognise your authority, Doctor Rush.

RUSH: We have found ...

WRAY: As an I.O.A. representative ...

Rush (talking over her): ... quarters nearby much more comfortable.

WRAY: ... I think you need to ...

RUSH (talking louder and drowning her out): Please go there and stay there until you're asked to do something useful.

PALMER: Something useful?!

WRAY: We do not want to settle in! We want to get back, right?

CROWD: Yeah!

VOLKER: We should be working on getting home!

PALMER: Exactly.

RUSH: I'm not sure if that's even possible.

WRAY: What?! You haven't even tried!

MARINE: Maybe you should actually do something instead of standing around talking about being in charge.

MARINE 2: If that's even true!

(The crowd shouts angrily but Scott calls out above the noise.)

SCOTT: Everybody! Everyone calm down!

(The crowd turns towards him.)

SCOTT: Now, the fact is: Colonel Young put me in charge and I expect all S.G. personnel to follow my orders. As for the rest of you, you get out of line, we will lock you down.

(The crowd falls silent, recognising his authority.)

SCOTT: Now Doctor Rush is right about a couple of things. First off, we all have to work together. And second of all, we don't all have to stay here, so let's move out.

(Nobody moves for a moment. Scott says it again, but more gently and encouragingly.)

SCOTT: Go on, move. It's OK.

(Mumbling and not entirely happy but realising that he's right, the crowd starts to disperse. Scott steps closer to Rush and speaks quietly to him.)

SCOTT: I think we need you, so I've got your back for now, but if I were you I would find some way to dial that Gate back to Earth.

LATER. Sergeant Greer, Camile Wray and some others have gathered together all the cases brought through from Icarus Base and are looking through them to see what supplies they have.

RILEY: Got some testing equipment over here. (He picks up an item which promptly falls to bits in his hands.) Looks broken.

GREER: We'll get back to that.

(Andrea Palmer, a civilian, walks over to some large boxes which were already on the ship.)

PALMER: What about all these Ancient crates?

GREER: If it's not ours, don't touch it.

(As the conversation continues, Camile keeps looking at Greer with some concern on her face. Nearby, Dale Volker, the man whose arm was broken when he came through the Stargate, and who now has the arm in a sling, looks at the boxes that came through from Icarus base.)

VOLKER: Did no-one think of labelling anything?

MAN: Every case has a bar code.

VOLKER: All right. Anyone find a bar code reader?

SPENCER: I guess that got left behind along with the food and water.

GREER: Uh-uh. We got food.

PALMER: Yeah, protein bars and this powdered stuff.

VOLKER (holding up a small bag with a sarcastic look on his face): Look, everybody!

RILEY: Seeds?! Volker, you've got to be kidding!

WOMAN: I've got a case of blank paper.

RILEY: Maybe we should start a suggestion box.

(Greer finally notices Camile looking at him.)

GREER: What are you staring at?

WRAY: You were in detention.

(The rest of the room falls silent.)

GREER: Yeah.

WRAY: For good reason.

GREER: What did you want him to do? Leave me there?

WRAY: Of course not. I was just wondering what to do about it now.

GREER: That's not up to you.

WRAY: We'll see.

(Glaring, Greer starts to head towards her but Riley steps into his way.)

RILEY: No-no. Don't do it, man.

(Just then, Scott's voice comes over the radio.)

SCOTT: Greer, I need you to check for any open bulkhead doors that lead to damaged parts of the ship. Rush'll direct you.

GREER (into radio): Copy.

(He walks away, but glances back at Camile as if promising to deal with her later. Nearby, unseen by everyone else, marine Spencer goes to a box of protein bars and starts stuffing handfuls of them into his vest.)

CORRIDORS. In the corridors, Scott is also searching the ship. Rush guides him over the radio.

RUSH (over radio): There should be an elevator directly ahead.

SCOTT (into radio): Copy that.

(He walks to the doors and presses the illuminated button beside them. The central lock spins and the doors slide open, revealing an elevator car. He steps inside and turns around, looking for the control panel. Just as he's about to press it a small round device floats past at about eye level and continues down the corridor. Scott raises his rifle and trots out of the elevator, swinging around the corner and seeing the ball floating off along the corridor. He begins to follow it just as Rush's voice comes over the radio.)

RUSH (over radio): Are you there yet?

(Scott grabs his radio and activates it.)

SCOTT: This is Scott. Radio silence, please.

(He follows after the ball.)

ELSEWHERE. Lieutenant Johansen has found some sleeping quarters and Colonel Everett Young has been laid on the bed. He opens his eyes and sees her sitting nearby.

YOUNG: Hey.

JOHANSEN (smiling): Hey.

YOUNG: What's going on?

JOHANSEN (walking over to him and sitting on the side of the bed): We almost lost you. You were thrown clear across the room.

(Young tries to sit up, groaning, but Johansen puts her hands on his shoulders and gently pushes him down again. He doesn't resist much.)

JOHANSEN: Sir.

YOUNG: Where are we?

JOHANSEN: We're on a ship. It's Ancient. Rush says it's thousands of years old and we're pretty far off into the universe.

YOUNG: What's he doing to get us home?

JOHANSEN: He says he's working on it but we have bigger problems. The life support system isn't working properly. If we can't get it fixed, there's not much time. You should also know that he used the communication stones to contact Earth and he said General O'Neill put him in charge.

YOUNG: I don't think so. (He tries to sit up again as Johansen again puts her hands onto his shoulders.) I don't think s... oh! (He gasps.)

JOHANSEN: Sir, you shouldn't be trying to get up just yet, OK?

YOUNG (lying back down): I don't think I have a choice, T.J. I can't feel my legs.

CORRIDORS. Scott is still following the floating ball. He jumps, startled, and swings his rifle to the right as Eli abruptly comes around the corner.

SCOTT: Oh, jeez!

WALLACE: Oh!

(He runs back around the corner to get out of sight so Scott can't shoot him, then pokes his head back round.)

SCOTT (gesturing towards the ball): What is that thing?

WALLACE: C'me 'ere - I'll show you.

(He takes Scott to a nearby control console. He types onto a small handheld device and indicates the console's screen which is showing the point of view of the ball as it floats down the corridor.)

SCOTT: It's a - it's a camera!

WALLACE: It's a flying camera. I'm calling it a Kino - you know, after the Russian ...

SCOTT: Yeah, OK.

WALLACE: Well, I figure maybe we can use it to check out the damaged areas of the ship.

SCOTT: That's good.

WALLACE: Yeah!

SCOTT: That's good. (He looks at the screen.) Where's it going now?

WALLACE: I don't know, it's just doing its thing, but there's lots more of them.

(He walks over to a device on the wall which appears to be, in effect, a Kino dispensing machine. He picks up another Kino and tosses it gently into the air. It rises to eye level and then stops and hovers there. Eli laughs in delight, then reaches out and gently pushes it away from him. It floats across to Scott and stops a short distance away. Scott looks at it a little warily.)

SCOTT: Yeah, it's cool.

WALLACE: Yeah! Do you want one?

SCOTT: It's not a gumball machine, Eli!

WALLACE: OK.

(Scott looks at him pointedly.)

WALLACE: OK!

SCOTT: OK, so you've figured out where they keep the Kinos. What else have you figured out?

(He walks away without waiting for a reply. Eli looks round at the Kino, then follows after him. The Kino follows along behind him like a puppy.)

WALLACE: Give me a break, man. This is my second spaceship - and my first was yesterday!

SCOTT: I know. Icarus was my first S.G.C. assignment after training. I haven't been at this much longer than you have.

WALLACE: Huh! Did they beam you out of your house?!

SCOTT: No - you got me there!

WALLACE: D'you have any food on you?

SCOTT: No.

WALLACE: Tylenol?

SCOTT: Headache?

WALLACE: Huh - yeah!

SCOTT: Me too.

YOUNG'S QUARTERS. Johansen is pulling a blanket over the Colonel.

JOHANSEN: Neurapraxia is a temporary paralysis that can follow a concussive injury.

YOUNG: But you don't know?

JOHANSEN: You'd need an M.R.I. and a qualified doctor who knows how to read it to know for sure if there's spinal damage. We don't have either. Hopefully it's just the nerves in shock. Best I can do is insist that you remain still.

YOUNG: Your tour was over two weeks ago.

(She chuckles briefly, rolling her eyes as if to say, 'Don't I know it!')

YOUNG: You should be in some classroom in San Diego.

JOHANSEN: Seattle. That's where my scholarship was.

YOUNG: I'm sorry.

JOHANSEN: That part's not your fault.

YOUNG: Tell Rush I wanna see him.

JOHANSEN: Yes, sir.

CONTROL ROOM. Scott and Eli arrive back at the Control Room. Rush stares at the ball following along behind.

RUSH: What's that?

WALLACE (nonchalantly): Flying camera ball. I'm calling it a Kino.

SCOTT: Don't ask!

(Eli types on his handheld device and the Kino floats closer to Rush. He stares at it.)

RUSH: Why, it's marvellous!

WALLACE: It comes with a remote. I thought we could use it to look around.

(Scott walks around to the control console.)

SCOTT: What do you have?

RUSH (walking back to the console): Ah, well, it's not so good, really. Um, these processing nodes are scrubbers responsible for cleaning CO2 from the air here, here and here. (He points to one of the scrubbers on the screen.) It's indicating malfunction; others are failing.

(Nodding, Scott turns away, activating his radio.)

SCOTT: Greer, this is Scott. I'm heading for the Gate Room; meet me there.

LATER. Shortly afterwards, the two of them have met up and are on their way to the Gate Room. Greer has told him about his encounter with Camile.

GREER: Look, I'm just saying that she better stay out of my face.

SCOTT: I'll remind her of your personal space issues next chance I get(!)

(They head into the Gate Room. Back in the Control Room, Johansen comes in.)

JOHANSEN: Doctor Rush. Colonel Young wants to see you right away.

(Raising his hand to stop her, Rush is looking at his screen. He activates his radio.)

RUSH: There should be a kind of grate covering the node.

(The boys have found the grate on a wall. It has what look like a couple of large buttons on it. Scott tentatively reaches out and touches the lower one but nothing happens. He touches the upper one and the grate moves slightly inwards and then lifts up into the wall. The scrubber inside disconnects itself and slides forward, pushing a large wad of black sludge in front of itself. There is more sludge all over the machine.)

RUSH (over radio): What do you see?

SCOTT (into radio): A problem. We see a very big problem.

QUARTERS. Sleeping quarters have been found for Senator Armstrong who is lying on the bed while Chloe sits beside him and mops his brow. He regains consciousness and looks up at her.

SENATOR: What happened?

ARMSTRONG: You collapsed. We brought you here.

SENATOR: What's going on?

ARMSTRONG: I'm not sure. I've been here with you.

SENATOR: I need to know what's happening, Chloe. This is important.

ARMSTRONG: Dad, I was worried about you.

(He nods understandingly.)

ARMSTRONG (tearfully): I'm scared.

(He strokes her arm gently.)

SENATOR: One step at a time, honey. One step at a time.

(Feeling pain in his chest, he looks across to the bedside table.)

SENATOR: My pills ...

ARMSTRONG: No, Daddy, you can't take any more of those. Your ribs are badly bruised. You will bleed internally.

SENATOR: If I don't take those pills, a bruise is gonna be the least of my problems.

ARMSTRONG: I know.

SENATOR: Don't worry about me. Go - find out what's going on out there.

ARMSTRONG: No. I wanna be here with you.

SENATOR: And I want you here but, right now, I wanna know what's going on just a little bit more.

(Chloe tries not to cry. He pats her arm.)

SENATOR: OK. I'll be here when you get back.

ARMSTRONG: OK.

SENATOR: OK.

(Chloe stands, picks up the bottle of pills and takes them with her as she leaves the room. The Senator sighs and clutches his chest in pain.)

CORRIDORS. Vanessa James has teamed up with Jeremy Franklin, a scientist. They are closing a bulkhead door and marking a cross on it as Greer comes over to join them.

JAMES: What's going on?

GREER: I don't know, man. The air filter's full of crap. Come on - they want us to keep looking.

JAMES: Let's go.

FRANKLIN: All right, OK.

GATE ROOM. Chloe walks into the room just as Adam Brody is testing the sludge from the scrubber.

BRODY: Alkaline.

JOHANSEN: Everyone's heart rates are elevated; people are reporting headaches. It has to be.

SCOTT: What?

BRODY: The used-up residue of whatever magic compound the Ancients used to scrub CO2 from the air.

SCOTT: So now we have two big problems relating to the life support.

RUSH: Our first priority must be to seal off any of the leaks. If we can manage that, then we can maybe buy ourselves a day or so before the build-up of CO2 kills us.

SCOTT: As it stands, how much time do we have?

RUSH: I don't know.

BRODY: A couple of hours at most.

WALLACE: Huh! Awesome(!)

RUSH: Brody, there was some medical-grade soda lime in the supply manifest?

PALMER: It never made it.

RUSH: It's a pity.

(He takes out his notebook from his jacket and extracts the pencil from the spine. Squatting down to the sludge, he pokes through it with the pencil.)

RUSH: Well, in a ship this old, there's bound to be systems past their design life.

SCOTT: OK, so let's say we find the leaks. Can you fix this?

RUSH (shaking his head): I doubt this stuff can be cooked off. Perhaps if there were stores of this substance in the clean form, or something else capable of CO2 sequestration - calcium carbonate, lithium hydroxide - then yes, if.

SCOTT: OK, well, that's not gonna matter because you're gonna get the Gate dialled back to Earth before this becomes an issue, Rush.

RUSH (standing up): Lieutenant ...

SCOTT: Right?

RUSH: That's the kind of thing you're taught to say in officer training, presumably for the benefit of those that don't know any better.

(Scott storms across the room and gets into Rush's face. He glares at him for a moment, then glances across to Chloe who lowers her head, trying not to cry. He realises that he can't make something happen just by ordering Rush to do it. He turns back to Rush, his voice pleading.)

SCOTT (softly): Please?

(Rush looks at him and replies almost gently.)

RUSH: What makes you think I won't try?

LATER. CONTROL ROOM. Eli is watching footage from a Kino and activates his radio.

WALLACE: Greer. I've found what looks like a shuttle.

RUSH (looking at the console): Looks like there are two shuttles, attached to individual docking slips.

(Greer, James and Franklin make their way cautiously along a corridor.)

FRANKLIN: We're all gonna die!

GREER: Shut up, Franklin!

FRANKLIN: I'm just saying what everyone's gotta be thinking!

GREER: I said 'shut up' or else you're gonna be the first.

(He reaches a doorway where the door has lowered partially and then stuck. He activates his radio.)

GREER: This the door?

(Eli looks at the Kino footage.)

WALLACE (into radio): Yeah, yeah, that's it. Can you close it?

(Greer taps the buttons at the side of the door but nothing happens.)

GREER (into radio): It won't close.

(Rush shakes his head at Eli, who speaks into his radio.)

WALLACE: We can't close it from here either. There's something wrong with the mechanism.

(The team ducks under the low door and cautiously walks into the shuttle. As Franklin gets nearer to the front, air can be heard rushing out of the ship. One of the windscreens is broken and, like the larger window found earlier, the force shield over the window is fritzing and not working properly.)

FRANKLIN: I think I found the leak.

GREER (into radio): There's another door on the back of the shuttle but there's no control.

RUSH: Then maybe we can close it off locally.

(He and Eli go to the shuttle. Rush sits at the controls and experiments with them.)

FRANKLIN: The shield's keeping the air inside. It's obviously not a hundred percent effective.

RUSH: Probably wasn't designed to compensate for the amount of damage this ship has sustained.

WALLACE: Is there a way of boosting it, just in the areas we need it?

RUSH: We haven't found a way yet. It seems to be operating at maximum capability.

(He touches another button and the bulkhead doors slide closed. Immediately everyone starts to struggle for breath.)

WALLACE: Open the door!

(Rush touches the button again and the doors slide open. Eli realises that the only way to close the doors is from inside the shuttle.)

WALLACE: Well, that's not good.

YOUNG'S QUARTERS. Johansen watches as Young manages to move his feet up and down.

JOHANSEN: That's very good, sir. It's a very good sign.

YOUNG: Yeah. I don't have time for this, do I?

JOHANSEN: Two problems: we're venting atmosphere from the damaged shuttle and even if we could seal it off, the life support system in this ship is past its expiration date. We'll build up CO2 to lethal levels within a day.

YOUNG: That explains the headache.

JOHANSEN: You already had one.

(In the Senator's quarters, the Senator and Chloe are having a similar discussion. Their conversations overlap.)

SENATOR: They'll find a way. That's what these people do.

ARMSTRONG: No. Most of these people aren't even supposed to be here.

YOUNG: How did the ship get damaged?

JOHANSEN: We don't know. It certainly looks like it's been through a battle - at least the parts we can access.

ARMSTRONG: We're still cut off from most of the ship. It's huge.

JOHANSEN: They tried jamming something into the shuttle doorway to keep it open long enough to let the person inside get out.

ARMSTRONG: But it ... it just opens again. Some sort of safety mechanism like an elevator.

JOHANSEN: Rush says he can't override it.

SENATOR: How long do we have right now?

JOHANSEN: As it stands ...

ARMSTRONG: ... Rush says if we don't get it closed, we've got ...

JOHANSEN: ... just over an hour.

(The Senator and Colonel Young look appalled.)

CORRIDOR. In the corridor outside the shuttle, Franklin is on his knees and tinkering inside an opened panel on the wall while the others watch him. The controls seem to have gone the same way as the CO2 scrubbers, as he turns and shows them his hand which is covered in black sludge.

WALLACE: Bad air is better than no air.

SCOTT: Guess a day's better than an hour.

(Rush walks over to the shuttle entrance and stares thoughtfully inside.)

RUSH: Someone's gotta go in there and close this door.

LATER. in the Control Room, Eli is talking to one of the Kinos as it floats near his head.

WALLACE: My head is pounding, heartbeat has accelerated. It's getting harder and harder to breathe ... (he pauses and then starts gesticulating and acting dramatically) ... as our very lives are being vented out into space.

(Scott walks towards him angrily.)

SCOTT: That is gonna get old very fast.

WALLACE: This needs to be documented.

SCOTT: No-one's gonna see that!

WALLACE: How do you know? We made it here; someone else could too.

(He looks at Johansen and Chloe for support but they gaze back unsympathetically.)

WALLACE: If we die, maybe this can help them to find out what happened to us.

RUSH: Yeah, well, we're not dead yet.

(Eli looks at him for a moment, then turns back to the Kino.)

WALLACE: I'm starting to have slightly blurred ...

SCOTT (shouting angrily): Eli!

WALLACE (indignantly): What?!

(Scott bites back what he was going to say and gets onto more important things.)

SCOTT: So how are we gonna decide who?

RUSH: I assume we're not gonna get any volunteers.

ARMSTRONG: What's another day going to buy us?

RUSH: Time ... to find a way to survive.

(He holds his hand out to Johansen.)

RUSH: May I see the list?

(She hands him the list which has been compiled of everyone on board.)

JOHANSEN: I marked the names of anyone injured.

(Sighing unhappily, Rush starts to look down the list.)

RUSH: Right. We'll have to find out people's skills, background, experience ...

SCOTT: It doesn't take any special skills to die from asphyxiation!

RUSH: Look, what I'm saying is, it shouldn't be someone with potentially valuable knowledge, or abilities we might need to help us survive beyond this.

(Eli turns and throws a wide-eyed look at the Kino.)

ARMSTRONG: What, are you really suggesting what I think?

SCOTT (to Rush): A lot of people on this ship already wanna kill you.

RUSH: I don't care.

ARMSTRONG: You can't ask someone to sacrifice themselves, period!

RUSH: Politicians ask military personnel to sacrifice themselves for the good of others all the time. If someone doesn't go in there and close that door, we're all gonna die.

(He looks at Chloe pointedly.)

RUSH: Period.

(As the others let that sink in, Rush sits down and starts to look down the list again.)

YOUNG'S QUARTERS. Scott is reporting to the Colonel.

SCOTT: Franklin is still working at the airlock controls locally but it doesn't look good, sir.

JOHANSEN: Camile's explaining the situation to everyone on board.

YOUNG: I'll do it.

SCOTT: Sir?

YOUNG: This isn't the kind of thing I can ask somebody else to volunteer for.

SCOTT: If we're gonna make it past this, we're gonna need you, sir.

YOUNG: I don't know about that. You're doing a pretty good job without me, Lieutenant.

SCOTT: Yeah? Well, look at the mess we're in. If that's not proof that we need you, then ...

JOHANSEN: I'm not sure anyone should do it. I don't want someone sacrificing themselves for me. I say we figure this out together while we still have time, or we all die trying.

(Young sits up and tries to swing his legs over the side of the bed.)

YOUNG: I want you to both listen to me. This needs to be done and I'm doin' it.

(He struggles to get up but can't. Scott turns away, refusing to watch. Johansen hurries over to the Colonel as he manages to sit up on the side of the bed.)

JOHANSEN: Look, sir, you can barely stand.

YOUNG: Help me.

(He grabs her arm and uses her to start pulling himself upright.)

JOHANSEN: Look, the paralysis is temporary - you know that now.

YOUNG: Help me.

JOHANSEN: You will recover.

YOUNG (looking at Scott): Lieutenant, I need your help.

SCOTT: No, sir.

YOUNG: I gave you an order.

SCOTT: I know.

(Unable to stand any longer, Young sinks back down onto the side of the bed.)

SCOTT: You can have me court martialed when we get home, but I am not gonna help you kill yourself.

(Chloe hurries into the room.)

ARMSTRONG: My father's not in his room.

SCOTT: We'll find him.

(He turns to Johansen while pointing towards the Colonel.)

SCOTT: He does not leave this room.

(He and Chloe hurry out.)

SCOTT: He can't have gotten far.

ARMSTRONG: I told him what was going on.

SCOTT (into radio): Greer, this is Scott, come in? Greer? Greer, do you read? Senator Armstrong is missing - he may be headed your way.

(Greer is at the entrance to the shuttle. Slowly he reaches towards his radio and activates it.)

GREER (into radio): He's here.

(Greer's other hand is raised in surrender as the Senator aims a pistol at him and Franklin, who also has his hands raised. The Senator looks very weak and is using his free hand to brace himself against the wall.)

GREER: He's got a gun.

(He releases the radio and keeps his hand raised.)

GREER: I don't wanna shoot you. I don't think you wanna shoot me.

(The Senator stumbles towards him.)

SENATOR: Get out of the way.

FRANKLIN: Just give me a little more time. Let me try and fix this.

SENATOR: I don't have much.

(He gestures to Franklin towards the open wall panel. Franklin kneels down and gets back to work.)

(Some distance away, Scott and Chloe are running.)

(At the airlock, the Senator wraps his free hand around himself, trying to fight the pain. Eli's voice comes over the radio.)

WALLACE (over radio): Guys, I am not seeing any change. Whatever you just tried, it's not working.

RUSH: The problem's obviously mechanical.

(Greer looks down at Franklin, who pulls his tools out of the panel and slumps in defeat.)

GREER: You can't fix it.

(Franklin shakes his head. Breathing heavily, the Senator lowers his pistol.)

SENATOR: Tell me what to do.

(He looks at Greer and nods to him encouragingly. Lowering his hands, Greer nods back.)

(Shortly afterwards, Scott and Chloe race to the entrance of the shuttle. Franklin is sitting on the corridor floor and Greer is standing outside the first doorway. The Senator is sitting in the pilot's seat inside the shuttle.)

ARMSTRONG: Dad! No, wait!

(She ducks under the doorway and runs for the internal doors, but the Senator presses a button and those doors slide shut before she can reach them.)

ARMSTRONG: Dad, no! No! No!

(She beats on the doors and tugs at them. Inside the shuttle, the Senator sits with his back to her. She screams through the doors' small windows at him but he doesn't turn around, perhaps not wishing her to see his dying expression. She turns back towards the others.)

ARMSTRONG: Open the door! Please!

FRANKLIN (anguished): I can't.

ARMSTRONG (turning back to the doors and beating on them): Please open the door!

(As she continues pounding and tugging at the doors, Scott walks round to look Greer in the face.)

GREER: He was dead on his feet.

ARMSTRONG: Dad! No!

SENATOR (softly): I love you.

ARMSTRONG: Please open the door!

(Scott goes over to her and puts his arms around her waist, trying to pull her away from the windows. She turns and slaps his radio.)

ARMSTRONG: Eli! Eli! Stop him!

WALLACE (over radio from the Control Room): There's nothing I can do from here.

(Helplessly he lowers the radio as Chloe continues screaming into it. Nearby, Rush listens equally helplessly.)

ARMSTRONG: Help him! Open the door! Please!

(Inside the shuttle, the last of the air escapes from the ship and the Senator slumps in his seat, dying. Chloe pounds on the doors, sobbing, and again Scott takes her around the waist and tries to pulls her away. She clings onto the doorway but eventually her fingers are pulled free and she and Scott fall backwards to the floor. Practically sitting on his lap, she sobs in anguish. Scott wraps his arms around her and holds her as she weeps. She cries for a while, then her tears begin to dry and her face becomes murderous as she realises something. She scrambles to her feet and races off. Scott chases after her.)

SCOTT: Chloe? Chloe!

(In the Control Room, Rush looks at Eli.)

RUSH: Well, at least he bought us a day.

(Chloe races into the room and hurls herself at him. Her impetus knocks him onto a wall seat and she starts hitting him and kicking him. He defends himself as best he can but doesn't fight back. Scott runs in and pulls her off him as she struggles to keep attacking.)

ARMSTRONG: You! You did this! You killed him! You killed all of us!

SCOTT: Chloe, stop!

(She continues trying to break free from him.)

SCOTT: A little help here!

(Johansen hurries over to try to soothe her.)

JOHANSEN: Hey, hey, relax. Hey, Chloe.

ARMSTRONG: Get away from me!

(She shoves T.J. away and pulls herself free from Scott.)

ARMSTRONG: All of you!

(Rush stands up and nervously approaches her.)

RUSH: M-m-miss Armstrong.

(She stops and glares at him.)

RUSH: You're in shock. Believe me, I understand. Everyone deals with tragedy in different ways. You're looking for someone to blame.

ARMSTRONG (savagely): I'm not looking.

(She tries to surge towards him but Johansen gets in her way. Rush backs up a couple of paces nervously but still manages to hold his ground.)

RUSH (softly): I'm sorry about your father. I truly am. He was a good man, and he certainly wouldn't have been my choice. But you must realise - none of this was my fault. I didn't create the situation that forced us here. There was no other way.

(Finally the shock hits Chloe and she almost passes out. Johansen helps her to the wall seat and sits her down. She sits beside her and strokes her arm as Chloe buries her head in her hands and sobs. Rush squats down in front of her.)

RUSH (softly): Miss Armstrong. I know you don't wanna hear this just now, but ... but this ship ... this ship could be the most important discovery mankind has made since the Stargate itself.

(Johansen, who for a moment had thought that Rush was going to say something a bit more sympathetic, rolls her eyes in disbelief.)

RUSH: You know, the Icarus Project was something your father truly believed in - enough to risk his career to support it.

(Chloe raises his head and glares at him.)

ARMSTRONG: What difference does it make if we all die?

RUSH: A number of people died during the attack on the base. Some of them I knew very well.

ARMSTRONG (bitterly): I'm sure some had more value than others.

RUSH: As human beings, all of them were invaluable. Look, my point is: I promise you I will do everything I can to make sure no-one gave their life in vain. No-one.

(He stands up and looks down at her hopefully.)

RUSH: Please give me a chance.

(She raises her head and looks at him for a moment, then stands up, her eyes narrowed and full of hate. She walks towards him, then steps past him and leaves the room. Rush looks genuinely hurt.)

STORE ROOM. Camile Wray looks up in surprise as Colonel Young, using his rifle as a walking stick, enters the room with Greer.

WRAY: Colonel!

YOUNG (limping over to her): We've lost Senator Armstrong.

WRAY: Oh my God!

YOUNG: He's bought us some time.

WRAY: To do what?

YOUNG: Well, we're working on it. First up is trying to dial the Gate back home.

WRAY: Should you even be on your feet?

GREER (pointedly): No.

YOUNG: Well, I am on my feet and right now we're trying to get home. Camile, I need your help. You know these people. I need you to spread the word, try to keep things as positive as you can.

WRAY: I can do that.

YOUNG: Good.

OBSERVATION DECK. On the observation deck with the huge windows, which Rush found earlier, Chloe is sitting on the floor looking out as space rushes past. She still has tears running down her face. Scott comes in and sits down on the floor next to her.

ARMSTRONG: I can't believe my dad has gone. I watched him die, and I still just can't accept it.

(Scott struggles for something to say, then looks at her.)

SCOTT: Tell me about him.

ARMSTRONG: Why?

SCOTT: The man died so I could live. I'd like to know a little more about him.

(Chloe sniffs and gathers her thoughts.)

ARMSTRONG: No matter how tired he was, or how long he'd worked, or what was going on in his life, he always had time to listen to me. I'd go on and on, but he never preached. He never told me what to do even though sometimes I wished he would. He would just listen, and then he would tell me that he loved me. The best part was, if I'd had a fight with my mom, he never took sides.

(Scott smiles.)

ARMSTRONG: Oh God. My mom. He was her whole life. (She starts to cry again.) She probably thinks we're both dead.

SCOTT: All I know is that he wanted you to go on.

ARMSTRONG (tearfully): I know.

(Scott sighs.)
SCOTT: I've gotta get back to the search. You gonna be OK?

ARMSTRONG: I don't know.

SCOTT: Fair enough.

(He stands up and leaves the room.)

CONTROL ROOM. Eli is lying on the wall seat staring up at the ceiling. Rush, sitting at the console, looks across at him.

RUSH: Eli?

WALLACE: What?

RUSH: What are you doing?

WALLACE (sitting up): I just watched a man die, OK?

(Rush looks at him for a moment, then swivels back to the console and presses a few buttons. Eli shakes his head in disbelief.)

WALLACE: Don't you even care?

(Rush swivels back to face him.)

RUSH: Of course I do - but I'm also trying to learn as much as I can, as quickly as I can. That is, in addition to running nine separate searches of the database in the hope of solving our life support issues.

(He swivels back to the console.)

WALLACE (a little guiltily): Right. Found anything?

RUSH: Destiny.

(Nearby, Brody and Park look at him in confusion.)

WALLACE: As in ours?

RUSH: The name of the ship, translated from Ancient.

(Eli stands and walks over to the console.)

RUSH: I've also discovered that they were never here.

WALLACE: I thought this was an Ancient ship.

RUSH: It is, but they sent it out unmanned, planning to use the Gate to get here when it was far enough out into the universe. But they probably learned to ascend before that time.

WALLACE: Learned to what?

RUSH: Ascension.

(Eli shakes his head, not understanding.)

RUSH: It's a process whereby consciousness converts to energy and no longer requires physical form.

WALLACE: That wasn't in the video!

RUSH (smiling): Oh, there's more than one video.

(He looks at Eli for a moment.)

RUSH: We should get back to work.

(Eli nods and turns away, then turns back, apologising for his earlier assumption that Rush didn't care about the Senator's death.)

WALLACE: Sorry.

GATE ROOM. Riley has been looking at the console in the room and now calls Young and Greer over.

RILEY: Sir, I think I've got it. It wasn't even that hard to find - it's right here in the dialling programme.

YOUNG: You sure?

RILEY: Yes. It's an eight symbol address.

GREER: You mean you can dial this thing back to Earth?

RILEY: There's no Point of Origin indicated but, still, there's only thirty-six symbols on this Gate. I'm assuming the ninth symbol represents some x-factor distance equation.

YOUNG: Well, I don't care. Start dialling.

RILEY: Sir, don't we wanna bring Doctor Rush in on this?

YOUNG: When you said this wasn't that hard to find?

RILEY: No.

YOUNG: Well, then, he probably already knows and didn't tell us.

(In the Control Room, Rush looks at the console in alarm as it beeps urgently.)

RUSH: Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

WALLACE: What?

RUSH: Someone's dialling the Gate!

(He jumps up and rushes off. Grabbing a Kino, Eli chases after him, followed by Brody and Park. Rush and the others arrive in the Gate Room and see the Gate spinning. Rush also notices who's standing nearby.)

RUSH: Colonel Young. You're up.

YOUNG: Nice to see you too, Rush. I did order you to report to me.

RUSH: Yes, but what are you doing?

YOUNG: We're trying to dial Earth.

RUSH: That would be a mistake.

YOUNG: Riley thinks he's found the address for home.

RUSH (scoffing): His understanding of Ancient is marginal at best!

RILEY: With respect, Doctor, I know enough to recognise a reference to Earth.

YOUNG: He says the address wasn't that hard to find, Rush.

RUSH: No, no. This is a complete waste of power.

SCOTT: We have the address back. All we need is the right Point of Origin.

YOUNG: And we've got thirty-six tries.

RUSH: We barely have enough power to operate the main systems! This ship simply doesn't have the capability to dial Earth.

YOUNG: You see, that's news to me.

WALLACE: He didn't tell me that either.

RUSH: Well, I've only just learned myself ... (he turns to Eli) ... and you know what I've been doing.

YOUNG: Even if it doesn't work, the people aboard this ship need to see us at least try.

RUSH: So, what? You're going to drain what little power we have for the sake of morale? How ridiculous.

(Behind him, the Stargate stops spinning and its illuminated chevrons go out. Then a shimmer briefly envelops everyone, like it did not long after they arrived on the ship. As it dissipates, the engines sound as if they're starting to power down.)

SCOTT: What was that?

(Above the doorway, a small display lights up and starts scrolling something in the Ancient language. Nobody notices because they have other things on their minds. The Stargate starts to spin again.)

YOUNG (into radio): Anyone near the observation deck?

(Johansen happens to be nearby and trots into the room where Chloe and Scott had their heart to heart earlier. Chloe is standing at a railing by the window, gazing out at the new view. Destiny is no longer enveloped by the misty veil that covers it when it's flying faster than light. Johansen goes over to join Chloe and stares at the sight of distant galaxies and stars for a moment, then activates her radio.)

JOHANSEN: Colonel, it looks like we've dropped out of F.T.L.

RILEY: Because we were draining power?

RUSH: No, no. If I'm right, the Gate should begin to dial any moment.

(Obligingly, the Gate lights up and starts to spin again. As its first chevron locks, Scott turns to Rush.)

SCOTT: How did you know that?

RUSH: The ship detected a Stargate on a planet within range that may have what we need.

YOUNG: What? Why the hell are there even Stargates out here?

RUSH: The Ancients sent out a number of unmanned ships ahead of this one. They're programmed to gather data, resources, then manufacture Stargates and deposit them on habitable worlds. Any relevant information is relayed back here to help plot the course.

YOUNG: You're telling me that the ship knows we're in trouble?

RUSH: Yes. Because I told it we were. Essentially we're flying on autopilot. This ship may have stopped when it was within range of a Stargate regardless of our need, but I have reason to believe ...

(He turns to face the Gate just as it kawhooshes.)

YOUNG: So, what we need is on the other side of that wormhole.

RUSH: An educated guess? Yes.

YOUNG: There's one way to find out.

(He starts to limp towards the Gate.)

RILEY: Sir, you can't do that. We have no idea what's on the other side.

WALLACE: We can use the Kino to find out.

RUSH: I expect that's the purpose of this device.

(Using his remote control, Eli sends the Kino whizzing into the event horizon. Immediately, a nearby console beeps and Park looks at its screen.)

PARK: I'm getting readings over here.

YOUNG: What have we got?

PARK: Temperature, gravity, atmosphere composition, barometric pressure ...

RILEY: ... oxygen, nitrogen, very little CO2, extremely low humidity. Habitable, but just barely.

(The Kino is also sending back a visual image, showing what looks like a desert.)

RUSH: Good enough.

BRODY: Looks like four other addresses came up here too.

(He is standing at a second console. Rush frowns and goes over to look.)

BRODY: They could be other planets within range. Maybe we should think about dialling them up and ...

RUSH (looking at the screen): No, no, no. They're locked out. The ship chose this one, the Stargate is open. All we have to do is step through.

YOUNG: What we have to do is put a team together.

BRODY: Doctor Rush.

(He has finally spotted the illuminated panel above the door. Everyone turns to look at it.)

RUSH: Looks like our time might be limited.

YOUNG: What is it?

RUSH: It's a countdown. Just over twelve hours left.

YOUNG: What happens then?

RUSH: I suspect we jump back into F.T.L.

SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. In the Control Room, Rush and Young have gathered together some of the crew and are discussing who should go on the away team.

RUSH: Palmer is a geologist - obviously she should go. Franklin and Brody are the best of the rest of what we have.

FRANKLIN: Thanks for the ringing endorsement(!)

VOLKER: He didn't even mention me!

YOUNG: Franklin goes. The others stay. We're still gonna need good people working on the problem from this end.

(Rush nods his agreement.)

WALLACE: I'd like to go.

(Everyone turns to look at him.)

YOUNG: Really?

WALLACE: If I can help, then ...

RUSH: Colonel Young, please.

WALLACE: What? You don't think I can handle it?

(He points at Franklin.)

WALLACE: He's going!

FRANKLIN: I've been offworld before!

YOUNG (to Eli): You have made a habit out of pulling our asses out of the fire.

(He continues talking to Eli but turns and looks at Rush to emphasise his decision.)

YOUNG: Eli, you wanna go, you're going.

(Eli grins.)

YOUNG: The only one I'm questioning right now is you, Doctor Rush.

(Rush laughs in disbelief.)

RUSH: Well, besides Palmer, I'm the only one who knows what we're looking for. We have twelve hours to find what we need and then get back on the ship.

YOUNG: You're sure you can't stop it?

RUSH: No. We're just along for the ride for now.

YOUNG: Well, then wouldn't we all be better off on the planet?

(Rush smiles.)

RUSH: Well, that's another reason why I should go - someone to assess whether long-term survival there is even an option.

YOUNG: Right. OK.

(He looks around the group.)

YOUNG: I want everyone clear that Scott is in charge of this mission. Let's gear up, let's find whatever supplies we have, and move out.

(Everyone leaves the room, leaving just Young and Scott.)

SCOTT: Sir, about Eli.

YOUNG: He volunteered.

SCOTT: He's not trained for this.

YOUNG: Just like a lot of people we've got on this ship. I'm gonna need to know what they're made of.

SCOTT: He'll slow us down.

YOUNG: Well, if he does, you send him back to the Gate. Listen, if we're gonna make it - and I'm not just talking about the next few hours - we're gonna need everyone on board to step up.

(Scott nods his understanding and starts to leave the room.)

YOUNG: Lieutenant.

(Scott turns back to him.)

YOUNG: Keep an eye on Rush.

(Scott nods again, then turns and leaves.)

LATER. GATE ROOM. Not long after, the team is in the Gate Room, geared up and ready to go. The civilian members of the team have been given desert camo gear. Scott, wearing his standard black outfit and a peaked cap, walks forward to stand beside Eli. Eli looks at him witheringly and puts his own cap on - with the peak at the back. Scott turns and smiles at Colonel Young.

SCOTT: We'll be back, sir.

YOUNG: Good luck.

(Scott turns and leads the way to the Gate. He walks through, followed by Eli, Greer, Palmer, Franklin and another marine who I confidently predict will be the show's first redshirt. Doctor Rush brings up the rear and stops at the event horizon to turn and look back at Young, who nods to him. Rush looks at him with a slight smile on his face, then turns and enters the event horizon.)