Transcript

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With the ship on a collision course, Young conducts a lottery to determine who will escape certain death and try and find a habitable planet with the shuttle.

EPISODE #105
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 10.23.2009
SYNDICATION AIR DATE: 10.11.2010
WRITTEN BY: Brad Wright
DIRECTED BY: Peter DeLuise
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Transcript by Callie Sullivan

KINO VISION. Eli is still collecting messages from all of the crew members. Sergeant Greer looks into the Kino.

GREER: Ronald Greer. (He gazes into the distance.) I can't think of a better way to move on from - from this world into the next, or whatever comes, than to fly into the most powerful thing in all creation ... (he turns his head and gazes, awestruck, into the Kino) ... a star.

(He lowers his head and half laughs, half chokes back tears, before raising his head again.)

GREER: Out in a blaze of glory.

(He looks off into the distance again.)

GREER (softly): I like that. That's beautiful.


DESTINY. GATE ROOM. As Destiny heads onwards towards the sun, everyone has been gathered in the Gate Room. They stand around chatting with each other. On the balcony opposite the Stargate, Matthew Scott and Ronald Greer look down on the crowd, then Scott turns as Colonel Everett Young arrives.

YOUNG: Everyone here?

SCOTT: All here, sir.

(Sighing, Young starts to descend the stairs as he calls out.)

YOUNG: If I could have your attention?

(The crowd falls silent.)

YOUNG: You've all heard about our situation. It sucks. I'm going to repeat the facts so that we are all clear.

(He stops a few steps from the bottom of the stairs and leans back against the banister.)

YOUNG: In just over a day, this ship will fly into a star. Now, we have no power to change its course. We have no idea how to steer the ship. Even if we did, we are having another bad day.

(The crowd nods in agreement and murmurs.)

YOUNG: So here's what we're gonna do. We have a working shuttle. We think there are three planets out there that might be habitable. Now, we think ... we believe that it's no coincidence that Destiny dropped out of F.T.L. in this solar system, to give us a chance. Now, once we know for sure that there is a planet out there for us, we are going to have a lottery.

(People murmur in shock and surprise.)

YOUNG: We will draw the names of fifteen people.

BRODY: The shuttle can hold twice that many.

SCOTT: Not once it's been loaded up with supplies. Besides, there's only life support for seventeen, max.

WRAY (to Young): You said fifteen.

YOUNG: I will be choosing two of the people myself - two people with the necessary skills to fly the shuttle and survive on the planet.

SPENCER (cynically): Yeah, I bet I can guess who they are.

VARIOUS CROWD MEMBERS: Yeah!

(Young walks down the remaining stairs and limps towards the front of the crowd.)

YOUNG: I'll be taking my name out of the lottery. Anyone who wants to join me, keep talking.

(He looks at Spencer pointedly, who meets his gaze but doesn't speak again. A few members of the crowd mutter to each other, but keep their voices down.)

YOUNG: We're still several hours away from knowing if the first two are even habitable, so I suggest you all go back to your quarters and wait it out. That's all I have for now.

(He turns and walks away. The crowd breaks up into groups, discussing what's just been said. Camile Wray hurries after Young. Next to the Stargate, away from the rest of the crowd, Nicholas Rush leans against the Gate and watches the activity around him, then leaves the room unnoticed.)

(In the crowd, Vanessa James walks past Eli Wallace, nodding at him pointedly as if reminding him of his earlier promise to let the others know if Young and Rush come up with any information that everybody ought to know. He nods back to her as if annoyed that she could think he has forgotten, then moves away from her, looking around for somebody else. He walks to the edge of the room, looking down the corridors and finally finds who he has been searching for. A little distance down the corridor, Chloe Armstrong is standing face to face with Matthew Scott. Other crew members keep crossing in front of them but it looks like they're holding hands. As Eli watches, they slowly touch their foreheads together and Chloe reaches up and wraps one hand around Matt's head, gently stroking his hair. After a moment, they turn and walk away hand in hand. Eli turns away, hurt and disappointed.)

(Around the ship, the crew prepares. In a storeroom, Greer is helping to supervise the selection of supplies to go onto the shuttle.)

(In his quarters, Sergeant Spencer shakes out a tablet from what may be a prescription bottle of pills and takes it.)

(In Scott's quarters, he and Chloe stand facing each other beside the bed. She unbuttons his jacket and trousers, and helps him pull his shirt off. They kiss, and he lowers her onto the bed, where their love-making continues.)


YOUNG'S QUARTERS. Young is sitting at his desk and writing as Camile approaches the open door. Without looking up, he speaks before she even has a chance to knock.

YOUNG: What?

WRAY (coming into the room): You should pick everyone who goes on that shuttle. It's the responsible thing to do ... and you should include yourself. If they're going to survive, they'll need leadership.

YOUNG: You're the H.R. lady, I'm guessing.

WRAY (rolling her eyes): I am not above that. I would want you to consider me, yes. I would want you to consider everyone who could contribute to their survival.

(She leans down and puts her hands on the table.)

WRAY: I think you should do your job and make the choices you need to make.

YOUNG: It wouldn't be very fair.

WRAY: It would be more unfair to send the wrong people ...

YOUNG (interrupting): We're all the wrong people.

(He holds up the sheets of paper listing all the members of the crew and brandishes them at Camile.)

YOUNG: These are the wrong people.

(Camile meets his glare firmly.)

WRAY: That's up to you.

YOUNG (lowering the list): Wow.

(He sighs.)

YOUNG: OK. OK. Who goes? I mean, other than you and me, I mean, or haven't you given it much thought?

(Camile sighs and straightens up.)

WRAY: We can come up with a shortlist; factor in skills and strengths to increase their chances of surviving. Take age and sex into consideration ...

YOUNG: How ‘bout just the people we like?

WRAY: That's not what I'm saying.

YOUNG: You need to leave.

WRAY: Hand-picking just two of them is a cop-out and you know it. The responsible thing to do is ...

YOUNG (simultaneously): Leave now or I'm gonna take your name out of the lottery.

(She stops talking and stares at him, shocked.)

YOUNG: I may just anyway.

(He picks up the papers on the desk and starts shuffling through the list, looking for her name. She puts her hand over his and gazes at him pleadingly.)

WRAY: Please don't.

(He looks up at her unsympathetically. Trying not to cry, she turns and leaves the room.)


FLASHBACK. In broad daylight, Eli is asleep in his bed at home. His mother opens the bedroom door and sighs when she sees where he is.

MRS WALLACE (exasperated): Eli!

(She walks in and starts picking up clothes from the floor.)

MRS WALLACE: God, you didn't even set your alarm.

(She pokes his feet through the duvet.)

MRS WALLACE: Eli!

(Eli grunts and opens his eyes.)

MRS WALLACE: I don't have time for this. I thought you had an interview today.

WALLACE (drowsily): They cancelled. I was up all night.

MRS WALLACE: Playing those stupid games.

(She drops the clothes onto a bureau.)

MRS WALLACE: They cancelled or you cancelled?

WALLACE: Seriously, Mom, it's not my skill set.

MRS WALLACE: Nothing is.

(She sighs.)

MRS WALLACE: I'm late. We'll talk about it later.

(She leaves the room, slamming the door behind her.)

(The slam wakes Eli up in his quarters. He props himself up on his elbows and looks around the ship for a moment, then sits up on the bed and buries his head in his hands. A few seconds later he lifts his head again, looking around the room, and shakes his head.)

WALLACE (softly): Dammit.

(A Kino is lying on top of one of his shoes on the floor. He picks it up and looks at it thoughtfully.)


SCOTT'S QUARTERS. Scott is sitting on the side of the bed. Chloe strokes his back gently, then he stands up and pulls his underpants back on.

SCOTT: I was hoping to find a planet, grow some food - not that I know a damned thing about farming.

ARMSTRONG: You sound pretty sure we're both going.

SCOTT (sitting down again): Yeah. Yeah, maybe I am.

ARMSTRONG: Has he told you we're the two he's picked?

SCOTT: No, it's just obvious.

ARMSTRONG: How?

SCOTT: There's-there's only two qualified pilots on the ship - me and the colonel. He took himself out, so ...

ARMSTRONG: Yeah, well that explains you. Why me?

SCOTT: Come on, Chloe, he has to pick you.

ARMSTRONG: Why?

SCOTT: You're the daughter of a U.S. senator. He's probably been ordered to.

ARMSTRONG: Being a senator's daughter isn't going to help anyone survive on that planet - and I think the colonel's the kind of man who makes his own decisions.

(She sits up and gazes into his face.)

ARMSTRONG: I'm not one of the two, Matt - at least, I shouldn't be. I don't even know if I wanna be.

SCOTT: Don't say that.

ARMSTRONG: There's still a chance that I'll get chosen in the lottery - but if I don't, I want you to know that I have probably felt closer to you in these past few days than I have ever felt to anybody. So if this is goodbye ...

SCOTT: It's not.

ARMSTRONG: It might be.

(She strokes Matt's face.)

ARMSTRONG: I'm glad he's gonna pick you.

SCOTT (softly): I want you there.

ARMSTRONG: Yeah, well, what are the odds? One in five, one in six?

SCOTT (sadly): Something like that.

ARMSTRONG: Well, we'll see.


ELSEWHERE. Eli is showing the Kino to a group of the crew.

GREER: So how're you gonna get the thing off the ship?

WALLACE: With the remote, when the shuttle takes off. We might even get one last look at the Destiny from the outside before it gets out of range. So ...

(He breaks off as Chloe and Scott walk over and join the group.)

WALLACE: What are you guys doing here?

ARMSTRONG: We heard about your message in a bottle.

WALLACE: Started out as a documentary, actually.

ARMSTRONG: Well, we wanna be part of it.

WALLACE (not meeting her eyes): Figured you'd be busy.

SCOTT: Eli, you realise the odds of anybody finding a Kino out here ...

WALLACE: Probably nil, I know. Let's do it anyway. Let's do something. Let's leave something of ourselves behind.

(The group is silent, taking it all in. Finally Greer sighs heavily, but it sounds as if he agrees with Eli.)

WALLACE: So, who's first?


KINO VISION. Chloe looks nervously into the Kino, then glances at Eli off-camera who apparently is gesturing to her to start talking.

ARMSTRONG: Sorry, OK. I'm Chloe Armstrong. I'm twenty-three and, um ... I just wanna say that my father gave his life so that all of us could survive another day. And we did.

(She lowers her head, snorting, then raises her head again.)

ARMSTRONG (bitterly): Another day.


SHUTTLE. Doctor Rush is sitting in the pilot's seat and holding his broken glasses over his notebook as he flicks through the pages. Colonel Young comes in.

YOUNG: Sorry, you radioed me?

RUSH: Ah, yes. Um, the first planet is too cold - frozen methane. The second is too hot. The third ... well, that happens to be behind the star at the moment, too far away to determine habitability.

YOUNG: When will we know?

RUSH: It doesn't matter. We don't have any choice. We're gonna have to launch the shuttle before we can get close enough. The odds are good, though. Its orbit is in between the other two - the Goldilocks Zone, they call it.

YOUNG: Not too hot and not too cold.

RUSH: Yes. Just right.

YOUNG: What if we use the engines from the shuttle to push the Destiny off course?

RUSH: That's a good thought, but, um, I'm afraid I've already run the numbers and, without getting into delta-V and thrust-to-weight ratios, then ...

YOUNG: Not a chance.

RUSH: No.

YOUNG: Well, when do we launch the shuttle?

RUSH: We could wait a few more hours, but the extra time - I don't think it's gonna give us any more information than we already have.

YOUNG: When the shuttle's loaded, then.

(He starts to leave. Rush looks thoughtful, then calls out.)

RUSH: Colonel Young.

(Young turns back to him.)

RUSH: If, by chance, you were thinking of choosing me as one of the two ...

(He hesitates for a moment.)

RUSH: ... please don't.

YOUNG: Why?

RUSH: This ship ... coming here ... was my destiny. My life's work was to be here, not trying to survive on some rock with a bunch of strangers. In fact, you can take my name off the lottery altogether.

(Young looks at him, perhaps feeling a little more respect for him.)

YOUNG: Look, Rush, I realise I should have listened to you sooner.

RUSH: No-no, I wasn't myself.

YOUNG: Still, you were right.

RUSH: It really wouldn't have made any difference.

(Young turns and starts to limp away. Rush speaks again and Young turns back to him.)

RUSH: Do you mind if I ask you who you are gonna choose?

YOUNG: Lieutenants Scott and Johansen.

RUSH: I would have thought Scott and Greer, yesterday's heroes.

YOUNG: I've got my fingers crossed for Greer.

RUSH: Well, you can easily arrange that.

YOUNG: You mean fix the lottery?

RUSH: Yes.

YOUNG: No.

RUSH (shrugging): There'll be those who'll think you did anyway.

(He gets back to his notes. Young stares at him in shock for a moment, then leaves the shuttle.)


KINO VISION. Camile Wray straightens her jacket, then nods to Eli that she's ready.

WRAY: My name is Camile Wray. My age is ... none of your business, Eli.

(She smiles at him, then she becomes serious again as she looks into the Kino.)

WRAY: If, um ... if anyone finds this within the next - I don't know - forty years, tell Sharon that ... (she breaks off for a moment, fighting her emotions) ... my last thoughts were of her.


GATE ROOM. All the crew has gathered. Several civilians have a small holdall with them, which they presumably brought from Icarus in the first place. Various members of the military are armed and are watching the crowd warily. Colonel Young stands at the front holding an open case containing many folded sheets of paper. Greer stands beside him.

YOUNG: The names of every person in this room are written down on one of these pieces of paper. Doctor Rush and I have chosen to exclude ourselves. If anyone else feels the same way, now would be the time to speak up.

(Nobody speaks.)

YOUNG: If your name is chosen, you are to go directly up these stairs to the shuttle where you will be met by the two people that I have already chosen. Lieutenant Scott has pilot training, and T.J.'s skills as a medic will be essential on the planet.

(In the shuttle, Scott is cocking his pistol in anticipation of a potential attempt by crew members to storm the ship, while Tamara (T.J.) Johansen is settling in. Back in the Gate Room, Young looks around the crowd.)

YOUNG: If your name is not chosen, you are to remain here until I receive word the fifteen are aboard and the shuttle's rear hatch is secure. Does anyone have anything to say?

(There is a long silence, then Young closes the lid of the case and tilts it a couple of times and then shakes it. He puts the case down again and opens the lid, taking out a sheet of paper. He unfolds it and reads the name on it.)

YOUNG: Airman Becker.

(Darren Becker looks up at the sound of his name, then looks anxiously around at the people nearby.)

YOUNG: Go.

(Nodding, Becker heads for the stairs beside Young, as he takes a second sheet of paper from the case.)

YOUNG: David Walters.

(One of the civilians follows Becker up the stairs. Young takes out the next sheet.)

YOUNG: Camile Wray.

(Camile stares around, startled, then heads for the stairs. She goes up them slowly, looking back down at her colleagues. Young glances up at her, then draws the next sheet.)

YOUNG: Lieutenant James.

(Vanessa James is standing on the second stairway with a rifle. She looks down at the colonel uncertainly. He looks up at her, nods and smiles and she turns and heads up the stairs.)

YOUNG: Doctor Park.

(Lisa Park heads for the stairs.)

(In the corridors, Becker runs along and goes into the shuttle. There isn't much room with all the supplies stacked in the middle of the floor. Scott greets him.)

SCOTT: Take a seat, strap in.

BECKER: Yes sir.

(He runs to one of the seats at the side, sits down and pulls the lap belt around him, fastening it. Moments later Walters and Camile run towards the shuttle, Camile sobbing as she goes. Walters settles into a seat and Camile sits down beside Becker, burying her head in her hands and weeping. Becker awkwardly puts a comforting hand on her back. James trots into the shuttle. Scott points back to the entrance and James turns back to guard the doorway as Park arrives.)

(In the Gate Room, more people are going up the stairway as their names are called. Young draws the next sheet of paper from the case.)

YOUNG: Mr Brody.

(Adam Brody picks up his bag and makes his way through the crowd. Various people pat his back in congratulation as he passes. Young draws the next name.)

YOUNG: Sergeant Riley.

(Hunter Riley bows his head in relief, then makes his way forward. As he reaches Eli, Eli holds up the Kino and then hands it to him. He takes it and heads off for the stairway.)

YOUNG: And Doctor Boone.

(Boone picks up his bag and moves away.)

YOUNG: That's fifteen. We're done here.

(Some of the crew make distressed or upset noises. Spencer storms forward angrily.)

SPENCER: You could fit more people on that thing.

YOUNG: Spencer, I need you to shut up.

(Spencer turns around to the others.)

SPENCER: Come on, people! If we don't do something right now, we're done!

(Some of the crew voice their agreement with him.)

VOICE: You're right, we've gotta do something.

(Spencer turns back towards Young, and Greer instantly steps forward and clubs him across the face with the butt of his rifle. Spencer collapses to the floor. The crowd gasps as Greer spins his rifle around and aims it down at Spencer, but he is unconscious. Greer looks up at everyone else.)

GREER: Now, I don't wanna have to do that to anybody else ... but I will.

(Riley has reached the shuttle and is deploying the Kino just outside its door just as Boone comes in. It hovers there, watching as Riley turns and walks into the shuttle. James looks to the front of the shuttle.)

JAMES: That's it.

(Scott looks up from his checklist in dread.)

JOHANSEN (quietly): Full count.

(Sighing, Scott reaches up and pushes a button. The rear doors close, leaving the Kino just outside. Behind it, a bulkhead closes. Scott and James settle into their respective seats and Scott activates the overhead control panels which lower down into position. He activates his radio.)

SCOTT: This is Scott. Everyone's aboard. Rear hatch is secure.

YOUNG (into radio): Give yourself a sixty second countdown, Lieutenant. Some of us would like to see you off.

SCOTT: Copy that.

(Young looks at the crowd in front of him. Eli heads for the stairs, with Chloe following him. Others are unable to move, still shocked or grief-stricken that they didn't get picked. Young turns and walks away, Greer beside him. Slowly the rest of the crowd breaks up and leaves the room, walking past Spencer's unconscious body.)

SCOTT (into radio): We're releasing the docking clamps.

(Either side of the shuttle, the clamps retract and fold down out of the way. The shuttle begins to pull away from the airlock and the Kino floats into the gap and drifts out into space.)

(On the Observation Deck, Rush is standing at the railing watching through the window as the shuttle rises into view. Eli, Chloe, Young and Greer come in to join him. The shuttle's engines fire briefly and the vessel turns at forty-five degrees. Eli types onto his remote control.)

WALLACE: The Kino's sending back pictures.

(In the shuttle, Scott grimaces as the sun shines directly into the window. He activates his radio.)

SCOTT: This is Scott. We're away.

YOUNG (into radio): You're looking good, Lieutenant.

SCOTT (into radio): I expect we'll be out of radio range by the time we fire up the main drive so ... we'll be thinking of you guys.

GREER (softly, into radio): You too, brother. You too.

YOUNG (into radio): Matthew, T.J. Take good care of those people.

(Scott can't bring himself to reply, but nods to himself. He reaches up to the overhead controls.)

(From the Observation Deck, the group watches as retros above the shuttle fire briefly to stop it from rising further, then the rear engines ignite and the shuttle heads away. Eli holds up his remote control, smiling.)

WALLACE: There it is.

(He shows the image to everyone. The Kino is drifting away to the rear of the ship. It has turned its camera backwards and is showing the ship receding behind it.)

ARMSTRONG (awestruck): That's the Destiny.

(Eli nods, smiling. Rush gazes at the image in amazement. The Kino drifts further away, revealing the shape of the entire ship just before the sun moves into the frame and its light obliterates everything on the screen. Eli lowers the remote and there's silence for a moment as everyone considers what they've just seen, then Rush nods appreciatively.)

RUSH: Thank you, Eli. I never thought I'd get the chance to see the ship from the outside.

YOUNG: You know what? I think I'm gonna go for a walk. (He turns to Greer.) How's that sound, Sergeant?

GREER: Sounds like a plan, sir.

RUSH: I shall be in my quarters for the duration. I have a hundred pages of a truly mediocre book to finish.

(He smiles briefly. Young holds his hand out to him. Touched, Rush takes it and they shake hands. Young then looks round at the others for a moment before he and Greer head out of the room. Rush turns to Eli.)

RUSH: Eli, I, uh, I'm sorry I got you involved in this.

WALLACE: Actually ... (he narrows his eyes as if surprised at what he's about to say) ... I'm not.

(He qualifies his response.)

WALLACE: Yet! (He laughs.) I'll probably be sorry at the end of the day, but ...

(Rush nods and looks down, unable to respond. Eli sees the sadness on his face.)

WALLACE: We don't have that long, do we?

RUSH (shaking his head): No.

(Chloe looks out of the window at the approaching sun.)

ARMSTRONG: How will it happen?

(Rush looks at her for a moment, unsure whether to tell the full truth, but then decides to be honest.)

RUSH: Well, there will be turbulence from the solar wind, far worse than what we've previously experienced. Heat, obviously, and intense G-forces. I suspect the ship will be torn apart long before we reach the star.

(He sees Chloe's despairing look and tries to smile for her.)

RUSH: Hopefully it will be quick.

(With nothing more to say, he nods to the pair of them and leaves the room. They turn back to the railing and look unhappily out of the window. After a few moments, Chloe takes Eli's arm and lays her head on his shoulder. He looks across at her and smiles ruefully.)


LATER. Young and Greer are walking along a corridor.

YOUNG: ... and while I don't condone behaviour of that kind in any way, shape or form, I-I've gotta say ... the look on Telford's face when you put him down was priceless! Complete and total shock!

GREER: He was surprised, yes, sir!

(They both chuckle.)

YOUNG: I guess you can say you even got away with it.

(Greer stops, his face sad.)

GREER: Just, uh, sorry that I - that I disappointed you, sir.

YOUNG: You're a good man, Sergeant, I know that. Besides, the bastard had it coming.

(Greer stares back at him for a moment, then grins.)

GREER: Yes, sir, he did.

(They both laugh, then Young becomes serious again.)

YOUNG: So long.

(Instantly, Greer raises his hand and salutes the colonel.)

YOUNG (gently): At ease, Ronald.

(Greer holds the salute a moment longer, then lowers his arm and takes the hand which Young is offering him. They shake.)


KINO VISION. Presumably this is footage which was filmed earlier and is on the Kino now floating in space.

WALLACE (offscreen): OK, Colonel, just go whenever you're ready.

YOUNG: Yeah. No-no, I got it. I just, uh, just ... can you just wait outside, Eli? Thanks.

(He waits until Eli has left the room, then looks into the Kino and smiles.)

YOUNG: Hi, Emily. I just, um, I just wanted to say ...

(He pauses, struggling for a moment.)

YOUNG: Well, you know. You know.

(He gazes into the Kino for a long moment, then reaches out and deactivates it.)


GATE ROOM. Groaning, Sergeant Spencer regains consciousness on the Gate Room floor. Putting his hand to his bruised mouth, he gets up onto one elbow and looks around the room, then slowly hauls himself to his feet. He stares around the empty room again and stumbles away.

(He makes his way along the corridors and eventually follows the sound of voices. He finds a group of people sitting around a table playing cards.)

SPENCER: Where is everybody?

VOLKER: All the fun people are here!

(Spencer turns and walks away without a word. He moves on and finds another group. Some are sitting and others standing, and all have their heads lowered and are reciting the Lord's Prayer.)

GROUP (simultaneously): Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ...


QUARTERS. Perhaps a little surprisingly, Rush managed to get an iPhone and speakers into his personal effects which he brought from Icarus Base. Violin music plays from it as he sits on his bed, holding his broken glasses down to the book that he is reading.

(Eli and Chloe have sat down on one of the sofas in the Observation Deck and are watching the sun get ever larger in the window. Chloe takes Eli's hand and moves it over onto her lap. They smile at each other sadly.)

(In his quarters, Everett Young takes off his wedding ring and looks down at it sadly, tears dripping from his face.)

(In his own quarters, Ronald Greer removes his shirt and then his trousers and underpants. He intends to die the way he was born. He settles down on the edge of the bed and waits.)


SHUTTLE. The crew is sitting silently. Riley looks at his watch and sighs sadly.

JAMES: What?

RILEY: Oh, nothing. I just - I realised it was past midnight.

PARK: Does that mean they've gone into the sun?

RILEY (reassuringly): No! No-no-no, no, nothing like that.

WRAY: It's his birthday. That's all he means.

JAMES: Oh. (She looks at Riley.) Happy birthday.

(He looks round at her. She smiles at him ruefully.)

RILEY: Thanks.

(In the pilot's seat, Scott frowns at a screen on his console.)

SCOTT: Mr Brody, would you come up here for a second? I need you to confirm spectrographic analysis for me.

(Brody walks over and looks over his shoulder.)

BRODY: Oxygen, nitrogen, liquid water ... (He straightens up unhappily.) Only trace levels of CO2.

JOHANSEN (noticing his expression): What?

BRODY: It means there won't be much vegetation. Also means the thermometer won't be spending much time above zero, either.

SCOTT: But we can survive, right?

BRODY: Yeah. It'll be great.

(His face, however, says that they might not want to survive in such an environment. He turns and goes back to his seat.)


At the sun, Destiny is starting to burn. Young lies on his bed, awaiting his end. In his own room, Rush finishes his book. He folds his glasses and tosses the book across the room. He looks at his watch and frowns, then gets off the bed and heads out. Holding a flashlight to light his way, he makes his way to the Control Room, where part of the console is illuminated. He looks down at the main console, then starts to laugh. He turns and races away.

(On the Observation Deck, Chloe and Eli are still sitting and looking sadly at each other. Rush comes in and goes over to the front railing. The ship is well inside the corona and looks as if it's almost skimming the surface of the star. Rush stares at the view for a moment, then again starts to laugh.)

RUSH (triumphantly): Oh, yes!

WALLACE (nervously): Uh, what are we so happy about?

RUSH (turning to him): We're gonna live, Eli.

WALLACE (standing up): What about the turbulence and the heat and the death?

RUSH: No, all of that would have happened by now. The shield is protecting us.

ARMSTRONG: But you said we were out of power.

RUSH: I was absolutely certain of that, and I've never been more pleased to be wrong in all my life.

(He grins at them and hurries out of the room. Eli looks at Chloe for a moment, then chases off after him.)

(From an external perspective, Destiny gets closer and closer to the sun. She lowers large power cells down on her underside and they begin to light up seconds before she plunges into the sun and disappears from our view.)

(In Young's quarters, the lights come on. He opens his eyes and looks around, startled, then sits up and starts to get off the bed.)

(In Greer's room, he looks around in surprise as the lights come on.)

(In the corridors, Young limps along as crew members mill about chatting nervously. Franklin comes out of his room as Young walks past.)

FRANKLIN: The lights just came back on in my room.

(Young looks disparagingly at him as if to say, “No duh!” as he walks past.)

FRANKLIN: What's going on?

YOUNG: Stand by.

FRANKLIN (bewildered): Colonel?


CONTROL ROOM. Eli is looking at a console.

WALLACE: You're right! The systems are coming back online all over the ship!

(Young comes in.)

YOUNG: There's a rumour spreading that we're still here.

RUSH (smiling in delight down at his console): We are.

(The lights come on in the room.)

RUSH: Destiny needed all its power reserves to protect itself - and us.

(Eli looks nervously at his own console.)

WALLACE: Uh, guys?

(He activates a holographic screen showing Destiny's position in relation to the star.)

WALLACE: We're in the star.

YOUNG: That can't be right. You're talking thousands of degrees.

RUSH: Well, we've just flown through the corona, which is even hotter, to say nothing of magnetic fields, gravitational stresses. This is what Destiny intended from the moment it entered the star system.

YOUNG: You're telling me it flew into the sun on purpose?

RUSH: Yes.

YOUNG: Why?

RUSH: To replenish its reserves.

YOUNG: You're telling me the ship ...

RUSH (interrupting): ... the ship is powered by the stars themselves. Solar powered - quite literally. There is no other explanation.

(From an external perspective, Destiny comes out the other side of the sun and begins to move away from it. Lights have come on all over the ship and, as she clears the star, her engines power up. The ship jolts momentarily. Eli looks at his screen.)

WALLACE: The engines just came back on! We're pulling out of it!

(There's a beeping from one side of the room. Rush's head snaps around to look, and Young is a moment behind him. The countdown timer on the screen above the door has started up.)

YOUNG: The shuttle! We've gotta call them back.

WALLACE: Uh, we haven't accessed communications yet.

RUSH (typing on his console): I'm working on it.

YOUNG: Well, you know, if you don't figure it out before we go into F.T.L. ...

RUSH: Plenty of time.

YOUNG: We can't strand those people here.

RUSH (looking at him pointedly): Then this would be an excellent time for you to trust me to solve this problem.


SHUTTLE. The shuttle is approaching the planet.

SCOTT: OK, I'm gonna put us in a high orbit, spend a little time looking around for the best spot before we put down.

(Johansen looks across to him as he inputs the instructions into the console. The console pings and he covers his eyes with his hand.)

JOHANSEN (softly): They're gone. You know, I can't help but think maybe they're the lucky ones.

SCOTT: Don't, T.J.

JOHANSEN: The planet is a rock.

SCOTT (firmly): I said stop it. (Louder) All right, here we go.

(He is just about to change the shuttle's trajectory when the last voice they ever thought they'd hear again comes over the comms.)

YOUNG: This is Young, come in.

(Bewildered, everyone looks around the ship. Scott looks up at the controls, unsure of which of the buttons will activate the comms. Brody points.)

BRODY: Right there.

(He jumps out of his seat and runs forward.)

BRODY: Right there!

(He reaches up and presses the correct button.)

SCOTT: Uh, this is-this is Scott. Sir, how the hell ...?!

YOUNG: We're just as surprised as you are, Lieutenant. I'll explain later. You need to get your ass back aboard this ship.

(The shuttle crew laugh and applaud in delight and relief. Scott sinks back in his seat in amazement. Johansen looks out of the window and points.)

JOHANSEN: Look, there it is!

(Destiny can be seen in the distance, still trailing debris from the star behind her.)

SCOTT: Will do! Scott out!

(He turns to the rest of the crew.)

SCOTT: Everybody hear that?!

(The crew yell and cheer.)

SCOTT: We have a visual of you, Destiny. Plotting an intercept course now.

(He types onto his console. The console beeps negatively at him. He looks at the screen in dread for a moment, then tries the input again. Again, the console beeps a “no” at him.)

SCOTT: Uh, Colonel, stand by.

(He turns around.)

SCOTT: Brody, come here.

BRODY (going over to his console): What is it?

SCOTT: I don't know yet. Am I reading this right?

(Brody looks at the screen, which is showing a representation of Destiny passing in front of the shuttle and then disappearing off.)

BRODY: Oh, you've gotta be kidding me. We are so close. (He looks out of the window.) You can almost touch it! It's right there!

WRAY: What's going on, Lieutenant?

(Scott tries the command again but still the console beeps.)

SCOTT: The Destiny is accelerating away from us. We can't match it.

(He raises his head so that his voice will carry to the comms.)

SCOTT: Colonel, we have a problem here.

YOUNG: What is it?

SCOTT: We can see you, but the shuttle's computer cannot come up with an intercept solution. Destiny is accelerating too fast. I'm trying to put something in manually here but there's no way to cross the “t”. Sir, we're gonna fall short.

RUSH: You're on full power, yes?

SCOTT: I put the throttle up right away. It's-it's just not gonna be enough.

WALLACE: You must have afterburners or something.

SCOTT: It's not an F-16, Eli, it's a spaceship.

YOUNG: Is there anything we can do from this end?

JOHANSEN: Is there any way to slow the Destiny down?

SCOTT: That would do it.

(Rush shakes his head at Young.)

YOUNG: Negative.

(The shuttle crew look around at each other, shocked.)

SCOTT: Uh, we're out of ideas here.

(Young looks round at Rush and Eli.)

YOUNG: Come on, guys.

(Rush passes his hand over his face, thinking hard.)

YOUNG: Come on.

(Rush drops his hand. He's solved it.)

RUSH: Lieutenant. I want you to turn and head directly towards the planet. We'll send you an exact course in a moment.

(Eli, understanding what Rush is intending, pulls a calculator out of his pocket and starts punching it rapidly.)

SCOTT: No, no-no-no-no. The planet is a rock. We're better taking our chances ...

RUSH: Do what I say, Lieutenant. We don't have much time.

(Confused and not understanding why Rush wants him to do this, Scott nevertheless turns the shuttle and aims it directly towards the planet. On Destiny, Eli is carrying out his calculations as fast as he can. Rush takes a moment to explain what's going on both to Young and to those in the shuttle.)

RUSH: In order to reach the star, Destiny used an aerobraking manoeuvre to slow down. I'm suggesting Lieutenant Scott perform a slingshot manoeuvre around the planet to do exactly the opposite.

YOUNG: A gravity boost to speed up.

RUSH: Should put Destiny directly in their path.

SCOTT: We're all aboard with that idea, Doctor. Just give me the course and speed. This planet's getting pretty big in the windows here.

RUSH: One moment.

(Both he and Eli are busily working on their consoles. A moment later Eli's console beeps.)

WALLACE: I got it.

RUSH: Whoa-whoa-whoa.

(He hurries over to Eli's console.)

RUSH: Eli, there's many variables here. Are you sure about this?

(Eli looks at him pointedly.)

WALLACE: Math Boy. Send it.

RUSH: OK, Math Boy. (He types on Eli's console, then heads back to his own.) Sending the new course now.

YOUNG: Is this gonna work?

RUSH: It's gonna be close.

(In the shuttle, Scott receives the information.)

SCOTT: Got it. (He looks round at the others.) All right, everybody, hang on again.

(Everyone grabs hold of whatever's nearby. Scott turns back to the console and activates the controls. Retros fire and the shuttle tilts and heads into the planet's gravity field. The shuttle vibrates violently. On Destiny, the men wait anxiously for news. The shuttle races around the planet and finally comes out the other side and heads out into space again. In Destiny's Control Room, Eli pulls up the holographic screen and it shows the shuttle's position in relation to the ship.)

WALLACE: That's them.

(He frowns.)

WALLACE: Why am I watching this on TV?

(He turns and hurries out of the room, heading for the Observation Deck. Young walks closer to the screen and he and Rush watch it anxiously.)

(On the shuttle, Scott looks uneasily across to Johansen.)

SCOTT: OK. We're only gonna get one shot at this. (He shakes his head nervously.) Wish it wasn't the first time I tried it.

(Eli hurries into the Observation Deck where Chloe is standing at the railing.)

WALLACE (pointing): There-there-there.

(The shuttle can be seen in the distance, heading towards the ship.)

YOUNG (in the Control Room): You've got us lined up. You're doing fine.

RUSH: No he isn't. We're coming up on them too fast.

(Scott turns the shuttle around so that it's facing in the same direction as Destiny as she races into position below them.)

RUSH: Lieutenant, our relative velocity is too great. Unless you can match our speed, you're gonna crash into the ship.

SCOTT: Uh, this is all we've got.

(Doctor Boone has gone to the back of the shuttle and is looking through the rear windows.)

BOONE: Uh, it's coming up pretty fast on us.

SCOTT: I know, I know, I know!

(Brody is standing at one of the side windows and calls out to Scott.)

BRODY: You have to come left!

RILEY (from another window): A little this way, Lieutenant.

SCOTT: Need some more speed.

YOUNG: Fire manoeuvring thrusters. That might just make the difference.

(Scott reaches up and flicks the appropriate switches. From an external perspective, the shuttle's speed in relation to Destiny begins to increase slightly.)

(In the Observation Deck, Eli and Chloe watch anxiously as the shuttle falls towards them, lowering down towards its runway.)

(In the shuttle, everyone is bounced around as the shuttle thumps onto the runway and then ricochets up a little.)

SCOTT (flicking switches): Main engines off.

(Destiny continues her onwards path. The shuttle slides backwards in relation to the ship, bouncing onto the runway and scraping along it. It thumps resoundingly into the airlock. In the Control Room, Young and Rush gaze anxiously at the screen, awaiting news.)

SCOTT (flicking switches and pressing buttons): Uh, thrusters off, docking clamps engaged. We're still in one piece!

YOUNG: Well done!

(He heads towards the door, reaching out to pat Rush on the back of the neck as he passes. Rush cringes away from the unexpected gesture.)

YOUNG: Well done! On our way down!

(In the Observation Deck, Chloe throws her arms around Eli's neck. Smiling, he wraps his arms around her, then she pulls away, smiles happily at him for a moment and then hurries out of the room to go and meet Scott. Eli turns and looks down at the shuttle in resignation.)


LATER. In the Mess, Becker and his team are mixing up liquid meals. Young is sitting with Eli, Chloe, Scott and T.J. and some others, and they're all laughing.

YOUNG: That's what you say, but I'm dead serious about it: that was like - that was the worst shuttle docking I have ever seen in my life!

SCOTT: What are you talking about?! I barely even dented it!

JOHANSEN: Just the grinding noises!

YOUNG: At the very least there's a giant scrape along the bottom. I'm gonna make you put on a spacesuit and go out there and fix it right now!

(Scott nods indignantly. Young looks at Greer.)

YOUNG: Sergeant, we're gonna need some of that high-high temperature spaceship paint for Scott here.

GREER: Yes, sir, I believe I've found some!

(Everyone laughs. Just then Rush comes in.)

YOUNG: Doctor Rush, have a seat. These two have even showered!

RUSH: No thanks.

(He goes over to Becker, who starts to prepare a ration for him.)

YOUNG: Ah, come on. We should celebrate.

RUSH: Celebrate what? That we're back where we started?

(Young sags onto the table in mock exasperation.)

SCOTT: Ah, come on, have a seat, Rush!

RUSH: Some other time.

YOUNG: All right. Well, Becker, give him a double ration. He deserves it.

RUSH: Why's that, then?

YOUNG: Well, I'm in a good mood.

RUSH: We're to be rewarded at your whim, then?

YOUNG: No, no, just stop.

(He stands up and hobbles over to Rush.)

YOUNG: What, you want - you want some reasons? I'll - I'll give you three. You were right about the power situation.

RUSH (taking a mouthful of liquid from his food tin): Not really.

YOUNG: You figured out the sub-space communications, how to call the shuttle.

RUSH: We needed to get those supplies back.

YOUNG: You took your name out of the lottery.

RUSH: So did you.

YOUNG: I was injured. You actually made a sacrifice.

(Up until now, Rush has been concentrating on eating his meal and although he has lifted his eyes a couple of times during the conversation, he hasn't really met Young's eyes. Now he reluctantly looks into his face. Young looks surprised at his expression.)

YOUNG: Unless you knew ...

(Rush continues to look at him.)

YOUNG: ... that Destiny was going to make it all along.

(Rush blinks and looks down, then looks across to the rest of the group at the table.)

RUSH: Cheers, everyone.

(He leaves the room. Young turns back to the group, still trying to work out if Rush did know anything in advance.)

GREER: Ah, let it go, sir.

WALLACE: He didn't know. I saw his face.

SCOTT: There's no way.

WALLACE: No!

YOUNG: What if he did?

(The group stops and thinks about it for a moment.)

JOHANSEN: He's right, sir. Let it go.

(Young shakes his head in a resigned way.)

YOUNG: Lotta work.