Transcript

Summary | Production | Transcript | Fan Reviews

The crew's new-found control over Destiny's flight path introduces new risks when they find themselves in the middle of a war between two races.

EPISODE #210
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 11.30.2010
SYNDICATION AIR DATE: 11.14.2011
WRITTEN BY: Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
DIRECTED BY: William Waring
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Transcript by Callie Sullivan

BRIDGE. Adam Brody, Dale Volker and Lisa Park are working on separate consoles at the front of the Bridge as Nicholas Rush walks in and stands at the balcony at the rear of the room. Somewhere an alarm is beeping quietly but insistently. Nicholas looks around.

RUSH: Where's Eli?

VOLKER: He hasn't shown yet.

(Leaning on the balcony with one arm, Nick raises his radio and activates it.)

RUSH: Eli, where are you?

(At her station, Lisa continues to work as the alarm continues to beep. It's coming from the read-out on her screen and she continues to try to correct the problem.)

RUSH (into radio): Eli, you're needed on the Bridge.

(When he still doesn't receive a reply, he tucks the radio into his jeans and walks into the room. He stops as he passes Lisa's console and sighs in irritation as he sees what she is doing. Walking to her side, he leans forward and presses three buttons. The alarm stops beeping. Sighing again, he turns and walks away.)

PARK: Thanks. I'm not sure what happened there. I think I must have ...

RUSH (talking over her in a bored tone): Yeah, yeah, very interesting.

(He sits down in the central command chair and leans forward to a console but before he can do anything all the lights go out and the consoles go dark. Nick sinks back into his chair in a "I'm surrounded by idiots!" way.)

VOLKER: Oops!

RUSH (irritably): Mr. Volker!

VOLKER (working on his console): Sorry. I was running a diagnostic on the ship's power distribution network and I think ...

RUSH (interrupting): Did you remember to bypass the critical systems?

(His face says that he already knows the answer.)

VOLKER: Uhh ... no.

(Nick stands up and steps down towards Dale's station but just then the lights come back on.)

VOLKER: There we go.

(Rolling his eyes, Nick spins around and go back to his own seat. Sitting down and getting comfortable, he takes his pencil out of his notebook and is just about to start writing when ...)

BRODY: This is interesting.

(Nick wipes his brow tiredly.)

BRODY: Looks like Destiny picked up some sort of remote energy signature.

RUSH (tetchily): Mr. Brody, please don't make me come over there.

(Equally tetchily, Adam spins around in his seat to face Nick.)

BRODY: Why don't you be my guest?

(He gets out of his seat and steps aside as Nick stomps over to his station and looks at the screen. The other two look across to them curiously.)

PARK: So?

(Nick doesn't respond, riveted by what he can see on the read-out.)


LATER. Shortly afterwards, Colonel Everett Young has been called to the Bridge.

YOUNG: What do you mean, "distant"? We're on a spaceship in the middle of nowhere. From where I'm sitting, everything is distant.

RUSH: This energy signature: it's come from an area outside of the course mapped out for us by the seed ships. Now, getting there would take a bit of a detour.

YOUNG: How much of a detour?

RUSH: About a day's journey in F.T.L.

YOUNG: Do we have any guesses what it could be?

PARK: Could be a potential new power source; signs of intelligent life ...

WALLACE: ... a big black monolith orbiting a planet.

(Young glances round to see Eli Wallace leaning nonchalantly against the door frame. Eli straightens up.)

WALLACE: Sorry. Overslept.

RUSH: There's no way of telling, which is precisely why we should investigate.

BRODY: Whoa, whoa. Whatever happened to "Destiny has a mission and we're all on board and moving forward"? This isn't forward; this is sideways.

RUSH: We haven't abandoned the mission, Mr. Brody; merely delaying it.

VOLKER: Uh, Lisa's right. This energy signature could be indicative of intelligent life.

RUSH: Best case scenario, in my opinion.

VOLKER: For real?!

(Nicholas nods. Dale looks around at the others.)

VOLKER: Do I have to remind everyone what happened the last time we encountered an alien life form ... or the time before that ... or the time before that?!

PARK: Yeah, but you can't judge a neighbourhood by a bunch of bad neighbours.

VOLKER: Are you kidding? That's exactly how you judge a neighbourhood!

RUSH: Look, it's possible that whatever's out there could be of great benefit to both ourselves and Destiny's mission.

(Young has almost fallen asleep while the scientists have been arguing, but now Nicholas looks around to him and gives him a "It's your decision" look. He rouses himself.)

YOUNG: OK. Check it out.

RUSH (to the others): Let's plot a new course.

(Dale unhappily shuffles around to look at his console, but then realises that he has no idea what to do next. Even more unhappily he shuffles back around to face Nick.)

VOLKER: How do you do that?

RUSH (sighing): OK, let's get Chloe up here. She can make the necessarily calculations.

(Grumpily, Dale shuffles back around to the console.)


ELI'S ROOM. Later, Destiny is in F.T.L. Nicholas goes to the closed doors of Eli's room and knocks. Inside, Eli is lying on his bunk with his earphones in, listening to music on his smartphone. Unaware of this, Nicholas knocks again, then hits the wall panel and the doors slide open. As he walks in, Eli scrambles up into a sitting position and pulls his earphones out.

RUSH: I tried radioing you.

WALLACE: Sorry, sorry. Had my music on.

RUSH: We're about to drop out of F.T.L.

WALLACE: Ah. OK. Thanks.

(Picking up his radio, he hurries out of the room. Nick watches him thoughtfully as he goes, then follows him out and pushes the button to close the doors behind him.)


OBSERVATION DECK. As Eli and Nick walk onto the deck and stroll towards the front railing, the ship shimmers briefly as she enters normal space. Young is already standing at the railing with Camille Wray, and they all stare at the sight that greets them. The space ahead of them is filled with countless bits of what was presumably once a fleet - or a couple of fleets - but now all the vessels (and pieces of vessels) are silent and motionless.

WALLACE: Is that ...?

YOUNG: Ships ... or what's left of them.

WALLACE (shocked): That is one hell of a battlefield.

WRAY: It was a battlefield. Now it's a graveyard.


LATER. CONTROL INTERFACE ROOM. The scientific team is in the old Control Interface Room where the holoscreen is showing the debris ahead of the ship. Young comes in.

YOUNG: So ...

PARK: Uh, it turns out the energy signature Destiny locked onto was the clustered radiation pockets of the various ships.

RUSH: It looks like at least one of them is familiar to us.

(He indicates the ship on the screen. Young looks at it more closely.)

BRODY: That's the same type of ship you and Doctor Rush explored a couple of weeks back.

YOUNG: Yeah, from the looks of things, they came out the losers in this fight.

VOLKER: I'm having Destiny's computer run a programme that'll plot back some of these dispersion patterns. Hopefully then we'll get a better idea what's going on here.

YOUNG: In the meantime?

RUSH: Well, in the meantime, Colonel, we've come a long way. Seems a shame to leave empty-handed. I suggest a bit of cautious exploration.

(He looks at Adam.)

RUSH: Mr. Brody. Maybe you'd do the honours this time.

(Adam smiles wryly, then heads out of the room.)


CHLOE'S QUARTERS. Lieutenant Matthew Scott has come to visit Chloe Armstrong and is telling her what they've found.

SCOTT: You know, it's like a space junk yard. Ships! Hundreds of them, scattered in pieces as far as the eye can see. It's ... ah, it's damned creepy!

(Sitting on the end of her bed, Chloe is staring at the floor, deliberately but painfully ignoring him.)

SCOTT: Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know what's going on.

(Still she gazes at the floor, holding her jacket closed across her chest.)

SCOTT: What's-what's the matter?

(Finally she looks up at him.)

ARMSTRONG: I already told you. Visiting me is a waste of time. I don't want you putting your life on hold just so you can come here and watch me disappear.

SCOTT: "Disappear"? Chloe ...

ARMSTRONG: It's spreading faster now.

(She opens her jacket to reveal new alien growth on the skin at the top of her left breast.)

ARMSTRONG: I've tried to fight it, control it, but it's stronger than me. Sooner or later I'm going to stop being me and become something else, something dangerous that won't be allowed to stay on the ship.

SCOTT: I won't let that happen.

(She looks up at him in anguish.)

ARMSTRONG: There's nothing you can do to stop it.

(Matt bites his lip.)

ARMSTRONG: The best we can do is make use of me while I'm still me.

SCOTT: Chloe, stop talking like this.

ARMSTRONG: Why, Matt? Why deny the inevitable?

SCOTT: Because it is not inevitable.

(He walks closer and squats down in front of her.)

ARMSTRONG: Of course it is, and deep down you know it. You've already started pulling away.

(Matt's eyes fill with tears and he bites anxiously on his thumbs.)

ARMSTRONG: When was the last time we spent the night together?

(He can't bring himself to look at her. She smiles tearfully.)

ARMSTRONG: You see?

(She pulls in a trembling breath.)

ARMSTRONG: You know it's true.

(Young's voice comes over Matt's radio.)

YOUNG: Lieutenant Scott?

(Chloe sighs as Matt stands up.)

YOUNG (over radio): Lieutenant Scott.

SCOTT (into radio): Sir.

YOUNG: I need you to suit up and meet us at the shuttle.

SCOTT: Right away.

(Deactivating the radio, he walks towards the doors. Just before he reaches them, he stops and turns back to face Chloe.)

SCOTT: This conversation isn't over.

(She keeps her face turned away from him. He looks at her ruefully for a moment, then turns and hits the wall panel. The doors slide open, he steps through and closes them on the other side. As the lock spins, Chloe pulls her legs up onto the bed, curls up around them and begins to sob.)


ELSEWHERE. Camille is leading a protesting Eli to her quarters.

WALLACE: They need me on the Bridge.

WRAY: Oh, Doctor Rush says he could spare you.

WALLACE: He did?

WRAY: Mm-hmm.

(Having opened the doors, she walks into the room. Eli follows her in. She pours liquid - water or alcohol, it's not clear which - into a couple of mugs.)

WALLACE: Uh, I'll save you the trouble. I'm not crazy - which is pretty darned impressive, all things considered. I went from living at home with my mom to being stranded on a spaceship billions of light years from Earth! And screw "The Last Starfighter", because all those hours playing Halo didn't prepare me for this!

WRAY: No-one was prepared for this.

(She hands him a mug. He takes it but immediately puts it down on a nearby table.)

WALLACE: Everyone else had some sort of training. But, hey, I've come a long way in my ten months. I fought space battles, survived deadly radiation, time travelled ... sort of. I'm still tryin' to figure that one out.

WRAY: I don't think you're crazy - at least, no crazier than the rest of us.

WALLACE: Really?

(She nods, smiling.)

WALLACE (smiling falsely at her): OK, then. Good chat.

(He heads for the doors.)

WRAY: This isn't a psych eval, Eli. This is just two friends talking.

(Scoffing doubtfully, Eli turns back towards her.)

WRAY: You have been a little distracted lately, and that has some of us worried.

WALLACE: You guys are worried because I'm a little distracted?!

WRAY (walking closer to him): We're worried because, given the recent events, you should be a hell of a lot more than just a little distracted.

(Sighing, she gets to the point.)

WRAY: The memorial video you put together for Sergeant Riley: it was very moving.

(Closing his eyes momentarily, Eli lowers his head, then turns away from her a little. When he speaks, his voice is tremulous and upset.)

WALLACE: You know, it's weird. Sometimes I'll forget that he's gone. I'll actually walk into the Gateroom and turn my head and-and for a split second ... (he laughs painfully) ... I'll wonder where ... where the hell he is.

(His smile fades.)

WALLACE: And then I remember.

WRAY: He was a very important part of your life here.

WALLACE: When your whole world collapses down to less than a hundred people in a confined space, it all becomes important to you, Camille. Riley was part of the ship, and losing him - it wasn't just ... it wasn't just sad, it was wrong.

WRAY: What about losing Ginn?

(Eli's face closes down. As his eyes fill with tears, he shakes his head at her to indicate that she has stepped over the line, then turns and walks away.)


CORRIDOR. Dressed in environmental suits and carrying their helmets, Adam and Matt are walking along with Ronald Greer, who is now sling-free and is also wearing a suit. They walk into the shuttle.

GREER: So when did you finish fixing the third suit?

BRODY: Yesterday.

(Greer hesitates momentarily.)

BRODY: It's perfectly safe.

GREER: All right, wait. Well then how come I'm wearin' it and you're not?

BRODY: Easier to fix if something goes wrong.

(Greer stops and looks at him.)

BRODY: ... which it won't.

(He turns and walks away.)

BRODY: ... in all likelihood.

(Throwing a less than confident look at the back of Adam's head, Greer walks forward and sits down in his usual position to the right of Scott, who is in the pilot's seat.)

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

YOUNG (from the Bridge): All right, take her out, have a look around.

(Scott flips switches and the bulkhead door drops down and the shuttle doors slide closed.)

SCOTT: Headin' out.

YOUNG: Lieutenant, be careful out there.

(The shuttle flies out towards the debris field. Adam, sitting to the left of Matt, gazes at the sight in awe.)

BRODY: This is amazing.

SCOTT (shaking his head doubtfully): I don't know.

(Greer chuckles.)

SCOTT: You're gonna tell me you're not in the least bit weirded out flying through this?

GREER: Naah. Anything that could hurt us is long dead and gone, brother.

(Matt and Adam exchange a nervous "From your mouth to God's ears, son" look as the shuttle heads onwards. As it passes a small drone floating silently in space, the drone's running lights come on and its engine fires up.)


BRIDGE. Nicholas is standing in between Dale and Lisa as they work at their consoles.

RUSH: How goes it, Lieutenant?

(The shuttle is approaching a large vessel.)

SCOTT: Fine. Coming up on a target of opportunity here.

RUSH (looking across at Dale's console): Yeah, we see it.

SCOTT: Looks more or less intact.

VOLKER: Picking up faint E.M. readings.

SCOTT: We've got an access point on the ship's left side. Should we check it out?

(He waits for a second but gets no response.)

SCOTT: Sir?

(Nick looks round at Young who is sitting in the command chair thinking through the options.)

YOUNG: You're good to go, Lieutenant.

SCOTT: Yes, sir. (To his team) All right, let's do this.

(Eli runs onto the Bridge.)

WALLACE: Sorry I'm late.

VOLKER: No, you're just in time.

SCOTT: Engaging reverse thrusters.

(He types on the armpad of his chair and the shuttle turns and presents its back end to the side of the alien ship. Several thrusters fire momentarily and in sequence to get the shuttle as close as possible to a small hole that has been blasted in the ship.)

SCOTT: All right, this is as close as we're gonna get.

(He shuts the engines down. Greer turns to his colleagues.)

GREER: Hats on, gentlemen.

(They stand up and collect their helmets from one of the rear benches. Once they are fully suited up, Greer begins to attach one end of a cable to one of the columns, and Scott opens the rear doors to reveal the jagged hole in the side of the other ship. Adam shines a flashlight across the gap and Greer, holding the other end of the cable, walks to the rear of the shuttle.)

GREER: Let's go explore.

(He stops at the doors and looks across the gap. It's about twenty feet to the other ship.)

GREER: I'll see you on the other side!

(Pushing himself off, he floats across to the hole and drifts inside, managing to get one foot down onto the floor and the mag lock engaged. However, his forward impetus keeps his upper body going and although he holds out his hands to brace against the opposite wall, his head still thumps solidly into the surface. He stays in that position for a moment, getting his breath - and dignity - back, and then straightens up and reports.)

GREER: I'm on board.

(Cocking his rifle and checking around, he then ties off the cable around a couple of uprights, pulling it taut across the gap between the two vessels. In the shuttle, Adam clips a tether onto the cable and waits until Greer turns to face him.)

GREER: I'm ready for you.

(Keeping one hand on the cable, Adam heads towards the rear of the shuttle and looks across the gap nervously.)

BRODY: Oh, boy.

GREER (beckoning): Come on. I've got you.

(Adam braces himself and pushes off. Scott reports back to Destiny.)

SCOTT: Mr. Brody's en route.

(A few seconds later Adam drifts gently into the ship and steps down onto the floor, sighing with relief. Greer retrieves a case of equipment which Adam has towed behind him.)

GREER: We're both on board.

RUSH (from Destiny): Have a look around. See if there's anything you can salvage.

(Greer looks towards the nearest closed bulkhead. Adam waves a hand in front of the other man's visor to get his attention.)

BRODY: Hey.

(He points in the opposite direction.)

BRODY: This way.

SCOTT: Hey, now, watch your asses over there, OK?

BRODY (to Greer): Just do me a favour: don't touch anything. If you see something you wanna investigate, just let me look at it first.

(They reach another closed bulkhead. Greer immediately thumps the wall button beside the doors.)

BRODY: Wow. What did I just say?

GREER (pointing to the bulkhead): The door panel's dead.

BRODY: Hold on.

(He kneels down and opens the case he is carrying. Taking out a crowbar, he stands up and hands it to Greer.)

BRODY: Here.

(Greer inserts one end into the gap between the doors and starts to lean on the crowbar. Adam instantly goes into back-seat-driver mode.)

BRODY: Easy. Just use that shoulder. You might wanna move out so you can get a little more leverage.

(Greer stops and turns to look at him. Adam gazes back at him innocently.)

GREER: Do you wanna help?

BRODY: You're OK.

GREER: All right, just shut up and let me work, OK?

BRODY: OK.

(Greer turns back to the doors and throws his weight behind the crowbar, grunting with the effort. After a couple of seconds he gets the angle right and manages to haul the right-hand door open a couple of inches.)

GREER: Go-go-go-go-go-go!

(As he holds the door back, Adam slides his fingers into the gap and starts to pull on the left-hand door. Eventually they get their hands into the gap and then the doors slide open easily. Adam shines his flashlight down the corridor while Greer lifts his rifle and aims it along the light before they head onwards.)


DESTINY. Varro is standing at the window of his quarters gazing outside. The doors open and Tamara Johansen comes in carrying a tray.

JOHANSEN: Hi. I, uh, brought you some lunch.

(She hits the wall panel as she passes and the doors slide closed behind her. She puts the tray down on a table.)

VARRO: Great. Sittin' around this room all day really works up an appetite!

JOHANSEN: Well, you can hardly blame the colonel for confining you to quarters after what happened with Simeon.

VARRO: I understand, but you have to realise that Simeon was unstable.

JOHANSEN: And you knew but you didn't tell us.

VARRO: Well, I thought I could control him.

JOHANSEN: But you couldn't.

(She sits down on the back of a sofa.)

VARRO: I know.

(He looks away, a little embarrassed, and she lowers her head momentarily.)

VARRO: I haven't seen you in a while.

JOHANSEN (looking back at him): I wanted to come by. I've just been busy.

(He walks closer and sits down near her.)

VARRO: Your people - the ones who came back from the planet ...

(She looks away awkwardly for a moment.)

VARRO: ... they didn't have your child?

JOHANSEN: No. I was wrong about that. I was misled.

VARRO: Possibly.

JOHANSEN: There's no other explanation for it. This ship has demonstrated the ability to mess with people's minds. In my case I guess it was trying to protect me.

(She gazes at the floor unhappily. Varro reaches across and puts his hand over hers. T.J. looks awkward.)

JOHANSEN: I should get back to the Infirmary.

(He releases her hand and slowly - and rather unwillingly - she stands up as he continues to look up at her. A moment later something small whizzes rapidly past the window. T.J. frowns and walks towards the window.)

VARRO: What is it?

JOHANSEN: I'm not sure.


BRIDGE. On the Bridge, Young calls for an update.

YOUNG: Talk to me. What's your situation, Sergeant?

GREER: Dark ... and real quiet.

(Almost on cue, part of the ship creaks ominously. Greer turns back to look at Adam.)

GREER (in a dramatic whisper): Too quiet.

(Adam gazes back at him wide-eyed. Eventually Greer turns and leads onwards. Raising his eyes momentarily to the ceiling, Adam follows him.)

(On Destiny's Bridge, Tamara's voice comes over the radio.)

JOHANSEN: Colonel, this is T.J.

YOUNG (into radio): Go ahead.

JOHANSEN: I've just seen some movement in the debris field.

YOUNG: What kind of movement?

JOHANSEN: Uh, to be honest, I'm not sure. It happened so fast. I just thought I should report it.

YOUNG: All right. Thanks for that.

(Nicholas and Lisa move to positions where they can see better out of the window. A few seconds later there's a loud single tone from above their heads. Everyone looks around anxiously.)

YOUNG: What the hell was that?

WALLACE: It's Destiny letting us know it finished assembling the simulation.

(He heads towards a console at the side of the Bridge, then turns back to the others.)

WALLACE: Either that, or pie is done.

(He hurries over to the console, sits down and types, then looks round at the others again.)

WALLACE: No, simulation.

(All the others come over to stand behind him. He waits until they have all arrived and looks round at them one more time.)

WALLACE: Ready?

(Young nods and Eli starts the programme running. Basically what it does is take the pieces of debris from their current positions and runs them backwards in time. Slowly they reform into five identical large spaceships and seven smaller pieces.)

YOUNG: What are those left-over pieces?

WALLACE (glancing round at him): No idea.

(He looks back to the programme, then suddenly his eyes widen.)

WALLACE: Oh no. W-we gotta get out of here.

YOUNG: Why?

WALLACE: Two sides battle.

(He reverses the simulation back to the beginning of the programme and illuminates the broken pieces of the five larger ships in red.)

WALLACE: These guys - they're destroyed.

(He then highlights the seven smaller pieces.)

WALLACE: But these guys - they just go dark. They're not disabled or damaged - they're dormant.

(Young immediately turns, walks over to the command chair and flips the comms switch. The others hurry back to their stations.)

YOUNG: Lieutenant, I need you to fall back to the Destiny.

SCOTT: Sergeant Greer and Brody just boarded the wreck, sir.

YOUNG: I need you to get them out of there immediately. You may be in danger.

SCOTT: Yes, sir. Greer, did you get that?

GREER: We're on our way.

(He and Adam turn and begin to hurry back the way they just came. As Scott sits down and begins to prepare the shuttle to head back, something small whizzes rapidly past the window. Frowning, he stands up again and peers after it.)

SCOTT: What in the hell ...?

(On the Bridge, Eli turns and frowns at Young.)

YOUNG: Come again, Lieutenant?

SCOTT: I think ... uh, I think I just saw something.

YOUNG: What is it?

SCOTT: I'm not sure.

(On Destiny's Observation Deck, several crew members are looking out at the debris field. Suddenly something small whizzes rapidly past the window and heads towards the rear of the ship. Camille snatches out her radio.)

WRAY: Colonel, this is Camille. We're not alone out here.

(Out in the debris field, all of the smaller vessels begin to wake. Shortly afterwards, Scott watches as the drones - way more than just seven of them - whizz past. The simulation apparently only showed part of the fleets.)

SCOTT: Sir, you have potential hostiles en route.

(The drones race through the debris field, ducking around the broken pieces of the larger ships, and head towards our girl.)

YOUNG: Shields to full. Ready weapons. Fire only on my command.

(Recognising that it's going into battle, the Bridge begins to lower down so that it will be protected inside the ship.)

YOUNG: Eli, I want you to broadcast a message.

WALLACE: In Ancient?

YOUNG: Ancient, English, Bat Signal, whatever else you've got. Tell them we are not a threat.

(Eli races towards the appropriate console. On the shuttle, Scott runs towards the rear of the ship.)

SCOTT: Greer! I need you guys back here now!

(Greer and Adam are hurrying as fast as they can in their heavy spacesuits, but it's really no more than a fast trot.)

(On Destiny, an alarm begins to sound all over the ship. Crew members look up nervously and stand, gathering their equipment. In her quarters, Chloe stands calmly and looks out of her window as the alarm continues insistently. In Varro's quarters, T.J. turns and heads for the doors.)

JOHANSEN: I've gotta go.

VARRO (following her): Tamara. Let me help.

(She looks back apologetically as she goes through the doors and then closes them again between them.)

(The Bridge has now sunk into the ship and so the windows are useless. Dale reports what he's seeing on his screen.)

VOLKER: They're closing.

(He and the others look around as there's a soft humming and many more screens lower down out of the ceiling, all of them lighting up to show new information. Eli grins round excitedly.)

WALLACE: Hey, we have more monitors!

(The others immediately get back to their own screens. Eli's smile fades and he turns back to his station.)

(At the wreck, Greer and Brody finally make it back to the hole in the wall. Adam hooks himself onto the cable. Scott, standing at the rear of the shuttle, calls out to him.)

SCOTT: Come on, come on!

GREER: Go!

(Adam steps onto the ledge and pushes himself off before floating across to the shuttle. Scott catches him and stops his forward momentum as he drifts inside.)

BRODY: Start her up!

(Scott turns and races to the front as Adam turns to await Greer's arrival. Matt throws himself into his seat, fastens his lap belt and starts flipping switches.)

(On the Bridge, Lisa reports.)

PARK: Shields are up.

YOUNG: Any response from our message?

WALLACE: None.

(The drones reach Destiny and immediately begin firing at her as they swoop around her. In his room, Varro hurries between the two windows watching anxiously as the first impacts begin to explode off the shields. Crew members race through the corridors towards their designated safe zones.)

YOUNG: Return fire.

(Lisa types on her console and Destiny's weapons begin firing, taking out one, possibly two, drones in quick succession. On the Bridge another alarm beeps.)

RUSH: We have a breach in one of the unoccupied sections. I'm sealing it now.

(On the shuttle, Greer and Adam stumble forwards and take their seats.)

SCOTT: Good to go?

GREER: We're good, we're good!

SCOTT: All right.

(He activates his controls.)

SCOTT: OK, here we go!

(On the Bridge)

PARK: Shields are weakening.

(On cue, sparks start flying from various consoles.)

RUSH: Can't spare power from weapons.

PARK: We have multiple overloads.

RUSH: Re-route, re-route!

(More sparks fly. Nicholas looks at his console in concern.)

RUSH: We have to jump!

YOUNG: The shuttle's not back yet.

RUSH: We cannot afford to wait. Mr. Volker ...

YOUNG: We are not going anywhere!

(In the corridors, crew members are running for cover. They cry out and scream as the military staff usher them along while sparks fly everywhere.)

SOLDIER: Go, go, go! This way! Keep going! This way! Go!

(On the shuttle, Scott has swung around behind Destiny to give himself a clear run onto the landing pad. He sees a route through the drones.)

SCOTT: Keep your eyes open!

(Swerving repeatedly to avoid the drones' blasts, he sends the shuttle towards Destiny.)

SCOTT: Two o'clock, right there. D'you see 'em?

GREER: I see 'em, I see 'em!

(He fires the shuttle's weapons towards a drone on their right-hand side. The second shot hits the drone dead on and destroys it. As debris impacts Destiny's surface, the shuttle drops down into its parking bay and the clamps deploy just as a drone blast hits the shuttle full in the side. The shuttle is either made of very strong stuff or has its own shields as it appears to be unaffected by this. Scott reports over comms.)

SCOTT: All right, we are on board.

YOUNG: All right, get us out of here.

(Dale works his console but gets a negative beep in response.)

VOLKER: It's not working.

RUSH: F.T.L. engines are offline.

VOLKER: They must have taken a hit.

YOUNG: How long 'til we get them back?

(Lisa reports as her console beeps an alarm.)

PARK: Shields are weakening and we've got some weapons down.

RUSH: Several areas of the ship have gone dark.

PARK: It's just a matter of time before the shields fail.

VOLKER: All we have are sub-light engines. We'll never outrun them.

YOUNG: We're gonna have to try.

(As sparks continue to fly, there's a disturbance in space nearby and a ship appears out of a vortex. It's very familiar to us and bears a startling resemblance to Destiny.)

VOLKER: A ship just dropped out of F.T.L.

(Unable to see the new arrival, the crew waits anxiously for more information. Finally Dale has enough data to make an identification.)

VOLKER: It's a seed ship!

(A new voice comes over the comms.)

TELFORD: Destiny, this is Telford.

YOUNG (shocked): David, how the hell ...?

TELFORD: No time for that now. I need you to follow us.

YOUNG: Where the hell're we goin'?

VOLKER: It's on the move.

YOUNG: Where are they going?

VOLKER: Directly towards the star.

YOUNG: Let's follow them. Divert all remaining power to the shields.

(Nicholas and Lisa type on their consoles. All around the ship the lights go out as the power shifts to the shields.)

VOLKER: Here we go.

(He types and Destiny chases off after the seed ship which is heading straight into the sun. Scores of drones pelt after them. As Destiny and her new friend plunge deep into the corona, the heat becomes too much for the drones and they explode.)

(In his quarters, Varro ducks back from the window as the intense light burns into the room. Destiny thunders deeper into the star. In her own quarters, Chloe faces the window, gazing unblinking into the severe sunlight. On the underside of the wings, the power cells lower and begin to harvest energy.)

RUSH: We're coming through the other side.

(The two ships fly clear of the sun and chase off into space.)

VOLKER: That bought us some time but we'll only have as long as it takes 'em to get around the star.

TELFORD (over comms): Hey, you're welcome!

(Everyone turns towards the voice, having momentarily forgotten who led them into the sun in the first place.)

TELFORD: Let's dock. I've got a helluva story to tell you and not much time to tell it.


[And breathe ...]


LATER. The two ships have docked [and look worryingly as if they're motionless in space instead of caning it in the general direction of away]. Scott, Greer and Brody have collected David Telford en route and are escorting him onto the Bridge. He looks around the room in admiration as Young greets them.

YOUNG: Gentlemen.

TELFORD: Well, this is pretty damn impressive!

(Young walks over to him and they hug.)

YOUNG: Not as impressive as flying a seed ship to our rescue!

TELFORD: Yeah, well, I had plenty of help with that one. The aliens we encountered while exploring it: turns out they weren't hostile after all - just desperate.

(Flashback to Telford in the Control Room of the seed ship as the aliens come in from all directions and surround him.)

TELFORD: After Destiny disconnected and made the jump to F.T.L., I figured I was a goner. I was surrounded; they had me at their mercy.

WALLACE: But they ended up being friendly.

TELFORD: Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call them "friendly", but they weren't exactly interested in harming me either. They were ... curious. I tried communicating with them, but that was next to impossible - I mean verbally, anyway. So we found a short cut.

(Flashback to Telford walking into the room where the round red pods had been found.)

TELFORD: Their stasis pods are outfitted with neural stimulators designed to keep their occupants' brains active during extended hibernations, so when they hooked me up ... well, it's hard to describe the experience. Uh, it was like watching an entire film library in less than a day. I saw images, thousands of them. Most were a blur, totally incomprehensible, but others were clearer and, over time, the pieces drifted together and I was able to form a basic understanding of the aliens and their history.

(Flashback to Telford working on a console in the Control Room while one of the aliens walks towards him.)

TELFORD: They call themselves the Ursini, and after a while they began to trust me.

(Telford turns to the alien as it stops beside him, and they nod to each other.)

TELFORD: Eventually, working together, we were able to bring the seed ship online. Been trying to chase you down ever since.

YOUNG: But you've been gone for almost a month. What, uh, what'd you do for food and water?

TELFORD: Well, the pods provide basic nutrients to their occupants. Never thought I'd say this, but I missed the food here on Destiny!

WALLACE: So, wait a minute.

(He frowns at Telford cynically.)

WALLACE: These aliens helped you out of the goodness of their hearts?

TELFORD: Well, there's a little more to it than that.

(He looks round to Young.)

TELFORD: They need our help.


LATER. Eli has taken some time off to go and tell Chloe what has been going on.

WALLACE: The ships that came after us are automated attack drones. Apparently, years ago, Telford's aliens, the ... (he pauses for a moment as he tries to remember their name) ... the Ursini made the same mistake that we did and woke them up and they've been fightin' them ever since. When they discovered the seed ship, they boarded it for ... for "long term reconnaissance", hoping it would give them an edge in their war against the drones. Their stay on board was supposed to be temporary but no-one ever went back for them. They were in stasis for who knows how long before we came around.

(Up until now, Chloe has been sitting on the end of her bed and staring blankly ahead of her but now she lifts her head and looks at him.)

WALLACE: They drained the power away from Destiny because they were desperate, just ... just lookin' for a way home. And now, even though they finally have a way back, they're-they're afraid to make contact until they're sure that the drone threat is over, which ... is where we come in.

ARMSTRONG: We can't trust them.

(Eli raises his eyebrows at her, then laughs.)

WALLACE: Our F.T.L. drives are offline. We really don't have much of a choice.

ARMSTRONG: So what are we going to do, then?

WALLACE: That's ... that's still being discussed.


YOUNG'S QUARTERS. Everett is in there with Nicholas and Camille.

WRAY: You know, it's only a matter of time before the drones circumvent that star and find us, and with the F.T.L. engines still offline, we're sitting ducks.

YOUNG: Maybe not. Maybe there's a way out of this. We help the Ursini defeat the drones.

WRAY: We barely survived our first encounter with those things.

YOUNG: That's just because we were going about it the wrong way.

RUSH: Look, according to Telford, the drones are controlled by a command ship. Now, we take out that command ship, we cripple the drones.

WRAY: Simple as that(!)

YOUNG: Well, I doubt it'll be simple. I'm hoping for a step up from impossible.

WRAY: Do we know where this command ship is located?

YOUNG: They do. It's out of sub-light range. We would have to make the jump.

WRAY: And have you explained that our jumping capabilities have been compromised?

YOUNG: Telford has made them aware of the situation. They've offered to give us a lift.

WRAY: I don't understand.

(She looks at Nick.)

RUSH: They engage their F.T.L. drives while they're docked and we jump with them.

WRAY: That's possible?

RUSH: Theoretically, yes.

WRAY: Hmm, theoretically!

RUSH: There's always a risk when you attempt a jump so soon after a drop-out, but assuming it works ...

WRAY: Hmm!

RUSH: ... first they take us some place safe, then we play for time; delay them long enough that we can get our own F.T.L. engines back online.

WRAY: Double-cross them, you mean.

RUSH: Yeah.

WRAY: No. We can't do that. If they have offered to help us ...

RUSH (talking over her): It's a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of their generosity, yes.

WRAY (exasperated): Oh!

YOUNG: That's not a good idea.

RUSH: Well, why not? I mean, at that point they're in no position to harm us.

(Camille throws him a "You hope!" look.)

YOUNG: No, but in case you've forgotten, they still hold the key to us dialling Earth.

(Nicholas blinks several times. Once again his wish to remain on Destiny is looking in jeopardy.)


LATER. BRIDGE. Nicholas walks onto the Bridge and sees that Dale and Eli are the only people present.

RUSH: Where are Park and Brody?

VOLKER: Effecting repairs on some of the damaged systems.

(Nick looks across to Eli, who is sitting with his head propped on his hand and appears to be lost in thought. He walks closer to him.)

RUSH: And what are you doing?

(Eli lifts his head distractedly. His voice is a little tremulous as he speaks.)

WALLACE: Monitoring the ship's power loads.

RUSH: Yeah? Well, it might interest you to know that you're bleeding energy from one of the weapons platforms.

(Eli looks at his screen properly.)

WALLACE: Shhhhhhhoot.

(He works at his console for a few seconds. Nick, instantly aware that he's doing the wrong thing, leans forward.)

RUSH: Here.

(He types on a different part of the console. Eli rolls his eyes, angry at himself, and sinks back in his seat as the console trills in acknowledgement of the correct commands. Eli folds his arms in irritation as Nick turns away, paces for a moment, then turns to Dale.)

RUSH: Go and help Park and Brody.

VOLKER: Well, I'm in the middle of the, uh ...

(He looks around at Nick, who jerks his head towards the rear of the room.)

RUSH (softly): Go.

(Getting the hint, Dale looks across to Eli momentarily.)

VOLKER: Maybe I'll go help Park and Brody.

(He stands up and heads out of the room. Eli speaks even before he has left.)

WALLACE: I know. I screwed up.

RUSH: No. It's a minor oversight - one of many, as of late. But you haven't screwed up - not yet, anyway.

(He sits down in the command chair.)

RUSH: I'm sure, with your present attitude, it's only a matter of time.

WALLACE (tetchily and sarcastically): Yeah, you know, I get it. People are depending on the boy genius. I can't let them down.

RUSH: And yet, despite all that genius, you couldn't save the life of the woman you loved.

(Slowly Eli spins around in his chair, then stands and steps closer to Nicholas, his expression deadly.)

WALLACE: What?

RUSH: Someone bigger and stronger came along and took her away from you and there wasn't a thing you could do about it. I'm sure you were so blinded by rage, you even imagined getting revenge on the guy that killed her, beating the bully at his own game. Even if you had, it wouldn't have changed a damned thing. You'd still be getting up in the morning; she'd still be dead.

WALLACE (flatly): I'm out of here.

(He starts to leave the room. Nicholas speaks a little louder to make his voice carry.)

RUSH: You know, we grow up taught to believe that everyone's equal - that you're no better than anyone else.

(Eli stops at the railing and turns back around.)

RUSH: Of course, that's a lie. Some are better than others, and it's those who recognise what makes them better and learn to exploit that who succeed.

(He turns the chair around to face the younger man.)

RUSH: You've got so much potential, Eli.

(Eli rolls his eyes and turns away.)

RUSH: You're capable of success beyond your wildest dreams but the only way that you can achieve that ... well, you've gotta make sure you don't get beaten down.

(Eli shrugs, only half listening.)

RUSH: You can't give up - not now you're so close.

(Eli frowns and opens his mouth as if to ask, "Close to what?" but just then Young walks in.)

YOUNG: Am I interrupting something?

(Nick turns his head away.)

YOUNG: Telford communicated with the Ursini and is on his way back from the seed ship. Looks like we've got ourselves a deal.

(Nick frowns, not entirely happy about this news.)


LATER. The rest of the Bridge crew has returned and now Telford walks in.

YOUNG: All right, let's let them know we're ready.

(Telford sits down at a console and types.)

WALLACE: So, this should work ... in principle. It's really no different than when the shuttle jumps into F.T.L. with Destiny.

BRODY: Except that the shuttle is massively smaller than Destiny and designed to do that, while we're three times the size of the seed ship and just hoping for the best.

VOLKER: There's also the fact that we're attempting to jump in the three hour danger window.

WALLACE (a little nervously): ... But what's the worst that can happen? It doesn't work.

(Dale laughs humourlessly.)

VOLKER: Hell, no! It actually does work and at some point we detach and the ship's million year old structural integrity gives and we end up vapourised. That's the worst that can happen.

(Adam nods in agreement. Young smiles almost cheerfully.)

YOUNG: Are you guys done?

(Exchanging a glance, the boys turn back to their consoles.)

TELFORD: Less than a minute before we jump.

YOUNG: Here we go.

(He switches on the comms and his voice is transmitted all around the ship.)

YOUNG: We are about to attempt to couple-jump into F.T.L. In approximately four hours we will drop out into a safer area. Once there, we will have time to effect any necessary repairs before launching the attack on the command ship.

(He ends the transmission.)

TELFORD: Counting down from three ... two ... one.

(As various anxious expressions cross the faces of the Bridge crew, the seed ship engages its F.T.L. drive and moments later both ships successfully jump. A few seconds later Eli nervously opens one eye from his scrunched up expression.)

VOLKER: It's workin'. We're in F.T.L.

WALLACE: And still in one piece!

YOUNG: How're we doin'?

PARK (tremulously): Shields are strong and holding.

(She throws a relieved smile over her shoulder.)

BRODY: Structural integrity's sound.


CHLOE'S QUARTERS. Eli comes in to find her standing with her back to the door. She is looking out of the window at the F.T.L. vortex.

WALLACE (walking towards her): Did they tell you? We've made a deal. Once we've defeated the command ship, the aliens are gonna help us dial Earth!

(He reaches her side and realises that she is in one of her phased-out modes, staring unblinkingly ahead of herself.)

WALLACE: Chloe. Are you OK?

(Just then the ship is enveloped in the familiar shimmer. Eli looks alarmed. On the Bridge, Adam jumps out of his seat and hurries over to Dale's station.)

BRODY: We dropped out of F.T.L.

PARK: Already?!

(She too hurries over to Dale.)

BRODY: Maybe there's a problem.

YOUNG: Contact the seed ship.

(Dale's screen changes to show a large something ahead of them, indicated by a large red dot. Ahead of it and blocking the way are a dozen smaller dots.)

VOLKER: Oh, no!

PARK: What is that?

VOLKER: I'm guessin' that's the command ship.

(Adam turns to Young.)

BRODY: We've been tricked.

YOUNG: So much for our deal with the Ursini.

(Adam and Lisa hurry back to their stations as Adam's console beeps.)

BRODY: We just got a message from the seed ship.

YOUNG: What does it say?

(Adam spins around in his seat to look at the colonel.)

BRODY: "Target the command vessel."

(Underneath Destiny, the seed ship separates off and heads towards the fleet.)

YOUNG (under his breath): Damn them.

PARK (anxiously): Colonel?

YOUNG (leaning forward): Let's engage the enemy.

(Everyone starts typing busily. Outside, the drones head towards the seed ship, firing at it, but they apparently recognise Destiny as the greater threat and so head towards her instead. As the first volleys strike her shields, Eli stares out of the window in Chloe's room.)

WALLACE: I've gotta get back to the Bridge.

(He turns to leave but Chloe reaches out and seizes his arm, pulling him to a halt. She turns her head to look at him.)

ARMSTRONG: Let me help.

(He looks at her for a long moment, unsure whether he can trust her, but a few seconds later he opens the doors and the two of them walk out. The guard outside holds up his hand to stop them.)

GUARD: Whoa. Where are you taking her?

WALLACE: To the Bridge.

GUARD: I have to check with the colonel.

(He reaches for his radio. Instantly Chloe seizes him around the neck with one hand and savagely slams his head twice against the wall behind him. As he crumples to the floor, Eli backs away from her with his hands raised, terrified. She looks at him momentarily and then walks off down the corridor.)

(Around the ship the sparks are flying again as once more the crew members run for cover. On the Bridge, the crew calls out over the constant explosions.)

PARK: Shields are holding!

VOLKER: The drones have positioned themselves between Destiny and the command ship. We're not getting anywhere near it.

WALLACE (over radio): This is Eli.

(He is on his knees checking over the unconscious guard and holding his radio.)

WALLACE: Chloe ... escaped her quarters.

YOUNG (into radio): Where the hell'd she go?

WALLACE: I have no idea! But she might be dangerous.

YOUNG (lowering his radio): Brody, seal off that section.

(Adam types and bulkhead doors begin to close and lock.)

YOUNG (into radio): Lieutenant Scott.

(Matt, Greer and Vanessa James are trotting along the corridors.)

SCOTT (into radio): We'll find her, sir.

(The three of them continue onwards. James and Greer break off and check the side corridors.)

(On the Bridge, Telford has finally arrived.)

TELFORD: What the hell happened?

YOUNG: Change of plans. I guess your friends suspected a double-cross and decided to act first.

(As crew members continue to run for safety, elsewhere Chloe reaches one of the locked bulkheads. She pushes the wall panel but, when the doors don't open, she steps across to the panel and, with a single tug, yanks the panel's cover off and drops it to the floor. She reaches inside, tweaks a few components and the doors slide open. She continues onwards.)


INFIRMARY. The first casualties have arrived and T.J. is dressing someone's burned hand. More injured people are brought in.


CORRIDOR. In the corridors, Scott reaches the breached bulkhead. He shines the flashlight on his rifle down at the discarded panel cover, then looks at the panel itself. Shocked and bewildered, he looks around in all directions, then comes very close to shooting Eli as he pelts around the corner and skids to a halt, holding up his hands in surrender for a second time. Matt holds out his hand placatingly as he lowers his rifle and activates his radio.

SCOTT: This is Lieutenant Scott. Chloe has broken containment.

(He heads off again while Eli stares in amazement and fear at the wall panel for several long seconds before following his friend.)


BRIDGE. On the Bridge, Lisa's console beeps warningly.

PARK: Shields are starting to weaken!

YOUNG (looking round to Telford): Let's get a message to the seed ship. Tell them we need to make a strategic retreat. We'll regroup; take another run at this later.

(Telford sits down at his console. Eli races in.)

YOUNG: Glad you could make it. Where's Rush?

WALLACE: No clue!

YOUNG: How're we doin'?

VOLKER: There's just too many of them.


INFIRMARY. As T.J. continues to work on her latest patient, Varro is escorted in.

JOHANSEN: You said you wanted to help me. Here's your chance.

(He steps to the end of the bed where she is tying a makeshift splint onto a woman's legs. As Tamara ties a bandage just below the woman's knee, he picks up another one at her ankle.)

JOHANSEN: Put one under ... under like this.

(She smiles approvingly as he copies her actions.)


OUTSIDE THE SHIP. the drones swarm around Destiny, firing all the time. The shields can no longer hold back everything and blasts are starting to impact the surface.


CONTROL INTERFACE ROOM. Scott runs along the corridors and reaches the entrance to the Control Interface Room. Swinging around and aiming his rifle into the room, he sees Chloe with her back to him as she works busily on a console.)

SCOTT: Chloe? Chloe?

(He hurries towards her.)

SCOTT: Step away from that console!

(Reaching her, he seizes her wrist and spins her around. She gazes at him blankly.)

ARMSTRONG: It's too late.

SCOTT: What did you do?

(She blinks, coming to herself.)

SCOTT: Chloe, what did you do?

(She stares at him, then frowns, unable to remember.)

(On the Bridge, Nicholas has finally deigned to join the party.)

PARK: Shields are weakening and several weapons platforms are down!

TELFORD (frowning at his console): Dammit.

YOUNG: What do they say?

TELFORD: Nothing! They're not responding.

VOLKER: The drones are giving as good as they get. There's no way we're getting to that command ship.

BRODY: You might wanna consider falling back.

RUSH: There's nowhere to fall back to.

(Everyone turns and looks at Young as the number and rate of explosions on the Bridge increases. He gazes upwards helplessly as, outside the ship, the drones swoop incessantly around Destiny, pounding her with blast after blast.)