5.06 "Rite Of Passage" Transcript

5.06 "Rite Of Passage"

Episode Guide

• 5.06 "Rite Of Passage" Episode Guide

Précis

On the eve of her birthday, Cassandra is showing signs of "mind fire," a powerful electromagnetic field triggered at puberty. Now SG-1 must find a cure to stop the life-threatening changes before she destroys herself…and the command center!

Guide | Transcript

Transcript

INT—FRAISER'S HOUSE

[Fraiser is lighting the last of some candles on a birthday cake. A message on the cake reads "Happy Birthday Cassandra." Opened presents can be seen on a table in the rear of the shot. The camera pans up to reveal Carter standing next to Fraiser, both out of uniform. Balloons and decorations garland the room.]

FRAISER

(shouting)
Cassandra!
(to Carter)

I'm not imagining it, I mean she was here, was she not?

CARTER
Yeah! For almost the entire time she was opening her presents.

FRAISER

(shouting)

Cassie!

CASSANDRA

(with attitude)

What?

[Cassandra enters, brushing her hair.]

FRAISER
I thought you were wearing the top that Sam bought you.

CASSANDRA

(wearing a tight fitting, yellow tank top type shirt)

Oh! Well, that's like for school.

CARTER

Hey! (clears throat and gestures toward the cake)

Make a wish!

FRAISER
Yeah.

CASSANDRA
Dominic's waiting.

FRAISER
Fine! Invite him in. I'm sure he'd like to have a piece of birthday cake that Sam went to all the trouble to bake.

CARTER

(softly, under her breath to Fraiser)

Buy.

FRAISER
Bring!

CARTER

(cheerfully)

I'd love to meet him.

CASSANDRA

(to Fraiser)

You said I could go

FRAISER
Yeah, I did…after.

CASSANDRA
We're meeting a bunch of people.

FRAISER

(walking toward her)

You know, considering that you have not been feeling well, I think you're just lucky I'm letting you go out at all.

[Cassandra and Fraiser exchange stares.]

CASSANDRA

(pointedly)

Fine!

[She turns and leaves the room.]

CARTER
You know, I could just…

FRAISER

(putting up her hand)

Uuuhhh…she is going to have a piece of birthday cake, you stay right where you are.

[She picks up Cassandra's brush and throws it down; cheerfully.]

FRAISER
Coffee?

CARTER
Yes please.

EXT—FRAISER'S PORCH, NIGHT

[Dominic is waiting on the porch.]

CASSANDRA

(walking outside)

They're not letting me leave yet, so, I mean if you want to meet up with everybody then—

DOMINIC
Wait a second…here. Happy Birthday.

[He hands her a box. She looks at him, smiles and opens it. Inside is a pyramid shaped prism.]

CASSANDRA
It's just like the ones from class.

DOMINIC
Yeah, well, you…you said it was pretty, so…This one's for decoration, so…I thought you could put it in your room.

[Cassandra holds it up to the light overhead, and a rainbow of light shines on Dominic's face. He smiles, steps up to her, and they kiss. The porch light flickers as they are kissing. Brief shot of Fraiser and Carter inside with the flickering lights. Then the outside light explodes and falls down. Cassandra is seen falling back from Dominic.]

DOMINIC
Cassandra?

[Carter and Fraiser are shown inside drinking coffee.]

DOMINIC
Help!

[Carter and Fraiser run outside. Cassandra is seen lying unconscious on the floor. Fraiser bends down, feeling her forehead.]

CARTER

(to Dominic)

What happened?!

DOMINIC
Nothing! She just fell.

FRAISER

She's running a temperature.
(to Dominic)

What was she doing when she "just fell"?

DOMINIC
I…I kissed her.

CARTER
You kissed her?

DOMINIC

It's her birthday, all right?
(panicked)

Look, I'm telling you! The light just exploded, and she just…passed out! That's what happened!

FRAISER
I want to get her to the infirmary.

CARTER
I'll get the car keys.

[She goes inside.]

FRAISER
Cass? Baby? Cassie? Cassie?

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

EXT—CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN

INT—SGC INFIRMARY

[Cassandra remains unconscious on the bed. Carter is sitting with her.]

O'NEILL
How's she doing?

CARTER

(faces him)

Her fever still hasn't come down.

FRAISER

(walking in)

Sam? I need to get a sample of your blood. Cassandra's bloodwork shows the presence of a retrovirus.

O'NEILL
Didn't she just get over the flu?

FRAISER
Well, whatever this is it isn't the flu.

CARTER
You think there's a causal relationship between the retrovirus and the EM field?

FRAISER
Possibly.

O'NEILL

(to Carter)

What?

CARTER
Cassandra's body is somehow generating a low level electromagnetic field that's periodically spiking. That could be why the light exploded on the porch.

FRAISER
And why I can't do an MRI to find out what other effects this retrovirus is having.

[Cassandra slowly wakes up. She is groggy.]

CASSANDRA
Mom?

FRAISER
I'm here.

CASSANDRA
I couldn't finish the harvest.

FRAISER

(glances back at Carter)

That's OK.

CASSANDRA
I have to go into the forest.

CARTER
It's OK, Cassie.

[Fraiser prepares an injection. The lights in the infirmary flicker, and Cassandra loses consciousness.]

INT—SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[Teal'c, Carter, O'Neill and Fraiser are seated at the table.]

HAMMOND
Do I need to put the base under quarantine?

FRAISER
I don't think it's contagious, Sir. Major Carter and I show no evidence of the retrovirus in our blood.

HAMMOND
Then where did Cassandra contract it?

FRAISER
I'm guessing her home planet.

TEAL'C
Cassandra has not been to that planet in several years.

FRAISER
Retroviruses can exist in the body for years undetected before the symptoms first appear. When it does emerge, it starts to rewrite the individual's DNA in order to replicate. I've compared this one with every retrovirus on record, and it doesn't match any of them.

CARTER
So, there's obviously no vaccine.

FRAISER

(shakes head)

I've been giving her antiviral medications, but the most recent tests show it's spread to her cerebral spinal fluid. At this moment, I'm more concerned about brain damage.

DANIEL

(walking in)

I just finished going through SG-7's, er, reports from P8X-987…

O'NEILL
Morning.

DANIEL

(looking up)

Morning! In the three months on Cassandra's planet, SG-7 witnessed 2 instances of high fever and hallucination in teenagers Cassandra's age. The villagers called it the mind fire, I found some digital video footage…

[Daniel turns on a nearby monitor.]

[SG-7 can be seen rushing to a young girl, around Cassandra's age, who is seizing in the grass. Villagers off camera can be heard asking what is wrong. The girl is in obvious pain. After a few seconds, Daniel turns it off. The group at the table is obviously shaken by the images.]

DANIEL
There's more but you, er, get the idea.

CARTER
How did they treat it?

DANIEL
SG-7 offered medicine, but the village elders believed that these children were touched by the gods, and that interfering would tempt retribution.

O'NEILL
What happened to them?

DANIEL
They were sent alone in the forest near the village.

[Fraiser looks at Carter when she hears "forest".]

DANIEL
And after several days they came back…cured.

HAMMOND
How?

DANIEL
SG-7 tried to find out, but the elders insisted the child had to make the journey alone as some sort of religious rite.

FRAISER
Cassandra talked about going into the forest.

O'NEILL
She was delirious.

CARTER
Well, it's worth checking out, Sir.

TEAL'C
When we were last on P8X-987, the atmosphere had been contaminated by the Goa'uld Nirrti.

CARTER
Well, that…that was four years ago. The toxin could be non persistent. We can send a MALP to be sure.

O'NEILL
Sir?

HAMMOND
It's worth a try.

[The team exchange worried glances.]

EXT—WORMHOLE

EXT—ALIEN PLANET, SUNSET

[The team are seen walking away from the Gate.]

EXT—ALIEN FOREST

[The display from Daniel's video camera is seen. A tree on the screen has some strange glowing markings on it.]

DANIEL

(off screen)

Well, there's something.

[Daniel steps into view. The rest of the team follow him toward the strange tree.]

O'NEILL
It's a handprint.

[A green handprint is shown on a tree.]

TEAL'C
A fire burned here.

CARTER
Maybe we should collect some samples of the local vegetation. I mean it's possible there might be a natural cure around here.

O'NEILL
Yeah! Let's collect some of that flora.

[Daniel puts his hand over the print and lightly presses. A fire appears in the spot that previously had just ashes.]

O'NEILL
Hello.

[O'Neill walks over to where Teal'c is standing next to the fire. A ring transporter is activated.]

INT—ALIEN LAB

[O'Neill and Teal'c begin to look around.]

O'NEILL

(into radio)

Carter? Daniel?

TEAL'C
I believe we are in a Goa'uld laboratory.

O'NEILL
Whose do you think?

TEAL'C
Nirrti.

O'NEILL

(nods)

Yeah.

[Another ring transport occurs. O'Neill brings up his weapon, but the transport is of Carter and Daniel.]

DANIEL
It's okay, it's just … it's us.

[O'Neill nods again and lowers his weapon.]

CARTER
So, where are we?

TEAL'C
I believe we are in the laboratory of Nirrti.

[Daniel looks around, and picks up a stone plate, similar to one of Ma'chello's inventions. It is a Goa'uld notebook.]

CARTER
You know, Sir. This is where the children ended up…

DANIEL

(looking at the notebook)

You're right about that.

O'NEILL
She didn't finish her sentence.

DANIEL
This place is what the initiation rite was all about. Hank'an children suffering from the mind fever wander into the forest, it gets dark, they are drawn to the handprint on the tree, then to the warm fire, and the rings sweep them to this lab.

CARTER
And then they come back cured.

O'NEILL
Nirrti cured them?

CARTER
Yeah, it makes sense.

O'NEILL
No, it doesn't.

TEAL'C
Indeed. It seems a plausible explanation.

O'NEILL
No! She killed everyone on this planet, except Cassie. Why would she cure a bunch of kids?

DANIEL
Well, if I'm reading this right, it was part of some sort of experiment she was conducting.

O'NEILL
Now, See? That sounds like a Goa'uld.

TEAL'C
The last we saw of Nirrti, she was a prisoner of the System Lords.

DANIEL
Which means she's in no position to help us even if she…would.

[He touches something making the centre of the table he is standing at rise. Inside is contained a numbers of clear crystal rods with different lines on them, resembling a DNA fingerprint.]

DANIEL
Oh, boy. I did that.

[Daniel picks up a crystal from the table before him. O'Neill looks at him with a raised eyebrow seeming to ask "what", Daniel shakes his head to say he is unsure. O'Neill looks at Carter, she does the same.]

O'NEILL
Let's take it with us.

EXT—CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN, NIGHT

INT—SGC INFIRMARY

[Fraiser walks into Infirmary, picks up Cassandra's notes, and goes to check on her. She pulls back the curtain to find that Cassandra has left.]

FRAISER
Cassie?

[She turns and sees Cassandra slowly walking in the hallway leading out of the infirmary.]

FRAISER
Cassandra? What are you doing?!

CASSANDRA

(weakly)

I have to go…

FRAISER
Honey, you're not well enough to go anywhere!

[Fraiser takes Cassandra's arm. Cassandra pulls it away.]

CASSANDRA
I have to go into the forest!

[Fraiser comes round to face Cassandra.]

FRAISER
I need you to get back in bed, OK?

CASSANDRA

(with venom)

You're not my mother!

FRAISER
Okaay, then what have I been to you these last few years?

CASSANDRA

(becoming agitated)

You don't understand!

FRAISER
OK, listen to me…if nothing else, I am your doctor, Cassandra, now let's go!

[She takes hold of her arms again.]

CASSANDRA

(pushing Fraiser off her)

So what?

FRAISER
I care about what happens to you! Honey, Don't you know what you mean to me?

CASSANDRA
Don't you get it? It doesn't matter!

FRAISER
It's the only thing that matters, please! Let me try and help you.

CASSANDRA
You can't! If you wanna help me, then leave me alone!

FRAISER
OK! Just hear me out. Let's get you back into bed, and then we'll talk. OK? SG-1'll be back soon…

CASSANDRA

(pushing Fraiser into the wall)

No! Leave me alone!

FRAISER
Cassie!

[Cassandra runs into the elevator doors, and is caught by two airmen. They start to take/drag her back to the infirmary.]

CASSANDRA

(said quickly, in one breath)

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Let me go, let me go, let me go!

FRAISER

(tearfully)

I can't do that!

[Cassandra shakes off the guards.]

CASSANDRA

(screaming)

You're killing me!

[She holds her head as all the lights in the corridor behind Fraiser explode. An emergency red light flashes, as Fraiser is seen turning toward Cassandra in the flickering light.]

INT—SGC GATE ROOM

[Carter walks down the ramp from an active wormhole.]

HAMMOND
Major?

CARTER
Colonel O'Neill wanted me to report back, Sir. Daniel and Teal'c wanted more time to search the lab.

HAMMOND
Let's hope they find something.

CARTER
Is she getting worse?

[They look at each other. There is a long pause.]

HAMMOND
You should see for yourself.

INT—SGC INFIRMARY/OBSERVATION DECK

[Cassandra is asleep on a bed. Fraiser is seen looking at her through the observation window. Carter stands next to Fraiser.]

FRAISER
We had to move her in here.

CARTER
She's still running a fever?

FRAISER
Seems to have peaked, but her bloodwork says otherwise. There's no antibodies. No indication that her body's fighting this thing, just more retrovirus.

CARTER
Does she know what's happening to her?

FRAISER
She seems driven to go back to the planet. I don't know if that is instinctual or a side effect of this retrovirus.

CARTER

(sigh)

What are we gonna tell her?

INT—SGC INFIRMARY/ISOLATION ROOM

[Cassandra is seen sleeping on the bed. A door opens behind her and Fraiser and Carter enter the room. Cassandra wakes at the sound of the door and turns to look at Fraiser.]

FRAISER
Hey, how are you feeling? Any better?

CASSANDRA

(coldly)

Why are you keeping me in here?

FRAISER
We have to. Your body is generating something called an EM field, see?

[She points to the monitors, which are blinking.]

FRAISER
You can see the effect it's having on the monitors here, so, this room is shielded from the rest of the base.

CASSANDRA
If you let me go back to the planet then that won't happen anymore.

FRAISER
That's not true.

CASSANDRA
You don't know that. You don't know anything. You're just keeping me here because you're afraid.

CARTER
We found the place where the initiation rite was supposed to happen.

CASSANDRA
Then let me go there.

FRAISER
We think the place in the forest that you've been feeling drawn to leads to a Goa'uld laboratory. One that belonged to Nirrti.

CASSANDRA
She killed everyone in my village.

CARTER
Yeah.

FRAISER
She also tried to use you to kill all of us.

CARTER
We think she was using your initiation ritual to conduct experiments on the children of your planet.

CASSANDRA
Why?

CARTER

(shakes head)

We don't know.

FRAISER
It's possible that the retrovirus you're carrying was part of her experiment.

CASSANDRA
Wh-What was the experiment?

FRAISER
All we know so far is that this retrovirus is changing the way your cells generate electrical fields. So, your body is generating heat, and your EEG is showing that your brain activity is increasing—

CASSANDRA
You…don't know why, do you?

[Fraiser and Carter exchange worried glances.]

CARTER
No.

CASSANDRA
And now she's gone.

CARTER
Yes, she is.

CASSANDRA
So, we won't be able to stop it.

FRAISER
We didn't say that.

INT—ALIEN LAB

[A door on a panel is opened to reveal some sort of alien device. O'Neill takes it out of the compartment. Teal'c stands next to him, holding out a case ready to receive the device.]

O'NEILL

(to Teal'c)

What's this for?

TEAL'C
What do you think it is for?

[O'Neill throws it in the case.]

DANIEL

(off screen)

Evolution.

O'NEILL
What?

DANIEL
Of the Ho…Hok …. Tar …Hok'Tar…Teal'c, what is the Hok'Tar?

TEAL'C
I have not heard that word in many years .

DANIEL
Well, it's in reference to the children that underwent the initiation rites, so it obviously had something to do with the children ri-

[He is interrupted by the sound of a ring transport, but no one appears.]

O'NEILL
Hello.

DANIEL
Oh, sorry, guys. I may have just done that.

O'NEILL
Do it again! It's time to go.

[The three are seen leaving via the rings. Through a blu-ish haze. We are seeing from Nirrti's POV.]

EXT—CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN, DAY

INT—SGC INFIRMARY/ISOLATION ROOM

[Cassandra is on the bed, staring at the wall. Carter enters, carrying a chess set. She puts it on a table, and wheels the table over to Cassandra. She sits next to the bed. Cassandra ignores her.]

CARTER
Hey, Kiddo. It's Saturday.

CASSANDRA

(quietly)

So?

CARTER

(setting up the chess game)

So, every other Saturday, at least while I'm on Earth, we play chess. And since I'm on Earth, and it's Saturday…

CASSANDRA
I know what's happening to me.

CARTER
Oh, OK…What?

CASSANDRA
I'm changing…into something…and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

CARTER
Hmm…you know how me and your mom feel when someone issues a challenge like that.

CASSANDRA
Doctor Fraiser isn't my real mother. She died! When Nirrti poisoned my village.

CARTER
I know that. Janet knows that, too…and please! Don't call her Doctor Fraiser.

CASSANDRA
Why?

CARTER
Because she loves you, and she deserves better. We all love you for that matter.

CASSANDRA
That doesn't…change…anything.

CARTER
You're wrong about that.

CASSANDRA
It's different. I'm…different now. I can do things…

[She holds out her hand, and the knight piece flies into her hand.]

CARTER

(amazed)

How did you do that?

CASSANDRA
I just…thought it. I thought I wanted a knight, and it…flew into my hand. Jack calls 'em horses.

CARTER

(Smiles and looks away)

Yeah, well, that's Colonel O'Neill for you.

CASSANDRA
He always pretends he's not as smart as he really is.

CARTER
You know, if you take a close look, they really are horses.

CASSANDRA

(looks straight at Carter)

What do you see when you look at me now?

CARTER
I see you…and until your head starts spinning around, and probably even then, I will still see…you.

[She strokes Cassandra's hair, then continues to set up the chess game.]

INT—SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[The shot of Carter setting up the chess game is shown on a monitor. The camera pans round to show Hammond, O'Neill and Carter at the briefing room table.]

HAMMOND
How could she do that?

O'NEILL
Magnets. Magnets. Every one of those pieces has got a little tiny magnet at the bottom to…hold it on the board like when you're driving so they don't rattle off…anyway…every one of those magnets has a little electrical field around it. That's how she was able to manipulate it. Magnets.

[Hammond is shown looking confused.]

O'NEILL
They do look like…horses.

[Daniel, Teal'c and Fraiser, on the other side of the table, also look confused.]

FRAISER

(to Hammond)

I have no idea how she was able to do it physiologically, Sir.

DANIEL
A-Actually, Teal'c filled me in on something that might explain that. Hok'Tar is actually a hybrid of two Goa'uld words…Hok, which means advanced, and Tar which I believe is a sort of slang…

O'NEILL
For…?

TEAL'C
Human.

DANIEL
So, essentially, it's an advanced human…Hok' Tau'ri. Anyway, Nirrti was studying the children of Hanka because she believed they were evolving into…Hok'Tar.

HAMMOND
So, you're saying Cassandra is becoming some form of advanced human?

FRAISER
And the retrovirus is the catalyst.

[Daniel nods.]

TEAL'C
Such an advanced human will represent a powerful host for the Goa'uld.

CARTER
Which explains why Nirrti was performing the experiments.

DANIEL
And it also explains why she exterminated the entire population when we came on the scene. She didn't want her…experiment exposed.

FRAISER
Prior to our arrival on P8X-987, and for as long as SG-7 was there, none of the villagers exhibited advanced intelligence or the ability to manipulate EM fields.

CARTER
So, Nirrti created the retrovirus in an attempt to engineer her own host?

FRAISER
It seems almost inconceivable that anybody could do something like that.

DANIEL
Well, it never worked. According to all the reports, the children went into the forest sick, and came out well again. If this were some sort of…transformation or evolutionary process, somewhere along the line, it was stopped.

TEAL'C
By Nirrti.

CARTER
Why would she do that?

FRAISER
The retrovirus rewrites DNA. If the carrier died before they were able to pass on the altered genes to the next generation, evolution couldn't take place.

CARTER
So the experiment was long-term?

TEAL'C
With each generation getting closer to truly becoming Hok'Tar.

DANIEL
The question is how far along is Cassandra? I mean, what if she really is transforming into…something…else?

O'NEILL
She thinks so.

FRAISER

Whatever she believes, her fever is still rising. Admittedly more slowly, and she seems to be able to handle it better but…
(quietly)

I can't control it.

[The team exchange worried glances.]

HAMMOND
Let's find the answers…dismissed!

INT—SGC INFIRMARY/ISOLATION ROOM

[Fraiser walks in to find Cassandra watching the knight turning in mid air in front of her face.]

FRAISER
Cassandra? What are you doing?

CASSANDRA
It helps…to do this.

FRAISER
How?

CASSANDRA
It's almost like…the heat is leaving my body, and going into the chess piece. You haven't got a cure, have you?

FRAISER
No. We're still trying…

CASSANDRA
It's all right!

FRAISER
No, it's not. We may still learn something from the bio samples that SG-1 brought back. There might be something there that'll help your body produce some antibodies.

CASSANDRA
I want this to happen, Janet.

FRAISER

(whispers)

Don't say that.

CASSANDRA
It's going to happen anyway.

FRAISER
You're ill.

CASSANDRA
You know that it's more than that now. I can feel a power inside me.

[The knight is seen turning in midair.]

CASSANDRA
It's only the beginning.

FRAISER
And along with it, your body is undergoing an enormous physical strain.

CASSANDRA
You think it's gonna kill me?

FRAISER
I'm…worried about that possibility, yes.

CASSANDRA

(raises her voice)

I don't care!

FRAISER

Well, you should!
(voice beginning to shake)

I know the limitations of the human body…

CASSANDRA
Maybe I'm not human anymore.

FRAISER

(quietly)

Of course you are.

CASSANDRA
Maybe dying is part of the transformation.

FRAISER

(pointed, raised voice)

I don't care whether it is or not!

[The knight falls as Cassandra loses her concentration to look at her mom. Fraiser reaches over to pick the knight up. It burns her hand, and she quickly withdraws her hand with a gasp. She looks at her hand, then back to the knight.]

CASSANDRA

(softly)

I'm sorry.

FRAISER

(sighs and composes herself)

Sweetheart, sometimes, when a person is sick, it's important for them to fight. I want you to fight this, OK?

[Fraiser gently strokes Cassandra's hair. Cassandra looks at Fraiser, then goes back to turning the knight, ignoring her mom. Fraiser looks at Cassandra, the knight, then turns and walks away, cradling her burnt hand.]

INT—SGC, CARTER'S LAB

[Fraiser and Carter are seated looking at a monitor showing Cassandra's latest scan.]

CARTER
That can't be right. The EM field must be interfering.

FRAISER
No, she'll be able to control that now. I ran the test three times, the result are consistent and it corresponds with the EEG. There's a 25% higher level of activity than normal.

CARTER
How can her body sustain that?

FRAISER
Well, she's found a way to channel the heat from her body. Don't ask me how, but I don't know how long she'll be able to keep it up. What I'd like her to do is sleep. She's been awake for 30 hours straight.

CARTER
I was about to go and see her.

FRAISER
Thank you.

[Carter touches her shoulder and leaves. Fraiser sighs and leaves as well. The camera zooms in on the computer. An invisible hand is seen typing. Nirrti's POV is shown looking at the EEG of Cassandra.]

EXT—CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN, SUNRISE

INT—SGC INFIRMARY/ISOLATION ROOM

[The doors open to show Carter walking in to see Cassandra.]

CARTER
Hey.

[Cassandra is seen with a knight spinning in front of her. As she hears Carter, her concentration slips and the knight falls.]

CARTER
I hear you don't wanna sleep. You want some company?

CASSANDRA
You wouldn't leave.

[Carter looks confused; softer.]

CASSANDRA

When the Goa'uld planted the bomb inside me…you wouldn't leave.
(Carter nods, and lowers her head)

Even though your orders were to leave me there alone. You stayed with me.

CARTER
Yeah.

CASSANDRA
Why?

CARTER
I don't know…just an instinct.

CASSANDRA
That I was gonna be OK?

CARTER
Yeah, I think so.

CASSANDRA
But you didn't know for sure.

CARTER
No.

CASSANDRA
Well, … that's how I feel about what's happening to me now. Do you understand?

CARTER
Yeah, I think I do. You want me to stay with you for a while?

CASSANDRA

(looking away)

No, it's not time yet.

CARTER
Don't say that.

CASSANDRA
Well, when it is…time…will you be here?

CARTER

(softly)

I promise.

CASSANDRA
I think I can sleep now…for a little while.

CARTER
OK.

[Cassandra closes her eyes. Carter stands up, and kisses Cassandra's forehead.]

INT—SGC, FRAISER'S LAB

[Fraiser looks through a microscope at some samples, presumably from Cassandra. She writes something on the chart, and rubs her head like she has a headache. She puts her pen down on top of the chart on the RIGHT side of the microscope, gets up, and walks out, rubbing her shoulders.]

[The door to the lab swings open, and the camera pans back to the microscope. The chair is moved away from the desk. A figure with a covered face and head appears, picks up the chart, and looks through it. She starts to study the sample left on the microscope.]

INT—SGC CORRIDOR

[Fraiser walks toward the elevator, and reaches into her pocket for her access pass. Realizing she has left it behind, she returns to her lab.]

INT—SGC FRAISER'S LAB

[The figure is still studying the sample. She looks up, and starts to read the chart left by Fraiser. On hearing Fraiser's footsteps, the figure puts down the chart, on the other side to where Fraiser left it, and presses something on her abdomen. She disappears seconds before Fraiser enters the room. Fraiser picks up the chart, and looks around. Seeing no-one she picks up her access card, and glances at the X-rays mounted on the wall in front of her. Something catches her eye, and she rushes out of the lab.]

INT—SGC CORRIDOR

[Carter is walking down the corridor, Fraiser runs to catch up to her.]

FRAISER
Sam?

CARTER
She's asleep.

FRAISER
Good. Listen the, the bodies of the villagers, what happened to them?

CARTER
They were cremated on 987; we sent a team back.

FRAISER

Good. So there might still be a bone fragment.
(sounding desperate, talking very fast and frantically)

If we can find one from someone who's been through the initiation, there still may be antibodies…

CARTER

(interrupting)

Janet! That was 4 years ago. The chances of us even fi-

[She is interrupted by alarms going off. The two of them rush round the corner to find an airman on the floor, unconscious, with another tending him.]

[They are in front of the isolation room where Cassandra is. Fraiser briefly stops to make sure he's all right.]

CARTER

(looking at the airman)

Oh, my God!

FRAISER

(running into the isolation room)

Cassandra!?

CASSANDRA

(sitting up)

It was a Goa'uld.

CARTER
What?

CASSANDRA
I was asleep. I thought it was a nurse coming in to take my blood…but I did…sense its presence.

CARTER
I didn't sense anything.

CASSANDRA
It was after you left. At first there was no one there, but then , when it got closer, I saw someone.

[She is visibly shaken. Carter runs out of the room.]

CARTER

(into intercom)

This is a Code 3 alert! We need Zats and TER's in Isolation room 4 now!

FRAISER

(to Cassandra)

Are you all right?

CASSANDRA
It ran away when I screamed.

HAMMOND

(walking in followed by the rest of SG-1)

Major?

CARTER
Apparently, there's a Goa'uld on base, Sir.

O'NEILL
What?!

HAMMOND
How's that possible?

TEAL'C
Nirrti possesses the technology to become invisible.

DANIEL

Cronos is dead.
(Hammond looks at him)

He's the system lord that was holding her prisoner.

O'NEILL
So she's out!

DANIEL
The rings in the lab, that wasn't me, it was her! She came back through the Stargate with us!

CARTER
Well, that would mean she was waiting for us in her lab the whole time.

TEAL'C
We may have inadvertently triggered a device alerting her to our presence.

[Airmen come in with the equipment requested by Carter.]

HAMMOND
Go level by level, check everything…keep in radio contact. If you locate her, do not shoot to kill. Colonel?

O'NEILL
Staying here, Sir.

[Everyone else but Fraiser and O'Neill leaves.]

O'NEILL

I figured, you fought her off the first time. I'm safer here with you.

(He grins at her)

CASSANDRA
She was here the whole time you've been back.

O'NEILL
We'll find her.

FRAISER
She's right. Why did she wait until now to come after Cassandra?

INT—SGC CORRIDOR

CARTER

(after an Airman checks a small closet )

Level 22 is clear.

[Daniel swipes his access card to close off door G-2 Level 22. Teal'c is shown checking another corridor with an airman. He swipes his card to close the door.]

TEAL'C

(heard over radio by O'Neill)

Level 21 clear.

O'NEILL

(into radio)

Roger that.

CASSANDRA
She wanted to know if her experiment worked.

FRAISER
We don't know what she wants.

CASSANDRA
No. If, if the transformation were to kill me, she would have just let it happen. Don't you see?

FRAISER
Honey, not now.

CASSANDRA
No! But it did work!

FRAISER

(sternly)

Cassandra!

CASSANDRA

(looks away, suddenly sensing something; quietly)
No…
(pointing to the airman in the room; shouts)

Look out!

[O'Neill points his zat at the observation window, as the glass is shattered by the pulse from a hand device. He is propelled backwards. The window breaks. Fraiser simultaneously covers Cassandra's head with her body. The airman points his TER at the window, and Nirrti is caught in its beam. She is somersaulting through the air. O'Neill zats her. She falls to the ground, the zat having disabled both her and her invisibility device. Fraiser gets off of Cassandra as the AIRMAN moves over Nirrti, pointing the TER at her.]

O'NEILL
Easy! We need her alive.

[He takes off the mask and sees that it is Nirrti.]

O'NEILL

(into radio)

Security to Iso room 4. All search teams, stand down.

[A rattling sound is heard from behind Fraiser. Cassandra has started seizing.]

FRAISER

Cassie?
(panicked)
Cassie! Don't do this! We need to get her out of here.
(wheeling her out)
Come on! Let's move! Roll her over…
(a still seizing Cassandra is rolled on her side)

Easy.

[O'Neill looks on, very worried.]

INT—SGC CORRIDOR/HOLDING ROOM

[A card is swiped through an entry lock, and a door is opened to reveal Nirrti, sitting on a chair. Her wrists are in restraints. Hammond and O'Neill have entered the room. There is an exchange of venomous looks between the three.]

O'NEILL
What's gonna happen to Cassandra?

NIRRTI
What is her condition?

O'NEILL
She's just lost consciousness.

NIRRTI
Then the end is very near.

O'NEILL
If she dies…so do you.

NIRRTI
And what do you offer in return?

HAMMOND
I don't think you're in any position to bargain.

NIRRTI

I am in the position to save the life of a child that you hold dear.
(more demanding)

Release me.

HAMMOND
We can't do that.

O'NEILL

(whispers)

General?

NIRRTI
With my invisibility device intact.

[Hammond and O'Neill share a look.]

NIRRTI
I also require a sample of her blood.

HAMMOND
Absolutely not!

NIRRTI
Those are my terms.

INT—SGC CORRIDOR LEADING TO INFIRMARY

[Daniel and Fraiser walk down the hall.]

DANIEL
She says she can help Cassandra.

FRAISER
If we trust her.

DANIEL
No, if we let her go.

FRAISER
Do you believe she can actually help?

DANIEL
Well, seeing as we don't have a choice…I guess it's worth a shot.

FRAISER
What about General Hammond? What's he gonna do?

DANIEL
He hasn't decided yet.

FRAISER

(stops walking and touches Daniel)

I really need to get back to see Cassandra.

[Fraiser begins to walk away, Daniel holds her hand.]

DANIEL
Well, I know how tough this has been for you, so if you need …anything…

FRAISER

(obviously touched)

Thanks.

[Daniel watches her as she walks away.]

INT—SGC ISOLATION ROOM

[Camera begins with close up of a monitor showing various readings from Cassandra. Pans round to show Fraiser reading her chart. Cassandra is unconscious on the bed. Fraiser holds her forehead, from obvious exhaustion and stress.]

FRAISER
Okay, give me 70 mg of dantrolene.

NURSE
Doctor?

FRAISER

(snaps)

Now.

[Cassandra rouses.]

CASSANDRA
Mom?

FRAISER
I'm here. We're just giving you something else to try and get your fever down.

CASSANDRA
It's happening.

FRAISER
Hey, I want you to do what we talked about, OK? I want you to fight this.

CASSANDRA
I don't want to fight it.

FRAISER
You have to! Honey, your body is not going to be able to survive what this retro virus is trying to do.

CASSANDRA
Where's Sam?

FRAISER
She's gone to see if she can get you some help.

CASSANDRA
Noooo! Let it happen! Let it ha—appen!

[She is in obvious pain. The monitor alarms go off. Cassandra starts to seize again.]

FRAISER
Drop 10 of Valium.

[Fraiser puts an oxygen mask over Cassie's face.]

NURSE
Valium's in.

[The seizing subsides.]

NURSE
Temperature is 106!

FRAISER
The dantrolene's not working?!

[Fraiser stays by Cassandra for a few second, then moves over to a nearby table and removes what looks like an EpiPen.]

INT—SGC BRIEFING ROOM

[Hammond, Carter, Teal'c and Daniel are seated at the table. O'Neill is slowly pacing the floor. They seem to be in mid-conversation.]

O'NEILL
General, with all due respect, It's not like we're negotiating with terrorists.

HAMMOND
It's exactly that, Colonel. You're letting your emotions get in the way.

O'NEILL
Yes, I am. Shouldn't you be?

HAMMOND

(a second's hesitation)

Jack…

CARTER
Sir, up until yesterday, we didn't even know Nirrti was still alive.

O'NEILL
Exactly.

[He sits down next to Carter.]

O'NEILL
Now who cares if we let her go. What difference does it make in the grand scheme of things if there's one more Goa'uld running around?

HAMMOND
If we were to allow Nirrti to leave with a sample of Cassandra's blood, She could well succeed in her experiment to create a genetically advanced host, and become dangerously powerful!

TEAL'C
I am in agreement with GeneralHammond.

O'NEILL
What?

TEAL'C
The life of a child may be sacrificed, but Nirrti possesses valuable information that would be lost if we allowed her to leave.

[O'Neill shakes his head in disbelief.]

INT—OUTSIDE SGC HOLDING CELL

FRAISER

(to the airman at Nirrti's door)

General Hammond would like me to check in on her.

[The airman swipes the door, and Fraiser sticks him in the neck with the needle we saw her take earlier on. He falls down, she storms in the room, cocks a gun, and points it at Nirrti.]

INT—SGC BRIEFING ROOM

CARTER
Teal'c, we're talking about Cassandra.

TEAL'C
Of that I am aware. But her sacrifice would benefit both of our peoples. Nirrti possesses valuable information that would help us defeat the Goa'uld.

DANIEL
We'll find another way.

HAMMOND
We may never have a Goa'uld as our prisoner again.

CARTER
Sir, I don't have to remind you of what Cassandra has gone through because of the Goa'uld. Now, if we're gonna put what we MAY learn or what MIGHT happen over her life…

O'NEILL

(interrupting)

It's time to "Pack it in".

DANIEL
I agree.

[Hammond looks at each of his people, mulling over what he has heard.]

INTERCOM
General Hammond to the Holding Room.

INT—SGC HOLDING ROOM

[The camera follows O'Neill as he walks in the room. Nirrti is standing up, facing Fraiser, who is still pointing a gun at her. An airman in the corner of the room is pointing his weapon at Fraiser. The rest of SG-1 and Hammond arrive.]

HAMMOND

(softly)

Doctor Fraiser, stand down.

FRAISER

(voice shaking)

I can't do that, Sir. I don't have a choice.

CARTER

(standing next to Fraiser)

Janet. Don't do this.

FRAISER
I can't…help Cassandra. She can.

HAMMOND
Doctor Fraiser, SG-1 has already convinced me to make a deal for Cassandra's life. This isn't necessary.

NIRRTI
Then you agree to my terms?

HAMMOND
Just one…once you've cured Cassandra of her illness, you'll be free to go.

NIRRTI
And how do I know you will honor this?

HAMMOND
You have only my word.

NIRRTI
Not enough.

HAMMOND

(looks at Fraiser who has the gun still pointed at the Goa'uld)

Then I shall remind you that the woman holding the gun on you is Cassandra's mother.

INT—SGC ISOLATION ROOM

[Cassandra is crashing. Fraiser is standing by her bedside. Nirrti comes in and shares a look with Fraiser, who moves away. A table is pushed next to Nirrti containing the instruments found at the alien lab by SG-1. Carter and O'Neill are in the room with Fraiser, while Hammond, Daniel and Teal'c look on from the observation deck above. Nirrti uses the instruments to gauge Cassandra's condition. They light up, briefly. The monitor continues to show "critical"]

NIRRTI
You have waited too long.

FRAISER

(angrily)

You try again.

[Nirrti looks at her, then at O'Neill. Nirrti tries again, watched by the members of SG-1. After a minute or so, Cassandra starts coughing.]

NIRRTI
It is done.

CARTER
Vital signs are all returning to normal.

[Cassandra gasps for breath, and takes off her mask.]

CASSANDRA

(she looks at Nirrti, and is obviously frightened)

Mom?

FRAISER

It's OK.
(voice shaking)

I'm here.

NIRRTI

(to O'Neill)

I have honored my part.

[O'Neill looks from Nirrti to Hammond, who nods.]

O'NEILL
Let's go to the Gate.

[O'Neill walks out, followed by Nirrti. He briefly looks back to see Fraiser and Cassandra hugging.]

INT—SGC GATE ROOM

O'NEILL
We've never dialled these coordinates before…I…sort of hope you know what you're doing.

NIRRTI
It is not my final destination. Without a sample of her blood, I will have to begin my experiment again.

O'NEILL
Aw nuts.

NIRRTI
At least you have honoured this much of our bargain. In your place, I doubt I would have done the same.

O'NEILL
I'll keep that thought alive.

[A wormhole is established. Both O'Neill and Nirrti watch the kawhoosh. They exchange hostile glances. Nirrti smirks, then leaves. Hammond sighs as he watches from the control room. O'Neill watches the Gate long after Nirrti has left.]

INT—SGC INFIRMARY

[Cassandra looks much better. She is sitting up in bed, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jacket. Textbooks are open in front of her, and she is reading one of them. The camera pans round to see Fraiser completing a chart. She glances up to check on Cassandra. The camera continues to pan, to reveal Carter walking in with a chess set.]

CARTER
Hey, Janet! How's our patient?

CASSANDRA
Bored.

[Carter makes herself comfortable on the end of Cassandra's bed.]

FRAISER
The uh…homework's backed up. Other than that she's just fine. I get to take her home tonight.

CARTER
Uuhh…Dominic awaits.

CASSANDRA

(unimpressed)

Stop it.

CARTER

(teasing)

Uh come on, that last kiss was impressive.

[Fraiser smiles.]

CASSANDRA
Stop it!

CARTER

(obviously enjoying herself)

Lights exploded overhead!

CASSANDRA

(blushing, and smiling)

Stop it!

[Carter laughs.]

CASSANDRA
Aarrggh!

[She laughs.]

CARTER
It's Saturday.

CASSANDRA
OK. But…I won't be able to move the pieces around just by thinking about it…sorry.

[She grins.]

CARTER
Good. Then we're even.

[Carter smiles.]

[Fraiser watches as they set up the game. She smiles.]

END CREDITS

Transcribed by Wallace for Stargate SG-1 Solutions, 7 Mar 2004

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--Kylie Lee 05:09, 7 Jul 2004 (PDT)