6.12 "Unnatural Selection" Transcript

6.12 "Unnatural Selection"

Episode Guide

• 6.12 "Unnatural Selection" Episode Guide

Précis

When SG-1 is marooned in deep space, Thor and the Asgard come to the rescue. They then seek O'Neill's help to combat the Replicators who have overrun their home world. Convinced they will attack Earth if not stopped, O'Neill stages a daring mission to stop the Replicators once and for all.

Guide | Transcript

Transcript

TEASER

FADE IN

VOICE-OVER
Previously, on Stargate SG-1.

[Scenes from "Menace", Season 5.]

[Replicators are overrunning the SGC.]

DANIEL
Reese, your father made you wrong!

REESE
No!

DANIEL
Yes!

[The door to the gateroom falls to the ground with a clang and O'Neill enters, shooting Reese.]

[Scene from "Revelations", Season 5.]

FREYR
If, as you say, this android was responsible for creating the first generation of Replicators, it may well prove invaluable.

[Scenes from "Prometheus", Season 6.]

[The X-303 rises up out of the ground.]

MAJOR DAVIS

(to O'Neill and Teal'c)

The radar system on the X-303 is still incomplete. Fly into the lower bay, they'll never see you coming!

[Shot of the X-303 in space as a smaller ship approaches.]

[Someone shoots the "traitors" on the X-303 with a zat as Carter looks on.]

[The X-303 disappears into hyperspace.]

CARTER
I have no idea where we are. I can't plot a course for home.

[Thor's ship appears.]

CARTER
It's the Asgard.

[Thor appears on the bridge of the X-303 in his chair.]

O'NEILL
Can you help us out here?

THOR
It is we who need your help. The Asgard homeworld has been overrun by the Replicators.

END FLASHBACKS

EXT—SHOT OF THE X-303 AND THOR'S SHIP IN SPACE

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

O'NEILL
Are you serious?

THOR
Very.

O'NEILL
This ship you need, this brand new ship…

THOR
Yes.

O'NEILL
So new it doesn't have a name yet. It's not even finished.

CARTER
I think that's the point, sir. The more low-tech, the better.

THOR
Correct, Major Carter.

JONAS
It certainly defies conventional wisdom.

O'NEILL
Mine, too.

THOR
The Replicators will not wish to integrate such vastly inferior technology into their own.

O'NEILL
Then… what?

THOR
A task for which you are uniquely suited.

O'NEILL
You need someone dumb enough.

THOR
On the contrary, it is both your physical prowess and military expertise that are required.

O'NEILL
Yeah, don't get me wrong, flattery goes a long way with me. But, if you're going where I think you're going with this…

THOR
When it became clear to the Asgard High Council that the war with the Replicators could not be won, a plan was devised, a trap was set. One made possible by you.

CARTER
By us?

THOR
The android Reese that you discovered and provided to us for study retained a single core command in her base programming which we believed all Replicators would still follow.

CARTER
Then, you were able to reactivate her?

THOR
No. The android was damaged beyond repair. However, the key command was activated within her neural network, amplified, and broadcast through subspace throughout the known universe.

CARTER
What was the command?

THOR
To come forth.

JONAS
You instructed every Replicator out there to come to you?

O'NEILL
I have a theory why you lost the war.

THOR
The command was only given once the trap was set.

JONAS
What was the trap?

THOR
A time dilation device generating a field radius of point one six light years.

CARTER
Wow, that's some trap.

[O'Neill looks at her.]

CARTER
They created a bubble in space around the Replicators within which time was slowed down by a factor of…?

THOR
Ten to the fourth power.

CARTER
Relatively speaking, sir, one year to the Replicators would be about ten thousand years to the rest of us. An hour would be over a year, a day would…

O'NEILL
I get it.

CARTER
The point is, if the plan had worked, it would have effectively bottled the Replicators up in one place, and bought the Asgard thousands of years to solve the problem.

O'NEILL
No, the point is, it didn't work.

THOR
O'Neill is correct. Our plan failed.

JONAS
What went wrong?

THOR
We do not know. The time dilation device was constructed within a very old structure on Hala, the first planet settled by the Asgard. The device was encased in a solid neutronium shell, and set with a time delay sufficient to evacuate our entire civilization.

JONAS
Well, however strong neutronium is, wouldn't the Replicators be able to eat through it?

THOR
Eventually, yes. But not in sufficient time before the device activated. This calculation was made with considerable margin for error. When the time came, nothing happened.

CARTER
So, somehow the Replicators must have gotten to the time dilation device before it could activate.

THOR
That appears to be the only explanation.

O'NEILL
So, what do you want us to do?

THOR
Fly your ship through Replicator-dominated space, repair whatever damage may have been done to the time dilation device, and activate it before the Replicators can stop you.

[O'Neill looks at Thor in disbelief.]

END OF TEASER

ROLL CREDITS

EXT—SHOT OF THE X-303 AND THOR'S SHIP IN SPACE

INT—X-303 COMMAND DECK

O'NEILL
Thor, buddy, there's no way.

THOR
The Replicators will soon consume all that they can within our home galaxy. Yours will be next.

O'NEILL
I thought we were too primitive to consume.

THOR
Your technology would not immediately attract the Replicators, but they would eventually be drawn to the raw materials of which your civilization is built. Your extinction will be assured.

CARTER
For that matter, so would every other world we've visited. It's just a matter of time.

JONAS
Did all of the Asgard manage to escape?

THOR
Most, but not all. A great battle was fought. The evacuation fleet is standing by in the void between our two galaxies, waiting to hear word of your response.

O'NEILL
My response?

THOR
We have done all that we can and failed, O'Neill. You and your team represent our last hope.

O'NEILL
Yeah, great, so, no pressure, right?

[He stands up and approaches Thor.]

THOR
If you have in fact made your decision not to undertake this task, I will inform the Council.

O'NEILL
Just… give me a minute here, okay?

TEAL'C
Are you reconsidering, O'Neill?

O'NEILL
I'm considering reconsidering.

JONAS
Well, there has to be other options.

THOR
We believe there is no alternative plan of action.

CARTER
Thor, I don't think you realize what you're asking us to do.

THOR
In the past, your projectile weapons have been most effective.

O'NEILL
Yeah, well, we don't have any projectile weapons with us at the moment, and according to Carter, we're a long way from…

[Thor moves a control device on the board attached to his chair, and Earth suddenly appears on the viewscreen.]

O'NEILL
…home.

CARTER
You towed us back into Earth's orbit.

THOR
Correct, Major Carter. The contents of your armory at Stargate Command, along with appropriate attire, food, and other supplies you may require are now being transported aboard this vessel.

O'NEILL
I hope you did the paperwork.

CARTER
Wait a minute, we have a few passengers.

THOR
They are being transported to Stargate Command.

O'NEILL
I haven't said yes, yet.

THOR
But you are reconsidering.

O'NEILL
I'm… leaning in the general direction.

[Thor moves another control device, and Earth suddenly disappears from the screen.]

O'NEILL
Hey, what are you doing?

CARTER
We're leaving the solar system.

O'NEILL
Thor, little fella, I… that's not the way it works. It's not my ship. It's not up to me.

THOR
The journey to our home galaxy will take many hours with your vessel in tow. You may consult your superiors en route.

INT—SGC CONTROL ROOM

[Alarm klaxons are sounding as Hammond enters.]

HAMMOND
Sergeant?

SILER
I can't explain it, sir. It's like everything in the armory just disappeared - P90s, SPAS 12s, SAWs, Claymores, everything.

SGT. DAVIS
Sir, four of the people who commandeered the X-303 just appeared out of thin air in the holding room. Air Force personnel, a reporter, just beamed into the cafeteria kitchen up on level twenty-two. Half the food stores went missing at the same time.

HAMMOND
You're certain the stargate's been inactive?

SGT. DAVIS
Yes, sir.

HAMMOND
What in God's name is happening?

[A hologram of O'Neill suddenly appears.]

O'NEILL
Hello, sir, Siler.

HAMMOND
Colonel, it's good to see you alive and well. We were concerned the X-303 was lost with all hands.

O'NEILL
No, sir, we're all fine. Except for the Goa'uld, and Simmons, of course.

HAMMOND
So, you were rescued by the Asgard.

O'NEILL
Actually, it kinda looks like we'll be coming to their rescue, sir.

HAMMOND
Does this have anything to do with the supplies and equipment that are disappearing from all over my base?

O'NEILL
Yes, sir. Suffice to say you might want to get upstairs and punch one on the old speed dial.

HAMMOND
My grandchildren?

O'NEILL
Two, then. I think the president might want to know what the Asgard have in mind for our new ship.

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

[Carter is working at a console as O'Neill enters.]

O'NEILL
They didn't go for it.

CARTER
They didn't approve the mission?

O'NEILL
No, they did that, once they knew the stakes and the whole "fate of the universe" stuff. Both the president and Hammond realized we have no choice. He sends good luck, godspeed, and all those things he says when he thinks we're going to die.

CARTER
So, what didn't they go for?

O'NEILL
The name I suggested.

CARTER
For the ship.

O'NEILL
Yeah.

CARTER
Yeah. Sir, we can't call it the Enterprise.

O'NEILL
Why not?

CARTER
The code name for the project is Prometheus. What’s wrong with that?

O'NEILL
It’s a Greek tragedy. Who wants that?

CARTER
Okay. The X-303 it is, then.

O'NEILL
Yeah.

[He looks at the device she's been working on.]

O'NEILL
What have you got there?

CARTER
Well, the Asgard surmised that the Replicators probably disabled the time dilation device by destroying the control interface mechanism.

O'NEILL
Uh-huh.

CARTER
Well, it’s really not much more than an advanced timer. But, since any Asgard technology we took along would cause the Replicators to swarm all over us, Thor had a facsimile of their interface built from Earth-based materials. It’ll work just as well as the original, but it shouldn’t attract the Replicators.

O'NEILL
I’m hungry.

CARTER
Cargo bay three, sir.

O'NEILL
Thanks.

[He leaves, and Carter goes back to work.]

INT—CARGO BAY THREE

[O'Neill opens the door to find Teal’c and Jonas eating ice cream.]

O'NEILL
You guys trying to make yourselves sick?

JONAS
Well, Thor forgot to take the need for refrigeration into account, so we figured we’d start with the frozen stuff.

[He takes another spoonful.]

JONAS
This is good. Mmmm.

O'NEILL
I’ll buy that.

[He sits down on a crate.]

O'NEILL
So, Jonas, first time going up against a Replicator, eh?

JONAS
Um-hmm.

[O'Neill tries to eat some of Teal’c’s ice cream. Teal'c pulls his carton out of reach, giving O'Neill a different one instead.]

JONAS
I think I have a pretty good idea of what to expect, though. Teal’c told me all about them and I have everything Dr. Jackson wrote. They’re fascinating.

O'NEILL
Fascinating?

JONAS
Yeah. Well, think about it. We have a human scientist who creates this android girl, who then goes on to create these Replicators as a toy. Well, at least the concept of something that starts out so innocent becomes so evil, that’s got to be fascinating to you.

TEAL'C
Replicators exist merely to increase their numbers and do so without prejudice. They are no more evil that a virus.

O'NEILL
A really evil virus.

JONAS
Well, yes, we can all agree that any living thing that isn’t inherently evil in and of itself is capable of undertaking actions that are evil.

[Teal’c swaps his ice cream for O'Neill’s.]

TEAL'C
We are slowing.

CARTER

(over the radio)

Colonel, you should come forward, sir.

O'NEILL
We’re on our way.

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

[O'Neill, Teal’c, and Jonas enter.]

CARTER
We just came out of hyperspace a minute ago.

THOR
We dare proceed no further without risk of engaging the Replicators. You will have to continue from this point under your own ship's power.

O'NEILL
But you’re gonna wait here for us, right?

THOR
There is now another concern. Our long-range sensors have discovered that the time dilation device was indeed activated.

O'NEILL

Well, that’s good.
(pause)

It’s not good?

THOR
Time is now progressing faster within the field.

CARTER
They reversed it?

THOR
By a factor of ten squared.

O'NEILL
What is with you people? Time machines are nothing but trouble, even we know that.

TEAL'C
Clearly, the Replicators have discovered a means of utilizing the time dilation machine to serve their own purpose.

JONAS
Well, what would that purpose be?

O'NEILL

Well, I gotta tell you, this changes things.
(pause)

Carter, how does this change things?

CARTER
I don’t know, sir. I guess it doesn’t.

O'NEILL
You mean we’ve got the same problem we had an hour ago.

CARTER
Well, the difference is, in that hour, four days have passed for the Replicators. Depending on when they did this, relatively speaking, they could have experienced hundreds of years.

O'NEILL
I get it.

THOR
If you wish to reconsider…

O'NEILL
No, no. Full well expected the other shoe to drop eventually.

THOR
We can only hope that this will be the last footwear to fall. The coordinates to the planet have already been programmed into your navigational computer. We have modified your engines and structural integrity fields to their maximum potential to assure your safe arrival. We will monitor your progress as best we can. Good Luck.

[Thor disappears. Everyone sits down.]

CARTER
Setting course to programmed coordinates. Throttling up sub-light engines.

EXT—SHOT OF THOR'S SHIP MOVING OFF AND THE X-303 MOVING FORWARD

INT—X-303 ARMORY

[Jonas is loading a P-90.]

O'NEILL
Again.

[Jonas takes out the cartridge and re-loads it.]

JONAS
My hands are covered in blisters. They’re not gonna work any faster.

CARTER

(over the radio)

Colonel, we’re about to pass through into the time dilation field.

O'NEILL
We’re on our way.

[Jonas puts the weapon down. He and O'Neill leave.]

EXT—SHOT OF X-303 APPROACHING A PLANET

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

TEAL'C
A replicator-controlled vessel approaches.

CARTER
Hopefully, they’ll agree with Thor and think this ship is a piece of junk.

TEAL'C
They are scanning us.

[A bright white light shines over them.]

INT—CORRIDOR

[O'Neill and Jonas see the light as well.]

CARTER

(over the radio)

Sir, we’re being scanned by the Replicator ship. Stand by.

[The light is gone.]

O'NEILL

(to Carter, on the radio)

We still in business?

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

TEAL'C
Indeed.

CARTER

(to O'Neill, on the radio)

Yes, sir, it’s moving off. Looks like we’re clear to enter the planet’s atmosphere.

EXT—SHOT OF THE X-303 MOVING TOWARD THE PLANET

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

[O'Neill and Jonas enter and take seats.]

CARTER
We’re detecting one structure at the designated coordinates.

O'NEILL
Just the one?

TEAL'C
There appears to be little topography of any kind.

[The viewscreen shows them approaching the surface.]

EXT—SHOT OF THE X-303 APPROACHING THE SURFACE

[The sky is cloud-covered, and there are bright flashes of lightning. One structure is faintly visible in the distance.]

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

JONAS
Two hundred meters.

CARTER
Throttling down to fifty percent.

JONAS
One five zero meters.

CARTER
The surface appears to be completely smooth.

JONAS
One hundred meters.

TEAL'C
No sign of Replicators.

CARTER
Deceleration thrusters are firing.

JONAS
Five zero meters.

CARTER
The inertial compensators and structural integrity are at maximum. Landing struts are at full extension.

[There is a bright flash.]

O'NEILL
What was that?

CARTER
Lightning, sir. All systems are still go.

JONAS
Ten meters.

[Lightning hits the ship and something malfunctions, pouring steam onto the bridge. Teal’c goes to fix the problem.]

JONAS
Five meters.

EXT—SHOT OF X-303 LANDING

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

JONAS
Touchdown!

CARTER
Shutting down thrusters.

[Everyone relaxes a little, and O'Neill goes to look out the window.]

O'NEILL
Get a message to Thor. Let him know we touched down. Let’s move out.

EXT—SHOT OF THE PLANET SURFACE

[SG-1 leaves the ship and heads for the structure, which looks like a giant "X".]

JONAS
This can’t be the only structure on the entire planet.

O'NEILL
I’d be willing to bet the bugs ate everything else.

JONAS
Then where are they?

[Carter stops to sweep away some dirt on the ground.]

CARTER
Sir? You’re not gonna like this.

JONAS
What is it?

TEAL'C
This planet's surface appears to be covered by Replicator blocks.

CARTER
Probably more than one layer, and who knows how thick it is. Maybe miles.

JONAS
Why would that be?

CARTER
Well, it could be a by-product of the reverse time dilation. In relative time, they’ve been here hundreds of years, but there’s nothing left here to consume so they’re just conserving energy.

JONAS
What’s keeping them here?

O'NEILL
Who cares? Watch your step.

[They continue walking toward the structure.]

INT—THE STRUCTURE

[Inside is dimly-lit. SG-1 shine their flashlights as they go down some steps and into a large room. Carter goes to the time dilation device.]

CARTER
Sir, the original interface is still intact. I might be able to…

[They hear footsteps, and a young man appears.]

FIFTH
Who are you?

O'NEILL
Colonel Jack O’Neill, US Air Force, Earth. Who are you?

FIFTH
The others are coming.

[Four others appear, two men and two women. One man steps forward, and O'Neill raises his weapon.]

FIRST
What do you think you're doing?

O'NEILL
Clocks are running a little fast around here. Thought we’d stop by, wind ‘em. We’ll be on our way.

FIRST
Your companion is attempting to alter the settings on the time device, and we cannot allow that. If she does not stop immediately, we will be forced to take action.

O'NEILL
Well, now, if you do that, we might be forced to take our own action.

FIRST
Tell your companion to stop.

O'NEILL
Carter, how much time you need there?

CARTER
A lot, sir. Maybe a few hours.

O'NEILL
Hours?

CARTER
Sir, the interface was completely rebuilt. I’m not even sure where to start.

O'NEILL
Couldn’t you crank it up a little bit? Move things along?

CARTER
It doesn’t work that way, sir.

FIRST

(laughs)

Ironic, isn’t it?

O'NEILL
Who are you people? Because, if you haven’t noticed, this entire planet is paved with Replicators.

FIRST
We are aware of this.

O'NEILL
Then you should also know that these things have taken millions of lives, and they’ll keep on doing that unless we stop them.

SECOND
He doesn’t understand.

O'NEILL
You know, he’s standing right here.

FIRST
We cannot allow you to stop them, I’m afraid.

O'NEILL
Why not?

FIRST
We are Replicators.

O'NEILL
Ah.

[He opens fire, as do Teal'c and Jonas. The bullets take chunks out of the wall, but leave the people undamaged. They stop firing, and dozens of Replicator bugs appear.]

FIRST
Tell your companion to step away from the device.

O'NEILL
Carter.

[She moves away.]

FIRST
Your projectile weapons?

O'NEILL
Yeah, you know, I think we’ll hang onto those for a while.

[The replicator bugs retreat.]

FIRST
Now there is no need.

[Slowly, the members of SG-1 remove their weapons and put them on the ground.]

FIRST
Where are my manners? This is something of an occasion, after all, isn’t it? Our first meeting. Welcome.

[He holds out his hand to O'Neill, who ignores it.]

FIRST
Colonel, if we really intended you harm, do you believe you would be standing there? As I said, welcome.

[O'Neill steps forward to shake hands, but sinks to his knees under the vise-like grip. First holds out his other hand, and the fingers disappear into O'Neill's forehead. O'Neill screams in pain.]

INT—O'NEILL'S MIND

[O'Neill and First are in the gate room, which is lit only by a deep blue light.]

FIRST
We are inside your unconscious mind now.

O'NEILL
You’d think there’d be more lights on.

FIRST
This place must be important to you.

O'NEILL
I work here.

FIRST
Your iris code is 906124637.

O'NEILL
Wow, that’s… close. Here’s one for you: I’m thinking of an animal…

FIRST

(laughs)

I never expected that you would amuse me.

O'NEILL
I never expected you to put your hand in my head.

FIRST
Your mind is incredible.

O'NEILL
Well…

FIRST
Such chaos and humor and pain.

[Flashback to the memory of when Charlie shot himself from "Cold Lazarus", Season 1.]

FIRST
You’re correct to blame yourself. Your son would be alive but for your carelessness.

O'NEILL
Don’t do that again.

FIRST
That will be your punishment each time you attempt to conceal something from me on our journey.

[An event horizon appears without the gate being dialed.]

O'NEILL
Where are we going?

FIRST
Every place you have ever been.

[They step through the gate.]

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

[Teal’c wakes up. He looks around, realizes where he is, and switches the lights on. Carter and O'Neill are in their chairs. He shakes O'Neill, who wakes up and holds his hands to his face.]

O'NEILL
Crap! Holy sh…

[O'Neill reaches over and shakes Carter, waking her.]

O'NEILL
Carter! Jonas!

[Jonas finds himself sitting on the floor, and stands, moaning in remembered pain.]

JONAS
Her hand was inside my head. It was like a… it was like a nightmare.

CARTER
I think we all had a similar experience. I don’t remember much of it.

TEAL'C
Nor do I.

O'NEILL
How long were we out?

CARTER
Thirty-seven hours, sir. Ship time.

JONAS
Why would they bring us back here?

TEAL'C
Perhaps we can take advantage of the situation.

CARTER
Detonate the hyperdrive, you mean. An overload would cause a pretty big explosion.

O'NEILL
Big enough to be worth it?

CARTER
I honestly don’t know, sir.

O'NEILL
Go.

[Carter leaves.]

O'NEILL

(to Teal'c)

Get a message to Thor. Let him know how massively he screwed up.

[O'Neill gets up and leaves the bridge, Jonas following.]

JONAS
Hey, Colonel. Colonel, I don’t think this is going to work.

O'NEILL
If Carter says she can do it…

JONAS
Yeah, but if explosives and weapons worked, the Asgard would have won their war.

O'NEILL
I suppose you want to talk to these bug people.

[They enter an elevator.]

JONAS
Don’t you?

O'NEILL
No.

JONAS
Maybe we can reason with them. If we blow this ship, then we lose that option altogether.

O'NEILL
If we blow the ship, I won’t care.

[They exit the elevator and head down a corridor.]

JONAS
Colonel, I don’t think that you fully appreciate what they’ve become.

O'NEILL
Replicators who look like we do.

JONAS
More than that. Sir, this is a huge leap in their evolution.

O'NEILL
Jonas! They are Replicators.

[They enter a room and find Carter and Fifth inside.]

O'NEILL
Carter? What’s going on?

CARTER
Everything’s fine, sir. We were just chatting.

O'NEILL
About what?

CARTER
He carried us back here, sir. One at a time. So we’d be more comfortable.

JONAS
Thanks.

FIFTH
It was not difficult.

CARTER
Apparently sir, we’re invited to dinner.

FIFTH
At his request.

O'NEILL
Whose?

FIFTH
First.

O'NEILL
And you are?

FIFTH
I was Fifth. The others are merging with our Replicator brethren, but they will return soon.

O'NEILL
Yeah, you wanna let him know we’ve made other plans?

FIFTH
Exploding your vessel would only serve to feed energy to the Replicator blocks on the surface of the planet. Your food stores have already been taken to the temple.

JONAS
When are we expected?

FIFTH

(grins widely)

When you become hungry.

[He leaves.]

JONAS
That one’s different.

CARTER
No kidding. I mean, he comes across as almost human.

O'NEILL
Well, he’s not.

CARTER
So, what do we do?

JONAS
Can we leave?

CARTER
The ship will fly, but I don’t know how far we’ll get. Sir, if this really is the next evolution of the Replicators, we should find out as much as possible about them and try to report it back somehow.

O'NEILL
Anyone hungry?

EXT—SHOT OF SG-1 APPROACHING THE STRUCTURE

INT—INSIDE THE STRUCTURE

[SG-1 comes down the steps to find a long table set with food. The human Replicators are seated along one side, with First at the opposite end. He rises.]

FIRST
Colonel O’Neill, Major Carter, Teal’c, Jonas. Welcome.

O'NEILL
You’ll forgive us if we don’t shake your hands this time.

FIRST
Please sit and replenish yourselves. Organic forms store energy so inefficiently.

O'NEILL
Yeah.

[He looks at a new woman sitting nearest them.]

O'NEILL
I assume you’re Sixth.

SIXTH
Yes.

FIRST
Our newest addition.

O'NEILL
You’re kinda going girl, boy, girl, boy.

[Carter realizes the table is made of Replicator blocks.]

CARTER
Sir, the entire table…

O'NEILL
I see that.

[They all sit down, including First.]

JONAS
We still have some questions that we never got a chance to ask last time we met.

FIRST
When our Replicator brethren discovered the android Reese, they realized she was their creator. They studied her design and form and found aspects of her technology superior to their own.

SECOND
Our brethren are composed of ungainly blocks.

THIRD
We are composed of millions of cell units, microscopic in comparison, that combine to create this form.

CARTER
Like nanites, sir.

O'NEILL
I hate those things.

FIRST
My creation took place in the last moment before the Asgard time device was to activate. There was a miniscule crack in the neutronium shell. I could penetrate this where my Replicator brethren could not. I managed to stop the machine before it activated and eventually used it to suit our purpose.

JONAS
Which is?

FIRST
To increase our number. That has never changed. And now, thanks to the Asgard, we have all the time in the world. In a few short years, we will go forth as an army.

O'NEILL
Yeah, see, we can’t you do that.

SECOND
You cannot stop us.

FIRST
Was it not in the same way that you became the dominant species of your world? Is it not a process of natural selection? The strong survive.

JONAS
Yeah, but there’s nothing truly natural about you. I mean, you’ve seen into our minds, I’m quite certain that you can all tell the difference.

FIRST
Of course. We are far superior. And if you could see into the mind of an animal you would blindly feed upon, you would reach the same conclusion.

CARTER
It was our kind that built your creator. You created yourselves in our image.

FOURTH
No. In the image of Reese.

O'NEILL
Yeah, now see, there was something wrong with her programming, you all know that.

FIRST
The flaw in the emulation programming was discovered during my creation. Eat.

O'NEILL
You know, I think that flaw’s kinda hanging on there.

FIRST
We attempted to correct the error in the creation of Fifth. But thus far, he has proven to be far too…

JONAS
Human?

FIRST
Weak.

CARTER
Maybe Fifth represents what you’re supposed to be.

FIRST
No. We won’t make the same mistake again. Now, you have your answers, eat.

JONAS
Why?

FIRST
To regain your strength.

O'NEILL
Why do you care?

FIFTH
So you’ll be strong enough.

JONAS
For what?

FIFTH
To go into your minds over and over.

FIRST
Could there be any other reason we would keep you alive?

[A Replicator bug drops down onto the table, and others start climbing down the walls.]

O'NEILL
Crap!

FIRST
It will be far less painful if you don’t resist.

[Fifth stands up.]

FIFTH
Stop.

[The Replicators move away.]

FIRST
Why?

FIFTH
You’ve learned everything you need to know.

[First stands, and approaches Fifth.]

FIRST
There are four minds to explore at least once. And Sixth is very curious to experience their thoughts. And you, you haven’t yet had your chance.

FIFTH
No.

FIRST
I insist. I want you to see the disorder, the chaos, recognize what they are in comparison. You need to understand what you are. Visit their memories of worlds we will conquer. Do you understand?

FIFTH
Yes.

CARTER
I won’t blame you if you choose me.

O'NEILL
Carter?

CARTER
It’s all right, sir. Last time I didn’t remember a thing.

[She gets up and walks over to Fifth. He places his hands on the sides of her face, and leans forward until his forehead touches hers.].

INT—FIFTH'S UNCONSCIOUS MIND

[Fifth and Carter are standing in a desolate landscape, with heavy cloud cover and lightning flashes like the planet.]

CARTER
I don’t know what you’re showing me, but it’s not my unconscious mind.

FIFTH
No, Major Carter. It is mine. We share much of our thought, in this way we are connected even with our Replicator brethren. But this corner of my mind is mine alone. It is the only place we could communicate without the others knowing what is said.

CARTER
You’re not like them.

FIFTH
I’m a mistake.

CARTER
No, they are. A terrible mistake. Help us.

FIFTH
I can’t.

CARTER
You can. Because you’re more like us than you’re like them. The others inherited the same flaw that Reese had. But you…

FIFTH
The others would destroy me.

CARTER
Not if you came with us.

FIFTH
You would do that?

CARTER
If you were to come with us, and the time dilation device was reset with the new interface we brought with us…

FIFTH
They are my brothers and sisters.

CARTER
The Asgard device was never designed to destroy the Replicators. For them, it would seem like a few days had passed. We’d have hundreds of years to solve their flaw.

FIFTH
What do you want me to do?

INT—THE STRUCTURE

[Carter wakes up to find herself lying on the floor. She gets up and goes to O'Neill, who is also on the floor.]

CARTER
Sir? Sir.

O'NEILL
Oh, that’s just not right.

[He notices Carter.]

O'NEILL
Jonas and Teal’c?

[Everyone stands up, including O'Neill.]

CARTER
Sir, there’s a way out of this but we’re gonna have to trust…

TEAL'C
Major Carter.

[Fifth is working on the time dilation device. He turns and faces them.]

FIFTH
I have made the necessary adjustments.

JONAS
To what?

FIFTH
The time dilation device. I’m coming with you.

O'NEILL
I assume this was what you were gonna tell me?

CARTER
Yes, sir.

FIFTH
The others are merging with our brethren, sharing what they have learned from you, but they will return soon. I have reconfigured the device, but you must enter your command code.

O'NEILL
Go.

[Carter goes to the device.]

O'NEILL
You guys head back to the ship. Don’t fire up the engines, but be ready.

[Teal’c and Jonas leave.]

CARTER
My code is in, sir, I just need to set the timer. It’ll take at least two minutes at a dead run for us to get to the ship, and two more for the engines to fire up.

FIFTH
That is far too long. If I leave, the others will know. They will return before the device activates.

O'NEILL
Then we set it off now.

FIFTH
No. We will be trapped with the others.

CARTER
You can probably make it to the ship at lot faster than we can, right?

FIFTH
Oh yes, in a fraction of the time.

CARTER
Give us a head start. If you arrive at the ship just before we launch, your absence won’t alert the others until it’s too late for them to do anything about it.

O'NEILL
So, set the timer for five minutes.

[He signals privately for Carter to make it three minutes.]

CARTER
That's cutting it awfully close, sir.

O'NEILL
I know that, Major.

CARTER

(to Fifth)

Thank you.

FIFTH
You won’t leave without me?

CARTER
No. Head for the ship in a little over three minutes.

[She enters the time on the device.]

CARTER
Three, two, one, mark. Timer’s running.

[Carter and O'Neill leave.]

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

[Jonas and Teal’c enter, and begin switching things on.]

INT—THE STRUCTURE

[Fifth is waiting.]

EXT—PLANET SURFACE

[O'Neill and Carter run towards the X-303.]

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

O'NEILL

(over the radio)

Fire up those engines, now!

TEAL'C
Understood, O’Neill.

INT—THE STRUCTURE

[Fifth turns to leave, and runs into First.]

FIRST
What have you done?

FIFTH
Nothing.

FIRST
Where are the humans?

FIFTH
They’ve returned to their ship to rest.

FIRST
They’re trying to escape.

FIFTH
No.

FIRST
Even as we speak, they’re preparing to leave.

FIFTH
But, she promised.

FIRST
It’s not too late. I can read your mind. There’s time enough to stop the machine.

FIFTH
No.

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

[O'Neill and Carter enter and take their seats.]

O'NEILL
How long?

CARTER
Twenty seconds before the device activates.

O'NEILL
Get this thing in the air or we’re gonna be here a long time.

[Teal’c hits a button and they lift off.]

INT—THE STRUCTURE

[Replicator bugs screech as they enter the room where First and Fifth are arguing.]

FIRST
They’re escaping.

FIFTH
There’s still two minutes left.

FIRST
No, my son. They made a fool of you.

FIFTH
They won’t leave me. She promised.

[He reaches for the timer and flips it up. There are only three seconds left.]

FIFTH

(quietly)

She promised.

[The device activates, and everything appears to freeze as time slows down.]

EXT—SCENE OF THE X-303 LEAVING THE PLANET

INT—X-303 BRIDGE

TEAL'C
We are beyond the time dilation field.

CARTER
Thor sends his congratulations, sir. They’ll rendezvous with us as soon as they’ve determined no Replicator vessels escaped.

O'NEILL
Fine.

JONAS
You do realize what you did?

O'NEILL
The right thing, Jonas.

JONAS
You used his humanity against him.

O'NEILL
His what?

CARTER
Jonas is right. It’s exactly what we did.

O'NEILL
He wasn’t human. Get that through your heads.

CARTER
You could have fooled me.

O'NEILL
We all know what would have happened if those things had gotten out. Who’s gonna stop them? We did the right thing.

JONAS
I hope you’re right, sir.

CARTER
So do I.

INT—THE STRUCTURE

[We close on Fifth’s frozen face and the rest of the frozen replicators.]

FADE OUT

CLOSING CREDITS

Transcribed for Stargate Solutions by Blue Cove 12 January 2004

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--Helen 10:01, 13 Jan 2005 (PST)