4.18 "The Light" Transcript
Episode Guide
Précis
SG-1 travels to a planet to investigate a machine that induces narcotic pleasure. But when they try to leave the planet, they are overcome with debilitating withdrawal symptoms, forcing them to stay. Can they free themselves from this addiction before it consumes them utterly?
Guide | Transcript
Transcript
TEASER
INT—SGC, CONTROL ROOM
[O'Neill walks down the stairs from the briefing room. Barber and Carter are in the control room, ready to Gate out. In the background the sound of the Gate dialling out.]
TECH
(background)
Chevron 1 encoded.
O'NEILL
Barber. When you get there, give this to Daniel, will you?
BARBER
Sir?
O'NEILL
We had a bet. I lost.
CARTER
What'd you bet on?
TECH
(background)
Chevron 2 encoded.
O'NEILL
Sports related. Just give it to him. He'll know what it means.
BARBER
Yes, Sir.
TECH
(background)
Chevron 3 encoded.
CARTER
What sport?
O'NEILL
Hmm?
CARTER
What sport did you bet on?
O'NEILL
Curling.
CARTER
Daniel bet on curling?
O'NEILL
Oh yes. His team won the big Bonspiel.
CARTER
Okay. You don't want to tell me what the bet is, that's fine.
O'NEILL
Good. Have fun.
TECH
(background)
Chevron 4 encoded.
INT—GATE ROOM
[Barber walks to the base of the ramp.]
TECH
(background)
Chevron 5 encoded.
INT—SGC CORRIDOR
[Carter and O'Neill walk down from the control room along the corridor towards the Gate room.]
CARTER
So, Sir, are you sure you'd rather take the weekend off than come with me to see this place?
O'NEILL
Ahh, you know I get that way when I work my ass off. In fact, I'd have figured you'd want some time off yourself by now.
CARTER
Oh, I do but Daniel says that of all the…That was the bet? Whether or not I'd go? Don't you have anything better to do?
TECH
(background)
Chevron 7 locked.
[Barber starts to run up the ramp.]
O'NEILL
Barber!
[Barber is disintegrated by the wormhole engaging.]
CARTER
Oh my God!
INT—SGC, GATE ROOM
[Daniel and SG-5 walk down the ramp from the Gate. O'Neill is waiting for Daniel.]
DANIEL
Jack, you've got to see this.
O'NEILL
Daniel. There's been an incident.
DANIEL
Yeah, I know, I got your message, but this is really important. There is this light in this amazing…
O'NEILL
Barber's dead.
DANIEL
What?
O'NEILL
Come on.
INT—SGC, BRIEFING ROOM
[O'Neill, Daniel, Carter, Teal'c and Hammond sit around the table.]
HAMMOND
Did Lieutenant Barber show any signs of depression while on the mission?
DANIEL
The opposite. He was fine.
O'NEILL
How long had he been back?
CARTER
Well, he hadn't been even been Earthside for forty-eight hours.
O'NEILL
What was he doing?
TEAL'C
Awaiting the results of a translation with which I was assisting Daniel Jackson.
DANIEL
If you're asking me if he was suicidal, he wasn't. He was fine—he was better than fine. Didn't anyone talk to him or, like, notice anything?
TEAL'C
Nothing.
CARTER
We were all taken by surprise.
DANIEL
Well, so am I. I don't even know what to say.
HAMMOND
We'll continue to investigate what may have compelled him to do what he did, but it's been my experience that these questions often go unanswered.
O'NEILL
Yes, Sir.
HAMMOND
Dr. Jackson, perhaps you can tell us more about this Goa'uld palace you were studying? Dr. Jackson?
DANIEL
Yes. Ahh sorry. Umm…
TEAL'C
Were there any signs of recent Goa'uld activity?
DANIEL
No. I'm pretty sure no one has been there for hundreds of years but there was this room where there was this pedestal which projected this light matrix hologram onto the ceiling and it was…absolutely stunning.
HAMMOND
Any idea to its purpose?
DANIEL
Ideas, yes, but I was hoping this might tell me more.
[Daniel reaches into a case on the table and pulls out a small hand device.]
DANIEL
It's kind of like a Goa'uld hand held computer. When it's turned on, it displays this Goa'uld dialect I've never seen before, and there are similar writings all over the pillars of the palace. I'm thinking or hoping—crossing my fingers, actually—that they're instructions.
TEAL'C
I would be happy to provide further assistance with the translation, Daniel Jackson.
DANIEL
Thank you. I was counting on it.
EXT—STOCK SHOT, MOUNTAIN ENTRANCE, NIGHT
INT—SGC, DANIEL'S OFFICE
[O'Neill enters. Teal'c is sitting at a computer screen. Daniel is restlessly pacing the office.]
O'NEILL
Hey. What're you watching?
TEAL'C
A digital image. I am endeavouring to translate the Goa'uld writings of which Daniel Jackson had spoken.
O'NEILL
How goes the endeavouring?
TEAL'C
Upon a second viewing I have discovered a figure moving in the background. It does not appear to be one of our personnel.
[Daniel slams a book down on the desk and looks at the hand device in frustration. O'Neill and Teal'c look at him suspiciously.]
O'NEILL
He never mentioned anyone else.
DANIEL
What is wrong with this thing? This thing isn't working.
O'NEILL
Did you check the batteries?
DANIEL
I need to go back to the planet and figure out what's going on.
O'NEILL
Hammond suggested we do that tomorrow.
DANIEL
Well, this thing isn't working, and tomorrow isn't good enough.
O'NEILL
Yes, it is.
DANIEL
I'm going to talk to Hammond.
[Daniel walks out.]
O'NEILL
Hey!
[O'Neill goes after Daniel.]
INT—SGC, HAMMOND'S OFFICE
[Daniel is standing leaning on the desk Hammond is seated at. O'Neill is leaning with his back against the wall.]
HAMMOND
Have you slept at all since you returned?
DANIEL
I fail to see what that has to do with anything.
HAMMOND
SG-1 has been hard at it for weeks. I'm not sending you anywhere until you've all had at least a night's sleep.
DANIEL
I'm fine.
HAMMOND
You're physically and mentally exhausted.
DANIEL
I admit I may have been pushing myself a bit, but this device could hold the key to everything about that entire place, and I can't make any more progress on it here.
HAMMOND
You're scheduled to leave tomorrow morning. One more day isn't going to make a difference.
DANIEL
I'm telling you it is.
O'NEILL
Thank you for your time, Sir.
DANIEL
You know, it is beyond my comprehension how anybody like yourself who has so much power can miss the point entirely.
O'NEILL
Hey, knock it off!
HAMMOND
It's all right, Colonel. This letter is to Lieutenant Barber's family explaining that he died in the service of his country. I've spent the last two hours on it. I can't tell them anything about how he died or anything about the work he did here, only that he's gone. Do you get the point?
O'NEILL
Yes, Sir, he does.
HAMMOND
Get him out of here.
[Daniel walks out. O'Neill hesitates, then follows.]
EXT—STOCK SHOT, MOUNTAIN ENTRANCE, DAY
INT—SGC, CONTROL ROOM
[O'Neill, Teal'c and Carter are geared up ready to Gate out.]
HAMMOND
What's the delay?
CARTER
Daniel hasn't reported in this morning, Sir.
HAMMOND
What?
CARTER
I just called him. I think he picked up, but now I just get a busy signal.
HAMMOND
Yesterday he was demanding to leave immediately.
O'NEILL
Maybe I should give him a wake-up call, Sir.
HAMMOND
Sounds to me like he could use one.
EXT—DANIEL'S APARTMENT, TOP FLOOR OF A FOUR-STORY BLOCK
INT—DANIEL'S APARTMENT
[O'Neill pushes open the front door, which is ajar.]
O'NEILL
Daniel?
[O'Neill walks into the apartment and closes the door behind him. Sound of the busy tone on the phone that is off the hook on the sideboard. Daniel's glasses are there too. sound of the kettle whistling on the stove. O'Neill approaches the kitchen, then turns. The balcony door is open. The apartment seems empty. O'Neill approaches the balcony door and sees Daniel standing out on the ledge, over the rail. Daniel is holding onto the rail leaning forward, looking like he is about to jump. His eyes are closed, and he's dressed casually.]
O'NEILL
Daniel?
[O'Neill steps into the doorway but doesn't go out onto the balcony.]
O'NEILL
What are you doing out here?
DANIEL
None of it means anything.
O'NEILL
Um. Daniel, why don't you come inside here?
DANIEL
I tried. It just goes away.
O'NEILL
Okay. Then we'll get it back.
DANIEL
You can't get it back.
O'NEILL
Whatever's wrong, we'll…we'll fix it.
[Daniel's head is bowed; he's obviously upset.]
DANIEL
You don't even know what I'm talking about.
O'NEILL
No. No I don't. But come inside.
[There's a sudden change. Daniel looks around like he's just woken up.]
DANIEL
Jack?
[O'Neill quickly steps out onto the balcony and grabs Daniel's arm.]
O'NEILL
Yeah.
[O'Neill rubs Daniel's shoulder and arm, holding him there while Daniel looks about, confused.]
INT—SGC, INFIRMARY
[Daniel is lying in a bed, oxygen monitor on his finger, oxygen tubes in his nose, a whole host of monitor wires running up from under his medical gown. He is unconscious. Fraiser is standing behind a computer screen showing a PET scan. O'Neill is standing at the foot of Daniel's bed with Hammond.]
FRAISER
The PET scan reveals his neurological activity is slowing.
O'NEILL
So?
FRAISER
Neurotransmitters relay messages within the body. Too many or too few of these chemicals transmissions can result in anxiety, depression, or a number of emotional or physical disorders.
O'NEILL
Does this have anything to do with Barber's thing?
FRAISER
The remaining members of SG-5 are reporting almost identical symptoms. Yes, it seems almost certain. Now the only good news is that it doesn't seem to be the result of a contagion.
O'NEILL
Well, if it's not a disease, what?
FRAISER
I don't know. Such a drastic shift in levels is generally drug-induced, but all of their systems are void of any foreign substances. Not to mention that preliminary MALP readings of P4X-347 have ruled out all the usual suspects—air, radiation…
O'NEILL
So if we retrace SG-5's tracks we may be able to come up with something?
HAMMOND
I'm afraid so, Colonel, until we get a grasp on in.
O'NEILL
General, we saw the shadow on the video. Now something or someone is affecting these guys.
FRAISER
More than affecting them, Sir. If their brain function continues to fail, they could be facing a worst-case scenario.
O'NEILL
So we go in MOP2, and bring back samples of the usual suspects.
HAMMOND
You've made your case, Colonel. Watch your step.
O'NEILL
Thank you, Sir.
STOCK SHOT, GATE TRAVEL THROUGH THE WORMHOLE
INT—GOA'ULD PALACE
[O'Neill, Teal'c and Carter step through the Gate wearing environmental masks.]
O'NEILL
Well, I can see why Daniel was so hot on this place.
TEAL'C
Indeed.
O'NEILL
What'cha got?
CARTER
The air's fine, just like the MALP indicated. Whatever affected Daniel and SG-5, they didn't breathe it in.
[O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c remove their masks.]
O'NEILL
Okay, watch your step.
[O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c start to look around. They see a shadow moving between the pillars. They approach cautiously. The shadow is a boy.]
CARTER
It's just a kid. Obviously scared to death of us.
[O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c step into a room in which a blue/purple light is being projected from the top of a pedestal over the ceiling and down the walls.]
TEAL'C
I believe this is the room of light of which Daniel Jackson has spoken.
O'NEILL
Really? Carter, what are we looking at here?
CARTER
Ahh, it doesn't seem to be giving off any detectable radiation, other than visible light. I think it's just decorative.
O'NEILL
Safe?
TEAL'C
It is most difficult to believe that something so beautiful could be dangerous, O'Neill.
O'NEILL
No.
[Carter, O'Neill and Teal'c stare at the light, almost hypnotised. O'Neill looks away with some difficulty.]
O'NEILL
Phew. We'll come back to look at it. Let's go.
[O'Neill walks out of the room. Carter and Teal'c remain staring at the light.]
O'NEILL
Hey, let's go.
CARTER
Right. Sorry, Sir.
INT—PALACE CORRIDOR
[O'Neill, Carter, and Teal'c are walking along.]
CARTER
Sir, I'd like to perform a full spectrum analysis on that light.
O'NEILL
Later.
CARTER
I think there might be a relationship between the light and what's happening to Daniel.
O'NEILL
Thought you said it wasn't dangerous?
CARTER
I'm sure it isn't, Sir, it's just…
[Carter approaches a slightly open door, weapon aimed as she peers inside. O'Neill pushes the door open slowly and steps inside the room. Carter and Teal'c follow. O'Neill finds the boy, Loran, hiding behind a pillar.]
O'NEILL
Hi. I'm Jack. And you are…? Nice digs. Kind of remind me of my first apartment. How are the people upstairs?
LORAN
Loran.
O'NEILL
I'm sorry, I don't know what Loran means.
LORAN
It's me.
O'NEILL
Hi, Loran.
LORAN
Jack.
O'NEILL
Yeah. Anyone else live here with you?
LORAN
Mother and father.
O'NEILL
Can you take me to them? I'd like to talk to them.
LORAN
No. They're not here.
O'NEILL
Not in this place? So you're here alone?
LORAN
Yes.
O'NEILL
Well, Loran, some of my people came here a few days ago.
LORAN
I was hiding.
O'NEILL
Yeah, well you hide very well, because they didn't even know you were here. The thing is, when they came home they all got very sick. We'd like to figure out why. Do you know?
[Loran shakes his head no.]
O'NEILL
Okay, well, we're going to have to look around a little more. Maybe you should come along?
CARTER
(voice over radio)
Colonel. General Hammond has activated the Gate and is on the radio.
O'NEILL
All right go ahead. I'll be there. Come on.
INT—MAIN PALACE GATE ROOM
[The MALP camera is activated. Carter and Teal'c are seen coming in to the room by the camera. O'Neill approaches the camera, followed by Loran.]
INT—SGC, CONTROL ROOM.
[Hammond is standing in front of the MALP computer screen.]
HAMMOND
This is Hammond. Come in, Colonel.
[On the screen we see O'Neill and Loran talking.]
LORAN
Where is he?
O'NEILL
He's just sending his voice over the radio through this thing here. We read you, General.
HAMMOND
I see you've made a friend, Colonel.
O'NEILL
Yes, Sir. Loran, General Hammond.
LORAN
He can see me?
HAMMOND
Yes I can, Son.
LORAN
Hi.
O'NEILL
We haven't found anything yet, Sir, but we've only been at it a few minutes.
HAMMOND
It's been well over an hour, Colonel.
O'NEILL
Well, that can't be.
HAMMOND
Jack, I have some bad news. All of SG-5 are dead.
INT—PALACE GATE ROOM
CARTER
Oh, no.
TEAL'C
What of the condition of Daniel Jackson?
INT—SGC, CONTROL ROOM
HAMMOND
Dr. Fraiser's doing everything she can, but I'm afraid he's fallen into a deep coma. We don't know how much time he has left.
INT—SGC, GATE ROOM
[The iris opens and the wormhole engages. O'Neill steps through and walks down the ramp to be greeted by Fraiser and a medic. O'Neill hands Fraiser a large vial.]
O'NEILL
Here are your samples.
FRAISER
Did you get the boy's?
O'NEILL
Yeah, it's in there.
FRAISER
Get this off to the lab.
[Fraiser hands the vial to the medic, who leaves the Gate room.]
O'NEILL
How's he doing?
FRAISER
I'm afraid his condition is unchanged, Sir.
O'NEILL
Okay.
INT—PALACE, THE LIGHT ROOM
[Carter is working, but she is drawn back to stare at the light.]
INT—PALACE, LORAN'S ROOM
[Teal'c is holding a photo of Loran and his Mother and Father.]
TEAL'C
So approximately how long ago was this image recorded?
LORAN
That's my home. Before we came here.
TEAL'C
So your parents brought you here from another world?
LORAN
Yeah. They were explorers. Kind of like you I guess. So they came here then…What was it that we were looking for?
TEAL'C
If you cannot give us an explanation to our friend's illness, we must continue to search for clues as to what may have caused it.
LORAN
Well, none of your friends are in here. Hey, I have to show you something. This was a present from my father on my birthday.
[Loran fetches out a toy phaser weapon. Teal'c draws his zat gun.]
LORAN
No, it's not real.
[Loran offers Teal'c the toy. Teal'c takes it.]
TEAL'C
Children of the Tau'ri also seem to enjoy colourful weapons that have no function.
LORAN
It's fun.
[Teal'c activates the toy. The tip lights up different colours and there is a sound of a phaser.]
TEAL'C
I see. On my home world of Chulak we do not celebrate the anniversary of one's birth.
LORAN
No presents?
TEAL'C
It is a day like any other.
LORAN
Well, how do you know how old you are?
TEAL'C
I am one hundred and one years of age.
LORAN
You don't look that old.
TEAL'C
So I have been told.
LORAN
So when do you turn 102?
TEAL'C
In forty-seven days.
[Teal'c offers the toy back.]
LORAN
Keep it. It's a birthday present.
TEAL'C
I cannot.
LORAN
In forty-seven days you'll be gone. Right? You keep it.
[Teal'c activates the toy again and smiles.]
INT—SGC, INFIRMARY
[Daniel is still unconscious on the bed. The sound of monitors measuring his heart rate and brain functions. O'Neill is sitting on the bed next to Daniel's. Fraiser is checking another patient on a bed behind them. O'Neill gets up and walks to the foot of Daniel's bed. He picks up a medical chart on a metal clip board and slams it down on a trolley, leaning his elbows on the trolley and putting his head in his hands.]
FRAISER
Colonel? Are you all right?
O'NEILL
What kind of dumb-ass question is that? My friend is lying here on his deathbed. I'm fine.
FRAISER
We're working on the problem, Sir.
O'NEILL
I don't want excuses!
FRAISER
Colonel O'Neill, if you don't calm down right now, I will have you removed from my infirmary. Is that clear?
O'NEILL
I'm fine.
FRAISER
Sir, I'd like to recheck your dopamine levels.
O'NEILL
It's happening to me, isn't it?
FRAISER
Let me find out, please.
[O'Neill is lying on a bed. A medic has checked his blood pressure. Hammond approaches.]
FRAISER
Whatever's causing this actually accelerates neural activity in the brain and causes a dopamine- like effect in the body.
O'NEILL
Kind of like drugs.
FRAISER
Only as long as you're on the planet. Shortly after you returned, neural activity begins to decrease and depression results. Bloodwork confirms it.
HAMMOND
Does the boy carry any immunity we could use to our advantage?
FRAISER
No. His bloodwork came back the same. I don't think he'll be able to leave the planet without experiencing the same narcotic withdrawal symptoms.
HAMMOND
But Colonel 'Neill was only on that planet for a little over an hour.
FRAISER
Yes, Sir, this addiction appears to be almost instantaneous.
O'NEILL
You're telling me I'm addicted to that place?
FRAISER
The intensity of your mood swing into depression seems to be proportional to the time you spent on the planet. All we can do is hope that your exposure wasn't long enough for your symptoms to get as bad as they did with Daniel and the others.
O'NEILL
Great. All those years of just saying no.
HAMMOND
Jack, I tried to recall Major Carter or Teal'c. They haven't responded, and I can't risk sending another team.
[Daniel's monitor starts to beep.]
O'NEILL
What's that?
FRAISER
His EEG is sporadic. This is exactly what happened to the members of SG-5 before they died. Sir you're going to have to take him back to the planet.
INT—SGC, CORRIDOR
[Medics, O'Neill and Fraiser are rushing Daniel on a gurney along the corridor.]
FRAISER
Once you're there I'll need you to send me his vital signs every…
[The ECG flatlines.]
FRAISER
He's coding. No time to resuscitate. Let's go!
[They enter the Gate room. The Gate is already active. They stop at the base of the ramp. O'Neill lifts an unconscious Daniel over his shoulders and carries him up the ramp and through the Gate.]
INT—PALACE, GATE ROOM
[O'Neill dumps Daniel on the floor, cradling his head as he follows him down.]
O'NEILL
Daniel. Daniel. Come on, come on. Dammit. Daniel. Let's go, come on.
[O'Neill attempts to revive Daniel by shaking his shoulders and smacking his cheeks.]
O'NEILL
Carter! Teal'c!
[Loran appears from behind a pillar.]
O'NEILL
Where are my friends?
LORAN
With the light.
O'NEILL
Get them for me, will you?
LORAN
They won't come.
O'NEILL
Well, try!
[Daniel starts to come to.]
INT—PALACE, THE LIGHT ROOM
[O'Neill walks in, Loran stays outside.]
LORAN
I'm not allowed to go in there.
[O'Neill shakes Carter, who is standing staring at the light with Teal'c.]
O'NEILL
For God's sake. Carter! Carter, wake up.
CARTER
You're back, Sir! When?
O'NEILL
Teal'c? Teal'c come on. Yeah, come on out of here right now.
INT—PALACE, GATE ROOM
[Daniel is sitting on the Gate platform, arms folded across his knees, head on his arms. O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c enter.]
TEAL'C
Daniel Jackson.
O'NEILL
Yep. Had to bring him back. It was the only thing that was going to keep him alive.
[O'Neill sits down beside Daniel on the platform.]
CARTER
Sir, how long were you gone?
O'NEILL
Few hours. Hammond tried to contact you.
TEAL'C
He did not.
LORAN
He did. I heard his voice.
CARTER
Where were we?
LORAN
In there.
CARTER
I can't explain it, Sir.
O'NEILL
Fraiser thinks we're all addicted to something here that alters our brain chemistry. And dollars to doughnuts, it's that damn light.
CARTER
Oh, I don't see how that's possible.
O'NEILL
(to Loran)
Hey. You knew, didn't you?
LORAN
No.
O'NEILL
That's why you're not allowed in there.
LORAN
My father said I was too young.
O'NEILL
Uh-huh.
CARTER
Sir, if it's the light itself, then how did Daniel recover just by arriving on the planet?
O'NEILL
I don't know, Major, but I want you to find out. Otherwise we're stuck here indefinitely, and that's not acceptable. Ahh, screw it, we're shutting that thing off.
[O'Neill heads out of the room.]
LORAN
No.
O'NEILL
You stay here.
INT—PALACE, THE LIGHT ROOM
[Carter and O'Neill are looking around.]
CARTER
What are we looking for, Sir?
O'NEILL
The off switch. All right, if we can't shut the thing off…we'll…
TEAL'C
O'Neill!
O'NEILL
Aww, man. Damn, that thing's dangerous.
CARTER
My guess is the control mechanism is somewhere inside this pedestal. If we focus our attention, on that we should be all right.
INT—SGC, CONTROL ROOM
[Hammond is standing in front of the MALP computer. We see Daniel on the screen, back in the palace.]
HAMMOND
Glad to see you're alive and well, Dr. Jackson. We thought we'd lost you.
DANIEL
To be honest, I don't really remember much after yelling at you. Sorry about that, by the way.
HAMMOND
That's all right. Is there anything you need?
DANIEL
Glasses. Um, supplies. It looks like we're not going anywhere for a while. And that little remote computer thing I couldn't make work before.
HAMMOND
I'll send it through immediately. Where's Colonel O'Neill?
INT—PALACE, THE LIGHT ROOM
[Daniel walks in.]
DANIEL
Guys, I've figured out how to…
[O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c are standing staring at the light. Daniel activates the hand-held device. The light switches off.]
CARTER
How did you do that?
DANIEL
Remote control.
O'NEILL
I thought that thing was broken.
DANIEL
Yeah, you were right—it was the batteries.
O'NEILL
I was?
DANIEL
At least, I think it draws power from something in the room itself. That's why I couldn't get it to work back on Earth.
O'NEILL
How long were we standing here?
DANIEL
I'm not sure. General Hammond sent some supplies and Loran and I figured out how to translate the writing on this thing, so…
O'NEILL
That long?
DANIEL
Well, perception of time is one of the first things to go when you're…high. From what I've been able to translate so far with Loran's help, the Goa'uld used to use this place as some sort of opium den. The only difference is their symbiotes must have kept the host's mind chemically balanced once they left.
TEAL'C
Then it is most likely I will be able to leave.
O'NEILL
Oh, how nice for you.
CARTER
Wait a minute. If you turned it off, how come I'm not getting depressed?
TEAL'C
Perhaps it will take some time to feel its effects.
O'NEILL
Let's take advantage of that time.
[O'Neill, Carter, Daniel and Teal'c walk through to the palace Gate room.]
O'NEILL
Loran.
LORAN
Jack.
O'NEILL
All right. Where did your parents actually go?
LORAN
Far, far away from here.
O'NEILL
How far? Which direction? Kid's hiding something. Teal'c, Carter, with me.
EXT—A BEACH WITH STATUES LINED UP ALONG IT
O'NEILL
What?
CARTER
I guess the reality that we may never go home is setting in.
O'NEILL
Oh, Hammond'll keep us supplied with everything we'll need until we can figure this out. It's a nice beach.
CARTER
It'd be a good excuse for you, wouldn't it?
O'NEILL
Huh?
CARTER
To do nothing for a while.
O'NEILL
What?
CARTER
Forget it.
O'NEILL
That would be, "Forget it, Sir."
CARTER
Oh, please—you think I'm keeping that up if we're stuck here forever?
O'NEILL
Listen, Major…
CARTER
No way.
O'NEILL
That's "No way, Colonel."
CARTER
I'm supposed to accept that. That's the way it's going to be?
O'NEILL
That's the way it is.
CARTER
What difference does it make? It's not up to you.
O'NEILL
Carter! You're in withdrawal.
CARTER
Oh, I'm in withdrawal?!
O'NEILL
Yes! So am I.
TEAL'C
O'Neill. Major Carter. I believe I have located the parents of Loran.
[Teal'c shows Carter and O'Neill two half-buried skeletons.]
INT—PALACE, GATE ROOM
[Daniel is seated on the platform reading an instruction manual. Loran shows him a photo of his parents on the back of a camera.]
LORAN
That's my mother and father there. That's me.
DANIEL
You were a lot younger there.
LORAN
Yeah, it's old.
DANIEL
Yeah, about that…
LORAN
Hey, can I take an image of you?
DANIEL
Sure.
[Loran takes Daniel's photo.]
LORAN
That's great. I'm sorry that you can't leave.
DANIEL
Are you? I mean it makes sense that you'd want some company. I'm just thinking maybe that's the reason you didn't tell us how dangerous the light was.
LORAN
No.
DANIEL
It's okay, I'm not mad.
LORAN
That's not why.
[O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c enter.]
DANIEL
What's wrong?
O'NEILL
Oh, we're going through that withdrawal thing again.
DANIEL
I felt fine the whole time you were gone.
CARTER
Actually, Sir, I'm starting to feel myself again.
O'NEILL
Me too. What's going on?
CARTER
Well, something other than that light must be affecting us.
TEAL'C
And we must stay in close proximity.
DANIEL
So not only are we stuck here—we're stuck here.
INT—PALACE, THE LIGHT ROOM
[Daniel, O'Neill, Carter, Teal'c and Loran are standing next to the pedestal.]
O'NEILL
Well, it's sure not as much fun to look at with the light off.
TEAL'C
I feel no compulsion to remain here.
CARTER
Sir, I think you're maybe onto something.
O'NEILL
How's that?
CARTER
The light isn't what's affecting our minds—it's just something to take advantage of our altered state of our brain chemistry.
DANIEL
So…entertainment?
CARTER
Probably more than that. The colour and light interaction with our optic nerve probably triggers the chemical responses, but it's not the direct cause of the imbalance.
O'NEILL
What is the cause, then?
CARTER
There must be a hidden device emitting some form of energy or radiation that we can't detect with our instruments.
O'NEILL
All right, Loran. Why doesn't this room seem to affect you?
LORAN
Too young.
O'NEILL
How do you know that?
LORAN
My father told me.
CARTER
It is possible that this place can only affect an adult physiology.
O'NEILL
Fraiser says he's just as addicted as we are.
LORAN
She's right. The light didn't have any affect on me.
O'NEILL
Then what'd it do to your parents? We need to know what this thing does.
LORAN
When they get back, they'll explain.
O'NEILL
They're not coming back! You know that.
LORAN
They are.
O'NEILL
Someone buried those bodies! Now how do you shut that thing off?!
[Loran activates the pedestal and the base lowers to expose a power core.]
O'NEILL
Figure that thing out.
CARTER
Yes, Sir.
INT—PALACE, LORAN'S ROOM
[Loran is sitting looking at his picture of his parents. O'Neill enters and sits next to Loran.]
O'NEILL
Hey. I'm sorry. Nice picture. Your parents?
LORAN
I killed them.
O'NEILL
You did? I find that…What happened?
LORAN
We found this place. All that they would do is stare at that light. All day. The light didn't affect me—my father said it was because I was too young. But they didn't let me in the Light room anyway. I told them to stop every day. But they'd just tell me to bring them things.
O'NEILL
Okay. So you did that. And?
LORAN
One day I stopped. It was days before their hunger was stronger than the light. Then they came out, looking for me, looking for food, and I snuck into the light room…and I turned it off. Not just the light, everything. I didn't know that it would hurt them. I just wanted to go home.
O'NEILL
It's not your fault.
LORAN
They died because of me. They were screaming. They ran outside. They didn't make any sense. So I did, I turned it back on. But they were already in the water, so far…and they just kept on going, they just kept going and screaming and I'd turned it back on, but they just kept on going. And then they were gone. Next day I found them on the shore.
O'NEILL
Loran. You were trying to help them. You were trying to free them from something. It wasn't your fault.
LORAN
I miss them.
O'NEILL
Yeah.
INT—PALACE, THE LIGHT ROOM
[Daniel, Carter and Teal'c are messing in the pedestal base.]
O'NEILL
What have you got?
DANIEL
We think we can turn it off.
LORAN
Don't let them. You'll die like my parents.
CARTER
If we shut if off cold turkey, Loran is right, we'll go into withdrawal again. But Teal'c and Daniel have translated some of the writing inside this thing, Sir, and we think it was designed to be turned down incrementally.
DANIEL
The Goa'uld who used this place needed human slaves in order to tend to their needs while they were here.
CARTER
We've already taken it down a notch without any harm.
TEAL'C
Within two or three weeks your brain chemistry will return to normal. You may then return home.
O'NEILL
So three weeks in a palace by the beach? Teal'c, you don't have to hang around. Why don't you head back and let Hammond know what's going on?
TEAL'C
Very well.
LORAN
And then you'll leave?
O'NEILL
I think we all will. Right?
CARTER
Yeah. He should return to normal along with the rest of us.
LORAN
Then I can go with you?
O'NEILL
Sure. Come on. Let's go see Teal'c off. You like ice cream?
LORAN
What's ice cream?
ROLL CREDITS
Transcript by Kira Rothery, revised by Elfin for Solutions, 15 Mar 03
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--Kylie Lee 04:59, 7 Jul 2004 (PDT)