Stargate: Atlantis s01e14 Episode Script

Previously on Stargate Atlantis What do we know about the Wraith? They are the enemy that defeated the Ancients.
(Teyla) A few hundred years pass before they awaken.
(Teyla) We have visited many worlds.
I know of none untouched by the Wraith.
You are doomed, as are any humans that stand in our way.
- The Ancients researched ascension.
- What is ascension? Where they rid themselves of their physical bodies and rise to a higher plane of existence where they live as pure energy.
- I count two.
How about you? - Yes, sir.
I recommend shooting back.
That hit must've caused some damage.
McKay? - I'm on it.
- Where did they come from? The darts are short-range fighters.
There's probably a hive ship somewhere.
- Then we need to get out of here.
- Yes, we do.
- The Stargate is the other way.
- This is the scenic route.
McKay! - I'm almost there.
- There's one on our tail! - Keep your eye on the other one.
- You should have weapons.
- Negative.
- Sure? - Positive! - I'm pretty sure I fixed it.
Well, obviously you didn't! We could lose them in the atmosphere.
- Two more darts on our two o'clock.
- I see 'em.
McKay! It's not like I'm holding back on you.
Hang on! - The Wraith darts have been destroyed.
- That's a good thing.
I thought for sure we were dead.
Didn't you think we were dead? - What was that? - Some sort of energy weapon.
What do you say we find out? Yeah.
So, just to confirm, we're all still definitely not dead.
- I feel very much alive.
- Good.
Same here.
- Wish I knew what that was.
- Lightning? - Space lightning? - It's some sort of an energy weapon.
- One that destroys Wraith darts.
- But why them and not us? Assuming that we're still alive, and there doesn't appear to be any damage, we can conclude that Um um I got nothing to conclude.
I'm just talking for the sake of talking.
- Are you sure you're OK? - I hate certain death.
- You're alive.
- Could it be naturally occurring? - My money's on non-naturally.
- A weapon the Ancients left? A weapon that impressive would be powered by A zero-point module.
We need to get down there.
I've got to put down and check for damage anyway before we head back.
If there is a weapon somewhere down here, sir, these folks didn't build it.
Not these kids.
Picking up anything? Everything, just nothing worth mentioning.
- These folks look familiar? - The Stargate is in orbit.
My people could never have ventured here.
Right.
What say we venture? Hi.
It's OK.
We're friendly.
Hi.
It is likely they have never seen anyone from outside their village.
Welcome.
I am Zarah, one of the abbots of Proculis.
I'm John.
John Sheppard.
This is Teyla, Lieutenant Ford and Dr McKay.
Please, come.
This is the first time, at least in my own lifetime, that people from another land have come to us.
Well, we came by ship.
A flying thing that allows us to move from one world to another.
- Another world? - From among the stars in the night sky.
We are peaceful explorers.
Then glory to Athar for bringing you here safely.
- Athar? - The provider and protector of all.
Surely you know.
Athar is known by many names among the stars.
Is Athar around? We'd love to talk to him.
We're friends.
Athar is friend to all, and with us always.
Even now.
Of course.
Hi, Athar.
What Dr McKay means is that we wish to offer our thanks.
We were attacked by the Wraith and would have been killed were it not for Athar.
Wraith? Pale skin, sunken eyes, suck the life out of you with their hands.
We have never encountered such beings.
Never? And there is no mention of them in your history? None.
I can assure you that for many thousands of years we have lived here in peace.
Could you excuse us for a moment? Of course.
Please, I must tell the other abbots of your arrival before we go to meet with Chaya.
- Chaya is? - The high priestess of Athar.
This is a great day for our people.
Ours too.
- I'm not kidding.
This could really work.
- I agree, Major.
Every inhabited world I have encountered has been ravaged by the Wraith.
It's protected by an Ancient weapon.
- This confirms it.
- Does it? The power requirements must be astronomical.
Only a ZPM could generate that.
They do not appear to be technologically advanced.
Unless that guy was lying.
He doesn't seem like the lying type.
So, automated defences? Lmagine a world where displaced refugees could come and live in peace without fear of being culled by the Wraith.
- We can negotiate a treaty.
- We need access to the weapon or ZPM.
- Not that we'd steal it.
- Let's try to stay on our best behaviour.
I'm always on my best behaviour.
- How much farther? - Not very.
Oh, good.
- We could have taken the jumper.
- Exercise is good.
Chaya does live pretty far from your people.
It is not uncommon, Major, for clerics to live apart from the community.
- Glory to Athar.
- Welcome, and rest.
Thank you, sister.
- You are new to Proculis.
- Yes.
We're brand-new, in fact.
- Major John Sheppard.
- I am called Chaya Sar.
And you are Teyla, Lieutenant Ford and Dr McKay.
- How did she know that? - One of the abbots ran ahead.
It's a pleasure to meet you, Chaya.
You must be tired after your long journey.
Shall I prepare some tea? Well, I was hoping you were gonna say just that.
- Where do they come from? - They're everywhere in this galaxy.
They've been on top of the food chain for a long time.
It's terrifying.
Truly terrifying.
My heart goes out to your people, Teyla.
It is not only my people who suffer.
The Wraith have awakened from a long sleep and this entire world is safe from the culling that has already begun.
Even Atlantis, with all its wonder, may not survive the onslaught.
It is our hope that Athar could grant sanctuary here on Proculis.
Sanctuary? For so many? We're not talking about everybody in the galaxy showing up.
- This planet is pretty big.
- And largely uninhabited.
More importantly, it is protected by your weapon.
Weapon? I am aware of no such thing on Proculis.
- Are you sure about that? - Yes.
- Oh, please.
- Rodney, best behaviour.
This is as good as it gets.
Chaya, we're alive because of a powerful energy weapon that emanated from this planet.
It destroyed the enemy ships.
That weapon is keeping the Wraith away.
No, Dr McKay.
It was Athar who protected you.
- Athar? - Yes.
Athar saw you were in need.
Chaya, there are a lot of people just like you and me who are in need because of the Wraith.
What you have here, what Athar has provided you, is a very rare thing, but we have a lot to offer too.
That's what friends do.
They share.
I think we could help each other.
I understand.
I shall consult with her now.
Please stay here.
I don't know how long this will take.
Thank you.
"What Athar provides for you?" Are you buying into this? Rodney, what religious people don't take their religion seriously? We didn't imagine that weapon.
- We saw what it was capable of.
- Yes, we did.
Perhaps Chaya is simply unaware of the weapon's existence.
Or she knows and wants to keep it a secret from us.
She doesn't strike me as the lying type, either.
All right, let's just see what Athar has to say.
So, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, hmm? Exactly.
Major.
We have conveyed your request to our Divine Mother.
She does not doubt the righteousness of your mission, but she cannot countenance any other people but hers settling here.
You had to chant all that time to come up with that? - McKay.
- Is there any way Athar can reconsider? Athar understands and sympathises.
These Wraith are a scourge among our stars.
But she has to place the lives of her people first.
We both knew what you were gonna say before you even went in.
We prayed for Athar's guidance.
And what did Athar say? You're hiding behind your religion to justify your selfishness.
- Rodney - If Athar existed, she would be ashamed.
We ask only to be left alone and in peace.
So thousands will die when they could have been saved, all in the name of Athar.
- How peaceful of you.
- You should be grateful to Athar.
- This is a waste of time.
- Athar regrets that she cannot help.
- I'm sure those were her exact words.
- That's enough! Head back to the jumper.
I'll be there in a minute.
- Why? - 'Cause you're not helping.
Yes, sir.
I apologise.
He acts only in accordance to his beliefs, as do we.
But Rodney is right about one thing.
This really is about lives, human lives.
The Wraith will show up in Atlantis.
When they do - You're a warrior.
- Well, I don't know about "warrior".
It is your vocation, Major.
You will fight.
I'll try, but knowing what we're up against, and the odds Look, I'd appreciate it if you would ask Athar to consider that we are her people.
Even though we come from very far away, we're the same, we're human, which means we're not strangers, we're family.
Whoa.
Evening breeze.
I was hoping it was a sign from Athar.
Your words are most compelling, Major Sheppard.
Thank you.
I was going for compelling.
Do you truly believe we are family? We are.
I can prove it to you.
- How? - Come back to Atlantis.
See who we really are.
Once Athar learns more about us - This is acceptable.
- It is? Chaya, please, you cannot leave.
Athar is with us always, no matter where we are, Zarah.
I understand.
I am ready.
- Welcome to Atlantis.
- Thank you.
Our doctors do require a medical exam of all off-planet team members and our visitors.
- Then perhaps you'd like a tour.
- I would.
Major Sheppard has already promised to do so.
- Of course he has.
- Of course I have.
If you'll follow me to the infirmary.
- Maybe I should tag along - I think I got a handle.
- There are a lot of systems you know - Got it covered.
Fine.
Hold still.
Just a minute more.
Well, it seems you're just as lovely on the inside as you are on the out, if health is synonymous with beauty.
You can get up now.
How does this device do what you say it does? It creates images of the tissues inside your body.
- They are picture perfect.
- Are these machines from your world? Some.
Others are Atlantean technology that we've figured out how to use, and a few, well, I haven't the vaguest idea of what they do.
Hopefully one day I'll meet one and ask them.
- Do you know what happened to them? - Some returned to Earth after the war.
That much we know.
But some of them ascended.
Ascended? To a higher plane, where they exist only as energy.
Are all the people of your world as healthy as you? Yes.
No disease, ailments? No one ever breaks a leg? Such things are rare, but my people heal quite rapidly.
Really? - Are we done? - Are we? Healthiest patient I've ever had.
Off you go, love.
- Where are we? - Either she knows where the weapon is, or she has no idea and we are wasting our time.
- What do you suggest? - Scan the planet for energy signatures.
They won't know what we're doing unless they're advanced and pretending not to be, which has happened before.
Did you find something that would suggest they are more advanced? No.
They're pathetically pretechnological or brilliantly post-technological.
There's no way this could be natural? A timed energy burst that only affected Wraith ships? - That's a no? - That's a no.
- Dr Weir, I have those results.
- Thank you, Carson.
We're on our way.
How many of you are there? Counting the Athosians on the mainland, a couple of hundred, which leaves a very large, empty city.
We're living in one section because we don't have the power to spread out.
What do you think so far? I think it's wondrous.
But ultimately the decision is up to Athar.
You're not a believer, are you? Look, Chaya, I respect that you believe.
Look, I can't talk to Athar.
I can only talk to you, so let me ask you this.
What if the shoe was on the other foot? What if your people were in trouble? Would you just take no for an answer? It must have been very hard to live under the shadow of the Wraith.
Teyla and her people have known the Wraith for ever, but when I say we're new, I mean we just got here.
We're from a planet called Earth.
- Earth? - It's very far away.
Those clusters of stars in the night sky, some of 'em are called galaxies.
They're even further away than the stars.
Earth is in one of those galaxies.
- You came through the Stargate? - That's right.
- And can you not simply return? - Well, not simply.
We knew that it was probably going to be a one-way trip, but we thought what we would find here would be worth the risk.
- And is it? - So far.
Ask me again when the Wraith show up.
Blood work shows no viral, bacterial or parasitic infections.
MRI reveals no tumours or cancers, no heart defects of any kind.
Blood pressure 130 over 70.
Total cholesterol 107.
She's in perfect health.
I'm happy for her.
Why did we need to see this? - She's too healthy.
- What does that mean? There's no trace of congenital conditions that you typically find in pretechnological societies.
No rickets, no fungi, STDs - Perfect health? - Aye.
From what she told me, this may be the norm among her people.
- But she is human? - Without a doubt.
- How is that possible? - I can't say for certain.
But if this data is accurate, people on Proculis live in optimal health for a very, very long time.
- You make it sound like some sort of a - Paradise? Because it is.
And that's a problem because? Because human life, quite simply, Dr Weir, is more fragile than that.
I don't care what galaxy we're in, it's unnatural.
The ocean air is so invigorating.
Plenty of that here.
Most of the planet's ocean.
(Chaya) There's enough land to resettle the refugees.
Well, there is.
We just can't guarantee their safety.
Even though you control all of this? I'd be lying if I said we controlled it all.
This place is so far beyond us in so many ways.
We have a shield that can withstand anything the Wraith could throw at us, but we have no way of powering it up.
We can't risk taking in any more refugees than we already have.
Come with me.
- Major Sheppard - I'd prefer you to call me John.
John.
How did you make enemies of the Wraith? - That was my fault.
- Yours? I woke them up trying to rescue some people.
They didn't take too kindly to that.
But you saved your people? Most of 'em.
You know for sure they're coming back? Yeah, we just don't know when.
Main control console, environmental support systems, communications.
And this This is, uh (mouths) Sorry, Major.
We haven't the faintest idea what This is a new piece of equipment we found in the city.
- It hadn't been initialised.
- She has She has the gene.
- Did I do this? What does the machine do? - We don't know.
Not yet, anyway.
The Atlanteans were good at lots of things.
Writing instruction manuals wasn't one of 'em.
We should probably wrap this tour up.
I know Dr Weir is anxious to talk to you.
- Will I see you afterwards? - And during.
We are proposing a kind of land lease in which refugees rendered homeless by the Wraith could resettle on Proculis.
In return, we can offer you services and knowledge.
- Such as? - You've seen the technology we possess.
We could help you down a path to an industrialised society while maintaining your planet's ecological balance.
Your scientific knowledge is impressive, Dr Weir, but we have no need of it.
Athar provides us with everything we require.
Well, food just doesn't show up on the dinner table.
- You plant all your own crops? - Of course we do.
We can help increase your crop yields.
We grow all the food we need to live.
Anything else would be gluttony.
- Building materials, then.
- We have abundant timber and iron ore.
Athar is kind.
There must be something.
What my people value most is spiritual knowledge.
What can your culture provide in that regard? Earth's people don't share a single spiritual belief.
We embrace a number of different religions and philosophies.
Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam Hinduism, Kwanzaa Interesting.
Tell me about them.
- All of them? - Yes.
They sound fascinating.
I am hardly competent to discuss all religions, but I can offer you resources.
You could have access to our historical database.
That would be wonderful.
- You got it working? - Yeah.
Well, do we know what it does? It's an internal-external biometric sensor array.
See, now, sadly, I understood that.
Where did all those Saturday nights go? These are biosignatures of everyone in Atlantis.
How can you tell? I've been deciphering the Ancient logarithms.
I suspect this was an early-warning system to signal any alien presence in the city.
And it activated when our visitor touched it? So she has the Ancient gene.
Or it only activated because it was detecting her.
She could be an alien and this thing knows more about her than we do.
- We should be keeping an eye on her.
- Major Sheppard is.
- I'm sure.
- Not entirely for the reasons you think.
- Dr Weir asked him to.
- I'm sure she did.
- Weir wanted Chaya to see everything.
- Everything? Not everything.
Chaya wanted to see the best view of the city at night, which I think is atop the south-west pier, and since it's such a long walk, I thought I'd bring along a few provisions.
Continuing our efforts to secure a treaty.
- Exactly.
- As our ambassador.
I am an ambassador and she is a diplomat.
On a late-night picnic? Yes.
I know that as ranking military officer here in Atlantis, you feel a heavy burden of responsibility, but you are allowed to have feelings for others.
No, this is an ambassadorial, diplomatic picnic outing thing.
Without having to justify them to anyone.
Goodnight, Major.
Goodnight, Teyla.
- Send her back? - She's not who she's pretending to be.
- You know this because? - I can't have intuition? No.
I asked Major Sheppard to keep an eye on her.
Which is like asking the fox to guard the hen-house.
What? The biometric differential is not insignificant, Elizabeth.
What I'm saying is the woman set off an alien alarm.
You don't know that for certain.
You are nowhere close to understanding the nature of that device.
There are too many unknown variables: The weapon, they claim never to have seen the Wraith, she's healthy.
Very mysterious, but what does it prove? We should give her a one-way ticket back home.
There is something different about her, but that doesn't necessarily make her a threat.
It doesn't rule it out, either.
Then what we could gain by securing a treaty is worth the risk of her being here.
Fine.
Mmm.
This is delicious.
Well, enjoy it while you can.
That's the last of what we have.
Then I am honoured.
When McKay finds out, he's gonna kill me.
- Athar will save you.
- Oh, good.
Such wondrous things.
I can't imagine wanting to do anything but eat with such variety of foods.
We manage to pull ourselves away somehow.
I've been learning much about Earth.
Dr Weir has got me on your information machines.
Elizabeth's got you on a computer already, huh? I'm fascinated by your many religions.
So many beliefs, so many philosophies.
- Yeah, we got a few of those.
- So many contradictory faiths.
Yeah, it's a bit of a mess.
- More? - Yes, please.
We traded for grapes.
The Athosians, Teyla's people, they make this on the mainland.
I wasn't completely truthful with you about something.
On Proculis, when I told you I did not feel lonely Coming here and being with you it reminded me what it was like not to be alone.
- What? - Well, I mean, nothing.
It's just that this is the first time I've been in a romantic situation with a woman from another planet.
It just strikes me as really, um - Wrong? - No! God, no.
Just funny.
I'm sorry.
I just thought that I would, uh You said it yourself, we're both human.
Yes, we are.
And I'm really glad you didn't say "family", otherwise I'd have to leave.
Don't.
I'm not going anywhere.
Major.
- Rodney.
What are you doing up so late? - I couldn't sleep.
I was going to do a little research.
You? - No, thanks.
- What were you doing up so late? I'm always up late, Rodney.
A word of caution.
The whole Captain Kirk routine is problematic, let alone morally dubious.
- Routine? - Romancing the alien priestess.
Very 1967 of you.
I'm surprised If and when anything I do becomes your business An alien woman who is clearly not who she claims to be has you wrapped around her little finger.
- Don't go there, McKay.
- I know I'm not normally Mr Sensitive.
But there is something about her.
- It's intangible, but I can feel it.
- I said don't go there! It's just a matter of time before I prove it, Major.
I recommend that in the meantime, you keep your - Did you sleep last night? - No.
This is the data from the biometric sensors.
I can't tell you what all these signatures mean, but look at this.
These are ours and this is hers.
There's a distinct difference.
She was born on another planet in another galaxy.
- They're different from Teyla's.
- It doesn't mean - She's not what she seems to be.
- I sense an honest and spiritual person.
All right.
There may be a way to find out.
You're opening negotiations with her? Let me sit in.
I'll pretend to take notes on the laptop and scan her.
Radiation, EM scans, energy signatures That way, if I am crazy, you and I are the only ones who need to know.
- What's the harm? - All right.
- But be discreet.
- I'm Mr Discreet.
I'm impressed by most of what I've read of Earth religions.
The Torah, the Koran, the Talmud, the Bible Most reveal a diverse and deep desire to grasp the divine.
- So we have something to offer you.
- I've also read about your history.
Even now, somewhere on your planet, you are at war.
Well, yeah, that's true.
I made no attempt to hide that fact from you.
We are definitely not perfect.
There's a lot about you as a people I find disturbing.
- Can that not be said of any people? - No.
Every soul in Proculis is free from the hatred people from Earth seem to feel for each other.
- We're not all that bad.
You know that.
- I do.
I'm talking about every member of my expedition team here in Atlantis and the friends we've met since coming here, like Teyla's people.
There are some among you, yourself included, Dr Weir, that I know Athar would welcome with open arms.
But there are others.
I hand-picked every member of this expedition, and I know Teyla feels as confident about her own people.
- I'm sure.
- This is a matter of trust.
Yes.
It is, Dr Weir.
Have your scans found anything yet, Dr McKay? Uh Actually no.
- What the hell is this? - I'm sorry, Major.
There was cause for legitimate concern as to Whether I was or not who I claimed to be.
I'm sorry, Chaya.
I felt it would do no harm.
Stop apologising, Elizabeth.
- How did she know? - McKay.
- She's an Ancient, Major.
- She's what? I'm right, aren't I? The perfect health, the energy weapon, she has the gene.
- It's the only logical explanation.
- What the hell are you talking about? I just don't understand the act.
You must know we'd give anything to talk to you, to learn from you.
What is it? Are you checking us out? In my desire to come to Atlantis, I have revealed too much.
- He's right? - I'm right? I am what you call an Ancient, and it is also true that I can never offer your people sanctuary.
But you are wrong as to why I came here.
Why did you come here? You, John.
Me? I have lived in solitude for so long that when you asked me to come Oh, my God, he is Kirk.
So this was never about Could we just have a moment to ourselves here? (all) No.
That's all right.
I've stayed here long enough.
Come on.
You and your people were the reason we came here in the first place.
I can't I can't No.
What the hell was that? They're coming for them.
I should have never left them.
What's going on? I'm sorry, John.
I'm taking a jumper back to Proculis.
- What just happened? - There's only one way to find out.
Go.
Sure you know what you're flying into? The Wraith are attacking Chaya's people.
You can't hope to defend them with one ship! I don't think I'll have to.
- What are you doing here? - I'm here to help you.
- Help me? - To defend your people.
Leave.
I will take care of this.
Is it Chaya or Athar? I'm just curious.
When I was a mortal, I lived here.
This was my home.
When those of us you call the Ancients ascended, we were supposed to leave behind us all human ties.
Some of us found that difficult.
You couldn't watch your people get wiped out by the Wraith.
When their fleet approached, I lashed out with my mind and destroyed them all.
The others of my kind did not approve of such interference.
And so I was exiled.
My punishment was the unending protection of this world.
Why pretend to be human at all? So that, time to time, I may walk among the people, know them as the good and kind souls they are.
For thousands of years, I have come and gone to the villages, never staying too long to get attached to anyone until I met you.
I have never regretted the choice I've made all of these years until now.
I am permitted to safeguard my people only.
But this is my punishment.
This is what makes it punishment.
If your people came here for my protection, the others would stop me.
Do you understand? I can never help your people.
I'm not sure I'm willing to walk away that easily, and I'm not just talking personally, although that's definitely part of it.
There is so much more we can learn from you.
I can't, John.
The others won't allow it.
- That's - It's their highest law to never interfere.
I am bound by those laws, however much I wish to help you.
- So, we can never - I can never leave.
Well, I could come and visit.
Now I'm flirting with somebody from another species.
We're not as different as you think.
We're more different than you think.
I can show you.
- Show me? - By sharing each other.
We will know each other as well as anyone ever can.
OK.
I gotta get the car back by midnight, though.
This will only take a few moments.
Just close your eyes.
This is cool.