Stargate: Atlantis s03e17 Episode Script

Initiating separation maneuver in three, two one, mark.
Separation is negative.
Switching to backup.
Disengage.
Come on.
Damn it.
The bolts will not work.
I repeat, the explosive bolts will not fire.
Unable to separate ship.
I don’t know if you can hear me but it looks like I’m gonna have to ride this one down.
Well, you wanted to take a look.
- Now you have.
- What? - We just got here.
Been here long enough.
- Nothing here of any use to us.
- Except we can’t know that until we explore deeper into the station.
I guarantee you’re gonna see pretty much the same technology that you’re looking at here, which I’d call Vintage 1967.
McKAY: Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
You know, we hollowed out a lot of moons back in the’60s.
Well, if we did, this is what it would look like.
What about that shuttle, huh? You know, the one we saw when we docked? It was very 007.
See? Even you were intrigued.
A little bit.
Élizabeth gave us the go-ahead to explore the station if- And I underline the » if » there.
- -we find anything we can use against our many and sundry bad guys.
This technology is antiquated at best.
And these containers are full of supplies.
Building a place inside a moon must have taken tremendous resources.
Whoever built it must have had damn a good reason.
If we wanna find out what that reason is we need to look further inside.
Teyla, Ronon, are you listening to this? Yes.
Yes, we are, Colonel Sheppard.
You guys care what’s inside this place? No.
Perhaps it would be more appropriate for a team of scientists to return.
Good idea.
We’re out of here.
Wait.
I need to find out what’s inside.
I’m the same way with Christmas presents and piñatas.
One more compartment, other side of this door.
Okay.
Just one more.
McKAY: Looks like some kind of control room.
Look at that.
- Intrigued? - Looks like it was built for reentry.
Looks like some kind of rudimentary computer system but it’s locked up.
Let’s see if I can reboot it, get power online.
You think that’s such a good idea? Didn’t you say this station is probably powered by a nuclear reactor? It’s definitely powered by a reactor and I just increased its power output.
Rodney.
- You wanted a look at that shuttle.
- I did not.
Yeah, well, you were thinking it.
Besides, I’Il have life support online in no time.
- Closing outer doors- - Why? So we can repressurize the hangar so we can get out of these suits.
It’s not our job to satisfy your curiosity.
Hey, we can’t stop now.
We just cracked open the piñata.
Hey, what’s that? I’m picking up an energy spike from one of the other compartments.
And now it’s gone.
- Good.
- Not good.
Something’s frighteningly familiar about that energy signature.
Check your life signs detector again.
We’ve got company.
All right.
Who the hell is this guy? You reported that there were no life signs.
- How did he get there? We don’t know yet.
Some kind of a energy spike right when his life signs popped up.
I recognized the energy signature.
It’s very similar to Wraith beaming technology.
I think he was automatically reintegrated when life support systems started up.
Beaming technology? A minute ago you said the station was antiquated.
- Other than the one upgrade.
McKAY: Well, and the artificial gravity.
I’d say early Apollo program.
Well, I need to take a closer look but I’m sure that that device is modified Wraith technology.
Probably from a crashed Dart.
McKAY: If you think about it, it’s a fusion of- What do you intend to do with this person we’ve now assumed responsibility for? Oh, I don’t know, I didn’t think that far ahead.
Obviously not, but if one person beamed out of nowhere- There may be others.
I was thinking the same thing.
- He is regaining consciousness.
All right.
We’Il find out.
Our boy’s waking up.
Call you in one hour.
One hour it is.
It is all right.
You are among friends.
The war is over? We’re not from here.
I’m Sheppard.
This is McKay, Teyla, Ronon.
Herick.
I am sorry, Herick, but we have scanned the surface of your planet.
If your world was at war with the Wraith the war was lost.
- Many years ago.
McKAY: More like centuries.
There’s nothing there but ruins and plant life.
Dial up the sensitivity a notch, all right? Defeat was expected, but the computer was supposed to extract me automatically in order to restore the others.
Unfortunately the computer froze.
It was completely locked up.
Probably should have used a Mac.
What- What others? The others in storage.
Wraith beaming technology for long-term storage? That’s crazy.
Energy patterns couldn’t stay stable that long.
- Our engineers found a way.
Back up a sec.
How many others? Each module was to store over a thousand.
- Then this place was- - Created to save the last of my people.
Once the Wraith were gone and the planet was once again habitable I was to fly one of the two shuttles back to the surface but obviously something went wrong.
On that subject there’s only one shuttle out there.
No, no, that’s impossible.
Please, I must get to the pattern storage room.
The second storage pattern module was to be stored on the other shuttle.
Half of those chosen for the sanctuary were to be onboard including my wife and son.
Yeah, let him go.
You two stay here.
They were to launch within hours of us.
Jamus gave me his word.
Maybe the Wraith got to them.
No, they were ready.
I spoke to the pilot myself.
- They were just hours behind us.
McKAY Sheppard I’m getting another power spike.
What’s going on? What are you doing? Getting answers.
They were to be here when I awoke.
- You gave me your word.
- Herick? All right, take it easy, let the man have a breath.
I don’t understand.
Where is the second storage device? They waited too long to launch the second shuttle.
Herick, I’m sorry.
I worked every day of my life to complete this place with the promise that when it was done my wife and son would be among the ones saved.
You made that promise when you stored my pattern in the device.
Shortly after you were stored in the device word came that the last group had not yet made it to the second shuttle.
With the launch of the first just hours before, the secret was out.
There were riots on the street.
Much of our leadership was in that last group.
You delayed the launch? - How long did you wait? - A day.
But in that day, the Wraith came, Herick.
Through the portal.
We knew it was the beginning.
We knew it was an advance scout.
It had happened far too many times in our history.
We knew.
Why didn’t you order them to launch? Because the second shuttle would have led the Wraith straight here.
It was the only way, you must understand that.
Sounds to me like you did it to save yourself.
No.
To preserve the others who were already in storage.
If the Wraith had followed the second shuttle if they’d discovered what we had done they would have blasted this moon from the sky.
It was the hardest decision I have ever made but if I had not made it your life’s work would have meant nothing.
McKAY: Another life sign just appeared on the shuttle’s HUD.
Hi.
McKay.
Dr.
Rodney McKay.
I was the one who powered up your station.
And you’re welcome.
My people are grateful for your assistance.
We don’t need them.
We do have a ship.
One that, no offense, is better than that shuttle you’ve got there.
We could get you down to the planet and restore your civilization.
Does your ship have an internal power supply attuned to the storage device? Herick wishes to finish the task that will complete his life’s work.
When you’ve flown our people back to the surface then the new era we have dreamed of, will begin.
Free of the Wraith.
For all time.
For all time.
Forgive me.
- I must prepare the shuttle for launch.
- Of course.
Well, if you want a hand with the control room, I could - Maybe not.
- We’Il leave you folks to it.
Sheppard, I wouldn’t leave this guy with that guy right now not unless you want this guy dead.
- You really think he would - I would.
Jamus, we’re going to stick around for a while make sure everyone gets safely back to the planet.
- Happy to give you a ride if you need.
- Thank you, I’m most grateful.
Why don’t you head up to the control room? Teyla, we’re going to stay a little longer.
Herick.
I understand how difficult this must be for you.
I too have lost many loved ones to the Wraith.
What I feel was not caused by the Wraith.
- Still, if there’s anything we- - You’ve done enough.
I do not understand.
If you had never come if I had never awoken my last thoughts would have been of hope for the future and the love I have for my family.
I never would have had to feel what I feel now.
Gather your team and leave this place.
Herick.
Herick.
He’s not doing so good, is he? No.
Is everyone still in there? It appears we spent far longer in the device than was ever intended but, yes, it seems our engineers did very well.
Colonel Sheppard? - I’m concerned about Herick.
- There’s nothing we can do for him.
He just warned us to leave.
He’s understandably distraught.
He’Il be fine when he gets to the planet.
Just the same I’Il go to see what he’s up to.
You stay here.
What is he doing? McKAY Herick, what are you doing? Sheppard, get Herick out of that shuttle now.
We’re on our way.
McKAY Herick, if you’re doing what I think you’re do- He’s fired the engines.
Hang on.
What’s happening? The outer doors won’t hold.
Shut the hatches to your compartments.
All of them.
McKAY Sheppard, Ronon, come in.
Sheppard, Ronon, come in.
Still here.
Barely.
- I was pretty sure you were dead.
- Yeah, well, same here.
McKAY: According to the readings your compartment was almost vented.
It took almost a minute to repressurize.
Don’t move.
Teyla? Teyla? I am fine but Jamus is injured.
He will need medical attention.
He’s gonna have to wait.
McKay, what the hell just happened? Herick killed himself, tried to take us with him.
Chances are, he succeeded.
I watched him open the rear hatch of the shuttle - before he fired the main engines.
- Why would he do that? I never really got to know him, so Okay, okay, what do you know? The compartments between us are in vacuum.
They’re possibly damaged by the explosion.
- We’re cut off from each other.
- What else? Give me a second to figure out how screwed we are and I’Il get back to you.
- Herick? - We believe he took his own life and tried to kill us.
- But why- - It’s best that you do not move until we know the extent of your injuries.
- And the device? - It appears to be intact.
Told you, don’t move.
Your shoulder’s dislocated.
Wait for Beckett to get here, all right? Weir will send a team as soon as she doesn’t hear from us which should be any minute.
That’s disturbing.
I don’t like to wait.
McKAY: Okay.
Time for the how-screwed-we-are report.
All right.
Go ahead.
No way to seal the compartments between us from here.
Too many hatches left open.
Herick was trying to vent the station to space.
I’m gonna need to suit up, see what I can do.
That doesn’t sound too screwed.
McKAY But I’m not finished yet.
Because the shuttle was attached and exhausted all of its fuel during the burn the moon has been knocked out of its orbit.
How much time do we have? McKAY: Before we burn up or before we suffocate? Because the reactor scrammed and shut down during all this so we’re down to emergency power.
Most is being channeled into the people-storage device.
Well, I don’t know.
Pick one.
Not done yet.
There’s still the fact the Jumper was blasted out of the docking port so there’s no way off this rock in either case.
- Well, Weir will send a rescue team.
McKAY: We don’t have much time left.
The moon was already in a low orbit to start with.
We’re beginning to skim the outer atmosphere.
We’re gonna slow down exponentially.
Think of a brilliant plan, Rodney.
That’s what you do best.
Using as little oxygen as possible.
Should I just repeat everything I just told you? We don’t leave our people behind.
Did you forget that? - No.
Good.
They’Il show up and they’Il get us out.
- Clear? - Yes.
That’s clear.
McKay out.
I am sorry for this.
You blame yourself? I gave the order that ended the lives of Herick’s family.
You made a difficult decision.
If these thousand souls can yet be saved it will have been the right one.
I’m not good at this.
- What? Waiting to die.
Well, don’t think about it.
I don’t like small spaces.
It could be worse.
- Personally, I’d rather die fighting.
- I’d rather not die.
- I’m just saying.
- Okay, look.
If this rock burns up in the atmosphere I’Il fight you to the death myself.
Deal? You’re on.
All right.
Oh, no, no.
- I’ve got a problem here.
- What’s happening? I’m alive.
I’m dead.
I’m so dead! Rodney, what’s happening? The control room window’s been hit by a debris from the explosion.
It’s about to breach.
- McKay? - Can’t talk now.
We just lost the control room.
Didn’t seem like it controlled much anyway.
True.
All right.
I’Il take a look around see if I can figure a way to seal the compartments.
I figure it’Il be nice if we were all together as we burn up.
- McKay.
McKAY: I’m sorry.
I mean, as we get rescued.
I always get those two confused.
If anyone’s counting, we have another problem.
McKay: I can’t seal the compartments between us.
- One of the hatches won’t shut.
- What’s wrong? It looks like the entire bulkhead was twisted when Sammy Suicide decided to fire up his rocket ship.
- We’re gonna need that hatch, McKay.
McKAY: Yes, I know that.
I am the one who told you.
I’Il try.
- It’s been over an hour? - Yes, ma’am.
All right, then, dial them up.
Colonel Sheppard, do you read me? Loud and clear and your timing’s perfect.
Now get Beckett here with a rescue team and cutting equipment ASAP.
Do it.
What’s happened? - We’ve got ourselves in a damaged moon base in a decaying orbit cut off from each other and we lost the Jumper.
That happened.
There’s more to it than that but you get the idea.
Help is on its way.
What else can we do? Hurry.
Col.
Sheppard, this is major Lorne.
We’re en route and on afterburners.
We should have you out in no time.
Understood.
You’re gonna have to convert the Jumper’s cloak into a shield and extend it to create a seal.
We’re on it, sir.
- How are my patients doing? - Jamus could use your help.
Tell him I’Il be there in a jiff.
You guys hear that? McKAY: Yay.
Faint hope.
We did, John.
We’re glad to hear it.
- Your friends are coming for us? - Yes.
And Dr.
Beckett as well.
- He will take good care of you.
- And my people? - I’m sure that if it is at all possible- - It must be.
There are over a thousand souls in this device.
An entire people will be gone forever if we don’t find a way.
Dr.
mcKay? Busy working right now, call back later.
It is a matter of importance to Jamus.
Yeah, well, what is it? Will it be possible to take the people stored in the device along with us? McKAY: No, no, it’s not a chance.
Look.
The batteries run out in half the time it’d take to patch a power source.
Look, maybe.
Maybe if I could keep it in the compartment but we’re not sticking around that long.
In a decaying orbit, remember? There is an excellent chance - that we will be able to save them.
- What? No, no, no.
I said, no.
- Jamus will be very happy to hear this.
McKAY: What are you-? Okay.
Yeah, tell him no problem.
The more, the merrier.
Dr.
McKay assures me that it will be possible.
Okay.
We’re in.
Come on, close.
Come on.
What the.
.
? How about I take over, doc? Oh, thank God.
I can’t get the hatch shut.
Can’t get Sheppard, Ronon or Teyla out - till I get it shut.
- Not a problem.
- Just head on back to the Jumper.
- No.
No, we don’t leave our people behind.
You’re not going anywhere, doc.
You’re heading back to figure out how much time we have before this moon breaks up in the atmosphere.
Right.
All right.
Teyla, love, can you hear me? - Yes, Dr.
Beckett.
- It is good to hear your voice.
You too.
We should be able to repressurize and have you out in no time.
Just hang on a wee bit longer.
Our rescuers have arrived.
We will be able to get out of here soon.
And the device? I’m sure we will do everything in our power.
Hadon Fortum is our people’s greatest living poet.
He is among those stored in this device.
Our greatest scientists, Torral and Barnam are stored in here as well.
Along with 200 children.
You must promise me.
I wish I could, but I cannot promise what is beyond my control, Jamus.
I’ve got a good seal on the damaged hatch.
The station is repressurizing.
Okay, we’re good to go.
Colonel, Teyla, you’re safe to open your hatches.
Great.
McKay, how much time do we have? McKAY: Not much.
We’re getting close to the planet’s atmosphere.
The moon won’t survive another orbit.
It is time to leave.
Jamus, what are you doing? I cannot allow you to leave.
Not until you ensure the safety of my people.
Teyla, you can open the hatch.
It’s safe.
- Hey, doc.
Colonel.
Ronon, you okay? - Yes, I’m good.
- What’s the problem? Teyla’s hatch is locked from the inside.
Teyla? Open up the door.
We gotta get out.
I can’t do that, John.
Jamus has my side arm and won’t let me leave till we find a way - to preserve the storage device.
- All right.
Tell him we’Il try.
I’ve already done so.
He does not believe me.
Put him on the radio.
Jamus - can you hear me? - I can.
I want you to listen carefully.
If there was time to save the storage device, we would.
You know that.
We got into this mess by offering to stick around and help you in the first place.
We can save you.
This is your life we’re talking about.
So just open up the door.
I have her weapon.
This rock is going to burn up in the atmosphere.
If you don’t open this door, you’Il die.
Then I will die with my people.
Okay, open up the door and let Teyla out and you can die with your people.
Get the torch.
Jamus? We’re going open up this door one way or the other.
And if we have to do it the hard way my offer to take you with us is off the table.
There is nothing more to say.
Sacrificing your own life will not save them.
My life does not matter.
If you live, their memory will be preserved.
You still do not grasp what is at stake.
Just how many have sacrificed so that our people could have a future.
It took the resources of five generations to build this station.
We fought a war we knew we could not win - so that there could be a future.
- You knew you could not win the war? We came to realize that if there were no more survivors the Wraith would not return.
We built weapons to ensure that when the war was over there would be no more survivors.
- You killed your own people? - We killed Wraith.
Every ship that landed was struck by our atomic weapons.
We knew that the radioactive clouds would spread over every continent.
We knew the planet would be uninhabitable for many years.
And so you built this place.
That we could rebuild without fear of the Wraith ever returning.
So you see these souls must survive.
If they do not, the many hundreds of thousands lost in the war will have died for nothing.
Don’t.
Don’t! Your life is all I have to bargain with.
I do not wish to take it.
This is taking too bloody long.
I’m going as fast as I can.
Any moment now Colonel Sheppard will cut through that door.
If you shoot me, they will surely kill you.
Perhaps the only way to preserve your people now is to preserve their memory.
If you die, they will be forgotten.
Their deaths will go unrecorded and the Wraith will have won.
Or leave here with us now and keep the spirit of your people alive inside you.
Document their achievements, their struggles and triumphs.
Tell their story to anyone who will listen.
The choice is yours.
I never intended to take your life.
My only hope is that Colonel Sheppard is sincere in his statement that he will leave no one behind.
Colonel.
Colonel.
You can stop what you’re doing now.
I am ready to open the door.
Now he’s ready.
All right, then open up the door.
I wanna see your weapon on the ground, hands in the air.
McKAY: Sheppard, what’s going on? I’m picking up another power surge.
Will you be able to get her out? I have no idea how to determine who’s who.
- Maybe if I had a few hours- - You don’t.
I know, but short of randomly beaming people out one by one- - A thousand people in this thing.
- I am aware of that.
It’s time to go, sir.
- In a minute.
- We don’t have a minute.
If this rock hits the atmosphere, it’Il break up.
We gotta go now.
All right.
Can you get this disconnected? Yes, but there’s no way I can rig up a power source for the Jumper.
- I’m not talking about the Jumper.
- What? I wanted to fly a space shuttle.
McKAY: No, no, no.
- Get this disconnected and help get it into the Jumper.
I know how you love to think you can fly anything but it is not as- Just get the thing disconnected and that’s an order.
I think he’s crazy.
That thing is how many hundred years old? And it’s out of fuel.
The man said he can fly it.
- You realize you’re out of your mind? Yeah, probably.
All right, you’re all set.
Once inside, it should be easy to get the device in.
All right.
Let’s do it.
Just- Can I say one more thing? As long as you say it as fast as you can.
Don’t do this.
It’s impossible.
- Willing to bet a week’s wages on that? - How are you gonna pay up if I win? Thanks for caring.
Yeah.
All right.
Radio Atlantis as soon as you’re clear.
Keep a safe distance.
I’Il try to maintain radio contact.
Hey, remember.
You still owe me a fight to the death.
I look forward to that.
Get us out of here, captain.
All right, I’ve got the device locked in place.
Looks like internal power switched on automatically.
Closing rear hatch now.
See you guys on the ground.
Will do, sir.
Good luck.
We’re clear, sir.
McKAY: The moon’s decelerating in the upper atmosphere.
You got a few minutes to familiarize yourself with those controls.
- Pretty straightforward.
McKAY: We’Il lose contact - as you pass through the atmosphere.
- I know, Rodney.
If you have anything that you’d like to say - now would be a good time- Nope.
Not really.
Hitting some chop.
McKAY: Now would probably be a good time to disengage.
Hopefully the explosive bolts will throw him clear of the moon.
Initiating separation maneuver in three, two one mark.
Separation is negative.
Switching to backup.
Disengage.
Come on.
Damn it.
The bolts will not work.
I repeat.
The explosive bolts will not fire.
Unable to separate ship.
I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m gonna have to ride this down.
What’s happening? - He can’t separate.
He’s going to burn up inside the moon.
There it is.
Get as close to the crash site as possible.
- Yes, sir.
- Can you tell if he’s alive? Not yet.
Wait.
I’m detecting one life sign.
That’s one week’s pay you owe me, Rodney.
Technically, I didn’t take that bet.
Hang tight, sir.
We’re on our way.
Take your time, major.
Take your time.
So I have the hard landing but she gets the bed rest? I tried to tell Carson that I was perfectly fine but he insisted.
A number of people reintegrated experienced a small amount of memory loss.
I just want to make certain that you’re all there.
She does look a little thin.
- Just until the morning.
- Thank you.
And I assume you have come to the infirmary in order - to have your head examined? - Hey, I pulled it off, didn’t I? Yes, you did.
I’m gonna head back to Stargate Operations.
Major Lorne is about to return to drop off supplies to Jamus’people.
What are you going to do with him? His injuries were such that he didn’t survive the reintegration.
Doesn’t break my heart.
He only did what you or I would have done.
Are you kidding? He held you hostage and almost got both of us killed.
He tried to save his people and he succeeded through you.
That’s not the reason I did it.
I know.
Don’t go feeling special, now.
Would have done it for any one of you.
- Of course.
- Except for maybe McKay.
- Yes, I think even for Rodney.
- Maybe.