Stargate SG-1 s08e06 Episode Script
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(alarm blares) (PA) Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Give me your weapon.
Simulation time, 49 seconds.
That's not bad, not bad.
- How was it? Was it fun? - lndeed.
You died well in battle, O'Neill.
Obviously there's something defective with this.
Agreed.
An Anubis drone is a far more formidable warrior than this suggests.
What? No We've been working on this chair for two years to make it a viable virtual-reality training tool for SGC personnel.
You have failed.
He's nothing if not honest.
Well I mean, maybe it could use a little more work, but Can you make it harder more difficult? Well, we can input the parameters for different scenarios, but the vast majority of the simulation array comes from the mind of the user.
The programming is actually built by interfacing memories from the individual's consciousness with the chair's matrix.
Carter, all I heard was "matrix", and I found those films quite confusing.
What Dr Lee is trying to explain is that the simulation actually learns its realism - from the person using it.
- What? We've built it.
We've tested the software extensively using a variety of subjects.
Obviously no one with Teal'c's field experience.
Subjects? To whom do you refer? Hey.
If Teal'c would agree to work with us a little more All you'd have to do is basically play the game.
Let it learn from you.
Come on, it'd be fun.
You'd be so good.
Very well.
There you go.
Just make sure there's a beginners' level for the rest of us.
Oh, yeah.
We can always make it easier.
Not that we'd have to for you, certainly.
For others, but you would be fine.
Carter.
Gentlemen.
Thanks to Colonel Carter's new code translation program, we can monitor your progress through a representation of your point of view.
- You've played Doom.
- I played Def Jam Vendetta.
Exactly.
Yes.
There is a two-second delay between the chair's processor and your experience, but you shouldn't notice anything.
Anyway, we can store every aspect of your activity in the game, then later choose what to incorporate into our programming of the training scenario.
You understand, as before, once your mind is interfaced with the chair, we cannot remove the connection or cut power without endangering you.
- lndeed.
- It's a function of the new chair design.
Since the gamekeeper incident, the aliens of P7J-989 built in the shut-off command, so only someone in the chair can control it.
You have previously given me this information.
This is different this time, because the game will be learning from you, then incorporating those changes into its programming code.
If you're killed in the game, it will reset and you'll start again.
The chair will only end the game under two conditions: once you complete the scenario or if you engage the internal fail-safe, - which you're free to do at any time.
- That will be unnecessary.
Don't be so cocky.
The chair is intuitive.
It'll eventually learn everything you know.
If you want to stop it before the conclusion, just get to the base elevator, head for the surface.
Ready? Proceed.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
(Teal'c) Give me your weapon.
(groans) - What just happened? - It looks like the chair induced pain.
It's directly linked to his brain.
We knew it was capable of this.
But it's just a simulation.
It doesn't have to hurt.
That's the difference between you and Teal'c.
He knows in a real situation your tactics would be different if you thought you couldn't feel any pain.
Man, that was a heck of a shock.
He wanted it to be realistic.
Fortunately, we limited the chair from being able to deliver any sort of lethal jolt.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
O'Neill.
Get outta here, Teal'c.
That's twice.
Looks like the chair is learning quickly.
Don't count Teal'c out yet.
(alarm blares) (footsteps) Ooh, that's cold.
Colonel, I'm pretty concerned about some of these bio-readings.
Me too.
Dr Carmichael, this is Colonel Carter.
Can you join us in Science Lab Five? Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Teal'c! - I require your assistance.
- Likewise.
SG-3 came in hot.
- Our gateroom people could use backup.
- They are all dead.
- Excuse me? - The gateroom has been breached.
Our most effective defence is to seal off the east and south ends of level 28.
If we act now, we may force them into a crossfire.
- Force who? - The two Anubis warriors.
- How can you know that? - They've chosen the same route seven of the last ten times.
(man) Colonel, two hostiles are headed your way.
Roger that.
We're in position.
Heads up, people.
(footsteps) Fall back! Well, you were right to be concerned about these readings.
Frequent spikes in his natural adrenaline are causing blood pressure and heart rate too high to be sustained long term.
That last ambush should have worked.
- Why did the weapon have no effect? - I don't know.
Has a Super Soldier been resistant to that weapon in reality? - No.
- But it is possible, right? The Goa'uld have adapted technology to fight something we've thrown at them.
Well Hopefully the game will also extrapolate solutions and offer them to Teal'c.
I mean, it'd just be fair.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six Teal'c! SG-3 came in hot.
Sounds like the gateroom people could use backup.
- We gotta move! - Colonel Carter, listen to me.
The SGC has been penetrated by two Anubis drones.
Our weapons are ineffective against their armour.
How is this possible? - That's what I want to know.
- I speak of the armour.
It could have been altered to resist the energy weapons.
- Can they now be defeated? - I've been working on a modulator chip.
- Where is it? - In my lab, but I still (gunfire) Show me.
It's only a prototype.
(PA) Warning.
Base auto-destruct sequence has been activated.
- Nice of you to join us! - We've been busy! They've found a way to counteract our little weapons here.
Warning.
Base auto-destruct sequence has been activated.
(PA) Base auto destruct has been aborted.
- We're clear.
- Then the threat has been eliminated.
The threat has been eliminated.
Teal'c, you're injured.
Teal'c? I'm fine.
- I don't get it.
That should be the end.
- You're saying he should have won? That was the conclusion of the programmed scenario.
- But the chair is not disconnecting.
- The game's not resetting either.
That's not fair.
You can't win a race if someone keeps moving the finish line.
He said he wanted it to be harder, more realistic.
In reality, we haven't defeated the Goa'uld.
Are you saying the game won't end until he defeats all the Goa'uld? You said the game learns the rules from Teal'c.
Yeah, but the parameters can't go beyond the base invasion scenario.
- Can you get him out? - Not without risking neural damage.
The game has a fail-safe.
All Teal'c has to do is quit.
Yeah.
Teal'c quit.
Anubis drones must have waited for SG-3 to dial the gate, then overwhelmed them.
But I can't figure out how they knew how to set the self-destruct.
- I can't believe General O'Neill is dead.
- He is not dead.
What? We must focus on the situation.
The threat has not been neutralised.
- What? - We will search the base immediately.
More warriors remain.
What? He also knew the Super Soldiers' armour was resistant to our weapons.
Sergeant Harriman reported only two intruders before he got killed.
They held the control room long enough to keep the lris open.
But gate logs would indicate another wormhole.
The threat has not been neutralised.
- There are others.
I am certain of it.
- Because? The game has not yet ended.
Teal'c, I know this isn't your strongest suit, but this is a really bad time for jokes.
You are all part of a simulation, designed to test the SGC's preparedness in case of gate breach.
None of you are real.
I am fine.
Warning.
Base auto-destruct sequence has been activated.
- Sam? - I don't understand it.
Somebody must have reactivated the auto destruct from a remote location.
I'm locked out of the system.
I can't shut it down.
How did you know? His heart rate and blood pressure are too high.
- How long can he do this? - I don't know.
A day, maybe less.
I thought the chair couldn't kill him.
The physiological effects it can have at any one time are limited.
Yes, but while each individual pain stimulus isn't in any way life-threatening, the cumulative effect is now starting to take its toll.
If he doesn't have a heart attack, he'll eventually run out of adrenaline.
Blood pressure will drop.
His organ system will fail.
Death by a thousand cuts.
- Disable the auto-destruct command.
- What? The SGC will be breached by Anubis warriors.
They will attempt to destroy the base via the command.
- What? - If you disable the command, they will be forced to use other means.
Only then can we hope to defeat them.
- Teal'c, how could you know? - (alarm blares) Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
There is little time.
(Dr Lee) Colonel? He's at level 28.
He's got the modulator chip and he's used it to kill the first two Super Soldiers.
He's hunting for the third.
Man, he's not in good shape.
(Teal'c moans) This is ridiculous.
It's torturing him.
Why won't he quit? - Wait.
He's headed for the elevator.
- He's gonna use the fail-safe.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
It didn't work.
He's back in the game.
I always thought a fail-safe system was supposed to be somewhat safe .
.
from failure.
From the beginning, in Teal'c's mind, the goal was to make the simulation real.
As much as he must now want to quit, we think the game evaluated his character and decided that if this were a real situation, Teal'c would never give up.
Well, it's right.
It's also just a game.
But the game doesn't know that.
So how do we get him out? Removing the connections while the system is operating is potentially fatal.
On the other hand, the physical stress that the chair is putting him under will eventually kill him anyway.
Right now, the only way out is for Teal'c to win the game.
- Can he? - It seems to be getting harder and harder.
Every time it appears he's won, the game adds a new twist.
- So it's not going to let him win.
- No.
The chair doesn't have an ego.
It's not trying to beat Teal'c, just provide a challenge that's worthy of his abilities.
Ironically, it's Teal'c's ego that created this problem, not that his self-image isn't entirely accurate.
If this continues, he's gonna require adrenaline to sustain his heart rate.
And the thing is, I can't keep him going like this for long.
There has to be a way for him to win.
(alarm blares) - I think it's helping.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
- They've adapted their armour.
- Cover me.
Colonel Carter.
Teal'c, what's going on? What are you doing with a thermographic sensor? - There is a third drone.
- Are you sure? I thought only two came.
I'm certain.
He's using a cloak of invisibility.
Nice one.
- And it is not yet over.
- There are more? - (man) Colonel? - Go ahead.
I've got a problem with the naqahdah generator in storage room 2809.
I can't stop it.
Someone's rigged it on a feedback loop.
There's not enough time to stop the overload.
Sergeant, dial the gate now! P4M-523.
Yes, ma'am.
Starting dialling sequence.
Chevron one encoded.
Chevron two encoded.
Chevron three encoded.
Chevron four Aagh! Daniel? What the hell are you doing? Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Warning.
Base auto-destruct sequence has been activated.
- How's he doing? - Not well.
His physical exhaustion's translating into the game.
Looks like he's having trouble even playing any more.
It still won't let him go.
I spoke to one of the scientists on P7J-989.
He says there's nothing they can do under the circumstances.
What are you doing? They had a neural imprint of Teal'c's mind on file from when we were trapped in the chairs six years ago.
- Creepy.
- Yeah.
I'm trying not to think about it.
I'm running a simulation using the same parameters Teal'c's dealing with now.
And? The imprint's nowhere near the same as a live active mind.
- Plus, a lot has changed in six years.
- But not the essence of Teal'c's character.
See, that's what worries me.
I hope it has.
I have run hundreds of simulations.
No matter what he does, the program adapts.
Every time it looks like he's won, the chair makes it harder.
It's like the game is reading Teal'c's mind and somehow seeing this game as a microcosm for our war against the Goa'uld.
That's how Teal'c probably treats every battle.
According to these results, six years ago, despite what Teal'c led us to believe, deep down, he didn't think the Goa'uld could ever be defeated.
Well, he doesn't think that now.
- He can't, after all we've accomplished.
- I hope you're right.
Otherwise, no matter how long or hard Teal'c plays the game, he won't win.
This can't go on for much longer.
We're gonna have to make a decision about forcibly removing the connections.
You know, it's too bad we can't hook up a joystick to this thing.
Give him a little help.
Backup, maybe.
Actually, we could link up another chair and send someone else into the same simulation.
That wouldn't make any difference.
The processors would network.
The second person would fall victim to the same elements that have trapped Teal'c.
Unless the new player had an advantage.
Sir, you may have done it again.
Yes.
How did I do it this time? These graphics are being generated by a data recorder that's tracking the game.
It's interfaced into the system between the chair's processor and Teal'c.
The chair decides what happens, Teal'c responds.
Those responses are then incorporated, processed, and we see the results.
It's a continuous loop of ever-changing data.
Oh.
Still waiting on my good idea.
The recorder causes a two-second delay between the programming in the chair and the experience in Teal'c's mind.
He won't know the difference, but we could use it.
If we hook up the second chair to the first, without using the recorder in the loop The new player would know what's about to happen two seconds before it occurred.
- Like precognition.
- Exactly.
It's not much, but it might give us enough of an edge to help both players win.
That's assuming the chair's programming won't become aware of it and adapt.
Which would mean there's a good chance the second player is trapped with Teal'c.
(all) I'll do it.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Teal'c! What are you doing? No, don't! - Why did he shoot him? - He was a Goa'uld in the last simulations.
I should have gone.
The last thing we needed was the game learning from your tactical experience.
I gotta get used to this.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Easy.
Don't shoot.
Just hear me out.
OK, it's me.
I'm real.
I'm not a Goa'uld, and I'm going to prove that to you.
OK? - Crap.
- Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
I'm sorry, buddy.
You're gonna have to listen to me.
OK.
A minute ago, we were in Sam's lab.
I was trying to convince you I was real and you shot me.
Remember? What happened next? The game reset.
It's probably happened so many times it's a blur, but the reason it happened this time is because I'm playing too.
I'm in a chair, just like you.
If either one of us die, we both lose.
- It will not let me out.
- I know.
The game thinks that in a real situation, you'd never quit.
No matter what I do, it is not possible, Daniel Jackson.
It is not possible! Yes, it is.
That's why I'm here.
Come on, let's do this.
Together.
(gunfire) - We must leave this area immediately.
- Yeah, I heard that.
- You are able to foresee the future? - Yeah.
Two seconds into the future.
To be honest with you, it's kind of freaking me out.
Two seconds is not a lot of time.
I mean, you just get a chance to see something happen, and all you can say is, "Watch out".
No, seriously, watch out! - We're gonna need a crash cart in here.
- You can't use an electrical impulse.
He's right.
There's a chance Teal'c is going to go into cardiac arrest if he suffers one more reset.
Teal'c! His heart's stopped.
He's got a pulse.
That's not gonna work again.
I don't wanna see that again.
I thought they were gonna be able to beat this thing.
It may take Daniel a while to adjust to the precognitive abilities.
Plus, two seconds isn't a lot of time.
He'll need the right opportunity to take advantage of it.
We must possess the modulator chip to compensate for the drone's armour.
- Any idea where she keeps it? - It changes location each time.
Of course it does.
Found it.
Down! Yeah.
This could work.
- Why didn't you shoot him? - Such an action has always proven fatal.
In the previous version of the game, when I've eliminated a drone from this location, it has inevitably attracted the attention of a third, cloaked drone.
So we'll shoot him too.
It is merely a diversion designed to allow a Goa'uld time to destroy the base.
He will use either our self-destruct mechanism or a naqahdah generator designed to overload.
And if you try to stop one, he uses the other.
Indeed.
I suppose the identity of that Goa'uld changes too? Yes.
I believe it to be the final component of the game we must overcome.
(gunfire) - You guys all right? - Yeah.
Thanks.
- The naqahdah generator.
- You guys all right? - Almost got it.
Just give me a second.
- Step away from the device.
What are you doing? We've got less than a minute before this thing goes critical.
- T? - Step away.
I'd do as he says.
What the hell's going on here? We're all gonna die if you don't let me stop that overload.
- She may be a Goa'uld.
- It was Siler.
- Siler? - Siler? He was in here.
I found him setting the generator.
Teal'c, put the weapon down.
That's an order.
What if it's not her? You said you could never tell who it was until the last second.
You may be correct, Daniel Jackson.
Hey! Now what? Well, I know for a fact it's not me or Teal'c.
- Daniel Jackson? - I don't know.
I can't tell.
Carter.
- Teal'c! - Carter! - Is it finished? - Yeah.
You did it.
(Carter) Shutting off power to both chairs.
- O'Neill.
- Hey.
We have won.
Well It's what we do.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Give me your weapon.
Simulation time, 49 seconds.
That's not bad, not bad.
- How was it? Was it fun? - lndeed.
You died well in battle, O'Neill.
Obviously there's something defective with this.
Agreed.
An Anubis drone is a far more formidable warrior than this suggests.
What? No We've been working on this chair for two years to make it a viable virtual-reality training tool for SGC personnel.
You have failed.
He's nothing if not honest.
Well I mean, maybe it could use a little more work, but Can you make it harder more difficult? Well, we can input the parameters for different scenarios, but the vast majority of the simulation array comes from the mind of the user.
The programming is actually built by interfacing memories from the individual's consciousness with the chair's matrix.
Carter, all I heard was "matrix", and I found those films quite confusing.
What Dr Lee is trying to explain is that the simulation actually learns its realism - from the person using it.
- What? We've built it.
We've tested the software extensively using a variety of subjects.
Obviously no one with Teal'c's field experience.
Subjects? To whom do you refer? Hey.
If Teal'c would agree to work with us a little more All you'd have to do is basically play the game.
Let it learn from you.
Come on, it'd be fun.
You'd be so good.
Very well.
There you go.
Just make sure there's a beginners' level for the rest of us.
Oh, yeah.
We can always make it easier.
Not that we'd have to for you, certainly.
For others, but you would be fine.
Carter.
Gentlemen.
Thanks to Colonel Carter's new code translation program, we can monitor your progress through a representation of your point of view.
- You've played Doom.
- I played Def Jam Vendetta.
Exactly.
Yes.
There is a two-second delay between the chair's processor and your experience, but you shouldn't notice anything.
Anyway, we can store every aspect of your activity in the game, then later choose what to incorporate into our programming of the training scenario.
You understand, as before, once your mind is interfaced with the chair, we cannot remove the connection or cut power without endangering you.
- lndeed.
- It's a function of the new chair design.
Since the gamekeeper incident, the aliens of P7J-989 built in the shut-off command, so only someone in the chair can control it.
You have previously given me this information.
This is different this time, because the game will be learning from you, then incorporating those changes into its programming code.
If you're killed in the game, it will reset and you'll start again.
The chair will only end the game under two conditions: once you complete the scenario or if you engage the internal fail-safe, - which you're free to do at any time.
- That will be unnecessary.
Don't be so cocky.
The chair is intuitive.
It'll eventually learn everything you know.
If you want to stop it before the conclusion, just get to the base elevator, head for the surface.
Ready? Proceed.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
(Teal'c) Give me your weapon.
(groans) - What just happened? - It looks like the chair induced pain.
It's directly linked to his brain.
We knew it was capable of this.
But it's just a simulation.
It doesn't have to hurt.
That's the difference between you and Teal'c.
He knows in a real situation your tactics would be different if you thought you couldn't feel any pain.
Man, that was a heck of a shock.
He wanted it to be realistic.
Fortunately, we limited the chair from being able to deliver any sort of lethal jolt.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
O'Neill.
Get outta here, Teal'c.
That's twice.
Looks like the chair is learning quickly.
Don't count Teal'c out yet.
(alarm blares) (footsteps) Ooh, that's cold.
Colonel, I'm pretty concerned about some of these bio-readings.
Me too.
Dr Carmichael, this is Colonel Carter.
Can you join us in Science Lab Five? Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Teal'c! - I require your assistance.
- Likewise.
SG-3 came in hot.
- Our gateroom people could use backup.
- They are all dead.
- Excuse me? - The gateroom has been breached.
Our most effective defence is to seal off the east and south ends of level 28.
If we act now, we may force them into a crossfire.
- Force who? - The two Anubis warriors.
- How can you know that? - They've chosen the same route seven of the last ten times.
(man) Colonel, two hostiles are headed your way.
Roger that.
We're in position.
Heads up, people.
(footsteps) Fall back! Well, you were right to be concerned about these readings.
Frequent spikes in his natural adrenaline are causing blood pressure and heart rate too high to be sustained long term.
That last ambush should have worked.
- Why did the weapon have no effect? - I don't know.
Has a Super Soldier been resistant to that weapon in reality? - No.
- But it is possible, right? The Goa'uld have adapted technology to fight something we've thrown at them.
Well Hopefully the game will also extrapolate solutions and offer them to Teal'c.
I mean, it'd just be fair.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six Teal'c! SG-3 came in hot.
Sounds like the gateroom people could use backup.
- We gotta move! - Colonel Carter, listen to me.
The SGC has been penetrated by two Anubis drones.
Our weapons are ineffective against their armour.
How is this possible? - That's what I want to know.
- I speak of the armour.
It could have been altered to resist the energy weapons.
- Can they now be defeated? - I've been working on a modulator chip.
- Where is it? - In my lab, but I still (gunfire) Show me.
It's only a prototype.
(PA) Warning.
Base auto-destruct sequence has been activated.
- Nice of you to join us! - We've been busy! They've found a way to counteract our little weapons here.
Warning.
Base auto-destruct sequence has been activated.
(PA) Base auto destruct has been aborted.
- We're clear.
- Then the threat has been eliminated.
The threat has been eliminated.
Teal'c, you're injured.
Teal'c? I'm fine.
- I don't get it.
That should be the end.
- You're saying he should have won? That was the conclusion of the programmed scenario.
- But the chair is not disconnecting.
- The game's not resetting either.
That's not fair.
You can't win a race if someone keeps moving the finish line.
He said he wanted it to be harder, more realistic.
In reality, we haven't defeated the Goa'uld.
Are you saying the game won't end until he defeats all the Goa'uld? You said the game learns the rules from Teal'c.
Yeah, but the parameters can't go beyond the base invasion scenario.
- Can you get him out? - Not without risking neural damage.
The game has a fail-safe.
All Teal'c has to do is quit.
Yeah.
Teal'c quit.
Anubis drones must have waited for SG-3 to dial the gate, then overwhelmed them.
But I can't figure out how they knew how to set the self-destruct.
- I can't believe General O'Neill is dead.
- He is not dead.
What? We must focus on the situation.
The threat has not been neutralised.
- What? - We will search the base immediately.
More warriors remain.
What? He also knew the Super Soldiers' armour was resistant to our weapons.
Sergeant Harriman reported only two intruders before he got killed.
They held the control room long enough to keep the lris open.
But gate logs would indicate another wormhole.
The threat has not been neutralised.
- There are others.
I am certain of it.
- Because? The game has not yet ended.
Teal'c, I know this isn't your strongest suit, but this is a really bad time for jokes.
You are all part of a simulation, designed to test the SGC's preparedness in case of gate breach.
None of you are real.
I am fine.
Warning.
Base auto-destruct sequence has been activated.
- Sam? - I don't understand it.
Somebody must have reactivated the auto destruct from a remote location.
I'm locked out of the system.
I can't shut it down.
How did you know? His heart rate and blood pressure are too high.
- How long can he do this? - I don't know.
A day, maybe less.
I thought the chair couldn't kill him.
The physiological effects it can have at any one time are limited.
Yes, but while each individual pain stimulus isn't in any way life-threatening, the cumulative effect is now starting to take its toll.
If he doesn't have a heart attack, he'll eventually run out of adrenaline.
Blood pressure will drop.
His organ system will fail.
Death by a thousand cuts.
- Disable the auto-destruct command.
- What? The SGC will be breached by Anubis warriors.
They will attempt to destroy the base via the command.
- What? - If you disable the command, they will be forced to use other means.
Only then can we hope to defeat them.
- Teal'c, how could you know? - (alarm blares) Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
There is little time.
(Dr Lee) Colonel? He's at level 28.
He's got the modulator chip and he's used it to kill the first two Super Soldiers.
He's hunting for the third.
Man, he's not in good shape.
(Teal'c moans) This is ridiculous.
It's torturing him.
Why won't he quit? - Wait.
He's headed for the elevator.
- He's gonna use the fail-safe.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
It didn't work.
He's back in the game.
I always thought a fail-safe system was supposed to be somewhat safe .
.
from failure.
From the beginning, in Teal'c's mind, the goal was to make the simulation real.
As much as he must now want to quit, we think the game evaluated his character and decided that if this were a real situation, Teal'c would never give up.
Well, it's right.
It's also just a game.
But the game doesn't know that.
So how do we get him out? Removing the connections while the system is operating is potentially fatal.
On the other hand, the physical stress that the chair is putting him under will eventually kill him anyway.
Right now, the only way out is for Teal'c to win the game.
- Can he? - It seems to be getting harder and harder.
Every time it appears he's won, the game adds a new twist.
- So it's not going to let him win.
- No.
The chair doesn't have an ego.
It's not trying to beat Teal'c, just provide a challenge that's worthy of his abilities.
Ironically, it's Teal'c's ego that created this problem, not that his self-image isn't entirely accurate.
If this continues, he's gonna require adrenaline to sustain his heart rate.
And the thing is, I can't keep him going like this for long.
There has to be a way for him to win.
(alarm blares) - I think it's helping.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
- They've adapted their armour.
- Cover me.
Colonel Carter.
Teal'c, what's going on? What are you doing with a thermographic sensor? - There is a third drone.
- Are you sure? I thought only two came.
I'm certain.
He's using a cloak of invisibility.
Nice one.
- And it is not yet over.
- There are more? - (man) Colonel? - Go ahead.
I've got a problem with the naqahdah generator in storage room 2809.
I can't stop it.
Someone's rigged it on a feedback loop.
There's not enough time to stop the overload.
Sergeant, dial the gate now! P4M-523.
Yes, ma'am.
Starting dialling sequence.
Chevron one encoded.
Chevron two encoded.
Chevron three encoded.
Chevron four Aagh! Daniel? What the hell are you doing? Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Warning.
Base auto-destruct sequence has been activated.
- How's he doing? - Not well.
His physical exhaustion's translating into the game.
Looks like he's having trouble even playing any more.
It still won't let him go.
I spoke to one of the scientists on P7J-989.
He says there's nothing they can do under the circumstances.
What are you doing? They had a neural imprint of Teal'c's mind on file from when we were trapped in the chairs six years ago.
- Creepy.
- Yeah.
I'm trying not to think about it.
I'm running a simulation using the same parameters Teal'c's dealing with now.
And? The imprint's nowhere near the same as a live active mind.
- Plus, a lot has changed in six years.
- But not the essence of Teal'c's character.
See, that's what worries me.
I hope it has.
I have run hundreds of simulations.
No matter what he does, the program adapts.
Every time it looks like he's won, the chair makes it harder.
It's like the game is reading Teal'c's mind and somehow seeing this game as a microcosm for our war against the Goa'uld.
That's how Teal'c probably treats every battle.
According to these results, six years ago, despite what Teal'c led us to believe, deep down, he didn't think the Goa'uld could ever be defeated.
Well, he doesn't think that now.
- He can't, after all we've accomplished.
- I hope you're right.
Otherwise, no matter how long or hard Teal'c plays the game, he won't win.
This can't go on for much longer.
We're gonna have to make a decision about forcibly removing the connections.
You know, it's too bad we can't hook up a joystick to this thing.
Give him a little help.
Backup, maybe.
Actually, we could link up another chair and send someone else into the same simulation.
That wouldn't make any difference.
The processors would network.
The second person would fall victim to the same elements that have trapped Teal'c.
Unless the new player had an advantage.
Sir, you may have done it again.
Yes.
How did I do it this time? These graphics are being generated by a data recorder that's tracking the game.
It's interfaced into the system between the chair's processor and Teal'c.
The chair decides what happens, Teal'c responds.
Those responses are then incorporated, processed, and we see the results.
It's a continuous loop of ever-changing data.
Oh.
Still waiting on my good idea.
The recorder causes a two-second delay between the programming in the chair and the experience in Teal'c's mind.
He won't know the difference, but we could use it.
If we hook up the second chair to the first, without using the recorder in the loop The new player would know what's about to happen two seconds before it occurred.
- Like precognition.
- Exactly.
It's not much, but it might give us enough of an edge to help both players win.
That's assuming the chair's programming won't become aware of it and adapt.
Which would mean there's a good chance the second player is trapped with Teal'c.
(all) I'll do it.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Teal'c! What are you doing? No, don't! - Why did he shoot him? - He was a Goa'uld in the last simulations.
I should have gone.
The last thing we needed was the game learning from your tactical experience.
I gotta get used to this.
Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
Easy.
Don't shoot.
Just hear me out.
OK, it's me.
I'm real.
I'm not a Goa'uld, and I'm going to prove that to you.
OK? - Crap.
- Threat level Foxtrot Alpha Six.
All security teams to the gateroom.
I'm sorry, buddy.
You're gonna have to listen to me.
OK.
A minute ago, we were in Sam's lab.
I was trying to convince you I was real and you shot me.
Remember? What happened next? The game reset.
It's probably happened so many times it's a blur, but the reason it happened this time is because I'm playing too.
I'm in a chair, just like you.
If either one of us die, we both lose.
- It will not let me out.
- I know.
The game thinks that in a real situation, you'd never quit.
No matter what I do, it is not possible, Daniel Jackson.
It is not possible! Yes, it is.
That's why I'm here.
Come on, let's do this.
Together.
(gunfire) - We must leave this area immediately.
- Yeah, I heard that.
- You are able to foresee the future? - Yeah.
Two seconds into the future.
To be honest with you, it's kind of freaking me out.
Two seconds is not a lot of time.
I mean, you just get a chance to see something happen, and all you can say is, "Watch out".
No, seriously, watch out! - We're gonna need a crash cart in here.
- You can't use an electrical impulse.
He's right.
There's a chance Teal'c is going to go into cardiac arrest if he suffers one more reset.
Teal'c! His heart's stopped.
He's got a pulse.
That's not gonna work again.
I don't wanna see that again.
I thought they were gonna be able to beat this thing.
It may take Daniel a while to adjust to the precognitive abilities.
Plus, two seconds isn't a lot of time.
He'll need the right opportunity to take advantage of it.
We must possess the modulator chip to compensate for the drone's armour.
- Any idea where she keeps it? - It changes location each time.
Of course it does.
Found it.
Down! Yeah.
This could work.
- Why didn't you shoot him? - Such an action has always proven fatal.
In the previous version of the game, when I've eliminated a drone from this location, it has inevitably attracted the attention of a third, cloaked drone.
So we'll shoot him too.
It is merely a diversion designed to allow a Goa'uld time to destroy the base.
He will use either our self-destruct mechanism or a naqahdah generator designed to overload.
And if you try to stop one, he uses the other.
Indeed.
I suppose the identity of that Goa'uld changes too? Yes.
I believe it to be the final component of the game we must overcome.
(gunfire) - You guys all right? - Yeah.
Thanks.
- The naqahdah generator.
- You guys all right? - Almost got it.
Just give me a second.
- Step away from the device.
What are you doing? We've got less than a minute before this thing goes critical.
- T? - Step away.
I'd do as he says.
What the hell's going on here? We're all gonna die if you don't let me stop that overload.
- She may be a Goa'uld.
- It was Siler.
- Siler? - Siler? He was in here.
I found him setting the generator.
Teal'c, put the weapon down.
That's an order.
What if it's not her? You said you could never tell who it was until the last second.
You may be correct, Daniel Jackson.
Hey! Now what? Well, I know for a fact it's not me or Teal'c.
- Daniel Jackson? - I don't know.
I can't tell.
Carter.
- Teal'c! - Carter! - Is it finished? - Yeah.
You did it.
(Carter) Shutting off power to both chairs.
- O'Neill.
- Hey.
We have won.
Well It's what we do.