Flashback

STARGATE COMMAND. Samantha Carter, Teal’c, and Daniel Jackson are walking down a hallway towards the gate room. They are dressed in their uniforms and have their automatic weapons, preparing for an off-world mission.

JACKSON: I’m telling you, Teal’c, it was just a movie.

TEAL’C: Even so, the hunter species should always out-master the prey. Otherwise, they would not be hunters.

JACKSON: Yes but in movies the audience wants to root for the little guy. It gives the audience a way to interact and see themselves as part of the movie where they normally wouldn’t be.

CARTER: What movie did you guys see?

JACKSON: Alien vs. Predator.

TEAL’C: I do not believe that an advanced race would require the help of humans to rid themselves of the aliens.

CARTER: Well, we’ve helped several advanced races and we’ve proved our worth a dozen times over.

TEAL’C: It appeared to me that the Predators used humans in much the same way as the Goa’uld used humans as slaves. Did they not implant the aliens in the humans?

JACKSON: Well, yes.

TEAL’C: Then how do we know that we have not been compromised ourselves?

JACKSON: Like I said, Teal’c, it was a movie. It’s not based on fact.

(SG-1 enters the gate room. Near the ramp to the stargate, another group of soldiers is awaiting them. They turn to greet SG-1. Kawalsky, Dr. Frazier, and Rya’c smile as SG-1 approaches.)

KAWALSKY: About time you got here, SG-1. Where’s Colonel O’Neill?

(Jack O’Neill runs in from the hallway, suited up for the mission.)

O’NEILL: Didn’t think you’d be leading my squad on this mission, did you Kawalsky?

KAWALSKY: No, sir, wouldn’t dream of it.

(From the gate control room, General Hammond is looking down on the two squadrons.)

HAMMOND: SG-1, SG-2, you have a go.

O’NEILL: Yes, sir. Let’s move out, SG-1.

KAWALSKY: Let’s go, SG-2.

(The two squads pass through the active gate, all except Teal’c. At the event horizon, he hesitates and shakes his head. Then, he slowly turns his head back towards the gate control room.)

HAMMOND: Something the matter, Teal’c?

(Teal’c is about to say something, then stops.)

TEAL’C: Nothing, General Hammond.

(Without another word, Teal’c moves through the stargate and the wormhole closes behind him.)

LANGARA. SG-1 and SG-2 move out and from the stargate and down a flight of steps.

UNKNOWN VOICE: Halt!

(They have entered an underground bunker and are met by a platoon of soldiers dressed in old-fashioned blue uniforms. The soldiers raise their weapons and surround SG-1 and SG-2. One of the soldiers moves up to O’Neill.)

O’NEILL: Hey, watch where you point that thing.

CAPTAIN: Your kind is not welcome here anymore, Colonel O’Neill.

O’NEILL: We seem to be hearing that a lot lately.

CAPTAIN: The Ori have visited us over the past few weeks. Many were killed when they voiced their support for the Tau’ri.

CARTER: The Ori have been here?

CAPTAIN: Yes, and we have been declared worthy enough to be their servants.

KAWALSKY: Worthy enough?

CAPTAIN: Enough talk. You are all under arrest and are now servants of the Ori.

(SG-1 and SG-2 are disarmed and then taken prisoner by the soldiers.)

KELOWNAN PRISON CELL. Deep in the underground bunker, SG-1 and SG-2 are being held behind bars. Their weapons have been taken from them and there are two guards standing watch in the hallway outside their cells. O’Neill is trying to get the guards’ attention.

O’NEILL: So, how long are we going to be stuck in here until someone tells us what’s going on? (The guards stand motionless and do not answer.) That long, huh? (The guards remain silent. O’Neill turns back to the group inside the prison cell.) They say it might take a while.

RYA’C: What are the Ori doing on Langara, anyways?

O’NEILL: Oh, I think the whole conquering planets and civilizations comes into play somehow.

CARTER: The Langarans were pretty technologically advanced compared to some of the other planets that we’ve visited. I’m sure they put up a good fight before the Ori were able to overrun their defenses.

JACKSON: If they’ve taken Origin as their belief then why are they still hiding in underground bunkers? If the fighting is all over then why don’t they go back to the surface?

FRAZIER: There could be some radiation from the destruction still in the atmosphere. If the Kelownans used any naqahdah bombs then the fallout could take years to clean.

TEAL’C: Could not the Priors fix the damage?

KAWALSKY: (hanging his hands out the prison cell while resting on the bars) Maybe it’s punishment for resisting them for so long?

(There is a noise down the corridor and the sound of approaching footsteps. SG-1 and SG-2 stand up to meet the new arrivals. A group of soldiers faces them from the hallway. From the back of the group a familiar face appears.)

CARTER: Jonas?

QUINN: Doctor Carter (he nods to everyone else). It is good to see everyone again.

O’NEILL: Is this how old friends are treated nowadays in Kelowna?

QUINN: In Langara, you mean. And yes, ever since the Ori have arrived we have been building these underground levels to store –

CAPTAIN: That is enough, Doctor Quinn! The prisoners are to meet with the Ruling Council this afternoon. Until then they are to be moved to the Army Headquarters Facility located at Langara City.

(The guards open the prison door and start to move SG-1 and SG-2 down the hallway, with Jonas following.)

LANGARA RULING COUNCIL CHAMBER. SG-1 and SG-2 have been brought before the Ruling Council. They are brought in front of a bench where three men and two women are sitting. Around the room are armed guards standing watch over the proceedings. The SG teams are told to sit behind another table, facing the bench. A judge, a man, sitting in the middle of the five, speaks to them.

SUPREME JUDGE: Citizens of the Tau’ri, you are hereby brought before the Ruling Council of Langara charged with heresy and treason against our Lords and allies, the Ori. As per the Alliance Accord set forth by Prime Minister Harken and Prior Ademus, signed eight months ago, any member of the Tau’ri will be brought to the Ori to serve out their punishments for resisting the Path. Hallowed are the Ori.

SEVERAL KELOWNAN JUDGES: Hallowed are the Ori.

SUPREME JUDGE: Send them back to their cell to await interplanetary travel to Toronas.

(Guards begin to move towards the SG teams.)

O’NEILL: Now wait a minute.

SUPREME JUDGE: Defendant will not speak during the proceedings!

O’NEILL: Proceedings? We didn’t even get a chance to defend ourselves!

SUPREME JUDGE: Silence! You will return to your cells and await transportation to the Ori camp.

O’NEILL: And what’s with the sudden love for the Ori, huh? The last we heard from Kelowna was that it was under attack by the Ori! Now you’re praising them?

(A silence falls over the room.)

SUPREME JUDGE: The Ori showed us the true Path and Origin led us to victory over our enemies. Today, the children of Kelowna will grow up in peace under the shadow of the Ori and Origin, not under the shadow of nuclear war from Andari and Terranian.

FRAZIER: You joined with the Ori to destroy the other nations on your planet?

SUPREME JUDGE: Annihilation was the only way this conflict was going to end. Kelowna had to ensure that it would survive the Ori invasion.

RYA’C: You killed many millions of people.

SUPREME JUDGE: They would have done the same to us if given the chance. At least now we can live in peace.

JACKSON: You mean living under the rule of the Ori and their peace.

SUPREME JUDGE: Silence! Guards, take them away!

QUINN: (from the back of the room.) Your honors, if I may.

(Jonas walks towards the bench. Everyone pauses.)

O’NEILL: Thank you. Jonas, tell them –

SUPREME JUDGE: Jonas Quinn. We are well aware of your past connections with the Tau’ri. Be thankful that your punishments have not been more severe. Do not make the mistake in thinking that this council will be lenient to these criminals based upon your testimony.

QUINN: Not at all, your honor. However, if I may make an alternative travel arrangement for the prisoners to Toronas.

(Jackson looks at Jonas, incredulously.)

JACKSON: Alternative travel plans?

QUINN: (Ignoring Daniel) Your honors, the prototype is complete and ready for its first test run. This is the perfect opportunity to try it out in a safe environment.

CARTER: Prototype? What prototype?

SECONDARY JUDGE: (rubbing his chin) Intriguing, Doctor Quinn. If the prototype is indeed ready then I agree that this would be an acceptable approach.

(The other judges nod in agreement.)

SUPREME JUDGE: I must say that I am surprised to hear you suggest this course of action.

QUINN: Well, I did help engineer it. I want to see it up and running and am confident that it is ready for real-time testing.

SUPREME JUDGE: Very well. Prepare the prisoners for space travel.

(The guards lead the SG teams towards the Council exit. As O’Neill passes Jonas, he leans in and whispers at him.)

O’NEILL: (whispers) What are you doing, Jonas?

QUINN: (whispers) Saving your lives.

LANGARA. SG-1 and SG-2 are walking down an underground corridor. They are being led by Jonas Quinn and are flanked by three guards armed with rifles.

O’NEILL: So, where are we going? (O’Neill is pushed from behind by one of the guards) Hey. Watch it, pal.

GUARD: Keep moving.

KAWALSKY: (whispers to Jonas) Alright, Jonas, what are these alternative travel plans?

QUINN: (whispers) When the time comes, get ready to fight off the guards.

(Jonas leads them to a reinforced, steel door. He types something into a panel on the side and the doors spread open. On the other side is a rotating tunnel with a stationary catwalk moving through it. He leads the group down the catwalk)

O’NEILL: Interesting…

TEAL’C: Indeed.

CARTER: (looks down over the catwalk) How big is this chasm?

QUINN: About a thousand meters down and a few thousand wide.

CARTER: (shocked) A thousand meters? What’s down here?

QUINN: Our prototype spaceship.

CARTER: Spaceship?

QUINN: Yes, we got the designs from the Ori and they’ve helped us with our engineering and power problems.

GUARD: Do you think it’s wise telling the Tau’ri about our prototype, Doctor Quinn?

QUINN: They’re going to figure it out either way pretty soon.

TEAL’C: That is how you plan on taking us to the Ori? On your new ship.

QUINN: All the tests have been run and it’s time for a test drive of the operational systems of the ship. Step through here.

(He leads SG-1 through another door. Two guards follow, then SG-2 and the final guard. Jonas closes the door behind them. Jackson is in the front. He looks ahead where another closed door is a few dozen steps away. They walk down the enclosed corridor until they reach the other door. On the side of the door are two buttons, a red one and a green one.)

JACKSON: Oh boy, another door. (Tries the knob) Locked.

KAWALSKY: This is great architectural design, Jonas. Two doors back to back and one doesn’t open.

QUINN: Press the red button on your right, Doctor Jackson.

(Daniel moves to press it)

FRAZIER: Wait, what does that say above the button?

QUINN: (urgently) Just push the button, Doctor Jackson.

CARTER: It says “Magnetic Seal” on it…

QUINN: Push the button!

GUARD: Magnetic seal? Get away!

(The guards raise their weapons. Jackson pushes the button. A loud hum rushes through the room. It rips the weapons from two of the guards and flings them to the walls, but the third one is struggling to keep a hold of his gun. He tries to gain control of his gun, but Jonas tackles him from behind. As they fall, the gun unleashes a string of bullets. Several people fall to the floor, wounded. Teal’c and Jonas are able to restrain the guards.)

CARTER: Sir, Doctor Frazier’s been hit!

(O’Neill rushes over to Carter, who is bending over Frazier, lying on the floor.)

JACKSON: Jack!

(O’Neill looks over at Daniel, who is looking at something on the magnetic wall. It is a pin to a grenade. O’Neill looks at one of the guards, who also spots the pin on the wall. He looks down at his belt and sees the live grenade.)

O’NEILL: Cover!

(Everyone crouches over, but in the closed corridor there is little space to hide. The grenade explodes and orange flames and shrapnel fly through the air.)

LANGARA. In the underground corridor. Lying on the ground are the bodies of Kawalsky, Frazier, and Rya’c. They are all dead. Teal’c is enraged.

TEAL’C: You killed my son!

(He grabs one of the guards by the collar and lifts him off his feet. He begins to strangle him with one arm.)

O’NEILL: Teal’c! (He tries to peel Teal’c off the guard.) Easy big boy! Just calm down! He’s not worth it. Let him go!

(Teal’c ignores O’Neill and snaps the man’s neck. He tosses the man’s lifeless body to the ground.)

TEAL’C: (stares at O’Neill) Now I will let him go.

QUINN: Come on, we have to hurry. Someone will be looking for us soon.

CARTER: We can’t just leave them here, sir!

O’NEILL: There’s nothing we can do, Carter. We have to go before someone else comes.

JACKSON: And where are we going to go? We’re stuck underground, and nowhere near the stargate.

QUINN: The stargate is too heavily guarded to try to escape that way.

O’NEILL: Well, why didn’t you say so? You hear that, Daniel, the stargate is out of the question.

CARTER: So then we’re stuck here?

QUINN: No, the prototype spaceship. We can hijack it. It should fly.

CARTER: Should fly?

QUINN: (shrugs) Yes. Theoretically.

(They leave the guards behind and follow Jonas down the underground corridor. After a few turns and some more locked doors, they arrive at a catwalk that stretches out into a pit. From the opening, they can see that it connects to a large ship, similar to the Ori battle cruisers. They cross the catwalk to a door that leads into the ship.)

CARTER: Is there anyone here?

QUINN: No, the ship is deserted. All of the equipment and systems have been installed and a crew is being established as we speak. (They enter the ship and head for the bridge.) I have to get permission to open the bay doors. Hopefully no one knows what’s happened yet.

(Jonas types into a computer on the bridge.)

KELOWNAN OFFICER: (over radio) Door entrance, go ahead.

QUINN: This is Doctor Jonas Quinn. I have orders to test fly the prototype ship and take the Tau’ri prisoners to the Ori.

KELOWNAN OFFICER: (over radio) Please hold while we authenticate your request.

(There is a pause.)

QUINN: (to SG-1) Let’s hope they buy it.

KELOWNAN OFFICER: (over radio) Permission granted. Bay doors opening now.

(There is a rumbling felt through the ship as the doors open.)

O’NEILL: Alright, start up the engines and let’s get out of here.

SPACE OUTSIDE LANGARA. The ship ignites its engines and pulls up, out of the underground lair. It shoots up into the atmosphere and heads into space.

ONBOARD THE LANGARAN PROTOTYPE VESSEL. Jonas Quinn and SG-1 are spread out on the command bridge.

QUINN: Activating the hyperdrive.

CARTER: Hang on, Jonas. Is this ship actually capable of hyperdrive travel?

QUINN: Theoretically.

JACKSON: (sharing a nervous look amongst SG-1) Theoretically?

(A hyperspace window appears and the ship flies through, leaving Langara behind.)

QUINN: All systems appear to be functioning correctly. It looks like the ship can hold its own.

(Suddenly, there is a jerk in the ship and it comes out of hyperspace.)

O’NEILL: What’s going on?

CARTER: We’ve dropped out of hyperspace.

QUINN: (rushing to a control panel) Something must have happened to the drive engine.

CARTER: Subspace engines aren’t responding either.

(A siren rings out on the bridge that sounds close to a telephone ring.)

JACKSON: What’s that?

QUINN: Our scanners are indicating several ships in the nearby vicinity. One of them is hailing us.

(The siren rings again.)

TEAL’C: Should we not answer?

O’NEILL: Good idea. Jonas, how does one answer the hail on your new ship?

(Jonas walks over and pushes a button on one of the panels. The siren stops and a voice comes over the communication channel.)

MITCHELL: (over radio) Greetings. I’m assuming that this is SG-1 as well?

O’NEILL: Who is this?

MITCHELL: (over radio) Cam Mitchell. And this sounds like General O’Neill.

O’NEILL: (flattered) I don’t know about General, but it is O’Neill.

MITCHELL: (over radio) Well, welcome to the party. Sam, if you’re there, I think the other Carters could use your help.

(SG-1 shares a confused look between them)

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN. Colonel Mitchell is sitting down with his head on a table, sleeping. From an opening into a hallway, Vala runs into the room. She spots Mitchell sleeping. She slows down, and tip toes around the table towards him. She leans over to him.

VALA: (whispers in his ear) Mitchell!

(Cameron Mitchell jumps in his seat, his chair flying backwards and he falls onto the ground. He looks around, dazed. Vala smiles.)

MITCHELL: (annoyed) Vala…

VALA: Daniel says we’re a few minutes from Langara. So wakey wakey.

(She leaves the room, and Mitchell gets up and starts to follow. He walks down a hall, rubbing his head, still half-asleep. He enters the bridge where Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, and Teal’c are waiting for Vala and him.)

MITCHELL: What’s the situation?

CARTER: We’re about five minutes from the planet. We should be dropping out of hyperdrive any moment.

MITCHELL: You really think we’re going to be able to do anything here? The Ori came to this planet weeks ago. I hate to say it, but there’s probably nothing left.

TEAL’C: Jonas Quinn was a good friend of Stargate Command. If he is still alive then we will find him.

JACKSON: Not to mention all of the other Kelownans and Andaris and Terranians that have been put under Ori rule.

(Teal’c nods in agreement.)

MITCHELL: From what I understand, the Kelownans weren’t that eager to help us in the past. Why should we be risking our lives for them?

CARTER: The Kelownans have been… unhelpful in the past, but the naqahdriah on Langara has caused them to face the likes of Anubis and now the Ori. Besides, I’m sure they don’t like being servants of the Ori. Any damage that we can do to the Ori then we should try our best to do it.

(Vala walks over to Daniel, who is in the Control Chair. He has his eyes closed.)

VALA: So, Daniel, you never told me, how exactly do you fly the ship?

JACKSON: There seems to be some sort of neural interface between the ship’s command console and my brain. I can tell it what to do just by thinking it. Pretty interesting, actually.

VALA: So if you wanted to, say, blow up the ship, then all you had to do was think it?

JACKSON: (hesitates) Yes, I suppose. But let’s not talk about that, alright? I might just think it and it may just happen.

VALA: Right. Well, don’t think about blowing the ship up then. (She pats his chair and walks away.)

JACKSON: I’ll try not to.

(Suddenly, the ship shutters and SG-1 shuffles their feet to keep their balance. The lights flicker and then remain on. The ship sputters to a halt.)

CARTER: What happened, Daniel?

JACKSON: I don’t know. One minute we were traveling through hyperspace and the next minute we’re stuck.

CARTER: Can we use subspace engines?

(Daniel closes his eyes and then shakes his head.)

JACKSON: No, I can’t get any power to the engines.

CARTER: What about the other systems? Life support?

JACKSON: Yeah, everything checks out except the drive systems. (There’s a beep from the wall.) Wait a second. (Daniel closes his eyes again.) The scanners are picking up another ship. No, wait… Several ships. Dozens in fact.

MITCHELL: Can you put in on the screen?

JACKSON: One second.

(A vision of the outside space appears in front of SG-1. Out in the distance are several different ships. There are a few nearby ships, some unknown vehicles and a few familiar looking spaceships. Ori ships, Tau’ri ships, Jaffa ships are all around them.)

CARTER: This can’t be right. Some of those ships –

MITCHELL: Look like the Prometheus.

TEAL’C: And the Odyssey.

MITCHELL: But they’re not anywhere near here.

(There is another beep from the wall. Teal’c looks down at his control console.)

TEAL’C: We are being hailed.

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN. On the control bridge, SG-1 is staring into the holographic screen at familiar faces. Looking back at them are Mitchell and Carter, except that they are clothed in black uniforms.

MITCHELL: Alright, what is this?

SECOND MITCHELL: We think that we’ve flown into a patch of space that surrounds Langara that has some wonky properties. We’re trapped in some kind of bubble, so to speak, and it’s opened up a rift in temporal space allowing multiple realities to converge here at this same spot.

MITCHELL: (pauses for a moment) You know, you could have just told me to ask Sam.

SECOND MITCHELL: (smiles) That’s what I said when we first got the news. But I wanted to sound intelligent. Did it work?

(Mitchell pauses.)

MITCHELL: Yeah.

VALA and JACKSON: No.

SECOND CARTER: Like Cam said, we’re trapped in a pocket of some sort with unknown and unpredictable reactions.

CARTER: Well on the bright side, at least now we know what it does to our ships. (The other Carter nods.) I wish we had brought the Heron or Odyssey. They’re equipped with Asgard technology. I bet it could have detected the pocket.

SECOND CARTER: It’s a good thought, unfortunately…

(The screen moves to a picture of an Asgard ship floating in space near them, motionless. Switches back to the other SG-1 team.)

CARTER: The Asgard are stuck here, too?

(The other Carter shakes her head.)

SECOND CARTER: Take a look.

(The screen switches to the interior of the Asgard ship, where two Asgards and Teal’c are facing them. Teal’c doesn’t have his golden tattoo on his forehead, instead he is clothed in silver robes. He nods at them.)

SECOND TEAL’C: Greetings. It is good to see your faces again after these many years.

(Teal’c steps up to see himself through the screen. The other Teal’c smiles at him.)

SECOND TEAL’C: Fear not. I am real.

TEAL’C: Where is your mark of Apophis?

SECOND TEAL’C: The mark of my false God was removed by the Asgard once I decided to join their fight against the Replicators.

TEAL’C: The Replicators were destroyed a year ago. There are no more in this Galaxy.

SECOND TEAL’C: That may be in your reality. Here, the Replicators overran the Milky Way Galaxy and destroyed everything. Not even the Ori were able to stand up to their power.

TEAL’C: What about the Jaffa and their freedom?

SECOND TEAL’C: You will be glad to know that they died free in the end.

(Teal’c nods in appreciation.)

TEAL’C: What of the homeworld of the Tau’ri?

SECOND TEAL’C: It was destroyed by the Ori.

JACKSON: (He raises his eyebrows) And us?

SECOND TEAL’C: You were all destroyed in the blast. I was scouting the Super Gate at the time when the news reached me. For the next few days, I stood with the remaining Free Jaffa until the Replicators overran our defenses. Soon after, I came in contact with the Asgard, and I pledged myself to their cause of destroying the Replicators.

(There is a few seconds of silence.)

MITCHELL: Well, this was a great conversation, what with the news of Earth being destroyed, the Ori gaining superiority in the Galaxy, and the return of the Replicators.

CARTER: Those things are happening in their realities, Cam, not ours.

MITCHELL: Still, it doesn’t help our situation here.

(Another screen pops up next to the second one. On it is the Carter and Mitchell SG-1 had seen earlier.)

CARTER: Have you –

SECOND CARTER: Yep, didn’t work.

CARTER: I see… What about –

SECOND CARTER: Yes, that too.

CARTER: Alright… How do you know what I’m going to say?

SECOND CARTER: Because I went through this conversation about fifteen minutes ago, except I was in your shoes.

CARTER: Oh… And how many of –

SECOND CARTER: You make eight.

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN. SG-1 is on the bridge of the ship. Carter has gone to the engineering level to try and manually start the engines.

VALA: And then he wanted to make a trade for the Caramillion heat-seeking missiles and I asked him what he wanted. He said that he needed his type-three gravity suit back, but I told him that something like that would be nearly impossible to find on the black market. He absolutely refused to budge on the situation and so I went –

MITCHELL: Vala! Enough!

VALA: What?

JACKSON: You’ve been going on about your travels for the last two hours.

VALA: So? I realize that you’ve all been through the galaxy numerous times but I just thought that –

MITCHELL: See, that’s where you went wrong. You thought.

VALA: But –

MITCHELL: Ah ah. You’re thinking again. (Mitchell presses his finger to his lips, signaling Vala to be silent. Vala looks at him, then walks off the bridge.) I wonder if any of the other SG teams stuck here are putting up with her, too.

JACKSON: Well, we’ve seen some alternate SG teams but not another Vala. Maybe they’ve never run across her. Or haven’t yet.

MITCHELL: Lucky them. (clicks on his radio) Carter, how’s it going?

CARTER: (over radio) Nothing yet. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with the engines. Everything seems to be fine so far.

MITCHELL: Everything except the fact that the engines won’t start up and we’re literally talking with ourselves up here.

CARTER: (over radio) Right. Hang on, I have an idea.

(Suddenly, the image screen reappears on the bridge. On the screen is another Carter with long, black hair.)

MITCHELL: Sam?

THIRD CARTER: Cam, where am I?

(Mitchell looks at Daniel, confused.)

MITCHELL: Right… here?

THIRD CARTER: No, I mean where am I on your ship?

MITCHELL: On… the bridge? (Turns to Teal’c) Is this a game? I don’t get it.

TEAL’C: I believe this Colonel Carter is asking about our Colonel Carter.

MITCHELL: Oh.

JACKSON: Sam is in the engineering room, Sam. (pauses) That sounded weird.

THIRD CARTER: All of the Carters are trying to set up the video screens for a community link so we can discuss our options together. We’re thinking that we’ve landed in a patch of dark energy out in space.

MITCHELL: This is probably something you should be discussing with Sam.

THIRD CARTER: (smiles) Right. I’ll patch into the engineering room.

(The screen vanishes.)

MITCHELL: (clicks on radio again) Sam, you’re going to be getting some help pretty soon.

(Before Carter can respond, an alarm goes off on the bridge.)

MITCHELL: What is it, Jackson?

JACKSON: Another ship just appeared. Its engines just faltered. They’re stuck.

MITCHELL: Can you put it on the screen?

(The screen reappears, this time showing an unknown vehicle in space surrounded by other spaceships in the background. It is a huge, towering ship with a small front area connected to a large body whose sides angle back into a triangle.)

MITCHELL: What kind of ship is that?

TEAL’C: I have never seen that kind of ship before.

MITCHELL: Jackson, can you open up a communication channel with them?

(The screen switches to a shot of the interior of the unknown ship. There are three people visible, all unfamiliar to SG-1. The lead man approaches the screen. He has a crew cut and is wearing a Stargate Command uniform.)

UNKNOWN MAN: Who are you?

MITCHELL: Colonel Mitchell, Stargate Command. This is Doctor Daniel Jackson and Teal’c. We’re SG-1.

(The man laughs at them.)

UNKNOWN MAN: SG-1? Hah. SG-1 is headed by General Livingston and is currently in the Kappa Sector.

MITCHELL: No, we’re SG-1. (looks around at Teal’c and Daniel.) That’s what it says on my uniform, right?

JACKSON: (whispers to Mitchell) Different realities, remember?

MITCHELL: Right. (faces the unknown man again.) So, who are you?

UNKNOWN MAN: Colonel Griffin, leader of SG-29.

MITCHELL: SG-29? There’s no SG-29. (whispers to Daniel) Is there an SG-29?

JACKSON: No.

MITCHELL: (turns back to the screen) There’s no SG-29.

GRIFFIN: (ignoring Mitchell) What’s going on here? How have you disabled our engines?

JACKSON: We didn’t. We’re stuck here just like you, and everyone else. Apparently, there’s some kind of rift in space-time and it’s bringing all of the SG-1’s, well it was only SG-1’s until you arrived, here.

GRIFFIN: Why?

MITCHELL: You’re asking the wrong person, pal.

GRIFFIN: This is ridiculous. There is a rebellion uprising taking place right now. We have to support SG-14 before it gets out of control.

MITCHELL: Rebel uprising?

GRIFFIN: A Jaffa planet managed to destroy one of our cruisers. We’re going there to crush them.

TEAL’C: You are attacking a Jaffa planet?

GRIFFIN: It is not their planet. It is ours. Ever since we destroyed the Ori, the galaxy has been under our command. The Jaffa are our servants who mine the minerals we need to build our ships.

TEAL’C: You are using the Jaffa as slaves?

GRIFFIN: They are slaves. They’ve been slaves to the Goa’uld for centuries. Now they will serve Earth.

TEAL’C: You sound like a Goa’uld yourself.

MITCHELL: Since when was Stargate Command in the business of taking slaves?

GRIFFIN: We were the ones who set the Galaxy free from thirteen years of Ori domination.

JACKSON: Thirteen years? We just met the Ori a little while back.

GRIFFIN: We fought the Ori for thirteen years. I remember. I was there. Thousands died. While we bled for freedom, the rest of the Galaxy sat back and watched our struggle.

MITCHELL: And when you destroyed the Ori, you just decided to take their place as rulers of the galaxy?

GRIFFIN: Colonel Mitchell, while I doubt you would be able to make it to Colonel in our reality, I would like to remind you that you are not SG-1 and have no idea of the struggles we have had to face for the last century.

JACKSON: Century?

GRIFFIN: The stargate was found in Giza nearly a hundred years ago. After Apophis arrived a year later and nearly destroyed Earth, we have put all of our focus on upgrading our technology and building a fleet of vessels. Earth unified itself in the threat of annihilation and that continues to this day. Since then, we have colonized several worlds and bolstered our defenses. There is nothing in this galaxy that can stand against us.

JACKSON: And you said you destroyed the Ori?

GRIFFIN: Yes, that is correct.

JACKSON: How?

GRIFFIN: (agitated) This conversation is getting us nowhere. I must go to my engineers to see what can be done.

(The screen went blank.)

MITCHELL: Who the hell was that crackpot?

TEAL’C: I find it unbelievable that the Tau’ri and the Jaffa would be at war with each other.

(Another alarm goes off)

JACKSON: A second ship is appearing.

MITCHELL: On screen.

(Out in space, the Prometheus appears near the Mal Doran. It is badly damaged and fires are covering the entire right side of the ship. The video screen opens up and Colonel O’Neill appears.)

O’NEILL: We’re badly damaged! Requesting help from anyone who reads this message!

MITCHELL: General O’Neill, we read you.

O’NEILL: General?

MITCHELL: Yes, sir, you see –

O’NEILL: Not now, Mitchell! We just escaped from the Goa’uld Amun, but only barely. I need you to beam my crew over before we’re all toast!

MITCHELL: Alright! Jackson, get Sam to beam over General O’Neill’s crew.

JACKSON: Too late!

(He points to the screen. Out in space, the Prometheus explodes, leaving behind a smoldering wreckage.)

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN’s ENGINEERING LEVEL. Sam Carter is working on the engines, with a large screen on one wall where numerous smaller images of several different Carters are looking back at her, each working on their individual engines. There is the Carter with black hair, one with long blonde hair, and several others that look exactly like our Carter.

CARTER: It’s no good. Nothing is working.

SECOND CARTER: Everything is fine on my end as well. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with my engines at all. They should be working.

CARTER: Alright, if it’s not any of our ships, then it must be the place that we’re in. Did we fly through a black hole or something?

THIRD CARTER: Not that we can tell. It just seems like normal space, except for the high energy levels in the surrounding area.

CARTER: High energy levels? (She goes over to her computer and types some commands into it) Wow. These are incredibly high energy levels. It’s off the charts. I’ve never seen anything like it before.

FOURTH CARTER: You know what this looks like? Dark energy.

SECOND CARTER: You can’t see dark energy. And even if you could, it’s never been proven that it has effects like these.

CARTER: Still, dark energy has a negative pressure on its surroundings, as compared to the positive pressure that most substances have. That means that it pulls things towards it, instead of pushes them out. It’s believed to be the reason the Universe is expanding.

SECOND CARTER: So that explains the reason we’re all stuck here together in such close proximity.

THIRD CARTER: It doesn’t explain how we all came together from different realities.

SECOND CARTER: There is a form of dark energy called quintessence that states that a dynamic field of energy permeates both space and time. Although, how it brought all of us here is the more important question.

FOURTH CARTER: It could be the beacon that caused the rift in time-space.

CARTER: Beacon?

FOURTH CARTER: We picked up a beacon on our scanners some time ago. It’s emitting a unique energy signature.

CARTER: Why didn’t any of you tell me this before?

THIRD CARTER: Because we can’t get to it, even if we wanted to. None of our ships can move, remember?

CARTER: Well, what about putting on some spacesuits and manually going over there?

SECOND CARTER: We’ve tried that twice. The spacesuits we have simply can’t withstand the negative pressure that this place is giving off. It literally pulled the crew inside themselves and then they disappeared into a singularity.

CARTER: So, we need suits with technological advancements greater than anything we have.

THIRD CARTER: It would have to be an incredibly technologically advanced suit. I don’t think any of the SG-1s that have come through here have that ability. Not even those who are somehow aligned with the Asgard.

MITCHELL: (over radio) Carter, get up here!

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN. On the bridge, SG-1 is staring at the screen where the unknown SG-29 team is staring back at them. Carter runs in from the hallway.

CARTER: What’s going on?

TEAL’C: A crew calling itself SG-29 is preparing to launch its nuclear warheads at us.

CARTER: What?! Why?

MITCHELL: They think we did this to them.

(Carter walks up to the screen.)

GRIFFIN: Who are you?

CARTER: Colonel Samantha Carter.

GRIFFIN: (surprised) Colonel Carter? But she’s on Earth and in charge of Stargate Defensive Operations.

CARTER: Maybe in your reality. Listen, there’s been a rift in space-time and it has somehow brought all of us here from different realities.

MITCHELL: We tried to explain it to him.

JACKSON: He thinks we’re making it up.

CARTER: What?

GRIFFIN: You will release us or we will open fire on you. This ship carries thirty-two tactical nuclear warheads and they are all primed and ready for launch.

CARTER: But we’re stuck here, too! You can’t fire on us!

GRIFFIN: You have ten seconds.

CARTER: Wait, wait! (pauses) Alright, alright, we’ll release you.

(There’s a silence on the bridge)

JACKSON: We’re going to what?

GRIFFIN: (pleased) Very good. Release us now.

CARTER: (stalling for time) Well, uh, first I need to know if you possess any kind of spacesuits on your vehicle.

GRIFFIN: Of course we do, every team carries them. Why?

CARTER: Could the suits protect the wearer through a pocket of dark energy?

GRIFFIN: (becoming frustrated) They wouldn’t help us much if they didn’t, would they?

CARTER: Right, of course.

GRIFFIN: Why do you ask?

CARTER: Well… This is kind of embarrassing, but we were doing tests in this dark energy pocket. That beacon that’s floating out there is what’s responsible for all of this. Unfortunately, we got separated from it, and now we can’t get back to it.

GRIFFIN: I knew you were responsible for this. If you were a part of my crew, you would have been shot for your insolence. I’m glad our Carter isn’t as dumb as you. Well, if that’s what’s causing this, then we’ll just open fire on it. (to his crew) Prepare weapons!

CARTER: No!

JACKSON: Haven’t you been listening to anything we’ve told you?

(Griffin glares at Daniel)

CARTER: The beacon is what’s responsible for the space-time rift. If you destroy it, you could be stuck here in our reality, or whoever’s reality we’re in. If you want to get back to where you came from and accomplish your mission, then we need to work together. We need to reverse it, not destroy it.

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN. Carter has moved back to the engineering level to communicate with SG-29 and their reconnaissance mission to the beacon. Meanwhile, another ship has appeared on the screen. The new Mitchell is talking to SG-1.

SECOND MITCHELL: We were outnumbered. The chair in Atlantis provided us some protection, but once it was out of drones, we couldn’t hold them back. As far as we know, we’re the only survivors.

MITCHELL: Was it the Ori?

SECOND MITCHELL: The Ori and the Kelownans.

MITCHELL: Kelownans?

SECOND MITCHELL: Yeah, the bastards turned to Origin and began building ships to serve the Ori with. There were so many. If we had known the Kelownans had switched sides, maybe we could have done something about it.

MITCHELL: Langara fell to the Ori a few months ago.

SECOND MITCHELL: Yes, that’s what happened. Then they allied with their new rulers and began building ships. We never saw it coming. (He leans closer to the screen.) If you ever get back to your reality, you need to check on them. Or else, your Earth will be destroyed just like ours was.

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN. Sam Carter is on the engineering level, watching the screen where SG-29 has just embarked from their ship towards the beacon. The four crew, heavily protected by their space suits, ignite small rocket boosters and begin to fly through space towards the beacon. All of the Carters are watching their activity through Griffin’s video recorder located on his suit helmet.

GRIFFIN: (over radio) We are approaching the beacon now. Activating retro boosters.

(There is a soft swooshing sound and the team slows their approach. Through the video, Carter catches the first glimpse of the beacon. It looks like a small satellite, with a long, rectangular body and two square wings sprouting from its sides. SG-29 arrives at the beacon.)

GRIFFIN: Alright, we’re here. Carter, are you getting this?

MULTIPLE CARTERS: Yes.

CARTER: Yeah. (She squints at the screen) Can you give me a three hundred sixty degree view?

(The recorder begins to fly around the beacon, taking in its sleek dark coverings. On the other side is a panel with a row of flashing red lights. The lights were blinking in succession from left to right, then would stay lit, would all blink a few times together, then repeat the process.)

GRIFFIN: Do you have any idea what these blinking lights signify?

SECOND CARTER: No, although it could be some kind of countdown or other kind of time significance.

GRIFFIN: Countdown to what?

SECOND CARTER: I don’t know. Look, is there any kind of opening or way to see what’s inside of it?

GRIFFIN: Do you think it’s some kind of bomb?

SECOND CARTER: I don’t know, and I won’t know until you open it up.

GRIFFIN: Alright, let me check.

(Griffin begins to feel over the coverings of the beacon, searching for any way to open it. As his hands pass over a certain panel, the top of the beacon lights up and shines a piercing white light into the space above it. Griffin and his team jump back, startled.)

CARTER: What happened?

GRIFFIN: I don’t know, it just lit up all of the sudden.

CARTER: Let me see.

(The video pans up where a bright white light was shining into space. Suddenly, it begins to split up and take form. It expands into a large circle, and on the outside of the circle were writings, divided into four parts.)

THIRD CARTER: What is that?

GRIFFIN: Looks like some kind of writing. I can’t make any of it out.

CARTER: (After noticing some of the block writing in one of the divided sections) That part looks familiar.

GRIFFIN: What is it?

CARTER: It looks like Ancient writing, but I’ll have to get Daniel to look at it to make sure. Stand by.

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN. Carter has moved to the bridge of the Mal Doran, and now the entire SG-1 team is looking at the screen where Griffin and SG-29 are studying the writing emitting from the beacon.

CARTER: What do you think, Daniel?

JACKSON: That section is definitely Ancient writing.

MITCHELL: And the other sections?

JACKSON: (Squints at the screen) Well, they do look familiar.

CARTER: Really? I’ve don’t think I’ve seen these other writings before.

TEAL’C: Daniel Jackson is correct. They do look familiar.

JACKSON: (Snaps his fingers) Of course. (He walks up to the screen and points at the writings) Four sections. Four races. This section is Ancient, and the others must be the writings of the other three races.

CARTER: Oh, I remember now. We saw these writings on the planet where Dr. Littlefield was trapped.

JACKSON: Yes, of course! This beacon must have been created by one of these four races.

MITCHELL: Most likely the Ancients. They’re pretty much the scientific pioneers of the group.

JACKSON: Could be any of them as far as we know.

GRIFFIN: (annoyed) Can we focus here? What does it say?

JACKSON: Oh, right. (Begins to read the Ancient text) Well, it says here that this beacon was a scientific experiment to create a staging ground. It’s, in effect, a middle ground of sorts.

CARTER: What do you mean?

JACKSON: Well, it talks about how the Universe has an infinite number of realities and that the beacon can create a rift that can connect to each reality at the same time and bring the space-time lines here where they combine and form a single space-time line.

VALA: Why would you want to do that?

JACKSON: The Ancients never really questioned why you do things. They just wanted to advance their technological knowledge. But it does say that the combination of all the space-time lines is being sent into a gateway.

CARTER: A gateway?

JACKSON: Yes, a gateway to… (pauses) wow.

MITCHELL: Is that a good wow or a bad wow?

JACKSON: Well, apparently the Ancients were creating a new dimension, and that this gateway led to that dimension.

VALA: Are you talking about the Ascended Plane? Is that what they were trying to get to?

JACKSON: Possibly. But it sounds more like this dimension was some kind of prison. It says that this gateway is one way. Once you go in, you can’t get back out.

GRIFFIN: So we’re stuck here?

JACKSON: No, you’re not listening. This is the staging ground to the gateway. Once you go through the gateway, then there’s no coming back. And the gateway is only activated by typing a code into the beacon.

GRIFFIN: (alarmed) Then why are we touching it? If it’s a prison door we should get the hell away from it.

MITCHELL: I’m inclined to agree, Daniel.

JACKSON: Hang on, there’s more to the text. It says that the staging ground is controlled by an infinite energy source inside the beacon. The energy comes from all of the different realities and is somehow transferred into the beacon.

(On the screen, Griffin begins to search the covers of the beacon again)

GRIFFIN: So we find the energy source and turn it off.

CARTER: No, we need to reverse it, not just turn it off. Turning it off might mean everyone gets stuck here. We need to go back where we came from.

GRIFFIN: Well it doesn’t matter because there doesn’t seem to be any way to open it. Just this set of lights.

(There’s a pause on SG-1’s side.)

CARTER: Can I see that panel with the lights again, Griffin?

(The video moves back over the beacon where the set of lights continues to blink in succession.)

MITCHELL: You don’t think…

CARTER: If it’s the only thing on the beacon, then why not?

VALA: Why not what?

CARTER: The lights are moving in succession, which means that they’re being activated by the energy source. If we could reverse their order, then we might be able to reverse the effects of the beacon.

MITCHELL: And how do we do that? There’s just the set of lights. Nothing to activate them; no buttons to push or anything like that.

CARTER: Daniel, does it say anything in the writings about how to reverse the beacon?

JACKSON: (shakes his head) No.

GRIFFIN: Dammit! (pounds the beacon)

MITCHELL: Woah, don’t hit it! You don’t know what that thing’ll do.

(One of the lights turns from red to green and stops blinking)

GRIFFIN: Hey, it did something! One of the lights changed colors.

CARTER: What did you do?

GRIFFIN: Nothing, I just hit it. What does that mean?

MITCHELL: Maybe the lights correspond with one of the plates on the beacon?

CARTER: And they’re pressure activated?

JACKSON: Which is why all of the ships’ engines couldn’t work. Whoever built this would want to make sure that only their engines and technology could let them reach the beacon. Otherwise anyone or any ship could just bump into it and turn it off.

CARTER: That cancels out the Asgard, since one of their ships is here.

(Griffin begins pressing other sections of the beacon, each one turning a light green. Soon, they were all green. They blinked together a few times, and then they started blinking in succession, the exact reverse of how they were blinking before)

GRIFFIN: Now what?

(Before SG-1 could answer, there was another bright white light from the beacon. This time, it was off in the other direction)

GRIFFIN: What was that?

SPACE OUTSIDE THE MAL DORAN. The dozens of spaceships stuck in space begin glowing white. Then, one by one, each one is covered in blinding white light and then disappears in a flash. The Mal Doran, the only Ori ship there, begins to glow and then flashes away.

ABOARD THE MAL DORAN.

MITCHELL: What just happened?

CARTER: It looked like we were transported somewhere? Griffin’s gone.

MITCHELL: (shrugs) Never really liked the guy. Do the engines work?

(Daniel walks over to the control chair and sits in it)

JACKSON: Sublight engines and hyperdrive are active.

(SG-1 sighs in relief)

MITCHELL: Alright, get us out of here.

STARGATE COMMAND. Inside the briefing room, General Landry and SG-1 are sitting around a table and discussing their latest mission.

CARTER: Apparently, one of the Four Great Races set that beacon there as an experiment to open up a new dimension.

LANDRY: I can’t imagine what running into dozens of copies of yourself would be like. Did you learn anything of importance?

MITCHELL: Aside from all of the different realities that there were and the different SG teams, there was one SG team that seemed to be similar to our own.

JACKSON: They claimed that the Kelownans were allying with the Ori and had sent a battle fleet to Earth and wiped it out.

LANDRY: The Kelownans?

JACKSON: Yes, sir, from Langara. It was one of the planets that fell to the Ori a few months ago.

LANDRY: Is it possible that this could be happening in our reality?

CARTER: It’s possible. We won’t know for sure until we go there and find out for ourselves.

LANDRY: I see. I’ll send the Odyssey to recon the area and let us know if they see anything suspicious.

MITCHELL: Make sure they jump out of hyperspace a bit farther than we did, just in case that beacon can reactivate itself.

LANDRY: Will do. In the meantime, I think you’ve all earned yourselves a bit of rest. Dismissed.

(General Landry gets up and walks out of the briefing room while SG-1 begins to follow him)

JACKSON: Do you think there’s any chance that Jonas is still alive?

CARTER: I don’t know. From what the other SG-1 team said, it sounded like the Ori enslaved the Kelownans instead of destroying them.

MITCHELL: If the Kelownans are building ships to attack us then we have to take them out. One enemy fleet is bad enough.

(SG-1 nods in agreement.)