SGA 5.07 "Whispers" Transcript

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5.07 "Whispers"

Episode Guide

SGA 5.07 "Whispers" Episode Guide

Précis

Sheppard and Beckett join Maj. Anne Teldy’s team on a planet with one of Michael’s research facilities for the early versions of his human-iratus hybrids concealed inside a cave system. Unfortunately, the explorers have a role in setting loose creatures that hunt down each of them as they get separated in a blinding fog.

Guide | Transcript

Transcript

TEASER

EXT—PLANET, NIGHT

[Two men move through some woods, one holding a lantern to find the way. The other, Mirellus, is holding a basket of something.]

MAN
I told you we should have started back sooner.

MIRELLUS
Well if we left when you had said, we'd have been returning home empty handed.

[The man gestures for them to stop.]

MIRELLUS
Why are we stopping?

MAN
I saw someone… Hello?

MIRELLUS
There's nobody there.

[They walk forward.]

MAN
Hello?

[The see someone crouched in the fog, indistinct.]

MAN
Are you all right, friend? Are you lost?

[He reaches for the man, whose head twitches. They both back away and turn to run. Mirellus gets away, but his friend does not follow, and is lost in the fog. Mirellus turns away and comes face-to-face with a man in a gas mask.]

ONE YEAR LATER

INT—LAB ON PLANET

[The all-woman team of Porter, Vega, Mehra, and Teldy explore a dark, wet corridor.]

PORTER
The signal's getting stronger.

[Vega tosses a glow-stick on the ground to mark their path, then sees that it has landed beside a gas mask.]

VEGA
Hey, what's this?

[She picks it up.]

MEHRA
It's really creepy is what it is.

TELDY

(from down the corridor)

We found something.

[Vega and Mehra join the others further down the tunnel. They see something.]

TELDY
I think we'd better contact Atlantis.

EXT—ATLANTIS, DAY

INT—BECKETT'S QUARTERS

[Beckett is packing a bag of clothing.]

MCKAY
I can't believe you're leaving. I mean, you know, you're sick, we cure you, you go away for six months to recover, you finally come back and now, what, you're here a week, you're leaving again?

BECKETT
I'm sorry, Rodney, but for the time being I realize that my place isn't here.

MCKAY
What? Of course it is. What are you, kidding me?

BECKETT
As a doctor, I can't just sit by and do nothing while people in this galaxy are suffering — especially when I know I've had a hand in what's happened to them.

MCKAY
C'mon, you cannot blame yourself, all right? Look, Michael forced you to help him. He was the one disseminating the drug.

BECKETT
Aye, and I'm the one that helped the Hoffans perfect it.

[Sheppard arrives.]

BECKETT
Colonel. Just in time to give us a hand.

SHEPPARD
Actually, Doc, you're gonna have to delay your travel plans. Just got word from Major Teldy. They've found another one of Michael's labs.

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

EXT—PLANET, DAY

[Sheppard and Beckett walk through a heavily wooded forest with no clear paths.]

BECKETT
I wish you'd told me we'd be doing so much walking.

SHEPPARD
Did I forget to mention that?

BECKETT
Aye, you did. You also forgot to mention the fact that we'd be rappelling down the side of a mountain! My legs are seizing up.

SHEPPARD
Well, that's what happens when you do nothing for six months of R & R.

BECKETT
Not to mention two months in a stasis pod, thank you!

SHEPPARD
Two months?! Try eight hundred years! That'll give you rubber legs.

TELDY
Colonel!

[Teldy and her team meet them coming the other way. Sheppard seems surprised by the team's make-up. He and Teldy salute each other.]

SHEPPARD

(introducing Beckett)

Major Teldy, Doctor Beckett. Doctor Beckett, Major.

TELDY
This is Sergeant Mehra, Doctor Porter, and of course you've already met Captain Vega.

SHEPPARD
I didn't realize you, uh…

TELDY
That my team was a bunch of girls, sir?

SHEPPARD
That's not what I was gonna say.

BECKETT
No!

SHEPPARD
But, you know, now that you mention it …

TELDY
Well, I was told to pick the best and the brightest. Funny how that worked out.

SHEPPARD
Yeah. Funny.

TELDY
Shall we?

[Sheppard nods. He and Beckett are awkward.]

BECKETT
Aye. Yes.

[The team turns around back the way they had come. Beckett and Sheppard fist-bump each other.]

INT—CATACOMBS NEAR LAB

[They all enter the corridor leading to Michael's lab.]

PORTER
We were passing through the area when we picked up a low level energy signature. We were able to triangulate and get a lock on the signal and then follow it down into these catacombs. It's a bit of a walk.

INT—MICHAEL'S LAB

[They arrive sometime later. The room has Wraith-type computer terminals and stasis pods. Everything is in a state of disrepair.]

PORTER
The signal finally led us to this.

BECKETT
Stasis pods. I spent some time in a number of Michael's labs when I was his prisoner, but this is one I'm not familiar with.

TELDY
Well, looks like the cleaning crew hasn't been around in a while.

[Mehra taps on the door of a chamber.]

SHEPPARD
Hey, Sarge!

MEHRA
Sorry, Colonel.

SHEPPARD
And can we hold off touching stuff here? Last thing I need is another three tons of rubble falling on my head, all right?

PORTER
It's all right. I've disabled the security protocols.

SHEPPARD
You can do that?

PORTER
Oh, yeah.

SHEPPARD
Why the hell didn't McKay think of that?

PORTER
There was no way for him to have known. But thanks to the information that he gathered from that experience, I'm able to bypass the security protocols this time.

SHEPPARD
Well, what've you got?

BECKETT
Well, data related to Michael's experiments in this lab. This could prove to be very valuable.

PORTER
Going through all of this information may take a while, though.

BECKETT
Oh, aye.

VEGA
Maybe we should go check out the village.

SHEPPARD
What village?

TELDY
We spotted it this morning. It's just a few clicks south of here.

VEGA
The locals might have some information.

SHEPPARD

I guess that beats sittin' around here watching these guys read.
(to Mehra)

Sergeant, you're with them. Make sure they don't geek out too much, all right?

[Sheppard, Teldy, and Vega leave, leaving Mehra to watch Beckett and Porter. Beckett and Porter look at a computer terminal.]

BECKETT
Nice work, Doctor.

PORTER
Thank you.

BECKETT
Very nice.

[He looks at Mehra, who turns away as if put off by the flirtation going on.]

EXT—FOREST ON PLANET, DAY

[Sheppard, Teldy, and Vega head toward the village.]

VEGA
You know what I'd love right about now?

SHEPPARD
Let me guess… a beer.

VEGA
A puddle pumper.

SHEPPARD
Well, that could've been arranged had I known we'd be walking for so long.

TELDY
Yeah, well, the area's too heavily forested. There's nowhere to land. Besides, this is good exercise. Firms up your glutes and calves.

SHEPPARD
Oh, great. Couple more hours of this and I can skip my cardio funk workout.

INT—MICHAEL'S LAB

[Mehra takes a bit from a power bar while Beckett and Porter work at the computer. Mehra idly taps on a chamber door, the silhouette of a human-shaped being visible behind it.]

MEHRA
They alive?

BECKETT
They're in stasis. Their physical and chemical processes have been suspended but, yes, they're alive.

MEHRA
So, can you wake 'em up?

BECKETT
Well, without the proper understanding of their respective conditions, I'm afraid that might kill them.

MEHRA
Hmm. Just gonna keep them on ice until you figure something out, huh? Well, I guess it doesn't matter to them, or their families who've probably written them off. But, boy, that would make for one hell of a reunion, huh?

[Beckett looks uncomfortable, and Porter clears her throat while staring pointedly at Mehra.]

MEHRA
I think I'm going to check the perimeter. Holler if you need me.

[She walks out.]

PORTER

(to Beckett)

I'm sorry.

BECKETT

You have no need to apologize, and frankly, neither does she. She's right.

Resurrections make for very interesting reunions, especially when the dead man had no idea he was dead to begin with. I'm sorry. How about you, Doctor Porter?

PORTER
Oh, Alison.

BECKETT
Alison. Any interesting experiences you'd like to share? Encountered any dangerous predators? Been cloned lately?

PORTER
No. But in all fairness, I am new to the Pegasus galaxy, and I hear that cloning is more of a second-year thing.

BECKETT
Third, actually.

PORTER

(smiling)

Oh.

BECKETT
Oh.

[His laptop, connected to the Wraith terminal, beeps.]

BECKETT
Hang on.

PORTER
What is it?

BECKETT
It appears to be Michael's earliest version of a human-iratus hybrid.

EXT—VILLAGE, DAY

[The rustic village appears deserted and overgrown. Sheppard, Teldy, and Vega walk slowly through.]

SHEPPARD
Hello? Anyone here? All right. Let's split up, take a look around. Maintain radio contact.

VEGA
Yes, sir.

[The move off.]

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

[Vega enters alone and shines her flashlight around the room.]

INT—VILLAGE CORRIDOR

[Teldy explores the area.]

EXT—VILLAGE STREET

[Sheppard comes out of a building.]

SHEPPARD

(into radio)

Vega, you got anything?

VEGA

(over radio)

Nothing on this end. Uh, it looks like the locals cleared out a while ago.

SHEPPARD
Yeah. The question is why?

[Someone is watching Sheppard as he walks away.]

INT—MICHAEL'S LAB

[Beckett works on his laptop.]

BECKETT
Incredible. According to this, these earliest test subjects weren't technically human-iratus hybrids. They're a combination of several other life forms.

PORTER
Maybe that's why he discontinued this line of research. It proved overly ambitious.

BECKETT
Well, no. According to this, the experiment was a success.

PORTER
So what does that mean?

BECKETT
Well, it means there's nothing we could do for them, because these things in here… aren't people any more.

[While they look into a stasis pod, Mehra comes up behind them.]

MEHRA
Hey!

[The startle and turn around, sighing in relief.]

MEHRA
Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. Just wanted to let you know it's gonna get dark soon, so are we gonna make this thing an all-nighter or…?

BECKETT
No, Sergeant.

EXT—VILLAGE, DAY

[Something watches Sheppard walk by a doorway. It follows Sheppard out onto the street, to find Sheppard sitting on some stairs and looking back, his P-90 ready.]

SHEPPARD
Hey.

[The "something" is Mirellus. Teldy and Vega approach from behind him.]

VEGA
Easy.

MIRELLUS
Who are you? Where do you come from?

SHEPPARD
Well, we came through that big round thing. We're explorers. Who are you?

MIRELLUS
My name is Mirellus.

TELDY
Well, Mirellus, why don't you tell us what happened here? Where is everyone?

MIRELLUS
Gone.

SHEPPARD
Why?

MIRELLUS
It began about a year and a half ago. Locals started disappearing. From the surrounding forest at first and then from within the village itself. Day, night — they vanished without a trace. There was no reason for what was happening. No explanation except one: this village was cursed. And so we abandoned it.

SHEPPARD
Then why are you still here?

MIRELLUS
I now live in the next village. I spotted you exiting the caves, and I followed you to find out what you were doing here and, if necessary, to warn you.

SHEPPARD

(standing and approaching)

Well, what can you tell us about those caves?

MIRELLUS
They are also rumored to be a dangerous place… although the fact that you survived the visit would suggest otherwise. What did you find there?

BECKETT

(over radio)

Colonel Sheppard, do you copy?

SHEPPARD

(into radio)

Don't tell me you're already done, Beckett.

INT—MICHAEL'S LAB

BECKETT

(into radio)

Oh no, far from it. We've downloaded some information into the tablets. We'd like to go over it this evening. Ideally, we'd like to stick around, possibly bed down in the village if there's room for us.

EXT—VILLAGE, DAY

SHEPPARD

(into radio)

Ah, well, I think there's a little room here, yeah.

BECKETT

(over radio)

Great, we'll head your way then.

SHEPPARD

(to Mirellus)

Sorry about that.

MIRELLUS
I wish you luck if you're planning to stay.

SHEPPARD
Whoa, whoa. We're not finished with this conversation.

MIRELLUS
Night is falling, and this isn't a safe place. I must go.

SHEPPARD
All right, suit yourself.

[Mirellus leaves.]

EXT—FOREST ON PLANET, DAY

[Night is falling. Beckett, Mehra, and Porter head toward the village.]

BECKETT
So, Sergeant, I hear you served with Stargate Command before transferring over.

MEHRA
Yeah, but Pegasus had more of what I was looking for.

BECKETT
And what was that?

MEHRA
Bad guys who need killin'.

BECKETT
Oh!

MEHRA
The Milky Way just hasn't been the same since the Ori got their butts kicked.

BECKETT
Well, some would argue that the situation's actually improved—

[Mehra signals for them to stop.]

BECKETT
What is it?

MEHRA
Thought I heard something.

BECKETT
What?

[She scans the area.]

MEHRA
It's probably nothing.

[The move out.]

BECKETT

(to Porter, on edge)

Geez.

[Something is watching them from the forrest and comes out of cover after they leave.]

EXT—VILLAGE, NIGHT

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

[Everyone has gathered.]

SHEPPARD
All right, we're going over to the next village to talk to some locals. You guys need anything, want anything?

PORTER
Yeah. If you happen to pass a Starbucks, I'll take a grande triple sugar free vanilla latte.

SHEPPARD
No problem! Sarge…

MEHRA
I'm babysitting. Yes, sir.

SHEPPARD
Be back in a couple of hours.

[Sheppard, Teldy, and Vega leave.]

INT—MICHAEL'S LAB

[Something moves through the corridors, stopping in front of a pod. Its door slides open, and green gas escapes, obscuring everything.]

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

[Beckett and Porter work on their tablet computers. Mehra sits against the wall, behind them, reading "The Martian Chronicles".]

PORTER

(fatigued)

Oh! I feel like I'm back in college studying for my mid-terms.

BECKETT
I know what you mean. Where was that, then?

PORTER
Cal Tech. Go Beavers!

BECKETT
Aye! What year did you graduate?

PORTER
1996.

BECKETT
Oh! So you're just a youngster!

PORTER
Oh! Thank you.

[Mehra laughs at the scene. They turn to look at her.]

MEHRA
I just read something funny.

[The turn back from her.]

MEHRA
And really obvious.

BECKETT
Anyway, what brings you here to the Pegasus galaxy?

PORTER
Well, you can just chalk that up to my sense of adventure. A desire to visit strange, unexplored worlds; meet new and interesting people…

[They laugh flirtatiously.]

MEHRA

(annoyed)

Okay, I'm gonna go check the perimeter. Be back in twenty… Unless there's a sock on the doorknob.

[She leaves. Beckett and Porter laugh uncomfortably.]

BECKETT
She's a character, that one.

PORTER
Yeah.

EXT—FOREST ON PLANET, NIGHT

[Sheppard and his team walk through woods. It is hard to see.]

TELDY
This fog sure rolled in quickly.

SHEPPARD
Vega, are you sure we're heading' in the right direction?

VEGA
More or less.

[Teldy's flashlight goes out. She taps it.]

TELDY
Oh, dammit.

[Sheppard's goes out.]

SHEPPARD
Great. Mine too.

TELDY
Something in the fog's messing with the lights. Makes you wonder what we're walking through.

VEGA
Or breathing.

[Sheppard makes the signal to stop.]

VEGA
What's the matter?

SHEPPARD
I think I saw something.

TELDY
What?

VEGA
okay, I definitely saw something that time.

[A figure rushes by. The three stand with their backs to each other, weapons raised.]

EXT—VILLAGE, NIGHT

[Mehra strolls casually, whistling to herself. The looks over at the village well. She picks up a rock, climbs the steps to the well, and drops it in. She listens for the rock to land. The flashlight on her P-90 fades out. She hits it.]

MEHRA
Damn.

[She looks down to see an old doll lying in the leaves that looks like it was fashioned after a zombie. She picks it up.]

MEHRA
Creepy!

[She tosses it back to the ground and continues her patrol. Behind her, fog begins to rise from the well.]

EXT—FOREST ON PLANET, NIGHT

VEGA
It's probably just some animal.

TELDY
Just some animal that seems to be stalking us. What a relief.

SHEPPARD
Quiet! I heard something.

[Mirellus appears out of the fog, surprising them.]

SHEPPARD
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

TELDY
Hey, hey, hey! Easy, Mirellus!

SHEPPARD
What's going on?

MIRELLUS
Demons!

SHEPPARD
What are you talking about?

MIRELLUS
They're out there in the mist.

VEGA

(sarcastic)

Demons, right.

MIRELLUS
They're after me! All of us are in danger.

SHEPPARD
Take it easy.

VEGA
With all due respect, we're not buying any of this, are we?

TELDY
Stay sharp, Vega.

[Vega takes a few steps away from them.]

VEGA
Well, let's get back to Atlantis before—

[Something grabs her from behind and pulls her straight back into the fog. The others rush toward her.]

TELDY
Vega! Vega!

[They find her lying on the forest floor. Sheppard checks her pulse.]

SHEPPARD
Crap.

[Sheppard sees a figure moving in the fog. It approaches, then attacks. Sheppard shoots it, and it screams and falls. He and Teldy see more figures moving. He grab Vega's gun.]

SHEPPARD
Fall back!

[Teldy, Sheppard, and Mirellus head away.]

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

PORTER
I'm really glad that we got this opportunity to work together, Carson.

BECKETT
So am I, Alison.

[The hear gunfire outside.]

PORTER
What was that?

BECKETT
I don't know.

[The rush outside. Beckett activates his radio. Mehra joins them.]

BECKETT

(into radio)
Colonel, is everything all right? Colonel, do you read? Colonel?
(to others)

I'm getting nothing on the radio.

MEHRA
Get back inside. I'll check it out.

BECKETT
I'm coming with you.

MEHRA
Like hell you are!

BECKETT
I'm not gonna let you go out there by yourself.

MEHRA

(insistent)

The colonel told me to take care of you. That is exactly what I'm doing. You two are staying here, as far away from that gunfire as possible. Now, you get back inside, and you lock that door.

BECKETT
You can't tell me to—

MEHRA
That is an order.

PORTER
Carson, come on.

[Carson concedes. Mehra leaves.]

PORTER
Come on.

[They go back inside the building.]

INT—CATACOMBS NEAR MICHAEL'S LAB

[Sheppard, Mirellus, and Teldy make their way to the lab.]

MIRELLUS
I'm sorry. I didn't know.

SHEPPARD
What are you talking about?

[The reach the lab.]

TELDY
Oh my god. The pods have been opened.

MIRELLUS
It was me. I released them.

SHEPPARD
Why?

MIRELLUS
When you asked about the caves, I knew you'd found something. I came to see for myself.

SHEPPARD
Why?

MIRELLUS
Because my wife was among the missing. When I saw the bodies sealed in those things, I thought that maybe… I didn't know. I thought that I could save her.

SHEPPARD
Twelve pods. That means there's twelve of those things running around out there.

TELDY
Minus the one you took out, that leaves us with eleven.

SHEPPARD

(into radio)

Beckett? Doctor Porter?

[There is only static.]

TELDY
That must be the mist. I mean, it's messing with our flashlights; probably radios too.

SHEPPARD
How's your Wraith language skills?

TELDY
I'm guessing about as good as yours are.

SHEPPARD
All right, we need Beckett and Doctor Porter here.

TELDY
Let's go get 'em.

MIRELLUS
But the demons are still out there.

SHEPPARD
We'll be back for you.

[Sheppard and Teldy head out. After a moment, Mirellus is too uncomfortable to stay behind.]

MIRELLUS
Wait!

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

[Porter looks out through through the slats boarding the windows.]

PORTER
It's getting pretty foggy out there.

BECKETT
I shouldn't have let her go out there by herself.

PORTER
You were under orders.

BECKETT
I should have insisted.

PORTER
And she probably would have decked you. You don't know Dusty.

[They hear a faint sound.]

BECKETT
What the hell was that?

PORTER
Maybe she's back.

[Beckett opens the door.]

BECKETT
Sergeant? Sergeant, is that you? Dammit.

[Beckett starts to put on his gear.]

PORTER
What are you doing?

BECKETT
I'm going out there.

PORTER
Dusty told us to stay inside.

BECKETT
Look, it's probably nothing, but just in case it's someone, I'd like to surprise them instead of the other way around.

BECKETT
Look, Alison, I'll be fine. You just stay put, okay?

[She nods.]

BECKETT
All right.

[He goes out into the fog. His flashlight fails.]

BECKETT
Sergeant? Sergeant Mehra?

[He sees a creature. It is making strange clicking sounds like they heard earlier.]

BECKETT
Dear Lord!

[He steps backward to escape, but snaps a twig. The creature hears and launches itself after him. Beckett runs, trips, then gets back up. He comes to rest against a rock. He looks all around, pointing his gun, panting in fear. He senses something and quiets. A creature is right there, trying to hear or smell him. Its eye sockets are scarred over. It expels some fog. Not hearing Beckett, it slithers away. Beckett's radio screams static in his ear. He grabs it. The creature descends on him again, this time to attack. Mehra shoots it from behind. Mehra grabs Beckett to get him up.]

MEHRA
Come on!

BECKETT
Geez, Sergeant!

MEHRA
Move it, move it! Go!

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

[Mehra and Beckett rush in.]

MEHRA
What the hell was that?

BECKETT
Where's Alison?

MEHRA
What were those things?

BECKETT
Lower your voice. I think those creatures hunt by sound.

[Sheppard, Teldy, and Mirellus burst in.]

BECKETT
Oh, God!

SHEPPARD
Judging from that, I guess you already know what's going on.

MEHRA
Where's the Captain?

SHEPPARD
She's gone.

TELDY
Where's Porter?

BECKETT
We don't know.

SHEPPARD
Oh, that's great All we need now is for the Prom Queen and the kid in the wheelchair to wander off and we're all set.

BECKETT
We have to find her. She has no idea what's out there.

SHEPPARD
What the hell is out there?

BECKETT
Michael's experiments.

TELDY
Yeah, I think we figured that one out.

BECKETT
It's an early version of the hybrid. It's been genetically altered to incorporate the predatory characteristics of several other creatures.

MEHRA
What other creatures?

BECKETT
I'm not sure. All I know for certain is that they're blind and they hunt by sound. And that fog out there is not a natural weather phenomenon. I saw one of them exude the mist from the gills on its neck.

TELDY
What, like a squid releasing its ink?

BECKETT
Except that's a defensive mechanism. These creatures clearly use the fog as a predatory device.

TELDY
Which I'm guessing explains the gas masks back at the lab.

BECKETT
God knows what the prolonged exposure to this mist could do to us.

SHEPPARD
I've got a great idea. Let's not find out.

MIRELLUS
We should wait here until dawn; then it will be safe.

BECKETT
Those things out there are not nocturnal. Day or night, it doesn't matter.

SHEPPARD
Besides, we can't sit around. We've gotta find Porter.

MIRELLUS
You can't be serious! You're going out there?

SHEPPARD

(to Beckett)

Get back to work on that data. Try and figure out a way on how to deal with these things.

BECKETT
That might be a problem, Colonel. There's a reason Michael abandoned that research. Even he couldn't control those creatures.

SHEPPARD
Great.

EXT—VILLAGE STREETS, NIGHT

[They walk through the fog using large chemical glow-sticks for light.]

SHEPPARD
All right. Sure you're gonna be okay here?

BECKETT
As long as we're quiet, we'll be safer in here than you are out there.

[He stakes a glow-stick in the ground.]

SHEPPARD
All right. We're going to split up to cover more ground. Back in twenty.

BECKETT
Good luck.

[The move off, each patrolling in their own. Sheppard hears the clicking and turns around, but not in time to see the creature. He continues on. Teldy holds her light-stick over the well. A creatures climbs the side of the well and attacks her. She fires her weapon. Nearby Mehra hears the gunfire and rushes to help. Elsewhere, Sheppard descends a staircase and hears stuttered breathing. He comes upon Porter, sitting in a corner in fear.]

SHEPPARD
Shh. Whatever you do, be quiet.

[He helps her up and the head off.]

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

MIRELLUS
This was a mistake.

BECKETT
Keep your voice down.

MIRELLUS

(loudly)

I told him it was too dangerous!

BECKETT
Shh! Quiet!

MIRELLUS
Instead of coming back here, we should have gone to the next village. We'd be safe there.

BECKETT
Shut it!

MIRELLUS
Now we could all—

[Creatures burst through the door and drag Mirellus out. Beckett raises his gun but has no clear target. He rushes to pull a sliding wooden door across the new hole in the wall. Fog starts seeping under the door, and creatures rattle the door.]

EXT—VILLAGE, NIGHT

[Sheppard and Porter meet up with Mehra after they wave their glow-sticks at each other through the fog.]

MEHRA
Ali, you okay?

PORTER
Yeah.

SHEPPARD
Let's head out.

[They move away together. The see another glow-stick moving nearby.]

MEHRA
Colonel. It's Major Teldy. She doesn't see us.

[She moves toward the light only to find the light-stick is embedded in the shoulder of a creature. She shoots it. Sheppard approaches.]

SHEPPARD

(to Mehra)

Take the six.

[The approach and enter the building where they'd left Beckett, finding Teldy there.]

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

SHEPPARD
I thought you were dead.

TELDY
Yeah, for a while there, so did I.

SHEPPARD
What about the others? Think they made it out?

TELDY

(bending down to look)

Well, I'm guessing at least one of them didn't. I've got blood.

PORTER
Carson?

SHEPPARD
No way to know.

EXT—VILLAGE, NIGHT

[Carson makes his way through the fog.]

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

TELDY

One of those things came crawling right up out of the well. It got me thinking.

Those catacombs — they run for miles in every direction. So I'm guessing that one of them runs right to that well and into the center of town.

MEHRA
That would explain how Michael could snag his test subjects without being seen.

SHEPPARD
All right, well, we saw twelve of those pods in the lab. I killed one back in the forest, so…

MEHRA
I tagged two — which, incidentally, puts me in the lead.

TELDY
All right, well that brings us down to nine.

SHEPPARD
Okay, so now what? Any ideas?

PORTER
Well, those creatures possess a heightened auditory system that allows them to hunt blind. We could try exploiting it.

MEHRA
How?

PORTER
I don't know. Maybe luring them into an ambush.

MEHRA
What the hell do you plan on using as bait?

PORTER

(inspired, she holds up a laptop)

This.

EXT—VILLAGE, NIGHT

INT—VILLAGE BUILDING

[Sheppard uses his compass and some bullets to represent the plan on a table.]

SHEPPARD
All right, here's how it's gonna work. While you three are taking up high ground positions, Teldy and Porter here, Mehra over here. I'm gonna be on the ground setting charges.

PORTER
You're gonna blow the well?

SHEPPARD
Yeah, that's the plan.

PORTER
Okay, well you'd better use the timer. If the fog is messing with our radios and flashlights, chances are a remote detonator won't work either.

SHEPPARD
All right. Once I get to the well, I'll turn on the computer.

PORTER
Okay. Well, I programmed it to emit an ultrasonic burst, so that'll draw them right to you. But remember, if it gets near the fog…

SHEPPARD
I'll put it halfway down. That should keep it out of reach and working long enough to attract all nine. You three, just take up positions, sit tight until you hear a signal, then open up on anything that moves.

TELDY
And what's the signal?

SHEPPARD
That would be the well blowing sky high.

MEHRA
And where will you be?

SHEPPARD
Well, hopefully as far away as possible.

TELDY
What if this goes sideways?

SHEPPARD
Don't be so negative, Teldy.

TELDY
I'm serious, Colonel.

SHEPPARD
You take up positions, you sit tight and wait for the signal. You don't move. You don't make a noise until the well blows.

MEHRA
Colonel, what if—

SHEPPARD
I think I've made myself clear, Sarge.

MEHRA
Yes, sir.

SHEPPARD
Do we all know what we're doing?

TELDY
Yes, sir.

MEHRA
Sir.

SHEPPARD
Let's go.

[The all grab their gear.]

EXT—VILLAGE NEAR WELL, NIGHT

[Teldy, Porter, and Mehra take up positions on balconies overlooking the well. Sheppard approaches the well and starts to wench up the bucket, cringing because of the nose the rusty mechanism makes. Once the bucket is raised, he gets his gear from his backpack. He activates the laptop and puts it in the bucket, then lowers the bucket as quietly as possible. He steps back and sets the timer on the C-4 block for five minutes. Before he can throw it in the well, a creature attacks him, knocking the C-4 from his hand. The fight each other.]

EXT—BALCONY ABOVE WELL, NIGHT

[Nearby, Porter and Teldy hear the commotion but can't see anything.]

PORTER
What the hell's going on down there?

EXT—VILLAGE NEAR WELL, NIGHT

[Sheppard fires on the creature, and Beckett joins him to help.]

EXT—BALCONY ABOVE WELL, NIGHT

TELDY
Not yet.

PORTER
Dammit!

TELDY
Just wait for it.

EXT—VILLAGE NEAR WELL, NIGHT

[Sheppard stays on his hands and knees, searching the area.]

BECKETT
You all right?

SHEPPARD
Yeah.

BECKETT
Alison?

SHEPPARD
She's, uh, she's safe.

BECKETT
Thank god. What, did you lose something?

SHEPPARD
Uh, my C-4.

[Unseen, the C-4 timer has clicked down to one and a half minutes. More creatures move in.]

BECKETT
Colonel, I think it's best that we get moving.

SHEPPARD
Yeah, I get you.

[The try to move away, but find themselves surrounded, backed up against the well.]

EXT—BALCONY ABOVE WELL, NIGHT

PORTER

Come on, come on!
(seeing movement)

I see them.

TELDY
If you shoot now, you'll risk hitting the colonel. Just wait for the signal.

[The C-4 explodes. Teldy, Porter, and Mehra fire into the area around the well, killing several creatures.]

PORTER
Colonel?

EXT—VILLAGE NEAR WELL, NIGHT

[The three walk among the dead creatures.]

TELDY
Is that all of them?

MEHRA
Eight, nine, plus the other three — that makes twelve.

[A creature rises up. They kill it.]

MEHRA
Sorry. That's nine. Plus the three, makes twelve.

TELDY
Right.

SHEPPARD

(over radio)

Major.

INT—CATACOMBS

TELDY

(over radio)

Colonel! Where are you?

SHEPPARD

(into radio)

Down the well, in the catacombs. I got Beckett. Need the three of you to rappel down here and join us.

EXT—VILLAGE NEAR WELL, NIGHT

TELDY

(into radio)

On our way.

INT—CATACOMBS NEAR MICHAEL'S LAB

[The reunited team makes their way through. The glow-sticks they had left earlier are still lit.]

PORTER
Oh, I just want to get back to Atlantis and sleep for a week.

BECKETT
Aye, I know what you mean. I promise this won't take long.

[Allison seems to hesitate.]

BECKETT
Alison, are you okay?

PORTER
Uh, yeah. Hey, guys, d'you mind if I just hang back here? I've had enough mad science for one day.

SHEPPARD
Yeah, sure.

[Beckett takes on her equipment.]

MEHRA
I'll keep her company.

BECKETT
We'll be quick.

[Mehra gives Porter a knowing look, and she rolls her eyes.]

INT—MICHAEL'S LAB

BECKETT
I want to make sure I get all the data on these creatures to save a return trip.

INT—CATACOMBS NEAR MICHAEL'S LAB

[There is a sound.]

PORTER
What was that?

MEHRA
What?

PORTER
I thought I heard something.

MEHRA
Relax, okay? There were twelve pods, we counted twelve kills. We got 'em all.

PORTER
Yeah.

[Mehra hears something and aims her weapon.]

INT—MICHAEL'S LAB

[Sheppard notices a door he hadn't seen before. He approaches and pushes a button that opens it.]

TELDY
What is it?

[They enter. There are is another row of pods, also open.]

SHEPPARD
Oh, crap.

TELDY
We didn't get them all.

INT—CATACOMBS NEAR MICHAEL'S LAB

[Mehra looks carefully at a wall.]

MEHRA
It's nothing.

[A creature hangs from the ceiling and screams. They start shooting it.]

INT—MICHAEL'S LAB

[They hear the gunfire and head off running toward the catacombs.]

INT—CATACOMBS NEAR MICHAEL'S LAB

[Fog rolls down the corridor toward them.]

SHEPPARD
Porter! Mehra! All right. If they overtake our positions, I want you two to fall back. Take the second tunnel up. Go to the surface, dial the Gate.

TELDY
Now who's being negative?

[A creature rushes out of the fog. They shoot it and then all the others who follow. They move slowly down the corridor.]

MEHRA

(shouting to them)

All clear?

SHEPPARD
All clear.

INT—BECKETT'S QUARTERS ON ATLANTIS

[McKay watches as Beckett packs.]

MCKAY
Can't believe you're leaving already. You've been here, like, less than two weeks.

BECKETT
Well, I've completed my research into Michael's test subjects and passed my findings on to Doctor Lynch and his team, and now it's time to move onto the more important work of saving lives.

[Sheppard enters.]

SHEPPARD
Hey, Doc.

BECKETT
Maybe I spoke too soon. Another off-world situation requiring my expertise?

SHEPPARD
Actually, I just came to see if you needed some help.

BECKETT
Oh! Much appreciated.

SHEPPARD
Oh, and by the way, how's Porter?

MCKAY
Who?

BECKETT
She's fine, fine. A couple of weeks of R and R and then she'll be back in the Pegasus galaxy. You know, Colonel, someone like her could be of real benefit to the type of work I'll be doing.

SHEPPARD
Yeah, I'll bet.

MCKAY
Who's Porter?

BECKETT
Something you might want to mention to Mr Woolsey.

SHEPPARD
Yeah, consider it done!

[Sheppard picks up one of Beckett's bags and they start to leave.]

BECKETT
Thank you!

MCKAY
Fine, you know what? I don't even want to know! Don't tell me!

[He changes his mind and starts to follow them.]

MCKAY
Okay, come on, tell me!

[The door closes before he can get through it.]

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

Transcribed for Solutions by Michelle, November 2008.

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--Michelle 22:35, 8 November 2008 (PST)