Transcript by Mandi Ohlin
Edited by Deanna Moll-Landry
SG1 Transcripts

Cheyenne Mountain Complex, the Stargate embarkation room. Fade in on an aerial shot of the Gate room, which is largely unused; all the equipment in the control room is covered in tarps, as is the equipment in the actual embarkation room itself. Near the left exit, a card table is set up, and four Air Force officers, three male and one female, are playing poker. A fifth crosses the room to join them. One man is dealing, and another is holding a thick cigar in his teeth.

DEALER: Oh, man, this hand's as lousy as this detail. (The fifth player sits down.) All right, everybody in or out.

Chips are tossed into the center. The camera closes in on the table, moving into an overhead shot, looking straight down at the card game.

SMOKER: Not you, too.

As the officer dealing deals out the cards, the camera turns, the table seeming to spin as he goes around to each player.

DEALER: Seven to the deuce, nothin' there ... boss on the eight, nothing happening ... queen to the king, possible straight goin' there ... eight on the eight, and the jack gets a box. Eight's open.

The camera pans down as he deals the final card, focusing on the lone female officer, an attractive blonde, at the table. Behind her, covered by a gray tarp, is the inactive Stargate.

WOMAN: Aren't you guys afraid of an officer coming down here or something?

SMOKER: Trust me. Nobody ever comes down here but us.

Behind the tarp, something stirs ever so slightly. The female officer notices, and starts in surprise.

WOMAN: Does that thing always do that?

DEALER: (not looking up from his cards) Do what?

WOMAN: Whatever it is under the tarp! I just... (glances back at it briefly) saw it move or do something!

SMOKER: Probably the only thing it ever did was cost money.

DEALER: Yeah, it looks like they ran out of that. Been shippin' personnel out of here for months.

Again, something shifts beneath the tarp, the movement more noticeable than before. The woman is the only one to notice, however.

WOMAN: I'm telling you, that thing is moving!

SMOKER: (removing the cigar) If you don't have the straight, just fold.

Instead of answering, she gets up from her chair to investigate.

DEALER: Can we take that as a fold?

She ignores them, moving slowly and cautiously up the ramp towards the Stargate. Behind her, the others resume their game.

SMOKER: (off camera) Just finish the hand. She's out.

As the female officer gets halfway up the ramp, the covered Gate creaks somewhat. She takes two more steps, and suddenly the ramp starts shaking, the railings groaning and creaking under the tremor. Immediately, she backs away. The poker table is shaking as well, the chips and cards scattering. The other four officers get to their feet as their comrade stumbles to the bottom of the ramp, nearly losing her balance entirely. Cut back to the Gate. The tarp is rippling and billowing like water, and starts to slide away. As the Gate starts to spin, the tarp is fairly blown off of the Gate, tossed into the air and slipping to the floor. The officers watch in shock as the Stargate continues to spin, the chevrons locking in place.

WOMAN: I take it this has never happened before?

The smoking officer dashes over to the emergency phone on the far wall, lifting the receiver to his ear. Before he can move another muscle, the wormhole activates, shooting forth a watery bluish-white plume of energy particles. In his shock, the officer drops the receiver as the plume recedes, leaving the active wormhole. The other four are retrieving weapons from a nearby crate. As the three armed officers hang back, the woman steps forward, weapon at the ready as she moves up the ramp.

DEALER: What are you doing?

Ignoring him, she continues up the ramp, slowly and cautiously, her attention completely focused on the anomaly before her. As she approaches the wormhole, the officer who was dealing positions himself at the bottom of the ramp. The female officer reaches the wormhole and stops, reaching out a hand to touch it. Before her fingers can make contact, a metal sphere about the size of an orange is tossed through the wormhole. It bounces once on the ramp before landing by her feet.The object is completely spherical except for an aperture at the top, its shape resembling that of a novelty "magic" 8-ball. As the female officer turns, rays of golden light suddenly shine from the aperture, catching her in a scanning beam that travels over her. The scanning over with, it continues to glow. The four other officers stand there, dumbstruck. The officer by the emergency phone flattens himself against the wall. The light dies away, and the woman kneels down, reaching for the sphere to inspect it.

DEALER: (off camera) What are you doing?

SMOKER: (off camera) Don't touch it!

Despite their cries, she picks the sphere up. Nothing happens. Slowly, she gets to her feet, trading a quick glance with the dealer. Cut to a view of her with the wormhole in the background. Just as she straightens up, an armored figure with a helmet shaped like a serpent steps through the wormhole, grabbing her. The sphere drops onto the ramp. She only manages a surprised gasp as the Serpent Guard wraps an arm around her neck, yanking her weapon from her grasp with his free hand. The officer by the emergency phone draws a handgun, training it on the intruder. The Serpent Guard is holding the woman in front of him like a shield.

DEALER: Hold your fire! (As three more Serpent Guards step through the wormhole) Hold it!

Cut back to the Gate as the final armored figure steps through. His armor is similar in design to the others, but unlike theirs, his is made of gold or a similar metal to indicate his status. From the camera angle, it is apparent that there are now eight armored figures on the ramp - six guards are assembled in two rows on the ramp, blocking their leader and the guard who has the female officer in a headlock. Behind the leader, the wormhole shuts off. The camera closes in on him, moving past the assembled guards to close up on the leader and the first guard, still holding the woman captive. The leader's helmet retracts with a snap to reveal the more or less human face of Apophis.

APOPHIS: Jaffa! Kree!

The first guard's helmet retracts to reveal Teal'c, the First Prime of Apophis. He glances at his prisoner, then at the weapon he's confiscated, studying it briefly.

APOPHIS: Teal'c! Kree!

Almost reluctantly, Teal'c tosses the weapon aside, shoving the woman over to Apophis.

WOMAN: Get... off... me!

Apophis opens the palm of his free hand, activating the ribbon device and shining it before her eyes. Mesmerized by the device, she ceases to struggle against his grip.

DEALER: Let her go!

For answer, one of the guards lowers his staff weapon and fires. The blast just misses the dealer, striking the wall instead. The officers return fire, taking cover behind the unused equipment. Teal'c, with the female officer back in his grasp, turns his back to the officers, their bullets bouncing harmlessly off his armor as he shields the captive. None of the bullets seem to pierce the Serpent Guards' armor at first, and a well-aimed staff blast catches an officer in the midsection, sending him sprawling backwards over the card table. Another officer, this one with a buzz cut, moves around one of the piles of equipment, firing repeatedly at the guard who shot down his comrade. After several shots, a bullet finds a weak spot, and the Serpent Guard falls. Apophis stares, surprised to see one of his men go down. The dealer, crouched behind equipment, is firing like a maniac, yelling as he sprays bullets left and right. Seeing that he might have cover fire, the officer who was smoking makes a break for the phone again, picking up the receiver. Apophis, unfortunately, spots him.

APOPHIS: Kree jai'a, Jaffa!

In response, one of the guards fires.

SMOKER: (into receiver) Ninety-five down here! We need --

The blast hits him square in the back, and he slumps to the floor. Buzz-cut continues to fire on the Serpent Guards, but he, too, is hit. The dealer is the last one standing. He lets out a yell, spraying bullets left and right, taking out another Serpent Guard in his fury. The guard falls over the railing. Another fires his staff weapon, striking the dealer, who collapses. Their opposition gone, the guards cease firing. Cut to a shot of one of the officers, lying dead on the floor with blood covering his neck and hand. He is still clutching his firearm. Cut to the smoker, also dead. Cut back to Apophis.

APOPHIS: Kon! Ans'li!

Cut to exterior corridors as a troop of soldiers runs down the hall towards the camera.

OFFICER: Go! Go!

They turn into an adjacent corridor, entering a passage to another chamber. Behind them, a heavy white partition swings closed.

Cut back to the room housing the Stargate. The wormhole has been reactivated. Apophis, the female officer, and one Serpent Guard are left standing on the ramp; the others have gone through. Apophis is holding the subdued woman. The Serpent Guard kneels to pick up the spherical scanning device. The door marked "C-1" slides open to admit the group of soldiers, who ready their weapons and drop into position upon entering the room. General Hammond is right behind them, and the camera cuts to him for a moment as he stares in shock at the scene before him. The Serpent Guard is holding the female officer by the collar of her shirt, and she does not resist, still under the effects of the ribbon device.

HAMMOND: Hold your fire!

The soldiers obey, keeping their weapons ready as the two groups face off for a moment, Hammond and Apophis staring at each other. Apophis' eyes glow briefly - much to Hammond's shock - before his helmet closes up again. He turns and walks through the wormhole, followed by Teal'c, still holding their hostage, and the remaining Serpent Guard. The wormhole shuts off. Hammond walks slowly up the ramp, staring in shock at the now-dormant Stargate.

OPENING CREDITS

Night. A car pulls up in front of Jack O'Neill's house and Major Samuels climbs out. He walks up to the front porch and knocks on the door. No one answers, and the camera pans up to the roof.

DRIVER: Sir. There's a ladder over here.

The view pans up to show O'Neill on the roof, looking at the night sky through a telescope. A laptop rests on a small table beside him. Samuels climbs up the ladder to join O'Neill.

SAMUELS: Colonel Jack O'Neill?

O'NEILL: (not looking up) Retired.

SAMUELS: I'm Major Samuels.

O'NEILL: Air Force?

SAMUELS: Yes, sir. I'm the General's executive officer.

O'NEILL: A little piece of advice, Major? Get re-assed to NASA. That's where all the action's gonna be. (Brief shot of O'Neill's POV, at the cluster of stars in the scope.) Out there.

SAMUELS: I'm under orders to bring you to General Hammond, sir.

O'NEILL: Never heard of him.

SAMUELS: He replaced General West. He says it's important. Has to do with the Stargate.

Hearing that, O'Neill finally turns away from the telescope.

Same evening. The car passes through a military gate, heavily guarded by soldiers, heading down into a tunnel cut into the side of the mountain - the entrance to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Cut to a shot of an elevator shaft, then the interior of the elevator, where O'Neill and another officer are standing. O'Neill notices how deep they're descending - the elevator goes all the way down to Sub-Level 11.

The elevator doors slide open, and O'Neill follows the officer down the corridors, looking around curiously.

INTERCOM: Red team number 9 to Sub-Level 2, red shaft 24.

They stop at a security checkpoint, and O'Neill signs in on a clipboard. The officer leads him to another elevator.

OFFICER: We have to take a second elevator the rest of the way, sir. It's a long way down.

O'Neill hands the clipboard back as the officer opens the elevator, and they step inside.

O'NEILL: I've been here before.

OFFICER: Ah. Of course.

He presses a button, and the elevator doors close. They open on the lowest level, and O'Neill and the officer step out to meet Samuels, who is waiting for them.

SAMUELS: This way, sir.

Cut to Hammond's office. Hammond is looking over a report when Samuels pounds on the door.

HAMMOND: Come.

Samuels enters, with O'Neill right behind him.

SAMUELS: General Hammond, Colonel Jack O'Neill.

O'NEILL: (as Samuels closes the door) Retired.

HAMMOND: I can see that. Me, I'm on my last tour; time to start getting my thoughts together. Maybe write a book. You ever think about writing a book about your exploits in the line of duty?

O'NEILL: Thought about it. But then I'd have to shoot anyone who actually read it. (Neither Hammond nor Samuels respond.) That's a joke, sir. Most of my work for the past ten years has been classified.

HAMMOND: Yes, of course.

O'NEILL: Major Samuels mentioned something about the Stargate?

HAMMOND: Down to business. I can do that. (He gets up.) This way. (He leads O'Neill and Samuels out.)

Cut to the infirmary, as Dr. Warner pulls a white sheet back to reveal the body of one of the dead Serpent Guards. Samuels, Hammond and O'Neill are gathered around the cot that the body is strapped on to.

HAMMOND: Anyone you know, Colonel?

WARNER: They're not human.

O'NEILL: Ya think?

WARNER: Best we can tell, these slits are actually a pouch similar to that found in a marsupial.

SAMUELS: Like a kangaroo.

WARNER: (as O'Neill leans closer) We haven't done an autopsy yet.

HAMMOND: These people - or aliens, whatever you want to call them - came through, killed four of my people and kidnapped another using advanced weapons.

O'NEILL: Weapons, sir?

An officer brings out the staff weapon, handing it over to Hammond, who hands it to O'Neill in turn.

SAMUELS: We can't figure out how to operate it.

As he speaks, O'Neill hefts the staff weapon easily, turning it in his hands to flip a switch in the middle with his thumb. Instantly, the head of the staff weapon opens with a crackle of orange energy. Hammond and Samuels start in surprise as O'Neill shuts the staff weapon off.

HAMMOND: Seen one of those before, I take it?

O'NEILL: Yes, sir. (hands the staff weapon back) There were no creatures like this on Abydos. Those people were human. From Earth. Ra brought 'em there thousands of years ago.

HAMMOND: I know all about that. But your report said this "Ra" was in fact some kind of alien that lived inside a human body.

O'NEILL: Yeah, his eyes glowed. That was our first clue.

HAMMOND: Are you sure he's dead, Colonel?

O'NEILL: Unless he can survive a tactical nuclear warhead blowing up in his face, positive. Why?

HAMMOND: These people - or whatever they are - were guarding another man who retreated back through the Stargate. I got a good look at his eyes, Colonel. They glowed.

Cut to another corridor as Hammond continues talking, leading O'Neill and Samuels down the hallway.

HAMMOND: How do you feel about the Stargate mission after all this time, Colonel?

O'NEILL: How do you mean?

HAMMOND: Well, it's been over a year. Has your perspective changed?

O'NEILL: Well, sir, I--

They pass an open door, and O'Neill spots Kawalsky and Ferretti being led down an adjacent corridor. O'Neill stops short.

KAWALSKY: (to Ferretti) It's Colonel O'Neill.

As they pass, an officer shuts the door. O'Neill remains standing in the hallway for a moment, processing this, before they continue down the hall. Cut to Hammond's office, as Hammond, O'Neill, and Samuels enter. Hammond sits down at his desk.

O'NEILL: Was that--

HAMMOND: Kawalsky and Ferretti, yes. They were under your command on the first Stargate mission. Tell me about Daniel Jackson, Colonel.

O'Neill does not immediately reply, crossing instead to look through the glass star chart at the adjacent conference room where Kawalsky and Ferretti are sitting down.

O'NEILL: Why are they questioning my men?

HAMMOND: They're not your men anymore, Colonel. You retired. Daniel Jackson?

O'NEILL: You read the report?

HAMMOND: Yes.

O'NEILL: It's all there.

SAMUELS: Is it?

O'NEILL: What's this all about, General?

HAMMOND: You didn't like Daniel Jackson, did you?

O'NEILL: Daniel was a scientist. He sneezed a lot. Basically, he was a geek, sir.

SAMUELS: So you didn't have a lot of time for him.

O'NEILL: I didn't say that. He also saved my life and found a way home for my men and me. A little thing like that kind of makes a person grow on you, you know what I mean?

HAMMOND: According to the mission brief, your orders were to go through the Stargate to detect any possible threat to Earth and if found, to detonate a nuclear device and destroy the Gate on the other side.

O'NEILL: Yes.

HAMMOND: But that's not what you did, is it?

O'NEILL: Not right away. Ra's forces overpowered my team and took the weapon before I could arm it.

SAMUELS: But with Dr. Jackson's help, you eventually regained control and did in fact detonate the weapon, yes?

O'NEILL: Yes.

HAMMOND: So to the best of your knowledge, Daniel Jackson and everyone else you knew on Abydos is dead. Correct?

O'NEILL: That's correct.

HAMMOND: Good. (getting up) Then you won't mind if I authorize a go-ahead on our plan.

He leaves the office, leaving O'Neill standing there for a moment. Suspicious, O'Neill turns back to the conference room, catching Kawalsky's eye briefly. Kawalsky looks worried.

Cut to the SGC corridors. O'Neill and Samuels follow Hammond towards a door guarded by one of the soldiers.

HAMMOND: This quartz material the Stargates are made of - it must be tough stuff if it can withstand a Mark Three.

O'NEILL: Well, we sent a robot probe through after we got back, sir. It was flattened on the other end. Obviously, the Abydos Stargate had been buried in the rubble.

The guard on duty turns and swipes an access card, allowing the doors to slide open and admit the three men into the Gate room.

HAMMOND: Well, somehow it got unburied.

As they enter, O'Neill stops, shocked as he sees what's about to be sent up the ramp through the newly uncovered Stargate - another nuclear device.

O'NEILL: (under his breath) Oh my God.

One of the technicians prepping the device pushes in a locking clamp, and the timer lights up with red numbers: 00:40:20.

O'NEILL: Sending another bomb?

HAMMOND: Mark Five this time. If these creatures did reopen the Abydos Gate, we intend to reseal it for good.

O'NEILL: General, you can't do that.

HAMMOND: Countdown's already started. (steps away a few paces) Unless you have something to add.

O'Neill looks at him for a few moments, debating what to do, before coming to stand beside Hammond.

O'NEILL: General Hammond. Sir.

Hammond turns, looking at him expectantly.

O'NEILL: I regret to inform you that my report was not entirely accurate.

HAMMOND: You didn't detonate the bomb.

O'NEILL: Oh, I did detonate the bomb, sir. It was aboard Ra's spacecraft, so it did kill him and eliminate the risk to Earth.

SAMUELS: (coming up to them) However...

O'NEILL: However, Ra's ship was in orbit above the planet at the time. Neither the Gate nor anything else on the planet was destroyed. Daniel Jackson is alive and living with the people on Abydos.

HAMMOND: You violated direct orders! Why?

O'NEILL: Because the people of Abydos are no threat to us. They deserve to be left alone.

HAMMOND: That's not up to you.

O'NEILL: With all due respect, sir, if I'd come back here and reported the Gate on the other side was still intact, we would have sent another bomb just like you were about to. It wasn't necessary to let those people die. The threat from Ra was gone.

SAMUELS: What about the probe we sent through? It was crushed instantly.

O'NEILL: After we came home, Daniel buried the Gate in rocks, making my return or anybody else's impossible.

HAMMOND: Well, those four bodies lying in the infirmary say otherwise, Airman.

O'Neill looks down at the floor. Hammond hesitates, then turns to the technician.

HAMMOND: We'll send the bomb through on schedule.

O'NEILL: General, you can't do that!

HAMMOND: Oh, I can't?

O'NEILL: There are innocent people on that planet!

HAMMOND: There are innocent people here! I have my orders too, Colonel. I obey mine. (to soldiers) Take Colonel O'Neill to the holding room. Let's give him some time to think about things while I decide what to do with him.

Overhead shot of the Gate room, as Hammond storms off with Samuels right behind him. Two soldiers step up to O'Neill, flanking him on both sides.Reluctantly, O'Neill allows himself to be escorted.

Cheyenne Mountain Complex exterior, night. Cut to one of the holding cells, where Kawalsky is lying on a bunk, staring up at the ceiling as the door to his cell opens to admit a guard and O'Neill. Kawalsky is on his feet in a moment as the guard shuts the door, leaving the two of them alone.

KAWALSKY: (saluting) Colonel O'Neill, sir.

O'NEILL: I'm retired, Kawalsky. Lose the salute.

KAWALSKY: (grins <<*Sigh* I LOVE that grin!>>, opting for a handshake) Me and Ferretti didn't tell them anything.

O'NEILL: I appreciate that.

KAWALSKY: Hey, those kids on Abydos saved my life too.

O'NEILL: Yeah... the kids. (sits down, with Kawalsky sitting across from him)

KAWALSKY: They're the whole reason we kept the secret. Right?

O'NEILL: Yeah.

KAWALSKY: That one kid idolized you. Remember him? Weird name. What was it?

O'NEILL: Skaara.

KAWALSKY: Right. Remember how he was always saluting you?

O'NEILL: Yeah. My kid used to do that when he was little. Skaara kind of reminded me of him.

KAWALSKY: Oh, man, Colonel. You and me went through that whole mission together. I never even knew you had a son.

O'NEILL: (after a long pause) Well, he died. Just before the Abydos mission.

KAWALSKY: I'm sorry, sir. I had no idea.

O'Neill lowers his eyes for a moment, looking back at Kawalsky as if to tell him not to worry about it. He doesn't get the chance, however, for at that moment, the guard opens the door again to admit General Hammond. Kawalsky and O'Neill get to their feet.

HAMMOND: How many people did you say are on Abydos?

O'NEILL: That we saw? Maybe five thousand.

Hearing this, Hammond frowns, looking pensive. O'Neill and Kawalsky exchange glances.

O'NEILL: Does this mean you're reconsidering sending the bomb, sir?

HAMMOND: It means I'm open to suggestions.

O'NEILL: General, let me take a team through that Gate. We'll find out who those aliens are. Kawalsky and I have been there before. We know the lay of the land, we know the people.

HAMMOND: You think you do. Jackson could be dead. You don't know what you'd be walking into.

O'NEILL: Sir... there is one way to find out.

HAMMOND: Right. We'll have that prototype probe shipped from M.I.T.

O'NEILL: General, we don't need that probe.

KAWALSKY: We don't?

O'NEILL: Nope. (picks up a box of Kleenex off the table in the cell) This'll do.

He strides out of the cell past Hammond, heading for the Gate room. Bemused, Hammond and Kawalsky follow him. The guard shuts the cell door.

The Gate embarkation room. Several soldiers are armed and ready at the foot of the Stargate ramp as the Gate spins, the coordinates for Abydos locking in. Hammond, O'Neill, Kawalsky and Samuels are standing in the control room as Davis and the other technicians work at opening the Stargate.

DAVIS: (over intercom) Chevron 4, encoded!

HAMMOND: Care to explain this concept?

DAVIS: Chevron 5, encoded!

O'NEILL: Jackson has allergies.

KAWALSKY: (grinning) I get it.

O'NEILL: He'll know this came from me and not from someone... (glancing at Hammond) with all due respect, sir, like yourself.

Hammond and Samuels exchange glances as the Stargate continues spinning, the chevrons locking in.

DAVIS: Chevron 6, encoded!

Hearing that, O'Neill turns and leaves the control room as the last glyph comes up.

DAVIS: Chevron 7, locked!

The final chevron locks, and the wormhole opens with the familiar blue-white plume of energy particles before settling into a pool of rippling blue light. O'Neill enters the Gate room calmly, heading up the ramp. Camera pans down to show a view of him walking up the ramp from the other side of the Gate (i.e. we can see him through the distortion of the wormhole). He gets to the top of the ramp and stops. Cut to a side view as O'Neill simply chucks the box of tissues through the wormhole.

DAVIS: The, um, object should reach final destination in five seconds... four... three... two...

As he speaks, the indicator slides along the star map towards the destination point. Close up on a tracking screen.

DAVIS: One.

At that, the tracking screen stops, a red diamond flashing briefly over the target area. Cut to the Gate as the wormhole disintegrates.

DAVIS: The object should now be through the Abydos Stargate.

HAMMOND: Now what?

O'NEILL: (coming back into the control room) Now we wait. If Daniel's still around, he'll know what the message means.

SAMUELS: What if the aliens get it?

O'NEILL: Well... they could be blowing their noses right now.

SAMUELS: They could be planning an attack.

O'NEILL: Oh, come on, Samuels. Let me be the cynic around here, okay? (to Hammond) Sir, this could take some time.

The four men file out of the control room as the camera pans back to a view of the now dormant Stargate.

Dissolve to the briefing room, where Samuels is talking to several other officers. Hammond is sitting at the head of the table, and O'Neill is sitting at the other end, both waiting anxiously. O'Neill sits up suddenly, feeling a tremor. He turns to see that the pitcher and glasses sitting on a tray on the table are trembling. All the officers in the room get to their feet, going to the window that looks out over the Gate room - just in time to see the wormhole opening.

In the Gate room, the soldiers are at the ready, keeping their rifles aimed at the Stargate, prepared to fire at whatever or whoever will come out of it. The C-2 door slides open to admit O'Neill, followed by Hammond, Samuels, and Kawalsky. They stand there for a few seconds, waiting and watching, until a small object falls through the wormhole, landing on the ramp. The wormhole promptly shuts off. O'Neill walks up the ramp and picks up the object - the Kleenex box he sent through earlier, now empty and covered with sand and dust. He wipes it off, looking at the box, and smiles, getting to his feet and heading down the ramp. He tosses the box to Samuels, who catches it and shows it to Hammond.

Written in block letters on the side of the box is the message "THANKS - SEND MORE."

O'NEILL: Permission to take a team through the Stargate, sir.

HAMMOND: Assuming I get the President's authorization. The mission briefing will be at 0800 hours. Consider yourself recalled to active duty, Colonel.

Hammond and Samuels exit. Kawalsky and O'Neill exchange triumphant grins, patting each other on the back before they leave the Gate room.

Hammond's office. Hammond straightens up a stack of papers before getting up from his desk and entering the adjacent briefing room. The officers waiting there stand at attention and salute, including O'Neill, this time in dress uniform.

HAMMOND: Gentlemen, take your seats.

They sit down at the conference table, with Hammond sitting at the head.

HAMMOND: Where's Captain Carter?

SAMUELS: Just arriving, sir.

O'NEILL: (still standing) Carter?

HAMMOND: I'm assigning Sam Carter to this mission.

O'NEILL: I'd prefer to put together my own team, sir.

HAMMOND: Not on this mission, sorry. Carter's our expert on the Stargate.

O'NEILL: (leaning over table to write down something) Where's he transferring from?

CARTER: (offscreen) *She* is transferring from the Pentagon.

Startled, O'Neill looks up as a blonde woman dressed in full dress blues, enters, walking over to stand by the vacant chair across from O'Neill.

CARTER: I take it you're Colonel O'Neill. (salutes) Captain Samantha Carter reporting, sir.

O'Neill, a bit surprised, returns the salute.

KAWALSKY: But of course you go by "Sam."

CARTER: (chuckles) You don't have to worry, Major. I played with dolls when I was a kid.

KAWALSKY: G.I. Joe?

CARTER: No. Major Matt Mason.

KAWALSKY: Oh... (to Ferretti) Who?

FERRETTI: Major Matt Mason, astronaut doll. Did you have that cool little backpack that made him fly?

HAMMOND: Let's get started. Colonel?

Carter takes her seat as O'Neill begins.

O'NEILL: Thank you. Those of you on your first trip through the Stargate, you should be prepared for what to expect.

CARTER: I've practically memorized your report from the first mission. I'd like to think I've been preparing for this all my life.

KAWALSKY: I think what the Colonel is saying is... have you ever pulled out of a simulated bombing run in an F-16 at 8-plus Gs?

CARTER: Yes.

KAWALSKY: (hesitates, taken aback) Well... it's way worse than that.

FERRETTI: By the time you get to the other side, you're frozen stiff like you've just been through a blizzard ... Naked.

CARTER: That's a result of the compression your molecules undergo during the millisecond required for reconstitution.

O'NEILL: Oh, here we go, another scientist. General... please.

CARTER: Theoretical astrophysicist.

O'NEILL: Which means...?

HAMMOND: It means she is smarter than you are, Colonel. Especially in matters related to the Stargate.

Kawalsky and Ferretti chuckle. O'Neill gives them a look, and they try to look serious.

CARTER: Colonel, I was studying the Gate technology for two years before Daniel Jackson made it work and before you both went through. I should have gone through then. But sir, you and your *men* might as well accept the fact that I am going through this time.

O'NEILL: Well, with all due respect, Doctor--

CARTER: It is appropriate to refer to a person by their rank, not their salutation. Call me "Captain," not "Doctor."

HAMMOND: Captain Carter's assignment to this unit is not an option, it's an order.

CARTER: I'm an Air Force officer just like you are, Colonel. And just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside, doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle.

O'NEILL: (sitting down) Oh, this has nothing to do with you being a woman. I like women. I've just got a little problem with scientists.

CARTER: Colonel, I logged over 100 hours in enemy airspace during the Gulf War. Is that tough enough for you? Or are we going to have to arm wrestle?

Kawalsky and Ferretti look impressed by now, and O'Neill shrugs it off - but it's clear he's done arguing.

SAMUELS: I hate to throw a damper on your enthusiasm, but I still say the safest, most logical way to deal with this is to bury the Stargate just like the ancient Egyptians did. Make it impossible for the aliens to return. It's the only way to eliminate the threat.

O'NEILL: Except it won't work.

HAMMOND: It worked before.

O'NEILL: They know what we are now. They know how far we've come. We're a threat to *them.* They've got ships, General. Ra had one as big as the Great Pyramids. They don't need the Stargate to get here. They can do it the old-fashioned way. Now with all due respect to Mr. Glass-Is-Half-Empty over here,(In reference to Samuels) don't you think we should use the Stargate to do a little reconaissance before they come back... again?

The other officers at the table turn and look at Hammond expectantly.

HAMMOND: I'll give you exactly 24 hours to either return or send a message through. No Kleenex boxes, please.

He stands, and the others follow suit.

HAMMOND: Otherwise, we'll assume the worst... and send a bomb through.

O'NEILL: Understood.

The Gate room, as the wormhole activates. Hammond and Samuels enter first. Behind them, O'Neill, Kawalsky, Carter, and three other soldiers file in, all in full gear. Hammond turns to face the team.

HAMMOND: Try to follow orders this time, Colonel.

O'NEILL: Sir?

HAMMOND: This time you bring Daniel Jackson back. Is that clear?

O'NEILL: Yes, sir.

Hammond and Samuels salute, and O'Neill returns it.

O'NEILL: Move out!

On his order, the team heads up the ramp and through the Stargate. Carter and O'Neill hang back at the bottom of the ramp. Carter is staring at the wormhole.

O'NEILL: Captain?

CARTER: Don't worry, Colonel. I won't let you down.

O'NEILL: Good. I was gonna say "Ladies first."

He heads up the ramp, and she follows.

CARTER: You know, you really will like me when you get to know me.

O'NEILL: Oh, I adore you already, Captain.

They reach the wormhole and stop. Carter is awed at the sight of the distortion close up.

CARTER: My God... look at this. The energy the Gate must release to create a stable wormhole is - is astronomical, to use exactly the right word. (reaches out to touch it) You can actually see the fluctuations in the event horizon.

Impatient, O'Neill shoves her through the wormhole, then steps through himself.

Cut to a traveler's eye view of the transit through the wormhole, which begins as a spinning blue-black tunnel of light. There's a brilliant white flash, and we see blackness for a second before a ring of white pinpoints converges, flattening and speeding past the viewer in streaks of white light. The streaks fade away as the view is again of tunnel transit, this time with only the top and bottom visible - the tunnel is clearly curving through a star field before ending in a bright, brief flash of light. The flash fades to reveal O'Neill stepping out of the wormhole on the other side. He turns in time to see the wormhole shut off.

The team has arrived in Abydos, and are now in a dusty stone chamber, in the small pyramid where the Gate is housed. All the soldiers are standing, save for Carter, who is sitting on the steps, hunched over. O'Neill goes to check on her.

CARTER: Oh... I think I'm going to be sick. Uhhh...

O'NEILL: (pats her on the shoulder) Maybe you shouldn't have had that big lunch.

She gets to her feet, and the soldiers fan out, checking the area. The chamber seems to be empty. As they move a few paces away from the Gate, however, a young boy jumps up from behind a column, pointing a gun at them. Still others appear at all sides, aiming weapons at the team. O'Neill turns as a group of three pop out from another column, but then someone familiar steps in their path.

JACKSON: Cha'hari! Cha'hari! Lower your guns.

The defenders obey, and O'Neill turns to stare at Daniel.

JACKSON: Jack? Uhh... welcome back.

O'Neill doesn't reply, walking towards Daniel. He pushes past the Egyptologist, heading straight for his real interest - the boy standing in the middle of the trio behind Daniel. The boy salutes, and grinning, O'Neill returns the salute.

O'NEILL: Skaara.

SKAARA: O'Neill.

With that, they hug, glad to see each other.

SKAARA: I did not think to be seeing you again!

O'NEILL: (turning to Daniel) Daniel, how you doing?

JACKSON: Uh, good. You?

O'NEILL: Much better, now that I see that everybody's okay.

FERRETTI: Greetings from Earth, Dr. Jackson.

JACKSON: (grinning) Hello, Ferretti.

KAWALSKY: Brought you a little something, Daniel.

He hands Daniel a mini-pack of tissues. Daniel takes it with a half-amused, half-irritated _expression.

JACKSON: Kawalsky.

Nearby, a hand draws back a curtain, and Sha're peers curiously into the main chamber.

JACKSON: Sha're, don't be shy.

At his urging, she comes to stand beside him, and Daniel puts his arm around her. O'Neill extends a hand, and she takes it, not as enthused as Skaara to see O'Neill, but not displeased either.

O'NEILL: Hi. Good to see you.

JACKSON: So, I... figured it would be a matter of time before you had to tell the truth about us still being here.

O'NEILL: Yeah. (looking around) Why the militia? Something else come through?

JACKSON: No, we're just taking precautions. Why?

CARTER: (offscreen) Amazing. This is what was missing from the dig at Giza.

Cut to Carter, who is inspecting the dial-home device with awe.

CARTER: (Smiling beautifully, and growing more excited with each second) This is how they controlled it. It took us 15 years and 3 supercomputers to MacGyver a system for the gate on Earth.

O'NEILL: Captain?

CARTER: (OK, now she's like a kid in a candy store! ;)) Look how small it is!

O'NEILL: Captain!

She looks up, confused, and O'Neill inclines his head, implying that she should come over. Carter comes over and smiles with delight when she realizes who O'Neill's speaking to.

CARTER: (shaking hands with Daniel) Dr. Jackson, I presume. I'm Doctor Samantha Carter.

O'NEILL: I thought you wanted to be called "Captain."

JACKSON: (looking nervous) What's going on, Jack?

O'NEILL: Six hostile aliens came through the Stargate on Earth. Four people are dead, one's missing.

KAWALSKY: One of them looked like Ra, Daniel.

JACKSON: Well, they didn't come from here. I mean, the boys take shifts guarding it 36 hours a day. Every day. We'd know if they came through here.

O'NEILL: Well, they came from somewhere, Daniel. I'm going to have to look around.

JACKSON: I - I think I can help you find out who it was, but, uh, it's going to have to wait til this sandstorm is over. (pauses) Uh, we were about to have our evening meal. Why don't you join us?

Exterior shots, Abydos desert. The sandstorm has yet to die down. Inside the pyramid where the Stargate resides, the soldiers and the natives are gathered around several dishes of food, eating dinner. Skaara makes his way through the crowd to O'Neill, careful not to spill the contents of the two canoe-shaped bowls he's carrying. He offers one to O'Neill, who is sitting next to Carter.

SKAARA: This too.

O'NEILL: (taking it) What's this?

SKAARA: Drink.

Curious, O'Neill sniffs the brew experimentally.

O'NEILL: Moonshine.

SKAARA: Moon... shine?

O'NEILL: Yeah. Moonshine, as in booze. Daniel, what are you teaching these kids?

He and Carter both look at Daniel expectantly. Daniel glances up from where he is sitting with Sha're, giving O'Neill his most innocent look.

SKAARA: Try it.

O'NEILL: Alright. (sniffs it) Skaara's moonshine. Give it a little shot.

He takes a drink, then after a second spits it out.

O'NEILL: WHOA!

Everyone watching bursts out laughing.

O'NEILL: (to Daniel, his voice hoarse) Smooth. Very smooth.

SKAARA: Moonshine!

KAWALSKY: Our little soldiers are all grown up, Colonel.

O'NEILL: (hoarse) Yeah, I'm so proud. Whoa.

SKAARA: O'Neill. (reaches into pocket and proffers lighter) Your lighter?

O'NEILL: No, it's yours. I gave that to you to keep. Remember?

SKAARA: (a little choked) Thank you.

He turns and makes his way through the crowd.

JACKSON: You know, he's never let that out of his sight the whole time you were gone.

O'NEILL: Yeah?

JACKSON: So this - this man who looked like Ra, he must have come through another Gate.

CARTER: What other Gate?

O'NEILL: A Stargate?

CARTER: Stargate only goes here.

JACKSON: I think you're wrong about that.

CARTER: I - I was there. We ran hundreds of permutations.

JACKSON: But you didn't have what you need.

O'NEILL: Daniel, what are you talking about?

Skaara pushes through the crowd again.

SKAARA: Daniel. The storm has passed.

JACKSON: I'll show you. (stands up) Sha're. Ben ra qui Jack to see the vili tao an.

SHA'RE: (standing up, worried) Bonni wai?

JACKSON: I won't be long.

He kisses her on the forehead, and then she pulls his lips to hers for a prolonged, deep kiss. O'Neill looks surprised and then amused, and the group erupts in good-natured hooting and laughter until Sha're finally breaks the kiss. Daniel is slightly dazed and blushing.

SHA'RE: Goodbye, my Daniel. (kisses him again, briefly)

JACKSON: (snapping out of it) Bye.

O'Neill gets up, as does Carter and Kawalsky.

KAWALSKY: Hold the fort.

FERRETTI: Yes, sir.

They exit the pyramid into the stark brightness of the desert, donning sunglasses to shield their eyes. Shot of the desert from the temple entrance, with the two small obelisks standing side by side in front of the seemingly endless desert beyond.

KAWALSKY: Boy, I can't say I missed this place.

JACKSON: Come on.

He starts off, followed by O'Neill and Kawalsky. Carter hangs back, taking it in for a moment.

CARTER: This is just incredible.

As the group heads down the steps of the temple, the camera pulls back to show an overhead view of the temple entrance and steps jutting out from the sand at the base of a pyramid-shaped structure.

Dissolve to another shot of the desert, then cut to a darkened hallway. Three natives with torches lead the way inside a different building. Daniel comes next, followed by O'Neill, Carter and Kawalsky with flashlights.

JACKSON: So, I - I figured that there had to be more to this place, so I started exploring, um, this area around the town and the pyramid at first. And after about a month, I found this place. Uh, Captain Doctor, you're going to love this.

Carter shines her flashlight around, although the central brazier provides enough light. The chamber is huge, lined by bird-headed statues alternating with cartouches of hieroglyphics. At the far end of the room is a gleaming symbol - the Eye of Ra.

CARTER: Oh, my God. This is amazing. This is the archaeological find of the century.

She shines the light on the nearest section of hieroglyphics, moving to get a closer look. O'Neill and Daniel follow.

O'NEILL: Daniel, you had a chance to translate this yet?

JACKSON: I think so.

O'NEILL: What's it say?

JACKSON: Well, uh, it - it doesn't say anything. Actually, it's sort of a chart, more of a map.

O'NEILL: Of?

JACKSON: Well, I haven't been able to analyze all of it. I mean... (gesturing around the chamber) look at it. It would take my whole life.

O'NEILL: Well, Daniel, we don't have that long. What's it a map of?

JACKSON: Well... the cartouches seem to be separated clearly into groupings. Each grouping is attached to the others by a series of lines, and each grouping contains seven symbols, so you can see where this is going, of course.

O'NEILL: Tell us anyway.

JACKSON: All of the symbols are on the Stargate in the Abydos chamber. I've also managed to chart some of them in the Abydos sky, or at least pretty close. Jack, I think this is a map of a vast network of Stargates, Stargates that are - are all over the galaxy.

CARTER: Uh, I don't think that can be, Doctor.

JACKSON: Why not?

CARTER: Well, because after Colonel O'Neill and his team came back, my team tried hundreds of symbol permutations using Earth as the point of origin, and it never worked.

JACKSON: Well, I tried the same here and it didn't work either. But I figured the destinations I tried are either destroyed or... buried, but some of them somewhere must still exist.

CARTER: I don't think so.

JACKSON: Then where did your Ra lookalike come from? (as Carter is speechless) I - I don't pretend to know anything about astrophysics, but couldn't the planets change? I mean, uh... drift apart or something like that to throw this map off?

CARTER: I knew I'd like you.

JACKSON: You mean I'm right?

CARTER: According to the expanding universe model, all bodies in the universe are constantly moving apart.

JACKSON: So in the thousands of years since the Stargate was built -

CARTER: All the coordinates could have changed.

JACKSON: But why does it still work between Abydos and Earth?

CARTER: Abydos is probably the closest planet in the network to Earth. I mean, the closer they are, the less the difference in relative position due to expansion. The further away, the greater the difference.In a few thousand more years, it won't work between Earth and Abydos either.

JACKSON: Unless you can adjust for the displacement.

CARTER: Right. Now with this map as a base, that should be easy. All we have to do is correct for Doppler shift.

Standing apart from the two of them, Kawalsky and O'Neill look on, unable to comprehend the technobabble.

CARTER: Then I should be able to arrive at a computer model that will predict the adjustments necessary to get the Gate working again.

KAWALSKY: Okay. So what did we just figure out?

CARTER: Any civilization advanced enough to build this Gate network would be able to compensate for 50,000 years of stellar drift.

O'NEILL: (looking up at the cartouches) So... the Stargate can go other places.

CARTER: The aliens could have come from anywhere.

The Abydos Gate pyramid. Inside, the remaining soldiers and natives are grouped around the cooking fire directly in front of the gate, relaxing and enjoying themselves. Sha're sits with Skaara and another boy, all of whom are laughing. She playfully shoves away Skaara before getting to her feet and walking away. Ferretti and another soldier watch her go with admiration.

FERRETTI: Man, you've got to give Daniel credit. She's one beautiful woman.

The other officer nods, but suddenly, the Gate activates, the chevrons starting to lock in. The soldiers jump to their feet in alarm.

SOLDIER: We've got company, boys!

The natives scatter as the soldiers grab their weapons, panic erupting through the crowd.

SOLDIER: Move! Move! Take cover!

The natives crouch behind the columns lining the room, terrified. Children are crying as the unarmed people take cover as best they can. The soldiers take up positions behind the columns, aiming their weapons at the Gate. The wormhole activates, and two Serpent Guards step out, randomly firing staff weapons. Three Abydonian youths make a break for the exit. Two are felled by staff blasts, but the third makes it around the corner, flattening himself against the wall before heading out of the pyramid. Inside, the soldiers open fire on the Serpent Guards. Predictably, their bullets bounce off the guards' armor. A guard fires on one of the soldiers, the blast knocking him to the floor. Skaara is among those firing at the intruders, and is lucky enough to dodge the blast fired at him, but is forced to fall back behind a column. Another Abydonian firing on the guards is felled by a staff blast. Ferretti tries to get a lucky shot in, but a staff blast comes too close for comfort, and he falls. More Serpent Guards flood into the room. While the Serpent Guards continue to fire, a final armored figure steps from the Gate, with a golden sheen to his armor - Apophis, of course. Helmet up, he surveys the room as another Abydonian is hit by a staff blast. The barrage of energy blasts soon has the entire defense force either dead, unconscious, or dazed. Seeing this, Sha're darts behind the columns, fearing for her friends. Skaara has managed to go unscathed, and gets to his feet, firing at the intruders from behind a column.

SKAARA: Sha're! Shim rota! Shim rota!

She makes a break for it, but the Serpent Guard is quicker, grabbing her around the waist.

SHA'RE: No!

Apophis and another guard approach Skaara, who tries to fire again, but discovers that he's out of ammunition. The guard lowers his staff weapon to fire, but Apophis stops him. With a howl, Skaara lunges at the guard, but the guard simply catches him by the throat. His helmet retracts to reveal that it is Teal'c.

TEAL'C: This is not your weapon. Where did you get it?

For answer, Skaara spits in his face. Teal'c turns him to face Apophis, who retracts his helmet, looking Skaara up and down.

APOPHIS: Good choice, Teal'c. A perfect specimen.

He opens his hand, shining the ribbon device into Skaara's eyes. Almost immediately, Skaara goes limp in Teal'c's arms. Sha're shrieks and struggles madly as the guard carries her over to Apophis.

SHA'RE: Daniel! Daniel! Skaara! Skaara!

Apophis grabs her chin, brushing her hair from her face and inspecting her teeth. His eyes glow briefly.

APOPHIS: You may be the one.

He lifts the ribbon device, shining it into her eyes until she, too, goes limp. Apophis turns to the dial-home-device, punching in the glyphs for their return. None of the guards notice Ferretti regaining consciousness nearby, blood streaming from his left eye and mouth. Apophis' helmet retracts as he finishes dialing and activates the Gate. The wormhole opens, and Apophis goes through, followed by the seven Serpent Guards and their captives. Once they have gone through, the wormhole shuts off, leaving the once-cheerful chamber silent. A second passes, and then the surviving Abydonians emerge from their hiding places, checking to see who's all right. The boy who had escaped earlier appears at the entrance, leading Daniel, Carter, O'Neill, and Makepeace in. Daniel enters at a dead run, casting about him in panic.

JACKSON: Sha're! Sha're!

No reply. He checks in the makeshift sleeping tent by the entrance before rushing to the side of a boy lying nearby.

JACKSON: Bolah!

BOLAH: There were so many... so many of them.

Carter and O'Neill crouch down beside Ferretti.

CARTER: What?

JACKSON: It's all right. Just tell me what happened.

BOLAH: It was Ra.

O'Neill comes over to Daniel.

O'NEILL: What's going on?

JACKSON: (insistent) Ra is dead. Tau'pa Ra!

BOLAH: No... Ra... I saw... He took Sha're. He took Skaara into the chaapa'ai.

Horrified at this news, O'Neill jumps up. Daniel remains with Bolah.

JACKSON: Did you see? Did you see?

Bolah's eyes roll back in his head, his eyelids closing as his head lolls limply backwards. Daniel kneels there, stunned, cradling the dead boy's head in his hands as Kawalsky comes up to them.

O'NEILL: What's going on, Daniel? Could there be another Ra?

JACKSON: How the hell should I know? (gets up) Should have left the barricade up. This is my fault.

Nearby, O'Neill is checking another soldier's pulse, trying to rouse him.

O'NEILL: Come on. Come on.

CARTER: Colonel, Ferretti needs medical attention now!

JACKSON: (kneeling by another Abydonian) Go! Help him! I can send you back.

O'NEILL: (gets up) You're coming with us this time, Daniel. I've got orders.

JACKSON: (rising) I don't care about your orders, Colonel. My wife is out there. So is Skaara.

O'NEILL: And the only way we're gonna get 'em back is if you come home with us. Ferretti might have seen those coordinates. Captain, do you have the video?

CARTER: (holds up a recorder) I got everything I need.

She turns back to trying to revive Ferretti. He regains consciousness, barely.

FERRETTI: (gasping) Too many.

Daniel looks around the room at the dead and dying Abydonians. Still others are mourning, other look defeated. Finally, Daniel turns, striding into the center of the room.

JACKSON: (loudly) Leaa. Leaa.

Those natives not tending to the dead and wounded gather around him as Daniel continues.

JACKSON: After we go through the Chappa'ai you have to bury it, like we did before, and then leave this place.

BOY: You come back?

JACKSON: No. I can't. Nobody can, that's what I'm telling you. Not for a... long time. Now as soon as we're gone, I want you to close it. Bury it. Put a... big heavy cover stone over it. (louder) Nothing good could ever come through this Gate, do you understand me?

BOY: You came through it, Dan-yer.

Daniel hesitates for a moment.

JACKSON: Do you remember the story I told you? How the ancient Egyptians on Earth cut themselves off from Ra? Well, that is exactly what you have to do. Then in one year, one year from this day you take the cover stone away. I will try to bring Sha're home with me on that day, but if I don't make it back... (nearly in tears) if I don't... if I don't return then you must bury the Gate again forever. Cho'qua?

The boy nods, understanding. Daniel is in tears at this point.

JACKSON: You tell Sha're's father... one year.

At that, the boy hugs him tightly. The others follow suit, most of them reaching out to touch Daniel's hair in a gesture of friendship. After a moment, Daniel pulls away and sadly walks over to the DHD.

Cut to a close up of one of the chevrons on the Earth Stargate as the chevrons begin to lock and the Gate starts to spin.

INTERCOM: Stand by for arrival! Stand by for arrival!

Camera pans up and over the Stargate to show an overhead view of the Gate room as security alarms go off and the security door below the control room slides down. Soldiers dash back and forth, preparing for whatever might come out.

INTERCOM: Incoming traveler!

At that moment, the last chevron locks and the wormhole activates. Immediately, O'Neill, Carter, Kawalsky and Daniel barge through, dragging the wounded through the gate. The left bay door opens, and Samuels rushes in, radio in hand.

SOLDIER: Medic! Medic!

Carter and Daniel drag their wounded down the ramp, and no more people come through.

SAMUELS: (into radio) Close the iris! Close the iris!

O'Neill starts down the ramp, but he stops and turns to see the metal "iris" suddenly slide across the wormhole, contracting much like the iris of a human eye. O'Neill, Carter, and Daniel stop and stare as the iris closes, completely sealing the Stargate.

INTERCOM: Iris locked.

The security door slides up, and O'Neill turns to General Hammond, who has entered and is standing at the base of the ramp. We hear, but cannot see, the wormhole shutting off.

INTERCOM: Wormhole disengaged.

O'NEILL: What the hell is that, sir?

HAMMOND: That's our insurance against any more surprises. (as the iris slides back) It's pure titanium - hopefully impenetrable.

Hammond's attention turns back to the ramp, where Kawalsky, Carter, and others are getting Ferretti onto a stretcher. Kawalsky kneels beside Ferretti.

MEDIC: Get the gauze on him! We gotta stop the bleeding from his leg!

HAMMOND: What happened, Colonel?

O'NEILL: Base camp was hit while we were on recon, sir.

HAMMOND: Same hostiles who attacked us?

O'NEILL: That's a fair guess.

Kawalsky and another soldier carry the stretcher off, leaving Carter standing there.

O'NEILL: Jackson's wife and one of our kids was kidnapped.

HAMMOND: Your kids?

O'NEILL: From the previous mission, sir.

Daniel comes up to them, extending a hand.

JACKSON: General, hi. Daniel Jackson. I'd... like to be on the team that goes after them.

HAMMOND: (angrily) You're not in any position to make demands, Jackson.

He turns and walks up the ramp. O'Neill and Daniel watch Hammond as he approaches two other injured soldiers being treated on the ramp.

Exterior shot, Apophis' citadel. Cut to a large dungeon inside, a high-ceilinged chamber. In the center of the chamber, a group of confused and scared humans are huddled. The two doors at one side of the room slide apart to admit a group of men - two armed Jaffa without helmets, two unarmed men in turbans, and three helmeted Serpent Guards. The humans gathered there - Sha're and Skaara among them - warily get to their feet and back away from the Serpent Guard in charge, who surveys the group for a moment. He points at Sha're.

TEAL'C: Chal'nok. Her.

The turbaned men move towards Sha're. Enraged, Skaara launches himself at them, trying to keep them from taking his sister. Sha're cries out as they throw him to the ground.

SHA'RE: Skaara! Skaara! No!

Skaara tries to get up, but freezes as the two secondary Serpent Guards switch on their staff weapons, pointing them at him. The unarmed Jaffa grab Sha're by the arms. The head guard steps forward, retracting his helmet. It's Teal'c.

TEAL'C: (to Skaara) Your death cannot help her.

SHA'RE: I am not afraid of you!

With that, the turbans drag her off. The three Serpent Guards remain, the two guards still pointing their staff weapons at Skaara. As Sha're is dragged out the door, Teal'c activates his helmet and turns away. The other Serpent Guards follow him out the doors. Skaara tries to follow, but the others hold him back. He finally breaks free, dashing for the doors... but they slide closed just as he reaches them. Skaara clutches the bars for a moment before angrily striking the door and turning away, slumping down to the floor in defeat.

The SGC infirmary. O'Neill enters to find Kawalsky sitting beside Ferretti's bed, with a newspaper in his lap and a cup of coffee in one hand.

O'NEILL: Doc says he's gonna make it.

KAWALSKY: Guess so.

O'NEILL: You gonna stay here all night?

KAWALSKY: Yes, sir.

O'Neill nods and leaves. Cut to the SGC corridors as O'Neill walks down the hallway, pulling on his jacket. He starts to round a bend, but hesitates, spotting something up ahead. Daniel is leaning against the wall, staring into space. O'Neill approaches him.

O'NEILL: Hey.

Daniel nods. There's a moment of silence.

JACKSON: They don't know what to do with me... and I don't know what to do with myself.

O'Neill punches him lightly on the shoulder.

O'NEILL: Come on. Let's get out of here.

He turns and heads for the exit, pausing at the turn. Daniel hesitates, then follows him out.

O'Neill's house. O'Neill pulls two bottles of beer out of the fridge, then takes them into the living room. Daniel is standing by the fireplace, and O'Neill enters as Daniel is blowing his nose.

O'NEILL: Nice catch.

JACKSON: Thank you. Sorry. Gate travel always seems to make my allergies... (blows nose again, sniffs, wipes eyes) Sorry.

He takes the beer O'Neill offers and uncaps it.

O'NEILL: So... you were saying.

JACKSON: Anyway, um... as soon as you were gone and they realized they were free, Abydos was - was their world for the taking...

As Daniel speaks, O'Neill sits down on the couch, uncapping his beer.

O'NEILL: Had a little party, did you?

JACKSON: Oh, yeah. You know, big, big, big party. They treated me like their savior, it was, um... embarrassing.

O'NEILL: It's amazing you turned out so normal. (takes a swig)

JACKSON: Well, if it wasn't for Sha're, I'd probably--

He breaks off, exchanging looks with O'Neill. After a pause, he sits down in an armchair.

JACKSON: She was the complete opposite of everyone else. She practically fell on the floor laughing every time I tried to do some chore they all took for granted, like grinding yuffeta flour. I mean, have you ever tried to grind your own flour?

O'NEILL: I'm trying to kick the flour thing.

JACKSON: (laughing) This is going straight to my head. (takes a swig) What time is it, anyway? I must have Gate lag or something.

O'NEILL: Daniel, for crying out loud, you've had one beer. You're a cheaper date than my wife was.

JACKSON: Yes, when am I going to meet your wife?

O'NEILL: Oh, probably, uh, never. (pause) After I came back from Abydos the first time, she'd already left.

JACKSON: I'm sorry.

O'NEILL: Yeah, so was I. I think in her heart she forgave me for what happened to our kid, she just... couldn't forget.

JACKSON: And what about you?

O'NEILL: I'm the opposite. I'll never forgive myself. But sometimes I can forget. Sometimes.

He takes another sip of beer, and the two men sit there in silence.

Apophis' citadel. A group of women are sitting in another chamber, this time cleaned and attired in elaborate gowns. Sha're is among them, as well as the female officer kidnapped from the SGC. Teal'c enters, flanked by the same pair of turbaned men as before. As he surveys the room, the women freeze in terror. He finally points to the female officer, who is sitting against the wall.

TEAL'C: You.

At his word, the two turbaned men pull her to her feet, hustling her out of the room. She struggles and shouts, to no avail.

WOMAN: Where are you taking me? I'm a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force! I demand to know where you're taking me! Let go!

They hustle her past Teal'c and down the hall. Teal'c hesitates before turning to follow.

Cut to the implantation chamber, with heavy curtains adorning the doorways. The sergeant is hustled through the door, still struggling.

WOMAN: Let go of me! Where the hell are you taking me?

They stop in front of the table in the center of the room as the far doors open and Apophis, flanked by guards, steps into the room. Seeing him, the sergeant stops struggling for a moment.

APOPHIS: Come.

The turbaned men drag her around the table to stand before him.

APOPHIS: Lovely. (raising the ribbon device) Full of life.

Despite her struggles, the light from the device overpowers her. Her eyes go blank, and she ceases to fight.

APOPHIS: You could be the vessel for my future queen.

He lowers the device. As she stands there, motionless, the turbaned men tear the dress from her shoulders. Apophis looks her up and down, pleased.

APOPHIS: Yes. Yes. Very nice indeed. (steps around her) But I am not the one you must finally please.

The turbaned men pick up her unresisting body and place her on the table. Teal'c watches, his distaste for the proceedings concealed beneath his impassive facade. She lies there, unable to move, her eyes dazedly searching the room as she struggles towards consciousness. Apophis moves to a curtain and parts it to reveal another chamber, where an ornately dressed woman is seated. She wears a headdress, but there is no mark on her forehead.

APOPHIS: Kapita! Kree!

She gets up, holding her robes closely around her as she comes into the implantation chamber and stands beside the table. As Apophis watches, she gasps and moans, spreading her arms - and her robes wide. The motion exposes the crisscross incision of a Jaffa's pouch in her midsection. Fully conscious now, the sergeant watches in horror as an eyeless, serpentine head forces its way out of the Jaffa's pouch, opening its mouthparts convulsively as it squeals.

APOPHIS: Does she please you, my love?

For answer, the Goa'uld squeals again, then retreats back into the Jaffa's pouch. The Jaffa woman turns and walks away as Apophis takes her place beside the table.

APOPHIS: A shame.

Again, he activates the ribbon device, this time shining it an inch from her eyes. The beam strikes her between the eyes, crackling with tendrils of energy. Her eyes roll back in her head, and her head drops to the side, blood coming from her mouth. Apophis pulls the device away, looking at the dead sergeant with distaste.

APOPHIS: Send another!

He turns and stalks away. The camera closes in on Teal'c, still standing there, with pain behind his usually stoic gaze.

Cheyenne Mountain Complex, the next day. Cut to the briefing room, as Samuels enters. O'Neill, Carter, Daniel, Kawalsky, and two unfamiliar officers are gathered there, talking.

SAMUELS: Ladies and gentlemen, General Hammond.

As Hammond enters, the officers in the room salute. Hammond sits down at the head of the table as the others take their seats.

HAMMOND: People, what's spoken of in this room is classified as SCI top secret. Colonel, what do we know about these... hostiles... that we didn't yesterday?

O'NEILL: (sitting down) Not a hell of a whole lot, General. The Abydioan boys who survived the attack on the base camp thought it was Ra.

HAMMOND: I thought he was dead. Gentlemen, which is it?

JACKSON: Oh, he's dead, he's definitely dead. I mean, the bomb... (to O'Neill) I mean, he's got to be dead, right?

HAMMOND: Then who's coming through the Stargate?

JACKSON: (almost to himself) Gods.

Surprised, O'Neill and Carter turn to stare at Daniel. Hammond looks confused.

HAMMOND: What?

Kawalsky and the other officers give Daniel skeptical looks.

JACKSON: Not as in... "God" god. Ra played a god, the sun god. He - borrowed the religion and culture of the ancient Egyptians he brought through the Gate, and then he used it to enslave them. You see, he wanted the people of Abydos to believe that he was the only one.

CARTER: So you're saying... Ra's not the last of his race after all?

KAWALSKY: Maybe he's got a brother Ray.

Some of the officers chuckle.

O'NEILL: (sarcastically) That's what we need.

JACKSON: Wait a minute. The legend goes... Ra's race was dying. He survived by taking over the body of his human host, an Egyptian boy. But who's to say more of his kind couldn't do the same thing? I mean, uh, this - it could happen any time, anywhere there's a Gate, I mean... this could be happening right now.

HAMMOND: Colonel, you've had the most experience in fighting this hostile. Assuming you'd have to defend yourself in the field, are you up to it?

O'NEILL: We beat 'em once.

HAMMOND: I'll take that as a "maybe." Captain Carter, you're confident that the Stargate will take us where we want to go with this new information?

CARTER: Well, they're feeding the revised coordinates into the targeting computer right now. Uh, it'll take time to calculate, but it should spit out two or three destinations a month.

HAMMOND: People, let's not fool ourselves here. This thing is both fast and dangerous, and we are in so far over our heads we can barely see daylight. We would all be much better off if the Stargate had been left in the ground.

CARTER: With respect, sir, we can't bury our - our heads in the sand. I mean, think of how much we could learn. Think of what we could bring back.

HAMMOND: What you could bring back is precisely what I'm afraid of, Captain. However, the President of the United States happens to agree with you. (as the officers exchange startled looks) In the event your theories pan out, he has ordered the formation of nine teams, whose duties will be to perform reconnaissance, determine threats and if possible, to make peaceful contact with the peoples of these worlds. Now, these teams will operate on a covert, top-secret basis. No one will know of their existence except the President and the Joint Chiefs. Colonel O'Neill?

O'NEILL: Sir?

HAMMOND: Your team will be designated SG-1. The team will consist of yourself, Captain Carter--

JACKSON: (looking down) And me?

HAMMOND: Dr. Jackson, we need you to work as a consultant with the other SG teams from here. Your expertise in ancient cultures and languages are far too valuable to--

JACKSON: No. (looks up, composes himself) Look, uh... I mean, I know this is your decision, but I just, I - I *really* have to be on their team. My wife is out there, General, I need to go.

HAMMOND: I'll take that under consideration. Major Kawalsky, you will head SG-2.

KAWALSKY: I will?

HAMMOND: Colonel O'Neill keeps telling me it's about time you had a command.

Surprised, Kawalsky stares at O'Neill.

O'NEILL: I had a moment of weakness.

Kawalsky grins triumphantly, giving O'Neill a thumbs-up as a guard hands Samuels a note. Samuels unfolds it and reads it silently before turning to Hammond.

SAMUELS: Ferretti's conscious, sir.

Without waiting to be excused, O'Neill immediately gets to his feet and heads for the door.

HAMMOND: Dismissed.

The rest of the group get up and leave the briefing room.

The SGC infirmary. Carter, Daniel, Kawalsky and O'Neill enter, with O'Neill in the lead. A technician is standing beside Ferretti's bedside, setting up a laptop beside the bed so that he can reach the keys. Carter approaches him.

CARTER: I'll take over. Thanks.

The technician moves out of the way as Carter takes his place, squeezing Ferretti's free hand reassuringly. O'Neill and Daniel join her beside his bed. Kawalsky stands behind the laptop.

CARTER: Hey, Ferretti.

O'NEILL: Ferretti. I know you're probably not feeling so hot, but we need something from you.

Ferretti can't reply; his head and his bad eye are wrapped in gauze, and a feeding tube is in his mouth. But he reaches for the laptop, touching the screen so that the image of a cross-section of the Stargate comes into focus. On the side of the screen, he's already identified five of the seven glyphs.

CARTER: Looks like he's way ahead of you, Colonel.

O'Neill moves around Daniel and Kawalsky to stand where he can see the screen. Ferretti continues to type with his free hand, identifying a sixth glyph, and finally the seventh.

O'NEILL: You saw all seven symbols? This is where they went?

Ferretti opens his good eye wider, trying to nod.

O'NEILL: You're sure.

The corridor outside the Gate embarkation room. SG-1 and SG-2 are suited up and headed for the Gate room, with Samuels in the lead.

SAMUELS: Colonel, I'd like to remind you that rescuing Dr. Jackson's wife is a secondary objective. In the event you fail to notify base camp within 24 hours, (pulls out a transmitter and starts to calibrate it) SG-2 will scrub the mission and return without you.

O'NEILL: Understood.

KAWALSKY: Not gonna happen, Colonel. SG-2 won't leave without you.

SAMUELS: All right, let's confirm transmitter codes. Remember, only the right code will open the iris, and if you lose your transmitter, you cannot get home.

CARTER: Understood, sir.

They enter the Gate room just as the final chevron locks and the Stargate wormhole activates. Hammond stands in the control room, speaking through a microphone.

HAMMOND: SG-1 and SG-2, if you do not return within 24 hours, your remote transmitter codes will be locked out and the iris will be sealed permanently. At that point, there will be no return. Is that understood?

O'NEILL: (saluting) Yes, sir. (to the SG teams) Let's move out.

Carter and Daniel head up the ramp, followed by Kawalsky. Samuels moves alongside him.

SAMUELS: Kind of wish I was going with you.

KAWALSKY: Yeah. I'm kind of glad you're staying behind.

He heads up the ramp, and Samuels stops, watching them go.

SOLDIER: (offscreen) All right, let's go, boys!

O'Neill pauses to check his gear, exchanging looks with Samuels before he turns and heads up the ramp. The camera pans past the cases and packs of supplies and weaponry piled on a cart (the acronym F.R.E.D. is on the side) before cutting to an aerial shot as the cart rolls into the Gate.

Cut to a computer display, with a symbol representing the cart. The words "MOLECULAR DECONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS" are beneath the symbol as the symbol dissolves. Cut to a closer shot, as three human shapes are lit up on the screen, the first one dissolving similarly.

Cut to traveler's-eye view of travel through the Stargate. The effects are pretty much the same as the last time, but take up a shorter amountof time.

The travel ends as a team member literally falls out of the Gate on the other side, rolling down a few stone steps before tumbling to a stop. The next two soldiers come through much the same way, groaning and getting to their feet. Daniel is still sitting down, propped against the DHD. Kawalsky and another soldier slowly straighten up, recovering from the effects of Gate travel.

KAWALSKY: Dammit, it's cold.

Daniel removes his glasses; the lenses are coated with frost. Carter stands, scanning the area for any threats. O'Neill is already taking in the scenery - there's no one to be seen.

O'NEILL: Okay, people, let's get the gear out! Let's move!

He and Carter turn away from the Gate. Daniel has finally straightened up, only to bend over sharply as a violent sneeze overtakes him as the camera moves back to get a wide-angle shot of the offworld Stargate, set in the middle of a wooded area and ringed by a circle of stones.

JACKSON: Anybody got a Kleenex?

Apophis' citadel. Flanked by the turbaned men, Teal'c returns to the chamber where the candidates for Apophis' queen are sitting. He scans the room, past the group of scared young women huddled together in the center of the floor, until he spots Sha're. She is sitting apart from the rest, her back turned to him. Teal'c points.

TEAL'C: You.

At his command, the two men grab Sha're by the arms and start to drag her off.

SHA'RE: No! NO!

The other women sitting there watch as Sha're is dragged away.

The Stargate. Camera pans past the supplies to show Daniel, standing in front of the DHD and looking around at the position of the Gate, which sits on a slightly raised stone dais. O'Neill climbs up to join him.

JACKSON: It must be some sort of ceremonial place. The Gate is - has to be a part of their spiritual culture. I'd say this place was built for worshippers.

O'NEILL: (coming up beside him) Well, let's just try to be out of here before the worshipees show up, huh? You figured out yet how to align this Gate to get back home?

JACKSON: Yeah. (looks down at DHD) The device is the same as on Abydos. (pointing at glyph) This symbol represents the--

O'NEILL: (Not interested) You brief Kawalsky's team yet?

JACKSON: Yes. This symbol represents the--

O'NEILL: (patting him on the back) Good job.

With that, he turns and walks away, leaving Daniel slightly irritated. O'Neill joins Kawalsky, who's standing near the edge of the circle of stones.

KAWALSKY: We'll have to set camp where there's better cover, Colonel.

WARREN: (coming up to them) Sir, I found what looks like a trail in the mountains. Looks like it hasn't seen traffic in a couple of days.

Carter comes towards them, unspooling a cable across the campsite.

O'NEILL: Thank you, Airman. (as the soldier leaves) Carter?

CARTER: We could set up a line of claymores along that ridge at ten-meter intervals.

O'NEILL: Sound about right, Kawalsky?

KAWALSKY: Yeah, that'll work.

Apophis' implantation chamber. The two men in turbans bring Sha're in, holding her by the wrists. She struggles madly and unsuccessfully to free herself.

SHA'RE: No!

Apophis enters from another doorway, guarded by Serpent Guards.

APOPHIS: (beckoning) Come.

At his command, Sha're's captors drag her across the room towards him.

SHA'RE: No! No, no! Aah!

She bites the arm of one of her captors as they reach Apophis. Apophis laughs.

APOPHIS: This one has spirit.

He activates the ribbon device, passing his hand in front of her face. Sha're's struggles cease, and her eyes go blank. Her arms drop limply to her sides, and the turbaned men cut the straps of her dress, stripping her completely naked. Apophis steps down, inspecting her. He brushes her hair out of her face before moving past her. The turbaned men pick her up and set her unresisting body on the table, flat on her back. Again the Jaffa woman steps from her chambers, going to stand beside the table. Sha're begins to regain awareness, watching with terror as the Goa'uld emerges partially from the Jaffa's pouch.

APOPHIS: Does she please you, my love?

The symbiote hesitates, stretching as far as possible from the pouch, before it slides completely free from the pouch to land on Sha're's stomach. Sha're gasps in fear, unable to move as the Goa'uld slithers up her chest, its head hovering inches from her face before it retreats slightly. At a look from Apophis, the turbaned men flip Sha're over to lie flat on her stomach. The symbiote slides off of her as they do so, slithering onto her back. Apophis watches expectantly as the symbiote slithers up Sha're's back, lifting its head like a cobra about to strike.

And it does strike, at the back of her neck. Sha're screams as the symbiote penetrates, its tail disappearing as it enters completely. She screams again, then again, as both Apophis and Teal'c watch. Apophis is pleased. Teal'c is not.

Chulak, exterior, day. The SG teams, with the cart of supplies, are heading down a forested path in search of a place to set up camp. Kawalsky is in the lead, followed by the cart and the rest of the teams.

KAWALSKY: (pointing) This looks like a good spot right up here!

They come to a flat clearing, and the cart comes to a stop as the soldiers mill about. O'Neill, Carter, and Kawalsky gather beside the cart.

O'NEILL: All right. (checking watch) If we're not back in twenty hours--

KAWALSKY: We'll come rescue your sorry asses.

O'NEILL: Negative. You'll go back through the Gate with the combination Daniel just gave you before the iris is locked so you *can't* go back.

KAWALSKY: (saluting) Yes, sir.

O'NEILL: (returning salute) Hold down the fort.

KAWALSKY: Pick me up a t-shirt.

O'Neill, Daniel, and Carter start off, and Kawalsky turns to the business of setting up camp.

Chulak, exterior, day. SG-1 is heading down one of the trails through the woods. O'Neill is in the lead, with Carter and Daniel a few paces behind him.

CARTER: So, Dr. Jackson, tell me about Sha're. How did you meet?

JACKSON: Oh, Sha're. Well, she's, uh--

O'NEILL: She was a gift.

JACKSON: She was, actually, from the elders of Abydos the first time we were there.

They come to a bend in the road, and O'Neill stops.

CARTER: (Femanism sets in ;)) And you accepted?

Daniel is saved from answering as O'Neill, noticing activity up ahead, raises a hand. (WHEW! For Danny-Boy!)

O'NEILL: Hold up.

Through the fog and the trees, a group of hooded figures can be seen coming up the road towards them. O'Neill backs towards the cover of the bushes, indicating that Carter and Daniel should follow.

O'NEILL: C'mon.

Carter and O'Neill hunker down in the brush within sight of the trail, holding their weapons at the ready. Daniel crouches down beside them. The hooded figures are more visible now, and we see that it's a group of cloaked monks in snakeskin cowls, with the symbol of Apophis tattooed on their heads. Each carries a tall wooden staff with a purple stone at the head. As Carter and O'Neill observe, Daniel, being Daniel, gets up from their hiding place.

O'NEILL: All right, Captain. Take your position fifty yards--

He stops, noticing that Daniel's not only broken cover, but is going to meet the monks.

O'NEILL: Oh, for crying out loud.

Daniel steps out into the middle of the road, right in the monks' path. Startled, they come to a halt. Daniel raises his hands, palms out, to communicate that he's unarmed.

JACKSON: Hi.

O'NEILL: The man has not changed.

He and Carter get up from their hiding place and go down to join Daniel now that their cover's blown anyway. They take up position behind Daniel, pointing their guns at the monks.

JACKSON: (to the monks) We just came through the Stargate... (at their blank looks) Uh, the, uh... chaapa'ai?

MONK: Chaapa'ai!

At his exclamation, all the monks immediately drop to one knee before Daniel.

JACKSON: No, please don't do that...

O'NEILL: Friends of yours?

JACKSON: (turning back to them, quietly) Unless we want to give ourselves a bad reputation, I think we should avoid shooting the first people we meet on a new planet. (to the monks) Oh, please, you don't have to do this.

He goes back to the monks, putting his hands on the lead monk's shoulders and pulling him up. The monk gets the point and stands up again, somewhat confused by his behavior.

MONK: Chula lasla?

JACKSON: Lasla... choose! (to O'Neill and Carter) They want to know if we're here to choose.

O'Neill shrugs; what the hell.

JACKSON: (to the monk) Ah, sure. We can choose. Choosing is good. (to O'Neill) It's a derivation of Arabic combined with...

O'NEILL: Yeah, yeah. All right, whatever. Just ask them to take us to the nearest village.

JACKSON: (back to the monks) Um, would you take us to, um, uh... um... (making a "roof" with his hands) um, arish. (at the monk's blank look) Arish?

MONK: (nodding) Yah, alla, alla, Chulak.

He starts backing up the path as the other monks rise, indicating that they should follow. The monks step aside to let him pass.

MONK: Chulak.

Daniel, Carter, and O'Neill hesitate for a moment.

O'NEILL: Chulak, eh?

He starts down the path after the monk, and Carter and Daniel follow. The other monks stand aside to let them pass before bringing up the rear.

Cut to another section of the path, as SG-1 and the monks come around a bend into an open area. The lead monk stops, as does the rest of the entourage.

MONK: (pointing) Chulak!

Shot of the landscape before them. The mountains rise above the trees, and the stone buildings of a large city can be clearly seen in the hills above the forest. Cut back to SG-1. The monk starts towards the camera again, and the others follow him.

JACKSON: Chulak. Sounds good.

O'NEILL: I hear it's nice this time of year.

The group continues down the path, heading towards the city.

Exterior shot, the same day, a palace courtyard that looks Grecian in design. [Transcriber's note: I'm an English major. I'm guessing.] People in white are milling about.

Cut to a shot of a huge roast, borne on a litter by three servants. As a woman's laughter can be heard, the camera pulls back to reveal what looks like a lavish feasting hall. The servants set the roast down on a long central table, around which several people are kneeling or seated on the floor. As the roast is set down, the guests applaud and a man holding an odd-shaped tuba blows a few deep notes. Two little girls with crowns of flowers in their hair giggle and talk. The camera follows the servants across the room to stop on another entrance as the monks escort SG-1 into the hall.

As the newcomers enter, the chatter and laughing stops, and the guests sit back from their meal, looking at SG-1 warily.

MONK: (to the guests, explaining) Atohara a lasla!

Nervously, Daniel steps forward, and Carter and O'Neill follow suit. They sit down where a servant indicates at the head of the table. None of the other guests move to touch the feast, watching SG-1 warily instead.

CARTER: (aside, to Daniel) Why are they treating us like this?

JACKSON: (as a servant puts a goblet before him) They think we're gods.

Carter picks up a goblet, sniffs the contents, then puts it back.

O'NEILL: Ok. We're gods. Now what?

JACKSON: I have no idea.

At that moment, the man with the horn steps forward and blows some more notes. Hearing this, the guests immediately prostrate themselves, touching their foreheads to the ground. Daniel moves to do so as well, and Carter and O'Neill stare at him.

JACKSON: When in Rome...

Carter follows his example as Daniel imitates the other guests. O'Neill sits there for a moment before reluctantly bending forward. Instead of bowing down completely, he keeps his head up to see what's going on - and immediately sees the same type of guards that attacked on Abydos.

The Serpent Guards file into the room, lining up on either side of the archway to permit Apophis, and a woman to pass between them. The woman wears a jeweled headdress with a veil to conceal her face and an elaborate gown. The couple stops at the head of the table as Daniel looks up. Apophis turns to remove the woman's veil.

APOPHIS: Behold! (lifts the veil and steps back) Your queen.

Camera closes in on the woman's face as she surveys the room with a calm, emotionless stare. It's Sha're. Daniel's eyes widen.

JACKSON: (whispering) Sha're.

O'Neill stares, confused. Daniel leaps to his feet and runs towards her, but stops in his tracks halfway as he realizes something's wrong. Sha're doesn't recognize him.

APOPHIS: Kneel before your queen.

JACKSON: (stepping towards her) Sha're, it-it's me.

She lifts her head slightly, and her eyes flare with a white-gold light. Apophis raises his hand, palm towards Daniel as he activates the ribbon device. It glows orange, and the air around it ripples like water. The shockwave lifts Daniel off his feet, sending him flying backwards into a wall. Stunned, Daniel slumps to the floor. O'Neill grabs his gun and aims at Apophis, but Sha're steps in front of Apophis, shielding him. Unable to fire for fear of harming her, O'Neill lowers the gun - only to have a Serpent Guard come up behind him and club him in the head with a staff.

Cut to the briefing room in the SGC. Hammond is sitting there as Samuels enters and stands at attention.

SAMUELS: You wanted to see me, sir?

HAMMOND: Once we seal the iris, we could still get a transmission from our team.

SAMUELS: Yes, sir. But we couldn't be sure it's not the aliens, or one of our own people under duress of torture. Sealing the Stargate is the best--

HAMMOND: How much longer do they have?

SAMUELS: Just under two hours, sir.

A gravel floor. Daniel is lying flat on his back, unconscious. Carter is trying to shake him awake.

CARTER: Daniel? Daniel.

JACKSON: (half-conscious) Oh, Sha're.

His eyes fly open, and he snaps back into consciousness, blinking and gasping for air. He tries to sit up a bit too quickly, and Carter steadies him.

CARTER: Whoa. Easy. You've been unconscious for hours.

JACKSON: No. I saw her.

CARTER: I know. We all did.

JACKSON: I saw Sha're. She was...

He trails off as Carter pulls him to his feet, and we pull back to see that they're in a high-ceilinged dungeon, the very same one Skaara and Sha're were thrown into earlier. Dozens of people are milling around under the watchful gaze of several Serpent Guards. O'Neill makes his way through the crowd to meet Daniel and Carter.

O'NEILL: If there's a way out of here, I haven't found it yet. But... (points a thumb over his shoulder) look what I did find.

Behind him, Skaara appears from the crowd, delighted to see his brother-in-law.

SKAARA: Daniel! You're okay.

He rushes over to Daniel, who grabs him in a relieved hug.

JACKSON: (coughing) Yeah, I think so.

He coughs again and starts to sag forward. Skaara, Carter, and O'Neill steady him before he can fall, easing him down so he can sit.

O'NEILL: Easy, big guy. Welcome back to the land of the conscious.

SKAARA: O'Neill told me about Sha're.

JACKSON: (desperate) Jack, help me. We can find her again.

O'NEILL: Daniel... don't. (to them all) If we can't find a way out of here, the mission's a bust anyway. They seal the Gate in just over ninety minutes. Come on, Skaara. Let's find our way out of here.

He stands up, only to find himself facing a Serpent Guard, who grabs his wrist roughly and turns it at an angle.

O'NEILL: Ow!

GUARD: (re: O'Neill's wristwatch) What is this?

O'NEILL: (in pain) It's a watch.

The Serpent Guard's helmet retracts to reveal Teal'c, who looks curiously at the watch.

TEAL'C: This is not Goa'uld technology. Where are you from?

O'NEILL: Earth. Chicago if you want to be specific.

TEAL'C: (cutting him off)Your words mean nothing. Where are you from?

JACKSON: (squatting down) Ah, excuse me.

As Teal'c looks down, Daniel reaches down and draws a symbol in the dirt: a triangle with a small circle at its apex.

JACKSON: This is where we're from.

Teal'c stares at it for a second, then takes his staff, sweeping the tail end of the staff through the dirt, completely eradicating the symbol. He closes his helmet and turns away.

Chulak, exterior, day. Twin suns are shining in the blue sky, and the wind is blowing fiercely. Kawalsky emerges from a tent, putting his hat on.

KAWALSKY: Warren, let's go! Rise and shine! The sun is... (stops, correcting himself) suns are coming up. (as Warren gets up as well) We're going to be all right.

WARREN: (pulls his cap on) We can't go through another night like that, Captain!(Funny, Kawalsky was called Major earlier in the ep ;))

KAWALSKY: (rubs his hands together) Yeah, gets a little chilly on this planet at night. Colonel should have sent us a radio message by now.

WARREN: When do you have to make the decision? (pulls his vest on) Whether or not to go back to the Stargate?

KAWALSKY: That'll be about when hell freezes over.

WARREN: I think that pretty much describes our current situation.

KAWALSKY: (sharply) We are not leaving here without the Colonel. Is that understood? (irritated, going back under shelter) Another fine day on Planet Kawalsky.

Apophis' dungeon, at the back of the chamber. O'Neill hoists himself up to a tiny window, peering out. There's no glass to shatter, but he's blocked by a metal lattice. He drops back down to the floor, where Skaara is standing, looking out in case any guards notice. Daniel and Carter watch from a distance.

CARTER: So Ra isn't dead after all.

JACKSON: It wasn't Ra. It was Apophis.

CARTER: Who?

JACKSON: Um... it's from Egyptian mythology. Ra was the sun god who ruled the day, Apophis was the serpent god, Ra's rival, who ruled the night. It's right out of the Book of the Dead. They're living it.

O'Neill and Skaara continue along the back wall. O'Neill is still trying to scout out a weak point in the wall or a window that will budge.

SKAARA: We will save Sha're?

O'NEILL: (still checking wall) I can't promise you anything at the moment.

SKAARA: (grabs his shoulder, stops him) But you're a great warrior! We defeated Ra together!

O'NEILL: Yeah, yeah, I know, but take a look around here. Look at what we're up against.

At the defiant look Skaara gives him, O'Neill pats him on the shoulder.

O'NEILL: We'll try.

The dungeon doors are opening again. Seeing that something's about to happen, O'Neill takes Skaara aside towards the center of the room. The crowd is gathering at the foot of the steps, apprehensively trying to see what's going on. The Serpent Guards file in, forming two lines on each side of the doorway along the walls. Teal'c enters, standing in the center of the threshold, his helmet gone. The lines of Jaffa flanking him step forward, so that they are all lined up at the head of the stairs.

TEAL'C: Sha'ka ha! Kree hol mel, Goa'uld!

O'NEILL: What did he say?

SKAARA: (quietly, dreading this) They are going to choose.

CARTER: Choose what?

SKAARA: Who will be the children of the gods.

The Serpent Guards have formed a U-shaped formation, those at the head partially down the steps. A group of Jaffa carry in a gilded, curtained litter, whose occupants cannot be seen. They set the litter down at the head of the stairs.

TEAL'C: Jaffa!

Apophis throws back the curtain of the litter and steps out, glancing at the crowd before turning back to the litter and helping Sha're step out as well. She takes her place beside Apophis.

JACKSON: Sha're.

He starts forward, but Carter and O'Neill grab his arms and hold him back before he can do anything reckless.

JACKSON: Jack, help me, please...

O'NEILL: Daniel, don't. Don't.

The Serpent Guards descend the stairs into the crowd, moving to stand in two lines to create a protective aisle in the center of the crowd for the Goa'uld to move through safely. Teal'c spreads his arms, moving to the back wall of the dungeon.

TEAL'C: Benah! Ya wan, ya duru!

The Jaffa bearing the litter rush down and into the crowd, shoving people to their knees.

TEAL'C: Kneel before your masters!

Carter and Daniel are shoved down. O'Neill glances over at Teal'c, catching his eye. Teal'c nods slightly, and O'Neill kneels. Skaara remains standing, angry and defiant.

O'NEILL: (cautioning) Skaara.

Reluctantly, Skaara gets down on his knees. The Goa'uld, all dressed ornately, file out of the litter, moving down the stairs to look over the prisoners.

TEAL'C: Benah! Ya wan, ya duru! Choose!

As the first pair starts across the floor, one of the litter bearers hurries into their path, holding up a young girl for their inspection. The male Goa'uld gives the girl a cursory glance.

MALE GOA'ULD #1: No.

The litter bearer immediately tosses her aside, throwing the girl roughly to the floor. Carter winces. O'Neill glances over at Teal'c again, and suddenly notices the Jaffa's distaste for these proceedings. Two litter bearers bring another girl over to the pair. The male Goa'uld looks her over, turning her chin to look at her face.

MALE GOA'ULD #1: This one. We choose this one.

The girl screams and cries as the litter bearers carry her off out of the dungeon. Skaara is incensed. Daniel sneaks a glance over at Sha're. Her _expression remains cold, emotionless.

A second couple of Goa'uld come next, surveying the prisoners. As they approach SG-1, Daniel makes a rash decision. He shoves past the Serpent Guards, grabbing a hold of the male Goa'uld's robe. The guards grab him by the arms and restrain him. O'Neill steps forward, but stops as two staff weapons are pointed at him. The male Goa'uld studies Daniel.

MALE GOA'ULD #2: This one's passionate.

JACKSON: (desperately) How much would I remember if you chose me?

O'NEILL: Daniel, what are you doing?

JACKSON: (on the verge of tears) Something of the host must survive.

Teal'c can barely stand it, shaking his head and letting his mask of indifference drop. Only O'Neill sees the look on his face.

MALE GOA'ULD #2: We choose...

His gaze moves just past Daniel to Skaara.

MALE GOA'ULD #2: Him.

The litter bearers rush forward and grab Skaara, dragging him along. O'Neill tries to go after him, but is restrained.

SKAARA: Na-ney! Na-ney! O'Neill!

O'NEILL: Skaara!

SKAARA: (screaming) O'Neill! O'Neill! O'Neill!

O'NEILL: Skaara!

One of the Serpent Guards clubs O'Neill in the face with the head of the staff. He falls back, dazed. The two Goa'uld leave, and Skaara is dragged out of the dungeon.

SKAARA: (still screaming) O'Neill! O'Neill!

Once the last pair of Goa'uld are gone, the Serpent Guards return to formation, more or less. Apophis and Sha're stand at the head of the stairs, and Apophis hesitates for effect.

APOPHIS: Kill the rest.

At his words, complete pandemonium breaks out among the prisoners. Screaming, people run for the back wall of the dungeon as five of the Serpent Guards advance. Carter, Daniel, and O'Neill get up, looking around in confusion as screaming people run past them. Apophis and Sha're turn and get back into the litter, disappearing behind its curtains. The five Serpent Guards continue to advance, their staff weapons at the ready, lining up at the foot of the stairs like a firing squad. The litter is carried out, and the doors begin to slide shut. Teal'c walks towards the advancing line of guards as the doors slam closed. The prisoners huddle in the corners of the dungeon as the Serpent Guards activate their staff weapons simultaneously. The only prisoners not joining the panicked retreat are Daniel, O'Neill, and Carter. Teal'c walks up to his men, a resigned _expression on his face.

O'NEILL: (shouting) I can save these people!

Teal'c whirls, activating his staff weapon and pointing it at O'Neill.

O'NEILL: Help me! (quieter) Help me.

TEAL'C: Many have said that!

Without missing a beat, he spins around and fires, hitting one of the Serpent Guards full in the chest before turning and tossing his staff weapon to O'Neill.

TEAL'C: But you are the first I believe could do it!

A Serpent Guard fires at the crowd, and is immediately blasted by O'Neill. Teal'c snatches up his fallen staff weapon and shoots another Serpent Guard point-blank. O'Neill takes out the third. One of the remaining Serpent Guards takes a shot at the prisoners, and is immediately blasted by Teal'c. The last of the guards manages to blast a man in the back, but Teal'c immediately blasts him as well. Teal'c and O'Neill charge the doors, firing at the guards gathered outside to clear the hall. Turning back, O'Neill gets an idea.

O'NEILL: (shouting at the crowd) Get out of the way!

The prisoners get the hint and scatter to the left and right as O'Neill runs down the stairs. Two staff blasts is all it takes to blow a gaping hole in the back wall of the dungeon, sending stone and mortar flying. Daniel sits up from behind a pile of rubble, his glasses hanging half off his face, as Carter and O'Neill dash past him to the hole. O'Neill sticks his head out, checking for guards and satisfied that there aren't any by that section of the wall.

O'NEILL: (gesturing) Come on! Let's move!

The prisoners get the hint and immediately file out of the hole, with Carter and O'Neill herding them through. Carter takes the outside, urging people to keep moving.

CARTER: (shouting to the fleeing prisoners) Come on! Come on! Go! Go! Move! Let's go! Come on! Go! There you go! Go! Go! Come on!

As the prisoners flee, Teal'c walks slowly down the steps, tossing a piece of armor aside. He stares at the wreckage of the battle, walking at the bodies of those he had commanded. The Serpent Guards lie unmoving, dead. The crimson glow in the helmet of one dies out. The last of the prisoners rushes out. O'Neill and Daniel are the last two left.

O'NEILL: (to Daniel) You going to be okay?

Daniel doesn't reply, turning and climbing out through the hole. O'Neill starts to follow, but then stops, turning back to shout at Teal'c.

O'NEILL: Hey, come on!

TEAL'C: I have nowhere to go.

O'NEILL: For this you can stay at my place. Let's go!

Teal'c hesitates for a second, staring at O'Neill. He spares a last glance at the wreckage before he walks towards the hole and climbs out.

O'NEILL: What's your name?

TEAL'C: Teal'c.

They start moving, following the stampede of people that Carter is herding through the trees.

O'NEILL: Teal'c, where will they take Skaara? The boy?

TEAL'C: To the Stargate. After they've selected hosts for their children, they will return home.

They head down the hill into the woods, bringing up the rear of the crowd of refugees heading for the Gate.

Cut to the Gate room of Stargate Command. The camera pans up to the window of the briefing room, where Hammond is standing. Samuels joins him at the window.

SAMUELS: Sir, they have just under an hour until the deadline. We should have heard from them by now.

HAMMOND: A lot can happen in an hour, Major.

Chulak, day. O'Neill, Carter, Daniel, and Teal'c are leading the group of refugees towards the Stargate.

O'NEILL: We've got less than an hour. How we doing?

CARTER: We lost a few when we got to the forest.

TEAL'C: They will be hunted down and killed. Anyone who does not exist to serve the gods is their enemy.

O'NEILL: And that makes you...?

TEAL'C: I am a Jaffa. Bred to serve so that they may live.

JACKSON: I don't understand.

Teal'c stops then, and the entire group comes to a halt. Teal'c pulls back a section of his torn chainmail to reveal an X-shaped incision in his stomach. A small symbiote - smaller and paler than the mature Goa'uld - emerges partially from the incision. Carter and Daniel jump back, and a woman screams.

O'NEILL: What the hell is that?

TEAL'C: It is an infant Goa'uld, the larval form of the gods. I have carried one since I was a child, as all Jaffa carry one.

He turns and starts walking again, and the group gets moving.

O'NEILL: Well, get it out of there.

TEAL'C: In exchange for carrying the infant Goa'uld into maturity, a Jaffa receives perfect health and long life. If I were to remove it, I would eventually die.

O'NEILL: Hell, if I were you, I'd take my chances.

Cut to the sky above the Stargate, as a Goa'uld transport vessel glides down to hover directly over the Gate, a hatch in its belly opening.

Cut back to the path. O'Neill is slightly ahead, checking things out at the top of a rise. He sees what's going on, and turns back to the refugees.

O'NEILL: All right, come on, people, let's go. Let's move!

At his order, the group of people start moving again, this time running for the Stargate. Teal'c stops as he reaches O'Neill.

TEAL'C: The boy you seek is no longer who he was.

O'NEILL: I don't want to hear that.

Cut back to the Gate. The round hatch in the vessel's belly opens, revealing transport rings. A bright beam of light shines directly down as the five transport rings drop down, hovering one over the other like tires in a stack. The air within the rings glows and solidifies into a group of Goa'uld before the beam shuts off and the rings rise back up into the aircraft. Skaara is among the group. They step aside, and the rings descend again, this time depositing Apophis, Sha're, and four Serpent Guards. The rings rise back up, the hatch closes, and the aircraft flies off.

Cut back to the path. The refugees are running like crazy now, and with good reason as the aircraft makes a pass over them. The craft's weapons,like the heads of Jaffa staff weapons, charge up to fire. O'Neill sees the danger coming.

O'NEILL: (shouting) Take cover!

The craft swoops over them, firing once, twice, three times at the people below. The refugees scatter, and O'Neill, Carter, Daniel, and Teal'c flatten themselves on the ground. A couple of shots manage to take out some of the fleeing people before the craft gains altitude again, preparing to make another pass. O'Neill and Teal'c get up and grab their staff weapons, firing on the aircraft as it flies low again. Their shots have little to no effect, and the craft continues to fire, the blasts taking out a few more people before it finishes its second pass.

CARTER: Colonel, we're sitting ducks here!

Cut back to the Stargate. Apophis and Sha're stand at the front of the group, standing in front of the DHD. Apophis punches in seven glyphs and activates the Gate.

Cut to the trail nearby as Teal'c and O'Neill get back to their feet as the aircraft makes its third pass, returning fire on the craft as it swings back towards them, cannons blasting. Teal'c and O'Neill continue to fire, but still don't deter the craft. On the hill above them, someone aims and fires a missile launcher at the craft. The missile hits its target, the explosion turning the aircraft into a ball of flame.

At the Stargate Sha're and Apophis are about to step through the gate when they hear the explosion. They turn in time to see the charred remains of the aircraft crash into the side of a nearby hill in a cloud of smoke and flame. Sneering, the two turn and step through the wormhole.

Cut back to the trail. O'Neill stares up at the sky where the craft was, with a 'what the hell?' _expression on his face. The refugees start cheering and hugging each other. O'Neill turns around to see Kawalsky and two other soldiers standing on the hill above them.

O'NEILL: (to Carter, pointing) Kawalsky.

KAWALSKY AND SOLDIERS: (raising their arms in the air) Yeah!!

O'Neill punches the air right along with them before turning back to the crowd and gesturing.

O'NEILL: Come on, folks!

They start up the rise after him, and Kawalsky comes down to meet O'Neill, helping him up.

O'NEILL: Great shot! How many are there?

KAWALSKY: A dozen. Maybe more. They're headed back through the Gate.

O'NEILL: What about Skaara?

KAWALSKY: He's with them. (as O'Neill starts up) Colonel, we don't have much time before they lock us out.

Cut to the last rise before the Stargate as the SG teams lead the refugees out of the forest and up the incline.

KAWALSKY: Warren! Casey! On my right!

The two soldiers take up positions at the top of the rise, in case anyone comes after them. O'Neill is first to come over the rise and see the Stargate.

O'NEILL: No.

Apophis and Sha're are already gone, and Skaara and the two Goa'uld that picked him are next to go through, heading up to the gate.

O'NEILL: No.

He immediately starts down the incline, heedless of the danger.

KAWALSKY: Colonel! Sir!

O'NEILL: (ignoring him) Skaara!

Skaara turns, hearing O'Neill's cry. He watches indifferently as O'Neill dashes down the hill, stopping a few feet from the altar.

O'NEILL: Skaara.

Skaara smiles then, a cold, disdainful smirk. His eyes flash white-gold, and he extends his hand, aiming the ribbon device at O'Neill. The shockwave throws O'Neill back, and he lands flat on his back. Satisfied, Skaara turns back to the Stargate. O'Neill sits up in time to see Skaara and the Serpent Guards disappear through the Gate. The wormhole flickers out. O'Neill stands there, crushed, as the rest of the group descends and Carter, Daniel, Teal'c and Kawalsky come up to him.

JACKSON: Did you see the symbols?

O'Neill shakes his head, still shaken by what's happened.

Stargate Command, above the control room. Hammond is still standing there as Samuels enters.

SAMUELS: Sir, the deadline has been reached. Standing by to seal off Stargate, sir.

Hammond does not reply. He continues to stare down into the Gate room below.

SAMUELS: Awaiting your order, sir.

HAMMOND: (sharply) In a minute, Major.

On Chulak. Casey and Warren remain in their position at the top of the rise. Casey spots something and peers through his binoculars. Sure enough, staff weapons can be seen moving through the trees. Casey nudges Warren, and they slowly get to their feet as Casey turns his walkie-talkie on.

CASEY: (into radio) Sir, we got movement in the trees. A *lot* of movement in the trees. (cutting to his POV as Serpent Guards can be seen) We got hostiles, sir! Hostiles closing in!

Cut to the Stargate. Kawalsky, Daniel, Carter and O'Neill are standing together, listening in. At the mention of hostiles, Kawalsky turns and shouts to the assembled soldiers and refugees.

KAWALSKY: Okay, people, we're going on a little field trip. (turning back to Daniel) Daniel, get busy on that Stargate. We got company.

Daniel nods and turns to obey. Kawalsky turns to Carter.

KAWALSKY: Captain, arm your claymores. Me and Casey and Warren will be the last men out.

Carter turns, but O'Neill interrupts.

O'NEILL: Negative. (Carter stops.) That's my job. (picking up a cap and pulling it on) Captain, help Daniel. (nods to Teal'c, who hands him the staff weapon) Once you've sent the signal, I want you to go through. Tell them we're bringing company.

Cut to a second later as the soldiers start for the Gate, O'Neill carrying the staff weapon. Kawalsky gestures for the refugees to follow.

KAWALSKY: (shouting) Move! Move! Move!

Atop the rise, Warren and Casey continue to keep a lookout. The Serpent Guards are fairly easy to see now, and are closing in.

Cut back to the Stargate. Kawalsky takes cover behind the alter, turning on his radio.

KAWALSKY: Warren, give me an update.

Cut to Casey and Warren.

WARREN: Sounds like a whole battalion, sir. Two hundred yards and closing.

He kneels down, raising his weapon.

Cut to the Gate. Kawalsky is still crouched behind the dais with a number of refugees. He picks up a pair of triggers for the explosives, ready to set them off. Carter and Daniel have reached the DHD, but Daniel is fumbling through his pockets for the piece of paper with the proper glyphs.

CARTER: Dr. Jackson!

JACKSON: I've got it! I know it! I have it here. (fumbling with notebook) I have it here, I know I do.

CARTER: Come on!

Cut to the rise. The first two Serpent Guards emerge from the trees at the foot of the incline, and Casey and Warren drop to their stomachs, aiming their weapons.

CASEY: Sir, we got hostiles coming out of the trees!

The Serpent Guards fire on the two lookouts, and Casey and Warren return fire. Their bullets manage to penetrate the armor of some of the Serpent Guards, taking out the first few. But still more of them are rushing out of the trees.

The SGC briefing room. Hammond is still watching and waiting, but Samuels is not so patient.

SAMUELS: Sir.

HAMMOND: (reluctantly) All right. Seal it off. Lock out their transmitters.

SAMUELS: Yes, sir.

He turns and heads down the stairs to the control room.

Chulak, the Stargate. Daniel is still fumbling for the glyphs, and O'Neill watches the rise with growing apprehension.

O'NEILL: Daniel!

JACKSON: Here! Here! (grinning, holding a notepad) I found it!

CARTER: (no time to talk) Go! Go! Go!

Daniel reaches out and punches in the first glyph.

On top of the rise, Casey, Warren, and another soldier are trying to fend off the hordes of Serpent Guards. But they're outnumbered. Several of the Serpent Guards' staff blasts hit the dirt just inches away from the soldiers, sending up clouds of dust and smoke.

CASEY: (into radio) We can't hold them, sir!

Cut back to the Gate as Daniel punches the last few glyphs into the DHD. Carter is punching the activation code into the GDO.

JACKSON: Send the signal as soon as it opens, Captain.

As he continues to dial, O'Neill and Teal'c leave the dais, running for the nearest ring of boulders around the Gate.

O'NEILL: (to Kawalsky) Pull 'em out!

KAWALSKY: (into radio) Fall back! Fall back!

Teal'c and O'Neill take cover behind the boulders, each holding a staff weapon at the ready. Daniel finishes dialing and activates the DHD's power source. The wormhole opens immediately in a blue-white plume.

Stargate Command. Samuels rushes up the stairs from the control room to the briefing room where Hammond stands.

SAMUELS: Sir, a wormhole has just been established on the other side.

HAMMOND: Delay my last order! (turns and hurrying down the steps, with Samuels following) Do not seal the Gate or lock out their transmitter codes!

SAMUELS: Yes, sir.

They hurry down to the control room.

HAMMOND: (loudly) Do we have a remote transmitter signal?

He crosses the room over to the console where Davis is working.

DAVIS: No signal yet, General.

Cut to a shot of the Gate; the iris remains closed.

Chulak. The wormhole has stabilized, and Carter punches in the last of the coordinates into the GDO.

JACKSON: Is it working?

CARTER: Well, let's hope so. (starting for the wormhole) If not, I'll be the first to know!

Cut to one of the monitors in the control room. On its screen is the message "ALERT - INCOMING TRAVELER" and behind the warning message, a series of numbers is scrolling.

DAVIS: Wait, there it is.

The iris slides open.

Chulak. Warren and Casey fall back, abandoning their positions and charging down the hill towards the Gate. Serpent Guards immediately swarm over the rise, staff weapons firing.

Carter turns and jumps into the wormhole. Daniel starts up the alter after her, urging the refugees to follow.

JACKSON: Come on, come on!

A couple start climbing up to the dais and run for the Gate. Daniel ushers them through as the firing continues.

Stargate Command. A defense team is lined up at the bottom of the ramp as Carter bursts through the wormhole. The soldiers aim their weapons as two more bodies come through.

CARTER: Hold your fire! They're refugees!

She turns to help the two dazed men up.

HAMMOND: (over intercom) I hope you know what you're doing, Captain.

Chulak. Kawalsky, Teal'c, and O'Neill trade fire with the advancing Serpent Guards, just keeping them busy so that Daniel can continue to herd refugees through the Gate. Their defense isn't enough, and some of the attackers start to come over the rise and head down towards them. O'Neill stops and waves at Kawalsky.

O'NEILL: Hit the claymores!

Kawalsky presses the first trigger, setting off a line of explosions at the top of the rise. Serpent Guards and dirt go flying. Still more swarm over the hill, but Kawalsky hits the second trigger to set off another ring of explosives to knock the enemy back, then a third.

Daniel continues to herd people through the Gate, urging them on and helping some up onto the alter before the gate.

JACKSON: Go! Go! Go! Stop! Come on, come on, let's go, let's go!

One woman starts for the alter, only to have a staff blast strike her square in the back. She slumps forward with a cry of pain.

JACKSON: (shouting) We need cover here!

Kawalsky gets up then and starts firing madly at the advancing force, bellowing like Rambo as he cuts down a number of Serpent Guards. He's effective, buying Daniel enough time to herd the last few refugees through the Stargate.

JACKSON: Okay, come on.

Once the last one is through, Daniel turns back and leans over the DHD, shouting to O'Neill.

JACKSON: That's it!

O'NEILL: (pointing) Go!

Hesitating for a moment, Daniel reluctantly turns towards the Gate. Serpent Guards are pouring over the rise in droves. Stargate Command. Daniel bursts through the wormhole, managing to stumble to a stop. He moves down to the foot of the ramp, where Carter and the refugees are gathered, waiting.

CARTER: They behind you?

JACKSON: I hope so.

Chulak. Seeing that the enemy is swarming over the rise, the remaining SG teams decide to retreat.

SOLDIER: Go! Go!

Kawalsky gets up from his position and runs towards the Gate. O'Neill is still in position.

KAWALSKY: Colonel! More hostiles at eight o'clock!

Another group of Jaffa is coming from a different direction, and O'Neill and Teal'c finally leave their positions, firing back at the enemy as they retreat towards the Gate. Kawalsky fires as he backs away, taking out a few Serpent Guards. Behind him, a staff blast strikes the ground too close to Casey, who falls. Kawalsky stops firing and rushes to his team member's aid.

KAWALSKY: Casey!

O'Neill takes out another guard before hurrying to Casey's other side, and he and Kawalsky drag the wounded soldier up onto the dais. Casey stumbles and falls. Warren is right in front of the Gate, and backs into the wormhole as Teal'c takes out a Serpent Guard who reaches the alter. Another Jaffa tries to reach the DHD, but he is grabbed from behind by a large, longhaired, snarling man in a cloak. The two struggle, the Jaffa trying to grab his attacker's head with the bigger man literally squeezes his opponent to death. O'Neill turns away from Casey as another Serpent Guard reaches the dais. He fires, blasting a hole right through the guard's chest. While O'Neill is distracted, the big man throws the Jaffa to the ground beside Casey. As the dead Jaffa crashes to the stones, the infant Goa'uld in his pouch pokes its head out of a tear in his armor. Kawalsky is leaning over Casey, and does not see what's going on. The Goa'uld literally shoots out of the Jaffa's pouch, slithering right into Kawalsky's ear before he even realizes what's happening. Teal'c helps the big man up and herds him through the Stargate. As the big man leaps through the wormhole arriving at the SGC, the defense soldiers immediately aim their weapons.

CARTER: (yelling) Whoa!

CARTER and JACKSON: (in unison) Hold your fire! Hold your fire!

CARTER: They're with us!

At that moment, Teal'c steps through the wormhole, staff weapon in hand. Hammond and the other officers gape in shock as Carter walks up the ramp to face Teal'c. Calmly, he hands her his staff weapon.

Chulak. O'Neill and Kawalsky manage to pull Casey up again, supporting him between them. More Serpent Guards are charging onto the field, with nothing to hold them back. Half-carrying, half-dragging Casey, Kawalsky and O'Neill run for the Gate and jump through the wormhole. Three Serpent Guards make it up the dais a few seconds later and jump in after them. Cut to a traveler's-eye view of the transit through the wormhole. The effects are the same as before, only shorter.

Stargate Command. O'Neill, Kawalsky and Casey stumble through the wormhole. Casey collapses, nearly pulling O'Neill and Kawalsky down with him.

CARTER: (shouting) Now! Lock it up! Lock it up!

In the control room, Samuels enters a series of commands into the computer.

DAVIS: (over intercom) Closing iris!

As O'Neill slowly stands up, the iris slides shut. Less than a second after the iris locks, three heavy thuds can be heard - the sound of three armored bodies colliding with the iris at a fatal velocity. The wormhole shuts off.

DAVIS: (over intercom) Wormhole disengaged.

The iris retracts, and the only thing that can be seen through the ring of the Gate is the back wall of the room.

KAWALSKY: Medic! Medic!

Even as he shouts, a medic is already running up the ramp with Carter right behind him.

O'NEILL: You got him?

MEDIC: Yeah, I got him. Thanks.

The refugees swarm up the ramp as well, laughing, crying, and thankful to be alive. They gratefully embrace Carter, and O'Neill. Teal'c stands to the side, and Daniel manages to avoid the rush by stepping behind the other two. Surprised at first, Carter grins, and O'Neill can't help but smile as a woman kisses him on the cheek. Flanked by soldiers, Hammond finally starts up the ramp, staring in confusion at the scene before him. He makes his way through the crowd until he reaches Daniel, Carter, and O'Neill, surrounded by a throng of grateful admirers. Before Hammond can speak, a medical team starts making its way up the ramp.

MEDIC: (offscreen) Stand back! Stand back!

Hammond moves aside to let the medical team pass, and with Kawalsky's help, they lift Casey onto a stretcher.

MEDIC: Let's get him into the infirmary! Get him inside.

O'Neill steps back as the medics start to carry Casey down the ramp.

HAMMOND: Colonel O'Neill? (as O'Neill turns) Care to explain?

CARTER: Um, we can use the Stargate to send these people home, sir.

HAMMOND: (suspicious, pointing at Teal'c) What's *he* doing here?

O'NEILL: (moves up the ramp to stand beside Teal'c) General Hammond. This is Teal'c. He helped us.

HAMMOND: (disbelieving) Do you know what he is?

O'NEILL: Yes, sir. I do. He's the man who saved our lives. And if you accept my recommendation, sir, he'll join SG-1.

Hearing this, Carter and Daniel exchange surprised looks; they didn't see this one coming.

HAMMOND: That decision may not be up to you.

MEDIC: Stand back! Let's get him off the ramp.

Hammond backs off as Casey is carried off. At the side of the ramp, Kawalsky tries to get up, but stops, dazed, putting a hand to his forehead and leaning forward like he's going to be ill. O'Neill notices his friend's not doing so well.

O'NEILL: (concerned) Kawalsky! You all right?

KAWALSKY: (nodding, still a bit dazed) Yeah, I'm good.

HAMMOND: Colonel O'Neill, Major Kawalsky, the sure-to-be-very-interesting debriefing for SG units 1 and 2 will be at 0730.

O'NEILL: Yes, sir.

Hammond turns to go, and Samuels follows.

SAMUELS: All right. Let's get these people situated.

Carter, Daniel, Teal'c, and O'Neill remain standing at the top of the ramp, framed by the inactive Stargate behind them.

Daniel turns back to look at the Gate.

JACKSON: She's out there somewhere, Jack.

O'NEILL: I know. So's Skaara.

JACKSON: So what do we do?

O'NEILL: We find them.

He pats Daniel on the shoulder, and the four of them head down the ramp, moving out of the frame. Behind them, Kawalsky remains crouched at the top of the ramp, slowly rising to his feet. He glances back at the Gate before starting down the ramp. He gets halfway down as the camera closes in on him. Kawalsky stops, a strangely determined look on his face. Just for a second, his eyes flare white-gold.