03x15 - The Game

[bunniefuu]

Let me ask you a question.
Say there's a runaway train.

It's hurtling towards ten people
standing in the middle of the tracks.

Only way to save those people
is to flip a switch...

...send the train down another set
of tracks. The only problem is...

...there is a baby
in the middle of those tracks.

Why would anyone leave a baby
in a harm's way?

I don't know. That's not the point.
It's a dilemma.

Katie brought it up the other night.

The question is, is it appropriate
to divert the train and k*ll the one baby...

...to save ten people?

Wouldn't the people
see the train and move?

No, they wouldn't see it.

- Why not?
- Look, I don't know. Say they're blind.

- All of them?
- Yes, all of them.

Why don't you call out
and tell them to move?

- Because they can't hear you.
- What, they're deaf too?

- How fast is the train?
- The speed doesn't matter.

It does. If it's going slow, you could
outrun it and shove everyone to the side.

- Or better yet, go get the baby.
- For God's sake, I was trying to...

- Rodney?
- Yes, go ahead.

Major Lorne just dialed in
from M4D-058.

He says he's got something
you'll want to see.

Work it out.

We came through the spacegate...

... and noticed satellites in
geosynchronous orbit above the planet.

An advanced civilization.

That's what we thought.

And we picked up life signs directly
below, so we flew down...

... saw villages separated by a river
and decided to check one of them out.

And as you can see, sergeant,
these people don't exactly look...

... like they're ready
to be launching any satellites.

At least not
for the next 500 years or so.

Ancients probably put them up there.

Send a science team to check it out.

Actually, I think Dr. McKay may want
to come check this one out for himself.

Why?

Take a look.

How did your face get on that flag?

Oh, I don't know.
Here's the thing, though.

That flag's similar to the one
I designed in our game.

It's exactly the one you designed
in our game.

- What game?
- The game Rodney and I play.

- We didn't tell you?
- Been playing a while.

Yeah, off and on in our spare time,
at night, between missions.

- I could've sworn we told you about it.
- What game?

It started a while ago.

A few months after we arrived,
we were exploring...

... checking out labs on the east pier,
when we discovered a room.

There were several Ancient consoles
and screens.

It's quite an impressive layout.

As usual, everything sprang to life
as soon as we entered.

First we thought
it was a geological facility.

There was a screen with a map that we
assumed was off the Lantian mainland.

Yes, I remember you briefing me
about that.

- We did tell you.
- You mentioned nothing about a game.

Because we didn't know what it was.
Rodney studied more closely.

He realized
it wasn't a geological lab at all.

No, it turns out it was,
in fact, a kind of Ancient game room.

The map was a fictional civilization.
It was part of a simulated world.

Sweet.

What you do is, you take
these countries in a database...

...and you assume control of them.

Two societies, separated by a river.

Sheppard took one country.
I took the other.

First thing Rodney did
besides renaming his country...

...was to put his face all over the flag.

I think you need to check
this planet out.

So the ancestors created this game?

Yes, but this is no ordinary game.

I mean, it is incredibly challenging,
instructional.

The sheer number of options
built into it. Staggering.

- How does one play it?
- Figure out a way to run your country.

Yeah, you build roads,
you establish laws...

...mould it to your own
specific ideology.

You can control everything.

Proper sanitation systems,
water delivery, transportation.

I mean, every detail
can be manipulated.

I mean, right down
to the women's hairstyles.

Hello there.

- So how do you win this game?
- It's not really about winning.

It's more about whose society
outshines the other's.

I mean, who creates a better
infrastructure, who's better at trade.

What? Hey, don't start.
I tried to negotiate with you.

Making a list of demands and not giving
anything in return is not negotiating.

- I offered you a crop of beans.
- I don't need beans. I need lumber.

Right, to build defensive fortifications
for your army...

...which he doubled in size,
by the way. Surprise, surprise.

- I did that after you started cheating.
- I didn't cheat.

Giving his people too much technology
for their level of development.

I'm not the only one
increasing my army.

I had to do something to protect
the people of Geldar from you.

- Geldar?
- It's the name of Rodney's country.

He named it after a girl
he stalked in college.

I did not stalk her. We dated twice.

Teresa Geldar, a very cute blond.

I used to think her name reminded me
of some kind of mythological land.

The kingdom of Geldar.

What did you call your country?

Well, I just kept the name
it already had.

- Well, there are the satellites.
- Dozens of them.

Positioned directly above the continent.
Perfect grid.

Ten-by-ten.
I should have a visual on one of them.

Definitely looks Ancient.

And active.

It's transmitting a tremendous
amount of data.

All right, let's check it out.

This is amazing.

If you say so.

Oh, yeah. That's something you see
in every medieval village.

Yes, well, the Renaissance obviously
came early to these folks.

A couple of hundred years early.

Rodney?

Say something.

- Like what?
- I don't know.

Hello.

I am Nola.

Yes, well, this is Lieutenant
Colonel John Sheppard...

...Teyla Emmaga, Ronon Dex,
and I'm McKay.

Dr. Rodney McKay.

The resemblance is uncanny.

- You are the Oracle.
- The Oracle?

Welcome to Geldar.

Please forgive my nervousness.

I never thought you'd appear to us
in the flesh.

Why do you refer to him
as the Oracle?

The Oracle is a wise
and omnipotent deity.

- Boy, she's in for a rude awakening.
- Thousands of years ago...

...he gave our ancestors life.

He instructed how to build their society,
to live their lives.

His guidance was revered by all.

Then one day, without warning,
the Oracle ceased all communications.

w*r with the Wraith.

Our people were puzzled, but they
continued to adhere to his instructions...

...living their lives according
to his teachings...

...which they passed down
from generation to generation.

Have you not had any trouble
with the Wraith?

Yes, they've come periodically...

...culled our people,
destroyed our villages.

Those who survived rebuilt...

...but only to the level at which
the Oracle had instructed before he left.

We found ourselves stalled
in our development...

...unwilling to push forward
without the Oracle's guidance.

Hoping one day he would return to us.

And two years ago, he did.

The Oracle resumed communicating
with us, teaching us many new things.

He challenged us to think,
to push the limit of our endeavors.

He changed the name of our country,
and revealed his likeness.

Enough with the pictures.

And you communicate through that.

The portal? Yes.

It's through this that we receive
our instructions.

The Oracle knows
when you've carried them out?

- Yes.
- It's the satellites.

They must be tracking everything...

...then relaying it via subspace
back to Atlantis. Remarkable.

So not a game, after all.

No, it's obviously
some kind of Ancient experiment.

Social development. Try out different
ways to create civilizations.

- This country here.
- Hallona.

A persistent thorn in our side.

Now that you've come to us,
you can help us remove it.

So this is it.

Yes, yes. It is an amazing
piece of technology.

It appears to be a sociological
experiment designed by the Ancients...

...to help them as they were seeding
civilizations throughout Pegasus.

I've had a chance to look at it.

There are many more civilizations
in the game's database.

Really? I thought Rodney
said there were only the two.

That's what he thought. The countries
that he and Colonel Sheppard...

...are controlling
are on this specific planet...

...but I've been able to access the codes
to unlock additional levels to the game.

I mean, to the experiment.

I discovered countries on planets
throughout the galaxy.

Some have been idle for 10,000 years.

They're waiting instructions
from the Ancients...

...but some have managed to develop
on their own, even flourish.

Some have been destroyed by w*r...

...and others have been
completely wiped out.

Not that Rodney's and Colonel
Sheppard's societies are on this path.

So much power at one's fingertips.

It's amazing,
the attraction of this game.

We've managed to achieve propulsion
through hand-powered propellers...

...but now, we're undertaking tests
of steam-powered propulsion.

Only this morning, I completed
a test that proved quite promising.

Really? That's great.

- You're pleased?
- Yes.

Yes. I mean, this is...
This is quite an achievement.

What's he doing here?

It wasn't my idea.

Dr. Rodney McKay...

...meet Baden.

Oh, your guy.

- My guy.
- Yeah, it figures.

I should have you arrested
for trespassing.

- Go ahead and try.
- Easy now.

I brought him here because we need
to have a little discussion.

I have nothing to say to him.

- Fine with me.
- Yeah, maybe not.

But we definitely have something
to say to you.

So his story is pretty much
the same as Nola's.

His ancestors received instructions
from their oracle...

...who disappeared
for thousands of years...

...only to suddenly resume
communicating a few years ago.

Let me guess. He told you
to double the size of your army.

Yes, he has a capable army
and some nice villages.

No people riding bicycles,
or hot-air balloons...

...because we weren't cheating.
- I didn't cheat.

Have you come to agree
to our proposals?

You mean demands?

Never.

- Then I refuse to sit at the same table...
- Look, look. Please, just sit.

Thank you.

This hostility between you.

Have your people lived like this
for thousands of years?

No. There was once peace
between our lands.

Oh, no.

So this hostility,
did it start a few years ago?

Yes, shortly after the Oracle
resumed communicating with us.

So they're starving?

Well, not as of yet. If they don't change
their approach to agriculture...

...it won't be long
before their people go hungry.

The frustrating thing is,
there is a piece of fertile soil...

...in the south of the country that would
be ideal for tuber cultivation, you know?

- I'm sorry, tuber?
- Tuber, yeah. Tuber.

It is indigenous to the planet.

It's like a potato.

So why didn't you say potato?

Because it's not a potato, it's larger.

It has the same texture
and nutrients as a potato...

...but it's like a cantaloupe.

- That's a pretty big potato.
- It is a big potato.

- If they plant this thing there, it'll grow?
- Yeah, whole fields of it.

I mean, they could sustain
an entire village...

...but they are oblivious to it.

Well, tell them. Anonymously.

Oh, come on, doc.

You can either stand here
and let the people die...

...or you can help them out.

Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

As soon as we input the instructions
into our console, they are relayed back...

...to this device by a number
of satellites in orbit over your planet.

Once you've carried out the instructions,
the satellites transmit...

...the real-time results
back to us on our home world.

So you're saying this is a game?

No. No. I mean,
we thought it was a game, but...

We didn't know there were real people
on the other end.

You are the Oracle?

I'm your Oracle, yes.

- That doesn't sound right.
- This is difficult to absorb...

...but it is all true.
- You flew in the Puddle Jumper.

- You know they have the technology.
- I'm not listening to this.

Just hold on here.
We can prove it to you.

How?

Let's go for a ride.

Baden. Nola. This is Dr. Weir,
the leader of our expedition.

Welcome to Atlantis.

If these two gentlemen haven't done
so already, let me please offer you...

...our sincerest apologies
for this intrusion into your lives.

- Intrusion?
- Imposition, maybe.

And a benevolent one at that.

If you could see the villages
compared to when we started...

Rodney.

Now, why don't you take them
to your game room?

Show them what you two
have been up to.

Right.

Shall we?

So this is Geldar and this is Hallona.

Look, two weeks ago...

...I instructed you
to start digging a well...

...for the new settlement
on the eastern slope, and look here.

There. See?

Construction's already begun.

Yes.

I gave the order myself.

Our lives are just a game.

Well, now, no.

They're not games to you,
and in our defense...

...we were trying to improve your lives.

Everything we did,
every instruction we gave...

...was to better conditions
for your people.

- Even if that meant cheating.
- Okay, enough with that already.

- Is the room okay?
- It's fine.

Well, then, if you need anything at all,
don't hesitate to ask, okay?

You hungry? Because we could walk
across to the mess hall.

They've got, I think,
it's Salisbury steak today.

It's very good. They have a gravy
that they put on the steak part...

The Oracle was a god to us.

I believed in his teachings.

So much so that my people
elected me leader...

...because of my passion
for scientific advancement.

Well, they obviously made
the right choice.

Now I must resolve myself
to the fact...

...that the Oracle is only a man.

Yeah.

Sorry about that.

It's like I said, though, I did what I did
with the best of intentions.

To win a game.

No. No, no. It is not about
winning or losing.

The information I gave you
and your people is very real, very useful.

I've set you on a course...

...that will allow you to develop
into a modern society.

Where were you two years ago?
You were a primitive...

...disparate cluster
of villages stalled in development.

Now you're making dirigibles.

Do you have any idea
how momentous that is?

The Oracle once said:

"Ask not what Geldar can do for you,
but what you can do for Geldar."

Those were your words.

Give or take.

They are very wise.

Yes.

Yes, they are.

Well, now that you know the truth,
you can go back to living your own lives.

We won't bother you anymore.

No. You must still help us.

You don't need our help.
You'll be fine.

We need more weapons.

The flying machine
you brought us here in.

You called it a Puddle Jumper.

Our army could use it.

No. We can't do that.

But you encouraged me
to increase the m*llitary.

In response to McKay, the other oracle,
doing things that I thought were...

Aggressive? Arrogant?
Demeaning to me and my people?

I will give you arrogant
and demeaning, but...

The people of Geldar have started
digging beneath our borders...

...to exploit coal resources on our land.

Really?

It was only confirmed yesterday.

This, after several diplomatic attempts
to reach a compromise.

Yeah, we couldn't come
to an agreement...

...but I didn't think
he would start digging.

I'm curious to know what response
you would have to such an incursion.

I believe your next command would
be to launch an att*ck on the mine.

Prevent them from digging further.

I'm right, aren't I?

Did they believe you?

Yes, they are fully aware
of the situation. Not too thrilled.

- We've got a big problem, though.
- What is it?

Game or no game,
we've started something...

...these people don't wanna stop.

They hate each other
and may be headed for a very real w*r.

Great.

Great. And this is thanks
to your benevolent imposition.

I've asked you both here this morning
so we could have a face-to-face talk.

Now, hopefully,
I can help you reach an understanding.

Where's Dr. McKay?

I've asked that neither he
nor Colonel Sheppard participate.

I think they've done enough...

...in fostering the current tension
between you.

I've had some experience
brokering peace treaties.

I'm sure we can find
some common ground.

Okay, why don't we start
by going back a few years...

...to the time when your two peoples
lived in peace?

We were naive back then.

Ignorant to our potential.

Once we began
to challenge ourselves intellectually...

...we began to see
how the people of Hallona...

...had been abusing thousands of years
of kindness from us.

I've done everything I could
to achieve peace with you.

Really? Such as?

I send gifts of goodwill.

You sent crates of citrus fruit.

Citrus. Do you have any idea
what an insult that is to my people?

- It didn't used to be.
- I think I know where that comes from.

Did the Oracle tell you
that citrus fruit was bad?

He made us aware
of its toxic properties, yes.

Everything is toxic to you.

When they're not busy insulting us...

...they're complaining about
contaminated food, improper hygiene.

Even the sunlight
is dangerous to them.

The only insult has been
your unwillingness...

...to compromise
in any trade negotiation.

Instead, you choose to increase
the size of your army.

You built an army too.

- Only in response to your aggression.
- My aggression?

You dig a mine beneath our border
to steal our coal...

...and you talk about aggression?

- We're not stealing your coal.
- You crossed into our land.

What do you need it for anyway? It's
not like you know what to do with it.

- You see how she insults us?
- By stating a fact.

Okay, please,
if we could discuss this reasonably...

...I'm sure we can come
to some sort of...

We've tried.

They agree to nothing.

And until Dr. McKay
is brought into this discussion...

...I have nothing further to say.

That went well.

Talk to them. Get them back to the table
and hammer out a truce.

I've run into a roadblock.

- Really? Nola seemed very agreeable.
- To you.

Well, more agreeable
than Richard the Lion-Heart.

They are both refusing to compromise.
You seem to have convinced them...

...they can't make decisions
without your guidance.

- That's not true.
- Tell them that.

This is delicious.

Listen, you need to make peace
with the people of Hallona.

If tensions keep rising like this,
it could lead to w*r.

I'm aware of that.

Then you're also aware
that people will get hurt.

I know the danger to my people.
I also know you've taught us things...

...Baden's band of knuckle-draggers
won't learn for hundreds of years.

Under your leadership...

...we hope to remain many steps
ahead of any aggression.

Your people need
to start thinking for yourselves.

Look, I'm not going to be there
for you anymore.

You need to take control of your lives.
Make your own decisions.

And there can be no future
without peace.

- I agree.
- Good.

And as soon as the people of Hallona
either concede or get out of our way...

...peace will be restored.

What you told me before.

I do realize how monumental
our progress has been...

...and I refuse
to let Baden destroy that.

"Great spirits have always encountered
opposition from mediocre minds."

Those are the words of the Oracle.
Your words.

Einstein's, actually, but...

If we yield one bit to Hallona...

...it will be equal to taking
a giant step back in our development.

I owe it to my people to make sure
that does not happen.

They're digging further.

Every hour,
they intrude deeper into our land.

To get them to stop,
you have to provide an incentive.

Like attacking the mine?

That'll cause a whole other
set of problems.

The only problems will be
for the people of Geldar.

Not necessarily. They can fight back.

What are you saying?
We should capitulate?

- Let them do whatever they want?
- No, you make a deal, trade.

Say you decide to share
some of your weaponry.

They, in turn,
give you some of their technology.

John?

- Go ahead.
- How's it going?

- Well, you know, he's being a little...
- Stubborn?

I was gonna use a different word.

I'd like you to come to my office,
we need to talk.

- They're not open to any kind of deal?
- Not yet.

We should stick them in a room.
Force them to come to an agreement.

Don't worry. They'll work it out. We
happened to catch them at a bad time.

Sheppard's guy has been doing
a lot of aggressive posturing of late.

The only aggression is coming
from the people of Gelding.

- Geldar.
- Whatever.

His people are digging a mine
across the border into Hallona.

The coal resources straddle
the border between my country and his.

They go three miles into my country,
which your people are tunneling in to.

It has been a point of contention
between us, okay?

It is a difference
in cartographic interpretation.

Tomato, tomato.

No, no, it's pretty clear-cut.

- You entered illegally into my country.
- Gentlemen.

You gave me no choice.

- You refuse to negotiate.
- Give in.

What do you care?
It's not like your people use coal.

Right. You need it to power
your steam engines.

Stop it.

These are not your lands.

This game is over, so you'd better set
aside your differences...

...because if the two of you
can't figure out how to forge a truce...

...how the hell
are these people going to?

Rodney?

- What?
- You'd better come to the game room.

What happened?

We've just received a data stream
from the planet.

Colonel Sheppard's army
has launched an att*ck.

Don't look at me. I didn't order it.

Oh, they're going after the mine.

Well, looks like your w*r just started.

Who ordered this?

I did.

He entered the command
on your game console.

I know it's something
you would have told me to do.

I ordered you to make peace
with these people.

- This att*ck will not go unpunished.
- No one is doing any punishing.

There'll be no further escalation
to this conflict.

There's no casualties reported.

The mine was surrendered
without a fight.

I told my army
to minimize collateral damage.

You need to get back.
Take Ronon and Teyla with you.

Go to your respective countries...

...and make sure this does not get
any further out of hand.

No one has been hurt yet.

Let's keep it that way.

- We were beginning to worry.
- What's the status?

I've ordered three army units.
They're on their way.

- Oh, no. You need to put a stop to that.
- Why?

We just need to step back
and re-assess the situation here.

We should be easing tensions,
not inflaming them.

Oh, no.

- They're continuing to advance.
- What?

Divert the units. Have them
gather in the village. Prepare to defend.

- Isn't this what you should be stopping?
- Yes. You cannot engage them.

We must protect our people.

But give Sheppard some time.
He'll call off the army.

Will he?

- Sheppard, come in.
- Go ahead.

- Are you watching what's going on here?
- We just got here.

Pretty much the same setup as yours.

We don't have electricity but I'm not
gonna get into that right now.

- Your army is still on the march.
- What?

They're headed for one of my villages.
Call them off...

The att*ck has begun.

Looks like your guys are giving up.

What? No, no, no. That can't be right.

- That was fast, Rodney.
- They've retreated without a fight.

What kind of army is that?

- Well, at least there's no casualties.
- It's all right. I have another plan.

What other plan?

Why are you asking me?

What are you doing?

- Preparing our counterattack.
- What?

From information you gave about high
temperature and materials technology...

...I have constructed a tactical
expl*sive device.

What? A b*mb?
You actually built a b*mb?

I told you we'd be several steps ahead.

- How come I didn't know?
- We've yet to test it.

- It still appears to not exist.
- We'll target one of Hallona's villages.

How are you gonna deliver it?

- The catapult couldn't reach that far.
- I will deliver it.

Using one of the airships
you taught us to build.

Oh, no. No, no, no. Come back.

You taught them how to build a b*mb?

No. Not specifically.

Look, maybe I provided
them a list of ingredients, but...

- I don't believe this.
- How much damage can it cause?

Enough to take out a village.

- You must tell them to stop.
- I tried. It's already on the way.

How are they delivering it?

Dirigible.

- You just had to cheat, didn't you?
- I did not cheat.

Nowhere in the rules did it outlaw
the development of flying machines.

Only the degree and speed
of technological advancement.

They advanced pretty fast,
didn't they?

Do we have time to sh**t it down?

Yes. Yes, I think so.

Then we better get moving.

- Absurd.
- What are you talking about?

- It's a perfectly reasonable request.
- Perfectly reasonable.

I give you my food,
and my people starve.

I am not asking you for all your food.

Plus, I did say
that we would make a deal.

A deal? Oh, yeah, baskets.

Big baskets. Two dozen of them,
hand-woven, and very nice.

Very nice?
What am I gonna put in them?

Certainly not food.

You know what?
You're holding out on me.

You have plenty of food.

- Are you're calling me a liar?
- You're trying to squeeze me.

- I have got nothing to hide.
- Now, if you...

I'll send my army.
We'll have a look.

What the hell are you doing?

I thought I gave specific orders
to stay away from this device.

Yes. Yes, you did.

We saw there were people in trouble
and we thought maybe that we could...

- Help.
- No. No more help.

Clearly, we are not qualified.

Turn this off, disconnect the power
and seal the room.

- Yeah, but okay, we...
- Now.

Yes, ma'am.

I hoped you'd be proud
of our accomplishments.

I am, really, I just...
I wish it didn't lead to this.

What's that?

There it is.

Good. Now all you have to do
is puncture the balloon.

I'm already on it.

Colonel Sheppard.

He sh*t down our airship
with the Puddle Jumper.

- Don't worry. No one was hurt.
- Just... he punctured it.

It sank harmlessly to the ground.

- Prepare the other bombs for delivery.
- Other bombs?

What, you have more?

Great.

Thank you for your help.

You saved the lives
of everyone in the village.

We won't be doing that again.

I had no idea they were capable
of delivering such a device.

Tell me about it.

I've issued orders
to make certain they don't try again.

What kind of orders?

A full-scale att*ck has been launched.

It's time to finish this w*r.

I've seen this before. If two sides are set
on fighting nothing's gonna stop them.

- I gotta get Nola to call off the att*ck.
- You couldn't do it before.

How about a little encouragement?

"Go get them, Rodney.
I have faith in you."

Whatever. I am not giving up
on these people.

Which means until we get them to call
this w*r off, then we are staying here.

- I need your help. Come on.
- What the hell's going on?

Elizabeth diverted the Daedalus on
its way back to Earth to check on us.

Caldwell believed the situation
had deteriorated.

He feared we would become casualties
so he beamed us out.

But I talked him
into beaming us back...

...but we gotta do something.
Come on.

- Do what?
- I got a plan.

- What plan?
- Oh, come on already.

How's the situation on your end?

All-out of w*r. You?

Where did you go? What happened?

Nowhere. No, we were just upstairs.

Someone said you vanished.

What? It's ridiculous.
How could we vanish?

The airships have passed the forest.
They're nearing the target.

Let's hope we strike before
Baden's army reaches our village.

- We'll destroy their will to fight.
- Okay, listen to me.

For two years,
I've been the Oracle to your people.

I've given you much wisdom
and guidance...

...and bestowed
much of my knowledge.

- Look, it's like you said, I was a god.
- Easy.

And, yes. Yes, I may just be a man,
but that wisdom still remains.

Now, more than ever, you need to heed
my guidance and call back those ships.

You told me it was time
to start thinking on my own.

Right.

So now I am.

My people are looking to me.

This is my decision...

...and we will be victorious.

Why won't you help us?

I'm not sh**ting down any more ships.

We're done helping you
wage this w*r.

- Then we'll sh**t them down ourselves.
- How?

Our weapons are not
as primitive as Nola believes.

- Many people will die on both sides.
- If you want to leave, then leave.

We'll continue this fight
even if you've lost the will.

- You're making a mistake.
- The mistake was not doing this sooner.

You'll see.

This is the right path for my people.

- They've reached our villages.
- Two have already fallen.

Airships are almost in position.
We should...

- What happened?
- They sh*t down one of your ships.

- It wasn't the Puddle Jumper.
- Maybe one of the catapults hit it.

No, impossible.

Two more villages have fallen.
It appears many are dead.

Sheppard. Come in. Sheppard.

Radio's dead.

They're coming here.

They have bombs too?

- We need to get your people out of here.
- Help them.

- Their army has surrounded us.
- The road out of the village is blocked.

- People are slaughtered as they leave.
- We're trapped.

What shall we do?

It's over.

Rodney, where the hell are you?

Hundreds have d*ed. How can you
stand by and let this happen?

- Nola's army has surrounded the village.
- Get to the Jumper.

They just destroyed it.

We're being overwhelmed.

What should we do?

Game over.

Rodney, are you there?

Yeah, we hear you. I'll give you a call
when we're ready to be picked up.

Got it.

I don't understand.

What's going on?

What you just witnessed is what
I would call another level to the game.

See, we were beamed up earlier
to our ship.

The Daedalus, in orbit over your planet.

While we were there, I had Dr. McKay
hack into the two devices.

Upload doomsday scenarios
for your countries into the game.

Everything you saw just now
was transmitted from the Daedalus.

You mean...

...none of this was real?

No. No one was hurt.
No one was k*lled.

All just part of the simulation.

In reality your two armies are standing
down, awaiting further instructions.

But we heard explosions. We felt them.

Thanks to some pinpoint sh*ts
from our friends in the Daedalus.

Really added to the realism, didn't it?

I'm sorry that we had to do that...

...but you needed to see
how this could end.

Feel what a real w*r is like.

You still think it was the right path
for your people?

Thanks, Melanie.

Gentlemen.

How's it going?

It's still going.

We're just taking a break.

There's a lot of animosity
to be unraveled...

...but I think they are finally willing
to try to make it work.

It's about time.

Yeah. And you two?

Called a truce yet?

Yeah, sure, we're good.

We're gonna stick to chess
from now on.

- As long as Rodney doesn't cheat.
- Please, like I need to cheat.

Okay, I'll leave you to it then.

Checkmate.

- What? Oh, no. What happened there?
- What happened is I kicked your ass.

No, no, I was distracted.
She was... Okay, we're going again.

Best of 10.