02x15 - The Tower

[bunniefuu]

If we're hoping that these people have
something to trade, we are wasting our time.

From the looks of it, they barely have enough food
to feed themselves, and their technology?

Well, let's just say that this about sums it up?

Establishing good relations
with our neighbors is not just about trade.

Right, but do we need to make friends with
every primitive agrarian society in the Pegasus galaxy?

Alright, that's enough.

They can't all be planets with cool technology
and open-minded women.

I don't see why not.

Greetings.

I am Eldred.

I'm Sheppard.

This is Ronon, Teyla, McKay.

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting,

but it's harvest time,
and we must prepare our tribute for the Tower.

The tower?

You must come from a distant land indeed
if you have not heard of the Tower.

I don't know of anyone who is not under its protection.

Protection from what?

The Wraith.

Is this tower close by?

I will show you.

Come.

There.

- Is it my imagination, or does that look a lot like...
- The central spire of Atlantis?

Yes.

How exactly do the people
in the tower protect you from the Wraith?

They have a great w*apon capable of annihilating
the Wraith ships which descend from the sky.

What kind of a w*apon?

Thousands of bright lights rise up
from the ground beneath the Tower,

swarm the ships, and destroy them.

Really?

Thousands of bright lights.

And you have seen this?

I have never seen a Wraith ship.

They have not come for many generations,

but there are times
that the Lord Protector sees fit to...

demonstrate this power to his people.

We'd really like to meet this Lord Protector.

That may prove difficult.

Only members of the royal court
are allowed in the Tower.

Perhaps they would consider
making an exception just this once.

I'll do what I can.

Thank you.

You know this w*apon he's talking about?

We call them drones.

We've used them to defend Earth and Atlantis,
but we could really use some more.

And not only that.

If these people have working drones,
they must also have a ZedPM.

Eldred said the Wraith have not come in a long time.

Perhaps this technology is no longer operational.

Well, I'll know more if I could get
a little closer, take some readings.

Do you think this Eldred is telling the truth?

There's no reason for him to lie.

And you say the tower looks
a lot like Lantian architecture?

Well, it was overgrown by vegetation, but otherwise,

there was definitely something familiar about it.

So the people in the tower could be Ancients?

I don't know.

The feudal society doesn't fit the profile.

Why would Ancients want
to lord over a bunch of simple farmers?

I don't know.

Either way, we should talk with them.

Agreed.

We're approaching the base of the Tower.

This is as close as I dare bring you.

I take it people like you don't get
invited up for barbecues too often?

The Tower is for nobles only.

And what makes them noble?

Blood.

Right.

Who are these guys?

Soldiers from the tower.

Take it easy.

Who are you?

Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard.
Who are you?

I am a constable of the Lord Protector's guard,

and this village scum dared to defy me.

It's clear we're going to have to make an example.

I don't think so.

Please, Colonel...

it's my fault.

If you think I'm going to sit here
and let you whip an innocent man,

you're sorely mistaken.

Constable...

you may stand down.

You are the strangers who requested an audience,

are you not?

That's us.

My name is Otho.

I have the honor to be Chamberlain

to the Lord Protector,

and you would never be allowed in his presence

so armed.

Well,

I guess we'll have to be on our way, then.

I'm afraid it's too late for that.

Take this one.

Please, Colonel, don't resist.

The Lord Protector sees all.

He does, you know.

But I suppose you're going to need a demonstration.

And here it comes.

Now, please, turn over your weapons.

Some of the people here may not survive the next strike.

Colonel...

We are not supposed to be here.

- If the soldiers come...
- Relax. I'm almost done.

Rodney, come in.

Go ahead.

We have a problem.
They took Colonel Sheppard.

What?

Who did?

Soldiers from the tower. They confiscated our weapons.

What? And you let them?

We didn't exactly have much of a choice.

Alright, I'm on my way back.

It was definitely a drone.

It was pretty good sh**ting.

I mean, if it was their intention to scare people
and not actually k*ll anybody.

This is Sheppard. Anyone reading me?

Colonel, are you alright?

I'm fine. Is McKay with you?

I'm here.

Did you find anything with your scans?

As a matter of fact, I did.

There's definitely an active ZedPM,

but it's barely registering,
so it's hard to say whether it's

depleted or just not drawing much power right now.

What else?

The really interesting part is that it seems
to be coming from underground.

Now, when I realized that,
I started scanning for subterranean structures.

The tower is just the tip of the iceberg.

There is a massive structure buried beneath it.

It's hard to say without more detailed analysis, but...

it could very well be comparable
in size to Atlantis itself.

Doesn't really surprise me.

I'm in the tower right now,

and,

I've got to say...

it does kinda look familiar.

You there.

Approach.

- Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard...
- I know who you are.

I saw you in the village.

You did?

I see all that I need to see

within my domain.

Your friends, they are concerned about you.

Well, to be perfectly honest,
I'm a little concerned about me, too.

I mean...

I'm a prisoner, right?

A show of force was necessary
for the benefit of the villagers.

It keeps them from getting ideas,

but for the moment I would prefer
if you thought of yourself as...

a guest.

Father, I must object.

This...

man...

should be punished.

He challenged one of our constables.

One of our constables?

Forgive me.

One of your constables.

Lieutenant Colonel...

it would be my pleasure
that you dine with us this evening.

From what I can tell by these readings,

the underground structure's not just roughly
the same shape and size as Atlantis. It's identical.

Yeah, it's pretty much
the same on the inside, too, although

it's been redecorated.

If it is a city like Atlantis,
then where are the other spires?

Probably fell a long time ago.
Maybe they were destroyed during a Wraith att*ck.

Look in the intervening 10,000 years, the whole
thing must have been overgrown by the forest.

One thing's for certain. These people are no Ancients.

But from what you're saying,
the Lord Protector must have the gene required
to activate the advanced technology.

So it would seem.

Were they using any other technology?

No, not that I can see.

They've turned the control room
into a gallery for royal audiences.

There are some systems that seem to be operational,
but I think they're just running on a*t*matic.

Are you certain you are in no immediate danger?

I don't think so.

They don't have me under guard,
and they've even given me my own room.

I don't like it.

I say we call the troops and get you out.

I don't think it would work, even if we tried.

Look, the combination of the hologram
technology and a healthy supply of drones,

they'd pick us off pretty easily.

For the moment, I don't want anybody to do anything.
Just keep a low profile.

Right...

We are happy you could share our evening meal.

The pleasure is ours.

We thank the ancestors
for the great bounty bestowed upon us,

and we ask that they bless the Lord Protector,

that he may ever watch over us and keep us safe.

Please, enjoy.

It is generous of you to remember
the Lord Protector in your prayers,

especially after what happened this afternoon.

It is unfortunate,

but the soldiers serve the Tower,

and without the Tower,

we are vulnerable to the Wraith.

In exchange, you give them a portion of your crops?

Half of every harvest.

Half?

I've never known anyone
called "Lieutenant Colonel" before.

What does it mean?

It's not his name, you simpleton.

It's his rank.

My apologies.

That's alright.

I don't usually stand on ceremony anyway.

How about you just call me John?

Alright, John.

It's obvious to anyone with eyes
to see that you're a m*llitary man,

which makes me wonder,

why is it you question
the actions of my father's soldiers?

Do you not agree that discipline is necessary?

I guess I just don't think
whipping people is a good motivator.

The villagers are mindless brutes.

They understand nothing else.

Maybe because they've never known anything else.

I don't think that any of us would deny
that the life of peasants can be difficult,

but how much worse would it be
if they fell victim to the Wraith?

You protect them with these...

lights, like the one that hit the village today?

Of course.

Where do they come from?

The Lord Protector calls them forth with his mind.

But from where?

I mean, they rise up from the ground, but has
anybody bothered to go down there and check it out?

You mean the catacombs?

Yeah, whatever you call them.

They're dark and filthy.
Why would anyone want to go down there?

My lord!

It's nothing.

Leave me be.

Take him to his chambers.

What's wrong with him?

He'll be alright.

It isn't the first
time this has happened.

Well, that was a particularly
unsatisfying meal.

We should be honored that those with
so little would wish to share with us.

Oh, I'm honored.
I'm honored and hungry.

Seriously, we should be feeding them.
We've got better food in our emergency rations.

I'm not sure that they would accept it.
They are a proud people.

Not so proud that they'll
stand up for themselves.

That could change.

Hold on a minute.

We need to be careful, right?
We have no idea who's watching, remember?

And we are supposed to be keeping a low profile,
not starting a revolution.

You cannot seriously believe
that this is a just society.

It is a society that has not been
culled by the Wraith in a long time.

That much we know for sure.

Now...

where are the emergency rations?

Am I disturbing you?

Mara. No...

How's your father?

He is resting.

Thank you for your concern.

Look...

maybe it would be best if I...

- just came back another day...
- No, you can't leave!

Please,

there's a matter of great importance
my father wishes to discuss with you.

Perhaps in the morning?

- If these chambers are not to your liking...
- No, no, they're fine.

Well, then maybe there's something
I can do to make you more comfortable.

I don't think so.

Are you certain?

I never see this coming.

You don't find me pleasing?

No, no, it's not that.
It's just...

What you said at dinner,
did you mean it?

Absolutely.

- What did I say again?
- About the villagers.

My brother thinks it's a sign of weakness,

but I know that it means
you'll be a great ruler some day.

Right.

Ruler?

What are you talking about?

My father has promised that if we are married,
succession will fall to me.

We need to talk.

Colonel Sheppard. Yes.

Come in, please.

Seems that

certain people around here have somehow

gotten the wrong idea about me.

Mara came to visit me last night.

You must forgive her
forward behavior, Colonel.

She doesn't have much time.

What's that supposed to mean?

I have many duties here in the Tower, the most
important of which is as royal genealogist.

These scrolls record the bloodlines of the Lord
Protector's family going back 20 generations.

It's my duty to study them in order to determine the
best possible match for every member of the royal house

so that we may maintain the
integrity of those bloodlines.

This is necessary because only

one of the royal blood

can control the throne chair,
which in turn controls the w*apon

that protects us from the Wraith,

but I suspect you know some of this already.

Most people, when they see the throne
chair activated for the first time,

react as though they've seen
some kind of magic,

but you...

you didn't bat an eye.

What's more,

you have in your blood

the very gene for which our royal family
has been so selectively bred all these generations.

I...

scanned you

shortly after we met,
remember?

Right.

Colonel, you must understand
how important this is to us.

Over the centuries, despite our best
efforts, the bloodlines have deteriorated.

The ability of each new Lord Protector to control
the throne chair, it is no longer a certainty.

Well, then, maybe it's time to start
thinking about a new system of government.

You have observed the inequalities
of our society, and you disapprove.

I can hardly blame you.

You didn't seem to have much of a
problem with that in the village.

I must maintain the image of my authority
in front of the villagers. It is my duty,

but believe me, between the two of us,
you are in a better position to change things.

The gene in you

is stronger than it has been in any
recorded member of the royal family for 300 years.

You sent Mara to my room.

I didn't have to.

She understands the
situation perfectly well.

Right now, Tavius is next in line,

but the possibility that his sister
might one day bear children

with superior genetic make-up to him or
his progeny, that will always be a thr*at.

So if the old man dies...

Precisely,

and his condition grows worse every day.

I know someone who may
be able to help with that.

Dr. Beckett...

Good morning.

I understand there's a patient
waiting for me in the tower.

- So Colonel Sheppard informed us over the radio.
- Oh, thank you, Ronon.

Do you have any idea
what I'm walking into?

Not really, no.

According to the Colonel, your safety has been
guaranteed by the Chamberlain of the tower.

And we can trust him?

Not really, no, but
I have a backup plan.

Look, Baldric, my trusty local guide says
he knows a way into the underground city.

He's not exactly thrilled about going under
there, but I think I can talk him into it.

And what good does that do us?

Well, if I can find the ZedPM, then we can
shut these people down whenever we want.

Without the drone chair, they're just a
bunch of primitive thugs with axes and knives.

Axes and knives can
cause damage, Rodney.

You know what I mean.

Great.

Alright.

Busy as usual, I see.

Always making plans, plotting little strategies,

all for the benefit of the royal house of course.

- Of course.
- Of course.

I understand you've recruited
someone new into your little schemes

this Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard.

Something about medical
assistance for the Lord Protector?

He offered.
What was I supposed to say?

Just be careful, Chamberlain.
Remember your place...

and remember our arrangement.

What about the Colonel?

I'll deal with him when the time comes.

This is it.

Alright,

let's do it.

I'm not so sure this is wise.

Okay, I'm not interested in
your primitive taboos, okay?

It's a dark and scary place, but it's not
cursed or haunted or anything like that.

It's perfectly safe.

Actually, the catacombs
are prone to earthquakes.

They are?

Three village children d*ed
in a cave in just last year.

I thought it was a superstition thing.

Oh, no, the danger is quite real.

Oh, now he tells me.

He's anemic,

and both his liver and
kidneys seem to be malfunctioning,

but he's not running a temperature,
so I don't think it's an infection.

- I'll need to run some more tests.
- I want to talk to him.

Right now, he needs to rest.

Carson...

He's not lucid at all.

Thank you, doctor.

Alright.

Colonel... I am authorized by the Lord
Protector to speak with you on his behalf.

Please come this way.

Do you know what this is?

You tell me.

It's a flying machine,

or at least it used to be.

It ran out of power a long time ago.

I know you have some understanding of these
things, even though you try not to show it.

I also know that this place

was once home to a much more advanced civilization.

Unfortunately,
aside from a few trinkets and useless relics,

all we have left is the throne chair,

and if the bloodline continues to deteriorate,
soon that will be taken from us as well.

What if I told you there
was a way around that,

a way to protect the planet without worrying about
all these royal bloodlines or any of that crap?

That's impossible.

What if it wasn't?

Such talk is dangerous.

He can't watch everyone all the time.

Look, I know you serve these people,

but if you're right, and eventually
they lose their ability to control the chair,

well, at that point, what good are they?

What are you suggesting?

A drug.

Gene therapy.

You give it to the people in the village, half of them
will be able to control the throne chair, no problem.

- You're talking about revolution.
- I'm talking about survival.

What's going to happen when the royal
family can't protect this planet anymore?

And in exchange for this drug,

what do you want in return?

Rodney, come in...

Go ahead.

Rodney...

Say again!

I'm not getting very
good reception down here.

I said, have you found anything yet?

We've only just made
our way into the city.

Look, we may be able to swing a little deal
here... drones in exchange for gene therapy.

I just need to know
how many they have left.

Alright, I'm on it. Let's go!

What was that?

I told you. The catacombs are unstable.

Alright, let's just keep moving.

Colonel Sheppard,

I've completed my
examination of the Lord Protector,

and I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for him.
He's dying.

How much time does he have?

It could happen any day now,

but there's something else.

The reason he's dying is
because he's been poisoned.

- What?
- Aye.

My guess is, it's been done slowly,
over the last couple months,

probably in his food.

Any idea who'd like to see him dead?

Yeah, I have a theory.

This is it.

What?

Drone storage.

I don't understand.

Okay, those brilliant lights that magically rise
up into the sky and destroy the Wraith ships?

They're not magic.

They're real, physical objects.

They're projectile weapons,
incredibly powerful projectile weapons.

The only question is,

have you used them all up?

- I can't see anything.
- Okay, hold on.

There's a working ZedPM in here, so
it should just be a matter of...

this.

Okay, there are still a few left.

Maybe turning on the power
wasn't such a good idea.

I think you might be right about that.

Let's get out of here.

Is there another way out?

Technically, no.

That's the only way out of this section.

There's no need to panic.
I'll radio for help.

Colonel Sheppard, it's
McKay. Come in, please.

Ronon, Teyla, please respond.

Anybody?

Okay,

we may need to panic a little.

You call this a harvest?

I bring this pathetic tribute to the Lord Protector,
and I'll be whipped for my insolence.

This is all we could spare.

Well, then, maybe there's something
besides food that you can offer.

No...
No...

Hey!

You again.

Let's see how you do against
someone who can defend himself.

You have an impudent tongue.

I think I'll remove it.

Colonel Sheppard...

Go ahead.

We have a problem in the village.

There has been an...

altercation.

Where are we?

This should be auxiliary control.

Yes.

God, it's amazing.

The layout of this place is almost identical.

Identical to what?

Never mind.

Okay, we need to access the city's
internal communication system, so...

remember what happened last time
you started turning things on?

At this point, I don't think we have much choice.

This is terrible.

I knew Tavius was cruel and vindictive,
but to want to m*rder his own father?

Raising children can be very dangerous.

The key is,
we don't let him succeed to the throne.

We need to talk to the Lord Protector.

I'm afraid it's already too late.

I received word a few moments ago.

He's dead.

You must leave now.

Tavius will arrest Mara

and anyone he considers was conspiring with her,
and that includes you.

What about the villagers?

He'll k*ll them all,
burn the place to the ground

to make an example of them.

They had nothing to do with what happened.

It doesn't matter.
Any defiance must be crushed without mercy

to keep it from spreading to the other villages.

Look, this is the gene therapy we're talking about.

You can take it to the people
and tell them what it means.

They don't have to be slaves to
this royal bloodline anymore.

Well, this may be too late.

Tavius will consider this to be treason.

He'll fight it,

and if the soldiers support him...

What's that mean?

It means news of the Lord Protector's
death is already spreading.

The court is being called
to assemble in the throne room.

Go now, before it's too late.

Colonel...

This is interesting.

It looks like the ZedPM's almost depleted.

- What?
- The ZedPM, it's...

Okay, you know what?

I know, never mind.

More importantly, I can't bring
internal communications online.

So we can't send a message?

No, and my radio won't work because
we're too far underground.

That leaves us only one option.

Head back to the village.

There's one more thing I need to do.

Right.

You should not have k*lled the constable.

Somebody had to do something.

Now more soldiers will come.

Then stand up to them.
Gather your people together and fight.

And if the Lord Protector uses the throne chair?

We'll deal with that.

It's too late to argue, Eldred.

What's done is done.

The Lord Protector will take his revenge,
on all of us

and if we're going to die,
I would rather die fighting.

Mara!

John, what are you still doing here?

I've been looking all over for you.

You have to leave now.

I know,
but I want you to come with me.

We both know what's going to happen if you stay here.
I can find a safe place for you to go.

John...

None of this is your fault.

You really would take me with you,

- wouldn't you?
- Of course.

That won't be necessary.

Mara is perfectly safe now.

Tavius has been arrested
for the m*rder of the Lord Protector.

That's good news.

You...

really...

should have got out
while you had the chance.

What the hell is this?

I'm sorry, John.

I was prepared to let you walk away,

but your colleagues in the village forced my hand.

They're inciting an uprising,

and as the new Lord Protector,

that is something that I...

just

can't

have.

Wait outside.

I'll have your head for this, Chamberlain.

You are in no position to make threats.

Is it really necessary to insult me further
by imprisoning me with these people?

We're not the ones who committed m*rder.

True, there is only one m*rder*r in this room.

Isn't that right, Otho?

Oh, let me guess.

He told you I did it.

Do I look like the sort of person who knows
anything about poisons and chemicals?

Otho, on the other hand

is always making elaborate studies of things

topics you and I might find boring

but which sometimes can turn out
to be quite useful.

You're saying that he's the one
that poisoned the Lord Protector.

I had no choice.

I offered to guarantee him the succession.
In return...

he would spare Mara's life.

Oh, but you're leaving out the best part.

Once I assumed the throne,
Mara was to be given to Otho as his wife.

All she had to do was bat her eyes at him
a couple of times, and the fool was hooked.

Guards!

It's true we were to be married, and so we will...

Only now she won't be marrying a lowly servant,

but the Lord Protector himself.

I really need to stop making house calls.

You said these weapons had great destructive power?

Yes.

What do you intend to do with it?

Blow a hole straight up to the surface,
assuming I can get it to fly in a straight line.

I've never actually done anything like this before.

- What'll happen if you succeed?
- Well, two possibilities.

Either we create a nice, sturdy shaft

that will give us some much needed air and provide
a big enough gap for the radio signal to get through,

or it will bring the already
unsteady ceiling down on us,

burying us both alive.

I prefer to imagine the first possibility.

Yes, the power of positive thinking.
Very good. While you do that...

I will rely on my experience and expertise.

You said you'd never done this before...

General expertise.
Will you be quiet while I do this?

Alright...

I can't believe that worked.

What happened to positive thinking?

I lied.

This is McKay.
Is anyone reading?

Rodney, where have you been?

Where have I been?

I have been trapped underground by an
earthquake that blocked of our one exit from this
section of the city.That's where I've been.

Do you have access to the ZPM?

No, I don't have access to the ZedPM,
but thank you for your concern, by the way!

Rodney...

No, no, no, no. No, it's fine.

Upon learning that your beloved friend has nearly d*ed
and continues to face the imminent thr*at of death,

your first concern is for the ZedPM?
It's only natural!

I am sorry, Rodney,
but we have a few problems of our own.

Colonel Sheppard and Dr. Beckett are
no longer responding to our radio calls.

As well,

there is a good possibility that the Lord Protector
is about to launch a drone att*ck on this village.

If that happens, everyone here will die.

Leave us.

I'm really sorry, John.

Oh, please.
Don't play the sweet little innocent here.

I never meant for you to get hurt.

Well, then, help us get out of here.

I can't,

but I may be able to convince
Otho to spare your lives.

That would be a good start.

In the meantime, I did bring you this.

You must tell your friends
to leave before it's too late.

For his first act as Lord Protector, Otho intends
to destroy the entire village using the throne chair,

so that no other villages will ever
rise up against him again.

Rodney, come in.

Sheppard, are you alright?

I'm fine. Listen, I need you to pull the ZPM and
cut the power right away, or Ronon and Teyla are dead.

I already know all that.
Look, unfortunately I am cut off from the ZedPM.

There's got to be something you can do.

Yeah, I'm working on it!

Well, work faster.

These fools...

they actually think they can stand against me.

Alright, I think I've got something.

According to my readings,
the ZedPM is nearly depleted.

If we can activate enough systems simultaneously,

it might drain power completely,
thus rendering the drones inert.

So do it.

But I can't! I don't have access to enough
systems to draw that kind of power.

I need something really big.

How about the star drive?

The city's just like Atlantis, right...
a city that was designed to fly?

You want me to fly the city
right up out of the ground?

No, you don't have to go anywhere.
Just charge the engines.

That should be the single greatest
drain on power you can create.

You're right, that could work.
There's only one problem.

What?

This place is pretty unstable.
If I fire up the engines,

the vibrations alone could cause
the whole thing to come down on us.

It's a risk we're going to have to take.

f*ring up main engines.

What's going on?

Let's go.

What about him?

Forget about him.

Sorry, wee man.

Well, this is better...

I guess.

You...

this is your doing.

Seize them!

You're only Lord Protector
if you can control the chair.

You said it yourself.

It's over.

You don't have to bow down to this man

or Tavius or anyone else!

John!

Tavius was right about one thing.

I do have a fair knowledge

of poisons.

Got the drones,

got a few jumpers, I even got the girl.

You got the girl?

Well, I mean, I could have got the girl.
I turned her down.

What did you offer them in return
for the drones and the jumpers?

A supply of medicines and an IDC
if they need to reach us.

We also offered to help them come up with
a new way of running things when the time comes.

They didn't offer you king?

I turned that down, too.