05x13 - Inquisition

[bunniefuu]

As you may've already heard,
we've received an invitation.

Or, more precisely,
your team has received an invitation,

to represent Atlantis
at a meeting of leaders

from various human populations
throughout the Pegasus galaxy.

What's this, a Pegasus version
of the United Nations?

Nothing quite so formal.

At the moment,
it's more of a loose coalition.

Is there any advanced technology
in this coalition?

No.

But the IOA believes
it could be an important first step

toward interplanetary government.

A federation, if you will.

The Federation had ships.

What do we hope to gain from this?
They only know about each other

because they happened to inherit
the Gate system from the Ancients.

Just because they lack advancement

does not mean
they cannot benefit from cooperation.

She's right.

It's about time people got together
and stood up for themselves.

Against the Wraith.

Why not?

The Wraith are at w*r
with each other,

which is why the people trying to form
this coalition feel the time is right.

And they want us to be part of it.

The Council liaison
will be with you in a moment.

They're really
rolling the red carpet out for us.

I'm sure they're just trying to keep
the details of this meeting a secret.

Guys?

Not good.

Where are we?

We're not in the same room.
We've been moved.

What's up? What happened?

That's a good question.

- What is the meaning of this?
- It will all be explained shortly.

The Council wishes to speak
to Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard.

I am Kelore of Latira.

This is Shiana
of the tribes of Santhal,

and Dimas
of the free peoples of Riva.

We speak on behalf of the coalition.

If you wanted
to keep this location secret,

you could have just blindfolded me.
I wouldn't have peeked, I swear.

Lt. Colonel John Sheppard,
you stand before this council

as a representative
of the Atlantis expedition.

And as such, it falls to you
to answer the charges.

Excuse me?

You will be given ample opportunity
to present your defense,

and when all evidence is heard,

we will decide the outcome.

What the hell are you talking about?
What is this?

The Atlantis expedition
has been accused of crimes

against the peoples of this galaxy.

This is your trial.

- Major, what happened?
- We're trying to figure that out, sir.

One thing's for sure,
they're not in the village anymore.

They wouldn't have gone anywhere else
without notifying us first.

Not voluntarily, no.

Take as many men as you need.
Search the entire area.

And keep questioning the villagers.

Somebody there knows something.

This was supposed
to be a meet-and-greet.

Just cocktails, hors d'oeuvres,
maybe a little dancing?

Subterfuge was necessary.

You possess technology
and m*llitary power

beyond the scope of most of
the indigenous peoples of this galaxy.

Which is why you are
in a secure location.

Only the members of this council
and key personnel know the Gate address.

So don't waste your time
entertaining any hopes of rescue.

What is it exactly
that you think we did?

According to our calculations,

the Atlantis expedition is responsible,
directly or indirectly,

for the deaths of over
two million people in this galaxy.

You've gotta be kidding me.

Tell us about your first encounter
with the Wraith.

- I see where this is going.
- When you arrived here,

the Wraith were in hibernation,
were they not?

- Not all of them.
- What do you mean?

I mean they att*cked us.

What is it?

The Wraith!

Take that thing down!

That's one.

Get down!

That was a scouting party,
not a culling.

Well, I didn't know that.
All I know is they took our people.

- And you went after them.
- That's right.

You should left them.

I'm sure that's what you would've done,
but that's not how we operate.

What happened?

We went in,

we rescued as many people
as we could, then we got out.

But not before encountering a queen.

How did this come to you?

I don't remember.

Light it up!

That has to k*ll you.

Sir, let's go.

You don't know what you have done.

We are merely the caretakers

for those that sleep.

When I die,

the others will awaken...

all of them.

What's she talking about?

How many are left?

So you admit it.
You woke the Wraith.

Look, sooner or later, they were gonna
wake up on their own anyway.

But not for generations.

You see, Colonel,

most of the human populations
of this galaxy

have not yet fully recovered
from the last round of cullings.

As a result of this early awakening,
several worlds have been driven

to the point of extinction...
Their survivors scattered,

their civilizations lost forever.

We're out there fighting the Wraith,
day after day,

- putting our asses on the line.
- But the fact remains,

many who have been k*lled
would be alive today

if you had never come here.
Isn't that true?

That's it, I'm not playing
in this game anymore.

This is just the first
of many charges.

If you refuse to participate,

it'll be taken as an admission
of guilt on all counts,

and we will proceed to sentencing.

What are you going to do?
Put everybody in Atlantis in jail?

Obviously that's not possible.

However, we can refuse cooperation.

That means no more trade,
no more relations of any kind.

Atlantis
will be completely isolated.

No relations with the likes of you?

- I think we can handle that.
- The coalition grows in strength

and influence every day.
Soon enough,

all of your current trading partners
will have no choice but to join

and therefore to abide
by the ruling of this council.

As for you and your team,
an example must be made.

Justice demands it.

Justice...
is that what you're calling this?

A suitable, uninhabited planet
has been chosen.

If you're found guilty,
you'll be sent there,

without any hope of return,

for the rest of your natural lives.

Apparently,
the planet they picked for us

has just enough food for us to survive,
so, technically,

it's not an execution.

- Great.
- And they took the DHD,

so whoever comes through the Gate...
they're not coming back.

- The Daedalus can find us.
- If they had the address.

They'd need to search
every solar system, which would take,

what, a million years?

Right. Let's not panic.

I've been to the chamber
a couple of times now.

I'm beginning to get a sense
of the layout.

The architecture is different
from that of the village.

No, we're on another planet.

Judging by the fact
there's no natural light or windows,

I'm guessing an underground bunker.

- Guards?
- Yeah. Half a dozen or so.

We're going to have to see
if they change in shifts.

Any chance you could just convince them
that we're not guilty?

'Cause we're not, right?

Come on, there is no way
the Pegasus galaxy would be better off

- if we'd never come here.
- No.

But since your arrival, there have been
setbacks. Lives have been lost.

But there is hope now
where once there was none.

As much as I'd like to tell these guys
where to put their little trial,

we'll have to play along for a while
until we get out of here.

Mr. Woolsey, this is Myrus.

He claims to be a representative
for the new coalition of planets.

Does he?

Are you the leader of Atlantis?

That's right.

Then we need to speak.

Well, what's next on the agenda?

Did we step on the rose bushes
on our last trip to Vedeena?

Perhaps you've heard of a plague
that's swept through several worlds,

a sickness that arrives suddenly,
runs its course in a matter of days,

and kills one out of every three
men, women, and children

wherever it strikes.

There are those who believe
it is not a sickness at all

but a deliberate poisoning,

the work of one individual.

I know who you're talking about.
His name is Michael.

It is said that he is neither human
nor Wraith,

but some kind of half-breed.

Can you explain to us
how such a thing is possible?

One of our people
was conducting research.

They were trying to solve

the Wraith problem once and for all.

You found a way
to convert Wraith into humans?

Don't ask me the medical questions.
I'm not a Doctor.

And this Michael
was one of your test subjects?

As a matter of fact,
he was the first.

Blood pressure's fine, pulse normal.
You're bouncing back quite nicely.

- Bouncing back from what?
- Hello, Michael.

Do you remember me?

I'm Dr. Elizabeth Weir.

This is Lt. Colonel John Sheppard.

You served under my command.

Your name
is Lieutenant Michael Kenmore.

You're in a private room
off the infirmary here in Atlantis.

Is that familiar to you?

Atlantis...

I think.

We tried to convince him
he was one of us.

But he knew something was wrong,
and then

he found proof.

Five milligrams!

Release me!

You will die for this!

Others will come for me!

After that, he escaped.

He went back and forth between
Wraith and human a couple more times

until he finally settled
somewhere in between.

So once again you admit your guilt.

You unleashed this...
thing on the galaxy.

We didn't let him
out the door and forget about him.

We've been chasing him ever since.

A couple of months ago,
we managed to catch up with him.

Fire in the hole.

- What happened?
- The hyperdrive just exploded.

No, that's impossible.

Main power is out
across much of the ship.

- An accidental overload?
- It doesn't appear that way.

How did they do that?

I will look into it.

- Daedalus, please come in.
- What the hell happened to your Jumper?

Hell, I got all turned around
in the parking garage.

I was in a rush, I borrowed this dart.
I've got the team into a storage device.

Feel free to do whatever you want
to that cruiser.

Major Marks,
please make that ship go away.

Yes, sir.

Are you sure he was k*lled?

The ship was vaporized.
There was no body to recover.

Well, then, you cannot testify
before this council,

and under the eyes of the Ancestors,

that you know for certain
that he is dead.

No.

This is outrageous.

You're telling me that one of the first
official acts of your new government

was to as*ault and kidnap my people?

They weren't assaulted.
They were arrested.

You've got to be kidding me.

Believe me, not all of us
agreed with this decision,

but it wasn't taken
entirely without reason.

We've been trying
to help you people.

What you've been doing
is making unilateral decisions

that affect the lives of millions,
without consultation

and without accountability.
This is no longer acceptable.

I'm not going to get drawn
into a debate here.

I only need to know one thing...

Where are my people being held?

Of course I can't tell you that.

Fair trials don't take place
in secret locations.

Nevertheless...

I think Mr. Myrus needs a little time
to reconsider his position here.

Escort him to a cell.

My pleasure.

- You're making a mistake.
- Am I?

When I was chosen
to deliver this message,

I knew there was a chance
I wouldn't be coming back.

But if you detain me, you will only be
confirming what many already suspect...

That you're a rogue element
in this galaxy,

operating without restraint
or due process.

Lock him up.

Let's go.

All right.

I'm not saying
we haven't made some mistakes,

but that's 'cause we're the only ones
out there fighting.

Nobody else is out there
taking on the Wraith.

But isn't that
your own fault as well?

What are you talking about?

The Genii had a plan
to combat the Wraith,

but they were thwarted
when you betrayed them.

Oh, is that what they told you?
Because that's not what I remember.

Where's my father?

He did not survive.

How?

- What happened?
- I think we should find out.

Take aim!

Cowen, I thought we were
just learning how to get along.

She k*lled Tyrus.

No.

By leaving him to die, you may
just as well have k*lled him yourself.

We will keep
this intelligence information

and your ship,

and whatever quantities of C-4
you have in your possession.

That is all you ever intended...
to use us.

Your weapons.

No. I don't think so.

This is what your father d*ed for?

In the name of people
who would lie and steal

from those they would call friends?

Well, I lied too.

Jumpers two and three, execute.

You really thought
we had one ship, did you?

So you betrayed each other.

We came prepared.
They made the first move.

Look, the Genii plan
was never gonna work anyways.

They had bombs they couldn't finish
without our help,

they had no methods of delivery.

If you want a m*llitary victory
against the Wraith,

we're your only chance.

You've been in touch
with our off-world contacts?

Yes, sir.

- And?
- Nobody knows anything.

At least,
that's what they're saying.

You don't believe them?

Well, frankly, right now,
I don't know what to believe, sir.

These people are supposed to be
our friends, but if we can't just walk

into a village without worrying
about an ambush, what's the point?

We're not there yet.

I refuse to believe that the whole
galaxy has turned against us.

Well, it might as well,
because right now we have nothing.

Maybe not...

Come with me.

Open it.

Mr. Myrus,
I have a proposal for you.

So you claim to have had
m*llitary success against the Wraith?

We've done our share of damage.
Even managed to take a few hive ships.

Really?

And how did you manage to accomplish
this remarkable feat?

Well, I can tell you one thing...
It's never easy,

but one good trick is to get them
to sh**t at each other.

Look. See that?

It's a dart f*ring
at one of the hive ships.

Why?

Sheppard.

Sheppard's actually getting them
to fire at each other.

Now, if two hive ships are going at it
and you're onboard one of them,

that can be a bit of a problem.
That's when you have to improvise.

- Teyla, Lorne, come in.
- Colonel, where are you?

- We're on our way.
- Hurry.

The other hive has found us.

- Can you hold 'em off?
- Not for long.

Approaching dart bay.

Acknowledged.

They're inside.

Colonel, request permission
to jump to hyperspace immediately.

Negative.
I have another idea.

Teyla, I want you
to set a new course.

- Commander.
- What is it?

We just received an urgent
communication from the hive.

The enemy...
They're headed straight for us.

Did I also mention
we have a fair amount

of Ancient technology at our disposal,
because that can be pretty handy too.

There's a hive
bearing down on your position.

Yes, sir, I see that.
Stand by.

- Doc, they're k*lling us here.
- I have it, I have it.

f*ring drones.

Let's see,
what else did I leave out?

There's been so many over the years,
it's hard to keep track.

Enough.

You spin a colorful tale, Colonel.
That much is obvious.

Yet for all these fantastic claims,
we have no evidence but your word.

This trial is evidence.
None of this would be happening...

Your precious little coalition
wouldn't even exist

if we hadn't have pushed
the Wraith so far back

that you got an opportunity
you haven't had in 10,000 years.

Your responsibility in this
has already been determined.

You woke the Wraith early,
before the population of this galaxy

had sufficient time to recover,
which eventually led to the Wraith

going to w*r with each other
over feeding grounds.

That w*r is what has given us
this opportunity,

not some imagined victory
on your part.

We will take a recess.

Please take the prisoner
back to his cell.

Woolsey, what the hell
are you doing here?

I've made an arrangement
with your captors.

I'm taking over your defense.

I don't suppose you managed to bring
a subspace locator beacon, did you?

That's Wraith technology.

It's not like we have one
just lying around.

I even tried to contact Todd
to see if we could borrow one,

but he never responded.

What about the DHD
on the planet?

You could pull the most
recent addresses that were dialed.

Already done. There were
over 50 addresses in the buffer.

I almost cleaned out the entire City
sending people to investigate them,

but they turned up nothing.

They took us
through more than one Gate.

So it would seem.

This was obviously
very well thought out.

They had a very clever plan,

but we're smarter and better armed.
There's gotta be a way around this.

They took advantage
of one significant weakness...

We trusted them.

Look, I came here

because I have a plan
to get you out of here.

Well, what is it?

Win the trial.

Look, we were just playing along

to buy us enough time
to figure out a way out of here.

And how's that coming along?

Well, we're...
We're working on it.

I was Harvard law review.

I was Chief Counsel
of the US Army corps of engineers.

Prior to that, I was an appellate
advocate for Hartshorne & Slaughter,

one of the most prestigious litigation
boutiques in all New York City.

Believe me, I can handle

three tribal elders
with a stack of papyrus.

Some time ago,

a number of human worlds were att*cked
and destroyed from space,

not by the Wraith,
but by someone else.

Little is known
of this mysterious race

except that they possess
incredibly advanced technology,

and are rumored to be
allies of Atlantis.

I think I know who you're referring to,
and believe me,

they are not our allies.

They're called Replicators.

They were created by the Ancients.

If you wish to know the truth
of who we are,

I will show you.

The Ancients, as you call them,
were desperate in their search

for a better way
to fight the Wraith.

Though greatly outnumbered, they relied
on their technological superiority

to give them a needed advantage.

Instead of building bigger,
more powerful weapons,

- they chose to build smaller ones.
- Nanites.

In these tiny k*lling machines,
the Ancients imbued an aggression

that surpassed even that
of their enemy.

The technology allowed
for organic assimilation

and self-replication
to increase their effectiveness.

And replicate they did.

They grew in numbers,
evolving at a rate

that took the Ancients by surprise.

The molecular machines
began interlocking,

assembling themselves
to form even more complex organisms,

eventually evolving
into the most effective

and efficient form they knew of.

This is how we were born.

When the Ancients concluded
that we would never become

the w*apon they desired to create,

they decided to end it.

So they chose to destroy us,

to leave no trace of us behind.

- Some of them managed to survive.
- That's right.

And as the name suggests,
they replicated

and rebuilt themselves
into a powerful force.

Oh... My...

No kidding.

But why would they
att*ck human worlds?

It was a strategy they developed
in their campaign against the Wraith...

Eliminate the enemy's food supply.

There's one thing
I don't understand.

If, as you suggest, they were originally
designed to fight the Wraith,

why did they wait until now?

- I got the ZPM. We're leaving.
- Wait a minute. We can't go.

What are you talking about?
Can't get the hyperdrive back online?

I mean, we can, but not yet.
Look, while Elizabeth's been connected,

I've been going over
the Replicators' base code,

and I found this.

What is that?

The Holy Grail.
It's their whole reason for being.

It's a command code
that directs them to att*ck the Wraith.

But they don't att*ck the Wraith.

They've been sitting
on their nanite asses for 10,000 years.

That's because
it's been deactivated.

Are you telling us

that you are the ones
that activated the att*ck code?

We didn't know
they were going to target human worlds.

Because you acted rashly,
without considering the consequences.

We had an opportunity,

one that wasn't going
to present itself again.

Believe me, Councilors,
this decision was not taken lightly.

In fact,

it cost us one of our best people.

Get to the Jumper.

You're coming with us.

I can't keep them frozen
much longer.

We're not leaving you behind.

If you don't leave right now,

none of us will get out of here, so go!
That's an order!

Come on!

Go!

One of your people d*ed,
and you consider this

a grave sacrifice?

- As a matter of fact, I do.
- Then imagine how we feel...

Those of us who have witnessed
the deaths of thousands.

We cannot be held responsible
for the actions of the Replicators.

Colonel Sheppard made the same argument
in respect to the Wraith,

and in that case
I might be inclined to agree with him.

By your own admission,
these Replicators are machines.

So if I were to set a detonator,
can I then later deny responsibility

for the actions of the b*mb?

By that logic,
you might as well blame the Ancients.

They created them.

The Ancients, as you call them,
aren't here to answer for their actions.

You are.

We know for certain of six human worlds
that were destroyed by the Replicators.

But we also know

of at least a dozen hive ships
that were destroyed,

hive ships that would almost certainly
have culled within a year.

One could make the argument that,
on balance, more lives were saved

- than were lost.
- On balance?

Is that what we are to you?

Figures on a ledger?

Pieces that can be moved about
in a game of strategy,

some to be saved
while others are sacrificed?

- I certainly didn't mean to diminish...
- Real people are being k*lled,

real villages destroyed...

My village, my people.

My husband and children...
m*rder*d before my eyes.

You're from one of the planets destroyed
by the Replicators.

I barely escaped with my life,

but not before I saw

everything I hold dear

get wiped out

by a beam of light from the sky.

And I will not rest

until someone
is made to pay for it.

I guess we can rule out
getting her vote.

It's clearly inappropriate for someone
that biased to be on the council.

So they stacked
the deck against us.

I'm not sure.

Dimas seems to be
a reasonable man.

I think he might even be persuaded
to vote our way.

Kelore is a little harder to read.

He seemed pretty hostile to me.

- Didn't you say he was from Latira?
- Yeah, that's right.

One of our last intelligence reports
suggests a growing relationship

between Latira and the Genii.

Yeah, he did try to convince me

that they should be leading the fight
against the Wraith.

- You think the Genii are behind this?
- It makes sense.

Apart from Atlantis, they're clearly

the biggest m*llitary power
in the coalition.

If they played right,
they could run the whole thing.

But only with us out of the picture.

So we were right all along.
This whole thing's fixed.

I say we go to plan B...

Wait for the guards come in,
I b*at 'em up, take their g*ns,

- we sh**t our way out of here.
- Do we even know the way out?

We're at least two levels underground
and there's no more than a dozen guards

at any one time.

What about on the surface?
How many guards are up there?

And which way is the Gate?
And how far?

There's a few things
we'll have to figure out along the way.

It's too risky.

We could wind up being sh*t
before we got out of the building.

What other choice do we have?
We know we can't win this thing.

Not fairly, no.

What are you talking about?

I'm saying now that I know
what the game is,

I can play it.

Kelore, thank you
for agreeing to meet me.

Wait outside.

It cost me rather a fine pocketwatch
that used to belong to my father

to get him to bring me here.

You shouldn't have bothered.
There's nothing I can do for you.

Maybe I'm just feeling generous
tonight.

Speak plainly.

You're backing the wrong horse.

We know you're connected
with the Genii.

What are you talking about?

We also know they're looking to become
the muscle behind the coalition.

We think we'd make a better choice.

You? Atlantis?

That's right.

Well, I didn't realize
you had those kinds of ambitions.

We've been content
to keep to ourselves up until now,

but if it's a choice
between getting pushed out of the game

and taking a more active part,

well, that's no choice at all,
is it?

Of course, for appearance's sake,
we can't be too aggressive,

so we'll need
someone on the inside

to help push our agenda...

Someone to whom we'll be very,
very grateful.

And how do I know you haven't made
this offer to the others?

I think we both know
Dimas will only be swayed by reason,

and Shiana's going to vote against us,
no matter what.

That leaves you.

Mr. Woolsey, are you ready
to face the final charge?

I am.

The people of Atlantis stand accused
of conspiring with the Wraith.

Conspiring?

We have reports that Atlantis
has negotiated with the Wraith

and performed m*llitary
operations with them.

It is said you have formed an alliance
with one Wraith in particular.

Todd.

That's what we call him.

This Wraith was imprisoned
with Colonel Sheppard by the Genii.

The Wraith was allowed
to feed on him but, despite this,

Colonel Sheppard realized
that their best chance of escape

was together.

Which way?

This way.

And you continue
to have dealings with this Wraith?

We have... occasional contact.

- You trust him?
- Of course not.

But he has proven to be useful
at times.

He helped us hold off
the Replicator fleet

long enough for Dr. McKay
to enact a plan to destroy them.

Power down in interior section.

Transferring power from non-critical
systems to hull regeneration.

- Our shields can't take much more, sir.
- Hopefully, they won't have to.

And get ready to transfer power
from the beam weapons to the...

- What the hell?
- Son of a bitch.

He actually did it.

- We need to get out of here.
- Right. Let's go. Come on!

We shouldn't stick around
and watch this go down.

We should tell the fleet to jump
to the rendezvous point.

The planet's become unstable.

The fact is

we would never have defeated
the Replicators without his help.

I think it's safe to say
they would have continued their policy

of attacking human worlds

and, by now, everyone in this galaxy

would be dead.

Very well.

As that was the final charge,

we will recess to deliberate.

I'd like to make one final statement,
if I may.

Very well.

The Wraith are in disarray,

but that won't last forever.

Sooner or later, one faction
will win out over the others.

And when that happens,

they will turn their attention
to this coalition

with a ruthless vengeance,
the likes of which you've never seen.

If you don't want us there

when that day comes,
fighting by your side,

then, by all means,

vote us guilty.

I need no deliberation.

I say we get this over with now.

Very well.

I vote guilty,

on all charges.

I vote not guilty on all charges.

It falls to you, Kelore.

Yours is the deciding vote.

Well?
What's the word?

- Not guilty.
- Oh, thank God.

We're free to go.

I never doubted you for a second.

Nice suit.

Being back in the courtroom
made me miss my old uniform.

- You're kidding.
- Not the job, just the uniform.

Oh, that's nice.

Well, it seemed appropriate.

So, you going to tell me
how you managed to pull this one off?

Well, I'd say
it was a combination of things...

My legal skills, my eloquence,

the indisputable logic
of my arguments,

and the bribe I offered Kelore.

On top of that,

I had to commit Atlantis

to a much larger
day-to-day participation

in the politics
of the Pegasus galaxy.

A way to explain that
in my report...

What's the point of being out here
if we don't try to make a difference?

Let's hope the IOA agrees with you.

Let's worry about that later.
For now,

congratulations.

Thanks.