EXT. PYRAMID — DAY
The seven airmen make their rounds about the quarter-mile perimetre surrounding the basalt pyramid. Freeman, Reilly, and Porro are going over the area beyond the north side of the pyramid with sensitive scanning equipment; Brown and Feretti are checking out the MALP (which happens to be half-buried in sand) beyond the south side; O'Neal and Kawalsky are checking out the area directly surrounding the pyramid itself.
INT. PYRAMID/STARGATE CHAMBER — DAY
Daniel stands alone within the dim stargate chamber, leaning over the black dais which serves as the stargate's dial. Reaching out, he begins encoding an address into the device. As each pressed glyph panel lights up, the corresponding glyph tile and chevron on the stargate lights up in turn, glowing a pure white. Unlike the gate on Earth, the chevrons on this gate do not split open and closed with each glyph entered, no harmonic tones are released, and the stargate itself does not vibrate.
Once the eighth glyph is punched in, Daniel looks about for the ninth: the "pyramid with sun" glyph; he fails to find it or any corresponding glyph. Concluding the large, unmarked hemispherical button at the centre of the dialling device must act as the glyph's substitute, Daniel presses it. The hemisphere illumines with white light and all the lights, glyphs, and engravings on both the dais and stargate light up. Instead of releasing a long, high-pitched tone and spewing forth the liquid silver energy which will stabilize into an extradimensional bridge to another world, the crystalline ring lets loose a low GROAN, then it and the dialling device shut down.
Frowning, Daniel reaches into a bag at his feet and pulls out a notebook. Flipping to the desired page, he turns back to the dialling device and begins re-entering the address.
EXT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE — DAY
Having gathered at one of the black obelisks, the airmen set down the equipment they've been carrying. Brown steers the MALP by remote control up the ramp into the pyramid.
O'NEAL: (to Feretti) Report.
FERETTI: Other than shrubs and sand, there's nothing out there, sir.
PORRO: Our findings' the same.
O'NEAL: (looks at equipment scattered about) Wrap this up and get everybody back inside. I want you people back through the stargate within the hour.
Daniel emerges from the pyramid. Visibly distressed, he makes his way down the ramp to the rest of the team.
KAWALSKY: What do you mean, "you people"? You're coming back with us, aren't you, Captain?
O'Neal doesn't reply. Turning from the others, he goes to an open case. As he starts placing equipment inside, Daniel walks up to him.
O'NEAL: Jackson, start working on the stargate.
FERETTI: (to Kawalsky) What was that all about?
KAWALSKY: I don't know, Feretti.
DANIEL: (to O'Neal) I'm gonna need some more time. I mean there's bound to be more structures here, other traces of civilization. That road has to lead somewhere, right?
O'NEAL: That would be nice, Jackson, but not this trip. Just get back in there and re-establish contact.
DANIEL: (nervous) Well, it's not that easy. We really, really, really need to look around more.
Finished packing, O'Neal closes and latches the case. He focuses all his attention on Daniel, his face hard.
O'NEAL: Your job here is to re-align the stargate. Can you do that or not?
DANIEL: (shakes head) I can't.
At this troubling statement, the other airmen turn their attention to the conversation between the Egyptologist and captain.
O'NEAL: (takes menacing step forward) You can't or you won't?
DANIEL: (takes step back) Look, I tried using our address; it didn't work. I thought at first maybe there was something wrong with the dialling device, so I tried dialling out manually; that didn't work, either. So unless there's something wrong with the gate itself, we're going to need another address if we're to return home.
FERETTI: What the hell are you talking about?
DANIEL: The address for this planet was marked on tablets back on Earth, right? So there must be something like that here. I just need to find it.
PORRO: (points at pyramid) The address' gotta be here if anywhere.
DANIEL: This is a counterpart to the Great Pyramid of Giza. We're not going to find any hieroglyphic inscriptions or carved relief inside. We're going to have to expand our search if we're going to find what we need.
Kawalsky walks up to Daniel, gesturing quizzically.
KAWALSKY: You didn't say anything about finding anything.
DANIEL: I assumed the combination we had would work for both sides of the gate.
O'NEAL: (disgusted) You assumed.
With these words, Kawalsky goes ballistic.
KAWALSKY: (enraged) You lying son of a bitch!
Lunging forward, the master sergeant pushes Daniel, sending him sprawling.
KAWALSKY: (cont'd) You didn't say a word about finding anything!
Kawalsky steps forward, determined to force the Egyptologist into reopening the stargate to Earth even if he has to beat him into doing it. Before he can reach the smaller man, though, O'Neal steps in his path, blocking him.
O'NEAL: That's enough. (beat) We'll establish our base camp right here. Kawalsky, organize a detail to haul the supplies out here.
KAWALSKY: (incredulous) Establish a base camp? The mission objective was to recon the quarter-mile perimetre then get back through the ring. What good is it gonna do to —
O'NEAL: (interrupts) That's enough, Sergeant. You're not in command of this mission.
Enraged, Kawalsky steps up to the captain, looming over him menacingly. O'Neal meets his angry gaze, daring him to step out of line. A moment passes, then Kawalsky backs down.
KAWALSKY: Brown! Feretti! Freeman! Reilly! Porro! Back inside!
Without hesitation, the airmen execute Kawalsky's order. As they start up the ramp, Kawalsky joins them, leaving O'Neal and Daniel alone together beneath the obelisks.
O'NEAL: Now you've endangered everyone's life except mine. (beat) Help the men offload the equipment.
Daniel obeys O'Neal's command sheepishly.
EXT. BASE CAMP — DAY
About an hour has passed and the base camp has been established. Erected atop the first large dune past the obelisks, the members of the away team are afforded a glorious view of the face of the pyramid. Feretti, dragging a final crate of equipment, drops it in the sand in the sun just outside the camp and takes a graceless seat under the shade of the great tarp that has been set up over each of the individual tents.
FERETTI: (fuming) I can't believe we're stuck here.
FREEMAN: Knock it off, Mr. Doomsayer.
BROWN: Yes, give it a rest — please.
REILLY: Besides, if we're not back soon, they'll just turn the gate on from the other side.
FERETTI: (incredulous) Weren't you paying attention during the mission briefing, dimwit? The silo's been emptied out — it's deader than a church in Denmark. If we don't turn the gate on from here, we're screwed, alright? Now I'm telling you, we're not going anywhere!
REILLY: (annoyed) Shut up.
INT. PYRAMID/STARGATE CHAMBER — DAY
Alone inside the stone chamber, O'Neal stands over the FRED, his back to the dormant stargate. Now free of its cargo, the FRED's surface appears completely bare, unmarred by any visible seams. Leaning over, the captain feels along the side of the vehicle, searching for something. Finding a hidden switch, he presses it. With a soft CLICK, a hidden panel on top of the FRED pops open, revealing a secret compartment. Reaching inside, O'Neal pulls out a large metal cylinder. Judging by the dark LCD timer and the label bearing the symbol of radiation on the side, the cylinder appears to be a thermonuclear bomb.
EXT. BASE CAMP — DAY
Trudging up the side of the dune, Daniel comes to the camp, his large, heavy trunk of books and personal belongings in tow. Dragging it over to his personal tent with visible strain, he releases the handle then plops himself down atop it. Exhausted, the scholar runs a hand across his sweaty, sandy, reddening forehead. He then begins going through his supplies for a bottle of sunblock.
DANIEL: Toothpicks ... water purification tablets ... two-ounce mylar blanket ... a sewing kit ... compass ... processed fruit rolls ... sunglasses ... breath mints ... two knives ... signal flares ... cyanide capsules ... a hammock ... string ... tape ... bandages ... first aid kit ... everything but sunblock. (turns to others) Feretti, Porro — didn't any of you guys bring any sunblock? I'm burning up out here.
The airmen ignore him.
INT. PYRAMID/STARGATE CHAMBER — DAY
Setting the bomb up atop the FRED, O'Neal reaches back inside the compartment and brings out an arming mechanism. As he slides it into a slot at the top of the weapon, the timer automatically lights up with red zeroes.
EXT. BASE CAMP — DAY
FERETTI: (points to crate he left sitting in sun) Jackson, we need that crate over here.
SIGHING with exasperation, Daniel slowly rises to his feet, GROANING from the effort, and begins trudging toward the crate. As he reaches it, Feretti gets up and walks over to Daniel's trunk, opening the lid. As Daniel retrieves the crate, Feretti begins going through the archaeologist's belongings.
DANIEL: (opens crate) Jesus. You guys planning on fighting a war here?
There in the open crate, nestled in neat rows, are two dozen M4 carbine assault rifles.
FERETTI: (angry) Thanks to you, we've got the time to fight one.
Reaching deep into the trunk, Feretti pulls out Daniel's book sack, heavy with thick volumes.
FERETTI: (approaches Daniel) Why don't you do something useful, Jackson, like maybe a little reading!
He heaves the heavy sack at Daniel. Before the Egyptologist can prepare himself, it hits him square in the chest and he goes sailing backward with a YELP of surprise. Hitting the sand, Daniel and the books go end-over-end down the other side of the dune. Satisfied with this small bit of retribution, Feretti grins. Turning around, he heads back to his tent, giving Freeman a high-five on the way over.
BROWN: (shakes head; amused) That's cold, man.
INT. PYRAMID/STARGATE CHAMBER — DAY
Before O'Neal can proceed further with the bomb, a flashlight beam comes playing across the ramp leading inside, alerting the captain to the presence of another. With silent haste, O'Neal pulls the arming mechanism out of the bomb, deactivating it, then places the weapon back inside the compartment. Kawalsky enters the chamber just as the captain presses the panel down, resealing the hidden compartment.
KAWALSKY: Base camp is operational, sir.
O'Neal nods, his face as impassive as ever.
KAWALSKY: I want to apologize for losing my cool out there. It just seems like more is going on here than meets the eye. (beat) For instance, what was that you said about not coming back with us? What was that all about?
O'NEAL: Apology accepted.
Kawalsky just stands there, waiting for the captain to answer his questions.
O'NEAL: You're dismissed, airman.
Frowning with silent anger and suspicion, the sergeant turns away from his superior officer, returning back the way he came.
EXT. BASE CAMP — DAY
Having finished his business at the pyramid, O'Neal comes to the base camp.
O'NEAL: Come sundown, Jackson, Kawalsky, Brown and I'll start off down the road. Like Jackson said, it has to lead somewhere. (beat) Where is Jackson?
Feretti, Brown, Reilly, and Porro exchange glances, saying nothing.
CUT TO
Daniel, his near-empty book sack slung across his shoulder, making the slow climb back up the face of the dune, stopping every now and then to retrieve one of the many heavy books which had spilled out on the sand during their descent.
Eventually completing his task and reaching the top, he sets the sack down in the sand and takes a seat, exhausted from all the exertions of the day. O'Neal can only shake his head.
BASE CAMP — SUNSET
Hours have passed. The triple suns have dipped low in the sky, turning the sky on the horizon a deep green. O'Neil, Kawalsky, Brown, and Daniel are set to head off down the road which leads into the unexplored desert beyond the pyramid. The other men are with them to see them off.
O'NEAL: Feretti, I'm placing you in charge while we're gone. Keep base camp secure until we return.
FERETTI: Yes, sir.
O'NEAL: (to Daniel, Kawalsky, and Brown) Let's move.
The four men leave.
DESERT ROAD — MONTAGE
For the next several hours, the captain, master sergeant, staff sergeant, and Egyptologist trudge along the long, wide, empty road. As sunset submits to twilight, as twilight submits to night, and night submits to dawn, there is naught to see beyond featureless dunes as far as the eye can see. Daniel SNEEZES all the while.
DESERT ROAD — MORNING
Finally the trinary suns rise, colouring the sky yellow and bathing the dry sands in bright sunlight, revealing what lies at the end of the road, several metres into the distance: the front gate of an enclosed city. Bringing up his binoculars, O'Neal peers through the scopes.
O'NEAL'S P.O.V — CITY GATE
Up close, we can see that the blocks making up the walls and gate of the city are cut from basalt, same as the pyramid. Atop the gate, shaded from the sun under a tiled roof, are a pair of watchmen. The watchmen have apparently noticed the Earthlings, as one of them quickly puts his lips to a great horn and blows, sounding a large, low HONK through the air.
KAWALSKY: Fall back. (beat) Should we fall back, sir?
O'NEAL: What would that accomplish? We might as well meet the neighbours.
EXT. NAGADA — CITY GATE — MORNING
As the Earthlings come to the gate, Daniel takes it all in, awestruck. The architecture is very similar to that of ancient Egypt.
O'NEAL: Put your tongue back in your mouth.
Daniel obeys. They all then slip inside.
EXT. NAGADA — MARKET SQUARE — MORNING
As the four Terrans file into the city of Nagada, they are met with an astonishing sight; the townspeople present, numbering in the hundreds, are human. All olive and dark-skinned people of Hamitic extraction, they wear clothes which appear to blend the styles of Arabian and Indian dress. Busy setting up their shops and preparing for a day of commerce, they all freeze when they spy their unfamiliar visitors.
O'NEAL: Alright, Jackson, you're on.
DANIEL: Me?
O'NEAL: You're the linguist. Try to talk to them.
Daniel steps forward. Choosing one of the onlookers at random — a fifteen-year-old boy named SKARRA — Daniel strides up to him.
DANIEL: Um … hello?
Skarra has no response to this.
DANIEL: (laughs nervously) Dan-iel. I'm Daniel. (points to himself) And you?
Met with only a blank stare, Daniel makes a formal Japanese-style bow. This meets with more success, as Skarra awkwardly returns the gesture.
DANIEL: Essalat imana. (bows again)
Skarra apparently doesn't understand Aramaic.
DANIEL: Neket sennefer ado ni.
He doesn't appear to understand ancient Egyptian, either.
Daniel repeats the greeting again — reciting it in Berber then Omotic then ancient Hebrew then Chadic — but none of the languages he tries seem to be at all familiar to Skarra or any of these other humans on the other side of the stargate. SIGHING with frustration, Daniel looks up to the sky, absentmindedly fiddling with the gold pendant around his neck as he does so. As Skarra notices the stylized human eye emblazoned on the pendant, he almost wets himself.
SKARRA: Naturru ya ya! (turns to townspeople) Naturru ya ya!
Hearing Skarra's loud proclamation, the people gathered in the market square quickly get down on their hands and knees, prostrating themselves before the Earthmen. Skarra is quick to join them.
O'NEAL: What the hell did you say to him?
DANIEL: Nothing. All I said was hello.
O'NEAL: Dammit, I told you to communicate with them.
DANIEL: How?
O'NEAL: Oh, fer chrissakes, Jackson, just communicate!
Stepping forward, O'Neal pushes Daniel out of the way, placing himself directly over Skarra. Bending over, he tugs Skarra to his feet with one hand while offering a handshake with the other. When the boy fails to understand, O'Neal takes his hand and gives it a vigorous shake.
O'NEAL: Hello, Capt. Jack O'Neal, USAF.
Alarmed and confused, Skarra CRIES out. Pulling away from the captain, he breaks out in a terrified run, disappearing into the crowd.
DANIEL: (dry) So much for communication.
Minutes pass, then the crowd gathered before the Terrans parts as a greeting party arrives on the scene. KASUF, an elderly gray-bearded man dressed in a fine red robe and purple headdress, comes forth atop a hairy steed which looks like an absurd hybrid of mastodon, camel, and water buffalo, escorted by a small group of women and an honour guard armed with what appear to be flintlock muskets.
Bringing his steed to a halt metres before the four offworlders, Kasuf steps down. As one of women hands him an ornate wooden staff, Kasuf approaches the Earthlings. Bowing before the visitors, he presents them a greeting, then steps aside to allow the women forward. The women, dressed in simple white dresses, come bearing soft cloths and pitchers of water. Moistening the cloths, they proceed to clean the dirty, sweaty faces of the Earthmen. One of the women, a lovely twenty-year-old girl with wavy black hair, attends to Daniel. As she tenderly wipes the grime from Daniel's face, they make eye contact. Her deep brown orbs peering into his of piercing blue, Daniel is struck dumb. Not only does he find this extraterrestrial woman attractive, but also strangely, inexplicably familiar.
DANIEL: Thank you.
Finishing her work, the girl bows her head in acknowledgement, then takes a step back.
Once the job of cleaning the Earthmen is complete, Kasuf approaches them again. Deciding now would be a good time to return Kasuf's gesture of friendship, Daniel reaches into a front pocket and withdraws a 5th Avenue bar. Unwrapping the half-melted bar of chocolate, he presents it to Kasuf.
DANIEL: Here.
When Kasuf proves oblivious to the bar's purpose, Daniel makes a "YUM" then an eating gesture. Finally getting the picture, Kasuf accepts the bar and takes an apprehensive bite.
KASUF: (amazed) Bonni! (smiles) Bonniwae!
DANIEL: (grins) Bonniwae.
KASUF: (ecstatic) Bonniwae!
DANIEL: Bonniewae … bonniwae….
KAWALSKY: What does that mean?
DANIEL: I have no idea.
Once Kasuf has overcome his initial reaction to his first taste of chocolate, he utters something in his tongue, making a gesture with his arms for them to come with him.
DANIEL: He's inviting us to go with him.
KAWALSKY: How can you be so sure?
DANIEL: Becomes he's (mimes Kasuf's gesture) inviting us to go with him. (beat) We were looking for signs of civilization. Obviously, we've found it. If we want to find the gate symbols and get back home, we've gotta go with them. This is our best shot.
O'NEAL: Alright, there's no alternative. (to Brown) Radio base camp. Tell them where we are, that we're going to be staying awhile.
BASE CAMP — MORNING
Back at base camp, Freeman is stationed at the radio when Brown's transmission comes in.
BROWN: (O.S.) Base camp, come in.
FREEMAN: Hold on. (takes off headset) Feretti! I've got Brown!
Feretti hurries over to the radio. Accepting the headset, he slips it down over his ears.
FERETTI: Yes? (beat) What? Could you repeat that? (beat) Okay ... yes.
Taking off the headset, Feretti sighs.
FREEMAN: So what's the story?
REILLY: They find anything?
PORRO: What's happening? What's going on?
Feretti remains silent, his expression pensive.
EXT. NAGADA — DAY
Kasuf's entourage leads the away team members through the streets on toward the heart of Nagada. A growing throng of captivated townspeople follow behind them, eagre to study these otherworldly visitors from another place. As this grand procession is underway, we're finally afforded a clear picture of Nagadan culture. Nagada is essentially ancient Egypt if ancient Egypt had managed to survive into the 19th century. While the architecture recalls the stone temples at Luxor and Karnak, the presence of carriages, advanced plumbing, and gas lamp posts brings to mind the developed world around the turn of the last century.
As they walk, Kasuf and Daniel converse, trying desperately to break through the language barrier between them but making little leeway. A little ways away from the two men, the girl who washed Daniel's face keeps sneaking glances at him, drawn to him but too shy to hold her gaze on him for more than a couple seconds. Meanwhile, back a ways from those three, O'Neal walks more-or-less alone. That's when NABEH — a Nagadan boy who, from all appearances, suffers from hydrocephalus — abruptly bumps into the American. O'Neal spins around, giving the boy a silent, dirty look. Nabeh, face slack, near-whispers an apology and backs away from the intimidating man. Understanding Nabeh is no threat, O'Neal faces forward and resumes his march. The slack expression on Nabeh's face then disappears, replaced with a large, crooked smile. Looking down, he examines the shiny metal cigarette lighter he picked from O'Neal's pocket. Turning to Skarra, he presents the lighter to him.
SKARRA: (irritated) Nabeh!
Smacking Nabeh across the head, Skarra wrenches the lighter out of the other boy's hand and speed-walks up to O'Neal. As he taps the captain on the shoulder, the captain turns around, facing the boy with as much hostility he showed Nabeh. When Skarra presents him the lighter, though, much of the harshness leaves his features and he takes the lighter back with a nod of thanks.
Finally they come to their destination. At the heart of the city stands the Palace of the Elders. A multi-tiered step pyramid 24 metres high with a base 55.3 metres across, it brings to mind the Pyramid of Djoser back on Earth.
INT. PALACE OF THE ELDERS/ATRIUM — DAY
Kasuf leading the way, the Earthlings are escorted into the palace atrium. There several servants — paid and indentured alike — lounge about in relaxation while on breaks and in between shifts. With a majestic sweep of his arm, Kasuf signals them all to stand at attention, and they quickly obey, halting in mid-step or rising from their couches and reclining cushions, eyes and ears intent upon the next signal from their master or his visitors.
Striding forth to the back of the chamber, Kasuf turns on his heel to face the newcomers, planting the end of his staff upon the floor with dramatic flourish. Uttering a litany in reverent tones, Kasuf then bows to the Earthlings, the palace servants quickly mirroring his actions. As they bow, a large purple curtain hiding the back wall from view is raised, revealing a large metal disc affixed to the basalt behind it. Wrought from tarnished copper, it is a larger cousin to the gold pendant worn about Daniel's neck, bearing the same symbol of the stylized human eye.
DANIEL: (examines disc) The Eye of Horus. (to companions) He's the Egyptian sky god. I think they think he sent us here.
O'NEAL: Yeah? (takes hold of pendant) I wonder what could've given them that idea.
Approaching Kasuf, Daniel brings forth the pendant.
DANIEL: Horus?
When Kasuf frowns quizzically, Daniel gives himself a mental slap in the head; the elder wouldn't know the falcon god by his Hellenized name.
DANIEL: Haru?
That draws a reaction, but not quite the one Daniel expected.
KASUF: (shakes head) Na'nay, na'nay! (points to own eye then disc) Atum! Atum!
DANIEL: (perplexed) Atum?
KAWALSKY: Another friend of yours?
DANIEL: Atum was the primordial god, parent of the air and rain deities Shu and Tefnut. He was worshipped as the father of creation until later generations sidelined him in favour of the sun god Ra. (beat) He was never associated with this symbol.
O'NEAL: So, they know the Egyptian gods and one Egyptian symbol. (beat) Jackson, would you say it would stand to reason if they know one Egyptian symbol…?
DANIEL: (awareness dawning) They'll know others! We can write to one another. Let me try.
Daniel begins rifling through his pockets in search of paper and a pen or pencil.
DANIEL: Uh … anybody have a pad of paper, maybe a pencil?
Brown fishes out a pen and small pad and hands both to the Egyptologist. Taking them, he writes a message in Egyptian hieroglyphs. Once he has finished, he hands the pen and pad to Kasuf. Taking the two items, the elder studies the message, scrutinizing the words, then scrawls out his own message. Taking the pad, Daniel looks Kasuf's response over, face lighting up with hope. The nascent smile quickly dies on his lips.
KAWALSKY: (frowns) What?
Daniel presents the pad to the others. Beneath Daniel's clearly written hieroglyphs is a line of unrecognizable cursive script.
DANIEL: These aren't hieroglyphs. I don't know what they are. I certainly can't read them.
At that very moment, the great horn stationed at the city gate is blown. The foghorn blast is carried through the air to the palace, where it can still be heard with clarity even from those distances. Hearing the call, the palace servants go into a frenzy. Brown's radio then crackles to life.
BROWN: (puts radio to ear) Come in, come in! (beat) Feretti, I can't hear you. (to O'Neal) Sir, I can't make this out!
O'NEAL: (takes up own radio) Feretti, say again.
BASE CAMP — DAY
A thick, furious sandstorm has come out of nowhere and hit the base camp with full, vicious force. Reilly, Porro, and Freeman hurry to pack their equipment while Feretti attends to the radio, stinging sand relentlessly pelting them all.
FERETTI: (into radio) Must abandon base camp! Repeat: Must abandon base camp!
PORRO: It's useless! It won't work in this!
FERETTI: (to other men) Alright! Let's go! Let's move! Everybody back inside!
Feretti hurries to take what he can carry and head straight for the shelter of the pyramid.
EXT. NAGADA — PALACE OF THE ELDERS/ENTRANCE — DAY
O'Neal steps out. Raising a hand over his eyes to cut down the suns' glare, he sees just what it is that caused the horn to be blown; the roiling clouds of billowing sand from the approaching sandstorm buffet the front wall of Nagada, threatening to blow over and through the rest of the city.
KAWALSKY: (joins O'Neal) What is it, Captain?
O'NEAL: Sandstorm, coming this way. (beat) We'll have to stay here until it's over.
O'Neal turns around and heads back inside.
INT. PALACE OF THE ELDERS/DINING HALL — DAY
Daniel, Kawalsky, O'Neal, and Brown have all been invited to dinner. At the long rectangular table sit the four Terrans, Kasuf, the other elders of Nagada, and the immediate family members of the elders. As her presence at the table would imply, the shy girl who caught Daniel's fancy is one such relative. As Brown jams with the troupe of musicians present — improvising some blues tunes on a zither-like instrument — Daniel's eyes wander hungrily over all the various platters and bowls of unfamiliar yet mouthwatering food which take up space along the table of polished dark green wood.
KAWALSKY: (wary) I don't think we should eat anything.
DANIEL: I don't know (forks three lemon-yellow crepes onto plate) they might consider that an insult.
At that very moment, a waiter bearing a large gold cloche enters the chamber. Sidling up to the table, he places the cloche down in the centre. Daniel virtually begins drooling in anticipation of what lies concealed beneath the cover. As Brown comes to the table, the server lifts the cover away, revealing a roasted turkey-sized lizard.
DANIEL: (dumbfounded) …
BROWN: (disgusted) They can't seriously expect us to eat this, can they?
Kasuf beckons for them to give the reptile a taste.
KAWALSKY: (grins) Well, we don't want to offend them, do we, Daniel?
BROWN: It could be poisonous. None of us should eat it.
O'NEAL: He's right, Kawalsky; we can't afford to lose Jackson. Taste it.
Fighting the urge to commit insubordination, Kawalsky picks up a knife and fork and — with the elders' nods of approval — slices off a drumstick and sets it down on his plate. Picking up the drumstick, he takes one, small, tentative bite.
DANIEL: Well?
KAWALSKY: (smiles) Tastes like chicken.
DANIEL: Does it seem safe?
KAWALSKY: How should I know? (takes another, larger bite) Ask 'em if they've got any salt.
With Kasuf waiting to know what his guests think of the main course prepared for them, Daniel prepares to set his fears to rest.
DANIEL: Tastes good, uh, you know, it's … bonniwae!
KASUF: (mortified) Bonniwae‽
Horror morphing into indignation, Kasuf calls out the chefs, rebuking them harshly with grand, sweeping gestures of his hands.
DANIEL: (waves hands) No! Not bonniwae! Tastes like chicken. Chicken.
To help convey his message, Daniel stands up. Tucking in his arms, he begins flapping them.
DANIEL: Bock! Bock, bock, bock!
O'NEAL: Quit while you're ahead, Jackson.
Heedless of the captain's suggestion, Daniel continues flapping his arms and clucking until he finally gets the idea across.
DANIEL: (eats piece of lizard meat) Tastes like chicken! Good!
Kasuf grins with satisfaction.
INT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE HALL — SUNSET
Feretti, Freeman, Reilly, and Porro have fled the storm into the sheltering confines of the entrance hall, where they lounge about waiting out the storm. Feretti sits upon the sandy floor, trying to get to the men in Nagada through the radio.
FREEMAN: You're wasting the batteries. We're not gonna get any kinda signal in this storm. We're gonna have to wait 'til it passes.
FERETTI: (sets down radio) Yeah, right — if it passes.
Standing up, Feretti makes a step towards the door, then turns back and returns to his companions.
FERETTI: Y'know, I was stationed in the Middle East for two years and I never saw anything like this. Not even close.
FREEMAN: (rolls eyes) Yeah, yeah….
REILLY: I don't get it. Why don't we just try and turn the stargate on ourselves. I mean, how hard can it be?
FERETTI: (sardonic) Hey, there's an idea! (beat) We could turn the wheel in the wrong order and materialize 20,000 leagues under an alien sea. Have you got any freakin' idea how many millions upon millions of possible combinations there are on that thing‽
FREEMAN: (wry) No, how many?
FERETTI: (points at Freeman) Shut up, okay?
Getting nothing but LAUGHTER at his expense from his three companions, Feretti waves them off and goes to the entrance. Propping his back against the wall, he listens to the howl of the wind. As he stands there, listening intently, he picks up a new sound: a low HUM, decidedly unnatural and unrelated to the howling wind.
EXT. PYRAMID — SUNSET
As the sandstorm stirs sand through the air, cutting off all natural sunlight, casting the towering pyramid into premature twilight, unnatural silver light from some unseen source begins radiating upon the apex of the structure.
INT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE HALL — SUNSET
The unnatural hum grows louder. As it does so, the very pyramid itself begins trembling. Sand and dust trapped in the crevices of the entrance hall rain down upon the floor; all the equipment set upon the floor begin rattling from where they rest. Alarmed, the four non-coms bolt to their feet.
PORRO: What the hell is going on‽
EXT. PYRAMID — SUNSET
We finally see just what it is casting that uncanny hum and silver light. It is the She Who Mauls, an immense craft the exact shape of the stone pyramid, descending from the heavens.
INT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE HALL — SUNSET
The hum has intensified into an overbearing mechanical drone. Feretti, Reilly, Freeman, and Porro collect their weapons, Feretti feeding a fresh clip into his M9 pistol while the others go for their P90s.
EXT. PYRAMID — SUNSET
Being hollow on the underside, the pyramid ship is able to slip over the stone pyramid like one gigantic sheath. As it closes over the structure, built-up energy is discharged from the ship's engines, raining several bolts of artificial lightning upon the ancient monument.
INT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE HALL — SUNSET
Once the pyramid ship has touched down, a heavy vibration rattles the pyramid to its foundations, knocking the Americans off their feet. They quickly get back up, nervous and edgy, trigger fingers itching.
EXT. SHE WHO MAULS — SUNSET
She Who Mauls' docking clamps slide into place. The ship then lights up as the seemingly solid faces of the pyramidal craft split open, revealing themselves to consist of separate panels which then slide apart, exposing glowing machinery underneath.
INT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE HALL — SUNSET
FERETTI: Alright — spread out!
The four non-coms spread out through the confines of the entrance hall, taking positions at various pillars, on the lookout for enemy forces.
HOSTILE ENTITY — P.O.V
Peering through the eyes of a HOSTILE ENTITY, we leave the pitch black antechamber, emerging into the entrance hall.
Moving with silent grace, this being goes on the offensive. Moving sight unseen, it sneaks up on Reilly, then Porro, then Freeman. Eschewing the sidearm it carries on its person, it knocks each of the trained men down with heavy blows from its armoured hand. They all go down before they have a chance to catch a glimpse of their assailant.
CUT TO
Feretti, now left to face this enigmatic beast alone.
As a black shape comes out of the gloom for him, Feretti is fast to bring his sidearm to bear, emptying the whole clip into the thing. The bullets hit with pinpoint accuracy but ricochet off without leaving the least impact on their target. An armoured gauntlet emerges in the sparse light and Feretti goes down, knocked flat on his back, nose wet with fresh blood. Swooning but still conscious, Feretti gazes up at what sent him sprawling. Eyes bulging, mouth dropping agape, he freezes, petrified with absolute terror.
CUT TO
A full body shot of SIHATHOR.
A behemoth of living, iridescent green-black crystalline stone, Sihathor looks down upon his prey, stance reeking of contempt. What passes for his head is exoskeletal, cast in the shape of a falcon's, equipped with baleful eyes which glow an intense turquoise.
INT. PALACE OF THE ELDERS/DANIEL'S SUITE/BATHROOM — SUNSET
Daniel, in the suite provided him by the Elders of Nagada, is currently armpit-deep in the water of a spacious bathtub, absorbed in the task of washing himself clean of all the dirt and sweat accumulated since his arrival on this extrasolar planet. Once finished, he rises from the tub, wrapping a towel about his waist.
INT. PALACE OF THE ELDERS/DANIEL'S SUITE/BEDROOM — SUNSET
As Daniel steps into his bedroom chambers, he finds a surprise in wait for him: SEVEN NUBILE WOMEN, all naked save for the jewelled pectoral necklaces about their shoulders and skirts of translucent linen about their hips, seated in alluring poses upon his king-sized bed.
DANIEL: (shocked) ...
Rising, the seven women all but glide towards him. Encircling him, kohl-lined eyes beckoning him to come hither, they take hold of his fine body and guide him to the bed.
DANIEL: (surprised) Uh, I … I ...
Six of the girls sit him down upon the mattress then gently push him down into a reclining position.
DANIEL: (cont'd) I'm — I'm very flattered, ladies — I really, really am. But —
The seventh girl climbs atop Daniel and strips him of his towel. Straddling him, she then rips away her skirt. Captivated by her full breasts and enticing hips, Daniel feels his urge to resist weakening.
DANIEL: Okay, maybe we can make this work…. (shakes head) No! No, we can't!
Bolting upright, Daniel pushes the girl off him and brushes the others aside, leaving the bed. Still intent on helping this young Terran sow his oats, the seven go after him.
INT. PALACE OF NAGADA/HALLWAY OUTSIDE DANIEL'S SUITE — SUNSET
The young shy girl with the wavy black hair is making her way down the hall, ready to retire to her suite for the evening, when Daniel emerges from his quarters, struggling to slip on a pair of pants with the nigh-naked nymphomaniacs after him. Frantic, he comes to her and stops her in the hall.
DANIEL: (turns to women; places arm around girl) I've found my … uh … companion for the evening, so your services won't be required. You can go on your way, now. I'll be fine, just fine. (smiles)
Understanding Daniel all too well, the seven scantily-clad women depart, clearly dejected.
INT. PALACE OF THE ELDERS/DANIEL'S SUITE/LIVING ROOM — SUNSET
Guiding the girl inside, he seats her down on a sofa. Taking a chair, he places it before her and sits down, eyes intent on her. Taking this as a command to undress, she pulls the shoulders of her white dress down, evidently uncomfortable as she moves to uncover her breasts.
DANIEL: (surprised) I'm sorry! You don't have to do that!
Acting fast, Daniel stops her and pulls her dress back in place.
DANIEL: (cont'd) I just wanted to get them (nods to door) out of here. (beat) I thought maybe we could ... chat.
An awkward silence reigns between them.
DANIEL: Uh … Daniel. (points to himself)
SHY GIRL: (points to herself) Daniel.
DANIEL: (shakes head) No, I'm Daniel. (tucks pendant away inside shirt) I'm Daniel.
Awareness dawns in the girl's eyes.
SHY GIRL: (smiles shyly; points to herself) Sha'ure.
DANIEL: (smiles) Sha'ure….
An idea dawning, Daniel stands up. Placing his hand on Sha'ure's shoulder, he gently stands her up and guides her to a desk with sheets of paper, a reed pen, and an inkwell atop it.
DANIEL: I know we don't share a common writing system, but I thought maybe ...
Taking the reed pen, he dips it in the inkwell. Taking one of the sheets of paper, he draws a ring.
DANIEL: We came from the stargate.
He draws nine "V"s inside the ring, representing the gate's chevrons.
DANIEL: (cont'd) You know, stargate? Two-storey stone ring with thirty-nine little pictures engraved on it?
Sha'ure doesn't seem to know about the stargate.
DANIEL: (sighs) It's okay. Nevermind. It's okay.
Turning, Daniel goes over to the door, opening it a crack and peaking out to see if the seven women are truly gone. While his back is turned, Sha'ure takes up the pen and brings out a fresh sheet of paper; she quickly draws her own picture. Finished, she steps up to Daniel, tapping him gently on the shoulder. As he turns to face her, she holds the drawing up. There, in bold strokes of black ink, is a set of not-quite-accurately-drawn Egyptian hieroglyphs.
DANIEL: (shocked) Hieroglyphs! (beat) You know these symbols? (points to eyes then paper) You've seen these symbols?
Sha'ure nods.
DANIEL: Show me. (holds out hand) You show me.
Gingerly, Sha'ure takes Daniel's hand.
INT. SHE WHO MAULS/CORRIDOR — SUNSET
Semi-conscious, Feretti finds Sihathor dragging him by the leg through a corridor in the pyramid ship. Gazing up, he is mortified as he passes through a quartet of creatures — creatures with bodies of flesh but mechanical heads akin to Sihathor's, their gem-like eyes glowing a fierce green within the recesses of their felinoid faces.
INT. SHE WHO MAULS/BEDROOM — SUNSET
Coming to the entrance to a grand, opulent bedroom, Sihathor releases Feretti, depositing him there in the threshold. Entering the bedroom, Sihathor comes to a quite spacious bed and kneels down before it, supplicating himself to the occupant reclining beneath the covers. Cautiously raising his head, Feretti watches as the reclining figure sits up with fluid, cat-like grace, casting a clear silhouette of exemplary femininity.
The silhouette apparently catches notice of Feretti's voyeurism, for with one subtle tilt of its head, Sihathor turns right around, gazing upon the human with his turquoise eyes burning venomously. Reaching to his thigh, he unholsters his sidearm: a double-barreled over/under energy rifle. Taking aim, the creature of green-black stone triggers the secondary barrel, discharging a beam of blue-green electrical energy right into Feretti's face with a corresponding ZAT.
EXT. OLD NAGADA — NIGHT
Atop one of the hairy pack animals — a mastadge, as Daniel has learned from Sha'ure — the pair has ridden out from Nagada into the deep desert. Before their departure, Daniel put on a fresh shirt and Sha'ure a pair of khaki overalls and boots, preparing them for whatever awaits them out here.
Coming to what appears to be a large, angular rock outcropping, Sha'ure brings the mastadge to a halt and leaps off. Daniel climbing off the mastadge and joining her, Sha'ure directs him over to a small alcove in the outcropping, where she gets down on her knees and begins clearing out sand. With Daniel's assistance, a sufficient amount of sand is cleared out in short order, revealing that the recess is actually a window — a window in the top floor of an ancient building which has lain submerged in the desert sands since time immemorable.
INT. RUINS/ENTRANCE ROOM — NIGHT
Igniting the oil in a pair of lanterns, Sha'ure and Daniel enter through the window. Sweeping his lantern about, Daniel casts light into each and every nook and cranny of this room he is in. Though empty and featureless save for the sand which has crept in and accumulated upon the floor over the uncounted centuries, an open doorway leads out into darkness, promising greater discoveries beyond.
DANIEL: What is this place?
Taking the lead, Sha'ure directs Daniel through the doorway.
INT. RUINS/HALL OF HIEROGLYPHS — NIGHT
Having worked their way down to the bottom floor of this buried ruin, Sha'ure leads Daniel into an old, dusty hallway. While the dry bones of long-dead people litter the floor at odd intervals, Daniel's more interested in what's on the walls: lines upon lines of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
DANIEL: (reading hieroglyphs) Naadas yan tu yeewah. Suma'ehmay ra ma yedat. (beat) Nandas sikma ti yu na-nay ashay.
SHA'URE: Seekhma?
Startled, Daniel turns to Sha'ure.
DANIEL: (points to drawing of amassed children) Sikma?
SHA'URE: (points at same drawing) Seekhma.
DANIEL: (ecstatic) Yes! Yes, sikma, children! Of course!
Having at last found a common word between them, Daniel singles out another image: an image of the cat-headed goddess Ubaste.
DANIEL: Nefer? (beat) Nefear? Najfar?
SHA'URE: Neyoum ifar!
DANIEL: Nay-youm-ee-far? (practices saying word several more times) Sha'ure, teach me to speak. Uh, teach — takera? Tekira? Sha'ure takera Daniel, okay?
SHA'URE: Sha'ure tahki-yeer Daniel.
They both smile.
INT. PALACE OF THE ELDERS/O'NEIL'S SUITE/LIVING ROOM — MORNING
Night has come and gone. With the rising of the three suns, the away team's third day on the other side of the stargate has been ushered in. Already awake, O'Neil sits at a small table, absorbed in his thoughts when he hears a KNOCK at the door.
O'NEAL: It's open.
The door opens a crack and Skarra leans his head inside.
O'NEAL: What is it?
Opening the door wider, Skarra rolls in a service trolley laden with cleaning products and fresh linens. Skarra apparently works as a servant here in the palace.
O'NEAL: (waves him inside) Go ahead.
As Skarra goes to work sprucing up the place, he comes across O'Neal's equipment which has been deposited on the sofa. Poking around in it, he fishes out O'Neal's lighter. Flipping it open, he tries to make out its function.
O'NEAL: It's a lighter. (holds out hand) Here, let me show you.
Coming to the table, Skarra hands the lighter to the captain. Reaching into his pants, he pulls out his pack of cigarettes and fishes out a cigarette. Flipping open the lighter, he ignites the flame and lights the cigarette.
O'NEAL: (takes drag) See? Lighter. (hands it to Skarra)
Taking the lighter, Skarra ignites his own flame. Absolutely captivated by this unusual firemaking tool, he smiles.
O'NEAL: (smiles faintly) Yeah, it's pretty fabulous.
Pointing at O'Neal's cigarette pack, the Nagadan boy asks him a question.
O'NEAL: (shrugs) Go for it.
Reaching for the pack, Skarra takes one of the cigarettes and lights it. After O'Neal flicks ash away and takes another puff from his smoke, Skarra mirrors his actions — the latter resulting in a violent COUGHING fit. Throwing the cigarette to the floor and frenetically stamping it out, he looks to O'Neal, disgusted and dumbfounded at the idea that O'Neal could derive any pleasure from inhaling these noxious fumes.
O'NEAL: (grins) Yeah, you're right. It's pretty stupid. (butts out cigarette)
When Skarra hands the lighter back to O'Neal, the captain raises his hand to ward him off.
O'NEAL: Keep it. It's yours.
Understanding that O'Neal has gifted the lighter to him, Skarra nods his thanks.
INT. PALACE OF THE ELDERS/ATRIUM — DAY
Sometime later, O'Neal has met up with Brown inside the palace atrium. As Brown fiddles around with his radio, trying to re-establish contact with the men at the base camp, O'Neal takes a gander at his watch, which reads 20:00.
BROWN: No use — I can't raise 'em.
O'NEAL: More interference?
BROWN: (shakes head) Nothing but dead air. There should at least be a tracking signal, but I'm not getting anything at all.
KAWALSKY: (O.C.) Captain!
Twisting around, O'Neal finds Kawalsky just coming in through the atrium's main entrance, carrying a green military jacket.
KAWALSKY: Jackson's not in his quarters. I've been looking everywhere, but I can't find him.
O'NEAL: What's that you're holding?
KAWALSKY: (holds up jacket) His jacket.
Looking over to the fountain located at the atrium centre, O'Neal spots Skarra loitering there with his friends, entertaining them with his recently acquired lighter.
O'NEAL: (takes jacket from Kawalsky) Wait here.
Walking over to the fountain, O'Neal presents the green jacket to the teenaged cadre.
O'NEAL: We're looking for Jackson, the guy who wears this jacket?
Blank stares.
O'NEAL: Jackson … Jackson. We're looking for Jackson.
More blank stares.
O'NEAL: (sighs) Jackson — wears glasses so he can see? (mimes wearing glasses)
The kids mime his gesture.
O'NEAL: (sighs) I guess the word "dweeb" doesn't mean a thing to you guys, does it? (beat) I'm on Tatooine, looking for a dweeb who wears glasses, who wears this jacket, and (fakes a sneeze) sneezes.
SKARRA: (realization dawning) Ah! Bock! Bock, bock, bock!
Skarra and the others break out in a series of CLUCKS and arm-flapping, imitating Daniel's chicken impression at the feast last night.
O'NEAL: (grins) Yeah, that's right. Chicken Man. Where's Chicken Man?
Skarra brings the impromptu chicken dance to an end. Taking the green jacket out of O'Neal's hands, he gestures for the captain to follow him.
INT. MASTADGE STABLES — DAY
Entering the stables, Skarra, Nabeh, and a few of the other palace servants lead O'Neal, Kawalsky, and Brown inside. Moving up to one of the stalls, Skarra holds Daniel's jacket out to the mastadge enclosed inside, letting the creature take the aroma of the doctor's dried, stale sweat deep inside its large nostrils. Once Skarra is certain the mastadge has caught Daniel's scent, he opens the stall, allowing the animal to lumber out. As the mastadge leaves the stables, the kids and airmen are quick to follow the creature.
INT. RUINS/HALL OF HIEROGLYPHS — DAY
Daniel is sitting in the dust with Sha'ure, exchanging words, when O'Neal and the others emerge from the darkness.
O'NEAL: Looks like you found what you were looking for.
Startled by this newfound, completely unexpected, presence, Daniel nearly leaps up out of his skin.
DANIEL: (startled) You scared the hell out of me! (stands) How did you get down here?
Frowning, O'Neal steps up close to Daniel.
O'NEAL: I thought you didn't speak their language.
DANIEL: It's related to ancient Egyptian. Like the rest of their culture, it's evolved independently. But once you start to learn the vowels —
O'NEAL: (irate) Just answer the question.
DANIEL: I've found some common words between the two languages — words which, in spite of the thousands of years of linguistic drift between them, still remain remarkably similar.
O'NEAL: (frustrated) Give it to me in English, Jackson.
DANIEL: Well, I can't — not quite, not yet. I've just begun learning it.
BROWN: (examining hieroglyphic inscriptions) This place is a damn trip. It looks like King Tut's tomb got turned into a subway station full of graffiti.
Noticing the hieroglyphs for what seems to be the first time, O'Neal, too, begins looking them over.
O'NEAL: What does it say in here, Jackson?
DANIEL: Well, it's … it's, well, it's simply unbelievable. (beat) These walls tell the story of the original settlers of Abdju — this planet — who came here some twelve thousand years ago.
Moving up to one of the lines of text, Daniel begins reading.
EXT. THE TRAVELLER'S HOMEWORLD — SUNSET (FLASHBACK)
ZOOM OUT
From a pair of twin white moons situated in a violet sky and through the open torus of an inactive stargate. The stargate stands erect on the end of a long, wide, stone causeway — a causeway which stretches out to meet a complex of five obsidian pyramids.
DANIEL: (V.O.) A traveller, from distant stars, escaped a dying world looking for a way to extend his own life….
INT. THE TRAVELLER'S STARSHIP/BRIDGE
THE TRAVELLER stands over the controls of his craft, watching the surface of his desolate homeworld receed into the distance through a holographic projection. A five-foot-tall humanoid, the creature is clad head-to-toe in a protective stasis suit which keeps his ever-failing body alive. His wrinkled face — tinted blue behind the faceplate of his sealed helmet — bears a pair of featureless black eyes, a small, black, extrasensory organ between those eyes, and a striated, reptilian mouth.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) His body was decaying and weak, yet with all his powers and knowledge, he couldn't prevent his own demise. Apparently his whole species was going extinct….
SPACE — MONTAGE (FLASHBACK)
The starship makes the voyage from the Andromeda Galaxy to the Milky Way Galaxy, coming across a multitude of worlds along the way to Earth.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) So he travelled or searched the galaxies looking for a way to cheat death….
EXT. SPACE — EARTH (FLASHBACK)
The Traveller's starship has entered high orbit over the blue-and-white globe of Earth.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) It says he came to a world, rich with life, where he encountered a primitive race, perfect for his needs….
INT. THE TRAVELLER'S STARSHIP/BRIDGE (FLASHBACK)
At the controls of his vessel, the Traveller looks over a holographic projection. Displayed before him, in hues of normal and ultraviolet light, are live-feed images of humans — primitive hunter-gatherers clad in loincloths — all going about their business oblivious to this surveillance.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) Humans! A species he could repair and maintain indefinitely. (beat) He realized that within a human body, he had a chance for a renewed life….
EXT. VILLAGE — NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
The Traveller's pyramidal yacht has made its descent, coming upon a small village. Heavy winds billowing, bolts of artificial lightning discharged to the ground, the villagers flee in terror of this incomprehensible titan.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) He came to a village, where he found a young boy….
One of the villagers, a handsome BOY barely out of his teens, remains behind as his tribespeople escape towards their hill of refuge. He isn't afraid. In fact he is very calm, serene.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) As the frightened villagers ran, night became day. Curious and without fear, he walked towards the light….
The youth approaches the descending craft, shielding his eyes from the intense silver light radiating from its burning engines. As he walks directly beneath the ship, a ball of intense white light passes down through the belly of the vessel and comes upon him, enveloping and consuming him completely.
INT. BARQUE OF HEAVEN/THRONE ROOM — DAY (FLASHBACK)
Within the throne room of his refurbished and rechristened palace-ship, the Barque of Heaven, ATUM is now cleaned and groomed, garbed in gaily coloured robes and fine jewellery. No longer a mere human peasant, he stands tall, his stance that of a regal monarch.
PTAH, a fellow clad in a brown kilt and bronze skullcap, approaches the man-child with a pectoral necklace of iridescent gold in his hands. Securing the necklace about his master's neck, he takes a reverent step back, bowing his head in obeisance. The man-child then undergoes a stunning transformation. Powdered crystal emerges from the pores of his face and envelopes his head, taking shape to form a large headdress and plaited beard, replacing his visage of soft, olive-toned flesh with one of rigid, iridescent gold.
ZOOM OUT
To reveal the OTHER THIRTEEN FIGURES amassed within the throne room, bowed before Atum, all attired in their own exoskeletal helms of iridescent crystal. There is ANAPA, the Jackal; APIS, the Bull; ASET, the Woman; AUSIR, the Man; DIHAUTI, the Ibis; HAPI, the Baboon; HARU, the Falcon; KHNUM, the Ram; SEBEK, the Crocodile; SEKHMET, the Lioness; SOKAR, the Corpse; UBASTE, the Cat; and WEDJAT, the Asp.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) He took the boy and merged with him — kind of like the Trill from Star Trek. (beat) Together they became Atum and appointed themselves ruler….
IUNU — MONTAGE (FLASHBACK)
We watch as Atum, working through his godlings, acclimates the proto-Egyptians to writing and science, allowing them to build Iunu, the first human city. In gratitude for all the god-king has given them, they willingly build a large pyramid in his honour, the underlying granite blocks hidden beneath casing stones of smooth, polished, white limestone. This is the Great Pyramid, docking station for the Barque of Heaven.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) Atum gifted mankind with the knowledge of magic — writing and science. (beat) That's when he built the stargates….
INT. GREAT PYRAMID/STARGATE CHAMBER (FLASHBACK)
Within the stone room which will one day into the future come to be known as the King's Chamber, the stargate stands open, chevrons, glyphs, and engravings aglow as hundreds of people are shepherded through the portal to another world.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) Erecting stargates on both Earth and Abdju, Atum had thousands of people brought here. It was his final gift to humanity: the heavens themselves….
INT. BARQUE OF HEAVEN/BATHING ROOM (FLASHBACK)
Atum reclines naked within a spacious bathing pool, smiling lazily as several beautiful palace servants — men and women alike — bathe with him, alternating between washing and kissing his hybridized body.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) Something happened over the thousands of years following Atum's coronation. He grew less invested in running the empire he had built and shepherding the humans he had adopted in favour of spending his time absorbed in the hedonistic pleasures of palace life. Sequestering himself away with his servants and lovers, he relinquished control of the Imperium to the godlings….
EXT. INCOMPLETE PYRAMID — DAY (FLASHBACK)
Within the depths of a rainforest — perhaps on Abdju, perhaps elsewhere — hundreds of thousands of labourers are put to the task of erecting another pyramid, supervised by the artificers of Ptah and the asp-helmed Wadjet Guards. When the labourers slip up or fail to meet certain quotas, the Wadjet Guards beat them with pain sticks and bullwhips.
OLD NAGADA — MONTAGE (FLASHBACK)
Finally fed up with the abuse and neglect heaped upon them, the inhabitants of Old Nagada — a mining colony — take up arms against the forces of Atum's Imperium.
DANIEL: (V.O.; cont'd) Finally, there was a rebellion or uprising on this planet, here in this city.
As the original Nagadans wage a valiant but ultimately futile war, a medium-range bomber — a vaguely pyramidal craft with a saucer-shaped base — comes down out of the yellow sky. Passing over Old Nagada, it unloads a single plasma bomb. The bomb detonates in the heart of the city, releasing as much destructive power as an FOAB bomb, obliterating the entire city and incinerating its inhabitants in the span of less than one minute.
CUT TO
Daniel and the others, back in the ruins of Old Nagada in the present.
DANIEL: (cont'd) The rebellion failed. The colonists were exterminated, their city razed to the ground. (looks upon skeletons reposing underfoot) A handful must've survived, trapped down here while the rest of the city burned. They must've spent their final days writing all this down, preserving the truth for any future generations brought here to replace theirs.
KAWALSKY: (O.C.) Jackson? I think you'd better take a look at this.
INT. RUINS/CARTOUCHE ROOM — DAY
Following Kawalsky's voice, Daniel, O'Neal, Sha'ure, and the others step inside a small room. At the back, where several skeletons lie in a heap upon the floor, a large cartouche has been painted on the wall. Laid down in broad strokes of dark red ink, it contains nine black glyphs — glyphs which line up with those found on both stargates.
DANIEL: That's it! That's what we're looking for! They must've placed it here in hopes that one day the gate on Earth could be reopened.
Stepping close to the wall, Daniel takes out his notebook and copies down the gate address. Meanwhile, Brown examines the ancient skeletons. Clutched in the hands of one of the skeletons is an energy rifle, similar to Sihathor's but evidently a much older model, lacking the secondary barrel.
O'NEAL: (satisfied) Alright, that's it. Kawalsky? Brown?
With those words said, the captain turns and leaves the room. As the others leave with him, Daniel lingers a moment, taking a final gander at the contents of the room before joining them.
EXT. OLD NAGADA — DAY
Leaving the depths of the ruins, the Terrans start off on the long trek for the pyramid. As O'Neal and his men begin their march, Daniel lingers a moment, taking a look back. Standing there behind him, Skarra and his friends behind her, is Sha'ure. Eyes of intense blue meeting eyes of richest brown, a subliminal connection is made, and in an instant they share a realization — a realization that in another place, under other circumstances, they could have shared a life together.
KAWALSKY: C'mon, Jackson.
With that, the spell is broken. Turning his back to Sha'ure, Daniel leaves for the open ocean of sand.
DESERT — MONTAGE
For the next several hours, the captain, master sergeant, staff sergeant, and Egyptologist trudge through the desert, passing over and under dunes until they finally come to the road, unaware that Skarra, Nabeh, and the rest of their small band are following behind at a respectable distance.
EXT. SHE WHO MAULS — DAY
Emerging from the open desert, they finally come to the end of the road. In wait for them is a most unwelcome surprise. Past the twin obelisks, past the entrance ramp, the pyramid of basalt all but hidden beneath its awesome bulk, is the She Who Mauls. With the three suns low in the eastern sky, the entire front face of the bronze-panelled craft has been cast in shadow, lending it an air of quiet, foreboding menace.
BROWN: Looks like somebody was home after all.
KAWALSKY: What the hell is that?
DANIEL: It's a spaceship. (takes notice of others' skeptical stares) Well, maybe not a spaceship, but some sort of flying machine. It was on the ruin walls.
Silently, O'Neal hefts up his P90. Taking off in a low sprint, he makes a dash for the pyramid. Own weapon at hand, Kawalsky follows the captain, covering him.
BROWN: (hands Daniel M9) Here. You might need this.
Daniel takes the pistol, and he and Brown take off in a run, joining the captain and master sergeant as they sprint up the stone entrance ramp into the pyramid. Still on their trail, the Nagadan kids follow them up to the pyramid.
INT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE HALL — DAY
As Kawalsky and Brown take up guard positions behind the forward columns, O'Neal moves deeper into the chamber, where he finds the spent ammo casings lying in the dust on the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly spots movement — a vaguely humanoid figure moving from behind one column to another. Taking hold of Daniel and dragging them both to a column, the captain takes cover behind it.
EXT. SHE WHO MAULS — DAY
Climbing up a shelf of sand which had accumulated against the base of the pyramid during the sandstorm, Skarra and his friends peer in through the slot-like windows into the entrance hall.
INT. PYRAMID/ENTRANCE HALL — DAY
Hearing the approaching steps of an enemy, Brown braces himself against his column, collecting his resolve, before leaping out into the open. Standing out before him, energy rifle in hand and eyes glowing blue-green within the sockets of a falconesque head, is the iridescent bronze form of a low-ranking Haru Guard. Bringing his gun to bear, Brown pulls the trigger, emptying a full round into the bronze monster. Unharmed, the Haru Guard brings up its energy rifle and Brown goes down, the weapon's electrical beam sending him sprawling.
CUT TO
O'Neal as he sees Kawalsky, who has been grappling with another bronze Haru Guard, lifted off his feet and thrown into a wall, knocking the big man out cold.
As the Haru Guard who dispensed with Brown appears, aiming its rifle in Daniel's direction, the captain automatically leaps into action.
O'NEAL: Look out!
Taking Daniel by the collar, the captain pulls him out of the path of an incoming blue-green beam. Swiveling his gun into position, O'Neal returns fire, then pulls the Egyptologist alongside him in a mad dash for the stargate chamber.
DANIEL: Where are we going‽
O'Neal has no time to answer. He and Daniel duck inside the antechamber, avoiding another energy beam blast.
INT. PYRAMID/STARGATE CHAMBER — DAY
Bounding down the ramp, the captain looses his hold on the scholar's collar, dauntless as he crosses through the antechamber into the gate chamber directly to the FRED.
DANIEL: Why are we going to the stargate? We can't leave without the others.
O'NEAL: Stay right here and shoot anything that comes down that ramp.
DANIEL: What are you doing?
O'NEAL: Just cover me.
Opening the FRED's secret compartment, O'Neal takes a look inside. It's completely empty; the bomb isn't there.
DANIEL: (approaches O'Neal) What is it? What're you looking for?
O'NEAL: (stoney) It's gone.
At that very moment, the circular recess in the ceiling of the antechamber opens up, the inner disc splitting apart into eight separate sections which draw inward, revealing an inner compartment which casts a column of bright white light down upon the floor with a corresponding mechanical HUM. Twisting around, Daniel brings his pistol up as ten black stone rings drop from the opening. Piling up, one stacked atop the other, they form an iridescent black column. A stream of silver energy passes down through the rings — the surplus light escaping through the gaps between the rings and bringing brief, intense illumination to the chamber — and a black shape takes form within them. The process complete, the rings ascend back into their compartment and the recess closes once more. Standing where empty space had been only moments before, green-black armour glistening in the scant light of the stargate chamber, is the form of the Haru Guard Sihathor.
Daniel keeps his gun trained on Sihathor, ready but apprehensive to open fire on this dark god, when the other two falcon-headed warriors enter the gate chamber and take position behind their leader, bringing their weapons to bear.
O'NEAL: Put it down, Jackson.
Almost as if to punctuate the captain's request, Sihathor unholsters his own energy rifle and levels it at Daniel. Conceding defeat, Daniel finally lowers the pistol.
INT. SHE WHO MAULS/BRIDGE — DAY
With a flash of silver light, Daniel and O'Neal materialize aboard the She Who Mauls with their Haru Guard escort. Unlike the ring transporter down in the pyramid, this transporter utilizes only five rings, all of which are stored in a compartment under the floor rather than in the ceiling, indicating perhaps that it is a newer, more advanced model.
Once the black rings have slipped down into the floor, the five figures find themselves standing on a raised, circular platform. Leading away from the platform is a low, narrow catwalk which crosses the length of the chamber, connecting to the command section at the front of the bridge. Barking a mechanically augmented, bass-toned command, Sihathor prods the two Earthlings with the barrels of his rifle. Getting the message, they step off the platform onto the catwalk.
Crossing the catwalk, Sihathor and his two subordinates behind them, the captain and doctor are taken clear across to the front of the bridge. At the command deck wait three figures: a PAIR OF FEMALE UBASTE GUARDS, armed with long copper-plated sceptres, who stand at guard on either side of a SEKHMET GUARD, who is seated upon the throne-like command chair. Unlike the Haru Guards, the cat-headed Ubaste Guards are not garbed in full body armour. From the shoulders down, they are garbed in white linen crop tops and kilts, their exposed arms, legs, and midriffs hard with lean muscle. In contrast, the Sekhmet Guard is fully enclosed in armour of iridescent silver, the eyes in her lioness' head alive with yellow flame.
Making a harsh proclamation in his tongue, Sihathor knocks Daniel's and O'Neal's legs out from under them, forcing them to kneel before the silver entity. The Earthmen's eyes riveted upon her, the Sekhmet Guard raises a single hand, issuing an order to her underlings. Sensing something of import in her unintelligible words, Daniel begins scrutinizing his captors, waiting for whatever is now about to transpire.
One by one, the helms of the animal-headed guards dissolve. Breaking apart into disparate segments, the helms collapse in on themselves, shrinking down and retracting until the skullcapped heads of human beings are fully revealed. Like the Nagadans, each of the guards are of North African ethnicity, and they are all — to differing extent — physically attractive. Sihathor, in particular, bears an aquiline nose and strong chin which lends him a striking, regal air. Their eyes, though, are hard and cold — harsh and unfeeling. Turning their attention to the Sekhmet Guard, the Earthlings watch as her mask then disintegrates into the collar around her neck. The Sekhmet Guard is, to put it unflatteringly, an unspeakable beauty. Her skin, without blemish or flaw, is the rich brown of darkest chocolate; her lips, sensuous in their fullness, are painted a deep black; her dark eyes, accented with kohl, are fierce and hungry — the eyes of a lioness on the prowl. The face of their mistress bared to them, the Haru Guards kneel in reverence to her.
SEKHMET GUARD: (in High Kemetic, subtitled) You have come here to destroy us.
With a gesture, the Sekhmet Guard summons two manservants. Carrying an ornate tray between them, the two slender, scantily-clad man-children cross over to the space between their mistress and the captives, setting the tray down on the floor there before speedily departing. Situated upon the tray is O'Neal's bomb.
DANIEL: (alarmed) What is that? (turns to O'Neal) That's a bomb, isn't it? That's what you were looking for. (beat) What the hell were you thinking? What'd you come here for?
O'Neal doesn't say anything. Instead, he turns on Sihathor and strikes, punching the Haru Guard in his now-unshielded kisser. Wresting the energy rifle out of the senseless Haru Guard's limp fingers, the captain turns on the other two Haru Guards and squeezes the handgrip twice in rapid succession. Instead of releasing beams of blue-green electrical energy from the secondary barrel, this time the weapon discharges bolts of concentrated orange plasma from the primary barrel; with a pair of strong CHOOMS, the plasma bolts bore through the heads of the falcon guards, bursting them like two overripe melons in a microwave.
The bridge then erupts in chaos. As O'Neal spins back around, opening fire on one of the two Ubaste Guards, the other springs into action. Levelling her sceptre in the captain's direction, she slides her hand along the instrument's underside; in automatic response, the pod-like head of the staff splits open, crackling with energy.
DANIEL: (leaping between Ubaste Guard and O'Neal) Wait! Stop! No! No —!
A plasma bolt springs from the woman warrior's staff weapon, punching through Daniel's gut and driving him into the floor with enough kinetic force to halt a charging rhino.
Daniel's body sprawled out twisted and lifeless, the captain sets his sights on the Sekhmet Guard. Eyes burning with challenge, she rises from her seat, providing the Terran a clear kill shot. O'Neal takes it, squeezing the handgrip to unload yet another devastating plasma bolt. This time, however, the bolt is stopped dead-cold as it meets an invisible protective force field enveloping her body, disincorporating and dissipating completely without leaving a single mark on her or her armour. Before O'Neal can try squeezing off another shot, Sihathor — recovered from the blow which felled him — comes up behind the captain and brings his armoured elbow down between the Earthling's vulnerable shoulder blades, rendering him unconscious with a single blow.
Just as the large Haru Guard gets ready to deliver the out-cold captain a serious beating, the Sekhmet Guard orders him back. Deferring to her command, he takes a step back, bowing in supplication. Leaving her chair, she crosses over to O'Neal. Looking him over, she then goes to Daniel. Bending low, she turns him over. That is when she sees the gold pendant, the Eye of Atum itself looking back up at her.