303 IRRESISTIBLE

Transcript by Callie Sullivan. Czech translations by d3u5.

PLANET. A Puddle Jumper flies over the surface of a planet. Inside,
Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard is piloting the ship. Doctor Rodney
McKay sits in the co-pilot's seat. Teyla Emmagan and Ronon Dex are
in the two seats behind them. John sneezes, then coughs. Rodney
closes his eyes briefly, then looks pointedly at John as he sniffs.
TEYLA: Are you alright, Colonel?
SHEPPARD (his voice a little hoarse): It's nothing. Just a cold. No
big deal. It's just annoying.
McKAY: Talking about annoying ...
SHEPPARD: What?
McKAY: We should be focusing on harvesting space Gates.
SHEPPARD: That's what we're doing, Rodney. The MALP detected life
signs. We have to check it out. That's the protocol.
McKAY: I am just saying that identifying potential space Gates to
complete the intergalactic bridge should be our priority, not making
contact with the locals of some backwater hamlet.
TEYLA: Are you that eager to return to Earth, Rodney?
McKAY: This isn't just about me – it is about the ability to go back
and forth between Earth and Atlantis conveniently ... and whenever I
want to.
DEX: How's that work again?
(Rodney swings his chair around to face Ronon, eager to tell him all
about it.)
McKAY: OK. Once we've seeded enough Stargates across the void
between Pegasus and the Milky Way, we'll be able to take a Jumper
from one to the other to the other `til we reach the other side.
That way, we won't tax the ZedPM, we won't be reliant on the
Daedalus, and travel time between Earth and Atlantis will be cut from
three weeks to thirty minutes. (He smiles and turns his chair back
to face the front.)
TEYLA: Very clever.
McKAY: Yes. (He hesitates for a moment.) Samantha Carter's idea.
SHEPPARD: Backwater hamlet dead ahead.

Shortly afterwards. The team has landed and made its way into a
village. Oh, look, everyone, it's yet another medieval-looking
village. The villagers are wandering around the market square, going
about their everyday lives. They don't seem to be shocked by the
arrival of the team, so they must be used to having visitors. Some
of them wave in greeting at the team or smile at them as they walk
past. One woman waves to the team, then covers her mouth and giggles
like a schoolgirl. Rodney sighs.
McKAY (bored): OK, let's just make contact, buy our souvenirs,
and ... get *out* of here!
(His tone perks up as he says the last four words, because he has
seen something very interesting up ahead. It's two women, both of
them young and pretty and dressed in bright clothes. Further ahead
are more young, beautiful, brightly dressed women. The nearest one
smiles at the team.)
WILLA: Fair day to you.
SHEPPARD: Fair day to *you*! (He and Rodney walk on, gazing at the
women. John speaks casually to Rodney.) Nothing here. We should
probably go.
McKAY: Yeah, probably wouldn't hurt to make contact with the locals,
though, hmm?
SHEPPARD: No, no. When you're right, you're right.
(Teyla sighs in resignation.)
McKAY: No, we're here now, and, uh ...
MALE VOICE: Hello!
(The team looks towards the voice. It's a man walking towards them,
beaming happily.)
LUCIUS: Hello, new people! Why didn't anybody tell me the new people
were here yet?
(All the nearby villagers have turned to look at Lucius and all of
them seem to be delighted to see him. One of the women walks over to
him, drapes an arm around his neck and kisses him on the cheek.)
WILLA: Lucius, I've missed you!
LUCIUS (smiling): Oh, please. Well, I was just out for a walk. Have
you met the new people yet?
SHEPPARD: We just got here.
LUCIUS: Oh, great. Great. Then I haven't missed anything. I hate
missing things. (With his arm around Willa, he walks over to the
team.) Have you met my wife, Willa? Isn't she gorgeous? (He points
his thumb over his shoulder and turns to a group of women standing
nearby.) My other wives are just making lunch.
WIFE 2: Fair day, Lucius!
(Lucius waves at her.)
LUCIUS: Hello, sweetheart. (He blows a kiss at her.) I love ya. I
love ya. (He waves to the other villagers.) Fair day, everybody.
(The villagers, smiling happily, wave back at him and greet him.)
SHEPPARD: Uh, I'm John Sheppard. (He introduces the others.) Rodney
McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan.
(Lucius smiles at each of the team members as they are introduced,
but is instantly more interested in Teyla.)
LUCIUS: Teyla.
(He gently pushes Willa aside so that he can step towards Teyla.
Willa looks a little indignant.)
LUCIUS (looking Teyla up and down): And you are from ...?
TEYLA (straight faced): Athos.
LUCIUS: Athos. Yeah, Athos. I've never been there. It sounds
nice. Is it nice?
TEYLA (unimpressed by his smile): Until it was culled by the Wraith.
LUCIUS: Oh, I hate them. What do you say you and me get together, we
have some lunch, we talk about this, huh? (Teyla looks at John and
Rodney, raising an eyebrow.) Maybe have some wine?
McKAY: We don't even know your name.
(Lucius looks round at him for a moment, then starts to laugh. All
the villagers join in with his laughter. Rodney looks down,
embarrassed. John shrugs at Lucius.)
SHEPPARD: We're serious.
WILLA: You mean you truly have not heard of Lucius? (She and another
of the wives gaze adoringly at Lucius.) Well, *everyone* knows –
he's the wisest and kindest man among the stars.
LUCIUS: Aw, people just say that. I mean, you can't prove it `til
you've met everybody, am I right?
SHEPPARD: Well, then, Lucius, we're glad we met you.
LUCIUS: And if you aren't yet, you *will* be. Come on, let's have
some lunch, huh? Everybody has to eat, right? C'mon, right this
way, please.
(Some of his wives each walk over to one of the team, take their arm
and lead them away, smiling happily.)
LUCIUS (to Teyla): Please. After you. Please.
(Ronon intervenes between the two of them, shepherding Teyla away
from him and following the other two men.)
LUCIUS: Fair day.
VILLAGER: Fair day, Lucius.
(Lucius watches the team as they are led away, then turns to smile at
another couple of villagers.)
LUCIUS: Fair day.
VILLAGER 2: Fair day.
LUCIUS. Fair day.
(He reaches into his coat and takes out a small glass vial.
Uncorking it, he takes a swig of the clear liquid inside, grimacing
at the taste. He re-corks the bottle and puts it back into his coat,
then follows after the team.)
LUCIUS: Here I come!

LATER. Lucius, Willa and the team are sitting at a table in the
village square, eating a meal. The other villagers are standing
around the area and watching them, all smiling happily.
LUCIUS: I love architecture. It's all a mystery to me, really,
but ... (he gestures around at the buildings surrounding the
square) ... it hasn't stopped me from trying.
TEYLA: I see.
(She looks around the village, clearly bored. Lucius leans towards
John.)
LUCIUS: Is she taken yet?
TEYLA (before John can speak): No. Nor does he, nor anyone else,
speak for me.
LUCIUS (looking at her): Oh, yeah. Yeah, you are definitely wife
material.
(Rodney puts his hand over his face in disbelief.)
LUCIUS: I love a woman with spirit ... and a *great* body.
(Teyla glares at him.)
McKAY (interrupting before Teyla gets a chance to kill Lucius):
Excuse me, Lucius, please pardon my ignorance, possibly even my
manners, but what is it exactly about you ...?
LUCIUS: I know what you're going to say, so you don't even have to
ask. (He smiles at Rodney.) I have gifts.
(The team exchange glances. Ronon grins, amused.)
SHEPPARD: What are those, uh ... gifts?
LUCIUS: Exploration, alchemy, medicine. I have – I have to say –
some of the best ointments around.
(John sneezes, then coughs.)
LUCIUS: See, I could take care of that just ... (he snaps his
fingers) ... just like that.
SHEPPARD: It's just a cold.
LUCIUS: Nevertheless, I have a potion that could get rid of that in
six or seven days.
McKAY: Mmm(!)
SHEPPARD: That's impressive(!)
LUCIUS: You get used to it. We'll do a trade. (He grins round at
the team.) So, where are you all from?
SHEPPARD: No place in particular. We move around a lot.
LUCIUS: In that wonderful machine of yours. Yeah, I saw it. I was
on a walk, I look up, and I heard ... somebody said that you flew
through the Ancestral Ring?
(John starts to shake his head but Ronon is already talking.)
DEX: Yeah, that was us.
LUCIUS: How does it fly?
McKAY: It's complicated. One has to ...
LUCIUS (interrupting): I mean, where do you get a machine like that?
I mean, it's a *wonderful* way to travel. Can I get one? Are they
hard to fly?
SHEPPARD: Yes. They *are* hard to fly, and no, you can't have one.
(Lucius' smile fades for the first time.)
LUCIUS: But I want one. Please.
SHEPPARD: Sorry.
WILLA: Perhaps a trade for some of his wonderful medicines?
McKAY: Or perhaps not.
LUCIUS: What, you come all this way, you don't even want to do a
trade? Look, it doesn't have to be the ship. Forget the ship. I
don't even want the ship, OK? You've got to have some other stuff
that you want to trade, right? OK, like, like, (he turns to
John) ... how do you get your hair to go like that?
(John gazes at him silently for a moment. Teyla bows her head,
hiding a smile.)
SHEPPARD: Lunch was great, but I just realised we're running late.
McKAY: For what?
SHEPPARD: For that important thing.
(He stands up. The rest of the team follows suit.)
TEYLA: Yes, as much as we would love to stay, we really must go.
LUCIUS (standing): No, no, no, no, no. I don't want you to go. You
just got here. Come on, come on. We haven't even had the second
course. Please! I want you to see some of my medicines.
(As the team starts to walk away, he turns to Willa.)
LUCIUS: Go get the ointments, the good ones. Go. Run! Go!
(As Willa jumps up and hurries off, John turns back towards Lucius.)
SHEPPARD: Another time, Lucius. We've got to go.
LUCIUS: No. No, I don't want you to leave.
(The villagers close in around the team, preventing them from walking
away.)
LUCIUS: OK, OK, OK. Alright. Let them go. We're all friends here,
right?
(The villagers step back again. The team starts to walk away.)
SHEPPARD: Tell you what – soon as we get back, we'll tell our medical
people to come see what you have to offer and *then* we'll talk about
trade.
LUCIUS (hopefully): Later today, maybe?
SHEPPARD: Maybe.
LUCIUS: I'll have everything ready.
SHEPPARD: Thank you.
LUCIUS: You won't be disappointed!
(The team leaves the village square. Lucius smiles happily.)
LUCIUS: Nice people.
(All the wives and villagers around the table smile and nod in
agreement.)

ATLANTIS. John and Rodney are walking down the stairs into the
Control Room with Doctor Elizabeth Weir.
SHEPPARD: I think the word we're looking for is ...
McKAY: ... obnoxious? Unctuous?
SHEPPARD: Either one of those works.
McKAY: Then again, the townspeople seem to love him, so maybe there's
something to his medicine.
SHEPPARD: Sounds like a snake oil salesman to me, but it might be
worth having Beckett check it out.
WEIR: Well, I'm sure Carson will be able to get us an answer pretty
quickly. So it's back out to scout for Gates?
McKAY (eagerly): Yes. Right away.
SHEPPARD: It's not a race, Rodney.

LUCIUS' PLANET. Doctor Carson Beckett has travelled to the planet
and is in a room with Lucius. Bunches of herbs or roots are hanging
around the walls and are in pots on the table.
LUCIUS: Some of the herbs were gathered from this planet on my walks,
but most were collected from my many excursions to other worlds. I
have to confess, I have concocted remedies for almost every known
ailment.
BECKETT (sceptically): Every single one?
LUCIUS: Well, every one in town. The sick have been cured, the lame
can walk again ... well, some still crawl, but they crawl a lot
faster than they used to.
BECKETT (amused): I see.
LUCIUS: Nothing pleases me more than when someone comes up to me,
they say, "Thank you, Lucius. You have cured me. You are a wise and
kind man."
(Carson smiles at the man's arrogance.)
LUCIUS: The young, old, women ... Do you like women, Doctor Beckett?
BECKETT: What? Yes, of course.
LUCIUS: Yeah, I have a potion that will have them lined up around the
square just waiting to be with you. You know what I mean when I
say "be with you," right?
BECKETT (still trying to hide his amusement): I think so, yes.
LUCIUS: I will trade you that potion for what you are holding in your
bag right now.
(Carson puts a hand protectively on the strap of the bag he is
wearing over his shoulder.)
BECKETT: My medical kit?
LUCIUS: Mmm-hmm.
BECKETT: But I thought you cured every known ailment.
LUCIUS: Every known ailment in town. I added that, remember?
BECKETT: Well, it is tempting, but I'm afraid I couldn't do that,
Lucius. Sorry.
(Lucius laughs.)
LUCIUS: Not yet, anyway, huh? Come on. You must be starving. I
have a great meal lined up for us.
(Carson sighs wearily as Lucius leads him out of the room.)

ATLANTIS. Elizabeth comes into the Control Room to talk to John and
Rodney who are looking at a screen with Doctor Radek Zelenka.
WEIR: How did the scout go?
(John coughs painfully before answering.)
SHEPPARD: Well, we found an unused Gate in orbit over M3R-428.
McKAY: One lousy Gate. We're never going to meet our quota at this
rate.
SHEPPARD: What quota?
McKAY: *My* quota.
SHEPPARD: Daedalus is still under repair anyway, Rodney. We won't be
able to harvest Gates `til it can fly. (He turns to Elizabeth.) Did
Beckett bring back anything worth anything?
WEIR: No, he hasn't returned yet. He radioed in earlier, said he'd
like to stay a little longer. Apparently he's found something of
interest.
McKAY: Huh.

LUCIUS' PLANET. NIGHT TIME. All the villagers are gathered around
the table in the square, listening avidly to Lucius as he tells them
a story.
LUCIUS: The baby was frozen solid. Like a statue, like a frozen
statue. It must have been in the water for, I don't know, what must
have seemed like an eternity. I didn't know what to do. I mean, I
was a kid myself. I take the baby and I open my coat and I tuck the
baby inside, and I start stroking the baby's back, gently.
(The camera pans round and we see that Carson is sitting with the
rest of the villagers, gazing at Lucius in fascination as he
continues his story.)
LUCIUS: Now, I don't know whether it was the warmth of my body or the
steady, insistent rhythm of my own life force urging this tiny baby's
heart to begin beating again, but beat it did ...
(All of the villagers, and Carson, gasp in amazement and delight.)
LUCIUS: ... and a cry arose, piercing the cold night air, as if to
say, "I ... am ...alive."
(The villagers croon at the beauty of his tale. Carson smiles in
delight and starts to applaud. Others join in.)
BECKETT (laughing happily): Astonishing.
LUCIUS: And that baby ... that baby grew up to be ...
(He gestures to the side. Carson and the others look across to where
he is pointing. A young woman is putting some goblets and a jug of
wine onto a tray.)
BECKETT: That beautiful young lady.
(The woman turns and smiles happily at Lucius.)
LUCIUS: No, no, no, not her, not her. Behind her.
(The woman picks up her tray and walks off, revealing a young man
who, with a blank expression on his face, is turning the spit over a
fire, unaware of the fact that it's not set up properly and the meat
on the spit isn't actually turning.)
LUCIUS: Uh, maybe a little brain damage, but just a little. But the
story is true.
BECKETT: And thank you for sharing it with me.
LUCIUS: Oh, please, Doctor Beckett. (He stands up and walks over to
Carson, putting his hands on his shoulders.) That's what I like
doing most, to share. (He pulls Carson to his feet.) To share me.
(Carson smiles at him adoringly.)
BECKETT: And I can see that now.
LUCIUS (patting him on the shoulder): You see? All you had to do was
get to know me. (He puts his arm around Carson's shoulder and they
start to walk. Carson chuckles happily and puts his arm around
Lucius' back.) You know, Carson ... may I call you Carson?
BECKETT: Of course you can!
LUCIUS: Carson, this city that you keep going on and on about ...
BECKETT: Atlantis.
LUCIUS: Yeah, Atlantis. On a scale of one to ten, this village being
a three ...
BECKETT: Oh, Atlantis is definitely a ten.
LUCIUS: It is? Oh, yeah. And those flying ships, you still have
those?
BECKETT: You mean the Jumpers? Oh, aye, we have several.
LUCIUS: Really? How interesting. Tell me more.
BECKETT: Oh, Lucius, I think I can do much better than that.

ATLANTIS. CONTROL ROOM.
TECHNICIAN: Incoming wormhole. Opening the shield.
(Elizabeth walks across to the Canadian technician, looking at him
enquiringly.)
TECHNICIAN: Doctor Beckett's IDC.
WEIR: It's about time.
(She heads for the stairs down into the Gateroom. Marines are
waiting with their weapons trained on the open Gate. Carson walks
through and raises his hand to the marines, who lower their weapons.)
WEIR: Carson.
(She stops as Lucius walks through. He stares around the Gateroom,
putting his hands to his mouth as he laughs in delight. Carson
smiles proudly.)
LUCIUS: Oh, my! When you said this place was a ten, I thought, "OK,
maybe, *maybe* it's an eight and a half," but this!
WEIR: Carson?
BECKETT: Doctor Weir, permit me to introduce Lucius Luvin.
LUCIUS (walking towards Elizabeth): Speaking of stunning, you never
told me anything about *her*. Oh, yeah. (He stares pointedly down
her body.) Yeah, I am *definitely* gonna like it here.
(Elizabeth glares at Carson, looks back at Lucius defiantly.)

OBSERVATION ROOM. Elizabeth, John and Carson are looking through the
window down into the Isolation Room below, where Lucius is intrigued
by two screens showing images of himself. He is standing in front of
one of two cameras on tripods, moving his head around as he watches
himself on the screens. Rodney is also in the Observation Room,
watching the footage of Lucius.
WEIR: I can't believe you brought him here without permission.
BECKETT (amused as he watches Lucius' antics in the room below): I
didn't think you'd mind.
WEIR: You didn't think I'd mind? You know the protocols. You even
helped come up with them.
BECKETT: There's so much he can offer us!
SHEPPARD: Is this the same guy who said he could cure my cold in a
week?
BECKETT: I know my business, Colonel Sheppard. He happens to have
created several medicines that are quite remarkable.
WEIR: Really? That guy?
(She looks down into the Isolation Room, where Lucius has now got his
mouth wide open and is moving his head around in the front of the
camera while he tries to look down his throat on the screen.)
BECKETT: Aye. He also possesses many valuable herbs and spices ...
and gourds.
McKAY: Did you just say gourds?!
BECKETT: Yes, Rodney. Gourds. We don't know everything, despite
what you may think. (Rodney scoffs.) He could prove to be a very
powerful ally. He's a very wise and kind man.
(He smiles down into the Isolation Room happily. Elizabeth narrows
her eyes at him.)
WEIR: Are you feeling alright?
BECKETT: What do you mean?
SHEPPARD: It's just you're acting a little ...
WEIR: ... smitten?
SHEPPARD: I had another word in mind.
BECKETT: This is not something to treat lightly.
WEIR: No, it isn't. You've brought a stranger to Atlantis without
prior approval. Now he knows about the city, as well as our Gate
address.
BECKETT: Lucius would do nothing to harm us. He comes in peace, as
our friend. You have his word and mine on that.

SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. Elizabeth, John and Rodney are walking down some
stairs.
WEIR: Do you think he poses a threat?
SHEPPARD: Definitely a nuisance.
McKAY: If what Beckett says is correct, these medicines could be of
value to us.
SHEPPARD: We'll just keep an eye on him. McKay and I are heading out
to scout more Gates. Tell Teyla and Ronon not to let him out of
their sight.

GUEST QUARTERS. Carson escorts Lucius into a guest room. Marines
guard the exit.
BECKETT: Here we are.
(He looks hopefully at Lucius, who gazes around the room with his
mouth open in awe.)
LUCIUS: It's perfect.
(Carson clenches his fists in a victorious gesture, delighted that
Lucius is happy with his room, then gets anxious again.)
BECKETT: Because you could always have my own personal quarters if
you wanted.
LUCIUS: Oh, no, no. Don't be silly, Carson. I mean, you know, I'll
take a look at what you have if you insist, but this'll do fine for
now.
BECKETT: Oh, good. I'm so pleased. Just let me know if you want
anything.
LUCIUS: Oh, I can't think of anything I want more than just being
here. (Carson smiles in delight.) Except that ...
BECKETT (stepping towards him anxiously): What?
LUCIUS: No, it's nothing.
BECKETT: No, tell me!
LUCIUS: I get the feeling that your friends don't like having me
around.
BECKETT: Och, Lucius, just give them a chance to get to know you.
LUCIUS: I just hope I get that chance.
BECKETT: Oh, you will, I promise. In fact, I'm sure Doctor Weir will
want to negotiate an alliance between your people and ours.
LUCIUS: Really?
BECKETT: Really!
LUCIUS: Oh, that'd be great!

LATER. Lucius pulls aside the net curtain hanging over the door and
looks out to see two marines outside the room. He opens the door and
walks over to them.
LUCIUS: Oh, hello. I was going to go get something to eat, because
they forgot to bring me something, so ... are you guys not allowed to
talk?
(Teyla and Ronon come up the stairs.)
TEYLA: Guests are not permitted to move about the city unescorted.
LUCIUS (smiling at her flirtatiously): Well, what do you say you
escort me then, huh, huh? (He notes her straight face.) You don't
like me yet, do you?
DEX: "Yet"?
LUCIUS: I'm sorry. (He stares down the length of Teyla's body.) My
manners just fail when I am in the presence of a beautiful woman.
Isn't she something, huh?
DEX: Yeah.
TEYLA: We will have something sent to you.
LUCIUS: Oh, no, no, no. Come on. Come on. Don't make me sit in
there all alone. (He walks closer to her.) Come on, please?
(Teyla backs away from him, irritated by his flirting.)
TEYLA: Very well. We will both take you.
LUCIUS: Oh, both. Both is good. Yeah, we'll get to know each other
then, OK?
(Teyla starts to lead him away. He turns to Ronon as they follow
her.)
LUCIUS: Like, how d'you get your hair to go like that?

ELIZABETH'S OFFICE. Elizabeth is standing near the door, signing a
computer tablet held by a female Chinese technician. Carson is
sitting at the desk.
BECKETT: Just listen to what he has to say.
WEIR (to the technician): Thank you.
(The technician leaves and Elizabeth walks round the desk and sits
down on the other side.)
WEIR: Fine. I must say, I'm starting to get concerned about your
interest in this man. It seems ... excessive.
BECKETT: And I find it puzzling why you've chosen to greet Lucius
with such hostility.
WEIR: Perhaps it's because you broke protocol, endangering...
BECKETT (interrupting): And for that I am sorry, but can we please
move on past that one mistake and not further alienate a potential
ally?
(Elizabeth sighs, irritated.)
WEIR: Fine. Have him come up to my office.

GUEST QUARTERS. Lucius is primping in front of a full length mirror
and practising how he will greet Elizabeth when he meets her.
LUCIUS (flirtatiously into the mirror): Hello, Doctor Weir. (He
takes his coat off and tries again.) Hello, Doctor Weir.
(He smiles in satisfaction, goes across to the bed and drops the coat
onto it. He reaches into the bag which he brought with him, takes
out the glass vial and drinks the last of its contents, grimacing at
the taste.)

ELIZABETH'S OFFICE. Lucius, escorted by a couple of marines, walks
into the office. He is holding a small earthen gourd with a yellow
candle stuck into the top.
LUCIUS: Hello, Doctor Weir. Thank you for granting me this audience.
WEIR: It's hardly that, Mr Luvin.
LUCIUS: No, please. Lucius.
(Elizabeth smiles nervously at him. Lucius holds out the gourd to
her.)
LUCIUS: May this be the first of many gifts that our people exchange.
WEIR: Thank you. (She takes the gourd from him, smiling politely at
it.)
LUCIUS: I made it myself. The gourd is from the marshes of my home
world, topped with a candle that's made from the congealed tallow of
an animal that I killed with my bare hands.
(Elizabeth tries to hide a grimace, now holding the gourd with as
little of the surface of her hands as she can manage without dropping
it.)
WEIR: How nice.
LUCIUS: It's nothing.
WEIR: Please, have a seat.
LUCIUS: After you.
(Elizabeth puts the gourd down on the table. Two chairs are on the
side of the desk nearest to the door, facing each other, and she sits
in one while Lucius takes the other. As soon as they are seated, he
leans forward and takes her hands. He gazes into her eyes for a
moment, then stares down the length of her body.)
WEIR: What are you doing?
LUCIUS (lifting his eyes back to her face): Huh?
(Elizabeth gets to her feet abruptly, walks around the desk and takes
her normal seat.)
WEIR: I've been told that you would like to negotiate a possible
alliance between our two peoples.
LUCIUS: An alliance? OK. Sure. I mean, that's why I'm here, is to
talk about that.
WEIR: Well, then, why don't *you* start by telling me what you have
to offer us?
(Lucius smiles smugly at her, then glances down at the gourd on the
table.)
WEIR (narrowing her eyes): Besides candles.
(Lucius grins.)
LUCIUS: Right.
(He gazes off into the distance, thinking desperately.)

NIGHT TIME. John and Rodney are coming down the stairs from the
Jumper Bay into the Control Room.
McKAY: One tiny settlement on the entire planet? Look, all we'd have
to do is relocate them.
SHEPPARD: We're not evacuating an entire planet so we can take their
Gate.
(They look around the Control Room, puzzled by the fact that the
place is empty apart from the Canadian technician, who is lounging
nonchalantly against the balcony with a mug in his hand.)
TECHNICIAN: Hey! Welcome back.
McKAY: Where's Zelenka?
TECHNICIAN: Well, he's not here.
SHEPPARD: No. (He looks around the room nervously.) No-one's here.
Where *is* everyone?

MESS HALL. The doors open and John and Rodney walk in. Laughter can
be heard. They walk into the room and find a large number of the
Atlantis crew sitting and listening to Lucius who is sitting on a
table and telling them a story. Ronon can be seen standing next to
him.
LUCIUS: I'm standing outside. I don't know what to do. I ran. I
ran! I ran – and I'm the guy who's holding the weapon, OK?!
(The crew laugh. We see that Elizabeth is sitting next to Lucius.)
LUCIUS: So here's what I do. OK, here's what I do. OK, I'm standing
there, and I'm running, and I see the beast, just coming towards me,
so I just step to my left, I turn around, and just as he's coming to
me, I take my sword, I draw it ... (he gestures drawing the sword and
the crew all flinch back, completely engrossed in the story) ... and
I lop off its head!
(The crew, including Teyla and Carson, gasp in amazement.)
LUCIUS: Yeah, and I bend over, I pick it up, and I walk in triumph
back to the village.
WEIR (totally absorbed in his tale): Amazing.
DEX: You didn't!
LUCIUS: Oh, oh, yes, oh my giant friend, I did, and let me tell you
this: I had no trouble finding female companionship that night, if
you know what I mean!
(The crew laugh delightedly.)
ZELENKA (in Czech): He's such a dandy!
LUCIUS: Repeatedly!
(The crew laugh hysterically. Lucius puts his arm around Elizabeth,
who has her hand on his knee. Teyla reaches out and holds his other
hand.)
LUCIUS: Yeah! Yeah!
(As the crew continue to laugh, Rodney and John look at each other in
disbelief.)

ELIZABETH'S OFFICE. DAY TIME. John and Rodney are talking with
Elizabeth, Carson, Teyla and Ronon.
SHEPPARD: What the hell is going on?
(The others look at each other, confused.)
WEIR: What do you mean?
SHEPPARD: What do I mean? We leave for a few hours, and Lucius turns
you all into Stepford wives!
McKAY: What did he do to you?
WEIR: Absolutely nothing. Carson was right about him.
TEYLA: I agree. He has much to offer us.
McKAY: Herbs and gourds?!
BECKETT: Please, the medicines alone are worth whatever he asks.
SHEPPARD: You're really telling me the ointment is worth something?
BECKETT: I haven't actually tested it.
McKAY: Oh, you're just taking his word for it.
DEX: You got a problem with that?
McKAY: Me? (Nervously) Uh, no. (He points at John.) *He* might.
SHEPPARD: Teyla, this is the man who asked you to be his seventh wife.
(Elizabeth looks round at her.)
TEYLA: I know. (She looks at Elizabeth apologetically.) I hope I
didn't upset him.
BECKETT (to John and Rodney): You just haven't taken the time to get
to know Lucius.
WEIR: Carson is right. Again. (She pats his arm.) Look, I think he
could be a great asset to us. He has travelled extensively
throughout this galaxy, and gathered a tremendous amount of
intelligence.
SHEPPARD: Has he shared any of this intelligence?
WEIR: Not yet, but ... (she picks up the gourd with the candle in
it) ... he did give me this.
(Teyla's mouth drops open in amazement. Elizabeth holds out the
gourd for Carson, Teyla and Ronon to look at more closely. They gaze
at it reverently.)
DEX: A very wise and kind man.
(The four of them nod. Carson looks at Elizabeth, mouthing, "May I?"
at her. She nods, and he takes the gourd gently from her to take a
closer look at it.)

RODNEY'S LAB.
SHEPPARD: This is creeping me out.
McKAY (working on a computer): Yeah, reminds me of an old Batman
episode, actually. Catwoman used a drug to put a spell on Batman,
making him fall in love with her. Ended up doing all sorts of evil
things for her. (He straightens up from the computer.) Kind of a
turn-on, actually. Julie Newmar in a cat outfit ...
SHEPPARD: Eartha Kitt was Catwoman.
(Rodney smiles smugly.)
McKAY: Not `til Season three.
SHEPPARD: Really?
McKAY: Yeah. You didn't know that?
(John shakes his head, then looks down at the computer. Rodney
continues to look at him. John looks up at him for a moment, then
jerks his head down towards the computer. Rodney finally gets the
message.)
McKAY: Oh. So, anyway, I did a little investigating, and ... (he
pulls up some footage on the screen) ... surveillance footage from
his quarters.
(They look at the footage of Lucius taking the glass vial from his
bag and drinking the contents. As he tilts the vial to his lips,
Rodney freezes the footage, then zooms in on Lucius as he drinks.)
SHEPPARD: What's this? (He points to the vial.)
McKAY: Ah. I took the liberty of searching his room, hmm? (He picks
up the glass vial from the table.) There's some residue from the
liquid still in the vial. It'll take some time to break it down. I
*could* have used Carson's help on this, but...
SHEPPARD: ... he's off picking daffodils for his new friend.
McKAY: Right.

CONTROL ROOM. Radek is showing Lucius one of the computer screens,
calling up (presumably) the long range sensors. Elizabeth stands
nearby, smiling proudly.
LUCIUS: That's brilliant.
ZELENKA: This is actually how we found your planet.
LUCIUS: So you just fly to a planet, you take the Gate, you fly away.
WEIR: Well, we try to take Stargates that are in fixed orbit around a
planet, and then only if the planet is uninhabited. Obviously, it
wouldn't be right to take a Gate from a world that depended on it for
trade.
(Lucius looks at the map on the screen.)
LUCIUS: Wait a minute. (He points at the screen.) I've heard of
this planet.
WEIR: You have?
LUCIUS: Yeah, I have. And I heard that this planet is completely
uninhabited. It's what I heard. I don't know about you guys, but
I've got a good feeling about this planet.
WEIR: Well, then, we could retrofit the Gate for space deployment.
(Lucius turns to her and cups her face with his hand.)
LUCIUS: Beautiful and brilliant. (Elizabeth simpers.) The two Bs.
(Unnoticed by the others, John has come into the room. He glares at
the way that Elizabeth is behaving.)
SHEPPARD: Doctor Weir.
(Elizabeth turns to him, smiling happily.)
WEIR: Oh, hi, John. We were just discussing the Gate harvesting
programme.
SHEPPARD: Yeah, I heard.
WEIR: And Lucius knows of an excellent planet we should investigate.
SHEPPARD: I heard that, too. We got intel that the Wraith recently
set up a major outpost there. An alliance of three hives.
LUCIUS (seemingly shocked): No. Really?
WEIR: Has your intel been verified?
SHEPPARD: We haven't put boots on the ground, no, but our contacts
are trustworthy. I'm not gonna send a team down there – not when
there's still plenty of Gates to scout.
WEIR: John, you are *way* behind Rodney's quota.
SHEPPARD: *Forget* Rodney's quota. I am not sending a team into
harm's way.
LUCIUS: You know what? Colonel Sheppard is right. Don't get me
wrong – with all your advanced weapons, you could *easily* dispose of
a tiny Wraith outpost, if there even *is* an outpost, but ultimately,
is it worth the risk, no matter how small that risk may be? (He
turns to Elizabeth and Radek.) I mean, sure, people may label you a
coward ...
SHEPPARD: Will you knock it off?!
WEIR: Colonel. I think it's worth investigating.
SHEPPARD: No. I won't allow it.
WEIR (turning to him): John, are you questioning my authority?
SHEPPARD: When it comes to the security of this base, you're damned
right I am. (He walks closer to her.) From now on, no-one goes
through that Gate without my authorisation.
(He turns and walks away. Lucius shakes his head sadly.)
LUCIUS: What a terrible cold he must have.
WEIR (putting her hand on his arm): This is not like him, Lucius. I
apologise.
LUCIUS: He makes me uncomfortable.
WEIR: He's really a good man.
LUCIUS: I don't see it. (He makes a negative sound.) If he doesn't
come around, you're going to have to do something.

RODNEY'S LAB. Rodney has got the last of the liquid from Lucius'
glass vial in a syringe. He squirts it onto a tray which then
retracts into a medical device of some sort. He presses some buttons
on it, then looks up as John comes in.
SHEPPARD: Elizabeth wants to send a team to check out a Gate at a
suspected Wraith outpost.
McKAY: What, is she nuts?
SHEPPARD: Everybody's nuts, Rodney. Haven't you noticed?
McKAY: Right.
SHEPPARD: You need to figure out why without drawing too much
attention.
McKAY: I am working on it, but there's not enough of the liquid to
work with. I need more.
SHEPPARD: I'll go back to Lucius' village. I'm sure he keeps a stash
there. I'll just grab some.
McKAY: What, you're leaving me here alone?
SHEPPARD: You said you need the liquid.
McKAY: Yeah, but the place is turning into a nuthouse!
SHEPPARD: Somebody's got to stay. Just keep *away* from the nuts.
And you've gotta disable the DHD as soon as I'm gone to prevent
anybody from dialling out, OK?
(Coughing convulsively, he leaves the lab as Rodney sighs in
resignation.)

LUCIUS' PLANET. John walks into the village square to find a very
different atmosphere to the last time he was there. The villagers
are wandering around, disorientated and looking unwell. Their
brightly coloured clothes are covered with cloaks, as if they are
feeling cold. Some of them are whimpering. They stare at John
distrustfully as he walks past them. He spots Willa up ahead. She
too has a cloak around her.
SHEPPARD: Willa.
WILLA: Sheppard. (She calls out to the other villagers.) Sheppard!
SHEPPARD: Are you alright?
WILLA: Where is he?
SHEPPARD: Lucius?
WILLA: Did you take him? (She backs away from him a little, looking
nervous.) Of course, if you did, we're not angry.
SHEPPARD: He came to my planet on his own.
WIFE 2: Please send him back. It hurts us to be away from him for so
long.
SHEPPARD: Have you always felt this way about him?
WILLA: No, but one day, as he returned from trading his wares with a
distant people, he told me a story – a wonderful, wise, sweet story
about something he accidentally stepped in.
WIFE 2: And from that day forward, we saw him for the wonderful man
he truly is.
SHEPPARD: And before that?
WILLA (bowing her head): I am ashamed to admit that I refused to
share his bed more than once ...
(Wife 2 puts her hand on her shoulder comfortingly as John grimaces.)
WILLA: ... and since he has gone, everyone is growing sick. It has
only gotten worse.
SHEPPARD: Take it easy. Have you ever seen him drink a ... a liquid
from a small vial?
WILLA: His daily medicine.
WIFE 2: Does he need more? I could bring it to him.
WILLA: We both can.
SHEPPARD: I can handle it.
WILLA: If we get you some, will you bring him home?
SHEPPARD: Sure.
(The two women hurry off.)

ATLANTIS. CONTROL ROOM.
TECHNICIAN: Incoming wormhole. Colonel Sheppard's IDC.
(John comes through the Gate. As he walks into the Gateroom, he can
hear Lucius' voice. He looks up and sees him sitting on the desk in
Elizabeth's office with Rodney, who is sitting in a chair and
giggling hysterically as Lucius tells him a story. John looks
concerned, realising that he's now on his own.)
LUCIUS: And the next day she became my wife – my fifth wife – and now
I have six!
(Rodney laughs in delight.)
McKAY: You are a scoundrel, you know that? It's what you are. (He
looks up as John walks in.) Sheppard, come here. You've got to hear
this. Lucius was just telling the most hysterical story. Do you
know that they have marmots on his planet? Well, they're not
marmots, exactly, but it's a rodent very similar to the marmot ...
SHEPPARD (interrupting): I thought you said you were going to stay
away from the nuts.
McKAY: Yes, well, I tried to keep to myself, but Lucius here was
concerned for me, so he just came down, Ronon held me against the
wall, and Lucius and I had a nice, long talk.
SHEPPARD: Oh, you did?
McKAY: And let me tell you, we have nothing to worry about with this
guy. This guy's just a big knucklehead, aren't you, you big
knucklehead?! (He pummels Lucius' arm as they both laugh.)
SHEPPARD: Where's Elizabeth?
LUCIUS: She's out making me something to eat.
SHEPPARD: What?
LUCIUS: I don't know. She said it was a surprise. So Rodney and I
were waiting here for the team to return. We thought that you were
them.
McKAY: Teyla, Ronon and Beckett. They volunteered to check out M6H-
491.
SHEPPARD: I told you ...
McKAY (grinning): ... to disable the DHD. I know. I'm sorry. I
didn't. But come on – Ronon and Teyla. I mean, they can handle
themselves.
SHEPPARD: Well, what about Beckett?
McKAY: Oh, *he* ... now, he can walk on his hands. Did you know
that? Yeah, he was showing Lucius just before he left. You should
have seen it. He was down on his hands ...
(He bends down, puts his hands on the floor and tries to kick his
feet up into a handstand.)
SHEPPARD (angrily): McKay!
McKAY (standing up again): Well, we don't know for sure that there
are even Wraith *on* the planet. (He grins at Lucius.) We'll find
out soon enough, though, won't we?
LUCIUS: We sure will.
(He and Rodney grin happily at John.)

LATER. The Stargate is open and Carson's voice can be heard over
comms.
BECKETT: Atlantis, this is Beckett! We're coming in hot!
(Marines race into the Gateroom, aiming their weapons. Three blasts,
probably Wraith stunner blasts, come through the Gate and impact
against the wall. Lucius, John, Rodney and Elizabeth, coming down
the stairs, duck. Rodney and Elizabeth make sure that Lucius is
alright and help him as they continue down the stairs. Carson, Teyla
and Ronon run through the Gate, laughing happily even as Ronon, who
is running backwards, fires back into the event horizon. All of them
are carrying bags full of some kind of plant. They turn to face the
others, still giggling, as the Gate shuts down. Lucius, Rodney and
Elizabeth grin at them happily. John looks a lot more concerned.)
SHEPPARD: You alright?
DEX (grinning): Yeah, it was a little rough, but we're good.
BECKETT: It was all terribly exciting.
SHEPPARD: Well, I guess we can assume there *are* Wraith on that
planet. (He turns to Lucius and glares at him.)
TEYLA (smiling): Yes. Many.
WEIR: Now, don't overreact, John.
SHEPPARD: Are you kidding me? You send a team led by Beckett to a
planet full of Wraith. How do you expect me to react?
WEIR: Well, firstly, they volunteered.
BECKETT: And secondly, we got the herb!
(He, Teyla and Ronon triumphantly hold up the bags they're holding.
Everybody except John breaks into a round of applause.)
LUCIUS: Carson, I will tell people of the tale of your bravery for
many years to come.
BECKETT (walking towards him in delight): You will?!
LUCIUS: Yes, I will!
(They hug, Lucius pounding Carson's back enthusiastically.)
SHEPPARD (to Lucius in disbelief): You sent them to get an herb?
TEYLA (smiling): We *wanted* to go.
(John smiles, but his is a smile of fury.)
SHEPPARD: OK. I've just about had enough.
(He walks towards the offworld team, presumably intending to grab the
bags they're carrying, but instantly Ronon cocks his blaster and aims
it at him.)
McKAY: Whoa.
DEX: Don't touch it.
(Elizabeth walks forward and gestures to Ronon to lower his blaster.
She turns to John.)
WEIR: What on Earth is wrong with you, John? We were just helping a
friend, and there's nothing wrong with that.
(Lucius leans over to Rodney and speaks quietly to him.)
LUCIUS: I think there's something wrong with *him*.
McKAY (looking at John suspiciously): Hmm.
(John, realising that he's on his own, thinks quickly.)
SHEPPARD: You know what? I'm just tired. It's this damned cold.
(He turns to Lucius.) I apologise.
(Lucius smiles sweetly at him.)
WEIR: Maybe you should get some rest.
SHEPPARD: You're probably right. I just need a good night's sleep.
(Elizabeth nods at him, smiling. John turns and leaves the Gateroom
as the marines look at him suspiciously. At the doorway, he turns
and looks back at everyone watching him. He leaves the room.)

JUMPER BAY. Lucius is sitting in the pilot's seat of a Puddle Jumper
while Rodney and Carson stand nearby, eagerly explaining how
everything works.
LUCIUS: So, what does this do?
McKAY: That engages the HUD – stands for Heads-Up Display.
LUCIUS: "Heads-Up" ... (he giggles) ... I love that!
(The other two laugh.)
BECKETT: It gives me whatever information I need when flying the
Jumper: navigation, weapons ...
LUCIUS: You fly this thing?
McKAY (quickly): I can fly it, too.
BECKETT: Yes, now that you received the ATA therapy, which I
invented. (To Lucius) I was actually born with the gene, which makes
me much more proficient at operating Ancient technology.
McKAY: It does not. He doesn't fly this thing any better than I do.
BECKETT: Don't you lie to Lucius ...!
(They start to bicker until Lucius intervenes.)
LUCIUS: Boys, stop fighting. A gene, you say?
BECKETT: It's a genetic fingerprint, if you will, which allows
someone such as me to operate any technology on Atlantis. I
developed an inoculation which allows those who don't naturally
possess the gene, such as Doctor McKay, to be able to use some of it
as well. (He smiles smugly.)
LUCIUS: Really? A gene, huh? An inoculation, huh? That's great.
(Carson giggles in delight. Desperate to get Lucius' attention,
Rodney butts in.)
McKAY: You know what's really interesting? (He points to a control
on the console.) If you look at this down here ...

LATER. INFIRMARY. Carson is looking into a scanner. John, hovering
nervously in the doorway, calls out quietly to him.
SHEPPARD: Uh, Doc?
(Carson straightens up and looks across to him.)
SHEPPARD: Could I speak with you for a sec?
BECKETT (to his assistant): Excuse me.
(He walks over to John, who is doing a good job of looking sheepish,
and puts his hands sternly behind his back as if waiting for John to
apologise to him.)
SHEPPARD: I ... think there might be something wrong with me.
(Carson relaxes, smiles and puts a hand on John's shoulder.)
BECKETT (softly): It's alright, son. Admitting it is the first step.
(John hesitates as a couple of medical staff walk past. Carson
smiles, assuming that he's too embarrassed to talk about it in front
of others. Playing on this, John jerks his head to indicate that
they should step outside. The men walk into the next room.)
BECKETT: So you finally came around, did you? (John shrugs as they
continue to walk.) You see, once you get a chance to know Lucius,
he's really a very wise and kind ...
(John pulls a Wraith stunner pistol out of his jacket and turns,
firing it at Carson.)
BECKETT (as the blast hits him): Oh crap.
(He convulses and starts to collapse. John grabs him, holding him up
as he looks around nervously to see whether anyone in the next room
heard the blast, then drags Carson away.)

CONTROL ROOM. Rodney looks at a console in concern.
McKAY: Why is the Jumper Bay roof opening? (He looks at the
readouts.) Jumper Three is starting up. Who's in it?
(The technician looks at his own console, then turns to Rodney.)
TECHNICIAN: I don't know.
(Rodney activates his headset radio.)
McKAY: Jumper Three, please identify.
(There's no reply.)
McKAY: Jumper Three, this is Flight. Identify yourself.
(Still no reply. Rodney points at the technician.)
McKAY: Look, close the door.
TECHNICIAN: It's too late. It's left the Bay.

JUMPER THREE. The Jumper flies over the ocean, cloaking. Inside,
his hands tied in front of him, Carson groans as he wakes up to find
himself sitting in one of the seats in the cockpit. John looks round
at him.
SHEPPARD: Hey, Carson. Sorry about that.
BECKETT: What? Why are ...?
SHEPPARD: I'm taking you to the mainland. It's for your own good.
Trust me.
(Carson grimaces, trying to pull his hands free of their tethers.)

ATLANTIS. Elizabeth and Lucius are walking along a corridor.
LUCIUS: How often does that happen?
WEIR: This has never happened before. Now, we have very, very strict
flight protocols.
LUCIUS: He'd have to have a key or something ...
(Teyla hurries over to them.)
TEYLA: A security officer saw Colonel Sheppard carrying Doctor
Beckett toward the Jumper Bay moments before the Jumper took off.
LUCIUS: So it was them in the flying machine?
(Rodney arrives.)
McKAY: My computer's missing! A tablet, two drives, all of my
research.
LUCIUS: I *told* you that man was dangerous. I have to say, Liz, I
am *very* disappointed right now.
(Distraught, Elizabeth turns and puts her hands on his chest in
anguish.)
WEIR: I am so very sorry, Lucius. (She turns to Teyla.) Mobilise
Jumper teams. I want them found.
TEYLA: Yes.
(She hurries away as Elizabeth turns back to Lucius, fiddling with
his shirt.)
WEIR: They're very good. They *will* find them.
LUCIUS: I hope so.

JUMPER THREE. NIGHT TIME. The Jumper has now landed on the
mainland. John is working on a computer tablet, coughing. Carson
sits in his seat, looking plaintive.
BECKETT: I need to get back.
SHEPPARD: No, you don't.
BECKETT: Lucius needs me. You had no right to abduct me like this.
SHEPPARD: Call it an intervention. You probably don't realise it
right now, but what you're going through is kind of like a ... a
detox. (He coughs and turns to Carson as he looks at Rodney's
computer.) Now, according to the research Rodney was able to do
before joining the Lucius fan club, that liquid he's been drinking
contains some kind of a chemical. It interacts with the body and
causes a secretion of a pheromone ... and then there's something
about gamma activity in the prefrontral cortrex.
BECKETT (correcting him): Prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain
responsible for positive emotions.
SHEPPARD: See? That's why I need you. It seems that when people are
exposed to this pheromone in close proximity, it makes them, uh ...
easy to influence, and the longer they're exposed, the worse the
addiction gets.
BECKETT (looking interested): You mean literally an addictive
personality?
SHEPPARD: That's what it looks like.
BECKETT (indignantly): It's rubbish!
SHEPPARD: Check for yourself. I will bet you a year's pay that the
liquid in that vial is some kind of an extract made from the herb
that you collected for him. He made you his mule.
BECKETT: If this is true, why weren't you affected?
SHEPPARD: My cold. I can hardly breathe. Plus I haven't been around
him much. Look – I would just kidnap him and take him away somewhere
until the pheromone wore off, but the people back on his home planet
are starting to get sick, and it looks like they're gonna get worse
before they get better. I don't want to put our people through that.
BECKETT (hysterically): You're doing it to me right now!
(John stares at him angrily for a moment, then slaps him hard on the
shoulder.)
BECKETT: Ow!
SHEPPARD: Buck up, Carson! You haven't been exposed that long. (He
grabs the front of his jacket.) Look, I need you to figure out a way
how to counteract this thing. There's got to be an antidote of some
kind.
(They stare at each other for a moment.)
BECKETT: I can't.
SHEPPARD: Yes, you can. You can beat it.
BECKETT (tearfully): But he needs me.
(He bows his head and starts to sob. John stares at him in
disbelief.)

JUMPER TWO. Rodney is piloting while Teyla sits in the co-pilot's
seat and Ronon stands between them. The Jumper is searching the
mainland.
McKAY: We should head back. We've been searching for hours.
DEX: We just left, McKay.
McKAY: I don't like being this far away from Atlantis. Lucius is
probably worried. (He looks up at Ronon.) You think he's worried?
WEIR (over radio): Jumper Two, report?
TEYLA: We're reading several life signs, but they might be Athosian
hunting parties. We're going to go check them out.
McKAY: Is Lucius worried about us?
WEIR (apparently turning to ask him): Lucius? ... He's fine. Just
keep looking.
(Rodney shakes his head sadly.)
McKAY: I should have stayed with him.

MAINLAND. John and Carson have left the Jumper. A small fire is
burning on the ground. Carson, his hands still tied in front of him,
is kneeling on the ground and holding Rodney's computer tablet and
reading it while John sits nearby.
BECKETT: Wait just a minute.
SHEPPARD: What is it?
(At that moment, the familiar sound of Ronon's blaster firing up can
be heard, and the blaster comes into view, pointing at the back of
John's head.)
DEX (ominously): Don't move.
(Teyla comes out of the trees, aiming her P90 at John. John holds
his arms out to the side and slowly begins to stand up.)
SHEPPARD: That thing is set to stun, right?
DEX: Yeah.
(John turns slowly to face Ronon.)
SHEPPARD: Good.
(He lunges at Ronon, who instantly fires. John crashes to the
ground. Teyla takes out a knife and goes over to Carson to cut his
hands free.)
TEYLA: Carson, are you alright?
BECKETT: I will be, once I get back to Lucius.
(He smiles at her in delight, then looks up as Rodney comes out of
the trees. Rodney looks at John lying on the ground, then looks at
Ronon.)
McKAY: What did you shoot him for?
(Ronon just looks at him. Rodney rolls his eyes in resignation.)
McKAY: Now we're going to have to *carry* him all the way back to the
Jumper.

ATLANTIS. BRIG. John is in the cell, although the forcefield is not
on. He is pacing around the cell but stops as the door opens and
Lucius, wearing an Atlantean headset, walks in. John rolls his eyes
and sits down on the floor in the middle of the cell.
LUCIUS: Good morning, Colonel. (He gestures to the bars of the cell
as he walks over.) I want to apologise for this harsh treatment. I
hate that Elizabeth had to do this.
SHEPPARD: Cut the crap.
(Lucius smiles as he leans on the bars.)
SHEPPARD: So ... that herb of yours.
LUCIUS: One of my greatest discoveries. Well, it's my *only* great
discovery, but you've got to admit, it's pretty great.
SHEPPARD: How did you get by before that?
LUCIUS: I was a baker. Bread, mostly. The occasional muffin at
festival time.
SHEPPARD: So that herb pretty much changed everything.
(Lucius chuckles.)
LUCIUS: Yeah. (He pulls up a chair outside the cell and sits down.)
Yeah, I baked it into my own bread – I like to experiment – and I
noticed that people started to like me ... well, hate me less, but
pretty soon it became like. So I perfected a potion. It worked
great for years. Then the Wraith set up an outpost on the only
planet where I could get the herb. I knew I could never go back
there.
SHEPPARD: `Til we showed up.
LUCIUS (smiling): I'm telling you, it was fate. And everybody wanted
to help, so I let them. See, that's the great thing about this
herb. Nobody gets hurt. They just want to help me all the time.
What's wrong with that? I'm a nice guy. I never make them do
anything they didn't wanna do.
SHEPPARD (pointedly): Six wives.
LUCIUS (raising his eyebrows and smiling wickedly at John): Sometimes
all at once.
(John looks like he's trying not to throw up.)
LUCIUS (standing up): You know, when you get over this cold, you and
I are gonna have a long chat, face to face, and I've got a feeling
we're gonna become the best of friends, and you're gonna want to help
me, too, all the time ... (he grins at John) ... and you'll love it.
SHEPPARD: Just a warning, Lucius: you get too close to me, it'll be
the last thing you do.
LUCIUS: That's alright, Colonel. I'm in no rush.
BECKETT (over radio): Lucius?
LUCIUS (activating his headset): Yeah, go ahead, Carson.
BECKETT: I've finished preparing the inoculation.
LUCIUS: Alright, I'll be right down. (To John) I've got to go get an
inoculation. We'll talk after.
SHEPPARD: He's giving you the ATA therapy?
LUCIUS: Yeah. (He leans down and grins at John.) Isn't that great?

INFIRMARY. Lucius is sitting on a bed as Carson finishes giving him
the inoculation. Elizabeth and Rodney are hovering anxiously nearby.
BECKETT: There. All done. Now remember, it's only effective in forty-
seven percent of those who receive it.
LUCIUS: Well, I'm a naturally lucky fella.
WEIR: The only way to know for sure is to have you try to operate
something.
LUCIUS: OK.
(He tries to get off the bed but seems to be having difficulty.
Carson eases him back down.)
BECKETT: It takes about an hour to be effective. In the meantime,
just rest easy, dear friend.
(He moves away from the bed as Rodney rushes in and helps Lucius to
lie down.)
McKAY: Are you feeling OK? Can I get you anything?
LUCIUS: No, Rodney. I'm fine.
McKAY: You sure?
LUCIUS: Absolutely.
McKAY: Because it would be no trouble.
LUCIUS: Mess hall. Blue jello. Just a little bit of whipped cream.
McKAY: Right away.
(He rushes off. Lucius reaches up to put his hand over Elizabeth's,
which is resting on his shoulder. Elizabeth, who was watching Rodney
leave, turns in delight at his touch.)
LUCIUS: We really should talk about marriage.
(Elizabeth smiles with joy.)

LATER. In the Control Room, everyone is gathered excitedly as
Rodney, smiling in delight, speaks over the radio.
McKAY: Jumper One, this is Flight. The Bay doors are open. You are
go for launch.
(In Jumper One, Lucius is sitting in the pilot's seat.)
LUCIUS: "Go for launch." (He chuckles.) That's so exciting.
(Carson pats him on the shoulder and takes his place in the co-
pilot's seat.)
LUCIUS: Thanks, Rodney! Alright, here goes.
(Suddenly John appears behind him, rips his headset out of his ear
and wrestles him out of the chair.)
SHEPPARD: I'll take it from here.
LUCIUS: Wait – you're supposed to be in jail.
(John starts to tie Lucius' hands behind his back. Lucius turns to
Carson pleadingly.)
LUCIUS: Carson.
BECKETT: Save your breath. Your charm no longer has any effect on me.
(John has finished tying Lucius' hands and now pushes him into the co-
pilot's seat which Carson has vacated.)
LUCIUS: No, no, but Carson, we're supposed to be best of friends.
SHEPPARD (taking the pilot's seat): Carson didn't give you the ATA
gene.
LUCIUS: What?
BECKETT: I'm afraid it's a serum that effectively neutralises the
chemical in that herb of yours. Took some myself.
LUCIUS: Oh.
(Carson smiles and leaves the Jumper. Lucius turns to John as he
fires up the Jumper.)
LUCIUS: I don't know what that means.
SHEPPARD: It means we can have that face-to-face conversation you
always wanted us to have. The only thing that will happen is you'll
catch my cold.

CONTROL ROOM. Everyone is waiting anxiously.
McKAY: What is taking him so long? OK, I should go up there.
(He starts to leave the room but just then a console beeps.)
WEIR: Wait! Wait! They're taking off!
(Everyone smiles in delight and they all race to the outside
balcony. They gaze up into the sky.)
McKAY: It worked!
(They watch joyfully as the Jumper soars up into the sky.)
WEIR (her hands clasped in front of her as she gazes up into the
sky): He's flying it.
ZELENKA (in Czech, as he gazes upwards, almost in tears of joy): He
flies. He flies so beautifully!
McKAY (gazing upwards adoringly): Fly, Lucius. Fly.

JUMPER ONE.
LUCIUS: Where are you taking me?
SHEPPARD: Little vacation. Just enough time to let Doctor Beckett
give the serum to the rest of my people without you interfering.
LUCIUS: And then what?
SHEPPARD: Then maybe I'll take you back home. I'm sure your people
will be thrilled to see you again.
LUCIUS: You would do that for me? Without even being under the
effect of the herb? After all I did?
SHEPPARD: Well, I'm a nice guy.
LUCIUS: Oh, Colonel, I can't thank you enough. Thank you so much ...
SHEPPARD (interrupting): *After* I give them the serum.
(Lucius' face falls.)
LUCIUS: Oh.

ATLANTIS. Team Sheppard returns through the Gate and trots up the
stairs to the Control Room. Elizabeth and Carson meet them at the
top.
WEIR: So, how was Lucius' homecoming?
SHEPPARD: Well, they didn't kill him, although I do see a string of
divorces in his future.
DEX: That's if they haven't strung him up first.
McKAY: Well, the townspeople are over their withdrawal and on the
mend, so I doubt that will happen.
TEYLA: That is, unless we discover he's revealed the location of
Atlantis to anyone.
DEX: In which case I said I would track him down, hang him by his
feet, and cut off his ...
WEIR: Thank you! We get the idea.
(Ronon and Teyla smile at each other.)
SHEPPARD (to Elizabeth): So everyone here, uh, back to normal?
(Carson nods, and he and Elizabeth exchange an embarrassed glance.)
WEIR: We're still fine, John.
SHEPPARD: No lingering desires? Secret longings for his touch?!
BECKETT: It's embarrassing enough without you constantly reminding
us, thank you.
SHEPPARD: Alright, alright. (He turns to Rodney and taps him on the
shoulder.) Hey, buddy, I'd better get back and clean your quarters
before the next scout.
(He pats him on the shoulder again and runs off down the stairs.
Elizabeth and Carson stare in shock, while Rodney looks nervous.)
McKAY: Right.
(He quickly turns to leave, but Teyla and Ronon move to block his
path, Teyla staring at him in horror.)
WEIR (sternly): Rodney.
(Rodney turns back to face her.)
McKAY: It was one teeny, tiny taste, for research purposes.
WEIR: Burn it.
BECKETT: All of it.
WEIR: Right now.
McKAY: Fine. (He turns away sulkily.) Story of my life.
(He goes to walk past Teyla and Ronon, who have opened up a gap again
for him, but pauses to give Teyla a long, lingering smile before
walking away. Teyla looks appalled. Elizabeth and Carson exchange a
glance before watching Rodney walk away.)

The End