All right, everyone, on your toes.
Major gant, report.
A ship just exited a hyperspace window off our port bow, colonel.
Goa'uld vessel, sir. Hat'ak class.
Sound general quarters.
Goa'uld vessel closing on our position.
They're arming weapons, sir.
Shields at maximum.
Load missile bays one through four
and charge the primary weapons system. Yes, sir.
Excuse me.
(Horn blaring)
God, that's annoying.
I believe colonel Ronson has issued a call for battle stations.
Again.
Have we not been assigned
to participate in the damage—control effort?
Yes, and if there's ever any damage,
I'll do my best to control it.
Right now I want to talk to Ronson.
Goa'uld vessel is within range, sir.
Weapons officer. Prepare to fire.
He's the weapons officer.
You'd think he'd already be prepared. Indeed.
The bridge isn't exactly where you're supposed to be during a battle drill.
No.
I've been meaning to talk to you about that.
Can it wait until we're not in the middle of a drill?
When are we not in the middle of a drill?
Okay, we'll talk about it later.
Teal'c, prepare to assist in damage control.
I am prepared, O'Neill.
See how melodramatic that sounds?
It's unnecessary.
Where were we?
(Theme music)
To be honest with you, sir,
I feel like we're getting in the way here.
Sg—I has valuable experience
with both hyperspace travel and the prometheus itself.
Besides, your mission to p7x 009
shouldn't take more than a few hours.
General greer and I justwantyou there for the shakedown cruise.
In the unlikely event of an emergency?
Something like that.
Enjoy the ride, colonel.
Hammond out.
This is prometheus,
requesting go—ahead for mission start.
Prometheus, this is vandenberg. You have an affirmative
for hyperspace win dow activation.
Rog er th at.
Major, we have a go.
Yes, sir. Activating window.
Run level one diagnostics on all weapons systems,
including shields.
Ring transport?
Hit all of them.
Set up a hull—breach simulation for 0500.
That's all.
Yes, sir.
Jack.
You've gotyourself a fine crew here, Ronson.
You've got a pretty solid team yourself.
Yeah. Speaking of that—...
Jack, I know that in the event
of a real situation with the Goa'uld,
you feel that your place would be on the bridge—...
Well, if not me, you'd be a fool not to take advantage
of Teal'c's expertise, and Carter is a genius—...
You're absolutely right,
butyou're just along for the shakedown cruise.
My crew needs to be able to count on me
and on each other after you're gone.
I guess I can respectthat.
Besides, I highly doubt we'll run into the Goa'uld on this mission.
We just dropped out of hyperspace.
Carter, Teal'c, meet me on the bridge.
Major?
We were supposed to be in hyperspace
for another
I don't know what happened.
What's our position?
40.62 light—years short of the target, sir.
Something must have caused the hyperdrive to shut down automatically.
The only way for that to happen
is if the computer detected some instability
in the naquadria powering the engines.
He's right, sir. Diagnostics show
a massive power surge in the hyperdrive.
The failsafes kicked in and shut it down.
Have you begun restart procedures?
I've tried, but the computer wouldn't allow start—up
Carter?
You promised me it would work.
It did work.
No, it didn't.
The hyperdrive was been fitted with a buffer,
like a surge protector.
It was designed to modulate
extreme fluctuations in the energy
coming from the naquadria.
This shouldn't be happening.
Yet it is happening.
Yet it is.
Something must have damaged the buffer.
With your permission, I'd like to take a look.
Yeah. Me too.
Take major gant with you.
Report back to me as soon as possible.
Yes, sir.
Well, we were right.
Something caused the buffer to overload.
It's more or less fried.
It was created to handle massive amounts of energy.
Gravity waves.
I just checked the ship's sensor log.
We passed through an intense gravity wave from a collapsing star.
Well, that would explain it.
It was too much for the buffer to handle.
The hyperdrive engines are still intact,
and we still have the naquadria.
Yeah, but we have no way of regulating it.
There's no way to calculate the distance we've traveled
because of naquadria's inherent instability.
We could end up anywhere.
Well, if he was going to help out,
he'd have shown by now.
Who?
Thor.
Little guy? Gray.
I know who Thor is.
The asgard have proven valuable in similar situations.
Carter?
I'm afraid it doesn't look good, sir.
Even if were able to write a subroutine
into the computer to bypass the buffer,
we'd still risk the reactor going critical.
Use whatever you need to repair the buffer.
Cannibalize whatever systems you deem necessary.
With all due respect, colonel, I can't.
Carter?
Sir, I helped design the buffer module.
I can tell you right now
there is no possible way I can make it operational,
not with what we have on this ship.
It's like a lightbulb that's burn ed out...
You can't just fix it.
Do we have any extra bulbs?
There's no redundancy for that particular system.
So you're saying there's no redundancy?
If we were to plot a course for earth
using maximum sublightthrust,
it wou ld take years—...
We don't have the supplies.
Notto mention the relativistic effects.
That buffer has to be repaired.
Actually, there may be another solution.
According to the cartouche,
there is a planet 38 light—years
from our current position—...
P3x—744.
Now, we've tried dialing it unsuccessfully in the past,
but if it's on the cartouche,
then there had to be a gate there at some point.
Perhaps it may be buried.
If we could make it there and gate home,
we could get what we need to repairtothe ship
we're still talking about a four—month journey using sublight engines.
We'd never make it.
We use the hyperdrive.
I thought we couldn't do that.
For a protracted period of time, no.
744 would be a pretty short hop
the shorter the burst of energy required,
the less chance of instability.
That's what I'm thinking.
It's your call...
Buti don't see how we have much choice.
Major gant, plot a course for 744.
Now orbiting p3x 744, sir.
Any port in a storm, eh?
Good work, people.
Sir, computers are detecting a rapid energy build—up in the naouadria cells.
Shut down power to the reactor.
Controls will not respond, sir.
The reaction is continuing uncontrolled.
The jump must have triggered a power surge
that overloaded the reactor control systems.
Sir, withoutthe buffer, we have no way to stop the build—up
we have a few minutes before the naouadria reactor goes critical.
Standby to jettison the reactor module.
Yes, sir.
If I'm wrong about there being a Stargate on this planet,
we're losing our only means of getting home.
It would appear there is little choice.
Bring shields and sublight engines online.
We're not going to be able to get very far away
before it blows.
Then we're about to find out just how good our shields are.
All hands, brace for impact.
Reactor module separation on my Mark.
Three, two, one, Mark.
Module jettisoned.
Get us clear. Full military thrust.
( Explosion )
Damage report!
An electromagnetic pulse penetrated the shields!
Primary computer systems are down.
All we have is artificial gravity
and life support on most decks.
Casualties?
None reported.
How soon until we get systems back on line?
It's too early to say, sir.
I'd like to assist if I may.
Please do, major.
Colonel Ronson,
I'm picking up incoming bogies,
originating from the planet's surface,
closing on our position, heading this way.
Can you identify them?
Velocity and size indicate some sort of
long—range ballistic weapon, sir.
We're under attack.
Missiles are on an intercept course.
Evasive action. Take us out of orbit.
We can't man euver, sir.
All right.
Arm weapons. We'll try to take them out.
Weapons control is down, sir.
How long before they hit?
Three minutes.
That's not enough time to get systems back online, sir.
Colonel, they only launched their missiles
after we exploded our hyperdrive above their atmosphere.
It could have very well looked like an attack.
I agree, sir.
Based on the weapons they fired,
they're obviously a fairly sophisticated race.
The em pulse that knocked out
most of our computer systems
could have had the same impact on the planet.
Then how were they able to launch missiles?
Ballistic missile sites on earth are shielded for emp
let's talk to them.
Two minutes to missile impact.
I can broadcast on multiple frequencies.
If they're listening, they'll pick it up do it.
This is colonel Jack O'Neill
of the United States air force vessel prometheus.
Can anyone hear me down there?
( Static )
The explosion that happened in orbit over your planet
was an accident.
The resulting em pulse damaged our ship
and we are defenseless against your attack.
( Static )
We've come a long way to meet you folks,
so if there's anything you could do
to, you know, stop those missiles...
One minute to impact.
Lock down all compartments and brace for impact.
We'd very much like the opportunity
to land and introduce ourselves,
but if you destroy our ship,
that's going to be...
Very difficult.
( Static )
Missiles self—destructed at 17,000 meters.
This is commander kalfas of the tagrean security force.
We will transmit landing coordinates.
Kalfas out.
Not exactly an engraved invitation, but...
I would prefer not landing
until we have our shields and weapons back online.
We should have systems back up within a few minutes, sir.
The guy you talked to is commander kalfas.
The name of the planet is tagrea.
Kalfas. Tagrea. Got it.
Sir, I've been scanning for naquadah traces with the ship's sensors
in an effortto determine the location of the Stargate.
So far, I've got nothing.
Could the cartouche be incorrect?
It hasn't been wrong yet.
If they don't accept our apology, finding the Stargate's
going to be the least of our problems.
Drop your weapons immediately.
Howdy, fellas.
Colonel Jack O'Neill, United States—...
Several powerful weapons are aimed at both you and your ship
air force...
Disarm yourselves, or you will be fired upon.
This is not negotiable.
I believe he is being sincere in his threat, O'Neill.
I guess we have to start trusting them at some point.
Yeah.
I take it we have you to thank for destroying the missiles
before they hit our ship,
thus saving our lives?
There was something in your voice that I trusted.
Did I mention we're sorry?
Knowing thatthe em pulse caused damage to your ship,
I'm willing to accept that it was unintentional.
I'm not so willing.
Power has been restored to the cities affected, kalfas.
There was considerable impact
on our economic systems.
They will recover.
We still don't know the extent of the damage.
Nothing...
Compared to th e event
of meeting a race of people from another world
for the very first time.
It is a profound moment for us.
You have said that tagrea holds the key
to returning to your home planet.
Could you be more specific?
Chairman ashwan,
we believe you possess a piece of alien technology
that is capable of transporting living matter
across the galaxy.
We'd like to borrow your Stargate.
I'm sorry, our "Stargate"?
Kind of a ring thing?
Comes with a dialer, you hit the symbols,
it spins around, and lights come on,
it kind of flushes sideways.
It looks like...
This.
Once it's activated,
it is able to transport you
from one planetto another instantaneously.
In this case, from tagrea to our planet, earth.
They seek the ring of the gods.
If that's what you want to call it.
"Ring of the gods" is good.
Please, understand.
This device you seek, the Stargate,
I regret to tell you, but—...
It's a myth.
There has never been a shred of evidence
to prove its existence.
Have you looked around? Just...
If you Grant us access to your historical data,
we might be able to shed some light on the situation.
No. Your freedom of movement is not negotiable.
Once this meeting is over,
you are to return to your vessel
an d stay there unless further instructed.
In the meantime,
I will have some basic historical data delivered to your ship.
Mr. Chairman—...
If you do somehow succeed
in proving the existence of this Stargate,
we will be glad to help you locate it
as an act of good faith between our two worlds.
Thank you, ashwan.
They may well be gathering information for an invasion.
Even if you're right, knowing our history will do no harm.
But, kalfas...
What if this ring does exist?
Imagine, after all these centuries,
finding a piece of our past.
And what if our past was buried for a good reason?
Travelers from another world are seeking our help.
How goes the homework?
Besides the language, there's almost nothing
to indicate how these people got here.
No archaeological data, no ancient writings.
No documentation of any artifacts.
I have found no mention of the chappa'i,
nor any other technology used by the Goa'uld.
That's a little weird.
The Goa'uld are damn litterbugs.
They usually leave a lot of crap behind.
That is most often the case.
If this is a comprehensive history of tagrea,
it's a joke.
There's nothing here dating further back than 300 years.
Maybe ayear is longer on this planet.
Maybe, sir, but even so,
without an idea of where the tagreans came from,
we have no way of finding the Stargate.
So, either they are hiding something from us, or...
Or their entire past has been erased.
You invited them for dinner?
I was thinking more of a brunch.
To be honest, colonel, we offered it in exchange
for access to their central archives.
A library pass for atour of the ship
and when were you going to inform me of this arrangement?
Now.
You know, I can appreciate that you want to get home,
but my first priority
is the security of this ship and crew—...
Ronson, your ship and crew are going nowhere
unless we find that gate.
I just don't like the idea
of giving a guided tour of prometheus
to the same people
who've got gun batteries aimed at us.
We'd do the same damn thing.
Colonel Ronson, we need these people to get home,
and we didn't exactly make a good first impression.
We'll do this little barbecue of yours,
but that's as far as I go.
Do we have a barbecue?
How many planets has sg—I been to?
133.
And on each of them,
the ones inhabited by humans at least,
there's been some indication of their origins, right?
I mean, atemple, some ruins—...
It is indeed a mystery, Jonas Quinn.
A Goa'uld would not bring this many tauri to a new world
and not force them to build monuments in his honor.
Well, I don't care how hard you try,
you can't erase history.
Something has to remain.
We just need to find it.
We are being watched.
The guy half hiding behindthe bookshelf?
He's been casing us since we got here.
And not very well, either.
Most impressive.
And you say much of the technology
incorporated into your vessel is of alien origin?
Yes...
Most of the key systems, in fact.
It's one thing to build a ship,
it's another to fly it across the galaxy.
We haven't quite gotten that part straighten ed out yet.
We use a rare element called naquadria
to power our hyperdrive engines,
but it can be extremely unstable.
In fact, that instability
ultimately led to the explosion above your planet.
We had to eject the reactor.
Why use such a dangerous substance to power your ship?
I've asked the same question.
For the time being, naquadria is our shortcut to interstellar travel.
More stable forms of energy
simply don't provide enough power to run the hyperdrive.
Several of my advisors have expressed concern
thatthis is a military vessel.
What would you have me say to them?
That they're right.
Prometheus was designed primarily
for defensive purposes.
From these Goa'uld you mentioned? Yes.
Without your main source of power?
With or without the naquadria reactor,
this ship is more than capable
of defending itself against attack.
May I introduce colonel William Ronson,
commander of the prometheus.
It is an honor.
I assure you, colonel, we would not attack without provocation.
There are several gun batteries aimed at my ship, sir.
We must defend ourselves from any action you might take.
For example, should chairman ashwan and I
fail to appear at a specific time,
my men have orders to fire those batteries.
Then perhaps we had better continue the tour.
Please, major Carter, after you.
Thank you, sir.
Sir.
May we be of assistance?
Forgive me. I did not want to intrude.
My name is tarek solamon.
I am a professor of mathematics here at the university.
Well, I'm Jonas Quinn. This is Teal'c.
If you were curious, you should have come over.
With respect, Mr. Quinn,
it is not you I was curious about.
It is what you seek that interests me.
Continue.
You seek evidence of the ring of the gods.
I believe I can help you find it.
I hope everything is satisfactory.
We weren't expecting to host a formal dinner
when we started this mission.
It is fascinating
to realize we are eating food
grown and prepared on a world millions of light—years away.
And frozen millions of years ago.
It's the best we have on board.
Mr. Chairman,
we couldn't help but notice in our research
that your history seems limited to the last 300 years.
Prior to our recorded history,
our people endured
a long andterrible dark age,
one they desperately wish ed to forget,
thus only after tagrea emerged from this black era
did historians begin again to record events.
Butthat means that you're missing thousands of years of your past.
Yes.
Aren't you curious?
Well, it's hardly a question of choice, colonel.
Even if we wished to know our ancient history,
there is none to study.
All evidence of it was destroyed centuries ago.
We believe what came before year zero
has no intrinsic value to our society.
The society of the new era
has no need to know howthey suffered.
On earth,
we stu dy our past to learn from it.
Whereas we believe nostalgia is a sign of weakness.
I'm sure both points of view have merit.
Well said, major.
A drinkto history.
And to the future.
Colonel O'Neill, major Carter.
The meal was...
Interesting.
Glad you liked it.
He didn't say that.
Well, I did. Thank you.
You know, now that we've gotten
to know each other a little better,
do you think having those guns pointed at us
is completely necessary?
Would your colonel Ronson not be as vigilant?
Yes. I'm sure he would.
Mr. Chairman?
Go, kalfas. I will join you in a moment.
I apologize for commander kalfas' behavior.
Diplomacy is not his strength.
Yes. We share that quality in common.
Since itook office,
I have been perceived publicly
as being weak in matters of civic defense.
As a result,
kalfas has growing political support.
Our arrival hasn't helped things much, has it?
No.
I only hope his mistrust does not interfere
with your quest for the Stargate.
I believe finding it would be
a great discovery for our people.
Please excuse the state of my office.
So, you said you could help us find
the ring of the gods.
How?
With these.
I spent a lifetime collecting them.
Relics from before my people
turned their back on their god.
To which god are you referring?
Our creator. Horus.
Only a few of us dare believe in him.
It is the symbol of heru—ur.
You know him?
Heru—ur is not a god. He is a Goa'uld.
He is the one who made us.
The relics speak of him as the creator of all life.
The one who spoke us into existence.
More likely, he's the one who enslaved your ancestors
and broughtthem here from earth.
Heru—ur must have abandoned your people many years ago
when the resources he sought were depleted.
Then the tagreans must have tried to destroy
all evidence of their former god as an act of defiance,
including everything to do with the Stargate.
They did not destroy everything.
This remains.
My understanding of this language
is extremely limited,
but it appears to be
an etching of something called a "shap eye".
A chappa'i.
This text
is a slight variation of predynastic Egyptian.
It's beautiful.
This section right here
says heru—ur's Stargate can be found...
In a great desert to the north.
It must mean the wastelands of anhur.
They lie far beyondthe city.
I have found many of my arti facts there.
Really?
Guys?
We'd like to take a little field trip
they want to be taken to coordinates somewhere in the wastelands.
Then take them.
I think that's a mistake.
Because they may find
something you do not wish them to find?
If this is some sort of reconnaissance—...
You're being ridiculous.
And you are being reckless.
Representatives from another world have come to tagrea.
Another world. Do you understand?
And what's more, they seek our help.
We don't even know their true intentions.
Or whatthey can offer us—...
An exchange of knowledge andtechnology.
The Stargate could open up the universe for our people.
A universe of potential enemies.
I demand that you reconsider.
We cannot undo what has happened.
The difference is, kalfas, iwould not if I could.
They are here,
and we must deal with them one way or another.
I prefer to help
and I preferto—...
Now, have them taken to the coordinates.
As you wish.
The Stargate should be located
directly in the middle of the second...
Andthird monument.
Are you certain, Jonas Quinn?
No. But that's what it says.
Jonas.
You think that's a cover stone?
Indeed.
"Here lies the chappa'i of heru—ur,
"false god to the people of tagrea.
May it never know the daylight again."
The ring exists.
O'Neill.
What's up, t?
I believe we have located the Stargate.
Well, that's good news.
We will require assistance to retrieve it.
I'll talk to ashwan.
Nice job.
Jonas!
It looks good. It looks intact.
Well, let's give it a shot.
Kalfas. What're you doing?
I'm taking back what belongs to my people.
Kalfas' actions are outrageous.
Tell him to stand down.
I have done exactly that, colonel. He refuses.
He claims to be protecting tagrea's security.
Have him arrested.
Kalfas commands a great loyalty among many in the military.
Challenging him would only lead to civil war.
Sir, we could use the prometheus.
Her weapons would be more than a match for kalfas' troops.
There is still that nagging problem
of all the guns pointed at it.
I chose the commander of those gun batteries myself.
He is loyal to me.
Colonel, I give you my word, he will not fire upon your ship.
Kalfas...
You have no idea what you're dealing with.
I know our ancestors buried this device for a reason.
Maybe they were wrong.
Maybe it's time for you to stop being afraid of the past?
It's not the past I'm concerned about.
It's the future.
Having assessed our strength,
you would undoubtedly return in greater numbers.
You have nothing to fear from the tauri.
We just want to fix our ship.
Our people can become friends,
they can exchange knowledge, even trade.
We'll even teach you how to use the Stargate.
Yes. You will teach me how to use it.
They're holding two of my men prisoner.
We need the ship.
Our shields are still down, Jack.
If we take off andthey open fire with those guns—...
Ashwan promised they wouldn't.
He just lost control of his government,
and I'm going to trust my crew to his word?
Yes. That's what you're going to do.
Jack,
you're asking me to risk everyone on this ship
if that is so, colonel Ronson,
then iwill be taking the same risk.
You may launch your vessel when ready.
You will not be fired upon.
Major gant.
Fire up the sublight engines.
Arm all available weapons
and prepare to return fire—...
On my orders only.
That will not be necessary, colonel.
Let's hope the old man is right,
or this is going to be a short ride.
No sign of weapon fire from the gun batteries, sir.
I think we're clear.
Very well.
Proceed to the coordinates at on e—third th rust.
Yes, sir.
Are you sure you're up to this, Mr. Chairman?
Things could get out of hand down there.
I am not afraid, major.
I should have done this a long time ago.
This is Ronson. We're in position.
Rog er th at.
Prometheus, hold your fire until my signal.
Prometheus has your six, sg—I.
Kalfas, this has gone far enough.
Release these men.
Hold your positions.
We cannot let him hand this device over to the aliens.
Commander kalfas...
He's a good man,
a cautious man.
But he thinks, as our ancestors did,
that it is better to control what we do not understand,
to Bury it so it cannot harm us.
Itoo once thought as he does,
but no longer.
These "aliens" who kalfas fears so much
are not conquerors.
They are long—lost brethren.
Look at it.
This is where we came from.
This is who we are.
Our ancestors erased our history
out of fear,
and yet without our history,
we cannot know who we are...
Or what we may some day become.
I will not make that same mistake.
I am relieving you of your command.
You and your men will stand down.
I said, lower your weapons!
Take him away.
Didn't know you had that in you.
Neither did I.
We'll be back in a few days
with some equipment to repair our ship.
Until then, colonel Ronson and his crew
will be our honored guests.
Join us at a state dinner upon your return.
Hey, thanks, tarek.
Thank you. I hope you will soon return.
There is much to learn about our history.
Yeah, we can definitely help you outthere,
but I think you know more than most people on your planet.
I have a feeling this guy's going to be getting a bigger office soon.