SGU Stargate Universe (2009–2011): Season 1, Episode 10 - Justice - full transcript

Destiny...

The design is clearly ancient,

launched hundreds of thousands
of years ago.

Where the hell are we?

Several billion
light years from home.

We are on a ship,
but we have no idea where we are

in relation to Earth.

This ship could be
the most important discovery

mankind has made
since the Stargate itself.

These are the wrong people

in the wrong place.



We've got a lot of wounded.

We need to get home.

We barely have enough power

to operate the main systems.

This ship simply doesn't have
the capability to dial Earth.

Colonel, this chair pre-dates
those found in the Milky Way...

You want this chair to be some
kind of wonderful discovery,

that's fine, prove it.

I didn't steal anything!

- Then what's this, huh?
- Those are mine!

I brought them through
with me when we evacuated!

Where you going?

What the hell's your problem?

My problem is
fat-asses like you



clogging up the hallway!

You know what,
I've had it with you!

Looks like a sweet potato.

That is so not
going to be sweet.

How do you know?

Analysis we did on the planet

when we dug the first ones up.

Just to make sure it was safe.

It's safe.

It's safe.

Now, that is one sweet potato.

Really?

Everybody try it!
Dig in.

Oh, my God.

I think I'm going to be sick.

It is food, people!

It will keep us alive.

Becker, boil 'em up,
mash 'em up,

and serve 'em up.

Yes, sir.

Who's on KP duty?

Uh, Sergeant Spencer,

but he should have
been here an hour ago.

Sergeant Spencer,

you have KP duty,
and you are late.

Spencer,
get your sorry ass out of bed!

You have KP duty!

I do not have time for this,
Sergeant. Let's go.

Spencer...

What was wrong
with the old schedule?

I'm worried that we may be
pushing them too hard.

It's not boot camp.

No.
No, in boot camp,

you have plenty of opportunity
to learn from your mistakes.

Colonel Young,
this is Sergeant Greer.

Go ahead.

I'm in Sergeant Spencer's
quarters.

He did not show up for duty.

I came by to check up on him.

Greer, what is it?

He's been shot, sir.

He's dead.

Stargate Universe: "Justice"
Season 1 Episode 10

When did it happen?

Rigor's set in pretty good,
but not completely,

so I'd guess...

an hour either side of, uh,

0200.

And no one heard the shot?

He chose to have his quarters
away from everybody else.

Based on the blood
splatter on the wall

and the position of the body,
I'd say he was...

sitting on
the edge of the bed.

Suicide.

Well...

Why was he even allowed

access to a gun?

He was a highly trained NCO...

No, he was unstable,

- and you know it.
- With duties that required him

- to be armed.
- Oh, it was required of him?

- Yes.
- Excuse me, ma'am?

You know I have
said it from day one.

- That it...
- It wasn't suicide.

- What are you talking about...
- Do you see a gun?

It was gone when I got here.

I checked the whole
compartment.

Whoever did this
took the weapon with them.

So, any suspects?

Well, excuse me
for being blunt,

but there is a killer
on board the ship.

Do we have any idea
who did this?

I don't know.

I'm still trying to
wrap my head around it.

- I... It's unbelievable.
- Is it?

You put ordinary people
under enough stress,

I think you'll find
they're capable

of just about anything.

Add to that the fact
he was hoarding

water and food,

involved in several
confrontations,

I doubt you'll find many tears

shed over this man.

He was one of our own, Rush.

I'm sorry, Lieutenant,
was he your friend?

Did he, in fact,

have one single friend
on board this ship?

James hung out with him.

She... tolerated him.

All right, so no one
could stand the guy.

Does not make it okay.

I didn't mean to suggest
that it did.

What I do suggest, however,
is that Colonel Young,

you should try and find out
who this killer is

as quickly as possible.

As I am sure many of you
have already heard,

Sergeant Spencer
was killed last night.

He signed the weapon out
of the equipment lock-up yesterday,

and the nine millimeter handgun
was not returned,

and is still missing.

I'm aware of
how extremely disturbing

this is for all of us,

so this is what
we're going to do.

Lieutenant Scott, Eli,
Mr. Brody,

Lieutenant James
and Dr. Park were together

playing cards in the mess

at the time of the murder.

They can all corroborate
each others' stories,

which gives them an alibi...

Hey, I was in the control room
all night.

Yeah, I was in
the hydroponics lab.

- Check the Kino footage!
- Listen.

I'm sure others
will have alibis,

but some of us won't.

I can tell you for a fact

that I was in my bunk
sleeping at the time,

but I can't prove that,

and that makes me as much
of a suspect as anyone.

That is why I am
turning over full control

of the investigation.

Lieutenant...

All right.

We are going to do
a room-by-room search,

starting with quarters,

until the weapon is found.

Now, everyone needs
to stay here

until that search is complete,

- but in the meantime...
- You are not searching my room

without me there.

Anybody who wants to be there

when their room
is being searched

can come along when
their name is called.

That fair?

Okay, Dr. Franklin,
you can be first.

Who else would like to
be present when their...

All right, okay, uh, it'll...

It'll take all day that way,

but we can, uh,
we can do two at a time...

if that's what you want.

Uh, you two, follow me.

All right,
Dr. Franklin,

stay near the hatch, please.

Guess I should be thankful
there's no cavity search.

That can be arranged,
Franklin.

Hey, we don't like this
any more than you do.

Right.

Yeah, there's nothing here.

You can just stay here now
until the all-clear.

You know, Lieutenant,
I understand the need

for a thorough investigation,
check all possibilities.

But you shouldn't lose
sight of the obvious.

What are you talking about?

Sergeant Greer has to be

your number one suspect.

So he killed Spencer,

ran away to hide the gun,

then went back
and called it in?

Besides, if he did do it,

you'd have no evidence at all.

Not helping your argument...

I'm just saying,

he's one of the few people

we can eliminate as a suspect.

Colonel Young, come in.

What is it?

I've found
some new information

regarding
the ancient chair interface.

Have they checked
your quarters?

Well, I don't know, actually.
I've got work to do.

Where are you?

The control interface room.

Look, I've come across
some very interesting data...

You're supposed to be here,

waiting with the rest of us.

Colonel, obviously
neither one of us

has anything to do
with this business.

Well, that's not the point...

I thought
while this was going on,

it might give us the opportunity
to keep working.

Obviously, I was wrong.
Rush out.

Rush, get your ass
back to the gateroom.

Rush!

Colonel Young,
this is Scott, come in.

Go ahead, Lieutenant.

You're up, sir.

Do you want to be here, or...

No, no, you go ahead,
I'll, uh, I'll wait here.

Uh, all right,
there's obviously nothing here.

Let's move on.

Eli, come on.

Uh...

What is it?

Colonel, this is Scott.

I need you to get
down here right away.

Where was it?

In the air vent.

The vent.

That's imaginative.

I didn't mean to look
that hard.

That's okay.

I was the one
who authorized the search.

Right.

You don't believe
I put it there, do you?

No, sir.
Of course not.

Somebody's trying
to frame me, Eli.

Right.

Right, so this what
I've been thinking.

We say that we found it
in a storage room.

Only the person
who hid it in there

will know any better.

Maybe we can
smoke 'em out that way.

Uh, are we sure

- that that's a good idea?
- He did not kill Spencer, Eli.

- I'm not saying that he did...
- Look, this is obviously someone

trying to undermine
the Colonel's authority.

We cannot let that happen.

Eli's right.

I want you to take
this gun to Wray,

tell her where and how
you found it.

Leave nothing out.

She'll know what to do.

Sir...

I can't investigate myself,
Lieutenant,

and you can't be asked
to investigate

your immediate
superior officer.

That leaves Wray.

We got to play this
by the book.

But with all due respect, sir,

if the book covers this,
I missed it.

Lieutenant, I need you
to listen to me.

Something's going on here.

If we get caught in a lie now,

this is going to turn
into a bigger mess

than it already is, all right?

So I need everything
above board,

out in the open.
That is an order.

Well, this looks bad.

It doesn't prove anything.

That's not the point.

This is a question of morale.

A lot of people onboard
are going to have doubts.

Eli, you were flying a Kino

in everyone's face last night.

Just until the poker game,

then...

then I put it in search mode.

Well, maybe
it caught something.

Something that might indicate

that Colonel Young
had nothing do with it.

Or that he did.

I find that hard to believe.

Have you contacted Earth yet?

I was just about to use
the communication stones.

Well, whatever
your superiors advise...

we are on our own out here.

Best we handle this ourselves.

Thanks for coming.

I need a favor.

Obviously you've heard about
what's been going on.

Yeah, it's pretty hard
to miss.

I didn't do it.

Okay.

Unfortunately, it looks like

I'm going to have to
clear my name

before I can find out who did.

Uh, I don't understand...

Wray used the stones...
Please...

to talk to her IOA superiors.

She came back
authorized to hold

an evidentiary hearing
on the matter.

That doesn't sound so bad.

Don't kid yourself.
She's going to come after me.

Why?

Well, the IOA's
been chomping at the bit

to have one of their own
in charge.

This is
the best shot they've got.

Well, you-you could talk
to General O'Neill.

Miss Armstrong,
I could stay in charge

without having to run
to General O'Neill

if that's what I wanted to do.

This is about more than that.

The point is,

if she's going to be
the de facto prosecutor,

I'm going to need a defense.

So...

- Me?
- You went to Harvard.

Political science.

This is more politics
than law.

I-I would think
Lieutenant Scott, or...

I don't want it to seem like
the military against the civilians.

Please.

Doctor...

Have you ever seen
Colonel Young

attack one of
his own men before?

I-I wouldn't call it
an attack.

He was defending me.

Have you ever seen
Colonel Young

have any kind of
physical confrontation

- with one of his men?
- No, but I'm not military.

You did serve at Icarus Base

for a period of six months,

which was under his command.

Look, Spencer
was out of control.

He had to do something.

Did he?

I was in the control room
running a test.

Colonel Young
and Dr. Rush were...

were talking.

I don't think they realized
that I could hear them.

And what were they saying?

Uh, Colonel Young
was complaining

about Sergeant Spencer.

Said that he had
gotten out of hand,

and if the situation
didn't improve,

he might have to take,
uh, drastic measures.

But you have no way of knowing

what he meant by that, do you?

Assuming you heard correctly.

No, not at the time, I didn't.

I don't remember the exact
details of the conversation.

But you do remember

speaking with Colonel Young
about Sergeant Spencer.

Well, the colonel was doing
most of the talking.

I think he just wanted
to let off steam.

Do you remember him saying
that if things didn't improve,

he was going to have to take
drastic action?

I'm not sure he used
those exact words.

Do you agree that

Sergeant Spencer
was a disruptive force,

that his attitude
was damaging to morale

and was only getting worse?

Yes.

Then would you say that his...

removal from the situation

has been a net benefit,
or a detriment?

I know what
you're trying to do.

You want me to suggest that...

we're better off without him,

therefore imply
that Colonel Young

may have drawn
the same conclusion.

That as commander,

he may have believed
he had no choice.

Well?

Well, that would be
pure speculation,

and I'm having none of it.

Didn't stop him from
saying it out loud, did it?

Are you sure there's nothing
in the Kino footage?

I-I've confirmed alibis
for half a dozen or so people,

but I haven't found anything
that helps the colonel.

You found an empty bottle

of sleeping pills in
Sergeant Spencer's quarters,

- didn't you?
- Yes.

Did you know
he was taking them?

I wish I had.

I might have been able
to help him.

You're suggesting that
he had a dependence,

and as a result,

that he was suffering
from withdrawal.

It would explain
a lot of things.

But you don't
know that for a fact.

- No.
- Hypothetically,

if he was suffering
from withdrawal,

it could have caused him
anxiety, depression,

even suicidal tendencies.

- Yes.
- In fact,

all the physical evidence,

the blood spatter,
the angle of the wound,

the position of the body,

it was all consistent
with suicide.

Yes.

But you're not
a forensic scientist.

No, but I've seen
gunshot suicides before.

And in those cases,

was the gun ever absent
when the body was found?

No, but it's obvious
that someone planted...

It's not up to you
to speculate...

Isn't it true, Lieutenant,

that if we were on Earth,

there is a simple test
you could do to determine

if Sergeant Spencer
had fired that gun?

I suppose we could test
his hand for powder residue,

and properly test the weapon
for fingerprints,

but we don't have
the necessary equipment...

Is it possible that
a forensic scientist from Earth,

say, using
the communication stones,

might have been helpful

even without
the special equipment

you're talking about?

Miss, if we hadn't
handled the weapon

or contaminated
the crime scene...

Yeah, but whose
decision was it

to have us investigate
this ourselves?

Ms. Wray,
I think it was my turn

to ask questions.

What are you doing?

I'm taking my turn,
as we agreed.

Lieutenant...

Would a proper autopsy

be able to determine
if he was in fact

- suffering from withdrawal?
- Yes.

Expert or no expert,

without any actual forensic
equipment or facilities,

is it possible
to know for certain

what really happened?

I don't think so.

I think it's time that, uh,
we take a short recess.

We'll resume in an hour.

Thank you.

I need to talk to you, now.

What was that?

We're trying to get
to the truth here.

I don't think
that's even possible.

We can't afford to have
an unsolved murder

hanging over our heads.

So forget about the possibility

that the colonel
is being framed

- and just get this over with?
- I don't think Colonel Young

is so far above reproach
as you seem to think he is.

Oh, well, you're
the human resources person.

You would know all about that.

In fact,
you probably know more

about every person
on this ship than anyone.

If we're throwing due process
out the window,

who do you think did it?

We'll just go with that.

You don't think
he really did it.

I'm not so sure what
to think anymore.

Spencer was a menace,
we all know it.

Maybe it's just like
Rush said,

maybe he thought
he had no other choice.

- No, that's crazy.
- Well, let's face it,

how well do any of us
really know the man?

She wants to gather
all the evidence she can

and then put it to a vote.

What, like a jury?

No, everyone.

I say we end this right now.

I say we go in there,

tell 'em that
the party's over,

and get back to work!

Who's with me?

All right,
take it easy, Greer.

This is mob rule.

- Sergeant...
- Lieutenant...

This is what they used
to do to guys like me

for looking at white women
the wrong way.

Now, you think
I'm going to hang back

and let this go...

Am I interrupting something?

No, sir.

At ease.

This has gone on
long enough, Colonel.

We're ready to back your play.

That won't be necessary.

Sir?

Ms. Wray and I have already
come to an agreement.

She's going to close
the investigation

for lack of evidence
against me.

I, in return,
will be stepping down.

From this moment on,

she's in command.

I hear congratulations
are in order.

Really?

I was just wondering
what I'd gotten myself into.

An opportunity to do
things differently, perhaps?

What do you want, Nicholas?

Control over my science team,

including Eli.

But you report to me.

Of course.

That's it?

You sound surprised.

This is it?

This is it.

Not very impressive.

I mean, as far as chairs go.

Well, time will tell,
I suppose.

So you sit in the chair,

and it downloads
the secrets of the universe

into your head?

And then you die.

Not necessarily, Eli.

Every time
it's ever been tried.

This close to death.

Who's tried it?

General O'Neill, for one.

- And he survived.
- We don't have little gray aliens

to set things right this time.

No, we don't, but...

this is an earlier model
of that same device,

possibly a prototype.

Built very early
in their evolution.

In my experience,

the 1.0 version's
usually the most buggy.

It's also the simplest.

Maybe it's really simple.

Maybe it just tells you
how to fly the ship.

Well, I'm sure
it's a bit more than that,

but your point is well made.

It's knowledge
of this ship we need.

If we're to survive,

or for that matter,

get back to Earth one day,

then I'm convinced
that this chair

is the only way to do that.

Maybe there's a way

of choosing what information
gets downloaded.

Or maybe it's just a matter
of slowing down the download

so it can be cut off.

There's only one way
to find out.

This is our priority now.

I-I don't get it.

If Wray admits

that there's not enough
evidence against you...

Well, there may not
be enough to convict,

but there's plenty
to cast doubt.

If I force the issue,
we risk dividing the crew.

We can't afford that.

These people need
a real leader.

Whether they like it or not?

- Maybe.
- Lieutenant...

Nobody signed up for this,
and I can't just assume

they're going to
follow my orders,

and I can't rule
the ship by force.

I mean I won't.

All right.

You tell us
that Wray is in charge,

that is fine,

but as far as me, and Tamara,

and the enlisted
personnel are concerned,

you are still
our commanding officer,

and nothing is
going to change that.

Still here?

Yeah, I got stuck
with the late shift.

How's it coming?

It's not.

We've run every ancient
systems diagnostic

we've got.
Nothing.

Rush is trying to
write a new program,

but it seems like
this thing is designed

to prevent any kind of access
except through the chair itself.

Which would prevent
an alien species

who doesn't happen to share
ancient physiology

from trying to hack in,
I guess.

Maybe Rush is right.

Maybe we're close enough
for it to work.

Believe me,

if Rush thought it was safe,

he'd be sitting there
right now.

Yeah.

Maybe...

You should get some rest.

Nah.

Rush is due to relieve me
at 2300.

If I wasn't here,
I'd never hear the end of it.

Maybe you could go to the mess

and get me some of Becker's
alien mashed potatoes?

Really?

I'm starving.

Okay.

You got it.

This is Eli!

Anybody on this channel?
I-I need help!

Eli, this is Young.
What is it?

I have a medical emergency.
I need help now!

- What's going on?
- I don't know, yet.

What happened?

How long's he been in here?

I-I went to the mess
for five minutes,

and when I got back,
he was already on the chair.

Well, the convulsions
have stopped,

but he's completely
unresponsive.

He's basically
in a deep catatonic state.

Is there anything
you can do for him?

We could try
a high dose of lorazepam,

see if it'll
bring him out of it,

but I'm flying blind here.

Do it.

Yes, ma'am.

How is he?

You just couldn't wait,
could you?

Anyone who had access
to that room

was under strict orders
not to sit in that chair...

You knew.

- You knew the temptation was there...
- We were there to analyze...

In fact, you made sure of it

by telling them
it was our only chance!

Determine the feasibility
of accessing that information

- without risking anyone's life!
- You wanted somebody there

because you didn't have
the guts to do it yourself!

Both of you, stop!

It was under my authority,

so ultimately,
it's my responsibility.

I know.

All right, we need to talk.

You've got those things
running day and night,

all over the dang ship,

and you are telling me
not one of them saw something...

- No!
- Anything out of the ordinary?

No!

I've been over it twice,
there's nothing there.

Look again.

Matt...

He was framed, Eli.

We are going
to find out by who,

and we're going to
put a stop to it.

Okay.

This is Brody in the gateroom.

Go ahead.

We have an active gate,
and we sent through a Kino.

Atmosphere is nominal.

Temperature is in the green.

We're good to go.

I'll be there in a minute.

Sergeant Greer.

Ma'am, may I have
a moment of your time?

I have to get down
to the gateroom.

We're ready to send a team
to the next planet.

That's actually what
I wanted to talk to you about.

I notice that myself
and a few other marines

were taken off
the away team duty list.

Yes.

May I ask why?

Call it a...
temporary adjustment.

You thought it was me
who killed Spencer at first,

didn't you?

You were a valid suspect.

If you can't deal with that,
it's your problem, not mine.

Now, get out of my way.

Yes, ma'am.

But I'm not going anywhere.

All right,
it doesn't look like

there's much vegetation
around the gate,

so you may have to
widen your search.

Lieutenant James
and Airman Rennie

will be providing security,
but you're in charge.

Congratulations.

Yay.

Okay, what?

I'm sorry.
I should have caught it.

What?

You have to look close.

T... There's nothing there.

Look at the time codes.

They don't match.

Wait, wait, wait, what's that?

That is a deletion.

I wouldn't have
even noticed it,

except it caused
a minor glitch in the code.

It's from the exact time
that Spencer was shot.

So the Kino did
pick up something.

It must have.

But if it's deleted,
how does that help us?

Because whoever did this
was good,

but not good enough.

What...

What they couldn't have known

is that I always back up
the last two days of footage

on my hard drive.

Why?

My documentary.

I have to download it
to my computer

before I can edit it.

If there's an ancient version
of iMovie in the database,

I haven't found it.

There.

Colonel Young,
go to channel two.

What is it, Lieutenant?

I've got something
you need to see.

Oh, God...

I tell ya,
if I could change one thing

about the day
we escaped from Icarus,

I would've worn better shoes.

Really?

Those are nice shoes.

Seriously,

how much longer do we
have to keep this up?

There's obviously
nothing here.

What?

Spoke too soon.

An alien ship?

Are you sure?

That's what he said.

How long till we jump?

Just over two hours.

I'm on my way.

I was just coming to get you.

Not now.
I have to get to the planet.

It can wait.

Look, they found the remains
of a crashed alien ship.

There's very little time

before we jump back to FTL.

It can wait.

It's been about a week
since I ran out of pills.

Haven't slept much since.

I can't think.

Everything's...

I don't know.

These people
don't even realize

they're inside
a big floating coffin.

I wish I could come up
with something better to say.

I'm sorry.

The Kino kept recording,

but the file must have gotten
corrupted in the transfer.

This was all I could get.

Well, the point is,

it wasn't there
when Greer found the body,

so we know someone took it,

along with the gun.

Who would have the skills

to delete the file
from the mainframe?

It's not that hard, really.

Anyone with a basic knowledge
of the ship's computer.

At least a dozen people,

if not more.

Colonel, I'm sorry.

I, uh...

I-I don't know
what to say.

Obviously, we need to
re-think our situation.

Obviously.

We should recall the team
from the planet...

No, no, we can't do that.

In over a dozen planets,

we haven't had
a single indication

of advanced technology
up until now.

This mess
isn't going anywhere.

He's right.

This ship could be important.

I'm going too.

- If you think it's really...
- I'm not asking permission.

I'm telling you.

Let's go.

Well, it's not ancient.

That much we've figured out.

The material, the design,
it's completely different.

It's not emitting
any radiation, or EM fields.

It's basically dead.

Have you been inside?

We've located what
looks like a hatch,

but we haven't figure out
how to get in.

We'd probably
have to cut it open.

Well, how much time
would that take?

More than we have.

We're pushing it as it is.

Lieutenant, let's pack it up.

Yes, sir.

No, just give me
a couple of more minutes.

A few minutes is
going to make a difference?

Well, it might.

All right.

I'm willing to push it
if you are.

Take your team
and head back to the gate.

Are you sure?

Yeah, we'll be
right behind you.

Whatever you say.

You know, Volker was right.

This is unlike

any other kind of alien technology
we've encountered before.

If they're indigenous
to this part of the universe,

they might be willing
to trade.

Knowledge, information...

There has to be a way in.

I know it was you.

I'm sorry?

The files...

were not corrupted.

The Kino kept recording
until you came into the room.

So let's hear it.

Let's hear how you lie your way
out of this one.

I heard the shot.

I went to investigate.

Then I found him.

And then you, uh,

you decided to frame me
for murder.

That's a bit melodramatic.

No.

I knew there wouldn't be
any real evidence against you.

The idea was to create
just enough doubt

to get you to step aside.

I see.

That was the idea.

Well, you're the wrong man
for the job, Colonel.

I'm sorry to have to be
the one to say it,

but I think
you know it's true.

Do I?

You don't believe
in the mission.

You resigned your position
as SG Leader

because you didn't want
to make the hard decisions.

The life and death decisions.

Well, that makes you
a liability.

I'm not proud of what I did,

but I did it for the benefit
of everyone on board.

The end justifies the means.

Yeah, something like that.

Are we done?

We'll never be done.

We shouldn't have
left them there.

What, so we could
get stuck there, too?

No one is stuck.

Not yet.
How much time?

20 seconds.

Colonel?

Where's Rush?

He didn't make it.

So, uh,
we just stayed too long.

On the way back,
Rush tripped himself up,

started a rock slide.

I was ahead, but I just,
I barely made it through.

I just wanted you
to know, Colonel,

that I've informed the crew

of the new evidence
that's come to light.

Since you've been
completely exonerated,

obviously you should
resume your duties

as commander.

Tomorrow.

You need to rest.

She can be in charge
one more day.

Thanks.

Eli...

Shut the door.

The rest of the Kino footage?

Even Scott didn't see it.

I want you
to make a copy for me,

put it on this,

and then delete it
from your hard drive.

Okay.

Anything else?

No.