GRACE

07.13 Episode 145 (#P258)
Airdate: January 16, 2004

The battleship Prometheus had been left behind on Tagrea, and Carter has joined Colonel Ronson and his crew to bring the ship home using short hyperdrive bursts and regularly scheduled cool-down periods. During one such period, Carter hopes to investigate a nebula-like gaseous cloud, but the ship comes under attack by an unknown alien vessel, and must enter the cloud for cover. Carter attempts to reroute power, and is knocked unconscious when the ship suffers a hit. She awakens to find the crew gone, the escape pods jettisoned, and the badly damaged ship stranded within the cloud.

As Carter fights to stay alive, she is visited by those who are close to her, and though she realizes they are only figments of her own mind, each has an important message to share. Teal'c warns that she must stay awake, and that the aliens may be probing her mind. Daniel advises her to study the cloud, suggesting that it might be alive. Jacob urges her to allow herself to find love, and O'Neill encourages her to reexamine her feelings, promising to always be there for her. But she also repeatedly sees an enigmatic young girl named Grace, who appeals to her inner child, and then vanishes.

Carter discovers that the corrosive cloud is eroding the ship, and a hull breach is imminent. As Grace blows bubbles, Carter gets the idea to create a hyperspace bubble that will allow the subspace engines to function. She contacts the alien vessel, which is also trapped within the cloud, and offers to tow them to safety if her crew is returned. Instantly, the Prometheus crew materializes on board, and Carter activates the engines. Both ships emerge from the cloud, and the alien vessel retreats. In the SGC infirmary, Carter recovers from her concussion, knowing that she will be fine, as the memory of Grace lingers.

Written by: Damian Kindler
Directed by: Peter F. Woeste

Guest Starring: Carmen Argenziano as Jacob Carter, Ingrid Kavelaars as Major Erin Gant, John Novak as Colonel William Ronson, Sasha Pieterse as Grace, Craig Veroni as Weapons Officer

Reference: BC-303, Jacob Carter, Samantha Carter, Erin Gant, Grace, Hyperspace, Nebula, Prometheus, William Ronson

DESTINATIONS & INHABITANTS

NOTES OF INTEREST

• The hyperdrive engine used to bring Prometheus home was taken from an alkesh and designed for a ship one tenth the size of the Prometheus. Regular cool-down periods were scheduled approximately every 49 light years.
• The ship's sensors were unable to identify the actual content of the gas cloud. It was more likely made up of a denser group of gases than that of a typical nebula or gas giant, and the gases were corrosive to the ship's hull.
• Although the gas cloud's makeup prevented engaging a hyperspace window, Carter was able to dial down the power flow to the hyperdrive emitter in order to cause a partial shift into hyperspace, essentially taking the ship out of the cloud's space-time just long enough to eliminate its effects on the sub-light engines.

MEMORABLE REMARKS

• Were you this annoying when you were ascended? [Carter]
  I don't know. Depends on who you ask. I thought I had a certain je ne sais quoi. Timing was so-so. [Daniel]
• You are like a brother to me, O'Neill. [Teal'c]
  You're like, what... 140? [O'Neill]
  A younger brother, perhaps, but that is not my point... [Teal'c]
• Teal'c and Daniel say hi. They're planning a bit of a shindig for when you're up and around. There's talk of cake. My idea. [O'Neill]
• Thank you, sir. [Carter]
  For what? [O'Neill]
  Nothing. [Carter]
  Think nothing of it. I've got plenty of that. [O'Neill]

FOR THE RECORD

• O'Neill (as a hallucination) calls Carter "Sam": 1
• O'Neill (as a hallucination) calls Carter "Samantha": 1
• Teal'c (as a hallucination) calls Carter "Samantha": 2
• Carter calls O'Neill "Jack": 1
• O'Neill calls Teal'c "T": 1
• Injuries:
  • Carter: knocked unconscious, massive concussion