Treasures of the Tonga Trench (Cont.)
(Krieg's Room)
Hitchcock: Did you do anything to provoke it, bring it out?
Krieg: No, I did not provoke it.
Hitchcock: Nothing, no sudden moves, you didn't turn on a light?
Krieg: No, no lights.
Hitchcock: OK, well maybe I didn't go deep enough into the trench.
Krieg: Maybe.
Hitchcock: What was the reading on the depth gauge when the creature let go of you? Oh, wait, no, better, what direction did it go when it left? Up, down, north, south?
Krieg: I don't know, I don't know, Katie, but it's like we're married again all of a sudden. You push, and I'm supposed to come up with answers that I don't have.
Hitchcock: Pushing is just part of the job. So is finding answers. Ben, it's the only way I can help.
Krieg: So you still believe me, about the creature.
Hitchcock: Yeah.
Krieg: No one else does you know.
Hitchcock: I believe you.
Krieg: Thanks. (goes to pick up rocks by Hitchcock)
Hitchcock: Uh, uh, uh, mine.
Krieg: They're all the same.
Hitchcock: Oh, nice try, mine are better.
Krieg: Trade. (Hitchcock shakes head 'no') Three for two. (Hitchcock shakes head 'no') Oh, that's nice, Little Miss 'Shiny-Rocks-Don't-Interest-Me' suddenly has to keep the best for herself.
Hitchcock: Two, I went out and I took two. Besides, they're for my mom, you know how she likes this kinda thing.
Lucas: (knocks) Ben. (Krieg opens the door) We, uh, gotta talk. (enters)
Krieg: We? (as others enter) Oh no, guys, what're you doing? Guys, hey, guys. (turns and sees them going through rocks) Oh no, no, no, stop right there. Now we all agreed the rocks stay together. It's safer that way.
Ortiz: Sorry, Lieutenant, there's been a change of plans.
Ensign Filie: We talked it over.
Lucas: Nothing personal, Ben, we just felt that we really don't trust you with the stuff.
Krieg: We decided? Who we?
O'Neill: Um, all of us, we.
Lucas: Ever think about airing this place out once in a while.
Krieg: I'd like to air all of you out of here right now and that goes for all of you guys. All right, come on, get outta here, right now. (goes to door, everyone continues to fight) Knock it off! What's wrong with you people? Look at yourselves, you call each other friends, well friends trust each other; you call yourselves partners, well partners share. Hey, look, I know I can't tell you how to behave, it's not my place, but the way I see it, you got two choices here: you wanna act like mature, rational adults, than drop everything, shake hands, and walk out that door with your heads held high; or, there's the other way, where you forget about how long you've known each other, forget about teamwork, about faith in your fellow man, or about how all the money in the world isn't going to erase the poverty that's choking in your rotting souls. If you can live that way, if that's what you want, than do me a favor: take everything I've got and get out of here, because I'm ashamed to share the same room with you. (all agree and move to leave) Maybe I'm not making myself clear. You can have the rocks, but you can't have Murray.
Ensign Filie: Who's Murray?
Lucas: Murray Goldwater, Krieg's buyer.
Krieg: That's right, and Murray has major contacts in fine jewelry. And that spells money, big money. But he'll only deal with me.
Ensign Filie: He's all yours. (leaves)
O'Neill: Um, we've been talking to an R and D group, they think this stuff's gonna make a great light for use in deep sea colonies. (leaves)
Ortiz: My buddy markets novelty items. Low cost, high volume, makes a bundle in mail order. (leaves)
Krieg: You too?
Lucas: Greed, it's human nature, Ben, why fight it?
Hitchcock: You better get a handle on this, or I'll shut you down. You know, it really does stink in here. (leaves)
(Bridge)
Bridger: (into PAL) This is Captain Bridger, we'll be operating lights out until further notice. All hands report to stations to begin emergency preparations.
Clayton: (over loudspeaker) This is Captain Clayton, your objective during this lights out drill is to demonstrate a tactile knowledge of your boat and its systems. Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. Out.
(Clayton, Bridger, and Ford put on glasses)
(Hallway)
Ortiz: Uh oh, we gotta get to the bridge.
Ensign Filie: Give me your stuff, I'll hide 'em.
O'Neill: No, I got a better idea, why don't you give your stuff to me?
(Another Hallway)
Lucas: If Clayton sees us with these, we're dead.
Hitchcock: I don't know what I'm doing, this is insane. I could lose my commission. (gives rocks to Lucas)
Lucas: Hey, hey, hey, what am I supposed to do with these?
Hitchcock: Run.
(Yet Another Hallway)
Clayton: (two crewmen bump into each other, Clayton looks at Bridger, writes on board) Captain, Captain, Captain. Ah hah, what was that?
Ford: Sorry, sir, we musta missed it.
Clayton: What are you, blind? There's a scofflaw on the loose.
Ford: A what?
(Another Hallway, Just A Bit Later)
Clayton: (Lucas turns corner, sees Clayton, Bridger, and Ford, goes other way) Hold it right there, Tinkerbell. (Lucas drops some rocks, Bridger picks one up)
Ford: What is it?
Bridger: I never saw anything like it.
Clayton: Smells funny. (hears noise) Little bugger's headed for the sea deck. Let's get him. (leaves rocks and goes to sea deck, Krieg picks up rocks and follows)
(Sea Deck)
Bridger: (Lucas is throwing rocks into moon pool as group enters) What's going on here, Lucas?
Clayton: Commander, lights on, the drill's over.
Ford: (into PAL) Commander, lights on.
Hitchcock: (over PAL) Aye, sir. (lights go on)
Lucas: I, uh, I, uh, was just checking up on some of Doctor Westphalen's work. Something about ra-radiant flux and how it's impacted by marine conditions and deep pressures, and, uh, that sorta thing. (throws last rock into pool, Darwin throws rocks out of pool)
Bridger: You think he's trying to tell us something?
Krieg: (entering) Sir, I think I can explain everything.
Bridger: An expert on radiant flux.
Krieg: I've obviously come at a bad time. I'll tell you what, why don't you finish your drill, I'll leave, we'll talk later.
Clayton: No, I want you to stay here and explain to me what's going on. Am I making myself clear, Lieutenant?
Krieg: Sir, have you ever known, I mean been absolutely certain, that you were going to die? (ship rocks)
Clayton: Now what?
Hitchcock: (over loudspeaker) Captain, please report to the bridge. Captain to the bridge.
Bridger: What is it, Commander?
Hitchcock: (on bridge) We've been struck sir, still awaiting a preliminary damage report.
Bridger: Any idea who we're dealing with?
Hitchcock: (on bridge) It's a biologic, a very large biologic.
Krieg: (scared) Oh no.
Ortiz: (on bridge) Picking up some kind of electrical interference. It's coming around for another strike and it's moving fast.
Bridger: On my way, Commander. Damage report when I get there, and have Doctor Westphalen join us. (to Krieg) Talk to me, Lieutenant, talk to me.
Krieg: (scared) I'd like to, sir, but I'm not sure you're gonna believe me.
Bridger: (ship rocks) Try me. (all leave)
(Bridge)
Ortiz: (boat rocks) It's giving off a charge sir, almost electrical. WSKRS transmission still breaking up.
Bridger: Launch your probe, Commander.
Hitchcock: Aye, aye, sir.
Bridger: (to Westphalen) What do you think?
Westphalen: Well, as bizarre as Mr. Krieg's story sounds -
Clayton: Ludicrous would be a better word.
Krieg: Captain, I know what I saw, I think.
Westphalen: I believe him.
Krieg: (surprised) You do?
Bridger: You do?
Westphalen: Yes. Medusas, jellyfish, squid, they can all grow to giant proportions in the deep. You see, the only thing that limits their size, is their diet.
Bridger: How big is this thing, best guess?
Westphalen: Well, giant squid have been known to grow to over a hundred feet.
Ortiz: Captain, coming around again.
Ford: Should we try and target it, sir?
Bridger: No.
Clayton: What?
Bridger: There's creatures down there no one's ever seen, never even dreamed of. I'm not about to destroy it with out taking a look at it. Prepare a speeder.
Ortiz: Captain, the creature's holding on, it's wrapped around us.
Hitchcock: Locking the launch bay.
Bridger: Seal the hull doors.
Hitchcock: I, I can't sir, they're stuck. There's been a breach.
Bridger: Sound general quarters. Have security report to the moon pool.
Ford: Aye, sir.
(Sea Deck)
Crocker: All right, let's move, move, move, on the double, on the double, let's go, let's go, move it, move it, quickly.
Bridger: All right Darwin, come on. What have you seen?
Darwin: Sees the shining.
Clayton: What kind of gibberish is that?
Westphalen: Probably means bioluminescence. Certain species that live in the dark create their own light. (noises come from behind closed door)
Crocker: Let's go, let's go, get her out of there before it comes back. Make sure she's all right. All right, now listen up to me, I want a defensive perimeter set up around this pool. I want you to arm your weapons and have them ready, but no one fires except on my command. Understood? You two, come with me. It's gone now, Cap, we're standing by.
Krieg: Did you see it? Was it blue, like energy, like static electricity, like pure energy? Yes, yes.
Crocker: Uh huh.
Krieg: I am no longer alone.
Clayton: Doctor Westphalen, what exactly might a creature like that feed on?
Westphalen: It's in the squid family, it would be a carnivore.
Clayton: Meat eater.
Krieg: That thing definitely wanted me for lunch.
Lucas: Threw you back though, didn't it? (tentacle comes up, flails around)
Clayton: Don't just stand there, shoot!
Westphalen: "Sees the shining," Darwin was talking about us. This creature see us shining. You see squids are very attracted to light.
Bridger: (into PAL) Commander, lights out immediately. (tentacle disappears) I want you to raise the probe light to high beam. Get the creature's attention.
Hitchcock: (on bridge) And then?
Bridger: (into PAL) Run, it should follow you.
Hitchcock: (on bridge) Follow me where, sir?
Bridger: (into PAL) Away.
Hitchcock: (on bridge) Aye, Captain.
Bridger: You still think our science team doesn't pull its weight?
(Hallway)
Krieg: Oh, my guarantee sir, top dollar. Just mention my name and Murray will treat you just right.
Clayton: Well thank you, Lieutenant, I'll do that. Confidentially, Lieutenant, I've always thought the Supply Officer's the glue that holds the boat together. Well done. (leaves)
Krieg: Thank you, sir.
(Sea Deck)
Bridger: (entering) Well, that's over, Clayton's passed us. What's your, uh, determination.
Westphalen: I went through the data from the probe and it doesn't have the tentacles of a squid. It is, however, related to Mr. Krieg's glowing rocks.
Bridger: Oh?
Westphalen: Creature's bioluminescent, well we saw that, but it must also have a very steady diet of bioluminescent fish because, um, Krieg's gold is, um, fecal pellets.
Krieg: Wait a minute, you're trying to tell me the orbs are -
Westphalen: Yes, Mr. Krieg, fish poop.
Bridger: Glowing fish poop.
Westphalen: Only for forty-eight hours. Then the bacteria that was glowing will have died, leaving Krieg with simply -
Lucas: Fish poop, you gave Clayton fish poop. (laughs)
Krieg: Oh well, you know, easy come, easy go, huh. I gotta call Murray.
(Krieg's Room)
Krieg: (cleaning room, stands up, notices Bridger in doorway) Captain, sir.
Bridger: I think I've decided on a disciplinary action for you.
Krieg: For what, sir?
Bridger: For what? For, uh, unauthorized use of EVA equipment, for, uh, conspiracy to corrupt.
Krieg: Corrupt?! Captain, never, I mean I thought it, and correct me if I'm wrong, but a natural relief from the pressures of having Captain Clayton on board.
Bridger: Nice try. I'm sure everybody got a little out of hand, but you were the one who got the ball rolling. And as an officer, you should have known better.
Krieg: You're right, I apologize.
Bridger: All the same, you're confined to quarters.
Krieg: OK, not a problem, I'll just finish my cleaning…
Bridger: No, no, no, no cleaning. You're confined to quarters as of now.
Krieg: But sir, didn't you hear, I mean, uh, can't you smell?
Bridger: Yes, I can. Twenty-four hours, Lieutenant, twenty-four hours. (closes door)