The Nikkei dropped 8%. The yen continued its free fall.
Also, the president of Togo was deposed six hours ago.
He got a plane to Nigeria. Now he's calling for American troops to help restore order.
- This is my first day. - Yes, Mr President.
The New York Times is launching an investigation into voting irregularities
in six southern states. I've got Teddy on it.
- Who are these people following me? - They work for you, Mr President.
Also, there's a storm in the Atlantic about to hit Maine.
They're expecting gale-force winds and 20 inches of snow.
- Shouldn't I know who they are? - Yes, Mr President.
Emergency management teams are standing by, but we've scheduled a call
so you can pledge your support.
- They won't follow me all the time? - No, Mr President.
Good.
Hello. Holly.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is waiting for you in your office.
- He knows it's my first day, right? - Yes, Mr President.
Good.
- Francis. - Mr President.
We need to talk, sir. It's important.
Guys.
Let me enjoy the moment.
Moment's over, sir.
Right.
Stan, thank you. Thank you.
Mr President, I'm here to bring you up to speed on a programme
we've been running out of Cheyenne Mountain for the past seven years.
I've already had my top-secret briefing.
Yes, Mr President, but not this.
For the past seven years, the Air Force has been sending teams to other planets
by means of an alien device known as the Stargate.
That's funny. That's very funny. My first day.
This is a joke, right? I have a great sense of humour.
I didn't know that you had one, but good, we're finding out about each other.
Now I have to call the ex-president of Togo,
and when I'm done, apparently, the rest of the world is coming to an end.
The ex-president of Togo will have to wait, sir. This is not a joke.
The United States Air Force has been sending people to other planets?
- Yes, sir. - For seven years?
- That's correct. - By means of an alien device?
Known as the Stargate.
Senator McKnight is requesting we move your meeting.
Trying to duck me. He doesn't want to commit on the crime bill.
- What should I tell them? - Forget it.
The son of a bitch came in on our coattails. Now it's time to pay the piper.
- What the hell were you thinking? - Mr President.
- Why didn't you tell me? - Sara.
Would you excuse us for a moment, please?
You've just been briefed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs on our new reality.
Not only do I find out that the Air Force is engaged in interstellar travel,
but I also find out that my running mate knows all about it.
- I was under a special gag order. - Since when?
- Six years now. - That's unbelievable.
Mr President, I realise this is overwhelming,
but what you need to know is that the Stargate is being seriously mismanaged.
- It's urgent that we act now. - What are you talking about?
I have desperately tried to maintain some proper control and accountability,
but the oversight in place is completely inadequate.
The military specifically.
The personnel directly involved in the SGC need to be replaced immediately.
Now, I have several recommendations regarding...
Whoa, Bob, hold on here.
Mr President, why do you think I was ordered to keep quiet?
This was an attempt by the military and the previous administration
to drive a wedge between us, because they knew I was going to come after them.
We need to stick together on this.
For God's sakes, Bob, think of the magnitude of this!
"For God's sake" is right.
Oh, come on, Bob. If you want me to buy into your holier-than-thou position,
you've got to convince me you're right.
Hosted alien dignitaries.
Acquired alien technology.
Travelled back in time?
Did they really blow up a sun?
As I understand it, sir, yes, they did.
It's gotta look awfully good on the old resumé, hey?
- They've done pretty amazing things. - You sound like a fan, Francis.
Well, I can't help but appreciate the number of times they've saved this world.
Some people think it wouldn't have needed saving
had we left well enough alone.
Well, you can't deny what's out there, sir.
The enemy would have come for us anyway.
We need to be prepared.
And no matter what anyone says, the people at the SGC
have done the best job anyone could under the circumstances.
- You don't trust the vice president? - He obviously has his own agenda.
I know he tried to shut them down when he was at Appropriations.
Frankly, the vice president knows as well as anyone else it's too late for that.
- If he didn't six years ago, he does now. - What does that mean?
He clearly doesn't want to shut the gate down any more. He wants to control it.
We have a civilian agency known as the NID.
Now, its mandate has been to keep an eye
on top-secret projects like the Stargate programme
and has done so from the beginning.
I propose that we give this organisation direct control of the gate,
effective immediately.
There's only one reason he wanted them to give control to the NID.
He was about to become chairman of the Intelligence Oversight Committee.
Which would have put the NID and the Stargate in his back pocket.
He had the ambassadors in his hand.
It was only because of extraordinary intervention that it didn't work.
- Hello? - Hello.
I am Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet.
- Commander Thor, my name is... - Senator Kinsey.
O'Neill suggested I send you to a distant planet for your actions here,
but I am reasonably certain his statement was in jest.
- I'm sure it was, Commander. - Supreme Commander.
It is the opinion of the Asgard High Council
that Stargate Command should be left in the hands
of General Hammond and his team.
And while our continued friendship with Earth is not contingent on that,
it is preferred.
I wonder why he wants it so badly.
I mean, besides his belief in his divine right.
I don't know, sir.
Not that that's not enough, but I get this feeling that there's something more to it.
Yes, sir.
That rogue element at NID that he took credit for taking down last year...
We've never had any proof connecting Senator Kinsey to anything nefarious.
I've got a bad feeling about where some of that campaign financing came from.
- Mr President. - Did I say that out loud?
Ah! Mr Woolsey.
I hope my confidence in you has not been misplaced.
You have my word, sir.
Once I finish, the president will have no choice
but to follow your recommendation and clean house at Stargate Command.
I'm sorry to keep you waiting,
but I was just wrapping up a meeting with the Joint Chiefs.
Francis, I thought you'd want to sit in on this one.
Thank you, sir.
General, I don't believe you know Richard Woolsey.
For months, he has been working with the NID
conducting a thorough investigation of all Stargate personnel.
I've asked him here to kindly present us with his findings.
If this is a discussion of the competence of those running the SGC,
shouldn't Hammond be included?
Unfortunately, sir, General Hammond is part of the problem.
George Hammond is a highly decorated officer,
a 30-year veteran with the Air Force,
and while that may not carry weight over at the NID,
it still means something to certain people.
This isn't a trial. Although it certainly wouldn't surprise me if it came to that.
Let's stick to specifics here.
If these people need to be replaced, I want to see evidence.
Thank you, Mr President.
The most recent incident was less than a month ago.
General Hammond ordered an offworld rescue
despite ample indication that he was sending his people into an ambush.
As a result, a very valuable member of Stargate Command was killed.
Dr Janet Fraiser.
Sending people into potentially dangerous situations
is a natural consequence of military command.
Maybe so, but ignoring evidence of an enemy trap
is at best foolish and at worst criminally negligent.
General Hammond admits responsibility.
His own report is essentially a confession.
All that proves is the man had the guts to own up to his mistakes.
Unfortunately, in this case, mistakes can lead to compromising the entire planet.
I have a mountain of evidence implicating not only Hammond but his first-line team.
They are heroes.
We have no intention of minimising the accomplishments of the General or SG-1.
Their respective achievements speak for themselves,
but intermittent successes cannot excuse ongoing misconduct.
Over the past seven years, SG-1 has shown a disregard for military authority.
They have compromised national security and exercised extremely poor judgement.
You should be on my speech writing team.
Come on, cut the crap, will you?
As crazy as it sounds, we're talking about people who are fighting aliens. Right?
- Could we please be specific? - Yes, sir.
Let's start with insubordination. Five and a half years ago, the gate was shut down.
The SGC was under orders to suspend all offworld travel, pending a full review.
- SG-1 chose to ignore those orders. - And managed to head off an invasion.
Nonetheless, they were guilty. And it was by no means an isolated incident.
Let's go.
O'Neill.
Not this time, Teal'c.
They sabotaged a mothership the Goa'uld would have used to attack Earth.
They used the Stargate against a direct order of a superior officer.
You can't hold them accountable for that. Read the damn mission report.
They were under the influence of an alien device.
Yes, of course. Which brings us to the alarming frequency
with which members of SG-1 have fallen under alien influence.
Major Samantha Carter. Implanted with a Goa'uld symbiote.
Then, two years ago, her body became host to an alien virus.
Daniel Jackson.
Fell under the influence of alien technology on numerous occasions,
had his body play host to not one but 12 alien psyches simultaneously.
Most interestingly, apparently died,
and, according to the report, "evolved into a higher being."
Teal'c, an alien, former soldier of the Goa'uld,
now possesses full security clearance at our most secret facility.
- He earned that trust. - Yes.
That trust almost cost SG-1 dearly when he rejoined the ranks of Apophis.
Buddy.
What you got going here, Teal'c?
Well done, Teal'c. Finally, you've resumed your rightful position as my first prime.
He'd been brainwashed by the enemy.
Yes - like his fellow team members, he's shown a vulnerability to alien influence.
Which finally brings us to the team leader, Jack O'Neill.
Infected by alien contagions a half-dozen times,
experimented upon by extraterrestrials another half-dozen times,
had his memories manipulated on numerous occasions.
Had the entire repository of an ancient alien database
effectively downloaded into his head.
Whoa!
Colonel.
Not long after this, the Colonel began exhibiting strange behaviour,
speaking an alien language, demonstrating superhuman intellect.
He was undergoing some sort of transformation,
as a result of the knowledge he had absorbed.
Were it not for the timely intervention of another alien race,
he would have been lost to us.
How these people maintain their sanity is beyond me.
- I'm having trouble just listening to it. - That, Mr President, is exactly my point.
How can we trust these individuals after everything they've been through?
Well, they seem to be handling it very well.
But who's to say they are completely free of these influences?
They're routinely cleared by medical professionals.
We can no longer allow the Pentagon to look the other way.
The number of times the members of SG-1 have been compromised
should have warranted at least a reconsideration of their offworld status,
transfers to less decisive positions, a couple of sick days, for God's sake.
The first time I heard about this, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
I tried to imagine myself doing what these people have been doing for seven years,
and quite frankly, I don't think any of us can really understand
what they've been going through, no matter how many files we read.
All the more reason for intensive scrutiny.
If new protocols and standards of conduct need to be established,
this is where it has to start.
- What do you say we take a break? - Yes, sir.
You can't possibly be taking their side.
- I need time to absorb this, Bob. - We may not have much time.
- The longer those people... - Relax.
All I'm saying is, at the moment, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt.
- I need to know more. - I think you know all you need to know.
That includes why you're here.
I'm here, Bob, because the people of this nation
elected me to run their country.
Not the whole damn galaxy.
And this is my office, Bob, not yours,
no matter what you may think you did to make this happen.
And don't you ever, for one second, forget that.
Yes, Mr President.
Let's take a break.
According to the military, SGC is our first and best line of defence
against potential alien threats to this planet.
If that's true, we should be very, very concerned.
Time and again, Hammond and SG-1 have demonstrated shockingly poor judgement,
placing themselves, the base, this very planet, in jeopardy.
The decision to bring back suspect technology through the gate
has precipitated a number of crisis situations.
For the most part, they've been dealt within the SGC.
However, last year the effect of an alien device broke containment
and found its way into the civilian population.
Son of a...
Sir, I believe an individual I came in contact with has breached the quarantine.
The situation was taken care of. A cover story was created.
The civilian population was none the wiser.
I would like to know how many times we'll have to clean up after these people.
They have a mandate to acquire offworld technology. That entails necessary risks.
How would you define necessary?
Only a few months ago, General Hammond allowed
the testing of an unproven computer virus
that shut down our entire gate network, leaving us open to a potential assault.
You can't hold Hammond responsible. It was a Goa'uld modification of the virus.
In other words, Hammond effectively gave the Goa'uld a weapon to use against us.
Like the president said,
you can't even begin to understand what their jobs demand of them.
Maybe not, but I would like to think that it includes common sense
and the willingness to set aside personal feelings in battle.
- What are you referring to, Mr Woolsey? - An incident three years ago.
General Hammond allowed emotion to override established gate-room protocol.
Evacuate the gate room.
Colonel O'Neill, we're taking fire. Report.
Colonel O'Neill?
Sir?
Give them some more time.
General Hammond's decision to wait for SG-1 worked out in the end,
but I can't help but wonder if he'll be so lucky the next time.
The members of SG-1 have similarly suspect priorities - and no wonder.
Not one, but two people that Dr Jackson had close personal relationships with
were taken as Goa'uld hosts.
Teal'c's family and associates among the ranks of the Jaffa
make him an easy target for Goa'uld retaliation and manipulation.
Both O'Neill and Carter have demonstrated
an alarming tendency to let relationships cloud their decision-making process.
They have a right to their feelings.
Unless, of course, you're suggesting... some kind of inappropriate relationship.
Inappropriate, yes. That is exactly what he's suggesting.
It's difficult to come away from these reports without the impression
that there's a lot more going on between Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter
than simple friendship and respect.
For example, there was an incident last year in which O'Neill went missing.
Based on a report filed by one of the scientists on the mission in question,
Major Carter's behaviour was erratic at best.
This technology is unlike anything we've come across.
- I know. - No reference, no way to interface.
I'm working on it, Doctor. As you should be.
Right.
Excuse me. Where's Colonel O'Neill?
I don't see him, do you? Did you guys find him while I was gone?
I say when we're done here.
That's it? That's your evidence?
I believe there's a lot more to this than we've been told.
But I hardly expect them to incriminate themselves with their own reports.
But we can all read between the lines.
All right, I've heard enough. Thank you, gentlemen.
- Thank you, Mr Woolsey. - Mr President.
- Mr Woolsey is here to see you, sir. - Send him in.
- Would you like a drink? - No, thank you.
- That was nice work today, Richard. - Really? I got the feeling it didn't go well.
- Ah, well. Doesn't matter. - It doesn't?
Nah. The president is going to come around.
I didn't get that impression, Mr Vice President.
In fact, I clearly sensed that he was siding with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
Today was a formality. Don't get me wrong. The job you did was vital.
The president has to appear to be hearing both sides, considering his position,
but...
he'll see things my way eventually.
And if he doesn't?
Things happen.
What is that supposed to mean?
It means you chose the right side, Richard.
One way or another, I promise you, I'm going to win this one.
- Mr President. - General.
I take it you're here to make a case for the defence?
I'm not going to get into a point-counterpoint.
It may very well be that Hammond and SG-1
have done their very best under difficult circumstances,
but there's a political aspect to the vice president's position that makes sense.
Sir?
A lot of people know about Stargate. We can't keep it a secret forever.
When it finally comes out, we're going to be in the fight of our lives.
We'll need the public's confidence.
You think cleaning house at the SGC now shows you're in control?
You disagree?
I think there's time for that still, sir.
For the immediate future, I'm here to let you know what you're up against,
and why we need Hammond and SG-1 right now more than ever.
Have a seat. Fire away.
The System Lords have proven themselves to be formidable adversaries.
Yet, despite our obvious disadvantage,
we've managed to hold our own, maybe even take them down a notch or two.
We've been good, and we've been lucky. But I'm afraid that could change.
There's a new Goa'uld in the mix.
I take it you're referring to the one who calls himself Anubis.
He's more powerful than any of his predecessors.
He came to our attention a year ago when he tried to take out Earth
with an asteroid and then used our own Stargate as a weapon against us.
We thwarted him both times.
Since then, he's redirected his attention to his rivals,
waging a year-long war against the Goa'uld.
Your time is up.
Well, good. Let them fight amongst themselves.
The problem is, when he's through with them, and it's only a matter of time,
he'll come gunning for us. And when he does, we'll be facing a whole new threat.
Fire in the hole!
A super soldier?.
Not just one. He's got a whole army.
Hail Anubis. Hail Anubis.
If that's true, I can't imagine how having SG-1 on the front lines
is gonna make one bit of difference when the time comes.
Anubis may be incredibly powerful, but he's not invincible.
- There is a way to take him out. - And how's that?
By finding the lost city.
You have to forgive me, Francis. I've only gone through about a third of those files.
The gates were built by a highly advanced race of aliens known as the Ancients.
They died off millions of years ago, but they haven't disappeared completely.
They've evolved into higher life forms.
- Well, will they help us? - No, sir.
- Why the hell not? - It's beneath them.
They won't involve themselves in our affairs.
So where are you going with this?
Last year, SG-1 made an amazing discovery on a planet called Abydos.
You're gonna find the lost city of the Ancients.
- Lost city? - Didn't tell him about that either, huh?
Daniel found a tablet about a lost city.
With powerful weapons capable of giving you a big advantage over Anubis.
- Do you know where it is? - No, but I'll help you find it.
Hammond and SG-1 are close to finding the lost city. Let them do their job, sir.
Let them save this planet one more time.
I wish it were that simple.
I'm not sure what you mean, sir.
The vice president may be a pain in the ass, but I can't just ignore him.
You're commander-in-chief. It's your decision.
True.
But if I cross him on this one...
Well, let's just say that I haven't viewed all the angles yet.
- Is there anything you haven't told me? - No, sir.
Then as far as I can tell, Hammond and SG-1 have done an extraordinary job
under very difficult circumstances.
But in doing so they've made some mistakes.
They've made some enemies.
Frankly, I don't know if I can protect them.
- General. - Mr Woolsey.
Thank you for meeting me.
The vice president doesn't know about this?
No. And I'd like to keep it that way.
What do you want?
I want to warn you.
I think the vice president may be involved with people capable of... well, anything.
I believe they attempted assassination at least once before to get what they wanted.
Do you realise the seriousness of what you just said?
Yes, sir.
Look, no matter what you think of me, I consider myself to be a man of integrity.
I took the job with the NID because I strongly believe
in civilian oversight of military operations.
- Mr Woolsey. - I don't have any proof, sir.
But I'm starting to question whether those to whom I have dedicated my allegiance
are as honourable as I had hoped.
You're a resourceful man, Mr Woolsey.
If you think there's proof out there, find it.
Hammond.
Show him in.
General.
This must be important for you to have come all this way.
I know you have no reason to trust me, General.
That's why I felt I had to come here in person.
Sit down.
I take great pride in my work, General.
My job demands meticulous research.
And above all else, impartiality in its execution.
My aim is to present an airtight argument,
a point of view for consideration by those I serve
with no personal agenda whatsoever.
Get to the point.
I stand by my case against you and your personnel, despite what I'm about to say.
I hope you don't expect that to gain my respect.
You recall the assassination attempt on then Senator Kinsey?
The senator's been hit. He's been hit.
I later gained notoriety from bringing those responsible to justice.
I can only assume you're going somewhere with this.
Let's just say I've recently come to believe
that those behind the rogue element of the NID have not entirely been eliminated.
In fact, they may be stronger than ever,
and Vice President Kinsey may still be tied to them.
They tried to have him killed, then he tried to take them down. Seems unlikely.
At the time, something must have made Kinsey a liability.
After the assassination attempt, the opportunity presented itself
to propel Kinsey onto the presidential ticket.
That could have motivated a reconciliation.
Either way, I'm not surprised by any of this, Mr Woolsey.
Well, I'm sorry to say that I am, and I want to do something about it if I can.
- Like what? - Like present evidence, if there is any,
connecting Kinsey to illegal activity involving those behind the rogue NID.
What makes you think evidence like that exists?
- Because you're sitting right there. - I'm sorry?
Three years ago, you left SGC, supposedly retired.
- I'm guessing you were blackmailed. - And?
And then you came back.
Nothing about that ever made any sense to me.
I want to know why, how.
You've got something on Kinsey, something I can use.
That's it, we're in. I'm downloading now.
Kinsey's online activities connect him to NID actions over the last year and a half,
including a secret operation I ran out of Area 51, involvement with the Russians...
and the threats to Hammond.
You're a piece of work, Kinsey. Tried to shut down the SGC.
You make this big speech about hating secret organisations,
then jump in bed with the NID?
I'm done.
What are you going to do? Take down the whole NID?
Nope.
Here's the deal. Get them to reinstate Hammond or this disk goes to the press.
You've got connections, General. You must know what's going down.
That's not the only copy.
Why haven't you given this to someone before now?
I didn't know who to trust.
I still don't.
Yes, sir, right away.
- The president will see you now. - Thank you.
Thank you for seeing me, Mr President.
Is there something you wanted to add to your report, Mr Woolsey?
Yes, sir.
As I'm sure you're aware, the NID does not exactly have a spotless record.
For several years, a group of rogue agents operated inside of its ranks.
They acted on behalf of a cabal of international business interests
intent on acquiring alien technology for their own profit.
- One could only hope. - Mr President?
I know they're out there, Mr Woolsey.
I'm saying that one could only hope that money was their chief motivation.
However, I doubt the type of person who is behind this
is short-sighted enough for that, given what he must know.
In light of the new reality that Stargate presents,
there are aspirations beyond mere financial greed that could be much worse.
I agree.
You're here to tell me that the vice president is still in league with them?
If these people are as powerful as we both think, it does make one wonder
what the vice president offered them in exchange for the price on his head.
Obviously, the full control of the Stargate programme that the White House affords.
The vice president brought key financing to your campaign victory.
I just hope it didn't come at too high a cost.
I also hope history one day shows that...
I tried to do the right thing.
Whose version of history, Mr Woolsey?