"HOLIDAY"

CAST:

Richard Dean Anderson (Colonel O'Neill)

Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson)

Christopher Judge (Teal'c)

Amanda Tapping (Captain Sammantha Carter)

Don S. Davis (General Hammond )

Teryl Rothery (Dr. Fraiser)

Guest Cast:
Alvin Sanders (Fred)
Melanie Skehar (Waitress)
Darryl Scheelar (Cop)

Plot Summary

"Looks like somebody's closed up for the winter," O'Neill observes as the team steps through the Stargate into a seemingly abandoned alien structure. The team searches the place anyway. The alien technology, Teal'c confirms, doesn't appear to be Goa'uld. Carter finds a data pad with information written in unfamiliar symbols. Daniel is wondering what might be behind a curtained off area of the place when an elderly voice answers, "I am in there."

An aged human man (Michael Shanks in a dual role) steps out to meet the team. Teal'c recognizes him: He is Machello, a man who has been a fugitive from the system lords since before Teal'c was born. As Apophis' First Prime, Teal'c had been one of those pursuing the 'criminal'. Machello, it seems, was developing technology to battle the Goa'ulds. After capture and torture, Machello was intended to become a Goa'uld host. He escaped before being implanted. Machello denies Teal'c's allegations, but Daniel reassures him there is no reason to be afraid—they are not Goa'ulds come to find him. Who are they? Machello wants to know. Daniel introduces himself, "I'm Daniel Jackson from the planet Earth." Machello repeats, "Yes..yes, that's right---I am Daniel Jackson from the planet Earth. Pleased to meet you." This confuses Daniel, "No, I'mDaniel Jackson." Again, Machello repeats, "No, I'm Daniel Jackson." Carter stops this baffling conversation by asking about Machello's machines—are these inventions to fight the Goa'ulds? Machello confirms that and agrees to show the team ("Are we sure we are not Goa'ulds?" Machello asks again) the machines. In particular, he shows them an oddly designed device with with handles at each end of it. Daniel touches one set of handles, Machello the other set. The machine makes a soft noise and both men stagger somewhat. Machello collapses, unconscious. Daniel says that he feels fine, no apparent harm done. If Daniel sounds a bit odd, it goes unnoticed as the team takes unconscious Machello back to SGC with them.

At SGC, Dr. Fraiser pronounces Daniel healthy---though, she observes, he seems 'a little out of it'. Daniel says it's fatigue, and Fraiser accepts that as a natural effect of receiving an electric shock as he did. Daniel then asks about the unconscious Machello. The news isn't good. Fraiser can see the evidence of the torture Machello received. In his condition, the elder man will not live much longer.

The rest of the team is busy meeting with General Hammond. Carter thinks the data pad she found holds information about Machello's inventions. Problem is that she cannot interpret the dialect in which the instructions are written. Perhaps Daniel or Teal'c could help? She suggests. Alas, Teal'c does not recognize the icons. Daniel joins them at that moment, his mannerisms still a bit odd and still explained as resulting from his being 'tired'. Daniel looks at the data pad, but does not recognize the symbols either. Hammond orders them to keep trying, then excuses Daniel so that the doctor can go home for the day to rest.

A driver drops Daniel off in town. Instead of going home, however, Daniel takes a walk through the city…

Strange things are afoot back at SGC. The rest of the team has been called to Machello's bedside by Hammond and Dr. Fraiser. The man in the bed has a disturbing claim: He is not Machello, he is Daniel Jackson, trapped inside Machello's body. "Oh, here we go," Jack mutters doubtfully. The machine switched him and Machello, Daniel insists. He invites the team to test his knowledge. Sam asks him to identify Cassandra (see In the Line of Duty). Daniel identifies her right down to the planet where they found her. "All right, lucky guess," Jack says. Hammond asks him where the Stargate was found (see Stargate-the Motion Picture). At a dig in Gisa, Daniel says. Jack has a challenge: "Describe for me the dress your sister wore last week when I took her out." Daniel smiles, "I don't have a sister, Jack. And if I did, I wouldn't let you near her." Hammond is ready to give Daniel the benefit of the doubt. But if the elderly man in the hospital bed is really Daniel, who did they just send into the city? Hammond wonders.

At that moment, "Daniel" (really, Machello in Daniel's body) is wandering the busy city streets trying to get information from uncooperative passer-bys. "Hello, friend, I am new to this area. I would like to learn about your culture and customs," he tries pleasantly but unsuccessfully to ask one man. "Do you not understand me?" he asks the oblivious crowd. One man has noticed Machello's futile efforts—a bedraggled homeless man named Fred who asks for spare change. "Why does no one answer me?" Machello wonders. " 'Cause you're strange," Fred answers. Machello is intrigued---*how* is he strange? Fred explains that Machello can't wander up to people on the streets asking for things. Machello is baffled---isn't that what the homeless man is doing? Well, yes, the man admits. "Then you must be strange as well," Machello observes. Fred smiles, "I've been called worse. Sure, I'm strange, too." Machello introduces himself and gets his first introduction to Earth culture by receiving a handshake. He invited Fred to eat with him and 'celebrate their strangeness and newfound friendship'. "On you?" Fred asks. "If that is the custom, we will feast 'on me'," Machello says happily.

Fraiser is trying to explain her theory of what happened to Daniel and Machello. If memories and personalities are the result of a unique network of neurons in the cerebral cortex, somehow Daniel's neural pattern has been 'remapped' onto Machello's brain by the alien device they touched. She doesn't know how the device did it, though. She also doesn't know how to reverse what's happened. Jack suggests they go back and get the machine that caused the switch and 'try to slam it into reverse'.

Jack and Teal'c retrieve the device while Sam (with a good-natured warning from Jack not to touch anything) takes a look around Machello's room to see if there are any electronic notebooks she can actually read. She quickly finds some sort of 'life support' device, perhaps triggered to awaken Machello when travellers came through his Stargate. Perhaps it helped him survive for so long. Despite their precautions, when Jack and Teal'c touch the dual handles of the device, it activates and they are transferred into each other's bodies. When Hammond asks how the mission went upon their return, Teal'c---in Jack's body—answers, "It did not go well, General Hammond." "Ya think?" Jack—in Teal'c's body--snaps.

In the lab, the switched team members are not happy. "This is indeed…uncomfortable," Teal'c says. "How do you think I feel, Teal'c? I've got a snake in my gut!" Jack complains. Machello has not been found, but Sam has found the device listed in the data pad…which would help if she could only read the data! On the bright side, since the accident has switched Teal'c and Jack, Sam might be able to experiment with reversing the switch on them so that she will know what to do to return Daniel to his body when they bring back Machello. Sam's deduced that the handles trigger the machine. She has Teal'c and Jack try several different times to grasp the machine's handles, but nothing seems to work. ("Nope, still got Junior," Jack refers to Teal's Goa'uld after one unsuccessful try.) "We did not make progress," Teal'c observes after another unsuccessful attempt.

Later, Jack seems to be have a problem. "All of a sudden, Junior's moving around a lot in there," Jack says. Teal'c explains that his body has probably contracted an illness. The symbiot can heal him, but Jack will have to put Teal'c's body into a state of 'Kelno'reem' in order for the symbiot to be able to help. It's a meditative state, Teal'c says. If Jack doesn't do it, the Jaffa's body, with Jack inside, will die. Jack and Teal'c returns to Teal'c's room, where Teal'c prepares by placing and lighting candles around the room.

Machello and Fred wander into a diner, where Machello explains to the waitress that the two of them are going to feast "on me". In fact, Machello invites everyone to feast 'on him'. They are celebrating life, Machello tells the waitress. The waitress is fine with that, but needs to see a credit card first. "Where would I find such a card?" Machello asks. "Usually in your wallet," she explains. Machello finds Daniel's wallet and gives one of the cards to the waitress…adding that she is an enchanting woman and he would be honored to receive a kiss from her. The waitress smiles, "Yeah, I'll bet you would," and goes to put the credit card through the machine.

Teal'c is encouraging Jack's efforts at meditation. "Relax. Concentrate," he coaches. He has not achieved Kelno'reem until his mind and the symbiot's mind are as one. Slowly, Jack goes deeper into his meditative state.

In the hospital bed, Daniel is trying to help Sam interpret the data on Machello's machine. He is discouraged by their lack of progress. In the middle of their conversation, Daniel suddenly slips into unconsciousness. As the monitors sound an alarm, Dr. Fraiser comes to check on him. The news is not good: Daniel is in a coma.

Machello and Fred are finishing their meal at the diner (including hot fudge sundaes and Icees). Fred inquires and Machello confirms that he was a soldier 'who fought in many battles'. Machello was captured and tortured, he tells Fred. "That explains a lot," Fred says. Machello fought and lost all that he loved---but if he had given up, Fred and all people of Earth would have been conquered by now, he says. "By who? Sadaam?" Fred chuckles. "He is not a system lord I am familiar with. But several others would have wiped you out," Machello says. Machello does not wish to fight any more. He wants to eat food like the diners and meet good people like Fred. All good things must come to an end, Fred shrugs. No, Machello disagrees. Evil things must end. For good things like himself and Fred, it is possible to go on. "Cool," Fred says, having no idea what Machello is talking about but seeing his sincerity.

Jack comes out of his meditative state just in time to find Teal'c about to cut O'Neill's head. If he is to remain in Jack's body, he has to shave Jack's head, Teal'c explains. "You're making a joke, right?" Jack gapes. "Teal'c you will NOT shave my head." "It is presently my head, O'Neill, " Teal'c argues. Jack emphasizes that it is temporarily Teal'c's head…Jack is going to see General Hammond to find out what's happening. "Promise me you won't touch the head until I get back!"
Jack asks Hammond if he might help look for Machello, but Hammond already has a lead on the alien: Daniel's credit card was used at a diner. As much as Hammond would like to let Jack go help with the search, he points out Jack is 'not exactly himself' at the moment. "Be patient, Colonel," Hammond says.

Machello and Fred are again walking the street. It's been a lifetime since Machello has enjoyed such good company, he thanks the homeless man. Now, the alien has another question, "How does one court a wife?" Fred grins and answers: Time, energy, and credit cards. There is no time for such pursuits, though—the police have found Machello. "I will not go back," Machello warns. Machello attempts to run, but is quickly caught. "You were right, Fred," he tells his friend, "All good things do come to an end."

Sam is still with Daniel in the hospital, imploring him to wake up. "Daniel, you can't die on me now," she tells him. Daniel stirs, quietly teasing, "It's nice to know you don't just like me for my looks."

The machine and Machello are brought to Daniel's bedside. Hammond orders Machello to reverse what's happened to the team. Machello explains that it is impossible to reverse the switches. The devise was made to encrypt the transferrals so that the procedures could not be reversed, and SGC doesn't have the equipment for Machello to reprogram the devise---even if he wanted to.

Uncooperative Machello is placed under arrest. He calls Hammond and Sam to his cell. He wants to negotiate his release. His offer? He will teach Sam to interpret the language in which his notes are written…and with the data in the electronic notebooks, Earth could easily defeat the Goa'ulds. What about Daniel? Hammond wants to know. "He is not an issue," Machello shrugs. Sam is outraged. "We're talking about a friend's life." Daniel was Machello's avenue to hiding his identity---a casualty of war. Isn't the salvation of their planet worth one life? Hammond is disgusted, "I don't know about the customs of your planet, but here on Earth the value of a life is priceless." Sam wants Machello to get to know his 'casualty' and takes him back to dying Daniel.

"What would you like me to say?" Machello asks Daniel. "I am sorry? That I wish I could undo it? I do not." Why? Daniel wants to know. Because Machello earned it by sacrificing his life for Earth and its people. The least they could do is compensate him with another life. For 50 years he fought the Goa'ulds. Then his wife was turned into a host and betrayed him. Daniel understands---his wife was turned into a host as well. Machello isn't impressed. Daniel has a planet and friends. Two billion of Machello's people died instead of surrendering to the Goa'ulds. Daniel agrees that Machello has made sacrifices and they owe him gratitude---but that doesn't give him the right to take Daniel's life. Daniel adds that such actions would make a person no better than a Goa'uld. Machello is offended. "I am not a Goa'uld!" he snarls. "I hate the Goa'uld!" "The Goa'uld use hosts because they think they are better than humans, because they believe they deserve it. You're a Goa'uld, Machello. I'm nothing but a host to you," Daniel says. "I am not a Goa'uld!" Machello says again. Daniel is getting angrier---he could save Sha're, but Machello is stealing that chance. You will never find her, Machello argues. "I will find her!" Daniel insists before going into defib.

As Fraiser labors to save Daniel, Machello considers what's been said. If he could trade places with Daniel, he would, Machello tells Sam. Unfortunately, Machello is the only one who can't trade places with Daniel. Carter suddenly understands what Machello meant by 'impossible'…they have to play 'musical chairs' with Teal'c, Daniel, Jack, and Machello's bodies. First Machello is taken from Daniel's body and is put into Teal'c's body, and Jack is taken from Teal'c's body and put into Daniel's body. Then, Teal'c is taken from Jack's body and put into Machello's body and Daniel taken from Machello's body and put into Jack's. "I wish I had time to teach you the symbols," Machello tells Sam regretfully. She promises to figure out the symbols. Then Machello is taken from Teal'c and put into his own body, while Teal'c is taken from Machello and put back into his own body. Finally, Daniel is switched from Jack's body to his own and Jack is happily returned to his own body. "Shave my head?!?" he complains one last time to Teal'c.

Back in his own dying body, Machello stirs. "Thank you for my holiday," he tells Daniel. Then he is gone.

CONTENT GUIDE:

OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE: None

NUDITY: None

VIOLENCE: Police push Machello against squad car; Machello passes away

Memorable quotes:

The fun is in the acting in this one. (g) Love the little gripes from Jack about 'Junior' and head-shaving. Loved everyone's dead-on impersonations of the other cast members mannerisms. Lots of good dialogue to work with in this one.

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