Tangent (Stargate SG-1)

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"Tangent" }||}}} }|episode list=|overridean=}} episode }|episode list=}} of the science fiction}}} television series Stargate SG-1}}}.

Plot

} Teal'c is test-flying the X-301, an experimental USAF fighter assembled from parts of two of Apophis' death gliders (from "The Serpent's Lair") and human tech. It can achieve escape velocity with virtually no G-forces for the pilots, and even Carter doesn't fully understand how it works. Lt. General Vidrine is impressed (though not as much by O'Neill's sense of humor.)

The next test is aerial combat, with the SGC serving as Mission Control. O'Neill joins Teal'c in the X-301, but they overshoot the attack run, heading directly out into space. "We are no longer in control of the vehicle. I repeat, we have lost control and cannot eject. Please advise."

Once they're moving at a million miles an hour through space, propulsion shuts down. Apophis' recorded voice states that he installed booby traps (aka recall devices) in his gliders, so none of his betrayers would be able to use his craft, and they would return to his homeworld...after a very long time.

Affected by the time lag it takes for radio signals to reach the X-301, Carter and Major Davis at the SGC - with O'Neill and Teal'c on the glider - collaborate on a plan to slingshot them around Jupiter: The rocket motors of the AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, never fired during the weapons test, are still under their control. Unfortunately, the missiles don't have enough thrust and one hits the glider, forcing O'Neill and Teal'c to reduce life support to freezing and very low oxygen levels.

Daniel has contacted our allies capable of spaceflight. Anise of the Tok'ra throws him a secret bone by saying she will not risk exposing a covert operative on a Goa'uld-occupied world, even though a scout ship is within a day or so of Earth. Carter pinpoints the world, she and Daniel 'gate there and are picked up by transport rings. Fortunately, it is the Tok'ra operative, Jacob Carter, who quickly reigns in his temper (he was preparing to destroy part of the planet) once he realizes his friends' lives are at stake. The ship will reach the X-301 in roughly 24 hours.

With 12 hours of air remaining, Teal'c decides to go into an extremely deep state of kel'no'reem, slowing his heart rate, reducing his oxygen consumption. O'Neill asks who he'll talk to. Teal'c renders O'Neill speechless with his depth of feeling and friendship.

Jacob pushes the cargo ship beyond maximum safe velocity, resulting in the hyperspace engines crashing within spitting distance of two Goa'uld motherships. Daniel stalls them by saying he's the Great and Powerful Oz in Goa'uld. They launch gliders in response, but the engines are fixed.

Upon arrival, Teal'c and O'Neill are asleep, near death. Jacob nudges the X-301 with the cargo ship, waking O'Neill into an amusing but dangerous daze from oxygen deprivation. Fortunately, he understands enough to wake Teal'c up by throwing something at him. Obeying Carter's instructions, they saturate their lungs with the remaining oxygen, open the glider's canopy, exhale and push away. Five meters from the glider, Jacob rings them aboard. They're both alive.

Notes

O'Neill's repeated phrase here is "Let me do the math", referring to their survival on limited supplies and options. It takes three tries, but he finally gets a smile out of Teal'c.
While the X-301 is not seen again, O'Neill remembers it vividly in "Fail Safe" and "Redemption (Part 1)".
The Great and Powerful Oz is one of Stargate SG-1's many references to The Wizard of Oz. According to producer Brad Wright, Robert C. Cooper wrote an Oz reference in an early script, and especially with Richard Dean Anderson's tendency to ad-lib, it grew from there.

[transcript of The Producer's Panel at Gatecon 2000 (September 22-24, 2000) at the Radisson Hotel Burnaby]

[from the Richard Dean Anderson Web Site, fan web site]

Carter knows a Goa'uld scout ship's maximum speed from their mission to Netu in "Jolinar's Memories".

O'Neill remembers freezing to death from "Solitudes".

External links

[Official Stargate SG-1 site]. MGM. Visited June 8, 2006. Most of site requires Flash.
[Transcript] from StargateWiki. Visited May 7, 2006.
[Summary] from GateWorld. Visited May 7, 2006.
[Review] from GateWorld. Reviewed by Debra Kraft. Visited May 7, 2006.

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