The 15th episode of the second season sees guest appearances from both Robert Picardo as Richard Woolsey and David Hewlett as Dr. Rodney McKay. Meeting up with allies called the Langarans, Woolsey and Col. David Telford are trying to convince Ambassador Ovrida (played by Victor Garber) for use of their Stargate facility as a lifeline for Destiny, since their facility has already been set up to draw energy from the planet’s naquadria core. The Langarans are not convinced that it is safe to do so and their scientists have determined it to be dangerous for their planet. Rodney is brought in to propose a different option but the Langarans are not ready to try it. Ovirda stops him and says that he is not willing to dial Destiny if there’s even the slightest chance it could end in disaster, and will only agree if their scientists can confirm McKay’s findings.

Telford tries to use the possibility of the Lucian Alliance attacking Langara to use the Stargate by force and dial Destiny as possible coercion to agree to Earth’s proposition. However it does not work. Telford takes this as a sign that the Langarans have already been contacted by the Alliance and believes that they are working in agreement. Telford, Woolsey, McKay use the communication stones to discuss this with Col. Young. Telford shows Woolsey and McKay evidence of talks between the Alliance and Langara, collected using listening satellites orbiting the planet. Young has Eli confirm McKay’s method of dialing and is convinced when Eli says he wishes he had thought of the idea. A plan is hatched to convince the Langarans to safely dial the 9th chevron and to determine if they are indeed siding with the Alliance instead of Earth. On Langara, Woolsey comes through the gate unannounced, claiming to have some Ancient relics as gifts for Chief Administrator Halpren and Ambassador Ovirda. The captain of the guard insists on examining the relics, not realizing that the items are two long-range communication stones.

Using the stones, Young switches with Halpern and Scott switched with the captain of the guard. Young as Halpern invites Telford, McKay and some soldiers to Langara, much to the surprise of some of the soldiers on the Langaran side. Woolsey returns from having examined the administrator’s files. He has discovered that Langara was approached by the Alliance on multiple occasions, and steadfastly refused each time to preserve their relationship with Earth. A suspicious guard overhears some of the conversation and alerts Ovrida to the base and before the 9th Chevron can be dialed, his guards apprehend the Earth’s delegation. oung consults with McKay, who believes that the connection would have been successful.

Young and Scott return to Destiny. Young explains that Earth has now agreed to protect Langara from the Alliance, while the Langarans have removed the Stargate from the facility, ending any hopes of dialing Destiny. Noticing that they have moved to the bridge, James explains that she took their guests on a tour in the hopes of garnering some sympathy. Given their performance on Langara, he believes James made the best decision of any of them. Telford, Woolsey & McKay are also allowed to return to earth.

While all of this was going on Dr. Rush was in the chair, in a simulated world created by Amanda Perry’s consciousness (which was downloaded into the ship’s memory) and spending the day with her. In this simulated world it is possible for them to “touch” each other and make love, so they spend they day in bed. However, Perry does not want him to leave and when the time comes for him to go back to reality, she fakes it so he only believes that he is back with the rest of the crew. Eli & TJ are worried that they can’t snap Rush out of his ‘coma’ on the chair and it takes Ginn’s conciousness to give Eli a solution for the same.

Later Rush wakes up in the infirmary, having been unconscious for two days after being disconnected. Eli is there, waiting by the bed. Rush angrily demands an explanation, so Eli reveals that he transferred both Perry and Ginn into a quarantined section of the ship’s memory, totally isolating them from both the ship’s systems and the neural interface. He did so to save Rush, but clearly isn’t happy about it. Eli leaves, ignoring Rush’s further calls. TJ stops Rush from trying to press the issue, as he still needs to rest. Greer tells him to listen to her.