Flashy Lights
Flashy Lights
There it was. The machine. The
lights flashed and the noises sang. Teal'c was automatically
attracted to it. It was like there was a force drawing him
towards it. But what was it? What was this machine which seemed
so beautiful in the eyes of this Jaffa? He just had to know.
"O'Neill," asked Teal'c.
"What is this machine?"
"That," began O'Neill
througth his pint of beer, "is a slot machine. You put money
in it and get you get money back. It's fun. Give it a whirl!"
"That is not true!"
snapped Carter. "Teal'c, you put money in and then there is
a chance of getting money back. Only that chance is so small it
seems like hardly ever. Basically, there's no point to it."
Too late, Carter but thanks for
the speech anyway. Jack had already handed over Teal'c some money
and now was talking him througth the game. Daniel had also joined
them.
"You see that flashy light
there," said Daniel, pointing to a light the size of a tenth
of a pea. "If that flashs ten times per second then the
machine will pay out next time. It's all a game of luck, you see."
Jack knocked Daniel out of the
way. "You are way too caffine high, Danny boy," he said.
"It's a game of skill, Teal'c. You have to hit this button
here and then this button here and then...." The wheels
turned. Teal'c watched carefully. Suddenly, the wheels stopped
and the cash came rolling out. "See, told you." bragged
a rather smug Jack O'Neill. "It's a game of skill."
"Yeah," commented
Daniel. "In your mind maybe but notice that the little light
was going."
"I'd love to see you do
that again, Jack!" yelled out Carter. Again, nobody listened.
"I'll do it again,"
snapped Jack. "Watch this. Teal'c, put the money in and just
do what I did." The Jaffa nodded and did as O'Neill said.
The wheels turned. The four of them leaned in over the machine
but this time, no money.
"Light wasn't flashing,"
Daniel muttered as he backed away from the machine.
"Erm, that was just a one
off!" O'Neill quickly put in as he shoved more money into
the Jaffa's hands.
ONE HOUR LATER
Jack was having a nervous
breakdown. Carter kept muttering I told you so. Teal'c was still
in the dark about why the machine was so fun. And Daniel.......
"Bartender?" Daniel
called out across the bar.
A very annoyed Maybourne came
around the corner. He looked a right idiot in his fnacy white
tucked in blouse and black apron. "What?"
Daniel was in fits of laughed
when he saw this. "The SGC doesn't bring in that much money,
you know?" Maybourne snapped. "I had to get a second
job! Now, what do you want?"
"I'll have an orange juice
and Henry will have a Bud," Daniel said, still giggling.
"I'm sorry Daniel. We don't
serve coffee cups," Maybourne responded, turning his back to
Daniel.
Daniel put Henry, his red
coffee cup, onto the counter. He tapped Maybourne on the back.
"You say that to Henry." Maybourne gave Jackson a look
of complete disgust. "Go on, do it!" Daniel demanded.
Maybourne bent down. "I'm
sorry Henry. I don't serve coffee cups," Maybourne spat out.
"Say it nicely!"
Daniel yelled. People were beginning to stare.
Mayboure, now exceedingly
embrassed, started over again. In a calmer tone he said "I'm
sorry Henry. I don't serve coffee cups."
Daniel sighed and rolled his
eyes. "I suppose it will do," he said, putting Henry on
a bar stool. He then turned to Sam and tutted "It's so hard
to find a decent bartender these days!"
TWO HOURS LATER
"What makes those two
think they can afford to gamble anyway?" Maybourne
questioned. Yes, that's right folks, Jack and Teal'c are still at
the machine.
"Not being able to afford
to gamble doesn't matter," Sam muttered. That's when Sam had
an idea. She slinked over to Jack and wrapped her arms around his
neck. "Jack?" she began.
Suddenly, O'Neill wasn't
interested in the machine in front of him. Sam's skin was so
perfectly smooth and soft. "Yes, Carter?" O'Neill said.
"I'm so thirsty and I don't
have any of my own money left to get a drink. Could you lend me
your wallet please?" Sam said in a seductive voice.
Unfortunatly for Sam, this is were Jack clicked onto what she was
doing and he immediatly switched his attention back to the
gambling machine. Sam, who would not take no for an answer, moved
on to plan B. She kicked him shaply on the leg, waited for him to
collapse to the ground with an agonising scream and then ran off
with his wallet.
"No....money....to....gamble....with!"
screeched Jack O'Neill before running off to the men's loos to
throw up. Daniel and Teal'c followed him.
It was then when Teal'c noticed
another machine.
The light glowed red and the
stickers contained a word beginning with C. Teal'c was
automatically attracted to it. It was like there was a force
drawing him towards it. But what was it? What was this machine
which seemed so beautiful in the eyes of this Jaffa? He just had
to know.
"O'Neill," asked Teal'c.
"What is this machine................."