Day Five: Teal'c (Layton)
I have spent the majority of the morning talking with Loran, though, unfortunately, he asked to hear of some of my adventures with SG-1 instead of the Tauri's television soap operas. Soon Major Carter appeared however, and grabbed Loran's arm, before pulling him out of the room, saying something about Loran needing to explain more about the light.
Left alone in the gate room, with no ice cream, I decided to search out Daniel Jackson and O'Neill, to see if they required my assistance. I do not believe they will be doing anything that may require my help, because there does not appear to be anything to do in this place at all. However, I fear I have nothing else to do.
Were I on base, I would be watching One Life to Live at this time, following the story of the noble Vicky and her clan. I looked at the Tauri watch around my wrist, the scenes from tomorrow's episode would be coming on at about any moment. However I could not watch them from this place. I had requested that Doctor Fraiser tape them for me during my absence--and she had promised to try.
I would have been happier had she simply agreed, but was forced to settle with her 'try.' She did inform me, however, that if she was unable to do so, I would be able to discuss with Cassandra Fraiser whatever events I miss.
I walk into one of the large empty rooms, and look curiously down. Daniel Jackson and O'Neill are both lying on their backs in the center of the floor, staring at the ceiling.
"I'm right," Daniel Jackson says. "There's sixty eight of them, I win. I was closest."
"There is not!" O'Neill shouts. "Can't you count? There's only fifty of them. I win."
"Jack--"
"No, I already told you. The purple ones don't count."
"We never said the purple ones wouldn't count. There's sixty eight. Don't be a sore loser."
I look slowly up. There is an array of small shapes painted on the ceiling, the majority of which were gold, with a few, far spread purple ones.
"O'Neill, Daniel Jackson," I say, coming to stand over them.
They look up at me. "Hi, Teal'c," Daniel Jackson smiles. I give him a slight smile in return.
"Teal'c! Buddy!" O'Neill shouts.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"We made a bet," O'Neill tells me. "I won but Daniel won't admit it."
"You didn't win. I won," Daniel Jackson says as he rolls his eyes.
"What was it that you bet?" I ask.
"We wanted to see who would guess closest to the number of squiggles on the ceiling," O'Neill informs me.
I raise an eyebrow.
"Daniel thinks he won--but I keep telling him, the purple ones don't count."
"Are the purple ones not also 'squiggles,' O'Neill?"
Daniel Jackson smiles widely. O'Neill glares at me.
"Fine," O'Neill snaps, before turning to Daniel with a false smile. "You can work in your stupid journal, as long as you eat AND sleep."
Daniel Jackson gives a bright smile. "Sure, Jack."
"These were the terms of this bet?" I ask curiously.
Daniel Jackson nods. "Yes--if Jack won, I would have had to give up working for the rest of the week."
I turn back to O'Neill who was again glaring at me. "But you just had to point out purple squiggles were squiggles too."
"Don't blame Teal'c, Jack," Daniel Jackson says. "I'm not stupid. I was never going to buy into the fact that your number was correct because you were just guessing the number of the gold ones."
O'Neill is now glaring at Daniel Jackson, who seems oblivious of the look as he rises to his feet. "I'm going to go get my journal," he says, before smiling his goodbye and leaving the room.
"Great," O'Neill says. "Now we'll never see him again."
"O'Neill, he is only in the next room."
"That's not the point, the point is--- oh, just forget it. Just remember that next time, if I say the purple ones don't count, then they don't count. I'm the team leader, you're supposed to agree with me."
"Even if you are wrong, O'Neill? And Daniel Jackson is right?"
"Especially then."
I watched him as he too got to his feet, not quite as quick or easily as Daniel Jackson had. "O'Neill--I can not agree with you if I believe you are wrong. It is not the way of the Jaffa."
"Well, if the Jaffa wants any ice cream," O'Neill mumbles. "He'd better damn well change his ways."
This threat is empty. O'Neill has tried to withhold ice cream from me before. He was too wise a warrior to try again.
"Where's Carter and Loran?" he asks.
"They are in the light room," I tell him.
"They aren't touching anything, are they?" O'Neill asks.
"You have informed Major Carter of your orders on many occasions, O'Neill, probably far more times than necessary. She will not disobey them."
O'Neill nodded. "You're right, of course. If it was Daniel I would have to supervise, but Carter ought to be able to keep the scientist in her in check."
"What are you doing now, O'Neill?" I ask.
O'Neill turns to me slowly, a large grin forming on his features. "Why, Teal'c--you aren't bored, are you?"
"No," I say simply.
He grins. "Yes, you are."
"I am not," I say deeply, my tone causing O'Neill to drop the matter.
"Well, why aren't you then?" he asks. "What are you doing that's keeping you so entertained?"
"I am observing you, O'Neill," I tell him.
"For crying out loud, Teal'c. We aren't characters in one of your soaps."
Indeed. My friends were far more interesting. And had far worse luck.
"You want to play catch or something?" he asks.
I think of Daniel Jackson's dark black eye. "I do not."
I did want to return to the SGC, if for only an hour or two. I could watch All My Children and then return. I did not believe the General would approve such a request, however, as it cost the Tauri much to activate the 'gate. As it was, General Hammond had been reluctant to allow me to stay here when I asked. But once I had reminded him of the complex relationship of O'Neill and Daniel Jackson, we both agreed it in everyone's best interests that I return.
I am still unsure what the General meant by 'baby-sitting,' however, as despite their sometimes infantile attitudes neither are babies. And were they, I do not see what good would come from sitting on them.
Loran comes running through the doors.
"What's wrong?" O'Neill asks instantly.
Loran shakes his head. "Nothing--well, yes, nothing. I'm just trying--"
"Loran?" Major Carter's voice reaches us just before she also enters the room. "Oh, here you are. Why did you run off, I still need you to explain that dial on the back--you said it was a release valve? What does it release and why? And what about the buttons on the top? Do you know what they do?"
Loran looks stricken as he stares back at her. "I don't know that much about it, really. Perhaps Daniel could--"
Major Carter shook her head. "Daniel could help me if there was something to translate, instructions or some such, but we can't find any. So I need you to--"
O'Neill is watching the exchange, looking quite amused. "So, Loran," he says. "Baseball sounding like a bit more fun now?"
Major Carter looks at O'Neill in irritation and Loran looks at him gratefully. "Yes, Jack. Please--let's play baseball."
"Sir," Major Carter snaps.
"You're welcome to join us, Carter," he tells her with a smile. "You too, Teal'c."
"I am afraid I will have to again say no, O'Neill."
"Have it your way," he says with a shrug.
I follow the others into the 'gate room anyway. Major Carter goes to sit despondently on the 'gate steps, and O'Neill tosses Loran a glove. In the corner, Daniel Jackson barely notices our arrival. He is sitting cross legged on the ground, writing furiously in his journal.
"Okay," O'Neill says, tossing the ball up and catching it himself. "Just do what Daniel and I were doing yesterday, okay?"
Loran nods, looking slightly apprehensive. O'Neill smiles reassuringly and throws the ball. Loran closes his eyes and makes no move to catch it. The ball impacts with his chest and he falls backwards.
"Oh, crap, kid. Jeez, when I said do what we were doing--I was talking about before Daniel got the black eye." O'Neill walks over to Loran, who is now sitting on the floor and kneels down. "Are you alright?"
Loran nods dazedly. "Sam…? I think I will show you what that valve does now…"
Major Carter brightens immediately and rushes to help Loran to his feet, before ushering him back to the light room.
I turn to look at O'Neill.
"Don't say it, Teal'c."
I raised an eyebrow. "I was not going to say anything, O'Neill."
With a sigh, O'Neill throws the glove and baseball back onto F.R.E.D., where I believe they will remain for the rest of our time here. He then wanders back to Daniel Jackson, and slides down the wall to sit beside him.
"So, Daniel. Double or nothing, what do you say…?"
I have spent the majority of the morning talking with Loran, though, unfortunately, he asked to hear of some of my adventures with SG-1 instead of the Tauri's television soap operas. Soon Major Carter appeared however, and grabbed Loran's arm, before pulling him out of the room, saying something about Loran needing to explain more about the light.
Left alone in the gate room, with no ice cream, I decided to search out Daniel Jackson and O'Neill, to see if they required my assistance. I do not believe they will be doing anything that may require my help, because there does not appear to be anything to do in this place at all. However, I fear I have nothing else to do.
Were I on base, I would be watching One Life to Live at this time, following the story of the noble Vicky and her clan. I looked at the Tauri watch around my wrist, the scenes from tomorrow's episode would be coming on at about any moment. However I could not watch them from this place. I had requested that Doctor Fraiser tape them for me during my absence--and she had promised to try.
I would have been happier had she simply agreed, but was forced to settle with her 'try.' She did inform me, however, that if she was unable to do so, I would be able to discuss with Cassandra Fraiser whatever events I miss.
I walk into one of the large empty rooms, and look curiously down. Daniel Jackson and O'Neill are both lying on their backs in the center of the floor, staring at the ceiling.
"I'm right," Daniel Jackson says. "There's sixty eight of them, I win. I was closest."
"There is not!" O'Neill shouts. "Can't you count? There's only fifty of them. I win."
"Jack--"
"No, I already told you. The purple ones don't count."
"We never said the purple ones wouldn't count. There's sixty eight. Don't be a sore loser."
I look slowly up. There is an array of small shapes painted on the ceiling, the majority of which were gold, with a few, far spread purple ones.
"O'Neill, Daniel Jackson," I say, coming to stand over them.
They look up at me. "Hi, Teal'c," Daniel Jackson smiles. I give him a slight smile in return.
"Teal'c! Buddy!" O'Neill shouts.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"We made a bet," O'Neill tells me. "I won but Daniel won't admit it."
"You didn't win. I won," Daniel Jackson says as he rolls his eyes.
"What was it that you bet?" I ask.
"We wanted to see who would guess closest to the number of squiggles on the ceiling," O'Neill informs me.
I raise an eyebrow.
"Daniel thinks he won--but I keep telling him, the purple ones don't count."
"Are the purple ones not also 'squiggles,' O'Neill?"
Daniel Jackson smiles widely. O'Neill glares at me.
"Fine," O'Neill snaps, before turning to Daniel with a false smile. "You can work in your stupid journal, as long as you eat AND sleep."
Daniel Jackson gives a bright smile. "Sure, Jack."
"These were the terms of this bet?" I ask curiously.
Daniel Jackson nods. "Yes--if Jack won, I would have had to give up working for the rest of the week."
I turn back to O'Neill who was again glaring at me. "But you just had to point out purple squiggles were squiggles too."
"Don't blame Teal'c, Jack," Daniel Jackson says. "I'm not stupid. I was never going to buy into the fact that your number was correct because you were just guessing the number of the gold ones."
O'Neill is now glaring at Daniel Jackson, who seems oblivious of the look as he rises to his feet. "I'm going to go get my journal," he says, before smiling his goodbye and leaving the room.
"Great," O'Neill says. "Now we'll never see him again."
"O'Neill, he is only in the next room."
"That's not the point, the point is--- oh, just forget it. Just remember that next time, if I say the purple ones don't count, then they don't count. I'm the team leader, you're supposed to agree with me."
"Even if you are wrong, O'Neill? And Daniel Jackson is right?"
"Especially then."
I watched him as he too got to his feet, not quite as quick or easily as Daniel Jackson had. "O'Neill--I can not agree with you if I believe you are wrong. It is not the way of the Jaffa."
"Well, if the Jaffa wants any ice cream," O'Neill mumbles. "He'd better damn well change his ways."
This threat is empty. O'Neill has tried to withhold ice cream from me before. He was too wise a warrior to try again.
"Where's Carter and Loran?" he asks.
"They are in the light room," I tell him.
"They aren't touching anything, are they?" O'Neill asks.
"You have informed Major Carter of your orders on many occasions, O'Neill, probably far more times than necessary. She will not disobey them."
O'Neill nodded. "You're right, of course. If it was Daniel I would have to supervise, but Carter ought to be able to keep the scientist in her in check."
"What are you doing now, O'Neill?" I ask.
O'Neill turns to me slowly, a large grin forming on his features. "Why, Teal'c--you aren't bored, are you?"
"No," I say simply.
He grins. "Yes, you are."
"I am not," I say deeply, my tone causing O'Neill to drop the matter.
"Well, why aren't you then?" he asks. "What are you doing that's keeping you so entertained?"
"I am observing you, O'Neill," I tell him.
"For crying out loud, Teal'c. We aren't characters in one of your soaps."
Indeed. My friends were far more interesting. And had far worse luck.
"You want to play catch or something?" he asks.
I think of Daniel Jackson's dark black eye. "I do not."
I did want to return to the SGC, if for only an hour or two. I could watch All My Children and then return. I did not believe the General would approve such a request, however, as it cost the Tauri much to activate the 'gate. As it was, General Hammond had been reluctant to allow me to stay here when I asked. But once I had reminded him of the complex relationship of O'Neill and Daniel Jackson, we both agreed it in everyone's best interests that I return.
I am still unsure what the General meant by 'baby-sitting,' however, as despite their sometimes infantile attitudes neither are babies. And were they, I do not see what good would come from sitting on them.
Loran comes running through the doors.
"What's wrong?" O'Neill asks instantly.
Loran shakes his head. "Nothing--well, yes, nothing. I'm just trying--"
"Loran?" Major Carter's voice reaches us just before she also enters the room. "Oh, here you are. Why did you run off, I still need you to explain that dial on the back--you said it was a release valve? What does it release and why? And what about the buttons on the top? Do you know what they do?"
Loran looks stricken as he stares back at her. "I don't know that much about it, really. Perhaps Daniel could--"
Major Carter shook her head. "Daniel could help me if there was something to translate, instructions or some such, but we can't find any. So I need you to--"
O'Neill is watching the exchange, looking quite amused. "So, Loran," he says. "Baseball sounding like a bit more fun now?"
Major Carter looks at O'Neill in irritation and Loran looks at him gratefully. "Yes, Jack. Please--let's play baseball."
"Sir," Major Carter snaps.
"You're welcome to join us, Carter," he tells her with a smile. "You too, Teal'c."
"I am afraid I will have to again say no, O'Neill."
"Have it your way," he says with a shrug.
I follow the others into the 'gate room anyway. Major Carter goes to sit despondently on the 'gate steps, and O'Neill tosses Loran a glove. In the corner, Daniel Jackson barely notices our arrival. He is sitting cross legged on the ground, writing furiously in his journal.
"Okay," O'Neill says, tossing the ball up and catching it himself. "Just do what Daniel and I were doing yesterday, okay?"
Loran nods, looking slightly apprehensive. O'Neill smiles reassuringly and throws the ball. Loran closes his eyes and makes no move to catch it. The ball impacts with his chest and he falls backwards.
"Oh, crap, kid. Jeez, when I said do what we were doing--I was talking about before Daniel got the black eye." O'Neill walks over to Loran, who is now sitting on the floor and kneels down. "Are you alright?"
Loran nods dazedly. "Sam…? I think I will show you what that valve does now…"
Major Carter brightens immediately and rushes to help Loran to his feet, before ushering him back to the light room.
I turn to look at O'Neill.
"Don't say it, Teal'c."
I raised an eyebrow. "I was not going to say anything, O'Neill."
With a sigh, O'Neill throws the glove and baseball back onto F.R.E.D., where I believe they will remain for the rest of our time here. He then wanders back to Daniel Jackson, and slides down the wall to sit beside him.
"So, Daniel. Double or nothing, what do you say…?"