A/N: One more short chapter here. The next one's longer.
Chapter 3
Two weeks later, Teal'c made his way to the commissary to meet Daniel Jackson and Colonel Carter for lunch. His workout had taken longer than usual, and he expected his friends would already be there waiting for him. When he arrived, he saw that the two scientists had chosen a table at the far end of the dining hall where they appeared to be discussing a matter of some importance. Teal'c watched them as he moved through the line, concerned by the apparent tension between them.
"You can't do that!" Daniel's outrage carried across the commissary to where Teal'c was choosing from the dessert selections. Something about his tone made Teal'c put down the slice of pie and turn to see what was going on.
"That's where you're wrong, Daniel." Sam's voice was tight with anger. "I can. SG-7 brought that device back from their last mission. After General Landry, they report any technological discoveries directly to me. You know that."
"Damn it, Sam, if you take that thing apart before my department gets a look at it…"
"What, Daniel?" She was in full battle mode. "You worried my ham-handed techs will damage it?"
"Yes, actually! That's exactly what I'm worried about!"
The two of them were on their feet now, oblivious to the tense silence that had fallen over the room. Teal'c shook his head, nodded at the airman behind the counter, and moved toward them, intent on preventing actual bloodshed. Daniel Jackson and Colonel Carter often engaged in conversations of this type, but rarely did they become so heated.
"It's good to know you have such confidence in my department."
Teal'c lifted an eyebrow. He had never heard her speak to Daniel Jackson in those tones before.
Daniel snorted. "I have confidence all right. The last time your group turned a device over to us it was so badly mangled it was practically useless!"
"Perhaps," Teal'c suggested, calmly inserting himself between them, "this conversation could be more readily resolved elsewhere."
It only took a moment for his words to reach their intended targets. Daniel and Sam, still angry, were forced to acknowledge their spellbound audience. They sat down, glaring at each other across Teal'c's overloaded lunch tray.
"What do you think, Teal'c?" Sam asked, watching Teal'c peel his orange.
"As I did not hear your entire conversation, I do not feel that it would be appropriate to render an opinion at this time."
"Oh come on, Teal'c. You've heard it all before." Daniel refused to back down. "SG teams bring artifacts back from their missions and the damn scientists rip it apart. By the time we get it, there's not much left to work with."
"Are you not also a scientist, Daniel Jackson?"
Daniel snorted his exasperation. "You know what I mean."
"I do not." Teal'c dropped the orange peel on his tray and looked up at Sam. "Is it not possible to allow Daniel Jackson's team to examine the device first?" He was playing with fire. Colonel Carter could be very protective of alien devices.
"No way. I promised General Landry I'd have a report to him tomorrow."
Sometimes, thought Teal'c, the best way to solve a problem was to ignore it. "There is another device on Dakara that may be of some interest to the scientists of this world."
Thankfully, the diversionary tactic was successful.
"What kind of device?" Daniel asked, still glaring at Sam.
Teal'c took his time folding his napkin before answering. "Of that I am not sure, Daniel Jackson."
"Describe it to us." Colonel Carter shoved her still full tray to one side. Teal'c had noticed that she did not eat properly when she was unhappy.
"That will be difficult." He paused to drink a carton of milk before going on. "As you are aware, a number of free Jaffa have been studying the possibility of creating a sustainable food source on Dakara."
"Yes, yes, I know," Daniel was obviously still irritated with Sam and, for the moment at least, taking it out on Teal'c's rather stubborn refusal to get to the point. "Having fought so hard for your own freedom, the Jaffa don't want to enslave the peoples of other planets for the purpose of providing food."
Teal'c rewarded Daniel with a slight nod. "Precisely."
"Why Dakara?" Sam asked. "From what I've seen, the planet's surface composition is too rocky for farming, its climate too hot and dry. Aren't there other planets that make more sense?"
"Indeed." Teal'c said, as he reached for the salt.
"So then…" Daniel trailed off, looking confused.
Teal'c finished with the salt and took an experimental bite of his mashed potatoes before answering. "Several days ago, a group of Jaffa was exploring a section of Dakara that had not been visited for many centuries."
"And?" Sam, never particularly patient, had become much less so during her years working with Jack O'Neill.
"And they discovered a device of unknown origin and purpose," he looked at Daniel, "with unfamiliar symbols inscribed upon its face."
At this point, had General O'Neill been present, there would've been a loud groan of protest. As it was, there was nobody to temper Daniel and Sam's excitement.
"Were they able to translate any of it?" Daniel asked his question at precisely the same moment Sam asked hers.
"Any idea what it does?"
"No," Teal'c answered Daniel first. Then, turning to look at Sam, "and no."
"So you want us to come out there and take a look?"
Teal'c nodded slightly. "Indeed."
Daniel and Sam were on their feet almost instantly, a pair of bloodhounds on the scent of a rabbit.
"I think General Landry's in his office," Sam said.
Teal'c resigned himself to missing the rest of his lunch. One meal was a small sacrifice if it distracted his friends from the ill tempers that had plagued them since O'Neill's unexpected departure. Taking one of the sandwiches and an apple off of his tray, he followed them out of the commissary.
