Jack entered the outer part of the holding area, surprised to see the security man on duty watching the monitors intently. Not that he'd expected dereliction of duty. It was just that prisoners were rarely interesting enough to warrant such rapt attention without needing intervention. The man stood when Jack approached, but was still obviously distracted by the monitor.
Waving the man, Pavel, back to his seat, Jack approached to look for himself:
Bob Cooper sat on his bunk, at the end furthest from his neighbor, knees drawn up to his chest, wide eyes fixed on the other cell. Teal'c faced him, sitting cross-legged on the floor just beyond the bars that separated their enclosures.
It wasn't the action that Pavel found so intriguing. Teal'c was describing exactly what, in his culture, he was entitled to do to a man who unjustly accused him of adultery. Suffice to say no one ever made two allegations. Or had children after the first.
Jack turned to look at Pavel, who was again fixated on the monitor. "How long have they been…talking?"
"Since Cooper arrived last night. If you think this is bad, you should hear what Teal'c is entitled to do to Cooper for not confronting him directly! Jaffa are creative, I gotta say that. He can –" Pavel stopped abruptly, flushing.
"It's ok, Pavel. In fact, I don't think you are allowed to prevent detainees from speaking." Let Teal'c have this tiny bit of revenge. After all, there was no harm in talking, right? This, rather than 'cooling off,' might even be the reason for Hammond's delay in authorizing the big guy's release. Since they couldn't knowingly allowhim carry out his threats, this was probably the most they could do to assuage his anger. "Besides, we might learn something about the Jaffa culture." He settled himself alongside the other officer to wait until Teal'c got tired or bored.
He had to agree with Pavel. Jaffa, or Teal'c anyway, were creative. It took a long time for Teal'c to describe in complete detail what he thought should happen to Cooper. Before he finished, Cooper snapped.
"Just shut up!" he screeched. "You can't do any of that to me! You're locked up the same as I am!"
"True," Teal'c agreed solemnly. "But it will not always be so. The time will come."
Cooper made a squelchy sound, and Jack wondered if he'd just swallowed his tongue.
Apparently not, as Cooper spoke again. "They won't let you get to me." His confidence seemed to grow with the thought. "It would look bad for the SGC. They'll find a way to stop you, you wait and see. You'll probably never get within a hundred miles of me!"
Teal'c considered. His tone, when he responded, was grave. "Perhaps you are right."
"Ha!" there was no mistaking the triumph in his tone. "So just give up the idle threats, alien!"
"Agreed." Teal'c removed his shirt with a single graceful move.
"Wh-what are you doing?" The fear was back in Cooper's voice.
"Making good on a threat that is not idle." Long fingers caressed the edges of his pouch, and something wet and black appeared in the opening.
"You-you can't! You'll die!" Cooper was curled up in the furthest corner of his cell, peering with terrified eyes over his crossed arms.
"I will die but once," Teal'c said calmly. "With my name avenged. You will suffer a thousand deaths, your human poet would say, as you are tormented for decades by this Goa'uld." It was snaking its way out and into his hands as he spoke.
"No!"
"I believe the customary penalty on this planet is for you to spend many years in prison. I'm sure the NID will allow you to put that time to good use by acting as the voice of a captive Goa'uld. Or perhaps medical experimentation will be preferred. Even if they merely leave you to enjoy your new parasite, you will never be freed." He held up the Goa'uld larva, giving his nemesis a good long look.
"It's small." He sounded surprised. "I'll kill it if you send it in here!"
Teal'c laughed, a rarity for him. "Do not be misled by its fragile appearance. These creatures have captured humans, Unas, and other species for centuries. Do not think you will be the first to defeat one." He lowered the symbiote slowly toward the ground. "Please try to kill it. When it has overcome you, it will punish you for your impudence. I shall enjoy that as my last sight."
Jack opened the door, intent on saving Teal'c. "Teal'c, don't!"
The big man paused, still holding the squirming snake. "He must suffer an appropriate penalty, O'Neill."
"He'll be convicted. He'll be in jail till he's an old man. It's not worth killing yourself."
"My name must be cleared."
"When he gets convicted, it'll tell everyone loud and clear that he was wrong. That everyone agrees he was wrong. Don't do this."
"Don't ask him! Order him to put it back!" Cooper was still pressed against the far corner of his cell.
"Have you never seen a man act against orders?" Teal'c asked quietly.
"There's no need, Teal'c. He will be convicted. It's on video. He told the SFs that she was under the camera. There's no way he'll get off."
"And if he does? Will you keep me from making a proper response?"
Jack hesitated. He couldn't honestly ensure that there would be another opportunity. But there was no way Cooper was getting out of this, so did it matter? "I'll make sure you get your chance, Teal'c."
He had no idea how soon he would be held to that promise.