Daniel knew he shouldn't be doing this. The trigger was right there. All he had to do was rise to his feet and press the ordinary-looking sigil that was set in the exact center of the wall. Technically, he was just wasting time...
He blew gently against the wall, dislodging dust.
He could've opened the door three hours ago. After all, it had taken less than a minute to decipher the sharply chiseled runes that clearly stated, "PRESS HERE." Yet here he was, sitting cross legged on the dusty ground and running careful fingers along the wall, translating a text that had absolutely nothing to do with the items stored inside the ancient chamber.
It actually seemed to be a list of playground rules, which lent credence to his theory that the crystals stored in the chamber were leftover school supplies for the educational institution that had been on this planet millennia ago. Anthropologically, it was a fascinating glimpse at a culture long vanished. Daniel found himself reveling in the rare pleasure of the luxury of translation done for its own sake, without the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
Good thing no one else knew that, or Jack wouldn't just be sighing loudly with impatience - he'd be half-strangling Daniel in a headlock and yelling at Sam to set the C4.
No, he really shouldn't be doing this. He should stand and press the sigil so the team could enter the chamber, help themselves to the stockpile of crystals so helpfully itemized on the tablet he'd found abandoned near the DHD, and head back to the Stargate with an easy mission accomplished.
Yes. He should stand up right now, press that sigil, and...
Daniel leaned a little closer and traced a particularly complicated symbol, murmuring under his breath as he mentally compared it with the other ideograms he'd deciphered.
Behind him, Jack cleared his throat theatrically. "How long till sunset, Carter?" he asked.
"About two hours, sir." Sam's voice sounded a little tired. "Five minutes less than the last time you asked. Sir."
Daniel ignored them both and moved on to the next section.
He shouldn't be doing this. It wasn't fair to the rest of the team, who had nothing to do but sit and wait around while he indulged in a few hours of purely academic study. It was selfish. It was childish. It was...
He remembered the mission to P4X-031, where Jack had insisted they play an impromptu game of hockey in the abandoned Mayan temple instead of letting Daniel do any proper research.
He thought back to P3X-114, where he'd faithfully played sidekick to Sam while she examined an abandoned Goa'uld facility, until time ran out and Jack abruptly herded them back to the Stargate. Despite all his protests, Daniel never did get the chance to investigate the ruins he'd seen on the next hill.
He deserved this!
This was one of the planets they'd found via Jack's Ancient program, not the Abydos cartouche. There was no danger of ambush from Jaffa here. There couldn't possibly be any harm in taking a few extra minutes...
Teal'c, sitting directly behind him, suddenly shifted. He'd been in kel no reem all this time, which was why Daniel hadn't felt particularly guilty about the delay. But now Daniel glanced over his shoulder and found Teal'c eyeing him with that steady, calm gaze that said, I am looking right through you, Daniel Jackson, and I know precisely what you are doing.
Teal'c held his stare for a long moment, then very deliberately looked upwards at the inconspicuous sigil. His eyebrow rose just a fraction.
Daniel scrambled to his feet, dusting off his hands. "Well!" he said brightly. "I think I've got it now. If I'm right, we just have to--"
"Allow me, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c suggested. Reaching up, he pressed the sigil firmly. Dust fell in clouds as the door rumbled sideways, revealing a dark chamber within.
"Finally!" Jack grumbled. He strode forward, hefting his rifle so he could use the light to sweep the chamber for any dangers. Sam followed at his heels, eager to examine the treasure trove and determine how many of the crystals could be salvaged for use back at the SGC.
Daniel and Teal'c, left standing at the entrance, looked at one another wordlessly. After a long moment, Daniel stuffed his hands into his pockets and gave a little cough.
"So."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow again.
"Ah, how long...?"
"I have learned much from you, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c answered obliquely. He nodded at the sigil and then at the "PRESS HERE" symbols.
"So you knew all along."
There was the tiniest of twitches at the side of Teal'c's mouth as he bowed his head in gracious assent.
Daniel rocked on his heels. Drew his brows together. Took his hands out of his pockets to adjust his boonie and brush a little more dirt off his BDUs.
Finally, he asked, "So why didn't --"
"Carter!"
"Sir! We can't just leave this behind! It won't take that long to determine which ones are in the best condition. There are dozens of different applications. I need to examine these closely to see which ones have the best configuration for the--"
"Carter, I did not just spend three hours waiting for Daniel so I could spend another three hours waiting for you!"
"It won't take that long, sir. I'll just -- no, Colonel, don't touch that!"
A yelp. The sound of breaking crystal. Sam's voice, raised in frustration and throttled with the need not to yell at her superior officer. Jack, sounding a bit muffled now, and complaining about... paper cuts?
Teal'c glanced inside, then turned back to Daniel and repeated, "I have learned much from you, Daniel Jackson."
"Oh." Daniel felt his lips twitch into a grin and saw the answering gleam in Teal'c's eyes. "In that case, let's go get them out of there. And how about Moroccan tonight? On me?"
"That would be most satisfactory," Teal'c agreed, and the two of them walked into the chamber together.
Heliopolis Main Archive
A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Ten for the Team
by Fig NewtonKapitel Bemerkung:
Sela asked for iconfic: "Waiting for Daniel. Again."
The team may be waiting, but Daniel's not ready to rush things. Teal'c, as always, trumps everyone else. Set sometime in late S2, probably, but with no real spoilers.
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