"I shall be discreet," Teal'c promised O'Neil before slipping away to join the throng on the main street.
How strange to be considered the most likely of their team to blend with these other Tau'ri! Yet his very alienness, Daniel Jackson suggested, would serve him well: these Earth people of the future would view him as an innocent foreigner, rather than suspiciously ignorant of the most basic concepts. His unfamiliarity with the planet was thus transformed into an asset. Teal'c, reflecting on this, decided that Bra'tac would be most amused.
Bra'tac. It was sobering to think that the old man would be long dead by now, along with everyone else he knew. His great-grandchildren might still live, carrying on his legacy, proud Jaffa and skilled warriors... He glanced skywards, wondering if there might be some way to discover if his people had ever achieved their freedom. Teal'c longed to return to his own time and resume the struggle against Apophis and the rest of the System Lords.
As he stepped into the seething mass of humanity and carefully mounted the moving sidewalk, he considered his options. His task was a simple one: find a guide to the nearest library, so Captain Carter might research this era's knowledge of time travel and find a way to return them to 1999. He scanned the sea of faces, looking for one that appeared friendly and open. He settled on a woman who appeared to be Captain Carter's age, or perhaps a bit younger. Something in her bright blue eyes reminded him of both of his younger teammates, with their enthusiasm for knowledge and eagerness to share it with others.
He watched the others on the moving sidewalk for a moment. It would not be unusual, he decided, if he edged his way towards his chosen quarry. He moved smoothly through the crowd, faltering only once at the moving surface under his feet, and ventured a gentle tap on the woman's shoulder.
She turned, her face showing polite but wary interest. "Yes?" she inquired.
"I am sorry to disturb you," Teal'c said politely. "I am a stranger here, in need of assistance."
The wariness disappeared from her expression. She smiled widely. "You must be an exchange student at the university!" she exclaimed. "How marvelous -- I haven't met anyone from offworld before this. What planet are you from?"
"Chulak," Teal'c replied automatically, utterly nonplussed by this casual reference to other planets. Had the Stargate been revealed in this future era? Could it really be so simple?
"Chulak. Chulak," the woman mused, tapping her chin with a thoughtful forefinger. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with..."
"There are very few of us here," Teal'c improvised hurriedly. "I fear I have lost my way. Could you direct me towards the nearest library?"
"Library?" the woman repeated, her forehead furrowing. "What's -- oh! Library, yes, that's the old word for repository, isn't it?" She tilted her head to one side, studying him with frank interest. "How fascinating that the translator used the more ancient term. I would love to hear --" She stopped, flushing a little. "I'm sorry. I tend to get carried away with my enthusiasm for the study of offworld cultures."
"Your interest speaks well of you," Teal'c said courteously. "If you could direct me towards this repository, I would be most grateful."
"Certainly." She turned and pointed further up the block. "If you take the next slidewalk to the east and follow it for three blocks, you'll be right in front of the Great Repository. They say that there's a chip for every single book ever published on Earth, and a growing collection of offworld works, too. I'm sure you'll find what you need there."
Teal'c nodded gravely, filing the word slidewalk in his head. This Great Repository sounded most promising. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Call me Amanda," she said, and reached out to grasp his hand in a warm, friendly grip. "It was a pleasure to meet you."
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