The horizon was covered with flames, as the fire balls fell from the sky, and once they stopped, Sam ran down to the village. Where there survivors? Was anyone left alive? Or was it just Sam and Tsukiomi?

<><><><><><> 

Two days earlier:

“Seems kind of wired, not having Jack play pilot every time we step through the ‘gate” Daniel said, as SG-1 stepped onto the planet designated P3X-666

“Well, with you saying random things every time we go through, it’s as though the Generals always with us.” Sam said grinning.

“So in other words…”

“You’ve been hanging around General O’Neill too much. That way.” Sam said, pointing north.

<><><><><><> 

Their goal was a village, about the size of Colorado Springs, there where maybe ten thousand people there and they wanted to say hi, so about four hours later, they walked out of the woods, and up to the gate of the village.

“Where do you come from, stranger?” the guard asked, looking skeptical. “You are not from Babylon.”

“We come from a planet called Earth.” Daniel said, automatically taking up the role of negotiator. “I’m Daniel, and this is Colonel Samantha Carter and Teal’c. We are explorers, and wish to be your friends.”

“Then enter friend, and we shall take you to our leader; Princess Abi.”

The guard led them through the village, and as they watched Sam looked around. There where children playing, men working and women cleaning, the average primitive village.

The women used washboards and cloths lines, the Men used swords and arrows, and large stones to sharpen them, the houses where made of kindling wood. It was a village that would burn easily, no doubt about that.

And yet, so large, so many people…

“Princess Abi will see you in a few minutes; however she is momentarily medicating her mother.” A young woman said, coming out of the mansion like house that Sam just realized they’d stopped at.

While they waited Sam observed their surroundings, and watched as the children played their games tag, and make believe.

 “She will see you now.” The woman said, unlatching the door. “Please, this way.”

The interior of the building was decorated with veils and fabrics, mostly reds, but a few gold scattered around; the woman escorting them was probably about five eight (about an inch shorter then Sam) with long crimson hair that reached to about her knees, she was wearing a figure fitting dress that matched the interior of the building, and an elaborately jeweled necklace.

“Through this door.” The woman said, opening the door for them.

The room where Princess Abi was waiting must have been the dining room, there were much the same decorations, only there was a mahogany, red and gold jeweled dining table in the middle of the room, and sitting at the head of the table, was a young lady, who looked to be around fifteen or sixteen, there where about six young girls, who looked to be around the age of ten that where sitting close to the princess at the table.

When SG-1 entered the room, she rose to greet them

“I am Abi, I am sorry my mother, the true leader of this city, could not be here, but she is deathly ill, and I fear I may soon lose her.”

“I’m very sorry to hear that Princess.” Sam said, taking in her appearance. Princess Abi was dressed in the same red and gold theme that the mansion had, her dress fit her snugly, the neck swooped down in a v, that stopped just short of showing off her cleavage, the sleeves where tight until they reached her elbow, at which point they belled out, there was a v shape in the sleeve, leaving an opening to the inside of her elbow, and the sleeves trailed long behind her, the skirt of the dress was cut belled, much like the sleeves, but it hung limply by her side, and trailed behind her in a long train.

The crown that the princess wore was much like a necklace, draped delicately over her forehead, with a small teardrop ruby hanging from it, the chains of the crown swooped back into her golden blond hair, which was done up in a series of loops, and the lower hair hang low to her waist.

“Laora tells me that you are from another world, and that you wish to be friends.”

“Yes,” Daniel said, stepping in. “We would like to speak with you about trading.”

“Trading what, might I ask? Surely we have nothing to interest you?”

“Actually, your land has something very promising in it, as do your people, but we would like to help you either way.”

“I do not follow.”

“You say your mothers sick?”

“Yes, it started out as a simple illness, but, like the others, it got worse, much worse, and we do not know how to help them.”

“Well we have medicines, I’m not sure how much use they will be, but we may be able to help them.”

“My mother is dying as we speak, I fear the end comes soon, perhaps even now, but if you have a way to help the others… what would you wish in return?”

“You that substance you use to make your necklaces out of? We use that stuff as a fuel, we call it Naquada.”

“Our world is very rich in this substance, and it is very durable, we use it for our horse’s shoes, our swords and arrows… if you have a way to help our people, we would be more than willing to part with this… ‘Naquada’.”

<><><><><><> 

Another servant showed SG-1 to the building that they where going to stay in that night. Sam waited until the servant left, then confronted Daniel.

“Daniel what’s going on, you’ve been acting strangely ever since the guard called this place Babylon.”

“Sam, Babylon is the name of the next planet…” Daniel hesitated looking nervous and slightly sick.

“Daniel, spit it out.”

“It’s the name of the next planet Ba’al is planning on attacking.”

<><><><><><> 

            Sam and Daniel agreed that they’d head back first thing in the morning to tell General O’Neill what they knew.

            Daniel and Teal’c both bedded down, and Sam took the first watch. Startled by the sound of knocking, Sam Grabbed her zat and cracked the door partially open. Laora was standing there, in a red night gown with a gold shawl wrapped tightly around herself.

            “Colonel Carter. Her majesty Princess Abi wishes to see you.” The woman said politely.

“Yes… just let me wake-“

“No matter, she wishes to see only you.”

“I’ll be out in a moment.”

“Very well.” Closing the door, Sam walked over to the bed where Daniel was sleeping. It was almost his watch anyway, although that meant all the less sleep for Sam, she could deal with that, she couldn’t however; deal with leaving her team un-guarded.

“Daniel” Sam said quietly, so as not to wake Teal’c.

“Sam? Is it my watch already?”

“Yeah… hey I gotta go see the Princess for something.”

“What? I’ll come with you!”

“No, that would leave Teal’c alone, and she only wants me.”

“Why only you?”

“I dunno, I guess I’ll see when I get there.”

“Okay, is there at least any coffee?”

“Yeah, it’s over the fire place.”

“Hello Colonel Carter.” Abi said, as Sam was lead into the room.

“Princess Abi. Please, you can call me Sam… or Samantha, your choice.” Sam replied, watching the children that where still with her. “If you don’t mind my asking...”

“They are orphans; their parents have all past away from the sickness, all with the exception of Tsukiomi’s. Her parents died in an accident when she was just a baby… I have questions for you.”

“Really? Well, ask away then.”

“Why do you chose to help us, from what you have told us of your people, and what we have seen, you could easily overcome our city and take what you desire, so I ask you, why help?”

“My mother used to tell me, that the only true choice we have in life, is whether we’re a good person or not.”

“I do not follow.”

“If I where to help you, with nothing in return, even if you had something I wanted, but wouldn’t give it to me, I would be a good person.

However, if I where to take what I wanted, with no regard to you or your people, and possibly even harmed you in the process, I would be an cruel and evil person.

Unfortunately, try as I might, I am somehow trapped in the middle of these two choices, in the aspect that, although I try to be a good and kind person, I always end up ruining something, and hurting many people.”

“I think, that as long as you try, then you are a good person.”

“So you understand now?”

“Yes. I believe I do… However, I have another question… What may I ask, has gotten you and your friends so worried?”

“So, you noticed then?”

“I have many eyes among the villagers.”

“Well, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this without my other team mates, or the authority of my superior.

“Very well then, I shall have Laora return you to your room.”

“Thank you.”

“No, no. Thank you, Samantha.”

<><><><><><> 

“Unscheduled incoming wormhole.” Davis said through the PA system as Jack came into the control room from his office. “It’s SG-1 sir, we’re receiving a MALP transmission.”

“Carter, how’s it goin’?

“Uh… so, so sir.”

“What do you mean by ‘so, so’?”

“Well, on the up side, the planet is inhabited by peaceful people who are more than willing to trade naquada for medicines.”

“And the down side?”

“Well… They call their planet Babylon.”

“I fail to see the problem with that.”

“Well, you see, on the list of planets Ba’al is planning to attack, Babylon is the next in line.”

“Carter, you get back here now, we need to discuss this in person, leave Daniel and Teal’c there so as not to worry the locals.”

“Yes sir, Carter out.” Sam said, then disappeared from the view of the MALP camera, and materialized in front of the stargate.

“Carter, briefing room, now.”

<><><><><><> 

“So, what’d he say?” Daniel asked when Sam returned to Babylon.

“He said to speak with the leader, and try to convince her to relocate her people.”

“Sounds like Jack.”

<><><><><><> 

“So, you are saying that this man… ‘Ba’al’ is to attack our world? For what reason? What could we have possibly done to anger him?” Princess Abi asked, astonished.

“First of all, Princess, Ba’al is not a man; he is an Evil creacher yes, but no man.” Sam said remorsefully. “He attacks for the naquada on your planet, and simple malevolence, he will come, and he will attack you simply for the joy of the hunt. But we can help you, if you are willing.”

“What must we do?”

“We’ll have to relocate you, move you to a safer planet, far away from Babylon, and far away from Ba’al’s grasp. But you have to be willing to come.”

“I shall inform my people.”

<><><><><><> 

“What is happening?” Isumi Garange asked her husband.

“Princess Abi had called for assemblage, it is said to be an urgent matter.” Miroku replied to his worried wife.

“My people.” Princess Abi stated, standing on the village stage. “I am sorry we must assemble over such a distressing matter, however, our friends from the portal bring regretful news. We are to be attacked.”

There was a loud murmur of chatter at her Statement, but she raised her hands, and it stopped. “They have told me of an evil man, who desires the same thing that they do, however he is prepared to take it forcefully.”

“How do we know they are telling us the truth?” A man yelled out from the crowd; however Princess Abi ignored this remark and continued on.

“They wish to grant us sanctuary, and they are prepared to welcome us into their homes, while they search for a new home for us. I shall not force you to go, you may choose that of your own free will, however, my mother and I will be taking the orphans, and anyone else who wishes to go to this new world. This is an urgent matter, and we must leave by sundown. You may make your choice.”

<><><><><><> 

The sun was setting as people gathered around the gate, there where only about six hundred of the ten thousand population, but they where already cutting it close, and Sam could hear the death gliders approaching, it was time to go.

Sam dialed the gate and Daniel transmitted the iris code.

The Queen was taken through first, by two of the medics who had been sent through with stretcher in case of people in the queen’s condition.

Then the blasts started. Sam and Teal’c proved as backup, while Daniel ushered the people through, Abi was waiting until all of the people had gone through, when she turned pale and yelled above the gunfire, that Tsukiomi was missing.

That was when Sam’s heart stopped, and she had a quick flashback to Edora.

“Daniel, Teal’c, you get through the gate with the princess, I’m going for the girl.” Sam yelled above the gunfire.

“You don’t even know where she is!” Daniel replied with a panicked voice. That was when one of the orphan girls spoke up.

“Tsukiomi said she forgot her parents, in the cave where the accident happened.”

“Where is that?” Sam yelled to Abi.

“It is just north of the village, to the mountains; it would take perhaps, fourty minutes on a horse, no longer then an hour on foot.” Abi replied.

“You guys go ahead! If it gets any worse I’ll wait it out in the cave!” Sam yelled to her team, Daniel tried to protest, but she was ducking for the trees by then.

<><><><><><> 

Jack stood there in the gate room, watching as people poured in through the stargate, and where one by one escorted into another room. There was a slight hesitation before the last four people came through, and Jacks heart sunk when he realized that Sam was not one of them, there was a young woman, a little girl, Daniel and Teal’c, but no Sam.

Waiting and hoping that Sam would come through shortly, Jacks heart did one last flip, then sunk to his stomach as the ‘gate disengaged.

“Where the *hell* is Carter!?”

<><><><><><> 

Sam ran through the trees, dodging the Jaffa staff blasts until she saw the village ahead, and realized they hadn’t gotten to it yet… perhaps if she could distract them, they wouldn’t get to it at all…

‘But first things first’ Sam reminded herself, ‘I need to find Tsukiomi.’

<><><><><><> 

“So, Carter ducked for the trees, and that’s the last you saw of her?” Jack asked as Daniel finished his re-cap of their last twenty minutes on the planet.

“Yeah,” Daniel replied nervously, “I tried to go after her, but Teal’c said it was too dangerous.”

“He was right, Carter said she’d wait it out in the cave, I expect her to, we’ll try to make radio contact in a little bit, then we’ll wait.”

“But Jack, what if…” Daniel didn’t need to finish though, they where all thinking the same thing-Edora.

<><><><><><> 

Tsukiomi watched as the ships that SG-1 had told them about descended on the forest, obviously looking for something.

She had been up here since it started, she had come to get her parents things-her mother’s bow and bundle of arrows, her father’s sword and sheath- then it all started, and she was too frightened to leave.

Now she was all alone, for they had all gone through the portal by now no doubt.

Tsukiomi heard some rustling, and frightened that they where coming for her, she moved to the back of the cave.

<><><><><><> 

Sam approached the third cave she had checked, this one looking slightly more promising then the last two.

She new she was making noise, but she was tired, and sore, and bleeding profusely as a Jaffa had managed to hit her in the leg with a knife, Sam had been very lucky he had missed where he had aimed, and her only explanation for that was he must be a young solder.

“Tsukiomi?” Sam questioned as she entered the cave, and heard her sobbing, but did not see her until she was completely inside the entrance.

When Sam spotted her, she was relieved to see that she had no injuries, but was obviously terrified.

“Tsukiomi, it’s me, Sam.”

“Samantha!” Tsukiomi exclaimed as she leapt from her hiding space to hug Sam. “I thought that they where coming for me.”

“It’s okay, I’m here now; I’ll keep you safe.” Sam said, turning to look out of the cave. Sam’s heart sunk as she realized, they where already attacking the village.

“Why did you not leave me?” Tsukiomi asked, sounding somewhat surprised.

“Well you see, we have a policy where I come from, no one, gets left behind.” Tsukiomi didn’t reply, and hugged Sam tighter, seeming unable to reply.

<><><><><><> 

“Chevron six encoded.” Davis said, as the stargate dialed Babylon. It had been about two hours since SG-1 minus Sam, and the Evacuees had returned through the stargate, and Jack estimated that Sam should be to the cave by now.

“Chevron seven encoded.” Davis finished as the stargate gave a great woosh, then settled into itself.

“Colonel Carter, this is stargate command, do you copy?” Jack said through the little microphone on the control panel.

“Sam is busy right now.” Replied a frightened young voice. She could barely be heard and there was gunfire in the background.

“Tsukiomi?”

“Yes, that is my name.”

“Can you tell me what’s happening?”

“Samantha it trying to repel the-attacking- injured-leg is hurt.”

“Tsukiomi, I could not hear those last few words, did you say Sam was hurt?”

“Yes, to her-“ there was crackling, and nothing more, then the stargate disengaged, and someone tried dialing in.

“Close the iris.”

<><><><><><> 

Sam was shocked, There had been a staff blast so near Tsukiomi, that it had caused her to drop the walkie-talkie, which was now unable to transmit with all the interference.

But that was not what shocked Sam; Ba’al was here, he must have a legitimate reason for being here, and Sam figured it must be her. She tried to shoot him with her gun, but to no avail, for he had a personal shield, and she couldn’t throw her knife at him, for she already threw it at a Jaffa.

“Colonel Carter, prepare to meet your end.” Ba’al said, advancing on Sam, his right hand reached out and encircled in a golden ribbon device.

“Not quite Ba’al.” Sam said, rolling away from him and snatching up the bow and an arrow that was lying on the ground by her.

<><><><><><> 

Sam stood to shoot, and as she did, Tsukiomi gasped at the sight that lay before her, for she could swear on her life, that as Sam prepared to shoot, Tsukiomi was seeing her mother standing there, doing all she could to protect her. Tsukiomi had seen painting of her mother Kagome and father Inuyasha, and it had struck her when Sam first came, how much she looked like her, but this was just uncanny.

Tsukiomi’s mother had been a priestess, with high spiritual powers, and one of those, was the power to take out an entire army with a single arrow. And as Sam pulled the arrow back, Tsukiomi saw it glow, a heavenly purple, and when she released it, the entire arrow glowed, and was heading strait towards Ba’al, who retreated with a blue flash of light, but all the Jaffa who where attacking them, where taken up in the purple haze being submitted by the arrow, and disintegrated, as though they where never there.

Sam collapsed from exhaustion, and Tsukiomi ran over to her.

“Samantha, are you alright?” Tsukiomi exclaimed, running towards her, desperately hoping she could help her.

“Yes, just tired, that’s all.”

<><><><><><> 

They where retreating! Thank havens they where retreating! Sam knew that they where retreating on Ba’al’s command, probably because of how near Sam just came to taking his life.

Sam forced herself up, and moved to the cave entrance; the horizon was covered with flames, as the fire balls fell from the sky, and once they stopped, Sam ran down to the village. Where there survivors? Was anyone left alive? Or was it just Sam and Tsukiomi?

When they made it to the village, the run having made Sam’s leg bleed even more, she saw, the there where only a dozen, that she could see, who where left alive. Sam wanted to scream, there where children, clinging to their mothers, dead on the ground, and men, ready to fight, all cut down without even resistance, and this sight tore through Sam’s heart, she wanted to scream, to cry, to do something.

But she just stood there, and stared. Until, belatedly realizing how much blood she lost, Sam collapsed.

<><><><><><> 

Jack led SG-1 through the ‘Gate, having checked the MALP to be sure that there where no Jaffa near by, however, they still held their guns at the ready, just in case.

There was a rustling in the trees, and they pointed there guns at the sound, ready to fire if necessary. But it was simply a village girl, looking to be maybe fourteen, obviously scared out of her wits at the sight. Covered in blood and dirt; her medieval style dress ripped and torn.

“It’s okay! We’re not going to hurt you. My name is Jack O’Neill; I’m looking for my friend Sam.”

“Yes! That is right; the people with you have been here before. We where coming in attempt to contact you, Samantha told us how when she regained consciousness momentarily.”

“Can you take us to her?”

“Yes, but she has lost much blood, I am unsure that she will survive.”

<><><><><><> 

Sam opened her eyes slowly. White, everything around her was white. She knew where she was, she was in the infirmary at the SGC. Which meant…?

Sam slowly turned her head to her left, sure enough.

“Sir.”

“Carter, good to see you’re awake.” Jack said, cheerily. Sam didn’t understand, how could he be so cheery at a time like this? All those people, all those innocent people… Sam knew that even if they did all come, they couldn’t have housed all of them in the SGC, there just wasn’t enough room, but out of a population of ten thousand, only six hundred survivors. And only twelve of them had been present at for the attack.

Sam rolled onto her right side, she couldn’t look at him. She just couldn’t. He hadn’t seen the village… he wouldn’t understand…

<><><><><><> 

Sam rolled away from him, so she didn’t have to look at him. The realization of this hurt Jack. He knew what she was going through, but she had been unconscious when they got there, she doesn’t know that he was there.

It must have been terrible; to find the village like that, still, something had to drive Ba’al away. Otherwise he wouldn’t have stopped until everyone was dead. But instead he left twelve frightened children, not counting Tsukiomi and Sam, who had come across this site after the attack, after Ba’al retreated.

Tsukiomi told Jack about Sam’s heroic attempt to drive off their attackers, and from what Tsukiomi told him, that’s why Ba’al eventually retreated.

But Jack still had trouble believing Tsukiomi’s story, he needed to hear from Sam, he just couldn’t believe… even with everything he’s seen, he simply couldn’t believe, that Sam was able to destroy so many Jaffa, with a single, glowing arrow.

“Look, Sam… Tsukiomi told me what happened… but…”

“But what?” Sam replied quietly.

“I need to hear it from you.”

“I tried to fight them off, Ba’al showed up, I lost my knife, tried to shoot him with an arrow, and he beamed to his ship, what more do you need to know?”

“Tsukiomi said the arrow glowed purple, and disintegrated all of your Jaffa attackers.”

“Yeah… it did…”

“So, it really did that?”

“Yes. Look I took Archery when I was a kid, and… when I got good at it, the arrows started doing that, it scared me, so I stopped.”

“Wow… That’s a pretty neat trick.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

“You don’t sound too thrilled.” Sam didn’t reply. “Look Sam, you drove him off!”

“Not soon enough.”

“Sam, you saved innocent lives.”

“Twelve! Do you know how many people where left in that village? Exactly six hundred and eighty three came through with Daniel and Teal’c. out of a population of exactly ten thousand people, that leaves nine thousand three hundred and seventeen people. I saved twelve of them.” Sam said, coldly. “That means nine thousand three hundred and five innocent people lost their lives. Roughly sixty percent of them where children! innocent defenseless children, and you expect me to be happy? Sorry sir, it doesn’t work that way.”

“Look, Sam… Of course I don’t expect you to be happy, but you’ve seen this kind of thing before, and you’ve never reacted this way.”

“I’ve seen it this severe. Thousands of people… Children, even infants, clinging to their mothers for protection… all dead.”

“It was pretty bad.” Jack said quietly.

<><><><><><> 

            Tsukiomi had been taken to Princess Abi’s room after Sam’s friends had finished questioning her. They had taken the things that Tsukiomi went back to the cave for into her room, but had them attached to a place on the wall where no one could reach them. At least that is what she was told.

“Tsukiomi, I was so worried!” Abi exclaimed, and threw her arms around Tsukiomi as she entered the room. “Are you alright? Did they harm you?”

“Samantha protected me, and almost lost her life in the process. I am very grateful to her.”

“I have been informed she is in the place they call their ‘Infirmary’ healing. They say she was stabbed in the leg, and was loosing masses of blood.”

“Yes… Sister Abi?”

“Yes Tsukiomi?”

“Did you manage to bring the painting of my parents?”

“Yes, it is in your room, hanging on the wall.”

“Sam… and her friend Jack…”

“Yes… they look like your parents… Very much so. But that is not possible, whatever would make you think it was?”

“When Samantha was protecting me… She used my mothers arrows, and when she shot it… it glowed purple, much as people have described to me, and she took out all of our attackers in one strike!”

“But Tsukiomi, even if Samantha was a reincarnation of your mother, she’s far too old, for your mother only died nine years ago.”

“Yes… your right… it is foolish of me to believe this.”

<><><><><><> 

Sam walked into Tsukiomi’s room, and gasped at the sight of the painting on her wall.

“It is my parents. Kagome and Inuyasha Higurashi. My Father, Inuyasha, is-was a half demon. But he loved my mother very much, and did everything he could to protect her, and our village. And then, one day, there was a cave in, in one of the mines, my parents where in the cave, protecting the workers against attackers, and where killed in the accident.”

The painting was of A Woman, around Sam’s age, who looked uncannily like Sam, only with black hair, dressed in a red kimono, and a man, with long graying hair who looked uncannily like Jack, who dressed similarly and in the same red color. Kagome was wielding a bow and arrow, the arrow glowed in an almost purple haze, like the arrow Sam had shot earlier that day, and Inuyasha was wielding a sword, that was over sized and glowing yellow, they where back to back, in an almost protective stance.

 

“I’m sorry… About your parents.”

“It’s okay… I don’t really remember them, I was only one when they died… and I have their things! Sister Abi had taken good care of me, since the queen mother has fallen ill. And I hope you can help her… For Abi’s sake.”

“We are doing what we can.”

<><><><><><> 

Sam got into the shower, sat down and started crying, her arms wrapped around her legs in an almost protective fetal position.

Why did this happen? Why did she feel this way? She’s seen things like this before, but never before has she felt so connected to a village of people like this. She felt as though her own friends and neighbors had been taken from her, and she didn’t even speak to the half of them.

But still, she couldn’t help but think of the painting… those people looked so much like them… and yet, they weren’t them… She’d seen stranger things, and yet…

<><><><><><> 

“Lt. Ashley.” Jack said, walking down the hallway from Sam’s lab.

“Yes sir?”

“Have you seen Carter?”

“She said something about going home sir, although she went to the showers about an hour ago, and hasn’t been seen since.”

“Thank you Lieutenant”

“No problem Sir.”

<><><><><><> 

“Carter?” Jack said, walking into the showers.

“Sir, this is the women’s showers, what are you doing in here?” A tired voice came from one of the showers.

“Looking for you, word on the hallway is you’ve been in there for an hour.” Jack said, walking up to the shower, and crossing his arms.

“So, can’t a girl take a long shower?” the voice replied, annoyed.

“Well, you see, It’s just not like you Sam. The longest shower you’ve ever taken was thirty minutes, and that was only because you had a broken arm.”

“Right.”

<><><><><><> 

‘This isn’t good.’ Sam thought, knowing Janet was going to kill her, slowly. She just put these stitches in, and now Sam was bleeding all over the shower floor. Sam knew she wasn’t supposed to exert herself, and she was definitely supposed to avoid showers (aside from sponge baths) for at least a week. But she forgot, and her stitches just clean disintegrated.

And now Jack was standing right outside her shower. How was she going to explain this one?

“Look Carter, I know what happened at Babylon was… well-“

“Sir I have a problem.” Sam said, cutting him off. It was either now or never.

“What kind of problem?” He asked, inquiringly.

“Well, sir. You know how when Janet stitches you up she warns you not to go near a shower for a week?”

“Yeah, but when she gives you stitches, she usually keeps you in the infirmary for said week.”

“Well, she let me out to go see Tsukiomi. And I seem to have forgotten about the stitches…”

“Had that happen a few times… you want me to call her?”

“Could you?”

“No problem.”

“Thank you, sir.”

 

"We're losing her!" The nurse cried, as Janet did everything she could think of to help her patient.

"Clear!" Janet cried, activating the paddles to try and shock her patient's heart back into its normal flutter.

No luck, and with her daughter watching all the time. Suddenly though, an angel was brought in... only she was on a gurney.

"Frasier, what's going' on!?" General O'Neill asked, looking from Janet to her patient, then back again.

"She's dying sir. It's a case of scarlet fever, but it was too far by the time we got her here. I was hoping Sam would be able to help with her... device, but I guess I now see why she never answered my page."

"Sorry Janet..." Sam said, looking the at Janet the way she always looked at her since she ‘returned from the dead'

Janet hated that look, it was like she didn't believe her eyes, like she was looking at a video of the past, but in actuality, when Janet died, she had ascended, and returned about six months later, once she got her ‘return' sorted out.

"Janet?" Sam said questioningly, as Janet realized that someone had rolled Sam over to the bed of Princess Abi's mother along with a healing device, and was asking Janet a question.

"I'm sorry, what did you say Sam?"

"I said, how long has she been in cardiac arrest?" Sam said, looking doubtfully at the device in her hands.

"About four minutes... can you help her?"

"I don't know... last time I used this thing, I nearly killed Daniel." Sam looked worried, and Janet understood completely, what if she couldn't save her? Sam would forever feel guilty, so Janet gave her an encouraging pat on her shoulder, and at the questioning look, Abi gave the go ahead.

<><><><><><> 

Abi nodded hopefully, and Janet, Sam's friend and Confidant smiled re-assuringly, they believed in her, and she hoped she didn't let them down, lifting the device over the queen, sad felt the problem through the device, and tried to feel how to fix it.

It was a weird feeling, using one of these things; it was like she could look into the very depths of the patient's anatomy, to see the problem, and what was killing them, what needed to be fixed. It was like disassembling a remote control to figure out why the power button sticks, and you find all the grimy dirt and gook caked all over it, then you can clean it up and put it back together, once you're done, it's works just like new.

Only with a person it was different, sometimes you just take it apart, looking deeper and deeper until you break something, like with Daniel...

And there were no distractions, everything just got blocked out, she heard and saw nothing but what she was looking for, and doing.

And she found it. The disease was attacking the woman's heart, it looked just like when Sam was on the planet, watching Ba'al destroying the village. But not this time; Sam wouldn't let him.

Finding herself victorious, Sam heard the normal beep, beep stating that she had succeeded, a soft silent gasp, then nothing.

<><><><><><> 

Waking in the infirmary again not being a part of Sam's plans, she swore violently.

"'scuse me?" General O'Neill questioned form his usual perch, and looking over, prepared to apologize, Sam stopped short seeing him grinning from ear to ear.

"Sir?" She said, confused.

"Just glad to see you've got your usual spark back Sam. But watch your language, you've got a visitor, and though she's sleeping right now, ya never know, she could be pretending."

Sitting up in her bed, Sam saw Tsukiomi laying in the bed across from her, sound asleep and clinging to a teddy bear.

"What's she doing here?"

"She thinks you're her mom."

"What!?"

"That was my reaction too, but she has a theory, you should hear it, it's very.... Daniel."

"Samantha?" Tsukiomi mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes with a tired look on her face.

"Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?" Sam asked looking from the teddy bear, to the man she was sure retrieved it for the young girl.

"I am well Samantha... how did you heal queen Meleanie?"

"Now Tsukiomi, a magician never reveals her tricks!" O'Neill said jokingly as Sam gave him a sharp look.

"It's a little hard to explain... I used a device that only I can use, I don't know how to explain it..."

"How did you make your arrow glow like that?"

"curious little ten year old aren't you?" O'Neill said, looking somewhat shocked that she was asking that. "What do you say we let Sam rest huh?"

"B-yes, you are right Jack, she must get rest to heal properly. Get well Samantha." Tsukiomi said as O'Neill picked her up and carried her out the door, still clutching the hand of the teddy bear as she fell back asleep on O'Neill's shoulder, and Sam felt her own eyelids drifting closed.

<><><><><><> 

"When you enter a room with three people, there will always be the good, the evil, and the undecided." Sam listened intently to hear the lesson her mother was about to teach her, she loved these riddles, they always had such an outcome... sometimes it was so obvious, and sometimes it took you forever to decipher.

"The good," her mother continued, "can never be swayed, for they know what is right, they know their boundaries, and they are very aware of the thin line between good and evil, the line they swore to themselves that they would never cross.

The evil, can also, never be swayed, for they know what is right for them, they know what they desire, and they will do whatever they wish to achieve it, because they are selfish, and care about nobody, and nothing other than themselves.

The undecided, can also, never be swayed."

Sam woke with a start, a memory long since forgotten, of a lesson her mother had tried to teach her. Sam had never answered that riddle, she never understood it, but now, she thought about it, about Tsukiomi, and the battle that must be raging inside her right now, and about her own decisions, and Sam finally knew the answer to her mother's strangest riddle.

"Carter? You goin' catatonic on me or something?" O'Neill asked suddenly, obviously having seen her eyes open, but she was so lost in her own thoughts...

"Sorry sir, I was... thinking about something... something my mother said to me when I was about ten, I long since forgot it, but I understand it now."

"Oh... kay? You gonna elaborate, or do I have to poke your stitches?" Sam slowly relayed the riddle, and couldn't help but giggle at the perplexed look on the Generals face.

"What!? It's a confusing riddle!" he exclaimed defensively.

"No it's not sir, you just have to stop trying to think of an illogically logical answer, it's right in front of you, your looking too hard."

"Okay Carter, shoot."

"Sir, could you call yourself undecided about something like... say General Hammond calls you tomorrow, and says he wants his post back, that he's asking you to re join SG-1 so that he can take command of the base again, what would you do?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know that Carter!?"

"Because of the person you are, you've already made your mind up on the matter, you just don't realize it yet. You couldn't be swayed, on the surface, you remain undecided, but deep down, the battle has already been won."

"Meaning?"

"No one is undecided. If I were to relive the same moment over and over again, not knowing that I had done it before, but with someone telling me to do it s=in some different way each time, I would still do it the same, because deep down, I already know what I'm going to do."

"Okay, what's the point of this conversation?"

"I think Tsukiomi decided that I was a reincarnation of her mother the first time she saw me, the little things I've done, that remind her of her mother, are just stepping stones to push her into admitting her belief, but in reality, she believed it all along, and nothing could have changed her mind."

"So you think she's nuts?"

"I-I don't know what to think, sir. On the one hand, it's completely ludicris to think that something like this is even remotely possible."

"And on the other?"

"Have you been in her room sir? She has a painting of her parents that I swear to you is us, granted our hair styles are somewhat... morphed... but they're uncannily similar. Not to mention the necklace the girl is wearing... it's the same necklace I have always had."

"Necklace?"

"Yeah, it's just a small purple sphere on a gold chain, but it's depicted perfectly."

"Tsukiomi was describing that exact thing to me, said that it disappeared after the accident, they had assumed that it was buried in the cave, but could understand why no ‘demons' went after it."

"I remember her saying something about her father being a ‘half demon,' I wonder what she means by that."

"Probably a different race or creed of the locals, there must have been more villages on the planet..."

"Maybe..."