This is a story I started to write. The inspiration came from reading Memoirs of a Geisha, listening to its soundtrack, watching Last Samurai, and listening to that soundtrack as well. This is the only chapter I have written so far, so let me know if I should tweak it or if it's fine as is. I am still going to continue this story, no matter what anyone else says, so thhhhpppppp!

Anything recognizable does not belong to me.

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Samantha Carter sipped at her drink, ignoring the chill from the night air that crept through her thin SGC jacket. She stared distantly into the fire, her once vibrant eyes empty and void of life. She drained the last of the contents in her glass and set it to the side. She leaned back against the tree and slowly drifted into sleep…

Sam looked down in the clearing at the children playing while the men and women looked on, smiles on their faces. She frowned and looked at her commanding officer, uncertainty in her eyes as well as Daniel's.

"Colonel, these people have nothing to do what happened at the Alpha Site," she said to Jack.

"How can you be sure Major Carter?" Teal'c asked.

"I recognize some of them. They're allies of the Tok'ra. They had nothing to do with the attack," Sam answered.

"I agree," Daniel said. "And in any case, this is a village full of families, not bloodthirsty killers," he added.

"We have our orders," Jack said softly.

"We've disregarded them before," Sam said.

"Carter, if we screw this up, then Hammond gets discharged and we get reassigned by a total NID asshole," Jack returned, glaring at her. "I believe you, I do. But there's no other way. They're watching us, remember?"

"Sir, I can't do this," Sam said.

Jack looked down, his shoulders slumped as if a heavy weight rested upon them. "Carter, I'm ordering you to. If you go against them or refuse, you'll be branded as a traitor and tried for treason. Their words Daniel, not mine," Jack said, looking at the archaeologist. He shifted his gaze back to Sam's.

Sam bowed her head. "Yes sir," she said quietly.

"May whatever higher power there is forgive us," Jack muttered and began advancing towards the encampment, the rest of his team behind him.

The battle was short. SG-1 along with several SG-Marine units rushed in and began shooting at the villagers. Sam lifted her P-90 and aimed at a small child. Tears stung her eyes as she pulled the trigger. The little girl fell backwards, her eyes misting over. Sam lowered her gun, grief and torment raging on her face.

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"Well done," Harry Maybourne grinned as SG-1 sat down in the Briefing Room. "For a second I thought you'd all chicken out."

"The villagers did not partake in the destruction of the Alpha Site," Teal'c said.

"They were a farming village," Daniel supplied. "None of them had a weapon, not even the few members of the Tok'ra that lived there."

"How do you know the Tok'ra lived there?" Maybourne demanded.

"I recognized them from Jolinar's memories," Sam answered quietly. "They used that village to help former prisoners of the Goa'uld."

"Who's to say there weren't a few Goa'uld in there?" Maybourne said.

"For crying out loud Maybourne! We just slaughtered innocent people. We're no better than those damn snakes now thanks to you!" Jack shouted.

"Watch your tone Colonel, or you might find yourself reassigned," Maybourne threatened, glaring at Jack. He rose to his feet and left.

"Let me shoot him General, please," Jack begged.

"I know how you feel son," Hammond said. "Take some time off. All of you. Try to find some sort of forgiveness if you can. Dismissed."

BushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushido BushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushidoBushido

Sam walked into Hammond's office and was relieved to see he was not there. She placed an envelope on his desk and walked out. She picked up a large backpack and went down to the Control Room.

"Major, what are you doing here?" Sergeant Davis asked.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and shot him with a zat before he could blink. Silently grateful that it was the middle of the night, she began typing quickly on the computer. Several screens went blank and the blast doors slid closed. She got to her feet and hurried into the Gate Room as the klaxons began blaring.

The door slid shut behind her and she watched the Stargate activate. She began walking up the metal ramp when the large blast door lifted up. She glanced behind her shoulder and saw Hammond, SG-1, Janet, and Maybourne standing in the Control Room.

"Major, what the hell are you doing?" Jack demanded.

"You walk through that ramp Major, and you are a traitor!" Maybourne shouted.

Sam turned away from them and stepped through the Gate. "Where'd she go?" Jack demanded.

"She locked out the computer," a technician said. "She be on any planet in the dialing computer."

"Try to find what planet she went to," Jack began.

"It won't matter Jack," Daniel said softly. "She's probably already gated to another planet by now," he explained. "She's gone." They watched in silence as the Stargate deactivated, cutting them off from their friend.

Sam opened her eyes and blinked, glaring as the sun slowly came up through the trees. She kicked some dirt over her dying fire and packed up the small camp. She began walking through the forest, not caring where she went.

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So? Good? Bad? Needs improvement? Review to let me know what you think. And if you haven't already, go check out my other story, Wheel of Stargate.