SG-1

By the time they made it back to the village it was all over. Jack slowly crawled up a hill overlooking the smoke engulfed homes below. The other members of his team joined him a moment later.

"Carter," he whispered, holding out his hand. She hesitated a moment then reached inside her robes and handed him a rifle scope. The general focused on the scene below. Most of the village was in flames and he could see bodies of the villagers lying where they had fallen presumably trying to escape the onslaught. Jack panned to one side and saw a line of Jaffa marching away from the destruction. "Bastards," he muttered, climbing to his feet and clambering over the hill and down towards the village. "Sir!" "Jack!" Sam and Daniel both called urgently after him. "Dammit," Sam muttered, giving Daniel a look and together with Teal'c they went over the hill as well.

By the time they had caught up with Jack he was standing in the middle of the village, a wild look in his eyes. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and burned flesh.

"Sir," Sam tried to start again.

"What Carter?" The general demanded rounding on her. "What is it? You want me to just accept this? You want me to stay here with a psychotic sonofabitch, who by the way I have already blown to high heaves, and just sit by and watch this happen?"

Her face was agony mixed with misery, "I don't like this any more than you Sir but I don't see that we have a choice."

"No," he said holding up a finger, "we always have a choice."

Daniel stepped up and interjected, "Teal'c, why would Ra's Jaffa destroy a village like this? You don't think they were looking for us do you?"

"I do not believe we have done anything to merit such attention or action. It is more likely that this town failed to pay proper tribute to Ra and was destroyed as an example to others."

"Damn him to hell," Jack fumed, whipping the rifle scope he was still holding into a burning hut. Sam winced.

"Maybe we should look around, see if anyone survived?" Daniel suggested lightly.

Jack sighed darkly. "Yeah. Carter, you and Teal'c you take the east side of the village, Daniel, you're with me."

Once they were out of earshot of the others Daniel spoke up. "Don't you think you were being a little hard on Sam?"

"Daniel." Jack said warningly.

"Look, I know you're not mad at her, you're mad at Ra and you're mad at yourself because the fact that he's alive makes it feel like you failed, even though it hasn't happened yet."

"Daniel," Jack's voice was beginning to get a dangerous edge, but Daniel plunged ahead recklessly.

"I realize it's hard to see past the here and now, but Sam's just trying to protect the next 5,000 years of human civilization and I'm sure she could use our help. Maybe you could cut her a little slack."

Jack was silent for a long time and Daniel was worried that he might have gone too far. "Yeah," the General finally said heavily.

Sam and Teal'c were making their way through the village when Sam knelt down to check the pulse of a woman lying face down in the sand. There was nothing, not that she had expected it. Sam closed her eyes and lowered her head. She felt Teal'c come up behind her. "Are you alright Major Carter?" he asked.

'Yeah Teal'c, I'm fine" she said standing up and brushing sand off her robes. He gave her that look that said he knew she wasn't really telling the truth. She walked a few steps away, sighed then sat down on a flat rock. Teal'c came over and sat next to her. She was silent for a few moments then gave in. "It's just I never wanted this, any of this to happen. Getting stranded here, having to watch Ra's soldiers massacre innocent people. It's all my fault."

"I do not see how any of this is your fault Major Carter."

"I knew we shouldn't mess with that time machine, I knew this was too risky but I told General O'Neill it would be okay because I know how desperate we are for the ZPM."

"I believe our mission has been a success then. We have done our best to ensure that the ZPM will be discovered in the future. The device will be able to save the Atlantis expedition and provide power for the defense of billions on Earth. Is that not worth it?"

"Yes, but Teal'c, there's a good chance we will never see anyone from our time ever again. And for you to never see Bra'tac again, or Rya'c, right after he just got married." She shook her head.

Teal'c wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Ever since Rya'c was born, I have known that every time I have left may be the last time I will ever see him. Such is the life of a warrior. If I have indeed seen my son for the last time, then I am sure he will grow old knowing his father loved him and desired only for him to know freedom. However," he continued squeezing her gently, "I have not given up hope that I will see him again."

She nodded, "Thanks Teal'c." She sat for a minute then rose to her feet. "Let's finish looking through the village."

In the end they didn't find any survivors. They met back up on the outskirts of the village and for a while no one said anything.

"So what now?" Daniel finally asked.

They all looked to the General. "We do what you said Daniel, find a quiet spot to live. Farm, or whatever, keep a low profile, stay out of trouble." It was Daniel's question but he looked Sam in the eyes as he answered. He gave her a small nod as he finished speaking and she nodded in return.