Authors note: Thanks for all the feedback, it makes continuing the story feel more worthwhile so here's the next instalment, hope you enjoy.
Camp Go'auld
Part four
Jacob roughly shoved a dirty-faced figure to the ground in front of the gate and spoke using Selmak's voice to the men guarding the gate.
'I believe you lost something,' Jacob growled angrily. 'Take me to Sar'ash immediately.'
'He is not to be disturbed at the moment,' one of the guards informed Jacob.
'Fool!' Jacob hissed as he raised his hand and knocked the guard flat on his back. 'Take me there now or those who stand in my way will be suitably punished.'
Another guard immediately bowed low to Jacob and led him to the building that stood within the walls. Jacob said nothing, tugging absently on Kerry's as he followed the guard. As they entered the building Jacob could feel Kerry resisting slightly as they got closer to Sar'ash's quarters, the only way he could keep her moving and get her to enter the room was by means of a reassuring squeeze to her arm, masked by the otherwise rough way in which she was being treated.
Without knocking, Jacob threw the door open and interrupted Sar'ash in the middle of some very personal time. There were two scantily clad women in attendance, one of whom was kneeling behind him massaging his bare shoulders while he gazed lecherously at the other who was performing an erotic dance and was slowly removing the little clothing she had on. Jacob forced himself to hide his feelings of disgust at the scene in front of him, having no doubt what the outcome of this little gathering would have been, and confident that this would not have been the first time the women would have had to serve Sar'ash in this way.
'Leave us now!' Jacob ordered, startling the little group.
'What is the meaning of this?' Sar'ash snapped, recognising Jacob as a fellow go'auld.
As soon as the others had left, Jacob spoke again.
'I have been sent to assess the progress being made here and there appears to be little. You have had enough time to prepare this planet for Anubis but I see you did not take our Lord's instructions seriously and prefer to waste your time on these Tau'ri.' Jacob stood nose to nose with Sar'ash, threatening him.
'You do not understand,' Sar'ash replied fawningly. 'These people are suspicious, they will notice if I move too quickly. I have my officers nearly ready to begin the next phase. Soon they will all be under my control and then I will send word to Lord Anubis.' Sar'ash's eyes remained guarded as though trying to conceal something.
Jacob, ignoring this, moved the conversation on.
'We shall see. I find it hard to believe that you will be able to subdue this planet when you can allow a single serving girl to get free.' Jacob roughly pulled Kerry around from where she was kneeling on the floor, her head bowed in submission and fear, as she remembered what had nearly happened to her in this room, what had prompted her to take flight.
'It will not happen again, my lord,' Sar'ash whined. 'Those responsible for allowing her to get away have been suitably punished as will this one.'
'That will not be necessary. That has already been taken care of and I will use her as my personal slave. I believe her punishment will ensure her loyalty to me.' Jacob intended that Kerry should remain as close to him as possible, under his protection. 'These quarters seem suitable. I'm sure I will be comfortable here until Lord Anubis arrives. Now go have your men prepare a demonstration of their readiness to do battle. I shall come down in one hour.' Jacob glared impressively at Sar'ash, who looked as though he would like to argue against being turned out of his own luxurious quarters but backed down and left the room nervously twisting his hands together.
As soon as he was sure they were alone, Jacob turned to Kerry.
'You ok?' Jacob's voice now replaced Selmak's in which he had been speaking throughout the conversation with Sar'ash. Kerry nodded, looking fearfully around the room. 'Were you ever brought to this room?' Jacob asked gently, understanding the terror she was exhibiting.
Kerry nodded again, then spoke in a rush. 'Only once, just before I got away. He seemed to favour the good looking ones so I made myself as unattractive as possible - wearing the baggiest and shabbiest clothes I could find and kept my hair all messy and my face dirty. He never looked at me twice like that. But one day I'd spilt oatmeal all down myself and I had to have a shower. He walked in on me while I was dressing and saw I wasn't as ugly as I'd made myself out to be.' Kerry shuddered as she recalled how vulnerable she had felt at that time then continued. 'He just looked at me in a calculating sort of way and left the room. I thought maybe I'd gotten away with it, but then the next day he sent for me and I knew I had to go. There was another girl who tried to refuse him and she was beaten up so badly it was a week before she could work again and she still limps now. Tonac and Nilas, his guard, told us that next time someone refused to do our master's bidding they would not be so lucky. So I went. I did get lucky though, he…he made me start to undress for him, but then someone sounded the alarm and I was told to return to the kitchens.'
'That was when I knew I had to get away so I put that stuff in the evening meal and waited till they were all asleep. I managed to avoid them for two days, but then I started getting tired and I stumbled across that patrol and only just got away again. If I hadn't run into Colonel O'Neill and the others…'
'I see. Well, while you're my personal slave, no harm should come to you, you're under my protection.' Jacob reassured her, patting her on the arm. 'Ok?' Kerry nodded. 'Well, I've got myself a battle drill to supervise. Lead the way.'
************
Later that afternoon Kerry made her way to the kitchen. 'My master has ordered a banquet in his honour. He has commanded that I take charge of the preparations. This is what we are going to be doing…'
Kerry, trying to maintain a brave appearance, issued instructions to the women, some to prepare the food, others to make ready the dining area for the feast. Kerry flitted around from one location to the other, checking up on progress being made with the preparations and to ensure it was all being done to a satisfactory standard. In the kitchen she stirred here, tasted there and added extra seasoning and ingredients to the dishes she tried. Unnoticed, she was able to slip an extra something into many of the dishes, leaving only a very few untouched. At last all was ready and Kerry returned to the quarters where Jacob was now waiting for her.
As she entered the room she realised Jacob was not alone and immediately she knelt before him.
'It is done as you commanded, master,' Kerry spoke in a subdued voice, not daring to look at Sar'ash or Jacob. 'The banquet will be ready in one hour. Should I prepare your bath?'
'Do so. Sar'ash, you shall sit beside me at the banquet and all those who serve shall join us in honour of this occasion.' Jacob dismissed Sar'ash and made his way through the archway at the back of the room to the area where a large bath was sunk in the floor.
'Everything went as planned?' Jacob asked Kerry who had turned on the taps in the bath.
'Yes. I'm sure nobody suspects anything.' Kerry informed Jacob.
'Good work. Now we wait.'
***********
'Something is not right,' Sar'ash growled to his guard just before he entered the banquet hall that evening.. 'Keep a close watch on both of them. If either of them puts a foot wrong - deal with it.' Sar'ash stood behind the seat indicated, waiting for Jacob's arrival. The room was filled with rows of tables, behind which stood the men waiting for the signal to seat themselves to begin the feast.
A few minutes later, Jacob, followed by Kerry with her head bowed respectfully, entered the room. Jacob took his seat, Kerry remaining behind him to ensure he had everything he needed - particularly to make sure he ate only certain items of food.
The feast began, the swell of voices chattering filled the room as the women brought in dish after dish of food. The men helped themselves generously, not used to such rich pickings as this, watched benevolently by Jacob, who was in turn being watched by Tonas, Nilas and Sar'ash himself. Sar'ash helped himself to the same dishes Jacob did, refusing those that Jacob was not eating, suspecting that this newcomer was here to replace him and that the food might be poisoned. Kerry, observing this, was beginning to get edgy, knowing that if Sar'ash and his two guards did not eat the food, then they would still be able to prevent Jacob's plan from working.
As the evening wore on the men finished eating and sat drinking beer and wine. Generous quantities of both were brought out and the women had retired to the kitchens to partake of their own meal, also generously flavoured by Kerry during the afternoon. Midnight approached and Jacob watched with a satisfied smile as silence fell on the room, the last of the men falling into a deep, drug-induced sleep. The only problem remaining now was Sar'ash and the two Jaffa guard. Pondering this, Jacob stood and indicated he was going to retire, Kerry following him.
As soon as they left the room, Jacob hurried back to his quarters, pulling out his radio as he went.
'Jack?'
'Jacob?' Jack's voice crackled over the radio. 'Are we clear?'
'Almost - everyone is asleep except for Sar'ash and his two boys, which is what we figured might happen. We'll be at the rendezvous point in ten minutes. Jacob out.'
Jacob moved swiftly around the room, placing some objects at regular intervals, items he had picked up earlier in the day on one of his rounds of inspection. Surveying his handiwork, Jacob smiled at Kerry.
'All set - time for us to make tracks.' Jacob said. He moved toward the door and flung it open only to find Tonas and Silac in front of him, pushing him back into the room, closely followed by Sar'ash. Sar'ash glanced around the room, seeing nothing out of place, but turned to Jacob who now had his arms being held by a Jaffa on each side.
'So. You are a traitor in our midst. You are To'kra, not go'auld. For this you will be punished.' Sar'ash snapped as he raised a hand bearing a ribbon device.
'Fool,' Jacob snapped back. 'Lord Anubis is waiting my report at this very moment. You must release me at once and your punishment may be lessened. Persist in this nonsense and you will feel the full force of Anubis's wrath.'
Sar'ash, momentarily taken aback at this response, lowered his hand slightly. Then he resumed his previous stance. 'It is you who are the fool. I heard you sending that message to SG1. You may have overpowered my people, but this act will not go unpunished.' A light shot from Sar'ash's hand, hitting Jacob squarely in the forehead. Kerry watched in terror as Jacob sagged at the knees, kept upright by the men holding on to his arms.
