Camp Go'auld

Part five

The designated SG teams were in position around the compound waiting for Jacob to give them the go ahead. Jack's radio crackled into life.

'Jack?' Jack heard Jacob's voice.

'Jacob? Are we clear?' Jack asked.

'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.' The radio fell silent and Jack wasted no time in issuing his orders. The teams had all been briefed earlier and now they were about to see if Jacob's plan could be pulled off without the loss of innocent lives.

Silently, from three different angles, figures moved towards the fence, raising weapons and firing. Bolts of blue lightning lashed out and hit the guards around the fence causing them to drop soundlessly to the ground. Instantly, more figures ran forward bearing cutting equipment, slicing through the fence and past the fallen men. Members of SG9 remained behind to deal with the guards, giving each an injection before moving them outside the perimeter fence to the coaches waiting to transport them away.

The rest of the SG teams, following the lead of SG1, entered the building.

Using hand signals, Jack motioned for SG15 to start moving the women out of the kitchen and the other three SG teams were set to get the men from out of the main hall. It would take time, but the medication supplied to them in their food would keep them asleep for some time to come. Any which showed signs of coming to would be dealt with by Dr Fraiser's team of medics who were waiting to transport these people to a nearby disused airfield which had been converted in to a makeshift field hospital.

Jack led his own team to conduct a search of the building to make sure no surprises lurked there. They had come across a couple of people in the hallway, people who had not attended the feast for whatever reason and they were swiftly dealt with, a quick blast from a zat gun followed by an injection took care of them.

'I think we're in the clear,' Jack spoke softly. 'Only this corridor left.'

'What was that?' Jonas hissed in Jack's ear.

Jack turned to look at Jonas whose face was almost in his own. Jonas smiled nervously and backed off a little.

'I think I hear voices up ahead,' Jonas said.

'You sure? I don't hear anything,' Jack queried.

'Jonas Quinn is correct, I too can hear people talking. I believe it is coming from the room at the end of the corridor,' Teal'c confirmed Jonas's assessment.

Jack considered this for a moment, then led the way forward. The eerie silence in the corridor was broken abruptly by a shriek of pain. Running towards the source of the noise, they were thrown backwards by an explosion blowing the door off its hinges. Inside the room they could see figures moving around, but were not able to recognise anyone at first.

As one, they all ran forward again, shielding their faces with hands from the blast of heat emanating from within the room. A figure was running around in distress, its clothing in flames. Someone else could be seen stooping down to haul another person to its feet, wrapping an arm around its companion's shoulders to support it and begin to slowly make their way to the door. Too slowly.

**************

Jack could feel the heat building up in the room. Jacob had laid charges throughout the room to act as a distraction in the event of anyone escaping the sleeping draught, Jack knew that there had been only one explosion and that in this heat the others would go up soon.

'Get them out of there,' Jack yelled as he sped forwards, Teal'c close on his heels. The two figures were near the open doorway now, the smoke billowing around them concealing their identity. Hoping they weren't about to rescue the enemy, Jack and Teal'c simultaneously reached out for the people trying to escape the flames, exclaiming at the same time:

'Jacob Carter!'

'Kerry!'

'Ok, we've got you now.' Jack said to get Kerry to release her grip from Jacob's shoulders and allow himself and Jonas to take his weight. At the same time Teal'c supported Kerry, while Sam led the way out through the worsening smoke, yelling into her radio as she went.

'Get the rest of those people out now!' Sam shouted. 'This place is about to blow big time.' Wasting no more breath, Sam made sure she was being followed and ran swiftly to the nearest exit, kicking the door open and allowing a brief respite as the cool, clean air swept away the worst of the smoke. Knowing they weren't out of the woods yet, SG1, still supporting Jacob and Kerry, ran to the perimeter fence where they were assisted by the medics waiting their arrival. A few seconds later a series of loud explosions rocked the ground and sent sheets of orange flame into the sky as the remaining explosives detonated. Jack stopped to survey their handiwork before turning his attention to what was going on now.

Jack handed Jacob over to the medics and moved to where Colonel Anderson was directing the rest of the operation.

'Did we get them all out?' Jack asked, swiping his hand down his face to remove the sweat trickling down his nose.

'Yes - most were out before Major Carter signalled to us, then we went hell for leather and just pulled the rest out anyhow. We're just getting the last of them on to the coach. Two coaches are already on their way, should be nearly there by now.' Anderson's radio crackled.

'The first coach has just rolled up, sir,' Ferretti's voice spoke. 'I can see the second one just behind it.'

'Thanks Ferretti. Keep me posted. Anderson out.'

'Well, it looks like we pulled it off.' Jack grinned at Anderson and returned to where he had left his team.

'You need treatment, Kerry,' Dr Fraiser was arguing with Kerry who didn't want to co-operate.

'I'm fine, just breathed in too much smoke,' Kerry tried to convince the doctor.

'And for that reason we need to check your lungs,' Dr Fraiser was sounding exasperated.

'Problem doctor?' Jack asked innocently, ignoring the glare she threw at him.

'Kerry is refusing medical treatment,' Dr Fraiser informed him, crossing her arms as she did so.

'Jonas?' Jack looked to Jonas who had been able to get Kerry to co-operate until now.

'Don't look at me, I've already tried.' Jonas shrugged.

'Kerry - want to tell me what's going on?' Jack looked at Kerry, raising his eyebrows in a question. For a moment, it looked like Kerry was about to refuse to answer, then she saw something about Jack which made her answer.

'They won't tell me what's going on, what happened to the others. Are they going to be all right? And how's Jacob - he was hurt pretty badly and nobody will tell me anything,' Kerry snapped in frustration.

Jack, trying to hide his surprise at Kerry's asking about Jacob, gave her the answers he knew. 'The rest of the people Sar'ash brainwashed have been moved to a temporary field hospital a few miles away. As far as I'm aware there aren't any injuries. They'll be kept sedated for a few days to allow the drug they've been given to leave their systems then providing there aren't any side effects, they'll all be returned home or to the shelter they were taken from. Ok?'

'What about the ones who have side effects?' Kerry appeared to be somewhat mollified by the answer and seemed to be calmer and more rational although she was now breathing rapidly, her forehead glistening with moisture.

'Those will need a little longer in our care, but they will be alright in the long run.' Dr Fraiser responded to this, anxious to get her hands on this recalcitrant patient who probably had more than just a case of smoke inhalation. 'Now will you let me take a look at you?'

Kerry still refused, speaking up again, more breathless than ever now. 'What about Jacob? Is he going to be alright?'

'I'm going to be fine, Kerry, thanks to you,' Jacob appeared, supported by Sam, looking dirty and tired, but a lot better than when she had helped him out of the fire.

'But…' Kerry looked startled, not understanding how he had recovered so quickly.

'I've got an unusual metabolism,' Jacob explained. 'I heal pretty quickly and it takes a lot to hurt me seriously. I'll be good as new in a day or two.'

'Good to see you up and about Jacob,' Jack greeted him warmly, seeing the struggle the other man was having with staying on his feet, despite his insistence that he was fine. 'What was that you were saying - about being fine thanks to Kerry?'

Kerry looked at her feet in embarrassment as Jacob spoke up again.

'Kerry stopped Sar'ash from killing me by setting fire to his robes - that's what started the fire. While he was running around the room, he set off one of the explosives I'd planted, catching himself and his two Jaffa. Kerry and I were both knocked out for a moment but she managed to haul me to my feet and got us both of there.' Jacob finished, smiling at Kerry.

'Way to go, girl,' Jack grinned at Kerry.

'I…' Kerry tried to speak but was interrupted by a fit of coughing, accompanied by her clutching her side, her face twisted in pain.

'Give me some space here,' Janet ordered, helping Kerry to sit down, seeing her wince. Carrying out a swift examination, Janet gave her diagnosis. 'Well, you're suffering from smoke inhalation, a mild concussion and you've got a couple of cracked ribs which are going to make you pretty uncomfortable for a while. I'm just going to give you something for the pain.' Kerry felt a prick in her arm, a feeling of coldness seeping into her, then everything began swimming and the pain she'd been feeling receded. The last thing she recalled was hearing Jack's voice saying:

'Another one bites the dust. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?'