Gutierrez groaned as he returned to consciousness. He felt as though a jackhammer was being operated in his skull. It took him a moment to recognize that his name was being called softly.

"Easy, Jess. The headache will go away in a second. Sit up slowly or you'll pass out again."

He allowed Ariana to help him sit upright. "What happened?" he asked.

The anthropologist's gaze sharpened with concern. "What do you remember?"

Gutierrez shrugged, holding his aching head in his hands. "A girl. Bad guys chasing her. Did they shoot us?"

Ariana nodded. "Whatever it was, it felt like a blast from an intar set on max - only worse. Look at me, lieutenant." She peered at his eyes intently. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

He squinted in her direction. "Four?" Ariana frowned and he quickly changed his answer. "I mean two. Definitely two fingers."

The anthropologist held up a forefinger. "Follow my finger with your eyes, Jess." She watched him closely as she moved her hand from side to side. What she saw didn't please her.

"I think you've got a concussion. You must have hit your head when they shot us."

For the first time since waking, Gutierrez looked at his surroundings. They were in a small windowless room. The bed that they were sitting on was intricately carved and the few other furnishings were just as sumptuous.

He looked at his teammate. "Where are we?"

Ariana gazed around the room before replying. "I have an idea, but if I'm right neither one of us is going to like it."

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "I was awake by the time we got here. Based on what I saw coming in, I think this is some kind of brothel."

"What? That doesn't sound good."

Ariana shook her head. "Nope. The men who captured us said that their mistress would be pleased with her 'new acquisitions'."

"And she is," a new voice said from behind them. They turned to see a small voluptuous woman standing in the doorway of their silken prison. She was flanked by two enormous men, one of whom Ariana recognized as one of their captors.

The woman stepped further into the room. "I am Herasta, mistress of this house. Larak here was sent to return one of my runaway pleasure slaves. Your presence allowed her to escape - now you will serve this house in her place."

"I don't think so!" growled Gutierrez.

"Silence! Do not speak to your mistress unless she gives you permission," snapped Larak.

Ariana raised her hand to the woman. "Please, Herasta, you've made a mistake. We are peaceful explorers . . . "

"Enough!" Herasta turned to Larak. "Fetch Kalima. We must prepare these two for service immediately. Have a messenger sent to Delenor. He will want to sample the new wares."

Larak smiled at his mistress and bowed before leaving the room. Ariana stood, drawing herself to her full height to look down at the smaller woman. "You have no right to detain us here. We are peaceful explorers from another world."

Herasta laughed. "From another world? Do you expect me to believe you?"

The anthropologist nodded. "Yes. We came through the Stargate, the chaapa'ai, from Earth. We seek to become friends - allies - with the people on the worlds we explore."

The other woman waved her hand dismissively. "Where you are from makes no difference. You belong to me now and you will do as you are told."

A knock at the door interrupted any further conversation. Larak appeared, followed by a stooped older woman bearing a tray.

Herasta motioned to Ariana and Gutierrez. "Ah, Kalima. Give them the agawe and have the woman prepared. I have sent for Delenor."

As Kalima started towards them, both Gutierrez and Ariana poised themselves for action. Before either of them could move, they noticed that the guards had drawn their weapons.

"Do not think to resist," Herasta told them. "Being shot more than once by a talak will result in severe damage to the mind. Now, woman, drink the agawe, or Larak will shoot your friend."

Gutierrez saw the determined look on Ariana's face. "Farrell - no! Don't even think about it."

She spoke quickly to him in Spanish. "We can not risk them shooting you. I need you alive and aware to help get us out of this. Ferretti and Sloane should be looking for us by now."

"You can't know that for sure. They could be giving you some kind of poison," he replied in the same language."

Ariana shook her head. "I don't think so. We're more valuable to them alive. Besides, if we don't get out of here soon enough, I want to remember as little of what happens as possible."

Gutierrez shot her a look of horror.

"Enough! One more word and Larak will fire on your friend," Herasta hissed.

Ariana straightened and held out her hand to take the cup being proffered by the old woman. The stuff was syrupy and cloyingly sweet. She almost gagged at the taste, but managed to empty the cup. Ariana's heart sank as the room immediately began to spin. She had hoped that the drug wouldn't act so quickly. Through a deepening haze she noticed that Kalima had refilled the cup and was advancing on Gutierrez.

"No!" Ariana protested thickly. "He has a head injury. If you give him that now, you could kill him."

Herasta looked at Kalima questioningly. The old woman nodded. "She is correct, mistress."

"Fine," Herasta sighed. "Larak, chain him to the wall."

Larak and the other guard manhandled a struggling Gutierrez to a set of shackles attached to the far wall. He grunted in pain as Larak delivered a vicious blow to the side of his face.

"Good. Kalima, take the woman to be prepared. Delenor will arrive shortly."

The old servant led a dazed and unprotesting Ariana from the room. Herasta walked towards the struggling lieutenant. She ran a forefinger down his cheek. "Delenor is one of my most discriminating customers. He pays me very well so that he may be the first to sample all of my new slaves. He will be very pleased with your friend. And, when he is through with her, you will be next."

Gutierrez could not hide a shudder of revulsion. Herasta laughed. "If you please Delenor, I will keep you as a pleasure slave. If you do not - I can always use another eunuch."

Ferretti and Sloane had finally reached the end of their teammates' trail. Sloane was a good tracker and they'd had no trouble finding the clearing where Ariana and Gutierrez had been attacked. The ground bore the prints of many boots and the obvious signs of a struggle. The captain looked up from the prints he was examining when he heard his CO's exclamation.

"Damn! They're in trouble alright," said Ferretti, pointing to the discarded packs and weapons lying at his feet.

Sloane joined him. "It looks like they were attacked by several hostiles and carted away in a wagon or something similar. There are wheel tracks leading off to the south."

"We'll need to double-time it if we want to catch up with them. Shit! Remember not to wish for any excitement next time, Captain."

Sloane nodded, his face reddening with shame. The two men looked up in surprise as the bushes rustled behind them. They watched silently as a scantily clad girl ventured towards them. Lifting her chin bravely, she said, "I know where your friends have been taken. I will help you find them."

Ferretti shifted the hold on his P-90. "Oh? Why would you want to do that?"

The girl dropped her gaze and blushed. "Because I am the reason that they were taken."

"What?" The two men looked at each other in confusion.

"Larak and his men were chasing me when I accidentally stumbled upon your friends. I warned them to flee, but it was too late."

Sloane scowled. "Why was this Larak chasing you?"

The girl looked straight into his eyes. "Because I had no wish to remain a pleasure slave in his mistress' house - despite the fact that they paid my father handsomely for me."

Ferretti glanced at Sloane in alarm. He noticed that the other man looked as sick as he felt himself. This girl's father had sold her as a slave to what - a whorehouse? Ferretti turned back to her and asked her gently, "What's your name?"

"I am called Talina."

"Okay, Talina. I'm Major Ferretti and this is Captain Sloane. Please take us to our friends."