Seeing that they were clearly outnumbered, Sheppard ordered his team to give their weapons up without a fight, still hoping to salvage something from the situation. They were led into the building escorted by a troop of armed women and taken to an interior chamber to await an audience with the Queen.

"In hindsight, maybe the direct approach wasn't such a good idea," Sheppard admitted. He knelt obligingly in front of the empty throne at the not-so-gentle urging of his guard's spear tip.

"Really? It's too bad someone didn't say something about that sooner. Oh wait, I did!" said McKay as he knelt down, relieved when the guard who was prodding a spear into his lower back eased off. Ford and Teyla followed suit beside them without comment.

McKay took in his surroundings. The room was obviously a formal setting where the queen held her court. The courtiers seemed to be dressed differently than the guards, wearing long flowing cloaks in a variety of headache inducing combinations of violet, green, orange and pink. Looking around, he noticed Ford was staring straight ahead with a strange, almost frightened, look on his face. "What's wrong?" he whispered.

"That woman."

McKay looked around. The whole chamber was lined with women. "Which woman?"

"That one," replied Ford, cutting his eyes to their left and indicating one of the courtiers lining the walls. "She keeps looking at me and licking her lips."

"You're just imagin…oh, now, that's just disturbing," replied McKay, as the woman repeated the performance at Ford's glance.

Their attention was caught as the vizor reentered the room, followed by another woman who took her place on the throne. "You," said Hailea, pointing to Sheppard, McKay and Ford, will address my Queen as 'Mistress'.

She didn't wait for their agreement before turning to her Queen and bowing.

"Explain," demanded the Queen to the guard.

"These men appeared at the front door with weapons. This one," she said, indicating Teyla, "took orders from the man." The Amazon guard was obviously disgusted by the idea.

"We're just looking for our teammates…" began Sheppard. He was cut off by a slap to the back of the head.

"Silence! You will not speak unless spoken to!" said the vizor.

He pressed his lips together angrily but said nothing more.

"What are these," she asked Teyla, holding up their radios.

"A radio. It is a way to communicate."

"Communicate with whom?" she asked, suspiciously.

A plan was fast forming in Teyla's mind. "Our leader, Dr. Elizabeth Weir."

Sheppard began to see where Teyla was going, though he wasn't sure he was entirely happy with the route she was taking. "Teyla," said Sheppard out of the side of his mouth. He tone clearly told her he didn't think this was need-to-know information as far as the Amazons were concerned. It earned him another smack to the back of the head by his attentive guard.

"Ah, of course," said Gwledig. "I see now. I should have realized a warrior such as yourself would not bend your will to that of a mere man." She considered for a moment, then continued, "You may send a message to your Queen and tell her that I am willing to discuss the return of her property," she said, waving her hand to indicate the men. "Proper compensation will be expected, of course." Hailea brought a radio to Teyla who hesitated before offering it to Sheppard.

"It is for Major Shepard to tell our leader of his failure," explained Teyla at the Queen's raised eyebrow.

"Very, well," she said, indicating that the guard should allow him to do so.

He clicked it on. Before he had a chance to say anything, a voice came over the air. "Radio check, Sheppard are you there? Can you hear me?" asked Stackhouse.

"Yeah, reading you. Dial up the gate, I need to talk to Dr. Weir."

"It's already active, Major," came Weir's displeased voice. "I see you got your interference problem fixed."

"Yes, well, seems we got ourselves in a bit of jam here."

"Really?" she asked.

"Does she sound a little pissed to you?" Sheppard asked McKay in a quick aside.

McKay kept his lips clamped tightly shut but his wide-eyed expression clearly said 'Whatever gave you that idea!'

"Queen Gwledig," said Sheppard, after hitting the send button, "would like to discuss the terms of our release with you."

After her conversation with Elizabeth, the Queen retired to do whatever it was Queens do. Sheppard and his team were hauled to their feet and taken to a nearby chamber. Guards pushed them roughly into the windowless room. One seemed to take particular pleasure in making sure Sheppard landed on his hands and knees. "Who dropped a house on your sister?" he asked under his breath as he stood up and wiped his stinging palms on his pants.

"Are you trying to get us turned into eunuchs?" hissed McKay, shooting a panic-stricken look towards the guards. He breathed a sigh of relief when it became obvious they had not overhead Sheppard's comment.

They didn't have long to wait. Weir arrived within the hour. Sheppard was relieved since such a quick appearance meant that she must have come by jumper and been able to find a landing site fairly close by.

"May I speak with my people?" she asked Hailea as they stood outside the chamber looking at the bedraggled group.

"You have time before your audience with the Queen," she replied, waving the guards aside so that Weir could pass.

"Thank you."

Though the vizor left them alone, the guards standing nearby made it necessary to lower their voices to keep from being overheard.

"I left the puddle jumper cloaked about a quarter mile from here with Markham at the controls," she confirmed.

They discussed several possible scenarios regarding Weir's negotiations. Unsurprisingly, Sheppard wasn't fond of most of her suggestions. She distractedly ran her pendant back and forth on its chain as she took in Sheppard's defiant posture. "Did you know that men aren't allowed weapons? In fact it's normally a death sentence to carry one. Luckily the Queen sees you as my property and therefore, not entirely hers to dispose of. Distasteful as it may be, we need to maintain that illusion for the time being."

Sheppard finally nodded his compliance.

"I hate to say it, but what if the Queen doesn't decide in our favor? No insult intended, Elizabeth, but these people aren't the most reasonable," said McKay

"I've been thinking about that," volunteered Sheppard, quickly filling them in on an alternate plan in case negotiations failed.

Weir looked at him doubtfully. "That plans sounds even worse that the one that got you in this mess in the first place."

"There's a reason why they call it 'Plan B'. Work your charms on the queen and we won't even have to try it." A commotion at the doorway indicated the return of the vizor and they quickly ended their conversation.

"The Queen is ready to see you now." The prodding of the guards made it clear that Sheppard and the rest of his team were expected to follow Weir into the throne room.

At Weir's brief glance, Sheppard, McKay and Ford kneeled as they had before. Teyla remained standing and slightly behind and to the right of Weir.

"You are Dr. Weir?" asked the Queen.

"Yes, your Highness," Weir acknowledged, bowing her head slightly.

"I understand these men belong to you?"

"I am head of our expedition," she temporized.

"My vizor tells me you sent them to retrieve the ones called Zelenka and Kavanagh?"

"Yes, they are also part of my expedition."

"They have been bought and paid for," said the Queen, making it clear that they were in a different category than the men who were currently kneeling in front of her. "I hope you did not pay much for that one," she said, indicating Sheppard.

"His performance has been disappointing," agreed Weir, shrugging. "We have a saying - never send a man to do a woman's job." She could hear Sheppard grinding his teeth but he kept his eyes downcast and said nothing. "Isn't that right, Major?"

"Yes," he gritted his teeth, "Mistress." He decided she was enjoying this entirely too much.