Sheppard woke up, feeling confused. Hushed voices reached his ear. He could tell that he wasn't on Atlantis. The humid air was warm, flavored with scents of flowers and fruits. This definitely wasn't the infirmary. His eyelids were still heavy with sleep, his muscles stiff with an all-encompassing lethargy that even hours of sleep hadn't been able to shake completely. At least the headache was gone, which did wonders for his well-being. Slowly, Sheppard pried his eyes open.

"It is good to see you awake, John," Teyla said softly. She reached for his hand and squeezed it lightly. "How are you?"

She eyed him carefully. There was a warning in her glance that told him she wouldn't take 'fine' for an answer. Sheppard smiled self-consciously, because that was exactly the word which had been on the tip of his tongue. He bit it back.

"Better," he said with some difficulty. "Headache's gone."

His voice sounded raspy and his mouth was so dry that his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. Wordlessly, Teyla handed him something to drink. She watched as he pushed himself into a sitting position, ready to help him if need be. But his limbs were more willing to obey him now. Gratefully, he took the water from her, drinking a few sips.

"Where are Ronon and Rodney?" Sheppard asked. A sense of guilt flooded him as he remembered what he'd promised Teyla. "I'm sorry, I didn't send Ronon to you to take over babysitting duty. Guess, I sorta passed out as soon as we reached the village."

"Do not worry about it," she said softly. "Rodney is still asleep after working for the better part of the night. I believe Ronon is looking for breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Sheppard asked, taken aback. "How long was I out?"

"You have been asleep for close to seventeen hours," Teyla informed him. "We were worried about you and contacted Dr. Beckett. He said that if we could rouse you without problems, we should let you sleep off your exhaustion. So we have been taking turns keeping watch over you and woke you up periodically."

Sheppard blinked. He didn't remember any of that, but he'd be damned if he admitted to that in front of Teyla. So, he just gave a non-committal grunt and busied himself with studying his surroundings. Like all huts on MX-650 the place was built of wood. Long curtains separated sections of what otherwise would have been one room.

Sheppard lay on something that resembled a Japanese tatami mattress. Pillows were piled up around and underneath him in an obvious attempt to make him as comfortable as possible. He must have still been half asleep, because now Sheppard realized with a start that his shirt was missing. And the way the blanket felt on his skin, he wasn't wearing his BDU's either. Just his boxers.

He frowned, getting an odd feeling to find himself undressed like that. How could he have been so out of it that someone had managed to take off his shirt and pants? And why? Then he remembered that his clothing had been soaked with sweat. Whoever had removed his shirt and pants, had obviously tried to make him comfortable. Had Teyla been the one to undress him? The thought alone made him blush.

"Thank's for watching over me," he muttered.

"You are welcome, John. I am so glad that you are feeling better." Teyla beamed.

The curtain behind Teyla was pushed asided. A young woman carrying a small bowl approached them. When she realized that he was awake, she smiled at Sheppard.

"I see you are doing better. I am Mathar." She set the bowl down next to him.. "You must be hungry. You've been sleeping for many hours." She turned her attention to Teyla. "Why don't you go and get some breakfast. Your friends have already started to eat. I believe they wanted to talk to Tarhan about something. He should be with them in a short while."

Teyla looked back and forth between Sheppard and the woman who had introduced herself as Mathar. It was quite obvious that she was reluctant to leave Sheppard's side.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Teyla. Go get some breakfast. You must be starving. Besides, if Ronon and Rodney try to talk Tarhan into trading the ZPM with us, I'd bet my dog tags that it's going to be a disaster."

Teyla chuckled softly. "If you say so, Colonel. Are you really sure that I can leave you alone?"

"Positive. I'll join you outside as soon as I can," Sheppard promised. Then he looked at the bowl sitting by his side and picked it up. "This smells delicious."

Teyla stood up and gave Sheppard a brief nod, before she left the hut. He watched her as long as the curtains would let him. Her quiet grace and her strength never ceased to amaze him. She was such a petite woman that no one would ever suspect that she knew how to kick butts. At the same time, she was a skilled diplomate and a great leader to her people. He was lucky that she'd chosen to be on his team. Once again, Sheppard felt his heart ache with all the feelings he kept bottled up there.

He forcefully turned his attention back to the bowl. It contained a collection of fruit and bread, something that looked a lot like cheese and dried meat. He reached for a piece of bread and inhaled the fresh scent. His mouth watered.

"Thanks for the food," he said.

Mathar beamed at him and left Sheppard alone again. He was indeed rather hungry. After a few minutes of sniffing and careful testing he found that the food was perfectly fine and dug into it with gusto.

When Sheppard was finished, Mathar returned to take the bowl with her.

"Where are my clothes?" he asked.

"I'll bring them in a moment," she promised. Then she left him alone again.

Sheppard listened for her steps, impatiently waiting for her to come back. He wanted to get back to his team and see how things were going. But in his current state of undress, he couldn't gracefully step outside without embarrassing himself further. It was bad enough that Teyla had seen him like that.

Mathar returned after a short while. She carried his black clothes and shoes. Sheppard thanked her, hoping that she would leave him alone again so he could dress. But then she set a bowl full of water down beside him. Sheppard watched her confused. Mathar took a cloth that was swimming in the bowl and wrung it out. Before he knew what was happening to him, she gently pushed Sheppard back into a lying position and started to bath his bare chest.

For a moment, Sheppard was just too stunned to react.

Then he pushed himself back up and reached for her arm to remove it from his chest. "Look, I appreciate your kindness, but-."

He was cut off as she pressed her lips to his, her tongue invading his mouth. Utterly bewildered, he reached for her shoulders to free himself of the unwanted assault.

"What are you doing?" He asked, furiously.

"You've saved our people. Now it's time to complete the ritual of Ra'heel. Think of it as compensation for your efforts." Her voice was sultry and her eyes dark with passion. She leaned in on him and tried to kiss him again.

He struggled against her. "Look, I don't want-"

A male voice interrupted him. "What's the matter, my friend?" Tarhan brushed past the curtain. "Is Mathar not to your liking? We have plenty of beautiful women." He pushed the curtain behind him aside, revealing a handful of scarcely dressed females. "You can choose any or all of them."

Sheppard swallowed hard. He didn't like where this was going. This was taking hospitality a step, no make that several steps, too far. One or two of the women looked young enough that they could have been his daughter's. In any case, Sheppard would have faced a certain prison sentence, would he have tried to hit on them back on Earth. He blinked as a second woman sat down next to him, her cleavage much more ample than that of Mathar. She leaned in on him, much too close for comfort. Looking back and forth between the two women next to him and the others, he realized that some looked rather scared. Sheppard couldn't help the impression that they had never been with a man. Well, they needn't worry, because he didn't have the slightest intention to sleep with any of these women. How had this spiraled out of control so quickly?

Sheppard tried to get some distance between him and the women. "I'm certain you mean well, but I really-"

"You don't need to be embarrassed," Tarhan reassured him. His smile bordered on a leer, "We'll leave you alone as soon as you've chosen your mate. You're welcome to enjoy yourself with as you like." What had started as an, admittedly, unusual invitation now sounded more like an order.

Sheppard couldn't believe his ears. What the hell was going on here? He lifted his chin defiantly. "And what if I don't want to?"

Tarhan's leer was still firmly in place. "I'm sure we can find some girl you'll find attractive."

A shiver ran down Sheppard's spine. He felt increasingly uncomfortable with the 'hospitality' of the Rahelians. "Look, Tahan, I really don't mean to insult you, but..."

"This is an important ritual," Tarhan cut him off, his expression stern now. "The savior of the village has to father at least one child. We've been told about this for generations, but I've never thought we would ever witness the ritual of Ra'heel. I didn't even realize its importance until you told me about genes. You saved our village from the Wraith. Now you've got to complete what you started by fathering the next generation. You will not be allowed to leave through the ring of the Ancestors until you've fulfilled your destiny."

Tarhan had dropped any act of courtesy. He towered over Sheppard, quietly reminding him of the fact that he was just as broad shouldered and strong as Ronon. Not just a little intimidating, Sheppard admitted to himself, particularly in his present state of lingering exhaustion. He didn't look like he would budge an inch.

Sheppard was stunned speechless. This wasn't just a strange form of hospitality, they were actually telling him that he was a prisoner until he got several of their women pregnant. This couldn't be happening! He wasn't going to make love to – no have sex with a complete and utter stranger! He'd never been into one night stands and he sure as hell wasn't going to start now.

"You can't really expect me to..." He trailed off, not sure how to complete the sentence. This was just too weird to put into words. He jumped to his feet, causing the two women closest to him to lose their balance. They landed on their butts. Sheppard really couldn't have cared less. White hot rage burned inside him. He approached Tarhan, trying to push him aside.

Before Sheppard knew what was happening to him, two sets of strong arms held him back. Tarhan's fist shot forward, hitting his solar plexus. The air rushed out of him and he crumpled in a heap on the floor. But he wasn't going to let them win, he just couldn't. Sheppard grimaced against the pain shooting through his abdomen and hurled himself on his attackers. But they were three and neither of them had recently been weakened by Ancient tech. Fists rained down on him and they quickly beat him into submission.

Soon, Sheppard found himself pinned to the floor, gasping for breath. One man sat on each of his arms and leaned on his chest, keeping him immobilized quite effectively. He could see Mathar slip out of her dress. She sat down on his legs, robbing him off any chance to kick out. She bend down. Sheppard felt her breath on his face as she started to touch him through his boxers. Panic washed over him. They wouldn't actually do what he thought they would do, would they? He was a man, for Heaven's sake. Men didn't get raped. At least not by women.

But Mathar continued to touch him and he was helpless to stop her. Sheppard wanted to call for Ronon, but she pressed her lips to his almost violently. This time, though, she let her tongue inside her own mouth, certainly to avoid that he bit her. Sheppard squeezed his eyes shut, willing his strength to return. But how was he supposed to fend off three people sitting on him? He struggled anyway, but it was a losing battle.

Under the ministrations of her hands, his traitorous body started to react. Why did he react? Did some part of him want her, despite everything? No! This couldn't be happening! He cursed that hapless part of his anatomy. How was he going to get out of this terrible situation now, when even his own body betrayed him? With one last, desperate act of defiance, Sheppard gave up all resistance and returned the woman's kiss with all the passion he could muster. He grimaced inwardly. Either, he was going to seal his fate, or...

But the men pinning him down, seemed to notice the change in his demeanor. Their pressure lessened and finally they let go off him, certain that passion had brushed away any coherent thought.

Sheppard's attack came swiftly. He gathered all his strength and hurled Mathar off of him. Before anyone was able to react, he was on his feet and dived for his clothes and boots. Then he barreled his way past the other women, not really caring if he hurt any of them.

He stormed out of the house, tearing down several curtains on his way out. His ribs were hurting with every breath he took. The Rahelian men were hot on his heels. He could hear their footsteps. When Sheppard had found the door, he quickly glanced over his shoulder. The Rahelians were out of sight as the curtains provided some cover. Hoping to shake his pursuers, he stumbled past the huts in a wild zig zag course, taking cover wherever he could.

Finally, he spotted an open door. It belonged to a storage room. Large crocks lined the walls, probably containing grain and other dry goods. A quick glance over his shoulder told Sheppard that his pursuers hadn't caught up with him yet. Sheppard slipped inside the hut and found himself a relatively secluded spot. Dressing faster than he ever had before, Sheppard was decent only moments later.

Now he needed to get back to his team. Tiptoing around the stored goods, he carefully checked his surroundings. He figured that Tarhan and his people wouldn't dare to make a commotion outside, lest his team found out what they were up to. But he didn't want to find out what they would do to him, if he ran into their arms right now. If he recalled the structure of the settlement correctly, his team would be on the village square two or three huts north of him. Sheppard crept back toward the door and carefully spied through the holes between the wooden planks the hut was constructed of. He saw none of Tarhan's people. Obviously, he'd managed to shake them off for the time being.

Taking a deep breath, Sheppard stormed out of the hut and headed straight for the village square. Only moments later, he saw Ronon's large frame. Teyla and McKay were sitting by his side. Tarhan and his people were there as well. Sheppard's heart hammered in his chest as he deliberately slowed down his steps, schooling his features as he approached the group. Surely, they wouldn't attack him again in front of his team... He swallowed hard and gritted his teeth, plastering a smile on his face that was painful in every muscle. Then he stepped out of the shadows and right into the Lion's den.

Teyla was the first to look up. "John, it is good to see that you are doing well."

"About time you got your skinny ass back to us," McKay quipped. Despite his gruff welcome, Sheppard could tell that his friend was rather relieved to see him back on his feet.

Ronon just nodded, as per usual sparing of words. His expression told more than words ever could, though.

"I think it's time we get back home," Sheppard said, forcing himself to sound casual rather than urgent and whining.

Tarhan raised a brow and looked at him pointedly. "We were hoping you would enjoy our hospitality just a while longer."

Sheppard swallowed down the bile rising in his stomach. "I'm afraid that our friends at home are already waiting for us."

"But we were talking about a trade agreement concerning the ZPM," McKay protested. "You know how important this is."

"Why don't we leave the diplomacy to Elizabeth?" Sheppard suggested. "I think we're all tired after a long mission."

"Are you still feeling unwell?" Teyla asked, concern written on her face.

Sheppard gave a slight nod. It wasn't even a lie, he still felt like he'd been hit by a truck. It wasn't the main reason he wanted to get off this planet. But how was he going to tell his team what had just happened? It was too embarrassing to put into words. He should have been able to stop them from taking as much of his dignity as they had. He could be grateful that not much had actually happened. Just his pride had been hurt.

"Then perhaps it is better if Dr. Beckett has a more thorough look at you," Teyla said decisively.

McKay looked like he wanted to protest, but Teyla silenced him with one glance. Sheppard would have liked to embrace her. Both Ronon and Teyla stood quickly, leaving McKay no choice but to also set down his bowl of food and gather his belongings.

"We thank you for your hospitality," Teyla said gracefully.

She flashed Tahar a broad smile that made Sheppard sick to his stomach. He kept his own fake smile firmly in place, afraid that it would crumble to reveal his true feelings. He felt numb and mortified and a lot of things that he didn't even have a name for. Taking deep slow breaths to fight against the ever rising nausea, he did his best to appear like nothing untoward had happened. Somehow, he felt like he was caught up in some strange twilight world that separated him from all the people around him.

His body played its part, like it usually did. Teyla handed him his P-90 and he took point, leading his team back to the gate. Sheppard barely registered what was happening around him, he was just acting on auto-pilot. As they reached the DHD, he dialed Atlantis and transmitted his IDC. As they stepped through the gate, he felt like fainting with relief.