"So what you're telling me is, our women have been stolen and we're going to have to buy them back?" Riggs asked Fence, pulling an agitated hand through his hair.

"Yes," Fence said. "And that's not the worst of it. You're not going to be the only ones bidding on them."

Riggs swallowed hard and closed his eyes. "Tell me," he sighed.

"There's a general auction held once a week in the town square," Fence explained. "It's open to all comers--including delegates from the jungle tribe."

"What!" Riggs gasped. "Are you telling me I'm going to have to out-barter those cannibals to get her back? What the hell kind of a place is this?"

"The cannibals are legitimate trading partners in this instance," Fence said, shaking his head. "They buy other goods besides people, of course, but that's the primary reason they come. If we don't sell to them, we run short on a lot of useful goods. It's the only way to get enough food and luxury goods for everyone around here."

"By weeding out how many people exist, right?" Riggs scoffed.

"Unfortunately, yes," Fence said.

"So, what are we going to have to barter away to buy the women back?" asked Banks.

"Well, for starters, you're probably going to have to sell all those guns," Fence said. "And all your equipment, besides. But it still might not be enough. The auctioneers don't want to anger the jungle tribe, or we'll lose their business."

"To hell with the jungle tribe!" Riggs shouted, starting to pace back and forth near the door of the small building they were holed up in. "They can't have her, and that's all there is to it! I say we keep those weapons and go in blasting!"

"You can't," Fence insisted. "You'll ruin everything."

"What do you care, anyway? You'll be coming with us, not staying here," said Riggs. "And besides, if we get out of here we're sending back a huge shipment of luxury goods. Those cannibals will be banging on the walls, begging to come in once the city has the upper hand."

"Don't be a fool, Riggs," Banks admonished him. "If we went in blasting, somebody would kill us--or the women--before we could reach them. Seems to me they're just testing our resolve. If you let them know how valuable the girls are to us, we'll never get them back."

"Hey, guys, I think I have a better idea," said Ensign James as he and Post finished examining the adjacent room. He carried in a small bag and set it in front of Riggs. "Check this out. I found a whole two hundred pounds of grain hidden in the back of this building, and the place looks like it's been deserted for years. I'll bet nobody knows it's in here."

"Like hell they don't," Riggs said. "We're probably sitting ducks in here. Where the hell are Banks and Segal? We might need to make a break for it."

"I don't think we really want to know, sir," Post mentioned, then grinned cheekily.

"Maybe you'd better find out anyway," Riggs said, not amused in the least. "I'm telling you guys, somebody knows we're in here."

"No, the lad's probably right," Fence corrected him. "Nobody uses the sewers, so it'd make sense if nobody's been in here. Can't imagine why anyone was ever out here to hide their grain in the first place. Unless they put it there while they were waitin' to take the women. But that's not right, cuz whoever took the girls is long gone by now, and they woulda took the grain with 'em."

"What exactly are you saying?" Riggs asked. "Do you think the grain might belong to somebody who wants us to get them back?"

"All I'm sayin' is that some walls have ears," Fence said speculatively. "Thought it was passin' strange the way Kabal welcomed you to the city with open arms, fed and housed you, and offered to give you anythin' you needed. He doesn't do that sorta thing, as a rule. He must be thinkin' that yer success will benefit him. Mebbe he had the grain put there somehow."

"Well, no matter where the grain came from, it's here now. I think it's probably time to barter," said Riggs. He picked up a handful of grain and let it run through his fingers. "All we need now is a way to get this stuff to the bargaining table."

"I have the solution to that problem, too, sir," James said. "The stuff is already loaded in a wagon."

"Too easy," Riggs muttered. "I hope this isn't a trap."

"Do you have any other suggestions, Lieutenant?" asked Private Post.

"Let's go, then," Riggs agreed. "What are we wasting time in here for?"

Menal glared when the StarCon soldiers arrived with so much grain. He had taken their women, intent on selling them to the Jungle Tribe, because Kabal had taken a liking to the strangers, and Kabal was his rival. Menal wanted to be in charge, but if Kabal succeeded in getting fresh supplies from these people, he would never have the chance.

But, how would he be able to pass up on so much grain, just for the momentary pleasure of selling the women into bondage? The offer of the jungle tribe would have to be quite impressive to make it worth his time. And he was wondering if he even wanted to sell both of them, now that he had taken a look at the goods.

Both women were beautiful, but the blonde with the fiery spirit was by far the most exquisite creature he had ever seen. It would be difficult to part with her.

"Let's get right down to business," Riggs said when he spotted Menal. "I know you've got my women, and I know you'd like to have this grain. One hundred pounds per woman."

"Where did you get all that grain?" Menal demanded belligerently. "You're not scavengers, and Kabal couldn't possibly have given it to you. You must be thieves, instead. But, I am not one to quibble over a small matter like thievery. You will come to the bargaining table, like everyone else, if you want to barter with me."

"As you like," Riggs said with narrowed eyes. "Resources around here seem pretty scarce. I think I won't have to worry much about beating out a few Jungle Creeps."

"We'll see," Menal sneered.

"Can we see the women before we barter?" asked Ensign James. "We want to make sure you didn't damage the goods."

Riggs shot him a murderous look, but James gave him a pointed stare, and Riggs took the idea up. "Yes, that's right. We need to see them right away."

"You'll see them on the auction block," Menal insisted. "You might as well go sit with the rest of the crowd, and wait your turn. I have nothing more to say to you."

Riggs balled up his fists in impotent fury, and Banks led the men into the crowded courtyard. They sat as far away from the cannibals as possible, and cast them menacing glances. This wasn't the jungle in here, and they'd best remember it.

The cannibals realized who they were. They whispered amongst themselves and glared back at them, letting them know they weren't afraid.

Members of the crowd, sensing the tension between the five outsiders and the six jungle men, started to leave the area, so that by the time the women came onto the block only the two groups remained.

The Jungle Tribe delegates were very angry when they realized how much their rival bidders were willing to spend on two women. The chief bidder began to wonder why they were so valuable, so he stepped up to the block and unswathed them.

Both girls had been stripped of their clothes, and wrapped from head to foot in large, white sheets. Now sheetless, both stared down at the man who had exposed them to the scrutiny of the masses. While Savant's face revealed fierce anger, Wendy's face had a look more akin to fear.

Riggs had had enough. He surged forward angrily as the cannibal started to touch Wendy in places he considered to be off limits to him. He hauled off and punched him right in the face, then grabbed a sheet and covered Wendy back up again, at the same time slipping a gun into her hand.

"This is my woman!" he announced to everyone present. "Mine!"

"For this insult, you will die!" shouted the man.

"Get 'em!" Riggs shouted, and stepped out of Wendy's way so she could shoot her would-be mauler.

Post, Banks, James and Segal all started firing away at the cannibals, and at Menal's angered men. Laser fire crisscrossed the air as guns blazed, and when all was said and done the only people left standing were most of their own.

"Sir, looks like James bit the big one," Post announced when the noise had died down.

"So did Fence," Riggs said, disappointed. "Let's get the hell out of here before somebody else comes to play."

"Too late," said Post, pointing to their planned escape route. A group of thugs stood there, surveying the damage.

"Hey, you guys wasted our worst enemies!" called the leader. "Anything you want us to do for you, we'll do it."

"Well then, figure out how we can get inside The Wall and retrieve an OGU," Riggs said.

"Now that's a tall order," said the leader. "But, if that's what you need, you got it."