There was a great deal that Si Cwan wanted to say at that moment ... most of it hostile. Plus, some vivid imaginings regarding sustained pummeling were likewise crossing his mind. But he quickly decided that it might just further provoke Calhoun to rash action, and the Thallonian didn’t want to feel responsible for that.

“There is nothing you can say,” Si Cwan told him evenly, “so perhaps it would be best ... to say nothing.”

Lodec bobbed his head. He actually seemed grateful, which further perplexed Si Cwan, because he hadn’t thought he was being especially generous in his response.

“Very wise, Ambassador,” he said. Then he turned and regarded the others. “And you would be Commander Mueller ... Lieutenant Arex, I believe it was ...” He looked blankly at the two Vulcans and the Brikar. When his eye caught Zak’s, he looked up, and up a bit more. “My. You’re a considerable individual.”

Zak glowered at him.

“This is Lieutenant Soleta, my science officer,” Calhoun said, “and my security chief, Lieutenant Kebron, and this,” and he paused with what seemed to Cwan to be some dramatic significance, “is Ambassador Spock.”

Even Lodec appeared impressed. “The legendary Spock?”

“Yes,” said Spock, matter-of-factly. Si Cwan suppressed a small smile. None could ever accuse the Vulcan of lack of hubris. Then again, “hubris” might be the wrong word. It meant, after all, “exaggerated pride,” and Spock’s accomplishments were such that there was no reason for exaggeration. The truth was impressive enough.

“I am here,” Spock continued, “representing the interests of the United Federation of Planets.”

“Because of the ambrosia.”

“That is correct.”

“The ambrosia is the food of the gods.” He smiled reverently. “The Beings provide it to us in exchange for our love and devotion. They give us so much, and all that is truly required from us is our appreciation. It is a remarkable bargain, is it not?”

“Remarkable,” Soleta echoed, exchanging a glance with Spock.

“And permit me to guess,” said Lodec. Amusement twinkled in his eyes. “You are here to obtain a sample of the ambrosia.”

Calhoun looked as if he were about to respond, but Mueller spoke up before he could do so. “That is one consideration,” she said. “But my orders were simply to observe the impact that the presence of the Beings has had upon you.”

“Why, they have had a benevolent impact,” Lodec said, as if any other notion was too absurd to contemplate. “How could any reasonable person think otherwise.”

“Considering,” Spock said, “that the Beings assaulted and nearly destroyed a Federation starship ... and that the earliest known Being, one ‘Apollo,’ held my shipmates hostage a century ago ... and that one of them aided you in terrorizing Ambassador Cwan and his sister ... one would logically have to conclude the Beings are sending mixed messages insofar as benevolence is concerned.”

To Cwan’s surprise, Lodec laughed softly at that. “My, you do have a way of turning a phrase, Ambassador. Very well, point taken. But things have changed, you have to see that.”

“We intend to see what needs to be seen,” Calhoun told him sharply.

For a moment, Lodec studied Calhoun, and then he just shrugged neutrally. “Then you shall do so in as unimpeded a fashion as possible. You are free to do what you will. Go anywhere you wish, see anything you wish. We’ve nothing to hide here. None of my people will hinder you.”

“And the Beings? Where are they?” asked Calhoun.

“Oh,” and Lodec gestured in a vague manner, still smiling. “They are around. They move in mysterious ways.”

“Summon them.”

For the first time, Lodec looked perturbed. “That ... is not within my ability. I would accommodate you if I could, but I swear I cannot. The Beings come and go as they will. If they choose to appear, they do so. But we do not control them.”

“No, no ... you just adore them,” said Calhoun. He was now much closer to Lodec, and Si Cwan could see that the scar which Calhoun perpetually carried upon his face was flushing a slightly brighter crimson ... a sure sign that the starship captain was becoming angry. “I want Artemis. I have an injured man because of her. A man who might very well be on the brink of death ... or worse. I believe she’s the only one who can do anything about it. And she had better, or ...”

“Or what?” Lodec sounded gently reproving. “What do you think you could possibly do that will deter her in some way? Artemis is what she is. They all are what they are. If you,” and he glanced at Spock, “have any hope of working out some manner of cooperation with the Beings, or if you have a desire to obtain ambrosia, then it’s far preferable that you respect them as we do.”

“By building temples to them?” asked Arex. “By sacrificing helpless animals to them?”

“Yes,” Lodec said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

And Si Cwan realized that, to Lodec, it very likely was.

II.

The away team had split into three groups, heading off in different directions in an almost arbitrary fashion. The notion was, after all, that they were upon a fact-finding mission. So they went their separate ways to find facts. Since they were all in easy communication with one another, there didn’t seem to be a problem.

Nevertheless, Calhoun insisted that each of them check in with him every half hour. He had no intention of losing touch with any of his people. And Mueller, for her part, kept in constant touch with the Trident,and the Tridentwith the Excalibur.No one was taking any chances.

Mueller and Arex walked from residence to residence in the city, stopping and talking with passersby, or knocking on doors and speaking to whomever inside would talk to them. Mueller was impressed by the forthright way in which the people spoke to two offworld strangers.

Her study of the typical Danteri mind-set indicated that they should have treated them in a high-handed, arrogant manner. But that definitely was not what she and Arex were encountering. Instead the Danteri greeted them warmly, welcomed them into their homes, spoke to them of their hopes, dreams, and aspirations.

And, of course, they spoke of the Beings.

“We were lost without them.”

“They have focused us.”

“They are greatness personified.”

“The Beings are the source of all things wise and wonderful.”

These and many other comments were uttered with the sort of unshakable conviction that Mueller only ever saw in the truly dedicated ... or the truly demented. Nor was it always easy to tell the difference.

After several hours of hearing the same thing over and over again, Mueller and Arex stopped in the center of a lush park and sat on a bench. More correctly, Mueller sat. The bench wasn’t designed in such a way that the three-legged Arex could make himself comfortable, so he chose to stand.

“I have never seen this many happy people in my life,” Mueller said. “Have you?”

“Yes,” said Arex serenely. “My people. But we’re a singularly cheerful race.”

Mueller half-smiled and shook her head. “Thank you for the clarification, Lieutenant.” Then the smiled faded as she considered the array of chipper individuals they’d met. “Tell me, Lieutenant ... even amongst your ‘singularly cheerful race,’ are you all happy in the exact same manner? About the exact same thing?”

“No. And I see what you mean and where you’re going with the thought,” he said. “It’s an impressive uniformity of mind.”

“ ‘Impressive’ would not be the word I’d use. ‘Frightening,’ perhaps. It’s almost as if they’ve started functioning as a hive mind. They’re like the Borg, except they’re not trying to assimilate us.”

“Aren’t they?” said Arex. “Perhaps the ambrosia is the means of assimilation.”

She opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it and nodded.