“Anubis ...” said Artemis, sounding as if she were trying to rein him in.

But Calhoun was barely paying any attention to her. Instead, he bolstered his phaser and stood before Anubis, crouched, hands poised as if prepared to throttle the jackal-headed god. “Make your first step,” he said.

An angry hissed escaped from between Anubis’ teeth, and then Artemis said “Anubis!”more sharply than before. For half a heartbeat, something flickered in her face that seemed to border on concern, and then it was replaced by an easy and confident smile. “There’s no need for hostilities. Nothing is to be accomplished by it.”

“You should have thought of that,” fired back Calhoun, “before your people damaged my ship and killed members of my crew.”

“And you should think of that,” replied Thoth, “before you are foolish enough to challenge us again. No good will come of it, Captain, I assure you. No good at all. You just remember that. Remember how we hurt you, and can do so again. Because as the Beings are my witness, we’ve no desire to do it again. But,” he added after a significant pause, “we will. Believe it. We will.”

“His memory is short, Thoth,” said Anubis. “Fortunately, a reminder is imminent.”

“And we’re back to that,” Si Cwan said. “What reminder? What are you referring to ... ?”

Artemis spoke casually, glancing at her fingernails as if she were making a pronouncement as to what style of hat was going to be in style come the spring. “Oh ... we’re simply about to show some intruders the high price of insolence. That our demands are not to be ignored.”

And Calhoun promptly got it. Even as Si Cwan was about to ask another question, Calhoun suddenly said, “The Tholians.”

“Of course,” Spock murmured.

Calhoun immediately hit his combadge. “Calhoun to Excalibur.Three—” He glanced at Soleta. “Four to beam up.”

Soleta took a concerned step in Thoth’s direction, and Thoth said warningly, “Captain ...”

“Unable to comply, sir,” came Burgoyne’s voice. “Our shields are up.”

Calhoun’s voice caught a moment. “Are you under attack?” he demanded.

“No, sir. But the Tholians arrived with their weapons running hot. We’re not targeted, but we, along with the Trident,raised our shields as a precaution. If you want me to drop them—”

“No. Maintain shields. Are you and Shelby still in communication with them?”

“Aye, sir.”

“Patch me in.”

“Do not attempt to thwart the will of the gods, mortal,” intoned Anubis. “I am the death walker, and I know when little mortals overstep themselves.”

“I’ve walked some death myself, ‘god,’ ” shot back Calhoun, “and it might be wise for little gods to stay the hell out of my way.”

“Such challenge!” called out Thoth, but he didn’t appear to be talking to Calhoun. Suddenly light flashed once more in a manner that had become all too familiar to Calhoun, and suddenly Thoth was in the center of the senate floor. Soleta was next to him, looking up at him admiringly.

“My people!” he called out, his arms outstretched. “Worshippers of our divinity! Fellow travelers on the road to greatness and glory! We who are bringing your world into a golden age! Do you believe in our vision?”

“Yes!” The cries were ripped simultaneously from a hundred throats.

“Do you believe in our greatness?”

“Yes!”The word thundered and echoed from both inside the building and out, and Calhoun realized that Thoth wasn’t just there in front of them, but elsewhere as well. Or perhaps others of his fellow Beings were exhorting the Danteri simultaneously with the exact same words. Either way, it seemed the entirety of Danter was rallying behind their gods.

“There are those who don’t! What shall we do about those who don’t!?”

“Smite them!”

“Fascinating,” murmured Spock.

TRIDENT

COMMANDER LYKENE’S VOICE was so shrill and piercing that Shelby felt as if it was going to slice off the top of her head. Nor was his (she thought it was a “he,” though with the Tholians it wasn’t always possible to be sure) visual presence on the viewscreen much easier to take.

It was difficult to know exactly what one was looking at when encountering a Tholian. No one had ever encountered them face-to-face, in person. On screen, they appeared to be crystalline in nature, with no discernible or moving features beyond that, such as eyes or mouths. It was possible that the appearance they presented as such was a fabrication, designed to make them appear more formidable than they were. Shelby briefly imagined that the Tholians actually bore a striking resemblance to bunny rabbits in pink tutus, and that brought her some measure of relief.

She let none of this show in her demeanor, however, as she pressed forward with trying to keep a lid on the situation. Burgoyne’s face had vanished from the two-way image on the screen. Apparently he’d received some sort of communication from Calhoun and was busy dealing with that. Shelby couldn’t help but think that Calhoun was getting the lucky end of the deal at that moment. Why couldn’t shehave been smart enough to make some incredibly stupid and quixotic trip down to the planet’s surface?

Keeping her voice calm and even, she said, “Commander, you don’t appear to be listening to what Commander Burgoyne and I have been telling you ...”

“We have heard you,” said Lykene, the screen flickering in response to his words.

“Heard, yes. Not listened.”

“The mission given this vessel is clear,” he said as if she hadn’t spoken. “The planet Danter has been declared part of the Tholian Assembly and subject to our laws. As such, all resources utilized by the Danteri are subject to seizure.”

“You can’t be serious,” said Shelby. “How can you possibly suddenly say that Danter is in Tholian territory?”

“Its elliptical orbit brings it to within our boundaries for one solar day every four Tholian years.”

“Commander, with all respect, that is the most pathetic rationalization I have ever heard for a clear act of aggression—”

“The planet’s orbit is sufficient to be considered Tholian property,” insisted Lykene. “In the interest of cooperation, we will put you in touch with the Tholian Assembly for verification.”

“No. No assembly is required,” said Shelby. “The problem is—”

“Are your vessels here in attempted contravention of Tholian interest in this situation?” demanded Lykene, cutting her off. The challenge in his tone was evident to Shelby, and certainly to everyone else on the bridge.

“We are here pursuing the interests of the United Federation of Planets, under the authority of Starfleet,” replied Shelby, not rising to Lykene’s arrogant tone. “And I would assume that those interests are identical to yours: namely the existence of a substance called ‘ambrosia’ which is alleged to have highly beneficial effects. The difference in our respective cases, Commander, is that we’re not endeavoring to co-opt it or claim it for our own. Instead we simply want to understand it and determine whether or not it poses a hazard.”

“You and your Federation need not concern yourselves,” Lykene assured her. “All properties of Danter, including ambrosia, will fall under the auspices of the Tholian Assembly. Your interests in this matter are therefore null and void. It is our directive that you depart orbit at once.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Shelby said heatedly, and then reined herself in lest Lykene think he was getting to her. “And furthermore, I—”

“Captain,” Takahashi said from ops. “Getting a new hail from the Excalibur.”

“Put them on,” said Shelby.

Burgoyne’s face appeared, looking concerned. Shelby imagined that it was a probable mirror of her own expression. “Captain,” Burgoyne said, “I see you’re still on with the Tholians. I have Captain Calhoun from the planet’s surface.”