On the Trident, Captain Elizabeth Shelby shook her head in disbelief as she and her husband, Captain Mackenzie Calhoun, walked down the corridor leading to the turbolift.

"So McHenry's gone?"

"That's right," said Calhoun.

"And Soleta's returned to the ship."

"Feeling very bewildered and, I think, rather embarrassed," Calhoun told her. "And the effects of the ambrosia are wearing off the rest of the Danteri as well. They've already been imploring Si Cwan to come back and take another stab at beginning a new Thallonian empire."

"Let me guess," said Shelby. "He doesn't want any part of it."

"No. The Danteri were no joy to work with even before the Beings got involved with them. Si Cwan is interested in keeping a safe distance from them. I think he's still enchanted with the idea of a new Thallonian empire, but he's convinced the Danteri aren't the way to go."

"Our remaining problem is the Tholians," said Shelby. "Fortunately enough, Ambassador Spock is with us. The Tholians are on their way, but we're thinking the ambassador will be able to forestall any problems. Especially when he explains that the downside of ambrosia is that it makes anyone who takes it extremely peaceful. I doubt that's going to be very attractive to the Tholians." She paused just before they got to the turbolift, turned, and said to Calhoun, "I'm very proud of the way you handled everything. I really am."

"Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you. And I love you."

She laughed softly. "You don't initiate that statement very often. And I love you, too."

"Tell me," he said, "do you think they'd miss me back on the Excalibur if I was gone for, oh... another half hour or so?"

"Even if they did, they'd probably figure out why and have the good taste not to comment on it."

"Your cabin?"

"By all means."

They walked forward into the turbolift, the door hissing open, and Shelby jumped back and barely stifled a shriek.

The ripped-up body of Lieutenant Commander Gleau tumbled out of the lift, staring with lifeless eyes up at them.

"This might take longer than a half hour," said Calhoun.

The offhand tone of Calhoun's comment didn't even register on Shelby. She was staring, goggle-eyed, at the corpse that had fallen out of the lift.

Gleau had always been one of the most strikingly handsome of the ship's crew. That had not simply been part of the Selelvian charm called "the Knack," which he wielded with such effortless -- and occasionally divisive -- results. By any Earthly standard of measurement, he was exceedingly good-looking. That was no longer the case. The front of his body had been completely torn up. Because of all the blood, it was hard to distinguish between uniform shreds and shreds of skin. The upper portion of his face was hanging half off the front of his skull.

It took herculean effort on Shelby's part to steady herself, and she started slightly when there was an unexpected pressure on her right shoulder. It was simply Calhoun's hand and he said from behind her, "Are you all right?"

Part of her mind could scarcely conceive it. He sounded so calm. Wasn't there anything that fazed the man?

But she didn't say that. She'd be damned if she'd let Calhoun see how affected she'd been by the abrupt discovery. If he could take unexpected corpses in stride, so could she. She managed a nod, then tapped her combadge and said, "Sickbay, this is the captain."

"Villers here, Captain," came the perpetually irritated, no-nonsense voice of the ship's CMO. She always seemed mildly perturbed to be distracted from whatever it was she was involved with at that moment.

Shelby didn't care. Without going into details, she said briskly, "Full medical team to deck seven, forward section nine, turbolift. Gleau is apparently dead."

Instantly Villers was all business. "On my way," she said.

"Hurry," said Shelby.

"All things considered, I don't think the doctor's attempts to 'hurry' are going to be a major factor," said Calhoun.

Shelby closed her eyes and counted to ten, as her mother had always suggested she do. "That's what I love about you, Mac," she sighed. "No matter the situation, you always know just what to say."

Copyright © 2003 by Paramount Pictures