transporter technology. Even if the ship was now devoid of crew and entirely computer operated, he could easily be targeted and brought up. At which point, if the plan was to dispose of him, they could reverse energize and disperse his molecules over several square miles of Xenexian territory. They didn’t need his cooperation.
There was only one answer: They wanted the Xenexians to see him surrender. The great M’k’n’zy, the enemy of oppressors, the man who would rather die than let an enemy triumph, giving up meekly to an unseen opponent.
There’s no more formidable enemy than a legend. It was a comment from one of the historical texts he had read, uttered by a Roman general, and it was as true now as it was thousands of years ago. And what better way to tear down a legend than to humiliate him in front of his own people?
It wouldn’t matter to the Xenexians that he was doing it for their own good. It would be of no relevance that he was just trying to save their lives. Granted, there were many on Xenex who, to this day, resented the hell out of Calhoun for having left them shortly after they had been liberated of their oppressors. Who felt that he should have stayed and guided them rather than go off to pursue new vistas. But that was the older generation of Xenexians, and even many of them had softened their views as the horizons of Xenex had expanded due to increased Starfleet interest. As for the younger Xenexians, they had practically elevated him to the level of god.
There were few things that made louder noises than a god crashing to the ground. If nothing else, Calhoun knew that from personal experience, having witnessed it.
This wasn’t simply about capturing Calhoun. It was about trying to break the spirits of the Xenexians. Calhoun couldn’t say for sure that the strategy would work, but there was certainly some merit to it.
All of this passed through his mind in a matter of seconds, and it was just enough time for D’ndai to draw in sufficient breath to say what would be his last words:
“M’k’n’zy… if you give up… I will absolutely kill you…”
He dragged out the last syllable and then it trailed off, but with enough strength to carry through the now silent square, and every Xenexian within range heard it.
Then D’ndai slumped back and was gone.
The silence continued for a long moment, and then one of the Xenexians called out, “M’k’n’zy,” each syllable carefully enunciated, each breath between prolonged.
And one by one, and then by tens and more did the chant continue until the entire square was resounding with the chanting of Calhoun’s true name. The more fanciful would have imagined that the shout was taken up round the world, ranging from one pole of the planet to the other, all Xenexians coming together and uniting behind one common conviction:
M’k’n’zy of Calhoun would be removed from Xenex when he was pried from their cold, dead fingers.
The D’myurj that was wearing the face and form of Elizabeth Shelby smiled sadly and shook her head. “On your head, then, Calhoun. Don’t say we didn’t give you the chance. This is going to end badly.”
“It will for you,” said Calhoun tersely. “For all of you.”
“Elizabeth Shelby” blinked out of existence at that point and, moments later, the ship that had been hovering overhead angled away.
Minutes later, explosions were sounding from a distance. It would not take the news long to arrive that the alien vessel had opened fire on the space port and demolished all the ships that had been docked there. Nor was there any telling when more ships would arrive, because it wasn’t as if Xenex was a major destination or heavily traveled.
When the news did come, Calhoun wasn’t the least bit surprised, because it was what he himself would have done if he had been in their position. Nor did it surprise him when he subsequently learned that there appeared to be some sort of planetary signal that was jamming any attempts to utilize subspace transmission. There would not be any possibility of getting word out to Starfleet or Bravo Station or anyone who could provide any sort of aid.
Mackenzie Calhoun was on a world surrounded by dedicated followers who would rather die than see him taken away…
… and he was completely alone.
U.S.S. Excalibur, En Route to New Thallon Minus Her Captain
i.
Kalinda’s red skin turned several shades of pink when Tania Tobias met