The Tzenkethi Festival of Supremacy has come at a heavy cost for Captain Sisko when members of the Theseus crew members lose their lives to gargantuan beasts. But despite seeing through the battle and warding off the ancient reptilian species, Sisko finds himself overshadowed by the Romulans and their efforts to persuade the Tzenkethi into an alliance. All the while, Cardassia joins the bid to win over the reptilian species in hopes of taking advantage of their new war fleet. Can Sisko convince this cunning yet brute force-favoring species of Starfleet ideals... or do the Federation's foes have a point?