Chapter 53:

Starfleet found three volunteers who were fluent in Vulcan to go there. The ambassador and one of the assistants were not magical, and one assistant was. There was endless debate before that decision was made to show non-magicals as being more representative of Earth. The decision was actually made months before, with different plans for different numbers of representatives.

We asked the Vulcans if they would accept a temporary space that was not sovereign territory. They said that was acceptable. Apparently it was mostly an Earth tradition that embassies are little pieces of their home nation. We gave them offices and living quarters in the underground part of Starfleet's campus in the Presideo in San Francisco. That way we would make sure they are safe, and could send a security team with them when they wanted to travel elsewhere.

The Vulcans went on many visits to governments throughout the world, and setup an appointment system for those who wanted to visit them in their embassy. Starfleet lent them a support staff to handle their physical mail and to set them up with a website and email.

We finally got a subspace radio call from our embassy on Vulcan. There were some prepared secret phrases they used to let us know that everything was going well. We asked them to, after being settled in, to seek out and visit any other embassies that were on Vulcan.

The Centaurs asked for a meeting with the Vulcan ambassador. They wanted them to visit on a day when Epsilon Eridani is visible from northern Scotland, and when the sky is clear. The Centaurs also asked for Dumbledore, Luna, and me to be present. When the conditions were right, we three portkeyed to Hogsmeade. Albus Dumbledore met us there and a fairly large security detail came along as well.

Dumbledore said, "It will be interesting to know if you can see Hogwarts." When it came into view he pointed at it and asked, "What do you see?"

Sorek answered, "I see a castle with lights."

Dumbledore exclaimed, "You have some magical aspect then." He then went into an explanation of occlumency and legilimency and said, "It would also explain your ability to suppress your emotions. When a magical person uses occlumency, it not only shields their thoughts, but also organizes their memories, and suppresses their emotions."

Firenze the Centaur said, "Sorek of Vulcan. I am Firenze and have been awaiting your arrival for 14 years."

Sorek gave his Vulcan salute and said, "Live long and prosper. I greet you on behalf of Vulcan."

Firenze said, "The true location of Vulcan is now visible, pointing at Epsilon Eridani. Mars has dimmed. However the Mars of Vulcan has grown bright in conjunction with Cronus often confused with Saturn. Its true location eludes us, just as Vulcan did until recently.

If you wrestle with Cronus you can be his friend. If you cower from him, you'll be his prey."

We walked back to Hogsmeade and discussed what Firenze said. Luna said, "Centaurs have abilities to see the future, usually in metaphor, and describe only what they see, not what it might mean."

I continued, "Cronus is similar to the way English speakers will refer to Qo'noS, the Klingon home world. Klingons are a predator people. They can get along with other predators that they respect."

Luna continued, "Vulcans will have a disadvantage in being vegans. When our peoples first met, we made sure that only vegatarian food was consumed in your presence. Since then I noticed you often take your meals at the Starfleet dining hall. Would you please explain?"

Sorek said, "Our mission on Earth is to learn and to speak. Sitting in our private quarters would not help our mission. In addition, humans seem to give useful information more in informal settings, such as during shared mealtimes, than during formal meetings. We also cannot and do not expect others to follow our customs, or refrain from behavior that we refrain from."

Luna said, "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. I learned this well from Surak. It is part of how we have organized Earth, many autonomous governments and peoples, but each given some minimal requirements such as living in peace with each other."

I continued, "As to the Klingons, they enjoy a good fight. However they will not refrain from killing, even if there is no cause for there to be a fight. The best way for Vulcans to interact with them would be to be so much stronger and so more prepared that you can disarm them when they attack and show them that you are stronger and are willing to fight. There is no requirement to actually hurt them for them to respect you, just to defeat them or demonstrate overwhelming force and the willingness to use it."

I noted that it was interesting that Firenze wanted the Dumbledore, Luna, and myself to be there. We weren't needed for his conversation, but were needed to help Sorek interpret what Firenze said, and also to bring up the topic of Vulcan magical abilities.

Sorek asked Dumbledore, "Do we have latent magic according to your definition?"

Deciding that full disclosure would be helpful, Dumbledore answered, "You have mind arts and at least some limited magical abilities. We could investigate the limits of their abilities, but might unavoidably read your minds when doing so, since we would start by looking into your mind arts."

Sorek said, "Since our ambassadors need to keep some information private, we shouldn't be the test subjects. Since your assistant ambassador on Vulcan is a spell caster, could he investigate some volunteers who don't have any confidential knowledge?"

Dumbledore said, "Splendid. I will send him instructions by subspace radio. When you look for volunteers, try to find ones who have the greatest ability in the Vulcan mind meld."

Sorek said, "It is not considered a good practice at this time in our history. I understand that your seers say that later it will be again, and earlier it was as well, but for now this practice is discouraged."

Dumbledore said, "In that case, any sort of mind art, whether accidental telepathy in either direction, or being able to guess cards seen by another Vulcan, but not seen by the one guessing should be looked for.

I asked Sorek, "There is an exchange I would like to make. I would send to Vulcan 40 enchanted tea sets, which will heat up water, while apparently breaking the laws of physics, and 40 enchanted watering cans, which also break the laws of physics. In exchange I would like 40 dilithium crystals. I would presume that each of us will do research with what we receive."

After Vulcan deliberated, they agreed to the trade and also for research to be done with Vulcan volunteers on their magical abilities. Our embassy also reported back that they spoke with the Tellarites. The Tellarites said they spoke to their government and that Earth should expect a visit from them in about a year. Out embassy also said that there was no Andorian embassy on Vulcan, even though the Vulcans have been in contact with the Andorians.

When we got the dilithium crystals, I brought one of them to Nicholas Flamel. I said, "As the world's leading alchemist, if you could find a way to create more of these, Earth's technological development would be greatly helped."

We also brought one crystal each to Starfleet Research Centers of China, India, and Bolivia. Each were told that they were to try to duplicate these crystals, and could do destructive testing if necessary, but to notify Starfleet Headquarters before trying that. Even before getting them, the researchers mostly agreed that the the crystalline dilithium structure is naturally found, although so far not on Earth. It was assumed that some of the factors leading to natural diamonds, would lead to these crystals.

The next hypothesis was that creating a crystalline structure would be within our ability if we had the raw element dilithium. Another was that the name dilithium could not be as simple as two lithium atoms. It probably, due to its name in canon, was some sort of molecule both in real space and subspace.

Another hypothesis was that in canon, dilithium was found somewhere in the Solar System. It would also explain why the Vulcans agreed so easily to provide some. Therefore another set of experiments were to find ways to detect the presence of dilithium crystals, using the ones received. If that were to succeed, then a detailed survey by a huge number of drones would be done on every orbital object even out to Pluto and beyond.

Some of the rest were being used in the research program to develop higher energy warp engines that should result in higher speeds. Other dilithium crystals were being investigated using low energy experiments, hoping to gain information without wearing them out. The subspace radios were already made part of the research program, to provide live telemetry of ships doing warp experiments.

The response of both the non-magical and magical communities to the Vulcans was intense curiosity. Luna's book on Vulcan logic became a best seller in both economies. She added two more volumes, one specifically on Surak and another on Vulcan culture from canon and from Surak.

The research into Vulcan magical abilities came back with results. They were magical beings, who can perceive magic in a similar way that squibs can, and can develop mind arts abilities with training. It was known that Vulcans in the past and future have been able to do a sort of soul transfer, called katras, but it was not known what else they could be trained to do. More research was going to continue, including seeing if there were some Vulcans with actual magical ability.

The Vulcans did many interviews with all sorts of media. They handled every question well, even the occasional hostile ones. Here is a typical tough interview.

"What is your goal in contacting Earth?"

"The purpose in contacting Earth is that it developed faster than light travel, and will most likely soon encounter our ships. Meeting before that happens is logical."

"OK, but now what are your goals after having contacted Earth?"

"To establish a framework of friendly and cooperative relations between our peoples. To assist Earth where it makes sense to before it visits other star systems. To learn from Earth. To identify common interests with Earth."

"You said that Earth developed unexpectedly quickly. Does that mean that you are afraid of Earth?"

"That would not be logical. The relative strength of allies, now and in the future, is not a cause of fear. Our goals are compatible."

"Are you going to share your technologies with Earth?"

"Exchanges will happen as they naturally evolve and at the right pace. Neither society is a subset of the other, but each evolves in their own way. Too much interference too soon, while speeding development, also can change how a society is going to evolve.

Our rule of complete non-interference until a civilization develops faster than light travel, does not suddenly become one of inteference. We wish to respect separate development paths. Our approach is one of infinite diversity in infinite combinations."