Chapter 70:

The Vulcans started to be tested for magic. Two percent of Vulcans had some sort of abilities beyond that of normal Vulcan abilities. A smaller number were found to have enough magic to be trainable at a level that an Earth magic school would accept them. Maybe 800,000 were at that level. Of those, about 200,000 would be accepted by magic schools being of an age considered trainable. In the following years, about 10,000 per year would be ready for magic school. However, most Vulcans would not forgo their traditional Vulcan education, so magic could only be added a supplemental set of classes.

Earth sent a group of instructors to Vulcan. In addition, about 2000 initially and then 500 students per year were to be sent to Earth, most of those to Starfleet Junior Academy and Starfleet School. Vulcan sent instructors in the full Vulcan education. Those classes were available to any species that could learn the material. Topics that were specific to Vulcan and Vulcans were separated from more general knowledge such as science and logic, as well as mind arts.

The Vulcan concept of the skill dome was adapted on Earth for many areas of education, not just Vulcan topics.

Some of the older Vulcans who were not considered to be as suitable for a magical education found better results by becoming apprentices to some of the Native American Tribe shamans and also in Bhutan and Tibet. In India there was a school, for profit, setup to try to educate Vulcan adults, and got some decent results. Over time, some Earth teachers moved to Vulcan, and many Vulcans went to Earth for education.

Wand makers from Earth traveled to every Federation planet to look for woods and cores that could be useful for wands. Their first priority was to see if materials from Vulcan would work better for Vulcans. They also tried various non-wood materials.

For Vulcans children attending Starfleet Junior Academy, there were some cultural expectations to impart first. Vulcan culture accepted a level of bullying that was no longer acceptable in Starfleet culture. There was still bullying at Starfleet, but it was stopped as much as possible. The canon example in Short Treks "Children of Mars" was fairly similar to our actual Starfleet Junior Academy.

It is drilled into all Starfleet students to celebrate each other's achievements, not to act jealous, and not to act superior. The average Vulcan student would likely be stronger and smarter than their average human classmate. There may also be areas where humans would be better. Humans would be familiar with Earth culture. All would be closely watched not only for bullying behavior, but also for attitudes. When humans learn that Vulcans control their emotions, they shouldn't tease them about it, or try to provoke an emotional reaction from them. Vulcans shouldn't judge humans based on Vulcan standards including on their choice of diet.

Some Vulcans toured other magic schools, including Hogwarts, but none enrolled. At Starfleet Junior Academy they could mix Vulcan and human magical education. The other schools were too focused on human magical traditions, in their opinion. They did want some Vulcans to learn as much magic as possible, but also to keep their logic and Vulcan learning.

2024 was the year of rebuilding Starfleet ships. The priority was sending upgraded ships to the Andorian colony of Lorillia. This would be a fleet that would handle any challenges from the Orions in that direction. The Vulcans were not going to redo their fleet until the next round of research. Their fleet was also stationed in the direction of the Orions.

A Federation fleet visited Denobula Triaxa, home to the Denobulans. That was the species of the ship's doctor Phlox in the series Enterprise. They quickly agreed to join the Federation Alliance and wanted to watch how the United Federation developed for a while before joining that, and they had one demand. They immediately focused on using genetic engineering to have magical Denobulans. They demanded Earth cooperation in helping them to genetically modify future generations of Denobulans to have magic.

We held a United Federation meeting about this request. We needed to encompass all humans in this decision, and we didn't have any overriding government that included all humans except United Federation.

Starfleet Research Center Europe spoke first. The research centers still existed as Starfleet Research Centers. Their aspect of helping their local economies was spun off as political units as part of the United Federation.

Their report was, "As was decided a long time ago by Starfleet, all production of modified genomes are carefully regulated. All experiments are in controlled conditions. Given that, there was a breakthrough by a Doctor Adam Soong. He has claimed that he could modify non-magical human embryos to have magic. Authorization has not be given to actually modify embryos. He has some amazingly elaborate simulations that he claims show a high likelihood of success."

I had a sinking feeling. I said, "In the canon timeline, he would easily bypass any restriction given. I am afraid that if he has not already done so, he could find a way around restrictions, or even relocate to a hostile or neutral civilization."

Divya Nayar, the United Federation Council Leader said, "It seems to me that if we were to grant the request of the Denobulans we would need to make the same technology available to all of the Federation. We could also embargo this technology and hunt down any who defy the embargo. This is our choice to make, and this choice needs to be made soon."

The Andorian Council member said, "The number of magicals on Earth has been a main limiting factor of the strength of the Federation Alliance. There are only a small number on Andoria and they are all pacifists."

The Tellarite member added, "We agree. With magic, Tellar could provide for its people much more effectively than using whatever magic humans can spare. We would also be able to contribute much more for collective defense. Of course we are all aware that the technology being talked about will only have a noticeable effect about 20 of your years after it is used, when the next generation of magicals complete their magical education."

The Federation District China representative said, "Our local government for decades now has tried to maximize the magical population. We also tried to make sure that everyone with magical ability got the best education possible, to help build our economy. This ability would give non-magical parents an option to have magical children, with just a slight change in their genome."

There was a lot of discussion that followed. Given the general Federation goal of maximizing its strength, the arguments in favor swayed the decision. It was approved.

I said, "If there is truly one scientist who would be best at creating this technology, Section 31 will need to step in to make sure that he stays within guidelines. In canon, this Dr. Soong, is capable of very destructive actions. We will make sure that he doesn't show up among the Orions or Klingons or Romulans some day, or unleash a disease."

"He'll be a prisoner for crimes he didn't commit?"

I answered, "No, but his knowledge and ability is too dangerous for him to have free reign. We will attempt to make an agreement with him."

Section 31 security invited him for a chat in a room in a basement of Starfleet Headquarters. This was the same man who tried to kill Renée in another timeline.

I said, "I am Tom Picard of Section 31. Do you know what Section 31 does?"

Dr. Adam Soong said, "Why don't you enlighten me?"

I answered, "We take care of problems with the timeline of humanity, and now the Federation as a whole. We can use extraordinary means in those few situations where it is necessary.

You are an extraordinary geneticist, perhaps the best that there is. You, in another timeline committed and tried to commit great crimes. No, you are not being punished for what you would do under different circumstances. You do need to be controlled, however. You are a loose cannon, perhaps a very good cannon. What we want to achieve today is pointing that canon in the correct direction and keeping that cannon happy, while limiting the directions it can point."

Soong said, "While I am greatly flattered, what are you even talking about?"

I said, "You will be permitted to design magical embryos for all Federation species. You will have great fame, money, luxury, but it will be in a gilded cage. You will not leave Earth, you will not have unrestricted communications.

I know what you are thinking, that even if you need approval to create genes, you can design something so subtle that the people looking over your work that think themselves to be experts will never be able to figure out what you are truly doing.

That will not work. While creating magical people, you yourself are not one, and your mind and intentions will be under constant observation. The alternative is to simply kill you. A super cannon pointed at it own decided direction is too dangerous to have around."

Soong answered, "I am a reasonable man, Mr. Picard. I accept your terms."

With the limits removed on genetic engineering, many human magicals wanted to know if magical power could be increased for the next generation. Also, they wanted to be able to check embryos for being squibs and fix their genes if so. There was interest also among some Vulcans in increasing their magical abilities.

It was summer 2024. Cora graduated Starfleet Junior Academy two years ago and was now finishing her second year of Starfleet Academy. She was a member of Section 31 and was given some visible roles, mixed in with her studies.

Cora and Luna both agreed that Adam Soong would not be a threat in this timeline with his restrictions. The most he might be plotting was to have magical children himself, who might carry out some plan of his, but that they would not in fact carry out any plot on his behalf.

Renée was accumulating some decent discoveries on the planets, moons, and other places that were checked as part of second surveys. She now was considered ready to serve on the best starships, the Enterprise-B sized starships with the latest technology. Next month she was going to be leaving with a fleet heading to space previously unexplored by Starfleet. She had a month free on Earth and was staying with us.

Renée said that while the discoveries were fascinating, there was a lot of travel time involved in exploring on a limited sized ship. She hoped that the new ships that were both faster and much larger would be more interesting during long distance voyages.

Jean-Laurent and his wife Victoire both had their Starfleet Ward masteries. Jean-Laurent also was approved by his father-in-law Bill Weasley to become a Curse Breaker Master. They were now living in France and starting to map out a plan to remove the curses from Picard Manor and Vineyards. Bill and Fleur were staying with them, and Cora and Luna and I were going to stay for the duration of the curse breaking. We all rented a house in the village near Picard Manor.

Ekdotis graduated from Starfleet Junior Academy. He lived with his grandparents in Napa Valley. He was taking journalism classes in a non-magical University. He want to stay near San Francisco since his girlfriend had one year left before graduating Starfleet Junior Academy.

Xenophilius started giving Ekdotis more responsibility in running the Quibbler. He was starting a news of the Federation section in the Quibbler, and keeping it separate from the little known parts of history articles and creature sightings that were not generally accepted by Federation science articles.