Chapter 52:

On January 7th 2011, a starship appeared just outside the sensor net outside the orbit of Jupiter. Unlike previous visits, it was lit up, and a Vulcan government symbol was illuminated. We did not know if was trying to communicate with us, since we didn't have subspace radio technology yet.

A large shuttle craft, similar to the one in the movie Star Trek First Contact, headed towards Vesta. They approached the largest space station there, probably assuming correctly, that the warp drive experiments were being directed from there.

The space station near Vesta contained two rotating modules around a center section. The modules provided around 1 g of gravity, but not comfortably since the size of the station was fairly small and there was a noticeable difference in the perceived gravity when standing.

Station Vesta had 35 personnel at the time, of those 12 were spell casters and 8 were magical non-spell casters or squibs. 3 of those on board were fluent in Vulcan, and 6 more could speak it a little. Station rations included vegan options that might be suitable for Vulcans, having planned for this possibility.

The station lights highlighted the entrance hatchway in the zero g section of the station, with a series of moving lights pointed towards it. Three Vulcans went through the hatch. The air lock then pressurized. The station crew removed their space suits and the Vulcans after checking their devices removed theirs. The Vulcans removed their helmets slowly, as if expecting a reaction to their ears being differently shaped than humans, and said in English, "Live long and prosper." and gave their parted hand salute. The 3 members of the crew waiting in the air-lock returned the salute. Not every human can do that salute, so the ones chosen were ones who can. The lead crew member, replied in Vulcan the same phrase, "Dir-tor heh smusma". The Vulcans must have had good occlumency because there was no visible reaction from them to being greeted in Vulcan.

The Starfleet crew member then said, "Welcome aboard the Starfleet Vesta Station, please come this way." and directed the Vulcans to one of the space station's spinning modules. They were invited to sit down in an ornate sitting room with comfortable chairs around a low table. At the end of the room was what appeared to be a roaring wood fire. It was designed to impress, since on a space station one wouldn't expect to have oxygen to spare for a fire.

"Please sit where you are most comfortable. This room is warmer at this end and cooler at that end."

The walls of the room were projections of space outside the station, similar to the way the ceiling of the Great Hall of Hogwarts is designed.

The Vulcans sat down and the lead Vulcan said in English, "On behalf of the Vulcan High Command representing the Vulcan people, we congratulate you on your achievement of faster than light speed travel."

The station commander, answered in English, "My name is Dimitri Makarovich, the station commander, this is Qiu Yong, this is Mark Straussman. On behalf of Starfleet, representing the governments and peoples of Earth, we thank you for your congratulations and welcome your visit."

The lead Vulcan trying to follow the social protocol being displayed. "I am Sorek, mission commander, this is Jurok, this is Sypar. I would ask a question, how do you speak our language?"

Qiu Yong answered, "We each, your species and ours, have many capabilities. It would perhaps be logical for us to understand the parameters of information exchanges before answering questions that would provide such information."

Sorek said, "Understood, and yes that would be logical. Our civilizations are now both ones that can travel between the stars and will be interacting. We hope our interactions to be fruitful, cooperative and in the furtherance of building a mutually beneficial partnership."

Makarovich, "We very much agree. The exact nature of that partnership will be better discussed with our governmental leaders on the surface of the planet Earth, waiting to meet with you. Meanwhile, we can discuss what we are authorized to here."

Mark Straussman said, "Some of us can speak your language. We also have some knowledge of your culture, dietary preferences, and the teachings of your philosopher Surak."

Sypar's eyebrow raised and said, "Fascinating. I will reveal that this information is a surprise to us. I would surmise that Vulcan ships, or ships with knowledge of our culture, have visited here before."

Makarovich answered, "They have, but we have not gained knowledge from them. As far as I know it is likelyt, but not certain that a Vulcan ship crashed in our year 1957, and two members of the crew were rescued by another Vulcan ship. While one Vulcan crew member named Mestral stayed behind, in secret from your own government, we have had no contact with him. You are welcome to try to reestablish contact with him."

Sorek said, "That is indeed fascinating and we would appreciate the possibility of discovering more about that event and about Mestral."

Sypar, "Therefore we can assume that you have knowledge about us beyond any spaceships visiting your planet."

Makarovich answered, "True. We also have tracked your recent missions to view our solar system. Please let us have food and drink together. We have vegan food that might need your dietary and cultural requirements. Each package has a list of ingredients that you can look over to determine their suitability. We also have a variety of teas, one of which is our attempt to be similar to Plomeek tea,"

The Vulcans looked over the choices, reading the labels, and scanned them with sensors, and each chose something to eat and drink, understanding that it was a cultural imperative to share food and drink among humans.

Sorek said, "We are grateful for your hospitality. I note that the conditions aboard this space stations are more luxurious than one would expect."

Qui answered "If you would like a logical reason, intellectual work is done here and comfortable surroundings might increase efficiency."

Makarovich said, "In terms of knowledge about us, we assume that you have analyzed our light-speed broadcasts, and that you might obtain more information from Mestral. There is much that we are willing to say and to answer."

Sorek answered, "We have surmised that your planet has two distinct cultures, one of which has abilities that the other considers to be impossible and called magic."

Straussman said, "True. The magical society was hidden for over 300 years from the non-magical. Some people born of magical parents do not have magical abilities, and some born of non-magical parents do. Recently our societies have reunified."

Sorek, "Would it be correct to assume that some of your recent increase in technological ability is due to magic?"

Makarovich answered, "Yes. In fact the room viewscreen is using magic, as is the fire. We are limited to what further details we can disclose at this meeting."

Qui asked, "I would like to ask a question. What have been your impressions of humanity in the time you have observed it?"

Sorek answered, "At the time we observed the Earth in your year 1957, it had for the first time launched an artificial satellite. The pace of development, both technologically and societally has been unprecedented.

12 of your years earlier, organized war was fought across the planet, including the use of nuclear explosions. In 1957 opposing military alliances were testing, developing, and stockpiling a quantity of nuclear weapons, whose use of would have likely set back Earth's development by centuries. Also at that time there was fighting in parts of planet considered colonies of other parts of the planet.

In more recent years, there is not a trace of warfare across your entire planet. Previously mutually hostile groups now live in peace. The pace of material prosperity has also increased at an unprecedented pace. Space technology has gone from chemical rockets capable of reaching orbit to faster than light technology in only 53.3 years.

Now if can ask a similar question. What is your impression of Vulcans?"

Qui answered, "From actually meeting you, my impression is you are doing a very well designed first contact procedure. We hope to do our first contacts as well, when it is time for us to do so. We agree with your protocol to wait until a planet has faster than light travel before contacting them.

From what I know about your culture, it resembles some aspects of the magical part of Earth culture. We have similar lifespans and had a similar slowness of cultural changed, until our recent combining with our non-magical culture.

You might wonder about our use of logic and emotions. We understand that at the time of Surak Vulcan was endangered by their people's violent approach to logic instead of emotion set Vulcan on to a good path.

That experience would not be as applicable to Earth. We also almost had a destructive nuclear war, but it was not caused by emotion. Instead it was being caused by fairly clearheaded steps for defense between hostile alliances that could have easily led to an unlimited nuclear war.

We at Starfleet ended all wars, and were prepared to prevent any deliberate or accidental nuclear war. We also employ means to prevent violence on our planet, but not by removing emotions.

Logic is not a means to itself. For Vulcan it was a means to peace. For Earth, logic has its place, but so does emotion. Our recent changes try to emphasize long term thinking over short term thinking. Neither precludes emotion from helping to define our goals."

Sorek said, "Fascinating. If I may ask, what can you tell me about your goals."

Makarovich answered, "We would like to see a region of space that cooperates together. Eventually we would like to see a Federation of many worlds that preserve their autonomy, but work together. This model is what we ourselves have been doing on Earth. We do not have one society or one government, but do have an overall government, Starfleet, that ensures that all cooperate together, and present a unified voice for the planet.

For more about relations between Earth and Vulcan you should speak to our planetary leadership."

Makarovich then handed over a chart showing a landing area of Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco. Originally the plan was to use Area 51, but it was thought the lingering radioactivity and the fact the region was used to test nuclear weapons would send a negative message to the Vulcans.

Makavorich continued "We understand that as part of your first contact protocol, you contact technical personnel, since they are more likely to have a calm reaction to extra-terrestrial contact. In the case of Earth, this is not as relevant. We have been expecting your visit since we exceeded the speed of light, and leaders of our planetary government are assembling to meet you at coordinates I am showing you.

The location is an isolated one. While, Earth no longer has wars, we still must guard against individual irrational and violent responses to extra-terrestrial contact, so it will be a period of time before visiting our population centers will be advisable."

The Vulcans left the station and their shuttlecraft set a course for Earth. As the shuttlecraft approached Earth, all airspace within 70 kilometers of Travis was cleared. The shuttlecraft landed precisely where the coordinates indicated, and the same three Vulcans walked off the ramp of their ship.

"I am Peter Quahog Chief of Staff of Starfleet. We are a consensus based organization, so we have no equivalent to President of Earth, but I am the closest to that. I'll introduce you to a group of 15 top leaders of Starfleet. Albus Dumbledore is also the formal head of the magical governments, but that is a consensus based organization. Ban Ki-moon is the formal head of an organization called the United Nations that represents the non-magical governments, it is also a consensus based organization."

He then introduced the 11 heads of Starfleet R&D centers, which included the new one called Solar System, which included everywhere except for Earth. Also was the Starfleet Academy Chief, and Harry Potter as Chief of Marines, and Luna and I, along with Dumbledore as Section 31 leaders. The heads of state of the US, China, European Union, Brazil, Russia, Japan, and India were introduced.

They were all directed to a conference room. Water, tea, and coffee were available, with the same explanation given as on the station. The Vulcans noticed that not every participant had a beverage, so assumed that it was not a social necessity in this context to drink together. They also noticed that alcoholic beverages were not offered, which from their study of Earth culture through its media, they had assumed would be part of human social ritual.

There were a lot of introductions given. Luna and I each said we handle long term planning. Albus Dumbledore said "I do what I can to keep things on the right track. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open."

Quahog started, "What information would you like from us, that we have not so far provided, and what information would you like to provide?"

Sorek said, "We would like to provide you with subspace radio technology. It will facilitate future communications. We would also like to bring back up to three people for an Embassy on Vulcan and we would like to remain on Earth, forming an embassy.

Information we would like include how you learned about Vulcan."

Quahog answered, "We appreciate the subspace radio technology, and we will find an embassy staff before your ship leaves, and will find a location for your embassy.

We will tell you some of how we know certain things, but the full story is a closely held secret even on Earth, and was determined to be dangerous if widely known. I'll introduce Luna Picard who will answer now what she can safely answer."

Luna started, in Vulcan, "The capabilities of what we call magic are not fully understood, even by us. Both myself and my husband Tom Picard, have certain abilities to see certain timelines. We use this ability to help the long term planning of the timeline we are part of. We have seen the details of a different timeline where a Vulcan ship visited Earth after Earth achieved warp travel.

I was also given a unique privilege of studying directly with Surak. Surak's katra is most likely somewhere on Vulcan, but is possibly at P'Jem. I'm giving you a picture of what the katric ark container looks like. However, that was not how I was able to spend years learning from Surak. I can tell you everything about what I learned, but nothing about how this learning came to be.

Through a combination of our unusual abilities, we know much about Vulcans and Vulcan and even some of its possible futures."

Sorek said, "Fascinating. What can you say about Vulcan's future?"

I answered, "Your first contact protocol will be challenged in our year 2016. Your ships will cross into Klingon claimed space near a system they call H'atoria. They will open fire and destroy your ship. Vulcan will learn to speak Klingon's language which is fighting. Once established as an honorable opponent, the Klingons will be willing to have peaceful relations. I have been given the privilege of learning Klingon culture and language.

Your next challenge is the continued conflict with the Andorians. I do not know what Vulcan should do. There are territorial disputes, and the Andorians were also very upset at P'Jem being used as a base for secretly spying on Andorians.

In another timeline, when Earth first had warp ability in 2063, Vulcan helped Earth, but slowed its development, so that it took from until 2151 before it had a warp 5 capable ship. When exploring space after that, Earth tended to help Andorians with information and helped mediate disputes between Andoria and Vulcan. In that timeline, in 2161 a Federation was formed between Earth, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites. Before that, there was an alliance of the four, as well as the Denobulans, Rigelians, and Coridanites against the Romulans.

What we hope to do, in this timeline, is to bring about a Federation, with less conflict preceding it. We would also like to establish peaceful relations with the Klingons and Romulans."

Sorek said, "There is much to reflect on here. The next logical steps are to bring this information back to Vulcan, and establish embassies. We will also provide technical information for a variety of technologies that can help with health and prosperity."