Chapter 20:

I was reflecting on my role in recent events. In Star Trek canon, Khan accomplished approximately the same results without my help. It all falling apart later was what I was trying to prevent.

The major differences in this timeline is that the takeovers were all given the appearance of being conducted by people from their respective countries. In Star Trek canon they were overtly presented as superior people created by scientists with special abilities. In this timeline magic is hidden and any extraordinary fighting ability needing to be used are done so without explanation or comment.

Khan and I met for a planning adjustment meeting. Khan said, "The Saudis thought they knew how to stop coups, they had a separate Bedouin army loyal to the kingdom, with 25 thousand based in the capital. So instead we controlled a prince and the Bedouin commander. We did what is called a palace coup instead of a regular coup."

I said, "Brilliant. And since new rulers there often have quite different positions, we can make desired changes.

Now Yemen, I got the report on it yesterday. How do you see the next steps ?"

Khan said, "They more or less redivided into North and South Yemen, and are facing off against each other. By tomorrow or the day after we should have the northern leader al-Beidh under control. With our control over the south we have now, we'll have them agree to something that neither side will rebel against. It doesn't matter whether they have one state or two, as long as they both follow our orders."

I said, "I like it, we control both sides and have them agree to something peaceful that isn't so bad for either side that their people would start fighting anyway or want to overthrow either ruler."

Khan said, "I am actually nervous about the next phase after we have control over varied nations. We plan to openly have them in alliance, even though many would have considered each other enemies before. We start to help their economies, but not reveal magic."

I said, "Some of them would feel obligated to fight against magic. Only after thorough control can that be revealed. As for former enmity, the thought of what is in it for them should be paramount. We will have some selected nations join the alliance first, and then prosper in very visible ways. Bringing in others after that should be simple. The ICW might see magic, but the non-magicals won't, so we will not have violated the Statute."

Khan asked, "What is NATO doing now?"

I answered, "They are very confused. They know something big is happening, but nothing actionable. While the US can attack unilaterally, in practice they need a reason that would make sense to the public. And while in the past they could drag the UK along with them, I can now stop the UK from joining them in any wars that seem optional.

I am more worried about what France will do, since they are involved throughout Africa. We might need to compel them to leave that continent if they become troublesome."

Khan asked, "Should we try to take over France at this stage?"

I answered, "Perhaps in a way. We have put a stop to massacres in Rwanda.

We had controlled President Habyarimana and then he got himself assassinated a few days later. Then both sides wanted to kill each other, but especially the Hutu wanting to kill the Tutsi. We have proof that French President Mitterrand was trying to arm the Hutu and we could argue, encourage massacres.

So, we publicize this, compel Mitterand to resign, and use some compulsion to the new leaders to end France's overseas adventures. Not full control over France for now, but solves this issue."

Khan said, "I think we confused the Americans with the actions of North Korea. Out of the blue, a complete accord. Full nuclear disarmament in exchange for trade and some foreign aid."

I said, "Meanwhile we can get their agriculture working again. Groups of aid workers from Mongolia of all places suddenly transform their farms, and with their secretive society none of them mention magic. They won't truly see the results until this year's harvest, but famine is a thing of the past."

Khan was laughing and said, "They don't know what to think about their warehouses suddenly having their contents multiplied. No one is ready to take responsibility for it and their paper records do not match up."

I said, "We can decide next year if we want to get rid of the Kim family. One thing to consider is that South Korea really doesn't want to reunify. They saw the cost to absorb East Germany and more or less agree it wouldn't be worth it.

What would you say was the most unexpected yet successful operation we had?"

Khan thought for a moment and said, "Libya by far. It looked like the usual case of one man rule, so take over the one man, but you asked us to try to recruit Gaddafi instead. If it were to fail, he would be mind controlled at the same meeting.

He so enthusiastically joined us that now I must admit I feel a pang of jealousy. He might lead our banner in North Africa and beyond instead of me.

He also immediately picked up on some possibilities we never even thought of. When we explained magic, he soon asked about his project called the Great Man-Made River. He wanted to know if it could be built to get water by magic instead of from an actual aquifer. Then he started asking technical questions about petroleum production assisted by magic. He is even more of an engineer than I am.

He asked something that none of us ever thought of. First, if the repair spell could be used for petroleum production machinery. Then he asked if magic could be used to keep the equipment tuned properly instead of relying on large numbers of skilled workers. He is thinking of replacing foreign oil workers with magic and finding ways to increase production. Petroleum exports are the mainstay of their economy.

Gaddafi also boasted of his support throughout Africa and how he can add public support to our cause and rally a huge population. Yes he expects to be in charge of that huge population, and I have to admit he might better be able to connect to them than I can."

I added, "We will have to make sure that he follows orders and doesn't try to do a coup or rebellion himself. He is a non-magical, but expect him to gain the loyalty of a group of magicals."

Soon afterwards we removed French military influence in Africa. Mitterand resigned as President. He revealed that he was suffering from cancer and resigned for health reasons.

Evidence of French complicity in massacres of the Tutsi tribe in Rwanda were made public. Gaddafi announced a pan-African peacekeeping force was being sent there. Actually Khan's agents did most of the actual peacekeeping. All those working for the French government found themselves being escorted to airplanes heading out of Rwanda.

Many other countries in Africa, mostly those under our control, but actually including a couple that we didn't control yet, asked the French armed forces to leave.

Gaddafi announced that Libya accepts the present border with Chad and renounced any attempts to take over territory there. Chad, under our control, accepted the agreement which also required them to remove French military bases. Libya agreed to extend the Great Man-Made River to Chad and supply water wherever it is needed in Chad.

Libya had to make some parts of their pumping stations off limits to all observers, since it would be apparent that the water was being summoned by magic. This presented a complication, since Libya agreed to halt any nuclear weapons programs and allow inspections. What if the inspectors wanted to see the pumping stations?

Egypt was a more complicated nation, since it had a large and well established magical ministry. It was therefore put in the same category as the US, where we would try to influence their magical ministry before trying to influence the non-magical country.

We used the same approach with Israel as we did with China. We first convinced their magical ministry how Israel would have unique advantages in the research and development we were planning for combining technology and magic.

We, with their magical ministry spoke to their government leader and top advisors.

I spoke, "You probably have already noticed that many of your neighbors had sudden changes of government. We are behind that.

Our longer term aims include increasing the standard of living of our alliance using magic. Israel has unique abilities in that area of research and development and we would like it to be a central part of that alliance, while much of the manufacturing of the results of that research would be in China and other countries.

However, we need to work out some sort of peace agreement that allow our nations to accept working with Israel. I do not particularly care what the agreement is as long as both sides can live with it. Here are my thoughts as to what such an agreement might look like.

Israel fully withdraws from Gaza. We replace the UN with peacekeepers from Mongolia, a completely neutral party to the conflict. They include wizards who ensure no buildup of forces, and stop any attempt at terrorism. They will also create a magically assisted economy. The location is similar to Singapore in size and sea location. We intend to make it as prosperous as Singapore is today.

In southern Lebanon we understand that you do not want to abandon your Christian allies. We would have a similar peacekeeping arrangement there to protect them and also prevent the location from being used to launch attacks on Israel.

The West Bank is more complicated, but we think a similar formula might work there also. Golan maybe get Syria to agree for you to keep it in exchange for considerable economic help to them from the alliance.

Israel would be recognized as a responsible nuclear weapons state. That list would also include US, UK, France, Russia, China, India, and possibly one or two other former Soviet republics.

We understand that no matter how secure the arrangements we might offer to keep a peace agreement, you will worry that it could be suddenly withdrawn and need to see to your own defense.

Both sides must accept the agreement and not feel the need to defy it, not just their leaders."

Dumbledore asked to meet with me. My reply is that we must meet in a secure location. We agreed to meet in Gringotts bank which has a secure conference room service.

Dumbledore asked, "Was it really necessary to meet here?"

I answered, "During the last war, there was an auror that I highly respected, Alastor Moody. His motto is, Constant Vigilance. I would like to hear your thoughts of substance, rather than about the slight inconvenience of being vigilant."

Dumbledore said, "I see your operations taking shape. I would say that you believe what you said about extra-terrestrial civilizations. Can you now tell me more about your source of that knowledge?"

I answered, "Sure, why not? I still cannot tell you the actual source, but can say this. You probably noticed I knew things that I shouldn't have a way to know. That information has repeatedly proven itself correct, and centuries of future information is from the same source.

However, much of what I know, past, present, and future, is of a timeline as it would have been without my intervention in it, using that knowledge. The world-wide operations you are seeing now would have happened without me, a little differently, but in substance the same. However, Khan Noonien Singh would have succeeded in the short term, and then later wizardry would have been almost completely wiped out by non-magicals. I convinced him of this and he agreed to accept my oversite to avoid future disasters."

Dumbledore answered, "I see. Does this explain also your urgency to stop Voldemort from returning?"

I answered, "Yes. He would have returned in 1995 and been destroyed in 1998. During that time, while my family would have survived, we would have been greatly diminished and frequently tortured and threatened by him.

You would have gotten cursed trying to recover the ring in Gaunt's shack and not survived the year after that."