Chapter 48:

[July 2024]

The Alliance of Civilizations now had as members, Solar, which included the Ions and colonies on other systems, Tellar, Andoria, Kaferia, Sirius Beta Nine, Denobula, and various colonies of combined Alliance species on Tau Ceti and Sirius.

The trade agreement with the Orions was the deciding factor for the Kaferia joining and also allowing Alliance colonization of the other planets on Tau Ceti. The Axanar were still considering joining.

Research on genetic engineering to add magic was now under way and with Denobulan help was a priority. They weren't demanding results, only that considerable effort be made.

Andorian intelligence said that on Vulcan, some were wondering if their magical abilities could be trained and made more significant. The governing culture of Vulcan at this time did not even approve of using Vulcan abilities such as mind melds.

[Planning meeting]

Khan said, "In cannon, Renée Picard was on the first mission to Jupiter's moons and discovered the Ions. In that timeline, the Ions were critical to repairing damage to Earth's environment. We need to find something as significant for her to do, leaving this year."

Draco asked, "What are her skills?"

Hermione answered, "Not what you'd expect. Not xenobiology or anything related to her discovery of a sentient micro-organism on a highly radioactive planet. By age 11 she was an expert sailor and survived the capsizing of her sailboat. She also taught herself chess and fluid dynamics. Her main actual skill is as a test pilot."

I said, "It would seem that a mission that would suit her would be one where the piloting of a spacecraft would be difficult, and in which, from Canon, we'd expect some discovery that would make an impact on the Alliance.

We should also keep in mind that our latest research provides warp 4.1, and any individual ship could be upgraded immediately, while the rest of the fleet is waiting until the fine tuning of this research cycle is completed."

Khan said, "Delphic Expanse. We do not know to what extent the removal of time travel might have changed or removed the Sphere Builders. She'll investigate. Her skills would be uniquely suited to getting a ship into the expanse and safely back home again."

Daphne answered, "Maybe she could also learn if we have future enhanced Suliban to deal with. It is possible that the Sphere Builders used seers, which is allowed in this timeline, instead of time travel, which is not."

[Planning meeting the next day]

"Lieutenant Renée Picard, reporting as ordered, sir!"

Khan answered, "At ease Lieutenant. You have been selected to lead an important mission. You're rank is now acting Captain. Return from this mission successful and the promotion will be permanent. The timeline requires your safe return."

Renée answered, "Sir?"

Khan answered, "First you will be given access to information. You will be magically unable to reveal it, but can use the information to make decisions and talk freely about it to others who share the secret. Everyone in this room shares the secret. Read this pad carefully."

After that she read the secret Khan continued, "Before your mission leaves you will have full access to Canon and information about Q, in this facility. On board your ship, you and the crew will only have access to that part of Canon that they are cleared to see. Also in this facility, in the presence of others who know the secret, we use first names."

Renée asked, "Yes ..., Khan." She hesitated before saying his first name and then continued, "Can I ask why I am important?"

Khan answered, "From two other timelines. In one, you discovered the Ions, who provided critical assistance to the Earth's ecosystem. In the other, the same, but Q, while in the state of losing his powers, had tried to prevent your mission. I'll show you those episodes of Star Trek Picard now.

After viewing Picard episodes, Watcher, Fly me to the moon, Two of one, and Farewell, Renée said, "Q really has it in for me."

Q appeared and said, "You were in less danger than it appeared in that episode. I did want Jean-Luc to think that he might be erased from existence, with you being collateral damage. The Romulan watcher's time had come, and there was too much pressure from the timeline for me to want to change that, let along be able to in the condition I was in.

Actually, my apparent lack of sanity at that time is part of the reason for our new Q program. There are tensions within the Q, as you know from Canon. This is the agreement of the Q, to create timelines that might result in new Q that the Q can agree on.

I will give some small spoilers for your mission, yes it is worth going on. No there are not super-Suliban, just as there are not time traveling Borg. Also, if you look at Canon carefully, you'll see the Sphere Builders have been around for over 900 years without needing time travel.

Yes, Jean-Luc, your descendant, is important to the timeline, and to myself."

Renée said, "But I do not have any children."

Q answered, "Well then make sure you survive this mission first. In the original Star Trek timeline Jean-Luc's ancestor was born even after you went to Io with its very hazardous to humans radiation. You understood shielding then, and when you look at Canon you'll see the shielding you'll need for the Delphic Expanse."

Q then disappeared. The video or memory of every visit by Q was added to the knowledge that those who know the Q secret could later review.

Renée was given two days to watch as much of Canon as possible, focusing on those parts related to Q, as well as the memories of Q's visits.

She asked at the next meeting, "Why do we do what Q says?"

We all sort of looked blankly, not having a good answer.

The Andorian, Bynil answered, "It doesn't go well to defy someone like Q."

Khan answered, "That is not my answer. I agree with Q's aims and consider him a leader."

Daphne added, "It is a good thing then that we aren't tested with aims contrary to our natures. Who knows who would follow and who would prefer to be a martyr."

Khan said, "Renée, you will succeed in this mission, not for Q, but for the challenge of succeeding at a piloting task that in Canon defied many others. You are incapable of walking away from a challenge such as that."

Renée answered, "Everybody thinks I'm so good at this. My survival after that capsized sailboat was due to luck. For all I know my other timeline discovery of the Ions without turning glow in the dark from radiation was also due to luck. What if I fail and doom my crew and apparently the timeline?"

Khan said, "I know something about fear. Your fear of failure will be your strength to succeed. It will keep you careful, keep you sharp. You will charge into the enemy with a sword and emerge victorious on the other side."

Juan Singh added, "When the time comes, you will pilot your NX Starship Shango. You will be Captain, but your unique skills will be deployed at the moments they are needed. There is no-one better than you at this. You do not need false humility to accept that you will succeed at this mission that others, such as the Vulcans and Klingons of another timeline had failed at."

I added, "Here is a quote from Captain Janeway in the Voyager episode, the Thaw: I've known fear. It's a very healthy thing most of the time. You warn us of danger, remind us of our limits, protect us from carelessness. I've learned to trust fear.

Then she concludes with: fear only exists for one purpose. To be conquered."

Renée said, "Sounds great, fighting with fear and all, and making sure that I do not miss my chance in this timeline to risk being irradiated. What is my mission?"

Khan said, "Your mission is to enter the Delphic Expanse border and exit it again. No exploring beyond that, you are simply being a test pilot. You'll find a way, document it for others so then we can attempt a larger scale exploration. Of course the possibility exists for you to lead that further exploration.

There will be a fleet of three starships accompanying you up to the Expanse. Your ship will be its own fleet, not under Admiral Kamath's authority. Her fleet will not enter the Expanse, only communicate with you and provide assistance if Admiral Kamath considers it safe to do so.

You'll pick the crew of your ship from the available choices. You'll include spell casters in case their abilities become needed."

[Jupiter Orbit Station]

The fleet was upgraded to the latest designs and set out from Jupiter Orbit Station in September 2024. It was expected to reach the Expanse in the middle of 2025.

The Orion center was conducting a lot of trade. A license for non-military enchanted items was given, and those brought in a good amount of gold-pressed Latinum, the currency of the Orions.

When they first negotiated the treaty, their representative Joziz asked, "Could you do me an enormous favor and try to magically duplicate gold-pressed Latinum."

A spell caster was called and when he arrived he duplicated the bar given to him.

Joziz was scanning using a hand-held device. He said, "Thank you for this. I'll tell you the results, for 3.57 seconds I could not detect the difference. After that it was increasingly easy to detect."

The spell caster asked, "Let me try that with gold, and see how long it takes for you to see the difference."

After duplicating gold, Joziz said, "83.2 seconds."

[Vulcan consulate]

The Vulcans asked, "Why is it you allow the Orions, a predatory people, to station themselves where you send out your fleets, but keep us in a more isolated location?"

After consultation, they were told, "The reason was inertia, not logic. You are free to establish yourself on Jupiter Orbit Station. The reason why you have not been invited to Earth, is the apparent control you had over Earth in Canon. If Vulcan wishes a closer relationship with the Alliance, that can be discussed further."

[Alliance diplomacy and colonization]

The Mazarites were visited and arranged a trade treaty with the Alliance. They were not invited to join yet and were told the reason. "Your governmental structure is too unstable. We worry that we could have an alliance, but a faction of your same planet could instead work with an adversary of the Alliance."

Since it wasn't considered information that needed to be kept secret, we showed them the Enterprise episode Fallen Hero. "This is 128 years later in that timeline, still just as unstable. Work on unity and stability and we would welcome you to our Alliance."

Antaran announced that they will have nothing to do with the Alliance, saying the Denobulans are war criminals and anyone who allies with them are enemies of peace.

Vega had a combined Alliance colony. Different species gravitated towards different climate zones, but there were cities with all members as residents.

Draylax joined the Alliance.

Plans were made to carefully colonize Terra Nova, avoiding the disasters that happened there in canon. It was planned for 2028.

Xantoras was visited and a trade treaty was concluded. They were given the exact same message as the Mazarites, that they cannot joint the Alliance until their society is more stable. They were shown the Enterprise episode the Breach.