Chapter 58:
[2031 Alliance meeting]
Hermione started, "The agenda is to have an overview of Alliance status and the next strategic directions."
The Lyssarian leader said, "I would first like to express our planet's appreciation of membership in the Alliance. We were heartened that you agreed to never allow use of the Lyssarian Desert Larvae to create a clone, which in Canon Enterprise episode Similitude, was used for the harvesting of replacement parts."
The Tellarite leader answered, "Each new argument about the rights of sentients helps refine our Alliance law. We thank you for bringing this to our attention."
The leader of Neubilia said, "We also appreciate our membership in the Alliance. We are appreciative that our dueling culture was accepted. Some of the other species are too soft to want to participate in that practice and we will treat them as noncombatants. The rest are welcome to challenge us."
The Tellarite responded, "Nausicaa is being recruited for membership next. If they accept, you'll get plenty of dueling challenges from them."
Balram Singh stood, paused a few seconds, waited for silence, and said, "The strength of the Alliance is growing steadily. This is the time to consolidate, try to complete the recruitment of the Xindi, some of their neighbors, and a few others, including Nausicaa. The informal truce with the Klingons should continue, each not seeking conflict, but not allowing each other's presence in their territory."
The Andorian leader asked, "For how long?"
Juan Singh answered, "Depends on our growth of technology and ships. Meanwhile we shouldn't lose the opportunity in the former Expanse. The Klingons and the Romulans will likely not build their capabilities as fast as us. We continue building ships and researching. We continue to increase the number of magicals."
The Vulcan leader said, "That is logical. The Alliance starship building program is underway and will have a much more effective fleet in the coming years. The increase in magic programs are having the most immediate effect on Vulcan. I might suggest trying to recruit Xyrillia. Both our contacts with them and knowledge from Canon suggest that they have magical abilities not unlike Vulcans."
Hermione announced, "Dr. Phlox is going to give an update on magical genetic research."
Dr. Phlox said, "The recent births of genetically modified for magic children has resulted in the expected percent of instances of accidental magic for their ages to roughly correspond with the expected 5% qualifying for traditional magical schooling. The additional information they give us indicates that the next round starting in two Earth years might yield 10%. Furthermore, the first experiments with non-hybrid non-Human individuals are showing some success."
Daphne said, "Next topic, is how the species of the Alliance are responding to each other. We believe that the policy of voluntary mobility has been beneficial. Those who want to be with other species can go to colonies open to all species. Home planets have sections that are only for the native species and parts with others. We are trying to prevent the nativist attacks seen in Canon.
Some planets have sub-species, each with their own exclusive areas. The Andorians and Aenar have such areas. On Earth, there are magical zones for those who want to maintain the separate culture they previously had. While Vulcan has a predominant philosophy, there are groups that do not agree, and they have their own places to live."
[Xindus]
Captain Picard's fleet arrived at Xindus at the scheduled date.
The Avian-Xindi spoke for Xindi, "We accept that the best chance of avoiding ever having a conflict between our species would be to join the Alliance. There are many details to decide as well. We have received the news reports from the Alliance and will need to make sure that the existing cultural practices of all of our species would be accepted by the Alliance. For instance, Insectoids have set roles and the concept of Primate freedom is alien to them."
Captain Picard answered, "We will have the Alliance sign a treaty that adds these precedents to its rules. Please send a thorough list and give a the Alliance some days to debate and decide to agree that the practices in that list can continue."
The Aquatic-Xindi announced, "We fully intend to make use of the freedom of movement in the Alliance, and find other worlds to move to. Some of us want to go to Earth. Some Insectoids want to see Kaferia. Primates want to join other Primates on different Alliance worlds.
In a way, this Alliance would preclude any desire we would have for an empire. The entire Alliance can be our home."
Captain Picard was thinking that the Alliance might not realize what they are agreeing to. She'll add this information to her report.
The Alliance had a quick debate. A Human said, "As long as their presence in Earth waters does not adversely effect other aquatic life, we have no objection."
A Vulcan said, "We believe in IDIC, and I suppose we will now see its true implications."
The cultural practices of the Xindi were agreed to for them, not necessarily as allowable practices for other species to adopt. The precedents of how the Ions and Kaferia have different organizations were mentioned. A clear difference in how these practices compare with how the Vissians treat their cogenitors was also identified.
[The former Expanse]
An additional nine starships commanded by Admiral Archer conducted contact missions with other civilizations.
Admiral Archer approached Osaaria. In Canon a group of them became pirates in the Expanse, but had never previously been known to conduct piracy. They were merchants and indicated their desire for trade with the Alliance, but not membership for now.
Xanthan was a planet with a large trading center. They saw the benefit of the Alliance, in protecting their planet and their trading ships and joined.
Loque'eque was a planet with a mutagenic virus that caused visitors to become members of a fairly primitive more or less extinct species. The Alliance helped setup new layers to existing barriers against visiting that planet, that had been setup by other civilizations.
Kovaalans were hostile. A brief firefight occurred when the Alliance fleet visited them, followed by the fleet leaving, but warning that if they attacked other worlds or ships outside their system then they would be at war with the Alliance.
Illyrians were on several worlds. Admiral Archer decided on full disclosure. He showed them episodes that included or referred to the Illyrians. None of what he showed had other secrets.
After watching the Enterprise episode Damage, Archer said, "First, I would like to apologize for the actions of my great-grandson in a different timeline. This is a timeline that will not happen, and involved actions that the Alliance will not allow."
Then more and more episodes were shown that had the official policy of considering Illyrians as being borderline criminals just for being born. Archer said, "That was a timeline where our leader Khan Singh has defeated, and those believed to have been genetically enhanced were almost completely wiped out. Our timeline is quite the opposite. We support genetic engineering. Our policy goes further. If there were to be any disallowed genetic engineering, the person born, or their descendants would never be considered at fault, or be discriminated against for that status.
Earth is also part of a larger Alliance of Civilizations. Most of those civilizations eagerly want genetic engineering to try to have more widespread magical abilities that presently only appear in some. We invite you to join the Alliance."
The Illyrian leader answered, "We will consider it. We will send embassies and travel around the Alliance to learn first-hand about the attitudes towards genetic engineering. Meanwhile we would agree to an exchange of genetic engineering technology."
Archer answered, "Magic will not be included in that trade, but will be made fully available if you join the Alliance."
Azati Prime, a mostly water planet, was set aside for Xindi-Aquatics, as well as others, just as in Canon.
Tarquin was visited on his planet after watching the Enterprise episode Exile. He was exiled from his home world due to being a wizard. He was invited to Earth where he could join communities of other magicals and accepted.
Tarquin's home world was visited. They were somewhat hostile after learning that the Alliance had some magicals. After much negotiation they agreed to allow those among them born with magic to move to the Alliance, instead of being placed on small worlds as places of exile. It was explained that they would be trained to control their abilities and not use them to harm others.
Triannon had just achieved warp travel. They worshiped the spheres, and considered themselves at war with the Alliance and Xindi for destroying them. The Alliance told them that they would be left alone in their star system, but there would be consequences if they attacked anyone outside of it.
On the far side of the former Expanse, V'radian was a planet that sometimes had their people seized as slaves. There was a V'radian chemist sold in a slave market in the Enterprise episode Rajin. They quickly joined the Alliance.
The planet with Humans and Skagarans was found. Admiral Archer decided to show the Enterprise episode "North Star" to the entire planet, projecting it in the sky. He then announced, "I do not want to leave an occupying force here, but I will leave a space station to keep an eye on things and intervene if needed. Anyone who wants to leave may do so. We will find other planets for you. Any Humans can return to Earth. Any Skagarans will be given choices of planets to move to. Skagaran Human hybrids also will have a choice, including that of moving to Earth. Those who remain here will pledge to have peaceful interaction with each other. I'll let the remaining inhabitants of this planet decide if they want to maintain 1860's technology, or would like to be brought up to our latest technology. Different places here can make different decisions.
The Alliance will assume responsibility for this planet. Everyone will have freedom of movement to the other Alliance worlds."
[Illyrians in 2032]
The Illyrians traveled to the Alliance and asked questions. On Debobula they heard about negative results of some genetic engineering. Everyone they talked to assured them that Illyrians would be free to use genetic engineering and it would not be held against them.
They sought out Captain Pike, learning about his identical appearance to his descendant in Canon. He told them, "I agree fully with my descendant, Christopher Pike. He was willing to risk his career to defend his assistant who turned out to secretly be an Illyrian.
Starfleet, that is our timeline's Starfleet, cares about effectiveness. We combine many species and cultural and physical backgrounds and find ways to work together. This Alliance will be stronger with Illyrian membership."
Illyria joined the Alliance, and started looking for planets in Alliance areas that were not quite suitable for most Alliance species, but which with genetic engineering, Illyrians could find habitable.