Chapter 52:

[Vulcan 2027]

T'Vol, the Vulcan leader asked to have the entire Vulcan High Council of 7 know the secret of Q. We agreed and soon after they agreed to join the Alliance. T'Vol said, "It is logical to be pragmatic. The best futures we can see for Vulcan involve being part of this Alliance."

The technology transfer started quickly. The goal was for a complete overhaul of the Alliance fleet starting in 2029.

Vulcan hired magical instructors. They organized adding magic to Vulcan education and experimented with teaching adults. The first step would be to evaluate each student's magical potential, and then to assign them a course of study, in addition to other Vulcan courses that would be suited for them.

The Human magical art of occlumency was now combined with the Vulcan knowledge. Each gained what they thought was useful. Most Humans didn't want to suppress their emotions, so didn't make full use of Vulcan techniques.

Legilimency was a technique found in Surak's writings. There was research to determine if the Human technique of using eye contact, or the Vulcan technique of using touch, was interchangeable for the two species. Humans were far more effective when using a wand and it was being investigated how Vulcans could make use of focus devices such as wands while also using touch telepathy.

Another area was finding wands or staffs that could improve Vulcan magic. There were traditions on Earth that used hand gestures, and others that used rituals, that were also being evaluated for effectiveness with Vulcans. It was thought that meaningful materials from Vulcan would be needed, although Earth ones were tried out. Dragon heartstrings from Berengaria 7 were found to be useful cores for both Humans and Vulcans. Various woods and other materials from the planet were also tried.

Due to Vulcan membership, the Next Generation episodes Gambit – Parts 1 and 2, were released to them. Reference was made to an ancient artifact that still existed in three broken pieces on Vulcan and other stars, called the Stone of Gol. It was called a psionic resonator in the Next Generation episode, Gambit, Part II. It tended to amplify violent thoughts and channeled them into magic.

A quote from that episode was, "Before we found logic. Before we found peace. There was even a time when we used our telepathic abilities as a weapon. A time when we learned to kill with a thought."

While the device itself was not one that the Vulcans wanted to rebuild, it showed the potential for Vulcan magic to be enhanced with a focus. A research project separate from the wand and staff effort, was to use crystals and devices to focus Vulcan magic. Anything that appeared successful was also tested on Human magicals to see if they would help with their magic.

Due to Vulcan membership, for the first time the Alliance was in an armed conflict. The Klingons and Vulcans would open fire on each other whenever their ships would encounter each other. There was no larger scale war of trying to invade each others systems, but this low level conflict now included the Alliance.

[Formal Alliance Signing Ceremony in San Francisco]

Various dignitaries of all Alliance worlds and the Vulcans were staying in the San Francisco area waiting for the signing ceremony that would bring Vulcan into the Alliance of Civilizations.

I got an urgent email from Professor Sybill Trelawney. "We had Vulcan visitors at Hogwarts. I felt compelled to say to them, Beware the man in the suit. He means you harm."

I quickly reviewed Canon and rewatched the Enterprise episode, Terra Prime. I did a quick AI search, "Nomad, review John Frederick Paxton from Canon, look for people who resemble him, possibly related to him, in similar roles, and who wear a suit."

There was an instant match, a John Paxton in charge of the Orpheus Mining Complex on Luna, Earth's moon. Wearing of suits and ties were not that common on Earth in 2027, and even more unusual on the moon. The search result even had the same distinctive triangular shape to his hair as the one in Canon.

I had a Section 31 group recruited from Albanians on the moon. They quickly determined that Paxton was on Earth. They detained and interrogated every Human on Luna. They quickly released all except those who went beyond just having opinions about the role of non-Humans in the Solar System.

Paxton's co-plotters were quickly fully interrogated and then eliminated. We learned our lesson from Harry Potter Canon and Azkaban prison. Those who were dangerous to that level presented a risk of being broken out of prison by their supporters. Harsh prisons also cause sympathy to those imprisoned.

We learned that the plot was to seize as hostage some extra-terrestrials, especially Vulcans. Then a catering hall that was going to be used for a party was going to be destroyed with hidden explosives nearby. The plan was fairly ingenious in being outside the protected area but powerful enough to destroy it. One of the plotters said, "You don't think we use antimatter explosions in our mining operations?"

The plot was easily stopped. The level of drone activity we had in San Francisco made it possible to trace all activities. We looked at those who met with Paxton, as well as those who closely resembled any of Paxton's supporters in Canon. They were arrested, and those who were part of the plot were eliminated. A few were found on Pacific islands, while most were in the San Francisco area. The explosive device was removed. It was set to intercept normal energy flows and build up antimatter and then explode it.

If we were even one day later, they would have had hostages, rigged to explode if they didn't maintain a dead man's switch.

The Vulcans who visited Hogwarts asked about the warning given to them. The other staff said that Trelawny was crazy and should be ignored. "She predicts someone's death every year. She thinks it makes her class more interesting."

Upon the warning, we had immediately brought the Vulcans to a safe area, where they had not previously been planned to go. When we resolved the plot, we gave them full information about it. We also said, "In Canon there were similar plots against Humans on Vulcan. We just all have to be vigilant and not take for granted the unanimity of our own species."

We also had a large amount of security following all other extra-terrestrials on Earth. There were well established Tellarite restaurants and Andorian pubs, art galleries, theater troupes, tourists. We weren't about to restrict their movements and accomplish one of the goals of Paxton's group.

[Alliance Ship Design Group, 2027]

The Vulcans could travel at warp 6.82. A Vulcan engineer said, "If you adapt our technology to the warp nacelle design, you will only achieve warp 6.70. It would be more logical to use our circular design for the next generation of Alliance starships."

The Tellarite engineer who was part of the 2020 warp improvement project answered "I will repeat what I said 7 years ago. Slightly more efficient, but too delicate. Try to lose a pursuing ship in a nebula with those engines. There is a reason that Canon always shows two warp nacelles a little offset from the ship, even centuries later."

A huge number of simulations were run, including combat conditions and locations such as the Delphic Expanse. The Vulcan circular design had difficulties with making turns at warp. The Vulcans were eventually convinced to do what they did in Canon and start using the warp nacelle design.

The skills of the Tellarites combined with the magical methods of the Humans resulted in reaching warp 6.85 using nacelles, and with the same cruising and maximum speed.

A Human engineer said, "If we use the NX refit shown in the Picard episodes, Hide and Seek, and The Bounty, and lengthen the nacelles it would have warp 6.85 and the existing ships could be upgraded instead of replaced."

A Vulcan engineer replied, "The Vulcan fleet would need to be replaced, not upgraded in any case. The NX refit design would become obsolete as maximum speed goes past approximately warp 7.2. I extrapolate reaching that level, with our present Alliance resources in 4.9 Earth years."

A Human engineer who knew about the attraction of the timeline to Star Trek Canon said, "We might as well use the NCC-1701 design, with some modifications."

Another Human engineer said, "The bridge should be moved to the center of the saucer, and have extra armor. The saucer section should be easily detachable and have its own small fold-out warp nacelles. A second warp engine should be in the saucer section, which would power beam weapons and shields with plasma conduits to allow transfer of power between the sections."

A Tellarite engineer answered, "The extra engine and nacelles might be a waste of resources."

Another Tellarite said, "Absurd. Why have a detachable saucer if it cannot go at warp speed?"

An Andorian added, "The extra power for beam weapons would be advantageous. Full power for the shields and beams while at warp."

A Vulcan noted, "I found an inconsistency in Canon. Earlier series showed the ship length as either 288.6 ot 289 meters. The Strange New Worlds episode Momento Mori indicates a length of 442 meters. I think evidence points to 289 meters being a length most consistent with other facts from Canon."

A Human answered, "I agree. That larger ship length appeared on a screen in that episode in Canon, but who is to say that the screen was not in error. We cannot assume that internal data displays in Canon were always correct."

A Tellarite called out, "Some Humans are sloppy and do not double-check their numbers."

The Human added, "The crew complement is too high. We should have much more automation. Still the space could be used to create factories. A starship in a star system sent for defense could provide a true presence, almost a starbase."

[Alliance planning meeting 2027]

With a much larger group meeting, a new conference room was needed. The room was a sphere with informational projections. The speaker was projected. We brought back a role that we had used earlier for teleconferences, a meeting facilitator, who would decide among those who indicated that they wanted to speak, who would speak next.

There were typically 35 in attendance, with a few appearing by subspace. Vulcan encryption was considered good enough to use. The Andorians acknowledged that they never got any military secrets from the Vulcans, only the lesser level of secrets that Vulcans informally communicated to each other. Every Alliance member had at least one member of the planning group. The larger more established colonies also each had at least one, as soon as they started starship construction.

The Vulcan leader T'Vol started, "Our agenda is to decide future direction of Alliance relations with the Klingons, the Delphic Expanse, and the Orions. In addition, general policies towards expansion, andn the possibility of encountering other civilizations that would present a challenge to the Alliance will be considered."

A Denobulan said, "With the Orions, it there is already an established path of future relations, and I do not see any reason to alter it."

Tracey asked, "Do we finally allow them to hire spell casters?"

Khan answered, "Why not at this point? They will not become more powerful than us. We'll insist on significant concessions, including trading those areas of technology where they still exceed us."

An Andorian asked, "As to the Klingons I think we should avoid going too close to their areas, until we have built new technology ships."

Khan answered, "That makes sense. We put off until 2030 any contacts, and then we try to arrange a treaty from a position of strength. What do we do with our NX fleet at that time?"

A Tellarite answered, "Change them to be cargo ships of course. They wouldn't even be useful as secondary defense ships without expensive overhauls. We concentrate between now and 2029 on building up the infrastructure to mass produce Original Series Enterprise ships. By then, we should have much more magical resources from Vulcan."

A Kaferian said, "Perhaps we can gain technology from the Orions in time to be part of the 2029 design."

An Andorian said, "We will need small effective ships to defend systems when the starships are off on missions. If the NX are not easily used for that, we should design a small fighting ship."

Khan answered, "Let us do that. Big enough to have a drone factory and photon torpedo factory would be ideal."

A Tellarite asked, "What about the Xindi and the Delphic Expanse? I do not think we are ready."

I answered, "I quite agree. The Expanse itself is part of an invasion plan against our galaxy, and will need to be stopped. However, it does not need to occur until we have a better technology level.

The Xindi can be reasoned with, from a position of strength.

The sphere builders know that we are a threat. In another timeline, their seers saw that we would destroy them in the century of the 2500s. In Canon, Captain Archer did so with one NX class starship. We can afford a more well thought out plan with sufficient resources, instead of the successful improvisation shown in Canon."