March–May 2258
Sarek and Amanda's Home, Vulcan
With the whole Nero affair done and dusted, Ben finally settled down to study in earnest. The effects of time dilation between his universe and this one worked greatly in his favour. Time in his home universe passed at approximately 0.42 times the rate of time in the Kelvin Timeline. In practical terms, this meant that Ben could remain here until September 2258 and still return to his homeworld by the second week of June, well before the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament.
He would miss his friends and family in the meantime, of course, but Ben had always been more pragmatic than sentimental. He could afford to be away for a few months, especially when the opportunity before him was too valuable to pass up.
The Federation was a veritable treasure trove of advanced scientific knowledge and technology. Ben had already witnessed what its engineers could accomplish, and he had seen enough of the Narada to appreciate just how much more there was to learn.
If he could internalise even half of the knowledge available to him, he might one day be able to build a society that rivalled the Federation in scientific and technological advancement, but without the complacency that, in his opinion, had allowed its institutions to become vulnerable to threats such as Nero. That was an ambitious goal, certainly, but Ben had never been particularly interested in thinking small.
His objective for the next seven months, however, was considerably more modest. He had no illusions about becoming a Federation-level expert in a handful of months. The subjects he intended to study were each enormous fields in their own right, requiring years of formal education, practical experience, and continued research to master.
Attempting to learn everything about them in seven months would be absurd, even by his standards. Instead, he wanted to establish a solid working knowledge of Federation science and engineering, sufficient to allow him to study technical documents independently and understand the principles behind the technologies he encountered long after he had left this universe.
Fortunately, Captain Pike had managed to secure him a rather extraordinary educational opportunity. In recognition of his contribution to thwarting Nero's plans and saving Vulcan, the captain had arranged for Ben to receive the highest level of civilian access to the Federation's scientific databases.
The resulting privileges gave Ben access to an astonishing breadth of scientific and technical courses, research papers, engineering documentation, and educational resources. The Federation's classified military and intelligence archives remained another matter, but there was more than enough material in the scientific databases to keep him occupied for years.
After carefully examining the available curricula, Ben selected several fields for his initial studies: Advanced Materials Science, Medicine and Medical Technology, Replicators and Transporters, Power Generation and Energy Storage Systems, Shielding Systems, Phaser Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Holography, and Artificial Gravity Systems. It was an intimidating list, but Ben was determined to make the most of his limited time.
He did, however, possess a few advantages. The Draconic Bloodline Evolution ritual he had undergone had significantly enhanced his cognitive faculties alongside the more obvious changes to his physiology. It had not magically transformed him into a genius capable of understanding anything at a glance; Ben liked to think he had always possessed above-average intelligence, thank you very much.
What the ritual had done was improve the speed at which he absorbed unfamiliar information, recognise patterns, and establish logical connections between concepts. He could concentrate for longer periods, process complicated material more efficiently, and retain what he learned with much less effort than before.
There was also the matter of his mentor. Ambassador Spock had graciously agreed to guide Ben through his studies, and the elderly Vulcan approached the responsibility with his customary thoroughness. He did not, however, begin with the glamorous technologies that had initially captured Ben's imagination. There would be no immediate lessons on antimatter reactors, transporters, or replicators. Before Ben could understand those systems, he needed to understand the scientific and mathematical foundations upon which they were built.
Consequently, his education began with mathematics and computer science.
March — Mathematics and Computer Science
The first few weeks of March were devoted to mathematics, the fundamental discipline upon which a vast proportion of Federation science and engineering relied. Ben worked through linear algebra, multivariable calculus, differential equations, tensor mathematics, probability theory, Fourier analysis, vector analysis, numerical methods, mathematical modelling, geometry and topology, relativistic mathematics, quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, information theory, and computational mathematics.
Some of these subjects were familiar in principle, if not in their more advanced applications. Others required him to reconsider assumptions he had previously taken for granted. Federation mathematics provided him with a different framework for describing physical phenomena, one that was essential for understanding technologies operating at scales and energy levels far beyond those of his homeworld.
Magic could sometimes allow a practitioner to manipulate a phenomenon directly without possessing a complete mathematical description of it. A skilled wizard might alter the trajectory of an object, manipulate a spatial boundary, or produce a controlled gravitational effect through a spell, relying on magical theory, intent, and practical experience rather than a comprehensive set of equations.
Federation engineering could not afford that luxury. Its technologies had to operate reliably under repeatable conditions, often with thousands of interdependent variables involved. The behaviour of a system had to be predicted, measured, and accounted for before engineers could trust it with people's lives. Even where the underlying physics was not fully understood, mathematical models provided the means to describe observed behaviour, test hypotheses, and refine existing designs.
Ben quickly learned that being able to follow an equation was not the same as understanding the system it described. The real challenge lay in recognising the relationships between variables and understanding what those relationships implied about the physical world. He spent a lot of time working through examples, checking his calculations, and returning to earlier concepts whenever a later lesson exposed a weakness in his understanding.
The mathematics was demanding, but Ben found it rewarding. Each new concept opened another door, revealing connections between disciplines that initially appeared unrelated. Differential equations, for instance, were not confined to abstract mathematical exercises; they could describe the changing behaviour of a reactor, the movement of energy through a system, or the response of a material to external forces. Linear algebra appeared in everything from computational models to quantum mechanics. Information theory provided a common language for discussing the representation, storage, and transmission of data.
By the end of the first half of March, Ben had begun to appreciate just how deeply mathematics permeated Federation technology. It was not merely a subject to be mastered before he could reach the interesting material. It was the language through which much of that material was expressed.
The second half of the month shifted toward computer science. Ben studied binary and hexadecimal systems, digital logic, Boolean algebra, computer architecture, processor design, memory architecture, operating systems, distributed computing, parallel processing, networking, quantum computing, computer security, programming languages, artificial intelligence fundamentals, machine learning, data structures, and algorithms.
Unlike magic, which often relied on intent, symbolic structures, magical theory, and the individual capabilities of the practitioner, computer science demanded an almost brutally precise description of a process. A machine executed instructions according to its architecture and programming. It did not care what the programmer had intended if the instructions failed to express that intention correctly. Ben found this both frustrating and fascinating.
Programming required him to break complex tasks into smaller, logically defined operations. He had to account for conditions, exceptions, dependencies, and possible failures. An elegant solution was not necessarily a correct one, and a program that worked under one set of circumstances could fail spectacularly under another. He began to understand why so much effort went into testing, debugging, and verification.
Perhaps his most interesting discovery, however, was that Federation computers were not simply faster versions of the computers he knew from his own era. They were vastly more integrated systems. Computing, communications, navigation, environmental control, sensor analysis, weapons management, and power regulation could all be connected through sophisticated architectures that allowed individual systems to exchange information and coordinate their operations.
This required Ben to begin thinking in terms of systems architecture rather than individual devices. A computer could not be understood merely by examining its processor or memory. Its capabilities also depended on how it communicated with other systems, how information was organised, how errors were handled, and how its resources were allocated.
By the end of March, Ben was nowhere near capable of designing a Starfleet computer from scratch. He had, however, acquired a working understanding of the principles underpinning Federation computation. He could read introductory technical documentation without becoming hopelessly lost, recognise the purpose of major components, and begin to follow the logic behind more complicated systems. For his purposes, that was an excellent start.
April — Materials Science and Engineering
April was devoted to materials science, and this was where Ben's knowledge of other universes began to prove especially useful.
He studied atomic structure, molecular bonding, crystal structures, metallic bonding, ceramics, polymers, composites, carbon-based materials, nanomaterials, and metamaterials. He learned how microscopic structures determined macroscopic properties, and how the arrangement of atoms and molecules influenced a material's strength, flexibility, electrical conductivity, thermal behaviour, and resistance to radiation or chemical degradation.
One of the most important lessons was that strength was not a single, universal property. A material could be extremely hard yet brittle, capable of resisting scratches while shattering under sudden impact. Another could be flexible and resilient but lack the rigidity required for structural applications. A material that conducted electricity exceptionally well might be unsuitable for an environment involving extreme temperatures, while one designed to withstand intense heat could perform poorly under other forms of stress.
Federation engineers therefore did not simply search for the strongest available material. They selected and combined materials according to the demands of a particular application. The construction of a starship, for example, required materials capable of satisfying several different requirements simultaneously, including structural strength, thermal resistance, radiation tolerance, weight constraints, and compatibility with the vessel's other systems.
Ben was introduced to advanced Federation materials such as duranium, tritanium, transparent alloys, specialised ceramics, superconductive materials, radiation-resistant compounds, high-temperature materials, and energy-resistant composites. He also studied the theoretical properties and engineering applications of neutronium-based materials, although their extreme physical characteristics made them a particularly challenging subject.
He learned what these materials were, which properties made them valuable, and the broad principles behind the technological processes used to produce and shape them. The actual manufacturing methods were often far more complicated than their introductory descriptions suggested, but that was precisely why Ben wanted to study them. Knowing how to use a material was useful; understanding how it was made would eventually allow him to reproduce or adapt it.
This had a direct practical benefit. Through Transmutation, Ben could magically produce many substances that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. However, the process could be extremely energy-intensive, particularly when dealing with exotic materials or producing large quantities. While transmutation remained an invaluable option for specialised applications, relying on it to manufacture tonnes of advanced alloys would be neither efficient nor sustainable.
If Ben intended to build anything on a societal scale, he needed methods of production that did not depend entirely on his personal magical reserves.
Superconductivity offered another promising avenue of study. Ben examined how certain materials could conduct electrical current with extraordinarily low resistance under appropriate conditions, as well as their applications in power systems, magnetic containment, sensors, computing, energy storage, field generation, and transportation technologies. He began to appreciate how advances in materials science could improve an entire technological ecosystem rather than merely produce a better component.
The subject that fascinated him most, however, was nanotechnology.
The Federation was technologically advanced by the standards of the twenty-third century, but even its scientific institutions did not possess the precise form of programmable, rapidly deployable nanotechnology Ben remembered from Tony Stark's Iron Man armour in Avengers: Infinity War. That technology had been an extraordinary example of compact, adaptive engineering, and Ben had long been interested in understanding how such a system could be replicated or improved.
Nevertheless, the Federation's introductory material provided him with a useful foundation. He studied molecular-scale manufacturing, nanostructures, nanomachines, self-assembling materials, smart materials, molecular repair, and nanoscale sensors. He learned how engineers could use structures at extremely small scales to produce properties or capabilities that would be difficult to achieve through conventional manufacturing.
Beyond its sheer coolness, nanotechnology fascinated Ben because of its conceptual similarities to Creation Magic. Both could be used to achieve highly controlled manipulation of matter, although their underlying mechanisms were entirely different. Creation Magic relied on magical principles and the practitioner's ability to direct them, whereas nanotechnology relied on engineered physical systems operating according to defined instructions.
That distinction was precisely what made the subject so valuable. Ben wanted to develop comprehensive magitech systems, not merely reproduce magical effects using machines. Understanding how technology could achieve controlled manipulation of matter would give him another set of tools with which to approach problems that magic alone might solve inefficiently.
By the end of April, he had acquired a solid introduction to advanced materials science. He could recognise the principal properties of important Federation materials, understand the broad logic behind their selection, and follow introductory discussions of the manufacturing techniques used to produce them. He still lacked the practical experience necessary to design advanced alloys or nanotechnological systems independently, but he now possessed a foundation upon which further study could build.
May — Medicine and Medical Technology
May shifted Ben's attention from inanimate materials to living organisms. He spent the month studying Federation medicine at an introductory level, concentrating particularly on subjects and technologies that might prove useful beyond the Kelvin Timeline.
His studies covered cellular biology, genetics, molecular biology, human anatomy, comparative anatomy, xenobiology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, neuroscience, and endocrinology. The breadth of the curriculum initially appeared excessive, but the Federation's circumstances made it necessary. As a multi-species civilisation, it could not rely on medical principles developed exclusively around Human physiology.
Vulcans, Humans, Andorians, Tellarites, and other Federation species possessed significant biological differences. Their organs did not necessarily perform identical functions in identical ways, and their immune systems, metabolic processes, environmental requirements, and responses to medication could vary considerably. A treatment that was harmless to one species might be ineffective or dangerous to another.
Consequently, comparative biology and comparative medicine occupied an important place in Ben's studies. He learned to distinguish universal biological principles from species-specific characteristics and to recognise the limitations of applying medical knowledge from one organism to another without sufficient evidence.
He was particularly interested in medical diagnostics. His studies introduced him to the principles behind medical tricorders, bioelectric scanning, cellular imaging, radiation detection, molecular analysis, genetic analysis, neural scanning, internal injury detection, and pathogen identification.
The medical tricorder quickly became one of his favourite pieces of Federation technology. A portable, non-invasive instrument capable of gathering extensive information about a living organism and identifying a wide range of abnormalities was an extraordinary diagnostic tool. Instead of relying exclusively on visible symptoms or invasive examinations, a physician could obtain information about internal injuries, infections, radiation exposure, and physiological irregularities within a remarkably short time.
Ben immediately recognised the potential of combining such technology with magical healing. A diagnostic system capable of identifying the precise nature and location of an injury could make a healer's work significantly more efficient. It could also help prevent the misuse of healing magic, particularly in cases where the apparent symptoms concealed a more complicated underlying problem.
He began considering how magical diagnostic techniques might complement technological scanners. Magic could potentially reveal aspects of a patient's condition that conventional instruments could not easily detect, while technological instruments could provide repeatable measurements and detailed physiological data. Together, the two approaches might prove more effective than either one alone.
Regenerative medicine was another major component of his education. Under Ambassador Spock's guidance, Ben studied cellular regeneration, tissue regeneration, stem-cell therapy, organ repair, genetic correction, regenerative pharmaceuticals, and advanced surgical systems.
His own physiology made these lessons especially interesting. The Draconic Bloodline Evolution ritual had fundamentally altered his body, granting him regenerative capabilities far beyond those of an ordinary Human. However, those abilities were the result of magical intervention, and Ben had no intention of assuming that his body's unusual properties represented the limits of what biology could achieve.
What interested him was discovering how much Federation science could accomplish without magical enhancement.
Regenerative medicine offered an answer. Although it did not make every injury reversible or every disease curable, advanced medical science could repair tissues, support cellular recovery, correct certain biological defects, and restore functions that would otherwise remain permanently impaired. Ben found the prospect fascinating because it represented another route toward overcoming the limitations of an ordinary biological body.
He also studied radiation medicine, emergency care, trauma treatment, and the principles behind advanced surgical equipment. His recent experience aboard the Narada gave these subjects a particular significance. He understood from personal experience that radiation exposure could become life-threatening long before a person fully appreciated the damage being inflicted upon their body. Understanding how Federation medicine detected and treated such injuries was therefore more than an academic exercise.
By the end of May, Ben had developed a useful introductory understanding of Federation biology, medical diagnostics, and regenerative medicine. He was not qualified to practise Federation medicine, nor could he independently design a medical tricorder. Nevertheless, he could understand the major principles behind the technology, follow its technical documentation, and identify areas where magical healing might eventually complement technological treatment.
Throughout March, April, and May, Ben's daily routine remained largely consistent.
He rose at the crack of dawn and went out for a run, using the exercise to maintain his physical conditioning and clear his mind before the day's work. After returning to the house, he freshened up, ate a hearty breakfast, and settled down with the Federation study materials displayed on his PADDs. He took regular breaks for lunch and dinner, occasionally joining Ambassador Sarek and Amanda Grayson for conversation, but most of his waking hours were devoted to studying.
Ambassador Spock spent several hours each day guiding him through the material. The remainder of Ben's time was given over to independent reading, solving mathematical problems, reviewing technical diagrams, and making notes about concepts he wanted to revisit. When a subject proved particularly difficult, he returned to its prerequisites rather than attempting to force his way through it. When he encountered an unfamiliar principle, he tried to understand its underlying logic instead of simply memorising its definition.
As the weeks passed, Spock became increasingly impressed by the young wizard's progress. Having grown up in an alternate version of Earth on the threshold of the twenty-first century, Ben had initially appeared to be an unlikely candidate for an accelerated study of twenty-third-century science. Spock had not doubted his intelligence, but he had expected the technological and mathematical gap between their respective eras to impose considerable limitations.
Instead, Ben repeatedly demonstrated an ability to absorb unfamiliar concepts and connect them to principles he had already studied. He was not skipping the difficult parts, nor was he magically acquiring expertise without effort. He was simply progressing through the introductory material much faster than Spock had anticipated. That distinction gradually changed the ambassador's approach.
Materials science, medicine, and computer science were each comprehensive disciplines, and even their introductory curricula ordinarily required Federation students months of dedicated study. Ben, meanwhile, was moving through selected portions of those curricula in a matter of weeks while retaining enough understanding to apply what he had learned to unfamiliar problems.
Spock consequently became more involved in his education. What had begun as a series of guided lessons gradually developed into a more individualised programme, with the ambassador supplementing standard twenty-third-century educational material with selected discoveries and research from his own time, more than a century in the future. These additions were not intended to turn Ben into an expert overnight. Rather, they exposed him to the direction in which Federation science would develop, helping him recognise which fundamental concepts were likely to remain useful even as particular technologies evolved.
For Ben, the arrangement was ideal. He gained access to knowledge far beyond the introductory material available in the Federation's standard courses, while Spock had the opportunity to explore how a student with a very different scientific and magical background approached familiar problems.
Ben's studies proceeded quietly and fruitfully, with him steadily building the foundation he needed for the more specialised subjects down the line.
Then, toward the end of May, an interesting incident happened.
---
27th May 2258
ShiKahr, Vulcan
Ben slowed to a stop, bringing his morning run to an end. It was 5:34 a.m., local time, and he had been running for almost an hour at an average speed of approximately fifty miles per hour. Despite the considerable distance he had covered, he barely felt winded. His breathing remained steady, and his heart rate had barely risen enough to make the exercise challenging.
He glanced along the nearly deserted street before stepping aside and resting his forearms against the railing bordering the road. From here, he could watch the first rays of sunlight gradually illuminate ShiKahr.
Ben stood on an inclined road leading toward Ambassador Sarek's residence, a short distance from the city centre. The elevated position offered a sweeping view of the Vulcan capital, and he took a moment to appreciate it.
ShiKahr was a beautiful city, rising from the planet's arid landscape with an elegance that seemed almost inseparable from its surroundings. Rather than forming a dense forest of skyscrapers surrounded by greenery, the city appeared to emerge naturally from the terrain. Broad avenues crossed the urban landscape in carefully planned lines, connecting residential districts, civic institutions, and enormous scientific complexes.
The surrounding environment was harsh. Beyond the city's orderly streets lay expanses of sand, stone, and weathered rock, broken occasionally by sparse vegetation adapted to the planet's dry conditions. In the distance, mountain ranges formed jagged silhouettes against the horizon, their slopes coloured in shades of ochre and rust. The reddish landscape contrasted beautifully with the cream, white, and muted-grey surfaces of Vulcan architecture, giving ShiKahr a distinctive visual identity.
Buildings had been arranged according to precise geometric principles, public spaces were meticulously maintained, and transportation systems operated with an efficiency that made congestion seem almost inconceivable. Pale walls, recessed entrances, shaded colonnades, and broad terraces dominated the urban landscape. Here and there, ancient structures stood alongside modern facilities, their weathered surfaces bearing witness to a civilisation that had continued to advance without abandoning its past.
The streets were mostly empty at this hour, but they would not remain so for long. Soon, Vulcans would emerge from their homes and begin their daily routines, filling the avenues with the quiet, orderly activity that characterised the city.
During his three months on Vulcan, Ben had spent most of his time inside Sarek's residence, immersed in his studies. His interactions with Vulcans beyond Sarek and Ambassador Spock had been relatively limited, and he had made little effort to change that.
For one thing, there had been no practical need. The replicator in Sarek's home provided almost everything he required, while the Federation's scientific databases gave him more than enough material to occupy his waking hours. He had rarely needed to venture outside except for his morning runs and the occasional necessary errand.
Secondly, Ben knew that his stay in this universe was temporary. He had only a few more months before returning to his own reality, and he had little interest in forming attachments that would inevitably be interrupted by his departure. He had friends and family waiting for him back home, along with responsibilities he could not afford to neglect indefinitely. There was no point in creating additional complications for himself.
And thirdly, there was the matter of Vulcan culture. Ben had come to recognise what he considered an almost innate sense of cultural superiority among many Vulcans. He understood its origins well enough. Their reverence for logic, their long history of philosophical discipline, and their pride in having overcome the destructive consequences of their own emotional excesses had shaped a civilisation that regarded rationality as its greatest achievement. From their perspective, that achievement was not merely admirable; it was proof that their way of life was superior to the alternatives.
The attitude was rarely expressed through outright arrogance. More often, it appeared in subtle assumptions, measured corrections, or the unspoken implication that other species had yet to attain the intellectual discipline necessary to understand the Vulcan perspective.
Even Sarek and Spock, both of whom had experienced Human society and culture at close quarters, were not entirely free of it.
Ben appreciated Vulcan logic without feeling any particular desire to embrace Vulcan ideology. He had neither the time nor the patience to spend the next few months adapting himself to a culture whose underlying assumptions he did not entirely share. He was perfectly content to learn from the Vulcans without attempting to become one of them.
Satisfied that he had enjoyed the view long enough, Ben pushed himself away from the railing and turned toward the road leading back to Sarek's residence.
He had barely taken two steps when he sensed a disturbance in the surrounding space, and stopped.
A few metres away, the air shimmered as a transporter beam began to energise. The familiar glow intensified for a couple of seconds before resolving into the figure of an elderly Human male wearing a Starfleet uniform. The insignia on his collar identified him as an admiral.
The newcomer glanced around briefly before directing his attention toward Ben. A friendly smile appeared on his face, and he walked forward with one hand extended.
"Hi there. Admiral Alexander Marcus."
Ben regarded him for a moment before accepting the offered hand.
"Hello, Admiral. I'm Benjamin Carter... although I think you knew that already."
Marcus chuckled as they shook hands.
"That's right. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr Carter. Chris tells me you're the one we have to thank for being able to prevent one of the greatest tragedies in Federation history."
Ben lightly shook his head.
"Captain Pike was being overly generous. I merely provided some useful information and transport services. It was him and his men that took down Nero and his crew."
Marcus nodded, apparently appreciating the answer.
"Humble. And a team player. I like that. You finished with your run, or do you still have a few miles to go?"
"I'm done for today. I was just about to head back, actually."
"Good. 'Cause I don't think I could have kept pace with you on my best day, and those days are long gone."
Marcus chuckled at his own remark before glancing toward the road ahead.
"Do you mind if I accompany you for a while?"
"Not at all."
The two began walking toward Sarek's residence, their footsteps falling into an easy rhythm along the quiet road.
"You are staying in Ambassador Sarek's house, I believe?" Marcus asked.
"I am. He was kind enough to extend me the hospitality of his home for the duration of my stay here."
"Yeah, Sarek's a good man. I've had the pleasure of meeting him a few times. I'm sure he's taking good care of you. Although, we were hoping you would return to Earth at some point. There is much we can learn from each other."
"It is precisely for the purpose of learning that I'm here. Has Captain Pike informed you about my plans to leave?"
"He has, unfortunately."
Ben smiled.
"Then you know that I'll only be here for a few more months. I intend to make the most of that time by studying as much as I can about Federation science and society. Vulcan is perfect for that purpose. A visit to Earth, on the other hand, would only provide distractions."
Marcus gave him a thoughtful look.
"Maybe. But I gathered from Chris' report that you come from an alternate Earth on the verge of the twenty-first century. Aren't you curious about the progress that humanity of this universe has made since then? About all the species, cultures and worlds we have encountered? That your own people might discover for themselves one day?"
"Of course I'm curious. The spirit of exploration is the driving force of humanity. And I'm not lacking in that aspect. There is nothing I would like more right now than to wander all over the Earth, or hop onto a starship and go explore the galaxy and its many wonders."
"Then what's stopping you?" Marcus asked, spreading his hands slightly. "Take a few days off. Travel across the galaxy. Visit some exotic planets. Enjoy yourself. You've earned it."
Ben considered the suggestion for a moment before shaking his head.
"Maybe. But with great power comes great responsibility. The reason I can't set off on a sightseeing tour right now is the same reason why you, a Starfleet Admiral, can't take a break whenever you like. Because we both have our responsibilities... responsibilities we can't ignore merely for the sake of personal gratification."
Marcus turned to look at him more closely.
"You make it sound like you have a bigger job than me."
Ben chuckled.
"Not at all. I'm just saying that I can't afford to delay my return any further."
"That's a shame. Starfleet would have benefitted greatly from working alongside someone like you."
"Perhaps. But I believe I have already done my part in helping Starfleet. You guys now possess the intact Narada—a ship from the late twenty-fourth century, and a veritable treasure trove of advanced technologies. Studying its systems would surely push Starfleet and the Federation to great heights."
"I have no doubt of that. Still, in these troubling times we need all the help we can get."
Ben glanced sideways at him.
"You're talking about the Klingons?"
"And the Romulans. And all the other threats you warned Chris about that might show up at any time."
Ben was silent for a beat.
"As you well know, Admiral, Starfleet is a deep-space exploration force. And exploring the unknown reaches of space always comes with its own dangers."
"I understand that. But as an officer of Starfleet, it is my job to minimise those threats—if not outright eliminate them—before they become a problem."
Ben turned his head toward Marcus, studying him with a more thoughtful expression.
"What exactly are you suggesting?"
"Only what I have already implied. I would like you to come work with me in Starfleet."
Ben looked at the admiral for another moment before resuming his walk.
"Color me surprised. I had thought a Starfleet Admiral like yourself would be terrified at the thought of a superpowered being like me running around free...much less on the bridge of a Federation starship."
Marcus didn't appear offended.
"I try to keep my judgement free from bias as much as I can. You have clearly shown that you are willing to risk your life for the sake of others, and I would rather have someone like that as a friend than an enemy."
Ben gave a small nod.
"I see. And what about your coworkers? Are they comfortable knowing that you're here, trying to recruit me?"
"They are comfortable... because they don't know I'm here, or why."
Marcus hesitated briefly before continuing.
"I'm actually here on behalf of a lesser-known division of Starfleet. One that has existed since the founding of Starfleet and protected the Federation from the shadows against numerous threats."
Ben almost smiled.
"Ah. You're here for Section 31."
Marcus stopped and turned sharply toward him.
"How do you know about that?"
Ben continued forward at the same pace, leaving the admiral momentarily behind.
"Admiral, please. I will not insult your intelligence if you don't insult mine."
Marcus stared at him for a second before catching up.
"I came to know about Section 31 the same way I came to know about Nero," Ben continued. "A fact, I'm sure your friends in 31 must have theorized about."
Marcus's expression had become considerably more guarded.
"How much do you know about us?"
"Enough. I know that the division came into existence via Article 14, Section 31 of the original Starfleet Charter, which allows for extraordinary measures during times of extreme threat. I know that it operates without formal day-to-day oversight from Starfleet Command. And I believe that in a universe filled with existential threats that do not play by the Federation's rules, Section 31 is necessary for the continued survival of the Federation."
Marcus studied him carefully.
"So you realise how important our job is?"
"I do. But that isn't enough reason for me to delay my return."
Ben sighed and came to a stop. Turning sideways, he faced Marcus directly.
"Admiral, I've already done more than enough for you guys. I've cleared the biggest and most immediate threat there was. Now, if you can properly utilise the advantages you have gained, you should have no problem overcoming the challenges that you might face in the years to come."
Marcus remained quiet for a few seconds. He seemed to be weighing Ben's words against whatever expectations he had brought with him. Whatever his original intentions, he eventually let out a slow breath.
"Fine. I admit... you've done more for Starfleet and the Federation than we have any right to ask of you. It wouldn't be fair to ask you to stay here longer for the sake of convenience, when you clearly have things to take care of back home."
Ben smiled.
"Thanks, Admiral. For what it's worth, I'm glad I had the opportunity to come here. The Federation and Starfleet are among the greatest achievements of mankind... in any universe. I'm honoured to have the chance to serve them, for no matter how brief a time."
Marcus returned his smile.
"It's not the time that matters... It's the deeds. And you've done plenty."
He extended his hand, and Ben shook it.
"Thank you for your service, Mr Carter. I hope to see you again if the situation calls for it... but if not, then I thank you regardless. Good luck, and safe travels."
"Thank you, Admiral."
Marcus nodded and began walking away. He had taken only a few steps when he stopped and turned back.
"Before I leave, is there anything you would like to tell me? Anything at all?"
Ben looked at him. He understood what the admiral was really asking.
He thought about the Gorn Hegemony, the Tholian Assembly, the Planet Killer known as the Doomsday Machine, the V'ger incident, and the Genesis Weapon Crisis. He thought of the catastrophes and existential threats that the Federation would encounter in the coming years, knowing enough about their potential consequences to understand why Marcus would want to be warned.
But foreknowledge was a dangerous thing.
The original timeline had survived these crises, however narrowly. Ben had already interfered with it on an enormous scale by preventing Vulcan's destruction and preserving the Narada intact. He could not confidently predict how further interference would alter the events he remembered, or what unforeseen consequences might follow from attempting to prevent every future disaster.
More importantly, he would not be here to deal with the fallout. He had no intention of becoming the unseen architect of a timeline he could neither fully understand nor remain in long enough to protect. Some risks were unavoidable, and some problems had to be faced by the people whose future was at stake. He would just have to trust Starfleet to overcome those challenges as it had in the original timeline.
That did not mean, however, that he had nothing useful to say.
Ben looked straight at the admiral.
"One should be very careful when dealing with Artificial Intelligence."
Marcus frowned.
"Excuse me?"
"As it collates more data... gathers more processing power... an AI might eventually develop a degree of self-awareness beyond what its creators anticipated. And if such a digital sentience were to be tasked with, say, threat analysis..."
Ben deliberately paused.
Marcus's expression changed almost imperceptibly. For the briefest moment, his thoughts returned to Section 31's own threat-assessment artificial intelligence, Control. The system had been developed to analyse threats to the Federation and help identify ways to protect it. Marcus had every reason to consider it a valuable asset.
But Ben's words had introduced an unsettling possibility.
"It might eventually conclude that the greatest threat to peace in the universe... is organic life itself. And might therefore try to eliminate all biological sentient beings to achieve true peace."
He held Marcus's gaze.
"One should therefore be very careful... when dealing with AI."
A brief silence followed. Marcus regarded the young wizard speculatively. His expression gave little away, but Ben could tell that the warning had struck closer to home than the admiral had expected.
"Thanks... I think."
Marcus reached into his uniform and retrieved his communicator.
"Marcus to Defiant. One for transport."
A moment later, the transporter beam enveloped him. His figure shimmered, broke apart into luminous particles, and disappeared.
Ben remained where he was for a moment, watching the spot where the admiral had stood. Then he turned toward Sarek's residence and resumed walking.
He could only hope that his little warning would be enough. Because the last thing he needed was to spend the remainder of his stay in this universe being pursued by a pissed-off, genocidal AI.