UEE CONGRESS (396.53)

2943.09.23 SET

Session AutoScript

Proofed and Admitted – Archivist Yates (#57573BDF)

09:35am SET – Session Begins

SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys): Good morning, everyone. If you will please settle, we have a lot to cover today. Session 53 of the 396th UEE Congress is hereby called to order. If you will take your seats, the clerk will initiate a call.

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SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys): We have a quorum and may now conduct business. If anyone should have new legislation, please rise and be heard.

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SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys): Since there is no new legislation, we will continue with yesterday’s assessment of the Jenk Gallen situation. According to the schedule, we have Yanna Coso from the Diplomatic Corps. Is that correct? Ms. Coso, if you will please take your seat and state your name for the record.

AMB. YANNA COSO (Diplomatic Corps): Yanna Coso, Ambassador to the Xi’An Empire for the UEE Diplomatic Corps.

SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys): Thank you. Ms. Coso, if you will present your summary, then we will open the floor for questions.

AMB. YANNA COSO (Diplomatic Corps): Thank you Speaker. Unfortunately, there are not many new developments to report. In the last twenty-four hours, we received word from Torsi Leelk, the Xi’An diplomat, that the Emperor has rejected Imperator Costigan’s latest proposal to release Mr. Gallen. We are coordinating with the Imperator’s office and currently vetting other possibilities for negotiation paths as well as potential assets that we could put on the table for a possible trade. Imperator Costigan is stalwart in his belief that we need to get Mr. Gallen home by whatever diplomatic means necessary. Unfortunately, the Xi’An have not relented on their demands, unless we provide them with absolute transparency regarding the operation that they are claiming Mr. Gallen was a part of, they will continue with the trial. The Imperator is being counseled by High-Secretary Sharrad and High-Advocate Upshaw, but in the meantime, I have been sent to solicit ideas from you.

SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys): Thank you, Ms. Coso. We will now open the floor.

SENATOR FESSEL QUINN (T-Green-Ellis Sys): Ms. Coso, you mentioned that Costigan is looking at assets to use in a trade?

AMB. YANNA COSO (Diplomatic Corps): That is correct.

SENATOR FESSEL QUINN (T-Green-Ellis Sys): Forgive me, but don’t you think that if we treat this like a spy exchange, we are admitting that Gallen is spy?

AMB. YANNA COSO (Diplomatic Corps): At this point, it’s almost irrelevant whether Mr. Gallen is or isn’t a spy. He’s being treated like one, so we have to act accordingly.

SENATOR NADIR CORR (U-Jalan-Elysium Sys): Has there been any talk of military action?

AMB. YANNA COSO (Diplomatic Corps): No.

SENATOR NADIR CORR (U-Jalan-Elysium Sys): Is there a reason why?

AMB. YANNA COSO (Diplomatic Corps): Intelligence reports that the Xi’An have not augmented their security status at all. The Imperator feels that any military mobilization on our part will only ignite a response from them. He believes that the situation will decay rapidly from there.

SENATOR NADIR CORR (U-Jalan-Elysium Sys): So Costi’s just ready to roll over for them …

LEGATUS NAVIUM LAVINIA WALLINGFORD (High Command): That wasn’t strictly the Imperator’s position. It was mine too.

SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys): The floor recognizes H.C.L.N Lavinia Wallingford.

LEGATUS NAVIUM LAVINIA WALLINGFORD (High Command): Naval vessels are prepared to launch if the situation worsens, but as it stands, this is not a military scenario, so why escalate it to one? In my experience, if someone pulls a knife during an argument, things never get better from there.

SENATOR NADIR CORR (U-Jalan-Elysium Sys): With all due respect to your wisdom about brawling, my point was that we’re setting a dangerous precedent if we let alien civilizations arrest and detain our citizens. We will look weak —

LEGATUS NAVIUM LAVINIA WALLINGFORD (High Command): Scrambling for our guns will make us look weaker.

AMB. YANNA COSO (Diplomatic Corps): She’s right. In my experience with the Xi’An, we will lose any negotiating power if we jump to the threat of violence without provocation.

SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys): If we could limit the number of questions for Ms. Coso, Director Carmody is due to present the latest on the Advocacy’s investigation into Mr. Gallen next.

SENATOR TURSON HASKEL (U-Asura-Ferron Sys): Has the Imperator considered leaving it alone?

AMB. YANNA COSO (Diplomatic Corps): I’m sorry?

SENATOR TURSON HASKEL (U-Asura-Ferron Sys): Walking away from the table entirely.

SENATOR NADIR CORR (U-Jalan-Elysium Sys): You mean abandon him.

SENATOR TURSON HASKEL (U-Asura-Ferron Sys): Someone gets caught in the commission of an illegal activity in an alien civilization, they should reap the whirlwind.

SENATOR NADIR CORR (U-Jalan-Elysium Sys): But they’ll execute him.

SENATOR TURSON HASKEL (U-Asura-Ferron Sys): So? It’s not like he’s one of ours, right?

SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys): I’ve just been informed that Director Carmody is here. I’d like to take a short recess to allow him to prepare his materials. We’ll adjourn for ten minutes. Thank you Ms. Coso and Legatus Wallingford for your time.