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Senate: Misc Change to Bill 95 in regard to Neko Law

"Why don't we write an appeal to the Empress? She is able to overrule both the military and the legislative branches of the government. With the proper decree, she can settle the matter in a way that lets the military save face because it will be obeying Her Imperial Majesty's orders, rather than backing down due to pressure from below. Like myself, the Empress has been issued a Nekovalkyrja body so she may be sympathetic. If we can convince her to remove the Nekovalkyrja bodies from the restricted technologies list, it is likely that the military will change its policies and will cease asking for the bodies to be returned for discharges and upgrades," Hanako suggested.
 
"What, what what?!" Sputtered the Asurian senator at the words from Hanako, her suggestion being ludicrous in his ears. "With all due respect to your suggestion, Hanako-hime, I must state that it is a reckless and dangerous notion to even consider removing the nekovalkyrja body from the restricted technologies listing." started the senator, as he seemed quite ready to collapse from the sheer idea.

"With foreign entities surrounding us, all of which have the capacity to easily reverse engineer our technologies which place us in a superior position, we can not risk giving them free license to easily get their hands upon our most vital resources. Look at what has happened since our Empire permitted aether weapons to proliferate, scalar, and transposition weapons as well! Because of the lack-luster way in which our restriction laws were upheld, the system which I represent is stuck with a foreign neighbor which can easily turn the Asura system into a cinder if they so desired! I can not even begin to imagine if our potential enemies could easily get their hands upon examples of the soldiers which make up the backbone of our very Empire!"

"Furthermore, I must make it absolutely clear to my fellow senators as to how the law in this case can be interpreted, not only can, but should." Continued the Asurian senator, with an explanation in mind; "Prior to our ruling which defined the Nekovalkryja as equipment, the Nekovalkyrja was already considered a sentient life-form, acknowledged by law to have the freedoms and rights afforded to near any sentient being. However, upon our own ruling, we defined the Nekovalkyrja as military hardware, by our own ruling, we excluded the Nekovalkyrja from any further examination on our parts as the Senate. We burned that bridge once we crossed it."

"Personally, I recommend to those who wish to make a fuss about this situation to simply sign on as a civilian military contractor once their term of service in field operations is concluded. KZ and Kessaku can always use extra labor. Just to name a couple of potential military affiliated employers."
 
Kotori just gave Senator Asura a weary look.

"By this point, I'm about as worried the nekovalkyrja will be reverse-engineered as Nepleslians are worried we'd do the same with ID-SOLs. Can we? Yes. Do we want to? Not really. Besides, the NH-29 has been thrown around enough on both sides of the Second Mishhuvurthyar war to not really be a secret anymore - you can thank the NMX for that - and the NH-33 is already copy-protected."

That said, she turned to Hanako. "I agree that an appeal to the Empress is likely the best way to cut through all this ambiguity."
 
Gunther turned to Hanako, "Hime, provided that said appeal both removes the Nekovalkyrja from the restricted technologies, and strikes Proposal 95 from the law books. I can support this proposal. Otherwise, we will find ourselves back here working on this matter again."
 
"Ladies and Gentlemen," A man who had been quietly listening to the debate up until this point began to say as he stood to be recognized. He was rather tall and muscular looking old man who appeared to have seen better days. His face looked tired and weathered by decades of fighting as an eye patch covered a scar on his left eye. His blond beard added to his rugged look and matched his long, wild hair that refused to be tamed. "Let us recall why we are here in the first place." The old man was talking with an unpacked pipe in his mouth more out of habit than actual desire to smoke. There was something about the tobacco pipe that calmed Senator Erik Reinhardt's mind.

"We have been elected by the people to represent their interests and intelligently discuss the issues at hand." Senator Reinhardt simply stated as he removed the pipe from his mouth with his left hand. "As of Bill 95, the Nekovalkrjya are no longer considered people. They are to be treated as equipment as per this body's own decision. We have placed ourselves in this position and everything that has occurred since were merely cascading effects of this decision." The senator paused for a moment to let his statement sink in for a moment. "Now are we to petition the Empress for redress? Will we give up our sovereign authority to the Empress completely because it is convenient? Or should we allow the laws to be challenged in the courts our cede our power to unelected judges to changes the laws at their whim? All because we cannot come up with a reasonable solution on our own." The old man stopped once more to gauge the reaction of the Senators around him. "We have not only the authority to address this situation here in this body, but I believe we have the responsibility to resolve this issue here and now. We have no one to blame but ourselves for this situation and therefore, we must take responsibility and act accordingly."

Senator Reinhardt decided to change gears now that he made his point. The Senators would hear his words or not, but at least he made his point. "Now I have heard reasonable arguments from both sides of the issue. We have a responsibility to the security of the Empire by preventing the use of Nekovalkyrja in enemy hands. Yet at the same time we have a responsibility to respecting the freedoms of the citizens of the Empire. Now whether or not you believe that the Nekovalkyrja bodies constitute equipment or not, you cannot deny that each vessel contains a unique individual. Each one of these bodies carries within them a divine spark that has inalienable rights, among which are liberty. What then are we to choose, security or liberty?" The old man asked the rhetorical question before giving his response. "I have heard that those who chose security over liberty deserve neither. Now that being said, I believe we should proceed cautiously in granting the Neko their God-given right to freedom. We must do so in a way that will protect the interests of the Empire as her interests should be nothing but the interests of the individuals that compose the Empire herself. Perhaps a compromise can be arranged by making the older models copy protected via a retrovirus upgrade? Why not create duplicates that are identical to the older models that are grown copy protected if the retrovirus is not a viable solution?" He looked around to see if any of the other Senators had a suggestion. "The point I am trying to make is that there is a way to appease both sides, and we should not rest until we find it."
 
Yuki Asunana had been rather quiet throughout the entire debate, but then again, it didn't help that was not there 'phyically' but rather through a holographic projection of herself. She was still on her world, dealing with problems that prevented her from actually attending in person.

With a heavy sigh, she leaned forward, her holographic hands resting easily on the table in front of her. "The Neko have always been on the fore-front of battle, against the Mishhu's and other enemies; they have protected this Empire and citizens, along with the freedoms that we charis so much.. isn't it high-time that we bestow those same Freedom's onto them? The same ones they have fought so many years to defend?"

"It seems like a great injustice to not allow them the same freedoms that they've defended, and it seems quite wrong to continue to think of them as being nothing more than equipment. Neko's can breath, just like us," she pointed to herself. "They can eat, just like us," she pointed to several people in the room. "They are capable of bleeding, they are capable of crying, they are capable of feeling emotions, they have a personality. To continue to think of them as being nothing but equipment is wrong, so very wrong."

Her head turned to the right and people would notice her lips moving but no audio for a few moments before she returned to her speech. "It is quite naïve to think that the Neko's and their bodies can remain protected for years to come, it is an impossibility, as the Mishhu war has undoubtedly demonstrated. Anything can fall into an enemies or even an allies hand, no matter of restrictions or security protocols will prevent that eventuality."
 
"Bleeding, crying, emotions, freedom." Disgruntled tones flowed from the Asurian senator as he spoke to those who were gathered; "What it sounds to me, is that the current generation of equipment is inherently flawed by design, with far too much of an intention to make them more like real people, and less like proper war machines, which they are, despite their clear and apparent flaws brought about by a design meant to fit the needs of the soft-handed administration which our constituents are so comfortably led by. If anything, their design being so life-like is the very reason why this senate seems so utterly confused."

"Frankly, I can not see why there is this failure to comprehend the fact that the Nekovalkyrja is no more than a machine which has been programmed with a complex series of instructions in regard to how to seem like a real person. However, if we do wish to start issuing rights based upon the ability to feel, to think, to consume, to voice their suffering, then we most certainly should also quantify the ships of the Star Army as creatures with rights and privileges to freedom. Every ship with a WIES or better computer suite is fully capable of the same level of thought and feeling as any nekovalkyrja, and that is made apparent whenever a ship avatar has been created, and has interacted with a crew just the same as any ordinary piece of military hardware would... Oh, I mean, just the same as any ordinary Nekovalkyrja would."

"What it comes down to, Senators, is the fact that you are all allowing your feelings to cloud rational judgement. Though, if this senate is to push for freedoms and rights of all that live with the same capacity as a nekovalkryja, then most certainly we should set our ships free, inform the old LAMIA armors in storage that they are people, and give the NIWS names and houses and rehabilitate them since they were so clearly exploited, forced to act as a tool of war... as they were created to be!"
 
"We know, Senator. We've heard you before," Kotori returned. The credibility of the man was at an all time low, with his arguments being repeated over and over to convince an audience populated by more than half of its members by Nekovalkyrja, former-nekovalkyrja, a fair number of humans sympathetic to the nekovalkyrja along with the Empress and Yui-Taisho; both also nekovalkyrja. It was hard for it to not seem deluded.

Instead of investing more time on him, she summoned forth a new volumetric window that would display the content of their letter of address to appeal to the Empress.

Honored Empress,

We, the undersigned members of the Senate, would like to submit an appeal to you regarding the laws and restrictions present on the Nekovalkyrja.

Since the outcry that followed the Nekovalkyrja Upgrade Order, there has been support in the Senate to the notion that the laws deeming Nekovalkyrja hardware and denying them the consideration of being a species of its own right (See "Bill 95" and the "Restriction on Nekovalkyrja" set of laws) were passed to the disservice of our citizens. We believe that the Nekovalkyrja - in particular the NH-29 and NH-33 series - ought to cease being considered as material, and be considered a species in equal standing to all others amongst our member worlds (i.e.: Nepleslian, Kodian, Phod); and furthermore express that the Nekovalkyrja be allowed to retain the body to which their sense of identity is so derived from.

Such intentions do, however, come into conflict with previous decrees from Former-Empress Yuumi and Former-Empress Katsuko, as well as the Restrictions of Technology Laws whom do list 'Nekovalkyrja'. In our zeal to improve the quality of the lives of our people, we would overstep our bounds. We do not care to bring such disrespect to the Star Army of Yamatai, but feel that standing by idly would be grossly negligent on our part. With the combination of laws, decrees and restrictions; we fear that the letter of the law only allows the nekovalkyrja condition to be made to grow worse, and never improved upon.

And so, we turn to you. It is our hope that in your wisdom, you will have the answer which will lead to the most happiness and prosperity for the souls under your benevolent rule.

Ever in the service of the Empire,

Ketsurui Kotori, Senator of the Kotori System
X
(...)
X​

Kotori added a few more Xes for good measure as placeholders for listing the names of those in support of the appeal.

"The Kotori system proposes this appeal be presented to the Empress. Before votes be raised to add the signatures of those in approval, are there any motions to change the wording of the appeal?"
 
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Maeda-taisa remained seated with his forehead rested in his palm as the other senators said their heated parts. When the opportunity came—perhaps during the brief break as legislators and their aides examined the latest proposal—he looked up and signaled for a point of order. He rose stiffly once he'd been given permission to address the chamber.

"There are few things more unfortunate than soldiers who do not understand the civilization they protect," the blond political attache began, briefly peering down at the awards and devices adorning his uniform. "Though your inflated self-worth and attachment to the NH-29 line certainly makes sense, Senator Kotori of planet Kotori in the Kotori system, and I can surely understand how your experiences have shaped the odd worldview that seems to fuel your crusade."

A large volumetric display littered with lines and lines of numbers and statistics appeared behind the taisa.

"But the fact of the matter is most citizens in this Empire, Nekovalkyrja or no, do not see eye-to-eye with you," he said as the confusing chart behind him highlighted and focused in on a single number: 99.85, in big block letters, followed by a percentage symbol. "Ninety-nine-point-eight-five percent. That's how many of my constituents—only point-one-five percent against—approve of current laws regarding Nekovalkyrja-type weapons. My duty is to those from the Tami system, so it is not my place to speak for other representatives' constituents, but you should all find the numbers are similar across our great nation.

"Moreover," Maeda continued with a raised voice, "you do not seem to have considered how reversing current restrictions would impact military policy or doctrine. The Star Army of Yamatai is the greatest military this galaxy and some universes have ever seen. But make no mistake! Granting personhood to this Empire's warrior-vessels rather than simply keeping it with what we scientifically recognize as "the soul," which already occurs and garauntees the same rights to all Yamataians, would have disastrous impact on how we conduct war. Nekovalkyrja were created to protect life by providing our soldiers with an expendable shell with which to fight and die in. If our admirals must suddenly recognize new social rights to the equipment their personnel wage war with then their jobs are that much more difficult. Tami rejects this.

"Rights for all citizens are already equal and secure. Becoming attached to the equipment you were assigned is Nekoyanki-level delusion."
 
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Gunther listed to the Senator from Tami. He had to chuckle when this Maeda started displaying a overly complicated chart and cited a percentage.

"Maeda-Taisa, I hate to inform you, but your pronouncement that we should all find similar numbers across the Empire as baseless. This is supported by the fact that the majority of Senators so far support the measure. And speaking for my constituents, when we asked the population of Daichi for their views." He waves his hand and a very simple pie chart appeared.

"When asked to vote on the matter, we received a 87 to 13 in favor of Nekovalkyrja being a species. That was out of our population of 17 Million citizens.

As for your claims that granting Nekovalkyrja is going to somehow negatively impact the military. I disagree. People who are fighting for what they believe and care about, fight better. Nekovalkyrja fighting for their families and homes as well as ours will fight better not worse.

As for delusion, I must say I find your attitude bordering on delusional. Nekovalkyrja are not equipment, they are not property. They are citizens. To classify them as equipment or property is to make them less than slaves. "
 
"There are a lot of 'he said', 'she said' going on in here," Kotori pointed out, "but the truth of the matter - here, now - is that there is a divide, and it is between extremes."

"We can keep arguing, but at this point, I pretty much feel I have heard everything the two representatives truly opposed to this have been. An argument out of endurance disinterests me, and I don't see the point of further defaming the stance of others, or further procrastination - so let's get on with the program and agree to disagree. Therefore, once again..."

She pointed for emphasis the letter of appeal she had drafted.

Honored Empress,

We, the undersigned members of the Senate, would like to submit an appeal to you regarding the laws and restrictions present on the Nekovalkyrja.

Since the outcry that followed the Nekovalkyrja Upgrade Order, there has been support in the Senate to the notion that the laws deeming Nekovalkyrja hardware and denying them the consideration of being a species of its own right (See "Bill 95" and the "Restriction on Nekovalkyrja" set of laws) were passed to the disservice of our citizens. We believe that the Nekovalkyrja - in particular the NH-29 and NH-33 series - ought to cease being considered as material, and be considered a species in equal standing to all others amongst our member worlds (i.e.: Nepleslian, Kodian, Phod); and furthermore express that the Nekovalkyrja be allowed to retain the body to which their sense of identity is so derived from.

Such intentions do, however, come into conflict with previous decrees from Former-Empress Yuumi and Former-Empress Katsuko, as well as the Restrictions of Technology Laws whom do list 'Nekovalkyrja'. In our zeal to improve the quality of the lives of our people, we would overstep our bounds. We do not care to bring such disrespect to the Star Army of Yamatai, but feel that standing by idly would be grossly negligent on our part. With the combination of laws, decrees and restrictions; we fear that the letter of the law only allows the nekovalkyrja condition to be made to grow worse, and never improved upon.

And so, we turn to you. It is our hope that in your wisdom, you will have the answer which will lead to the most happiness and prosperity for the souls under your benevolent rule.

Ever in the service of the Empire,

Ketsurui Kotori, Senator of the Kotori System
(placeholder for signatures of others in support of this appeal
Click to expand...

"The Kotori System proposes this letter of appeal be submitted to the Empress. There is one vote for the present version, one vote against, and no motions to change as of yet."

"What say the rest of you?"
 
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Taisho Yui appeared, putting in her comments:

"Making the Nekovalkyrja a free species is no different than making quantum computers a 'species.' It's nonsensical because computers, like Nekovalkyrja bodies, are merely hardware that contain an intelligence, not the intelligence itself. Because Yamataians can change bodies freely, citizens are not recognized and identified or protected based on their current physical forms, but on their minds. Nekovalkyrja are citizens, too, but their citizenship is based on them as a person who can change bodies, just like everyone else in the Empire," Yui explained. "The difference is that Nekovalkyrja bodies are a restricted technology that are the property of the Star Army of Yamatai. The Nekovalkyrja body is like a uniform of the Star Army of Yamatai. And there are many who take pride in that, particularly the Nekovalkyrja in the Star Army. It is the mark of a veteran who fights for her nation. If the restriction is lifted by the Empress, I can see the Yamatai Star Empire's future where most civilians are Nekovalkyrja rather than Minkan. Any civilian would be able to get a body built for war, a body that once was synonymous with trained Star Army professionals. Are we sure we want to go down that road? Civilians can make whatever bodies they want, so why take the exclusivity of military's body away? You don't get to wear the Star Army's uniform unless you serve, and you shouldn't wear the body unless you serve or served, either. This is our Nekovalkyrja culture and our national culture. Do not throw it away."
 
Gunther shook his head briefly listening to the Taisho, but waited until she finished with her statement. It was her right to speak. "Daichi Supports the proposal to submit an Appeal to the Empress."
 
"Let me ask you a question Sentaor Yui," Senator Reinhardt began to say as he began to pack his tobacco pipe while he spoke. "You appear to have a concern with the average citizen having the tools for war. Tell me, are you concerned about our Nekovalkyrja, who have only been alive for a mere ninety days to be in possession of these tools of war? They do defend our Empire on a daily basis." The man said as he finished packing his tobacco pipe before turning his attention to the Senator. "If you are comfortable with people that have only been alive for ninety days, or in operation depending on how you view the situation, then why should we be concerned with citizens who has access to them within the Empire? Surely our own citizens with years of experience would have even a greater sense of responsibility as those who have been alive for only so long, do you not agree?"

The man then turns to the Senator of Kotori. "I will not accept a motion to petition the Empress for redress. If you do so now, you might as well abolish the Senate now and hand the Empress dictatorial powers now." Senator Reinhardt places the unlit pipe in his mouth for a moment's pause. "Now I have heard legitimate arguments from both sides of this discussion. One argument was for the security of the Empire to protect her interests while the other was to guarantee the freedom and liberty of the citizens of the Empire. I have also noticed that each side seems to dismiss the others concerns, and this is fool hearty." His eyes shifted to the Senator who had been proclaiming the need for strict security in the interest of the Empire. "The Empire's sole interests should be the interests of her people for they are the Empire." His eyes then shifted to those who advocate unrestricted citizenship for the Nekovalkyrja. "Yet we must tread softly, lest we find ourselves in a far graver situation manufactured by nothing more than our shortsightedness."

The man finally takes a lighter to his tobacco pipe and inhales a few long draws before removing the pipe. "Now I have offered up a few suggestions off the cusp to spark the ideas of compromise, shall we investigate mutually beneficial options in good faith further?" He exhales a small could of smoke. "Or should we continue to waste one another's time by remaining stubborn old bats?"
 
Kotori's shoulders stiffened when Yui appeared to say her piece. However, she held her tongue - for one, she'd made her stance clear and retorting would just fly in the face of her encouraging an 'agree to disagree' stance earlier. Secondly, it was just poor form to argue with her clan mistress in public.

But a sinking feeling nonetheless crept in her chest. Kotori had hoped Hanako would've had been understanding enough to feel ambivalent and choose to abstain... but with Yui making her views adamantly known, Hanako was probably going to go along and vote 'no'. She knew, according to those whom had spoken up before, that her chosen stance had majority and would likely beat the opposition. Even with Hanako's vote against, it probably still would. But it'd make for a far less convincing appeal. Unless the nekovalkyrja-born Himiko shared similar feeling, there would be little reason to be bolder about the issue.

Daichi's vote lifted her spirit, but only for a moment. The old newcomer representing a system she couldn't recall went on another relatively aimless diatribe that again poorly followed the rest of the proceedings, apparently not getting that the whole reason why the appeal would be made to the Empress was because they were stonedwalled by previous Imperial decrees. In regard to this issue, nothing could be done except addressing Himiko about it, or not. His naivete was not helping, and in face of the relatively important decision she felt they were making, it rankled at her all the more. Shikuchou.

But his lighting of his pipe and smoking it in disgusting disrespect to all other attendees was pretty much the last straw. Out of some Nepleslia-imported rookie soldier, she might have tolerated it, but that coming from a supposedly-distinguished member of the Senate went too far. "Do you mind?!" She snapped at him, pointing out the lit pipe.
 
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A pair of armed Nekovalkyrja guards emerged from the shadows and tackled Reinhart, throwing him down to the ground while a third showed up seconds later and repeatedly and violently whipped his body and hand with a stun baton until he dropped the offending pipe. "PUT THE PARAPHENALIA DOWN! STOP RESISTING!" While the senate looked on, the man was forcibly cuffed and dragged out of the senate chamber by the stronger Nekovalkyrja. "You are under arrest for violating the Yamataian Planetary Anti-Tobacco Act! You have the right to remain silent, anything you say is being recorded. You have the right to attorney..." the words faded as the security team removed the perpetrator from the area.
 
Yamashita rose.

"If it truly is out of our hands as elected officials to free the people who have protected us for so long, then whatever remaining avenues we have must be taken.

"Yamatai votes in favor of an appeal to the Empress. May her wisdom see us through."

He sat, not addressing the bantering of his collegues. Or their breaches of conduct. He was new himself to the Senate, but moreover, he had little to add. He knew that on Yamatai, the issue was not so clear cut as it was on other planets. The very city of the Taisho's clan heavily disagreed with her, while the more human cities fell on different lines depending on which district was being discussed. He knew Ralt was against him, Ternifac was for him. New Malifar overwhelmingly voted in his favor, after many Neko, finishing their military service, came back to help rebuild the city. Jskita, old as it was, wanted weapons to stay weapons and men to stay men. So on and so on.

His constituents could not quite agree, so his conscience was all he had.
 
There was an amused laugh from the Asurian senator as he watched Reinhardt get dragged away. It was truly something worthy of a laugh, though, he soon spoke; "Asura votes no to the motion to clutter the Empress' inbox with sentimental prattle."
 
"If we had not sentiments, we would be mindless drones." Iwase Tamako said after long time of just listening and holding herself back. She was a senator and that means she had to hold to some kind of code. Calling 'fellow' senator a cretin or idiot was against it. "As a senator of Ahrbeg system I vote yes for an appeal to Empress."
 
"I see Reinhardt got dragged away again."

The voice of Senator Jushimoto was a crackling groan, which wouldn't even be heard if it weren't for the amplification of his voice. There was an amplified sigh, and Jushimoto stood up, drawing his hanten close in what he'd always considered the 'way-too-cold' senate chambers.

"If I may, I'd like to vote now to appeal to the Empress." He said, running a pale finger through massive eyebrows and looking a bit bored. "I like the appeal. It's polite. All this shouting, all these raw emotions, they really tire me out. The appeal, it's much quieter. I'd also like it if my fellow senators would stop trying so vocifierously to convince each other that they're correct. I'm sure everyone has feelings. That's a thing. Please share them more respectfully."
 
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