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

A blue holographic of Senator Reinhardt in the back of a police car appears next to the drafted proposal. The man had a clearly visible bruised lip while appeared to be cradling his smoking hand as he spoke to a figure off the screen. "So you guys did install a holorecorder for me in the car for me? That is fantastic news, I'd hate to miss out on an important vote." A female voice responded to the Senator's remark from the front stating it "wasn't a problem" for a "repeat customer" like him. "Quick question though, do you really have to shout 'stop resisting' every time?" The female voice only responded with. "You're on."

"Oh, thank you." Erik said as he turned to face the Senate. "So what did I miss?" He asked as he took a moment to review the screen in front of him. "Ah, we are to vote on petitioning the Empress now are we?" He asked a rhetorical question before casting his vote. "I, Senator Erik Rienhardt of the Kilnar System vote against this measure on the principles that this body was founded upon. Senates and other various forms of legislatures of the past that are comprised of multiple people were created to prevent pieces of legislation from rapidly being changed by design. The designers knew that long, open discussion amongst the people was the best way to craft laws. Handing over this decision to the Empress is akin to giving her totalitarian authority. And we here in the Yamatai Empire value, if nothing else, our freedom from oppression."

Kotori gave the barest wince as a representation of the Kilnaran Senator reappeared and clearly declared his vote. You know, Senator Rienhardt, if you were just opposed to this because you disagreed with neko bodies being people, I could still respect you, she thought sourly to herself. But here you're making a misinformed vote simply because you didn't pay attention. I don't respect incompetence. Despite the unkind thought, she had trouble mustering anykind of true dislike towards the old man - raised in a culture where tolerance and courtesy were watchwords, his beatdown just after she'd protested had made her feel guilty. Law-enforcing aside, as gross and oblivious as she'd found him to be, just putting out his pipe would have had been enough for her.

But all this wasting emotional energy on him was getting her nowhere closer to why she'd presented herself to the Senate that day.

Grace under pressure.

So Kotori, willing herself to remain composed, instead focused on the now which granting Senator Kilnar's request to see what he had missed and update everyone else with a current tally of the votes:
"As we presently stand... the representatives of systems Yamatai, Daichi, Kotori, Ahrbeg and Koukotsu are in favor of the appeal as presented. Those of systems Tami, Asura and Kilnar are in disfavor."

"Taisho," Yuki spoke up as she looked over at Yui. "While what you say is in fact true, it is truly only those who have earned that right to have that body. However, we live in a universe where true safety just doesn't exist anymore. Civilians having access to the Neko body is a concern, and a risk, all the more reason for us to properly educate our people on the risk and dangers that come with the body if it were to ever be used by the civilian populace."

She then turned her attention back to the floor. "My people, my fellow Anisians, have been desiring freedoms for all Neko's, a break from the restrictions that their bodies are considered only equipment. It is my position as Senator for Anisa to honor their requests, and to vote in support of this appeal." Yuki glanced off screen again as she grabbed what looked like a piece of paper, she read up and down the sheet before her lips moved - but once again no voice - as she spoke to someone and handed the paper away.

One thing bugged her, there were rumours flying about that the majority of Neko's didn't want this, yet, if that were truly the case then this type of appeal would never have made it to the floor, which means that there are most likely a significant amount of Nekos that 'do' support the appeal. Which made her wonder, was someone manipulating information to try and make it seem like this isn't the case? Something like this wouldn't surprise her, not in the least.

"Hmm..." Jushimoto seemed to consider the constant mentions of civilians in Neko bodies. It was ever-present in the discussion, and he wondered if it were truly an important point-- if one looked at it differently.

"You know..." He began, clearing his throat, "I'd still like to send our appeal to the Empress. However; perhaps we should seek out some sort of scientific advice while drafting our proposal. Clearly, the intent behind this bill was not to give Nekovalkyrja bodies to just anyone who wanted them. It was meant to safeguard the identities of a group of Neko who've come to treasure their physical forms. If the more extreme powers can be cowed somehow, but a medical process, or a simple software alteration--"

He paused to sip from his tea.

"If our scientists are capable of doing that, we could ignore the threats to national security. The concern would be primarily one of equipment." He went on. "We already let our soldiers keep their uniforms or buy their own, don't we? Well, why not treat this the same way? Imagine this: A Nekovalkyrja who transfers out of service and wants to retain her body must pay associated costs. Neko who want to remain in service and retain their current model of body must pay associated costs with updating themselves to interact with our equipment the same way Minkans or Nepleslians do. Sounds reasonable, right?"

"Then, let's explore the concern to have safeguards for the sake of national security," Kotori began gamely. "First of all, there's really three ways more nekovalkyrja can be born: an NH-29 giving youngling birth, a NH-33 being produced, or a NH-33 giving youngling birth."

"Secondly, as far as the retention of our technology goes, the NH-29 is not much of a problem. The NMX has produced so many of them as cannon fodder that our interstellar neighbors have no doubt gotten as much of a good look at them as they might have liked. If they wanted to reverse engineer the technology behind them, the damage is likely already done." She paused and then addressed the issue for the more recent iteration. "The Tennyos and the Eiheis, by contrast, already have safeguards which makes it so that their military-grade abilities will not last overlong outside of the service. Even if they stop serving, or even leave our borders, scientists have already thought of covering that end."

"Third, if we address the danger level the NH-29 and diminished NH-33 nekovalkyrja would pose to our civilian populace, we'd find it to be negligible in comparison to the Minkan. Starting with the NH-29, nekovalkyrja have been made so that the previous weapon-like aspects of their physiology would be completed by power armor, which left them about as strong as you'd expect from any fit Nepleslian marine. The other features include better mobility in weightlessness and better endurance which turn out rather benign. In fact, you could say that other than how the nekovalkyrja makeup suits our way of life, other nations likely do not produce nekovalkyrja simply because they have found no reason to envy us and don't want to."

"Fourth," Kotori's hands raised briefly to brush her black hair behind her shoulders. "No one in this assembly has, I recall, made light of the Star Army's need to defend the Empire, and how the Star Army needs soldiers to do that. I echo Senator Daichi's belief that the Star Army needs to be able to produce soldiers, whom after serving an adequate span of time could merit retiring from the military as they were born, or in the body they've inherited from the service."

"But, I'll also admit to share some discomfort at the thought of nekovalkyrja being able to be produced just about anywhere transferable into to about anyone whom would fancy it," the amber-eyed nekovalkyrja confided. "In line with that thought, I'd be absolutely fine with the idea that the restriction ought to lie on the technology of nekovalkyrja production. That way we'd insure that the mass-production of NH-33 soldiers remain in Star Army hands. This future Yui-Taisho foretold is unlikely to happen if all you've to worry about is nekovalkyrja getting pregnant and birthing youngling daughters - besides, nekovalkyrja numbers already largely outnumber Minkans; this is nothing new."

She bent her head, her black fringe covering her eyes, and her hair spilling back over her shoulders like some shimmeringly dark curtain.

"What Taisho-Yui claimed is not something I want to decry as wrong. It's not. I can picture older nekovalkyrja whom have gone through their share of respawns and body transfers already identify to that idea. I can picture them having well rooted beliefs that it is right. In a decade, I might even come to agree." The Ketsurui noblewoman exhaled sharply, and continued: "But that is only one answer. It is not because they came before that no other answer can be found and explored. It's preposterous to believe that the nekovalkyrja condition gets to find all its answers in self-determination in its first three decades; and that the rest coming afterwards should blindly accept it and nod along. The ability of self-determination does not lie solely in our forebears; we all have it."

"The appeal isn't made to invalidate that first answer. It won't harm those nekovalkyrja believing in it. It won't stop younger nekovalkyrja from coming to the same conclusion. But it will allow for more than one answer," Kotori concluded.

"When can we send it?" Hanako asked.

Gunther listened to the others, "We have a quorum. I move that we send the appeal to her majesty."

"The Kotori system seconds."

Kotori added the signatures of all in favor to the end of the letter of appeal, and also attached a transcript of the Senate session so that the Empress would have all the details - be it dissent or assent - over the controversial topic. She then sent the letter through the appropriate channels so that it would reach the Empress' attention. Though if Yui was paying attention, I have a hard time believing Himiko wasn't already as well.

"Motion to close."

"I second the motion," Hanako said.

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,

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To: Senate of Yamatai
From: Her Imperial Majesty, Himiko I of Yamatai
Subject: Imperial Decree 20: Imperial Stance of the Rights and Restrictions on the Nekovalkyrja Species

It is our view that the Nekovalkyrja, being a creature which can be created by not only by production but by natural birth, is indeed a species and we hereby decree that the whole Empire must treat it accordingly, and that the citizens of the Yamatai Star Empire who possess a NH-29 or NH-33 body are given the same rights are freedoms with one exception: as a military species created to be the protectors of Yamatai, we also declare all Nekovalkyrja citizens of Yamatai, regardless of their origin, are subject to a mandatory 3 years of military service in the Star Army of Yamatai, or the equivalent in direct service to the Yamataian government. This maintains the "veteran" status of the race which Taisho Yui explained is so highly revered amongst the Nekovalkyrja. This decree does not interfere with the Star Army of Yamatai's ability to produce Nekovalkyrja; the Star Army must continue to produce new Nekovalkyrja in any manner it sees fit.

Signed,

Ketsurui Himiko
Empress of Yamatai