| Kindred Spirits - Proceedings of the Galactic Federation Inquiry ZD28-FV6 |
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Synopsis: Summary of ongoing proceedings at the Federation inquiry. This story is set throughout the final stages of the Kindred Spirits
series and will be posted in sections at regular intervals. Essential
reading prior to this report includes:
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Proceedings of the Galactic Federation Inquiry ZD28-FV6
---------------------------------------------------- 1.1 Meeting called to order - Each member planet present called upon to vote on the need for immediate action by the Federation, in response to the increasing threat posed by the people of the planet known as Earth. 1.2 Honourable Ambassador of Pralex 6 requested immediate implementation of proposed multiplex time-space distortion, (1) as suggested by the Drealeon delegation at a previous meeting. (2) 1.3 Uninvited interruption by Earth representative, Michael Bell, accusing other Federation members of prejudiced performance in their duties with regard to this inquiry. He claimed that the level of threat from the planet Earth has not as yet been established, and therefore no vote can be justified on these grounds. 1.4 Meeting called to order by Chairbeing Timus - Michael Bell's objection upheld. 1.5 Proposal placed before the inquiry that each member planet present be given time to prepare a statement on why the humans of Earth are a threat. 1.6 Federation Ambassador Elizabeth M'Bondo addressed the Council to request that Earth representatives also be allowed to prepare a statement. This proposal was rejected on Point of Law. (3) The Earth, no longer being a Federated planet, cannot give evidence in this part of the inquiry, its open-world status being revoked, due to the continued violence and damaging acts of criminal negligence perpetrated by the humans against the fauna and flora of their home world, as well as their cessation of progress in matters of psionic development and technology. 1.7 Elizabeth M'Bondo invoked her right, as a recognised Federation citizen and diplomat, to propose a further motion for the inquiry to consider prior to their deliberations on the potential threat from Earth. Asserting that the rescinding of open-world status was unjustified, she declared that there were in fact two distinct dominant species present on the Earth and to confuse these two groups was a gross error on the part of the Federation Council. Declaring that those psionic beings known as the Tomorrow People would soon seize power on her home world, and being both non-violent and psionic they would therefore fulfil the Federation requirement for progress in both these areas, she requested that the Earth representatives be allowed to state their case against being treated as the same level of threat as those humans known as Homo sapiens. (6)
1.9 Elizabeth defended the Tomorrow People's position, saying that they were not unaware that the threat had increased to such a magnitude until recently. The aforementioned group was currently endeavouring to stem the tide of violence sweeping the planet. She made the following statement: 'A resolution to avoid an evil is seldom framed till the evil is so far advanced as to make avoidance impossible'.(4) Elizabeth M'Bondo asserted that such acts demonstrated unequivocally the differences between her people, Homo novus, (5) and those known as Homo sapiens. 1.10 His Excellency Timus Irnok Mosta upheld the Tomorrow People's request to be allowed to prove their differences when compared to the other creatures of their home planet, and the meeting was adjourned while evidence was prepared.
1. Multiplex time space distortion: an interactive tachyon beam emitter creates FTL particles anchored to specific hyperspatial coordinates. The ensuing gravimetric distortions break the subspace barrier, excising a specified region of space that corresponds to those coordinates into a closed pocket universe. 2. Meeting reference ZP65 - FV10 3. Galactic Federation Statute 10799, clause Delta 345-B: only those planets accepted as full members of the Galactic Federation itself, as voted by majority in line with the membership conditions laid down in clause 342-C, may address the Council of the 'One Mind' directly, being deemed competent to state their case in full, in accordance with the Federation statute. 4. 'A resolution to avoid an evil is seldom framed till the evil is so far advanced as to make avoidance impossible.' 'Far From the Madding Crowd' - Thomas Hardy. Species - Homo sapiens. Social reformer and writer of poetry and other fiction. 5. Homo novus - 'New man' - A newly developed branch of modern humans evolved from the hominid line. 6. Homo sapiens - 'Wise man' - A hominid species to which modern humans belong. Currently the dominant species of planet Earth; bipedal primate having language and ability to make and use complex tools; brain capacity 1400 cc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proceedings of the Galactic Federation Inquiry ZD28-FV6 Summary of proceedings
2.2 The Representative from the Guagar-K System called for the vote on the Earth's level of threat to be deferred. The motion was carried with eight votes for postponement, and four votes against. 2.3 In response to this vote the Honourable Ambassador for Pralex 6 reminded the Council of a previous discussion regarding the Tomorrow People's certain defeat by the Homo sapiens. (1) The Ambassador offered argument that there is no evidence to suggest that, in the unlikely case of a victory by the Tomorrow People, this would lead to any reduction in the level of threat to Federation worlds in that region of space. 2.4 The defendant known as Elena was granted leave to speak by the Chairbeing, and asserted that the Tomorrow People have on frequent occasions aided the Federation in various tasks. This record of honourable conduct should be taken as evidence for their responsible nature. She requested that the inquiry give her colleagues an opportunity to prove their potential as peacemakers and worthy rulers of their home world; that the Federation should not judge them by their present actions, but by what they are capable of achieving in the future. She made the following statement: The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.(2) 2.5 The Council members agreed that this argument was worthy of some consideration and granted leave for the Tomorrow People to give evidence from previous missions. 2.6 The Chairbeing, Timus Irnok Mosta, stated that evidence of this type may make it possible for those present to remain on the Trig after sentence is passed. Alternatively, the Homo sapiens would be restricted to their own region of space by any means deemed necessary by the inquiry. 2.7 The meeting was adjourned to allow time for the Tomorrow People to prepare their material. Appendix 1 Meeting reference ZP66 - FV14 2 'The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.'- Charles Dubois. Species - Homo sapiens. Artist specialising in landscape painting of the Earth's rural areas.
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3.2 The delegate from the Grelpen Confederation called the Inquiry's attention to the latest security reports received from Galactic Police operatives working under cover on the planet Earth. This evidence was admitted to the formal inquiry record, the recommendations of which are stated below.
The Grelpen delegate put forward the motion that, despite the admirable record of the Tomorrow People, in their current state they would not be able to contain the Sap threat to surrounding regions of space. The motion was carried with seven votes in agreement and five against. 3.3 The Chairbeing granted the defendant, Paul Prior, leave to speak. Paul suggested that with the aid of the Federation, in the form of ships, equipment and Galactic Police, the Tomorrow People could most probably turn the current conflict in their favour. 3.4 The Council responded by reminding the delegate of his planet's closed-world status. A request for assistance of this type may only be made by a member planet. (2) 3.5 Andrew Forbes invoked his right, as a recognised Federation citizen and diplomat, to propose that the planet Earth be reconsidered for open-world status. He suggested that the Tomorrow People had demonstrated a great deal of potential and that the Federation would regret the day they were swayed by fear over logic. He made the following statement: Humanity has the stars in its future, and that future is too important to be lost under the burden of juvenile folly and ignorant superstition. (3)
3.7 The representative from the Guagar-K System proposed that Earth be considered as an open-world once again. Chairbeing Timus Irnok Mosta seconded this. 3.8 The meeting was adjourned for those present to consider this proposal. Appendix
2. Galactic Federation Statute 1549-23: only those planets accepted as full members of the Galactic Federation itself, as voted by majority in line with the membership conditions laid down in clause 342-C, may request material assistance towards any planetary disaster, be it natural or accidental (including any request for military aid by the ruling psionic contingent with regard to suppression or expulsion of alien or naturally resident forces hostile to the peaceful governance by those psionic beings holding legal claim to the world and recognised as such by the 'One Mind'). 3. 'Humanity has the stars in its future, and that future is too important to be lost under the burden of juvenile folly and ignorant superstition.' Isaac Asimov. Species - Homo sapiens. Scientist and writer of speculative fiction.
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Summary of proceedings
4.2 Galactic Agent Patricia Conway was called to give testimony. She stated that without Federation help the Tomorrow People might indeed lose the war with the Saps. She also stated that if Earth were quarantined, as previously suggested, the Federation would be condemning all mankind forever. She implored the inquiry to consider the long-term consequences of such an action. The Homo sapiens might be a violent species, but that did not mean they would necessarily remain that way, or that they would continue to be a threat to surrounding planets. Such an absolute decision as quarantine within a multiplex time-space bubble could never be reversed. She requested that an alternative solution be found. 4.3 Galactic Agent Tyso Boswell was called to give testimony. He proposed an evacuation of the Tomorrow People from Earth. Agent Boswell claimed that there are many uninhabited worlds to which the Tomorrow People could successfully be relocated. 4.4 The Adonisian representative, Carol, requested that she might make a statement to the inquiry. 4.4 The Honourable Ambassador for Pralex 6 made a formal protest regarding the Adonisian representative's lack of neutrality, claiming that her presence in the Council chambers was as an observer only and any testimony given would be open to bias. 4.5 The objection was overruled by the Chairbeing on the following grounds. Firstly, that, as one of the Tomorrow People, Carol could choose to give testimony in defence of her planet of birth. Secondly, that the magnitude of the inquiry's outcomes made it imperative for the Federation to consider all evidence with regard to the Earth's future status. And lastly, that if an accusation of bias were filed against the Chairbeing through the proper channels, it would result in the disbanding of this inquiry and the election of another panel of Federation representatives to hear the evidence. Such a delay would serve no practical purpose, other than prolonging the Tomorrow People's enforced residence on the Trig. 4.6 The Honourable Ambassador for Pralex 6 withdrew his protest and Carol was granted leave to make her statement. 4.7 The Adonisian representative declared it shameful to suggest ripping families apart. How could such an evacuation be made, when so many Tomorrow People only showed the emergent powers of pre-breakout and were still so young as to need physical and material help from their Sap parents? To forcibly remove these young people from their families would cause serious psychological harm to their future emotional development. Carol invoked her own experiences as an alien amongst the people of Adonisia, and the difficulties she and her offspring had faced living in such a foreign environment. It was only through the continued counselling and guidance from her partner and his family that she had been able to adjust at all. If such an evacuation of the Tomorrow People took place, it would require a great deal of assistance from the Federation and she was certain they would be loath to grant such long-term help to her people. 4.8 The Council concurred with Carol's statement. To commit to the donation of such resources would require agreement not only from those planets represented at the inquiry, but also from many more Federated worlds. Such planets would need time to consider whether they could spare such aid. 4.9 The Honourable Ambassador for Pralex 6 reminded the Council that after such an evacuation was complete any world newly settled by the Tomorrow People would be by definition a closed world, and until such time as this new world was established with a recognised form of government and sustainable resources of its own, it could not be granted membership of the Federation, therefore such long-term aid could not be considered at this time. 4.10 Galactic Agent Tyso Boswell called upon the Federation to investigate the feasibility of such an evacuation, nonetheless. He acknowledged Carol's difficulties on Adonisia, but declared that this proposal should not be ruled out completely. He stated that the Tomorrow People themselves had to learn to adjust to the changes taking place on their home world. Speaking in his native language he said, Nasti zhas vortapo drom obango (1). Even without long-term aid, if there were no option available other than quarantine, evacuation might still be a suitable alternative to the horrendous outcomes likely to occur by remaining within the multiplex distortion. 4.11 His Excellency Timus Irnok Mosta proposed the appointment of an investigation team to consider the feasibility of the proposed evacuation of all Tomorrow People and their ancillary families from Earth. The meeting was adjourned while this investigation took place.
1. 'You cannot walk straight when the road is bent' - translation of Romany saying. Romany - language used by a nomadic group of humanoids often referred to as Gypsies.
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Summary of proceedings 5.1 Meeting reconvened and called to order. Minutes of previous meeting agreed and entered into official record. The report from the Federation investigative team on 'The Feasibility of Evacuation Procedures for Psionic Beings and Their Immediate Families From the Planet Earth' was entered into the inquiry's official records. (1) The report's conclusion - that such an evacuation was impracticable - was accepted by all member worlds present. 5.2 The Grelpen delegate summarised proceedings thus far:
5.3 The chair called the respected Galactic Agent, Stephen Jameson,
to testify on this matter. Stephen made an impassioned plea to the inquiry
on the behalf of all humans, both Homo sapiens and Tomorrow People.
He explained that they were victims of the evolutionary process, each
living out their own struggle for survival. They had no choice in this
war, but were forced by the evolutionary process itself to follow the
dictate of their genetic programming. If, as was proposed, the Earth
were enclosed within a time-space distortion, the Tomorrow People would
be trapped and unable to defend themselves against the more violent
Homo sapiens. The ensuing genocide might not be caused directly
by those Ambassadors present at the inquiry, but it would nevertheless
lead to the inevitable and unavoidable destruction of all psionic beings
on Earth. The Federation was about to become the perpetrator of the
worst crime in the history of the known universe. 5.5 Stephen answered this claim with an accusation against all the Federated planets present at the inquiry. By doing nothing to aid the Tomorrow People, by standing back and washing their hands of the natural development of the psionic beings on Earth, these representatives might just as well pull the trigger themselves. Their actions might seem logical, in order to protect themselves from the perceived Sap threat, but in reality those present were condemning their own kind to death. Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, though shalt not be a bystander. (2) Today it might be one insignificant planet that they stood by and watched being systematically torn apart; next year it might be an entire star system. What would it take to force the Federation to become proactive rather than isolationist in the face of an enemy? 5.6 Choosing to ignore Stephen's outburst, the representative for Vantaria commented that it was the duty of this inquiry to protect other member worlds from the imminent threat and nothing more. 5.7 Stephen made the following statement: When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.(3) 5.8 His Excellency Timus Irnok Mosta acknowledged the obvious anxiety of the Tomorrow People regarding these difficult decisions and commended them upon the way in which they had conducted themselves throughout the proceedings. He called for the meeting to be adjourned while member states consider the original proposal and return ready to vote on the nature of the threat posed by Earth.
1. Full report reference 43-CQ/67A held in Galactic Trig data base.
'When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed
of, he always declares that it is his duty.'- George Bernard Shaw. Species
- Homo sapiens. Dramatist and political commentator
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