UEE Congress (399) 2951-17-08 SET Session AutoScript Proofed and Admitted – Archivist Yates (#57573BDF) 2951-17-08_16:40 – Transcript Excerpt Begins SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys.): Ladies and gentlemen, please settle down. We still have a lot to get through. There are three Senators left to comment on the nomination of Nyahuoaōng T.yi to be the next UEE Ambassador to the Xi’an Empire before we put it to a vote.
Next up, the chair recognizes Senator Mira Ngo from Terra. You have the floor.
SENATOR MIRA NGO (T–Terra–Terra Sys): Thank you, Speaker Madrigal. I find it an immense honor to be voicing my support in favor of T.yi’s nomination. Not only because, as a Xi’an, his confirmation would be a historic milestone for the UEE, but because T.yi embodies what makes this empire great. Living proof that no matter who you are or where you come from, if you work hard and dedicate yourself to the service of the UEE and its people, then anything is possible. In all my years as a Senator, I’ve never met a Xi’an ambassador nominee as qualified as T.yi. Not only because of his unrivaled knowledge and insights into Xi’an language and culture, but because his long and illustrious career has prepared him perfectly for this moment.
While T.yi has modestly touched on his unique qualifications, allow me to use my time to less humbly explain why there is no doubt in my mind as to why we must approve this nomination. T.yi’s exceptional life began the moment he was born in Brahja. His family house was one of a few Xi’an residences located in the UEE and not on land designated sovereign Xi’an territory in the Perry Line Pact. He came from a line of highly respected translators, who ensured inter-species legal contracts adhered to the laws of both empires and often added exacting language to address cultural differences that could be problematic if not mutually understood. This instilled in T.yi at an early age that details matter and showed him firsthand that Xi’an and Humans could work together.
After completing his mandatory Service to the Xi’an Empire, T.yi attended Rhetor University, where he graduated with honors with a dual degree in Business Administration and Interspecies Law. He returned to Oya and served his house admirably for two decades before shifting power dynamics within the Xi’an Empire awarded all translation services to another house. Unable to survive on business from Humans alone, his house made the difficult decision of leaving Oya for the Xi’an Empire. But T.yi stayed, not wanting to abandon the land of his birth, and instead bravely chose to become “nyahuoaōng,” or one who renounces all familial and financial support for a chance to live the life they want.
T.yi quickly carved out a niche in Oya connecting Human and Xi’an businesses to facilitate and expedite local trade. Eventually his client list expanded to include Humans looking to navigate the booming trading hub in the former Perry Line system Kyuk’ya. One of those clients was a MISC executive, who also hired him as a translator and advisor to handle closed-door negotiations with Aopoa. This contract would last four months and lead to the landmark 2910 lend-lease agreement that set the terms for the sharing of technology and ship designs. At the time, MISC CEO Samantha Nassif claimed the deal would not have been possible without T.yi’s steady guidance throughout the process.
In the following three decades, over fifty prominent UEE companies hired T.yi as a consultant and he established a stellar reputation that eventually landed him a position as a UEE advisor and translator during negotiations over the Human-Xi’an Trade Initiative. There T.yi saw firsthand how the UEE government operated and how Ambassador Yanna Coso devotedly shepherded the negotiations. You may recall the good Ambassador going on record earlier today saying that T.yi’s commitment to the UEE and to finding a way to make the empires work together personally inspired her.
Let me join former Ambassador Coso loudly in proclaiming my support for T.yi to be the next Ambassador to the Xi’an Empire. If T.yi has not proven himself worthy of the position, then I dare say that no one is. Thank you.
SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys.): That leaves the two Senators from Vega. Senator Aemile, you have the floor.
SENATOR EDWARD AEMILE (C-Aremis-Vega Sys): Thank you, Speaker Madrigal. The honorable senator from Terra said everything I wanted to say and more, so in the interest of expediting the process, I will cede my time. Thank you.
SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys.): Very good. Senator Hartwell, you will have the last word on this matter.
SENATOR PETER B. HARTWELL (C-Selene-Vega Sys): Thank you. My fellow Senators. I stand before you today to ask you to vote “No” on this nomination. Not as a vote against T.yi but as a vote in favor of the slow and steady march of time. A concept that means something very different to you and me than it does to the Xi’an. This difference is most easily illuminated by reminding the chamber that Emperor Kr.ē was alive when Humans first made contact with the Xi’an in Pallas. As he grew old, Human generations passed and made him wise to our ways. I’m not saying this is bad, but Emperor Kr.ē and the Xi’an have learned much about us, and us little of them. For example, we are clueless about the exact population of their Empire, and don’t even know the location of all their systems. To not acknowledge this massive strategic advantage would be foolish.
Let me be clear. I fully support working with the Xi’an, but we must face the truths at hand. Their species is many millennia older than ours. They have survived and thrived longer than most of us can imagine, and we have much to learn from their success. But getting too entangled with the Xi’an before we’ve learned more about their ways could be catastrophic, and could allow them to overshadow or overwhelm us before we can grow strong on our own.
We can only assume from Emperor Kr.ē’s example that there are many other Xi’an still alive from the time our species first met. We have known this smart and shrewd species for only one of their generations. While I am proud of the achievements we’ve accomplished together in that time, I believe it remains in the best interest of the Empire not to grow too close with them yet. That we should allow ourselves the proper amount of time to learn more about their ways. We know already that they are a patient species, and I fully believe we would benefit from emulating their example right now.
There is no harm in being patient. Danger only lies in moving too fast. This above all is why I implore this Senate to vote “No” on T.yi being the next ambassador to the Xi’an Empire. While I do not question his commitment to this empire, I worry about normalizing the involvement of Xi’an in the top position of this government until we have better come to understand the species and their long-term goal regarding the UEE. Ty.i may be an ideal candidate, but this is not the ideal time. Thank you, Speaker Madrigal.
< gavel >
SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys.): Now that comments have concluded we will vote on the nomination of Nyahuoaōng T.yi to be UEE Ambassador to the Xi’an Empire.
< pause for vote >
SPEAKER MARSHALL MADRIGAL (U-Borea-Magnus Sys.): Final tabulation has been completed and the “Nays” have it. The nomination has been rejected. Imperator Addison now has thirty days to nominate a new candidate. We’ll revisit the matter then.
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