Internal Debates & Western Ambitions

As the Raikh's expedition to the more civilised south had proven, these islands were rich! What great luck that the northern island in the archipelago was not part of the that nation of Ryukyu. From what the reports had said, it seemed that Ryukyu was in fact ruled by yet another tribe. This people was from some islands far from the larger ones, with darker skin and a language very dissimilar to the light skinned flat faced ones and also very dissimilar to the bearded men. This made the situation quite a bit easier, as it seemed unlikely that they would be too put off by the Raikh expanding into the island which had been referred to as 'Ezo' by some of the locals.

It was on this basis that a second expedition to this northern island was now being mounted, this time with less peaceful intentions. As valuable trade could be had with the lands to the south, it behoved the Flutt to secure trade routes across the great empty ocean and set up outposts and colonies near to their new trade partners. As such, the Great Western Fleet had been established to patrol it. In its number were many modern ships, built as a response to the Great War. None of them had seen service in that war, but they were ready for the next one. Faster, stronger, and based off of the lessons of the previous war, the fleet had two dreadnoughts, a battlecruiser, sixteen cruisers, and eight destroyers. More than a match for any upstart barbarian empires that they might come across and strong enough to hold back and destroy any that dared threaten the colonies.

As the fleet came in sight of the island, it sailed south along the coast it until they came to a larger town. The place had little in the way of proper port infrastructure, but it was more built up than the villages they had seen elsewhere along the way. Confident that this town would do, the admiral of the fleet ordered that the cannons be fire using blanks to make clear their arrival and a single landing craft was lowered to demand the surrender of the town. Its message was simple: be welcomed into the Raikh or fall beneath the fire and shells of the Hauhkunoleiksflutt.

After an hour of attempting to communicate with the locals using the words learnt from the southern tribe, they were able to properly convey the demand and the local wisemen surrendered, wisely not wishing to see their town levelled by the outlanders. Upon receiving this news, the fleet began lowering more landing craft and soon an army of twenty-two thousand men began disembarking and clearing out buildings to use as barracks and a headquarters for the invasion. Many of the locals came out and watched in awe as the first automobiles and trucks were carefully brought ashore, roaring to life once safely on dry land.

To the disgust and dismay of the men, all of the buildings they came to seemed to be made of wood. This, would for very obvious reasons, not do. After a three days, they had found a suitable location from which to acquire clay and aggregate. Building up some furnaces took a few more days and after three weeks, they had begun producing enough bricks that they would be able to start building new more suitable buildings for themselves. Rather than tearing down the existing ones, the army moved further out from the town and began clearing an area of forest. While a new barracks and headquarters would be the first things to be built, the plans ultimately called for a proper star fort. It would come in time.

---

While the initial invasion was uncontested and a general success, the commanders were not exactly happy from what they had found out so far from people they had kidnapped from surrounding villages and from those of the town they were in. The information that they had gotten was consistent between the different prisoners and they had not been allowed time to communicate with each other, so it was assumed to be true.

The many villages around the island were more or less independent of each other. They did have allegiances, but there was not a single overarching monarch that could be captured and forced to swear fealty. This had caused a fair bit of consternation. The men would have to go from one small village to another, subjugating them as they were found and bringing them to the lands that were being reorganised into new fiefs. The towns would be fair bit simpler, as the more settled populations were naturally more inclined to not see their homes destroyed by artillery, by and large.

Still, it was under this new realisation that the conquest of the island began. The army which had been assembled with the assumption of having to fight a similarly organised force was quickly broken up into companies and then platoons. They would each be responsible for their own glories, defeats, and victories. If they won land, they would be able to keep the people on said land.

'We've been marching for days... We can't even use our trucks this far in, they've no roads wide enough and too many trees!'

A man wearing darkened fatigues and an officer's cap said.

'At least there's game and water everywhere... We had to drink blood from camels back in Tanysira. The desert was unforgiving and we were constantly harangued by desert nomads.'

Another man wearing darkened fatigues and a helmet replied back.

'True, true... Still, how backwards do these people need to be? We're going to have to build a whole new country from the foundations up here, there's not even permanent structures this far in... Why can't they just live in one place, like those fish-eating barbarians?'

'They probably eat fish too, but the most likely reason is that they do not have the numbers to. I am willing to bet that the flat-faces are new to these lands and the bearde ones're trying to avoid them. Haven't you noticed most of them live far away from the flat-faced settlements?'

The officer thought a bit as they continued their stroll through the forest. 

'Hmm... Probably... You're almost certainly right! Still, we'll need to resettle them all closer to the coast soon. We're going to need more peasants than what we've gotten, so the bearded ones're going to need to come with us and...'

The officer stopped talking and unslung his sub-machine gun, raising his fist and bringing his men to a stop.

'Do you smell that? Smoke... And... Meat!'

The rest of the men started sniffing the air and began to notice it too.

'We must be near a village, quiet down!'

With that order given, the platoon prepared for a fight and readied their weapons. Following the smell of smoke and meat, they came to quietly stalked through the forest towards the source and came into sight of some temporary wooden huts. Watching from the brush and shadows, they could see bearded men fishing in a river and women smoking meats and tanning hides.

'All right, you lead a section around. I'll keep two here. When you're ready, come out into the open and start shooting at the village... We want to scare them, not kill them, so just shoot at the ground and air. Make lots of noise too, so they'll run this way... We'll catch their women and children here if they run and you can subdue the men folk.'

With a quick nod, the N.C.O. led his men on their mission and the officer had his fan out so that they would be ready. After thirty minutes or so, gun shots and war cries could be heard from the other side of the village and like clock work, the women and children started running towards their waiting captors. As soon as they entered the trees and brush, they were set upon by the armed men and the platoon sprung out and caught them, beating those that tried to resist and simply herding the rest into a nice and easy knot so they could be kept under control.

With that out of the way, the Stadhaldja led his section into the village proper to help outflank the defenders who they could hear were still trying to fight the men sent to flush the villagers out. Upon coming behind the villagers, a cry went up and the men rushed in with bayonets fixed. A cry of 'Cease fire!' was heard as the flushers saw their comrades now engaging and it was quickly followed by a cry of 'Up men, up! Beat them down!' After all of fifteen minutes, the village was captured and its inhabitants were all nicely rounded up. Eight local men died in the fighting, seventeen were wounded. Eleven of the Kregjen were likewise injured, but only three seriously so. Most of the injuries were cuts, scrapes, and broken bones, but the three worst off had been shot with barbed arrows. These saw-like arrows were difficult to extract and had to be pushed all the way through to safely remove without a chirugeon on hand. In total, the platoon had captured some three-hundred and sixty new peasants.

'A good hunt! We'll be ready to settle down here after one or two more like this.'

Said the Stadhaldja, his eyes aflame with visions of wealth and land.

'Surely so, my friend... I just wish I had not tried to parry that club with my arm.'

His friend and second in command replied, cradling his rather badly broken arm for effect.

'Shame they don't have any horses here... Ah, but it'll only be a few days before we make it back to an outpost. Once that arm is splinted and set, it'll be no time at all before we get you back home.'

With that said, the two enjoyed an after battle cup of broth and chatted about what they would do once they were granted their own lands here. 

---

Location: Raikhsgamotjing
Date: 28th Airðamenoðs

The Dräkh af þis Raikh for the Hebiðdräkhskapiz af þis Garda (Hairas Wuslah): I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

It has been common ground for many years now that our present nationality law is out of date and needs replacing. After the passage of the Resident Aliens Act of the Thirtieth Year of Vauhoks, the Government of the time began work on the matter. The Government who succeeded us also accepted the case for change. They published a preliminary report on the Raikh's nationality laws in Hauhkunomenoðs of 75↋5.

The present Government's investigative report, published last Krudmenoðs, contained the outline of proposed legislation. The basic principle on which both the previous and the present Government have proceeded is that- I quote from the former Government's preliminary report: there must be a more meaningful citizenship for those who have close links with the Raikh. It is, of course, easy to state the principle but, as Governments of both Hauhküno know very well, it is far more difficult to put it into practice.

Whilst we had hoped to present this more coherent approach, the events since last week, namely the establishment of an official government in Ezoland, have set a new set of challenges for the Government which have required us to bring forward our proposals which were to reach the Raikhsgamotjing in the next session and replace them with ones that suit the strange new land that has joined us. I understand that the Raikhsgamotjing may find aspects of these proposals somewhat contentious, but if they are not adopted we will be creating a new and numerous class of stateless persons and there is no body to protect them, despite their not being Neithingin.

In addition, this bill looks afresh at the situation in those areas which have come to join us which were owned by our former protectorates  and where the Raikh is expressing a clear interest in the retention of those lands.

Obviously, we propose no change to the rights of Free Citizens as they exist before this Bill. They will remain Free Citizens. This will also apply to all those who were citizens of the Raikh's overseas possessions, except they now become Free Citizens in full. In addition, we will offer Free Citizenship to all citizens of Protectorate Realms currently residing within the Raikh and its holdings on the night of the 18th of Hauhkunomenoðs. We will also offer this citizenship, subject to the swearing of oaths, to those who were citizens of the Imperium Divinium, the Realm of Moderal, and the Kingdom of West-Thosel-Cransconia. We understand that not all will wish to take this path and we will discuss those in due course. All members of the Hauhkunoleiksflutt who were recruited in foreign ports or who joined without any obligation to from before the Duomish signing of the Treaty of Sheen and citizens of Hweituzdas and the Western Isles will also have Free Citizenship.

Our second status will be that of Dominion Citizenship, this will be offered to all those who were serving in our armed forces at the time or prior to the 18th of Hauhkunomenoðs who were citizens of an allied country of so Hansa af hizos Hriggsaiws that was not a Protectorate Realm, citizens of the member states of the Divinian Offshore Company, the now formed Latin League, the Empire of Duom-Asderaordia, and the Realm of New Respite. This will provide a right of abode, a travel document and a path to full Free Citizenship. It will be inheritable, but only to those who maintain residence within the Raikh or one of its Colonies and under new clause 1, the children of Dominion Citizens who are born in the Raikh and who maintain residence in the Raikh or one of its Colonies will be Free Citizens. Dominion Citizens will be treated in the same way as Free Citizens for work eligibility purposes.

Our third status will be that of Grace Citizenship, this will be offered to all those who were resident prior to the end of the war and who now feel they can no longer return to their country of origin, regardless of nationality or the legality of their stay. Again, this will provide a right of abode, a travel document and a slightly longer path to full Free Citizenship. It will be inheritable, but only to those who maintain residence in the Raikh or one of its Colonies and under new clause 1, the children of Grace Citizens who are born in the Raikh and who maintain residence in the Raikh or one of its Colonies will be Free Citizens.

Our fourth status will be of Overseas Citizenship, which will be given to all of those who are in the colonial territories we have gained and that we have decided to retain. This will have somewhat more of a contentious nature, it will provide the right to visit the Raikh and to study in the Raikh, but not an automatic right to reside or to work here. We expect that this will be revised in due course as the disparities reduce between those less advanced lands and our own.

Our final status will be the Protected Person. For those proud citizens of other countries who do not wish to take oaths of loyalty and also have no other land to call their own, we will extend our protection when travelling abroad and will provide a travel document we hope will be widely accepted. It will allow them to use our consular services and will carry the right to reside in the Raikh as long as residence is maintained. It will be inheritable, but only to those who maintain residence in the Raikh. It will be convertable to the other appropriate citizenship categories.

I appreciate these proposals are contentious, the changes on marriage eligibility and the introduction of a Hundisch language test I'm sure will be throughly debated by the Raikhsgamotjing. I also appreciate that these proposals are contingent on two other bills being passed by Hauhkuno and that amendments to them may enforce amendment to this bill.

The arrangements for transmission suggested in the Bill are a good point from which to discuss a further serious criticism, that the Bill discriminates against women. I cannot see how such a suggestion can seriously be made. The Bill preserves, for a transitional period of two years, the entitlement of non-citizen wives to be registered. Otherwise, the Bill provides for equality of treatment in almost every area. Most important is, however, the right of women as well as men to transmit Free Citizenship. This is to be found in clause 2 and is an important and significant new advance towards sex equality.

The right hon. Member for Gawimanskuunto (Hairas Gulf), who has made this criticism, was, however, apparently referring to the proposals for acquisition of citizenship by spouses. Although he calls these sexually discriminatory, he apparently accepts that husbands and wives are treated equally. They are. I find it impossible to comprehend how it can be said that a provision which treats husbands and wives alike is discriminatory against women.

Hairas Jak Gulf (Gawimanskuunto): Since acquisition of citizenship is dependent upon a residence qualification, and since the right hon. Gentleman has gone out of his way to stop women entering this country and therefore beginning their residence qualification, it is by definition discriminatory against them.

Hairas Wuslah: I do not accept that I have done that. I remain convinced that a provision which treats husbands and wives equally can not be described as being sexually discriminatory.

The right hon. Gentleman may, of course, be suggesting that women should continue to have an automatic right to citizenship on marriage. But the Bill's proposals are based on one of the options set out in his government preliminary report. The right hon. Gentleman criticised us for invariably choosing the hardest option in that report, so I should make it plain that we did not do that on this topic. Another option canvassed by the prelimary report was that husbands and wives should be treated no differently from other candidates for citizenship. We did not choose that alternative.

I shall now give way to the hon. Member for Awbaugs (Hairas Haarskalks).

Hairas Aba Haarskalks: The Dräkh af þis Raikh is making great play of the fact that the Bill contains nothing about civic rights, but it contains a reference to the basic civic right, which is the right of abode. However, it confers no right of abode in any country on the fourth category- Overseas citizenship. That is the basic discrimination in the Bill, irrespective of what the Dräkh af þis Raikh said about clauses 1, 2 and 3.

Hairas Wuslah: The hon. Gentleman has made a very broad point. We feel that at this point, making a broad right of abode for those who are in realms we have acquired through recent events is not in the Raikh's interest. In time, we see those differences being eroded and a futher assembly of this most august body changing those citizenships to the full category.

Hairas Mannerheim (Widumar): Will my right hon. Friend give way?

Hairas Wuslah: Very well; but it is no wonder that we make long speeches, about which people complain afterwards.

Hairas Mannerheim: I wish to raise the subject of the Empire of Duom-Asderaordia versus the Federated States of Asderaordia. I understand the need for this bill, in many cases, aliens in the Raikh have no state to go back to or their country may be in the hands of an other power. However, in some cases there are direct translations and Asderaordia is one of them, why should not citizens of directly translated states remain citizens of those states?

Hairas Wuslah: Whilst there are comparable borders, as we discussed with bills yesterday, there really is no comparison in civic rights between the two Duoms, or the two Tanysiras. It would be unreasonable, for instance to expect the Tanysara citizens of our portion of the protectorate to be disenfranchised and removed of other rights they enjoyed.

I turn now to the detailed provisions of the Bill. Clause 1 deals with the acquisition of citizenship by birth after commencement. At present anyone born here becomes one of our citizens unless, broadly speaking, his father is a criminal of the highest order. However, it is increasingly the case that children are born while their parents are here temporarily. The present arrangements lead to significant numbers of people acquiring the right of abode here although they have no real ties with this country. Clause 1(1) accordingly provides for a child to be a citizen at birth only if one of his parents is in one of the three main categories of citizen or is settled here. Of course, as the investigtive report acknowledges, some practical problems are inherent in this proposal, but we believe that they can be overcome.

I have already referred to clause 2. It provides generally for children born abroad in the first generation to become citizens by descent if one of their parents is a citizen by birth. Citizenship will not be transmissible as of right beyond the first generation except in carefully prescribed circumstances. A child will be a citizen if one of the parents is a citizen, although not a citizen by birth, and is in military service or service which is designated as being closely associated with the activities overseas of the Raikhsleidandskapiz. An example would be the Raikhs delegation to Sheen or that they had moved to take residence in a Protectorate.

Citizenship can also be transmitted for more than one generation by registration overseas within a year of birth where the mother or father is a citizen and is engaged overseas in employment which has a close connection with the Raikh. This includes firms and companies with overseas branches and international organisations of which the Raikh is a member. This is set out in subsections (2) to (4) and (7) of clause 3.

These provisions recognise that people can remain closely attached to the Raikh while spending long periods of their working lives abroad. I am sure that the Raikhsgamotjing will welcome them. They will replace the present arrangements for consular registration and, unlike these arrangements, will apply to births in Protectorates as well as foreign countries.

Hairas Mannerheim: Will the right hon. Gentleman give way now?

Hairas Wuslah: Very well.

Hairas Mannerheim: I am most grateful. Will the right hon. Gentleman give me an assurance that, under clause 2 (3), the children of missionaries have full entitlement to settle in the Raikh if they wish to do so, and have equal rights with citizens and business occupations abroad?

Hairas Wuslah: I think that the sensible answer that I must give the hon. Gentleman is that it would be a very unwise Dräkh who gave an off-the-cuff answer to detailed provisions affecting particular cases. Of course, either my hon. Friend the Hebiðdräkh af þis Garda or I will give the hon. Gentleman a full answer in writing, but for me to give an answer on the Floor of the House in the middle of a general speech would be quite wrong, especially if it were misleading.

Hairas Mannerheim: Why should such a trade, which is not in the service of the Hauhkuno, except another and more ancient Hauhkuno, be dismissed as having equal rights to Crown servants, business men and chaps in international organisations? Why should the people serving as servants of the One True and Eternal Hauhkuno not have the assurance that I am asking of the right hon. Gentleman.

Hairas Wuslah: I make the same answer.

Clause 4 deals with the acquisition of citizenship by naturalisation. This includes the shorter terms required to turn Dominion Citizenship and Grace Citizenship into full Free Citizenship.

Subsection (2) makes special arrangements, to which I have already referred, for the acquisition of citizenship by the husband or wife of an existing citizen. The arrangements are set out in detail in schedule 1. The main point to note is that a husband or wife of a full Free Citizen can apply for naturalisation only after three years' residence whereas for other persons the requirement will be five years' residence and the class of Citizenship given will be the class of their spouse.

The present arrangements are that a wife, but not a husband, has an entitlement to acquire citizenship immediately on marriage. That would cease. There would, however, be a transitional period, during which wives would be able to apply for citizenship on the same basis as now. They would be entitled to citizenship if they were still married to the man concerned and if he had not in the meantime renounced citizenship.

Schedule 1 also sets out the basic preliminary requirements for naturalisation. These are five years' presence in this country; good character; a knowledge of the language; and a short test of understanding modern-day mores; and an intention to live here or be employed in military service or some other Raikh-based employment. The schedule sets out guidelines as to the precise amount of time a would-be applicant for naturalisation must spend actually in the country. This will enable people to know where they stand.

I recognise, of course, that there are those who argue that the criteria for naturalisation should be more specific- 'objective' is the term often used- and that there should be a right of appeal against refusal. The preliminary report produced by the Former Government and the investigative report, however, contained powerful arguments against introducing appeal rights in this area. Paragraph 60 of the preliminary report said that, 'the judgments which have to be made in this area are essentially subjective, and matters of this kind are not easily justiciable… Applicants who were refused on security or similar grounds could not in any case be given a right of appeal because of the difficulty of disclosing in public the information that had led to the refusal'. I am bound to say that the arguments against an appeal system remain compelling. Such a system would certainly be expensive in terms of public service manpower and there would be long delays if it were grafted on to the existing immigration appeals machinery or if the burden were placed on our already overloaded Hauhkunoleiksgarda. Furthermore, because it would mean a system of objective tests, it is difficult to see how the existing criteria for citizenship could continue to operate.

Hairas Ostler (Þurgau-bei-Überwald): Could the Right Honourable gentlemen tell me what the status of slaves in Inherited Territories would be.

Hairas Wuslah: Some of those issues are dealt with in this bill, the default position is that they will be left in the ownership of their current masters. However, the Slavery Bill will provide for repatriation of those taken in bondage illegally who wish it and persons coming under those categories will not gain that Citizenship but will be entitled a resettlement grant.

Hairas Ostler: And those who are liberated in passage, would it not be a kindness for them to be granted citizenship as a reparation for their plight?

Hairas Wuslah: Those liberated in passage, where practicable, will be repatriated to their country of origin or alternative arrangements may be made. However, as they are outlanders with no relation to us, I do not see how the Raikh would owe them any reparation. They are lucky we do not just enslave them ourselves.

Daigijon Dalmunae (Fholkþabadbað): My right honourable Friend has laid out in this bill provisions to increase citizenship considerably and in a complex set of classes. I and other honourable members are concerned that such measures dilute the nature of the Raikh. Whilst we understand that we have to be liberal in our right of abode for those who have displaced their countries, I do no see what makes them like us, surely making them Protected Persons would be enough.

Hairas Wuslah: I understand my honourable and learned Friends comments on these points. I think it behooves us to be liberal in these circumstances, many of those from formerly civilised ans stable countries now find themselves in a situation where the Raikh has far more in common with them than their detestable homelands.

Daigijon Dalmunae: I would like to make the point to my Right Honourable Friend that there is a falling out underway between us and our supposed neighbours to the south, so why should persons from that former and unlamented entity get special rights in the Raikh?

Hairas Wuslah: My Honourable Friend will understand that those belonging to the Kingdom of W.T.C. are amongst those most likely to feel the loss of rights, due to the perfidy now on display in that state.

Hairas Alexandros Antonis (Hweituzdas): I do not suppose that there can be any greater subject to which the Raikhsgamotjing could address itself than this, going as it does to the whole basis of our existence, the very definition of who we think we are.

It is one-third of a century, a whole generation of men, since we last legislated upon the subject of nationality.

In those intervening years we have had full opportunity to realise how little the implications of that Act were understood by those who put it on the statute book, and how little they saw the seriousness of the consequences that would follow from the decisions that they took. We must avoid, if we can, a repetition of that experience. The Government's contribution is, above all, to ensure that the Raikhsgamotjing has ample time not merely for debate but for reflection upon the Bill as it makes its way to the statute book, that there is ample time between the stages of the Bill, and that the Hebiðdräkhskapiz stage is taken for what it will be, not a means of obstructing or advancing Government business, but something serious in itself, which affects our deepest responsibilities.

When the assembly last legislated there were still one status, and one basis for that status, known to our law. For all practical purposes, there was a single status, and that was subject, and there was a single basis, and that was allegiance. Broadly speaking, to be born within the allegiance constituted the basis of subjecthood.

Until well into this century that equation of basis with status, and of status with rights and duties, remained effective. But there was a time bomb underneath it. For, as the dominions of the Raikh successively extended over more of the globe, the meaning of subject extended far beyond the possibility of its being given any common meaning in terms of rights and duties. The consequences, not felt at first, came home to us when, after the Great War, there was an immense change in the mobility of mankind, a change of explosive, revolutionary character, which made no longer tenable that acceptance of the growing anomaly of subjecthood, which had hitherto been possible.

I fully understand that we, the paramount and most advanced nation in the world need to offer succor to those whose countries have been taken away from them. I believe the Hon. Member when he states that many of those, despite whatever patriotism they had for their natal lands may well be happier becoming part of the Raikh. I also approve of his creation of a Protected Person, for those whose patriotism is above all, but due to the hand of the Hauhkuno have become part of our burden.

What I cannot condone is the same mistake being made again. The changes to naturalisation, to descent, I can agree with, but there should only be one citizenship in our new Empire. That of the Raikh, full, pure and unsullied.

(END OF TRANSCRIPT)

Location: The Raikhsgamotjing, Blairhaim
Time: Moments after the news of Catherine's death broke

The Dräkh af þis Raikh for the Hebiðdräkhskapiz af þis Garda (Hairas Wuslah): Like Sheen and like the Magdali, the Duomish have had to make us think again on many of our positions, the Raikh has so far held a fairly steady course. There have been things we have objected to, there have been things we have applauded, but over all there has been a careful pragmatism in the Raikh, for which we should be happy about.

In the previous debate, a number of honourable gentlemen wondered if we had not gone too far with the Tholes, did we really need to seize territory from them. If we were liberators, why did we not liberate more? They are good questions, very good questions, liberal questions. The fact is that we could not liberate more and still be able to deal with not just the Raikh's problems, but the problems of our subjects who live in the colonies. We could not have forced much more out of the Tholes without worrying some of our new partners.

I heard other voices yesterday calling for an end to empire building, I can hear that. I hear them from the soft-hearted Federalists and from the Burzbund as well. There is a dangerous theme appearing on the right of the Blot en Isar, not one that wants to rebuild the empire, as for them it was always greater than it actually was, but one that seems to say 'Get what we need and then isolate ourselves'. I have even heard the odd siren voice telling us to leave much of the Imperium to its fate, they want the mines of Tanysira, they want the oil of Thai’Faenum, but they don't want to deal with the problems of ninety-two million subjects we have now just inherited. Luckily, they are a minority voice.

Similar noises come from the Hardusaiþs left, albeit voiced in different terms, ones that show a self-interested analysis. The Imperium is not ripe for their stark rejection of more liberal ways, still alien. The rest of the world is even worse. Best to withdraw from it and especially to withdraw from our subjects, they feel that we should trade for resources and then have splendid isolation. How they plan to trade with the those we turn away in their time of need for oil or the Tanysara for their radium, I do not know. I don't think they do either. Nor are the strange whines of Daigijon Dalmunae that the Gankands should be given independence immediately, we should defend it of course, but otherwise they should become responsible for their own destiny. Do they not think we owe our new subjects more than that?

Some of members of this assembly have even made some interesting statements. Let me say this, Emperor Catherine von Marcum is dead. We will not see that thing's like again in our lifetimes. What lies across the sea is a completely different Imperium, one that has now called us to help it in its time of need, as by right they are entitled to do. Obviously, we should encourage and spread liberal ideas, the Raikh is coming, perhaps a couple of decades early. But let us remember what happened during the last time we rushed such spread of ideas, it is hardly a primrose path of peace to the sunlit uplands of virtue. Heel can attest to that.

Obviously, we should not forget the new lands, we should be out there working for the Hauhkuno, in each and every treaty, each and every trade deal we should measure up as part of the process, how is this state on freedom of worship? How is it on trade? How is it on the right to work? That doesn't mean we should make the deal, but the best terms should be for those who are moving even if it is only inch by inch towards embracing the Raikh and Hauhkuno.

However, our real work, where we can actually achieve results more quickly should be in what I call our new Commonwealth. Where we have a lot of work to do, we need to help educate people, we need to help them be healthy, we need to make sure that they can work in decent conditions for fair wages, to defend them from their enemies and that they can prosper within a common market. We need to learn quickly from the mistakes of the past and move forward into the future with the Raikh and her Commonwealth as a beacon to the rest of the world.

A few days passed before the Duomish state collapsed. Word was transmitted to the Great Western Fleet and they were set to ambush the refugee fleet near Ryukyu, with the blessing of that western government. When the fleet of refugees finally arrived, they were met by a third of the Hauhkunoleiksflutt. Battleships, cruisers, and destroyers quickly set about encircling and herding the ships, firing warning shots and then killing ones whenever a vessel tried to escape. 

Once the surrender of the refugees had been taken, they were gathered and escorted in convoy to the mainland areas now claimed to be part of Niujisland. These lands were colder than any in the Raikh, with the nights in the deepest parts of winter seeming to never end and the days stretching on into eternity during the summer. It was still south of the Circle of Bears, as such there was still day and night rather than the year itself being split in half by those states, but it was still an unnatural land to most that came to it.

With such an inhospitable nature, there had been very few natives in the land. Migratory tribes of hunters dominated, as well as reindeer herders. The land was dominated by great never ending forests teeming with bears and wolves, with the odd grassy area as well. No real settlement had been attempted here yet, but now the Raikh had the perfect means to test whether or not life could be had here.

The refugee ships were forced to run aground and elements of the Raikhsharjis oversaw their dismantling. The people were then forced to work, without tools or new clothes, to clear the land and start building camps under the oversight of the soldiers. A small portion of food was provided so that they would not starve to death immediately, but beyond that, they only had seeds which they would need to bet their lives on should they wish to survive.

Within the first three months, the camps had seen several attempts to escape. The guards had only pursued these escapees for the first month, as after that it became quite clear that they would be met by nothing but death. A few lucky ones returned with horrifying wounds from wild animals, but most simply died out there, later found by hunting parties or wild animals. The land itself was a prison, one which they would not be able to escape.

After the camps had been erected and farming had started, the first shipment of actual tools arrived. Gangs were arranged and the strong were sent to sites that had been surveyed and determined to contain valuable materials. They would either work or they would be forced to brave the wilds.

A man by the name of Mendel had been slowly making his way through the Raikh, an outlander attracted by the new universities and education efforts taking root throughout the realm. His original plan had been to simply spread awareness amongst the farming population of genetic inheritance and how his theories could help them breed better chattel and crops for future generations to come, but that had been completely de-railed as he came into the country.

Stepping off of his ship and going into quarantine after immigration, he had been interviewed by two men bearing government badges and warrants. They had asked him about his research and papers, taken them away and had them copied, and then came back with looks of fascination and a great deal of enthusiasm for his work. After he had been released from quarantine, one of the men had offered to facilitate the spread of his ideas and had booked him hotels and speaking events, so he could have his ideas heard by the more people.

With his diagrams, peas, photographs, and papers, he carried out these lectures and answered questions afterwards by those interested by his words. Soon, he found himself signing a contract to go on his current speaking tour of the Raikh. Rather than stopping in market towns and villages, he was now being ferried from region to region to speak in theatres and other large establishments before thousands of people every stop. His papers on genetic inheritance and ideas on how it could be applied scientifically to the art of animal husbandry were being sold at each event in a book called 'Good Breeding & Due Diligence in the Application of the Principles of Inheritance and Evolutionary Progress in Matters Horticultural and Animal', with him receiving seventy-five percent of the profits for every copy sold.

By the time he had to move on from each venue, a good seventy-one percent of those present had bought a copy of his work. His ideas were catching on like fire in the dry underbrush.

---

As a result of the idea of good traits and bad traits being related to one's parentage, the match-making industry was thrown into pandemonium, as many families started coming to them in anger over this or that perceived fault in their children due to the marriages arranged. That being said, an even greater number were now coming in with lists of prohibited traits and conditions, with matches that had been well into the works being thrown off completely due to lack of histories on the genetic suitability of the other family.

It was clear that the entire industry would need to reform with the times, as now social standing, temperament, and wealth were no longer the only indicators of a good or poor match, now they had to worry about diseases passed along family lines and such intangible things as recessive genes. It would take a monumental effort to go through all the families and their histories, in part due to tracking all the information down, but also now due to the risk of people hiding their shameful defects. At the very least, these new services in finding good stock would command a fairly hefty price, as there was no simple way for individual families to do these things, not yet at least. 

With the rising hostilities with the Lussians, the importance of securing the work camps was raised considerably. Rather than simply leaving a small skeleton force, a full regiment of infantry was dispatched to Niujisland on a permanent basis and with the express purpose of both defending the territory and helping prepare it for settlement.

Unfortunately for the Raikhsharjis, love started to form between many of the soldiers and the inmates in the camps. Within six months, eighty-seven percent of the troops had taken to wife a prisoner and were threatening to resign over the matter. With little other choice, the officers allowed the men to start building houses around the camps and to properly register their marriages. The prisoners that married were allowed to leave the camps as a result of these actions, with the rest being kept separated.

This spurred on a fierce debate amongst the higher echelons as to the proper course of action. With a newly forming civilian population in the colony and the threat of mass resignations, they would likely not be able to remove those soldiers. Instead, it would likely be better to instead start organising colonisation drives in the region to help establish a stronger local economy.

With the climate being so harsh though, that meant a distinct lack of willing settlers.

Hebiðdräkh af Kreg, Hans Gruber: We can't afford to pay bounties for settlers... This colony is profitable, but the numbers we're talking about are too high, especially with the threat of war looming on the horizon, quite literally. Ezoland is still too unsettled for comfort, so prisoners are also out; unless you can find a solution to this, we will simply have to leave you as you are.

Fruma Stolbert: About that, my Lord... I feel we could subsidise bounties for Ezoland instead. If we were to set up a scheme for Ezoland settlement, we could have every settler that goes there through it counted and have an equal number of prisoners sent to us instead. This would be considerably cheaper given the nicer nature of that colony, and it would give us the colonists we so desire.

H.a.K., Gruber: And where would the funds for this come? The Raikh and the Hauhkuno owns those camps and all it produces and you and your men do not have any claim to the income from them... I can not just go up to the Raikhsgamotjing, say 'We've got a new colony and we lost your money!', and then turn around and tell them that the people responsible for the money, my men, are now going to use it to get themselves neighbours with whom they wish to have nice picket fences and farmsteads.

F.S.: About that my Lord, we have ideas. Here's a list of animals we have found and the prices fetched for their furs, as well as rough estimates from our Utridjastafs of the populations near us and in the surrounding wilderness... As you can see, the furs can fetch quite a high price due to their quality and we have already sold enough to finance the first thousand bounties.

H.a.K., Gruber: Do we have any long term models for sustainability and herd management? 

F.S.: No, my Lord. We'd need experts to help us with that, though a few of our foresters suggest that we're set for decades to come, even if we hunt them like mad doggos.

H.a.K., Gruber: Foresters? I suppose they would know something about these things... All right, I'll have my aides get the experts from other departments together. If you leave the money with me, we'll see what can be done... For the moment, best not to take this to the Raikhsgamotjing. If you and yours take my word, I'll see to it that this is done. The Raikhsharjis is being rocked by scandal at the moment.

F.S.: Scandal? What happened?

H.a.K., Gruber: Right, you have been away from civilisation... The factories the Raikhsharjis has been running in Sheen and other places, as well as your side businesses have been exposed. The Raikhsgamotjing is in an uproar over how to deal with them, as nothing done was strictly illegal from what we've seen. I'm amazed the Flutt didn't rub it in your faces, but then again, they are also rather embarrassed by the situation, though they are feigning outrage.

F.S.: Gods preserve us...

With the settlement programme being dealt with privately and off the books, Niujisland began expanding greatly as colonists came in and started contributing to the local economy of the colony. Within three months, they had started making contact with local reindeer herders to organise repeating trade deals for furs.

'All in favour of pitching in for dairy subsidies, say yea!'

A chorus of voices raised in agreement. In the hall was at least two-hundred men from various families and different regions, but with one thing in common: They were Danes to a man.

'All against, say nay!'

A few voices go up, but far fewer than the yeas.

'The yeas have it, the matter of implementation is to be brought before the council.'

This was the first Dänþing in history, as they had never been granted an assembly before they had been gotten rid of. Now? They no longer needed to be granted one. With the new laws in place, the Danes had quickly started organising, first holding meetings between clans and then organising proper assemblies where each family sent a representative to the Clanþing and voted on matters related to them. From there, it had been only a short skip and a hop to organising the first Dänþing with representatives from ever clan being present.

'Next on the docket... Weapon ownership! It has been put forward that every family be required to keep a weapon at home, all in favour say yea!'

Again many voices went up, but not as many as before.

'All against, say nay!'

Now an even number seemed to sound out, there was no clear majority. Shouting erupted and arguments started flying between representatives.

'My masters, order! Order I say!'

A few men who had been set to stand guard at the doors and windows stepped forward and started beating any who were too rowdy and standing with their heavy maces, quickly bringing the place back under control.

'All right, much better... Every man who wishes for this, please come down here and give your hat. I will count them and put them on my table. Every man against... Give me your handkerchief, I will likewise count them.'

And so the assembly went on.

With the creation of the demilitarised zone along the border between Glassensea and Valanion, the local garrison was put on a much tighter schedule than before. Not knowing whether the local Sheenish constabulary would be able to actually give warning of any invasion, watches were set just outside of the area and personnel were kept on tighter than usual duty shifts, so that only a quarter of the men at most would be at liberty in the event of an attack.

The men there knew that their mission was not an easy one and that many of them might die before reinforcements arrived, but they also knew that safeguarding this port was key to keeping the aggression of their enemy in check. Ships would arrive for resupply and courtesy calls on a regular basis, but never in any large numbers, as that would make them too vulnerable to an attack in the port. No, these were being sent around as part of a planned campaign of psychological warfare, a constant reminder that help was but a stone's throw away for the garrison and the Sheenish themselves.

Walking about town, two of the officers in charge of this defensive force were discussing their views on the matter.

Senior Officer: We have yet to suffer the indignity of a bad report, for our men have kept to their quarters and abided by the presidium as it has been set.

Commanding Officer: I care not for my good report, it is honour that I seek. The men that we protect are like a troupe, eager to please the vulgar masses and their affections sold cheaply. To be here at their pleasure is an indignity in itself.

S.O.: Alas, there is no honour to be had in breaking from our hosts, for to do so would bring nought but shame after such a grave betrayal of hospitality.

C.O.: You have the right of it, though it pains me so to say. I chafe under the strain of their friendship and my sinew is strained by its counsel to peace. If we could, I would have us come to possess a hulk and use it to 'exercise' our guns before those curs.

S.O.: If you could, my fellow, you would have us exercise our right of war. I know! Let us promenade along our frontier and see what is to be seen.

Giving his assent through a nod, the two proceeded to stroll out towards the edge of the demilitarised zone. There they saw some constables out on patrol.

S.O.: That man there appears to be hailing us. He is waving his hat.

C.O.: I believe he is, best to respond in kind.

The two men doffed their hats and waved back. After that, they continued their own personal patrol of the territory before returning to their offices and taking supper.

It had been the Hebithdräkhskapiz af Lisnojaning's idea. Gathering the best singers and players from across the globe for one glorious broadcast and world tour, whilst nice, was far too ambitious and impossible to organise. Just trying to get that many people to Morþal was regarded as a nightmare, the need to hire at least two ocean-liners for rapid touring ended up ballooning costs to heights never imagined by any sane man. Thankfully, they had scrapped such ideas right quick after that. The world class performance would stay, but they had set a limit on the amount everyone would be paid and made it equal within each role. The world tour had been scrapped entirely.

Then there had been the selection of players, around forty-eight voices and seventy-two players. The numbers were to be made up of the best musicians from Sheen, West-Thosel-Cransconia, the Raikh, and a large pool of walk-in talents who decided to travel independently for the event. Those that were rejected but had actual talent would have their fare covered for the journey to the Raikh and return, the rest would be out of luck. The selection process was also quite strict, with everyone being provided instruments of the same quality or given songs to sing rather than being able to choose their own. A few applicants were unfortunately rejected on medical grounds, even though their auditions were second to none.

However, the selection process proceeded and all the positions were filled. They had spent the next few weeks practising, rehearsing, and preparing for what was to be a world first. After one such rehearsal, it was found that quite a few of the performers had wonderful voice acting skills and were quite good at improvising sound effects. They had been caught on stage playing out a scene from a detective novel, using the sound amplification systems and instruments for added flair. Rather than be reprimanded, they had managed to impress the organisers enough that a new section was discussed and cleared with them. The broadcast would not be to the same standard, but those that volunteered to, were to stay an extra hour every day to practise for their performance of a criminal drama which would follow the main performance.

That said, troubles did start to arise. Word leaked of the criminal drama and this had resulted in the civil authorities stopping by. While not totally opposed, they wished to ensure that whatever went on the air followed the censorship laws with regards to moral content, which led to the whole source material being thrown out. Next, they had objected to some of their methods being described on the air, as they thought an accurate depiction of them stalking a suspect through the streets might lead to criminals getting smarter.

After four days of discussion and writing, a new script was produced with several deliberate inaccuracies put in for safe measure. The policemen were even kind enough to help with the rehearsals, speech, and providing guns and such for sound effects, though it took an afternoon to figure out how small of a charge to use for the blanks.

With all of these matters set and finished, a few tests of the recording systems were conducted. It was discovered that small padded barriers were required between certain sections in order to avoid sound echoes when recording from multiple pick-ups, but other than that things went surprisingly well. No major problems were found and those that were, had relatively simple fixes.

So it was, that the final rehearsal began. The first with a modern sound crew and only the second performed in such a large temple. All of the cantatas had been done, twice, no mistake could be allowed this close to the performance date. It was with the final strains of the final piece that the group were given their final approval, they were ready for whatever might come. They went on to enjoy a rousing success.

The entirety of Morþal and the Raikh was abuzz the next day, with many people writing letters asking after when the next performance might be and for recordings of the one that had just occurred. That said, what was most gratifying of all was the horde of working class admirers who showed up to express their appreciation and to ask for another such event in the future.

A new tradition was born.