Transcript of the Full-Realm Hearing
Translated from Jacarian, Territorial English, and Jernean English for ease of reading. Proper nouns remain in their original script out of respect to their holders.
—
Siting Tkænseler Finly-Jånsøn enters the chambers and takes a seat before organizing the small stack of documents before them. Checking the clock, they motion for silence from Pårlihmænt below.
Finly-Jånsøn: All members of Pårlihmænt, please rise for the Lård Hie Justis of United Jækarea.
Silence falls over the chamber. Representatives around the room slowly stand as a man climbs into the pulpit. Somewhere in the back, an official applauds the man, a gesture copied by the rest of the body.
Wilyæmsberg: At ease, everyone. Thank you, Mx. Finly-Jånsøn. At this time, the Måltiversål Pårlihmænt shall begin its hearing. Ms. Ritkårds, if you would commence the roll call.
Ritkårds: Herein are the officials currently in attendance. Please indicate your presence upon the calling of your name.
Senætår Ærånsån… Thank you.
Senætår Æplwød… Thank you.
Roll call proceeds for the next half hour. Only two officials are not present, both for medical complications.
Ritkårds: In attendance are one thousand four hundred and thirty-seven officials. This concludes roll call.
Wilyæmsberg: Thank you, Ms. Ritkårds. At this time, I will relinquish my oversight of this hearing to Mx. Finly-Jånsøn.
Finly-Jånsøn: Thank you, Dr. Wilyæmsberg. You may step down from the pulpit and take your place in the galleries.
Wilyæmsberg pulls himself down from the pulpit and moves down the central aisle. Several officials, all wearing the cords awarded to Fedærål Gåwrd veterans, salute the Justis as he passes.
Finly-Jånsøn: The Lård Hie Justis shall hereinafter observe the hearing, but shall not be granted the privilege of voting in any of the matters addressed in this hearing. At this time, we shall begin by analyzing a series of petitions submitted by both municipal and federal governments across the Rælm on the matter of Wilyæmsberg’s current position. Governor Te’Wyne will speak on behalf of the Outer Territories regarding their submitted petition.
Te’Wyne: The matter of Wilyæmsberg’s position within this federal government is one currently under public scrutiny due to his recent rejection of reelection. For many, Wilyæmsberg is a figure who brought stability to the Realm, and one who united the political spectrum towards a better future for all. Under his leadership, the Outer Territories were granted membership in the Rælm, Nordstjerne was relieved of its status as a colony, and this nation has begun expansion on a multiversal scale, along with so much more.
His unique position in the eyes of the Jækarean citizenry makes his resignation from reelection a powerful blow to public trust in governance, and public polling within the Territories has shown that many don’t believe his ideals will be shared by his successor, whoever they may be.
This is the opinion of the Outer Territories. Prime Minister Bergman of Nordstjerne shall follow with her own commentary before we bring up the final proposal.
A woman dressed in a Jernean diplomatic uniform stands.
Bergman: Thank you, Mr. Te’Wyne. As previously mentioned, Wilyæmsberg’s tenure as Lård Hie Justis has expanded many of the freedoms afforded to members of its territories across the vast multiverse, including both the Northern Domain and the Outer Territories. We act as independent nations with a level of autonomy unprecedented in history, with any ties we have to the Rælm built from cooperation rather than necessity or force. We kept the Krøn. We kept the Justis as our ceremonial Head of State. But we also vote for our own parliament, our own Prime Minister, and we manage our own affairs both economically and militarily. And for these rights, we are thankful.
Wilyæmsberg is unique in many regards, but his most prominent traits are how he views his fellow countrymen. He is, and I think shall forever be, loyal to this nation and the success of its people. When the Reklæmæshen Akt was first ratified by the Håwses åf Lejislætkur, it was Wilyæmsberg who led the forces that took Høj Valuta. When the orchestrators of the coup d’état were defeated, it was Wilyæmsberg who told us that the conflict was over, and that we should not treat our fellow countrymen any differently than we treat ourselves.
His approach to diplomacy, politics, and government is unique enough that it earned a moniker named after Wilyæmsberg himself. Its foundational concept of cooperation between citizens and governments has only expanded public trust in government institutions and services, and several policies, such as citizen-decided funding allocation, have allowed for a happy, content society.
Without Wilyæmsberg, many of these ideals shall simply cease to exist.
And so, a long-term solution is needed. I shall now pass the honor of announcing such a solution to The Accountant.
The designated alternate-self of Wilyæmsberg in charge of the Kåwnsel stands and walks down from the Wilyæmsberg Kåwnsel to the central stage.
Accountant: The following statement shall henceforth be accepted as the joint proposal presented by the Executive Office of Nordstjerne and the Governor’s Office of the Outer Territories in an attempt to solve the discussed dilemma through democratic means. After the proposal has been presented and discussed, the members of the Måltiversål Pårlihmænt shall debate and cast their votes until the proposal is either approved or denied. Edits may be made to the proposal with the approval of a simple majority of this body. The approval quorum shall be set at 65% of all voting members. An initial vote with between 50-64% of members in favor shall initiate a period of discussion on possible edits that could be made in order for the aforementioned quorum to be reached. In the event that initial approval is below a simple majority, the proposal shall be dropped, and this hearing shall be concluded.
In order to prevent public discourse resulting from Dr. Wilyæmsberg’s rejection of a reelection campaign, we do hereby propose that a special office be made separate from the position of Lård Hie Justis, one that shall be centered around the Rælm’s diplomacy and general representation rather than its policy.
In order to keep this nation’s democratic ideals intact, this position would be one elected directly by the citizens of the Rælm. Persons in this position would serve until death, abdication, or removal. The Houses would have the sole power to remove figures from this position and call for special elections with a 70% majority vote.
The proposed name for this position would be the Hie Støwård åf ðe Rælm, modeled after the position of the Lård Hie Justis and the intended purpose of this proposal. This title, when placed in front of its holder, would be spoken as Støwård, followed by its holder’s surname.
The approval of this proposal would not automatically place Dr. Wilyæmsberg within the position of Støwård. Rather, it would simply establish the position and would trigger a nationwide by-election to fill the position through democratic means.
This concludes the contents of this proposal as submitted by the Executive Offices of Nordstjerne and the Outer Territories. Debate shall now commence in accordance with standard operating procedures.
The debate period lasts approximately ninety minutes, during which several points are brought up and clarified. The finalized proposal is almost identical to the original, with the key difference being the addition of party nominees being selected through primaries.
Accountant: Are there any additional remarks before we conclude?
Accountant: Wonderful. We shall then move on to the voting process.
The Accountant opens a small door within the lectern and flips a toggle switch. Inlaid panels within the desks around the chamber open, revealing several buttons, knobs, and a screen.
Accountant: Using the interface presented before you, please indicate whether you approve or deny this proposal, or abstain from this vote.
After around half an hour, all present officials have voted.
Accountant: I shall now read aloud the tallied results.
For the approval of this motion: 1059 persons;
Against the approval of this motion: 257 persons;
Abstained from the vote at hand: 123 persons;
The motion has been approved by an 80.4% majority, and shall therefore be enacted posthaste. This section is hereby concluded.
The Accountant returns to their seat.
Finly-Jånsøn: Thank you. With the principal matters out of the way, this hearing is adjourned. All attending members are free to leave at this time.
—
Williamsburg looked down as the officials slowly filed out of the chamber. His heart was pounding in his head, and when he stood, he had to lean against his chair in order not to collapse right there.
Why me?
Why now?
He had a life to get back to, a family to be with. That was why he was choosing to leave this world behind for good.
But they would not let him leave.
He had lost six years to this world, six years he could have spent watching his children grow up, learning their quirks. Six years he could have spent with his wife, his parents. But no.
The life of politics took him away.
It sent him to the farthest reaches of the multiverse, made him endure the most horrid of challenges.
He had contained creatures built from the remains of dead gods. He had saved a universe from destruction, only to watch it unravel. He had fought gods and demons and threats beyond the description of simple words.
All to be able to come home, to see his family once again.
But they would not let him leave.
There was no denying his position in this world. He had built much of the nation’s politics anew, inspired a generation of learners and freethinkers that challenged everything they thought they knew. He was beloved, yes, but he was also respected.
Why did he ever think leaving would be that easy?
Well, he thought, at least it won’t be as demanding as before. Perhaps it will even be enjoyable.
Maybe he’ll be able to spend this time with those he loves, doing what he loves.
Maybe.
