Response to the Babkhan situation

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Now that the world knows about the Babkhan affair, we should arrange some kind of a statement to feed INS and the like.

We also need to think of some legal response to the Babkhan claim that they legally control Shireroth. Hesam and co. will probably start saying that the Kaiser legally ceded Shireroth to Babkha, and that this having happened, no further Kaiser can unilaterally "secede" without the Shah's permission. If he says this, we need to have a response ready.

One possibility is that since it wasn't made in the form of an official Imperial Decree, it never happened. Another possibility is that Brrapa make a divine pronouncement that the action is null and void, which is recognized as super-Kaiserial law under Shirerithian culture. Or we could combine both approaches, having the Arbiter announce that without an Imperial Decree it's invalid, and then have the Gods endorse the Arbiter's position.

[Ari Rahikkala]

I'm kind of leaning toward ridicule as the legal response

[Oroigawa Koreyasu]

Or we can ignore them because they are fools. There is no legal premise behind their claim.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

For a statement to the media, how about this:

Shireroth acknowledges that our long-time ally, the Kingdom of Babkha, has recently been engaging in a private fantasy of control over Shireroth. The Kaiser's government has known about this for some time, but has kept the information secret to avoid embarrassing the Babkhans unnecessarily. Though Babkha may have fallen on hard times, with a post per month barely one-twentieth of our own, we still respect them for the glory years of their past and did not want to drag their dirty laundry in front of the international community, especially considering the potential damage it could do to their relationship with important powers such as Alexandria.

No one was harmed by leading Babkhans playing a legally ingenious game of make-believe among themselves on a secret forum. Indeed, the Babkhan game benefited Shireroth in many ways. Hasan's importation of a Babkhan-based economic system was mostly successful, Ardashir made an excellent Minister of Military Affairs, and when the Babkhans' imagination ran out, most of them left the country quietly while others settled down and assisted the transition into the reign of Kaiser Loki III and his Steward, Oroigawa.

However, the media has unfortunately picked up on the story, leaving us no choice but to comment. We of course deny the Babkhan claim to Shireroth. Although Kaiser Hasan and Kaiser Ayreon were both legitimate rulers of Shireroth, neither made an official Imperial Decree changing the Imperial Republic's relationship with Babkha. Had they done so, they would have of course been politely but firmly shown the door just as our last overly generous Kaiser, Mog I was so many years ago.

We realize that Babkha has little left but its daydreams, and we are not so hard-hearted to begrudge them these. We declare a blanket amnesty for our current Babkhan dual citizens, not because of Hasan's ill-starred attempts to declare legal immunity for himself and his co-conspirators, but because we like them. Ardashir and Hesam have not yet expressed a desire to re-enter the Imperial Republic, but we will have a policy ready by the time they do. We urge Alexandria to be similarly merciful in dealing with the Babkhans' stated intentions against their country as well.

It's just nice enough to look merciful, just condescending enough to hurt. And we'll make sure Alexandria knows they were involved too

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Or we can ignore them because they are fools. There is no legal premise behind their claim.

Not exactly true. A ruling Kaiser did endorse it, and the Kaiser's rule is law. Assuming the Babkhans don't just slink away with their tails behind their legs, and try to push their claim to the international community, Hesam & co. WILL bring this up. Obviously it won't get them control over Shireroth, but it might make them look slightly less like fools, so we need to have talking points ready to counteract it.

[Oroigawa Koreyasu]

*nods*

Agreed.

[Ari Rahikkala]

I like. They'll call it spiteful, but... I like it.

[Erik Mortis]

How bout:

Meh...

[Erik Mortis]

There was no decree.. so there is no legal basis.

[Kaiser Loki II]

Well, we could declare Hasan and successor as anti-Kaisers, remedied by my restoration. Of course I'd affirm everything done that we like.

That might leave some rents in the fabric of history, though.....

[Oroigawa Koreyasu]

I would strongly advise against that, m'lord. While they were plotting against us, they were still Kaisers and they still did good things for the country.

[Kaiser Loki II]

That's true. Besides, the holes in history would be hard to fill.

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Meh.