Kalistan

[Doc]

Her Imperial Majesty addresses developments in Majatra
Welcomes Gaduridos with a word of Hope; announces diagnosis in National Assembly
Kaliburg Free City, Ananto
July 7, 5574


Her Imperial Majesty makes a rare trip from Eveari to Kaliburg to Address National Assembly

Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Pavlina I Ananto was welcomed to the National Assembly in Kaliburg.  The assembled deputies gave Her Imperial Majesty a standing ovation, while onlookers noticed that the Black Empress is not as hale as she was even a few years ago.  Her Imperial Majesty has not delivered an address to the National Assembly in many years, and has stayed almost exclusively in Eveari for the last six years following her removal of the Imperial Seat back to Eveari.  Her most loyal supporters were in attendance for the speech, including her long serving Ministers, and members of the Ananto family, as well as most of the Dukes and Counts from across the Empire. Dame Lindsay Ontiveros-Maxwell, the former Chancellor of the Empire also attended. 

Her Imperial Majesty spoke in a soft voice that suggested fatigue, but she was clearly determined to make it through the speech, which she read from paper in front of her.  Soon, however, she decided to go off her script, as well as throw Imperial Protocol right out the window, for understandable reasons.

Below is the transcript of Her Imperial Majesty's Speech:

Friends, Deputies, fellow Nobility.

We stand before you today in our moment of triumph. Let us recount our success.  We have given Kalistan Space Program to be proud of.  Kalistan is on the verge of launching our first telecommunications satellite into stable Terran orbit, and from there, sky is literally limit.

We have two ocean Navy now that we can be proud of that protects our Empire and our neighbors from foreign threats and incursions, and will give our combat units plenty of time to move into position, should Kalistan be approached on, above, or below the surface of the Sea.

We have settled many outstanding disputes with our neighbors, and hope to improve relations with even Luthori.

We are beginning, with the help of land of our Birth, Kundrati, to help give Kaliburg a subway system to be proud of, a first in our Empire.

We have helped Kalistan come to internal peace, with justice and friendship, 

We have lost...  many...  many...  along way.  But now is time for smile, because one who was lost so long ago has returned to us.  And we embrace our friends and brothers and sisters in Gaduridos with open arms.  We welcome them as we welcome old friend who we have not seen in many years.  We have asked House Ananto to begin making investment funds available for them, and we have asked Finance Minister to set aside more than ₭500 Billion from Kalistani Rainy Day fund for integration support, to ease transition within Gaduridos to Imperial Realm, so that the people of Gaduridos will know that Empire is committed to their health, well being and prosperity.  It is closest matter to our own heart that the people of Gaduridos be welcomed to Empire, that the grievances and protests of some segments of Gaduridos.  We would travel to Gaduridos to meet with protestors, if Government of Gaduridos believes it would help to defuse the dissent there.

We have so much to celebrate.  But while we see our success after success after success, we also see Communist aggressors from Istalia attacking friends in Pontesi among other states.  Kalistan cannot and will not involve itself in war, while we are Sovereign, however:  We do condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the unprovoked attack by Istalia against their neighbors on Majatran Continent, and will do all we can, short of war, to sanction Istalia and pressure them to seek settlement.  Selucia (Istalia, an error in the speech few noticed at the time) is the unfortunate victim of warped ideology of world conquest, and aggression must be met with strongest possible action.

We would like to begin working with Lourenne and Lodamun on new Anantonese Security Agreement.  Obviously, representatives of our Government in Gaduridos will be welcomed to participate in discussions as well, as this now concerns them as well.

As we transition ourselves to new Anantonese Empire, we ourselves would like to make good on promise we made years ago, and would like to send a representative to World Congress.  We have asked our Foreign Minister Dame...  um...  Excuse please...  Dame u,.  Dame DuMont, forgive us Madame, it was long trip of twenty minutes to Kaliburg from Eveari (said with smile, to which Deputies laughed and applauded)  Yes, Dame DuMont, one of our oldest and closest friends, she...  We have asked her to explore possibility to sending representative to World Congress.  It is our hope that World Congress will meet on Istalian situation and will take action, and We would hope that Kalistan will have representative in General Assembly to speak on our behalf.

Finally.  (Pausing, as if she were about to start, but then checking herself, before starting hesitantly,)  Friends.  We wish to tell you something.  We...  saw...  um...  We were asked to take appointment with doctor recently.  He was, as you call him, cognitive therapist, and he recommended we...  I... that I take test.  I took test, and then we did more test.  And test revealed that I have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.  Is early onset, but will get worse, and I will never be cured of it.  For all medicine and science, there is no cure.  Doctor said I may have, excuse me...  (to Chancellor, who attempted to remind her of protocol for personal pronouns)  yes,  Excuse me, Chancellor, I...  Excuse me... damn protocol.  Doctor said I may have...  

(Switching to Lurrian, and speaking sternly to Chancellor, who warned her she was violating the law by using first person, singular pronouns) Isilik, orain ari naiz. Nola ausartzen zara?! Ez daukazu zuzenean ni jendaurrean zuzentzeko eskubiderik, baliorik gabeko burokrata hori! Ez duzu nahi nik Batzarrean egia esatea.  I... You, Mr. Ames, are dismissed from post.  Do not interrupt your Empress, and do not correct Her in public while She speak.  You are ghost, Mr. Ames, you no longer serve me, and you shall never again speak to me...  I am your Empress and will not tolerate insolence.  If you do not remove yourself from my sight, I will have you removed.

At this point, the Sergeant at Arms appeared next to Ames, and escorted him from the National Assembly, as the Empress, with tears in her eyes, slowly regained her composure.  The rest of the Assembly sat stunned at the absolute disrespect and complete violation of Imperial Protocol committed by the now former Chancellor.

...As I say.  Doctor said I may have three years, I may have ten.  No way to know what time I will have.  He recommended music to me.  Music.  I only hope I live long enough to see daughter be ready to take my place.  I apologize to People of Kalistan and Gaduridos.  I have tried to be good Empress and good Sovereign for all.  I hope you will remember me fondly, when I can no longer remember you. 

I will hold on as long as possible, but have instructed my daughter, the Crown Princess Carolina, to please prepare herself to take over for me, if I become incapable of serving in this role longer.  If I am no longer capable of governing you, my people, I wish for her to relieve me and take Crown for herself.  Dame DuMont, my old friend.  Dame Ontiveros, my old friend, you both welcomed me to Kalistan when others would see me thrown in Strait.  Will you both help my daughter when time comes? 

When I no longer can remember my only child's name, I have asked doctor to arrange a good departure for me.

I apologize to you my people, for bearing bad news.  Is sad for me to report, but conscience dictates that I live with integrity, and I will try to govern you as faithfully as I can for as long as I can.  And I welcome you, Gaduri brothers and sisters, to family.  We wish you peace and ease and will do all within power to ensure you integrate fully and quickly into the Empire.

We hope our news did not greatly upset you, our people.

With that, the Empress looked as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulder  She had tears in her eyes, and was helped down from the podium by Dame DuMont, and assisted her to her seat. The physical contact with the Empress was also a serious violation of Imperial Protocol, but the Empress welcomed the compassion.  As she took her seat near the (former) Chancellor's own seat, the applause in the chamber grew loud and enthusiastic.  One after another, deputies filed up to greet the Empress, some to shake her hand, for the first time ever, and others to thank her for all her work and accomplishments on behalf of the Empire, all feeling welcomed by the Empress herself to ignore the rules of protocol for just this little period of time.