Former Minister of Wildlife Madhur Mudali straightened the antiquated Greenpeace coat which today conspicuously replaced her customary Mitsubishi jacket, and sat much better over the folds of her dhoti. “I call for the urgent passage of a Senatorial Consult recommending that the Seven-Hive Council demand that the Hives known as the Humanist Union, the European Union, the Mitsubishi Group, and the Cousins’ Society draft proposals for the reform and correction of their governments, and that those Hives which fail to present satisfactory proposals to the Senate-within-one-month-be-considered-for-expulsion-from-the-Alliance.” Her voice turned to a high-pitched race as she saw Jin Im-Jin raise the mace, but she finished just in time.

“Thank you. Gordian Petőfi? Gordian Petőfi?”

“What, me?” Gordian’s celebrated psycholinguist Tisza Petőfi, her European pallor failing to hide delight’s flush in her cheeks, was almost too absorbed in the rich array of specimens before her to recognize her own name. “Oh, I withdraw my motion. Mitsubishi Mudali’s covered it.”

“Any other nonredundant motions? Cousin Podrova?”

Volga Podrova’s Russian paleness showed, not flush, but fear-blanch. “On behalf of twenty-two colleagues, I call for the urgent passage of a Senatorial Consult recommending that the Seven-Hive Council examine, expel, and dissolve the Hive known as the Humanists.”

Grandpa glared. “I thank you for your brevity. Are there any more motions from Senators before I turn to motions from others?”

This silence was, I think, the first thing to truly please Jin Im-Jin all day.

“Good. Have the Minor Senators any motions or recommendations?”

The ten Minor Senators were all in attendance, youthful voices without the culpability of votes, who sit in the front row and speak for the millions who are old enough to realize that they live under a law, but have not yet passed the Adulthood Competency Exam and earned the right and burden of making said law.

“No new motions, Member Speaker,” Xinxin Hopper spoke for the group, sixteen years old and the pride of the great Beijing Campus, “but my peers and I wish to claim Minors’ Priority to speak first when the Senate considers Hiveless Fracciterne’s call for a Senatorial Order to the Sensayers Conclave, since we feel Minors are at special risk of being hurt by the current lack of guidance for structuring dialogue about the alleged resurrection of Tribune J.E.D.D. Mason.”

Here was something sensible enough for Grandpa to smile at. “Your request for Minors’ Priority is recognized. Now.” Jin Im-Jin turned to the Officials’ seats that flanked his dais. “Acting Censor Jung Ancelet Kosala, I believe you have a motion?”