As for violence among worlds, this bill applies only to those worlds who are a part of the empire, who have united under a banner. They agree to be a part of this empire and as such -should- be asked or have it demanded of them that they act as such. The wars which wage senator, should be brought to an abrupt end so that those resources can be diverted where it is needed.

I will pose a question to you senator, which you should be more than able to answer as the head of the commerce committee. How much in both planetary and imperial resources are being tied up because of petty and silly conflicts between ourselves? These unstable governments can only contribute to those forces who list the Empire among its enemies.

Now to be clear I do understand your opposition, and do agree that perhaps we should allow a bit of breathing room to those planets with small forces. as such I will put forth an amendment to change to language.

Article II:

B. If a Planet is unable to respond due to lack of forces or an inadequate forces then they are to be considered immune from the provisions.

For example, Senator Star uses very imprecise terms such as "near" a poor definition of "acts of war", "system". Again it is legislation which needs re-drafting before this Senate can even consider enacting it into law.

I must vote against this legislation, while I respect its purpose I cannot blindly vote with my morals, and I don't believe this motion is likely to do any more than creating a bureaucratic set of rules for Imperial Intervention in local conflicts. Worlds have ever waged war upon each other and I do not believe it is fair to ask Imperial Forces to intervene in these (relatively minor in most cases) scuffles. Equally, no provision is given for civil wars etc etc.

The Emperor has the power to issue a decree ordering the end of or the intervention in any local conflict he chooses. Thus it is not even needed, and I believe it should be the Emperor and Senate's choice to intervene (or not) in a war between the Empire's worlds, it should not be the role of an arbitrarily and poorly drafted law to do so.

I vote against. Waste of money and Senate time. We could legislate to give every citizen a million credits too, but it would not be practical.

In respect to Article I:

Deep space that is not actually territory of anyone, other than the Empire, of course, is exactly that: unowned space. Why should a law be passed preventing mining, placing ships or stations in it? You have boundaries around Volus, as do we all around our planets. Everything inside that sphere of control you have a say over. If Sluis Van wishes to ring the space around Volus with ships and platforms, it is not illegal in the slightest. If you have problems, Senator, I suggest you place your own platforms or find a legal way to expand your sphere of influence.

If no Imperial world can declare 'war' on an other Imperial world, what of border skirmishes, raids, minor clashes and 'police actions?' Will you attempt to cover everything and remove any way possible of venting?

In respect to the armaments a world may have, I believe that if someone can get close enough to inflict such weaponry upon your world, then perhaps you should place better defenses and security measures, rather than simply ban weapons that you are afraid of.

The same could be said for weapons previously outlawed by the Senate, senator. Such as the large turbolasers or in fact the biological weapons. These weapons though, are as dangerous if not more so, in the case of the turbolasers, than those previously banned.

In this day and age, there is absolutely no call for planets, truly loyal to his majesty, to feel the need to wage war or conduct hostile actions against other citizens of the Empire. Instead, this measure provides for continuing stability of planetary governments, those engaged in current wars for example, and for the focusing of resources on true enemies of the empire instead of each other. We should focus our attentions on those who deserve it, like the cowards who attacked the Vjun space station, or pirates who still plague trade and peace. We are an Empire, senators, a -united- empire and as such the need for petty border skirmishes, raids, and minor clashes among ourselves has past.

To Senator Oriel, the Imperial intervention is only required as it is deemed necessary by the Imperial Navy or the ruling council. Most conflicts will likely be solved through arbitration and negotiation instead of through outright engagement of the Imperial Military.

However, static defenses of the various mine types as you have mentioned, cannot be compared to biological weapons and heavy turbolasers. If anything, these mines are less dangerous. Even placed in open space, or beyond allowed boundaries, they are only a danger to those who come close and, relatively speaking, they can be cleared with careful and precise tools. If anything, mines may well have assisted the Vjun station and prevented the loss of four Vjunite lives.

Perhaps, Senator, yourself and Senator Oriel could put behind the differences Vjun and Volus have had in the past and you might be able to station Volus-pid defenses at the Vjun station, thereby assisting Vjun and preventing allegations of Volusian lack of response.

As for mines, they do have their uses, yes, and as such aren't outlawed in this measure only banned from placing them near another planet's sovereign space.

Such destructive devices are dangerous to be sure, but no different really than the proton bombs utilized by the Imperial Navy. For all intents and purposes, though they are not quite conventional explosives, they are still rather tame when compared to the output of the heavy turbolaser cannons previously banned by the Senate. As well, to deliver these devices, vessels must, to my understanding, either be sub-orbital or have fired a warhead from a rather noticeable distance. In either event, static defenses such as weapon emplacements should be more than capable of tracking and destroying them before they cause any harm.

I am not saying that planets should be unprepared but as Senator Cambrist kindly pointed out earlier, many worlds either do not have spacial defense forces or they have small ones which may not be able to cope with an attack by a larger force.

As for the Imperial Navy, those parts will have no effect on them because they are allowed to use whatever weapons or techniques they wish to employ in a given situation. This measure only pertains to planetary governments.

Of course, every Imperial world should have at least one squadron of TIE fighters for defense.

I see no reason to prevent worlds from having these devices; only preventing certain usages of them.