“…separately in each of a long list of categories, so that the medical nanomachines we purchase from them –that’s legal under the Trade Exception Act—can only be paid for with Stellar Republic Crowns obtained by selling to them other medical nanomachines, or several exotic alternatives.” 

The Senators and Lords became quite noisy.  The Speaker’s gavel rapped once and again. 

“I therefore inquired of our Foreign Office if we had been advised by our Ambassador of this impending legislation, and find that the answer was in the public record, the Ambassador’s correspondence to the First Minister, which I hereby read into the Record of this session.”  Yes, Elektra thought, I also had it from Raymond’s friend, but asking the Foreign office for specific files from the public record, not even naming them, just supplying a long-digit alphanumeric code, yielding    the Foreign office datastamp that removes all doubt as to their authenticity.  “And now my question.  When our Ambassador to Mogado wrote to the First Minister ‘…these Laws will make our independence unsustainable, so at last, blessed day, exactly as you and your actual advisors planned,  we shall have no choice except to adhere to the Stellar Republic, and, as you and I agreed, there will be nothing the reactionary populist despicables will be able to do about it’…”

“That was private correspondence!” Drummond-McLaren shouted.  “Mister Speaker, I demand…” The Speaker muted Drummond-McLaren’s microphone.

“…in this official correspondence lawfully available to all members of thebody and not classified in any way, my question is: Whom did you think are the reactionary populist despicables  and who are your actual advisors?  Thank you, Mister Speaker, and I may need a follow-on.”  The shouting in the chamber became deafening.

“So noted,” the Speaker said.  He gavelled the Chamber to silence.  “The First Minister will now answer the question.”

“This is a fraud!” Drummond-McLaren shouted.  “The Ambassador sent no such correspondence! And I certainly wrote no such answer?  Mister Speaker, I ask that…”

“Didn’t you just claim it was private correspondence?”  Elektra interjected.  The Speaker’s gavel rapped once.

“That’s absolutely correct,” Drummond-McLaren answered.  Laughter came from most of the chamber.

“The First Minister will answer the question,” the Speaker said.  “Need I repeat it?”