Emergency Backup Executive

The Contingency Reserve Executive (Heśikonvix Staśulix Vektur) or Emergency Backup Executive is a federal elected official of the Kiravian Federacy who serves as a designated survivor to maintain continuity of government in the event that the entire line of succession to the Prime Executure of the Kiravian Federacy is exhausted by a mass-casualty attack or similar contingency.

Contingency Reserve Executive Heśikonvix Staśulix Vektur
Incumbent Kífur Sudherlōma since 1 Trîlus, 21195
Abbreviation	EBUE
Reports to	Prime Executive
Residence	Antipodes Manor
Seat	Prehnite Hills, Sydona
Nominator	Federal Council
Appointer	Electoral College Prime Executive in event of vacancy.
Term length	60 months
Constituting instrument	Fundamental Statute (21186 Version)
Formation	Template:H:title
First holder	D. Inbhir Àir
Succession	At that point you just give up.
Unofficial names	"Emergency Backup Executive" "Last Executive"
Salary	₤70,000 per annum
Website	www.ebug.āri.kr

History and Concept

The Emergency Backup Executive position was instituted in 21186 in response to concerns raised by experts and the security establishment that the existing line of succession to the Prime Executure and mechanisms for replenishing the line of succession were dependent upon bodies such as the Executive College, Federal Council, and Federal Stanora, all of which are based inside The Gates in Kartika and have their members residing in the Kartika metropolitan area. This made it highly likely that the entire constitutional machinery of the federal government could be wiped out by a targeted mass casualty attack or other disaster in Kartika, and almost certain that it would be wiped out during a nuclear exchange. A white paper authorised by the Federal Security Bureau recommended that a constitutional officer "preferably one with a democratic mandate" be stationed outside Kartika, in an area of the Federacy unlikely to be targeted during a nuclear strike. It was deemed important for the Second Executive to remain based in Kartika to quickly assume the role of Prime Executive or temporary Acting Prime Executive under conventional circumstances, as well as to continue their many unofficial responsibilities. As such, the Stanoral drafting committee ultimately voted to create the Contingency Reserve Executure as a wholly new office, and recommended that it be stationed in an overseas island possession.

In the words of D. Inbhir Àir, the inaugural officeholder,

When PE Kólsylvar appointed me as the first CRE, I received a hundreds of snarky congratulations on becoming the "Third Executive" and the "Second Second Executive". Good jokes they were, the first fifty times, at least. But in terms of continuity of government, there is a world of difference between the Second Executive and myself. The Second Executive's job is to minimise disruption. He's the one who holds down the fort while the Prime Executive gets doped up for a root canal or his plane has a radio problem. Should the Prime Executive die, it's his job to ensure a smooth transition and keep up business as usual. As for me, if I am asked to assume the Prime Executure, that means "business as usual" is already irretrievably lost. I'm there to pick up the pieces, figure out what assets and what options we still have, and lead whomever's left into whatever's next. The Second Executive's job is to assure everyone that someone's in charge. Mine, much of it, anyway, is to assure the world that someone's still here, that there is still a Kiravian state at all. That's a whole different animal.

— D. Inbhir Àir

The Contingency Reserve Executive's official website states that the CRE serves to "prevent ambiguity in the military and civil chain of command during times of extreme crisis and general uncertainty", and to "ensure that the democratic legitimacy of our government can survive catastrophic events."

Responsibilities

The office of EBUE confers no inherent political power of its own. Per the Fundamental Statute, the only duty with which the Backup Executive is charged is to "maintain themself in a condition of readiness to assume the Prime Executure". Pursuant to this, the CRE receives regular briefings on national security and civil defence, takes part in procedural drills, and undergoes periodic medical and psychological evaluations. The CRE is a non-voting member of the Executive College and sometimes attends its meetings by means of teleconference technology, but participates little. Although the office carries no other duties in its own right, a Prime Executive customarily assigns his EBUE responsibility for the Operational Continuity Office (which coördinates continuity-of-government preparations) and the Commission on Long-term Planning (an obscure advisory committee on futurology and sustainability).

The Emergency Backup Executive resides at a complex known as Antipodes Manor, a well-appointed villa located in a special security zone within the Prehnite Hill Tracts, a dacha resort area operated by the Kiravian military in the interior of Grand Sydona, Sydona Islands. Officially known as Antipodes Command Nexus, Antipodes Manor houses command-and-control facilities and other infrastructure and personnel to support the EBE should their services be needed. Like the Prime Executive, the EBUE and his residence are protected by the Presidential Guard Unit of the Federal Protective Service.

The EBUE may travel freely, but as a matter of policy, they are instructed to keep the Executive College apprised of their movements outside Sydona and avoid the major metropolitan areas of Great Kirav. A memorandum issued by PE Rénkédar specifies that the EBUE is to observe certain limitations on their travel at different strategic threat levels, for example refraining from international and Northern Hemisphere domestic destinations while high threat levels are in effect. If an EBUE does need to visit a major city in Great Kirav (e.g. for familial reasons), the standard practice is for the Second Executive to stay at Antipodes Manor during that time.

Succession Protocols

The EBUE is issued a set of nuclear launch authentication codes every, albeit a different code than is given to the PE and SE. According to Lirion Torineryn, who served as EBUE under PE Mérovin, the EBUE trains for nuclear launch scenarios. He notes, however, that in a situation where an EBUE would become PE due to a nuclear exchange, automated "dead hand" systems, rather than human commanders, would carry out retaliatory strikes. A key post-succession responsibility of an EBUE would be to establish contact and provide orders to the Kiravian Navy's submarine fleet, which would likely survive a nuclear exchange. The EBUE's code set serves mainly to authenticate the EBUE's identity to submarine captains and enable him to marshal submarine-based missiles as a deterrent against invasions into any remaining Kiravian territory.

A former EBUE has confirmed that among the many contingency plans prepared for the EBUE by national security agencies is a step-by-step guide on how an EBUE might arrange for the orderly cession of remaining Kiravian territories to friendly nations such as the Cape if he judges the medium-term survival of the Kiravian state to be untenable.