Making a Splash

After the triumph of the référendum septième in 2082, the work of expunging historical humiliations intensified. In taking its sovereign place in the world, la nouvelle nation assumed certain obligations internationales, including its fair (eight percent) share of the defunct oppressor-state’s contributions to the International Space Agency. Le pays will participate in a signature manner, its gouvernement proclaimed. Accordingly, an inspector from the Office de la langue française was dispatched to the launch centre in Bechtelistan to ensure that no further linguistic travesties were inflicted on franco-astronautes. Soon, confusing and humiliating affichages étrangers were consigned to the tas de poussière.