Slightly later:
"I have the report from our Captain Tanner, Councilors."
They all know he's a member, and probably everyone in this session here knows that he's delivering the report firsthand. But it's better to keep up appearances, especially when he-the-illustrati is making suggestions to the Council.
"There is a summary of courts met with and sparring sessions to make clear our capabilities and his own, which I will elide unless there is an objection. One incident is noted in which the captain notes that he favored his standing over our national reputation; he left a Scythian city with the sole public sparring session leaving a weaker illustrati come off the better. He presents in his defense a successful private bout against the local nobility, and adds secondary reasoning which will be mentioned in the remainder of the report. Do I hear a request for censure?"
"I move to vote on censure after the full report." "Seconded." "Third; so noted. Please proceed with the report."
"On the subject of antecedents, he has brought reports of a distant country, Kenning, which holds annual meetings of all free men, a weak government of their island, in which possibly-exaggerated reports say all members meet masked. They do not maintain strict confidence and smaller meetings are not secret, but it is encouraging. Two small volumes are available for our perusal..."