The Great Mutant Election

[Mutanatia]

It has been three years since the Unitary President, the system of government by which there was one President and an audience chamber with a Supreme Court Chief, has ended in the country of Mutanatia. A new system has been put in place. This allows for 100 Senators, a Supreme Court Chief, and a three-headed Presidency (known as the Troika). The Troika simply signs off on, proposes, or vetoes domestic laws. However, in the foreign policy realm, the Troika is an unchecked, united force. In order for anything to be signed, proposed, or vetoed, however, two of the three Troika Members must agree.

There are 4 Districts, with each one having 25 Representatives from each. District A is where the sentient Giant Mantises live. In District B, therein resides the business and manufacturing section. In District C, the rich thrive and property values are at an all-time high. But District D, a district that has been ravaged by war twice, has been left in ruins. The capital of the nation is placed squarely in the middle, known as the Mighty Center. The war was so ravaging that an “Unjustified War Clause” was put into the Constitution. Such a clause requires the single Supreme Court Chief (who is elected every year) to sign off on a war and ratify that it has a Just Cause. That happened 40 years ago. Another, Just War happened within the past twenty years, resulting in Mutanatia merging with its neighbor, Archaelogia. Former Archaeologians live in District D, while the Mutanatians, affectionately called “Mutants,” live in District C.

Under the Troika, the country has remained stagnant. A winning combination of the most knowledgeable politicians have not been found. Since this is the third annual election, citizens have their hopes up. But it is a dark and dreary place on the domestic front. Yet citizens still hope beyond hope that things will get better.

(OOC: For those who wish to join, you can do so as a regular citizen of any importance. Please do not be interacting directly with the candidates This is primarily a short story that I wrote )

[Mutanatia]

Chapter 1:
Parties at Large in Mutanatia

There are three main parties at large, with the potential forming of a fourth party. They are the United Progressivist Front (UPF), the Conservatives United Party (CUP), and the Traditionalists Preservation Focus Group (TFG). Traditionalists are usually Giant Mantises; Conservatives and Progressivists are largely consisting of Kindarin. Below are two areas that all parties seek to address, plus their take on religion. There is a fourth, smaller, party known as the Kvenetics for a Better World (KBW) which currently allows only their members, largely K’Vin, to run for Senate. There is discussion at this time to see whether their party should allow Troika candidates.

In addition to the election for Troika Members, parties play a very important part of Mutanatian politics, including in the Senate. There are 100 members of the Senate, 25 from each district. 6 are from the United Progressivist Front (UPF), down 4 from last year; 31 are from the Conservatives United Party (CUP), up 3; 29 are from the Traditionalist Preservation Focus Group (TFG), which is the same as last year; and 4 are from the Kvenetics for a Better World (KBW), up 1 from last year. Remember, in order to have any blockade on legislation lifted, there have to be 56 members. On a good day, the UPF wins the vote, 36-31-29-4. On a bad day, they lose a legislative vote, 64-36--or worse yet, they cannot lift the blockade on the vote. They are clearly hankering for seats as this election kicks into high gear.


United Progressivist Front (UPF)

Education:
For education, the United Progressivist front wants mainly reform and development in the system. It wants to drive down the cost of college, while fostering, as they call it, "homegrown" education at Mutanatia's State University. The University currently does anything but promise a future; rather, it reminds the public that the general way to get ahead is by studying abroad.

Healthcare:
For healthcare, the UPF states that healthcare is its number one priority. It seeks establishment of state-run health care, while setting up a system whereby immigrants (not citizens) who can not pay for their health care must volunteer at an emergency clinic or other health-related facility until the debt is forgiven. It also wants a state fund for citizens who are too poor, currently, for complete health care coverage. In order do this, the party acknowledges that it must drive up the quality of healthcare while driving down the cost of healthcare before the system is implemented.

Religion:
The UPF wants to an end to religion because it feels it holds society back.

The Conservatives United Party (CUP)

Education:
The CUP is often derided by the UPF as "small on education, big on ideas." There really is no existing party plank in their platform to deal with what some call the "challenges" of Mutanatia's educational system.

Healthcare:
Rather, the CUP focuses on health care mainly. Their plank has been known for leaving a sour taste in some mouths. Generally, the CUP believes that health insurance should be left up to businesses and the individuals. Those that do not have health insurance will not get any treatment at all.

Religion:
The CUP seeks full preservation of all religion and also wants an established state religion, as well as the outlawing of all practices not consistent with the religion that would be established if it were. It also believes in the preservation of the free press.

Traditionalist Preservation Focus Group (TFG)

Education:
For education, the TFG acknowledges that there are needs for advances in science, but they also argue for the preservation of religion. Education should be homeschooling. They also believe in the advancement of literacy.

Healthcare:
Healthcare is a different story. If the patient is uninsured, he or she should be given homeopathic remedies. Medicine, healthcare, and so on, should be reserved for citizens only. They also advocate the return of house calls for doctors with the state reimbursing their travels. They are for abortion (though they frown on it) but are against contraception.

Kvenetics for a Better World (KBW)

The Kvenetics for a Better World, or KBW, largely have only one plank, and that has to do with religion. All of those in the party have to belong to the Kvinet, Mutanatia's traditional religion. They all vow to preserve their religion. To a degree, they are a subset of the CUP, but remain independent. They believe that scientific progress can undermine their religion. The one educational plank they have is that they are in favor of educational "faith-based initiatives." Their motto is simple: "Life, liberty, and the preservation of environment." To that end, they want to halt all space exploration, ban sex education, and ban abortion.


There are a myriad of preferences within, among, and between these groups. Voters often wonder why the nation is falling apart and seeming to be mired in a state of malaise. The reason is because there are too many differing viewpoints and too many fractured thoughts at the moment to provide a unified direction for the country to go in, and no underlying vision: the leadership is often schizophrenic and veers off into too many tangents during debate. This election has been thought of as an opportunity to fix just that.

[Mutanatia]

Chapter 2:
Issues of Each District

To: Offices of Campaign Managers
From: The National Office of Voting Citizenry Statistics

Below, please find this year’s demographic breakdown for this election cycle’s Voting Districts. Please keep this in mind when designing your campaign.

With the arguable exception of District C, all of the Districts have various struggles. In District A, the Mantises are technically considered poor, but have vastly different issues to deal with than District D. The nation is woefully uneducated, yet the citizenry seems to believe that all is lost anyway and why bother with a problem that will just get worse.

The unifying concept between all districts is hope. Even though the country seems pessimistic at times, it hopes beyond hope that things will get better. Many of the so-called “enlightened” citizenry believe this to be the “Great White Futuristic Lie.”

District A
District A is a “poor” district consisting of Giant Mantises living and frolicking in the woods. They build their own huts and have their own economy: bartering. Children go to school in the nation’s capital in exchange for a discount on taxes on the goods they grow in the forest. Their blood is also valuable as it can cure many a disease. The CUP has often misunderstood the mantises, seeing them only as a blood farm at times, despite them being first-class citizens. District A typically goes for the TFG.

District B
District B is home to high schools and middle schools on one side of the city and heavy industry on the other, with markets in between. The main problem with this district is that there are no permanent residents; instead, to be represented and vote as a member of this district, one has to be a business owner, school teacher, or factory owner, and present their credentials as such when they vote in their home district. There is no Troika member hailing from this district, though a special advisor to the Troika (the three presidents) is elected yearly. District B is split between the CUP and the UPF.

District C
District C is home to the wealthy individuals. Typically, these are white-collar workers and business owners. Their main issue is that the district is slowly becoming more crowded and that the trickle from District C to District D is slowly tapering. In fact, it is reversing, meaning that District D is becoming slightly wealthier, and District C is becoming slightly poorer. Those that live here seek a first-rate education for their young ones and a first-class healthcare system. District C residents typically like CUPers.

District D
District D is home to the blue-collar workers and, in some cases, the working poor. Typically, they are the least educated, and have no health insurance. These are the main issues. District residents typically like UPFers.

Even though each citizen has his or her own unique perspective of their wants and need, Districts largely act as four of the most powerful Special Interest Groups (SIGs). To win an election, you need to appeal to the districts that you believe you can carry as a whole.

[Isles de Taylor]

I vote for UPF!

[Mutanatia]

Brian Channings, the lead anchor of the national TV station, Mutant News Network, shuffled his papers as he waited for the candidates to take their positions at their podiums, adjusted so that they were all at the same height. It was an idiotic move for all of them, he thought: everyone knew that primaries were about emotions, not height and weight!

There was Tabbatha Smith, one of the current Troika Members. Rumor had it that she was surrounded by idiotic advisors. Given what she’d seen of her policies, Channings had to agree. She had tried to establish a state religion in her first term. The motion was defeated by a three-pronged alliance of Progressivists, Kvenetics and Traditionalists. After that, many suspected that she had started to go on her own, ignoring the advice of her advisors.

Then there was Ron Howling. The host did not have a high esteem of him. He seemed to be a crowd-pleaser, a man who had his finger on the pulse of the voters… if only just to keep office. He was a four-term Senator from District C. Typical, the newscaster thought, win the vote by appealing to the crowd and do as they say, regardless of the fate of the nation.

Tamara Wolson was a wild card. The mayor of the small business and education district, District B, many of the Conservatives United Party (CUP) voters wondered what a misfit like her was actually doing running in a primary full of wealthy people. In a stagnant economy, many believed her to be a Saucer: that is to say, one that believes they are a CUPer but are actually of some party elsewhere. Channings scratched his head as she came out, openly wondering just what she was doing there.

Finally, there was Rob Volker. He was the darling of the CUP’s Minority Voice. The Minority Voice was about 1% of the CUPers. He was a Kindarin at heart, one whose passion stirred and flowed in ungraceful ways and was sure to bite him in the butt.

This could be interesting, he thought. After all, it was only the first debate for the CUP’s primary. As always, he covered it, or did since the last anchor shot herself in the foot and caused herself to be banned from the airwaves due to intentionally panicking the public… and, to make matters worse, she refused to apologize. But that was then, and this is now, he reminded himself, time to right the Network’s reputation.

He drew a breath as the camera light came on. Here he was, at home. “Welcome to the 15th annual CUP primary,” He said, his silky, enthusiastic words drawing warm applause from the crowd. He often wondered how he could say the same stuff year-after-year, and how other anchors didn’t go insane listening to the same old shit time after time.

He continued nonplussed. “Today’s main topic will be education and healthcare. As we look around the table, to the right of me is Tabbatha Smith, one of the incumbent Troika Members. We have Ron Howling to her left, a six-month Senator. To his left is Tamara Wolson. She is the Mayor of District B. Finally, we have Rob Volker, one of our up-and-coming CUPers. To the first topic, it is noticeable that the CUP does not have education as one of their planks. With that in mind, what is the #1 issue facing our educational system? Ms. Troika Member, you’re on. We will proceed to the left.” Channings barely hid the roll of his eyes from the camera.

“Thank you,” the sitting Troike Member said, exuding her usual air of confidence. It was one that could make even lead fly, or so Channings had been told.” The biggest problem with have is with the way religion is covered.” She drew the predictable applause. Anything that defended religion was always an applause line. “The UPF has put quite an anti-religion component in our education system. My solution is simple: give equal time to all religions when teaching our students.” Tabbatha Smith motioned that she was done with her statement.

Ron Howling thumped the podium, drawing a gasp from the crowd. “Ms. Smith, that sounds simple on the face of things, but it’s quite frankly not possible.” The audience clapped enthusiastically. “You see, we can’t possibly cover every topic. If we covered every single religion, then we’d have to start that from kindergarten. A kindergartener can’t be expected to know anything about the religion of K’vin, or why Jesus saved us, and so on. You know that, and I know that. Instead, I advocate giving equal time to religion’s successes and failures. You’ll remember that the Giant Mantises in the forest were not treated as first-class citizens until recently, and that freedom of the press was largely a Kindarin effort.” Again, the usual applause line: give the Kindarin their props. It always worked.

The Mayor of District B looked startled. “No, no, and no!” She said, her intemperance startling even Channings. “The solution is simple: we accentuate the bright spots of religion and do away with the negative parts. For instance, was the Old Guard of the Grumels evil? Of course. But then there were good religious organizations, too, back then. And let’s not forget that there are religious organizations now that fight intolerance and help the poor in District D.” Even though the crowd applauded, Mr. Channings rolled his eyes. She had basically parroted the exact same thing.

Rob Volker pondered, scratching his chin. “The easiest solution, seems to me, is to remove religion from education altogether.” The crowd gasped. Mr. Channings dropped the pen in his hand that he was twirling. How dare he try to uproot the CUP’s philosophy? Nonplussed by the reaction, Volker continued, “The only way to preserve the sanctity of religion is to make sure that a majority of our nation sends their kids to Sunday School.” It was a line that drew very little applause. Volker’s appearance was falling flat. He’d have to make something of it.

The debate went on for a few hours. The same old questions were asked again and again, and the same old responses were given again and again. After about an hour and a half, Mr. Channings said, “With that, we proceed to our final topic, which is hHealth care. What changes need to be made to our system? Ms. President, you’re on first, and we’ll go to the left again as usual.” Mr. Channings, as enthusiastic as he sounded, was ending the debate early. It had been as dry as a board.

Tabbatha Smith answered without a beat. “Right, well, there are two things that need to be addressed. One of them is that the quality of healthcare must go up, and costs must go down.” Two and two make four, Channings thought. Yadda yadda yadda. Of course, she drew the applause from the line and continued, “Do you know how much of the cost of healthcare is spent on lawsuits and driven up by unhealthy people? The answer is simple: Bad doctors and, say, obese patients, will have to pay a higher premium. As they get better, and as obese patients lose weight, the premium will go down. And the second problem is because of immigrants who freeload on our system.” Again, another applause. Feed the xenophobes, thought Channings, it’ll be good for them. Ms. Smith continued, “I advocate this: an immigrant coming to our country who does not have money to spend on an operation and does not have insurance will have whatever treatment is necessary, and then will serve out a prison sentence with every 100 mutacents (µ -- MU) giving them another month in jail. You cannot expect to freeload on the system without getting a penalty.” Mr. Channings scribbled a note as the crowd rose to their feet. Harsher penalties for immigration, the cracking down on xenos, always worked.

Ron Howling thumped his podium again. “Ms. President, that could amount to a life sentence in jail! Though I think we can agree that costs need to go down, immigrants would need to pay a 1,000µ fine for every procedure that is done without healthcare. That is the first thing we can introduce. The second thing is that there should be a state fund set up for our citizens that have higher health risk. In this system, we would allow 50,000µ to buy health insurance; however, providing that the citizen is relatively healthy and able to work, that must be paid off within 15 years...with interest to boot!” Mr. Channings scribbled that note down. Making it relatively easier on immigrants? That was a new tact. Would it be the start of a new wave? Who knew? Quite frankly, Channings didn’t give a damn. But it was worth a headline.

Ms. Wolson spoke next. “You’re all wrong. First thing’s first: tort reform. If we lower the amount of money awarded in lawsuits for smaller mistakes, the rest will follow suit. Costs will go down, the system could then absorb the shock that the immigrants give it. The state-fund would not be a fund; rather, it would be a penalty that you incur for having, as a citizen, a free operation done for you when you should have health insurance. Last but not least, we’ll phase immigrants out of the healthcare system entirely. This is because immigrants are not citizens of this country and thus should not have anything but basic care afforded them!” Cut down on immigrants, deport them, make life unlivable for them, Mr. Channings thought as the crowd applauded. Yep, a little dab of xenophobia will do ya.

Perhaps the most startling candidate of the day, a sweat-drenched Mr. Volker, spoke last. “The solution is simple: mantis blood. The Kindarin Lore says we gain dominion over this land and all its species: if Giant Mantises weren’t meant to serve us, then what species was?” Mr. Channings’ jaw dropped as the crowd gasped. He nearly spilled his coffee. That’ll play online for several years. He thought, cringing.

“Thank you, that--” He sighed as he was interrupted.

Ms. Smith cut him off, her eyebrows slanted. She was breaking every rule of the debate. But the candidate didn’t care; she was there to right the wrong. “That is an antiquated and racist attitude and you know it. The CUP has long since acknowledged Giant Mantises to be a fully-inclusive part of society. Think about what you say next time; actually, in fact, think five times about what you say before you make such an insensitive remark!” The crowd rose to their feet; Mr. Channings nodded.

Finally, the throwaway question they had all been waiting for. “We’d like you to give a reason why you should be given the nomination.” Channings said, barely constraining an eye roll.

Tabbatha Smith spoke. “I have the pulse on the CUP. I know exactly what our constituents want and don’t want and it has been shown through the legislation I have proposed--”

Ron Howling would have none of it. “Wait a minute! Just wait a minute! Do you care to tell us how many proposals you have made in the past year to the Senate?”

Smith scowled, angry that the debate rules were broken for a second time.”That would be seventeen. sixteen of them have passed and gone back to us.”

“Right, and how many of them were then enacted by the Troika?” Howling was on the attack.

“...One.” Smith said, her voice nearly a whimper.

“So you’re telling me that--” It was Howling’s turn to be interrupted.

Her eyes slanted in rage. What a pathetic little scumbag. “Wait--you’re a Senator! You passed the bills!” Smith took a breath, trying to calm herself. She said, eyes slanted in rage. He’s not blameless and he knows it.

“That’s because we didn’t have the numbers to end debate on them so the other two of you could kill the freaking things.” He bristled, eyes lighting up. Does she actually think she’s a saint? “To my question: Of all the proposals you passed, only ONE fit the bill and was passed into law? Tell me, which one was it? Refresh the minds of our viewers.”

“That would be the right to display the Ten Kindarin Tenets in the Troika mansion.”

Ron Howling looked irate. “You’re telling me that you have the finger on the pulse of the CUP when you pass one bill that didn’t even really have the interest of your constituents? Only 15% of this party even knew you had passed it. You really have the finger on the pulse of the CUP? That’s a lie, and you know it!” There was deafening silence before it broke into a wave of applause.

Channings continued once the applause had died down. “Ron Howling, then why should you win the nomination?”

Mr. Howling growled a bit and pointed to the Troika Member. “The fact of the matter is: Ms. Smith here is the very example of why the system is broken. We’ve had seventeen issues passed before us, none of which was something any majority would agree with, all proposed by Ms. Smith. It’s good for numbers, to be sure, but her proposals were a distraction and a nuisance when this stuff was placed before us. Describe the Cybersecurity Bill for us, will you?”

Ms. Smith winced. “ It was a bill I proposed that would give the government access to all computers in the event of a cyber attack.”

Ron Howling growled again. “And do you realize we don’t even have the technology to do that, much let alone effectively? And to what end? Do you even value our citizens’ privacy? I think not!” A wave of applause began to ring out. “You are the very epitome of what is wrong with our party and our nation. You show no understanding for the challenges that face our citizens, our party, and our role in the world!”

“Tamara Wolson?” Mr. Channings said, grinning. It was about time the debate had devolved into bloodsport.

“I believe that I can do a far more effective job than either Ms. Smith or Mr. Howling. I advocate moderation in finding a middle ground to all problems. I also advocate preservation of religion alongside fixing the system. I can do a better job than Mr. Howling did. Tell me, Mr. Howling, what position are you in the Senate?”

“The whip.” He said, rolling his eyes.

“You’re telling me that you’re responsible for getting everyone in your party in line?”

“That’s right.”

“And even with the Traditionalists, you could not get a bill’s debate to be ended? What sort of whip are you?”

“My job is--” Ron Howling gasped as this mayor, this pathetic mayor, had the nerve to cut him off.

“--Done very inefficiently and ineffectively.” The line drew applause.

“Well, what’s your job?”

“I am a Freshman Mayor of District B.” She seemed tense, like prey waiting for the attack.

“So you’re telling me that we should put our trust in someone who’s only been there a year?”

“Well, I--”

“You’re telling me that you have the experience to be a whip?”

“Well, I--”

“And you’ve definitely experienced proposing legislation?”

“Well, no.” Tamara Wolson pouted.

“That settles that,” Ron Howling said matter-of-factly.

Mr. Channings had to resist a smirk as he came to Mr. Volker. “And finally, Rob Volker?”

“I have come within a hundred votes of being able to take out a UPF member and have us gain seats. I am wildly popular.”

“Wait a minute...when did you run? What level?” Ron Howling sneered.

“Senate primary,” Volker stated matter-of-factly.

“And how many times?” Mr. Howling leaned over his podium, his figure becoming a towering behemoth of the miniature Volker.

“Four.” Volker said, shrinking back with a wince.

“And you won?”

“Well, no.”

“And you’re telling me that you’re not even popular enough in your own party’s district, so you’re going to run for President? What sort of baloney is that?” The crowd rose to their feet.

“I’ve refined my stances since then…” The crowd paused for a moment as Volker tried to defend itself.

“And yet you still sound like you’re a racist.” Tabbatha Smith said, putting what would most likely be the final nail in Volker’s campaign’s coffin. The crowd roared in laughter and applause.

Mr. Channings applauded with the crowd until he was caught on camera. “With that note, we will conclude our debate. Join us on the last week, won’t you, when we discuss civil liberties. Until then, thank you and goodbye from MNN!”

[Mutanatia]

Isles de Taylor

In accordance with election laws, each candidate could have two speeches televised. The four candidates immediately set to work the day after the debates to devise the best speeches.

Tabbatha Smith knew that she could not afford to screw this one up. Her polling numbers, which had her up at 75% approval amongst primary voters, had dropped to 33% following her abysmal, by all standards, debate performance. Ron Howling, in the meantime, who had been polling at about 15%, jumped into the lead, now at 53% approval.

She perused the speech that her campaign director and speechwriter had collaborated on and paused. Her staff wanted her to have an "us vs. them" mentality, something that had not been characteristic of her 4 election runs prior.

Of course, President Mantis, longtime traditionalist and founding member of their great nation, had set the record with 15 years, and could have won a 16th, had she not stepped aside. She often longed to be on the same level as the "Great Founding One," as she admirably called President Mantis. 5 years was one-third of what the Great Founding One had served for, and it was a record in the modern day. No CUP leader had even gone for more than a year before either being primaried out or being forced to run as a CAC member (often called CUP Jr. derisively) as an alternative choice to the winner.

But this speech was extraordinary. It would be a defense of her administration first and foremost--something that she'd never had to do before. It would also set an agenda--something that she was very good at doing. She noticed she'd have to dial back on the statement she had made about jail time for immigrants receiving healthcare.

Good, she thought. The slogan of her campaign from the other 4 years was still there. She paused again, looking through it again. The educational reform could have been toned down, but, she reasoned, go all out or go home.

Finally, she recalled what her campaign manager had said to her the day before the speech was ready. "This is the year of the K'vin," He had stated matter-of-factly. "They've gotten ready to debate becoming a party, and if they become a party for the next 4 years, all three parties are in trouble. They have a charismatic young leader by the name of Shade. This is going to be a tough outcome. I don't think the CUP will win the Presidency."
Oh? She had asked. Then why fight?
"Because there's an outside chance that you will win." "What's the best case scenario then?" Best case scenario is we have one Conservative President instead of 2, one Traditionalist, and one UPF. But we lose 2 seats in the Senate to K'vin."

And the worst?

"There's two Progressivist Presidents, and one Traditionalist. And we lose 5 seats in the Senate to K'vin and Progressivists. Our party is going downhill, and the Mutant public knows it. We need to get back in it. And you, not Mr. Howling, should be leading the charge."

With that thought in mind, Tabbatha Smith arrived at the convention center and began to practice her speech.

---
Ron Howling rubbed his hands in glee. The debate had been a success. He knew that if the CUP was going to be taken seriously, he had to get the usual amount of jabs in at other parties.

The speech was going to be a rallying cry: it was time to take back the Troika, Tabbatha Smith be damned. He was going to win. He had worked on a howl. It was a little gimmicky, but it was good enough for purposes of being a rallying cry. It was time to show the world what Ron Howling could do for them.

He perused the speech, lighting up when he stumbled upon lines that the team had made with him specifically in mind. It was time to take back the nation, time to get serious, and time to get to work.

----
Tamara Wolson sighed. Polling third after the debate, she would be hard pressed to do anything right now. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Part of her wanted to withdraw and be done with it.

But this was not the time, nor the place for that. She had promised her team and constituents that she would fight to the bitter end.

An advisor walked in with the speech. Many of the parts sounded good, but there was something missing, something about her speech that was lacking, well, her own voice.

Tamara Wolson, in the dead of night, set about changing the speech so it said her. Enough was enough, she reminded herself, time to get serious.

---
Rob Volker spent the next five hours after the debate yelling at his advisors. Why had no one told him that his positions on Mantises were untenable? Why did they let him go out unprepared like that?

The candidates had piled on him so badly. “Sir,” an advisor said, “you might want to see this.” He turned the TV on.

Polling numbers for him were down in the single digits. Not only was it in single digits, but he was polling at exactly… 1%. He was sunk. There was no way to save this race.

Volker spent the next hours watching the TV as the CUP head took his funding away--through a law he helped pass via petition no less-- and groaned. There was no hope to remain in the race. Feeling desperate to escape, Volker lay down on the couch and fell asleep.

He was awoken three hours later by one of his advisors. The head of the CUP was on the phone. “Yes,” He said. “Okay, sure. I was already going to do that. One. Last. Speech. Understood.”

He set about writing his concession speech. But there was a twist: the Kindarin, whose old, archaic views would not work in the modern world, was going to endorse one of the candidates and hope to wreck their chances.