Powersk watched as the courier entered the room,  surrounded by the witnessess and armed guard. 

"Alright, you know the drill." Powersk announced. "Let's get this done."

The processes was smooth. The seals ballot box was verified, double-verified, and then broken. The ballots were removed, one by one, and givien to a counter. Powersk went to a white board, and prepared to record the votes informally. The counter carefully opened each ballot and recorded the tally on an official form, with Powersk keeping track on the board. It wasn't a lengthy ordeal; there were only a couple dozen  or so candidates with five choices each. Powersk could soon see where the votes were falling.

"It's going to be a tie again." He predicted to himself. The voting habits had not changed, despite Task's presence. The tactical vote had not been broken. He kept recording the votes, watching for any signs he had been wrong. But as the last ballots were being pulled, the leads had been established. As he filled in the last few blocks, his board looked the same tonight as it had every other night: without a winner. Powersk shook his head and took a seat.

"Alright, last ballot." One of the counter called out.

"Last ballot?" Powersk asked. "My board is full..."

"It's the vote from Atsalis, General." The counter explained. Powersk glared at his board. He hadn't added Atsalis as a voting option on his record. Of course, had a candidate voted against Atsalis, he would have realised this, but none had.

"Atsalis vote 5, Atsalis..." The counter announced. The room filled with murmers of 'its that valid? Can he do that?'

"Well, it's a reverse choice, so I don't see a reason why he can't vote against himself." Powersk reasoned, and the room agreed.

"Atsalis vote 4, abstain. As are the rest." The counter concluded.

Powersk turned back to his board, and felt nauseus. The tie for first had been at seven votes, with Fasfa, Lobel, and Kralev. If Landager voted against himself, he would have five votes. 

"This can't be happening."

"General, the count is complete. Would you like to see the results?" 

"If there is a winner, count it again." Powersk ordered. The counters and certifiers exchanged awkard glances, and then began double checking their tallies. Powersk grabbed some water, and fell into a chair. His head hurt. His hands were shaking. There had to be a mistake.

"General, the count has been veriified as accurate."

"What is the outcome?" Powersk asked.

"Atsalis wins, with five votes." The counter declared.

"The certifiers affirm the votes accuracy and integrity." An official reported. "Shall we make an annoucment?"

"No. Finish your duties here and await further instructions." Powersk ordered before hastily evacuating the room. He made a quick stop by a bathroom to vomit before bolting to Task's room, bodyslamming the door open and locking it closed behind him.

"Don't tell me they are looking for your head already." Task joked from the room. "I didn't plan an shooting my way out of here." He was leaning against a wall idly, understandbly bored from the wait. "I take it the vote didn't go well. Still a tie?"

"I did not go well." Powersk admitted, wiping the sweat from his hands. "But it was not a tie."

"I hardly think you are in a position to be picky." Task reasoned. "You said you just wanted a winner, right?"

"No, you don't understand..." Powersk tried to think through his splitting headache.

"Oh?" Task raised an eyebrow

Powersk winced. "You won."

"What?" Task whispered.

"It's been certified, but I haven't made the annoucment." Powersk confirmed.

"Are you serious? How did this happen?" Task demanded, the seething rage still dampening his volume.

"I don't know, nobody voted against you!" Powersk explained.

"I voted against me!" Task growled. "You telling me, after everything they said yesterday, not a single one of those candidates voted against ATSALIS?!" Task grabbed his head in frustration. "This is a disaster! What the hell are we going to do now?!"

Powersk paced back and forth for a moment. "Well, since this is unexpected, I can try to buy you a little more time if you want to work out an acceptance speach. I don't suppose you have one ready?"

"You said this wasn't going to happen! You said it was impossible!" Task fumed. 

"Run, then!" Powersk yelled back at Task. "I will not judge you. Leave and blame me all you want. That much is part of my job. I'm used to it. Yea, things didn't turn out the way I thought they would. I'm sorry for that. But if you came here because you wanted to help make a difference, well, here's your chance!"

"Yes, I came here to make a difference. I am now upset that I've been put in a position where I have to choose between the safety of my family and the image of my race!" Task roared.

"We can-"
"Enough!" Task interrupted. "Leave me. I need to be alone." Powersk ducked his head and slipped out without another word.

-------------------------------------

"I've worked with this lot for some time now. They are politicians, they don't always say what they mean. The reverse is also true."

Task grabbed his head, pacing back and forth. 

"I don't get it either; it doesn't make any sense." Powersk guessed. "If they voted against you, that means that whoever they normally vote against would have an advantage, as long as they, too didn't vote agaisnst you. They must have stuck to the tactical vote, causing you to win!"