"Well, we're here." Salazar said, stopping the car. "The general is inside."

Task got out, and stared at the building in front of him. It was a fancy restaurant, but the signange was not illuminated, and the windows sealed. 

"Not too bad of a place, huh?" Salazar laughed from the car.

"This is not my idea of an inconspicious meeting." Task scowled at Mach.

"Its... the only place we could find." Mach admitted, opening the restaurant door for Task.

"Let's get this over with." Task sighed, walking inside. The restaurant was at least set nicely on the inside. Artesian chairs surrounded solid round tables adorned with fine white tablecloth. Above every table hung a beautiful glass chandelier that sparkled in the light. The establishment was only marred by a large foreclsure sign that had been thrown against the wall. At the center of the dining space was a table set for two, populated with expensive dinnerware and drinks. Powersk stood next to the table discussing something with another wolf in a regal staff uniform. Powersk, on the other hand wore a stylish,  aristocratic suit and jacket complete with a jabot. The general nodded to the wolf before he deparated, dissappearing into the back of the restaurant as Powersk turned to graciously greet Task.

"Thank you so much for coming, it really means a lot that you are willing to meet me, under such circumstances!" He laughed, inviting Task to a seat and pouring both of them a drink. "I trust you are doing well?"

"Well enough."

"Good! Very good!" Powersk took a lengthy drink before continuing. "I don't suppose you've been keeping up with the whole 'political situation' going on, have you?"

"Not really."

"I see," Powersk nodded. "If you were to gauge, as a casual observer, how well would you say things are gong?"

"Not good, considering you've been looking for me." Task guessed.

 "It's bad." Powersk admitted. "In fact, it is far worse than you probably think."

"Oh?"

"This whole thing," he motioned to the two of them, "It's Captain Salazar's idea. And I think it's our best option."

"I don't want to get involved with any plan of Salazar's." Task spoke firmly.

"It's not his plan, it's his idea." Powersk clarified.

"What do you want me to do?" Task signed.

"Well, let me try to make one thing clear," Powersk scrached his head, "I am not asking anything of you. I am not your commanding officer here, that why I'm wearing this, and not my uniform. Nothing here is connected to the interim government. These staff are mine from Iapsis. I bought this place on the way here, and personally funded my travel. Well, not that the government could afford it anyway." Powersk shruggled. "You have the full autonomy to choose to do this, or to not. In fact, do not even tell me what you choose, just do what you want. Please understand."

"Alright."

"Now, we are coming up on five years since the GRU was outsed. That's a pretty long time. Most people feel that we should be further along in establishing a new government." Powersk explained. "Well, they are right. We should. We have been trying, but we made some key mistake at the beginning of all this that have really hindered us. Namely, in our optimism, we bound ourselves to an outline and process of how we were going ot establish our new government. We did not deeply consider the process or its... shortcomings."

"You cannot start over?" Task asked.

"There are a few options to do so, none of them are ideal." Powersk said. "A simple restart is possible, but it would likely shake the faith in our ability to create a government with integrity if we establish we can just start over when things aren't going well. We could also just give up, let the planets, or systems decide their own way, but the strateigc shortcoming of that are immense. Plus, the whole reason the coup happened in the first place was because of the exploiatation of the lost worlds. Who's to say that some system won't just pick up where the GRU left off?" Powersk shrugged. "I can't predict the future, but things aren't going good now and the probably won't be better tomorrow. If all the sudden the region turns into a free for all the results would be disasterous."

"Iapsis would probably do well." Task observed.

"Yes, we would, but that isn't the point." Powersk redirected. "I'm just saying that I think it would be better for the region to see this through than anything else. Like I said, our problem is on our end, and we are trying to solve it creatively with respect, integrity, and transparancy. Well, transparent enough."

"So what is the problem?" Task asked.

"The problem is we are trying to create hte new government by electing a figurehead. We though it would be easiest if we just asked each planet to supply a candidate who would also serve as an elector, especially considering we are giving the lost planets a vote, and some systems have planets that do not align politically. The voting system we created is a reverse ranked choice system, with five choice. You vote against electors you do not want to win."

"That seems... harsh."

"Well, we started off doing normal ranked choice, but without the ability to vote for oneself. Everyone would vote tactically or abstain, creating a multiway tie. We can't do an elimation style, because multiple planets have made it clear that they wouldn't support it. So, we moved to reverse voting, and let me tell you everyone fills those five choices, but it doesn't help. Still a tie." Powersk exhaperated. "No one supports anyone, nobody wants anyone but themselves. Even Iapsis cannot break through; typically only one of the planets gets into the tie, the rest are two or three points behind."

"Are you not supporting Iapsis?"

"No, and even if I did it wouldn't matter." Powersk dismissed. "I'm a GRU era general and rather low in the line of regality on Holst. A candidate far more powerful and likeable already been chosen. Not to mention the leader of the very unpopular interim government expressing support for a particular planet does not look good, even if it is his homeworld."  Powersk explained. "I won't do anything to manipulate this from the inside. I am not going to rig anything, or create some sort of backroom deal. I am trying to run a fair election. I want to see this succeed, but I am failing. The optimism is fading, and our economy is bleeding out." Powersk took a second ot finish his drink before leveling with Task. "But what about the outside? What if we can introduce an element that would cause the factions to band together, even a little bit, to break the deadlock?  If you happen to know a candidate from a certain planet that is not yet a part of the election, we could-"

"No." Task answered. "You are asking me to reveal myself to take part in this election that, by your own admission, is a disaster?"

"Again, I am not asking you to do anything." Powersk reinterated. "I just want to let you know what is going on, so that you can make that choice. Nothing says that candidates have to be from a GRU planet, so nothing about it is of even questionable legality. There is an incentive, if you will hear me out."

Task sat in silence for moment. He though this whole ordeal was rediculous. The fact that Powersk had even sought him out after he promised not to was insulting, to do so for poltical reasons was almost unforgivable. "Fine."

"I can offer you legiticmacy." Powersk stated. "I'm not going to pretend I know you, or what you want or care about. But if you want to and need help to be an Atsalisian publicly, this is your chance. You can come, face the future of our civilzation, without hiding behind a disguise. You can meet the other planet's leaders and tell them what you stand for, as a representative of Atsalis." Powersk expained. "You won't win. The factions are just too strong. But if you become the threat to beat, break the tactical vote, maybe one of them will get the numbers to win, and that is the goal I am trying to achieve."

"And after the elections is over?" Task asked.

"Up to you, really." Powersk shrugged. "Come back to whatever you do now, start a public life, it is none of my business. But I can promise proper citizenship if that is something you want."

"I see." Task closed his eyes, a thought for a moment. "What about amnesty?"

"Amnesty...? We can arrange that. Nothing recent I hope?"

"From before my time with the GRU." Task replied. "It's extensive, but it's history."

"Well, just because you aren't pursued criminally doesn't mean that no one will ask you about it." Powersk pointed out.