Powersk walked up to the podium and addressed the crowd. 

"Candidates, welcome back. As you find your seats, I would just like to go over a few annoucments, and then we will take questions before we get back to our routine." Powersk began. "Firstly, we are adding a simple amendment to the voting resolution, the terms of the change are on your tables. The change is that if we do not decide a winner from this vote, we will take a step back and come up with a different, more flexible process with recommendations and input from you. Since we cannot realistically outline what that specific process might be at this time, we are pretty much just saying we will not be doing this again." The candidates laughed and clapped to that remark, drawing a smile from Powersk. "I know, thats a big deal! Thank you for your patience here." Powersk waited for the crowd the quiet down. "Secondly, we have, for a while been skipping the candidate speaking portion. I know that most of us have heard these speeches dozens of times now, and I know cutting it out was benefitial to our sanity, It is something we are supposed to be doing. So, we will be bringing it back, if not to show we've been doing what we are supposed to on our last vote of this format, then for our last annoucement: We have a new candidate with us here today." The audeince shifted with confusion, checking across the room for absent famiilar faces; they only reason a new candidate would arrive is if one had been replaced. "Candidates, please welcome Landager, respresenting Atsalis." Task stood up from his table, revealing his presence the the rest of the silent room.

"I look forward to hearing what all of you have to say." Task annouced, standing a few more second before returning to his seat.

"We will take a short break, and then we will have time for any questions you may have. Thank you." Powersk turned about and slipped away. Task prepared himself for a bombardment of questions from the rest of the audience, but they hardly moved, instead closely huddling together around their tables. Occassionally one would courie a message from table to table, but no one approached Task. In fact, no one hardly looked at him. He sat alone in silence until Powersk returned to the podium.

"Alright everybody, I'm back for questions! What have you got?" The hands of half of the candidates rose immendiatly. "Fasfa, go."

"Is Atsalis even allowed to participate? They are not a GRU planet."

"The candidate section of the terms do not state a candidates have to be from a GRU planet." Powersk stated. "Feel free to look at the charter terms yourself. As it stands, it is my deciding opinion that Atsalis is allowed to participate. Do you have any other concerns about Atsalis' participation?"

"I thought Atsalis was gone. How was the candidate elected?" 

Powersk incredulously threw up his hands. "Why are you asking me? We've been up front about the way this works. We generate analysis on candidates election methodology and I approve candidates based on those reports. I am prohibited from sharing that information, besides approval of course, by a binding vote of this committee." He recounted. "Did you ask Landager during the break?"

"Well, no." The candidate admitted, drawing a head shake of dissapointment from Powersk.

"I see. Further questions? Go ahead, Kralev."

"On the same line as Fasfa, your approval of Landager as the Atsalisian candiate considered his actual ties to Atsalis?"

"Well, yes. Without going into speciifcs, Landager is confirmed to be an Atsalisian native by primary sources, such as GRU era records and interviews, as well as some contermorary sources."

"And his electors?"

"The very same." Powersk answerd. "What have you got, Anfang?"

"Are we not still at war with Atsalis?"

"Are we?" Powersk asked. "Maybe the GRU was, but the GRU was also at war with Gnolroq, and they've been here since the beginning."

"That is different, we have had a history of war with Atsalis!"

"Sure, the GRU has." Powersk reiterated. "But the last action with Atsalis is much further back than with Gnolroq. Consider scale and impact, too."

"Would you, then, take a candiate from Porcia?" 

"No, on account what I just said about scale and impact."

"Where would you draw the line?"

"What other conflicts are there for me to consider? Action over Kova during the coup? The native revolt on Fendtegad? Both of those candidates are here today."

"I just don't think that a non-GRU member should be elected to the position of running the former GRU."

"Vote against him then." Powersk suggested. "My job is to vet candidates, your job is to vote on them."

Task leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.His entry had not been recieved well, but Powersk seemed to be handling the scrutiny of the other candidates. Only the core GRU worlds candidates seemed to have a problem with him. The outer worlds, knolls, and natives didn't really seem to care. Of course, the core worlds were the faction leaders in every case, so their outer world faction members will vote along the lines they set. So, if he is percieved as the greater of all evils and catches most of the vote, someone will be propelled to office. Hopefully. Powersk finished the morning session after churning through the candidates interrogation, and dismissed everyone until the afternoon.