Kusari Parliamentary Elections - Autumn 821 A.S.

[Mao]

Tekkan Okura was interested in politics. He even considered becoming a politician at one point but he never followed that path. Trading seemed easier back then.

Today, he went to the elections office that was set up on Planet Tomioka's spaceport. He was about to check his crew that was waiting for their ship to be filled on Shiojiri anyway. A small detour shouldn't be a major problem. Maybe even get some traditional sake... his supplies were running dry.

Arriving at the office, the staff members asks where he has his residence and points him to an enclosed space, saying:

- Sir, you will find a computer there. Simply insert your ID card and follow the instructions on the screen.
- That's it? All digitalised and such? he replied.
- Hai.

The vote was supposed to be secret. He never trusted machines to be safe. Then, he spotted the Kishiro logo on the side of the screen and a very bretonian exclamation came out. He probably heard it at one of Samura's new business partners from the Kingdom.

- Bloody hell! and coming out of the vote room he continued. Can someone explain how exactly am I supposed to trust that the information I'm giving won't be altered?! Kishiro is involved in the voting process?
- What? Sir, please calm down. What's the problem?
- The problem is that this voting machine was made by Kishiro! Look! he said while pointing at the monitor.
- Oh, no, sir. The equipment is different from a electoral office to another. There were public auctions for these contracts. Different companies got involved. I can assure you that the program and operating system is secure and got the approval of the Republic's representatives.
- I refuse to work on machines made by those... thieves, said Tekkan and went out of the office.

After a few seconds he went back in because he realized he forgot his ID card inside. Then he took a ground vehicle because flying ones were rare on Tomioka and he was in a hurry already. He went to a different elections office, entered and asked:

- Who's the equipment provider?
- I'm sorry?
- The voting machine... who made it?
- I... I... it was a small company... erm... Mojiwaki... or something like that.
- Details, give me details.
- Sir... sure. Wait a moment, please. Ah, here it is, the contract was won by a company named Moriwaki Engineering.
- Never heard of them. Alright, fine! Let me vote. I'm from Rishiri, Misaki Station.
- There you go, sir.

Inside the voting room, Tekkan was reading through his options.

- Bah... The Reformists have good ideas and goals. The communists would be something new and they also have some good ideas but... oh, hell no! Nationalization could be an option for them so no... N-KA, are these guys kidding me? Do they even know how politics work? Look at all those goals... they need ten lifetimes to accomplish all of them, not to mention that some of them are directly countering other goals set by the same party. Amateurs! Very well, there's only one real option left...

He touches the screen, voting for the Kusari Reformation Party √.

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