The Cold Road Ahead (Closed) (Greater Olympus)

[Storsnia]

Former First Minister Henrikki Laine to Make Campaign Announcement
Sylvi Uljas
29 July 2020

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Former First Minister Henrikki Laine is exoected to make a major campaign announcement later today. Speculation has run rampant as to what the announcement might be. With many going as far to say that the disgraced Laine might be gearing up to run again for his old Rep seat. Political pundints say this is more likely then not as Laine's approval rating among older Storsnians and hardline KPP members was very high before leaving office. However, it's unlikely Laine runs on the KPP ticket after publicly leaving the party upon his resignation. If Laine does intend to run it's expected he'll do so as an independent as the only other party with similar views, Unioin, has banned him from joining. In the past it has been very difficult for candidates to win elections on independent lines especially in eastern districts. His chances of winning are even lower given his tenure as First Minister.

To recap, Henrikki Laine served as First Minister from 2015 to 2017, and as KPP party leader from 2008 to 2017. During his tenure as First Minister, Laine purposed several bills aimed at expanding the size of the defence forces, increasing trade of natural resources to the international community, and attempted to rollback several reforms passed by the previous Unioin administration. One of these reforms was the Oil and Gas Extraction Act of 2014. Included in the Oil and Gas Extraction Act was provisions for introducing a proportional tax increase on land owned and used by large oil and natural gas companies as well as making these same companies submit to extensive environmental reviews before further developing land owned or used by said companies. Another portion of the act was implementing a carbon tax on oil and gas refining plants to be used for environmental projects in order to help offset carbon emissions.

In June of 2017 the Farsund Post received information from an undisclosed source close to the First Minister implicating him in an extensive bribery and lobbying scandal. The evidence included photographs of the Laine meeting with high level corporate individuals from oil and gas companies from both Storsnia and beyond. Among these photographs was a video recording of a conversation between Laine and several corporate individuals at a meeting in a secret location in southern Storsnia. On 1 July, 2017 the Farsund Post along with their internet counterpart published a story revealing this information to the public. Widespread protests began calling for Laine’s removal from office and a subsequent snap election. On 10 July, the Chamber of Representatives began to draft a bill calling for a special referendum to recall First Minister Laine. On 11 July another story was published in the Nilsiä Ledger accusing Laine of being unfaithful towards his wife and engaging in activities with other women. On 12 July First Minister Laine tendered his resignation to the Chamber of Representatives and later that day Deputy First Minister Eino Koponen, grandfather to current KPP leader, became First Minister. Koponen’s first act was call for a snap election to be held on 15 November 2017.

Following his resignation Henrikki Laine fell out of the public’s eye for several months until his very public divorce with his now ex-wife Irina Laine. Since his divorce Laine has been reportedly living on his own and working for North Star Oil and Gas company as a political analyst.

While a Laine bid for representative might come as a shock to some people and be meet with protests. Experienced political analysts suggest that the chances of Laine winning are very low and that this may just be an attempt to grab the public’s attention one last time with an endorsement to another candidate. However, can an endorsement from Laine even help?

[Storsnia]

August 1st, 2020
Old Farsund, Farsund, Storsnia
08:00

Henrikki awoke from a deep sleep with his head pounding from the night before. No, last night wasn’t one from his college days filled with joyous partying and excessive drinking, but from drinking alone in his apartment in Old Farsund. Gone were the days of drinking with the upper class at expensive galas. Former First Minister Henrikki was rarely invited to extravagant events anymore and when he was he almost never attended. His reputation took a drastic fall after the bribery allegations and scandal involving his now ex-wife.

“Kirottu, my head is killing me. I’ve gotta stop drinking that Meronnian wine.” Henrikki thought to himself.

The large case of wine was a gift from a friend at his wedding. It’s been untouched until recently. Filled with some of the best wines from around the world, the Produese wines were the first to go when Henrikki began his drinking spree followed by Meronnian rosés. Now all that remained were a few bottles of cheap Parthonopian, and Wintonian wines. Once those were polished off Henrikki supposed he’d go for some traditional Storsnian vodka or maybe sahti.

Henrikki stumbled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. It was a wonder he even made it to his bed the night before. Luckily for him the bathroom wasn’t that far. His apartment was a regular sized apartment with a few extra amenities fit for a disgraced politician such as himself. Setup with a bathroom off the master bedroom and a living room in the center of the apartment with an attached kitchen, it was nothing glamorous. A guard was posted outside the door 24/7, something he was entitled to being a former first minister with several enemies.

The bathroom was just big enough for the essentials: a small sink with a medicine cabinet affixed to the wall, a toilet, nothing special there and a standing shower with sliding frosted glass doors. After taking care of personal business Henrikki stood at the sink and took a long look at himself in the mirror. He was not the same person he was three years ago. He had changed and not in a good way. Now plagued with anxiety and severe depression following his tarnished reputation and his wife’s departure Henrikki had gone down a rabbit hole of excessive drinking.

Henrikki opened the medicine cabinet above his sink. Inside was a variety of items. A toothbrush and toothpaste, several pain medicines, and in the center of it all two prescription bottles. Filled nearly a month ago the bottles sat in the cabinet untouched and still full. First prescribed to Henrikki for severe depression two years ago he took the medicine daily until recently. Lately the pills hadn’t been working, he still suffered and gave up all together. Though dangerous Henrikki thought he knew what he was doing.

Henrikki finished up in the bathroom and put on a modest dark blue suit with a black tie done up in a classic windsor knot. He then strolled out to the kitchen to make some quick breakfast. While waiting for his coffee to finish Henrikki called up his campaign manager Miika to confirm today's press conference. Miika was a complete rookie to the political game and was surprised when Henrikki chose him to be his campaign manager. No one could understand why a seasoned veteren such as Henrikki would pick a rookie to run their campaign for a representative seat. However, Henrikki trusted Miika and the two of them got along really well.

“Miika, is everything setup for today?”

“Yes sir, we're getting the stage set right now just like you requested, and the weather should hold off. The news crews should be getting here any minute all we need is you.”

“Great. Thank you Miika. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome sir. It’s a pleasure to work with you.”

Henrikki hung up the phone and began to drink his coffee. Seeing as today was important and he needed to be alert for the buzzard reporters Henrikki went with a black coffee today. To complement he had a small breakfast of toast with raspberry jam. He couldn’t help but remember his time in the Samettihuvila where a traditional Storsnian breakfast was prepared nearly everyday. Complete with tähtitorttu, täytetyt piirakka, and smoked salmon or pork depending on the day that was the perfect breakfast for a long day of governing. But today a small breakfast is best for campaigning.

Henrikki grabbed his suitcase and walked out the door greeting his morning guard on the way. His morning guard would be by Henrikki’s said until around noon when another would take his place. This particular guard was Henrikki’s favorite, he was pleased to see that she would be with him today. The pair walked down the stairs to the back entrance of the building where a car was waiting to take them to Henrikki’s campaign headquarters just outside of Farsund in the town of Vaakkola where Henrikki grew up and has a large support base.

On the car ride Henrikki took a look in his briefcase. The briefcase was specially made just for Henrikki and was fitted with a false bottom to hide anything that one might want to keep from prying eyes. It was usefully for documents relating to the bribery scandal before everything was revealed. Now after leaving office the false bottom usually remained empty except for today. Today something very important was kept in the bottom and only Henrikki knew about it.

The drive to campaign headquarters wasn’t long and Henrikki passed the time talking to the new driver and his seasoned security detail. They talked about the Jubilee being held across town at the SAV arena, the coup in Lunderfrau, the civil war in Tero Malstrecigano and Irpan. Talking about current events made the drive feel shorter and refreshed Henrikki's memory on what was going on around the world. Before they arrived at the headquarters a member of Henrikki’s detail expressed concerns about the outdoor press conference. Henrikki assured them that everything will be fine and that they worry too much. Finally they reached the old two story office building that served as HQ. They were cheerfully greeted by Miika who led them backstage where preparations for the press conference were finishing up.

On the other side of the stage sat reporters from all over. The usual Aluee ISO and Aurora News were there for some TV coverage alongside a reporter from North Star for more traditional print coverage. However, at this press conference there were some new ones about those that wouldn’t be at any other campaign announcement. A reporter from Lykens, who seemed to be very intrigued, and another from Manoba were somewhere in the sea of journalists as well as a young man from Tia Regness and even one from Mèronie 24. Henrikki thought this was a little too much, but it’s not everyday a disgraced politician tries to run for their old seat again.

Before going out on stage Henrikki wanted to do one last check to make sure everything was in order and up to his standards. After coming to the conclusion that everything was how it should be Henrikki went to the men’s room to make sure that he was presentable and to check in on the contents of his briefcase. Finally, it was time for the press conference to begin. A young volunteer took Henrikki’s briefcase and set it at the podium just how he liked it. Then Henrikki took the stage smiling for the cameras and metally preparing himself.

* * *

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Live Television
Vaakkola, Farsund, Storsnia
11:30

“Now we go live to Vaakkola where former First Minister Henrikki Laine will be announcing a run for his former representative seat.”

“Ladies and gentlemen. We have been through some really rough times lately. The recession at the beginning of this year, the refugee crisis on the border with Palai, and the ongoing state of affairs we find ourselves in. However, there’s no shortage of good things happening. For example the Jubilee that’s going on right now bringing the world’s best to our great nation. Like Storsnia I too have been through rough times lately. The bribery scandal which was blown completely out of proportion and the accusations regard my fidelity towards my ex-wife which are completely false. When my wife left me I entered a deep state of depression that left my body and mind ruined. I still suffer to this day with severe depression. Which is why I’ve come to all of you today. When I think back on my political career I think of times when I’ve never felt better. Debating in front of political opponents and the thrill of the elections made me feel truly alive. It’s my hope that getting back into the race that I can relive these moments and begin to recover. Now I guess we should get to the formalities. I, Henrikki Laine of Vaakkola, Farsund Canton, Storsnia, am formally announcing my cam-” BANG

CLICK BEEP BEEP

“Umm well it seems we're having some technical difficulties, but we’ll be sure to come back soon with the latest coverage on Alluee ISO”

[Storsnia]

September 6th, 2020
University of Nilsiä, Nilsiä, Storsnia
15:30

Matias sat at a table in the quad and opened up his bag. Inside was everything he needed for a typical day. Some pens were thrown in there, a notebook and a textbook for his Modern Political Thought class. Finally after rooting around in there for a good bit he retrieved his laptop. Today he signed up to table for his political science club trying to get his fellow students to register to vote in the coming elections.

Matias was a sophomore political science major. He aspired to someday be a lawyer or a representative if he could make it. He came from a small town not far from Nilsiä very close to the border with Manoba. He grew up hearing stories from across the border of the syndicalist state. His uncle would tell boogeyman stories from across the river to scare him. Now nearly everyday Matias can see the red state from his dorm room.

Yesterday Matias was by himself and got only a few people to register to vote. Deep down Matias was frustrated that many of his peers were completely disinterested in politics. The fact people would willingly forfeit their chance to guide the nation confused Matias. The growing political apathy was the subject of Matias final paper last year. Since then Matias has been doing as much as he can to try and get people to vote and participate in Storsnia's democratic processes. Today, Matias was getting some help from his outgoing friend and roommate Jarno

“Hey, Matti!” Matias turned to see Jarno. Jarno was much more sociable then Matias and would hopefully be able to get more people to register. Jarno was an economics major and Matias' roommate since their first semester at Nilsiä. The two were very good friends and got along real well. They both cared a lot about getting people involved in the nation’s government unlike their other roommates.

“Hi, Jarno! How was class?”

“Eh, same old same old. You ready to get people to register? Maybe we can get more than 10 people to register today.”

“Ha yeah I hope we can. Otherwise it’s gonna get pretty boring.”

Jaarno and Matias talked about their classes and upcoming exams as they waited for their fellow classmates. Matias had a presentation on early post-civil war politics coming up. The civil war was a very important topic in Storsnian schooling. From a child’s fifth year the civil war was taught. The idea was that if enough people knew the horrors of the war and disastrous consequences it had on the nation it wouldn’t be repeated. Clearly the New Velvet Party missed this lesson.

In the middle of a deep conversation about events occurring along the border with Palai the two were approached by several other students. “What are you guys tabling for?” Before Matias could answer Jarrno jumped up to answer the group of first-year girls.

“We are here to help people register to vote in the upcoming elections. Do you want to register?” Jaarno asked, gesturing to the table and Matias. The girl that asked the question looked back at her friends and said “Sure! What do we have to do?”. Jaarno then explained the process to them. Registering to vote in Storsnia was quite easy; all one needed was their name, birthday, address, and driver's license number or national assistance number. After entering all that who ever is registering must pick their party then they’re done.

Matias and Jaarno helped the group of girls which grew from the original four to a long line of other students seeing what they were all about.

“What party do I pick?” One of the girls asked Matias. Matias was surprised by her wording of the question. It was like she thought there was a right choice.

“Well um whichever one you want. But, it’s good to learn a bit about them first.” Matias replied.

“Okay, well which one did you pick?” The girl hit Matias with a surprising question. Matias didn’t know what to say.

“Um I registered with Unionin the centrist party. You see there’s three main parties in the chamber: Unionin, the Konservatiivisten kansojen puolue and the Vasen demokraattinen unioni. There's a few other minor parties as well. The VDU holds a majority in the chamber and FM Tamvere is a member. The KPP is the third largest party and is mostly conservative.”

“Oh okay thanks. That’s pretty neat, but what’s this Storsne vihreä puolue?”

“That’s the green party the advocate for policies that help the environment and promote social change in the nation.”

The girl nodded her head and then checked the box for the SVP. Matias noticed that a lot of his fellow students that he helped register choose the SVP. Lately the SVP has been making a push to attract young voters, and it seems to be working.

After the girl was done registering the two of them talked for quite a bit. They talked about all kinds of things. Matias learned her name and her major. Her name was Hille and she’s an education major from a town next to Matias. They both got along really well and Matias ended up getting her phone number.

Soon after the end of tabling came around and Jaarno and Matias began to pack up.

“Hey Matias you really hit it off with that girl huh?” Jaarno teased

“Yeah a little bit. I’ll tell ya about it later let’s just get this all packed up.”

“Ha alright man. Hey you wanna watch the Stars-Bears game when we get back?”

“Hell yeah you know I can’t turn down a good game!”

[Storsnia]

October 18th, 2020
Palai Border Checkpoint #27, Skolt Territory, Storsnia
09:00

Olivia sat down in the small guard shack and listened to the radio. The radio only really picked up two stations, one broadcasted from a nearby Skolt village. The other was the national radio that could be picked up all over. Surprisingly, none of the border guards were Skolt, so the radio was always on the national station. Livi, as she was known by her friends, sat next to the small fireplace in the guard shack, and made some tea.

Livi grew up in rural South Remeli with her father and older brother. Her father taught his two children survival skills and how to hunt early on. After Livi graduated from secondary school, she enlisted in the Storsnian Defence Forces with the National Guard. Upon taking her standard aptitude test, Livi chose to join the military police division. After boot camp, Livi was assigned to border duty along the border with Manoba. After a few months serving on the border of Manoba, Livi was transferred to the border with Palai amid the growing refugee crisis.

Just as the tea got to a boil, some of her fellow border guards came into the guard shack. Her three partners would be alongside her for most of the day, working the checkpoint and guarding the border.

“Livi! Starting the tea, huh? Good, we’ll need it for today. I heard that those Palais are really kicking up some dirt over there. Gonna get a lot of crossers today.”

“Great, that's just what I need after that last bastard. Ya know my hand still hurts after that paskapää slashed it open. I hope he’s rotting away in some cell somewhere.”

A few weeks back, while Livi was working at the checkpoint, a man tried escaping across the border. In the ensuing chase, the man had a knife and began to swing it at Livi, slicing open her hand. Now the man is being held in a cell awaiting trial.

“Wow, Livi, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk like that. I would hate to be that guy if he tries to come back here, and you’re on post. If they even let him out. He’ll probably spend the next five years in some prison if we're lucky.”

Before the checkpoint opened, the four guards waited in the guard shack. They listened to the radio and talked about politics. The three guards accompanying Livi were Mika, Erik, and Tuukka. Livi and Erik were the newest additions to the post. After the refugee crisis grew, the number of border guards needed doubled. Across the border, in Palai, things were getting worse. Many refugees were faced with famine and near-slavery in the nation’s mines. Palais were left with few choices to improve their lives. Palai citizens could risk crossing the treacherous mountains to the south and west or chance fleeing into fascist Tia Regness to the east. For many there only hope was the Great White North were democracy and freedom might welcome them with open arms.

Soon the leading immigration official walked through the door and gave the guards a list of names. This listed all the Palai citizens that applied for asylum at this checkpoint and have been approved. The list was short, and there was no guarantee those on it would come to the checkpoint. Anyone else seeking entry into the country will have to fill out an asylum request. The four guards took their positions at the checkpoint; the guards spaced about 5 yards apart. At one end was a gate for vehicles to pass through. However, recently very few people have been traveling in cars, and commercial vehicles were unheard of at this crossing.

The refugee camp on the opposite side of the border was large. Close to 200 Palai nationals were camped out there waiting for the requests to process. Many of the Palai that lived in the camp came from the various mining towns in Palai. The camp was dirty and far from safe. The refugees lived in filth, and petty theft was rampant. Some of the Palai pleaded for help from the border guards, but legally they couldn’t do anything but watch. The only time they were allowed to cross the border was when Palai soldiers attacked the camp, which didn’t happen often. The warlords across the border knew that if they messed with Storsnia, they would not be in for a good time.

Soon enough, refugees came to the border to see if they were accepted. Many of them would not be. They would be told their application was still pending; frequently, applications would get “lost” or destroyed. Some immigration officials did not want the Palai to immigrate to Storsnia despite the poor conditions in Palai. Others thought that Storsnia ought to invade the tiny state to restore order. As a result, Palai has become one of the critical issues in Storsnian politics.

Livi took her place at the checkpoint next to the road gate. Since her previous encounter with the Palai man that attacked her, she’s been much more cautious. The first person to come to Livi’s part of the checkpoint was an older woman. Livi could see the wrinkles on the woman’s face and calluses on her hands from working in the mines for long hours.

In her best Palai, Livi asked the woman a set of questions that would be repeated many times throughout the day.

“Name and intention?”

The woman tried to respond in Storsnian, but she had a limited grasp of the language. Once she realized that Livi could understand Palai, she switched to her native tongue.

“Yes, hello, my name is Dagasi Mahamu, and I would like to check the status of my asylum application. I’ve been waiting for a long time.”

Livi looked over the names that were approved, as well as those rejected. The woman’s name didn’t appear anywhere.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but at this time, we can’t provide any status updates due to the volume of applications.”

“What? I don’t understand. I have to get in. I've been waiting for so long, and I can’t spend any more time in the mines. Please let me in. The camp is dangerous and disgusting.”

The old woman went on for a few minutes about her life in Palai and the current “regime.” Live could only understand bits and pieces of the woman’s pleas and didn’t bother to call over the translator.

“ I understand, ma’am, but I can’t help you. Now, please, step away from the border, or we will have to detain you.”

The women walked off in tears as Livi called for the next in line. Unfortunately, many of those coming to the border were in the same situation as the old woman. Livi wished she could help them, but they had to follow the set process under current policies. Any deviations were forbidden.

* * *

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Ivalo 2nd Representative District Debates
Alluee 220 Studios, Ivalo, Storsnia
21:30

“Welcome back, to the first Ivalo 2nd district representative debates. My name is Sanna Kanerva, and I’m joined here today by incumbent Unionin representative Eljas Raita, Jukka Uotila of the VDU, and finally, Marleena Lipponen from the KPP. The debate will proceed with each contestant having five minutes to discuss their position on the topic and then another two minutes to discuss their opponent's position. We have moved on from the economy, and the next topic is immigration. Mr. Uotila, you have the floor.”

“Thank you, Sanna.” Jukka looked at Sanna, gave a slight nod then looked at the papers before her on the podium. “Immigration is an important part of what makes our nation great. After the Velvet Revolution, immigration increased to our country, helping our economy improve. The oil industry, one of the biggest industries in Storsnia, has been spurred on by immigrants. Talented individuals from all over the globe. Further immigration will help the new tech and automotive industries grow. This is why we need to encourage open immigration and free movement between MU member states. If a citizen of any MU nation wants to visit or work in Storsnia, they should be free to do so. Besides, there should be a clear path for those seeking to immigrate to Storsnia.” Jukka looked at Sanna and nodded again.

“Thank you, Mr. Uotila. Mrs. Lipponen, you may speak now.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Kanerva. Now, my opponent, Mr. Uotila, has it all wrong. While immigration might have improved our country in the past, today, it is doing more harm than good. Immigration should not become a cornerstone of industrial growth but rather a small factor. On top of this, our borders should be secure. Those nations hostile to us, namely Palai and Manoba, should be shut off from our great nation. Therefore we must limit international immigration to those with clean records and professional skills. Now we know that the MU is far from perfect, and because of this, movement between fellow MU nations should be regulated. Thank you.

“Well said Mrs. Lipponen. Now Mr. Raita.”

“Thank you Sanna. Now both my opponents make excellent points. Extremes can’t solve the immigration question. A middle ground has to be established. Opening up immigration too widely could be dangerous, and narrowing it to a small minority can negatively impact our nation’s reputation. Now what needs to be done is visas requirements for nations outside of MU and the Mu-Kal continent. Temporary visas should be given for travel purposes and those in need of immediate help. Anyone wishing to immigrate will be required to obtain a residence visa. Regarding the MU, free movement should be permitted except for nations in a state of war or civil unrest. This is truly the best way to improve immigration in Storsnia.”

Thank you, Mr. Raita. Now let's move on to discussing your opponent's positions.

[Storsnia]

November 2nd, 2020
Remesjoki Auditorium, Hoisko, Storsnia
19:00

Jaakko Kantola waited backstage for the rally to officially start. Beyond the curtain he could hear the growing crowd’s chants calling for a greater Storsnia. Outside it was snowing hard. It was no surprise the first snowfall of the season was one of the hardest. The meteorologists forecasted Remesjoki to be blanketed in a thick layer of heavy wet snow making conditions horrible. Nevertheless hundreds of loyal USP supporters traveled to the small auditorium in the center of town. Among the crowd there was hardly any place to sit with the building packed like a can of sardines. The crowd faithfully chanted “Tuo meille kunniaa!” a cry to make Storsnia a world power. The crowd was mostly made up of locals from the surrounding countryside. Many of Hoisko’s citizens worked in the oil fields and the recent recession hit them particularly hard. The stipend helped, but it helped little when there were many mouths to feed.

Offstage Jaakko observed the crowd, chanting and applauding their great country. He couldn’t help but think about the hardships they’ve gone through and how he can help them. Before entering politics his life was similar. His father was an oil worker, but Jaakko chose to not follow in his footsteps. He hoped to enact some real change, and make Storsnia a better place for Storsnians. Jaakko quickly got lost in his thoughts and soon enough his campaign manager was ushering him on stage. It was time for the main event.

Jaakko took the stage with pride waving to his supporters as they cheered and applauded the young politician. The chants grew even louder as Jaakko storde to the podium where he’s talking points awaited him. He took a quick glance at the paper to get an overview of his prepared speech he had practiced and rehearsed. It took several minutes for the applause to die down. Finally, Jaakko began to speak.

“Ladies and gentlemen. First, I want to thank all of you for coming here tonight despite the nasty weather. Your loyalty is truly fantastic and I wish I could personally thank each and everyone of you.” The crowd broke out into applause as Jaakko pandered to the assembly.

“But there is no time for that. We have important business to take care of. We have to make Storsnia right and bring the nation the glory it so greatly deserves. First off, we have to look at our trade with other nations. Currently the government in Farsund gives away our nation’s greatest resources for nothing. As I’ve said before we have to take advantage of what our beautiful land has given us, and not give it away to others that don’t deserve our help.” The crowd cheered once more. Unfair trade deals were something many in Hoisko frowned upon.

“After we fix our nation’s trade we must focus on immigration and that horrible organization we found ourselves in. We need to keep Storsnia for Storsnians no matter what. Our land is not for Palais, Merons or Jashnagaris. Our land is for Storsnians! And the villainous Mu-Kal Union has to be taken down. What happens in Lykens or The TSPR should not effect us. We are completely different from them. They don’t understand our struggles.”

“We as Storsnians are destined for greatness. We see it everyday in the stars. However, currently we can’t attain that greatness because we are being held back by others and sometimes ourselves. We as a people need to come together and seek the greatness we deserve.” The crowd was very enthusiastic now and began chanting again. Jaakko’s nationalistic calls seemed to be working.

“Thank you again everyone. You all are seeking greatness by being here. But now we must part ways. Stay safe on your way home everyone. Thank you and Tuo meille kunniaa!” Jaakko basked in the applause for a second then retreated backstage as the crowd chanted more.

Jaakko took a deep breath once he got off stage and bottle of water from one of his aides. They too were all applauding him as he hurried towards his temporary campaign headquarters in the auditoriums basement. Inside the small meeting room sat his campaign manager, his finance manager and a courier to be sent to the party HQ in Farsund.

“That was another great rally Jaakko.” Exclaimed his campaign manager, Ville, exclaimed.

“Thanks. Now let's talk about our funding. Aila what's the least?”

“Well we’re running short. Right now we have enough for maybe another rally or two and we still have to pay the debate fee and the salaries. Luckily we should be receiving another “shipment” from our friends, that’s why he’s here.” Alia gestured to the courier.

“How much can we expect?”

“We won’t know till it gets here. Are you sure you want to accept more from them? What if someone finds out?” Ville asked

“No one will find out.” Alia stated

“Alright just get the shipment we’ll figure out what to do with it later.” Jaakko turned to the courier. “Here take this folder to your contacts it has everything they need to know.”

The courier nodded and began to leave the room. Jaakko caught him by the arm.

“It’s imperative you don’t get caught. What we're doing is highly illegal.”

[Storsnia]

November 2nd, 2020
C36 Highway, Western Hoisko, Storsnia
22:50

The snow from the blizzard passed the courier's car like shooting stars in the night. The C36 was blanketed with a thick layer of snow making the drive especially dangerous. It was now almost midnight and the courier faithfully continued on his journey towards Farsund where the party headquarters were located, albeit slower than he normally would. A few hours earlier it was announced the travel ban was implemented in Western Hoisko. This too hampered the couriers task, but he thought the likelihood of any authorities being along the solemn highway was low.

“This damn snow, I’ll be dead before I even get close to Farsund.” Thought the courier “But if I don’t get there on time I won’t get paid.” The courier’s cut for transporting the vital information? 10,000₮, a sum that could pay off the courier’s debt and then some. The lucrative pay forced the courier to press on.

Outside the frosty car window the courier passed a sign. Looking in his rearview mirror he read the sign aloud to himself. “Remesjoki, 38KM” The drive was just beginning and the courier turned the radio up a little louder and settled in.

Less than 100 meters down the road the courier passed another car sitting on the side of the road. At first the courier thought it was someone that like him traveled during the harsh weather and got stuck. Suddenly the courier's car was lit up with bright flashing blue and red lights.

“Shit.” The courier quickly thought of a cover story for why he was out then pulled over. The police officer pulled up behind the courier. The officer exited his patrol car and walked to the couriers window. The courier rolled down his window and a flurry of snow and cold rushed in. The officer’s badge read “Ets. Karpo”.

“Now you better have a good reason for being out here.” Said Karpo while shining a flashlight inside the courier car.

The courier looked up at the officer and said “Yes sir, I’m coming back from work it was a long day in the fields. One of the pipes burst and I volunteered to help fix it. Took us a good bit with all this snow, but we got it done.” The courier smiled as he tried to convince the detective.

“Hmm I know a lot of oil workers, hell my best friend Ukko is one. You don’t look like an oil worker. Why don’t you give me your ID? So we can get things sorted out.” Detective Karpo immediately caught on to the courier’s lie. The courier handed over his drivers license and watched as Karpo walked back to his vehicle.

At this point the courier began to panic. A thousand thoughts raced through his head about what would happen if he’s real intentions were discovered. Just as he got lost in his thoughts detective Karpo returned with his ID.

“So we both know that you’re not an oil worker. We don’t you tell me why you’re really out here and let me search the vehicle?” The detective pressed the courier for answers.

“I’m a courier and I have to deliver a time sensitive package to Farsund.” The courier said as he stepped out of his car. The detective nodded and began to search the car looking in every nook and cranny. The courier went on “I would’ve taken the train to Farsund but my client requested I travel by car. Shouldn’t have accepted this job you probably think I have a death wish or something.” The detective remained silent as he came across a briefcase in the back of the car.

The detective opened up the briefcase and began to read some of the papers inside. “This must be the package” he thought to himself. Inside the briefcase were memos and invoices to and from the Kantola campaign and USP leader Risto Löppönen. All of the documents kept mentioning the same thing over and over: Kisat. The documents also mentioned something about funds and campaign reports. Finally the detective read over the last paper in the case. One sentence on this paper tied all of the documents together: “Procurement of funds from foreign entities”.

The detective looked up at the courier who seemed clueless and sent out a dispatch call. “Dispatch. This is Etsivä Karpo requesting backup at marker 526 on the C36. Notify the KTO we have a code 100.” Karpo then approached the courier. “I’m placing you under arrest.”

“What! Why?!”

“For violating federal law and betraying your country.”

[Storsnia]

November 3rd, 2020
KTO Regional Offices, Hoisko, Storsnia
07:00

“What have we got?” Senior Detective Maaria Tähtinen looked down at the folder laid before her.

“Henrik Bottas. Storsnian male, late 20s. One of the local detectives pulled him over on the C36 for violating the travel ban. He searched his car and found some documents that point to foreign campaign funding.” Her partner, Detective Aulis Haapala, gave her the rundown on their prime suspect. “We kept him in the holding cell for the night. While the analysts poured over what he was carrying.”

“Have we learned anything yet?”

“Not yet most of it is in code, but they’ll work it out.”

“Alright, let’s see what he has to say.” Maaria took one last sip of her coffee then proceeded to the interrogation room where the courier waited.

“Good morning Mr. Bottas. We have some questions for you; please answer them to the best of your ability. Understood?”

The courier nodded his head.

“Great. Now, what were you doing out during the travel ban?”

“Working. I’m a courier.”

“Okay, and what were you carrying?”

“I don’t know; it was some briefcase I picked up in Remesjoki.”

“Do you know what was in the case?”

“No, I didn’t look; it's a breach of contract.”

“Okay. Tell me who gave you the case.”

“I didn’t get their names. I just got the case and the deposit.”

“Can you describe them?”

“Yeah, there were three of them, two guys in suits and a lady.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bottas. Now just one last question. Did they say anything to you?”

The courier hesitated. “No.”

“Okay, thank you again, Mr. Bottas. We’ll be back with some paperwork for you to sign later.”

The two detectives left the interrogation room.

“He’s lying,” Said Aulis looking over at his partner.

“I know he is. Hopefully, analytics can give us something to work with.” The pair sat down at their desks and looked over the copies of the documents trying to decipher them. Right now, all they knew was the crime and some suspects. Accepting campaign contributions from foreign entities is considered treason under Storsnian election law. All the detectives needed was to uncover how deep the plot was and where the money was coming from before they could convict those involved. While the two of them were reading case notes. The analytics team next door was busy running the coded documents through countless ciphers to determine the documents' real meaning. Finally, they came across something stunning. The chief analyst rushed to the two detectives.

“We figured it out.” The analyst said, “Throughout the documents, there are several mentions of a shipment from a supporter of the party. Well, we’ve finally figured out where the funds are coming from. We’ve traced the funds back to a company that specializes in financial banking. From what we know of the company, it has ties to the government in Tia Regness.”

The two detectives looked at each other and then back at the analyst. They finally figured out where the funds were coming from and could convict Jaakko Kantola, Risto Löppönen, and likely several other USP politicians.

“Great, contact the division in Farsund and find Mr. Kantola. Let's go talk to Mr. Bottas again.”

[Storsnia]

November 4th, 2020
Samettihuvila, Farsund, Storsnia
08:00

First Minister Tamvere scanned the room. Before her sat her cabinet with a few less than notable exceptions. To her immediate left sat Foreign Minister Tero Nissinen and to her right sat Interior Minister Teppo Vanhatalo. At the opposite end of the table sat Deputy First Minister Villiam Tapio. The cabal of ministers was gathered for their morning briefing regarding domestic and foreign affairs. Tamvere glanced over the overview sheet in her folder, mouthing the words to herself.

“November 4th Morning Brief, begin with ministerial overviews, advance to KTO investigation briefing.”

Tamvere stopped at the KTO briefing. The KTO rarely gave briefings to the FM and her cabinet. Typically the KTO reported to the Interior minister only. Tamvere turned to Vanhatalo.

“Teppo, what is the KTO doing here?” Tamvere questioned

“They uncovered something important yesterday. They haven’t told me much other than that it’s a matter of national security.” Vanhatalo answered with a smirk; he knew what was next.

Tamvere then turned and looked at Tapio at the other end and nodded. She then stood up, garnering the attention of her assembled cabinet.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I call this meeting to order. Today we’re going to mix it up a little bit. Usually, overviews come first, but those can wait today.” Tamvere turned toward her secretary of state, standing near the door. “We’re gonna start with the KTO today. Krista, bring them in.”

Krista opened the door to the cabinet room and gestured the KTO officials in. The pair wore dark black suits and carried briefcases containing information for the briefing. The two men proceeded to the front of the room and began their briefing.

“Thank you, First Minister. I’m Detective Jukka Koski, and this is Detective Patrik Kukkonen.” The taller man gestured to his colleague as he introduced him. “We’ve come to update you on the situation developing in Hoisko. As many of you might have seen in the news, several USP candidates in the upcoming elections have been convicted of treason. Including the party leader Mr. Löppönen. Up until recently, the USP has been a lawful group; however, this has changed.”

Tamvere had seen the news that the USP was effectively wiped out with treason charges. Personally, she was glad to see them gone. The fascists were an unwelcome sight in modern Storsnian democracy, and their growth was surprising initially. Tamvere was still in school when the party won its first seat, and her father, a senior minister in the Chamber, despised the group.

The television behind the two detectives showed the documents recovered from the courier and shots of Risto Löppönen and other USP politicians.

“The documents we recovered from the courier’s vehicle indicate that many USP politicians were accepting campaign funding from foreign entities. Specifically, a company called Kisat. After doing some digging, we discovered that Kisat is an alias for Krytov Holdings LLC. based out of Krytov in Tia Regness.”

Images of Krytov Holdings appeared on the TV and a map of Tia Regness.

“Currently, this is all we know. We expect to learn more in the coming days.”

Tamvere looked around the room as if to look for any USP members in the room.

“Is there enough evidence to indict the politicians involved, convict them and imprison them?” Tamvere asked, very bluntly.

“As of right now, we have a strong case against the USP.”

“Thank you.”

The detectives looked around at the assembled cabinet hoping for more questions but received none. The pair then gathered their things and prepared to leave.

“Thank you, ma'am.”

“No, thank you, Detective Koski. Thanks to your agency’s work, we have uncovered a plot the undermines the nation’s foundations.”

The detectives nodded, then left the room.

The cabinet sat in silence for a brief moment. The elections were mere weeks away, and the USP actions could jeopardize federal and canton elections. Of course, the elections could be postponed till a later date as stipulated in the constitution.

Tamvere turned to Interior Minister Vanhalto again.

“What are our options here? Of course, the public should be informed, but naming Tia Regness in this plot might cause some trouble.”

Vanhalto turned towards the cabinet.

“In regards to the elections, we have two options: One, we can let the elections proceed as planned; however, this might be difficult with so many candidates involved in a treasonous plot. Our other option is to postpone the election. If we did that, the farthest we can push the election to is the end of January. Postponing the election would also require a vote in the Chamber, and getting the votes required might be difficult, not to mention what the general public might think.”

Tamvere thought for a moment. Pushing the elections back would guarantee a stable outcome; however, her popularity could take a hit, with some of her opponents labeling her tyrannical. It was times like these that she could help but think of her father's advice. He always told Tamvere if you wanted to succeed in Storsnian politics, you had to be well-liked. A recall election could be called at any time and one's political career ruined.

“Tapio, can we count on Unionen to vote with us on postponement?”

The Deputy First Minister thought about Tamvere’s question.

“I’m sure I can get the party to vote for it.”

“Good, okay. Let’s take a quick vote here. All those in favor of postponement?”

A flurry of “ayes” arose from her cabinet. It was clear Tamvere’s cabinet was in favor of postponement the only group that might be against the move would be the KPP.

“Alright, we’ll schedule a vote in the Chamber by the end of the week. Now, what can we do about the USP?”

“There isn’t much, really. Banning the party is unconstitutional. The only thing we can do is unregister the party.”

“Let’s do that then. It’s our best shot at getting rid of the Velvetists.”

Velvetism in Storsnia was the nation’s own brand of fascism created by Veli Löppönen during the Velvet Revolution. Since the Civil War, velvetism was essentially erased, but velvetism began to crop up again as time went on. Starting with Löppönen’s grandson and USP leader. Hopefully, Velvetism could be snuffed out again peacefully this time.

“Okay. Well, now that that’s settled, we can move on to overviews. Let’s start with the Ministry of Transportation today.”

As each minister rambled on about their department's achievements and whatnot. Tamvere could not shake the feeling that her father was watching over her. Making sure she was making all the right moves. Tamvere knew that postponing the elections was the right thing to do; she just hoped the people and the KPP would see that too. Only time would tell.

[Storsnia]

November 6th, 2020
Chamber of Representatives, Farsund, Storsnia
13:00

Freshman representative Jussi Rissanen scoured his desk for his notes about the upcoming legislation. Of course, he didn’t need them for the most important bill in his political career so far. Postponing an election was serious business in Storsnia and had only been done a handful of times.

Jussi was elected into the chamber less than a year ago during a special election. Pundits were dumbfounded when Jussi’s victory was declared; no one would have thought that a young man fresh out of college would win an election, especially against an experienced local legislator. Some said the only reason Jussi won was his charisma and good looks. Of course, running with the VDU in a stronghold district helped. Jussi knew how to use his looks to win over young voters left and right. But, his looks weren’t the only thing that attracted voters. His progressive ideas were a hit with the predominantly urban voters in his district. Expanding and subsidizing public transportation, focusing on renewable energy, and legalizing recreational drugs were some of his core policies.

“Finally!” Jussi exclaimed as he pulled his notes from the bottom drawer he never used. “Why on Olympus did I put it there.” Just then, an alarm started to go off on his watch. “Shit!”

Voting was just about to start, and as is tradition, Jussi’s office was one of the farthest from the chamber. Jussi quickly threw on his dark blue suit jacket and rushed out into the hallway. Jussi could feel the reporters and secretaries watching him run down the hall, but he didn’t care. He was about to let a little embarrassment stop him from the vote. Just as the remaining representatives were filling into the chamber, Jussi arrived to see his mentor waiting next to the door.

“You’re late.” Veteran Herkko Mattila observed.

“I’m not late. Voting hasn’t started yet.” Jussi said, flashing a smile at the old pro.

In appearance, the pair were opposites. Herkko’s hair was quickly greying compared to his junior partner, who possessed a full head of dark black hair. Jussi was slender but slightly muscular, while Herkko had a propensity for eating. The one thing the two had in common was their allegiance to the VDU.

“Whatever. Get in there.” Herkko exclaimed, rushing the young representative.

Herkko Mattila was a seasoned pro in the Chamber. At the ripe age of 57, Herkko had served 17 years in the chamber across 4 terms. If he’s reelected, it’ll be his fifth consecutive term. Herkko could see the Chamber getting younger and younger as a new generation of legislators came of age.

The young and old representatives strode down the aisle towards their seats in the front of the room. With 371 representatives in the Chamber, it was easy to get lost in the sea of officials. The two soon reached their seats. A green fabric chair bolted into the ground. In front of them was a small desk with enough space for a few papers, a screen, three buttons, one green, one blue, and the third red.

“You know how many votes I’ve been late for?” Asked Herkko

“Let me guess...None?” Jussi replied, preparing himself for a lecture.

“That’s right. I’ve always been on time, and you need to be too. There’s a reason they picked me to be your mentor.”

Every new representative was assigned a mentor for their first two years in office. This was done to show them the ropes and how the complex Storsnian legislative system operated and give them some tips to prevent being recalled.

“Order! Order!” Herkko’s lecture was soon interrupted by the Speaker of the Chamber. “I hereby call this voting session of the Chamber of Representatives to order. To begin, we will proceed with a roll call.” One by one, each representative was called upon and responded as they usually would.

“Now, we will move on to the first vote of the day. The Postponement of the 2020 General Elections Act sponsored by First Minister Kalla Tamvere is up for vote.” As soon as the speaker finished, the room full of representatives broke out into heated discussion. Representatives were given a total of ten minutes for each vote or until all present representatives had voted.

Jussi already knew which way he was voting. For him, postponement was the only option. Jussi was not able to campaign as frequently as he wanted. A slight postponement was exactly what he needed.

As time wound down, the debate got quieter and quieter until finally, all debate stopped. A call for final votes came at the end of the ten minutes, which rarely happened in the Chamber. Once all voting was finished, the room was dead silent. Everyone was on the edges of their seats, waiting to hear the results.

The votes were quickly tabulated, and the speaker prepared to read the results.

“The vote for the Postponement of the 2020 General Election Sponsored by First Minister Kalla Tamvere has been finalized.” The speaker took a brief pause for dramatic effect.

“The results are…”

[Storsnia]

January 7th, 2020
Vuorikoti, Lautavaara, Storsnia
11:00

Two reindeer were locked in a bitter battle. Antlers locked against one another sounded like trees snapping under the weight of heavy snow. The beasts' breath appeared as tiny clouds from their nostrils, flanked by the noises of pain and intimidation. The blanket of snow beneath their hooves was trodden from their fight over their brawl. To the side was a group of cows over which the males were fighting for. Finally, one of the bucks managed to throw the other to the ground, winning the herd's favor. Tamvere watched the duel from the windows of Vuorikoti, the official country retreat of the First Minister. She saw the fight as a metaphor for what was about to occur between her party and the KPP. Like the reindeer, the two parties were locked in a battle over who would rule the country or, in the case of the bucks, the herd. The only thing missing from the metaphor were the kingmakers. The minor parties like Unionin and the newly influential Greens had the power to decide the next First Minister. Tamvere was in deep in thought when suddenly the door to her office burst open. In the frame stood her secretary of state, Krista.

"Kalla. I have bad news." Krista was one of the few people in Tamvere's cabinet that was on a first-name basis. The pair were inseparable since law school. Tamvere was more ambitious, seeking higher office from the beginning of her career, and Krista was her ever-faithful follower.

I took a moment for Tamvere to exit her trance-like state to respond. "Is it bad enough to ruin my day?"

"Up to you, but news just broke that the Skolt Party is endorsing Koponen for FM. That puts him at 143 votes." She said as she closed the doors, knowing what was about to come.

"You're kidding." Tamvere jumped out of her chair to check her phone. Sure enough, Skolt endorsing KPP was front-page news. "Dammit!" Tamvere shouted, throwing her phone down on the desk. "It all comes down to Unionin now. Of course, those indecisive pigs get to choose who wins again." Tamvere turned to look out the window again and took a drink of water.

"Unionin was with us for the last three years. They have no reason to leave us now." Krista replied, trying to assuage Tamvere's anger

"No. It doesn't work like that. Please tell me the Greens are still with us." Tamvere sat back down at her desk. She hastily grabbed a notepad and pen to plan her attack. Concessions would have to be made to both the Greens and Unionin to have them on Tamvere's side.

"Looks like it. I talked to Eskola this morning; she said she's still on board with the proposal."

"Good. We're gonna have to switch things up though. Call Eskola and Tapio. I want to meet with them tonight. Then get Daniel, tell him we're going back to Farsund; he'll get the car ready." Tamvere gave Krista orders without looking up from her note pad. She was carefully planning out what concessions she would give to the two minor parties. She and Eskola already made a deal that she would become Deputy making them the first all-female FM and Deputy FM. However, with Unionin a wild card, this might have to change. The cabinet seats they agreed upon might change too, with Tapio now in the mix. She needed to get ahold of Tapio before Koponen did. Tapio being the aging politician he is, prefers to do every dealing in person. Yes, it ate up time, but this was the way it had to be done. It's a small miracle he never became FM, or else nothing would get down unless he himself was present. Tamvere continued to plan at her desk. Behind her, another metaphor played out.

Earlier that morning, an infirm cow was taken down by a lumbering brown bear looking for its next meal. After a good hour of eating, it left the decaying corpse with some meat on its bones still. Now two red foxes were fighting over the remaining meat. Whilst the two fought, the corpse lay there unmoving ready for the victor. The dead reindeer would feed a fox for the rest of the day, allowing it to continue its journey. Finally, one edged out the other and chased the loser off. The only difference between the fox and Tamvere? The fox's prey was already dead. Tamvere's was on death's door.

[Storsnia]

January 7th, 2020
Päätöstalo, Farsund, Storsnia
16:00

First Minister Tamvere peered out of the tinted windows of her SAV Kantaja. The vehicle was custom made to carry the First Minister. Fitted with bulletproof glass, tinted windows, and special steel construction, the state vehicle was prepared for anything. Tamvere watched as first the forest from the hills surrounding Farsund passed by and then the small house and shops once they reached the city's outskirts. It wasn’t long before she would arrive at the steps of the Päätöstalo where the Chamber of Representatives convened.

The First Minister had everything planned out: Eskola, the Greens leader, would become Deputy FM, The VDU would hold nine cabinet positions, while the Greens and Unionin would divide the remaining seven. Three seats, including Minister of the Environment, would go to Eskola, and four would go to Tapio. The finer details would be hashed out once the Chamber reelected Tamvere. This plan was preliminary and designed to get Tapio on her side once more.

Once the motorcade reached the steps of the Päätöstalo, it was flanked by journalists wondering what the late meeting was about. Tamvere’s protection detail quickly secured the area. She took one last sip of water then gave the signal she was ready. The driver exited the vehicle and opened the door for Tamvere. Tamvere stepped out and adjusted her winter jacket. The weather was brutal in early January, and the sun had already set. The journalists' questions bombarded Tamvere as she strode up the stairs into the huge building.

“Madam First Minister! What’s your opinion on the KYP joining with the KPP?”

“First Minister! Is it true you’re seeking a deal with both the Greens and Unionin?”

“What will you do if you aren’t reelected?”

Tamvere ignored the reporters; their time would come after the election in the Chamber. She entered the building bypassing the security checkpoint set up at the entrance. Krista and her security detail followed her closely. She was now in one of the most secure buildings in the country. The walls of Päätöstalo were where some of the most important moments in Storsnia’s history took place. The dictator Veli Löppönen proclaimed himself “Johtaja” after the Kariseminen more than a hundred years earlier in the Chamber Room. Päätöstalo was also the site where the Declaration of the United Republic was signed and is housed. Tamvere briskly walked through the halls passing offices of representatives new and old on her way to one of the unremarkable meeting rooms.

“Krista, you’re gonna stay out here. You know how these things are.” Tamvere turned towards Krista.

“Yeah, no problem. I’ll wait here and keep the reporters at bay until you’re finished.” Krista replied.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Tamvere then turned to enter the room.

Inside the mundane meeting room was a long mahogany table with brown leather chairs forming a circle around it. Normally, this room might be used for a committee meeting or for a group of representatives to sit down and negotiate legislation together. But today, the government’s next five years would be discussed.

Inside, Talvikki Eskola was already waiting for the other party leaders to arrive. The young but intelligent representative sat at one of the ends of the table with a scratchpad. She was engrossed in writing something down on the notepad when Tamvere entered. When she heard the door open and recognized the familiar face, she shot up and greeted the First Minister.

“Madam First Minister, it’s a pleasure to meet you in person finally.” Eskola was almost giddy at meeting the First Minister.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Ms. Eskola. I’m sure you’re ready to get started with this meeting.”

“Absolutely, we’re just waiting on the old man, right?” Eskola said, letting out a slight chuckle.

“Ha, the old man. I would’ve liked to hash this out over the phone, but he doesn’t work that way.”

Just as the two women discussed the “Old Man,” Villiam Tapio strode in with an aura of confidence despite his party’s recent election failure.

Tapio quickly took a seat at the other end of the table before noticing his two counterparts were already present.

“Oh, hello, Madam First Minister and Ms. Eskola. I didn’t notice you were already here.”

“No worries, Mr. Tapio. The First Minister and I were just discussing the news. Have you seen it?”The two women stood at the opposite end of the table while Tapio got settled in.

“Yes, I have. Something about the Skolts joining up with the KPP.” Tapio continued to shuffle through papers.

“Yes, Mr. Tapio.” Tamvere interrupted in her most commanding voice, causing Tapio to focus his attention on her. Tamvere was preparing to rip into Tapio like a fox with a rotting corpse. “The Skolts have joined up with the KPP for the first time. This puts them just 43 votes away from electing Koponen. With that being said, we are here to make a deal. I respect Kopponen and his family, but he cannot be allowed to lead this country now.” By this time, both representatives were sitting at opposite ends of the table while Tamvere refused to sit. She stood, commanding the attention of the two.

“Now I’ve already made a deal with Ms. Eskola.” Tamvere glanced at the Greens leader sitting attentively. “We just need to reach a deal with you.” Tamvere looked back at Tapio.

“Well, I’m no stranger to deal-making. Why don’t we start with cabinet positions? Of course, my party would like to hold on the Deputy’s seat and-”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Tapio, but that can’t happen. Eskola will be the new deputy. However, we are prepared to give you four cabinet positions of your choosing.”

“That’s unacceptable. You can’t expect my party to work with you if you don’t put us in some position of authority.” Tapio shouted, standing up from his chair. Tapio was appalled that Tamvere refused to give up Deputy FM.

“Mr. Tapio. Your party is dying and is in no position to make outrageous demands. Unionin is now the fourth largest party behind the Greens.” Tamvere gestured to Eskola, who peaked a smile at her party’s newfound success. “Unionin hasn’t had an FM since the Lahti administration in the 1960s. It’s only a matter of time before your party will be as small as a flea on the back of a reindeer.”

Tapio was visibly upset at Tamvere’s description of Unionin. But before he could respond, shouting could be heard outside the door to the meeting room. The shouting grew louder as the crowd neared the door before it flung open. In the door frame stood a group of Unionin representatives numbering ten or more. The representative in front was an older woman with white hair and black-rimmed glasses. She wore a bright red, almost pink pantsuit and held a piece of paper in her hands.

“Excuse me, Madam First Minister, but we have urgent business with Mr. Tapio.” The woman said as she walked further into the room. She was flanked by the other representatives accompanying her, all representatives from Unionin.

“Okay.” Tamvere replied, confused.

“Thank you.” The woman said, nodding her head. “Mr. Tapio. We” The woman gestured to the group of assembled representatives. “Learned that you were in a meeting with First Minister Tamvere over aligning the party with her faction for the next five years. I was willing to discuss this with you, however, after hearing that the greens were here too.” The woman looked over at Eskola, who was sitting quietly. “We’ve decided to break with the party and align ourselves with the KPP.” The woman then handed the piece of paper to Tapio before leaving the room with her followers.

For a brief moment, the three party leaders were in silent shock. Nobody expected the party of unity to be prone to infighting. The paper Tapio now held in his hand listed several Unionin representatives who all agreed to enter a voting block with the conservative and Skolt parties.

“Tapio, what the hell was that.” Tamvere was the first to break the silence.

“I-I don’t know.” Tapio was speechless. His party was falling apart before his eyes, and he was finally coming to terms with its demise. His eyes began to water as his hard work holding the party together fell apart.

Tamvere glanced over at Eskola before turning back to Tapio. “Villiam. Is there any way you can get what’s left of Unionin to vote with us?”

Tapio looked up at Tamvere and solemnly said, “I-I-I suppose I can try.”

“Thank you, Villiam.”

Tapio then got up and shuffled his way to the door. He was visibly distraught and a shadow of the man that waltzed into the meeting room earlier.

Tamvere turned to Eskola. “Thank you for meeting with us, Talvikki. As we agreed, you will become the Deputy FM if I’m elected. We’ll work out the cabinet positions later.”

Tamvere appeared cool and collected, but on the inside, she was worried about the coming vote.

Eskola stood up. “No, thank you, Madam First Minister.” Eskola then began to walk towards the door.

“Oh Talvikki.” Eskola turned back towards Tamvere. “Please call me Kállá”

---

***
Several days later...

Representatives from all across the country were filling in the Chamber Room. This was the one place where Storsnians from the cities in the west got together with those in the rural east. Skolt representatives fraternized with representatives from the isolated towns in the frozen north.

Marja could see it all from her seat in the front of the room. She occupied the Speaker’s chair for the first time in her political career, and it felt good. For years she had been seated off to the side of the chamber. Here Marja could see all of the other representatives. Among them, she saw some familiar faces and could almost see the lines drawn between the parties and cantons. Aside from the representatives, Marja had a grand view of the room itself.

The chamber was recently renovated after its long history. Along the sides and back of the room stood 22 ornate columns, each representing one canton. On each column was a bronze emblem of the canton’s seal. The walls were painted a deep grey contrasting the wooden columns. Behind the speaker's seat was a large Storsnian flag hanging on the wall vertically. The ceiling was marked by a large skylight over the front of the room to let in natural light.

Today was perhaps one of the most important days for Storsnia. The assembled representatives would elect the First Minister for the next five years. This was the only session that was televised on national television and was quite the spectral. The seating gallery above the representatives was lined with cameras from various news networks.

The time to vote was fast approaching, and many of the representatives started to take their seats. Some freshmen representatives bumbled around following their mentor to their seats while the old pros knew right where to go. The clock had struck twelve o’clock, and all the representatives were present ready to cast their vote. Marja held the gavel in her hand and slammed the instrument down three times, officially starting the session.

“I hereby call this voting session of the Chamber of Representatives to order.” Marja scanned the room for those last few representatives to find their seats. “We will proceed with roll call” One by one, the deputy speaker called the names of each representative. Once finished, he produced the list to the Marja, who glanced over it.

“Wow, everyone is here. That’s a first,” Marja lightheartedly said, trying to add some humor to the tedious procedure. “First order of business is electing a First Minister. Let’s begin with nominations” Marja looked up from her notes with a smile. Before a First Minister was elected, they had to be nominated by one of their peers in the Chamber. Typically, this duty fell to the deputy leader of a party.

“Madam Speaker,” A representative shouted from the front row as they stood up from their chair.

“The Chamber recognizes the gentleman from Virmajärvi.” Marja piped back

The representative walked towards the assembled podium in the front of the room. “I wish to nominate Representative Henri Koponen of Nuokka for First Minister” There were some grumblings from the right side of the room as the man spoke.

Marja nodded and said, “ Thank you, Mr. Heino'' Just as the man sat down, another representative from the opposite side of the aisle shot up.

“For what does the Lady from South Remeli rise.”

“A nomination Madam Speaker,” She said, walking towards the same podium.

Marja nodded.

“ I would like to nominate Representative Kállá Tamvere of Outer Ensrup for First Minister.” All eyes turned to the front of the room where Tamvere sat. The representative turned and began to walk back to her seat.

“Thank you, Mrs. Kanerva.” Marja scanned the room and said, “Are there any other nominations?”

No representative spoke or stood. Marja then moved on to the next portion of the vote.

“The nominees for First Minister are Representative Henri Koponen of Nuokka and Representative Kállá Tamvere of Outer Ensrup.” As Marja announced the nominees, a team was setting up the voting processes.

This would be the first time the vote for First Minister would be conducted electronically. Before, each representative would write the name of the nominees they were voting for on a piece of paper and put it in a box in the front of the room. This time each representative would use the monitor installed at their desk to vote.

Marja looked over at the man conducting the voting to ensure everything was ready. The man nodded and gave a thumbs up.

“The vote for First Minister will now begin,” Marja said with a knock of the gavel. Almost immediately, the room erupted with conversation as party whips ensured everyone was voting the way they should. The representatives have ten minutes to vote but rarely used the whole time. Marja looked around the room at all the representatives after casting her vote. The future of Storsnia was being decided, and every representative knew this. Eventually, more and more votes were being cast. Finally, all votes were accounted for, and everyone was silent.

“Voting has concluded,” Marja said with another use of the gavel. “The votes will now be tallied.”

The screen to the left of Marja lit up with three columns. Across the top, they read “Henri Koponen, Kállá Tamvere and Abstain ''. Then Marja was handed an envelope that held the results of the vote. She was going to be the first person to learn who won. She had to remember to be as impartial as possible and show no reaction to the results. Marja carefully opened the envelope and looked over the piece of paper. The whole nation waited with bated breath for Marja to read the results.

“Abstainations, 2.”

“Henri Koponen, 183

Kállá Tamvere, 186”

Suddenly the room erupted with applause. Tamvere stood from her seat in the front of the room with a big smile on her face. She had made it to the finish line but only just. 186 votes gave her an exact majority in the Chamber, narrowly winning.

Tamvere walked down to the front of the chamber, where she would assume the oath of office. Marja joined Tamvere at the front of the room where the podium stood moments ago.

“Congratulations, Madam First Minister. Now, If you’ll raise your right hand and repeat after me.” Marja said as Tamvere followed. “I, Kállá Tamvere, affirm that in my office as First Minister of the United Republic of Storsnia will protect and defend the people of Storsnia, and dutifully and conscientiously observe the Constitution and the laws of Storsnia.” Tamvere then shook Marja’s hand before returning to her seat.

Tamvere thought about her victory at her seat. She was not entirely sure she would be reelected today with everything that happened the past few months. However, Tamvere had changed from the woman she was when she was first elected. She had become a true politician skilled in backroom deals and national leadership. If her father were still alive, he would surely be proud. She made a mental note to visit his grave with her mother when this was over. Tamvere had made it to the end of the long cold road to victory and hoped she could steer the nation down the path of prosperity.