"So, you see," Martha stated, pointing towards the holographic cube in the middle of the table, "we can still live well and redevelop the slums." On each side of the cube sat a screen. A screen that showed a brightly coloured pie chart with sections denoting where finance should be spent to enable Princips to move forward. Despite hundreds of years of technological advancements, boring people with slides of graphics, animations and quick sounds still endured as a way of presenting important information.

Hands hesitated, waiting till they were sure the presentation had concluded. After a brief pause, they offered the obligatory round of applause. "Thank you very much, Miss McGovern," Derek confirmed the presentation had ceased. "Right, now we will have an hours break, then the vote will begin."

"Why are we bothering to vote?" Marcus piped up, "Martha is the only candidate, we know it is going to be her."

"You know very well that is not the way it works," Derek turned into the disgruntled father once more. "We have two votes, one for Martha and one for no-one, so as to start the process again."

"But.." Marcus started.

As if foreseeing the comment, Derek replied in angry tones, "you must not tell anyone who you intend to vote for or that will make the vote void. Now, we will take an hours break and return to vote then."

"Sorry Dad," Marcus tried to apply his best acting to the sentiment, but could not quite wipe the smirk of his face.

As the Board filtered out to get a hot drink and snack, Marcus was feeling jubilant. He had made it clear that he would be Martha's ally without saying as much. Out of all the Board, she would be the easiest to break, the one he could slither up to and squirm his own way into power.