The constitution of The Omicroners dictates that elections for The Board of Seniors and Station Administrators must take place every three months, in a closed enclave on Sparta Station.
The Board of Seniors are four Omicroners selected to oversee and administrate The Omicroners during their tenure. The Station Administrators are four Omicroners selected to each lead a station and department of The Omicroners; Freeport XV and the Trade Department, Livadia Shipyard and the Security Department, Corinth Research Station and the Technology Department, and Sparta Station and the Diplomacy Department.
The Faceless are a self-appointed and self-selected group of anonymous Omicroners that safeguard the Omicroner constitution, and as such manage elections as part of their duty. They hold an undefined member and veto count, and can hold members in any other section of The Omicroners, including The Seniors and Station Administrators. Whilst The Faceless do not physically do the tasks involved with the election publicly, it is their sole authority to appoint any Omicroner to carry out the tasks required. Many Omicroners are selected to do many things, but the one who is appointed Election Administrator holds the greatest responsibility in making sure events go smoothly. The Election Administrator selected for 818 AS Mid-April elections is Tsumugi Kotobuki.
The Guardsmen are Omicroners who have forsaken their right to vote in order to guard Omicron 74 at all times. When an enclave is called they guard Omicron 74 and are effectively command The Omicroner's defensive assets.
The Board of Seniors, Station Administrators, The Faceless and any ordinary Omicroners make up The Quorum collectively. The Guardsmen are not part of The Quorum.
During the election, no Omicroner involved in the election may leave the voting chamber.
The enclave, or voting chamber involves a round table which all participants sit at, and by which each Omicroner is clearly visible for all to see. Votes are private and public; the votes are carried out whilst sitting at the table with everyone watching and voting simultaneously, but the person each Omicroner votes for is kept private.
818 AS, Mid-April:
The room is reasonably dark; illuminated mainly by the windows through which the meager rays of the sun that filter through. The cloud and minefield makes this even darker. There is normal lighting available, and emergency lighting, but they are rarely used.
The round table is large and impressive. Made from the stone carved out of the rock that The Omicroners now call Sparta. The chair are just as archaic, ornately carved from a rare rosewood. The floor is limestone, covered with a textured glass to preserve it.
An air-conditioning system filters and regulates the temperature.
Each part of the table has a computer screen and communication panel on it, but they are rarely used. The vote is written on paper that is handed to every participant when they enter.
Tsumugi Kotobuki had arranged everything, now she just had to conduct the enclave.
Tsumugi Kotobuki had been selected to be the Election Administrator. It was a temporary position, but one of great honour, especially for one of the newer Omicroners.
"Well, everything is done. Room is set, and I have the papers." Kotobuki spoke out loud to herself. She was nervous. This was not only a big event for The Omicroners, but a sacred one, and she didn't want to screw it up.
She nodded to one of The Guardsmen. The doors to the enclave had been opened. Members of The Quorum would all filter through; ordinary Omicroners, the sitting Board of Seniors and Station Administrators and The Faceless hidden amongst them.
Time would tell whether all her planning and practice would pay off.
"Your seats are not assigned per se. I figured people would sit where they like." Kotobuki suppressed a little laugh before continuing. "But knowing you Bo, the seat closest to the door, perhaps?"
"Also, you'll need this." She handed Keek a few pieces of paper for the votes.