Tick

Viktor Volkov II sat in his office chair, watching the timer count down to when the dot matrix printer would loudly announce the arising of a new issue for his nation. Many interesting things had previously came out of that slot in his desk; an eco-terrorist's plot to ruin the marine ecosystem, nazi protestors planning yet another nearly-empty rally, even that time when the scientists of his nation decided lynxes were sentient. But regardless of how wacky or crazy the last one was, every six hours, without fail, another one would come up. He had even installed a timer for the apparent regularity, said timer currently sitting at 00:00:12 remaining.

"Why do these issues come so regularly," he contemplated, as he had many times before, "why is this seemingly my only role in this office?"

Tick.
Tick.
Tick.

Regardless of his contemplation, the ticking continued as it always had, foretelling the approach of a new issue. Every time, without fail, they would simply print out, giving him multiple options from names he suspected were not even of real people, and he would circle one with his trusty presidential pencil (or a presidencil, as he liked to call it), and shoot it away in the vacuum tube to who-knows-where.

Tick.
Tick.
Tick.

But, as always, it was a contemplation without hope of an answer. This had happened since he was put in power more than two years ago, and seemingly had no end in sight. An issue would print, he would circle an answer, put it in the tube, and send it off ad nauseum. Not even the technology had changed with the time, despite the apparently rising technological advancement (according to the result printouts) in his nation.

Tick.
Tick.
Tick.

As the time of a new issue approached, Viktor watched the slot in his desk for its output of yet another decision for him to make, yet another reluctanct compromise to choose, yet another change to the outside world.

"Hopefully this isn't another repeat," he thought, "I don't like those."

Tick.
Tick.
Tick.

The timer clicked to zero and wrapped around back to 06:00:00, just as it always had, and the printer began its screeching as the new issue came out. He watched the issue, wondering what it would be.

"I bet it will be one of my family members trying to make a dictatorship." he mumbled from experience of multiple years of sitting at this desk.

But as the printout spooled out, something was very clearly wrong. The paper was blank. There was no issue. He stared as it finished spooling out, the screeching fading away, leaving him with just the ticking of the timer in the room again. Ripping off the paper from the printer, Viktor looked at it to make sure it was not his sight failing him. He flipped it over, once, twice, three times, as one would while putting a USB cable in a computer. There was nothing on the sheet.

He stared at the empty sheet for at least a minute before deciding that he would just have to send it off uncircled, as he had done many times for issues where all the given options were bad. He stuck it in the vacuum tube, and pressed the button, seeing it woosh away into his desk and somewhere beyond. As he expected, the printer began to run again, screeching as it printed its result. Or, at least, as it would, if there were any ink going on the spooling paper at all. Yet again, the printer wound down, leaving a blank output sticking out of the slot. Viktor ripped it off again, staring at the blankness as if it would change.

"Something must be wrong outside" he said out loud to the ears of no one but himself.

Setting the paper down and picking up his trusty presidencil, he grabbed his briefcase and walked out through the empty doorframe of his office.

Viktor sat in the subway, watching the lights go by. The magnetic systems were fast, but not instant. It would take him at least half an hour of this westward line to arrive at Vodok, his destination. He figured walking the streets of Gelu Rego would not help him find what was wrong, as that city always appeared to be peaceful and tranquil in its location, surrounded by mountains on all sides except for the northern sea.

The carriage around him was mostly empty, save for one. Across from Viktor sat a businesslynx, carrying a handbag in her mouth. On her paws were shoes colored half gray and half blue, and a sunhat on her head. She had been giving him curious glances ever since he got on the train, and at this point she decided to speak up.

"Hey. You're the president, are you not?" she asked him
"Uh, yeah, yes I am." he replied.
"I would have expected you to have some sort of guard force around you."
"Why would I? Guns are nearly absent in this country, and the people love me. I want to feel closer to them, not have them feel intimidated by a security force."
"I suppose that makes sense."

For a couple minutes following, they sat in an awkward silence.

"So... what brings you on this trip, or am I allowed to ask?" she inquired.
"I'm looking into how the nation is doing beyond my office." he answered.
"Oh, okay."

It was a half truth, but it was the best he could tell her. What else could he say? 'My presidenting machine has broken down?' It was dispowering enough to have his duties relegated to just circling answers from a print out, but to have citizens know that too? He would be ridiculed.

"What IS my place in the world?" he thought. "I am a president who just circles predetermined options given to me. I'm barely a president at all."

He was contemplating thoughts like this when he was interrupted by the automated voice saying: "You have now arrived at Vodok Central Station. Please exit peacefully." He picked up his briefcase sitting on the floor below him and proceeded to the door, walking behind the businesslynx who had chatted with him prior. Navigating through the complicated mess of stations that was the central station of Vodok, he walked out into the city streets.

The buildings towered around him, like they would in all of Solus Unus' cities. Tight environmental and transportation regulations had made the cities build up instead of out, and it showed here. Vodok was home to the largest port in Solus Unus, due to its relatively calm seas relative to the rest of the coastline that lead into the Ocean of Solidarity. In fact, Viktor knew the main port was a few blocks down from the central station, and he decided to walk down in that direction.

As he walked, he passed a group of children who appeared to contently be playing catch in a courtyard. They looked healthy and fit, and he could hear them excitedly discussing the stories he recognized as those assigned to the fourth year curriculum. He realized that this was at least partially his doing, as since he had come to power, national average intelligence had increased nearly fourfold. This reassured him relative to earlier, as watching those kids, he knew he was doing good.

Coming down to the docks, he found a cargo ship being loaded with many shipping containers. Looking at the containers, he realized the great exchanges of goods that were happening were also partially his doing, from his promotion of computer tech to the point of having AI citizens in addition to the lynx ones (the creation of lynx AI citizens, however, had not yet happened). Many computers for the whole of the Democratic Socialist Assembly were produced in Solus Unus, and, again, Viktor realized this was due to him. Newly happy due to his newfound reassurance of the good of his presidency, he began the walk back to the central station of Vodok for the journey home.

As Viktor walked through the halls of the Presidential Residency, he had his chest stuck out. He was proud of what he had done, and with the breaking of the issue printer, he was free to make his own laws. If he had done such good with his nation only bounded by the constraints of what came through his printer, he would surely be able to improve it drastically now that he had free reign. He continued this self-confidence until he strolled through the doorless frame of the entrance to his office to find a repairlynx under his desk.

"What are you doing there?" Viktor asked.
Backing up while somewhat surprised, the repairlynx responded "Oh, you're back! I just got done fixing your issue printer. The ink was out."
Viktor looked somewhat sad "O-oh. Okay then."
Oblivious to the sadness, the repairlynx said "Well I'll be on my way then."
"Okay."

Viktor walked back to his desk, saddened by this turn of events. His journey reminding him of the good he did and would do for his nation was overshadowed by the fact that his powers were now relegated back to the same old answering of issues that automatically printed up. Sitting down on his chair and looking at the timer, which now said 04:01:57, he turned around and looked out the window, the repetitive sound going on behind him.

Tick.
Tick.
Tick.