The final part of your work for the year took place all across it, scattered between the larger meetings and social affairs that dominated your schedule. Choosing to step down had bought you freedom for a time, but it left others facing an uncertain future. Six men and women had led Earth through the fire beside you, becoming far more than just your Ministers over the last thirteen years. Many credited you for your leadership, but you knew the truth; that you'd never have been able to do so much alone. And you weren't going to leave the ones who helped you to find their futures alone.
Vega, Kazuki, Adriana and Mary were the ones you were able to see this year, but you promised yourself that you'd find time to talk to Lina and Marcus come the next. You asked what they wanted to do with their future, even if in Mary's case you knew most of it, and how you might help them realise the vision in their mind. In two cases, you had to work surprisingly hard to convince them to accept your help, but you got there in the end. Of course, that just left you with options, and it wasn't like you could do everything.
Daughter of Secrets, Sister of Truth
Your closest friend, Mary had been surprised by your choice to pursue research over returning to the government in some capacity after your sabbatical; but not unpleasantly so. Arcadia had been a dream of hers and those like her since before she brought them together in her Ministry, and it was clear when she talked about it that all of them were ecstatic at the prospect. Thanks in part to your 'babysitting' earlier in the year, which ended up not being a one-time thing, Iris had chosen to come with you as well, and you'd breathed a quiet sigh of relief when the VI for the Science Ministry came out so well.
With Arcadia in good hands, you'd wondered what you might be able to do to help your friend, as it was clearly what she wanted to follow you into, which is when she surprised you. For all her quiet charm, as you liked to call it, Mary lacked the true gift with words that you possessed, and she wanted help finding some candidates for the Ministership, and then convincing them to consider an offer if it came. She knew she'd be offered the position again, she always was, and this would be a way to deflect it gracefully.
With Iris's rapid growth, which you're at least half responsible for, Mary also raised the possibility of spending more time with the youthful AI. You'd done similar things in the past, but never around the duties of president, and it's quite possible that it'll impact your own schedule. The benefits of doing so are hazy at present, but Mary wouldn't suggest something if it didn't have a use.
Votes
[] Mary – Convincing Candidates
[] Mary – Minding Iris
The Diligent Steward
Adriana had been the Minister you'd worked with the most in the early years of your Presidency, piecing together the vast infrastructure required to construct the FSN, and to give humanity a foundation to build upon after the battle was won. A brilliant designer in her own right, she pioneered the creation of entirely new tools to support the Ministries, but her true value had been as an organiser. It was a skill that she'd only discovered in full in the early years of her duties as Minister for the Home Office, but also one she'd excelled at.
Her drive to complete the digital revolution stalled by the discovery of the Second Secret, and all but forgotten after the Week of Sorrows, has won her praise but also some wariness. People are quite comfortable with the advanced replicant agents, but Adriana wants to go much further. Of course, to do so she'll have to hold onto her position, which apparently will be harder than you thought, but you have some unique ability to help with that.
Adriana herself would be content with holding her position, or even yielding it to take control of the Home Office department that deals with digital integration; she sees the latter as the more likely without support. A few words in the right ears, however, and it could become incredibly difficult for her not to be offered the role again. The main issue is how deeply she wants to intertwine human and electronic life, which surprisingly disturbs quite a few, despite the nanomachines swimming in their veins courtesy of Prologue.
A Ministership is one thing, but it's not the only thing you could offer. Adriana's family has presence within several sections of the government, and between that and your own extraordinary influence, you could give your Minister a chance at the Presidency itself. She'll need some convincing, given how close she's been to the centre of power and having seen how that affects someone, but probably not too much of it. Of course, you'll have to dedicate some time to the matter next year, but your State Department can help you with that if you choose to pursue it.
There's another matter she's asks for help with though, relating to her desire to bring humanity closer to its electronic creations. Completing the digital revolution, and preparing humanity for what might lie ahead if they are to defeat the Shiplords. You can't make that happen with a few words, or a broadcast, but you can give your friend one hell of a start.
Votes
[] Adriana – Tradition in Service
[] Adriana – Chosen Successor
[] Adriana – The Third Revolution
Proven Miracles
You had to work a lot harder than you'd expected to convince Vega to accept your help, and you were never quite sure of the source of her resistance. The idea that you'd given her enough already, perhaps, but when Kagiso was quite willing to tell her that she was being silly, it was hard for her to maintain the front.
In the end, she had several matters you could help her with. She didn't want to continue as a Minister, and in truth you could understand that. Her greatest gifts to humanity had never come from her ability in that regard, but the Miracles her Focus had brought forth. With the Harmonic Record complete, she wanted to use it. She was confident in her ability to step down into a less involved position within the Ministry of Practice to pursue that goal, but as with Adriana, your own influence could make it a certainty.
Linked to this was a desire to form a true Harmonic Circle, and though she was certainly far closer to that than she'd ever been, she needed Potentials who would be willing to sink years into the matter to become true specialists. The Unisonbound, for all that they could cheat towards that goal, weren't viable for the sort of overarching focus that that required. If you helped her put something like that together, it would take far less time, and might also give you more direct access to it as leader of the Arcadia Institute.
Finally, there was a more personal request; for you to find time whilst still President to work with her on the Harmonic Record. When you stepped down, although you wouldn't lose your connection to Vega due to your place among the Unisonbound, her duties might draw her more forcefully from helping you. This was something that could help both of you, and she almost didn't ask given how it would monopolise use of the Archive. But if you could help her understand the links she'd formed almost without thought between the Unisonbound, what else might be possible?
Votes
[] Vega - Stepping to Unity
[] Vega – Circles in Harmony
[] Vega – Link Secrets
World's Melody
If you helped give back the world's voice, it was Kazuki who taught it how to sing again. Without him, bringing the world together to what it was now could have been almost impossible. Like all your Ministers, he was forced to grow quickly into the new position, but he rose to the challenge. Even when he had the chance to step down after the Tribute Fleet was defeated, he saw your Presidency through to the end. You'd expected his resistance; a mark of the professional pride that had impressed you enough that you named him a Minister. Forewarned was forearmed, however, and for all his gifts as a musician and public speaker, you were indisputably his superior in battle of words.
He had only two requests, one for now and another for the future. Although he certainly didn't lack charm he'd appreciate some help locating some proper replacements to pass on to the next President. Easily enough done, given your access to the Circles, and a task you couldn't find any fault in pursuing.
For the future, however, he asked a simple thing; that you would return to the stage beside him for one last concert during the years of your sabbatical. It could have been about your influence, and the publicity you both knew it would bring such an event, but that would have been doing him a disservice. You'd learnt a huge amount of the performer's trade from him, and it had been together that you'd woven a song of unity so deeply into the fabric of the world. Another opportunity to do so was hard to resist.
Votes
[] Kazuki – Confirmation
[] Kazuki – Songs of the Heart
This is a ranked vote, please number low to high by preference. The top six choices will be the ones that Amanda chooses to pursue. Write-in's are welcome, tag me as usual if you have one. Questions, as always, are welcome.
There will be a seven hour moratorium on this vote.
Science 
So, about this "P=NP" thing...
Polynomial hierarchies are delicious, sis! You can't just collapse them arbitrarily!
