It is election night, 5 December 1890. Willis Street in Wellington is a sea of people all jostling for a vantage point in front of the massive illuminated results board. This night is the culmination of an extraordinary year in our brief history. It heralds the dawn of socialism, unionism, and inevitably, the New Zealand Labour Party. In 1890 we see the events leading up to the election through the eyes of two fledgling union activists, Marty and Tui, in a fresh and insightful perspective of one of our most turbulent and significant eras.