ataraxion | 011 Video;

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011 Video;

I hope you're all well rested after that little experience. Caffeine is good for the post-jump blues, so if any of you missed my black coffee and a sit down in the jump bay, I'd recommend you get on that now. And for those of you who are a little more delicate, I'll reassure you--the jitters are a lot easier to deal with than the alternative.

My name is Nathan Petrelli; I was Senator for the state of New York. Here, I manage the Communications Department. If you have any skills with computers, managing databases and information, or no skills at all, and want to learn how to use the computers here in exchange for a nine-to-five, you can show up to our office on 001 and I'll give you the tour. Just look for the door with Communications stenciled on the outside. We're understaffed presently, and I'd be grateful for any help we can get. Just sign up, we'll find a place for you, and if things don't work out you can move elsewhere with my personal recommendation.

We'll be resuming classes Tuesday and Thursday afternoons tentatively. That's day 2 - tomorrow, and day 4, students will get a schedule. We do everything from learning about the ship and how to use the holodecks and communicators to learning to cook, sew and for the older students, fire guns, etc. Two afternoons, that's all I can offer, but the youngsters on board are usually welcomed into the various departments and mentored by experienced adults in the fields of science, flight, medicine; whatever you want. I can put you in contact with the right people if you have something specific in mind. If you're a teacher--well, it should be obvious that I could do with the help. Two afternoons isn't much at all.

I'm also responsible for the outside chapel in the Oxygen Gardens, open for members of every faith without restriction. A memorial wall there lists the names of people who have been and gone, and a book is open for anyone to leave a message. In the case of an emergency, the Oxygen Gardens is the safest place on the ship. A base of operations will usually be set up down there. If things go awry, it's a good place to be. We have a Sunday service every seventh day. Today is day one, if you're wondering.

What else is there...? Listen attentively to the information you read, stay in the common, well lit areas of the ship, don't eat anything that smells as bad as it looks. Try not to go space crazy. Shuttle bay has the only window you can see out of, if you're desperate to see it for yourself. Take care of your fellow passengers, and keep on Tyke's good side.

I'm done talking for now, but you're welcome to ask any questions you might have, for instance 'When do I get to go home?' That's always a good one.

[Filtered to Tyke; comms encryption]

I have that number you wanted.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Lots of things happened last month, Miles. You'll have to be more specific.

[ The words are firm but the tone is gentle, overabundant in patience. ]

I fear I cannot, sir. Not without giving information which you might not have, which I'm not willing to do.

[Because it's a security matter - that murder. And he is not going to be the one who chatters about it to someone who might not know.]

[ It's a signal none the less. He takes a punt at it, because he has nothing to lose by trying. ]

Is this about the girl?

[A pause. Then, quietly:]

Yes.

I was briefed by Tyke just after it happened. I've been looking for information ever since, trying to find out who she was.

You're closer to this, aren't you?

Inasmuch as I'm on security.

[Another pause, and then, with difficulty:]

And - yes. I'm...It was my job back home, in no small part. To assist in investigations, to help ensure that justice was served.

I know that. And it was no easy job, I'm sure. Homicide wasn't my specialty--I handled fraud. But I've seen my share of dead bodies too.

[ A deep breath. ]

Tell me what happened.

Nothing happened. Not - precisely. It's merely that...I have this expertise, and I should have been able to catch this killer. But instead, people are still in danger.

Sometimes these things go on for a while before you get the perp. If he's gone home then he's gone home. If he hasn't, then he's still here, and you still have the chance to get your justice.

I sent Tyke a bunch of files. She's gonna update your team, but it includes all the people this girl talked to. Most people know their killer, so I say you start there.

And Edgeworth? If this means as much to you as I think it does, no amount of trying to distract yourself is gonna work. I don't think you're the kind of guy to be able to get on with anything when you're preoccupied with what you should be doing. Follow the leads, even if other people are following up on them too. I believe if anyone can find something, it's you.

[A pause, but - ]

Right.

[Because it does help some to hear that. Nothing about doing wrong, being wrong; no condemnations about keeping it quiet; no charges of inadequacy. It helps.]

I suppose I just...I suppose it sounds egotistical, doesn't it? Talking about how I'm supposed to be so good at this, and how embarrassing it is that I've failed.

[It's not, however, egotism; of course it isn't. It's sorrow over not doing the one thing he's supposed to do.]

It's not egotism, Edgeworth. Guilt, I'll give you. The dead can't help themselves, and it's natural to feel guilty that we aren't doing more to find out what happened, to bring their killer to justice.

Some crimes take decades to be solved. It's been two weeks, that's all. So I want you to buck up and get your nose to the grindstone. Feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to help her, but you can let that guilt push you to never give up.

Right.

[A touch stronger:]

Right.

That's my Miles. You're the kid who came in here and changed stuff, shook it up, prove himself time and time again against all the odds, and despite the way that people tried to keep him down.

You can do this. I believe in you, okay?

[He speaks quietly - but there's a faintly warmer tone to his voice.]

You needn't be so kind to me, you know.

You remind me of myself, Miles. I damn well like you, you can bet I'm gonna be nice about it. Just don't get complacent. I'll pull you up if you need it, too. Wouldn't hesitate to; just ask Peter.

Little brothers of mine get a raw deal. I can promise you that.

[Then, a bit more troubled:]

Yes. So I've heard. [A pause, then - ] But I do want to say...Thank you. For that. It's a very kind thing to say, and it - means a great deal.

[ He's a little more grave. His voice had risen toward humour, but the gratitude is something he intends to take with dignity. ]

You've earned it. You don't ever have to thank me for the kindness you've earned. Just keep being a good person, stay honest to yourself, and that'll be thanks enough.

Right.

[A pause, then - ]

Forgive me. I - How are you? It seems we've talked exclusively about myself.

[ He takes the change in topic in hand, for Edgeworth's sake. ]

Better. Much better, actually. I feel more alive than I have in months. I feel pretty optimistic about the future.

Helps that I think we're finally organised enough to do something about our predicament.

So what are your current initiatives?

First, I want to look into our external communications. This ship is too big and advanced for someone to just want to leave it to float away and rot. If we can negotiate a rescue, maybe we can get out of here.

Second, I've been juggling the idea of mapping crew quarters. Find out how many people are on which floors, draw up some plans of the parts of the ship that are static. Some of Auggie's software could be implemented to improve people's comms, maybe to warn them if they're going into an unexplored area of the ship--that could prevent a repeat of the elevator issues we saw before.

More ambitious plans include radar mapping, but that's too dangerous to consider yet, as well as our lacking the technology to do it. It's on the cards, though. And maybe I have an eye to hacking the emergency broadcast system.

Any thoughts?

A question, rather. Why would you hack the emergency broadcast system?

Because we have need and no access. I can think of occasions where it'd be useful to be able to communicate with everyone external to the network, make an announcement everyone will hear, no matter where they are.

I...wasn't aware that we would have to "hack" to get access to it. Yes; I agree wholeheartedly, in that case. Gaining access is enormously important.

My apologies. Rather, it's something I've taken for granted. You'll note we never use it to tell people where to go in an emergency? We'd use it if we could, I'm sure.

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