ataraxion | 001. video; Public Service Announcement

001. video; Public Service Announcement

Guessing everyone's feeling a little closer to compos mentis now. Great, that's gonna make this a whole lot easier.

My name is Nathan Petrelli. I'm Senator for New York, elected representative of the people, and recently made Head of Homeland Security by the President himself. It's my job to do what's in the best interests of the people, and in this case I figure that's gonna be easier said than done.

I don't want any of you to worry. Once I get up to speed on the details of what's going on here, I intend to get to the bottom of how we got here, why we were brought here, and how to go about getting back. And I mean how and why, not the bullshit they've been feeding you about jumping and wormholes and the ship needing a crew. There's a malicious intent here I'm gonna address, and then I'm getting everyone back where we belong.

I realise we're not all Americans here, and maybe you think I have no jurisdiction, but I earned the right to intervene the moment I woke up with a tube shoved down my throat, just like everyone else. I want to speak to people who know the most about this place, or be directed toward them. Captain Kirk: you're on my list for starters, but I'd rather speak to the real Captain, rather than some washed up wannabe.

Oh, and before I wrap this up, there's one other thing. A few of you will have spoken to my brother, Peter; he got here during the 'jump' previous to this one, and as I understand it he's been pretty liberal with his imagination ever since. Some time ago my brother convinced himself that he could fly. He stood on top of a twelve story building one day, called me up and told me he was going to show me he could do it. He jumped, and he fell - fortunately only as far as the fire escape - and a couple days later woke up in the hospital with minor injuries. It wasn't long after my father's death, right in the middle of my run for Congress, and I guess he was desperate for attention.

What I'm trying to say is that he's had brushes with depression before - it runs in the family - and he's not exactly stable right now. All of this doesn't make it any easier. If everyone could please be delicate with him, take what he says with a grain of salt, and inform me if it sounds like he's planning to do something that might hurt himself or others. I appreciate it.

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I say again: men.

...I invited him to come by and meet my niece. If you change your mind on that need to apologize, I'm room sixteen on the floor with the rest of the first wave.

So, Senator Nathan. [He tips his hat, nodding slightly. He's impressed, at the very least, at Nathan's ability to piss off the entire ship without actually meaning to do so. Not a lot of people can have that kind of target audience reaction.

He also sort of likes the idea of someone actively wanting to figure out what's going on, even though he's very sure this isn't going to work.]

What's your first proposed action? Assuming that you learn enough about the ship? Are you going to attempt to send us all back to our homes, or are we all going to join you in yours?

Makes it even worse from my standpoint. [ Guess who really hates the military here? ]

Helping or not, it doesn't change anything. Your brother was still responsible.

[ Gotta love all of Erik's skewed priorities in perception. Nathan might not be the main perpetrator, but he's still one of them. ]

Edited 2012-05-11 11:43 (UTC)

Ah.

[that's shitty :c]

Then why's he still after your hide if you aren't "special" anymore?

Because, I got an ability back. Should've been mine, but it's-- I can only replicate one ability at a time now.

[ it isn't the first time he's heard himself called by an unfamiliar name. individuals with similar, if not identical attributes have long since been established as regularities. as have passengers existing from varying realities and fractions of space-time- a duplicity that has been accepted as a less frequent, but no less possible occurrence.

in the grand scheme of things, Spock has certainly had his share of brow raising experiences in his time aboard the Tranquility. comparatively, this is does little to unnerve him. ]

You, are mistaken.

I am Spock, First Officer to Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, and at present, tactician of the Operations unit aboard the Tranquility.

Allow me to rephrase my initial observation- for what reason do you believe yourself single-handedly capable of returning these passengers- the majority of whom you have not yet met, to their native points of origin within the fabric of space-time?

Edited 2012-05-11 17:03 (UTC)

Or maybe 'our worlds' are more different than you can ready, and mine isn't ready for what you propose. I've seen what people with powers are capable of, time, and time, and time again. I know them, and the people without abilities, know what both are capable of, and I know where it'll lead. My brother told me all about that future. What I don't know, is why it matters to you where my responsibilities at home have taken me, or why you think it matters what you think of me or my title?

He's very good at putting that across, yes. Nice guy, seems socially adjusted, absolutely nothing wrong with him. Makes it difficult to believe, doesn't it? You know, I'm well past trying to convince anyone otherwise, cause I've gone over it enough times already. But if you really care about him? And I mean really care? Then try not to blind yourself to the truth outta some kind of kneejerk reaction that I'm the bad guy here. He's self-destructive, and one of these days he's gonna show it, so whether he lives or dies is gonna depend on us.

Think what you like about me for saying it, but I've only got his best interests at heart. He's my kid brother.

Seems so, don't it?

Really shoulda found a glass of water or something before I started. [ He didn't expect this vehement a response, honestly, and his throat is like gravel by now. ]

Uh huh. It's real risky trying to get information outta people. Really gonna hurt 'em to speak up, isn't it?

Only ones they're hurting are themselves.

Yeah, I'm Republican, and you know what? At least we don't sit on her hands and apologise for everything. You go liberal, you spread yourself too thin, start trying to appeal too hard to every conflicting thing your voters want out of you when you should be unifying the country and having the balls to get things done.

I'm damn proud of who I am, but being a politician and having issues with my kid brother doesn't make me a villain, no matter what you think.

[ And what is that goatie? Goaties are guaranteed to make you look evil. ]

[ If I only had a falling into fits of laughter icon.

Nathan just laughs. Leans back and laughs harder - almost hysterically - having to raise his hand to put his knuckles into his mouth. Seriously, this just gets more and more messed up. It takes him a second and somehow he collects himself, though there's mirth in his eyes when he looks at the video again, and he almost bursts into laughter again. ]

I'm sorry. You're Spock? Spock is the spitting image of Sylar? Right, because really-- [ He sweeps his hand back through his hair, tries again. ] I never said I was single-handedly capable of doing it, Spock. Not even once. Seemed like something people would be trying to do, something I want to try and do, but not on my own.

So tell me. I mean logically, right? Given that you're - you know, you - and that you have the exact same face, exact same voice as someone we're trying to bring in. Just how likely is it that I'm having a mental breakdown, or I'm in a coma, and none of this is actually real? You don't just look like him, you are him.

Kind of makes more sense than anything else I can think of.

It's not important. Was there anything else you wanted to ask?

Uh huh. If I do from nowhere develop the need to apologise to him, I think I'll call him, do it on our own terms. Wait--you're not the ship's councilor are you?

I'm sorry, that was rude. I don't think I caught your name?

Listen, I may be blue but I don't vote blue-- I don't vote, really. Illegal alien, all that. [He snickers, waving one hand with an unconcerned gesture to how Nathan will take all this.] Still, nobody does dirty pool like Red Team --

--which means you are a villain. Trust me. There's not a single politician in the world who isn't on some level, though you all pretend to aspire to heroic on good days -- you're waffling anti-heroes at the best of times. You Reds are just a little more blatant about it. Though, I mean, few go as hard core as the Hilster, but still. There's a woman who can work her evil!

[He keeps score cards. She's ruthless in his book.]

Anyway. I'm Megamind, and the ultimate independent voter. [Still snickering.] A pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Actually that's exactly what I thought. Guy still seems pretty young for a Captain, but I'm pretty confident he's got nothing to prove to me. [ Except that he's not going to let a petty sense of humour get in the way of his responsibilities. ] Still not completely sure I'm not dreaming.

[ He shrugs slightly. He's abrasive, but it's his nature. Just like some people on this ship eat people. ]

I'm gonna try my best. Not sure other people can say the same. But I'll defend myself if I have to. Just like you would--like you did. [ Pause. ] People giving classes on that sort of thing? [ He finds it hard to imagine people would be wasting time doing that when they could be looking for a way to go home. ]

First time's the roughest, though, right? Back in the Navy we called it 'Orientation'. How about a handbook?

[ Nathan just shrugs. It was his first time, and it was rough enough for him, but it was rougher for other people, like Isaac for instance. ]

Some people down there are dangerous, but disorientation makes it worse--not being able to get answers. Then when you do go looking you've got this communications network, all these people babbling about stuff that seems pretty trivial compared to 'you're in outer space', 'you can't go home' and of course 'try not to be an asshole about Kirk'--it's gonna make those dangerous people more dangerous.

But I'm sure you've heard this all before. I'm just wondering why no-one's done anything about it.

[ Okay, well that's a start. The tension visibly lessens across Nathan's shoulders, but he's still square shouldered even at rest. ]

Six times is the first jump, right? How many new people tend to wake up each time?

I can smile. [ Just not right now. ] I'm just not trying to win any beauty pageants. Or even popularity contests, right now.

That's right.

[ He'd volunteered that Kirk had been there since the beginning, but regarding himself, the implication is more subtle. ]

It changes every time. No less than ten each time, I'd say. Well over fifty this jump.

I don't have any delusion of authority, and people addressing the network before they've figured out this isn't all a dream? You think that's really so weird?

[ He tilted his head slightly. ]

I wouldn't be the first person, would I? The only difference is I'm not demanding to be sent home, I'm not as selfish as that. I wouldn't dream of leaving other people imprisoned here. So I spoke my mind, the way everyone else speaks their mind when they arrive here.

I'm sure I'll settle right in, but hell, I wouldn't want to step on your feet, now, would I?

Yeah, that probably would've been wise. [Bela regards him closely for a moment, almost as if she was trying to get a read off him.]

Maybe they're just afraid that you'll upset the balance here. If there even is one here in the first place.

I'm not saying that it's the best way. God knows I've looked into others, and I've got an open mind. But sooner or later someone's going to do something in front of a news crew, the same way I almost revealed my powers to the world, and then no-one's gonna be able to stop it. No-one's gonna be able to stop people from getting hurt, or the worst possible futures from coming true.

If you really cared about him, then you wouldn't say something like that about him via a public broadcast. I can't even begin to tell you how wrong that is. He might be those things that you said, but that doesn't mean you should air it out there for everyone to see. That isn't right and no one should stand for it.

Then, as his brother, don't do anything like that again. Dragging Peter into this serves no real purpose and it isn't doing you any favours, Mr. Petrelli.

I don't think you understand. I've had my life threatened before, by people with powers and those without. I understand the danger, and I'm not afraid because I choose not to be; because I've seen what the worst of both sides can do.

And trust me, I mean the worst. I'm talking two-thousand year old villain wants to wipe out 97% of the world's population on a whim sort of worst.

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