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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Our father did that long before I could.

And that makes it okay? He's your little brother, the job description is about love and support, not this.

[ family is important to jenna and she maybe has issues about being a ~freak~ that have literally nothing at all to do with peter. ]

But hey, you outted yourself there; so really it's poetic justice, when you think about it.

It does, actually. What business of yours is it how I show that I love my brother? It's always been like this. I've never gone easy on him, I've always given him a hard time, because life isn't a game. It's hard work - it's dangerous - and he wouldn't have been nearly as ready to face the world if not for my help.

I grew up an only child till I was twelve. In Brooklyn. My parents were so soft on me that when I did get out into the world I had to work at it really, really hard, just to be tough enough to keep up. I gave him love and support. Maybe it's not the kind you immediately think of, but I had to be twice as hard on him as I ever was on myself. He's a male nurse for Heaven's sake.

So don't tell me how to be a big brother. I think I know how to do that a little better than you do.

You saw the face, right? It's not good horror movie makeup, I get life is dangerous. Intimately.

[ her hackles rise, tone matching nathan's own. she's usually a lot more zen than this, but a perfect storm of crap means nathan petrelli gets to be her nonconsensual issue working out buddy. lucky dude. ]

Maybe you do. But if we're going to whip it out and measure? Back home I died trying to save my sister's daughter, because that's what you do for family. You put them ahead of your own safety. Ahead of your name, at the very, very least.

I have.

[ And he's not even going to explain it, because why should he explain himself? Knowing he was going to die, he'd carried Peter off into the night, his skin burning and melting away, saved his brother and saved the world, and he wasn't going to justify himself to a complete stranger. ]

You have no idea the sacrifices I've made. I'm sorry about the dying thing. Sucks, doesn't it?

...You're right, I don't. [ less snappish, now, but holy god mom voice. ] But I know if my big sister ever said those things about me, I'd be shattered. Maybe you do mean nothing but well-- I only know what I see.

[ beat. ]

It does, yeah.

I gotta do what I feel is right. [ The slightest shrug, and that's the closest to apologetic he's going to look. ]

I got shot. Clinically dead, made an unprecedented recovery. Wasn't so long ago.

[ Just don't ask him to show the scars, because there aren't any. ]

Well, you picked a hell of a first impression.

[ she sees that diss against her bro, too.. ] Do you always try and antagonize everyone right off the bat? Because I've been here since the first jump any of us remember, and I can honestly say it's a new approach.

Snapped neck, stake through the heart. [ shrugging like it's nothing. (it isn't.) ] I didn't get better until here, which is something else you missed. Not all of us can go home.

Guy I know from home is here, got his head ripped off. I figured that much out for myself. Doesn't make it any less important for those of us with jobs to do.

[ As for antagonising everyone-- ]

And how's that working out for you? You've got a bunch of kois in your fishpond who nibble at the edges but are too afraid to go beyond their limits, and so far what have you got to show for it? You're terrified, thanks to whatever the hell's been happening on board between jumps, you're afraid to stray from the marked path, never go anywhere alone if you can avoid it, and hardly any of you have seen the Captain. If your nice guys aren't working out for you, then get an orca and throw yourself outta the water to see what's really happening, because what you've got so far is making ripples when you oughta be making waves.

Listen, I do what I have to do to get things done. I don't sit on my hands and keep my voice down and play nice. A good politician has gotta be ready to put everything on the line and shake things up, and shaking things up is what Petrellis do best. It grates a lot of people the wrong way, but a little dented pride ain't gonna kill them.

[ give her a second to whistle. ]

Well, if I didn't believe you were a politician before I do now. [ one eyebrow quirks. ] But I'm a registered Democrat, and my vote still swings to the "you don't know the stakes" party. No offense, but you just got here. Telling us all we're stupid isn't the best way to get yourself space's first senate seat.

[ and now a grin that might be described as smug. ] And I already voted for Kirk.

Edited 2012-05-10 00:06 (UTC)

Hey, I got nothing against Kirk soon as I see proof he's doing the damn job right. But as leader of the opposition, you bet I'm gonna give him a rough time any time he isn't.

I'm joking, case it's hard to tell. Military background, ADA, I reckon I know how to take orders when I need to, so please believe me when I say this isn't about politics, nor even pride. If Kirk's your man, and not a figment of everyone's imagination, and if he can keep his damn shirt on, then great.

I don't know, I kind of like it when the shirt comes off.

[ ...jenna. ]

Real men aren't oiled to a sickly yellow glow. Besides which if how they treat their clothes is how they treat their ship, I know whose I'd rather not be on.

[ Look, he can do witty. ]

'Sickly' is not the word I'd use. Stop by fight club sometime, you'll see.

[ who did this turn into 'ogle kirk' hour. how. ]

Fight Club? Like the movie?

I'd love to explain, but you know the first rule.

I do. I always did wonder how those guys figured out when and where they were supposed to be meeting.

Can you write it down?

Nope, sorry. You're good at this, you know. Gladhanding, joking about fight club with me.

What can I say, I'm a professional.

You're also the guy who made this post, and I happen to like your brother and don't want to see him hurting. So don't think because I'm susceptible to charm I'm also easily forgetful. Just a fair warning.

Peter can look after himself, and he can take the blows--serves 'em back out just as good as he gets. So don't think you gotta feel so sorry for him.

I don't feel sorry for him, I like him. Big difference.

Edited 2012-05-10 02:31 (UTC)

And I love him. But see if he ever believes that again.

A little unsolicited advice from a psych major? Maybe stop telling people he's a delusional, incompetent mess. That could be part of your issue with each other.

...The words "I'm sorry" wouldn't go wrong, either.

Edited 2012-05-10 02:38 (UTC)

Punching each other in the face is the closest to an apology we've got in years.

video; lmao don't apologise he IS a dick rn. Also sadly not. It'd be cool, though. He likes boats =|

video; okay i won't I WILL JUST LOVE THIS THREAD and this post. and you

video; okay okay /flails so much

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