001. video; Public Service Announcement

[cargojet]

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.

Comments

[theshabbiestofmen]

Because you introduced yourself by insulting one of our friends and showing off how qualified you used to be. I don't think they think you're a supervillain; I think they believe you arrogant and irritating.

[cargojet]

He's my brother.

Look, I get it if you don't have any siblings. Really, I understand that, but don't I have a right to protect my little brother however the hell I see fit without complete strangers judging whether I'm doing right by him or not?

I wouldn't involve myself in your family feuds, so for the love of God, why does everyone think they have to get involved in mine? Or that it reflects my politics in any possible way?

[ His pulse may just be up by now. Just a little bit. ]

[theshabbiestofmen]

[Calmly:]

Because you announced it to the ship. I'm sorry, but you invited people to comment.

[A beat. He adds, a bit more coolly:]

And I would be careful how you addressed most of the occupants here. There are many with superhuman abilites. It wouldn't be a good idea to offend them.

[cargojet]

He left me with no choice. [ At least he sounds apologetic. ]

I'm not afraid of people with abilities.

[theshabbiestofmen]

No, I can see that. But perhaps it would be a good idea to start to be, and don't take that as a threat.

[cargojet]

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.

[theshabbiestofmen]

And you still don't think you should have the least bit of caution? I'm sorry, Mr. Petrelli, but I cannot imagine a man so apparently intelligent would shrug off unknown danger, especially if he's seen it before.

[cargojet]

That's what they want, most of the time: fear. I'm not saying I'm not cautious, but I'm not gonna go on record saying that anyone can spook me just cause they can turn me to stone or shatter me into spacedust. You understand why I've gotta do that, right?

[theshabbiestofmen]

No, frankly, I don't. I've never seen much sense in bravado.

[cargojet]

It isn't about bravado, it's about leadership. You think Kirk would hesitate but to go up against things bigger, stronger, faster than himself?

[theshabbiestofmen]

What Kirk would or wouldn't do is not the point. There is a difference between leadership and suicide.

[cargojet]

Sometimes the two really are the same thing. [ He considers for a moment. ] I'm sorry, it'd be hard for me to explain without telling you my own experiences with it; leadership, and the risks that it makes you justify.

[ And he's always taken those kinds of risks. Flew jet planes into conflict, took on huge corporations and violent criminals as ADA, and now politics--taking almost suicidal risks is just the way things are. ]