02 ★ Second Promise | Video

[senatorinspace]

[This video is taken from the Senate seat of your Revanite representative, Nathan Petrelli. It's easy to see the sweeping rotunda of the Senate chambers from here, each Republic world represented by one of the cells that looks so tiny on the other side of the vast expanse. Nathan's standing at his podium, which is floating out from its customary

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[choseherownway]

...Thank you, Senator.

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[senatorinspace]

I think we're all tired of playing this 'what's in a name' game. But maybe you should save your gratitude until after they vote.

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[choseherownway]

Honestly, at this point it's nice just to hear someone speak about it in a forum where we can actually be heard. Whether or not anyone listened, of course, is an entirely different matter.

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[senatorinspace]

Our compliance with the Registration Act is an act of good faith on our part, which is why I encourage all of us to participate in it, no matter what our stance on registering actually is.

It might make them more willing to listen to us, and there are certainly plenty of delegates from worlds that are familiar with the political trappings of language. Some of them have had bad experiences with it themselves.

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[regeneracy]

[back at casa de Petrelli, Claire is watching her dad's speech over and over again. Truth be told, she's pretty proud of him, and that pride is overwhelming the anger she was feeling toward him. What's abandonment issues when you're faced with the kind of good power that gets things done?

Or hopefully gets things done anyway.

She's just going to ignore the part at the end where he looks like a screw up, and rewinds and watches the good part.

She's waiting for his ass to get back so she can give him a hug or something.]

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[senatorinspace]

[Nathan's beat by the time he gets back, and he says goodbye to his aide as he swipes his identicard in at the door. There's a pleasant 'Welcome home, Senator' from one of the droids that accompanies his entrance, and he takes off his suit jacket and hangs it over the edge of a chair in the living room.]

Yeah, thanks.

[He always feels silly talking to those damn robots, but it seems to be the norm in this world. One more insane thing to get accustomed to. He moves through the kitchen to grab himself a glass of water, debating getting himself a stiff drink instead, when he hears his own voice in a more muted, recorded fashion, playing around the corner. He arches his neck to try to see around the partition.]

Claire? That you?

[regeneracy]

You got any other teenage daughters living here? [She dryly retorts, and pauses the playback so she can toss her datapad aside and go over to greet him.

He may die of shock when she promptly greets him with a smile and a hug.]

You were pretty great today.

[He can feel free to be offended that his tag is accompanied by an icon featuring his daughter and the guy that raised her instead of him.]

[senatorinspace]

[He's about to make some kind of smart reply to that, but it's really hard to make jokes about having surprise teenage daughters when you're talking to the illegitimate one you only recently learned existed. o_o So he just... is surprised by the smile and hug but gives her one back happily. It's like being a real dad ;__; ]

You think so?

[It's a legitimate question. Maybe this is less of a compliment and more some kind of woman trap.]

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[aboutdestiny]

Well, I wouldn't say it's a huge step, but it's a good one in the right direction. Congratulations, Nathan. [ He claps a hand onto his brother's shoulder, then pulls him into a hug and pats his back. No homo. When he pulls back, he keeps his hand on his shoulder, grinning more fully. ]

Think this calls for celebration, don't you?

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[senatorinspace]

[Nathan offers a smile back, though there's a weary edge to it that shows he's still not sure how this is going to end.]

Calls for a drink, either way.

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[aboutdestiny]

It's on me. [ He guides Nathan towards the exit of the Senate Chambers, past guards and media. Not worth dealing with right now. ] Kinda makes you want to just fly outta here, huh?

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[senatorinspace]

[Oh my God, Peter, he gets that glowering look on his face as he locks an arm on your bicep and steers you faster through the group, hissing at you:]

Would you keep your voice down?

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[freevoicing]

Here's hoping "outworlders" takes.

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[senatorinspace]

It would probably take some time to come into common usage, but that's a risk I'm willing to sit through.

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[freevoicing]

I admire your optimistic outlook. Don't you think they'll just invent some new slur, though?

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[senatorinspace]

Of course they will, or they'll stick with the old one behind closed doors. The difference is that it won't be a government sanctioned slur.

[video]

[onlytheblue]

[A man who looks about Nathan's age, perhaps a bit younger, seems to be lounging in a chair as he observes the broadcast. At the end he claps, and offers a smile which appears wholly proud.]

Outworlders. Hasn't got a bad ring to it, actually.

[video]

[senatorinspace]

It seemed the best option we could come up with.

[video]

[onlytheblue]

Oh, it's exponentially better than a name inherently tied to fear. It might just be the first step back in the right direction for this planet in months.

[video]

[senatorinspace]

First of many, if I have anything to say about it.