elementary, my dear martin || data & martin

by **thegirlnamedcrow** Sat Jan 31, 2015 7:22 pm

“A Study in Scarlet – written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
originally published in 1887. The first Sherlock Holmes story.
I was unaware that you were a fellow Holmes aficionado. Tell
me, which is your favorite story?”

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Tumblr_inline_ngpf0bTVVs1t0rt6v

by **lindarkness** Sun Feb 01, 2015 5:26 am

“A-afi— afi- what?”
For a moment, the boy simply blinked at him in confusion
before he finally realized what the android was talking about.
elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Tumblr_inline_ngpg7ybHrP1sql5l9

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Tumblr_inline_ngpg7ybHrP1sql5l9

“Oh! ! Yes!
I didn’t realize you liked books! I like books! My favorite story
for Sherlock Holmes is this one short - ’The Man With the
Twisted Lip. What is yours?”

by **thegirlnamedcrow** Sun Feb 01, 2015 10:23 am

“Aficionado – a person who is very knowledgeable and
enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime, from the
past participle of the Spanish verb aficionar. In more colloquial
terms, you are a ‘fan’ of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work.”

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Tumblr_inline_ngpi27NIig1t0rt6v

“It is difficult for me to answer your question, basic
as it may seem to you. Preferences require the ability to assign
emotional import to various stimuli, something that I am
incapable of doing. It is for that reason that I have asked you –
I am interested in learning what humans like and dislike, in an
effort to better understand what factors determine emotional
relevancy. In my case, the closest equivalent to preference
seems to be interest. Though I appreciate each story for
different reasons, I believe that I find ‘The Adventure of the
Yellow Face’ to be amongst the most compelling. I find it to
be a most humbling tale.”

by **lindarkness** Sun Feb 01, 2015 10:26 am

“Oh , oh, OH ! !
You like the Sherlock Holmes novels!”
The sound that followed, then, probably
could not ever be contained by any
human language.
elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Tumblr_inline_ngr9dgJJT31sql5l9

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Tumblr_inline_ngr9dgJJT31sql5l9

“Oh! What do you like most about it - your favorite
story, I mean? Like, why do you like it? You said it’s
hard for you to like things, but like, you like Sherlock
Holmes! That’s great! But why do you like it? What
other stuff do you like? To read, I mean? I can show
you all the stuff! All the things!”

by **thegirlnamedcrow** Sun Feb 01, 2015 10:29 am

For a moment Data was too concerned about the
boy’s health to respond. He opened his mouth as though
about to speak, but ultimately decided against saying
anything.

As the boy did not appear to be in any form of
distress, it was most likely that the unsettling sound had
simply been an unusually enthusiastic expression of
excitement, and drawing attention to it would serve only
to embarrass him. Best not to say anything.

“That is not entirely accurate. Due to the nature of my
programming, I am incapable of either ‘liking’ or ‘disliking.’
However, I have read the entire Holmes canon on multiple
occasions, and find many aspects of both the story and
the characters to be interesting on many levels. If you find
it simpler to comprehend the situation by assigning human
emotions to me, therefore, you may consider me a fan of
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is close enough to the truth.”

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Tumblr_inline_ngsy7pT5nc1t0rt6v

“I find Holmes’s methods of deduction to be both
interesting and admirable. In many ways, he thinks more
like a machine than like a man, though he brings intuition
into play, allowing him to be far more perceptive than a
being such as I am capable of being.”

“In response to your question, I have read a number
of different texts. I have worked through the majority of
British novelists’ works, and intend to begin to read
through the American catalogue next. I feel that there is
much to be learned from American culture. The primary
reason that I read, after all, is to access important cultural
examples from humanity throughout time. I feel that it will
give me the opportunity to learn more about human
nature. For this reason, I am most interested in reading
texts that would fall under the genre of ‘realism,’ though I
recognize that other styles possess their own merits.”

by **lindarkness** Sun Feb 01, 2015 12:19 pm

Martin blinked.
If he had understood even a fraction of what the Commander had just said, it was lost on him as soon as he absorbed the words into his memory. It was often difficult for the boy to follow what the android said, especially he started going into big topics like "programming", or like, culture and stuff - this had been the reason why he had gotten so excited when he found about their common interest in reading, and stories. Maybe, he had thought, he had finally found a topic that they could reach common ground on, maybe it would be a reason for the Commander to come and talk to him more often. But, of course, like with most other opportunities he got to really act, Martin had blew it.
Man, the things he'd do to be just a little smarter, to actually be able to hold a proper conversation with the android...

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Sadsta11

"But, um..."
Even before he had started to speak, quietly, in a voice that would have been barely audible to a human listener, he had already dismissed anything he would have want to say to him as not being good enough. But still, with every moment that he let the silence continue, the boy was growing increasingly nervous.
"You're really perceptive as you are, too. And like, if you see it in the way that like, the author knew what sort of things he's supposed to notice, and what kind of clues there are and who did it and stuff, so he could like, make Sherlock notice these things. If he had been a real person, maybe he wouldn't have been as smart", he said, "But, I don't know... I mean, you're way smarter anyhow, and like, thoughtful, and also cool, and like, pretty and stuff, so--"

Oh, no.
Oh, God, please, no.
He had not just said that.

Martin felt his cheeks grew hot, his palms fill with sweat, and his breath catch in his throat as he stared at the android through wide eyes, trying not to panic, and chastising himself for being so stupid, for not thinking before he spoke. Maybe if he just went on talking, he wouldn't notice? He could only hope.

In the most awkward fashion that was humanly possible, the boy cleared his throat.

"Um. Yeah. Anyway. Yeah. Um. Holmes. Stories. Um. Books. Um. Yeah. You. Realism.", he said, "I like... I like... um, I like stories that are very fictional because um... fantastic things and... imagination and legends can be... uplifting. They show us what we want to be"

by **thegirlnamedcrow** Sun Feb 08, 2015 4:43 pm

In situations like these, Data often had difficulty accepting

compliments. It wasn't that he thought that Martin was lying

to him – the boy was not displaying any of the typical signs

of falsehood – but rather that he couldn't help but suspect

that the boy was mistaken in his beliefs. It was difficult for

Data to stop himself from explaining exactly why Martin was

wrong, but he knew that the appropriate response was simply to

accept the compliments.

“Thank you,” he said, inclining his head slightly. “You are

very kind.”

Though he'd intended to simply let the matter drop and move on

with their conversation, one point was still troubling Data.

The boy had called him ‘pretty.’ Typically, that term was

reserved for objects that were in some way visually appealing

and attractive women. As Data was neither of these (at least,

he shouldn't be treated as a mere object, sentient as he was),

he was unsure exactly what the Bones-Prewett child meant by

his statement.

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Eyebro10

“You have called me ‘pretty,’” Data said, cocking his head to

one side. “Do you mean to imply that you find me aesthetically

appealing, or that I am in some way attractive to you?”

by **lindarkness** Sun Feb 08, 2015 6:31 pm

For a very small, but nevertheless beautiful moment, young Martin thought that he may have avoided the crisis after all, and it was no more than enough time for him to let out a shallow breath of relief. If he was lucky, the Commander might not even have noticed his slip at all, the way he seemed to be happy to simply thank him, and move on with the topic. If he was lucky, Martin might be able to forget this incident completely.
He was not lucky.

The young boy prayed for the ground to swallow him whole right that moment and spit him out into the vast darkness of space, if only so his brain could quite literally explode, and he wouldn't have to be subject to Data's judgement anymore. But, still, nothing happened, and Martin was steadily growing aware of all the blood that was currently burning up his cheeks.
"Um... I mean... I mean, you. Your face. And, um. Your, um. Other stuff"
Oh, dear God, what was he doing? Why were these words leaving his mouth? His 'other stuff'? What did this even mean? His body? His -- Oh, for heaven's sake, no, why was he imagining that? Why was he digging himself deeper? Abort, abort, abort.
"I mean, you're, like, handsome", he tried again, "Just like Sherlock Holmes was supposed to be"
Phew, good save.

by **thegirlnamedcrow** Mon Feb 09, 2015 1:10 pm

Data took the time to carefully consider the other's

statements before responding. The reason for the

delay was his difficulty in making sense of Martin's

meaning. He understood the words perfectly clearly –

they were not obscure words that he had yet to

encounter, and he did not employ any particularly

intricate forms of syntax either. No, Data

understood what had been said – he simply didn't

understand what he meant by that.

Firstly, the mention of ‘other stuff’ gave Data

pause. The sorts of ‘stuff’ that people tended to

find sexually appealing were things best hidden

beneath his Starfleet uniform. Indeed, if it were

found out that a minor had in any way taken it upon

himself to appreciate Data's ‘stuff,’ the commander

could find himself in rather a lot of trouble with

the captain. He didn't think it possible that the

boy could have snuck a peak of his unmentionables –

ever since his disastrous first days of existence,

he had learned to properly clothe himself – and so

he assumed that Martin must be referring to other

aspects of his physiology. What those aspects were,

he did not care to find out.

The point that most caught Data's attention, though,

was Martin's assertion that he was handsome in the

way that Sherlock Holmes was meant to be. To Data,

that seemed to imply that he had, unknowingly,

captured another aspect of his idol's persona. That

he was, in some way, more like Holmes because of his

physical appearance.

It was curious. He had never before considered the

fact that Holmes's level of physical attractiveness

was integral to his being, but apparently that sort

of thing was more important to humans than it was to

him.

He still had much to learn about humanity.

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Talkin10

“Thank you, Mr. Bones-Prewett,” he said, inclining

his head again. “I have endeavored to emulate Holmes

as best as possible. It is good to know that I have

been, in some aspects at least, successful.”

by **lindarkness** Sat Apr 04, 2015 2:56 am

The way his feet appeared to lift him from the ground, the way his thoughts spun around in his head - it all vaguely reminded him of that one time his sister had pushed several glasses of rum on to his person and he had proceeded to spend the rest of the day drunk, loud, and disoriented.
The boy could hardly think straight. Literally. His own confusion was only an added bonus for young Martin was really very gay for the Data-bot, and desperately trying to hide it. Or not. He wasn't sure. He should probably abandon this train of thought before he drove himself bonkers.

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin 100px-10

"Idol? I didn't think you'd have, like, a role model", he blurted out, once again without thinking, though in his defence, he wasn't usually any at that thinking-thing, "I mean, there's people who look up to you. Though, I guess it makes sense since Sherlock is Supposed to be an ideal, I think. He helps people with his smarts and logic, just like you do - I mean, you also have other stuff, like super strength and indestructible...ness... and stuff..."
It had occurred to him, then, that he probably should have stopped talking at some point in his little speech, or at least said something intelligent or the slightest bit productive. Martin blushed at the thought and looked down at his shoes.
He never had anything to say that other people found interesting. If he wanted to, he could have blamed that on his shyness or his tendency to just babble on about whatever went through his mind at any given moment without any real filter. But deep down he knew what the real problem was: He just wasn't an interesting person.
The boy had spent a great deal of his life trying to be cool like his Dad, smart like Gus, charming like Lainey, or even fun like Phoebe (less scary, though), but it never worked out for him. There just wasn't anything captivating about his personality, nothing appealing about him.
The Commander was probably going to get bored with him eventually.
"I just thought your idol would be, like, a scientist or something"

by **thegirlnamedcrow** Wed Apr 08, 2015 4:31 pm

“I have little need of a scientific idol,” Data said.

“I have been programmed to think logically, and to

confront problems in a manner consistent with our best

understanding of the scientific method. However,

there are many aspects of humanity that are presently

beyond my comprehension.” Data did not find it

difficult to discuss his limitations in the way that

others seemed to do. He could not fully understand the

motivations behind inaccurately representing one’s

abilities. Even if it meant appearing more competent

in the moment, it could only result in problems in the

long-term. He had been told that it had something to

do with pride, the nature of which continued to elude

him. “I have found that I learn best by example, and

as such I have selected a number of people to serve as

role models, as people to emulate. Captain Picard, for

instance, has taught me much about the nature of

authority, and I have learned much from him about

leadership that I have been able to apply in my own

work.”

He paused for a moment, determining how best to

proceed. “Unlike the others I have chosen to imitate,

Holmes is a fictional character. His utility is,

therefore, limited, However, I find Holmes exceptional

because, in utilizing a logic-based, almost mechanical

method of deduction, he exhibits a profound

understanding of human nature. Holmes’s particular

strategy of deduction is, in many ways, similar to the

ways in which my positronic net processes stimuli. It

is my hope that, by applying Holmes’s methods, I may

eventually achieve a similar level of understanding of

humanity.”

by **lindarkness** Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:02 pm

For a moment he was afraid that he might have inadvertently insulted the commander with the implication that he might need to idolize any human being for their smarts or their talents - as though he was not the smartest being there was, as though he could not outmatch any human in any given task. But as he went on with his explanation he boy soon came to realize that didn't seem to be an issue for him - Commander Data simply wanted to explain himself to him.

And for some reason this prospect sent a rush of delight through the boy. From one moment to the other he felt infinitely more awake, his feet perking up, his posture suddenly straight, a certain spark catching his eyes.

"Oh, yes, the Captain is, like, totally awesome!", he said. In truth, he wasn't quite sure if he had understood everything the commander had tried to say to him, but this time, he might have actually gotten the gist of it - at least he hoped so. "You don't need to look up to people who can do stuff because you can do almost everything, so you're more interested in people who are more human, right?"

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Lookdo10

Martin blinked.

"So you like him because you... identify with him." He wasn't really asking a question. Like so often, the boy was simply articulating his own thoughts out loud. When he was younger, it would often happen that he wouldn't even notice when he went on like that, not even noticing that sounds were leaving his mouth. "That makes sense! Like, you can identify with characters when they're not completely like you, too. I do that a lot, like, when it's a girl, or something. I mean, you got to do it, right? There's no character ever who's just like you, but you can still identify with them most of the time, you know? And if you want to be more like them, too, it's extra strong then"

He paused for a moment.

"Do you like Watson, too?"

by **thegirlnamedcrow** Sat Aug 22, 2015 11:43 am

Data considered the boy’s words, his brow furrowing

automatically as he thought. He had written a

subroutine to handle common facial configurations,

linking certain combinations of movements with

specific cognitive events. He wondered, for a

moment, if the program had accurately determined

the appropriate expression for this particular

event.

“Ordinarily, when people describe the captain, they

are more specific in their praise, emphasizing his

competence in leadership, his diplomatic prowess,

or any other of a large number of other admirable

qualities that he possesses. You, by contrast, have

chosen to sum up his many strengths with the simple

descriptor ‘totally awesome.’ Though it lacks

specificity, there is a brevity in that statement

that I admire. I believe that, the next time, I am

asked my opinion of Captain Picard, I shall state

that he is ‘totally awesome.’”

Data inclined his head. “That is an accurate

statement. I am, in many significant ways,

dissimilar from Sherlock Holmes, but because of the

similarities between his ability to process and

mine, I feel that I am more able to emulate his

more human qualities than those of someone who

thinks more differently.”

The question about Watson made Data pause for a

moment to consider. It was not that he had

difficulty putting to words his thoughts about

Watson – quite the contrary – but rather that he

was unused to being asked his opinion of the

secondary character. It was an interesting

consideration – Watson was, in many ways, Holmes’s

tie to humanity, and though the boy may not have

meant it, in asking how Data felt about Watson,

Martin was, indirectly, asking how Data related to

his own colleagues.

“I find the character of Watson to be less

interesting in his own right – he is not a

particularly extraordinary man, except in the area

of marksmanship – but rather in his relation to

Holmes. Firstly, it is important to remember that

unexceptional persons may have exceptional effects

on others. I have found this to be the case in my

own life – though my raw capabilities far outweigh

those of my colleagues, I have found that I am

unable to overcome certain obstacles without their

aid.”

by **lindarkness** Sat Aug 22, 2015 12:24 pm

Martin beamed at the compliment. He hadn't even considered something as trivial as the way that he spoke to become something good in Data's eyes, which just made him even happier now that he had seemed to have contributed something worthwhile to him with just a few words.

"T-thank you! I mean... he's just all around, great, you know? So I didn't even think of any other way to describe him. But I think you're great too, by the way. I mean...", he stuttered, "Yeah, thanks"

The boy was listening intently to what was being said to him, and in the end, almost a little surprised to have the android agree with the sentiment he had given about him. He hadn't really thought much about what he said to him and having his words confirmed gave him just a little more confidence about their interaction.

"Yeah", he said, tilting his head just a little bit, "And it's much easier to do that with books than with other stuff cause there you have all their thoughts written down!"

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Looksi10

But now, everything that Data said about Watson made the boy feel suddenly sad, and dejected, and he could not pinpoint exactly why. The commander was speaking positively about him, but still... there was something about what he said that gave him a bad feeling in his stomach.

Martin bit his lip.

"Watson is important...", he said, a little hesitantly, "He cares about Holmes and he shows him that it is okay to care about other people, too, and that it won't take away from his smarts or him being professional - that, like.... I don't know, that there's value in that, you know? And... Watson shows us that every person is important"

He paused.

"Even if they never... do anything... or achieve anything or like... show talent. Everyone is important"

by **thegirlnamedcrow** Sat Aug 22, 2015 2:28 pm

Data smiled back at the boy. He had been told on multiple

occasions by multiple people that he should avoid that

particular expression in conversation until he learned to

approximate a more natural version, but how, after all,

was he to learn to do that if he did not practice? From

Martin’s words, he seemed to be a highly accepting

individual who would not be unduly unsettled by Data’s

attempts. And besides, was it not, after all, natural

to mimic the expressions of those around you?

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Awkwar10

Upon examination of Martin, Data decided that his own

smile was small and modest compared to his. He adjusted

his expression accordingly.

“I am grateful for the compliment,” he said, inclining

his head. “I do not wish to seem as though I am, to

employ a human colloquialism, ‘fishing for compliments,’

but would you say that I am ‘totally awesome’ as well?

I am attempting to determine how best to apply that

particular phrase in conversation.”

At the boy’s next words, Data allowed his expression to

lapse into a more normal, resting state. “I agree with

that assessment. As an artificial life form without

capacity for emotions, it can be difficult for me to

discern a person’s current state. When a character’s

thoughts and feelings are made available to the reader,

I am able to learn to more accurately pair speech and

emotion in my own interactions with others.”

He listened with interest as Martin expressed his opinion

of the fictional doctor.

“That is a sophisticated and nuanced view of the

relationship between Holmes and Watson,” he said. “I have

read numerous pieces of literary criticism about the

relationship between the men, and your opinion is in line

with the prevailing literary opinion. You show a

sophisticated understanding of the meaning and importance

of the character Watson. Please, would you explain more

to me about what you find interesting in these

characters?”

by **lindarkness** Mon Sep 07, 2015 1:08 pm

Never before had Martin seen the Commander smile. He had always seemed such a serious, thoughtful, and quiet man (well, he supposed, he should say android, but really, what difference was there?) who never lost his composure for anything. But now - now he was smiling for the first time. And he was smiling for him! His whole world lit up at the realization of that, and his heart filled with familiar warmth.

Data's smile was so big, so happy that Martin needed to draw on every source of his self-control, not to let his eyes water from how glad he was to see it. He never wanted that smile to go away.

elementary, my dear martin || data & martin Oie_2210

Without thinking, Martin jumped forward and embraced the android into a big, warm, squeezing hug. Because the boy was quite a bit shorter than him, the product of it turned out a little bit awkward and slightly uncomfortable, but he did not care. He simply hoped that he would be able to share the warmth and happiness that the smile had given him with Data himself.

"Yes, you're totally awesome", he said, after he had finally let go of the android and gave him a big grin. "And I'm really good at judging awesome people!"

The boy could not stop his cheeks from growing hot after Data had finished speaking. Not only had he agreed with him and even complimented what he said (a compliment! on his thinking skills!) - but now he even asked his opinion on something, and Martin was getting increasingly nervous, the more he thought about. What if he screwed up! What if he said something wrong?

"Um....", he rubbed his elbow and looked down, "Sure, I can try, but just... you know know I'm not, like, the smartest person about stuff like that, but yeah... um... I feel like Holmes and Watson really learn to depend on each other a lot in the course of their, like, partnership, and it's a very gradual thing, which makes it better and more natural. Watson learns more and more about Holmes and gets better at seeing things from his perspective and seeing the human behind him, while for Sherlock, Watson is his window to humanity, as well as the window to his own feelings, in like, a way..."

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