driftfleet | mingle part deux

It is.

[There's a moment of hesitation, perhaps of slight embarrassment. She doesn't think he'd read too much into her choice of songs, but...]

I believe it was a popular one, at the time, though I'd only heard it a few times before now, which makes me wonder why Atroma chose to give it to me.

It's difficult to say why Atroma chooses anything.

[And her embarrassment is unwarranted. Love songs are popular and common! On most worlds, anyway. It's probably best to just let that go, though.]

If you wished to dance to this one, it would do very well for a slower dance.

It would... you've got the foxtrot down pretty well, don't you think? I could teach you to waltz next.

But first! [She hands him the communicator with the list of songs open.]

I'd like you to pick one to listen to too.

[He hesitates, but he takes it, and scrolls through the list with as much seriousness as it's possible to have. Eventually, he selects one. Which is in English despite the link not being in English.]

I'm not sure how appropriate this is for dancing, but... I do like the lyrics.

[Once the song finishes, she leans in towards him, genuinely interested. There's still so much to be learned about Daneel.]

What do you like about them, specifically?

They seem to --

[He stops, obviously thinking hard. Metaphors are not natural for him, and he's not sure he's completely wrong.]

They seem to speak of peace, and harmony, and beauty. They seem to speak of humanity, and of potential. This is how it seems to me.

[Gently, she reaches over and hits "play" again, only this time she turns the volume down, so they can still talk with the music in the background.]

"They seem." There's a distance there... you don't fully trust your interpretation, do you?

I do not. Metaphor is not... natural for me. It relies on human feeling, and human intuition, and I don't always understand it. I hope to, with time and experience.

[With an encouraging smile, she rests her hand on his.]

I think what you said sounded just perfect.

Besides, one of the great things about art is that you don't have to have the same interpretation as anyone else, the creator included. There are many different... "answers," so to speak, all equally valid. And you can learn a lot about people from how they react to a given piece.

Perhaps this is so. I admit my education in art was slightly lacking. Dr. Fastolfe was not of an artist inclination.

[He pauses.]

Lady Gladia is an artist. On Solaria, she worked in holographic field colourings, generally abstract, though on Aurora she turned to decorative exteriors for robots. She was quite successful at it, for a time. I had little involvement with it, however, even after I passed into her possession.

[Beverly winces at that word: "possession." She hates it, hates that people have essentially enslaved him in the past, hates that it seems perfectly normal to him. Even if she didn't care so much about Daneel, she'd hate it, but the fact that he's her friend only deepens her feelings. How can anyone not see that he - but then, people didn't see it with Data either, sometimes still don't, do they?

She squeezes his hand.]

It's never too late to begin learning.

[Oops. He hadn't meant to upset her.]

I trust that you're correct in this.

[He squeezes her hand back.]

Fortunately, humanity has left much art to study.

[Oh darling Daneel, as much as certain aspects of his past might trouble her, she'd never want him to feel as if he couldn't speak freely of it to her, simply to spare her feelings.]

And you can start making some of your own as well!

[She moves to stand, not letting go of his hand as she does.]

[He stands as well, but the look he gives her is rather puzzled.]

I? I have never heard of a robot creating art. That is a strictly human provenance, surely.

Not at all!

[She positions herself and him in preparation for the waltz, guiding one of his hand to her waist.]

You're learning to dance aren't you? And dance is an artform.

[What. No one told him he was making art. He hesitates slightly, before settling into position.]

I'm replicating what you teach me. That's hardly creativity.

Perhaps not right now, no, but you have to learn the basic building blocks first before you can really start to branch out and try your own thing.

[She takes a step back, bringing her with him. Time for the lesson to begin.]

And if it turns out you don't like dancing -

[Another step.]

You can always try writing or singing or drawing.

[Next step, and her mouth twitches with amusement.]

Though you probably shouldn't ask me for help on that last one. My drawing skills are abysmal.

[He follows, half a moment behind her, but it seems simple enough. So far, so good.]

I'm honestly more interested in consuming human fiction that in creating it.

[What would he even write about? Better to write about things that are real, if anything.]

I am not creative, Beverly.

It's all right, if you're not. [She doesn't want to push, just... nudge a little.] I simply don't want you to think that only because you were never given the opportunity to try. Creativity is by no means only a human thing.

[A pause, as she corrects a step, makes a readjustment.]

Data paints, plays the violin, and writes poetry. [Admittedly really bad poetry but the point here is the endeavor, not the result.] Not to mention, of course, all the thousands of other species who produce their own art.

[He blinks, several times.]

Your Data does this? And he is successful?

[This is an entirely new idea. His mind is being blown.]

I believe he is, yes. He struggles with the emotional side of art, however, not being able to experience them himself.

[Supposedly, anyway. She still doesn't really buy the argument that Data is totally emotionless.]

So sometimes his work veers too much towards the technical. Personally, I think he does the best with music. After all, music shares much in common with mathematics, which is something he understands very well. He plays the violin beautifully - I always enjoy hearing his performances.

Really, the end result is not the most important thing, for him, or for me either. It's the process of creating art that matters - the exploration, if you will. Data is no less an explorer than the rest of us, maybe even more so.

[He's thoughtful on this point for a moment, dancing in silence.]

I've enjoyed fiction and hyperwave dramas in the past. I don't, however, feel capable of creating it. Perhaps I might have more success with painting or music.

[This is such a weird idea and it shows. He speaks slowly, picking his way through the idea.]

It wouldn't hurt anything to try, right? Whatever you wanted to do, you'd have my full support.

[Seeing him turning the idea over in his mind, she falls silent to give him room to digest, only speaking now and then to gently correct a movement or to explain what they're about to do next.]

[He follows along in silence for a time, but he's thinking hard on this.]

I would like to try portraits.

[After all, it's people that interest him.]

[That gets a big, delighted smile.]

I think that's a wonderful idea! We'll have to find someone to teach you.

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