animus_network | [02] || [What is Love?] || [Video/Text]

Entry tags:

[02] || [What is Love?] || [Video/Text]

Greetings.

[ As is usual for Data, his message is simultaneously sent in both video and text formats. ]

There has been a weeding recently and in one week is an event known as "Saint Valentine's Day", a holiday associated with romantic love. It is an occasion in which lovers express their love for each other in a special manner, most often depending on their culture and past.

But what is love? How would you define that feeling? I have been told about love before, but it is a most... complicated emotion and no explanation I have heard truly conveyed an understanding of the feeling.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Diarmuid pales. Of course, the man is probably right. Some part of him has always believed that those affected by his curse only felt an imitation of love, but if he admits that, then he has to believe everything Grainne ever felt for him was a lie.]

You are probably right. It...probably only is an imitation, though those under the curse's affects really believed the emotion to be real. Indeed, the things they did in response...

[If it had only been an imitation then those things had been a waste. He had betrayed his lord. Grainne had given up a normal life. And she...she had died for nothing...

The rest of the color drains from Diarmuid's face, and he is all to happy to switch topics.]

An android...so a robot like Labrys then, but why would your creators not wish you to have emotions? Isn't your purpose to be as human-like as possible?

Do you have a drive to learn then? Was that your purpose? If you don't know love, do you know curiosity? It seems to me you feel that, if nothing else.

[ Data tilts his head. ]

May I ask what this curse is?

[ ... The next part is quite a delicate one. There is no harm sharing a bit of his personal history, but before continuing Data locks the conversation. Data being Data, anyone trying to hack through it would have to be an even more sophisticated android. ]

It is complicated. My creator, or rather my father, had meant to give me the capability to feel emotions after I would have gone through enough personal growth. He was to place the "emotion chip" within I so I could feel emotions. Before he could do so, my brother Lore, stole the chip and killed our father. Unfortunately, Unlike I Lore never could differentiate what is right from what is wrong. Aside from my father, nobody can create such a chip, hence I am left with no emotion.

I do know curiosity and I am driven by my will to learn more. It is my wish to become as close as possible from humanity, however there are some things that will forever be out of my reach.

[For a few moments, Diarmuid is quiet before taking a deep breath and beginning to speak.]

My name is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, First Warrior of the Fianna. Those who know my legend also know my curse. Any woman who looks at my face falls in love with me, though as you say it probably isn't really love...merely an imitation. However, it feels real enough to them. I...have hurt a great many people who I would never have chosen to hurt because of it.

[After Data finishes speaking about himself, Diarmuid bows his head to him.]

I thank you for sharing that with me. I am sorry you have lost your chance at feeling human emotions because of your brother's treachery, though it is very admirable that you continue to try and understand. I don't understand what goes into making something like you. Before coming here, I never knew a robot could be as complex as you are. However, I would like to think that maybe someday you will find a way to feel emotions for real. Fate has its ways.

I see. [A pause.] It is a pleasure to speak with you. I am Lieutenant Commander Data.

[ Past this late introduction, his name was familiar, from ancient legends, however Data had not a lot of information on these in his databanks. Not that it mattered, he was nearly certain he had to be a different version. He tiled his head. ]

Where I come from studies have demonstrated it is impossible to control the mind against its wishes. Hypnosis and other techniques causing a chance in one's mind and behavior, can only work if the desire to do so already exists within the subject. If the possibility for them to fall in love with you and to develop a relationship was non-existent, I do not believe the curse would be effective.

[ Probably a poor attempt at empathy, but he was trying. ]

I thank you and I do hope as well. For Christmas, I have been given by the tower an item strikingly similar to the emotion chip. However, I do not trust it to be the original as the present was from Jason. Recently another android in the tower used materials found within the tower for her need, which caused her to go berserk and kill anyone on her path. I am afraid this is not something I will be able to experiment while in this place.

The pleasure is mine, Lieutenant Commander. I would agree with that for the most part since from experience a person's will does seem to affect how strongly they react to the curse. It does here, at least, but my curse has also been altered by the tower. It activates randomly and does seem to wear off when it didn't before. Still, it has affected someone already that I don't think would every have had those kind of feelings for me, so I can't agree with it completely.

[Actually, Data is probably right, but Diarmuid can't accept the thought that Arturia would ever feel that way about him willingly. He doesn't think he is anywhere near good enough for her. Or for most anyone, really, even though he is the kind, helpful, gentlemen most women dream about meeting.]

I can't blame you at all for not trusting a gift from the tower, specifically one from Jason. It would be terrible to lose control of yourself like that. It is wise of you to wait.

Forgive the question, but which side of the debate do you fall on? Do you believe our worlds have actually been destroyed, or do you think they are still there waiting for our return? I am going to guess you must think it is possible to go back since you seem to willing to wait on your testing.

[He nodded.] The tower has many strange side-effects on the residents who wield such powers. It is possible the tower has affected this curse in other ways. The administrators have proved capable of suppressing free-will and may be above the limitations I mentioned. This ability to suppress free-will could affect the curse while in the tower. Alternatively, you could more logically be mistaken about the person currently affected by the curse.

[ Next, data considered his answer for a few seconds before replying. ]

I believe our worlds have not been destroyed, however I remain open to the possibility and take it into account in my theories. [He tilts his head.] I have met alien species before who would abduct residents from various planets for curiosity or study purposes. In particular, I have experience with a being that displayed powers equals if not superior to that of Ruana and the administrators.

He regularly played "games" with my comrades and I, simply to forget his boredom and prove us his points. I tend to believe we are in one such situation.

Perhaps. I am quickly coming to the conclusion I shouldn't rule anything out of the realm of possibility in this place, though I still doubt that a king would ever have such feelings for a mere knight.

[His eyes darken angrily as Data continues speaking. He's not angry with Data, of course, but at the idea of this kind of thing happening in more than one place.]

I am sorry you have had to suffer so much of this. Even if you don't have proper emotions, I'm sure seeing your comrades suffer still affects you. I don't understand why these 'greater beings' as they usually call themselves...

[He's thinking of a certain Kyuubey here.]

...think they have the right to mess with us so much just because are are a younger and perhaps more foolish species in their eyes.

[Diarmuid sighs, calming himself.]

I thank you for your answer, though. I asked because I am having a hard time myself deciding what to believe. I suppose that is because for me it doesn't really matter. I'm dead on my world. If I ever leave here, I leave into nothingness no matter if my planet is still there or not. However, I have many friends and colleagues who have goals and missions still waiting for them back home. I would like to believe they have the chance to return to those things someday.

While relationship between people working within a same organization with different ranks is often prohibited, a king falling for someone with a lower rank would not be unheard of.

[ He would have many story off hand, but back to the higher being business. ]

It has been much of a mystery to us as well. Q considered our lowly and unworthy of progressing, yet he found us entertaining. I believe the foolishness is not on our end.

[ He looks down for a second before replying. ]

I am... sorry to hear that. If your world is gone, you can live here. If it is not, then you will fade into nothingness. However, there is a third option you have overlooked. If this tower gave you a new body and a new life, it is very possible you may return to your homeworld with this new body, alive.

[Diarmuid nods, but allows the discussion on what kings and knights might do to drop. There is really very little anyone could say that would convince him that he would ever be good enough for one of Arturia's caliber, and the other topics they are discussing are much more interesting to him anyway.]

There is a creature in the tower that calls himself Kyuubey who seems to share views much like your Q only his favorite 'toys' are young girls. I did try to get him to explain to me why his people were so interested in messing with humanity if we are so young and foolish, but he couldn't give me a good answer. Probably because if he thinks about it too hard, there isn't one. Many of these 'greater beings' seem to just stop thinking about certain things instead of dealing with them as they should. If that is what they wish the human race to become, I hope that it never happens.

[He pauses, his eye widening.]

That indeed is an option I had not considered. I just assumed if we left here things would default back to how they had been before we were taken...

[His voice trails off as he begins to ponder the implications of this view. Dare he hope that might be the case? That maybe there is an option for him beyond either staying here forever or just disappearing. After a moment, he smiles at Data.]

Thank you.

I agree. Q was seeing something in humanity his kind needed. As evolved as they were, they could not do everything nor could they just replicate what it is they lacked and humanity possessed.

I have had a brief discussion with the one named Kyuubey. The creature must have seen the same thing that Q did. Their technologies and knowledge are without superior to that of humanity. However, I would call their morals and laws as clearly barbaric in comparison.

[ Especially if this one is going after children, even Q generally avoided messing with children. He looked slightly surprised at the thank you though, he wasn't sure why he had deserved one but replied with a polite nod. ]

You are welcome.

My experience in this area are very limited, but it seems to me that as these races have evolved they have chosen to dismiss their emotions and by extension, the ability to relate to others properly. Emotions are so important to humans. It is what makes us truly alive. Perhaps they see that and suddenly wish they had not been so eager to cast their emotions away.

[He scowls slightly.]

Not that they would ever admit that. Instead, they call us and our attachment to them foolish. They play their little games all the while wishing they had not been so foolish themselves.

[Or at least, he would like to think that. To think deep down those who are so cruel to them are that way because they are suffering themselves...

...And, yes, he realizes just how horrible of a person that makes him--how unknightly it makes him. He just can't stop himself from thinking it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[02] || [What is Love?] || [Video/Text]

Video

Video/Locked

Video/Locked

Video/Locked

Video/Locked

Video/Locked

Video/Locked

Video/Locked

Video/Locked

Video/Locked

Video/Locked