(Untitled)

[ol_yellow_eyes]

Data is in the bar with his cat today, occupying one of the booths. Spot is standing on the table with his face in a bowl of (apparently delicious) cat food, next to which is a datapad that his owner is currently studying

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[fairytaleknight]

Next time he eats dinner here, Fakir decides, he's just going to order from the waitrats. It's too difficult to carry a large tray of food while watching to make sure he doesn't step on one of the rats.

Meanwhile, if Fakir wants to keep his reputation for grace, he'd better put his dinner down on the nearest table before a disaster occurs.

He doesn't notice until afterwards that someone's already sitting there.

"Can I join you?" Fakir asks belatedly.

[ol_yellow_eyes]

Data is rather surprised when a stranger comes to join him so abruptly, but he is anything but averse to the idea.

"Please do," he replies, politely moving the bowl of half-finished cat food further to the side. He then offers his hand, still holding Spot in his other arm. "Lieutenant Commander Data, of the starship Enterprise."

Spot looks like he is wondering why the petting has stopped. He eyes the stranger suspiciously.

[fairytaleknight]

Fakir's seen enough handshakes at Milliways to be familiar with the motion, and he's good at learning moves. He shakes Data's hand confidently. "Fakir, advanced ballet student at Gold Crown Academy."

(There are two chances in three, Fakir thinks, that the next question's going to be "Do you know Duck?")

Fakir doesn't comment on the cat, but his expression softens when he looks at Spot.

[ol_yellow_eyes]

Strangely enough, Data has not yet had the pleasure of meeting the hapless redhead. He confirms this fact when he says, "I am not familiar with that institution. Is it an art school?"

Data resumes petting his cat. Spot seems to be ignoring the converstation now.

[fairytaleknight]

"Yes. I'm in the ballet division, but the school also teaches music, painting, drama and sculpture."

("Actually," cackles a disembodied voice, somewhere in the depths of the machine, "at Gold Crown Academy everybody practices drama." Fortunately, the voice isn't audible on the Milliways side of the fourth wall.)

"I've never heard of the starship Enterprise myself. Do you really sail through the stars?"

[ol_yellow_eyes]

"Yes," Data answers. "However, the term 'sail' might be misleading. The Enterprise 'sails' in the sense that it travels by means of motive power, rather than the use of physical sails.

"I assume by your question that technology for space travel does not exist in your world. Am I correct in that assumption?"

[fairytaleknight]

"Yes. I've never heard of such a thing."

Technically, Fakir's world doesn't have water travel, either, insofar as the entire world Fakir knows, which is approximately five kilometers square, includes one narrow river and one small lake.

"How far have you traveled?"

[ol_yellow_eyes]

Data could do quick calculation of the distance from Earth to the farthest location that he has ever been, or even the total amount of lightyears that he has traveled during his existence, but he realizes that such an answer probably would not mean much to someone who is unfamiliar with space travel.

"I have traveled throughout the galaxy, to many different star systems," he answers. "Exploration is the primary mission of the Enterprise."

[fairytaleknight]

Fakir's a serious boy, and between his trained movements and his habitual scowl he tends to look slightly older than he is. But when his eyes widen, and he leans his head back, Fakir almost looks like a child again.

"Tell me."

Tell me a story. Tell me about other worlds. Tell me everything.

[ol_yellow_eyes]

Data does not quite know where to start. He likes talking about his experiences, however, and this young man seems to be interested...

"I have seen many different worlds," Data begins. His eyes happen to fall on his datapad again, perhaps because some of his thought processes are still dwelling on a certain subject.

His brows furrow slightly, and his eyes remain focused downward. "Many of them are dangerous," he adds, somewhat slowly. "Our crew as a whole is fortunate to have survived some of the situations in which we have found ourselves. But I have seen fellow crewmates injured, taken captive, and even killed. I myself have also been forced into some rather unpleasant situations."

Data glances back at Fakir, to see if he is still interested.

(But perhaps he does not want to hear about unpleasant things...?)

[fairytaleknight]

[ooc: I am really sorry for leaving this thread hanging. I've been overusing computers, and now my arms have gotten to the point of chronic pain badness, so Milliways is one of the things I'm going to cut from my routine until I stop saying Ow all the time. Your Data is fabulous, though, and I really do want to know where this thread will go! I'll be back, I promise.]