Or perhaps a memory of a time B felt safe and relaxed đplease
âWhy do you insist upon archaic forms of musical recordings? You know you could probably get this from the shipâs computer?âÂ
B-4 sat on the edge of his bed watching the record spin. Most people aboard would not know what a turntable was let alone how to use one. This did nothing to quell his fascination with the machine.
âSentimental value, I guess.â The record player had been a gift from his brother who had received it as a gift himself. The replicator had easily made several records, all of which Data had shared with him.Â
Before Dataâs revival, he and Bruce had listened to ancient music. He had called it âjazzâ. He said it had only ever been fleeting in its popularity - thriving in the mid-twentieth century and existing as a stepping stone in the evolution of music. B-4 swore that the frequency of which they listened to the albums engrained some permanence in his memory engrams. He often found those songs âstuck in his headâ.
They had listened to music often when he was first activated. Data thought learning to spin records would help with motor skills early on. He remembered taking great care in lifting the arm, making sure the needle didnât drop onto the record in a way that was damaging. Frank Sinatra, Perry Como...these were the names he associated with his âchildhoodâ. Family. Home.Â
âYou like ancient Earth music,â he reminded his roommate.Â
Morag scoffed. âYea, like The Beatles,â she said. âThe Rolling Stones. The Who. Nae this insanity.â She gestured wildly to the turntable and shook her head. âYeh even look at the thing the wrong way and itâs broken.â
âThatâs why you arenât allowed near it when itâs running,â B reminded her. The music crooned from the speakers with a crackle that drove Morag up a wall but that B-4 adored for reasons unclear to him. It added value to the audio that he could only attribute to emotional attachment. âHaven't felt like this, my dear, since I can't remember when. It's been a long, long time.âÂ
He couldnât sing like Data. The familiarity of his brotherâs voice had always served to dampen the effects of his emotion chip enough to focus and reset when he felt overwhelmed. He did hum to himself on occasion, or sing poorly under his breath when he was working on a menial task.Â
âIâm leaving,â Morag said as the door to their quarters swung open.Â
âAlright,â B answered too late to an empty room.Â
The song changed and B-4 leaned back until he was flat on the bed, feet on the floor, face toward the ceiling. He closed his eyes and attempted to shut down all simultaneous functions until all that was left running were his auditory processors. Bing Crosbyâs voice filled his head and subsequently memories of The Daystrom Insititute followed. It was amazing to him that music could bring about such a peaceful place of comfort - even for a biological lifeform. A slight smile crept up onto his face. He continued replaying the song in his head long after the record came to a crackling stop.Â