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Re: TNG S2: Elementary, Dear Data

I agree with the previous two notes, I find Polaskis constant treatment of Data rather confusing, especially when she treats Moriarty with more civility, understanding and even I suspect a sense of awe. At no point does she make reference to Moriarty being just a set of fixed lines of programming accessing a database.

But unfortunately this whole premise is brushed aside as if writers dropped a story in favour of another. It would have been nice to even have a mention of her points of view on Moriarty and Data in comparison even if I'd ultimately disagreed with her conclusions, just more fuel for debate.

Continuing in regards to the paper being taken off the holodeck as it has been mentioned by a few. Potentially an oversight by writers but at the same time the holodeck is described as not just an interactive theater of forcefields and projections but also replicated matter as well.

Usually those replicated items can be expected to be food and drink, potentially the containers for such. Bodies of water also, we've seen people come off the holodeck soaking wet. I personally believe that some structures could and would also be replicated.

The computer may normally recognise its replicated matter leaving the holodeck and dematerialize it along with projections. On occasions the computer may pay attention to body language, such as grasping an item, that they want to keep a hold of it. And yet other situations food that you've eaten, having been kissed and get lipstick smeared on your face, or ever pervasive water soaked into your clothes. It might be too difficult, dangerous, or just plain inconvenient for it to be removed and so doesn't bother.

By now you've probably realised I'm arguing that the paper could be one of those replicated items that they wanted to keep, unfortunate that it was not expressly stated in the episode. Living bodies such as Moriarty being too complex for full on replication and so limited to force fields and projections, as we've seen in other episodes when characters try to exit.