This is a short scene of what Watts missed before he discovered Ghost unsuccessfully trying to teach Sherlock to use a computer in "Sangrave Returns."
Sherlock buttoned up his waistcoat as he went to answer the door. He paused a moment to put his jacket on as he checked the security camera, and blinked in surprise. Ghost was outside.
He let her in with his usual courtesy, offering her a seat and refreshment. The disturbingly thin runner predictably took the former and refused the latter. “Why are you here?” he asked as she sat at the kitchen table, taking his own seat across from her.
She quirked an eyebrow as she pulled a set of cables from her side-bag. “Nice to see you too.”
“You are not the type to make social calls, and if you had found something you thought worth my attention then you would have used a telephone rather than come here in person.”
She shrugged, “It’s not urgent. Just kinda weird.”
A single eyebrow rose. “Weird.”
“Yeah, it’ll be easier if I show you -” Sherlock sighed, eyeing the cables with uneasiness. Ghost rolled her eyes, “Come on, you’ve been in the Net before.”
“Once, and while it was an interesting and educational experience, it was also one I do not care to ever repeat.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “I’m not going through any Corp’s fortress this time. I just have to show you the damn thing. You don’t even have to use a virtual interface, just bring in the Doc’s computer.”
Sherlock was skeptical, but complied. If this ‘weird’ puzzle had brought Miss Ghost out of her quarters, it might be worth looking at. At least if she accessed whatever it was on Watts’ computer, he would be spared the necessity of ‘jacking in.’
He placed Watts computer on the table, moving to stand just behind and to the side of her. She plugged her cables into the computer, and paused. Then, to Sherlock’s mild incredulity, she stood up.
“Sit.”
He looked at her as though she’d gone mad.
“You’re going to have to learn sometime.”
“I have done just fine thus far without.”
“And what if that changes? What if one day someone wants you to solve an online piracy case? How are you going to manage without knowing how a computer works?”
Sherlock half-grinned. “I find it highly unlikely anyone will consult the detective who thinks he’s a Victorian Era fictional character when it comes to online piracy.”
“Why not? You get consulted for everything else. Besides, it’s still a skill you should have! You’re living in the City, it’s going to become useful at some point in time. I’m amazed you haven’t needed it yet.”
“I have Watts. And yourself.”
“Watts has his patients, and someday I might not be around.”
Sherlock cocked his head, considering her, his attention drawn to her pale complexion and thin frame. He also considered her line of work, and he the very real danger she put herself in on a daily basis. It struck him that he had no idea how old she was. She was young, it was unlikely that she would waste money on maintaining a useful appearance when so much of her life was spent behind an avatar, but she could easily be his age, a few years younger, or even barely an adult. And yet, she knew perfectly well she could die any day she jacked into a computer.
He sat down.
She smiled. “Shiny. Ok, jack in. It might ask you for a password. Just think the characters clearly, focus on them. If it takes you more than three times to guess -”
“I never guess.” He thought twice and was in.
“Wow. So, Watts told you his password.”
“No.”
“... ok, that’s impressive.”
He scoffed, “Miss Ghost, I live with him. Now, please explain how this works.”
Sherlock buttoned up his waistcoat as he went to answer the door. He paused a moment to put his jacket on as he checked the security camera, and blinked in surprise. Ghost was outside.
He let her in with his usual courtesy, offering her a seat and refreshment. The disturbingly thin runner predictably took the former and refused the latter. “Why are you here?” he asked as she sat at the kitchen table, taking his own seat across from her.
She quirked an eyebrow as she pulled a set of cables from her side-bag. “Nice to see you too.”
“You are not the type to make social calls, and if you had found something you thought worth my attention then you would have used a telephone rather than come here in person.”
She shrugged, “It’s not urgent. Just kinda weird.”
A single eyebrow rose. “Weird.”
“Yeah, it’ll be easier if I show you -” Sherlock sighed, eyeing the cables with uneasiness. Ghost rolled her eyes, “Come on, you’ve been in the Net before.”
“Once, and while it was an interesting and educational experience, it was also one I do not care to ever repeat.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “I’m not going through any Corp’s fortress this time. I just have to show you the damn thing. You don’t even have to use a virtual interface, just bring in the Doc’s computer.”
Sherlock was skeptical, but complied. If this ‘weird’ puzzle had brought Miss Ghost out of her quarters, it might be worth looking at. At least if she accessed whatever it was on Watts’ computer, he would be spared the necessity of ‘jacking in.’
He placed Watts computer on the table, moving to stand just behind and to the side of her. She plugged her cables into the computer, and paused. Then, to Sherlock’s mild incredulity, she stood up.
“Sit.”
He looked at her as though she’d gone mad.
“You’re going to have to learn sometime.”
“I have done just fine thus far without.”
“And what if that changes? What if one day someone wants you to solve an online piracy case? How are you going to manage without knowing how a computer works?”
Sherlock half-grinned. “I find it highly unlikely anyone will consult the detective who thinks he’s a Victorian Era fictional character when it comes to online piracy.”
“Why not? You get consulted for everything else. Besides, it’s still a skill you should have! You’re living in the City, it’s going to become useful at some point in time. I’m amazed you haven’t needed it yet.”
“I have Watts. And yourself.”
“Watts has his patients, and someday I might not be around.”
Sherlock cocked his head, considering her, his attention drawn to her pale complexion and thin frame. He also considered her line of work, and he the very real danger she put herself in on a daily basis. It struck him that he had no idea how old she was. She was young, it was unlikely that she would waste money on maintaining a useful appearance when so much of her life was spent behind an avatar, but she could easily be his age, a few years younger, or even barely an adult. And yet, she knew perfectly well she could die any day she jacked into a computer.
He sat down.
She smiled. “Shiny. Ok, jack in. It might ask you for a password. Just think the characters clearly, focus on them. If it takes you more than three times to guess -”
“I never guess.” He thought twice and was in.
“Wow. So, Watts told you his password.”
“No.”
“... ok, that’s impressive.”
He scoffed, “Miss Ghost, I live with him. Now, please explain how this works.”