Fic: Summer - R/L (imp) - PG-13
Title: Summer
Pairing: Rimmer/Lister (implied)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Red Dwarf, or any of the characters thereof. I make no money from this.
Spoilers: Post-series, so pretty much everything. ;)
Beta: smaych
Notes: Written as part of my fanfic100 challenge. My table is here. As always, please bring me concrit!
Transcript of recovery log of patient Lister, David, found and rehabilitated 19:45, 13th of Geldof 3354 AR.
I press this then, do I? Oh, right. Erm... hi. I was never very good with these things. They tell me... they tell me this is supposed to be a record. Of, well, me. Where I came from, who I am, and that. Well, that's easily said. I'm a very foolish old man. I used to be a very foolish young man, so there ya go. It all evens out in the end.
Sounds of someone shifting in a chair. Crinkle of fabric. A cough.
It's quite warm in here. They tell me it's summer. There aren't any windows around, at least not that I've seen, but that sounds about right. Guess the ship's chronometers weren't that far off after all. She lasted long, that girl. Crashed more times than a Windows computer, but she made it through. Not that it was the same ship all along, mind.
Another cough.
You know, I thought you were Cats, at first. Met quite a few Cats, in the last twenty years or so. I suppose that means they were getting closer. Good fer them. I tell you what; you lot had better be ready fer them. 'Cause I don't think they'll be finding exactly what they expected.
Giggling, followed by a long pause.
Or maybe they will. I have a feeling things have changed. Well, that's a given, isn't it? I suppose I just though... well, like I said, I'm a foolish old man.
Another pause.
I suppose you'll be wanting me to explain why I'm here? What happened? Well, now, that's a very long story, or a very short one. The short one is, I got lost in space fer three million years, and decided to get back to Earth when I got out of stasis. Which would have taken us three million years, in the normal run of things, but we found a few short cuts. And some detours. And had some run ins along the way. And in the end, I nearly forgot about it. It's like... when yer living somewhere fer years and years, and there's only just the handful of people around, they become like family. And the Earth was very far away, and there were always so many other things we had to deal with.
Fabric sliding against a chair; someone turning.
What? Yeah... there were others. They found their own way, one after the other. Things started to fall apart after... it doesn't matter really, I suppose. And when Kris got pregnant, well, fer the second time, I mean, and we found that first Cat fleet, they thought it was best to go along with them. fer the babies and all. Kryten said she was carrying six, though I hope he was joking about that. He stayed behind, of course, and by that point, what was left fer me except Earth?
A quiet chuckle.
Yeah, Kryters stayed behind. He was a good man, he was, even though he didn't think of himself as such. A man, I mean, 'cause he was a mechanoid, and all. There was... there wasn't much I could do fer him though, in the end. He was supposed to keep working indefinitely; what with the nanobots and everything, theoretically, he would get better as he got older. But the nanos could only fix the hardware. As long as Kris was there, we did all right with the regular check-ups fer his brain, but after she left there was only me. And I couldn't even keep the dining dispensers from getting the meat and vegs mixed up. I had four shifts of angry vegetarians after me one time. I had to hide in a locker in the women's shower until they went away. Not that I minded all that much, to tell you the truth. Anyway, there came a time when I just couldn't unscramble what had gotten scrambled. I put him in stasis. I don't know if that helps or not, but at least it kept the nanos from running away again.
Polite cough.
I couldn't help noticing you've got a lot of androids around. Good looking ones too, with the silver skin and everything. Is that to keep them from looking too human? Yeah... well... If you wouldn't mind taking a look... oh. You have already? Oh. Good. That's good. I don't think he's been to Earth. The real one, like, the proper one, I mean. He'll like it here.
A rather long pause. Then, the clearing of a throat.
Look, I dunno what else you want me to say. I appreciate getting rescued and all, and I'm glad Kryten's getting fixed, but yer wasting yer time with me, really. The doctors were nice, and they must have given me something with a hefty kick, 'cause I can't feel the pain in my back no more, but they were talking out of their arses when they said they'd cured me. There's nothing wrong with me but old age. I'm 87 years old. People used to live much longer than that when I was a kid back... back here, I suppose, but those people didn't mess about contracting million year old mutated viruses, being tortured by GELFs and getting pregnant when their bodies weren't intended for it.
A throat being cleared again.
You know... I don't have many regrets. Not trying to see my boys again is one of them. I could have visited. We found that universe twice; I could have tried harder. But I just couldn't... didn't want to deal with it. That was stupid. That was one of the stupid things I did. That, and killing Rimmer. That's what I did, ya know. He'd've never survived as Ace. Not fer long. I thought it was what he wanted, that I was just helping him along. Instead I was just pushing him away. We was... things were changing, just before he left. I didn't notice at the time, but I did later, when I saw him as he used to be. Maybe that's why I pushed him away, 'cause I got scared. 'Cause I was afraid of what might happen if we got even closer. Like I said, I was a foolish young man. And I ended up alone.
A slight sniffle, then a cough.
I thought about that, a lot, these last few years when I've been all alone. He was alone too, wasn't he? When he... when he died. I have to say, I don't mind dying myself. Not now. I'll have a nice summer, and maybe another one, and then I'll fade away, quietly. I really don't mind; not if they can keep me feeling like this. I haven't felt this good in decades; it's like my lungs are clearing up too. And it's not so hard to move.
A pause again, various sounds of movement, interspersed with quiet laughter.
That's amazing! Right, well, if you can do that, I've no worries for Kryten. Getting to move my legs like that without my knees giving out, that's a smegging miracle, that is! You know, I used to tell Rimmer that they might have found a cure fer death when we got back to Earth, but I never really believed it. Seems like you're getting pretty smegging close though.
Laughter.
Can you imagine that though? A cure fer death! As if anyone could ever...
Muffled voices interrupting.
What? You... you have?
More muffled voices, going on for some time, followed by several minutes of silence.
Well. I suppose that explains a lot. My head feels kinda numb. Is that part of it? I can't really remember anything after the navicomp caught fire; the next thing I know was waking up in here. Did someone find me while I was still in space? Did someone bring me here?
You... who is that on the viewscreen? Is he coming here? Is that... who is that on the viewscreen?
The woosh of an opening door. The sound of footsteps, and a chair sliding back hurriedly. A different voice speaks; lower, hesitantly.
...Dave?
A chair being knocked over, running foosteps.
Two different voices, laughing.
Pairing: Rimmer/Lister (implied)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Red Dwarf, or any of the characters thereof. I make no money from this.
Spoilers: Post-series, so pretty much everything. ;)
Beta: smaych
Notes: Written as part of my fanfic100 challenge. My table is here. As always, please bring me concrit!
Transcript of recovery log of patient Lister, David, found and rehabilitated 19:45, 13th of Geldof 3354 AR.
I press this then, do I? Oh, right. Erm... hi. I was never very good with these things. They tell me... they tell me this is supposed to be a record. Of, well, me. Where I came from, who I am, and that. Well, that's easily said. I'm a very foolish old man. I used to be a very foolish young man, so there ya go. It all evens out in the end.
Sounds of someone shifting in a chair. Crinkle of fabric. A cough.
It's quite warm in here. They tell me it's summer. There aren't any windows around, at least not that I've seen, but that sounds about right. Guess the ship's chronometers weren't that far off after all. She lasted long, that girl. Crashed more times than a Windows computer, but she made it through. Not that it was the same ship all along, mind.
Another cough.
You know, I thought you were Cats, at first. Met quite a few Cats, in the last twenty years or so. I suppose that means they were getting closer. Good fer them. I tell you what; you lot had better be ready fer them. 'Cause I don't think they'll be finding exactly what they expected.
Giggling, followed by a long pause.
Or maybe they will. I have a feeling things have changed. Well, that's a given, isn't it? I suppose I just though... well, like I said, I'm a foolish old man.
Another pause.
I suppose you'll be wanting me to explain why I'm here? What happened? Well, now, that's a very long story, or a very short one. The short one is, I got lost in space fer three million years, and decided to get back to Earth when I got out of stasis. Which would have taken us three million years, in the normal run of things, but we found a few short cuts. And some detours. And had some run ins along the way. And in the end, I nearly forgot about it. It's like... when yer living somewhere fer years and years, and there's only just the handful of people around, they become like family. And the Earth was very far away, and there were always so many other things we had to deal with.
Fabric sliding against a chair; someone turning.
What? Yeah... there were others. They found their own way, one after the other. Things started to fall apart after... it doesn't matter really, I suppose. And when Kris got pregnant, well, fer the second time, I mean, and we found that first Cat fleet, they thought it was best to go along with them. fer the babies and all. Kryten said she was carrying six, though I hope he was joking about that. He stayed behind, of course, and by that point, what was left fer me except Earth?
A quiet chuckle.
Yeah, Kryters stayed behind. He was a good man, he was, even though he didn't think of himself as such. A man, I mean, 'cause he was a mechanoid, and all. There was... there wasn't much I could do fer him though, in the end. He was supposed to keep working indefinitely; what with the nanobots and everything, theoretically, he would get better as he got older. But the nanos could only fix the hardware. As long as Kris was there, we did all right with the regular check-ups fer his brain, but after she left there was only me. And I couldn't even keep the dining dispensers from getting the meat and vegs mixed up. I had four shifts of angry vegetarians after me one time. I had to hide in a locker in the women's shower until they went away. Not that I minded all that much, to tell you the truth. Anyway, there came a time when I just couldn't unscramble what had gotten scrambled. I put him in stasis. I don't know if that helps or not, but at least it kept the nanos from running away again.
Polite cough.
I couldn't help noticing you've got a lot of androids around. Good looking ones too, with the silver skin and everything. Is that to keep them from looking too human? Yeah... well... If you wouldn't mind taking a look... oh. You have already? Oh. Good. That's good. I don't think he's been to Earth. The real one, like, the proper one, I mean. He'll like it here.
A rather long pause. Then, the clearing of a throat.
Look, I dunno what else you want me to say. I appreciate getting rescued and all, and I'm glad Kryten's getting fixed, but yer wasting yer time with me, really. The doctors were nice, and they must have given me something with a hefty kick, 'cause I can't feel the pain in my back no more, but they were talking out of their arses when they said they'd cured me. There's nothing wrong with me but old age. I'm 87 years old. People used to live much longer than that when I was a kid back... back here, I suppose, but those people didn't mess about contracting million year old mutated viruses, being tortured by GELFs and getting pregnant when their bodies weren't intended for it.
A throat being cleared again.
You know... I don't have many regrets. Not trying to see my boys again is one of them. I could have visited. We found that universe twice; I could have tried harder. But I just couldn't... didn't want to deal with it. That was stupid. That was one of the stupid things I did. That, and killing Rimmer. That's what I did, ya know. He'd've never survived as Ace. Not fer long. I thought it was what he wanted, that I was just helping him along. Instead I was just pushing him away. We was... things were changing, just before he left. I didn't notice at the time, but I did later, when I saw him as he used to be. Maybe that's why I pushed him away, 'cause I got scared. 'Cause I was afraid of what might happen if we got even closer. Like I said, I was a foolish young man. And I ended up alone.
A slight sniffle, then a cough.
I thought about that, a lot, these last few years when I've been all alone. He was alone too, wasn't he? When he... when he died. I have to say, I don't mind dying myself. Not now. I'll have a nice summer, and maybe another one, and then I'll fade away, quietly. I really don't mind; not if they can keep me feeling like this. I haven't felt this good in decades; it's like my lungs are clearing up too. And it's not so hard to move.
A pause again, various sounds of movement, interspersed with quiet laughter.
That's amazing! Right, well, if you can do that, I've no worries for Kryten. Getting to move my legs like that without my knees giving out, that's a smegging miracle, that is! You know, I used to tell Rimmer that they might have found a cure fer death when we got back to Earth, but I never really believed it. Seems like you're getting pretty smegging close though.
Laughter.
Can you imagine that though? A cure fer death! As if anyone could ever...
Muffled voices interrupting.
What? You... you have?
More muffled voices, going on for some time, followed by several minutes of silence.
Well. I suppose that explains a lot. My head feels kinda numb. Is that part of it? I can't really remember anything after the navicomp caught fire; the next thing I know was waking up in here. Did someone find me while I was still in space? Did someone bring me here?
You... who is that on the viewscreen? Is he coming here? Is that... who is that on the viewscreen?
The woosh of an opening door. The sound of footsteps, and a chair sliding back hurriedly. A different voice speaks; lower, hesitantly.
...Dave?
A chair being knocked over, running foosteps.
Two different voices, laughing.