Chapter Text
The End
Damn Lister! thought Rimmer as the command came through the ship's tannoy. Getting put into stasis when I need him!
The last few months on Red Dwarf had been some of the best of Rimmer's sad, pathetic life - not counting the incident at the Captain's table. Teaching Lister had made him, Rimmer, a better technician. Talking through the processes calmed him down and not wanting to screw up in front of Lister meant he thought things through before proceeding.
Maybe I should have told him? Rimmer thought, rushing nervously to fix the drive plate without any preparation.
Future Echoes
Keep Lister sane? How on Io was he supposed to keep Lister sane? He wasn't even sure how to keep himself sane.
What am I good at? he thought, ignoring the voice inside him that said "nothing". I'm good at following rules, being disciplined, keeping things in order. In short, all the things that Lister hates.
A germ of an idea grew in Rimmer's mind. He could do all the things he was good at and still fulfil his mission. Drive Lister insane to keep him sane. It was worth a shot.
Balance of Power
Rimmer chuckled to himself secretly - so far so good! It wasn't even that difficult, he just had to do what came naturally.
It was a fine line between irritating Lister enough to keep him on his toes and being such a tyrant that he drove Lister away. After all, the goal was to make proving Rimmer wrong Lister's raison d'etre, not to make him suicidal. So Rimmer was glad that Lister seemed to be trying to improve himself - as long as he didn't do too well of course.
Waiting for God
In the dark they could talk. Almost like they were normal room-mates, sharing stories at the end of a long day at work. During the day the bickering went on and the more tired they were, the more childish the name calling. Rimmer reacted to the news that Lister was the Cat God by muttering variations of Cloister the Stupid that got more and more insulting.
Lister started to look forward to bedtime.
Confidence and Paranoia
"You should have seen his face! What idiot doesn't realise space will kill you?!" said Lister.
"Well he was part of you!" snorted Rimmer. Lister hesitated, then decided it was funny and dissolved into giggles when Rimmer did an impression of his head blowing up.
"And what about the 'indling' song?" Rimmer was giggling too.
"Hey! Don't insult my music!" but he was still laughing.
He reached out to clap a friendly hand on Rimmer's shoulder, forgetting that he couldn't touch his bunkmate. They both looked at the point where Lister's hand passed through Rimmer, then collapsed into more giggles.
Me2
Even Rimmer had to admit he'd taken 'annoy Lister to keep him sane' too far this time. That other version of him had been a complete and total smeghead! Thank goodness Lister had been there to turn off that megalomaniac. Rimmer smiled to himself, happy to still be around but even happier at the thought that Lister had chosen him.