Two Ficlets and a Drabble
still_grrr was having a "crossover romance" challenge last week. I knew perfectly well that I'd never be able to do that. Then I somehow ended up with three of them...
The tv shows I used were Red Dwarf, Tru Calling, and The Muppet Show.
Manufacture
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“I think he’s gone senile.”
Lister looked up from his comic book. “Don’t be stupid, Rimmer. Robots don’t go senile - they’re built to last.”
“Yes, and ours has outlasted his warranty by several centuries. We might as well face it - he’s been operating too long, and now he’s going insane.”
“He’s not insane.”
“Oh yes? He goes asteroid spotting and suddenly decides to make himself a girlfriend? What would you call it?”
“He’s not making a girlfriend. He’s - he’s repairing a girlfriend. Totally different.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. He’s repairing a girlfriend. Out of a bunch of parts that could have come from anywhere. And even though every person we’ve met so far has wanted us dead, I’m sure this girlfriend will be perfectly harmless and friendly. You’re right, Lister. I was worried over nothing.”
Lister grinned, and stayed silent.
“What is he going to do with her, anyway? Nightly trips down to the cargo hold to do laundry? Fun times.”
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Perfect. That’s what she was. Just perfect.
Sure - she had no arms, and her circuitry was fried, but she had the cutest smile he’d ever seen. The moment he’d laid eyes on her, lying under a tractor in the asteroid’s junkyard, he’d known that she was everything he wanted.
Yes. Perfect. And as soon as he’d finished reattaching her legs, she’d be even more perfect.
0001-01101110-1001alwa-ysdarkes-tbeforet-hedawn00-01011011-101001al-waysdark-estbefor-ethedawn-00010110-11101001-alwaysda-rkestbef-oretheda-wn000101-10111010-01always-darkestb-eforethe-dawn0001-01101110-1001alwa-ysdarkes-tbeforet-hedawn00-ERROR-nosuch-RECALIBRATING…….---Warren will be coming back for me soon.
Morgue
For a moment there, she’d almost been happy.
Forget the overall oddness of her life, she’d finally found a guy - a great guy, who could put up with her weird excuses. A guy who interned in a mental hospital - and thought morgue work was pretty mundane. A guy who understood her. And even with the screw-up family and the nine day weeks, she knew it would all be fine. Not just fine. Perfect. And she was finally letting her guard down, and then-
“Tru?”
“No.”
“No, what?”
“I’m not leaving him. Not until he asks.”
A pause.
“Okay.”
Davis left, shutting the door quietly behind him. And she sat on her stool, and watched the body. Patiently.
“Tru?”
Davis again.
“What?”
“I brought you some food.”
“Thank you.”
“And there’s a pillow and a blanket set up on the couch in my office, so you can-”
“No.”
“Tru, it’s been fifteen hours.”
“I’m not going to sleep - not until he asks for help.”
Davis sighed, and she could practically feel him switching gears from Supportive Friend to Tactful Mentor.
“Tru, sometimes people die, and you can’t save them.”
“Yes I can.”
“Tru-”
“No, Davis! I’m not going to lose another one! It’s this stupid job, it takes every guy I- Luc, Jensen, Nick, even Jack - twisted as that relationship was - but the job took him, in the end. It kills everyone - every guy I ever date - well, Holden isn’t going to be the next victim!”
“Tru, this wasn’t your fault.”
“Wasn’t it? If I hadn’t asked him to help out- I didn’t even think about the danger. I was too busy helping the next dead stranger to- And next thing I know someone stabs him through the neck and dumps him in a parking lot! Well, dammit, it’s not going to end like this! Not this time!”
Davis was patting her back and shushing her gently, and she realised that sometime during her tirade she’d collapsed into his arms.
He held her until her sobs settled into sniffing, and softly asked, “are you tired?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, you can use the couch in my office. I’ll just go and set it up some more, and you can say goodbye. Okay?”
“Okay. Davis?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
She smiled down into Holden’s face for one long moment, then she kissed his cheek, whispered “goodbye,” and walked away.
As she reached the door, she heard a voice behind her, and she turned to see Holden - eyes open - calling her name.
And for a moment, she was happy.
Then she realised the day wasn’t rewinding - just as his face started to change.
Pigs and Pyleans
“Cupcake, you look beautiful! You're gonna knock em dead tonight.”
She turned, and blushed.
“Oh Lorney, you really think I look beautiful? Moi?”
“Delectable, sweetums.”
“Well, wish me luck!”
They kissed, and she swept out onto stage. And Lorne watched from the wings, smitten with his Piggy.
Always look on the bright side, that was the philosophy.
And ever since the Smiletimers had got their revenge, Lorne had been looking for as much bright side as he could find.
Sure, he might have turned permanently into a puppet, but at last he'd found a lady who liked her men green.