Fic: Who? - R/L (imp) - PG

[kahvi]

Title: Who?
Pairing: Rimmer/Lister (implied)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Still don't own Red Dwarf. Still don't make money from it.
Spoilers: Stoke Me A Clipper
Notes: roadstergal wanted to know what Lister was thinking when he fought against Rimmer in SMAC. I wrote it to fit in with her If, which I hope she doesn't mind. Written as part of the fanfic100 challenge - my

Comments

[eviltigerlily]

Guh....SMAC is like a black hole of angst.
I really like the idea of Lister looking out for Rimmer becuase someone has to, it feels so just right.

I know you. I know ya too damn well

Ah, but not that well. Way I see it is Lister may be able to anticipate Rimmers actions very well but he can't (or won't) always see the reason behind them. Shame.

Ace could come in here naked, armed with just a toothpick and a smile, and have me disarmed and helpless on the floor within seconds

Could you elaborate a bit on that image?

It's the last line that kills me in the fic (and roadstergal's fic too), because of the idea that he might die alone. After everything they've been through. That's just too horrible. In fact given the fact they went into stasis in the end of VII to find the nanobots makes him still being alive very unlikely (yeah, I know, in the show you can DJ pretty independantly of time, but as the actual theory states that's imossible and there isn't a satisfactory explanation in the show....sorry science ramble...). That always made me sad.

[roadstergal]

as the actual theory states that's imossible and there isn't a satisfactory explanation in the show

Well, scientifically, dimension-crossing would violate conservation of matter/energy. ;) I posted a link to All The Myriad Ways a few weeks back, for a real mindfeck view of alternate dimensions. But Backwards (book) does go more into the theory of Red Dwarf dimension-jumping, and it allows for time travel relative to a destination dimension when jumping.

Even if there's a huge time gap that Rimmer has to live through - well, Rimmerworld suggests he's immortal until killed, so Lister might, someday, meet an older and - maybe, possibly, potentially - wiser Rimmer. ;)

[eviltigerlily]

Yeah, Rimmer is imortal until killed, but the Ace from SMAC was a hard ligt hologram too, and he got killed. I don't think Aces live very long. Sorry, just me spreading my innate pessimism around. It really got me down before. I do feel better about it since your "Breaking the Chain" fic

[kahvi]

Yeah. I asked, and that's what he told me, so to speak.

Lister may be able to anticipate Rimmers actions very well but he can't (or won't) always see the reason behind them.
Yup, that's it, that's it exactly.

Oh, and I think someone already elaborated on that image (though I've yet to read it. ;)

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for feeding back!

[day221b]

Brutally honest, but your fic hit home on so many levels. I love the fact that Lister admits to looking out for Rimmer because somebody has to. You see this in the series alot.

Oh and that last line is killer. An echo of roadstergal's fic that connects the two pieces beautifully. Wonderful!

[kahvi]

I loved her last line, and when it seemed to fit, I ruthlessly thieved it! For I am evil. ;)

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for feeding back! :D

[roadstergal]

You did - the thing! With the guys! On the spaceship! In the future! With... ahem.

Marvelous. That first line is just perfect. And yes, it so well captures that feeling that permeates the series, that Lister feels like it's his duty, somehow, to care about Rimmer. He always seemed so... frustrated when Rimmer did something Rimmerish. And then, at the point when Rimmer has developed to a point where it's not really a duty anymore - gah. SMACgah.

Yeah, if I'd let ya, you'd do what you always do; let opportunity slip away, then complain about it for the rest of yer miserable life.

Meta-gah.

Ace can pull that look off. Ace could come in here naked, armed with just a toothpick and a smile, and have me disarmed and helpless on the floor within seconds.

Oh, can I use this image?

'oh, Dave is gonna throw a heapin' big sword around with Rimmer,'

Mmmph.

that's why I don't stab this thing into yer side, pinning yer clothes to the floor, the edge of the blade just about ripping the outer layer of whatever passes for skin on yer

[kahvi]

Yes I did - how could I not? :D

Lister wants to do The Right Thing. He wants everyone to be happy, and gets frustrated when that just doesn't happen. Ah, but he means well...

I'm glad you used that image. I might play with it myself, later. Erm, that sounded dirty, probably. Good.

And yeah, there's a big pile of mmmphf in there. Just for you! (And everyone else, but especially you. ;) )

Ah, the poor, stupid, silly boys!

[zekkass]

Awww. Damn, but SMAC is an angst-fest. Great companion piece. *sniff*

[kahvi]

Glad you enjoyed it; thanks for feeding back!

[willdew]

I'm yer best friend, and I don't even like ya. How sad is that? That's no life fer a man, is it?

I liked how we get to see Lister's POV during this episode, and how his morals shine through. He is so concerned about doing what is right, what has to be done, according to his own personal sense of... liberal humanism? I get the sense he's convincing himself that it's his duty to make Rimmer's mind up for him, too.

[kahvi]

Yes, absolutely! But I think he regrets this later, and even in this story, the doubts are playing on the edge of his awareness.

Thanks for the feedback!