Smoke me a kipper! I'll be back for breakfast.

[2ndtechnician]

When he’d woken up this morning Ace had determined that a sweep of the island was in order. It wasn’t that he thought the inhabitants of this tropical paradise were any immediate danger; it was just that Ace had always been a firm believer in ‘Better Safe Than Sorry.’ He knew the ITF could more than handle any emergency that arose, but an extra

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[atlantismother]

Apparently the island had turned upside down in many unpleasant ways. While she herself had been spared the immediate affects, a good portion of New Atlantis had not, and it was bordering on distressing that they were given three days in which to cause trouble for themselves.

She could do nothing but advise, and she briefly regretted her inability to simply quarantine the affected persons to spare them danger from themselves or other similarly affected people.

As it was, she merely hoped that this last day would go without incident, and that this truly would be the last day, as pattern and lore held. She was on her way back to New Atlantis from the Compound when she came across an unfamiliar man. It was impossible to say from a glance whether he were normally the way he currently was or not, but he was odd enough all the same to bring her walk to a halt.

"Quite the day, isn't it?"

[2ndtechnician]

"It is indeed!" Ace replied jovially. "The island has been in quite an uproar these past few days. It's like that old chinese curse, 'May you live in interesting times.' Still, it's good to shake things up occasionally, right?" He extended his hand with a friendly smile. "My name's Rimmer. Arnold Rimmer. Friends call me 'Ace.' What's your handle miss?"

[atlantismother]

She gave a slim smile, and took the offered hand with a nod. "Doctor Elizabeth Weir. Elizabeth is fine." It seemed she'd been constantly living in interesting times for almost a decade now, but she couldn't complain. She'd gotten quite accustomed to them.

"Have you lived here long?"

[2ndtechnician]

"Delighted to meet you Elizabeth," he said with a charming smile. "I've been here just over a month, but if I'd known the doctors on this island were as attractive as you I would have gotten here sooner." Ace released her hand, his smile firmly in place. "Listen, I was just heading up to the compound for a bite to eat. I'd be greatful for some company. Care to join me?"

[no_curry]

Despite the strange disruptions rippling through the island, Lister's past two days had been mostly uneventful. His old self would have wanted to throw himself into a few of the louder celebrations he'd come across, but none of those things interested him now. He did appreciate that there were people on the island, but it was secondary to his lifestyle. He interacted with the people of the island, cared for them, and if it came to it, he would fight for them. But just in the immediate future, his devotion needed to be entirely to reforming--and to sticking to that reform

[2ndtechnician]

"Morning Davey-Boy!" he replied enthusiastically. "Got it in one! No immediate danger, but it never hurts to double-check. Never know when some blighter might take a mental turn for the worse and decide to try and ruin things for everyone else."

"How about you? Looks like you're out for a run, unless I'm very much mistaken. Great way to keep in shape! Carolyn and I go running several times a week. Does wonders for us. That little lady really puts me though my paces, let me tell you!"

[no_curry]

Yes, there was definitely something strange going around the island, it was possible it could cause violence--he'd certainly seen his share of unfriendly characters stalking around the island recently.

"A lady friend?" He offered a gamely grin. "I'm concerned for her virtue already, Ace."

[2ndtechnician]

Ace laughed and clapped a hand on Dave's shoulder. "You know me too well old chum. However, I assure you that she was quite willing. It wasn't meant to be though," he said a little sadly. "She realized afterward that her heart belonged to another, as did I."

Letting his hand drop, Ace continued. "I thought I loved her, but really I was just missing Commander Crane. Did I ever tell you about her?"

[followmycords]

Kristine's encounter with Dave - with Lister - had left her deeply shaken. It would be disrespectful to her Dave, almost, if she accepted the change too easily, but she couldn't deny that there had been a change. Quite a sizable one. She was fairly certain he wasn't even collecting his belly button lint any more. But she just didn't know what she was supposed to do about it.

She thought about it on a walk around the island. She wasn't really sure where she was going, but it wasn't a big island, so she was bound to end up where she started eventually, as long as she didn't run into any dinosaurs.

What she ran into was worse: Arnold Rimmer. He looked different, though. The hair, the walk, the confident smile...Rimmer was arrogant, which was slightly different from confident. This man looked more self-assured than a block of concrete.

"Er...Rimmer?" she called to him, despite her better judgment, and frowned deeply. What was going on here?

[2ndtechnician]

"Miss Kochanski ma'am," He replied in a respectful tone. He threw her a crisp military salute. "Nice to see you again. Settling in okay?"

"I was just taking a quick reccy of the island," he continued. "Doubt there's any real danger, but you can never be too careful."

[followmycords]

Kristine stared. This was just proof on the pudding that this place was insane.

"Reccy?" she repeated faintly. "Danger? You're...looking for danger?" Wasn't that sort of like a mouse looking for a hungry cat? Or oil looking for water. Something similar, anyway.

[2ndtechnician]

"In my experience danger will find you whether you're looking for it or not. Best take the initiative then and go looking for it first. Can't sneak up on you that way."

"Would you care to join me ma'am? An officer with your skills and insight would be a great asset."

[wizard_errant]

Everyone's acting weird.

Now, the last time this happened, Dairine herself acted weird, in some cases in ways that will never be repeated or told to another living soul (especially since the other people involved have, for the most part, long since disappeared. And those that hadn't aren't going to tell anybody either). So logic dictates that this time around, she should just avoid everyone and go be a hermit with Spot for a few days till it all goes away.

This is, of course, easier sai than done, and after the fastest breakfast in the history of Dairine's life, she's making her escape away from the compound and hoping not to bump into anyone she knows.

Which almost--almost--works.

[2ndtechnician]

On his way out of the Compound to start his patrol, Ace spotted a familiar-looking redhead. He recognized her as the young woman who had greeted him when he'd first arrived on the island. He felt guilty about the way he had treated her, considering that she had been kind enough to explain everything to him and had even give him a ride to the compound on that fantastic motorcycle of hers. He felt he should make amends, so he made his way over to her.

"Good morning young lady!" Ace said cheerfully. "It's Miss Dairine Callahan, isn't it?" He flashed her a bright smile and tossed his freshly styled hair out of his eyes. "Pleasure to see you again."

[wizard_errant]

"Um," says Dairine, because she had nearly not recognised him at first. "Yeah, that's right. Ace Rimmer?"

[2ndtechnician]

"That's right," he said sounding a little surprised. He quickly recovered though. "Listen, about the last time we met. Sorry for being such a bore. I know I'd only just arrived and was feeling rather embarrassingly cowardly at the time, but that still doesn't excuse my bad manners. Think you could find it in your heart to forgive an understandable distraught space traveller and start again?"