The Last Woman

Fresh Start

Zora got changed into some cleaner clothes which consisted of a black shirt, grey cargo trousers and her combat boots which seemed to be the only footwear she wore despite owning other shoes.

She released her hair from its tight slick ponytail and allowed it to fall down far past her shoulders she brushed a few strands out of her freckled face smiling a little at her reflection in a sparkling clean mirror.

Trying to find her way to the bar had been the hardest. Red Dwarf was a massive ship far bigger than the Solaris tenfold. She thought about all the places she had to explore and all the things she could do with more advanced equipment on this ship that hadn't even been commissioned when her own ship went out into the vastness of space. In the end, Holly had been the one to help Zora in giving her various directions to the bar which she barely managed to remember.

"Ah there you are thought you'd ditched us for a second," Lister cheered upon spotting the brunette.

"After all that's happened I can think of nothing better to do than get drunk," Zora smirked.

"Fair enough," Lister replied handing her a beer.

Lister, Zora and Cat were several drinks in and dancing around whilst Rimmer rolled his eyes saying they should be doing something more productive at 5:00 on a Thursday.

"Oh lighten up Rimmer we've got lots of time to do productive things," Zora shouted over the music her face slightly flush from alcohol though she was far from drunk.

"I wouldn't argue with him he's a complete smeghead who's idea of fun I rearranging some weird collection into alphabetical order," Lister pointed out.

"I know how to have fun," Rimmer defended crossing his arms and glaring at Listed.

"Then have a drink. Holly can give you one, right?"

"I just don't feel like getting drunk on a Thursday night like any respectable higher up," He said looking down at Zora.

"Oh really, what rank are you then?"

"Second technician,"

"See this is one of the times I wish I was a higher rank than him because then I could order him to have a drink," Lister complained.

A sly grin fell over the woman's face and a similar expression came across the scouser's face.

"Zora, what rank are you?"

"Well, I happened to be Captain of the Solaris so Arnold J Rimmer, I order you to have a drink," She grinned. As hard as Rimmer tried to scowl at the woman, as he did with Lister on so many occasions, he couldn't, the genuine cheeky smile spread wide across her pretty face was just too much for him.

"Fine. Holly a whiskey,"

"How would you like it?"

"Straight."

Zora was surprised with the response she didn't put him as a straight whiskey type.

"With ice and lemonade, a cherry and a slice of lemon."

Zora burst into a small fit of giggles. She had thought too soon.

Many more drinks and laughs were shared even with Kryten when he came down from having a rather enjoyable time doing some laundry.

"Oh come tell us one thing you did as a kid everyone did at least one stupid thing when they grew up," Lister pushed.

"Even I did," Rimmer added.

"No offence but that doesn't exactly come as a surprise." Zora laughed before taking a rather long drink from her beer whilst she thought about what story to tell. She came to her decision and set her large mug down on the table.