Someone to watch over me | A Red Dwarf story

Chapter 2: Go Fish

Each man spoke with severe panic outlining the sharp edges of their words, talking over one another as their words blended and welded together, making the chorus of unfamiliar sounds almost completely disclosed by outside ears. Among all of his colleagues frantic chatter, the Warden sat with steely resolve, his jaw set, shoulders tense, and his eyes fixed towards the wall across. Meson was stood obediently at his side, making themself as small as they possibly could which they were finding it exceedingly difficult to do when they were the only one in that small, grey room actually standing. They had left their guests, including the hologram, to their own devices only a few moments prior, requesting that they take a break in officer's quarters to rest as they must have been exhausted after their trip to the T Tauri Star.

After Meson was handed over to the Warden from their previous master over 15 years ago, Meson had found themself absolutely and completely enraptured by the man, he was their reason for living and serving him was their purpose. The second he called, Meson would come running, they would abandon anything, and anyone if it meant being by his side, they were utterly and irretrievably besotted with him, more than he would ever know. As far as Meson was concerned, The Warden was the kindest, most compassionate man in the whole universe, the absolute pinnacle of human perfection.

So it came as quite a nasty shock, when 107 days ago, their supposed perfect master did one of the most horrid things they had ever seen anyone do, human or likewise. They had introduced prisoner 42,518 to the T Tauri Star. Or as she so desperately insisted on the day, despite The Warden arguing against it. Prisoner 'Julia Amaris'. They had watched in horror as The Warden snatched the girl away from her ship, screaming through heavy tears for her father to help her but no one came. Ever since that day, Meson's view of their master had completely shifted, their entire perception of him had been altered and there was a feeling that they couldn't shake that they needed to run, far far away, that they were unsafe on this ship, unsafe with him, but they couldn't. Even if they wanted to, Meson couldn't run, they knew that, The Warden was their whole world, to leave him would be unthinkable, They knew that they were going to have to stay with him against their better judgment, surely he'd never hurt them. Would he?

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"Go fish" Lister said as he placed a card on the small table, Kryten sat opposite him holding 5 cards in his hands and marvelling at the simplicity of the game that Lister had so eagerly suggested that play. The Cat groaned painfully from the other side of the room, he was seated on a rather comfortable looking chair in the far corner with his head pressed against the wall, "Listen buddy, you better stop mentioning fish or I swear I'm gonna go nuts" he paused for a moment before giving Lister another threatening look "and believe me bud, neither of us wanna see that" Lister rolled his eyes at Cat before looking back at his deck of cards and continuing the game.

"Cat do us all a favour, and shut up" Rimmer muttered with his forehead against another table seated a few meters away from Lister's, "hey here's an idea goalpost head, how about you follow your own advice once and while? I think we could all stand to hear a little less of you" Rimmer lifted his head slightly, and scowled across the room at cat, who decided in turn to scowl back, unfortunately for the both of them, Lister chimed from his seat "how about both of you shut up, we're trying to play-" "don't you say it bud" Lister's voice dropped and he stared at the cat "go fish" the cat groaned painfully again and pouted, a stupid, pathetic kind of face which was intended to make Lister feel guilty, but really only made him more amused, even making him chuckle slightly.

Rimmer turned his gaze ever so slightly in Lister's direction at the sound of his laugh, something about it just stuck with Rimmer in the the most amazing, most enchanting way, just the sound of it was enough to turn Rimmer's day from bottom-of-the-barrel-downright-smegpot-lousy to felling-high-as-a-kite-Smeging fantastic. He let his eyes linger on Lister's face for a moment, noticing every little detail of his face, the way his eyes scanned over the cards, and the way his lips parted ever so slightly when he was focused, subtle yes, but it was there, and Rimmer noticed. Every single time.