Hey guys, I know it's been a while. I was in a pretty bad car accident so fic-writing took a backseat to real life. I'm doing better now, so that means more story for you guys. Enjoy!


Chapter 9: Freedumb

Nic lay in her bunk, her eyes glazing over as she watched a mind-numbingly awful episode of Androids. Kryten had given her a vid of the complete ninth series to pass the time; Nic wondered if he knew, like everyone else, that the show had hit its peak in season five and had been practically unwatchable after season seven. Still, it was better than the other offerings the mechanoid had brought in: an instructional guide to trellis gardening and a sappy romance movie that she'd turned off after fifteen minutes.

The door to her room whooshed open, revealing Kryten, who carried a breakfast tray. The scent of waffles covered in fresh butter and maple syrup wafted across the room. Nic felt her mouth water; she wasn't aware that mouths actually did that, only that the phrase was used in ads for products that were invariably disgusting. She managed to restrain herself from bolting across the room to devour her breakfast, consciously taking a slow walk from the bunk to the table. Sitting down calmly, she cut off a small piece of waffle, dipping it in syrup, then chewed it slowly.

"This is really good," she murmured between bites. "Thanks."

"Are you feeling any better today, ma'am? Any nausea, headaches, disorientation?" Kryten asked.

"I'm good. Just a little tired. And, uh, I had some interaction with the crew." Nic attempted to sound cheerful about her encounter but her voice came out flat and annoyed.

"I take it from your tone that you're in sarcasm mode. What happened?"

Nic decided to drop all pretense of not being irritated. "Your buddies decided to take advantage of that nice big window and try to watch me getting changed." She looked up at Kryten uncertainly. "Please tell me they're not always like this," she pleaded.

"Oh dear. Who was it?" Kryten fussed.

"All of them. Minus you, obviously. Look, I know I've got pretty low standards for accommodations since I spent the last two months of my life being beaten by deranged killing machines, but I'd rather not have my life turned into a peep show. If that's too much to ask, I'll take my chances in stasis."

"I'll notify them immediately. I haven't used disciplinarian mode in a while, but I'll be sure to tell them that they did a very naughty thing and not to do it again!" He wagged his finger at her, practicing for his lecture.

"Don't make a huge deal of it. I still have to live with them for... a while." She paused for a few moments. "Oh God. I'm stuck here for the rest of my life, aren't I?"

"Don't talk like that. We're trying to get back to Earth."

Nic scoffed. "If it still exists."

"It's better than drifting aimlessly in space," Kryten reasoned.

"What do you do here? Hopefully something more interesting than having a beer and a curry and staring at the wall."

The mechanoid gave her an contrite look. Nic groaned. "Ma'am, I apologize. The crew is, well, um..."

"A bunch of space bums and idiots?"

Kryten paused for a few moments. "In a word, yes."

Nic sighed. "And I'm stuck here. Suddenly torture seems appealing."

"Ma'am, they're not all that bad. It's just been a while since they've had contact with a female that wasn't a pleasure GELF."

"I bet that one went well," she said, frowning. "I can tell this is going to be a ton of fun."

---------------

Nic had spent most of the next day sleeping, waking up only to stare blearily at the vid of interminable Androids episodes or eat the meals that Kryten brought her. If the crew watched her, she neither noticed nor cared since she wasn't doing anything even remotely salacious. Even though the mattress of the quarantine bunk was thin, it was infinitely more comfortable than the cold floor of her prison cell. Her blanket, though somewhat scratchy, kept her frail body warm. Each time she woke, Nic felt a little bit better, a little less weak. Her shoulder still ached, but she figured it would be a few days or weeks until the pain fully subsided. It was a minor inconvenience; she was free of the simulants - no more torture. Her lips curled up in a contented feline smile as she slept. Compared to the Lynx, at least, life was good.

Once more, Kryten entered the quarantine room, greeting Nic warmly. She poked her head out from the bunk, her hair tangled and mussed from sleep. She squinted, trying to focus her gaze, and could make out that the mechanoid wasn't carrying a tray. Her stomach growled, as if responding to the disappointment.

"What's going on?" Nic murmured. She was exhausted from having slept so long. Her vision was blurry; her words came out thick and slurred. "What time is it?"

"I just wanted to notify you that your quarters are ready. It's half past ten in the morning," the droid replied. He stood at the entrance to the room, seemingly impatient to leave.

It took a few moments for Nic's sleep-addled mind to process Kryten's statement, and a few more to come up with a reply. "Breakfast?"

"It's all in your new room, if you'll just follow me." Wordlessly, she dragged herself out of the bunk, her joints popping as she stood. She let out a low, throaty groan and rubbed her eyes, then followed Kryten toward her quarters.

"So where's everyone else?" Nic asked, yawning. "I thought I'd get a hero's welcome." She snorted.

"Mister Rimmer is taking his morning jog. Mister Lister and the Cat are both asleep. They're not early risers."

"Any plans for today?"

"Well, I'll be scrubbing Mister Lister's long johns, then perhaps a quick break to mop and scrub the sleeping quarters, then maybe getting a start on getting the curry stains out of his t-shirts," Kryten replied.

"Fascinating," Nic grumbled. "And the others? I guess there's not going to be a poetry recital or a debate on the nature of the universe."

"Are you interested in poetry and the nature of the universe, ma'am?"

"No, but I prefer it to slobbing around all day. I can only take about six hours of laziness before it gets boring." She smirked at Kryten, whose face remained impassive. The mechanoid did not seem to catch her attempt at a joke.

"I'm sure you can find something to occupy your time. Red Dwarf is the size of a small city, after all."

"Yeah, maybe I'll go exploring."