Author's note: Sorry about the extremely depressing last chapter! Things get much better in a couple of areas here…honest!
"This is crazy!" Nicole cried after Rimmer, "She wouldn't turn herself off, would she?"
"You heard what she said," he replied, not slowing his pace, "It'll be Queeg all over again."
"Who the hell is Queeg?" Nicole and Ginny yelled at the same time.
"There's no time to explain. We have to stop her!"
He rounded a corner with Nicole and Ginny just about in tow, although it was hard for them to keep up with the cumbersome wheelchair. He slammed his hand onto the light-sensitive panel which opened the door to the science room and tapped on a keyboard. Jesse's miserable face appeared on the screen.
"Oh, what do you want?"
"I think the real question," Rimmer retaliated, "is what do you want."
"What are you rambling on about now?"
"Holly," Rimmer said bluntly.
Jesse sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Rimmer was right. He loved Holly and pretty much always had. Children just seemed a bit…sudden. He hadn't at all meant to snap at her the way he did. In fact, since being given time to think about it, a child of their own seemed almost…nice. Like he wanted it.
"It's just..." Jesse said, "It's just not the…not the right time."
Nicole shook her head sadly. She remembered her own pregnancy, and how Holly had so badly wanted a family. Then they had found Jesse and it seemed her dream would become reality. Now she didn't so much want a family, as she did need a family - after all, her life now depended on it.
"Come on, Jess," Ginny piped up, "I've never seen you happier than since you've been with Holly," Jesse smiled a little, "and I've never seen you more depressed than since you argued with her."
Jesse could only nod.
"Do you want children with her?" Nicole asked gently.
"Yes, he does," Rimmer said suddenly.
"What?" came three voices at once.
"I've seen your memory file, Jess. I hacked into it. All your plainest and most honest emotions shown right there on that screen," he indicated the panel next to him, "Let's face it: there has never been a better time for children than right now."
Jesse sighed again, but this time it was more jubilated, "You're right," he announced, "You're so right."
"I am?" Rimmer said, shocked, "er, I mean, I am!" he checked himself.
"Yeah, I'm gonna go talk to her."
And he disappeared from the screen.
"You didn't hack into his memory file," Nicole said to Rimmer once he'd gone, "You don't know how."
"Yes," Rimmer replied, "but he doesn't know that, does he?"
"Not the most original plan in the world," Nicole laughed, "but it worked!"
"One question," Ginny raised a hand, "Who here knows how to create computer children?"
They all looked at each other.
Ah. That was a good point.
But Rimmer's suggestion seemed plausible: "Maybe Kryten knows how?"
"Sir, please, you're just suspending an unavoidable act of fate," Kryten reasoned as he chased Lister round the table. He had stolen the chip Kryten needed to logon to his personal user identity and terminate his self.
"You're just making it harder for yourself when I finally do switch myself off!"
"You're not going to turn yourself off! I'm gonna make sure of that!"
"Sir…"
"No, Kryten! You're not going to do it! I won't let you and, frankly, I don't think you have the nerve. It's a stupid decision."
"Sir, it's not my decision! I'm not of any use to anyone, so I must terminate myself!"
"But Kryters, you are needed! I need ya to keep me sane!"
"I thought that was Mister Rimmer's job."
"Not since he found Nikki. And Kris needs ya to help with takin' care of the kids! And…" his voice went dramatically quiet, "Vitani. She needs ya."
"No she doesn't!" Kryten yelled, "As long as she's taken you all away from me, she'll never need another mechanoid."
"What?" Lister leaned on the table. Finally, he was getting somewhere, "Taken us away from you?"
"Well…she has."
Lister shook his head, "Kryten, man. You have nothing to worry about. You will always have a place on this ship."
Kryten looked away sheepishly.
"Even if you do deny that you're in love with Vitani."
Kryten span back round.
"OK, OK!" Lister said resignedly, "But you are needed. And wanted. Please stay."
"So he's not going to turn himself off?" Kris asked, hopefully. The humans and humanoids had gathered for a meal to celebrate, among other things, Ginny and Cat;s upcoming wedding. Apart from Cat. Despite Ginny being there, he still couldn't stand a social gathering.
"No, he's not. I talked him round," Lister replied, cradling Bexley in his arms.
"And Holly's staying, too," Ginny said whilst sewing on the finishing touches on her wedding dress, "And I'm getting married in two days!" she put her hand to her forehand like an old luvvie actor, "What more good fortune could befall this ship?"
"Guys," Holly said from nowhere, "We'd like you to meet someone…"
The face of a brown-haired young girl dissolved onto the screen and she smiled, "Hi," she had a distinctive husky voice, like Jesse's, with an unmistakable half-cockney accent, like Holly's, "I'm Kemble."