Disclaimer: I still don't own Red Dwarf or any of its characters.
Chapter Nineteen
Rimmer was upset that he couldn't pace. Of all the places to be at a time like this, he had to be stuck on a rather crowded lift, a place that was quite un-paceable. "What do you mean they've got A.J.?"
"A.J.?" Nirvana whispered to Lister, who leaned over and filled her in.
"He wanted to help you out, Ace, so he tricked me into bringing him here. Along the way we kinda...sorta...got captured." Diane could sense the glare on his face. "I couldn't help it, they snuck up from behind, and since SOMEONE neglected to fix the aft sensors when he had a chance--"
"Never mind that now. Where exactly is A.J. at the moment?"
"They've taken him prisoner. I don't think they're very interested in him, although knowing their fascination with torture, I don't think he'll be fine for long. What they really want is the Wildfire drive. You've got to get over here NOW."
"Yes, well we're having a little difficulty right now. The ship's generator is out of control and we can't reach Starbug."
"Arnie, I've got an idea," said Nirvana from behind him.
"Who was that?" demanded Diane.
"Not now, Diane. " He turned around. "What's your idea?"
"Give me your light bee."
"Why?"
"I'm going to configure it so that it will be controlled by the ship's frequency. That way you can run through the corridor as your image automatically switches with the ship."
"But the other crew members were tuned in, ma'am, and look what happened to them," said Kryten.
"Yes but that's only because they were caught unawares. When we get cleared--"
"Wait a minute," said Rimmer. "We?"
"I'm coming with you."
"No you're not."
"Yes I am. Once we're on the other side we can try and set up a temporary field on the corridor that would allow the others to cross. I know a lot more about how the frequencies work than you do."
"No, there has to be some other way."
Kryten shook his head. "I'm afraid not, sir. At the moment Ms. Crane's suggestion seems to be the only viable option."
The lift jolted suddenly, sending a clear reminder that they didn't have all the time in the world. Rimmer thought for a moment, then nodded. "All right, let's go. After I switch to soft-light, take my light bee and make the necessary adjustments." A moment later, Nirvana reached in and gently removed the light bee, as his image faded away. She opened it up and started to work.
Kochanski didn't like the look of the corridor. It seemed to be getting worse, and she wasn't sure how much time they had left before the lift started to get affected. She looked to Lister; his face showed that he was worried about the same thing.
The ship began to vibrate harder and the fluctuations increased. The worry factor also continued to climb.
"Nirvana, we really need to hurry here."
She snapped the light bee shut. "There, all done." She threw it back in the air and Rimmer's image blinked back on. They paused for a moment, then jumped into the corridor. Satisfied that the floor was indeed beneath them, they sprinted across the deck and opened the door to Starbug's dock.
"Get in there and start up Starbug," Nirvana ordered. "I'll stabilize the corridor."
"But--"
"No time to argue, just go." He turned and ran off. Nirvana turned her attention to the panel behind her.
Still inside the lift, Kryten, Lister, Cat, and Kochanski huddled together as the terrible buzzing noise they had heard before filled their ears.
"It's too late," said Lister quietly.
"You just HAD to say that out loud, didn't you?" whined Cat.
The buzzing noise was gone again. Lister tried to prepare himself for another fall, knowing that this time there truly was no hope of rescue. He found himself squeezing Kochanski in his arms. She put up no resistance.
"Come on!" they heard from far off. They looked up and saw Nirvana beckoning them. Cat took off without stopping to think about whether or not the deck was actually stable or not. Seeing him pass unharmed was enough for the rest of them, and they rejoined him and Nirvana soon after. They looked back and watched as the lift began to vibrate with the rest of the ship, fluctuating at random. They legged it back to Starbug, and soon they were free of the ship. Starbug weaved its way through escape pods from the Enlightenment.
"Could someone please tell me what's going on?" asked Cat once they were clear.
Kochanski looked over Rimmer's shoulders at the scans, and frowned along with him. "Oh dear," she said.
Kryten punched some buttons. "Putting it up on visual."
The Enlightenment came into view, and the strange green mist they had glimpsed before now formed a disturbing-yet somewhat familiar--image.
"A swirly thing," said Rimmer. "How unique."
"What is that thing?" asked Lister.
Kryten looked at the readouts. "Extraordinary. It appears that the Timlars are bombarding the ship with a high-energy wave tuned into the specific frequency that can disrupt the hologram generator onboard."
"So what? That's what they did before, and you managed to stabilize it."
"Yes, but this time the wave is much more intense, sir, and it's managed to focus the frequency so precisely that its echoing *with* the ship, not just through it. In effect, it's turned the Enlightenment into a giant tuning fork."
"So why the swirly thing?" asked Cat.
"The frequency is so powerful that it's tearing a hole in the fabric of space."
"Oh, is that all? For a moment I thought it was something serious."
Lister shook his head. "I still don't understand how they're doing this," he confessed.
"Well neither do I sir, but it's happening. The longer the frequency is left on, the larger and more dangerous the rift will become."
"Which means we have no time to spare," said Rimmer. "Hold on Diane, we're on our way."
"Yes you certainly are," came a voice from behind them. They all whirled around to see whom the voice belonged to. Jason stood in the doorway of the cockpit, holding a rather dangerous-looking gun in his hand and a deeply satisfied smirk on his face.
"Jason?!" Nirvana gasped. "What are you doing?"
"I'm doing my duty, commander, unlike some other people I know. I'm turning interlopers over to the authorities."
"What are you talking about? What interlopers?"
He sneered, seeming to take on the appearance of a snake right before their eyes. "I mean you, of course. The whole lot of you."
"WHAT?" they all yelled.
"Coming onboard and disrupting the peace. It all started with you--" he pointed an accusing finger at Rimmer. "You changed Commander Crane from a responsible and brilliant woman to a foolish, emotionally unstable dimwit. I don't want it to spread to the rest of the ship. Therefore I'm taking all of you to the Timlars, where they'll dispose of you as they see fit, and the Enlightenment and its crew can get back to normal."
"You're the one that's placing the ship in danger, you idiot," Nirvana spat. "I can't believe how low you've sunk. You're filth."
He aimed the gun at her. "Keep it up, commander. The gun is fully charged and ready to fire at any moment. Just give me the reason."
Rimmer sprung in the air just as a surge of energy rippled through Starbug, causing the ship to shake for a moment before it was able to level off again. He was thrown off-balance and Jason easily fired at him. He landed hard on the floor, doubled over in pain.
Jason bared his teeth. "That was the lowest setting, Mr. Rimmer. I doubt the Timlars will be so easy on you."
Kochanski helped Rimmer to his feet. "Are you ok?"
He nodded. "I'll be fine." He glared at Jason. "But he won't be for long."
"Look, who the smeg do you think you are?" Lister asked.
"I'm the man who'll be getting the promotion any day now."
"Yeah, promoted from smeg-for-brains to arsehole of the year."
A boom echoed through the ship, and the navicomp began to spark. "We're locked out!" Cat announced, and watched as the joystick began to move on its own.
"Ah, that will be the Timlar's tractor beam," Jason explained. "It won't be long now."
The same invisible force that had brought her to the ship docked Starbug, and soon the sounds of boots clumping towards the cockpit could be heard. Several guards burst into the room, tearing Rimmer and Nirvana away from the rest of the group. Jason eagerly helped the guards put handcuffs on the prisoners and lead them away. He wished the captain could be here to see this, his greatest moment of triumph, all for the glory of the Enlightenment crew.
Rimmer was brought up to the bridge. His mind had no course of action to propose, and he began to wonder just how he was going to get out of this. They reached the bridge and the door slid open. Rimmer was pushed forward and thrown at Gambran's feet.
"Well well well," Gambran chuckled. "So we meet again. Allow me to welcome you aboard." He brought his steel-toed boot back and kicked Rimmer in the stomach with all his might.