They were back in the village.  Ethan's hut had been turned into a temporary hospital and the small space was packed with injured soldiers and make-shift medical personnel.  There were only three properly trained doctors in the whole community but anyone with any medical knowledge was in there helping.  Rimmer was leaning over Lister, gripping his hand tightly as Kryten and one of the doctors carefully tried to work one of the arrow heads out of his side.  The Cat was standing slightly to one side watching with a grim expression and saying nothing.  They had hardly any real anaesthetic but as Lister was drifting in and out of consciousness anyway, they'd decided he didn't particularly need it.

            "Dave!" Rimmer barely looked up as Kochanski's voice cut through the babble of the hut.  In seconds she was by Lister's bed, unceremoniously shoving Rimmer aside.  He stepped back and said nothing, but he didn't leave.  "Oh my God," she was saying, gently stroking Lister's hand, "Is he going to die?"

"It's still touch and go right now," the doctor told her, "If we can get these out quick and patch him up before he loses too much blood, he should be fine.  But it all depends on how deep they've gone and whether or not an infection's had time to set in.  He could have been lying there for hours for all we know."

            Rimmer ventured forward again to stand by her side, but as soon as she saw him her eyes flashed and she shoved him hard in the chest, "You!  This is all your fault!"  Rimmer staggered backwards, taken by surprise.  "You talked him into this whole mess and now look!   He's going to die because of you!"  She swiped at him and the Cat pulled her back, "Take it easy, Bud-Babe!"

"Kriss," Rimmer said as calmly as he could, "It's not over yet.  We're not going to let him go that easily."

"Why weren't you with him?" she shouted tearfully, "Were you just showing off and playing the hero while you should have been looking out for him?"

"It was a battlefield, Kriss.  You can't watch each other every minute.  He knew the risks.  He knew..."

"He knew nothing!" She spat, "He wasn't a soldier!  He had no idea what you were getting him into!"

            There was a sudden yell of pain from the bed and they all whirled around.  Lister had come to and was in the middle of what amounted to very amateur surgery with no anaesthetic.  Kryten was trying to soothe him, in a panicky sort of way, while the doctor continued as best he could.  The three of them rushed over.  Kriss got there first and bent over him, "Dave!  Dave it's okay!  It'll all be okay!"  His eyes had glazed over with pain and he was shaking and hyperventilating.  "Rimmer...!" He managed to choke out, "Where's Rimmer?"

"He's dead, buddy.  Don't you remember?" the Cat said, puzzled, "We had a funeral and everything."  The others glared at him and shoved him backwards, away from the bed.  "Dave, please just try and relax!" Kriss begged, "Just keep breathing through the pain and it will be alright!"

"Rimmer...Rimmer, please...Oh God...!"  Rimmer's heart was thumping frantically.

"He's delirious," Kriss whimpered, "He doesn't remember!"

"Rimmer...!"

            Rimmer came to a decision.  "He's not delirious." He said, pushing Kriss aside and leaning over the bed, "He means me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" She snapped.  Rimmer ignored her,

"I'm right here, Listy.  Everything's going to be fine."

"Sir!" Kryten exclaimed, "It's uncanny!  For a moment there, you sounded just like our Mister Rimmer!"

"That's because I am your Mister Rimmer, you square-headed mechanical git!" Rimmer snapped, "It was me all along!"  He pulled the wig off and watched three jaws drop in synchronisation.  "But...but...but..." Kryten stammered.

"Look, I'll explain everything later.  We don't have time for this now."  He turned back to Lister and took his hand, "It's okay," he said softly, "The doctor's nearly done.  It'll all be over in just a couple of minutes and then we'll get you out of here.  Just hang on."

"Don't...leave...me..."

"I won't." Rimmer squeezed his hand, "Not this time."  Lister sighed and settled back against the bed.  Kriss stared at them, silently.

            Suddenly there was a loud thump.  They all looked round and saw that the Cat had fainted dead away on the floor.  "It must have been the shock of your revelation, Sir." Kryten said calmly, "I'm sure he'll come round in a minute or two."