CHAPTER 3: Solitude

Starbug descended slowly into a small valley that snaked its way through the mountains on the moon's surface. The ground was dotted with spiky boulders and the Cat had some difficulty finding a place to extend the landing stanchions, but after a few wobbly minutes they touched down noiselessly on the ground. The airlock in Starbug's green hull zipped open and two figures stepped out. One was Kryten, holding a large and sensitive piece of equipment used for testing the chemicals in the planet's soil. The other was the Cat, impeccably dressed, as usual, in his specially tailored gold spacesuit. He peered out of the two-foot high helmet and scanned the landscape. "This place looks deader than denim overalls. Are you sure there's life here?"

"According to the Psi-scan, there should be some organic life, sir."

They walked down the landing ramp and stepped onto the soil.

Back onboard the 'bug, Rimmer watched them silently through the viewscreen.

Lister swivelled around in his chair Blue Midget's cramped cockpit, his deerstalker resting on his lap, and rubbed his temples with both hands.

He had taken Blue Midget and left Red Dwarf through the cargo bay doors. Kryten and Cat had still been loading up storage containers into Starbug, and Kryten, predictably, had tried to convince him not to go.

"Surely, sir, you and Mr Rimmer can work it out. It can't be that bad."

"It's not about him," Lister had grunted. "It's about everything. This whole ship. I just need to get off it. I need to be on my own. Don't try to stop me, Kryts."

Kryten had given up and walked away, despondent.

Now Lister wondered just what the point of the whole exercise had been. He glanced around the tiny, circular cockpit and swivelled nervously in his chair. He had forgotten how cramped the space was in Blue Midget. How claustrophobic. He had wanted some time to think, that's all. To think of a way... to think of a way to... bring Miranda back.

He let his breath out through his teeth and lit up another cigarette. "What am I doin'?" He mumbled around the cigarette, as he shook the lighter closed. He took a deep drag and ran his hand over his forehead.

He swivelled around a bit more in the chair, thinking hard.

When nothing came, he sighed and looked around for something to do. There was his guitar, sitting down beside the console. He picked it up and let his fingers run gently over the strings. He picked off a few chords, which rang out tunelessly, splitting the air.

Suddenly the ship's comm blinked on and Rimmer's dour, hologramatic face appeared.

"I hope you're watching how much fuel you've got left," he said, his voice given an electronic ring by the intercom.

Lister was startled into a jerk that sent his hat tumbling onto the floor. He glared at the monitor. "Rimmer I said I wanted some privacy!"

"Well I'm just saying, if you run out fuel, it's your own damn smegging fault."

"Will you just leave me alone?"

"It's our fuel too, Lister. It's not just for you to waste, joyriding. And if Blue Midget's empty the next time someone needs it, let it be on your head."

Lister leaned close to the monitor. "I came out here to get away from you, Rimmer." His hand fell on the intercom switch. "I'm turning off this frequency so you won't be able to get through."

Rimmer's brow creased. "Are you completely mad? We're on a scouting mission here. What if something happens and we need to contact you?"

"You'll just have to hope nothin' happens," Lister said smartly, and grabbed the switch.

Rimmer's face contracted in anger. "Lister you're a total, complete and utter total-"

He flicked the screen off, mercifully cutting out Rimmer's last words. Lister leaned back in his chair and looked dejectedly out the window.

There was nothing out there that he could see. No planets. Not even a meteor or a distant sun. Just the dense, never-ending blackness, and the tiny pinprick of distant stars. Lister's heart sunk into his stomach. We're not gonna find a way, are we? There really is nothing out there.

He closed his eyes and covered his face with one hand.

I'm sorry, kid.

Smeg.

I'm so sorry.

He sat that way for a long time. His eyes stung for a while but he gritted his teeth and ignored them, and eventually they stopped.

Blue Midget cruised slowly forwards, its autopilot light flashing above the cockpit. Lister's face was illuminated by it. It flashed blue, washing him with its light, and then off again.

I promised...

Finally, he opened his eyes and dropped his hand away from his face, preparing to turn Blue Midget around and head back to Red Dwarf. Whenever he tried to find a possibility of restoring Miranda, his mind came up blank. Maybe it was time to accept that he had failed, that there was no saving her. She was gone.

As his hands reached for the controls, he froze. Something huge was filling the viewport window. He raised his eyes and a soft exclamation of surprise left his lips.

"What... the... smeh...ging...?"

A/N: Ooh, the suspense :P lol. Sorry, the angsty chapters are out of the way, some real action will start soon, don't worry!