Sleeping Smeghead

Beta read by VStarTraveler

Epilogue

Lister and Rimmer sat outside watching the children play in the house yard, the ocean waves crashing onto the beach down below the hill. They'd found a cave in which to park Starbug, keeping it protected from the weather. It was also close to the house in case a threat did ever find them, if they needed to use the medi-bay, or if they just wanted to go for a joyride.

Two years on and they had a nice house built from the trees nearby. It was a small family home that they'd built themselves.

Kryten found the place heaven to clean. Being close to the beach, they had sand everywhere that the sanitation droid was almost always cleaning. When he wasn't cleaning he was gardening.

Lister was trying to break in a horse and was finding it slow progress. He wanted to be able to travel further from the house than he could on foot without having to rely on Starbug.

Rimmer couldn't help as much as he wished with the house and the yard since his second stroke had caused issues with his left leg, making it difficult for him to walk any distance. He could manage to walk down the path to the beach and around the house yard on good days. However, Rimmer still contributed to the house, making the clothes and smaller furniture with his hands, along with paper to write and draw on, bringing a touch of colour, sophistication and personality to the home. He also made frames for pictures to hang on the walls. They had the means of taking photos but had no means of printing any photos out anymore.

The house didn't look like a home that was built by two space bums living in deep space. It was a smaller home than either of them had grown up in and old fashioned in the fact that the home and living area were kept separate from the kitchens and the bathroom. Rimmer wanted the risk of fire reduced to a minimum with the home.

Cat was still living in Starbug but often would sleep on top of the fridge or in the bathtub or the end of the bed when he was feeling more social.

Kryten's room was pretty much a broom cupboard. Their modest three bedroom home with a living room had a bedroom for Kryten or Cat, both of whom refused to live in that room.

Like back on Red Dwarf and Starbug, Rimmer and Lister still shared a bedroom. It had been the way they'd always done things. It was easier dealing with the two boys in the middle of the night with the whole family being in one room. The children did have a bedroom that was used to store the toys that both parents had made for them.

"I want a girl for our next one," Lister exclaimed, interrupting the peace. A daughter had never been part of his original plan for life, he'd always wanted sons until recently. Getting stuck three million years into deep space with his shift leader, an evolved cat and a cleaning robot also wasn't a part of his plan.

"I do, too," Rimmer admitted. "I always have this desire to dress the boys up in cute dresses."

"Our boys are a bit full on, I think they would destroy a dress in moments, getting it caught on everything and covered in mud." Lister laughed at the thought.

Since Rimmer had his stroke and become a father, he'd been able to push aside his father's expectations and get in touch with his likes that his parents had always discouraged. Lister knew if they did have a girl, they would have Rimmer wrapped around their little finger and he'd spoil them with dresses, dolls, and other items.

"Aren't you glad we chose to stay here instead of living on Starbug?" Rimmer asked.

"They'd drive me up the wall living in the cramped conditions on Starbug." Lister laughed, thinking of all the energy the twin boys had. "Let's go to the location we found you, Sleeping Beauty, and see if we can salvage the cloning machine."

"You boys want to see where you were born?" Rimmer called out to the children.

"Yes, da and pa." They both called up together.

The boys both ran to a parent each, one holding Lister's hand the other holding Rimmer's. Rimmer grabbed his cane, hobbling in the direction of Starbug.

- Red Dwarf -

In the two years since they had been here, the path had grown over a little bit. The boys were fascinated by the dark scary woods. They walked across to the pod, clearing out the path as they went.

"How about we clear out the escape pod and pick it up with Starbug?" Rimmer suggested.

"It is small enough to fit into the cargo hold." Lister nodded in agreement. "You stay here with the boys and secure as much of the inside as possible. I'll get the buggy."

- Red Dwarf -

"Well, sirs, the cloning machine is a little worse for wear, but it will work to a certain extent. If creating a new life form using DNA, you cannot pre-set the genetic structure. It will be a random life form just like a baby born naturally from two parents. You also cannot process anything instantaneously and will require growing at a normal rate," Kryten confirmed.

"But it will work and the baby will come out being healthy?" Lister asked.

"That is correct, Mr. Lister, sir," Kryten replied.

Both men smiled. "Looks like you two will get to be big brothers." Lister smiled at the children.

They'd created a new life on this planet. They didn't need the Earth or Red Dwarf. They just needed each other and a pleasant place to call home.

Rimmer and Lister took Jim and Bexley to a bench they'd built looking over the ocean. Sitting with the boys on their laps, they told them the story of how they came to exist and that they would be getting a brother or sister in the same way.

The boys had no clue what a sister was since they'd never seen a female before. Lister watched in amusement, not helping at all as Rimmer awkwardly tried to explain what a girl was and how girls differed from boys to the inquisitive twins.