From: zen114216@zen.co.uk   
      
   Unfortunately however, reality soon set in, the very moment, that Lister,   
   entered, the absolutely filthy Science Room. Why, all of the computer   
   monitor screens, were absolutely saturated, with dust! Why, the Science   
   Room, was almost unrecognisable! It was an insult, to all of the good   
   times, that they had spent, in that Science Room, in the past! The tears   
   started to pour down Lister's face, and with only an hour and thirty five   
   minutes, worth of sleep, this was all, that he needed!   
      
   A very dusty Holly, suddenly appeared, on the screen. Lister   
   could just about, make her out. She looked rather peeved, to   
   say, the very least! And her first words, to Lister, were -   
   "Good morning Dave, very nice of you to turn up, I must say!".   
   Lister, was also very peeved, to say the very least! "Holly,   
   I'm only ten minutes late! For smegs sake, I've only had the   
   best part of an hour, and thirty five minutes sleep!" "Took you   
   all night, to do, all of your unpacking, from Starbug, did it?!".   
   A by now, very irate Lister, stated - "Give us a break, Holly!   
   Kryten's battery power ran out, about three hours ago! The   
   shock of arriving, on the Dwarf, caused his battery power, to run   
   out, not to mention, all of the unpacking, where the Cat's suit racks,   
   and his smegging mirrors, were concerned! And I had to get the   
   Skutters, to assist me, and I had to work out, just exactly how to   
   smegging recharge him! And don't expect him, to be his usual   
   chirpy self! He's gonna need, another ten hours, to get himself,   
   back together, at the very least! And cleaning up, the ship, will   
   have to wait, for the moment, if that's what you're so worried   
   about!".   
      
   Holly sighed. What a predicament, they had all got themselves,   
   into, at this present time! Why, everything, was such a mess!   
   They were back, alright, but things, just weren't the same! Her   
   fellow Dwarfer's, were a shadow of their former selves,   
   especially after all, that they had been through. Lister was   
   deeply traumatised, especially, as he had believed, that   
   Rimmer, had been Kochanski, for the best part of four   
   hundred and two years! And for the time being, what with,   
   one thing and another, Rimmer was now out of action. Kryten,   
   had more or less, run out of power, after his battery, had   
   packed up, and the Cat, was even more defiant and indolent,   
   than ever! And it didn't exactly help matters, that Lister had   
   had, only an hour and thirty five minutes, worth of sleep, since   
   they had arrived, back on the Dwarf, either! But Holly was   
   fully aware, that she had got a ship, to run, and the sooner, that   
   she explained, their present situation, or their current predicament,   
   (to be more precise!) to them, the sooner, the better! Then there   
   could quite possibly, be some sense of order, amongst them, once   
   again! Unfortunately however, she had got to be merciless, for the   
   time being! And she reckoned, that Lister could quite easily, catch   
   up, where his sleep, was concerned, once they had all been   
   thoroughly de-briefed, where their situation, and current predicament,   
   was concerned, anyhow!   
      
   However, for the moment, Holly thought, that it would probably be,   
   for the best, to try and calm Lister, down, a little bit. The last thing,   
   that she wanted, was yet another argument, which would definitely,   
   slow down their journey, once again!   
      
   "I'm sorry Dave. I had no idea. I'm sorry about Kryten, I hope he'll   
   be, in a coherent state, for the de-briefing". stated Holly. "He's had   
   an hour and forty five minutes worth of recharging time, Holly. He   
   should be more than ok, where his basic communication skills, are   
   concerned". And at the very least, Lister thought. He's had ten   
   minutes more kip, than I've had!   
      
   "Dave could you do me a favour, before the others arrive,   
   could you dust my screens, on the console? I'm having a   
   real job, where focusing on you, at the moment, is concerned.   
   There's some old rags, in the cupboards, over there".   
      
   Lister made his way over to the cupboards, which were   
   situated, towards the back of the Science Room. The old   
   rags, weren't very hard, for him to locate. And he made his   
   way back, towards the console. And on the table, he   
   suddenly spotted a very dusty Talkie Toaster. And then he   
   suddenly noticed, that Talkie Toaster, looked totally dead,   
   and that, the large X on his side, wasn't flashing, anymore,   
   which obviously meant, that he was no longer, in full working   
   order! In other words, Talkie Toaster, was ineffectively dead,   
   what with one thing and another! Something was very wrong,   
   and Lister guessed, that he had probably worn out, by talking   
   to Holly, for the best part of four hundred, and two smegging   
   years! Lister was a little bit concerned. Had Holly really   
   been driven, out of her mind, by the demented Toaster, that she   
   had made sure, that he had been turned off, for once and for all?!   
   'That just wasn't like her', thought Lister.   
      
   Lister suddenly felt, a little bit sad and nostalgic. He couldn't   
   even remember, the last time, that he had spoken, to Talkie   
   Toaster. And he suddenly felt awful, where that was concerned.   
   There sure had been, a hell of a lot of water, under the smegging   
   bridge, since then!   
      
   Lister suddenly felt, a little bit guilty. He had only been thinking   
   about himself, as per usual. He suddenly realised, that Holly,   
   had had a terrible time of it, as well. She had been stuck on   
   her own, on the Dwarf, for the best part of four hundred and   
   two years, with nobody to talk to, apart from Talkie Toaster,   
   the Skutters, and her singing collection of potatoes, which was   
   hardly the best of company, for her, anyhow!   
      
   As if she could read Lister's thoughts, Holly stated - "He finally   
   packed up, a fortnight ago. I think his circuits, had blown up,   
   after all the jabbering, that he had done, about toast, and other   
   bread related products, for the best part of four hundred years!   
   He was a right pain, in the arse, admittedly! But you soon get   
   used to his company, after the best part of four hundred years   
   and two years, have passed you by! And he was extremely   
   concerned, that you, and the Cat, might not be, getting enough,   
   bread related products, while you were away, for all of this time!".   
      
   Lister nodded. He suddenly felt a little bit guilty, that the little   
   fellow, was no longer around. After all, he had never, meant   
   them all, any harm, when it actually came down to it, at the end   
   of the day! And he had always meant well, you couldn't deny   
   that! He was just a little bit irritating, really. But then again, no   
   more irritating, than a Politician, when it actually came down to   
   it, at the end of the day! And if you had a choice, of having the   
   likes of Tony Blair, and Talkie Toaster, to keep you company,   
   for the best part of four hundred and two years, I think, I would   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)