Sunday, 15 June 2025

Choose.




Captain HOLLISTER walks in from his office.

HOLLISTER:  Lister!

He motions for LISTER to come into his office, which he does.

LISTER: You asked to see me, Captain?

HOLLISTER: Where's the cat?

LISTER: What?  What cat?

HOLLISTERLister, not only are you so stupid 
you bring aboard an unquarantined animal and 
jeopardise The Live of every Man and Woman 
on This ship -- not only that -- but you take a photograph 
of yourself with the cat and send it to be processed 
in the ship's lab --  

Now, I' m going to ask  you again, 
Do you have a cat?

LISTER: No.

HOLLISTER: (Holding up a photo of LISTER and FRANKENSTEIN) Have you got a cat?

LISTER: Er, yes, that one.

HOLLISTER: Where'd you get it?  Titan?

LISTER: Yes.

HOLLISTER: Don't you realise that that thing could be carrying anything?  Don't you remember what happened on the "Oregon" with the rabbits?  

Lister, a loose animal aboard this ship could get anywhere. 
It could get into the air ducts.  It could get into Holly.  

You know, a  little nibble here and a little nibble there, Lister, and before you know it we're flying backwards.  

Now I want that cat, and I want it now.

LISTER: Sir, just suppose I did have a cat....  Just suppose.  
.....What would you do with Frankenstein?

HOLLISTER: I'd send it down to the medical centre
and I'd have it cut up and tests run on it.

LISTER: 
......Would you put it back 
together when you'd finished?

HOLLISTER: Lister, the cat would be dead.

LISTER: So, with respect, sir, what's in it for the cat?

HOLLISTER: Lister, give me that cat!

LISTER: It's not as easy as that!  Me and the cat, we're going to have a baby cat, and we're going to buy a farm on Fiji, and we're going to have a sheep and a cow and three horses, it's me plan, and no one can  get in the way of it, not even you, and I do respect ya!  (Remembering) Sir!

HOLLISTER: Lister, do you want to go into stasis for the rest of the trip  and forfeit 18 months wages?

LISTER: No.

HOLLISTER: Do you want to give me that cat?

LISTER: No!
HOLLISTER:  Choose.

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