On the mining ship Red Dwarf, slobbish slacker Dave Lister dreams of a life in Fiji away from his annoying bunkmate Arnold Rimmer. When he's placed in suspended animation, he wakes up 3 million years later to find the entire crew are dead.

Holly navigates Red Dwarf during light speed. But when Red Dwarf goes through light speed 24-hours early, the crew witnesses strange events and they find they are witnessing "Future Echoes" images of events that will happen in the future.

Lister wants to go on a date with the hologram of navigation officer Kristine Kochanski, much to Rimmer's disapproval. Lister decides to do a cooking exam so he can outrank Rimmer. But Rimmer has a cunning plan.

Lister learns he is the mythical god of Cat's people known as "Cloister the stupid" and Red Dwarf stumbles upon a Red Dwarf garbage capsule and Rimmer thinks it's a stasis capsule carrying a dormant alien woman.