Captain Herring's faulty clone hails Starbug
Edwin Herring was an English, middle-aged human male, and a captain in the Space Corps.
Clone
Three million years later, a clone of Herring was created by the bio-printer aboard the SS Nautilus when the automated ship got into trouble, as part of an emergency procedure. However, a jam in the faulty bio-printer caused the clone of Herring to come out horribly deformed, with his face printed on top of his elongated head, and leaving him mostly unable to see.
Herring realised that the engines on his ship were burnt out, his droids had already fled in the escape pods, and he was drifting into a class C asteroid storm - with explosive nuclear material aboard his vessel.
The boys from the Dwarf came by the Nautilus whilst cruising in Starbug, and Herring contacted them. However, Herring was greatly annoyed by the unhelpful suggestions of Rimmer, who then gave his name as Lister. When Kryten pointed out that the 'bug would be in danger if the Nautilus drifted any closer, Rimmer panicked and launched a mining torpedo at the Nautilus. However, the torpedo hit an asteroid first, and although a wing of the Nautilus was destroyed in the explosion, the ship itself was left intact, and was pushed away from danger. Herring believed that it was a deliberate act, and when Rimmer took full credit, Herring promoted Rimmer from second tech to First Flight Lieutenant, sending over the official authorisation.
Captain Herring "examines" Lister
Eight hours later, the Red Dwarf had swung round to pick up Herring. The Nautilus came aboard on B Deck, and the Dwarfers went to meet him. Upon meeting the Dwarfers, Herring began to touch Lister's face, and said that he could tell Lister was no good just by feeling him. Rimmer informed Herring that the Nautilus had been brought aboard Red Dwarf, and the skutters were unloading its cargo. Herring then exclaimed that his duty and mission was complete, and collapsed into a pile of goo, as bio-printed clones were pre-programmed to do. Cat sadly pointed out that they now had no way of demoting Rimmer. (Officer Rimmer, Series XI)
Behind the scenes
- Stephen Critchlow, who portrayed Captain Herring, said during the DVD documentary that he based the portrayal on a "WWII, spitfire-flying, Biggles-type".