Schultz hurried back onto the bridge, an indistinguishable item clasped in his hand as he made his way to the commander. "I've found it sir!", he proclaimed grandly, thrusting
the mysterious item in the commander's face.
Reed eyed the colorful swath of cloth skeptically. "You've found what, Mr. Schultz."
"The key to Lt. Schrader's recovery", the science officer explained excitedly. He unfolded the item, revealing it to be a pair of lavender bikini briefs. "I was able to find enough, uh...",
he paused, searching for the right term, "subject matter in Lt. Schrader's living area to extract a workable DNA sample."
"So why did you have to bring the sample here?", Reed queried.
Schultz looked at him curiously, then noted the item in his hand. "Oh, this isn't the sample", he said, "I just thought you should see these. He's got a whole drawer full." Leaning
closer, he added, "I know you have a thing for skimpy underwear."
"Women's underwear", Reed corrected, "and, right now, there are more pressing matters than my personal fetishes, Mr. Schultz. Will you be able to locate the lieutenant?"
"I believe so, sir", Schultz replied tossing the briefs to the side, where they landed on an unsuspecting Ensign VanTedly. "If the Jennings brothers can pin point the general vicinity of Lt. Schrader's
ship when they last saw him, it should be a relatively simple procedure."
"Well get to it, Mr. Schultz", Reed ordered, "we don't have all day."
"Actually, sir", VanTedly interjected, testing the elastic on the waist of the purple undies, "we do have all day."
Reed gave the junior officer a dark look, which VanTedly took as a request to elaborate.
"See, since we're thousands of years in the past, we do have all day", he explained. "In fact, we have all of today, all of tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and..."
"Stow it, Ensign", Reed warned.
VanTedly prepared a biting reply, but lost his train of thought as he noticed Lt. Jacobs eyeing the briefs on his console. He decided to put out the vibe. "Wanna see my appendix scar?", he asked
her casually.
Jacobs shuddered violently before turning to move to the other end of the bridge.
Mr. Schultz, who had been busy at his console during the exchange, looked over at the commander. "Sensor modifications are complete, sir", he stated blandly, "I'm ready to initiate the search."
