The ship shuddered violently as Broski was about to touch his tongue to the Proteau Puddle, causing him to lose his precarious balance and fall into the thick liquid.
"Keee-ripes!!", the corporal shouted, trying to get to his feet. He fell in the slick goop again, and began to low crawl to a dryer surface.
Hibbard and Eve-Stay were leaning heavily against a nearby bulkhead, and could offer the corporal no assistance. Mr. Jeffy skittered through the door, completely off balance, stepped into the fluid that was
Proteau, and ended up on his back.
"What the hey?!?", the engineering officer exclaimed as he rolled out of the puddle. He slowly got to his feet. "Hibbard, clean that mess up!"
"That mess is your security officer", the ensign informed his superior.
"Oh", Jeffy said warily, "then leave it alone. And get Broski out of Proteau", he added, "that's just gross!"
As the ship had ceased its erratic behavior, Hibbard and Eve-Stay helped drag the mucous saturated corporal out of what was left of the small pool.
"Thaps", Broski said through a layer of liquefied security officer. He wiped his face, spitting several times until he was sure his mouth was clear.
"On't day ention may it tay", Eve-Stay responded graciously, rubbing his hands together vigorously to remove any excess Proteau.
Jeffy was now standing beside the generator now. "Hibbard", he shouted, "hit the start up!"
TThe ensign raced over to the control panel and threw a large lever. The generator made a groaning noise as it began to move. They all stood watching the slow progress, holding their breath superstitiously,
as not to disturb the process.
"It's working", Jeffy whispered as the spool began to spin more rapidly. They shared a triumphant smile.
"Ice nay irk way", Eve-Stay said.
"Yeah, way to go, boss", Hibbard called from the opposite end of the engineering room.
"Yeah, er, uh", Broski stammered, "you, uh...sure..."
A low moan came from behind them, and they turned to see Proteau struggling to reform himself. Though barely recognizable, it was clear he was trying to assume his standard humanesque form. After several
moments, he stopped his transformation, though his face was featureless.
"Hey Proteau, you forgot your face", Broski pointed out.
The security officer touched his face, then pointed his hands toward the corporal.
"That's just spooky", Broski observed, taking a tentative step back. As he did, he felt a tug on his clothing, and droplets of heavy liquid shot out of his uniform toward Proteau's head.
"That's better", Proteau said when he was, once more, anatomically correct.
