EPISODE CCXXXVII - PLANET OF THE DOUBLE-JOINTED INVERTEBRATES
Ensign Hibbard exhaled slowly and turned to the couple standing beside him. "Do you think it worked", he inquired of his superior.
"I'm not sure", Mr. Jeffy replied, his hairy arm draped lovingly around Nurse Yahbo, "but there's one way to find out." He keyed his comm-link. "Engineering to the Bridge..."
"Transmit Engineering", Schultz's nasal tone chimed in.
"How are we looking?", Jeffy asked, as he crossed his fingers behind his beloved's back. There was a brief pause before the science officer answered.
"Preliminary readings suggest we have returned to the exact coordinates from which we departed."
"Great!!", the engineering officer shouted gleefully as he hopped into the air and clicked his heels together.
"Now don't get ahead of me, Mr. Jeffy", the huckster droned on. "These are just preliminary reports, it will be a bit longer until we're sure."
Jeffy was clearly disappointed as Hibbard and Nurse Yahbo helped him to his feet. "Copy, Mr. Schultz", he muttered. "Keep us advised."
In sickbay, Corporal Orwig sat bolt upright on the gurney clutching at his throat, his bulging eyes flashing vacantly around the room though registering nothing. Schrader and Nation struggled to get the big
man back in a prone position, strapping him down as his muscles momentarily relaxed. The lieutenant looked over at Dr. Egan, who held a vile of purplish liquid which he'd just held under the unconscious corporal's
nose.
"What the hell is that?!?", he demanded, grabbing the unknown substance from the physician's bony grasp.
Egan looked at the vile curiously then shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure", he remarked. "I found it in the veterinarian medical supplies earlier this morning."
"Well it seems to have worked", Nation advised.
Schrader turned back to the corporal. His breathing and pulse were less erratic and he seemed to be in a deep, yet peaceful slumber.
Hound Dog returned his gaze to Egan. "Y'all better be more careful next time", he advised the doctor menacingly. "You ain't sposed ta' be expermentin' on the crew!"
"Really?!?", Egan muttered thoughtfully, pondering the information momentarily before turning back to the lieutenant with an odd expression. "Then what exactly is my job?"
