EPISODE LXXVI - SURE FLIPPER WAS FAST, BUT FASTER THAN LIGHTNING?
Reed felt the ship shudder beneath him. He had just left sick bay, en route to the Officers' Mess to locate some peanut butter, and nearly lost his footing, slamming against the
corridor wall.
"Reed to bridge.", he said into his com-link, leaning against the bulwark for support.
"Bridge here.", Schultz responded quickly, "I assume you are wondering what just happened."
"You assume correctly, Mr. Schultz."
"We had some problems in engineering.", Schultz informed him, "It seems we have a saboteur."
Reed cursed quietly. "Has anyone been injured?"
"Negative, sir. However we do have some other problems on our hands", the science officer offered casually.
"Elaborate, Mr. Schultz.", Reed demanded, not sharing his subordinate's calm.
"Well", Schultz began, "we seem to have lost control of the RF engines."
"And the intruder?", Reed asked incredulously.
"Still at large", Schultz replied, "and in engineering. Mr. Proteau is on his way there now."
"I'll meet him there.", Reed said breaking into a trot.
Proteau arrived at the secured door of the engineering room to find Lance Corporal Orwig had already positioned his squad strategically around the entrance.
"Report, Orwig.", Proteau said brusquely.
"The door has been welded shut", Orwig advised, "and Ensign Hibbard confirms that there are no other personnel inside."
"Good work, Orwig.", Proteau remarked with a nod. "Are there any other entrances into engineering?"
"Ventilation shafts sir.", Orwig informed him, "I sent Spencer down there with one of the rookies, but the guy used some king of incendiary to smoke them out.", he pointed to a pale, young recruit
leaning over in the corner, trying to catch his breath.
"Where's Spencer?", Proteau asked, concerned.
Orwig shrugged. "Still in there."
Proteau considered his options for a moment. "Can we get the door opened?"
"It's going to take some time", Orwig observed, "and we suspect he has the door wired to blow."
"Alright", Proteau stated resignedly, " I'd better go in there myself."
Orwig was about to object, but a stern look from his superior forced him to swallow his words. Proteau stepped over to the door and stood quietly for several seconds. Though he'd witnessed his boss'
transformations before, it still struck Orwig as eerie. Proteau's body began to coalesce with itself, transmuting, becoming undefined. He seemed to melt before their eyes, changing from solid to liquid,
and seeping through the small gap at the bottom of the door. Reed turned the corner to see Orwig's squad hunkered down around the doorway, and a strange gelatinous ooze slide under the door.
"Where's Proteau?", he asked the corporal.
Orwig pointed toward engineering. "He just went in."
"We have to get in there and help him!", Reed exclaimed.
