The Planet of the Meatballs
A SC fanfic by KayLynn
Part 4
…The 'Cases watch in awe as a huge horde of worms descend upon the parsley. Thrashing about, fighting, and tugging at the parsley, each worm seems determined to get this treat for its own. As the 'Cases continue to watch, the breadstick slowly starts to tilt…
Radu: It's working…
Rosie: Oh, I hope nothing breaks!
…The worms are really getting ferocious. As they yank at the parsley, the spaghetti is pulled down further and further. The breadstick creaks as its angle changes. It creaks a lot…
Catalina: No, Suzee, it is not going to snap!
Bova: It sure looks like it's going to.
Comdr. Goddard: THELMA!
THELMA: Yes, Commander?
Comdr. Goddard: Will the breadstick be able to withstand this strain?
THELMA: I am unable to tell at this point, sir.
Harlan: *mutters something under his breath*
…Neck-pinching worms are still congregating from all over the planet, and each one immediately starts competing with the others. The breadstick, with a final groan, jerks once, then twice, then suddenly goes to a 175º angle as the Christa is heaved to the surface, covered with spaghetti…
Comdr. Goddard: Bova! NOW!!
…Bova zaps the spaghetti rope into two parts with an electric bolt, and parsley, spaghetti, and worms disappear below the spaghetti sea. The 'Cases start swimming towards the ship…
Radu: Hurry!
Catalina: We are!
Bova: Not as if that'll do us any good…
…They arrive at the Christa, but cannot get the airlock to open. The mechanisms have been clogged with spaghetti…
Ms. Davenport: We can't get in!!
Comdr. Goddard: THELMA! We need to get into the Christa!
THELMA: The airlock is not responding, sir.
Comdr. Goddard: Mr. Radu! Can you get the doors apart?
Radu: I'll try.
…Radu gets his fingers into a space between the airlock sections and pulls. Nothing happens. He pulls again. Nothing happens. He pulls once more. With a grating, squealing noise, the airlock slowly slides open and stays there…
Rosie: Yay!
…They all climb into the airlock…
Comdr. Goddard: Okay, people. We'll only have a short period of time to clean out the ship before she sinks again.
…They open the inner airlock door with Radu's help, and are almost swept away by the rush of spaghetti. The 'Cases cling to each other and the walls as the spaghetti keeps pouring out of the airlock. It continues until the level remaining in the hallway only reaches to the floor of the airlock...
Rosie: Wow.
Catalina: How in the universe are we going to get all of this spaghetti out of the Christa??
Radu: I think there's only one hole in the ship's side - the one in the CommPost. Once we patch that up, if we can activate and reverse the ship's vacuum capabilities we can probably get the ship cleaned out.
Comdr. Goddard: Right. Rosie and Bova, you two go fix the hole in the Command Post. Catalina, you and I will try to get the vacuum system functional. Everybody else, work on clearing out the spaghetti. Got that?
…Everyone nods "yes"…
Comdr. Goddard: Good. Let's go!
…They split up, each heading where they need to go. Catalina and Commander Goddard head for the air pressure controls in the engine room…
Catalina: What a mess.
Comdr. Goddard: This could take a while.
Catalina: First, I guess we'd better get all this spaghetti out of the engine room, then we can clean off the crystals.
Comdr. Goddard: THELMA!
THELMA: Yes, Commander?
Comdr. Goddard: THELMA, help us clear out the engine room.
THELMA: Yes sir!
…Meanwhile, Bova and Rosie are in the CommPost…
Rosie: OK, Bova, I've got the outside wall of the hole welded into place. Can you fuse these wires together?
Bova: Sure. Move over a little.
…Rosie steps aside, and Bova zaps the wires, fusing them together…
Rosie: Great! Now to get the inside wall back together…
…She holds out her hand and starts to meld the wall sections back to their former state. Humming a little to herself, she wonders how the others are doing with their tasks. Over in the Team Room, Harlan and Radu are attempting to remove the spaghetti that is knee-deep on the floor…
Radu: This couch is never going to be the same again.
Harlan: You're telling me. C'mon, let's get this mess out of here.
…The guys have rigged a jumptube to lead to the cargo bay. They are shoveling spaghetti into the jumptube opening, and plan to empty the cargo bay after the rest of the ship is cleared out. They shovel in silence for several minutes…
Radu: Yep, this couch is going to need a real washing.
Harlan: Not to mention some stain-removing.
Radu: And deodorizing.
Harlan: And bleach.
…They look at each other for a second, and then get back to their shoveling. In the classroom, Ms. Davenport is disgustedly wiping off the viewscreen and the compupads…
Ms. Davenport: This is not my idea of the way things should be. Not by any means. I haven't seen such a mess since the time I babysat all four of my cousins at once!
…In the meantime, back in the engine room, THELMA, Cat, and Commander Goddard have finally cleared out the spaghetti and are now working on the crystals…
Catalina: THELMA, hand me another rag, please.
THELMA: Here you are.
Catalina: Thanks. You know, Commander, I think they're clean enough now.
Comdr. Goddard: Good. THELMA, can you run some diagnostics on the vacuum system and make sure it's working?
THELMA: Yes, sir.
Comdr. Goddard: Catalina, why don't you go see how the others are doing. The sooner we can get the ship out of here the better.
Catalina: OK, Commander.
…Catalina gingerly swings into a spaghetti sauce-covered jumptube, and goes to check on the others…
End Part 4
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