The Planet of the Meatballs
A SC fanfic by KayLynn
Part 5
…Catalina slides out of a jumptube and promptly collides with Bova. They both fall and skid down the hallway a few feet on the spaghetti sauce…
Bova: Fancy bumping into you here.
Catalina: Oh, I'm sorry, Bova!
Bova: It's OK. *sighs* That happens a lot.
Catalina: Did you guys finish fixing that hole already?
Rosie: Yes, it's all fixed!
Catalina: Great! Want to come with me and check on the other guys?
Rosie: Sure, that's what we were just about to do anyways.
Bova: They probably aren't done yet. And by my calculations, the ship hasn't got much time left before it sinks again.
Catalina: We'd better hurry, then. C'mon!
…Catalina sets a jumptube for the main hallway, and they all climb in. Back in the engine room, THELMA has finished testing the vacuum system…
THELMA: It appears that the air pressure systems are working, Commander.
Comdr. Goddard: Good. THELMA, you stay here and be ready to activate the vacuum. I'll go get the others.
THELMA: Just so you are aware, sir, the Christa's sinking will begin accelerating rapidly in 17.58 minutes.
…Commander Goddard doesn't answer her, but hurriedly swings into a jumptube. Meanwhile, Cat, Bova, and Rosie have found Ms. Davenport…
Rosie: Ms. Davenport! Hurry! The ship is about to sink!
…Ms. Davenport faints. Just then, Commander Goddard slides out of a jumptube right behind her, and reflexively catches her…
Rosie: Oops.
Comdr. Goddard: What's going on here? …Besides Ms. Davenport panicking?
Catalina: Bova says the ship is going to sink soon!
Comdr. Goddard: He's right. Where are Radu and Harlan?
Bova: We haven't seen them.
Rosie: I think they were going to clear out the deck right above this one.
Comdr. Goddard: Well, up we go then!
…They all swing into the jumptube, and in a second or two they slide out into the upper deck. Just as Harlan and Radu get into a jumptube at that end…
Catalina: Wait, guys -- …Oh, darn. What is this, musical jumptubes?
Comdr. Goddard: Back down, people.
…Once again, they all get into a jumptube. Coming out on the main deck, they race after Radu and Harlan…
Catalina: Wait up, guys!
Harlan: Oh, THERE you guys are. Where were you?
Comdr. Goddard: All over. But no time for chit-chat. We have to get the ship out of here!
Radu: How do we do that?
Comdr. Goddard: The vacuum system is working. As long as there are no large concentrations of spaghetti anywhere, it should function well enough to lighten the ship so we can get out of here.
Harlan: Uhh…Commander…the cargo bay sort of has a lot of spaghetti in it…
Radu: We thought we'd empty it before leaving.
…Commander Goddard stops still…
Comdr. Goddard: The cargo bay is on the underside of the ship. HOW are we supposed to empty it when it's submerged in spaghetti?!?
…Everybody looks at each other…
Radu: Well, possibly we can raise the ship enough to open the cargo bay and let the spaghetti out.
Comdr. Goddard: THELMA!
…She comes instantly, somehow or other…
THELMA: Yes, Commander?
Comdr. Goddard: How many minutes before the ship starts sinking fast?
THELMA: 9.13
Comdr. Goddard: The Command Post. Now.
…The 'Cases all run for the CommPost, stopping on the way to collect a now-conscious Ms. Davenport. When they arrive, they scramble to their stations and immediately try to start up the ship…
Radu: Navigation is on-line.
Bova: For some reason, the shields are working…
Rosie: This stuff looks good too.
Comdr. Goddard: OK, Mr. Band, take it away.
Harlan: Here we go. Hang on!
…Harlan smoothly swings the controls into place and tilts them back. The ship majestically rises 3 inches into the air before splashing back down again…
Harlan: Hey! What happened?
Catalina: Commander! Something's wrong with the engines!
Comdr. Goddard: What?! I thought we got all the spaghetti out of the engine room!
Catalina: Me too. But we're not getting full power. Rosie, how much are we getting?
Rosie: About 14 percent.
Catalina: Grozit! That wouldn't lift a firefly.
Comdr. Goddard: Catalina, Radu, go get that fixed! We're running out of time!
Radu: OK.
Catalina: C'mon!
…Radu and Catalina dash off to the engine room. They burst in and circle the engine, looking for the problem. And then they see it…
Catalina: Oh…my…goodness.
…Snugly coiled about the core of the engine is the biggest worm they have ever seen. It sits there in malevolent silence, but looks like it could move pretty fast if it cared to…
Radu: *murmurs something in Andromedan*
Catalina: Let's see if a sonic scream will move that thing. Cover your ears.
…Radu does, and Cat lets loose with a sonic scream…
Catalina: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
…Radu takes his hands off his ears and he and Catalina inspect the worm. It doesn't seem to have been affected at all…
Catalina: Great. Just great. NOW what??
…Over the intercom, they hear Commander Goddard…
Comdr. Goddard: Any luck?
Catalina: Not yet, Commander.
Comdr. Goddard: According to THELMA, we have about six minutes left. Goddard out.
…Cat and Radu look at each other. Then, they hear a loud hiss. Turning, they see that the worm has apparently gotten tired of listening to them. It is waving its head like a cobra…
Catalina: Aah!
Radu: Wait, I have an idea! I'll be right back! Don't go 'way!
…He rushes off, and Catalina climbs up on a regulator console. Nervously keeping an eye on the worm, she hopes Radu's idea is a good one…
End Part 5
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