"The Adventures of Professor Proton, Jr: The Proton Express…"

Summary: In my first longer Proton Jr tale, can Prof Proton Jr. aka mild-mannered Sheldon Cooper and Dr. Amy aka Amy F. Fowler save the world at Christmas…And can Proton Jr. keep that blond sob of an engineering genius Tom Swift, Jr. away from his girl?

Equally important…Should Cameragirl Penny allow this thing to appear on her acting credits or just accept that all hope of a professional career is gone and just enjoy while peddling her drugs?

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part XLI…

"Ok…" Amy over intercom to Bud and Swift in the Suburo compartment. "I'm at the egress tunnel to the outer hatch. Sorry if I was a little spacey…My boyfriend being a lot, right now." giggle.

"Sorry."

"It's ok…" Tom replied to his mike. "Just watch yourself, Amy. And careful going out."

"Ok. Well, I see the hatch, it's partially twisted, really banged up. Can you see on the video?"

Tom and Bud peering at the video screen of the feed from Amy's Fat Man suit camera…

"Amy?" Bud called. "We can see the tunnel and the hatch. Something heavy must have landed on it, probably half the mountainside. Try and see if you can open it. It should push out but be ready for something to fall in on you."

"Right…Move up the tunnel…It's pretty dark and twisted." Giggle. "I would make a joke about this, but Proton would never be able to face his mom again." Giggle.

"I get the joke." Bud noted, grinning to Tom.

("The tunnel Amy's moving through is dark and twisted, why would my character's mom be upset by that?" Sheldon asked.

"Well…" Leonard began… "See…The thing is…"

"Actually, Amy explained it to me." Sheldon noted. "I just wanted to see you squirm the way you do when you're embarrassed about something." Arch look.

"Great. Leonard is spanked. Can we please move along? These suit costumes rent by the hour you know." Howard frowned, twisting his monocle. "Yeah, lets get on with it, people!" Bernadette barked.

"I've taken care of that…" Mr. Jones called from his seat. "Don't worry, it's nothing…" grinning, to the gang's look. "I loved Tom Swift and I always wanted a couple of those. Flynn and my wife'll love 'em for our pool."

I kinda always wanted one myself, Wil thought. Of course, we can't all be lucky enough to choose the big bucks franchise appealing to the masses in place of the elegant, cerebral television series appealing to true fans interested in real space science, slight sulk.

"Just invite him and his son to your next Dungeons and Dragons tournament…" Bernadette hissed to the dejected-looking Wil. "And I'm buying one for Howie and me, he just didn't want the others to know."

"You don't suppose…I mean…" Leonard was eyeing Penny at the same time, glancing over at the Fat Man suits.

"Hey, I'm paying for these uniforms." She frowned, smoothing her Commander's uniform down. "And I'm getting you a robot for Christmas if Howard can manage it. You can buy your fancy space scuba suit with the special account and the money the government gave you for your guidance system. How much was that again?" stare.

"Yeah…But that's Penelope's college fund." Leonard sighed.

"If she's like me, she won't mind Daddy spending a few thou on his toys, so long as it gives her an edge to whine for some for her." Penny grinned. "You have my blessing, Number One. Which you so, so are…" whispering, kissing him.

"Hello, Mummy." Raj, on cell… "It's so nice to hear your voice…")

"Last time, as you recall, we left Bernadette, Dr. Proton, and the robot, at the door of the alien spaceship and its potentially priceless, yet deadly, cargo of specimens from across our Galaxy…"

"Oh, please, Sermek." Proton frowned, listening over his receiver. Bernadette rolling eyes.

Bud…

"Just setting the mood." Sermek replied. "And offering a cautious note to Miss Bernadette that you fit the bill as to the treacherous member of our team."

"Hey!" Proton fumed.

"Sermek! That's not so…" Bernadette frowned. "Whatever Bud programmed in you Professor Proton is not Dr. Smith."

"Oh. So, he really is just an idiot kiddie host, then?" Sermek noted.

"I'm going to pull your power pack and set you adrift in space in another minute." Proton glared. "Except we need you, for now."

"Aww…I bet you say that to all the environmental control robots." Sermek, chuckling at end.

"Stop it, the two of you." Bernadette, shaking head inside her suit. "Come on now, lets go in." she stepped to the portal.

"A Texas gentleman would go first…" Sermek noted to Proton. "But the treacherous Smith stand-in will let her go. Wait, ma'am." To Bernadette as Proton fumed. "I'm ordered to protect you. Let a cybernetic hero take the lead, again."

"I'll go first…" Proton insisted.

"Boys! I'm already inside." Bernadette noted on radio. "Come on, Arthur. The field intensity dropped just before I entered, it's ok."

"And the emasculated male prize goes to…" Sermek, chuckling.

"Hah! I'm second!" Proton noted, from just inside.

"Third. After I did it, alone." Sermek, turning to face him with front audio unit. "But with organics entering, everything could change, and I'm no fool, nyuk, nyuk, nyuk."

"Just come in, please…" Bernadette urged.

"Oh, wow…What the…?" Proton, peering around.

"Greetings, friends." The huge palely greenish face of a human-sized, two-eyed insect appeared floating before them, bearing a smile from a mouth that seemed remarkably human. "Your Space Friends and fellow children of the star Sol welcome you."

"We should wrendezvous with the Lewrmentov in twenty minutes, sis." Bwarry eyed screen before him. "And then the fwun begins, I pwromise you."

"Those schematics…" Munson paused. "You stole them from Proton's detector." Grim stare.

"Natuwrally. I would nevewr pass up the chance to have a dawrk mattewr detectowr of such capability. Though…" smile. "I must admit I didn't gwrasp the potential in it for space twravel. But Pwroton and Swift did have the example of Swift's alien fwriends to guide em."

"You'wre…You're planning to board the ship and confront Proton and whoever transported with him?" Munson stared.

"I'm hopin' you'll come along, sis. Though, if you choose not to, I undewrstand." Bwarry, mocking tone. "It might be just as well if you stay and pwrove ouwr fwriends twrue while I secuwre the ship."

"Or have the Lermentov nuke it? If Proton and Swift or whoever went along don't agree?" Munson eyed his amused face.

"The diwrect appwroach is usually best. No need…And no time to pussy-foot about hewre."

"And when you secure it, Bwarry? You really mean to unleash whatever's in there on the world?" she asked, anxiously.

"If the world can be wreasonable, it and we might come to an agwreement." He shrugged.

"And what about Tom's friends, the aliens? What if the ship is manned or whatever they are? Or even if not they may not like what you plan to do with it."

"Possible…Which is why I need to boawrd hewr. Hey, I'm willing to take whatevewr wrisk is necessawry. And yes, that means maybe dying on the ship…" he eyed her stricken face.

"You wreally don't have to come, sis. But…If you do, put in youwr chips with me, all of them, owr don't come. I'll have no time fowr fwriends and family wresewrvations." Stern look in rear view mirror.

"I'll put em all in, Bwarry. All I ask is you listen to me…When the time comes."

"I always listen, sis. Can't say as to whethewr I'd act on youwr sage counsel." Smile.