"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 XLVII…

Aboard the Ocean Arrow…

Another violent lurch, sudden falling forward…

"Almost there!" Tom with Bud and Amy at the controls, peering at the viewscreen, cameras showing feed from the Arturo section's forward end, the sea floor dropping off into the chasm, swirling water full of mud and debris…

"We got one big one just in front of us!" Bud noted as the ship lurched and halted.

"The treads are churning up the muck, we'll have to stop!" Swift frowned, cutting power to the caterpillar drive.

"That boulder is holding us. Could we blast it away with the repelatron assembly?" Bud suggested.

"The assembly on Arturo is out. Either the power connections are gone or the assembly's too badly damaged." Swift shook head. "We'll have to find another way."

"Can we go back and try a different path, around the boulder?" Amy offered.

"We're burning through what power we have…" Swift sighed. "Not enough if we can still move in this muck beneath us. But if we can't use Arturo's, we've still got Suburo and the rotor section repelatrons. Maybe we can lever that thing out of the way, if we rock the ship enough."

"Rock 'n roll." Bud grinned, making hand sign. Amy rolling eyes.

("I would, too." Amy noted.

"So…Was shooting me cathartic?" Lesley smiled at Barry.

"No, actually. Toughest thing I evewr had to do…" he smiled back. She patting him fondly.

"That's sweet. But we have scenes to finish people!" Howard glared, twisting monocle.

"Oh, stop bawling, Wheaton!" Bernadette groused at the teary Wil, seated in his Putinsky suit next to Raj and Lucy.

"Love will come for you one day, my friend." Raj noted. "But like Bernie says, we have a film to finish, brace up."

These method actors are such emotional messes…He noted to Lucy.)

The Lermontov…Control room…

"Are we really going to do this, Commander?" the First Officer asked.

"We have our orders, direct from the President, Number One." Commander Putinsky noted. "But for the moment we are simply threatening to fire."

"Commander…He's selling us out." Number One noted. "The UN or Swift's people will sink us even if we manage to fire. And he's declaring us in rebellion to his orders…At the least we'll be international criminals."

"No, I will be an international criminal, Number One." Commander Putinsky, wan smile. "You and the crew are simply following orders, however insane, from your unhinged Captain."

"Well, then…Commander. I must be unhinged as well. Since I choose not to try to stop you."

"Actually, Number One, I think it might be best if you kept your options open." She smiled at his puzzled look. "I seem to recall you were a fine amateur actor back at port when the crew put on their version of 'The Cherry Orchard'?"

….

"It's not a bad idea…" Amy agreed. "But we haven't got much power to waste. We need to be sure that thing'll move. Let me go out in the suit and see if I can help jostle it loose when you fire up the repelatrons…"

"No, that's a good idea but too dangerous, Amy." Swift shook head.

"We haven't much time." She noted. "One of us has to try…And I know you designed them but I've been the one using the pantographic controls the most just now."

"Tom, we haven't much time." Bud noted, indicating the rising water. "We'll lose what power we have here soon."

"Go." Swift turned to Amy. "But if anything happens, head for the surface and do not look back. That's an order."

"Ok." Nod. She hurrying to the suit and climbing in.

"Pressurize the airlock, Bud!" Swift called. "All right, Amy. Try to grab hold of the boulder but off the sea floor. When we start rocking away, pull hard as you can! Good luck!"

"Roger or whatever…" her voice on speaker as she entered the airlock.

Swift Enterprises…Office of Dr. Swift, Sr.

"So, Mr. Secretary-General…" Dr. Swift eyed the split image on his giant viewscreen, a window normally featuring a panoramic view of Shopton, the Swifts' home city. "The Commander of the Lermontov insists she will fire on the ship? And you, Mr. President?" he eyed a solemn-looking Putinsky on the right half of the screen. "Say she is acting without orders?"

"Certainly, Dr. Swift." Putinsky, thin-lipped smile. "We cannot account for her actions except the Commander fears the outcome of the craft being damaged and the specimens expelled to contaminate the Earth. Naturally, we are doing all we can to try to persuade her to desist. I have tried to order her First Officer to take command but her crew seems to stand with her, the traitors." Frown.

"I see. Of course, we understand your…Plight." Swift, coolly.

Geesh…He even intimidates me a little, and I'm a power-mad murderous autocrat, Putinsky thought.

"Is there any word from my son?"

"I'm afraid not, Dr. Swift." The Secretary-General, a dashing and virile figure, bearing not a little resemblance to his distant cousin, General Rajesh Smith.

("Ok, get away from my keyboard…Lucy." Leonard frowned at her.

Oh, you are my girl…Raj beamed at her, she blushing.)

"Alas, my last report from the Lermontov, before Commander Putinsky 'went crazy', suggested Dr. Wyckcliffe may have attacked your son's wessel." Putinsky noted.

"Naturally I ordered her to bend every effort to help…Though it may have been that and her fears that your son was no longer able to use his talents to save us all that led her to this unfortunate act of rebellion." Putinsky, offering another thin smile.

("I got this from watching William Campbell playing a Klingon captain, in the "Trouble with Tribbles" episode on classic Trek." Wil noted to Penny. "You just give a ghost of a smile and it conveys so much."

"Right…" Penny sighed.)

"Urgent message from the Swift Outpost in Space." A voice blared over the speaker. "Request confidential link."

"Acknowledged." Dr. Swift agreed. "Pardon me, gentlemen." The split screen going blank.

"Professor?" he stared at the image of Proton on screen.

The seacopter lurched as the repelatrons lifted at one end and in the center…

"I've got a grip…Pulling…" Amy's voice on speaker.

"Careful, Amy!" Swift called into mike. "Don't stay too close!"

"It's moving, keep rocking the ship…Just a bit more…Whoa!" her voice cut out.

"It's moved!" Bud cried. "Engaging tractor treads! We're on our way! And there's the edge!"

"Amy! Amy! Come in!" Swift called.

"Hang on! We're going over! Brace yourself!" Bud, grabbing seat arms.

"Ocean Arrow to Dr. Amy! Come in!" Swift called as the seacopter fell over into the abyss, Arturo compartment first, dragging her straight down, as rocks and debris flew off.

"Stand by to jettison!" Bud cried. "No response on automatic control. I'll have to try the manual!" he rose from the now vertical seat, falling into the pooled water by the airlock and jettison control.

"Bud!" Swift leaned as best he could. Water now seeping in the viewport cracks faster as the pressure rose outside.

"I'm ok…Just a sec!" Barclay struggling to crawl in the water reaching for the manual controls. "Just a bit more! There's something stuck! There!" as a loud crack was heard and the compartment suddenly lurched up.

"We're clear!" Bud gasped. As the compartment now righted itself, rising fast.

"Amy, come in!" Swift tried again.