A Break for Kowalski
Skipper looked over at Private and Rico. The two were over at the tv where Private was watching the Lunacorns and Rico was brushing his doll's hair. He then glanced with a frown at Kowalski's lab. How many days had it been since his lieutenant had last been spotted outside that room? Had to have been at least a week….Possibly two. The only reassurances that the nerd hadn't died in there during this time were the light and shadow movements from under the door and the occasional muffled exclamations of success and or pain. Who could honestly tell the difference?
"He's been working on whatever long enough," he then muttered to himself, getting up. He waddled over and opened the door, not even bothering to knock.
Kowalski was sitting at his lab bench, scratching his head with his pencil's eraser as he stared, mumbling at some blue prints before him. He didn't seem to notice Skipper's existence.
"Kowalski."
The scientist jumped, dropping his pencil in surprise. It rolled over to Skipper who then put his foot on top of it as he crossed his flippers.
"Did you…Eh…Need something, sir?"
Skipper looked at him sternly. "I need you to take a break."
Kowalski shook his head. "Not yet. I'm so close to a break through. So close! I'm working on a—"
"You can tell me about it later. But you're taking a break now, you hear me?"
"But sir, I—"
"No buts. Shower, fish, sleep. In that order. Now, Kowalski."
"Penguins never sleep!"
Skipper squinted at his lieutenant. Did he seriously think quoting himself was going to really help him get out of this? The nerd's brain must be burned out from lack of sleep. He then rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Right, penguins never sleep….But we sometimes nap. And you're going to take one, one way or another."
Kowalski looked down at Skipper and finally sighed, reaching over and pulling the string on his desk lamp. "Fine….I'll take a break."
"Shower, fish, sleep. Chop chop." Skipper jerked his head towards the door. He waited until the nerd had left the room to reach down, pick up the pencil, and sat it on the desk. He glanced at the plans. Whatever hieroglyphic scrawl Kowalski had written didn't even look like English letters. He then just shook his head, and left the room, turning off the light and closing the door behind himself.
"He went to the showers, right?"
Private looked over from the tv and nodded. "Yes, sir…quite grumbly though."
Skipper shrugged as he sat down. "Couldn't care less about grumbling as long as he's following his orders."
Half an hour later, Kowalski still had not reappeared from the showers. Skipper got up, frowning. It shouldn't have taken him this long to take a quick shower. He waddled in and then stopped with a sigh as he saw Kowalski sound asleep in a corner of the shower. He shook his head as he turned the water off.
"It was supposed to be shower, fish, sleep. Not shower and sleep, Kowalski."
Skipper took a towel and wrapped the nerd up before carrying him out of the bathroom and laying him in his bunk. For a moment, he just stood there shaking his head before gently patting him. "You worry me some days. I hope you know that." He murmured before waddling away, back to his coffee at the table.