As Captain Prik and Spork desperately try to make their escape, the crew of the B.S.S.S. Venture are sitting around awaiting word from their captain. Having done all the productive work they could, they have slipped back into doing nothing more than they have to. Spotty is just beginning to wonder why they haven't heard from the Captain or Spork yet . . .

"I wonder where in the planets that cap'ain of ours has gone off to," Spotty muses half to himself, but Uhurry overhears.

"I hope that something bad hasn't happened to him," she says.

"As if he can't take care of himself," Malloy declares as he walks over to the other officers on the bridge. "He's the captain, after all. We have to give him some credit."

"Just because he's the cap'ain, it don' make him competent," Spotty counters. It was very strange for everyone to be able to speak their mind about the superior's absentmindedness, and they may as well while they had the chance.

"All the same," Uhurry remarks, "it still seems like we should be looking out for his well-being. I just don't know what I'd do if something were to happen to him. I have a bad feeling about these Squirrel People."

Malloy smiles to himself. "Really, I think you're worrying about nothing. What could those crazy lunatics possibly do to two trained Star Society officers? Anyway, Spork is there to keep Captain Prik out of trouble."

Spotty shakes his head. "Still, Doctor—"

"Nurse."

"Whatever. You of all people must agree tha' any people who honestly thin' of 'emselves as squirrels 'ave some severe mental . . . insecurities. 'hey should be viewed as quite unpredictable by my book."

"Oh, our poor Captain!" cries Uhurry.

"Ah, would you give it a rest? We don' know if anythin' has e'en happened to 'im," Spotty exclaims as he throws up his hands. "If it would make yu fell any be'ter, I canna run 'ome scans to see if I canna locate our Cap'ian Prik."

Malloy raises an eyebrow. "Mr. Spot, do you realized that you accent gets thicker as you speak?"

"Yeh, I know, man. Ye thin' I'm no' aware o' ho' I 'alk?

Malloy says nothing.

"Oh, Spotty, that would be wonderful! I would feel so much better if I knew that the Captain and Mr. Spork were all right. It's just been so long since we've heard from them..." Uhurry breathes.

"Alla righ', 'en, I'll go anna run 'e tes's." Spotty walks off to engineering.

"I hope he's reverted back to ordinary speech by the time I see him again," Malloy says after Spotty has left.

"I think it gives him character!" Ensign Henson protests.

"Did I ask you what you thought, Ensign?" Malloy questions with scrutinizing eyes.

"Er, no, sir," Henson answers with a bowed head.

"That's what I thought."

"I'd have to agree with Ensign Henson, sir," chimes in Lieutenant Giggles.

"Ah, both of ye! You could drive a man to drink. Good ol' Talaxian rum really jots the spot at times like these—" Malloy cuts himself short. "I'm starting to sound like Mr. Spot." He pauses. "NOOOOO!!!!!" He runs off of the bridge where, in sickbay, he proceeds to give himself a shot to clear his mind, which ends up knocking him unconscious for several hours. Afterward, he remembers nothing about sounding like a Scotsman, only his rather pleasant dream about floating in a pool filled with green Jell-O.

The bridge crew sit in silence for a few moments after Nurse Malloy runs off the bridge screaming something about "kilt-clad bagpipe players."

"That could have gone better," Ensign Henson says finally. "I still say that Mr. Spots' accent sets him apart from the average space-faring person. He represents an entire people." At this point, "Scotland the Brave" suspiciously begins to play in the background. "A people that have fought their way into recognition in the public's eye. I, for one, will stand up for Spotty and all he stands for." He pauses momentarily. "Anyway, he's the only one on this ship who knows how to make it work. We don't want him mad at us." Everyone nods in agreement with this last statement. "Oh, and thanks for the mood music," he adds to Lieutenant Giggles who had taken out his bagpipes that he forgot to leave in his quarters after his lesson and had begun playing during Henson's speech.

"Anytime."

Just then, there is a beep at the console next to the Captain's chair, signaling a message from someone on the ship. Lieutenant Giggles answers it. "Bridge here."

It is a solemn Mr. Spot's voice that comes from the speaker. "I thin' I foun' somethin' that could prove har' to explain."

------------------------------------------------

Chief Engineer's Log: 7.20.2401

I don' know how to explain it exactly, but I know I'm reading the data right. In all my years of bein' an engineer, I've ne'er seen anything like this. I'm gettin' readin's that are be'ond anythin' I could e're imagine. It seems that... How to put it? The Cap'ain an' Mr. Spork... their vital signs... the readouts are similar to that of... a SQUIRREL! I don' know what to make of it... I just don' know. I need to run the readin's past Malloy. Maybe he can ma'e heads of tails of 'em. Ah! Tails! I just don' know. We're still trapped inside the Mother Ship, so I don' know how we can help Cap'ain Prik. First, we'll have to pin-point their location, but that migh' be difficult, with all the force fields an' stuff they've got aroun' 'em. I'll have to think o' somethin' or they might be squirrels forever! This 'tis bad. Awful. I wish the Cap'ain were 'ere. On the other 'and, I did get work done today...