A Scientific Match

Chapter 6: Banned

"Earth to Egghead."

Kowalski was jolted back to reality. He looked around, rubbing his cheek, and looked at Skipper. Surely there were better ways to get his attention. "What was that, sir?"

Skipper rolled his eyes and pointed at the trapped lemurs before them. "Welcome back from La-La Land. I'm still waiting for my options, Kowalski, and you know how I feel about waiting."

"Right..." He looked at the lemurs who are stuck together with a lot of what appeared to be bubble gum. Of course, that was what Julien mistook it for anyway when in reality it was a new adhesive gum-based putty he had been working on. Apparently while he was gone last night, Julien had broken into his lab again.

Kowalski licked his flipper tip and turned the page of his options notebook. "Well, as I see it there are two options." He quickly sketched a pair of scissors and showed it. "We could cut it off their fur, or—" He flipped the page and sketched again. "We could freeze the adhesive and possibly shatter it and free them."

Skipper nodded and looked at him and Rico. "Do we have a freeze ray?"

"I don't know. Rico, do you happen to have one of my freeze rays or do I need to run by the lab?"

Rico thought for a moment. He then regurgitated a ray and showed it to Kowalski. "Dis 'un?"

"Yes, that's one." He nodded. "Just freeze the adhesive if you can. The less casualties the better."

"CASUALTIES?!" Maurice exclaimed.

"At ease, Maurice. There won't be any casualties," Skipper said.

"Just my unfinished adhesive..." Kowalski muttered.

"Well, you shouldn't have had it where they could get to it."

"Oh, well excuse me for locking it in my lab and expecting it to be safe."

Private cleared his throat, looking at them. "We're awaiting next orders..."

"Right, right... Rico, if you would." Skipper motioned towards the shivering lemurs.

Rico took out a hammer and chisel and started to shatter the ice and frozen adhesive. Private waddled over to assist.

Skipper turned back to Kowalski. "What were you thinking so hard about anyway?"

"Nothing much..." He shrugged. "Science stuff and things."

"Are you sure about that? Because your face looked twitterpated."

Kowalski looked away. "I'm not twitterpated."

"Mmm, suuuure you're not." Skipper looked thoughtful and glanced at him again. "Where were you last night anyway? Obviously you weren't here if they were in your lab."

"That's unimportant."

"Kowalski, as your commanding officer, I order you to tell me where you were."

Kowalski crossed his flippers. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was on a date."

"So you are smitten. Great, that's exactly what we need. A nerd with his head stuck in the clouds again. Who did you go out with?"