With many staffers attending a surgical conference, the emergency room doctors are overloaded with bizarre cases--it's the day of a full moon. Making matters worse, Romano vindictively terminates Benton after being fined for the recent HMO matter that Benton protested (#226252). Abby wishes she could help more, but she has been demoted to nurse because of late tuition payments. On his first day back, Carter is also relegated to minor medical tasks until Weaver deems him fit for stressful work, but he befriends an optimistic paralyzed boy. Cleo still resents Carter for his drug addiction. Abby and Carter treat a succession of unpleasant cases, like a trio of food-poisoned Japanese businessmen and a science fiction fan who cut his ears like a "Star Trek" alien. Soon, the understaffed emergency room is full of costumed victims from a collapsed causeway at a science fiction convention. At one point, Corday instructs Greene on a complex operation over the intercom while performing another one herself. Although Abby helps overburdened Kovac save a patient's life, Weaver scolds her for doing work for which she is no longer authorized. Abby and Kovac impulsively kiss. Meanwhile, the desk clerk, Frank (recurring guest star TROY EVANS), causes trouble by constantly telephoning his policeman friend and having patients arrested for outstanding warrants. Weaver helps a hardworking single mother wanted for minor check fraud escape, however, and orders Frank not to meddle anymore. And despite Malucci's speculation, Chen refuses to admit who got her pregnant.