The camera was on the blue sky with asteroids visibly in the way in front of the planet. The view twirled then came to a stop facing the yellow landscape. The camera slowly flew down toward the landscape that had patches of greenery, tunnels, and bodies of water while the perspective kept moving forward back into the barren aspect of the asteroid going over several hills and rocks until it came toward the front of the escape ship. The view grew closer toward the window that acted as a bubble with figures standing in the way looking out the curved window.
"So," Sydnee started. "What do we call this little rock?"
"I don't know," Karleen said.
Slowly, but surely, their attention shifted toward the doctor.
"I have no idea," Smith said.
"Rock," The Robot said.
"That's not a name," Karleen said.
"That is a classification of a object that cannot sustain life," Smith replied, sternly in a chiding tone.
"Then I recommend we name it Bob," The Robot said.
"Bob?" The group repeated.
"Bob," The Robot repeated.
"Bob doesn't sound too bad," Sydnee said.
"A planet named Bob," Smith said. "Who would have thought of it."
"Uh, this isn't a planet," Karleen said.
"It has a name and lifeforms from outside this spacecraft," The Robot said. "That makes it a planet."
"Then wouldn't Bob be a dwarf planet?" Sydnee asked.
"Dwarf planets are round, Syd," Smith said. "This is not."
"And this time," The Robot said. "Being stuck on this planet could drive Doctor Smith mad."
"It will not!" Smith shot back over the laughing Robot then faced the curious children. "Now, we should do some exploring of this rock to see what we can find. We need to use our backpacks to store the food that we can savage and store for later." He looked toward the Robot. "Robot, I like you to make sure the atmosphere can sustain humanoid lifeforms. I believe we all like to be out of our suits."
"Yes!" Karleen and Sydnee cheered.
"I will need a guide to the exit," The Robot said.
"I can do that," Sydnee said, holding her hand up.
"Lead the way, Sydnee Abernashi," The Robot said.
"Come on, slowpoke," Sydnee said.
The Robot followed after Sydnee through the doorway that opened before him.
"If the instance does happen," Smith started. "That we run out of food then I will take care of it."
Karleen looked up toward him.
"How?" Karleen asked.
Smith had his hands clasped together as he looked down toward her.
"The specifics is something I have to know, Karl," Smith said, then placed his hand on to the shoulder and gestured in the direction that Sydnee had gone. "Go along."
Karleen went after her sister then the door closed behind her.
"I pray that I don't need to carry it out," There was pain in Smith's words laced between desperation.
Sydnee stopped in her tracks where she spotted from across there was a series of square light gray blocks sticking out of the wall that formed a circular doorway. The door that stood in the doorway was curved in circles with a single hole in the center. The Robot wheeled forward only to stop right in front of the Golaran child. Electricity cackled from his red claws leaving a good strike on the center that stood out in a cylinder object. The cylinder object slid into the door while spinning in circles. Karleen joined Sydnee's side where she came to a stop watching the door spinning. Smith came to a stop behind them watching the formation twirling with loud groans.
The door spun away leaving another doorway. The Robot wheeled into the second room then the door closed behind him. They waited, standing beside the doorway, with Smith holding on to his phaser rifle while visibly trembling before them. The door rolled open a few minutes later and the Robot wheeled in to their line of sight. The Robot gestured toward the doorway with one long arm. The small group relaxed losing all the characteristics of fear.
"The atmosphere is suitable for humanoid lifeforms," The Robot said.
"Wooohoo!" The children cheered then ran on past Smith down the hall.
Smith looked toward the doorway then toward the running children.
"I won't go mad, booby," Smith said. "Not with these children around."
Smith followed after the children followed by the Robot.
"I have not had a oil bath," The Robot noted.
Smith looked toward the Robot.
"Not sure if there is oil on this planetoid," Smith said, his tone quite unsure. "We will search for that, too . . ." He looked toward the Robot. "But, drilling for it will be our second priority." Smith held up his two fingers for emphasis in mid-air. "And very messy!"
Smith turned away from the door then walked in the direction of the hall. The Robot closely followed after the man going past the door to the children's room. The view sunk in through the doorway to reveal Sydnee and Karleen were having trouble getting out of their spacesuits slipping and falling to the floor multiple times. They sat down onto their bed where they began to have difficulty slipping their hands out of the long sleeves and long pant legs. The suit felt tight against their skin including feeling like it were suctioned against their body. Sydnee sat beside Karleen then helped her get out of the suit and the favor was returned by Karleen.
Karleen and Sydnee took off their dirty black clothes placing them into the clothing cleaner moving toward the closet. With a wide, loud swing of the door, there was survival outfits in rows of holes in the walk in closet. The children exchanged a glance then shrugged walking right into the closet. They came out with their survival outfits then get changed into them on their separate beds. Their suits were folded neatly and tidily on the head rest of the beds. Sydnee and Karleen changed into the survival gear then emptied their backpacks leaving the packed food on the bed. They swung their backpacks over their shoulders then ran toward the doorway. The door opened before them then they took a right turn heading toward a unsure route but they were holding hands. Smith was waiting for them beside the Robot.
"Ready, children?" Smith said.
Karleen and Sydnee nodded in unison.
"It's good to be out of those protecto-suits," Sydnee said.
"It feels so freeing," Karleen said.
"Booby, please open the doors," Smith said.
With a loud electrical cackle, the two sets of doors were open.
"Why wasn't Delta chosen to be colonized?" Sydnee asked.
Smith looked down toward Sydnee.
"That is a good question," Smith said, nodding his head. "I want to believe they saw the trajectory of the dwarf planet or asteroid that made this happen before hand." Smith had a small shrug then looked toward the area that laid ahead of them. "I don't know the story behind choosing Gamma but it was exceptionally thorough." He looked down toward them and moved behind them placing his hands behind their shoulders and slid them forward growing a smile. "Off you go, children."
All it took was a single push to send them running forward. Smith walked after the children as the camera moved back inside to reveal the phaser rifle was left on the already made bed. The Robot rolled through the threshold from behind. The children had their survival jackets partially zipped down and their sleeves rolled up, being kept up by a long strap wrapped around a white button, running under the twin suns. Smith put on black sunglasses then took out some ointment and rubbed it on his exposed skin even his face. Smith took in a breath of fresh air visibly relaxed in the familiar scenery. Smith walked on slowly so much that the pace allowed the Robot to keep up right beside him then slowly moved his hands and cupped them around his mouth.
The camera rushed ahead keeping up with the siblings over Smith's shout, "Don't go too far out of our sight, children!"
Karleen and Sydnee's laughter echoed back as they ran through bushes.
"We won't!" Karleen replied, then turned her attention away from the older man.
Smith was relaxed and easy.
"They shouldn't be much of a handful," Smith said.
"These are very different charges, Doctor Smith," The Robot said.
"I can't help it," Smith said. "Just seeing them. . . " he looked toward the Robot. "I see them."
"Specify," The Robot requested.
"Penelope and William," Smith clarified, his attention returning toward the children. "And you being here. . ."
"Is a lot like previous occasions when we oversaw the youngest members of the family," The Robot said.
"Yes," Smith said. "I miss them," he wiped off a small tear with his sleeve then lowered his arm. "Dearly."
"So do I," The Robot said.
Smith looked toward the Robot who's attention never wavered off the children.
"I think you need to know something, my dear old friend," Smith said. "So it won't come as a surprise."
The Robot shifted toward Smith.
"What did you do this time?" The Robot asked.
Smith's eyes grew big as he placed a hand on his chest.
"You really think I would immediately do something awful after being brought back?" Smith asked.
"Affirmative," The Robot said. "You have a history."
"I didn't do anything wrong," Smith said, folding his arms. "But it's the captain of the Saggarius who did . . ."
"So that's where they took the Jupiter 2," The Robot cut him off.
Smith nodded, regretfully, turning away from the Robot unfolding his arms so that his hands clasped together.
"Indeed," Smith said, softly.
Smith walked on following closely behind the children as the Robot kept a reasonable pace alongside him.
"And I have . . ." Smith had a deliberate pause looking off at the past away from the children in the direction of the large crater formation walls that surrounded the enter perimeter. "other memories. I'll start about what happened after my resurrection then tell you about the other lifetimes," Smith shifted toward the Robot and got in the way of the Robot's path. "Is that agreeable?"
"It is," The Robot said. "Begin."