She was perched upon a boulder with a tattered pulp novel in her hands. Dramatically, Venus read aloud for a small audience spread before her across blankets.
"An awful shuddering beauty, more dreadful than any ugliness could be..."
"And then what happened?!" Penny Robinson asked with mock excitement, trying to engage the little girl bouncing in her lap.
The days were long but the years were short and 5 had slipped away since strange fate had crashed Venus into this rock. All things considered, the collision had been a blessing.
"Oob oob! Key za! Key za!"
Will Robinson lounged on a blanket next to his sister, one hand held the arm of a toddler trying to balance himself on his feet. The little boy pulled a finger out of his mouth and pointed in the near distance as he continued shouting nonsense.
"Key za! Key za!"
Venus closed the book when she realized what he was gesturing to. On the other side of Penny rested the Robot, quietly ticking away and slumped against it in the shadow was a snoring Dr. Smith. The little girl in Penny's lap suddenly beamed, "It's past Uncey Zach's bedtime!" Will and Penny chuckled at her declaration.
"Did your daddy tell you to call him that?" Venus smirked. The little girl smiled and nodded proudly. "Perhaps we should pause for the evening, I'm sure dinner will be ready soon."
The little girl reached out to Will, "Piggy ride?"
"Okay Jenny...but hang on tight this time!" He responded, hoisting her to his shoulders.
Penny, now a lovely young woman of 19, picked up the little boy and rested him on her hip as she wiped his face with a handkerchief. "Johnny is going to see Mommy and Daddy and Meema and Papa..." She cooed to the dark haired toddler.
He leaned over her shoulder and pointed again at Dr. Smith, "Key za! Key za!" Penny glanced over to Venus as she crouched next to the sleeping old man.
"SHALL I ROUSE HIM FOR YOU?" The Robot inquired.
"No thank you, old friend. I can handle him." Venus replied softly as she took Smith's hand in hers and gently brushed his cheek. Slowly he came back to life and greeted her with a sleepy smile as she helped him to his feet. Penny smiled at their discreet affections and headed back for camp with little Johnny in her arms.
There was no doubt in anyone's mind as to the nature of the Doctors' relationship even though they remained so professional in public. Gone were the days of scheming and space madness for Dr. Smith, and so the Robinson camp respected the privacy of the strange doctors. Even when the ring Dr. Smith had worn for years suddenly appeared on Venus' hand, no one said a word.
Slowly strolling towards camp, Dr. Smith rubbed his eyes. "How did the novella end, my sweet?" He asked softly.
"It hasn't ended, we haven't even made it half way through yet. " Venus replied handing him the paperback.
Smith examined the book and its strange cover art before reciting it's description, "Here is the mystery and the glory of the universe, here is the legendary hero of the space ways, here is Northwest Smith!" He let out a satisfied sigh before bellowing with panache, "Top drawer, I must say! Nerves and eyes of steel, blazing the last frontiers of existence, just like all Smiths! He's a fine specimen in the family tree!"
The Robot that had been rolling behind the doctors suddenly stopped to emit a dry barking sound. Laughter.
Dr. Smith froze and sharply turned to face the Robot with a disapproving scowl, "And just what is so funny, you ill-mannered machine of misfortune?!"
"MY SPEECH SENSORS MUST BE DUSTY, EXCUSE ME DR. SMITH"
"Ohh, how I wish I could..." He muttered bitterly before turning back to Dr. Coagula.
Venus concealed a giggle and looped her arm around Smith's, "We'll finish the book tomorrow, dear. Dinner is ready."