Author's Note: Original dialogue from the TV show is in bold.
The Don/Judy Project
Season 2
Last week, as you recall, Will and Dr. Smith had each taken a trip into the sixth dimension. Will returned a genius, but Dr. Smith returned as a doddering old man. The processes were reversed with a second trip in the space vehicle. Then, Professor Robinson's body was taken over by the spirit of an ancient warrior named Canto. He entombed Maureen, Judy and Don in an ancient cave and prepared to throw Will into an unending abyss, but his love for his son saved him. Judy and Don, along with Will and Dr. Smith were filling up the final canisters of fuel. Soon they would be ready to leave the planet…
Blast Off into Space (Written by Peter Packer)
"This should be it, Judy. We finally have enough deutronium to get off this rock," Don stated as he tested the last batch they had just mined. He and Judy were working at the drill site while Will and Dr. Smith were nearby doing... something…
"Thank goodness. I've come to hate this planet," Judy replied as she screwed the cap onto the bottle. "Let's just hope Will or Dr. Smith don't get their hands on these canisters."
"Oh, no. I'm locking these babies up and sleeping with the key." He grinned and added, "Care to guard them with me?"
She smiled and replied, "After I get these last few bottles put away, maybe we can take a little break until Will and Dr. Smith come back to help us pack up."
"And what would you like to do during this little break?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something…"
The communicator interrupted their flirting and Judy continued to deposit the bottles into the case. When she returned, Don looked at her and repeated into the speaker, "Earthquake? What earthquake?"
John reported that an earthquake might be heading their way, so Don told Judy to get Will and Smith while he loaded up the equipment. Judy climbed up the small ridge and called them, but they refused to leave until the unveiling of Dr. Smith's latest work of art… a statue of himself that he named, "Spirit of Space." As Judy made her way back to the drilling site, the earthquake hit and she tumbled over the ridge. Don fell backwards, but scrambled to his feet and rushed over to be sure she was all right. He took her hand and they searched for Will and Smith.
Once they were all safely back at the Jupiter, John informed the family that the planet was in danger of breaking up. They had to take off within twelve to fifteen hours. Dr. Smith chose to ignore the professor's warning. He and Will had befriended a miner who was blasting for 'cosmonium,' a priceless life-giving mineral wanted throughout the galaxy. It was the old miner's blasting that was causing the planet to disintegrate, and Dr. Smith, with visions of riches in his head, insisted that there was no cause for alarm.
"Dear Joan,
We're in trouble again. The planet we've been living on for the past year is breaking up and we had to get the Jupiter flight ready in less than ten hours. Dad and Don were working non-stop on the mechanical preparations while the rest of us tossed out all unnecessary equipment. Weight is going to be problem, so we have to lighten our load as much as possible. Of course Penny is bringing her pet Bloop. Don made a special niche just for her so she'd be safe during lift-off. He can be so nurturing sometimes.
We're ready to go except that we're waiting for Dr. Smith and Will to come back with the drilling equipment. They should have been back by now. Dad's going to go look for them with the jet pack. I pray that we make it in time."
Maureen had taken Penny downstairs and Judy found Don at the controls, fidgeting while anxiously awaiting the return of the others. "Don? What if they don't get back in time?" Judy asked him.
He sighed. "I'll delay lift-off as long as I can, Judy, but once the ground starts disintegrating, we won't have much choice."
"If you like, I can stay with you until Dad gets back."
He took her hand and drew her to him. "I'd like that." She placed her hands on his shoulders, and she got a close look at the worry in his eyes. He could be making a life or death decision for all of them within a few moments. She wanted to be there to support him if it came down to leaving without Will, her father and Dr. Smith. Thankfully, the Chariot came within view and they both rushed out to help stow the gear.
"Dear Joan,
Lift-off almost didn't happen. Dr. Smith traded our thruster control to an old miner for some 'cosmonium,' which, according to Dr. Smith, is a priceless mineral that is the key to eternal life. In fact, he claimed that the cosmonium brought his statue to life, which is why he and Will weren't able to get back to the Jupiter. Thankfully, Dad saved them.
Once we lifted off, though, the ship couldn't break free of the planet's gravity, but Don, my mechanical genius, was able to jury-rig the thruster system, and we were off. We saw an incredible sight that I will never forget. After the planet blew apart, a nova flare appeared. As Mom said, it was like a rainbow after a storm. We needed that after the scary lift-off we had, but now we're safely in space and finally heading for Alpha Centauri."
Wild Adventure (Written by William Read Woodfield & Alan Balter)
Judy completed her latest entry to her cousin and turned off the recorder. The ship then lurched wildly to the left and the right. They were out of control and she held onto her desk to keep from sliding across the room. Once the ship stabilized, she left her cabin in search of Don. She found him at the bridge and asked him what had happened.
"Smith happened," he replied. "Somehow he found our position and calculated a path back to Earth. He tried to change course on his own."
"And that's when we went out of control?"
"Yeah. And your father gave him his word that we would go back to Earth instead of Alpha Centauri if his calculations were correct. Turned out they were right, but they were the Robot's, not his. He also left out another minor detail."
Before he could explain, they were called to the table for dinner and joined the rest of the family. John informed them that they would not be able to return to Earth because their path would take them right into the gravitational pull of the sun, and they would not risk maneuvering around it. Their destination continued to be Alpha Centauri.
Before dinner was over, the general alarm went off… Dr. Smith had changed course for Earth once again. Not only that, he also managed to eject the ship's reserve fuel cells. "How bad is it?" Don asked.
"We have power for twenty, twenty-five hours, no more. We better find someplace to land," John replied.
Both Don and John were furious and John sent Smith below before Don could rip him apart. With the change in course, there was nowhere to land, but John remembered a string of refueling stations that had been placed in space for the Intergalactic Probe 22. They estimated that they would reach one within twenty-one hours.
Don expertly docked the Jupiter to the fuel barge, and then he suited up for his space walk to the refueling station. Judy helped him with the vest and took his face in her hands. "Be careful, please?" she begged him. He nodded and was about to kiss her lips when Will bounced in looking for him.
"Ready, Don?" Will asked.
"Coming up, Judy?" Don asked.
"No. I think I'll stay down here," Judy replied. She was worried about his walk, and was afraid that she would distract him if he knew she was watching his every move.
"I'll be fine," he told her as he followed Will up to the bridge.
Although Don experienced a disconcerting moment while outside the ship, his space walk was successful and the Jupiter was refueled and once again traveling to Alpha Centauri.
While Don was changing out of his spacesuit, Dr. Smith told Judy to keep an eye on the Major because he was suffering from a case of 'space rapture.' Judy approached Don before retiring to question him about Dr. Smith's diagnosis.
"Is it true, Don? Did you see something when you were out there?" she asked him.
He shook his head. "I thought I saw something, but it was probably just a shadow."
"Dr. Smith says you've snapped and have a case of 'space rapture.'"
"And you believe him?"
"Of course not. I was just wondering what happened."
"Nothing happened!"
"You have been working awfully hard. Maybe you need a rest."
"Come on, Judy, you don't really think I'm losing it?"
Before she could answer, Smith came running up screaming that he had seen a figure outside the spaceship. The more he described the floating Green woman wearing a skin tight leotard and inverted salad bowl for a hat, the more the rest of the crew laughed. Don couldn't believe that Judy was questioning his sanity when it was obvious that Smith was the one who had flipped. "I think we should all turn in," Don stated and stalked off to his cabin. Judy was tempted to go after him to apologize, but thought better of it. He didn't seem to be in the best of moods, and she thought it best to give him some space.
Dr, Smith continued to have visions of the green lady while playing chess with Will. Before long, however, the ship's alarm went off and everyone ran out of his or her cabin. As Dr. Smith started to ascend the ladder, Don came up behind him, pulled him down by the belt buckle and scaled the ladder himself while Dr. Smith fumed.
As John and Don analyzed the situation Don noted that they were off course yet again. When they opened the viewport, they found themselves heading straight for the sun. Don held Smith's face and forced him to look at what was confronting them. Penny yelled at her father and Don to stop accusing Dr. Smith because she was the one who had changed the course settings of the astrogator.
Maureen and John were furious with Dr. Smith when Penny admitted that she had done it at Dr. Smith's request for help. Don was ready to deck Dr. Smith, but he and John had to plot a new course. Don worried that the best they could do would be a near miss, but the Jupiter didn't fail them. It lifted itself over the sun and they were safe.
After they all breathed a sigh of relief, John sent everyone back to bed. He had a lot to think about and needed to speak with his wife before making any decisions. Don remained behind to check on the systems while the rest of the family retired. Penny asked Judy if she was coming, but Judy replied, "I'll be down soon, Penny. You go ahead."
She and Don were finally alone on the upper deck. He checked all of the circuits as Judy stared out the viewport window. When he was done, he approached her from behind and put his arms around her waist. "Is everything okay?" she asked.
"The ship's fine, but that was a close call, Judy. If I get my hands on Smith…"
"Don…"
He rolled his eyes. "I know, I know… but Judy... three times! Three times he changed that astrogator and to manipulate Penny into doing it…"
She covered Don's hands with her own and leaned back against him, hoping to distract him enough to get his mind off Smith. "Don…listen…"
He frowned. "To what?"
"The quiet."
"Yeah?"
"We're alone."
A smile crept up his cheeks to his eyes and he tightened his hold on her.
"You know, Don, I wouldn't have had to point that out to you a few months ago…"
He nuzzled her neck. "I guess I'm out of practice."
She turned in his arms. "How about getting back into shape?"
He tilted his head and whispered, "It's like riding a bike," as his mouth covered hers. Their kiss lasted a full three seconds before it was interrupted by the sound of John's footsteps on the ladder.
They separated as John hopped onto the deck. "Judy! I thought you'd be in bed by now."
"We were just saying 'good-night,' Dad."
"I'm sorry. Go ahead. Then I need to talk to Don before we turn in."
Judy sighed and kissed Don on the cheek, and did the same to her father. "Good-night."
Don gave her a mournful smile. "Good-night," he echoed.
After spending the day making calculation after calculation, John and Don came to a decision about their flight. "Think hard about this decision, John. Alpha Control may not give us another chance to go to Alpha Centauri. They might right us off as just another 'failed' mission," Don commented.
"How do you feel about that?" John asked.
He grit his teeth. "I'll be honest with you. I don't like the words 'failed mission' attached to my resume, but the idea of seeing my family again, and Red and Tom…" Don knew John had made his final decision.
"I owe it to my children, Don."
He nodded. The elevator rose and Judy walked off. "Mom sent me up to call you both down to dinner," she said.
John nodded and turned to Don. "Are we decided?"
Don nodded again.
As John left them and descended the ladder, Judy asked, "Decided what?"
"You need to hear it from your Dad," he replied as he put his arm around her and walked to the elevator.
The family was at the table and chattering during their dinner when John announced, "If I could have everyone's attention for a minute… there's something I think you should all know. Before Don and I came down, we completed our computations. We decided we have just enough fuel for one course change without endangering our landing. So, now that we're safely past our sun… and since it is closer than Alpha Centauri… we've decided to head for Earth."
Judy clasped her hands together and gasped in delight. Penny and Will were ecstatic, but Dr. Smith was beside himself. He left his seat musing about the things that he would once again eat… crepe suzettes, pheasant under glass… and then he asked when they would be setting foot on terra firma.
John passed the question to their pilot. "Don?"
"Our course has to be adjusted at exactly three minutes after midnight tonight," Don explained. "We'll only have one chance. If we hit our course on time, we'll be firing our retro-rockets sometime tomorrow afternoon."
"Dr. Smith," Will jumped up and exclaimed, "maybe we'll be in time for the World Series!"
"Oh, yes… that…" Dr. Smith stated.
Penny joined him. "We can go horseback riding and swimming and have bicycles!"
"All right. Now, that's enough," Maureen said to calm them.
John suggested that they all go to bed immediately after dinner, as they had a busy day coming up and Maureen beckoned the children back to the table to finish eating.
Don remained at the helm while John spent some time with the children and Maureen before they turned in for the night. He had asked Judy to come up and see him before she went to bed. She bounced in wearing her robe and slippers, eager to spend some time with him. "You look happier than I've seen you in a long time, Judy," Don commented.
"Oh, Don. I've been happy," Judy answered.
"You were almost as excited as Smith was when your father made his announcement."
"It's just that I miss so many things from back home. I'll be able to see Joan again and talk to her in person about everything we've been through. What about you? How do you feel about going home?"
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy about it, I mean, I miss my family, but I wish we could go back saying we had a successful mission." He sat in his pilot's chair and motioned for her to sit in his lap. "Judy, tell me something. Would you take this trip again if you had the chance?"
She settled on his thighs and placed an arm around his shoulder. "I don't know… Knowing what I know now… It would depend on a lot of factors. What about you?"
"I would in a heartbeat, but only under two conditions."
"What are they?"
"That Smith would be nowhere near the Jupiter when we lift off and that… you would be with me."
She laughed, "And I was thinking that I would only go if you were still the pilot."
"Then going home wouldn't change how you feel about me?"
She was horrified. "Of course not!"
He grinned. "I was hoping you would say that." He stood and had her take his seat. He prayed that no one would interrupt them over the next five minutes. "Judy, we came close to getting married before we left Earth. Now that we're returning…" He took a deep breath and held her hand. "I want to do it right this time." He got down on one knee. "Judy, will you marry me?"
Her eyes watered and she placed her free hand on his cheek. "Oh, Don, yes. Yes, I will." She leaned forward and they kissed. He released her hand and their arms wrapped around each other and their kiss deepened and intensified until they needed to stop to take a breath.
He whispered in her ear, "I love you, Judy. I love you so much." She held him tightly. "When do you want to tell your parents?" he asked her.
"Not until after we land. There will be so much going on. I'd rather save it for a more quiet time."
"Good. That'll give me time to shop for a ring and… ask your father's permission."
"Permission for what?" John asked as he approached the bridge. Neither Judy nor Don had noticed him step off the ladder.
"Oh, um, permission to, uh, take Judy with me when I visit my folks," Don stammered.
"Of course you have my permission, but I would think that they would want to see you alone at first," John replied.
"Oh, they won't mind. They're very fond of Judy," Don said.
Judy blushed. "Thanks, Dad. I know you both have a lot of work to do, so I'll kiss you both good-night," she stated and gave both of them a peck on the cheek.
The family was asleep as John and Don came up to begin the preparations for their course change. They were both looking out of the viewport when they couldn't believe what floated in front of them. "John, do you see…" Don asked
"Yes, I see it," John replied.
"Then he was telling the truth," Don stated as they watched the green girl in the tight leotard dance around in space with none other than Dr. Smith in his space suit chasing after her.
John went to gather the family together to witness what was happening before them. Maureen and the children were almost speechless. Judy asked where she had come from and the Robot responded. "From the green mist."
"Around the fuel barge?" Don asked.
The Robot continued to explain that she was of a species that fed on atomic fuel and had followed them for their fuel. Judy commented that Dr. Smith looked hypnotized and the Robot said that the green woman had induced Dr. Smith to think that he was in love with her in order to get more fuel from the ship. "What are we going to do?" Maureen asked.
"Well, I'm going to make a course change in twelve minutes," John stated. He went to the astrogator followed by the rest of the family. Maureen stated that they would have to get a line to Dr. Smith right away, but Don explained that he was too far from the ship and that, if they made a course change to get closer to him, they wouldn't have enough fuel to make a second course change to get back to Earth.
Judy was horrified. "But you can't just leave him there!" she stated.
Maureen asked what would happen if they did change course to save Dr. Smith. John explained that they would shoot out the other side of the galaxy and be… lost in space again. "Well that's the way it has to be. We've got to save Dr. Smith," Maureen stated.
Don argued against that. "Why? He's caused us nothing but trouble from the beginning. Now why should we sacrifice everything just for him?"
"Because he's a human being," Maureen replied.
Don was not swayed. "I say we go to Earth. Let him stay out there."
"For the rest of eternity?" Maureen asked.
John considered both arguments and knew that he couldn't live with himself if he didn't listen to his wife. "Preparing course deviation of three degrees," John announced, emotion drained from his voice. Don slammed his fist on the astrogator and he stomped to the storage room.
He came out carrying his spacesuit. He sheepishly stated, "Well, somebody has to haul him back in." Judy took his arm and accompanied him as he left to change.
Don emerged from his cabin in his silver outfit. Judy helped him with the oxygen vest and commented, "Don? I want you to know… I'm proud of you for going out there to get him."
"Even though my first instinct was to leave him?"
"I knew you'd come around."
"Where does this leave us?"
"I don't know… I guess… we're back to where we were."
Don sighed. "I better get up there."
After Don brought Dr. Smith back into the Jupiter, the intercom came to life. "Alpha Control to unidentified space vehicle. Do you read us? Over."
They ran to the microphone and John attempted to answer. "Alpha Control, this is Jupiter 2. Do you read me?"
"This is Alpha Control. Your signal is very faint. Your identification sounded like the Jupiter 2. Please reconfirm." Dr. Smith grabbed the microphone and screamed that they were the Jupiter 2 and needed help. "The Jupiter 2 was lost in space over a year ago," Alpha Control replied.
"--But we've come back!" Dr. Smith shouted.
John asked Alpha Control if they could track the ship, but it was reported that the ship was beyond their range of telemetry. "You seem to be passing Earth, departing this galaxy. Can you change heading?"
"Negative, Alpha Control," John responded. "Rocket fuel unavailable."
"We are losing your signal. You're exiting the galaxy, headed for outer space – Good luck," were Alpha Control's final words.
Dr. Smith was beside himself when he realized that they had lost their only chance to return to Earth. "Oh, the pain," he murmured.
"Dad, where are we going now?" Will asked.
"We'll know when we get there, son. We'll know when we get there," John responded.
Will and the Robot were trying to soothe Dr. Smith's 'pain' by singing to him as he dreamed about arriving on the Isle of Capri. They were interrupted by a signal indicating that they were approaching a celestial body.
A female voice announced, "Jupiter 2, Jupiter 2, this is your space controller. Please prepare for entry into our atmosphere. You compass heading should now be 8-5. Repeat: 8-5. Please conform all instruments to requested heading."
Will replied, "This is Jupiter 2. Instructions received. But who are you and what's your astral number?"
The voice never replied, but Dr. Smith insisted that they had been going around in circles and were now headed for Earth and pointed to the planet before them. "That can't be Earth," Will commented. Dr. Smith ignored him and changed the astrogator's bearings.
The Robot immediately announced, "Warning! Warning! Periodicity of signal indicates flight path of space vehicle is on collision course with zone of high intensity particulate radiation. Advise immediate evasive action."
The Jupiter was caught. Sparks were flying in all directions as the ship was being tossed like a boat in a storm…
To be continued…
NEXT WEEK!
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