in the episode "Lost in Space" Columbia must help find a missing child before the press get too curious.
Tony was a trouble child. That much Columbia could tell right of the bat. He was rude, he was disrespectful, he was smart though. Smart enough to correct Peter on several occasions.
"I still don't see why I had to be chosen for this job." The former teacher had grumbled the day before. "Because you are a teacher so it's only natural you get to interact with kids." Columbia replied. She honestly found the whole situation amusing and Peter's fluster made it all the more comical. "Glad you find it hilarious, Collie." He grumbled. "While you're having the time of your life I'm off babysitting a bunch of annoying brats who are too smart for their own good." "Admit it, you like being a teacher again." She said. "I'm not a teacher anymore. I'm an astronaut. I should be focusing on that." He growled. "It's never a good idea to rush things, Peter." Columbia murmured. "Just take it slow." "Or accidents will happen, yes we've been over this before." He sighed. "Sometimes you need a reminder." She said. "You're lucky I'm so patient with you." He said, rubbing her nose. She purred, nudging his hand. "And you're lucky that I care enough to bother."
...
"Patience. Patience." Peter thought to himself as he worked to keep his anger in check as Tony corrected him for the third time that day. While he usually could put up with smart students, Tony had a sassy attitude that really got under his skin. Peter really had to work at the calming techniques Columbia had given him to use but he was certain that if the shuttle were here, not even she would tolerate this kids' disrespectful attitude. Though usually benign, Columbia had a "don't mess with me" glare that shut down even the most hard nosed malcontent.
"Where's 14?" Tony asked now, speaking of the old launching pads that Glenn and others used in the Apollo days. "If I'm not wrong Tony, it should be somewhere next to 13 but it isn't there anymore. Torn down." Peter said. As the class broke up to head back to the bus that would take them to a viewing point for Columbia's launch, Peter took Tony aside. "You have a lot to learn about talking to people." He said. "And you have a lot to learn about being an astronaut!" Tony retorted. Peter sighed as for the umpteenth time that day, he got a lid on his anger. "I'm calling your parents, you're going home." He said at last. "But I'll miss the launch!" Tony cried. Peter felt a small twinge of sympathy for the boy. Any launch was an incredible sight to see. But he forced it down. Tony had to learn there were consequences for his actions. He dragged the boy by his ear towards the bus.
...
Peter's heart sank as he realized Tony was missing. The boy may've been a troublesome brat, a thorn in his side, but he was his responsibility. His handheld radio crackled. "I haven't received the final count Peter. There's a delay and I know you're behind it somehow!" Columbia's calm voice had an edge to it, one that Peter knew would become like a knife once he told her. "Collie, don't freak on me okay but I may've accidentally..." He began. "Out with it." She sighed. Peter could almost hear her eyes rolling. "I lost a kid?" He tried. Holding the radio at arms length did nothing to lesson the deafening noise that came through. Peter could hear the distinct sound of both English and Space Shuttle swear words and revving engines as Columbia vented her anger at him. At last she asked "How?" "He was being rude and I told him he had to go home. I put him on the bus but when we stopped he wasn't there." He replied. Columbia groaned. "So now he's loose on the premises and control fears he might be in the launch area." She asked. "Greaaattt!" She said with false enthusiasm. "I don't need the sarcasm right now, United States Space Shuttle Columbia Rediva." Peter growled. "What did I tell you about calling me by my full name ASCAN Peter Engal." She snarked back. "Okay, okay. I'll drop it." He sighed. "Just find the kid before the press gets a hold of this, Peter. This program has enough issues as it is." She said. "If this makes the front page, we'll never get off the ground again!" "Don't remind me of the stakes, Collie. I know." Peter sighed. "I'll keep you informed." "You better." She snorted. "I'll be radioing you every 10 minutes to get an update on your progress." "Now Collie, I really think..." He began. It was pointless arguing though. "Every 10 minutes!" Even through the comms, Peter could see her red eyes, narrowed into fine slits as her gums pulled back revealing her rather nasty set of fangs. Part of her battleship genome. She could and would bite someone if they didn't get the hint. Peter had seen it and his backside had no desire to feel the T-Rex bite force her jaws had. "Fine!" He sighed, rolling his eyes at her smug reply.
...
It'd been 15 minutes since Peter's last comm check and Columbia was getting ansy. Maybe he'd found something and was working it out, she didn't know. But by 20 minutes the wait was more than she could stand. "Get out!" She growled to her crew. Pilot and Commander Bull Eckhert knew exactly what she was about to do. "Columbia are you crazy?!" He cried. "Oh most definitely." She replied with false amusement. "Now GET OUT!" Even rookie astronauts knew not to mess with the leader of the Shuttle Fleet when she was in this mood. All seven of them filed out calmly, not daring to look at the fuming orbiter. As soon as they were on the ground via the baskets, Columbia detached from the external tank, breaking free of the lines holding her to the SRBs. Gravity took hold and she began to slide downwards but she deployed her landing gear and pushed off, executing a perfect backflip and landing evenly on the ground. She didn't stay still for a moment as she became a black and white blurr, racing down the tarmac and lifting off gracefully into the air. Several missions earlier, NASA at insistence from their retired Enterprise, installed an internal fuel tank that actually allowed all the shuttles to fly rather than glide. It was useless during takeoffs and landings on missions though due to the high altitudes but it was perfect for low level flying, like an aircraft, the other half of a shuttle's genome. Columbia passed by her maternal cousins, the Lockheed 38s that were parked on a nearby airstrip. She tipped a wing in salute as she did before following her ultra sensitive nose as it picked up Peter's trail.
Peter was more than impressed by Tony's room. No wonder the kid knew so much about astronauts, he practically lived the life already. His book knowledge was to be admired. The teacher turned astronaut was interrupted in his conversation with Tony's father as the house shuddered. "What was that?" Baxter asked. "I thought you said they delayed the launch." "They did." Peter replied just as a black and white head stuck its head in the window upside down and offered up a sweet smile. "Am I interrupting anything?" Peter face palmed. "I thought I told you to stay put, Columbia!" He growled. "Every 10 minutes remember? It's been 30 now." She replied. "You have a launch to do missy!" Peter was not amused. "Ah, delayed launch." She corrected. "And it will remain so until we find the boy." "Go home Columbia, I have this handled." Peter said. He was in no mood to deal with her antics, even if she was his favorite shuttle. "No way hose you need all the help you can get on this one!" She replied as the roof creaked under her. "Columbia..." Peter warned just as part of the roof collapsed, taking the shuttle with it. Fortunately, Peter and Tony's father weren't hurt. Peter rushed forward, helping to clear the debris as Columbia shook herself off. "Damn, Endeavor was right. I really do need to stop with the deserts." She sighed, giving a loud sneeze as the dust rose around her. "I am so sorry about that." Peter said to Tony's father who raised a pacifying hand. "You ain't no reindeer Columbia, but get my son back safe and we'll call it even." He said. Columbia nodded. "You have a deal Mr. Baxter." She agreed. "But Columbia, you can't just..." Peter began. "I can and I will. Face it, you're stuck with me Peter." She said. He sighed. "Where do we begin?" He asked. "NASA already has a chopper in the air and they were fueling up the Lockheeds when I left so the air bit is covered. What concerns me is the dense forest surrounding the launchpad. I can't even see through that foliage from up high and road vehicles can only go so fast through the forest and swamps. So that's where we'll start." She said. "In the swamp?" He asked. "Where do you think I go when I'm not on duty?" She asked. "So that's why you keep coming back covered in mud." He realized. "Mudbaths can be surprisingly theraputic and they keep the bugs off too so there's an added bonus." She said. "You should try it sometime." "I'll keep it in mind." He said as he used her wing to climb onto her back straddling her like a horse. "Hold on." She ordered. "To what?" He asked. There was nothing on that smooth white back he could grab. Columbia sighed. "Just dig your heels in if you have to." She ordered and launching herself off the house she took off into the jungle.
Columbia could cover the uneven terrain surprisingly fast. It was too fast for Peter's eyes to keep up with but he knew Columbia's eyesight allowed her to see things as if they were in slow motion, despite her quick pace. "There's too much forest for even me to cover before nightfall, Peter. Anything you have will be helpful." She said. "I was in Tony's room before you destroyed it. The kid's a Glenn fanatic!" Peter said. "Glenn, Glenn. What do we have on base that's related to Glenn? What familiar landmarks maybe" She asked. "The gantries, of course!" Peter realized. "Peter went to Gantry 13, its the closest one he could get." "Well at least he's not in the launch area." Columbia growled. She changed course so abruptly that Peter really had to dig his heels in to keep himself on her back. At Columbia's quiet hiss of pain he quickly apologized. "No my fault. I'll give fair warning next time." She growled and lowered her head as she picked up the pace even more.
Columbia skidded to a halt just below Gantry 13, the old launch pad for one of Glenn's missions. "Peter be careful." Columbia warned as he dismounted from her. "I'm detecting massive structural weaknesses in the frame." "Understood, I'll watch where I step." He promised, giving her side a grateful pat before heading up.
Columbia remained below, pacing back and forth nervously as she waited for Peter and Tony to come down. And come down they did, by falling. Columbia reacted instantly, rearing up as her back wheels took her full 2 tons. She caught Tony on her back and Peter in her jaws, being gentle as she grabbed him. "Thanks." The rookie astronaut panted as she set him down. Columbia nodded, then turned her attention to the boy. "You've caused a lot of trouble kid." She said sharply. "Yes ma'am." Tony bowed his head. "What do you have to say for yourself?" She asked. "Sorry ma'am." He replied. Columbia sighed, her gaze softening a degree. "Well I'd say you've learned your lesson." She said. "It's been over four hours Collie." Peter reported. "I'm sorry." She sighed. "Well we got the kid back at least. And before dark too so that's a bonus." "No launch then?" Tony asked, sounding disappointed. "Nope." Columbia said. "I suppose its a good thing too. I'm too tired now to even think about a run into orbit." "You look like you could use a little down time." Peter agreed. "What I need, is a hot bath and some warm rocket fuel." Columbia growled. "But first, Tony's father is expecting us." "We're gonna fly there?!" Tony sounded excited. "You bet your ass kid." Columbia replied, dropping into a crouch. "Dig your heels in." Peter climbed on behind Tony and the shuttle took off, landing in Mr. Baxter's backyard. The old man came running and as Tony dismounted he scooped his son up, holding him tight. "I fell dad." Tony whimpered. "Off Gantry 13 and I would've died if Columbia hadn't caught me. She saved me dad." Mr. Baxter eventually let his son go and approached the waiting shuttle. Columbia lifted her head as his hand cupped beneath her chin. His other hand came up just beneath her right eye. "Thank you." He said quietly. Columbia nudged him gently, giving a soft bark in reply. Mr. Baxter couldn't understand her but Tony smiled, coming forward with his pennant necklace in hand. He held it out to her. "I want you to have this." He said. Columbia tilted her head to the side. "I couldn't." She said. "Not that." "You saved my life today Columbia, it's the least I can offer." He replied. She lowered her head and he got the chain out to its full length. Amazingly, it slipped over her head, resting in a perfect spot around her neck. "It suits you." He said and she purred her thanks, licking his face a few times before turning about and taking off, back to Kennedy.