Chapter 2
Professor John Robinson was a sight for sore eyes, rumbled and beat from a long day. He had one foot propped up on the picnic table while dabbing at his neck with a damp cloth. The three Robinson children all excitedly spoke over one another about the mysterious visitor.
"Did she say anything to you, son?" He asked Will.
"Nothing much, sir. She seemed pretty delirious from the crash," Will responded.
Major Don West had been leaning against the table too with his arms crossed. "Well I would certainly hope so," he smirked. "Planting one on Smith like that." Professor Robinson smirked too, forgetting his manners from exhaustion.
"Daddy, Don...be serious!" Judy scolded with a tinge of disappointment in her voice. Maureen walked down the ramp and joined the group, looking just as tired as the men.
"Any news, dear?" John asked his wife.
"Only scrapes and bruises, thankfully. The patient is dangerously dehydrated as well but resting comfortably. Dr. Smith and the Robot are monitoring her for the night."
"Mom, what about dinner?" Penny asked.
"Oh! I completely forgot with all of the excitement around here!" Maureen gasped.
"Mother, you rest. I'll make some sandwiches for everyone." Judy volunteered and hurried into the Jupiter 2.
"I'll help!" Penny chimed in and bounced after her big sister.
"Mrs. Robinson, Will tells us that our guest was wearing an air force jacket. Do you really think she's from Earth?" Major West inquired.
"I have no reason to believe otherwise. Her jacket had a...captain pin, I think it was." She responded.
Don smiled to himself, silently relieved to not be outranked again. It was bad enough that Smith was a Colonel."What do you think, John?" West asked.
Professor Robinson let out a long sigh, "I'm too tired to figure anything. After Judy and Penny finish the sandwiches, I suggest we all get a good night's rest and start fresh in the morning." He put a hand on his wife's shoulder.
"Good idea." She said relieved.
The crew had retired for the night yet Dr. Smith was burning the Midnight oil monitoring his valuable patient. He had positioned the unconscious woman on her side as he ran a stethoscope up her back, listening for any distressed respiration. "No flail chest, thank heavens." He said to the Robot who was nearby recording Smith's observations. "I wouldn't have the means to treat it." He concluded. The texture of the patient's back caught his attention. His brow furrowed inquisitively as he pushed her clothing up for a closer look. A map of deep running scars was unveiled across the shoulder blades. Long since healed, Smith ran his fingers along them. "Curious..." He muttered under his breath.
"DID YOU FIND SOMETHING, DR. SMITH?" The Robot inquired.
"Hmm? Oh, no. Nothing, nothing..." He responded. His interest was certainly peaked about the marred flesh but his job was to treat current injuries for the Earthling. Not what has already healed.
A monitoring device within the Robot's system began to beep, "THE SALINE BAG IS EMPTY, DR. SMITH."
"Ah, many thanks my mechanical friend." He responded before flipping a switch on the Robot's chest panel. Smith pulled the IV from the patient's arm and taped a piece of sterilized cotton over the lesion. "That ought to do it. Brain function is normal, fluid levels are finally balanced..."
"Dr. Smith?" A soft voice called from the doorway.
"William?" Dr. Smith spun around. "What are you doing up at this hour?"
"You never joined us for dinner. I was worried so I brought you something to eat." Will said presenting the Doctor with a tray holding a sandwich and glass of milk.
Dr. Smith smiled, grateful yet tired. "What a thoughtful young man you are." He said accepting the meal and sitting down. Will shrugged with modesty before asking about the patient's progress. "I believe the worst is over, my dear boy. Perhaps severe eccymosis will linger..."
"That sounds serious!" Will exclaimed.
"Mere bruising," Smith assured him. "Now run along to bed, my boy. Thank you for the provisions..." He stood up to escort Will out of sick bay. "But you need your rest..." He shut the door behind the lad and slumped back into his chair. "Just as I need mine." He muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing deeply.
"Sir...Sir? Pardon me, Sir?" A meek voiced echoed through the Doctor's dreams. Smith was still slumped in his chair from the previous night. Legs sprawled and arms crossed as he snored heavily into his own chest.
The voice became more impatient and a hand reached out to grasp his shoulder. "Sir!"
Smith snapped awake and shouted, "I'm innocent!" His limbs flailed as he leapt from his chair kicking it across the room and knocking over the untouched tray of food. Once his eyes focused he beheld his terrified patient cowering at a distance with arms raised defensively. They stared one another down, both looking like terrified rabbits. Finally Smith spoke up, "Madame, you gave me quite the shock to the nervous system! You should never creep up on a slumbering man of my age!" The woman said nothing, nor did she move. "Where are my manners? I must apologize, madame. I am not myself from lack of rest and sustenance. Doctor Zachary Smith, at your service!" He extended his hand and brandished his infamous oily smile. The woman slowly uncurled from her defensive position, but never took her eyes off of him. "Yes, well...I am delighted to see you up and moving about. You were in rough shape after...yesterday's events..." He nervously ran his extended hand through his hair and looked down at the floor, unsure of what to say next.
The woman sighed and grabbed her forehead with one hand as if she had just recalled everything that had transpired the day before. She smirked and finally spoke, "I'm sorry...everything is still kind of fuzzy... Dr. Smith is it? I am Doctor Venus Coagula." She extended her arm for a proper handshake and smiled. Smith returned the pleasantries and gestured to the examination table she had slept on the previous night.
"If you don't mind, I would like to take a quick look at your vitals?"
"Certainly," she obliged, slowly easing herself on the table and wincing a bit.
"I can't help but notice you're protecting your left side, are you experiencing pain?" Smith asked. She nodded. "Do you mind if I take a look?" Dr. Coagula lifted her clothing to reveal a large bruise blossoming on the left side of her rib cage. "Just as I suspected, my dear. The good news is no broken ribs but you'll be feeling the impact for a short while, Dr. Coagula." Smith said as he gently felt along the purple flesh, checking for swelling. She goose pimpled at his cold fingertips.
"Please..." She said softly, looking up into his eyes. "Call me Venus."
Dr. Smith smiled.
"How did you sleep last night, dear?" Maureen asked her husband while pouring another cup of coffee.
"Short and sweet!" He replied with a handsome smile.
Major West nodded in gratitude as Maureen poured him a fresh cup as well. "Has anyone seen Smith?" He asked.
"I took him something to eat last night but he never came out of sick bay." Will piped up, trying not to talk with food in his mouth.
"No doubt going to great lengths to shirk responsibilities as usual." West grumbled.
"Hold your tongue, Major!" Dr. Smith boomed from behind.
West and the Robinsons turned to see an unkempt looking Dr. Smith standing at the top of the ramp supporting the bruised patient in an upright position. She looked more disordered than he did and held her side with one arm while the other was draped around his neck. Slowly Dr. Smith helped her down the ramp, limping along.
"It is my pleasure to introduce you to Doctor Venus Coagula!" Smith beamed as proud as a peacock.
Venus smiled coyly, slightly embarrassed by the fuss Dr. Smith was making. "Good morning," she said softly.
"Good morning, Dr. Coagula. I'm Professor John Robinson and this is my wife Doctor Maureen Robinson. These are our children, Judy, Penny, and Will. And this is my pilot, Major Don West."
"Welcome, Dr. Coagula. Won't you join us for breakfast?" Maureen warmly offered.
"I'd be delighted. Thank you, all of you, for your hospitality." Venus beamed. She looked at Dr. Smith and nodded for assistance in sitting with the family at the table. Gently Smith lowered her to sit and took a seat directly next to her.
"How are you feeling, Dr. Coagula?" Judy asked sweetly.
She made a face of discomfort as she met her seat. "Like about 5 miles of bad road, but grateful to be alive. It's a pleasure to meet all of you and I cannot express enough thanks for rescuing me."
"Is it true you're in the Air Force, Ma'am?" Will gushed.
"Yeah! Are you really from Earth too?" Penny followed her brother's curiosity.
"Children, remember your manners. Don't bombard our guest all at once." Maureen half jokingly scolded.
Venus laughed, "It's alright, Mrs. Robinson. Yes I was born on Earth and yes, I was in the Air Force!" She answered cheerfully. "I was Captain Venus Coagula before dedicating my life to science and becoming a doctor of histopathology."
"Quite the fascinating field!" Dr. Smith chimed in.
Major West rolled his eyes at Smith's obvious brown nosing, "If you don't mind me asking, Captain, how did you come by crashing an alien escape pod on to this planet?"
Venus narrowed her eyes at Major West. She was not charmed by his military ranking nor his accusatory tone of voice. "Well, Major West, it is certainly not the most pleasant of circumstances. Therefore I would prefer to spare the children all the gory details and present my origins at a better suited time with a little more tact." She replied dryly with an evil wink that made him uneasy. Don lowered his head in embarrassment.
"Uh yeah, I suppose that would be best. I apologize, Dr. Coagula," he lamented.
A rather snide grin spread across Smith's face. Oh I like her! He thought to himself.
"That's quite alright, Major West." She said with a cold smirk.
The Jupiter 2 colonists and their guest shared breakfast and conversation, becoming better acquainted.
