The Robot listened to the children and the doctor discussing the matter of the oil over dinner. Then they eventually left the room after the dishes had been cleaned by each member of the group under the sonic sink. The dishes were neatly piled up behind a cabinet drawer. The Robot was set beside the stranger in silence with his sensors trained on the surroundings around him. The camera panned away from the Robot right into the doorway. The girls brought their blankets close to them with Smith's observant eyes on them.
"Good night," Smith said.
Smith started to walk away.
"Can you tell us a bedtime story?" Sydnee said.
Smith stopped in his tracks in the doorway.
"Mum always does that for us," Karleen said.
"The last story that she told us was about a moose and his two bear friends on a quest," Sydnee said, rubbing her eye, as Smith slowly shifted in their direction. "Mom stopped at the city."
"You can tell us a different one," Sydnee said. "You don't have a clue who the cast of characters are."
"I can do that," Smith said, then moved the chair from the desk between their beds then sat into it with the back rest facing them. "Once upon a time in a place so far away from this planet. . . there lived a young woman named Gathinede separated from her family. A family that she loved very dearly."
"Sounds like mom," Sydnee said.
"In her own right, she was," Smith said.
"Cool," Karleen said.
"She was trapped in a small square cell," Smith said. "A meek, dark, and wet cell cluttered with bones, pieces of metal, and a square of soap. Her bed was set against the back of the cell that had a long carpet covering it. Every day she added to it with a needle. It started out as the last blanket for the previous occupant. Her fingers had small, old cuts healed from the long tedious task. Cold air entered the cell from behind her. Gathinede knew what had to be done."
Ardous knew what had to be done when it came to justice. Those who had committed a crime had to be judged by a group of peers, sentenced by a judge, a sentence that was executed by officers, shackles, and transports. Ardous's hand was closed in a fist while followed by Stapahsutica. There was heat radiating from Ardous's figure.
Real, visible heat that only emitted under occasions such as these that really riled him. These occasions were few and in-between. Ardous was the kind of individual who didn't often get furious on the job. Stapahsutica was only following along to act as a watcher for his friend. Who knew what could happen if he let the man be unwatched? Beat up the person into a pulp if not near death.
"The coordinates for the leader of the hit squad lead toward the apartment in front of us," Ardous said.
Stapahsutica looked up toward the simple, wide yet small building.
"I can't say that anyone would want to stay after our visit for long," Stapahsutica said.
Ardous cracked his knuckles.
"A stained reputation," Ardous said, walking forward. "That's going to do wonders for their economy."
"It will be devastating," Stapahsutica said, sarcastically in a nonchalant tone.
"Officer Keestune will regret ever laying their eyes on that ship when I am done," Ardous said.
Ardous came in front of the door then kicked it down. The door was kicked in to the room with a loud bang snapping Keestune awake from the bed. Keestune bolted up from bed. The silver bands to the pajama shirt left crooked on the left side. The short cords of sapient green hair were the first to recoil into a bunch. Keestune was smacked against the wall by a firm and large hand that belonged to Ardous.
"You are under arrest for murder of Doctor Smith, destruction of private property," Stapahsutica said. "destruction of a historical artifact, obstruction of justice, and attempted murder of my friend."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Keestune screamed. "That is not right! We didn't attack them!'
"It is right," Stapahsutica said, joining Ardous's side with folded arms. "He was in it."
"I chased him in to that construction vessel," Ardous said.
"Do you realize," Stapahsutica said. "There were two additional lifeforms on that ship?"
"No," Keestune said. "Could have been her parents for all I know."
"According to her files," Stapahsutica said. "She has two children."
"Had two children," Ardous emphasized, shoving Keestune further up against the wall.
"She is on the way to her home galaxy to serve the rest of her sentence for stealing journals and burning them," he stepped closer toward Keestune until coming to a stop across from her beside Ardous's hand. "And what happiness that she could have had is gone."
"And you will be going away for a very long time," Ardous said.
Keestune yelped as she was yanked off the wall.
The stranger snored the night away under the Robot's watchful sensors. Thirteen hours had passed since they had crash landed to the planet. He stood by the doorway to the spacecraft wheeling back and forth. The first sound that Robot heard, which was more friendlier to his ears, was the sound of groaning and light footsteps that contradicted against each other. Smith rubbed the back of his neck approaching the Robot.
"Good morning, Doctor Smith," The Robot said. "You are up very early."
"Nightmare," Smith dismissed.
"Do you want to talk about it?" The Robot said.
"Not yet," Smith said. "How long were you awake after they brought you back?"
"Thirteen days," The Robot said.
"I removed those solar cells at the wrong time," Smith said. "But I will see what I can do about replicating them." He held his hand up. "No, my dear friend," he lowered his hand. "I do not want you to replicate it. It will only be pasta compared to the real thing."
"Understood," The Robot said.
Smith walked toward the doorway that opened before him. He looked out the door observing the hills surrounding the interior of Bob that had distant ridges bearing some similarities of sand dunes with the shape. The plant life that stood out weren't green but in fact a different color that wasn't bold and healthy yet familiar. Smith had his hands clasped together looking on. The Robot came to the man's left side.
"Reminds me of Priplanus," Smith said.
"It has some similarities to the planet but it ends there," The Robot said.
Smith looked in the direction of the Robot with a frown and folded his arms.
"There are plenty of similarities," Smith said. "You refuse to believe it."
"That we are going to be stuck here for a year, Doctor Smith?" The Robot said, shifting toward Smith.
"I am quite aware how much rations that we have left," Smith said, his eyes growing big. "I will find a way to ensure that."
"Have you sent the intergalactic distress beacon?" The Robot inquired, earning a eye roll from Smith.
"Last night I pressed everything and you were there to detect it," Smith looked off from the Robot. "We had more of a chance of everyone getting off this rock without the addition of the patient."
"Then we have to try planting," The Robot said.
Smith looked toward the Robot.
"I checked," Smith said. "There isn't any soil. But there is plenty of waste." He briefly closed his eyes with a shudder at the thought. "We have to convert half of the kitchen into a garden," he turned toward the Robot. "But I will need help on that matter."
"I am able and operational," The Robot replied.
Smith looked toward the distance then walked down the hall letting the doorway close with the Robot out of the way.
A hour passed with the girls getting up, taking their showers, then coming toward the dining table that had been set up for breakfast. There was a wall made of small light gray bricks with the exception of a make-shift door. Sydnee and Karleen finished their breakfast then put on their jackets and got the shared long black cable. There was a wall that made the room much smaller than it had been before over the patient's snoring. Their plates were cleaned efficiently then put away into the places that they belonged in. Smith watched the group leave the ship.
His eyes wandered over toward the resting patient then back toward them.
Trusting a stranger in with their supplies and defense weapons, what little they had, wasn't the kind of thing that survivors should do.
The Robinsons would do it, undoubtedly, as Gampu would have done in the days of the federation as a officer.
But, Smith wasn't representing the federation.
He was representing the best interests of the Abernashi children.
Smith had a small fond smile then turned away returning into the escape craft. The doors closed behind him. The camera followed away from Smith after the girls who were digging gear with the shovels trailing behind them. The Robot was tailing beside their sides with sensors alert and smoothly operating.
After the long walk, they made it to their digging site.
"My treads look forward to the new oil," The Robot said. "Ugh, it is already difficult to walk with them."
"We'll get you that oil soon enough, Robot," Sydnee said.
"Uh huh," Karleen said. "Abernashi honor."
"The new Abernashi honor," Sydnee said.
"Honest and good willing," Karleen said.
The Robot remained stationary around the mound.
"So we're digging a mountain until she comes up the hill,"
"Coming down the mountain until she makes her way up,"
"Going up the mountain until she comes up the hill,"
"Running up that hill to make a deal with the spirit gods,"
"To change our places,"
"So we're climbing up that hill,"
"Through the rain,"
"And the thunder,"
"As it's no big deal,"
"No matter the mud,"
"So we climb up that hill!"
"A hill that we made ourselves,"
"With our bare, sweaty hands!"
With a loud chunk, the shovel made a screech once hitting metal. Sydnee knelt down then dusted off the dirt on the wheel then looked up toward Karleen and nodded. Karleen ran up the hole then vanished from Sydnee's line of sight. Sydnee twirled the opening until the wheel was lifted up and the door was slightly raised than it had been before. Karleen tossed the cable that Sydnee effortlessly caught with her free hand. The long cable was tied through one of the loops on the Robot's shoulders. Sydnee opened the door, her back against the wall, then peered in to see a darkness ahead. Karleen tossed a glow in the dark stick to Sydnee then the walky talky was tossed in next.
Sydnee caught both of them in her hands then carefully slid the walky talky into her side pocket while keeping the glow in the dark stick in her other hand. She grasped on to the cable then slid down the hatch. She used her feet, curled up against the wall, grunting down the passageway. She felt the bumps belonging to the ladder pressing against her back in the descent down. It occurred to Sydnee that she should have started searching for the bars first with the glow in the light stick before coming down the hatch.
Alas, she was in a narrow space while sliding herself down further and further. Postul would have never let that happen and instead, with his small and thin frame, taken her place instead. If not got in first to discover that there was a ladder. Sydnee watched the blue sky become small and smaller until it were a thin distant white dot. She fell to the floor with a thud. Sydnee turned over to her side and got up on to her feet. Then slid the glow in the light stick between her makeshift pocket on her forearm made of duck tape. Sydnee took out the walky talky.
"Karleen to Sydnee, did you make it?" Karleen asked.
"Roger," Sydnee said. "I made it down. Over."
"Good," Karleen had a audible sigh of relief.
"There is a ladder so I don't need to be lifted up," Sydnee noted. "Over."
"Roger that," Karleen said. "Handing walky talky to Robot."
There was a loud staticy sound from over the walky talky.
"Rodnee, how far am I from the oil?" Sydnee asked.
"There is no one named Rodney," The Robot said. "Over."
"Little sister, send down the bucket," Sydnee said. "Over."
"Oh shit!" Karleen screeched. "WE FORGOT THE BUCKET!"
"I will materialize it," The Robot said, over the line.
There was the sound of metal clacking and a strange noise.
"What in the stars?" Karleen said. "Over. Sending bucket down."
Sydnee stepped aside then watched a series of buckets crash to the floor with her arm raised out to see what had fallen. There were five buckets that had lids and seemed to be large in size complete with handles on the sides. The long cable came pouring down the tunnel until it had formed a neat and tall pile. Sydnee looped the tube through the handles then raised her arm out to observe a wide doorway waiting for her. Genuine chills traveled down her skin. There were arched, rounded thresholds that had a spider pattern. She took a step forward then smacked against another hatch door.
"That is a door," The Robot said. "Over."
Sydnee groaned, rubbing her forehead, then propped herself up.
"How many of these are there?" Sydnee asked.
"A lot, Sydnee Abernashi," The Robot replied. "Over."
Sydnee twirled the door open then stepped aside watching it flip open.
"You are going the wrong way," The Robot said. "The oil is in the engine room. Over."
Sydnee groaned, lifting her head up, in annoyance over the sound of Karleen's laughter.
"You have to admit," Karleen said. "That is pretty funny."
Sydnee turned around then went forward walking toward the passageway.
"That isn't really funn-" Sydnee began to say but was cut off when she slipped and fell through a entrance with a abrupt scream.
Sydnee came to a landing on to the floor outside of the tunnel.
"Sydee Abernashi!" The Robot's voice was emulating concern and alarm. "Are you injured?"
Sydnee rubbed the side of her head then lifted up the walk talky.
"That's a affirmative," Sydnee said.
"Elaborate your injury," The Robot said.
"Just on my ego," Sydnee said. "Over."
"Roger," The Robot said.
Sydnee propped herself up to her feet. She reached her hand up then felt a wall from above her head. She reached her hand out then encountered a flat wall and let her hand glide forth until she felt hard, cold pipes. The glow in the dark stick showed the walls were painted white while the pipes were a colorful and energetic blue that hadn't faded a day since the lights had turned off. The color contrasted against the green glow radiating from the stick. She turned around to spot that the space was rather narrow. She didn't have to walk far enough to approach the wall. The text was bold, solidified, and reminded her of the old Galactic standard that plagued some of the more prominent and classic holo-movies that had subtitles underneath as text for buildings, padds, and vehicle names.
She turned her attention off the wall then made her way down the hall.
"Left turn,"
Sydnee swayed the glowing stick from side to side taking the left turn.
"Right turn,"
Sydnee opened the fourth door then took the turn.
"Right turn,"
Sydnee looked both ways feeling quite wary then took the turn.
"Left turn,"
The door closed behind Sydnee.
"Robot," Sydnee said. "I don't see the remains of the crew."
There was silence.
"They may have escaped a very long time ago," The Robot said. "Any further assumptions regarding their fate is unnecessary."
Or they became part of the land, Sydnee thought.
What could have possibly sent them running away? If it wasn't something that was easily felt, sensed, or seen. What kind of spaceship was it? Was it the kind that housed experimental animals from within in different parts of the ship? Starving to death without being given water to refresh them. It was a unique yet troubling question. Why had it crash landed on Bob instead of Gamma? No, why had they crash landed on Delta fully aware of its fate? The only reasonable answer was that they had been attacked then forced to make a permanent crash landing on the planet.
"You have not moved in the last five minutes, Sydnee Abernashi," The Robot said. "Are there lifeforms that I do not detect in the ship?"
Sydnee shook her head.
"No," Sydnee said. "I am just afraid."
"You are not alone," The Robot said.
"If anything comes down to get you," Karleen said. "Just scream for me. Because I will kick their ass to the surface where the sun will kill them!" There was a short pause. "Over."
"I can do that," Sydnee said. "Over. Robot, directions please."
Door by door was flung open and signs of damage became more apparent as Sydnee went in deeper into the craft. Window ports stood out occasionally from the walls in size and length reminding Sydnee of small golden mirrors used by wealthy monarchy members. There was no rust that was left behind in the area. Sydnee twirled the latest hatch. She stepped back at the sound of the door getting lose.
"Geeze," Sydnee said, tugging the door back. "This is heavy."
"That could be the door to engineering," The Robot said. "My sensors detect it is fortified by heavy layers of protective coating. Gold, titanium, hyperalloy, carbon steel, Steel-iron-nickel alloy, stainless steel, tungsten carbide, titanium aluminide, chromium, and iron. Over."
"From six feet?" Sydnee said.
"Affirmative," The Robot said. "Over."
Sydnee stepped aside then grunted tugging the door out of the doorway.
"Woah," Sydnee said. "So many algae tubes." she walked forward. "That is wicked."
"You are now very close to the oil," The Robot said. "Be careful. Over."
"I will," Sydnee said, walking further into the room. "Over."
"You are five feet away from the oil, Sydnee Abernashi," The Robot replied. "To your left. Over."
Sydnee turned away raising her arm out.
"I see it," Sydnee said. "Over and out."
She turned the walky talky out then moved in the direction where the oil was located. She felt along the tubes then brought over the three buckets. She felt around until her hand got on a rounded fixture that had smooth edges and felt loose. Sydnee counted the buckets by placing her hand into them. One, two, three, four, and five. She took the lid off the first bucket then slid it up toward the rounded object. She slowly unwrapped the lid then placed it between two of the bars. There was a rounded, unique shaped handle set beside the bars that she turned repeatedly. The sound of liquid falling into the bucket was music to her ears.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sydnee cheered, hopping up and down. "We got oil! We got oil!" She waved her arms in the air. "Wooohooo!"
Sydnee laughed, placing her hands on her hips, that turned into cackling.
"Now," Sydnee said. "Getting heavy buckets through the hall is another thing entirely." She had a groan. "Damn," she lowered her head away from the cieling. "This is going to take awhile."
Karleen sat under the improvised shade in the sun from aside the mound. The Robot had replicated a dark gray umbrella that was set right beside Karleen and a gray chair that she sat underneath. The Robot was directing her older sister close and closer to the exit with a lengthy pause in between each direction. She was on the edge of her seat, anticipating for the worse, drawing her expectations out from movies that featured a mission in a old, unknown, and unexplored place by a limited group of people who experienced horror.
It was difficult to relax when Sydnee was out with only her hands, hooves, buckets, and the cord that seemed not to end. She recalled that it had been short when she took it out of the wall initially. Going further and further into the ship without it snapping or yanking back Sydnee made the growing concern warranted. What kind of cord did she pull out of the ancient ship? It was a excellent question. Her train of thoughts were distracting. Except, it wasn't enough to draw her out of being aware of her surroundings.
Karleen overheard grunting from over the walky talk and swearing at the inanimate buckets. It had been roughly three hours since they had began the mission to retrieve the buckets of oil. Set beside Karleen were two specialized canteens for the oil that were small and mobile to move into their pockets left on a brown blanket.
"I am at the entrance!" Sydnee said. "Over."
"Robot, time to tug!" Karleen announced.
"I am ready for the tug of war," The Robot announced.
"Tug of war with what?" Karleen asked, looking toward the Robot.
The Robot shifted toward the direction of Karleen.
"Gravity, Karleen Abernashi," The Robot deadpanned. "Gravity."
The Robot turned around from Karleen then wheeled forward.
"We are lifting the oil up!" Karleen said, looming over the edge of the mound toward the entrance watching the long cable drawing up. "Over."
"Got it," Sydnee said. "Over."
Karleen watched the cable go up and up and up until the first bucket became exposed from the darkness.
"We got it!" Karleen replied over the walky talky. "Over!"
Karleen carefully lifted the bucket on to the mound then made sure the lid was on tight enough and watched it slide down the ground. She oversaw the five buckets make their way up to the ground and be properly secured. The cord was unwrapped from the loops on the Robot's shoulders. When Karleen looked toward the Robot, she observed that he had created a light gray wagon set on the ground. The Robot lifted the first bucket on the wagon. Karleen lifted the second bucket on to the wagon.
"Oh stars," Karleen said, placing her hand on to her knee then rubbed at her shoulder. "This is so heavy."
The Robot lifted the third bucket on to the wagon.
"I was designed for this type of task," The Robot said. "You were not."
"Oh, geeze, thanks," Karleen said,
"It is a miracle that Golaran children can tug gallons of oil at a time and be able to make it this far," The Robot replied.
"Um, not really," Karleen said. "It comes natural to us."
"A human child would have only been able to move the buckets of oil one inch at a time," The Robot said. "A human adult would be going fast as Sydnee is."
"So you're impressed," Karleen said, a smile grew on her face.
"I did not say that," The Robot said. "I believed this task would take hours or days before a more effective method of transportation was found."
"I made it!" Sydnee cried, standing from the top of the mountain. She stretched her arms out. "I AM QUEEN OF THE WORLD!"
Sydnee fell to the ground so Karleen came to her side then tipped her over to find that she was snoring.
"That's my big sis," Karleen said, with a laugh while patting on Sydnee's shoulder.
Groaning from the improvised medical bed drew Smith's attention toward the stranger. The stranger lifted herself up and rubbed her left temple with her eyes briefly closed. Immeditely, Smith beamed over to her side.
"Oh god,"
"Hello,"
She looked in the direction of Smith.
"Hello?"
"I am Doctor Smith," Smith started. "who might you be?"
"Lieutenant M-90, but everyone on Kakonic calls me Mial," Mial said. "Where is the box?"
"It is in my room," Smith said. "Safe, sound, and no one will touch it."
There was a loud grumble from Mial's stomach.
"That's good to hear," Mial said. "Do you have any food?"
"I still have dinner left over," Smith said, then went over toward the kitchen. He pressed on a few buttons. "You have been out for a long time."
"Stasis," Mial said. "It's nothing that is predictable."
"It is predictable when waking up from it," Smith said. "You have been under for a very long time."
Mial got off the table then went toward the rounded table while rubbing her forehead then slid her hand down.
"I figured," Mial said. "Earthling and a Golaran in the same room."
"Golaris had its rough patch," Smith said.
"A star war," Mial said.
"A star war?" Smith sat down.
"Yep," Mial said. "It was pretty vicious the last time I recall."
"What was the Earth year?" Smith asked.
"2728," Mial said.
Smith slowly leaned back absorbing in the information, heartbroken and hurt, with his eyes drawn in the distance in a sad manner.
"Are you alright?" Mial asked.
Smith sucked in a breath then got up to his feet with concerned eyes on him and made his way toward the kitchen.
"I recommend you begin eating, lieutenant," Smith said. "I am making potato soup tonight."
Mial reached her hand out placing her hand on his shoulder.
"You're like me, are you?" Mial asked. "But you are from before the war."
Smith slowly nodded, his attention turned toward her, rather sadly.
"I am," Smith said. "It seems first contact went the wrong way."
Sydnee's arms were wrapped around the Robot's neck collar while set on the Robot's treads as the group made their way back to the ship. The Robot's red claws were tightly held on the handle to the wagon tugging it from behind. The doors opened before the group to the craft then they went in one after the other. The door closed behind the group. From down the hall they heard the sound of laughter coming. Karleen went down the hall to spot that Smith was flicking off a tear in the middle of retelling a story but speaking in a strange language.
"Then Garchibob sneezed," Smith said. " You should have seen it," Smith had a short laugh looking on quite fondly at the past. "The Ambassador of Earth ran out of the room!"
Mial leaned forward, her eyes showing shock, and her mouth had fallen.
"Garchibob?" Mial said. "Wasn't that the Ambassador of Seto?"
"Yes," Smith said.
"What a ride," Mial said.
"Ah, Karleen," Smith said, greeting her with a smile. "This is Lieutenant Mial."
Karleen approached the small group.
"Hello, Lieutenant Mial," Karleen said.
"Lieutenant," Smith said. "This is my friend, Karleen Abernashi," The Robot wheeled down the hall joining the child's side. "and this is my dear old friend, Robot Robinson."
"Greetings," The Robot said, waving a claw and dropped the handle from behind him. "I come in peace."
"Sydnee is in bed getting a power nap," Karleen said. "She tugged all five oil buckets down from one end of the spaceship to the other."
Smith's attention went toward the gray buckets in disbelief then toward the Robot and Karleen.
"She had no help from either of us," The Robot replied.
Mial looked toward Smith as though something had just occurred to her.
"So you're that Doctor Smith," Mial said. "I expected you to be more. . ." she tilted her head. "Older."