Chapter 7- The best made plans
John Robinson finally slid himself off the bed and shook himself firmly. Sitting here staring at the walls would accomplish nothing, he decided. If these people thought he was going to cooperate he would be moved out of here and sent to his homestead. That would mean any chance of finding Will would be gone. He walked out of his room and along the white corridor. It did not take him long to discover that the layout had changed slightly. He could no longer get access to the medical wing. The pathway to the door that led outside was still avaliable though. One step in that direction and he would be telling his captives the wrong message. Instead he ran his hands along the walls, seeing if he could determine the placements of any other doors. He put his ears to the walls as well, hoping they were thin enough that he could hear if any areas beyond were occupied.
At the moment though he could only hear his own breathing. It was like he was alone, abandoned here. He had to restrain the urge to thump on the walls to demand that anyone spoke to him. This illusion of isolation was just a tactic to get him to want to leave. Keep searching ,he told himself ,Will and Don were here somewhere. He moved downward, toward the end of the corridor. Here he could feel a tiny gap in the white wall. So possibly there was a door. Putting his head to the wall he listened. There was no conversations, just a sound that was muffled, yet familiar. "Robot", John called out.
Inside the room the robot stopped as it recognised Professor Robinson was calling to him from beyond this room. In front on him a bland white wall gave an illusion of solidity. There were no obvious controls so he simply sent a blast of electricity out of his claws and hit the entire door. Somewhere there had to be components that would be effected by his actions. Moments later the door slid open.
John ran forward and enfolded the machine in a hug, his arms right around and squeezing tightly. He was just so relieved that he was no longer alone. "It is pleasant to see you also Professor", the robot acknowledged joining his two arms together and returning the hug. He could read clear panic in the Professors demeanour and found himself feeling a sense of 'warning danger", coming upon him.
Professor Robinson told him in a broken rushed voice that indicated deep stress, "thank goodness, I have found someone to help me. Maureen , Penny and Judy are all being held captive upon the space station and Lyric has threatened to kill them unless I cooperate and become the mate of many women on this planet. This place supposed to be where we are prepared for our new life. That involved severing all ties with your old one thus I have been told I will never see Will again", the Professors voice broke at that point.
The robot took it all in. He recognised the practice of lying within their hosts and felt disturbed by the fact he had complied so easily with their requests. All he could do to make amends was tell the Professor the truth, "I did not realise John Robinson. Conley kept me distracted by other tasks." I stand ready to assist you".
Finally John felt an attempt at a smile emerge. Now he had found the robot nothing was going to stop him freeing the others. "Good, do you happen to know where the transport device is located. That would be the quickest way back to the space station". We will rescue Maureen and the girls first, then come back for Don, Will and..."John paused he had no idea where Doctor Smith was located. "See if we can find out what happened to Doctor Smith", he added. It was possible that they would be leaving without Smith but they would deal with that issue later.
The robot sagged a little and John found himself feeling puzzled. 'What is the problem", he asked. 'I have disabled the ability to transport people from this planet to the station", the robot announced. Unfortunately this system is no longer able to be repaired."
John was stunned, "why the heck would you do that", he found himself yelling as his plans got disrupted with a rather hard smack .He could feel the gloom descending upon him again. Then the robot moved aside and John got his first good look at all the consoles behind the machine. "The parts from the transporter were used to repair this,"the robot announced gesturing. John breathed out a sound of amazement. "Conley wanted you to do this", John asked in disbelief. He was forced to reevaluate his impression of the man. 'Yes, he did not say why. But it is now fully functional", the robot remarked. "Well, this means my plans alter", John stated. "We now need to find Will and Don first". That should be easy he decided.
Moving back toward the doorway John and the robot stopped when the door opened.
Xxxxxxxxxx
Doctor Zachary Smith hit together two stones he found lying amongst the dirt and with the aid of some of his hair produced enough of a spark to set alight a portion of his shirt. He held up the temporary torch and quickly used the light to ascertain his chances of escaping through the door.
It was heavy, old and when he kicked it with his feet, very solid. There was no possible way he could break that door down. Swallowing sudden fear, he kept looking. In the darkened corner was a pile of debris and when he went closer to that point he could swear he felt a rush of air sweep by.
He began to move some of the debris working fast before his torch burnt out. There behind the old pieces of wood, he saw a small gap. So there was possibly a second exit. He wondered if the women were watching him, and would soon descend upon him to stop him escaping. Well there was only one way to find out. Quickly transfering his dying torch to an area of ground along with a few of the dried up sticks, he then set to work removing the remaining rubbish that was blocking this opening .Nobody came to stop him and hopefully that meant the woman were confident enough that he could not escape to not be monitoring him.
Within 15 minutes he had the gap clear and he peered into it hoping to see a glimmer of light . The darkness of a passage welcomed him , he could not see the end but guessed it ran under the length of the house. Anything could be inside this space, it could even be blocked. But it was a better option than waiting for the door to open again.
His breath puffed out from the work and he groaned as his already tired muscles protested. If he ever worked like this on the Jupiter, he would then have a large meal and lie down and sleep. A rumble in his stomach reminded him that food was not an option. His lips were dry as well and already cracked, that would only worsen as time went by.
He gathered the large dry sticks, he would have to use them like candles and keep hold until the stick was nearly burnt, then transfer the fire to another one. How many he would need, he did not know, though he doubted this small passage extended beyond the house. His clothes would have to be fuel for the fire, so he ripped off the remainder of his shirt along with the legs of his trousers. Now he looked like a castaway.
Bending down, he held the smoldering stick out in front of him, then slid along the ground on his stomach into the gap. There was not enough room above for him to stand. He had the feeling of being trapped, which made panic rise up. You cannot do this, his mind and body both told him loudly. At that point he almost turned around and went back. It would be giving up, he knew, a surrender to his life here on the planet. Clouds of dust were surrounding him obsuring his view. His torch was only smoludering by a mere miracle. Just keep going, think about something else, he told himself. Like a snake he wiggled along, inch by painful inch. There had to be an exit up ahead, once he was out from under the house. That thought froze in his mind as the tunnel suddenly dropped down. He only had moments to try and make a vain grab for the too soft dirt before he found himself falling into a hole.
It was not a long fall but the impact jarred his whole body making him curl up and moan as he lay there in the darkness. Finally the pain receded a bit and he lifted his head to look around. Strangely it was not totally dark, a faint blue glow was coming from up ahead of him. The dim light enabled him to see that he had fallen into a large tunnel. Looking upward he could see the opening to the passageway above. However he was not tall enough to reach the opening and there was nothing to stand upon, so he could not go back. Moving toward that strange glow was his only option.
Smith swallowed down his fear as he moved closer to the light. There was nothing here that could hurt him he told himself firmly. This tunnel had been made by someone though as it was obviously not natural. It was huge as well, extending out several feet into the darkness. Perhaps there was some sort of power plant ahead of him, that would certainly account for the glow. He had not seen any signs of power poles on the planet so their source of energy must come from somewhere.
Moving onward he reached a point where the glow was even brighter. There was a small stairway upward to a higher portion of the tunnel .This is where he knew he would find out what caused the glow.
Confidently he stepped upward, proud of himself for figuring everything out. As soon as he saw it Smith found himself screaming and walking backward so fast that he fell. Lying on the ground gave him an even better view of the horror ahead.
In front of him a massacre had occurred as the bones that littered the ground bore massive holes that spoke of suffering a violent death. Most of those bones had an unearthly glow that seen shivers of fear coursing through him. He half expected this mass to rise and chase him. But nothing moved. It was still creepy as somehow this whole area felt different, like a weeping open scar that could never heal. Something horrible had happened here and it had left its mark upon the area.
Possibly the glow was caused by some type of radiation. That he could possibly end up the same way was an even more horrific thought that stalled any movement.
Ahead he could see another tunnel, it was possibly the way to freedom. But to get to it he would have to cross this mass of death.
Smith knew he was facing a test of just how brave or perhaps desperate he was.
Xxxxxxxxxx
When you are in a room with a scary alien trying to break down the door, time seems to stand still. Maureen did not know how long the terror had lasted. The thing had stopped trying to break off a portion of the door a few minutes ago, though it still tapped its long legs in an impatient manner upon the surface .That tapping was beginning to get to her. A few times she caught herself almost yelling stop . Judy had her hands over her ears, obviously feeling the same. Penny though just watched the leg moving.
When two more larger aliens came skittering around into the corridor, Maureen thought that they we're seeing their certain death. The other two things just stopped though, behind the smaller one, seemingly watching what it did. Perhaps they were its parents observing its first kills. That thought made her shudder.
Again she felt like she was poised on the edge of an abyss of darkness ready to swallow them whole. It was hard to feel any hope. Snap out of it ,she told herself, we are still alive. Maybe they needed to talk so they could all concentrate on something other than the giant bugs. "Why has n't dad come ", Judy asked. It was a question that hung there like the horror, because it could have many possibilities and none of them were good.
"I thought nothing would stop him coming for us", Penny said softly, she looked over at her sister," Don too", she added.
The use of the pilots name made Judy put her head down to her knees and sob loudly. Maureen enveloped her in a hug, squeezing tightly. "I am guessing the two of you are no longer together', she paused and sighed, "regrets are hard to live with at a time like this Judy".Even though things did not work out I am sure he is still your friend. Hold onto that". It was not much she thought but it would have to do.
Penny was looking at her sister intently and Judy had raised her head from her knees to return the stare. Some silent communication was passing between the two of them. Judy finally shook herself and came to a decision, now was the time to tell everything. "Actually you are wrong", she told her mother. "I know I have certainly given the impression that I don't want him. Maybe it has taken this time of trial for me to decide that I can face an uncertain future with the man I love". She look a breath, "we both want our husbands back", she told her mother.
Maureen realised her mouth had dropped open and she was staring at her daughter like she did not even know her. "What', she squeaked out. "Don and I got married in secret mother", Judy told her. "When Barnam came visiting that last time he told us he now had a license to preform intergalactic marriages. So I asked him to marry Don and I."
"I know you and dad said awhile ago that if we wanted to get married we would have to wait. Well I could not wait any longer". Judy sighed again, "the trouble was that as soon as I said I do the fear came tumbling in upon me. Instead of standing by his side I took off. When he tries to speak with me I just walk away because I did not know how to make amends. He must think I am a silly little girl", Judy cried some more.
Maureen stroked her daughters hair, "Judy what you did was not uncommon. I spent most of the first weeks with John crying. It was a big adjustment to go from a young woman who had spent her life in her parents home to a wife and potential mother. There were times I was not sure I had done the right thing, even though I loved John passionately. It is always different when you live with them full time. For you and Don it will be even more difficult as we are all crammed together in a small space. "You will both have to work it out together."
Judy stared at her mother, she had expected to get a telling off for not listening to her father. "Don is going to have to talk to your father", Maureen concluded. Judy felt relief hit her. She had thought she was abnormal for suddenly chickening out on Don after marrying him. Now she knew it was simply nerves. She did really love him, she felt warmth fill her for a minute before coldness returned. How could she even contemplate a life with Don when she was facing certain death.
Turning to look that death in the eye, she noted that the alien bugs had all gone from the doorway. "Congratulations you have survived the first run", a voice boomed. "After a rest period of one hour the second run will commence".
"We have to make a plan", Maureen told her daughter. 'Yes, mother you are right, I think I have one", Penny told her mother. Then she added a few more words, "you are not going to like that plan".
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When Conley had returned to the control room, he found that Lyric was still absent. Most likely she was sulking in her room. She had been cautious enough to lock the camera that observed them into a loop that showed an earlier time period when both of them were present, that trick would not fool their overseers for long.
He was about to return the camera to normal when he noticed that John Robinson was not in his room. In fact he was not in any of the monitored areas. Conley swallowed, he knew the door to the outside had not opened, thus Professor Robinson could only be in one place. Now his plan was now poised on a knife edge. Grabbing a weapon from the storage locker behind him, he ran out of the control area and toward the secret room.
Conley was not thinking about the risk anymore. He knew that he needed to activate his plan before Ollia found out and sent in a squad to shoot them all. He of course had done the same trick to the camera as Lyric while he snuck into the room. But he had never been gone long enough to raise alarm bells and had always chosen a time that Lyric was on her rest period so that she would not be suspicious. The robots removal of equipment from the Jupiter 2 had been approved so it would not be commented upon that it used the transporter between the station and the planet. He just had to make sure it was never observed going into the room.
He had been so cautious that his plan had taken years. Bringing in the robot had probably not been a good idea he reflected. But it was too late now. He was going to have to deal with the machine and the Professor.
If he had known that while he was running down the corridor, Lyric was entering the control room, he would have felt even more panic.
She observed him vanish into a wall and not appear on any of the other cameras. Wondering what he was doing she left the room and raced after him.
When she reached the same position she discovered the hidden doorway. Overiding the controls, she barged inside.
There she found Conley, Professor Robinson and the machine simply known as The Robot. Conley was pointing a weapon at them. She pointed hers at the whole group and demanded in a yell, "what are you 'doing'". Conley just moved to the side a little and enabled her to get a good look at what this room contained. She heard herself gasp audibly. It had never occurred to her that this part of the station could fly.
"I have had enough of this world, of all of you", Conley told her defiantly ."Over the years I have carefully used parts from ships visiting the Station to repair this ship. Of course I had to wait for someone who could actually fly the ship to come along as well. Now I have the robot I am going to get away from here. Too long I have watched you kill others upon the Space Station and treat it as entertainment. I am going to put an end to what happens there".
John Robinson found himself going white and swaying as the word 'kill ' hit him hard. Conley looked at him sorrowfully, "I am sorry you had to find out the truth like that. Your family is in grave danger".
"Yeah and you did nothing Conley to prevent any of it. Years and years of death has happened and you have sat there watching, so don't put all this blame upon us", Lyric spat out.
John looked Conley in the face, he was feeling very angry, "she is right Conley, you could have told us. We would have helped you with the repairs to this ship".
Conley shook his head and pointed his finger at Lyric, "they watch our every movement Professor. It has been risky for me to even attempt to repair this ship. It has already nearly taken a lifetime" .He swallowed, "I came here under similar circumstances as you and also had my family ripped from me and sent to the station". After that I refused to cooperate with their breeding program, so they drugged me. Those drugs also inhibited my ability to feel anything or to want to act. Now I am no longer wanted for breeding they have stopped giving me drugs and clarity has returned to my mind. I know what they have done Professor and I am sorry you and your family is suffering but I did what I could."
Although he was beginning to understand Conley's dilemma John still could not push aside the anger, "did you even intend to take us with you to the station", he asked.
"No, that would have been too risky". I was going to wait until all of you had been taken to your homesteads", Conley explained.
"Well now he knows Conley and so do I. Stuff going to the station, I want to get well away from this planet. Robot you will do as I say , not Conley", Lyric insisted. She waved her gun at John . "No robot, my plan is the one to follow", Conley threw back waving his own weapon.
They began to argue and the Professor watched anxiously as he saw their fingers twitch upon the triggers of their weapons. He and the robot were in a direct line of fire so he did not move. But he did have a way to put an end to this battle. "The robot can't fly this ship", he stated.
"What", Conley and Lyric both said in shock. "The monitoring system on the station picked up your craft a few miles out and the machine was definitely the one at the controls", Lyric remarked. They had gotten it wrong John realised, "the ship was already programmed to dock on its own . The robot was just overseeing things. He can make minor adjustments to the flight if necessary. But you need an experienced person to lift off this ship and then dock it with the Space Station" .Then he told them the rest, "Major West is our pilot".
Lyric smiled at that, maybe she would get some time with him after all. "So we just go and free him and your son and blast off", Conley announced. He ran over to one of the consoles and checked on the readout.
It seemed to take him awhile to come back over to them and when he did he was white . He and Lyric had been gone from the control too long and something rather significant had happened in their absence. Conley could see Lyric and John Robinson staring at the expression on his face. He knew he looked like all hope was gone. Now they were about to feel the same. "Major West and William Robinson are no longer here, they were taken on the journey to their homesteads over 1 hour ago. "It happened because the Major tried to escape and unfortunately got caught", he told them.
Lyric began to cry, "we will not be able to catch up with them".
John simply slumped to the ground and put his head in his hands.
