Chapter 9

Rivals End?

Stumbling into the galley for breakfast, Judy gratefully accepted a mug of coffee from her father

"What happened last night?" her father asked.

Judy sipped at her coffee. "What do you mean?"

"Penny told us that Don was in crisis and she had to get Dr. Smith because she couldn't wake you up."

"I must have been more tired than I realized."

"Tired? You look like you have a hangover."

"I don't know, Dad. I just… I had some tea and I just couldn't stay awake."

"Penny caught Smith in the med bay when you were asleep at your desk. He was taking your tea mug."

She shrugged. "He brought me the tea. He was probably taking the mug back to the galley."

Maureen breezed in and greeted her. "Well, if it isn't Sleeping Beauty. How do you feel?"

"Groggy."

"Don seems much better. You might want to stop in and see him. He's awake and Will is with him."

"Does he know Dr. Smith saved his life?"

"Not exactly. Do you think he needs to know?"

John interrupted, "I'm surprised Smith hasn't rubbed it in his face already."

"I'll go see Don," Judy said as she turned to go.

Maureen watched Judy leave. "You know, John, something isn't right here."

"You don't think Smith put something in Judy's tea, do you?"

"I think he did."

"But why would he do that?"

"To slip something into Don's IV?"

"That doesn't make sense. He worked on Don when Penny called him."

Penny strode in at that moment. "Judy will think Dr. Smith is the hero this time. Maybe Dr. Smith thinks that will score him more points with Judy?"

"Do you really think Smith would go that far?" John asked.

"I wouldn't put it past him," his wife replied.

"I have the evidence that could prove it." Penny produced the IV bag from the previous night. "Dr. Smith replaced it when he was working on Don, but there's still some liquid left in it."

"Penny, you're becoming a little Nancy Drew," Maureen stated.

Both John and Penny said in unison, "Who?"

"Nancy Drew, amateur detective?" Still no recognition. "Forget it. I'll test the liquid to see what we've got in there. In the meantime, keep a close watch on Smith."

Judy entered the med bay and stood back to watch the interplay between Will and Don. They were looking over a crudely drawn blueprint of a vehicle and sounded like two NASA engineers. Well, one of them sounded like an engineer. The other sounded like a drag racer.

"I think we can soup up the engine a little bit more if we just..." Don noticed Judy standing by the door. "Hey Doc, come on in and check this out."

Judy strode over to the boys wearing a Mona Lisa smile. She put her arm around Will's shoulders and peered at the drawing. Tilting her head she asked, "What is it?"

Chagrined, Don replied, "What do you mean, 'what is it'? Can't you tell?"

Judy's smile faded. Will spoke up before she could make a sarcastic comment. "It's a vehicle made from the parts of the chariot and space pod."

Hitting her forehead with the palm of her hand, she exclaimed, "Oh, of course! How stupid of me!"

Don didn't appreciate her comment and was about to open his mouth when Judy asked, "What are you going to call it?"

The boys stared at each other, eyebrows raised.

Don tried first, "The podiot?"

"The charpod?" Will offered.

A commotion at the door grabbed their attention. The Blawp bounded in with Penny behind it, and jumped onto Don's lap. Blawp reached out to his face, stopping just short of touching his wounded cheek, sympathy pouring from those huge eyes.

Will and Don exclaimed simultaneously, "The Blawp-mobile!"

The Blawp's head drew back and she gave a hearty nod and even wider smile. The foursome laughed at her antics and didn't notice the door opening. Smith stood and stared. 'My, my. Isn't this a heart warming scene,' he thought to himself. Using his best 'physician's' voice he immediately stopped the merriment. "Excuse me, but is this a recreation area or medical bay? Out with you… all of you. I have to examine my patient."

That stopped the giggling immediately. Don's eyes flashed, "Your patient? No way. You are not touching me."

"Do explain medical protocol to the man, Dr. Robinson. As I was the last physician to treat him, I have the responsibility to examine him."

Will took the blueprints from Don's lap and looked at Penny. Now would be a good time to escape, he thought. Penny was rooted in place, however, for she wanted to see how this battle would end.

Judy looked into her coffee mug, as if it held the words she needed to explain the situation to Don. "He's right, Don. He treated you last night. I was… I fell asleep at my desk and couldn't wake up."

Penny interjected, "It was my fault, Don. I ran and got Dr. Smith. I was in here with you and Judy. Your heart monitor was all over the place, and I couldn't wake Judy up, so I had to get Dr. Smith."

Don stared at Smith. Something didn't sit right with him, but he had no idea what it was. "Well, I guess I owe you an apology and my thanks, Smith."

Smith bowed slightly. "No charge, Major." He shooed the others away. "Now out with all of you."

Don grabbed Judy's arm. "Not you, Doc. You're not leaving me alone with him."

Penny ran immediately to her mother's lab. "Well?"

"Traces of amphetamine and antihistamine. Enough to put his heart into arrhythmia."

"I knew it! Let's go tell them. Dr. Smith is examining Don now."

Maureen panicked for a moment, "Is Judy with them?"

"Don wouldn't let her leave."

"Tell your father to meet me in the med bay. I'm ending this rivalry – now."

The med bay doors swished open and Maureen marched in, a mother on a mission, and found Dr. Smith completing his cursory examination of Don.

"So… how is our 'testosterone laden' Don Juan, Dr. Brilliant Scheming Scientist?"

Both men were dumbfounded. Even Dr. Smith's mouth hung open in shock.

"Mom, what are doing?" Judy nervously asked.

Maureen turned towards her daughter. "And you, confused fair maiden in distress, do you have your wits about you? Because what I'm about to say concerns you, too."

Penny entered with John and stood beside her father in anticipation.

"Thank you, Penny. You can leave now," Maureen commanded.

"But, Mom, this affects me too!" Penny begged.

"I don't think so, young lady, maybe in five years, but not right now."

Penny saw her mother's glare of death and knew she was serious, but she couldn't resist one roll of her eyes before leaving.

John crossed his arms and stood by the door like a secret service agent. No one was leaving this room until the lover's triangle was dismantled.

All eyes were expectantly on Maureen, who placed the IV bag with the tested liquid on Don's bed. Smith's anxiety meter went up at least ten points.

Maureen started the accusation. "Dr. Smith, would you care to tell us what you added to this bag?"

Smith squirmed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'd say that Judy and Don must have missed a spot when they cleared your room of all medications. I don't believe amphetamine and antihistamine were ingredients that Judy added to Don's IV. Medications that, when overdosed, could cause heart arrhythmia. Not in and of itself fatal, but, given our lack of knowledge about the poison in Don's system, could have been, and at least appeared to be, life threatening."

Don sat up to threaten Smith, "Why you…" Judy automatically put a hand on his shoulder to hold him back.

"Get a hold of yourself, Don. It's just as much my fault as his. If I hadn't been asleep, none of this would have happened," Judy confessed.

"And why were you in such a deep sleep?" John asked. "You've never slept through a medical crisis before. Why last night? And who brought you that cup of tea?"

Judy turned a scornful eye on Smith. "You put a sleeping pill in my tea. You…" This time it was Don who held her back.

Smith held his hands up in front of him. "Yes! Yes, you are all correct! I confess. I was so desperate to win back Judy's affections that I set up a situation in which I finally had a chance to be a hero," he swept an arm towards Don, "instead of this…"

"Watch it, Smith," Don warned.

"Judy," Maureen demanded, "you need to end this triangle now. This is a dangerous game they're playing and we can't afford the consequences if either one of them miscalculate. The three of you either grow up or I swear to you, I will…"

"Stop, Mom. Stop. I know I've made a mess of things." Judy looked down at the floor, unable to meet anyone's eyes and quietly continued. "I was… I guess I was enjoying the attention and the competition between them. I know it has to end."

A heavy silence filled the room. Dr. Smith's drooping eyes settled on Judy, expectantly. Don's worry line formed on his forehead and he looked away. Maureen stepped back and joined her husband. She had set the stage, but Judy had to end the drama.

Every cell in Judy's body screamed at her to run out of the room. She forced herself to stay. "I have a lot to analyze… about myself as much as the two of you."

"Take your time my dear, we are not going anywhere. I will be patiently waiting for your decision," Dr. Smith graciously stated.

"And I'll make things easier for you, Judy." Don silently kicked himself for his next statement. "I'll take myself out of the running."

'No!' echoed in her head, but her lips remained silent.

A triumphant smile crossed Smith's lips, but it wasn't long before his eyes narrowed. 'What is he up to?'

"Just promise me one thing," Don pleaded as he placed a gentle hand on Judy's forearm. His eyes locked onto hers. "That, while you're sorting things out about yourself, you listen to your heart, not just your head."

Judy bit her lip and nodded. She didn't understand why the tears welled up in her eyes as she returned his intense stare. It was as if he knew her better than she knew herself. She bowed her head and slipped out of the room. Dr. Smith attempted to follow her, but John blocked the doorway. Immediately understanding the message, he bowed his head in acceptance.

"Now, gentlemen," Maureen started. "We still have to deal with the two of you. Your threats and manipulations have to stop. Is that understood?"

Both nodded. Maureen was not someone either one of them wanted to trifle with under any circumstances.

She turned her eyes on Don. "My daughter is not a plaything." She then faced to Smith, "Nor a lump of modeling clay. Despite your opinions of each other, you are cohabitants on this ship. You will find a way to live together without murdering each other in the first, second or third degree. Are you capable of doing that?"

The two men stared at each other. "I will if you will, Major," Smith offered. He held out his hand, and Don, hesitantly, accepted it. He would never trust Smith, but he saw no reason to continue the twisted game they had been playing, or, rather, Smith had been playing.

Satisfied that there was nothing more she could do, Maureen motioned John aside and left the room without seeing her husband's admiring stare. Dr. Smith, a grim smile on his face, soon followed. As the doorway closed behind him, John shook his head and made his way to Don's bedside.

"So, Major, you are in love with my daughter."

"Head over heels." Don's eyes twinkled and he couldn't resist adding, "Just like her father is with her mother."

"Excellent powers of observation, Major. Keep following your instincts. You'll be fine."