Last week, as you recall, Will was challenged by a young alien named Quano, and, though Will proved to be as brave as the young alien, the challenge was finished by their fathers, with Professor Robinson besting his peer. The family was then visited by an unscrupulous space trader who tempted Dr. Smith to sign his life away for a good meal, but the contract was proved to be null and void by Professor Robinson. Lastly, Dr. Smith was conned into believing he was the King of an alien species. Unknown to him, he was to be sacrificed and was replaced by a hard-working clone who returned to the aliens in order to save the real Dr. Smith. Currently, the children and Dr. Smith encountered a werewolf, and much to the disbelief of the Robinsons, he was correct!

The Space Croppers (Written by Peter Packer)

"Dear Joan,

Don and I had another argument tonight. He was complaining about how he wished the good Dr. Smith had stayed with us and the real Dr. Smith had gone to Andronica. Sometimes I think he has no heart. I guess I shouldn't have told him that because he was so mad at me he stomped off right before dinner. I guess I'll have to apologize to him when he gets back."

Don came back late that night. Only John was still up. "We missed you at dinner. Did you and Judy have an argument?"

Don was embarrassed to admit it to her father, but John was also his friend. "Ah… yeah... another argument about Smith."

"Speaking of Smith, you missed his latest tale. Seems he and the children ran into a werewolf."

"Werewolf! Why is he filling their heads with that nonsense?"

"I suggested that Smith go on an expedition and find the wolf."

"Think that'll happen?"

"No, but I think we'll see more work on that pipeline… By the way, are you and Judy going to be okay?"

Don looked away. "Smith is the only thing we argue about these days."

John crossed his arms. "I would think you'd have more important issues to argue about."

"We would if Judy was ready to face them."

"Patience, Don."

"I guess it's a good thing that I have Smith to take my frustrations out on… Well, I'll apologize to Judy in the morning. Good-night."

Don didn't have to wait until morning. As soon as he cracked his door, Judy was out of her room. "Don?"

He turned to her. "Yeah?"

"Where were you tonight?"

"Out walking and thinking."

"Don, I'm sorry. We shouldn't argue about Dr. Smith."

"Your father said that we have more important things to argue about."

"Do we?"

"Judy, I don't want to argue at all. I just get so frustrated when you constantly defend Smith."

"Is that what's really bothering you?"

"You know what's bothering me, but I told you that I can wait, and I mean that."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologize… I'm the one who should apologize. I should be more patient with Dr. Smith, with you, with everything…"

She put her arms around his neck. "I…"

They heard John take the first couple of rungs down the ladder and parted. Don took her hand and whispered, "Good-night, Judy." She smiled and turned away.

The next morning, Dr. Smith told them all about the family he and Will had encountered on their werewolf safari. "A mother and her two children… A handsome woman, a widow I think." When John asked him about the werewolf, Dr. Smith said that he had completely forgotten about it.

A few hours later, Judy and Don were walking out of the hatch carrying some electronic equipment. Judy was telling Don, "Oh, there's one thing I've learned about this planet that's different than Earth."

"Oh? What's that?" Don responded.

"Well, on Earth, it's a woman's work that's never done, but here – Don, look!"

A large young man was stealing and eating vegetables from their garden. Don handed Judy his piece of equipment and said, "Stay here." He ran over to garden and shouted, "Hey! Get away from there! That's our food supply!" The man was half a head taller than Don. He picked him up and tossed him over his shoulder like he was a sack of flour.

A scantily clad gorgeous brunette came to Don's rescue and pounded on the man's back to put Don down. "Put him down! Keel, you put him down!" Keel dropped Don, who bounced up, finding it hard to breathe. The brunette explained that Keel was hungry because their 'vittles' were in short supply, "…till we get us our crop raised."

Don held his ribs and said, "Oh, are you the family that, uh…"

"Me, Ma and -- and him."

"Oh…"

She swayed up to him and said, "Hey, uh, you know, you're a real handsome one." "She caressed his face and continued, "Oh. Does your face always hot up and turn red when you're spoken to?"

Judy stomped over and removed the brunette's hand from Don's face. "I'll answer that. The answer's to keep your hands to yourself, whoever you are."

John and Maureen came out and wondered what was going on. The brunette asked for some seasoning, and Maureen sent Judy in to get it. Judy took the pail with one finger, kept eye-contact with the young woman just long enough to let her know she would fight for her man and sauntered into the ship swinging her hips.

As the family made idle conversation, the young lady invited them all over for a meal once their crops were harvested. Judy returned with the spice and the women once again made eye contact. After taking the pail from Judy, Effra let both her and Don know that she hadn't given up her pursuit when she dipped her finger into the pail, slid it deep into her mouth and sucked the spice off her finger. Dr. Smith exited the ship calling, "Effra, my dear girl!" and went on about how much he enjoyed meeting her mother.

Effra stated that it didn't look like he much enjoyed it, and said that they needed to get going. She turned back to Don and circled her finger around his ear. "Aw, you done cooled off." She and Keel left, much to Judy's (and Don's) relief.

"She is such a lovely young lady, is she not, Major?" Dr. Smith commented. "I couldn't help but notice how you admired her shapely legs."

"Can it, Smith. I'm just glad they're gone," Don stated.

Judy crossed her arms. "Really? It looked to me like you were enjoying having her draped all over you."

He was flabbergasted. "What?" he said. She turned her back on him and reentered the Jupiter. "Judy…" he pleaded and followed her inside. "You don't honestly think that I wanted her to flirt with me. Do you?"

She turned and stared at him. She seriously hadn't thought he invited Effra's flirting, but she couldn't help herself. "I saw how flushed you got… If I hadn't come over to rescue you, who knows what would have happened."

"If you really think that I…"

She started laughing. "No…"

"You were teasing me? I'll show you…" He reached out and started tickling her. Judy squealed and ran away into the elevator. He scurried down the ladder and was waiting for her at the bottom. He grabbed her around the waist and tickled her ribs.

"Stop! Don! Please!" Judy shouted and tried to get him back. They collapsed on the floor, laughing, and then stared into each others' eyes. He brought his hand to her face and they had just enough time to steal a kiss before the rest of the family returned to the ship.

At dinner that evening all talk was about the new family that had settled onto the planet. Dr. Smith carried on about how much the family needed a man and that Effra's mother was quite a charming woman.

"Well, I don't like them," Will stated. "They weren't very nice to me and Dr. Smith when we went over."

"I don't know, Will. The girl seemed awfully friendly to me… especially towards Don," John commented.

Don blushed and Penny asked, "Why? What did she do?"

Maureen interrupted, "Nothing you need to know about, Penny."

"Let's just say that she tried to claim Don as her 'territory,' but I let her know he was already taken," Judy said as she placed a hand on Don's arm.

After the meal had been cleaned up, a thumping could be heard and John commented that it sounded like a war dance. John, Maureen, Don and Smith made their way over to the new neighbor's camp. They were involved in some sort of planting ritual. Keel was holding two huge candles in the air and the women were chanting and throwing what looked like plant feed on the plants. They did not receive a warm welcome from Effra's mother and were rudely sent away, but Effra placed a flower in Don's shirt as a 'remembrance.'

The next morning, Effra paid a visit to the Jupiter camp. She was clothed in a full length gown and her hair was elaborately styled. Don was tending the garden when she walked up. 'She cleans up well,' he thought as he couldn't help but admire her good looks. Judy and Maureen came to the hatch and watched as he asked her what she had come to borrow this time. She replied that since their crops were in, they had everything they needed. "Well, that's good. I guess you'll be leaving soon," Don stated.

"Sounds as though you're glad to see us go," she replied as she sauntered closer to him.

"You haven't been exactly friendly neighbors, now have you?"

"Well, I could be right friendly if you'd only let me." She stroked his shoulder and continued. "Well, we could go places together, anywhere your little ol' heart desires." Her finger traced a path over his chest, ending at his heart.

She took a step away and added, "Oh, why, uh… we could set down any place and do us some plantin' and live off the fat of the land." He followed her and took a step closer to her. "Don't that sound invitin'?"

Judy's face went white when she saw Don nod. She turned and ran to her room. Maureen stayed put and witnessed the rest of Don's response.

"Yes… but not for me," he finished.

Effra's eyes flashed and she exclaimed, "Why not!"

"Because I've got other plans. Now why don't you be a good girl and go back where you belong?" He grabbed her arm and pushed her away from the camp.

"I could put a spell on you if I put my mind to it."

He put his hands up in surrender. "Go ahead. Now, if you'll excuse me." He ran up the ramp and almost ran Maureen over. "Maureen! How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," she replied. "Judy was with me, but didn't stay for your forceful finale."

"Oh, no, so she heard…"

"She ran off after you said 'yes'."

"Thanks, I'll go find her."

Maureen shook her head at the rocky path of young love.

Don knocked gently on the doorjamb of Judy and Penny's room. "Judy? Are you in there?" he asked.

Judy was hurt and angry. Just yesterday she had teased him about Effra's advances and now… She didn't want to talk with him and remained silent.

"Come on, Judy, I know you're in there. It wasn't what you thought… Talk to me."

She wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled into her tissues. She tried to answer but the words couldn't get past the lump in her throat.

"I'll wait here all night if I have to… You know I will, just like I did in your house on the base."

She remembered that night when he had slept in the hallway outside her bedroom. He had fallen right into her room when she had opened the door. Judy stood and wiped her eyes one more time and cracked the accordion door open. He could see that her eyes were red and swollen. She couldn't look at him because she felt guilty for his being vulnerable to Effra's whiles. "So," she mumbled, "you couldn't resist her this time."

"You're wrong, Judy. If you had stayed just a few seconds longer, you would have seen me turn her down."

Judy stared at him. "You turned her down? But you looked so… interested."

"I'd be lying if I didn't say she was attractive, but you know she doesn't have what I'm looking for."

She opened the door wider. "I know that she has one thing you're looking for…"

Now he was ticked. "And what would that be?"

"Don, I didn't mean it that way… I guess I… I guess I feel guilty because I'm making you wait so long."

He relaxed and stepped over to her. "Hey, as long as you still love me, I'll survive."

"Dear Joan,

That awful family has finally gone away and Don didn't go with them. I don't know what got into me that I thought he might. I was just so sure he would be attracted to Effra with her short-shorts and one strap top. She was all over him. She even asked Will to get a lock of Don's hair! I think she wanted to put a spell on him!

They planted these crops that would have devoured the planet. We were able to destroy them with the gas guns. I think Dr. Smith is the only one who lamented their leaving. He was scheming to marry the mother and talk them into taking him back to Earth. I don't think he would ever have gotten back there.

Don, Dad and Will are going off to look for a fresh water supply. I've got to go say good-bye to Don while we can still get some privacy. I'm going to miss him. And, yes, I know I'm lucky to have him…"

To be continued…

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