A cruel kind of agony Chapter 66: The clock toils to nine part 5: throat, a Lost In Space + Lost in Space Crossover fanfic

A/N

This story was meant to be five to ten to twenty chapters. . . But a certain someone wanted the pain to be seen in its entirety. All the layers of it. *glares toward classic Smith and Robot and the Robinsons*

Robinsons: *Laughs and walk away*

Smith: Your dear readers needed to see how he came to the position that he is in for the scenes YOU dropped and how he came to the emotional stand point of feeling that he belongs and that he is safe and that he is human. And for the Robinsons to arise as new versions of themselves for the future! Hardly to skip over! Hardly not to cover!

Robot: No comment.

Smith: No comment? No comment! It was all going well until you decided to go off and-

Robot: *Turns toward Smith* Fact. It was what they would have done, Doctor Smith.

And these two just fell into a gap of silence that is never ending.

Will: We were never going to let him stay for just one chapter and you know that is true.

I once wrote as a tag to this story on ao3: It is not how fast you get to the destination. But the journey that matters. That phrase turns out to be pretty important with his infection and getting it cured. It comes with pain and hardship to get to the point that he had been before the Proteus. Happy holidays for those reading!

"This time, there will not be another duetronium bank heist."

"Really? This time? I vividly recall the last time you proudly boasted of there not a bank heist since the creation of this bank. Shortly after that comment: it was being robbed."

"Space breeds of werewolves are very capable of slithering past the best defense."

"You mean space werecats?"

"Werewolves,"

"It has been a very long time since the first bank heist. No one has dared to perform the same act. Let alone facing their fate."

"We have no bad faith."

"My planet has a synthesizer of this fuel and it is very prized in negotiations with the other species in this galaxy. If I recommit to this bank then I want to be completely certain that we won't lose hundreds of deutronium," the glare was hard and weathered from the customer. "I understand the thousands of fuel was given to the Robinsons for the fair business agency set up as the bank robbers used as a vacation place. . . And we could repay the lost fuel for your customers but the next time it happens, it won't happen a second time."

"We have a guard," The bank teller gestured toward the guard at the front door. "And two others. It won't happen a second time."

The customer began to take out their knapsack and slip out the small cans of duetronium.

"That is fine."

The door to the bank slid open then the sounds of laser fire caused everyone to duck and cover. The security team turned away from the bank tellers then fired with their phaser banks toward the firing. The machines were dispatched as quickly as they were sent to neutralize the threat. The security team looked on to see a young man with three eyes and a dark brown goatee. He was tall towering over the rest of the people in the room standing at six foot.

"I am Doctor ZACHARY Smith!" Smith emphasized, gesturing the two security detail down to the ground and they shielded their glass heads once on the ground. "This is a bank robbery, my dear strangers!" he waved the machine in the air. "If anyone moves, you're dead. So shall we cooperate?"

A truly evil smile spread from corner to corner then raised his thick dark brown eyebrows brows.

"Shall we? Hand over the cans of deutronium." He slipped forward the bag then motioned for the bag. "All of them into this knapsack. Please."

"You-y-y-y-yy-y-y-y-y-y-you will be sent to the prison planet Destructon for this!" The bank teller said.

"Send me there for all I care, my dear sir." Smith replied. "I do not give a flying space pig about prison!"

As all of this was happening, Martay was hitting his craft attempting to give way to the door opening. Unexpectedly, Martay fell back and loudly hacked frightening himself then got up to his feet. His eyes were glazed looking on with worry from side to side. He charged back at the door then crashed back down to the ground landing on his back. Will was unconscious on the neighboring seat when the loud thud awoke him.

"Urgh. . . my head. ."

He whirred on to his chest then looked up spotting the screen displaying the cans being slid into the table.

"No!" a familiar voice screamed across from Will.

He got up to his feet then began to search for weapons.

"Martay?" Will asked.

"No." Was the reply.

Martay gestured toward the computer screen.

"Doctor Smith!" Will said, looking toward the screen. "Why are you robbing a bank?"

Martay sighed, exasperated, throwing his head up in annoyance.

"My dear boy," Martay turned toward Will as he lowered his head. "I am not robbing a bank. I am right here."

"Martay, where is Doctor Smith?" Will asked.

"I am Doctor Smith!" Martay pointed toward himself.

"Doctor Smith isn't coated in fur the last time I checked," Will said.

Martay sighed, exasperated, then drew in the shred of patience that he had left.

"Well, do I sound like the other Doctor Smith you know?" Smith asked.

"You sound like yourself, Martay," Will said. "Except. . ."

"Except for what?" Martay asked.

"For a hoarse voice." Will said. Martay turned away from the boy with a fit of coughing. "Did you have a shouting match with Doctor Smith about bringing my family to Alpha Centauri or was it about the fuel?"

Martay slid out drawers at a time then he paused in his tracks caught in the middle of a elaborate but metaphorical situational web.

"If I kill him, he still looks like me and I would be still thrown into prison!" Martay said with his back to the boy.

"Doctor Smith looks nothing like you, Martay." Will said.

Martay gripped along his bruised, burning, aching voice box very troubled.

"If I try to escape, I would be thrown into prison because they think I am a criminal!" He paced back and forth shaking his head quite irked then his lower set of arms retreated and Will took a double take. "Oh dear, this is not good." He shook his head quite trouble. "Unless. . ."

"Unless what? Does Doctor Smith have some fancy technology on him that makes him look like you while to the screen, he looks like himself?"

"You can't fool security cameras but you can fool the eyes of organic beings. I would have to wait awhile for them to come forward about the web of deceit." Martay looked down upon the boy. "I mean to say is, somehow, someway. . . this fool has changed his DNA and my own."

"He is not exactly a shapeshifter," Will said.

"I know I am not!" Martay said.

"But he is some level of telepath," Will said.

"I am a observer class level," Martay looked down upon the boy and squinted down at him. "It's hard to tell if you are pulling my leg or if you are being truthful."

Will smirked with a shrug.

"So is Doctor Smith." Will replied.

Then, Martay heavily coughed then looked on toward the screen.

"This is going to be the worst time waiting." Martay whined, irritated.

"Why do . . . Why do you have four arms?" Will asked.

Martay froze.

"This is more confusing then I thought it was. . . . and very elaborate." Martay coughed profusely into his fist. "Perhaps he is using a very advanced machine on me and that is why I look like him!" Martay clapped his hands with a grin. "A reasonable answer."

He sat down into the chair then started to laugh but ended up hacking.

"If they are using my DNA then it won't have to be long!" Martay grinned, hopeful. "Not long, indeed!"

Martay got up.

"I wonder if they have some snacks . . ." And coughed as he approached the kitchen portion of the ship then softly began to reply. "This isn't bronchitis. Isn't it?"

"Doesn't sound like it to me." Will said.

"William, let's eat? Shall we? Dine like kings that we are and deserve to be treated?" Martay asked, sliding open the food pantry. "Just this once?"

"That sounds like something he would say," Will said earning a sigh.

"I have said it." Martay said. He struggled to clear his throat as he took out the fruit from the food pantry. "Heavens if they gave me pneumonia then I am going to kill them by my bare hands!"

"On second thought, I don't know if I should accept food from strangers, Martay." Will said. "Not without Doctor Smith at least."

Martay groaned.

The door opened and Smith came in then watched the resting being on the table, unconscious, as the young boy bolted toward his side. Smith placed the large and very full knapsack into the cabinet and closed the door beside him then turned his attention upon the boy by his side.

"Doctor Smith, why did you have to steal fuel?" Will asked. "We got enough as it is!"

"You can have never enough." He directed the boy over to the staircase. "I will bring the ship back to Tremfya–"

"I know that your heart is in the right place, Doctor Smith." Will said. "It isn't right stealing other peoples fuel."

"If I hadn't, we would be spending generations on a lone planet!" Smith said. "A entire Earthling colony away from civilization not knowing their origins. And calling the Jupiter a heavenship."

"You mean that YOU would be SPENDING your ENTIRE life on a PLANET that is NO CLOSER to ALPHA CENTAURI!" Will shouted.

"Yes." Smith looked over toward Martay. "Looks like our host is asleep."

"After eating half of the food pantry," Will said. "If we apologized to him then we can make this all better. And returned the fuel that you stole."

"I shall see what I can give away, Will." Smith said. "They don't have enough fuel as it is to reach their promised planet."

"And that is?" Will asked.

"Riconasince," Smith said. "Oddball planet that it is. They live underground and visit to enjoy the natural scenery that is of the planet covered in a large body of water and continents covered in magnificent tall trees that shed the fierce lights of its dying sun. Whispers of its ultraviolet light. The trees being alive are a sure amazing and fascinating thing. Highly impressive and awe."

"And you will have to tell dad about it," Will said.

"I shall, I shall," Smith nodded. "I will set in the course to Tremfya. Why don't you eat, Will?"

"I had dinner hours ago," Will said. "Mom made that stew. Remember? Judy brought it in before dinner."

"I don't recall,"

"Are you okay, Doctor Smith?" Will asked. "You are a little off your beat."

"Being ill does that to me, my dear," Smith said. "Go upstairs and wait for me. I will be right up."

"Okay." Will said then went up the stairs.

Smith's brown eyes watched the boy go up then he looked down toward Martay who was semiconscious.

"Please. . . Whatever you intend; hurt me, kill me, take me, just don't harm him. I beg of you!"

"Why would I want to do that?" Smith asked. "He is my friend." He grinned back at Martay. "And whatever you say," His fingers grasped on the man's shoulder then leaned in and began to whisper. "They won't believe a single word from you once this is over."

"Doctor Smith-"

Smith looked up and abruptly sent the whimpering Martay down to the ground.

"They got the police coming!" Will announced.

Smith came up the stairs leaving Martay alone.

"No!"

Martay flopped over on to the chair then lifted himself up and the ship sent him flinging him from end to another. His secondary arms uncurled and he caught the reach of a pole and his primary arms wrapped around it as he screamed in horror. From above, Smith was standing still as Will sat down and buckled himself up in the nearest chair watching his friend navigate the ship through the sky. Martay was flung toward the staircase then he charged up the stairs coming to the bridge of the ship. He grasped on to the edge of the rail seeing the child look on helplessly watching his friend pilot.

"Doctor Smith!" Will cried. "Martay is here!"

Martay's eyes darted from the child to the counterpart contemplating his next moves then flung himself forward.

"Not anymore!" Smith declared.

Martay was flung to the other side of the ship then he grasped on to a level as the ship was shifting from side to side.

"Hah!" Smith laughed, looking over, then back toward the path ahead.

Martay climbed the equipment with care and precision then tackled the man down to the floor. His long sinister fingers dug into his uniform then smacked him against the floor. The ship flew sideways as Martay yanked Smith up to his feet then smacked him against the consoles with rage burning in his eyes. Martay flung him against the wall with strength that caused him to yelp. Behind this commotion, Will was watching with rapid attention.

Martay changed the course as Smith began to get up.

"I can still fix this!" Martay declared. "I can fix your mess!"

Smith got up to his feet and ran after him.

"I don't want you to!" Smith shouted.

With a whimper, Martay was shoved aside and the back of his head hit the edge of table. He faced the young boy then tried to lift himself up. He coughed feeling his chest ache and his head ached. His vision blurred overhearing the sound of Smith's laughter then his figure slumped and snored away. Will watched as several planets were passed by in the journey back to the planet. Tremfya came into view then Will unbuckled and stormed down the stairs headed for the bottom deck.

Smith stood at the center as the scenery changed to that of being planet side. Smith closed his eyes then slid open a door. Rax slid out the machine from the back then aimed it at the two of them. In a moment, Smith was replaced by Martay and Martay was replaced by Smith in different places around the room. Then a circular machine showed the transfer of memories between them. With that done, Martay fell. Rax left the room. And Smith got up with a notable cough. He looked out the window spotting the scenery appearing to be unsettled at first, confused, then it hit him.

"Oh dear! Oh dear! What have I done?"

"Doctor Smith, come on!"

Smith looked from Martay to the lower decks then stormed down the steps.

"I am-" he had a loud cough. "coming!"

Smith went to the cabinet then opened cabinet and took out the knapsack.

"Doctor Smith, are you coming?"

"I will be, my dear boy." Smith said. "In a few moments." he clung the package into his chest. "Right behind you."

"Okay."

Will went out then Smith grimaced, regretful, had a lengthy cough, before following him out.

"He didn't do it!" Robot insisted that morning.

"Robot, you heard the evidence!" Don reminded. "He did."

"Negative," Robot said. "You were only shown what was manufactured specifically for Will and for the cameras."

"They tested all the memories of the eyewitnesses and we have tested Smith's memory with the device," John said.

"Those were real memories." Don picked up the can of deutronium from the galley table and shook it. "And he brought along the evidence to his crime."

"The world's greatest tragedy," Robot said. "I believe him. But there is nothing to back it up."

"Why do you think that he didn't do it?" John asked.

"I admit, he is capable of it." Robot said. "But he wouldn't have just done that the same night after having a talking session with me." Robot's helm twirled. "It was very personal and revealing."

"He has done bad things right after the good," Penny said. "He is capable of anything."

"And he did speak with Martay," Maureen reminded.

"I watched it happen and I stayed out of it," Robot said. "Before I watch it happen a second time, I want to be sure you want to go down this road a second time with Doctor Smith."

"We have to." John said.

"I will not be there this time to watch it happen." Robot said. "I won't be there to mitigate the aftermath and I won't be there to fix it."

"Because you had to," John said.

"You lost his trust, Professor." Robot said. "He didn't come back after that event."

"We regained it." John said.

"He would have never come back had Will and I discovered. . ." Robot let the comment hang.

"We all regret how that turned out," John said. "This is different."

"If we do that, we stand of losing his cooperation and his trust with us; FOREVER." Robot emphasized. "And forever is not a long time for him! When you tell him what you think that he did intentionally. . . History will repeat itself."

"History isn't running its course, Robot," John said. "He did it. We have evidence. Solid evidence. Tangible evidence."

"He could not have done it," Robot bobbed his helmet up. "He is still getting better."

"Robot, Doctor Smith is a entirely different breed of human," Judy said. "He may be weathering out the infection than walk and talk to without us even knowing he is still sick."

"He is battling bronchitis," Robot said. "He could not have been able to do that."

"He has been quite lucid in and out of it," Penny said.

"Lucid enough to ask me what we were having for breakfast this morning," Will said

"Were you around him all of yesterday, Robot?" Judy asked.

"I was not," Robot replied.

"Robot, stand aside." John said.

Robot bobbed his helm, obeyed, then wheeled away.

"This is awful," Maureen shook her head as Robot paused beside the doorway to the Jupiter 2. His helm twirled as though shaking his head. "I thought he was done with the stealing and his greed."

"I thought so too with his lack of doing so," John said.

"We asked too much of him," Maureen said.

"We expected too much of him, Maureen." John said. "We never asked anything from him. Only that he allowed our help."

Robot pressed a button then the door opened and he went down the steps. He stared at the Robinsons regarding them for a long moment as he thought to himself, there is a chance, that I, too, won't return from this adventure. His helm and upper half twirled away toward the doorway leading out of the Jupiter 2 as the cool air entered the ship.

"You can only restrain thievery for so long for a man like him." Don chimed in. "For a moment there. . ." Robot wheeled out of the ship and the door closed behind him. "I thought he was good."

"We all did." John said. "Maureen, how about we have a picnic? I hate to be around when they come in."

"I wouldn't mind," Maureen said. "It would make it feel a lot better. Girls, help me get the picnic packing done."

The girls departed from the center of the bridge as Will shook his head.

"This doesn't feel like him," Will said. "Something doesn't feel right." he shook his head. "Where did Robot go?"

"Outside," John said. "Give him some space."

"I will. . ." Will said.

"Will, why don't you help us get the Chariot unfolded?" Don asked.

"That would be a great help," John agreed.

"Sure, I can do that." Will nodded.

Robot wheeled for hours at a time searching for the presence of the two men feeling helpless as his world was falling apart around him. He detected the Warden of the Destructon Prison Planet arriving. He even detected the Robinsons had left earlier before the arrival. Robot came to a pause and screamed loudly hunched over until his audio synthesizers screamed. With that done, he was all but certain that his world had already ended. A long time ago.

It was the world of the Robinsons that was to fall apart. A world that wasn't going to be as kind. Nor was it going to be as hopeful, optimistic, or happy for that matter. And Smith was going to have it worse. Robot couldn't be exactly sure what was going to happen but he was sure of the man sharing the same grief that he, himself, went through for his counterpart. It felt like he had regained a brother but younger yet still as older than he was.

And the world that orbited the Jupiter 2 was ready to collapse.

It wasn't going to be exactly going to run smoothly on the Robinsons.

None of it was going to be kind for the Robinsons foreseeable future.

It was to be agonizing and cruel.

"Booby, what is going on?" Smith asked with a hoarse voice once dragged out of the Jupiter 2 by his arms then plopped down to his knees alongside the hydroponic garden. "Who-" he hacked into his hand. "in the-" Smith coughed a second time. "Heavens are these people?"

Smith looked from side to side quite frightened as he made himself look small and short with the cuffs between his wrists.

"Robot, explain to the suspect," The warden said.

"You are having a nightmare." Robot said. "The worst one of all."

"Oh, thank heavens!" Smith relaxed. "it's just a nightmare."

"This is real." Robot insisted.

"Nightmares always say that." Smith persisted. "And dreams come to say, 'You do realize, my dear, you are dreaming.' Nightmares don't come out and say that beside you."

"You've been framed." Robot said, ominously.

"Ah, a nightmare where I have been framed? That is a new kind of nightmare-" Smith hacked. "For me!"

"You will be out, soon." Robot assured. Smith sneezed then Robot held out a large collection of napkins in a box. "Bless you, Doctor Smith."

"Where is the rest of the deutronioum, Doctor Smith?"

"I don't know, my dear sir. I just entered into this nightmare, myself-" Smith paused. "Oh riiight." he started to laugh only to end up coughing into his hand with difficulty clearing his throat. The coughing made his entire figure shake until he could breath again. "I threw them into the local river."

"Search the rivers!"

"It's coming to me." Smith said. "This is a very strange nightmare. Gunter, this is frightening. Can you end the nightmare for me?"

"I cannot. Doctor Smith."

"Why can't you?"

"I cannot allow you to die-"

"In my sleep. Course." Smith lifted the shackles up then rubbed his forehead. "My dear old friend." He looked toward Robot. "Where is Will?"

"Going on a picnic." Robot replied.

Smith began to laugh that turned into difficult hacking.

"At least this little nightmare isn't all that bad." Smith said with a shake of his head.

Robot was silent for a complete moment.

"It will only get worse before it gets better," Robot said. "I am sorry, Doctor Smith. For everything that comes next."

"No need to apologize, my dear old friend." Smith said. "This is a dream. Nothing more. It's the mind's work."

Smith coughed into his fists with difficulty.

"Get up, 273." The officers lifted Smith up to his feet.

"May I ask what the next sequence is?" Smith asked.

"You are going to Destructon! And you will live the full maximum for stealing thousands of fuel!"

Smith yelped as he was dragged over to the space cycle then shoved down and had a fit of coughing. Smith slouched forward closing his eyes. He took one last look at Robot at the Jupiter 2 then began to close his eyes and snored away. Then Robot watched as the vehicle carrying his friend vanish in a pit of smoke. Robot checked his defense systems detecting that he had enough to make a visit to the responsible parties.

"Look," Rax said. "We did it."

"I did it!" Martay said.

"Drink!" Rax said.

"To the solid success!" Martay said. "To the success of framing a innocent man!"

Their drinks clunk together as Robot wheeled behind them. They took a sip from their glass then lowered it feeling that they were being watched. They put the glass down on to the small tables beside them then they got up facing the machine. Their demeanors changed from overjoyed to dark and demeaning tones.

"You can fix this," Robot said. "You need to step forward so Doctor Smith won't need to spend long at Destructon."

"I don't want to," Martay said.

"You will want to," Robot promised. "By the end of the day."

"Why are you so determined on fixing this?" Martay asked.

Robot came closer to the edge of the cliff getting further to Martay.

"I want it to last as little as it does." Robot said. "It lasted for too long last time and it was painful for my family unit. We are still healing."

Martay stepped aside then Robot twirled in the direction of the two.

"Then let them heal over this!" Rax shoved Robot forward.

Robot was silent as he fell down the cliff. They watched him fall down the cliff, his armor denting and cracking and breaking in half. His bubble helmet was shattered during the fall, and his helm was torn apart during the crashing once he hit a tree. He came to a pause with his frame held carefully by two connective cables between two branches of a tree sticking out of the rocky wall.

His red grill glowed weakly over the embankment leading toward a valley in the middle of his groaning. Their eyes fixated on the victim. From the corner of Rax's eye, a dark phantom specter darted past them going down the grass coated hill leading into the valley. He looked over. There was no source of the specter. It could have been a small fuzzy insect that flew in his way.

Robot was hanging there for some time waiting for to be found until his sensors indicated three lifeforms were coming from across him. And there was a familiar voice calling for him. The voice of a child. Will. . . The voice of a dear friend. The friend that he had been there to rescue. The sound of his voice summoned hope in to Robot's sensors. Hope flourished in his processor.

"Robot!" Will called.

Will came out of the forest then was joined by members of his family.

"Oh Robot!" Penny said. "You don't look so well."

"I can . . . manage. . . with this." Robot said.

"Robot?" John asked as the wooden bark trembled. "How in the world did you get there?"

"I fell." Was all Robot said. "I have proof! Proof! He didn't do it!"

"That doesn't matter this moment!" Don said. "What matters right is getting you down."

"I do not like heights like these." Robot admitted.

"Don't worry, Robot." Maureen assured. "We will get you down very shortly."

The tree that held the weak environmental Robot broke in half causing him to fall down to the ground with a loud thud.

"I am okay!" Robot replied flailing a long claw. "Just a little banged up."

Certain relief swept upon the group summoning laughter that cooled down the tension, the fear, and concern for their trusted friend.

"Robot, we will be right there to fix you up!" Will called.

"We will!" Judy said. "Just hang in there tight!'

"Affirmative." Robot said.

Will started to go down the natural made path leading down along with his siblings. John stopped Will by putting a hand on his shoulder and the women stopped where they were doing. Maureen felt a certain uneasy wash upon her. Something was wrong. Puzzled, Will looked up toward his father as the man was frowning and so was the major. A distant sound was drawing nearer to them making the ground beneath Robot tremble.

"What am I hearing?" John asked.

Don paled as it came to him then turned his head toward John.

"Hooves." Don said.

The ground trembled more prominently and loudly as large herbivores were sprinting through the valley. The valley was full of unsettled dust that rose in the air from around them as they drew closer to the machine resting on his side. Will turned his attention away from his father then saw what was headed his way. The hooves belong to large and unusual buffalo that had long trunks similar to wholly mammoths.

Robot's grill glowed faintly for one last time as the creatures came closer toward him, and softly bemoaned, "I feel like tuna casserole. . ."

"You look nothing like tuna casserole, my dear old friend."

His upper chassis twirled as did he turned little parts of his helm bob up in surprise at hearing the voice so close to him.

"Doctor Smith?"

"No!" Will reached forward and had to be turned away from the scene by John while Don watched the creatures get closer. "NO! We can save him! WE CAN SAVE HIM! WE CAN SAVE HIM! DAD, WE CAN SAVE HIM."

Don watched as Robot vanished before his eyes among the herd of herbivores then closed his eyes and turned his head away with a wince.

"He is gone."

"NO! No!" Will began to sob as he began to fall to the ground visibly pained. "No. . "

John took a deep breath then came to the edge of the cliff then saw Robot laid on the ground severely trampled and his tapes were all over place severely torn. His eyes searched among the wreckage, in a attempt to reason there was something to salvage, to reuse, to repair-the only thing left was the lone red claw. John's turned his gaze off the fallen environmental robot then looked up toward the cliff ahead of him.

The last of the herbivores leaped over the fallen crushed frame. Don came down the embankment then began to walk over toward the lone claw. He looked up just as the professor did spotted Rax staring up then his hand started to tremble in fury. He knelt down then picked up the claw. Judy covered her mouth on the brink of tears and Penny turned away into her mother's embrace.

Rax vanished from Don's line of sight from the edge retreating into the greenery.

John looked down toward the scene of the crime with disgust and grief as the major climbed back up.

"We have to get shovels just to get all the pieces off," John said.

"They were there," Don said. "and they didn't bother to help him."

"Don, they may have just got here." John suggested.

"I saw them as we came to the edge," Don said. "they were there. Looking down. Staring. Just watching him."

The inmate that had a strange dragon aesthetic to them even though they were quite humanoid stared at Smith was leaning against the rock catching a short lived nap that he was yanked out of and tossed aside against it clenching on to his uniform. The inmate had 986 at the end of the long strip of numbers on their uniform.

"If we don't do our quota, then we won't have a nice cold ice cube! We need it to survive!" Roared the inmate. "You were here before, 273."

"That was a long time ago." Smith replied.

"You should KNOW this!" Smith winced inwardly as he remained passively disturbed. "And if you don't help then I will get rid of you before Destructon does!"

"I forget so easily I am not in my world. . . I will do it," Smith sneezed then headbutted the inmate knocking them down. "Oh dear!"

"Why you-"

Smith stepped aside then yanked his attacker forward.

"If you have any-" Smith coughed. "Intentions on living then you should bide your temper and allow your fiend to become rea-" Smith sneezed. "Reacquainted to his surroundings then you shall find you will get a LARGE ice cube." he lowered the attacker down then pinned the woman's hand behind her back and dug his heel into her spine. "Is that acceptable?"

The other inmates were laughing surrounding the duo.

"Yes."

"This nightmare has strange rules to it. And I am still coming to grips with it! Been a long time since-" Smith hacked. "I have been here."

"Are you quite alright?"

Smith shook his hand.

"Just a bad run of bronchitis." Smith assured.

The inmate frowned looking upon Smith.

"And did you get it treated?"

"Yes." Smith nodded.

"And it's getting worse."

"Highly infectious by the sounds of it." Smith said.

The others moved away from his side of the quadrant quickly with his mere words leaving him alone as did his would be killer.

Smith sneezed.

"I really dislike this horrid nightmare!" He picked up his pick axe from the ground then sneezed and threw his pick axe over his shoulder. "Oh no."

Slowly, Smith turned then had a hard hack and looked on to see one of the inmates had the pick axe in their shoulder with a throbbing nerve on their head.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Smith dodged the attacker then yanked out his pick axe and stumbled back landing to the ground. He coughed into his fist then fell over to his side. He looked up spotting that he was surrounded by the inmates. Then, he forced a smile. Nightmares do tend to lighten up. Even as dark as it looked, against the bright scheme of things, he clung to hope on the chance that he was not going to be beaten up.

"Truce." Smith said with a small scared laugh waving his pick axe in defeat. "Please?"

Smith was punched at the eye then he fell to the ground.

"Truce, it is, 273."

Smith lifted himself up then thrust himself against the natural made chair by the rocks and sighed in relief.

Until he fell into a coughing fit.

"So, Martay," Will said. "How long are you going to be around?"

"Hardly." Martay said. "We will be leaving any day."

"Where are you going?" Will asked.

"Somewhere. Somewhere festive. Somewhere truly relaxing." Martay said. "I may even visit your planet."

"Really?" Will asked.

"Yes." Martay said. "I can give you a ride there if you like."

"Thanks, but no thanks." Will said. "I rather get back to Earth with my folks."

"I see." Martay said then watched the boy begin to walk off. "You miss your friend?"

"Friends." Five steps away, Will shifted back toward Martay. "They were both people to me. Even how different they were to me."

Martay nodded then watched the boy walk off. He looked down toward his paws noticing how human like they were and sharp and sinister. His shoulders ached in a way that was unusual to him. And it felt strange as he strayed away from the boy back to his ship. He opened the door then fell down to his knees filled with a rage of pain that was alien and unusual and he screamed.

"RAAAAAAAAAX."

"If we are going to renovate the Jupiter 2 to become a multi generation ship, Tremfya is the only planet, as far, that we can do it on. Best planet. Asides to being prone to criminals, I am sure that we can handle these people with the forcefield." John said. "It will take months just to do this expansion."

"A complete overhaul of the Jupiter 2," Maureen said. "It is a price worth paying for our grandchildren."

"The only question is," John said. "If you want to have children."

"Things have gotten better," Don said.

"And we could as well start aging at any time," Judy said.

"We have been thinking about it," Don said.

"Strange people, unusual criminals who have special interest in sculpting and making art out of the trees and plans, and rabbirds is any place to rest a while before a long trip," Judy said. "And start to have a few kids."

"Rabbirds?" John asked. "What do you mean by rabbirds?"

"Rabbits with the lower halves of a bird," Judy said.

"And these were the giant rabbit breeds," Don said.

"Doctor Smith, Will, Don, and I were setting up the weather station when. . ." she started to laugh. "When they gave Doctor Smith a fright and sent him panicking."

"I remember that, it took us hours to find him AND Will," Don said. "And right into the private land of a rabbird hunter."

"You were camping," Judy said.

"I remember,"John said. "And Penny wanted to study them. Is that right?"

"Yes." Don nodded. "It's going to be quiet without him around."

"It won't be for long," Judy squeezed his hand. "Not for long."

Smith acted in a stupor. That of autopilot, half lucid, half not quite lucid, between his fits hacking and sneezing. He downed himself beside his rock, timing himself to do his quota, much to the chagrin of his inmates. Inmates who were figments of his nightmare. A nightmare that meant it wasn't going to last and it was going to feel incredibly strange, weird, and surreal and bizarre for as long as it went on.

And yet, they were real as he was and he didn't even know it. They acted real to him and threatened him so he took their word for it. He did not wish for the nightmare to become worse. And it was hard to tell how long the nightmare had been going during his black outs. Each black out indicated that a length of time had passed since the other.

Each segment was strange and unusual. And it featured as a way off being one that stood out as odd enough to remind him. You're in a hopeful place. Instead of violence between prisoners and shivs, there were moments of cooperation and a feeling of family around the crew of inmates that he was shackled with.

A allotment of time passed this way with Smith's synchronized schedule. In one segment, they were rewarded with a large ice cube. The ice cube gave pause for the aliens staring it down. Their eyes widened while Smith remained leaning his back against the rock using his arms as his support and a loud distinctive snore. The inmates congregated along the large cube and one of them yanked Smith off his resting spot then stuck him along the finer long edges of the cube as he yelped.

"I said, I don't need to be around ice cubes to be sleep!"

"Earth man, it's hot and you can die. And you cannot regenerate."

"Sure sure, for unmodified humans, that is possible." Smith shook his hand. "Unlike the Robinsons and the major, my body was redesigned to survive anything imaginable that the environment could throw at me."

He fell into a coughing fit then sat down on a rock.

"Geeze, you got it bad."

"And it mattered greatly surviving the great war." Smith resumed, wiping his fist along his pant leg, then sighed. "Intended to be for adapting to the great reaction of the planet from killing it. Every day. And doing nothing to help it! Only except for making humans more capable of living through the hardship!"

One of the inmates eyes widened taken back, appalled, horrified, and stunned.

"This Earth man is insane!"

"I take great insu-" Smith hacked, once, twice, and thrice until his throat was cleared and he had turned away from the ice cube. "In that!"

"Your body can naturally cool you down?"

"Yes." Smith nodded.

"You need water to perform that task."

". . . Well, there is a little matter on that." Smith said then held up his index finger.

Smith coughed and coughed and coughed as the other inmates waited then spat mucus out to the ground.

"We took inspiration from camels." Smith said. "Hide pockets of water in our bodies that is regulated in our body and is dropped for certain times such as rest and cooling down."

He coughed for a moment then frowned looking back at a memory.

"I wonder if that is why I was so cold during the space venom? . . ." Smith looked back. "Constant water over the blazing heat the venom was putting on my body."

Another inmate stared at him.

"Are you going to get better any time soon?"

Smith nodded, certain.

"When I wake up from this nightmare, I shall be!"

"Everyone. Ignore the mad man and sleep."

It was too cold remaining against the rock as the cold was already in his bones, skin, and veins. And tired. He came over to a rock then flopped on to his side and quietly fell into the black watching the light show of the planet become engulfed vanishing by each star that vanished before his eyes falling deep and deeper into the abyss of rest.

"I like to see how he is doing." Will said, one day.

After five months working and planning with his family on the expansion of the Jupiter 2 and how to best move the placement of the rooms. Five months without Doctor Smith and Robot, only dealing with the visitors that approached their camp, three months were spent celebrating the news that Judy was expecting. Five months spent moving on from the fact that a Doctor Smith had entered their lives then after becoming familiar to them and close to them, he performed a major crime that they couldn't help him with as he confessed to it.

"Don?" John asked.

"I will go with him." Don said. "He will be fine."

"Don't tell Smith about Robot being gone." John warned. "Not right this moment."

"I won't." Don nodded.

"Neither will I." Will said.

"I can tell him about the good news about the expansion," Don said. "Can I?"

"That you can." John nodded. "I am sure he will be uplifted regarding Judy's pregnancy."

"Looks like we get to use our visitors pass," Maureen said with a bittersweet smile. "After all."

The booth took them to Destructon. It was cool and comfortable. Don looked ahead of Will anticipating to see Robot ahead of them. But, he wasn't. And he hadn't been there for some time. The door opened and the cold air was replaced by the familiar heatwave. Don was in a white shirt like Will was and in shorts. They stepped out into the blazing heat then took a sip from their canteens. They searched through the quadrant searching for the familiar older man and it didn't last long.

They heard a loud coughing that drew their attention. The duo arrived to the small crater of rock that had a few inmates stationed around it while a lone tall but familiar man was stationed in the center of it leaning against the pick axe having a unwell sigh and quite unkempt with long curly hair that hadn't been trimmed. His beard had grown longer as well and his skin was well tanned but visibly pale.

"Doctor Smith?" Will asked.

". . . Is that you?" Don added.

"It is I, the unhealthy Pumpkin Man, the Dracula, the Sirius Black to your Wizardly devices,-" Smith had a weak cough before adding in a deflated version of himself but it was a distant demeanor and his hoarse voice small. "You look better than I do."

Don restrained Will from running after Smith with one hand on his shouler.

"We have been busy." Don said.

"Flying throughout the galaxy." Smith said. "I am aware."

"No, we have been working on expanding the Jupiter 2," Don said over Smith's coughing into his handkerchief.

"Expecting?" Smith looked up.

"A little." Don said.

"Enjoy it while it lasts. Savor it. Happiness can only last so long in nightmares." He shrugged then Don frowned at the comment and slipped away his handkerchief. "I am sure I will awaken from this nightmare." he swung the pick axe into the ground chipping off a block. "Eventually."

Smith yanked the pick axe out and it flew out.

"Ow!"

The pick axe flew over Don's head landing into the ground.

"Stop throwing your pick axe at me, 273!"

"I must be more sick then I care to realize." Smith shuddered.

"Smith, this isn't a nightmare!" Don said, grabbing Smith by the shoulders. "This is real. All of it is real!"

"Get your hands off me, Major." Smith hissed, swiping the man's hand off his shoulders.

"Smith-"

"This is my nightmare and I can more than be capable of making you have a very horrible day. I have a high fever." He coughed into his hand then leaned up. "And if I were you," he pressed his hand against the rocky boulder beside him. "I wouldn't want to catch whatever disease I have in this sequence."

"Don't get any bright ideas," Don said.

"Oh, how can I?" Smith asked, mockingly as Will started to smirk tearfully.

"There is a fence and a android guard that you can easily knock down with a hammer," Don pointed out.

"Bright ideas are all over the place!" Smith threw his hands in the air gesturing toward the sky. "I can just do any of them and everything will be fine. Just last sequence, I peed on the metal droid and nothing terrible happened."

Don looked in the direction that the older man pointed in and spotted a rusted droid with the quadrant sign then turned his attention toward the man quite incredulous.

"I don't think you are thinking straight with this in mind, Smith." Don said. "This is life and death serious. You can't stand this existence for two more months."

Smith shook his head.

"Shame that this version of the human body is designed to tolerate the heated temperature as if it is summer cool weather. I can only imagine how the overbearing heat must be for you." He waved him off. "Go on."

Smith turned away then sneezed into his sleeve.

"No wonder you're not sweating." Don said. "This is cool weather to you. Why do you think this is a nightmare?"

"The first person I saw was Rob-" Smith coughed into his hands then fell down his knees with a cough. "And he told me it was a nightmare."

"You were supposed to have gotten better, Doctor Smith!" Will said in alarm.

"You were a lot better in the memory screen," Don said. "And you weren't coughing then."

Smith glared toward Don.

"I wasn't remotely better when I was taken out of bed," Smith said. "I was still sick."

Don's face fell at the sincere tone.

"I am likely contagious." he coughed between syllable hunched over and struggled to breathe. "Don't catch pneumonia because of me." he stepped back from the duo. "Keep your distance."

"No way." Will shook his head approaching the man. "I am sorry. I was wrong."

"About what?" Smith asked. "My dear boy, you have nothing to apologize for."

"I should have been there at the time of your arrest," Will said. "But, I wasn't. Normally, I am there for you. And it really hurts." Smith reached a hand out but upon looking at his mucus covered hand, he withdrew it it then wiped it off his pant leg then put his cleaned hand on the child's shoulder. "And I have been out of it for awhile."

"William. . ." Smith said. "It would have been worse on you. I have been through much worse. I have been through more literal nightmares."

Smith glanced off toward the major.

"Have you been taking medication?" Don asked.

Smith used the rock as his support then glared toward the major and slid away from the boy.

"This. . . is . . . a NIGHTMARE!" Smith emphasized. "You don't get medicine in nightmares!"

He coughed, hard, into his closed fist then looked up toward the major with visibly difficulty breathing.

"You get them when you are wiiiiideeee aawaaaaakkee!"

He pointed toward the elevator with strain in his voice being dramatic.

"Please, go. William. Major." Smith whined. "Before you become part of this nightmare with what I have. And I don't want that." his hoarse voice became softer. "You already have so little medicine as it is."

Smith turned ahead then spat to the ground in the mist of coughing.

"You really weren't there." Don said.

"Yes, I was." Smith replied with a hoarse voice then looked toward Don.

"You weren't, and we didn't consider, we didn't ask if you were feeling better, because no one in their right mind, not even you, would rob a bank when they were sick," Don said. "Those memories are not real. And what is wrong with your voice? You sound, really, really hoarse."

"Old wound came back to life because of this illness." Smith said. "Nothing more. Go."

"Doctor Smith," Will came to his side then put a hand on the side of his arm. "Look at my mind and tell me it is a nightmare. You have to do it. Listen to my mind."

Smith's attention shifted from Don to Will.

"You're not leaving until I do that." Smith said.

"Yep." Don said.

"Alright. I shall do it." Smith lowered his shields then staggered back. "No. No. no. no." he staggered back. "Leave."

He turned away from them.

"You admitted to doing it, Smith!" Don said. "We couldn't-"

"I said, LEAVE. And don't bother showing your faces until you can come back with proof that I didn't. do. it." He heard silence as he stared them down. "I know that much."

Don walked away walking on toward the waiting booth.

"Doctor Smith-"

"I said." Smith said, sharply, for the third time. "Leave."

"Are you angry at me?" Will asked.

"I am only angry because that memory I see in which you are chuckling at." Smith said. "It tells me I have been framed."

"Framed?" Will asked. "But you were doing it! I saw you with my own eyes! And the screen showed you doing it! That is hard to do."

Smith took off his jacket then his undershirt as he turned toward him then uncurled his arms.

"I. . . have. . . four . . . . arms." he stretched his arms out revealing the double arms. "Martay did not before he took my DNA."

He put a hand on Will's shoulder then lightly patted on it.

"Go home. It's not your fault." Smith said. "Someday, they will come. And someday, I will be a free man. I can wait a few centuries. I can wait that long." he slid his fingers off the boy's shoulder then slid his lower arms back on. "It's what gentlemen do."

He walked away putting on his uniform.

"Wait, patiently."

Smith walked away then had a series of hacking leaving Will behind picking up the pick axe.

"I can't, Doctor Smith."

Smith paused, watching the boy run off momentary back to the major, then lowered his gaze shifting it toward the rock and picked up his pick axe.

And this time, he lashed his rage at the rock.

"John," Don approached the professor upon returning.

"What is the matter?" John asked. He noticed something was off. Something had enraged his friend.

"Smith was framed." Don said. "Really good."

"Do you have proof?" John inquired.

"He was sick during the act." Don said.

"That isn't exactly proof."

"Will." Don looked down toward the boy. "Tell him what you told me."

"Martay had four arms. That wasn't Doctor Smith robbing the bank. I didn't think much about why he wasn't coughing then! I thought he had gotten better . . . " Will admitted. "It was Martay."

"What would Martay want with him?" John asked,

"Fuel to get anywhere he wants," Don said. "And a patsy."

"He used a memory transplant device between them and that is why those memories are so genuine!" Will asked. "That is why he believed they were real."

"If Martay changed his DNA to that of Smith's," Don said. "There is going to be some left over effects of that mutation on him, too."

"The Galactic Justice Tribunal got the wrong man is what you are saying?" John asked with a raise of his brows.

"Uh huh," Don said. "If we can look at their hands, that could be proof enough. Last I checked; Martay had paws."

"And Smith had claws." John said.

"That is about right," Don said. "And it is going to be a big problem for Martay just to be able to blend in."

"We don't know where they are." John said.

"Uh. I do." Will said.

"Where did they go, son?" John asked.

"Riconasince." Will said. "We don't have the star charts for that."

"But we can ask some of the planet bound criminals for some," John said.

"I like to give the Jupiter 2 a whir," Don turned toward the largened and widened craft. "Been a long time since we have gone out there with her."

John looked toward the Major then began to grin.

"We might find them before we have a grandchild." John said.

"That would be icing on the cake!" Don said.

"And Doctor Smith would get to a honorary god uncle," Judy said drawing the men's attention. "Am I hearing you two men right?" She came down the stairs with one hand on her stomach. "That he didn't do it?"

"The chances are looking high, Judy." Don greeted her and Maureen came down. "Really high."

Judy and Penny exited the booth the next day to the quadrant that Smith was assigned to. Behind them, the officer was peering into a small box that had been given to him. The prison officer grinned then waved back at the duo of the Robinsons. The girls didn't have to search long as he was easy to spot taking a nap with his back against the rock snoring away.

"Be careful." A inmate with a lame shoulder approached the women. "We just got him to finally take a nap a hour ago."

"Finally?" Penny asked.

"He has been better since recent months and we are concerned about that." the inmate admitted. "Normally, when someone has been ill that long on this planet. . ."

"What does it mean?" Judy asked.

"That means they are on the last sprint." the inmate said. "He will wake up on his own."

"Isn't it in your best interest for him to be awake and working?" Penny asked.

"He filled his quota three hours ago. If we had allowed him to continue working, we would have to watch a entire ice cube melt as the morning went." the inmate explained then glanced back toward the man. "He should start waking up in a few moments. His naps don't last that long here."

"Anything else that we should know?" Judy asked.

The inmate stared at her for a moment before replying.

"His voice is hoarse." The inmate wandered away from the women.

The women looked toward the man who was distant to them but several feet away at the heart of the rocky like crater. Smith began to awake as he heard the sound of their footsteps. He leaned up off the rock that made a natural flat berth for him then he slid up and smiled, weakly, back at them. Penny helped him up to his feet with her outstretched smaller hand.

"Doctor Smith, you look better than how Don described you."

"I puked out the bacteria that was giving me such the trouble. Nasty ordeal. Excellent idea to get rid of the unridable with medicine not around for it." Smith scanned her then looked up from the stomach to Judy and a memory flashed before his eyes. "You are heavily pregnant, my dear."

"She is due any day!" Penny said. "And we brought angel cake."

"How pleasant," Smith started to reach his hand out but stopped and retracted it closing his hand. He looked up toward Judy. "May I?"

"You may." Judy said.

Smith reached his hand out then touched her stomach and felt a kick.

"How wonderful!" Smith said. "A little angry bull like his father."

"Doctor Smith, would you like to be the god uncle?" Judy asked.

Smith looked up with a smile toward Judy.

"No," Smith said. "That title doesn't belong to me." Judy started to frown at his soft and quiet but quite hoarse tone. "What title does belongs to me is babysitter devil."

Penny and Judy laughed at once over his comment.

"We brought angel cake." Penny said.

"Did you bring enough for everyone?" Smith asked. "Even the guards?"

"We gave them their own," Penny said.

"Did someone say angel cake?" a inmate from across piped up.

"Angel cake!" Came another.

"We brought plenty to go around!" Judy announced.

"And plates?" asked another inmate.

"And plates!" Penny said.

"What is the meaning of this angel cake?" Smith asked.

"We know where to find Martay and Rax." Penny said. "We will be going after them tomorrow."

The thought of freedom gave Smith some pause as he sat down on the rock. His voice was hoarse, less healthy, less young, still recovering from the ailment that had plagued him for months if not longer. And he wasn't quite sure how long that he had been there, either. It was different from the holding facility that he was initially taken to before his first and second space court hearing.

A thought occurred to him as Judy set the box with the angel cake on the rock and slid it open. He clasped his hands together between his knees looking down toward his hands. Then, Smith picked up a pebble and tossed it into the distance and watched it bounce off the sand until it fell flat. He looked on toward the women who were troubled.

"If you don't bring them back alive, my dears. It is okay." Smith said as his comment drew their alarms. "I like you to tell the major that."

"It won't be fine for you," Penny said, shaking her head. "You would still be stuck here for life."

"You think I am surrounded by enemies?" Smith asked. Then he laughed with some difficulty and a aching chest. "I am surrounded by friends. And they have saved my life more times then I can count. They make this experience a lot more tolerable then I would have expected."

"You're still insane and you are not changing my mind!" a inmate cried behind him shaking his fist.

"However odd they are." Smith added with a chuckle.

"You have fitted right in," Judy said, amused.

"Not as I did with your lovely family, my dear Judy." Smith said. "And I have greatly missed your family," Smith continued. "Truly. Even Robot."

"We miss you, too." Penny said.

He looked toward the crowd of inmates behind him as the women's faces behind him became marked by sorrow for a moment in reflection then returned their attention on to him. Smith turned his attention back toward the women.

"Now, let's start having this party under way and enjoy the others company." He had a small smile slipping out a plate from the knapsack. "Shall we?"

And the women smiled at the proposal. The angel cake was slid onto plates and the crew paused in their activity sitting on the walk eating away the food. Smith laughed and laughed between bites regarding the tales that the women had to share about the expansion of the Jupiter 2 and the adventures they had without him. He flicked off pieces of angel cake off his long beard as his figure shook with laughter ringing through his very being.

"And the trip is quite long," Penny said. "So we will stop occasionally and visit you."

"How kind of you, my dear child." Smith said, touched.

"If we can't," Judy said. "You will be in our thoughts."

Eight months came and went for Rax and Martay. Martay suffered as every day waned on. His muscle mass decreased from lack of use, his figure began to shrink before his eyes, and his legs were growing thicker before his eyes. And the surprise addition of there being a third eye shortly after their departure home made things even more concerning. It was the start of hell. Home was supposed to be happy and safe but instead it had became the opposite. The planet Riconasince became difficult to admire and enjoy for the two. Some days, Martay screamed and clawed into the wall and shrunk down when Rax couldn't get the pain medication for his friend.

And he was terrified as each day waned that the others would find out. He had him in a pain facility for awhile. But Martay talked and rambled and complained and whined and cried about the frame up. It made him increasingly terrified that the Galactic justice tribunal. Each day that someone passed by Rax's tunnel, his senses rose, and his heart rose up in terror until their shadows had trailed by. And he made a pain placebo that dulled the pain for a time. Until one day, shadows came into his tunnel. Rax looked up then relaxed spotting the two Earth men in silver spacesuits completed by silver helmets that had a large window. Rax closed his eyes then reopened them and smiled at first facing the Earth men.

"Oh. . ." Rax said. "It is just you."

Don crashed Rax against the wall.

"Was it worth framing him?"

"No! It wasn't! My friend! He is in pain!" Rax pointed toward Martay. "Help him. Please!"

John knelt down toward Martay.

"It looks like the mutation isn't impacting him as severely. Neutralized." John noted.

"Can you help him?"

John looked up toward Rax.

"Can you fix him?" Rax corrected himself.

"No." John said. "He has to live with it. This is hell enough as it is." He looked up toward Rax. "I am very sure it is a crime to frame someone."

"It is." Rax nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. "I have been trying my best to help him but I can't. He can't live with this pain."

John put a hand on Martay's shoulder.

"Do you want to be released?" John asked.

Martay nodded, painfully, then the major looked toward John.

"John." Don said.

"It is the only way that we can help him." John said. "There is no cure. And he is suffering greatly. Get the vaporizer from the Jupiter 2."

"What about Rax?" Don asked.

"We bring Rax to the Warden's warden." John said. "It would be in his best interest to numb the pain."

"It is never pretty helping a alien out of their misery," Don said, regretful.

John froze then looked up toward the major as a memory flickered in his mind and it clicked. Don left the ship then returned into the Jupiter 2 and took the experimental vaporizer from the weapons rack then went down the stairs carrying the weapon in his arms. He sped for the the tunnel then lowered down until he were back in the passageway. He handed the weapon to the professor then John aimed and fired. Martay relaxed then vanished in a red fog. Rax wept, his head lowered, for a passage of time then readied himself and stood up to his feet.

"I am sorry." Rax apologized.

"Smith wanted me to give you a message," Don said. "Gave me it before we got here."

"What is the message?" Rax asked.

"He is sorry for your loss." Don said. "And forgives you for the mistake."

Rax nodded then looked toward the two, crest fallen, sadly.

"We should never have met your friend." Rax said.

"I agree on that." John said.

The Jupiter 2 was stationed on another planet, in another solar system, when Rax turned himself in and the trial went through extensively. The news that Smith was to be released any day now were ones that brought smiles to the Robinsons's faces. It was night when the visitors booth returned to the Jupiter 2 with Will at the front door waiting in his night robes sitting on the steps cupping his chin in his hands. He bounced up to his feet then stormed out toward the doorway and into the booth.

"Where is Doctor Smith?" Will turned away from the wall.

"He is too unwell to make his way." replied the prison guard. "He needs help walking."

"Too unwell?" Will frowned. "But I was told that he was getting better."

"He is getting better." the guard insisted. "His nutrition needs are what we cannot give."

"Okay." Will said.

Will watched as his surroundings changed to that of the prison planet. The planet that hadn't changed since his last multiple visits. The door opened then Will made a run for it. Will ran past the barren and heated beds of sand that were getting to cool down as the night was descending over the land.

He came to a pause spotting the older man was seated on the edge of a rock. Right across from the other inmates with his newly given belongings on the rock beside him while cupping his face in his hand on his knees snoring away. Will grew a large grin on the edge of the sand dune then slid down the edge.

"Doctor Smith," Will came to Smith's side then shook him by the shoulders. "It's time to go."

Smith jolted awake, with little startle, his eyes fluttering open quite tired but grew pleased to see him.

"William, my dear boy." Smith started, offering out the pick axe to Will. "Will you do me the honors? I seem to have little energy to do that task."

Will nodded then took the pick axe.

"Sure, Doctor Smith." Will threw it over his shoulder.

"273, stop throwing your pick axe at me!" the inmate shouted from afar.

Smith and Will shrugged it off with little care to the problem.

"Let's go home." Smith said.

"You said it." Will said.

Smith used Will as his support to get up. Smith started to lose his balance but upon grasping on the child's shoulder, he was right and stable. He picked up the pardon papers, his bundle of clothing, his boots, and a small brown sack full of silver. They walked on made their way around the sand dune then on into the waiting booth. The sound of the door closing brought certain relief upon Will as he closed his eyes and sighed, relieved, that it was all over. Smith walked on ahead of him in the booth letting go of the young boy's shoulder.

Smith leaned himself against the wall and sighed in relief once the doors closed behind him. His fingers grasped on the wall as Will turned from where Smith was supposed to be standing toward his direction then began to approach him in concern. Smith's shoulders lowered as a big sigh was released.

"Continuous cool fresh air, hard surface, heat controlled temperature, a pillow." Smith turned his back to the wall then slid down slowly to the floor. "The luxuries of freedom! So cold." he put his hands on his knees. "Happily so! I can lay here forever and never wake up enjoying this moment! I never want it to end!"

"You can start your freedom by changing in the station." A guard suggested.

"Wonderful!" Smith clapped his hands together. "Take us there first! And maybe I can get some water."

"We don't have a water tank there."

"Oh well."

"We got a water jug out on the table back at the Jupiter 2, Doctor Smith." Will said. "I am sure that some of that will do."

"Oh yes! Yes, yes, it shall." Smith said as the leveler was grasped then looked up at the thought of water. The leveler was slid down. "Heaven."

They popped out of the booth at Destructon to the main base. The door slid open then Will helped the man up to his feet and helped him walk into the building. It wasn't hard to find the mens room but it was a journey well traveled. Will ducked out of the mens room and waited for Smith to call for him. Smith used the stall as his support up and the toilet as his resting place changing out of the uniform that was torn and tattered at places.

He rolled it up into a thin long rod then used the wall as his support out with the clothes tucked under his arm and wore silver new boots. He rubbed his forehead traveling through the clear bright white room that had a thin mirror large mirror that reflected back at him and he could see someone else who didn't appear to be so well.

Otherwise, it was himself staring back. Different, but the same pained and heavily troubled man. Changed and morphed even worn down by what Hell had put him through. He didn't look pretty at all. And he had lived to see it to the end. Maureen was right regarding the subject of hell. It didn't last for a year.

He used the wall as his support trudging forward. His eyes struggled to adjust to the lighting that stung them. His eyes wanted to close and enter rest so dearly as did he with each step that he took, each moment that he was awake, only guided forward by the reward of seeing the Jupiter 2. A place that acted as his motivator. Smith came to the exit of the mens room then started to stagger forward and Will maser beamed by his side helping the older man regain balance.

"I don't deserve a friend like you." Smith said.

"Yes, you do." Will scoffed. "Everyone deserves to have someone to call a friend."

Smith had a small smile down toward to the boy (who's attention was focused on what was ahead of them), admiring him, fondly then it faded.

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." Smith whined looking down with a frown. "I got something stuck in this over priced boot!"

Smith paused then turned the boot upside down and pebbles fell.

"Do you feel a little better?" Will asked.

Smith slipped on the boot then chucked the clothes into a 'prison uniform' machine as they passed by it. And the only pain that he could live with was left behind.

"I am beginning to." Smith replied. "Beginning to, my dear boy."

The first thing Smith did upon returning to the Jupiter 2 was use Will as his support to stand with one hand on the child's shoulder to keep him balanced up the stairs to the craft. Smith wasn't quite as healthy as he had once looked before the whole incident had began and his dark uniform was larger on him than it had been before. His skin looked pale under the artificial lights of the Jupiter 2. With little leeway, Don motioned the boy to hit the hay. The second thing Smith did after leaving Destructon was drink a entire jug of cold water before the major's eyes then lean against the counter.

"Smith."

Smith lifted his attention toward the major.

"Yes. . ." Smith lifted a brow up.

Don leaned forward, his hands clasped around the coffee cup, looking toward him.

"Are you okay?"

Smith only stared with a occasional blink to him.

"You?" Smith asked.

"No, this is about you." Don said. "You just drank all the left over cold water."

"I have." Smith said.

"My god, you are a space orc."

"Thanks." Smith laughed.

"How is your throat?" Don asked.

"Fine."

Smith slid the jug back to the counter.

"Then why are you just saying one to two words?" Don asked.

"Bad throat." Smith turned toward the younger man.

"Mean to say that all the cold water made the wound come to life?" Don asked. "The one that he gave you."

"Yes." Smith looked down upon Don in concern. "Trouble?"

"No trouble actually." Don reassured. "We got some good water found that we can replace it with on this planet."

"Name?" Smith asked.

"Vahalla." Don said.

Smith snickered behind the major.

"Excellent distinction,"

"Smith."

"Yes?"

"Go to bed. You're tired and in no condition to speak or hold a full length conversation. And it is pretty late."

Smith looked out the auxiliary deck then back toward the major.

"Okay." Smith said, resigned.

Don turned toward the older man.

"How bad is that throat burn?" Don asked.

Smith was silent as he looked down.

"Fine."

"Smith, talk to me about it." Don said. "Was it working well before. . . Martay?"

Smith looked up toward the major, and it was then, that he knew, body language was his language.

You know I can't talk when my throat won't cooperate, Major. And even I wanted to. . . I don't know the answer.

It was his eyes that told him the story. The pain, the sorrow, the anguish,and desperation to talk. Even in great length to the major. And his lips were quite dry at first glance cracked to a glance. Even as they were coated in a fine film of moisture. Smith lifted himself using the table then walked over toward his room in his clothing that didn't quite fit him as it used to.

As if he had lost a significant amount of weight that made his changed figure become highlighted and look truly alien to Don. But his walking style hadn't quite changed despite the changes in appearance with his hands in his lap then silently come to his stateroom then slid the door open.

"Good night, Smith."

Smith turned toward the major then smiled in a way that easily told what he wanted to say; We've come so far. You and I? I hope this friendship ages well.

"Night."

Don watched the man vanish before his eyes into the cabin and silently close the door. Don picked up the booth summoner then went out the door to the Jupiter 2. When Don returned to the Jupiter 2, his knuckles were coated in a film of blood.

Smith rested.

How long, he wasn't quite sure.

Modified humans slept longer when safe and sound and recovered slowly.

Above all, he could sense, the presence of the Robinsons visiting him from time to time.

He sensed Robot enter the room, wheeling in, and stand there watching over him. The coldness throughout his body began to leak away each moment that he lasted in the dark regaining his health. Robot made little to no comment during his stay with the doctor. And it was quite odd. Worrying, even. As if Robot were a phantom that could be sensed and not heard.

As if he knew regarding Smith's predicament and only offered companionship as time waned on past him.

The thought was enough to sooth him and rest his thoughts.

"Good morning, Doctor Smith." Maureen greeted.

"Good morning, madame, major, Judy." Smith greeted Maureen.

"Morning," Judy and Don replied.

"How long was I out?" Smith asked.

"A month." Maureen said. "I thought you were never going to wake up in this century."

"Impressive. Last time, it lasted for four weeks," Smith said. Everyone stopped and stared at him as he shrugged. "North Korea was rougher than this."

"North Korea?" Don whipped toward Smith. "When did you go to North Kora?"

"During the great war," Smith said. "Sometime before the great war became a civil war for America."

"Why?" Don asked.

"America had a dictator, Major. A childish mentally ill businessman with the skin of a cheeto. And he wanted to make America just like Russia. And he had the backing of the Republican Party, currently and thankfully defunct, behind him." Smith said. "Democracy won. After a long and grueling war."

"Hold on just a moment!" Don stood up. "America would never do that!"

"America. is full. of idiots. And I really wish that the FBI hadn't put our real president in the public box and destroyed her election chances!" Smith said. "I lived to see his face on the news. Every single day. Every day until the presidency was redefined as a monarchy and he was ABOVE the law. He had enough black mail over the Republicans that they STOOD through SEVEN YEARS of WAR and did NOTHING. NOTHING! NOOOTHING!"

"Thousands of people STARVED to death, Major! RIOTS! PROTESTS! We fought back! Mass arrests! Democrats business were broken into. PEOPLE DIED THAT DAY. That day as the police became the resident's arm to target his enemies and shut down the news networks criticizing him and tossed them into jail. The police force turned into a military force! A million people starved to death. No, MILLIONS! And they did nothing to restore the food programs for the poor. Not even lifted a finger. Democracy died in celebration and confetti that day that he won."

Smith sneered.

"I watched as America became a war zone from the sidelines." Smith said. "Upon my return, I saw what it had became!" He paced back and forth, disturbed, distraught. "And it was the most horrifying heartbreaking and agonizing experience I went through back then watching the place I loved be reduced to rubble because of one man's desire to remain in power and oppress people. I don't say this lightly."

There was silence.

"So that's why you are so angry." Don said. "Never really goes away watching that injustice."

Smith looked from the women then toward the major.

"Never." Smith said then retreated into the bathroom.

Smith trimmed his beard back into the goatee and cut his hair until it were back the same way that he had left Earth. He chose a new uniform that consisted of a black, dark green, and dark purple combination. Then he noticed upon exiting his stateroom of the Robinsons congregating near Judy's room, the Robinsons primary theme had became dark colors with the colorful secondary themes. He frowned upon coming out of his bathroom noticing these differences. It was as if they had shifted from the bright colorful scheme into the dark version.

Or that someone washed black with the colorful themes and dulled it down. It was strange and unusual. A part of him flickered with the thought; is it getting darker than necessary? Perhaps, it had always been as dark and grim for them but hope overshadowed it. The concern slid off his mind with the easy to accept explanation. Will's uniform was no longer a bright purple but a dark purple-red with the yellow dickie and v-neck bright green theme remaining the same. Judy was panting holding on to her mother's hand as her head fell back into the pillow. He looked over spotting a pool of water near the galley. Her water had broke.

"Please, my dears, step aside." Smith said. "I will check how close she is."

The group parted ways then he checked.

"She will be ready in fifteen minutes!"

"Fifteen minutes!" Penny said. "I can be a aunt!"

"And I a grandmother," Maureen said, proudly.

"And I a mother!" Judy said. "I am scared."

"It is alright to be scared," Maureen said. "I will be there at every step of the way."

"William, get me a blanket." Will left. "Professor, I like you to get scissors." John bolted. "Penny, get Debbie." he twirled a finger. "Major, a bucket for the umbilical cord. Quickly." Don was gone like a ant. "It is going to get very messy very quickly." Smith glanced toward Judy then reassuringly smiled. "And you will need a adult diaper for a little while as the uterus empties itself once the baby is gone."

"Really?" Judy asked.

"Yes, really." Smith glanced toward Maureen. "Did you not tell her?"

"It has been so long since I had Will . . ." Then Maureen assured. "I will tell you when it is best to shed it."

"Fortunately, we are not doing a c-section!" Then Smith shook his head. "Heavens, if this were happening in spac-I would be extremely worried about the newborn's reaction to that!"

"Would it be a lot more bloody if I had one?" Judy asked.

"I can't say that without making you faint, my dear," Smith said. "Major." he regarded the new father. "Thank you. Penny, gloves, please." Smith slid his hands between her legs then watched as the child crowned.

"What do I do with Debbie?" Penny asked.

"You let her watch a new member of the family join," Smith said.

Smith slid the trash can beside him as he looked in.

"Hmm, the child is coming out rather quickly."

The child fell out of the birth canal to the cheers of everyone in the room with a loud wailing.

"That's my boy!" Don said.

"Let's get him all washed up and cleaned." Smith said. "Only after, you do the honors."

"Don," John handed Don the scissors. "Time to disembark from the mothership."

"So is." Don said then snipped it off.

In a matter of moments, the child was cleaned then wrapped in a light green blanket then placed into Judy's arms. Smith walked away taking his gloves off as the crew cooed at the newborn. He looked around the courtroom scanning for the familiar hunk of machinery and his face started to display confusion and uncertainty. He looked around as Penny came to his side.

"Doctor Smith, what is it?" Penny asked.

"Where is Robot?" Smith asked looking around the ship. "I like him to do a massage. I haven't seen him all day."

Penny stifled back a sob.

"Doctor Smith. . ." Penny said.

"Yes, my dear child?" Smith looked down upon the young girl.

"Robot is gone."

"Gone? Gone where?" Smith asked. "Where has he gone?"

Penny pointed up.

"Ah, on the bridge!" Smith said.

Penny shook her head with such heartbreak that belonged to a older woman.

"We buried him while you were sick." Penny said then Smith dropped the can of moisturizer, startled, looking down toward her.

"Did I hear you right, child?" Smith asked, quietly, only to get a nod in return. "What happened?"

"He was trampled to death." Penny said. "We buried him while you were at Destructon."

Smith knelt down then picked up the can of moisturizer and nodded as he lifted himself up.

"I see. . ." Smith said. "How did he get trampled to death?"

"Rax shoved him off a cliff." Penny said.

"Child, I will be on a little walk," Smith said. "I will return in a few hours. Tell your mother to save some dinner for me."

"Okay, Doctor Smith." Penny nodded.

It was a lie that gave him enough time to make a run for it. Without Will trying to talk him out of it. Reassure him that it wasn't his fault. But it was, in all respects. Robot had little chances of being gone forever before he entered the picture. And now, he couldn't ever come back.

"Good." His smile was so malevolent that it was hard to tell it was sweet and heartbroken. "See you later, my very dear child."

Smith smiled down upon her then looked over toward the red claw on the table across from him. Smith lowered his gaze, regretful, as she walked off carrying Debbie in her arms quite happy. A sharp contrast to what they should be feeling regarding the loss of a long term companion. And yet, it told him that they had quickly grieved and moved on over the loss. A loss that was too heavy to be forgotten.

He came to the red claw, lightly patted on it, then returned to his cabin. He slipped out of the Jupiter 2 clothing directly into the clothing that he had entered the strange and bright but hopeful place. He took out a slip of paper then a pen and jotted down:

Dear Robinsons.

It's all my fault that Robot is gone. I am deeply sorry for your loss and feel for it. I should have left long ago. Long before certain elements of my universe slipped in further and infected yours. If I had only left after Mr Cackler then he would still be here. The infection will go away by the time you read this and everything will slowly return to the way it is meant to be.

One way way or another, I don't anticipate you to be happy but neither am I about this matter. I should never have ran away from my universe, my dears. I have no regrets. For I have helped you become a new version of yourselves for the future ahead.

Sincerely, Doctor Zachary Smith.

He folded his clothing and set it on the bed. He came to the doorway then slid it open. He looked from side to side then saw the Robinsons having a bout of laughter at the unnamed child. It caused Smith to have a smile. He wanted it, so desperately, to have that. To be around these kind people that he called family. But, he could not keep it or have it. And that was fact. He didn't belong and he never did. If it weren't for me, Gunter would still be here. He closed the door silently behind him then slowly with little noise and little attention to him came to the residential deck's exit. Smith took one last look at the happy family.

And he knew what his counterpart was feeling momentary before walking out the door. Even thinking at the moment. This time, he looked at them with fondness instead of utter hate and total disregard for them. Why did time and space decided to remember him? Not when they were the most deserving for their characters to echo. Not just him and Robot. The pain he must have been in before taking that fateful step forward and away from them was the very same one that Smith was encountering. Leaving his chronic pain in the background largely ignored but easy to hear. Commander Gampu was born of other means, far from Zachary Smith, preferably a doppleganger. Likely a alternate future.

This was how he wanted to remember them before everything went downhill for them with his continued presence. He stranded them. And this time it was for forever. And it was only going to get a lot worse for them if Chronos fixed his laboratory and time resumed. It was going to become bitter, difficult, sad, and dark just as his world if he continued to stay. And it is all my fault. And it would have sucked out all their hope.

It is all my fault. Leaving them with hope that things were going to get better from this point was better than staying and infecting the innocent world even further. Leaving them with laughter. At least, they retained their hope. And things would get better from this point forward one way or another when it came to them. They made it so easy to care for him. His counterpart deserved this family instead of him. To have stayed alive and well with them six feet above and well after the Bronius adventure; his happy ending.

He took in a deep breath listening to their laughter then walked out and closed the door behind him making his way down the stairs. He lowered his head for a moment as he descended down the stairs. He walked away from the Jupiter 2 then took a turn toward the ship then looked on feeling his heart aching and breaking inside. He looked back at the last three weeks that he had spent with them on Tremfya before being struck down with certain illness.

"It is going to be alright." And this time, saying it to himself, he was certain of it.

He had a small wave at the friendly ship.

"Take care of them, Jupiter 2." he turned away then softly added. "Adieu. Adieu, Robinsons."

Smith walked on back into the darkness that was made by the cluster of trees looming over the area away from it. He looked from side to side, warily, cautiously, then his mood visibly shifted looking toward the small herd of ducks waddling past him. A smile and a lowered guard were the change that was quite visible. He listened to the minds of the travelers who were wandering away from their craft. The craft was only a mile or two away from the Jupiter 2. And it was well stocked. The travelers were having a night out on the planet taking a break from space.

He held on to that moment. He held on to each and every moment to keep them alive. The creatures of hope contrasting against the canvas of hopelessness. He looked toward a fallen nest then found screaming baby birds and what appeared to be a small bat. He picked it up then placed the nest on to a tree branch then walked on. Once, he would have ignored it and left it be. With aid and care to the smallest form of hope it was capable of becoming a napalm blaze that never ended. He walked on further into the forest until coming to the craft that he desired.

Smith sighed, lowering his head, facing the abandoned and dark spacecraft. He approached the door to the craft then pressed a button and the door opened in a moment. He turned toward the outside of the source of hope. He could hear the sounds of hope in his mind from the songs sang thought by the most poetic creatures in their minds and the feelings of determination that they will find what they seek for. Just like the Robinsons. He closed the door then went up the stairs to the bridge and began to flip switch by switch turning the power on. The inside of the ship hummed to life as the buttons glowed brightly and the view screen became outlined in bright baby blue.

The craft lifted into the air detracting the landing gear. He looked on toward the shape of the Jupiter 2 as the ship lifted further into the sky. Where he goes, they may as well be gone to him. But, they were not. Not as long as he held the memories of them in his mind. Even as he went to the best things in life. And making the most of the rest of his life. The lights to the Jupiter 2 stood out against the dark with high intensity in the warmth, innocence, and welcoming. He designated the course then watched as the Jupiter 2 shrank in size before his eyes until it were only a distant beacon to his eyes that became lost among the darkness.