Part Three:

Last time, we left the space family Robinson in two dangerous Situations - an attack on the Jupiter Two by alien Klingons, as yet unknown to Earth humans, and a menacing space time warp which swallowed the space pod...

The Space Pod darted into the green ball. Judy, Will, and the Robot felt the Pod quiver and shake, sometimes side to side, sometimes vibrating as if it would melt. Judy looked out the window at green particles that hit it, "We're inside of it!"

Will thumbed the mike, "Jupiter II, can you read me? Space Pod to Jupiter."

The Pod shook a bit more than the green ball made it.

Judy tried a forced smile, "I suggest you concentrate on flying the Pod."

She fell into Will. Will put both hands on the levers and skimmed the Pod past the greenish dust. He looked outside as it faded---into a fog shrouded day.

The Pod flew in a world of mist. Judy puffed, "We're out of it, Will. Good going."

Will frowned, "The only problem now is - wondering where we are."

Robot added, "Not to mention whether or not... the Jupiter made it to this same time...and place...or if it reached the time-space warp at all."

A that moment, the Jupiter II sailed in a sea of explosions---in outer space. The control room rocked more violently than before. John closed the cover slides over the windows, "We can't hold out like this much more!" A blast hit the circuit breaker column. Fire blared out from it. Penny screamed. Smith did too and hid behind a freezing tube.

Maureen grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall and shot at the fire, effectively curtailing it. John fired thrusters, "Good work, Maureen!"

Maureen held onto the rim of the window and pointed out, "John, look! There it is!" In space, the tiny green dot grew into a larger and larger form.

Don ground his teeth, "If we can just make it in!" The others fall from

another larger blast from behind. The Jupiter weaved in and out of ray beams but the war ship of the aliens caught up to it and towered over the tiny Jupiter.

Kargar points, "Now we have them. We cannot miss! Fire!" The beams shot out but the white cloud spat out a piece of itself to grab up the Klingon vessel, both vessel and ray melted into nothingness. The cloud then proceeded at the Jupiter.

On the scanner, the group aboard the Jupiter, saw this. Smith gulped, "It destroyed them. Lucky for us."

"Look again," John said, "It's after us now!"

Don looked at the screen, "We're on full forward thrust now!" Ahead, the green ball grew, reaching out for the ship. The white cloud chased the ship toward it.

"Will, Judy, do you receive me?" Maureen called from the radio mike on the control panel. She put the mike back, "I can't get them."

"They'll be all right," John put an arm around her, "Penny and you go down and strap in." John hugged her, "And try not to worry."

Maureen's face glowed from the green reflection outside, "Alright," she laughed. Penny and Maureen went into the elevator.

"You too, Smith," John yelled, seeing Smith on his knees hiding behind a freezing tube,"...and while you're on your knees you might try a little prayer."

Smith stood, his face white, "That's what I was doing!"

Don turned from his chair, "Out of fear or out of faith?"

"Bah!" Smith ran to the elevator, "Wait for me, ladies!"

The ship flew right into the green ball. In Tic Toc, Ann, Ray, and General Kirk watched as the image was on the tunnel. Ann noted, "A space-time warp."

"To where?" Ray wondered.

"Well, I would guess, Ray..." began Kirk, "...that since 1985 is almost all that's left now--that that's where they are."

"Look," Ann pointed to the number 1999 as it blinked on the control panel year indicator. It blinked and went out totally. The white cloud meshed with the green time warp. The tunnel scientists watched this in amazement.

Don and John look up at the greenish warp. strapping into their couch chairs. The loud whine of the phenomena began. Below, Smith fell past Penny and Maureen, who were already strapped in. Debbie, Penny's alien pet monkey, laughed from her small cubby hole near Penny's chair. Smith heard her, "How dare you, Madam?" He finally managed to buckle in. The lower deck window covers slid closed, controlled by John from the upper deck, shielding them from the green aura.

Don, above, turned to John, "This thing is pulling us on its own power."

John shook his head, "I know. Nothing responds. Nothing."

They could only watch the effect of the green mass.

On a planet of giant people, Alexander Fitzhugh, a con artist and castaway from our own normal sized Earth who along with six others and a dog, were stranded here, began to fool with the spaceship Spindrift's master radio in a small radio room. Spindrift was the name of the red shuttle the seven and the dog crash landed in. "Can you hear me? Can anyone hear me? I and my cohorts are stranded on this planet of giants where we've been since 1983. If any rescue ship can pick up my voice trace it..."

A hand shut off the radio, causing Fitzhugh to turn to see Dan Erickson, the ship's African American co-pilot, "Fitz, what are you doing?" His tone was aggravated but mixed with patronizing kindness.

Fitzhugh, from a stool he sat on, turned to look at Dan and then back at the radio, "It just so happens that while you and my other comrades have been running around seeking parts for our ship, food, and the like, I have been engaged in an operation just as vital."

Dan half smiled, "You've been making SOS calls to open arms."

"Rescuers maybe. It just so also happens that as I slept last night, I had a very relaxing dream."

"Usually you have nightmares."

Fitz ignored him, "This was a dream of rescue - from out there. A flying saucer came and spirited us..."

"Fitzhugh please. Well, at least you were using a frequency that the giants couldn't trace. Now look, Steve, Mark, and Barry are on their way back with a battery we might be able to drain. I think they're going to need our help."

Fitzhugh stood, "Why didn't you say so in the first place. Alexander Fitzhugh never shirks his duties." He stomped out in a defiant march.

Dan leaned on the radio console, making a face at the carryings-on of Fitzhugh. He then looked at the radio itself and flipped it back on. Dan walked out, wondering whether or not that in itself would do any good. Leaving a channel open once in awhile couldn't hurt---as long as the giant's SID (Special Investigations Department) couldn't trace a signal back to the Spindrift.

Captain Steve Burton, Mark Wilson, and young 13 year old Barry Lockridge

rolled a red giant drum through the forest. This drum was a huge battery for some child's toy possibly. They rolled it past some ferns and it rolled away from them down a hill. Finally, it stopped and the trio caught up with it.

Steve, in his usual red flight outfit, pants, overcoat, and gray undershirt, puffed, "We deserve a rest anyway."

Mark, in white button down shirt, his sleeves rolled up, looked over the battery, "I don't see any acid leaks from it, so it may have power left inside."

The black haired Barry shrugged, "Sure. Some kid could have dropped it or maybe someone thought it was dead and threw it away." He wore his yellow sweater over a white shirt with olive colored pants.

Steve put two arms on the battery with his head in between for a rest, "We'll know soon as we hook this baby up to our solar batteries and..."

A whirring sound caught their attention. Barry saw it first---a small vehicle slowly making its way around treetops, "Up there!"

Mark thought he recognized it, "That looks like..."

Steve yelled, "Take cover!"

The Space Pod flew overhead. Steve, Mark, and Barry ran into thick undergrowth near a tree. Will and Judy could see them scurrying. Judy asked, "Did you see that? People--like us."

Will headed the Pod down, "Those signals we were picking up transmitted from this general location."

"And," Robot continued, "...were definitely Earth like in their output and our reception of them."

"There," Will nodded, "I'll land in the clearing." The Pod slowly turned and went in for a landing not far from the red papered battery. It bumped down to a landing halt. "I hope they're friendly whoever they are or where ever they're from."

As the engines died down, Mark puffed in disgust, "There goes our battery."

"Maybe not," Steve whispered, "Let's wait and see."

"Captain," Barry noted, "It looks like the time machine we found once."

Steve nodded agreement, "Yeah, Fieldar and...ahh, Olos. The time travelers. Maybe they've brought it back. Escaped somehow from their prisons."

Robot began report, "Atmosphere is quite like Earth as indicated by Pod as I have already scanned." He opened the door to let Will and Judy out. "I will use the Pod's radar to further locate."

Will came down the ladder first, followed by Judy. Steve, Barry, and Mark watched from the bush. Judy whispered, "They're still hiding over there."

Will said, "Show them we're friends."

Barry whispered, "Silver suits."

Mark added, "Just like those time travelers had."

"They could try to trick us just like before but they look so...so human,"

Steve winced as he tried to get a better look.

Will called out loudly, "Hey listen. We know you're hiding in there, so come on out."

Barry asked, "How'd they know?"

Steve stood up fully, "Okay, we're here. What do you want this time?"

Judy made an undescriptive face, rolling her eyes, "What's he talking about?"

"He thinks he knows us," Will moved closer to the three from Spindrift, "Look, I don't know who you think we are but we're from Earth."

"Earth?" Mark stood up, too, followed by Barry. "How do you explain your ship then - it looks just like a time machine that two men in silver came in and they attacked us with once."

"That's right," Steve put his arm out.

Will nodded, "I don't...unless some aliens used our Earth design as a cover for their ship." Will unfastened his gun belt and dropped it. Judy followed this move.

Mark tried to stop Steve from walking closer, "Those kids don't look like any astronauts I've ever seen."

Steve moved in closer, "Who are you then?"

"We're the Robinsons," Judy explained, "In 1997 we left Earth on a..."

"1997," Steve stopped, "This is 1985. Then you are time travelers!"

"We must have hit a time warp," guessed Will.

"We obviously aren't reading each other," Steve inched closer toward the gun belts.

"Perhaps I can explain," said a mechanical voice.

Mark shouted, "Steve, watchout!"

A husky metal man threw open a door from the Space Pod and descended upon Steve from between Will and Judy. Steve ran forward for the gun belts but the Robot came rolling up to him and grabbed his arm - the arm which had in its hand one of strange shaped guns! Mark and Barry sprang into action. Mark tried to force the Robot's arm to drop Steve's, as Steve was held fast.

Barry pushed Will away from the other gun belt, "You're not going to use any weapons this

time!"

Will rushed Barry, "Look, let me pass!" The two started to punch each other's sides, finally ending on the ground, rolling in the dirt!"

The Robot's claw moved and crushed the gun that Steve held, even as Mark held onto the Robot's hydraulic arm. Steve, now released, fell to the ground. The Robot swatted Mark off his arm, sending Mark onto his back.

Judy watched as Barry punches Will, on top of him. She ran for the other gun belt. Will flipped Barry off of him. Judy ran at the belt and took the gun out, "Stop it! All of you!"

Dan and Fitzhugh emerged from behind her. Dan grabbed Judy from behind, "Hey lady, you're gonna hurt someone with that thing."

"Let me go!" Judy turned her arm to try to get free.

Dan grabbed her hand with his other hand and made her drop the gun, "Calm down!"

Steve, recovering, got up to see the Robot standing over him, firing an electric bolt from each hand, the bolts meeting in between, "Do not move or I will be forced to stun you."

Fitzhugh, by now, had begun to pull Will and Barry away from each other, "You little ruffians! Stop this. Violence isn't the way to settle differences."

Barry gasped, "He started it!"

Fitzhugh still had both boys by their collars, "I don't care who did. I'm going to let you go now and I am sure you'll be friends."

Judy stopped struggling so Dan let her go, "I'm sorry. We were just trying to defend ourselves."

Dan laughed, "And you sure can. But who are you?"

"Judy Robinson from Earth."

Steve stood up more fully and helped Mark up as the Robot retracted his arms into his body and rolled at Fitzhugh and the boys. Fitzhugh let the boys go and marveled at the Robot, a bit afraid. Robot said, "Will Robinson! Miss Judy! Are you all right?"

"What a magnificent machine," Fitzhugh awed and began to ponder and make plans.

Will calmed down, "He's our Robot."

"Delighted to meet you," Fitzhugh put his hand out. Robot pointed his bubble at it.

"It had not been a bowl of comets to meet all of you," Robot commented, "However..." he extended his blaw.

Dan asked, smiling, "What is that thing?"

Judy answered, "Oh, the Robot. Come on." She took him over toward it, Fitzhugh, Will, and Barry.

Steve picked up the other gun as he and Mark joined the others. While they talked, from off in the distance a ruffle of bushes part. Inspector Kobick, one of the giant natives of this oversized but Earth-like planet, peered out at the clearing.

The blond man with thick glasses, could have been humanoid, except for his 90 foot height. He looked upward for a moment as if listening to someone. "Yes," he said, almost hypnotically, "Yes, I understand. I will try."

Steve smiled and extended the gun to Judy, "Your gun."

She took it, "Thank you. I am sorry for this misunderstanding."

"All of what my two friends have told you is true," Robot said, "We are from 1999 - lost in space, we hit a greenish space time warp which brought us here."

"Here - to rescue us," Fitz clasped his hands together, laughing, "Just like I dreamt."

Mark said, "We're also lost in space, too, in a way. We crashed on this planet about two years ago."

Will looked up at the towering trees, "Just what kind of a planet is this?"

"A land of giants," Barry murmured, "Of people so big they're impossible to believe in...and shouldn't be able to move...but they do."

Judy let him know she believed him, "We've seen giants, too. On other planets in differing stages of development."

Dan offered, "Our giants are civilized."

Steve added, "They have cities, trains, planes..."

"This---if you will--is Earth, only on a grander scale," Fitzhugh began one of his speeches, "A giant scale. And we...we are castaways...seven Davids on a whole planet of Goliaths."

Will frowned, "Make that ten Davids if you'll let us join your group."

Mark shrugged, "Sure but why?"

Will gulped, "Because we're not sure if we'll ever see the rest of our family again."

The Jupiter II piled out of the green cloud. Don gasped, "We still don't have control!"

"Try and get us down," John yelled. The Jupiter shook. "Look out!" A giant post rose up in front of the ship. John couldn't tell it was a thick brown tree. Don dodged it but there were more and more all around.

"John, those are trees!"

The Jupiter, on an erratic course, dove in and out of towering trees, barely avoiding them. Below deck, Penny, Smith, and Maureen rocked to and fro in their chairs, their safety belts the only things keeping them from flying around the entire lower deck. Smith had his eyes shut and his mouth open - screaming as usual. The Jupiter nicked the side of a tree and spiraled into a row of giant shrubs and then flew up again! It then flew downward at the forest.

John fired retros, "The Pod's signal. It's close by now. There's a chance we can find them!"

"If we can get her under control," Don shook as the ship did.

"We've cleared those trees," John snapped, "Hang on! We're going down for good!"

Kobick looked out at Steve, Will, Barry, Judy, the Robot, Dan, Mark and Fitzhugh. "They're forming an invasion with newcomers. It's time I've grabbed them once and for all!" He moved out of the bushes toward the group.

Judy put a hand on Will's shoulder, "There's still a chance they'll find us, Will."

Barry faked a smile, "Sure, they could've been caught in it, too. That thing picks up all sorts of space stuff."

Steve looked around, "We'll start a check of..."

Judy screamed, "Ooohh---lookout!" Kobick began to move at them with a large white net in his hands. Will and Judy looked up, startled, not having the reflexes of the others, who have lived here for so long.

Fitz pulled Barry's arm and pulled him off. Steve yelled, "Get out of here!"

"I can't! We need the Pod," Will yelled back.

"Move," Dan pulled Judy by her arm.

Judy took out her laser, "No Will! Leave it!"

Kobick lunged at down at them but Judy fired her laser up at his glasses, knocking them off balance, "I hate to hit a man with glasses but..." The glasses fell but Kobick managed to drop his net. It landed on them. Robot electrically shot the ropes of the net and the Earth people run out.

Steve grabbed Will's arm, "We'll get the Pod. Dan, get the rest back to the Spindrift." They separate while Kobick began to feel on the ground for his glasses. Steve and Will ran past him to the Pod, "Inside hurry!"

Steve and Will ran to the Pod. Steve urged Will, "Inside hurry!"

Judy stopped to watch them make their escape while Robot rolled on ahead, trying to find a smooth way for him to roll. He could make his way through rough terrain but it would take longer. Dan and Mark realized the blond girl, about 19 years of age, was not with them. They turned back to see what was wrong.

Kobick found his glasses by now and put them on, "Try...try to exploit my weakness will you?" He removed a spray can from his jacket, "This won't kill any of you. I need you alive." He sprayed it toward Judy, Dan, and Mark. They ran as it fired overhead, not quite having the reach Kobick hoped for. But the giant started to follow them.

Will started the Pod's engines which made Kobick turn back toward the Pod. Steve looked out the viewports, "Come on, come on."

"It needs a few seconds," Will told him.

Kobick reached down at the Pod. Steve looked, "Are their flight covers?" Will motioned toward a switch. Steve hit it as a giant hand reached for the viewport.

The Pod lifted off moments later just as Kobick grabbed it! Steve fell against a wall but Will held onto the flight control levers. He fired the rockets. "No good. He's got us tight!"

Kobick fought to hold onto the Space Pod but a new threat to him just whisked by his face. The saucer Jupiter II flew in front of his nose. John and Don looked out the window and saw the giant face of Kobick. Don gasped, "John! I didn't see a..."

"A giant! A giant man!"

"I did see it."

Kobick yelled, fell backward, and landed in a shrub. The Space Pod lurched free - and up into the sky. The Jupiter II flew downward and just missed Kobick. It skidded onto a sandy area and careened over a hill, bumped to the ground, was hurled upward again and broke into an unstoppable skid. Maureen, Penny, and Smith were lurched to one side in their chairs. The Jupiter went nose up, hit a rock, then flew through a row large plants, flattening some of them. It tilted down into more sand and finally skidded to a halt near a group of trees. Don and John had seen the huge redwood-dwarfing trees coming right at the window and were grateful the ship stopped just short of them, then turned with viewport a bit away from them.

The Space Pod flew over the Jupiter. Steve looked down, "Is that your parents?"

"Their ship," Will flew downward.

"The almost hit us," Steve puffed.

The Space Pod started to land near the smoking Jupiter II, which was tilted into the sand. Inside, John and Don unbuckled. John ran to the step ladder at the rear of the control room and jumped down the hole unto the lower deck, "Maureen!"

Maureen and Penny were standing over Dr. Smith, who was still lying on his couch seat, his eyes closed. Maureen shook him, "Dr. Smith, you're here. It's over."

"Yes, Saint Francis, I hear you. I'm here." He opened his eyes and saw Maureen, "What? Oh, I'm innocent!"

Penny frowned, "Dr. Smith! Wake up."

John came up between Maureen and Penny, "Is he all right?"

Smith sat up, unbuckling himself, "Me? Why..." he stood, "...I have an iron constitution, professor." He winced after that and felt his back, nearly faltering backward.

Penny smiled and went over to Debbie's compartment and unbuckled her, "Come on, Debbie."

Maureen shook her head, "How are we?"

"You look fine," John smiled, "The ship isn't too badly banged up."

"Flyable?"

"Yes," John reported, "We've been through worse."

Don opened the door from the upper deck to the outside as Will and Steve came up to it. "Will!" Don laughed and grabbed Will's arm, "We thought we'd lost you. Where's Judy?"

"With friends," Will said.

Maureen, Smith, and Penny rode up on the elevator. Penny saw Will, "Mom, it's Will!"

John rose up from the step ladder, "Will!"

Maureen ran up to him and hugged him, "Oh my, Will! Ohhohh. Where's your sister?"

"She and the Robot are fine," Will stated.

Steve shook John's hand, "I'm Captain Steve Burton. We have a great deal to discuss."

"Yes, yes we do," John acknowledged. "First, I have to check the total condition of our ship."

"I'll help," Steve smiled at Penny, who held the monkey alien Debbie.

"This is my wife Maureen, my daughter Penny. Major Don West, and this is our - our Dr. Smith."

"Delighted to meet you, sir," Smith shook his hand, "Am I to understand that you are from Earth?"

"That's right," Steve nodded, then turned to Don and John, "Exterior damage seemed minimal."

"Let's get to work," John ordered, "Then we'll talk."

"Yes, indeed, we shall," Smith figured to himself as Don, John, and Will checked the astrogator and Steve looked on.

Toward sunset, the Chariot pulled on over sand drifts into the paths between great ferns. Driving, Will and Don looked out as smaller plants went down under the treads of the Chariot. Behind them, John and Steve had plans to a new tractor beam and a power relay to help Spindrift to fly. Penny, Maureen, and Smith listened intensely. Occasionally one of them would look up, spotting a gigantic bird flying over the trees. Penny thought she saw a family of giant squirrels hiding among the trees as the Chariot precariously made its way.

Maureen shivered when she eyed a huge snake dangling from a low branch of a tree. These people from Spindrift must have had a tough time surviving on this planet, she thought. The snake dropped from the trees onto brush nearby.

"John, excuse me but..."

"I see it," John took the laser rifle he had and opened the top bubble to the Chariot roof. Firing twice was enough to frighten the impossibly thick snake off. No need to kill it.

Steve watched in admiration, "Those guns would have come in handy for us, these past two years."

Judy sat the wooden table at Spindrift's camp. Valiere Scott, one time jet-setter, marched out of the rocketship via the small black step ladder. Betty Hamilton, one time stewardess, blond and a bit taller than the redheaded Valerie, looked up at her, both realizing Judy's somber mood. Val put her arm around Judy's shoulder, "Look, I'm sure they're all right."

Betty, across from Judy, at the table, smiled, "Of course. This freaky storm has just cut off all communication."

Judy frowned, "If I can just go find the ship."

The Robot rolled over from the left, "I must insist that you remain here, Miss Judy."

Betty nodded, "He's right. Inspector Kobick doesn't give up easily. Even with night coming, he'll be up to something."

Judy puffed, "It's just not knowing. If only there were some sign..."

A ruffle of the bushes startled them. Val pulled Judy up from the table seat. Betty jumped up from her chair and hid behind the Robot. Valerie gasped, "In the ship, quick!"

From the thick blades of grass, instead of a threat, arose the Chariot's front end. The glass doors opened up as it was parked on a direct angle toward the door of the Spindrift. Maureen, in her green planetary outfit came out first to see a rushing Judy. They hugged while John, dressed in his blue outfit, and Don in his orange outfit, stepped out. They were, in turn, followed by Penny, who had on her light blue dress, and Will, now in his blue outfit.

With Val and Betty still puzzled by this strange reunion, Steve piled out last. Dan, Mark, and Fitz ran from behind the ship where they were working, to join Val and Betty, while Barry, holding Chipper, came out of the Spindrift. Judy hugged Don, "Why didn't you contact us?"

"We tried," Don laughed, "Too much static. Maybe that warp we all came through."

Val and Betty came forward. Judy looked at Don and Maureen, "Mom, this is Valerie Scott and Betty Hamilton. From Earth!"

"Hi," Val shook hands with Maureen and Don, "I've heard so much about all of you, I feel I already know you."

"I'm Maureen Robinson and this is my son Will, my daughter Penny, and my husband John."

Betty smiled, "And you must be Don."

"I am," Don shrugged, "Who are they?"

Steve lured the family closer, "My co-pilot Dan Erickson."

Dan shook Don's hand, "How are you?"

"Mark Wilson, the engineering and scientific genius I told you about."

Mark shook John's hand, "Please Steve you ALMOST made me blush. If I'm so good why haven't I gotten us out of here already?"

Betty unfolded a few more chairs she pulled from the closet in the back of the Spindrift hallway with Barry. "It's been a long time since we had company from Earth so excuse our mess." Everyone laughed and made excuses for each other.

Judy walked up to Barry with Penny, "This is Barry, Penny."

Barry sheepishly waved, "Hi."

Penny felt just as awkward. She had more experiences with outer space aliens and monsters than she did with meeting Earth boys. "So Barry, where are your parents?" Judy winced, already aware of the answer.

"Oh, they're dead. On Earth, you know before we crashed here. I mean they weren't with us, my father died a long time ago. My mom just before I left LA."

"Oh, I'm...I'm sorry."

Barry felt the innocence in her voice. He had heard loads of "I'm sorry"s but there was something real in her voice---warm and true. "It's all right." He reached down to pet the dog, "This is Chipper."

"Oh Debbie," Penny called the monkey. The monkey came to the dog and they sniffed each other. They then seemed to enjoy each other, making fast friends. Debbie put her arms around the little dog's waist. Penny and Barry both thought how nice it would be to be animals, like them, to be able to bypass all the awkwardness of being human and having...

Will turned, "Where's Dr. Smith?"

"Help me, Will, I'm caught!" Smith, upon exiting the glass Chariot, managed to snag his belt on the stem of a pushy plant.

Robot laughed, "Caught by the seat of his pants again."

"I'll get him," Will ran over to help.

"I am Alexander Fitzhugh," Fitzhugh smiled at John, Don, and Maureen, "Hoping to be of service."

John rolled his eyes, "Which reminds me. We'd better unpack."

"Unpack?" Fitzhugh's eyebrows went up at the sound of more work, "Unpack what?"

"Gear to fix our ship," Steve said, "Mark, you should see their ship. It's a marvel. But what's more is the house warming gifts they've brought us. Spindrift will be flying in a day or two."

"What?" Mark brightened, "Let's get started!"

Will, arriving with Smith, said, "This is Dr. Zachary Smith."

"Glad to meet all of you find people," Smith turned to the Robot and tried to sound quieter, "I'll deal with you later." He walked up to the Spindrift, "So I take it your ship is no better than ours."

'It will be soon," Dan said, "Let's get started like Mark said."

Dan, Mark, Steve, Don, and Will moved at the Chariot. Barry looked at Penny, "Let's lend a hand." The pair followed.

Judy, Maureen, Val, and Betty watched from a distance, sharing stories of adventures and maybe a recipe or two. Don and Will climbed on top of the glass car. Eventually, they went into the spaceship, carrying some of the parts into the engine room, deep in the rocketship.

Smith, up to his old tricks, talked to Fitzhugh. "You do believe we can pull off a deal with one of these human facsimiles called Giants?"

"Yes. The only foreseeable problem I've encountered is asking the right giant."

"Ones with power will do. The must send up satellites and the like? Maybe they could launch us back to earth. What can you possibly deal with?"

"Come with me," Fitz lead Smith up the ladder into the hall of Spindrift. In the back closet, he threw aside his old Navy jacket. Under it, was his suitcase filled with money.

"Money, money, money, money, money," Smith quickly babbled, "But will the sloths fall for the bait?"

"They may but I've never had the right partner to help me pull the scam off - we can promise the Giants more than this - wisdom is what we can offer, aye, partner?"

Smith smiled, "And for proof of our wisdom we show this money."

"Perhaps now my partner has come," laughed Fitzhugh, putting out his hand.

Smith laughed, that phony laugh of his, that greedy laugh, as he shook hands.

Will, on top of the Chariot, handed a crate down to Mark and Steve. Don handed down two large circuit holders, "Careful with those." Barry took one and Penny handled the other. Will, from above, watched as the two put the rods down on the table.

Will breathed out, "I wish some of us could do a little more manual work."

Don didn't hear, "What?"

"Nothing," Will frowned, eyeing Barry and Penny.

"Will," John yelled up, "Where's the next crate?"

"Coming!" Will pulled another one from the brackets on the Chariot rooftop.

Barry looked at Penny's ring, "Pretty nice."

"The Robot fashioned it right out of stone."

Barry looked at the Robot, "He's something else."

Penny nodded, "Sure is."

"Hey, look," Barry saw Smith and Fitzhugh moving off into the woods, behind Spindrift, "I wonder where they're off to?"

"Or what they're up to. I don't know about your Mister Fitzhugh but our Dr. Smith has a knack for getting us and himself into trouble."

"They're just the same. Come on."

"You think we should?

"The others are too busy to have to worry about those two. I can still see em'."

"Let's go," Penny shrugged, "Debbie, you stay here."

"You, too, Chipper," Barry petted him. The two rush off past the canopy set up against the Spindrift.

Will called down, "That's it, dad."

"Good. Judy will help get the rest of the stuff that is down here," John carried a larger box, "Come down soon." Don had already climbed down. Will was up for a break and now that he was, he was going to give that Barry a lesson on work. It wasn't right just taking off like that. Will spotted him from above - with his sister - going into the forest! Angry, Will jumped down to follow. Judy, Val, Betty, and Maureen had come back outside but were too busy unloading wires and cables from the lower half of the Chariot to notice.

Smith and Fitzhugh were at the battery, which was abandoned during the day. Smith frowned, "Why are dawdling here?"

Fitzhugh rubbed his palms together and snorted out, proudly, "This could be of some use to us, you know."

Smith lowered his eyebrows, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you've been leading me on an incredible wild goose chase!"

"Well, although you remind me less of a priest than any of us, I must confess to you. I lured you out here to help me get this back."

"For shame, sir! Have you no dignity? The whole point of all that rigamoroll back there is to try to get our energy sources into your ship."

"I've tried a few times to get help of a giant nature. I really don't believe the risks are worth it but for this..."

They hear a twig snap. Both men look up, fearfully. Smith gulped, "Do you think it time to return to our camp?"

"Our? Yes, perhaps it is," Fitzhugh stammered, "This battery may not be of use to us after all." They hear another snap of a louder variety.

"This is all your fault," Smith ran, "Come along!" He ran into a clearing, followed by Fitzhugh. "What do you suppose it is?"

"A trap," Fitzhugh spurted, "You ran the wrong way. We're further from the ship than before."

"There's no point in recriminations at this..."

From the grove behind them, bushes began to part. They turned around, looked up as two huge bushes fall aside. In between a huge shadowy figure loomed into view.

A giant German Shepard stood, towering above them, barking wildly. Smith started to run but Fitzhugh grabbed his collar, "Don't run. I've had experience with these kind of bullies. Stand your ground and you'll outfrighten them!"

Smith winced, "I hardly do think that's so."

"Run and you'll be eaten!"

Penny and Barry walked past some low hanging cherry trees. Penny asked, "Cherries?"

"No, don't eat any," Barry said, "They'll knock you flat. This way." The two walked out, found themselves on the edge of a shadowy clearing, and saw Fitzhugh and Smith with the dog towering over.

Penny was aghast at the monster dog, "Look!"

Barry's gaze caught movement to the left. "Get down!" Barry pulled her elbow to lead her behind a pile of rush colored leaves. A titanic foot smashed down just in front of them, crackling the crisp leaves. Both Barry and Penny were on their knees, face down. The tremendous foot crushed a few leaves just ahead of the pair.

Smith and Fitzhugh slowly moved back from the dog. Suddenly a bright light hit them from behind. Whirling around, they couldn't see who it was. All they saw was a bright light and they threw up their hands to shield their eyes. The dog stopped his barking.

Kobick was shining a flashlight down at them. "Well, well, well. Mister Fitzhugh and a new friend." Kobick reached down and scooped them both up