Chapter 11

What John had estimated to take two weeks had now stretched into more than three. The final storage container was almost filled, and Don's twenty sixth birthday was approaching. John was hopeful that the end of the drilling would coincide with the celebration. Then he would be more than happy to leave this planet behind.

John gathered the family together on the night before for an impromptu meeting. The deutronium mining was finished just a few hours earlier and arrangements had to be made for their upcoming take-off. John felt that two or three days would be enough to pack up the Jupiter, even with time off for the celebration.

"We have tomorrow to relax and celebrate, and then two days to pack. We should be ready to go soon enough."

"You know, John, we can postpone my birthday. I'd be just as happy to celebrate in space as on this planet. The sooner we leave, the better off we'll be."

"I think we'll be fine. If it makes you feel any better, we'll spend tomorrow packing up while you spend the day doing whatever it is you want to do."

Dr. Smith rolled his eyes and stated. "Alright, out with it, Major! What menial tasks do you have in store for me tomorrow?"

"Well, let's see. The mining equipment is ready to be taken apart and stored. That could take most of the day."

John intervened, "Actually, that's a good idea. Once that's done, the rest won't take long at all, unless you and Judy want to take the Chariot out for a spin?"

"Well, no, I don't think we'll need that. I really only have one wish, maybe two. I'd like to spend the morning going out for one last look at the valley, and then I want to spend the afternoon showing you all how to pilot the Jupiter."

The rest of the family was speechless. After he got over his initial shock, John commented, "What brought this on? Your simulation at the flight console went well yesterday."

"It went all right, but I started thinking about what would happen if I couldn't fly?"

"You know I could fly her out in an emergency."

"But suppose something happened to both of us? I want all of you to be able to get yourselves off planet. So, basic lessons start tomorrow afternoon. And then we have dinner, pack up the camp and take off in the morning, with more lessons to follow while we're in space. Sound good?"

Eager to start the lessons, Will and Penny gave a hearty "Yes!"

"Don," Judy asked, "how are you going to make it out to the cliff?"

"I asked Will and the Robot to do what they could to clear the path a few days ago so my chair could make it out there."

The Robot added, "The path has been cleared and is level enough for a vehicle of one meter in width to traverse with minimal difficulty. You can rest assured, Judy Robinson, that if I could make it down the path, so can Major West."

"And," Don added to Judy, "You're going to come with me, if that's okay with you."

She bowed and stated, "You're wish..."

"Is my command," everyone added as a chorus.


The day dawned with glorious weather once again. That was the only thing that they would be sorry to leave behind on this planet, well that and the rich stores of deutronium. Judy shivered when she and Don left the Jupiter to start on the path to the cliff. It was so much like her birthday, almost five months ago, that she was getting an alarming sense of deja vu.

As they approached the cave where Penny had been trapped, they stopped and she crouched down beside Don's chair, put her arm around him, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What are you thinking?"

He sighed. "I'm thinking about how much things have changed since that day."

"How about the things that haven't changed?"

He squeezed her hand, "I know, but I still want things to be the way they were before. It's been five months, Judy. All I've gotten back is some feeling in my thigh. That's it. If I don't make much more progress over the next month, my prognosis isn't so great."

"Don, there's something I haven't told you. While you were lying on that bed and barely conscious for so many days, I prayed for you to live. I told God that I would give up having children if he would spare your life, and He did. So, for me, the progress you've made so far is more than enough."

Unbidden tears filled his eyes, for he knew how much she wanted to be a mother. Not knowing what to say, he simply kissed her mouth and drew her against his chest. After a moment, she started to giggle.

"What?" he asked.

"Where's the earthquake?"


Back at camp, John and Zachary were dismantling the mining equipment. "Professor Robinson, you do know that my back is not suited for such laborious work! Besides, it is the Major's birthday, and if he had truly wanted me to perform such menial labor, he would have been the one to supervise me."

"Well, Dr. Smith, consider me his replacement. The sooner we get this gear packed up, the sooner we can leave this blasted planet. If it wasn't for the deutronium deposits, we would never have stopped here in the first place, and then, maybe things wouldn't be the way they are."

"Now, Professor, you must refrain from blaming yourself for the Major's predicament. He has adjusted quite well, if you ask me. In fact, I am considering writing a paper to corroborate Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross' five stages of grief. He went quickly from denial to anger to bargaining. I dare say that, if he does not make major progress over the next month, we must be observant of any depressive behaviors. That could be the most dangerous stage. After that, he will be fine."

"Well, Dr. Smith, I'm praying that he won't have to go through that. A lot can happen in a month. With any luck, he'll be up and walking by your birthday."

"We can only hope, Professor. We can only hope."


After arriving at what had been 'their place', they came as close as they dared to the edge and looked beyond. The breeze was strong and blew against their bodies. They could still see their belongings strewn among the rocks and boulders in the valley. They held each other in silence as they gazed at the beauty and relived the horror of their first trip to the cliff.

Don was the first to speak his thoughts. "You know, Judy, I was hoping that I'd be able to throw this chair down into that valley before we left this planet."

"You would never have been able to do that. Dad loves that chair. He would have had a fit."

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. It's his favorite chair."

"How about if I toss these down instead?" He drew the same roll of condoms that he had carried with him on their first hike to the cliff together.

"Wait! Don, we still might need them. Don't tell me you've given up?"

"No… but... I have to be sure that we both understand that I might never be able to use them." He ripped the roll in half. "Are you with me?"

She reluctantly took it from his hands and they tossed them over the side together. She placed her head against his and watched as the tiny packages fluttered down to the bottom. He looked up at her soulful eyes and grinned sheepishly, "Besides, I have more."

They backed away from the edge and Judy made herself comfortable in his lap. They stayed that way for several minutes, and then Judy started kissing his neck and nipping his ear. Don closed his eyes in pleasure, but then realized that something was not right.

"Uh, Judy?"

"Mmnnn?"

"The breeze stopped. Each time there's been a quake, the wind stood still. I think we're doing it again."

Judy jumped out of his lap, not willing to take the chance of being stranded on the precipice, and hurried him down the path. They had just passed the caves when the rumbling started. Don had the chair at full speed and Judy was jogging behind him. Just as they cleared the path and could see the Jupiter, the trembling increased. The rest of the family was quickly packing up what was left of the encampment, and Maureen cried their names out in relief that they had returned in time.

The trembling did not stop this time, but gathered strength. Judy ran to her mother and asked if everyone else was on the ship. She had seen Dr. Smith run up the ramp, but not Will and Penny. Maureen assured her that the children were inside, and she hoped they were strapping themselves in for the take-off. John came around from the back of the ship and found Don struggling to get the wheelchair up the ramp safely, with Judy trying to guide it behind him. He grabbed the chair just as it was about to tilt off the ramp and pushed it the rest of the way.

With everyone safely in the ship, John helped Don strap himself into his pilot's seat before he went to his own. They felt as if the ship was being shaken apart as Don started the pre-flight sequence. John verbally checked that the rest of the passengers were strapped in and ready for take-off when he gave Don the go-ahead. Just before he could engage the main rocket boosters, they felt an enormous jolt and the ship tilted to one side.

Don announced, "We've lost a landing strut. It better not have pierced the hull, or we're in big trouble."

John commanded, "No time to check now, just take off. This planet is falling apart and it's now or never."

The ship lifted at its odd angle, but Don was able to straighten her out. As they pulled away from the gravity field, bits of the planet broke off at a tremendous rate, and they found themselves flying through the newly created asteroid field. Evading as much of the larger pieces as he could, Don deftly maneuvered the ship to avoid major damage. The shields were weakening, however, and the lateral controls failed as the shields overheated and shorted out the circuitry.

"Take over!" Don commanded, as he unstrapped himself and slid to the deck, positioning himself under the control panel.

"What are you doing?"

"Fixing it!" He pulled the panel open and sparks descended on him. The ship took another hit and Don tried to remain in place. "Damn it!" he cursed as he was having trouble keeping himself in a stable position.

Since his legs were useless, he found himself trying to hang onto the open panel and fix the wiring at the same time with his hands. If only he could jam himself in there, he'd be free to work. John understood his dilemma and grabbed the wheelchair, turned it onto its side and jammed it between the pilot chair and Don's body. That would work. It stabilized him enough to find the burned out wires and piece them back together. The ship suddenly righted and Don slid, banging his head against the inside panel of the flight board.

"Are you all right?" John shouted.

Rubbing his head, he wasn't so sure, but at least he was still conscious.

"Yeah, I think so."

He groaned as he tossed the chair aside, pulled himself out from underneath and struggled back into his seat. He was exhausted, but they weren't out of danger yet. He took over the flying, slowly increasing the speed as he maneuvered their way around the outward flying debris. Finally, they broke free of the gravity well and took off into the blackness beyond.

Setting the controls to autopilot, they both slumped back in their seats. John turned to Don and commented, "Nice job."

Don grinned and held his hand up for a 'high five' and John complied, and then he gave the all-clear signal to the others. Don felt his head and saw the red stain on his hand.

John shook his head. "Judy? Bring up an ice pack and the first aid kit. Your fiancé did some hot shot flying, but managed to hurt himself... again."

Judy came off the lift and ran to Don's side, "Are you all right?"

His shining eyes and broad smile said it all. "Now that was flying!"

End of Part 1