Chapter 8
Breakfast was a joyous affair on the Jupiter. Penny regaled Will and Dr. Smith with the events of the previous night, and they were now discussing how to best welcome the happy couple home. Various ideas had been bandied about, including a special dinner, cake, and the usual decorations.
Maureen wasn't satisfied with their list so far. "You know, they have been through so much, I'd like to do something really special for them."
John poured himself a second cup of coffee and responded, "I agree with you, darling, but I have no idea what that should be."
"Are they really married now?" Will asked.
"Well, I guess according to the laws of Marvenius they are," John responded.
Dr. Smith sniffed, held his nose higher in the air and couldn't resist adding his own opinion on the matter. "Indeed! Colorful lights and mumbo jumbo said by a man clothed in gold does not make them married. After all, they are not citizens of this planet, so the laws do not apply to them. They must be married according to the laws of Earth. I don't understand, Professor Robinson, how you allowed them to spend a night together without a proper Earth ceremony conducted by you. You are, after all, a minister."
"You know, Dr. Smith, you may have just hit on something there. We can surprise them with a ceremony."
Maureen chimed in, "Now, wait a minute, John. A woman should be able to plan her own wedding. We can't make that a surprise."
"Mom," Penny interjected, "since Judy and Don have already spent a night together, will they share a room when they come back?"
"I hadn't thought about that. What do you think, John?"
"I don't see why not."
"Yes!" Penny cheered. "Now I can finally get my own room."
"That's it!" Maureen and John exclaimed together. "We'll get a room ready for them."
The debate was on about which room would serve the newlyweds best. Dr. Smith, who had voiced his objections onto deaf ears, indignantly left the galley. As he rose with the elevator, the hover bike rode up the ramp into the Jupiter, with Judy leaning on Don's back, her arms around his waist. As she hopped off the bike, Dr. Smith was immediately struck by the utter happiness being exuded by the couple. They absolutely beamed with joy and love.
He approached Judy and held her hand. "My dearest Judith, I have never seen you look more beautiful and radiant." He asked, "May I kiss the bride?"
"Be my guest," Don replied.
He then turned to Don as the rest of the family spilled into the room and offered their hugs and congratulations. He shook Don's hand and offered, "Congratulations, my good Major! And I dare say that you have a most agreeable effect on your lovely young bride."
Don uncharacteristically blushed and whispered in his ear, "Thanks, Zach. You know the unrelenting exercise regimen you had me follow definitely had something to do with that."
He whispered back, "Never fear, Smith is here."
Unfortunately, Don and Judy's early return interfered with the room reassignments, but they needed to prepare for Kairon's visit. They had little time even for that preparation, as Kairon hastily approached the ship much sooner than expected. He breathlessly entered and immediately activated the translation device.
"You must prepare to leave immediately! Appolus has accused the Counselor of Claims of going against our established laws and has proclaimed that he and the rest of us who helped you should be sent to the Ministry of Extermination. He has also vowed to reclaim what was his. You, Major West, are in grave danger, as are the rest of the Robinson family. You will all be exterminated, except for Judy and Penny. Once their usefulness as vessels has been completed, they too will be exterminated."
"I won't run away," Don responded. "You helped us and we won't leave you to fight this alone."
"I respectfully thank you for your offer, however, you must protect your women. You have already done enough to have us reconsider our ways. By our definition, you were a 'weak one' who overpowered Appolus, a Tier 1 male who was thought to be amongst the strongest and most deserving on our planet. You are already a legend and your story will spread to fuel the rebellion that is now brewing in the lower tiers of our society."
John addressed him directly. "Thank you for the warning, Kairon. Protecting my family," and he pointedly glanced at Don, "all of it, is my first priority. What can we do to help you before we leave?"
"Just stay safe."
Maureen and Dr. Smith had slipped down to the medical facilities to gather information to pass on to Kairon. She returned with a long printout, which she gave to him. "Kairon, I believe your women are suffering from something very similar to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, from which they can recover. If nothing else, please fight for the right of the old, infirm and weak to live their lives out in peace."
Kairon bowed to her as he accepted the printout. "Thank you, Mrs. Robinson. I am indebted to you for sharing your knowledge."
He turned to Penny and took her hand and kissed it. He held it tightly as he extended his gratefulness to her. "And you, Miss Penny, are the one to whom we are most indebted. You are the one who questioned our ways and our values. I want to thank you for instilling in me the courage to follow what is right, rather than what has always been. I pray that you will return and find that we have been victorious and formed a society that finds all beings to be of equal worth."
"I will return," Penny smiled proudly at him, "I promise."
"I will be waiting for you."
Penny hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. Kairon bowed to all and turned to leave.
Don stopped him and offered him his hand. "Thank you, Kairon, I owe you one. We will come back. I still need to teach you about wrestling and other forms of… recreation."
Kairon grasped his hand warmly, nodded, and was gone.
The family gathered themselves together in a collective breath.
"How soon before we can lift off?" John asked.
"As soon as everyone is strapped in," was Don's reply.
"What about that missing landing strut?"
"Not a problem. We won't even miss it taking off. Now, landing… that might be a problem."
End of Part 2
