Chapter 5

The second anniversary of their launch loomed ahead as their next celebration. This was one date that caused controversy among the crewmembers. Last year, the family decided to acknowledge the date with a day of quiet contemplation and prayer, which had suited them and their children well. Dr. Smith, however, had locked himself in his room the entire day, partly out of fear that Major West would cause him severe bodily harm, and also because he couldn't face anyone else knowing that he had been the cause of their situation. Major West had excused himself from any activities for similar reasons as Dr. Smith. He had lost himself in non-essential repairs in order to avoid the family, suspecting that a greater cause of his angst was his burgeoning relationship with Judy. This year, John and Maureen they chose to mark the date the same way, but hoped that Dr. Smith and Don would join them.


October 16, 1999

It's been two years since we've left Earth, but I feel like I've aged ten. I was still a rebellious teenager then. I hadn't wanted to come on this mission with my parents until I met Don. If he hadn't been chosen as our pilot, I might still be on Earth. I wonder if we would still be together if that had happened? I'm not so sure we would. I cared more about his looks than anything else and enjoyed being the envy of my friends when we'd pull up in his restored Datsun 280Z. He loved that car. I wonder if he misses that life? I don't.

Last year at this time, Don was hiding under the Chariot, fixing something that didn't need to be fixed. We had had one of our first big arguments the night before. I didn't know he had overheard me lamenting to Mom that there were no men to give him competition. I was so mad at him for taking me for granted, and he was furious with me for still being so immature. We didn't talk to each other the entire day. Dad held a prayer ceremony with us after dinner, and Don quietly came and stood behind us all. I didn't know he was there until Dad was done. I turned around and our eyes met and it seemed as if everything around us just melted away. I just realized that was a defining moment in my life. That was when I knew that whatever the future held, I would be happy as long as we were together.

Here it is one year later, and I am happy with him. Even after everything we've been through, I couldn't imagine being with anyone else. I don't know about Don, though. I know he loves me, but I think he would prefer to be alone right now. I am so worried about him. He's withdrawing from me and everyone else, and I don't know what to do about it.


It had been a subdued day so far, with the family going their separate ways until they were to reunite for dinner and a prayer service to be lead by John. Judy decided to give Don his space and supervised the children at the swimming hole. Don, as expected, was tinkering with the landing strut, even though there was little he could do with it. Maureen and John spent a quiet morning together reminiscing about the trials their children had survived over the last two years.

"There has got to be something more we can do for them, Maureen. Don's doing his best to hide the pain he's in and I worry about Judy keeping herself together… I'm afraid it's never going to end for them."

"There's not much else we can do, John, other than pray, but we do have all of our children together and we are still a family." She squeezed his hand.

"You're right, darling. I only hope all our children can have what we have. I know Judy and Don could, but I worry about Penny and Will. We worried about Judy having only one choice, but Penny and Will might have none."

"John, we've already run into a human outpost, and I do believe Penny has every intention of going back to visit. Don't worry about Will. It'll be a few years before he'll be interested in women. Who knows what can happen in those few years. John, we are all together. That is what we should be celebrating."


Maureen approached Don later in the afternoon. She promised Judy she would check on him and she thought it would be a good opportunity to gauge how he was really doing.

"Don? I have some iced tea for you."

He was behind the ship, holding the hydrolic unit of the landing strut in his hand, not doing much of anything with it. He was tempted not to answer, because he was in no mood for company, but this was Maureen, and he could never hide from her. "Back here."

Maureen went behind the ship and handed the glass to him. "What are you doing?"

He sighed, "Not much of anything. I don't have the tools I need to get this thing back together." He gave a sarcastic laugh. "You could say that's the story of my life."

"Oh, Don, please don't say that. You may feel that way now, but things will get better."

He silently cursed the Robinson optimism, and found that it was becoming almost impossible to listen to their unbridled belief that everything would always turn out for the best. He quietly retorted, "I believed that a couple of months ago, Maureen, but it's just getting too damned hard to believe anymore."

"You can't give up hope."

"You sound like Judy. Whenever she says that, I tell her that I'm not, but it's a lie. I'm just… I'm just so tired. I can't… I can't pretend anymore."

"What do you mean pretend?"

When he didn't reply, she took a good look at him and saw the emptiness in his eyes and lines of pain and sorrow on his face. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen him smile, let alone laugh.

"It's all right, Don. You don't have to answer that. You haven't made any measurable progress in months, and, even though you try to hide your pain, I can see that it's been getting worse. Then you have to sit and listen to our cheerful promises that everything is going to be fine, but we're not the ones sitting in your place. That must be hard."

"It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I feel like I'm in a deep dark hole, but I don't want to pull Judy in with me, so I pretend… and I think she knows it."

"And she pretends too. So you drift further apart."

He nodded. "I'm losing her, Maureen. I don't know, maybe that's a good thing."

"You're not losing her, Don. You're pushing her away. You can't protect her anymore. In marriage you have to share the hurt as well as the love."

He closed his eyes and whispered, "But… I don't want to hurt her."

"Don, she needs to go down into that dark hole with you so that she can pull you out. You know we'll all be there to help, even Dr. Smith. Now, dinner is in one hour. Come when you're ready."


Dinner was a quiet affair. While Maureen had been speaking with Don earlier in the day, John had been convincing Dr. Smith that he was welcome at the dinner table that night. Both had been successful in their endeavors, and hoped that this would be the start of their healing process. They were now ready to conduct the ceremony to mark their second year of wandering the universe.

The family formed a circle around a small campfire outside the Jupiter 2: John, Maureen, Will, Penny, Judy, Don and Dr. Smith. As he was about to start, Will realized that someone was missing.

"Wait. Dad! What about the Robot?"

"Don't worry, Will, I haven't forgotten him. He has a very special assignment tonight. And now, if we're all ready, I'd like to start."

John paused a moment to gather his thoughts and then proceeded.

"Two years ago at this time, we were separated from each other, Dr. Smith alone and frightened for his life and the rest of us in freezing tubes. We awoke to the stark reality that our mission had failed, and our lives were in grave danger… but… We survived.

"One year ago, two people were missing from this circle. Dr. Smith had banished himself from the group, acknowledging that he had been the cause of our misadventure and, therefore, not worthy to participate. Don, not yet a part of our family, allowed his anger and frustration over our situation to keep him away from us. Since that time, much has changed. This year brought even more danger, destruction and desperation… yet… We survived.

"A year from now, I pray that we will all be together again to mark this anniversary. Despite whatever trials or tribulations that are destined to befall us, I believe that… We will survive.

"Each of you will now have the opportunity to speak if you would like. Maureen?"

She looked at every face in the circle and smiled warmly before adding her thoughts. "Our family has grown this year and become stronger. Don you have played a significant role in our survival over the past two years, and I am especially grateful to you for the sacrifices you have had to make." She looked up at the sky and continued. "And Kairon, wherever you may be, thank you for being brave enough to take the steps necessary to save us all."

Maureen turned to Penny, who was holding Carmella in her lap. "Don, I am really sorry that you got hurt saving me, but thank you. I just wish things could be for you and Judy."

She turned to Will, who shook his head. "I don't have much to say, except that I love all of you. Judy?"

Judy was already tearing up, but, even though she desperately wanted to hold Don's hand, she was afraid to reach out to him. His eyes were cast down and he hadn't moved since John started the ceremony. She tried to be strong and stoic like her mother, but her voice betrayed her emotions, and wavered as she spoke. "This has been such a… a wonderful… and awful year." She stopped and wiped at a tear that slid out of her eye. She shook her head and decided that she wouldn't be able to say what was in her heart right now, so she simply whispered, "I don't think we would have made it… without your love and support… Don?"

He cleared his throat and glanced around the circle, not able to meet anyone's eyes directly. He had a difficult time getting the first word out of his mouth, but was determined to speak. "I… I'm not sure where to start. Penny… if I knew then what was going to happen to me, I would still have gotten you out of that cave." He gave a small smirk and added, "I just would have run faster."

He took another breath, and continued. "I owe all of you an awful lot. Penny and Will, thank you for the wheel chair, and, Will, thanks for telling me about the hover bikes. I think riding it saved my sanity more than once. Dr. Smith, I admit that I've wanted to kill you on more than one occasion, and you probably wanted to do the same to me. I want you to know that, as far as I'm concerned, you've redeemed yourself for sabotaging our mission. Without you pushing me as my 'personal trainer', I would be a lot worse off."

Dr. Smith couldn't help interrupting. "Major, since you have brought up the subject of my past deeds, please let me apologize to you and everyone else for my stupidity. If I knew two years ago what I know now, I never would have sabotaged your mission. I know I could never make up for the…"

This time Don interrupted, "Ah, Zach, could you hold up a minute? I'm not quite done, and I know you could go on and on and on…"

This drew a chuckle from the rest, including Dr. Smith, who stated, "Of course, Major, please continue."

"Ahh…" His eyes looked heavenward and he drew a long breath to steady himself. The hardest was yet to come, and he hoped he could hold himself together long enough to complete his message. "John and Maureen… You know, there are times when I really miss my parents and… you both give me a… a good talking to when I need it most, so, please don't stop. I know I've been… pushing people away but... I'm so afraid that…"

He squeezed his eyes shut and unconsciously reached for Judy's hand. "I'm falling apart and I need… I need all of you to help me climb out of the hole I'm in." He turned to Judy and his voice was barely audible as he added, "Especially you."

No longer able to maintain her control, she sobbed, and he pulled her into his lap and repeatedly apologized to her as they held onto each other for dear life.

Everyone maintained their silence in respect for the young couple. John reached out to Maureen and she to him as they grasped each other's hands in comfort. Penny hugged Carmella and Will stared into the fire. Even Dr. Smith found himself unable to speak any words of wisdom in hopes of alleviating their angst. After dropping their defenses, however, it didn't take long for them to regain their composure. Judy removed herself from Don's lap and rejoined the circle. She nodded to her father and entwined her arm around Don's. John grasped Dr. Smith's hand on his right, and kept a hold of Maureen's on his left. He motioned for the rest of them to join hands as he concluded the ceremony.

"I believe that there is a Force greater than ourselves at work in the universe. It has touched each and every one of us in some way and I, for one, am grateful that we are all still alive and still together… and pray that we will continue to survive… together."

The robot then approached the group, a guitar in one hand and a tray with a bottle of champagne and glasses in the other. Will was handed the guitar as John poured champagne for everyone who was willing to give it a try. Will started singing an old popular song by the Youngbloods that his mother had taught him years ago.

"Love is but a song we sing,

And fear's the way we die

You can make the mountains ring

Or make the angels cry

Know the dove is on the wing

And you need not know why

Come on people now,

Smile on your brother

Everybody get together

Try and love one another

Right now

Some will come and some will go

We shall surely pass

When the One that left us here

Returns for us at last

We are but a moment's sunlight

Fading in the grass

Come on people now…

If you hear the song I sing,

Then you will understand

You hold the key to love and fear

All in your trembling hand

Just one key unlocks them both

It's there at your command

Come on people now,

Smile on your brother

Everybody get together

Try and love one another

Right now

Right now"

Everyone except Will accepted a glass and held it up, silently toasting each other as the music continued.

"If you hear the song I sing,

Then you will understand

You hold the key to love and fear

All in your trembling hand

Just one key unlocks them both

It's there at your command

Come on people now,

Smile on your brother

Everybody get together

Try to love one another

Right now

Rightnow…"

Maureen made her way over to Don and crouched down before him. She noted that his eyes were still tinged with pain, but no longer held the emptiness that had been there earlier in the day.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah… thank you, Maureen."

She smiled and patted his hand, "You're very welcome, Don. You not only helped yourself, but you helped Dr. Smith too. We all still have some healing to do, but this was a start."

"You had to teach Will that song. What was the name of it?" Don asked her.

"Get Together."

"By the way, where did the champagne come from?"

"Let's just say that our friends on Marvenious were unknowingly generous with their pleasures."