"Astronauts in the following order will enter freezing tubes and prepare for launch: Will Robinson, Penny Robinson, enter tubes."

"They never wanted me along anyway." Smith retold to himself with his arms folded watching as the professor bid goodnight to his children. "They were always threatening to leave me somewhere."

He briefly smiled on the next thought.

"They will be much happier this way."

A claw landed on his shoulder then he leaned back swiping away the counter away from himself.

"Doc-tor Smi-th."

"NEVER DO THAT AGAIN YOU BUBBLE HEADED BOOBY! YOU FRIGHTENED ME OUT OF TEN YEARS GROWTH!"

Smith relaxed as his figure trembled in the chair.

"Forgive the outburst, dear friend." Smith grew apologetic and sincere then smirked to see a old foe standing before him. "I can see some of your faulty connections are starting to make sense. You've come back to stay with me."

"You called me a bubble headed booby." Robot said. "I am beginning to remember."

"Put yourself together, you ninny." Smith said then pointed toward the screen. "You'll miss the excitement. They're getting ready to blast off very soon."

Robot twirled toward the screen.

"Zero minus fifty minutes and counting." came over the comn.

"We shall spend a superbative life together here. You and I, I promise you."

Smith was happy as a lark. It would make his court martial all the most simple and easy to navigate should Alpha Control find his dealings with the people that trapped him aboard the Jupiter 2. The glee was so powerful enough to cause him to forget about them for a moment and focus on a bright future that he could see playing out in his mind. As he had suspected, Robot followed him to the past where he would get plenty of oil baths by servants and all the treads in the world.

"I shall program you beautifully and you will find sustainable and lucrative employment to maintain us both in the proper style."

"Program . . ." Robot bobbed his helm up. "Program!"

Robot twirled toward Smith.

"It all comes back to me, now." Robot announced. "I am not here to look for a job. I am here to bring you back to the ship. It is imperative."

"IMPERATIVE, INDEED!" Smith wailed as he hid behind the chair. "Wild horses can't drag me aboard that ship!"

"It is impossible to reason with you, therefor I must take you aboard by force!"

"Stay away from me you armor plated pallbearer! I am not going!"

"I am sorry but you must go!"

"No, I mustn't!"

"There is no time for playing games! I advise you to come peacefully!

"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!"

"Your condition is unimportant! YOU MUST BE ON THAT SHIP AT BLAST OFF!"

"LET ME TELL YOU MY CONDITION. MY CONDITION IS MY OWN!"

"COME ON!" Robot smacked a claw on Smith's shoulder and Smith shrieked as he fell into the chair.

"NooOO!"

The door opened and Smith turned in the direction of the door opening that had Squire staring at him in such a way that he hadn't seen from him in a long time. Not since he had discovered something truly disturbing, shocking, and quite horrifying at seeing it occur. The look faded replaced by a more familiar look, professional, not irked by personal feelings, but marred by disappointment. Squires walked into the office as Smith remained seated where he was in the chair cooling down his nerves waiting for the older man to arrive.

"Attent hut!"

Smith leaped to his feet and saluted the officer.

"Colonel-Major-General!"

"Smith." Squires started as the man stood by the machine's side. "You'll consider yourself under arrest."

Smith didn't react, only dumbstruck, but quite attentive.

"Sergeants."

The sergeants came around the two.

"There have been reports of your threats against this mission." Smith's hands were linked behind his back and he was cuffed with the distinctive sound of cuffs being clasped around his wrists. "Have anything to say for yourself."

"I confess. I confess everything." Smith said, quite sincerely, as the color drained from the general's features watching a man confirm everything that he had heard only a short time ago. "Arrest me, put me into protective custody," The pleading was quite unusual but perhaps not. "Only save me from him!"

"Ah," Squires said. "Right where he was supposed to."

"You must protect me!" Smith cried. "He is persecuting me!"

"How peculiar, sir." the sergeant beside him whispered back. "And his claws are painted orange."

"Weren't they silver?" Squires asked.

"Yes, sir." the sergeant replied.

"Sergeants move him to the holding cell with the other." Squires ordered then approached the machine as Smith was tugged away. "And make sure the entrance to the cell wing is protected."

"Yes, sir!"

"Bon voyage! Adiue!" Smith sang. "I am free! I AM FREEEEEEEE! EAAAARTH! EAAAAAARTH! I LOOOOVE EARTH!"

Squires faced the machine as two other MP officers came in.

"Move Robot into the Jupiter 2." Squires said. "We have a launch to protect."

"Yes, sir."

The officers lifted Robot and began to tow him away then he turned in the direction of the doorway and lifted his attention up.

"God, show me a sign I am doing the right thing." Squires said. "The launch is all in your hands."

Then he went to the control room of Alpha Control and waited for the launch to occur as scheduled.