The Jupiter 2 made a emergency departure from Earth and made her way after the course that was still registered by the space equipment. Will, Mason, and Gale maned the ship as they arrived five months after the departure of the original Jupiter for Gamma. Vulet was in the pilot's seat as the men suited up into the advanced space suits over Robot's announcement of the sleeping schedule of Doctor Smith.
"Doctor Smith is now sleeping at this moment."
"Great!" Will said. "Gale, are you ready for your side of the plan?"
"Air-lock myself out after making the adjustment to the course for after my landing and make myself a cage, I got that down."
"No, you are to ensure that our -" Will waved the cryo gun in the air. " - friend remains at suspended animation by the coordinated time this machine indicates each period it must be reactivated."
"And the food?" Vulet asked.
"We use the time tunnel prototype to send at the coordinates that Gale will be." Will said. "Which is precisely one day away from Gamma so Doctor Smith will be able to fully awaken."
"Why can't we do the same for Doctor Smith?" Vulet asked. "That is a bugger in the rear having to cryo him constantly."
"Because his employers don't want them to get there." Will explained to the somewhat younger woman with a hand on the side of the chair. "If they are there then he will be our bait and once they begin to attack him in the slightest, Gale will appear out of no where and strike them down."
Will smacked his fist with one hand.
"I can't believe that Doctor Smith saved two people out of time." Mason said.
"Hey!" Will exclaimed with a start. "My family counts as people being taken out of time."
"But two unrelated people!" Mason held his two fingers up.
"Same people who helped with the tunnel for the food." Vulet said. "With how tiredly they worked, it might as well just be the beginning of a life long debt."
"For all things considered, it probably is." Will grinned at the prospect. "Friends for life."
"People who made the choice of going out there." Mason returned to the subject at hand glaring toward the quite old Robinson. "Two people, Will."
"Makes it. . what. . ." Mason started to count on his fingers.
"Eight." Gale helpfully supplied.
"Eight people taken out of time." Mason said.
"You're making Doctor Smith look like superman," Will said, exasperated and everyone looked at Will in disbelief. "Which he isn't."
"Of everything that he is capable of; chiding a dragon down from eating people and teaching it manners and honor, insulting a troll to stop in its tracks and clean up after itself and clean itself which coincidentally made the troll feel better after a nice bath, teaching a rich kid manners and what it is like to be living like us-"
"Those seem so little in comparison to his exploits." Will chuckled as he cut off the young Yahetson. "I still can't believe he did all that and more."
"That was for Rose's benefit." Vulet reminded. "Remember? She was so frightened and falling apart and pacing about."
"Oh, how I remember those moments." Will winced with fondness. "He really stepped to the plate when we were about to do the worst."
"Now, what is the plan again?" Mason shifted the subject.
"I will get the food first," Will said. "Then Mason gets to reprogram Robot to not attack us."
"And I will get to Doctor Smith." Gale finished the trail of thought.
"I will make sure that this ship is in constant passage with the Jupiter 2." Vulet said.
"You're a life saver, Vul." Will said with a laugh.
"Oi! And don't you forget about it!" Vulet announced. "Ship is in the designated course for the transport system!"
The men went into a single file then went to the lower decks of the ship as the woman piloted the ship following along to the coordinates. Gale paused in front of the doorway then shook the captain's hand as they smiled then the blue portal opened before them. The group looked on toward the entrance of the other side then went in a neat file line into the lower decks of the Jupiter 2 that was identical in nature to the other Jupiter 2.
Robot twirled toward them, "Destroy intruders!" with his rallying cry and fired at the crew. Gale ducked out of the line of fire and Mason was struck by the electricity coming from the machine. Mason collapsed to the ground then slid up to his feet and lunged forward but Robot twirled waving his silver claws as if creating a spider web around the man. Mason cried with a fall as Robot loomed over him summoning wounds upon the younger man.
Mason screamed then pressed a button in his hand causing Robot to cease attacking him as if he were struck by a counter attack that threw him off. Mason ducked as the machine fired at them regaining control of his external defense system. Will made a bolt for the cargo bay as Mason hid underneath Robot's line of vision and proceeded to reprogram him in a rush as Gale slid the door way open to the elderly man's cabin then fired the cryostasis gun at the resting older man in the bed. Smith became outlined in gold lighting then became still in the bed. Gale grinned lowering the device down.
Will came out of the cargo bay holding the time tunnel gun in the other hand with a grin. Mason made a few more reprogramming with a grumble specifying the purpose of the visit then sent the machine off to the center of the ship. Mason sat down into the chair regaining his bearings. Will came to the younger man's side with a laugh.
"Is that really how he was?" Mason asked.
Will laughed then nodded.
"Yes." Will replied.
Mason leaned forward with one hand on his chest.
"He is terrifying." Mason gulped.
"He really isn't terrifying, Yahetson." Will shook his head.
"Just because he is your friend doesn't mean he is still not terrifying." Mason replied.
Will laughed as he turned away then walked toward the portal.
"Come on." Will said. "When we or you and other rescuers come back, that is going to require a lot of team work in the next five years just catching him."
Mason rolled his eyes as he followed the man through the portal then the portal vanished leaving behind Gale on the bridge watching the Jupiter 2 retread to the prior course.
"Good luck, Captain Robinson." Gale said.
A/N This is the end of this story from the course.