B-9 entered the space pod and scanned the equipment of the ship and the main fuel generator that threatened their lives. His sensors came back with the facts of the ship. Robot scanned the library of the space pod only to pick up on the specifics, Alpha Centauri Colony Mission, that it was part of one of many Jupiters, and it wasn't the first Jupiter to be sent out into space. His circular glass disk shaped helmet bobbed up in shock then proceeded to depart the space pod. He closed the door behind him then flipped open the side panel into the Space Pod revealing the fuel port.

"B-9, what are you here for?" Murveon asked.

B-9 twirled from the port.

"Preparing this craft for the reconfiguration for defense purposes," B-9 said. "My sensors indicate this machine is unable to provide laser fire, phaser fire, or rocket fire."

"It can't do that?"

"It can only perform a sacrificial launch," B-9 said. "I recommend scrapping that decision and labeling it as a patrol vessel."

"If the head of the detention ship approves of it, I don't see no harm with it," Murveon said. "So has the doctor made his decision about his employment here?"

B-9 bobbed his helm up.

"He does not share information regarding his employment here, Murveon!" B-9 said. "It is our agreement."

"You don't even probe his mind on the matter?" Murveon asked.

"I do not have any reason to," B-9 replied.

"He hasn't told me how long he intends to work here," Murveon walked around the space pod with his arms folded admiring the craft and the shorter machine followed.

"And the captain of this ship doesn't know if he is assigned here?" B-9 inquired.

"I told them that your friend is a expert who is staying for awhile," Murveon turned and faced the machine putting his hands on his hips.

B-9's helm lowered.

"I see why this has brought your concern," B-9 said.

"Yes," Murveon said. "I will order for the fueling. . . what is the fuel for it?"

"Methane," B-9 said. "But what we have a supply of what it can accept is biomass."

John listened to his son's retelling of last night's events then checked underneath Maureen's shirt. The skin wasn't as discolored or swollen as it had been before. In fact, it appeared to be in better condition then before. What was most unusual was strange metal pieces sticking out of her side above the wound. It even appeared as if the metal pieces were moving among her skin. Goosebumps went down the former marine's skin. The gauze wasn't white but transparent and soft to his fingertips. A fine piece of tape covered the lining of it on the side keeping it in place.

"And S did this?" John asked.

"Yes," Will nodded. "He did."

"And the machine didn't escort you back . . ." John said. "Odd. Very Odd."

"It was odd," Will agreed. "Almost human. And talkative. Even had the voice of a human."

"Voice of a human," John said. "Not alien. Sounds like this machine is a Artificial Intelligence with free will."

"I wonder how he got that free will," Don said. "Sure hope it wasn't using the hull of his ship that made it happen."

"He didn't look really advanced," Will reiterated. "Compared to Robot. . . he needed a battery pack."

"A battery pack," Don said. "Now he is really old school."

"Here I thought emptying a Jupiter and reconfiguration it for flight was old school," John said.

"Half of the machines we met didn't need power packs. Having something that could be removed at all time is pretty odd." Don sat down on the lower bunkbed beside Judy folding his arms. "Why hasn't it been turned over to solar power?"

"The physical description of the machine sounds very Earthly rather than speaking volumes as a alien design," John said.

"Except most of those androids and robots didn't have glass heads," Judy interjected. "Glass screens, sure. Completely glass helmets with no metal reinforcements around it is pretty odd. . ."

"Sounds to me that he must be from the sixties," Don said. "The sixties were very innovative and simple in their version of future tech. Like those old scifi movies and tv shows."

"Every civilization develops at a different rate," Judy said. "Ours was slower."

"That is true," John said. "But why put this strange pieces of metal? What are they going to do?" John reached his fingers out. "What are they for?"

Then John hissed retreating his hand clenching on to his hand as it were stung. It was at that same exact moment did the door to the room opened standing tall. Murveon looked down upon the professor's hand then shrieked stepping back taking back the other officer with him and the door smacked door closed. A feeling nagged at the recesses of he professor's mind.

"Dad, they acted like you got some virus!" Judy said. "Let me look at it."

"Why do I have a feeling that Doctor S gave her some nanobot virus?" Don asked as Judy scanned the hand that had pieces of metal appearing on the upper surface of the skin.

"Strange," Judy said, letting go of his wrist then stepped back and came to her mother's side then squinted at it. "I don't know what kind of protein it is using but this is incredible. I never seen anything move like this."

"Whatever they are," John said. "It could bring us closer to the Space Pod and buy us time to find a way from not getting deported to Earth."

"You mean," Don shuddered, looking down, stunned toward the oddity then back toward the former marine with bewilderment. "We have to touch it?"

"We have little choice on the matter," John reminded Don as Judy touched the metal piece with the tip of her fingernail looking down upon it curiously. "We can only hope that it doesn't kill us getting off this ship."

"I can't imagine how this is going to be for Debbie," Penny said as she performed the same act then brought her hand back.

"Debbie is a chicken," Don reminded. "The greatest chicken. She got skin of steel. When I get my hands on her, I won't hurt her."

"Because you won't have it," John said. "Doctor S will get us the remedy then we will go and search for the Jupiter 2."

"What about Harris?" Judy asked.

"That is all up to your mother," Then John looked toward the doorway. "It is a waiting game."

"If they are afraid of us, I bet they will be back in five minutes," Judy said.

"Looks like we don't need those laser pistols after all," Don said.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," John said. "Our world is capable of being turning upside down then turned inside out just as it did when we got here."