While the duo were gone, Locksmith and Will played another game of chess.
And this time it went on for far longer than it had in the usual sessions.
Locksmith was taking his time with making his moves and contemplating them into depth. And this time, he captured Will's queen then moved it to the side of the impromptu chess board and folded his arms as the members of the family who had gathered around the table had long incredulous stares at first as did Will staring in the direction of the older man looking at him suspiciously.
"I am tired, my dear boy." Locksmith said then stood up to his feet using the counter as his support then yawned. "I feel best suited for a nap."
Maureen was the second to break the silence as Locksmith walked away.
"You'll win next time," Maureen said, patting on Will's shoulder.
Will watched the older man go into the craft contemplating the moves that the man had made.
"He went easy on me during our first session." Was all Will said.
"How so?" Maureen asked.
"I feel like our first chess game was just him checking my weakness," Will said, standing up from the chair. "He is a good chess player."
The concern on Maureen's face faded as he began to pick up the chess set.
It was when night fell that Don and Penny returned in the nick of time for dinner alongside B-9 with the exchanges being exchanged:
"What took you so long?" John asked.
"You started to worry us," Maureen said.
"Large porcupine herd was in the way, dad." Penny said.
John raised a brow then looked toward the mechanic.
"She isn't joking, John." Don said. "I wish I could scrub that out of my mind."
"Me too," Penny said. "It was horrifying. Completely unnatural."
The initial disbelief faded from the older man's features as they were eating dinner.
It was Locksmith who spoke up with the following phrase, "I remember the last time that I and my family crossed paths with one! Sadly, it was a anxious humanoid escaping from a security cult."
The Robinsons began howling with laughter as he went on over the details.
It was John who was laughing the hardest as his head steamed red as Locksmith continued on.
"B-9, did this really happen?" John asked in between laughter.
"For the exception of Doctor Locksmith's retelling of being the hero," B-9 said. "He was forced to come in and do the anxiety session with the newcomer by Major Malice."
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!" B-9 reported then twirled toward the family. "The rest happened as dictated."
Don laughed the loudest at the table over John as everyone were falling into giggles that fell into snickers as they ate and Locksmith continued to dispute the facts with B-9. And Will sat there, wondering, staring toward the bickering friends. Penny and Judy fell into a fit of laughter, unexpectedly, during the argument.
Why didn't she help him?, Will's heart ached. Why didn't she take him with her?
And he hated the woman even more for what she had stolen from him. Not just for the loss of one friend of this universe but two. Not only for endangering his father, their mechanic, making him send Robot down to his demise and be separated from him for so long, his family, his home, and Debbie the chicken. She had taken what could have been a bearable experience on the first planet and left behind a intolerable high stakes life or death adventure.
Robot would have been speaking full sentences if he were around him. He was a observer from the other side of the mirror looking in to what could have been as his mind replaced the two with their counterparts. It was a bittersweet moment to him seeing what he could have. And what was determined on returning to him. He was curious on how determined they were.
That morning, Judy did the tests with the equipment that B-9 had explained to her was the DNA testing tools. She came to the medical tent that had been set up behind the craft then Locksmith sat down in the chair. And eyed at her, waiting, patiently for Judy to begin what she had requested of him.
She placed the arm band on his long dark sleeve was retreated then with difficulty, she pressed the thick and large transparent but colorful buttons turning it back on as she had done last night. She looked toward the thick square computer screen staring at it with a startle then looked down toward him.
"Doctor Locksmith, the readings say you are becoming a very unique humanoid."
"Hmn. . . I already unique as it is, my dear."
"You are becoming part raspberry bush." Judy said.
The older man tapped on his chin thinking it over then smiled, delightfully, in the distance.
"Thorny but delicious. Hmn. Fitting." He looked back fondly at better times. "And this time no llama will be eating my leaves!" He clapped his hands together then rubbed them together. "Always a good opportunity! I won't mind Debbie having some of my leaves. She and I have a beneficiary relationship."
"And what do you like to do with your blueberries when you grow them?" Judy asked.
"Share them." Locksmith shrugged. "I can't have all the goodies and taunt everyone. I am becoming a plant humanoid!"
"And you're not in pain." Judy pointed out, skeptically.
"Barely. My figure isn't being changed at all. Save for leaves, and claws," he looked down toward his fingers. "Which my fingers haven't changed to."
"That part may be painful." Judy said. "Your fingers will be changing."
He looked toward Judy lowering his hands down into his lap.
"I can dress and act as a gentlemen. I understand these creatures are sapient so there is a chance that I can still be myself."
"There is."
"Then I can live as a human."
"I don't think you understand."
"Hm?"
"You are not going to eat like us. You are eventually going to need to be watered every day. Once a day. And maybe being potted for your feet. Such as specialized pot shoes." Locksmith's skin proceeded to pale and his eyes widened. "And your claws, I recommend you wear gloves, when it gets to that point. I don't know if you'll be able to find anything appealing worth eating."
"I am Doctor Jonathan Locksmith," Locksmith said. "And I will always eat what is on the table, my dear!"
Locksmith stormed off then Debbie and B-9 followed him.
"Calls himself Jonathan here, does he?" John said.
Judy turned toward her concerned father who approached her.
"Yes." Judy said.
John looked toward the departing older man trying to swat away the chimpanzee.
"If that defiance is of any indication," John said. "He is going to make himself sit at the table."
"How is he going to cook tonight when he is becoming a plant?" Judy asked.
"He hasn't gotten any leaves tucked under his sleeves," John said. "Who knows? Maybe when he does get the leaves and they drop into the meal by accident, they may make the food be tastier." Judy considered for a moment. "The raspberry bush humanoid that he is becoming may have its advantages. Such as how tea was discovered to be beneficiary."
John handed Judy a tennis racquet.
"Let's have some fun. And get that worry off our minds. Will, come join us! It's just you and me against Judy!"
Judy watched John walk away then laughed and followed after him.
Maureen was directed by Don to the crash site of the craft. Maureen looked down toward the craft that was covered in vines coating most of the hulls with bird nests placed in areas that were in allowing and the windows were shattered beyond repair. She made her descent down the craft noticing a large hole in the hull that lead into the craft.
"I don't know if any of this is viable to reuse," Don said. "I wouldn't use it. It belongs to the dead."
"Asides to the scrapes and dirt," Maureen said. "This is reusable."
"How are we going to reuse it and blend in with the space van?" Don asked. "I doubt that craft is going to be looking pretty at all when we are done."
"We clean it up." Maureen said. "Surely, B-9 can replicate a long enough water hose to add on to the one that we got in the space van."
"He can replicate anything," Don said. "Old fashioned tech, highly advanced equipment. More advanced than the 3-D printers. He can replicate it in ONE minute!"
Maureen frowned looking toward the mechanic.
"He can materialize?"
Don nodded.
"He even made a goblet of water for his friend." Don said. "A actual old fashioned goblet from a historical piece."
"And?" Maureen asked.
"He even made a goblet of fire when I asked him if he could make fire." Don said. "This morning. Then when he clacked his claws together, it was gone."
"If he can do that then he can help us cut the size of the hulls that we need." Maureen said.
"So we can expand it!" Don said.
"Yes," Maureen said.
"I know what that means." Don grinned. "A submarine bed and I am taking the first one that is made."
"Doubtful that we can add floors to the space van." Maureen said.
"That van is going to be a passenger class by the time that we are done." Don said. "More of a tin can."
"Which it will be," Maureen said. "With a working toilet."
"And windows," Don added as Maureen observed the pieces of the hull. "Don't forget windows."
"I designed the space van in the event something happened to the Jupiter 2 on Gamma and we needed a emergency housing for the few of us."
"How much of the space van be expanded by the way? Three feet? Five feet? Eight feet?" Don asked. "Is it just the sides?"
"Everywhere." Maureen turned toward Don with a smile. "Everywhere."
Penny was traveling through the forest with her hand linked behind her back following in the direction that the older man had gone. She found him sitting on a fallen tree log busy away using a swiss army knife to make a carving. Pieces of wood fell around the older man who's eye was no longer swollen and the bandages that had once been on his face were gone revealing healthy skin.
"Hey."
Locksmith tossed the carving behind him then sighed and put a hand on his chest.
"It is just you."
"Yes. It is just me."
"What brings you here, my dear child?"
"What is your silver lining about becoming part raspberry bush?" Penny asked.
Locksmith nodded his head then lowered his gaze and his concern eased. He patted on the stump beside him so she sat down beside him.
"My body is only going to be covered in thorns, food, and leaves." Locksmith replied. "What is there not to like?"
"Being turned into a alien creature." Penny said. "Your primary language may change."
"Not everything will change." Locksmith said with a shake of his head. "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
"Aren't you scared?" Penny asked.
"A little scared," Penny raised her brow. "Very."
"It is okay to be scared," Penny said.
Locksmith sighed, Penny noticed that he was visibly trembling.
"It is taking my entire self control not to flip out."
"You are acting so little cool with it so it is hard to tell that you are afraid." Penny said. Locksmith lowered his head looking down toward his lap. "That is a little concerning for the others."
"We can't always run away from our fate." Locksmith lifted his head up then faced the young woman with a fond look upon her. "But, we can face it with dignity. I am not in constant pain so it makes this experience easier to bear."
"At the moment." Penny said.
"Indeed." Locksmith said. "So I consider this a good sign that I will come out of it with my mind, self-respect, and my dignity intact. My back isn't itched so good news all around. Itches are always the start of pain in my experience."
Penny went over then found the carving and returned to his side.
"Where did you learn to do stick carving?" Penny asked, admiring the piece of artwork resembling a young girl with pig tails then turned her attention on to Smith. "You are really good at it."
"It is a hobby," Locksmith said. "It is done very carefully."
"Can I try, Doctor Locksmith?" Penny asked.
Locksmith picked up a large tree branch and his swiss army knife.
"My dear," Locksmith said then positioned it between his legs. "balance it between your legs and pick a part of the stick to carve." He looked toward her. "Watching?"
"Yes."
"I will start and you continue." Locksmith said. "One day, you can start and lose track of time being absorbed in this meticulous task."
"That is what I like." Penny said. "Having a long calm moment." She paused then sighed. "My sister was trapped in ice a year ago. It was difficult to be calm taking to her over the line when she had so little oxygen and time to be alive."
Locksmith dropped stick and tried to grasp at it as it fell but the swiss army knife fell to his lap.
"Has she talked to anyone about it?" Locksmith asked.
"No. She may have talked to. . . " Penny let it hang. "her."
"First, this, then I shall get to your sister." Locksmith was entirely calm that it was hard to tell what he was feeling. "I like to hear what kind of botched therapy session that she had straight from the mouth of the horse." He gestured toward the stick. "Can you please get that? My back is too delicate to pick it up."
"Sure."
Penny picked it up then when she looked up, she had seen the look of calm rage in his eyes. The calm rage was swiftly replaced by a smile and the small sticks that had been in his lap were cracked in half. He dropped the two sticks then took took the large tree branch and set it between his legs. He beckoned her to watch then started instructing her.