Don went into the half of the shuttle that had been designated as a chicken coop complete with square holes for each hen including their favorite newcomer, Terrier the Rooster, was being noisy as he stood on the counter being loudly as he liked. Don wore ear muffs as he slid the chickens up then slipped out one egg at a time leaving only one egg behind that was halfway painted red. All in all, there were forty eggs that were harvested from forty chickens.

"Hello, Debbie," Don came to the hen. "How is my lucky chicken?"

Debbie stood up to her two feet then bobbed her head back and forth.

"Egg looks pretty okay," Don said. "Getting well acquainted to your friends?"

Debbie tilted her head from side to side.

"I see that you all are." Don said rubbing the side of the hen's neck. "Soon enough, we are going to have yellow balls of fur joining you."

Debbie cooed.

"We are going to become a slightly bigger family," Don said. "Soon, Jupiter 18 will have one of her passengers getting to Alpha Centauri. Sometime in the 21st century." He stood up then turned around toward Judy as Debbie sat back down. "Don't you agree, Doctor Robinson?"

"Wholeheartedly," She took a bite out of her beagle. "This will be a great time to test that light incubator for the eggs that we found inside the crashed ship while they are outside eating."

"It is." Don agreed. "And I am making something truly great tonight."

"What are you making for dinner?" Judy asked.

"A surprise!" Don raised his brows then grinned. "Everyone will love it. Everyone. Even the resident plant man." He walked past her toward the doorway of the craft then paused leaning against the wall across from her then grinned. "Raspberry bush man-"

"Can blend in where no one can, cause he is raspberry bush, raspberry bush," Judy continued in a sing along tone. "raspberry bush man!"

"Dun dun." Don finished.

Judy snickered.

"It would be funny if he did," Judy said, as her figure trembled with laughter then grimaced.

"That would mean him asking for help to dig two holes for his roots," Don said. "I can't imagine that ever happening."

"Asides to the distressing nature of the transformation." Judy noted. "Neither can I."

Don was silent.

"What if he does?" Don asked. "Blue berry roots regrow. Pretty hard to kill on Earth. If something happens and we have little room for him - for one reason another - aboard then it would be pretty reasonable to dig him those holes." He raised his brows up if only briefly as his face became serious. "Are you ready for that?"

Judy paused, thinking it over carefully, but winced at first.

"That would mean there is room for hope." Judy said. "In the face of the impossible, life prevails."

"Life cannot be contained. Life breaks free. Life finds a way." Don said. "Is hope a person? A thing? Or is it a life force?"

"I believe it is life." Judy said.

"Like to go on a walk after breakfast?" Don asked. "I found a really mean waterfall a few days ago with Will and Penny that has luminescent bugs. It has a really good view of the nearest prairie."

"I like that," Judy said. "How far is it from the Jupiter-the space van?"

"Far enough," Don said. "And you will never guess what it also has."

"What does it have?" Judy asked, entertained.

"Natural. Hot. Springs!" Don stretched his arms out. "We can sit back and relax. Just for a short while."

"I like that idea," Judy said. "Not going to find a place to relax like that." Then she squinted her eyes. "Does it have worms?"

"We checked with the proper equipment." Don said. "Parasite free!"

"Then I am good with it," Judy took another bite out of the beagle. "But, we are taking the older doctor with us. It'll help his back."

"Okay," Don said. "If his back doesn't give out on the way. It's a few hours from here."

"I have a feeling that he won't complain as much on the way if we told him about the hot spring." Judy said earning Don's laughter.

"Is he outside?" Don asked.

"Yes," Judy said. "Said that he needed some fresh air."

"You look like you feel a lot better," Don noted. "Even sound that way."

"I do." Judy smiled.

"He wasn't holding your hand." Don said.

"But, he was." Judy said. "I felt him take my hand."

"He wasn't." he shook his hand. "Believe me. I saw him." Don said. "He tricked you into thinking he did." he shrugged. "But, it wasn't that bad of a trick compared to her tricks."

"It was." Judy agreed. "He didn't hold my hand. But, I kept it open." She thought it over. "And I could move it a bit."

"That made you feel good." Don said.

"It did." Judy said.

"He is good," Don said with a smile. "I am okay with him coming along. He has a good listening ear."

Don returned up front to the space van as Judy took another bite out of the beagle.