The small group arrived to the tunnel. Penny picked up a torch then lit on fire. She lead the charge on into the tunnel then they followed her down into the mine. Will looked around as Locksmith held on to the boy's shoulder looking around with one hand clenching on to his stomach.

They paused in the middle of the trek as they got deeper into the mine that had transitioned into a natural made tunnel. The older man frowned at the sound of two other stomachs grumbling at once. With little provocation, he picked off berries off his figure and dropped them into a pile on the ledge beside him. Once he were done with that, he slid the raspberries into his hand and faked a cough drawing their attention.

"Treats, my dears?"

"Oh, Doctor Locksmith!" Penny said. "You didn't have to."

"Au contraire, I did." Locksmith grinned. "Have some. I have enough for everyone."

"Aren't you hungry?" Will asked.

"Not anymore." Locksmith said. "I have little appetite."

"We are going to fix that," Will said. "Somehow, but we will."

"Will is a very strong word," Locksmith said. "My dear children, don't make promises that you can't keep."

"I can keep this promise." Will said as he popped a raspberry into his mouth. "I know that I can."

Locksmith smiled and watched as the children ate the large catch of berries. Locksmith shrieked then stumbled back.

"Oh no! Nooo! Nooo!"

"Doctor Locksmith-" Will turned then dropped was left of the raspberries.

Penny turned her attention on to what was ahead of them.

"Oh hell."

A large creature with a red glowing head and slices of a furnace grill stood out against the dark. Penny dropped the torch with a thud then they began to run in the dark heading for the exit of the tunnel. The creature chased after them firing blast after blast that struck the walls. They sprinted for the opening of the tunnel. Locksmith collapsed to the ground then turned and faced the oncoming creature as the children ran on without him. He shrieked, cowering, shielding himself then Will came back and grabbed him by the shirt collar.

From outside of the tunnel, Don heard their screams then went to the detonator and watched for them with his hand on the handle. Will and Penny came out supporting the man up to his feet with a limp.

"No need to fear, your badass princess is here to kill the dragon!"

Don smacked down the detonator as they crashed to the ground and a loud roar erupted from the mine.

The older man panted then lifted himself up as the children began to prop themselves up.

"Are you okay, Will?" Penny asked.

"I am okay." Will said. "You?"

"Fine." Penny said.

"Ah, thank you, Don." Locksmith said. "You're a life saver."

Don grinned.

"Glad you think so, Doc." Don helped the man up to his feet. "It's all in the days work of being a wandering princess."

Locksmith's eyes flashed open.

"If you call yourself a princess then I am a tall dragon!"

"And Will is the monk who is writing down all my valiant tales against alien dragons," Don said.

"Have you met a talking dragon before?"

"No, wait. Don't tell me that there are talking dragons."

"Gravely, it seems to be the case."

"So, their mouths move?"

"Indeed."

"When they talk?"

"Humanoid dragons, humanoid dragons."

"So, Malificent?"

"Who is . . . Malificent?"

"A woman with horns and wings from Sleeping Beauty. You might call it Morning Head."

"With the head of a dragon?"

"No."

Locksmith shook his head.

"Then no."

Don was silenced as he was staring at the older man in confusion and shock.

"Doctor Locksmith," Penny said. "Let's go throw some pebbles."

"Sounds pleasant." Locksmith walked past the man heading after the children.

"All in a days work of slaying a alien robot." Will said.

Don slid his jaw up and his brows lowered.

"YOU MEAN A LITERAL DRAGON head ON A HUMAN BODY?" Don turned toward the older man

Locksmith paused then turned toward the younger man.

"Yes." Locksmith replied with a smirk. "Princess West."

Locksmith turned away then walked on.

"Then that makes me a literal Disney princess with Debbie." Don said in realization then began to stroll back toward the shuttle.

Locksmith and the children arrived to a lake then found themselves a collection of pebbles. They picked up pebble after pebble then began to throw them on to the surface of the water and watched them go off. Locksmith watched aside on a wooden log behind them. He picked up some pebbles then tossed them from afar and the children laughed at how far his pebble flew on past them.

Their laughter was so infectious enough to summon grins. The hour at the lake waned by Locksmith as the pain in his throat and stomach worsened. His eyes flashed open at the introduction of a old familiar feeling. A strange feeling came through his gut. It was the unmistakable gut feeling that he had only got a few times in his life and they were not often. It registered in his head as he looked aside. The feeling of the end. He lifted himself up then began to wander away.

"Doctor Locksmith, where are you going?"

"To the shuttle." Locksmith said.

"Do you need help?" Penny asked.

"I can do this, my dear girl." Locksmith assured. "Your heart is in the right place."

"See you later." Penny said.

"See you," Locksmith said with a wave and a small smile. "Later."

Will picked up a pebble then tossed it into the distance.

"Penny," Will said. "What if we find the help that he needs if we get to those people who chase us here?"

"That would be ironic." Penny said. "A very good case of it."

"And incredibly light." Will agreed. "It would be nice to have allies for a change."

"I got a feeling that if we get allies then we will be heading to Alpha Centauri." Penny said. "The best kind of allies."

"And school." Will said. "Do you miss that?"

"Not really." Penny said. "School is part of civilization."

"And so are other kids." Will said. "I guess it is not so bad to go back to school with that in mind."

"It isn't." Penny agreed. "The best part is that you get to make friends that you can keep."

Will laughed then tossed his pebble afar.

"A lot of friends that aren't separated from me by thousands of light years." Will said. "That I won't miss about living in space."

"Me too." Penny tossed hers afar. "Me too."

Locksmith walked through the treeline going further until he were out of their peripheral vision going further from the direction of the space shuttle. He continued trudging forward as it grew darker around him looking from side to side. Locksmith tripped over a tree root then fell to his feet then slid himself over to his back with a groan. His stomach felt so full.

If this was how it felt to be producing life in a woman's stomach during pregnancy, he pitied them. The actions of the women that he had been fortunate to give a ultra sound over were all indicators that they were blissfully happy with the development of a human being made inside of them. He slid further under a tree then collapsed and curled himself into a ball. His eyes squeeze shut and waited for the end in the noisy dark.

He heard the familiar sound of treads rolling after him then come to a screeching halt.

"I need your help." B-9 said.

Locksmith sighed then lifted himself up from underneath the tree and frowned.

"My stomach isn't well. . ." Locksmith said. "Who is the one who needs the help?"

"A new visitor." B-9 replied. "They are trapped in the mine."

"The mine-" His blue eyes widened. "Ninny! They were meant to be trapped."

"If we help them out of their pickle then we stand a chance at getting someone with power and motive to help us get home." B-9 explained.

"Help me up." Locksmith requested. "Please."

B-9 held out a claw then helped the old man up to his feet.

"Take a ride on me, old buddy." B-9 said.

Locksmith was carefully guided on to B-9's back then he slumped forward With a uneasy feeling plaguing his mind.

B-9 rolled on.

It was dark in the tunnel with little sound and damaged equipment for the creature. The ultra sonic communication was gone before their claws. Were they ever going to return? The alien robot wasn't sure but doubted that the newcomer would come back.

Suddenly, they heard rocks being shuffled aside then light poured upon the trapped alien robot. The alien robot tilted their head seeing the older man before their visor scowling. Before Locksmith's eyes, the creature became highlighted in color and the bright helm turned to a alarming red. Locksmith grinned.

"You're right, booby!" Locksmith said. "They can help us!"

"They are in color?" B-9's helm bobbed up.

"Yes," Locksmith nodded, rapidly, yet excitedly throwing his hands up. "they are!"

"This is incredible, Doctor Smith." B-9 said. "I did not expect them to play a part in going home."

"Neither did I!" Smith said. "Oh dear. My stomach feels worse than how this started."

"Can you continue plowing him out of the tunnel?" B-9 asked.

"We have been at this for several hours," Smith said. "One more hour can't hurt."

"If your back doesn't really give out." B-9 replied.

His bright blue eyes flashed open.

"BAH HUM BUG!"

Smith resumed in throwing away the rock with steady speed and care.

Forty-nine minutes later, featuring the duo trading barbs, the older man hunched over and fell to the side with a groan. Robot resumed in freeing the organic machine tossing rock after rock over his chassis. The alien machine slid out of the rubble then walked on all fours, similar to a gorilla, staring at the environmental machine. A red light extracted out of the head then scanned B-9 from helm to treads. The light retreated from B-9 back into the helm of the alien machine. The alien machine changed in a matter of moments before B-9's sensors.

The four robot arms slid into each other gaining a spiral like theme to them as the arm sockets moved to the front half of the chest, their head became a v-shaped cradle for the circular smooth and bubble shaped red head within it with a grill above it, a neck collar formed along beneath the head with a light gray panel highlighting over the chest compartment and had long humanoid legs.

"You are welcome." B-9 replied then held out a can of motor oil and a rag. "Be a pal and do a favor; clean me."

The strange alien robot complied then cleaned off the rust and the dirt decorating B-9's figure. B-9 oooed and aaawed at the thorough clean up with his long black arms extended throwing in requests to be dug in further in the clean up. The alien robot continued this for roughly a hour until the task was completed. Then with a clack of the red claws, the rag and the motor oil was gone. B-9 turned toward the alien robot then toward it.

"Protect him, please." B-9 said. "I appreciate you being a friend in this troubling time for him."

The alien robot tilted their bobbed but cradled head.

"I do not have the medical sensors to determine what is happening in his stomach."

The alien robot pointed toward Smith.

"Despite what he has done in the past," B-9 whirred toward the older man. "He has made up for it." he turned back toward alien robot. "A eternity in a time loop."

The alien robot turned toward Smith.

"Does this compute?"

The alien robot lowered their helm.

"Good." B-9 replied. "Don't let him out of your sight."

The alien robot twirled their helm.

"Thank you." B-9 whirred away then rolled on.

The alien robot stood over the slumped figure of the Earth man this way for several hours at a time.

"Where is your friend?" John asked, once B-9 returned to the campsite.

"He is taking a nap." B-9 explained.

"Where?" John asked.

"With my friend." B-9 said.

"What friend?" Will asked. "There is only us and . . ."

"I call him Rodney." B-9 said.

"Who is Rodney?" Penny asked.

"Just the alien that you trapped this morning." B-9 replied. "And I freed them."

"Where did you leave them?" Maureen said.

"At the tunnel." B-9 said.

"B-9, you stay." John said. "Don, Judy, and I will get him. . . if you like to be part of the charge, Maureen, I won't mind."

"Retrieving people is your specialty," Maureen wiggled her spoon back at John. "I am in the specialty of making things."

"Hmm, okay." John said. "Suit yourself. We might have a friend or a enemy when we get back. I am hoping a friend."

Judy came back out with the medical kit.

"Let's go." Don said. "We got the doctor in the field!"

Don went after Judy taking along the laser pistol and the laser pistol belt that she handed off to him then Don followed.

The alien robot watched as the older man flung himself forward then began to flee from them unexpectedly in the dark. He sprinted ahead of the alien robot. The alien robot methodically walked after the older man with long range sensors set on him. He walked after the fleeing older man with consistently planned steps wasting no energy in chasing him.

The older man came to the center of the forest then fell to his knees and put his hands on the ground feeling something blocking his throat. He coughed at first, squeezing his eyes shut, facing toward the ground. Locksmith hacked, and hacked, and hacked feeling a rush of panic and fear and uncertainty with a struggle to breathe.

He looked up spotting the strange mechanical organism with a familiar head approaching him.

He smacked his fist against his chest.

"Hh-h-h-h-he-h-h-h-help me, you disastrous ninny!" Smith screamed with difficulty between the blockage. "Don-d-d-d-don't just stand there and do NOTHING!"

Smith coughed into his fist then lowered his gaze.

"Get this pain over with!" Smith demanded, clearly, as the alien creature began to draw closer then knelt down to his side. "Ppp-p-p-p-p-p-please!" The alien creature raised their claw above his chest. "spare me of this continued suffering."

A hard smack to the back sent the blockage out into his mouth and Smith collapsed to his chest with widened eyes. The alien robot slid the man on to his back over the older man's whimpering.

He could breathe, again. He had a moment of relief but his throat was soar and his stomach still ached. The newly sprouted object tasted like metal with smooth edges around the sphere bulb and a long connective tube down his throat that wasn't quite large as the blockage.

Smith struggled to scream as he felt a layer of metal crawl up and down his skin.

He started to cry, paralyzed, weak and helpless unable to move.

The three long silver claws grasped him by the hand.

They were silent in the mist of terror but there was one sentiment that eased him and caused him to relax.

Strange, how the man was crying despite being not alone. It didn't compute as their rescuer had said. Why?

The alien robot detected traces of fear, uncertainty, and anguish in the Earth man's mind.

He blacked out as the rounded device raised up then metal extended from its edges spreading out with the primary metal turning to long tubes that entered his veins and around his mouth similar to a oxygen mask. Within the following moments, it was engulfing him into a pod and the pod turned to brown. It became coated in grass within the next moment. The alien robot bobbed their helm up. The alien machine withdrew their claw and the small hole that had been made was gone in a matter of seconds.

They were staring down upon the unusual large mound, turning to their wild and untamed form, walking around, with four claws aimed toward it and their grill glowed red off and on as they surveyed the mound. The sensors of the alien machine indicated it was a long term stasis pod made of organic matter and metal.

"Protect him," the plea echoed in the alien's mind. "Please."

The alien machine raised up while looming over the rock keeping a eye out.

"Warning." came a familiar but more human and deep voice from the counterpart similar to B-9 that sharply contrasted against Robot's voice. "Alien life form is approaching."

They raised their long tube like arms and sent a wave of electricity that frightened off the life form.

The buck fled from the mound as the alien robot returned to their environmental changed form.

"Doctor Locksmith!" Don called. "Doctor!"

"Doctor Locksmith!" John called as they walked on past.

"Locksmith!" Judy called.

"Come out, come out, come out wherever the hell you are!" Don called.

"Dad, I feel that he isn't here." Judy said.

"We will search for one more hour," John said. "If we don't find them then we go home."

"We will find him." Don assured. "We found him without intending to. We will do that with him alive in the morning if we don't find him tonight."

"I hope he is." Judy said. "I just hope that he hasn't gone down deep enough that we can't find him and we find him as a corpse under a tree."

"We won't." John said, grimly. "We will find him as a bush. First bush we see is him."

"Doctor Locksmith!" Judy called as they grew distant. "Doctor Locksmith!"