"Everything is handled, captain."

"Perfectly handled?" Radic asked.

"Aye," was confirmed by a nod. "sir."

"Then I expect to find this ship in tact when I wake up." Radic said.

The first officer stifled back a laugh in bemusement at the captain's comment.

"What could possibly happen from now to the time we wake up?" the first officer asked.

Radic grimaced facing the first officer.

"A lot." Radic said.

Radic put himself on to the platform then turned toward the first officer.

"Hit it."

And Radic joined the rest of the souls aboard in cryo.

Will and Don waited in the shuttle for the return of the older man as Judy and Maureen waited for the effort to be over. B-9 rolled alongside Locksmith with Adler in attendance then it was abrupt what happened next. The Resolute trembled loudly with the lights fading on and off.

Will came out of the doorway to the shuttle in his spacesuit and spotted the group down the very end of the hall,

"Run!" Will shouted.

"Nnnyyy! Engfff!"

"I will get it!" B-9 fled down the corridor behind them.

"Everyone, there is a cryo chamber that is free!" Adler shouted

The Resolute shook from side to side then Will crashed back into the shuttle and Don shut the door then detracted out of the resolute and the air lock door closed behind the boy as the group began to make a run for it away from the corridor. The wall behind them broke apart with several strikes sending a few of the members flying out without much of a sound.

Locksmith swung his shackles forward wrapping them toward what few people that he could catch and swung them down the corridor.

Then Adler yanked the creature back with him into the corridor as the leader of the group set in a code into a panel.

"Are you activating the defense grid?" Adler asked.

"Uh huh." replied the first officer.

"Hurry!" cried the second officer.

"We're not going to make it." Adler voiced his thoughts over the whimpering creature looking out.

"Adler, we are going to make it." was the irritated reply.

"I got a distinct feeling that we won't."

The ship was trembling and shaking with each blow as outside the Jupiter 2 departed the Resolute then chased after the craft leading the attack and it fired back rounds of rockets. Locksmith looked out the window spotting the silent fight in space. A blast struck through the window shattering the material and cracking the binds that restrained Locksmith. The blast was at first a loud sound. But, as time went on, it became a vacuum. And he wrapped his binds around a pipe standing out of of the wall.

Locksmith watched with widened eyes under the leaves as the Jupiter 2 became immobilized with laser burns decorating her hull and the lights inside of the Jupiter 2 were flickering.

"Nnnnno."

From the bridge of the shuttle, the men reacted.

"Mom!"

"Judy!"

Will watched in horror as it unfolded before his eyes then the craft above it sent a blast that there were returned by the activated forcefield that flung the shots back at the craft and a defense grid popped up from the side. The defense grid fired back at the craft that was attacking the Resolute.

Locksmith's binds were broken by the blasts then he shrieked under the mouth clamp being stung by pain. He started to fall from the pipe with widened eyes observing that the binds that kept him in place were gone. And he couldn't breathe. He started to choke while falling back feeling the cold eat away the greenery. His free elbow flailed watching the remains of his arm shrivel and turn to black before his eyes floating on past him.

No.

Locksmith hit something then he was sent flying into the corridor flying through the generated forcefield with a scream.

Nooo!

The shuttle craft came closer to the hole then opened a door while it had slid back in through the weak doorway in the forcefield over the trembling of the ship as the Jupiter 2 became immobilized by the attacking vessel falling into the tractor beam of the craft above. The creature fell through the corridor with a long terrified and frightened but helpless scream.

THIS IS WORSE!

Adler came out of a doorway then reached out catching a grip onto the man's thorny arm.

"I got you!" Adler shouted. "Bush monster!"

"Heeeellppp!" Locksmith cried. "Heeeeeelp! Heeelp me!"

Adler got his feet along the doorway as the ship trembled and shook from side to side.

"I am trying!" Adler replied. "Ow! Ow! oW! Your fingers are digging into me!"

"What fingers?" Locksmith managed to groan.

Adler looked down then saw it was the man's bush roots and he let go of the thorny arm with terrified eyes.

"Holy shit!" Adler exclaimed.

Adler crawled away, yanking the roots out of his arms, paying no attention to the creature sliding out of his line of vision including the officer's.

"Heeelp!" Locksmith cried.

One of the officers turned on the cryo-platforms then they began to get on as Adler put his back against the wall looking at his stinging wounds as Locksmith screamed distantly. From outside, the firefight continued until large crafts appeared around the Resolute then the smaller one fled with the Jupiter 2 in tow. Will looked on recognizing the crafts then grinned in response as did Don.

"It's the Bargins." Will said as he and Don grinned. "The people we helped out on Grandstand did come through after all."

Don picked up the radio.

"This is Don West," Don said. "Acting commander of the shuttle. Over. We owe you, big time!"

The creature hit the wall then collapsed losing consciousness. He remained there for several minutes being limp and unresponsive began to float. The lighting in the ship faded then upon the back up generator kicking on, the light returned. Will floated through the corridor to the ship and found the older man on the ground.

Will lifted the man weightlessly to his feet then strapped a arm along his shoulder and grasped on his arm.

"You're okay." Will said. "I am here."

The older man's head was lowered as he was escorted out of the corridor and back down toward the waiting shuttle.

"Urgh. . ." Locksmith groaned.

Will flew on toward the shuttle as Don came to the edge of the doorway in which the other officers were. He brushed passed the mechanic with the older man looming slightly forward very unconscious. Don stopped Will in his tracks.

"Gimmie that."

Don yanked the clamp off the man's face then Locksmith raised his head up, briefly conscious, wincing beneath the leaves.

"Tharrrr hurrrr." Locksmith groaned.

"It is going to be okay, Doctor Locksmith." Will assured.

Robot wheeled behind the duo on the ground carrying the large engine between his claws and Don tossed aside the clamp then inputted a command.

Locksmith was dropped in a chair in front of the entrance.

"I am here!" Robot cried.

Locksmith grinned leaning forward coming to life.

"Booby!"

Will looked toward the source of the voice.

"On my way." B-9 said.

Don smiled then went into the doorway and a left over space weapon tore through the wall and struck B-9 then the door behind him locked.

"BOOBY!" Locksmith screamed.

His scream echoed down the corridor.

"SSNNOOR APPE! APPEE! APPEE!" Locksmith screamed, frantically. "SENSOR APE!"

Will quickly put on his helmet then closed the door behind him.

"I will get it!" Will replied. "I will get the sensor tape! Is that what you want?" Locksmith knocked on the door rapidly with a whine. "I will get it!"

Will swung himself forward using the railing as his support and found the large chassis that were halfway destroyed save for the bottom half.

"Is it here?" Will asked.

Locksmith beckoned him on.

And Will returned as Don checked the wounds of Adler.