"You can relax, Maureen." Harris started. "I will make sure that your children remain unharmed."
Maureen held on to Judy's hand.
"Until you have to execute us," Maureen said. "Isn't that right?"
"I do intend to make it to Alpha Centauri so yes," Harris said. "That is a pressing issue on my mind."
"What do you intend to do to us?"
"There is a quick cure," Harris said. "I am taking the most convenient one of all."
Harris pointed toward Maureen then she was taken out of her daughter's hands and thrust into a tube. Harris embarked on to it as the door were closed to Maureen's pod. Judy went toward the pod breaking free of the grip of the royal guards then smacked her fist against it.
"Harris!" Maureen said. "No."
"It's the most preferable way." Harris said. "Extends your life span in this ship. . . but only for so long."
Judy turned then charged toward Harris but was caught as the older woman grinned.
The machines glowed once Judy was taken away and Maureen sunk into the tube landing to her side.
"Mom!" Judy called.
The door fell open and Judy was by her side.
"Much better." Harris said as plant like features began to appear on Maureen's features.
Maureen opened her eyes and smiled, planting a hand on the side of Judy's face, sharing a small smile.
"Are you okay?" Judy asked.
Maureen nodded then was brought into a hug by Judy.
Locksmith was sulking. Even weeping on and off from his carefully divided section of the living quarters from the rest of the others once the shuttle departed for the planet. The others were on shift as he sniffled and wiped the snot off using the handkerchief. He folded it and set it on to the counter alongside him with a another sob.
The pain hadn't left in the hours since retrieving the machine and it was difficult to control himself surrounded by people he couldn't exactly entirely trust. To lean on and fully immerse himself as a crew member. Sleeping should have done wonders for the pain but it did very little.
Yet, the pain from the loss lingered on. It hurt. It bit into him. The sudden crash of realization that he would make it back alone made his heart ache. And the pain renewed for him as he clenched on to leaves that sprouted from his chest. And he felt that everything below had fallen beneath him. He couldn't return empty handed.
Debbie would ease the pain but their protector was valuable equipment and last he checked; the necessary equipment was damaged by the attack. Most importantly, his diode tunnel timer was destroyed as were most of the chest cavity. The most important part of him that had survived the attack was his sensor tape and Robbie's internal parts.
"Dbbbbb."
Debbie lifted her head up from her small bed.
"Bbbbe struunng."
"Bloop!" Debbie grinned then gave a thumbs up.
Locksmith nodded with a smile.
"Guuu huuumme."
"Bloop." Debbie approached him grew concerned.
"Ooookkaaaay." Locksmith patted on her arm with a small smile. "Nu feer, Smith is hear. Sleeep."
Debbie went back to her made bed then Locksmith took off the support berth over the soil then slid it under the bed. He took off the boots with care and slide his fingers into the soil then lowered his head down including his torso to the soil. He flashed through the good, the bad, and the moments in between closing his eyes.
He felt from his chest that his chest roots were coming down into the soil with a sob and a sniffle. He hiccuped from the sorrow. He slipped his fingers inside the soil letting his fingers grow out. Locksmith dug his feet into the ground and relaxed closing his eyes as his figure changed with branches spreading out from his skin.
"Where is the creature?"
"In the quarters."
"No, it isn't."
"He isn't, you mean."
"Listen, I can deal with AI's have pronouns but a plant is a little too far fetched."
"Wait, what do you mean he isn't there?"
"He isn't there."
Don and Will bolted into the cabin then slid the curtain aside and spotted a raspberry bush in placement where he had once been. Adler joined them then stared on toward the bed that had a large bush being pollinated by the bees flying back and forth between their beehive and the raspberry bush. Will's eyes widened and Don's mouth fell.
"Is that what will happen to us if we . . ." Adler asked. "regrow?"
"Actually," Don said. "Yeah." He turned toward Adler. "Can't back out now. You're infected."
Adler took a few raspberries off.
"I wonder what kind of plant I will be mutating to." Adler popped a few berries.
"Don, what are we going to do?"
"Let's mess with him when we are a hour from the home planet. It may do some good for him as you know being without his friend for so long." Don picked up a note card from the nearby table. "P. S. Check the cookies."
"What cookies?" Adler asked.
"Cookies!" Will exclaimed.
The men bolted out of the cabin then Scarecrow wheeled toward the impressive bush, weakly, looking on in curiosity and the scent of freshly baked cookies hung in the air.
"Will, Director Adler, are you watching night of the living dead in that room?" Don asked, leaning against the door frame of the cabin room.
Will was progressing quickly compared to Don, sprouting like a weed, changing before his very eyes gaining hedge like qualities with sharp branches that stood out from his skin. Don hadn't quite gotten completely covered in leaves but his skin was turning a dark shade of brown and his hair had become sharp elongated leaves. Don's skin bore reminders to bark in a odd kind of way a way a week after infection. And Adler was covered in thin layer of vines with bright green skin.
"Yes." Will asked.
"Without company?" Don asked.
"Here." Will pointed toward the plant. "Not dead."
"Not dead at all." Don then winced. "But, it feels like he is." Don took another bite out of the cookie.
Will and Adler looked toward Don in envy.
"What?" Don asked. "You can't eat cookies?"
Will nodded.
"That son of a gun forced himself to eat cookies! I knew it! I knew it!"
Will laughed.
"Defiant," Adler said. "That machine must have been his tether keeping him standing as a human."
"How are going to keep him standing?"
Will picked up a padd and wrote down on it then showed it to Don.
"We go there in this form? I doubt anyone would be treating us like humans after we resurrect and let us take the other B-9's shell."
"Not steal," Adler said. "Smuggle. Aren't you good at it?"
"If I don't look like this." Don gestured toward himself. "Yeah, I am good at it."
"Only problem," Adler said. "If we are going to resurrect. . . who is going to put us inside of the ship and properly regrow?"
"One of them." Don motioned toward the two alien robots watching Herbie. "Let them decide."
"Ask." Will said. "Don."
"That painful for you to move your tongue, now?" Don asked, concerned earning a nod then he looked toward the bush. "That man is increasingly stubborn when it comes to speaking." Will had a short laugh that eased away the distressing feelings about the situation.
"How long until we get there?" Adler asked.
"Another week." Don said. "I will ask them."
"Join?" Will held up a bowl of popcorn.
"Sure!" Don said then went over toward the robots and paused the film. "Hey folks; we need your help for a very significant part of this mission."
Rodney flew away from the attacking aliens.
"Penny, hold on!" John ordered. "Put the helmet on!"
Rodney twirled the craft away from the chasing royal fighters.
"I got it!" Penny said.
"Where are we going, Rodney?" John asked.
Rodney stared on toward the black hole as the life support systems were damaged by the ensuing attack. Don slipped down the helmet and clung on to the railing alongside Penny as they tried to hold on. The ship flung from side to side with groaning being heard in the large and roomy space. John looked up toward the machine that had its long arms connected into the console.
"Hiding." Rodney replied. "Danger will not continue to chase you."
And the craft flew in then hid inside then it turned around facing the outside.
John and Penny's hearts raced watching as the crafts quickly flew from side to side.
"How long will it take for them to leave?" John asked.
"In a few minutes." Rodney replied.
"Outside, Rodney." Penny said.
"Weeks." Rodney replied.
"There is the Jupiter 2!" Penny announced.
"Negative. There were too many lifeforms that do not account for your family. We must wait." Rodney looked toward John. "Trust me. It is a trap."
"I trust you." John said.
"So do I." Penny said.
Patiently, they waited for the enemy occupied Jupiter 2 to leave watching it stray from side to side.
John prayed the others were okay.
"Doctor Smith."
It was dark and warm and cozy.
"Doctor Smith."
Who was trying to wake him up? He didn't want to leave the comforting dark.
"Doctor Smith."
The voice was high pitch and hadn't quite grown that much-William.
"Doctor Smith. Can you hear me?"
His eyes flashed open then he lifted himself up from the dark and caught sight of the distant figure in his silver space suit complete with gloves on and a helmet. He looked taller than how Smith had last seen him. The height of a young adult by all accounts standing up to Smith's shoulder even closer.
But, he looked just the way that Smith imagined the boy would be as a adult. As the adult that he was in the heart. Smith grew a tearful grin then briefly covered his mouth with both hands with a audible gasp feeling warmth at seeing a old and familiar friend. His knees started to buckle. However, he defied the buckling then went after the younger man.
"William!" He started to jog on with a grin. "William!"
Smith ran on after Will.
"You can hear me." Will said.
"Course, I can!" Smith said.
"Don't over exert yourself, Doctor Smith." Will warned.
But each time that he ran, the young man remained further away from him. All until the older man had to pause then lower himself down to his knees then fall with his hands on the floor. He sniffled, shaking his head, lowering his head down toward the ground and closed his eyes that were releasing tears while he were hunched over. He took out his handkerchief from his zipper pocket and dabbed at the tears.
"William. . ." Smith struggled to say. "I lost our dear friend."
"Come on," Will folded his arms as his distant high pitch voice became deeper yet got closer and it sounded kind. "You are really going to stop there because Robot doesn't have a body?"
"I can't come back empty handed." Smith shook his head. "It's better than being exiled forever by the professor."
His voice was small and defeated, sorrowfully, as if the attack had taken out the last of his optimism as he slipped away the handkerchief into his pocket. The boy wasn't a boy but a young man with a maroon, bright green, and yellow themed uniform with his hands linked behind his back who started to look aside, ruefully. He is older than how I remembered, Smith acknowledged. And the nagging feeling that he were outliving the Robinsons returned to his gut in the most disturbing way possible.
"Dad would be angry at you for losing Robot. . ." Will admitted.
"The only hope I have left is to leave a legacy that will be left behind." Smith said, softly.
"As a raspberry bush, Doctor Smith?" Will's tone was incredulous as he raised his brows.
Smith lowered his head and fumbled with his hands.
"Yes." He became quiet. "I should have fought harder to prevent the station from exploding."
It was quiet between them as the younger man pitied him.
"That isn't a legacy capable of out living you." Will shook his head.
"You would have been there with him if I had let you waste time." Smith changed the subject with his eyes on his hands. "Losing you and him; forever." Smith winced looking down toward the dark. "I could never have a chance of being accepted back to the family with that."
"You still have a chance, Doctor Smith, and so does Robot." Will said. "It's not the end."
"Oh, my dear boy, I fear that it is." Smith raised his attention up, nostalgically, but sadly, with some warmth in his reply of a time that had gone by. "Our golden age is ending. I know it. I feel it."
"Why do you think that there isn't a shell that you can move Robot right into?"
"He doesn't exist here." Smith said.
"He has started existing when you came to their world." Will said.
Smith raised his head up as his gaze looked up.
"How do you know?" Smith asked.
Will began to smile with a chuckle.
"I have my sources." Will said then shook his hands. "I can't give them up."
"Hmm. . ."
"The Doctor Smith of this universe is working out all the kinks. All you need to do is modify the internals with Robbie's left over tech and he will be good as new."
"Does he look like himself?" Smith asked.
"Sure, he does." Will replied. Will reached out then took the older man's hand and he was there. His hand felt real to Smith, hard, squeezing his hand. Smith returned the squeeze then was yanked up to his feet by the younger man. "You just have to trust me as your light house to lead you there."
"My light house?" Smith bobbed his head up as his eyes flashed open facing Will.
"Who or what did you think was manipulating what color your eyes were seeing this entire time?" Will asked, incredulously.
"I thought it were the universe." Smith said. "I can't go back." he shook his head. "Not being able to speak clearly." He let go of Will's hand then walked back folding his arms then looked down and turned away. "How would we be able to talk that way, William?"
"We would find a way."
"You have seen me."
"It is not bad for a mutation, Doctor Smith. And you still retain control over your faculties."
"I feel there is no cure to my ailment. I can't live forever as a alien. I want to die the same way I entered this world; a human!" he stretched his arms and spun toward Will. "Is that too much to ask?"
Will smiled, in sympathy, then put his hands on Smith's shoulders.
"I know you can do it, Doctor Smith." Will said. "You have to wait a little longer for the cure. Just a little longer."
"How can I wait for it?" Smith asked, uncertain. "When one of the people I trust isn't there for the next leg of it."
"Just because you can't see them doesn't mean they are not there, Doctor Smith." Will replied with a smile.
"You have been there all along?" Smith asked.
"Watching, " then Will laughed, putting his hands on his hips, bemused. "and laughing."
"I have the most kindest imagination assuring me." Smith said. "Or the most kind omniscient omnipotent being trying to help me back home." He smiled, fondly, warmly back at Will. "My dear friend is not God. But, he has a very high ESP rating."
"Better." Will said, shaking his head. "You have a friend helping you along the way, Doctor Smith." He squeezed the side of the older man's shoulder. "A stranger doing this would only make it more frightening."
Smith smiled back then the dark proceeded to lighten up as everything around them became white and blinding.