The bleeding had been well taken care of temporarily but needed professional medical work on them to fully repair the wounds decorating Gampu. The Battle Sick Bay had most of the medicine out of Peepo's reach. The lower cabinets proved useful in retrieving pain killers to lessen the pain. The smoke from the stations had died down by the automatic cooling systems being reinstated. The room was dark if not for the light during warp pouring inside. The light blue light poured over Peepo's figure. It was a unique scene observing from the view screen. There was a tall machine set beside Gampu's left side that had a large computer screen tilted down toward his direction that gave a good view of his face. The machine had a long cable connected to the large panels.
"Peepo to Academy Control, can you read me?"
Peepo waited a full minute.
"Peepo to Academy Control, Peepo to Academy Control," there was was nothing. "Peepo to Academy Control, do you read me?"
There was still silence from the other side of the line.
"Prepare for extended emergency beacon," Peepo said. "Academy Control, there are no causalities in Command Control. There are no causalities in Command Control. I repeat, there are no casualties in Command Control. Remain calm, Dragos and his army will be distracted for the next week."
Peepo sent the long distance emergency message into the void.
"Ready, Commander Gampu?" Peepo said, moving toward Gampu's side.
"Ready as I will ever be," Gampu replied, his aged blue eyes shifting toward the machine.
Peepo applied the life support badge on to the elder's wrist including a few floor paneling magnets on to portions of his body. The white wrist watch like device with a red centered item that determined the length of oxygen left inside seemed to click around Gampu's wrist. Time was incredibly precious for Peepo.
"You . . . you . . . you don't need to do that," Gampu said.
"I was made to ensure my charges survive, Commander Gampu," Peepo's deep baritone voice became prominent. "Taking you with me is not a option."
Gampu closed his eyes then reopened them with a subtle smile.
"Peepo," Gampu said, bemused. "When I said you don't need to do that, I meant that in a different way," he let go of a pained sigh. "I can feel the pipes going through my legs."
Peepo moved toward Gampu's side.
"I did not realize it went through that deep," Peepo said.
The floating planetoid half came to a stop from Dragos's army.
"We are there," Gampu said, moving his hands to his lap with a knowing gaze.
Peepo moved toward the screen.
"Starfire 1 is being taken in by Dragos," Peepo said. "Command Control to Starfire 1, do you read me?"
"Starfire 1 here!" Jason said. "It's good to hear you. How are the others?"
"They are in good health," Peepo said.
"Good news," Jason said, relieved.
"Commander Gampu is with me," Peepo said.
"Jason!" Gampu said. "It's good to hear your voice."
"Commander Gampu?" Jason said. "Why are you not with the cadets?"
"The cadets are handling themselves and the civilians quite well," Peepo continued, as the screen began to sizzle. "They are in the mist of making their escape plan from the other side of the time warp. Commander Stone is being watched over by several trusted individuals until he gets well again. Sam and Parsafoot will shortly be found."
"Time warp. . ." Jason said.
"I lived it, Jason," Peepo said. "And they are all worried about you."
"Keep the fort up, Jason," Gampu said. "The academy will send the finest cadets after you."
"Ora-" Jason was cut off on the screen.
"Peepo," Gampu said. "Start the transmission."
"Oraco," Peepo said. "Mobile communication station has been activated."
"Command Control to Dragonship," Gampu called. "Command Control to Dragonship."
From the screen appeared Dragos.
"Commander Gampu," Dragos said, with a laugh. "Commander Gampu!" His eye boggled. "You should be dead."
"You should be back in that alternate universe, Dragos," Gampu said. "Where you belong."
"Most of my new allies came from that alternate universe," Dragos said. "I was fortunate. No Star Galactic, no Federation, no Star Command, no Space Academy, no Jason, or any of your intrusive colleagues," a smile grew on his face. "it was fun to regain my footing and my reign. My enemies were few and publishable. Rebellions crushed with a single thumb. Resistance killed off by mere drones."
"Don't let me intrude on your victory lap," Gampu said. "I am on a disadvantage and you are more than supplied. . ."
"And?" Dragos asked.
"I like to offer you a chase," Gampu said. "You and your army. Simple. Cat and mouse. You have more than enough fuel for that, do you?"
"Yes," Dragos said. "Makes it the even more satisfying."
"So do I," Gampu said. "I will prepare for flight in five minutes. Command out." Gampu watched the screen become black. "Peepo, the ship is yours."
"Oraco," Peepo said. "Hold on to the floor!"
Command Control flew out of sight followed by Dragos's army except for one last spaceship turning toward the void very deliberately. Command Control spun in a circle around a distant super planet slowly then picked up speed when being followed by the army until they had vanished into space leaving only the memory of their flight behind. The camera went in to the last spaceship that was colorful and bright jumping right into the eyes of strangers. Medusa seemed to be interested with her hands on her scepter that was leaned forward in front of her throne. The spaceship slipped into the void that made a ripple effect seen only by the stars briefly blinking.
Gampu's classroom had turned into a makeshift headquarters for blue team 1. In front of the normally big screen was several chalkboards varying in different parts of keeping everyone alive from figuring out how to make enough rations to feed thousands of people, a ruse that lowered Dragos's guard, who would be capable of providing repairs to certain aspects of the academy, how many Star Seekers could be made and used should they be necessary. They were lacking in Starfires but had only limited Star Seekers. Chris stepped aside from the last board then stepped back.
"Adrian, you and Professor Sunseed's plan to have floors of food in the solar domes should work out," Chris said. "Tomatoes, watermelons, strawberries, lettuce, and the excessive space bees that we were moving to the space farms. . ." he tapped on the palm of his hand. "And using the urine tanks to water them then we are good to go for the next two weeks."
Chris turned toward the group who shared nods.
"I like the part about the rock ladder," Laura said, then turned her attention toward Adrian. "How did you make a rock ladder?"
"It is-was a personal project of mine," Adrian said. "Just had to speed it up and find more rocks on the planet surface. A simple case of super glue, some volunteering cadets, and a overseeing Commander is all it took."
"Good work," Chris said.
Tee Gar cleared his throat.
"Speaking of our friend Zachary," Tee Gar said. "I have a little hunch."
Chris looked in concern.
"What kind of hunch?" Chris asked.
"The hunch that I needed a test to lay it to rest," Tee Gar said. "The last five hours I have been convinced of something that shouldn't be," the camera pressed on as Tee Gar placed the side of his hand on the table. "That couldn't be possible since what we know is that it must have happened during a authorized mission."
"And, what did the tests come back as?" Chris asked.
"Commander Gampu and Doctor Smith are one and the same," Tee Gar said.
"The same person . . ." Chris came over to the teacher's desk computer. "Computer, list the crew of the Jupiter 2."
"Professor John Robinson," The computer listed. "Doctor Maureen Robinson, Judith Robinson, Penelope Robinson, William Robinson, and Major Donald West."
"Computer, who oversaw their health when they were trained for space?" Chris asked.
"Colonel Doctor Zachary Smith," the computer replied.
There was silence in the room. Chris rubbed the back of his neck walking along the chalk boards. The group was processing the news that had exploded in their faces. It was as though the air in the room had been sucked out as was the mere ability to move in time leaving behind frozen cadets. It was only when they blinked and breathed did it stand a reminder that they were not statues. Chris folded his arms with his back against the wall.
"So he is a traitor," Paul said.
The word stung the group as it settled in.
"Was," Laura corrected.
"Right now in this time period," Paul said. "he is."
"We don't have a brig to hold him in and we don't have the authority treat him as a criminal," Laura said. "He may be responsible for the Jupiter going off course but not for the actual crash landing. What we need is to cooperate with him until we don't need to anymore."
"He is a stowaway," Paul said. "This isn't Commander Gampu."
"He isn't," Tee Gar agreed.
"Like that should be a reason to be mean?" Laura asked.
"No," Tee Gar said. "It should be a reason to be wary."
"The Robinsons exiled him," Paul continued. "Only people who betray a lot share that fate after those manipulated people have gone sick and tired of it." he shook his head. "I like to trust him, really, but this man is a whole new ball game and we don't know him as we do the commander. And people in this Earth time don't trust as easily."
There were nods shared among the group.
"He must be responsible for the Jupiter 2's crash landing on Preplanis," Paul continued. "Everyone trusted him with the lives of the Robinsons and he betrayed them. Do you really think that he has learned his lesson regarding betraying the good people?" there was silence in the room. "Anyone?" Paul looked around the silent room. "He is the type who betrays out of the highest price or if it were in his best interest."
"If we showed them for who he was," Chris finally started to say. "There would be panic, there would be fear, and there would be questioning if we are the right kind of people to lead them for the time being," Chris turned toward the group lowering his hand from his forehead. "The way I see it, however much I dislike it, we have to continue the ruse. People won't be thinking clearly if they knew the Commander is still up there with Dragos. People would be acting out of fear not out of courage and genuine doing it for others. If we told everyone, this academy would see a entire city put blame on the commander for this situation, maybe run the doctor out throwing things at him like a uncivilized mob made for violence, and our good friend Commander Gampu would become a . . ."
"Scapegoat," Tee Gar said.
"A scapegoat when these kinds of warnings make Planetary Command, Fleet Command, or any other Command roll their eyes because someone claims every year this is going to happen," Chris said. "The only one at fault in this situation is Dragos Evil." the words hung in the air. "Blaming Commander Gampu for something that he had no control over would ruin his career and be a waste of everyone's time."
"His career?" Tee Gar repeated. "Three people have died already! Cadet Masters, Cadet T'Paly, and Cadet Armstrongson. We shouldn't be concerned about his career, what we should be concerned is how they would treat him," Tee Gar paused. "And we all know that Planetary Command would ask for his resignation if they were told that he knew about it. He would never be allowed to teach in a public or private education place within the federation."
"He knew this was going to happen and he told no one," Adrian spoke up. "Not even Deputy Commander Stone. Commander Gampu is someone any Command would listen. It doesn't make sense."
Laura shook her head.
"None of it does," Laura agreed.
"We don't know what happens next but he does," Chris said, pointing up, with his hand on the discussion table. He faced the squad sitting at the rounded table. "Gampu might have thought we were from a alternate timeline where the academy was attacked. So with that information, he decided to get the right people and surround himself with them," he surveyed the silent group letting his words sink in. "How is Professor Allen, Tee Gar?"
"He is up and at 'em," Tee Gar said.
"And the civilians?" Chris asked.
"I got the civilians all packed up into their temporary quarters," he looked around the room. "In the next forty-five minutes, this is going to be a resting quarters for a thousand people," he looked toward Chris. "Picking me as the quarter master in case of emergencies like this one was a good choice. Most senior doctors wouldn't have handled this as well as I have. At least, the other doctors have said so."
Chris looked toward his sister.
"The only way to heal wounds like these is to have that ceremony the right way," Laura said. "The counseling professors are doing all that they can to help everyone through this."
"Tell me a good thing that you have done," Chris said.
"I spoke to the civilians, several of them, to let them talk," Laura said. "They are in better spirits."
"Better than we are," Paul said.
There was some smiles mixed with nods from the group.
"And I have been making sure that the counseling professors step aside and have some time to themselves to deal with the trauma. I had to give some of the counselors the order to not participate as they were in needs of medical attention," Laura observed the members of the group. "And I have been told that everyone here will be getting their time in the next few days."
"We all need some counseling," Paul said. "Even you, Laura."
"I will get my counseling after everyone in this group has," Laura said. "And you, Paul?"
"We have staked out some potential enemy targets," Paul said. "And some potential hiding places for the civilians and cadets. We even found um, uh, some undiscovered giants. Their language has never been recorded or heard before so contact was out of the question. Our linguistic cadets have been looking through the various recordings of ancient giants and so far we have come up empty. Now, they could communicate primarily through roars and body language which could give us a way of getting volunteers." Chris nodded, listening intently. "Instead of drawing the giants out like they are King Kong by using a cadet as bait and make them very angry for being used. It would be the best way possible without a cadet to sacrifice themselves and the space academy to destroy the army."
"Paul, it sounds like you got yourself a new language," Chris said.
"It does," Paul said. "But it has no syllables. And it will never be used in the federation."
"Which is why that turotises with spikes decorating their shell has been moved. . ." Chris stopped. "Yes, we found some native wildlife and put them into a improvised stasis for study. Tee Gar, is there any good news on your side of the front?"
"People are alive," Tee Gar said. "And you know the casualties."
"So far, we have got a series of plans of how this could go if Dragos attacks at any given time," Chris said. "And we have a growing food supply, our quarter master has housed and clothed the civilians, our parents are worried sick about us and terrified on what could happen next but we have to keep going because if we don't have a bright outlook for the future or not forgive people for their mistakes then we are not going to make it off this planet if we adopt the mind set of humanity in the 20th century!"
Loki appeared in the room.
"Chris!" Loki shouted. "Star Command sent a message!"
Chris came over then took the heavy rounded object from the young boy and placed it on to the table.
"What is wrong?" Loki asked.
"Nothing is wrong," Chris lied with a smile. "It's alright."
Chris pressed a button and the message played out.
"Academy Control, there are no causalities in Star Command."
There were sighs of relief in the room.
"We are very lucky," Adrian said, skeptical.
"He looked really hurt," Laura said, concerned.
"Who is hurt?" Loki asked.
Laura came over then knelt down to him.
"Gampu is," Laura said. "He is going to be okay."
"You can't knock down the commander so easily," Chris said, humorously. A grin appeared on the boy's face. "Gampu is staring down the black raven while chastising them for coming so early that it goes away leaving him be until help arrives."
"We will see Gampu when we get off this planet," Laura assured Loki, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"And Dragos is going to be taken in for a lot of crimes," Chris said.
"Remain calm, Dragos and his army will be distracted for the next week."
"A week?" Laura stood up in alarm. "I don't know about that, Chris."
Chris turned toward the chalkboard analyzing it to a degree.
"Enough time to make repairs to the planetoid and forty-three battle seekers," Chris said. "We can send ten people at a time from Preplanis to the other planet through the time warp. Now, that won't be enough. I propose we use the drone system that Professor Parsafoot has been working on and overwhelm the army then jump into warp to Federation territory."
Tee Gar stood up.
"We would need Parsafoot to modify it for Battle Seekers," Tee Gar said. "I can start on making them but they wouldn't be good as Parsafoot's."
"Samantha and Parsafoot may have crash landed on Preplanis in the last few hours," Chris said. "If you do find any traces of Starfire fuel lingering in the atmosphere then track it with the long range scanners. Take a few cadets with you in case it is very serious including the antigravity bed in case Parsafoot is seriously injured."
"Oraco," Tee Gar said.
Tee Gar bolted toward the side panel then waved his hand. The primarily red door with light gray breaks opened before the cadet allowing him to run down the hall in a hurry.
"What about me?" Loki asked.
"Keep this to yourself," Chris said. "And if you like, you could be part of our plan."
"Camelopardus!" Loki said, his eyes growing watts of energy. "I like that!" Loki stepped aside observing the chalkboard. "Looks like you are making a lot of peace and a compromise."
"This compromise isn't the one we will be using," Chris said, then picked up the magic eraser.
Chris began to erase the compromises with a single stroke to the right turning the screen to black.
In another stroke, the pitch black was replaced by a colorful scene contrasted by the golden desert scenery. Will fixed the reprogramming much to Don's amusement about six hours into the new day. Penny was feeding her little alien monkey in her lap, Judith was patiently waiting for breakfast seated down in her chair, Don was seated in his chair with folded arms very bemused, and John looked over toward the force-field generator then back toward the Robot. How long had the Robot been outside just waiting to be let in? Given the rust that had collected on his metal that chance had to be all night.
"Who would have thought that the Robot made a great chicken?" Don asked.
"The sky!" The Robot cheered, waving his arms into the air.
"Will," Don said.
"I missed something," Will said, then returned to adjusting the Robot's programming.
The Robot's arms went back in.
"Much better, Will Robinson," the Robot replied.
"What happened?" Will asked. "I found you doing cartwheels in the sand."
The Robot bobbed his head up in alarm.
"That does not compute," The Robot said.
"Me neither," Will said, shaking is head.
"Just how is the progress going back at that asteroid?" John asked.
"According to my sensors, at least three people have died," The Robot replied. "Most of whom had injuries that could not be treated fast enough or have been spotted on time." John nodded, sitting in the chair across from the Robot. "Otherwise, the cadets have been handling the situation quite well."
"Anything else we should know about?" John asked.
"Negative," the Robot said, then paused. "Perhaps. . . Negative, irrelevant information."
"What is the information, Robot?" Don asked.
"According to my sensors, they are from the 24th century," The Robot replied.
"For a moment there I thought they were from thousands of years in the future," Don said.
"24th century?" Will repeated. "Some of them could be from Alpha Centauri."
"We could get directions," John said. "But I got a feeling they would refuse."
"Affirmative," the Robot replied. "Cadet Pryce-Jones refused to give me directions to Alpha Centauri."
John looked toward the morning sky, troubled, rubbing his chin.
"Did she elaborate why?" John asked.
"Negative," the Robot replied.
"Looks like we will have to find Alpha Centauri on our own," John said, as Maureen lay the table with breakfast. "Thank you," he looked toward his wife with affection, loving look replacing the commanding officer demeanor. "Darling."