The Academy had fallen into the void.
Ten thousand people on the other side of the unknown.
As had Samantha's starfire.
Jason's starfire had been taken by Dragos.
Their starfire to starfire communication system had failed for some reason. Perhaps because they were too far away from each other. He had watched Medusa's vessel fly into the void a hour ago and it hadn't came out since then. A part of him was terrified for the academy and its current residents. Seven hours in the dark alone. Parsafoot made the necessary repairs -with the equipment hidden in engineering - replacing the old parts with new parts and old wiring with new wiring in the battle mode starfire that could be made from the inside. All with one still operational hand that was very difficult. The lasers were in working condition. There were electrical burns decorating his hands that were taking on the form of scarring.
Was everyone alright?
Solar wind brushed the starfire toward the void.
Parsafoot helplessly watched as the view screen changed from the first planet in the solar system toward the empty void. The spacecraft was twirling very fast unexpectedly. Parsafoot clung on to the red leather barrier in front of him and closed his eyes bracing for the unexpected turbulence to end on a sour note. The space craft passed through the ripple. The starfire slowed down and the solar wind grew gentler against the space craft. Parsafoot relaxed, then looked on to see a yellow and blue planet situated on the view screen. The scans indicated it was a class M planet populated by ten thousand plus people and wildlife.
"Yes!" Parsafoot said. "They made it! They made it! They made it!"
Parsafoot rested his back against the chair then looked on to see Medusa's vessel in orbit.
"This can't be good," Parsafoot said. "She is just laying there. . ." he couldn't help but feel very creeped out about that. "Very spooky," he looked worryingly toward the planet. "and very concerning."
His dislocated shoulder was still in intense pain.
He couldn't move his arm.
If only there was a doctor around.
For now, he couldn't move it even if he wanted to.
Suddenly, the starfire was sent flying forward toward the planet below. Parsafoot grabbed on to the barrier for dear life pinned against the seating feeling the adrenaline running as the starfire twirled from the large blow of solar wind. He could see the golden planet coming up ahead getting closer and closer. He could see the two moons peeking from the other side of the planet in orbit. His eyes shifted toward the planet as the gray moons vanished out of his line of sight. The solar wind was gone leaving behind a falling spacecraft earning a crimson trail of fire against its surface and smoke blasting from behind it. His body was trembling out of fear seeing the clouds from below become closer. And he closed his eyes bracing for the untimely end.
Penny was scavenging for tree bark for Debbie when she looked up to see the red blazing figure soaring out of the sky.
John and Don were in the Deutroninum drilling rig with Will when it appeared.
Judy was tending to the hydroponic garden with her mother when she looked up.
The Robot was with the three men watching the spacecraft crashing into the desert scenery ahead.
"One lifeform detected," The Robot replied, as the group stood shell shocked.
Parsafoot felt fine.
Too fine for his taste.
There was a high pitch wail going off in his ears.
There was a bright circular shape in the blue sky.
It had been a long time since he had seen the blue sky.
The last time that he had seen a blue sky was during his enforced trip to Earth by Commander Stone and Jason. It was going to be fun, they said. It was going to be the best time of his life, they said. It was going to be memorable, they said. And fun with activities that would draw his attention. Unfortunately, the only thing that had grabbed his attention was at the science and technological convention that he ended up dragging Jason and Samantha to as his variation of sitting back and relaxing eating popcorn that didn't crunch. Samantha had listened attentively and Jason had fallen asleep during the first lecture. Jason slept away through most of the lectures but was happy that his friend was delighted over the vacation.
He couldn't feel anything all over him.
He could see scorched sand.
Samantha, how was she?
"Will, stay away from the man,"
"He is hurt, dad,"
"Will,"
Parsafoot found it difficult to lift his head.
His neck ached.
"Hello," Parsafoot said. "This is more weird for me than it is for you." Two tall figures walked into his line of sight.
"How are you not in pain?" the man with a unique brown hair said, then knelt down to his level.
Parsafoot closed his eyes then opened them again, this was very familiar. This man was familiar. Strikingly familiar. He should know a lot about him because of someone. His hands refused to budge into his line of sight. He was shell shocked, probably. He noticed there were red splotches on the sand. Something obviously was very wrong. How do you answer to a human that, as a alien, you had a very unique advantage to surviving even the most fatal injuries? This was a human. That much was established for the alien professor. He had fallen from the stars after bad solar wind. He was trapped in the stars because of a dragon. No, it couldn't have been a dragon. Dragons couldn't fly in outer space.
"Professor Parsafoot," Parsafoot said.
"Major West," Now why was that familiar?
"Professor Robinson of the Earthship Jupiter 2," John said. "This is my son, Will."
"What planet is this?" Parsafoot asked.
"Priplanus," Will said.
"How many moons does this planet have?" Parsafoot asked.
"Two," Will said.
Everything snapped into place. Oh. Oh. Oh. It was a doomed planet. More like Doominish.
"What is the matter?" Don asked, getting up and getting out of his line of vision. "Look like you have seen a ghost."
"Well, it has been three hundred years since the launch of the Jupiter 2," Parsafoot said. "This planet is highly known for being the first planet for a colony to be established on. Regarded as the accidental space colonization in history," Parsafoot paused. "How bad is it?"
"You need a doctor," Don said. "Thank god for duck tape."
"Duck tape?" Parsafoot asked. "Duck tape? What is duck tape? I never heard of duck tape."
"I find that hard to believe," Don said.
"Your people will be here in a few minutes to take care of the wound, Professor," John said.
"They made it," Parsafoot said, relaxing visibly before the two men. "They made it. . . They made it. . ."
Will returned.
"They are sending a Seeker over with a medical squad to get you," Will said. "They will be here in thirty-five minutes."
Parsafoot grew horrified.
"Wait, I saw the academy fall toward the planet," Parsafoot said. "how did this planet not get destroyed?"
Don and John grew curious looks as they exchanged a glance.
"We were visited by twins called Chris and Laura this morning-"
"Ah, the Gentry's!" Parsafoot remembered. "So that is how no one died."
A smile was on the professor's face as he lost consciousness to the questions coming from the two men. It was comforting and soothing for the professor. It was a entirely good experience feeling like he were safe wrapped in a blanket that was giving loving auras. When he opened his eyes, he could hear Tee Gar's orders to separate members of the assembled medical squad. Tee Gar knelt down beside him.
"No casualties on Star Command," Tee Gar said. "Gampu is injured but he will live."
The reply comforted Parsafoot.
"I have a dislocated shoulder from the battle," Parsafoot said. "And I can't feel the pain anymore."
Tee Gar looked over.
"Alright," Tee Gar said. "We will get you onto the gurney very carefully."
There was a hiss from the side of Parsafoot's neck.
"Very carefully. . ." Parsafoot returned into the comforting darkness.
Samantha regained consciousness in a tropical forest in the pilot seat with only the windows busted and bustles of leaves on the console. There were strange insects and animals lurking in her patted vehicle. Samantha briefly closed her eyes and reopened them taking in the fresh air then exhaling it out. The light was contrasting against the greenery in a way that couldn't be described by being. It was like being in the same room as beauty, in the same painting, with the light pouring on them. There were unique bird chirping in the distance that didn't sound like the ones that she heard on Earth. The buzzing was universal. She slid the barrier aside then moved out of the seeker to observe her surroundings.
"What a beautiful day," Samantha said.
Samantha gazed up toward the sky with a smile.
"A very good day," Samantha said, her voice tinged with worry.
She yanked out a tree branch then moved into the seeker and performed a series of scans once more. A smile grew on her face. She discarded the tree branch in the second chair as she moved to the outside of the spacecraft. She managed to close the door once disembarking the craft. She grabbed underneath the craft and raised it above her head balancing it in a way. She happily hummed to herself walking through the forest that sounded adventurous and hopeful at the same time.