Let it breathe, let it breathe, let it breathe for the space cadets

by TFALokiwriter

Graduation day for blue team one finally arrives. But it is a day sends them down into a desperate road to keep people alive. That forces others to make sacrifices of their own to help them. Sacrifices that the Robinsons are all too familiar almost a year on Priplanus. Sacrifices to save everything they hold dear when it comes to facing someone like Emperor Dragos.

58. Paused flight

Don applied the fire extinguisher to the consoles.

"No wonder it was abandoned," Don remarked. "The drill overheats."

Don opened a panel that dropped a repair kit on to his feet with a thud.

"I will need that to bring this ship down to Priplanus," Don said, then looked around. "Wait. . . if this still has enough fuel for a flight to Alpha Centauri. . ." Don counted how much space could be filled by the Robinson. "This is not enough space." He came over to the still operating fuel gauge. "Not enough fuel to make a flight to Alpha Centauri." he smacked his hand on the counter. "Damn!"

The Space Drill was in a stable orbit of Priplanus.

A reassuring piece of fact that was also not reassuring.

Don looked over toward the window twisting two fingers in the hopes that he didn't get fired on by the army by accident. The chance was always on the table for the major. Chance of death was accepted when given the news of the next assignment being the Jupiter 2. The Jupiter 1 had failed with a explosion in mid-flight. One that hadn't been expected and the findings hadn't came back yet before his departure on what exactly caused it. If they did know, they were very careful in not alarming the major or the Robinsons.

"That must have done a number on the emperor's moral," Don said.

Lights had flickered off on the lower section of the starship.

"It did a number on mine for sure," Don said, cheerfully with his hands on his hips.

Don eyed at the back section that was full of pipes, boxes, small doors, light fixtures and guages decorating the wall. They had already lost one member to the party. The Robinsons could not afford to lose another member that was vital to their survival. They hadn't yet trained the children to fly the Jupiter 2. It hadn't been thought of that they would lose a member for good. Everyone had naturally assumed they would all leave the planet being piloted to Alpha Centauri thanks to Don despite Smith's frequent trouble making. Don was one of those people.

"Now, which one is the air conditioner and which one is the heater?" Don asked, picking up the box.

From outside the Space Drill, a silent battle in space was raging on.