The crashing landings had stopped.
Slowly, one by one, they moved out of the hiding place.
John was the first one to go to the bridge to find the Robot standing by the doorway humming to himself. The Robot turned away from the door. The Robot was covered in dark shoot that decorated his figure with a series of claw marks dug into his frame that traveled coming to a stop above the more vulnerable part of the Robot. John raised his eyebrows observing the Robot's appearance that had a strange light yellow device where his energy pack should be. The others followed suit observing the remains of claws dug into his armor.
"Robot!" Will shouted. "What happened to you?"
"And start from the beginning," John said, stopping the Robot from starting.
"That is not long of a story," The Robot started. "In the middle of the crash landings, I appeared in the Space Academy surrounded by survivors in a cavern and there were less than six thousand people in it instead of ten thousand. I met up with the acting senior staff of the academy consisting of Professor Parsafoot, acting Commander Soom, and Lieutenant Prentiss after discovering the time loop had been severely compromised. I volunteered to help in order to repair the time loop. Lieutenant Prentiss was sent then returned with the mission a success."
"Why did you appear in the academy?" Judy asked.
"And what happened to us?" Maureen asked.
"You were sent to Earth in a seeker the next morning," The Robot said. "The Jupiter 2 was destroyed during the crash landing. My next part in the plan was to neutralize the dragonship after being used as the energy conductor to the machine."
"So your power pack was destroyed," John said.
"Affirmative," The Robot said. "I was returned shortly before the space drill could hit me," then added for dramatic emphasis. "Again."
"What upset the time loop?" Penny asked.
"The murder of Commander Gampu, Lieutenant Gentry, Captain Gentry," The Robot said. "And there was no Commander Stone, no Loki, no Samantha, but a few details remained the same such as Professor Parsafoot's crash landing even as going far to the rescue of Jason according to Lieutenant Prentiss. The ship was under attack by Queen Medusa shortly before Major West's ride appeared."
John went to the front console then flipped the switch and the barrier slid away to reveal the smoke in the distance. There were so many tunnels of smoke that rose in to the air that it could not seem real. It seemed surreal against the mundane blue sky contrasting against the barren, sandy scenery. Judy played with her fingers looking on in worry. The Robot simply remained where he was by the doorway acting as a silent guard beside the rounded window. Will went to the door coming to a stop by the Robot then pressed the side button making it open including the other door before him and looked out the threshold.
Don leaned against the chair rubbing the side of his head.
"Ow!" Don yelped.
His hand traveled to the back of his neck briefly closing his eyes.
He placed the ear bud onto the console then got up from the chair but grasped on to the head rest feeling the weight of gravity contrasting against him. Don looked over to see that he had crash landed into a cliff side only barely enough to keep holding on. It became apparent that he had to make it carefully up the ladder, turn the hatch, and get out before the ship tipped into the ground drilling to its liking. It only went on to chance that he got out of there in time to catch a piece of rock. Don climbed his way up, feeling the space drill tipping back just for a moment then tipped forward.
Don quickly twirled the hatch then swung it open, climbed up the ladder making to the top then looked over to see the black abyss from behind.
"Nope," Don turned his attention away then began to run toward the ground ahead.
He jumped in the nick of time off the edge of the space drill landing to his side to the cliff edge and rolled away until he was clear from the edge.
"Ah, phew," Don wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead.
He looked off in the distance to observe the trails of smoke reaching out from the distance.
There were distant screaming coming from around him. Don looked back at his memory regarding the flight away from the Jupiter 2. He had to estimate that he had to be at the place where Debbie, the monkey, once tried to 'shove' Smith off the edge while Penny was scavenging for food for her pet with Will and the Robot. Don had to wonder if the dog's corpse was in the interior of the black crevice that laid beneath the cliff. If the monkey had 'tried' to kill Smith, as the doctor had hysterically claimed, it wasn't that far fetch to consider.
Don turned his attention off the area where the space drill had been.
What could have been used as extra fuel was no longer in their hands.
As it had turned out, the owner never intended to come back after abandoning it to the planet and taking another ride that was offered sometime after Smith's exile. The whole drilling episode was strange to get his mind wrapped around starting from believing it was Smith who was keeping everyone awake throwing rocks at the equipment when they were being used. Don had naturally assumed that Smith was hiding behind the largest rock then poked his head out from behind each time they were not looking and threw it at them just to get on their nerves or to get them to allow him back in after the annoyance. If only Don and the Robinsons had known they had more fuel in their hands then they would have all left earlier for Earth.
Don made his way down the familiar path rubbing the back of his neck. He could look up often enough to spot the scene up ahead in the sky consisting of space junk and remains. Don had a sense of satisfaction at the work. He lowered his gaze down to the distance ahead of him. His shoulders still ached from the shoulder straps pressing against his figure from the crash landing. The back of his head had a nice sore stump forming. It was worth getting the stump when it came to protecting the Robinsons, the unusual planet, and its inhabitants. Worth it all going up there into space. It was a shame that he couldn't save the one reason that brought him into the space drill in the first place.
Don made his slow trek to the Jupiter 2 as the sound of screaming died around him becoming part of the background noise that he paid no attention to. Slowly, the familiar sight of the Jupiter 2 began to appear from the desert, rocky environment before his eyes down the hill. As Don came closer, the crash landing marks still decorating the hull as a distant object became apparent. His heart soared at seeing the super spaceship, whole and unharmed from the battle that had raged above the planet. Not even a sign of a crash landed space jet remained despite the signs that they had been there earlier. Only long, out-of-place tunnels in the ground that headed directly toward the Jupiter 2 but stopped in their tracks.
Will's figure became more clear to his eyes then watched him go into the Jupiter 2.
A moment later, Judy came out of the Jupiter 2.
Don increased his pace coming closer.
"Don!"
"Judy!"
Don and Judy locked into a embrace once once they had returned to each other. The Robinsons grew big smiles once coming to the doorway of the Jupiter 2 at the sight of the relieved young love birds. Will had a bright smile then looked on expecting for Smith to pop up in hot pursuit calling for the major to have slowed down. His smile began to fade observing the lack of said jogging, but panting figure coming from the path. Will slowly came down the ramp as the two broke apart as they were surrounded by the others.
"Don," Will started, drawing Don's attention. "where is Doctor Smith?"
Don shook his head.
"On my way to the space drill, Dragos was destroying the space academy," Don said. "There was nothing left."
Will sucked it all in then let it go appearing to be disappointed shaking his head.
"Are you alright?" Maureen asked, concerned.
"I am okay, mom," Will said. "Just a little disappointed is all."