Chapter 6

A nagging stitch in Smith's side persuaded him he could go no further without rest. Massaging his side, he sat down on the hillside, not twenty feet from the peak. He was tempted to quench his thirst, but with with no idea how much farther he had to go and knowing he was quite a ways from camp, he decided to conserve the rest of the water as best he could.

When the pain in his side subsided and he could take a full, deep breath without pain, Smith summited the ridge and scanned the landscape on the other side. His heart sank for a moment, seeing nothing resembling an alien ship for as far as he could see. Then, the barest glint of the setting sun off of some metallic surface caught Smith's eye. In the distance, half buried in a dense forest, he saw it, an immense ship some five times bigger than the Jupiter 2. At first, the doctor was relieved at finding it, but upon seeing its size, he realized Kai most likely would not have come to this planet in a ship that size by himself. The thought bothered Smith and, unconsciously, his hand rested on the laser pistol in its holster. If he wanted to get rid of Kai once and for all, he would have to investigate, he told himself. Tomorrow.

Smith negotiated the other side of the ridge and found a suitable place to camp for the evening. Had he known this excursion would take more than one day, he would have come better prepared. He gathered some wood, built a fire, and fixed a small meal from the food he had brought with him. The sun was already behind the mountains and the air was beginning to chill. He pulled out a thermal blanket from the pack and got as comfortable as he was able as he ate his meager meal. He wished he had Will there for company, but knew convincing the boy to come with him would have been next to impossible.

...

"Penny, have you seen Doctor Smith?" Will asked.

"No, I haven't seen him all day," Penny answered.

"Hmmm... Maybe he's in his cabin. I'll go check," Will announced.

Will didn't find Smith in his cabin. He checked the entire ship and not finding the doctor, proceeded to question everyone if they'd seen him. Coming up empty, he turned to the Robot as a last resort.

"I am sorry, Will Robinson. I do not know where Doctor Smith is. My sensors detected him leaving camp late this morning, but I did not bother to track him."

"That's ok, Robot. I'm sure he's ok," Will said, trying to convince himself that what he had just said was true. "Maybe I'll go look for him, just in case."

"Would you like me to go with you, Will Robinson?"

"Sure, Robot. It would be nice to have company," Will answered.

The two set out together. Neither brought any provisions, except a small radio, expecting that Smith had not strayed far from camp. They checked the spots they knew Smith had frequented first. Will and the Robot called for Smith over and over, but didn't receive a reply.

"Will Robinson, I do not detect any human life signs within my sensor range."

"That's impossible, Robot," Will replied. "Doctor Smith wouldn't walk that far away from camp. Maybe he found a cave somewhere."

"That is a possibility. Or perhaps he is beyond that ridge to the southwest. The ridge would interfere with my sensor range." The Robot dared not mention the possibility that Doctor Smith had met his demise. He didn't want to unduly worry the boy until he had more data with which to formulate a theory.

"How far is that ridge?" Will asked.

"Nine miles," the Robot replied. Immediately, he voiced Will's previous assumption. "Doctor Smith would not walk that far from camp."

"He has to be around here somewhere, Robot. He couldn't have just vanished." Will tried to stay calm, but with night falling fast and his friend missing, he was finding it difficult.

The Robot could sense Will's unease. "We will find him, Will Robinson. Perhaps we should notify Professor Robinson," he suggested. "Maybe he has already returned to camp."

"Yeah," Will agreed. "Maybe he's already back at camp." Will pulled the radio from his belt and called his father. "This is Will calling Jupiter 2. Come in Jupiter 2. Dad, are you there?"

Several seconds later, the voice of Professor Robinson responded, inquiring about Will's location. As soon as he became aware of Smith's absence, he ordered Will to stay put, telling him he and Don would join him after a quick check of the camp to see if Smith had returned.

With confirmation that Smith was nowhere to be found in camp, everyone became genuinely concerned for the doctor's safety. The crew paired off and went in separate directions to search. The Professor went south with Mrs. Robinson, Don and Will went west, while Kai and the Robot went east. Penny and Judy stayed with the Jupiter 2, in case Smith returned.

...

His meal finished, Smith stoked the fire he'd built and added a few logs. He covered himself in the blanket and tried to get some rest, but the unfamiliar sounds generated by the habits of nocturnal alien creatures kept him awake and his mind racing. He gripped his laser pistol tightly and kept it at the ready. He found himself missing the humble comforts and safety of the Jupiter 2, as well as his companions, and was beginning to regret this trek.

...

Will wrapped his arms around himself and shivered as a cool night breeze cut through him. "Don, do you think maybe Doctor Smith left because of Kai?"

The Major dismissed the thought immediately with a chuckle and answered the boy's question with another question. "Do you think Smith would give up the comfort of the Jupiter 2 willingly?"

"No, probably not," Will admitted.

"You know Smith. He probably just got lost," Don replied, hoping to calm Will's fears. "We'll find him."

Will answered with a half-hearted "yeah" that clearly signaled he wasn't convinced.

Don checked in with the others via the radio. Smith hadn't been found, though the Professor and Mrs. Robinson had found what appeared to be his footprints leading into tall grass. The Professor suggested they meet back at camp and he and Don would take the Space Pod to continue the search by air.

...

"John," the Major nearly whispered, "Smith didn't get 'lost', did he?"

The Professor shook his head, "It doesn't appear that way. I don't think he'd have gone into that tall grass if he was lost. I think he's 'missing' deliberately."

"But why? What's he up to?" the Major asked.

"I'd say from the way he's gotten everybody worked up over his disappearance, he probably just wants some attention," the Professor answered.

"That'd be just like him."

The Professor mumbled in agreement as he powered up the Space Pod.

"Do we HAVE to go look for him?" the Major said with a measure of disdain.

The Professor smiled, as if for a moment he indulged in the thought of being rid of the troublemaker once and for all. His smile disappeared and he reluctantly replied, "Yes, we do. Maureen and the kids wouldn't stand for it if we left him out there."

The Major frowned, but conceded "Yeah, you're right."

In a matter of minutes, the Space Pod had lifted off and carried the two men quickly to their intended search area. The sound of the engines awakened Smith and as he looked skyward, he was greeted with blinding search lights. He blocked the harsh light from his eyes with his hand and briefly considered fleeing, but he knew it would do no good. He had been discovered.

He could lie about his reasons for being there, but he doubted the Professor would buy it. What innocuous reason could he give when he had so recently explained why he had taken to carrying a weapon at all times? The Professor would see right through him. He stood and awaited the arrival of his unwanted visitors.

A few moments later, the Space Pod landed and the Professor and Major emerged, clearly unhappy with the doctor.

"Smith! What are you doing out here? We've been searching for you for hours," the Professor barked.

"Professor," Smith addressed the man calmly. "Since no one has seen fit to heed my warnings about our 'visitor', I have decided to investigate him myself. I have discovered the wreck of his ship and I intend to search it. You are welcome to join me if you so desire."

"So that's what this is about... Kai." The look on the Professor's face broadcasted his deep disappointment. "As far as I'm concerned, Kai has already proven himself to me. I have no need to investigate him or his ship. Come on, Smith. It's late and I'm tired. Let's get back to the Jupiter."

The Major followed the Professor as he started back to the Space Pod. Glancing back, he saw Smith was not following. He tapped the Professor on the shoulder. "John?" The Professor turned and saw his friend hitch a thumb over his shoulder. "He's not coming."

"Smith!" the Professor hollered.

The Major held a hand up to calm him. He spoke softly so only the Professor would hear. "Now, wait a minute, John. Why don't we join him? You know we're not going to find anything there. Maybe it'll appease him and he'll shut up about it once and for all."

The Professor glanced over at the doctor who looked like he was straining to hear their conversation. He nodded. "Alright. If it'll shut him up, I'll do it."

The Professor turned and marched purposefully toward the doctor, which caused Smith to stiffen with apprehension. "Ok, Doctor Smith, grab your gear and show us where this ship is."

"What?" Smith asked, taken aback. "Now? I'd really rather get a good night's rest before..."

"Yes, now..."

"But wouldn't it be better if we wait for daylight?"

The look on the Professor's face made it clear he had no intention of waiting or letting anyone else wait. He pointed to Smith's gear.

Smith sighed heavily. He hastily stuffed his camping gear into his pack, pulled out a flashlight, and slung the pack onto his back with an exaggerated "oof!"

The Professor gestured for Smith to lead the way. Smith stared out into the darkness for a few moments and then offered the lead to the Professor, "After you."

"I don't know where the ship is," the Professor stated, his annoyance clearly evident in his voice.

"Oh... right." Smith looked around trying to get his bearings, but failing without any landmarks easily visible.

"Well?" the Major asked.

"I can't get my bearings in the dark," Smith barked in irritation. He spied the Space Pod nearby and formulated a plan. "Why don't we use the Space Pod?" he suggested. "It will be much easier to spot the ship from the air with the pod's search lights." It would also be less work than walking, he thought.

The Professor acquiesced and led the way to the Space Pod. It was a tight fit with three grown men, but they managed to squeeze inside and avoid any awkwardness tight quarters can bring. After lift off, Smith gazed intently out the viewport, searching for the telltale glint of searchlight off the metallic wreckage of Kai's ship. In a few minutes, the doctor had located a few familiar landmarks and directed the Professor where to shine the searchlights. Soon, they'd found the hulking wreck peeking out from under a canopy of trees. The Major landed the craft some twenty feet from the ship and everyone disembarked.

Curiosity urged the normally timid doctor forward, his flashlight sweeping in broad arcs over the hull of the ship. Smith, followed closely by the other men, trudged toward what appeared to be the entrance. The Major spotted what appeared to be a type of control panel and punched a button, but nothing happened. "Maybe power's out?" he suggested. "This wreck looks like it's been here a while."

Smith studied the buttons. "Or perhaps you pressed the wrong one..." He stabbed at the other button on the panel and the door slid open. The doctor didn't bother to suppress a grin of satisfaction. "Gentlemen?" he motioned them inside.

"Oh, no, Smith. This is your adventure. You go first," the Professor directed.

Smith cautiously peered into the ship then hesitantly stepped inside as he pulled his laser pistol from its ever present holster. He turned to ensure the others followed and then continued on.

Despite the supposedly air tight door, nature had managed to intrude into the massive ship. Black vines crept along the wall, splaying small, feathery fingers off in every direction. Thick moss carpeted the floor near the wall where the cool night air had started to condense into tiny droplets on the slick metal surface.

Smith let out a small squeak of surprise as thin strands of vegetation unexpectedly brushed against his head. He swatted at them frantically, but only succeeded in getting them to cling stubbornly to the sheen of perspiration on his forehead. He took a deep breath to calm himself and methodically pulled the vegetation away, then snapped his wrist to rid himself of the slimy remnants attempting to adhere to his fingers. He looked at his fingers and then looked around for something to wipe them clean. For a moment, he considered the back of Major West's tunic. The cross look on the Major's face deflated that idea. Finding nowhere else to rid himself of the slimy substance, he wiped his hand on his thigh.

Grimacing at the indignity of it all, Smith got back to the business at hand and headed directly toward a console. Sweeping the flashlight across its length, he pondered the various buttons, switches, knobs, and screens, all labeled in the language of Kai's species. The Professor and the Major followed the doctor over, but didn't dare touch any of the controls.

"Well, Smith, now what?" the Major challenged.

Smith's brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of the alien language. One of the buttons bore markings similar to that of one on the electronic tablet of Kai's that Smith had seen. Smith held a hesitant finger hovering over the button for a moment and then jabbed at it before his resolve dissipated. A high pitched squeal emanated from the console, causing the doctor to stumble backwards in surprise. The ship's lights flickered on for a moment and a heavy metal door nearby rumbled with movement, then darkness. Sparks suddenly flew from the console, briefly blinding the men in the dark room, and a small cloud of smoke billowed forth. A tremor shook the ship for a second and then... silence.

"Seems you have a habit of making sparks fly, no matter where you go, Smith," the Major quipped.

"Very funny, Major," Smith replied flatly. Not willing to accept defeat so easily, the doctor shined the flashlight through the tiny sliver of space between the door and the wall in an effort to see what lay beyond. When that proved futile, desperate fingers dug at the slime slicked door trying to widen the gap enough to gain entry. The Major and the Professor shook their heads at Smith's folly.

"You're not going to get through that door, Smith. It's solid metal and clearly jammed closed. Come on back to the ship with us," the Professor reasoned.

Either Smith ignored the Professor or he was too engrossed in trying to open the door that he didn't hear him. His patience growing thin, the Major walked up behind the doctor and tapped him on the shoulder, causing the older man to jump and stifle a squeal of surprise.

"Smith, we're heading back to the ship. Are you coming with us or are you going to stay here... alone?"

Smith looked back over his shoulder at the door, then back at the two men. He wasn't willing to admit defeat, but the thought of staying in the decaying hulk alone in the dark was even less appealing. The Professor gestured for the doctor to follow him. Smith was about to offer up a verbal protest, but snapped his jaw shut as he reconsidered. He shivered in the damp cold of night and realized he missed the meager luxury of the Jupiter 2. The alien ship wasn't going anywhere, he thought. It could wait.

"Wait for me," he pleaded, as he hurried after them.