Chapter 7

Unlike the Robinsons, Kai didn't care if Smith was found, alive or at all. If the doctor had wandered off and gotten himself killed by the native wildlife, all the better for him. It saved him the trouble of getting rid of the nuisance himself. Something told him, however, that the doctor was a survivor and the Robinsons would find him in due time.

There was one thing Kai shared with the good doctor and that was the fact he was an opportunist. While West and the Robinsons were preoccupied with searching for Smith, Kai had convinced the Robot to let him modify his programming, under the pretense of enhancing his sensors to search for the doctor. That, however, was not what Kai intended to do. After he had re-programmed the Robot, Kai made sure the mechanical man would never remember any instructions had been modified.

Smith leaned back against the wall of the Space Pod, arms folded, scowl firmly planted on his face. He had tuned out the lecture the Professor and Major were giving him about the trouble his little adventure had caused and was busy imagining all manner of untimely ends he'd love to see Kai meet.

"...waste of time. So help me, Smith, if you take off again, I'm not coming looking for you," the Major concluded, just as the Space Pod landed back at the Jupiter 2. Smith hefted his pack onto his shoulder and pushed past the two men. He shoved the pod door open forcefully and made a beeline for his cabin inside the ship without so much as a word. The Professor and Major shared a look of annoyance and then set to work securing the Space Pod and campsite for the night.

Nary an eyelid was batted in response to Smith's storming through the ship. The Robinsons were used to the doctor's moods. Still, Doctor Smith was Will's friend and he felt the need to check on him.

Despite his irritation, Smith could not refuse the boy an audience. At times, Will was the only friend he had. The doctor permitted him entrance to his cabin.

"Hi, Doctor Smith. I'm so glad you're ok. When we couldn't find you around camp, I started to get worried."

"Thank you for your concern, William," Smith replied. He felt a pang of guilt for causing him worry, though it touched him that Will still cared. "It was not my intention to worry anyone."

"I know," Will replied. "But why did you leave camp?"

Smith's silence and the fact he couldn't look Will in the eye more than adequately confirmed Will's suspicions.

Smith suppressed a sigh. There was no way around it. In order to continue to be accepted by the Robinsons, he'd have to convince them he could tolerate Kai. It was a tough task, given the fact his every instinct was screaming "danger!" just as the Robot often did. So, that is what Smith would do, convince them he'd had a change of heart, that he would make an honest effort to get along with the alien… until he could get some "dirt" on him.

"I set out to find Kai's ship and prove that he was not what he appeared to be."

"And what did you find?" Will asked, his curiosity piqued.

An oily smile spread across the wily doctor's lips. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. There was nothing on his ship that would lead me to believe that he is anything other than what he appears to be." He patted the boy's hand. "Isn't that nice?" he nearly choked on the words.

"Really?"

"Really, my boy," he lied.

"That's great! You'll really like Kai once you get to know him. I know you will," Will replied.

"I'll get the chance tomorrow," Smith explained. "I'm to work with him on the deutronium refiner… or so I'm told."

"He's been a really big help to us, Doctor Smith. I really hope now that you know he's ok you two will get along."

The boy's enthusiasm for the alien was not contagious, but Smith played along, plastering a fake smile on his face until he could end the conversation and usher Will out of his cabin.

The next morning, Smith procrastinated over joining Kai in working on the deutronium refiner as long as possible. He lingered in bed longer than usual. He took his sweet time getting groomed and dressed. He idled over a cup of coffee at the breakfast table for as long as he could get away with. His plans were cut short when the Professor wandered into the galley for a cup of coffee.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Kai?" he inquired.

"I was just on my way there," Smith said as he drained his coffee cup, stood, and placed the empty cup in the galley sink. He disappeared up the ladder and paused on the upper deck. He peered out the viewport in trepidation in the direction the alien and the deutronium refiner lay. He took a deep breath and left the ship.

"Hello, Doctor Smith," Kai said cordially. Smith simply nodded in response.

"It's about time, Smith," Don groused. "I've had to fill in for you for the past hour while you took your sweet time getting here." He handed a tool to Smith, promised Kai he'd catch up with him later, and headed off to meet John at one of the mining sites.

Smith looked at the tool with contempt. He thought about just dropping it, but changed his mind when he saw the look on the alien's face. He smiled and fidgeted nervously in the awkward silence that followed. Idle threats barked at him by the Major were something he could handle, even disregard, but this creature could eviscerate him in two seconds. This was something he couldn't get out of and he hated it. Still, rather than volunteer, he awaited orders from Kai before he deigned to perform any labor.

Kai immediately went about giving him a quick overview of the machine, how it worked, and what improvements they were going to make. Kai had already improved the refiner months ago to increase the purity of the deutronium. Now, they would increase the machine's output. Smith listened with disinterest, but absorbed enough information to perform the tasks required of him.

The alien was a harsh task master. He delighted in driving Smith to do the most arduous of the labor to be performed, despite the fact that he was much stronger than the doctor. Some of the tasks Smith was sure the alien was inventing just to stretch the doctor to his limits. By the end of the day, he was drenched in sweat and his face and hands were grimy with grease and dirt. His arms and lower back screamed in protest at all the lifting he'd been forced to do. In a breach of his normally strict adherence to formality and decorum, he had stripped down to his t-shirt. He swiped the damp, discarded tunic across his forehead and tossed the tool in his hand into the nearby toolbox, wincing at the metallic clang it made.

The Professor and Major passed by on their way back to the ship after a long day at the mining site. A smile flashed across the Major's face. "I do believe that's the first honest day's work we've gotten out of Smith since we left Earth," he remarked.

Smith simply glared, too tired to think of, let alone utter, a suitable rejoinder. He fumbled to his feet and looked at Kai, "Are we done here?" he asked, exhausted. When the alien nodded, Smith made a beeline for the Jupiter 2, where a long, hot shower awaited him.

Smith endured several more days of labor until he was simply too sore and exhausted to endure any more. Kai seemed to take pity on the weaker human and suggested Smith take it easy while he completed the last of the upgrades and started the process of refining the deutronium they'd need for launch. Smith didn't hesitate to wander off to find a suitable spot for a long nap.

Out at the mining site, the Major and the Professor were discussing the subject of Smith's sudden cooperation. "Seems almost too good to be true," Don stated.

"Yes, it does," the Professor admitted. "You have suspicions?"

"Where Smith is concerned? Always."

"Well, let's just enjoy it while it lasts," the Professor advised.

"I can't shake the feeling that something's not right though. I think he's up to something."

The Professor laughed. "I think he's too exhausted to be up to something. Have you seen how hard Kai's been working him?"

The Major laughed, but then turned serious. "All the more reason for Smith to be plotting something."

The Professor shook his head, dismissing the thought. "Less talk, more deutronium mining."

With just days until the launch window, the time was right for Kai to put his plan into action. If things went well, he'd soon rid himself of the pesky doctor and be well on his way back home on the Jupiter 2.

That afternoon, as Doctor Smith's energy was flagging, Kai suggested the doctor rest as he finished refining a little more deutronium to keep in reserve. Smith gladly wandered off again to the nearest shade tree.

As soon as Smith was gone, Kai checked his chronometer. He'd have very little time to implement his plan. He gave a verbal command to the Robot to activate a subroutine he'd prepared in advance. Then he got to work rigging the deutronium refiner. He had just finished when Penny arrived at the site.

"Hello, Penny. I'm so glad you could join me today."

"Hello, Kai. I got the message you left. I decided to bring a basket of food with me too, so we could have a picnic," Penny replied.

"Wonderful. Just set it down right here," he gestured toward a rock about six feet away, "while I start refining this next batch of deutronium. It will be nice to have company. Doctor Smith's not much of a conversationalist, I'm afraid."

"Oh, he is," she explained. "Just not… with you." She smiled sheepishly as Kai laughed.

As soon as he switched the refiner on, a high pitched whine emanated from the machine.

"What is that?!" Penny exclaimed as she covered her sensitive ears.

Kai quickly pushed her away before a massive explosion ripped the machine apart, knocking them to the ground and bombarding them with jagged bits of metal. Kai's natural armor plating protected him, leaving him with only a few minor cuts and bruises. Penny, however, was not as lucky. She lay bleeding and unconscious on the ground.

The sound of the blast was impossible to miss. The Professor, the Major, Mrs. Robinson, Judy, and Will all came running and converged upon the scene at the same time. The Professor rushed to Penny's side immediately to assess her injuries.

"What happened?" he demanded from Kai.

"I'm not sure," he answered, feigning confusion and surprise.

"The device emitted a strange noise," the Robot stated. "My scanners indicated that it had been sabotaged. It exploded."

"Who sabotaged it?!" the Professor demanded.

"I'll bet I know who," the Major growled.

"Doctor Smith," the Robot replied.

"Robot, are you sure?" Will asked in disbelief.

"Affirmative, Will Robinson. I saw him tampering with the machine shortly before Penny arrived."

Just then, Smith came running around some nearby boulders. "I heard an explosion. Is everyone alright?" Immediately, his eyes fell upon Penny, whom Mrs. Robinson and Judy were attending to.

"Penny?" Smith said, concerned. He started towards the girl to offer assistance when he was stopped by Professor Robinson's hand firmly planted in his chest. He pushed the doctor backwards.

"I'm a doctor. Let me help her," Smith insisted.

"You stay away from her, Smith," he warned. "We know this is your doing!"

"My doing? But I've been…"

We know you tampered with the deutronium refiner," the Major growled. "The resulting overload caused an explosion and injured Penny and Kai.."

"Refiner?" Smith's brow furrowed as confusion washed over his face. "No, I would never do anything to..."

"We've heard that tune before, Smith," West fumed. "I've had it. You've gone too far this time."

"This is nonsense," Smith replied and tried to make his way toward the injured girl again.

The Professor and Major blocked his path and forced him back again.

"When you started your petty feud with Kai, I stayed out of it," the Professor began, "but you had to escalate it and in doing so, your sabotage caused injury to not only Kai, but Penny as well. I've given you multiple chances, Smith. You've proven to me today that you aren't worth another one." His anger was nearly boiling over, but he struggled to maintain tight control of it. He wanted to hurt the man that he believed had hurt his child, but he knew further violence would accomplish nothing. He pointed away from the camp and demanded the doctor leave. "You're no longer welcome here," he growled.

Smith had paid little attention to anything after the word "sabotage". "Professor, are you even listening to me? I did not touch the deutronium refiner!"

The Robot reiterated his false accusation as he'd been re-programmed to and Don added, "Smith, the Robot doesn't lie. You can't talk your way out of this one."

"Ignore that mistaken miscreant, I sabotaged nothing!" Smith insisted. "I wouldn't dream of hurting the poor child. That evil creature, however, is an entirely different matter!" He shot an evil glare at Kai. The glare melted into a look of dread, realizing too late that what he had said had probably just convicted him in the court of public opinion.

"Enough!" the Professor barked. "Smith, I want you gone, immediately."

Smith started to speak, but the Professor took a step toward him and the doctor knew from the man's demeanor that there was no use arguing. His best option was to wait until tempers had cooled and come back to give his side of the story. He headed towards the Jupiter 2 to gather the gear he'd need.

The Professor stopped him, "Where do you think you're going?"

"To pack some things. I will then leave if that is what you wish," Smith replied. "But, please, Professor Robinson. Let me help Penny before I go," he pleaded.

"Why? To ease your guilty conscience? I said leave! Now!" he ordered angrily.

Smith swallowed hard. He'd been banished before, but never without supplies. This was serious. He looked to the faces of the others and saw no sympathy. "But..."

"Now!" the Professor demanded. "And give me that pistol you have on your hip." The Professor and Major both took a step toward Smith to make sure he complied.

Smith's hand hovered over the gun as he took a step back. Professor Robinson was sending him out into an unknown wilderness. The laser pistol was his only protection, from whatever lay beyond the boundaries of camp and from the individual he was sure was responsible for the sabotage. Fear spurred him into the only action he felt was left to him. He pulled the pistol and held it on the two men to keep them at bay. He only hoped they didn't make him use it. The look on his face made it clear he was sorry, but the Professor and Major weren't interested. In their minds, Smith had just confirmed he was the culprit. Smith slowly backed away and when he got what he felt was a safe distance, he turned and ran.

The Professor and Major began to pursue Smith, but Mrs. Robinson's plea for her husband to help her tend to Penny brought them back.