"My sensors indicate that there will be a break in the precipitation in approximately half an hour," the Robot reported.

"Well, John, there's our window of opportunity," the Major remarked.

"Robot, how long will the break last?" the Professor asked.

"No more than 2 hours," the Robot replied.

"We'd better get prepared," the Professor motioned for the two of them to follow him to the lower deck.

"Will?!"

"Yeah, dad?" Will stepped out from his cabin.

"We're releasing Kai in half an hour. We need your help with the preparations."

"Dad, can I help?" Penny asked.

"No," John placed a concerned hand on her shoulder. "I almost lost you once because of him. I don't want you near when we do this. You stay here on the lower deck. Alright?"

Penny nodded solemnly as Maureen and Judy joined the group.

"Maureen, if you feel up to the task, we could use another laser pistol trained on Kai when we move him."

"Yes," she nodded. "I am not going to let that... creature... endanger my children again."

John handed her a laser pistol.

Don handed Judy a pistol as well. "Take this. Just in case things go pear-shaped and you need to defend yourself and Penny. I've increased the power."

Judy took the pistol with one hand and grasped Don's hand with the other. The look she gave him wordlessly conveyed the message to be careful. He squeezed her hand and smiled, signaling the message was received.

As Don and Judy were spending a moment together, John and Will were gathering the tools and supplies they'd need for their task: rope, blankets, and a little electronic gadget Will had jury-rigged.

Don gave Judy a small peck on the cheek and followed John, Will, Maureen, and the Robot to the upper deck.

On the upper deck, John ran over the plan, detailing everyone's roles. Then they went over it again and again, making sure everyone knew their part. He looked at Don, Maureen, and Will in turn, then took a deep breath.

"Robot, weather conditions?" John asked.

"My sensors indicate it has stopped snowing," the report came.

"Everyone ready?"

All nodded simultaneously and took their positions.

The Professor pointed to Will and signaled him to release Kai from his cryogenic state. Will complied and took up a stance across the deck from his mother, aiming his pistol towards the tube.

As the door slid open, the Major stood ready with the blanket and the Professor held the rope taut between his hands. When Kai stumbled out of the tube, the Major threw the blanket over his head and the Professor did the same with the rope, attempting to bind the blanket in place. Before he could succeed, Kai resisted, straining his arms against the tightening rope. He thrashed back and forth trying to shake the two men off of him, but they only held on tighter.

"Don! Help me get this tied!" John yelled.

Don reached behind Kai's back to take the rope from John, which gave Kai the opening he needed. While Don was preoccupied, he grabbed a handful of his shirt and shoved him against the astrogator. Shaking his head violently, the blanket fell, restoring his vision. Maureen shot her laser pistol at Kai, but it only stung him. Seeing the alien's razor sharp claw headed toward her husband, she lunged and grabbed his wrist, using her body weight to force his arm downward. Gaining his feet again, Don grabbed Kai's hand with both of his own and bent it backwards, just as his claws were about to rake Maureen's face.

Kai winced in pain as Will slammed the electronic gadget he'd made into his side and turned it on, sending searing bolts of electricity into his flesh. Enraged, the alien kicked at Don, sending him to the floor again. Another kick sent Maureen sprawling as well. With that one free arm, he slashed at Will and then ripped the device from his side, crushing it in his hand. Seeing Will injured and bleeding infuriated the Robot. He activated his defense circuits and clamped his claws around both Kai's wrists.

"Release him, Professor! Now!" the Robot ordered.

The Professor did as he was told. As soon as the others were clear, the Robot sent a bolt of electricity through his claws and into the alien. Kai resisted, his natural armor giving him some protection, but it was not enough. The Robot slowly raised the voltage until the alien sank to his knees.

Meanwhile, Maureen had gone to Will's side and was rendering first aid to her son's wounds.

"I have turned off my defensive circuits," the Robot announced. "You may now attempt to bind him again. I will help."

John and Don each grabbed one of Kai's arms and with the Robot's help, bent them behind the traitor's back. Maureen tossed John the rope, which had landed near Will in the scuffle, and John quickly bound the alien's wrists. Coming out of his daze, Kai whipped his head around towards Don and his fangs lashed out. Don jumped out of the way just in time. As the fangs retracted, Don grasped his hands together and slammed them into Kai's chin in a wicked double uppercut. "THAT was for Smith!" he grunted. He then raised them over his head and slammed them down hard on the back of Kai's skull. "And THAT was for Will!" He threw a booted foot into the alien's face for good measure.

"C'mon," Don growled. "Out you go!" he commanded as he grabbed one of the alien's arms and pulled him up. John did the same. The Robot rolled around behind and again clamped his claws around Kai's wrists for extra leverage.

As the three of them herded Kai towards the hatch, the alien planted a clawed foot high against the wall and pushed off, sending the Robot rolling backwards and John sprawling to the floor. The Major kicked hard into Kai's knee, then slammed his head into the wall. The three regrouped and pushed him through the airlock into the cold night air. They picked up speed down the ramp, but Kai began to drag his feet, slowing their efforts.

"Major West, Professor Robinson. If you will please release him, I will handle it from here," the Robot announced.

Reluctantly, they complied. The Robot wrapped his accordion arms around Kai and lifted the heavy, muscular alien easily. He rolled off towards the edge of camp, then stopped abruptly while simultaneously releasing his hold on Kai. The alien went flying forward, not unlike a drunk being tossed from a bar by a bouncer, and came to rest with his face in a snow drift.

The Robot moved his claws back and forth together, mimicking the motion of a human dusting off their hands, then swiveled around and headed back to the Jupiter 2. Once the Robot was within the forcefield's perimeter, the Major activated it. John was already back inside helping Maureen with Will.

"Thank you, Robot," the Major said, with sincere gratitude.

"You're welcome." The Robot paused for a second, then continued. "For a moment, Major West, I had an unfamiliar feeling."

"What was it?" the Major asked, intrigued.

"I am programmed to defend humans from threats. But..."

"But what?"

"Once I had control of the situation and you all were not in danger, I... I wished I could override my safety protocols and harm Kai in retribution for all he's done." The Robot's bubble dropped at the admission. "Is that... wrong?"

The Major smiled and patted him on his metallic back. "It's human, Robot. I felt the same way."

"How's Will?" the Major asked as he and the Robot entered the ship.

Judy and Penny had joined the others and were helping their mother tend to Will.

"The cuts are deep," John admitted. "They'll need stitches. I think Maureen can handle that. Robot, we may need any medical expertise you may have in your memory banks if things get worse."

"Also, recommendations for pain medications and appropriate dosages," Maureen added.

"Yes, Professor. I will help in any way I can."

"John," Maureen called to her husband, "I think he's ok to move now."

The Professor lifted his son, as he had many times before. Will groaned from the pain and grabbed his father's tunic tightly in one fist. The boy was heavier than the last time he'd held him in his arms. He carried him below to his quarters while the others followed close behind.

As he settled Will into his bed, Penny and Judy brought pillows from the other quarters to make him comfortable. Maureen shooed them all out of the way as she prepared an IV, a bag of saline, and pain medication. Will winced as the IV was placed, but quickly relaxed after the medication was administered. Once she was sure his pain had dulled enough, she removed the gauze she'd secured over the wounds and began to clean out the unsightly gashes. Will moaned, his eyes closed, and he drifted off towards unconsciousness. Thankfully, that made Maureen's task easier. In about ten minutes, she had sutured the three long lacerations and placed clean gauze over the wounds. She was no doctor, but her work was sufficient. Fearing possible infection from whatever might've been under Kai's claws, she injected broad spectrum antibiotics into the IV. She placed a hand on Will's forehead while simultaneously checking his wrist pulse.

John placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and she looked up at him, concern in her eyes. Just then, Penny voiced what the others were thinking. "I wish Doctor Smith was here."