"We're taking the Robot," John said.
"Didn't it try to kill us yesterday?" Don asked.
"I got the bad programming out!" Flake insisted, as he walked backwards with the Robot tailing behind him.
"And Captain Flake is going to watch the children for us," John said. "We need all the man power we can get should these aliens be not friendly."
"And leave the kids in his care?" Don asked, questioningly.
"I got his assurance that he will do his best to get them to Earth if we don't make it," John said. "We have Will to help us."
"He is going to man the Robot in its battle mode," Don said. "Let me get that clear and tell you how many bad ideas there is to it."
"He can handle it," John said, then looked over toward Will waving the Robot off.
"You certain of this?" Don asked. "Your kid get traumatized if we enter into a battle situation."
"As I said," John said. "He can handle it. Your concern is appreciated."
Don looked off toward the children out of concern then zipped up his dark orange and black jacket over the dark gray two piece uniform. He looked over seeing Flake wearing a concerned look gazing off toward the view screen. Don inputted the code to the door console. Judy came over with a equipment kit. Penny handed each member of the group a wrist band device that was bulky with a flat screen. The group consisted of Judy, Maureen, Don, John, and the Robot. The group made their way to the intersection between the Jupiter 2 and the other ship. John opened the door then in they went.
"Good luck, Robinsons," Flake said to himself, lowering his hand.
Judy spotted strange blue, green patches hooked into the wall. Everyone could hear the sounds of feet from above. The halls were a shade of light gray compared to the one inside the Jupiter 2 that were darker gray. The soul of the ship radiated. It seemed like the ship itself could hold hundreds of people, perhaps an entire colony. Judy held the biological lifeform detector holding it up in the air. The shapes of spiders were seen on the screen. John and Don had looks of horror.
They turned their attention of the wall, Don took out the laser pistol placing it along his side.
The hair on his skin raised up.
Don and John exchanged a glance together.
"There is a forest to the left," The Robot announced, monotonously. "There is one lifeform registered." The Robot turned toward the men. "It is a small, baby Gorilla according to my sensors."
"Whatever is up there has eaten its siblings," Don said.
"What kind of monkey is going to blow our minds," Judy said, optimistically, then took the turn. "It's a survivor."
"Judy!" John called.
The group followed Judy into a forest.
"A hydroponics," Maureen said, as Don looked up stunned toward the jungle.
"That would take decades to do," John said, as Judy looked around in awe holding out the medical device in her hand.
"Apparently, some aliens can easily grow a jungle out here," Don said.
"Possibly," Maureen said. "It isn't man made. Growing a hydroponics inside is theoretically possible with given artificial sunlight," she walked forward with curious eyes about the scenery. "This is something beyond our technology."
Judy held out a device toward the wall of greenery to her right then lowered it. The camera backed out to reveal a large maze that had a artificial sky from above. It looked like the ship was part of a planet rather than a lab. Don looked up, quite impressed and amazed at the same time. John picked off a peach then took a bite out of it. Maureen slipped some of the fruit into the knapsack into her pocket. Never knew when they were going to require using their hydroponics when planet-side and run out of seeds instead of resorting to rationed packets.
"Something is in there," Judy said, as Don moved to her side.
"Hold on . . ." Don said. "Stand still," he reached arm forward then yanked out a pink squirming baby gorilla with long, pointy ears grabbing it by the neck. The baby gorilla was squirming. "Ah ha!"
"It's scared," Judy said, taking the baby Gorilla into her arms right of Don's hand. "I'm calling it Debbie."
"Bloop, bloop, bloop," Debbie said, as Judy tickled under the gorilla's chin.
"This is a odd monkey," Maureen commented. Debbie smiled, almost like a toddler in a odd way. "Survival in space without aid makes it more than a survivor," Maureen approached the baby Gorilla with curious eyes. It had fur like parts that stood up at Maureen's presence. "It's impressive."
"Can I keep it?" Judy asked.
"I don't think so," John said, as Debbie wiggled Maureen's fingers. "It could drain us of our rations."
"If we can keep it in the pod until we find a suitable planet to leave it then we can keep it," Maureen said. "It's all alone and afraid. The only version of its kind out here," she faced John. "We owe Debbie that."
"We do," John said. "Robot?"
"There is no other Gorilla lifeforms," The Robot replied. "However, I do detect several corpses."
"You mean to say this baby saw the slaughter?" Don asked.
"It could have," The Robot said.
"Let's get to the bridge," John said. "and get those starcharts downloaded to the Jupiter 2."
Judy looked down to Debbie that changed to a shade of gray and wrapped itself around her shoulder. Maureen came over to the plague then wiped off the vines then she loudly gasped. John came over to her side then staggered back at the sight.
DEDICATED TO THE ROBINSONS.
LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.
WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR YOU.
2058 - 2200
"Did we go through a time bubble?" John asked, looking toward Don.
"The files were sketchy from the Jupiter 2 once I got a good look at it," Don said, coming over. "Humanity survived," Don grew a smile. "We were lost but humanity made it off Earth," a look of relief took over. He dusted off the lower half. "somehow."
COMMISSIONED BY GENERAL ROBERT FLAKE.
USS JUPITER 2.
"Captain Flake would have to be two hundred to commission this," John said.
"Something isn't right about this," Maureen said, as they heard light tapping from the glass above.
"I think this was a lab ship," Judy said, handing Debbie a bar of chocolate. Debbie squeaked eating the bar of chocolate. Debbie turned a shade of brown as it licked its lips tucking away what bits of chocolate were left into its mouth. "Only a lab experiments with a in-doors hydroponics."
The group scurried out of hydroponics making their way to the bridge bolting out running with nothing to chase after them. The Robot kept up with them without a problem. There was no threats on the robots sensors around them. There was tapping following the group over to the bridge. The bridge was vast and large with a 'u' shaped console. The window was covered in windows. Don came over to the console then pressed the familiar buttons that didn't wasn't any different than the Jupiter 2's consoles.
"Sending starcharts to the Jupiter 2," Don said.
"We can make it to Alpha Centauri," John said, in awe.
"In one piece," Maureen said, coming to his side. "And older."
"Wiser," John said, taking Maureen's hand with a smile.
"Looks like someone used the universal translator idea," Don said. "Downloading that to the Jupiter 2 and the wrist translator." he seemed to be amused as the wrist bracelets dinged as they were each updated." He looked up toward the screen. He saw the words on the screen that seemed to be somewhat degraded but legible. "Hold on," Don squinted at the screen. "I found the commanding officer's log," he looked up. "It's in bad shape."
"Pull it up," John said.
A dark man appeared on the screen.
"This is Major Charles Tucker," Tucker said. "Captain Flake has led us to the Jupiter 2. It's in bad shape. Looks like it suffered a big battle out there before landing here," the screen sizzled. "Captain Flake is-There is something off about him-I-Think-this-" static took over as the Robinsons leaned forward staring at the screen. "The public wants the Jupiter 2 taken to-I have to talk with the captain and-I don't think it won't-something is wrong-Gorilla-I'll go in for him."
Tucker turned and vanished before the camera's eyes.
"Didn't get much off that," John said.
"Oh wait, there's a few seconds left," Don said.
"We have to leave him behind! GO GO GO GO GO GO!" Tucker shouted. "WE'RE LEAVING! RETURN TO THE JUPITER-" and then there was static as there was storms going on behind the terrified, panicked man.
"He saw something that he should never have seen," Maureen said.
"Perhaps it is the planet before," Don said. "Readings indicate there are plenty of time bubbles."
"Plenty," Maureen said.
"Looks like we got a mystery on our hands that we have to explore," John said.
"This is not going to be a field trip," Maureen said.
"It's going to be educational for Flake," John said, as a smile tugged at his lips.
"What are planted on the hull?" Maureen asked.
"Some kind of alien spider," Judy said, as the screen came up with the figure.
"Very gross," Don said.
"This is a first," Judy said. "I didn't think this ship would be used for that."
"Biological weapon made to be used against Global Sedition or whoever is the threat," Don said. "It would be perfectly reasonable given what circumstance Earth was facing. Most of the data is corrupted except for the universal translator for some convenient reason."
Judy rubbed her chin.
"A ship named Jupiter 2 doesn't get sent out to become a lab," John said. "it becomes one. Like we are becoming explorers and scientists rather than colonists."
"This can't be a coincidence," Maureen said.
"It has to be a coincidence," John said. "Who would name a ship Jupiter 2 after it gets lost in space?"
"Someone who wants is eager to show that the name is cursed," Don said.
"They have made their point loud and clear," Maureen said.
John nodded in agreement.
"Let's explore the planet down there," John said, looking down toward what little of a view screen showed the planet below.
"Danger!" The robot announced. "Robinsons, danger!" the robot turned away and fled out.
The sounds of metallic feet above unnerved them. Don typed in a command into the console as the others fled. Penny and Maureen fired after the spiders using their laser pistols. The space spiders exploded in a green spat once hit on the bottom. Don ran after the party but before he did, he grabbed out two, heavy large boxes that were hidden in plain sight under two chairs with the United Global Space Force emblem on it. He made his way out of the room keeping up with their pace. He heard his name called down the hall. He heard the sounds of spiders coming from behind him so he moved the second box into his arm and took out the laser pistol. He fired back at the spiders. Don gunned down several of the spiders walking backwards. They were coming out of their sacks with speed.
"Major West!"
Don bumped into a large piece of metal.
"Dad is waiting for you," Will replied from the Jupiter 2 inside a holographic figure and in the position that the Robot was in. "I can do this!"
"I'll cover you," Don said.
"I'm in a robot," Will said. "You don't need to cover me."
Don looked up toward the robot as it shifted toward him.
"We have one head for this robot," Don reminded, stepping back behind Will. "And that's ten million dollars."
"Money doesn't matter in space," Will said. "Flake said you care about money too much."
"Someone has to!" Don replied as he fired back at the creatures.
"Run," Will repeated. "The Robot can easily catch up with you!"
Don turned away then fled toward the sounds of the other Robinsons. They fled down the corridor through a bridge over a body of water. John smacked on the console in front of the secondary door then aimed the laser pistol at it. The console erupted into sparks. The door flew open for the party to come through. The Robot sped through the door the hall. Firing shot after shot. The spiders were exploding one by one. The Robot crashed into bridge. Don dropped the luggage against the navigation machine then leaped into the pilot seat and flew the Jupiter away. Maureen pressed several buttons making the airlock doors close. Will got out of the blue holographic field then stood up straight. The Jupiter 2 closed in on the planet.
Flake checked on the Robot.
"No harm done," Flake said, relieved.
"What is that?" Penny asked, gazing at the little pinkish monkey.
"This is Debbie," Judy said.
"Bloop," Debbie leaped onto Penny's shoulder then turned a shade of black. "Bloop. . . Bloop."
"Fascinating," Penny said, as Debbie messed in her hair. "What kind of monkey are they?"
"Space monkey," Judy said. "I think I am calling it a Blarp."
"Blarp?" Penny said, raising a eyebrow as Debbie picked out little insects from the girl's hair.
"It just blarped out," Judy said.
"We're going to be blarped away if we don't get close enough to the planet," Don said.
"The spiders," Maureen said, in horror, watching them gather from the ship.
"Hold on, everyone!" John announced.
"No, really!" Don said. "I rigged it to explode. Can't believe it still obeys my orders."
"You're mad!" John said.
John looked over with a smile toward John.
"Mad as hell," Don said, as the ship trembled as it got further and further from the space craft.
Then the ship from above the Jupiter 2 exploded. It was silent as the explosive sent the thousands of spiders toward the sun freely. They were almost chucked toward it in a way. Some of them were destroyed by the explosion that erupted from engineering then made its way through several of the decks. The pieces of scrapmetal flew toward the sun carelessly. Don managed to get a grip over the Jupiter 2 making sure it returned to the correct speed it should be going.
"Looks like we are going to making a landing," Don said. "and we're not splitting up to solve a mystery, Fred."
"That I agree on, Velma," John shot back.