Forgiveness:

"Doctor Smith, a responsible member of the Jupiter 2 crew? You're joking, right, John?"

"No, I'm not. You see, Don, Smith's life, as he knew it, ended the day the Jupiter took off from Earth. He's become a man without a purpose. I intend to give him a purpose."

"I don't know. I'm still convinced that Smith was behind the Robot going berserk just after lift-off. He told Will that he went below to adjust the oxygen/nitrogen mixture, but that valve is on the upper deck. Just before we ran into that derelict ship, I had pulled the mission records. Smith's name wasn't on the authorized checkout list. He had no business even being aboard."

"Well, that may be, but that was over three years ago. As they say, Major, a lot of water has passed under the dam since then."

"I hope you are right about this, John."

"Time will tell," said the Professor. He looked around the table, seeing nods of approval from his family. "Well, it's late and we all have a lot of work to do tomorrow. I suggest we turn in."

"I agree," said Maureen. "Come along, children, you too, Judy."

"I'll be along in a bit, Mother. I need to talk to Don for a few minutes."

"Well, don't stay up too late."

Judy sat back down at the table across from Don.

"Are you still angry with me?" he finally asked.

"Don, I was never really angry with you, but I was upset. I still am." She paused for a few moments to collect her thoughts. "I can't believe that you would turn Doctor Smith out, especially after he saved your life last year. Maybe that didn't mean anything to you, but it meant a hell of lot to me."

"But Judy…"

"Maybe that's the problem with us, Don, maybe I don't mean that much to you."

"How can you say that?" asked Don, clearly upset. "How could you even think it?"

Judy knew that her words had hurt him, and she didn't want to hurt him. But she was no longer sure where they stood. It was time to force the issue.

"All I can tell you, is I wouldn't treat someone who had saved the love of my life, like you treat Doctor Smith."

Don went to speak again, but stopped himself as he realized the point she was trying to make. Judy had practically waited on Smith hand and foot for a week when they returned from capping the volcano. When questioned about it, she told him that she was grateful to Smith for saving the one she loved. And I haven't as much as thanked him, he thought. Don lowered his eyes in shame.

"I think I'm beginning to see your point. I did owe Smith my life that day and I guess I do again. I love you, Judy, I couldn't live without you. This afternoon, I didn't want to let you go."

She reached out and took his hand, "I know. It's been a long time since you held me like that. I was beginning to wonder if you still cared."

"I hope that I've shown you that I do."

She squeezed his hand, "I just wish you wouldn't get so angry with Doctor Smith. It scares me, Don."

He looked up at her in shock. It had never crossed his mind that she would ever be afraid of him.

"Judy, you don't think for a moment that I would…"

"No, I'm not afraid of you ever hurting me. But one day you are going to lose your temper with him and do something you'll regret later. I am afraid of what that will do to you, or to us."

"It's not even about Smith," he added. "Every time it seems like we are finally back on course and on our way to our new life together, someone throws a monkey wrench in the works…"

"And that someone is usually, Doctor Smith," Judy finished for him. "It frustrates me as well, Don. Promise me that you won't allow your anger with him dictate your actions."

"You're asking a lot, but, I'll try."

They sat in silence for a while, holding hands and looking up at the stars. Without industrial or light pollution, the band of the Milky Way could be very clearly seen, but the stars and constellations were all out of place from the way they would be seen on Earth. He rose from the table, never letting go of her hand and sat down beside her. She leaned back into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, both of them continuing to look up at the stars.

"Judy, we're going to be on this planet for quite a while. Your father told us all at least six months, but the truth is, with the damage I found today, we have at least year's worth of work ahead of us."

"Do my parents know, yet?" she asked.

"No, I was going to tell John in the morning. Your mother and he were so relieved to find you safe. I didn't want to spoil it for them."

"God, another year, plus two more to get to Alpha Centauri, by the time we get there, I'll be twenty five. And that's assuming that we don't run into anymore mishaps."

"With Smith onboard…sorry, I shouldn't have said that," he said. She squeezed his hand, letting him know that she understood. "Well, I have two things to do tomorrow morning, apologize to Smith, and ask your father to marry us…"

Judy sat up and spun around, "Oh, Don, are you sure?"

"I don't want to wait anymore for a day that might never come, that is, if you'll still have this hot-headed space pilot."

"There was never any question about that, Major West." She threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply.

The couple rose from the table and walked into the ship, hand in hand, the hatch closing behind them.

"My place, tonight," said Don as they walked onto the elevator.

"All right, as soon as I'm sure that Penny is asleep."

It had been some time since she and Don had cuddled together. Privacy was a premium on the Jupiter 2 and the only time they could be truly alone was after everyone else had gone to sleep. She was looking forward to reconnecting with him.

...

The middle aged USAF Colonel, removed the programming tape from the environmental control robot and replaced it with the one he had in the pocket of his jump suit. Once the tape was installed, he walked over to the programming station and retrieved the automated being's power pack.

Quickly he returned to the robot and installed the power pack into the slot on the side of the mechanical man. The Colonel pushed the buttons on the front panel, loading the new programming into the robot's memory banks.

Walking back to the programming panel, he waited for the program load complete indicator to light. With a show of flourish, he activated the robot power circuit, bringing the mechanical being online.

"At exactly launch plus eight hours, inertial navigation system, destroy. Cabin pressure control system, destroy. Radio transmitter, destroy."

Colonel Zachary Smith nodded in satisfaction as the robot correctly recited its change in programming. Smith turned from the programming panel and started towards the elevator when a light shined in his face, blinding him.

"No….."

Doctor Smith bolted up in bed, screaming from the nightmare he had just experienced. He soon realized that he was in the safety of his cabin aboard the Jupiter 2.

"Oh good heavens," he said to himself. "What a dreadful nightmare."

A knock on his door caused him to jump, "I'm innocent!"

"Doctor Smith?" The cabin door opened revealing a worried Professor Robinson. "Maureen and I heard you scream out. Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you, and your dear wife, for your concern. It was a nightmare, nothing more, I assure you. I apologize if I woke you."

"That's quite all right. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thank you, Professor."

As the Professor closed the door the Smith's cabin, Don and Judy met him in the common area.

"Everything okay, John?"

"I think so. It looks like Smith had a nightmare. What are you two doing up?"

"We heard Doctor Smith scream," said Judy. "It was enough to wake the dead."

"Is Penny still asleep?" asked John, noticing that their cabin door was still closed.

"I think so."

"Well, I'm going back to bed, good night."

"Good night, Dad."

"Good night, John."

Professor Robinson retreated to his cabin and closed the door. Judy and Don walked back to the open door but Judy stopped at the cabin she shared with her sister.

"I'd better say good night too, Don. See you in the morning?"

"Of course. Good night, Judy. I love you," said Don, just before he gently kissed her.

Judy hugged him briefly before entering her cabin. To her surprise, and relief, her sister was still fast asleep. As much as she wanted to stay with Don, she suspected that her father had surmised that she had been in his cabin.

...

Outside the door, Don returned to his own room saying quietly to himself, "Smith must hate me. That's all there is to it."

...

John and Maureen were up early, that morning. After making coffee, they sat in the galley, engaged in serious conversation.

"All right, John, talk to me. After you came back to bed last night, you tossed and turned all night. What's bothering you?"

"I'm not sure, darling, but I think Judy was with Don in his cabin last night."

"What leads you to think that?" she asked, seeming more curious than concerned.

"When Smith cried out, she showed up at the same time Don did. I asked her if Penny was still asleep and she said that she thought so, but the way she responded seemed evasive."

"I still have trouble thinking of Judy as anything but a child, but the truth is, dear, she's a grown woman."

"Yes, I know, both her and Don are adults, but I was under the impression that they were going to wait until we settled on Alpha Prime."

"Could it be that you are still an over protective father who's not ready to lose his little girl?"

"That's highly possible," John admitted. "If we had returned to Earth, two years ago, she and Don would be already married."

"And we'd probably be grandparents," Maureen added. "Maybe that's what you're worried about."

"I'll have you know, my dear, that you look much too young to be a grandmother."

"Why, Professor Robinson," she said, with a southern flair. "I do declare, was that a compliment?"

"Absolutely," he said, reaching to kiss her.

"While Judy and I are cleaning up the galley later, I'll ask her about last night," Maureen said.

"I'd like to be there…"

"Sorry, John, this will be girl talk. No men allowed," she said, giving her husband a wry grin.

...

Don West sat up in his bunk after a night of restless sleep. After he and Judy had parted company, he found that he could not quiet his mind. The events, of the previous day, left him troubled and sleep would not come. I still have to thank Smith, he thought.

Steeling himself, he exited his cabin and made his way to the good Doctor's cabin. In the galley, John and Maureen were engaged in quiet conversation.

"Morning," he said, as he knocked on Smith's door.

"Yes," spoke the disembodied voice.

"Smith, it's West. May I see you a moment."

"Come in, Major."

When Don opened the door, he expected to see Smith still in bed. But much to Don's surprise, Smith was fully dressed, sitting up on his bunk. From the look on his face, the Major was sure that Smith had not slept any better than he did.

"I'm ready when you are," Smith said.

"That's not why I'm here, Doctor Smith." West paused, collecting his thoughts. "Once again, it seems that I find myself in your debt."

"Whatever do you mean, Major?"

"Yesterday afternoon, well, you…you saved Judy's life. I never thanked you for that."

Smith seemed unmoved, "Trust me, Major. I was not thinking of you when I came to the aid of that sweet young lady. I would not have been able to live with myself, had not tried to prevent her demise in such a horrible way."

This isn't easy, thought West. Baring his soul, to the likes of Smith, was not something that he relished, especially when it concerned his feelings towards Judy Robinson.

"I don't think you understand, Doctor Smith, Judy means a great deal to me. I can't even think about my life without her in it."

"I see," Smith replied. "If it is any consolation, Major, the young lady's life seems to be brightened by your presence as well. For the life of me, I have no idea why. Love is truly blind, but who am I to argue. Clearly, should the two of you ever decide to wed, you will be getting the better part of the bargain."

"I won't argue with you there, Doctor Smith. Maybe John is right after all. This is twice in one week that you and I have agreed. It's scary, isn't it?"

"Ghastly, would be more accurate," said Smith.

"Look, Smith, you and I will probably never see, eye to eye, but I wanted you to know that I am grateful to you for what you did." Major West extended his hand.

Zachary Smith softened his look has he shook hands with West. "You're welcome, Major West."

"John and Maureen, would like to see you before breakfast," said Don, as he turned to leave.

"Of course, please tell them that I will be along in a few minutes."