Lost in Space: "Wanted Man…"
Summary: Smith's past…And the Space Tribunal catch up with him.
Stranded once again due to needed repairs on an unknown planet in a star system far from Earth (or Alpha Centauri), the Robinsons, Major West, Dr. Smith, and the Robot are about to encounter an old foe. Several, actually.
Out to seek ore samples necessary for repairs for their damaged ship, the Jupiter 2, thirteen-year-old Will Robinson, the Robot, and a reluctant Dr. (Colonel if not yet dishonorably discharged on Earth) Zachary Smith explore a large, rocky, and thankfully, Smith notes, empty plateau on the remarkably, as always, Californian desert-like planet. Smith happily pontificating to a busy ore-gathering Will Robinson about his adventures as a young boy on Earth…
"These are the tales of Thomas Sawyer as told by Samuel Clemens…" the Robot noted, listening, as he scanned the plateau.
"Nonsense, you clattering clod! These are my very own adventures as a boy…" Smith fumed.
"While I could believe you are old enough to have helped Tom Sawyer whitewash fences in Hannibal, Missouri…" the Robot began…
Suddenly a series of metal barriers appearing all around them…Blocking advance or retreat.
"What the devil?!" Smith nervously.
"I've seen those before…?"Will noted, staring.
"Yes…And they are energized, do not approach them." The Robot cautioned.
A voice from over head, equally familiar…All three craning upward…"Attention! Attention! Dr. Zachary Smith! You are hereby summoned to appear before the Galactic Space Tribunal, at once. Any attempt to escape will be considered an admission of guilt and sentence will be immediately passed."
"What…?" Smith stared. "Oh, no, no…Not again!" agitated wringing of hands. "Oh, the everlasting pain of it all…!"
"Robot?" Will turned. "Is that…?"
"Yes, sensors and memory bank confirms these are the same instruments used by the Space Tribunal when it contacted up before." The Robot noted. "You had better let me handle this, Dr. Smith. I was appointed your probation officer."
"In…Deed." Smith scowled. "Without my permission or even…"
" …You better let him handle these aliens." Will noted.
"Perhaps so…All right, sir. Activate all your legal databanks and tell these…" he blanched. "Good people…I have already been cleared by them. And they should get their papers, computer files, whatever in order. Go, sir." Indignant tone.
"Greetings to the Tribunal." The Robot called out. "I am the B-9 Environmental Control Robot of the Robinson expedition, placed as Dr. Smith's probation officer by yourselves at our last encounter. I also act as Dr. Smith's legal counsel."
"Oh, the pain…The distinct pain." Smith sighed.
"Well, he's cheap enough…" Will teased. "I'll try to reach Dad and Don." He took out radio mike from a side strap. "Jupiter 2, this is the ore party, come in."
"I suppose. And do not get any ideas about payment in cash, goods, or kind, sir." Dr. Smith eyed the Robot. "You are operating strictly pro bono."
"Your knowing you owe me is sufficient payment, Dr. Smith. Huh-huh-huh."
"No sentence could be bad enough to endure this." Smith grimaces. "William? Have you been able to contact the others?" Will shaking head.
"Too much interference…"
The voice above suddenly resumed, perhaps a bit less strident…
"Greetings, B-9. The Tribunal intends no harm to you, your companion, or…Possibly… . But he must face the charges we present. As always, he will receive all due process of Galactic law as agreed by the Galactic Confederation and its Galactic Space Tribunal And you are acknowledged as his legal representation…"
"Under duress…" Smith intones.
"Hereye, hereye…The Tribunal is in session. The honorable Judge Icho presiding." Voice from above.
A platform appears outside the barrier area…Several aliens…Two of the gill creatured interstellar transit aliens, the stone-faced thought machine alien, a swamp thing-like alien, and Judge Icho, a large massive electric-static producing creature, best described as "bubble-like" or of the "It Came from Outer Space" sort regarding the three trapped within the barrier zone.
Smith barely managing to keep from crying out or fainting…Still, however…It was an unfair outrage…And he is, after all, not only more experienced with aliens, especially these…But, thanks to Dr. Chronos, the Time Merchant, deceased, newly redeemed of his past crimes.
Redeemed, indeed, by my own courageous actions!
"But I was exonerated…On all charges!" Smith, frantically.
"You were placed on Probation, Dr. Smith." Judge Icho noted sternly, electric charges flashing. "In custody of the Robot. But indeed, we are aware you have recently redeemed yourself of some of your crimes through voluntary time travel alteration. Well done." Stern tone continued.
"Oh, well…Thank you…Uh, Your Honor. It was of course a far, far better thing than I have ever done before…" pausing, hopefully. "Have you come to say I'm cleared of my Probation? Oh, very kind, sir!"
"You are…Partially cleared."
"How wonderful. And may I humbly say, Your Honor, that I am most impressed…Indeed…With Galactic Justice. Well, I thank you." Calming…
"Indeed." Coldly. "However, that is not why we have come to you. There is another, very serious matter you have been charged with."
"I'm innocent!" Smith, hastily. "I assure you, Judge Icho…The Robot will vouch for me! …"
Aside…Harsh whisper… "Vouch, you bubble-headed ninny!"
"I swear I've done nothing criminal, especially since my as you put it, Redemption."
"Your Honors…" the Robot spoke up. "I can indeed vouch that Dr. Smith has not, to my knowledge, performed further criminal actions since his Redemption on Earth, courtesy Dr. Chronos."
"The matter is not exactly a criminal action." The Judge noted, firmly. "However, in Space, we hold very high standards regards these affairs."
Smith gulping…
"It has been brought to our attention that Dr. Smith has plighted himself to several creatures of the female gender, mostly humanoid species whose worlds while not all members of the Confederation do subscribe to the Space Tribunal and its legal mechanisms for resolution of intragalactic disputes."
"What?!" Smith, stunned.
"Huh-huh-huh…" the Robot chuckles. "Sorry, your Honor. As Dr. Smith's probation officer, as appointed by the Galactic Court…And his lawyer, given my memory banks contain all of Earth's legal documentation, plus what I have scanned of Galactic and alien law…May I ask who has brought such charges?"
"These are the three…" Judge Icho indicated a separate large platform dragged out by a furry court attendant.
"Smithy, land sakes if it hasn't been years…" the Sharecropper Mother alien materialized .
Oh…No…He gulped. Will staring…
"I'd almost given up hope of finding my lambkins…And the children so miss their daddy." she beamed. Stiffening under a suspension beam.
"And the second, of the race of Tribonian Warrior Females…"
"Smith!" a beaming, lovely Noble Niolani appeared in her trademark black uniform but without her spikes. "I'm so happy to see you, my darling. How has your art been going? Do you have any idea how popular your work has become on my home world?!" eager smile. "I've missed you so…My betrothed." She likewise stiffening suddenly.
No…Oh, No…No…Smith shook head.
"Loves and leaves 'em…This could be serious." The Robot noted to Will.
"And the third…" stern tone. Though perhaps just a touch of questioning…
As in…How the hell does he…?
"Sm...ifth. Haandsome, preety handsome. Dr. Smith." Beam as green-skinned, floating Veena appears, in her slinky green leotard and plastic small helmet visor. "Oh, so good to see my handsome, pretty handsome…' She stiffens as well, now in suspension. Floating suspension.
"Oh, dear…Oh, dear, oh dear, oh dear…"
"Never fear…Studdly Smith is here." The Robot noted, chuckling again. "Huh-huh-huh."
"Robot." Will shaking head.
"These females have all filed briefs with the Galactic Court indicating possible breech of contract by you with them? Do you have any statement to make, Dr. Smith?" the Judge asked. The three "women" remaining in suspension.
"I…I…I…Uhnnnn…" Smith fainting.
…
Meanwhile, back at the Jupiter 2 landing site…Yes, this time they managed a landing not a crash…
"Any word from Smith, Will, and the Robot…?" Major Don West, thirtyish dark-haired tall short-haired officer in the Robinson expedition standard turtle-neck and slacks, pausing from examining a damaged component to address the taller, wavy dark-hiared fortyish Dr. John Robinson, commander of the expedition. He engaged in running a diagnostic on the component…
"Not yet, but they are due to report in…" Robinson noted, pulling out a mike similar to Will's from his side pouch. "Will? Come in, Will? This is Dad at the landing site. Will, do read me? Over."
"I knew it was a bad idea to send Smith with them." Don sighed. "He's probably got them lost or in some ridiculous trouble. We'd better go find out. You know Smith."
"It's probably nothing but we'd best check it out." John nodded. "Maureen?" he called to his wife, the lovely fortyish Dr. Maureen Robinson, just inside the ship analyzing some biological samples from the planet before she would start prepping dinner. The Robinsons' two daughters, blonde Judy, about twenty one and dark-haired Penny, about fourteen, busy working a few yards away outside in the temporary hydroponic garden the Robinsons had set up to maintain their food supplies.
Maureen came to the ship's open airlock hatch, wiping hands.
Some day it might be wise to not leave the hatch open and our interior atmosphere exposed on an unknown planet, she thought. But, of course, my John knows best.
"What, John?' she called.
"Don and I can't reach Will and Smith on the radio. We're going out to the plateau to make sure everything's all right." John told her. "We'll put up the force field around the ship just in case before we leave. Can you hold the fort here, dear?"
"Oh, my. Well, of course. I'll keep trying to reach Dr. Smith and Will after you go, tell him you're coming."
"Good. Don't worry, darling, I'm sure everything's fine."
"All right, dear. Hurry…" slight urgency. "And let us know, soon as you can…"
Penny pausing in her work to look at Judy who gave reassuring look but…
Dr. Smith? And Will and the robot…Of course…In danger?
(Disembodied chuckle, out of earshot…Hee, heh, heh… "Oh, this is too good, isn't it?" "Too, good, Master. But not so good…For Dr. Smith." A second disembodied voice agrees
"Yes…Well, this'll teach him to tell me he has an honest face…" Ha, ha, ha, ha, hah.)
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