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 Robinson, Major West, Dr. Smith, and the Robot are about to encounter an old foe. Several, actually.
Part 18...
"What?!" Smith outraged and astonished, to a sighing Verda.
"Please don't be upset, Father-Owner, beloved." She pleads. "It's not good for you."
"Very well." He eyes her. "But you actually mean to say we're back on the same planet, thirteen miles..."
"Fifteen and a half, you haven't walked that far..." she notes.
"Fifteen plus miles from the place we departed from?!"
"I guess Mr. Farnum set your force pods to return." Verda shrugs. "Glad I detected you in transit and came back. Now, please, we must hurry..."
"Hurry? Where?" Smith looks about. "We're safe here, if a bit far from where I would like to be. Until our triumphant return to Earth."
"The others are coming back now...The Tribunal and Confederation will take you from me." Verda, insistent. "I don't wish to have to stun you, Dr. Smith but..."
"Why, you!" the returning Nancy Pi-Square with Penny, dropping the improvised sled they'd just finished, taking up a defensive stance. "Who do you think you are, android?"
"The true love and daughter of Dr. Smith." Verda, proudly. "He ordered me, he programmed me. All that I am is due to him."
"Well, true enough, I suppose..." Smith agrees.
Nancy's personal shield, raised at detecting Verda's presence, glows. Penny collapsing.
"Penny?! Dear child! Verda? What have you done?!" Smith anxiously moving to Penny, she lying crumpled on the ground.
"She's merely stunned, Father-Owner." Verda, soothingly.
"But not me..." Nancy, coldly. "And if you think, you're going anywhere with Dr. Smith..."
"Attention!" an overhead voice calls.
"Oh, no..." Smith sighs.
"It's the Confederation..." Verda shakes head. "We have to try to escape!"
A series of barriers surround them...
"Damn." Nancy sighs. "Too late. But no one will take Zachary from me!" she raises arm control, clearly intending to fire.
"No!" Verda, rushing on her, guarding Smith.
Oh, dear...Smith eyes the two fighting on the ground...
How did a redeemed hero like me ever get into such a predicament?
...
"Stop your aggression at once! Your weapons are neutralized!" the overhead voice called.
"Smith!" John, with Will and Don beside him, appears after a brief beam of light. Just outside the barrier area.
"Professor! Thank the gods! Is everyone all right?!" Smith called as Nancy and Verda stop fighting and rise, grimly eyeing each other.
"The Robot's with Judy and Maureen. They're all right." Robinson looks to see Penny on ground. "Penny?!"
"I'm afraid I couldn't stop Miss Verda from stunning the poor child, Professor. Will, I assure you..."
"I know, Dr. Smith." Will nods. "Verda? How could you do this?"
"You're too young to understand, William." Verda sighs.
"The poor thing isn't responsible for her actions, William." Smith notes.
"Well, this stops here right now." John, grimly. "My daughters have been harmed, my wife affected."
"I know, I know...Truly I do, Professor and even poor Farnum gave his life to save us." Smith sighs. "You up there! Space Tribunal or whatever you call yourselves...!"
"Mr. Farnum's dead?" Will asks, stunned.
"You people must know now that I am innocent. Zalto!...That worthless charlatan...Is the one you seek!" Smith cries.
"I'm sorry, William." He turns to Will. "But he gave his life bravely."
"Please don't be angry at Zachary..." Nancy cut in, rising as Verda watches her narrowly. "It's really my fault. I shouldn't have let the Boss get involved."
"I'm sorry." John nods. "And I'm afraid when all this is over, you will be very sorry. But you should know it's not your fault. So..." he turns to Smith. "It's your old friend, Zalto, who's behind this?"
"Indeed, Professor. He revealed himself aboard Mr. Farnum's ship. It's all an evil plot of revenge and criminal profit by him, aimed at yours truly. But..." Smith hesitates. "Farnum rammed his ship with his own...I believe...And I certainly hope...That he is dead."
"We confirm that it is the magician and quantum biophysicist Averol Zalto who is responsible for the actions causing the unfortunate effects on a number of females." The voice from above called. "Dr. Smith? We regret that it was necessary to accuse you to reveal the source of the mysterious force. You are hereby cleared of all charges by the Tribunal and commended for your actions in containing this menace to the Galaxy."
"That's all fine, but what about Zalto?" John calls. "Can you confirm he's dead? And if so why hasn't the spell effect ended?"
"We're attempting to determine that, Professor." Sir Sagamore appears now in beam of light. "I've been assisting the Tribunal just now with the data I acquired. The effect, we fear, is implanted not projected by this fellow Zalto's field."
"Meaning it won't end by Zalto's death and his ship's destruction...?" John stares. "Can it be reversed?"
"With more study, I'm sure it can." Sagamore nods. "The fact that it affects mechanical beings suggests it operates at the quantum level, but we need more..."
"Heh...Heh...Heh...Heh. Ah Ha, ha, hah." Zalto's voice suddenly fills the air. "You may try, Antarian...Tribunal. But you'll never defeat Zalto, Zalto the Magnificent!"
"Zalto!" John cries.
"What? You want me off this planet by dawn, too, Earthman?!" Zalto's voice, sneering. "Pity that fool Farnum threw his life away for nothing...And you, my dear Miss Pi-Cube whatever, can't even mourn him properly."
"You're an ass, Zalto!" John, grimly. "And this being a family show, that says just how disgusted I am with you."
"Ooooh..." Zalto's voice.
"You killed Mr. Farnum." Will coldly. "You hurt my family. You got Dr. Smith accused."
"Aww..." Zalto's voice, mockingly. "And here I thought you liked me, Earthboy."
"Zalto! You will be hunted down and jailed in the cosmonium mines of Altair IV for life!" the voice of the Tribunal, namely Judge Icho, calls.
"If you can..." A blast hits an outcropping of rock. "Arrgh...If you can...If you can..." Zalto's voice repeating. A small figure stumbling out...
"Ohhh..." the second puppet robot collapses on the ground. Don and a swamp thing guard approach it. Don respectfully backing off as the guard takes up the little robot. The guard nodding to Don politely.
"It's Zalto's puppet all right." Don calls. "He must've sent it in. Hey, Tribunal. His ship is probably nearby!" he calls.
"We are attempting to locate. Scanning now." Judge Icho's voice.
"The Boss died for nothing..." Nancy, flatly. "And that...Zalto...Made me help. And I can't even mourn him properly, like he...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screams in horror, startling all.
"Miss Pi-Square..." Smith, astonished.
"Boss, oh Boss..." she sobs. "What have I done?!"
"I think..." John stares.
"Worked quite well, eh? A jolt of severe emotion was the key. And to think, I...Great as Farnum B may be...Was the cause." Farnum B, appearing suddenly before them, smiling.
"Boss!" Nancy cries, running to him and embracing...
"Now, now! My dear, don't go and kill me again..." Farnum urges, but with beaming smile.
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