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 20...
"Well, hello, my dear. It's been a while." Zumdish beaming as Verda approached where he, Professor Robinson, Sagramore, and Farnum B stood, examining the new android. Dr. Smith, Will, Zacharia, and the Robot carefully watching Verda who eyed the others.
"Dr. Robinson, I apologize for anything I've done that might offend." She turned to John who nodded. "It's only that I love Dr. Smith so…"
"You can't help what's happened to you, Verda. But I'm sure Dr. Smith would appreciate it if you helped us now." John noted.
"Would you prefer me in android form, Dr. Smith?" Zacharia asked pleasantly. "I could update my chassis within a few days. Here are a few possible choices…" Holograms of various quite alluring females, human or humanoid, appearing.
Verda frowning…That cheap former Robotic Queen of Evil whore…
"I can upgrade even more easily, Zachary. And you already own me, more or less." She, smiling at him fondly.
"Oh, my. Quite unnecessary, my dears. You're both quite fine as you are." Smith hastily waving hands.
"You like me as I am. That is nice. Thank you, Dr. Smith." Zacharia, warm tone.
"Well, please keep it in mind, Zachary." Verda urged. "I could take any form of woman you want."
Robot turning to Will, Will eyeing the Robot…Hmmn.
"That's kind of you, my dear but for now lets focus on the task at hand. Please assist Professor Robinson in his labors." Smith noted. "Zacharia? Any assist you can give them is equally welcome. And ladies, please remember that it is Mr. Zalto who is the threat to me, no one else whatever he may try to claim."
"Wise." Farnum nodded with smile. "He might try something."
"I know I'll kill him if he shows his face here." Nancy noted coldly. "And no offense, Dr. Smith, but it won't be for you." Farnum offering fond beam.
"Believe me, my dear. I take that as the best news I've heard today." Smith noted.
"Lets get to it, then. Verda? We need you to interface with this android and see if you can download Zalto's possible location and plans." John, to Verda. "Mr. Zumdish will help you if you need it."
"I'll try, Dr. Robinson." She nodded, moving closer.
"You may have to directly access the multitronic brain without the usual safeguards…" Zumdish noted. "Her memory circuits have been deliberately fused."
"Yes. Just a moment." Verda intoned, waving a hand over the deactivated android's head, near its left ear.
"Might be best to keep weapons on her…" Zumdish hissed to the others. "Zalto may have installed safeguards in the android that might affect her."
"Perhaps young Will and I and Miss Pi-Square…" Smith began.
"Fools!" Verda suddenly turning, spoke coldly eyeing them. "The Great Zalto will never, never, never…" she paused, blinking.
"Verda!" John cried. The others about regarding her…Zumdish and Farnum exercising the better part of valor and stepping back. Nancy, quickly stepping between Farnum and Verda. Sagramore stepping forward, observing eagerly. Smith hurrying behind the Robot, to his credit urging Will to do the same… "Zacharia!" he cried.
"Smith!" John called. "Don't let her damage Verda!"
"Should I destroy the android lady worrying you, Dr. Smith?" Zacharia, pleasantly.
"I'm all right, Professor." Verda replied to John. "It's all right, Zachary." To Smith… "It's just a little note Mr. Zalto left in the other. I'm afraid there's no specific data on his whereabouts."
"Hold on destroying, my dear." Smith called to Zacharia. "But watch her, carefully! Stay here, William! She may be dangerous!" as Will stepped from behind the Robot.
"Yes, take care my boy." Sagramore agreed, continuing to observe and closing a bit, tapping his arm panels. "No signs of an energy surge, though, Professor." He noted to John who nodded.
"Seems she's right." Zumdish noted, relaxing a bit as did Farnum. "Just Mr. Zalto demonstrating he can override CDS programming blocks. Clever fellow, that rascal." Popping hand on mouth.
"Stay there, just in case, Will. Smith's right." John, hurriedly. "No offense, Verda."
"It's quite all right, Professor." Verda nodded. "I understand your concerns."
"I suggest we take care in probing further." Farnum, peering from behind Nancy's protective stance.
"That I second!" Smith called.
"We will…" John agreed. "Verda, see if you can get anything else but break off if you detect anything else from Zalto that might be harmful. Remember that Zalto is seeking to harm Dr. Smith."
"Of course, Professor…" Verda nodded, raising hands. "I understand and I'd never let anything or anyone harmful near Dr. Smith."
"Nothing harmful should be allowed near Dr. Smith." Zacharia agreed.
"Heaven for you, Dr. Smith." The Robot noted, clearly amused. "A bevy of robotic and organic females ready to die to protect you."
"Mind your manners and you'll keep your friends, you bubble-headed booby." Smith frowned.
"Gee, will an in with you get me in good with other robot ladies?" the Robot asked, chortling a bit.
"This android's banks are too badly fused for me to access much but she was obtained from an off-network CDS machine on Xyla 9." Verda reported.
"Ah, yes…Xyla 9, one of the less fashionable, more backwoods areas of the galaxy." Zumdish noted.
Politely refraining from noting its yet superior status to Earth…
"An older machine would be there, selling off old clearance merchandise like this." He eyed the deactivated, sprawled android.
"Hmmn…Zalto's not from there, at least he wasn't operating out of the Xyla system…Very credible audiences there, though not much in the way of useful profit." Farnum noted. "But it would be a good place to hide, edge of the settled galaxy, near enough to technology but out of the way. I say, Tribunal…?" he called up, staring. "Xyla 9 might be worth a look…Though he could be long gone from there."
"A ship will be dispatched." Overhead voice. "But we agree, Zalto is probably long gone from there."
"Might find some traces…Someone there may recollect seeing him." Farnum reflected.
"Well, we can hardly sit around having every odd planet in this galaxy scanned!" Smith noted, impatiently. "My life…And of course the ladies' lives, are all in great danger."
"Yes, you could be smothered by the weight of kisses from all the babes in the galaxy. Huh, huh, huh" The Robot chortled.
"Robot…Enough. Smith, we're doing all we can. You know I'm at least as anxious as you are to resolve this." John eyed Smith sternly.
"Of course, Professor. I merely object to this clattering bucket of bolts making light of the situation." Smith sniffing.
"My apologies, Professor Robinson." The Robot noted. Repressed chortle to Smith…
"That's all right…You tin-plated, fourth rate excuse for a comedian." Smith, grimly. "It's clear you're merely jealous. Given you couldn't even program your lady robot friend to love you, whereas…"
"Dr. Smith…" Will sighed.
"Tell him, my dear Zacharia…My name sake…Who do you prefer?" Smith eyeing Zacharia.
"At this time, due to the effect of Mr. Zalto's field, you, Dr. Smith." Earnest reply. "But your Robot is very nice."
Ohhh…The Robot sighed.
"So much for your affairs du coeur, sir." Smith, archly.
"She did say you were nice, Robot." Will tried.
…
"Surely Zalto's field has a range limit…?" John pondered to Farnum, Sagramore, and Zumdish as they analyzed data from the android.
"He did affect females across the Galaxy within a very short time range." Sagramore sighed. "Amazing as it seems."
"Such a thing is impossible…" Zumdish stared at Smith. "The power demands would be astronomical."
Though…If this silly human Earther has such ability…
"All females Dr. Smith had met in the past…" John noted.
"Yes, curious…" Sagramore nodded.
"Gentlemen, perhaps we've been looking at the problem too much from the scientific, technical side." Farnum noted. "Remember that, like me, Zalto is, however pathetic a shadow of the Great Farnum B, a showman…Given to sleight of hand and deception, even if utilizing highly advanced technology. What if he didn't need to use astronomical amounts of power?"
"And yet his field affects across the galaxy…Unless." Sagramore paused.
"Unless…" Farnum nodded.
"Smith is the source…And the seed?" John eyed the others.
"But he met some of these…Women…Years ago."
"Indeed." Farnum nodded. "And each one left an impression and he left one on them, even at the quantum level."
"Of course…" Sagramore beamed. "Zalto's field links to quantum traces…"
"But that technology was abandoned centuries ago as too unstable for use in transport or communication." Zumdish noted.
"But Zalto found a crude way to make it work." Sagramore beamed. "Yes, that must be it and why the power requirements are nothing like they should be."
"So, if I understand this…" John eyed the three aliens. "Dr. Smith and these women have quantum traces they left in each other as they've encountered each other and Zalto exploited them with some kind of quantum field that stimulates the pheromone systems in each female involved. And if we could figure out the frequency he's using. But it must include some kind of subliminal programming, just on a quantum level."
"Exactly, Professor!" Sagramore nodded eagerly. "I must admit while I don't wish to return to the full use of our technology, it is rather pleasant to solve a technical problem now and then when new elements are involved." He noted, happily.
"Simple really, once you think it through. He's doing it all with smoke, mirrors, and a bit of telepathy/stage hypnosis, quantum style." Farnum smiled.
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