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Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
10:21 am	Regrets (A Lost in Space story) Regrets by Joan Powers A/N: What happened to the Robinsons after they took off from the junk planet at the end of the series? What was their final fate? I issued this challenge to the Yahoo - LIS fanfiction group. This story is the first of a few that attempts to address this issue. While it’s not my first choice scenario regarding the future of the Robinsons, it was fun to write. Warning! Warning, Will Robinson! This is not a fluffy story. Rating: PG-13/K+ Genre: Sci-fi /Drama Timeline: Post series end. Summary: After being marooned on a planet for three and a half years, Penny rediscovers her childhood diary. She records new events which lead her to making a difficult decision. Dear Diary, It’s been a long time since I’ve written in you. I can’t believe I’ve only just rediscovered you, stashed at the bottom of my closet. I must’ve been hiding you from Will or Judy’s prying eyes. Not that there’s been that much to write about. Each day is about the same. Helping Mom with meals; repairing clothing and equipment, cleaning and repairing the spaceship. Tending to the hydroponic garden. Searching the planet for anything new or remotely interesting. Although we’ve landed on dozens of planets in the course of our travels, it’s been disappointing to discover that even those systems that can sustain human life have been relatively dull with limited life forms. Rocks and earth colored dust surround us. Despite Will’s continued experiments, the soil lacks sufficient nutrients to sustain our crops. With native life forms consisting primarily of rodent-like creatures, we’ve become vegetarians subsisting on what we can grow in our hydroponic garden. Originally we’d thought we’d be on this planet for a week at most, simply setting down for repairs so it didn’t matter that it wasn’t a lush tropical paradise. Unfortunately the repairs were more extensive than we realized. As I’ve been reviewing my older entries in you, Diary, I’m amazed at some of the tales. I must’ve exaggerated our adventures to make them seem more exciting. A talking carrot? Changing people into flowers? Or a stalk of celery? I guess as I’ve grown up, my imagination has lagged behind. I suppose that’s inevitable. Then again being lost in space back then always seemed like a grand adventure with duplicating plants, magic mirrors, space pirates, being caught in an interplanetary war. When did it all start seeming so ordinary? Tomorrow I’ll be seventeen. I guess that colors my perspective. I’m not expecting much in the way of a birthday celebration. We haven’t run into any representatives from the Celestial Department store out here. Other than some pretty flowers, this planet has little to offer other than the bare necessities. We’ve even run out of flour for baking cakes though I’m sure Mother will try to whip up some sort of substitute. Not that I’m not grateful. It would be nice to have more options – that’s all. I always thought being a teenager would be more exciting. And I suppose I’ve had my share of adventures compared to girls living on Earth. Girls in the books I’ve read dozens of times went to parties or sporting events, surrounded by friends. To be honest, I can’t imagine myself feeling comfortable in those situations. I’ve never cared for watching sports and I’ve never craved being the center of attention. I would never have traded my space experiences for anything so clichéd. I would never have wanted to be a cheerleader even if given the chance. I even have mixed feelings about having a boyfriend. My knowledge of boys is limited to my brother, my Dad, my sister’s husband and Dr. Smith. I wouldn’t know what to say to a boy my age. In those respects, I have few regrets. But to have a best friend – to chat with over the phone or stay up talking all night at a sleep over? Swapping clothes or trying new hairstyles? Passing notes in class and giggling in the halls? I would’ve loved that. Not that I don’t appreciate Judy and Will. They’re my family and I love them. But….Judy has her hands filled with Katrina. I never realized toddlers were so much work. If we ever manage to get girl time together, Judy tends to fall asleep. She and Don spend what little free time they have trying to fix up the cabin they’ve build from prefabricated material. Will is…he’s changed. I guess we all have after so many years but it seems more pronounced with him. He’s grown over a foot, towering over me, with his clothes hanging on his lanky frame. His wavy hair touches his shoulders, not the neat crew cut still favored by Dad and Don. Most of all, his sense of adventure and general high spirits have faded. Sometimes days will pass without him saying a word. He disappears for days at a time. He spends most of his time devising experiments or surveying the planet. A new fuel for the Jupiter. Yet another attempt to repair our damaged engines. Updated programs for the Robot. Once a happy trio, Will spends more time with the Robot than Dr. Smith. Or any of us. Somehow, our hope has faded. I don’t know exactly when it happened but looking back, I think it started when Don and Judy got married. At the time, it was a joyful celebration. Mom and I threw a wedding dress together for Judy which clung to her slim figure along with the most beautiful veil. The design of the dress was simple yet very flattering. I discovered tiny yellow flowers that I wove into the veil on their special day. I even tossed flower petals at the newlyweds after they were pronounced man and wife. No one was more excited than I. Though our faces beamed with happiness, later on I realized (and, dear Diary, I would never say this to a member of my family) it was acknowledging that we were defeated. That we would never leave this planet. That we’d never rejoin civilization of any kind. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the implications for my future. Now I do. xxxxxxxx Dear Diary, Sometimes I get so frustrated I could scream! Today there was blip on the radar screen. With so little going on, I was dying to investigate. I’d already grabbed my laser pistol and was halfway out the door when Don and Dad insisted that I stay behind while they went instead. I don’t understand! When Will wanders off for days at a time without any explanation, they don’t give him grief about it. And he’s younger than me! I’ve proven myself to be responsible time after time. I can handle a laser. Don taught Judy and I how to use them properly years ago. To be fair, I know they’re concerned about Will. They asked Don to try to talk with him, man to man, a while ago but other than enlisting Will’s assistance with fixing up their house, he wasn’t successful. Mom and Dad even approached me. I wish I could reach Will. They worry that he’s depressed. With his single word answers and occasional grunts, I can’t read him anymore. Of course, I’ve overheard my parents mumbling about me as well. I see their not so-subtle concerned glances. They worry that I’m unhappy. What would it matter? What could be changed? Judy used to drone on endlessly about all I was missing on Earth. It irritated me. I love Judy but I’m not like her. We have different talents, different interests. How would she know what I would enjoy or what was important to me? Now that she’s had a baby, she has no energy for such conversations anymore. I enjoy helping out with Katrina. It’s so much fun to see her reacting to everything. Even something as little as a goofy expression makes her grin and giggle like crazy. She’s so sweet with her blonde curls! She looks like a little angel. The other day she said my name. Well….kinda. She calls me Pen. Isn’t that adorable? She’s so cute as she toddles about, exploring the world around her. Judy and Don are great parents. It’s so obvious that they love each other and Katrina is the center of their world. I wonder if I’ll… No - it’s better not to go there. When I look at Katrina, I wonder if she’ll ever get to eat a hamburger or go to a movie theater. Will she have a playmate other than her own brother or sister? Will she ever see a rainbow? What about ice cream? (Why am I so fixated on food?) Oh gosh….I sound like Judy! XXXXXXXX Diary, You’re not going to believe this! After three and a half years of absolutely nothing happening on this planet, we have visitors. Honest to goodness visitors! Dad and Don met them earlier and invited them to dinner tonight. Rations will be tight. My stomach will growl in bed later this evening but it’s worth it just to meet new people. I hope Will returns in time to join us. I’m sure he’ll want to be there. XXXXXXX Dear Diary, Can you believe the aliens have a daughter that’s my age?? And she’s really nice! Her name is Catterall but I call her Cat. We hit it off immediately despite the fact that we have such different backgrounds. We talked all through dinner and afterwards we played card games. She and I teamed up against Will and Dr. Smith and we beat them! I asked if she could stay with us in the Jupiter tonight but her parents thought she’d already had a long day. But they were open to tomorrow night! Cat and her family are clearly an alien species. Humanoid in appearance, their skin has a distinctive blue tone. There are gill flaps on the sides of their necks, though they also have noses like ours. Their hair is coarser, reminding me more of animal fur, the colors ranging from light brown to darker brown. Cat is traveling with her Mom and Dad and some others. If I’d been paying closer attention to the adult conversation at dinner, I’d know more about whom they were and why they were here. I don’t care – I had a great time! I can’t wait to see Cat tomorrow. xxxxxxxxxxxx Dear Diary, I’m tired today. Cat got to sleep over last night so we chatted practically ‘til morning. Mom’s making me do all my chores anyway. But before I lay down to rest, I simply have to tell you more about Cat. She and her family landed here to survey the planet for minerals. They’d been on a sacred mission to visit some sort of artifact on another planet. It was considered to be paying homage to their ancestors. It was a rite of passage that all seventeen year olds on her world go through. Most of them traveled on a large ship together in a group but Cat’s family was more reverent than others so they all came along to participate in the ritual. Cat couldn’t completely explain the significance behind their pilgrimage but it was clearly very important to her. Some of her parents’ friends had joined them to do some mineral surveys on a few planets along the route. Just like me - Cat is fascinated by animals. She has all sorts of pets! Zuu - a bird that sounds similar to a myna except it’s bright purple. Ela – a foot long lizard variant; Hrrr and Hmmm - black and white creatures which resemble guinea pigs and Tsu Tsu - a large cat which is the size of a lion yet as tame as a house cat. She loves plants too! All sorts of them grow in their house, winding in and out the windows. It sounds fascinating. I’m amazed by the similarities between our races. Cat grew up with a mom and a dad who take care of her. She goes to school and will even be getting advanced training for a career in the field determined to be most suitable for her. Some battery of tests she gets to take. I’m not sure how much choice she has in that matter though she‘s hoping for botany and zoology, just like I would! While her family holds some beliefs similar to ours – that life is sacred and to be cherished and to value other beings, in other respects there are differences. Marriages or what they refer to as unions, are pre-arranged based on compatibility. Most disputes are worked out with a professional mediator or spiritual guide. Despite the heavy influence their faith has on their daily lives, their world is filled with a vast variety of arts, music and culture. Cat has been trained in the fields of music and art, as well as math and science. Their society appears to appreciate both equally. Even Will was surprisingly social last night, hanging around to listen to Cat’s stories. It sounds marvelous. I hate to say it but I’m a little envious. Cat will be attending their equivalent of University, learning all sorts of new things. I wish we’d brought along more books. Will and I poured through them all within the first few years of our journey. I know it sounds silly but even though I’ve only just met Cat I feel like I’ve known her forever. It’s true what Mom and Dad always say, alien or not, we all have lots in common. We’re not as different as we think we are. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Dear Diary, I don’t understand. Mom and Dad have been talking with Cat’s parents, Lyra and Loci, in hushed tones. I’ve caught Mom starring at me with such a sad expression. And now I know why. They want Will and I to go with them to their world! How could they think such a thing? Why do they want to get rid of us? I’m so confused. I love my family. We’ve made great sacrifices to stay together and I’ve never regretted any of it. Why is this situation any different than that with Jimmy Hapgood? Rather than letting him return Will and I to Earth, we stayed with our family and things worked out. Wasn’t being a family far more important than the trimmings of civilization? If Earth was so great, why did we leave it in the first place? And if Will and I would’ve been missing so much, they could’ve left us there with Uncle Walter and Aunt Joan. Why are the rules suddenly changing? Will actually approached me to talk about their offer. I was half expecting him to suggest we disappear before the lift off occurred, as we did years before with Hapgood. But he didn’t. I was stunned when he told me, “Penny, I love Mom and Dad. You know that. But I’m stagnating. What type of future do we have here? I need more.” As he spoke, I could see the hunger in his eyes. The thought of being exposed to new ideas, of studying at a University. He was starving for new information. For anything new. I tried to argue that we could still fix the ship. It could happen. He sadly shook his head and reminded me that we’d been cannibalizing the ship for spare parts over the past few years just to keep essential systems functional. There were no supply stores in outer space. And while our new friends were pleasant and very generous, due to differences in our technologies, they didn’t have the ability to fix the Jupiter. I pointed out that another group of aliens could easily arrive that could assist us. In fact, I got a little nasty with him. Will always acts like he knows everything. But…now that I’ve calmed down, I’m ashamed to say that I think he’s right. Over the three and a half years that we’ve been marooned on this planet, this has been the only group of aliens that we’ve encountered. What are the odds that a different group with technology compatible to ours might land here? They certainly aren’t in our favor. Is it really so bad here? As much as I hated hearing it, I guess I needed Will to say what he did. To emphasize how far we’ve fallen. Whenever I look at the Jupiter 2, I see the state of the art space ship we left Earth in. The gleaming decks and shiny equipment. That’s no longer true. Our force field died two years ago. Our clothing synthesizer malfunctioned around the same time. We’ve all lost weight so our clothing hangs on us but we make do with what we have. The sonic shower no longer functions so bathing has become a luxury. Water is in short supply on this planet. And now our water condensing unit is on its last legs. The temperature regulator for the ship has been slowly deteriorating . We melt in the summer and pile on whatever coverings we can in the winter. With the plants having trouble, we‘re almost at the point where we‘re contemplating killing the hideous looking rodents for food, even though there’s not much meat on them. It’s all happened so gradually, I could fool myself. I could pretend things really weren’t as dire as they’ve become. What must we look like to Cat and her family who seem so cultured and refined? What are we going to do? xxxxxxxx Diary, I’m so confused. When I’m with Cat, I get so excited to see her world. The music, the culture, even the scenery. Water is a huge part of their planet – it’s covered with lakes and waterfalls and structures designed to optimize their natural beauty. Her house even has a stream running through it. I can hardly sleep; I want to experience it so badly. To be surrounded by such beauty alone makes me ache with anticipation. There’s a part of me that’s been awakened that I didn’t even know had grown dormant. The thought of going back to my life the way it was before seems bleak. Yet when I’m with my family, the idea of never seeing them again is incredibly painful. Katrina wouldn’t remember me. I wouldn’t get to see her grow up. And I’d never find out if Judy’s having a boy or another girl. That baby would never know her Uncle Will or Aunt Pen. I can’t do this! I can’t! I feel so guilty that part of me wants to go. What kind of monster am I? To consider abandoning my family? I didn’t understand why we all couldn’t go. Wouldn’t that be the best solution? Cat’s family’s ship is large. We’d all fit. Mom and Dad explained that Lyra and Loci are concerned that my parents, Dr. Smith and Don and Judy would have trouble adapting to their culture. I tried to convince Mom that was silly when she shushed me (very unlike her!) and told me more. There was another more pressing factor to consider. In order to breath on their world, Will and I would have to undergo surgery to implant gills. Adults over the age of twenty were far less likely to survive this operation. Believe it or not, it gets worse. Once we had the surgery done, we couldn’t leave the planet. Ever. We’d never see our family again. I pointed out to Mom that Cat and her parents were off world and doing just fine. She countered that their biological makeup was different than ours. What am I going to do? XXXXXXXXXXXXX Dear Diary, I just had an awful conversation with Judy. She was crying through most of it. Like Mom and Dad, she believes that Will and I should go with the aliens. As always Don is highly suspicious of their motives, half accusing our new friends of trying to steal our children. Once Dr. Smith figured he couldn’t wrangle a way back to Earth, his interest in these events diminished rapidly. Cat’s family has offered to take Katrina with them, to provide her the opportunity to grow up in a society instead of in such isolation and relative poverty. As it now stands, one cosmic storm could wipe out our garden resulting in starvation. A disease could strike which we could be powerless to fight, given our diminishing medical supplies. Survival is an everyday fight here. My dilemma seems rather petty in comparison to Judy’s. She’s torn. She wants the best for her daughter. Growing up on a world with ample food, culture, and education would provide a brighter future for her. But growing up with your own mother and dad is important too. Even though Don is dead set against it, she‘s considering the options, using me as a sounding board. She asked me if I would take care of Katrina if they decided to send her. I agreed in a heart beat. It wouldn’t be easy but family looks out for family. xxxxx Dear Diary, I haven’t slept well. Over the past days I’ve kept making a decision and then changing my mind. It seemed whatever I chose, there was no right answer. Either choice has serious consequences. Cat has been a dream, listening to me going on about my thoughts and fears. Her parents spoke with Will and I, assuring us they’d be honored to sponsor us and take care of us as if we were their own children. At least all this has helped Will and I grow closer. I kept coming back to the question, what happens if we stay? The thought makes my heart ache. More of the stillness, the dullness. The loneliness. We’d be essentially waiting around for our supplies to dwindle and our equipment to fail. That’s not a life. Even if you’re with the people you love. I didn’t realize that before our friends arrived. Now I do and that revelation can’t be undone. I must be a terrible person but I can’t go back to that. I just can’t. I hate the idea of leaving Mom, Dad, Judy, Don, and Dr. Smith. And little Katrina? Judy and Don couldn’t let her go. I don’t blame them. Maybe having two less mouths to feed will buy them more time. Maybe the antibiotics and food stuffs Lyra and Loci gave them will help. They’ve also fixed the water condensing unit. Our new friends promised they’d drop by to check on my parents whenever they could. I’m sure if there had been a convenient settlement to drop us all off on, they would’ve done so. As it is, since their ship lacks a faster than light drive, their travel is limited to the planets within this solar system. My parents have been begging us to go. Mom even took me aside to talk about ‘womanly’ matters. She didn’t know if an intimate relationship with a member of their race was possible (or if that appealed to me) but she wanted me to know that love was the most important component. If there was love, she would approve. I can’t think about that now – my head will explode. There’s a chance that Will and I won’t fit in with their culture, despite the fact that we’ve gotten on well with Cat’s family and friends. Still, we’ve decided to go. We leave tomorrow. Their society is more structured than ours. Will that be a problem? Will Cat’s parents honor our parents’ requests for our future? What if others on their world are not as open minded? What if they’re repelled by our foreign appearance? What if I’m repelled by their appearance when I see them enmasse? What if after being isolated for so long, I can’t adapt to living with so many other beings? Despite these possibilities, Will and I want to try. The gill surgery will be performed Enroute as we approach their home world. After it’s completed they’ll place us in a chamber that will mimic their world’s conditions, creating a temporary breathable atmosphere for our gills. I hope it won’t be too painful. It will prepare us for our transition to the planet’s atmosphere. Cat’s family is providing a veritable feast for our goodbye party. They’re even bringing it here to the Jupiter 2 so Will and I can spend our last night with our family in a familiar environment. On this final day, I’ve been trying to memorize their faces, sharing with each member of my family how much I love and appreciate them. If my tape recorder was still working, I would’ve captured their voices. Katrina can’t figure out why Aunt Pen’s eyes are ‘drip-dropping’. It may sound strange but Will is having trouble leaving the Robot behind. In theory, he could come with us. But Mom and Dad will need him more. I feel almost sick to my stomach. But…this is for the best. Will swears that he’s determined to learn all he can on this new world to save our family. When I argue that we won’t be able to leave, he merely smiles and says, “I’ll figure out a way.” We both will. We will see Mom and Dad again. And Don and Judy and Katrina and the new baby. And even Dr. Smith. We’ll make sure of it. THE END (Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
11:50 am	Perspective (Chapter 2) (A Lost in Space story) Perspective (Chapter 2) By Joan Powers Xenex bent down to pick up Judy. As he attempted to lift her, he felt the butt of a laser rifle against the back of his shoulders. “Stop right there.” Xenex complied. The hot headed major had somehow been tipped off as to his intentions. “It’s not what it seems,” he half-heartedly protested. “Sure it isn’t. You’re going to carry her out of your space ship. Now!” The young man’s eyes blazed. He’d dealt with his share of irate customers but this guy was a loose cannon. “Let’s go!” Don jabbed the laser more intently. “Okay, okay.” Xenex wondered what he could use as a distraction. “How did you find me?” “I got lucky. I was headed this way to check out a new drill site and saw your ship.” Sure he was. Most likely he’d been casing the area for his spaceship since first light and got lucky with his timing. Xenex silently assessed the young man. Strong. Decent features. He’d fetch a respectable price if he could rein him in long enough to find a buyer. Women were much easier in that respect. It would be best to unload Major West as soon as possible. “C’mon!” Don poked him in the back again with the laser. “Oh Mr. Xenex!” Dr. Smith’s voice called from a distance. “Smith,” Don muttered with disgust. Xenex used the distraction to jab his elbow back sharply into Don’s stomach, causing him to lose his grip on the weapon. Don fought back fiercely, sending both fists flying towards Xenex’s abdomen and chest. Yet those blows didn’t have much effect due to the ultra-thin body armor sewn into the alien’s clothing. Xenex wasn’t a stranger to these types of encounters. It was an occupational hazard. Gaining the advantage, Xenex shifted his weight so he was on top of the Major. With a well placed punch to the temple, he managed to knock Major West unconscious. Xenex quickly stepped in front of Don and turned the command chair to obscure Judy’s body. “Mr. Xenex!” Dr. Smith barged into the space ship as if he owned it. “Oh Mr. Xenex! I thought you’d be here,” the man simpered. “Dr. Smith, well, well. What a surprise. What can I do for you?” “You forgot your crystals. The Robot has them, just outside.” The Robot. Smith with his gelatinous belly and cowardly disposition he could handle. The Robot was a different story. Although he was primitive, he could be armed. That could be a problem. He decided he’d better humor the good doctor rather than immediately toss the buffoon out of the ship. “Shall we talk?” Dr. Smith suggested. “Certainly. What can I do for you?” Xenex wondered about the best way to get rid of the man without drawing undue attention from the Robot. He had what he wanted. He was ready to leave. “Although you claim you don’t need a business partner, I’d like to offer my services as a guide to Earth.” “Earth? Why would I want to go there?” Xenex asked. Dr. Smith visibly brightened. “It’s simply marvelous. There are valuable stones, exotic plants, technology. You’d make a killing moving those goods.” “I haven’t had much demand for Earth products.” Xenex played the game. “Why it’s simply that people don’t know about them. And you’d be the first. You could command a handsome price. My only fee would be my passage to Earth.” “Ah. But wouldn’t the Robinsons miss you?” He was having some trouble making that line sound sincere. “Of course. Poor Will, especially. I’ve taken him under my wing. But since the Jupiter is abandoned here with little hope of leaving, having one less mouth to feed would ultimately be a blessing in disguise.” “I’m sure.” Xenex had enough. “Look, I’m not interested. I’ve got some more profitable deals going.” The doctor’s eyes widened. “Do you? What?” He smiled, “Trade secret.” Realizing he was getting no where, Smith’s eyes started to scan about the ship. When he grew visibly paler, Xenex knew he had seen Judy or the Major. “I think…I’d better go,” he whimpered while edging towards the door. “I think not.” Xenex produced a weapon from behind his back. Although Smith was utterly worthless cargo, he didn’t want the Robot to interfere with his ship taking off. “Oh dear,” Dr. Smith gasped as he fainted. Xenex swiftly moved his visitors into the elevator to bring them down to the cargo area of his ship, taking special care with Judy. Don and Dr. Smith were treated like sacks of potatoes, their extremities dragging along the ground and banging against the walls. When his task was completed, he strapped in and prepared for take off. XXXXX Judy’s head was throbbing. The ground was hard and cold beneath her. She opened her eyes to discover she was in a cabin with a bunk and bars for one wall. A strong smell of disinfectant filled the air almost covering the stench of urine. There was a drain in the middle of the floor. Chains with ankle and wrist shackles were attached to the wall. Several other similar units surrounded them. Then she noticed she wasn’t alone. “Don!” She rushed over to the unconscious man, sprawled out on the floor. A trickle of blood ran down his cheek and one of his temples was swollen and turning purple. “Don! Are you okay?” His skin was warm to the touch, somewhat reassuring her. She sat on the floor beside him, cradling his head in her lap. She gently massaged his face. “Judy?” He was groggy. “Are you okay?” He winced as he moved. “My head.” Suddenly her relief was replaced with shame. “Go ahead and say it.” “Say what?” “I messed up. I’m not capable of making decisions.” “Huh?” He slowly rose to sit beside her. “Come on. You and my parents keep treating me like a child. And now I’ve proven why.” Don was still trying to come up to speed. “Judy, the last thing that comes to mind when I think of you is a child.” “But…I…” “You’ve got to be kidding. You made a mistake. You trusted someone and you were wrong. That’s not necessarily a childish attribute. In fact, it’s something I always admired in you.” Judy stared. “I look at a situation and I see the pitfalls, the potential danger. You look at the same situation and see the beauty of it, the excitement. You could say that we balance each other.” Judy looked down guiltily. “I should’ve recognized the signs. I shouldn’t have put myself in this situation in the first place.” “There were some precautions you should’ve taken. But Judy, I like you just the way you are. I don’t want you to be tough or suspicious of every one. That’s not you.” “Maybe I shouldn’t need you to rescue me,” she mumbled as she nestled against him. He put an arm about her to draw her closer. “I kinda like that part. Makes me feel like you need me.” A stirring in the cage captured their attention. Dr. Smith was with them. “You’d better be asleep Smith or I’ll knock you out myself,” Don warned. The motion stopped. She had to ask. “Do you still love me?” “Of course.” Although it was hard for her to ask, she had to know. “But…you’ve been so distant.” He laughed. “I’ve been concentrating on our survival.” “We’ve always had those issues. Yet we used to make time for each other.” “Judy, what do you think I’m made of? Stone? Sometimes just looking at you is pure torture. To see you so close and not be able to have you. Holding hands isn’t enough. Kissing you isn’t enough. If I’ve shut down, it hasn’t been because I’m not interested. I’m entirely too interested.” Both smiled. A different sound attracted his attention. “Oh no. If I’m not mistaken, this ship is airborne.” “What are we going do?” Judy was starting to panic. “Mom and Dad can’t come after us.” “Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out.” Don thought a moment. “We need a distraction.” “Do you want me to try to get Xenex’s attention?” Judy asked. “No.” Judy was visibly disappointed. “You think I can’t do the job?” Don hurried to correct her impression. ‘No – that’s not it. Look at this place. This is what Xenex does for a living. He’s used to treating women like objects. He won’t have any pity for you. It won’t work. But I can think of something that might be effective.” His gaze rested on Dr. Smith. XXXXX “Mr. Xenex! Oh Mr. Xenex!” Dr. Smith called. In sotto voce, he complained to the Major, “This will never work.” “Yes it will. Belly aching comes naturally to you, Smith. Just keep it up,” Don encouraged him. “Bang on the bars with your boot if you have to.” Don was feigning unconsciousness, lying on the floor near the door. “Mr. Xenex! It’s far too cold down here. Can’t I have a blanket? I’m thirsty too.” His litany continued. “For a cultured man I would’ve expected far more luxurious accommodations. These leave something to be desired. The deplorable odor, the primitive sanitary conditions and utter lack of privacy. It’s appalling.” He motioned to the Major. “Your boot, sir.” “What?” “You didn’t think I was going to put my foot on this filthy floor, did you? Hand it over.” Don complied, figuring the ends justified the means. Dr. Smith banged against the bars, loudly, using the boot. “I hope this works,” Judy whispered to Don. “Smith can keep this up for hours. No one is that patient,” Don grinned. True to Don’s word, Xenex came storming down the elevator after fifteen minutes of uninterrupted whining. “What is your problem?” “I’m hungry. I’m cold. These accommodations are dreadful,” Dr. Smith complained. “What did you expect? I did my best to dissuade you from coming. Don’t worry, Smith, I’m dumping you as soon as I can.” “But…Mr. Xenex, have some pity. A glass of water. A piece of bread. Even you are not that cruel.” Xenex stepped towards a cabinet. “If it will shut you up, let’s do it.” He brought over a glass of water and some soy concentrate. Smith wrinkled his nose. “You can’t be serious.” “That’s what you get.” He shoved the items roughly towards the door. “I can’t possibly reach that far. Bring it in here.” Xenex assessed the cage. Don was unconscious on the floor and Judy was sitting on the bunk, staring off listlessly. He entered a combination to an electronic lock to unlatch the door. When he stepped in, Don grabbed his foot to set him off balance. When he fell to the floor, Judy rushed over to clout him in the head with one of the shackles. Xenex was out cold. “Good shot,” Don grabbed Judy’s shoulder. “I was scared to death.” “But you did it. Let’s find some rope to tie him up and then we’ll figure out how to get this ship back to your family.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX “I suppose it’s time we got back to work,” John Robinson rose from his seat at the outdoor dinning table while exchanging glances with Major West, who nodded in agreement. The family had just enjoyed a chocolate cake Maureen had made to celebrate Judy, Don and Dr. Smith’s safe return. Don picked up a thruster control unit. “I’m looking forward to installing this baby. Guess Smith isn’t completely useless.” While Don had been concentrating on flying Xenex’s ship, Dr. Smith had searched the ship thoroughly to find the man’s spare parts. After successfully landing, they’d left Xenex in his ship. Fully armed, the entire family had surrounded his ship and then watched him depart. “Major, really. May I remind you that if I hadn’t done my part, you might not even be here now. Oh what an ordeal I’ve suffered. Every bone in my body aches. I’m covered with bruises, I tell you. I simply must rest,” Dr. Smith lamented. The men strode into the space ship, chatting companionably, while Will and Penny wandered off. Dr. Smith limped off to his cabin, continuing to complain about the bruising of his delicate back. He commandeered the Robot for a back massage. Maureen began to stack the plates. Judy rose, “Let me help.” She stacked some cups. “That’s okay, darling. You’ve been through enough today.” Judy hung her head. “I guess you were right, Mother. I didn’t handle the situation well.” “What? What do you mean? I’m impressed that you knocked Xenex out with those chains. That’s quite an accomplishment. What would you have done differently?” She put down the cups. “I shouldn’t have trusted him in the first place. I shouldn’t have made myself so vulnerable.” Maureen came alongside her daughter to put an arm on her shoulder. “That’s one of the qualities I’ve always appreciated about you. You believe the best in people.” “And look where it got me.” Judy felt ashamed. “No. The world is composed of many types of people. So many are jaded and don’t trust a soul. It makes the world a cold place. But you…you bring light and warmth. You give and don’t expect in return. You expect the best and in most cases you get that. I wouldn’t trade that for the world. There’s a huge difference between being a child and having a child-like faith in people.” “Then why don’t you treat me more like an adult?” “How do you mean, dear? You do your share of the chores. You carry a load equal to Don, your dad and myself. The reason that hydroponic garden does as well as it does is because of your guidance.” Judy realized that she was right. “But I still feel like you treat me like a child. Why do I have to ask to do things? Why did I need your permission to go to the caves in the first place?” “You didn’t. To be honest, sometimes old habits are hard to break. Especially with your first child. It can be difficult for your father and I to admit that you’re a young woman now. You’re right, you shouldn’t have to ask. Granted for security reasons, we do have certain restrictions. We need to know where people are. And there are precautions that are necessary – such as having a laser pistol with you if you’re out by yourself. You’re a smart girl, Judy. We trust you. We trust your judgment.” The load of self imposed guilt upon her shoulders was becoming lighter. She hugged her mother. “Thanks, Mom.” XXXXX Judy was leaning against the rocks while examining the night sky, anxiously awaiting Don’s arrival. She didn’t have long to wait, he came within minutes, standing beside her. She quivered, wanting to touch his hand, to feel the warmth emanating from his body. Don’s comments about being too interested in her were fresh in her mind. She didn’t think she could take much more of the status quo which was equally frustrating to her. She hated to cause conflict but she had to know. “What are we going to do?” she asked. Apparently, it was on his mind as well. “I’m sorry, Judy. I can’t do this half way. Either we’re a couple and we’re completely together or we’re still….on hold. It’s been more than two years. I’m sorry, I’m weak. I just don’t have that kind of self control.” In some ways she was flattered by his confession. “Then why should we wait?” She turned to pull him into a passionate kiss. While he responded with equal enthusiasm, after a minute he pulled himself away, with difficulty. “No, that’s not right either. Judy, you’re the one. The woman for me. I know that. I want to do this right. Before we commit to one another physically, I want us to commit emotionally as well. To be man and wife.” “Are you….asking me to marry you?” Not that this was completely unexpected. “Judy Robinson, will you be my wife?” She idly wondered if he should be on bended knee bearing a ring with a glittery stone along with flowers. But it truly was the thought that counted. She didn’t need the trappings to savor the happy moment for what it was. “Are you sure? I don’t want to be a consolation prize due to your lack of choice.” “That’s never crossed my mind. I was hoping we could marry when we landed at Alpha Centauri but two and half years has been long enough. Even though we’re going to be able to lift off soon since we’ve fixed the thruster control, there’s no guarantee that we’ll reach our final destination right away. I’m tired of waiting.” Judy smiled. “Me too.” “So…” Don asked expectantly. “Oh..yes! Of course I want to marry you.” She beamed towards him. “Your parents might not like this. Due to our living situation, being a newly married couple could be awkward.” Judy was fully aware of that. In fact, in the past she’d been far too embarrassed about the logistics to even bring it up. Then she realized that in some respects, she had perpetuated the status quo. Although Don had made suggestions in the past, she’d been the one who’d been afraid to rock the boat, to make changes her parents might not appreciate. Their circumstances weren’t ideal and change could be frightening. Under these conditions, they would need to discuss private matters with her parents. It would be difficult. But it was time. “Should we talk with your parents?” Don cautiously asked. Knowing Don as she did, if she demurred, he wouldn’t hold it against her. It would mean more of the same frustrating stalemate but he would wait. Yet, she was ready. Scared but ready. Rather than presuming Don would do all the talking, she was ready to fully participate in that conversation. “Yes. Let’s go find them.” She firmly grasped his hand in hers. THE END (Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
10:30 am	Perspective (A Lost in Space story) Perspective By Joan Powers A/N: This is my first official Lost in Space fanfic (Lost on Planet G889 being a LIS/Earth 2 crossover). It’s taken me a while to get a feel for it. While it has some Will/Smith/Robot interaction for comic relief, it has a healthy dose of Don and Judy along with a slightly more serious situation. Rating: PG-13/K+ Genre: Sci-fi /Drama Timeline: During the second season Summary: After an encounter with a handsome stranger, Judy starts to see things differently. D/J “Mother, I am NOT a child,” Judy complained as she removed plastic covered clothing from the washer and roughly shoved the items into a laundry basket. Carefully regarding her eldest daughter’s pouting lips, Maureen replied, “Then you understand that it’s dangerous to wander about the planet alone.” “Will and Penny do it all the time. Why can’t I?” Unbeknownst to her daughter, Maureen understood her frustrations. It wasn’t easy living on this planet. There was plenty of boredom. Each day brought a series of repetitive chores whose completion was essential for their survival. There was also stress. A circuit burns out and the heating unit needs repairing. The weather changes radically and the plants die, forcing them to ration food and re-start the garden from scratch. Everything boiled down to a matter of survival. She didn’t always like it either but that was life and you did the best that you could. If Judy were as grown up as she claimed to be, she’d understand that her duties would surpass any free time for such luxuries as wandering about the planet or investigating the crystal cave that Will had recently discovered. Maureen wisely chose not to mention that. “Then why can’t Don and I go together?’ The older woman astutely pointed out. “And what is Don doing now?” “Working at the drill site,” she sighed. Maureen wondered if she’d caught the hint. Then again, maybe she was being too harsh with her eldest daughter. It wasn’t as if they had to work non-stop every day. That type of drudgery would take the joy out of life. She understood the value of taking a break or making a special meal to break up the monotony. Although it went against her better judgment, she sensed that an outing on her own might perk up her spirits. She stepped closer to her daughter, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Tell you what. Why don’t you go ahead and check out those caverns that Will was talking about” “Oh, Mother! Really?” She nodded. “Just be sure to be back in time to help me prepare supper. And don’t forget to bring a laser pistol.” “Thanks, Mom!” Impulsively Judy hugged her and then rushed into the ship for a weapon. Minutes later, she strode by, laser pistol in hostler. She waved enthusiastically to Maureen as she left the campsite. “What’s all that about?” John Robinson had approached from another direction. “Should she be going off by herself?” “Why not? She’s an adult. She took a laser pistol.” “Still…” His brow furrowed. “Come now, John, Will is nearly half her age yet in some ways we do give him more freedom.” “It’s more a matter that he takes it. He’s out the door running while Judy’s patiently waiting to ask permission. Besides, Smith and the Robot are usually with him.” Her lips pursed in amusement. “And that keeps him out of trouble?” He chuckled. “Point well taken. Still…maybe I should ask Don to catch up with her.” “Don’t.” He looked to his wife. “She’ll think you don’t trust her. She can handle it.” “Whatever you say, dear. Now, do you have any more of those biscuits from lunch? I’m starved.” XXXXX Judy could hardly believe that her mother was allowing her to do this. Will had been so excited at lunch, describing the cave and the many crystal formations he’d seen. It sounded wonderful. Before she could suggest joining him on a return trip after lunch, Dr. Smith had already come up with alternative plans for Will and the Robot. Judy was surprised he hadn’t been dying to return to exploit the resources of the cave. Even Penny had other plans for the afternoon. She paused to catch her breath. She’d spent many hours alone on this planet, in her cabin on the ship or safely just outside of their campsite. While the terrain was still the same – dusty, flat, occasional rocks, monotonous tan color, it was far more exhilarating to be truly on her own. If she were younger, she’d be tempted to put out her arms to mimic flying. Then again, there wasn’t any one around. She raised her arms like wings of an airplane and soared about, enjoying her new found freedom. XXXX The caves were fascinating, just as Will had described them. She’d climbed down a narrow trail to the cavern entrance. From the outside, it merely looked like a convenient home for a large mammal. But inside was a different story. The floor of the chamber lay several feet lower while the ceiling towered over her head. Random openings let in natural light that sparkled as the beams hit the mineral spires. The chamber was damp, water dripping off spires and pooling in puddles at their bases. Judy admired how each different outcropping diffracted the light somewhat uniquely. The subtle variations in colors reminded her of a kaleidoscope. She was so absorbed by the sight that she hadn’t noticed that she was no longer alone. “Impressive,” a deep male voice came from behind her. Startled, she whirled about. A man roughly six foot tall stood nearby, clad in a silver and gray ensemble, wearing tight pants with a tunic top that molded to his muscular physique. Dark wavy hair framed his face. Although his features appeared human, the greenish tinge to his skin suggested that he was most likely humanoid – human in appearance only. “Sorry to frighten you.” Judy rapidly dismissed her mother’s admonishments about not talking to strangers. It got lonely on this planet and frankly, rather dull. News of another planet, another race, another person’s adventures in space was a thrilling prospect. “Isn’t it breath taking?” she sighed. “Are you new to this planet?” “Yes. I landed a few days ago to make some repairs. I’m bound for Anteries.” Bursting with curiosity, Judy came closer. “Is that your home?” “No. I’m a trader. It’s the next stop on my route.” “What do you trade?” “A little bit of this. Some of that. What one species throws away, another one values greatly. You never know what might come in handy.” She smiled. “I’m Judy Robinson.” “I’m called Xenex.” Judy grabbed his arm with enthusiasm. “You’ve got to come back to our ship with me. My family would love to meet you and I’m sure you’ll enjoy a home cooked meal.” XXXXXX “You wouldn’t believe the girls from the Octurus Nebula. Dark green skin with flowing purple hair. They’re gorgeous to look at, but heaven forbid you make eye contact.” He laughed ruefully, “Then they control you.” Xenex reached for a third biscuit from the platter on the Robinsons’ outdoor dining table. Will wasn’t as interested in girls, alien or human. “What other neat things have you seen?” He was eager for more stories. “More than you can dream of,” Xenex replied, washing down his food with a drink of water. “Be sure to save room for Mom’s cherry pie,” Judy advised. Undeterred, Will pressed on. “Can I see your inventory? I’d love to see stuff from other planets.” “Afraid you’ve caught me at a bad time, boy. My stocks are low,” Xenex explained. “I thought you were making another stop,” Judy asked. “That’s right. The planet Orion.” “Wait a minute.” Don had been silently fuming during dinner, blatantly staring at their guest throughout the entire meal. “You told Judy earlier that you were headed for Anteries.” Xenex wasn’t offended by the Major’s not so subtle implications. Smoothly, he responded, “Did I? That was my original intention but there’s a better market at Orion for a treasure I just found on this planet.” Dr. Smith’s ears perked up. “Treasure? On this planet? Do you mean to say there’s something of value on this dismal place?” “The artists on Orion might find those mineral spires inspirational,” Xenex answered. Dr. Smith pulled his camp stool closer to their visitor. “I’m sure you could use some help with that enterprise. I’d be more than happy to gather some of the crystals if you could take me back to Earth as my payment. A lovely planet, not too far out of the way. I assure you, I’m a hard worker.” A rude noise erupted from Don and the rest of the family exchanged grins. “I work alone, Dr. Smith. Mrs. Robinson, I believe I’m ready for a slice of that pie.” “Certainly.” Maureen passed a plate of pie over to him. “Where do you hail from? And how come we didn’t detect your ship landing on our radar?” Don grilled their visitor. Xenex lifted a forkful of pie towards his mouth. “In my line of work, it can be handy to come and go without detection. Some aliens’ concepts of bargaining aren’t exactly equitable, if you know what I mean.” “Yet, you’ve never been to Alpha Centauri?” John Robinson had brought up the subject earlier during their meal. “No. But that doesn’t mean that my star charts aren’t calling it by a different name, right?” John Robinson grinned good naturedly. “That could be true. Listen, we’re having trouble fixing our space ship. We need to replace a thruster control. Would you be in a position to trade for repair parts?” Xenex replied, “I’m not one to turn away business but I doubt I have anything of that nature in my stores.” John pressed. “Perhaps we could come by to look, on the off chance?” “Certainly Professor Robinson.” Having finished his dessert, he rose. “That was a wonderful meal, Mrs. Robinson. Thank you.” Then he turned to Judy. “Would you care to go for a walk?” “John,” Don simmered. “Don!” Judy’s cheeks flamed. John Robinson raised a hand. “Where did you have in mind to take her?” “Near your campsite. Or maybe I could show her my ship? It’s not far from here.” “Dad, can I go too? I’d love to see it,” Will eagerly asked. Xenex shuffled uncomfortably, obviously not wanting additional company. Maureen sensed this and diplomatically suggested, “It is getting late. Another time, perhaps?” “I’ll be leaving this planet soon. Perhaps Judy could assist me tomorrow selecting some of the spires. The female eye for detail, you know.” Maureen considered it. “That would be all right.” XXXX “Something’s not right with that guy.” Normally when Judy left the space ship after dinner to sit in the relative privacy offered by the adjacent rock outcropping, she’d be eagerly waiting for Don to join her. In fact, all the two of them had to do was exchange a glance and they’d know to meet there. Just now, however, she preferred to be alone. Their first company in a long time and Don had to treat him so poorly. It was embarrassing. Why did Don always have to be so suspicious? Was it part of his military background? Why couldn’t he believe that people might be what they appeared to be? She turned towards him. “If you hadn’t grilled him and practically accused him of lying, he might have behaved differently.” . Rather than coming alongside her, letting their palms touch and fingers intertwine as was their custom, he’d chosen to stand at least a foot away from her. “I don’t trust him. He’s far too smooth.” “Don’t you think that’s part of his job? Aren’t you’re being overly cautious?” She should’ve gotten a smidgen of satisfaction from the fact that Don’s actions clearly indicated he was jealous of Xenex. It was a sign that he cared. With Jimmy Hapgood and Morbius, he’d even started fist fights. Not that she really wanted that. Anger and jealousy were about the only emotions Don demonstrated with a flair these days. What happened to the man who made an effort to hold her in his arms at their nightly rendezvous? Nowadays she was lucky if he held her hand. What happened to their talks and dreams of the future along with romantic star gazing? What happened to his flowing compliments about her hair and eyes? When had their once cherished private time together degenerated into a complaining session, with Don usually going on about Dr. Smith? Was he preoccupied with his work? Feeling overwhelmed by their circumstances? Or had he grown tired of her? “Judy, do you realize how many of those stories he told us were about women?” “You’re exaggerating. He told us stories about magical potions and exotic plants too. Remember?” He’d even encountered Sybilla and Effra’s moonlight madness species which had once threatened to devour the entire planet along with all the members of the Robinson party. “He didn’t seem too keen about having Will along with you tonight,” Don shrewdly pointed out. She snapped, “What’s so strange about that? Why shouldn’t a man want to be alone with me?” Defensively he responded, “Oh, so you wanted to be alone with him?” “No.” While Xenex was certainly easy on the eyes, she had no designs on him. It was simply nice to enjoy a fresh face. “I thought we had something special,” he mumbled “Me too.” “What’s going on?” “You’re the one with all the answers. You tell me.” She was tired of guessing games. “I don’t think you should help Xenex tomorrow.” “Why not?” she challenged him, looking directly into his eyes, getting angrier by the minute. Who was he to tell her what to do? She was tired of this. Her parents and Don continued to treat her as if she was a child. Perhaps that’s why Don hadn’t pursued their relationship more enthusiastically in the past months. She was practically twenty years old. On Earth, she would’ve had a job and possibly her own apartment by now. If she and Don had stayed there, most likely they would’ve been married with a baby on the way. At the very least, she would’ve been treated as if she was capable of making her own decisions. He didn’t answer her. “I’m too young to take care of myself?” she asked, some venom in her tone. “I didn’t say that.” “But you were thinking it, weren’t you?” XXXX It took Judy a while to select some spires. Each was unique in the way it diffracted light. Even the crystals themselves were composed of distinctive shapes and colorations. She was surprised that Xenex was using a devise as crude as a hammer to remove them. Wouldn’t that damage them and decrease their value? But due to the nature of his work, she supposed he adjusted his cargo depending upon what each planet had to offer. He had to be flexible. “Tell me about your home planet, Xenex. What’s it like?” He leaned against a rock. “A lot like this one. Dull. That’s why I left. That’s why I got into this business so I could see places I’d never get to see otherwise.” Judy sighed, knowing the feeling. “Please tell me you’ve seen more developed planets with cities and their own cultures. All we ever seem to run into is desolate planets with barren landscapes or isolated individuals from other races.” Xenex chuckled. “Of course. The Casseopean’s main city stretches miles high with shiny alabaster towers. It’s quite a sight to see. Then there’s Hydra, a world composed mostly of waterfalls.” “Really? Tell me more.” She looked up from the spires. “Like what? About the forest planet where people live in primitive huts yet value highly sophisticated Tauron electronics? Or the Reglanites who prize military skill? The beauty of the Zebulan nebula?” “What about the arts? Music? The theater?” She had participated in those ventures, years ago. It seemed like some one else’s life, not hers. Sometimes she missed it. “Like I said, Orion is the closest artist colony around. Places like that are few and far between. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I like being on my own - having the freedom to do as I choose. Sometimes deals can go south really fast. It’s nice not having enforcers to deal with. You can do as you please.” “It sounds lovely,” Judy answered. “Say, why don’t you come with me?” Judy perked up. “What do you mean?” “You sound a little bored. Like you’re looking for some excitement. Why don’t you come with me to Orion? Check out their version of theater and the arts. Maybe we can even find a replacement thruster control and bring it back for your family.” Conflicting emotions surged through her. She couldn’t leave Don and her family. But…it did sound exciting. And she might be able to help. As tempting as it was common sense ruled out. “I…couldn’t. Mother and Dad would never approve.” “What does that matter? You’re an adult.” That struck a chord. It would be wonderful to make her own decisions. “Is it the Major? Do you two have something going? I wouldn’t want to get on his bad side with that temper.” “It’s complicated,” she sighed. “He didn’t want me to come here with you.” “But you did,” Xenex pointed out. “He doesn’t own me,” she stated with a bold flair of independence, while accidently cutting her finger on a crystal. “Ouch!” she cried, sticking her bleeding digit into her mouth. “Are you okay?” Xenex rushed to her side. “It’s just a cut. You know how fingers bleed like crazy, even if it’s really nothing.” She tried to staunch the bleeding with a small piece of cloth but it continued to spurt. “Let’s head back to my ship to treat that,” he insisted. Embarrassed, she replied. “It’s really not necessary. I don’t want to trouble you. Besides I have to get back to the Jupiter soon anyway.” “I insist.” He gallantly put an arm about her shoulder to escort her towards the cave entrance. XXXXX “I don’t know, Dr. Smith. I’d hate to wreck such a beautiful place. I don’t even like the idea of Xenex taking crystals. And if we take some too, it will spoil it for others,” Will stated. Dr. Smith replied drolly, “What others?” “Besides, we don’t even know where the planet Orion is. We’re not going anywhere until Dad and Don fix the Jupiter. That might be a long time.” Will was walking alongside the older man with the Robot. They were headed for the crystal cave. “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared, does it? What if some aliens land on our dreary hole in space and they happen to have a thruster control for our space ship? We’d need something to trade then, wouldn’t we?” Dr. Smith insisted. “Dr. Smith is leaving something out,” the Robot announced. “Be quiet, you insolent ninny. No one cares what you think,” Dr. Smith replied. “Xenex is not going to take you back to Earth,” the Robot stated. It irked Dr. Smith that that tin plated boob could read him so well. “You don’t know that for certain. He’s a business man. Pretending that you’re not interested is part of bargaining. It’s a tool used to whet the appetite of the other interested party. He’s not aware of the riches that Earth has to offer him. I’m sure I can convince him otherwise.” “You haven’t shown much business acumen in the past,” the Robot chuckled loudly while Will smirked. “Silence, you mechanical dunderhead!” “Xenex didn’t seem that interested to me,” Will said. “Rubbish. Xenex isn’t going to turn down an opportunity to make a mutually beneficial deal.” And if the man was as stubborn as he seemed, he might have an extra thruster control laying about his ship that could be purloined with the proper distraction. “Here we are.” The trio entered the cave, half-expecting to see Xenex and Judy. “Hello?” Will called. “I guess we just missed them. Hey, what’s that?” He walked toward a burlap bag lying on the ground and bent down to peer inside. Colorful spires filled the bag. “That’s weird. Why would they leave them behind?” Will wondered. The Robot rolled over. “I detect blood.” Will and Dr. Smith looked around and saw some droplets on the ground along with a small stained cloth. Alarmed Will stated, “Something’s not right.” “Nonsense, my dear boy. It’s only a few drops. The edges of these crystals aren’t very smooth. He or Judy probably cut themselves and during the fuss, Xenex forgot his samples.” Dr. Smith sensed an opportunity was at hand. “The Robot can help me follow his tracks to locate Xenex’s ship so I can return these to him while you go back to camp to check on your sister.” It would be better to not have the boy around for negotiating anyway. He and Mr. Xenex were men of the world who understood each other. “I’m getting Dad and Don,” Will rushed off as the Robot shouldered the bag of crystals. XXXXX Xenex’s ship’s upper deck was small compared with the more spacious Jupiter 2 but it had a homey feel. After bandaging her finger, he had graciously given Judy a tour. Two well padded seats were close to the viewport and controls. The guidance system took up the central part of the deck while an informal galley and sleeping bunk were on the other side behind a partition. An elevator connected the upper and lower levels. The lower deck appeared to be much larger than his living quarters, presumably designed to haul various cargo. Judy found it hard to believe that so much space would be empty. She was curious yet Xenex was evasive about touring that area. She assumed he was protective of his stock. He’d probably dealt with many unscrupulous customers. They paused by the viewport. “Are you sure I can’t talk you into accompanying me? With such a lovely woman on my arm, I’d get lots of attention in Orion.” Judy blushed. “No, I’m afraid not.” She knew her place. “Speaking of which, I’d better head back to help Mother with lunch.” “Don’t be in such a rush. Have a seat. Can I offer you a drink?” “Thank you, but I’d better be going.” Xenex persisted. “Can’t you give a man a chance to repay the hospitality bestowed upon him? It isn’t often one has such enchanting company. It won’t take long.” It had been a while since a man tried to charm her. And what would be the harm? “Okay,” she smiled and sat down in one of the command chairs, while Xenex headed off to the galley. He returned holding a tray with fancy glasses filled with blue liquid. “I thought you weren’t the entertaining type.” “I’m not. Some aliens prefer more formal rituals in sealing a business deal. More than just the simple credit exchange. Sharing a meal or drink tends to be customary. How do you like it?” Judy sipped the liquid. The flavor reminded her of pineapple but more bitter. Politely she replied, “It’s good.” She started to drink a little faster, feeling guilty that her mother would be expecting her soon. He sank down in the adjacent command chair. “You wouldn’t believe what the Cylodians insist upon. Gorkle fish.” He grimaced. “What’s that?” she laughed in spite of herself. “The price of doing business. The hide is tough as leather. Your boot would taste better. Yet, that’s how you seal a deal – sharing Gorkle fish.” “You have lots of interesting stories.” “I do. Believe me.” “What’s the strangest experience you’re had?” Judy asked. “That would have to be the aliens on Gamma 12.” He shook his head. “They have a seven day purification ritual they insisted we all go through before the deal was complete. The food was essentially green seaweed. Talk about hard on the stomach. By the end of the week, I wasn’t sure I cared about anything anymore.” She laughed. “I’m glad I stuck it out. She was worth ten times what I paid for her.” Judy wondered if she was hearing right. She was starting to feel dizzy. She clutched at the arm rest on her seat. “I feel funny.” She couldn’t understand his reply. “What did you say?” “Are you ready to see the rest of the ship?” he asked. “What?” “To see your quarters.” His polished, refined tone was replaced by one far more cynical. “You didn’t think those rocks were worth much, did you? They wouldn’t pay for the fuel to get to a dump like this. Smith can have the lot. People are a far more valuable a commodity – especially young women. You’re the biggest treasure this planet has to offer with that pale skinny body and blonde hair. Your Major West knows that too. The Orions will pay handsomely for such features. They would’ve liked your sister too but that could’ve gotten tricky.” She reached to her waist for a weapon then she realized she hadn’t brought one. Her face burned. She’d been a fool. Seeing what she’d wanted to see. Accusing Don of all sorts of terrible things when he had been right all along. Then everything went black. TBC (Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
10:45 am	Faith (an Earth 2 story) Faith By Joan Powers A/N: Years ago I heard a rumor that the writers of Earth 2 were considering having Danziger somehow carry Devon’s consciousness with him in Season 2. That concept partially inspired this story. It is not associated with my previous series which includes: Grieving Time, Stepping Stones, Boundaries and The Road Not Chosen. Rating: PG-13/K+ Genre: Drama/sci-fi Timeline: Post series ending Summary: John Danziger receives a disturbing message from a surprising source. Can he do what’s asked of him, even though it’s against his better judgment? John Danziger It had been another disappointing day. Alonzo, Walman and I had discovered Grendler tracks so we’d hurried to pursue them, hoping they would lead us to his stash. For a while we were encouraged, anticipating the discovery of much needed food or additional winter clothing. It had propelled us through the crusty layers of snow and ice. Hours later, nearly numb with cold, we’d lost the trail only to have the long trip back to camp with nothing to show for it. All I wanted to do that night was warm up by the fire then get some sleep. The caves were primitive in comparison to last winter’s BioDome but at least they provided shelter. As always, the minute we hit camp, there were squabbles to deal with. As if we were a bunch of children. Whose turn was it for guard duty? How would we divvy up the rations? What was our next plan of action for finding food? How much longer would we be stuck here? Hunger, boredom and confinement didn’t bring out the best in people. For some reason, they looked to me to solve their problems. After I did the best I could to address those concerns, Yale seemed to expect me to make some sort speech to inspire group morale. I hated to disappoint him but that’s not my style. Never has been. Never will be. Another day. Another dead end. I could’ve used some of Devon’s optimism. We all could’ve. XXX Alone in his chamber, save for his sleeping daughter, he could finally let down his guard and relax. He was tired of the demands of leading the group. It was bad enough that they’d crashed onto this planet in the first place, totally disrupting their lives. And that had been only the tip of the iceberg. Look at all they’d been through – attacked by convicts and ZEDs, pursued by the Council, nearly dying from disease, food and water shortages, not to mention those blasted biostat implants. Now people were looking to him for guidance and inspiration? He shuddered. Talk about the blind leading the blind. Damn Devon for extracting that promise from him. Damn her. He wasn’t leadership material. He knew it. He accepted his shortcomings. Damn her for trying to make him into something that he was not. If she were here now, she’d be tearing him a new one. There was no way they were going to make it to New Pacifica before the colony ship arrived. First they’d lingered at Franklin and Elizabeth’s ship far longer than they should have. He hadn’t wanted to leave until he was absolutely certain nothing more could’ve be done for Devon. And even then, when they’d finally moved on, it had been gut wrenching. Then they’d had trouble with the Trans Rover’s wheel bearings due to the rocky terrain. It had taken time to rig replacement parts but they’d managed. Once they’d recovered from that, they’d run into a camp of penal colonists that were decidedly unfriendly, resulting in a lengthy, unanticipated detour. Still, they’d kept moving until the snow had compelled them to seek shelter. Damn her for forcing her mission on him. Huddled beneath his blanket, stewing in his thoughts, he suddenly flinched as if scalded. “What the-“ He’d woken up True. “Whaa?” her voice groggy with sleep, eyelids half-open. “Nothing, True-girl. Just a weird feeling. I’m okay. Go back to sleep.” He rubbed the stubble on his chin. Such an odd sensation. It felt as if some other presence had been inside his head. He ruefully chuckled, thinking he was finally losing it. What he needed was sleep so he closed his eyes. Just as he dozed off, he thought, Damn her for leaving us. Later, it happened again. Yet this time, he didn’t wake up. Somehow, he wasn’t asleep either. He cautiously opened his eyes to a blinding white light. It was weird as hell. He felt as if he was completely exposed and vulnerable. Why would he choose to dream this? It felt like a nightmare. “Danziger?” Recognizing the voice, he started, wondered why he was torturing himself. He’d done everything he could for Devon. He’d had his share of nightmares: Grendlers raiding the ship and stealing her body, or the ship experiencing a massive power failure. Most of the time he tried not to think about her: stiff and motionless in that cryochamber. He preferred to remember her as she’d been: vibrant, full of energy and confidence. That head of auburn hair and those blazing eyes. The stubborn set of her chin. “I…I..didn’t know,” her voice said, with confusion. What was going on? Suddenly he could see Devon before his eyes. Wherever they were, he couldn’t hide a thing. She’d known exactly what he was thinking and even…feeling. The regrets, the guilt, the desire… Trying to save face he answered, “Of course not.” Getting down to business, he asked, “So….what brings you here?” He was hoping to interject some levity while also distracting Devon from his emotional baggage that was painfully exposed. “I’m not completely sure. Somehow, I’ve been communicating with the Terrains or the planet itself and they’re helping me reach you.” Same old Devon, filled with idealistic nonsense. She raised an eyebrow. Of course, she’d heard that. This was going to be awkward. “How?” “I don’t fully understand it,” she explained. “It’s just…a feeling.” Great. What else was new? More touchy-feely nonsense? She glared at him. He wondered, “Does this have anything to do with how the Elder used the sleeping Terrains to send Alonzo messages while I was in the penal colonist’s cave?” “No,” she denied a little too strongly. “How can you be so sure?” “It’s not the same.” Her dismissive tone didn’t encourage further discussion of that point. “Why here? Why now?” “I have an urgent message for you. You have to evacuate the caves – they’re not safe anymore,” she warned. Although he was somewhat impressed that she was aware they’d taken shelter in caves, her statement was ludicrous. “Are you nuts, Adair? It’s the dead of winter. There’s nothing around for miles. Without shelter, we’d freeze to death.” “You need to get out! Now!” she insisted. Always skeptical, he demanded, “Why?” “I..I don’t know. I just have this terrible feeling.” Danziger’s patience was running thin. “Look, even if you feel like something’s going to happen, what do you want me to do? It’s not like I have lots of options.” Then it occurred to him that maybe she could get him some useful information. “Hey, do you know where any-” “It doesn’t work like that! I’m not some sort of computer interface,” she snapped. “Figures,” he mumbled. Food would’ve been nice. With some sarcasm, he asked, “Where exactly are we supposed to go?” “West.” When he crooked an eyebrow, she added, somewhat apologetically, “That’s all I’m getting.” He objected. “I can’t do that.” “You have to!” she insisted. His voice rose. “Are you out of your mind? You want me to march those people, including our kids, to certain death? There’s nothing out there but snow. No shelter. Nothing. We wouldn’t last long.” “You won’t be safe in the caverns either,” she pronounced with dire certainty. “What is it? Are the Terrains mad at us or something?” He wouldn’t put it past them to hold a grudge about god knows what. Then a worse thought came to him. “Are we on their turf?” The idea of them showing up unannounced to claim their winter digs gave him the creeps. “No. I…I don’t think so.” Right. The communicating with the planet mumbo jumbo. She glared at him. “What about Uly or Alonzo? Can’t they speak with the Terrains to get additional information? If something this important is going on, wouldn’t they know about it?” “I don’t know. I’m not completely sure if this is the Terrains or the planet itself. I don’t have all the answers,” she replied. Maybe you should stop acting like you do. I heard that. The words rang out loud and clear even though Devon hadn’t opened her mouth. That was interesting. He’d been so absorbed trying to conceal his thoughts and emotions that he hadn’t realized that he had full access to hers. “Why are you asking me? Why not Uly? Or Yale?” They’d certainly be more inclined to believe this stuff. Losing patience, she retorted, “I don’t even know how I’m doing this. Don’t you think I’d talk with them if I could?” Nothing like putting a guy in his place. “No…I…” she fumbled, aware of what he was feeling. “I think, subconsciously, I knew that you would be the one who could help the group the most.” Good old dependable Danziger. Yes ma’am. Just tell this good ole boy what to do. “I can’t endanger the entire group based on your feeling.” More softly, she replied, “Have a little faith, Danziger. Hasn’t this planet shown us that miracles can happen?” Even without his bizarre direct line to her thoughts, he recognized she was referring to Uly. He couldn’t explain how they did what they did, although he suspected there might be a higher price to pay later. “Yeah. And it’s also scared the hell out of us.” “That wasn’t the planet. That was the Council. Penal Colonists, ZEDs, the biostat implants. Even the memory virus came from the Stations.” “Yeah? What about…” He couldn’t say it aloud. What about your illness? She had no answer. “Please, John.” Realizing his weakness, she asked, “Will you do it, for me?” Didn’t she understand that what she was asking him to do was completely against his cautious nature? John Danziger didn’t take anything based on faith alone. Happy endings might happen for others but never for him. Look at his lover Eleanor Moore who had been classified as neuro-dead after a tragic accident caused by negligent Station bureaucrats. Look at his friends Alex Wentworth and Les Firestein who died as a result of a virus caused by a chip furtively planted by Station technocrats in Alex’s cranium. Look at poor Ebon Synge who died due to a malfunctioning implant that she didn’t even know she had. Planet G889 certainly hadn’t given her a second chance. He’d never had the luxury of such hope, of believing the best in people when all too often they’d demonstrated the worst. His grandparents had been ripped off long before he was born. He was still paying off their debt to escape Earth to immigrate to the Stations. In the depths of the Quadrant he’d learned all too young that you took care you and yours because no one else would. With so many disappointments, so many lost opportunities, you learned not to expect much. She was listening to all this, wasn’t she? Idiot. His face burned. More softly she said, “John, this planet has changed you. You know that, right? About to deny it, he realized maybe she was right. He’d never dreamed of rising beyond his station. It had never occurred to him. As much as he hated the mantle of responsibility associated with leading the group, on the Stations it would never have been an option. Although dealing with challenges of G889 exhausted him, in some ways it was refreshing to have his fate in his own hands. To know that he could decide whether he and True would return to the Stations once they reached New Pacifica or remain with the colony. It was his decision. No one else’s. What was that? Warm waves of emotions emanated from Devon. He could feel them as if they were physical entities, surrounding him like some sort of cocoon. It didn’t make any sense but he felt cushioned as if wrapped in a lush, thick blanket. A very pleasant sensation. Why is he being so stubborn? Doesn’t he know that he’s a natural leader? He’s not afraid of offending people. He’ll always stand up for his beliefs. People listen to him. They trust him. Doesn’t he realize how much Eden Advance depends upon him? Doesn’t he understand how much I’m depending on him? I’m scared. I’m tired of being in this odd in between state. I’m tired of being strong. I wish he could just hold me. Huh? The fact that a woman like her would be even remotely interested in a guy like him reminded him how much his life had radically changed on Planet G889. Buoyed by the heady sensations, he said more calmly, “It doesn’t make any sense.” “I know,” she replied. What would.. Before he could get the words out, she answered, “I’d do it. It wouldn’t be easy but given what we’ve learned about this planet, I’d do it.” XXXXX “Let me get this straight. Danziger has some crazy dream so we’re gonna leave the caves? What’s next - reading tea leaves or bumps on people’s heads?” Julia scoffed, “There’s more to it than that, Morgan.” Danziger rubbed his pounding temples. He couldn’t sleep after hearing Devon’s message. He’d been up most of the night hashing things out with Yale, Julia and Alonzo. Now, with the exception of the children, at first light they’d gathered in the largest chamber of the caves and were discussing it with the entire group. It was just as awful as he’d thought it would be. “How do we know that our fearless leader isn’t cracking up?” Morgan asked the others. Alonzo shook his head in disgust. Danziger wondered about that himself. It was a valid question. “Isn’t Alonzo our resident Dream boy? And if we do decide to believe this so-called ‘message from beyond’, do we really have to leave? Couldn’t we just stay outside the caves tonight? Camp in the vehicles where it might be warmer? Why commit suicide traipsing off into the unknown?” “Morgan does have a point,” Baines reluctantly admitted. “Do we have any confirmation?” He looked anxiously toward Danziger who turned to Alonzo. “Nothing. I’m not getting anything from the Terrains,” the pilot relayed. “What about Uly?” Baines asked. “He hasn’t heard a thing either,” Yale stated. “So that’s it? We’re just gonna pack up and go west until we freeze to death? Is that the plan?” Morgan asked verging on hysteria. He paced about nervously. “Does this seem logical to you? To anyone? Hello people! ‘Cause it sure doesn’t to me.” “We’re going to vote,” Danziger explained, with limited patience. “Danziger, we want to believe you. We do. It’s just…c’mon, this seems crazy,” Baines said. “I mean, what could happen to the caves that would harm us?” “We’ve already discussed this,” Danziger reminded him. The only scenarios they could envision involved a hostile group of Terrains reclaiming the caves or some natural disaster in which the structure was damaged. “Why can’t we just stay in the vehicles tonight and see what happens?” Baines asked. It was a sorely tempting suggestion that appealed to Danziger’s common sense. He wanted to do it. But he couldn’t. “No. We’ve already discussed this. We either believe this message or we don’t. We do exactly what she said or completely ignore it. No in between.” He did his best to ignore the concerned looks Baines, Walman and Magus were exchanging. He couldn’t blame them. If one of them had been acting like he was, he’d be making contingency plans as well. “Maybe we could have half the group stay with the vehicles while the others scout west, like Devon said,” Bess suggested. “That way the children could keep warmer.” She was trying to appeal to Danziger’s parental sense. Julia reminded them. “Splitting up never works well, especially when bad weather is involved. It’s not a good idea.” “That’s it? That’s all we have to go on?” Morgan gasped. “Yeah,” Danziger reluctantly answered. “When would we need to go?” Morgan asked. “Now.” “Now?” The government liaison gulped. “But…but, it’s freezing out there.” “Tell me something I don’t know, “Danziger grumbled. “Let’s vote.” XXXXXXXXXXXX “Some one wanna tell me once again why we left the warm caves for this?” Morgan ranted, his breath fogging in his face. He’d wrapped his scarf about his head, nearly obscuring his features. The snow was deep and progress was slow as he plodded along. Short of patience, Bess rebuked him. “You’re not helping.” They’d loaded the Trans Rover with all of their gear, which left limited space for passengers. They’d briefly considered leaving their equipment behind to make more room, but decided it was vital for their survival as well. The children rode in the Trans Rover, bundled with blankets about them. Eden Advance members lacking proper boots or coats had next highest priority for spots in the vehicles. The rest took turns walking. “We’ve been heading west for hours. Normally we would’ve set up camp by now. But…there is no place to set up camp. It’s gonna be dark soon. Bess, I can’t feel my toes anymore.” “Morgan, you’re not the only one who’s uncomfortable,” Bess snapped. She’d already lost sensation in her finger tips. Danziger trudged past the bickering couple. Maybe he was leading them on some wild goose chase. Maybe he was starting to crack up. It had shocked him that based on his conviction alone, the majority of the camp had voted to follow him. Even though it went against their better judgment, Walman, Baines and Magus had supported him. He wasn’t sure what frightened him the most. It didn’t make sense. The Terrians didn’t have a vested interest in their survival. Neither did Planet G889. If anything, one could argue that humans were detrimental for both. Why was he doing this? Was he so desperate to believe that Devon cared about him that his mind had created the entire scenario? Did his guilt about his failure to revive her bring this about? Was he kidding himself to think that she had feelings for him? Was he being a complete fool believing her? His steps became heavier. The light was fading, along with the vehicle power. “Let’s set up camp,” Danziger shouted. “Where?” Morgan gestured about the snow covered landscape. “Go look for firewood.” He needed Morgan Martin out of his sight. Now. Or he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions. Morgan scurried towards some trees. The vehicles were parked close together in an effort to create a shelter from the biting wind. Once they’d started a fire, they could alternate positions by the fire or stay in the vehicles, huddling together to keep warm. “You okay True-girl?” Danziger peered into the Trans Rover. Huddled with Uly and Yale beneath a blanket, she nodded. “How about you, Uly?” The boy nodded. He hadn’t been speaking much since his mother had collapsed. Leaving her behind had taken a toll upon him. Just as Danziger was about to step away, he asked, “You saw my mom?” What if wasn’t real? Yet he hated to disappoint the little guy. “Yeah, Uly. I did.” “How was she?” “She looked good. You know she misses you, right?” He punched him affectionately on the upper arm. “Yeah.” A trace of a smile formed on the boy’s face. Shrieks came from a few feet away. It was Morgan. Danziger was going to wring that man’s neck if he caused anymore trouble. He shuffled over with the others to check out the commotion. Near several trees, Bess was leaning over something, calling frantically to her husband. XXXXXX “Well?’ her impatient voice demanded. Devon was finally back. The events of the past days should’ve convinced him that he hadn’t lost his mind. Yet hearing her voice again finally gave him the closure that he’d needed. “Is everybody okay?” “Yeah.” Details John, details! “What happened? Where are you now?” She was nearly frantic. Hold your horses, Adair. She apologized, “I’m sorry, it’s hard for me to keep track of time. It feels like it’s been weeks since I last spoke with you. I thought…” I thought I’d lost all of you. No wonder she was so upset. In reality, it had only been three days. “We traveled west, like you said. It was pretty rough. Julia’s treating several bad cases of frostbite. The kids are okay though. Just as darkness set in and we started to assemble a makeshift camp, Morgan literally stumbled onto a building that was concealed by the foliage and snow.” “A building?” “Yeah. Concrete foundation even. Get this, it’s built into the side of a hill. We have no idea whose it is. It’s empty now. Spent most of the past few days getting the generators to work. I think it was some sort of abandoned research facility. The computers are ancient but Morgan thinks he can get them to work and then hack into the data base.” “Council?” she asked, with concern. “No idea. Could be more scientists jettisoned off the Stations for disagreeing with the status quo. Or someone entirely different. We’ll find out. Do you know if-“ What do you mean if? He continued, “If anything happened back at the caves?” “No. And I don’t need to,” she stated with confidence. Out of habit Danziger started to disagree. Then he realized they’d been led to a potential gold mine. The generators would keep them warm. The structure needed repairs yet it was sturdy. There was more than ample space and some dried food stocks along with warm blankets, clothing, first aid and other supplies. They might even have the chance to learn more about survival on this planet based on the data stored on the computers. A more than consuming project for people with abundant time on their hands. He was still confused. “I don’t understand. Why would the Terrians or the planet want to help us?” Why is that man so stubborn? He laughed. “John, why is it so hard for you to trust anyone? Maybe the fact that my consciousness is altered, that I’m on this plane, they’ve been able to access my thoughts and emotions better. Maybe they’re getting a better understanding of me and thus our group and now they want to help us.’ Adair, you’ll never change. “It doesn’t make sense,” he shook his head gently. “Then healing Uly wouldn’t make any sense either. But they did it,” she insisted. Yeah, to advance their own self interests. You don’t have to understand everything Danziger for it to be real. Just accept it! That brought up another issue that had been festering within him since she’d first appeared to him. He had no desire to talk about Sheppard. He hated even thinking the guy’s name. The starry eyed look she’d had when she claimed she’d felt as if she’d known him forever made him want to slug the guy. But he had to know. Was he feeling closer to Devon only because of this strange channel of communication? Was that what happened between Sheppard and Devon? Or was he reading far too much into things in the first place? Damn, she was listening. He’d never get used to this. “No, John, you’re not. The feelings I had for Sheppard were…complicated. I was alone and scared. He listened to me. He was there when I really needed him. I loved him for that. But the dreaming itself didn’t create the bond.” He tried to ignore all thoughts and feelings about that man that were floating through her head. It wasn’t easy. “Why are you so certain that this communication between us isn’t like what you experienced with….him?” he asked. “It just isn’t. Sheppard was able to control the process. Any of the convicts could pick and choose who to speak with and when. We could probably do it ourselves if we were to touch a hibernating Terrain. I…don’t seem to have that option.” He waited, there was more. Heavy waves of sadness floated about him. “Talking with Sheppard was just that. Talking. Just on a different plane. This is very different. Much…deeper.” Much scarier. He chuckled. “Isn’t that the truth?” “I don’t know if I’ll be back,” she said sadly. “I haven’t been able to contact Uly. Is he okay?” He wanted to lie, to give her more peace of mind but he couldn’t. She would know. “It’s been hard for him.” She sighed. Trying to encourage her, he said, “He’ll be okay. I’ll make sure of it.” I’m not going to be able to see you again. Not like this. Although he felt she was most likely correct, he assured her, “I’ll keep looking for you.” It was a weighty promise but one he meant to keep. He wouldn’t give up until they’d found a cure for her. Once he’d gotten this group to New Pacifica and established the colony, he’d be the first to organize a group to retrieve her from the downed space ship. Maybe the colony ship would have the resources to cure her. Or maybe Julia would discover a cure from the information on the computers at their new winter camp. One could only hope. THE END (Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
1:40 pm	Awakening (An Earth 2 story) Awakening by Joan Powers A/N: I started writing this story in 1997 and finally got around to finishing it. Just another look at solving the mysteries of Devon’s illness and the fate of the Eden project on Planet G889. Rating: PG/K Genre: Drama/sci-fi Timeline: Post series ending Summary: When Devon is revived from her cold sleep chamber, things haven’t gone exactly as she had planned. (Devon Adair) My body is rigid, literally frozen in place. My mind is hazy and my thoughts tend to wander along random paths. As I lay suspended in my cocoon, I'm not fully cognizant; yet I know that I'm still alive, somehow suspended in the nether world between the living and the dead. How long have I been in this chamber? Days? Weeks? Months? I shudder to consider other possibilities, though I can't logically rule them out. I wonder if Eden Advance has made it to New Pacifica by now. Or will they open my chamber only hours after placing me inside, to cure me and allow me to continue the journey with them? The faces and voices of those whom I hold dear, along with those I grew to care for during our journey, lay forever imprinted upon my memory. Especially my final glimpse of them as they transferred me to this stasis chamber. Their pale faces, their fears and doubts, along with my own, lay thick in the air. Uly's anguished cries still pierce through me. But I comfort myself with the knowledge that John, along with Yale, will take good care of him. I had such hopes, such dreams. Was I foolish to want so much? To take such risks? In only a few months, we'd come so far. Uly had become a normal nine year old boy who could run and play - a true miracle I thanked god for every day. And we'd made such progress in our relationship with the Terrians. If only that tenuous bond would continue to strengthen and grow. If the colony ship had arrived, perhaps the other Syndrome children were all ready healed. I could only hope that this would be true. That New Pacifica had become all that I'd dreamed; that it would provide a new future for humanity. There were other possibilities. Those too dark to think of, yet they tormented and frightened me. What if Eden Advance never made it to New Pacifica? What if they were attacked by penal colonists or ambushed by Council operatives? What if the Council captured Uly then continued their unethical experiments on him? What if my son and the others died while simply trying to survive on this planet? Worst of all, I torture myself with the thought that the planet had rejected them. I can only pray that the others haven't succumbed to my fate; that Elizabeth's dire warnings referred to some other situation which our group could combat. But...what if she was right? XXXXXX "Here we go. On my mark. One, two, three." Devon became vaguely aware that the voices surrounding her weren't those created by her mind. Her body was in motion, tumbling forward, yet she had no control over it. Several sets of hands securely grasped her shoulders and legs to transfer her on to a platform. "C'mon! Life signs. I need a reading -- quick!" "Heartbeat's sporadic and respiration's irregular. Get the stabilizer unit and give her some epinephrine." She half-smiled as deep sleep once again overtook her. It was time to return to the world of the living. XXXXXX "....you can imagine how shocked they were to find a person in that ship," a hushed female voice stated. "The transfusion seems to be helping." "Wonder how long she'd been there?" a deep male voice whispered. "Shh! She's coming to." In a cool, more professional tone, she asked, "Can you hear me?" Devon's head lolled to the side. She opened her eyes to discover that the confinement of her cryo chamber had only been exchanged for another prison. Her body lay horizontally encased by a machine. Her head and extremities dangled outside of a dark gray metallic cylinder. Tubes filled her nose. Heating coils within the unit busily hummed, presumably regulating her temperature yet her body still felt numbingly cold. "Huh?" Devon mumbled as her pupils tentatively darted about. The male voice became more soothing, "Relax. You've been through a lot. You need to rest. Try to build up your strength." She weakly tried to call her son's name, but her cry was incoherent. "Just rest." Devon lacked the energy to try to speak any more. With her last reserve of strength, she scrutinized her surroundings. She didn't remember seeing equipment like this listed on any Eden Project cargo manifests. But many of the scientists under her employment had been working day and night, devising technological improvements to assist with the mission of colonizing a new planet. Perhaps this chamber had been designed with the purpose of sustaining the life of a Syndrome child if G889 hadn't turned out as planned. Yet if that were so, why was its size appropriate for an adult? XXXXXX Once again, time was her enemy. As she lay on her back, she listened to the hum of the machine as it stimulated her lungs to function, and her heart to beat. She felt detached from her flesh as if it no longer belonged to her. Time, how much time had passed? It could've been twenty-four hours or twenty-four years since she'd been placed in that cryo chamber. Where was Eden Advance? Where was her beloved son? Logically speaking, the colony ship must've arrived. She hadn't recognized either the doctor or her assistant. That wasn't surprising, considering that the ship had housed almost a thousand people. And the device which was currently sustaining her life wouldn’t have been included in the Eden Advance cargo. Always the optimist, a flicker of excitement passed through her. They must've made it. Otherwise, how else would these people have known where to look for her? Uly's absence and the lack of any familiar Eden Advance members disturbed her, but they must be terribly busy helping the newcomers adjust to the planet, then all the actual work of building and sustaining the colony. It wouldn't be a leisurely lifestyle. Only the hands which were needed would’ve attended this trip. Still, she was surprised that not one of them had come by to visit. Perhaps she'd been asleep and missed them? Or perhaps her condition needed to be stabilized before they could transport her to New Pacifica? The thought of Uly made her smile. How much had he grown in her absence? Her glimpse of the future Uly had been encouraging, she was fully confident that he was going to become a fine young man that she would be proud of. Even at the young age of nine, she could imagine him eager to help out with the Syndrome children, encouraging them to embrace the changes that had made him whole. She could envision the faces of their parents, beaming upon seeing their children fully healed. She had so looked forward to that moment. How had the remainder of Eden Advance's journey gone? Most certainly it had been arduous, trekking across the seemingly endless mountains and desert. She would've loved to have been there when they reached New Pacifica. Did they whoop with joy and dash into the ocean's waves? Had it been a raucous celebration or a time of quiet reverence and reflection? Had they been able to locate those errant cargo pods which contained the materials for constructing the hospital? Or had they had to improvise? Although she’d been limited to using metallic prefab sheets when designing the hospital, she'd tried to integrate architectural features which might embrace the natural beauty of the land and were more harmonious with nature. Transparent windows as opposed to hi-tech screens designed to create any desired panorama. Skylights to let in natural light. Restful courtyards stocked with natural flora and fauna. Maybe they'd even resorted to using native woods or stone to build out buildings and individual units. With a careful conservation plan in place, it could work. She sighed, envisioning her future unit - with a broad porch to sit on overlooking the ocean. So close that she could taste the salty spray and hear the tide as it ebbed and flowed. As she began to fade, she noticed that this hospital room was decidedly utilitarian, with metallic walls of dull gray and no windows. It reminded her of the Stations. She'd have to talk to the designer about that. XXXX "Devon who?" a muffled voice asked. Devon stirred slightly. "Devon Adair. That’s the ID that came up when we did the bioscan. The records say she led the Eden Project." "Oh," a hushed whisper replied. "So that’s really true?" Despite the machines regulating her breathing, she could swear her heart rate was accelerating. How could those people not know who she was? She struggled to open her eyes to demand answers but it took too much effort. XXXX Devon opened her eyes, half-expecting to see Uly at her side. Sufficient time had passed for him to travel here. Remnants of an unpleasant dream lingered. It had to have been a dream or a side effect of the medication. Of course the hospital staff knew who she was. She’d been involved with every aspect of this project. Several IV bags containing viscous fluid hung nearby, dripping through her veins. Perhaps if they cut back on some of these meds she wouldn't feel so weak and disoriented. She was anxious to see Yale or John. Or any member of the Eden Project, for that matter. At that moment, she would’ve welcomed even Morgan Martin with open arms. She wondered if Julia and Alonzo were still a couple. They were good for each other. She fervently hoped that most had stayed on at New Pacifica rather than returning to the Stations. Especially John and True Danziger. Just thinking about his curly blonde locks and broad grin made her smile. She longed to see a familiar face. And strangely enough, to see the beauty of the planet she'd grown to love. When a male nurse entered the room, she was ready with questions. "Uly….where is he?" Her voice was weak so the man crossed over towards her. "I'm sure you have lots of questions but for now you need to rest. You're very lucky we found you." "But.." she gasped. "New Pacifica." "New Pacifica is a thriving community. Rest." XXX She drifted in and out of consciousness for several days. Once her strength started to return, she demanded answers from the thin female physician who had entered her room. "Where am I and what's going on?" The doctor, clad in a white lab coat, reluctantly pulled up a chair to sit beside her. "You're in a treatment facility. At New Pacifica." Devon struggled to sit up, but could barely move. "Uly, Yale…I have to see them!" "One thing at a time.” Although her words were compassionate, her voice lacked warmth. A quick glance revealed dark circles under her eyes, along with hastily pinned back brown tendrils. "No! I have to.." Devon struggled for breath, her lungs gasping for air. "Now." Monitors on the machine sounded madly. "You've got to calm down," the physician warned, grabbing a hypoderm. "No!" Devon protested as the sedative kicked in. XXX How many days had she lost this time? Day or night, the metallic grey walls and subdued lighting of her quarters remained unchanged. Why did she still feel so weak? She was growing concerned about her condition. Certainly it couldn't be the planet rejecting her as Elizabeth had so gravely pronounced. Otherwise, how could anyone live in New Pacifica? Or on Planet G889, for that matter? The staff avoided her; furtively checking her vitals and IV then scurrying off. When eye contact was made, they merely encouraged her to rest. Occasionally she heard hushed murmurs amongst them when they thought she was asleep, suggesting that she was the latest fodder for gossip. If she was in New Pacifica, why were they keeping her isolated? Only her drive to see Uly kept her going. Finally she mustered her strength. When a man started to change her IV, she looked directly at him and firmly stated, "I need answers. Now." He tried to avoid her determined gaze but she wouldn’t let him off the hook. "Get me some one in charge," she intoned as best she could. He rushed out of the room after completing his duty. She was pleasantly surprised when the harried looking doctor returned. "You're not leaving until you answer all of my questions," Devon gasped. Not quite the intimidating tone she was used to having at her disposal, but she’d made her point. The woman sighed, pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. "I don’t know if you’re strong enough. We shouldn’t push things. You need to focus on getting well. You’re lucky to be alive.” “I don’t care about that. I need answers!” Devon snapped. Resigned, the doctor responded, “What do you want to know?" "Where's Uly? And John and Yale? And Julia and Alonzo?" "I don't know who you're talking about." Devon was stunned. But if New Pacifica was as large a community as they’d implied, perhaps this overly dedicated doctor wouldn’t know every member. Her pale complexion suggested she spent most of her time indoors at the hospital. Trying to be helpful, the woman asked, "You organized the mission to colonize this planet?” Devon nodded firmly. “You must be thrilled that thousands of people have emigrated from the Stations." That thought gave Devon some comfort. The word “thousands” caused an internal alarm to sound but it didn’t fully register. "What about the Syndrome children?" Devon asked. "They’ve improved." "What do you mean? Didn't the Terrains heal everyone?" The blank look on the woman’s face revealed her ignorance. She rose as she spoke, starting to pace about the room. "Being on this planet has definitely helped. Significantly fewer children have been born with the Syndrome. The ‘absence of Earth’ hypothesis is a valid factor. Exposure to this planet has also helped stimulate many patients’ immune systems. This, plus newly developed synthetics, have enabled many Syndrome patients to live to their twenties or even thirties." "What?" This couldn't be right. Were the meds clouding her perception? Uly was healed and whole. She'd seen it. He had his whole life ahead of him. Not just twenty or thirty years. The woman wearily sank back into her chair, absently rubbing her temple. "Some cases have been more challenging than others. Several patients have had difficulties with side effects from the meds. We’ve been able to sustain most of them in hyperbolic chambers like the one you’re in now.” A sinking feeling overwhelmed her. No, it couldn’t be. It wouldn’t make any sense. Yet she had to ask. “What’s wrong with me?” “I think you’ve had enough for today.” Devon despised being placated. “What’s wrong with me?” she pressed. She couldn’t have the Syndrome. “We’re not entirely sure. It’s taken us some time to figure things out. If we’re on the right track, I’ve never seen such an advanced case.” “Of what?” “For lack of a better term, we call it ‘rejection’”. Bile rose in her throat. Yet it had to be coincidence that she’d used that word. Did she want to know more? “What do you mean?” was her guarded response. “After a while the original settlers of New Pacifica began to experience symptoms of fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Even when they rested, the mind numbing weariness continued to grow worse. Scientists discovered that a toxin was gradually accumulating in their blood streams. A substance native to this planet,” the doctor explained. “No, that’s not possible. The penal colonists have been here for years. It doesn’t make sense.” Devon argued, desperate to refute Elizabeth’s warnings. “We’ve been studying these phenomena for a while. We’ve since learned that the environmental levels of this substance vary greatly from location to location. We got lucky with New Pacifica - areas adjacent to the oceans tend to have much lower levels while those closer to acidic lakes tend to be significantly higher. People’s individual metabolic makeup can affect uptake and toxicity as well. Fortunately we caught on early enough to devise a preventative treatment.” “What is it?” The doctor patted the IV bag. “We all have periodic transfusions with this cocktail to flush the toxins out of our systems. We automatically gave it to you before we had any idea about your diagnosis. Most likely it saved your life. Blood tests showed your toxin levels were off the charts. With some rest and therapy, you ought to recover, though it will take some time. In fact, in a few days, we may be able to remove you from this chamber.” News of her recovery flew right by her. Uly! John. Yale… “How much variation is there between individuals?” Devon urgently asked. “It’s hard to say. Children tend to be more susceptible than adults but I’ve seen the opposite too. Like I said, it also depends on the environment.” “How did the area I was found rank?” “Due to it’s proximately to an acidic lake, it’s been ruled out as a potential settlement.” “But this toxin, it could take months to accumulate. Right? One person might be sick but for another it could take weeks or even months to produce a debilitating effect. Right?” She rationalized, staring at the doctor, willing her to say that this was true. If she had been at the head of the curve, perhaps the others had time. Hopefully they’d moved on after leaving her in that chamber, away from higher levels of exposure before they too became sick. She clung to that thought. “Could you look for information about my son? Ulysses Adair. Please?” Devon was close to tears. It wasn’t like her to beg but given her current circumstances she didn’t have many options. Sadly, she responded, “Devon, I’m sorry. He’s not here. None of them are here.” “How do you know that? How can you be sure? You didn’t even know who they were when I first asked. How can you know this if you haven’t even tried to find them?” The woman’s obvious discomfort caught her attention. “What aren’t you telling me?” The woman swallowed nervously. “More time has passed than you realize.” Bracing herself Devon took a breath. “It’s 2304.” XXXX A century had passed in the wink of eye. All those she’d known and held dear were gone. She was beginning to relate to Alonzo’s stories about his frequent cold sleep missions. That the world went on without you and that it could be difficult to relate to the changes that had occurred. And how challenging it was to discover your place in it. Still Devon’s optimistic heart clung to the possibility that Uly’s children’s children or a descendant of an Eden Advance crew member would be alive. Some one might know of her and of Eden Advance’s fate. Surely Uly had told them stories about her and their audacious trip across the heavens. There must be some one living in New Pacifica that was related to the original Eden Advance team and she was determined to uncover them. Finally she was strong enough to leave the confines of the hyperbolic chamber. The orderlies gingerly transferred her to a hospital bed. Moving her extremities took effort, but it was a good feeling. She was recovering, slowly but surely. A woman with dark shoulder length hair, wearing a white lab coat peered into her room. “Ms. Adair?” “Yes?” She meekly stepped into the room. The diminutive woman asked, “Are you up for a visitor?” Even though Devon was feeling tired, she was intrigued. “Of course.” She sank into the chair by the bed. “I had to come when I heard you were here. They wouldn’t let me see you until you were stronger. My name is Mariah Alverez. My great grandfather told me about you. About how brave you were and how dangerous it was to venture out here. About all the obstacles you had to deal with. He was just as concerned about the growing number of Syndrome cases and he dedicated his life to fighting it. He was the first to develop Lydocam – a spray that helps open up Syndrome children’s lungs. We’ve been continuing his work developing synthetics for Syndrome patients.” Devon didn’t need to ask. “Dr. Vasquez was an amazing man.” It warmed her heart to hear that some one in this world knew of her and had some ideas of her struggles. “Did he tell you about setting up the colony at New Pacifica?” Mariah laughed. “It’s so hard to think of it that way now. It’s a city of almost a million people. His stories almost sounded like holo-vids. The primitive conditions. Living in tents and no indoor plumbing. The fighting with the natives.” More impatiently, Devon interrupted, “What about the members of Eden Advance? Did he ever speak of them? What did he say about them?” She averted her eyes. “No. No one was here at New Pacifica when the colony ship arrived. I….I’m sorry. I guess they never made it.” XXXX Despite her efforts, Devon’s morale was flagging. With Mariah Alverez’s help, she’d searched the data terminals for days. Nothing. Not one word about Eden Advance other than the official record which described the faked explosion of the Advance ship as it left the Stations, listing that as their demise. That was it. Her physical therapist, Gina Martin, a dedicated young woman with a bubbly personality, had been concerned about her growing depression so she egged Devon on by promising a special surprise once she finished her daily exercises. “Here it is,” Gina grinned, pushing an errant strand of her curly red hair from her face. A wheel chair. Devon wasn’t strong enough to walk just yet. “Where do you want to go?” her green eyes twinkled. Gina Martin and Mariah Alverez differed greatly from one another. Mariah was a reserved scientist spending most of her time on her work. Gina enjoyed her work as a physical therapist but she loved to talk. She considered getting to know her patients a job perk. These women were the closest semblance of friends that Devon had. While she had never been one to share many confidences, both women had grown to understand how keenly she missed her son and companions and how much she’d grown to love this planet. “Outside,” Devon stated, a spark starting to well in her chest. “We can’t go far, you’re still weak. Just a peek out on the patio. Maybe once you’re standing on your own, we can have lunch outside together.” Gina certainly understood how to motivate her patient. Devon envisioned the two of them sipping cool drinks at a table with a view of the ocean. Devon was convinced that seeing the planet would help restore her. That nature played a far greater role in the welfare of the human psyche than scientists gave credit. Anticipation filled her as she was wheeled down multiple hallways while Gina continued to amiably ramble. She hadn’t realized how large this facility was. Would there be an ocean view? Or would they look out on the nearby tree covered mountains? “Here we are.” The doors mechanically hissed as they passed through. Devon’s breath caught in her throat. “What did you do?” was her horrified response. “I don’t understand. I thought you wanted to go outside.” Eager to calm her patient, Gina added, “I’m sure things have changed over a hundred years. Is that it?” “It’s ruined.” It was more than the towering grey metallic structures that were crammed on every available spot of land. Or the scores of vehicles and people that darted about. In the distance, the ocean was visible yet the din of the city overwhelmed it. The landscaping was sterile - lacking trees, flowers or plants of any kind. A few sedate plots of sickly yellow grass dotted the area. Somehow the land itself seemed gray. “It’s not the same as other parts of the planet, not nearly as lush. But at least we’re safe from the natives,” Gina said. “Natives?” Devon almost didn’t want to ask. The truth had been all there all along. She hadn’t wanted to put the pieces together. Gina explained, “It’s hard to tell what’s fact and what’s been embellished over the years for better story telling. The original settlers claimed that the natives were monsters that could travel through the earth. Some claimed that they tried to invade their dreams and drive them insane. Others were worried they’d steal their children. It scared the hell out of them. “The colonists drove them away. That’s when they claimed that the land changed. Nutrient content in the soil radically altered. Eventually all the trees, flowers, plants, any vegetation withered and died. But with our technology, we learned how grow food to sustain us. Living here is significantly better than living on the over crowded Stations where the number of Syndrome births continues to escalate at an alarming rate. With our perimeter guard, we keep to our area and the natives keep to theirs. But now New Pacifica is becoming so crowded they’re looking for other sites to colonize. That involves determining an area with lower toxin concentrations and then subduing the natives, which can be an involved process. That’s how they found you.” Devon sighed. Closing her eyes, she mumbled, "Why didn't they just leave me there? Why did they wake me up?" THE END (Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
2:36 pm	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 10 A/N: The Robinsons attempt to make a deal with Eden Advance. Background info and photos for both shows are posted on my LJ. Links below. It’s been fun writing this story. I hope you enjoyed it. I’d love to hear from you. Earth 2 Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1122.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4272.html (Complete) Lost in Space Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3051.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3145.html Previous chapters: Chapter 1 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1639.html Chapter 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2561.html Chapter 3 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3563.html Chapter 4 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3999.html Chapter 5 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4589.html Chapter 6: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4806.html Chapter 7: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4882.html Chapter 8: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/5206.html Chapter 9: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/5437.html Chapter 10 (Morgan Martin) At that point, I was sick of hearing about the Robinsons. I didn’t care if they were from a different universe. They were weird and I wanted nothing to do with them. What was Danziger thinking? Of all people, he was the one to extend this insane invitation to a bunch of mentally imbalanced individuals? Whatever happened to the sanctimonious ‘the group has to vote on it’? Even Bess, my rock, the one person who was always supposed to support me, seemed to welcome this madness. How would having the Robinsons join the group help us? Compared to them, we were the experts about the mysteries of Planet G889. They weren’t even familiar with our simplest technology. They’d never heard of VR. Their equipment was archaic, essentially useless to us. Look at that ancient robot lumbering about. According to their stories, the old guy must’ve tried to trade it for food a dozen times. Who would’ve wanted that relic in the first place? What was even worse was as our camp discussed the issue, the question had gradually changed. No longer was it a matter of “Should we invite the Robinsons to join us?” Now the operative question was”Should this invitation include Doctor Smith?” Was I the only sane one among us? That guy was a trouble maker. Look what he did with that piece of Morganite..er..sunstone. Major West was a hot-head waiting to explode. I didn’t want to be around for that. Walman’s face would most certainly be rearranged. I didn’t see how any good could come from this. I wasn’t the only one who had objections about proper protocol not being followed. While some were amazed by how the Robinsons helped repair the Dream Plane, Doctor Smith’s behavior had created an equally poor impression. Frustration was simmering within the group. Even casual conversations on the matter tended to end up in shouting matches. Although we had yet to locate a route through the mountains, this needed to be resolved. Soon. Otherwise we’d tear each other apart. Day 260 “We have to be able to discuss this without shouting at one another!” Devon yelled over the din of voices. The members of Eden Advance had gathered about the evening camp fire to discuss the Robinsons. “Why don’t we take a vote?” Yale diplomatically suggested. “Mazatl and Cameron are still on the scouting trip,” Magus pointed out. “I know. I’m sorry but we can’t put this off any longer,” Devon answered. “Okay, the issue is the Robinsons.” She moved towards the center of the group. “Many of you have already mentioned ways in which you believe they’ll be an asset to the group. We’ve already seen Will and their robot repair the Dream Plane. As Alonzo mentioned, since they’ve had more experience living on planets than we have, they have more practical knowledge in that respect as well.” “We already know this,” Morgan complained. “Let her summarize without interrupting,” Yale admonished. “Our biggest concern is Doctor Smith. Some of you have heard stories about his exploits and the trouble he’s caused for the Robinsons in the past. Whether these are true or not, he’s already shown us his true colors when he purposely withheld a sunstone. This type of selfish reckless behavior could endanger our group and possibly damage our relationship with the Terrians. With that in mind, do we want to invite the Robinsons to join us with, or without, Doctor Smith?” She took a breath and then cautioned, “Think hard about your choice. I’ll give you a moment before we vote.” Devon wasn’t sure how to vote. She wasn’t used to being indecisive. She blamed it partially on her lingering illness. She could see both sides of the issue. It seemed inhumane to ask them to leave a man behind, especially one as incompetent as Dr. Smith. Maureen Robinson’s words about the quality of mercy haunted her. Devon couldn’t believe that she was seriously entertaining such a notion. But it would be far worse if he ruined their relationship with the Terrians or caused Uly to fall ill again. “All in favor of including Doctor Smith,” Devon asked. Alonzo, Danziger, Yale, Bess, and Walman raised their hands. “What are you doing?” Baines glared at his buddy Walman. “She won’t come without him,” Walman answered. “Last call.” Devon said, hoping more hands would rise. She couldn’t bring herself to decide. “All opposed.” Baines’ hand shot up in the air, followed by Morgan and Magus. A moment later, Denner’s rose. Julia slowly raised her hand. “Can’t I vote?” True tugged on her dad’s shoulder. “No True, girl. Adults only, “Danziger replied. “It’s a tie,” Devon stated. “Have we been able to contact Cameron and Mazatl to get their input?” Maybe their votes would resolve the situation. “No,” Magus answered. “They’re out of gear range.” “It’s not a tie.” Yale astutely pointed out. “Devon, you’re the deciding vote.” All eyes were fixed upon her. “So, what’s it gonna be?” Baines asked. When she closed her eyes she saw the faces of two hundred fifty syndrome children. She’d met most of them along with their parents back on the Stations. She couldn’t let them down. XXXXXXXXXXXX Day 261 It was early but Devon couldn’t sleep. Last night’s decision weighed heavily on her. She’d hoped she’d feel better in the morning. She’d had experience with these types of issues – where there wasn’t a clear cut answer. You made your decision and then moved on. So why did she still feel so awful? She took a bowl of something resembling oatmeal from Bess and then noticed Danziger seated by the fire pit. Her initial impulse was to avoid him. She’d seen the disappointment in his expression last night. She was ashamed that it bothered her. Why should it matter what John Danziger thought? But…over the months as she’d grown to know him, his opinions mattered greatly to her. She sat down beside him. “Good morning.” He nodded. “I didn’t want to do it.” He didn’t look at her. “I had to do it. Don’t you see? I couldn’t take that risk. There’s too much at stake.” He rose. “Keep telling yourself that.” He left. She pushed the unappealing mush about her bowl, going through the motions of eating. A little later a delicious smell filled the air. In disbelief, Devon looked toward their food preparation area but nothing new had been added to those offerings. A voice caught her attention. “Good morning,” Maureen Robinson called brightly, carrying a container towards her. “I brought some rolls I made this morning. I hope you don’t mind.” She placed the box by Devon. The robot brought another larger box, from which similar mouth watering odors emanated. Even though it was still early in the morning, tent flaps were being pulled back in response. Julia sidled over, examining the food. “What’s this made from? How do you know this is edible?” “Trial and error, I suppose.” Maureen replied. She showed Julia a sample of the plant she’d used. “We’ve eaten these before.” “My scanners have never registered any edible parts for those plants.” “Maybe since you’ve lived off Earth for a while, or since Earth’s biosystems have changed so radically, your scanners aren’t calibrated to recognize this,” Maureen suggested. A crowd had eagerly gathered about the boxes, people helping themselves to rolls. “There’s plenty for everyone. Help yourselves,” Maureen invited. Devon was afraid to ask, noticing most of the Robinson crew had accompanied Maureen. “What brings your family here?” “We have something we want to discuss,” John Robinson proposed cheerfully. A sinking feeling arose in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t looking forward to this discussion. But she had never been one to shirk her duties. Devon gestured to the rocks by the communal fire pit. “Thanks but we’ll stand.” John looked towards the sky. “I presume you want to talk about the possibility of joining our group,” Devon asked. “That’s right,” John responded. Devon took a breath. “I’m afraid –“ Baines raced towards the group. “Devon, you’re not gonna believe this!” “What?” Then she saw it. A small aircraft hovered above them. It wasn’t any design that she’d ever seen. Rather than shaped as a space shuttle, it resembled a squat unit. It grew closer, preparing to land near the edge of their camp. “Oh my god! What is it? Can you contact them? Could it be the Council?” Several months ago, Julia had been in VR contact with Councilman Reilly. Had he been merely a projection created by Eve, the supercomputer that orbited G889 or was there a flesh and blood version of him on the planet’s surface? Was he going to carry out his threat to take her son so he could use him to dominate this planet? Danziger, Baines and Walman reached for MagPros. “Don’t be concerned on that account. It’s Don, flying our Space Pod.” John Robinson grinned. “You have an aircraft?” Devon exclaimed. “We were so focused on fixing the ship, we forgot about it. Let’s go greet him.” The group rushed over to the pod as it landed. The hatch opened. “Good morning.” Don poked his head out the door, in high spirits. The craft was small, but it could hold at least four passengers and limited cargo. Suddenly the weight on Devon’s shoulders felt lighter. She was so excited she didn’t know what to say. Pulling Devon aside, Yale eagerly mentioned. “Do you realize what this means? With this pod, we could easily scout for food and water. We could locate the best route for the vehicles in hours rather than days.” “Now, the Pod isn’t able leave the planet’s atmosphere and it’s certainly not big enough to transport everyone to New Pacifica, but it could be very useful. Maybe we could even locate some of your lost cargo pods. We’d be happy to let your group use it, provided we could all accompany you.” John Robinson bargained. Devon recognized a sales pitch when she heard it. The thought of having access to an aircraft was exhilarating. “What’s the fuel source?” Danziger asked. “We’ve already refined several canisters of deutronium. Not enough for the Jupiter 2 to lift off, but it’s more than sufficient for the Pod to make multiple runs. We could also bring our drilling equipment along in the Chariot to replenish supplies as needed,” John answered. Turning to Devon he asked, “What do you say?” Devon opened her mouth to immediately say yes, but then she looked toward the others. She caught Baines’ eye, the most vocal objector. “This could cut months off our travel time,” Baines responded. “That’s right,” Danziger grinned. “What do you think?’ “Let’s do it,” Baines agreed. “But, don’t we need to vote on it?” Devon asked, concerned about respecting the opinions of all the group members. Baines looked toward Magus, who nodded in response. “It’s safe to say that at least two of us have changed our votes.” “John Robinson, let me be the first to welcome you to Eden Advance.” Devon shook his hand. “How about we organize a mission to use the Pod to scout out a trail through the mountains? Who wants to join me?” Don asked. Several hands shot up in response. XXXXXXX Day 263 Danziger sat on the ground by his daughter. “What’s with you, True?” Several days had passed since the Robinsons had been invited to join the group. Danziger and Yale had spent a lot of time helping them decide what to bring along on the journey while Alonzo and Baines assisted Don, using the pod to scout out a viable passage for the next leg of the trip. She continued to draw on the dirt with a stick. “Nothing.” She was dreading the Robinsons joining them. She was tired of sharing her father with others. “C’mon…let’s hear it.” She sat up to look at him. “I don’t like the Robinsons. They look funny and Penny acts like she’s better than we are.” “True,” he warned. “All I’m asking you to do is try. This situation will be what you make it. If you make an effort, you could have some friends. If not…well, it’s up to you.” “I suppose they’re gonna bring that stupid robot along.” “It’s important to them,” Danziger shrugged. “I still don’t see why you wanted them to join us so much,” she sulked. “They’re good people.” He patted her on the back and rose. Will Robinson walked by. “Hi Danziger. My mom would like True to come to our campsite sometime soon.” It irked True that Will didn’t speak directly with her. She was sitting right there! What was his problem? “Sure.” Danziger tugged at True’s shoulder. “Do I have to?” she complained in muffled tones. “Yup. Run along.” She rose, dragging her feet. XXXXXXXXXX “Hello?” True tentatively stepped inside the Jupiter 2 space ship. “I’m down here,” Maureen called from the galley below. True took the elevator down to that level. Maureen was by a large machine on the lab counter, surrounded by clothing. “What are you doing?” “I’m making us some new clothes. With more walking and exposure to the weather, we’ll need more versatile fatigues,” Maureen answered. True nodded, wondering what bizarre combinations the woman would come up with this time. Maureen smiled. “I hope you don’t mind. I couldn’t help but notice that you’re growing so fast that your clothes are getting small.” “They’re fine.” She snapped. Since she was thin, her clothing would always be baggy. The fabric for her overalls had holes worn in the knees. Even the patches had worn out. She had no idea what the original color had been other than a dull brown. Her T-shirt beneath was functional at best, the color leached out of it long ago. But at least her clothing was functional compared with the Robinson women. “I can tell your father loves you very much. But sometimes dads aren’t as observant about these things. I thought you might like a new outfit.” True’s cheeks’ flushed, horrified by what Mrs. Robinson might have designed for her. Would it be hot pink or bright orange and extra clingy? God forbid she include a pair of those awful purple or green boots that her daughters wore. Or worse yet, would it be one of Penny’s cast offs? She didn’t think she could bear that. Eden Advance’s clothing selection was limited to what they could find in Grendler stashes and cargo pods yet they’d have to be better than this. Maybe she could stash the outfit in the bushes on the way back to camp and then deny any knowledge of it. Prepared to despise it, she steeled herself while Maureen held it up. It was a sky blue T-shirt with a modest scoop neck, with a set of overalls in a lighter complementary tan. “Look, you can unzip the knees in hotter weather to make shorts,” she demonstrated. “I thought the blue would look nice with your eyes. I made a turtleneck in the same color for cooler weather.” Overwhelmed with emotion, True merely nodded. It was really nice. The outfit was similar in style to the clothing she was currently wearing, yet it appeared to be designed to fit her better with improved fabric as well. Then she remembered her manners. “Thanks.” “I was tempted to offer you some of Penny’s old clothes but I thought you’d prefer something new. You know, just a few years ago, Penny looked just like you.” Unable to stop herself, she replied, “She did?” “Uh-huh. Tall and thin as a rail. Just you wait and see the difference a year or two makes.” A hint of a grin formed on the girl. “Why don’t you go try it on? See if we need to make any more adjustments. After that, I improvised and tried a recipe for fudge with some native substitutes. It’s not close to the original but it’s sweet and I thought you kids might enjoy it.” “Sure.” Maybe the Robinsons wouldn’t be so bad after all. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Day 264 “Need help with that?” Walman asked. Judy looked up from the hydroponic garden. “Not yet. I’m just harvesting all that we can since we’re leaving tomorrow. But you could help me dismantle it afterwards to store in the ship.” Ever since they’d voted to bring the Robinsons along, Walman had been excited. Judy was going to be part of their group. They could walk together during the day. He longed to ask her to share a tent with her, but that would be moving too fast. He sensed that she was rather conservative when it came to those issues. He was a patient man, he could wait. He’d never meet any one like Judy. There was a certain innocence and freshness to her that he found incredibly attractive. In some ways her naïveté frustrated him but in others, it was very appealing. He reached over to hold her hand, but she pulled it out of reach. Had he done something wrong? “What’s going on?’ “Nothing.” She wasn’t meeting his eyes. That wasn’t like her. “It’s just…there’s too much happening right now. There’ve been so many changes. I’m not ready to make this choice. I like you, but I like Don too. I’d like the chance to get to know you better. I also need to get to know this world better and my place in it. Can we take it slow?” That wasn’t quite what he wanted to hear but at least he was still in the running and that was what really counted. The fact that Don was running so many missions in the pod was certainly to his advantage. “Okay. Wanna walk with me tomorrow?” “Sometime, yes. But I’d like to start walking with Bess. I’ve been curious to hear about her version of growing up on Earth.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Day 265 It was a familiar sight for the members of Eden Advance. During the course of their travels, setting up and striking camp had become automatic functions that could practically be done in their sleep. Everyone knew their jobs and went about them. Most of the tents had been struck and packed, most people wanting to get some traveling under their belt during the coolest part of the day. Only Morgan and Bess’s tent remained standing, they were always a little behind. Magus, Baines and Cameron supervised loading and securing of cargo on the TransRover. Danziger and True performed last minute checks on their vehicles – the ATV, a small vehicle equipped to carry a single person, the Dune Rail, which could carry up to three people after cargo was stowed on it, and the TransRover, a former mining vehicle which carried the brunt of Eden Advance’s cargo. Today, a new vehicle joined their caravan. The Robinson’s Chariot was filled with supplies and ready to go. Unfortunately, much of their more useful equipment had to be left behind. However, they had been able to include the drilling and fuel refinement gear, along with the robot, the aquafier and the jetpack. Everyone in the group was armed, thanks to the Robinson’s supply of laser pistols and rifles. The Robinsons milled about, wearing their new, more practical fatigues featuring subtle shades of green, brown and gold. The girls wore pants and T-shirts rather than mini-dresses. Their feet were clad in rugged, practical brown boots. Finally, they were just about ready to roll. Danziger nudged True who stalked over to Penny. “Dad says if we walk most of the morning that we can ride in the TransRover and play a VR game later. You and Will wanna join us?” Penny looked to her mother, who nodded with encouragement. “Okay.” Maybe once the Robinsons got dirty, they’d start to blend in more. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Danziger noticed Dr. Smith eyeing the TransRover bed. The older man jumped when he touched him on the shoulder. “You wouldn’t be thinking of riding now, would you?” “But I’m old. I’m frail. I can’t handle this.” Danziger would book no loafing. “You’re not that old. If Martin can do his share, so can you.” “Please sir. My poor aching back. I can’t be expected to walk. I can’t be expected to carry such a heavy pack. It wouldn’t be humane.” He stared at the backpack, still resting on the ground by his feet. “Julia will take a look at your back tonight. You’ll be as good as new for the trail.” He clamped him on the back much harder than necessary. “A little exercise will be good for you.” “What about the Robot? I’ll need to keep him company in the Chariot.” Smith explained. “Traveling is upsetting to the silly ninny.” “I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Then Danziger got distracted. “Adair, get into that TransRover! You are not walking!” He hurried over to her. Dr. Smith snorted. “A man of my stature treated as a beast of burden. I think not.” When Danziger was out of eye sight, Dr. Smith quickly stashed his backpack on the bed of the TransRover. Then he started to walk with the rest. “The indignities one must endure on this abysmal planet. Oh the pain, the pain.” (Maureen Robinson) Today we’ve started a new journey. We are now part of Eden Advance joining them in their trek across this continent to New Pacifica. It’s a new chapter in our lives. In many ways we are sad to leave our old world. This new one seems far more hostile and dangerous. But we have no idea how to return to our home. This is a definitive step in a new direction. In some ways, it’s exciting to integrate into a new society. Don has already moved ahead, leading a new expedition in the Space Pod to search for more of Eden Advances’ missing cargo pods. Judy is making an effort to get to know all the members of Eden Advance. Even the children are walking together. It was difficult to leave our space ship, the Jupiter 2. It had been our home for so many years. Danziger and Alonzo felt it was secure enough to withstand Grendlers. I’d like to think that in the future we could return to this site and pay homage to this ship that sustained our lives for so long. No longer lost in space, Planet G889 will become our new home. What will the future hold for us? There are no guarantees. What if the Council causes more trouble? What if they sabotage the Colony ship the same way they did with the Advance ship? What if we encounter penal colonists? What about the natives of this planet? While the members of Eden Advance seem comfortable with the Terrians, it will take me a while to feel the same. Of course other factors such as hunger, exposure or disease could easily wipe out our group before we reach New Pacifica. And those subtle biological differences due to our being from an alternative universe could rear their ugly head too. Then there’s always the human factor. What if our groups really are too different? What if it turns out that we have very different goals than the members of Eden Advance? There’s already plenty of tension between Walman and Don. While Don spending most of his time flying the Pod has helped diffuse the situation, the tension will inevitably crop up again. Eventually Judy will have to decide between the two men. What if, or I should say, how will Doctor Smith get himself into trouble on this new world? How will Eden Advance react to that? Despite all these unknowns, we’ve started an exciting new adventure. THE END (?) (Any one interested in a sequel? Let me know. It might be fun having Walman and Don fighting over Judy. And what might they learn about G889 using the Space Pod?) (Comment on this)
Monday, June 29th, 2009
3:26 pm	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 9 A/N: The Robinsons reach a decision about joining Eden Advance. But have Dr. Smith’s selfish actions ruined this opportunity? If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you. Background Info and Photo links Earth 2 Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1122.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4272.html (Complete) Lost in Space Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3051.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3145.html Previous Chapters: Chapter 1 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1639.html Chapter 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2561.html Chapter 3 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3563.html Chapter 4 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3999.html Chapter 5 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4589.html Chapter 6: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4806.html Chapter 7: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4882.html Chapter 8: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/5206.html Chapter 9 Tuesday August 16th “They’d never suggest that,” John Robinson claimed. “They’re reasonable people.” He took another sip of his morning coffee. The family was seated about their outdoor dining table eating breakfast. “They most certainly did. You weren’t there, John. It was clearly implied,” Maureen retorted. “I’ve already made it perfectly clear that we would never consider leaving Doctor Smith behind.” “Thank you my dear madam. You’re a voice of sanity in the din of chaos,” Dr. Smith replied, with relief. He returned to attacking his greens with renewed gusto. “Why are we even discussing this? We might be able to repair the astrogator. I’m trying something new today,” Don pointed out. “And where would we go once the ship was repaired?” John asked. “Do you believe what they said about Alpha Centauri?” “I have no reason not to. With all the troubles they’ve had on this planet, it certainly would’ve been easier to pick a different one to colonize. Yet they didn’t. They’ve dealt with multiple obstacles even before leaving their stations. They certainly believe there are no other habitable planets. Why travel twenty two light years away from home if you don’t have to? Don, I believe them,” John Robinson answered. Don countered, “Even if this is a different universe, even with their more advanced technology, they don’t know everything about it. If the ship was ready to fly, we could explore. Maybe find this universe’s equivalent of Alpha Centauri.” “How do you know this isn’t it?” John asked, with a slight grin. “I don’t,” Don admitted. “But we don’t have to decide anything now.” “Eden Advance will be leaving once they scout out a route for their vehicles. If we want to become a part of their group, time is a factor,” Maureen reminded them. “C’mon, we don’t need them. We have all that we need right here. We’ve done this before, dozens of times,” Don insisted. “The Major is right,” Dr. Smith said. “Who wants to leave the comforts of the space ship to walk across this dismal planet with veritable strangers? Not I.” “I didn’t say it would be easy. But what about the children?” Maureen emphasized. “This would give them a chance at a future with others their age. There are two hundred fifty families on the colony ship. That’s a real chance at re-starting civilization. Even in our original plan, we’d hoped to meet up with other colonists by now.” “I don’t care about being with other people. I’m happy with the family,” Penny stated. “Me too,” said Will. “Though, it would be fun getting to know Uly better.” “Baah. Some of those Eden Advance people weren’t very pleasant at all,” Dr. Smith complained, miffed by their treatment of him. “That Baines fellow was down right rude.” “Maybe you feel that way now, Penny. But it will be different when you’re older,” Judy advised her sister. “Don’t you want to go to dances and meet boys?” “Wouldn’t you love to play baseball with other children?” his mom asked Will. Her husband chided his wife, “Darling, that’s not realistic. There’d be a lot of hard work involved. It would be a while before we developed the finer aspects of civilization like dances and organized sports.” “Whatever option we choose will involve hard work,” Maureen answered. “What do you think, Judy?” “I want to do it. It’s exciting meeting new people and I’d love to become part of a bigger group again.” “Society is over-rated. John, even though those people are our race, there have been big changes over those years. Danziger told me they don’t marry forever. They have contracts and term limits,” Don scoffed. “Oh,” Maureen frowned. “Well, I suppose whatever culture we try to integrate with, there will be issues.” “Of all the planets we’ve been on life seems most different here. Sure it resembles Earth the most in physical appearance. It’s a beautiful place, I won’t argue about that. “Over the last three years we’ve faced all sorts of monsters, been threatened by aliens, yet life here seems far more sinister. Look at what we’ve already gone through with Judy. And those Terrians? I don’t know what to make of them,” Don reminded them. Trying to curry favor, Smith added, with enthusiasm, “I completely agree, dear Major.” Don frowned and deliberately moved his chair further away from the man. “Couldn’t we stay at the space ship and maybe the families could find us later once they’re established at New Pacifica?” Penny asked. “That’s a lot of ‘if’s’ Penny. Building a colony will take all their efforts. Contacting and transporting one family wouldn’t be their top priority,” John answered. “John, if we joined Eden Advance, you’d also be relinquishing your authority. You lead our group. You make the decisions. Do you think that Adair woman is going to have the same priorities?” Don protested. “Don!” Judy objected. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We don’t know these people. They might have very different ideas than we do,” Don insisted. “I disagree. They’ve gone out of their way to help us. They’re trying to forge a peaceful relationship with the native population. They love their children and make sacrifices for them, just as we do,” John stated. “It may not matter anyway. Smith keeping that rock for himself certainly didn’t make a good impression. This discussion could be pointless,” Don said. XXXXXXXXX “What do you think? Are you going to join us?” Walman and Judy were sitting on the ground on the outskirts of the Eden Advance camp in the shade provided by the TransRover, their largest vehicle. “It’s not my decision to make.” “What do you mean? How old are you Judy – twenty one?” “Almost twenty –two,” she corrected. “Isn’t that old enough to be making your own decisions? You’re an adult. You don’t have to do what your father wants.” She hadn’t thought of it that way. “Well, your invitation isn’t official anyway – is it?” she reminded him. “Yeah, I know. It’s not because of you or your family. Smith is the biggest drawback. People see him as a liability.” “We can’t leave him behind. That would be cruel. He wouldn’t survive,” Judy protested. “Maybe you can join us.” “What?” she gasped. “Just you.” Was that something she was willing to consider? Days ago when they’d first encountered Eden Advance, she would’ve jumped at the opportunity. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her family but life had become so monotonous. She was hungry for new faces, new ideas, new anything, desperate to escape the sameness, the mind numbing boredom. She’d welcomed the change that new people brought, infusing her with strange ideas and ways of thinking. “Why do you put up Smith’s behavior? Look at all the trouble he’s caused for your family. Why was he included in your party in the first place?” She shrugged. “He was trapped on board at launch. He revived us about five hours after blast off so Don could steer us around an uncharted meteor storm. If he hadn’t, we all would’ve been killed.” Walman nodded. “Isn’t there more to this story?” She’d been omitting details, dreading his reaction. She didn’t want to jeopardize the chance to join their group. Yet it was going to come out eventually. “A few hours after launching, for some reason, the Robot went berserk and started to destroy the ship. With the damaged equipment and being set off course, we were hopelessly lost in space.” Walman took a breath and patiently pointed out, “Judy, you do know that robots only do what they’re programmed to do.” “It was an accident,” she claimed. “Really?” Walman was not convinced. Even though she denied it, she knew he was right. She’d blotted it out and smoothed it over to make the memory more tolerable. Dr. Smith had deliberately and intentionally tried to kill them all by programming the Robot to sabotage the Jupiter 2. Was she being childish, ignoring such events? Acting as if they didn’t matter? Was she being as naïve as Don had repeatedly accused? Yet Dr. Smith was no longer the same man that had been trapped on board the Jupiter 2 at launch. He hadn’t known them when he’d set out to destroy them. Presumably he’d been motivated by material gain. Maybe he’d been in a bad situation and felt as if he’d had no choice. There was more to him. Over the years they’d learned that he could be kind and quite funny. He’d formed a special bond with her brother Will. He was just…weak. “How can you forgive him?” Walman asked. Something about those words sounded familiar. He continued, “These aren’t little mistakes. Even recently, he fooled around with your ship, causing you to crash on this planet where you might never be able to lift off again. Imagine if it had been a different planet. One uninhabited or nearly devoid of life. Then him keeping that sunstone could’ve caused trouble with the Terrians for both of our groups. It’s not right.” “I know. But he’s still a human being.” She was becoming more insistent. “One that doesn’t seem to be trying to improve.” Offended, Judy responded, “You don’t just dump people in the middle of the wilderness.” He considered her point. “That’s true. But this isn’t civilized society. It’s about surviving. If he endangers our group, there won’t be any one left to form society. Look, I’m not saying we should lock Smith up or do anything drastic, but the safety of the group has got to come first.” “How does your group deal with people who don’t do what they want?” Walman paused a moment. Then he explained, “Several months ago, we discovered that Julia was a spy.” “Julia?” She would never have suspected such a thing. “She refused to reveal her contact information, though we were fairly sure she was working for the Council. She had already done some questionable things. Our safety was at risk. We left some supplies and a tent then left her behind.” Horrified, Judy gasped, “What? I don’t understand. How could you? Julia’s part of the group.” “Not at that point. The Council had already planted a bomb on our ship at launch and sabotaged the cargo release circuit, causing us to crash. We had no idea what Julia was capable of doing. “Alonzo was feeling badly so he went back for her. And we would’ve left the two of them on their own if she hadn’t helped us out with the Z.E.D. and proven that we could trust her. “I haven’t seen such a reformation with Smith. You haven’t either.” He wasn’t even giving the man a chance. She was astounded to realize that he sounded just like Don. Had she been attracted to essentially the same type of man? On the surface, both were in excellent physical shape, muscular with shortly cropped hair. Both men were adept with firearms and quick to draw a weapon. Both Don and Mark were gallant when treating her. Both were not as tolerate towards weakness and were highly suspicious of other races. Maybe Walman wasn’t her knight in shining armor – the answer to all of her prayers, the one to take her away from her dreary existence. As her mother had repeatedly mentioned, it was finally sinking in that life with Eden Advance might even prove to be rougher than that with her family at the spaceship. Would she be trading one set of problems for another? Or did the setting really make a difference? Instead of expecting a man to rescue her, maybe she needed to face reality on her own terms. If life was boring and unfulfilling, what could she do to imbue it with more significance? This morning after their rather heated breakfast discussion, Don had pulled her aside to ask her on a VR date, whatever that meant. The way he’d been behaving, she’d wanted nothing to do with him. She was sure that he’d try to convince her to stay with the Jupiter and the same humdrum life. Now she was thinking that maybe she should give him a chance. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Don slammed a wrench on the floor of the space ship. He was lying on his side on the ground beside the astrogator trying to retrofit a part that Danziger had supplied. “Any luck?” Danziger asked. “I thought I could get it to work,” Don muttered, more to himself. “It sounded like a good plan.” Don sat up and deliberately slammed another tool on the ground. When would this nightmare be over? He’d always been able to fix the ship. This had to work. The alternative was too painful to consider. He took a deep breath, so frustrated he was nearly shaking. Danziger crouched down beside him. “You know, life’s given me a lot of bad turns too. At least half of us in Eden Advance weren’t supposed to land on this planet. Drop cargo and head back home. The pay was too good to resist. Not that I’m a greedy guy, but inherited debt laws can destroy your future. I’m still paying off my grandparents’ passage to the Stations. I’ll be damned if that happens to my kid.” It terrified Don to think of Earth in such foreign terms. The members of Eden Advance only confirmed that his home was gone - forever. There was no longer any glimmer of hope of finding their Earth or Alpha Centauri. Realizing he was digressing, Danziger continued, “Anyway, being stranded on this planet certainly wasn’t part of the plan. But…it might not be that bad after all. The Stations pigeon hole everyone. Once a drone, always a drone. No matter what I did or True would do, we’d both always be stuck in dead end jobs, scrambling just to get by. But here…it’s different. A man is judged more by what he does as opposed to who he’s related to. It seems like he’s got a fighting chance. New Pacifica might have better opportunities for True and I.” Don merely grumbled, trying to contain his temper. He recognized a thinly disguised pep talk when he heard it. Not that he didn’t appreciate the effort. He was having trouble gracefully accepting that he was losing his girl and the world as he once knew it. “It’s best not to dwell on bad luck. It tends to multiple. Do the best you can with what you have,” Danziger advised. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Don and Judy walked side by side toward the pond. They were accompanied by the Robot and a mechanized Zero unit from the Eden Advance camp. Neither had been overly talkative, sensing there were many sensitive issues they’d need to broach. The Robot attempted to engage Zero in conversation. “What type of a unit are you?” “I am a Zero Unit programmed to help build New Pacifica,” the unit replied in a bland even voice. In form, he resembled a human being yet his extremities appeared to be covered in white body armor. He moved stiffly. “How do you like this planet?” the Robot asked. Not getting a response, he asked, “What do you know about these Terrians?” “I am not programmed for conversation,” Zero blandly responded. “I am here to help build New Pacifica. I have many attachments. Unfortunately, most were stolen.” Don and Judy couldn’t help but chuckle at the marked differences between the two units. So much for technological advances. They stopped in a clearing that was nicely shaded by several large trees. The rustle of water from the nearby stream could be heard. Wildflowers dotted the hillside. “So what do we do on this VR date?” Judy asked. Don handed her a gear set. He helped her put it on then placed a set on his own head. “Flip this piece in front of your eyes. Then extend it so it covers both of your eyes.” “It’s hard to see. Is this safe? Couldn’t we fall into the stream or be surprised by Terrians?” “That’s why I brought the Robot and their zero unit along to make sure we’re not disturbed.” After relaying some instructions to the mechanized units, he pressed some buttons on their gear sets and the dark screen before their eyes transformed into a new dimension. “Oh my,” Judy gasped. They were in an elegantly decorated banquet hall. She looked down to see that she was wearing a full length burgundy silk gown with her hair fashionably swept up. Don was equally debanoir in a dark formal suit and black tie. The style of their clothing was reminiscent of the forties back on Earth. A band played jazz music of that era. “This program was set up for Morgan and Bess’ wedding reception. Apparently, he’s a big jazz fan. They renewed their vows on this planet. Alonzo thought it would be easier to modify this program rather than come up with something completely new. I hope you like it.” “This is amazing.” Judy was still staring at herself and her surroundings. “It feels so real.” The black and white tiled dance floor was filled with couples clad in similar formal wear. Waiters trotted about with trays of champagne filled glasses. Don offered her his arm. “Would you like to dance first or have dinner?” Judy giggled. “I’m starving.” “Me too.” He escorted her to an alcove where they were seated at a table for two. A waiter handed them menus. “Hmm…Are you sure this place is within our budget?” she joked. “Order anything you want,” Don answered, feeling lighter already. “I’ll have the salmon, please,” she told the waiter. “I’ll have a steak – rare. Could you bring us one of your best wines too?” The waiter complied. After their glasses were filled with wine, Don and Judy clinked them together before sipping from them. “This is fun!” Judy squealed. “Isn’t it amazing? I know it’s not real but it feels so believable. Even the food. Your mind provides the sensations and flavors. It’s incredible. Of course you’re hungry later.” “I feel giddy, like I’m really drinking wine. The silk of this dress feels so soft against my skin. Even the air smells a bit smoky. It’s so convincing.” They managed to stick to small talk and even some light flirting during their dinner, something they hadn’t done in a very long time. Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Judy asked, “Can we order dessert?” “Of course.” Don beckoned the waiter who produced a slice of triple decker chocolate layer cake for them to share. “This may sound silly but I didn’t realize how much I missed this,” Judy said. “This?” He gestured to their surroundings. “Normal life. On Earth. Eating in a fancy restaurant. Eating in any restaurant, for that matter. Listening to live music. Dressing up in totally impractical clothes. Look at these shoes.” She lifted a foot clad in a delicate sandal. “They wouldn’t last a day on this planet.” “It is nice.” He thought about reaching for her hand. It had been part of his original plan, but he decided not to push his luck. He found himself agreeing with Judy. Not that he missed formal wear. His neck was already chaffing, unused to the tight collar. After finishing dessert, the two returned to the main hall. Judy pulled him out on the floor. Don apologized, “Don’t laugh too hard, Judy. I’m not much of a dancer. I hope you’re not disappointed.” “I’m sure you’ll be fine,’ she smiled, continuing to tug his hand. They began to glide about the room, following the lead of the others about them. Judy encouraged him, “See, you’re doing a great job.” Later, during a slower number, he pulled her closer and she put her head against his chest. Moving rhythmically to the music, she cautiously broached reality. “Why have you been so angry, Don?” He’d been wondering about that himself. In fact, he’d spent some time thinking about it after he realized that the astrogator would never be repaired. He didn’t particularly want to talk about it but he sensed his relationship with Judy was at a critical junction. Honesty was the best way to go. “I’ve failed.” She looked up towards him. “What do you mean?” “We never reached Alpha Centauri. We never will.” “It wasn’t possible.” “It was my job. I was the experienced pilot. And every time we seem to get one small step closer to our goal, Smith messes it up.” Somehow, he wasn’t feeling the rage as intensely. Danziger’s words had impacted him. Sometimes you need to make the best of things. Otherwise his anger would eat him up. Realistically, what other choice did he have? “Don’t be ridiculous. Doctor Smith was on board and threw off our navigational system. What could you do about that?” “It doesn’t matter. It was still my fault.” “Do you think Dad’s a failure too?” “Of course not,” he rapidly responded. “Why is it okay for him to make mistakes but not for you?” He didn’t know how to answer that. “I know it’s frustrating. But life goes on, regardless. Remember what Alonzo told us about himself that night at dinner? First and foremost, he saw himself as a pilot. It was killing him being on the ground. But he’s managed to adapt.” Don nodded, remembering. “Judy, we’re not going to be able to fix the astrogator. We’re going to have to make a choice.” Originally this was the point at which he was going to convince her that staying with him at the ship was the only option. He’d planned to lay on the compliments and sweep her off her feet. He’d wanted nothing to do with Eden Advance, especially Mark Walman. If he could get that man out of the picture, life might return to normal. Yet that no longer seemed like the only option. He was enjoying their date immensely. In addition to being with Judy, it was wonderful to be in a different setting – to enjoy the finer accoutrements of civilized living. He didn’t realize that he’d missed it too. Perhaps, with over two hundred fifty families, they could begin to rebuild these trimmings that had such impact on their lives. He’d painstakingly rehearsed what he wanted to say. It was killing him not knowing where he stood with her. He wanted her to make a choice now to end his misery. But just now, he realized that wasn’t necessarily the best option. The date had relaxed him and helped him put things into better perspective “Judy, I know I want to be with you. I have no doubts about that. When I thought you’d died…it nearly killed me. But…I want… I need you to be sure. If you need to spend time with Walman…do what you have to do. I won’t hold it against you. I don’t want to be the default choice or the only choice. I want you to want to be with me as much as I want to be with you.” XXXXXXXXXXXX John Robinson looked up from his papers. “How was your date?” He hadn’t played the role of overprotective father in a while. He’d grown to think of Don more as his colleague rather than Judy’s suitor. The fact that his daughter had entered the space ship, escorted by the Robot almost an hour earlier had concerned him. Yet she’d been in good spirits. Although he’d never say it aloud, he was rooting for Major West. He hoped Judy’s good sense would prevail. Don had proven himself over and over again, while they knew little about Walman. John was encouraged that Don seemed calmer than he’d been in days. “Good. John, that VR technology is incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it. You’ve got to try it out.” He sat opposite him at the galley table. “Come to any decisions?” It was hard for him to say, knowing Don’s feelings. But it was for the best. “I know you disagree, but Maureen and I would like to join Eden Advance. It’s a chance to form a colony with other humans. Essentially it’s as close as we can get to our original mission parameters. “Don, I know you’re not a member of our family but after three years together, I consider you to be one. We’d love for you to come with us, but we…I understand if you need to choose differently,” John said, anticipating a backlash. “Sure,” Don replied, strangely lacking hostility. “But isn’t there still an issue with Smith? Aren’t you concerned that they’ll want us to leave him behind?” “That’s right. Maureen would never stand for it.” “We need a bargaining chip.” John had been working through the details that evening, writing the facts out on paper. It seemed a circular argument. While the Robinsons could provide an additional vehicle, most likely the Chariot would be used to carry most of their supplies. Their most useful equipment such as the aquafier, the hydroponic garden, or force field generator tended to be large or associated implicitly with the space ship so they’d be unable to bring those along. While John was aware that the Robot was an invaluable asset, due to his primitive nature, the Eden Advance members had trouble seeing past that. Perhaps he could argue that the Robot’s input was key in cracking the Lunite code and solving the situation with the Dream Plane? Then again, if Dr. Smith had returned all of the rocks when Will had, it might never have become an issue. It wasn’t looking promising. Given the condition of their navigational system, John supposed they’d be marooned on this planet for the rest of their lives. However he was an optimist at heart. Whatever happened, they’d make the best of it Perhaps he could convince Eden Advance to contact them once they’d become established and had access to aircraft? That might offer a spark of hope for the children and their future. “We don’t have anything,” John admitted. Don thought a minute and then grinned, the first real smile John had seen since they’d crashed onto this planet. “Yes we do.” John’s eyebrows rose. “The Space Pod.” TBC (Comment on this)
Sunday, June 28th, 2009
5:05 pm	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 8 Eden Advance is not pleased by Dr. Smith's deception. Members from both groups attempt to repair the Dream Plane. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you. Earth 2 Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1122.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4272.html (Complete) Lost in Space Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3051.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3145.html Previous chapters: Chapter 1 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1639.html Chapter 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2561.html Chapter 3 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3563.html Chapter 4 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3999.html Chapter 5 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4589.html Chapter 6: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4806.html Chapter 7: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4882.html Chapter 8 (Alonzo Solace) Of course, the biggest topic of discussion that night was the Robinsons. Their odd clothing and manner of speaking. Their primitive technology. Yet, despite these differences, I liked the Robinsons. I didn’t understand why I felt hesitant about inviting them to join us. Perhaps I sensed that John Robinson was used to being the leader and might be reluctant to become a mere follower, especially in a group composed of such diverse individuals. Half of the Eden Advance members had been slated for cargo drop only. While some had changed their minds, others were still hell bent on getting off of this planet, regardless of the cost. John Robinson’s initial reaction to the Terrians revealed he had a ‘shoot now and ask questions later’ approach to life that might not work well on this planet. Ask Commander O’Neill, the living embodiment of eminent domain. While seeking to claim what he felt was rightfully his, he was killed. Would the Robinsons adapt to this planet or would they expect to change it to suit their purposes? Would they respect the Terrians and work within their parameters? Did they truly understand that by following their guidelines that those Syndrome kids might have a chance at life that wasn’t possible any other way? The Robinsons were hard workers, no doubt about that. They’d pitch in and do their fair share. Even Don, who hadn’t been getting a fair shake at life on this planet, was more than willing to get dirty and do what needed to be done. Doctor Smith - that was an entirely different story. According to their stories he would be ten times worse than Morgan Martin with little hope of reform. What type of trouble would he cause for us? How would we keep him in line? Would the Robinsons approve of our methods? Somehow I didn’t think our group would be as tolerant of his behavior as the Robinsons were. XXXXXXXXXX Day 259 “What are you doing up so early, Adair? Shouldn’t you be resting?” Danziger asked, arching his shoulders. Before he’d had a chance to grab what meager rations passed for breakfast, Devon had drawn him away from the others to speak privately. Seated on the ground on a hillside, the sun’s rays actually felt invigorating rather than oppressive as they would later that day. “I know,” she replied. In fact, she was tired. The meds Julia synthesized had only served to intensify her exhaustion. However her concerns about the Dream Plane and the Robinsons wouldn’t allow her to rest. Knowing the direct approach usually worked best, she came out and told him. “I don’t think we can bring the Robinsons along with us.” “What? What do you mean? We made those people promises,” Danziger reminded her. Obviously conflicted, she answered. “I know. But we’ve made other promises as well.” “What are you talking about? This isn’t like you. It isn’t right to treat people this way.” “Don’t you think I know that? Do you think I want to do this?” she snapped. “I think the Terrians are angry with the Robinsons because they took sunstones.” “I don’t buy that. We took sunstones and they’re still talking to us. We saw the Robinsons give the stones back last night. The boy was curious, that’s all. You’re reading too much into this. There might be a totally unrelated reason for the problems with the Dream Plane.” “But it’s still damaged. Alonzo can’t make contact. What about the Robinson’s drilling? Maybe they’ve done irreparable damage and the Terrians will never forgive them.” “Maybe. Maybe not.” He wasn’t convinced. She tried to clarify, “If we associate with the Robinsons, maybe the Terrians won’t want to associate with us anymore.” “Yeah?” He shrugged. Danziger had never been fond of the Terrians. “Don’t you remember Mary?” she asked with some urgency. Mary was an orphaned child they’d encountered while at their winter camp site – the Biodome. Considered to be radicals by the Council, Mary’s parents were exiled on planet G889. When they were killed by outcast Terrians, toddler Mary was taken in and raised by the creatures. Currently a teenager, her Terrian abilities were much more pronounced than Uly’s. Not only could she speak with the Terrians in their language, she could also travel through the earth as smoothly as they did and even use the lightening that emanated from their staffs. Several months ago, when Bess and Morgan petrified a kilometer of earth using a geolock device, they’d also mistakenly immobilized a Terrian. When Mary had intervened to help them, the Terrians expelled her. “They took away Mary’s Terrian abilities,” she half whispered, not wanting to vocalize her worst fear. During the first few weeks on the planet, they‘d already seen that when the Terrians were threatened, Uly’s health regressed. Somehow his well being and the Terrians were connected to the planet. She couldn’t bear for him to be sick again. Danziger’s features softened, finally understanding the source of her concern. He put an arm about her shoulder. “We’re not gonna let that happen.” His touch was comforting. Rather than shrug it off, she let his arm stay where it was. “How? How can we stop it?” “Let’s talk with the Robinsons. Tell them what’s going on. They’re decent, reasonable people. Almost as idealistic as you are, Devon. Maybe that’s partly why I like them. Nobody wants Uly to regress. We’ll figure something out.” They sat quietly for several moments. Devon was concerned about that arm still resting on her back. Was she allowing something that she might not be able to see through? She didn’t know what the future held. She only had enough energy to focus on keeping Uly safe and getting the colony set up for those Syndrome Children. Did Danziger understand that? Then again, shouldering such a heavy burden was draining her, especially in her weakened state. Perhaps it would be okay to allow him to help. “Feeling any better?” he asked. “A little. The meds are helping.” “You need to take it easy. Get your strength back,” he gently reminded. “I know, I know,” her protests lacking their former vigor. “You know, you shouldn’t worry so much about Uly. He’s a good kid. A little freedom is good for him.” Yesterday afternoon she’d been terrified when she couldn’t find him about camp. In a panic, she’d rallied Danziger and Yale to help her locate him only to learn that he’d gone off with Will to get baseball equipment from the Jupiter 2. “C’mon John, with all the experiences we’ve had? You would’ve panicked too.” “Not before I checked the entire camp first. He told Yale where he was going. And he was with Will Robinson and his robot.” “I suppose,” she reluctantly agreed. “Did you see them playing? They had a great time. Even Yale, Judy and Walman joined in.” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Is this some kind of a joke? You deliberately did something wrong and now you think everything’s gonna be okay just because you said you’re sorry?” Baines couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Dr. Smith, Major West, and the entire Robinson family, plus robot, had returned to their campsite that morning. Everyone had gathered about to hear Dr. Smith’s ‘announcement’. From the angry looks Mrs. Robinson was shooting at the older man, it was apparent that his so-called apology wasn’t genuine. “Yes.” Dr. Smith cowered under the harsh scrutiny of the entire Eden Advance crew. “Great, just great.” Julia threw up her hands in the air. “What are you gonna do about it?” Walman grilled the man. “I told you people, didn’t I? What else can I do?” Dr. Smith tried to weasel his way out. He seemed to feel that he’d done all he could. “The problem hasn’t been fixed. I say he should return the stone to the Terrians - by himself.” Walman wasn’t feeling especially charitable towards the man after his involvement with Judy’s accident. Other voices chimed in, agreeing. “But, I’m frightened.” Dr. Smith whined. “I don’t know anything about these creatures. I simply can’t do it alone.” “Maybe you should’ve thought of that before you deliberately kept one of the stones for yourself,” Devon stated, surprising herself. “Can he be trusted not to mess it up?” Baines asked. Maureen Robinson objected. “Look here. Doctor Smith has his flaws. Believe me, I’m well acquainted with them. Just the same he deserves to be treated with respect as a fellow human being.” Baines rolled his eyes. “What are we going do?” Julia asked. “I don’t understand why you’re so concerned about this Dream Plane and the Terrians. Aren’t you just traveling through this territory? Isn’t this a temporary situation? ” John Robinson asked. “It’s not that simple. The Terrians are somehow linked to the planet,” Julia started to explain when a Terrian rose from the ground directly in front of Dr. Smith. Using his staff, he beckoned towards the man. “Didididi.” Most looked towards Alonzo. “I…I don’t know.” “He wants you to follow him,” Uly explained. Many heads turned in surprise towards the boy. “All alone?” Dr. Smith was terrified. “I can’t.” Alonzo stepped forward. “I’m going too. I want to know what’s going on.” Julia eagerly rose to accompany him. “Can I go too, Dad?” Will asked. “No son, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” his father explained while adjusting his side arm. “But I’ve been studying the rocks and I’ve learned a lot about them. The Robot and I could help. I just know it,” Will insisted. “Come along then,” John Robinson agreed, while walking over to join the others by the Terrian. Looking over his shoulder, he assured his wife, “We’ll be back soon.” “What about me? I’m part Terrian. I can help too,” Uly urged. “No way, young man. You’re staying right here where I can keep on eye on you,” Devon firmly stated. “Devon, he has a good point. His Terrian attributes will be useful. You just saw that he can communicate with this one while I can’t. I’ll keep an eye out for him. We’ll keep in constant contact over gear,” Alonzo promised. Devon was clearly torn. Danziger lightly touched her shoulder. “He’ll be okay. Right, ‘Lonz?” In a lower tone he added, “Gotta give him some room.” Meeting Uly’s eager eyes, she reluctantly nodded. He rushed to hug her then sprinted to join the group who were already on their way out of the camp. Members from both teams rapidly disappeared over the ridge, following the Terrian. XXXXXX Devon and Danziger brought Maureen and Don to the communication area to monitor the exploration via gear while the girls visited with Walman. It wasn’t a highly sophisticated set up - several monitors were placed on crates underneath an awning to offer some protection from the weather. Before long, Morgan and Baines stopped by. “Are you sure Doctor Smith isn’t going to mess this up?” Morgan asked. He’d heard multiple stories about the man’s hair brained schemes. Maureen was offended. “My husband would never allow that.” “This guy has a history of this type of behavior? Not following the rules?” Baines was indignant. “If he’s a danger to others can we afford that risk?” Baines was referring to more than this day’s events. Maureen’s mouth hung open. “He’s a human being. We can’t just leave him.” “He’d do it to us in a second. You know that,” Don pointed out. “He’s always only been out for himself.” “But that doesn’t make it right, does it? Part of what makes us human is showing mercy,” Maureen explained. Don grumbled. Devon took the opportunity to try to convey her fears to Mrs. Robinson. “You don’t understand. We can’t risk him messing up our relationship with the Terrians. There’s too much at stake.” “Come now. Doctor Smith made a mistake. He’s giving the stone back. What else can they expect?” Maureen replied. “The Terrians don’t think like us. We’ve struggled to develop a relationship with them. They healed my son. It is my fervent hope that they’ll heal those two hundred fifty Syndrome children which are arriving on that colony ship. It’s their only chance. I can’t jeopardize that. I just can’t.” Devon explained, becoming more passionate. Maureen wasn’t intimidated by the other woman’s determination. “I understand that. But don’t the Terrians understand the universal concepts of forgiveness and love?” “I…don’t know.” Considering that they’d banished Mary, who was essentially their foster child, for helping them through their own crisis, and had even removed her Terrian attributes. “I don’t think so.” Baines interjected, “I don’t like what I’m hearing. This guy sounds like a loose canon. He could endanger us all.” Don laughed, “Don’t you think we know that? He’s the one that caused us to crash on this planet in the first place.” “Doctor Smith is weak. No one would deny that. But in some ways, aren’t we all? Don’t we all have a little Smith in us? Minor weaknesses that creep up from time to time? Don’t we as a humane society have an obligation to protect the weak?” Maureen challenged. “Not if they intentionally behave in ways that endanger the entire group,” Devon responded. “What about the quality of mercy?” Devon stared at Maureen, not used to being challenged, especially by another woman. The red haired matriarch explained, “A civilization isn’t judged by the height of its buildings or the amount of money its economy generates. The ultimate measure of its achievement is how it values life. When all mankind isn’t valued, then no life is valued. “Doctor Smith has his faults. I can assure you, I’m well acquainted with them. But to cast him out would be impossible. What type of a civilization abandons the old or the sick? Or the weak? “What type of civilization only values the strong? Look at your own journey. You’ve come a great distance and taken such great risks for the fate of weak children. You couldn’t abandon them. “You know I’m right. “ XXXXXXXX As the Terrian lead the group into the cavern, Will whispered to his father, “We didn’t find the rocks here.” “I don’t know, son. Let’s just see what it wants,” he replied. The cavern was dark so they paused to fish luma lights from their backpacks. Alonzo offered a spare to John Robinson. They walked single file in the narrow tunnel, the robot barely scraping by. Occasionally they would reach a larger more spacious chamber, and then once again it would lead to a smaller tunnel where they’d need to duck to avoid hitting their heads on intermittent low spots. “I simply must rest,” Dr. Smith tried to stop but Alonzo nudged him forward. “He doesn’t understand that.” More sympathetically he added, “Hopefully it won’t be much farther.” Finally they entered a chamber which was brightly illuminated by the glow of the orange rocks. “Wow.” Will elbowed Uly who was equally impressed. The Terrian stared at Dr. Smith and then pointed to one of the chamber walls, crammed with glowing rocks. “I…I don’t know what to do,” Dr. Smith cried. “Why don’t you try putting your rock with the others?” Julia suggested. Dr. Smith removed his rock from the insulated sack and placed it beside the others. No change was evident. “Is anything happening?” Julia asked Alonzo. “I’m not getting anything.” Suddenly three other Terrians burst through the chamber walls. John Robinson clutched his laser pistol tightly yet refrained from raising it. “What’s going on?” “Didididididi” Terrian garble filled the air. The Terrians spoke with each other. The pitch and speed of the speech suggested they were agitated. Julia looked to Alonzo, but he merely shrugged. “Uly?” “There’s something wrong with the rocks. They want us to fix it,” Uly interpreted. “That must be why the Dream Plane isn’t working.” “How?” Julia asked, frustrated. “We’ve returned all of the stones. What now?” “Maybe I can help,” Will volunteered. Will seemed like a nice kid but what would he know of the Terrians? “Thanks but…” Julia answered. “The Robot and I figured out the language of Lunite.” Confused looks greeted him. “The glowing stones vibrate – they’re communicating to each other in harmonic frequencies.” “What?” How could this be? If it were that simple, Julia would’ve determined this long ago. She’d analyzed samples with her instruments. Her technology was far more sophisticated than that simple robot. “Robot, can you study the rocks and interpret what they’re saying?” Will asked. The unit moved closer to the chamber wall. “They are not speaking in harmony. This wall is vibrating in one tone.” He emitted a high C, “while this other section is vibrating in another.” He emitted a low D. “What does that mean?” John Robinson asked his son. “During our experiments, the Robot and I noticed that if two rocks with different frequencies were in contact with one another, they would adjust to the same one, a pitch in between. Maybe the Robot can simulate the tone of one group, while moving closer to the other group. Do you mind if I try?” Will asked Alonzo and Julia. “I don’t see any harm.” Julia was doubtful, yet this planet had surprised her before. Who would’ve believed that polar opposite spiders would’ve controlled a tunnel that could fold time and space? The robot moved closer to one wall. He produced a pitch and sustained it for a few minutes. “Robot, is anything happening?” Will asked. “Negative. Both remain at different pitches.” “What else can we try?” Julia asked. “No, wait!” Will interrupted. “The rocks needed to be in physical contact with each other for the effect to take place.” Grabbing the insulated bag from Dr. Smith, he selected a glowing rock from one wall then brought it to the other. “Is anything happening?” he asked the Robot. “Negative.” “Maybe they need a little help. Robot, can you make the same sound as the rock you’re holding while maintaining contact with the other wall?” “Affirmative.” They waited. Julia was restless. This didn’t seem like a viable idea and they needed to discuss more practical options. She didn’t like the way the Terrians sounded. Maybe it was her imagination, but they sounded angry. The Terrians didn’t understand that they had no idea why the rocks were damaged. Perhaps she could convince Uly to try to convey that to them. “The pitch is starting to change,” the robot reported. “Does that mean anything?” Julia asked Uly. “Didididididididiid” “Yeah, it does!” Uly answered. “They can hear a difference. I think it’s working!” XXXXXXXXXX “Is the Dream Plane really fixed?” Julia snuggled closer to Alonzo. The two lovers were intertwined beneath a thin blanket on a cot in the MedTent. Closing his eyes, he grinned. “Yeah, we did it. We helped the Terrians.” Apparently the problems with the Dream Plane had nothing to do with the Robinsons. Yet it had even taken the Terrians a while to figure that out. All they knew was that the trouble had started about the time that Will and Dr. Smith had taken some stones. So they monitored them, in a sense testing the Robinsons, seeing if they were hostile or friendly. What would they do with the sunstones? Once the Terrians were aware of the damage to the Dream Plane, they believed that recovering the stones would be sufficient for its repair. But it was more complicated than they understood. Somehow the sunstones in that region had been damaged. Communication that had naturally occurred between them had been disrupted so they couldn’t propagate the Dream Plane. Will Robinson’s theory of contact between the rocks to facilitate their communication, along with the robot amplifying the signal had been all that was needed to repair the damage. Sensing the tension in her body, he turned to face her and ask, “Why aren’t you happy about it?” “I am. It’s just… I don’t understand. It was so simple. Why couldn’t I figure it out?” Her technology was far more sophisticated than the simple circuitry of the Robinson robot. Yet he and Will had broken the code while she hadn’t. “C’mon, Julia, does that really matter?” Then he realized that it did to her. “Sometimes it’s a matter of your point of view. It allows you to see things in ways others haven’t.” “I suppose,” she begrudgingly agreed. Trying to cheer her up, he mentioned, “I’m sure Will and the robot wouldn’t have been able to figure out Devon’s illness.” “That’s for sure.” It had taken her over two months of non-stop research to identify the causative agent. It could’ve been a completely novel agent unique to G889 or some virus from the Stations that had survived the rigors of suspended animation. And then, devising a treatment that wouldn’t kill the patient? It had tested her to her limits. “You know, it could be useful for the group - seeing things from a different perspective. I had several meals with the Robinsons and I noticed they ate several things that we hadn’t considered as food sources. They also used some plants for seasoning and it was a wonderful improvement. Don and John had some unusual ideas when it came to mechanics too.” “You want the Robinsons to join us?” “Sure, why not?” “What about Dr. Smith?” Julia wasn’t impressed by his behavior and the stories she’d heard about him. Morgan Martin could be hard enough to deal with. “He seems a little old to change his ways. He could be difficult.” “I don’t know. The group will have to discuss pros and cons.” TBC (Comment on this)
Saturday, June 27th, 2009
11:31 am	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 7 The Robinsons consider Danziger's invitation. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you. Background information for both shows at: Earth 2 Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1122.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4272.html (Complete) Lost in Space Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3051.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3145.html Previous Chapters: Chapter 1 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1639.html Chapter 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2561.html Chapter 3 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3563.html Chapter 4 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3999.html Chapter 5 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4589.html Chapter 6: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4806.html Chapter 7 Saturday August 13th “Warning! Warning! Aliens approaching!” The Robot bellowed, red claws waving frantically in the air. Seconds later, four creatures burst out the ground. The tall tan, almost skeletal beings carried staffs glowing with electrical charge. “Dad!” Penny cried, leaning closer to her father. “Robot, prepare to defend,” John Robinson commanded. “Affirmative,” the Robot replied, electrical charge coursing between his claws. One of the Terrians began to raise his staff, the electrical charge rising in it as well. “No! Wait! Don’t do this!” Julia rose, objecting. “These creatures are armed and threatening my camp. I don’t intend to let them harm us,” John Robinson firmly stated. “These are the Terrians. We’ve dealt with them before. Please, give us a chance,” Alonzo pleaded. “They’re not going to hurt any of us.” John Robinson paused to consider. “All right.” “John,” Maureen’s voice waivered as she shot a worried glance towards her husband. “Stand down, Robot.” The Robot obeyed and the Terrian lowered his staff, the charge dissipating. Odd, garbled sounds came from the creatures. “Didididididi.” “Robot – can you translate?” John Robinson asked. “Negative.” “Alonzo – what’s going on?” Julia asked. Alonzo closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. Julia reminded them, “The Terrians can communicate with him on the Dream Plane.” Perplexed, the Robinsons merely nodded. “Something’s wrong Julia. I’m just not getting anything,” the former pilot rubbed his temples. “That might be because the Dream Plane is damaged,” Devon and Danziger rushed over to rejoin the group. “What are you talking about?” Alonzo asked. “The other night, Uly told me that the Terrians claimed the Dream Plane in this area was damaged. I wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not,” Devon explained. John Robinson was getting frustrated. “What’s going on here? What do these Terrians want? What does this ‘Dream Plane’ have to do with us?” One of the Terrians stepped closer to Dr. Smith. “Now I’m beginning to understand,” John Robinson said. Turning to the older man, he asked, “What did you do?” “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Dr. Smith feigned innocence while taking several steps back from Professor Robinson. “Aren’t you jumping to conclusions?” Alonzo asked John. “When it comes to Doctor Smith, I’m afraid not. Now, let’s have it. What did you do?” John Robinson demanded. Dr. Smith continued to be evasive, now hiding behind the bulk of the Robot. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” “Perhaps Don could be more persuasive.” John suggested, knowing full well that the Major was still reeling from Smith’s involvement with Judy’s accident. “No, no! We don’t need to bring the poor Major into this, do we?” Dr. Smith simpered. “I think I know what they want,” Will volunteered. Turning to the Terrians, he said, “You want the glowing rocks. I’m sorry – I didn’t realize they were that important to you. I just wanted to learn more about them – to understand them. I’ll go get them.” He and the Robot had almost cracked the code for the stones’ language. Hopefully they’d collected enough data so they could complete the project. Dr. Smith volunteered to help Will. As the rest of the Robinson family and members of Eden Advance waited for the two to return, Alonzo continued to try to communicate with the Terrians. But his attempts were futile. Will returned with an insulated sack filled with the glowing stones and placed it at the feet of a Terrian. “Careful, Will,” his mother cautioned. “Here they are. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” A creature took the bag. Then the Terrians vanished into the earth as quickly as they had appeared. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX “Maureen, what are you still doing up?” John Robinson closed the accordion folded door to the cabin they shared as his wife sat up in her bunk. “I couldn’t sleep.” He sank beside her, perching on the edge of the bunk. “That’s understandable, given the circumstances.” “John, do you believe them? Do you think they’re right?” “I don’t think they have any reason to deceive us. We’ve compared technologies and seen the differences. Julia even showed me the results of her assays.” “That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re right though, does it? Couldn’t it just be a result of the difference of two hundred years? Couldn’t that account for it?” “This alternative universe theory does seem rather fantastic. But I can’t come up with a more plausible explanation. What’s your women’s intuition telling you?” he teased. Despite herself, she grinned. As much as her husband had ribbed her about it, her instincts had proven to be sharp time and time again. “It’s prickling all right but I don’t know. Their theory might be off or maybe….maybe I just don’t want to accept what they’re saying.” As she’d tossed on her bunk that evening, she’d tried to reason it out logically, to examine the evidence step by step. But it all kept blurring together. Straightening her shoulders, she asked, “John, how bad is it? How badly damaged is the astrogator?” She’d suspected that the situation was worse than her husband had let on. She needed to know realistically what their options were. John exhaled. “I won’t lie to you. Don and I, along with Danziger and Alonzo, have worked on it for days. It’s not looking promising.” “But we’ve come through so much before. What’s so different about now?” “I don’t know. Maybe the ship is starting to show its age. We’ve put a lot of wear and tear on it. We can only improvise so far. We’re running out of spare parts. Danziger’s going to see if their camp has any supplies that might be adaptable but I’m not counting on anything.” “But to leave the ship?” It made her queasy to even say it aloud. “It’s been the key to our survival. How could we last without it? It’s been the only home we’ve known for over three years.” “That’s right.” “We’ve survived on dozens of other planets. We’ve also dealt with hostile aliens before. Is it really all that different here?” “So I take it you’re in favor of going it alone?” Her husband’s expression revealed that he was surprised. Wringing her hands in frustration, “I don’t know. There’s the children to consider. What’s best for their future. Penny and Will are getting older. The fact that Penny had such a difficult time getting along with True worries me. She needs to be able to interact with children her own age. She’s been so isolated. Joining Eden Advance and eventually those other families might give her that opportunity - Will too. The two of them deserve a chance at a future with other humans in it.” She wasn’t even going to mention her oldest daughter Judy. She’d seen how Judy had taken to Walman and it made her heart ache. She hoped it was a temporary infatuation. While she had nothing against the young man, Major West would always hold a special place in Maureen’s heart. That man had proven himself time and time again, defending their family from harm, willingly sacrificing himself for the good of others. Even if things between he and Judy didn’t work out, God forbid, Maureen would always consider Don one of her sons. Her mind continued to weigh the pros and cons. “But then what about these so-called minor variations in our metabolisms? How will we deal with that? Perhaps the Eden Advance people can eat certain foods but they might kill us? Will we need to scrupulously test everything? “ “Like Julia said, so far we haven’t experienced any adverse effects. And they might be as minor as being lactose intolerant, per say.” “But these types of changes, even minor ones, can have a huge impact. Look at starch and cellulose.” John’s eyebrows rose. “They’re both sugar polymers. Identical in every fashion except one.” He nodded as he remembered. “Only one is held together by an alpha linkage and the other by a beta.” “Which ultimately has an impact on the molecule’s structure. That’s why we can’t digest grass. Our enzymes won’t recognize that linkage.” He laid a comforting hand on her knee. “Darling, while that is an excellent analogy, we have no way of anticipating what difficulties we might encounter in this respect on this planet. Judy seemed to react to the Koba toxin in a fashion similar to the Eden Advance crew. And if anything, we might be hardier. Remember what Yale said about the cold sleep experiments?” “That’s true. But what about Will and Penny? If they eventually decide to marry a person from this universe, will they be biologically compatible? Will their children be viable?” Her temples pounded. She leaned against her husband’s chest and he wrapped his arms about her. She was getting way ahead of herself, worrying about these issues. But that was her job as a parent. To fully examine all the possibilities. To determine the best possible options for her family. Her husband reminded her, “No situation is perfect. There will always be risks. Even if we had landed on Alpha Centauri as we’d originally intended, things wouldn’t necessarily have gone as we’d planned.” “I know,” she replied. “You make a good point about the benefits for the children. But do you realize how primitive Eden Advance’s circumstances are? Although they have more advanced technology, they’re essentially walking across this continent. No heat, no central air. No hydroponic garden or automated galley. No washing machine or clothing synthesizer. If we joined them, we’d have to leave behind many valuable pieces of equipment. Equipment up to now which has been essential to our survival. Equipment which, if abandoned, could eventually be stolen by those Grendler creatures. “If we stayed with the ship, even if it couldn’t fly, our force field would protect us. Moving as a group, we’d be much more vulnerable. If we joined their party we’d also have no guarantee that we’d even make it to the settlement site. And even then, they might never find their missing cargo pods which have the supplies to build their community.” “And this ‘Council’ group,” Maureen had only caught a few references but her impression was that it was a formidable force. “That’s not our fight.” “That’s right. But if that group is as intent on dominating this planet as Danziger says, it could become ours, regardless of the option we chose.” Weary, she closed her eyes, “I’m not making any decisions now.” She snuggled closer to her husband. As he stroked her red locks, he reminded her, “We did commit to a mission, darling. To become pioneers. To colonize Alpha Centauri.” Uncharacteristically glum, she sighed, “Does that even matter? Most likely, Alpha Centauri and Earth as we knew them don’t exist anymore.” XXXXXXXXXXXX Sunday August 14th Judy’s heart did a familiar flip flop when she saw Don. At first he hadn’t seen her; she was seated at the outdoor dining table. His shoulders were hunched; he appeared deep in thought as he shuffled towards their camp site. When he caught sight of her, his appearance rapidly altered. Filled with renewed energy, the cadence of his steps grew quicker, his shoulders straightened. Worry lines were replaced with a broad grin as his eyes met hers. “Hey, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Don claimed. “Hey,” She beamed. The dark smudges under his eyes caused a warm rush to fill her. He’d been scared. He’d missed her. He really loved her. The heady surge of emotion coursing through her reminded her of when they’d first met, years ago at Alpha Control. His rugged good looks and confident attitude had irresistibly drawn her to him. When he reached her, he paused. At first she’d thought he was going to embrace her. She would’ve enjoyed that. Instead, he stopped and simply grasped her forearm. “Thank God you’re okay. How long have you been awake? How ‘re you feeling?” He pulled up a stool beside her. “Tired. But okay.” Only a few hours ago, when she‘d finally woken, Penny had greeted her with tremendous enthusiasm and a hug that nearly took her breath away. Dad and Don had been working at the drill site most of the morning, unaware that she’d finally revived. “It’s great to have you back. I could strangle Smith for letting this happen to you,” Don said, anger starting to build. Judy was so pleased to see him that she could overlook his temper. Fortunately, Don also changed the subject. “Did Maureen tell you about everything that’s happened?” She nodded. “I feel like I’m still dreaming. It all sounds so crazy. It’s going to take a while for all this to sink in.” More skeptically, Don said, “Well, I’m not so sure about it.” “Why?” “C’mon Judy, if we joined Eden Advance, they’d get to use our gear – the Chariot, the force field, our lasers… Wouldn’t they’d just love to get their hands on our ship.” She stiffened. “And you think that’s why they‘ve been helping us?” Had Don always been this paranoid? At one point she’d found his fierce protectiveness to be sweet. Now it felt stifling. Slightly embarrassed, he responded. “I didn’t say that.” “You didn’t have to.” Suddenly the pleasure she’d felt upon seeing him evaporated. She was looking forward to seeing Mark Walman who was presently en route to their camp. “We don’t need them. We’ve been fine on our own. They’re just trying to scare us with their stories about penal colonists and Z.E.P.s or…whatever they’re called.” “It’s not about that Don.” “We have a mission Judy. One which I take seriously.” “Even when it’s no longer possible to achieve?” Disgusted, she rose to return to the space ship. XXXXXXXXXXXX “Wow, that’s really neat. Penny! You gotta come see this.” Will was seated on a crate by Yale, examining a holographic projection that emanated from the man’s arm. His left forearm had a cybernetic implant embedded within it. The Robinsons had come to visit Eden Advance’s camp. His mother and father were deep in conversation with Devon, Danziger and a few others while Walman was eagerly escorting Judy about the camp. Don and Dr. Smith chose to remain behind at the Jupiter 2. “Yale’s pretty great, isn’t he? He teaches us all our lessons,” said Uly, a young boy with curly brown hair. “Our Robot does that for us,” Penny fondly looked toward the silver mechanical man that was standing nearby. As they examined Yale’s projection, although there was intermittent static interference, they could clearly see a planet. Unlike G889, the oceans seemed brown. In many areas, heavy pollution clogged the atmosphere, obscuring their view of the planet’s surface. “Wow,” Penny commented. “What planet is that? I don’t think we’ve been there.” Yale prompted, “Are there any features that look familiar?” Turning his attention to Uly, he advised, “Don’t tell them. Give them some time.” Both Penny and Will studied the projection. “I would’ve remembered a system that was that badly damaged. Is this one of those worlds where people can only exist in artificial environments?” Will asked. “Not necessarily.” Penny’s expression froze. “It can’t be. That…that looks like the Gulf of Mexico. Or maybe I’m just projecting what I’m used to seeing?” “No Penny. You are correct. It is the Gulf of Mexico,” Yale explained. “But…where’s Florida?” Will asked, more closely scrutinizing the projection. “Erosion and flooding destroyed it about a hundred years ago. California too.” “Oh.” Tears were in Penny’s eyes. Even though it had been explained to her yesterday, seeing her world in such chaos was disturbing. Will had a different reaction. “Can you show us more?” “What would you like to see?” “How about some landmarks? The Statue of Liberty?” Will fondly remembered his parents taking the family there. The hustle and bustle of the huge city had both frightened and excited him. Although he’d only been five years old, he’d eagerly clambered to the top of the statue, leaving his sisters and parents far behind. “Where was that now?” Will had a sinking feeling. “New York, New York.” “Ah, yes.” Yale produced a new holograph. Will recognized Lady Liberty’s torch and crown. But the ocean level was up to her chin. “Oh,” Penny murmured. “How about, how about..” Will thought, “The Grand Canyon?” Yale produced another hologram. Familiar chasms greeted them. “Wow,” Uly said. “That’s amazing.” “At least that looks the same.” Penny said, relieved. “No Penny, it’s not. Can you zoom in on the surface?” Will asked. “Certainly.” “What are those?” Penny asked. The rim and ground of the canyon were covered with small clusters of people, tents and equipment. “Miners,” Yale answered. “That’s all we can get from Earth. Minerals and ores are the most valuable commodity it has to offer. The only plant life that thrives is inedible weeds. Scientists have been able to cultivate a type of seaweed that can tolerate the high pH of the oceans. It’s not very tasty, but many on Earth survive on it.” “I don’t want to do this anymore,” Penny said. Uly changed the subject. “Will you be joining us?” The young boy seemed excited by the prospect. During the conversation, True had joined the group and was listening closely. “I don’t know,” Will answered. “It’s up to Dad.” “It wasn’t a real invitation anyway. The group didn’t vote on it,” True claimed. “True, that’s not very nice” Yale scolded. “After all it was your father who issued the invitation. I’m sure the others will want to include your family,” he assured Will and Penny. “Well, I hope you join us. It would be great to have another boy in the group,” Uly beamed. True and Penny exchanged guarded glances, not sharing the same sense of anticipation. “You know you’re not gonna run into any circus performers or giant talking carrots here. A penal colonist nearly killed all us when we first got here. Then we almost died twice from unknown diseases,” True claimed. “True,” Yale warned. “You’re just making that up to try to scare us,” Penny retorted. “Am not.” “Are too.” “If you girls can stop bickering, maybe we can play a game of baseball?” Will looked hopefully towards Uly. “You do still play that?” “Oh, yeah, I’ve seen holos of it. I’ve never been able to play it before,” Uly replied. True was still annoyed. “And you still can’t, silly. We don’t have a bat and ball.” “We do,” Will grinned. “I can run back to camp and get them.” “Can I come too?” Uly asked. “Sure.” As they started walking, Uly said, “I’d better check in with my mom.” “Okay. The Robot can come with us too. C’mon!” The mechanical man lumbered towards them. The two boys and the Robot crossed the Eden Advance campsite. Other than a command station comprised of stacks of computer units, the camp could’ve been from Will’s time. Multiple tents varying in size and color filled the valley, with occasional makeshift clothes lines draped with clothing. People milled about. Perhaps they weren’t so different after all. Hadn’t they learned that with their vast encounters with aliens? “How do you cook your meals?” Uly explained, “We all take turns. There’s not much to them. Hey, Morgan.” The thin man scowled at the boys and continued past muttering under his breath as he walked by, “The last thing we need is more mouths to feed…” “Don’t worry about him. He’s weird,” Uly assured Will. The boys passed Judy and Walman who were seated by a large pit presumably used for a communal camp fire and as a gathering space. They were laughing and talking with the black man called Baines along with another man and woman. “How many people are in your group anyway?” Will asked. “Fifteen. Used to be seventeen. The Commander died shortly after the crash. Ebon died a few months ago,” Uly explained. “Gosh.” “Hey, there’s my mom. Let’s try to catch her,” Uly lead them towards the med tent where he’d just seen Devon enter. They paused at the entrance to the tent. “What do you mean it’s still damaged?” Devon demanded. “They gave back the sunstones.” Obviously frustrated, Julia responded, “Alonzo isn’t getting any thing. I don’t know what’s going on. I suspect that the sunstones are a vital component of the Dream Plane so it should’ve been enough.” Devon began to pace. “This isn’t good. We need to find out what’s going on. Could the Robinson’s drilling operation be disturbing the Terrians?” “Devon, I just don’t know,” Julia insisted. “We can’t let the Robinsons jeopardize our relationship with the Terrians.” The boys stepped back. “She seems kinda busy,” Uly apologized. “We’ll be back before they can miss us,” Will assured him. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Dr. Smith lounged on his bunk in his cabin. A glowing orange sample of Lunite rested on some silver insulated fabric beside the crook of his arm. His mind had vacillated between utter despair that his beloved Earth no longer existed and defiant disbelief. Finally, rather than dwelling on the potentially debilitating loss of his home planet, instead he choose to scheme, trying to determine how to weasel his way off of this planet. While he enjoyed the company of Will and the Robot, it was nice to have a quiet afternoon for a change. Normally he would’ve been thrilled to needle the Major. Obviously in a foul mood, the man had made as much noise as possible as he went about his attempts at repairing the navigation system, banging tools loudly and even swearing from time to time. The fact that Mark Walman had arrived that afternoon to escort the Robinsons to the Eden Advance camp certainly hadn’t helped matters. The Major’s jealousy was pitifully obvious. It was sorely tempting to bait the pathetic man but after Judy’s near death experience, even Zachary Smith realized how foolhardy that would be. Staying out of the Major’s path was in his best interests. Back to more important issues. A plan, yes, he needed a plan. He gingerly patted his precious Lunite for inspiration. Will hadn’t noticed that he’d slipped one of the glowing stones from the bag the night before. Since the Terrians wanted the rocks so badly, they must have value to them. How could he exploit that? The Terrians seemed a rather primitive species. Most likely they lacked space travel technology so there would be no bargaining for a ship. Yet could he negotiate with the beasts? Get them to give him whatever delicacies this wretched planet might have to offer to make his stay here more palatable? There was that dreadful language barrier – what a royal pain. Somehow he’d rarely had to deal with that in the past. It had only become a stumbling block at this cursed place. All the more reason to leave. He’d have to get that tin-plated ninny working on decoding the language right away. Then again, were they really marooned here? All that talk about the astrogator being damaged beyond repair might simply be the Major grandstanding for attention. What better way to impress Judy than by seeming to do the impossible? An alternative universe? Utter nonsense. “You missed out on a lovely visit at the Eden Advance camp. “ Maureen entered his room. “Are you ready for supper?” Sitting up straighter on his bunk, he replied, “My dear woman, I’m simply famished.” “Dr. Smith,” her tone had drastically changed. She’d seen his Lunite sample. “Oh, this? It’s nothing, really,” he tried to move the sample behind his back. “We have to tell Eden Advance about this. Right away. No wonder they still can’t talk with the Terrians.” “Can’t we do it tomorrow?” He yawned. “I’ve had such a busy day.” “I think not,” was her stern response. “But it will be dark soon,” Smith whined. “That is not my problem. You should’ve returned this rock yesterday and you know it.” “It’s only one rock. Where’s the harm?” He tried to justify his actions. “Doctor Smith, can you ever look beyond yourself? We might not be able to leave this planet. We’re trying to forge a relationship with these people. One built upon mutual trust. How will they trust us if we’re not honest with them?” Dejected, he stood. “Can’t I have my supper first?” “Doctor Smith,” Maureen glowered. “But I’m hungry. Certainly you wouldn’t begrudge a man a few morsels to sustain himself?” She didn’t budge. “Can’t I bring someone with me? You heard Mr. Danziger talk about penal colonist and such. It could be dangerous.” Maureen held her ground. “You need to tell Eden Advance about this. Now.” “But it will be dark soon and I don’t know the way. What if I run into a Terrian or one of those hideous Grendler creatures?” She sighed impatiently. Normally she wouldn’t have given such talk a second thought. Yet after nearly losing Judy and encountering the enigmatic Terrians, she was inclined to be more cautious. “This planet does seem to be more hazardous. We’ll need to discuss this with John.” TBC (Comment on this)
Friday, June 26th, 2009
2:00 pm	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 6 Julia and Yale have a theory about the Robinsons. Background info and photos for both shows are posted on my LJ (Earth 2: Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1122.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4272.html (Complete) Lost in Space: Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3051.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3145.html) Previous chapters: Chapter 1 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1639.html Chapter 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2561.html Chapter 3 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3563.html Chapter 4 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3999.html Chapter 5 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4589.html Chapter 6 (Devon Adair) When it came to the Robinsons, the members of our group had mixed feelings. Many were intrigued by the marooned family and their mysterious origins. Others had already decided that they weren’t a threat to us so it was time to move on. New Pacifica wasn’t getting any closer and no one wanted to stagnate in yet another winter camp if we couldn’t negotiate the approaching mountains in a timely fashion. I had reservations that I kept to myself. Personally, I agreed that the Robinsons weren’t dangerous. Yet something Uly said the other night kept nagging me. He claimed the Terrians told him that they couldn’t speak with Alonzo because the Dream Plane near the Robinsons’ camp was damaged. Of course, I was fully aware this most likely was a product of an over active imagination. A little boy wanting to feel more grown up and important, trying to impress his mother. As much as I wanted to believe this, I couldn’t dismiss the other possibility- that the Robinsons could be unintentionally damaging the Dream Plane with their drilling or waste products from their space ship. If we continued to associate with the Robinsons, would it damage our relationship with the Terrians? Although I felt sympathy for them due to their circumstances, I couldn’t jeopardize the future of two hundred fifty Syndrome children and their families who were determined to make a home on this planet. While Danziger could easily scoff at my concerns, I couldn’t brush them aside as readily. Day 255 “I don’t understand why we’re wasting time with these people. The girl’s gonna be fine if she was stung by a Koba. And if not, well…Julia examining her won’t make a difference. New Pacifica isn’t getting any closer and we need to make serious time if we want to reach it before the colony ship arrives,” Baines complained. Several members of Eden Advance were gathered about their communal camp fire that evening, airing their opinions on the matter. Baines, Cameron, Morgan and Bess were seated on rocks, while Devon, Uly and Julia were perched on overturned packing crates. Danziger stood back from the group, studying the fire. “They’re not a danger to us. They’re certainly not Council spies. They’re barely mentally balanced,” Morgan agreed. “You should’ve heard them talking about alien beauty contests and Celestial department stores. It was creepy.” “Really? You didn’t seem to mind that night while you were stuffing your face with their food,” Danziger astutely pointed out as Morgan’s shoulders stiffened. “You even tried to weasel your way into spending the night on their space ship.” Morgan squirmed uncomfortably. “Yeah, well…uh…it looked a lot more comfortable than sleeping outside in a tent.” Despite Danziger’s glare, he managed to finish his point. “I’m with Baines on this, I…I don’t see why we need to waste more time.” “Oh, so you know all about the Robinsons and where they came from?” Julia Heller, the young blonde doctor, stood as she spoke. Baines took up her challenge with one of his own. “No…but does it really matter? Everything’s always some big scientific mystery with you. Have you forgotten about all the trouble we got into when you insisted on excavating that frozen Terrian?” Lugging the huge frozen block back to camp had been a trying chore. They’d nearly burned out the winch on the TransRover. Yet Julia had been convinced it was worth the effort, that she could learn more about the Terrians by studying that ancient preserved member. Once the frozen carcass had thawed, the malevolent spirit that had been released escaped into their camp, possessing Danziger. Under those conditions, he’d nearly killed Alonzo. Baines had been so frightened that he’d locked himself in the TransRover. Baines reminded her, “Have you forgotten that the finer aspects of science or even civilization on the whole, don’t matter out here. It’s all about survival. Our survival.” Out of habit, Baines searched for his buddy Walman for support but upon hearing the news about Judy, he’d firmly planted himself in the Dune Rail, waiting to roll. Julia countered, “Aren’t you the least bit curious Baines? Why is their technology so different from ours? Why have they had such different experiences in space? Experiences that differ from any others in recorded history.” “Group hypnosis?” Baines shrugged. “And if that was the case, wouldn’t you want to know who did it and why? If it was the Council, most likely we’d be in line to be the next victims,” Julia sharply replied. “You’re making a lot of assumptions Julia. Their situation could have nothing to do with ours,” Morgan meekly pointed out. Aghast, the young doctor replied, “How can you say that after all we’ve been through? You know that G889 is the best viable candidate for human settlement in the known universe. Look at the trouble the Council’s gone to, interfering with our efforts.” Endless red tape had delayed their take off by over a year. Only Devon Adair’s desperation to depart before her son turned nine had kept their mission on track. And even then, the Council had tried to interfere, planting a bomb on the Advance ship, sabotaging the cargo release circuit on the Advance ship, and even infiltrating the mission with one of their agents. “I don’t see how this relates to us.” Baines insisted. “Doesn’t matter.” All heads turned towards Danziger, who stepped towards the camp fire. “We’re stopping by their campsite tomorrow.” It was not phrased as a request but rather, a statement, a note of finality in his voice. Devon’s mouth opened slightly. Since when did Danziger lead the group? Fortunately, she agreed with him. She took advantage of the moment, “That’s right. We need to know what’s going on. Yale and Julia have some promising theories but they want to meet with the Robinsons face to face in order to verify them.” Her voice rose over their objections. “We were already planning on recharging at the pond anyway.” Trying to defuse Baines and Morgan’s angry looks, she added, “We’ll send out an advance scouting party with the Dune Rail while the remainder restock supplies and investigate.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX “C’mon Morgan, don’t you feel the least bit sorry for them? It felt like the end of the world when you were stung by that Koba. I honestly thought my heart had stopped too. It was only minutes before Gaal assured us that you’d be fine but that was long enough for me.” Bess shuddered. “And those poor people….Morgan they’ve spent almost ten hours thinking their daughter had died.” Morgan focused on unrolling his bedroll onto a cot as he and his wife prepared for bed. He rarely discussed that unpleasant incident. During his time in mortal limbo, he’d been convinced that he was in hell. “Remember when it happened to Commander O’Neill?” Bess’ voice intruded. The incident had occurred within days of their crash landing onto the planet – a cruel introduction to the harsh realities of Planet G889. Unaware that he wasn’t really dead, the members of Eden Advance had buried him. Later when they’d learned that the Koba’s sting wasn’t fatal, consumed by guilt and fear, they’d rushed back to the site only to discover some Grendlers had rescued him from his shallow grave. But the Commander’s second chance at life hadn’t lasted long. She studied her husband who was still seemingly engrossed in arranging his blanket. “Danziger seems to think the Robinsons are okay. He’s a pretty good judge of character.” Offended, he claimed, “And I’m not?” “I didn’t mean that.“ As much as she loved her husband, Bess was a practical woman and fully aware of her husband’s shortcomings. On the Stations, he’d been embarrassed by her origins and did his best to conceal the fact that she’d grown up on Earth. With his political aspirations, associating with the wrong sort wouldn’t do. Wanting him to succeed, she’d reluctantly played along. At Station functions, he’d routinely whisked her past certain people, murmuring, “NOCD” his shorthand for – “Not our class dear”. Morgan perched on the edge of his cot. “Bess, these people are strange. Their weird stories and bizarre clothing. They treat their robot like it’s some sort of person. And what’s even creepier is that in some ways it acts like one. They honestly believed those wild tales they told us.” “I know,” she assured him. Not that she didn’t believe him, she was just curious. These people claimed to have originated from an Earth that was entirely different from the one she grew up on. She’d love to ask them about it. “And what I’ve seen up to this point is that we’ve been the ones doing stuff for them. Helping them repair their ship…” Bess almost pointed out that it might be useful to have access to a functional space craft, but then she thought better of it. That type of suggestion could send Morgan off half cocked, destined for trouble. Instead, she replied, “True, but Danziger said it helped him to get information about them. And wasn’t Walman able to squeeze in a little scouting?” “Yeah, but he didn’t find anything. He spent most of his time mooning over that girl. How does all this help us? When’s it gonna stop? What’s stopping by now gonna prove?” “That we’re good neighbors.” She’d hoped that Morgan of all people understood the importance of allies. “Besides, I’d love to dive in that pond and really wash my hair.” The shoulder length curly auburn ringlets had been tied up and piled on her head for far too long. She was anxious to liberate the hot, heavy mass. “Let’s just hope bleeding heart Devon doesn’t do the unthinkable and invite them to join us. All we need are more mouths to feed,” he groaned. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Day 256 Maureen’s intent gaze bore into Dr. Heller. “You’re sure she’ll be all right?” Engrossed in her exam, the young doctor didn’t answer. Julia was concentrating on the readings from her diaglove. The instrument covered most of her left forearm. She slowly moved the diagnostic tool over Judy’s rigid form. Occasionally the screen glowed or the instrument emitted soft tones while Julia manipulated various switches. The older woman hovered impatiently. Finally, Julia looked up. “She’ll be fine. It’s strange for us too. My instruments register no signs of life. But our commander and Morgan both revived after a few days.” Gaal had been the first to alert them to the effects of the Koba’s sting. A clever convict, he’d masqueraded as a former astronaut and expertly manipulated True in an attempt to steal Eden Advance’s supplies. Fortunately, he hadn’t been successful. Exam completed, Julia studied her surroundings. The Jupiter 2 cabin was spartan as most space vehicles tended to be. Unlike the Eden Advance module which had been predominately constructed with dark metal beams that created a gloomy atmosphere, this ship featured lighter colored materials. Julia wasn’t entirely sure what it was constructed from. Fold out bunks were on both sides of the room. Star charts hung on one wall. She was surprised to discover a bookshelf with several paper bound volumes. Those would be considered antiques in her world. Another instrument – a box with spools in it, was foreign in purpose to her. Despite the room’s utilitarian appearance, Julia understood why Morgan would’ve wanted to sleep here. In addition to the luxury of a climate controlled environment, being in a solid structure provided a sense of security that a tent never would. She broke out of her reverie, realizing Maureen’s eyes were still fixed upon her. “I don’t understand.” Her features remained tense. “It will take a day or so.” She wasn’t going to believe it until she’d seen her daughter revive. Julia understood that. She’d done all she could in that respect. Her mind shifted to questions about the Robinsons. As Alonzo had mentioned, everything about this ship felt strange. Considering that they’d crashed onto this planet, their ship was in remarkably good condition. Meeting the Robinsons hadn’t answered any of Julia’s questions. It had only increased her curiosity to account for inconsistencies. She turned to face the woman. “May I examine you?” Maureen hesitated. “Why?’ “I’m a fully qualified physician. My diaglove is finely calibrated and it might detect anomalies that your technology might have missed. I can make sure that you’re healthy. I’ll need a blood and bone marrow sample too.” “Isn’t that a bit involved? Marrow samples require surgery which can be difficult and painful. Considering that I feel fine, I doubt that’s necessary.” “It’s a simple procedure with my diaglove,” Julia assured her. “You’ll barely notice.” Tests on Maureen’s blood could help her determine if there were any hallucinogens or psychotropic drugs which could account for their odd stories. Though, after having met the family, Julia was inclined to rule out that hypothesis. Unfortunately experience had shown that her diaglove couldn’t detect small chips or implants that might alter or control behavior. It hadn’t detected the small chip implanted in Alex Wentworth’s head that had caused her to unknowingly sabotage the Advance module. Later that same chip created a virus which killed her and most of the occupants of the third evacuation pod. Julia’s diaglove hadn’t detected the biostat implants either, thin fibers secretly injected into all members of Eden Advance by the Council. Those implants had nearly killed their entire party a few months before when they’d started to malfunction. Poor Ebon Singh had been their first fatality, dying before they’d figured out how to rectify the situation. Reluctantly, the older woman agreed. She lay on a bunk on the opposite side of the cabin while Julia prepared to draw blood. Once the sample was collected and labeled, the young doctor proceeded to move the instrument over Maureen’s midsection. “Is Dr. Smith your physician?” She laughed. “I’m afraid not.” “How do you handle medical emergencies?” Julia was intently examining the screen of her diaglove. “The best we can. My doctorate is in biology. So far we’ve only had to deal with minor cuts, sprained ankles, minor concussions and Doctor Smith’s aching back.” Despite herself, she laughed. How primitive, the thought of such limited resources disturbed Julia. And to think that she’d been complaining that her own supplies were so limited. If one of the Robinsons had fallen ill as Devon had several months before, they would’ve been helpless. “There. I’ve taken the marrow sample,” Julia relayed. “My goodness! I didn’t feel a thing. That is an amazing instrument you have. You seem awfully young to be a doctor.” Somewhat defensively, Julia replied, “My parents had my chromosomes skewed to the medical arts.” Julia had been ‘created’ by her parents, who were members of The Council. It was considered an honor to be part of the elite governing body of the Stations. Her parents had gladly offered her up as a willing sacrifice to the Council – for the good of the many. Julia had bought into that party line for years. It had brought her on this mission, acting as a covert agent of the Council to monitor the activity of Eden Advance. Only her time on G889 had opened her eyes to the fact that she had a right to live her life as she chose. Since then she had renounced all ties with the Council. Amazed, Maureen responded, “Our world doesn’t have that type of technology – yet.” XXXXX Day 257 “Hello. Oh, I wish you’d stopped by earlier, you could’ve joined us for dinner,” Maureen Robinson warmly greeted Devon, Danziger, Julia, Alonzo and Yale who were approaching their outdoor dinning table. Most of the family members were still seated about the table, having just finished their meal. “Thank you. That’s very generous,” Devon replied. “Actually, we’d like to talk with you.” “Certainly,” John Robinson added as he rose from his seat. “I can’t tell you how relieved we are to hear that Judy will be all right. I also can’t thank you enough for all your help with the ship.” He motioned towards Devon, offering his seat to her. Not used to such gestures, Devon hesitated. “We haven’t done much.” Julia reassured them, “Judy ought to revive some time soon.” “Will, run inside to get some extra camp stools for our guests,” his mother instructed. As Will and Penny helped everyone find seats about the table, Danziger asked, “Where’s Don?” “He’s sitting by Judy. We’ve been taking turns,” John Robinson answered. “So now that your group has reunited, what are your plans?” he asked Danziger. Getting irritated, Devon explained, “We’re restocking supplies and using the time to scout a path to get our vehicles safely over the mountains. Cameron and Mazatl set out in the Dune Rail this morning.” Baines had been itching to go on that trip, but he couldn’t convince Walman to leave camp for that long. Instead he managed to persuade his buddy to take a day trip in the ATV to scout for food. Even that had been a challenge. If Walman had stayed around, he would’ve made excuses to linger about the Jupiter 2 until Judy woke. Before leaving he’d insisted upon seeing her motionless form. He extracted staunch promises that they’d contact him the moment she revived. “You’re the leader?” John Robinson asked. Losing patience, Devon Adair assured him a bit too firmly. “Yes. I organized this mission. I commissioned scientists to develop technology to help us adapt to life on this planet. I interviewed and hired everyone associated with this project.” Coughing muffled her last words. Danziger had mentioned that the Robinsons had rather antiquated notions about the roles of men and women in society. It irked her that John Robinson gave the mechanic more respect than her. As the spasm subsided, she explained, “We need to get to New Pacifica as soon as possible to set up a hospital for two hundred fifty families with Syndrome children that will be arriving within a year. About fifteen years ago, a new disease arose on the Stations. Some children were failing to thrive. Their immune systems were severely weakened. The best explanation our scientist could come up with was that the absence of Earth caused this.” Danziger interrupted, “They know all about that Adair. And about the Terrians healing Uly. And that the hospital construction material might not even be there once we arrive at New Pacifica.” Devon’s eyes widened. After she’d carefully instructed him not to give detailed information about Eden Advance to this family? What else had he told them? “We need to tell you about where we came from,” Danziger stated. Her irritation triggered another coughing spell. That man never ceased to annoy her. Devon had never baulked at being the messenger of unsettling news. As the former head of a multi orbit firm, it had been part of the job. She’d planned on addressing the issue. She’d only stalled because she was concerned about the timing and wanted to test the waters first. The Robinson’s daughter was still lying prone on her bunk. How much could they handle within a forty-eight hour period? Leave it to Danziger to thoughtlessly blunder ahead. “Can I offer you a drink?” Grabbing a pitcher, Maureen Robinson poured water into a cup then offered it to her. Devon gratefully accepted. When the coughing died down, she stood. “Danziger, Walman and Alonzo have told you a little about where we came from. That we’ve lived on the Space Stations since our planet became so polluted. You’ve commented on our technology such as Julia’s diaglove and our gear. What we haven’t mentioned…” She looked towards Yale, the tall bearded black man, her former tutor and close friend. He nodded, encouraging her. “is that….we’re from Earth too.” “What?” John Robinson was having trouble believing what he was hearing. “And that our departure date was….May 2192.” Penny gasped. Smith cried, “No, it’s not possible.” Devon continued, “It’s true. People still live on Earth. But…it’s not like you remembered.” “We’ve traveled more than two hundred years into the future!” gasped Smith. “I’m afraid so.” Continuing to address Danziger, John Robinson insisted, “There should be records of our voyage. Alpha Control invested countless hours and millions of tax dollars into our mission. Other nations even tried to sabotage our efforts.” Devon explained, “We’ve looked. Yale is a cybernetically enhanced tutor. He has an implant along with library functions that allow him to mentally scan hundreds of data files. There are limited records from that long ago on Earth. None of them contained any references to the Jupiter 2, Alpha Control, or even a space program in general. Most likely this is due to the occurrence of several disasters over that era – wide spread flooding due to global warming, the Faith wars, along with the resurgence of the Black Plague. These nearly wiped out humanity.” John Robinson mused, “I suppose it makes sense. When we went into a hyper drive once before, we were sent back fifty years in time. The records could’ve been damaged or lost, as you say.” Devon cleared her throat. “There’s more.” She looked to Julia, the young blonde doctor who nodded. “I’m…not sure how to put this. This planet that our scientists call G889 is twenty two light years away from Earth. It is the most favorable habitable world in the known universe.” She paused, hoping that they were understanding. Julia added. “There are no records of the worlds or alien races you’ve encountered.” “With so many disasters, perhaps humanity was preoccupied with other matters than proper record keeping. Just because the records aren’t there doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen,” John Robinson logically suggested. “You don’t understand.” Devon insisted. “Our society has sent out hundreds of probes, exploring distant universes. Our children are starting to die from The Syndrome. We’re desperate to find a new planet to call home. Living on overcrowded space stations is far from ideal. We have to go else where for minerals and raw materials. About fifty different mining colonies have been established on various planets. None can sustain life without artificial habitats.” Maureen was catching on. “Then how…” “How have you managed to survive on so many planets without artificial means? How have you met so many aliens from different advanced societies when the only ones we’ve encountered have been rather primitive and only on this planet?” Devon voiced all of their thoughts. “Have you ever heard of a worm hole?” Yale asked. “Isn’t that a distortion in black matter where time and space can be altered? Kinda like a short cut across the universe,” Will said. “Exactly. Though in this case, we think both time and space were altered for you. You could’ve encountered one of these worm holes or perhaps the hyper drive alone caused both. You’re in an alternative universe,” Julia explained. “Preposterous! How can that be?” Dr. Smith protested. “Yale and I did some tests on Maureen’s blood and marrow samples. Originally I was hoping to establish a timeline – to substantiate our theory that you’d traveled forward in time. However the results were ambiguous so I tried something else. “The levels of certain isotopes in blood or tissue can indicate which planets you’ve spent time on. Historically most of the standard assays were developed with the idea of determining exposure to environmental hazards or pollutants encountered at mining sites or damaged ecosystems such as Earth. With Yale’s vast cybernetic library, we have plenty of standard references.” Due to the deterioration of the ozone layer, most Earth dwellers have higher levels of certain isotopes naturally incorporated into their bodies than Station dwellers. Bess has lived on Earth for most of her life so her levels are significantly higher than Danziger who only spent a brief time during military service. Station dwellers, like myself or Alonzo, that have never set foot on Earth completely lack this isotope,” Julia attempted to explain. “We found none in Maureen or Judy’s system.” “That doesn’t necessarily mean anything. We lived on Earth over two hundred years ago, the amounts of those isotopes in the environment were most likely different then,” Will pointed out. “Overcrowding was a bigger issue than pollution.” Yale smiled, pleased the boy had been following the conversation so closely. “Excellent point. We used environmental data to extrapolate backward due to our spotty records from that time period.” “Wouldn’t that produce a rather broad margin of error? You yourself just said that your records from that era were lacking. That could account for the absence of those substances in our bodies,” John Robinson reasoned. “That’s right. The results are surprising but they’re also inconclusive.” Julia agreed. “But there’s more.” Eyes remained fixed upon her. “When I analyzed Maureen’s samples, for the most part, things appeared normal. But additional tests detected a certain substance in your bodies. I compared Judy and Maureen’s samples, just to be sure. Our bodies typically break this substance down and then it’s excreted as waste. It never builds up. In fact, if this substance were to accumulate in our bodies, it would indicate the onset of disease. Somehow, your bodies aren’t metabolizing this substance in the same fashion. Rather than treating it as waste, your bodies are incorporating it in your tissues at a level that would kill one of us. Yet you remain healthy.” Yale added, “There are also similar ‘glitches’ when we compare technologies. Yesterday I examined your cold sleep chambers and discussed the details of the process with Professor Robinson. In many ways, it’s very similar to our process. Yet when I scan my data files on the history of this technology, I find that variations of your system that were developed on the Stations were unsuccessful. In a test run, the procedure you underwent was fatal for subjects originating from the Stations.” “I’ve seen it with your astrogator too. John, I’ve worked on lots of ships and I’ve never seen anything like this unit,” Danziger explained. “What does all this mean, in plain English? Enough of this scientific mumbo jumbo!” Smith demanded, growing paler as the conversation continued. “Your Earth was similar to our Earth but they were never the same,” Yale explained. John Robinson caught on. “And Alpha Centauri? Does it exist in this universe?” He looked to Danziger, naked hope evident in his eyes. “No. It doesn’t.” “Dad!” Penny gasped. “Why can’t we go back the way we came?” Will insisted. “Can’t we simulate the conditions that brought about the hyper drive in the first place? We pulled it off before when we landed on Earth in the past. Remember Dad?” “That involved time travel only, Will. It wouldn’t account for this alternative universe business. We’d have no guarantee. We could end up back in our universe or in one far worse. We might even be killed in the attempt,” John Robinson stated. “It’s far too risky.” “I agree,” Yale added, regretfully. “I have no data that suggest a way around this.” “But what about these changes? Can we survive in this universe with these biological differences?” Maureen pointedly asked Julia. “I don’t know. They seem relatively minor. So far, you appear to be thriving. It doesn’t seem likely that it will be an issue,” Julia said. “If we’re able to repair the Jupiter 2, can’t we just fly back to Earth?” Dr. Smith demanded, eyes gleaming. “Twenty two light years is a long trip,” John Robinson answered. “We could undergo suspended animation again, Dad, couldn’t we? That’s what we did when we originally left Earth,” Penny suggested. John rolled his eyes, “And look how well that worked for us. Within eight hours we were thrown off course and almost died in a meteor shower. Besides, your mother had a bad reaction to the process, remember?” Yale advised Dr. Smith, “Earth is not how you remember it. It does not resemble this planet. It’s almost impossible to grow food due to the scorching heat or extreme cold. For the most part, it’s a mining community. Many people live in self sufficient domes or underground. Supplies are limited. Most who had any funds left Earth decades ago.” The reality finally hit him. “Earth…glorious Earth…” Dr. Smith droned, in shock. “Never to return… oh the pain.” He covered his face with his hands. “Dad, what are we going to do?” Penny’s eyes were brimming with tears. “Why don’t you join us?” Danziger offered. “What?” Devon was stunned. “Even if you can repair your ship, there’s no place else to go. Trust me, there’s no future for you on Earth. We’re setting up a colony here, just like you were. You’d be fulfilling your mission – just colonizing a different planet. We could use more good workers,” Danziger explained. “Danziger,” Devon sternly warned as she rose. He continued, “It’s not safe for your family alone here. There are penal colonists all over. Our government used this planet as a dumping ground for them. We didn’t even tell you about the Z.E.D. units - Zero Emotional Defects. Humans with cyborg implants designed by the Council to capture and torture people for information about this planet. They nearly killed us.” She was going to strangle him if he said one more word. She stepped towards him. Reaching him, she grabbed his arm tightly. “Excuse us a moment.” Devon nearly dragged him away from the group. XXXXXXXXXXXXX Once out of sight and ear shot of the Jupiter 2 camp Devon tore into Danziger. “What are you doing? I told you to be discrete. Then you tell them about penal colonists and Z.E.D.s? What is wrong with you!” Equally indignant, he responded, “Do you want these people to be picked off? Look at them – they’re not criminals. If they’d buried their daughter, she would’ve been gone for good. This is a hostile planet. They need to know what they’re facing. “Besides, they’re good people Adair. Look how trusting they are. They insisted on sharing every meal with us while we stayed with them. Can you imagine if Gaal had tried to infiltrate their camp? He would’ve had a field day. They wouldn’t have stood a chance. And there are potentially dozens of versions of him wandering about this place. “I don’t know if it’s their nature or the fact that they’re most likely from an alternative universe, but they’re practically sitting ducks. You’re the one that keeps saying that we need to stick together. That there’s safety in numbers.” Her temples were throbbing. It irritated her that he was throwing her words back at her. “How dare you undermine me. Make such a decision without consulting the group!” Her disparaging tone alone would’ve caused others to crumble. Devon Adair had finely honed that technique in board rooms on the Stations – the tone paired with the frosty intimidating glance. High powered executives had folded to her will. But not John Danziger, drone mechanic in the middle of nowhere. “Funny, I don’t recall you having the group vote on the invitation that you extended to Sheppard, your penal colonist chum,” was his cool response. Leave it to Danziger to bring that up. “And unlike your buddy Sheppard, the Robinsons actually have useful qualities.” “That was different,” she snapped, muffling a cough. She and Sheppard had shared a bond that was difficult to explain. He had dreamed to her on the Stations via the Terrians. He’d heard her cry. He was the one that planted the idea in her head that Planet G889 could heal Uly. Although he was a penal colonist, he’d reformed. Acting as leader, he’d formed a safe haven for other such men, with the caveat that violence wasn’t to be tolerated within the confines of their community. John Danziger could never see that he’d changed for the better. Unfortunately, Sheppard had been murdered by his sister before he could join Eden Advance. “How? You think your judgment is that much better than mine?” he challenged. Before she could respond, he continued. “You really think that’s what this is about? That I want to be the boss? That I want to take over as leader of this group? That I like power? Let me tell you Adair, who do you think led this sorry bunch when you were to all intents and purposes on ice? “Who do you think had to make the decision after three weeks had passed to move on? To leave you in cold storage in that ship for god only knows how long. You think that was easy? You think that it was a popular decision? How do you think I felt telling that to your kid? You think I enjoyed that? “ Towards the middle of this diatribe his voice changed. She couldn’t ignore the strain creeping into it when he spoke of leaving her in the cryo chamber on the deserted ship. “We got lucky. After a week or two on the road, Julia figured out a way to cure you so we headed back. And it worked. “Don’t kid yourself Adair, you’re not the only one who knows what the weight of responsibility feels like.” She didn’t like to think about her illness. As a woman who liked to be in control, it frightened her. She wanted to say something but her throat was so irritated it brought on more coughing. More tenderly, he added, “I don’t give a damn about being leader of this group but I will be if you keep this up. Listen to yourself. Let Julia synthesize some meds. You gotta rest up and get this under control. I can’t go through this again. Cold sleep syndrome is not something to be taken lightly. Elizabeth and Franklin died from it.” Danziger was being overly dramatic. She was not suffering from Cold Sleep Syndrome. Catching a brief glance of the concern in his eyes, she averted her gaze. “It’s getting worse, you know. You used to only cough in the mornings and evenings. Now it happens whenever you walk and when you’re upset. If you won’t do it for you, do it for Uly. You ever watch his face when you’re having these coughing attacks? Poor kid is scared half to death. Cut him a break.” Maybe he had a point there. Instead of feeling energized each day, her energy level had been steadily declining. She’d thought she could ignore it, simply overcome her symptoms by the force of her will. Danziger was right, it wasn’t working. “Warning, Warning! Aliens approaching!” the robot’s voice blared. TBC (Comment on this)
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
9:41 am	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Lost on Planet G889 Previous Chapters: Chapter 1 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1639.html Chapter 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2561.html Chapter 3 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3563.html Chapter 4 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3999.html Earth 2 Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1122.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/4272.html (Complete) Lost in Space Background information http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3051.html Photos: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3145.html The Robinsons discover that Planet G889 can be a dangerous place. Chapter 5 Wed August 10th “So…has he?” Penny asked Judy as they tended the vegetables in the hydroponic garden. Judy blushed as she yanked a weed. “He has!” Penny triumphantly yelled. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” Judy replied, her cheeks growing darker. Nervously, she looked up to make sure Don wasn’t around to over hear their conversation. “Was it on the hand or cheek?” Penny dramatically brought her palm to her mouth, mimicking the motion. Then she kept digging. “Or was it a real kiss?” If she couldn’t have a social life, at least she could live one vicariously through her sister. Judy laughed, seeing her sister’s eager face. “It’s none of your business.” “When will he be back?” “A day or so, I guess. Dad said one of their vehicles had broken down – the TransRover? So it all depends on how soon the men meet up with the main group and then how quickly Mr. Danziger is able to fix the vehicle.” “That ought to be pretty soon then. Dad was impressed by his skills.” Penny examined the color of a tomato. She debated whether to harvest it or wait another day or two. She decided to wait. “Can you imagine walking across a continent?” “No. But that’s where their colony ship will be landing - New Pacifica. They’re supposed to be setting up a fully functional hospital.” “Really? Why?” This was news to Penny. “Walman told me all about it. The colony ship has two hundred fifty families - all with Syndrome children.” Penny nodded, remembering Mr. Danziger had mentioned The Syndrome one night during dinner. Children on the Stations were failing to thrive. Their immune systems were highly impaired. Syndrome children were condemned to life in immunosuits which supported basic life functions. Most of them only lived eight or nine years. It was becoming a dire situation. News of other families arriving made Penny’s heart flutter. She couldn’t help but hope that some of those families might have healthy boys or girls that were close to her age. She’d been relatively content until her disappointing encounter with True. It had only reinforced feelings of isolation and intensified her loneliness. Uly, the only other child in Eden Advance, was even younger than True and he didn’t sound promising as a companion either. But what was the point? They’d probably lift off from this planet long before then. “How are they going to build a hospital?” Judy huffed impatiently. “The supplies were in their cargo pods – remember? The ones dumped all over the planet?” “Right. That’s rough.” Preferring a more pleasant subject, Penny prodded her sister. “What’s Walman like?” Personally she thought Don was much better looking but she wasn’t about to share that. If Judy started dating Walman, that could open interesting future possibilities for her. “Mark?” Penny grinned broader. “Oh, so it’s Mark now…” Before Judy could speak, Don stepped out of the space ship. He laid some tools down by the force field generator and began to tinker with the unit. Penny and Judy exchanged a silent glance, indicating they’d continue their conversation later. While gossiping was fun, neither girl had any desire to hurt the Major’s feelings. Dr. Smith strolled out of the space ship, approaching the girls. “Hello dear ladies. Now what have we here? Fresh tomatoes. Lettuce. And cucumbers. I sense we’ll have a veritable feast tonight. Especially without all those extra mouths to feed.” “Doctor Smith!” Penny objected. “That’s not very nice.” “It’s the truth, isn’t it? Even that scrawny little girl ate as much as a linebacker.” Don could never resist an opportunity to tease Dr. Smith. “At least they were earning their keep.” Danziger and Alonzo had been assisting them with repairs. Even True had pitched in without complaint, helping with chores. “Is the space ship ready for lift off? Has all the necessary fuel been mined?” Smith pointed out. “They’ve been trying to help. Unlike some people….” “Major, how dare you imply such a thing.” “I wasn’t trying to be subtle, Smith.” Don returned his attention to the force field generator. Dr. Smith pretended to supervise the girls in the garden, peering over the trays. He’d reach over and pop an occasional ripe vegetable into his mouth. “We’re not going to have much left for dinner tonight if you continue at this rate,” Judy warned. Nonplussed, Dr. Smith pointed to a pepper, “You missed this one, Penny.” “It’s not quite ripe.” Smith continued to hover in pseudo-supervisor mode when a motion caught his attention. “Penny dear, that creature of yours is here.” Teena approached the hydroponic garden. “She won’t hurt you Dr. Smith. Come on, Teena,” Penny called. Teena stepped closer to Dr. Smith. Stopping only a foot away, she starred at him. This unnerved him. “Stared at by rodents? I will not tolerate this treatment. It simply must stop!” The girls and Don laughed. “She’s not going to hurt you. She’s just curious,” Penny assured him. “Be gone you hairless vermin! Shoo! Go away!” His hand motions became more vigorous but the creature didn’t budge. Frustrated, he picked up a nearby rock and threw it towards her. She didn’t run but she was startled. She drew back her hand and flung something in retaliation. Dr. Smith ducked, successfully avoiding the tiny projectile. “What are you doing, you wretched creature! Shoo! Go away!” He picked up another rock but before he could throw it, Teena scampered away. “About time. Loathsome rodent.” “Judy, what is it?” Penny asked. Her sister’s expression had changed. “I feel strange,” Judy’s voice waivered. Penny gasped when she noticed a small twig-like object embedded in his sister’s neck. When Dr. Smith had ducked to avoid the flying object, it had headed straight for the girls. The coloring around the area was changing rapidly, growing darker. “Does it hurt?” Penny asked, inspecting the wound. “Not really. I just feel so odd.” “Smith, if you’re up to more of your tricks, I’m gonna wring your neck,” Don threatened, racing towards the man. “Don!” Penny screamed. Judy was collapsing. Don rushed over to catch her and transfer her safely to the ground. Hearing Penny’s shout, Maureen and John hurried over from inside the space ship, bending over the form of their eldest daughter. Don stepped aside to allow John access. “It looks like some sort of a claw,” John said. “Let’s remove it.” “I’ll get the first aid kit!” Penny raced into the space ship. Maureen grabbed Judy’s hand, “Judy.” With more urgency, she cried, “Judy? John, she’s not responding!” John bent to feel the pulse in her throat with his fingers. While the Robinsons crowded about Judy, attempting to help her, Don laid into Smith. “You couldn’t leave good enough alone. You had to antagonize Penny’s pet, didn’t you? And now Judy’s hurt because of you. You ruin everything you touch.” The Major stepped dangerously close to Dr. Smith. Taking a step back for his own welfare Dr. Smith simpered, “I didn’t do it on purpose.” “You never do. Yet you always manage to mess things up for every one else,” Don growled, tightly grabbing the doctor’s forearm. “You’re hurting my arm.” Breathless, Penny hurried back, first aid kit in hand, rushing to her father’s side. Handing the tweezers to John, he removed the object, then studied it. Maureen cried, “John, I can’t find a pulse! Her breathing is becoming shallow. We’re losing her!” That galvanized Don, who rushed back to her side. “Oh my God!” Maureen sobbed as John frantically performed CPR. XXXXXXXXX Don raised the axe above his head and lowered it with a resounding blow, slicing the timber in half. After clearing away the pieces, he positioned another section. It was hard work. His shoulders were aching. Muscles he hadn’t used in ages were screaming for relief. It was just what he needed. His anger at Smith propelled him. He couldn’t sit still. It was far easier to deal with venting his rage than the alternative. How could something like this have happened? One minute Judy and Penny had been joking around and the next... It galled him even more that it had happened right in front of him and he still hadn’t been able to protect her. The axe came down with a tremendous thud. If only… If only Smith hadn’t been there. He wouldn’t have provoked Penny’s pet and this horrible ordeal would never have occurred. If only Smith hadn’t been fiddling around with the controls, they never would’ve crash landed on this planet to begin with. Judy never would’ve met Walman. Don still would’ve felt secure in the knowledge that she had loved him. After the events of the past few days, he no longer had such a luxury. If only Smith had never been trapped on board the Jupiter 2 in the first place. After a five and a half year stasis period, they would’ve arrived just outside of the planets of the Alpha Centauri system. Colonizing a new world would’ve brought its own unique challenges but by that time other families would’ve joined them. Civilization would’ve been on its way to being re-established. He and Judy would’ve been happily married, with a baby on the way. His biggest concern would’ve been adjusting to a slower paced agrarian life style. To think that sweet, innocent Judy had always been so quick to defend that man. So quick to forgive his faults and to supply infinite second chances despite his obvious lack of real effort to reform. Like a mischievous child, he was only sorry when he got caught. Even worse than a child, Smith was old enough to know better. He set up another piece of timber, taking great satisfaction imagining the wood as Smith’s head. With a powerful blow, it split in two. He couldn’t be at the Jupiter 2 now. He didn’t trust himself. His impulse to wring Smith’s neck would overpower him. In his current frame of mind, Don wasn’t completely sure if that would be wrong. How foolish he had been. Once Alonzo had spoken with him about a VR date, Don had grown optimistic. He’d felt certain that once he readjusted his priorities that Judy would chose him over Walman. He had been neglecting her and it was time to change that. Alonzo had spent the entire evening, talking him through the VR programming. The technology was amazing and he was excited to try it out. He’d been hoping to share his plans with Judy once he’d finished some chores. Now it had all been for nothing. “I was wondering where you’d gone,” John Robinson appeared. “I couldn’t…” his voice trailed off, as he lowered his axe. What was there to say? Gesturing to the axe, John asked, “Where did you find this?” “The Eden Advance men must have left it behind by mistake. This was their campsite.” He positioned another piece of wood then raised the axe. His powerful stroke missed the block of wood, throwing him precariously off balance. John reached over to steady him. “Whoa, you’re gonna hurt yourself if you’re not careful. We can’t afford to lose anyone else.” Don went through the motion of nodding, but he didn’t care. He was already hurting more than humanly possible. He and the Robinson family had been through a lot during their three years in space. Space travel wasn’t an easy lot. They were fully aware of the risks when they volunteered for the mission. They’d dealt with limited food, hostile aliens, countless crash landings, and some how they’d managed to come through unscathed. But this time it was different. He didn’t see how life could ever resemble normal again. If only he had taken the time, just taken one moon lit walk with her. He’d seen it in her eyes, she’d been dying for him to ask her. It would’ve been his last chance to hold her, to tell her how much he cared for her. But he’d been so preoccupied by problems that he hadn’t bothered. Now he would never have that opportunity again. He would never know if Judy truly had understood how much he loved her. Putting the axe aside he claimed, “It’s all Smith’s fault. He messes up everything he touches.” “We can’t blame all our problems on Doctor Smith.” More animated, Don raged, “How can you say that? He’s sabotaged the ship – multiple times. We would’ve been safely on our way to Alpha Centauri if it hadn’t been for him. We would’ve been setting up our own colony by now.” Don couldn’t understand John’s reserve. The man cherished his daughter, yet his stoic demeanor might suggest otherwise. Perhaps he was still in shock, not fully comprehending that he would never speak with his eldest daughter again. Then again, John always had a better handle on his emotions than Don did. “What’s wrong with you, John? His actions got Judy killed. Don’t you want to wring his miserable neck? Make him pay for what he did.” “It won’t bring her back.” “How can you let him do this? Isn’t it bad enough that he’s caused crash after crash? That he’s continually abandoned us in our time of need? How can you let him get away with this?” Don was ashamed that his anger was giving way to sorrow. John’s voice remained level. “It won’t change things. He’s hurting too.” “I’ll bet,” Don muttered under his breath. “We need to discuss…arrangements.” Arrangements? That sounded so final. Don just stared at him. “No, I ... Not now. Leave me alone.” “Perhaps we should contact Eden Advance. Let them know about a potentially dangerous animal.” Don stared at him wondering how he could be thinking about others at a time like this. “Alonzo left me a gear set –that’s their communication device. It’s in my cabin. Help yourself.” Stepping closer towards Don, he said, “Come back with me. You’re an important part of our family too. We’re all grieving. We need to be together.” Don was touched but he couldn’t. “Not now. If I see Smith…I..I just don’t trust myself.” “Come back soon. Remember, Danziger warned us it wasn’t safe here.” The Stations government had secretly tested out planet G889’s habitability sending boatloads of penal colonist and other political prisoners as test subjects. So far the Robinsons hadn’t had such a run in but Eden Advance had not been as fortunate. John tentatively patted Don on the shoulder. “Come back soon. We need you.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Penny’s eyes were red and badly swollen. She lay on her side on her bunk, her mother perched beside her. “I…I can’t believe this happened.” Maureen’s features were drawn yet she managed to access a reserve of strength for her remaining daughter. “I know.” Penny sat up. “It’s my fault,” she sniffed. “Don’t be silly. How can that be?” She took a breath, “I was jealous. Judy’s always had Don. And then Walman and Alonzo were interested in her too. I don’t have any one.” “Hush now. You’re too young to be concerned about such things.” “No Mom, I’m not. I’m almost fifteen years old!” Maureen wisely pointed out, “You and True didn’t hit it off.” She sadly shook her head. Maybe she’d never make a real friend again. Maureen pulled her into a hug. “We worried about this. The possibility that you and Will would be isolated from other children your age. We hoped for the best. That others would arrive soon enough, before you and Will were old enough to realize what you were missing. Perhaps we were wrong.” “Oh Mom,” Penny tilted her head to meet her mother’s gaze. “You did the best you could. We wanted to come along.” Maureen pulled back, remembering Judy. “This mission certainly wasn’t her idea. But she grew to want it as much as we did. At least, I thought she did. If she had stayed behind on Earth, she would’ve been lost to us - forever.” She took a breath and continued, “Yet, if she had insisted on staying, we would’ve allowed her to do so. It would’ve broken our hearts but we would’ve allowed it. “If she had stayed on Earth, at least we could’ve contented ourselves with the knowledge that she could’ve been happy. Married with children or successful with her acting career. Maybe she could’ve been a star on Broadway.” “You know Judy wanted to be with us. She had no regrets,” Penny assured her. “It’s still my fault she’s…gone.” Her voice broke. “Penny, it’s perfectly natural to feel that way. But you didn’t intentionally hurt your sister. You didn’t know the creature was dangerous.” She hated to say it, dreading the disappointment that would fill mother’s voice. But if she didn’t tell, she couldn’t live with herself. Guilt was eating her up. “But Mother…I did.” Maureen’s eyes widened. Face flushed, she confessed, “True told me Teena was dangerous when I first met her yesterday. I didn’t believe her. She’d been so nasty, I thought she was still being mean.” “Penny,” Maureen said, with some alarm. “She said Teena was a… Koba and she insisted she was dangerous. And I…and I…” She began sobbing incoherently against her mother’s chest. “There, there now.” Maureen patted her back. “It was foolish not to take True’s warning seriously. But Penny, you didn’t mean for this to happen. You didn’t know. You would never purposely harm your sister.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Will was in the lab on the lower deck of the Jupiter 2, attempting to repair a damaged laser pistol. Some parts were strewn in front of him on the bench. Usually he had an inherent grasp of technology; he could take apart the laser pistols and reassemble them with ease. He’d repaired the Robot many a time when Dad and Don had been ready to give up. Today, however, his heart wasn’t into his work. He couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened. Once they’d realized that Judy was dead, the camp had become strangely quiet. Don had immediately stormed out into the wilderness and Dr. Smith had sequestered himself in his quarters. After relaying the news to him, even his mom and dad had disappeared for some privacy, which had suited Will fine. Wiping a stray tear from his cheek, he hadn’t wanted an audience. The Robot approached, sobbing. “Boo hoo!” “Not you too, Robot. It’s hard enough…” “I will miss Judy,” he rotated one hundred eighty degrees and issued a loud trumpeting sound as if he was blowing his nose. Turning back he said, “I…can’t believe this happened.” “I can’t either.” Will put aside the parts of the laser pistol, focusing his attention on the Robot. “I should’ve been able to detect that the creature was dangerous. I should’ve been able to protect her.” “Don’t blame yourself Robot. You’ve been spending a lot of time helping me with our project. You didn’t know.” Speaking of blame, he hadn’t heard from Dr. Smith in hours. Preoccupied with their grief, lunch and now dinner hadn’t been prepared or served - without a single complaint from the good doctor. Will grew concerned. “We’d better go check on Doctor Smith.” He and the Robot walked over to his cabin. He rapped lightly on the accordion folded door. “Doctor Smith?” There was no answer. “Doctor Smith? Are you okay?” He tried the door to discover it wasn’t latched. When he entered, Dr. Smith was sitting on his bunk. “Are you here to yell at me?” he mumbled distantly. Will pulled up a chair beside the bunk. “No.” Sadly Dr. Smith turned to face him, explaining, “William, I’d give anything to make this go away. Such an awful thing…” The Robot sobbed. “Poor Judy.” “I deserve any punishment your family gives me. The thought that your sister is no longer with us is almost too painful to bear.” The Robot sobbed louder. “Get out you blubbering buffoon!” “So much for buddies sticking together in their time of need.” The Robot rotated and heaved a deep sigh. “I will pick some wild flowers for her.” He left the cabin. “One more outburst and I would’ve had to yank out his power pack.” Turning to Will he said, “I’m sorry. So dreadfully, horribly sorry. Do you think I should tell your family? Do you think they can ever forgive me?” He was genuinely contrite. But the boy couldn’t face that now. He was struggling to remain calm himself. “Yeah. You didn’t do it on purpose. But not now.” To think that earlier that day, he and the Robot had been so deeply engrossed with studying the orange rocks. They’d been close to cracking the flashing light code – the language of Lunite. Now that hardly seemed to matter. “Where’s the Major?” Dr. Smith asked, a quiver of fear in his voice. “I don’t know. Don’t worry, Dad won’t let him hurt you.” John Robinson stuck his head into the room. Dr. Smith cringed, expecting to be yelled at. “Son, do you know how to use this?” He showed him a headset. “Isn’t that one of Eden Advance’s gear sets?” “Yes. Alonzo left it with Don. Can you figure it out?” Will was about to question the timing of his father’s request yet the man’s determined gaze made him reconsider. His father was grieving too. He wouldn’t have asked him to do this now if he didn’t have a solid reason. “Alonzo spent a lot of time talking about it with Don. He’d know better than me,” Will suggested, uncertain that he could figure it out, given his current mindset. His father insisted, “Don’s not in any condition to do this. I want to make sure Eden Advance is aware that this danger exists.” “Professor Robinson…” Dr. Smith half pleaded. “Later, Doctor Smith.” John Robinson firmly replied, avoiding eye contact with the man. He and Will left the cabin, gear in hand. They sat at the galley table. Will assumed his father was angry with Dr. Smith and was prepared to defend him. “He didn’t do it on purpose-“ “Not now,” John Robinson’s iron clad self-control was starting to crack. “Please son, just…help me do this.” Even though he was exhausted, Will gave it his best effort. Fortunately, it was pretty straight forward. After several minutes of investigation, he thought he’d figured it out. “Let’s try it. Do you want to talk with them Dad? “Son, can you do it?” “Sure.” With more confidence than he felt, he flipped the eye piece to the front and spoke into the head set, “Jupiter 2 calling Eden Advance. Jupiter 2 calling Eden Advance. Do you read me?” The image of a black man wearing a dirty cloth turban appeared. “This is Baines, Eden Advance. Identify yourself.” Will was thrown off, not recognizing the man. “It’s…Will Robinson. Can I speak with Mr. Danziger?” The man seemed surprised by his request. “Robinson? I’ll find him.” Several minutes later, the familiar image of the curly haired blonde mechanic appeared. “This is Danziger.” Immediately noting Will’s strained expression, he became alarmed. “What’s wrong?” He wanted to follow his father’s instructions and relay the message that there was a dangerous creature. But all that came out was, “Judy…Judy’s dead.” He swallowed hard to quell the tears that threatened to erupt. “What? What happened?” “Penny’s new pet threw some sort of claw at her.” “Pet? What pet?” “It was about two feet tall with a big head. Walked on two legs. Brownish color.” “Did it touch your sister with its claws?” he asked urgently. All Will could do was nod as hot tears started to seep against his will. Half panicked, the mechanic asked, “You didn’t bury her – did you?” Will shook his head. “Thank God! She’s going to be okay Will.” “I don’t…understand.” The man wasn’t making any sense. Will had seen his sister. Her body was cold. “If she was bitten by a Koba, she’s gonna be okay. Don’t do anything! We’ll be there tomorrow.” TBC (Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
11:16 am	Earth 2 photos - Complete; Lost on Planet G889 backrow: John Danziger, Devon Adair, Alonzo Solace, Dr. Julia Heller, Yale front row: True Danziger, Uly Adair, Bess Martin, Morgan Martin More Eden Advance members: Walman, Baines, Cameron, Magus, Mazatl, Denner front: Eben Morgan and Bess Martin at their VR wedding receptions. Julia Heller and Alonzo Solace Devon Adair and John Danziger Yale, Devon Adair and Uly Adair Dr. Julia Heller Devon Adair Morgan and Bess Martin Alonzo Solace John Danziger Zero Terrians Koba (Penny's pet) Some photos taken with permission from http://www.earth2.sarahcutter.com/ (Comment on this)
11:07 am	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 4 True Danziger meets Penny Robinson. And Don gets advice about his love life from an unexpected person. Photos for Chapter 4: http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3837.html Previsous Chapters: Chapter 1 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1639.html Chapter 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2561.html Chapter 3 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3563.html Background information about both shows are posted on my LJ. Chapter 4 (True Danziger) I was excited when Alonzo told us about the family they’d met. Finally something different and interesting was happening that wasn’t terrifying or life-threatening. Meeting another girl close to my age seemed too good to be true! Uly was okay but he could act like a whiney brat, always insisting on having his way. If I heard him bragging one more time about how he was part Terrian- I was gonna slug him. Maybe this new girl would want to ride horses in the VR sim game instead of the same old boring sheriff game Uly liked. Or we could make up some entirely new games and not include Uly at all! When Alonzo announced he was taking the ATV back to the Robinsons to help out Dad and Walman, I had to tag along. Day 252 After hurling herself at her father in an overly enthusiastic hug, he’d sent her towards the pond so she could wash up before meeting the Robinsons. She ran most of the way, looking forward to cooling off. When she caught sight of a girl, seated on a fallen log by the stream, despite her eagerness to make a new friend, True spoke without thinking. After all, she was her father’s daughter. “What are you wearing?” True was horrified by the girl’s vibrant pink and green jumper with mid-thigh hemline, paired with shiny green boots. “What’s wrong with my clothes?” The girl wrinkled her nose, obviously not impressed by True’s dirty boyish overalls that hung on her slight frame. True stepped closer. “How can you get any work done? Don’t you have to worry about getting dirty?” “Of course not. We have a clothes washer. I think you’re jealous that I look nicer than you.” “So what,” True hotly contested. The girl had hit a nerve. Alonzo had regaled the camp with tales about Judy’s beauty and Walman’s subsequent infatuation. He joked that he was returning to coach him. Of course, this must be her sister, Penny, who turned out to be equally glamorous. At least five inches taller, her figure featured fledgling womanly curves, while True’s body remained slim and boyish. Even Penny’s short dark hair shone, curling under perfectly, while True continually pushed her long tangled mass away from her face. She stopped about three feet from the girl. “I’m True. True Danziger.” “Penny Robinson.” Neither girl moved closer to the other. “I know.” Before her disappointment could fully sink in, True’s eyes lit up when she caught sight of the pond. She rushed over, tearing off her shoes and socks to submerge her feet. “That feels wonderful.” Making an effort, Penny walked over and sat on the ground beside her. “So, you’re a colonist? Part of…” she searched her memory. “Eden Advance?” “Not really. My Dad and I weren’t even supposed to leave the ship. Drop cargo and return to…” She cut herself short, remembering Devon’s dire warnings not to divulge too much information. “Home.” “I didn’t realize that. Do you miss it?” “Not really.” Despite the dangers, Planet G889 had possibilities. Her dad claimed rising above drone status, a feat nearly impossible on the Stations, was a viable option here – whatever that meant. Ultimately, it didn’t really matter to her. As long as she was with her dad, she’d be happy. True eased her legs deeper into the water, not caring that her pants legs were getting soaked. She cupped her hands to trickle cool water down her face. Then she remembered Devon had urged her to get as much information as possible about the family. “You gonna stick around here?” she asked Penny. “I don’t think so. As soon as Dad and Don fix the ship and refine enough fuel, we’re bound for Alpha Centauri.” True suppressed a smirk. Despite the fact she’d never had any formal schooling until recently, even she was fully aware that, other than Planet G889, there were no other habitable planets in their galaxy. Humoring the girl, she asked, “Is a colony ship meeting you there?” “I think so. We were the first space family. Dozens of others were supposed to follow us to help colonize Alpha Centauri.” True’s brow furrowed. “Then why wouldn’t they be sending more ships?” “Alpha Control was having problems. Other countries didn’t like what they were trying to accomplish. The first mission, the Jupiter 1, was destroyed by a bomb at lift off. We ran into problems too. I honestly don’t know if Alpha Control knows that we’re still alive.” True opened her mouth to exclaim that their ship had been sabotaged as well, but she closed it quickly. Too much information. “What was wrong with your old planet?” “It was getting overcrowded. Too many people,” Penny explained. “What about pollution?” The Earth that the Stations orbited was in poor shape, stripped of most of its resources. The atmosphere was choked with pollutants. It was nearly impossible to grow crops due to high temperatures and the lack of nutrients in the soil. “That wasn’t as much of an issue. Though I’m sure it would’ve eventually been, with so many people.” A rustle in the bushes attracted the girls’ attention. “There you are, Teena.” Penny reached out for the small brown creature who rushed into her arms. True tensed. “Don’t you know what that is? It’s a Koba. They’re dangerous!” She’d made that mistake one too many times when they’d first crashed onto the planet. “Says who? I’ve been watching it for days and it’s perfectly tame.” “You’ve gotta get rid it of it!” Penny didn’t know what she was dealing with. Penny rose. “You hateful little girl. I’ll do no such thing.” “They’re dangerous!” “I think you’re horrid!” Penny picked up the Koba and left. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX “Excuse me?” Danziger spoke with Devon Adair over his gear. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Her image responded, “Maybe…maybe we shouldn’t get involved with the Robinsons. Like you said, they don’t appear to be a threat to us and they’re fairing better than we are. They still have their ship and most of their technical equipment. Instead of helping them, it would be wiser for you and Walman to continue scouting ahead for a pass.” She covered her mouth, muffling a cough. “You sure about that Adair? Don’t you want to know what’s going on? Where did they come from? Why are they here? In their eyes, if they don’t fix their navigational system, they’re never gonna be able to lift off.” Impatiently, she responded, “How can you help them? Didn’t you say it was different technology than ours? Besides, where are they going to go? This is the only habitable planet in the universe. You’ve already been there almost five days. You’re wasting time.” It wasn’t like Devon to avoid looking him in the eye, even over gear. “What gives Adair? This isn’t like you.” Danziger had a strong self preservation streak. After the stories he’d heard a few nights ago while seated around the Robinson’s dinner table describing giant flowers that replicated people, intergalactic department stores, and giant walking, talking carrots, normally he’d consider them nut cases and steer clear. He’d thought the kids were pulling his leg until he realized that John Robinson was completely serious. Despite this, he genuinely liked the Robinsons. In some ways they struck him as naïve and strangely vulnerable. He wanted to help them. Usually Adair would’ve been the first to offer such assistance. Somewhat softer, she answered, “The Terrians are upset.” “How do you know this?” Reluctantly, she said, “Uly had a dream.” “Uly? Not Alonzo?” Typically Alonzo was their contact person. While Uly had been cured by the Terrians and retained some alien traits in the process, they’d never spoken to the group through him. “That’s right.” “Did they say they were upset with the Robinsons or to avoid them?” Eyes downcast, she answered, “No. But I don’t want to jeopardize our relationship.” Same old garbage he’d heard many times before. He exhaled with disgust, “It’s not much of a relationship Adair, if we can’t even figure out what the hell they’re talking about. I’m not leaving these people stranded here. Their ship is damaged and they need our help. “Besides, you’re missing the point. As I work with them, I’m learning more about them. Isn’t that what’s most important to our group? Figuring out what’s going on?” Sensing she was fighting a losing battle, she changed the subject, “Alonzo and True arrive okay?” She started coughing. “Yeah.” He wasn’t sure why she sent them, especially after complaining about him wasting time, but it was always good to see True. “Find out any new information?” “I have a better handle on what we might be dealing with. You’re not gonna believe their lift off date. October 16, 1997.” Her eyes widened. “That would explain part of it. But it still doesn’t account for those wild stories about aliens.” A fit of deep coughing interrupted her. “Adair, you shouldn’t be walking. Listen to yourself. Ride in the TransRover. There’s room. Morgan can walk.” “Quit treating me like I’m some sort of child. I’m fine,” she snapped. “Yeah. Whatever.” He didn’t know why he bothered, she never listened. “We’ll catch up with you in a day or so.” xxxxxxxxxxxxx Alonzo hovered about Don, John, and Danziger as they puzzled over the guts of the Jupiter’s navigational system. He was doing his best to help but flying space ships was his forte not building them. He was surprised that Don, their pilot, and John were so knowledgeable about the workings of their ship. He was also amazed to discover that Don was a decent guy when he wasn’t fuming over Walman’s attention to Judy. Devon had insisted that he return to assist Danziger with the Robinsons. She didn’t come out and say it, but she was concerned about Danziger’s lack of tact. Alonzo would’ve preferred to have stayed behind with his girlfriend, Julia, and travel with the rest of Eden Advance. Yet, like Danziger, he too was drawn to the Robinsons and curious about their situation. Besides, Walman wasn’t being overly helpful, following Judy whenever an opportunity presented itself. After a few hours of tinkering, Alonzo was feeling restless, so he stepped outside the ship for some fresh air. Walman and Judy were chatting as they weeded the garden which was suspended in trays – similar to Station horticulture. A moment later, Don walked outside as well. His expression soured upon seeing the couple and he stormed off, away from the ship. Alonzo decided to follow him. As much as he liked Walman, he was feeling a little sorry for the young pilot. Immediately catching on to his presence after they’d left the proximity of the ship, Don whirled about. “What do you want?” “Nothing. Just getting some air, like you. You know, I came back to help out Walman,” he teased, “but it’s not exactly a level playing field.” “What exactly is that supposed to mean?” Hostility filled Don’s voice. Alonzo prided himself on his people skills. He had a good grasp of this situation. “Only that there seems to be some history between you and Judy. Maybe you two need to talk.” “Yeah? Punching Walman in the nose would work better,” Don muttered. Alonzo couldn’t help but grin. “That might make you feel better but I don’t think Judy would be impressed.” “You may have a point,” Don reluctantly conceded. “Have you have taken her for a moon lit walk and told her how beautiful she is?” Alonzo prompted. “Are you kidding? With the crash and repairs plus trying to refine fuel? I don’t have time for that stuff.” “And you’re wondering why she’s attracted to Walman? Women need to be showered with attention. You’ve got to show her you think she’s special.” A former lady’s man, Alonzo knew what he was talking about. “There’s no time.” A hint of sadness was in his voice. “There’s always time to make your life better. We’ve been trekking across this planet for months under far more primitive conditions than yours and people have managed to get together. Well….except for the stubborn ones. Instead of freezing my ass off this winter, I had a wonderful woman to keep me warm.” And what a woman she was. Alonzo always had been attracted to beauty, and Julia ranked highly in that category with her slim athletic physique, shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes. Yet he’d soon learned that young Dr. Heller’s beauty was more than skin deep. When his leg had broken during their crash landing, she’d tirelessly worked with him, trying combination after combination of medicines and therapies to help him heal. She didn’t fall for his lines – the ones that other women had so eagerly devoured. She expected, no, she demanded more. They balanced each other nicely – him with his zest for life and her with her cautious bent. Although he’d never been one for making long range plans, Alonzo had mentally shifted his alliance to that of colonist bound to settle on G889, with Julia by his side. “You’re not traveling with your girl friend’s parents in the next room.” “True” Alonzo conceded, somewhat surprised by the admission. “But if you want her, you can’t take her for granted anymore. Walman is my buddy and I want the best for him, but your heart is into this more than his. I’d hate to see you lose her because you’re being stubborn.” “Who are you calling stubborn?” Alonzo stared at him. “But…what can I do? It’s not like I can take her out to dinner or buy her flowers or jewelry. We’re in the middle of nowhere. I don’t know the rules anymore.” “You have options. What about a VR date?” “VR?” “Virtual reality.” Seeing the other man had no clue as to what he was discussing, Alonzo grinned and patted him on the shoulder. “It’ll open a whole new world of possibilities.” “But why? Why would you want to do this?” Don asked with suspicion. Alonzo shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve made mistakes with women. Believe me, I’m older than I look. I’ve played the field. I was damn good at it too. Thought I was living the big life. But I’m finally with the right woman and I’m happy. Really happy. I’d hate to see you throw that chance away.” XXXXXXXXXXX It was dark by the time Danziger and True reached their camp. The Dune Rail sat by two tents, clustered about a fire pit, though it hadn’t been used for cooking. The Robinsons had been spoiling them, insisting upon sharing every meal. Alonzo and Walman had hung around with the Robinsons at the Jupiter 2 to chat after dinner while True and Danziger had headed back to their tents. “What gives True? You didn’t even try to talk to the Robinsons.” She shrugged, not wanting to get into it. She feigned a yawn, hoping she could duck into the tent for the night and avoid her father’s questions. His glare convinced her otherwise. She sank down on the ground beside him while he started a camp fire. “I don’t know. They’re…..” carefully gauging her father’s reaction, not wanting to hurt his feeling. She didn’t understand why he liked those people so much. “Weird.” “You know better than to judge people by their appearance,” he scolded. How could she explain that there was more to it. It went far deeper than the odd clothing. Their strange saucer shaped ship, their unusual gadgets all felt so alien to her. She’d felt more at home in Sheppard’s cave filled with convicted criminals. “You didn’t even try to talk to Penny,” he chided her. “She didn’t either,” True retorted in her defense. She was a little ashamed of her behavior earlier that day with Penny. Her embarrassment was too fresh to try again this soon. “I don’t understand. This isn’t like you. I thought you’d be happy to meet new kids.” “I know.” Trying to shift the focus away from herself, for she had no desire to share the details of their meeting, she added, “Will didn’t say one word to me either.” “He’s a thirteen year old boy. No boy that age is comfortable talking with girls. Add to that that he’s spent the last three years with his sisters, his parents, an old guy and a robot for pals? Give him some time, he’s good kid.” His affectionate tone alarmed her. It was bad enough she’d been forced to share her father with Uly since they’d crash landed on G889. Since Uly had the Syndrome, her father had immediately taken pity upon him and gone out of his way to help him. Later, during the weeks that Devon had been suspended in cold sleep on the grounded Council ship, he’d practically acted as if he was Uly’s father. She’d resented it. True hadn’t dwelled on the notion that the boy’s mother was seriously ill. She’d only wanted her dad for herself. Ever since Devon’s collapse, her father had seemed different. Perhaps stepping in as group leader at that time had been challenging for him. Once or twice he’d commented to her that he didn’t know what he was doing but she’d thought he’d done a great job. Those evenings when he said goodnight to her, he’d seemed preoccupied. It had scared her that she couldn’t seem to reach him. Once Devon had been cured, she’d hoped that he would be more like himself. That hadn’t been the case. Even now his attention was meandering as he stared towards the fledgling fire. She was already losing him. First she had to share him with Uly, and then Eden Advance. And now he expected her to share him with these Robinsons too? She didn’t want to like them. She wasn’t going to share her dad with anyone else. It was too much! XXXXXXXXXXXXX Having successfully given Don love life advice, Alonzo was feeling cocky as he approached Danziger perched by their campfire at the Dune Rail later that evening. Although hours had passed since he’d left the Jupiter 2, the tall mechanic was planted by their meager campfire, still staring into the dying embers. Brooding. He’d vehemently disagree but that’s what he was doing. It was the same thing he’d done for nights on end, even when they’d been with Eden Advance. It had started when Devon became ill and had to be placed into the cold sleep chamber. “Have you told her how you feel?” Alonzo asked. Startled, Danziger looked up. “What? What are you talking about?” Talk about being stubborn. Even though he’d nearly lost Devon to her mysterious illness, he was still deluding himself, pretending he didn’t care as much as he did. “It might ease the tension. Help you sleep better at night.” “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Alonzo merely chuckled as he ducked into his tent. “Good night.” TBC (Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
10:39 pm	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 4 photos True Danziger Backrow: John Danziger, Devon Adair, Alonzo Solace, Dr. Julia Heller, Yale front row: True Danziger, Uly Adair Bess Martin, Morgan Martin Penny's pet aka a Koba Some photos taken with permission from http://www.earth2.sarahcutter.com/ (Comment on this)
11:41 am	Lost on Planet G889 Chapter 3 I've provided background info and photos for Lost in Space as well as Earth 2. http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3051.html and http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/3145.html Chapter 1 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/1639.html Chapter 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2561.html Chapter 3 Tuesday August 2nd “What about the Keeper?” Penny excitedly reminded Will. The Robinson family, along with Don, Dr. Smith and their four guests, remained seated about their outdoor dining table, even though the meal had been finished more than an hour ago. “Who could forget him? He had this amazing collection of exotic animals. They were really neat! But he wanted to add Penny and I to his collection. He had this staff which some how hypnotically drew us to him. It worked on Dr. Smith too,” Will smirked at that memory. “It most certainly did not.” Dr. Smith tried to flatly deny it but the Robinson’s good natured chuckles, along with the Robot’s loud guffaw, indicated that he wasn’t fooling anyone. Trying to shift the focus of the conversation he mentioned, “What about that unusual fellow, Mr. Zumdish?” “The Celestial Department Store,” John Robinson rolled his eyes. He explained to the men, “Doctor Smith accidently ordered an android from a remote unit. He couldn’t pay for her, so Zumdish and his goons came to collect. That was an interesting experience.” John Robinson studied their guests seated around the table. They’d been friendly and talkative until the conversation had turned to describing their alien encounters while traveling in outer space. Suddenly, they were reserved, making few comments. The thin man called Morgan Martin, who sported a long dark pony tail, deliberately hid his expressions, often covering his mouth with his palm. “So most of the aliens you’ve run into on your travels have been human?” The tall curly headed blonde named Danziger asked. “Humanoid,” the Robot corrected. “Resembling humans, but anatomically not the same.” “That’s right, “John Robinson agreed. “Though, we’ve encountered plenty of other types of life forms as well.” “Like those creatures in the colony ship when the Jupiter first went out of control right after we launched,” Will eagerly volunteered. “Good heavens, those slimy bubble-like things? Must we go on about them?” Dr. Smith objected, making a face. Perking up for the first time that evening, Don teased, “As I recall Dr. Smith, their Galaxy Tribunal of Justice almost locked you away in intergalactic prison.” The Major had spent most of the evening sulking while Judy had been showered with attention from Walman and Alonzo, who flanked her at the table. “Must you remind me.” “What about the alien from the beauty contest? He was made of fire and the planet he came from had a methane atmosphere,” Penny explained. “Beauty contest?” Alonzo perked up, turning to Judy. “Is there something you haven’t told us?” Walman added. Her blush deepening, Judy protested, “It wasn’t much, really.” “I don’t know, being declared “Miss Galaxy” seemed like an honor to me.” Penny added. “You looked so beautiful in that dress with your hair arranged all fancy.” “You won, of course,” Walman stated. “But the winner had to go away with the flame alien and live on his planet. Judy couldn’t survive there but they didn’t seem to care about that. Don saved her before they could take her away,” Penny relayed with pride. “Come now,” John Robinson prompted, curiosity getting the better of him, “You’ve been listening to our stories for a while now. You must have similar adventures to share. You’re space travelers too.” Earlier during their meal, the men had shared that Alonzo was a pilot and Danziger and Walman had done Ops work on space ships. He noticed the men looking cautiously towards Danziger, whom he suspected was their leader. John Robinson believed that they were concealing something but he wasn’t sure what. Or why. The Robot had privately confirmed they were fully human, so he wasn’t concerned in that respect. Perhaps they’d had some rough experiences which were difficult to talk about. Earlier John Danziger had spoken of his daughter True, who was near Penny’s age, yet he hadn’t mentioned his wife. If she had been killed during such an encounter, it might account for their reticence. After a moment, Danziger responded, “Most of our ‘alien’ encounters have been with the beings on this planet.” “Like Grendlers,” Morgan spoke with disgust. Walman directed his comments to Judy, “Huge, hulking, mangy creatures. Drooling constantly. They’ll steal anything they can get their hands on. Be careful with your drilling gear. They’re strong and they’ll walk right off with it.” “They looted our cargo pods,” Alonzo added. “Even took a VTO aircraft. That’s why we’re stuck essentially walking across this continent to reach the rendezvous point in New Pacifica.” “And then there’s the Terrians,” Morgan reminded them. “Those Diggers,” Walman said derisively, shaking his head. “Have you had unpleasant interactions with them?” John Robinson asked. Morgan answered, “It’s hard to explain. We just don’t speak the same language.” “Now that’s interesting,” Maureen Robinson, the red haired matriarch said. “During most of our encounters with aliens, we’ve found that the concepts of family and love are universal.” Morgan sputtered, laughing, “Well…not necessarily for the Terrians.” “What are these Terrians like?” Will asked rather intently. He wondered if those were the beings he and Dr. Smith had a run in with earlier in the cave. The men looked towards Alonzo. He grinned, “I’m sort of the resident expert.” “He’s the only one who can talk to the Diggers. He does it in his dreams,” Walman explained. “How unusual,” commented John Robinson. “What are they like?” Penny asked. “I guess you could say they were humanoid – in some manners resembling humans in form but definitely not human otherwise. They have some sort of bond with this planet. They can easily travel through the ground. If the ground is damaged, it hurts the Terrians as well,” Alonzo explained. Will wondered. “Are they friendly?” “They can be. They’ve helped us out. They healed a young boy in our group. I told you earlier that many children at the Stations have been afflicted with a disease called The Syndrome. We still don’t understand how or why the Terrians did it. But it’s easy to cross them without even realizing you’ve done it. Be careful if you come across them,” Danziger advised. John Robinson rose. “It’s getting late, but would you like a tour of our ship, the Jupiter 2?” “Sure,” Danziger enthusiastically responded, standing up as well. As others began to rise, Walman boldly asked Judy, “Perhaps you’d like to go for a walk?” After a brief hesitation, Judy answered, “I’d love to.” “John, you’re not gonna let Judy just walk off with this guy? We barely know him,” Don objected. “Don!” Judy warned, embarrassed by his behavior. John Robinson was fully aware of the rising tension in the young pilot. As much as he liked Don and considered him part of the family, it wasn’t his place to dictate the terms of the relationship between Don and his daughter. He hated to see her hurt Don in this fashion. However, as hard as it was for him to admit, Judy was an adult now and needed to be treated as such. “It’s her decision.” Putting her hand about Walman’s proffered arm, she walked off without a backward glance. XXXXXXXXXXX Don hung back by the viewport, under the pretense of examining a blinking console as John showed Danziger and Alonzo about the main deck of the Jupiter 2. It irked him that John was so trusting. Inviting complete strangers to dinner? How did he know these men wouldn’t try to steal the Chariot or their space ship in the dead of night? From their ragged appearance, it was apparent these men had been living under rather primitive conditions. His resentment simmered as he wondered how Judy could’ve run off so eagerly with Walman. Hadn’t the past three years meant anything to her? Once again, Smith’s meddling had brought them nothing but trouble. John Robinson gestured to various panels and then led the men to the central astrogator, a large circular instrument residing in the center of the deck. A clear dome covered the unit. In many ways, it resembled a sun dial. “You mentioned you had some expertise in mechanics. Perhaps you can take a look at our astrogator. Doctor Smith damaged the controls, resulting in our crash.” Damaged? That was a gross understatement. Unbidden, the memory returned to Don. Smith was holding the control lever for the astrogator hostage as he tried to blackmail them into changing their coordinates to those for Earth. Of course, no one, not even the Robot, could substantiate his bearings, and even if they had been valid, the Jupiter lacked sufficient fuel for such a course change. But common sense had never been one of Smith’s strong suites. After Smith refused to listen to reason, John called his bluff, thinking the man wouldn’t be foolish enough to endanger their lives. Naturally, expecting the good doctor to act rationally was equally foolhardy. He did the unthinkable, mangling the controls and in the process sending them into a massive hyper drive. They were lucky they hadn’t been killed. With a puzzled expression, Danziger examined the unit. “I’d…have to play around with it.” “Of course. Maybe we can check it out in the morning. We’d appreciate any assistance you could provide. Usually Don and I do a pretty good job figuring things out, but we’ve been stumped by this.” “Smith really did it this time,” Don mumbled, his anger starting to choke him. He and John had tried everything, without success. Even if they were able to obtain sufficient quantities of deutronium fuel, without a functional navigation system, they would be permanently grounded. The eternal optimist, John had withheld this information from the family, hopeful that he and Don would eventually figure things out. He didn’t want to worry them. However, it was enough to keep Don awake nights. “Your Doctor Smith sounds a little like our Morgan Martin,” Danziger commented. Morgan was conveniently below deck with Maureen and Penny while Will, Smith and the Robot had disappeared outside, claiming some project that needed attention. “What’s this?” Alonzo gestured to an analog display on an instrument panel. “Our atomic clock. It was also damaged in the crash. Can you believe it says the current year is 2214?” John laughed. Their visitors didn’t seem to think it was funny. The elevator connecting the two decks arrived with Morgan, Maureen and Penny. Morgan stepped out. “They have a fully functioning galley. And a bathroom with a sonic shower.” Barely concealed envy filled his voice. He even sounded a little like Smith. “Well, certainly. Don’t you?” John Robinson asked. Danziger reminded him. “Like we said, our ship was damaged. There was a problem with the cargo release circuit. We barely made it out alive in the escape pods. We’re still finding our jettisoned cargo containers strewn across the continent. We’ve managed to recover a few vehicles but for the most part, we walk.” “Do you have far to go?” Wearily, Danziger nodded. Morgan turned sad eyes towards Mrs. Robinson but Danziger interrupted. “No! You are not imposing yourself on these people. Don’t even ask.” Despite his foul mood, Don grinned. If only Smith were that easy to control. “But, we certainly wouldn’t mind.” Kind hearted Maureen took pity on the man. Danziger’s tone dramatically changed as he turned toward Mrs. Robinson. “Thank you but it’s not necessary. You’ve already done more than enough sharing dinner with us and we appreciate that. We’ve imposed enough. We need to check on the Dune Rail anyway.” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Judy hadn’t felt this alive for a long time. After the tedium of repairs and monotonous daily chores, meeting new people was always a welcome change. And to have not one but two handsome men flirting with her? It was better than she could’ve dreamed. The attention made her feel pretty. Special. Desirable. She hadn’t felt that way for months. The sensation was so intoxicating she could almost ignore her poor behavior with respect to Don. “Are you cold?” Walman asked. “No, I’m fine. It’s such a beautiful night,” Judy answered. The two had walked along the valley and found some rocks to sit on while they watched the stars. It wasn’t as if she and Don hadn’t done this hundreds of times before. On Priplanus, they’d even worn a groove in the rocks from sitting in the same positions for so many nights. Yet, for the first time in weeks, she was with a desirable man in the moonlight and his attention was fully focused on her rather than obsessing about problems. Of the two men, clearly Alonzo was more comfortable around women. His compliments flowed easily while Walman stumbled while making conversation. It was also a little difficult to find common grounds, given they’d come from such divergent places. That didn’t bother her. In fact, it made him more appealing. She enjoyed the special effort Walman made to please her. It was sweet. “How do you like Planet G889?” She laughed, “Not a very imaginative name- is it? I like it. It reminds me of Earth. What about you?” “It’s okay. I’m used to the Stations or space ships. You know - climate control, bland but relatively constant supply of food and water. It can be a pain dealing with some of the day to day survival issues here. The summer heat. The snow in winter. Having to buddle up every day was a pain in...” He cut off his sentence, remembering he was with a lady. “Weren’t you expecting that?” Walman reminded her, “I wasn’t supposed to land on this planet. I was part of the Ops crew. The crash changed all that.” “Is there some one at your stations waiting for you?” “With over forty four years passing by the time we would’ve gotten back to port, it wouldn’t have mattered if I did.” Judy’s eyes widened. “Don’t you miss your family?” He shrugged. “You take opportunities where you get them. It’s hard to find good paying jobs so you put up with some inconveniences.” Astounded, Judy replied, “But twenty two years in suspended animation? And that’s only one way. That sounds like a major inconvenience. We were supposed to be in freezing tubes for five and half years, but it ended up being less than eight hours.” Sensing that Walman was curious, she assured him, “You don’t want to know.” She wasn’t about to put a damper on the evening talking about Dr. Smith and the events which had condemned them to being lost in space. “What’s it like being out that long?” she asked. “It doesn’t feel any different than normal sleep. It just takes a while to adjust when you first wake up. What about you? How did you come to be a…” he searched for the right words. “A space family?” She loved the way he always turned to conversion back to her. “It wasn’t easy. We went through test after test. I didn’t want to go at first but..” She couldn’t tell him her attraction to Don was part of what had changed her mind. “I’d miss my family too much. Aunts and cousins just wouldn’t be the same as my parents and Will and Penny. We’re a close family. Besides, in many respects, it seemed like a grand adventure.” Walman laughed dryly. “I think I’ve had enough adventure for this life time.” “Me too.” He cautiously asked, “So, are you and the Major a couple?” Why did he have to spoil it all and bring up Don? She was having such a nice time. She didn’t want to talk about that. She had strong feelings for Don, no doubt. Those had never faded. However, it was complicated. Don was furious with her and she’d hurt him tonight. But he didn’t own her. He needed to learn to control his temper and stop blaming Dr. Smith for all his problems. “It’s not that simple,” she sighed. Not wanting to push his luck, he merely replied, “Okay.” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “I agree, Will Robinson. The flashing lights may be a code,” the Robot stated. He, Will and Dr. Smith were gathered about a folding table. They’d set up their makeshift lab in a rock alcove, just out of sight of the Jupiter 2. Samples of the glowing orange rocks sat on the table top, along with a microscope, test tubes and several bottles containing chemicals. “Nonsense! It’s a rock,” Dr. Smith firmly claimed. “Do you think you can crack the code?” Will asked. “I shall do my best,” the Robot solemnly promised, raising his claw to his bubble brow in a boy scout salute. Will wondered what they would learn. It was always exciting to interact with unusual species. “I wonder what they’re saying.” “Balderdash. They are not alive,” Dr. Smith emphatically stated. “You don’t know that. Maybe it goes beyond our standard definition of life - breathing, eating and sleeping. Perhaps our definition has been limited by our experiences.” “Come, come. Enough of this theoretical mumbo jumbo. What about Lunite’s more useful properties?” Dr. Smith asked. Will checked the thermometer adjacent to the sample. “The temperature around this rock hasn’t changed since dinner, remaining at least five degrees higher than the surroundings. And the temperature in the insulated container is still almost ten degrees higher than ambient.” “Source of heat as well as light,” Dr. Smith mused. “You could use it to warm up your tent on a camping trip,” Will claimed. “Pish, posh. Don’t limit yourself to the banal. Think grander, my dear boy. Picture a ceremonial hall, filled only with the warm orange glow of Lunite. What a marvelous sight that would be.” Will asked the Robot, “What is it composed of?” “Silt and clay. Typical components of sedimentary rocks,” the Robot rattled off. “That doesn’t account for the glow,” Dr. Smith spoke more to himself. “Warning! Warning! Alien life form approaching!” The Robot waved his claws in the air. A rumbling disturbed them. A tall tan creature, similar to the ones they’d encountered in the chamber earlier that day, had appeared from the ground. Dr. Smith cowered by Will and the Robot. “Do something you incompetent booby!” Dr. Smith shouted at the Robot. “Wait,” Will bravely stepped forward towards the creature. “What are you doing?” Dr. Smith cried. Addressing the being, Will explained, “My name is Will Robinson. And this is Doctor Smith. We crashed on to your planet a few weeks ago. We are friendly, we mean you no harm.” Odd sounds issued from the creature. “Didididi.” “Robot – can you translate?” “As you are aware, I am well versed in many languages and received my diploma in linguistics from Robotic U. Unfortunately, this language is not in my data banks.” “Didididididid.” “Do you think he wants the rocks back? Alonzo said the Terrians had a relationship with the planet. These could be an important part of that.” Dr. Smith began to relax since the creature merely watched them. “Nonsense. He’s just curious. That’s all. And how do we even know if he’s one of those ‘Terrians’? Maybe it’s an entirely different species with rather limited intelligence.” Dr. Smith took a minuscule step towards the creature. “We are space travelers stranded on this dreary planet and we will be leaving. Soon.” Gesturing with his hands, he waved to dismiss the creature. “Shoo.” It didn’t move. “Maybe I’ll test out my theory,” Will mumbled. Before he could grab an orange rock, Dr. Smith slyly mentioned, “Didn’t you tell me that Lunite, er… these rocks were a potential source of energy? Don’t you want to help the family? Imagine if, God forbid, we’re stuck in this retched place this winter. What if there are problems with our power source? We could use these rocks for heat and light. Don’t you want to be a hero?’ Although Will was getting too old to fall for Dr. Smith’s lines, he had a big heart. He always wanted to do his share to help the family. His hand fell to his side. The creature returned into the earth, leaving no evidence of its visit. Dr. Smith heaved a sigh of relief. “There boy, you see. He was only curious. That’s all. However, I suggest we store the samples on the space ship for safe keeping.” TBC (Comment on this)
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
10:33 pm	Lost on Planet G889 (Lost in Space photos) Here are some photos of Lost in Space characters: The entire crew on the top deck of the Jupiter 2. Don, on the far left, is leaning against the astrogator, the domed instrument. Maureen and John Robinson Judy Robinson, the Robot and Major Don West Will and Dr. Smith The Robinsons, Dr. Smith, Major Don West, and the Robot The Chariot The Jupiter 2 (Comment on this)
9:32 pm	Lost on Planet G889 (LIS background info) For those Earth 2 fans who are not familiar with Lost in Space, here's some brief background and character descriptions. Lost in Space background In the future, 1997 (this show was filmed in 1965), Earth is becoming desperately overcrowded. Alpha Control’s mission is to send families to Alpha Centauri, a promising planet in another galaxy. The first mission, the Jupiter 1, was sabotaged, exploding upon launch. The second mission, the Jupiter 2, was comprised of the Robinson family, their pilot Major Don West and their environmental control Robot (see details below). Dr. Smith, a saboteur, programmed the Robot to destroy the ship at eight hours post launch. Unfortunately he was trapped on board the ship with the Robinson family at launching. He was able to revive the family from their freezing tubes so Major West could maneuver the spaceship to avoid collision with an uncharted meteor storm. However at eight hours post launch, the Robot still badly damaged the ship such that they were lost in space. The Robinsons met many unusual aliens during their travels and once or twice made brief contact with Earth. They never found Alpha Centauri. The first season of Lost in Space started as fairly serious science fiction focusing on the family and survival issues. Later seasons, plots had more fantasy elements and focused more on Will/Dr. Smith/Robot comedic interaction. Characters: Professor John Robinson Father of Judy, Penny and Will, husband to Maureen. John is the leader of the group and a master of many disciplines. He spends a lot of time repairing the ship and assorted equipment necessary for their survival. He is a man of integrity with strong principles. Maureen Robinson Mother to Judy, Penny, and Will, wife to John. Although Maureen has a degree in Biochemistry, we tend to see her doing ‘housework’ – making meals, repairing clothing, etc… Judy Robinson Eldest daughter (18 years old at launch). Said to have given up a promising career in musical theater. Interested in Don West. Penny Robinson Age 12 at launch. Penny is extremely bright and very interested in animals. For the most part, she’s been a tomboy. William (Will) Robinson Age 10 at launch. Will is also extremely bright and independent. Many times he acts without consulting his parents. He tends to be vulnerable when it comes to Dr. Smith, who talks him into schemes that cause trouble. He’s also skilled with repairing machinery, having repaired the Robot by himself multiple times. Major Don West Age 24 at launch. Pilot in charge of safely delivering the Robinsons to Alpha Centauri. He has a quick temper and tends to clash with Dr. Smith. Love interest for Judy. Dr. Zachary Smith Age 42 (?) at launch. Dr. Smith started as a classic villain, sabotaging the Jupiter 2. As the show progressed, he became sillier. His banter with the Robot is well known. He never ceases to get the Robinsons in trouble with his thoughtless actions, and he’s obsessed with returning to Earth. Will and the Robot are his close companions. The Robot Never given a name, the Robot became increasingly comedic as the series progressed. Many storylines emphasized how he was more than just a robot. There was a strong friendship between him and Will. I'll post photos in a separate post. (Comment on this)
4:27 pm	Lost on Planet G889 (Chapter 2) Chapter 2 (For photos for this chapter see: LIS http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2552.html; Earth 2 http://scifijoan.livejournal.com/2095.html) (Alonzo Solace) We are the Eden Project. Two hundred forty eight days ago we crashed onto this planet. Now we continue our journey, traveling across this vast continent towards New Pacifica, the rendezvous site for our approaching colony ship. Each day is similar to the one before it. We walk, we make camp, and then we sleep. Only to wake up the next morning to repeat the cycle. Life on this planet is hard. It continually challenges us. Just when we think we’ve mastered survival skills, it throws us another loop. Between the hot weather, limited water rations and dwindling food supplies, tempers were short. Some, like Walman, volunteered for this scouting trip just to get away from the others and break up the monotony of the routine. Danziger was equally anxious to move ahead to locate a mountain pass, though I suspect his primary motive was far more personal. As for Morgan, who knows why he tagged along. If he was in the dog house with his wife, Bess, the entire camp would’ve known about it. As for me, I’m just a restless spirit. I can’t stay still too long. I only wanted to stretch my legs. Danziger and Morgan can be a volatile combination. From the very start, I suspected that this might be an eventful trip. Day 248 Alonzo lowered the jumpers and then raised them, once again, to ensure that he wasn’t imagining things. “What is it, ‘Lonz? Any signs of a pass? Or water?” Danziger asked. As the terrain became more rugged, it only re-emphasized the need to find safe passage for their vehicles to travel through the approaching mountains. “No.” He readjusted the instrument. “It looks like a space ship. But I don’t recognize the design.” “What?” Morgan Martin’s eyes grew wide and he dropped the cup he was holding, water splashing out. “Morgan! We’re rationing water!” Walman irritably reminded him. “A ship? Could that mean a Council ship?” Morgan stammered. The governing body of the space stations, the Council, had already attempted to sabotage their mission in many elaborate ways including bombs, undercover agents, and insidious biostat chips planted inside their heads, unbeknownst to them. Despite being twenty two light years away, they were a powerful group who still influenced events, even on Planet G889. “I don’t think so. This looks old. Really old. It almost doesn’t look like one of ours.” “Aliens?” Morgan gasped. Alonzo laughed. “You’ve been playing too many VR simulations, Morgan. I’ve flown all over the galaxy. Other than the native inhabitants of G889, the only sentient beings I’ve ever encountered have come from the same place that we did.” More to himself he added, “Still, it is strange.” “There’s always a first.” Morgan’s hands shook nervously. As he noticed, he clamped one hand over the other to stop the motion. Alonzo rolled his eyes towards Danziger, who grinned in response. Morgan Martin, their resident government liaison, was always blowing something out of proportion. Danziger borrowed the jumpers to take a look for himself. With some trepidation, he added, “It does remind me of Franklin and Elizabeth’s ship.” They had encountered the grounded Council ship only a few months before. A shudder passed through him. He hated to think about that place and all that had transpired there. “No. I remember when those babies came out and I can tell you, this one isn’t the same.” Having participated in multiple cold sleep runs, Alonzo was considerably older than his youthful appearance belied. Danziger took charge. “We need to investigate. Could be a security risk.” He clamped Morgan on the back a little harder than was necessary as the men walked towards the Dunerail. “Let’s go.” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “What is it?” Walman stared at the odd vehicle. Instead of wheels, the unit had treads resembling an old fashioned tank. The top portion was encased in a thick transparent material. The seats inside appeared suitable for human occupancy. A bubble opening rested on top, which could possibly serve as a gun port. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Alonzo added. Danziger was getting spooked. His time on G889 had shown him that things could go really wrong, really fast. Even colorful spring flowers had proven to be deadly here. He drew his Magpro closer to him. Keeping his voice low, he advised, “Let’s see what we can find out. Alonzo, you and Walman go to the left of the vehicle, on the other side of the clearing. Morgan and I will check out this side. Keep your weapons handy and your gear on. Avoid making contact until we can learn more about the situation.” Alonzo and Walman nodded in agreement and set off. Morgan squeaked a meager protest which was ignored. The thin man hid behind Danziger’s bulk, which suited John just fine. As much as he despised Morgan, keeping him close by his side might ensure that man didn’t mess things up. The two men crept towards the clearing. Once they passed the vehicle, Morgan gasped and pointed. Danziger’s eyes widened. Two men and a gorgeous blonde woman were standing about a tall tripod. Some sort of energy beam emanated from it, directed towards the ground. In some ways, he was relieved their visitors appeared to be human yet other aspects about this scene confused him. Something wasn’t quite right. The strange vehicle. The tripod device. Danziger was an expert mechanic who knew how to jerry rig most anything. He’d had experience rebuilding mining equipment as well as building and repairing space ships and space habitations. He had no knowledge of the equipment being used here. And the people… “Warning! Warning! Intruder alert! Intruder alert!” a loud mechanical voice boomed. The two men froze, with Danziger clutching the Magpro more tightly. Once again, John Danziger had never seen such a unit. Presumably it was a mechanized work robot. The unit stood almost six feet tall, constructed mostly of a silver metal. Its body form didn’t mimic humans, rather it was composed of a cylindrical unit. When it had spoken, a light flashed behind a bubble-like chest panel. A smaller clear bubble comprised the head. Extendable red claws served as the hands, while treads similar to the vehicle allowed the robot to walk about. Rather than panicking or grabbing a weapon, the taller of the two men walked directly towards Danziger and Morgan. “Hello.” He extended his hand. “I’m John Robinson.” Startled, Danziger straightened to his full and formidable height to meet the man’s gaze. “Danziger. John Danziger.” With some reluctance, he took the man’s hand to shake it. “Let me introduce you to the others,” John Robinson gestured amiably towards the man and woman gathered about the tripod. This guy was even more trusting than Adair, Danziger thought. Normally, he’d play it safe and keep the other half of his party concealed. Yet no weapons had been drawn even though John Robinson had some sort of gun in his holster. Danziger wanted to keep things friendly. Besides, their robot had probably detected the rest of the group anyway. He called to them. “Come on over, ‘Lonz.” Alonzo and Walman stepped towards the group from the other side of the clearing. “That’s Alonzo Solace and Mark Walman.” The two men nodded as they approached. As an after thought, he added, “And this is Morgan Martin.” John Robinson smiled warmly. “This is our pilot, Major West. And my daughter Judy.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Judy.” Walman edged closer, having trouble taking his eyes off of her. Danziger noticed the younger man introduced as Major West, didn’t care for that. Alonzo also seemed to fall under her spell. “You don’t normally run into such a beautiful woman under such circumstances.” Judy blushed charmingly as Major West objected. “Now, wait a minute.” Yep, the Major was definitely starting to squirm. Danziger chuckled to himself. Why did love turn men into complete saps? He could understand Walman making an ass of himself. He’d been alone for too long. But what was with ‘Lonz? His steady, their doctor, was one of the most beautiful and highly intelligent women in their camp. They had a good thing going. Then again, the youthful looking dark haired pilot had always been partial to the ladies. It must be hard to turn that type of response off; for him it must be more of an innate reflex. Thank goodness poor Julia wasn’t here. Judy was a stunning young woman. Slim with long blonde hair, and a heart shaped face with a well proportioned figure and sparkling blue eyes. The fact that she was wearing such an odd outfit – a purple mini-dress with a bright yellow tunic along with slim lavender boots, only seemed to enhance her beauty. Most of the members of Eden Advance hadn’t been able to bathe for days due to water restrictions. The majority of their clothes had been salvaged from cargo stores. Sometimes things fit, sometimes they didn’t. Even his favorite print shirt he was currently wearing was starting to fade. They all made due as best they could. In contrast, Judy was…so clean. They all were. The two men ignored the Major’s hot glare. “And this is our environmental control robot,” John Robinson added. Danziger nodded, wondering why the automated unit was being formally introduced. “It’s a pleasure,” the robot responded. “So, how long have you been on this planet?” Walman’s eyes stayed fixed upon Judy yet her father chose to answer his question. “About two weeks. We crashed…due to some unfortunate events,” John ruefully looked towards Major West whose features grew even tenser. “How about yourselves?” Uncharacteristically, Danziger felt drawn to this man. Something about him exuded honesty. He wanted to believe the man was as forth right as he seemed. Yet, Danziger’s skeptical nature held fast. “We’re here to colonize this planet. Or at least, some of us are.” Danziger tried to catch Alonzo’s eye but he was too busy showering compliments on Judy. The poor girl’s cheeks flamed crimson. “Where are you from?” Robinson asked. “Space Stations.” “I’m not familiar with them.” “Wha-” As Morgan started to comment, Danziger shot him a warning glance to shut his mouth. Didn’t he understand that information was power? “What about you? Where are you from? What’s your mission?” Danziger asked, more intently. “We’re from a planet called Earth. In many respects our mission is the same as yours, colonizing a new planet. We’re bound for the Alpha Centauri system once we complete our repairs to the Jupiter 2 and refine sufficient fuel,” John Robinson explained. Earth? It wasn’t possible. How could he be from Earth and not be aware of the Space Stations? It couldn’t be. Yet the man seemed completely sincere. “What type of fuel does your ship use?” Danziger probed. “Deutronuim.” He wondered if he’d heard him properly. “Do you mean deuterium?” That would imply a fusion driven reaction. “No, deutronium. We mine the ore then process it.” He gestured to the tripod. Before Danziger could continue, Alonzo’s voice intruded. “What’s your secret? How do you manage to look so lovely?” Judy giggled while Walman grinned. “John,” The Major spoke through clenched teeth. Steam was practically coming out of the poor man’s ears. “Simmer down Don. It’s been a while since we’ve encountered others.” Turning to Danziger he asked, “Why don’t you join us for dinner? My wife is an excellent cook and we’d love the company.” The Major’s hot stare indicated his displeasure with the plan but clearly John Robinson was in charge. “It’s a tempting offer but we’ve got others back at our base camp depending upon us to find some water soon.” Walman and Alonzo started to protest, when John Robinson volunteered, “Why didn’t you say so? There’s a stream with drinkable water only a few miles west.” Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God. Now if we could just find some food.” Danziger grimaced. Leave it to Morgan Martin to reveal more of their weaknesses to complete strangers. “The pond is filled with fish,” John explained. “Fish?” Morgan said with disdain. “Yes, they’re delicious. We’ve eaten them for supper several nights now.” Danziger couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. Most of the fish on Earth had ingested so many pollutants that they were a bio hazard. No one in his right mind would go near them, more or less consider eating them. Judy insisted, “You must come to dinner and try them. Maybe Mother can even bake a cake.” Turning to Walman, she coyly volunteered, “I can show you where the stream is.” Seeming to retain his bearings, Alonzo responded, “That would be wonderful.” To Danziger, he added, “Think we could fill some tanks and bring them back to the others?” “I’ll consult with our base camp. See how urgent the water situation is.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Devon Adair’s image appeared in John Danziger’s gear eye piece. Her shoulder length auburn hair lacked its typical shine, most likely due to their water restrictions. Still, her gaze wasn’t as firm as he was accustomed to seeing. She turned her head to the side, coughing. “Adair, you’d better be resting up,” Danziger sternly advised. Every time Devon coughed, he worried that she was suffering from the effects of Cold Sleep Syndrome. During her sudden, bizarre illness, they’d stored her in a cold sleep chamber on the Council ship they’d discovered. It had slowed her metabolic rate, buying Dr. Heller valuable time to determine a diagnosis and devise a cure. Eventually Devon had been revived and successfully treated, yet she wasn’t fully restored. Cold Sleep Syndrome, a gradual destruction of the respiratory pathways, had been an unwanted side effect of the early technology. It had eventually killed Elizabeth and Franklin plus several other Council scientists, who had also inhabited those freezing tubes. Devon didn’t take kindly to being told what to do. “I’m fine.” “Yeah? Well, you don’t look so hot.” That wasn’t going to earn him any brownie points but it was the truth. He’d never had a reputation for sugar coating the facts. “Have you been taking the meds Julia synthesized for you?” “Why? I’m not sick. Besides, I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” “Adair,” he growled. It irked him that she couldn’t see she was still straddling a thin line between health and illness. One stupid move and she’d be out of commission again. He had no desire to go through that again. She ignored his concerns, getting back to the subject at hand. “A family with their own space ship? That sounds odd. Be careful Danziger. Do you think it could be a Council trick? Could they be spies trying to get information from us about the Terrians?” “I don’t think so. But something’s off. The Robinsons seem sincere but things aren’t adding up. I’ve never heard of the deutronium fuel which they were mining. Or even their mining technology. I’ve never seen anything like their vehicle or their robot.” “Couldn’t it just be older technology?” His shoulders stiffened as she coughed more deeply. “Yeah, but even ‘Lonz didn’t recognize it. That Council ship was almost a hundred years old but its technology was based on principles similar to ours.” “C’mon Danziger. I know you,” her image grinned. “You don’t trust anyone.” He held back a sharp retort. He was cautious. He knew that. He’d been burned too many times. “Yeah, I protect what’s mine.” “Couldn’t this feeling just be your paranoia?” “Adair, they didn’t recognize the Stations,” he insisted. “What?” she gasped. “They claimed to be colonists. From Earth.” It was rare for Devon Adair to be speechless. After a moment’s consideration, she responded, “Send part of the team back in the morning with as much water as you can. Go ahead and take up the Robinsons on their offer for dinner and the extra containers. If you and Alonzo camp out there, there will be room to bring more water to the group tomorrow. Find out as much as you can about the Robinsons and contact me with details. I’ll have Yale search his files for any information about them or their ship, the Jupiter 2.” And Danziger, be careful. It’s probably best not to challenge their unusual ideas until we figure out what’s going on.” He sighed, annoyed. “Of course.” He’d already figured that out. “Be sure to emphasize that to Alonzo, Morgan and Walman. If it’s some type of group delusion or hypnosis, they could become upset or even violent if their version of reality is challenged. I’ll get Julia’s insight on that as well. “We’ll start moving camp in the morning and catch up to you in a few days. We can recharge near the water source while we figure out what’s going on.” Her image disappeared. TBC (Comment on this)
Sunday, June 21st, 2009
11:17 pm	Chapter 2 Lost on G889 LIS photos < The Robinsons, Don West, Dr. Smith and the Robot The Chariot (Comment on this)
10:40 pm	Chapter 2 Lost on G889 Earth 2 photos Earth 2 people we meet in Chapter 2 of Lost on G889 John Danziger Alonzo Solace Morgan and Bess Martin Walman and Baines Devon Adair Many photos kindly provided by http://www.earth2.sarahcutter.com (Comment on this)