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?)
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?)