(Part 3)
by Kevin Pellew

Hannibal had not liked being ordered to return to the Orion but had done so with just the barest amount of refusal. He had tried the standard, "a Robot's duties..." only to be stopped half way and threatened with deactivation. So reluctantly he had returned and was now carrying out a routine inspection of the craft's lower deck. Of course that's what he had told his computers to respond with should he be asked. In truth he was sulking and down here in the semi darkness of the service decks he could sulk without worry.

Captain Conway's discovery was certainly great and gave them the answer to one of their greatest mysteries. They had found a missing link of their space history. And where he asked directly Hannibal would have explained that he too wanted find a missing link with his past. Hannibal wanted to meet the Robinson Robot. The Jupiter Mission's Robot was legendary as it was the first of the exploratory Robots. That it had been reprogrammed to destroy the Robinsons was a fact that most Robots ignored. It had still been the first. That he had been denied this meeting, for the time being atleast, annoyed him. It annoyed him almost as much as the sound of his treads scrapping across the grated floor.

He trundled along keeping his thoughts to himself till his scanners picked up the location of a crewman somewhere ahead. Quickly he accessed the main computer and checked the duty rosters to see who it was down here. According to the Roster no one should be down here. He moved forward slowly then stopped aware that the unidentified crewman had heard his approach. He was about to call out to the crewman when a flash of light struck out of the darkness and caught him in the chest.

The laser beam forced Hannibal back into the wall of the ship.

Sparks and flames erupted violently as Hannibal careered backwards, his segmented arms flailing as he fought desperately to gain some hand hold. Another laser burst caught Hannibal in the side just under the arm, the force tearing the arm from its' socket. It clattered loudly as it hit the cold steel floor. Chest lights flickered then died till finally Hannibal lay motionless on the floor.

***

When the news of the Robinsons filtered throughout the ship it was met with an almighty unanimous cheer from the crew.

Almost.

The crewman withdrew himself from the general celebrations and made his way first to his cabin, where he picked up a small leather shaving kit, and then down to the lower decks. He passed other crew members, smiled and spoke jovially to them, as he sought out some private secret place. A dark shadowy place that no one would pry into. Private. Secret. Lonely.

The crewman had private business to attend to.

In the dim light the crewman unzipped the leather shaving kit and pulled from it a small thin flat screened micro computer. He tapped into it and waited. After a few minutes the screen came to life and a general history of Earth from the 50's to the present day appeared. This was a general history no different from any that was available from the ships library. This was true till near the end where the history altered to become dogma. The history now dealt with conspiracies, traitors and saboteurs. In short there had once existed certain countries that were considered threats to the Global good. Sponsoring insurrection, rebellion and war fare this small circle of petty dictators and manic despots had hungered for world domination only to see it constantly denied. Then during the early years of the 21st Century these Countries changed tactics and had, over time, managed to shirk their rebellious reputations and become part of the global good.

You only reap what you sow.

Unfortunately for these countries their dark side occasionally resurfaced and had to be dealt with swiftly and effectively. Bad memories. Sour taste of bad fruit. Paid assassins. Hidden contacts. Hired mercenaries. These had all been dealt with. Swiftly and cleanly. The crewman read the screen then looked up. He had cleaned up away memories before and was prepared to do so again. Down on the planet's surface was, without a question, the worst memory that anyone could have. A memory that had to be erased.

That memory had a name and name was Zachary Smith.

Suddenly the crewman realised that he was no longer alone. Trundling towards him was Hannibal the Robot. Cold! Metallic!! Inhuman!!! Hannibal the Robot. And, he thought quickly, I hate Robots! Hannibal called out and the crewman reacted and pulled from his jacket a small laser and fired twice before fleeing.

***

"What is the meaning of this!!??" demanded the voice from inside the cabin.

The voice, it's content and tone, brought a huge child like smile to Will Robinson's face.

It had taken three days for the Chariot to return from 'Valla' during which he and Lenore had discussed the thought of leaving Trimea and returning to Earth. Returning to Earth was not high on Lenore's priorities as she was, after all, a Tauron. Even the prospect of returning to Tauron, should it ever arrive, did not appeal to her. Trimea was her home.

When they had arrived at their farm Will found Maureen waiting there for him. She sat there on the verandah and slowly explained the situation regarding the Crew of the Orion. The crew had been granted access to the Settlement and surrounding area but only after certain criteria had been established. They were allowed no weapons and, when in the Settlement, had to be accompanied by a Tauron Guide. They had been allowed though unlimited and unrestrained access to all the Robinsons except Penny who lived within the Settlement. Only small groups were allowed to enter the Settlement.

Towards the end of her visit Maureen turned the discussion around to the topic of Dr Smith. "Dr Smith is something of a celebrity back on Earth," she said, "They still think of him as he was," she paused, "And not how he now is. How could they? Even your father's logs did little to convince the authorities that Doctor Smith has changed." There was a slight edge to the word 'changed'. She was not referring to a change of heart nor ethics but the very real change in the Doctor's character. Once the true villain he was now something very different.

Maureen had continued, "We have not told him of the Orion's arrival. Captain Conway does not understand that we do not see as a villain anymore," she had paused again, this time taking Will's hand, "I discussed this with Don and he agrees. We would like you to see him and explain what has happened."

And so he did.

He climbed from the Chariot and strode up to the cabin.

Dr Smith's voice boomed out loudly as he berated his companion. "You buffoon!" he shouted, "Tin plated traitor!"

And then came the reply ,in a mechanical robotian voice, "Doctor Smith you have a visitor."

Will stood there as the Cabin fell silent.

"Human or Tauron," came the suspicious reply.

The Robot answered, "Your visitor is Will Robinson."

Suddenly the door flew open and a spry fast moving old man leapt out and hugged Will. "William, my boy!" Smith shouted, "How good to see you!" He held Will back at arms length, "My goodness, how you've grown! So good to see a human face! Better than that mechanical misfit that has invaded my home and refuses to leave!" Smith looked past Will and saw that Will had come here alone. "And where are the family?" He questioned, "Where's that young rascal nephew of mine?" He was referring to Matthew. Thirty years of being lost together had made the Robinsons, Smith and West family.

Smith led Will into the Cabin and closed the door behind him. "It's not really a social visit, Doctor," Will said before turning to the Robot, "Hello Robot. How are you?"

"I am well, Will Robinson," the Robot replied, "Although I could do with a pint of oil and a polish."

"Bah!" Smith retorted, then, "Not a social call?" he replied as he raised one light grey bushy eyebrow quizzically, "Then it must be a business call," he continued, this time fiddling with his moustache, "Ah business. I do love business." He turned to the Robot and shouted, "Away with yourself sir. This is a moment for your betters and you presence is not desired nor required. Away, sir, away."

The Robot replied, "I will fix some refreshments." With that the Robot disappeared out to the back of the cabin.

Smith smiled coyly, "You know Will," he said softly, "I would never tell that mechanical misfit this but I do so appreciate his being here. No, never tell him because it would go straight to that bubble of his and then where would I be," he paused as he motioned for Will to sit, "But enough of that, To business."

"Well Doctor," Will started slowly, "It seems that your dreams have been answered," he paused as he saw Smith face frown in confusion, "A few days ago, while I was at the 'Valla' relay station a ship arrived in orbit," Smith eyes began to open widely as he automatically jumped to the right conclusion. "That's right, Doctor," Will said, "It's an Earth ship and they've come to take us home."

***

On board the Orion Conway squatted over the site where Hannibal had been found. One of the crew had traced a chalk outline around where his metallic frame had landed while another had come along afterwards and traced around all the scratches and dents that Hannibal had made as he fell. Here and there were small jovial comments such as 'going, going, gone' and 'timber' as if Hannibal's falling was reminiscent of felling a tree. Aussie humour sometimes left a lot to be desired. Conway looked up at the men who had brought him here. Dressed in dull bland black jump suits the men Security Personnel were unusually jovial. Robots and their demise were not high on the priorities of Security. In fact had Hannibal not been considered 'close' to the Captain the ensuing investigation probably would not have been reported to Conway until a conclusion had been drawn.

"Who found him?" Conway asked.

"Crewman Johns," one of the men replied, "Called us first then Engineering."

One of the other men added, "They got here first and drew the outline then took him for repairs."

"So Hannibal's operating then?" Conway asked to which they nodded in the affirmative, "Does he remember anything?"

"Nothing except that he called out and someone shot him."

Conway stood and rubbed his chin, "Anything else?"

One of the men handed Conway a small micro computer that was used by Section Chiefs to track the performance of their sections. "This came from Engines," he said, "The chief found it and double checked it then tried to effect repairs," he paused as he allowed Conway to read the report, "The repairs are still underway but it doesn't look good. They tried to make it look as if it were a malfunction. Who ever did it knew what to do."

Conway's eyes scanned the computer then handed it back to the Security Man. The report from Engines Chief had described a curious situation in Engines. Outwardly the Orion was functioning as well as it could. All the computer checks had shown that the ship was performing at 100%. And that was what had alerted the Engines Chief to the fact that something was wrong. Even when first commissioned the Orion had never performed that well. He had checked and rechecked till he had found out what was wrong. Once discovered the Chief had called Security. The ship's system's may have registered that it was performing correctly but the truth was something else. The Orion was loosing power.

"So how much power do we have?" Conway asked.

"Enough to maintain orbit," the security man replied, "But not enough to escape orbit," he paused and looked at his men, "We're looking into the power drain but for the time being we're stuck in orbit. We're not going anywhere."

Conway dismissed the men and watched them walk away. Why, he thought, would anyone want to strand themselves here? What did Hannibal see? Conway thought that he knew his crew but as he made his way to Engineering he realised that after all the time that he had spent with them that he really did not know them at all. He thought back to Trimea and frowned. A saboteur down there and now one up here. The doors to Engineering opened and Conway found himself standing before two very disgruntled engineers and one very unhappy Hannibal. The three were arguing about the effectiveness of the repairs and the quality of the replacement parts.

Hannibal was complaining, "It does not feel like the original," and as he spoke he moved his recently reattached arm about in ever increasing circles.

The Engineer replied in an exasperated tone, "It is the old one. We merely replaced a few circuits and gears, otherwise it is exactly the same as when it came off."

Once this exchange had died down Conway quizzed Hannibal on the events that had led him to being repaired. Nothing that the Robot had to say changed what Conway already knew and that was precious little. Had Hannibal been human Conway would have assigned him to bed rest and light duties but the mechanical misfit would hear nothing of it. He had duties to perform.

So Conway returned to the Observation bubble and floated about trying to think of what reason anyone would have to sabotage the Orion and fire upon Hannibal.

***

After the brief exchange with Hannibal the Crewman had made his way to a service computer port and set about programming the ship's computer to display incorrect data. He then went to the Engineering lower decks where he altered the settings control fuel emissions. What would they know? he thought as he went about his traitorous ways, What do they know about how this ship really works. His country had provided the power drives for this ship with sabotage already planned into it. All that was needed was the right codes and right motivation.

The motivation was the saboteur Smith.

What the Crewman needed now was to gain access to the Planet below.

***

Will sat in silence as the old man before him ran the entire gamut of emotions concerning the prospects of returning to Earth. He watched as the old man paced and prowled the confines of his home, his actions excited and panicked all at the same time.

"Oh Earth!" he sighed, "Oh bliss, oh joy, oh crepe suzette!" He stopped suddenly and turned around. His body became all tense and ridged as if he were anticipating some attack, "I think that Earth may not be the place for the good Doctor, eh? Have me on trial will they? Indeed!" His shoulders dropped and his old frame sagged as if the weight of the world had suddenly fallen on his shoulders, "Oh dear, oh dear, they will lock me away, that's what they will do, lock me away and throw away the key and then where will I be? Oh dear. oh dear!" And then suddenly with a shout, "Lock me away will they!? Me, Dr. Zachary Smith, the greatest space explorer that history has ever known!? Bah!!"

Will sat in silence as the old man that he had known for all these years agonised and fought with himself over his future. Zachary Smith was not the man the man that he once was. The years had not been kind to Doctor Zachary Smith. Once the dark snarling villain he had over the years turned from fumbling clown to pathetic tragic fool. He had been a brilliant man, a scholar capable of devising the programming of the mission Robot, but now, in his declining years, was paying the price of his foul misdeeds. Years earlier Will had watched his parents and Major West sign a declaration stating that Dr. Smith was not responsible for his actions and crimes. Diminished responsibility. Then it had been to save him from retribution from the Galactic Tribunal. And back then, Will thought wryly, it had not been true. Now it was.

Smith rotated quickly on one foot and peered down at Will, his eyes ablaze with fear. "William," he cried, "I was in trouble! They paid me to do it! It was nothing personal!" Then he changed. Fear was replaced with the cunning of an old fox. He pointed a bony finger in accusation at Will, his eyes this time ablaze with anger. "I see it now! Yes, I do!! This is what you've always wanted! Your mother, your father, that imbecile West! All of you!!" He stepped back away from the table, fumbling and crashing against furniture as he went. Crashing and turning aimlessly and lost. A chair thrown onto the floor became a barricade against foes and villains seen only in Smith's mind. Suddenly there was no where else to go, he was back up against the wall. And in a high pitched wail he screamed, "The chance to rid yourself of Dr. Smith!!!!" Tears escaped from the old man's eyes. Without looking Smith's ran his hand along a small shelf in search of something hidden there.

Cautiously Will stood and smiled warmly. "We're not going to let anything happen to Doctor," he said softly in an attempt to sooth the old man's irrational fears, "We've already discussed it. Mom and Don are in agreement. If you do not want to go back to Earth then we won't let them take you."

Smith's hand gripped something solid. "No my boy," Smith snarled, "You won't let them take me. I won't let them take me," and with that Smith pulled from the shelf one of the Jupiter's original laser pistols. He aimed the weapon directly at Will's chest and squeezed the trigger. Nothing happened. "What is wrong with this weapon?" he wailed before falling to the floor. Will moved beside the old man and helped him to his feet. "Oh dear, oh dear," Smith was crying, "What's to become of me? What ever shall I do? Oh dear, oh dear."

Will led Smith to the old man's bedroom and placed him upon his bed. "Rest. Doctor," Will said softly, "Rest and don't worry." Within minutes Smith had closed his eyes and had fallen asleep. Silently Will left the house and returned to the Chariot. The Robot was standing there waiting for Will to return.

"I hope that you don't mind, Will Robinson," the Robot said, "I was monitoring your conversation with Doctor Smith."

Will frowned, "No problem Robot," he replied, "I had to discuss it with you anyway," he paused and looked back at the house and then back at the Robot, "It's been a big day for him," Will said, "It's been a big week for us all."

The Robot's bubble raised, "Will Robinson I will not let them take Dr. Smith," he paused and moved slightly closer to Will, "Dr. Smith is not a well man but he is my friend," again he paused, "I will not see him harmed."

"Don't worry, Robot," Will replied, "Nothing will happen to him." Will gently patted the Robot on the shoulders, "We'll see to it."

The Robot's chest lights flashed in what Will had grown to understand as joy. The Robot replied happily, "Thank you, Will Robinson."

***

At one a.m. in the morning Don West woke to find himself in bed alone. Even at this hour, an hour when there should be absolute silence he was aware of soft murmuring of the Jupiter. He sat up and listened to the ship around him. The Jupiter was breathing quietly and steadily. All systems functioning, he thought, situation normal. He listened to all the sounds around him then tried to locate the one thing dear to him. Judy. He slipped from his bed and pulled on a light cotton dressing gown then stepped out onto the lower deck. Judy was not there so he stepped aboard the elevator and rode to the flight deck.

Judy was sitting in one of the flight chairs. She was staring out at the dim lights of the Settlement. In one hand she held a cup of coffee. Now and then she lifted the cup to her lips and sipped. She may have been staring at the Settlement but her eyes were looking elsewhere. Her head titled slightly at the sound of Don's approach. Without facing him she asked, "What do you suppose it's like? Earth?"

He knelt down beside her. "From what Doctor Taylor has told me many of the reason's for the whole Jupiter mission have vanished," he said, "Earth has changed for the better."

Judy sat forward, "But for who?" She asked, "What would be there for me?" She stood and turned so she faced her partner. She leant against the flight consoles. "I was an aspiring actress," she said, "I was young. Will and Penny were the academics in the family. Will," she paused as she mentioned her brother's name, "Will never thought of anything else except flying through space and having adventures that no other boy had ever had." For a time she said nothing as if contemplating her life before and the one now forced on her by the arrival of the Orion. It seemed to Judy that all the important decisions in her life had been made by others. Now she was lost for words and frightened of the future. She looked into Don's eyes trying to see if he had any answers, "You would still have the military and science," she placed the cup of coffee onto the console, "What would Earth have for me that isn't better here?"

Don took her into his arms and held her tightly. Judy had always been the vulnerable one, the most delicate of all of the Jupiter crew despite whatever Smith had said about his back. Space faring had not been in Judy Robinson's blood. She had come on the mission because of duty to her family and nothing else. He held her tightly trying to reassure her that everything would be alright no matter what happened. All he could do was show her this physical support because he knew that he had no answers to her questions. After sometime they returned to their room and their bed.

* * *