(Part 6)
by Kevin Pellew

Last Week as you recall - Dr Smith returned to the Jupiter Two for the first time in twenty or so years to face questions on his part in the Jupiter sabotage....now the interview continues.....

Nimble hands, he thought, manicured cultured fingers. The fingers of an artist! Long slim and delicate. "The hands", he had often said, "Of a concert pianist". He held one hand out at arms length and studied it. Perfect, he thought, perfectly shaped for the tasks that he had planned for it. Dr. Smith prowled the lower deck like a cat searching out a mouse. He scoured the deck of the Jupiter looking here and there at each and every item he came across. His eyes darted about in their sockets taking in quickly everything that they saw. Sometimes he would pick up an object and study it before tossing it aside. Occasionally he would mutter to himself and comment about the dilapidated state of the Jupiter and blaming West for the Jupiter's condition. He ranged near and far and no one stopped him. He had smiled at how easily gaining a small slice of freedom had been.

"Gentlemen," he had said in a tired worn out voice, "I find myself fatigued, a common failing of old men, and would like a small respite from your questions." He had sighed heavily and his wrinkled visage gave the impression that he was ready for an afternoon nap. The interview had been in progress for well over two hours.

Taylor had looked at Conway and said, "A small recess would be appreciated," and Conway had nodded in the affirmative and so those gathered there stood and stretched their legs. Only West had complained but to no avail. A recess was called.

Smith had dismissed the Robot by saying, "Away with you sir and take that poison with you." The Robot had poured a mug of Sorba Weed broth out for the Doctor to drink before moving off to the flight deck.

As Smith walked around the deck he sipped reluctantly at the broth before pouring it down the galley sink. "my own good, indeed!" he had huffed. There was nothing wrong with Smith's hearing and he could hear Taylor and Conway discussing his state of mind. Think I'm a dithering old fool do they? He thought, well they are wrong. Very wrong. His eyes fell upon an object that he instantly recognised. It was black and rectangular shaped. The power unit to a Laser pistol. Nimble fast fingers. Like the talons of a preying eagle his fingers closed around the power unit and he slipped it quickly into his tunic.

Then his eyes found another object.

A laser pistol.

He picked it up and hid it behind his back as he returned to the others.

* * *

Maureen stood on the access steps of the Jupiter and watched Lenore and Matthew at play. In her hands she held two cups of juice. She had never really been at ease with Lenore despite how long she and Will had been married. A mother thing, she thought as she stepped off the step and approached Lenore. She thought of the first time that she had brought John home to meet her parents and how unimpressed her mother had been with him. "Maureen," her mother had sighed impatiently, "A scientist? Why a scientist?" Then again her mother had not been overly impressed with her decision to become an academic either. She called out to Lenore and motioned with the juice.

Matthew ran over to Maureen, thinking wildly, how are you granny?

Maureen frowned and smiled at the same time. "How many times have I told you not to call me that?" she asked in a mock serious tones.

Matthew laughed silently. "You know I can't count," he thought cheekily.

Lenore accepted the cup from Maureen and thought, how's it going up there?

Maureen shrugged, "It's taking time but I think that Dr. Smith will be okay."

Lenore smiled. Good, she thought, Will has been worried about him.

Maureen looked at her daughter in law. Lenore looked suddenly tired. Her eyes were growing blood shot and her cheeks were draining of colour. "Are you all right, Lenore?" she asked, "You look tired."

Lenore replied silently, Dr. Smith is draining, even with Sorba Weed. It's just. She stopped and slumped forward towards Maureen. She looked up at the belly of the ship and shouted in her mind, Will!

Matthew mind screamed, Dad!, and then raced past Maureen and up into the ship.

Maureen held Lenore up and looked into her eyes. "What is it?" she asked, "What's happening up there?"

Lenore struggled to free herself from Maureen's grasp, thinking, It's Dr Smith!

When the reached the lower deck they found a terrifying scene before them. Dr. Taylor lay on the floor, his forehead gashed and bleeding. Penny held Taylor's head in her lap but her eyes were fixed firmly on another. Conway stood with West and Judy. West's hands were clinched in rage, his knuckles white with anger. Judy held him close to her as if for strength and protection. West was saying something but the words were lost on Maureen. A metre or so away stood Will. The disgust on his face could not be disguised. He stood alone and every muscle in his body was strung tight. He was ready to strike out should the opportunity present itself. Matthew stood, alone, in the centre of the deck. He stood directly beneath the Robots magnetic lock. The flashing lights inside it coloured him in surreal splashes of red, green and the gold. They gave the effect of an aurora around him. Matthew was staring at the one person who was facing him.

Backed against the Galley wall stood Smith.

In his hand was an armed laser pistol, it handgrip bloodied from where it had struck Taylor's head.

"Old fool am I?" Smith screamed, "Old fool indeed! Well this old fool got the better of you didn't he? Hah!" This persona was the clown. He was skiting about his feat as if it was nothing but a party trick. The laser was pointed lazily at Matthew and for the briefest of moments it seemed that he would hand over the pistol to him. It was as if Smith had performed and now wanted a reward. Then he levelled the pistol at West's head. "I should blow your brains out," Smith snarled, "Should make you pay for all the suffering you've caused. All the trouble that you have caused me!"

This persona was evil. Matthew moved slightly causing Smith to take aim at the boy. Smith looked into the boy's eyes and started to cry, "Oh Matthew my boy," he pleaded, "Please help me!!"

Matthew asked silently, Give me the gun Uncle Zack, please!

Smith snarled back, "You'd like that wouldn't you?' he said to no one in particular, the laser now moving from one person to the next, "Disarm the old man then kill him. I ought to..." Smith's words were cut short by the arrival of the Robots. "Come here you metallic misfit," he shouted as the Robot stepped from the lift, "If you had done your duty none of this ever would have happened! I would be back on earth covered in riches beyond belief!"

The Robot rolled forward and said, "I will not let you harm the Robinsons, Dr. Smith. Put the Pistol down."

Smith laughed, "Won't let me you pusillanimous pip squeak? Wont let me!?" he repeated, "Can you stop this?" and with that fired the pistol at the Robot's chest.

There was a flash of bright blinding light and instantly the Robot slumped forward. Then there was another flash of blinding light. Suddenly Tish was there at Smith's side. To slowly Smith turned to attack the woman but his blows were easily deflected. Swiftly she disarmed him and jabbed his hand with a small needle. He gasped and held his throat as if it had been cut. His eyes rolled upwards in their sockets. A muffled cry escaped his lips. Smith crumpled to the floor and did not move. She pulled the laser from his still hands and slid it across the floor at Conway.

"This is why they don't trust you," she screamed, "He was never to come this close to the Settlement!"

West picked up the laser and faced Tish, "He was supposed to be under the influence of Sorba," he said sternly.

"Tell that to the Taurons that he has affected," Tish screamed, "The Council is considering expulsion of all humans from the Settlement!" She faced Lenore and thought, I have injected him with Dormsa. It will last for an hour or so. Can you get him back to his Cabin?

Lenore nodded and thought replied, Yes. We'll put him on the Chariot straight away. She thought then to Will and relayed what Lenore had thought.

Conway stepped forward, "Tish we'll get him away from here now," he said, "But Taylor needs help. I will see the Council and explain what happened."

West laughed, "What happened?" he shouted, "That mad man was brought here is what I happened. I said that it was a bad idea!"

Will reached down and picked Smith up from the floor. His eyes burned at West as Will carried Smith from the ship. He did not see if the others followed. He carried Smith to the rear of the Chariot where a crewman from the Orion opened and raised the rear panel. Will slid Smith inside then locked the rear panel of the Chariot. Lenore had taken up the drivers controls. Matthew had slid into the passenger seat after securing Smith into his seat. She looked at Will and thought, I'll come back for you later. I think that you'll be needed here. Will watched as the Chariot, Smith, Lenore, and Matthew disappeared in the distance.

He did not need to be telepathic to know that Don was standing behind him.

"Well, Will," West said condescendingly, "Another near disaster caused by your lack of thought."

Will turned around and snapped, "Give it a rest, Don." He had not been this close to Don in years, not this physically close to him, had not spent this much time near the man in the better part of five years. So many things that he had held back were now rushing to the surface. He could not stop them. These were the little Demons that Smith had spoke about.

Conway, Judy and Tish had followed West down the steps. They stood there and watched as the two men squared off against each other.

"No, Will I wont," West replied, "Your devotion to that monster is unbelievable. What were you thinking? He could have killed us all."

"And how many times did you nearly kill us Don?" Will responded, "I mean how many times did you crash this ship? I mean, didn't you know how to land this ship? There's a button clearly marked Landing Gear. Why didn't you ever use it?"

"Smith's a murderer," Don retorted, "Always was, always will be."

"And you could never take orders," Will answered, "If you had Dad would still be alive."

Don lashed out with a clenched fist that Will knocked aside. As Don spun off balance Will punched him hard in the stomach, forcing him to crumple to the ground. Will was about to attack again when hands grabbed him and pulled him back. Three of the Orion's crew had caught him. Don struggled to his feet. His eyes were anger red.

"I did not kill your father," he said painfully.

The crewmen released Will and he walked away in disgust. Conway dismissed his men then helped West back inside the ship. Judy watched her brother storm away then turned to Tish. "Is he okay?" she asked.

Tish replied, "He's just venting anger and venom, mainly at West."

Judy sighed, "Nothing new there," she said.

* * *

Conway found Maureen and Penny attending to Taylor's wounds which were not as serious as they appeared.

"What's really hurting is my pride," Taylor was saying as Conway approached, "I meet a nice girl and get my ass kicked by an old man!"

Penny laughed, "Dr. Smith is just full of surprises."

Maureen sighed, "Well we are lucky that no one else got hurt," she said, "It could have been much worse."

West grunted, "How much worse can it get?" he asked, "The Taurons are not happy and threatening expulsion."

Maureen ignored West and stood up to survey her handy work on Taylor's wounds. She had wrapped a bandage around his forehead. "Just stay there for a moment," she said, "I'll fix you up some space chowder," then walked away to the Galley.

Penny groaned, God help us from Space Chowder," she said.

Taylor looked up at Conway, "A dangerous old man," he said.

"Does he know what he's doing?" Conway asked, "Is it an act?"

Taylor laughed. "In my medical opinion," Taylor said, "He's a loon! To take him back to earth and put him in court would be a joke! I doubt that hospitalisation would help either," he stopped as Tish approached. "He's been like this too long so I don't think that rehabilitation would work either, " he added. He looked at Tish and asked, "What did you give him?"

Tish replied, "Dormsa. It is a drug used to calm animals and the sad amongst us," she paused and looked away as if ashamed by her next words, "Even amongst us we have those that are distressed and sad. Dormsa works to keep them rational," she faced Conway, "It's effect on humans is limited. Dr. Smith had consumed quite a bit of Sorba Broth so it helped."

"So that puts Smith off the hook, does it?" West asked.

Taylor shook his head in disbelief, "The man is incapable," he said, "He is sick. What would you want us to do, Major? Kill him?"

Coldly West answered, "Why not? He tried to kill us more than once."

* * *

Hannibal threw his arms back in surprise. A few switches clicked, a circuit or two re set and the Robot B - 9 was back in the land of the living. He felt ashamed. When he had been shot on the Orion Hannibal had to be repaired in Engineering. He had to have pieces replaced! This Robot need only to have a polish to be as good as new. The Robot had moaned about being shot but that was about it. He had also enquires about Smith's where abouts and state of being. Once he had found out that Smith was alive but sedated he was happy.

All Hannibal could think of was, amazing.

* * *

Luck, the crewman decided, was truly the saboteur's best friend. He had waited around the Jupiter for two days hoping to find out where Smith lived only to be rewarded with the Traitor being delivered into his hands. And not only that he had seen the great traitor was no threat at all. The crewman had even helped Will Robinson lift Smith into the Chariot and then secure the rear panel. More good luck! This had given him the opportunity to place a small tracking device onto the Chariot so that now he knew exactly where the Traitor lived. It was not that far from the Jupiter site and could be reached easily by walking. He could walk there without being missed. Or even if he is missed just claim that he had gotten lost!

Oh Lady Luck, he thought, keep dancing my way!

* * *

It was late in the evening and everyone was where they should be.

More or less.

Will, Lenore and Matthew were at 'Rancho Robinson'. Matthew was fast asleep while Will and Lenore were sitting on the abode's verandah looking up at the stars and discussing the actions of the day.

Smith and the Robot had returned to their cabin. Smith was asleep in his Cabin, his dreamed populated by demons real and imaginary. But sleepy he did. The effects of the Dormsa had worn off hours earlier but the Robot had forced him to consume a large tankard of Sorba Broth. He wailed and whined but drank it anyway. The only movement in his bed was the constant rising and falling of the small pompom on the end of his sleeping cap. The Robot did not sleep but monitored the area for activity. While he did this he recharged his power units.

Conway was sitting in his quarters going over the records of the day. Dr Taylor's report troubled him. Smith troubled him. The Orion's deteriorating condition troubled him. His thoughts shifted to Tish and he smiled. Even Tish troubled him! Although, he thought happily, troubles like that are worth it.

Despite protestations from Manya, Penny had invited Taylor back to her residence to recuperate. She had claimed that the rest there would do him good and after Taylor had finished his report on Smith they had set out for the surgery like love struck teenagers. They had eaten dinner and were now sitting in the spacious room that Penny used as a lounge. She had the surgery staff stoke up a warm fire and she had brought in a tray of Tauron delicacies. They talked about their lives, talked about their thoughts and desires.

Eventually they found themselves talking about a future together.

Everyone was where they should be.

More or less.

* * *

Don was sleeping restlessly. He tossed and turned but did not wake. His dreams were tortured recollections of his past and all ended with the bane of his life, Smith.

Don West was again sleeping alone.

Outside the Jupiter Judy walked about aimlessly. Her nocturnal excursion was lit dimly by lights from the Jupiter as well as the Orion encampment. Somewhere someone was laughing. Elsewhere a group of Taurons were singing. A party, she thought, how I would love to go to a party. The incident with Smith that day had left them all jittery and on edge. The Orion arriving had thrown their already confused and peculiar lives into turmoil. Home, she thought, going home? Where exactly was home?

"Good evening Miss Robinson," Conway said, startling Judy as he spoke, "Can't sleep either?"

Judy replied, "Sleep and this place don't go together." She paused and waved lazily at the horizon, "But it is home. Isn't it?"

Conway shrugged, "My home is Hobart, Tasmania," he said, "And like the song says, 'I still call Australia home.'"

Judy smiled, "But is it home?" she asked, "It's been so long since I was there. Would earth be home to me?"

Again Conway shrugged, "I can't say,"

Judy hugged herself as if suddenly cold. "Besides," she said, "There are a lot of things to keep us here."

Conway said, "Your father?" Judy nodded. "Everyone skirts the subject," he said, "Will you tell me what happened?"

"There's not much to tell," she answered off-handedly, "It happened just after we landed here," she paused and smiled wryly, "Landed here? We never really landed anywhere. Don always seemed to be crashing us on this planet or that. He and Dad would repair the ship and we'd be off again only to have to crash some place else," she paused, "We passed over the Settlement on the way down. We didn't know that the Taurons lived there but we knew that someone lived there so Dad and Don set out for help. Smith went with them even though Dad didn't want him along."

Conway looked puzzled, "Why not?"

"He thought that Smith would just get in the way," Judy replied, "But Don demanded that Smith be dragged along. They argued about it but Don was not going to allow Smith to stay with us. So they left us. Somewhere along the way they were climbing up a cliff face and Dad fell. It took Smith and Don a day to recover his body. By the time they returned to the Jupiter a Tauron rescue mission had found us," she paused and sighed, "All pretty pointless really."

"So why does Will blame Don for the Professor's death?" Conway asked.

During the Conversation Don had woken and had found Judy and Conway. He had stood there quietly listening to her retelling of the tale. Now he interrupted.

"Because the route we were taking was my choice," Don said flatly. Conway turned to face West. Judy turned too only her face paled at his appearance.

"Don," she stuttered.

Don continued, "We had come across a range of hills that seemed impossible to cross. We had tracked up a few blind gullies," he said as he moved towards them, "We had followed valleys and creeks but nothing worked. We still couldn't cross those hills. Finally we entered this wide valley. After a few miles it had developed into a steep sided ravine. Still it was heading in the right direction so we kept on going. Then it started heading away from where we wanted to go so I suggested climbing up to the top. John was against it, mainly because Smith was really not up to it," he paused and looked away, "But I demanded that we try. Half way up the rocks gave way and John fell. Smith caught him but couldn't hold onto him. I was a further up the cliff face so it took me longer to reach them," again he paused though this time he looked up and straight into Conway's eyes, "I couldn't reach Smith in time. I got there just as Smith's grip gave way," he stopped and this time looked at Judy, "I can still see your father's face," he said softly, "I'll never forget the look in his eyes."

Conway was none committal. "It was an accident," he said, "No one can blame you for that."

West frowned, "Will did," he said, "Still does. I'll say this for Smith though," he added, "He told Will the whole truth. For probably the first and only time in his life he told the Truth," he looked away in the direction of Smith's home, "But even Smith couldn't convince Will that it had been an accident." He took Judy in his arms and squeezed her tightly. Although he would never admit it, it was his turn to look for support. He said softly, "It's an old wound that has never healed."

For the longest time no one spoke. There wasn't anything really to say. They stood there in the cool night air looking at the world around them but seeing very little.

Eventually West said, "Well, I'm going back to bed," He held out his hand to Conway, "Goodnight, Captain." West smiled at Judy and touched her face gently, "I'll see you there," he said.

Judy watched her man disappear up into the ship. "He's a complicated man," she said, "A lot more complicated than most people think."

Conway smiled, "That's true of us all," he said, then, "There's always more to someone than meets the eye."

* * *