"Doctor Smith is not human," Robot said, suddenly coming from behind John.

There used to be a day when Robot's abrupt comment startled the professor and that day had long since passed. Once a ready, obedient assistant of Doctor Smith; the Robot had evolved into a ready yet still obedient companion to the Robinsons. The sudden comment didn't alarm John. Nothing did anymore when it came to living in space. He had passed being alarmed long ago during the first year of their mission. John turned his attention on to the Robot.

"Don told me about that," John said. "I am quite aware what he is becoming. . . What else do I not know?"

"His spine is undergoing abnormal growth," Robot said. That caught John's interest.

"Define what kind of growth," John said.

"It is difficult to explain," Robot said.

"Humor me," John said.

"His spine is expanding," Robot said. "Very slowly. And painfully."

"He must have some way of living through it," John said.

"The Doctor Smith I knew would be unable to tolerate it," Robot said. "and be pleading that his pain be ended." Robot's head bobbed up in alarm. "This Doctor Smith refuses to act vulnerable."

John rubbed his chin.

"This explains why he sat on a stool for dinner at the table," John said. "It is agonizing to put his back against a flat surface." he looked up toward Robot.

"If Smith is not human, then what is he? You are asking yourself," Robot said. "The answer is. . . a hybrid."

"A highly dangerous hybrid," John said, then walked away.

"What is a human without their DNA?" Robot mused to himself. "Their dignity? Their appearance? Their psychological view of themselves? A human is not a human when they do not feel human. But a machine that feels human? That is the question. What is a human without their DNA?"

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Most of the Robinsons were sound asleep except for John and Smith. Robot rolled away from Smith's direction then made his way up to the command deck. John could hear Robot's whirring then the sound of the elevator gently going up. John couldn't hear Smith, but he was sure the man was repeating something Robot had said in a demeaning, mocking tone back to himself.

John was having difficulty sleeping, tossing and turning from his side of the bed. He sat on the edge of it looking off toward the flat gray wall across from him. He rubbed both sides of his temple and lowered his head with his eyes closed. A familiar scream brought John to Smith's old door.

"HOW DID THEY GET HERE? Oh dear. Oh dear . . ."

John closed the door then came to Residential Deck C.

"Smith, what are you--" John stopped talking as he looked over. "Oh."

"These cats are not cats," Smith's voice dripped with disgust and horror.

"This is not entertaining," John said.

"What do you mean?" Smith asked, appalled. "Did you put all of them in my room?"

"No," John said, then looked in toward the mewing black room. "you're going to have to deal with this development," John looked toward the empty space beside him. "No, you are not going to sleep outside."

"Can I at least kick them out of my room?" Smith asked.

"You are not abusing them on my ship," John said.

"What if they try to eat me?" Smith asked.

"They are bored aliens looking for entertainment," John said. "Eating you would ruin the fun."

"I am doomed," Smith said. "Doomed, I say, because of alien cats."

"Although you and the Robot can escort them out," John said, then overheard Smith's sigh.

"I have a question," Smith said. "why did you let my counterpart stay? After all he had done? You know what he did. I find it hard to believe he stuck around with the guilt on his shoulders for as long as he did. If we never accepted the offer, your family would be on Alpha Centauri--"

"Smith," John cut him off. "How did the Robinsons survive the sabotage?"

"They woke up," Smith said.

"And who woke up West?" John asked.

"I did," Smith said.

"And who managed to save a member of my family?" John asked.

"I did," Smith said.

"Even if you didn't come aboard and sabotaged our ship, we would have never made it," John said.

"The right thing would have been to never accept that offer from my employer," Smith said, his voice laced with regret. "Don't give me your sympathy, Professor," Smith shook his head. "I did have this coming with or without being taken to the probe ship."

"No, Smith," John said. "The time merchant told me. We would be dead if you never got stuck on the Jupiter 2."

"A merchant that deals with time," Smith said. "Are you sure that it is not all a allusion?"

"I am sure of it," John said.

"Things are quite bizarre and colorful here," Smith said.

"That, Smith, is better than being in the dark," John said.

"How did Zachary deal with that guilt?" Smith asked. "Did he ever discuss this with you?"

"You were a doctor and that is what we needed," John said. "It was enough."

"That couldn't have been enough," Smith said. "Letting a terrorist, a traitor, a spy, a. . ." Smith stopped himself. "A murder aboard your ship?"

"We see the best in people, however as little or big," John said. "You provide companionship for the children and maybe more than that."

"Family was never my strong suit," Smith said, fumbling his fingers that were trembling.

"The Professor of your universe will never admit to this but I will," John said. "You are reliable when it comes to the children. No matter where you are or where you are from . . ." then he added as Smith's fumbling stopped abruptly. "despite your backstabbing nature."

"How are you so certain about that?" Smith asked, clasping his still hands together.

"You proved that theory when it came to my son," John said.

"Backstabbing is not a reliable characteristic, Professor," Smith said. "Sarcasm is not only a recourse of the weak mind but it's also backstabbing."

"It's best to have the lesser of two evils on your shoulder," John said. "survival boils down to that. And cooperation."

"You would be at Alpha Centauri had you let Zachary fall after a nasty outcome with aliens," Smith said.

"We wouldn't," John replied. "The women and the children stick around the Jupiter 2's grounds unlike you."

"I cannot determine for the life of me if that's a compliment or a insult," Smith said.

"Good night, Smith," John said, then walked away.

"Night, Professor," Smith said, softly.

The camera panned over to the inside of his small, cramped room. The resting cats stirred raising their heads up, moving out of the way. Two fluffy, large cats floated up from in the air and loud unhappy mewing. The cats were tossed out of the room. The cats landed on their feet and others followed suit. The door slammed shut on the mewing cats.

The cats pawed at the door loudly crying. The camera moved over to the not-well-decorated wall and observed a bed sliding out of the wall. The dresser drawer slid open and a thick, black onesie floated in the air that was placed onto the bed. A orange shirt, black vest, and pants appeared out of thin air landing to the floor. The onesie vanished on the bed. The blanket was yanked off the bed then the bed was slid up. The shape of a figure appeared under the blankets curled up.

In the middle of the night, the blanket bolted up drenched in sweat and panted.

The blanket slowly went down followed by panting.

Every two hours, this cycle repeated.

////////////////////////////////

It was morning when Penny noticed the door alongside Will's gently opened. She watched a comb fly out of the room then it gently float alongside the doorway as the doors were slid closed. Penny rubbed her eyes watching the unusual event occur before her eyes. She watched the lower half of the comb vanish before her eyes leaving the hairy portion of it behind. She can feel eyes staring back at her as though she was not the only one awake.

"Hello?"

"Hello, dear Penny," came a man's voice. "I was paying my respects to your old friend."

"Who?" Penny asked.

"Doctor Smith, you recall. Your Smith, anyway," Smith mused. "Must feel strange to have another man wearing his name walking around. Even odder to have the one responsible for being lost in space with you."

"Pardon?" Penny said.

"I heard he was a old man somewhere in his forties to fifties. . . Grayed and enjoying his golden years," Smith said, sounding jealous. "Admirable."

"I don't know who you are talking about or who you are," Penny said. "We don't have a stowaway."

"His name was Doctor Zachary Smith, please reconsider," she can hear him approach.

"Don't have to reconsider," Penny said. "If we had a doctor then I would have known about it."

"Is this some kind of game that Major West is playing?" Smith asked.

"No," Penny said. "Adults don't play games."

"Actually, we do play games to have fun," Smith said. "Let's play one."

"I am good at games," Penny said.

"Yes, yes, yes," Smith said. "three questions, if I ask another then you get to walk away and act as though I am not there. Then you can ask me questions throughout the day. Otherwise, continue to act that you don't know me."

"Are you being tricky?" Penny asked.

"Nah uh ah," Smith said. "Let me ask first."

"You're tricky," Penny said.

"How did you get stranded in space?" Smith asked

"Meteor storm sent us off course," Penny said.

"And who woke up Major West?" Smith asked.

"The Robot," Penny said.

"Right after he tried to kill you?" Smith said.

"No, he didn't," Penny said. "Is this some kind of trick? Because Robot would never do that."

Penny felt a hand gently pat on her head.

"You're too innocent to trick," then there was a pause. "Though, your Smith might have tricked you often." She felt his hand slid off her head.

Penny shook her head listening to the sounds of boots storming off toward the elevator. She watched the elevator go up the decks and her eyes widened. Penny covered her mouth in shock then watched the elevator return down to the deck. She walked over then scanned it for any signs of visible tampering with her eyes. Penny had a confused, baffled expression on her face then her attention was yanked by the sound of mewing. Penny picked up the large, fluffy maine coon cat into her arms.

////////////////////////////////////////////////

Don and John attended to the weather station surrounded by the cats.

The cats had always been there one way or another in their life as mandated by Alpha Control.

Cats were deemed as the most likable companion in space and the best emotional support.

Cats had been the first animals to go out into space before humans due to their intellect. The two men were making check ups on the device to make sure it was working properly. The machine was a rounded with a glass dome on the top and several table legs.

Don paused, looking back at a time one of the cats tried to lift off back to Earth taking Will with it only to land back down on Priplanus. It was amusing, and genuinely, horrifying leaving the space pod to a lone cat and a boy. The time the cat rapidly aged and Will became extremely intelligent made Don smile. That cat was the most lazy, arrogant animal Don had crossed paths with.

"Major," John said, drawing Don's attention. "We're being watched."

"They are always watching us," Don said.

"No," John said, looking around. "This is different."

There was a loud, audible yawn from behind Don. Don turned around and backed off toward the weather station.

"That was not a cat," Don said, as the cats stare at the empty space that had the floating comb part sticking out before them.

The sound of a loud stomach grumbling came from around them. It sounded very close. John and Don exchanged a glance. It moved toward them as though it were inside something. John noticed that the comb was familiar. Like he had seen this comb aboard the Jupiter 2. It resembled one that was held in boxes inside the Jupiter 2 that could last everyone forever if need be. It had the thick orange band around the combs long spikes.

"Identity yourself," John said.

Don and John felt Smith's gaze sweep from one to the other then focus on the two.

"They're scared," Don whispered.

"Maybe not," John replied, in a low voice. "Maybe they can't speak English."

"Given our previous experiences, I think they know English," Don said, as John's eyes glanced from Don to the comb. "A standard language to know by this point."

"I am Professor Robinson of the Jupiter 2," John said. "And this is my pilot, Major---"

"West," Smith finished for John. "I am painfully aware of that, Professor."

"And these are our companions," Don said. "They are not up for grabs."

"They made that very clear to me this morning," Smith replied. "They are not your companions. You're being played by alien cats that have altered your memory for their entertainment. Apparently, your family are more fun than I am."

"Those cats are from Earth," Don said.

"And I am not becoming my own worst nightmare," Smith said, bitterly. "I wish I never approached the spaceship, that way you still remember your beloved friend."

"If we lost someone, we would have remembered it," John said.

"It is hard to forget burying anyone," Don said, feeling like he was being glared at. "We buried a cat two weeks ago."

"Spare me the denial, Major," Smith said, sharply. A cat acted as though it were rubbing against his leg. Suddenly, the cat flew off and landed to its feet on the ground. John started to slip his laser pistol out of its sheath as Smith's boot prints changed direction. "Your mess is going to backfire so bad that you won't be able to regenerate."

Don got in the way of the cats aiming the laser pistol at Smith's chest where he stopped.

"I recommend you reconsider that," Don said.

"I . . . I . . . I am going to do you a favor over something you will regret later," Smith said.

"No, I won't," Don said.

There was a long moment of silence from Smith's side.

"Trust me when I say this . . . " Smith said, his voice dripped with lethargy. The cats loudly began to mew gathering closely around the weather station.

"I see no reason to," Don said, his finger on the trigger.

"It'll break the family morale even William's heart," Smith pointed out. John's eyes widened then slowly shook his head. "I left to stop that not create it."

The last part came out oddly sincerely from the stranger. Which was strangely heartbreaking.

"You're not going after my son," John said, stepping forward.

The laser pistol was forcibly tipped down toward the dirt.

"Rest assured. . . I am doing this in his best interest, Professor," Smith replied.

Don was struggling to keep a firm grip on the laser pistol.

"What kind of planet are you from?" Don asked, looking up where Smith would be. "Krypton?"

"Earth," Smith said. "Sweet, disastrous and dying Earth."

"You don't seem human," John said.

Smith had a genuine laugh that doubled down into a sad, bemused laughter nearing on the brink of tears. It was like Smith could wing his hands at any time leaving Don unable to fight back. Don's hand was trembling as he looked down watching the fingers slowly be pried off the handle before his eyes.

The laser pistol fell to the dirt. Donn yanked his hand back, stepping away from Smith with a horrified look. John fired where Smith had been then was knocked down by a sudden force landing unconscious to the ground. Don turned his attention over toward the Professor unable to move a muscle. He was in a state of shock unsure what to do. Don looked around in alarm expecting for a punch to fly out of thin air at him.

The camera turned on the wide eyed cats that were silent.

That punch never came.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////

"And then he left," Don finished.

"He left?" Maureen said, as John dabbed the pack on his eye.

"Uh huh," Don said. "Acted like he was familiar to us."

"That is strange," Maureen said.

"It could have been worse," John said.

"Yet, he acted like he were familiar to you," Maureen said. "Perhaps our memory has been altered."

"I would not doubt that," John said. "After all the times our memory has been altered. . ."

Don walked round the table, rubbing his chin.

"Wouldn't that be taxing on the human mind?" Don asked. "Done one too many times leaving us with long term memory loss."

"It's a possibility," John said. "A possibility that could happen."

"What is the answer to the universe?" Penny asked, as she walked out of the Jupiter 2. "What is the meaning of expelliarmus? I hear that often from some of the girlfriends I made a while back on the Browner station," she looked over toward the missing space behind her. "Is there meaning in bar codes? A friend of mine said they scanned a digital creature from it with their scanner. Is there meaning in crows cawing? Is it true that birds can speak?"

Penny walked past the improvised meeting area from the small group. The three looked over in the direction of Penny with concerned looks then shared a glance with each other. Maureen turned back toward the questioning young woman.

"Penny, who are you talking to?" Maureen asked.

"Oh," Penny said, coming to a stop then casually replied. "Doctor Smith."

"And who is this Doctor Smith?" Don asked.

"You know him, Don," Penny said. "You might know him."

"I do?" Don asked, leaning into the chair with a baffled look. "I don't know anyone by that name."

"He implied," Penny said, coming over to the resting plants.

"Implied," John repeated.

"We're playing a game," Penny said, leaning against the table. "He asked me five questions, now I get to ask him questions and he has to answer them throughout the day. He can't ask me any questions."

"Penny," Maureen said. "you know he is not around?"

"Just because you can't see him doesn't mean he is not there," Penny said.

"I did not hear him walk away," Don said. "She is right about that."

"He'll talk when he's comfortable," Penny said.

"But if he doesn't then you should talk to someone who is visible and also there," Maureen said.

"Alright, Mom," Penny said.

Penny looked over to see a shadow of what seemed to be a figure sitting on the top of the Jupiter 2 reflected on the sand sitting on the edge of the spaceship. She turned her attention from the sand to the space. When she looked down, the shadow was gone. Maureen came over to the laundry basket then took out a black vest that had a watch attached to a golden chain hanging from a pocket. The golden chain vanished in mid-air like it had been zapped away by a device. Maureen looked around as John came to her side. He looked down toward the black vest.

"He must be very familiar to us," John said.

"I get the feeling that this isn't the first time he left a grandfather's watch in his pocket," Maureen said.

Don looked toward the direction that Penny was still looking down at then up toward the young woman.

"And you saw his shadow," Don said. "This must really be amusing to him."

"Not really amusing," Maureen said.

"More alarming," John agreed.

Penny walked past the Robot that was covered in cats.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Robot's sensors scanned the cats and determined that despite their strange nature, they were still cats. They seemed to be everywhere Robot went. If it went down to the computer navigational station below the bridge then the cats would be right on him. If he went down to the galley to check on Maureen's cooking, the cats would be there too. If he went to check on Will's studies, the cats were there.

If he went to the power core, the cats would be there. If he went anywhere aboard the Jupiter 2, the cats were there. His sensors were growing tired of detecting the cats so it wandered off a few hours after the Smith incident. If he detected one more cat around him, Robot felt he would cry. Typical Robots could not cry. However, in Robot's unique case he could synthesize the sound of crying. Penny followed after the Robot on a break from her usual questioning.

"Robot, what is wrong?" Robot straightened himself up then yanked his accordion arms in.

"Nothing is wrong, Penny Robinson," Robot replied.

"It's not like you to go off without telling us you were going for a walk," Penny said.

"I do this often," Robot said.

"No, you don't," Penny said.

"According to my tapes, I do," Robot said. "Following after a lazy, trouble seeking cat."

"I miss the cat, too," Penny said. Robot turned looking off in the direction of the distance then back toward Penny then raised his head up high. "What is it, Robot?"

"We are typically surrounded by cats no matter where we go," Robot said.

"Cats respect privacy," Penny said. "They are very good at reading people."

"Cats do," Robot agreed. "I do not detect danger. . ."

"However, you feel like there should be," Penny said.

"Affirmative," Robot's head lowered.

"You are just bored that there is no excitement," Penny said. "Don't deny it. I get bored too."

"I do not deny it," Robot said. "There are chances I have a problem with my sensors."

"Except, you have done a system diagnostics," Penny said.

"I am in the process of doing so and I am at ninety percent,"Robot replied.

"How's that going?" Penny asked.

Robot paused as his head whirred in surprise.

"My tapes feel funny," Robot said.

Penny looked at Robot, oddly.

"How so?" Penny asked.

"It is hard to explain," Robot said.

"Try me," Penny said.

"It is as though the cats are decorations," Robot said. "Cats. . . cats. . . . CATS---urgh." Robot wilted over to a rock with his glass head pressed against his accordion black arm and had the other pressed against the wall as the support. "Fluffy, motionless. . . . still. . . sitting. . . . cats. . . not a blink," Penny came over to Robot's side then placed a hand on his metal shoulder.

"There, there," Penny said, patting on Robot's shoulder. "You are just sick of them."

Robot wept.

"I---" sniff. "--want to--" sniff. "--detect something---" sniff. "else," Robot said, as Penny lightly patted. "This is abnormal."

"I understand that feeling," Penny said. "I wish that we stop seeing yellow mountains and start seeing trees."

"It is as though they are---" Robot leaned off the hard, rocky wall and bobbed his head up once putting his arms inside while facing Penny. "Cardboard."

"Like they are not real?" Penny asked. "Like . . . they were never there."

"Affirmative," Robot said, straightening himself up.

"The memories seem so real," Penny said, then she looked down toward the right looking back at her memories.

"Return to the Jupiter 2, Penny Robinson," Robot said. "I will be seeking danger."

"Robot? Robot!" Penny said, watching Robot wheel away then turned toward the Jupiter 2 and ran back toward the super spaceship.

////////////////////////////

The Robot is transported inside a dark spaceship that is bigger by the inside. As though a highly advanced quantum generator was being used in the room. It's sensors indicated the spaceship in the shape of a hand was small and cramped not spacious. Robot wheeled his way through the scenery until it came to a strange humanoid.

Robot scanned him detecting a unique change in him. His appearance indicated he was human, his mind by his scanners indicated that he was very much a suffering human, and yet, the readings from his back indicated otherwise. As though the individual wasn't human.

"This does note compute," Robot said.

The man turned in the direction of the Robot holding a wrench surrounded by pieces of wiring, mother boards, and screws.

"Oh, you,"

The man gave a tired smile in return.

"Yes, it is I! The dramatic and lazy cat! The trouble making cat!"

This had to be the Doctor Smith that was prowling around and causing terror for the Robinsons.

"You should rest,"

"No,"

"My sensors indicate you are in dire need of sleep,"

"Wish I could do that given the circumstance,"

"You are being forced to do this work despite how exhausted you are, are you not? I can help you with that problem,"

"Can you really?"

"I have been informed to be a excellent massage therapist,"

"That is a nice horror story,"

"It really happened," The tired individual seemed to be non-threatening even his sensors detected being fed up with what was going on. "I dislike this episode. Hopefully, this will end rather soon."

Smith stood up then came over to the Robot and took off the energy pack. Then, he was back outside of the spaceship in the mountain scenery. Robot scanned once more this time detecting John and Penny coming after him side by side. There was new information up in his tapes. They ran up ahead with two cats following along behind them, mewing loudly.

Robot registered the mews that didn't sound like a typical mew from a Earthling feline.

"Robot!" John said, coming to the side of Robot. "What happened?"

"You have been gone for hours," Penny said.

Robot's head bobbed up.

"My tapes have been repaired," Robot said. "Professor Robinson, I am missing significant information starting from the retrieval of Will Robinson."

"You mean to say that information has been purposely deleted," John said.

"Affirmative," Robot replied, as his head bobbed down.

"And the cats," John said.

"The cats are not cats," Robot said.

"Then what are they?" John asked.

"According to new information that has come to light, they are evil overlords of the planet Delstus," Robot said, as Penny came closer to him. "They are relatives of the Earthling felines and split off during the cats self-domestication. They were taken by visiting aliens during a abduction, they were experimented on, then took over in a dictatorship and became powerful. In a matter of speaking, they are Delstustians."

John looked over toward the innocent fat cats staring back at him with their big, curious eyes then toward Robot.

"Why my family?" John asked. "They can tamper with their peoples liking."

"You make them have fun," Robot said. "Their ways have become boring."

"Having fun doesn't mean the other person has to be miserable when being toyed with," Penny said. "It is not right."

"It is inhumane," John said.

"That is torture," Robot agreed.

"So you stop it right now," Penny said, her attention on the cats. "Cats are made to be loved and cherished not hated and neglected." Penny knelt down to the cats.

"Penny," John said. "You should step aside."

"Not until they understand rights are to be respected," Penny said. "We aren't lab rats. We are just like you only taller and with fingers." Penny held out her hands then lowered them down. "You get to learn, grow, and age quickly than we do." Penny paused, looking back with a fond smile. "All the while making the universe a brighter place all within twenty years. You get to make many influences on things bigger than you. Now, you're just wasting it using all your time to make people sad."

John looked down toward the cats who were staring right back at him when they vanished before his eyes.

"They're gone," John said. "I wonder where they could have gone."

Penny looked around.

"And so is their ship," Penny grew concerned as she looked off at the remarkably absent landing area. "Where is Doctor Smith?"

"He must be wilting somewhere around here," John said. "That I am certain of. We'll search for him when it is first light out."

Don was annoyed, needless to say. It was getting light out and Will decided to tag along. He didn't know how Will had known when he would go out to search for Smith. A part of Don was taken back at how they were allowing a superman to stay with them. Smith was not human, that was certain.

His eyes glanced down toward the footprints of the last site that he had been. He looked up to see a familiar beagle poking its head out of the rock. Don took a turn. Beagles must be very good alarm dogs for aliens out there and very good companions. Just that Smith being quite the companion was beyond him. Will was resting beside Don looking over.

"I wonder why their memory alterations hasn't gone away," Will said, out loud.

"The human brain is a very tricky part of the body, Will," Don said.

"Is this . . ." Will said. "permanent?"

"Doesn't seem to be permanent over the Robot," Don said. "According to him, the cats images were just transplanted onto his tapes," he looked over toward Will. "It could be permanent."

"It should go away," Will said. "Whenever I close my eyes. . . " he closed his eyes. "I hear the old cat trying to say something."

"Like what?" Don asked, as Will's eyes opened.

"Something insignificant," Will said. "but it feels important to me. . . and I can't reach it. It's like I can draw the curtain that distorts voices to hear them clearly except I can't." Will sighed, looking down toward his hands then back toward Don. "Do you feel that way?"

"They don't really have meaning to me," Don said. "It's just distorted radio chatter when it comes to that old cat." he made the talking gesture with this hand. "Meaningless chatter."

Don looked over then took a different path.

"I feel like I have done this before," Will said.

"You have," Don said.

"Gone in circles," Will said. "I think not."

"We're not going in circles," Don replied.

"I feel like I have gone this way before," Will said, his mind reeling back to the black and white memory.

The cat loudly mewing with a unique voice that sent shivers down his skin. It was the sound of a cat that was attempting to speak like a human. The cat sounded scared. The sharp, pinching pain feeling of fingers digging into his skin, terrified, stood out. As though there was a human with him in that memory rather than a cat. He could compare the pinching to a cats claws. Don gently placed a hand onto the boy's shoulder.

"You don't have to go with me," Don said.

"I am going to one day be part of the search teams," Will said. "So shouldn't I get some experience before hand?"

"One day," Don said. "That day can't come any sooner."

"We won't have time for that one of these days," Will said. "You won't."

"I know," Don said. "Asking her after this? Out of the question, we have every reason to doubt our memory."

"Yes, we do," Will said.

"I will ask her when all that memory alterations over with," Don said. "But not anytime soon."

"You should ask her before she asks you," Will said.

"I like where we are at right now," Don lied, looking over toward Will.

"I understand," Will said, as Don turned his attention away. "I think. . ." he looked at him. "Actually. . . that sounds like a lie coming from someone who waited for Judy to ask him out." Don had a fond smile at the memory.

"I was going to ask her before the cat died," Don said.

"Oh," Will said. Will looked toward Don then shared a brief nod.

Don turned attention up toward the sky where smoke was drifting in the sky. Don was the first to stand up then go after the direction that the smoke was coming from. Will tagged along holding onto his light weight laser pistol that was aimed at the ground. They came to a stop in front of the reasonably large spaceship where metal was decorating the scenery. The smoke was coming off the spaceship. Don kept Will aside from behind the rock holding a hand out to wait. Don came forward, observing several fatalities from the unexpected explosion. Their attention was caught by the loud, pained cries of a cat. The two came over to the motionless cat then noticed it was a white cat with a brown face. It stood out notably as was larger than most of the cats around the scenery. It reminded Don of a Earthling birman, a cat breed, from Earth. The cat's eyes struggled to open. There was a long scar that had a single nerve that stood out oozing blue contrasting the white fur. Don stopped Will from touching the injuries, giving the no gesture, looking down upon the cat. Will lowered his head down seemingly crying.

The cat unexpectedly raised his head up Will.

"You. . ." Smith's bright blue cat eyes opened. "You look like you have personally shot old yeller, dear boy."

His eyes painfully closed as Don and Will shared shocked looks. Will blinked staring at the talking cat. Don looked over toward the remains of the other cats. Some of them were alive and some of them were not alive. Don noticed that the alien cat was further away than the rest of the others then returned his attention on the cat. Smith's tail was gently rolling up and down against the dirt.

"How . . ." Will said, noticing the differences in Smith's cat physiology that were small and subtle. "You can't have survived that."

"Ow," Smith replied. "apparently I have. How tragic."

"What did you do, Smith?" Don asked.

"I did nothing," Smith replied.

"Why would someone turn you into a cat of all creatures," Don said. "--Your--" he faked a cough, "-grip--" he faked another cough. "is too strong."

Smith's eyes became wide as he raised his head up with a hiss at Don.

"How dare you slander my name that way, you uncoordinated pompous hawk!" A smile grew on Will's face at the familiar insult.

"Lay out the truth," Don said.

"Fine," Smith relented. "I poked around while they were having fun, get held in a cell, and turned into this monstrosity. They could have treated me as a actual prisoner. A simple bed, razor, and toilet would have sufficed -- I could have done without a sink -- but nooo they decided to keep me in a booth." Smith weakly batted his paw up. "A narrow, thin booth where I could not sit down. Oooohh, the pain. The paain."

Smith lowered his head onto the piece of metal repeating the word 'pain' over and over to himself.

"And you had just been turned into a cat when the ship exploded," Will said.

"Oooh," Smith whined, rolling his large eyes. "That was before."

"I can get used to this," Will said.

"So can I," Don agreed.

"Don't count your chickens before they're hatched," Smith replied. "This may not be a permanent state of being."

"Oooh, so this means you get to become human," Don grew a wide grin. "naked."

"Now, see here!" Smith waved his paw at the taller human, rolling over toward Don with claws out slashing at him in the mist of pain. "It will never ever happen that way!"

"So you do admit it could happen that way?" Don asked. "You're going to have . . ." Don covered Will's ears. "A cat dick."

"I am going to kill you," Smith hissed.

"A cat dick for the rest of your life," Don said.

"This is by far the worst image you can make me see, Major," Smith said, as Don uncovered Will's ears.

"Give me your worse mental image," Don said.

"Double orgy with purple humanoids that have eight tentacles," Smith said. "Uncomfortable but effective."

"Orgy?" Don's face twisted as the question came from Will.

"Smith!" Don said, in a chastising tone.

"You challenged me," Smith said. "What did you expect?"

"Something else than that," Don said.

A delighted, loud purr came from Smith as his bright blue eyes closed.

"Your mind is too bright and optimistic for the imagery I have in mind," Smith said, then laid his head back down onto the metal with a pained groan.

It felt like there were a hundred eyes on them.

"Don't move," Don said.

Don looked up as the sound of cat like hissing came from across.

"Leave me," Smith plead. "Let them finish whoever started this insidious explosion."

"You are out of your mind thinking I would leave you behind," Don said, aiming the laser pistol in the direction of the approaching cats. "Will, pick him up."

"You will most certainly no--" Smith yelped in pain as Will abruptly picked his heavy body up.

Smith's cat body wrecked in pain.

"Run!" Don said.

The two fled on foot as Smith's extended claws were flying. Don fired his laser pistol at the running cats. The small group made it to the Jupiter 2.

Robot's head bobbed up then made his usual announcement, "Danger! Danger!"

Will ran on to the bridge of the Jupiter 2 with Don close behind him. Don closed the air lock behind him then had the laser pistol aimed at the window. The Robot sent a powerful jolt after the cats sending them flying back and landing on to the ground. Will placed the agonized cat on to the top of the primary navigation computer.

Smith was out cold with eyes squeezed shut. The cats retreated into the receding darkness. Don lowered the laser pistol placing it back inside the belt. Don turned away from the door to face Will gently trying to shake awake Smith.

"I wouldn't touch that nerve," Don said.

Will turned in the direction of Don then nodded.

"I am not the enemy, Professor," Smith replied.

"Then why are you the only one who remembers?" John asked, making Smith pause looking for a answer.

"I tossed the aliens out of my room," Smith said.

"You made them angry rather than be entertained," John said.

"My fault," Smith said. "It must be it."

"Can it be undone?" John asked.

"I did not major in intergalactic engineering," Smith replied, as Don and Robot came onto the bridge.

"On humans, Smith!" John said.

"I don't know!" Smith replied. "I am not a neurologist. Psychology and neurology are two different subjects that deal with the human brain. One deals with the mind and the other deals with nerves." Smith looked over toward Don then sighed in relief. "Ah, Major."

"Robot scanned my brain while I was recalling a memory," Don started. "Tell them what you told me."

"My sensors indicate it can be reversed the same way it was done," Robot said.

"My heroes," Smith said, his long white tail flickering from side to side.

"So it can be undone," John said.

"Affirmative," Robot said. "You must be warned, though, you may not want the actual memories to come back."

"Why?" Don asked, looking up toward the Robot.

Robot's head whirred toward Smith then back toward John.

"If I had the chance, I wouldn't want to remember this," Robot synthesized John's voice.

And somehow, Smith knew what Robot was referring to without asking for context.

The tone in the synthesized voice was full of sadness unlike the very rich, eternally optimistic tone that he heard from John prior. It could only mean that John was referring to his counterpart. John and Don exchanged curious looks with each other. John shook his head turning his glance back toward Robot. Smith had pain in his rib cage that was bothersome. Most likely a product of being thrown forcefully out of the space ship. His left side hour less than the feeling in his spine. There were sharp jolts of pain that erupted between seconds while laid on the glass dome was distracting.

"I am pretty sure I wasn't being literal," John said. "I might have been speaking out of sarcasm."

"My sensors did not detect any deception," Robot said.

"Robot, when we grieve. . . sometimes we say things that we don't mean," Don said.

"Even in fights?" The Robot asked.

"Yes," Don said. "We taught you that a long time ago."

"That information is not on my tapes," Robot said. "It appears that some information has been permanently deleted."

"As well as the information from retrieving Will," John said.

"Negative," Robot replied, startling the two men.

"You said earlier that information was deleted," Don said.

"I mixed it up with my new tapes," Robot said.

"What new tapes?" John asked, growing concerned.

"I am as surprised as you are," Robot said. "And confused."

"I didn't think you had the room for that," Don said.

"As did I," Robot agreed.

"Let's go," John said, returning with two laser pistols. "Robot, if they run out of juice, then it's on you."

"Affirmative," Robot said. "I will do my best."

Don and John walked out of the Jupiter 2 Moments later, Penny and Will returned into the Jupiter 2 taking in a table with them. They set it down across from the navigation station then resumed playing. Smith struggled to get up struck by a flash of pain that made him flinch. The cosmic card game went on as Smith struggled to get up on his four feet. Smith flopped off the console landing to the floor.

A hand gently picked up the unconscious cat then placed it onto the bridge console. Smith was loudly purring, his front legs curling under his chest as did his back legs. Smith steadied his breathing watching the two children playing their game. He noticed Penny had her hair braided up left on her shoulder making her seem older than what she was.

//////////////////////////////////////////

The two men returned to the scene of the crime for the second time since the cats arrival. What scrap metal there had been were gone. The only thing left was the shell of a spaceship with a new built in staircase. Don and John exchanged a glance then climbed up. The top tip of the spaceship was no more, it was just a rounded and very uneven opening. John stumbled in unexpectedly after tripping over a step. They stopped falling coming down to a landing on the flat floor. Their laser pistols clatted to the floor then vanished before their eyes.

John looked up to see there was a large opening.

The two walked on looking for the cats.

"Hello?" Don called. "Anyone there?"

"We come in peace," John said.

There was strangely not a cat in sight.

"And we want our original memories back," Don said.

"Preferably, we come down to a peaceful solution," John said. "I am sure you don't want to lose another of your own."

"Neither do we," Don added.

John was the first to come down to a stop and Don stopped once he heard the sounds of growling.

Painful, agonizing growling from across.

The dark room lit up to reveal several cats gathered around a console with a large scene above it. There were small crystals dotting the panel that ranged in color and size. On the large screen appeared the Jupiter 2, Judy and Maureen were standing guard while the force field generator's field could be seen in a thin layer of blue film that cackled. John was horrified. The screen focused on Maureen for a moment then on to Judy.

"I have a idea," John said. "a trade."

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It was morning, again, and Maureen was making breakfast.

Everything seemed to be calm and not in panic as it used to be.

Maureen was humming to herself a lovely melody.

Don seemed to be struggling to remember something.

Will was sitting politely across from Don. John was laughing, loudly, and whole heartedly as were the other members of the family. A cat wandered out of the Jupiter 2 attracted by the loud, booming humans then sat down looking at them. This was something that he hardly ever saw with the other Robinsons. Radiating, happily in the morning. Most mornings started in the galley in space or outside at a table in front of the Jupiter 2 (which was rarely); the siblings arguing about a matter, Don and John making plans, Maureen and Judy discussing about a whole different matter and the Robot being the Robot.

And well, him just eating what was necessary and handing off what he didn't want to Blarp. The differences were stark. The only times where laughter had come from breakfast were lone snickers from Don when it came to him. Robot was standing guard across from the forcefield generator. It was like looking at a bright, altered copy of the Robinsons that he once knew.

It became apparent to Smith that these were the genuine, real article.

A perfect variation of the family that were happy that wasn't dark and gritty.

Sometimes making a copy of something else made large differences that stood out.

The original would always stand out on its own two feet and always be more likeable over the copies.

It appeared to be true with the Robinsons.

The two universes weren't just different because one was dark and gritty or bright and hopeful. Nor was it along the lines of one being good and the other being bad. How he and Robot were the only ones who seemed to retain the littlest of their character was beyond him. Will's hand had taken a part in making Robot's personality in his universe. And yet, after all that, the Robot was himself. Perfection can never be had in copies and what little of perfection that was in it had to be appreciated as its own. The Smith of this universe deserved to be here not him. Maureen came over to Smith then placed her hand onto his back.

"Hello there, are you lost?" Her finger nails applied pressure to Smith's long blue nerve.

The hair on Smith's back rose.

"Ow," Smith said.

Maureen looked over then shrugged.

"Ow," Smith said.

Maureen looked in to the Jupiter 2.

"Smith?" Maureen called.

Smith flinched.

"Madame, I am afraid your finger is applying pressure to my previous nerve," Smith's voice came from her arms.

Maureen didn't scream or drop him as he expected her but instead, did the oppossite.

"Oh," Maureen said, softening her voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you turned into a cat."

Maureen gently lowered him down the floor then walked down the platform.

"You look nothing like the picture," Don said, jokingly. "You are a very mistaken man."

Smith ran up toward the seat then sat down down alongside it.

"I am clearly not mistaken as you are when I have been a cat since yesterday," Smith said.

"No?" Don said. "You were invincible."

"What do you mean?" Smith asked, as John took another bite from the eggs. "You all clearly saw me as a cat before."

"I don't think so," Will said. "I would have remembered that."

"So would I," Judy said.

"Did I ask questions about how its like to be a cat?" Penny asked.

"No, yes, actually," Smith said. "No." as Don loudly laughed with his hands on his stomach.

"Befuddled Smith is the best Smith," Don said, inbetween his laughter.

"Enjoy it," Smith said. "One day you might be turned into a cat, Major, and it won't be pleasant."

"And you angered those cats so they turned you into one of them," John said.

"Indeed, indeed," Smith said. "Well, it's funny how you can anger them. . . It's temporary," Smith's head was held above the table. "As you told me last night, it'll last a few days and the return to being human is going to be slow."

"I don't recall," John said.

"It's probably best that we don't," Maureen said, looking over toward John as she seated herself down.

"Well, I can't eat this since I am a cat," Smith said. "Scrambled eggs. . . Looks like I'll have to find my own meal."

"I hardly believe there is space mice out there," Don said, wiping off a tear.

"Fight me," Smith said, with his claws out holding his paw out with a mean glare.

"I get it, I get it," Don said. "You hunted some mice before you went to sleep."

"Unbecoming of Zachary Smith, a savage, a animal," Smith said. "Just what I had coming."

"I retain data regarding the events of last night," Robot announced, coming toward the table.

Everyone looked toward Robot.

"Well, what happened?" John asked.

"A trade," Robot replied.

"What kind of trade?" Don asked.

"A trade of valuable goods," Robot said. "What they were, I do not know."

"Why?" John asked.

"You deleted the information," Robot said.

"Don't look at me," Smith said, as all eyes went on him. "I was licking myself in the kitchen."

"And Doctor Smith, that description you have is a barbarian not a animal," Robot said.

"You just enjoy pointing out my errors, you metal slimy Neanderthal," Smith said, sharply.

"That I do," Robot said, then wheeled away as the Robinsons had a bemused laugh and Smith jumped off the seat.

"What happened to Smith's cat friends?" Maureen asked.

Robot turned back.

"They left," Robot said, ominously.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Penny wandered off with Robot to find Smith. Will was tending to the hydroponic garden as this morning was his turn. She saw the cat laid on a long flat rock on his side. Smith was loudly purring. She was afraid to approach him in the fear that she will wake him up from his contentful moment. Smith raised his furry head up and his blue eyes opened. His tail flickered from side to side.

"Penny, I like to answer your questions," Smith said.

"But you said I didn't ask questions," Penny said.

"You did but not about my appearance. . . Mostly as a participant of a game that we played," Smith elaborated. "I must uphold my part."

"Well, that wouldn't be fair if I didn't know what I was getting answers for," Penny said.

"I normally give answers while mentioning the questions," Smith said, as she approached him. "You may want to sit down."

Penny sat down onto a boulder.

"Danger, danger!" Robot flailed it's arms. "Danger!"

"Get that power pack off that unsettling metal behemoth!" Smith shouted. "It's hurting my ears."

Penny yanked the energy pack off then sat down onto the boulder.

"Ah, better," Smith said.

"Just how many questions did I ask?" Penny asked, concerned.

"A lot, dear Penny," Smith replied. "A lot."

"I am ready," Penny said.

"Expelliarmus is a removal spell from the novel series Harry Potter," Smith started. "Birds caw, and yes, birds do speak. Though we try to seek meaning in those that can talk when they are really being a little turd. And no, there is no meaning in bar codes but to scanners, they do. For example, there's a cat video that can be picked up when scanning a very old bar code on the tiles. And the answer to the universe is 42, life and death. And that was a absurd question about space seahorses. . ."