"And he eats metal." Robot finished his report.

John was about to eat his egg when he lowered his spoon.

"He . . can. . . eat. . metal?" John asked.

"Affirmative," Robot said. "My sensors tell me that he is struggling with his new appetite."

"Maureen, I will go with you this time," John said. "With that strange machine you got from the celestial department store. What was that? Eh, a neutron freezer?"

"A space freezer pistol," Maureen said. "Made out of quartz. I have been using it to freeze the meat in the excess freezer we had to make."

"How much fuel is left?" John asked.

"It doesn't need fuel," Maureen said. "Just stored in the freezer for recharge. It came with a special purse for mobile transport."

"I like to be armed with that in the event that he turns on you," John said. "If, if," he held his index finger up. "He really looses it. And we are not going to let him be unfrozen until a way to restore his mind is found including his cure."

"A cave would be best," Don spoke up. "Like his residential one."

"Can the space bats be removed?" Judy asked.

"A day will be necessary to neutralize the electronic bats," Robot said. "They cannot be removed without being solar charged."

"It would be a better fate for him that way," John continued. "If he stepped foot in the Jupiter 2 in that state of mind then he would be killed."

"It is better than seeing him every day and not being able to wake him up when there isn't a cure for him," Will said.

"It is," John agree, his eyes shifting toward his son. "Our counterparts and us made a mistake when it came to our respective Smiths. We are going to make sure that we do it right by him this time."

The members of the family nodded.

"How can we get his DNA samples for testing on his cure when he refuses?" Judy asked.

"You can leave that matter to me," Maureen said. "I will get the required sample."

"If he goes over the line that defines a man and a mindless monster," John said. "In the mean time, we can make our launch in three days for Alpha Centauri. Enough time for Doctor Smith to decide on taking the medication and what he wants to do in the mean time while heading to Alpha Centauri. Is that preferable for everyone?"

"Yes!" Were the delighted responses that came from his family.

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

It was mid-afternoon when Maureen and John came through the area that they had been through only a matter of days ago. There was a man made dock waiting where it hadn't been days ago with several sculptures decorating the area consisting of a playground and a series of carvings in rock that resembled vehicles that were seen on Earth.

It had been a long time since they had seen Earthly vehicles. John and Maureen exchanged a glance then Maureen nodded toward him and patted on his shoulder. The professor walked away but set himself not too far and hid among the trees as Maureen came forward with her picnic basket dangling by her side. She arrived to a carved table set across from the set up activity beach.

She searched through the area for the man's figure. She squinted ahead where she came then turned around. When she turned around, she spotted a figure coming toward her in a simple two piece pitch black outfit at first glance.

When he arrived to her view, she noticed that it was in reality a three piece outfit, a black suit matched by a black vest, and a dark purple shirt that had a neck collar. His appearance was more human than he had been in recent weeks. Physically, he looked unaltered but the looks in his eyes were different from the constantly angry and bitter man. He was at peace with himself and seemed to be content.

"You look well, madame," Smith said. "And very bright."

"I don't know how you are," she shook her head in disappointment. "but you are lying to me with that illusion up about your well being."

Smith laughed, slipping his hands into his pockets, lowering his head walking on past her.

"I am doing better,"

"Better?" Maureen asked, skeptically.

"Better," Smith nodded, certain, his voice and eyes showed a positive change in him. It was strange to see happiness on his face after the grouchy, unhappy, saddened, and pained demeanor that had plagued him for quite some time. It was a remarkable change in him. "I am in a better state of mind than I was before."

"Better means being able to show yourself, being out, and happy with company around you," Maureen said. "We have hardly seen you in a week."

"I am happy with how I have turned out," Smith said. "How. I love. Myself."

"How are we to know that you are really okay when you have this up?" Maureen asked.

"I want you to remember me the way I was," Smith turned toward the lake. "Do me that favor. . ." Maureen shook her head in protest. "I don't need false hope."

"Doctor Smith," Maureen said. "Friends don't give up on each other."

Smith lowered his head, momentarily, then sighed.

"I find that accepting what you are is a good thing," Smith said, then shifted toward her. "Isn't it?"

"Yes," Maureen said. "It is."

Maureen took several steps forward approaching Smith but he stepped back.

"Madame," Smith held up his hands then shook them meekly. "Please."

"But . . . if you want to be what you were before," She carefully lifted up a crate from the picnic basket then set it on to the rock beside her. "This is always on the table."

Smith looked down toward the crate then toward her.

"You are a very kind woman, madame," Smith said. "But I can't take it."

"Show me," Maureen said. "It won't change how I see you."

Smith's attention lowered toward the grass, already regretful, even more comfortable than before.

"I may not look like him," Smith slipped off his cloak placing it on to the table. "But I have recently developed the appetite to eat flesh. And fish have made a perfect placebo for some mind boggling indecent reason."

Smith's human appearance sizzled away revealing a tall creature that lacked genitalia then he turned away from her bracing himself for the worst.

"You don't look that half bad," Maureen's tone was full of warmth, kindness, and bemusement.

"What?" Smith asked, surprised. "What?"

Smith was so used to seeing the fear that John's tale regarding his counterpart on the Robinsons faces or when they even thought of it. Fear, grimace, then pretend that they weren't thinking about it at all that this reaction was shocking. So used to the other Maureen being afraid when she looked at him. The disgust in the major's eyes weighed more than concrete. Their actions spelled more into the realm of fear then courage could in space.

So used to Penny and Judy keeping their space around him. So used to John keeping his space from the doctor as though afraid if he were touched then he would be infected then become what Smith was turning into.

Smith was needless to say shocked at her response to his figure. Even throughout this mutation, these versions didn't stand not five feet away from him when near each other. It was shocking even odd that a fellow human would be comfortable around his changing appearance. He watched the woman begin to smile in response as if he had done something amusing yet it was layered in kindness.

"You look better than the drawing, Doctor Smith," Maureen said. "And colorful. I like the new eye."

Her lighthearted tone allowed Smith to relax and loosen up as he slowly turned toward her.

"We accept people for who they are," Maureen said. "Not what they are."

Smith took a tentative step forward.

"Tell your husband," Smith said. "But not the others. I don't need their pity."

"We will make sure that you won't get pitied upon, Doctor Smith," Maureen said. "Whatever you decide to do. However much we do not like it. We will be behind you on it."

"Whatever it is?"

"Whatever it is," Maureen repeated with a nod.

"You are the genuine article," Smith's face softened. "Respecting my wishes."

"She didn't?" Confusion and bewilderment decorated her facial features.

"She sneaked it in," The colonel nodded. "I could always tell when she had done it."

"Even when she sedated you?" Maureen asked in a incredulous tone.

"That part," Smith said. "I did not mind. It helped me have some really good power naps-with consequences for the infection."

"We have some back at the Jupiter," Maureen said. "If your nerves are getting to you then I can get some."

"Having a strong potion of that," Smith's third eye distinctively had the smiling gaze to it contrasting the bitterness in his main two eyes. "Just to have a good nights rest. . . That would be heaven."

"Heaven isn't somewhere that is in spirit, Doctor Smith," Maureen said. "It is in how you make life."

"Is this-" he gestured toward the lake, "-lifestyle in the wilderness with a super spaceship-" he turned his attention on to her. "-heaven to you?"

"According to Jewish mythology, hell only lasts for no longer than a year," Maureen said. "Hell and heaven are two different state of beings in the life that we live. I recall you had several good night rests under less desirable conditions."

"It feels like a year ago it had been that way," Smith said.

"It's a life altering change, yes. . ." Maureen said. "But you can make it a good one."

Smith contemplated the comment looking off tapping his fingers together then his attention turned toward her.

"When did you become so wise, madame?" Smith asked in awe.

Maureen thought for a moment then slowly grew a warm smile.

"Every day I am becoming wise," Maureen said. "I learn from those around me and strangers."

"I will take it," Smith's lower arms took the crate. "Heavy." he glanced up from the crate toward Maureen then raised a eyebrow ridge. "How much does a bottle weigh?"

"As it should," Maureen said. "I like to see you in the flesh next time that we meet."

"I like it to be that way," Smith said. "I will take it." he held up a long sinister index finger. "If there is a extremely powerful medication to numb the pain."

"I will see what we can do." Maureen reached a hand out for him once close enough then touched the man's second long arm and gently grasped on to it.

"And I shall wait for it." Smith had a shallow smile back at Maureen then slipped the hand off with his upper arm. He began to walk away toward his cloak. "I might accept the offer about being put into stasis. It is very preferable."

"Might is a keyword," Maureen said.

"Might isn't in this case," Smith turned toward her then tsked and shook his head. "It is a promise that I may take it for the flight."

"Take the basket," Maureen said. "You haven't eaten healthy prepared food in days."

Before her eyes, his figure changed to that of a human and the cloak turned into a jacket before her eyes in a strange but unique and odd way. He changed from towering over even further to that of being someone standing at six feet.

He turned to face her then waved a free hand toward her as a smile appeared on his face from her comment and walked off with a cheerful whistle. John took tentative steps forward slowly approaching Maureen until he were by her side. Maureen and John exchanged a glance with each other that was full of relief. The feeling that everything was going to be okay filled the air between them. They began to return down the path with John's arm wrapped around her waist and her arm wrapped around his waist.

"What is he going to say about this false hope if it turns out this medication is a cure?" John asked.

"False hope, indeed!" Maureen said.

The couple laughed as they walked away from the lake.