Smith fell to the ground.

He was tackled by three watchers into the restraint that clasped on and made it difficult to move.

There was buzzing sounds coming beside him that made him squirm from inside and a stifled scream that turned into a whimper.

The terror froze him.

Smith watched with widened eyes as the the razors came into his line of sight then dived down on to his body vanishing just as they had came into his vision. He blacked out from the overwhelming sheer terror. When darkness receded from his line of vision, Smith had fallen over into a pile of fur very naked with a tremble. He experienced a terrible flashback to his initial transformation left abandoned in the woods with torn pants and what remained of his shirt. His eyes caught shape of golden figures on his skin that ranged in size. His hands were pink contrasting against the gold. It had been a long time since he had seen his own hands. His familiar hands that lacked his family heirloom ring.

Smith raised his head up then let it fall feeling so exposed, vulnerable, and the familiar cold.

The temperature in the area began to rise replacing the cold air against his skin so he raised himself up partially then looked---

There was something very important missing from his body. His manhood was missing!

They had the nerve---THE NERVE.

Smith used the rock as his support.

"Come back here and give back my genitalia, you thieving fiend!" Smith demanded.

Smith walked backwards with his arms folded looking from side to side with sweat coming down his skin.

"After I am properly dressed," Smith then added, bitterly.

Smith stopped, came over to a rock, looked both ways then raised his leg.

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

"We have enough fuel to go on for a few years in space and nothing more than that," John announced to the family. "But this planet has enough of the deutronium to mine for further years in space should we need it. Now, we can land on planets when we are running low or having engine problems which could happen. We can lift off at any time and make our way to Alpha Centauri but we have to remove everything non-essential to the mission in order for the Jupiter 2 to lift off without being weighed down. We will only leave when we have to should the planet begin destroying itself early. "

"What if Doctor Smith hasn't come back?" Penny asked.

"If Doctor Smith isn't back by then they will return him to Earth," John said.

"According to Doctor Sakaar it is a very risky business but can be done," Maureen added

"Just to return a alien to their homeworld?" Don asked.

"Earth is a quarantined planet as we haven't reached what they have said is warp capable status," John said.

"So it's protected," Don said. "As if. The last space probes sent out there detected no defense mechanisms."

John nodded in return.

"Which is why I am skeptical of what they said about Earth," John said. "They asked us to trust them should the worst happen to Priplanus and we have to leave without him. I ask all of you to do should it happen."

"We can do that," Penny said.

"I don't need to do that," Will said, confidently. "Doctor Smith will be back when it happens."

"How are you certain about that?" Judy asked.

"A little bird told me," was all Will said on the subject with his arms folded on the table.

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

The patient lay in the reconstructed tent fast asleep in the simulated night hours that had been accustomed for him.

"So that is how much KaraQ experimented on the man," Sakaar said, disgusted.

Hathoway looked toward Sakaar.

"KaraQ's treatment is out of our hands," Hathoway said.

Sakaar turned away from the patient.

"We must fix what they did to him," Sakaar said.

Hathoway nodded in agreement.

"It is a must," Hathoway said.

"We must do the most important error fixing tonight but leave the skin repair for later," Sakaar said. "The patient must be asleep for this thorough part of the operation," Sakaar turned toward the view screen. "Please inform the on duty geneticist to report in this operating room in the next five minutes."

Hathoway walked away leaving Sakaar behind in the room full of Smith's snoring.

It was late at night when a visitor crash landed from the reaches of space. John awoke with a start at the familiar noise drawing Maureen out of her sleep. She had a yawn as he came out out of the master bed with his heart racing. The memory of crashing spacecrafts was all to familiar. He could still hear the sound of their crashing echoing over and over in his mind after being set off by the crash landing. Maureen placed a hand on John's shoulder bringing him down to the ground. Members of the crew came out of their quarters visibly shaken up by the unusually loud sound.

"What was that?" Judy asked.

"Is there another battle going on up there?" Penny asked

"I don't know, but Don and I are going to find out," John said, earning a nod in return from the major.

"But if it is," Will said.

"Then we are leaving for Alpha Centauri without any further notice," John said. "It would be too dangerous to stay around."

The two men put on their robes then took their laser pistols and flashlights heading out of the Jupiter 2.

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

The Robot lead John and Don to the crash site under the night. The Robot turned away then moved off returning to the Jupiter 2 campsite. There was a layered saucer with flames eating away at the hull. There were no visible signs of a door from the side but Don was able to climb up the three ledges then slide up the purple glowing top as John was feeling around for the door. Don aimed the flashlight into the spacecraft spotting a unconscious figure among the smoke and a small set of stairs that lead up to the entrance.

"The door is up here!" Don announced.

"Is there any survivors?" John asked.

"There is only person in there," Don said. "and he is breathing by the looks of it."

"Let's get him out of there," John said.

Don placed the flashlight on the side of the hull then climbed right in to the craft heading down and came over to the side of the rather thin man lifting him up to his feet. Don came toward the entrance of the spacecraft then sent him forward. John yanked him out of the spacecraft. Don came falling out grabbing on to his flashlight then jumped down to the men's side. There was electrical sparks that erupted from inside of the spacecraft erupting explosions from within. Don and John returned with the stranger to the Jupiter 2 arriving to the Robot turning off the forcefield for them.

The forcefield came back on as they entered the Jupiter 2 and came to the elevator. The elevator grated down to the residential deck to the waiting members of the crew. Maureen opened the door to what had once been Smith's cabin letting the two men go inside with the injured man. The two men laid the man on to the warm cot then exited letting in Maureen to survey the man's facial injuries. Her fingers tended to the man's injuries stitching them up and cleaning up the blood from the man's face. The young man had a steady heart beat. The Robinsons went off to bed leaving the door locked to the cabin the stranger was in.

The door unexpectedly was unlocked.

The young man was sleeping on his side.

The door was slid carefully open to reveal Don.

Don came over to the bed then slid the blanket up to see the man's rather unusual feet that stood out.

He dropped the blanket rather disturbed. Of all the aliens that the Robinsons had came across in the last year in space this stranger had to be at the top. Don could hear the doctor's prattling on about throwing out the stranger and be done with him because he might be a threat to everyone or have the intergalactic law enforcement on his tail. Which would account for the crash landing. All under the professor's nose. Then adding it would be in the best interest of the children rather than his own. Don shook his head stepping back from the resting man.

The stranger's eyes slowly opened.

"Oooh," came the high pitch groan. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Jupiter 2," Don said.

"The Jupiter 2?" came out surprised as the younger man leaned up with big eyes.

"Uh huh," Don said.

The man fell back against the cot.

"How brilliant," the young man said, sarcastically. "I am in the middle of no where with a damaged ship and people who can't help me. Only the great bird of the galaxy knows how much repair equipment is left storage, untouched, from the crash landing." he folded his arms. "Don't get me started on repairing the hull that is going to be a huge hassle cleaning those laser burns." He looked over toward Don with a smile. "I didn't introduce myself, the name is Karu Cary the bandit."

Don raised his brows.

"Space bandit?" Don asked.

"Uh huh," Karu said. "But it isn't serious crimes I do. All I do is smuggle Romulan Ale."

"That is pretty serious," Don said. "I am surprised Intergalactic Law Enforcement isn't after you on this planet."

"Are you kidding," Karu said.

"No," Don said.

"This planet is one of those that have a number of visits that ILE are permitted for this planet," Karu held up a finger. "And that is just one." he lowered his hand down to his side. "Unless King Quano asks for them to come here specifically. So I am good unless the king and his men comes down to make sure I get into custody." He leaned up then looked toward the pilot. "I will be out of your hair, Mister. . ."

"West," Don said.

"Mr West," Karu said, bobbing his head with a smile. "I am not here to cause any trouble," he shook his hands slightly leaned up against the wall with one leg propped up. "you can reassure the Professor that nor do I want any trouble what so ever happening because of your doctor."

Don had a fond snicker.

"Smith isn't going to be stirring any trouble," Don said.

"Good," Karu said. "Because it is what I don't need right now on this planet," he rubbed his forehead sliding his leg down. "Space gods," his eyes faced the cieling. "This headache. . ." his fingers came to a stop above his brow then looked toward the major. "I will be on my feet soon as this headache passes."

Karu closed his eyes and he was out.

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

Maureen appeared to be visibly concerned once Don finished the story.

"Then how did he crash land?" Maureen asked.

"Didn't say," Don said. "But I can assume it was the Intergalactic Law Enforcement."

"We must be very popular out there," John said.

"In a bad light," Don said. "The Keeper must be very popular."

The Robot hooked his claws together.

"Popular around here?" The Robot said, in contempt bobbing his head up. "As if! He was nothing but a nasty bug with a space net."

"I doubt it was the keeper who spread most of the stories," John said, over the laughter of his family with a wave of his hand. "The space merchant, the space croppers, the Taurons, the space pirate, and a number of many other people."

"Can we try to help Karu repair his ship?" Penny perked up.

"Only under our supervision," John said, with a nod. "We can help him much as we can."

John looked away but for a moment instead of the Robot standing behind the empty chair beside Will with his claws inside the shell, the Robot's claws were out and hooked together so that what the professor saw was the familiar old man sitting at the table beside Will listening intently to what he had to say. John was about to add on a warning to Smith when the image was replaced by the Robot. John turned his attention in the direction of the major. .

"And if he doesn't want it," John said. "Then we will respect his request."

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

Karu opened his eyes into the light gray room with complimenting cool colors decorated around him. His headache was no more. A aspect of the crash landing that his mind rejoiced in. He got up from the bed then slid up from the bed and moved on to the edge of the bed. He looked over spotting a bulletin board that was decorated in pictures of space. It had to belong to the oldest member of the crew.

A interest that was peculiar. Why would castaways have pictures of what they could see on a given night from planet side and just by looking at the ship from the outside? He got up to his feet, straightened the bed, then walked toward the door and slid it aside making it curl against the neighboring wall.

Karu closed the door behind him making it gently creak.

Karu made his way toward the elevator looking at it quite interested.

Now, how did this piece of technology work? Was it like his planet's elevator?

He slid aside the barrier with a thunk then walked into the large, circular elevator.

Karu turned around to face the residential deck and slid the barrier up front. He pressed on the button on the railing then linked his hands behind his back looking up. The elevator came to a stop before the young man with his gaze lowered to the space in front of him. The barrier was slid aside allowing him through the room paying more attention than before to the less advanced room. He walked through the doorway to spot the family eating at the table that seemed to pause when the children's eyes were on him and there was a empty spot beside the young boy around the age of ten and they appeared to be in the middle of having lunch.

"Hello there," Karu said, with a smile leaning against the doorway with his thumbs in his pockets.

"Hello," came the unanimous reply making a bigger smile appear on Karu's face.

"And good afternoon, Robinsons," he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why don't you come and sit down?" John asked, gesturing toward the seat beside Will. "My wife made plenty for everyone."

"I was starting to suspect you would never wake up," Maureen said.

Karu had a smile.

"That's what being from Tentalucia means," Karu said. "Being hit on the head on the crash means a internal cocoon, but when it's external," he had had a huff seating beside the boy. "What a really bad evolutionary process."

"Oh?" Judy asked. "What is Tentalucia?"

The blue man leaned back looking toward the sky.

"Green, lots of it," Karu said. "Blue sea . . . Marvelous trees now don't get me started on that," he had a smile. "It's a shame that the green only comes ever two months and Tentalucia is a freezing icicle. There are parts of my planet that are like this," he gestured toward the desert scenery. "When winter is ending. It's the most beautiful thing. There is no word for it. So we made one up to describe it. That's why we are called Tentalucia," he had his hands clasped together under his chin looking off at a memory then shook his head. "Hey, how long was I out?"

"One day," Judy said.

Karu lowered the glass that he was drinking with a cough.

"One lousy day?" Karu said. "For a spaceship crash landing?" He grew a puzzled look picking up the sandwich. "Wow, that is unusual. Normally it takes two days."

"Usually?" Don repeated. "You mean to say this kind of incident happens often?"

"Erm, uh, yes," Karu said, then quickly took a bite out of the sandwich getting a suspicious look from the major.

"Intentionally?" John asked.

From behind his closed mouth, Karu wiped the pieces of bread and lettuce off his teeth, then swallowed and gave a wide smile.

"Buddies do that sometimes for fun," Karu said. "Except this time I was attacked by one of the ILE. Being a bandit is only fun when there is thrill so it is a matter of coordinated teamwork because we leave the police in the space dust," he had a pause. "A lot."

"A lot?" Will repeated with big eyes.

"Call us adrenaline junkies," Karu said, with a single nod. "Go ahead. I can deal with it."

"You are all maniacs," The Robot said, sharply.

"Maniac," Karu said. "That is a kind word."

"That is not supposed to be kind," Don said, as Karu took a bite out of the sandwich.

"Your opinion," Karu said, with a shrug between bites and had a thin smile. He finished the first piece of the sandwich then started on to the next. "So which one of you is professor and which one is the stubborn fellow called West?"

Judy had a polite bemused laugh.

"I am Professor Robinson," John said. "and he is Major West."

"Pleased to be in your company," Karu said. "I heard Earth is a year round green planet."

"Almost a year round," John said. "We have seasons."

"Seasons?" Karu asked. "How many?"

"We have four," Judy said, watching the man's eyes grow big.

"Four," Karu whistled. "This planet must be boring compared to it."

"Just has two seasons," John said.

"Two is a good number," Karu said, then took a bite from the sandwich. "Say," he grew concerned. "Is my ship in one piece?"

"We haven't checked but from how it was last night I don't think the inside is one piece at all," John said.

Karu nodded his head in deep consideration.

"Sounds like I will be here for a few days," Karu said. "Hopefully my shipment wasn't destroyed." adding with a grimace.

"You will be lucky with that," Don said.

"Would you like some help?" John asked.

"I rather not," Karu said, shaking his hand between the bites being taken by the Robinsons into their meal. "Don't want to add that to your list of space crimes should the day your species become warp capable come soon."

"How long is it?" Maureen asked.

"Pretty long from what I heard," Karu said. "That platinum touch story about Officer Bolix. . ." he dipped his hands down toward the table. "Is it true?"

"It's true," Maureen said, Karu swallowed what remained of the sandwich. "We still have the bushes to prove it."

Karu's mouth slowly fell.

"I like to see them before I go find my ship," Karu said. "I heard of them," and even smuggled them, Karu finished to himself. "But thought it wasn't real."

"I can bring you there," Penny said.

"Could I?" Penny asked.

"Much as I like to," John said. "I prefer if you had someone with you."

"Robot and I can go with," Will volunteered. "Make sure that nothing goes wrong."

"What could possibly go wrong?" Karu asked.

"A hundred things," John said.

"You never stay long on alien planets," Don said. "Do you?"

"I stick close to my ship," Karu said. "Most of the time."

"We will be very sure that she does not touch anything," The Robot said.

"If it were still contagious, there would much life hanging around," Karu said. "A platinum bush? I like to taste what it products," he cupped the side of his face. "I wonder how it tastes."

"It isn't edible," Maureen said. "That plate you're using is the same plate that Doctor Smith touched."

"You're gotta be--" Karu had a laugh.

Karu looked down to find a silver plate laid in front of him contrasting against the white plates laid in front of the other members to the crew. The laugh turned into a gasp slowly looking up from the plate toward the matriarch of the family. He took a big bite from the sandwich, closed his mouth, chewed, and swallowed letting the fake shock last for a few minutes at most as the Robinsons finished their lunch. Karu finished eating his meal then held the plate up observing his reflection in the platinum. The silver rounded plate felt cold and slick to his fingers. He placed the plate onto the table wearing a delighted smile.

"I appreciate the hospitality, Robinsons," Karu said, as members of the Robinsons got up from the table. "I got some rations back at the ship for a few days planetside," he stood up from the chair. "So don't expect me to impose at your family time."

"You don't impose yourself here," Maureen said. "we always welcome company."

"Always," John said. "Especially when they are not threatening us."

"It's always good to have that kind of people around," Maureen said.

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

Penny retraced her steps to the familiar area with Karu, Will, and the Robot.

"That's odd," Penny stopped in her tracks.

"What is it?" Will came to her side.

"There were a lot more platinum bushes here before," Penny said.

Karu came to the Robot's side.

"Look," Karu said, coming over to a small patch of growing silver. The children came to his sides. He knelt down then pointed toward the silver small plant growing from the soil. "Look at this beauty," he gently touched the sprouting leaves with a smile. "So precious," his eyes had a spark of admiration. "And small."

There were only a few bushes that hadn't been touched by Doctor Smith that felt appropriately years ago instead of being only a few months ago. It had been a very long ago that she had seen the doctor in person. The last time that Penny had seen him, the way he was before, was after finishing a short chess game with her young brother that morning sporting a satisfied smile on his face leaning back into the chair clasping his hands together into his lap. It was disheartening not to see Smith returning with the major after the space battle had reached its conclusion.

Karu got up to his feet.

"Wow," Will said, feeling around the silver plant. "that is amazing."

"Plants can't go when they are silver," Penny said.

Penny and Will slowly looked up toward Karu.

"What can I tell you that will answer your questions?" Karu asked, shifting toward them.

"That these are not the same bushes," Will said.

"Genetically altered to look this way," Penny said, getting up to her feet. "Doctor Smith couldn't eat a thing."

"I can't answer that for you," Karu said, meekly shrugging. "I was't here when it happened."

Karu climbed onto a rock then took out space binoculars placing them onto his eyes. He lowered the set placing them back into his pocket then ran off in the direction of the craft. Penny ran after the man running through the scenery that changed from patches of greenery that could be seen vanishing from the line of sight. Penny overheard the sound of Karu's laughter from ahead making her way over the rocky terrain until she came to the crash site on a hill. Karu was hugging the side of the rounded spaceship with a big smile on his face.

"How I missed you, old girl!" Karu said, rubbing the hull. "I will get you clean spick and span."

Penny stared at him slightly tilting her head coming toward the scene.

"Mr Karu?" Penny asked.

Karu let go of the spaceship turning toward her.

"Yes, Penny?" Karu asked.

"You really love your ship," Penny said.

"Yeah," Karu turned toward the ship lightly patting on the hull. "I do. . . We have been through a lot together."

"Sounds like you had a few adventures," Penny looked up toward the ship.

"A few," Karu had a nod toward Penny while leaning his arm against the hull. "A few to have some laughs about with my drinking buddies."

Penny's eyes shifted from the saucer toward the bandit

"What is it like to have space drinking buddies?"

Karu had a fond smile looking off, briefly, then back toward Penny.

"Fun," Karu said. "A lot of fun."

"My drinking buddies are fun," Penny said.

"You mean your family," Karu said, amused.

"It's the next best thing," Penny said. "I could have worse. No one to drink with."

"It is!" Karu said, with a laugh with his hands on his hips. He climbed on to the top of the ship then made his descent inside. "WOAH! That is a lot of damage!" A few minutes later, he came back out placing his arms on the ledge with the lower half of his body inside the saucer. "Where is your head physician? I heard he was away."

"Doctor Smith is at the space hospital for space werewolvisim," Penny said.

"R. . . really?" Karu asked, raising his brows and his eyes were big.

"He is undergoing the treatment," Penny said, then Karu jumped out of the spaceship coming to a landing. "He will be back to his old self in no time."

"Keep this between you and me, little girl," Karu said, pointing to and from each other. "You have good reason to be terrified."

"Why?" Penny said, startled. "He is going to be human."

"I have a friend who went through this exact same episode," Karu said. "Problem is, she retained some werewolf characteristics and got someone killed. She ripped their throat out," he slid his finger along his throat. "In the prison sector chipping away for the rest of her life because she couldn't control herself."

"That won't happen," Penny said, shaking her head.

"Why?" Karu said, bothered by the confident demeanor.

"I believe in him," Penny said. "We all do. He would never harm us."

"I admire you," Karu said, with a pitiful smile. "I wish I still had that."

"You still can," Penny said.

"If your doctor comes out of it in one piece then he must have really strong self restraint," Karu said. "Strong against what part of the werewolf remains."

The scene panned over Karu's shoulder toward the scenery. The camera panned out from the desert moving toward the scenery where Smith appeared within appearing to be terrified, visibly trembling, wearing his familiar ring. He turned away then ran into the distance jumping from boulder to boulder looking over his shoulder, panting, then jumped but fell to the floor.

"Someone, help me!" Smith cried, then looked over toward to spot the slowly oncoming gray humanoids.

He came to a stop then knelt down and picked up several rocks.

"I have had enough of this," Smith said. "Being frozen by fear, tortured, hurt, given terrible food, and being mutilated by aliens not knowing what they are doing!" was added in a heavily insulted tone. "This is where it stops!"

His skin didn't have the golden additions but it had fading scaring from the removal done in a clear white room by a machine.

A machine that made him watch every moment as it operated on him with aliens on both sides performing a strange procedure.

The memory of the procedure was stung on his mind.

He wanted to scream so bad when they sent calm and reassuring vibes toward him in the mind calming the nerves.

Easily one of the worst experiences that Smith had with aliens in general.

Smith tossed one of the rocks at the head of the grayed creatures sending them falling to the floor.

And it was very satisfying.

His confidence soared throwing one after the other toward the creatures. He whirred around then tackled one of the martians to the ground against a rock with his feet and arms on the creature's chest. The creature began to decompress before his eye losing volume in the body. He watched the gray martian crumble like sand falling apart from drying up from the sea molding it into a definitive shape leaving behind a silver suit on the ground.

Smith stared at the suit in confusion as it occurred to him what he had done.

Not all of the werewolf qualities were gone from his mind. No! No. NO!

Smith dropped the rocks visibly trembling taken back by the sudden realization.

Smith's eyes rolled back falling to his side with the remaining watchers surrounding him reaching their hands into his mind.