The Tentalucian was resting in the quarters that had been provided to him. The cocoon remained still on the bed. The large dark blue cocoon had growing smaller and thinner until it had outlined his body seemingly appeared to be wrapped up like a mummified corpse. The quarters were dark if not for the soft light blue glow illuminating from his figure. He can sense a strong telepathic was nearby. It was one of the first thing that Stone's mind became aware of that drew him into awareness.

Commander Gampu? Was the first thought.

So the commander had made it after all.

But why lie?

Maybe the unknown man didn't know then that he was still around.

The healing fabric of the cocoon began receding until there was only dark blue and light blue skin that contrasted against each other all over the body. His eyes adjusted to the scenery. Stone climbed his way out of the darkness into lighter darkness where shapes could be made out. Three shelves were full of small boxes. A square screen coated by a gray structure from between the three holes. His dark eyes stared at the cieling from above feeling whole and well again.

Stone set himself on the edge of the bed then gazed around.

Where was he?

This wasn't his starfire for sure.

The scenery reminded him of the tours aboard the reconstructed Jupiter 2 that were given by the humans relaying its history and where the crew of it once thrived in. Once, but their bodies had never been found and their belongings had been difficult as it was to find. It was a simple square room. He stood up to his feet then looked over to find that his bed was a---his memory jumped to the moment where the tour guide pressed a button then watched the bed go up. Stone pressed the same button watching the uncovered bed go come back down before his eyes. If Stone were in the Jupiter 2 then the Academy had to be on Alpha Centauri's Gemma where the reconstruction was at.

But the planetoid had been in the Alvereze system for the massive graduation and it was too far away from Alpha Centauri system. Nothing was adding up in the most logical sense. But if Stone were on the second planet aboard the Jupiter 2 then it meant that he had to get off the ship before becoming part of its history or its demise. Or telling them prematurely of a untimely fate that called for the Jupiter 2 to leave the planet it was on and head toward deep space. There were several theories on how they got to that point. Theories that seemed reasonable for space colonists leaving for their safety or retrieve one of their own. Stone looked over to see a table that had a fresh set of clothes on it. Even going on to looking down observing his figure then gazed up with a roll of his eyes finished by a annoyed sigh. Sometimes the natural process of healing was very annoying. Stone rubbed his shoulders feeling the cold settling in.

He put on the still fresh, warm outfit then moved toward the door and found that it was locked. He reached his hand back eying at the door bending his index finger focusing hard on it. He slipped his index finger up then there was a click. Stone carefully opened the door then moved his way toward the ladder ever so quietly after closing the door behind him and locking it up. He climbed up the ladder, firm and hard and cold to his fingertips.

He made it to the top of the bridge. There were two chairs in front of the large windows. There was a old tape recorder on the wall from across. He moved his way toward the door looking around ever so warily. It was certain that nobody was watching. And yet, the hard worn wariness ingrained into the deputy commander proved to be strong. Wariness that came with its own costs chasing after the man who forced his people off their native planet and evading the traps set for him.

Stone can sense that at least one of the Robinsons were fully telepathic all while the rest were weaker than that one. Strong, pulsing, and radiating with youth on their side. He looked both ways then approached the old device and picked it up grabbing on to the recording device bringing it close to his mouth. He briefly considered starting to talk but his mind immediately went to the tour guide giving the group a display of the machine in action relaying voice mails from the Robinsons to each other regarding someone else.

The feed had often cut out right before they mentioned the persons name then it kicked back in becoming clear as day. The tapes had been restored to what they could be then re-recorded using the old tapes, quietly preserved in the historical archives in the Alpha Centauri Space Colonization Museum. And the historical voices archives spanning thousands of years into vast languages that were either dead, evolved, or still being used. Their voices chimed with life and beauty.

With that thought, he let out a breath then turned it off and put the device back.

Much as he liked to thank them for letting him stay, that could not be left as evidence.

Blue team 1 had likely formed a effective plan against Emperor Dragos.

Stone only hoped that it was a good one and didn't risk other cadets lives.

Much as Stone was reluctant to take over in these circumstances, he was the next in command and obligated to take over should blue team 1 meet a very grizzly fate. The Academy regulation book indicated that much regarding a situation such as this. He moved toward the door then observed for the exit. If the Jupiter 2 were planet side then Major West had to have crash landed very carefully instead of making the standard landing.

If it were the first planet they had arrived on. What were the odds that the Alvereze system was the first system that hosted the Robinsons? Stone considered the odds. They weren't very high. In fact, they were very low and there was no evidence from where the second planet had been that the Robinsons resided there at one point or from one of the two additional moons that didn't belong there. Only someone who knew they were here---

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

"I don't like it," Gampu paced back and forth in the lunch room.

Stone looked up from his coffee looking toward the uneasy and nerves rocketing the commander.

"Like what, Commander?" Stone asked.

"This solar system," Gampu said.

"Hm?" Stone said, lowering the glass.

"It's on my nerves," Gampu said.

"You?" Stone raised his black brows a bit briefly. "And your nerves?"

"I have my nerves like everyone else, Deputy," Gampu said, coming to a stop in front of the large window looking on into the void between the two planets.

"I just can't imagine that's making you angry is all I am saying," Stone said. "In fact. You never get angry."

"There is a void over there," Gampu said, eerily calmly staring out the window in a trance like state. "And it is frightening." There was fear in the commander's voice.

"The Alvereze system is very safe, Commander," Stone assured. "The last time something happened, it was hundreds of years ago and the debris have scattered to the solar winds since then."

Gampu sighed, briefly closing his eyes, opening them.

"I have a grave feeling about this graduation," Gampu said. "Which is why I beamed over a message to planetary command."

"Ack, Commander," Stone said. "You know how they are final with their decisions."

"They dismissed me," Gampu said. "Dismissed me," he grasped hard at his wrist then shifted toward the man. "I want you to take over my duty for the graduation."

"The book says those have to be held by the commanding officer of the planetoid," Stone said.

"The book is thrown out in my case," Gampu said. "Because in the next twenty-four hours. . . . You will be the commanding officer."

Stone tilted his head out of surprise.

"This is unlike you," Stone noted.

"It is very like me, Deputy," Gampu replied.

"Deputy Commanders don't normally hand out the certificates," Stone said. "In fact, they are supposed to be replaced once a year and observe the proceedings."

"And you are very qualified," Gampu said.

"There is no qualification when it comes to proceedings like it," Stone said.

A small, fond smile grew on the older man's face.

"This old dog doesn't want to be turned into a scapegoat should something go wrong," Gampu said. "Please."

Stone nodded.

"Oraco," Stone said.

"I expect to see you in the gymnasium when it starts," Gampu said, growing a pleased smile. "You deserve this promotion."

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

The door opened before Stone then so did the second door as the revelation crashed on to him. Who was Gampu to the Jupiter 2 crew? He stared at the floor. Or what was he? He knew and he hadn't elaborated further behind his grave feeling to planetary command. It had to be vague. So very vague that it couldn't be discerned that it was a run of the mill worry from a aging commander or just a blatant warning something was going to go wrong. Planetary Command had made its decision and stuck to it. Who was he? The temporal prime directive, Gampu had tried to abide it, and tried to prevent the battle outright. Did someone die? People had died. Too many. Too many to let it happen.

So that is what he meant by becoming a scapegoat. They ignored Gampu's warning and didn't give new coordinates into federation space where they could be surrounded by allied starships that would have likely lessened the casualties. Or have increased it for that matter to protect ten thousand people. Six thousand cadets, two thousand families, and one thousand reporters. Over powered the army that had been gathered by Dragos in his exile. It would have been a devastating battle either way once it became very apparent that there was no talking down the Emperor. It was clear when the army appeared on the space monitor. It was clear when the army drew closer to the space academy. Stone tried to put himself into Gampu's shoes and imagine what was on his mind. It would have been a struggle. A struggle to do the right thing when it came to the issue.

A real struggle to decide whether or not to break the temporal prime directive outright. Stone was going to find out for himself the number of casualties but the thought of death at the academy left a bitter taste in his mouth and a sour mood over his head. It didn't feel right among the peaceful organization. Gampu tried to change fate by putting himself on the bridge in some circumstance leaving Stone in charge if it hadn't been for Gina and Peepo, it would have gone that way. Stone had some doubt if it was the right choice for Gampu manipulating with time that way to get what he wanted. With his first step in the doorway, Stone decided that he was going to ask the commander himself on who he really was to the family. He came to the exit sensing the presence from behind him and turned around.

"Hello," It was Will.

"Hello," Stone said.

"Did he tell you?" Will asked.

"No, he didn't," Stone said, shaking his head. "Who is he to you?"

"A friend," Will said.

"Some people find it difficult deciding what is the right thing to do when they are holding peoples lives in their hands," Stone said. "That is when they are trying to save lives not destroy them."

Stone paused, thoughtfully, looking off into the stars in fondness.

"What is he to you?" Will asked.

Stone turned his attention off the stars down toward the boy.

"A mentor, a friend, and a superior officer," Stone said. "You might call him the principal."

"I don't exactly see him to be a principal," Will said.

"Nor can I see him as a space castaway," Stone said. "We share that in common about him."

"You really didn't know?" Will asked.

"He is a private man," Stone said.

"Private?" Will said. "He is all over the place about his life on Earth."

Stone had a short laugh.

"Count yourself lucky," Stone said. Like he did knowing you. "Don't know if he has a wife and a family until they show up in the corridors. He is funny like that." He looked off toward the silhouette of the academy that had the few lights made it stand out against the darkness of space. He turned toward the boy. "Commander Gampu is still up there, isn't he, and your friend is in the academy."

"Yes," Will said. "Now here is my question. Do people mostly remember us for being lost?"

Stone shook his head.

"No, Will," Stone lied. "The found space castaways is what people on Alpha Centauri call your family."

Will had a hopeful look in his eyes.

"We get there," Will said.

"Not much of a party," Stone said. "You get there before anyone else."

"Front row seats to watching others colonizing Alpha Centauri," Will said.

"The best part about colonizing planets is naming the wild life," Stone said. "Don't get me started on the plant life."

"You colonized a new planet?" Will asked.

"My people did, briefly," Stone said. "The federation made sure that we got a planet that no one colonized before. That ended badly and we had to leave," he grimaced. "Turns out the planet was more compatible to humans. That kind of death planet didn't like us, you can say." Will nodded, politely, understandingly. "So we were moved to a planet less dangerous that recently experienced a massive loss of human life from a unknown alien disease."

"That must have been great," Will said. "Making yourself home."

"It was," Stone said, "For a time. But it was never home to me, I was too angry."

Will had a pause looking toward the man.

"Are you still angry?" Will asked.

Stone didn't reply at first.

"Good luck to you and your family reaching Alpha Centauri," Stone said.

Stone glanced toward the background of the Jupiter's interior then toward the boy in a bittersweet manner and turned away heading toward the forcefield. With a wave of his hand, the yellow glowing forcefield lowered down then after another wave, the field went back up. The Robot was processing the event that had transpired while bobbing his head up. Will entered the Jupiter 2 joining his mother who was wide awake and she closed the door with a concerned look on her face and the golden lights had been flicked on. They moved toward the elevator as the door closed behind them.