"Will, I need some help weeding the hydroponic garden," Penny said, coming to her brother's side.

Will was watching the three wheel off when she came to his side.

"He is taking it too far," Will said.

Penny placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It will be alright," Penny said.

Will looked toward Penny, comforted, nodding back.

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

"Isn't there supposed to be a army here?" Don asked, in alarm as he stopped in his tracks.

Don turned in the direction of Judy as the camera backed out to reveal there were imprints of the spacecrafts left behind on the ground floor surrounding the academy. Some of the imprints were being swiftly covered by the sands drifting off the sand dunes. It was becoming increasingly hard to tell from a aerial view over the passing hours that it once used to be surrounded by hundreds of spaceships. The Robot shifted toward the first row of imprints then toward the other and back toward the two.

"My sensors do not detect two hundred fifteen spaceships," The Robot acknowledged. "Only two vessels on this planet."

Judy looked toward the blue sky.

"They are not in orbit," Judy said. "This doesn't feel right."

"Something funny is going on," Don said.

"Doctor Smith can't be still on to it," Judy said.

"If they are offering him gold, Judy Robinson," The Robot said. "He is still playing along."

Don shook his head.

"These cadets are in denial that is everything is alright," Don said.

"This is getting ridiculous," Judy said.

"Very," Don agreed. "This has gone far enough."

They resumed their way toward the Space Academy eventually making their way up the stairs. The Robot extended his arm toward the screen and waved his red claw in the way. A blue light illuminated from the screen then the large set of red and white doors opened before them. Don, Judy, and the Robot veered in the corridor gazing around the well kept white interior of the academy. There were big, blocky panels decorating the walls in sets of three beside the first threshold structure currently blocked off. There were holographic photographs installed alongside the wall. Judy approached one of the first initial holophotographs as Don and the Robot went toward the next wall blocking the way.

"Class of 2204," Judy read.

Judy saw Smith in the middle of the holophotograph very still holding pride in his eyes, his arms visibly linked behind his back, and a pleased smile. The photograph showed various species in the first class and a uniform which was similar to the one in her nightmare but white and dark blue that had a red shirt visible. There was a young man from across, down below, in the middle of happily laughing in the photograph in a black vest and silver shirt surrounding by people who were in the middle of laughter. She turned her attention off at the sound of the door opening then caught up with the duo. Don looked around the corridor. There was the sound of laughter coming from down the hall. Judy observed the glass windows with thin black lines meeting the cieling and the wall. The wall panels had a series of thick black lines that went interrupted by the actual packing on the wall.

They came to a stop after several twist and turns to find a grayed figure come out of the door way.

"Smith--" Don turned the man toward his direction.

"Hello," His voice sounded young and his face seemed young contradicting against the dark graying hair. "It's alright," Don let go of Prentiss's shoulder. "You don't need to apologize," Prentiss stopped Don before he could apologize. "It happens to everyone around campus."

'How. . . How. . ." Don was searching for his words. "What happened to you?"

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Prentiss asked.

"No," Don said.

"Dragos Evil's experimentation. . . This is what you get for living in a speed dimension one thousand times faster than this one for a year," Judy covered her mouth to stop herself from gasping. "Only thanks to the time warp energizer and Star Command for coming back."

"How old are you?" Judy asked.

"Mentally, I am eighteen. . . Internally, I am fifty-six," Prentiss said. "I want to make Dragos Evil be alone for a year and see how it feels with everyone frozen around him but if I went behind their back and tried that, I wouldn't be any better than he is," Prentiss had a relaxed demeanor while mixed in resentment within his voice. "He won't recognize me but the least I can do is make sure he can't do anything."

"What are you doing?" Don asked.

Prentiss was taken back then observed them.

"You are civilians," Prentiss said. "That is a odd civilian fashion style."

"Colonists of this planet," Judy said. "It is the standard uniform."

"That is classified, sir, ms," Prentiss had a nod. "Academy Personnel authorized to know."

"Do you know what you're doing?" Don asked.

"All the way," Prentiss grew a smile. "Nice manu-droid. Goodbye, now." Prentiss walked off where he turned a corner vanishing from their line of sight.

The Robot bobbed his head up in alarm and his head whirred.

"Manu-droid?" The Robot exclaimed.

"Oh Robot," Judy said, patting on his shoulder plate. "You are nothing short of a android."

The Robot bobbed his head down then the doors opened letting through Gampu and Roark.

"I am very impressed by this play," Roark said. "How did you write it down in one day?"

"By sheer will, cadet," Gampu replied.

Judy was unable to share a word at the transformation that the older man had gone through. And so was Don. His graying hair had turned to brown including being considerably longer than it had been. There was a splash of gray from the side of his bangs. His hands were linked behind his back rather than tapping his fingers together in his lap. He was even in the same uniform that he had been in the nightmare. It was looking like a different man rather than the man who left him and John a month ago.

Roark looked toward the three.

"Natives?" Roark said.

Smith sighed, briefly closing his eyes, then reopened them with his back to the trio.

"No," Don said. "Crashed crewmembers of the Jupiter 2."

"Doctor Smith, stop this act, please," Judy said, Smith turned in the direction of the two completely. "If you go up there with them then you are going to die!"

"Commander, do you know these people?" Roark asked.

"He is not a commander," Don said. "He is a doctor from the United States Space Corps in the 20th century pretending to be a man who he is not."

Roark took a double take at Smith who wore a 'believe who you will for yourself' then toward the two.

"Commander, do you know these people?" Roark asked, again.

"No," Gampu said, then added in a unnervingly calm demeanor toward the two. "What brings you here?"

"There is no army!" Don said. "They got up and left last night!"

"Affirmative," the Robot said. "I determined they were following one space craft."

"You are paranoid," Gampu said. "You're terrified about what the academy may face, but I assure you, both of you, that everything I planned will work and I have a certain part to play in this to make sure it works the way everyone wants it to be."

"Why are you not leaving?" Don asked. "Not like they have built a ride for you to escape this planet. . ." it dawned on him. "It's not about the gold." Don shook his head. "Oh no, not this again," Don was annoyed by the realization. "You think you got the easy way back to Earth."

"I know full well what I have gotten myself into, sir," Gampu replied, his steam being kept back.

"You don't know how big this army is," Judy said.

"I really doubt you have been in a war," Don said.

"Come back to the Jupiter 2 and let them figure out a way of going past Dragos without you dying in the process," Judy said.

"It's not your fight," the Robot added. "Doctor Smith."

"I have and it is not pretty," Gampu replied. "And it is my fight," There was a tinge of regret in his eyes. "Not their fight." he had a momentary pause looking back at the image shown to him on the monitor. "I saw this army . . ." he looked back toward the two with defiance in his eyes. "I believe the Space Academy has a bigger chance of getting to Federation territory than myself going there with them!"

"Uh huh," Don said. "You're not going." Don started to reach his hand toward Smith's shoulder.

Smith stepped back. Roark grabbed on to Don's hand then reached out grabbing Judy by the arm making them freeze in place. Smith reached forward grabbing onto the energy pack then yanked it off the Robot before he could pose any harm to the cadet. The older man placed the energy pack into Judy's hand then curled her fingers forcefully around it.

"Cadet, your escort was appreciated," Gampu said. "I like a moment before you throw them out."

"Oraco," Roark stepped out of the way into the doorway to the gymnasium.

"For once, Major," Smith said. "This isn't about the Robinsons."

Smith had a pause.

"Or about me," Smith added. "For that matter."

He looked toward the door.

"I was in for the gold, originally, but the ride came as a surprise," Smith admitted. "I had planned for that problem regarding the army. To abandon them and let it be handled by Blue Team 1. That was until I made a very horrifying realization. Trivial in the 20th century but very important right now."

He scanned the trio's faces.

"There is ten thousand innocent people who need a clear passage to their time. I am aware of the risk," he waved his hand lowering his head once his head was turned toward the robot. "I am certain that if they put one of their own in there then Dragos will place them into the same room as Jason and lay this plan to waste because he will know. They cannot keep a lie for long! They cannot be relied on for this part of the plan!"

Smith glared toward the younger man.

"And there is children! CHILDREN!" Smith emphasized. "CHIIILLLDDDREEEEN! CHILDREN ABOARD THIS PLANETOID!" he gestured toward the large door. "Do you expect me, Doctor Zachary Smith, to leave a mission uncompleted when there are innocents involved, Major? Do you expect me to let them die just to save my skin?" he was met with silence from the frozen Major. "I don't blame you for thinking that."

Smith sighed.

"You almost broke my trust with Roark," Smith finished. "Ten thousand people could have died because you simply didn't want me to go. But I am reluctant and scared to do this as I am already."

Smith clasped his hands together turning away from West while visibly trembling. Then closed his eyes regaining control over his demeanor that became still.

"It has to be done for the best," Smith turned toward the three. "I have little choice on this matter."

His blue eyes softened, fondly, toward the younger woman.

"Judith, your family is too kind," Smith said, gently patting on her cheek. "Priplanus is a better planet because of it."

Smith turned away then walked down the hall.

Roark stepped out and picked the young couple up. He moved toward the back entrance of the academy then placed them on to the step and kicked the Robot down the steps. The Robot's figure clunk down the steps somehow managing not to break his glass head. The Robot landed on his treads with arms extended. Roark dusted his hands off then returned into the Space Academy as Smith came into Emergency bay 2 joining the growing group of cadets with a grim expression on his face. He was no longer in the commander outfit but in a new one entirely that was three piece blue outfit that was black and gold complimenting the silver long sleeved shirt decorated in 'SA' markings blending in as a strange pattern. The black and gold jacket had long draping sleeves. His graying mustache had been shaved off, his aging make up gone, and his hair had been given a proper trim. Smith was greeted by Tee Gar and the medical staff in the middle of the hangar bay.

"Good luck, Colonel," Tee Gar said.

Smith stifled back a smile then took Tee Gar's hand and lifted it up above his brow.

"That is how we did it back in the 20th century," Smith said. "Pleasure to have met you, Lieutenant." Smith had a pleasant smile toward the young man. "You made a fine physician in the sick bay in the last week," he had a short nod. "Commander Gampu cannot be more prouder of you making sure the injured, the expected, and the dying being treated comfortably."

"I am honored with praise like that," Tee Gar said, growing a smile then lowered his hand as his face was beaming.

Smith gave a nod back then walked toward the front to join Paul and Prentiss's specifically adjusted spacecraft.

"Who is that civilian, anyway?" Walsters asked

"Someone who matters," Tee Gar said, then faced the squad. "Professor Allen is not in attendance as he is enjoying the play and he isn't the commander's assigned doctor but I am," he scanned the group. "The truth is, that man is the commander but younger and we are going to get our present commander who we will return to the academy for further medical treatment. Do you understand?"

"Yes," came the reply as the group stiffened and their relaxed demeanor became professional.

"Report to the Rescue Seeker," Tee Gar said.

"Oraco," the medical staff replied then went on ahead.

Tee Gar released a sigh turning toward the emergency bay door.

"Hang on tight to Peepo, Commander," Tee Gar said. "We are coming for you."