Tee Gar was looking on toward the assembling crowd of medical personnel. Time was going slower for him. It did not happen often but it only happened to him in the moments of disaster. Unable to rescue the boy from Zalon was one of them. The words coming from Brookes were simply static to the cadet. Seeing his mentor, friend, and superior officer appearing to be alive and well made the whole situation feel surreal. The new blue team was scattered all over the academy perhaps even so the gymnasium. The thought of being Adrian and he being the only survivors, again, made every fiber in his body scream in protest.

Tee Gar's stomach still felt sick from flying in the air then having a hard crash on a pile of figures then remaining in place on a pile of trembling bodies. He wanted to hurl into the nearest trash can. He wanted to puke out everything and fall to his feet to gain his bearings. It was only when Gampu's voice came on did he roll right off to the floor that began to groan and scream in horror/pain/terror. The older man's voice was loud and clear that it stood out against the horror to keep attention on him. Nothing about this could be real. Nothing about it should be real. The Space Academy was a safe place for anyone. A sane, reasonable place where the dead didn't pop up years after being given a proper space burial.

The words coming from Brookes were simply static to the cadet.

"Doctor Smith, please go to the injured line," Brookes insisted.

"Commander, you need all hands on this," Smith insisted, standing in her line of view. Brookes stood on a chair with her hands on her hips and her eyes were on the man. "You cannot afford to leave a deaf doctor out!"

"Your ear drums are broken!" Brookes reminded Smith.

"Just because it is broken doesn't mean it's lost its use despite how faulty it is and especially when you are low on replacements," came the calm and well composed reasonable voice. "I am quite aware my ear drums are destroyed but not my hands."

Tee Gar made his way toward the beginning of the crowd.

"He is right, you know," Tee Gar said. "You need all the doctors willing to help."

Brookes rubbed both her temples while lowering her head.

"Fine," Brookes said. "But Doctor Smith is under your supervision and must be on your watch at all times before he gets treated."

"Preferable," Smith said.

"Professor Allen, you will perform a medical sweep of the academy with every medical professional assembled," Brookes instructed. "Professor T'Hej will lead the repair effort, we will need volunteers to create a Emergency Command Control----Professor Allen, please lead med crew one before I change my mind--yes, yes, with Doctor Smith," she gestured toward the older man. "Hop to it!"

"Oraco!" Allen replied, then went on toward the doorway with cadets and civilians tagging behind him. "Tee Gar, bring the Commander up!"

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

The light changed from black to red continuing throughout the starship. The red hue glowed on and off. Maureen's grip on John's hand grew tighter looking about the scenery standing close to him. The corridors stood out to the family. The wall paneling from ahead collapsed before the Robinsons making them jump back. Pieces of rock fell to the floor landing on the junk. The lights were coming from the glass paneling near to the cieling. There was parts of the wall missing and laser burns embedded in the damaged areas. They resumed their path through the corridor.

They came to a stop once finding a bundle of corpses holding on to each other with their eyes closed and stiff, their faces reeking of terror, their skin being blue and covered in cracks. One of the corpses were halfway out of the hole and another was holding on to the hand looking out. They had to be at the age of fifteen at most. They found another corpse embedded in the wall pipes into their chest and their head hung low. Blood had decorated their white and blue uniform. When the Robinsons looked ahead, they could find similar scenes underneath the red hue. A door struggling to close in on a cold hand repeatedly.

On the floor paneling there were long jagged scratches made by fingernails. Don looked out the hole as the story played out in his mind. There was a abrupt attack that had thrown everyone off guard. Evacuation had done in a rush and not everyone made it to the secured areas. The cadets were in uniforms that differed in the shirt color: red, blue, and yellow. They were color coordinated. There was groaning coming from ahead. Judy was the first to come to the side of a young woman who had short dark brown hair and the blue shirt covered in some blood.

"Are you okay?" Judy asked.

". . .Laura?" Adrian's hearing wasn't too good itself. Her vision was fuzzy. "Is that you?"

"No," Judy said. "I am Judy."

"I am Adrian," Adrian said.

"What happened here?" John asked.

"One moment I was headed to the graduation and then. . ."

Adrian looked down to find her arm was embedded in a long pipe. She couldn't feel the pain from it. She could feel her fingers, her elbow, and her shoulder. It came flooding back to her. Everything came flooding back watching the walls be destroyed before her eyes. Being caught by a exposed pipe as space suctioned out the cadets from behind and there was so much screaming. She hit her head on the wall being banged against it repeatedly from the conflict between her arm and space. There was a hole about the size of Don's fist in her arm.

"Graduation. . ." Don said

"You don't have to continue if it hurts," Maureen told her.

"I have to," Adrian said. "Civilians aren't allowed out of the gymnasium without the commander's approval."

"We are not part of the civilians," John said. "We just got in here."

"Is this a space academy?" Penny asked.

"Yes," Adrian said. "Galvan. . . Galvan. . ." Judy took the young woman's hand out of reassurance. Adrian grew a tight grip around the young Robinson's thumb out of gratitude. "Are there any more survivors on Galvan like you from the crash landing?"

"We call it Priplanus," John said.

Adrian briefly closed her eyes lowering her head down then raised it up.

"Is . . . is. . Was it. . ." Adrian started. "How bad did it destroy the city?"

There was silence from the Robinsons as they exchanged puzzled looks with each other then toward the teenager.

"Sand dunes, rocks, and trees," Don said. "that is all there is out there. There was no city to begin with."

Adrian raised her head up.

"No city?" Adrian asked. "Does Priplanus have four moons?"

"It has two," Don said.

"We will find you a doctor," John said, then turned toward Maureen. "Stay with her in the mean time."

Maureen nodded in return.

Will looked out the window searching in the night for a humanoid figure. What could be seen in the dark was the wet sand from below and large bodies of water between mountains. Trees were gently swaying from side to side from the wave that were rolling in. He could see the faint signs of rounded figures moving in the water belonging to space tortoises moving among the expanded hungry sea. Judy came to her younger sibling's side then put a hand on his shoulder as Don and John left the group.

Judy gently squeezed the young boy's shoulder.

Will looked up toward Judy who shook her head.

Surely, this time, his friend had to be gone.

If he were still alive and running, they would have heard him by now but a bit distant noise in the background that would have made them stop in their tracks then come closer toward the source of the voice. No human could have survived a strong tidal wave slamming them against the rock then into the disaster that would have broken them and left them for dead if they were still hanging on. The only comfort that could be had was that Smith died quickly with no suffering involved.

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

The large med crew split up into groups. They had acquired emergency med kits from the gymnasium. There were three hundred forty-three medical professionals being split off into groups. Tee Gar went into group two with Smith taking two hundred groups leaving one hundred groups for Professor Allen. They made their way toward the corridor searching for wounded. There were groans coming from the doors. The large pool was losing steam becoming smaller and smaller until there was only four people left behind that included of Walsters, Allen, Hedric, and Sal.

There was not that much groaning to be heard rounding to the most destroyed section of the academy. No one---no cadet could have survived it even if the inhabitants were smart enough to rush after the asteroid and climb up for their safety there wouldn't be enough time to get everyone on there. Turning the asteroid into Noah's ark wouldn't have been a plausible situation as time wasn't going to be lenient from the crash landing. Allen came to a stop once seeing two figures moving in the red hue headed his way. They were blurry and not-distinctive to med squad one's visual. Allen squinted his eyes toward the oncoming figures.

"Are you a doctor?" John asked.

Allen observed the men's strange outfit then looked up toward them.

"You must be the space castaways," Allen said. "Please direct us to the wounded."

"We found one," John said. "I am not sure if she will hold on long enough."

"How bad is she?" Allen asked.

"Adrian isn't doing well," Don said. "She has a hole in her arm and bleeding really badly."

"Adrian with short hair?" Allen asked.

"Yes," Don said.

"Does she have a blue shirt?" Allen asked.

"Yes," John said.

"Is she white?" Allen asked.

"Yes," Don said.

"Nurse Walsters, get the anti-gravity unit from the emergency bay, immediately, and come back this way with sedatives," Allen said, then swore under his breath. "Do not let Tee Gar come to her bed side or operate on her. He has watched enough of his teammates die."

"Oraco!" Walsters bolted down the corridors leaving Allen to the two.

Allen turned toward the two.

"Professor Irwin Allen, a physician by trade," Allen said. "Bring me to Cadet Pryce-Jones."

The door to Brookes's office swept open.

Brookes came in to survey the damage.

The only thing left of it was the table with the computer on it.

The cieling was gone so was the windows and the walls leaving behind only the rails and the floor which the desk sat on.

The commander sat down onto the edge of the desk bringing her arms around her figure with her fingers digging into the fabric that provided some warmth. She turned toward the computer contemplating what had to be done next. She turned her gaze back on to the stars. The death toll was rising with every minute and being packaged into black bags then put into the freezer. She placed her hands on to her face making small sounds and tears came freely flowing down from between her fingers. Brookes lowered her head in mourning.

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

Adrian opened her eyes.

"Adrian, good work manning Academy Control," Chris's voice was ringing in her ears.

She saw everything was different and not was dark but bright and hopeful. She can see the familiar constellation that was passing by in streaks of light to the view screen. Loud cheering was coming from around her. Familiar faces, cadets hugging each other, and she can feel a bright smile on her face that made it hurt. She had her hands in fists trying to contain her excitement. She was standing tall and brave. Relief, nearing on the bridge of tears, feeling more energetic than she had in days. They were going to safety. Everyone was alright.

"Is Gampu awake?" Adrian asked.

"He is," Chris said. "He is enjoying the play."

"What a play," Adrian said, with a laugh. "I really liked the colonel's humor."

"What play, dear?" Maureen asked. "What are you talking about?"

"What is the ETA to Federation space?" Chris asked.

"According to the console, we have four hours and three minutes," Adrian said. "We made it! The plan worked! the plan worked!"

"Adrian," Maureen said, softly. "who is Chris?"

"You can come join us if you like," Chris said. "Play hasn't ended yet."

Adrian had a wide smile in return.

"How can I say no to being with my Space Academy family leaving Priplanus successfully?" Adrian said. "On my way."

"Chris out," and his voice was gone.

"Robinsons, I hope you are still not angry about using your stowaway," Adrian said, toward the view screen with a tinge of regret.

Adrian turned around and walked toward the door. She waved her hand in the way of the panel then went out down the corridor. Adrian passed by herself. Her eyes focused on the hole in the wall with a happy smile on her face and a lone tear coming down her cheek. The bright light faded into a red hue. Maureen closed the young woman's eyes feeling disturbed and looked over toward the children. John and the med crew came running down the corridor only to find Maureen. Allen knelt by the cadet's side to see Maureen shake her head. Allen placed a hand on his knee lowering his head down slowly shaking it. Allen closed his eyes raising his head. A few minutes later, Walsters returned with a can.

"Did you bring the body bag, nurse?" Allen asked, softly.

"Yes, sir," Walsters looked over. Walster's unusual face softened. "Adrian. . ."

"Sal, direct these people to the gymnasium to join the survivors," Allen said. "We will have housing set up for everyone within the hour."

"Oraco," Sal said, then turned toward Don and the Robinsons who now stood up to their feet. "I know a short cut no one uses to the gymnasium."

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

The gymnasium turned into a waiting room with large sections of cloth outline square rows. They had a row of seats acquired for them while waiting for better housing. No one had paid attention to the laser pistols that the two men had on them. It was even puzzling how everyone seemed to be at ease around individuals who didn't seem human and those that appeared to be monsters that the Robinsons could spot on the planet's surface every day but in uniform and clothing that seemed to be torn and disheveled. Maureen could hear distraught wailing over the sounds of crying children. John had a arm on her shoulder with his eyes resting. Will was carefully holding on the Robot's sensor disk in his hand. In all retrospects, his friend had passed away during the crash landing. Their backs were pressed against the seats. The background noise had lured them to sleep rather peacefully.

The scene moved toward a lone square where Smith sat down into and rested into a chair. He was in new clothes that were dark and form fitting to his figure being a variation of the cadets uniform with a silver shirt. He was finely shaved but his hair was still longer than usual. The pain from his ears started to settle in so he closed his eyes placing his hands on to his ears. A figure came beside the entrance way to the tent then slowly came in with a small medical kit and big eyes. Smith's eyes opened looking toward the direction of the cadet. Will sneaked out of the tent leaving behind a landmark in the form of his ear plug by the entrance way following closely behind the cadet.

"Tee Gar," Tee Gar said. "Your doctor."

Smith groaned.

"I didn't ask for a doctor,"

Tee Gar laughed.

"You need one," Tee Gar said. "Please, hold still and keep your fingers away from your ears."

"It hurts," Smith said.

"I know it hurts," Tee Gar said. "Shouldn't you be dead? Surviving a asteroid strike is impossible."

"Yet here we are," Smith said, as Tee Gar put a lollipop in Smith's way. Smith took the lollipop by the handle. "Oh, thank you."

Smith began to lick it.

"You're welcome, Commander," Tee Gar said, then took out a small device with a transparent small purple tip from beside the older man. "I miss everyone," he had a small fond smile. "Adrian did too."

His hand was slowly moving yet trembling.

"You kept Adrian and I from going with you on a rescue mission. Why? You knew it wasn't a rescue mission. It was the last mission," Tee Gar said. "And it makes me so angry." he lowered the device placing his hands on to his knees sitting alongside the deaf man. Tee Gar rubbed the side of his temples with his head lowered and squeezing his eyes shut. "Taking everyone away like that."

Tee Gar sighed.

"Some days I think I see you strolling with Peepo down the hall. There are days when I hear Laura beside me but she isn't there," Tee Gar resumed the repairs of the man's left ear. "It all feels so real. Like it was happening. That Blue Team 1 walked into the most dangerous mission and came back out of it alive rather than dead. Brookes has retired team numbers in honor of the others. So there is just cadets walking around with shirts that are different colors and no one has yet to figure how to explain that away. No wants to explain it away. I heard they want to say it stands in for the career branch the cadets are in. Blue for science, red for security/operations, and yellow for command."

He moved toward the man's other side.

"I don't know how I can forgive you for that. . . taking them away and not telling us that something bad was going to happen. Not telling me the real reason why you decided not to take me," Tee Gar said. "I don't think I can forgive you for that." He placed his hands in his lap with a pause. "You were a friend, a mentor, and a superior officer. Now, I see your real colors and I have to get to know you all over again," he looked toward the older man. "Because I am going to tell you when it happened and how it happens when you're done licking that lollipop."

Tee Gar resumed on the repairs of the man's left ear and Wills stepped back away from the tent then quietly made his way back to his family's tent. They were still fast asleep. He sat down into the chair still processing over the one sided conversation. His mind came to a rather disturbing conclusion. Something that Will didn't like himself. The old man was going to outlive them all under some way and become someone else who got into trouble. Will considered if this recent trouble impacted the Academy. The questions lured Will into the dark abyss of sleep until a couple of sleeping bags were tossed in to the room snapping the group awake.

"Sleeping bags!" came a shout.

Will picked up the first rolled up sleeping bag then unraveled it and dropped it to the floor.

It became a small cot with a hole in it and a pillow.

"This looks like a cozy sleeping bag," Judy said.

"A automatic inflatable bed more like it," Don said.

"So warm and fuzzy," Penny said, holding up the sleeping bag.

"I could use some beauty sleep," Maureen said.

"We all do," John agreed. The lighting in the room dimmed. "Time for bed." Then they began to get into the sleeping bags.

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

The emergency academy control was set up in a small but cramped office. They had to pick a reduced size variation of the consoles in order to it into the room so that they fit like a glove. The academy was barely holding still on the tip of the mountain. It had a good view of the desert scenery that was returning to the original shape. Life seemed to be returning to the desert ranging from the couple of ostrich animals standing on boulders observing their returning kingdom. The two headed grape creature checking on its lair and determining how well it was doing after tending to it for hours from above waiting for the water to go away.

Tee Gar was carrying a large starfire that belonged to the commander of Star Command toward the academy. The Deputy Commander was in a stretcher under sedatives and his electrical burns appeared to be covered in bandages being flanked by doctors by his side. Tee Gar wore a very hopeful look on his face toward the academy. Tee Gar had a odd look on his face then shook his head and resumed his walk. The view went up into the academy through the stairs, through the corridors, and sped through the doors into the gymnasium. Smith laid comfortably on his side in the sleeping bag wearing a happy smile as a hand reached out to his shoulder. Smith was jerked awake by being shook and reeled back panting once he saw Brookes.

"Commander Brookes," Smith said. "What brings you here?"

"I like to speak with you, outside, alone," Brookes said.

"What time is it?" Smith yawned.

"Early enough that we can have a very important discussion," Brookes said.

Smith paused, then leaned up from the sleeping bag.

"I will be right out," Smith replied.

"Good," Brookes said, then left the tent.

Smith yawned then slipped out of the tent. He placed his ring on the white sheet left on the floor to mark his place then went down the path. He came to a stop in front of a cadet staring at him struggling to say something. Smith could make out words that didn't make sense. Cole? He wasn't Cole for that matter. The cadet had big eyes staring at him and his hands frozen where they were. Smith looked at the cadet in concern and observed his physical demeanor.

"Are you alright?" Smith asked.

Prentiss shook his head.

"You hit your head," Prentiss said.

"I did not hit my head," Smith replied. "Have you?"

"You were unconscious," Prentiss said. "We are---were. . . on Dragos's ship. . . We were heading for the hangar bay."

"We are in the gymnasium," Smith replied. "I do not know who you are talking about but I must encourage to head back to the tent. You just had a nightmare."

"No, we are not. Not right now. Well we are but---" Prentiss said, then lowered his head closing his eyes and shook it. "This is so confusing."

"It is also concerning," Smith said, alarmed. "Would you like to talk in detail about this nightmare? You seem the type to require a listening ear."

"Colonel," Prentiss took the man's shoulder. "We are not supposed to be here."

Smith looked at Prentiss then slipped the man's hand off.

"No," Smith replied. "We are meant to be here."

"And we will be there, again," Prentiss said. "We have to fix it."

"Lieutenant, this is nothing to be concerned about," Smith said.

A long stare came from Prentiss.

"How do you know my rank, Colonel?" Prentiss asked.

Smith started to reply but stopped by closing his mouth.

"You don't know," Prentiss said.

Smith was stunned, momentarily.

"How do we fix it?" Smith asked, in a small voice. "I don't feel any different. Yet---"

"You know things you shouldn't," Prentiss said.

Smith's eyes drifted down then grew big and he almost yelped so that he covered his mouth.

"Your waist--" Smith started to say.

"Noting wrong with my waist, sir," Prentiss said. "Are you alright?"

Smith stepped back terrified, his right hand covering his mouth, staring at where had been a splotch of red and shrapnel protruding out.

"How do we fix it?" Smith asked, again.

Prentiss shrugged.

"I don't know," Prentiss said.

Smith was visibly shaken up.

"Will . . . Will. . . ." Smith said. "Will these visions continue?"

"I don't know," Prentiss said, that reply only terrified Smith.

"You haven't had them," Smith said.

"Yes," Prentiss said. "Knowing has just started for me."

"Will it drive me mad?" Smith asked.

"It's never happened before," Prentiss said. "If you are having visions and it doesn't get fixed. . . You may be the first."

Smith turned away from Prentiss then toward the long hall of curtains stricken by terror.

"Are you alright?" Prentiss repeated himself.

Smith saw a different corridor that was red and dark gray laying before him strewn with dark corpses.

"Good heavens!" Smith exclaimed.

Smith jumped back landing against Prentiss.

"Do you have any idea what the context is?" Prentiss asked, stepping aside looking toward the older man with one hand on his shoulder watching the man begin to tremble.

"I don't want to know!" Smith insisted.

Smith looked toward the cadet then bolted away toward the panel

"You do!" Prentiss said. "It's the only way to stop these visions!"

Smith waved his hand in the way of the panel.

"I don't!" Smith replied, the door opened before him then ran out of the gymnasium

Prentiss came to the entrance way.

"You know where to find me, Colonel!" Prentiss called.

Smith only heard silence.

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

Brookes watched Smith run past her running without direction.

She rolled a eye then leaned her back off the wall and made her way after him.

Brookes followed the sound of him running until coming to a dead end. Smith was in the corner of the hall with his hands wrapped around his legs and his eyes were closed rocking himself back and forth. Brookes made her way toward the doctor rather silently, she placed a hand on his arm then his eye bolted open and he stifled back a scream. She held her hand out for him moving her other hand to his shoulder and gave it a squeeze yanking him out of the uneasy visual into the now. He took her hand then got up to his feet.

"Doctor," Brookes said. "I like to discuss something with you outside the academy."

"Fresh air," Smith said. "I like that."

"So would I," Brookes said, then gestured toward the large hole across from them.

"After you, Commander," Smith insisted, clasping his hands together.

"You are the guest of honor," Brookes said.

"How humbling," Smith said, then took in a breath and walked past her with closed eyes.

Brookes looked toward the straying man baffled by his walking pace with hands out reached.

"That is not very dignifying, doctor," Brookes acknowledged.

Smith tripped and fell then she came over laughing and helped him up.

"You are so nice," Smith said. "I find it difficult to walk. I see. . . things. . . disturbing things."

"You see dead people?" Brookes asked.

Smith paused then nodded.

"But in black uniform," Smith said. "I am not alone." He held up his index finger then lowered it curling it against his palm. "I feel that. . ." he closed his eyes focusing on the non-visual details. "Someone is helping me walk," his brows furrowed. "I can feel my weight being supported. It's happening. My head hurts." he rubbed the side of his head.

"I will guide out you out," Brookes said.

"You are very kind," Smith said. "It is nice to know that in the 24th century kindness is prevalent."

"More than you know," Brookes said, as they walked toward the tip of the planetiod on a long flat surface. "I have a theory about what is going on. My theory is that the time loop that allowed the Space Academy to exist and Gampu, too, has been sabotaged," Brookes looked toward the morning sky. "More so corrupted." she looked over apologetically toward the doctor. "It needs help."

Smith's eyes remained closed.

"You and Commander Gampu are the same person. That much is certain. The way I see it . . . The only way to end this time loop is by making sure that it never happened," Brookes said. "Your family still in their home. The way I see it, they would find your corpse in the sand and prepare a burial. It is the only way to end the time loop," she came to a stop at the edge feeling her stomach twist. "Gampu had a very integral part in helping the Federation come this far." She took his arm off her shoulder then slowly stepped back. "Forgive me, Commander, but the timeline is collapsing and it cannot continue to exist. I am supposed to be on a patrol ship not here."

Brookes shoved the man off the planetiod.

Brookes looked over watching the doctor scream while falling.

Then everything turned to white once the man hit the side of the mountain.

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

Don slid out of the sleeping bag then moved out of the tent.

"You know where to find me, Colonel!" Prentiss's voice echoed.

Don mentally went through the list of people who had the rank of Colonel. And that was only Smith. Don had a annoyed sigh. The doctor was the type of person to fall into trouble that could not fare well for him. He went toward the source of the voice to find only to find a cadet staring toward the door contemplating his next course of action then turned slightly in the man's direction.

"Hello," Don said. "I am Major West. What kind of deal has he made now?"

"Excuse me?" Prentiss asked, raising a brow.

"Smith does this all the time," Don said. "You got a ride for him to Earth and the deal goes in his favor but not for the Robinson."

"That deal would more so go in the Robinsons favor rather than his favor," Prentiss said.

"So you are giving him a ride to Earth," Don said. "A very conditional one."

Prentiss considered then nodded in return.

"If the Academy is lending a seeker," Prentiss said. "the ride is not going to Earth." Don grew a confused expression. "If any of the seekers have survived the attack. . ." Prentiss looked off, briefly, then back toward the major. "We are going to use them against the man who attacked the academy."

"So what was that about?" Don asked.

Prentiss started to speak but stopped.

"I don't know yet," Prentiss said. "The context is hazy," he looked toward the cieling. "But I have a good feeling that people need to be up there before. . ."

"Before what?" Don asked

"Before someone willing to go up there dies," Prentiss said. "Not your friend. Me. No one is willing to do that."

"And Smith agreed to it?" Don asked.

"Not yet, he hasn't gotten the motivation," Prentiss said.

"Not yet. . ." Don squinted his eyes toward the cadet.

"No one is going to persuade him, Major," Prentiss said. "Rough house or force him."

"So you don't have any interest in making him," Don said, the tension in the air evaporating.

"That is not the way of a Galactic officer," Prentiss said. "We don't take people against their will."

"This academy must go around a lot," Don said. "Could have used your help to bring us back to Earth."

"Ask Tee Gar about that issue when you see him," Prentiss said. "We never refuse to help people."

"What about yourself?" Don asked.

"People are going to go crazy if I don't get out there," he pointed toward the cieling. "Dragos will be here any minute," the door finally opened. "I will get the seeker ready for departure."

"Have you seen what it is like around here?" Don asked. "There is not really a good chance there is a seeker available."

"I have to try finding one," Prentiss said. "It's leaving with or without Smith because someone else can take his place. Like me."

Prentiss walked out of the room and Don followed.

"Is there something going on that I don't know about?" Don said.

Prentiss continued walking.

"Yes," Prentiss said. "The commander and Smith went left." Prentiss gestured over his shoulder.

A bad feeling sunk into Don's stomach turning in the direction that Prentiss had pointed in. He reached his hand for the laser pistol only to find that it wasn't in the holster anymore. Don looked down to observe the holster wasn't on him. He had taken it off much like John before hitting the hay leaving it on the chair. Don followed the sound of the dying boot steps through the hall taking his time. He passed by areas that once had corpses and injured people struggling to hold on. They were disturbing visualizations that were dismissed.

Don noticed that his hand was gripping on to something that felt cold and hard similar to a joystick. It wasn't entirely thick but very thin and small enough to make his hand feel large to it. He looked down toward his hand and to move his fingers but none of them budged. They couldn't budge. As though they were not part of his hand (when on the contrary, they were part of him and had been movable earlier) in a twist of events. Don had a nagging feeling to go after Smith. It was a urge. His gut told him that whatever was happening to him was a thousand times worse for the doctor. He walked ahead but came to a stop feeling very lost. The boot steps had died in the distance.

Don looked around increasingly concerned.

When Don took a left turn, there was a white flash headed his way so he shielded himself bracing for the impact.

The next that Don knew, he was outside repairing the Chariot with help from the Robot.

Don looked over toward Will sitting beside a grave marker reading a novel. It had been two weeks since the discovery of the body. Will wasn't exactly himself since the funeral. It was still a mystery how the doctor had ended up near those mountains when the giants were involved. He had known it was off limits. But why? Why? Don looked toward the mountains. Why go there at all? The campsite was perfectly in tact with the exception of sand filling the inside of the tent.

A very bad feeling stirred Will from sleep.

A sense of dread of what was to come made him wake up completely.

Something very terrible was going to happen if it wasn't stopped.

He looked around to find his family were sound asleep except for Don who was uncharacteristically missing from a sleeping bag. Will slipped out of the sleeping bag then crept out of the tent taking the laser pistol holster with him. Something didn't feel right in the air. Will ran down the gymnasium then turned and ran out the doorway. He arrived to a section that had dangling pieces of metal from above swinging slightly from side to side. Don was leaning his shoulder against the wall looking down toward his hand.

"Don?" Will asked. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to move my fingers," Don said, as Will came to his side. "What are you doing?"

"I have a really bad feeling about today," Will handed the holster to Don then walked ahead speeding by much to the man's shock.

Don lowered his hand then went after Will.

"Slow down," Don said, walking beside the boy. "You don't want to leave a friend in the dust, now do you?"

"No," Will said, keeping his pace.

"Do you hear that sound?" Don asked.

"What sound?" Will asked.

"The sound of boots we are following," Don said.

"I don't hear that," Will said.

Don had a strange look on his face.

"Then what are you following?" Don asked.

"What you are following," Will said.

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

Smith was walking through the corridor with his head aching.

He was going to have a nice bruise by the end of the day.

He can still feel the pain radiating from the right side of his temple.

It was going to be a rounded, large stained bump. If the object that his head had struck was sharp and pointed, he may have a well forming gash and blood dripping down his eyebrows. That would also take some time to heal from. His eyes opening and closing listening to the breathing of the cadet. Overhearing the cadet moving to his side in a unwell manner---and he kept going in a straighten line as helped by Brookes while coming closer to the wall. It was strange being able to hear from one perspective and being unable to hear from the other side of the veil. The walk stopped with Brookes turning away from him. Just long was the walk. Smith was shoved to the floor.

Simultaneously, he hit the edge of the wall being sucked out along with the cadet.

Smith grasped on to the crevice rather quickly then looked down toward the cadet, "Lieutenant!"

Yet he was trying to gain a grip in the slippery rock looking over his shoulder to what he expected to be a mountain.

Smith can feel the tug of space forcing him back. Kicking his legs from side to side. He couldn't be sure if the cadet was alive or not regarding the blood loss. Smith looked on to view a short cut up toward the hall made of debris but a perfect way of dragging the cadet's body up. He felt light and ready to pass out in the middle of the situation. The lights sizzled on and off in a manner that turned off completely. Smith grasped on to the rope then brought his leg forward and kicked into a hole so that it stuck. Smith swung himself forward then reached out grabbing on to another crevice that scarred his hand leaving a long series of cuts on the top. He kicked his leg out of the crevice then tugged himself forward along the edge moving toward the slope. He made his way toward the slope getting closer and closer away from the large hole.

He looked down back toward the cadet to get a good view---Prentiss.

"We are---were. . . on Dragos's ship. . . We were heading for the hangar bay."

Smith shook his head watching the red droplets of wet evaporating in space.

"We are not supposed to be here."

Time was being changed and it wasn't supposed to be changed this way. It was having a hissy fit.

"I am not supposed to be here," Smith said. "I am not supposed to be here."

Smith looked up toward the edge then reached forward.

"Ah!" Smith yelped, then looked down to see the cadet was flying away and the cable had been sliced in half. A horrified look grew on his face. His heart nearly skipped a beat seeing his getaway driver was being sucked away. "LIEUTENANT!" he screamed. "LIEUTENANT!"

Smith grabbed on to a long piece of cable then another and another and another that were pieces of space barnacles in reality. Smith wrapped it around the sliced rope then knotted the cables up until they formed a nice long rope with one leg in a crevice. Smith looked up. Which is where he saw Don reaching his hand out while kneeling down on the edge for what seemed to be a few seconds shouting, "Smith, take my hand!".

That was impossible.

Don couldn't be in two places at the same time.

Don was safely in the Jupiter 2 waiting out the battle with the Robinsons.

The illusion faded replaced by the dark corridor.

Smith shook his head.

Only your imagination, Zachary, Smith chided to himself, then looked toward the quickly vanishing cadet.

Smith grabbed his leg out of the hole then turned his attention toward the cadet flying through space toward the flying cadet.

"I am not leaving without you, Lieutenant!" Smith called.

Smith crashed against a flat, curved wall piece--Which was actually the sand that he landed on-- that acted as a surf board and swung himself forward with one hand reached out. He grabbed on to the man's forearm then yanked him forward. He looked toward the fairly long cable and tugged them back toward safety -- when actually Smith was grabbing on to hand fulls of sand and space barnacles making his way toward the stair case of the academy.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Don shouted from the hole. "He isn't worth it!"

Brookes shoved Smith over earning his trademark girly scream.

"Why does no one listen to me when it comes to Smith?" Don asked, annoyed. Don turned toward Will. "Stay here!"

Brookes slid aside a rock then took out the emergency phaser from the compartment and closed it back up. She fired back at the man stepping aside from the struggling older man. Don hid behind the wall then returned fire leaping out of the hole. Don hid behind a rock and returned fire over the noise of Smith screaming for help. Somehow and someway the doctor had managed to evade death once more. Don had his bets on the man clinging on to the edge of the asteroid.

Don stood up from the rock firing back at the direction of the commander who was hiding behind the rock. Smith's screams became part of the background noise that was whirring by the major's ear. Don looked over the rock observing a way to make his shot. There was a set of mirror themed metal surfaces that shined under the rising sun forming a curved line headed in the direction of the commander. Don fired striking the rock the woman was hiding behind.

Brookes fired back but it missed.

"What does Smith have to do with your problem, Commander?" Don started.

"HE IS THE PROBLEM!" Brookes replied then hid behind the rock cradling her arm.

Don made his way toward the further rock closer toward the commander.

"He is the thorn in my side," Don replied. "Not yours!"

Brookes cackled, throwing her head back, her eyes closed.

"You really don't get it," Brookes said. "Even if you leave the planet, you will face a fate far worse than being lost forever."

"What is that?" Don asked.

"Aging very slowly while watching everyone you love die," Brookes said. "A scientific phenomenon is what the Jupiter 2 crew will go through returning to Earth," Don thoughtfully considered it. Immortality. Don had a funny feeling the doctor would jump at the opportunity to live forever. "I know that he wants this. The commander once said to me; 'Immortality is not all that it is cracked up to be'."

"If that happened as you say," Don said. "Earth would get the best scientists to reverse it."

Brookes shook her head.

"If it could be reversed. . . " Brookes looked over toward the rock that Don hid against. "The commander would have died a long time ago of old age."

Don sighed then looked over.

"How is he a problem to you?" Don asked.

"Simple," Brookes said. "The time loop that allowed his existence is collapsing."

"It didn't collapse the first time around," Don said.

"Because it has been changed," Brookes said. "And we can't fix it."

"Who says that it can't be?" Don said.

"It is struggling to hold itself together as it is," Brookes said.

"Struggling," Don said. "You don't know the first thing about struggling."

"This is my first rodeo with struggle," Brookes agreed. "But I know when something is struggling and it needs help."

"Help doesn't come this way!" Don argued.

"Losing key players all over, trying to make sure some of them manage to be in key positions, trying to use different players and it doesn't work like the old time loop," she turned toward the rock kneeling from behind it. "Right now, you must be hearing the aftermath of what is going on up there."

Don looked down toward his right hand still tightly held in the same grip then stood up at the same time the commander got up to her feet and fired at her with his left hand. A single blast struck her forehead sending her falling backwards landing to the ground. Don got up to his feet placing the laser pistol into the holster speeding his way toward the edge. Smith had a boot in a small but tight crevice. Don found the man struggling to get out of the hole holding on to a collection of large, thick space barnacles in his hand. Don knelt down toward the edge of the planetiod then reached his hand out and Smith looked up toward him.

"Smith, take my hand!" Don shouted.

There was unspeakable confusion on Smith's face then gripped around above the foot and yanked his foot out of the boot. It was odd how Smith gripped on to the space barnacles moving it close to his waist like it were rope reaching his left hand out in a retrieval manner. Smith crashed to the ground with a thud unsettling the sand. Don turned away to face the oncoming Robinson child. Will sprinted toward Don with a concerned look on his face. Don got in the way of the boy placing a hand on his shoulder.

"This time, Smith is good as dead," Don said.

Will looked up incredulously toward the major.

"Did you see him land?" Will said.

"I did," Don said.

"Look again," Will said.

"Will. . ." Don said.

"We thought that he was dead after the crash landing," Will said. "We thought he was dead after the tidal wave."

"Anyone who falls from this fall to the ground is guaranteed to die," Don said.

"Just look again," Will said. "Please. For me."

"If that will convince you," Don said.

Don walked over the edge to observe the doctor crawling on the ground toward the academy largely unharmed with the exception of his hands leaving a blood trail in the sand with his arm underneath his chest staring up intently toward the entrance. Don put his hands on to his hips then rubbed his eye and pinched himself. He saw Smith alive and well dragging himself toward the academy. He turned in the direction of Will.

"Will, uh, did Smith eat something not ordinary or use something on himself that you didn't tell everyone?" Don asked.

Will shook his head then bolted over toward Don's side.

"Robot would have loved to detect this," Will said.

"This does not compute," Don said, then had a small laugh. "Definitely."

The two looked over the edge.

"This is creepy," Will said.

"Talk about it," Don said, then looked over the edge and all they could do for the moment was stare.