Samantha lowered her starfire in front of the space academy. The academy was well under way to being fully repaired and there were scars in the planetoid that easily spoke of a harsh battle that threatened its livelihood. There was a large shadow casted over by the edge of the academy standing out in such a way that it seemed to be intimidating at first glance for a mountain climber. She had climbed her fair share of mountains in her new life as being a friend and loyal officer to the federation. She had her hands linked behind her back comforted by the thought that it had survived the flight.

The memory of the academy soaring past her and Parsafoot as the front half with the main control rooms, in the two towers, flying off into the distance taking the army away from the void was something that couldn't be easily forgotten. It was a haunting memory. Her starfire floated into the void shortly afterwards. She observed the repairs to the academy were nearly completed and ready to soar back into outer space through the void. Blue team 1 had likely found emergency command control and transformed it into what it should be as per protocol. A figure came out of the doors to the academy then fled down the stair case headed in Samantha's direction.

"Samantha!" Adrian called

"Adrian," Samantha greeted her with a pleased smile watching the cadet approach her. "You look well."

"Dragos. . ." Adrian panted. "Has. . . Jason."

"How can I help?" Samantha asked.

Adrian regained her breath, her hands on her knees, leaning over then lifted herself up toward Samantha.

"Matt wants to be part of the Dragos mission so he is going to be the pilot," Adrian relayed. "Paul is going to lead the Academy into Federation Space, Loki and Gampu are going to work on some part of the plan that involves being aboard the dragon ship, Chris and Laura are going to lead the actual rescue mission to get Jason out of his cell, and we can use some heavy lifting getting him out of the cell." She paused. "Can we use your Starfire?"

Samantha nodded.

"Yes," Samantha said. "I can do the heavy lifting."

"And we are going to have some allies for the army," Adrian said. "Allies who are more than willing to help us."

"Who are the allies?" Samantha asked.

"Shady people," Adrian said. "Lots of shady people. But we haven't started the discussions but Gampu is confident they will cooperate."

"I advise that you do not," Samantha said. "For the time being."

"Why?" Adrian asked.

"One of them might has abducted a child," Samantha said.

"Oh no," Adrian said, her face falling. "One of the Robinsons."

"Yes," Samantha said. "The young boy."

"Gampu isn't going to like this," Adrian said, shaking her head. A thought occurred to her so she snapped her fingers. "Samantha, I have a idea. It would work if you were a part of it to get the boy back."

"I am willing," Samantha said.

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

KaraQ stared at the young boy in the stasis pod. Approximately eleven years of age according to the physiology scanners. A prime specimen for his people to study, learn, and perform controlled experiments. KaraQ could not go to the planet that the child was from. Quarantined by the federation, patrolled by planted creatures that fed off fuel and only placed there with cooperation by a treaty with the Green People. The Green People kept their word, kept their end of the bargain, bargains made by women with women. Their ways went more of leading women spoke to another leader who was a woman. It was a shame that it was barred from being visited. The Green People made sure the space probes had a clear path that largely went uninterrupted through the vastness of space as the humans explore what was outside.

KaraQ was ashamed that the prime directive was strictly into play. So many Earthlings willing to be part of history. Part of a greater story to studying creatures in the known universe. Earthlings were a rare commodity to come by. Not often did they come out into space without weapons on their ships or weapons inside of their ships. The Robinsons were a strictly unique case. No visible weapons on their ship but they had a Robot, a rather easily taken care of threat, and a meddling nosy physician. KaraQ had bided their time in the last two months finding a opening where the boy wasn't with family members and only had the Robot.

KaraQ had believed the opportunity arose a month ago after they had exiled the doctor when the boy had fallen into a cosmic pit unexpectedly when they were searching for rocks. The old man would have fallen right in after the boy in the mist of his frantic hysteria if it hadn't been for the Robot dragging him away to bring him back to reality that he could do something by getting the men. It was comical how the two men had fallen right in to the cosmic pit after getting the boy. Even more comical how incredibly useless the man had become running off from the cosmic pit leaving Will and the Robot to get the two men out. The comical episode ended when John verbally told the doctor not to bother returning to the Jupiter 2 for the foreseeable future. And it was even more comical how the old man had gotten the tent and camping supplies.

Where did the old man get the tent?

KaraQ had paid attention to the boy.

But KaraQ lost track of him typically around the point the camping supplies appeared in the doctor's possession. It became apparent the boy knew he was being watched. Will did it without his father's permission was the most likely case scenario. The boy was sneaky. He had observed that late into the nights that the boy went over and visited the old man to provide him company taking the Robot with him for the ride. That kind of visiting had started and ended the week before the planetoid likely to ease his thoughts about the old man. The boy's only friend aside from his family and family robot was in the form of a cowardly old man.

Earthlings were puzzling to KaraQ. The boy obviously had a bond with the old man. Something that KaraQ's species lacked in as the elders in his society drifted away further and further into their special interests until no one knew where where they went in the galaxy. The elderly kept their distance from the youthful not to be reminded how vulnerable, weak, and slow they had become. Elders were seen as respected individuals that when they spoke, they had to be listened to and their words considered heavily before dismissing them all together. The old man's words on the other hand were kinds that could be easily dismissed due to their merit and deception. None that could be thought over credibly. And now the boy was in their possession a bit after a struggle. This simple fact made them feel giddy over the matter.

And now to get the rest of the Robinsons. The children were decidedly next that way to bring their moral down and make it easier to take them in. Destroying the Robot for good would be the next step for acquiring the ship. A entire ship for themself. Everything was finally going the way that KaraQ had wanted. Specimens, a trophy ship, and leaving behind the old man who was better off on the planet. The old man had survived long enough retrieving berries and using them sparingly. The platinum bushes that the old man had made were taken by the Federation's department of agriculture as the berries were apparently edible despite being silver. It was decided to take them along for further studies. Not edible for humans but edible for a completely different species. Apparently, they were still on the market and were quickly becoming a casual plant to find on the market. They were named: Au Zacharais Smittisim. KaraQ turned their attention to the monitor to see Penny in the living room of the Jupiter 2 beside Debbie who was eating tree bark.

"The second child," KaraQ said. "That will be very easy to pluck."

KaraQ observed the other adults on the upper deck holding on to laser pistols.

"Ah, so defensive," KaraQ said. "So desperate. Almost there." KaraQ picked up a bulky item from the counter. "Won't even know that she is gone until it's too late."

KaraQ pressed a button then watched the little girl fall to the floor in their spaceship.

Penny got up to feet and looked around in curiosity with hints of confusion fresh on her face. She looked over to find Will in a stasis pod with a torn sleeve, a wound on the side of his face that looked like he had fallen and hit his head on the side of the Chariot's railing. It was a long cut that went from above his left brow then went down to the side of his cheeks.

"Will!" Penny cried, approaching the pod then shifted toward KaraQ with hurt in her eyes. "How did you find him?"

"If you do exactly as I say," KaraQ said. "No one is going to die, Earthling."

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

Maureen had a cold sensation traveling through her being. A strange feeling that she had become familiarized to in the last several months being stranded on Preplanis with her family. That her children were critically endanger due to some threat or another. She had put aside those feelings in the first month because the planet was a living threat. And if she were to let herself be controlled by it, it wouldn't do any good with her survival and her family's survival. Don was looking out the hatch door observing for any signs of the Chariot. Roughly thirty-three minutes had passed since the initial call by John.

"Mother, what is wrong?" Judy asked, concerned.

Maureen turned toward Judy.

"Check on Penny, " Maureen said. "Immediately."

Judy tilted her head then did as she were told going down the ladder.

"What do you think is going on?" Don asked.

Maureen shook her head.

"I don't know," Maureen said. "I don't know."

Moments later, Judy came climbing up the ladder.

"Mother," Judy said. "She is no where in sight. I only found Debbie."

And Debbie is usually with Penny.

A thousand alarm bells went off in Maureen's mind.

Don came over to the radio receiver then unhooked it.

"Now," Don said. "Who wants to bet that Academy Control knows something about this one way or another?"

"Call them," Maureen said. "And tell the to get our children back."

Don nodded.

"Jupiter to Space Academy," Don started.

"Space academy," Adrian's voice came over. "How may we help you?"

"We have a little problem here," Don started.

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

The fifty-five year old finished applying the make up carefully keeping back the tiredly demeanor at bay. Adrian hadn't elaborated why she wanted to take him and a emergency seeker --whatever a seeker was, it was a unique name for a spacecraft -- in the emergency hangar bay. The halls were silent for the doctor as he crept out of the temporary quarters. Cadets were working hard on the construction of the remaining Seekers with help from Parsafoot. A individual who was chipping in on the effort. There were sections of the planetoid that had been reserved for the construction. It was on one of the deeper levels of the academy where the sound didn't disturb anyone from getting a good nights rest.

He made his way to the emergency bay as directed by Adrian. Laura and Chris were out exploring archeological sites with some archeological cadets gathering history and recording it. It was very eventful for cadets. His quarters now had a small bag of golden coins. Sixty-five in total. They were light weight and enough to go on a errand. If he had to decide whether to do with them upon his return to Earth, then he would likely sell them as a collection for a respectable price. Loki was in his quarters, fast asleep, after portraying various props that couldn't be replicated in time for the play and retaining the form for several hours. The child enjoyed it, that much Smith could tell, such as being used as a fake sword. They had intermissions to allow the audience to go back in for relief or food but long term pauses meant taking care of themselves so a schedule was set for the plays and when they ended.

They were getting very near to the end of the play. It was unfortunate that Smith could not be there to see it happen and the audiences reaction to the grand finale that wrapped everything up. They were going to be busy enjoying a play while departing Preplanis. They would only be aware of it by the sound of the engines running and the feeling of gravity pinning them down where they were. Smith could hear the loud cheering and applause that would overtake the academy once breaking orbit of the planet. The emergency hangar bay was a destination that was easily reached manned by a tall woman with a unique pink fabric covering the upper section of her head and a strange necklace around her neck. Samantha wore a white small vest that went over her chest to the pink outfit and her hands were linked behind her back. The young woman wore a friendly smile on her face that made Smith feel comfortable around her as he transitioned to his take on the mythical Commander Gampu. Samantha was loose and at ease visibly before him lacking any for of a threatening demeanor.

"Hello, Commander," Samantha said.

No, she wasn't aware of the truth.

"Hello," Gampu greeted her, his hands linked behind his back. "I don't believe we have met."

"This is the first time that we have met," Samantha said. "I am Samantha."

Smith gave a smile in return.

"I pleased to meet you, madame," Gampu said. "Are you part of the Star Command Defense team?"

"That I am," Samantha said. "I have heard a lot about you from Jason."

"Jason," Gampu said, fondly. "Is a very likable man and a very fast learner. I admire him."

"So do I," Samantha said.

Gampu's eyes directed toward the Seeker with awe in them. Sleek and rounded to a point. White primary theme with dark blue windows, a red and blue secondary theme decorating the space craft. And it seemed like a large laser pointer with a point that wasn't transparent but a actual part with space, chairs, and consoles inside of it. Paul came out of the seeker then walked around to face the older man. He looked strikingly like the commander in ways that were too real. Like he wasn't gone at all from the team but standing right in front of him. In fact, Gampu was there with him in the same room except not quite.

"Lieutenant Paul Jarome," Paul said, holding his hand out for the older woman. "Glad to meet the woman who defends the academy."

Samantha shook his hand.

"Meeting the people helping the commander operate this mission is always a honor," Samantha said.

"So where are we going?" Paul asked, as they let go of each other's hand.

"A individual took the youngest family member from the Jupiter 2," Samantha said. "Where, we can't exactly be sure but the Starfire is capable of detecting different alien species at a time into the various space crafts close by."

"The youngest?" Gampu inquired. "I seem to recall from the Jupiter they have a very young monkey. Is that who you are referring to?"

"No, Commander," Samantha said, shifting toward him. "It was the boy."

Gampu grew livid as his eyes grew big.

"A boy?" Smith asked, his tone carrying his displeased demeanor contrasting against his calm composed expression. "A little boy?"

"Yes, sir," Samantha said.

"Then that boy needs our help," Gampu said, then walked around the side of the Seeker joined by the two full steam ahead into the doorway.