Tee Gar lifted the adjusted time energizer down the hall.

It was a long pod that greatly resembled a cryostasis pod to the Robot's sensors.

The Robot was tagging behind the men who held specific components for the time energizer pod. There were empty halls lacking any form of life. The survivors were in the cavern seated in chairs that had been acquired, searched for, and created for the sole purpose of having people seated. Some of the survivors were frozen in terror being on a seat again that could try to kill them for a second time during flight. There was a visible tremble waving through the crowd. There was a buzzing coming from Tee Gar's white utility belt contrasting against the commander variation of the uniform.

They came into the sparkling corridor leading into the emergency bay. Tee Gar was very carefully making sure that it didn't break during transport. The Robot went slower than usual. The floor was slick and tempting fate for things to slide and break. The lights flickered off one by one behind the group. They came to a stop once in the barely lit part of the abandoned emergency bay. The Robot wheeled his way toward the seeker then came to a stop by it waiting for the men to catch up with arms full. The Robot bent down then slid the red stick out of the Seeker. The Robot straightened himself up staring at the frozen man.

"You are late, cadets," Smith said, in contempt.

"Gampu?" Tee Gar asked, sliding the cryostasis pod to his shoulder.

Tee Gar observed the man with folded arms seated in a chair glaring toward him and had hunched shoulders with a bulging forehead nerve ready to pop.

"And why are you in the commander uniform?" Smith asked, standing up. He clasped his hands with a murderous glare toward the Robot. "Now, don't start and tell me that you decided to enlist my help on distracting ten thousand people for a week just because I bore some resemblance to the late commander because you were the one who didn't want the stress! I believed the twins told me everything! Everything that I needed to know about this situation."

"What?" Tee Gar asked, his heart dropping.

"Don't lie to me," Smith said, insulted. "Commander Soom."

The words were a stab to the heart pointed toward Tee Gar.

"Honestly," Prentiss lied. "He relegated some of his duties to the others."

"And no one bothered to tell me the truth?" Smith's words were hard and furious.

"Everyone believed you survived the attack," Tee Gar stepped forward. "Telling them that a bunch of kids are in charge of their safety? Do you know how terrified they would be? Protests. People trying to act as the leader. Everyone in disarray not knowing what to focus their efforts on."

The survivors had protested immediately after Tee Gar revealed and wanted to choose on a single authority, experienced, to lead the effort. It was a struggle not to roll his eyes but humoring them was out of the question. They were right, he wasn't trained for it and no one ever had, that short reply made them silent as he revealed that being divisive will spell their demise after trying to stay in the gymnasium. If one cadet waved their hand when they were being attacked once more by Dragos then everyone was going to be sucked out and the survivors would be dead. He stood on a box making his speech then surveyed the silent crowd. It was only hours ago that he had to put his foot down.

Tee Gar put the cryostasis pod beside the doorway.

"So listen to me when I say that you were a compromise to keep everyone from doing that while I and the rest of the crew figured out how to handle this," Tee Gar said. "Yes, we used you. Yes, we lied. Yes, we kept a secret back. Do we regret it? Yes." Tee Gar had a apologetic look on his face as the other men moved the components into the seeker. "I am sorry."

"You keep saying 'we'," Smith said.

"It was Paul's idea," Tee Gar said. "Chris and Laura didn't like it but . . ." he had a brief pause. "It was the best idea at the time. We agreed on it and lied," Smith nodded. "You can be angry much as you like about this but that cut you got on your forehead needs to be treated."

"I believe it has be Loki's doing," Smith said. "Must have been playing the lyrotron on the support beams when I was getting off the stage and hit me on the head while Paul was trying to convince me to rest."

"Lyrotrons are slippery things in a child's hand," Tee Gar said, fondly.

"And you banana peel," Smith said, shaking his index finger. "shouldn't you be with the Robinsons?" he looked toward the pod. "and what is this for?"

"It's for beaming," Parsafoot lied. "Prentiss is going to be beamed through the void and come back."

"I am being used as a energy center because if they use the power in this seeker," The Robot said. "they won't have enough to come back to the academy."

"Then the mission to retrieve Jason will be completed," Smith said.

"Yes!" Parsafoot said, pressing the button that made the door close.

"Where are the consoles?" Smith asked, slightly concerned.

"Change of plan," Tee Gar said, gesturing the doctor to sit down.

Smith returned to where he had sat.

"Oh?" Smith said.

Tee Gar opened the med kit.

"You won't like it," Smith's index finger rubbed the side of his head while leaning his elbow against the arm rest. "But you are going to give our terms of surrender."

Smith stared at the cadet, long and hard, caught off guard.

"But we're not surrendering," Tee Gar said. "It is just a red herring, a ruse, a smokescreen."

Smith cleared his throat.

"What about the army?" Smith asked.

"The federation will take care of it," Tee Gar said.

"I am not sure the federation can take of this mess," Smith said. "On time that is."

"We have all the time in the world," Tee Gar said.

The time energizer pod was set up quickly by Parsafoot plugging in the equipment and Prentiss manned one of the seats. The academy professor came over to the navigation chair. A long, black cable had a pair of tweezer like material hooked into the power pack and another end connected to the main machine. Smith's wound was quickly tended to. A piece of gauze was applied over the wound that had been cleaned up with dabs of a white puff. The seeker flew out of the academy and the door closed behind them with a final close. Tee Gar turned away, closing the med kit, but then he turned back toward the man, the wrapping around his head were gone replaced by a very confused Smith in a entirely different outfit cradling his arm.

"Where am I?" Smith loudly said. "How did I get here? Where is Commander Brookes?"

Tee Gar sighed, briefly closing his eyes, swearing in his mind and slowly spoke.

"Major West had to kill Commander Brookes to save you," Tee Gar said. "You came here on your free will. You are in a seeker and we need your help."

"What can I do?" Smith asked. "I have a broken arm."

Smith caught sight of the Robot's glowing grill.

"Shush, you obsolete cyberdyne machine," Smith said, with a wave of his hand. "You know I can't hear you."

Smith turned his attention toward Tee Gar.

"Lie to Emperor Dragos," Tee Gar said.

Smith sternly glared toward the cadet in a eerily familiar way.

"Do you know how dangerous it is for me without my hearing?" Smith asked. "I won't be able to hear a word Dragos says when he turns around!"

"There are thousands of people who need Emperor Dragos to be distracted and given a chance to have a shot at surviving the initial battle," Tee Gar said. "Children, expectant mothers, teenagers, adults, cadets, but mostly there are orphans without family because of the ambush. That is why you are taking this risk. A very risky mission that could fall apart at the seams."

"Why can't you do it?" Smith asked.

"I can't stomach lying to someone but your friend Robot says you can," Tee Gar said.

Smith glared in the direction of the Robot.

"Look at what you have done, ninny!" Smith shouted. "You are going to get us all killed!"

The Robot's head bobbed up then charged toward the older man, his grill glowing repeatedly, but Tee Gar stepped in the way between them holding his hands up in the Robot's way then turned toward Smith with a sigh. The Robot was in reality swearing up a storm at the doctor mentioning all the times that he nearly got the crew of the Jupiter 2 killed. Prentiss was humming to himself tuning out the lengthy undignified words coming from the Robot. The Robot abruptly turned away from the two then moved back toward the assembled time energizer station.

"You agreed to this insane plan on the condition that we take you back to Earth," Smith's demeanor visibly brightened and perked up as his eyes grew big.

"Earth?" Smith said. "Earth?"

"Yes," Tee Gar said. "Earth."

"I am going home in exchange for this suicide mission?" Smith asked. "Should I survive it?"

Tee Gar nodded, growing a bitter sweet sad smile.

"That's the plan," Tee Gar said.

Smith let go of a sigh.

"This broken old dog still has a animal to deter," Smith said.

Tee Gar closed his eyes, lowering his head, his shoulders shaking, his mouth open in the form of a big grin as though he were laughing then looked up toward Smith.

"You don't need a arm to lie, Doctor Smith," Tee Gar said. "You are not broken to us."

Smith was quiet observing the acting commander.

Tee Gar moved from the chair moving toward the front moving past the Robot.

On the screen across from Parsafoot appeared Medusa's face.

"Hello there, Seeker," Medusa said. "I have seen that you are in dire straits."

"Sorry, we are only talking to one leader," Tee Gar said.

Medusa had a hmn looking upon Tee Gar and Parsafoot.

"Then you wouldn't be interested in allying in your final hours with someone interested in making sure Dragos does not succeed in destroying the academy?" Medusa asked.

Tee Gar leaned forward on the console.

"I am interested," Tee Gar said. "What are your conditions?"

"None," Medusa said. "All I want is to be the one to stop him."

Tee Gar had a long pause, considering it, then squeezed his eyes shut lowering his head as he came down to the decision that he hated.

"Okay," Tee Gar said, raising his head up. "How soon?"

"Soon as you are off the ship," Medusa said.

The Robot turned toward Tee Gar.

"Doctor Soom," The Robot said, the screen flicked off. "We can not leave him there."

"I have no choice," Tee Gar said, turning toward the Robot.

"There is another way," The Robot protested. "Abandoning him to his demise is wrong."

"What do you want me to do?" Tee Gar said.

"Find another way," The Robot repeated.

"What do you expect me to do with tied hands?" Tee Gar asked. "What can I do?" he held his hands together showing them toward the Robot. "We can't stay long once we get Jason and risk being caught by Dragos's goons on the escape. I didn't bring any life support badges because I didn't expect that Dragos's ship will be attacked! None of us considered the possibility. Not even you," he gestured toward the Robot. "We can't go back and get them! We can't help him! We just can't!"

Tee Gar's hands were in fists as Smith's eyes were still facing the wall.

"You and Tee Gar are not supposed to be there," Prentiss said. Attention went toward the two piloting personnel. "Not even Jason."

"Or me," Parsafoot added.

Smith looked over toward the group.

"I believe your machine is ready to be operated," Smith said, gesturing toward the glowing consoles.

Prentiss and Tee Gar shared a long look.

"So soon," Tee Gar said, Prentiss stood up from the chair. "If you fail. . ."

"I will do everything in my power to rectify that mistake," Prentiss said.

Prentiss walked by the cadet and Tee Gar sat down in the pilot chair.

"Might I recommend this little thing?" Smith stood up on his feet holding a thin, silver laser pistol toward Prentiss.

Prentiss stared at it then looked toward the doctor.

"What I am doing doesn't need violence, Colonel," Prentiss said.

"I have a very distinct feeling that you will be needing it, Lieutenant," Smith forced the laser pistol into the cadet's hand. "I am never going to need this again in space."

Prentiss had a slow nod.

"Alright," Prentiss said, then boarded the cryostasis pod.

Parsafoot tended to the machine then connected it to a small square device set below the head rest of the chair that Tee Gar was in. There was a long curved bent lamp that lacked a glass fixture from above the cadet's head and the cable for the machine was hooked on to the Robot. The two men watched Prentiss glow the color of gold then vanish being outlined in the same shade dissipating until there was nothing left. Smith looked toward the Robot who began to fall forward. Parsafoot and Smith came to the Robot's side propping him up against the wall.

The Robot's grill glowed red then dulled.

"It'll be alright," Parsafoot reassured, patting on the Robot's chest plating.

"Just how much energy do you need for this exercise?" Smith asked.

"Oh, just about all of it," Parsafoot said.

"ALL of it?" Smith asked, furrowing his brows. "But that would mean he will be put offline if the machine requires it again."

The Robot turned toward Smith as his grill glowed.

"He is aware of the situation," Parsafoot said. "Shouldn't you be happy that your sparring partner won't be there?"

Smith seemed a little unsettled by the prospect that vanished within the moment.

"He is replaceable," Smith said, then looked toward the pod while cradling his arm. "I am not sure the lieutenant is."

"Now all we have to do is wait," Tee Gar said, looking on toward the pod. "and hope that he succeeds."

Tee Gar turned toward Smith.

"And Doctor Smith," Tee Gar said. "We like you to pretend to be someone for a hot minute. . ."

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

Opas had quietly evaded Dragos and her past self at every turn making sure to acquire funds for a ship with ten decks that were all connected. Just getting to the bridge took more than ten minutes after the obstacles that had been added. Ones that can be considered harmless until getting closer and closer to the final deck. Only did did the fatality rise, did people get hurt, and the chances of walking through without shedding some blood would become impossible. There were killer machines that were set up behind the walls that were set up to be reminiscent of armies that held bats with thorns, axes, scythes, swords, and daggers.

Opas had tested the run with expelled cadets from the academy. She had watched from the security station as they suffered, dragged themselves forward, forced themselves forward, pushed themselves forward, and fought against the traps to survive. Drenched in sweat, cuts into their skin, torn outfit, hair very disheveled, and coated in bruises. It was impressive how the human ex-cadets fought to their last breath to reach the bridge. It was a shame that their status as a prominent species. Star War 4 was going to decimate Earth and its colonies harder than any planet engaging in the war.

A war that keenly was forecasted to be the fall the Federation once and for all.

Destroying it in essence.

The Intergalactic Federation of Planets falling apart providing a clear path for Dragos's conquest.

Star Galactic a fallen arm of a once sprawling and thriving community of people.

It was a dream come true.

And all that was next was to begin the signal.

"I wouldn't send that intergalactic distress beacon if I were you," came a voice from behind.

Opas turned toward the source of the young man's direction.

"Lieutenant Prentiss," Opas said.

Prentiss was aiming a laser pistol at Opas.

"Opas," Prentiss said.

"Hm, I thought you were dead," Opas said.

"I find it surprising, that you are not shocked I am here," Prentiss said.

"It's simple math, they figured it out and sent someone to stop it," Opas said. "Stunned is what I am."

"Step away from the console," Prentiss said.

"You are not going to use that machine to kill a innocent," Opas said.

"I am in a very different position from the one I was in before this," Prentiss said. "I couldn't pull that trigger four years ago but now I can."

"You wouldn't dare," Opas said. "Killing is not in the mandate as a Intergalactic cadet."

"It's a last resort," Prentiss said, glaring toward Opas. "Step. away. from. the. console."

Prentiss was fighting back the temptation to laugh. She was unarmed and he was armed with a laser pistol. Even if Opas lunged toward him, the killing shot would land into her chest and kill her instantly. She had claws that could be used as a weapon on a defenseless cadet, one that Prentiss had been a long time ago, who only had his seeker that was not allowed to attack any ship that held life. Slowly, Opas stepped aside from the console with her arms up eying at him. Prentiss eyed toward the console then pressed the trigger making a explosion erupt from it then turned and fired at her wrist that was wrapped up in the black, cozy time manipulator.

Opas yelped, falling back to the floor.

Prentiss blew imaginary smoke off the laser pistol.

Opas tugged the device off her arm then threw it to the floor where it continued to crackle and release smoke.

"I hope I did right by you, Gampu," Prentiss said, looking toward the view screen feeling renewed hope and knew everything was going to be alright.

There was a heavy sound coming toward the bridge that was distant but audible.

"You have doomed us!" Opas screamed. "And you are going to get killed!"

Prentiss looked toward her with a smile that showed his youth and optimism.

"Yes," Prentiss said. "I have. But I am not."

Prentiss placed the laser pistol on to the table then walked aside.

"What?" Opas asked. "You don't have a ride back."

Prentiss shrugged.

"You think that," Prentiss said.

Opas looked toward him then toward the laser pistol, back toward the door, and toward the laser pistol.

"You got a ride coming," Opas said.

"It will be here in a few minutes," Prentiss said, then looked toward the door with a sigh. "You got a really angry crew headed this way."

Opas bolted toward the console and took the laser pistol then aimed it at him.

"Take me with you," Opas said.

Prentiss looked toward her, apologetically.

"I really like to," Prentiss said. "Except I can't. My ride takes one passenger."

"Your ride can make me fit!" Opas plead.

"Really?" Prentiss asked, raising a brow. "Isn't that what you said about me and my friend?"

"You went together," Opas said. "Dragos gave you mercy."

"Yeah, about that," Prentiss said. "He didn't. It wasn't mercy. It was savage."

"So what?" Opas asked.

"It was wrong," Prentiss said.

"Sure it was," Opas said.

"You lead us there," Prentiss said. "Just like you were going to do today."

"And your team came out of it alive," Opas said. "A mistake on our part."

"I was the only one who came out of it alive, Opas," Prentiss said.

Opas dropped the laser pistol then flung herself forward with a scream.

Prentiss collided against the floor as her claws tore into his skin and through the uniform.

In his fists appeared several small, but sharp objects set in his palm. He elbow jabbed the woman forward knocking her back. He picked up one of the bone blades from his hand placing the others into his left hand and held it out as a dagger. Opas charged toward him so Prentiss sliced into her side through the dark fabric jabbing his elbow against her stomach knocking her to the floor. The bone blade stuck in place standing out as difficult to remove. Prentiss took out another bone blade then turned toward the running woman. He tossed the bone blade landing a perfect shot into her forehead sending Opas falling to her side.

Opas grunted, yanked the bone blade off her face, then charged toward the cadet. Prentiss kept a calm, organized demeanor not even having a grunt. Prentiss had imagined this fight over and over in his head during his time trapped in the speed dimension. He caught her hand in the nick of time then punched her in the eye and jabbed a bone blade into a small nick of her neck. Just like the other goons who he had to go through just to make it to the bridge for Smith and inadvertently lost them --but he hadn't lost them, they were always on his person, always. But how were they when he hadn't had them in the last few hours?

He looked up, clearly confused and shocked at the revelation looking toward the lunging goon.

He threw two of them into her knees making her fall, cursing and screeching, to her feet.

Opas grabbed onto the laser pistol and got back up to her feet.

"Why are you calm about this?" Opas said, her hands trembling with the laser pistol being drifted toward the door and back. "I can kill you!"

Prentiss grew a smile.

"My ride needs a door," Prentiss said. Opas looked around as it dawned on her, horrified. "and I am the only one who can get you out of this."

"My machines!" Opas screamed.

"Are nothing compared to whats next," Prentiss said.

"What do you know is going to happen next?" Opas said. "And why are you so calm?"

"I have been angry for too long about what you did," Prentiss said. "and I am not going to let it consume me. I was trained not to be biased by my feelings regarding the situation at hand. I was trained to do the right thing," the door was being struck repeatedly to the bridge. "The right thing is saying I forgive you."

The words had no effect on Opas.

"And by the way," Prentiss dropped the remaining bone blades. "You need some weapons against your crew so I recommend you use everything that you got."

The doors burst open with a loud screech and the machines poked their heads into the bridge. Their unique, strange spike decorated head mockingly looked at her. Opas fired at the leading machine then in a golden flash from alongside her, Prentiss had vanished out of the bridge. She looked over in horror observing thin air then dragged herself away from the scene continuing to fire at the machines whacking away at the bridge. There was no one there to provide relief.

There was no one coming to her rescue any time soon. She looked over in horror as the machines were getting through the door headed toward her direction. There was too many coming toward her. She turned the laser pistol toward her weighing the option then looked up toward the machines with terrified eyes that became full of certainty then aimed the laser pistol with precision in the direction of the oncoming machines and yanked out a bone blade from her knee.

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

There were beeps coming from the machine across from Tee Gar who had improvised a makeshift sling for Smith. Tee Gar turned away from Smith leaning up looking over in the direction of the machine. Smith watched the Robot's figure begin to bend over dramatically falling back holding a claw on his glass head then landed to the floor. Smoke erupted from the power pack. Prentiss solidified then came stumbling out landing to his knees, panting, sweat and blood dripping down his skin. Smith came over to the man's side with a med kit in his right hand then set it down beside him and unclipped it.

"Professor, can you use your other hand?" Smith asked.

Parsafoot looked over.

"Yes," Parsafoot said.

"Come here and help me, sir," Smith beckoned. "Two hands are better than one. Do you have any spare uniforms in this quarters? If so, get it."

"I did it," Prentiss said. "I did it," he panted in between. "I did it."

Tee Gar closed his eyes, relieved, with a sigh then opened his eyes.

"It's over," Tee Gar said, growing a spreading smile staring at the growing image.

Parsafoot waved in front of the panel to the doorway that opened then let him walk in. Parsafoot returned with a silver folded uniform in his arm. Prentiss peeled off the torn uniform as the two men cut strips of gauze from the roll and applied the dressing to the wound. Smith took out a device from the box and repaired the wound. From the back of his mind, a single thought echoed that it needed to be covered in case the repaired skin ruptured unexpectedly and was capable of breaking without having some firm material over for a period of time to make sure it became solid.

"Help!" came a high pitch voice.

Smith turned away from the patient toward a Ferengi clenching their sleeve. His eyes darted toward the direction of Allen who seemed to be going through the line in a rush. Smith's blood boiled underneath his skin in the outright fury at the incompetence before his eyes. It was like the professor wasn't trained for a post attack scenario. Most of the physicians were doing a pretty good job themselves in light of the situation acting excellent under stress.

"Lieutenant Co'uel, tend to my patient, immediately!" Smith ordered.

"Oraco," Co'uel finished their patient then moved toward Smith.

Smith bolted with his med kit and came toward the crying Ferengi.

"It will be alright," Smith said, soothingly. "Remain calm."

"I'm going to die, I am going to die, I am going to die," was repeated over and over while trembling.

"Not today, cadet," Smith said.

Smith quickly wiped off the blood using a wet cloth that had been handed to him by Duchoe. He took out the dressing after cleaning the wound, taking out a small bottle of space alcohol from his pocket then applied it on to the large gap in the cadet's shoulder. Smith applied the white, square fabric to the wound then wrapped the gauze around it. Smith bolted in the direction of Allen then stepped in the way making him come to a stop and gave a dirty glare toward Allen.

"Slow. down. and. think," Smith said, sharply. "Doctor Allen."

"How can anyone think when surrounded by so many causalities?" Allen asked.

"They make it work," Smith said. "Your pace is desirable when treating mass patients after a disaster but running by them without properly tending is a . . ."

The knowledge made Smith have a pause staring at the med kit then looked toward the silent and lifeless machine then resumed his task. Prentiss observed that Smith was dressed in a commander outfit and Tee Gar was in the dark and silver outfit. Once the men had successfully tended to the wounds, Prentiss slipped into a light gray onesie with the SA badge on his right breast. Smith quietly spoke with Parsafoot regarding the Robot as Prentiss moved toward the front half of the seeker. Tee Gar stared at the front window feeling uncertain and Prentiss had a confident demeanor about him that showed there was no fear coming back.

Dragos rolled a eye and the feed from the Space Academy cut off.

"I have had enough of you," Dragos said. "She will be the first to suffer the conquest."

He looked up to see the small academy seeker in the distance.

"Ah," Dragos said. "Why isn't it Jason's friends. . ." a grin grew on his face. "Desperate, helpless, and trying to find another way out of defeat."

Dragos shook his head.

"I am going to miss that about them," Dragos had a hearty laugh.

Dragos pressed a button on the console.

"This is the dragonship," Dragos said. "Surrender now and board my ship, you are completely over powered, you won't be destroyed by my army."

He noticed there was only a red chair.

"Hello?" Dragos called. "Is anyone in there?" there was no reply. "Answer me!"

Dragos glared at the upcoming Seeker that seemed to remain in place then looked down toward the small screen.

"Seeker here," a old man appeared in the chair. "This is Commander Gampu of Space Academy. We seek passage aboard your ship for a discussion of great importance."

"Your surrender," Dragos said.

"It could be," Gampu said. "And it could be not. People at war hardly knows before a civil discussion is had."

Dragos had a hearty laugh.

"I will meet you in the hangar bay, Commander," Dragos said. "Dragos out." He pressed a button on the announcement. "Bahosky Deuniana, Margregery Sachun, Martchias Godzale, P'jal Kual the third, join me in hangar bay. Opas, lead a Academy Seeker lock initiation."

Dragos turned off the intercomn then moved toward the exit of the bridge. He walked the halls with a confident stride and his hands clenched in fists to contain the excitement that he was experiencing. For the first time, winning in a long time against the academy was in his grasps. Dragos was imagining victorious music being played around him. Walking the halls for the last few years had been those of observing damage to his Dragonship's hull being repaired after attacks in his space suit and his goons in their own space suits as well. Halls that once had defeated, hopeless species walking through to the bridge. Just to formally record their announcement. The greatest marathon of victories. And this was easily the most awesome of them all.

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

The hangar bay doors opened allowing in the seeker. The doors closed from underneath the hovering seeker that then rested on to the floor. The Robot was propped up to his feet and given a improvised energy pack made of a hand laser, tape, connective wiring, and pieces of cable that had a thin black edge taped against it keeping a long thin piece of wiring against the metal. The Robot's head bobbed up.

"Ssssh, ninny," Smith said.

"Here is the plan that can work," Tee Gar said, getting up from the chair. "Prentiss is going to guide us to Dragos then leave you at the most vulnerable section of the dragonship."

"The plan is to make them lose power," Parsafoot asked.

"The environmental controls will be kept up," Tee Gar said.

"And be unable to send messages or attack," Parsafoot said. "It is the best plan that Tee Gar and I refined."

"For now, we require your utmost silence," Smith said. "And so does the galaxy."

"You are going to be passed off as a piece of art," Tee Gar explained. "A decoration."

The Robot's head bobbed up then turned toward Smith but was silent.

"He is being silent because he is very loud and his voice sythensizers recently experienced a very . . ." Smith stopped. "Troubling glitch. It is not often but it occurs rarely. These glitches happen at random and last for a period of time."

"But rarely enough that just staring at you gets the message across," Tee Gar said.

"Doesn't sound himself," Smith said. "A entirely different Robot."

The Robot folded his arms.

"I didn't make that glitch," Smith said.

The Robot bobbed his head up.

"But you can repair it!" the Robot's voice sounded different but recognizable as a whisper. But to a different machine entirely.

"Once we return to the Jupiter 2," Smith said, then looked over uneasy toward the door. "If we ever do," then turned his attention back toward the Robot. "I will try to remove that pesky glitch. Now remain silent and be a good decoration here."

"Are we ready?" Tee Gar asked.

"I am ready," Prentiss said.

"Ready," Parsafoot said.

"As I ever will be," Smith said.

The Robot's arms slunk back into his sockets then Tee Gar pressed the side button. Parsafoot and Prentiss were the first ones out of the seeker. Tee Gar picked up the Robot then moved him out of the seeker but before he did, halfway in and halfway out, Tee Gar made sure to turn toward Smith.

"And Smith, you know this seeker has walls that can't be heard through," Tee Gar whispered.

"Oh? What you say?" Smith asked, raising a brow looking toward the acting commander. "I can't hear you."

Tee Gar turned his attention away with a bemused head shake and went out the seeker. The Robot was placed to the floor beside him then straightened himself up to his feet. When Smith came out, the head wrapping was back, glaring in the direction of Dragos that did not fade in intensity. His hands were linked behind his back lacking the sling that had been adjusted underneath the jacket and tightly grasping on to his wrist. There was so much anger in Smith's eyes that made Dragos feel a sense of deja vu.

All the courage to speak drained from Dragos's veins.

It was strange.

Having a feeling like he was being judged by a respectable, high authority figure.

His mind jumped in recognition from a series of mental visualizations that were constructed years ago.

The space academy cadets had talked about this man, the man with a voice that was capable of chiding one moment and then praising the next, older than Dragos could ever be, and mysterious as a private individual. His blue eyes, they were exactly as the cadets had said when fearing for the dressing down, they were silent fury that was controlled and measured. The words more terrifying than his eyes. And for the very first time since returning to his native universe, Dragos was very afraid. Dragos understood now why they were more terrified of their stay being advanced.

Nearing on the edge of surrendering.

Dragos's mind was screaming to surrender but his heart said 'no'.

"Is there something the matter?" Gampu asked, raising his brow.

"No," Dragos said. "Not at all."

"It is concerning," Gampu noted. "What is more concerning is that you didn't introduce yourself."

"I am Emperor Dragos," Dragos said. "I have heard about you," he held a hand out with a smile. "A lot."

"Pleased to be your acquentice," Gampu took the man's hand and gave it a tight, firm squeeze that dug into Dragos's gloves.

"The honor is all mine," Dragos said.

"Or maybe not," Smith withdrew his hand looking at Dragos, cautiously.

"I do have some honor," Dragos protested.

Smith looked exhausted, his eyes showing that it had seen some horror, staring at the emperor.

"Where. . ." Smith started, his anger throwing thoughts out for a lengthy speech but that quickly shifted into a short sentence. "was the honor of attacking during the largest graduation in history?"

Dragos stared at the commander.

"Excuse me?" Dragos said, baffled. "No, there is six thousand people."

"Ten thousand people are down there," Gampu said. "Or were . . . for that matter."

"Ten. . . thousand. . . people," Dragos said, his eyes had grown big.

"Yes," Gampu said, then repeated slowly. "Ten thousand people."

"What's wrong?" Prentiss asked. "Can't wrap your head around the population?"

"Twenty-five people have died so far and it could climb up to thousands," Gampu continued. "Survivors who will want all the more reason to take you down with their bare hands," his eyes were locked on the emperor. "Theoretically, however this discussion goes, you won't be happy for long. A word from the wise, pick your fights well."

Dragos looked toward the group.

"And the machine?" Dragos asked.

"A gift from our engineers," Gampu said.

A trophy, Dragos recognized.

"This will make a wonderful, fine addition to my---"

"It's for engineering only," Tee Gar interjected. "Silver doesn't go well with gold."

Dragos considered it a moment.

"That is wise," Dragos said, then eyed at his goons and back. "This will be difficult to lift."

"No need to be concerned," Gampu said. "Tee Gar will lift it."

"And your friends?" Dragos asked.

"Professor Parsafoot and Lieutenant Prentiss are only here to make sure it goes the way I want it," Gampu said.

Dragos turned toward Prentiss.

"You," Dragos said. "You . . ." a grin grew on his face. "So I succeeded on invincibility."

Prentiss shook his head.

"You failed," Prentiss said. "You put me into a speed dimension."

Confusion replaced Dragos's features.

"But the machines---" Dragos cut himself off. "They said you were destroyed."

"Your machines didn't work getting me and my teammates out," Prentiss said. "They malfunctioned."

"Which is why I brought him," Gampu explained. "Should it go the way I don't want it, I will need someone most capable of sneaking in and getting me out without being seen if you try to hold me captive," Gampu shook his head in shame. "Side effects of his time in the speed dimension I am afraid. Can't be touched."

Dragos reached his hand back.

"And Tee Gar will need him as his guide getting to engineering," Gampu added. "We can not rely on your crew bringing him to the right place."

"I doubt that he can send him to the right place," Dragos said.

The words sharply irritated Prentiss and the words came falling out.

"Your hangar bay hasn't changed a bit," Prentiss said. "I can lead him to the right place."

"Prentiss," Gampu said. "Restrain yourself." He shook his head. "Now, do you have a conference room that we can have our civil discussion."

"And your professor?" Dragos said.

Smith glanced toward Parsafoot.

"He wants to check on Jason," Gampu said.

"They can share the same cell," Dragos said.

Smith glared toward Dragos.

"Not the same cell," Gampu said. "Same room. We like our volunteer back in exchange for this civil discussion."

"For one man?" Dragos asked.

"For one man," Gampu said.

"Godzale and Kual," Dragos said. "bring the professor to Jason."

Gampu stepped in the way.

"As a escort," Gampu said, sharply. "Not dragging him down the halls by his arms."

"Yes," Dragos said. "as he said, a escort," Gampu eyed at the goons as he stepped aside observing a grin growing on the emperor's face. "I give you the family honor on that."

Smith felt that Dragos meant it as the group split up from the hallway.