ONE FUGITIVE IN SPACE

This is an AU based on the third-season episode entitled "Fugitives In Space."

            "Major!" Smith cried. "You wouldn't strike an invalid!"

            West took longer to decide than he had taken in our universe. He gave Smith a good long look at his terrifying, threatening fist.

            "Please don't do this!" Smith implored. "Please let me go!!"

            At length, West released him.

            Smith fled in the opposite direction from the way that he'd gone in our universe. He never saw Creech. He ran back to the Jupiter II, and burst into the control room, breathless and panicked.

            Robinson and his wife looked up in surprise.

            Smith babbled, "He almost hit me this time!! He almost did it for real!!"

            "I assume you mean Don," Robinson said mildly.

            Smith nodded agitatedly. "I'm so afraid of him!!!" He hesitated. "I'm...afraid of you, too, Professor, but thankfully, you're not nearly as volatile as he is!"

            "All right, Smith, what did you do?"

            The older man explained, and concluded with, "It was an accident! I didn't mean to!"

            Robinson shook his head and sighed. "Even so, I might have hit you myself, if I'd been there."

            Smith looked thoroughly alarmed, and then glanced through the viewport and saw West returning. "Oh no!!!" he cried, and fled below, to hide in his quarters.

            West entered, still visibly seething.

            Robinson said, "We heard what happened...and what almost happened."

            "It was all I could do to hold back! And to let him go! Where is he???"

            "He fled below as soon as he saw you returning."

            Penny had just come up on the elevator. She offered, "If you mean Dr. Smith, he's in his quarters...crying."

            "Crying???" Robinson asked, visibly trying not to be too revolted.

            "He's scared silly! He said he's in trouble! And he told me to leave him alone."

            Both men shook their heads. And then they went below together.

            West shoved his way into Smith's quarters without an invitation, with Robinson following right behind him.

            "What are you crying about, you big baby?!" West barked at Smith.

            "I'm frightened!!"

            "I didn't hurt you!"

            "You almost did! And the professor wasn't there to stop you! It was the worst close-call yet!"

            Robinson reminded him, "I told you, Smith, I might not have stopped him if I had been there. And I might have plowed you one myself."

            "No! No!! No!!!" he sobbed. He quickly turned over to lie on his stomach, and buried his face in the pillow.

            "Now why did you do that??" West demanded.

            "To try to protect myself the only way I know how," came the muffled reply.

            West delivered an unsavory chuckle. "You think we can't roll you over? Or punch you in the back??"

            Smith's entire body cringed violently, and he tried to squirm into the mattress.

            Robinson pointed out, "A kidney-shot wouldn't hurt any less than a face-shot or a punch in the gut."

            Smith screamed impressively loudly even through the pillow. Then, he mumbled, "Please, have a heart!! Spare me this!!!"

            "This what?" West taunted. "Hurting you? Or just scaring you with words??"

            "Both! But, especially, the former!!" Smith sobbed heartbreakingly.

            In disgust, West said, "I wish you'd learn to act like a man."

            There was a lengthy silence. And then he whispered, "No, you don't."

            "What did you say?" West challenged him.

            Very quietly, Smith responded, "You like it that I'm a coward. You like to lord it over me. You like to terrify me and control me. You like it that you can always make me do whatever you want by scaring me enough."

            There followed a long silence during which Smith shivered in fright multiple times.

            Finally, Robinson asked, "Smith? Are you trying to anger us???"

            "No," he answered very softly. "But it's the truth." He sighed heavily, and then deliberately rolled back over to lie face-up and face them. "I'm terrified beyond words. But you're right, I can't possibly protect myself from you in any way. It did me no good to roll over face-down. Of course you could roll me right back over easily if you decided to do so. I'm completely at your mercy. And now the question is: do you have any??? Or am I about to be...beaten...without hope of reprieve???" Smith waited, and lay there shuddering in terror.

            Robinson and West observed him in indecision. Violent tremors assailed Smith. He watched them right back, for a long time, wordlessly. Presently, he murmured, "I'm afraid beyond endurance! Please don't do anything horrible to me!!" Then, he went back to eyeing them silently.

            Ultimately, without further comment, Robinson and West left Smith's quarters, and closed the door behind them.