THE ASTONISHING STOWAWAY

This is an AU based on the first-season episode entitled "Island In The Sky."

            It was very early in the flight of the Jupiter II, and the others had not yet had time to learn to know Smith very well yet, nor he them. Smith had sabotaged the parajets, nearly causing John Robinson's demise in his solo landing with them onto Priplanus, and he had sabotaged the ship's rockets, causing Don West to be able to do little more than crash the spaceship onto that same planet. West had imprisoned Smith in a freezing tube, and had gone to rescue Robinson. Upon returning, the two men were understandably furious to see that Smith had been set free by the then untrustworthy Robot

            "Smith!" West bellowed.

            Robinson started threateningly toward Smith.

            "Hold it!" West grabbed his ally.

            Robinson was stunned. "What do you mean, 'hold it'?!"

            "He controls the Robot," West explained.

            They both hesitated unwillingly, watching their adversary hide behind the Robot, and looking for an opportunity.

            Smith was trembling badly at the sight of the fury in their eyes, but he forced himself to stand up to them. "That's right, Major, Professor. If you try to hurt me, the Robot will kill you." He addressed the Robot. "And that's an order. Don't take your sensors off them for a moment. You must protect me from them."

            "Affirmative," the machine acknowledged.

            "This isn't a wise move, Smith," Robinson warned him. "You're only making us angrier."

            "But I must protect myself," he protested.

            "And it might even work, for now," West cautioned him. "But sooner or later you'll have to separate from that Robot. And we'll get you alone." His fist clenched at his side.

            Smith gulped, but proceeded bravely, "I'll sleep with him in my cabin. I'll take him with me to the bathroom. I'll be safe."

            "You're pretty cocky," Robinson observed. "But you only have to make one mistake." He ground a fist into a palm in demonstration.

            "I won't make any. You'll see."

            But he had already made one. In ordering the Robot not to take his sensors off of the two men, he had inadvertently prevented him from scanning what was going on behind him. And that had enabled little Will to sneak up behind Smith and the Robot, snake a thin arm between them, and pull out the Robot's power pack.

            "Call me cocky, will you?" Smith was challenging haughtily. "I just dare you to try anything against me right now."

            At that moment, the Robot folded forward, his accordion arms dangling.

            Smith caught the motion out of the corner of his eye. He looked toward his protective knight and frowned. Then he looked back toward Robinson and West as huge grins split their faces. His eyes widened in terror as they started abruptly toward him, smiling ominously, fists raised.

            "Eeeee!!!" Smith shrieked, dropped to the floor, curled up into a ball, and began to cry.

            Robinson and West stopped stock still and stared down at him in absolute astonishment. It was the first time that they'd seen that he was a coward. They turned to each other, debating the question: to beat or not to beat. They settled on a compromise. They laughed at him unmercifully instead.