TO MAKE HIS DREAMS COME TRUE

            Dr. Zachary Smith was shaking when he approached Professor John Robinson and Major Don West.

            "What's the matter, Smith?" Robinson inquired.

            "I had a dreadful nightmare last night," he admitted quietly, as he sat down with them during their noon break at the drill site.

            "Oh?" West was beginning to smile.

            "About you." Smith startled the expression off of the major's face.

            "Me?"

            "Both of you," he clarified.

            "Really?" Robinson wondered. "What was it about?"

            Smith eyed them hesitantly, his eyes darting between them from one to the other. "You...actually went through with it, and...beat me." His last two words were barely above a whisper.

            Instantly, West grinned broadly, thoroughly tickled with the idea.

            Nonplussed, Smith forced himself to turn from the major, and to address only Robinson. "I was terrified of you! The experience frightened me almost beyond endurance!"

            "Well, I do feel sympathy for you," Robinson said carefully. "But you certainly know that we've always exercised more than adequate restraint with you. Despite some pretty massive provocation at times."

            "So far," Smith conditionally agreed, very nervously.

            West offered, "If you're hoping to secure some kind of promise that it will never really happen, you're kidding yourself."

            Smith glanced at the major, and then quickly turned liquid eyes from West to Robinson. "Is that true?" he asked with trepidation.

            "You know that it is," Robinson confirmed. "Given your past behavior, we can't make guarantees like that."

            West cautioned, "Don't construe our lenience so far, to imply that we always will be lenient."

            Smith ventured, "Do you two hope that it will happen, or won't happen?"

            "Now, I said that I sympathize. So, of course I hope that it won't," Robinson assured him, but West was once again grinning broadly.

            Smith regarded the major with a wounded expression. "You would truly enjoy doing it to me, wouldn't you?"

            "I can't deny that," West admitted.

            "Major, do you believe that you are sadistic?" Smith couldn't help but ask.

            West looked surprised at the question, and his amusement faded. "No, but I seldom receive such provocation, as I do from you, just as John said."

            "Smith?" Robinson asked. "In your nightmare, what had you done wrong, to provoke us?"

            "I don't know," Smith admitted earnestly. "I don't recall. And that wasn't the part of the bad dream that was emphasized anyway."

            West pointed out, "Well, it's a little hard to gauge whether you were dealt with appropriately, without knowing what we were threatening you about."

            "No, it wasn't a threat, but a punishment," Smith explained. "I had already done some misdeed or other, and you were punishing me."

            "Well, that I can believe," West responded sardonically.

            "I've watched you two beat aliens, enemies. It has terrified me out of my wits!" Smith confided. "You know that I'm fragile."

            "Uh, yeah, we know," Robinson assured him.

            "I don't want to be your next victim," Smith whined. "Please," he implored.

            "I don't know what you expect us to say," Robinson commented.

            "I woke up scared silly! I guess that I just need for you to know how frightened I was! And am!" he quickly corrected.

            "I think we realize that, Smith," confirmed West.

            "Then...don't. Please don't!"

            Robinson and West exchanged reluctant looks.

            "Yes, I know," Smith acknowledged sadly. "You can't promise. I suppose that I just wanted you to be aware of how bad my fear of you really is. I hope that knowing that may influence your future decisions with me."

            "We'll keep it in mind, Smith," Robinson offered. It was the best consolation that he could give.

            West was again fighting a grin. "Gee, and to think, most people would want someone to make their dreams come true."

            Robinson couldn't help but smile at that.

            Smith looked sick, and withdrew from their presence.