ZSROTU 11 - "The First And The Last"

PRESS CTRL = (EQUALS) TO INCREASE THE PAGE SIZE AND CTRL 0 (ZERO) TO RESET THE PAGE SIZE THIS PAGE VIEWS BEST IN FIREFOX Want to read this in a different language ? Change the TO field to your own country and click the TRANSLATE button after going HERE LOST IN SPACE Zachary Smith - Ruler Of The Universe © April 2017 Written by David Wicker Please do not reprint without permission This will be my new main Tuesday writing until the story is complete. [ CHOOSE A DIFFERENT CHAPTER ] * * * These entries are Rated: EVERYONE 11. THE FIRST AND THE LAST Last week as you remember John Robinson and his family were under trial for the disappearance of the Dralastite's emissary. With the verdict being the immediate termination of Dr. Smith, he uses the amazing ring to "get them out of there." But where "here" is, that's an entirely different story. And what's worse, it appears that the ring has stopped working leaving them in this strange plane of existence with nothing but floating blue mist to accompany them. Seeking an exit, the party, minus Smith, all decide to walk out in a straight line to either find an exit or the edge to this zone. They are elated to see someone ahead, crouched on the ground. And despite the appearance of 4-arms, they are glad to know they are not alone here. "Hello there !" John says holding out a hand to the stranger. "Hello indeed !" the saucy voice returns. It's Dr. Smith ! He had taken off his jacket and tied it around his waist which from a distance might appear as an extra set of arms. He sniffs disdainfully at John, "I thought you are your adventurous crew were setting out to find an exit ?" Don answered, "We are. Or, we were. What are you doing, Smith ?" "Examining the ground. It is not like any i am familiar with. It is slightly moist and spongy." Don puzzled his chin with his left hand, "Now that is strange. We'll deal with that a bit later." He looks up. "Okay, let's set off in this direction. Smith, you stay here. I have a bad feeling about this place but I don't want to jump to any assumptions just yet." With that the family traveled out in a straight line. Smith continued to examine the ground and then reached in his pocket for some tools. Within a short time the family had reached Smith again. "Curves back on itself." Will said. John rubbed the head of his young son. "That's a good assessment, Will. Don. Any ideas ?" Don looked around for a moment. Then he pulled out his blaster and fired it straight down into the surface. The beam bounced slightly away, but not before leaving a slightly charred spot where it was and a split-second later a loud groan from something impossibly large. "We're in something alive !" Judy offered. Maureen nodded. "I think that's about the size of it. John ?" "Without the ring working, I'd say we're stuck here. Hopefully we won't be digested." "Dad, may I ?" and Will held his hand out for the ring. "Sure, son. Maybe you'll have better luck than me." Holding the ring aloft Will yelled, "I want us to be at the campsite of the Jupiter 2." This time the ring lit up. A cold wind flashed around everyone there and a weird fog enveloped them all. Quickly it cleared and they were back at the campsite - with some dramatic differences ! Where the Jupiter 2 was, there was no just a smoking hole in the ground. All the test and laboratory equipment outside had been smashed too. Will was the first to speak. "I thought so. The ring couldn't take us to the Jupiter 2 because - well, it wasn't here. It was destroyed." He looked to John, "But what do we do now, Dad ?" Smith spoke, "I hope you don't think I'm responsible for this - this destruction." Don smiled evilly, "If the shoe fits, Smith." Smith waved a dismissive hand, "Spare me your barbarisms, Major. We have a very serious situation here. Focus !" Don nodded. He agreed this was indeed a problem. John spoke now, "Clearly the Dralastites were infuriated at losing Smith for a cut-and-dried trial as it was." He looked to the smoking hole and shook his head, "I know what might fix this. If we were to give up Smith to the Dralastites. That might appease their anger." Smith put a protective hand on his chest. "Oh ! You can't mean that ! They'll kill me ! Non-existence they said ! Why, that's a fate worse than death itself !" "Better you than us." Don said in a pitiless tone. Maureen intervened defensively, "Now, Don. We're not going to die and we're certainly not going to hand over Smith. There must be some other solution here." Will looked around wildly. "Did they destroy the robot ?" Then cupped a hand to his mouth to yell better, "Hey robot, are you around ?" * * * From behind a wide tree came the robot rolling on its wheels. "Affirmative Will Robinson ! I am undamaged." Penny spoke, "Maybe the robot can help us." John nodded, "Perhaps, honey. Let's tell him what all has happened. Maybe he has a solution to get out of this." So for the next hour, John and the family related all that happened. The robot's lights flashed and his gears clunked around in his robotic head. But after a moment of thinking, suddenly the robot backed up a step and waved its arms up and down, "Danger Will Robinson ! Danger, danger !" "What is it, robot ?" Will asked the robot. "Alien beings approaching, Will. Dralastites. And they are armed !" "Back off !" John told everyone and they beat a hasty retreat into the forest. The Dralastites were not as rapid as the family, traveling on their tentacles, and quickly fell behind. With some distance between them, John asked the robot. "What would be a solution out of this ?" The robot replied, "If the ring is capable of granting wishes and commands, I suspect a command to return the Jupiter 2 would be in order." John nodded, "Yes, and we can go from there." "May I ?" the robot asked and held out his clawed grip. John gave the robot the ring. But no sooner did he do so, a strange wavy purple beam shot into their area. The Dralastites had caught up with them ! Don expertly pulled out his own blaster and hit one of the octopoids directly in the center, but it bounced off ! "That's not right." he said acridly. "Our weapons are no good against them. Robot ?" The robot stepped out into the opening and shot forth a bolt of bright arcing electricity, straight at the Dralastites. It too was completely ineffective. A purple wavy beam hit the tree they were hiding behind and it suddenly wilted and molded over - as if the beam itself was some type of time distortion ray, causing things to age quickly. "We don't dare get hit by their weapons !" John yelled at the others above the high whining sound of their purple beams. Everyone retreated further into the forest, behind rocks and trees. The Dralastites pushed the attack. The robot still had the ring. He held it up and started to speak when the ring itself spoke interrupting him ! "You have one command left to give. At which point Darceon will come to claim me." The robot jerked his head left and right. "Who or what is Darceon ?" The ring replied, "The previous ruler of the universe." The robot pressed his questions, "Is he dangerous ?" The ring responded, "He is considered the most feared and dangerous creature in all the universe. Many have fought against him, none have won. Whole planets have been destroyed by him. No creature has ever injured him, not even humans from years past. He is invulnerable to any and every weapon ever made. He is completely - invulnerable and unstoppable." "I see." the Robot said. He mulled things over. The Dralastites wanted justice and that included the punishment penalty of death for Smith for the inadvertent blasting of their emissary. The ring said it could only be used one more time before an unbeatable being, Darceon, would appear to claim it. The robot could wish the Dralastites away, but that still wouldn't get them their Jupiter 2 back. The robot could wish the Jupiter 2 back, but likely they wouldn't survive the attack of the Dralastites to even make it back there. There was only one thing to do. The robot flung the ring down on the ground. Then blasted it with its own electric beams. Smith's eyes grew saucer-wide. "What are you doing you digitized dunderhead !? That ring is my ticket to getting off of this miserable planet !" The robot ignored Smith. Smith reached over to remove its power pack but the robot flung a metallic arm straight at Smith knocking him against a tree, pounding him to unconsciousness ! "Dad !" Will yelled. "The robot's out of control, we've got to stop it !" John shook his head. "No, I think I know what it's doing. Let's hope it can do it in time !" The Dralastites came in closer. There really was nowhere to run now ! Suddenly the ring cracked at the constant barrage of electrical energy surged from the robot into its surface. A blinding light pierced out from the edges of it and a sudden wind whipped around them all. A dense fog of impenetrable depth surrounded them and suddenly left as soon as it came. The Dralastites were gone, somehow vanished in the vapors. The family carefully got up off the ground, roused Smith, and they all started back to the campsite. Will was the first to notice the tree that got shot was no longer wilted but alive and vibrant. John could only nod his head. Finally they returned to the campsite to see everything was as it should be. The potted plants, experiments, and tables with equipment were all there. But the best sight of all, the Jupiter 2 saucer, their home, was there, untouched and unscathed. John whacked the robot on the back which gave a comical "Clang !" Then he asked him, "How did you do it, robot ? What did you do to fix everything ?" The robot's lights lit up pink in the head. Was this modesty ? "Nothing much, John Robinson. The ring was responsible for what all had happened. I merely removed it. By doing so, everything that the ring did was no longer. It could no longer exist, therefore, all of its 'miracles' were undone." Penny spoke happily, "So the Dralastite's emissary is still alive ?" Don smiled, "Seems that way." Smith had found some bandages on the table and was wrapping them around his head. "So we can still get off this horrid planet ?" he asked the robot. "Affirmative !" the robot said in a loud and cheerful voice. (to be continued) Return back HOME  You are Earth Visitor #