Part One:

Dr. Zachary Smith knew how noisy the Jupiter 2 could be, especially in flight, but on this particular evening every little sound seemed magnified and intent on disturbing his concentration.

After being in space for nearly a week, Smith’s admittedly shaky nerves were just about shot. To help calm himself, he had agreed to a chess tournament with the Robot, but he found he could barely concentrate with all the noises assaulting him. In addition to the constant throbbing of the engines, Mrs. Robinson was clattering away in the galley and Will was conducting some sort of endless experiment in the lab. Every time Dr. Smith tried to focus his thoughts, there was a loud pop or boom that rocked his senses. Nevertheless, he was determined to go on with the chess tournament.

Pushing these distractions aside, Smith perched his hand above the chessboard like a vulture overlooking its prey. He grabbed hold of one of his bishops and quickly glanced at his opponent. He was looking for any minute change of expression that would signal whether or not he was on the right track. Of course there was none, as Smith’s opponent was the Robot. There was no swiveling of the sensors, no excited whir from internal rotors, not even a tell-tale raising of the bubble. No outward sign that the Robot had even noticed Smith’s move. Smith decided to try another approach.

"I don’t see how you can remain so calm when your Queen is in such jeopardy," he casually said. "Why, in just a few swift moves, I shall undoubtedly take her. And then what will become of your gallant King?" Smith arched his eyebrows, waiting for the Robot to give away its strategy. Once again, there was nothing. Instead, a loud crash rang out from the lab. Smith shook in his chair and cast a sour glance over his shoulder.

Suddenly unsure of his move, Smith let go of the bishop and perched his hand over the board again. "On second thought, perhaps a different battle plan is in order. Hmmm . . ," he said, stroking his chin. "What do you think?"

"Less talk, more action!" the Robot said.

"Silence ninny!" Smith snapped. "How can I concentrate with your incessant chatter?" He looked from one side of the board to the other. "Now let me see. Ah! Yes indeed!" Smith grabbed a pawn and moved it with a dramatic flourish. "There! Take that you marauding misanthrope!"

Instantly, the Robot shot out an arm and moved its Queen halfway across the board. "Checkmate," it said.

"What?" Smith was baffled. "How can that be? Checkmate in only three moves? There must be some mistake!" He looked anxiously at the chessboard.

"There is no mistake," the Robot said. The tournament now stands at Robot: four wins, Dr. Smith: zero. Would you like to play another game?"

Smith was outraged. "How dare you!" He pushed his chair away from the table and stood up in a huff. "Another game indeed!" With a dismissive gesture, he stomped away.

In the galley, Maureen Robinson finished fastening down the food storage units for the night. She looked up and smiled at Dr. Smith’s antics.

"Having a bad night Dr. Smith?" she asked.

"Dear lady," Smith said. "I find myself virtually exhausted from all the racket being created by your youngest child." He motioned toward Will. "Not to mention being forced to match wits with that computerized clump! However, I am sure that it is nothing a little late night snack couldn’t cure."

"Oh I’m sorry, but I’ve already packed away all the food for the night," Maureen said. "You know it’s standard procedure when we’re in space."

"Yes of course," Smith said wringing his hands and glancing left and right. "Standard procedure."

Maureen patted him on the shoulder. "What you need is to curl up in your cabin with a good book. Next thing you know, it’ll be time for breakfast."

"Yes, perhaps you’re right," Smith said. He grinned unhappily and nodded his head.

"Goodnight, Dr. Smith," Maureen said as she strolled off to her cabin.

Irritated, hungry and bored, Dr. Smith wandered over to the lab area where Will’s experiment was still going strong. Wearing shaded goggles and hunched over some odd looking contraption, Will seemed too caught up in his work to notice Smith’s approach. He adjusted a valve on a piece of equipment that was popping with a weird green electric static.

"William!" Smith snapped. "Will you kindly shut down this infernal device before we all suffer permanent hearing loss!"

Will looked up at him. "I told everybody this was going to make a lot of noise Dr. Smith. Dad said I could keep at it until 22:00 hours. He knows how important it is to our thrusters."

"Oh good heavens," Dr. Smith said wearily. "What on Earth could be so important about this hyped-up noise maker?" He sat down next to a control panel.

"I already told you Dr. Smith," Will said, becoming irritated himself. "If I can infuse anti-matter into the thrusters, it will increase their efficiency by up to 40%! I’m just not sure about the mix."

"Well I don’t see why a brilliant scientific mind like yours can’t find a way to accomplish this quietly," Smith said. He stood up to leave, but his arm brushed the control box, nearly knocking it over.

Will lost his cool. "Be careful with that Dr. Smith! Don’t you know how dangerous anti-matter is? Go above deck if you’re looking for quiet!"

"Temper, temper, dear boy," Smith said, somewhat flustered. "No harm done. I’ll just be along now." He scampered out of the lab. As Will glared at him, Smith crossed to the elevator and pressed the controls to take him upstairs.

Arriving topside, Smith saw Professor Robinson, Judy and Major West huddled around one of the consoles, chatting. Sometimes he envied their closeness and trust of each other, but tonight the sight of them just aggravated him all the more. "Professor Robinson," he said in a sharp voice. "You simply must do something about that dreadful experiment William is conducting! I’m afraid he’ll blow us all to kingdom come!"

Still smiling from some private conversation, John turned and faced Smith. "Well Dr. Smith, I’m sure Will’s taken every safety precaution necessary. He always does." He glanced at a clock in the equipment console. "Besides, he’ll only be at it for a little while longer. If you want, you can wait up here. Don’s showing Judy how to operate the thrusters. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you listened in."

"Just don’t touch anything," Don piped in.

Smith made a tiresome face at Don and said. "Spare me your..." Suddenly his expression froze. "Did he say you were showing her how to operate the thrusters?"

"That’s right," Don said. "And why does that interest you?"

"That’s the very system Will’s experimenting with right now!"

Now John looked worried. "The main thrusters? While we’re in flight? I told him he could experiment but to leave the actual systems alone!" He dashed for the elevator. "Don, don’t touch anything until I give the okay. And see that Smith doesn’t either!"

"I’ll wait for your signal," Don called out. The three of them watched Professor Robinson choose the ladder and practically jump down to the lower deck.

"So Dr. Smith," Judy said. "How’s that chess tournament going?"

When John got to the lab, he was startled to see a thick, green shaft of lightening curving from one piece of Will’s equipment to another. There were crackling explosions happening everywhere around him. The very air in the lab tingled with a wild electrical charge. He had never thought Will would go this far, be this reckless while they were in space. "Shut it off," he yelled. "You’re tied into the main thrusters! Shut it off!"

"I can’t," Will yelled back above the noise. "The cycle’s got to finish first!"

John realized the danger all too well. He punched at the switch of an intercom. "Don!" he shouted. "Get away from the controls!"

The only reply was a wave of static. Nearly frantic, John raced back to the ladder. "Will! Shut that off as soon as you can!" He was already scrambling up the ladder.

"Okay!" Will shouted.

Concerned by all the shouting, Maureen and Penny came out of their cabins. "Will?" Maureen asked. "What’s going on?"

On the upper deck, things had gotten out of control. A large, green energy surge had arched up from the thruster controls and had Don, Judy and Smith trapped against the radio panel. Judy saw her father and she screamed out, "Dad! Help us!"

As John got to the top of the ladder, he saw the unthinkable happen. The energy surrounded the others and burst into a bright green flare. John just had time to duck behind the astrogator or he probably would have been blinded. No, no, he thought. They’ve got to be all right!

For a moment he couldn’t see at all, but then slowly his vision cleared. The green electricity was gone, but the others were nowhere in sight. John looked up and saw to his horror that the radio panel had been charred in a sickening silhouette of Don, Judy and Smith. "No!" he screamed.

It’s so hot, she thought. Like summer. Out of instinct, Judy wiped her face with her hand. The absence of sweat surprised her and she opened her eyes. Lying directly in her line of sight was Dr. Smith. That’s odd, she thought. Why are we both lying on the floor? She sat up and gently shook him. "Dr. Smith, are you all right?"

"Judy?" Don’s thick voice came from her side. She turned and saw him on the floor beside one of the pilot chairs. He seemed dazed.

"Don? What happened?"

"I think we were blasted by Will’s experiment," Don said. "Smith was right about it after all."

They both looked at Dr. Smith, who was slowly regaining consciousness. He sat upright against the radio panel. "Oh good heavens," he muttered. "Just wait until I get my hands on that boy!" He looked up at Don and Judy. Seeing they were all right and showing signs of concern about him gave Smith a warm feeling inside. It was as if he was included in their little circle for a change. He gave them a weak smile. Then, his glance moved past Don and Judy and his expression changed into a look of puzzlement, then pure terror. He couldn’t help but let loose with one of his screams. Unable to speak, Smith pointed to something behind the others.