To be noticed (Lost in Space 1998)

To be noticed

The nightmare ended just as it had began. It had begun cold, unforgiving, and confusing. Suddenly, and with little reality to it, he watched the fogged door to his freezing tube slide aside. His world was replaced by the inside of the Jupiter 2 with the operational astronavigator, the crane series rambler standing in the center of the room. His family gathered at the center of the room with the major walking away from the front half of the ship.

"Hello, I am Rambler Crane Series Model 0-9. You may call me Rambler." Rambler said. "I am here to help you with the colonization of Alpha Prime A and the construction of the Hypergate."

"Good to meet you, Rambler," John said. "Major, be our lead."

"Wait, what?" Don asked. "I was under the impression that you were the team leader of the mission. I am just the monkey."

"No. . . You're not just the monkey that presses the buttons, Major." John was taken back at first as he replied. "General Goddard was supposed to tell you that you were part of the defense of the planet while I take care of the matters on the planet."

"I took care of the Global Sedition problem up there," Don said. "Damaged some of the hulls."

"Thankfully, we can leave it the way it is," John said. "Never going to up there again. Long as there isn't a chance of the hull leaking during a rain storm."

"I can assure you of that," Don said. "There won't be."

"Thanksgiving is going to be pretty neat," John said. "Let's get that required beds mapped put before we set up shop."

"Mom, is it going to be different this time?" Will asked.

"I think it will be," Maureen said, looking down toward him with a smile.

"Cool." Will said. "Then he will get to see my inventions."

"He will appreciate it just as I told you," Maureen said. "But don't try to make a time machine that your science project was supposed to be."

"Everything is okay, mom," Will said. "I won't be making one anytime soon. Won't have to do it this time."

"Had a bad dream?" She rubbed his head.

"Nasty one," Will said. "Doctor Smith was in it. He got stung by a spider and became a hybrid of it."

"That is a really nasty nightmare," Maureen said with a smile. "Let's go get the colonizing gear out."

Time passed and the outside of the ship began to look like home. The home that was inconvenient and unforeseen. A home that he didn't anticipate of having at all. It was nothing like how he had seen it in his nightmare. It was nothing the way that he had recalled it. It was the way that he had seen on the way to boarding the craft. She was massive in size and roomy to the touch.

He watched as the large ugly bus came down the platform to the craft down the landing platform that gave him a double take. It was tacky and full of military that it reminded him of the nightmare complete with camouflage paint. It was large in size to the men. Big enough to carry Rambler. Will watched the men vanish over the hill and into the future that was certain to be written in stone. They returned; alive, unharmed, but cheerful and excited about the beds they had found.

And it became quickly apparent as time went by.

All too apparent that his father had a new focus of attention.

Will had lost his father when he was accepted into the Family Program.

And it became quick to learn that what else he could do; explore. For long periods of time. Away from home.