Lost in Space

Last week, as you recall...

our space family's lost planet was rocked by a series of savage earthquakes.

Little did they dream that in less than 20 desperate hours...

a cataclysmic explosion would rip apart the planet's core...

and disintegrate their entire world...

into galactic dust.

Penny, you look like one of those old-fashioned milkmaids...

coming back from the pasture.

You know, it would be good to see a pasture again...

walking through the grass, looking for four-leaf clover...

- wading... -

- - Oh!

Penny! In the ship! Now!

Penny!

It's slacking off.

Do you think it's as bad up at the drill site?

I don't think so, but it could be heading their way.

I'd better warn them.

Don. Come in, Don.

I don't know what's causing this disturbance, but I do know one thing.

It's happening at a depth that could crack the core of this planet...

and lay it wide open.

- Don! Come in, Don! - Right here, John.

Listen, that last batch of deutronium fuel tested out just fine.

- I think we've finally got all we need. - Well, that's good news.

How about the earthquake? Give you any trouble?

- Earthquake? What earthquake? - Well, we got it here, but good.

And deeper than anything we've ever had before.

You'd better pack your gear and get back here right away. The next one may hit your area.

We'll start right back. Judy, get Will and Smith.

I'll start loading the equipment.

In the presence of appreciative colleagues and fellow voyagers...

- I now unveil... - Will, Dr. Smith. We're leaving.

- Shh! - Dad just called.

He said there might be an earthquake right here in this very area.

Am I or am I not going to receive the reverence this ceremony deserves?

You've got it, Dr. Smith.

As I was saying... William.

You too.

I now unveil this noble monument...

a temple of immortality...

to the living and imperishable memory...

of Dr. Zachary Smith.

I name thee "Spirit of Space."

But, Dr. Smith, it doesn't even look like you.

It is the abstract, artistic concept of my inner self.

- Now can we leave? - My dear boy, have you no regard for the sanctity of this moment?

We've gotta get out of here. Didn't you hear what Judy said?

- We might be right in the middle of... -

- - Oh! Oh!

- No, no! Don't fall! - Hit the dirt!

- You okay? - Oh! How about you?

Your father was almost right. He said the next one may hit in this area.

- Where's Smith and Will? - They were on the other side of the ridge when it happened.

Come on.

Ah. Not even a crack.

It will endure forever.

Oh.

Earth folk, from the look of you.

"Snoopingest" bunch you ever met.

- What are you after? - Our drill site's up there.

That's where we get the fuel for our ship.

And may I add, sir, that we are not addicted to snooping.

We were much too involved dedicating my monument.

Were ya?

Hmm.

Beats me why a livin' man would wanna fool with, uh...

Dead stone.

On the contrary, my dear sir. It will outlast us all.

Even that earthquake left it completely unharmed.

That was no earthquake. That was me... blastin'.

I'd have put up a sign if I'd knowed I was gonna have company.

Name's, uh, Nerim. What's yours?

- I'm Will Robinson. - Will.

And I am Dr. Zachary S...

Have you been here long, Mr. Nerim?

Oh, long enough to get my bearin's.

- - Hey!

- Uh... I-I didn't mean any harm. - No offense.

- Where do you come from? - Oh, hither and yon...

in, uh, in the galaxy of the Southern Fish.

Home's, uh, catty-corner from Fomalhaut...

if you know where that is.

- Well, I've heard of it. - My dear sir...

at the risk of appearing curious...

may I ask what were you blasting for?

- Cosmonium. - "Cosmonium"?

Cos... I don't believe I've ever heard of it.

I don't suppose it's very... precious?

Oh, it is, if you know how to get it...

and what to do with it.

Purely out of scientific curiosity, Mr. Nerim...

I wonder if we might be allowed to inspect your mining operation.

Oh, naturally, we will reciprocate...

by letting you see our drill site.

Well, I reckon there's no harm.

I got the claim all staked.

- Follow me. - Yes.

Dr. Smith, we've gotta get back.

Nonsense, my boy. It's only because they feared we had an earthquake.

But when we return, we'll inform them...

that it was just some of Mr. Nerim's harmless blasting.

Didn't look so harmless to me.

Don't quibble, Will. Come along.

And now, sir, where is your mine entrance?

Oh, down there. It ain't a bad little ride.

It's been part "degravitized..."

So just do as I do.

I don't see him down there.

Neither do I.

Are ya comin' or ain't ya?

Well, we mustn't allow our fear...

to subdue our scientific curiosity, must we?

Well, then let's go.

- Oh, good heavens! - Wow.

What? Oh! I'm frightened. I don't like this at all.

- Wow. - What's going on? Heavens!

- -

That wasn't too much of a drop, was it?

Well, how do we get back up?

Well, the same way you got down, sonny.

Just blow a little air out of your lungs to get you started.

That's all. Then... kick off.

Hey. Hey, you, uh...

You need heavier boots than you got on to walk around here.

Here. Uh, I'll, uh... I'll sweep them out of the way.

But... But, Mr. Nerim, they're diamonds.

Dang nuisance is all they are to me.

No sooner do I sweep one lot out of the way...

than there's another slew of 'em droppin' down from the ceiling.

See what I mean?

Now, uh, let's get over here...

and I'll show you my refining plant.

Hey. Uh, come on, sonny.

Mr. Nerim, is it possible that what you refine...

is more precious than diamonds?

You sure ask a lot of fool questions.

A man don't go prospectin' a dozen light-years from home...

less'n it's worth his while.

Here. Start shovelin' ore, Zach boy.

"Zach boy"?

Indeed!

Uh, Will, would you mind?

My back is very delicate today.

Faster.

Be ready to...

draw some off in a minute.

Aren't you going to an awful lot of trouble just to fill that tiny flask?

Quiet, Will. Good things always come in small doses.

Mr. Nerim may be in the process of capturing the very quintessence of, uh...

Just what is cosmonium the quintessence of, Mr. Nerim?

That there is a mighty pretty word, Zach boy.

"Quintessence" is just what this is.

Quiet.

Here it comes.

Ah.

Ah.

Another two or three of these and I'll be ready to pull out.

But aren't you going to tell us what its properties are, Mr. Nerim?

I assure you, sir, whatever you care to reveal will be held in the strictest confidence.

You have my word of honor on that.

It looks like you've got little bits of sun there, Mr. Nerim.

Don't be ridiculous, Will.

What possible use could there be for "little bits of sun"?

Oh, the boy's smarter than you are, Zach boy.

"Bits of sun" is just about what this is.

Quintessence of the living force...

that thaws the ice and melts the snow and...

puts living breath in everything that grows.

That's a sight more precious than diamonds, ain't it, Zach boy?

Cosmonium...

the quintessence of the living force.

- It's beyond price. - Beyond any price you could come up with, mister.

Well, now, you boys better get on up top.

I got me some more blastin' to do.

Are you sure that blasting isn't kinda dangerous?

No. Why, I know the geology of this here planet like the back of my hand.

A little shakin' here and there don't do it no harm.

Uh, don't forget to blow out some breath when you're in the shaft.

Oh, Mr. Nerim.

We shall, of course, meet again.

Can't think of no good reason why we should.

Perhaps I'll think of a reason.

Naturally, we shall hold Mr. Nerim's revelations...

in the strictest confidence, my boy.

- I promised, you know. - Blow, Dr. Smith.

Ah, yes.

- You gotta kick off. - Oh, yes. Kick off.

Will! Dr. Smith!

Over here, Judy.

Didn't you hear us call you? Where have you been?

Like the camels of the desert, we found shelter from the storm in a natural harbor.

Now make like a racehorse at the track. We've gotta get back to the ship.

Racehorse indeed, Major!

No, no! This way, you blithering bumpkin.

That second quake you got at the drill site gave us a reading...

twice as intense as the one we got here.

I don't think this planet can stand much more.

- Well, John, what will happen to it? -

Hit the circuit breaker!