"Second contact is set to be in. . ."

Kaline had her arms folded feeling dread ignoring the background chatter and the announcement from over the intercomn. She set her hair up with one hand for the second time in the hour then flexed her fingers out and sent them back under her palm. The slow, steady steps of someone coming to her side was in the background. She had her eyes trained on the large screen in front of Alpha Control that had stations with touch screens. There were several screens displaying information regarding Alpha Centauri. The smaller screens on the dark surface were outlined in light blue in bright blue text.

"Anxious, madame president?" came a dark woman.

She turned toward her vice president, Omaha.

"Dread," Kaline said. "It's been thirty years since anyone gone to that planet."

"No one has visited it in the last five years according to the probes," Omaha said. "This mission isn't going to be botched."

"Every mission that Major Watson has gone on so far have been botched," Kaline said

"Just because he lost the criminal doesn't he will do it this time," Omaha said. "This is a high profiled retrieval effort. He won't."

"He should know his career is on the line," Kaline said. "I have been told that he is being eyed for Lieutenant Colonel on the battle lines."

"Those lines?" Omaha asked, alarmed.

"Those," Kaline said, rubbing her chin.

"That's very troubling," Omaha said. "Taking him into the field with hardened criminals?"

"Don't get on me on that," Kaline said, lowering her head.

"Criminals who are being loaned rather than have finished their sentence," Omaha said. "Life sentenced convicts. You could have loaned in the criminals who have a death penalty."

"Would you have me giving them what they wanted?" Kaline asked. "To be remembered and shown all over the newsfeed?" she looked toward the dark, curly haired woman. "America is on the brink of total annihilation."

"We're not, madame president," Omaha said. "America has already lost itself."

"Haven't you seen what happened to Oregon?" Kaline asked.

"I have," Omaha said.

"It's not pretty," Kaline said.

"Montana hasn't been hit that badly," Omaha then added. "yet."

"Still reloading on making nukes," Kaline said.

"I believe in redemption, madame president," Omaha said. "but sending those type of people send the wrong message."

"It doesn't," Kaline said. "showing them that the bad guys that they sent to prison for the most heinous crimes dying in the line of war is not going to be a good day for them. Because they will be remembered, everyone knows the name of the criminal and forget the names of their victims."

"No," Omaha said. "They always remember the victims. Everyone remembers their faces. Their names, not so much, but the loss of life is never forgotten."

"America needs to be reminded that there are people who get thrown in because they don't want to be," Kaline said. "Just like them. People who have lost their loved ones so far because of this world war."

"With that belief, you have to start the draft if we are losing willing soldiers that quickly," Omaha said.

"Now you talk to me about that?" Kaline asked, glaring toward Omaha. "Where was this when we were discussing--"

"Jupiter 2 here," came a new voice that swept through the room. "We read you loud and clear."

There was silence on the other end as Kaline came speeding down the stairs flanked by her security team. There was a alarming pause from Alpha Control. Men and women stood up to their feet placing their hands on the table wearing shocked, dumbfounded expressions with awe in their eyes. Some shared glances with one another. A few of them pinched themselves just to make sure what they were seeing was real. By all accounts the source of the voice was very real.

"Jupiter 2030 to Alpha Control," The camera turned toward the massive screen. "Are you there?"

Everyone stood up from their stations staring at the remarkably talking, familiar face belonging to Professor Robinson. A face that had not been forgotten from history. It was almost as though history had decided to pause time on this man, only this man, then dropped him off in a more rougher decade in Earth's history. The face that many people in the room recognized off the bat. It was a face that didn't belong to any members of the retrieval team. One of the members at Alpha Control stood up from the counter placing his hand on the arm rest. There was complete silence int he room.

"Jupiter 2030 to Alpha Control," came the question once more. "Are you there?"

"Alpha Control is here," came a stray voice from behind Kaline. "Who is this?"

"Professor John Robinson," John replied.

The rest of the members in the room stared at the screen that had more color and a gigantic image that widened to reveal a small group of people in the background behind the man. Jaws had dropped at the scene. Over thirty years had passed since the family had been reportedly killed in action. More than thirty years since they became lost in space without being seen by officials. They looked the same except for the most difference in the young girl, Penny, was that she looked older. Different from the little bright eyed girl who went into space. It became apparent that the detailed story that Smith had given over thirty years ago hadn't been a fabricated story after all.

Kaline set her jaw up then approached the screen and was handed a head set by a member. She placed the thin head set on to her head then moved the small, black piece along her mouth.

"This is President Mary Kaline of the United States," Kaline said, shifting the device on her head. "Where has your family been?"

"In a time bubble," John said.

Omaha came beside the president.

"I seem to find you are missing a member," Kaline asked.

"He is looking for Smith with the Robot," Don said. "It's a long story."

"We have all the time in the world, Major West," Kaline said. "Professor Robinson," she greeted the two Robinsons staring at the small somewhat sizzling black screen from the white console that displayed Alpha Control in layers of dark green. "Doctor Robinson."

"Madame president," Omaha whispered, turning her attention onto the woman. "You have a man to pardon."

Kaline closed her eyes lowering her gaze.

"No," Kaline said. "I have a wrong to right."

Omaha nodded.