Six hours had passed.
Todd, Ricky, and Scoota walked and climbed over space junk upon the top of the asteroid.
They were fifty feet from the Lunar Module. It took forever to get closer to the front of the asteroid.
Todd and Ricky looked homesick. "I want to go home," Todd said while he glanced over at Ricky as they climbed over a piece of space junk.
"Me too," Ricky added.
"I wish you could, but it still looks like my planet Stardonia will be your new home," Scoota said.
Todd and Ricky's eyes welled up.
"I think we can take you, boys, home. Could you use a lift?" Lance said across the radio net.
Todd and Ricky's eyes lit up over Lance's voice.
They noticed the Magellan capsule and Lunar Module seventy feet away.
The engine to the Magellan capsule shut off then the thrusters kicked in and slowed down the ship. It wasn't too long before the Magellan capsule hovered ten feet away from the boys.
Todd and Ricky looked in awe at the sight of the Magellan capsule.
"Cool! How did you attach your capsule to an old Apollo lunar module descent stage?" Todd asked.
"How did we do what?" Clint asked from the capsule
"There's a Lunar Module descent stage stuck to the rear of your capsule," Ricky added.
There were a few seconds of silence. "We don't have a clue," Jake added.
"Are you sure?" Clint asked.
"We're sure," Todd replied.
"This is way too bizarre, but who cares, as we're back. Anyway, we'll meet you back at the Lunar Module," Lance said.
Todd and Ricky saluted the capsule.
Jake, Clint, and Lance saluted from the capsule windows in return.
The thruster on the Magellan capsule fired, and it slowly moved to the Lunar Module.
Todd, Ricky, and Scoota hurriedly walked, climbed over space junk, and headed to the Lunar Module.
At the front of the asteroid, the Magellan capsule docked to the Lunar Module.
Jake, Clint, and Lance finished their docking procedure inside the Magellan Capsule.
"Do we tell Mission Control about the lunar module descent stage?" Jake said while he looked at Lance and Clint.
They both pondered that question for a few seconds.
"Naw, we have to get rid of this asteroid first," Clint replied.
"I agree," Lance added.
Clint floated over to the microphone. "Mission Control, this is Magellan five."
"What now, Magellan five?" Kara said from the speakers in a tone that expected more bad news.
"We're docked at the Lunar Module. We're ready to send this asteroid out of here," Lance said.
Cheers were heard from Mission Control over the capsule's speakers.
Upon the Moon inside the control cave, the Man In The Moon listened to their radio transmission.
"We're docked at the Lunar Module. We're ready to send this asteroid out of here," Lance's message was sounded from the speakers inside the cave.
"Things are finally shaping up," the Man in the Moon said.
In the Oval Office of the White House, President Barnaby sat at his desk with his phone to his ear.
"We have some good news, Mister President. The Magellan capsule is back at the asteroid. They're going to complete their mission," Richard told him.
President Barnaby jumped up out of his seat. "Great!" he said, then quickly hung up his phone.
He rushed away from his desk and did a dorky victory dance around the Oval Office.
He stopped and looked at the wall of TVs. "The US of A will save the world!" he teased the blank TV screens.
He continued to do his dorky victory dance with arms and feet flying around.
Across America, all the major cities were virtually empty as everybody headed to the mountains.
Across Europe, all the major cities were virtually empty as everybody headed to the mountains.
Across Russia, all the major cities were virtually empty as everybody headed to the mountains.
Across China, all the major cities were virtually empty as everybody headed to the mountains.
Across Australia, all the major cities were virtually empty as everybody headed to the mountains.
In Todd's home, Tater, Lilly, and Christina sat on the couch and watched Biff on the Channel 9 News in their living room.
"We finally have some good news to report for those still in the central Florida viewing area. NASA reported that the Magellan five found its way back to the asteroid. They will complete the mission and get rid of the asteroid and bring our stowaway boys home," Biff reported to his viewers.
Tater, Lilly, and Christina jumped off the couch, locked arms, and danced around in joy.
After hearing Biff's news report, Louie and Rose danced around for joy in their living room in Ricky's home.
In Lucy's home, she danced with Betty around the living room for joy after they heard Biff's news report.
Buster and Rocky sat by their burnt tree house, sobbing at the Bully's tree house.
In the secret military base in Russia, alarms sounded while the missiles retracted back into their silos.
In the middle of China, soldiers stood by the launchers in the field.
In outer space, on top of the asteroid, Todd, Ricky, and Scoota walked over space junk.
"Hey, boys, where are you?" Lance asked from the radio net.
"We're near the hatch of the Lunar Module," Todd replied.
"Good, let us know when you're inside with the hatch closed," Lance said.
"Okay," Todd responded.
Todd, Ricky, and Scoota walked to the hatch of the Lunar Module.
Ricky floated down in the hatch first and into the Lunar Module.
Todd floated down the hatch and into the Lunar Module.
"Come in, Scoota. This is Biggka," he said from Scoota's Space Pad tucked in his suit pocket.
Scoota removed his Space Pad from his pocket. He pressed a button, and the hologram of Biggka and Redka emitted from his Pad.
"Where are you?" Scoota said.
"We're about twenty yards away from you," Biggka said from the Space Pad.
Scoota looked around and saw the tow ship.
"Let me go inside my craft and help the earthlings finalize their plans. You can follow this asteroid while I fly it away from Earth," Scoota told them.
"We'll be standing by," Biggka replied.
Scoota turned off his Space Pad and shoved it back in his suit pocket. He floated down the hatch into the Lunar Module.
The hatched stayed open.
Inside the Lunar Module, Todd and Ricky waited for Scoota while he closed and locked the hatch at the top of the Lunar Module.
"We're inside the Lunar Module," Todd said into the communications net.
Scoota went over to the console and pressed some buttons.
The hatch to the Magellan capsule opened.
Lance floated through the hatch in his suit with his helmet on.
Clint floated through, followed by Jake with their helmets on.
The astronauts looked happy to see the boys and Scoota.
"We're proud of you boys," Lance said.
"Installing those engines is a major accomplishment," Clint added. Jake nodded in agreement.
"We don't have much time left. Let's get the rest of this mission completed," Lance said, then extended his hand out to Scoota. "Thank you for helping us, Scoota, and taking care of our little astronauts," Lance added.
Todd and Ricky looked proud to be called that by a real Astronaut.
Scoota shook Lance's glove. "It was the least I could do for causing all this mess," Scoota said. Then, he shook Jake and Clint's glove.
Todd looked at Scoota. "Thanks for being our friend," he said, then shook Scoota's glove.
Ricky shook Scoota's hand. "Yeah, thanks for being our friend."
"Thank you for being my friends," Scoota replied.
Todd had an idea, and he looked at Ricky, who also had the same idea. Todd and Ricky locked the pinkies of their right glove. Scoota saw this, and he joined in.
"Friends," Todd and Ricky called out.
"Friends," Scoota added.
Jake, Lance, and Clint chuckled over that sight.
"Let's go, friends," Lance said.
Todd, Ricky, and Scoota unlocked their pinkies. Jake floated through the hatchback into the Magellan capsule.
Clint floated through the hatch. Todd floated through the hatch. Ricky floated through the hatch.
"I hope you can get back to our home planet," Lance said.
"No problem. As soon as this moves away from Earth, I have a rescue ship waiting to pick me up," Scoota replied.
"Good. I better go as time is running out. I'll turn R1D1 on from inside our capsule. He should automatically fly the asteroid away after we ignite the engines. After we separate and move away," Lance said, then he floated through the hatchback into the Magellan capsule.
Scoota looked at the hatch of the Magellan while it slammed shut and locked. His eyes welled up as he missed his Earthling buddies.
Lance, Jake, and Clint floated back into their seats inside the Magellan capsule.
They removed their helmets and gloves.
Todd and Ricky floated near them and removed their helmets and gloves.
The astronauts flipped switches, turned knobs, turned dials, and typed on keyboards.
Then Lance pressed a button.
Inside the Lunar Module, R1D1 was energized and came to life.
Outside by the asteroid, the Magellan capsule from the asteroid. The capsule fired some thrusters and backed away from the asteroid.
It slowly flew away from the asteroid.
Inside the Lunar Module, Scoota floated near R1D1.
"Scoota, can you still hear me?" Lance said across the communications net.
"Yes, I can," Scoota answered.
"Great. Monitor R1D1's activities for us," Lance replied.
"Yes, sir," Scoota responded.
R1D1 lit up and beeped. One arm reached over and grabbed the joystick on the console with its mechanical hands. Then R1D1 suddenly turned off.
"There's a problem. The small robot turned off," Scoota said.
"Wait. I'll turn him on from here," Lance said.
Scoota waited, and R1D1 didn't power up. "It didn't work," Scoota said.
"Rats. Okay. There's a start button on R1D1's front body. Press it," Lance said.
Scoota looked around the front of R1D1 and found the start button.
He pressed it, and R1D1 lit up and beeped. Scoota smiled; it worked.
Sparks emitted from the rear of R1D1. Smoke emitted from the rear of R1D1.
It vibrated and fell off the stool, and went dead.
"Ah, we have a problem," Scoota told Lance.
"Now what? We don't have time for this," Lance replied.
"Your robot's broke for good."
"That's what we get for using the lowest bidder. It now looks like Earth is doomed," Lance replied in a depressed tone.
Scoota pondered this dilemma while looking at R1D1; his eyes lit up. "Don't worry. I'll fly it away," Scoota cried out while jumping on the stool.
In outer space above Earth, the asteroid started to dive toward Earth.
Todd and Ricky floated inside the Magellan capsule while they stared out the windows and noticed the asteroid.
"The asteroid is falling to Earth. You better fire the engines now," Todd yelled out.
The astronauts looked concerned.
Jake typed on his keyboard and activated a backup program for controlling the engines. He clicked on the "Start Engines" button. "What's the asteroid doing now?" Jake asked.
Todd and Ricky looked out the windows.
"Still falling to Earth," Ricky replied.
"Great. Billions of dollars spent on this high-tech stuff, and it still breaks down," Clint cried out, upset.