| abstract
| - While on a field trip with Will, Penny and the Robot, Dr. Smith comes across a strange machine. Ignoring the Robot’s warnings, he manipulates its controls and inadvertently materializes a female android. The android says her name is Verda, and that Smith ordered her from the Intergalactic Department Store. She is now tuned to his psychic frequency and will serve him forever. Meanwhile Don and John drill for deutronium and happen to notice a monster nearby. They put up signs to warn everyone away from the area, and then head back to the spaceship to question Verda. Verda seems a bit strange to the Robinsons, but harmless and really quite pleasant. She establishes a strong bond with the children, especially Penny. Smith, however, does not like her, and the Robot feels jealous of her knowledge and abilities. They decide too find a way to get rid of her. When they cannot use the machine to send her back where she came from, Smith decides on a more savage way to get the job done—by luring her to the monster’s cave, where she will be destroyed or, at the very least, frightened away. Verda takes Penny and Will on a nature walk and is drawn to the cave as Smith planned. The monster attacks, and Verda protects the children at the risk of her own life. As this is going on, the Robot and Smith experiment further with the machine, resulting in Dr. Smith being clothed in a silly costume he cannot remove. Their actions also summon a spacecraft with two passengers. One of the men introduces himself as Mr. Zumdish, the complaints manager for the Intergalactic Department Store. Smith insists Zumdish give him his regular clothes back and then requests that he take Verda. Zumdish presents Smith with a large bill and requests payment for the android. Smith refuses, and Zumdish becomes angry, saying Smith will be arrested. Smith avoids trouble by claiming Verda is defective, and Zumdish agrees to look into it. When Mr. Zumdish inspects Verda, he finds that there is indeed something odd about her. He says he will take her back, but when it is discovered that Verda will be disassembled and melted down, Penny cries and begs her father to save the android. The family votes to save Verda, trading their deutronium as payment since they have no currency. Mr. Zumdish agrees, but Penny is afraid he may change his mind and runs away with Verda. Zumdish’s guard chases them and tries to attack Penny. Verda, contrary to her programming, is set to throw a rock at Zumdish's security guard. Zumdish realizes that if Verda has developed so far, then she must be far more valuable then he thought. He decides to take her away with him, promising that she will not be melted down, but instead, will go on to do very important work. Verda agrees to go along, and bids the Robinsons a fond farewell.
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