Just something inspired by the way EOS sounded during parts of the episode as well as a few small details.
Thunderbird Five was always quiet with only the murmurs of equipment, the beeping of desperation and the casual rotation through the low gravity. Thunderbird Five was always overlooking the Earth, always active and waiting, always with contact only an initiation away. Thunderbird Five was always home because of all these things and one more constant only Five possessed.
John.
John Tracy was usually quiet, always fixed overlooking the planet he called home and always at home in the world of space. John was more than all that though, far surpassing what Thunderbird Five could ever be, or even his brothers and Tracy Island. For John was friend and family at the same time, constant companion and ever present observer, listener and conversationalist pressed into one, knowledge usually never ending and understanding greater than average.
She'd been his companion long enough to know all of these things. To know from the look in his eyes he was unhappy; from the constant frown that something had actually baffled him; from the slightly ajar lips that he was fretting over the state of the mission, or even just the state of his family so far away; from the way he moved through the low gravity how tired he was or even where aches and pains lay; from the way he spoke exactly what he was trying to hide; from the posture exactly who he felt he should be…
She knew all these things because she lived every day with him. Because she watched every breath he took, easily knowing any of them could be his last and that - without even giving him fair chance – she had nearly caused him to take it. She was glad he'd reached through to her, to give her this opportunity, to not simply cast her aside and go against his word. But that wasn't John.
John wasn't like the others. John was different because he understood.
She wasn't sure about the new Captain.
It wasn't that she minded John disappearing – for there were times he did that regardless of any additional presence. That was another thing she knew: when John needed space.
No, it wasn't that she minded him disappearing into the depths of Thunderbird Five. And no, it wasn't even that she was bothered by him having a friend, because John had friends yet they simply lived on Earth. They never visited. It was always the other way around.
Still, she didn't care John had other friends down there. It didn't even bother her, not once. John often talked to several of the space ships and satellites around them, usually out of duty as opposed to wishing, but some people were recurring and so she supposed some of them could be titled friends. The friends of Earth and the friends of Space, the latter being far fewer in numbers.
No, she didn't mind John having friends, she'd just always expected to be the only one.
In space at least. She had been for a very long time until the past few weeks, maybe even enough weeks to form a month.
There were things she couldn't do for an incredibly smart AI, such as handball and it was horrible to see John venting frustration alone usually by throwing the green circle at walls, gaining skill with no one to bounce it off. It was nice for John to have someone else of human form to interact with.
Interaction was a natural human thing, but…
Anger. That's what John called it when red glowed through and all sight of reason was lost. She did that literally. John wouldn't like it if she spoke her mind in the way she currently felt inclined. John wouldn't like her if he figured out she'd partially lied. There was an anomaly, just not until she'd already drawn his attention back to her, back to their space, their silent world of companionship.
John could have whatever friends he wanted on Earth, in that she (rightly) had no real say, but in space… that was her dominion. Thunderbird Five certainly was. It was the space she considered her home now and John hers.
It wasn't nice for him to have another companion.
That was her role.
Companionship: by definition, a feeling of fellowship or friendship. They had both.
No, she didn't mind John having friends, but she intended to remain the only companion.
Not that John would ever wish to replace her anyway. She hoped.