John Tracy was a man of absolute calmness and collected strength - able to handle any rescue call with the greatest of ease.
However, on that Tuesday afternoon on Thunderbird five, a simple call was anything but - especially as it was him who was trying to do the call.
"Um, International Rescue - I have a situation," he said dizzily via holograph projection in the lounge. He was doubled over in pain - and more worriedly not floating in the air, having turned the gravity on.
Scott and Virgil, who had been in the room, jumped up. "What's wrong John" said Scott.
John tried saying something, but his eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness.
The eldest ran to the image, leaning over it as though the monitor would move to show him. "John, can you hear me?! What happened?"
The AI responded instead. "John is unconscious Scott," she said honestly, if a bit unhelpfully.
"I know EOS - what happened?" demanded Scott.
"He's been stabbed," was the pained answer.
Virgil and Scott looked at each other in shock before looking back at what was now EOS' avatar. "Stabbed - where? How bad?" said the medic.
"It appears lower left quadrant," said EOS clinically, though her binary processors were worried for her friend.
The two land-based Tracys gasped in concern. "What's John's vitals?" said Virgil as he headed to the secondary elevator to the bays.
"John's pulse and respiration are steady, but he is losing blood at a moderate rate," said EOS. "I'm lowering the elevator down. Please hurry."
Scott nodded grimly, "FAB. Keep us updated on John's vitals and prepare the medbay on Thunderbird Five when we arrive," he said as both he and Virgil suited up.
Once inside the elevator, Scott and Virgil positioned themselves to where they could handle the G-forces as EOS lifted them out of the atmosphere.
The 20 minute ride seemed three times as long as the duo worried about their brother.
The elevator docked, and after the airlocks cleared, Scott and Virgil quickly traversed the route in zero gravity until they arrived at the habitat ring.
Inside was John on the ground, curled in a ball, motionless. Blood was coming from just below the astronaut's lower left ribcage, starting to puddle on the ground.
Virgil quickly checked John's vitals and sighed in relief. "He's alive, but we need to suture this up," said the medic, and after seeing the wound and its cause, gave orders to the others to get their unconscious astronaut the help he needed.
An hour later, John groaned when he felt a sharp pain in his lower left quadrant. He was confused, and oddly felt a bit high. Taking a breath, he could tell however it wasn't hypoxia - the oxygen saturation was normal.
So, why did he feel so light?
Putting a hand to his ribs, he was surprised to find that they were bound with gauze.
Then he remembered - the accident, a sharp jab in his gut, the attempt to call the Island, then... he nothing.
It would explain the "lightness," though John wasn't sure if it was the blood loss or any local anesthetics to numb the pain to stitch him up.
He then opened his aqua eyes, finding himself in Five's Medbay with his two older brothers gazing at him with warm blue and brown eyes. "Hi..." he said weakly.
"Hi yourself John - you gave us quite a scare there. How are you feeling," said Virgil as he checked John's pupil response.
"A little groggy,' he responded. "What happened?"
In spite of the scare he was given a while ago, Scott chuckled. "According to EOS, you managed to stab yourself repairing the bagel maker," he said, pulling out the item for John to see. "We received your call before you passed out from blood loss. Virgil put in about 11 stitches in your side, and we're waiting for Three to come by to pick us up."
"Why Three?"
"Because the elevator isn't supposed to carry three people..."
The AI chirped. "And regardless now needs repair thanks to having to lift two of the heaviest members of your family to save your life," said EOS, miffed.
Scott and Virgil chose to not retort to the comment - they weren't happy with the comment, but begrudgingly admitted she was probably right.
John however groaned. "Re-entry isn't going to be fun," he murmured.
Virgil gave a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry, we'll tell Alan to take it easy - and if you're worried I can sedate you for the worst of it," he said, then paused. "But there's one thing I've got to ask you John."
"What's that?"
"How did you manage to stab yourself repairing the bagel dispenser?"
The two healthy brothers watched as their middle brother furrowed his brow in thought.
Coming to a conclusion, John sighed. "Long story, but short version is don't try to do repairs when EOS is baking a bagel for you," he muttered.