Rescued Relations: by Trekie-on-tour and Pink-Rambo.

Disclaimer- we do not own thunderbirds. Wish we did. Especially Scott...mmmm.

For the purpose of the story we have mixed movie with puppet. We are especially using Gordon's hair colour from the puppet series. The reason for this will be reviled in future chapters. Just like to say sorry to movie Gordon.

We also do not own voyage to the bottom of the sea. Again wish we did. Especially Lee Crane ..........mmmm.

We would also like to apologies for the fact that neither of us know anything about Aircraft engines. Sorry if I have got any of it wrong, but its only a story and any thing can happen in the next…(oops wrong series). I also know nothing about geography, as you will see from the position given for Thunderbird 1.

When a thunderbird crashes, it is up to the SSRN Seaview to rescue the rescuers. In the aftermath of the rescue, a secret hidden for 20 years will be reviled that could change the Tracy's lives forever.

"Mayday, mayday, this is Thunderbird 1. We are going down, repeat we are going down. Our position is 500 km northeast of Tuvalu Island. Require assistance. Repeat mayday, mayday, this is Thunderbird 1........."

Chapter 1 - Routine Flight.

Tracey Island 07.30

It was going to be another sunny day on Tracy Island. Despite the early hour the Tracy kitchen was a hive of active. Breakfast was the one meal of the day that. Jeff Tracy insisted that the whole household ate together, if at all possible and with 10 people, mornings were busy. Mornings were also good opportunity to discuss rescues, maintenance and training issues for the International Rescue organization. On today's agenda was the fuel injector upgrades to Thunderbird 1. Over the last few months Brain's had been working on the injector system, to improve efficiency and speed of the Thunderbird craft, and today it was going to be put through it's paces in Thunderbird 1, by her pilot. Scott was not only Thunderbird 1's pilot, but we was also a very capable ex air force test pilot.

Today however, there was an argument in progress on whether or not the youngest of the Tracy boys could go on the test flight. At just 16, Alan was the youngest of the five brothers', he was the most impatient.

The test fight was routine, no fancy maneuvers; they were just going to collect telemetry for brains. The flight was going to be a walk in the park. Scott Tracy the second eldest of Jeff's sons, stepped in to settle the argument.

'Dad, look its ok with me if Alan wants to come along. It's just a routine flight. Few times round the block, we'll be back in time for lunch.'

'Please dad'. Alan pleaded.

'Ok Alan I give in. But there's a condition, I want that assignment finish before you go back to school.'

'Thanks Dad, it will be.' Alan replied.

'I mean it Alan, any more letters from school, and its no more rockets'.

'Yes Dad' Alan said as he ran out the kitchen.

'Thanks Scott.'

'Any time dad.'

Two hours later thunderbird 1 rocketed into the sky, on a flight that would start a chain of events that was going to change their lives forever.

Thunderbird 1 - 09:30

Thirty minutes into the flight, Thunderbird 1 had already completed stages 1 and 2. The flight had been uneventful and Alan was becoming bored, as usual his brother's were having all the fun, maybe he should have stayed at home. Here he was watching the instrument panels, when he wanted to be flying the Thunderbird. Right now only the banter between Scott and their oldest brother John was keeping him awake.

'Ok Alan, lets crank this baby up to mach 3, see how she handles and we'll head back.'

'Sounds good to me Scott. Say any chance of letting me fly.' Alan replied.

Scott turned to his youngest brother "Em, let me think...........no, you just keep your eyes on the panels and I might think about letting fly her in about 10 years, sprout.'

"Hey less of the sprout, and I would like to point out that I did fly her to London''

"Like I had a choice, besides you scratched the paint work."

'That could have been dad.' Alan replied in defense.

'Yeh we believe you.' Scott scoffed, as he flipped the switch on the control panel that would connect him to thunderbird 5.' thunderbird 5 from thunderbird 1, hey john you still awake up there.'

Thunderbird 5

Orbiting the earth at an altitude of 6 miles, was the space monitor, Thunderbird 5, manned by the eldest of the Tracy boys, John.

'Thunderbird 1 from thunderbird 5, receiving, and yes I am still awake. Although its hard when your watching your slow coach flying.'

'Very funny john, wanna come down here a do some real work, cos we are ready to go to stage 3.'

'Any time brother.' Confirming stage 3 protocols. Ready when you are, Scott.'

'FAB John, commencing stage three.' Accelerating to mach 1.'

Thunderbird 1

Thunderbird 1's engines roared to life pushing the sleek silver blue craft through the sound barrier. Outside its sonic boom could be heard for miles around.

"Thunderbird 5 from Thunderbird 1, have reached Mach1, accelerating to Mach 2, expect to reach mach 3 within 5 minutes."

"FAB Scott." John replied.

Inside the cockpit of Thunderbird 1, Alan was scanning the instruments, while Scott accelerated the craft. Everything was performing at expect if not better.

Alan turned to his brother, "Everything's showing green, Looks like Brain's new fuel injection system working beautifully."

"Working like dream Al, the rate of acceleration is so much faster and smoother. If the tests prove successful, maybe Brains can install it on Thunderbirds 2 and 3. We can use extra speed." Scott paused looking at his air speed indicator. "Passing Mach two and on our way to mach three. Going to maximum thrust."

10:00

It is amazing how the simplest little things to go wrong can have the most disastrous consequences. In the case of Thunderbird 1, it was a metal bolt, no bigger than a fingernail. This bolt connected the fuel line to the number 1 fuel tank. At mach 1, it just started to work loose. Nothing to worry about at first, but as Scott pushed the craft to maximum thrust, the vibrations from the craft accelerating, caused the bolt to turn a little bit more.

As Thunderbird 1 reached mach 2.5, the bolt had worked loose just enough to allow fuel to spay out. After a few moments later sensors registered the problem and relayed it to the cockpit, to the panel Alan was monitoring.

"Scott I am showing a red light on the number one fuel tank. Fuel pressure is dropping"

Scott looked at the digital readout for the number 1 tank. "Looks like we are loosing fuel fast."

"Thunderbird 5 from Thunderbird 1, John coming in, we have a problem."

"Go ahead Scott, what wrong?" John asked, worried.

"John, We are loosing fuel fast from the number 1 fuel tank. I am aborting the test and throttling down to mach 0.5."

" FAB Scott. I am contacting Dad, keep this channel open." John replied.

Tracy Island

On Tracy Island, Jeff was sat in his office, which also doubled as the command and control center for the International Rescue organization. Just ten minutes earlier Brain's had joined him in the office to discuss the fuel injection modifications over a cup of coffee. Jeff was just pouring him self another cup when John's call came though.

"Tracy Island from Thunderbird 5. Come in Tracy Island."

"Tracy Island receiving. How's the test going, John?" Jeff asked.

" Dad, there's a problem. Scott's reported that Thunderbird 1 is loosing fuel."

"Are Scott and Alan Ok?"

"Yes, Dad, Scott's reducing speed to mach 0.5." John replied.

"Thanks John, patch me though to Thunderbird 1."

"FAB, Dad."

Jeff turned to Brain's. "Did you get all that, Brain's?"

"YYYess Mr. Tracy. I need to speak to Scott right away."

"Tracy Island to Thunderbird 1, Scott come in." Jeff called.

"Thunderbird 1 here, dad" Scott replied.

"Scott, I've got brains with me. What's the situation?"

On board Thunderbird 1, Scott explained the situation.

Thunderbird 1.

As the Thunderbird craft reduced speed, the bolt finally worked loose completely. As the fuel line came away, the bolt fell into the workings of the number 1 engine. As the bolt hit a moving gear, as spark was created, which ignited the fuel in that had been sprayed in to the compartment.

'Thunderbird 1 to control, we have a Fire in the number 1 engine. Repeat number one engine is on fire. Shutting down engine and activating fire controls.' Scott re-laid.

Tracy Island.

Back on Tracy Island, on receipt of Thunderbird 1 last transmission, Jeff turn to Brain's.

'Brain's sound the alert, lets get the boys up here'

'FAB Mr. Tracy.' Activating command and control.'

By the pool the remaining two Tracy boys, Virgil and Gordon were playing volleyball. The ginger haired Tracy, Gordon was celebrating his latest victory over his older bother, when the alert sounded. Both boys were out the pool and running, within seconds, pausing only to grab the towels that lay near by.

Virgil was the first to reach command and control, closely followed by Gordon.

'What's up dad.' Virgil asked.

'Thunderbird 1 is trouble. They're losing fuel fast, and a few minutes ago the number one engine caught fire. Virgil prep thunderbird 2 for launch. Gordon, we may need thunderbird 4....... Just in case.'

'FAB dad' was the reply from both boys as they moved towards the portraits on the back wall, closely followed by Jeff.

'Brains, get a GPS location for Thunderbird 1, patch it through to Thunderbird 2.' Jeff paused to look at his son's 'Thunderbirds are go'.

Thunderbird 1

Back on board thunderbird 1, the situation was getting worse. The fire had badly damage the craft's hydraulics system and the number one engine was no longer operational. Although the fire was out, Scott realized that Thunderbird 1 was not gong to reach Tracy Island.

'Alan, we're not going to have enough fuel to get home.' Scott told his brother. 'We are going to have to ditch into the sea. I want you to move into one of the back seats'.

Alan started to protest.'

'Now Alan, that's an order.' Scott shouted, after looking into his brother's eyes, he softened his tone.' 'Please Alan, go, I don't know how long I can keep her in the air. You will be safer in the backseat. No sense in you being up front. Please Alan.' Scott pleaded.

'Ok Scott, I'll go.'

As Alan climb over in to one of the back seats, Scott called Thunderbird 2.

"Thunderbird 2 from Thunderbird 1"

" Go ahead Thunderbird 1, what's the latest situation Scott?" Jeff asked.

"I'm sorry Dad, but we're not going to make it back to base. She's running on fumes. Even if we had enough fuel, I could not land her safely. The fire has badly damage the hydraulics and the tail. I am going to ditch in the sea. How far away are you.'

"Thunderbird 1, our ETA is 34 minutes, can you keep her in the air until then?"

"Don't think so" Scott replied, as a shudder went through the craft, signifying that another system had failed. " Dad, we are out of time. I have just lost flight controls. We are losing altitude fast."

"Scott, hold on we are nearly there."

The alarms blared out inside the cockpit of the stricken Thunderbird craft, as Scott desperately wrestled with the now useless controls. He shouted to Alan.

"Alan, brace position, now."

Alan nodded. Fear was evident in his young eyes.

Scott turned to look at his youngest brother, briefly.

"I'm so sorry Alan." Scott said, before sending out a message he thought, no hoped he would never have to send.

"Mayday, mayday, this is Thunderbird 1. We are going down, repeat we are going down. Our position is 500 km northeast of Tuvalu Island. Require assistance. Repeat mayday, mayday, this is Thunderbird 1 ........."

As the sea loomed upon them, Scott last thought was, 'I should not have brought Alan along, I'm so sorry Dad'.