Gordon mimicked the smile of the figure standing in front of him while his insides screamed that this was a bad idea. She shimmered in the midday sunlight cast through the lounge doors, making her flux between translucent and a solid image. Alan shifted beside him, leaning over to talk to John. The red head was tapping at the controls that hovered over their father's desk.
"You sure about this?" Alan voiced Gordon's concerns. They'd both been on the receiving end of EOS' disdain and could still recall the headaches of having to reason with her. Now their brother was installing a new EOS, or Aura, into the island's systems.
"Alan, for the last time, she's perfectly safe. I've put in protective failsafes. She's not going to lock you in your room, take over the island, or delete your video games." John stood, giving his youngest brother a mildly perturbed glare.
Turning away from the visual representation of the AI that had yet to be activated, Gordon gave Alan a nudge. "Hey, just think of the games you could have her program for you."
The suggestion sent a jolt through the blond as inspiration took over. "Just think of the possibilities! Is that even possible?" He turned his query to John, who nodded.
It was Gordon's turn next as he began jumping up and down as an idea made itself known. The mischievous grin had the astronaut raising a weary brow.
"Do I want to ask?"
"John." The aquanaut's voice was mockingly serious.
"Gordon…"
"When was the last time you were able to prank Scott or Virgil?" Alan was now grinning with anticipation at Gordon's suggestion.
He watch his older brother's face go from annoyance to curiosity, then back to his usual seriousness. "I need to get her system operational before we can do anything."
Gordon grinned, knowing he would have both of his brothers' assistance with his plan.
OOoooooOOoooooOO
Light brown eyes blinked, taking in the faces she was preprogrammed to recognise. The new system quickly enveloped her, its size slightly daunting in comparison to Thunderbird 5. There were so many new places she could explore. The stern look from her father as she realized she had waited to long to acknowledge his question had her straightening, shoulders back, hands neatly folded behind her.
"Hello, I am Aura." She introduced herself to the younger brothers, the voice she'd chosen light and simple in accordance to a Kansas dialect. "My systems are functioning at ninety-eight percent."
"Good. How do you feel?" John smiled as he gave a quick glance to Gordon and Alan.
She paused a moment, analyzing the question. Aura had been asked this question before and it had taken her a long time to find an appropriate response. The definition she knew from her programming would not apply to her in a sense of chemicals reacting or the increase in heart rate. She felt through new discoveries and increases in knowledge. She was still learning how to react to specific situations through review of studies involving the human psyche. Even with her vast capacity for knowledge, she still found emotions and feelings quite perplexing when she had to describe her own.
"Good." This human feeling was simple, describing that she was content with the space she was provided and her systems were running smoothly. She turned her attention to the other two, Gordon and Alan, frowning slightly. "It is approaching three pm. According to my programmed schedule, it is time for Gordon and Alan's snacks."
The youngest of the trio brightened with the idea of food. The other frowned, looking confused.
"What schedule?"
John sighed, something he did a lot when she had been on 5, learning with EOS. "The schedule was for practice, Aura. You will receive a new one once the others are here."
She nodded acknowledgment, but was interrupted from further inquiries as Gordon continued.
"Snacks?" Aura watched the hard line develop across the aquanaut's jaw.
Her smile was bright as she explained. "As growing toddlers, a snack is needed to meet your nutrient requirements. Might I suggest a banana and animal crackers?"
John's hand flew up to his mouth to cover a laugh, the others gawking at her response. The reaction was unexpected and she frowned.
"Are those not appropriate? EOS specifically indicated that you were in need of further brain development. Perhaps a glass of whole milk and carrot sticks?" None of her words seemed to be remedying the situation as the younger boys glared at her father.
"There's no need for scheduled snacks, Aura." John chuckled. "EOS was kidding… sort of."
A new "feeling" sent a spark through her system as she processed what he had said. EOS had given her incorrect information? That didn't seem right. She took a moment to research the topic of toddlers and feeding. She had made no mistake in her recommendations, she was sure of that, but as the image of a small, chubby human appeared in her mind, she realized what had been the miscalculation.
"You are not tiny humans." She said matter-of-factly, as she acknowledged her mistake.
Gordon shook his head, finally smiling. "Nope. Fully grown men in this household."
"I'd still like a snack though." Alan grinned, already moving towards the kitchen.
The second youngest pauses for a moment watching his brother leave. "Me too…" He finally admits, heading towards the food source as well.
"So." Aura tilted her head to see past the astronaut. "It is snack time?"
"It does appear that way." He was smiling. "It probably wouldn't hurt to keep it part of the schedule. We can get a little preoccupied sometimes and forget to eat."
She returned his grin, pleased that her programming had been correct in at least one aspect of the brothers. She would have to continue developing her senses from here on out with each individual on the island. For now, she was content with observing her new charges, her family. She would protect them no matter the cost.
OOooooooOOOooooooooOO
John had to admit, it was a great prank. The probability that it would be limited to one-time use meant it needed to be good. And it was.
Alan had nearly choked on his juice box when Gordon had mentioned 'Beyond Blight'. Even he had paled as the memories of playing the horror game surfaced. In truth, he'd only watches his little brothers play. They'd had to alternate who played as the fear and stress became overwhelming. This was bordering on cruel, which was why it would be limited. Scott or Virgil would forbid Aura from doing it ever again.
John had been tasked with convincing Aura that she would not be causing any harm to his brothers. Being that it was a video game meant for entertainment, she had finally agreed to perform her role in the prank.
Now, sitting against the back wall of the upper level in the lounge, the three of them lay in wait for their victims. The sun was close to being set when the first signs their brothers were back reached them. Footsteps echoed from the hallway as the two made their way in.
"Why's it so dark in here?" Virgil's voice was low as they both stopped at the entryway.
The lights had been turn just low enough that they could make out the lounge, a thick silence heavy in the room. They could still make out Scott's furrowed brow as he and Virgil took a tentative steps forward.
Time for the show to start.
OOooooooooOOOOoooooooOO
Scott felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as they stepped further into the room that should have been active with his youngest brothers. They would have been waiting anxiously for the dinner they'd promised to pick up. He heard the bags being shifted behind him, turning to see Virgil setting them down at the kitchen table.
"Where are-" Scott was abruptly cut off by the sharp sound of static emitting from the center of the lounge. It was followed by the erratic flickering of the holoscreen. The image was distorted, but the figure was distinctly human shaped.
"What's that?" Virgil spoke, Scott's heart jumping at the sudden appearance of his brother.
"Not sure. Could be someone requesting assistance." He frowned, continuing to move forward. It was rare for someone to be patched straight through to the island without first going through TB5, but with John home, it wouldn't be unlikely.
It could also be their brothers. With a bit more urgency in his steps, he made it down into the sitting area. Before he could touch the controls, the image disappeared, along with the constant droning of static. The house was silent again, sending a ringing through his ears.
"Scott?" The engineer gave him a confused look.
"Could be malfunctioning. We'll get Brains to check it out." The uneasiness had settled into the pit of Scott's stomach. He didn't like that their method of contact was acting up. They turned in unison to go find the scientist, and hopefully their brothers.
The cry caught in his throat at the sight of the shadowy figure swaying in the space they had previously occupied. He could just make out the haggered clothing, hanging loose over a too-thin body. And it was floating.
"What the hell is that?" Scott's harsh whisper mirrored Virgil's gasp, his hand clinging to the plaid shirt. The static was building again, intensifying with each sway. The lamp that lead to Thunderbird 1's elevator flared and illuminated the side of the creature's grotesque face. The light cut off again, but the image of flies swarming in and out of open sockets, maggots pulsating through each orifice, a large, riggling centipede crawling through open lips was still burned into his retinas. There was no possible way this thing was real, but as the thing took a shuttering step closer, he couldn't deny his fear.
He finally grounded out, "Run!" Virgil spun around, Scott urging him away from the monster.
And it was there, it's decaying face inches from his, insects dropping from a mouth wide in a soundless scream. But he could hear a cry of terror, two, mingling into one, but he didn't care who was making them as he stumbled back, landing on the couch, Virgil toppling over him.
A peel of laughter cut through his frantic mind, still trying to pull his brother away to safety. Harsh light filled his vision as the lounge brightened, returning to its usual ambiance. Virgil was up a second later, glaring up at the ceiling. Not the ceiling, the balcony.
Scott was up a second later, realizing what had actually happened. Gordon and Alan were peering over the edge looking beyond pleased. The dark haired brother was the first to act, running for the stairs to the upper level. Quick on his heels, the eldest Tracy followed, feeling instant satisfaction at the screams from above. Gordon was the first to go down, tackled by his much larger brother as he went to escape. Scott was on Alan, who had yet to contain his laughter.
"Noooo no no!" Gordon squirmed, unable to stop the frantic cries between laughing as Virgil pinned him down, readying a saliva-covered figure aimed at the aquanaut's exposed ear. "Ahhhhh! Gross! STOP!" The last bit rose an octave as the offending finger began its slow approach.
Scott had Alan hanging over his shoulder, making his way down the steps and towards the patio. One quick toss, and the youngest Tracy was soaring into the pool. He watched as the blond surfaced, sputtering, the smile still on his face.
"You two! So perfect!" He was floating in contentment.
Scott shook his head, knowing he'd need to plan a much better come-back for later. As he went to watch his second youngest get his punishment, he caught sight of the red head, trying to sneak past.
"John!" The shock was evident in his voice. "You helped them?"
The astronaut froze for a second before offering an apologetic smile. "Would you believe we were testing out Aura's spatial imaging abilities?"
"Who?" He was still shocked that John would have participated in a prank with their younger brothers. He nearly jumped out of his skin as a woman's image materialized next to him.
"Hello, I am Aura." She smiled. "Your heart rate indicates that you are currently still enjoying the game. Shall I start it over again?"
The memory of John and Brains going over the installation process of the new AI flashed across his mind. His hand wiped over his face. "No, thank you, Aura. No more games like that… ever."
The AI frowned, turning to the red head, now moving into the lounge. He gave her a nod and she turned back to the brunette. "Understood."
Turning his attention back to the red head, he smirked, his nerves gradually returning to normal. "How much convincing did it take from the tinies?"
John laughed. "Surprisingly, not that much. It's not everyday you get this kind of opportunity."
"Ah, well then, I hope you're prepared for the ramifications." There would be a serious prank war after this. He wasn't going to sleep well tonight after what he saw.
OoOoOoO
John quietly made his way through the lounge, prepared to head towards the stairs that would lead to his bed room. The slight glow from the couch gave him pause as he caught sight of Aura. She had a screen hovering in front of her, scrolling through files he had given her access to earlier. He grinned, remembering the curiosity she had conveyed with the request to start a search through the database.
"How's the search?" Deciding sleep could wait, he descended the steps to join her.
She gave him a genuine smile, her fingers flying back through the files she had already been through. "There is quite a lot of information about your family in here. I have enjoyed it immensely."
A brow rose. "Hopefully nothing too embarrassing?"
She blinked and he realized the confusion behind his question. He found some pride in the way she eventually gave a light laugh, shaking her head. She was learning. "I do not believe them to be embarrassing, but I will let you be the judge."
John's eyes moved to the center of the room as she enlarged the files she had been backtracking to find. As he read the titles, his eyes grew wide with recognition.
"Aura…" The whisper was soft and he missed the sad look cross her face. "Call my brothers in here, please."
A short moment later, the room was filled with the Tracy brothers. Each was staring at a separate screen Aura had designated for them. John gazed at the frozen image before him, his mind telling him to press play, but the ache in his heart keeping him stuck in place. It seemed the others were having the same problem. All except Alan.
He had been so young when they'd lost their mother. Remembering her had been near impossible. Now, he had the opportunity to hear her again. John didn't blame him for pressing play.
The video enlarged, their mother sitting comfortably with her guitar. She began to strum, smiling softly to the camera as she sang. They all sat silently watching and listening. A stray tear would fall, quickly wiped away before anyone noticed. As the song ended, she gave a gentle "Love you, Allie" before turning off the capture.
Gordon had shifted to his little brother's couch, wrapping a comforting arm over his shoulders as the tears silently fell.
John turned back to the AI sitting next to him, his throat tight as he spoke. "Thank you, Aura." She gave a small nodded, shimmering slightly. In this moment, he knew he'd made the right choice in creating her.