Virgil at Mobile Control
"No Virgil," screamed Scott. "Not that button!"
It was too late. Virgil had already pressed it. The communications matrix was reset to default mode, effectively cutting off the International Rescue team from each other and shutting down all communication with the equipment being used in the rescue.
Chaos reigned as no one knew who was doing what and none of the equipment would respond to commands. Scott and Virgil could only watch in horror as the remaining part of the damaged building collapsed, the floors pancaking onto each other. Gordon and John were in there, helping the remaining occupants escape.
The noise made by the collapsing building was deafening. The debris scattered over the entire area; paper, furniture parts, clothing, parts of doors, shards of glass. When the huge dust cloud finally settled, it became obvious to the emergency workers, and to Scott and Virgil, that it was virtually impossible for anyone to have survived. Clearly, all had perished, including Gordon and John.
Oooooooooooo
Scott walked over to Mobile Control and flipped the simulation disengage switch. Everything disappeared, except for Scott and Virgil.
"See, Virg, this is why we go through these simulations, to prevent this kind of thing from happening during a real rescue," Scott explained sympathetically.
"Yeah, well … " Virgil's reply petered out in frustration.
He took a moment to think it over, and then asked Scott, "Why am I doing this? Why are you putting me through this? There is a less-than-zero chance I will have to man Mobile Control and you know it. Just because you want to actively participate in the next major rescue doesn't mean I have to man MC. Both John and Alan are way more capable than I am; hell, even TinTin can manage it better than I ever could. What'd I ever do to you that I have to become your back-up at this point in time?"
Scott could see that Virgil was talking himself into a petulant state.
"All you've said is true, Virg. I just thought it would be prudent for you to get some sim time. We never know what will happen, despite our best efforts. Our lives could depend on you if something happened to me or I had to join in the rescue effort. Leaving Mobile Control unattended even for a moment could be disastrous, you know that."
Virgil retorted, "Any more dangerous than what just happened?"
Scott smiled, put his arm around his brother's shoulder and said, "Ahh, you'll get it. But, hhmmmm, I think I smell some freshly baked brownies. Shall we take a shot at pilfering some?"
Virgil shrugged but Scott could see a flicker of a smile cross Virg's face and knew he was good to go.
Oooooooooooo
Scott's words about leaving Mobile Control unattended were prophetic. It was a fairly small, routine rescue needing only Scott's and Virgil's presence.
Virgil drove the Firefly out of the pod. He planned to confer with Scott before moving the huge machine forward to the danger area. Virg always got a thrill when working with the ground-based rescue equipment. He loved feeling the power of the machines and knowing it was his use of the controls that caused them to do his bidding.
To make the most of the newest upgrade to Mobile Control's communications grid, Virgil needed to see it together with Scott. They had to discuss things first to be sure they had the right strategy for deploying the Firefly. It was no big deal but Virgil needed to see it so he could apply it to the grid in the Firefly.
Virgil moved to get out of the Firefly to go to Mobile Control. His sash got caught on one of the levers as he started to jump down from the cockpit to the ground. The captured sash kept Virgil from reaching the ground and it pulled on his arm and shoulder, causing the shoulder to be wrenched out of its socket. A dislocated shoulder is not a thing to have when operating the Firefly. So, Virg ended up at Mobile Control while Scott took the controls of the Firefly.
"Scott … "
"Virg, this is a simple rescue. Just take it easy, watch the control board, and whatever you do, don't press this button."
If looks could kill, Scott was a dead man. Since they can't, Scott climbed into the Firefly's cockpit, revved up the powerful engine, and got it moving toward its destination.
Virgil's frustration was magnified by the fact that Scott was pretty darn good at maneuvering the Firefly.
"Scott may be a better pilot than I am but damn it, I'm the best one to handle the equipment and he knows it. He's best at being here at MC, sitting back, watching the rescue unfold as I work the machines to their fullest advantage. My shoulder may hurt but that doesn't mean Scott's better than I am. And he keeps saying this is a simple rescue. Geez, I can't just sit here and watch him. I've got to do something."
Virgil started pacing from one end of Mobile Control to the other, not watching the control panel, not focusing on anything but his frustration. Mobile Control was virtually unmanned.
He was startled to hear the approach of the Firefly, realizing he hadn't been paying attention to what Scott had been doing.
"It's a good thing this was such a routine rescue. You didn't switch on the intercommunications between Mobile Control and me but I didn't really need you for anything anyway. You know, Gordon was right. Getting my hands dirty, getting to drive the Firefly has helped put me in a better humor since that last rescue where I scared everyone rather than comforted and helped them. It's been fun being the one to actually be in control of the movement of the equipment," Scott informed Virgil.
"Yeah, well … I like being the one 'in control of the movement of the equipment' as well."
And with that statement, Virgil kicked Mobile Control, tilting it enough for the stabilizers to initiate and keep it steady.
"There. You make the Firefly move, I make MC move. So we both got to 'move' the rescue equipment." He walked off to get into TB2's cockpit.
Scott stared at Virgil's back, open-mouthed, stunned.
Scott drove the Firefly into the pod, secured it, and went to TB1. Both Thunderbirds took off and returned home as usual, without incident.
In the short debrief, Scott omitted the part about the "movement" of Mobile Control. He also did not ask Virgil to help him check it to see that everything was in proper working order. As far as Scott was concerned, Virgil was at the bottom of the list for manning Mobile Control, or getting anywhere near it for that matter.
And don't think Virgil didn't know it. Through the pain of his dislocated shoulder, he wore a smug smile for the rest of the day.