Thunderbirds

SE2 x EP 7

"Peril At The Pole"

By Lee Homer

Disclaimer: I had always thought that the second series of Thunderbirds should have continued than just six episodes so I've decided to add to it. The show was created by the legendary Gerry Anderson. All rights reserved.

Chapter One

Deep within the frozen continent of the North Pole sat the small naval science centre "Nordstrom". It was one of many science bases which had been constructed to monitor and preserve the polar ice caps from environmental changes. Nordstrom base had to be built in a remote location and was built on the edge of a frozen lake bed. The base's power plant was situated on the opposite side of the five mile long lake bed and was connected by a single nuclear generator which ran the entire course of the lake. It had been suspended upwards by strong, metallic support columns that dug into the lake bed. The frozen ice surface held the columns in place, rectifying the possibility of weak support.

Inside the main control room, Will Stromberg, the central controller, entered the room and began to perform his daily routine of system checks and maintenance work. He was pretty tired of his job, but the whole operation of the base was his responsibility. His associate, Jack Colson was operating the radio as a maintenance Heli-Jet hovered over the huge pipe line structure.

"Control to Maintenance jet 1, what is it like out there this morning?" Colson said over the microphone.

"Control from Maintenance jet 1, it is below minus 12 degrees out here this morning, the ice is pretty thick. Everything checks out A-OK." The pilot replied.

"Roger, Jet 1." Colson confirmed. "Return to base."

"It looks like we're going to have another long day." Stromberg said as he approached his associate. "Has there been any contact from the other bases yet?"

"Negative. The long distance radio is still malfunctioning." Colson denied as he grumbled. "I have Maintenance Jet 2 out there taking a look at the transmitter but weather reports say that there is a storm brewing in that area. I might have to call them back."

"Well you keep at it. We need that transmitter working." Stromberg continued. "The latest satellite data reports say that the ice caps have increased in temperature. All stations have had to increase their energy output in order to freeze the surface."

"The why don't we just do it?" Colson moaned as his vice began to escalate. "I'm sick of just sitting around here day after day doing nothing."

"Now come on Colson, you know very well why we can't do anything. If we add too much or too little energy, the whole area around us could either over freeze or melt and then we would be in a heap of trouble. It's too dangerous to guess work it. That's why we need the long distance transmitter."

"Well I suppose so. I'm just hoping at some point that we'll actually get to do something today."

Four miles away, another Heli-Jet was flying high above the ice cliffs. It's destination was a tall, transmitter Ariel that stood out amongst the scenic snow landscape. It had been burnt out due to a lightning storm and was in dire need of repair. In the cockpit, the pilot reduced his speed and hovered above the transmitter. His co-pilot attached a safety harness and opened the side hatch.

"Okay, Joe. We only have a few minutes." The pilot said over his helmet speaker. "There's another storm forming just a mile west of us so be quick."

"That's okay Mac." the co-pilot replied. "It should only be a matter of replacing the main receptor circuit. Should only take me two minutes."

With that, the co-pilot was lowed down out of the craft and slowly descended towards the circuit box. As he approached the box, he removed a spanner and a bolt loosener tool and began to work. Back in the cabin, the pilot looked straight ahead to see a bank of dark storm clouds heading towards them. The co-pilot only had a few minutes left to go before they had to take off.

"You have a minute left." Said the pilot as he checked his on-board clock. "How are you doing?"

"There. That should do it!." the co-pilot said as he signalled to be lifted. "Bring me back up and let's get out of here."

As the co-pilot was winched back into the Heli-Jet, the clouds appeared over them and bright lighting bolts streaked through the sky around them. The Heli-Jet veered off back towards base as fast as it could but forceful winds began to cause a problem for the pilot.

"It's no good!" he shouted. "I can't fly in this turbulence!"

"Try and keep the nose up!" The co-pilot screamed. "I'll radio for help."

Suddenly, A huge lighting bolt struck the craft's underbelly, knocking it out of the sky. The main controls sparked and flickered as the cabin filled up with smoke.

"We're going down!" The Pilot screamed. "Must try and get her up."

Within the last few seconds, the pilot pulled up the craft but it was too late. The Heli-Jet crashed into the heavy snow and skidded to a halt. The storm continued to erupt violently above them as a Snowstorm started, obscuring everything. Inside, The Pilot sealed the doors and extinguished the control console which was in now no more than a heap of melted wires.

"Are you alright?" The Pilot asked as he looked towards the co-pilot.

"I'm fine, Joe, but the radio's dead." the man replied. "Luckily for us the cabin's auto-heating units are still functioning."

"Maybe, but with no radio, we can't call for help." The pilot replied in a defeated tone. "We're stranded out here."

"Don't be so sure." The co-pilot replied as a small blinking red light caught his attention. "Look. Our emergency transmitter device has been activated. That means the Polar Search and Rescue base would have picked up our signal. They'll come and find us in no time."

"Well it better be soon." The Pilot stated. "The auto-heating units only have enough power for two hours before we start to freeze."

Meanwhile fifty miles away, The Polar Search and Rescue base sat there, basking in the morning's sunlight. It was the one and only base in the continent that was responsible for the lives of every facility that operated throughout the pole. The main control room was operated on a twenty-four hour basis by a group of six men and women. It was often a dark and brightly lit room with only the sounds of multiple radio transmission filling the room. One of the operators immediately called for the main controller as he received the Heli-Jet's emergency signal. As the controller approached his desk, the operator made an immediate grid reference.

"Sir, a Maintenance Heli-Jet from the Nordstrom Environmental Station has activated it's emergency beacon." he said. "Grid reference, B-773."

"But there's a storm in that current area." the controller replied. "Visibility must be zero."

"Sir if we scramble a rescue jet, it should reach there in one and half hours." the operator informed.

"Hmm alright." launch an air rescue jet." The controller agreed as he issued his instructions. "I don't want those men freezing to death!"

A few minutes later, a huge rescue Heli-Jet appeared on the launch pad. It's thrusters powered up and the jet lifted off into the clear skies.

"Should I inform Nordstrom Base?" the operator asked. "They must be wondering where their men are by now?"

"No. Let the air rescue jet contact them." the controller replied. These accidents happen on a regular basis. Besides, I think they have a lot to do right now."

Despite the weather conditions, operation continued as they always did at Nordstrom Base. Stromberg and Colson entered the main conference room and sat down before a huge view screen. Colson flicked the switch and screen flicked on, revealing the face of an elderly man in white lab coat. He was from another base knows as "Carlson Base."

"Carlson Base from Nordstrom Base. Come in General Haynes." Colson called over the radio.

"Ah, Will. It's finally glad to see your face again." The General replied. "No I'll make this short and simple as we have very little time. In exactly three hours, all the bases through out the pole have been ordered to switch on their nuclear generators and they are to remain at one hundred percent power. This is the real deal."

"What's happened General?" Stromberg asked with concern. "Has another ice cap melted?

"It's worse, the storms have damaged bases all over the continent. We're now the reserve bases. So it's up to us to keep the entire pole cool." The General replied. "I'll call back with further updates."

The two men acknowledged as ended the transmission before heading back to the main control room. Colson had reacted badly to the news as he began to strongly express his opinions. He felt that the whole operation was about to spiral out of control. He had had enough and he was going to unleash his fears on Stromberg.

"That's it, this operation has gone far enough!"

"What are you whining about now!?" Stromberg replied with a frustrated tone. "You heard the instructions?"

"Yes I've heard the instructions!" Colson went on. "If we power up the generator to full efficiency, we'd be putting ourselves at risk to radiation exposure!"

"Yes and the entire surface of the North Pole would melt away and us with it." Stromberg countered. "The General knows what he's doing otherwise he wouldn't issue the instructions."

"But what about the potential danger?" Colson continued. "What would happen if one of those support columns were to give way, once that Nuclear filled generator his that lake, we're history along with the rest of the Pole! Are you seriously willing to take that risk!?"

"There's no risk and you need to calm down, Colson!" Stromberg replied. "Our radiation screens will be activated, the power plant will be on automated lock-down unless otherwise and the entire area will be kept clear. That's our instructions and I intend to carry them out!"

As Stromberg continued on, Colson stopped in his tracks and gazed out of the window. He looked at the huge steel generator which ran the course of the ice lake and wondered. He didn't.

"Your a fool." he muttered to himself. "I just know that somewhere, something is going to happen."

Back at the Polar Search and Rescue base, the main controller was going about his duty when he received a call from one of his ground staff. It had been an hour since he had scrambled a rescue jet to locate the down Maintenance Heli-Jet, but there was no word from his crew. His video-phone buzzed and a small face appeared on the circular black and white screen.

"What is it?" The Controller asked.

"Sir, we're having a problem our rescue jets." The man replied. "The weather has rendered all of our craft in-operative. Our anti-freeze sprays are having no effect against the jet engines. All our craft are freezing up on the spot!"

"That preposterous and unbelievable!" The controller replied. "I have a rescue jet out there on a rescue operation! Have you double checked everything!?"

"Sir, I've triple checked." The man confirmed. "The temperature has dropped due to the storm. There's no doubt about. Our jets are going no where."

"Alright continue with your work." The controller acknowledged as he switched off the video-phone. "I've got to get through to that rescue jet out there before something happens to them too."

Unbeknownst to the controller, the rescue jet was nearing the rescue zone and the storm's reminiscence had knocked out their communications. They were now prone to danger and they didn't even know it.