by: Shirley Ann Burton
This is another missing scene from the 2004 live-action movie version of Thunderbirds. It starts just a few minutes before Thunderbirds 1, 2, and 3 leave London to return to Tracy Island.
Jeff, his youngest son Alan, and friends Fermat Hackenbacker and Tin-Tin Beleghant all joined the other Tracy brothers (Scott, Virgil, Gordon, and John) at Thunderbirds 1, 2, and 3, still sitting idle next to the Thames River in London.
Scott said, "Everything's secure here, Dad. We're ready to go home."
"Great, son. Now, who wants to take which Thunderbird?"
Alan said, "I'd like to ride in Thunderbird 1 again, if Scott won't mind me riding."
"If you don't mind, Mr. Tracy," said Tin-Tin, "I'd like to ride in Thunderbird 3 with you and John."
Virgil looked at Fermat. "Well, buddy, that leaves you, Gordon, and me in Thunderbird 2. Want to go for the ride?"
"Y-Y-You'd let me go with you?" the bespectacled young man asked excitedly.
Gordon smiled. "Of course, Fermat. You deserve it after the great flying job you did with it."
"Wait, how d-d-did you know I-I-I was the p-p-p—one who flew it?"
"That's easy. Alan knew all the controls in Thunderbird 4, and we saw Tin-Tin dive into the river to attach the grappling line. By process of elimination, we knew it was you at the controls during the rescue."
"B-B-But Alan flew it first, not me."
Virgil said, "We'll talk while flying home, okay? Now hop in. We have a home to return to, you know."
The two brothers and Fermat all boarded Thunderbird 2.
Gordon looked at the lights, all flashing green. "All systems are go, ready for lift off."
"F-A-B, Gordon," said Virgil as he pulled back on the main lever, allowing the green carrier to lift off the ground. "Next stop, home sweet home."
As soon as Thunderbird 2 started crossing the Atlantic Ocean, Virgil and Gordon looked at Fermat, who sat shyly and quietly.
"Fermat?" said Virgil. "Hey, buddy, are you all right?"
"Uh, y-y-yeah, I'm fine."
"Why so quiet?"
"T-T-To be honest, Virgil, I thought y-y-you two would be mad at m-m-me for being at the c-c-controls."
Both Tracy brothers said, "What?"
"W-W-Well, me being so y-y-young, I expected you two wouldn't w-w-want me to touch any of the c-c-controls again."
Gordon shook his head. "Fermat, this was an emergency situation. We…well, we weren't available at the given moment, since we were just getting off Thunderbird 5. After all, you saved all of us when we just about had no chance left. You were able to hack into the control systems and get control back to us, and then you got into the mainframe at the control center and helped us at least get the space station back online. Of course, your dad really came through with the shouting he did to jolt us out of our sleep."
"That's d-d-definitely not like D-D-Dad." Fermat had to chuckle.
Virgil said, "And you also need to consider how serious the situation was. With Alan having to take Thunderbird 4 down to that monorail car, he knew he could trust you to handle the controls here. We both know you're usually high-strung and very nervous. You see, there's this old saying Dad taught us: 'Sometimes the worst of situations can bring out the best in people.' In your case you were terrified you had to literally fly Thunderbird 2 on your own, but both Alan and Tin-Tin gave you the confidence you needed to take control. One thing about being in International Rescue: It's okay to be afraid. Real courage means you don't let your fear stop you from doing what needs to be done."
"He's right, Fermat," Gordon complemented. "Sometimes we're afraid because we don't always know what we're getting ourselves into. Dad is always concerned something bad may happen to any one of us at any given time during a rescue operation. A lot of the time, we have to be prepared for that possibility, yet our strengths at tackling our fears head on give us all the more reason to continue with International Rescue."
Fermat nodded with a new sense of understanding. "I g-g-guess when you put it that w-w-way, you're right. Alan and Tin-Tin t-t-trusted me enough, but I also h-h-had to trust m-m-myself."
"Exactly," said Virgil. "Who knows? One day we just might need…another pilot for Thunderbird 2."
"Well, I—" Fermat stopped his sentence when he realized exactly what Virgil was saying. "M-M-Me!?"
Gordon chuckled. "Yes, Fermat, you. You've definitely got the courage and at least a general idea of the controls. With a little help from us, though, you could be a co-pilot alongside us within the next four years, maybe even sooner than that with your yearn to learn."
Fermat blushed, his face turning a bright red. "Y-Y-You'd really do that f-f-for me?"
"Of course," Virgil said happily. "You, Alan, and Tin-Tin all deserve to at least get a shot at the controls of each of the Thunderbirds. All those times you and Alan snuck into each of the holding bays are going to pay off."
"Th-Th-Thanks, guys," said Fermat. "I'm already f-f-feeling like a member of I-I-International Rescue."
"Fermat, my friend, I suspect before the day is over, you'll probably become a member of International Rescue."
Gordon smiled back at Fermat. "I wouldn't be surprised if Alan and Tin-Tin also become part of the team."
"W-W-What would those two do without m-m-me?" Fermat asked jokingly.
The two brothers looked at each other and said, "They'd argue, what else?"
That comment caused Fermat's nerves to calm down as he laughed hard with Gordon and Virgil. He felt more at ease about the situation and realized that Alan and Tin-Tin could trust him but not before he could trust himself first.
The End