They were alone, racing through waters that buffeted against her hull, currents pulling at her as Gordon took another sharp turn. Thunderbird 4's engines rattled with the speed her pilot was holding, but she tried to keep going and ignoring the rumbles that sounded behind them.
She could be faster than that behemoth, though it was considerably smaller than the last ship she'd tangled with. Tb4 was far more prepared now, stability enhancers made her movements match Gordon's in a split second. They hadn't wanted a repeat. Their family didn't want to have to worry about the little sub being able to escape the clutches of disaster.
She saw the torpedoes the moment they'd been launched and felt the tension in Gordon's body as he tried to navigate the vents while glancing back to ensure they wouldn't get hit. A simple maneuver and…
They shot past them, leaving trails streaking in their wake and for a second, she felt victorious.
"Huh?" Of course, he would see something before she could. She was keeping her focus on his commands and the ship behind them.
Thunderbird 4 turned her sensors forward, trying to discern what had the blonde so anxious. [Oh no…]
No amount of upgrades would give her the ability to outmaneuver the explosion of stone and boiling water that began to rain down around them. Even as the wave of glowing red earth hit her, she knew her fate. She was going to be crushed.
Tb4's sensors found her pilot. He'd let go of her controls, reaching for his helmet and placing it over his head - too slow - the protective armor falling away before he could secure it as a hunk of chimney slammed into her side.
Sensors inside her cockpit flared as she felt more than saw his head connect with one of her consoles and she wanted to scream for him to get his helmet back, but that meant -
Gordon's lap belt unclipped and she realized he couldn't reach his helmet from the seat. Every alarm told her he needed to secure himself once more, but the headgear would mean he wouldn't drown should she rupture. The helmet was priority.
The second he had it in his hands, it was shoved over his head, but there was no time to get the belt strapped again as the largest of the stones sent her into a spin. Gordon had tried to hang on to the seat, but force won out over physical strength. Tb4 felt the shudder through her core as the aquanaut was hurled across the small space into another console, his leg catching in the pedals he was supposed to use to control her movements. She heard the limb snap, the agonizing cry that was cut short as his chest met metal.
Her power flickered, leaving the cockpit in a dark red glow before she came back on, her core shoving towards her pilot to ensure the cockpit stayed functional. When they finally hit bottom, they hit hard. Gordon's already abused body slammed into the floor… No, she was upside down… The rear of her form sparking with the impact. And then the earth was trying to crush her, sending ripples of pain through Thunderbird 4's midsection until the familiar sensation of being torn in half flooded her being. Glass shattered and ocean water began to seep in around the still form that lay against her nose.
[Gordon?] Thunderbird 4 wished he could hear her. He was so still in the smoky haze. [P-please… Please wake up…] As she spoke, she could feel her systems failing. The renovations to her rebuilt hull had meant most of her awareness would stay in the cockpit until her reserves drained and that was fast approaching with the weight above her sending creaks and groans through the metal. She needed to concentrate on what she had left into protecting her pilot. Too many systems were still functioning, draining her faster. He needed his brothers and they needed to be able to contact him. She would start there.
As if Gordon was listening, he moved. Just the slightest, but movement that lead to an arm reaching up. Every ounce of her core buzzed with hope as he hit his emergency code. That meant John would need the comms, which Tb4 was more than happy to divert power to. As she waited, she watched. Her sensors picked up the unsteady rhythm of his breathing, the way he slumped back against the metal and didn't move even as the water finally found him, pooling under his fingertips.
John's voice registered along with Thunderbird 5's, [Four? What's going on?]
For a second, she wondered if she had sectioned off her own ability to speak for the purpose of allowing John access. She hurt, ached for her pilot, and that lead to the only words she had the strength to transmit.
[Save him…]
Panic seemed to grip the voices calling to and through her, but Thunderbird 4 had already shifted her focus. Blood was making its way out from behind the edge of the helmet, a bead trailing free of the blonde hair and down Gordon's forehead.
Tb4 wasn't sure how much time had passed when light beamed across her broken cockpit, but hope soon died away as her censors picked up the enemy vessel and the figure stepping out of it. If she could have revved a growl of warning, she would have, but that would've taken resources she didn't have.
The purple-armored man leapt towards her, his movements slowed by the ocean as he approached the robot still trapped in her grasp.
There was an absurdity in what was happening. The Hood was willing to kill for this robot. A robot she'd scanned and found little of use to the villain. If only she could scream it. Tell the Hood he'd wasted his time, but what use was that now. There was nothing she could do to stop him from taking what he came for, Fuse making his way back to the cruiser.
At least he'd left Gordon alone. She wouldn't know what their family would do if the Hood had taken him.
Again, they were alone, only now it was a different kind of race that she could do nothing to speed up. All Tb4 could do was monitor Gordon as the water quickly finished filling up the cabin, his form floating listlessly within her.
A memory surfaced, shocking her with the small similarities. They'd been caught in a cave-in and Gordon had been knocked unconscious. For a good five minutes, she wondered if he was simply sleeping, but then, he'd stirred, reaching for his forehead as John's hologram appeared.
Tb4 had been confused until she'd witnessed an argument between her pilot and Virgil. They'd made it back to the island after a fairly risky rescue that had left her pilot a bit more banged up than usual. The medic had met them at her rear hatch in the module looking concerned and more than a bit angry.
She'd listened to Virgil voice his concern until the blonde had relented to a quick examination in the back of the sub. The words 'mild concussion' had been thrown at the younger of the two and she could hear the seriousness in Virgil's voice. Her pilot was hurt.
Five minutes seemed like nothing in comparison to how long they'd been down here. Why hadn't he woken up yet? Was this the same as a mild concussion? Was it worse?
Was he dying?
Another system shuddered with the bleeding away of her reserves. Life support. She'd kept it on as long as she could in case Gordon had woken up. The flooding had made it useless. Now, all that was left of Thunderbird 4 was her core and the comms. She could keep contact open if the need arose and she could stay until help arrived. She wouldn't leave him. Not yet.
[Four? Sweetie, we're here.] Thunderbird 2's gentle voice drifted from above, making her want to cry out for her older sister to fix everything.
[H-help… h-him…] Tb4 was losing the battle whether she willed it or not. She was shutting down and Gordon was still here.
[They're coming! Just hold on!]
The reserves were indicating critical depletion, and Tb4 had to make a decision. It was her or the comms.
She looked at Gordon, still unconscious, bobbing against the shattered glass. Comms were no longer an option and she let them fade out. Help was on the way.
Her hull groaned again with the weight that had thankfully not crushed her completely. It resounded so deep within her, for a second Tb4 though it was her core breaking.
[He c-can't die…]
[And he won't.] Fab1, as cool and sure as John on any given day, filled her sensors as the little pink car came into view. [M'lady would never allow it.]
Penelope, of course, would be the one to come find him. Thunderbird 4 had lost count how often Gordon would confide in his 'bird how he felt about the woman. On one occasion, not too long ago, she'd received a whispered 'thank you' from the agent. For what, she wasn't quite sure. Gordon had done most of the work. Tb4 had just been where he'd left her, ready to offer shelter from the acid that surrounded them.
[Four! Four!] Two voices called at once, both sounding frantic as they approached. The twins.
It was rare for Thunderbird 4 to work with the Pods, but when she did, it was like work became a game. The two were always so bright in their simplicity. They were still so young. They weren't supposed to see her like this.
[Four hurt.] Pod 1 floated down towards the rock that covered her broken form. Pod 2 was close behind, taking the other side.
[Poor Four.] The lament sent an ache through her, but she pushed it away, trying to return her focus back to Gordon. Help was here. Just a little longer and she could power down.
The immensity of the chimney lifted from her as the Pods went to work. She could have cried out to her sisters if not for the woman who swiftly exited Fab1 and began swimming towards her, the battered sub trying keep her mind set on the rescue. Tb4's core rumbled with need for Penelope to work quickly, even if it was to cut into her cockpit.
But she was gentle. There was no need for it, but the laser cut neatly through the plexiglass just above Gordon's floating form, producing little damage to Four's already injured structure.
And then, the glass was gone and she had him. She was taking him somewhere safe. Away from his 'bird.
Thunderbird 4 wanted to be happy, but a new ache was replacing the frantic need for his rescue. She wanted to go with him. She knew it wasn't possible. Not yet.
[Sleep.] Pod 1 hummed, sadly.
The second pod adding, [No hurt anymore.]
Both Pods hesitated only a moment at the hands of the brothers driving them. It wasn't their fault. They weren't in control. None of them really were, but as they let go of the rock, letting it fall back onto her severed body, it only hurt more.
So, with one final creak of metal, Thunderbird 4 let the last of her consciousness fade with her reserves until there was no more worry, or pain. Only a numbing darkness that she had known before.