KERRY produced a big hologram map of the Earth and pointed everyone towards a mysterious signal that was clearly heading towards the planet.
"What is that?" asked Katie.
"No idea," Kerry replied. "It's not a signal we've ever detected before."
"Aliens?" asked Sian. "Cool!"
"Sian, there's no such thing as aliens!" scoffed Joanne.
"It's not just us who have picked it up either," Kerry went on. "Every Tracking Station has detected it. Russia, China and even the United States have given orders to bring their nuclear weapons out of cold storage in case whatever it is turns out to be hostile."
"What about the GDF?" asked Daniel.
Before Kerry could reply, Colonel Casey appeared on another hologram screen. "Ah, guys, morning," she said. "I see you have detected our mystery visitor as well then?"
"Kerry's just informed us some of the big governments are prepping their old nuclear arms," Daniel said.
"Yes, Daniel, I know," said Colonel Casey. "Which is why I intend to make sure they don't jump to conclusions. If I can talk them down, could you go and investigate this mysterious object?"
"A peaceful organisation with neutrality to all countries?" said Daniel. "Okay, Martha. We will do so."
"Good, but be careful," said Colonel Casey. "I'll have a couple of GDF flyers standing by just in case things go south. Good luck."
As Colonel Casey signed off, Daniel turned to the others. "Okay, girls, you heard her. Let's, er, go see what's what. Kerry, continue to track the object and see if you can pinpoint roughly where it is going to land."
"Already done," Kerry said. "At its current trajectory, it's heading for the Arctic Circle."
"Ski-pods?" Katie said to Daniel.
"Perhaps, yes," said Daniel. "Beth, launch Thunderbird 1. Locate the object and follow it at a safe distance to its landing point. Then wait for us."
"Got it, Dad," said Beth.
"Katie, Rosie, Leanna, Wizzy, Cassidy and Sian, we'll go in Thunderbird 2 and offer what assistance we can."
"Can I come, too?" asked Jodie. "This might be better if I see it close-up."
"Sure," said Daniel. "Okay, let's go."
"Wait, what about me?" asked Adrienne.
"Sorry, Adie, but I have a hunch," said Daniel. "And if I'm correct, then I'll have a special job for you."
"Oh, okay then," said Adrienne, sounding a little disappointed. Laura felt the same, but she knew that asking would be pointless due to her condition so she kept quiet.
The team split up with Beth hurrying over to the revolving wall panel that led to the revolving elevator that would take her down to Thunderbird 1. After having turned through the wall and standing on the elevator, robotic arms attached her uniform to her as it went down. Jodie had had Beth's spare uniform placed in the elevator rather than Laura's. At the same time, Katie, Leanna, Wizzy, Sian, Cassidy, Rosie and Jodie hurried out of the lounge to make their way down to Thunderbird 2 whilst Daniel hurried over to the large rocket painting on the wall. He leant back against it and it began to tilt backwards sending him sliding down into a harness which took him down a long green tunnel. Robotic arms worked to attach his blue uniform with green utility sash as he went down. Once all that was complete, the rail his harness was on moved from the bottom side of the tunnel to the top side. Beth was now in her uniform and being carried out on a retractable walkway to Thunderbird 1. She sat down in the seat which was then moved inside before the hatchway sealed. The trolley that Thunderbird 1 stood on began to move taking Thunderbird 1 up the diagonal tunnel towards its launching bay under the swimming pool. Daniel then reached Thunderbird 2's silo and swung down through the hatch in the top before closing the hatch behind him. He hurried to his seat and sat down before selecting Pod 2 on the computer. The pod conveyor activated moving Pod 1 underneath. Once Pod 2 was in position, the main body of Thunderbird 2 was lowered down onto it. Whilst all this had been going on, Katie, Wizzy, Leanna, Cassidy, Sian, Jodie and Rosie had travelled down express elevators from the mansion to the silo and like Daniel had been changed into their uniforms on the way. They were now able to join Daniel in the cockpit and were ready to go. The rocks concealing the entrance to the hanger were lowered to allow Thunderbird 2 to taxi out onto the runway. As it came out, the palm trees were tilted back to allow it to pass. Up by the house, the swimming pool was opening up ready for Thunderbird 1 which was just coming into position on the launch pad. Thunderbird 2 was now on the launching ramp which lifted up into position. The wings folded into position and the blast shield rose into place behind the rocket engines. The two ships were ready to launch.
5…4…3…2…1!
The rocket engines of Thunderbird 1 fired and it lifted up off the launch ramp, though the gap where the swimming pool had been before climbing high into the night sky above Tracy Island. Thunderbird 2's own engines fired and it lifted up off the ramp to join its sister-ship.
"Thunderbirds are go!" said Daniel as the two ships headed North towards the Arctic Circle.
Laura and Adrienne stood by the windows in the lounge and watched as the Thunderbirds disappeared into the distance. Laura still had this feeling of envy knowing that it wasn't her piloting Thunderbird 1, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. The only comfort she had right now was the warbling noise of MAX.
"What did he mean by hunch?" Adrienne asked.
"I don't know," Laura replied. "I guess you'll find out when he knows for sure."
Aboard Thunderbird 2, Daniel was already taking steps to try and learn whether his hunch was right or not. "Kerry, when you get a moment, do you think you could try and track the course of the object and find out where it came from?"
"Now that's a challenge if ever I heard one!" Kerry remarked. "Okay, Daniel, I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks, Kerry," said Daniel and signed off.
"Would that have something to do with your hunch?" Katie asked.
Daniel nodded. "This object whatever it is has to have come from somewhere," Daniel said. "I'd like to know where that is if possible."
"And if proven, you'll send Adie and Thunderbird 3 out to investigate?" asked Leanna.
"Indeed," said Daniel.
Just then Beth interrupted. "Thunderbird 2, I'm approaching the area now," she said. "It has made it through the stratosphere and appears to have slowed down."
"Slowed down?" asked Cassidy. The others except for Daniel and Katie leant forwards eagerly.
"Alien spaceship," murmured Sian.
"Do you have a visual yet, Beth?" Jodie asked.
"Negative," Beth replied. "No, wait! I do! Blimey!"
"How big is it?" asked Daniel.
"Not very actually," Beth replied. "At a guess, it can't be much bigger than Thunderbird 4."
Everyone was surprised. "That's…unexpected!" remarked Wizzy.
"And I can see why it's slowed its descent," Beth went on. "It's deployed a parachute."
"Parachute?" said Katie. "What kind of spaceship has a parachute?"
"Beth, can you get us an image?" Jodie asked. "I need to see this."
"Coming at you now," said Beth. She pressed a button which sent the video from her screen to Thunderbird 2.
The crew of Thunderbird 2 stared at it in disbelief. It was definitely small. It was a cone-like shape larger down the base but without the pointy bit at the top. The bottom section was painted grey, the middle section was white and the top section was red, and like Beth had said, it had deployed a large red and white parachute and was slowly dropping down towards the icy terrain of the Arctic Circle below.
"Gosh!" exclaimed Rosie. "That looks odd."
"That's no alien spaceship!" said Jodie. "Unless I'm very much mistaken, that's an escape capsule!"
"An escape capsule?" repeated Beth. "But from where?"
"Thunderbird 5, did you get that?" asked Daniel.
"Certainly did, Thunderbird 2," answered Kerry. "I'm seeing the images now. It's an escape capsule all right - and one out of the history books!"
"Any luck with tracking its route?" Daniel asked. "If this really is an escape pod then there must be a ship out there where it would've come from."
"No luck so far but I'll keep looking," Kerry said. "Goodness knows where it could've come from though - no spaceship has used one of those pods since…well I'm not even sure."
"No, I'm not sure either," agreed Jodie. "This is certainly a mystery."
Beth watched from Thunderbird 1 as the capsule got nearer to the ground. When it was less than one-hundred metres above it deployed its legs before landing gently on the ice. "It's landed!" Beth said.
"What's the terrain like, Beth?" asked Katie.
"Rough," Beth replied. "There's an area about fifty yards away where I can put Thunderbird 1 down. However, I can't see anywhere for Thunderbird 2 to land. I'll have a scout around for you."
"No need, Thunderbird 1," Kerry interrupted. "I found a landing spot for you, Thunderbird 2 - about ten miles to the south. You'll have to land there and continue the rest of the way in the Ski-pods."
"Good thing we brought Pod 2 then," Katie said to Daniel.
Daniel nodded. "Indeed," he said. "Thanks, Thunderbird 5. See you soon, Thunderbird 1. And Beth?"
"Yes, Dad?"
"Approach with caution and don't try anything until we get there," Daniel warned.
"F-A-B," Beth said. "I'll be waiting."
Beth brought Thunderbird 1 over the area safe to land on. She lowered the landing legs and brought the craft gently down into land. She then put on her helmet and the seat lowered her down. She stepped out and walked cautiously towards the capsule. It sat there silent and still. Beth armed her pistol just in case something unexpected were to come out. She used the scanner in her helmet's visor to check inside, but it wasn't detecting any life signs inside. All she could see were a number of strange-looking containers with three tall ones in the middle. Beth wasn't sure what they were but knew she would have to wait before she could find that out. "What are you?" Beth asked out loud. "Where did you come from?" She walked right up to the capsule and started to check around the sides. It was in remarkable condition, like a toy that was fresh out of its packaging. There was no dirt or rust anywhere, although some frost was developing on the hull covering up some of the markings. Beth wiped away some of the frost and found what looked like a name - Endeavour II. Beth frowned. "Why does that name sound familiar?" she asked herself.
Thunderbird 2 had reached the landing area given by Thunderbird 5. Katie guided the great green goliath down and landed safely on the thick ice flat. Everyone then went down into Pod 2 and began to assemble the Interchangeable Pods giving them crawler tracks for grip and skies at the fronts. It was lucky that there were four pods inside as they just had enough for everyone aboard. Once assembled, the main body of Thunderbird 2 lifted clear of Pod 2 and the door opened to enable the vehicles to drive out.
"Pod Explorers are go!" said Daniel. He and Jodie were in the lead vehicle. They were followed by Katie with Rosie in the second. Wizzy and Sian in the third and finally Leanna and Cassidy in the fourth. Once the last Ski-pod was clear, the door of Pod 2 closed up again to protect the inside from the weather whilst the rest of Thunderbird 2 went into 'lock-down' sentry mode to protect it from anyone who would try and gain access - not that there was anyone in the area apart from them.
As they made their way across the ice towards where the capsule had landed, Kerry called them, Beth and Tracy Island to reveal some news. "Guys, I might have something," said Kerry. "I have been able to trace the course that the capsule was on and it appears to have originated from somewhere near Jupiter."
"Wow, that's a long way!" said Daniel. "Any signs of a ship?"
"No, nothing," said Kerry. "Which is strange seeing as this is an escape capsule. There must have been something out there."
Beth decided to mention what she'd found. "I might have found a clue to that," she said. "I found a name on the side of the capsule - Endeavour II. Does that mean anything to anyone?"
This didn't mean a thing to Rosie, Leanna, Sian, Cassidy or her sisters, but Daniel, Kerry and Jodie looked at each other in shock.
"I'll say it does!" said Daniel. "That was the Jupiter mission!"
"It disappeared three months after launch," said Jodie. "That was exactly ten years ago this year!"
"And you know who the commander was, don't you?" said Kerry gravely.
"Yes," said Daniel. "Kevin Adams."
"Adams?" asked Katie. "Wait, is that?"
"Yes, Katie," said Daniel. "Kaylee's father!"