Trapped 7
2017 Fanfiction
by Crystalquirt
[[[I do not own anything to do with 'The Thunderbirds Are Go,' past or present. [Wish I did] but I just love this show and don't get to see new episodes very often. It is so awesome and great entertainment for all! This story is a work of Fan Fiction, and no profit is made from it.
Writing fanfiction helps me fill the void between new episodes and I hope with constructive criticism helps my writing improve. ]]]
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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The rough treatment awakened John, and he groaned softly. Being uncomfortable stuck to the hull by one of The Mechanic's mechas, he started pushing on the metal band around his waist before he even woke up.
Alan perked up when he saw his brother move his arm. "John," he cried.
"Virgil? Did you send me that hamburger?" John said keeping his eyes closed.
"John! Wake up! We're in real trouble here." Alan cried.
"Oh, my head hurts," John said. "Why can't I move?" John finally opened his eyes. He pushed weakly with one hand on the snake mecha that pinned him to the wall. Then he put both hands to his forehead.
"John, are you okay?" Alan asked.
"Yeah, I think so. Why is it so dark in here?" John asked, blinking.
"The lights are going out. We're slowly losing all power! Right now, The Mechanic is here and trying to do something to Thunderbird 5. I think he's trying to hack into our systems."
"EOS can fix the power," John said. "Why am I stuck?"
"John! Listen to me - Thunderbird 5 blew up! The Mechanic sabotaged it. We're losing power. We're both - um – restrained! Do you remember anything?"
"Yeah, yeah," John mumbled. "I remember Gordon eating a banana on Thunderbird 4 and EOS is a traitor!"
"Oh man." Alan slumped his shoulders forward. "John's not gonna be much help." Alan pressed the back of his head to the support beam he was held fast to trying to fight back the tears. "John's got all the symptoms of a severe head injury – and we're just stuck here!"
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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"Thunderbird 5 is in sight - Tracy Island - Are you receiving the feed? Can you see what we're seeing?" Ridley called into the comms.
"We're receiving you – voice only, but I guess you aren't hearing me!" Brains pushed some buttons and moved a connector. "There, now we are GDF Shuttle." He reported.
A big 3D image of the badly damaged Thunderbird 5 floated in the middle of the living room.
"When did that happen!" Grandma Tracy gasped. "Where's John?"
"We're looking for them now." Brains said. "Thunderbird 3 is securely locked into the port. Maybe they made it inside Thunderbird 3 and are safe."
"No," Ridley said. "We see two life signs between the Gravity Ring and the Command Module. They are weak and not moving. There is a third moving around on Thunderbird 3."
"No, wait, Captain O'Bannon," Brains interrupted, "We see a large ship stopped where Thunderbird 5's aft section used to be!"
"But the are three life signs, and three people should be on that ship. Where is the fourth, or the persons who piloted that ship?" Ridley asked.
"If that's the Mechanic's ship, and he boarded Thunderbird 5 - he has no life signs. I can't scan his ship to see where he is." Brains said.
"Alan is probably the one on Thunderbird 3." Kayo guessed. "If something got damaged he might be trying to repair it alone."
"But he was badly hurt, Kayo," Gordon answered. "You'd think the doctor would be with him at least. Let's stop guessing and get over there," Gordon said, nearly jumping up and down he was so anxious.
"This is Captain Ridley O'Bannon on Global One-GDF Shuttle 8 calling Central Command. We need backup – a lot of backup at International Rescues space station, Thunderbird 5. Thunderbird 5 is severely damaged, and unknown persons have boarded! At least two members of International Rescue are at risk!"
"Okay, Shuttle 8 our people are on the way," a male voice answered.
"We can't wait for them!" Gordon cried, "We have to find out what's happened to my brothers! Alan was hurt badly – and I'm really worried that there are not as many life signs as maybe there should be."
Gordon's eyes were wet-looking, and he frowned deep lines across his forehead.
"Take it easy Gordon," Ridley said. "We don't want to wind up in the same situation as Thunderbird 5."
"Then I'll space walk in alone and check out the situation. If John, Alan and Dr. Brackett are okay, then we don't have to rush. If they aren't, I'll get them out by myself." While he spoke, Gordon put his helmet on with a determined look.
"We have no way to get you over there without taking the shuttle in, and as you say, there's no way to dock," Ridley argued.
"We don't have to dock. Do you have Grapple lines?" Gordon asked.
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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"Captain Ridley ordered her officers to move the shuttle in close from behind the strange ship and to stop under the aft section. Gordon floated through the Shuttle's aft hatch and shot a grapple line all the way under the shuttle, the big ship, and through the broken hull to the hatch door leading to the Command Module. Gordon began reeling the line in and moving toward the hatch.
"Be careful, Gordon," Ridley said quietly through their comms.
"If I was not being careful, you're telling me to be careful wouldn't change my behavior," Gordon said.
"I just meant – just take a look and get back here!" Ridley ordered.
"FAB," Gordon confirmed.
The hatch opened for him as he expected. He went to where he thought Alan would be first, heading toward the forward hatch and Thunderbird 3. Ahead, the hatch was still open, and he could see part way inside Thunderbird 3. He floated that way, pushing off walls when they came close.
"I can't believe this! For all the stupid – This ship won't let me activate anything!"
Gordon heard a voice he recognized, and it was defiantly not Alan's voice. He clumsily stopped himself and pushed to go back the way he'd came. He heard The Mechanic banging on something as he entered the Command Module.
The Command Module was an obstacle for Gordon. It took him a couple of tries when he pushed off of the hull to actually get close enough to the hatch to open it. One of his missed attempts took him to a darker area behind John's handball target, and he saw Dr. Brackett's body.
While he floated around aimlessly in the Command Module trying to get to the hatch, he called Ridley, "GDF Shuttle – The Mechanic is here! Dr. Brackett is dead. I'm still looking for the others."
"FAB," Ridley answered with the acknowledgment that Gordon knew best. "Sorry to hear about Dr. Brackett." She added, thinking what Gordon was afraid to even think. To think that he'd find John and Alan in the same condition as Dr. Brackett was more than he thought he could take.
The hatch slid open, and Gordon thought he saw what he feared most. His brothers were not moving and hanging on the wall like trophies.
"Alan – John!" He cried.
Blood had soaked through the old bandage worn by Alan and covered the metal band around his middle. Seeing his little brother bleeding again, Gordon pushed himself to Alan first. "Alan! If John knew you were wasting his blood, he'd be annoyed with you."
Gordon felt Alan's neck for his pulse and was a little relieved to find a pulse at all even if it felt faint. He pulled on the snake mecha and even tried hitting it, but only hurt his hand.
"What is this thing?" Gordon tried to see better in the dim light. One end of the thing he thought was just a metal bar was looking at him with one eye at the end.
Gordon frowned angrily and broke a brace from under the damaged Comms array. He used it to pry the mecha from the wall, starting at the end with the eye. When it was off of his brother, he struck it twice with the brace and broke it in half. Then he did the same for John.
He felt another wave of relief when he found John's pulse, but the blood in John's red hair was worrisome. With his brothers both loose, he grabbed their hands and pushed off for the hatch.
The hatch opened, and there was The Mechanic standing right in front of him. Gordon gasped.
"Another rat in my trap I see." He said. He pushed Gordon away from the Hatch with a hand in his chest. Gordon raised his legs and kicked the Mechanic, propelling himself further away. He never let go of his brother's hands, and they went with him.
The Mechanic was unaffected by Gordon's kick. He walked in, and the hatch closed.
Gordon hovered behind the holo projector, his arms keeping both of his unconscious brothers behind him.
"Just let me take them out of here!" Gordon pleaded.
"I think not. You International Rescue pests haven't been going out alone lately, where is your backup?" The Mechanic asked.
"You've managed to hurt all of my brothers. I was in the best shape of anyone - I came in alone." Gordon yelled he was so nervous.
The Mechanic looked at one of the metal plates on his arm and said, "Where is your ship then? How did you get here?"
"I'm not telling you anything, except we know you are here and Thunderbird 5 is damaged – more rescue ships and the GDF are on their way! You better clear out now – while you can."
"Alright. I'll be taking Thunderbird 3 with me, and since your brothers look pretty used up, I'll be taking you with me as well." The Mechanic Threatened.
"Oh – No – You – Won't!" Gordon said defiantly. He pushed John and Alan closer to the wall behind his back.
The Mechanic lunged forward and tried to grab Gordon over the dark holo generator. Gordon pushed back off the generator, and The Mechanic missed. Gordon brought his feet against the wall at his back and pushed off as hard as he could. He sailed over the halo generator, and his shoulder hit the mechanic in the stomach. Gordon kept his head down, with The Mechanic in a bear hug, pushing him backward.
Once out in the more spacious Module, The Mechanic put his fists together and brought them both down on Gordon's back. Gordon groaned and let go. He grabbed onto the edge of one of John's handball targets to stop himself as he shoved The Mechanic back even farther.
The Mechanic turned on his magnetized boots, and they pulled him straight to the Command Module's hull.
"Come on, boy, attack me!" The Mechanic taunted, pointing at Gordon.
"You can bring it to me - any time you want," Gordon said, sounding much braver than he felt. It was another of Kayo's tricks.
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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Instead of floating in the weightless environment, The Mechanic walked on the metal hull with a little effort to move the magnets. He walked toward Gordon and the hatch leading to John and Alan. Gordon readied himself to block the attack. But it never came. Instead, a loud communication came through his helmet comm, and he turned it to broadcast so that The Mechanic could hear too.
"Thunderbird 5 – The GDF and Officers from Global One has Thunderbird 5 surrounded. We will board in 2 minutes." It was Ridley's voice.
"There Mechanic! You don't have a chance – Give up!" Gordon threatened.
The Mechanic changed direction and headed to the hatch leading to Thunderbird 3.
Gordon, knowing he had to stop the much larger man, Gordon pushed off to get to where he could block The Mechanic's path.
"Stop, you won't' get Thunderbird 3!" As he raised his fists to protect himself, he said, "Tell Brains to lock down Thunderbird 3! The Mechanic is trying to take it!"
"FAB Thunderbird 5!" Brains heard Gordon and acknowledged.
"Did you hear that, Mechanic?" Gordon said, "You don't have access to Thunderbird 3 anymore!"
The Mechanic paused for a moment. Gordon hoped he was thinking about leaving.
Instead of leaving right away, The Mechanic pushed a button on his chest plate, and a loud hum began echoing in the Command Module. To Gordon, it sounded like the humming was coming from all around the Command Module.
"Now your friends will have to try and rescue you before the bombs I planted, go off!"
The Mechanic walked to the outer hatch, pressed a button on his arm and out came a drone that landed on The Mechanic's head and morphed into a helmet before he opened the hatch.
"Well, at least I know that one was probably the real one and not a drone," Gordon said.
"Ridley!" Gordon yelled, "The Mechanic just left – but he said he left bombs behind on Thunderbird 5. We need Evac, fast!"
He had no trouble getting to the hatch that time, it opened, and he grabbed Alan and John, turned and pushed off toward the outer hatch as hard as he could.
As soon as the outer hatch opened for them, the first bomb, in the Command Module behind them went off. When Gordon heard the hum turn into a screech, he pulled hard on John and Alan's hands pushing them ahead of him. Alan's suit caught on Gordon's air tank and spun them both as John floated ahead of them. Gordon grabbed his younger brother and held on to him tightly. The force of the explosion pushed them out very fast, before the next explosion that blew Thunderbird 3 away from the dock.
"Gordon!" Ridley yelled, "Come IN!" she and the officers on the shuttle were watching The Mechanic's ship pull away. Several GDF Patrol Shuttles left after him.
The explosions blew the three IR teammates toward Ridley's shuttle. She saw them coming and put her helmet on quickly, attached a line to the hull of the shuttle and went out to get them.
She caught John as he floated a little ahead of Gordon and Alan. Gordon had Alan in a bear hug, spinning toward the shuttle. Gordon held his brother tightly hoping that his suit would protect Alan's skin where Alan's space suit was torn.
Ridley's safety line was right in front of Gordon, and he grabbed it with one hand, while he held Alan with the other. Ridley pulled John along, and Gordon and Alan made it back inside the shuttle first.
On board the shuttle, there was gravity. The two rescuers placed John and Alan on the shuttles floor next to each other.
"John was nearly out of oxygen," Ridley announced as she took John's helmet off of his head. The other two officers had masks and equipment ready to start both on oxygen. Gordon got Alan's helmet off too and put a mask over his nose and mouth.
"Med Kit!" Gordon cried. The officer was already there with two medkits. He sat one next to John and gave the other to Gordon.
Ridley had a small light out, checking John's eyes. "John has a severe head injury." She announced and began bandaging John's head."
Gordon shook his head, but couldn't speak. He was busy putting another pressure bandage on Alan's middle. Ridley placed an IV and started John on fluids and then covered him with a thermal blanket. Gordon did the same for Alan and sat holding Alan's hand while the two officers piloted the shuttle to Tracy Island.
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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"Brains, we have John and Alan coming down with serious injuries. Can you get things ready and alert Dr. Dixie."
"FAB, GDF Shuttle 8." Brains answered, remembering to stick to proper radio etiquette.
Gordon reached across and found John's pulse at his neck. "Seems slow. So low it's hard to count." Gordon said after counting for a whole minute. "Alan's pulse is a little stronger, but not much faster."
"They will be okay, Gordon," Ridley reassured him. "We will get down as quick as we can."
John groaned, and he rolled his head to the side. Ridley was right by his side, "John?" she said, "Can you hear me?" She used her fingertips to lift his face more toward hers and pried open an eyelid. John squeezed both eyes shut tight. "My head hurts!" he mumbled.
"I know John. You're safe, and were on our way to get you and Alan medical care."
"Alan, he's hurt! Get Back!" John said loud and clear.
"Easy John, lie back down," Ridley said. Gordon stepped around Alan's feet to kneel between his brothers. He said, "John, we have Alan too. You're both safe, and you'll be okay!" Gordon leaned forward, his forehead almost on the floor and rocked he was so torn up inside. He cried hard for his brothers for a long time, and Ridley sat with all three of them.
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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Virgil paced in the living area. Dr. Dixie made him leave Scott's room because he was making Scott more upset too. "Why haven't we heard anything?" Virgil asked anyone that was within earshot.
"They are on their way back - there probably hasn't been anything new to report." Brains said.
"I hate this!" Virgil yelled.
"The GDF just reported losing the Mechanic somewhere near the moon," Kayo reported.
"He got away again!" Virgil gritted his teeth and punched the closest couch cushion.
Dr. Dixie and Brains had his lab all set up to treat their newest patients as soon as they got there. She was in Scott's room where she could hear how upset and vocal Virgil was. Dr. Dixie quietly gave Scott a little more tranquilizer, so hopefully, he would sleep a while longer.
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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"I found Alan and John restrained with these." Gordon showed Dr. Dixie images of a snake-drone around Alan's middle and another image of it on the ground after he broke it. Virgil saw too and looked angrier than anyone had ever seen him.
Gordon, Dr. Dixie, and Nurse Mike we're cleaning Alan's wound. Gordon and Virgil were in line to donate blood this time.
"Alan needs another transfusion before we can even consider surgery to repair the damaged to his liver." Dr. Dixie told them.
Brains, Virgil and Grandma Tracy, were cleaning John's wounds. Brains took medical images of John's head.
"He's badly injured, Dr. Dixie. When you have a moment, I'd like you to take a look at the images." Brains said. Virgil was clipping John's hair from around the two largest scalp lacerations, and Grandma Tracy scrubbed around each with surgical scrub.
"Gordon, have a seat." Nurse Mike instructed when he brought over a chair and sat it next to alan's stretcher. Gordon sat down and held out his arm. Dr. Dixie started the blood transfusion for Alan before she went to look at John.
"Yes. He's had a bad knocking around. I don't see any clots or hematomas. Do you agree?" Dr. Dixie said to Brains.
"Yes, I do. He will need a lot of rest. Finish bandaging his head, and hopefully, he'll wake up soon. Take his vitals at least every 15 minutes." Dr. Dixie gave John an anticlotting agent, and tissue repair nano's through his IV before going back to Alan.
Kayo was in Scott's room. No less worried for her brothers, she paced back and fourth and woke Scott up.
"What's going on Kayo?"
"I've some more bad news, Scott," Kayo frowned. "Promise you will remain calm when I tell you."
"I'm feeling a lot better, Kayo. How bad could it be?"
"really bad."
"Scott took a deep breath, "Okay."
"I don't know where to begin," Kayo said thoughtfully. "Thunderbird 3 is floating in space, but it is locked down so it should be okay for a while."
"How did that happen? Where's Alan?"
Scott remained amazingly quiet as Kayo told him as little as she could honestly tell him. She left out the part about The Mechanic and how he treated his injured brothers.
"They will let us know what's happening with John and Alan as soon as they know," Kayo said. As if on cue, Grandma Tracy came in Scott's room.
"Grandma Tracy, you look exhausted. Kayo motioned for her to sit down."
Grandma Tracy sat down and relayed information about John and Alan's conditions to Kayo and Scott.
"I want comms active in here so I can hear what's happening in Brains' lab!" Scott demanded.
"Scott, you should rest." Grandma Tracy said. "The doctor said too much stress would cause you a lot of problems."
"Not knowing what's happening to John and Alan will cause me a lot of problems." Scott said, "That's fine, I'm going down there then." Scott ripped out his IV and sat up on the edge of the bed.
"No, Scott," Kayo said.
"Who's gonna stop me?" Scott said angrily.
"Me, and you know I can do it," Kayo said.
Scott looked thoughtful for a moment.
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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Everything that could be done for John had been done. His heart monitor beeped a little fast, but Brains and Dr. Dixie seemed satisfied.
Alan got as much blood from Gordon as Gordon could spare and Virgil brought him some cookies from London that he had hidden in Thunderbird 2. Bright lights came on over the table Alan was on. Brains filled the role of anesthesiologist and Alan's surgery began.
The lift doors opened, and there was Scott, almost standing on his own feet. Kayo had a tight grip on his arm helping him stay upright.
"Scott!" Brains said, "You are supposed to be resting."
"I got tired of resting," Scott said. He went closer to John since Alan was 'in surgery' at the time.
"John," Scott said to him, "please wake up!"
With perfect timing, John's eyes opened. "John!" Scott repeated.
"Hi, Scott." John mumbled, "Are you supposed to be up?"
"Yes, on my own orders," Scott admitted. "I missed you, bro."
"Thanks," I feel like I've been on a long, rough trip."
Two beeps sounded throughout Tracy Island, and EOS voice came over the comms. "John! Where are you?" EOS said.
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[[[[[THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO]]]]]]
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"You know where I am!" John replied angrily. Surprising all who heard him.
"John?" EOS was surprised. "Will you be coming back to Thunderbird 5 soon?"
"Aren't your sensors working EOS? Thunderbird 5 was all but destroyed." John said.
"John, if something broke you can fix it," EOS said brightly.
"It will take months to rebuild Thunderbird 5, and it's all your fault!" John accused.
Everyone conscious heard John and turned to look at him as he continued. "Every call we've had that turned out to be a trap started with a distress call that you picked up!"
"John No," Gordon whispered. "not EOS!"
"John – NO! I'm not an evil computer program anymore – you saved me." EOS argued.
"And you knew my blood levels were off a just little bit - in an instant – but couldn't tell that Number 56's body was actually a drone – and not just a drone - but a drone full of explosives?"
"John?' EOS was busy trying to compute what John said.
"EOS! Run a completed diagnostic on yourself – including Virus Scans for anything that's not supposed to be there." John instructed. "While you do that I'll lock all of your other functions down. There will be no incoming or outgoing data of any kind."
"Yes John," EOS said sadly.
John let out a deep breath. "I believe that when I tried to use EOS to disable the Mechanic's Earth Breaker Machine, that he infected her systems with a Trojan virus that rewrote her code. It hid until recently. It became active probably near the time we got the call that turned out to be a trap for Gordon."
"I'm so sorry I didn't see this sooner. I should have run extensive diagnostics on EOS' program right after that happened." John said.
"You couldn't know John, and our whole family was having a rough time of it. This is the Mechanic's, and the Hood's fault - don't blame yourself." Scott said angrily. Grandma Tracy frowned at him.
"I'm calm, Grandma Tracy, but very angry," Scott explained.
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To be continued . . .
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