A/N: All the summing up in the last part of the previous chapter brings us up almost to the end of season three. From now on we are pretty much AU for the finale.

To Guest: Thank you :)

So a weird thing happened. I haven't heard from the vast majority of my reviewers since posting the last chapter. Nobody is obligated to review, by any means, (although they do make writing and sharing stuff worthwhile!), but I'm just hoping that everyone is okay, and this is maybe just a glitch that prevented people from seeing the update perhaps? Either that or the chapter sucked. That's a possibility too.


Chapter Eighteen – A Decision.

Scott knew his impatience with the speed of the T-drive engines' development was grating on both Brains and the Mechanic, but he couldn't stop himself from expressing it. The Mechanic, although honouring his agreement with Brains and fitting as well into life on Tracy Island as he could, was still a largely humourless, snarky individual, and didn't bother hiding his apparent dislike of Scott and his pestering. That was expected. That Brains was starting to show disgruntlement too told Scott that he should probably try to dial it down a notch.

It was difficult. The longer the project went on, the more time he had to think about what they were trying to achieve. He'd reached a decision that he hadn't realised he'd been making, and he knew he was putting off sharing it with his family. Mostly he did so because he knew exactly how they were going to react. Focusing on the engines was easier.

For all that they'd started off as enemies, Brains and the Mechanic worked surprisingly well together. There had been professional admiration before, but now there were the tentative foundations of trust and friendship. Brains had earned that by removing the threat of the Hood taking over the Mechanic's mind once and for all. Without that, the Mechanic seemed much calmer, much more able to focus, although his personality remained the same, despite Grandma's attempts to take him under her wing, a move that seemed to bewilder him.

Scott knew they were actually working in record time for a project of such a scale, but he still found himself impatient. At least he only had to wait weeks, rather than months or years. Finally, one ordinary evening, Brains and the Mechanic commanded everyone's attention after dinner, and they took up positions in the centre of the seating area.

"Preliminary testing has been a success," Brains announced, smiling as he gestured to a diagram of the T-drive engine design. "We can now begin to build the ship itself. I estimate it will be done in j-just over a week."

Scott wasn't sure how long ship building projects usually took, but Brains could whip up most things in a week. They were lucky to have him, and he made a mental note to thank him when everything was over. And to apologise for his hassling.

"You have your designs already?" John asked, his holographic form having been summoned for the meeting.

"I do." Brains waved a hand at the diagram, pulling up a new one. "This is the Zero-XL."

Virgil, Alan and Gordon made faint noises of impressed approval, and Kayo studied it thoughtfully. Grandma frowned, sending Scott an alarmingly perceptive look, making him think she knew exactly what he was planning to say.

"Have you…combined all our ships?" Virgil asked, leaning forward to peer at the diagram.

"We have," Brains answered him, sounding pleased that he'd noticed. "We d-don't know what you'll be dealing with on the other side. Better to be prepared."

"Is that my station on there?" John asked him, sounding a little protective.

"Yes. There's room for all your ships, and all of you."

"Excellent!" said Alan. "I'm gonna be the first Tracy to fly all the Thunderbirds at once!"

Scott cleared his throat before the discussion got out of hand. "You're not going."

A chorus of protests and startled remarks pelted back at him, and he stood up, holding up a hand for silence. He was a little surprised when he got it.

"Brains, this design is incredible, it really is," he began, sending the engineer a smile, and remembering to bob a respectful nod to the silent Mechanic on the other side of the table. "But I'm going to need something simpler." Bracing himself, he looked to his brothers. "I'm taking this one. Alone."

The immediate cacophony of noise that arose at his words was entirely expected, but he inwardly winced anyway. He let them shout it out for a beat, then held up his hands again. The silence was more grudging the second time, but it eventually settled.

"One at a time. I've got my reasons and I'm happy to share them, but I'm not going to shout over you," he said firmly, pulling on all his Field Commander authority. "Virgil."

"Why?"

Scott almost smiled. He should have expected a calm, rational question from the peacemaker of the group. Virgil was obviously unsettled by the thought, and his shoulders were tense in annoyance, but he wasn't yelling. That was a good start.

"Because it makes the most logical sense," Scott answered him. "I'll explain why I think that, but I'll let you have your say first."

"I'll wait," Virgil declared.

Scott nodded. "Okay. John."

"I think I know what you're going to say," John said, only his furrowed brow indicating his mood. "I'll wait too."

"Okay. Gordon."

"Are you out of your mind? How can you even think of going it alone? We have a right to go rescue Dad too!" Gordon burst out, while Alan fidgeted in silent agreement next to him.

Scott nodded in acknowledgement. "I know you do. I know it isn't fair, but you're just going to have to get over it. Alan."

"I'm the best deep space pilot we have," his youngest brother spoke up. "You said it yourself. You need us!"

"You're right, you'd probably fly this thing better than I could. But I'll do just fine. You're needed here. Kayo, do you have anything?"

Kayo shook her head, arms folded. "I actually agree with you. I'm needed here."

He nodded to her. "Grandma, Brains, anything to add?"

Grandma shook her head too, although her expression was a strange mixture of troubled and proud. Brains looked as if he'd mentally redesigned the ship already. He had a point to raise, however.

"You'll need a co-pilot," he said. "Someone who understands the engines."

"I'm not risking you, Brains. International Rescue needs you," Scott said.

He looked set to argue. In fact, several of them did.

"Okay, let me explain my thinking," Scott spoke up before things dissolved into a shouting match. "With all due respect," he began with a significant look to the Mechanic, "these are still experimental engines. I trust the both of you in how thorough you've been while building them, but the truth is they just haven't been tested. This trip is risky."

"All rescues are risky," Gordon put in.

"That's true," Scott acceded, "but this is new territory. I'm not prepared to risk all of us. If something went wrong – and I'm not saying it will, but we need to accept the possibility – then Earth loses International Rescue in one fell swoop. We swore to protect and help people. We can't abandon them because we decide that rescuing our dad is more important than them. That's not who we are."

With relief, he saw the message sink in, particularly for Alan and Gordon.

"I'm not prepared to risk us all," he said again, "and I'm not prepared to leave the world undefended from the Hood and Chaos Crew. They're still out there. They'll be coming for this ship. I need you all to be on hand to stop them. And to be there for the people of this planet if they need us while I'm gone."

"The GDF will do that," Alan tried to argue.

"We'll need them too," Scott agreed. "But we have to be there in case the Hood causes trouble for anyone else." In a softer tone, he added, "I know you all want to look for Dad. But we have a duty. The last thing he'd want is for us to put that aside in order to rescue him. I need you all to stay here and do your jobs. Please."

Virgil sighed heavily. "I get it. I don't like it, but I get it."

"Why do you get to decide what's best?" Alan said, his young face taut in anger, the fear evident right behind it. "Because you're the eldest?"

"Yes, that's exactly why," Scott answered back, sternly but not without sensitivity. "You know we run this thing together, and I always ask for your input. I've never pulled rank, but I will now if I need to. Don't make me."

Gordon had grown quiet and thoughtful, and he lifted his chin to meet Scott's gaze. "You made a decision before based on what you thought was best," he said. "You were wrong, and I told you so. I hate it, but…I don't think you're wrong this time."

Scott offered him a flicker of a smile. "Thank you."

Virgil got to his feet to stand beside him, and Scott tried to tell him in a glance how much he appreciated the show of solidarity. Virgil sent him a slight nod in response, then looked past him at Brains.

"How fast can you redesign the ship, Brains?" he asked.

"N-not long," the engineer answered humbly, "but my p-point still stands. You'll need someone who understands the engine system."

"Then I'll go," came a quiet, unemotional reply.

All eyes turned to the Mechanic, even John's holographic ones. Scott bit back his instinctive protest. Part of him still didn't trust the Mechanic, but he knew he should. The man had proved himself, after all. And he'd rather leave Brains on Earth in case something happened. International Rescue couldn't function without him.

"You?" Alan said in surprise.

"It's my engine design," the Mechanic pointed out. "I deserve to see them in action. It's only because of the Hood's intervention that I wasn't on the Zero-X."

He met Scott's gaze, and Scott nodded to him. "Okay. Brains, what sort of timeframe are we looking at?"

"Since the design will be much simpler, I would say just under a week."

"Okay. Get started as soon as you can."

The two engineers headed off to do just that, MAX trailing in their wake. The Tracys and Kayo exchanged glances, Scott seeking acceptance in each of their faces.

"Permission to share your plan with the GDF?" Kayo asked.

Scott sensed her overly-formal tone was her way of showing that she was behind him, and he sent her a nod. "Granted. But only with Captain Rigby and Colonel Casey. They still haven't tracked down the spy."

She shot back a quick smile. "Got it." Hopping to her feet, she too left the lounge.

Scott looked at his brothers, taking in John's expression of pensive approval, Gordon's reluctant-but-committed agreement, and Alan's look of unhappy disgruntlement. Virgil, now that he had decided to stand with Scott, was completely at ease. Grandma was suspiciously quiet.

"I'm going to go and work on boosting Thunderbird 5's sensors," John announced. "I want to keep you on my radar as long as possible."

Scott smiled at him. "Sounds good."

John's hologram winked out. Gordon took that as his cue to go too, and something in his face made Scott and Virgil hesitate. He may be on board with the plan, but he was just as unhappy about it as Alan underneath his surprisingly-mature response.

"I'll go talk to him," Virgil said quietly, drifting after him.

Ignoring Grandma for the moment, knowing she would wait until she was ready to talk to him, Scott took Gordon's vacated seat next to Alan.

"You okay?" he asked gently, nudging his youngest sibling's shoulder with his.

With the movement, he slipped out of Field Commander mode and back into Big Brother, and Alan sensed it at once.

"Of course I'm not okay!" he exclaimed. "I thought we'd be rescuing Dad together. I thought with faster-than-light engines, it would be easy. I…I guess I hadn't thought about the risks. I'm not okay with you going into a different solar system on your own!"

"I won't be on my own," Scott reminded him. "I'll have the Mechanic with me."

"You don't trust the Mechanic," Alan stated flatly.

"No," Scott said truthfully, "but Brains does, and I trust him."

"Aren't you scared?" Alan asked in a small voice.

Again, Scott answered him truthfully. "Yeah, I am. But you know what makes it bearable? Knowing that I'll have you guys waiting back here as back-up. And besides, I've learned a lot from watching you fly. I think I can handle a deep space mission just fine thanks to you."

Alan sent him a sceptical glance that looked eerily like one of his own, showing that he saw through the attempt at reassurance. It added a layer of maturity to his face that Scott didn't think he'd seen there before. Confusingly, at the same time, he looked hopeful and young, a teenager longing to be reassured.

"You remember what I said if you come across space debris?" Alan said.

"Yeah," Scott replied. "Just watch and do."

"Exactly." He managed a tiny smile. "Don't bust up a brand new ship."

"I'll try."

Alan twitched, as if he'd been about to hug him but had decided he was too old for such displays of affection. "I'm gonna go play Cavern Quest before bed," he said, standing.

"Haven't you beaten that game already?" Scott asked him in amusement.

"Gotta get all the trophies," Alan told him, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Right."

Alan departed, and Scott watched him go before settling his gaze on his sharp-eyed grandmother.

"You've been very quiet," he pointed out.

"Just observing," she said. "You spoke like a true leader today, Scott. Makes me proud to see it."

He smiled half-heartedly at her praise. "Thanks, Grandma. I'm making the right decision. You can see that, right?"

She nodded, but it was a grave nod. She'd clearly been thinking it through whilst he spoke to the others. "I do," she said. "I know you'd do whatever it takes to protect your brothers, but I also know that you made this decision as a Commander. You weighed up the probabilities, and came to the best conclusion."

"Dad's still Commander," he said automatically.

"Regardless of what your title is, that's what you were doing," she said firmly. "It was a brave decision, and I know you're afraid."

"I'd be stupid not to be. But I won't let it stop me."

"I know you won't. I also know that if your dad didn't believe that you could pull this off, he'd never have sent that distress call."

Scott nodded. He'd come to that conclusion too. "Dad would never put us in danger unless he believed we could get out."

She smiled, agreeing. "I believe that you'll bring my son home. Now…when are you going to tell Anne?"

He sighed. He'd been avoiding thinking about that other inevitable parting. Every instinct told him to fly to her side, to share with her the fears that he'd kept hidden from his family, but he forced himself to be still. "When we're ready to launch," he decided. "I don't want her to worry any longer than she has to."

"That's inevitable," Grandma declared sagely.

"I know, but she'll understand." He knew that to be true, however much she would hate the idea of such a dangerous mission.

Virgil returned, dropping onto the sofa with a quick sigh.

"Is he okay?" Scott asked.

"He'll be fine. He's just worried. We all are."

"I know."

Grandma got to her feet, coming forward to touch each of them affectionately on the side of the head. She said nothing, but her smile spoke volumes. Then she retreated to the kitchen, and they could hear the sounds of her preparing cocoa.

"Virg, I need you to promise me something," Scott spoke up.

Virgil shot him a perceptive look. "Nothing's going to go wrong," he said, continuing on before Scott could protest. "But if it does, I'll watch over the others, I'll lead this organisation, I'll do whatever I can to save as many people as possible. You have my word."

Scott could easily translate his tone of voice. He wasn't exactly flippant, but he said the words as if he didn't expect to need them, and he was saying them only to give peace of mind to his older brother.

"Thanks," Scott said, finding himself unable to say more. "And…"

"I'll check in on Anne," Virgil finished for him.

"Thanks," he said again.

They sat in silence for a long moment, listening to the familiar sounds of Grandma bustling around.

"It's gonna be fine, though," Virgil added. "You're the most capable person I know."

"I hope you're right. I've lost count of how many rescues I've been a part of. It must be hundreds. But…I've never felt pressure like this."

Virgil inhaled slowly while he considered his response. When he spoke again, it was with an air of wisdom. "I don't think that's going to go away. Best if you find a way to work around it."

"I'll try."

Grandma reappeared, carrying two steaming mugs. She shoved one in each of their hands, ordering them firmly, "Drink that, talk about something else, then get to bed. I don't want to hear any more mission talk until tomorrow. Is that understood?"

Scott repressed his smile, nodding meekly. In sync with Virgil, he said quietly, "Yes, Grandma."


A/N: Next chapter, Anne's reaction to this news. Spoiler: she's not going to like it.