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This story concludes from the previous chapter.
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WORLD: TAG
TITLE: Touching The Stars.
Part 2: From the Fab Five Feb week 1 prompt. Alan and "No you can't.
It had been a setup. A trap to lure them in, just so they could be destroyed. Unfortunately, the realisation of what was happening came to late and the vessel that they were attempting to stop plummeting to earth exploded. Taking Thunderbird 3 and Alan with it.
John grasped the control panel… This couldn't be happening, he couldn't lose Alan, not today – not ever… And dammit he wouldn't… A burst of energy flooded his body, spurring him on… EOS told to communicate details to the island while he checked, then rechecked the sensors… Eventually the result he wanted was being displayed back… Alan was alive, but there hadn't been time to make it into his escape capsule so he'd ejected and now he was out there alone, floating, with a limited air supply, and he wasn't responding.
Options ran through his mind: Alan was to far away for him to get there in his exo-suit however his own escape capsule would reach him in time. The pod designed to fit three, but of course constructed by Brains actually had room for five so he, his wingsuit, first-aid equipment and Alan could fit. The only issues were that Brains had programmed it for auto flight, with the coordinates of Tracy Island, and it was only to be used in dire emergencies. Well, this was certainly an emergency. As for the other two problems: A quick call to Brains and the man, obviously distraught, explained that his system was impenetrable… John had just snorted, cut the line, and begun his work… There hadn't been anything he couldn't hack previously, with his brother's life in danger this certainly wasn't going to become the first!
…
Anxiety was streaming from him… It had taken just a few minutes for him to hack the pods systems and set it so he could pilot her to Alan's location. A minute and a half to pack the necessary equipment, assemble his wing suit and leave. Five minutes later he was approaching the location, yet his brother was still not responding…
"John… Can you hear me?"
Oh thank god… "Yes, I can…"
"Well if you can hear this, then please listen…"
John swore… Alan couldn't hear him. His baby brother was out there alone…
"Who am I kidding… You're always listening…"
A smile… "Damn right I am kiddo…"
He could now see him. Floating alone, his back to him… He knew he could push the pod a little more, get a little closer, but it would be quicker from here in his suit… He exited the pod…
And Alan was talking again… About Kansas, and the two of them… "I'm doing it Johnny, I'm touching the stars…"
"No you can't…" His arms wrapped around him, grasping tight and refusing to let go until he had him in the pod… "Not without me!"
