For Katblu42.
Eastertag gift based on the following prompts:
1) Lee Taylor
2) Rising like a Phoenix
3) Bird with a broken wing - preferably one of the Thunderbirds
'Uncle Lee, Uncle Lee!' the twins shouted, rushing up to him and throwing themselves around his legs. He bent and scooped them up as their parents followed them at a more sedate pace, bemused smiles on their faces.
'Tina, Vincent,' Lee said, inclining his head to them as they all made their way back into the house, and the grins broadened. Some things would never change. As Lee sat down, one child on each knee, Kayo disappeared to get supper ready while Virgil entertained their guest.
Or rather, while their guest entertained them.
Lucy Ruth and Grant Jefferson Tracy loved their Uncle Lee. Even if he couldn't get their names, or their parents' names right, he told the best stories. They didn't get to see him as often as they would like, but every time he visited the island he made sure to spend some time with them.
Virgil came over and held his arms out for one of his children. 'Come on, bed time,' he said, taking Grant as Lee stood up with Lucy. This was often the highlight of his visit, and Lee wouldn't swap this opportunity for anything.
Putting the youngsters to bed, Virgil and Lee exchanged glances, waiting for the inevitable request, and Grant didn't fail to deliver. 'Story, Uncle Lee! Story!' he clamoured, his sister joining in. Lee grinned. 'Which one do you want to hear?' The children shared a glance, then squealed together: 'The phoenix! Tell us about the phoenix!'
Lee chuckled. He'd lost count of how often they requested this one and he sat in the chair between the two beds while Virgil disappeared to assist his wife in the kitchen, safe in the knowledge that his two would be well looked after.
'Well, Lana and Gerry, have you ever seen a phoenix?' he started, and as usual both children nodded and pointed at him. He rolled his right sleeve up to reveal the faded tattoo. The phoenix, rising from the flames and ashes, screaming defiance to the sky. 'That's right. I got this after a particularly difficult rescue…
'Damn it, Lee, that was too close!' Jeff yelled, pulling Thunderbird Two up and away sharply. The corresponding swearing told him that Lee was alright, if a bit shaken. The voice of his eldest came over the comms: 'careful, Uncle Lee. We don't want those roughneckers thinking you're one of them rather than one of us rescuers!' Jeff chuckled as Lee retorted rather sharply, 'careful yourself, Spencer, we wouldn't want you to…' whatever he was saying was cut off by another explosion on the rig.
Ribbing would have to wait, and both Lee and Virgil got the rescue platform ready for its' last run, while Jeff used Two and Scott used One to stabilise the platform enough to get the last lot of workers off. John confirmed from Five that all emergency protocols had been initiated, and that capping the well now only required the special missile Brains had put together.
Scott fired the missile once the rescue platform was safely away in Two, and both 'birds headed back to the mainland. Two dropped off the workers at the hospital and they headed back home, Virgil flying and his dad co-piloting him.
Not long after the four men could be found relaxing by the pool. International Rescue was still very new, that rescue had counted as their last single digit. Nine rescues in eight weeks. Sure they had started slowly, but as news spread about the organisation rescues were picking up. With all three of his eldest on board since the start, having had some background training in their respective fields beforehand, Virgil was now starting to go out and put his engineering skills to use. Jeff had made it very clear to his son that Two was his, but he needed some more training on the rescuing side before his dad would hand over control completely.
That was why Lee was here. Jeff and Scott may be pilots, but Lee was the engineer, as was Virgil, and Jeff had thought that his old friend and fellow astronaut would be ideal to help Virgil learn how to assess and react on the fly, as it were. Scott was an excellent commander, and could make snap decisions that were 99.9% right, but he wasn't an engineer, and some of the decisions involving structural integrity and stability Virgil already knew how to call. It was what would make Scott and Virgil such a brilliant team – their respective skills complemented each other perfectly, they just needed honing.
Lee spent the next couple of days going over simulations with both boys, drills being run again and again until the two worked as one and they 'won' every time. They were fast studies, and Lee was more than happy at the way 'Vincent' picked up making decisions quickly, and his confidence at telling 'Spencer' when he was wrong or needed to take account of a variable.
He was preparing to return to Alpha Moon Base in two days. They spent his penultimate night with a barbeque, retelling how their dad and Lee had made the Mars landing, how Lee had needed to engineer a solution within seconds while Jeff was fighting to pilot the craft, how they barely made it. Sure, with every telling Lee embellished some part or other, but the overall story was not lost on Scott and Virgil. Always be aware of what you can use around you, think on your feet, Never Give Up.
The next morning all four were torn from their sleep by the emergency klaxon. 2:30 am was not a time any of them were used to getting up, but the ability to jump out of bed, dress and present oneself to the lounge for briefing Virgil was gradually getting used to. Scott never had a problem with this, his military training more than enough to prepare for this. John also didn't have an issue with his NASA background.
It was, so far, their third early morning call. Getting into the lounge last was not unusual, but at least he was awake. Scott passed him a coffee that he seemed to magic from nowhere, and he gratefully sipped the scalding drink while John filled them all in.
A mine collapse in England with several workers trapped. However, the good news was that they had had notice, so the majority of workers had been able to get away. Scott was dispatched immediately, while Brains, Lee and Virgil poured over the plans of the mine and surrounding areas, checking geology and if there was going to be any surprises. The only thing they worried about was that there were several ventilation shafts dug out over the larger area, which was a forest, and the possibility of an explosion of the gases that naturally built up was quite high. With that knowledge in mind, Two set off with the Mole, Jeff piloting and Virgil co-piloting.
It took Scott no time at all to reach the mine, and his report confirmed everything that they had already known and prepared for. As he set about organising what he could on the ground, Virgil and Lee went over the geology again, mulling over potential issues and discussing contingency measures. Jeff listened in, his confidence and pride in how quickly his son had assimilated to his role growing.
Lee and Virgil took the mole down, and it was a textbook rescue. Five miners, minor injuries only, it took around an hour to get them all loaded on the mole. The injured were loaded onto the waiting ambulances and International Rescue were thanked profusely. As they cleared away the equipment and loaded everything, Jeff looked at Lee and he nodded. It was time. As the four returned to the 'birds, Virgil was surprised when his dad walked past Two and carried on to One with Scott. Scott glanced back at his brother, grinning madly, and gave him a thumbs-up.
'Dad?' called Virgil after them, uncertain despite his brother's obvious glee. Jeff turned around and came over to his middle son, placing his hands on his son's shoulders. 'Virgil, you performed really well on this rescue, both Lee and Brains said you made the recommendations yourself, you decided where to drill, you looked out the potential danger sites. You've more than earnt the right to fly your 'bird home without your old man standing over your shoulder.' He thumbed over his shoulder to a waiting Scott, 'that's your brother's privilege today.' Scott mock-scowled, but he really couldn't keep the grin off his face, and neither could anyone else.
One shot off into the distance. Virgil knew his brother would be waiting for him, but for the moment One was out of sight, and Lee huffed something about 'show-off flyboys' and 'like father like son.' Virgil just grinned. They were all flyboys really, well, except possibly Gordon but even he could fly competently (not that their eldest brother would ever admit that), only Scott seemed to have inherited their father's love of speed so far. Alan may have, but he was too young to earn his wings yet.
Two rose more slowly – majestically was the phrase Virgil preferred, thank you very much – but she had her own turn of speed. The take-off may not be as impressive as her sister but compared to other aircraft his girl was fantastic. Using her VTOL's to gain enough lift to engage her main engine, both Virgil and Lee kept an eye on the forest around them so they didn't set fire to any trees. Trying to ensure he didn't, Virgil nudged Two forward as she rose.
They hadn't got far into the air when Lee suddenly shouted. But whatever he was shouting about was lost in the roar of an explosion that rocked Two violently, catching her back and left side, causing her to spin out of control.
Lee came too with several voices yelling for him and Vincent, er…Virgil. He wasn't sure what had happened, but at the moment his concentration was all on shutting the voices up to stop his head from hurting. Oh, yeah. He needed to open his eyes to do that, and boy was that a mistake. Bright light assaulted him, followed closely by the smell of burning…he knew that smell, it was familiar to him. The smell of burning electrics!
It was the jolt he needed to get himself moving. Unbuckling his belt, he quickly checked himself over, nope, no injuries other than the cracked head and possible whiplash. He wiped the blood off his forehead while he stood up.
Second big mistake. He immediately doubled over and vomited. Ok, make that cracked head, possible whiplash and a concussion. But there was something more important he needed to do. The shouting was still shrill in his head and ear, but he ignored it, hauling himself over to check on Vinc…Virgil. The young man was out cold, a similar gash to his head.
It was the fire all around them that worried him. There was an extinguisher – Brains ever the overcautious, but this was extensive and he knew he needed to get them both out of there quicker than treating the flames would allow for. But as he tried the upper exit the resultant failure to open was no surprise. They would need to get out of the cockpit and the side door.
One of the advantages of being 'space-trained', as Lee often termed it, was that it taught you to think on the fly and to use whatever was to hand. And what was on hand, just outside the cockpit, was a prototype suit Brains was in the middle of designing for Virgil, to assist with heavy lifting. At the moment the bare bones were there, and it would be the best thing to use. Even if opening the door was easy, they would be surrounded by debris.
Good job he was strong, Lee reflected, hoisting Jeff's middle boy into a fireman's carry. This boy was heavy! He staggered out of the cockpit and into the service way, stopping before the entrance to the pod. The exosuit was housed here, a small area set aside for her, and Lee was thankful that he and Vincent were the same height as he carefully laid the lad down and got into the suit.
As with everything Brains created, the suit adjusted to fit him, and Lee marvelled at the engineering behind it. With a whirl of gears and pistons lee was moving, Vinny over his shoulder, over to the doorway. Thankfully this one slid open easily, Cahelium being so very tough, but outside the 'bird the forest was ablaze.
No sooner had Two got caught up in the fireball, Five had notified One, and a horrified pair of rescuers turned around and raced back in time to see her crash. Training taking over familial responsibilities, they set about using One's cannon to blast the rapidly spreading fire. Jeff knew that One didn't carry enough to douse this and directed John to call the local fire services. Scott set One down some distance away, both men inwardly seething at the distance needed because of the fire.
Their priority was to get Lee and Virgil out, so donning their fireproof suits Jeff grabbed two spare oxygen tanks while Scott grabbed extra fire extinguishing tanks, and the two set off while John constantly called to the downed men.
As Jeff and Scott burst through the forest they were met by an astonishing sight. Lee Taylor, resplendent in the exosuit prototype, Virgil over his shoulder, both bathed in the flames around them. The exosuit, still unpainted in this testing phase, shone reds and yellows. They appeared almost in slow motion.
Later, later Scott would mention how like the phoenix Lee looked appearing so suddenly. But right now, all their attention was focused on rescuing Lee and Virgil and putting out the fire.
…and once your Uncle Scott mentioned the Phoenix, that was it. Of course, that was the seed sown, but I didn't get the tattoo straight away. Returning to Alphie was next on the cards, and it wasn't until several years later, when your Grandpa Jeff was missing. When your Uncles Spencer and Alvin came to rescue me and Alphie was destroyed I felt that my life as an astronaut was over. Then Spencer gave me another chance when we went to Mars.
When Tina, your mom, came and found me I felt that I was given a second chance at life at my age, and I remembered Spencer remarking about the phoenix and I thought "that's me, that's my life." Your uncles gave me my life back, a second life just like the phoenix. Then they went and rescued your Grandpa, and my third life began, teaching the next generation of Mars settlers.'
By the time Lee had finished both children were asleep, and Virgil and Kayo were wrapped around each other in the doorway. Hearing how their weird Uncle Lee saved their dad's life never failed to fascinate the pair, and they loved the tattoo. Virgil had been honoured when he'd been asked to design it.
The three adults retired to the living room to reminisce.