Thunderbirds Blast Off

By Lee Homer

Disclaimer: The second collection of short adventures inspired by the comic strips. It's a fan adaptation only. All rights reserved. I don't own Thunderbirds.

Rally Round

Alan stifled a yawn when he set Thunderbird 3 gently through the roundhouse and into her silo. During his flight back from Thunderbird 5, he focused his thoughts on the upcoming rally which he had signed up to weeks ago. He hadn't raced since his incident at the Parola Sands and felt that he was ready to return to the circuit. After he perfected his landing, Alan returned to the lounge where his father presented him with a letter. He opened it with a smile as he read the letter aloud.

"Dear Mister Tracy. We've accepted your application to participate in the 58th World Rally Federation's charity run. We invite you to join us in a few weeks for your time trial lap. Please see the transportation and location details provided. We look forward to seeing you."

Jeff smiled as he swilled his drink. "Congratulations, Son. You should go."

"Gee, are you sure, Dad?" Alan replied. "I mean, it would be nice to race again. I could fly out there in under a week and be back in time for Grandma's birthday dinner."

"Well, it has been quiet around here lately and you've been working extra hard since Thunderbird 5's incident in space. I'll organise a flight for you. Virgil's got nothing better to do."

A few days later after a magical introduction, Alan cruised the race track which took on sharp bends and sheer drops with each turn. It was built just a few miles away from the Parola Sands track, bringing with it the all too familiar conditions. Alan worried about the horrific memories of what happened to him and Grandma, but he was determined to forget it. His time trial laps impressed the Rally Federation's esteemed members. His turbo car, which had its engine built by Brains, streaked past them like a red blur.

"It looks like Alan Tracy is about to set the new fastest time trial record!" exclaimed one member.

"I know, he's a sensation!" agreed another. "I imagine he'll have a hell of a reception at the hotel tonight."

At the Driver's hotel later that night, Alan celebrated his introductory lap over pizza and drinks with his fellow drivers. They were his friends, who had had the pleasure of racing with him throughout the years. Alan always made time to see them as he rarely had the time. International Rescue was his life, only he couldn't tell them that. One of his friends, Jason looked at him with an inquisitive look.

"It's been a long time since you've driven, Alan," he said. "After what happened with Gomez and Gillespie, we thought we'd never see you again."

Tasha, another driver, leant up the side of a chair.

"Yeah, what do you do in your spare time?" she added. "The Rally Federation could use a driver like you."

Alan shrugged as he rehearsed his answer over in his mind. "Oh, you know how it is? I work with my family most of the time."

While the drivers were relaxing, a long, purple supertanker crawled along the race track under the setting sun. It was delivering high-performance fuel for the next day's race. It was a fairly routine and uninteresting job, but it paid well. Unfortunately for the two men who occupied the vehicle, they were for a danger neither of them could anticipate. Their wheel struck an oil slick that had been spilt over the mountain road during the time trials. The large tanker screeched as a cacophony of loud sounds shook the men inside. The driver wrestled with the vehicle, attempting to break, but instead lost all control. The tanker crashed through the road's safety barriers, teetering over the edge of the cliff. The two men trembled as they stared down at a jagged drop that threatened them with death. They couldn't move for one slight jerk would send them over. Suddenly, the driver slid his hand across the dashboard, clasping the radio. He could feel the tanker sway as he did.

"This is Tanker 8 calling control. We need help, urgently!"

The news soon reached the hotel when Alan's mind snapped into work. He dashed for the exit and leapt into his car. The light quickly faded when he took the mountain road towards the supertanker's last known position. With the aid of his powerful headlights, he saw it. He pulled over towards the side of the road and gazed up at the tanker which hung precariously over the cliff above him. Loose rock and stone rumbled down the Cliffside, accumulating piles of dirt and dust beside the road. Alan looked around to make sure that he hadn't been followed. He raised his wristwatch to his lips and spoke into the hidden transmitter concealed inside.

"Alan Tracy calling International Rescue. I've got a situation here," he said calmly.

Jeff's face appeared on the small circular screen. Calmly, Alan explained the situation. He could hear the metal bulk of the tanker groan above him as the fuel sloshed around like a tidal wave. Jeff nodded once he completed his report.

"Okay, Alan. Scott, Virgil and Gordon are on their way," Jeff said in a stern tone. "You'll have to sit this one out, I'm afraid. Stay where you are so Scott can home in on your position."

"FAB, Dad," Alan sighed. "Gee. I wish I could help those guys up there…somehow."

An hour passed by since his call for help. Alan sat there on the hood of his car, eagerly awaiting the arrival of his brothers. He could hear the ledge continue buckle underneath the tanker's weight as it continued to lurch forward. He could hear the driver scream out of the cabin window and although his calls for help weren't ignored, Alan could do nothing. It wasn't the first time he had felt helpless in a crisis though. Suddenly, as his mind began to wander, a sharp call diverted his attention towards the car's radio.

"Thunderbird 1 calling, Alan. Do you read me!?"

Alan smiled, relieved to hear Scott's voice calling out to him. "Go ahead, Scott. I read you!"

"I'll be approaching your position in a few minutes, Alan," Scott replied. "Listen out for my engines. Tell me, has the truck lurched any further?"

"Yes, Scott. She looks like she could go over any minute now. I should have gotten clear, but I couldn't do that."

"FAB. You did the right thing, Alan. I'm approaching you now."

As Scott broke transmission, Alan could hear a tumultuous ringing sound that reverberated off the surrounding hills. He looked up to see Thunderbird 1 pass overhead. She came to a hover over the tanker for a moment so Scott could assess the situation. Then after a few minutes of deafening noise, she slowly angled downwards towards the ground. Scott's task was to prevent the tanker from slipping further. To do this, he utilized a trick he once used during the rescue of a demolition tractor. Despite the change of location, the scenario was all too similar. He positioned Thunderbird 1 underneath the tanker and propped it up with her nose cone. Using the right amount of thrust from his vertical jet, he kept it here.

"Thunderbird 1 to Thunderbird 2. The tanker is secure for now," he said over the radio. "You can come in."

Alan watched on as Thunderbird 2 passed over her sister craft. Her thunderous motors shook the ground below as Virgil scouted the area for a place to land. They touched down a few yards up the road from where Alan had parked, raising skywards on her four hydraulic legs. The Pod flap door lowered and a six-wheeled, red pumping vehicle crawled down the ramp. It was a red and silver cylinder that had been built on top of a metal flatbed. A thick nozzle dangled from the front of it with Virgil and Gordon standing at either end of it. Virgil steered the large contraption along the road, dwarfing Alan and his car as it passed by. Virgil then steered it towards a small incline, carrying it up the rocky mound towards the higher road. As its six wheels churned up the loose ground below, Virgil and Gordon crawled along the top road towards the rear of the tanker.

"We made it, Virgil!" Gordon huffed as Virgil pulled up behind the vehicle. "I thought we weren't going to make it up that incline!"

"Yeah," Virgil replied. "You'd better hook up the nozzle to the tanker, Gordon. I'll activate the fuel pump."

Gordon cautiously climbed onto the rear footplate of the tanker. He took the large nozzle and attached it to the hose of the tanker. Before he could jump clear though, he fastened a jet pack to his back. He looked back at his brother, giving him the thumbs up to start the pumps.

"Okay, Virgil, begin pumping!" he said. "We've got to empty the tanker before it goes over. I'm going across the extract those guys from the cabin."

"FAB, Gordon. Take it easy!" replied Virgil.

Gordon's other task was to evacuate the two men from the tanker's cabin. To achieve this, he jumped down from the tanker, switched on the jet pack and performed a running jump off the cliff. As his feet left the ground, his jet pack hissed to life. The powerful thrust ferried him through the air towards the suspended cabin. He greeted the driver with an assuring smile as he reached for the door. The nervous driver regarded Gordon in disbelief. As he opened the door, Gordon reached his arm out, becking the driver to hold onto it.

"You...you're from International Rescue, aren't you?" the driver stammered. "I don't believe it!"

"Believe it, Pal!" Gordon smiled as he pulled the driver out of the cabin and held him close. "Hold on. I'll come back for your buddy in a minute!"

With the aid of his jetpack, Gordon carried the driver towards safety. He dropped him off on the side of the ledge while Virgil continued to empty the tanks. Visibly shaken, the driver watched in awe as Gordon glided back out towards the cabin. The tanker lurched forward again, impacting the hull of Thunderbird 1 below. Scott adjusted the power of his craft, as his engines strained from the heavy vehicle. He realised that he couldn't hold her for much longer. Not without damaging Thunderbird 1 in the process. As the rocks shifted and tumbled down beneath them, Gordon approached the petrified passenger. He swung about, approaching the passenger side door and pulled it open. He looked upon the terrified man and reached in to grab him.

"Take my hand! Hurry!" he said. "It'll be alright, bud. Trust me!"

The man screamed as he leapt towards Gordon and yanked his arm. Gordon caught him and together, they glided back towards the ledge. Minutes ticked by when Virgil's completed his task. He had managed to unload all of the tanker's fuel and retracted the nozzle using the machine's remote switch. The nozzle detached itself from the hose seal and folded back into its idol position. Gordon and the two men hopped aboard the vehicle as Virgil threw its motors into reverse. At the same time, Scott moved away from his support position, steering Thunderbird 1 clear. Empty and unbalanced, the tanker dipped forward and tumbled down the cliff towards the street below. Alan gulped as he threw his car in reverse to avoid the impact. He managed to escape a large mound of metal and rock which blocked the road ahead of him. His eyes widened at the devastation which now lay before him. It would take days for the authorities to clear the road, but fortunately, it didn't affect the race track. Content with that fact, he drove back towards the hotel. As he left the mountain road, he could hear his brother converse over the radio.

"Well done boys. We made it just in time," said Scott. "I'll see you back at base."

"FAB, Scott," replied Virgil. "We'll head back after I've delivered this fuel to the garage. Alan can't win the race without it."

Alan smiled to himself when the lights of the town appeared in the distance. He had a race to win.

Thanks to the help of International Rescue, each of the rally participants managed to fuel their cars. Alan completed the course in a blinding flash, smashing the records of previous champions. He won the race fair and square without obstruction or delay. He returned to Tracy Island a victorious man, clutching his silver trophy with pride. The family celebrated with him once he got home. As Alan placed his trophy on the shelf next to his other ones, he regarded his family with an affectionate smile.

"You know something, watching you all save those guys from that tanker made me realise just how amazing we...how amazing you all are. I'm proud to be a part of International Rescue and after what you all did today, I think you all deserve this trophy as much me."

Everyone smiled at him as the family attended Grandma's birthday dinner. Another day ended with joyous applause.

END