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.
Download Danger.
A deathly stillness lingered amongst the high slopes of the Rocky Mountains. It was an area that was largely uninhabitable except for a scattering of small relay stations that were designed to guide aircraft through the region as well as monitor the weather. On a particularly dismal day as dark grey clouds formed over the peaks, an automated distress call cut through the silent stillness. It was coming from one of the many relay stations situated there. The message played out repeatedly for several minutes as it was picked up in space over the sensitive monitors aboard Thunderbird 5. The call broke the dull monotony of John's day as he turned his ears to the channel.
"This is global relay station three calling anyone who can hear us! A landslide has cut off our only way out of the mountains. We're trapped and we're running out of water. We need help urgently! Repeat...we need help urgently!"
As he did, John reported the message to Tracy Island, playing the distress through his internal radio.
"The signal was too faint for anyone else to pick up. I only just managed to hear it myself," he concluded. "I managed to get a fix on the location. It came from the Rocky Mountains."
Jeff Tracy paused in thought as Scott and Virgil entered the lounge. He could see that they were raring to get out there and investigate. Their faces emitted energy that Jeff longed to have again. He turned to Brains who sat in the corner of the room, studying a technical manual. Jeff smiled at the scientist.
"Alright, away you go, Scott. You better head out there and investigate. Virgil, take Brains with you. You'll need The Excavator."
Brains looked up at them and set his manual down. "O-Okay Mister Tracy. I'm on my way."
As the boys prepared to launch, the pair of them shared the same mindset that this would be a simple drilling mission. Scott prepared Thunderbird 1 for launch while Virgil loaded Pod 6. Brains eventually joined him as he stepped out of the passenger lift and together, they taxied out of the cliff-side hanger in Thunderbird 2. The sun reflected off her shiny green hull as the transporter crawled towards her launch gantry. The pair of them smiled as Thunderbird 1 climbed skywards on a cloud of white smoke and flame. A few seconds later and they would be joining him. Jeff watched from the balcony as the two Thunderbirds disappeared over the horizon, both of them silhouetted against the sun. The automated message continued to play on the receiver behind him. He stepped towards the console on his desk and switched off the radio. At least now, he could think.
Scott was the first to arrive at the danger zone as he surveyed the rugged terrain for a suitable landing site. The untouched ground puzzled him as he couldn't find any evidence of a mine entrance. He double-checked with John about the coordinates that he was given only to find that they were exact. Yet all he could see was an area of undisturbed ground. A rusted Arial tower stuck out from one of the smaller mounds, indicating the presence of the supposed mine. Scott bit his lip as his mind got the better of him. His nagging suspicions told him that something was amiss, yet he chose to ignore it. He set Thunderbird 1 down on a small patch of ground that had been covered in thick underbrush. He disembarked the supersonic rocket plane only to hear nothing. This gaunt quiet left him ever the more curious. It didn't look like a dangerous area to him. He couldn't even find any signs of a mine entrance. All he could hear was the dull, low-frequency hum from the Arial tower which sat in the hills above him. Confused by this, he waited by his craft until his brother arrived.
Thunderbird 2 appeared overhead as her engines shook the Earth beneath. Virgil brought her around and with a heavy down thrust from her engines, landed her gently alongside her sister craft. It took moments for Virgil and Brains to adjust to the eerie calmness of their surroundings. He left Brains in Thunderbird 2 and joined Scott over at his craft. The three of them looked around to find that they were completely alone. Nothing moved in the hills. The sharp winds sent an unpleasant chill down their spines. Scott removed his hat and scratched the back of his head. His nagging suspicions itched the base of his skull.
"I don't get it!" he said with a hint of frustration. "There's nobody around and I can't find any sign of a rockfall anywhere!"
"This is the location though," Virgil replied, equally stumped. "Do you think John got it wrong?"
"I don't know, Virgil," Scott replied. "Something is wrong here. It feels as if we're being watched."
Little did Scott know that he was being watched by keen and sinister eyes. A figure hid amongst the rocks which concealed a cave-dwelling. He wore a thick coat with fur lining and gazed upon the incredible machines through a pair of high powered binoculars. A sickly grin formed across his face as he relished in his evil scheme. It was the Hood, sworn enemy of International Rescue. Ever since the organisation began, he had stopped at nothing to obtain the secrets of the Thunderbird machines. His schemes varied from secret photographs to industrial espionage, all of which ended in humiliation and failure. Still, despite the multiple attempts that almost cost him his life, the Hood remained determined as ever, driven by his greed and lust for wealth.
"Excellent! My plan is working as I hoped!" he snarled as he turned to walk into the cave. "Soon, the secrets of International Rescue will be mine and they won't even know it."
As he entered the cave-dwelling, the Hood stepped onto a hollow metal platform that tripped a sensor. A series of floodlights flicked on, revealing a large curved desk. On the desk was a mass of computer monitors stacked on top of each other. The Hood approached it and powered it up using a key code. Naturally, he had stolen the computer from an Army base a few weeks prior with the intent of hacking into International Rescue's security network.
"In just a few minutes, the info-syphon computer will transmit the data from their machines," he continued. "But that's not all it will do!"
While the Hood celebrated his victory prematurely, across in Thunderbird 2, Brains was distracted by the sharply pitched whine of the security alarm. He slumped forward to see the computer bank behave irresponsibly. He knew exactly what was going on and proceeded to warn Scott and Virgil.
"W-What's happening? The computer's gone haywire! He gasped. "Oh no! Somebody's hacked i-into the computer! Somebody's downloading all of our secrets!"
Scott and Virgil exchanged panicked glances.
"It's a trap!" Scott yelled. "We've got to get out of here, Virgil!"
"FAB, Scott!" Virgil replied. "We've got to get airborne quickly before they download everything we have!"
However, the Info-Syphon had a secondary task. The Hood had Jerry-rigged it to the Arial Mast in the hills above, turning it into a giant energy weapon. The tower fired a huge electronic beam which drained the two Thunderbirds, immobilizing them. The unsuspecting Tracy boys couldn't prepare for the danger that awaited them. Scott climbed into his flight seat and attempted to take off, but no matter what he did, he could achieve lift-off. His systems weren't responding. He tried effortlessly to get his vertical jets to work, but to avail. His Thunderbird didn't make a sound.
"I don't understand it!" he growled. "I can't achieve lift-off. All systems are dead!"
Virgil and Brains faced the same difficulties as Thunderbird 2 remained solid as a rock. The silence in the cabin unnerved them.
"All systems are frozen, Brains!" Virgil huffed. "It's as if something has drained them. Just what the heck is going on here?"
Brains began to speculate on the events which unfolded around them. He found an explanation at the click of his fingers.
"Whoever lured us here with that f-false distress call would have disguised the equipment they're using to keep us here," he theorised. "I have a hunch that it has something to with that Arial tower up there."
Virgil looked back at him. "Could the relay tower be a fake?"
"Unlikely, but it could easily be m-modified for nefarious reasons," Brains replied. "Whatever is draining our power is also downloading our secrets. I've got to take a look at it and disable it before it downloads too much."
Virgil nodded as the scientist left his seat and headed for the door. As he left Thunderbird 2, The Hood salivated at his victory. His download reached the 70% mark. He couldn't wait to examine and study his digital plunder which he was keen to sell to the highest bidder. It was almost his. He was adamant that he had bested them this time.
"It's almost mine!" he seethed. "By the end of the day, I will have exposed International Rescue to the world! And I'll be the wealthiest man alive!"
What the Hood didn't know was that he was about to be robbed of his victory yet again. Across the rugged terrain, Brains clambered up the uneven trail towards the rusted Arial tower. His heart thumped from the adrenaline that coursed through his veins. The gravelled earth crumbled with each step as he desperately climbed the hill towards the top. His clothes were soaked in sweat, his thick blue spectacles had steamed up from the perspiration. He had to move fast before the download was completed. Without a toolbox and a plan in mind, he approached the tower and searched about for its junction box. He found the small red box and opened it, revealing a complex network of circuitry inside.
"Uh-Oh," he uttered. "The circuits are too complex for me to reverse the data flow. There's only one thing I can do. Increase the flow of i-information!"
Ripping the data chip from his cowl, Brains tweaked the small red control dials on the small intricate device. The data feed increased until blue sparks engulfed the junction box. The increased power sent a surge which smacked The Hood's Info-Syphon hard. The huge input of energy fried its systems and shorted out its circuits. Suddenly, The Hood dived for cover as the monitors exploded like fireworks one by one. He cursed heavily as shards of glass and fizzing wires peppered the floor around him.
"Curses! The computer took on far too much data at once!" he snarled. "International Rescue must have figured out! They have bested me again!"
Suddenly, the Hood picked himself up off the ground and bolted out of the cave. Fire swept through the artificial cavern, revealing its location with a plume of black smoke. Brains stared up at the warm orange glow and smiled.
"It looks like someone has come down with a case of info-indigestion." He laughed.
Humour wasn't his strong suit, but he was proud of his little pun. Suddenly, Thunderbirds 1 and 2 hummed into life as their systems flicked on again. The ambient mechanical noises sound again as their motors whirred to life. Brains returned to Thunderbird 2 as he watched Thunderbird 1 take off for home. The Hood staggered from the debris of his lair and screamed as the Thunderbird machines flew overhead. He balled his fists, shouting a hundred curses at them.
"Gone! Lost! Every secret I desired has gone!" he cried. "But it isn't over. It'll never be over! International Rescue hasn't seen the last of me!"
Jeff Tracy was intrigued by Scott and Virgil's story as they simultaneously filled him in via their portrait monitors. It wasn't the first time they had dealt with the Hood, but frustratingly, they were no near closer to catching him as he was to obtain their secrets. Jeff propped himself up against the couch and rubbed the back of his head. The video screens began to flicker and hiss, distorting the faces of his sons.
"So it turned out to be a trap after all," said Scott, "We think it's the same guy who's been after our secrets ever since we went into business."
"It's funny. You'd think he'd quit by now." Virgil added. "I guess some people are so desperate to learn of our secrets that they will stop at nothing to get them."
"I'm just glad you boys are safe," he said. "You know something, the picture quality on these viewers has gotten terrible of late. Think Brains could look into it when you get back?"
He then smiled at the sound of an audible sigh. Brains muttered to himself for a moment until he replied.
"I'll get to work on it, Mister Tracy. Here I go again, I guess."
END