Gordon smirked as he put down his beer, and flicked back a strand of cloth from his mummy costume.

"So, this wasn't that long ago, and if I hadn't been careful, I wouldn't be here today."

Scott almost choked on his drink. "What!"

"Shh! As I was saying..."

"Thunderbird 4 to Thunderbird 2, I'm going down now. I'll be going EVA as soon as I've reached the reef."

"FAB," Virgil replied.

Gordon smirked as he took his sub further into the blue and gazed out at the fish swimming past his windows, "let's get started."

He suited up and swam out into the coral.

"Okay, let's see if this works." He floated above the reef and sprayed a powder onto a cluster of bleached fronds then pressed a device into the sponge, he felt a tug and rolled his eyes thinking it was seaweed. As he turned, his face paled seeing a long tentacle attached to his belt, he looked up to see that it went all the way to the surface. "Oh crap."

It was a Portuguese Man O'War Jellyfish, if his glove even touched it the sting would paralyse him eventually killing him.

"Okay, Gordon, now you're in a pickle."

"Gordon, I uh have just received your readings on the coral," Brains' voice rang through his communicator eagerly. "Good job."

Gordon nodded. "Yep, that's great Brains. Tell Virgil I'll be returning to Thunderbird 4 soon, and I'll go through the findings with you later."

"FAB."

Gordon breathed a sigh of relief as he was left alone again, "well it can't reel me in, maybe I can lose the belt." He looked down at the end of the tentacle and smiled, "I'll bring Thunderbird 4 to me, then I can escape."

He activated the autopilot and watched as the submarine got closer to him. He quickly unclipped the belt, and took a deep breath before removing both his harness and helmet, he pushed through the water to the airlock holding his breath, and soon found himself within the safety of Thunderbird 4. With a gasp, he rotated back into the cockpit and sat breathing in and out deeply watching as the tentacle began to reel in his toolbelt.

"That was way too close." He cleared his throat and opened a channel with Thunderbird 2, "hey Virg, I'm returning to the module. Get ready for retrieval."

"FAB, I'm ready and waiting. Good job, Gordon."

Gordon grabbed the mechanical arm remotes with a scowl after closing his communication channel, "hey Mr. Man O'War? That harness is mine, and not to mention expensive!" He piloted his submarine as close as he could to the long strands and the arms gently took the oxygen pack back out of the threads of venom. "Got it. Now to get out of here." He took Thunderbird 4 back up to the awaiting module and looked out on the surface of the water, "and there you are." The finned jellyfish bobbed along the water's surface and Gordon ran a hand through his wet hair, "it's not every day you face death head-on."

"Good work, Gordon. But why are you wet?" Virgil asked as his brother walked down to the front of the cockpit.

"I splashed my face on the way up to the cockpit. You know, to freshen up," he lied and sat down. "The less sweat the better."

"That's why you were wet? Gordon, what the hell!" Virgil thundered. "You made me believe that your mission was fine when in actuality you were playing prey to a jellyfish?"

"I WAS fine, and I got my harness back. There's no need to erupt like a volcano," he threw a piece of popcorn at him.

"A Man O'War Jellyfish Gordon? They're deadly!"

"Yeah, I did study marine biology and aquatics you know?" He replied sarcastically.

Scott's expression mirrored Virgil's, "how could you keep that to yourself?"

"Because if Virgil had come down to join me in the water, he would now be dead!" Gordon snapped back. "Anyway, it can't get scarier than that."

Alan hummed thoughtfully, "I might be able to top that."

"Oh yeah? How do you beat almost being killed by a venomous jellyfish?" Gordon retorted with a snort, ignoring his older brothers' scowls.

"The stuff I have seen in space is enough to scare anyone."

Kayo stood up. "I think I need a break before we continue."

Scott glared at Gordon, "this conversation isn't over, Gords."

"Scott, I didn't get hurt and neither did the jelly."

John shook his head reaching over to grab the bowl of crisps, "just let it go."

Virgil sighed knowing John didn't like confrontation, "he's right. Now promise us this isn't a story about getting into jeopardy, Alan?"

"No no, this is just a scary space tale," Alan grinned. "And don't hog the snacks guys."

Kayo returned and snuggled up against Scott's shoulder, he kissed the side of her head. "Go on Alan." She smirked.

"FAB," he got to his feet and leapt up onto the hardwood below the family portraits, his glow-in-the-dark skeleton costume shimmered in the lantern lights above him. "Is there life on Mars?"