Participation II - Nine.
4 = town
Both Trixie and I held our breaths as we watched the video image from the 'Firefly' move forwards, up and over the obstructing pipe.
"Made it!" Virgil sounded relieved. "Preparing to fire shell now."
The video image jolted about a bit as the 'Firefly' was manoeuvred to its optimum position. Ahead we could see a square concrete bunker, dripping with flame and some unknown chemical. Around it twisted pieces of metal glowed white hot. If there was an entrance way within our viewing circle, it was hidden behind clouds of smoke and falling ash.
We were unprepared for the explosion. The video image recoiled from the force of the blast. After several minutes the smoke and ash cleared enough so that we could see the bunker.
We could now see the blackened framework of what had once been a door.
"How's it look Virgil?" Scott asked.
"I think the bunker's still intact. Better send in the 'L.C.V.' now."
"F.A.B."
"And Scott."
"Yeah."
"I don't think I'd better chance driving over my little modification again until we've cleared everyone out. I'll stay here and keep the fire away from the door and the 'L.C.V.'. Can you take care of the 'Firebus'?"
"Okay Virg. John's on his way now. I'll get the 'Firebus' in position. Mobile Control to 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' "
"Go ahead Scott" John said.
"Did you hear the change of plan?"
"Yep. Sounds like a good idea."
"Give me a yell as soon as you want me to move in. Mobile Control to Thunderbird Five"
"Thunderbird Five." Alan acknowledged.
"I'm leaving you in charge. I'm going to have to take control of the 'Firebus'."
"Okay Scott. Anything I should know about."
"No. So far everything seems to be relatively under control. Oh, you might want to keep an eye on our two passengers though..."
"Right." Alan had no sooner finished speaking when Scott had leapt of the back of the truck and, dodging John in the 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' ran over to where the 'Firebus' was sitting unattended.
"Thunderbird Five to Thunderbird Two. How's it going?"
"Hi Alan. We're just fine." I said.
"I thought you might be a bit bored." He said.
"No, not yet." Trixie told him.
"You may be. That's one of the problems with these rescues, if you're not directly involved. They can take a long time while we seem to be getting nowhere."
"Any word on those trapped?" I asked.
"No. We've got no communication with them unfortunately. Just another system the owners saw fit to shut down."
"Well I hope they can live with themselves after this." I said bitterly.
"How come the people of 4 allowed this place to be built?" Alan asked us.
"We didn't." I told him. "It seemed to be a fait accompli before anyone knew anything about it."
"There were plenty of protests." Trixie remembered. "But we were all told that all the conditions had been met and that permission had been given, and that nothing could be done."
"So the people of 4 have had to put up with this eyesore for the last three years." I added.
"I'll bet heads will roll after this." Alan commented.
"Just as long as it's the right ones." I said.
The video image that was connected to the 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' moved forward. From our vantage point, up in Thunderbird Two, we watched as the L.C.V. turned into the hole in the wall previously made by the 'Firefly'.
The L.C.V.'s video image was a lot jumpier as it made its way over debris that the heavier 'Firefly' had negotiated with ease. It reached the debris 'bridge' and gingerly made it's way up and over. The 'Firefly' came briefly into view. Virgil had reversed it and from a hose arrangement on the back water was spraying over the bunkers door, keeping the flames at bay.
John stopped so that the L.C.V.'s probe was pointing at the door. We heard a hum as a secondary motor started up. A bright light came shooting out of the end of the probe, striking the door. Sparks flew and the probe started moving upwards, cutting an exit for those that we hoped were still alive inside.
It was an extremely efficient machine and the time passed surprisingly quickly. It seemed to us that it only took the length of time for the 'Firebus' to negotiate its way to the bunker, for the 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' to complete its task.
John moved back, not trusting the 'bridge' to hold the weight of his vehicle.
The 'Firebus' moved in. From its camera we could see it pull at the door that John had just cut. The slab of steel came free and was moved to one side. The buses entrance was positioned at the front of the vehicle, which meant that Scott only had to nose into the wall of the bunker.
We watched from his helmet cam as he hopped out of the 'Firebus' and ran inside the bunker.
Ten people were scattered about the room. Ten heads were raised in amazement as they realised that their ordeal was about to end.
"International Rescue." Scott greeted the first person he reached. "Is anyone hurt?"
"International Rescue?" the rescuee appeared stunned. "Hurt? Uh, no."
"Great. Let's get everyone on board." Scott started ushering the bewildered people into the 'Firebus'. Then he checked that the room was cleared. Satisfied he climbed back into the 'Firebus' closing the door behind him. This time he took a seat at the opposite end, where a matching set of controls were situated. The ''Firebus'' motor started up.
"John, you'd better go first." Scott started issuing orders. "You're lighter and less fire resistant than we are."
"F.A.B." John replied and from the 'Firebus's' video camera we saw the L.C.V. trundle up and over the dangerous pipeline.
"Okay Virgil. I'll go next and you can follow up." Scott instructed.
"F.A.B."
It wasn't long afterwards that we saw the 'Firebus' emerge from the complex. Scott drove it over to an awaiting ambulance and started assisting his human cargo from the International Rescue machine into the more conventional vehicle. John parked the 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' beside and jumped down to assist his colleague.
I hadn't realised that anything had gone wrong until we heard Virgil yelling. The weight of the 'Firefly' had proved to be too much for the flimsy bridge he'd built earlier. Helplessly Trixie and I watched as the 'Firefly's' video image tilted alarmingly to the right. We knew that the pipeline must have been fractured. We heard Virgil gun the machine's motor to try to get away from the impending danger. We saw a fireball explode up into the sky.
The video link to the 'Firefly' went black.
"Virgil!" Trixie said softly, concern clear in her voice.
4 = town
Both Trixie and I held our breaths as we watched the video image from the 'Firefly' move forwards, up and over the obstructing pipe.
"Made it!" Virgil sounded relieved. "Preparing to fire shell now."
The video image jolted about a bit as the 'Firefly' was manoeuvred to its optimum position. Ahead we could see a square concrete bunker, dripping with flame and some unknown chemical. Around it twisted pieces of metal glowed white hot. If there was an entrance way within our viewing circle, it was hidden behind clouds of smoke and falling ash.
We were unprepared for the explosion. The video image recoiled from the force of the blast. After several minutes the smoke and ash cleared enough so that we could see the bunker.
We could now see the blackened framework of what had once been a door.
"How's it look Virgil?" Scott asked.
"I think the bunker's still intact. Better send in the 'L.C.V.' now."
"F.A.B."
"And Scott."
"Yeah."
"I don't think I'd better chance driving over my little modification again until we've cleared everyone out. I'll stay here and keep the fire away from the door and the 'L.C.V.'. Can you take care of the 'Firebus'?"
"Okay Virg. John's on his way now. I'll get the 'Firebus' in position. Mobile Control to 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' "
"Go ahead Scott" John said.
"Did you hear the change of plan?"
"Yep. Sounds like a good idea."
"Give me a yell as soon as you want me to move in. Mobile Control to Thunderbird Five"
"Thunderbird Five." Alan acknowledged.
"I'm leaving you in charge. I'm going to have to take control of the 'Firebus'."
"Okay Scott. Anything I should know about."
"No. So far everything seems to be relatively under control. Oh, you might want to keep an eye on our two passengers though..."
"Right." Alan had no sooner finished speaking when Scott had leapt of the back of the truck and, dodging John in the 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' ran over to where the 'Firebus' was sitting unattended.
"Thunderbird Five to Thunderbird Two. How's it going?"
"Hi Alan. We're just fine." I said.
"I thought you might be a bit bored." He said.
"No, not yet." Trixie told him.
"You may be. That's one of the problems with these rescues, if you're not directly involved. They can take a long time while we seem to be getting nowhere."
"Any word on those trapped?" I asked.
"No. We've got no communication with them unfortunately. Just another system the owners saw fit to shut down."
"Well I hope they can live with themselves after this." I said bitterly.
"How come the people of 4 allowed this place to be built?" Alan asked us.
"We didn't." I told him. "It seemed to be a fait accompli before anyone knew anything about it."
"There were plenty of protests." Trixie remembered. "But we were all told that all the conditions had been met and that permission had been given, and that nothing could be done."
"So the people of 4 have had to put up with this eyesore for the last three years." I added.
"I'll bet heads will roll after this." Alan commented.
"Just as long as it's the right ones." I said.
The video image that was connected to the 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' moved forward. From our vantage point, up in Thunderbird Two, we watched as the L.C.V. turned into the hole in the wall previously made by the 'Firefly'.
The L.C.V.'s video image was a lot jumpier as it made its way over debris that the heavier 'Firefly' had negotiated with ease. It reached the debris 'bridge' and gingerly made it's way up and over. The 'Firefly' came briefly into view. Virgil had reversed it and from a hose arrangement on the back water was spraying over the bunkers door, keeping the flames at bay.
John stopped so that the L.C.V.'s probe was pointing at the door. We heard a hum as a secondary motor started up. A bright light came shooting out of the end of the probe, striking the door. Sparks flew and the probe started moving upwards, cutting an exit for those that we hoped were still alive inside.
It was an extremely efficient machine and the time passed surprisingly quickly. It seemed to us that it only took the length of time for the 'Firebus' to negotiate its way to the bunker, for the 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' to complete its task.
John moved back, not trusting the 'bridge' to hold the weight of his vehicle.
The 'Firebus' moved in. From its camera we could see it pull at the door that John had just cut. The slab of steel came free and was moved to one side. The buses entrance was positioned at the front of the vehicle, which meant that Scott only had to nose into the wall of the bunker.
We watched from his helmet cam as he hopped out of the 'Firebus' and ran inside the bunker.
Ten people were scattered about the room. Ten heads were raised in amazement as they realised that their ordeal was about to end.
"International Rescue." Scott greeted the first person he reached. "Is anyone hurt?"
"International Rescue?" the rescuee appeared stunned. "Hurt? Uh, no."
"Great. Let's get everyone on board." Scott started ushering the bewildered people into the 'Firebus'. Then he checked that the room was cleared. Satisfied he climbed back into the 'Firebus' closing the door behind him. This time he took a seat at the opposite end, where a matching set of controls were situated. The ''Firebus'' motor started up.
"John, you'd better go first." Scott started issuing orders. "You're lighter and less fire resistant than we are."
"F.A.B." John replied and from the 'Firebus's' video camera we saw the L.C.V. trundle up and over the dangerous pipeline.
"Okay Virgil. I'll go next and you can follow up." Scott instructed.
"F.A.B."
It wasn't long afterwards that we saw the 'Firebus' emerge from the complex. Scott drove it over to an awaiting ambulance and started assisting his human cargo from the International Rescue machine into the more conventional vehicle. John parked the 'Laser Cutter Vehicle' beside and jumped down to assist his colleague.
I hadn't realised that anything had gone wrong until we heard Virgil yelling. The weight of the 'Firefly' had proved to be too much for the flimsy bridge he'd built earlier. Helplessly Trixie and I watched as the 'Firefly's' video image tilted alarmingly to the right. We knew that the pipeline must have been fractured. We heard Virgil gun the machine's motor to try to get away from the impending danger. We saw a fireball explode up into the sky.
The video link to the 'Firefly' went black.
"Virgil!" Trixie said softly, concern clear in her voice.
