Non-Participation II - Twenty Three.
It was with a real sense of sadness that Trixie got our things together for our trip back to Auckland, New Zealand, two days after my visit to Thunderbird Five.
I packed my bag, taking the most care with a postcard sized picture Virgil had painted for me. It was Earth from space. New Zealand was in the centre of the picture. I knew exactly where I was going to hang it in my home, a tangible reminder of the incredible events of the last few days.
Virgil came into my room. "All set?" he asked as he hefted my bag off my bed.
"I can carry that." I protested.
"I know you can." He replied.
"But Grandma would never let us live it down if we didn't make the effort." Scott spoke from where he was leaning against the doorway.
"Notice I'm the one carrying it while he looks on!" Virgil pretended to sound resigned to the injustices of life in the Tracy household. "Just par for the course. Leave me to do all the hard work, while he stands around and gives the orders..."
"Okay, okay!" Scott protested. "Give it here, I'll carry it."
"Nope I've got it now. You can go get Trixie's." There was a twinkle in Virgil's eye.
"John and Gordon have gone to help her, and I would have thought you'd want to bring out your latest masterpiece yourself." Scott said.
"I am." Virgil winked at me as Scott frowned uncomprehendingly. "But the portrait's wrapped up safe and secure. It'll be alright."
"And Alan's far enough away that he can't damage it." I joked as we exited the room.
We met Gordon, Trixie and John in the hallway. Gordon was carrying Trixie's bag and John had a large flat package.
"Did I hear Alan's name mentioned?" Gordon asked.
"Yes. Thought of your revenge yet?" I asked him.
He looked thoughtful. "I've got one or two ideas, but I haven't really had a chance to concentrate on it. But don't worry! By the time he comes home I'll have something really suitable planned."
"Why don't you just cut a hole in his ceiling?" I joked.
The thoughtful look increased. "Chris! You may have something there..."
"But I was only kidding!" I protested. Despite all that Alan had done to my home, I wouldn't wish that on him."
Gordon grinned. "So was I. Come on. I'm your pilot for the return trip."
"You poor thing!" John said to me. "You thought Alan's maintenance was bad, you want to see Gordon's flying skills."
"Yeah." Scott agreed. "For a pilot he makes a great aquanaut."
"Do you guys feel lucky?" Gordon asked. "I've got a few weeks before Alan gets back, that's plenty of time to get in a couple of dry runs of my master plan beforehand."
"Notice I didn't say anything about your flying abilities." Virgil said.
"Greaser." Said John.
"That's only because you didn't get the opportunity." Scott told him.
Virgil's grin told me that this was the truth.
"I'm going to miss all this." Trixie said. "You boys have made us feel so welcome, like we're part of the family. And here you are, being perfect gentlemen, carrying our things for us. And Scott is waiting to escort us to the plane... You'll take my arm won't you Scott." His brother's snickered as Trixie slid her arm through Scott's and batted her eyelashes at him. Scott looked less than comfortable.
"You could be onto a good thing there, Scott." Virgil teased. "I'm sure Trixie would love to take you home."
"Yeah. You'd take good care of him, wouldn't you Trixie." Gordon piped up.
"You'd have to watch him though," John added to Scott's discomfort. "He's not happy unless he's giving orders, you'll have to tell him who's boss."
Scott shot them a look that clearly said "Shut Up!"
Trixie giggled. "You boys are such teases. You've made my Scott quite uncomfortable." She patted his arm and then released it. "You are a dear to put up with me like this, Scott. Don't listen to them, I wouldn't take you away from your home. You're too valuable here. I'm just an old woman who likes a bit of fun."
Gordon groaned. "Darn. Another chance missed."
As we walked down the hallway I remembered something. "Say Virgil, did you manage to work out what was wrong with your winch thingy?"
"Software!" He said. "Brains had put in too many dots in the programme or something. He's fixed it now."
We'd arrived in the lounge. The rest of the household was already there. Jeff Tracy stood to say goodbye. "Thank you, both of you, for all you've done. You've certainly livened up the place."
"It's been fun." I said. "Well most of it."
Trixie agreed. "I know my Ryan would have been as proud to meet you all as I am proud to work for you. It's so wonderful to see that International Rescue is such a loving family group. In all the time I've been here I've never heard a raised voice or cross word."
There was an awkward silence. No one dared look at anyone else.
Jeff eventually cleared his throat. "Well, I know Brains is keen to get the final stage of the work on your homes complete, so you'd better get underway. Have a safe trip home."
"Thank you Jeff. I'm sure we'll be safe in Gordon's capable hands" I winked at the redheaded Tracy.
"Just watch out in case he forgets himself and thinks he's piloting Thunderbird Four." Scott said. "Remember Gordon, you want to stay above the waves, not below them."
Gordon resumed his 'thoughtful' look. "Brains will be thinking about his next gadget and won't be in a talkative mood on the way home. It'll be pretty boring so I'll have plenty of opportunity to get in some thinking myself. And some planning. I should have Alan's surprise all worked out by the time I get home... ready for a practise run." He grinned evilly at Scott.
"You've had it now Scott." John laughed.
Scott gave his own meaningful grin to Gordon in return. "And Alan will have advance warning of what's in store for him, if anything untoward should happen to any of us."
"Drat! Foiled again!" Gordon looked unconcerned "Come on you two. All aboard."
Gordon and Brains went on ahead to load our possessions into the plane. We bade our final farewells to the rest of the residents of Tracy Island and started moving towards the plane ourselves.
When we reached the edge of the runway we turned and waved back to those standing on the balcony.
"You know Chris." Trixie said. "I could get used to living here. A tropical paradise, all this luxury, such wonderful, caring people, all this space..." She looked at me and I detected that old impish twinkle in her faded blue eyes. "I wonder if Jeff's ever thought of marrying an older woman!"
"Trixie!!!!!!!!"
The end.
It was with a real sense of sadness that Trixie got our things together for our trip back to Auckland, New Zealand, two days after my visit to Thunderbird Five.
I packed my bag, taking the most care with a postcard sized picture Virgil had painted for me. It was Earth from space. New Zealand was in the centre of the picture. I knew exactly where I was going to hang it in my home, a tangible reminder of the incredible events of the last few days.
Virgil came into my room. "All set?" he asked as he hefted my bag off my bed.
"I can carry that." I protested.
"I know you can." He replied.
"But Grandma would never let us live it down if we didn't make the effort." Scott spoke from where he was leaning against the doorway.
"Notice I'm the one carrying it while he looks on!" Virgil pretended to sound resigned to the injustices of life in the Tracy household. "Just par for the course. Leave me to do all the hard work, while he stands around and gives the orders..."
"Okay, okay!" Scott protested. "Give it here, I'll carry it."
"Nope I've got it now. You can go get Trixie's." There was a twinkle in Virgil's eye.
"John and Gordon have gone to help her, and I would have thought you'd want to bring out your latest masterpiece yourself." Scott said.
"I am." Virgil winked at me as Scott frowned uncomprehendingly. "But the portrait's wrapped up safe and secure. It'll be alright."
"And Alan's far enough away that he can't damage it." I joked as we exited the room.
We met Gordon, Trixie and John in the hallway. Gordon was carrying Trixie's bag and John had a large flat package.
"Did I hear Alan's name mentioned?" Gordon asked.
"Yes. Thought of your revenge yet?" I asked him.
He looked thoughtful. "I've got one or two ideas, but I haven't really had a chance to concentrate on it. But don't worry! By the time he comes home I'll have something really suitable planned."
"Why don't you just cut a hole in his ceiling?" I joked.
The thoughtful look increased. "Chris! You may have something there..."
"But I was only kidding!" I protested. Despite all that Alan had done to my home, I wouldn't wish that on him."
Gordon grinned. "So was I. Come on. I'm your pilot for the return trip."
"You poor thing!" John said to me. "You thought Alan's maintenance was bad, you want to see Gordon's flying skills."
"Yeah." Scott agreed. "For a pilot he makes a great aquanaut."
"Do you guys feel lucky?" Gordon asked. "I've got a few weeks before Alan gets back, that's plenty of time to get in a couple of dry runs of my master plan beforehand."
"Notice I didn't say anything about your flying abilities." Virgil said.
"Greaser." Said John.
"That's only because you didn't get the opportunity." Scott told him.
Virgil's grin told me that this was the truth.
"I'm going to miss all this." Trixie said. "You boys have made us feel so welcome, like we're part of the family. And here you are, being perfect gentlemen, carrying our things for us. And Scott is waiting to escort us to the plane... You'll take my arm won't you Scott." His brother's snickered as Trixie slid her arm through Scott's and batted her eyelashes at him. Scott looked less than comfortable.
"You could be onto a good thing there, Scott." Virgil teased. "I'm sure Trixie would love to take you home."
"Yeah. You'd take good care of him, wouldn't you Trixie." Gordon piped up.
"You'd have to watch him though," John added to Scott's discomfort. "He's not happy unless he's giving orders, you'll have to tell him who's boss."
Scott shot them a look that clearly said "Shut Up!"
Trixie giggled. "You boys are such teases. You've made my Scott quite uncomfortable." She patted his arm and then released it. "You are a dear to put up with me like this, Scott. Don't listen to them, I wouldn't take you away from your home. You're too valuable here. I'm just an old woman who likes a bit of fun."
Gordon groaned. "Darn. Another chance missed."
As we walked down the hallway I remembered something. "Say Virgil, did you manage to work out what was wrong with your winch thingy?"
"Software!" He said. "Brains had put in too many dots in the programme or something. He's fixed it now."
We'd arrived in the lounge. The rest of the household was already there. Jeff Tracy stood to say goodbye. "Thank you, both of you, for all you've done. You've certainly livened up the place."
"It's been fun." I said. "Well most of it."
Trixie agreed. "I know my Ryan would have been as proud to meet you all as I am proud to work for you. It's so wonderful to see that International Rescue is such a loving family group. In all the time I've been here I've never heard a raised voice or cross word."
There was an awkward silence. No one dared look at anyone else.
Jeff eventually cleared his throat. "Well, I know Brains is keen to get the final stage of the work on your homes complete, so you'd better get underway. Have a safe trip home."
"Thank you Jeff. I'm sure we'll be safe in Gordon's capable hands" I winked at the redheaded Tracy.
"Just watch out in case he forgets himself and thinks he's piloting Thunderbird Four." Scott said. "Remember Gordon, you want to stay above the waves, not below them."
Gordon resumed his 'thoughtful' look. "Brains will be thinking about his next gadget and won't be in a talkative mood on the way home. It'll be pretty boring so I'll have plenty of opportunity to get in some thinking myself. And some planning. I should have Alan's surprise all worked out by the time I get home... ready for a practise run." He grinned evilly at Scott.
"You've had it now Scott." John laughed.
Scott gave his own meaningful grin to Gordon in return. "And Alan will have advance warning of what's in store for him, if anything untoward should happen to any of us."
"Drat! Foiled again!" Gordon looked unconcerned "Come on you two. All aboard."
Gordon and Brains went on ahead to load our possessions into the plane. We bade our final farewells to the rest of the residents of Tracy Island and started moving towards the plane ourselves.
When we reached the edge of the runway we turned and waved back to those standing on the balcony.
"You know Chris." Trixie said. "I could get used to living here. A tropical paradise, all this luxury, such wonderful, caring people, all this space..." She looked at me and I detected that old impish twinkle in her faded blue eyes. "I wonder if Jeff's ever thought of marrying an older woman!"
"Trixie!!!!!!!!"
The end.
