Fifty Two - BF
Scott took stock of the situation and reminded himself of the whereabouts of the sensitive hover controls. He then managed to grab Alan about the chest and wrestle him out of the seat and onto the floor of Thunderbird One, and into the recovery position. During all this there was no improvement in Alan's condition. Scott found Thunderbird One's onboard first aid kit and retrieved the vital signs monitor and emergency blanket. Treading carefully so that he wouldn't kick his brother he worked his way back to where Alan lay and applied the VSM. A reassuring beep assured him that there was no further deterioration in Alan's condition. He covered his youngest brother in the blanket to keep him warm.
Time to get help. "Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Five."
"Thunderbird Five. What are you up to Scott? Did you push Alan out of the pilot's seat?"
"He's collapsed John. He's unconscious. Can you put me through to Father?"
"Sure." Quickly John completed the circuit.
Scott wasted no time in updating his father as to what had happened.
"You s-said he took a blow to the h-head earlier." His father's voice was replaced by Brains stutter.
"Yes. But that was at least an hour ago."
"C-Could be delayed c-concussion. He sh-should get prompt medical attention."
"That's kind of difficult at the moment, Brains" Scott reminded him. "I don't exactly qualify as a pilot now."
"Thunderbird Two should be getting close to your position." Jeff said. "See if they can effect an air-to-air transfer."
As if on cue Virgil's voice cut into the conversation. "Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One. Come in Alan!"
"Scott here Virg. We've got a problem. Alan's collapsed, possibly with delayed concussion. We've got to get him help. One of you two will have to come across and pilot Thunderbird One."
Gordon shook his head and pointed at a gauge on Thunderbird Two's control panel. "We can't do it. Look at the wind speed."
"Sorry Scott. An air to air transfer would be too dangerous at the moment." Virgil relayed back. "The wind speed's fluctuating between 35 and 45 knots."
"We've got to do something! Any suggestions?"
Virgil looked at Gordon. Gordon looked at Virgil.
"Anyone?" Scott asked. "We can't stay up here till the winds die down."
The silence was heavy on the airwaves.
Virgil bit his lip. "There is one possibility." He said hesitantly.
Scott smiled to himself. He knew Virgil wouldn't let him down. "Which is?"
"You fly her."
This time the silence was longer before being punctuated by Jeff. "Did I hear you correctly Virgil?"
"I said that Scott could fly Thunderbird One."
Scott swallowed. "I don't know about this Virg."
"We both know you can fly in a straight line Scott. You've done it previously. We can keep an eye on your altitude and bearings from Thunderbird Two. We'll worry about landing when we get home. With any luck the winds won't be so strong and we can do a transfer there."
"Fly home! It's one thing to do it with you standing at my shoulder, but by myself..."
"You can do this Scott. We know you can. I'll be your eyes!" Virgil said. "Just take it slowly and don't do anything fancy. You'll be okay."
"I guess I don't have any other option. Did you copy that Father?"
"What's this about flying previously?"
"I don't have time to explain now. I'll make an attempt. Just pray that I remember where everything is."
"You'll be fine Scott." Gordon reassured him. "We'll keep an eye on you." He paused communication and looked at Virgil. "Do you want to take over Thunderbird Two now?"
"No. You're doing fine. You concentrate on flying Two and I'll worry about Thunderbird One." They reinstated the communication link.
"Okay, I'm ready." Scott took a deep breath. "Taking her out of hover mode. Moving... I think."
"You're doing 50 miles per hour Scott." Virgil watched Thunderbird Two's speedometer as Gordon matched Thunderbird One's pace. "You need to change your bearing two degrees to the right."
"How much is two degrees..." Scott started to ask.
"That'll do!"
Scott brought Thunderbird One back into a straight line again.
Back on Tracy Island Jeff turned to Brains. "They're taking a risk."
"B-But it's a calculated one. I-I'm happier w-with them doing this than w-waiting. The sooner Alan gets m-medical attention the better."
"I guess you're right Brains. I'm just worried. Scott's looking out for two lives out there..."
The further into the flight he got, the more confident Scott became. His speed increased to 100 miles per hour, 150... 200... 500... 1000... 5000 miles per hour.
"Tell him to slow down." Gordon said. "He'll outpace us."
Scott received the radio communication. "We're getting close to home, Scott." Vigil radioed through. "Start easing off your speed."
Tracy Island was registering in the distance on the radar, steadily growing closer and closer.
"Halve your speed. Good. Now one degree to the left. You're doing fine. Nearly there."
"Good." Scott replied. "This is the worst trip I've had in her for a long time. What's the wind speed like?"
"Only one knot, Scott." His father said. "The boys should be able to effect an air to air transfer, no problem."
Vigil felt a knot form in his stomach. "Cut your speed. You're doing 500 miles per hour. 200... 125... 50... 10..." The last few miles were covered in a crawl.
"You're over the runway Scott." Jeff announced. "Resume hover mode."
Scott obeyed and let out the breath he'd been holding. "How're you doing Alan?" There was no reply except the steady beeping of the VSM.
"H-How's Alan?" Brains asked.
"He sound's okay, according to the VSM." Scott said. "But the sooner we get this transfer over and done with the happier I'll be."
"Me too." Jeff agreed. "Are you boys ready?" he asked the crew of Thunderbird Two.
"Do you want to pilot, while I do the transfer, or vice versa?" Gordon asked before noticing his brother's expression. "Virgil? What's wrong?"
"I-I can't do either." Virgil said tightly. "I can't move my hand."
"You what! Since when?"
"Since the beginning of the trip. I-I hoped it'd be better by now."
"Come in Thunderbird Two." Jeff called them.
"What are we going to tell them?" Gordon asked, horror stricken.
"The truth I guess." Virgil said miserably. "We've got so close..." He reached for the microphone. "Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One and base. We can't effect an air-to-air transfer. I repeat. We can not effect air-to-air transfer."
"Thunderbird Two. Am I hearing you correctly? You are unable to effect the transfer?" Jeff asked urgently.
"That's right." Virgil confirmed unhappily.
"But why?" Scott practically yelled into the mike.
Virgil briefly weighed up the pros and cons of giving a full explanation. "It's not important. We'll explain later."
"Not important!" Scott yelled and then calmed down somewhat. "Well what are we going to do now?"
Jeff turned to his mother, Tin-Tin, Kyrano and Brains. "Any suggestions anyone?"
Scott took stock of the situation and reminded himself of the whereabouts of the sensitive hover controls. He then managed to grab Alan about the chest and wrestle him out of the seat and onto the floor of Thunderbird One, and into the recovery position. During all this there was no improvement in Alan's condition. Scott found Thunderbird One's onboard first aid kit and retrieved the vital signs monitor and emergency blanket. Treading carefully so that he wouldn't kick his brother he worked his way back to where Alan lay and applied the VSM. A reassuring beep assured him that there was no further deterioration in Alan's condition. He covered his youngest brother in the blanket to keep him warm.
Time to get help. "Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Five."
"Thunderbird Five. What are you up to Scott? Did you push Alan out of the pilot's seat?"
"He's collapsed John. He's unconscious. Can you put me through to Father?"
"Sure." Quickly John completed the circuit.
Scott wasted no time in updating his father as to what had happened.
"You s-said he took a blow to the h-head earlier." His father's voice was replaced by Brains stutter.
"Yes. But that was at least an hour ago."
"C-Could be delayed c-concussion. He sh-should get prompt medical attention."
"That's kind of difficult at the moment, Brains" Scott reminded him. "I don't exactly qualify as a pilot now."
"Thunderbird Two should be getting close to your position." Jeff said. "See if they can effect an air-to-air transfer."
As if on cue Virgil's voice cut into the conversation. "Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One. Come in Alan!"
"Scott here Virg. We've got a problem. Alan's collapsed, possibly with delayed concussion. We've got to get him help. One of you two will have to come across and pilot Thunderbird One."
Gordon shook his head and pointed at a gauge on Thunderbird Two's control panel. "We can't do it. Look at the wind speed."
"Sorry Scott. An air to air transfer would be too dangerous at the moment." Virgil relayed back. "The wind speed's fluctuating between 35 and 45 knots."
"We've got to do something! Any suggestions?"
Virgil looked at Gordon. Gordon looked at Virgil.
"Anyone?" Scott asked. "We can't stay up here till the winds die down."
The silence was heavy on the airwaves.
Virgil bit his lip. "There is one possibility." He said hesitantly.
Scott smiled to himself. He knew Virgil wouldn't let him down. "Which is?"
"You fly her."
This time the silence was longer before being punctuated by Jeff. "Did I hear you correctly Virgil?"
"I said that Scott could fly Thunderbird One."
Scott swallowed. "I don't know about this Virg."
"We both know you can fly in a straight line Scott. You've done it previously. We can keep an eye on your altitude and bearings from Thunderbird Two. We'll worry about landing when we get home. With any luck the winds won't be so strong and we can do a transfer there."
"Fly home! It's one thing to do it with you standing at my shoulder, but by myself..."
"You can do this Scott. We know you can. I'll be your eyes!" Virgil said. "Just take it slowly and don't do anything fancy. You'll be okay."
"I guess I don't have any other option. Did you copy that Father?"
"What's this about flying previously?"
"I don't have time to explain now. I'll make an attempt. Just pray that I remember where everything is."
"You'll be fine Scott." Gordon reassured him. "We'll keep an eye on you." He paused communication and looked at Virgil. "Do you want to take over Thunderbird Two now?"
"No. You're doing fine. You concentrate on flying Two and I'll worry about Thunderbird One." They reinstated the communication link.
"Okay, I'm ready." Scott took a deep breath. "Taking her out of hover mode. Moving... I think."
"You're doing 50 miles per hour Scott." Virgil watched Thunderbird Two's speedometer as Gordon matched Thunderbird One's pace. "You need to change your bearing two degrees to the right."
"How much is two degrees..." Scott started to ask.
"That'll do!"
Scott brought Thunderbird One back into a straight line again.
Back on Tracy Island Jeff turned to Brains. "They're taking a risk."
"B-But it's a calculated one. I-I'm happier w-with them doing this than w-waiting. The sooner Alan gets m-medical attention the better."
"I guess you're right Brains. I'm just worried. Scott's looking out for two lives out there..."
The further into the flight he got, the more confident Scott became. His speed increased to 100 miles per hour, 150... 200... 500... 1000... 5000 miles per hour.
"Tell him to slow down." Gordon said. "He'll outpace us."
Scott received the radio communication. "We're getting close to home, Scott." Vigil radioed through. "Start easing off your speed."
Tracy Island was registering in the distance on the radar, steadily growing closer and closer.
"Halve your speed. Good. Now one degree to the left. You're doing fine. Nearly there."
"Good." Scott replied. "This is the worst trip I've had in her for a long time. What's the wind speed like?"
"Only one knot, Scott." His father said. "The boys should be able to effect an air to air transfer, no problem."
Vigil felt a knot form in his stomach. "Cut your speed. You're doing 500 miles per hour. 200... 125... 50... 10..." The last few miles were covered in a crawl.
"You're over the runway Scott." Jeff announced. "Resume hover mode."
Scott obeyed and let out the breath he'd been holding. "How're you doing Alan?" There was no reply except the steady beeping of the VSM.
"H-How's Alan?" Brains asked.
"He sound's okay, according to the VSM." Scott said. "But the sooner we get this transfer over and done with the happier I'll be."
"Me too." Jeff agreed. "Are you boys ready?" he asked the crew of Thunderbird Two.
"Do you want to pilot, while I do the transfer, or vice versa?" Gordon asked before noticing his brother's expression. "Virgil? What's wrong?"
"I-I can't do either." Virgil said tightly. "I can't move my hand."
"You what! Since when?"
"Since the beginning of the trip. I-I hoped it'd be better by now."
"Come in Thunderbird Two." Jeff called them.
"What are we going to tell them?" Gordon asked, horror stricken.
"The truth I guess." Virgil said miserably. "We've got so close..." He reached for the microphone. "Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One and base. We can't effect an air-to-air transfer. I repeat. We can not effect air-to-air transfer."
"Thunderbird Two. Am I hearing you correctly? You are unable to effect the transfer?" Jeff asked urgently.
"That's right." Virgil confirmed unhappily.
"But why?" Scott practically yelled into the mike.
Virgil briefly weighed up the pros and cons of giving a full explanation. "It's not important. We'll explain later."
"Not important!" Scott yelled and then calmed down somewhat. "Well what are we going to do now?"
Jeff turned to his mother, Tin-Tin, Kyrano and Brains. "Any suggestions anyone?"