Chapter Twenty Two

Thunderbird Five

Despair settled on Jeff Tracy as he drifted in weightless helplessness in the control room of Thunderbird Five. The solar batteries had finally failed a few minutes ago plunging the space station into darkness. Life support and artificial gravity had vanished with the lights when the last of the stations emergency power reserve was expended. To all intents and purposes Thunderbird Five was dead, no longer a living functioning space station but a lifeless hulk of metal sitting in orbit. And Jeff knew that they would soon join it.

All around him drifting in the air was debris from the Hoods missile attack and the unconscious forms of his sons almost invisible in darkness and bitter cold that now filled Thunderbird Five. Only the faint glow of the stars filtering in through the control room window reflecting off their uniforms showing the positions where they floated in the air.

Looking around Jeff felt deep despair for only the second time in his life. The first time being when the ski patrol searching for survivors of the avalanche had told him that Margaret had been killed. Now he felt despair again along with shame and anger, anger at the Hood for putting them in this position, but mostly he was angry with himself and ashamed of himself. He'd failed them all – his family. As a father he had failed to protect his children from harm. Now he along with Scott, John, Virgil and Gordon were going to pay the ultimate price for that failure. Alan would pay as well for when his father and brothers died his whole world would come crashing down around him.

As unconsciousness began to envelop him Jeff thought about Margaret, really thought about her for the first time in years though she was never far from his thoughts. Soon his soul would join hers. Soon he would see her again and their ten years of forced separation would end and they would be together again for the rest of time. He just hoped that when he saw her again she wouldn't be too mad with him for failing their boys.

With that last thought Jefferson Tracy slipped into unconsciousness. So he didn't hear the faint hum begin deep within the bowls of the station as secondary power generators started up again. Or see lights begin to appear the control consoles as systems began powering back up. Most importantly he did not hear the speakers crackle or see the communications screen light up.

Tracy Island

A Few Minutes Earlier

The race to the control room while only a short run was perhaps the longest run of his life to Alan Tracy. He desperately hoped that they would be in time to save his father and brothers. Thunderbird Five would have almost certainly run out of power by now.

The control room was just as it had been left by Transom though all the computers had been locked down and put in stand by mode.

Moving to the main console Brains sat down and tried to access the computer system only to find that all access protocols had been encrypted by Transom just before she'd headed down to Thunderbird Two to reinstall the guidance processor. Brains cursed softly.

"What is it Brains," Peter demanded.

"Access has b…been e…encrypted. I can't g…get into the c…computer," Brains answered.

"Fermat," Alan said. Fermat came forward and began tapping at one of the consoles trying to break the encryption. Being better at computers than anyone else on the island – aside perhaps from Richie/Gear – he stood the most chance of breaking through Transom's lockout.

"Damn," Fermat cursed as he struggled to break the encryption. "T…t…this e…e…encryption is c…c…complex."

"Let me help Fermat," Richie said moving over and beginning to work on the encryption himself. Fermat was quite correct the encryption system that the Hood's henchwoman had put on the system was very complex she obviously knew what she was doing where computers were concerned. Applying everything he knew himself and the advantage of his super brain he worked on the encryption calculating possible solutions in his head and punching them as fast as he could get his hands to move.

Finally after what seemed like an age though it was barely a minute later the coding wall around the computer system dissolved into nothing he had access to International Rescues main computer system.

"We're in," he said transferring control to the main console where Brains was sitting. While he access to the computer system Richie didn't know enough about how International Rescues computer and operational systems worked to be able to operate them himself.

Sitting in the corner where it had been put down earlier by one of the Hoods guards Richie saw a large grey box. Cautiously he moved over to see what was in there, hopefully it would contain backpack and the rest of his technology and not a bomb. Though anything was possible with a criminal as ruthless as the Hood. He would have to look over the box and see if there were any booby traps before he opened the box.

Brains noticed the return of control to the main console and immediately he accessed a status readout on Thunderbird Five, silently praying that the station would still have power and Jeff Tracy and his four oldest sons would still be alive. Dismay settled on him when the computer readout showed no power at all on Thunderbird Five. Life support, artificial gravity everything was off line. Oh no, he thought, please no. They cannot be dead. Wait what are those? Life signs!

Sensors on Thunderbird Three were still picking up five life signs on board the lifeless hulk that Thunderbird Five now was, they were faint and slowly fading but they were there. Jeff, Scott, John, Virgil and Gordon were still alive, probably unconscious from oxygen deprivation but they were still alive.

"What's it like on Thunderbird Five Brains," Penelope asked.

"All p…p…power is g…g…gone," Brains replied. No! Alan thought listening knowing that without power to any systems on Thunderbird Five his family would be dying if they weren't dead already please no! I can't go on without them.

Before he could begin breaking down however Brains spoke again.

"S…sensors on Thunderbird T…Three are s…still p…picking up f…faint l…life signs on T…thunderbird F…five," Brains said stammering heavily in his haste. And Alan could suddenly breath again. His family was still alive, still in mortal danger but they were alive.

"We need to restore power quickly," Peter said speaking for the first time. "Can we restart the stations main power core."

"N…n…no the core r…r…regulator is w…wrecked. The c…core won't power up. We can't r…restart s…secondary g…g…generators w…without some p…p…power either." Peter thought quickly.

"What about Thunderbird Three? Can we somehow send some of the power from Thunderbird Three's fusion reactor into Thunderbird Five? Enough to restart the secondary power generators," he questioned.

Brains thought about it for a moment. With the airlock on the station mated to the one on Thunderbird Three there were a number of wire and data connections in place between the rocket and the space station. They could send some power down one of those cables to Thunderbird Five. But he would have to remotely reconfigure the computer protocols covering power transfer on Thunderbird Three to do that since normally they accepted power from Thunderbird Five while docked not the other way around. Thankfully that would only take a few minutes.

"Yes," he answered. "B…but it w…will t…take a f…few minutes."

"Then you better get to it Brains," Penelope said. Brains nodded and began tapping away at his console activating the remote link to Thunderbird Three's computer and beginning the process of reconfiguring the power transfer protocols.

While Brains worked feverishly at the consoles Richie had reached the storage box and was preparing to open it. He had thoroughly checked the box and there was no sign of any booby traps whatsoever, the box was simply what it appeared to be. A plastic storage box of the kind you would find in an attic or storeroom. Taking a deep breath he opened the lid still half expecting the box to explode. It didn't.

Inside the box was all of the technology that had been taken from him when he had been knocked unconscious by the Hood and it was completely untouched and even backpacks operational lights were back on just in stand by mode. Carefully he began taking the technology out of the box and putting it back on.

He even put his helmet back on and sent a thought command to backpack bringing his faithful robot back on line before proceeding with diagnostic checks on every bit of equipment. To his surprise and delight everything was intact and untampered with. Only then did he take off his helmet again. Before moving over to rejoin everyone else just as Brains finished the reprogramming.

"I'm r…ready to start the p…power t…t…transfer," Brains said.

"Do it," Peter replied. Brains pressed the command and then everyone turned their attention to the monitor showing the status of Thunderbird Five. All of them praying to whoever might be listening that the jury rigged power transfer from Thunderbird Three would work that the power conduits in the docking arm between Thunderbirds Three and Five would still be able to handle to load given that they like most of the space stations systems were damaged.

For a few moments nothing happened then power began to transfer from Thunderbird Three to Thunderbird Five. Almost immediately some systems on Thunderbird Five began to come back on line, life support came back up, as did the stations computer but artificial gravity and all other systems remained off line. The damaged conduits couldn't carry enough power for the gravity plates.

Breathing a sigh of relief that it was working Brains sent a remote command to the space stations computer to restart the secondary power generators. The indicator light for secondary generator one came on though it was amber instead of green as the generator started up and came up to forty percent generation capability. Secondary generator two came up as well though its light stayed red indicating that the generator output was less than ten percent of capacity. But the third indicator light for secondary generator number three remained dark indicating a disabled or destroyed system. Which was understandable. Secondary generator three was in core section six the closest core section to the destroyed sections of the outer ring. Collateral damage in that section and its immediate neighbours on all levels was therefore heavier than in the rest of the station.

"I c…c…can't bring any m…m…more systems on line f…f…from here," Brains said. "All o…other s…s…systems m…m…must be r…rebooted from the s…s…station's control room."

"Can we talk to them," Peter asked.

"Yes." Penelope being closest to the communications system immediately hailed Thunderbird Five.

"Tracy Island to Thunderbird Five come in," she said into the microphone. An automatic acknowledgement light appeared on the screen the stations computer acknowledging that it was receiving the message. "Thunderbird Five respond please."

"Brains can you tap into the vidcom camera's," Peter asked.

"Yes." Brains typed in a few commands and the comm screen lit up pulling in a view of the shambles that had once been Thunderbird Five's control room. Debris hung in the zero gee environment that was now once again lit by the crimson red of emergency lights. But what grabbed everyone's attention were the five motionless human forms drifting in the air.

"Dad," Alan called the first one to find his voice again. In response to his voice there came a very slight movement from the form closest to the screen.

"Jeff wake up," Penelope added knowing that if she spoke enough her voice might draw Jeff Tracy out of the unconsciousness that he had fallen into.

Catching on everyone else began calling Jeff's name or in the case of Brains and Kyrano it was Mr Tracy. But despite what they did there were few signs of consciousness beyond slight movements.

Finally in exasperation and a little desperation Peter shouted into the pickup.

"Damn it Jefferson Tracy wake up," he yelled. That did it. A soft moan was heard from Jeff.

"Peter," they heard Jeff's voice say sounding more than a little groggy. Awkwardly looking as he might fall asleep again Jeff position himself in the zero gee so that he was looking at the screen.

"You know I hate being called by my full first name," Jeff added now much more awake then he smiled. "Thanks for waking me."

"Dad," Alan said coming into video pickup range.

"Alan," Jeff replied in greeting smiling proudly at his youngest son. Somehow he knew that Alan had managed to do what he said he would do at the satellite station he'd gotten control of Tracy Island back. "Well done."

"Mr Tracy can you confirm the access protocol," Brains asked. Jeff looked away for a moment.

"Confirmed," he replied. "We are back on line. Restoring artificial gravity." On the communications screen they could all see everything drift gently back down to the deck as gravity returned to Thunderbird Five.

Alan was pleased when he heard a series of groans from behind his father as his brothers woke up. He could already see what looked from this angle to be John getting up with what looked to be Scott starting to sit up.

Jeff momentarily looked away and said something that the voice pickup didn't pick up clearly. But almost immediately Alan saw John followed by Gordon come to stand behind his dad.

"Alan," John said. "Are you alright?" In that single question John asked multiple questions and Alan heard them clearly. John wasn't just asking if he was physically alright he was asking as well if he was okay with the turning out to be a metahuman thing. And truth be told Alan actually did feel comfortable with it, as it had helped him save his family.

"I'm fine John," Alan answered answering both questions at the same time. He didn't miss the looks of surprise that appeared on not only John's face but on the face's of his father and Gordon as well when he said that. They knew what he meant. Alan was also aware of the surprised looks he was getting off everyone else in the room except for Fermat, Tin-Tin and Richie. All of whom smiled realising that in the battle with the Hood Alan had come to terms with the fact that he was a metahuman and had seemingly even come to like it.

"I am glad to hear that Alan," Jeff answered smiling at his youngest son and wishing he could be back on Tracy Island right now to give the boy a proud hug. Then Jeff turned all business again. "But now is not the time for that kind of thing. We still have a job to do. Where's the Hood?"

"He's in Thunderbird Two on his way to London," Alan answered. "I'm sorry dad we couldn't stop him leaving."

"Dad," Scott's voice said from off screen. "The corridor between us and Thunderbird Three is only just starting to get atmosphere back. And it looks like one of Thunderbird Three's boosters has been hit by debris from the earlier explosion. The booster is off line. We'll never make it to London in time."

"Dad let me go after the Hood," Alan said. "He'll destroy everything you've built everything International Rescue stands for if we don't stop him quickly. I can stop him wait what am I saying we can stop him." He put his hands on Tin-Tin's and Fermat's shoulders bringing them into range of the video pickup.

Jeff looked straight at Alan from the monitor screen. His first instinct was to tell Alan to forget it that it was too dangerous, that he was too young to go on a mission in one of the Thunderbirds. But looking into Alan's eyes he didn't see a little boy anymore. Instead he saw a confident young man capable of handling himself. Yes Alan was only fourteen but now looking into his eyes Jeff saw someone more mature and confident than the person he had seen in Alan's eyes when he'd first seen him at dinner yesterday just before his powers had shown themselves. Despite his youth it was obvious that Alan was ready. Still it wouldn't be right for the kids to go on their own they needed someone with some experience to go with them.

"Alright you can go," he said. Alan was shocked he had expected dad to say no he always had in the past. Shocked but very pleased. "Peter."

"Yes Jeff?" Peter asked.

"Can you and Gear go with them." Peter looked at Richie who nodded.

"Yes."

"Thank you. Good luck. We will join you as soon as we can." Jeff addressed the next words to Alan knowing how long he had longed to hear them applied to him.

"Thunderbirds are go."