Thunderbirds Blast Off
By Lee Homer
Disclaimer: A collection of short adventures based on the comic strips from the Thunderbirds Annuals of the '60s and '70s. All rights reserved. I don't own Thunderbirds.
Cloud Of Death
Deep in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Africa, a small restricted island basked in the sun. Isolated from the mainland and under government supervision, a small research centre carried out its routine operations without interference from the outside world. The research facility experimented with top-secret ores and elements that were collected in Space, recording data for the space agencies around the world. Secured within the fortified walls of a laboratory block, two scientists were hard at work on their next project. They were tasked with examining a new type of gas that had been collected from an expedition to a distant planet in the solar system. Codenamed "Minos," the gas glowed an eerie luminescent green as it swirled wildly within the metal canister. The canister had been kept in cold storage during the flight back to Earth and only now had it begun to thaw. The two scientists shared a mixed response to this task. They were excited yet fearful of the unworldly gas which they had in their possession. None of them knew what they were in for nor the danger that awaited them.
Placing on his protective suit, the lead scientist grabbed the rapidly defrosting canister. He gripped it with his thick rubber gloves, examining the gas inside.
"The canister is thawing at a faster rate now," he said. "I think it's safe to take a sample now."
His fellow scientist adjusted his this black specs.
"I'll open the valve and take a sample." He stammered. "Are you sure about this?"
"We've got to do it now so we can refreeze the canister before it breaks." the lead scientist explained. "We don't have a lot of time left!"
Placing on his safety cloves, the assistant scientist began to open the valve. Slowly but surely, the small cylindrical tube opened, but as he tried to open it one last time, a sudden crack appeared in the canister. The two men panicked as the eerie alien gas began to seep through the cracked canister. They acted within an instant, grabbing their protective helmets and fastening them into place. The air tubes to their suits pumped fresh oxygen for the two men to breathe, but as they tried to make sense of the situation, they quickly found themselves shrouded in an alien green vapour. Their visibility had gone, resorting them to feeling their way around the already claustrophobic laboratory.
"We've got to shut this place down before the gas can escape!" yelled the scientist as he breathed heavily through his helmet. "Where are the lockdown systems?"
"I can't find them!" replied the assistant as he felt along the wall. "I can't see a thing!"
It was too late. Unbeknownst to the two men, the Minos gas had already found its way out of the laboratory. It drifted through the air cooling systems, escaping into the rest of the facility. The remaining personnel, all of whom were unprepared for the disaster, scrambled in a desperate bid to escape the toxic cloud, but to no avail. The alien gas had robbed them of their oxygen. When the two scientists managed to find the exit, they were horrified to see a slew of incapacitated bodies left in the wake of the gas. An eerie silence loomed over their unconscious bodies. The two men knew they were too late to stop the gas. As they looked out of the window, they spotted the alien substance waft out into the open, There, it formed a thick cloud that hung in the air, just waiting to hitch a ride from the current wind flow. Without a plan or a prayer, the lead scientist raced over towards the communication station and put out a red alert.
"Research Station 10 calling all stations. This is a red alert! A poisonous gas has escaped from the lab. Its incapacitated everyone but my assistant and myself. It's now airborne. It must be stopped Repeat! Stopped!"
Orbiting high above the Earth, the emergency call was picked up over the sensitive monitors of Thunderbird Five. John Tracy abruptly finished his lunch as the scientist's made his anxiety levels bubble. He hurried over towards the monitor and recorded the message.
"The gas is expanding at an incredible rate. All units must proceed with caution!"
"Don't worry, buddy," John muttered to himself. "Help is on its way."
A quiet afternoon on Tracy Island was abruptly interrupted by John. The eyes on his wall portrait flashed erratically, diverting the attention of Jeff and his eldest son, Scott. As the Tracy patriarch switched on his transmitter, the rest of his boys entered the lounge. John's anxious face appeared on the screen. Jeff noted the look of concern on his face.
"Go ahead, John?" he asked. "Is everything alright?"
John began his report. "Father, I'm monitoring a disturbing situation out in the Mediterranean Sea. A deadly gas cloud has escaped a small space research centre and is now airborne. It's already incapacitated the personnel there and two scientists have tried calling for help."
Brains interrupted him. "Hmm. That's Space Research Lab 10."
Jeff looked over towards the little scientist.
"You've heard of this facility before, Brains?" he asked in puzzlement.
"Yeah. Its location is t-top secret, but I was involved with one of the expeditions that were sent into space," Brains replied. "That particular lab was tasked with studying various elements from the planet Minos. Y-You know the new planet that was discovered in our solar system."
"Sure, we've all heard about it," piped up Alan.
"They report that the gas is pretty poisonous," John added.
Jeff rubbed his chin. "Okay, John. Scott will survey the area in Thunderbird One and report. The island isn't far from here. Perhaps you can find a solution to this Minos Gas, Brains?"
Brains sighed in frustration. "I'll try, M-Mister Tracy, but they shouldn't have collected it in the first place. H-Handling dangerous toxins from space are just asking for trouble."
While Scott hurried towards his launch station, Jeff accompanied Brains to his Laboratory. They could feel the walls vibrate to the sound of Thunderbird One's engines as he took off into the sky at a fantastic speed. Shutting the door behind them, the little scientist got to work on his next challenge. One that would test his genius to the limits. Jeff stood back behind him and folded his arms.
"What's on your mind, Brains?" he asked impatiently.
Brains paused for a moment. "Well, if the gas expands at an exponential rate, then there's no telling w-what it could do should it hit a populated area."
Jeff gasped at a sudden realisation. "Well, the island is close to the African coast which makes the nearest populated area...Newhaven City!"
Brains shared his concerns. "I-If it hits the city, then it could kill everyone who lives there. I've got to design something that can contain it. Something airtight. Oh… If only I had more data about that gas!"
Jeff rested his hand on the scientist's shoulder. "Scott will be able to tell us soon. He should approach the island within the hour."
The green Minos gas cloud stuck out over the horizon like a sore thumb when Thunderbird One arrived at the scene. It's thick, and now inky substance, blotted out the sharp Mediterranean Sun. Scott's instincts told him to reduce his speed and steer clear of it for the time being. He didn't want to fly through it for he didn't know if the gas could penetrate his Thunderbird or not. He stabbed a button and reported his location to his father.
"Base from Thunderbird One. I've arrived at the danger zone, Father. I've never seen anything like it!"
Brains chimed in over the radio.
"Can you send transmit some photos, Scott?" he asked. "I w-would like to have a look at this thing?"
"FAB," replied Scott. "I'll fly over it and send you some shots. I'm going to search the surrounding islands for survivors as well."
Keeping his height and distance, Scott swooped over the noxious cloud a few times, snapping a sequence of photos which were then sent to Brains' lab for study. Once he did this, he changed direction, focussing his attention on the neighbouring inhabited islands. As the cloud continued to drift towards these islands, Scott witnessed the heart breaking reality of the situation. Birds fell from the sky upon inhaling the fumes and dead fish bobbed up and down in the water. It was destroying the environment by the minute. He eventually landed on a small atoll where a single house sat. Leaving the craft, he raced across the sand towards the small and cabin and slammed his fist on the door. It opened and a tired-looking fisherman stepped out. He regarded Scott's appearance with a laugh as the lone Tracy Brother attempted to explain the situation to him.
"Buddy, I'm from International Rescue. There's a poisonous gas cloud heading this way and it's destroying everything in its path! I've come to get you out of here!"
The fisherman laughed. "International Rescue huh? Don't waste my time! I can't see a poisonous cloud! Get out of here!"
"I'm sorry buddy, but I can't leave you here!" Scott growled. "You're leaving one way or another!"
With no alternative, Scott grabbed the fisherman by the collar and dragged him out onto the sand. The man's eyes widened in disbelief as the gas cloud swept towards them like a ghostly fog, silently clutching at the shoreline. The two men kicked their legs as they hurried along the shore towards Thunderbird One. Scott hurried the fisherman up the ladder and into the passenger escape winch, robbing the cloud of another victim. As soon as they were aboard. Scott closed the hatch, protecting them from the toxic vapour which had now surrounded them. Climbing into his seat, Scott hit the thrusters and took off. He looked out to see the fisherman's house vanish under the inky green vapour. They had cut it close that time.
Meanwhile, back on Tracy Island, Brains had loaded his creation into Thunderbird Two. He stood there with Jeff as they watched the green transporter blast off from his launch ramp and disappear over the Pacific horizon. To load his new creation, Virgil had to strip a pod clean of its contents. Fortunately, they had one they could use. Jeff relayed Scott's update to him in a rather defeatist tone.
"Scott reported in. The gas cloud is heading moving south."
"That puts it on a d-direct heading for Newhaven City." Brains replied.
Jeff nodded. "There's no time to lose. Thunderbird Two will take care of the cloud. I've instructed Scott to alert the city authorities. They've got to evacuate now!"
Jeff's words were already put into effect. Sirens sounded throughout the streets of the high tech metropolis of Newhaven. Word of the approaching gas cloud reached the media outlets, spawning a wave of terror and confusion amongst the population. Local authorities dispersed the crowds in an orderly fashion, unsure of what to expect. The fact that International Rescue was handling the situation provided little comfort to them. Still, the organisation's track record of impressive rescues did instil trust in the public. If anybody could save them from disaster, it was them. While the evacuations continued, Virgil raced after the toxic cloud in Thunderbird Two. Scott steered him towards the alien antigen as he banked towards the ocean, heading on an intercept course towards Newhaven City. Gordon accompanied his brother as he prepared to power up Brains' invention in the Pod. It didn't take them long to spot the ugly gas cloud.
"There it is, Gordon!" cried Virgil. "We've made it just in time. Prepare to switch on the device!"
"FAB, Virgil," replied Gordon over the radio. "I'm powering it up now."
Thunderbird Two's cabin was remarkably airtight, protecting Virgil from any toxic containments, but the Pod was not. Before he could do anything, Gordon climbed into a safety suit, fastening his helmet tightly. The device flashed wildly in front of him. It was a large computer bank filled with dials and gauges which house a large poly plastic bag on top. It was powered by cooling units that were designed to make the gas cloud retract itself. The method was a simple one. Simply suck up the cloud in a vacuum and destroy it in the bag. Brains had rigged the giant suction machine up to Thunderbird Two's main engines, allowing the Thunderbird to serve as a giant vacuum cleaner. It was an impressive feat to achieve in such a short time. As soon as Gordon gave Virgil the all-clear, the two-headed straight for the centre of the cloud.
Thunderbird Two entered the dark green void. Its dark texture robbed Virgil of his visibility. He pulled a lever and opened the underside hatch, revealing the vacuum nozzle. He could feel his motors strain from the added power drain as the nozzle inhaled the toxic fumes in rapid succession. Gordon watched the cloud swirl ferociously inside the poly plastic bag as it began to expand. It was like looking into the eye of a hurricane. As the bag continued to fill, tendrils of light stabbed through the dark gaseous veil. Slowly but surely, the cloud began to dissipate, revealing the city over the horizon. Virgil smiled.
"It's working, Gordon! It's working!"
Gordon smiled. "Terrific. I'm going to reduce the temperature down by 40 degrees to stop the expansion. It should match the surface temperature of Minos...I hope."
The coolant plant kicked in, forcing the gas to shrink inside the bag. As the great machine hummed away, Gordon got to work on sealing it inside the bag. The gamble worked, the city was saved and International Rescue had a plastic bag of alien gas in their possession, but what were they going to do with it? As the two Thunderbirds returned to the island, the boys conversed with each other over what to do with their prize. They couldn't keep it on Earth. It would only be a matter of time before it could cause a threat to the environment. How could they dispose of it safely? When they returned home and presented their conundrum to their father, Brains came up with the solution. They had to dispose of the gas in a vacuum where it couldn't expand… up in space.
It took several hours to prepare Thunderbird Three for the task. Virgil and Scott carefully transported the gas from the Pod and winch it into the hold of Thunderbird Three. Receiving a quick debrief, Alan had prepared himself for launch, accompanied by Brains who wanted to oversee the drop personally. He had plotted out an exact spot to jettison the poly plastic bag where it couldn't knock into passing space traffic or debris. Happy with the plan, the pair strapped themselves in and after a five-second countdown, Thunderbird Three's engines roared to life. The rest of the family watched from the roundhouse and sighed collectively as Thunderbird Three disappeared into the atmosphere.
"That's the last we'll see of that," Virgil said. "I'm glad the President approved Brains' idea to dump the gas in space."
"Yeah, but who knows what other dangers man will bring back from space," Jeff replied glumly. "We were able to avert a disaster this time, but next time, we might not be so lucky. Learn from this incident, boys. It won't be the last one I can assure you."
END