"No! You can't!" Scott's hologram yelled, "Come back, Alan."
"S-Scott's right, Alan. Thunderbird 3 won't make it. You have to come back." The worried look on Brains' face made Alan hesitate, but only for a second.
"No. We're International Rescue and we don't give up. I have to try and rescue them."
"No, Alan. Come back." Scott commanded.
"No. You listen to me, Scott. I'm going to try and rescue these people. I'm the only hope they've got. I have to stay and try."
"Alan! You can't do this. Come back, Alan. No one is going to blame you. We can't save…"
Alan cut the feed and disabled the com. He could hear the worry in Scott's voice, but he had to rescue those people. He was International Rescue. Alan placed his hands on the controls and guided Thunderbird 3 towards the other ship, his face a picture of determination.
Brains had been right, Alan thought as the back end of the transport ship exploded and sent him flying into the wall. He floated there as his eyes fell on the three crew members. Two were in their seats while one was just floating. They'd reported a hull breach on the distress call, they had said it was contained, that they were okay. Something had gone wrong, and the cabin had lost oxygen before they could put on their helmets. There had been no atmosphere on the ship for a while and Alan had a feeling they had died not long after he'd left Earth's atmosphere. John had lost contact with them at that point. Another smaller explosion brought Alan out of his daze, and he pushed off the wall. He made haste to the airlock and slipped his board beneath his feet. He pointed it towards Three and set off as the next explosion sent blinding light his way. Out the corner of his eye, Alan could see Thunderbird Three's engines, the ones he'd damaged while trying to get close to the spiralling ship, but he also saw the shrapnel flying fast in his direction. Alan bent his knee and sped up, crashing through the hatch and pulling it closed as he heard the metal hit the side of his ship.
If burnt out engines weren't enough trouble, he was going to have to give her a new paint job! Alan pushed himself over to his seat, strapped in and pulled up his ship's readings. His eyes looked over the sensors, all were in normal range, bar one. The fuel temperature sensor was out. Alan had never seen it without a reading before, but more banging on the side of Three was enough warning to Alan to get away. He started up the ion engine and set a course for home. Three responded to his commands and lurched forward.
It was thirty second later that Alan heard the bang and felt the vibrations through the chair. He barely had time to register what was happening as Thunderbird Three's engines exploded and ripped the ship open. He was plunged into darkness as the display died. Time slowed for Alan. He pushed himself out the harness and opened the hatch. Popping his head out he looked down his red ship and gasped at the mangled shredded end that had contained her engines. He blinked. Alan could hear Scott's voice in his head.
"Stay calm. Think it through."
Alan took a deep slow breath and searched the wreckage in front of him. The body of his 'bird had been split open, and as his eyes scoured the wreckage they fell upon the gear for the space pod. A quick look around and he could see red pod tumbling away from the ship. Alan ducked back inside and grabbed his board. He made haste and caught up with it. He grabbed the magnets from his side and jumped at the pod, bracing himself as he joined in its tumble. Alan's hands slowly moved the magnets round until he was at the hatch, which opened easily. He slipped into the seat and closed it behind him. He fired up the small engine and fired the thrusters, slowing the spin to a halt.
Alan took a deep breath and tapped the coms button. Nothing happened. He tried again, and still nothing. He booted up the pods systems and felt his heart rate increase. Half the systems on the pod were not functioning! They must have been damaged when the engine exploded, he thought. Alan looked at what was functioning. Oxygen level indicator, fuel indicator, propulsion, temperature sensor, and harness sensor. Alan looked at the communicator on his wrist and sighed. It had broken when he'd been thrown against the wall in the ship. He suddenly felt very alone. Taking a few deep breaths, he pulled the tube out of the wall and connected it to his helmet. No point wasting oxygen filling the entire pod with air.
Alan placed his hands on the controls and looked out the window. He angled the pod using the thrusters and then headed in the direction he believed would take him home.
Alan forced his eyes open, only to face the red warning light. He wished he could get it to go away! He didn't need reminding that his oxygen was low. Alan had lost track of time, but the amber light told him he was running low on fuel. Not that he had to worry about that. He'd run out of oxygen first. He was already feeling sleepy.
Alan tightened his grip on the controls, trying to force himself to stay awake. He tried to take slow deep breathes and keep his respiration rate low. Like he was trained to. Don't panic. Alan wished he'd listened to Scott and Brains. How he wished he was back home, on the island, with Thunderbird Three safely sat ready for launch. He wished to hear his brother's voices again. Their laughter, their sighs and even their shouting. He even wanted Grandma's cooking. At least he knew he was home when faced with Grandma's cooking. He couldn't wipe away the tears that slipped down his face, nor could he stop the sob. He wanted to go home. He wanted his brothers, his sister, his family.
Alan looked up, through the warning signs, at the multi-coloured marble ahead. He set his eyes on it, on home. He tried to focus on keeping his shaking hands steady as another tear fell. The pod continued forward, though home appeared no closer. Alan fought against the draw of sleep, his Tracy stubbornness shining through. But as he finally succumbed, and as his eyes closed, his last wish was for his brothers.
