Out Of Place

AN – I've managed to get chapters finished very quickly this week, so you get an early update! I really hope you enjoy, let me know what you like or how you think it's going to go.

Disclaimer – I don't own Thunderbirds

Chapter Fifteen – What do we stand for?

Tintin turned the strange piece of metal over in her hands, still unable to unlock the key to it. She was sure that the etchings meant something – had in fact had a long conversation the day before with both Brains about it – but she couldn't yet work out its significance. It was stubbornly holding onto its secrets, yet she knew those very same secrets would be the key to getting back to where she belonged.

Not that she wasn't having a nice time here. Everyone had been very polite and kind to her, the way they all worked together was a marvel to see and the family dynamic was completely different. It was refreshing to see how much stock they put in Kayo's expertise, particularly when Mr Tracy only sent Tintin on a mission as the absolute last resort. Yes, some things here were eye opening. But she missed home, she missed her Brains, she missed Grandma and her need to make countless dresses for Tintin, she missed her room, she missed her experiments and she missed normality.

Tintin put the piece of metal down with a huff of exasperation. She wasn't getting anywhere today. She eyed up the comm that she'd rigged up to be able to talk to Brains. At least that was one thing she had done which worked, she didn't feel completely useless. Max, as though sensing the negative direction her thoughts had gone, whirled in with a whistle and brandished a cup of tea.

"Thank you Max," Tintin responded with a smile, he had learnt how to make her the perfect cup of tea. He chirped happily in response. Tintin turned back to the device strewn on the worktop, putting the etched metal casing to one side and focussing on the internal workings.

A series of beeps from Max drew her attention back away from it not long afterwards. "What is it Max?" She asked, before realising that Max wasn't looking at her but at the comm she'd modified. With a frown she went over to inspect it, only realising after a few moments that it was trying to tell her something. "Now, what do we have here?" She murmured, turning to the robot. "Can you work this?"

Beeping happily Max zipped forwards and prodded a small button that Tintin hadn't used so far. Immediately a hazy blue hologram of John appeared – the John from the dimension she was in, she could tell as even in the blue haze his red hair was obvious.

"Hi everyone. I'm just sending a message to let you know that Angel and I will be out of contact for a little while. We've followed some trails to where the Hood might be hiding and we're going to try to find what he did to pull us across dimensions. We think that we need to bring him home with us, whenever we work out how to do that, so we also need you to find the Black Phantom and apprehend him so that they can switch when the rest of us do. They are concerned here about advanced weaponry from our dimension falling into the wrong hands and I think I agree, plus there are some things here that I don't think we want in ours either. That's all I have for now, I'll be in touch when it's safe for me to do so. Thanks guys."

The image flickered and disappeared, the comm returning to a dormant state. "Can I activate it again?" Tintin asked Max, who whistled and gestured to the same button again. "OK great, thanks Max. Can you go and get people to come into the lounge please? I think they are going to need to see this."

A few minutes later, Tintin was setting up the comm in the lounge ready to play it to everyone. Jeff was already there watching her curiously, he'd been at his desk when the brunette had entered and told him she had something he needed to see. The others slowly filtered in, Virgil and Gordon were out on a rescue but everyone else was present.

"So, what do you have for us?" Scott asked, looking with curiously at the girl. Kayo, sat next to the other Alan on one of the largest sofas, rolled her eyes at Scott's impatience.

"I've had a message from John," Tintin explained, pressing the button on the comm and setting the hologram running again.

There was a moment's silence after they finished listening to it while they digested John's news. Tintin's gaze kept flicking to the other Scott, who was sat next to his brother. Jeff thought she must be worried about how he would take the news that he couldn't speak to his girlfriend. He looked a bit tense but not unduly worried.

Eventually the silence was broken by Kayo. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go and find this guy. Eos, do you have anything?"

"Now wait a moment Kayo," It was his Scott that spoke, standing up and holding a hand outstretched in a calming gesture. "We aren't the GDF, our job is a rescue organisation. We can't be expected to find and apprehend criminals, no matter what John has been asking us to do."

Jeff watched, interested in the dynamic between his eldest son and the head of security. The head of security who made an exasperated noise and threw her hands in the air. "We've been through this so many times Scott! Why shouldn't we stop the people who cause life and death situations in the first place? John obviously wants us to, it sounds like that's what he's doing in that other dimension. Their International Rescue must be approving it!"

A snort directed everyone's attention to the other Alan, who reddened. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt it's just… not necessarily. Angel could well be acting on her own and dragging your John into it."

"See!" Scott exclaimed before anyone else had a chance to say anything. "Their International Rescue also isn't trying to act as police! It's a rogue agent doing their own thing and dragging John into their mess."

Alan's coughed *agent* wasn't missed by anyone, but Jeff was more interested in the frown on the other's Scott's face. Kayo scoffed and looked away, crossing her arms across her chest.

"That's not particularly true," the other Scott said eventually. "While I'm sure Angel isn't working with International Rescue as such, I would imagine our John is supporting her closely as he often has been over the last few months. Also, whilst we are primarily a rescue organisation we do take preemptive measures sometimes when the situation calls for it."

Alan nodded along. "MI5 man, undercover mine bomb man, Penny's singing thing, monorail thing… quite a few times, actually." He counted them off on his fingers as he listed the different occasions before ending in a shrug. "We get all sorts of requests!"

"So why don't we?" Kayo asked. "I get that we don't want to replace the GDF, but this is a pretty special case given that for some reason we are directly affected."

"It's just not what we do Kayo," Scott sounded tired, as though he had had the same argument before. Which, knowing Kayo as Jeff thought he did, was actually very likely.

"Well maybe it should be," Jeff had enough of being a spectator and decided to weigh into the discussion. "I'm not saying we should make a habit of it," he clarified, trying to hold off the arguments. "Because you are right Scott, we have the GDF for that. But Kayo is also right in that this is a particularly special case. Not only are we affected personally, but from the message John sent it seems as though the continued safety and security of not one but two planets are at risk. If the other International Rescue, whether officially or not, are trying to do their level best to recover the situation in the other dimension then the onus is on us to do the same here."

Scott didn't look happy and Kayo seemed smug. The tension in the room was broken by Eos, who had been listening in from Thunderbird 5.

"I shall begin to scan for this Black Phantom. Can I suggest we also informed the GDF of our purpose in searching for him? They may have information I cannot legally obtain."

"I'll contact Val later," Jeff told her. "Everyone else, go and cool your tempers somewhere. I know you all feel passionately about this, but arguing amongst ourselves isn't going to help us any."

With a grumble, Scott complied. Alan and his oldest brother looked at each other and seemed to communicate quietly before Alan disappeared up to the guest quarters they had been staying in. Tintin was still tinkering with the comm, leaving Kayo and Sally sitting with Jeff and the other Scott.

"I'm going to head over to the mainland," Kayo told them. "I need someone to spar with to get some practice in for when we do find the Black Phantom."

"I'll spar with you," the other Scott offered. He saw all the surprised faces looking at him and grinned sheepishly. "Angel's been teaching me, I'm not brilliant by any means but if you need a partner?"

Kayo looked him over appraisingly. "You'll do, I'll hold off on going then until we've contacted the GDF. Then I can go and bring Rigby up to speed."

"Angel's teaching you how to fight?" Tintin commented, making them all jump as they'd forgotten the quiet girl who was currently crawling out from underneath the coffee table, spanner in hand. "I must get her to teach me more self defence, she's so good at it."

"Do you have a shooting range?" Scott asked Jeff. "I could use getting my eye in as well."

"No," Jeff replied, astonished by the question. "Why would we have a shooting range? We're a rescue organisation."

Scott looked blankly at him. "Carrying a weapon is a standard part of our uniform, I don't often have to use it but it's come in handy at times." He frowned. "Guess I won't be able to get hold of one here then, as none of us were in uniform when we came across."

"You know how to shoot?" Kayo asked him.

"Three operational tours in the US Air Force and seven years total service." Scott replied. "You could say that I know how to shoot."

"Seven years in the Air Force?" Kayo gaped. "I think our Scott only made two before he had to buy his way out of his commission." A gentle cough from Jeff had her looking sheepish as she realised it was yet another reminder to Jeff about what his boys had to give up in his absence. Scott noticed their discomfort and quickly moved the conversation on.

"Gordon's also a great shot and he's the other one who has used his weapon on duty, I think. Or maybe Alan has too… but he's far less accurate if our tests in the range are anything to go by. I'm not even sure whether Virgil still carries his, I think he's only used it to shoot at wires or control panels."

"Change of plan," Kayo told them all. "You're coming with me to the mainland, Scott. We'll get you fitted up with a weapon of some sorts and get your shooting approved by the GDF so it's legal. Can you get onto Colonel Casey soon, Jeff?"

"Will do Kayo, good luck."

Kayo pulled a face. "GDF bureaucracy is a nightmare, but luckily we have inside sources." She frowned at Scott. "I guess I can't take Thunderbird Shadow if you're coming too."

"Take it," Jeff waved a hand at her. "He can get a lift in Thunderbird 1."

"Really?" Scott's expression shifted from thoughtful to excited. "I'd love to see what it can do, and how it differs from my Thunderbird 1."

"I don't see why now," Jeff replied. "You've seen it launch a few times by now and it's hardly worth keeping secrets from you."

"I still haven't been shown around any Thunderbird except for Shadow," Scott pointed out. "Which is incredible, we don't have anything like it. We don't have anyone quite like Kayo either to fly it. But I would love to see the others, particularly 1 and 2." He frowned in thought. "I guess technically I have seen 5 too, given I woke up on it, but I'm not sure that counts."

Jeff chuckled at the reminder. "When you get back from the mainland we'll give you a proper tour, compare notes on how we each operate. Might well be something we can learn from you and you from us."

"I'd like that," Scott smiled at the man who reminded Scott more and more of his own dad the more time he spent with him.

"Come on, I'll go and fetch Scott," Kayo told him. "We need to get going."

"Have a safe trip," Jeff told them, waving the, out of the room before turning to his holophone. Taking a deep breath, he thought about how on Earth he was going to explain everything to Val Casey.