July 19th 2060 - 06:40 NZST
It's morning on Tracy Island and the brothers were all sitting down at the table with a bagel on a plate in front of them and a glass of milk. They are all chatting while Marion and Kayo standing off to the side having their own private conversation. John is being quite, being one of those few occasions were he isn't in Thunderbird 5. He also had breakfast in front of him but he was more interested in the sky and slightly wanting to be back on Thunderbird 5. While he loved his family, he would always go for an opportunity to be alone.
Brains enters the room with Max following him after an early morning spent in his workshop.
"48 hours without a major global emergency. This must be an international record!" Virgil says.
"The record's 51," Gordon comments.
"Ahh," Scott sighs, "We haven't just hung around the house like this since we were kids."
"Hey Brains, don't you ever take a break?" Alan asks.
"Of course, Max and I were using my infrared chamber to make biscuits," Brains says.
"Er, we do have an oven, Brains," Alan says.
"Proper baked goods can only be prepared under laboratory conditions, Alan." Brains says.
"Well, this has been fun," John says as he gets up with a hand to his head and starts leaving. He trips overMax who whirs on his way out. Scott and Virgil get up to follow him.
"Hey John, where're you going?" Scott asks causing John to stop in his tracks.
"It's hard to think with all of this..." John trails.
"Noise?" Brains offers.
"Gravity," John says, "I'm going back to the office."
July 19th 2060 - 06:52 NZST
John enters the space elevator in his uniform and sits down and prepares for launch. The doors shut and John's chair turns a 180 angle.
"I told the life-support system you wouldn't last three days on Earth, John," EOS jokes, "Looks like I was right."
"Just retract the space elevator, please, EOS," John asks. The space elevator launches, from Tracy Island heading back to Thunderbird 5.
"I'm amazed every time you trust your life to that tiny cable. The slightest failure and splat! –you're a little dark spot on Tracy Island," EOS says.
"Everything Brains designs has a HUGE safety margin and you know it," John says, "Are you sure you aren't still an evil computer program?" EOS laughs at this.
"Let's ask my programmer, oh, wait, that was you." EOS says with a giggle.
John sighs and looks out of the porthole, "Whoa, nasty hurricane brewing over the Indian Ocean. Must be where CIRUS is."
"Those clouds aren't even remotely cirrus," EOS says.
"Not the cloud type." John says as he moves his hand to his sash and turns on theholographic projector which displays CIRUS Station, "It stands for Climate Research of the Upper Stratosphere. Another project of Langstrom Fischler. He means well but he has a tendency to get himself into... trouble."
"Langstrom sounds like a challenging human," EOS says. John scoffs with a laugh.
"That's a good way to put it." John says, "They may not be entirely in space... but they are our closest neighbors. Better check in." John hits a button to call CIRUS and Langstrom answers the call.
"International Rescue to CIRUS station," John says.
"Hello International Rescue," Langstrom Fischler says.
"How are the... studies going Mr. Fischler?" John asks.
"Very well thank you," Fischler says, "We have determined that there is indeed a storm down there. A-A big one."
"Well er... that's sure to rock the scientific community," John says.
"Yes, I think you're right," Fischler says, "Did I also mention we've broken the altitude duration record? Another first for Fischler Industries!" Fischler is about to continue but a large crackle of interference hits and the signal isviolently cut off.
"EOS?" John says as he looks at the disrupted signal, "Try to boost the signal."
"Too much interference. But they just had a sudden change in altitude and not in the direction you'd expect," EOS explains.
"Contact Tracy Island," John says, "We may have a situation."
5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Thunderbirds are Go!
The Space Elevator connects to Thunderbird 5. John enters the main section of Thunderbird 5 with the holographic Earth projection to meet EOS on the track above.
"Confirm— It's going higher?" John asks.
"Confirmed! CIRUS station is rising," EOS explains as the gravity ring starts to lightly move again and John movesacross to look at the holo-map, "I have no explanation, but I have managed to regain the signal."
"International Rescue to CIRUS. Can you explain how you're falling up, Mr. Fischler?" John asks.
"CIRUS stays in place by a rather ingenious balance of hydrogen-filled balloons and downward-pushing heliblades," Fischler explains, "Which the electrical storm shorted out."
"And without them, the balloons are pulling you upwards." John says, "Once they reach critical altitude, the balloons will rupture, and the station will drop like a rock."
"We will experience a marked change in direction," Fischler says and then hangs up on him.
"Tracy Island, did you get all that?" John asks.
July 19th 2060 - 07:06 NZST
"I worked b-briefly with Fischler after university. He had a tendency to compromise safety for the sake of p-pretty much everything," Brains explains.
"Hmm," Scott ponders, "Brains, keep trouble shooting from the ground. Virgil, Gordon, take Thunderbird 2 and rendezvous with CIRUS. Use a repair pod to fix those rotors. I'll follow you there with Marion."
"Let me guess. I stay here?" Alan asks.
"In case we need Thunderbird 3 as backup," Scott says.
"Scott, I was taking advantage of the downtime to do some deferred maintenance on Thunderbird 1. I just need a few minutes to put it b-back together." Brains says, "Come on Max!"
"We will launch as soon as the ship's ready," Scott says.
"There goes our three-day streak," Virgil says.
5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Thunderbirds are Go!
"On route to CIRUS. I'm plotting a course to stay well above that hurricane," Virgil says.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on it," Gordon says, and Virgil looks at him with a raised eyebrow, "Get it because hurricanes have an eye in the middle of it."
"I get it. It just wasn't actually that funny." Virgil shrugs, "Go configure a pod will ya?"
"Aye, aye Cap'n," Gordon says as he undoes hisseat belt and gets up with a mock salute.
July 19th 2060 - 07:19 NZST
Alan and Brains had moved to the mission control room and connected to the link that Thunderbird 5 had established with Fischler.
"Okay, Fischler, let's walk through the steps," Brains says, "Backup systems."
"Rather redundant, don't you think?" Fischler asks.
"That's k-kinda the point," Brains says, "What about restart?"
"Start something that's already started," Langstrom says, "Sounds a little daft to me."
"Slow release valves?" Brains asks.
"We do have those." Langstrom says, "We didn't actually install them though. We found them too..."
"Slow?" Brains offers with a sigh.
"Brains, Brains, Brains, you can't invent things if you're going around all worried about safety, can you?" Langstrom asks.
"Actually, you can," Brains says.
July 19th 2060 - 00:32 IOT
Thunderbird 2 arrives on scene and prepares for a rescue attempt on CIRUS.
"We're a little pasted Thunderbird 2's operational limits, but she should hold long enough for us to repair the station," Virgil explains, "Doctor Gordon, your patient is ready."
Gordon flicks the switch and the Repair Pod is configured. He gets in and gets ready to launch, "Repair arms in place. The doors, please, Doctor Virgil."
"Don't let them hit you on the way out." Virgil says and opens the hatch doors on Thunderbird 2 allowing for Gordon to exit inthe pod and fly over to the station. The Pod struggling slightly with the turbulence and due to the altitude.
"Woah, rough skies. Ok, I've located the access panel," Gordon comments and extends the repairarm towards CIRUS, "The patients being uncooperative. No way I can perform a repair with all thisturbulence."
"Standby, I'll use Thunderbird 2's forward landing struts to stabilize the station," Virgil says and brings Thunderbird 2 over, "Struts deployed."
July 19th 2060 - 07:35 NZST
"Wow, the static dampening blades are so well designed I can't even see them," Brains says as he analyses a holo-gram of the station.Fischler is still talking to them over holo-communications.
"The er... dampening what now?" Fischler asks.
"You don't have them?!" Brains asks.
"Contact in five... four..." Virgil says over the communicator.
"If Thunderbird 2 makes contact, it'll be electrifying," Brains cries, "ABORT!" However, it was too late and Thunderbird 2 gets electrocuted causing the systems short out. As a result, Thunderbird 2 begins to rapidly lose altitude.
July 19th 2060 - 00:37 IOT
"Ah, that-that's bad," Fischler says as Thunderbird 2 falls rapidly towards the ground.
"All panels dead!" Virgil says, "Response negative!"
"CIRUS just sent an equivalent of a hundred lightning bolts directly into Thunderbird 2's system," Brains explains.
"I'm going down!" Virgil says struggling to try and get control of his bird again, "Repeat! Mayday! Thunderbird 2 is going down!"
"Virgil status!" John says.
"Thunderbird 2 unresponsive. Control systems are completely fried!" Virgil says.
"Hang on Virgil," Gordon says, turning the pod vehicle around and away from CIRUS starts to drop rapidly in order tocatch up with Thunderbird 2. He does this successfully and dives below. "I'm attempting a redock," he explains as he re-enters the No. 2 Module and attempts to reconnect the pod systems to Thunderbird 2's, "Magnetic dock engaged.Tying my pod systems into Thunderbird Two." As he does this, Thunderbird 2's vertical jets reactivate, "Virgil, I'veslaved your console to mine," Gordon explains, "I now have control of Thunderbird 2."
"Thanks Gordon, now let's get back up to CIRUS," Virgil says.
"Negative Virgil. You're just a flight hazard now. I've got it from here," Scott says.
"FAB. Thunderbird Two breaking off." Virgil says, "Take it away, Gordon."
"FAB." Gordon says.
July 19th 2060 - 00:43 IOT
Scott than takes over communications with Fischler and starts to talk to him; "CIRUS, I'm on approach to you now," as Thunderbird 1 arrives and flies around the balloons, "Can you give us a status report?"
"Well so far you're rescue attempts appear to be unsuccessful. International Rescue? Ha!" Fischler scoffs, "International Slowcoach more like."
"I meant a report on your status not the..." Scott pauses to takes a breath, "Never mind. The only choice now is evacuation."
"You'll have to use your escape pods to get clear," Brains interrupts, "If you eject at an angle of- let me guess, the escape pods took too long to manufacture?"
"Yes, that's right. We do hover, have these high altitude jumpsuits with rather nifty Fischler Industries logos," Fischler says indicating to one of his crew to turn around and show them.
"Parachute into a category five hurricane?" Brains questions, "You'll look very stylish as the gale force winds tear you to pieces."
Scott sighs and looks over in hope to Marion who in return gives a small smile. "I've mapped CIRUS' position," she says.
"Good, I'll give you control to maintain distance," Scott says and he prepares to leave via his jetpack.
"Thunderbird Two absorbed the static charge you should be safe," Brains says
"How sure is "should be"?" Marion asks.
"Ninety nine percent," Brains replies.
"And what happens if it didn't absorb all of the charge?" Scott asks.
"Let's focus on the positive shall we?" Brains says in hope the conversation can move on.
"Ye-ah," Scott says and he uses the grapple to lock onto the station and reconnects with Fischler, "I'm coming aboard."
"Right, I'll put the kettle on," Fischler replies and cuts the coms.
"Alright," Scott chuckles and lands on the station, "I'm aboard," he says as something sparks near the station which catches him off guard, "Okay... what was that?"
"Sprites," Brains says.
"As in Pixies?" Scott asks.
"High energy plasma discharges. They only occur in the upper atmosphere," Brains says.
"Wonderful," Scott says, "Inform the crew to make their way up as soon as possible—" but is cut off as a sprite goes off right next to him causing him to go over the edge.
"SCOTT!" Marion yells and sends out a grapple and catches him. She then pulls Scott back to safety aboard Thunderbird 1 when the monitors start to beep.
"Engines are stalling," Scott says.
"The air is getting too thin, I'm breaking off!" Marion says and directs Thunderbird 1 down while Scott buckles up in the passenger seat.
"CIRUS is at 100 kilometres and rising," John explains.
"No balloon should be able to fly that high. Unless..." Brains says.
"Unless you fill them with super-hot hydrogen ions!" Fischler says, "Extremely clever, don't you think?"
"Extremely dangerous! Those balloons won't just burst, they'll explode!" Brains says.
"Thunderbird 1 failed," Scott says.
"Okay. They may be beyond the limits of our aircraft. But we have a rocket," Brains says.
"Alan, you're up," Scott says.
"That's awesome. I mean... um... Thunderbird 3 is Go!" Alan says and calls into his earpiece, "Kayo, make your way down to Thunderbird 3."
5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Thunderbirds are Go!
"Careful, guys. That altitude is prone to atmospheric tides," John explains.
"Completing our suborbital approach," Alan says.
"You can't risk b-bursting those balloons. You'll have to approach the station from below and pull it downward," Brains says.
"All right, should be no problem," Kayo says as Thunderbird 3 arrives.
"Latch onto uninhabited support module at the base of the station," Brains explains.
"Deploying grasping arms," Alan says and gently latches them towards the station, before connecting and start to pull it down.
"It's working! CIRUS is lowering in altitude!" Brains says before a piece brakes off the station.
"Ah! The tri-grapple has broken away!" Alan says before a part hits Thunderbird 3, "And I've lost my number two engine!"
"Thunderbird 3, you're rolling like a log," Scott says.
"I've got to try again!" Alan says, "CIRUS—"
"It's too fragile now!" Kayo realises, "We can't risk anymore damage to it."
"But..." Alan says and groans angrily, "FAB. Engaging emergency thrust-vectoring to compensate." Slowly Thunderbird 3 makes her way back to Tracy Island
July 19th 2060 - 07:59 NZST
Everyone was in hologram form now except for John, feeling completely defeated from the events that had occurred over that last few minutes
"We could try Thunderbird Shadow," Virgil says.
"That would be a negative boys," Kayo says, "Thunderbird Shadow could never reach that altitude."
"Can they risk using those helosuits?" Scott asks.
"I'm sorry, but the chance of survival is exactly zero," Brains says.
"Maybe we can create a slow leak," Alan suggests.
"Yeah, use a smart projectile, hit those balloons with a scatter shot of needles," Gordon suggests.
"Great idea. The slightest perforation and they explode," Virgil says.
"Do you have to shoot down every idea?" Gordon asks.
"I'm not the one shooting things down," Virgil says.
"At least he's trying," Alan says.
"We're not just giving up," Gordon says.
"Who are you saying is giving up?!" Virgil asks.
"Since when did you call the shots?!" Gordon asks.
"QUIET! Everyone!" Marion says, "As much as we hate to admit it, International Rescue may have met its match this time."
"We've exhausted all our vehicles." Scott says, "There's no one else left to save them."
"Actually, there may be someone who can save them," Brains says with a smile causing everyone to look at each other confused.
"WHO?" everyone asks.
"Me," John says as he finally appearing on the call. It turned out, he was getting ready to move Thunderbird 5 over to the Indian Ocean.
"John, how can you save them? You're 22,000 miles in orbit," Virgil asks.
"Exactly," John says.
"Did someone invent a teleporter without telling me?" Gordon asks finally taking his seat back in Thunderbird 2 as they descend on Tracy Island.
"Thunderbird Five has p-powerful thrusters. John can slingshot to a position directly above CIRUS." Brains explains.
"Then I can use the space elevator's cable and mooring claw to latch onto CIRUS." John says, "Once the balloons burst, I'll lower it to the ground. Physics, couldn't be simpler."
"Hold on, you're gonna go fishing from space?" Alan asks, "Cool!"
"I only have one concern. Aside from having to hit a m-moving target from orbit, the cable wasn't intended for that kind of weight-" Brains says.
"Everything you design is over-engineered, Brains," John says, "Safety and excellence first, remember? We'll push the limits. It's just physics."
"Do it," Scott calls.
July 19th 2060 - 08:03 NZST
John gets ready to move Thunderbird 5 using the holo-map to work out the position they need to move to but gets into trouble.
"No... No, we're too heavy," John says, "EOS, dump all non-essential equipment and supplies from the cargo bay."
"I hope you're happy. There go my spare processors," EOS says.
"YES! Orbital vectors calculated," John says as he gets a fix on the holo-map, "Firing thrusters. Maximum burn in three, two, one..." Thunderbird 5 then starts moving.
"We'll be in position above CIRRUS in 3.2 minutes," EOS says.
"Get ready, it's gonna be a rough ride," John says.
July 19th 2060 - 08:06 NZST
They arrive and John gets ready, "Breakingmanoeuvres complete."
"John, at that distance are you sure you can operate the mooring claw with enough p-precision?"
"You've obviously never seen me on the claw machine at the local arcade," John says as he walks over to another hologram showing CIRUS and clicks his fingers, "This is just one more stuffed toy. Targeting sights aligned." The space elevator's mooringclaw is fired and heads down to reach CIRCUS "No," John comments as the balloons start to burst and ignores Fischlers comments so he can completely focus on the space elevator. "Accelerating cable," John says as the space elevator increases its speed just in time to catch CIRCUS as the last of the balloons explode, "Gotcha. Preparing to lower CIRUS to clear ground."
"The hurricane has doubled in size. There is no clear ground," Scott says.
"Ugh. If down isn't an option..." John says.
"You go up! Good thinking, John. I might just work," Brains says. John starts pulling CIRUS into space. John uses the gravity ring as a reel and it starts to turn at a very rapid pace which increases the G's inside Thunderbird 5.
"He's using the gravity ring – like a spool! He can't, can he?" Alan asks.
"Looks like he can," Gordon says.
"Careful, John," Scott says
" I almost can't bear to watch," Marion says.
The warning systems begin to beep as John falls to his knees, the gravity pulling him down until he'slying on the floor as the number of G's exceed 25.
"Oh, he did it, he pulled it into space," Scott says.
"John, stop the ring now. The m-momentum will carry it now. John?" Brains says as John struggles to hit the button, "John? Respond!"
John struggles to pull himself up onto his knees as he reacheshis hand towards the stop button on the wall, but is pulled down due to the gravity. He attempts to pullhimself up again and finally manages to press the button making the gravity ring come to a halt.
"John,CIRUS is still heading towards you with no way of stopping!" Brains calls over the coms. as John finally manages to get backonto his feet.
"Initiating thrusters," he says activating Thunderbird 5's thrusters by the holo-screen and moving Thunderbird 5 out of the way just in time, with CIRUS swinging around it instead of into it.
"Oh, my subroutines are killing me," EOS complains.
"Begin docking manoeuvres. I'm just going to drift for a while. Physics, couldn't be simpler," John says making his way over the the airlock, "Cycle airlock please."
The airlock opens to reveal Fischler and his two crew members behind him, "Two doors on an airlock, Mr Tracy? That's a bit excessive don't you think? What do youlike the sound of the airlock, do ya'?" Fischler says and mimes the action with his hand "Psst. Psst," and laughs at his own joke.
"Welcome aboard, Mr Fischler-" John starts but is cut off by Fischler talking to his crew
"You there, take note. My next project is to be a space station. We'll want it lean and mean," Fischler says and flots away
"Yes Mr Fischler," the guys says and follows him.
"And staff, you're all dismissed I think. I'm going to go with monkeys from now on. A loteasier. Monkeys with helmets. Actually, no helmets, we'll just put the logo on the monkey'sforehead," Fischler muses and goes off out of sight leaving John by himself. He sighs and watches them go.
"Tracy Island?" John calls.
"We've already contacted Global Defence. They've revoked Fischler's Space Operations Permit," Kayo says.
"Fantastic. Now please get this man off of my station before I have a suddenunexplained airlock failure!" John cries causing everyone to laugh.