Title: Firebug
Rating: Strong T
Summary: Captain Mahogany and Lieutenant Turquoise are sent out to bring in some firebugs.
Notes: Yeah, so this was meant to be a Mahogany Short loosely inspired by events that were going on out the back of town on the day I started writing this, only it evolved into something much larger…
And Mahogany has no filter, so there is some swearing.
Firebug
2092
It was one of those days that made Captain Mahogany seriously question humanity, and whether or not it would be a good idea just to let the Mysteron's wipe everyone out.
Heck, sometimes he wondered why the Mysteron's even bothered to try and rid the world of humanity, when the humans did such a good job at it themselves.
The bushfires had been deliberately lit, that much was clear as local firefighting crews being supported by International Rescue's Thunderbird and Oceanic Hatchling teams struggled to keep up with all the new fires that kept on being lit.
Because local law enforcement was at breaking point, as well as the fact the fire's were in an area used for highly sensitive training operations as well as exclusive retreats for important political figures, and the fires had been declared as an act of terrorism, Spectrum had been called in to help find the firebugs.
Mahogany, who was standing beside one of Spectrum's Rhinos, looked up at a fitted-out Thunderbird Shadow as it flew overhead, helping with the firefighting efforts – none of the Thunderbird team had been able to land on the ground as they were needed for the air support – and wondered for a moment on how his younger brother, Aaron, was doing, in his former job role.
"Wish you could be with them helping out?" Lieutenant Turquoise asked from the Rhino's hatch way.
Mahogany glared at his partner, as he got back into the Rhino, "We are helping them out, Turkey," he growled. "By tracking down the bastards that are responsible for all this, and making sure they don't start anymore fires."
"You know what I meant, Swine," Turquoise replied. "You get that homesick look on your face every time we are on a mission when International Rescue's involved."
"You know going home isn't an option for me," Mahogany replied bluntly, as he started up the Rhino and driving it to the location that intel suggested where the firebugs would strike next. "It would give the location of Tracy Island away to the Mysteron's, something International Rescue cannot afford to happen, keeping the Island location secret is our biggest defense against attack."
Turquoise cocked an eyebrow at Mahogany's use of 'our,' but wisely didn't say anything – he knew how touchy Mahogany could get when IR was involved, to be so close and yet so far from the family he was desperate to protect.
Several minutes later, Mahogany drove the Rhino around the corner before the target location and found what they were looking for.
The Firebugs were busy setting up another incendiary device, and were so preoccupied with what they were doing they hadn't noticed the Rhino pull up between them and their vehicle, How the fuck does someone not a notice a fucking tank pull in behind them? Mahogany thought, as he stopped the vehicle and reached for his firearm.
The tell-tale roar of Thunderbird Two flying over head as she went to refill on water, answered Mahogany's silent question, as he and Turquoise stepped out of the Rhino, and begun to sneak up on the Firebug's.
They had almost reached the troublemakers when one of the crooks looked up and realized they were not alone, and pulled a weapon and fired at Mahogany, as his partner hastily activated the device.
Mahogany hissed in pain as bullets tore through his left shoulder, while Turquoise returned fire and disabled both of the criminals.
After making sure both of the firebugs were secure, and ignoring his shoulder for the time being, Mahogany disabled the device, making sure there were no other hidden surprises that could bite himself and Turquoise in the ass - Fawn was already going to be holding a field day there for his shot up shoulder after all.
"You better let me have a look at that shoulder, before you bleed to death," Turquoise said to Mahogany, after calling things in to Skybase.
"You know that's not going to happen," Mahogany flippantly replied, not liking the fact that Turquoise had to patch him up - again.
"I know that," Turquoise replied. "And I also know that the cleaners hate cleaning up after you and Scarlet bleeding all over the place, so shut up and let me look after you."
Mahogany grumbled but allowed Turquoise to bandage his shoulder, as he was doing so, the wind changed direction, "Oh, no," Mahogany muttered. "Fuck."
"What's wrong?" Turquoise asked.
"Wind change," Mahogany snapped, as he got up and moved back towards the Rhino. "The fire is about to change the direction it's heading in."
"Which way is it heading?"
"Towards us," As Mahogany answered, cold embers started to land around them. "Grab one of these idiots, will you? We need to move and can't wait for a pick up, the fire will be on us before the Albatross gets to us."
Turquoise didn't need to be told twice, as he grabbed one of the injured idiots, and threw him into the back of the Rhino and then helped Mahogany who was hampered by his own injuries.
By the time the pair got the Rhino moving, with Turquoise driving, and roaring down the track they came in on, the first live embers were starting to pelt the sides of the vehicle, and visibility was starting to become a problem.
Turquoise did his best, but Mahogany knew the fire was going to catch them before they got clear of the bush track they were barreling down, while the Rhino did have some fire defences, by they were geared more for the aftermath of an explosion not for a prolonged attack of a flame weapon – or a bushfire.
When Turquoise missed a turn in the low visibility and ploughed through the scrub and got stuck in the dense bush on the side of the track, their situation went from bad to worse.
"What do we do now?" Turquoise asked.
"Sit tight for now," Mahogany answered calmly. "If we leave the Rhino now, we are both dead."
"The Rhino's defenses won't hold long," Turquoise replied. "And we are sitting on a fuel load."
"I know," Mahogany took a deep breath. "Get on the coms, Daniel, call International Rescue for an extraction."
"But you can't go anywhere near the Thunderbird craft, Kallen," Turquoise pointed out. "The Thunderbirds defenses will kill you."
"That's a chance I'm going to have to take, Danny," Mahogany replied. "I'm not putting three lives at more risk to spare mine," he looked at the two unconscious Firebugs in the back of the Rhino. "Even if those two idiots deserve to be left here to burn."
Turquoise nodded and made the call as Mahogany armed the fire defenses on the Rhino, hoping they would be enough until help arrived.
Virgil Tracy – who was flying Thunderbird Two again today for this rescue, because his son Geoffrey was needed to work one of the pods with Gordon, Kesha and Sophia – cocked an eyebrow at Briar's hologram, "So you're saying that Spectrum found the Firebugs," he said calmly. "But are now trapped in the Rhino they came in because wind shifted and blew the fire into their path."
"That's what Lieutenant Turquoise is saying," Briar Tracy confirmed from Thunderbird 5. "Scans confirm their vehicle is stuck in dense scrub, and the fire is just about on top of them."
"Patch me through to them," Virgil ordered. "I've just reloaded with water, and I'm on my way to their location."
Virgil flew Thunderbird two over to the stuck Rhino's location, he had to rely on the sensors to spot the vehicle because the smoke and flames made things impossible to see from the cockpit of two itself. The Spectrum personnel were in major trouble, and while they had some fire defences that they were currently using, it most certainly wasn't going to be enough to stop the fire form cooking the occupants of the vehicle alive.
Virgil moved Two to a hover above the Rhino and dumped his water payload on top of it, "This is Thunderbird Two calling Spectrum Rhino," he called. "Can you hear me?"
"You're not Thunderbird Two's normal pilot," A startled looking Turquoise replied. "Who are-"
Virgil frowned at the Spectrum Lieutenant's hologram, as a hand reached behind Turquoise's head and dope slapped him. "Ow!" Turquoise snapped, at his off-screen partner. "What was that for, you Swi-" The rest of Turquoise's response was cut off by his partner, who, from what Virgil knew about this Lieutenant's work partners, he assumed to be Captain Mahogany, hitting the mute button on the com.
Virgil watched as the Lieutenant paled at whatever his partner was saying, "My apologies sir, I didn't realize who you were," a chastised Turquoise replied, when Mahogany unmuted the com. "Yes we can hear you, thank you for the save, it was starting to get hot down here."
Virgil cocked an eyebrow, How did Mahogany know who he was? He shook his head. A question for another time. "You're not out of the woods yet, Spectrum," he replied. "It's too dangerous for anyone to go outside at the moment, so bringing you and your prisoners on board Two is not an option."
Turquoise looked at his partner, "We were afraid that you were going to say that," he said. "So, what are our options?"
"How heavy is that, Rhino?" Virgil asked, an idea forming in his head, he highly doubted Spectrum's Albatrosses, had more lifting power than Two.
It was obvious that Mahogany thought so too, as a schematic of the Rhino, highlighting potential grapple points, was sent to Virgil before Turquoise could reply.
Virgil wondered again about how much Mahogany knew about International Rescue, "If this works, I can't grantee a smooth ride," he pointed out.
"We are strapped down the best we can," Turquoise replied. "Do what you have to get us out."
"F.A.B." Virgil replied, as he aimed and fired the grapple lines.
The Rhino didn't seem to want to move at first, as the branches and creepers that were caught around its wheels seemed to want to doom the vehicle in a flaming demise, but the pulling power of Two managed the rip the vehicle from the ground, and after a few hair-raising moments of spinning around in the air, Virgil had Two and its payload flying safely away from the fire. "Are you alright, Turquoise? Mahogany?"
"We are as fine as we can be," Turquoise answered, as Mahogany's hand crossed into the hologram again and gave a thumb's up. Virgil knew, from Frey and Phia, that Mahogany wasn't known for speaking on com calls, usually letting Turquoise or Coral do the talking for him, but this was the first time Virgil had seen this strange quirk first hand, it made him wonder who the guy actually was.
"Good to hear, Spectrum," Virgil replied. "Have you got anywhere you would like me to drop you two off? Do you need medical assistance?"
"Skybase, calling Thunderbird Two," A new voice cut in, and a hologram of a older woman in a Green Spectrum uniform appeared above Virgil's console.
"Go ahead, Skybase," Virgil acknowledged the woman.
"Firstly, a thank you for helping our personnel," The woman replied. "Secondly, we had an Albatross in bound before our team got stuck, if you could meet up with it, we will see that our personnel and the prisoners are looked after."
"F.A.B." Virgil acknowledged, and started to move Thunderbird Two to meet up with the Albatross.
It was a few hours later and International Rescue's Thunderbird team was packing up after getting the fire contained, the Hatching team would be staying a little bit longer to make sure the fire was out, before they returned to their base in Central Australia.
Kesha Tracy Hackenbacker rubbed her left shoulder, it had been annoying her for hours and it wasn't as if she strained it or anything, in fact if Kallen was still alive she would be saying someone had shot him with bullets a few times there, but there was no way she was going to say that to her uncles, cousins and younger brother, not after she freaked out Scout the last time something like this happened, her brother was dead, she just wished the bond that she had shared with her brother would get with the program.
Maybe she should ask Aunty Will to get in contact with Dr. Edward Wilkie, because sometimes she would get a vision of him scolding Kallen for getting injured when the bond played up. She shook her head, What am I thinking, she thought. I haven't seen nor spoken to Wilkie since he left IR, now I want to call him up and ask him whether or not he's scolded my DEAD brother for getting shot lately? If he didn't straight up call me crazy to my face on a call like that, he would be calling Belle to get me committed, straight after it.
Kesha sighed and looked at Phia, who was looking a bit put out, as she secured her pod in Two's module and Kesha rolled her eyes at her cousin's behaviour, She's annoyed she didn't get a chance to talk that Surfer Lieutenant, that Uncle Virgil pulled from the fire, Kesha smiled. That girl is crushing for that guy so bad, "Is everything okay, Phia?" she asked.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" Sophia shot back. "You've been rubbing that shoulder for a while now."
"My shoulder is fine," Kesha growled. "Don't deflect my question because of it."
"Haven't you already guessed?" Sophia replied. "I kind of wanted to see Turquoise, I know he and Mahogany were only there to get the Firebugs, and they nearly died in doing so, but…"
"You have a crush on him." Kesha bluntly stated.
"NO! …I mean, I don't think so," Sophia ran a hand through her hair. "That's just it, I don't know, Keys, I mean, I feel a connection with the guy, but I don't know if it's a crush or something more… Heck – I don't even know his real name! I don't even know if he was alright, Uncle Virgil saw blood on his uniform…"
Kesha blinked, that crush was worse than she thought, it almost sounded like she loved the guy, but she had only met him a couple of very brief times. She knew members of her family had the tendency fall hard and fast for the people they loved, but this… "Maybe we could put a call into Spectrum," Kesha suggested. "Find out how they are doing, and what the Firebugs have to say for themselves."
"Really?" Sophia asked. "Do you think we will be allowed to?"
"We can only ask," Kesha answered. "No harm in that."
It was one of those times that, if it wasn't so serious, you would be grabbing a bucket of popcorn and enjoying the show.
It was also one of the reasons why the doctor's kind of preferred Scarlet or, in this case, Mahogany be knocked out or dead when it came to removing foreign objects from their bodies, as anaesthetics and pain killers, didn't do much for them.
Lieutenant Turquoise was sitting outside Skybase's infirmary's operation room, listening to Kallen swear up a storm in about five different languages as Dr. Fawn removed a couple of bullets out of his shoulder.
Fawn, far from being intimated at the foul language coming out of the injured captain's mouth, was actually retorting some of the insults with some colourful ones of his own.
Turquoise's spectra-tech beeped, and he answered the call, "Turquoise, here," he said.
"Lieutenant," his mother replied. "You and Captain Mahogany have a com call from International Rescue, would you like me to patch it through?"
Turquoise blinked, International Rescue was calling them? That was a first, "Did they say why?" he asked.
"Something about seeing that you two were alright," Major Green answered. "Two saw blood on your uniform and was concerned."
Turquoise looked at the door of the operating room, while Kallen was in no real condition to take the call, not that he would actually speak during said call, maybe hearing his family's voices would calm him down, and besides he did kind of want to see how Phia was doing.
He would never openly admit it to Kallen, the guy was very protective when it came to his family, but he thought Phia was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met in his life and he really did want to get to know her better, but with him being in Spectrum, and International Rescue having a major distain for the organisation, it made things difficult.
"Patch it through," he told his mother, as he tapped the infirmary intercom. "Hey, Mahogany, apparently International Rescue is checking in on us, do you want me to patch it through to you two in there?"
The conversation that followed between Geoffrey, Sophia and, surprisingly, Kesha, was a lively one, and it worked wonders on calming down Kallen, probably because he didn't want to miss a word his family said, and Fawn was able to get him stitched up with no further argument.
By the time Turquoise was allowed in to see Kallen, the call had ended, and Kallen had actually fallen asleep on the infirmary bed.
Turquoise looked at Fawn and cocked an eyebrow, Fawn motioned him to step outside for a moment.
Fawn looked at Turquoise, "That call made thing's a lot easier," he murmured. "I think you and he better start looking into ways getting a reliable communication link with the Island."
"That's easier said than done," Turquoise replied. "International Rescue doesn't like us much remember."
"And that boy needs his family," Fawn growled. "If there is one thing I learnt while working on Tracy Island is that even the most solitary Tracy's don't last long without familial contact, it's amazing that Kallen has lasted this long without his homing instincts kicking in," he gave Turquoise a cheeky look. "Besides, don't think I didn't notice you flirting with Phia there, Daniel, something tells me you would also take full advantage of a better communications with International Rescue."
Turquoise didn't bother denying it, "It would be nice to get to know her better," he admitted.
Fawn laughed and clapped Turquoise on the shoulder, "Good luck with Kallen, when he realizes you have a thing for his cousin," he said, as he walked away. "That's, if he doesn't already know that is."
Colonel Blue looked up at Colonel Scarlet and Major Green, after reading the report on who the Firebugs were, "This is not good," he murmured.
"Like we didn't have enough, problem's already," Scarlet agreed.
"Get an alert out," Blue ordered Green. "To all world government bodies, tell them to be on the lookout for…"
Notes: On Virgil and Gordon's role in International Rescue, post 2085 – when the second generation officially took over from their parents… They still play an active part in IR, just more behind the scenes and not so much on the front lines, they generally back up their kids when needed and help train the Hatching teams. They also have some of their own projects with Tracy Industries.
Gordon actually has more of a public profile, than the rest of his brother's due to him being married to Lady Penelope.